"Prayer For A Passionate Planet"

March 23, 1968



Devotee (1) (girl): March 23rd, Stow Lake, walk with Swamiji.

Prabhupada: First thing is that calculation of Candra, moon planet, there are different views. Different scientists, they have different views. It is not a standard. They have not agreed to the... Somebody says something, somebody says another thing. Speculation. That's all. But that idea, that it is very low in temperature, that is mentioned in Bhagavata. You cannot live in the water. You have to qualify yourself. (Sound of ducks). Just see. Their body is made just suitable for the water. So you have to qualify yourself. That is... Just like, in the spiritual sky they can live only spiritual body, and material body cannot live there. Material body is not allowed there. Hare Krsna. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah [Bg. 14.18]. Those who are too much passionate, they are meant to live in this planet. This planetary system, status. There are many other planets like this world. So they are allowed to live here. Here all living entities, they are very much passionate. And adho gacchanti tamasah. And there are other planets, they are dark, dark planets, below this earthly planet. And the animals, they are in darkness. Although they're on this park, but they do not know where they are, darkness. Their knowledge is not developed. This is the result of the modes of ignorance. And those who are Krsna conscious, they are neither in darkness, nor in passion, nor in goodness. They are transcendental. So if one cultivates Krsna consciousness nicely, he is at once promoted to the Krsnaloka. That is wanted. You are all chanting sixteen rounds? No? (laughs)

Saradiya: I did at first but then I slipped back.

Prabhupada: Is it very difficult?

Malati: No, we do not know how yet to regulate our time too well. Some days we chant sixteen rounds and then the next day, I don't know what happens. I think we sleep too much, I mean I think I sleep too much.

Prabhupada: How many hours you are sleeping?

Malati: About six to eight.

Prabhupada: That is not much. Sixteen... It takes only two hours, sixteen rounds. Huh? Two hours, or more than that?

Malati: Two hours is all it takes to do the rounds.

Prabhupada: So you have to spend two hours for Krsna out of twenty-four. (walks for awhile and chants japa) Yes?

Devotee (1): Is there something wrong with sleeping eight hours?

Prabhupada: Sleeping and eating, this is the material disease. Sleeping, eating, mating... So they should be reduced as much as possible.

Devotee (1): If you're still tired...

Prabhupada: No, you can sleep till you are refreshed. Somebody's refreshed by sleeping four hours. Somebody is refreshed by sleeping ten hours.

Malati: But we should not sleep when we have, in place of our devotional service.

Prabhupada: No, of course not. Devotional service is first.

Malati: So if we miss some sleep we should do it.

Prabhupada: We should forego sleeping even. The real regulated life is that if sixteen rounds is not completed, then we have to forego sleeping. You should take out hours from sleeping. We should be... The main thing is that we should always be careful that... We are going, we have taken up a very responsible task, Krsna consciousness. So we should be very much careful in discharging the duty. The devotee should be so much careful that he'll always see "Whether this moment is spoiled or utilized?" Avyartha-kalatvam [Cc. Madhya 23.18-19]. Avyartha-kalatvam, that "My time may not be wasted." He should be so careful, "Whether my time is being wasted?" and time wasted, the time we engage for our bodily necessities, that is wasted. Generally, conditioned souls, they are simply wasting their time. Only the period which we have engaged in Krsna consciousness, that is utilized. So we should be very much careful whether time is being wasted or being utilized.

Devotee (1): Sometimes, well, if you (we) slept less, we could do more for Krsna, but at the same time you (we) would be very tired. I mean, you could be... Well, you could regulate that.

