"Philosophy And Religion Combined"

"Philosophy And Religion Combined"

68/12/20 Los Angeles, Bhagavad-gita 3.1-5


(kirtana, followed by prema-dhvani prayers)

Prabhupada: That door is open? People will see. The door is... Read.

Tamala Krsna: Chapter Three: Karma-yoga. One: "Arjuna said: ‘O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You urge me to engage in this ghastly warfare if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work [Bg. 3.1]?' "

Purport: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna has very elaborately described the constitution of the soul in the previous chapter with a view to delivering His intimate friend Arjuna from the ocean of material grief. And the path of realization has been recommended: buddhi-yoga, or Krsna consciousness. Sometimes this Krsna consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Krsna conscious..."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is very important point. Sometimes it is thought that spiritual life means to retire from active life. That is general impression. People think that for cultivation of spiritual knowledge or self-realization they should go to some Himalayan caves or some secluded place. That is also recommended. But that sort of recommendation is meant for persons who are unable to engage themselves in activities of Krsna consciousness. Lord Krsna is teaching Arjuna how one can remain in his position. Never mind whatever he is, still he can become perfectly in Krsna consciousness. That is the whole substance of the teachings of Lord Krsna.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also. He never asked anybody to change his position. He simply recommended that you associate with pure devotees and hear from him. That's all. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never asked anybody that "You first of all..."

Just like Sankaracarya. Sankaracarya's theory is that you first of all become a sannyasa, in renounced order of life; then you try to understand what you are, sankhya philosophy. Therefore, according to their system, anyone who takes sannyasa, he's supposed to be immediately merged into the existence of God. Therefore they address, "Narayana." In Sankara sampradaya, one sannyasi addresses another sannyasi as "Narayana." But here, in Krsna consciousness movement, there is no condition. The only condition is... That is not condition; that is recreation.

Just like we have got this nice place. We invite people, "Please come and join with us." Not necessarily that one has to come and dance with us or sing with us. Simply if he comes and sees our activities, that is also a great benefit. Simply if somebody appreciates, "Oh, these boys and girls, they are doing nice," that will be also beneficial for him. Then gradually, he will grasp. But people are so obstinate that in spite of our repeated requests that "Please come and join with us," they have no time. Go on. Yes. "Sometimes..."

Tamala Krsna: "Sometimes this Krsna consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Krsna conscious by chanting the holy name of Lord Krsna."

Prabhupada: Sometimes the so-called devotees of Krsna... In Vrndavana you'll find that they are keeping themself in a secluded place and supposed to be chanting Hare Krsna. But practically it has been seen that by such artificial way of becoming Krsna consciousness, it does not make anyone advanced. I have seen practically. They are living in a secluded place, chanting Hare Krsna, but practically, when he comes out, he's smoking. You see. He cannot give up even smoking, and what to speak of this material world? You see? That is artificial. This is not recommended. First of all you become mature. Then secluded place.

Otherwise there is no secluded place. Maya is everywhere. Maya will dictate, "Oh, you are so tired. Why don't you come out and smoke a cigarette?" Yes. And he thinks he's advancing, the nonsense is advancing. No. Phalena pariciyate. By the result one has to be judged how far he has advanced. Similarly, there are so many persons, they are meditating. What meditating, nonsense? What is their character? If you challenge their character, nonsense. So these sort of things will not help. Come practically forward.

Just like our students, going door to door, chanting Hare Krsna. And people are taking advantage of it, they are hearing. So this process is beneficial to the public. Even a small child who joins here, he also claps, tries to clap. So this Krsna consciousness movement is not to remain in a secluded place to get cheap advertisement, "Oh, that man is meditating." No. Go, practically work.

Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he practically worked. So there is practical work. No question of going into a secluded place. We should remain in the congested city and preach this Krsna consciousness movement without being affected by this contamination of city life. That is perfection. They shall not be contaminated, touched by the contamination of the city life, but still, they will go on with Krsna consciousness. That is perfection. Yes. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "But without being trained in the philosophy of Krsna consciousness it is not advisable to chant the holy name of Krsna in a secluded place where one may acquire only cheap adoration from the innocent public. Arjuna thought of Krsna consciousness or buddhi-yoga, intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life and the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place. In other words..."

