Monday, August 5, 2013

"The Complete Science of Bhakti-Yoga #6"

"The Complete Science of Bhakti-Yoga #6"
72/10/31 Vrndavana

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 
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This knowledge, Vedic knowledge, is received by parampara system. Just like Krsna said to sun-god,

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
 [Bg. 4.1]

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
 [Bg. 4.2]

Krsna said that "This yoga system, first of all I explained to the sun-god, and he explained to his son, Manu, and Manu explained to his son, Iskvaku. In this way, by the parampara system, by the disciplic succession, the knowledge is coming." Sa kaleneha yogo nastah parantapa. But as soon as it began to be explained to others, without being in the disciplic succession, in the chain of disciplic succession, speaking the same truth, it becomes broken. Sa kaleneha yogo nastah. Yoga nastah. It is spoiled. If one does not come in the disciplic succession, he'll spoil the teaching. That is being done. So-called commentator, teacher of Bhagavad-gita, he does not come in the disciplic succession. He is self-made guru. Therefore he's not guru. Self-made guru cannot be guru. He must be authorized by the bona fide guru. Then he's guru. This is the fact. Here... Nobody can be self-made anything. A medical practitioner, he cannot become self-made, that "I have studied all the medical books in my home." No. "Have you ever gone to the medical college and taken instruction from the bona fide teachers?" Then, if you have got the certificate, then you are medical practitioner. Similarly, bona fide guru means he must be authorized by the superior guru. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. He must receive the order from the superior. And the superior must be bona fide. Then he's bona fide, not self-made. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. The direction is that one must go to a guru. But who is guru? Sabde ca pare ca nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam. These are the descriptions.

So to find out a bona fide guru is not difficult, provided one is bona fide to search out a guru. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the mercy of guru and Krsna... Because by the mercy of Krsna one gets a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of bona fide guru, one gets Krsna. This is the process. When I am actually serious to have connection with Krsna, Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So Krsna can understand. We cannot hide anything from Krsna. That is not possible. Because Krsna is sitting side by side, just like two birds, sitting side by side. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree. Another bird is the witness. That is the Vedic version. So as soon as I become serious to know about Krsna, Krsna can understand, "Now My friend is very serious." So He will find out a bona fide guru for him. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the, by the double mercy... Krsna's mercy, and guru's mercy. If one is serious, Krsna is satisfied: "Now he's serious about finding out, about knowing Me." Then Krsna gives him direction that "Here is guru, My representative. You take shelter of him and you will get Me." This is the way.

That is explained in this..., that by the grace of Krsna, that it is a fortunate person. Fortunate person means he must be sincere, serious to know about Krsna. That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Krsna. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare. When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Krsna, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Krsna, that is the beginning of my misfortune. So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Krsna conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anadi-bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela ataeva krsna maya..., ataeva maya tare galila baddhiya (?). Some way or other, we forgot Krsna. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Krsna, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: "Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?" This is misfortune. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. But we are presenting, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" this is our misfortune. Why? Krsna says, mam ekam. Why shall I try to put another alternative? Why? What is the reason? That is our misfortune. Krsna is offering the fortune. Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. This is fortune. But I'll not take that. Krsna says, "Get up. Give up all other engagements. Simply take shelter of Me. I shall give you all protection." But I don't believe Krsna; therefore it is my misfortune. This fortune, to become fortunate and misfortunate... Just like in English word, "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Is it not? "Man is the architect of his own fortune." But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Krsna's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: "Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate." So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Krsna consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Krsna's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate.

So this is the process. By the grace of Krsna, if we are sincere and serious, then Krsna becomes kind upon us and gives direction: buddhi-yogam dadami tam. "I give them buddhi-yogam." Buddhi means intelligence. So here, everyone has got intelligence. At least, he thinks that he is very intelligent. Everyone thinks. Although he's fool number one, he thinks himself as very intelligent. Because intelligence is there. But when the intelligence is used for material fortune, that is unfortunate. When intelligence used for developing Krsna consciousness, that is fortune. So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune. The fortune means that we must be serious after hearing about Krsna. One must be serious. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So if we are intelligent, we should seriously think over this proposal. Why Krsna said, "Give up everything and surrender unto Me"? There is sufficient reason. If one has seriously studied Bhagavad-gita, there is sufficient reason to surrender unto God, unto Krsna. Everywhere. That... Those who are karmis, Krsna says unto them, yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam [Bg. 9.27]. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana. This is for the karmis. And for the jnanis, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births, the so-called jnanis, when he surrenders unto Krsna, that is success. Sa mahatma su-durlabhah. Vasudevah sarvam iti. By culture of knowledge, by philosophical speculation, if one comes to this point, conclusion, that vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], Vasudeva, Krsna, is everything, then he's jnanavan, real jnanavan.  That is real... Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. He must be submissive. That submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Krsna, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jnana. That is jnana. Otherwise, ajnana.

