Find Your Father

6 Jul 76 , Washington

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Prabhupada:

 

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam
sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam
dadati sva-padantikam

[When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?]

This movement is sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He appeared on this earth five thousand years ago in Bengal, Navadvipa, to spread this Krsna consciousness, although this movement is not new. This Krsna consciousness movement was started by Krsna Himself. Apparently the Krsna consciousness movement was started by Krsna Himself in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra five thousand years ago, and He said that "This Krsna consciousness movement I spoke to the sun-god long, long years ago." Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. This is avyaya. Avyaya means which is never diminished or destroyed. Vyaya means which is destroyed, and Krsna says this yoga system... This is yoga system: bhakti-yoga. Yoga means to connect, to add, yoga. So at the present moment we are almost disconnected. Not exactly disconnected; forgotten our relationship with Krsna, or God. God means Krsna, and Krsna means God. So in the human society there are many different types of yoga system just to reconnect our relationship with Krsna. In the Bhagavad-gita they are explained differently, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga, bhakti-yoga. All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect or to link up with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now suppose he is in the topmost platform. So everyone is trying to go there. Mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah. Krsna says, "Everyone is trying to come to Me, but..." Just like the person who's on the top floor. So the staircase is one. Somebody has crossed ten steps; somebody has taken, crossed twenty steps; somebody has crossed hundred steps; but one has to go, to fulfill, say, one thousand steps. There are different yoga systems. Everyone is trying to go to the topmost platform, mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah. This is a fact.

So in the Kali-yuga especially, to come to the highest platform of yoga perfection step by step, it is little difficult. Actually, to practice yoga, one has to undergo so many austerities, penances, rules, regulations. That is all described in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, how yoga should be practiced. It is recommended that yogis should sit down in a secluded place, sacred place. So in India, still, those who are actually yogis, at least those who are trying to follow the yoga system... Real yoga system means dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yoginah, those who are yogis, they sit down in a secluded place, alone. The yoga practice is not possible in a fashionable city. That is not possible. It is to be executed alone. Still you'll find in India, many places-Hardwar -- there are many yogis, they are sitting alone. They have nothing to do with this material world, and dhyanavasthita, and not only for one, two, three years, but for many hundred years. Still many yogis come during Kumbhamela. Their age is three hundred years, four hundred years, five hundred years old. It is possible. It is possible. By exercising the breathing, one can prolong his life. That is called samadhi. If you can stop your breathing, then you enhance your duration of life. That is possible. Therefore you'll find the picture of the yogis, they are controlling the breathing. Because everyone has got a destined breathing period by superior arrangement. So if you don't spend your breathing, then you prolong your life. If you can remain in samadhi, don't breathe, then... Just like if you have got a bank balance, one thousand dollars. If you don't spend it, then the one thousand dollar is there. Or out of one thousand dollars, you spend one. Still you have nine hundred ninety-nine. So the yoga practice is to control the breathing period. And this breathing can be controlled if you can control your sense pleasure. Otherwise it will not be possible. Especially sex. Everyone has got experience. While sex life one enjoys, the breathing is very heavy. Very, very heavy. So he loses the balance of his breathing period. Therefore the first practice of yoga is yoga indriya samyamah, to control the senses. That is all described in the Bhagavad-gita, Sixth Chapter.

So this yoga system was possible in the Satya-yuga, I mean to say, possible for the mass of people. If one or two persons practices yoga, the practice is there, the system is there, but it is not possible for the general public. It is not possible. So in the sastra we find, krte yad dhyayato visnuh [SB 12.3.52]. Real yoga system, I've already explained, that yoga indriya samyamah, or by meditation to see the Supreme Lord always within the heart. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. In trance, you'll find yogi picture, their trance, they are in meditation, completely silent, stop breathing and seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, within the heart. This is actual yoga system. But it was possible to be executed in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. That was possible. Just like Valmiki Muni. He executed yoga system for sixty thousand years. Because he was to live for one hundred thousands of years, so it was not very difficult to engage oneself for sixty thousands of years. But that is not possible in this age. Therefore sastra says,

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
 [SB 12.3.52]

Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, when people are very, very fallen... Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. They are very unfortunate also, and manda-bhagya, and although unfortunate, they are disturbed by so many external factors. So it is very difficult to execute yoga system or yajna system, sacrifice. It is very costly affair. Or even arcana, temple worship, it is also very difficult, because people are not very much interested even, worshiping the Deity in the temple. In India there are thousands and thousands of temples, temple or mosque or church, at the same time, for offering prayers, obeisances to the Lord. People are losing interest in that arcana-marga. There are many temples I have seen, there is no caretaker. People are losing interest. Many temples. They are open; a dog is living within the temple and passing stool. I have seen it.

So people are gradually losing interest in temple worship even, what to speak of yoga or offering sacrifices. Everything is now finished. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kirtanat. This is prescribed in the sastra. That system was introduced by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because other system will not be successful in this age. May be successful in one or two cases, but not for the general mass of people. Therefore sastra recommends... There are different incarnation of God, but one incarnation is there, it is mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other places also, in Upanisad and Mahabharata. These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedanta system, Brahma-sutra, everything done by Vyasadeva. And in order to protect the sanctity of Vedanta... Because there are so many foolish persons, they are distorting the purpose of Vedanta-sutra; therefore Vyasadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master Narada, he personally wrote a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. This is Srimad-Bhagavatam. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced these two things -- sankirtana and Srimad-Bhagavatam. And Srimad-Bhagavatam means the expansion of Bhagavad-gita. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, at the last stage, Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And Srimad-Bhagavatam also begins from that point. Srimad-Bhagavatam gives introduction, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. All cheating type of religious system kicked out, projjhita. Projjhita means just like you sweep over the floor, and all the dust, you throw it away. That is called projjhita. Prakrsta-rupena ujjhita.

