SB classes vol 10
710110SB.CAL Lectures 229576/530501
aksara-dvayam. If anyone simply chants these two alphabets, ha,
ri–hari–then baddha-parikaras tena moksaya gamanam pratiti:
“Although he is a conditioned soul, his path for liberation is open.”
Yasya smrtya ca namoktva tapa-yajna-kriyadisu, nunam tam purnakam yati
sadyah vande acyutam ity adi-vacanam.(?) There is another quotation,
that yasya smrtya ca moktva tapo-yajna-kriyadisu. These are pious
activities: austerity and sacrifice, tapas, yajna, and kriya, pious
activities. Everything is done simply by chanting this Hare Krsna
mantra. There is no need of doing anything. Simply by chanting, one
can achieve the result of japa, yajna, and other ritualistic
performances prescribed in the Vedas. And this is specially advised to
the karma-kandiyas, those who are very much fond of performing
ritualistic ceremony. For them this instruction is specially meant,
that if you chant simply Hare Krsna mantra without any offense, then
you’ll get all the results of japa, yajna, and other ritualistic
performances.
750910SB.VRN Lectures 229589/530501
So anyway, this Ajamila is krta-nirvesa. The Visnuduta informed to
the Yamaduta that “You cannot touch him anymore. He is now pure.”
Krta-nirvesa. Krta-nirvesa. Then the next question is… The Yamaduta
may say that “How he has become krta-nirvesa? He is so sinful that
there is no limit of his sinful activities, and you say that it is
clear immediately?” And therefore he says, janma-koty-amhaam api: “Not
only one life’s sinful activity, but many, many crores of births’
sinful activities.” So we do not know how many births we had
previously, but from the sastra we understand crores, many millions of
times, we had to take birth. Therefore it is used, janma koti: not one
birth or two birth or second birth or fifth birth. So unless we come
to Krsna consiousness, this repetition of birth and death will
continue. Therefore it is said janma koti… We are passing through
many forms of different forms of life. We are creating one family,
that “I belong to this family.” But what about my other families?
Because janma koti, in every family, when I enter, there must be
father and mother and family members. So which family I am especially
concerned? That is our ignorance. We become interested in the
particular family where we are at present. But we do not know that in
the past we had to pass through many hundreds and millions of
families. So which family is correct? And again, if I do not correct
myself at the present moment, I have to go through many millions of
families until we come to the point: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma
sudurlabhah. This is the point.
….caranambujam hareh. It is said that if by sentiment one takes to Krsna
consciousness, tyaktva sva-dharmam Everyone has got his occupational
duty. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, or anyone–everyone has
got some particular duty, obligation. But Krsna says, “There is no
need of executing all this obligation. Simply surrender to Me.” Krsna
says. So if somebody, out of sentiment, if one thinks that “Simply by
surrendering to Krsna, I will be perfect? Why not take it? Let me give
up my so-called religious principle.” So that is confirmed in the
Bhagavata. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. He is giving up.
Just like these European, American boys, they belong to Jewish
religion, they belong to Christian religion, but out of their pious
activity or even by sentiment, they have given up. Now they have taken
to Krsna consciousness. But they are perfect. You may say that some of
them are fallen. So sastra says that “Even one has fallen, where is
the wrong there? And another person, who has not taken to Krsna
consciousness, who has not fallen, what is the benefit there?” Even
one has not fallen, sticking to his own particular religious system,
he is not gainer. But a person who has taken to Krsna consciousness
even by sentiment and has fallen, he has great benefit because once he
has taken to Krsna consciousness, Krsna becomes attached to him. That
is ajnata-sukrti. Therefore, in all circumstances, we should accept
the Krsna’s instruction, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam
vraja, and surely we shall be benefited.
710115SB.ALL Lectures 229617/53050
Hamsaduta: Sixteen heads arrived at the Kumbha-mela, January 5, 1971.
Srila Prabhupada arrived on the morning of January 13, 1971, and the
following lectures were recorded beginning January 15, 1971, at the
Kumbha-mela, crossing of Kali and Yamuna roads, just across from the
Hanuman Mandira, a temple which is said to be at least one million
years old. Prabhupada said it was standing since the time of Lord
Ramacandra. (break)
710115SB.ALL Lectures 229620/530501
So the Visnudutas say that “Even though one has committed so many
sinful activities, if at the…, if once he utters the holy name of
Narayana, he becomes free immediately.” That’s a fact. It is not
exaggeration. A sinful man, someway or other, if he chants this Hare
Krsna mantra, he immediately becomes free from all reaction. But the
difficulty is that he commits again. That is namaparadha, offense.
There are ten kinds of offenses. This is the severest offense, that
after being freed from all sinful reaction by chanting Hare Krsna
mantra, if he again commits the same sin, that is a grievous criminal
action. For ordinary man it may not be so severe, but one who is
chanting Hare Krsna mantra, if he takes advantage of this mantra, that
“Because I am chanting Hare Krsna mantra, even though I commit some
sin, I’ll be free,” he’ll be free, but because he is offender he will
not achieve the ultimate goal of chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Because
he’ll be freed, and again he’ll commit–freed, again he’ll commit–in
this way there will be no chance of his liberation. But don’t think
that by chanting Hare Krsna mantra one’s sinful reactions are
counteracted. That is not exaggeration. That’s a fact. The difficulty
is that one chants Hare Krsna mantra, again commits sin, that is
greatest sin. That is the greatest offense.
710115SB.ALL Lectures 229622/530501
.. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. You should
always remember this, because sometimes rascals mislead that “Any
name.” In Bengal it is very popular. There is a party, they chant
kali-kirtana. “Kali, Kali, Kali,” imitation. Or there are so many
so-called avataras. There was another rascal, he added his wife’s
name. Yes. And the rascal, foolish scholars also accepted. Yes. “Haro
kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro,” like that. The rascal’s
name was Haro, and his wife’s name was Kusuma, so he made a mantra,
“haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro haro.” (laughter) And
the rascal followers also accepted that this is… So this is going
- A Mayavadi philosophers, they are so dangerous that they mislead
their followers to the hell. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has therefore
strongly warned, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa: “If you
attempt to hear some Mayavadi philosopher, then your life will be
spoiled. Your path to devotional service will be blocked, so don’t try
to hear a Mayavadi.” This is the recommendation by Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. So we should always remember, when there is question of
chanting the holy name, that means Visnu, not any other’s name.
Vyaharanam visnor yatas tad-visaya matih.
710115SB.ALL Lectures 229623/53050
possibility of becoming a pure Vaisnava. He may be a Vaisnava,
performing the devotional service in the routine work, but if his
behavior is not sinless he is called kadacara, suduracara. Of course,
this suduracara, if it happens accidentally without any
consciousness… Sometimes we commit some sinful activity without
knowledge or due to my past behavior. That accident, if one repents
that “I should not have done this, but I am so sinful that I have
again committed this sin,” so this repentance will help him to be
excused by the Supreme Lord. But if one commits sinful life
intentionally, that is not to be excused. That is to be taken
seriously.
710115SB.ALL Lectures 229630/530501
So the first stage of chanting Hare Krsna mantra is full of
offenses. But if one sticks to the principle… Therefore we have to
chant regularly sixteen rounds at least. So even there are offenses,
by simply chanting and being repentant that “I have committed this
offense unnecessarily or without knowledge,” so simply be repentant
and go on chanting. Then the stage will come. It is called namabhasa.
That is offenseless, when there is no more offenses. That is called
namabhasa. At namabhasa stage one becomes liberated immediately. And
when one is liberated, if he goes on chanting–naturally he will go on
chanting–then his love of Krsna becomes manifest. These are the three
stages of chanting: chanting with offense, chanting as a liberated
person and chanting in love of God. There are three stage of chanting.
The same thing, the example is just like a mango, unripe mango, going
on, changes. It is not that chanting brings another thing as a result.
No. The same thing becomes manifest in different feature. Just like
unripe mango, you taste in a different way; it is very sour. But when
it is ripened and it is fully ripened, the taste is changed. The taste
is now sweet.
So in the beginning we may be very much reluctant in the matter of
chanting, but when you become liberated the chanting will be so sweet
that you cannot give up. Just like Rupa Gosvami. He has composed a
sloka. He says in that sloka that “If I had millions of tongues and
trillions of ears, then the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra would have
been relishable. How, what can I do with one tongue and two ears?” So
that is liberated stage. That is prema. But that stage is attainable.
If you follow regularly the principles, everyone will attain to that
stage when he simply likes to chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna
Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229662/530501
Na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhih. There are twenty kinds of
religious scripture, out of which, Manu is considered to be the
greatest. So they have prescribed many methods for getting oneself
released from the reaction of sinful activities. Every one of us,
anyone who is engaged in karma… Karma means papa, sinful activities.
And karma means one who is working for his own benefit. He is karmi.
The whole world is working so hard not for others’ benefit but his
personal benefit. That is called karma. Try to understand what is
karma. Karma means anyone who is working very hard day and night for
his own benefit. That is called karma. And whenever you perform karma
for your personal interest there must be some sinful activity.
Therefore every karmi is a sinful man. It is clear understanding. No
karmi can be without being sinful. Every karmi is. Therefore how to
work?
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229664/530501
religious scriptures in human society. Therefore it is said, dharmena
hinah pasubhih samanah. If one is not following the principles of
religious scriptures… It doesn’t matter whether it is Hindu religion
or Christian religion or Muslim religion. It doesn’t matter. But human
civilization, a civilized human being must follow some religious
principles. That is the aim of human life. And anyone who does not
follow any religious scripture, he is simply animal. That is the
position of the present world. We may claim to be Hindu or Muslim or
Christian, but nobody cares for religion. They are simply karmis.
Therefore they are all sinful.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229671/530501
thing will be remembered and that will make him liberated. Offenseless
chanting means liberated. We should therefore (be) very much careful
not to commit offenses. Then we remain always… So long you chant
Hare Krsna mantra, you remain liberated. And actually ayi mukta-kalir
upasyamana. Srila Rupa Gosvami has said that the chanting is possible
only by the liberated soul. Ayi mukta-kalir upasyamana. When he is
addressing the holy name he says mukta-kalir upasya: “Those who are
liberated, they can chant offenseless or pure holy name of the Lord.”
Ayi mukta-kalir upasyamana.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229674/530501
Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is killing, engaged in killing. People may
think that “Oh, Arjuna is not very good man. He is killing his
grandfather, he is killing his, what is called, nephews, and
devastating the whole family. Oh, he is not a good man.” Sometimes
comment, people comment like that. But Krsna says, bhakto ‘si priyo
‘si me: “You are My very dear friend.” Just try to understand. In the
estimation of the material world he is a very good man, er, he is not
a good man because he is killing his own kinsmen. But in the
estimation of Krsna, he is dear friend and devotee. So that is the
difference between a devotee and good man of this world. A devotee is
naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on
behalf of Krsna, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure
devotee.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229676/530501
Just like this arrangement, this Kumbha-lila arrangement, is a
prescription by the Brahmavadis. There is a prescription that one
should go during this time, maghamela, and live in the confluence, on
the bank of the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna and at least three days
he must live. Then he becomes eligible to enter into the heavenly
kingdom. These people who have come here, their ambition is to enter
into the heavenly kingdom. But a devotee does not care for heavenly
kingdom. A devotee cares a very fig in any planet within this material
world. As Krsna says, a-brahma-bhuvanal lokan punar avartino arjuna.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229684/530501
Prabhupada: The demigods are not pure devotees. They are devotees.
Just like Brahma is the best of the demigods but he has a material
desire that “I shall be the controller of the universe.” Therefore he
is not a pure devotee. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said, kita janma hau,
jatha tua dasa, bahir-mukha brahma-janme, nahi mora asa. Is not that?
So a pure devotee does not try to become a Brahma also, what to speak
of other demigods, because anyone within this material world, he has
got some material desire, anyone. Therefore he is not liberated. He is
conditioned. Only the pure devotee who is trying to satisfy Krsna by
all his activities, he is liberated. What do you think, Ramananda? Eh?
Is it clear or not? That’s nice. Thank you. Yamuna devi?
Yamuna: I surrender to your lotus feet, Srila Prabhupada.
710116SB.ALL Lectures 229686/530501
Prabhupada: All right. So anyone, if you have got doubt you can clear
- Now you can try to understand how powerful is this pure chanting
of Hare Krsna mantra. Offenseless chanting of Hare Krsna mantra means
you remain liberated always. Offenseless chanting, once chanting is
sufficient. But because we are not offenseless, therefore we have to
make a regulated program that we must chant Hare Krsna so many times.
Otherwise one chanting of Krsna is sufficient to make you liberated,
one chant, “Krsna,” “Rama,” once, that’s all, sufficient. Just like
this Ajamila. Once he chanted Narayana. He became immediately
liberated because he was offenseless. But because we cannot do that,
therefore we have to make a prescription. Just like a child who cannot
write very good hand. He is asked that “You write so many pages.” By
writing, writing, writing, writing, writing, he writes good hand. So
we should not neglect. Chanting, chanting, chanting… Another… This
is one side. Another side is when you become liberated the chanting
will give you transcendental pleasure so that you cannot cease. You
cannot cease chanting. That is another side. That is liberated stage,
just like Rupa Gosvami, Haridasa Thakura. You cannot imitate Haridasa
Thakura but you must make a prescribed form that “I must chant so many
times.” That is for conditioned soul. When you are liberated, then
there is no need of giving you direction. You’ll feel transcendental
pleasure by chanting. You cannot cease. Yes?
710117SB.ALL Lectures 229722/530501
The Krsna consciousness movement, the technique, is that you may be
engaged in various types of work, but the mind must be always fixed up
in Krsna. That art you have to learn. How it is possible? It is
possible. Perhaps you have not seen–in India the women, they go to
draw water from the well and they keep on the head. They are going,
but the head is so balanced that the waterpot will never fall down.
There are many instances that if you learn how to keep the balance, in
spite of your movement the waterpot on the head will not fall.
Similarly, if you mold your life in such a way that Krsna should
always be remembered, then, in spite of your mind being very agitated,
your mind will be fixed up in Krsna. That is required. Therefore in
the devotional service we have got so many engagements.
This is the art.
710117SB.ALL Lectures 229725/530501
Because if you are engaged in ordinary karma… Karma I have already
explained. Karma means doing something for your personal benefit. That
is called karma. Or, in plain words, doing something for sense
gratification, that is called karma. And as soon as you engage your
activities for such sense gratification or for your personal benefit,
then you have to commit sins. That’s a fact. Therefore we are
entangled in this birth and death problem. So here the Visnuduta
advises that “If you want…” Tat karma-nirharam abhipsatam. “If you
desire at all that ‘I shall be freed from the resultant action of
karma,’ then your duty should be harer gunanuvadah khalu
sattva-bhavanah. You simply try to glorify the Supreme Lord always,
twenty-four hours. That will purify you.” Khalu sattva-bhavanah.
Sattva-bhavanah. Sridhara Svami says, sattva-bhavanah citta-sodhakah.
Sattva-bhavana means citta-sodhaka. Citta means the heart, and
sodhaka, the purifying process. So instead of taking yourself to these
prescribed ritualistic ceremonies, if you simply engage your mind in
describing or glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead… That is
our process. Our only objective is how to glorify the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. We are writing books, we are publishing
magazines, we are preaching, we are going everywhere–just to glorify
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. That is our only business.
This process is recommended here, citta-sodhaka. If you sit down and
write some article on Krsna, that means you have to concentrate on
Krsna’s activities or Krsna’s devotees’ activities, and that very
process will purify your heart. Therefore we always recommend to our
students that you write articles, read our magazine, read our book. In
this way if we keep ourself… Work for Krsna. ….
710117SB.ALL Lectures
So the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said,
sada, kirtaniyah sada harih, not that two hours or one hours, but one
should practice. And that is the recommendation as it was followed by
Haridasa Thakura. But because we cannot do that, therefore we have to
engage always in the service of Krsna. That will make me remembering
Krsna.
