681110SB.LA                    Lectures

Similarly, the scriptures, the sages, the saintly persons, the

devotees, the representative of Krsna, God, they’re very much anxious

to take us back to Godhead, back to home. That is nihsreyasaya. That

is the ultimate benediction. To be  enamored by the

temporary society, friendship and love. And it has become a thankless

task for the saintly persons, devotees of God, to drag them: “Oh,

please come here. Please chant Hare Krsna. Please be Krsna conscious.

Please be God conscious.” Nobody likes it. They think it botheration,

“Why Swamiji comes here and bothers us?” But it has become the

business. Therefore the qualification of a saintly person is

titiksava, very tolerant, very tolerant. Just like Lord Jesus Christ,

he was crucified. Still, he was so tolerant he, at the time of

crucification, he’s praying to God, “My Lord, these people do not know

what they are doing. Please forgive them.” Just see how much tolerant.

Titiksava. This is the first qualification of saintly person or God’s

servant or God’s son. Very tolerant. They have to push on their Krsna

conscious movement or God conscious movement through so many odds.

Through so many odds. Because they are just like the child; he’s

attracted with playthings.

 

741114SB.BOM                   Lectures

This is the statement of sastra, that with our these blunt material

senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand

sri-krsna-namadi, Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His

pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Krsna is not

alone, but Krsna begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally,

for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential: to hear

the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to

offer worship. That is the instruction of Krsna personally. Man-mana

bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru.

 

741114SB.BOM                   Lectures

It is no longer possible to revive the perfect system, varnasrama.

Although we are trying to revive, it is not possible. It is very

difficult. People are so fallen. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy

upadrutah. They are so disturbed, manda-bhagyah, unfortunate, and

upadrutah, always disturbed. Especially anavrsti, durbhiksa and

kara-pidita. The people of the Kali-yuga will be very much, I mean to

say, harassed by these three things. There will be no rainfall, and…

There will be no rainfall, and there, food scarcity and taxation by

government, income tax. Income tax is to plunder. If you have got some

money, this is the means. So this is all stated in the

Srimad-Bhagavatam. ..Recently we have seen one big industrialist, he has committed

suicide. So people will do that. They’ll be so much harassed. This is

Kali-yuga.

 

741114SB.BOM                   Lectures

all sinful reaction of life. So you may say that “It will take some

time. If I have to get free from sinful reaction, then I’ll have to

take some time.” Krsna says, “No, no time. Immediately.”

“I will immediately do that. You just do this business. Surrender unto

Me, and I take guarantee.” Then your life begins.

 

■TLK Vs 17    Self-realization means seeing one’s proper identity as the

infinitesimal jiva. At the present moment, we are seeing the body, but

this is not our proper identity. We have no vision of the real person

occupying the body. The first lesson we receive from ▼Bhagavad-gita

(2.13) informs us that the body and the owner of the body are

different. When we can understand that we are not the body, that is

the beginning of self-realization, and that is called the brahma-bhuta

stage. Aham brahmasmi. I am not this material body, but spirit soul.

 

741118SB.BOM                   Lectures

it is diseased condition. Similarly, when we are unable to serve

Krsna, or we do not serve Krsna, we serve… Serving we are. That is a

fact. We cannot become master. Nobody… Can anyone say that he is

master? He’s not serving anyone? Everyone is serving. That’s a fact.

Either you are serving your family or society or country or office or

so many service. If anyone hasn’t got to serve anything, then he picks

up a master, a cat and dog, and serves him. Because service is my

nature. But we are missing where to put the service. That is Krsna.

 

741119SB.BOM                   Lectures

Bhakti means spiritual activities. There is activity… It is

not… The Mayavadi philosophers, they think that “Stop material

activities.” Brahma satyam jagan mithya. “Why you are engaged…” The

Buddhist philosophy also, they say nirvana, “Stop this material life.”

The Buddhist philosophers, they do not give more information. “We are

suffering on account of this material combination.” That is their

philosophy. Because this body is nothing but combination of earth,

water, fire, air, mind, intelligence and ego, so if you separate it,

let the earth go to the earth, let water go to the water, let fire go

to the fire, then you become zero. If you dismantle just like we

dismantle some house, so there are so many things coming out. So let

the doors be taken, somebody windows, somebody the bricks, somebody

and…, rubbish somebody. Then there is no house, zero. This is called

nirvana theory. No more existence. We are suffering pains and

pleasure… Pains. There is no pleasure. Pleasure means accepting

another type of pain. I am suffering… Just like there is boil on

your body. This is suffering. And to cure it, another suffering,

surgical operation. So it is going on like that. Actually, there is no

pleasure. There is only pain.

