"Goloka Vrndavana Is Everywhere"

25 Sept 73 , Bombay


Prabhupada: Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the father of sankirtana movement within two hundred years. He was acarya and a householder, grhastha. He was very responsible officer, magistrate, householder. But he was a great devotee. Not only devotee-acarya in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu disciplic succession, acarya. So he sung, ye dine grhete bhajana dekhi, grhete goloka bhaya: "The day whenever we find there is bhajana," means worshiping the Supreme Lord, "at that time immediately the house becomes Vaikuntha." Actually, that is so. Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana is not material things. Just like Krsna is not material. Krsna... As Krsna can stay in His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, and still He can stay everywhere... Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. That is Krsna.

In the Brahma-samhita it is stated,

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam...
[Bs. 5.35]

Krsna, Govinda, is everywhere by His one plenary portion, which is known as Paramatma. Eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-koti. That Paramatma is situated in every universe, andantarastham. Garbhodakasayi Visnu. As Garbhodakasayi Visnu He is presented in every universe, and as Ksirodakasayi Visnu He is within everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Not only within the heart of everyone, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham, He is within the atom. That is Krsna. Similarly, Krsna's place, Goloka Vrndavana, that is also spread everywhere. How that Goloka Vrndavana becomes spread? As soon as there is devotee. Yes. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Krsna says, naham tisthami vaikunthe na ca yoginam hrdayesu: "I do not stay in Vaikuntha-loka or within the heart of the yogis." Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah: "I stay there where My devotees are chanting about Me, about My glories." This is the process. Immediately... Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. That is Krsna's power, omnipotency, omnipotency. We pray God, "Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent." So that is fact. God can be present anywhere simultaneously, omnipresent. Similarly, there is no difference between God and His place. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam. As Krsna is worshipable, aradhya, similarly His place is also aradhya, worshipable. So as He is all-pervading, similarly, His place is also all-pervading. So how things can be changed into Vaikuntha? That is by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. So the bhaktas, they are also so powerful that by chanting the holy name of God, they make the supreme all-powerful Lord descend in that place. Therefore the statement of Bhaktivinoda Thakura that ye dine grhete bhajana dekhi, se dine grhete goloka bhaya... So we can change our home also into Vaikuntha. We can change our home. It is not difficult. Because as Krsna can be all-pervading, Vaikuntha is all-pervading. But we have to simply realize it by the authorized process. Everyone, we can change our home into Vaikuntha.

So there is another statement of Bhaktivinoda Thakura that krsnera samsara kara chadi anacara. To turn your home into Vaikuntha is not very difficult job. Simply you have to adopt the method. Krsnera samsara kara chadi anacara. Anacara means sinful activities. You cannot associate with God if you become sinful. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam: "One who is completely free from sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28], "He can worship Me." So therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is that we do not recommend that "You give up your occupation, you become a sannyasi, give up your wife and children." No. That is not our movement. Amongst ourself here there are sannyasis, brahmacaris, grhastha, vanaprastha. Everyone is there. Everyone can worship Krsna. There is no such thing that "This class of men, only the brahmana or the sannyasis or brahmacari or Hindus..." No. Krsna is open for everyone. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. Even lower born, born in the lower grade family, he is also open. Simply one has to adopt the means. That is recommended by... There are many songs. Locana dasa, Narottama dasa Thakura, he also says,

visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha'be mana
kabe hama herabo sri vrndavana

Visaya means sense enjoyment. Sense enjoyment. So one has to give up this practice of sense enjoyment. Then he becomes purified. There is no prohibition for eating, but there is prohibition of eating things which are rejected, amedhya. Eating is not stopped, but you cannot eat anything which is not accepted by Krsna. That is called anacara. If you eat something which is not accepted by Krsna... Because our life, Krsna consciousness life, means to be always eternal servant of Krsna. As the servant eats the remnants of foodstuff left by the master, similarly, we are servants of Krsna. We also eat, but we eat remnants of foodstuff which is left by Krsna. That is called prasadam, maha-prasadam.