750917SB.VRN Lectures
Actually it is happening. In your country, the Europeans and
Americans, say, ten years before the beginning of this movement, you
did not know Krsna, every one of you. That’s a fact. How you are now
mad after Krsna? It is simply because by association. So association
is so important thing. You boys and girls in your country, you were so
luxuriously living. Why you have left everything and you are after a
beggar sannyasi? It is the association. The association is so strong.
Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says,
tadera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vas
janame janame mor ei abhilas
“Let me engage myself in the service of the Gosvamis and associate
with the devotees. I do not want anything.” Janame janame mor ei
abhilas. Bhaktivinoda Thakura said that kita-janma hau, jatha tuwa
das. This association. “Let me become a worm, not a devotee, even
worm.” Kita. Kita means worm, an insignificant ant, worm. Better to
remain as an ant with the association of devotees than to become a
Brahma without any devotee’s association. Brahma-janme nahi mora as.
Bahir-mukha brahma-janme, nahi mora as, kita janma hau, jatha tuwa
das. This is Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s hankering. So some way or other,
we are propagating this association, Krsna consciousness,
International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Why? Why we are
establishing so many centers? Just to give the people in general the
chance of association. It is very important thing, association. Sangat
sanjayate kamah.
750918SB.VRN Lectures
These are the, some of the practical examples. There are persons who
criticize chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. Namnad artha-vada. Because
the glories of the holy name are described here, that one can become
free from the sinful reaction of life simply by chanting the holy name
of the Lord, so sometimes those who are not in the line, they think,
“It is too much. It is too much.” So the next verse, the… It is
advised… Not it is too much. You can test it. Test it. What is that
test? Patita. When you fall down from a high place… Suppose from the
roof you may fall down, patitam. Skhalita: you may slip and fall down.
Bhagnah: by falling down you may break your bones. Then sandastah: you
may be bitten by some animal–cats, dogs, a snake. There are so many,
domestic. Then tapta: you may be burned. And ahatah: you may be
injured from others. Then during this time you can test, practical.
What is that test? Harir ity avasena aha. Try to chant Hare Krsna.
Puman. If anyone does so, na arhati yatanah. You’ll immediately feel
that from the injuries you are not feeling pain. This is practical
seen. Even a snake bite… You may be saved. The author says, never
says, that you may be saved from death, but the suggestion is that you
may not feel much pain. This is practical.
750919SB.VRN Lectures
So to forget Krsna and to become subjected to the condition of
material nature, that is called material life. Material life means to
give up the idea of going back to home, back to Godhead, but making
plan here to be happy. This is called maya, or material life.
750919SB.VRN Lectures
But sinful activities must be there. We are put into certain
condition; therefore it is called conditional life. Suppose you are
very pious man. You are not killing any man or any cow–we are very
careful–but still you have to kill. What is that? Because we are
walking on the street. You have seen. You are killing so many ants.
The position is like that. Even if you do not wish to kill, even if
you are very pious man, still you have to kill, unconsciously or
consciously. The world situation is like that. Anyone who has come
here, he must commit sinful activities. As soon as you get this
material body, then you must have to commit sinful activities, even if
you are very careful. It is not possible. Therefore sastra says, padam
padam yad vipadam: “Every step there is vipada.” You cannot be
excused. Because you are killing one ant unconsciously while walking,
your name is noted. Your ticket is immediately there: “Oh, you have
killed so many ants.” The law is so nice. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih
karmani. Automatically it is recorded, automatically, and you have to
suffer.
So then what to do? If the situation is like that, how to save?
Therefore Krsna says, yajnarthe karmananyatra karma-bandhanah. If you
dedicate your life for yajna… Yajna means for Visnu. Yajnarthe karma
means Yajna-purusa is Visnu. If you work for Visnu, then you are safe.
Otherwise you are becoming complicated. Yajnarthe. Krsna says
yajnarthe karma anyatra karma-bandhanah. If you are going to office to
earn your bread, very hurriedly to attend the office, and you are
killing so many ants, you are becoming entangled. You think, “I am
going to office to do my duty very hurriedly,” but you are becoming
implicated. But if you go out for receiving some help for worshiping
Visnu, then you are free. Then you are free. Exactly like that:
soldier who is fighting in the battlefield and killing so many men and
he is given gold medal, “Oh, you have killed so many. So many lives
you have killed of the opposite party, enemy. You take this Victoria
Cross.” He becomes recognized by the government. The same man, when he
comes home, if he kills somebody for his sense gratification, he will
be hanged. The same man. The same soldier, when he is fighting for
king’s service, government service, government is supplying him food,
everything–“So fight very chivalrously”–and offering him gold medal.
And the same men, when he comes home, for his sense gratification if
he kills a man, he will be hanged. He may say in the court, “Sir, I
have killed so many men in the battlefield and I was never hanged. I
was given gold medal. And now I have killed only one man and I am
going to be killed? Why? What is this?” “Yes.” For your sense
gratification, as soon as you do anything, that is sinful, whatever
you do. It may be so-called pious activities in your calculation, but
in this material world there is no such thing as pious activities or
impious. Everything impious.
710213SB.GOR Lectures
So Sridhara Swami is very nicely explaining
the omnipotency of chanting the holy name. So he says, tasmad idam
upapannam iti tatraha etavad iti. If one takes shelter of the
transcendental holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he
hasn’t got to go through the dharma sastras or abiding by the rules
and regulation of different kinds of religious scripture. Etavat.
Etavad iti. Simply by surrendering to the holy name. So this is
applicable in all ages, but especially in this age because nobody can
perform the ritualistic ceremonies of any religious principle. The
people are so fallen that they cannot. So this hari-namanukirtanam, it
is not that it is manufactured for this age. No. This is potent in all
other ages also, but especially it is potent because people in this
age, they are unable to execute any religious principles very nicely.
710213SB.GOR Lectures
Our, this temple worship, Deity worship, we are
following the principles of Deity worship because our acaryas
established temple, but main principle is chanting. Therefore,
whatever we are doing, we offering prasadam to the Lord, we are having
mangalarati, the main principle is chanting Hare Krsna mantra. This
temple worship, it can be avoided, but we cannot avoid chanting Hare
Krsna mantra. As such, we have introduced in several centers that
“Begin with Hare Krsna mantra, keeping the picture of Guru-Gauranga.”
If it is not possible to worship the Deity according to the rules and
regulation, there is no need of establishing temple. But if there are
devotees who can actually keep the temple worship method in right
order, then… Otherwise, simple, by chanting, everything is complete.
But when there is temple worship, there is automatic purification
because we have to rise early in the morning, we have to take bath.
This kind of purification help…, is helped by temple worship. But
when there is grossest type of people who cannot take to this, simply
chanting will do. Hari namanukirtanam. Kalau tad, kali, kalau. Kalau,
means this age, that cleanliness is very difficult to maintain.
Therefore kalau tad dhari-kirtanat. This is recommended.
So trayyam jadi-krta-matih. By the injunction of the Vedas, people
are captivated. “Oh, if I perform this yajna, then next life I’ll be
elevated to the heavenly planet, Svarga.” Svargaloka mem. So
madhu-puspitayam. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
Veda-vada-ratah partha nanyad astiti vadinah. Those who are simply
after the formulas of the Veda, they cannot understand. The same
example. Even at the present moment, because here is temple, people
are attracted. If you simply chant, very few people will come. Very
few people will come. Therefore both things are recommended. Trayyam
jadi-krta-matih. Their mind is so materialistic that they cannot give
proper respect or importance to the chanting of the holy name. Trayyam
jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitayam vaitani ke mahati karmani yujyamanah
(?). They are… Generally, they are attracted for karma-kandiya
vicara. That is explained here. Puspitayam puspatanair artha-vadi-mano
harayam trayyam jadi-krta abhinivista matir yasya ata eva mahaty eva
karmani agni-stomadau sraddhaya yujyamano narake pravartate. If you do
not arrange for this gorgeous system, people are not attracted.
Therefore we have to do sometimes to attract people, this
gorgeousness. Otherwise, chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra without any
offense is sufficient. Therefore our Guru Maharaja introduced both the
processes. This arca, arca, this is pancaratriki-vidhi. According to
pancaratrika system, Narada-pancaratra, this worship of the Deity is
there. And bhagavata-marga, the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam, is simply
sravanam kirtanam. Out of the nine processes recommended, sravanam
kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, so up to sravanam kirtanam
smaranam, that is Bhagavata-marga. That is the best. And pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam, that is pancaratriki-vidhi.
So both the viddhis, both the systems have been introduced. One
will help the other. That is the way. Simply Bhagavata-marga… Just
like in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the beginning, is simply
sravanam–param satyam dhimahi; janmady asya–smaranam, simply
remembering, memorizing the Supreme Truth. But, of course, the
pancaratrika-vidhi is recommended in the Second Canto. That, another
pancaratrika-vidhi, is worshiping the gigantic form of the Lord. These
things are there. But both, combined together, it is very much
helpful. Bhagavata-marga. Bhagavata-marga will help the
pancaratrika-marga, or process, and the pancaratrika process will help
Bhagavata process. Both together is helpful. Therefore my Guru
Maharaja introduced… You have seen the, what is called? That signia?
One side, pancaratriki-vidhi, one side bhagavata-viddhi. That is… I
have seen that Gaudiya Math emblem. Yes. And, so actually,
Bhagavata-marga is very strong. That is sufficient. But without
pancaratrika-vidhi this polluted body, polluted mind of the devotee,
cannot be purified. Therefore both the process should be adopted in
preaching Krsna consciousness movement.
710213SB.GOR Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam, and that is being imitated. Again this
karma-kandiya… This karma-kandiya vicara, fruitive activities. The
smarta brahmanas, they have manufactured a way of bhagavata-saptaha.
That is a farce only because it is imitation of the process adopted by
Pariksit Maharaja and Sukadeva Gosvami. But they are… These people,
at the present moment, they are neither Pariksit Maharaja nor Sukadeva
Gosvami. So how it is possible to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam within
seven days? That is not possible. It has become a profession, that
gorgeousness. They will make a mancha(?), they will perform some
ceremonies and there is some charitable. The result is that the
professional reciter will gather some money and some goods and he will
maintain his family. That’s all. And these people will say that “I
have heard for seven days Srimad-Bhagavatam.” Of course, there is some
effect, but this is not recommended anywhere in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
that one has to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam within seven days. No. So far
we see in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya.
People should hear daily, regularly Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why seven days?
Regularly. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam,
daily, regularly, if one hears and chants Srimad-Bhagavatam, then
nasta-prayesu abhadresu, then the dirty things within his heart
becomes almost cleansed.
Now, just try to understand. By daily hearing… Because we are so
much contaminated that it is very difficult to get us freed from the
contamination, so nityam, regularly, there should be regularly class,
hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu.
710213SB.GOR Lectures
My Guru Maharaja introduced the sacred ceremony because foolish
people, they used to… Vaisnave jati-buddhih. They used to consider
Vaisnava as belonging to some jata, some particular caste. No.
Vaisnava is not in the particular caste. As soon as he is fixed up…
He may be coming from the papa-yoni, from the most abominable family,
but as soon as he is fixed up, immediately he is fixed up in the
position of a brahmana because sattva-guna… Nasta-prayesu abhadresu.
Nasta. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah. He has no more inclination to be
attracted by the activities of tamo-guna and rajo-guna. They have no
more attraction for drinking, no more attraction for meat-eating,
therefore no more attraction for smoking, drinking tea. This means
that the rajas-tamo-bhavah, kama-lobha, greediness… We are addicted
to all these bad habits due to greediness. There is no other cause. A
man will not die if he does not drink. A man will not die if he does
not eat meat. He will not die. It is due to our greediness: “I want.”
And lusty. The illicit sex means lusty. So rajas-tamo-bhavah means
lustiness and greediness. So when one is fixed up in devotional
service, then tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair
anaviddha. At that time, when he’s fixed up in devotional service, his
mind is not disturbed with all this nonsense coming out of the quality
of ignorance and passion. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca
ye, ceta etair anaviddha. Anaviddham means it is not attacked by this
greediness and lustiness. Sthitam sattve prasidati: “He is immediately
in the sattva-guna, goodness. Therefore his mind is satisfied.” These
are the test. Mind is no more disturbance.
And as soon as his mind is in tranquillity, evam
prasanna-manaso…, because as soon as one is elevated to the
sattva-guna platform, he becomes happy in his mental situation. Evam
prasanna-manaso. Unless one is situated in tranquillity of his mental
position, one cannot understand the science of Krsna. That is not
possible. One must become satisfied. That satisfaction comes on the
platform of sattva-guna, not in the platform of ignorance and passion.
People are… They come… Mostly people, they are being conducted by
passion and ignorance. Therefore they cannot understand.
710213SB.GOR Lectures
So our business is to accept a bona fide spiritual master, being guided by him, to follow
the rules and regulations. Then advancement is sure. There is no doubt
about it. And if we become hodgepodge and mix with hodgepodge and do
hodgepodge, there is no progress. Na siddhim. It is clearly said by
Krsna, “There is no question of perfection,” na sukham, “neither
happiness,” na param gatim, “and what to speak of being promoted to
the spiritual world? There is no…” Therefore vaidhi-bhakti, as it is
enunciated in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion, by the
Gosvamis, we shall try to follow as far as possible. Be sincere and
hard-working. Then the success is sure..
710209SB.GOR Lectures
speculation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be understood.
There are many mental speculator, just like Aurobindo Ghosh. So he
speculated. He understood that there are activities even after
liberation, but he could not understand Krsna, so hard it is. Others,
the so-called sannyasis, just like Ramatirtha or Vivekananda, they
could not approach even, in the modern age. And the Aurobindo, he
approached up to the Brahman liberation, but he could not approach to
the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is…
Arjuna says also in the Bhagavad-gita, “It is very difficult to
understand Your personality.” Everyone becomes… The other day in the
Mela, Magha-mela, one Gangeshvarananda, retired high court judge, he
said that “This is the first time, Swamiji, that we are hearing from
710209SB.GOR Lectures
bhuyah. Sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah: “The most
confidential instruction, just try to understand.” (Hindi) “Surrender
unto Me.” They cannot understand: “Why shall I surrender?” But it is
the most confidential instruction. Those who cannot understand
Bhagavad-gita, they will put forward, “Why should we surrender? Krsna
has said about jnana, about karma, about yoga. Why not these
processes?” But he does not know that is the ultimate process. The
jnana, yoga, may help one to come to that point, bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan, after many many births, but that is not the direct process.
The direct process is sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah
isto ‘si: “I am disclosing this most confidential part of My
instruction unto you,” isto ‘si, “because I love you.” Isto ‘si me
drdham iti. “Because I am confident that you are My confidential
friend.” Drdham iti tato vaksyami te hitam: “Therefore I am disclosing
this to you.”
Krsna does not say everyone that sarva-dharman parityajya, only to
a selected devotee. Because unless one is very highly elevated
devotee, he cannot accept this proposition. He is puffed up with his
material, contaminated life. That’s all. “I am this. I am that. I am
this. I am that. Why shall I surrender?” Actually they forgot. Dr.
Radhakrishnan says, “This is sophistry, that Krsna is demanding like
that.” He is proud of his becoming a great philosophy, but he does not
know he is a fool number one. He comments on the Bhagavad-gita in a
different way. That he does not know. Therefore he is surprised: “How
this gentleman, Krsna, is asking to surrender? I am so proud. I am so
learned.” But this is the only process. What is that? He again
explains it: man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. The same thing which was
instructed in the Ninth…
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ‘si me
Priyo ‘si me: “Because you are My very dear friend, you have fully
surrendered unto Me, therefore I am speaking to you.” Then He says,
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
These three verses are the ultimate instruction of Bhagavad-gita,
sarva-guhyatamam.
So people do not understand, and they read Bhagavad-gita daily. And
they are very much proud: “I am reading Bhagavad-gita daily.” If
anyone actually reads Bhagavad-gita, then he will be Krsna conscious.