So this system, one system, to accept the real principles of religion. That is, Krsna also explained. It is explained by Krsna, that Krsna came, appeared. Why? What is the purpose of Krsna's appearing? Sometimes they argue, atheist class of men, that God cannot come. Why God cannot come? God is your father's servant, that He cannot come? You are ordering? If He cannot come, how He is God? God can do everything. Why you say that God cannot come? He is not under your rules and regulations. Then He is not God. God can come. God says, "Yes, I come!"

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
 [Bg. 4.7]

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
 [Bg. 4.8]

So why God cannot come? So when God says, "Yes, I come for this purpose. This is My mission..." Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati. What is that glanir? Glanir means discrepancies. Not, the principles of religious..., when it is not executed properly, that is called glanir. So what is dharma? A simple definition is given: dharmam tu saksat-bhagavat-pranitam. Dharma means the law given by God, that's all-three words: God and His words. So if we do not know who is God, if we do not know what is His order, then we are lost. If we do not know God and if we... Just like if we do not know what is the government and if we do not know what is the order of government, then what is our position? We'll commit every step some mistake, and we shall suffer. So we must know what is dharma and... A cat, dog cannot understand dharma, but a human being is supposed to understand dharma. Lawbooks are made for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. "Keep to the left" or "Keep to the right," the signboard is there in the street. Or the red light is there, blue light is there -- for whom? For the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs may disobey; there is no criminality on their part because they are cats and dogs. So there is law of God, there is God. If human being does not know what is God and what is the law of God, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. He must know. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19].

So that law is being instructed by the God Himself. That is Bhagavad-gita. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. Dharma-samsthapanarthaya. So Krsna did not come to establish some sectarian religious system. That is not God's system. God is for everyone. God is not for the Hindus, for the Muslims, for the Christians, or anyone. God is for everyone. He is for animals, trees, plants, aquatics, insects, everyone. Because He claims, Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
sambhavanti murtayah yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
 [Bg. 14.4]

Krsna is claiming. Actually, that is the fact. If you study only this verse, sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah. There are so many forms of life, beginning from grass. That is also life. The grass is coming from the earth, the trees are coming from the earth, the animals, four-legged animals, they are eating grass, they are forming semina, they are discharging the semina, and the animal species of life are coming. We are eating, either eating the animal or the vegetable, we are also begetting children. The origin is from the earth. Tasam brahma mahad yonir. Mahat-tattva. So we can see practically that these things are there, so many different varieties of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. They are all living entities. Aquatics, nine hundred thousand forms of life within the water, jalaja nava-laksani, everything accurate. Sthavara laksa-vimsati, the trees, plants, they are standing, sthavara. That is very great punishment. Those who are very, very sinful, they have to take birth as trees and plants and stand up for thousands of years. Material nature's punishment. A small ant, it can move, but a big tree cannot move. That is punishment. Just like in our childhood we were being punished by the teachers, "Stand up on the bench." So it is like that.

So in this way Krsna, or God... If you simply study this line, that so many living entities are coming out of the earth, either water or land or air or anything. They are coming out. So they are offspring and material nature is the mother, Krsna says that. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah, tasam mahad yonir-mahat-tattva [Bg. 14.4]. Yoni, mother. So where is the father? The children are there, the mother is there, the next inquiry should be, "Where is the father?" That is natural. Without father, the mother is sitting with the child, nobody can say the child has no father. If somebody says that "I do not see the father. How I can believe?" that is foolishness. You believe or not believe, you see or not see, there must be father. This is the conclusion. This is theory, that this world is going on, everything is coming out of the mother earth, then there must be father. And that father is present, aham bija-pradah pita: [Bg. 14.4] "I am the father."

So it is our misfortune that we do not recognize the father. So it may be, "How can I recognize my father?" Ask you mother. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. All Vedic literature will say, "Here is father." Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28].

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

So we'll find in every Vedic literature, Krsna is the supreme father. When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita, in the Tenth Chapter you will find, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam adyam [Bg. 10.12]. And he also confirmed that "I am accepting You like this, param brahma param dhama [Bg. 10.12]. So people may be in doubt because I am Your friend. So they may say, 'Out of friendship, regard or affection, out of sentiment, he is speaking like that, that Krsna is the supreme person, param brahma.' " But Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyasadeva, Narada, Asita, they are also affirming." Vyasadeva is authority. Veda-vyasa, he is the giver of Vedic knowledge. So he is accepting. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam he is writing, ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. He has given description of the incarnation of God, then he concludes that "All these incarnations, they are part and parcel or plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the name which I have mentioned as Krsna, that Godhead, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, He is the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead." That is Vyasadeva's... So we have to accept. And Arjuna also says, svayam caiva bravisi me, "You are also personally speaking that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7], 'There is no more superior authority than Me.' " So this is confirmed.

So this Krsna consciousness movement means to find out the supreme father. Supreme father. That is the sum and substance of this movement. If we do not know who is our father, that is not a very good position. At least, in India, it is a custom, if somebody cannot say his father's name, he is not very respectable. And it is the system in the court that you write your name, you must write your father's name. That is Indian, Vedic system, and the name, his own name, his father's name and his village name. These three combined together. I think this system may be prevalent in other countries, but India, this is the system. The first name his own name, the second name his father's name, and the third name is the village or the country where he is born. This is system. So father's..., we must know the father. That is Krsna consciousness movement. If we remain forgetful of our father, that is not a very good position. And what kind of father? Param brahma param dhama [Bg. 10.12]. The richest. Not the poor father who cannot feed his children. It is not that father. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. That father is so rich that He alone is feeding millions and millions and trillions of living entities. In Africa there are hundreds and millions of elephants. He is feeding them. And within the room there is a hole, there may be millions of ants. He is also feeding them. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). These are the Vedic information.

