"Surrounded By Krsna Atmosphere"

74/06/29 Melbourne, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Prabhupada: So here it is said that asamsayam. Asamsayam means without doubt. Without doubt. And samagram, samagram means in complete. Those who are philosophers, speculating what is God, what is the Absolute Truth, they cannot know. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam (bhagavan-mahimno)
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
[SB 10.14.29]

One who is, I mean to say, has gotten, who has gotten a little favor of Krsna, God, he can understand. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada, one who has got little mercy of the lotus feet of Krsna, athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesa, little mercy, janati tattvam, he can understand what is God. Little favor; not all favor, a little. Others, ciram vicinvan, they may go on speculating, imagining what is God, "God may be like this," "God may be like that," "God may be like that." So in that way, ciram vicinvan, for many, many millions of years, if one thinks like that, he cannot understand. Therefore, Krsna comes Himself, and He manifests His pastimes in Vrndavana as cowherd boy -- how He is playing with His friends, how He is dealing with Radharani, how He is dealing with His parents. Everything is manifested practically just like ordinary human being. But at the same time, whenever there is need, big, big demons, beginning from Putana, when He was only a few months old, He is maintaining His position asGod, but dealing with His devotees. This father and mother and friends, lover, all in Vrndavana, who are they? They are expansion of Krsna. That story we have got in the Krsna book, that Brahma stolen all the cows and calves and cowherd boys. Stolen, and Krsna immediately created another set. Then Brahma understood that "Here is the Supreme Lord, my master." So, these, Krsna's associates, they are all also Krsna, expansion of Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih. We are also expansion of Krsna. We living entities, Krsna says in the Bhagavata, mamaivamso, part and parcel.

So, samagram, one has to understand actually what is Krsna in complete. If you want to that, know that, then this is the process, mayi, mayi asakta-manah, mayy asakta-manah [Bg. 7.1], the mind has to be engaged in Krsna, first thing is. Mind. Therefore, Krsna manifests Himself in this Deity form. The Deity is Krsna Himself. But we cannot concentrate Krsna which is not visible. Krsna is not visible to the ordinary eyes. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. God is not perceptible with our, this material eyes, our material senses. atah sri-krsna-namadi na, even material ears. You are chanting. If you are not spiritually advanced, this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra also will not appeal. It will be happening mechanically. But by chanting you will gradually advance, ceto-darpana-marjanam, then you will understand that this Hare Krsna mantra is not different from Krsna. The mantra, the sound vibration, is also Krsna. So, we have to, I mean to say, repose our mind to the form of Krsna. Krsna says mayi, "Unto Me, rsna." We cannot see now Krsna personally. Personally He is here, but we want to see anything physically. Physically He is also there. Here, Krsna murti is physical, but, because you are differently educated, you do not know what is this world of physics. We think that this is different from Krsna. That will be explained. Therefore it is said, tac chrnu. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu. "You just hear from Me, as you can understand Me in complete, without any doubt." So Krsna is instructing Himself, about Himself. Why there should be any doubt? There cannot be any doubt. God is explaining Himself about Him, then why there should be doubt? This is the, this is called bhakti-yoga. Mad-asrayah. Mayy asakta-manah partha. So how you can engage your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead if you do not know the form? Therefore Krsna comes in His original form.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
(abhyutthanam adharmasya)
tadatmanam srjamy aham

When people forget or become engaged otherwise, rascaldom, duskrtinah, at that time He comes. He comes Himself or sends His representative to make this rascal know that "Here is Krsna." Tadatmanam srjamy aham. In the form of name, in the form of Deity, in the form of picture, in the, so many ways. If you think of Krsna within yourself, that "Krsna is like this, Krsna's leg is like this, Krsna's flute is like this, Krsna's hand is like this, mouth is like this, He is dressed like this," this meditation is perfect meditation. Not imagination. So that your mind will be gradually absorbed in Krsna.