It is meant for that purpose. But they do not read actually. They
simply make a show. Neither do they understand what is Bhagavad-gita.
Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. Is that all right?
So we have to preach in that spirit.
710210SB.GOR Lectures
for their study, what to speak of commenting upon it? He has no
business to comment on Bhagavad-gita because it is not their subject
matter. This should be very distinctly understood. There is a Bengali
parable, adhara vyapari yahare khabola (?). Adhara vyapari, a merchant
dealing in ginger, so he is taking information, “What about the
shipping one…, just like one cartload or one ship full of ginger?”
So adhare vyapari means he has not very large quantity to sell. Ginger
is taken, very little quantity. So ginger merchant, if he has got
stock, say, one bag, it will take months together to sell it. And if
he thinks that “I will stock hundreds of bags,” it is useless for him.
That is not his subject. But one who sells rice or wheat, that is in
great demand. That he can stock and talk of large shipment. Similarly,
those who are already engrossed in material qualities, the science of
God is not their subject matter at all. So that is the test. Just like
who shall be the guru? Whose subject matter is only Krsna or God, he
shall be guru, not an amateur man. He is doing some other business,
and in some pastime he makes a guru business. No, that is not their
subject matter. The subject matter is different.
Therefore Sridhara Swami says, avisayatvac ca tasya ity aha, gobhir
indriyair na cittena: “Because the subject matter is not for them,
however they may exercise their senses, gobhih…” Go means indra
(indriya). Simply by exercising… Just like there are so many yogis.
They exercise their senses only–yama, niyama, pranayama–senses. But
it is not their subject matter to understand God. They may show some
jugglery or some gymnastic, wonderful, or they may get some material
perfection, anima… The eight kinds of perfection in yoga system…
One can become very small. Just like there was a trailinga swami in
Benares. He was staying naked on the street, and the police objected,
and he was put into police custody. He again came out. That means
people became more devoted to him. But still… This is a perfection
by the gymnastic of yoga process, but that does not mean he knows God.
That does not mean. There was another yogi in Benares. Anyone who
would come to him, immediately in a pot he will present two rasagulla.
And after eating two rasagulla, the man will be captivated, and big
man, manager of bank and this and that, and they… They become
captivated. He does not know “What he has given me? Two rasagulla.
Say, two annas, or four annas at most.” So, but they become
captivated: “Oh, here is a yogi. He can manufacture immediately.” In
Calcutta I was passing in a street, Cornwallis Street, and there was
some crowd, and I entered that crowd, long ago, when I was young man.
So I saw that he was a Muhammadan (indistinct). He was giving everyone
some pieces of grass, straw. So he gave me one. So I saw it is raisin,
kismis. You see? So I immediate threw it away and went away. So some
yogi can show. He’ll press his beads, and there milk will come. So
there are so many yogic fantasies. But that does not mean that he
knows God. Or a great philosopher like Dr. Radhakrishnan, that does
not mean he knows God.
…likes to see, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches that “Even if You make
me broken-hearted, not being seen for life or perpetually, it doesn’t
matter. Still, You are my worshipable Lord.” That is pure devotee.
Just like there is a song, “My dear Lord, please appear before me,
dancing with Your flute.” This is not devotion. This is not devotion.
People may think, “Oh, how great devotee he is, asking Krsna to come
before him dancing.” That means ordering Krsna. A devotee does not
order anything or ask anything from Krsna, but he loves only. That is
the pure love. That is the teaching of Lord Caitanya. Aslisya va
pada-ratam pinastu mam: “Either You embrace me or You trample down,
You give me all kinds of miserable life and You break my heart, not
being seen by me…” This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s prayer in His
ecstasy of Radharani….
… Krsna appears in two ways. He appears as antaryami, the Supersoul
within himself, within oneself, and He appears as the spiritual
master, externally. Caitya-guru and diksa-guru. Caitya-guru… As
caitya-guru, as the supreme spiritual master, He is in everyone’s
heart. And His representative… In order to help externally the
sincere person, He sends the spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual
master from outside and the caitya-guru from inside, they are
helping.The Supreme Personality is helping a devotee, a real, serious
devotee two ways: from within, from without. The Caitanya-caritamrta
therefore says that krsnera prakasa, manifestation of Krsna, a
spiritual master. And Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, yasya
prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasya aprasadad na gatih kuto ‘pi: “If I can
satisfy my spiritual master, then I understand that Krsna is satisfied.
And if I cannot satisfy my spiritual master, then I have no other way
to approach Krsna.” These songs we sing every day. So my Guru Maharaja
used to say that “Instead of seeing Krsna, you serve so faithfully
that Krsna will see you.” That should be the process. Krsna is
omnipresent. He can see you, He can understand you, what are doing. So
we have to execute devotional service in such a faithful way that
Krsna will see us. Then you will be successful. “Don’t try to see
Krsna. Try to become seen by Krsna.” That was my Guru Maharaja’s
instruction. Caksur yathaiva krtayaiva antah-param. Tasyatma-tantrasya
harer ahisituh parasya mayadhipater mahatmanah. Evam bhutah
paramesvarah mad-anyad astiti.
Now, Yamaraja says that “I have got a master like that.” The
Yamaraja has anubhuti. Therefore he describes what is the nature,
characteristics, of his master. Yamaraja also does not say that “I
have seen my master.” But he still accepts that there is a master. “I
am not all in all.” Never said… In these slokas we do not find
anywhere Yamaraja says that “I have seen Him.” It is very common
thing. Now the goverment is going on. Not that everyone has seen the
president or the king, but still, the government is so nicely managed
that everyone knows that there is an executive head. So there is no
question of this villainy that “There is no God. I do not believe in
God. God is dead,” or “Everyone is God.” Not like that.
710210SB.GOR Lectures
When one is liberated in his original spiritual feature, he becomes
equal, just like in svarupa, in form; guna, in quality; and svabhavah,
characteristics, exactly like Visnu. Prayena duta: “It is very
difficult to recognize.” Just like in this world also, if the
president or the king comes in common dress, you cannot understand who
is president, who is king and who is a common man. Similarly, in the
Vaikuntha world also the inhabitants of Vaikuntha, they have got the
same feature of the body, same qualities, and same characteristics.
This is described here. Try to understand. What is that?
710210SB.GOR Lectures
Just like the sunshine is a combination of molecular parts,
something shining. Is it not? Similarly, brahmajyoti is combination of
the individual parts and parcels of God. But without individual
activity they cannot stay in the brahmajyoti for long. Because
everyone wants some individual activity. Just like we are sitting
together now. After some hour, every one of us will feel what is our
individual… Everyone will be engaged in his individual activity.
Therefore, according to Bhagavat-siddhanta, aruhya krcchrena param
padam tatah patanti. The individual soul who simply tries to merge
into the effulgence, Brahman effulgence… That position is attained
after many, many years’ austerity and penances. Aruhya krcchrena.
710210SB.GOR Lectures 230010/530501
Prabhupada: The change is taking place in this material world. There
all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us
has a different taste of associating with Krsna, and that will be
realized when one is liberated.
Hamsaduta: So that’s fixed already.
Prabhupada: Yes. When you are liberated, you will understand in which
way you are related with Krsna. That is called svarupa-siddhi. But
that is attained when you are actually perfect in devotional service.
710210SB.GOR Lectures 230020/530501
is there.” That is one of the items of saranagati. Surrender means
when… Unless one is convinced that “Krsna will give me protection,”
so how he can surrender? There is no question of surrender. Avasya
raksibe krsna vivasa-palana. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said to be
firmly convinced: “Then Krsna will give me all protection.” Therefore
surrender is perfect. Anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyam vivarjanam.
Surrender means one should simply accept favorable service to Krsna
and reject anything which is unfavorable, and then next is avasya
raksibe krsna visvasa-palana: “And to be firmly convinced that ‘Krsna
will give me all protection.’ ” Therefore, instead of “trying to
protect myself,” a devotee should always remain dependent on Krsna.
That is saranagati. And to consider oneself that “Now I am in the
association of Krsna,” these are different items of saranagati.
710210SB.GOR Lectures 230045/530501
Hamsaduta: So Prabhupada, a neophyte devotee, he may think it might be
very nice to be Krsna’s friend, but he may actually be a blade of
grass and he’ll be fully satisfied when he comes to that stage.
Prabhupada: No. If he thinks like that, then he should cultivate that
knowledge in that way. Yes. That is described in The Nectar of
Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Hamsaduta: But that may not be his actual position. It may be
something else.
Prabhupada: No. But when, at the time of devotional service, if such
impetuses come, that means he has got such relation. It is to be
developed. That’s all. That means the actual relationship with Krsna
is coming out gradually. It is being developed. So one has to develop
it, following the footsteps of the Krsna’s friends in Vrndavana. These
are described here. Yes. Not directly. No. You cannot say that “I have
become Sudama.” No. You have to follow the footsteps of Sudama. “I
have become mother Yasoda.” No. You have to follow the footsteps of
mother Yasoda. That is real position. And as soon as you say, “I am
Yasoda. I am Su…,” then it is as good as the Mayavadis say, “I am
God.” You see? So dasa-dasanudasa. That process should be followed.
Devotee (2): Dasa-dasanudasa.
Hamsaduta: Suppose someone is satisfied simply being related with the
spiritual master.
Prabhupada: That is everyone’s business. Everyone’s business. That is
not a particular taste. That is the duty of all devotees.
Revatinandana: Srila Prabhupada, you are like Radha-Krsna-duta. You
are a devotee of Radha-Krsna.
Prabhupada: I am not Radha-Krsna-duta. My Guru Maharaja is
Radha-Krsna…
Revatinandana: Well, we would say that you were.
Prabhupada: No, no, no. My Guru Maharaja is Radha-Krsna-duta. I am
simply trying to carry his order. That’s all. I am not
Radha-Krsna-duta.
Revatinandana: But we have become your followers.
Prabhupada: That is your duty. Dasanudasa. That is the process.
Revatinandana: Somebody else might become a follower of a devotee of
Laksmi-Narayana.
Prabhupada: It is not that I am directly connected with Krsna or
Visnu. I am directly connected with my spiritual master, and my
business is to carry out his order. That’s all. If I can do that well,
that is my purpose. That’s all.
Revatinandana: But if somebody else may become, say, a devotee of
Laksmi-Narayana, then is it to be understood that he, then, because he
has become devotee of a follower of Laskmi-Narayana, he may come to
associate with Laksmi-Narayana?
Prabhupada: No, no. It is not that. A devotee is not particular
follower of Laksmi-Narayana, not of Krsna. One who is pure devotee, he
knows both the line is as perfect. He may be, a spiritual master is
devotee of Radha-Krsna, but his disciple may be a devotee of
Laksmi-Narayana. It does not hamper. It does not matter, because They
are the same. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan. They are all one.
When we say “Krsna,” He includes everyone–Rama, Narayana, Visnu,
everyone. So let us… (end)
710211SB.GOR Lectures 230064/530501
Prabhupada: …raksanti tad-bhaktimatah parebhyo mattas ca martyan
atha sarvatas ca. So invisible Visnudutas, they are always traveling.
Just like Visnu, Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is
all-pervading, He is everywhere, but our present eyes cannot see Him,
material eyes. Just like we cannot see even the living entity when he
is passing through this body, leaving this body aside, very small. We
cannot see. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. By the
dint of your…, by the strength of your senses, the present material
senses, it is not possible to appreciate sri-krsna-namadi. Beginning
from Krsna’s holy name. (dog barking) (aside:) Where is this dog? No,
your dog. Your dog? This is your dog?
710212SB.GOR Lectures
But the Visnuduta protects, as Krsna says, that kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati, “My dear Arjuna, you can declare on My behalf that a devotee will never
be… A pure devotee…” Always remember–a pure devotee. Devotee
means a pure devotee. Contaminated devotee is different.
Dvidha(?)-bhakta and suddha-bhakta. Those who are contaminated with
material desires, with fruitive activities and mental speculation,
they are contaminated devotees. They are not pure devotees. Pure
devotees means anyabhilasita-sunyam, no material desires, no action
and fruitive activities, no mental speculation. So he is pure devotee.
So that pure devotee in transcendental position is always protected by
the Lord.
…710212SB.GOR Lectures
don’t think that a devotee will not have enemies. A devotee may have
anything. Oh, he may be attacked by enemies. He may be attacked with
severe type of diseases and so many things. But he will be protected.
That is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A
nondevotee is neglected. That is stated by Prahlada Maharaja, that
people may discover so many antibiotics or antiseptics for giving
protection, or “anti-” measures, but unless he is given protection by
Krsna, all those “anti-” devices will not protect, help him. That is
certain. Therefore we should take protection only of Krsna. Otherwise
our all protective measures will fail. Ravana…, when Ravana was
attacked by Ramacandra… He was a great devotee of Lord Siva, so he
began to pray.
710214SB.GOR Lectures 230173/530501
In whatever activities you are engaged… My Guru Maharaja condemns
the… Mana tumi kisera vaisnava, pratisthara tare nirjanera ghare,
tara hari-nama kevala kaitava, He says that in a corner, in a secluded
place, you are chanting in a cheating process for cheap adoration.
Why? Because he knows that those who are neophytes, if they imitate
the chanting, they simply waste their time. Therefore, he should be
engaged in other activities because he has got the power at the
present moment, karma… Karma means activities. This whole world is
full of activities. Therefore this karma should be changed into
bhakti, in devotional service. He…, one must be engaged in that…
It appears like karma, but it is not karma. It is bhakti. Here also…
Just like Krsna is doing something. That is not karma. That is
transcendental. Similarly, a devotee in Krsna consciousness, for
service of Krsna, if he is engaged which looks superficially as karma,
that is not karma. That is bhakti.
The sahajiyas, they do not know it. They think that “We shall sit
in a secluded place and chant, imitating Haridasa.” We have seen it.
Their imitation is useless. They fall down. Therefore, they must be
always engaged in some activities. Otherwise, he’ll be attracted by
the modes of ignorance and passion. Etavatalam agha-nirharanaya. Agha
means the reaction of sinful activities. Every one of us, anyone who
is in this material world, he is sinful. Without being sinful, nobody
is here in this material world. If he’s not sinful, then he’ll be
immediately transferred. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam
punya-karmanam. Immediately transferred to the spiritual world. He
has… Just like a person who has finished his criminal punishment,
immediately he is released from the prison. Similarly, a person who is
freed from the resultant action of sinful activities, he immediately
becomes liberated.
710215SB.GOR Lectures 230181/530501
According to Mayavadi school, the Absolute Truth is
imperson. In the Bhagavad-gita it is also said, kleso ‘dhikataras
tesam, adhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam. Say, for meditation, it
is very difficult to meditate on impersonal feature. Therefore, they
artificially think like that: “I am the whole. I am moving the stars,
I am moving the moon.” Or some color display is taking place.
Artificially. This meditation is artificial. Therefore, they do not
get any result. Simply waste time, and they remain the number one
debauch, as they are. So this kind of meditation… Because they will
not put any form… “The Brahman is impersonal.” So how they can think
of any form? It is very difficult to adjust. Therefore Bhagavad-gita
says, kleso ‘dhikataras tesam. They want to meditate upon impersonal
Brahman, but it is very troublesome. Because Brahman is not
impersonal, but force, they want to make Brahman impersonal.
So in order to mitigate this troublesome position, some of their
acaryas, Sankaracarya, has said that “You imagine a form. There is no
real form, but you imagine some form.” And he has recommended five
forms. The first form is Durga, Sakti. The second form is Surya, the
sun, sun worshiper. And the third form is Ganesa, and the fourth form
is Siva. And the fifth form is Visnu. Of course, these are the
different stages of spiritual development. Durga… Durga means the
material power, energy. So when a person is in the lowest stage of
material existence, he realizes some power. That’s a fact. The
scientists also, they realize some power, there is some power in the
material world. They go on searching after what is the ultimate power,
but they cannot find it out. That is not possible. But they accept
that there is some power, nature’s power. So that is the stage of
sakta stage, Durga worship. Then… Power… Just like modern
scientists, they also have gone to the power of the sun. That power,
another power. That power is sun, and that is called saura, worshiping
the sun. Just like there is a Parsi community in India. Fire worship
is recommended in the Vedas. So that powerful sun, sun-god, they
worship the sun. That is the stage of saura, saura stage. And then,
next is the power vox populi, the power of the votes. That is the
stage of Ganapati. Gana… Gana means the number of people. Just like
in nationalism they are counting upon the power. In this way, they
realize some sort of power, I mean to say, moving force or the soul.