   So the Buddhist theory is to dismantle this construction, and then

there is no more sense of pains and… The Mayavadi theory also like

that, that “Activities, because they are material activities,

therefore there are sufferings. So the material activities, they are

false. You simply understand yourself, that you are Brahman, and no

more activities, stop all activities, Brahman realization…” Their

example is given that if you take an empty pitcher and you put into

the water, so long it is not filled up, there will be some sound:

“bud-bud-bud-bud-bud-bud.” And as soon as the pitcher is fully filled

up, there is no, no more sound. So all these Vedic mantras and

other…, they’re only means. So when one is completely Brahman

realized, then there is no more chanting, hearing or Vedic hymns.

Everything stop. The same theory. Buddhist theory and Mayavada theory

is almost practically the same. They are saying, “Make it zero,” and

they are saying, “It is mithya, false. Stop it.” Brahma satyam, brahma

satyam jagan… Brahma satya means Brahman realization, “I am Brahman.

I am the same Supreme… So ‘ham.” But that will not help you. That is

simply theoretical. Practical is bhaktya bhagavaty akhilatmani.

 

741120SB.BOM                   Lectures

So if we actually want to be free from the bondage of material

existence… Bhutva bhutva praliyate… A common sense. Because we

have lost our common sense. Suppose we are sitting here. If somebody

says, “Now get out! Sit down he… Sit down here.” And again, a half

an hour, if he says, “No, no, come here.” So shall I like it? “No, I

am not sitting here. I’ll go.” Similarly, here the life is, the

materialistic way of life means bhutva bhutva praliyate. You accept

one body, you’ll not be allowed to remain in that body permanently.

You must have to give it up. Again accept another body. Again you have

to give it up. What is this business? But they are so rascal, they do

not know that how much miserable condition we are in. We are simply

accepting one body and again… Bhutva bhutva praliyate. Tyaktva

deham. We are… We do not know that “I am not this body.”

   So we are in such darkness, and the whole world is in such

darkness. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri… They are taking this body as

themselves. There are so many things… So Krsna consciousness

movement will give them enlightenment and give them liberation, and we

therefore request everyone to take advantage. Now, Krsna consciousness

means… The simple thing is that you chant Hare Krsna. But if you

think yourself as very learned, thoughtful man, and you want to

understand through science and philosophy, all right, come on. We have

got books. Learn it. Two ways. We have got three dozen books like

(sic:) you. You cannot finish it even in your whole life. Come on.

Otherwise, if you are not so learned to read all these books, chant

Hare Krsna. Two things are there. Take advantage, any one of them, and

be liberated.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

741122SB.BOM                   Lectures

.. Therefore Bhagavad-gita is the

preliminary study of spiritual life. If you can understand

Bhagavad-gita, then you can begin Srimad-Bhagavatam. If you have not

understood Bhagavad-gita, it is useless. You cannot understand

Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Just like Bhagavad-gita ends with the assertion of the Lord:

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Sarva-dharman. We

have created so many dharmas. But dharma cannot be so many. Dharma is

one. Or religious system… What is that, religious system? The all

religious system, the author of religion, author of religion… Just

like author of law is government, similarly author of religion is God,

Krsna. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. You cannot manufacture

dharma, just like you cannot manufacture law at your home. That will

be not feasible. That will be not useful for anyone. You can make

thousands of laws: “I think this should be done…” That is the

fashion now. Everyone thinks in his own way. That is not philosophy.

That is not law: “I think…” “We think…” No. You cannot think. What

is your value? You are imperfect. Your senses are imperfect. How you

can think perfect things? No, that is not possible. Therefore we have

to…You have to take knowledge from the tattva-darsi, one who has seen the

truth. Otherwise, you’ll be frustrated. Similarly religion. Religion

you cannot manufacture: “This is our religion. This is this religion,

that religion, that religion.” So that is not religion. Religion is

this: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Mayy ananyena

bhavena bhaktim. This is religion. Anything else, that is cheating.

That is not religion.

Therefore if one can understand Bhagavad-gita perfectly and he

takes to this system of religion, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam

saranam vraja, then he can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Because where

Bhagavad-gita is ended, Srimad-Bhagavatam begins from that point.

 

741122SB.BOM                   Lectures

.. Just like in Bengal, C.R.Das, he had fifty thousand rupees’

income in those days, and he gave up everything and joined Gandhi’s

movement. He died within one year, because he could not tolerate. So

without spiritual engagement, one cannot give up this material

engagement. That is the real fact. One must… Tyaktva turnam

asesa-mandala-pati… They gave up this material enjoyment. That’s all

right. How they lived? Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau

muhuh. They dipped into the ocean of the transcendental loving affairs

of the gopis with Krsna. That was their asset. Therefore they lived

very peacefully and very happily.