So, Krsna comes therefore personally and exhibits this Krsna murti. Just like here is the picture of your spiritual master. So you worship this picture. You know that "This is my spiritual master's picture." Similarly, if somebody disregards this picture, you will not tolerate. Similarly, Krsna's Deity and Krsna not different. I was explaining this morning, Krsna has come, kindly, to accept your service as you can deal with Him. If Krsna comes in His gigantic form -- Krsna has got gigantic form also, as it was shown to Arjuna -- you will not be able to capture Him, neither you have any means to dress him. Suppose the universal form of Krsna is there, and you have to dress Him, so the (laughter) whole cloth factory will be finished.(laughter) Is it not? How you can dress? You have no capacity to dress. But Krsna has kindly accepted a form, the Deity. You can purchase cloth according to your means, and with your great devotion, you can dress. Similarly, the gigantic gigantic virat-rupa, universal form, the whole, it s described in the Bhagavad-gita that He is eating, the whole humanity is going on in His mouth. Then where you will get such food? (laughter) The whole human..., the whole universal living entities can be devoured by Krsna. But, because you are not able to offer such gigantic food to Krsna, Krsna says, "All right, give Me," patram puspam phalam toyam, "give Me a little flower, give Me a little fruit, give Me a little water, I shall accept it." This is called arcana-viddhi. Krsna has agreed to accept your service as you can afford to do. It is not idol worship. It is actually worshiping Krsna.

So therefore Krsna said, mayy asakta-manah partha, that simply you have to increase your attachment for Krsna. This is bhakti-yoga. We have got attachment for so many things. Our attachment is now disbursed in so many ways. You have to concentrate that attachment to Krsna, then your business will be successful, bhakti-yoga, mayy asakta-manah, "Mine." Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Krsna. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh: hearing about Krsna, chanting about Krsna, thinking of Krsna, worshiping Krsna, talking about Krsna, writing about Krsna, selling the books about Krsna, eating Krsna prasadam. In this way you become Krsnaized. All-around Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Krsna atmosphere. This is Krsna consciousness. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan, this is yoga, mad-asrayah, not... Mad-asrayah means "taking shelter of Me." So, "taking shelter of Me" through beginning teaching. Understanding of Krsna, taking shelter of Krsna's representative. Guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. By Krsna's mercy one gets guru, and guru's mercy one gets Krsna. So, if one is sincere, he will take advantage of guru's mercy and Krsna's mercy, and then he will be perfect. This is called bhakti-yoga. Not that "I am now very much advanced, I don't require any help from my guru," as somebody are doing. This is rascaldom. You cannot get Krsna by overcoming guru. That is not possible. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta, guru-krsna-krpaya paya. We should always remember that by the mercy of Krsna we get guru, and by the mercy of guru we get Krsna. So we have to seek mercies of both of them.

So, mayy asakta, mad, mad-asrayah. Mad-asrayah means, mat-asrayah, one...., guru means...., who has taken full shelter of Krsna, he is guru. A, a guru does not mean that he has taken shelter of somebody else and he has become guru. That is not. Guru means one who has taken full shelter, complete surrender to Krsna, he is guru. Or he speaks only what is spoken by Krsna. Just like we have, speaking in this Bhagavad-gita, as it is. There is no malinterpretation. Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. The guru will teach his disciple that "You surrender to Krsna." Krsna is God, He is saying "Surrender to Me," and guru is saying "You surrender to Krsna." Therefore the statement is the same. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, so guru will say the same thing, that "You always think of Krsna, you become a devotee of Krsna, you offer worship to Krsna, you offer your obeisances." This is guru's business. Not that because in the sastra it is said that guru should be honore as Krsna, as bhagavan, therefore guru will think, "I have become bhagavan." No. That is mayavada. The disciple will offer as respect, as much respect he offers to Krsna, to guru. That is the sastric injunction. For that reason the real guru will not think that "I have become Krsna." Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. By the mercy of guru, you get the mercy of Krsna. If, if guru approves, that "Here is a nice devotee," then Krsna accepts, "Yes, here is a nice devotee."

So therefore yasya prasadad, our business is to please guru. If he is satisfied, then Krsna immediately becomes satisfied, because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in office, your immediate boss the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, then the managing director sees the report, "Yes this man is working nice." That he will accept. He has never seen him. But that is not the fact, Krsna also seeing you. So this is called mad-asritah. Yunjan..., mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. You have to take shelter of Krsna. And Krsna, because you have no direct touch of Krsna, therefore you take shelter of Krsna's representative. Then this yunjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yatra, so this dress, Jagannatha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-asrayah. And this, the beginning is mayy asakta-manah, asakta. Asakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Krsna, then other thing does not come.