That is the stage of… They say, sivo ‘ham. Sivo ‘ham. Aham
brahmasmi. That is the stage of saiva. And when they expand that, that
“This power, this spiritual power, soul, is all over, all-pervading,
impersonal Brahman,” that is… They, sometimes they accept Visnu.
Visnu means all-pervading. But their realization of Visnu is
impersonal.
710215SB.GOR Lectures 230186/530501
take a form, we spiritual entities. We also take a form,
transmigration of the soul according to karma. I create a certain type
of mentality, and that continues throughout my life. And at the time
of death, because I have got a certain type of mentality,
man-mentality or God-mentality or dog-mentality or fly-mentality, any
kind of… There are so many. So I have to take a certain type of
body. So that body I have to take not by my whim. Daivena.
Daiva-netrena: by the decision of higher authorities. Daiva,
generally, it means the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His agents.
He has got many. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. So the material
agent is Durga. So I create a mentality by my association with this
material world. There are three kinds of qualities: sattva-guna,
rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So one of them or mixed, I will have to accept.
Because I am associating. Just like… It is not difficult. If you
associate with the hippies, you will become hippie. If you associate
with the hippies, you will become hippie. If you associate with the
Vaisnava, you become Vaisnava..
…710215SB.GOR Lectures 230190/530501
So Mayavadi wants to prove that the ultimate truth is nirakara, or
impersonal. So Krsna gives you intelligence: “Yes, you put this
forward. Put forward this logic, this logic, that logic.” Similarly,
Krsna gives… There is a Bengali proverb that how God works, that one
man, a householder is praying to God, “My dear Lord, there may not be
any theft case, burglary, in my home this night. Please save me.” So
one man is praying prayer, praying like that. Another man is praying,
the thief, “My dear Lord, this night I shall commit burglary in that
house. Please help me to get something.” Now, what is Krsna’s
position? (laughter) Krsna is everyone’s heart. So Krsna has to
satisfy so many prayers. The burglar and the thief and the
householder, so many prayers. So Krsna’s adjustment… But He’s
still… That is Krsna’s intelligence, how He adjusts. He gives
everyone freedom. And everyone is given facilities, but still He’s in
botheration. Therefore Krsna advises to his devotees that “Don’t plan
anything. You rascal, you nonsense, you don’t give Me trouble.
(laughter) Please surrender unto Me. Just go under My plan; you’ll be
happy. You are making plan, you are unhappy; I am also unhappy. I am
also unhappy. (laughter) So many plans are coming daily, and I’ll have
to fulfill.” But He’s merciful. If a… Ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams…
So except the devotee of Krsna, everyone is simply giving Krsna
trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble. Therefore, they are called
duskrtina. Duskrtina, most miscreant, the miscreants. Don’t make any
plan. Accept Krsna’s plan. That will be simply giving trouble to
Krsna. Therefore, a devotee does not pray even for his maintenance.
That is pure devotee. He doesn’t give trouble to Krsna even for his
bare maintenance. If he has no maintenance, he’ll suffer, fasting;
still, he’ll not ask Krsna, “Krsna, I am very hungry. Give me some
food.” Of course, Krsna is alert for His devotee, but a devotee’s
principle is not to place any plan to Krsna. Let Krsna do. Simply we
have to do according to the plan of Krsna.
…710215SB.GOR Lectures 230218/530501
Prabhupada: Feasting means puri and halava and a vegetable and a
chutney. That’s all. Four things. Make simple.
Tamala Krsna: And Prabhupada? Do you want us to offer feast to your
Guru Maharaja at noontime? A special plate of feast?
Prabhupada: Not a special plate. The process is that whatever we offer
to the Deity, that is offered to guru. And guru offers to his guru. In
this way goes to Krsna. We don’t directly offer Radha-Krsna. No. We
have no right. Neither He accepts in that way. The pictures of the
acaryas, why there are? Actually, one has to offer the plate to his
guru, and he’ll offer his guru, he offers his guru, his guru. In this
way it will go to Krsna. That is the process. You cannot directly
approach Krsna or other subordinates to Krsna. That is not possible.
710218SB.GOR Lectures 230227/530501
So Sridhara Svami says, “As a physician without knowing the presence
of mrta-sanjivani…” In Ayurvedic medicine system there is a medicine
which is called mrta-sanjivani. Mrta-sanjivani. Mrta means death, and
sanjivani means giving life. Even a dead man can get life by drinking
that medicine. It is a strong tonic. It is still used in Ayurvedic
medicine, and some of the biggest manufacturer of Ayurvedic medicine,
they prepare, and it has a good sale. So it may not be exactly the
same mrta-sanjivani, but it is very well known. So Sridhara Svami
says… Just like one, a person, is suffering from fever, so according
to Ayurvedic medicine, tri-katu… Tri means three, and katu means
bitter. Tri-katu, just like nim, nim fruits, kalamegha and cirata.
They are prescribed, very bitter to eat. So Sridhara Svami gives this
example: “Without knowing that there is a very nice medicine,
mrta-sanjivani, they takes so many troublesome medicines. Similarly,
the great stalwart leaders of religious principles, without knowing
this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, they take to so many troublesome,
multiritualistic ceremonies.”
710218SB.GOR Lectures 230250/530501
Do you follow this Bengali? Sthavara. Sthavara means living entities
which does not move, just like trees, plants, creepers. And jangama
means those who are moving. Animals, man, they move. So a devotee
(sic:) who has actually in bhava stage, he may see a tree or an animal
or a man, but he does not see the man or tree or the animal; he sees a
part and parcel of Krsna, a jivatma. Panditah sama-darsinah. That is
the stage of full knowledge. He does not see the skin or the dress.
Just like when we talk with a gentleman, we do not see to the dress;
we see the person as he is. So that’s a stage. That is called
bhava-sam…, budha bhava-samanvitah. (end)
710220SB.GOR Lectures 230258/530501
. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. As
Krsna’s pastimes, Krsna’s activities, are punya-sravana-kirtanah… If
somebody hears and chants, if he does not understand even a farthing
of it, still, he becomes pious. There is no need of understanding.
Simply that holy sound will make his heart pure. Pavitra-gatha. This
sound. Just like when kirtana is going on, an animal is standing. He
does not understand what is the meaning of that kirtana, but that
sound will purify him. There are many insects within this room, many
small creatures, ants, mosquitos, flies. Simply by hearing this holy
name, transcendental vibration, they will be purified
710220SB.GOR Lectures 230259/530501
Therefore it is said Krsna never goes a step
forward from Vrndavana because gopis have captured them. Krsna cannot
go out of Vrndavana on account of gopis always thinking of Him. The
gopis will never cease to think of Krsna; therefore it is not possible
for Krsna to go out of Vrndavana, although physically He may not be
present. He has no difference between physical or mental, or subtle or
gross. He has no such difference. Krsna is absolute any way.
Similarly, if you also think of Krsna, if you are also pure devotee,
then Krsna is always with you. That is the advantage. Otherwise, how
Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatena? The topmost yogi: those
who are always thinking of Krsna. Pavitra-gatha.
730113SB.BOM Lectures 230333/530501
So Indians are meant for welfare activities for the whole world. And
how they’ll do? Not by begging, “Give me rice. Give me milk powder.
Give me money. Give me this.” No. If you spread this Krsna
consciousness movement all over the world, then you’ll be respectful.
People will like you. They are very hungry for this Krsna
consciousness. So I am struggling alone. I require many Indians to
join and spread this movement all over the world.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
720527SB.LA Lectures 230441/530501
If you take to natural life and live
peacefully and take to Krsna consciousness, that is your real life.
And if you simply increase botheration and problems, then you’ll have
to suffer. That is the position of modern civilization. Actually,
superficially we see that material advancement of material science,
people have got so many machines, so many facilities. But actually,
they are in trouble. Just like I gave you one example: the computer
machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means
the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your
country, they are taking advantage of this machine because the salary
is If you want to pay to the worker, a big, big salary. So they want
to save. They are taking machine, and they think they will save money,
so many workers. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The
government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That’s
all. (laughter.) Government will not give money, welfare, from
government’s pocket. The government will increase your taxation. So
you are…, you stop payment by importing some machine, now you have
to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This
is a crude example. I don’t say that you stop all this business, but
the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead
of solving, you’ll create so many problems. This is material life.
Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating
problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is
all right. But that you have given up.
…720527SB.LA Lectures 230444/530501
Then the next question is that how… People are not interested in
Krsna consciousness, and then, they are misled by blind leaders. So
how, what is the solution? That is Prahlada Maharaja saying,
naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-‘bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
Therefore one has to take shelter of a pure devotee. That is the only
solution. He says, naisam matis tavad urukramangrhim. The beginning
was that “They are not interested in Krsna consciousness.” Then how to
become Krsna conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahlada Maharaja
says, naisam matis tavad: “So long one does not approach a pure
devotee,” mahiyasam niskincananam, “great personalities, who has no
more any material interest,” niskincana, “and takes the dust of his
lotus feet on the head…” Naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim: “So long
one does not approach such personality, there is no possibility of
becoming Krsna conscious.” Naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim. As soon
as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus
feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamah, he’ll be
freed from all this nonsense. That means he’ll forget this idea that
“Materially we can advance.” This is the process
760331SB.VRN Lectures 230455/530501
So Svarupa DamodaraGosvami was not at all satisfied with such writings. He chastised thebrahmana that “You cannot write.” So unless one is self-realized,
there is practically no use writing about Krsna. This transcendental
writing does not depend on material education. It depends on the
spiritual realization. You’ll find, therefore, in the comments of
Bhagavatam by different acaryas, even there are some discrepancies,
they are accepted as asat-patha. It should remain as it is.
710909SB.LON Lectures 230483/530501
This materialistic way of life means chewing the chewed. Just like the
father. Father knows that “I married, I work so hard to maintain my
family, and it is very difficult to keep the high standard of living
in this age. We have to work very hard. Still, I engage my son also in
the same way. In spite of my very bad experience of materialistic way
of life, still, I engage my son in the same way.” This is called punah
punas carvita-carvananam. Punah punas means “again and again.”
Carvita: “chewing chewed things.” Just like sugarcane. One has chewed
it, has taken its juice–it is thrown away in the street. And if
somebody wants to taste it, “How it is sweet, let me see,” that is
called chewing the chewed. Similarly, we have got very good experience
about this materialistic way of life, hard struggle for life.
But the human society, it is also stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
human beings, they are born of the quality of passion. There are three
qualities in the material world: goodness, passion and ignorance.
Therefore they love to work very hard. And that very hard working is
considered as happiness. That propensity of hard working… Just like
in London you will see: everyone is engaged in hard working from the
morning. You will see. All the buses and trucks, they are going with
great speed, and people are going to the working office or factory.
From morning til late night they are hard working, and it is called
advancement of civilization. So some of them are frustrated. They
don’t want it. They don’t want it. It will be frustration.
Frustration. After all, it is hard work. Just like the hogs, they are
working hard day and night for finding out “Where is stool, where is
stool.” That is their business. Therefore in one sense, this kind of
civilization is hogs’ and dogs’ civilization. It is not human
civilization. Human civilization means he must be sober. He should be
inquisitive. A human being should be inquisitive to know “Who I am?
Why I am put into this condition to work very hard to get a few breads
only? Why I am this uncomfortable situation? Wherefrom I have come?
Where I have to go?” These are inquiries. These inquiries are called
brahma-jijnasa. The Vedanta-sutra begins, athato brahma-jijnasa: “A
human being should be inquisitive to know these things: ‘Who I am?
Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? Why I am put into this
uncomfortable position?’ ”
So Krsna consciousness is for them who have become detestful of
this material world. They are good candidates for developing Krsna
consciousness. Then the inquiry may be that “What for these men are
working so hard? What is their goal of life?” That is answered in the
next verse by na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum. These people are
working so hard because they do not know actually what is the goal of
life. Na te viduh. Viduh means knowing; na means not. These people,
they do not know what is actually the goal of life. Na te viduh
svartha-gatim. num. He should know that his realEveryone says that “I am looking after my interests,”
but he does not know what is his interest. That he does not know. Na
te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnu… interest is to make his progress toward Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know it. Why they do not know it? Durasaya. By their hope against hope, durasaya. Duh means which is very difficult
to fulfill. I may hope something which is possible–that is good–but
if I hope something which is never possible, that is called durasaya.
Asa means hope, and durasa means which will never be fulfilled. So
here it is, the word is used, durasaya. Bahir-artha-maninah. Bahih.
Bahih, means the external
So here we have taken this… Bahir-artha-maninah. We want to be
happy by adjustment of this external energy. Durasaya ye
bahir-artha-maninah. That cannot be. You are spirit soul. You must
have spiritual food. You must have spiritual life. Then you can be
happy. Simply as you cannot be happy by having nice shirt and coat,
similarly, simply by materialistic way of life, I mean a gross and
fine… Gross means this high skyscraper building, machines,
factories, nice road goes motorcar. These are gross. And subtle: nice
song, poetry, philosophy. That is subtle, subtle matter. So people are
trying to be happy with this gross and subtle material existence. That
cannot be. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. Na te viduh svartha-gatim
hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah, andha yathandhair
upaniyamanah. Why they have accepted this sort of civilization?
Because they are led by blind leaders. Now, suppose we are conducting
this Krsna consciousness movement. Nobody is interested. Very few
interested. But if we give some false hope that “If you follow this
path, then within six months you will become God and you will be
all-powerful, and then…,” oh, so many people will come. You see?
Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. One blind leader giving, leading to
other blind men. Suppose one blind man says that “All right. Come.
Follow me. I shall help you crossing this street, Mulberry Street. All
right.” So he is blind, and the followers are also blind. The result
will be that he is dashed by some motorcar or truck and they all die.
Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te ‘pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah.
They do not know that we are tied up very hard by the laws, stringent
laws of material nature. How we can become free from this material
bondage? That is not possible. You have to take instruction who is not
751002SB.MAU Lectures 230505/530501
Prabhupada: So these things are to be noted, how they are engaged in
sinful activities. And the solution is given in the Bhagavad-gita,
that “Produce food grain.” Annad bhavanti bhutani.
So I see in your this Mauritius land, you have got enough land to
produce food grains. You produce food grain. I understand that instead
of growing food grains, you are growing sugar cane for exporting. Why?
And you are dependent on food grains, on rice, wheat, dahl. Why? Why
this attempt? You first of all grow your own eatables. And if there is
time and if your population has got sufficient food grains, then you
can try to grow other fruits and vegetables for exporting. The first
necessity is that you should be self-sufficient. That is God’s
arrangement. Everywhere there is sufficient land to produce food
grains, not only in your country. I have traveled all over the
world–Africa, Australia, and other, in America also. There are so
much land vacant that if we produce food grains, then we can feed ten
times as much population as at the present moment. There is no
question of scarcity. The whole creation is so made by Krsna that
everything is purnam, complete. Purnam idam purnam adah purnat purnam
udacyate, purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate. If we don’t
produce food grain–you require it–and put unnecessarily men into
scarcity. That is sinful. That is sinful.