So we have to… We, we cannot simply give up. As it is said that

tyakta-karmanah, give up everyone, engagement, and

tyakta-svajana-bandhavah,… You’ll become mad if you give up all

these things, unless you have got staunch faith in Krsna. Then you

cannot give up. It is not possible. Param drstva nivartate. If you

find Krsna’s association is so nice, then you can very easily give up

your opulent position, svajana, bandhavah, family, business and

everything. If you… That requires sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga, to

associate with sadhu, devotees. Then you can develop such thing when

day will come you’ll be able to give up everything and you become

liberated person, quite fit for going back to home, back to Godhead.

Unless you are completely free… If you have got a tinge of

attachment for material enjoyment, Krsna will give you chance: “All

right, you enjoy. You enjoy, to the fullest extent.” Because we have

come to this material world for enjoying sense gratification.

 

741123SB.BOM                   Lectures

Generally, people, they are suffering. There is nobody in the

world, those who are materially engaged, can say boldly that “I am not

suffering.” Is there anybody? I challenge anyone. Can anyone say that

“I am not suffering”? So everyone must be suffering. Now, why these

Anacin tablets are advertised, “pain-killer”? Because they are

suffering. And not in this country, but in the Western countries,

America, one takes at least one dozen tablet daily for mitigating

suffering–tranquilizer, this, that, so many. They are advertised, and

they take. At last, for sleeping. Because they are more advanced. We

are less advanced; therefore we are satisfied only one tablet, Anacin.

(laughter) But they are not satisfied with one tablet. They have

dozens of tablet. I have seen it. It is advertised in the subway

trains. So many tablets are advertised. Suffering must be there.

Anyone who has got this material body has accepted suffering. That’s a

fact. But foolish people, they cannot understand. He thinks, “I am got

very fatty and beautiful body.” He is satisfied…

 

So one has to… Tapanti vividhas tapah. Vividhah, multi. Vividhah

means many. Tapanti vividhas tapa na etan mad-gata-cetasah. Those who

are Krsna conscious, they… We cannot say that they are not

suffering. They are suffering, but no so acutely. They know. Therefore

we have begun this sadhu’s symptoms, titiksavah, tolerant. Everyone is

tolerant. One has to tolerate. But a sadhu’s toleration and ordinary

man’s toleration is different. Sadhu’s toleration is not so acute

because a sadhu knows that he is not this body. There is a Bengali

Vaisnava song, deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara. If

we understand properly that “I am not this body,” then, although there

is suffering, you will not feel very much, although we are now

absorbed with this body, bodily sufferings are there. Just like the

example that you have got a car, and there is some accident. So one

who is too much absorbed with the thought that “This is my car” or “I

am car,” he suffers more. But if one knows that “I am not this car.

All right, there is some accident. It can be repaired or it can be…

That doesn’t matter.” It is a question of absorption of the thought.

 

741123SB.BOM                   Lectures

So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if

we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world,

staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jivan mukta.

Jivan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering

the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of (sic:) absorption

of thought. I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the communist

leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the

belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said,

“No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation.” So even in

ordinary life it is possible. Because the mind is absorbed in a

different way, even a surgical operation does not disturb a man.

Similarly, what to speak of spiritual life, if your mind is always

absorbed in Krsna thought, Krsna consciousness… That is stated

mad-gata-cetasah, always thinking of Krsna. And Krsna advises also.

What is His advice? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru:

“You always think of Me.”

 

►741124SB.BOM                  Lectures

This was the beginning, how to become uncontaminated. We have got some

attachment to the material modes of nature. That is the cause of our

bondage. Now, if we want to be free from this bondage, uncontaminated,

then the same attachment should be transferred to the sadhu. Sa eva

sadhusu krtah, the same attachment. Everyone has got attachment.

Nobody is free of attachment. The Mayavadi philosophy, they say that

“Stop this attachment.” The Buddha philosophy says that “Make this

attachment zero.” This is also a little advancement, but it is not

possible to make our attachment zero. That is not possible. Therefore

Bhagavan says in the Bhagavad…, param drstva nivartate. Just like a

child has got attachment for playing, and gradually, his attachment

should be transferred for reading, going to school, education. But if

you stop his attachment, then he will become mad. You must give

something. Param drstva nivartate. Just like we … given up

meat-eating. So you must give something more palatable. Then

detachment will be possible. First of all nullify the attachment, and

then give him better attachment. Then he will forget. Param drstva

nivartate. You cannot force a living entity by force. Gradually… The

same example: a child has got attachment, but by some system, its

attachment is turned over.

   So similarly, our consciousness is there. Somehow or other, it is

now contaminated. So gradually, this contaminated consciousness has to

be purified, and then Krsna consciousness automatically will arise,

will be awakened, because the Krsna consciousness is original

consciousness. Somehow or other, it is now covered by material

attachment. So how to give up this material attachment and become

attached to Krsna, developing Krsna attachment? The process is

sadhu-sanga..

