Pradyumna: (reading) "...propensity expands just as a
vibration of light expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of
Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities
perfectly by the easy method of loving Krsna. We have failed to create peace and
harmony in human society even by such great attempts as the United Nations
because we do not know the right method."
Prabhupada: Hmm. The example is just like there is air vibration, water vibration, the radio message. In one place, the vibration is made, and it goes like waves. It expands. Very quickly, within a second, it expands seven times the earth, so far we have heard. Or if you throw one stone on the lake, they'll become a circle, circle, and the circle expands, unless it goes to the limit. So our loving propensity is there, and it should expand. Ultimately it should reach the lotus feet of the Lord. Then it will be perfect. So this is being explained.
So nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. Our love for Krsna is there already, but it is being choked up by material conditions. I want to love, but some blind leader, he comes. He says that "You love your, this country, your society, humanity," and you love your society but you cut throat of another society. This is going on. Because it is imperfect. One side, they're teaching "Love your nation," and cut the throat of another nation. So this kind of love, or this kind of loving propensity will not be ever satisfied. We shall always remain unsatisfied, because this is artificial. The same example: If you want to love, then you have to pour water on the root of the tree. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, if you manufacture so many ways of love, then certainly you'll be confused and frustrated. (aside:) Why don't you sit down here? Come on. Go on.
Pradyumna: "The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Krsna, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously..."
Prabhupada: In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said,
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
sraddha-sabde-visvasa sudrdha niscaya
To be elevated to the transcendental platform of loving service of the Supreme Lord there is a process. The process is that as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. This is the process. You have to increase your attachment for Krsna. This yoga system you have to adopt, how to increase your love for Krsna. That is not very difficult. Just like this arcana, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So these are the different processes, how to increase your attachment for Krsna. The attachment of Krsna is there, but by sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya.
nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
Everyone has got love for Krsna. It is not artificial thing. Everyone has got. Otherwise how these Europeans and American boys and girls (are) taking to this principle? Why they are mad after Krsna? Because it was there. It is not... Artificially, you cannot make such thing. It is not possible. Artificially you cannot make a staunch devotee of Krsna. That is not possible. Artificially, one day, two days, three days -- then goes away. Just like it has become in our country. Our love is now for material happiness. Poverty for the last two thousand years or one, little above, one thousand years, India was foreign-subjugated. So they are now thinking that some way or other, if we can become like Americans, skyscraper buildings, our life will be successful. So they have... Artificially, now... They're killing their own culture and trying to imitate. This is artificial. But this artificial way, one cannot be happy. They'll be frustrated. Just (like) the Americans have become frustrated. They have got enough. What is the skyscraper buildings in Bombay? They have got hundred times skyscraper buildings in New York. Hundred times. And what is this skyscraper? Say, twenty stories? There are hundred and four,-five stories. When I first went to New York I saw one building, Empire, Empire State?
Devotees: State.
Prabhupada: Yes. It was hundred and two stories. Now the others, they have increased to hundred and four,-five. So... But why these American boys are frustrated. Their fathers, their grandfathers have got enough money, enough skyscraper buildings, but they are not satisfied. They don't want to work like their father and grandfather. They've left. I have got many students, my disciples, their father, very rich man, industrialist, lawyers. But they don't like.
So this kind, this kind of so-called happiness will never satisfy us. The real happiness which is within, our love, loving propensity for Krsna, that has to be revived. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one becomes a devotee of Krsna. That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for, to love Krsna is there in everyone's heart. So our Krsna consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Krsna. That is our business. And how it is possible? The sastra, sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Sravanadi-suddha-citte. Sravanadi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Krsna. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich, or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come, sit down and hear. But in the hearing process, there is so many impediments, maya. Just like people are coming here to hear, but there has been impediment: "Oh, sir, our lift if being to much used. The electric supply will cut off." Maya is always there. They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways, that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is maya. Maya is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the maya, then we come to Krsna consciousness. That fighting determination must be there. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. One must be determined. So maya may check my progress in Krsna consciousness, but I must fight maya. This determination wanted. Drdha-vratah. Bhajante mam drdha-vratah. That is wanted. "All right let me do. All right, not. That's all right. Let me do my business." No. One must be very serious. Drdha-vratah. Drdha-vratah and firmly convinced. These things are required to revive your Krsna consciousness. Otherwise it is very easy.
Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when there was discussion about sraddha and sadhana, what is the aim of life and what is the process of achieving that aim of life, this discussion was made between Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was questioning and Ramananda Raya was replying. So the first reply was given by Ramananda Raya, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "What is the goal of life?" and "What is the process to reach that goal of life?" Very nice question. So Ramananda Raya replied:
varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pumsam
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
He immediately replied that a human being must, first of all, come to the standard of varnasrama-dharma. Four varnas and four asramas: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha... Unless they come systematically, life on these principles, they're animals. They're not human beings. They're... That was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being... So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They, there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Krsna consciousness, because this is right thing.
So varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied, iha bahya age kaha ara. Iha bahya. Bahya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varnasrama-dharma in the beginning, that "You become brahmana, you become grhastha, you become sannyasi..." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahaprabhu... It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is the sanction in the sastras: sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brahmana. Now they are becoming more than brahmanas. Here, in India, the brahmanas, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brahmana. But here, these European brahmanas, American brahmanas, they're real brahmanas, because they have given up all sinful activities. The brahmana's life is first of all truthful. Truthful. Satya sama dama titiksa. Controlling the senses, controlling the mind, forbearance and simplicity, full knowledge, application of knowledge, belief in the Vedas -- these are the symptoms of brahmana. Satya sama dama titiksa arjavam astikyam jnanam vijnanam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So if we take to Krsna consciousness, these brahminical qualifications automatically come. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah [SB 5.18.12]. This is the test. A devotee shall be qualified with all the godly qualities. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said if you induce people... Because His mission is to propagate this Vedic culture all over the world. He's not confined within some limited area. Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama. As many villages and towns are there in the world, His mission is to be preached there. So, so if we, in the beginning we say, "You have to become a brahmana first of all," Who's going to become a brahmana? Our people are not becoming brahmana. They'll say, "It is all nonsense. Let us become sudra." So that is not possible. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, iha bahya age kaha ara.
Then Ramananda Raya suggested karma-misra-bhakti, then jnana-misra-bhakti-bhakti with jnana, mixed with jnana, process of jnana, speculative philosophy; and bhakti mixed with karma, karma-kandiya. Karma-kandiya vicara. But real bhakti is jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. It must be untouched by the process of jnana and karma. It should be spontaneous. Spontaneous. That is bhakti. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsna [Brs. 1.1.11]. Spontaneous means when we shall rise to the platform that "Here is a service for Krsna. Let me do it." Immediately. "Let me do it." Just like Yudhisthira was advised by Krsna that "You just go to Dronacarya and speak him lie that his son is dead." Yudhisthira hesitated: "Oh, how can I speak lie? I never done it in my life." This is karma-kandiya vicara. This is karma-kandiya vicara. He is, he is looking after his own benefit. Karma-kanda vicara means I do something and I profit and I enjoy it. I do some sacrifices, I become elevated to the heavenly planet, and I enjoy life. This is karma-kanda. And jnana-kanda means that this world is false: brahma satyam jagan mithya; therefore let me merge into the Brahman effulgence. Nirbheda brahmanusandhana. This is jnana-kanda. Nirbheda brahmanusandhana. But bhakti means jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. One must be free from this karma-kandiya vicara and jnana-kanda vicara. Must be pure devotee. What is that? Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam. Simply to carry out.
So it was the duty of Yudhisthira to immediately, what Krsna said, immediately to execute it. But because he was on the karma-kandiya... Of course, they were all devotees, but just to show us... The karma-kandiya vicara, they hesitated. Just like the brahmanas who were, yajnic brahmana, who was performing sacrifices and Krsna, Krsna's friends became hungry. So they asked Krsna, "Krsna we are hungry. Give me... Please arrange for some food." Krsna said, "Yes, you go immediately there. The brahmanas are performing yajnas, and ask them for some food." They went, but the brahmanas refused. "Oh, the yajna is not yet performed. How we can give you? No, no. Don't talk." So they came back. Then Krsna said, "Go to their wives, the yajnic brahmana patni. Go to their wives." And as soon as they went to the wives, they heard Krsna's name, they were very much beloved to Krsna. Immediately, whatever was there for the yajna, immediately they brought to Krsna. This is bhakti. And the yajnic brahmanas were in the karma-kandiya platform, but they were devotees. But when actually it was performed... What is that verse? Dik janma...?