751002SB.MAU Lectures 230508/530501
challenging his son, “Where you got this Krsna consciousness?” So the
son replied flatly that matir na krsne paratah svato va: “My dear
father, this Krsna consciousness cannot be achieved by speculation or
by hearing from others.” Matir na… Parata means hearing from others,
and svatah, svata means personally by mental speculation or
philosophical speculation. Mitho. Mitho means by congregational
meeting, by conferences. Why? Now, grha-vratanam. If one is addicted
to this material way of life, he cannot understand, or cannot be
convinced, about Krsna consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita also, it is
said that,
bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam
tayapahrta-cetasam
vyavasayatmika buddhih
samadhau na vidhiyate
Those who are too much attached for materialistic way of life–means
sense gratification… Materialistic way of life means sense
gratification.
670306SB.SF Lectures 230667/530501
From the beginning of life means… Actually, our life begins at
the age of five years. According to Canakya Pandita’s niti, it is said
that the boys, the children, should be given complete freedom to do
anything he likes up to five years, not more than that. Lalayet
panca-varsani: “Up to five years a child should be given all freedom.”
Never mind however miscreant he may be. But from five years to fifteen
years–that means a period of ten years–tadayet. Lalayet
panca-varsani tadayet dasa-varsani: “You should give all freedom to
your child for five years, and then, next ten years, you should be
very strict, very strict, so that the child may be very much afraid.
And as soon as he attains sixteen years of age, then you should treat
him like friend, not, I mean to say, so strictly.” These are the moral
instruction by Canakya Pandita.
So Prahlada Maharaja advises the bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata. What
is the bhagavata-dharma? Bhagavatan dharman acared yata arthadam etaj
janma devadi-janmani maha-visaya avisat. Now, why this life is given
so much importance, this human life? There are many other lives, lower
and higher. In the higher planets there are demigods. They are far
more improved, they are more intelligent, they are more happy than
this planet. You must know that the higher planets, the comforts of
life is thousand times more. As you go in the higher planetary system,
the standard of life, the conveniences, are thousand times greater
than in this planet. Therefore the commentator, Sri Jiva Gosvami is
that “Why not bhagavata-dharma, cultivate Krsna consciousness, in the
life of demigods? Why in this human form of life?” So the answer is
that devadi-janma, devadi-janmani maha-visaya avisat. Devadi-janmani.
In the lives of demigod, they are puffed up with so much material
enjoyments that there is very little chance to become Krsna conscious.
Just like in India still, in this fallen condition of India,
whenever there is Bhagavata recitation, thousands of people still will
assemble because the benefit is that they are little poverty-stricken
than the western people. So Jiva Gosvami says that a person who is too
much puffed up with material facilities, it is very difficult for him
to come into Krsna consciousness…
670306SB.SF Lectures 230670/530501
So the contradiction was answered by Sukadeva Gosvami, not
personally. He took authority. What is that authority? He said
immediately, “My dear king, this answer I shall not give you, but a
similar answer was put forward by your grandfather, Maharaja
Yudhisthira, to your other grandfather, Krsna.” Krsna also happened to
be grandfather of Maharaja Pariksit. Because Krsna’s sister was
married to Arjuna and Maharaja Pariksit is the grandson of Subhadra,
Arjuna’s wife. Therefore Krsna also happens to be grandfather of
Maharaja Pariksit, and Maharaja Yudhisthira also happens to be
grandfather, being the eldest brother of his grandfather. So Krsna is
the authority. Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami is giving authoritative
answer as it was spoken by Krsna. This is the way of speaking. One
should cite authority. Sukadeva Gosvami was not less authority. As I
described the other day that there are twelve authorities. Out of
them, Sukadeva Gosvami himself is one of the authorities. But still,
he is citing the authority of Krsna. That is the way of presenting
680610SB.MON Lectures 230775/530501
Prabhupada: Body of Christ is not ordinary body. That is spiritual
body. Krsna, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yada yada hi
dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca
duskrtam, dharma-samsthapanarthaya yuge yuge sambhavami atma-mayaya.
So this is a very subtle point. One has to understand that when God
comes or God’s son comes or God’s representative comes, they do not
accept a body like us. They have their spiritual body.
680610SB.MON Lectures 230808/530501
If you have to learn Bhagavad-gita, then you have to learn
Bhagavad-gita as Krsna speaks or as Arjuna understands. Just like if
you take a medicine bottle. The direction, as it is stated in the
bottle, you have to take medicine in that way. You cannot make your
own direction, interpretation. (break) Nonsense. We don’t accept.
(break) We are publishing one book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It has
been taken by one great publisher, Macmillan Company, and we’ll have
it by the month of October. Don’t interpret. We explain things as they
are. That should be the attitude. Why? Why interpretation? By
interpretation, there are 664 editions of Bhagavad-gita. Simply by…
One medical man he has interpreted Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is a physician
and Arjuna is a patient. And he has tried to explain through
Bhagavad-gita all anatomic physiology, not this. Gandhi, he wanted to
prove nonviolence from Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is being
spoken in the battlefield, full of violence, and he is trying to prove
that the Bhagavad-gita is nonviolent. These are all artificial
attempts. These explanations will never give you the real light from
Bhagavad-gita. You try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. (break)
680610SB.MON Lectures 230826/530501
Prabhupada: With your material mind. When you are Krsna consciousness
your quality of mind is changed. The mind, the understanding of God,
is simply purification of the senses. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved
grahyam indriyaih. By the present senses you cannot understand what is
God, what is His name, what is His quality, what is His form, what are
activities. You have to learn this. The Bhagavad-gita says vetti
tattvatah. You have to learn. So now as you say, that mind… Of
course, with this mind you cannot understand. You cannot think of
Krsna. With this tongue you cannot chant Hare Krsna. With these ears
you cannot hear what is Hare Krsna. With these eyes you cannot see
what is Krsna. But if you purify… Just like cataractic eyes cannot
see, but if you purify the eyes, then you can see everything. The eyes
will remain as it is, but you have to purify. The process is
purification. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. That purification takes place
when you engage yourself in the service of Krsna.
680612SB.MON Lectures 230844/530501
consciousness.” The mistake of modern civilization is that we are, I
mean to say, bringing up spoiled children. So when they are grown up,
if they become hippies or communists, it is not their fault. It is the
fault of the guardians. It is the fault of the guardians. When the
people become just something against the social convention, it is not
the fault of the youngsters, but it is the fault of the education
system, it is the fault of the parents, it is fault of the teachers.
Because they are not teaching. Prahlada Maharaja says that from the
very childhood one should be taught. I have seen in India. The
Muhammadans, they are very much particular about it. The small
children, within ten years, they are… From the very beginning they
are taught Koran in the mosques. I have seen. In my Delhi headquarter,
it is just behind the Jama Musjid. You have heard the name of Jama
Musjid. That is the greatest mosque in the world. Many foreigners go
to see it. It was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan, say, about three
hundred years or little more than that. So the Muhammadans, they are
very particular to teach the Koran from the very beginning. That’s a
very nice system. Either you teach Koran or you, Koran, Bible, or you
teach Bhagavad-gita, it doesn’t matter. One should have the idea of
God consciousness. Then he can develop. So this opportunity should be
offered to the children. If not, they are not real guardians, real
parents, or real teachers. Why? Durlabham manusam janma. This Prahlada
Maharaja teaching is not this Bhagavatam. Just mark it. Prahlada
Maharaja says, dharman bhagavatan, “the religion of Godconsciousness.” He does not say Hindu religion or Muhammadan religion or Christian religion.
680612SB.MON Lectures 230857/530501
not service. Krsna is so kind. Even those who are not serving Krsna
directly Everyone is serving Krsna but not directly. What is the
difference between ordinary man and this Krsna consciousness man? The
difference is that Krsna consciousness man knows that “I am eternal
servant of God. Therefore let me willingly serve Krsna.” And others,
they are also serving Krsna, but by force, by maya, by the qualities
of nature.
Just like a citizen of a state who has violated the laws. He is
also obeying the laws in the prisonhouse, forced: “If you don’t obey,
then you will be punished.” That is called prison life. And if you
become obedient to the laws, then you are not outlaws. You are free,
out of the walls of the prisonhouse. So either you obey or not obey,
you have to serve the laws of the state. Similarly, either you be
Krsna conscious or not Krsna conscious, you have to serve. But in
non-Krsna consciousness condition, you have to serve your senses. And
in Krsna consciousness condition you serve Krsna directly. That is the
difference. …
So intelligent man, he thinks that “Throughout my whole life I have
given service to the lust, anger, and desire, and so many things.” We
are serving. Always remember that whenever we serve somebody, we do
not serve that person, but we serve our lust. Because the person will
pay me something, and out of that payment I shall be able to gratify
my senses, therefore I am not serving anyone, but I am serving my
senses. That is the sum and substance. That is the sum and substance.
Similarly, if you serve Krsna, the same service is there. Only
difference is that it is not service to the sense grati…, senses,
but it is the service to the sense proprietor, Hrsikesa. Krsna’s
690409SB.NY Lectures 230878/530501
Now, this Srimad-Bhagavatam which is in this table, this book is a
great, grand edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Each verse contains eight
commentaries by great stalwart devotees. They represent different
disciplic succession of devotee. They are… There are four authorized
disciplic successions. As I have already mentioned that Brahma is one
of the authorities, similarly, he has got the disciplic succession
from Brahma. From Brahma to Narada, from Narada to Vyasadeva, from
Vyasadeva to Madhvacarya, from Madhvacarya to Mad… I am making
shortcut. From Madhvacarya to Madhavendra Puri, from Madhavendra Puri
to Isvara Puri, from Isvara Puri to Lord Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya
to Svarupa Damodara, from Svarupa Damodara to six Gosvamis, Rupa
Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, from Gosvamis to Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, and from him Narottama
dasa Thakura, and from Narottama dasa Thakura, Visvanatha Cakravarti,
from Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura to Jagannatha dasa Babaji, from
Jagannatha dasa Babaji to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, from Bhaktivinoda
Thakura to Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, and from Gaurakisora dasa
Babaji my spiritual master, and then we are descended.
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!
690409SB.NY Lectures 230899/530501
… In the belly or the abdomen of the mother, the child
remains in a very miserable condition. Because the consciousness is
not developed. But as soon as the consciousness is developed at the
age of seven months, the child wants to come out. Therefore it moves.
If it is male child, then it moves toward the right side. If it is
female child, then it moves to the left side. So these are description
in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So by the movement of the child you can
understand whether it is male or female. (woman exclaims
751202SB.VRN Lectures 230937/530501
Krsna’s prasadam distribution, so many ways. So our devotees all over
the world–there are a 102 centers–they are simply engaged in Krsna
consciousness. This is our propaganda, always, no other business. We
don’t do any business but we are spending at least twenty-five lakhs
of rupees, twenty-five lakhs of rupees every month, but Krsna is
supplying. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. If you
remain Krsna consciousness, fully dependent on Krsna, then there will
be no scarcity. I started this Krsna business with forty rupees. Now
we have got forty crores of rupees. Is there any businessman in the
whole world within ten years with forty rupees he can increase forty
crores? There is no example. And ten thousand men, they are eating
prasadam daily. So this is Krsna consciousness. Yoga-ksemam vahamy
aham. As soon as you become Krsna conscious, you simply depend on Him
and work sincerely and then Krsna will supply everything. Everything.
So this is practically being manifested. State, example, in the
Bombay, now the land is one crore of rupees’ worth. And when I
purchased this land I had, might be, three or four lakhs. So it was
completely speculation because I was confident that “I shall be able
to pay. Krsna will give me.” There was no money. That’s a long
history. I do not wish to discuss. But I have got now practical
experience that you depend on Krsna–there will be no scarcity.
Whatever you want, it will be fulfilled. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. So be
always engaged in Krsna consciousness. Then everything will be
fulfilled, any desire, if you have got.
751202SB.VRN Lectures 230942/530501
But let me live for
hundred years. Then we shall talk about Krsna.” And Prahlada Maharaja
said, “No.” Adhruvam: “You do not know when you will die. At any
moment you can die.” Padam padam yad vipadam. Therefore, before your
next death, you realize Krsna. Durlabham manusam janma tad apy
adhruvam. But arthadam. Arthadam means even if you live for a few
years and if you take the chance of chanting Hare Krsna, still, you
are benefited. You are still benefited.
So this chanting of Hare Krsna is so important that you can think
always that “Death is coming. Death is at my door. Let me finish my
chanting. Let me finish my chanting.” Always you should think like
that, that “Death is already coming, so let me chant.” So this is
called bhagavata-dharma, and Krsna consciousness movement means
bhagavata-dharma. So you read Prahlada Maharaja’s instruction very
nicely and utilize it in your life. Your life will be successful.
Thank you very much.Devotees: Jaya! (end)
760102SB.MAD Lectures 230967/530501
So brahma-bhutahmeans these things are the symptom: he is joyful, prasannatma, na
socati na kanksati, and samah sarvesu bhutesu. Then he can see.
Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmani gavi hastini, suni caiva
sva-pake…, pandita… He has become pandita. Samah sarvesu bhutesu.
When these conditions are fulfilled, mad-bhaktim labhate param–then
he enters into devotional service. So devotional service is not a
sentiment. It is most scientific, just to become freed from the
contamination of this material world…
… Just like the Buddhist philosophers, they
think sunyavadi. And the Mayavadi, nirvisesa. They are practically the
same. The Buddhists say, “There is no God.” And the Mayavadis say,
“There is God, but He has no head, tail, nothing.” It is in the
indirect way to say there is no God. What is difference? If somebody
says, “There is no God,” and if somebody says, “There is God, but He
has no head, He has no tail, He cannot eat, He cannot sleep,”
negatively. The same definition in a negative way…
751203SB.VRN Lectures 231086/530501
Visnu is original Lord, or our father. We have expanded. Mamaivamso
jiva-bhutah. Every living entity is part and parcel of Visnu, and they
are separated. Not separated but given freedom to serve Visnu. To
serve does not mean no freedom. It is not dull stone. Every living
being… Just like you are trying to serve the cause of Krsna
conscious. It does not mean that you have no freedom, you are like
stone. No. You have got freedom but you are utilizing the freedom how
to render best service to Krsna. That freedom is required. You must
have freedom. Otherwise it is a dull stone. We have constructed this
temple with freedom that “The temple should be constructed in this
pattern, in this fashion. It should be decorated like this.” So it is
freedom, but that freedom is not misused. It is used for the service:
“How best service we can render?” This is the proper use of freedom.
And when you misuse the freedom, then it is maya. That is called maya.
Therefore our freedom should be how to become fully engaged in loving
service of the Lord. Visnoh padopasarpanam. Yatha hi purusasya iha
visnoh padopasar… Why? It is still further explained, yad esa
sarva-bhutanam priya. Visnu is very dear to us.
Same example: Father and the son. The son is dear to father, and
the father is dear to the son, at least so long the child is not grown
up to rebel against the father and mother. Just like the small child
lying down on the lap of the mother. It does not know anything except
mother. So as soon as mother is not there it begins to cry because
very, very dear. Mother is very dear. Similarly, the child is also
very dear to the mother. This is natural relationship. So we being
part and parcel… What is this child? A part and parcel of the
mother. From very small body the child has grown. That means the
mother has given the body of the child. Therefore it is part and
parcel. Hm. What is child? From the mother’s body it has developed,
and then it comes out and develops again, go on. So yad esa
sarva-bhutanam priya. Therefore child is… Because part and parcel,
therefore the child is very dear to the mother and the mother is very
dear to the child, priya. Priya means very, very dear.
So similarly, our relationship with Visnu is very, very intimate,
very, very dear. It is not ordinary relationship. That is being
explained. You cannot give up your very dear friend, very dear father
and mother or servant. There are so many relationships: santa, dasya,
sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya. In different relationship, Krsna is very
dear to us and we are also very dear to Him. You have seen the Krsna’s
picture. He is patting the small deer because animal or man, everyone
is dear to Him. And for animal or man or everyone, Krsna is very dear.
This is our relationship. So this artificial way of life, forgetting
our relationship with Krsna, is condemned therefore. Na te viduh
svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah… Here in
this material world it is struggle for existence.
Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. Simply struggle to
become happy. Why this struggle? Because they have forgotten that
Visnu is, or Krsna is very, very dear to him. He, instead of accepting
Visnu as very dear to him, he is accepting the maya as very dear to
him. This is the fault. Therefore he is not happy. Therefore struggle
for existence.
Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says that yad esa sarva-bhutanam.
Sarva-bhutanam. Not that Krsna is very dear only to the human beings.
No. Sarva-bhutanam. Because the relationship is very thick and thin,
so Krsna is also very dear to every living entity. We have forgotten
that. Just like the master and the servant, the crude example, the
dog: The dog loves the master because he knows, “The master gives me
to eat.” He feels obliged. The master takes care of the dog, and the
dog is very much anxious to serve the master. Similarly, eko yo
bahunam vidadhati kaman. Why our relationship…? Because Krsna is
supplying all the needs of life. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati. We require
so many things but who is supplying? Supplying, Krsna. Krsna is
supplying food to the small ant, and Krsna is supplying food to the
big elephant. Unless Krsna supplies there is no food. If Krsna does
not supply, if there is no production for your subsistence, then how
you will live?
So eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. Therefore our relationship is
very intimate. Not only my, but everyone, every living entity. Yad esa
sarva-bhutanam priya atmesvarah. Atmesvara, atma, self. So everyone’s
self means himself, the spirit soul, is very, very dear. Just like if
there is some danger immediately, then we shall leave this place
immediately and try to save our body from the danger. Why you are
trying to save your body? “No, because it is very dear to me.” Why it
is so dear? “Because I am living within this body.” So I love my body
because I am living within the body. Anywhere you take. You love your
house, love your home. Why? Because you are living there. So you are
loving yourself. Then why you are loving yourself? What is the source
of yourself? Visnu, Krsna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah.
So ultimately I love God. But there are so many impediments. I have
forgotten. I am thinking sometimes to love my body, my mind, like
that. But real love is because I am spirit soul, therefore I love
myself. And why I love myself? Because it is part and parcel of Visnu.
Therefore ultimately you love Visnu. But we have forgotten it. In
relationship with Visnu we have learned to love… Not love. That is
our lust. Real love is with Visnu. Because by nature there is love.
Just like the child. It loves the mother. And in the absence of the
mother he cries, and when the mother comes he becomes satisfied. So
our real love is for Krsna but that we have forgotten. And you are
offered, “Why you are crying? You take this. You take this. You take
this.” No. Nothing will satisfy us unless we again come back to love
our original source of life.
680616SB.MON Lectures 231191/530501
Guest (2): Are we to take Krsna conscious dreams seriously or some
illusion?
Prabhupada: Well, that depends on your particular position, you see.
Sometimes a Krsna conscious persons dreams very seriously. Sometimes
communication is there by dreams. Yes?
751204SB.VRN Lectures 231214/530501
Laksahira.
There was a prostitute whose charges was one lakh of pieces of
diamond. It doesn’t matter, a big diamond or small diamond. That was
her charges. So one man was suffering from leprosy and he was being
assisted, (sic:) she was being assisted by his wife, very faithful
wife. So still, he was morose. The wife asked the husband, “Why you
are morose? I am giving you so much service. You are leper, you cannot
move. I can take you… I take you on a basket and carry you. Still,
you feel unhappy?” So he admitted, “Yes.” “Oh, what is the cause?”
“Now, I want to go to the prostitute, Laksahira.” Just see. He is
leper, a poor man, and he is aspiring to go to a prostitute who
charges 100,000 of pieces of diamond. So anyway, she was a faithful
wife. She wanted to satisfy her husband. Some way or other, she
arranged. Then, when the leper was at the house of the prostitute, the
prostitute gave him very nice dishes of food but everything in two
dishes, everything, one in the golden pot, another in iron pot. So
while he was eating, so he inquired the prostitute, “Why you have
given me in two pots?” “Now, because I wanted to know whether you will
feel different taste in different pots.” So he said, “No, I don’t find
any difference of taste. The soup in the golden pot and the soup in
the iron pot, the taste is the same.” “Then why you have come here?”
This is foolishness. The whole world is going on like that. They are
simply trying to taste the same thing in different pot. That’s all.
They are not detestful that “No more, sir. I have tasted enough.” That
is not fact. That is called vairagya-vidya, no more tasting: “It is
all the same, either I take in this pot or that pot.”
Therefore it is said that sukham aindriyakam, the sense pleasure,
it doesn’t matter whether you enjoy as a dog or as a human being or a
demigod or as European or American or Indian. The taste is the same.
This is very important. You cannot have a better taste. Better taste
is only Krsna consciousness. Param drstva nivartate. So if you do not
increase your taste for Krsna consciousness, then you will try to
taste in this pot and that pot. That is the law. That will be,
continue business and continue disease, to taste in this pot and that
pot: “It may be very tasteful in this pot, may be tasteful…” The
whole world is going on. All these rascals, they go to different
countries for tasting sex life. They go to Paris… (break) …kam
daitya, sarvatra labhyate daivad yatha duhkham. Just like duhkham.
751204SB.VRN Lectures 231215/530501
Duhkha means unhappiness. So suppose a millionaire is suffering from
typhoid and a poor man is suffering from typhoid. Does mean that the
millionaire will have less distress than the poor man? When you have
got typhoid fever, either you are rich man or poor man, the sufferings
of typhoid fever is the same. It does not mean that “This man is very
rich man, he is not suffering from typhoid,” No. As unhappiness is the
same in different pot, similarly, the happiness also is the same in
different pot. This is knowledge. So why should I waste my time to
taste happiness and distress in different pots? The different pots
means these different body.
So this is not our business. Our business is to revive our original
consciousness, Krsna consciousness. It doesn’t matter in which pot I
am at the present moment…
…able to understand. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says, durlabham
manusam janma. You have got the opportunity to understand what is
bhagavata-dharma. Don’t lose it like cats and dogs.
Thank you very much. (end)
751205SB.VRN Lectures 231333/530501
There are six kind of activities which will increase your
transcendental importance of life, and there are six kinds of
activities which will destroy your whatever little devotion you have
got. These, in the Upadesamrta you will find, how you can increase and
how you can finish. So about finishing, if you are actually advancing
in spiritual life, if that is your aim, then these six things should
be avoided. As it is said, prayasah. The first thing is atyahara,
eating too much than necessity, atyahara, or collecting more than you
require. For maintenance of your body you have to secure some monetary
benefit–but not more than what you require. People are not satisfied.
At the present moment everyone is trying to get more and more and more
and more and more. There is no satiation. This kind of endeavor is
forbidden. It will not help you. But people are mad after money. If he
is getting, say, five hundred rupees, he says, “No, why five hundred?
Five thousand.” And if he gets five thousand, then he says, “Why five
thousand? Five lakhs.” And if he gets five lakhs, then he says, “Why
five lakhs? Five crores.” This is there. The whole world is going on.
They are never satisfied. You go to any rich man: “Sir, you have now
enough money. Please come to our meeting in the morning,
seven-thirty.” “No, I have no time.” He’s earning money.
So everyone thinks, “To earn money is my first business. That is…
And to work for it, that is my first business.” But that is forbidden.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this is forbidden. Becau… Why forbidden?
Because you cannot get more than what you are destined to get. That is
not possible. If by your karma, karma-phala, by result of your karma,
if you are to get some happiness, you will get that much, not more
than that. So what is the use of endeavoring? Therefore it is said,
tat-prayaso na kartavyo yata ayur-vyayah param. Simply waste your
time. Suppose you are doing some business and earning money. And if
somebody says that “You cannot get more than five hundred rupees per
month,” then why you’ll work so hard? But because they have no
information–they do not take consultation from the right
person–therefore they are trying uselessly. The human life was meant
for understanding Krsna. Instead of using the energy for understanding
Krsna, they are spoiling the energy unnecessarily to earn money. This
is the modern civilization. The whole Western world, how they are
spoiling their life unnecessarily. We should be satisfied in the
economic position as we are put into.
So in another place Narada Muni says,
tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adah
tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham
kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasah
Gabhira-ramhasah, tal labhyate. Your material gain, happiness or
distress, you are destined to get. You’ll get it. Again the same,
duhkhavad anyatah. Anyat natah. Nobody tries to get distress. If you
ask anybody that “Why you are working so hard?” nobody says that “I am
working so hard, I want distress.” Nobody will say. Everyone will say,
“I’ll be happy. I’ll get happiness. Therefore I am working hard.” “No,
this is distress.” “Yes, this is distress, but I’ll get happiness
after this.” This is called maya. He is undergoing distress, but he is
thinking, “I’ll get happiness.” This is called maya. So there is no
use. This is sastric injunction. You have to see your future through
the sastra. So don’t waste your time in that way.
760620SB.TOR Lectures 231363/530501
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) “Endeavors merely for sense
gratification or material happiness through economic development are
not to be performed, for they result only in a loss of time and
energy, with no actual profit. If one’s endeavors are directed toward
Krsna consciousness, one can surely attain the spiritual platform of
self-realization. There is no such benefit from engaging oneself in
economic development.”
Prabhupada:
tat-prayaso na kartavyo
yata ayur-vyayah param
na tatha vindate ksemam
mukunda-caranambujam
This is the essence of instruction of all Vedic instructions. What is
that? Na tat prayaso kartavyo. Everyone is engaged for developing
economic condition. The whole world is engaged how to develop economic
condition.
760620SB.TOR Lectures 231382/530501
The human life is meant for visnu-aradhanam. That is therefore the
varnasrama: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. The aim is
visnu-aradhanam. Visnu-aradhanam param. We are flattering so many
people to get some benefit. Everyone has to flatter. Businessman has
to flatter his customer; a servant has to flatter his master; and so
on, so on, some friend, some minister to get some favor. But Lord Siva
says, “So why don’t you flatter Visnu? Visnu-aradhanam param.”
Tadiyanam aradhanam. This is the sastric injunction.
751207SB.VRN Lectures 231400/530501
So this is Prahlada Maharaja’s instruction, that “Don’t waste your
time. Human life is very valuable.” And Canakya Pandita also says,
ayusah ksana eko ‘pi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih: “You cannot get back
even one moment of your life by paying millions of dollars. So if you
waste your time…” The Krsna conscious people, they should not be
lazy. They should always remember that death is already there. Let me
finish my business properly so that after death I may not be a cat and
dog. At least I may get… There is no… My Guru Maharaja used to say
that “Why should you wait for another life? Finish Krsna consciousness
business in this life.” In this life. Why you should set aside the
business for another life? No…. Suppose you worship a demigod. Yanti
deva-vrata devan. You can be elevated to the celestial world, heavenly
planet. But what will be benefit? You’ll have to die there. The same
death is there. You have to struggle there. Don’t think that the
demigods, they are living very peacefully. No. That is not possible.
Indra is always embarrassed with so many things. You have read the
fight with Indra. So many asuras, devasura, Hiranyakasipu. The same
thing as… Simply they have got a long duration of life, a high
standard of life, but the same struggle. Just like here you see in
India and Europe, America. They have got the high standard of life,
they have got skyscraper building, very big, big roads, motorcar. But
what is that? Simply struggling. Are they happy? We are poor country.
Of course, we have no such opulence. But the standard, the
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, is there, not that they are sitting idly and
food is coming automatically. No. They have to struggle. So either you
be in the heavenly planet or in the lowest planet, the struggle is
there. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. So long we’ll be
in the material world, you have to… A-brahma-bhuvanal lokan punar
avartino ‘rjuna. Even you go to the Brahmaloka or Indraloka,
Candraloka
760621SB.TOR Lectures 231413/530501
matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho ‘bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram
punah punas carvita-carvananam
That, Krsna consciousness, matir na krsne. People are very much
reluctant to become Krsna conscious. Why? Matir na krsne paratah svato
- By others’ instruction Just like we are trying to spread Krsna
consciousness all over the world, paratah. Svato, svato means
personally. By personal endeavor. Just I am reading Bhagavad-gita or
Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic literature. So, matir na krsne
paratah svato va. Mitho va, mitho va means “by conference.” Nowadays
it is a very popular thing to hold conferences. So one cannot become
Krsna conscious either by his personal endeavor or by advice of some
other men or by holding big, big conferences. Why? Grha-vratanam:
because his real aim of life is that “I shall remain in this house.”
Grha-vratanam. Grha means household life, grha means this body, grha
means this universe. There are so many grhas, big and small.
760621SB.TOR Lectures 231421/530501
Beyond this there is another
nature, a spiritual nature, sanatana. That is called sanatana. Paras
tasmat tu bhavo ‘nyo vyakto ‘vyaktat sanatanah. And the
jiva-bhutah–sanatana. And in the Eleventh Chapter, Arjuna describes
Krsna as sanatana. So three sanatana. Three sanatana. So if we are all
sanatana, there is sanatana-dhama and Krsna is sanatana, we are also
sanatana. So when they are combined together, that is called
sanatana-dharma. They do not know what is sanatana. They think that if
I dress in a certain way and if I am born in a certain community, then
I become sanatana-dharma. No. Everyone can become sanatana-dharma. But
they do not know what is the meaning of sanatana. Every living entity
is sanatana. And Krsna, God is sanatana. And there is a place where we
can meet together–that is sanatana dhama. Sanatana dhama,
sanatana-bhakti, (indistinct), sanatana-dhama. When it is executed,
that is called sanatana-dharma.
760622SB.NV Lectures 231458/530501
pada-sevanam arcanam… This is arcanam, worshiping the Deity in the
temple, this is called arcanam. The Lord is called arca-vigrahah,
arca-avatara. He is also incarnation. Another incarnation,
arca-avatara. He’s giving facility to the devotees to handle Him. If
you do not get the opportunity to serve the Lord, how you can be
perfect? So this arca-vigrahah is Lord’s incarnation to give
facilities to people like us who cannot see God everywhere. For the
neophyte devotees, it is essential to worship the Deity. But if we
simply worship the Deity without hearing about the Lord, sravanam
kirtanam–these things are essential–then the Deity worship will be a
burden. At a certain point, it will be a burden, and gradually it will
be neglected, and the whole thing will be spoiled. So both things
should continue: bhagavata-marga and pancaratriki-marga. Deity worship
is pancaratriki-vidhi, and bhagavata-marga is hearing, chanting, like
that. Both of them should be accepted, parallel line. Otherwise, one
without the other will be later on troublesome. So you must continue.
This temple means not only we shall decorate the Deity very nicely,
cleanse the temple:
sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-
srngara-tan mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato ‘pi…
So the temple worship should go on, at the same time, sravanam
kirtanam of Visnu must go on. Two things, parallel. Then it will be
done very nicely.
So actually this life is meant for this purpose. Sravanam kirtanam
visnoh. There is no other purpose. All other activities secondary. So
those who are very much advanced in spiritual life, just like the
brahmanas, the sannyasis, they did not bother about what to eat, where
to sleep. Sex life is completely forgotten. Even what to eat, where to
sleep, there is no such consideration. Simply engaged in Krsna
consciousness. That is only business. Of course, we cannot do that in
the neophyte stage, but actually that is the only purpose.
Unfortunately, the modern civilization has discovered so many
artificial ways of life that it is very, very difficult to execute
Krsna consciousness business. So therefore Prahlada Maharaja says that
simply for sense gratification, if we waste our time, that is not
good. Tat prayaso na kartavyo– don’t waste your time for increasing
the scope of sense gratification. That is not at all required….
760622SB.NV Lectures 231471/530501
So to control over the material urges, that is required in
spiritual… We have to come to the spiritual platform. That is called
tapasya. Tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv
anantam. We are searching after happiness, but in the material world
you cannot have happiness. That is a fact. Whatever little happiness
you get, that is also distress. One has to attain to that stage of
happiness with(out) distress. So that is a long history; everyone
knows that happiness is not possible. But we arrange to get
so-called… Happiness means sense gratification. That is not
happiness. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya grahyam. Directly sense
perception is not happiness. These things are in the Bhagavad-gita,
you will find: sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriyam grahyam.