But they are accepting ajnana as jnana. To accept ajnana as jnana is the most unfortunate position. That is not jnana. Real jnana is how to surrender to Krsna. So this is jnana. For yogi, this instruction also is there. Karmi, jnani, yogi, and bhakta. There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's, that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation, there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification. This classification is ended when one comes to know Krsna. Yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. If one understands Krsna, then Paramatma and Brahman becomes automatically known. Sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. Just like if you have got 100,000 dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it. So in the Bhagavad-gita everything is discussed there, jnana-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], ultimately. That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, all yogas are included. Yoginam api sarvesam [Bg. 6.47]. That we have to understand. We have to become fortunate to understand this philosophy. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This, this philosophy... If, if one surrenders to Krsna, if one becomes Krsna conscious, then his karma-yogi, jnana-yogi, dhyana-yogi, hatha-yogi, everything..., everything is included there. He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga. Everything is there. The hatha-yogis, they can display many wonderful things, but Krsna-bhakta, without endeavoring for all these things, Krsna can show many magic on his behalf. Why should he take trouble himself, to play the magic himself? Krsna will show how magical things are performed by the devotees. Krsna will show. Just like small child, he doesn't require to earn money for spending. If he's rich man's son, his father will take care of him. Similarly, a devotee does not endeavor to become expert in jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga, this yoga. He depends on Krsna. And when some yogic, mystic power has to be shown, Krsna will show that. That is the process, bhakti-yoga. You take to Krsna, and everything will be done. Krsna, Krsna says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah: [Bg. 18.66] "Don't worry. I shall take care of you." So therefore the conclusion is that one who is fortunate, he can take to Krsna consciousness cent percent, without any deviation. That is wanted. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...then by the grace of the spiritual master, one becomes advanced in Krsna consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Krsna consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy -- Krsna and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. When we speak of Krsna, we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with His many expansions."

Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna is not alone. Just like when we speak of "the king," although it is singular number, "king" means there are so many others. There is the queen, there is the minister, there is the secretary, there is the commander-in-chief, there is bodyguards, there are so many other things. Similarly, when we speak of Krsna, Krsna means His expansions. He has got different types of expansion -- svamsa and vibhinnamsa. Svamsa expansion is Visnu-tattva. Krsna is the original person. Aham sarvasya prabhavah mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. All others... Just like Visnu, Narayana, or demigods, all others, they are all expansions of Krsna. We are also expansions of Krsna; we living entities, we are vibhinnamsa. Mamaivamsa. Krsna says mamaivamsa. Jiva-loka, jiva-loke, "The all these living entities, they are My part and parcel." We are also expansion of Krsna, or the demigods, they're also expansions of Krsna. The Visnu-tattva, They're also expansions of Krsna -- everyone. So Krsna means including His expansion, including His energies, including His personal paraphernalia, including His dhama -- everything. That is Krsna. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. Tisthan means continuing to exist. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena. With His expansions, svamsa expansions, vibhinnamsa expansions.