So human life, this is meant for understanding who is father, what is His law, who is God, what is our relationship with Him. This is Vedanta. Vedanta does not mean talk some nonsense and no relationship with the father. Srama eva hi kevalam. If you do not know who is your father...

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
 [SB 1.2.8]

This is not wanted. And Krsna says, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So you become Vedantist, that's very nice. In the beginning of Vedanta it is said that the Absolute Truth is that from whom everything comes. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is beginning. Now the human life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth, jijnasa. One should inquire what is the Absolute. That is human life, to find out the Absolute Truth. So the next sutra immediately says that Absolute Truth is that who is the source of everything. And what is that everything? Two things we find: animate and inanimate. Practical experience. Some of them are animate and some of them are inanimate. Two things. Now we can expand the varieties. That is another thing. But two things are there. So these two things, we see there is a controller above these two things, the animate and inanimate. So we have to inquire now whether the source of two things, animate and inanimate, what is the position? The position is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, janmady asya yato 'nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. The original source of everything is abhijnah. How? Anvayad itaratas carthesu. If I have created something, I know everything, all details, anvayad, directly or indirectly, I know. If I manufacture something... Suppose if I know some special cooking, then I know all the details how to do it. That is the origin. So that origin is Krsna. Krsna says, vedaham samatitani: [Bg. 7.26] "I know everything -- past, present and future." Mattah sarvam pravartate. Aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. According to creation theory... Not theory, fact. Brahma visnu mahesvara. So these are the principle devatas. So Visnu is the original. Aham adir hi devanam. The creation, first Maha-Visnu; then from Maha-Visnu there is Garbhodakasayi Visnu. From Garbhodakasayi Visnu there is Ksirodakasayi Visnu, expansion of Visnu, and from Him, Brahma comes. Brahma is born out of Garbhodakasayi Visnu on the lotus flower, then he gives birth to Rudra. This is the explanation of creation. So Krsna says aham adir hi devanam. He's also origin of Visnu because, from the sastra we say, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. The original Personality of Godhead is Krsna. And the first expansion of Krsna is Baladeva. Then from Him this Catur-vyuha, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, like that. Then Narayana. From Narayana, the second Catur-vyuha, and from the second Catur-vyuha, Sankarsana, Maha-Visnu. In this way you have to learn the sastras. You'll find that actually, as it is said in the sastra, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. And Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. And Arjuna accepts, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. So we have to accept sastra. Sastra-caksusat: you have to see through the sastra. And if you learn sastra, then you'll find krsnas tu bhagavan svayam.

So this Krsna consciousness movement means to present to the human society the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is Krsna consciousness movement. So we started this movement in 1966, registering it. Our Rupanuga Prabhu has already explained. So take this movement very seriously. The same, Krsna, started within the historical, five thousand years ago. And He started this movement with Arjuna as His disciple. Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu, five hundred years ago, He revived again the same movement. He is Krsna Himself. And that is going on. Don't think that this is a manufactured movement. No. It is the authorized movement and confirmed by the authorities. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. There are mahajanas mentioned in the sastra. So be fixed up in the Krsna consciousness movement and try to understand Krsna. We have got so many literatures, authorized literatures. And make your life success.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976

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Can't Satisfy Material Masters