So we have to, I mean to say, mend our life in such a way that krsnera samsara kara, chadi anacara. We have to give up anacara, forbidden things, sinful things. Striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah. There are four kinds of sinful activities. Basic principle of sinful life is avaidha, illicit sex life. Avaidha stri-sanga. Striyah suna, unnecessary animal killing. Pana, drinking intoxicant; and gambling. We have to give up these four principles. Then our life becomes pure. If we give up these four principles and chant Hare Krsna mantra, then we become perfect. How it is? You can see the examples. These European, Americans, they were accustomed to all these practices. That is their daily affair. But they have given up this. Now you see, how they are saintly. So the thing is not very difficult, but one has to accept the principles. Then one lifes becomes perfect. They do not know what is perfection of life. People are thinking that material advancement is perfection of life. No. That is not perfection of life. Because even if you make nice material arrangement, you cannot enjoy it. At any time you shall be kicked out. Where is your perfection? Suppose you have very nice apartment, very nice good bank balance, very nice wife, children. Everything is all right. But is there any guarantee that you can enjoy them? Is there any guarantee? At any moment you shall be out. This is not perfection. First of all make guarantee that "Whatever I am preparing for, very happy life in this material world, they will be permanent. I will not be kicked out." Then it is perfection. But there is no such guarantee.

Therefore this is not perfection of life. Perfection of life is that when there is guarantee of no more birth, no more death, no more old age and no more disease. That is perfection. That can be achieved by Krsna consciousness, not by material way. Harim vina na mrtim taranti. If you want to be eternal, blissful, eternally blissful and full of knowledge, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], then we have to take to Krsna consciousness. There is no other way. There is only way. Mam upetya kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. If you are serious about perfection of life, then one has to take to this Krsna consciousness. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], mam evaisyasi asamsayam: "Without any doubt, you shall come to Me." And what is the principle? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakti mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Four things: "Simply always think of Me," man-mana; "you become just My devotee," mad-bhakta; "just worship Me..." So is it very difficult task to think of Krsna and to worship Him, to become His devotee and to offer obeisances to Krsna? Just like we are doing this, in this evening. This is the process. We are thinking of Krsna by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. We are offering obeisances to the Deity and at least trying to become bhaktas. Man-mana bhava mad..., mad-yaji, and worshiping. What is the worshiping? Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. It is not difficult. Little flower, little fruit, little water, anyone can collect. But the thing is a dog obstinacy: "I shall not do it." That is the thing. Otherwise it is very easy thing, Krsna consciousness. And if we adopt it, our life becomes successful. That is the perfection of life. That we are teaching. But there is a dog's obstinacy that they will not adopt: "No." This is our defect. Otherwise the process is very simple; everyone can adopt it in every country, every man. There is no distinction that "This class of men can adopt and that class of men can..." No. Just like the Hare Krsna mantra, it is now being chanted all over the world, and they are becoming Vaisnava. These European, American boys... Then where is the difficulty? But the difficulty is our obstinacy. If one is obstinate, he is determined, then it is very difficult. Therefore Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Only these classes of men, duskrtina, always engaged in sinful activities, mudha, rascal... Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. And lowest of the mankind. Because human life is meant for worshiping Krsna. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari viphale, janama gonainu: "My life is spoiled." Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visa khainu. So we are trying to stop drinking poison knowingly. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale, taribare na koinu upaya, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene taya. These are the Narottama dasa Thakura's... Big... They were stalwart acaryas.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is for everyone's benefit. It is the topmost humanitarian movement to make everyone happy, to make everyone immortal, to make everyone peaceful(?), to make everyone... [break] ...without being wise, nobody can surrender to Krsna. Mudhas, rascals, they cannot. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. These are the qualification, who does not surrender to Krsna. Duskrtina, naradhama. "Oh, how he is naradhama? He is M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C., T.H.C. How he is naradhama?" Mayayapahrta-jnana: his knowledge has no value because he does not know Krsna. These M.A., Ph.D.'s will not help me. Sankaracarya said, na hi na hi raksati du-krn-karane. "By your grammatical jugglery of words nonsense, you cannot be saved." Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam bhaja govindam mudha-mate: "You rascal, just engage yourself in the loving service of Govinda." This is Sankaracarya's advice, although he was impersonalist. Krsna says that "Who does not worship Me?" Naradhama, mayayapahrta-jnana, they have no knowledge. Because if he remains in the real point a rascal, then what is the value of his knowledge? There is no knowledge. Therefore bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births of struggling for existence like this, if one becomes actually wise, jnanavan mam prapadyate, he surrenders to Krsna. This is intelligence. This is intelligence. "Krsna, from this day, I surrender. So long I was forgotten. I did not know that my only business is to surrender to You." So any moment you surrender, immediately you are protected.

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[Bg. 18.66]

"Don't bother. Everything is there." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31].