Prabhupada: Yes. Arjuna is asking that "You say that Krsna consciousness is very good. Why You are engaging me in this fight?" That is his question. So Krsna will answer this question. General people understand that retiring from ordinary duties, one becomes spiritually advanced. That is being taught here. It is not like that. Krsna taught to the whole world that Arjuna was a soldier, he was a fighter, and in his fighting also he can be Krsna conscious. It is not that he has to cease from fighting and then become Krsna conscious. No. There is no such question. There is no rejection of anything, but dovetailing everything. That is the process. Do everything, but in Krsna consciousness. If you are a fighter, fight, but for Krsna. If you are a businessman, all right. Do business for Krsna. If you are something else, do that, but for Krsna. This is wanted. This is called Krsna consciousness. To dovetail everything with Krsna.

Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. Yuktam vairagya, real renunciation, is to dovetail everything for Krsna. That is renunciation. Not renunciation that "I earn whole time millions of dollars and distribute among my children and are all engaged in some other way, and I become Krsna conscious in a secluded place." No. You can begin Krsna consciousness from the very beginning. Earn for Krsna, spend for Krsna, think for Krsna, work for Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Fight for Krsna. Nothing to be rejected. Everything to be dovetailed with Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "In other words he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krsna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Krsna as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Krsna elaborately explained karma-yoga, or work in Krsna consciousness, in this third chapter."

Prabhupada: Yes. Karma-yoga means... Karma means action, fruitive action. Everyone is working in this world to get some result. Somebody is working in business, earning millions of dollars yearly. Why he is earning? He's earning for his sense gratification. As soon as he has got money, he changes his car, he changes his apartment, changes his standard of life only for increasing. The whole world is working so hard, and the result is that increasing their objects of sense gratification. This is called karma. Karma means to enjoy the result of your activities. And when it is karma-yoga, that means the activities which is your occupation, you can engage yourself in that activity, but don't engage the result for your sense gratification, but for satisfaction of Krsna. That is called karma-yoga. Yoga means to link up with the Supreme, and karma... You are inclined to work. All right, work. But link up your result of work with Krsna. That is called karma-yoga. Yoga means linking up with the Supreme, and karma, when it is linked up with Krsna, that is called karma-yoga. It will be explained. Now go on.

Tamala Krsna.: Two: "My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore please tell me decisively what is most beneficial for me [Bg. 3.2]."

Prabhupada: Yes. People think it is equivocal. I ask you to become spiritualist; still, I ask you to work ordinarily, "Go work like this, work like this." They'll think, "What sort of spiritual life this is? They are also earning money, they are also working in the factory," or they are also doing this or that. So to the ordinary man it appears equivocal. But it is not equivocal. That is the real process of working. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: Purport: "In the previous chapter, as a prelude to the Bhagavad-gita, many different paths were explained, namely sankhya-yoga, buddhi-yoga, controlling the senses by intelligence, work without fruitive desire, the position of the neophyte, etc. This was all presented unsystematically. A more organized outline of the path would be necessary for action and understanding. Arjuna therefore wanted to clear up these apparently confusing matters so that any common man could accept them without misinterpretation. Although Krsna had no intention of confusing Arjuna by any jugglery of words, Arjuna could not follow the process of Krsna consciousness either by inertia or active service. In other words, by his questions he is clearing the path of Krsna consciousness for all students who are serious about understanding the mystery of the Bhagavad-gita."

Prabhupada: Yes. Sometimes it appears to the student contradictory. But actually, the master who is well conversant, he does not say anything contradictory. It is the misunderstanding of the student that sometimes he thinks that it is contradictory. Therefore the question is allowed. You'll find that a student is advised to question to the spiritual master. Tad viddhi. You should understand the transcendental science by the process of... First thing is surrender; then question, and seva, service. Surrender and service and question. Simply if you question, and don't surrender, don't render any service, then it will be simply waste of time.

Just like Arjuna was talking in the beginning with Krsna as friends. So Krsna was talking very cautiously because it was friendly talk. But when Arjuna surrendered unto Him, "I accept You as my spiritual master," He's talking freely. This is going on. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: Three: "The blessed Lord said, ‘O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who realize the self. The contemplative are inclined to understand it by empirical philosophical speculations, and the active are inclined to know it by devotional service [Bg. 3.3].' "

Purport: "In the Second Chapter, verse thirty-nine, the Lord has explained two kinds of procedure, namely sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga."