Can't Satisfy Material Masters Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.100 Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: I do not know what is beneficial for me and what is detrimental. Nonetheless, in ordinary dealings people consider me a learned scholar, and I am also thinking of myself as such." Prabhupada: apanara hitahita kichui na jana! gramya-vyavahare pandita tai satya mani So in India, still, a brahmana is called pandita, panditaji. Just like you know our Prime Minister was Pandita Jawaharlal Nehru. He happened to be a Sarasvata brahmana. Sanatana Gosvami, he also a Sarasvata brahmana by caste. But he has placed himself: nica jati nica-sangi patita adhama kuvisaya-kupe padi' gonainu janama He could understand that "These people call me pandita." Pandita means one who knows everything. The ultimate pandita is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Pandita means he sees every living entity on the equal level. That is real pandita. Panditah sama-darsinah. vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah  [Bg. 5.18] He's really pandita. That is spiritually. And material pandita, that is also mentioned by Canakya Pandita, his moral instruction. He gives description of a pandita: matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah He never said that anyone who has passed his M.A. degree or Ph.D. degree, he is pandita. No. The test of pandita is here, from moral instruction, that anyone who sees all other woman except his wife as mother, he is pandita. Just see. This is the test. Matrvat para-daresu and para-dravyesu, other's property as garbage in the street, nobody touches. And atmavat sarva-bhutesu, and treat everyone as his own self. If anyone has learned these three things, then he is pandita. And spiritually, when one sees that all living entities, may be in different types of bodies, he is spirit soul, part and parcel of God, then he is pandita. brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param  [Bg. 18.54] So these are Vedic instructions, and Sanatana Gosvami, although he was a minister in Muhammadan government, Nawab Hussain Shah's, but in touch with Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he has come to his knowledge that gramya-vyavahare pandita: "Actually, I am not pandita, but in village, in ordinary common sense, because I happen to be a brahmana, they call me pandita. I also accept as pandita. But my real position is that I am such a pandita, such a learned man, that I do not know what is good for me. This is my position." He is submitting to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his guru. Why guru is necessary? Tad vijnanartham. When we are perplexed that "I do not know what is my actually goal of life, what is benefit here for me..." Just like Arjuna did. When he was talking with Krsna on equal terms, two friends... But when he saw that the actual solution is not coming, then he submitted himself to Krsna, that "Krsna, now we are not friends. We are friends, but treat me as Your disciple." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. So "Make me pandita. I am talking all foolishly. I am ksatriya, it is my duty to fight and I am denying it. I know that I am deviating from my duties. So how it has happened? What is the cause? So kindly, sisyas te, I am submitting myself before You as Your student. Sadhi mam prapannam, I am surrendering." So one has to learn the philosophy of life from the person superior, spiritual master. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Do not remain puffed-up, that "I am all-learned, I know everything." That is false. One has to submit. In order to know the solution of life, we have to submit to the proper spiritual master. That is essential. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. This is Vedic injunction. This abhigacchet, this word is used when it is meant "must." There is no escape. We have seen big, big personalities... Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu; He is Krsna Himself, but He accepted Isvara Puri as His guru. Krsna, He also accepted His guru as Sandipani Muni. Lord Ramacandra, He accepted His guru as Vasistha. So it is (not) necessary, Krsna or Rama. They are Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are the supreme instructor, full of knowledge, everything. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya. There is nothing short, but still, to show us example, They accepted guru. That is essential. So here Sanatana Gosvami, he is also born in a very well-to-do brahmana family. He was well-situated as minister in charge of the government of Hussain Shah. So everything was quite all right, and still, he thought himself as nica jati. nica jati nica-sangi patita adhama kuvisaya-kupe padi' gonainu janama If we remain puffed-up, that "I am born in such and such family. I am educated such and such, and I am posted in such and such post, so now my life is successful," that is false. Life is successful when we understand that... Here it is said, apanara hitahita kichui na jani. When we understand what is the goal of life, then life is successful. Not the temporary position, "I am getting good salary, I am very nicely posted, I have got good family," and so on, so on. No. One must know the goal of life. The goal of life is that... We are fallen in this material world somehow or other. As Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings, anadi karma-phale pori' bhavarnava-jale. Now when a man is fallen in the ocean or in the water, he's asking help, you cannot say that "How did you fall? What was the cause?" That we shall discuss later on. First of all, save him. So that is the immediately necessity. There is no... Sometimes we are questioned that "How a living entity fallen in this material world?" Yes, that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: iccha-dvesa-samutthena sarge yanti parantapa [Bg. 7.27]. Iccha-dvesa. Actually, we are servants of God. That is our real position. But we sometimes become envious, that "Why shall I become servant of God? This is slave mentality." Sometimes we are accused, the Vaisnavas are, of slave mentality because they want to serve God. And the Mayavadis, they think that "We are so exalted that I am as good as God. I am God." That is their position. But actually, nobody is God here. Everyone is servant. He's simply falsely thinking that he's God, he's master, he's this or that. You have got very nice example in the life of Mr. Nixon. He was thinking that he's everything: "I am the President." But now what is his position, you can understand. So similarly everyone..., nobody is master. The master is Krsna. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, ekale isvara krsna ara saba bhrtya [Cc. Adi 5.142]. The master is there, that is Krsna, and everyone is servant. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches that jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. We living entities, we are eternally servant of God. Krsna means God. One who attracts everyone, that is Krsna, and Krsna is God, accepted by everyone. isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam  [Bs. 5.1] Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. These are the Vedic evidences. So actually nobody can be master; everyone is servant. Either we are servant of God or we are servant of dog. That's all. Nobody can be master. If anyone has no master, then he keeps a pet dog to become his servant. That is nature, we can see. One is servant of his wife, one is servant of his pet or government service or this service. Nobody can claim that "I am the master." That is not possible. That is also temporary. So actually this is the position of all living entities. Everyone is servant. But in the material sense, he is servant of maya, servant of senses. Servant of maya means servant of senses. And spiritual life means instead of becoming servant of maya or servant of senses, we become the servant of Krsna or God. That is the position. Servant we shall remain. We have to change the position. And if we become servant of God, then we become happy, and if we remain servant of dog or maya, then we remain unhappy. This is the position. We have to change the position. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesas tesam mayi na karuna jata na trapa nopasantih. One intelligent brahmana, he's offering, "My Lord, I have become servant of so many senses, but neither the senses are satisfied, neither I am satisfied. This is the result of my service. Therefore now I have got my intelligence that I want to become Your servant." This is intelligence. So I have experienced that I became a servant of my family, servant of my society, servant of my country, and so on, so on, but nobody, neither my so-called master was satisfied, neither I was satisfied. We see practical examples, there are many examples. In our country, Mahatma Gandhi, he dedicated his life for the service of the country. Nobody can doubt about his service, but what is the result? His master killed him. He worked for his country, he took country as his master, and he worked so hard, and his countrymen killed him. We should take lesson from this that you cannot satisfy in this material world by becoming servant of your family or community, society, nation. No. It is not possible. You can satisfy very easily Krsna by little service. By little service. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So this is intelligence, how to become a servant of Krsna. That is the perfection of life. That means mukti. Mukti does not mean you'll get four hands and eight heads. No. Mukti means, as it is defined in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, muktir hitvanyatha rupam sva-rupena vyavasthitih. That is mukti. Sva-rupena, legally, constitutionally, I am servant of God, or Krsna. Now I have become servant of dog and maya. So if I give up this service and again become servant of God, that is mukti. That is mukti. Muktir hitvanyatha rupam. We are trying to become... Here maya means "which is not." Ma-ya. We are every one of us, we are thinking, "I am master." "I am the monarch of all I survey." Here is a poetry. Everyone is thinking. I made my plan, I make my survey, and I become king. But that is maya. You cannot become. You are already servant of maya. prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate  [Bg. 3.27] Everyone is under the clutches of these material laws. You cannot violate even an inch. And still the rascal, ahankara-vimudhatma, by false prestige, he's thinking that "I am the master." I was asking this morning that what is this independence meaning? Actually, where is independence? This independence, has it meaning? If you are completely under the rules and regulations of the material nature, what is the meaning of this independence? So those who are pandita, they do not take it as independence. They do not take it. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami said, apanara hitahita kichui na jani. "I do not know what is independence, I am dancing like dog, independence." Therefore he says, apanara hitahita kichui na jani: "How independence I can get, that I do not know." Real independence is, as Krsna puts in the Bhagavad-gita, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. One who is intelligent, he sees that "My real problem is janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, birth, death, old age and disease."So when we get free from these four problems, that is real independence. Otherwise, there is no independence. I may dance with independence, but any moment I shall have to leave my country, my society, my friends, my family, any moment, "Get out immediately. No, no independence." That is my position. So that is intelligence. So in order to know all these problems of life... Just like Arjuna submitted, and any one has to submit. One has to... Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. So Sanatana Gosvami is teaching us by his personal behavior how to approach the bona fide spiritual master and submit before him and putting himself pranipa, blank. Not that "I know something, and what my spiritual master can teach? I know everything. There is no need of spiritual master." No. This will spoil our life. The Vedic injunction is that you must have not a so-called guru but... That is also given definition. tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam sabde pare ca nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam  [SB 11.3.21] That is the symptoms of guru. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, because we are discussing Caitanya-caritamrta, He said that you become, all of you, become guru. He said. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. He said, bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara  [Cc. Adi 9.41] This is Indian mission. Para-upakara. Not exploit others -- to give something. That is Indian mission, that he has to give something. He has nothing to take. He has to give something. And what is that? That Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches, that amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Even if you cannot deliver the whole world or very expansive area, at least, wherever you are, you just deliver them. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa. "You become a guru by My order." So one may say that "I have no qualification. How can I become a guru or how can I deliver these fallen persons?" So Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "Don't be disappointed." amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa  [Cc. Madhya 7.128] Bas. Simply as messenger, as peon, you simply carry the messages of Bhagavad-gita, krsna-upadesa. Then you become guru. Then you become guru. It is not difficult. So it is the duty of every Indian not to forget their culture, but bring that culture, pure, wherever you are living and behave yourself to that culture and teach others. That is Indian mission. Thank you very much. [break] What is that question?   Vipina: Mr. Deyani, you have any questions you would like to ask Srila Prabhupada? Mr. Deyani: Well, I just have one thing here, you stated about Gandhi, and we respect that he was really a great leader of us, but stated one point in your lecture, this thing, that Gandhi, mostly, was a servant of the country, but in India, during that period, I didn't see other religious people or the great leaders of India fighting for the country, and they..., he's the one... Prabhupada: That is admitted. Why you are bringing that question? I mean to say that Gandhi gave the best service to you, but your country is so ungrateful that he killed him. That is my point. So the point is that the best service you can give, but you cannot satisfy everyone. That is material. Mr. Deyani: No, but my question, sir, was that at some point you have to be the servant of the God, you will have to be a servant of your family or the country or something to serve. Prabhupada: Yes, that I'm already explaining, that amara ajnaya guru hana tara: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] wherever you are, you deliver them. That is service. That is service. Wherever you are. Either you are in the family or in the community or in the country or anywhere, you simply give them service, deliver them. Without service, how you can deliver them? And you haven't got to discover anything or make research. What is already there, krsna-upadesa, you teach them, that's all. He'll be delivered. You'll be delivered, he'll be delivered. It is not at all difficult. Not that I have to manufacture some transcendental means. No. The already instruction is there, krsna-upadesa. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Then you deliver yourself, you deliver others also. That is the mission. So what we are doing? We are not discovering anything. We are simply presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. That's all. Krsna said, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. We are teaching all over the world the same thing, that "Here is Krsna. You always think of Him, you just offer your obeisances, you just become a devotee of Krsna, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji, worship." So we are teaching. So there is no discovery. It is already there. So that we are carrying simply. Yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. We don't interpret. There is no need of interpretation; then there is no authority of Bhagavad-gita. If I am a third-class man, if I interpret Bhagavad-gita, then Bhagavad-gita has no authority. Bhagavad-gita should be preached as it is. Then you become guru, you can deliver others. This is the process. (indistinct) Hare Krsna. Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, sometimes when we go preaching, people do not want to take Krsna consciousness. Sometimes they actually... Prabhupada: So if they want to take, then where is the question of preaching? Because they do not want to take, you have to preach. Otherwise, where is the necessity of preaching? You have to prepare yourself in such a way that nobody is dying for your Krsna consciousness, but you have to convince him that your life is spoiled without Krsna consciousness. That is your capacity. They are under the clutches of maya. They are thinking... [break] Women: ...convinced that they have some revelation or some experience that is assuring them of eternal life. So they are not very open to hear about Krsna, and they... Prabhupada: If they are not open to hear about Krsna, then don't waste your time. The simple thing. There are four things. For a preacher, there are four things: isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah When in the lower stage of devotional service, he cannot become preacher. When he's in a little upper, second stage, he can become preacher. So preacher has to see four things. First of all God, isvara, and tad-adhinesu, and those who are devotees. God, His devotees, and balisa, innocent. He does not know anything about... So three: God, devotee, and the innocent. And dvisat, envious, atheist class. He has to see four things, and he has to deal with four persons differently. With God, isvare prema: how to advance my love for God, these dealings. Prema-maitri, and to the devotees, we have to make friendship with them. Prema-maitri. And to the innocent, we have to preach, krpa: "Oh, here is an innocent person. He does not know; he's eager to learn." There teaching is required. Teaching, you cannot teach God or you cannot teach God's devotees. But you can teach the innocent. And those who are dvisat, atheist, upeksa, don't go there, save yourself. These are the four things. So when one is not open to hear, then don't bother yourself. That requires very strong preacher to convince the atheist class, provided he is reasonable also. If he's stubborn, obstinate, then it is also very difficult. But preaching is meant, innocent, that one who is actually sincere but he does not know what is God, what is my relationship with God, there is necessity of preaching. Not to the envious or those who are already advanced, or to God. This is the... Hmm. Baliya. (indistinct) Indian man: Prabhupada, you are giving a very simple process, which is... I can confirm by (indistinct) ...it is not (indistinct) Indians coming? Why? They are exposed to Krsna from their birth; still they are not interested. Nobody wants to listen. Prabhupada: Because they have become bara-sab. Especially in the foreign countries, they become bara-sab. So that is the misfortune of India. They are giving up their culture and being misguided. So if they actually feel that they must maintain their own culture, then it is not difficult. It is the duty of every Indian, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that, bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara  [Cc. Adi 9.41] If that mentality is developed, that "In India we were born, we have got the greatest culture, recognized by all the world. So I must make my life successful by taking this culture and distribute it to the whole world," that is real Indian culture. If... They are thinking that they are poverty-stricken. Poverty-stricken because they have given their own culture; therefore poverty-stricken. Otherwise, there is no question of poverty-stricken. So anyway this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message, that every Indian should take advantage of the great culture, Vedic culture, and make his life successful, and after acquiring mature knowledge he should distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's... Indian man: (indistinct) How can we (indistinct)? Prabhupada: By preaching. If you preach, then you'll meet with so many obstacles, and you have to prepare yourself how to meet the obstacles. Then you become strong preacher. Resistance. There is no difficulty, but if there is difficulty, atheist class of men, and it is very difficult, so take innocent, those who are actually eager to know. Everyone should be. That is the human life. Athato brahma jijnasa. That is human civilization. Everyone should be inquisitive to know about the Absolute Truth, Brahman, but education is different nowadays. People are interested with hammer, how to play on hammer, that's all, technology. There is no question of Brahman. Let Brahman go to hell, now take out the hammer. That Russian emblem? Hammer? And scythe? That's all. Yes? Indian man: Prabhupada, the basic confusion is that the Mayavadis take Bhagavad-gita, they can recite the same Sanskrit words and interpret it in their way and convince someone that the ultimate Brahman is impersonal and the (indistinct) Brahman, Krsna is only a technique. Prabhupada: That means they misinterpret and they misguide. So people should be intelligent enough that they are impersonalists but Bhagavad-gita means Krsna, the person, He is teaching. Where is the impersonalist? But nobody has any common sense even that Krsna says aham adir hi bhutanam. Aham sarvasya prabhavo [Bg. 10.8]. This aham is person, so how He can be imperson? And He's talking personally with Arjuna. So how He is imperson? Can the air talk with you? Air is imperson. Sky is imperson. Can he talk with you? What do you think? No, sometimes talks. (laughter) So we should have common sense, that where is the question of... And Krsna says in the Second Chapter that "My dear Arjuna, both you, Me and all these soldiers and kings who are assembled here, we existed in the past, we are now existing, and we shall continue to exist in the future." So three things: first person, second person and third person. I am first person, you are second person and all others third person. So they existed individually in the past, they are existing now, and they will continue to exist like that. Then where is imperson? There are three things, three different phases, past, present and future. In all the times, if they are individual, where is imperson? Rather, Krsna has condemned, avyaktam vyaktim apannam manyante mam abuddhayah [Bg. 7.24]. Those who are rascals, they think avyaktam, impersonal. Now He has become person. Avyaktam vyaktim apannam manyante mam. Mam means individual person. Abuddhayah: he has no intelligence. So how He can be imperson? So we have to take the words of Bhagavad-gita and then we understand. Why we should be misled by these so-called interpreters? Indian man: They say that if you develop pure love of Krsna, then you'll see only Krsna. Your own personality is... Prabhupada: But anyway, but Krsna, if you think of Krsna, the Krsna person, He's not imperson. Indian man: No, but they..., they say that has happened. Prabhupada: They say that if you think of Krsna. Krsna is a person. So you have to begin with person. Indian man: But they also say one can go directly to Brahman. Prabhupada: Never says, Krsna never says in the Bhagavad-gita. Indian man: This is my basic confusion. Prabhupada: Confusion... How you should be confused? Where is Krsna says? The basic (indistinct) is in person? Krsna's teaching personally. Where is the imperson? Why you should be misled unless you are also one of them. Krsna is always person. He's always speaking aham. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Person. Aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Mattah. This, aham-sabdah, is used. So they misinterpret just to mislead people; therefore whole India has become godless. This is the misfortune of India. On account of these impersonalists, Mayavadis, India is now godless. Very difficult position. So don't be misled by these rascals. Take real Bhagavad-gita as it is. Then you'll be benefited. That's all. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976 HOME