 

741124SB.BOM                   Lectures

There is an instance

during Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time. Devotees from Bengal were going to

see Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and on the way a dog also began to follow

them. So the leader of the party, Sivananda Sena, he was also giving

food, prasadam, to the dog, and they had to cross one river, and the

boatman would not take the dog. Sivananda Sena paid him some more

money, that “You take the dog.” This is Vaisnava, that “This dog has

taken our company. He is going with us. How I can leave him behind?”

So he paid more money: “Please take this dog.” This is called suhrdah

sarva-dehinam. And the dog was emancipated. He went to Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, and he was sitting as dog, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was

eating something and throwing it to the dog. In this way, the dog got

Vaikuntha. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that this

consciousness, this sympathy for everyone, can dispatch even a dog to

Vaikuntha. Suhrdah sarva-dehinam.

741126SB.BOM                   Lectures

hasn’t got that thing. That is called Absolute. It is stated in the

Brahma-samhita, angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. Angani, we have

got different parts of the body, limbs, for different purposes. But

Krsna can serve any purpose from any limbs of His body. Krsna can eat

by seeing only. Krsna can go by thinking only. There are so many

description that Krsna is Absolute. So these contradictory things, how

one can understand of the Absolute? He is absolute, advaya-jnana.

Absolute means no duality; everything is one.

 

741126SB.BOM                   Lectures

So the bhakti gives you chance to see Krsna, as you can see now. On

this seeing or any other kind of seeing, they are the same thing.

There is no difference. When Arjuna was seeing Krsna face to

face–Krsna was teaching Bhagavad-gita–that seeing of Krsna and when

you read Bhagavad-gita, it is the same thing. There is no difference.

Somebody, they say that “Arjuna was fortunate enough to see Krsna face

to face and take instruction.” That is not correct. Krsna, He can be

seen immediately, provided you have got eyes to see. Therefore it is

said, premanjana-cchurita…

… I will recite one story in this connection, that one

brahmana in South India, in Ranganatha temple, he was reading

Bhagavad-gita. And he was illiterate. He did not know neither Sanskrit

nor any letter, illiterate. So the people, neighborhood, they knew

that “This man is illiterate, and he is reading Bhagavad-gita.” He is

opening the Bhagavad-gita, “Uh, uh,” like that he was. So somebody was

joking, “Well, brahmana, how you are reading Bhagavad-gita?” He could

understand that “This man is joking because I am illiterate.” So in

this way, Caitanya Mahaprabhu also happened to be that day in the

Ranganatha temple, and He could understand that “Here is a devotee.”

…Mahaprabhu immediately embraced him, that “You are reading

Bhagavad-gita. Without any education, you are reading Bhagavad-gita.”

He embraced him.

   So this is… How he was seeing the picture? Because he was a lover

of Krsna, it doesn’t matter, he could read these slokas or not. But he

was absorbed in love of Krsna and he was seeing, Krsna was sitting

there, and He was driving the chariot of Arjuna. This is required, not

that education. Bhaktya mam abhijanati.

 

741127SB.BOM                   Lectures

Everyone is trying to enjoy. But enjoy means we are becoming

entangled. Yajnarthe karmano ‘nyatra loko yam karma-bandhanah. If you

want to enjoy with Krsna, that is your natural propensity, and if you

en…, want to enjoy life without Krsna, that is maya. That is maya.

 

741127SB.BOM                   Lectures

So when one becomes devotee, he’s not a fool. Pure devotee is full

knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. After many,

many births, when one is actually jnanavan, actually wise, he

surrenders to Krsna. How? Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah.

He surrenders to Krsna. “Krsna, I forgot You so long. Now I understand

that You are everything.” That is knowledge. That is real knowledge.

Therefore it is said, jnanena vairagya-vijrmbhitena. This jnana means

vairagya–no more attachment for serving the so-called society,

friendship, love, country. These are all foolishly engagement. But

people do not understand it. They’ll think that “This is my first

service. …

 

741127SB.BOM                   Lectures

The service of maya means sinful

activities. That’s all. So, so long we are in the service of maya,

duskrtinam, engaged in sinful activities, it is not possible. But if

you engage the positive and the negative… The Mayavadi, they are

simply trying to be negative. There is no positive engagement. But

here in the bhakti-yoga the negative is there and positive is there.

Therefore there is electric light bulb, negative and positive.

Therefore there is enlightenment. Simply negative will not help you.

And if you don’t care of the negative sides, simply positive also will

not. But bhakti-yoga is so strong, if you take to the positive side of

service of Krsna, the material service or maya’s service will

automatically become negative. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra

syat. That is called vairagya. The bhakti-yoga means vairagya-yoga.

Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam.

 

741130SB.BOM                   Lectures

conscious. Please surrender to Krsna.” Krsna says to Arjuna,

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, and guru takes that

very mission, but does not say like Krsna, that “Your surrender to

me.” He says, “Surrender to Krsna.” One has to surrender to Krsna

through the via media of guru, directly. This is the process.

Therefore guru accepts respects from the disciple not for his personal

self, but conveying the respect to Krsna. This is the process. Yasya

prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi. If you

cannot get the mercy of guru, then it is very difficult to approach

Krsna. We cannot approach Krsna directly. Evam parampara-praptam imam

rajarsayo viduh. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita.

Parampara. Guru, he offers the same respect to his guru, his guru.

 

741202SB.BOM                   Lectures

   There was a story, Alexander and the thief. The Alexander arrested

one thief, big dacoit, plunderer. So when he explained, “My dear sir,

Alexander, so what is the difference between you and me? I am also

plunderer; you are also plunderer. I am a small plunderer; you are a

big plunderer. So where is the difference in quality?” So Alexander

the Great, he was very sensible. He released him: “Yes, there is no

difference.” So to become a big thief, big plunderer, does not mean

that he is advanced. Similarly, our sense, for personal sense

gratification or my family’s sense gratification or for my nation’s

sense gratification–that is sense gratification. That is not

spiritual activity. That is material activity.

So long you will have desire for sense gratification, localized or

expanded, the quality does not change. The quality will change when

this sense gratification will be transferred to Krsna, not sense

gratification for me, for my family, for my society, for my nation, or

 

 

741202SB.BOM                   Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam is compiled by Srimad Vyasadeva. So as Bhagavad-gita

also, it was heard by Arjuna, it was released to Sanjaya, and then,

from Sanjaya heard Vyasadeva, and he made it recorded in writing in

Mahabharata… So he says, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan uvaca means that

is the perfect version. There is no mistake. If some ordinary says,

there will be so many defects and cheating, because ordinary person

has no perfect knowledge. He may be very, very advanced scholar, but

that does not mean he is perfect. Perfection is different thing.

Perfection means there should be no mistake, no illusion, no cheating,

and no imperfections of the senses. That is perfection. And therefore

it is said here, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan is all-perfect. Therefore we

should take knowledge from Bhagavan or one who speaks according to the

version of Bhagavan. We should not hear anybody else. That is

imperfect.

 

741203SB.BOM                   Lectures

We have got experience of this body. That is gross experience. Anyone

can see. I see your body; you see my body. But you don’t see me

actually; I don’t see you actually. We see or perceive your presence

when the soul is off from the body. Then we cry, “Oh, my friend has

gone away. My friend has gone away.” Why your friend has gone away? He

is lying here. Then we can perceive that “My real friend or my real

father, the soul, who is different from this body…” And now, at the

present moment, “He is my father, he is my friend, who is this

body”–that is animal vision. That is not human being vision.

Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke…sa eva go-kharah. Animals also

see, “Here is a friend dog. Here is my mother dog.”

So we have no eyes to see. So we cannot see even the soul, minute

soul, and how we can see God in these blunt eyes? And still we want to

see God. We cannot see even you; you cannot see me. We are part and

parcel of God. And how you can see God? Therefore it is said, atah

sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: “The present senses is

incapable of seeing God.” Or seeing you and me. There is no spiritual

vision. …

Generally, people are karmis. Karmis means gross fruitive worker to

get some profit for material benefit. They are called karmis. So out

of many millions and thousands of karmis, one is jnani. Jnani means

one who understands that “I am not this body.” The karmis cannot

understand. They are in the gross field. Jnani can understand that “I

am not this body.” Brahma-bhuta. And out of many millions of jnanis,

one becomes liberated. Liberated means “I am not this body.” Actually,

he understands that “I am soul.”

 

 

741205SB.BOM                   Lectures

So sri-vigraha-darsanam. This temple is situated to give people the

facility as it is described here. Tair darsaniya avayavaih udara. We

have to see the Deity beginning from the lotus feet, not jumping over

the smiling face. That is the way. First of all you try to see. And

when you are practiced… Try to see the lotus feet of Krsna, and when

you are practiced to this habit, even after visiting the temple if you

go home, if you are practice to see the lotus feet of Krsna, that is

meditation. So darsaniya avayavaih: “Different limbs.” First of all

feet, then the thighs, then the belt, then the chest, then you reach

the smiling face. Krsna and Krsna’s form… If you meditate on Krsna’s

form, that is Krsna. So we associate with Krsna, His smiling face, His

flute, His hand, His dress, His consort, Srimati Radharani, or any

other, gopis, surrounded by. In this way, practice this habit of

observing the Supreme Lord. Therefore He has appeared, arca-vigraha,

so that we can see Him….