So this asakti attachment has to be practiced. That asakti, there is rules and regulation, or the method how you can develop, increase your attachment for Krsna. So, the first thing is adau sraddha, faith, that "If I become Krsna conscious, I will be happy. That is my goal of life." This is called sraddha. If you have no sraddha, that "By loving Krsna, by surrendering to Krsna, my life will be perfect, that is perfection of life," then there is no beginning of bhakti-yoga. So first thing is this. Just like Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. So, "You give up all other engagement, just surrender to Me." So if you have got faith actually, then you can devote yourself fully, cent percent in the service of, that is the beginning, adau sraddha, "Yes, Krsna says that by surrendering to Him I shall be free from all sinful reaction." If you have got faith, then you surrender, and actually you will be free from all sinful reaction. Krsna says... Krsna is not making any bogus propaganda. He sai, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, "I shall get you released from all reaction of sinful life." We are suffering because there is reaction of sinful life, but if you surrender to Krsna, then your all reaction of sinful life is immediately nullified, squared up.

So this is the process of bhakti-yoga. You surrender and, in the past, whatever sinful activities you have done, that is squared up, now account closed. Now you begin a new life, devotional life, and if you stick to the principle as it is instructed, that do not have illicit sex life, do not have intoxicants, do not eat meat, do not play gambling, speculate, you promise before Krsna and before the spiritual master, before the Vaisnavas, so many witnesses, and if you violate, then you can understand what you are doing. You promise with..., before the Deity. Krsna is not different, so when the initiation takes place we promise so many things. But if we do not follow, if we do not keep our promise, that is a great fault. If you, by chance, by mistake, you violate the regulative principle, that is excused, but if willingly, if you go on committing sinful life -- so just like in the Churches they go to confess and again begin -- that kind of business will not help you. That kind of business will not help you. Now I have confessed, now I begin new chapter of sinful life. Again I shall confess. Krsna is not so fool that you can cheat Him by this process. No, that is not possible. You can be executing the process of your advancement; unwillingly if you commit some mistake, that will be excused. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah. Sometimes we take shelter of this verse, that api cet su-duracaro, "However sinful you might, may be," bhajate mam ananya-bhak, "if he is fully engaged in My service..." But this word is very important. One cannot be fully engaged in the service of Krsna unless he is purified. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam [Bg. 7.28]. One who is completely free from reaction of sinful life and is always engaged in pious activities, such person can be Krsna conscious. So it is..., it is not that one is a debauch, at the same time a Krsna conscious. That is a contradictory. It cannot be. If he is actually Krsna conscious, he is cannot be debauch. And if he is debauch, then he is not Krsna conscious. Two things cannot go parallel.

So, we are..., if we are fully surrendered to Krsna, Krsna takes our all sinful, because continually we are suffering. What is that? Because, just like the same example, a infection. I have infected, say, two, three kinds of disease, so I am suffering from one infection, again another infection. They come. They take time. Just like if you sow a seed, it not that immediately becomes a big tree and fruits. No. It takes some time. Similarly, our papa-bijam, the seed of sinful activity, we take it, but in the, immediately we may not see that it is fructified, but it will, in due course of time, it will. Same (indistinct), that one man has infected cholera bacteria, so not that immediately he is attacked with cholera; say after a few days. Therefore the injection is given, and that time is allowed in the medical treatment, so that if the infection has actually working, the disease will come. So immediately we may not see that we are infected with some certain type of sinful activities, but it will come into notice That is going on. Therefore we shall be careful not to infect. And how to become careful? If you always engage yourself in Krsna's service. Therefore the Deity worship in the temple is there to keep us always engaged. Not only Deity worship. The class, reading, hearing, kirtana. In so many ways. There are nine different kinds of ways,

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma...

Any way, if you keep yourself always engaged in Krsna consciousness, in Krsna's business, then you are immune. You will not be infected. This is the process. Keep yourself always engaged in Krsna consciousness business, you will always remain immune. Sa-gunan samatitya etan brahma-bhuyaya. And willfully, we shall not do anything which against the bhakti process, willfully. But because I am habituated... Suppose a smoker he has taken to Krsna consciousness, at least has promised that "I shall not smoke, I shall...," but all of a chance, sudden, suppose his friend seduces him: "Oh what is that, smoke today, doing." So sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not willfully: "Now nobody is seeing, Krsna is not here. Let me smoke now." Not that. (laughter) Krsna's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Krsna's eyes.