Indian man: Dik janma tri veda vidvan. Dik janma aha. Tri vid vidvan means Vedas...
Prabhupada: (interjecting) Yes, yes, yes.
Indian man: What all these Vedas...? Because useless. Dig janma... got worldly..., family, is also useless. Tri vid vidvan..., bahut jnanam...
Prabhupada: Bahut jnanam.
Indian man: ...dik kulam
Prabhupada: Brahmana, born in brahmana family. Yes.
Indian man: ...dik kriya.
Prabhupada: So this is bhakti. And bhakti means spontaneously responding to Krsna. That is bhakti. There is no... Therefore it is transcendental platform. It is not on this material... Material platform, karma-kanda, jnana-kanda. But bhakti is above.
mam ca avyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]
Transcendental platform.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that this karma-kandiya vicara, that is also nice, those who are in the too much bodily concept of life. But it is very difficult to raise the people to the karma-kandiya, jnana-kandiya vicara. In this age especially, they have become so fallen that it is not possible for them to raise them, either karma-kandiya, jnana-kandiya or yogic process. This is not possible. Therefore in the sastra it is said, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. If you follow karma-kandiya vicara, jnana-kandiya vicara or yogic process, it is very difficult. Therefore the only process is,
harer nama harer nama harer nama iva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]
And Narottama, Narottama dasa Thakura says that karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, sakali visera bandha amrta baliya yeba khaya. So suppose karma-kandiya vicara, you, you get elevated to the heavenly planet. That's all right, by karma-kandiya vicara. But what Krsna says about this elevation? Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Antavat tu phalam tesam [Bg. 7.23]. These results derived out of karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, they are temporary. Of course, we do..., we do not know what kind of temporary. But temporary means even if you live for many millions of years, that is also temporary, because you are eternal. So somebody's living for one year, somebody's living for one minute, and somebody's living for one million or more than that. Just like Brahma's life: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. That is also temporary. Our problem is to get our eternal life again. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhamam pa. [Bg. 15.6].. This is the process. One should go to such a place that he'll not have to come back again to this temporary world. So karma-kanda, jnana-kanda means you can be elevated to the heavenly planet by karma-kandiya process, or even to the Brahma planet, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, but what Krsna says? A-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16].
So that will not give us the ultimate benefit. The ultimate benefit is,
mam upetya (tu) kaunteya
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
[Bg. 8.15]
That is wanted. One has to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the perfection of life. This human life should be utilized for going back to home, back to... But they have no idea. They do not know what is God, where is back to home, back to Godhead -- nothing, no education, although the knowledge is there in the Bhagavad-gita and other sastras. Everything is there, but we have become so fools that we take Bhagavad-gita and comment in a different way so that people may not understand. He does not understand himself, and how he'll explain? Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Because without becoming a devotee, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gita. That's a fact. So they, one may be very good scholar, ABCD, but the ABCD knowledge is not sufficient to understand. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam hy etad uttamam [Bg. 4.3]. Simply by erudite scholarship you cannot understand. Then Krsna would have selected somebody else who is scholarly advanced. But He was selecting Arjuna, although he was a soldier. He was not a Vedantist, he was not a brahmana, but he was ordinary soldier. Maybe royal family. Grhastha. But He selected him. Why? Bhakto 'si: because he was devotee. Therefore Bhagavad-gita is to be understood by devotee from the very beginning.
So one has to become devotee of Krsna. Then we can understand the teachings of the Vedas. Vedas means vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. Any way you go, either... Bhagavad-gita is also Vedic literature. Bhagavata is also Vedic literature. So either you take directly Vedas, Isopanisad, or Upanisad, the ultimate goal is to understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. So this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to give Krsna. Krsna se tomara, krsna dite para. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung that vaisnava thakura, tomara kukura baliya janaha more. He's presenting himself, "My dear sir, Vaisnava, kindly accept me as your dog." Davita... What is that song? You have forgotten?
Syamasundara: I don't know.
Indian man: (indistinct)
Prabhupada: No. Vai...
Indian man: Krsna se tomara...