.. very lower, and kanistha-adhikari, just the neophyte, beginning. So

for the beginners it is recommended that you see the Deity daily or

always. Beginning from the lotus feet, as you are practiced, then go

up to the smiling face. And hear also Srimad-Bhagavatam. Simply if you

try to see and if you don’t hear, then it will not stay very much.

Therefore we see practically in many temples, because there is no

discussion about Krsna, simply a Deity is there, people go for some

time. Then gradually, especially those who are educated, so-called

educated, they do not feel very much interested. And it has actually

happened so. Many temples, they are not visited even by the devotees,

because there must be also hearing about. Two things must go on: The

Deity must be worshiped–this is called pancaratriki-vidhi–and to

hear about the Supreme from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vedic

literature, that is called bhagavata-vidhi.

   So the pancaratriki-vidhi and bhagavata-vidhi must go parallel.

Then one, even one is a neophyte, gradually he will come to the

intermediate stage between the neophyte stage and to the advanced

stage. And of course, it is very difficult to find out one in very

advanced stage. But there are. There are many advanced stage. At

least, the spiritual master is supposed to be in the advanced stage,

but for preaching purpose he come down in that intermediate stage, for

preaching work. Because the advanced stage, there is no discrimination

that “Here is a devotee, and here is a nondevotee.” Because advanced

devotee sees that everyone is devotee except himself. The advanced

devotee sees that he is not a devotee, but all others are devotees.

This is advancement. But in the kanistha-adhikari, in the neophyte

stage, they simply concentrate on the Deity. Arcayam eva haraye yah

pujam sraddhaya ihate. That is required in the beginning. According to

the prescribed duties as they are mentioned in the scriptures, one

must take care of the Deity. But that unless a little farther

advanced, he does not know who is a devotee and what is his function

with others.

   In the madhyama-adhikara, when one still farther advances, he has

got four kind of visions:

called envious, dvisat. So madhyama-adhikari, he knows God, Krsna.

Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. So he wants to develop his love for Krsna.

Avyartha-kalam vasati, nama-gane sada rucih. The madhyama-adhikari, he

wants to see that not a moment is wasted without Krsna consciousness.

That is madhyama-adhikari. Avyartha-kalatvam. He’s always careful that

“Whether I am spoiling the valuable time of my life?” That is the

first qualification of madhyama-adhikari. Avyartha-kalatvam. Because

we have got very short period, living period. We do not know when we

shall die. There is no certainty. Foolish people may think that “I

shall live forever,” but that is foolishness. Life is very transient.

At any moment we can die. Therefore those who are advanced devotee,

they want to see that “I have got very short period of life at my

disposal.” Therefore, he is very anxious to utilize every moment for

advancing in Krsna consciousness. That is madhyama-adhikari.

Avyartha-kalatvam.

And nama-gane sada rucih: “And he has got special taste for

chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.” Nama-gane sada rucih. Vasati tad…,

pritis tad-vasati sthale: “And he is very much anxious to live in such

places like Vrndavana, Dvaraka, Mathura, where Krsna lived.”

Tad-vasati sthale. Vasati means residential. When Krsna appears on

this planet, He lives in Mathura, Vrndavana, Dvaraka dhama. So a

devotee also, advanced devotee, they want to live in the residential

places of Krsna. Krsna, God, has got His residential places

everywhere. That’s a fact. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He

is residing even within the atom. But still He has got special

residential places like Vrndavana, Dvaraka, Mathura. So a devotee is

anxious to live in those places.

 

741205SB.BOM                   Lectures

So sac-cid-ananda. The Brahman realization is sat realization,

Paramatma realization is cit realization, and Bhagavan realization

means ananda realization. Sat, cit, ananda. And in the Vedanta-sutra

it is said that the Absolute Truth is anandamayo ‘bhyasat. Anandamaya.

He’s always anandamaya. You read Krsna’s lila– He’s always full of

transcendental bliss, especially in Vrndavana. Vrndavana, that is His

original residence. There, simply ananda. Krsna is playing with His

cowherds boys friends. Krsna is dancing with the gopis. Krsna is

stealing mother Yasoda’s butter. Krsna is doing… All ananda,

transcendental bliss.

…understanding Krsna. These Krsna consciousness centers are being

opened all over the world just to give the people the chance how to

become liberated simply by seeing the Deity and chanting Hare Krsna

mantra. This is the opportunity. But fools and rascals, they think

that “It is nuisance.” But actually it’s not. This is a science. So by

following this process, then what will be the…? Hrtatmano

hrta-pranams ca: “Then gradually, your mind will be fully absorbed in

Krsna consciousness, mind and senses.” Hrtatmanah and hrta-prana.

