"Chanting -- Universally Charming"

28 June 71 , San Francisco


Prabhupada: So I am very glad that you are following the footprints of the Gosvamis, six Gosvamis. Vande Rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau, and two Raghunatha Gosvami -- one Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and one Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau, four. Sri-jiva-gopalakau: and Sri Jiva Gosvami and Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. They were direct disciple of Lord Caitanya. There are thousands of disciples of Lord Caitanya, but they are prominent, who gave very prominent service to the Lord by executing the mission of Lord Caitanya. By the order of Lord Caitanya they went to Vrndavana, and the present city of Vrndavana is the contribution of the Gosvamis. First of all Sanatana Gosvami went there, then Rupa Gosvami. In this way the city was excavated. It was formerly, five hundred years ago, there was no trace where and how Krsna lila was performed in that tract of land. But when Caitanya Mahaprabhu went there, He first of all discovered Radha Kunda, the lake in which Srimati Radharani used to take bath and Krsna used to come. There is Syama Kunda also. The Syama Kunda, Radha Kunda, two lakes are still existing. Hundreds, thousands of people, devotees, go to see that lake every day.

So the six Gosvamis were, some of them were very prominent government officers. Just like Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, they were two important ministers in the (indistinct) Muhammadan government, Nawab Hussein Shah, his government. They resigned their ministerial post and joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for propagating His mission of Krsna consciousness. So rupa-sanatanau, they are very responsible government officers, and raghu-yugau, two Raghunatha: one Raghunatha Bhatta and one Raghunatha dasa. Raghunatha dasa was the only son of his father and uncle, very big landholder, Bengal. Their father's income was twelve hundred thousands of rupees in those days. Now you can increase at least fifty times and then calculate what was the income of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. But he left everything to join Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami also came from a very learned brahmana family. Similarly, Jiva Gosvami was the greatest scholar till now. Nobody can compete with Jiva Gosvami's scholarship in Sanskrit and philosophy. That is the verdict of all learned scholars. The world's best philosopher and Sanskrit scholar was Srila Jiva Gosvami. He happened to be the nephew of Rupa Gosvami. When Jiva Gosvami's father and uncles left home, he was only ten years old boy. He thought, "If my father and uncles have left, why shall I not leave home?'' So at the age of ten years he left home and went to Benares, the seat of Sanskrit scholars. He learned there Sanskrit very nicely, became a very great scholar, and then joined their uncles in Vrndavana. Of course, at that time Caitanya Mahaprabhu had passed. So Jiva Gosvami, he is also very learned scholar. His books are still adored by all spiritual sections. Sandarbas, six sandarbas, philosophical theses. And then vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, he was also learned scholar. So all rich men, rich politicians, scholars, great brahmanas, they joined Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is so nice movement. It attracted thousands of people, just (as) it is attracting you, American boys and girls.

So in those days, a scholarly section, learned section, rich section were attracted by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. And what was their business? This business, as you are doing: krsna kirtana-gana-nartana-parau. Their engagement was krsna ut kirtanam. Krsna kirtanam, singing about Krsna, just like you are doing -- Hare Krsna. Krsnot-kirtana, very loudly chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, krsnot-kirtana-gana, and sometimes prayers, songs. Nartana. Naratana means dancing. These were their engagement: krsnot-kirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi. And as soon as they chanted, immediately they were immersed in the ocean of bliss, prema, ecstasy of love of God, Krsna. Krsnot-kirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi dhiradhira-jana-priyau. They were very much affectionate, or dear, to all classes of people. There are two classes of men: dhira, adhira. Dhira means sober, and adhira means just the opposite, debauchers. So they were dear to both classes of men. This is Krsna-kirtana, is so nice. It is dear to all classes of men. Dhiradhira-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau. Because they are not envious. This Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for a particular class of men. It is meant for everyone. So... And what was their other qualification? Sri-caitanya-krpa-bharau... Dhiradhira-jana-priya-priyakarau nirmatsarau pujitau, sri-caitanya-krpa-bharau... They're very dear servitors of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for delivering the fallen souls of this world. And we have to offer our respectful obeisances to the six Gosvamis, vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau.