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Big Boon For A Bad Bunch

Big Boon For A Bad Bunch Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.98-99 Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Putting a straw in his mouth and bowing down, Sanatana Gosvami clasped the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and humbly spoke as follows. Sanatana Gosvami said, 'I was born in a low family, and my associates are all low-class men. I myself am fallen and am the lowest of men. Indeed, I have passed my whole life fallen in the well of sinful materialism.' " Prabhupada: tabe sanatana prabhura carane dhariya dainya vinati kare dante trna lana nica jati, nica-sangi, patita adhama kuvisaya-kupe padi' gonainu janama This is Bengali language. (aside:) Children must stop talking. Sanatana Gosvami approaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government in Bengal. So since he met Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he decided to retire from political life and join this movement. So there is a long history. When he wanted to resign, the Nawab become very angry because Nawab was depending on him for the ruling of the kingdom. He was free, but when Sanatana Gosvami proposed to retire, he became very much disturbed. A long history. So anyway, he escaped from the government service, and with great difficulty, he approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He was at Varanasi, Benares. So now, he's acarya, Sanatana Gosvami, he's acarya. Acaryam vijaniyan, mam vijaniyat. Acaryopasanam. This is the recommendation of Vedic knowledge. One should worship the acarya. So Sanatana Gosvami was made acarya. Haridasa Thakura was made acarya. Acarya means one who knows the meaning of sastra, personally behaves according to the sastra and teaches his disciple accordingly. He is called acarya. So Sanatana Gosvami is teaching us by his personal behavior how to approach guru. That he's teaching. Tabe sanatana prabhura carane dhariya. To approach guru the first business is surrender. That is everywhere in the Vedic literature. That is the process. tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham  [MU 1.2.12] In the Bhagavad-gita also, Krsna says: tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah  [Bg. 4.34] First of all guru means tattva-darsi, one who knows the Absolute Truth. He is guru. Absolute Truth is Krsna. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. All previous acaryas, modern acaryas, they accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In India there are at the present moment... Within one thousand years, all the acaryas who advented -- Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, even Sankaracarya -- all accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So here Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He's also Krsna. Sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. He has appeared as devotee. He appeared first of all as the Supreme Lord, Krsna, and He instructed Bhagavad-gita to the fallen souls and He asserted His Lordship, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But puffed-up, so-called learned scholars and men of position, they declined, "Why should I surrender to Krsna?" Therefore Krsna Himself as devotee of Krsna appeared. That is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, but He's teaching how to approach Krsna. And His disciples, they are also teaching the same philosophy. There is no difference between Krsna's philosophy and Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy. It is not that we can manufacture some philosophy. That is nonsense. Philosophy is one; religion is one. Everyone has to follow. There is no second alternative. That is the preaching about... Mam ekam, not that "Whatever you like, you can do." No, that is not. Mam ekam -- simply Krsna. There are some missionaries. They say that you can manufacture in your..., your own way of worship, and whatever you accept, that is all right. These bogus things are not accepted by the acaryas. Mam ekam, Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. If you want to understand what is Bhagavan, that is Krsna. Bhagavan... Religion means to understand Bhagavan. The other day we were consulting dictionary? Religion means the process by which we can understand the supreme controller. There is a supreme controller, as in every department, in every state, every affair, every business, every institution there is a controller. That you have got experience, practical. Without controller, nothing can be properly discharged. Controller is required. So the sastra says that controller or ruler is the same, and the Sanskrit synonym is isvara. Isvara means controller or ruler. So there are different kinds of controllers according to time, sphere. Just like in your country, the President is the controller. In other country somebody is controller. So there are many hundreds and thousands of planets within this universe, and each and every planet there is a controller. The sun planet, there is a controller. His name is Vivasvan. That we find. Similarly, the moon planet, there is a controller. Every planet, there is controller. And above all of them there is another supreme controller of the universe, the Brahma, and there are many millions of brahmandas, or universes. So there are controllers. But so far Krsna is concerned, He is described in the sastras, Brahma-samhita, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. There are controllers, but the supreme controller is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah. Isvarah means controller. Sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. His form... He has form. Bhagavan means with form. You see the form here, vigrahah. Vigrahah means form. But His form is different from our. He's sac-cid-ananda. His form is eternal. Our, this form is not eternal. We have to give it up. We have to accept another form according to our karma. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. But Krsna hasn't got to do that. He is in His original form. He has got many forms, expansions, but His original form is Krsna with two hands and flutes. venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami  [Bs. 5.30] Krsna's symbolic representation is He is always playing on flute. And barhavatamsa: with a peacock feather. These are described in the Vedic literature. It is not that we worship Krsna as imaginary form of God. No. As the Mayavadis, they say that you can imagine any form of God, no, that is not the fact. God has His original form, real form sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. So if we understand, if we want to understand Krsna, are interested... Because Krsna cannot be understood very easily. It is not possible. manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatayi siddhaye yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah  [Bg. 7.3] Krsna says, "Out of many millions of persons, one is interested how to become siddha." Siddha means liberated, one who is not entangled with this material atmosphere. He is called siddha. So out of many millions of people, one may be interested how to become free from this material entanglement. And yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3], and out of many such siddhas, one may understand Krsna. Kascid vetti mam tattvatah. So it is not so easy to understand Krsna, but when Krsna comes personally as a devotee and shows us the ways and means how to approach Krsna, then it becomes easier. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So if we follow the methods, the method prescribed by Krsna is very easy, but still, because we misunderstand Krsna... Therefore, if we go through the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then we can easily understand Krsna. That is recognized by Rupa Gosvami, the younger brother of Sanatana Gosvami. Two of them were ministers. So Rupa Gosvami has described, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-caitanya- namne gaura-tvise namah  [Cc. Madhya 19.53] He said, "Caitanya Mahaprabhu, You are Krsna. Now, this time, You have appeared as Krsna Caitanya in order to give everyone Krsna. Krsna made some condition, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], but here now, as devotee of Krsna, You are distributing Krsna without any condition. Therefore maha-vadanyaya: You are the most munificent incarnation." So somehow or other, Sanatana Gosvami, he became attracted to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He resigned his ministerial post, and he has come to surrender to Caitanya Mahaprabhu while he was at Benares. Therefore it is said, tabe sanatana prabhura carane dhariya. So when we approach guru, our first condition is that we must be humble and surrender. Pranipata. Prakrsta-rupena-nipata. Then seva, to serve the spiritual master; yasya prasadad, to gain his favor. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado **. This is the process. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Sanatana Gosvami's teaching how to approach guru, so, very humbly... Dante trna lana. In India the system is that to... Symbolic representation of humbleness is to take one piece of grass in the mouth. Then it is to be understood that he is coming very submissively. Now this system is not current, but formerly it was. So Prabodhananda Sarasvati also said like that, dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya krtva caham kaku-satam aham bravimi. He was a devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he also taught us how to preach Krsna consciousness, becoming very humble, humbler... Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also instructed us, trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih  [Cc. Adi 17.31] This time, Kali-yuga, is very, very fallen. People are very, very much fallen. Mandah sumanda-matayo [SB 1.1.10]. Practically cent percent of the population at the present moment, they're manda. Manda. Manda means of no value, or very bad, manda, or very slow. There are several meanings of manda. So in this age all the people, they are manda. Mandah sumanda-matayo. And because they are generally very bad, everyone has got a process of spiritual realization. First of all they are not interested, manda. Our real value of life, human being, means spiritual understanding. This is... This human life is meant for spiritual understanding. Athato brahma jijnasa. Absolute Truth. That is the only business. But on account of being manda, we have invented so many other occupational duties. That is... According to... That is a fact, not according to Vaisnava philosophy, but that is a fact. We may improve the standard of living condition. So living condition, that is bodily concept of life. I am sitting in this comfortable simhasana. That's all. I can sit down also on the floor. It does not make much difference. According to time, circumstances... So life... So we are combination of spirit and matter. This body is matter, and the moving force which is moving this body, that is spirit soul. So we are manda. We are so dull that the highest learned man and the so-called scientist and philosopher, they cannot understand this distinction. They think this body is everything. But that is not the fact. Body is not everything. The moving power of the body is the spirit soul. We are repeatedly trying to convince people this simple truth, but they are so dull-headed they cannot understand. Yes. So they have been described as animals. The sastra, they say, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. One who is in this bodily concept... Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih: "In my country, bhauma... I am born in America or I am born in India, so it is my country." How long you'll remain America? How long you'll remain India? They do not know. But they are mad after this conception of life, bodily conception of life. Bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicit. People in every community, religious community, there is tirtha. People want (indistinct) holy place. So they go, they take bath. Just like in India they go to Hardwar or Vrndavana or Prayag, take bath in the Ganges or Yamuna. Similarly, Christians, they go to take bath in the river Jordan. So everyone has got. Yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na tad janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. This kind of life is go-kharah. Go means cows, and kharah means ass. Without understanding the value of life, na tad-janesv abhijnesu, without associating with abhijnah, learned spiritual master, if he passes his life with this understanding, then he is no better than the cows and ass. This is the verdict. So therefore Sanatana Gosvami, he is very learned man in that time. Because it was Muhammadan time, he used to learn very nicely Arabic and Parsi, Persian language. Just like during British period we had to learn English, similarly, the state language was somewhere Arabic and somewhere Parsi. Sometimes, they are called mixed -- that is called Urdu. So he was learned scholar, and he was also born of very nice brahmana family, Sanatana Gosvami, sarasvata-brahmana. So born brahmana family, well-educated, minister, everything, but he presents himself, nica jati, nica-sangi, patita adhama, kuvisaya-kupe padi' gonainu janama! He has understood that the so-called, bodily conception that "I am rich man," "I am very learned man," "I am brahmana" or "I am American," these are useless understanding. One who understands like that, he is... Sanatana Gosvami -- he's a nica jati, the bodily conception of life nica jati. Nica jati, nica-sangi. Why the bodily concept of life? Because the association is bad. At the present moment we do not get any education or good association to understand our real identity. That is the difficulty. Therefore he says, nica sangi, patita adhama. Adhama means lowest of the mankind; patita means fallen. If one does not understand his real interest, he is called fallen. So what is our real interest? By evolutionary process, after going through so many forms of life, jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah, in this way, eight million forms of life, and we have got this human form of life. So this life especially meant for athato brahma jijnasa. Simply to understand our spiritual identity, the Absolute Truth, that is the only business. But we are... We have got the intelligence more than the cats and dogs. They cannot inquire about the spiritual identity, and if we keep ourself in darkness without understanding our spiritual identity, then we are no better than the dogs and cats. Therefore he said, nica jati: "I have no information about the soul." Nica jati. Just like dogs. It is a class. So nica. Of course, in your country dog is very pet. Now we are learning also, India, how to keep a dog and become aristocratic. (laughter) So now there is big, big dog show in New Delhi. But actually in India, although dog was not neglected, in a neighborhood, if there is a dog, people will give him food but not allow to enter into the house. He'll be not allowed. A dog is also trained up. They'll come to a door and sit down and move his tail: "Give me some food." And people will give. But he's not allowed to enter, the dog or candalas are not allowed. So there is distinction, caste distinction, according to the spiritual advancement. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, these are higher class or lower class according to the spiritual understanding. But one who is elevated in spiritual understanding, he is brahmana. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. Brahmana does not mean simply... Of course, in this age brahmana means vipratve sutram eva hi. That is also predicted, that if you get one sutra, one thread, one paisa-worth, and get it on your body, then you become a brahmana. No, that is not. Brahmana is a qualification. satya samo damas titiksa ksantir arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam  [Bg. 18.42] So these things are being lost; therefore in the Kali-yuga practically everyone is a sudra. Patita-adhama, adhama. Naradhamah. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Because people at the present moment are very, very low grade, nica jati, nica-sangi, fallen and naradhamah... The same thing is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. Those who are naradhamah, lowest of the mankind and very, very sinful, duskrtina, mudhah, and rascal, they do not surrender to Krsna. So to surrender to Krsna requires little qualification, and that qualification Sanatana Gosvami wanted. Therefore he has approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We can follow his footsteps. He is also... He is an acarya, but it is essential, essential. Don't be assured that you are very highly elevated person. Without Krsna consciousness, everyone -- this is a challenge -- everyone is low born. Everyone is nica, badly associated, fallen, and the lowest of the mankind because he's missing the chance of understanding Krsna in the human form life, and nobody knows what he's going to be, next life. So it it a very risky civilization without any understanding of Krsna. Be careful. Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness, execute the Krsna consciousness business very cautiously so that we may not fall down. There is risk of fall down, but if we stick to Krsna's lotus feet -- mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti -- then there is no fear. Thank you very much. (end)   >>> Ref. 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