Prana, we our prana, life, is at the senses. So if your mind and

senses are fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, that is called

…gross body means the senses. So when the senses and the mind,

everything, is engaged in Krsna consciousness, that means you are

already liberated, already liberated. Therefore it is said, anicchato

me gatim anvim prayunkte. The liberated means that you have no more

the activities of gross body and subtle body, but there are activities

of the soul. This is wanted. The bhakti means the activities of the

soul, not of the body, not of the mind. The Brahman realization means

stopping the activities of the body. But the activities of the mind is

going on, or they do not know. It is not perfect knowledge. Therefore

I have said several times that the Brahman realization, those who are

Brahman realized souls, they are not in perfect knowledge.

Avisuddha-buddhi. They have been described as avisuddha. Visuddha

means very purified, and “a” means “not.” Avisuddha-buddhayah. Their

intelligence is not yet perfectly purified. Avisuddha-buddhayah. Ye

‘nye ‘ravindaksa. They are thinking that “Now we have become

liberated.” No. That is not liberation. Here is liberation. Why?

Hrtatmano hrta-pranams ca bhaktih. When the mind and the senses are

all absorbed in Krsna, that is the bhakti state. Mad-bhaktim labhate

param. The people think that bhakti is a sentiment thing. No. It is

above liberation. Above liberation. Unless one is not liberated, he

cannot stand on the platform of bhakti. That is bhakti. That is called

para-bhakti. Apara-bhakti and para-bhakti.

So any devotee who is serious about this Deity worship, hearing

about Krsna, chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, following the Vedic

principle, or rejecting the sinful activities of life… In this way

we can come to the platform of spiritual life, and if we act

accordingly, that is called bhakti-yoga or the liberated stage.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

741207SB.BOM                   Lectures

avasisyate. You take the whole thing; still, the whole thing is there.

That is Krsna. Not that because you have taken something, one minus

one equal to zero. No. In the spiritual world, one minus one equal to

one. And one plus one equal to one. That is called advaya-jnana. There

is no duality. Plus and minus, they are two things. But in the

spiritual world, either plus or minus, the same. That is to be

understood. That is called Absolute, advaya-jnana.

So if you love Krsna, there will be no destruction like the

material things. Either you love Him as your master… Here master, so

long you are serving, the master is pleased. And the servant is

pleased so long you are paying. But in the spiritual world there is no

such thing. If I cannot serve under certain condition, then master is

pleased. And the servant also–the master does not pay–he is also

pleased. That is called oneness, Absolute. That is… This example is

here. There are so many students in this institution. We are not

paying anything, but they will do everything for me. This is spiritual

relationship. That pandita Jawaharlal Nehru, when he was in London,

his father gave him, the Motilal Nehru, three hundred rupees for

keeping a servant. Then once he went to London, so he saw that the

servant is not there. The pandita says, “Where is your servant?” He

says, “What is the use of servant? I have no, nothing to do. I do it

personally.” “No, no. I wanted that an Englishman should be your

servant.” So he has to pay for it. This is an example. I have got

hundreds and thousands of servants who I haven’t got to pay. This is

spiritual relationship. This is spiritual relationship. They are

serving not for being paid. What I have got? I am poor Indian. What

can I pay? But the servant is out of love, spiritual love. And I am

also teaching them without any salary. This is spiritual. Purnasya

purnam adaya. Everything is full.

So if you accept Krsna as your son, as your friend, as your lover,

you will never be cheated. So try to accept Krsna. Give up this false

illusory servant or son or father or lover. You’ll be cheated. You’ll

be cheated. If you love your son with your heart and soul, that very

son will may be someday your most veritable enemy. Yes. This is the

world. The wife you love so much, but the wife may be someday so great

enemy that she can kill you for her own interest. There are so many

instances. So if you want to have real… The Mayavadi philosophers,

they are afraid of having such relationship again. Because they have

got bitter experience of this material world, they want to make it

zero–no more relationship, no more son, no more daughter, no more

lover, no more master. “Because we have got very bitter experience of

these things, I am disgusted with these things. I will make it zero.”

But that is not the fact. The fact is that if you make the same

relationship with Krsna, it will never become zero; it will be

enthusiastic more and more. Anandambudhi-vardhanam, it is said.

Ambudhi, ambudhi means sea. This morning we were walking. The sea

cannot come, overflood, under certain extent, limitation. That is

called… We have no experience the sea is increasing. No. But in the

spiritual world, anandambudhi, the ocean of spiritual bliss, is

increasing. Here the anandambudhi–I have got some relationship with

my father, with my wife, with my husband, with my master, but it will

decrease by and by. The relationship is personal interest. “If you pay

me, I will serve you.” “If you serve me, then I will pay you.” This is

relative term, duality. But in the absolute world it is something

different.