Prabhupada: Sankhya, sankhya-yoga. Sankhya means analyzing the material elements and dovetail it with the Supreme. This is called sankhya-yoga. Samyak khyapayate, or things are very explicitly explained for understanding of the common man. That is called sankhya-yoga, or jnana-yoga. And another is karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "In this verse the Lord explains the same more clearly. Sankhya-yoga or the analytical study of the nature of spirit and matter is the subject for persons who are inclined to speculate and understand things by experimental knowledge and philosophy. The other class of men work in Krsna consciousness, as is explained in verse sixty-one of the same Second Chapter. The Lord has explained also in verse thirty-nine that by working under the principles of buddhi-yoga or Krsna consciousness one can be relieved from the bondage of action and furthermore there is no flaw in the process. The same principle is more clearly explained in verse sixty-one, that this buddhi-yoga is to depend entirely on the Supreme or more specifically, on Krsna, and in this way all the senses can be brought under control very easily. Therefore both the yogas are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Krsna."

Prabhupada: There are certain class of men who are simply philosophizing and there are certain class of men who are simply blindly following religious ritualistic process. So Bhagavad-gita is combination of both. That is scientific. You should be religious, but should understand everything philosophically. Otherwise one becomes fanatic, religious fanatic. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is clearly said that caitanyera dayara katha karaha vicara. You people, you try to understand the gifts of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by your philosophical understanding. Not blindly, philosophically. And vicara karile citte paibe camatkara. If you are actually a wise man, then you'll find it is sublime. And if you simply stick to your own religious ritualistic principles, don't try to understand the philosophy of everything, then you become a fanatic. So we should not become religious fanatics, nor dry mental speculators. Both these classes of men are dangerous. They cannot make any advance. The combination. You should be religious, but try to understand each and every line philosophically.

Just like in the Bible there is the statement, "God created this universe." It is a fact. But because modern educated persons have not explained how God created, how the process of creation... These things are explained in the Bhagavata, how the sky became in existence, then the air became in existence, the fire became in existence. There is a process, general graduation. Actually, God has created the world. There is no doubt about it. But because it is not philosophically explained, the modern educated persons, they don't accept.

So Bhagavad-gita you'll find everything. A combination of religious sentiments plus philosophical understanding. That is wanted. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "The ultimate goal is Krsna, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Krsna consciousness. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. The whole process is to understand the real position of the self in relation to the Superself. The indirect process is philosophical speculation by which gradually one may come to the point of Krsna consciousness and the other process is by directly connecting with everything in Krsna consciousness."

Prabhupada: Yes. If you want to go to the goal by philosophical speculation, analyzing "This is not spirit," the neti neti, "this is not Brahman, this is not spirit," that also will help you. But in this age, such philosophical study... Not in this age, every age. That is a very long term process. But when people lived for a very, very long time, it may be it was possible to arrive at the goal of life by such process, but in this age there is no time.

I do not know what is going to happen to me just after coming out, or while I am sitting in this room. Even a big man, President Kennedy, he was going in procession, he never expected that he'll be shot, but he's shot. So there is no certainty of our life this age. Therefore we should take up the quick method for self-realization. The long term method will not help us. We are not prepared for it neither. Therefore the short term, immediate effective. Chant Hare Krsna, and immediate effect. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "The indirect process is philosophical speculation by which gradually one may come to the point of Krsna consciousness and the other process is by directly connecting with everything in Krsna consciousness. Out of these two, the path of Krsna consciousness is better because the philosophical process does not purify the senses. Krsna consciousness..."
Prabhupada: Philosophical process... You can show by jugglery of words your academic qualification, but it will not take you to the right... We have seen many such philosophical speculators. They are simply talking in the meeting. But that's all. And if we take, study their private character it is less than ordinary man. Less than ordinary man. That will not help us in this age. You see? You may take some credit in a meeting, "Oh, he is a very nice speaker." So what is that if you become a nice speaker? What will help you in your spiritual realization? This is. If you do one minute's Hare Krsna, it will give you immediate result. One second, if you chant or hear. This is so nice. Direct method. Immediate effect. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "Krsna consciousness is itself a purifying process and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime."

Four: "Not merely by abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection [Bg. 3.4]."

Prabhupada: Yes. Simply by... It is explained. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: Purport: "The renounced order of life can be adopted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without the purifying process one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life, sannyasa."

Prabhupada: Renunciation is the fourth order of life according to Vedic civilization. Just like we are a sannyasi. So we were also householder. I have got my wife, still living. I have got my children. But I have been able to come to this stage of renunciation forgetting my all relationship with my wife and children and family and home because I was trained gradually. I was trained as brahmacari, as grhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyasa order, then... We have seen many persons abruptly taking or without understanding the self-realization process. He fails. He again comes back to the materialistic way of life in a different form. Suppose he begins in philanthropic work, some hospitalizing or opening educational institution. That is nice, but these things are being done by the government and many philanthropic persons. That is not the duty of a sannyasi. A sannyasi, a renounced order of life, his main business is to spread Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real business. But if one has not the taste what is Krsna consciousness, simply accept sannyasa, then he will do all this nonsense work.