Prabhupada: Yes. Practically everything depends on practice. Abhyasa-yoga-yuktena cetasa nanya-gamina [Bg. 8.8]. Abhyasa-yoga. Abhyasa-yoga means yoga practice... Practice it. So this whole Krsna consciousness movement is to practice transferring from one kind of consciousness to another. So we require practice. Just like one man can run few miles. I cannot run even one mile. He has practiced. We see some boys, they run, run on. They practice. Practice it. Strength of the heart increasing by practice. And if I run, my heart will be palpitating. Because I have no practice. So by practice, everything can be attained. Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. [break] ...determination. And this determination is increased by celibacy. Brahmacarya is recommended to keep oneself determined. A brahmacari, if he determines something, he executes. He has got that strength of mind. Those who are too much addicted to sex life, they cannot be determined. They cannot be fixed-up. They are fluctuating, changing. People are, in modern day, they cannot sit down in a place for a long time. Therefore so much traveling. The traveling business is very prosperous. Everyone wants to travel. They cannot fix, fix up. So the processes recommended, they're very valuable, but it is not possible to follow them all in the present age because everything is reducing. So our method is to pray to Krsna to give us the necessary strength. That's all. Otherwise, by regular practice, this age is very difficult. Unfavorable. First thing is memory is very short. We cannot remember. Life is very short. Life is short, at the same time, so much disturbed by anxiety, by disease, by natural disturbances. Roga-sokadibhih. Short life; that is also disturbed by disease and lamentation. Every moment there is something for which you have to lament. "Oh!" Roga-sokadibhih. And disease. This body is a breeding ground of all kinds of disease. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how it is possible to practice? Therefore, this one practice -- chanting Hare Krsna, and hearing -- that is very nice. And praying to Krsna, "Please give me strength." Hare, "O Energy of Krsna, O Krsna, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. "I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing." All these appeals should be made. And Krsna is all-powerful, He can do anything. Even we, we do not perform, trying our best, if we fail, Krsna will help us. Just like a child tries his best, but he falls down. The mother takes up and, "All right. Come on. Walk." Like that. Yes?

Devotee (1): Swamiji? Is doing something other than chanting, like going to school and paying attention to what's there, if you're doing that so you can spread Krsna consciousness, is that just as good as chanting?

Prabhupada: Chanting is good everywhere.

Devotee (1): Yes, but, I mean, if you can't chant all day.

Prabhupada: If there is some inconvenience in chanting loudly, you can chant slowly. Loudly, slowly... Within mind you can chant. This simple practice, you'll give up all kinds of (microphone rattling)...

Devotee (1): Sometimes in school you have your, your mind is focused on their problems that they are, I mean... (plane going overhead)

Prabhupada: Not sometimes. Practically, we are always disturbed. (Walks for awhile)

Devotee (1): Swamiji, would it be all right for Cathy to become a devotee?

Prabhupada: I don't follow.

Devotee (1): To be initiated. Cathy. To be initiated. She's the girl with the baby.

Prabhupada: Oh. If she can perform the..., there is no objection.

Devotee (1): She would like to.

Prabhupada: You are very kind upon her. (laughs) Yes. Vaisnava is very kind. (pause) It is very heavy?

Devotee (2) (boy): No, not too heavy. If I had a memory I wouldn't need this. (Prabhupada laughs)

Malati: So you're carrying your memory in your hand?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupada: Because memory is reducing, therefore nature is helping to manufacture so many machines.

Malati: Is that why people are making these machines, because they can't remember? Is that a sign of Kali that there's more machines to help people?

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. And nowadays in the courts, they use machines. The judges also cannot remember what has been argued between the parties. So they take this tape recorder and give judgement. Because the argument is going on for two days, three days, how much he can remember? And when he gives judgement he has to take consideration of all the arguments, then give his judgement. So this machine helps.

Malati: If somebody had a big dollar bill the judge would remember.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Malati: If somebody gave the judge a big dollar bill he would remember.

Prabhupada: Yes. That means truthfulness is not there, diminished. The same thing. Because truthfulness has diminished, therefore you can bribe anybody and he can tell lie for you. We are in a very precarious condition. Very unfavorable condition. The best thing is to pray Krsna, "Please pick me up very soon and let me go back to Your place." If you have to come back again, oh, you do not know how much misery we have to undergo. Because with the advancement of Kali-yuga, everything is becoming more and more miserable. There is no happiness in family life, there is no happiness in social life, there is no happiness in political life, there is no happiness in earning livelihood. Everything is encumbered. All impediment, full of impediments.