So Krsna is not alone. Krsna is not nirakara. Krsna is not impersonal, because He has got so many personal associates. Nityo nityanam. All these personal associates, they're individual persons. We are all person. You are person, I am person. We are all individual. I have got my individual opinion; you have got your individual opinion. Oneness means when these individual opinions are coincided in the matter of surrendering to Krsna; that is oneness. Oneness does not mean that all these individuals become one, homogeneous. No. They keep their individuality, but they become one in the service of Krsna. That is oneness. Now everyone is working for his sense gratification, personal. When everyone becomes agreed that "We shall satisfy Krsna," that is oneness. That is oneness. One nation. We can understand: one family. One family means they're individual persons, but they're working for the interest of the family -- all of them combinedly, conjointly, working. Similarly, they're working conjointly for the society, or they're working conjointly for the community, or conjointly working for the nation. That is oneness. When we speak, "We are Indian nation, oneness," that oneness does not mean that every individual Indian has become homogeneous with other Indians. No. Every Indian is an individual person, but he has sacrificed his individuality and engaged himself for the service of the country. That is national consciousness. Similarly, Krsna consciousness. As there is national consciousness, community consciousness, family consciousness, so many other consciousness, similarly, Krsna consciousness means all persons agree to work for the satisfaction of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. That is oneness. Oneness does not mean we lose our individuality. Sometimes, individually we fight. Just like in the legislative assembly, our representative, M.P.'s, they go and fight. There is a deliberation. But that purpose is to serve the country. Therefore, instead of the difference of opinions, they agree to work in this way. That is legislative assembly. Similarly, individuality there must be always, but when we find out a one means to satisfy Krsna, Krsna consciousness, to satisfy Krsna, that is oneness. Ekatvam anupasyatah [Iso 7]. Eka. That is ekatvam. Why a... In other words, ekatvam... This is the version of the Isopanisad, ekatvam anupasyatah. Ekatvam anupasyatah. Ekatvam, at the same time, anupasyatah. That means we are all spirit soul. We are part and parcel of Krsna. That is anupasyatah. And on this basis, when we find ekatvam, oneness, that is the platform of peace, that "We are all servants of Krsna." Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised this, jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. When we feel that "Eternally I am servant of Krsna, you are servant of Krsna," that is ekatvam. Not that we become a lump of thing. No. Impersonality cannot be... Personality cannot be changed. Jiva-loke. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah jiva-loke sanatanah [Bg. 15.7]. This individuality is sanatana, eternal. But when we disagree to serve Krsna, that is asanatana, not sanatana. That is artificial.

So here in this material world, we have disagreed to serve Krsna. Therefore the whole proposal is again agree to serve Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is real philosophy. We disagreed; therefore we came into this material world, and we are fighting with one another. Now again the proposal is, agree to this oneness, ekam. Then there will be peace. Jnatva mam santim rcchanti. These things are there.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
 [Bg. 5.29]

We are becoming leaders, the friend of the people. But we are not friend of the people. Krsna is the friend of... Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. If I simply say that "I am your friend in this sense that I deliver the message to you that 'Krsna is your best friend.' I do not... I am friend so far I am giving you this information. But actual friend is Krsna," suhrdam sarva-bhutanam, so this is friendship. If one preaches Krsna consciousness and teaches everyone that Krsna is your best friend... He does not say, "I am your best friend." "I am your best friend in this sense that I am giving you this information." Actually, Krsna is your best friend. What can I do? I am a teeny living entity. What can I do for you? I be..., may become your friend, but when you are in danger, I cannot give you any protection. Krsna can give you protection. This is real friendship. He does not take himself. He always carries the message only. Ya imam mad-bhaktesu abhidasyati. Simply our business is to carry the message of Krsna. Then we are friend. Otherwise we are not friend. We may pose to become friend, but we are not friend because we do not know how to benefit the friend. Sometimes we mislead him.

Therefore our business is to point that "Krsna is your friend." Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. "He's the proprietor. Don't claim your proprietorship. You are not proprietor. You are falsely claiming; because what you are claiming as your property, it will be taken away by Krsna at the time of your death. Everything will be finished." Mrtyuh sarva-haras ca aham, Krsna says. Mrtyu... Krsna says, "I am death when I take away everything from the person -- his life, property, body and everything." Actually, we claim, "This is my property." This is moha. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Lokasya janasya moho 'yam. This is friendship, to educate people that "You are not proprietor. Krsna is proprietor. You are not enjoyer. Krsna is enjoyer. You are seeking out friends to give you protection. Krsna is the supreme friend who will give you protection." If we spread this message all over the world, then I am friend of Krsna, I am friend of the persons. Otherwise, I am not friend, because I cannot become friend. I can simply carry... Just like post peon give you five thousand rupees, delivers. He does not deliver. Somebody else is delivering. He's simply carrying. That's all. Similarly, if we simply carry the message of Krsna as it is, we become perfect. It is not very difficult. If I simply carry the message of Krsna, where is the difficulty? Everything is there. Krsna has said everything. Krsna says, man-mana mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. We carry this message. Just always think of Krsna, always offer obeisances to Krsna, become a devotee of Krsna. Man-mana, think of Krsna always. We have to carry this message. Where is the difficulty?

