Attaining BHAVA

Lecture, SB 3.26.34, January 11, 1975 Bombay

At the time of death, if you can maintain this bhāva, Kṛṣṇa conscious bhāva… The bhāva is the perfection. Bhāva is attained after much practice of devotional service.
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu
saṅgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyā
tato ‘nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt
tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ

[Cc Madhya 23.14-15]

Āsakti, when there is āsakti, attraction, attraction… Now, recently I have received one letter. One boy, he was engaged in worshiping the Deity in our Hyderabad center, and he was transferred to Madras. So he became madlike. He has come back. He could not stay there without serving. He has written me letter. So that is bhāva. He cannot stay without worshiping the Deity.

That stage comes. You have to simply adopt it. Tato bhāvaḥ. Tato ‘nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha means we are accustomed to this material condition of life, so many anarthas. Just like there are so many people they are going to the cinema in the evening. But those who have attained bhāva, his anartha nivṛtti is already done. He is not attracted any more by the cinema. He is attracted, bhāva, in the worship of the Deity. That is called bhāva. That bhāva means prema. Only thinking of Kṛṣṇa, serving Kṛṣṇa, simply busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service—that is the perfection of life. And if we can maintain that bhāva, that situation, mentality, then yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg 8.6].

And at the time of death, if that bhāva is maintained, that is saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. That is the highest perfection of life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are trying to… We are not trying to give others; we are trying ourself also, how to get that bhāva. That is the perfection of life.

So human life is meant for that purpose, not to practice how to imitate barking like the dog. No. That is not human life. Human life is meant for acquiring this bhāva. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. In another place in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, budhāḥ…
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

[Bg 10.8]

Bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Budhāḥ. Those who are actually learned, actually advanced, such persons—budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, bhajante mām. That is perfection of life. So take this opportunity, human life. Don’t miss.

You may be very proud of your intelligence, but this intelligence is not very good intelligence if you are devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you are a mūḍha. If, by your intelligence, you learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and worship Him with bhāva, that is real intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg 7.19].

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