Atindriyam means beyond these material senses, transcendental, there
is another happiness. That is transcendental bliss. That we perceive
little bit while we are chanting. By chanting, chanting, chanting,
when you’ll be purified, then you will have the opportunity of tasting
that transcendental bliss. Otherwise, the so-called happiness derived
from the senses, that is not happiness. That is crude, that is for the
fools and rascals. That is not happiness.
680623SB.MON Lectures 231492/530501
krsna-prema-pradaya te: “My dear Lord, You are the most munificent,
magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Krsna.”
This is very rare thing, love of Krsna. Krsna personally failed. He
canvassed, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “You give
up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Krsna, personally.” But nobody
surrendered; only a few persons of the Pandavas, Arjuna, Bhima, or the
gopis in Vrndavana. But at that time there were others. And later age,
people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Krsna also came to
distribute love of Krsna, but He actually could not induce people to
this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by
this sankirtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of
Krsna. Therefore He is called namo maha-vadanyaya: “My dear Lord, You
are the most magnificent, munificent personality, incarnation,
because,” krsna-prema-pradaya te, “You are distributing krsna-prema,
love of Krsna, the most important thing, the goal of life.” And that
was the mission of Lord Caitanya. He said, kalau, in this age, when
everything has become topsy-turvied, there is no more chance for
systematizing the whole human society. It is lost. The regulating
processes are lost now, and neither it is possible to reintroduce it.
It is not possible. People have become so much degraded that it is not
possible. Therefore direct method. Direct method: chant Hare Krsna.
That will revive your old consciousness. Chant Hare Krsna. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu says, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha:
“In this age there is no other alternative, there is no other
alternative.” The so-called meditation, yoga or karma, jnana, mental
speculation–everything will fail.
751209SB.VRN Lectures 231542/530501
Now, just like people protest because we are giving the position of
a brahmana to the mlecchas, yavana. Yavanah khasadayah. Khasadayah
means Mongolians, the Chinese, Japanese and the Philipines. So they
are khasadaya. The Manipuris, Assamese, they are considered as
khasadaya. So there is no distinction. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given
open declaration: krsna-bhajanete nahi jati kuladi vicara. Anyone who
is desirous of becoming Krsna conscious, it is open. Anyone can come.
By proper training by the expert spiritual master everyone can be
raised to the brahminical platform and then Vaisnava platform.
sudhyanti. So how sudhyanti? Sudhyanti. So how sudhyanti? The general
process is that unless one is (sic:) not born in brahmana family, he
is not suddha; he is impure by birth. That is fact. But the devotee
can change. This is new birth, undoubtedly. Just like these, our
European, American students. They are new birth. They have given up
their old birth practices. So birth is changed. Punar janma. So that
is possible only by Krsna consciousness. If one has to change his body
without changing body… The body is changed,[referring to caste brahmanas saying one has to change body in next birth] but we see that the same
body…, but it is not the same body. It is cin-maya. The same
example, that the iron rod put into the fire, it becomes red hot, so
it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, if we constantly keep
ourself in touch with Krsna consciousness, then the body is no longer
material; it is spiritual.
idea.
751209SB.VRN Lectures 231546/530501
This life, we are thinking
that “I am eighty years old or ninety years old.” But it is not eighty
years, ninety… It is mrtyu. Mrtyu. You are dying every moment. It is
the life of mrtyu. Therefore one has to save. Na mocayed yah
samupeta-mrtyum. A child is grown up, five years old. Suppose he’ll
live hundred years. So that means he has already died five years.
Therefore it is mrtyu. Or we have grown eighty years old. That
means… Suppose I live hundred years. Still, I have already died
eighty years. Therefore it is mrtyu. The whole life is mrtyu. Every
moment you are dying, dying, dying, dying, from the very birth.
Suppose a child is born one hour before. So one hour passed means he
has died one hour out of hundred years, the beginning of death. This
is called mrtyum. So we are thinking, “We are growing. We are living.”
This is all mugdha, bewildered. Where you are growing, you are living?
You are dying every moment.
So dying, death is going on. It is called mrtyu-loka. So long you
are in the material world, you are simply dying. That’s all. At the
end, when the balance of life, it becomes finished, we take, at that
time, it is mrtyu. But no, from the very birth there is mrtyu, always,
dying, dying, dying, dying. So mugdha. We are thinking, “We are living
and growing, young. We are getting strength.” But he does not know
that he is dying. Therefore it is explained, mugdhasya: “illusioned.”
He is taking death as life, mugdhasya. So one should not be so
bewildered, mugdhasya, and waste time by playing. Human life is not
meant for… Similarly, jaraya grasta-dehasya. Akalpasya. This is also
very important. Generally the old man does not know what is going to
happen. He is in the hands of the nature. Ask anybody, any big, big
man, old man, “What you are going to do?” I met some very important
old man in London, one… He was Lord…
Hamsaduta: Brockway. Lord Brockway?
Prabhupada: Brockway, I think. I asked him, “What you will do? What is
the end of your life?” “No, I shall die peacefully.” That’s all. He
does not know that what is going to happen. Because the Christians,
they do not believe in the next life; they think this life is
finished, everything is finished. But that is not the fact. Because
they cannot find out the soul. But that requires expert knowledge.
Just like gold mine, apparently it appears that it is a stone. But one
who is expert, soil expert, he can understand, “Here is gold.” Just
like when I was in South Africa, even in the city Johannesburg there
are so many gold mines within the city, gold mines. So ordinary man,
how it will… How he’ll know that there is gold in the soil? He must
be expert. To find out the soul within this body, it is not the
business of rascals and fools. He must be very expert, exactly like
the soil expert. And then, by analysis… This is called neti neti, na
iti. It is very easy. If you think, study your body, take this finger,
so you’ll say, “My finger.” Nobody will say, “I finger.” Just like we
sometimes examine little child, “What is this?” “Finger.” “So a
finger, which finger?” “My finger.” “Head?” “My head.” “Leg?” “My
leg.” Everything, “my, my.” And where is “I”? This is intelligence.
Everything, he is studying, “my,” and who is “I”? This very question
will establish the fact, dehino ‘smin yatha dehe, that “I” is within
this body. Therefore I am speaking, “my.”
So if one is expert in understanding, in analyzing this body, neti
neti–“This is blood. This is skin. This is this. This is this. This
is urine. This is stool”–then whole body we analyze. Then where is
that “I”? We cannot see. But why you cannot see? As soon as the “I” is
off, then whose stool, whose skin, whose bone? So in this way, if we
analyze, then we can understand that asmin dehe, within this body, the
“I” is there.
751210SB.VRN Lectures 231570/530501
entangled in three stages of pollution… The pollution is that
intelligence. The intelligence is polluted in three ways: jagriti,
svapna, and susupti. Jagriti means just like we are now awakened; we
are not sleeping. This is one stage. And another stage, at night when
you go to sleep, and you sleep with dream, that is another stage. And
another stage is susupti, so deeply, just like when a man is
intoxicated or chloroform during surgical operation, he does not
understand that “Surgical instruments are being applied on my body.”
He remains silent. This is another stage. So these three stages are
there for polluting our intelligence.
indriyani parany ahur
indriyebhyah param manah
manasas tu para buddhir
budhdhes tu ya para sah
The soul is beyond all these actions and reactions. But because this
living entity’s soul is covered by so many gross and subtle elements,
he is unnecessarily suffering, although the suffering is temporary.
All these sufferings are temporary. Nothing endures. But the suffering
is there. Therefore it has been advised by Rsabhadeva, na sadhu manye
yata atmanah ayam asan api klesada asa dehah. This whole world, people
are suffering on account of these different circumstantial position,
the three gunas and the mind being polluted by these three stages,
jagriti, svapna, susupti, and so many things–they are described,
twenty-four elements. On account of this packing of the soul, as it is
stated in the Bhagavad-gita, asmin dehe, dehi… Dehi asmin yatha
dehe: the real spirit soul is packed up within the body in so many
coverings. So our so-called pleasure and pains in this material world,
they’re artificial. They are not factual, on account of being packed
in so many material things. Therefore it is called moha, illusion. It
is not fact.
So if one is serious about spiritual advancement, then he should
not… First of all he must know “What is my position? How I am packed
up with all these twenty-four elements?” Of course, due to our habit
we are sometimes subjected to these pains and pleasure. Still, Krsna
says, “You do not become disturbed by these so-called artificial pains
and pleasures. Don’t be disturbed.” Sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah.
Agamapayino ‘nityas tams titiksasva bharata. Matra-sparsas tu
kaunteya, sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah. Just like we are covering because
it is cold, but actually as spirit soul, I am not affected. Asangayam
purusa. In the Vedas it is said that the soul is unaffected with this
material condition. I have several times given this example, that a
person has got a good car, and it is somehow or another broken, and he
becomes upset, because his car Although he knows that “I am not this
car,” but his thoughts being absorbed by the attraction of the car,
when the car is broken somehow or other he becomes almost unconscious.
So this is due to our attachment. So spiritual life means how to get
out of this attachment. This is spiritual life.
We are “No, what is the wrong if we are attached?” The wrong is that so long we remain
attached to these temporary illusory things, you’ll not be able to get
out of it. That is the whole program. Therefore Krsna advises,
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya. These pains and pleasure is due to this
skin; it is not real. But because you are attached to the skin and
bone, therefore you feel sometimes pain and pleasure. But that will
not endure. Better tolerate it. Tolerate. That is spiritual, tapasya.
That is called tapasya. When one can learn how to tolerate these
temporary so-called pains and pleasure, then he is advanced.
So if one is simply attached to these pains and pleasures of
material skin and bone, then how he can be free from the material
condition of life? Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is describing. It has
to be… Prahlada Maharaja’s proposal is that spiritual life should
begin from very childhood, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan.
Otherwise that attachment will continue, and you’ll never be able to
give up this attachment, and the spiritual…, material condition of
life, the accepting one body, bhutva bhutva praliyate, accepting one
body and accepting another body, this will continue. But the real
business of human life is to end this materialistic way of life, that
die and again take another…, janma, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, to be
implicated in these four things. Then our suffering will never end.
This is spiritual life. Spiritual life means to end the sufferings of
material existence.
So in the human form of life the children should be trained up to
spiritual life. That is the duty of the father and mother. Grhesu
saptas. If one remains attached to family life, then grhesu saktasya
pramattas. Pramattas means to remain attached to this family life
means madness. Means madness. It is very difficult to understand this
madness, especially in this age, Kali-yuga, because we have very
little knowledge. Mandah sumanda-matayo, manda-bhagya upadrutah.
760624SB.NV Lectures 231598/530501
Himself, He can say something new? No. He said to Arjuna, puratanam
yogam proktavan, that “I am speaking to you same old philosophy,
puratanam yogam, which I spoke to the sun-god.” We must stick to this,
that a spiritual understanding is never changed. Now the modern days,
we have to adjust things. No. That is not spiritual. There is no
question of modern and old. Nitya, that is nitya, eternal. We should
always remember that. The… Millions and millions of years ago, what
was spoken by Krsna to the sun-god, the same thing was spoken to
Arjuna. He said that “I am speaking to you the same old, puratanam
yogam, but because the parampara system is now broken, so I am making
again the parampara system through you, beginning from you
760624SB.NV Lectures 231602/530501
to family life. I sometimes say that in the Western countries the
young boys, they come to Krsna consciousness, their only one great
asset is they are not family-wise attached. That is very good
qualification. Someway or other, they have become. Therefore their
attachment to Krsna becoming staunch. In India they have got organized
family attachment. They are not interested. They are after money now.
That I have experienced. Yes.
So family attachment is the greatest impediment in the matter of
advancing in Krsna consciousness, but if the whole family is Krsna
conscious, that is very nice. Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He was a
family man, but all of the, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, his wife, his
children–and the best children is our Guru Maharaja, best child… So
he has sung by his experience, ye dina grhe bhajana dekhi grhete
goloka bhaya. If family-wise, everyone is engaged in Krsna’s service,
that is very nice. That is not ordinary family. That attachment is not
ordinary attachment. But generally people are attached materially.
That is condemned here. Sesam grhesu saktasya pramattasya apayati hi.
They are called pramatta. Everyone is thinking that “My family, my
wife, my children, my nation, my community, that is everything. What
is Krsna?” This is the greatest illusion imposed by maya. But nobody
will be able to give you protection.
751211SB.VRN Lectures 231622/530501
Take recent
history, within five hundred years. Rupa Goswami, the chief minister
of the government of Bengal, most opulent position: tyaktva turnam
asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. They became mendicant, voluntarily
accepting, tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat.
“What is this nonsense position, minister, opulent life? Kick it out.”
They are not fools. They are politicians. But why they “Kick it out.”
Then what they became? Bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya
kaupina-kanthasritau. They become mendicant.
So voluntarily accepting poverty, this is Indian civilization, this
is Vedic civilization. Not to increase material opulence but to
decrease. The more you decrease, you are civilized. And the Western
countries, if you decrease, if you instruct them that “Decrease these
nonsense activities. No more tire(?) civilization,” they’ll say “Oh,
this is primitive, primitive.” This tendency is present. But actually,
the primitive civilization… Not primitive; that is very sober
civilization, anartha. Instead of increasing unwanted necessities,
decrease it. That is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Anarthopasamam saksad
bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Lokasya ajanatah vidvams cakre satvata
samhitam. This satvata samhitam bhagavata is there, simply to decrease
this unwanted so-called material civilization. It is very difficult to
understand, but our Krsna consciousness movement is for that purpose.
We are interested to construct a nice temple, but we are not
interested to construct a very big skyscraper building for people’s
generally No. We should live very humbly. But for Krsna we can In
India you’ll find there are so many valuable temples which cannot be
constructed at the present moment. You will see in this Vrndavana that
the broken Govindaji’s temple, it is not possible to construct such
costly temples at the present moment. Even by spending crores of
rupees you cannot construct. But one who has money, they used to do
that. It should be engaged for Krsna’s comfort. This is bhakti
760625SB.NV Lectures 231642/530501
Sneha-pasair. This sneha-pasa, sneha is there. Sneha means
affection. Everyone got affection. The cats and dogs they have got
also affection. But the affection is wrongly placed. We are
affectionate to the skin, to this body. So this is wrong affection.
Real affection is to the soul. That we do not know, we have no
information. We are loving our child, that is very good, but not the
soul, but the body. If someway or other the child is dead or my father
is dead, we cry, “Father has gone.” Why father has gone away? The body
which you loved, that is lying there. So we do not know whom to love.
So if we love actually, let us love the soul. How the soul… Love…,
to love means for benefit. That is real love. I love you for your
benefit; you love me for my benefit. If I so-called love you for my
benefit, that is lust. So in this material world there cannot be love.
It is not possible. Because everyone loves, so-called love. He loves
his sense gratification. A young boy loves a young woman for his sense
gratification, not for her sense gratification. Similarly she also. So
in this material, this cheating is going on. I want to satisfy my
lusty desires, but it is going on in the name of love. There cannot be
any love in this material world. Because love is between spirit and
spirit. But if we try to love the Supreme Spirit, Krsna, then we shall
understand how our love can be spread in the spiritual world.
When we come to the spiritual platform, then actual love begins.
Mad-bhaktim labhate param. That love begins… If we can love Krsna,
then, through Krsna’s love, we can expand our love for everyone. Yatha
taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah. Just like
watering the root of the tree, the energy is expanded to the limbs, to
the flowers, to the branches, similarly, if we want to love…
Everyone… Just like we are coming, some patriot. Nobody loves
nobody; that is all professional business. If we actually love Krsna,
then we can expand our love: patriotism, socialism, this “ism,”
that… Just like we are trying to spread this Krsna consciousness
movement all over the world because on account of love.
This is the only meaning. If we become pure devotee of Krsna, then my
love will be extended to everyone. Not only my society, but to
everyone. It is not that “This is my children, that is other’s
children.” All children. All human being. Not my countrymen–all other
countrymen. Not only human beings, but even animals also. That is
sneha. It is not that “I am safe, and let the animals be killed in the
slaughterhouse.” No, that is not love. Love means for everyone. Samah
sarvesu bhutesu. Equality to all living entities. That is real love.