So to become a bona fide spiritual master, there is no difficulty, if you, simply, if we carry the message of Krsna as it is, without any adulteration. So we must find out a person who is actually bona fide spiritual master by this test, that he's not, I mean to say, adulterating Krsna's message. He's not playing havoc with the message of Krsna in order to introduce himself, his person. He's simply presenting the message of Krsna as it is. Then he's spiritual master. Nobody else.

Thank you very much. (end)
The Nectar of Devotion
--
Vrndavana, November 1, 1972
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972
 
 
The Nectar of Devotion
 --
Vrndavana, October 30, 1972

Pradyumna: (reading:) "...Krsna we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His many expansions. He is expanded by His plenary part and parcels, His differentiated parts and parcels, and His different energies. Krsna, in other words, means everything and includes everything. Generally, however, we should understand Krsna to mean Krsna and His personal expansions. Krsna expands Himself as Baladeva, Sankarsana, Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Rama, Nrsimha, and Varaha, as well as many other incarnations and innumerable Visnu expansions. These are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam to be as numerous as the uncountable waves. So Krsna includes all such expansions, as well as His pure devotees. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that Krsna's expansions are all complete in eternity, blissfulness, and cognizance. Devotional service means to prosecute Krsna conscious activities which are favorable to the transcendental pleasure of the Supreme Lord Krsna, and any activities which are not favorable to the transcendental favor of the Lord cannot be accepted as devotional service."

Prabhupada: So Krsna does not mean alone. Krsna is not imperson. He's person, and He expands in so many persons. Eko bahu syam. He is one, but He expands Himself to innumerable forms. The Visnu forms, They are known as svamsa. And the servitor forms, the living entities, they are also expansion of Visnu, part and parcel, differentiated, vibhinnamsa. So everything -- expansion of Krsna. Parasya brahmanah saktih. Parasya brahmanah saktih sarvedam akhilam jagat. Whatever we see, experience within this world, within this universe, they're simply expansion of the energy of Krsna. Just like fire has got two energies, heat and light, similarly Krsna is expanding by His two energies, the material energy and the spiritual energy. So this material world is expansion of His material energy, and we are marginal We are also energy. We are not energetic. We are not purusa. We are prakrti.

In the Bhagavad-gita the living entities have been described as prakrti. Apareyam itas tu vidhi me prakrtim para. After describing the material energies -- earth, water, air, fire sky, mind, intelligence, ego -- Krsna says apareyam, all these energies, separated energies, material energies, they are apara, inferior. But that is also Krsna's energies. Inferior means not actually inferior, because they, there cannot be anything inferior which is emanating from Krsna. The inferior in this sense: by our absence of Krsna consciousness. Because we have come here, in this material world, to enjoy to satisfy, sense satisfaction, sense gratification, we have made it inferior. Otherwise it is not inferior. One who knows how to utilize this energy, for him, it is not inferior. Nirbandha-krsna-sambandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate. One who does not know how to utilize this material energy for the purpose of Krsna, for them, it is inferior. Otherwise, advaya-jnana, absolute... Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. Narada Muni has described before Vyasadeva: idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. It appears like different, but actually Krsna... A maha-bhagavata... This is the vision of maha-bhagavata, not ordinary man. Maha-bhagavata... Sthavara-jangama dekhi tara murti [Cc. Madhya 8.274]. A maha-bhagavata sees a tree or an animal or a... He does not see the form but he sees his ista deva murti; he sees there Krsna. Actually, Krsna is there as Paramatma. So he sees Paramatma. He does not see the external body. So Krsna's two energies... Inferior means where Krsna consciousness is almost absent. That is inferior. When there is Krsna consciousness, that is no more inferior; that is superior. So Krsna says, apareyam itas tu vidhi me prakrtim para. After all, any energy, prakrti... So the Mayavadi philosophers mistakes to elevate the living entities to the standard of purusa, the Supreme. But actually it is not so. It is prakrti. Prakrti means predominated and purusa means predominator. And actually, that is our position. We are not predominator. Artificially I am thinking that I am predominator. That is my illusion. I am not predominator. Nobody's predominator. Predominator is Krsna. Mattah parataro nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya. He's predominator. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8].