And... Of course, I don't wish to name. Some of our students went to a very big swami here in New York. He found that he was smoking. And the student said, "Swamiji, we don't smoke." And he was ashamed. He was ashamed. So what is the use of taking this kind of sannyasa? Sannyasa means to give up all material contaminated activities for the sake of the Supreme Lord. That is called sannyasa.

Sat nyasa, sannyasa. This is the combination. Sat means the Supreme, the ever-existing, and nyasa means renunciation. That means one who has renounced everything for serving the Supreme, he is real sannyasa. He may take this dress or not, that doesn't matter. Anyone who has sacrificed his life for service of the Supreme Lord, he's a sannyasi. That will be explained in the Fifth Chapter. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting sannyasa or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Narayana, God. But Lord Krsna does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart, sannyasa is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if somebody takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat."

Prabhupada: Hm. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Svalpam means very little, api -- although, asya -- of this Krsna consciousness, dharmasya -- occupation, trayate -- delivers, mahato -- great, bhayat -- fearfulness. Yes. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "Even the slight performance of such a principle enables one to overcome great difficulty."

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Five: "All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature. Therefore nobody can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment [Bg. 3.5]."

Prabhupada: Yes. They say... We saw one signboard in a yoga society in Los Angeles that "You become silent, and you'll become God." (laughs) And here Krsna says that you cannot become silent even for a moment. You see? These things are going on. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: Purport: "This is not a question of embodied life. It is the nature of the soul itself to be always active. The proof is that without the presence of the spirit soul there is no movement of the material body. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul and therefore it is to be understood that the soul is always active and cannot stop even for a moment. As such, the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Krsna consciousness. Otherwise it will be engaged in the occupations dictated by the illusory energy. In contact with material energy, the spirit soul acquires material modes, and to purify the soul from such affinity it is necessary to engage it in the prescribed duties enjoined in the sastras, or scriptures. But if the soul is engaged in his natural function of Krsna consciousness, whatever he is able to do is good for him."

Prabhupada: Practically that is real silence. If you simply engage yourself in activities of Krsna consciousness, then automatically your activities in maya become silent. Just like the same example I have given. Here is a glass. If you want to fill up with milk, the water will go automatically. You have to throw away the water. You cannot put the water and the milk at the same time in this glass. Similarly, if you become active in Krsna consciousness, you automatically become silent in material activities. Without any separate endeavor. It is so nice. And if you try artificially to stop, to become silent from material activities, it will not be possible. You may meditate for fifteen minutes or for fifteen hundred minutes or fifteen thousand years, it will not be possible. The mind is very strong. Mind's business is to accept and reject, accept and reject. You accept something, you reject something.

Better thing is that we accept something Krsna conscious under the direction of disciplic succession. That is your, should be, the aim of life, and you are successful. You have to accept something. Simply by rejecting, it will not help you. But you have to accept something. That acceptance is Krsna consciousness. Simply negation will not help you. You must have some positive engagement. Go on.

Tamala Krsna: "The Srimad-Bhagavatam affirms this. If somebody takes to Krsna consciousness, even though he may not follow the prescribed duties in the sastras or execute the devotional service properly, or even if he falls down from the standard, there is no loss or evil for him. And even though he carries out all the injunctions for purification in the sastras, what does it avail him if he is not Krsna conscious? So the purifying process is necessary for reaching this point. Sannyasa or any purifying process is meant for helping one to reach the ultimate goal of becoming Krsna conscious without which everything is considered a failure."

Prabhupada: That's all. So any question? (devotees offer obeisances) Any question?

Jaya-gopala: So many people who stop performing prescribed duty to engage in so-called meditation, actually they are committing sinful activity? Is this actually sinful activity to attempt such meditation like that?

Prabhupada: Meditation? That you can see from the result. You'll find so many persons meditating, but see their life. Phalena pariciyate. One has to be judged by the result. You have worked very hard and supposed to be very rich man, but if I see that you have no nice apartment, neither any car, neither any opulence, so what kind of businessman you have earned? That can be understood immediately. So if one by practice of meditation is actually advancing in spiritual life, why he's materially affected? What is the difference between a person materially affected and spiritually advanced?