That is real concern, Krsna consciousness. A lover of Krsna will
hesitate to kill even one ant. You know the story, Mrgrari. That is
love. Because one has got… Just like this child. If I like I can
kill him, there is no difficulty. But does it mean that I shall kill
him? No. Similarly, a small ant, anyone can kill. No. Here is a living
entity, part and parcel of Krsna. Samah sarvesu–he should not be
unnecessarily killed. We should be careful, not that “Trample over the
ants and let them be killed.” No, everything should be carefully done.
Of course, we cannot stop this, but we should be careful, and if it is
done, then if we remain Krsna conscious, Krsna will excuse. Yajnarthe
karmano ‘nyatra. Therefore the business should be, if we walk at all,
we shall walk for Krsna. Then if some ant is killed–not knowingly,
unknowingly–then we are untouched by these sinful activities.
Otherwise, we are immediately noted down, “Here is a man, he has
killed, he has…” The nature’s law is so minute. Every minute, the
account is there. But if you remain in the business of Krsna
consciousness, then there is excuse. Otherwise, everyone is become
obliged. If I take from you one cent, I have to pay you with four
cents, with interest, compound interest. This is the law of karma. We
are… Just like taking money from others. Unless we spend it for
Krsna, then we shall be obliged to return.
690331SB.SF Lectures 231671/530501
more entangled in these affairs, then our real business will be lost.
Our real business is how to get out of this entanglement, not to be
more and more, I mean to say, implicated in this entanglement. That
should be the point of view: to make the best use of a bad bargain.
That should be the philosophy of life. We are put into this material
existential condition, and we have to get out. But at the same time,
so far, so long this material body is there, we have to maintain it
also. Just like… The example is very nice. We can cite that you have
to go to some place, and you have got a car. You have to take care of
the car so far it can carry you to your destination, not that you
simply take care of your car and you forget your destination and your
own body. This is not your business. Similarly, we have to carry on
our business.
751212SB.VRN Lectures 231694/530501
Professor Marshall, he has given reason for economic development: the family
affection. Unless one has got family affection, he is not interested
in money. So therefore I sometimes say that these hippies, they are
little advanced because they have no affection for family and they
have no affection for money also. This is… In the other way, these
are good qualification: no interest, no affection. Everyone is working
on account of family affection, sneha-pasair. He has got wife and
children, and he requires money to make the family happy. So…, and
for maintaining the family, he requires money. Ato grhesu
sutapta-vittair janasya moho ‘yam.
751212SB.VRN Lectures 231701/530501
Vedasraya nastikya-vada. All these Mayavadi sannyasis, they are very
learned, but they’ll never accept that God has form. They say it is
kalpana, it is imagination. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has designated them
very, very dangerous, these Mayavadis. He has therefore strictly
forbidden, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa: If you hear this
Mayavadi speaking, then your future is doomed. You are finished.
Because as soon as you have become infected with the Mayavada
philosophy, it will take millions of years to come to the platform of
devotional service. It is so dangerous. Mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya
sarva-nasa. Sarva-nasa means everything is finished when you become
godless, or you think yourself as you are God. The Mayavadis do that.
They accept God, Krsna, as God, but Krsna’s body is maya. He has
assumed a form, with a body which is created by maya, just like our
body is created by maya.
760626SB.NV Lectures 231722/530501
So nidrahara, this is spiritual life. This is called tapasya. Tapo
divyam putraka yena suddhyed sattvam. Spiritual life means purifying
our existence. Unless we purify our existence, if we keep ourselves in
the material condition, then we have to accept birth and death
repeatedly. The human life is the opportunity that we can purify our
existence. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. We have to
become purified. Nirmalam means completely purified. That is the
mission of human life. Tapo divyam, purify. Why purification required?
Because we are after happiness. That is our nature. Anandamayo
‘bhyasat. Everyone, we want happiness. But we are so blind that
happiness in the material world is faced with so many other troubles.
Just like I want to be happy, I am sitting peacefully, the mosquito
will come and disturb me. The bugs will come, disturb me. The dogs
will come, disturb me. And so many other… There will be some
earthquake will disturb me, there will be some storm will disturb me.
There will be some fever, disturb me. Some calamity will disturb me.
So because all these disturbances are, this is nature’s daivi hy esa
guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. That maya is always ready to disturb
- Because to remind us that “You want to be happy in this material
world, that is not possible. I shall disturb you always, in this way
or that way.” That we haven’t got eyes to see, that we are being
disturbed. But if we want undisturbed happiness then we have to purify
our existence. That is wanted. It is for our interest. To become Krsna
conscious means that is our interest. Krsna doesn’t want that you
become… Krsna wants, but if you do not become Krsna conscious, He
has nothing to lose. But if we do not become Krsna conscious, it is,
our chance is lost. This is the problem.
760627SB.NV Lectures 231739/530501
So here the verse is given, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi
tuccham kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. The real purpose of
life is how to become detached from this material life. That is
perfection. People are being educated how to become attached. That is
the difference between Krsna consciousness and so-called human
civilization. But the thing can be made easy if we attach our mind to
Krsna. Just like we are actually doing. It is not that we are all
liberated persons. We have got so many attachments to family, wife,
country. But along with it, if we try to increase our attachment for
Krsna, automatically there will be detachment. Automatically. Without
endeavoring separately. Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah.
… So this is bhakti-marga. If we follow these principles of
bhakti-marga we do not require to endeavor separately how to become
detached. The detachment automatically follows. Vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayati asu vairagyam. Vairagyam means
detachment. The bhakti-yoga is known also as vairagya. Vairagya.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote verses about this vairagya.
vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
Here is Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krsna Himself. He has
come to teach us vairagya-vidya. It is little difficult. It is very
difficult for ordinary persons to understand this vairagya-vidya.
Their business is how to increase attachment for this body, and Krsna
consciousness movement is how to increase detachment for this material
life. Therefore it is called vairagya-vidya. Vairagya-vidya can be
very easily achieved, just like it is recommended, vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayati asu vairagyam, very soon, very soon.
Janayati asu vairagyam jnanam ca.
The real business is how to increase our love, proportionatal love for
Krsna. Then everything, proportionately, will come, and then our life
Will be successful. Thank you very much.
760628SB.NV Lectures 231766/530501
So in the modern age, advancement of material civilization, they
also do not care for these siddhis, material siddhis. Just like
laghima. Laghima-siddhi, the yogis, they become so light that they can
float in the air. So nowadays you have got airplane. The yogi can
float alone in the air. Now five hundred passengers, they can float in
the air. So there is no need of such yoga, yoga-siddhi. The science,
the material science of craftsmanship, mechanical, they have done it.
Or formerly these things were very magical. Still, the so-called
yogis, they are trying to achieve such perfection. Sometimes they can
float in the air, they can walk on the water, they can get anything
they desire, prapti. Prapti, in my childhood there was my teacher. He
said that he had his guru, a yogi. So he told me that his spiritual
master, yogi, he inquired from his disciple, “What do you want to
eat?” So he said that “We want to eat some pomegranate from Kabul.” So
he said, “Yes, you can get it. Go into the room and you’ll find.” So
they found a bunch of pomegranate just fresh taken from the tree. This
is called prapti. The yogis, they can get all these facilities.
760630SB.NV Lectures 231791/530501
Prabhupada: We have seen practically in India. During the partition
days, when the Britishers left India, they gave a parting kick by
dividing Pakistan and India. So I have seen in my own eyes there was
fighting between the Hindus and Muslims for at least one week in
Calcutta, and heaps of dead bodies there were. So the fighting was
between Hindu and Muslim, but when they died the body is piled up and
it was taken for burning or to throw away. So the land remained there
and these people fighting between themselves, that “This is mine, this
is mine,” they finished their life. The land remained where it was
there.
670310SB.SF Lectures 231929/530501
not this body, you are this consciousness. And this consciousness,
what is that consciousness? It is the effulgence of the soul.
Consciousness is also not you are. It is just like this lamp has got
some effulgence and illumination. Similarly, the soul has got
illumination. That illumination is this consciousness. So this
illumination, this consciousness is also limited. Your consciousness,
my consciousness, they are limited. You cannot perceive or understand
what I am thinking; I cannot perceive or understand what you are
thinking.
670310SB.SF Lectures 231947/530501
Guest (2): Does any physical change take place in your body when you
become Krsna conscious?
Prabhupada: Yes. There are so many physical changes. We have seen it
practically. Yes. Some of our students, so long he was here, he was so
nice. He was so glowing. And as soon as he has left, he has become
just like damn rascal. Yes. We are experiencing practically. There are
so many instances. Because my face is the index of mind, so similarly,
what is going on within you, that will be reflected. That will be
reflected. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was asked that “How can I
understand…?” One of His disciples inquired from Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, “How can I understand that a man is in Krsna
consciousness?” He immediately replied, “If you see a man and at once
you remember Krsna, you must know that he is in Krsna consciousness.”
It is such a nice thing. By seeing the face, by seeing the appearance
of a person, if you remember Krsna, you should know that “This man is
in Krsna consciousness.” So there is change of physical feature also.
670313SB.SF Lectures 231972/530501
We are executing the will of Krsna. Krsna says that “Anyone who
takes up this responsibility of spreading Krsna consciousness, or God
consciousness, he is very dear to Me.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that
amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ sarva desa. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also
Krsna in the form of devotee. He said that “By My order, you become a
spiritual master.” “Oh, I have to become a spiritual master? What I
have to do? Oh, I have no qualification.” “Oh, you don’t require any
qualification.” “Then what is to do?” Yare dekha tare kaha
‘krsna’-upadesa: “Whomever you meet, you just try to give him some
instruction of Krsna.” This is Krsna consciousness. If you cannot do,
if you cannot speak on Bhagavad-gita or Bhagavata or Bible or
Koran–they’re all books of knowledge, of Krsna consciousness–you can
simply say, “My dear friend, I’ve got one request to you.” “What is
that?” “Oh, please chant Hare Krsna. That’s all. Please chant Hare
Krsna.” Is it very difficult? But this is very difficult also, because
people will take it very lightly: “Oh, what is there, Hare Krsna?”
because he does not know that the Hare Krsna has so much potency that
one day you can catch the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your
grip. It is got so potency, so much..
…670313SB.SF Lectures 231976/530501
things. Servant we are, because constitutionally I am servant. And
because I am not servant of God or servant of Krsna, that I have
become servant of my dog. In the morning I go with my dog. The dog
says, “Yes, stand up here.” “Yes, I am standing.” “Let me pass my
stool.” “Yes, my dear sir. It is very nice.” So I am servant. But I
have no shame that I have become servant of dog and I’m refuse to (be)
servant of God. Such a foolish we are. You see? So Prahlada Maharaja
says, “Just change this kindly. Don’t become any more servant of…”
Servant of dog means servant of your senses. That’s all. We are here
all servant of senses. That’s all. A swami means master of the senses.
“Oh, sense wants? Oh, my tongue wants immediately to smoke? There is
some sensation. Oh, I must say, ‘No. There is no smoking. Stop.’ ”
Then you are master. And if you have become servant, “Oh, I want. Will
you kindly give me a cigarette?” Because I am servant of cigarette. So
you have to train yourself to become swami, master of your senses.
Then everything is all right. Don’t be servant of your senses. Servant
you are. Just change your servitorship. Instead of becoming servant of
senses, just become the servant of the master of the senses. The
master of senses is Krsna. Therefore He is called Hrsikesa. And Krsna
consciousness means hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate.
670320SB.SF Lectures 232094/530501
In this material world we are making so many plans for permanent
settlement, but unfortunately, we are meeting with just the opposite
result. That is in our experience. There is very nice song sung by a
Vaisnava poet. He says, sukhere lagiya e baro bhaginu anale puria
ghare (?). “I constructed this house for living happily.
Unfortunately, it was set in fire, so everything is finished.” That is
going on. In the material world we are making so many plans for living
very comfortably, peacefully, eternally. But that is not possible.
People do not understand it. They are seeing, experiencing from
sastra, from scripture we are getting instruction, that nothing is
imperishable. Everything is perishable in the material world, and we
are actually seeing also that perishable agents are always ready. Just
like the fire. In New York City, at least, within twenty-four hours,
there are at least ten or fifteen places where fire is going on. And
your fire brigade is running on just trying to protect you from fire.
The house regulation is all for fire, “How we are protected from
fire.” Then it will be allowed, certificate of occupation, “You can
live.” In other words, that fire is always ready to vanish everything,
but artificially, somehow or other, we are trying to protect ourself
from fire.
670322SB.SF Lectures 232112/530501
Last night in the television, one boy was asking me, “Swamiji, you
are all after spiritualism. Why you are using this clay as tilaka and
so many things you are using which is matter?” So I explained to
him… Perhaps you have known. Actually, there is no matter, actually,
in this sense, because everything is emanating from the Supreme
Spirit. Everything is emanating… Janmady asya yatah. What is the
Absolute Truth? The Absolute Truth is that from which everything is
emanating–the source, the fountainhead, the fountainhead of
everything. So whatever we see… Now, of course, we are in condition,
material condition. We see everything material. But even this material
energy is also spiritual because it is coming from the spirit, the
Supreme Spirit. Suppose anything comes from the fire, it is hot. Fire,
anything coming from… Anything you take. You are cooking daily, and
as soon as you cook something it becomes very hot, and you take it
from… It is hot. You cannot touch it. So by nature, everything is
hot or everything is spirit because it is coming from the spirit, by
nature. Just like sunshine. Sunshine has got all the qualities of the
sun. Sunshine has got temperature. Sunshine has got illuminating power
as the original sun has got. Similarly, although the whole creation,
whole manifestation, is the display of the energy of the Supreme Lord,
they are not different in quality. In quality there is no difference.
Just like the sunshine and the sun. It may be the temperature in the
sun planet is very great. That’s all right. But you cannot say that
sun is hot, but the sunshine is cold. No. That cannot be. That cannot
- It may be the degree of temperature lesser, but there is
temperature. That is the sign that it is coming, emanating from
sunshine. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gita you’ll find that this whole
manifestation, there are different kinds of energy.
That is confirmed in the Vedas, Vedic literature, Upanisad also:
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. The energy of the Lord are
differently manifested. Just like this light. Take the same example,
fire. Fire is placed in one place, but it is manifesting in different
way. It is illuminating, it is distributing its heat from one place.
Similarly, the Supreme Lord, He may be far, far away. He’s not far,
far away, because He is present by His energy. Just like sunshine. Sun
is far, far away from us, but he is present just before us by his
shining. We can understand what is sun. Similarly, if you study the
energy of the Supreme Lord, then you are in conscious, or Krsna
consciousness. So if you engage yourself in the energy of Krsna, then
you become Krsna conscious. And as soon as you become Krsna conscious,
you become nonseparated. You become nonseparated from Him. Just like
qualitatively the sunshine and the sun is hot, warm, similarly, you
are also the same spiritual energy, or this whole world is spiritual
energy, nothing but… There is nothing but spiritual… Sarvam khalv
idam brahma. Everything is Brahman. But how to realize it? If
everything is Brahman, then why we are separating, “This is material,
this is spiritual”? This is maya. This is called maya. Maya means
illusion or forgetfulness. How it happens? It happens just like the
sunshine is covered by cloud. Sunshine is covered by cloud–not all
the sunshine. An insignificant part of the sunshine is sometimes
covered by the cloud. And when it is covered by the cloud, there are
so many inconveniences. Just like you say in New York when you find a
sunshine in the sky, you say, “Oh, today is very nice.” Why nice?
Because the pure sky is open. Therefore it is very nice. And so long
it is over, covered by cloud, you don’t find so happy. Similarly, if
you can, I mean to say, drive away the cloud of ignorance, then you
actually becoming Krsna consciousness. Cloud of ignorance. And what is
that cloud of ignorance? The cloud of ignorance is that “I am the
enjoyer.” The first beginning of cloud of ignorance… (end)