Then their next qualification, next engagement was nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau. Sastra, all kinds of Vedic literature. Sastra means which governs. The Vedic literature governs. There is a verbal root which is called sast. Sast means to rule. The ruling, there are three kinds of ruling. One ruling is sastra, law codes. Just like every civilized country is ruled by the laws of the state, and the statute book which contains all the rules, that is called law books. That is also sastra. That is sastra. And then another sasdhatu is sastra. Sastra means weapons, that like guns, swords. Sastra and sastra. So there are two sections of people: those who are civilized, they are ruled by the sastra, by the law codes, and those who are law-breakers, they are ruled by the sastra, weapons. Both things are required, sastra and sastra. And sasam, sasam means government. The government has two department -- criminal and civil. Civil department is controlled by the sastra, law codes, and the criminal department is governed by the sastra, weapons. So this is the rule from time immemorial. Both things are required. Sometimes violence required, police force required for the unruly persons. They'll not care for the sastra, don't care for sastra, but you care for the sastra. So two things are there.

Similarly, Krsna says that "I am this and that.'' He says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8]. Those who are sober, those who want to understand Krsna, they can understand Krsna in very step of life. Just like raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "I am the taste of the water.'' Water you have to drink. Just like I drank just a minute before and quenched my thirst. But that quenching active principle is Krsna. So we can realize Krsna every time we'll drink water. This is Krsna consciousness. Sas..., prabhasmi sasi suryayoh. Krsna is the sunshine, Krsna is the moonshine. Krsna is the fragrance of the flower. As soon as you take a flower and smell it, the fragrance is Krsna. In this way, every step we can understand Krsna. Even in sex life we can understand Krsna. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: dharmaviruddho kamo 'smi, sex life which is not against the religious codes. What is that? Sex life for begetting children is allowed. That is not against the religious code, and that is Krsna. Krsna says, dharmaviruddho kamo 'smi. Kama, lust. Sex life is the business of lust. Krsna says "Yes, lust is also good provided it is not against the religious codes.'' So nothing is bad; everything is good, if it is for developing our Krsna consciousness. Nothing is bad, because everything is creation of Krsna. How it can be bad? It cannot be bad; it is good, provided we follow the rules and regulations. Everything is good. Therefore we are consult various sastras. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau, vicara. Vicara means to study them with careful attention. Vicara. Nana-sas... So these Gosvamis were studying many kinds of Vedic literatures. There are hundreds and thousands of Vedic literature -- primarily four Vedas, Sama, Yajur, Atharva, Rg, Atharva. Then from the Vedas, there are supplementary Vedas, which are called Puranas, eighteen Puranas. Srimad-Bhagavatam is one of the Puranas, Maha-Purana. Then there is, there are Mahabharata, "The Great History of India.'' Bharata means India, and Maha means greater, greater India. The greater India was the whole planet. The whole planet was Bharata-varsa. Now it is crippled. It has become a small tract of land. But originally everywhere, this portion of the world, America, it was also Bharata-varsa. Sapta-dvipa, seven islands. Seven islands. Actually the whole planet is full of water -- Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean. Full of water. And these are islands only -- Asia, Europe, America. There are seven islands, sapta-dvipa. The planet is sapta-dvipa, seven full, comprising of seven islands. That is Bharata-varsa.

So nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau. So we have to study the Vedic literature very carefully, following the footsteps of Gosvamis. Not only chanting. This is also required, krsnot-kirtana-gana. But this is meant, if you simply go on chanting without reading books, that is also good. Especially in this age, because nobody has got power to study books. Education is very less, so still, one who is able, they should consider all this. We have given in English translation. So many important books, you study, and chant this Hare Krsna mantra like this, and that is the following the footsteps of Gosvamis. Acaryopasana. We have to worship the acaryas. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, for making advancement in spiritual life, acaryopasana. So this is acaryopasana, by reading their books, nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Why studying so many books? For the sake of establishing real religious life. Sad-dharma. There are two kinds of dharmas, religious, religions: pravrtti-marga, nivrtti-marga. Pravrtti-marga means materialism, and nivrtti-marga means spiritualism. Pravrtti means because we had intention to enjoy this material world, therefore we have given this material body by the energy of Krsna, prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27], by the..., for associating with this material world. We are spirit soul. We have been given this chance to associate with the material world, this material, which is called... So there is still the rules and regulation. You associate, you enjoy this material world under this instruction, then you'll not be fallen. You'll not be implicated. That's sastra. Sastra gives you codes. Just like when I immigrated in this land, they gave me one paper, welcome, and some immigration rules. That is sastra. Similarly, the Vedas means the rules and regulation which following they'll very happily live in this material world. Material world is not required by me or you. We are spirit soul. We have no business in the material world. Just like we are living entities of the land. We have no business with the water. But if anyone wants to cross over the sea, he must have a well-built ship to cross over. Similarly, we spirit souls we have no business in this material world, but because we wanted to enjoy it, leaving the association of Krsna, we have been given this ship, this body, to ply over this material ocean. So if you know how to ply the ship over the ocean there is no, I mean to say, fear of being drowned. If you have got a good captain of the ship and the ship is well built, then you'll have no danger. So the captain, he is the spiritual master, and this body is a very good ship. This is, these are the examples given. We have to cross over this material ocean. So we must have a captain and good ship, and favorable air. If the air is favorable, suppose you're going to the western side, and if the wind is blowing toward western side, it will automatically push your boat or ship. It will be favorable. If you go against the wind, it is difficult. So you have got a very good ship -- this human form of body -- and the captain is the spiritual master, and the favorable wind blowing, the instruction of the sastras. So taking this opportunity, if you cross over this material ocean, then there is no difficulty. So we should take opportunity of this body, of the instruction of Krsna, Bhagavad-gita, and the spiritual master, then very easily we cross over.

Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau lokanam hita-karinau. The Gosvamis were very much fond of doing welfare activities for the general people, just like this movement. This movement is the greatest welfare activities in this world. Lokanam hita-karinau. It is beneficial for all kinds of human being. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau lokanam hita-karinau tri-bhuvane manyau. So if we execute this Krsna consciousness movement, following the footsteps of the Gosvamis, then tri-bhuvane manyau, you will be honored in the three worlds, wherever you go. Just like I am Indian, but you are honoring me. Why? Have I bribed you with my Indian money, currency? I came with forty rupees only, had no money. Why? Because you are having some message of Krsna consciousness. That is the state of being honored. Similarly, just like this time when I went to India, all my American students-forty students are still there -- they're being honored very nicely everywhere. In every city -- Calcutta, Bombay, Benares, Amritsar. Why? Many American tourists go there. They are not honored. But why these boys are honored? Only for this krsnot-kirtana-gana-nartana. They are chanting Hare Krsna mantra. So not only... This is the process. Any country you go, if you are strictly adhering to the rules and regulation and chanting sixteen rounds, that is your spiritual strength, and following the prohibitive rules, then you will be honored everywhere. Any part of the world you go, you'll be honored. It is not very difficult to chant sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles, but if you follow strictly, rigidly, you'll get spiritual strength and you'll be honored all over the world. Just take this secret. They'll not ask you to know how far you are educated, or that you have passed your M.A. examination or Ph.D. No. They will be charmed by this krsnot-kirtana-gana-nartana.

So the Gosvamis showed us the way. Then next, sri-gauranga-gunanuvarnana-vidhau. They were very expert in describing the transcendental qualities of Lord Sri Caitanya, Gaurasundara, sri-gauranga-gunanuvarnana-vidhau. So in this way they passed their life in Krsna consciousness, and if we'll follow the footsteps of such mahajana, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Our business is, we haven't got to make research work. Everything is there, given by the Gosvamis and acarya. We have simply to follow. That's all. Who, what is Krsna, what is God, you haven't got to make research. Krsna is personally saying about Himself, Bhagavad-gita, "I am like this.'' Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8], mattah sarvam pravartate. So these are thing there. You have simply to accept it, to know it and follow it. Then your life is successful. We are not so foolish that we are going to make research work. Why? When there are so many things present already, what is the use of research work? First of all assimilate what is already there. And what is research you can make? Your senses are faulty, imperfect. What research you can work? So that is not possible. That is humbug. You simply try to understand, without any malinterpretation, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and you understand what is Krsna, what is God. And you follow the acaryas, then your life is successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971

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