So prakrti and purusa... Krsna is purusa. Purusam sasvatam. Arjuna has described, purusam sasvatam. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam adyam [Bg. 10.12]. "You are the original purusa, enjoyer." That is Krsna consciousness. If we know that Krsna is the original person, enjoyer, and we are simply enjoyed... We are meant for being enjoyed, not to take the post of enjoyer. Here, in this material world, everyone is artificially trying to become enjoyer, both men and women. But that is illusion. Nobody's enjoyer. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. The supreme enjoyer is Krsna. So just like prakrti-purusa, we can get one idea, husband and wife. Husband is purusa, wife is prakrti. So if the wife is faithful, always trying to serve the husband, always to make her husband pleased, and husband takes care of the wife for all her necessities of life, as that home life becomes very beautiful and happy, similarly, Krsna is the Supreme Purusa, enjoyer. We living entities, if we simply try to serve Him and make Him happy, as the gopis did, then it is very congenial atmosphere as it was in Vrndavana. Everyone is serving Krsna. Everyone is trying to please Krsna. The birds, the beasts, the trees, the land, the water, the cowherd boys, the gopis, Krsna's father, mother, elderly people -- everyone -- the central point is Krsna. That is Vrndavana. So we can have Vrndavana anywhere and everywhere. Vrndavana is not that limited. It is not material. As Krsna is not limited... Krsna says in the Brahma-samhita, goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. Just like Krsna says that patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami [Bg. 9.26]. Now, one can say that "Krsna is far, far away in the Goloka Vrndavana. How He will eat?" That is material conception. Krsna can eat even He is in Goloka Vrndavana, provided the foodstuff is offered by a devotee. Yo me bhaktya prayacchati. It is a question of bhakti. Then Krsna eats. Krsna is present in His Goloka Vrndavana, in His dhama. He does not go out, but His expansion goes out and takes, accepts the service of the devotee. This is the bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. One should understand the bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. It is a science, how He takes... We have got our limited sense that "I am sitting here." If you offer my foodstuff some yards off from me, I cannot reach, because I am limited. But Krsna can expand His hand. He Himself comes. Svayam eva sphuraty adhah. Krsna becomes manifest to the devotee. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. When one becomes devotee, beginning from the tongue, jihvadau, by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau, svayam eva sphuraty adhah, He becomes revealed. Yei nama sei krsna. That is the perfection of chanting without any offenses. Then you'll find the name is not different from Krsna. When you are chanting, you'll find Krsna is dancing on your tongue. This is the conclusion.

So we have to learn how to chant. Therefore in the sastras, in the Puranas, the ten kinds of offenses are described. And Srila Jiva Gosvami has given very much stress to avoid these offenses. Suddha-nama. In the beginning we cannot chant pure form of the name, because we are accustomed... But still, by chanting process, then it becomes namabhasa, almost pure. Abhasa means just like before sunrise, you find the darkness is off, but it is not sunlight. It is different from sunlight, but still, there is the dawn, you can see everything distinctly. Similarly, first there is offensive name and, if you avoid, avoid the ten kinds of offenses, then gradually it becomes namabhasa. And Srila Haridasa Thakura has said, Namacarya, that by namabhasa, one becomes liberated. There was some argument with Haridasa Thakura and one brahmana in the office of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's father, uncle. So there were some high level talks on this namabhasa. So by namabhasa one becomes liberated. By chanting Hare Krsna mantra offensive, one becomes materially happy or distressed, but when one comes to the stage of namabhasa, he becomes liberated. And when he chants pure name, there is Krsna-prema. Just like Rupa Gosvami: he was chanting. We are also chanting. But we are not in the stage of Rupa Gosvami or Sanatana Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura. Actually, if we come to that stage then there will be Krsna-prema, love of Krsna. Just like Rupa Gosvami said that "What shall I chant with one tongue and two ears? If there were millions of tongues and trillions of ears, I could chant something." And we cannot finish even sixteen rounds, because we have not created our taste for chanting. Still we are in the namaparadha stage. But don't be disappointed. Go on chanting. You'll come to the right position, namabhasa, then suddha-nama. Everything requires gradual development.

So this nama is also another incarnation of Krsna. Nama-rupe kali-kale krsna-avatara. Name is... Because name and Krsna is not different. Abhinnatvad nama-naminoh. There is no difference. Here, in the material world, there is difference between the name and the substance, but advaya-jnana, in the Absolute world there is no such distinction. The name and the person, the same, identical. So actually, when we chant Hare Krsna mantra, we directly associate with Krsna, because name is the incarnation of Krsna. Nama-rupe krsna-avatara. Therefore, if we are sensible, then we should take very much respectful attitude to the name, because name and Krsna, the same. Suppose Krsna comes here. How much respectful we shall be, immediately. So similarly, when we chant Hare Krsna mantra, we should know Krsna is there. Therefore we should be very much cautious and respectful, not neglectful. That is offense. That is offense. If you become inattentive, that is offense. You should know this. Try to avoid. Krsna is giving us chance to meet Him in so many ways: nama, rupa, lila, parikara, vasistha. He is giving us chance in the form of name, in the form of Deity, in the form of His pastimes, in the form of His paraphernalia. Just like this Vrndavana. Vrndavana is as good as Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said. It is not my manufacture. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavana. As Krsna, the Brajendra-nandana Hari, Krsna, as He is worshipable, similarly His dhama is worshipable. We should be very much respectful to Vrndavana-dhama; otherwise we'll be offender. Dhamaparadha. Dhamaparadha. If we remain in Vrndavana we should know that we are living with Krsna. And how much we should be cautious, how much we should be careful if we are actually understand what is dhama. Dhama is also Krsna. If in the dhama we commit sinful activities, then we are, what is called, suiciding, committing suicide. It is a fact.

You know the story of Yamala-arjuna. So they were given the place in the dhama, Vrndavana-dhama, as a tree, but they had to waste time for so many hundreds years. Although there is guarantee, anyone who is in dhama, he'll get the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, but not... Why should we waste your time to become a tree or a monkey or a hog or a dog? Don't waste. You should be very careful. Don't commit any offense in the dhama. Then one life is sufficient to go back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaun... [Bg. 4.9]. If you actually live in Vrndavana carefully, without committing any offense and sinful life, then in this life you are going to Krsna. Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. To live in Vrndavana means to know Krsna -- how He appeared there, how He played here, how He executed His pastimes here. Janma karma divyam. These are all celestial, all transcendental. Jaya radha-madhava kunja-vihari.

So this is Vrndavana life of Krsna. So if we know Krsna, tattvatah... This tattvatah we discussed this morning.
manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascit vetti mam tattvatah
 [Bg. 7.3]

So those who are living in Vrndavana, they should try to understand Krsna tattvatah. That is their business. Not that take advantage of Vrndavana and make some anyabhilasa, jnana-karma. No. That means we are wasting time. You'll get the chance because you have come to Vrndavana. Vrndavana's so powerful. But if we commit offense and sinful activities, it will be delayed. My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Don't waste time. Don't wait for another life. In this life, finish this business, to understand Krsna, and go back home, back to Godhead." That is required. If one is businessman... Just like in business they want to execute business free, finish the business very quickly, similarly, because we see that such a devotee like Bharata Maharaja, because he was little attached to a calf, a deer calf... What is called?

Devotee: Fawn.

Prabhupada: Fawn. Yes. So he had to take the life of a deer next life. Just see. Such a great devotee, but because he was a little attached... Yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. So we should be very careful that even in Vrndavana, if we miss the point, if we are attached to something, then we have to accept another life, either as beast or tree. Of course, the chance will be given to become a tree and beast in Vrndavana. That is also profitable, because next life, he's going back to home, back to Godhead. But why should we waste another life in this way? So Krsna-nama rupe-avatara. So we should respect chanting of Hare Krsna mantra with very care, carefulness, cautious so that we may not commit any offense. Then your business is successful. Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. If somebody thinks that "I am living in Vrndavana. I am chanting Hare Krsna mantra. So if I do something sinful, what it will do...?" Eka nama, krsna-name yata papa kare, papi haya tata papa karite naraya (?). "So what sinful I am doing? A little sinful..." Yes, little sinful will be excused. But if it is done not willingly, but if you commit sinful activities willingly, daily, then you'll be punished. That is laws of nature. Even if you are bhakta. You'll be given chance, but you'll have to be punished. So therefore we must be very careful. We are chanting Hare Krsna mantra means dealing with Krsna directly. Therefore we must be very careful, cautious, respectful. Then it is nice, it is success. Read. Next.
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

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