So, in this way, this verse says that "Increase your attachment upon Me." That attachment can be..., the process is this, that first of all you must have full faith in Krsna, or full faith in the words of spiritual master. That is the beginning. If you have no faith, there is no question of advancing. The advance, there is no question. Finished, then everything is finished. First thing is faith. Then, then we have to associate with persons who have faith, sadhu-sangah. This, this is, our opening of different center means we are giving chance. So those who are inmates of the temple, they should be also such nice devotees that anyone who will come in the association of devotees, he will immediately develop a sense of devotion. That is the duty, those who are managing this temple. By his character, by his behavior, he will be influenced. This, this is next step. First of all faith, the next step is to associate with devotees. But devotees must be also sincere devotee, otherwise what will be the affect of such asociation? Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango. Then, gradually he will be inclined to become one of the devotees. He will request the president, "Sir, you recommend me for being initiated. I am interested." That is called bhajana-kriya. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya. That bhajana-kriya, he is initiated, the activities begins officially. Then as he make advance in this bhajana-kriya, or activities in devotional service, then anartha-nivrttih syat, then all the unwanted things -- the so-called illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking, gambling, even up to smoking and drinking tea -- finished. Anartha-nivrttih syat. Then you become pure. When you are pure, then your attachment for Krsna, athasaktis. That is called asaktih, attachment. Then tato nistha, then firm faith; tato rucih, taste; tatah saktih, then attachment; tato bhavah: in this way you will come to the platform of loving Krsna. Then your life is perfect. This verse explains that: how you can increase your devotional life, how you can become pefect, how you can know God perfectly, samagram; asamsayam, without any doubt. This is the process.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.... (break)

Prabhupada: No question?

Devotee (1): Yes, right here Prabhupada.

Devotee (2): What gives a man the right to take the renounced order of life, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee (2): What, what gives a man the right to accept the renounced order of life?

Devotee (1): What, who gives?

Devotee (2): What qualifications?

Devotee (1): What qualifications should the man have to take sannyasa?

Prabhupada: Sannyasa?

Devotee (1): What qualifications?

Prabhupada: For sannyasi?

Devotee (1): Yes.

Prabhupada: Who has got no more material desires. Then he is fit for taking sannyasa. Sarvopadhi. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Sunyam means zero. All material desires made into zero. Then sannyasa. Sannyasi, anasakta. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah sa sannyasi... Who is a sannyasi? Anasakta. Anasakta means he is working day and night, but no attachment for the result. Karmis... What is the difference between karmi and sannyasa? Karmi is working so hard, day and night; he is expecting that "I shall get some money out of it and I shall enjoy." That is karmi. And sannyasi, he is working in the same way, day and night, but he is not expecting the profit for his personal use. For Krsna. That is sannyasa. What is the difference? There is no..., in the activities there is no difference, but the one is accepting the result for his personal benefit, and one is creating good result but not for his personal benefit, but Krsna's service. This is the definition of sannyasa. Anasakta..., anasritah karma-phalam karyam: he is doing as my duty. I am Krsna's servant, I have to do it. If I do not do it, then it is my misbehavior. Anasakta, anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma ka..., sa sannyasi ca yogi ca. Such person is yogi, such person is sannyasi, na niragnir na cakriyah. Not that artificially I have taken the dress of a sannyasi and talking nonsense. He is not sannyasi. Sannyasa means one who has completely devoted his life for Krsna. He is sannyasi, sa sannyasi, and he is yogi.

Devotee (1): Yes.

Devotee (3): Srila Prabhupada, how..., how is one able to draw the distinction between working very hard for Krsna and over-endeavoring?

Prabhupada: Hm. What is that -- phalena pariciyate. By the result you can understand. By service Krsna, he will understand more about Krsna. Krsna will be clear to him. That is the test, because it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam. Krsna cannot be realized by so-called speculation, but if you render service to Krsna, then Krsna will reveal to you. Revelation. So, he, how much service he is giving, that will be tested how much he has, I mean to say, realized Krsna. This is the test. If Krsna is still vague idea to him, then he has not advanced. This is the test. Just like if you are eating something, then you will feel satisfaction. You are hungry, you have been given some food, but you cannot say that "I am eating, also I am not satisfied in my hunger." That cannot be. If you are actually serving Krsna, then Krsna will reveal to you. You will know what is Krsna, asamsayam samagram mam, without any doubt, and fullness. Here is the test. If somebody comes, "What is Krsna," you say, "Yes, I am serving Krsna, but I do not know what is Krsna". What is his service? He must know, because here it is said, asamsayam samagram, without any doubt... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 (New-2003)