"Avoid Atheistic Mahatmas"

15 Jan 77, Ahmedabad

Prabhupada: So people do not understand that there is life after death. But Bhagavan says, "Yes, there is life after death." Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. So dehantara-prapti, two kinds of dehantara-prapti, either towards the hell or towards heaven, towards liberation and towards bondage. So liberation means mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. We want liberation. Then mahat-seva, we have to take shelter of mahatma. And if you want to go to the darkest region of material existence, then yositam sangi-sangam, sense enjoyment... Yosit means woman. So the last resort of sense enjoyment is sex life. So if we indulge in sex life, then yositam sangi-sangam. Not only directly we indulge in sex life, but even indirectly we associate with persons who are only interested in sex life... The whole world is interested in sex life. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat. This material world is existing on this mithuni-bhava. So tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Therefore you'll find in the Vedic way of life, sex indulgence is restricted. If we indulge in sex life than it is absolutely required, then we are gliding towards hellish condition of life. And if we follow the path of mahatmas, mahat-seva, that is dvaram ahur vimukteh. We are making progress towards liberation.

So this is a chance. This Kumbhamela is a chance to get opportunity of mahat-seva. Mahat-seva dvaram ahur vimukteh. Many... Of course, it is Kali-yuga. There are so many so-called mahatmas in dress for earning livelihood. That kind of mahatma is not required. Mahatma is also described in the Bhagavad-gita: sa mahatma su-durlabhah. Actually we have to associate with such mahatma who is su-durlabhah, not very easily obtainable. And who is that su-durlabhah mahatma? That is also described.

bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma su-durlabhah
[Bg. 7.19]

So you'll get so many mahatmas who are declaring atheism: "There is no God. I am God. You are God. Where you are searching out God? The God is loitering in the street, the daridra-narayana." If you associate with such mahatma, so-called... They are not mahatmas. They are duratmas. So be careful that you may not mistake who is mahatma. Mahatma, very simple thing: mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatma has nothing to do with this material world. They are under the care of daivi-prakrti, spiritual world. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivi prakrti... [Bg. 9.13], bhajanty ananya-manaso. The symptom is that he's fully engaged in serving Krsna. Mam. Krsna is original, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to catch up the lotus feet of Krsna. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. It is not very easy, but it can be done if we have got intelligence. Intelligence is... That Krsna says. (aside:) Who is that making sound? Krsna says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. If you take to Krsna consciousness, immediately... Of course, we must take sincerely, not a show. Everything is seriously. Then immediately we become on the path of mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2].

So... And this line of devotional service is seva, service. Ultimately we are all servants, but in the absence of being mahatma, we are serving maya. Service is there. We cannot become master. That is not possible. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. So there are two things: Krsna and maya, light and shadow. If you don't serve Krsna, then you have to serve maya. And those who are serving maya in the name of Krsna, they are called Mayavadi. Actually, they are serving maya, but they say that they have become liberated. Vimukta-maninah. They are described as vimukta-maninah. Maninah means one who is not actually the thing, but falsely one is thinking that "I am liberated. I have become equal with Narayana." They are called vimukta-maninah. Actually that is not the fact. So we shall be very careful to avoid this kind of mahatmas who are thinking themselves as Narayana, equal to Narayana, or sometimes they claim greater than Narayana. So we shall be very careful. This Mela, there are so many so-called mahatmas. But the symptom of mahatma is described in the Bhagavad-gita: bhajanty ananya-manaso. That is the qualification. And to become devotee of Krsna, it is not at all difficulty. There is no difficulty. Anyone can become. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. Even lowborn, they can also take shelter of Krsna, and what to speak of... Kim punar brahmanah punya bhakta rajarsayas tatha [Bg. 9.33]. If actually qualified brahmanas, they take shelter, what to speak of... Their progress is very quick. Punya. Without punya background, sukrti, nobody can take birth in the family or society of brahmanas.

So brahmana... First of all, we have to become pure brahmana.

satya samo dama titiksa arjava
jnanam-vijnanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam
[Bg. 18.42]

These are the brahminical qualification. Unfortunately, nobody is interested to become a brahmana, and what to speak of becoming a Vaisnava. Vaisnava is above the brahmanas. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. Brahmana's business is sat-karma: pathan pathan yajan yajan dana pratigraha. So even a brahmana is very expert in this brahmana's business, pathan pathan... He has studied Vedas very thoroughly, and he has many students whom he has taught the Vedic knowledge. This is pathan pathan. Yajan yajan: he is expert in worshiping the Deity, and he teaches other disciples also. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marj anadau **. So there are brahmanas who are not Vaisnava, worshiper of demigods other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such brahmana is not required. Such brahmanas are condemned. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. Anya-devatah. The Visnu is the original devata, and then next devata, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and then others. So they are all anya-devatah. Om tad visnoh paramam padam. So one has to worship Visnu. That is Vaisnava. Visnur asya devata iti vaisnavah. Vaisnava means that he's not worshiper of any other demigods. There is no question of disrespect for any other demigods. But saranam saranyam. But to take shelter of and to worship is recommended to the Supreme Lord-mam ekam -- not everyone. We can show our respectful obeisances even to the ant, but worshipable Deity, or God, is Krsna or Visnu, Visnu-tattva.

There are many forms of Visnu-tattva. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. He's expanded in many forms: Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha... There are so many incarnation of Visnu-tattva. They're all one. Advaitam acyutam anadi ananta-rupam. So Visnu-tattva, worshipable, or Krsna-tattva, worshipable. And to pin our staunch faith in Visnu, we should discuss about Visnu-tattva and not Visnu-tattva (?). That is called siddhanta. Siddhanta boliya citte na kara alasa: "Don't be lazy to discuss about siddhanta." Iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa: "The more you discuss the thesis -- not thesis; the factual presentation of Visnu-tattva, maya, and jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva -- then it will be clear what is Krsna." Krsna is the origin of everything. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. We should try to understand this fact, that Krsna is the origin of everything, and if we take to Krsna consciousness... Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. If you become Krsna conscious, then your all other duties automatically... The same example, as we have given: If you pour water on the root of the tree, then all other duties are automatically done. There is no question of separate attempt-philanthropy, philosophy and nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." We have discovered so many things and diversion of the real duty. That we shall have to concentrate. That is siddhanta.

siddhanta boliya citte na kara alasa
iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

We become more and more faithful to Krsna by understanding the siddhanta.

So mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva... [Cc. Madhya 6.169]. For kanistha-adhikari, to avoid this Mayavadi philosophy that "Everyone is God. I am God. You are God..." This is atheism. It is cheating atheism. One class of atheism is Sunyavadi: "There is no God." That we can understand, that he is atheist. "There is no God." He publicly declares, "We don't believe in God." But the Mayavadis are dangerous because they say that there is God, but without any form -- no head, no leg. If you make "no, no, no," then where is...? It becomes zero ultimately. Go on making "no, no" -- "No head, no tail, no hand, no..." So what remains? So this is another trick for saying there is no God. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that this class, who gives the negative definition of God -- "Not this, not this, not this, not this" -- the Mayavadi, Maya... They say, "Not this. This is maya." So this Mayavadi, they are greater atheist.

veda na maniya bauddha haya ta nastika
vedasraya nastikya-vada bauddhake adhika

So it is very dangerous to associate with Mayavadis. Of course, those who are kanistha... Who are fixed up in Krsna consciousness, they can mix with anyone. Nobody can influence. They are protected. If one has become pure devotee, for preaching work he can go anywhere. [break] (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977