So this is our Krsna consciousness movement. We are trying to make fools and rascals and sinful men to become wise. If you take advantage of it, you will be glorified and we shall be glorified. This is our process. And actually it is happening. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is papi tapi yata chila, hariname uddharila, tara saksi... You want evidence? Jagai and Madhai. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered two Jagai and Madhai. Now you can see how much Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is strong. Many thousands of Jagai-Madhai's are being delivered. So His movement is greater than Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, personally He delivered two Jagai-Madhai. Now, by His movement, thousands Jagai-Madhai's are being... This is the practical. And it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Anyone can take. But if we take knowingly poison, janiya suniya visa khainu, who can protect you? So it is our appeal to everyone that take to Krsna consciousness movement, chant Hare Krsna mantra. Even if you cannot give up your bad habits, sinful activities, still, you take the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra and your life will be glorified.

Thank you very much. [break] (answering question:) It is just like without eating, if you question that how one is satisfied by eating food. A hungry man, if you give him food, he will say, "Yes, I am satisfied." There is no question of "How?" If you eat... If you are hungry, if you eat, you will feel satisfaction. It is automatic. Similarly, if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you will understand. Not from outside. How? You can see how these boys and girls, they are feeling satisfaction. Similarly, if you chant also, you will feel satisfaction. There is no question of "How?" It is so, exactly (as) when you are hungry, if you eat, you will feel satisfaction. It is practical. It is stated therefore,

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram paramam idam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam
[Bg. 9.2]

Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam. It is not theoretical. If you practice, you will see, pratyaksavagamam. And it is very easy to perform. So if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you will understand. Exactly like that: if you eat, then you will feel satisfaction. Simply theoretically discussing how it become, we can say to you... It will not be understood. You chant, you will understand. Practical. Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam. This is the process. Any other question?

Indian man (1): To make it more clear to me what I feel, that it is something like not realizing that Lord Krsna is the real reason, to chant the name, it will be something like we have instances in the old sastras and books and histories, that...

Prabhupada: What do you mean by old?

Indian man (1): I mean the history, those stories...

Prabhupada: That story, that stories... You do not know the science. Why you are talking like nonsense? What do you mean by old? It is eternal. There is no question. Avyayam. Nityah sasvatah. You do not know.

Indian man (1): Therefore they used to pray to God before they used to go to commit theft, and they used to come back again to worship the God and to please Him that yes, they were not caught.

Prabhupada: So do you think we are dacoits?

Indian man (1): No, but...

Prabhupada: Then what do you think? Why do you question this? Why do you question these nonsense things?

Indian man (1): That praying to God without...

Prabhupada: Yes, he is better than you because you do not know what is God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah...
[Bg. 9.30]

Who is worshiping God, but his character is not good, he is sadhu. And those who are talking and no connection with God, he is mudha, duskrtina, naradhama. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. We have to talk through the medium of sastra. It is said, api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. He is sadhu, because he has taken, he has come to the right place, bhagavad-bhajan. Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. He will not remain such thief.

ksipram bhavati dharmatma
sasvac-chantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati
[Bg. 9.31]

If one has actually taken to Krsna consciousness, he will never be lost, even though you find for the present he is not well-behaved. That is the version of Bhagavad-gita. Even a thief, even a rogue, even a sinful man takes to Krsna consciousness and follows the rules and regulation, for the time being you may find there are some faults, but it will vanish very soon. Just like the electric fan, it is moving. You make the switch off, you will find still moving. But it will stop moving very soon, because the switch is off. Similarly, if anyone takes to Krsna consciousness seriously, if you find that still he is not well-behaved, that is not very important thing. He has taken to Krsna consciousness. That is important thing. Because this superficial external misbehavior will stop. There are many sastras' example.

tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
patet tato yadi, bhajann apakva
yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim
ko vartha apto abhajatam sva-dharmatah
[SB 1.5.17]

Krsna consciousness is so nice, even one takes by sentiment, still he is profited. And person who are very honest in executing his duty but does not take to Krsna consciousness, sastra says ko vartha apto abhajatam: "What does he gain?" He does not gain anything, because he is bound up by the resultant action of his karma. So it is a great science. One has to understand. Then... But for the present... Of course, a Krsna-bhakta never takes the profession of a dacoitry. We have no such evidence. Rather, dacoits were made very great devotees. There are instances. But Krsna says, "Even if he is dacoit, but Krsna-bhakta," sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30], "he is to be considered sadhu." So it is the certificate of Krsna. What can I do? (laughter) [break] Arati. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973


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