Prabhupada:...Mr. Reddy and Ladies
and Gentlemen, I cannot speak in Telugu. Kindly excuse me. This Krsna
consciousness movement is very, very old, at least five thousand years old. And
if we take history before that, then it is at least forty millions of years old.
This Krsna consciousness was spoken by Krsna before the Battlefield of...,
Battlefield of Kuruksetra took place. Krsna instructed this same Bhagavad-gita
philosophy to the sun-god. He says in the Fourth Chapter,
imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave prahur
manur iksvakave 'bravit
[Bg. 4.1]
sa kaleneha (mahata)
yogo nastah parantapa
So this transcendental science, bhakti-yoga, means to surrender unto the Supreme Lord. This is the simple thing. God is great and we are small. God is prabhu, and we are anu. We have got the God's quality as part and parcel, mamaivamsa jiva-bhutah. Krsna says that "These jivas, they are My part and parcel." So gold mine and gold earring, both of them are gold, but the quantity of gold in the earring and the quantity of gold in the mine is not the same. This is right understanding. There are two classes of philosophers. One is thinking that "I am one with the Supreme" -- monism, or brahma-lina. And the Vaisnava, they are thinking that "We are different from God" -- that is the fact -- "and God is great, and we are very, very small, minute fractional part of God." So bheda abheda. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu summarizes that bheda and abheda both. In quality we are abheda, but in quantity we are bheda. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. That is the fact. If I am equal to God or if I am God, then how I have become a dog? So this is a controversial going on. But from Bhagavad-gita, as God explains Himself, He says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. He is the Supreme. And in the Brahma-samhita described by Lord Brahma, he says,
isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
[Bs. 5.1]
Krsna also said. The Vedanta says that the Absolute Truth is that from where everything emanates, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. And Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the origin of everything." Mattah sarvam pravartate, iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah.
So we have to follow mahajana because we are tiny living entities. We cannot speculate. This is nonsense. Speculation is nonsense. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manaso [Bs. 5.34]. If we speculate we shall never reach the Absolute Truth. That is not possible. But power is very limited. How long I shall speculate? This is called kupa-manduka-nyaya. Just like a frog in the well is informed by his friend, "My dear friend, Mr. Frog, or Dr. Frog, I have seen a big, vast mass of water, Atlantic Ocean." The frog, he has never seen the Atlantic Ocean. So he is speculating, "Atlantic Ocean? The well is three feet round. It may be four feet." "No, no. It is very..." "All right, five feet? Six feet? Ten feet?" So how long he will speculate? There is no comparison. Similarly, the greatness of God we cannot speculate. That is not possible. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated, yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Brahma... There are millions of Brahma and millions of brahmanda, and they are coming with the breathing period of Maha-Visnu. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso [Bs. 5.48]. That Visnu, Maha-Visnu, who is breathing millions of brahmandas and Brahmas during the breathing period, such Maha-Visnu is also amsa-kala. Svamsa, and then part of svamsa. So govindam adi-purusam tam aham. So it is not possible to understand the nature of God, or Krsna, by our tiny speculation. It is not possible. Therefore Krsna comes down to explain Himself. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7]. This is dharmasya glani, godlessness. This is called dhar... Everyone is dependent. In the modern civilization, especially in the Kali-yuga, everyone is dependent, but he is thinking that he is independent. That is the folly. In minute to minute, step to step, he is completely dependent. But still he is thinking, "Independent." He is speculating independently to understand what is God. So especially mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya [SB 1.1.10]. This Kali-yuga they are very slow or bad, manda. And sumanda-matayo, and they accept some "ism." Sumanda-matayo. And create some mat, matavadi. But this will not help us. We must know that we are dependent. We are dependent on the laws of material nature, and the material nature is working under the direction of Krsna.
mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagat viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]
So these things are there. Unfortunately, we do not take care of it. Bhagavad-gita, I think, throughout the whole world, at least in India, in every house, every home, there is Bhagavad-gita. But we do not understand Krsna. This is our misfortune. This is our misfortune. This is dharmasya glani, that Krsna explaining, the sastra explaining that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28], but we do not understand. And mandah sumanda-matayo [SB 1.1.10]. This is due to misfortune. Manda-bhagya hy upadrutah. So our this Krsna consciousness movement is a tiny little attempt to convince people that "You are searching after God. Take. Here is God, Krsna. Take His address. Take His father's name. Take His mother's name. Why you are searching? Here is God." This is our mission. So we haven't got to manufacture anything, because every information is there in the Bhagavad-gita. And especially Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He has explained. What is Krsna, He has explained. And Krsna has explained. Then where is the difficulty to understand God? There is no difficulty.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission... We are carrying out the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. What is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu? Caitanya Mahaprabhu wants that people are suffering for lack of God consciousness, so preach God consciousness all over the world. (aside:) Don't talk. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, especially to the Indians, He says,
bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]
Bharata-bhumi, those who are born in India, their business is to do welfare activities throughout the whole world, because the whole world is in darkness about understanding the Supreme Person with whom we have got very intimate relationship because we are part and parcel. Just like your son is part and parcel of your body. Somehow or other, if he forgets and goes out of home, you are anxious to see that your son comes back. A son may have become mad. So similarly, Krsna, He is the son of... Krsna is the father of all living entities. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murt..., aham bija-pradah pita: [Bg. 14.4] "I am the seed-giving father." So Krsna is very, very anxious to take us back to home, back to Godhead. This is Krsna's desire. Therefore He comes personally, He sends His representative, He leaves behind Him Bhagavad-gita, so we can take advantage and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our real happiness. Any man who is wandering in the foreign countries without any shelter, without any security, his happiness is when he goes back to home, back to Godhead.
So we living entities, we are here in this material world. We are loitering in different bodies. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. Now I am Indian or American. I am very great leader, Indian leader or American. Next moment I may become a dog or cat. Tatha dehantara-praptih. Dehantara-praptih is absolute. There is no question of... Karmana daiva-netrena jantor deha upapatti [SB 3.31.1]. As we are working, creating a mentality -- just like if I am infecting some disease, then I have to suffer from that disease -- so similarly, this material world is consisting of three modes of nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna, and mixed. So we are infecting according to our activities. The first-class position is to become a qualified brahmana. Samo damo satyam saucam titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So that is the best quality. And next the ksatriya quality, next the vaisya quality... Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. So according to the infection of different qualities, we are preparing the next body, karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. This is karma. You work as a brahmana, you work as a ksatriya, svakarma, according to your capacity, quality. Catur-varnyam maya, guna. These guna... As we are associating with the qualities and acting, then we are creating a body next life. So next life, tatha dehantara-praptih... [Bg. 2.13]. As we pass from one form of body even in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to old age... Krsna begins His instruction with this point, that we must know what we are. We are not this body. If we remain in the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13].
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicit
janesu abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
[SB 10.84.13]
So India especially, we have got so much advantages, so many Vedic literatures, and instruction by Krsna, instruction by Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami. So we can very easily make our life perfect. In other countries they cannot. They haven't got the advantage. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that those who are born in India, special privilege, they should take advantage of this infallible experience of the great sages, saintly persons, even by God personally. Why you should neglect this? Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore said that "Make your life perfect. Take very seriously the instruction of the Vedic literature, and understand the position and preach this cult all over the world." That is para-upakara, not that "I have understood that I am not this body, aham brahmasmi." No. You preach how you are brahmasmi, how you can remain in the Brahman platform. Simply understanding will not do, theoretical. Jnanam vijnanam. This theoretical knowledge is good, but there must be practical application. Then it is... Then it will stand. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said,
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]
That means simply to understand that "I am Brahman" will not endure. You must keep yourself as Brahman in the Brahman platform. And what is that? Mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. You must act as a Brahman. That is mad-bhakti, Krsna said. And in another place Krsna says,
mam cavyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]
That is... After Brahman stage... Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11] -- Absolute Truth.
So if you simply come to the Brahman stage, param pada, that will not endure. There is every chance of falling down. Just like you go in the sky in eighteen thousand miles per hour, and so on, so on. Just like these people are trying to go to the moon planet. If you get shelter in moon planet or any other planet, then you will be able to stay. Otherwise, come back again. They are coming back. They are going... It is well advertised they are going to the moon planet. Then why they are coming back? Why you should come back? So the idea is that simply in the Brahman, impersonal stage... Just like sky, nirvisesa. You can go eighteen miles, eighteen thousand miles speed, but if you don't get a shelter, then you'll have to come back again. This is the risk. So you must get shelter. So the Bhagavata therefore advises that aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. You can go very high in the sky, but if you don't get any shelter in any other planet... So similarly, you can make your spiritual progress understanding of Brahman, but if you do not get any shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, then you'll fall down. That is a fact. We have seen many sannyasis. They give up this material world, that brahma satyam jagan mithya. Then, after some years, he comes down again this mithya jagat to open schools and hospitals. And if this world is mithya, then why you are interested with the schools and hospitals? That means they could not get any Brahman realization. They again come to taste. So therefore sastra says, aruhya krcchrena param padam [SB 10.2.32]. One can rise up to the param pada, brahma pada, but patanty tatah. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho. Adho means this material world. Why? Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. They could not take shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, the Supreme. Brahmano 'ham pratistha. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. This Brahman is the rays of the body of Krsna, just like the sunshine is the rays of the sun-god, the sun planet.