 

741208SB.BOM                   Lectures

position? He is no better than a dog. You should not be that. This

human form of life is meant for this inquiry, athato brahma-jijnasa.

“If I am Brahman, then what is…? Brahman means eternal. So why I am

busy with these bodily affairs?” This is called brahma-jijnasa. And if

you become very learned scholar in the Vedanta and busy with these

bodily affairs, that is another foolishness. If you actually

Vedantist, then you should be inquiring that “I am eternal. Why I am

put into this temporary body, and on account of this body, I am

subjected to so many miserable condition of material life? Why I

should remain in this condition? How I can get released from this

condition?” That is human life. That is human life.

 

741210SB.BOM                   Lectures

The ultimate, mrtyus carati mad-bhayat . So bhaya, bhaya means

fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. In the previous verse

the Lord Kapiladeva said that “If anyone wants to get out of this

fearful situation…” Bhayam tivram nivartate. Atmanah sarva-bhutanam

bhayam tivram nivartate. We are always fearful. Material life is not

very happy life because we are always fearful. That’s a fact. Nobody

can say, “No, I am not afraid of anything.” That is false. Everyone is

afraid of something, everyone–bird, beast, human being, everyone,

bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat– because we have got absorption in

the second category of life. Second category means this bodily

conception of life, dvitiya abhinivesa. I am thinking at the present

moment that “I am this body.” Everyone is thinking. Therefore, when

there is fear of destruction of this body, we become very much afraid,

perplexed. We have seen in Los Angeles. There was earthquake, and all

the neighborhood, women especially, began to scream, fearful, “Now

death is coming.”..

 

741210SB.BOM                   Lectures

So Indra became very much angry, and he sent the vicious cloud, and

whole Vrndavana was inundated by flood. And Krsna showed that “Your

power is not even competent to compare with the finger of My hand.”

Therefore He lifted the Govardhana Hill with the finger of His left

hand and saved all the people of Vrndavana. Then Indra came to worship

Him. These things are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

741210SB.BOM                   Lectures

So we should not misuse this… Labdhva sudurlabham idam

bahu-sambhavante manusyam. We should not waste our this valuable life,

human form of life. We begin our this evolution. First of all, the

world is covered with water. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhrtavan asi vedam.

Now, still, three-fourth of this univer…, earthly planet is covered

with water. In the beginning, there was…, the whole earthly planet

was covered with water. Gradually, the water is drying up, and the

land is coming. Then we are calculating, “This is Asia. This is

America. This is Europe.” Land is coming out. And gradually land,

land, land, land–there will be only land, no water. That means

destruction. When there will be no water and scorching heat, the whole

earthly planet will be ablaze and everything will be burned into

ashes. Then again there will be rainfall, and everything will be mixed

up, and then again there will destruction. This is going on. Bhutva

bhutva praliyate. And similarly, our position with this body. This

will be also dissolved again. This nice form you have got, I have got,

but when it will be finished, this is finished forever. We are not

going to get any more. You will get different body, not exactly this

body. It is bubble. One bubble lost, that is lost forever. That is

lost forever. But we are so foolish, we are thinking, “This is

permanent settlement, permanent settlement.” This is called ignorance.

There is no question of permanent settlement. Temporary under the…

Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. Under the laws of nature

we are getting different types of bodies, different types of

opportunities. And it is going on. But we are spirit soul; we are not

this material body.

 

741211SB.BOM                   Lectures

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa

amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa

 

Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. “You become guru simply by

advising everyone the instruction which Krsna has given.” That’s all.

You become guru. It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to

cheat others that you are Bhagavan, you are this and that, you are

yogi, you are very powerful, and “I am God,” then you will cheat,

because you are neither God. You are less than a dog. You are falsely

claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant

of God, that is your position. That is real jnana. Therefore Krsna

Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that don’t talk all nonsense thing. Simply

say the real thing.

 

741212SB.BOM                   Lectures

But if you talk about Krsna and hear about Krsna, then your other

services will include. It is all-pervading. Just like one is

interested in the flower of the tree. If he wants… If he says that

“I shall water the flower because I am interested with the flower,” or

“I shall water the fruit,” but that will not help you. If you water on

the fruit or on the flower because you are interested, the fruit also

will dry and the flower also will dry. But if you water on the root of

the tree, which carries the fruit and flower, your fruit and flower

automatically will live. Similarly, if you render service to Krsna,

bhakti, then your so-called social service, country’s service,

family’s service–everything will be performed perfect. You don’t have

to endeavor separately for social service or any other service.

Therefore it is said, tivrena bhakti-yogena, without any deviation.

You don’t think that “If I simply become devotee of Krsna and worship

in the temple, then what will happen to my country? What will happen

to my family? What will happen to my so many other things?” That will

be automatically served. If you serve here Krsna, then you’ll give the

best service to your family, to your society.