Are We Krsna's Competitors?

Are We Krsna's Competitors?

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.119-121
New York, November 24, 1966

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Prabhupada:

bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad
isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih
tan-mayaya ato budha abhajet tam
bhaktyaikayesam guru-devatatma

Therefore it is advised that our fearfulness, "How I shall live? What I shall eat? Where I shall live? Where I'll, I'll have my shelter...?" We are always perplexed with all these fearfulness. Why? Because we have forgotten that there is one who is giving me all protection. We are, we have become so foolish that..., that the lower animals than the human being, they have no economic problem. They are freely living. In the morning they do not care where they shall eat. But there is eating. No animal, no bird, is dying of starvation. Have you seen any animal or any bird has died out of starvation? And who is providing him? So they have no economic problem. The only this foolish, advanced, civilized man, under the name of so-called misusing the intelligence, which was given to him for realization of God, misusing for sense gratification, and therefore they are troubled. That is the whole problem. The world's problem is due to this forgetfulness. Isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. They have forgotten the protection of Krsna, God. They think that "By this adjustment, we shall be able to protect." Nonsense. It is not possible. Can you protect yourself from death? No. Then what is your protection? So this is the formula: bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. Dvitiya means that a, a secondary existence beyond God which is, in Bible, it is said, Satan and God. So this satanic mentality has made them under the control of material nature. Satanic mentality. What is that satanic mentality? That "I want to be God." Always thinking falsely, "I am God," or "Independent," "I can do anything, everything," "Whatever I survey, I am the lord of whatever I survey." These foolish things are going on.

So this is very nicely explained, and reference is given by Lord Caitanya that our whole difficulty, problems, anxiety... A similar verse is in Bhagavata, another place, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. Asad-grahat. Asat means nonpermanent, which will, we shall not exist. Due to our absorption in that sight, asat, this matter... Just like this body: it will not exist. So giving too much stress on the bodily concept of life, they are sada samudvigna-dhiya, they are always full of anxiety. This is the cause. The foolish people, they do not know. Still, they are very much proud of education. Here is the cause, that because we have given too much stress on this false conception of life, therefore we are always full of anxiety. And as soon as I understand that "I am pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna, the Supreme Lord. He is giving me all protection, and my duty is to love and serve Him," then I am free. At once I am free. The simple formula. How He'll give me...? He's not poor man. He's, He's... What you are? Your human, human being, they are very few. If you compare with other animals, other living entities, you are most insignificant number. Your number is very little, especially for the civilized. If you search out a hole in your room, you'll find millions of ants coming out. Even in your room you'll find. You'll be over-voted. So who is supplying their necessities? Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. In the Vedic language we can understand that one singular entity... God is also a living entity. He's not void. He's just like a person, like you and me. But He's so powerful. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. One single number, He is providing so many, innumerable living entities. So our business is... And the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, tesam satata-yuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: [Bg. 10.10] "I supply whatever he needs. Who is constantly engaged in Krsna consciousness, I supply it. I take the goods personally and deliver there." Why should you be anxious? Krsna will take hundred pounds of flours, hundred pounds of rice, and deliver you. Just be Krsna conscious. In ordinary home you don't find more than five pounds. You see in our stock, all hundred pounds.

So these are facts. These are not stories. But foolish people, they have no knowledge or Krsna consciousness. Be in Krsna consciousness. All your material necessities will be... But don't be extravagant. Take only whatever you need to maintain your body and soul together and execute this... Make this primary and other things secondary. Krsna will supply you. But if you want to make your sense gratification, if you want to accept more than what you need, then you'll be in trouble. That is maya. So Krsna has provided for everyone, everything. There is no need of being anxious. But that does not mean that I shall feel, "Oh, I shall do everything and anything." No.