Take for example our students. We may not be very much highly advanced. Admitting that, but at least if any gentleman comes, if he's sincere, he'll appreciate how pure they are. At least they are practiced. You see? So by the result, one has to see. But we have seen so many meditators, they cannot change even their daily nonsense habits. So what result they have obtained, they have achieved? I cannot understand? By the result one has to take account. Not by simply jugglery of words.
Just like there is examination. One student says, "Oh, I have studied so much." But when the examination was taken, he failed. So what does it mean that he studied? That means he did not study, that's all. The test is that spiritual advancement means minimizing material activities. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. Automatically they will be detestful for material engagement. Spiritual advancement means that.

Just like a hungry man, if you give him to eat, as soon as he begins to eat, immediately he'll feel satisfaction, and when he is fully fed, he'll say, "No, I don't want any more." So similarly, spiritual advancement means proportionately one should be detestful to material engagement. That is the test.

So if anyone is advancing by meditation or bhakti-yoga or Krsna consciousness, one has to give evidence that he is now being proportionately detached from this material engagement. That is the test. This is not for only the meditators. It is for you also. How far you are advancing in Krsna consciousness you test yourself -- how far you have become detached from material consciousness. That's all. The proportionately you have advanced in Krsna consciousness, the proportionately you'll not like material engagement. If you have advanced cent percent, then cent percent you become detached. That is the way.
So everyone has to test himself, "how far I have advanced." That means "How far I have become detached with material contamination." That's all. The test is in your hand. And if you are sincere, then you should test yourself. And if you want to make show, that is a different thing. That is explained in the Second Chapter, sthita-prajna. The behavior of a person who has advanced in spiritual consciousness, that is explained. You have studied. He talks like that, he walks like that, he behaves like that. So many things, they have been explained. These are the tests. So we may not be able to achieve all the success immediately, but everyone should try to follow.

The meditation process is also one process. That is also one of the processes. That is good. But we simply say that this process is not, I mean to say, very fruitful in this age. In this age, this chanting of Hare Krsna is the most beneficial process.
That is our program. We don't deprecate the meditational process. That is a process, standard process. But we don't say... We have not manufactured. It is the sastra says. Krte yad dhyayato visnum. Meditation of Visnu was possible in the Satya-yuga when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. Just like Valmiki Muni, he meditated for sixty thousands of years. He got perfection. Here it is very difficult even to meditate for sixty minutes at a time. You see? Krte yad dhyayato visnum. That process was recommended in the Satya-yuga.

And the next process is tretayam yajato makhaih. The next stage, by performing great sacrifices. That is very costly affair. Nobody has money. Suppose if I prescribe performance of some sacrifice, and if I order that "You have to secure one hundred tons of butter or ghee," can you secure? Oh... You see? So therefore that is not possible. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam.

Temple worship is also not possible. Temple worship, you go in India, there are some temples still. Daily, they are spending thousands of dollars for temple worship. Daily. The process... In Jagannatha temple, fifty-six times offered prasada, and any time you go they will supply you prasada for one thousand persons. It is all ready. Still. Although India is being advertised there is no food, but if you go to Jagannatha temple, any time, and ask the manager that "We have come, one thousand devotees. Please supply us prasada." "Yes, ready." (laughter) So that is being done. The arrangement is there since last two thousand years. The Jagannatha has property, there is production, there is good management. That is going on. Similarly, there is another temple, Nathadwar. They're also spending thousands of... In Madras also, there are many temples. There is a big estate. They are also collecting money daily, $4,000, $5,000. Yes. Still. The temple arrangement is there.

So that process is not to be introduced newly. It is not possible. Therefore Bhagavata says, krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih, dvapare paricaryayam kalau, kalau means in this age, tad dhari-kirtanat. Simply by chanting, you get the result of sacrifice, you get the result of meditation, you get the result of temple worship. Here we are, of course, attempting to worship Jagannatha with our teeny efforts, but if you go to the real Jagannatha temple in Puri, you'll see fifty-six times.

When Lord Caitanya was invited by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, so he gave Him so much rice and vegetables and all these things. So He thought "It is offered to Jagannatha." So He asked Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, "All right, give Me little prasada. From this I shall eat." So Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "No, You eat the whole thing." "Oh, how it is possible?" Then he gave the example, "Sir, You don't say like that. I know You are taking in the temple fifty-six times like this and this is only a morsel of food for You." You see? (laughter)

So actually, if you offer krsna-prasada, fulfilling the whole hall, as many times, fifty-six times... Fifty-six times means you have got only twenty-four hours. How many times in an hour? Without sleeping, without doing anything. Krsna will accept. Krsna will accept. And I want it. You American people, you have got so much money, you engage your money in that way. Don't spoil your life by this way and that way. So you can do that. You have got enough, sufficient means to offer Krsna fifty-six times. You see? Just see the result. That is utilization. That is karma-yoga. One has the capacity to earn like anything and to spend for Krsna like anything. That is karma-yoga.