So unless we come to the point of taking shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, our life is imperfect. Therefore Krsna comes. He says ultimately that "My dear Arjuna, because you are My very dear friend, I am giving you the most confidential knowledge." What is that? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is most confidential. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is the same because Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. Krsna reminded that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, but the duskrtina mudha naradhama, they could not understand it. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu came again as a devotee of Krsna to teach how to take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that -- His mission is especially to the Indians, those who are born in India -- that amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. This instruction was given in South India when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was traveling in South India. So many people... He was attractive, and... "Sir, take me with You. Sir, take me with You." He traveled in the villages, villages, very extensively. Especially He traveled in South India. So at that time this instruction was given to some South Indian brahmana: "My dear sir, better stay here. Don't come with Me. You try to preach My philosophy. You haven't got to come with Me." So He said, amara ajnaya guru hana, that "Why you want to come with Me? My mission is this. If you want to help Me, then you become a guru under My instruction. You become a guru." "Sir, I have no education. I am not a brahmana. I am this. I am that. How can I become guru?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Where you are living, you just try to deliver them. But you become a guru." "How I shall become?" Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa: "Simply you instruct what Krsna has said, that's all. Then you become guru. You don't require any other qual..." "No, I am not a brahmana; I am sudra, I am this or..." That is also all right, because He said to Ramananda Raya when... He was sudra. He was talking with Caitanya Mahaprabhu but he was very learned devotee. So he was feeling hesitation that "Caitanya Mahaprabhu's coming from very high-grade brahmana, and He is sannyasa. His position is very exalted. I am a sudra. How I can advise Him?" He was questioning, and Ramananda Raya was answering. So the answer-giver is in superior position, so he hesitated. So while he was hesitating, Caitanya Mahaprabhu encouraged him,
kiba sudra kiba vipra nyasi kene naya
yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya
[Cc. Madhya 8.128]
He said, "It doesn't matter whether you are a brahmana or a sudra or... These are all bodily conception of life. You become above the bodily conception of life. You simply try to understand Krsna." Yei krsna-tattva-vetta.
To understand Krsna is not so easy thing.
manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascid vetti...
[Bg. 7.3]
It is not so easy, but it can be very easy, provided we take this bhakti-marga. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Very easy. And what is bhakti? Bhakti is man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Four things: "Always think of Me," Krsna says. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. You can think of Krsna. Where is the difficulty? It doesn't require that you have to pass your Ph.D. examination; then you can think of Krsna. No. Anyone, even a child, can think. Man-mana. And who can concentrate on Krsna unless he is a devotee? So man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji: "You worship Me." Mam namaskuru. "By executing these four principles of life you will come back to Me" -- mam evaisyasi asamsayah [Bg. 18.65] -- "without any doubt." So it is not at all difficult. Had it been difficult... I am collecting my disciples throughout the whole world, and we condemn them according to our... "They are mlecchas, yavanas." Maybe they are mlecchas, yavanas, but Sukadeva Gosvami said that even mlecchas-yavanas, they can be purified.
kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti...
[SB 2.4.18]
They can become purified by Krsna consciousness.
So we are suffering in this material world on account of forgetting Krsna. This is the root cause, forgetting Krsna. Krsna says, "I am the seed-giving father of everyone," and we have forgotten Krsna. We have forgotten our father. This is the disease. So in order to cure this disease, to awaken them to Krsna consciousness is the best welfare activity in the world, para-upakara. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that. Janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara. India's mission is not that we colonize in other country and exploit them and bring money and become a lord. No. India's mission is how to revive Krsna consciousness throughout the whole world. That is India's mission. Revive Krsna con... Revive your Krsna consciousness, be fixed up in Krsna, and then distribute this knowledge. This is Indian mission. So it was... Caitanya Mahaprabhu has entrusted this missionary work to everyone. Bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. So there is good field for Krsna consciousness. They want it. They are reading our Krsna conscious books very nicely. We are selling not less than 100,000 worth books daily. They are purchasing. So I wish that in India people should take advantage of this Krsna consciousness movement and be... Every one of you should become Krsna consciousness and go to the outside countries and preach this. Krsna consciousness means Bhagavad-gita. Krsna consciousness does... You haven't got to manufacture something by your fertile brain, speculating. That is useless, nonsense. Simply you take what Krsna has said and preach it. You become a guru and you deliver the whole world.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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