So this is Krsna consciousness. Now, Lord Caitanya says,

sadhu-sastra-krpaya yadi krsnonmukha haya,
sei jiva nistare, maya tahare chadaya

Now how to become Krsna conscious? A person who is fully Krsna conscious, he has no problem. Now how to become Krsna conscious? Lord Caitanya says, sadhu-sastra-krpa: "One can become Krsna conscious by the mercy of saintly devotees and by the mercy of the scriptures." These two things are recommended. Not that fools, as they are thinking, "I can..., I can think myself. I don't agree with the sastra. I don't agree with the spiritual master. I don't agree with scriptures. I have got my independent opinion." He is fool number one, rascal number one. One who says like that, you'll at once take him that he's fool, rascal, anything. You have to take shelter of sadhu, guru and sastra. Sadhu means saintly persons, those who have got all those qualities. (aside:) Where is that paper? Are you using that paper which has been supplied to you? Good qualification of devotees? What are those? Can you say, any of you? Where is that paper?

Disciple: It's on the inside of the drawer there.

Prabhupada: Oh, not with you? It is in the book. "Oh, my knowledge is in the book." No. You should learn. Everyone is missing. So how you can become saintly person? So those qualities, twenty-six qualities, they are called saintly person. Devotee means to become fully qualified with all the noble qualities. Devotee does not mean a rascal, at the same time, a devotee. No. As soon as you become devotee, the test is that all those twenty-six qualities will develop. You have to test yourself, "Out of the twenty-six qualities, how much I have developed?" If I am lacking, then you must know that you are not developing. This is the test. What are the qualities? Paul, you have got the copy?

Paul: Yes.

Prabhupada: What are the qualities?

Paul: "Kind to everyone."

Prabhupada: Kind to everyone. Yes. Then, go on.

Paul: "Does not quarrel with anyone. Fixed up in the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupada: Yes.

Paul: "Equal to everyone."

Prabhupada: Yes.

Paul: "Spotless, faultless, charitable, mild, clean, simple, benevolent, peaceful, completely attached to Krsna, no material hankerings, meek, steady, self-controlled, does not eat more than required..."

Prabhupada: Does not eat more than required. Yes.

Paul: "...sane, respectful, humble, grave, compassionate, friendly, poetic, expert..."

Prabhupada: Poetic, expert and silent. One who is too much talkative, that means he's lacking in devotion. He should simply talk about Krsna, nothing more. And when he, when one is actually absorbed in Krsna thought, he cannot talk nonsense. He has no time. He does not waste time. So these are the qualities. Here, he's called sadhu. Sadhu means these are the qualifications. Of course, not that we may develop all these qualities immediately, but sadhu means this. Sadhu means, what is called, pious man. These are the qualities of pious man, sadhu. And sastra. Sastra means the scripture. By study of scripture, you can develop these qualities. That is called scripture. That is authorized scripture. Just like you study some book, and you develop some quality after reading that book, similarly, when you actually have scripture, then you develop all these qualities. And guru, spiritual master, means who teaches you all these things. So you have to make your progress -- sadhu-sastra-guru vakya. You have to corroborate whether guru, what guru is speaking, whether it is there in the scripture; what scripture is speaking, whether that is in the character of guru, or in the sadhu, saintly persons, or spiritual master. So you have to always make comparison with three things: sadhu, sastra, guru. Nobody can become a spiritual master who has no reference to the scriptures and these qualities. Nobody can be accepted as a qualified man, he has not..., if one has not developed his character through the scripture under the instruction of guru.

So sadhu-sastra-guru. A sadhu, a guru... Here Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, sadhu-sastra. That sadhu includes guru also, because a spiritual master, unless he's a sadhu, he cannot be a guru, cannot be a spiritual master. And the primary qualification of spiritual master -- that he is completely surrendered to Krsna, completely Krsna conscious person. These are the things. So Lord Caitanya said, sadhu-sastra-krpaya yadi krsnonmukha haya. Now, the sadhu's qualification is he's merciful, friendly... So the sadhus, they take the risk of becoming friendly and merciful to the fallen, conditioned souls, and they preach the message of Godhead. Therefore their mercy is required. They are merciful, by nature. By nature, they are merciful. One who is sadhu, one who is devotee, by nature, he has developed that merciful quality, friendly quality. So their business is to enlighten those who are ignorant, those who are fully absorbed in this material concept of life. Therefore they preach. And we have to take that mercy. If we don't accept... Suppose a man is fallen in the pit and he's trying to come out, and another man drops a rope, "Please catch it. I shall take you out of the pit." He does not catch it. Then how he can be taken out? So sadhu and sastra, they're always ready to give you mercy, but you have to take it. If you don't accept it, then how you can recover, recover? Therefore initiation means to accept the mercy of the sadhu and spiritual master. If you don't accept, so there is no other way. If you think... If you cry that "I am fallen in the pit. Please take me," and when somebody comes to help you, you say, "No, I'll not catch it," then you remain there. Who'll help you?