Prabhupada: Ah. Krsna se tomara, krsna dite para, tomara sakati ache. This is a fact. If you want Krsna, then you have to approach a pure devotee of Krsna. He can give you, deliver you. Vedesu durlabha adurlabha atma-bhaktau. If one is Krsna devotee, he can deliver Krsna: "Take Him. Here is Krsna." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijanihi. Vaisnava... Krsna is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktah pranasyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting, actually He was doing this victory also, war. So in this way, krsna-bhakti, nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti, if we simply invoke our krsna-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other. Therefore Rupa Gosvami says that yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. Somehow or other, just be absorbed within your mind about Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor [SB 9.4.18]. Some way or other. It doesn't matter which way. And another place Rupa Gosvami says, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. Purchase this krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih, Krsna consciousness, if it is available somewhere. Tatra laulyam eka mulyam, na janma kotibhih sukrtibhih labhyate.
So this Krsna consciousness movement is very rare thing, but, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it is being distributed all over the world freely. It is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grace. Maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. If we adopt the method of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then we can distribute what Krsna..., Krsna-prema, love of Krsna. Knowledge of Krsna may be distributed. The scholars and the panditas, they can understand, but love of Krsna is different thing. That is a different thing. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is distributing love of Krsna. Krsna-prema-pradaya te.
namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah
[Cc. Madhya 19.53]
So if we follow through the path chalked out by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then Krsna also, although He..., it is very difficult to understand Krsna... Manusyanam saharesu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. But through the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu... And to follow Caitanya Mahaprabhu means to follow the six Gosvamis, because these six Gosvamis were directly instructed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu to spread this movement. He instructed Rupa Gosvami continually for ten days in Prayaga, Dasasvamedha ghata. He instructed Sanatana Gosvami for two months in Benares. And they have given us this invaluable literature. There are so many other literatures, of which the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, we have translated into English: Nectar of Devotion. So try to follow this book. Rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti... Narottama dasa Thakura is singing,
rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti
kabe hama bujhaba sri yugala-piriti
The sahajiyas, they immediately try to understand the love affairs of Krsna and Radharani. That is sahajiyism. Here we have to take instruction from Narottama dasa Thakura. First of all we have to take the mercy of Rupa-Raghunatha, Gosvamis. Then if there is, our luck is good, then we can understand what is Radha-Krsna prema. You, it is not a thing to be understood by the common man in the bazaar, Radha-Krsna. Therefore, in spite of hearing Radha-Krsna lila for many, many years, they remain in the same position, not a single step forward, what to..., to understand Krsna? Because they do not try to understand Radha-Krsna through the channel chalked out by Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Gosvamis. We must know. Radha-Krsna is not ordinary. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini sakti. This is the manifestation of the ahladini sakti of Krsna. Krsna does not enjoy any material thing. The gopis and Radharani, they are not these ordinary girls. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-
So this is the process. We don't, therefore, advise people that immediately come to understand rasa-lila. No. We never do so. First of all, understand Krsna by the channel, by the proper method. Then gradually, when you are actually purified, they you'll understand Radha-Krsna.
rupa-raghunatha-padehaibe akuti
kabe hama bujhaba sri-yugala-piriti
They don't become sahajiya, to understand Radha and Krsna just like ordinary... They're understanding Radha and Krsna, and they're inclined to so many nonsense things. If one understands Radha-Krsna, his impulse for sex life, vita raga kama, immediately will be finished. He'll never think of... As Yamuna, Yamunacarya says, yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor. You know the verse?
Indian man: Yes.
Prabhupada: Cite it. Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor. Yamunacarya.
Indian man: Oh, ahh...
Prabhupada: No. This verse:
yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor
nava-nava-(rasa-)dhamany (udyatam) rantum asit
tad-avadhi mama bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca
So this is the test. If actually one understands Radha-Krsna lila, then they'll forget forever this sex life of the material world. This is the test. So our request is that don't try to understand Radha-Krsna. Just worship Radha-Krsna according to the arcana-vidhi. Then gradually Radha-Krsna will be pleased, Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be pleased, and svayam eva sphuraty adhah. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Brs. 1.2.234]. When They are pleased by your seva, then They will reveal. Don't try to jump over to understand Radha-Krsna. That will not help us.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => The Nectar of Devotion --
Bombay, January 5, 1973
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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