It is not inertia. "I have got... Chanting Hare Krsna, I shall go and sit down, eat at the expense of others and chant Hare Krsna." No. This is karma-yoga. Pranair arthair dhiya vacah. You have to employ your life, your money, your words, and your intelligence, all for Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. If you have got enough money, spend it for Krsna. Don't stock it. The more you spend, more you become balanceless for spending Krsna, then more you are benefited. This is the process.
That will be taught in the karma-yoga section. And how one can, unless one is spiritually advanced how he can sacrifice his hard-earned money for Krsna? Everyone thinks, "Oh, I have earned this money working so hard. Why shall I spend it for Krsna? Let me keep it. I shall do it for my sense gratification." This is, this kind of advancement is no value. You see. How one has learned to sacrifice everything for Krsna.

Just like Arjuna. He sacrificed his whole family for Krsna. In the beginning he hesitated, "How can I kill my family members, this fight?" And when he became Krsna conscious, "Never mind, I shall kill all of them." This is called sacrifice. This is Krsna conscious. He sacrificed all sentiments, all connection, everything for Krsna. That is called sannyasa, real sannyasa. Although he was a warrior, a fighter, a householder having more than dozen wives, but he was sannyasa. Because he sacrificed everything for Krsna. That is wanted. That is Krsna conscious.

So everyone can test how far he has advanced simply by this, "How far I have become prepared to sacrifice everything for Krsna?" He doesn't require to take certificate from others. He can test himself, "How far I am prepared?" Then it is all right. This is the standard. All right. Chant Hare Krsna. (devotees offer obeisances) You are not getting another mrdanga? You have no money?

Tamala Krsna: We have no money yet.

Prabhupada: Oh. (laughs) All right. If you require, you can get... I'll pay you money.

Tamala Krsna: We'll pay you. Well, we'll get some more.

Prabhupada: That's all right.

Madhudvisa: We have money. We will get one very soon.

Prabhupada: You ask somebody to give you one mrdanga, contribute. If he asks where it is available, you can give the address and he can send the money there. It is not a very difficult task. What do they charge? Fifty dollars?

Tamala Krsna: Yes.

Prabhupada: So ask somebody to give fifty dollars, send to New York. Yes. We don't want cash. Give us in kind. That is also nice. Yes. (kirtana begins)

Prabhupada: What is that? What is that? What is that?

Dayananda: It's a pie.

Prabhupada: Pie?

Dayananda: A pie, yes.

Prabhupada: It will be offered to the Deity?

Dayananda: Hm?

Prabhupada: It is to be offered to the Deity?

Dayananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: So why you are sitting here?

Dayananda: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Oh. All right. Sit down. (kirtana)

Prabhupada: Vamanadeva? It is fainting[?].

Vamanadeva: Shaking.

Prabhupada: Yes. When I stand it will [?] going

Vamanadeva: There should be more steps here for you. I notice it's too...

Prabhupada: It's not steady. No, still the platform is not tight. You should...

Tamala Krsna: It needs supports. More supports.

Prabhupada: Yes. Because... You should have... (pause) What is that?

Jaya-gopala: It looks like a chestnut.

Prabhupada: Chestnut? (eating)

Tamala Krsna: It would be nice if we had a new altar for the Deities. When the new Deities are installed, if we could have a new altar, that would be nice.

Prabhupada: Yes. That will be changed.[?] We shall do that. First of all let us have the new Deity. [break] That will be discussed later on. We have come to the chapter; it will discuss.

Devotee: Prabhupada? Would you like to take a piece of pie home with you?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Devotee:: It's squash pie with raisins and banana and chestnut and anise.

Prabhupada: Why did you not give me in the beginning?

Devotee:: It wasn't... It wasn't all ready.

Prabhupada: We shall take later on? We shall take it later on?

Devotee:: I was going to give the remainder of it to sankirtana to take to the house.

Prabhupada: Let them, take them.

Devotee:: Okay. Would you like to take a piece with you?

Prabhupada: Yes, you can give it. (pause) I have taken. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968