So because I am a living entity, I try for so many things, for my daily bread, and I don't try to catch the mercy of sadhu and sastra. Just see my foolishness. I, for getting a work, I flatter so many persons and put my, serving my application, but for my deliverance from the material bondage I don't care. "No, I am not going to submit to anyone. I don't require." Just see. How much foolishness there is. Just like a dog, for his bread he'll submit everyone, but for his spiritual emancipation, oh, he's not agreeing to submit. Just see the foolishness. For bread, which is already settled by the nature, he'll submit to everyone. Just like dog goes from door to door and moves its tail that "Give me a bread. Give me a bread." Yes. So this application is a doggish... In the Bhagavata it is stated that the, the brahmana, a ksatriya, if he's poverty-stricken, he may accept something mercantile, but don't be a dog. This modern civilization is teaching people to become dog. Go door to door! [ ...the saintly person, the representative of Krsna, they are always trying to distribute this mercy. So if somebody by his fortune accepts this mercy then he can become, mean, aloof from these material troubles.

So one has to accept. Sadhu-sastra-krpaya. They are always merciful. But one has to accept them and become Krsna conscious. Sadhu-sastra-krpaya yadi krsnonmukha haya. And as soon as he agrees to become Krsna conscious, then his path becomes clear. He'll get rid of these material clutches and this always full life full of anxiety and problems, he'll kick. These things, sadhu, sastra, saintly person and scripture, they have to be accepted. If you don't accept them, then there is no other way. Why there is no other way? Daivi hy esa guna-mayi [Bg. 7.14]. He's citing again from Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is the book of evidence. Lord Caitanya is citing. Because it is Vedic. Just like in the law court you have to cite section from the law book, not from your concocted mind. No foolish man can argue in the law court, because he has to refer in every step from the law book. Sadhu means that he has to give evidence from the scriptures. Not that "I think... In my opinion you can do this." He's not a sadhu; he's a fool. What is your opinion? You are a conditioned soul. Can you manufacture something? No. You cannot manufacture anything. You have to give reference from authorized scripture. So Lord Caitanya is giving evidence from Bhagavad-gita: daivi hy esa guna-mayi [Bg. 7.14]. Why you cannot yourself get out of these material clutches? The reason is this: daivi hy esa. It is, material clutches is so powerful. You cannot get out. It is not possible. Daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. "This material nature, which is My energy," Lord Krsna says, "it is very strong, very strong." In the history you'll never find that anybody has overcome the laws of material nature by his own effort. No. It is not possible. Therefore the modern scientific world who are trying to conquer over the laws of material nature by their teeny scientific arrangement, they are all fools. It is not possible. Not possible. If you try for something which is not possible, then you'll simply go on, wasting your time. That is a different thing. But if you accept the scriptures, the truth, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita-daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: [Bg. 7.14] "This material nature, which is one of My energy, it is very difficult to get out of it" -- then he'll be a sane man who: "Then why I am trying foolishly? In this way, that I can make adjustment in this material world for comfortable life? No. It is not possible." Then what is the remedy? The remedy's there. What is that? Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: [Bg. 7.14] "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he becomes out of these clutches." This is the process.

So this information... We are holding this class from Bhagavad-gita, from Caitanya-caritamrta and scripture just to... With reference to the sastra, scripture. And we are trying to follow. We are not creating anything. It is not a manufactured thing, concocted thing. It is standard, followed by great acaryas like Caitanya. So we have to accept. That is the way. We have to become Krsna conscious, and follow, as the sastra says. Sometimes, as we... The law books are there. As we take help of a lawyer, how to utilize the law book, similarly you have to utilize the scriptures by accepting a spiritual master who can guide you. He's a lawyer. These are the process. If you don't accept, then go on suffering. If you accept, then everything is there. That is the way of Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966

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