Devotee (1): One of my friends said, "(inaudible), you want to tell us everything, so why don't you build a machine to chant Hare Krsna for you?"

Prabhupada: Huh? Yes. Machine was not made for chanting Hare Krsna, but we are utilizing it so that the machine-maker may be benefited. Because we employ everyone's energy to Krsna. So by his energy he has manufactured this machine, so we are employing in Krsna's service so that he may be benefited, purified. We are showing him the mercy. Just like one flower picked up from a plant offered to Krsna is offering benefit to that plant. Because his energy is in the service of Krsna. Similarly, the person who has manufactured this machine, when it is employed in Krsna consciousness business, he's benefited. Indirectly, we are giving him opportunity, although he does not know it. But his energy is being utilized for Krsna. We offer prasadam, the same principle. A man does not know about Krsna. But he wants to eat. By eating, he'll be gradually Krsna conscious. So you have... Our business is to give opportunity to all forgotten souls to be engaged in Krsna consciousness, today or tomorrow. The boys and girls who have come to this society, they have accumulated in that way, knowingly or unknowingly, some Krsna conscious qualification, and therefore they have taken this opportunity. (Pause) We have no dog friend. (Laughs)

Malati: It's a dog taking a man for a walk.

Prabhupada: We are all devotee friend. Where is your dog?

Malati: Oh, he's gone.

Prabhupada: Gone? (laughs)

Malati: Yes. Some very nice people who worship dogs took him.

Prabhupada: The dog saw that "My master has become devotee, so it is useless to keep here."

Malati: These people who took him, they think he is a person.

Prabhupada: Hm?

Malati: They treat him like person.

Prabhupada: He's a person. Dog is a person. Why imperson?

Malati: Pardon?

Prabhupada: Dog is person also.

Malati: Yes, but they treat him like I would... They... Human person. They treat him like... They worship him.

Prabhupada: Yes, but what is the difference between human person and dog person? No difference. So far eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, they are equal. Human personality is there when he's Krsna conscious. Otherwise he's an animal, as good as dog.

Malati: So these... If you do not take to Krsna conscious, you are a dog.

Prabhupada: Yes, equal to dog. Because he has no other conception except those four principles, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is there in the animals. Don't you see the swans? They are enjoying sex life. So what is the difference between man... A man also does like that. So long one is not above these four principles of animal demands, he's as good as animal. To meet animal demands in a polished way is not civilization. One must be above the animal demands. That is civilization. You have read that poetry, "Alexander and the Robber"? Have you read?

Malati: I don't think so. Say again?

Devotee (2): "Alexander and the Rabbit"?

Malati: No.

Prabhupada: Alexander the Great, you have heard the name?

Malati: Yes.

Prabhupada: He conquered all over the world almost. He went to India also. So he met one robber. So he arrested, Alexander. He was king. The robber said, "Why you have arrested me?" "Because you are robber." "Oh, you are also great robber." When Alexander was charging him that, "You have done this," oh, he charges, "You have done this. I have entered a private house; you have entered a private state. So you are a big robber." Then he released him, "Yes, what is the difference between robber and me?" And Alexander, from that day, he stopped his conquering propaganda. "Alexander and the Robber." The robber proved that "You are a big robber only. But because you are big robber, therefore you are called 'Alexander the Great.' But my business is the same as yours-encroaching upon others' property. Why do you think that I am culprit and you are innocent? You are also culprit. If I had power, I could have punished you. And you have now power, you are trying to punish me." So Alexander the Great was convinced by robber.

Devotee (1): (Inaudible)

Prabhupada: Huh?

Devotee (1): Did he kill himself?

Prabhupada: Who?

Devotee (1): Alexander the Great?

Prabhupada: He killed himself?

Devotee (1): I don't know.

Prabhupada: Oh, I do not know.

Devotee (2): He died from a... He died. (end of walk recording)

Gargamuni: This was recorded at Stow Lake in San Francisco on March 23rd, 1968, about 7:30 in the morning. Stow Lake is Swamiji's favorite walking place. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco