The Path Of Purification

1 Dec 68, Los Angeles

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Now the purport of this mantra I have several times explained, again explaining. Namah. Namah means surrender. Namah om namah, this is the way of chanting Vedic mantra. Om means addressing the Absolute, and namah means "I am surrendering." Every Vedic mantra is begun om namah. Om means addressing. So this mantra is chanted with surrender, namah. Nothing can be done without surrender because our, this conditional life is rebellious life. We have rebelled against the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. That is conditioned life. There are so many theses to support this rebellious condition. Somebody is thinking that "I am one with God"; somebody is thinking, "God is dead"; somebody is thinking, "There is no God"; somebody is thinking, "Why you are searching God? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." So in this way many theses are there. All of them are different symptoms of rebellious condition. The sum and substance... Just like atheists, they are boldly saying, "There is no God." Now..., but the impersonalists saying, "There may be God, but He has no head, He has no tail. That's all." So in this way our condition is rebellious condition. Therefore Bhagavad-gita instructs that "You surrender." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So without surrender, there is no question of making any spiritual progress. Just like a person who has rebelled against the government -- the first condition is to surrender; otherwise there is no question of mercy from the government. Similarly anyone, the living entity, any one of us who has rebelled against the supremacy of the Lord, the beginning of spiritual life is surrender.

So this mantra, initiation, namah. Namah means surrender. And who can surrender? Surrender, one who has understood the Lord, he can surrender, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births of cultivation of knowledge, when one is perfectly wise, at that time he surrenders. The perfection of acquiring knowledge, or wisdom, is to surrender. So, namah. Namah means "I surrender." And what is your condition? Never mind what is that condition. Apavitrah pavitro va. Apavitrah means contaminated, and pavitra means liberated. So we have two conditions. Either... Just like either we are healthy or we are diseased. There is no third condition. Crude example. Similarly, the living entities, they have two conditions. One condition is liberation, another condition is contaminated. Therefore living entity is called marginal, in between contamination and liberation. Either a living entity can be contaminated or liberated. There is no third condition. Therefore this mantra says, apavitrah pavitro va. Either contaminated or liberated, it doesn't matter. Om namo apavitrah pavitro, sarvavastham. Sarva means all; avastham means condition. In any condition. Sarvavastham gato 'pi va. In whatever condition you may be. Because two conditions there are. For the living entities... The living entity is in the marginal position. Either he can be in material nature or in the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature means liberation, and material nature means contamination. So in this mantra it is said, either of the condition, never mind. Either you are in material condition or spiritual condition. Sarvavastham gato 'pi va. Va means either; yah, anyone; smaret, smaret means remembers; pundarikaksam, pundarikaksam means whose eyes are just like lotus petal. That means Krsna or Visnu. Yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahya... Bahya means externally. Externally, this body. Abhyantaram. Abhyantaram means internally. Internally I am spirit. Just like internally, within this dress, I am internally. Externally I am this dress. Similarly, yah smaret pundarikaksam. Either he is in the bodily concept of life or he is in the spiritual concept of life, either he is contaminated or he is liberated -- in any condition, one who remembers Krsna or Visnu, bahyabhyantaram, he immediately becomes purified internally and externally. This is the substance of this mantra.

And at the last we are chanting sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. Because it may not be misunderstood that in this verse it is said that yah smaret pundarikaksam, "anyone who remembers the lotus-eyed." So somebody may think, "My such and such lover is lotus-eyed," or in that way, lotus-eyed. There may be so many lotus-eyed. Therefore at last it is specifically said, sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. "Lotus-eyed" means Visnu, not anybody else. Sri visnu sri visnu. This is the basic principle of devotional life. In Narada Pancaratra it is recommended... We are explaining these things in Nectar of Devotion. The basic principle of purification is smartavyah satato visnuh: always one has to remember Visnu or Krsna. Krsna and Visnu the same. When you speak Krsna, it includes Visnu. So smartavyah satato visnu vismartavyah na jatucit. We shall not forget Visnu even for a moment. This is the basic principle of devotional life. Some way or other, we have to remember always Krsna. Then whatever condition we may be, we are pure. Sa bahyabhyantaram sucih.  This chanting helps us always remembering Krsna. As soon as we chant Hare Krsna, hear, immediately we remember. So, so long I remember, I am sucih, I am pure, no material contamination. Therefore if I continue my life in that pure stage, then I am eligible for going back to Godhead. Because nobody can enter in the kingdom of God without being completely pure. Completely pure means anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], no material desire. Here in the material world, we manufacture so many plans to be happy, material desires. Somebody's thinking, "I shall be happy in this way." Somebody's thinking... There is no question of happiness here. The place is contaminated. In a contaminated... Just like in an infected place you cannot be happy. The medical officer will ask you to leave that place, that "This quarter has been infected by the disease. Better you leave, you go somewhere else." That is the treatment. Infected place must be left immediately. So similarly, this world, this material world of three modes of different qualities, you have to keep yourself always antiseptic, pure, by remembering Krsna. That is the process. As soon as you forget Krsna, immediately the infection, maya, immediately affects you. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga-vancha kare.

What is that maya? Maya means to plan how to become materially happy. This is maya. All the people of the world, they are simply making plan how they will be happy within this material world. That's all. This is maya. The history of the whole world studied, it is experience that the Roman Empire planned, the British Empire planned, the... So many empires, they flourish sometimes. All fail. The Britishers, they were, two hundred years ago, they were planning to rule over this vast land of America. George Washington declared independence; their plan failed. Similarly, in India they were planning to exploit. Now Gandhi's movement made it fail. So this is bigger plan. Similarly smaller plan also. There are many... Individually, we make so many plans that "I shall be happy in this way, in that way, in that way." So this plan-making business is maya, because that will never be successful. Trace out the history of the whole world. Nobody has become happy. Hitler made a plan, so great a plan. You see? He was frustrated. So the sane man, intelligent man... Therefore Bhagavad-gita says that a person who is actually intelligent, wise... How a man becomes wise? After being baffled or frustrated many, many times, he can understand this is not the process. And the Vedanta-sutra also places the first, athato brahma jijnasa. When one is frustrated in all plan-making business, for him, the Vedanta-sutra gives him the opportunity, "Now your all plans have failed. Come here." Athato brahma jijnasa: "Now try to understand what is Brahman." This is the first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra. Just try to understand Brahman. So in this way... This initiation also. Initiation means the first beginning, how to become purified. This is initiation. Because this devotional service means the process of purification. Now every one of you, individually you can understand how you are becoming purified from your past life. That is practical. Yes. How you are becoming purified. So this initiation means the beginning of purificatory process. And the purificatory process, what is that? This mantra, yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantaram sucih. Anyone who always remembers, or whenever he remembers, if not always, as soon as he remembers, pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantaram sucih, he becomes immediately purified internally and externally.

So those who are going to be initiated today, they should remember that... Not only they -- all of us should remember. It is not that we have passed all examination. No. Maya is very strong. Any moment she can catch up. (chuckles) As soon as... Just like a virulent type of disease, as soon as there is little negligence, there is relapse immediately, typhoid. So the doctors take very much precautionary steps in the, what is called, convalescent stage of cure because there is chance of relapse. Similarly, we are trying to be purified. This initiation means to accept the path of purification. Now we have to continue that path of purification, and then, if you are strong enough, then we can very easily make progress to achieve the ultimate result. There is no doubt about it. So bhakti-marga, this devotional service, Krsna consciousness, means to remember always Krsna. Smartavyah satato visnuh vismartavyah na jatucit. This is the basic principle, Krsna consciousness. We should always remember Krsna and we shall never forget. And the very simple method, that we chant Hare Krsna. So Krsna has given us tongue, so we can utilize it, and this is the beginning of spiritual life. This is the beginning of understanding God, or Krsna. Otherwise we cannot understand what is God. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Namadi, God has name. People say, "Why there should be name of God? He has no name." The impersonalist says "Nameless." Why? The Vedanta-sutra says, janmady asya yatah: [SB 1.1.1] "Everything is generated from Him." So if there is name, you have got name, I have got name, anything... This tape recorder has got name, this plate has got name, the place has got name, the carpet has got name, and simply God has no name? Why? (laughs) Just see the fallacy. The fountainhead of all names is God, and He has no name. You see? He is zero. These are the arguments. But we don't accept. The thing is they do not know the name because their senses are not purified. You cannot understand God by imperfect senses. Therefore Bhagavata says, atah sri-krsna-namadi. Namadi. Nama means name; adi, because name is the beginning of everything. Just like if I want to make friendship with you, I ask you, "What is your name?" That is the beginning. If you go to the court, before beginning the judgment, "What is your name? What is your father's name?" You submit any application, "What is your name?" So namadi.

So if we want to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, we should begin from the name, Krsna, Hare Krsna, the name, the holy name. But we cannot understand whether this is the name of God due to our imperfect senses. Therefore the formula is, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. You cannot understand. Just like we are chanting Hare Krsna, somebody is taking pleasure in hearing the name of Krsna. Somebody may say, "What is this nonsense? They are disturbing," because he has no knowledge of the name. But this name... Not any name. Namadi, beginning from name. First of all name, then quality, then form, then pastimes, then entourage. In this way God has everything. When we say "king," "king" means his kingdom, his palace, his secretary, his queen, so many, his government, go on expanding, so many things, simply by one word, "king." "King" does not mean simply one person. Similarly, when we say "God" or "Krsna," immediately it is to be understood that He has so many things behind Him. So many... The whole world is behind Him. So how to understand? Atah sri-krsna-namadi. His name, His quality, His forms, His entourage, His expansion. Na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. These indriya, these senses, materially contaminated, cannot understand, cannot grasp what is the name of Krsna, what is the form of Krsna, what is the quality of Krsna. Then? "Why you are taking so much trouble? If by these senses we cannot understand Krsna, then what is the use of wasting time?" No. The next line is, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. You cannot understand by exercising your senses, but He reveals. To whom? Who is in the service attitude, jihvadau, beginning from the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Of all the senses, the tongue is considered to be the principal sense. So tongue, if the tongue is trained, or the tongue is spiritualized, then naturally all the senses become spiritualized. So jihvadau. So our training is the tongue training. Train it chanting Hare Krsna and let it taste Krsna prasadam. Then what will be? The all other senses... There are five senses for acquiring knowledge, five senses for acting. Everything will be controlled. And devotional service, or Krsna consciousness, means sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. By contacting relationship with Krsna, the senses become purified. And what is the symptom of purification? Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam, to become uncontaminated by the designative material identification. There are so many things.

So the process of Krsna consciousness is purification of the senses, and the purification of senses begins by training the tongue with service spirit. So those who are going to be initiated, they should, especial... Everyone should note it, that we should train our tongue not to talk nonsense things. You see? Simply talk of Krsna. We have got so many subject matter. We have got Bhagavad-gita, we have got Srimad-Bhagavatam, we have got Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- so many books, hundreds and thousands, Upanisads, Veda, Vedanta, any one you select -- talk. Just like Ambarisa. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. Maharaja Ambarisa, he set a very nice example, that he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, and when he was speaking, he was talking about Krsna. So just try to utilize your tongue. It doesn't matter whether it is contaminated or purified, but the process is purificatory. You just train your tongue nicely, engage in Krsna. So if you can talk, you go, preach, talk of Krsna, talk of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, lecture anywhere. Then you'll be doing the best service to the people and to yourself. If you think that you are unable to give speeches, then you chant Hare Krsna and eat prasadam. So there is no difficulty. So train the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Brs. 1.2.234], beginning from the tongue, you shall be able to purify all your senses. And as soon as your senses are purified, you'll see Krsna, you'll understand what is Krsna, what is His name, what is His form, what is His kingdom, everything will be. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. You haven't got to endeavor. As soon as your senses are purified, Krsna is present. Just like as soon as the night is over, the sun is present. You cannot search out sun in the darkness. You simply wait for the morning and the sun is at your door. Similarly, try to drive away the darkness, and Krsna you'll see. You'll see, "Oh, Krsna is not dead. He's so nice." So this initiation means beginning of purificatory process of the senses, and that beginning with the tongue. Very simple method. We are not asking you to show some gymnastic feats, or... No. Simply try to control your tongue. It is in your hand. And what is the means of controlling? Just engage chanting Hare Krsna and take Krsna prasada. Some others will supply you nice prasadam. You see? It is very easy. Don't take anything which is not Krsna prasadam and don't talk anything which is not Krsna. Then you become liberated. Your path of liberation is open. Two things: don't talk anything except Krsna, don't eat anything except Krsna prasadam. Is it very difficult? All right.

(to devotee:) Now give me your beads. Yes. Beginning from here. Somebody tie his small beads. Chant, you. (japa) Bow down. Bow down here.

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

(devotee repeating) So you'll begin from one side like this, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Come to this side. You will ask your Godbrothers. They'll let you know, how they are doing. Your spiritual name is Aravinda. Aravinda. A-r-a-v-i-n-d-a. Aravinda. Aravindaksa. Krsna's another name is Aravindaksa. Aravinda means lotus flower.

Devotees: Oh!

Prabhupada: So Krsna's eyes are just like lotus petal and His feet is lotus feet. His abdomen, from abdomen lotus grows. So therefore in one word He is lotus, full lotus. (aside:) He's in painful condition?
Visnujana: He has to rest. He has to rest now. (boy crying in background)

Prabhupada: Just catch him. Oh. Aravindaksa is Krsna's name. So Aravinda dasa, your name. Aravinda dasa brahmacari. Now we have forgotten to chant the preliminary mantras. Vande aham sri guru... (chants mantras, devotees respond) (japa) Bow down.

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

Srivasa... Now, you are finished. Take it. Your name is Gajendra.

Gajendra: Gajendra?

Prabhupada: Yes. G-a-j-e-n-d-r-a. Gajendra. Gaja means elephant, and indra means king. King of the elephants.

Devotees: Hare Krsna!

Prabhupada: So there was a great devotee of Lord Krsna who was king of the elephants. So you shall bring some elephants for us for preaching work. Come on. You have got printed ten kinds of offenses? They should be... To avoid the offenses.

Madhudvisa: Right here.

Revatinandana: Here it is, Prabhupada. Should I read, Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Revatinandana: "The ten offenses to avoid in chanting the maha-mantra. The first is blaspheming the Lord's devotee." Just read them?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Revatinandana: "Second, considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupada: This is very important point, blaspheming the devotees. The Lord's devotee, in many countries, many places... Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he's also devotee of Lord. Muhammad, he's also devotee of Lord. So it is not that because we are Krsna conscious, we shall unnecessarily decry any other parts, any other devotee. It may be, according to time, place, and country, the method may be different, but anyone who is preaching devotion to God, he's a devotee of God. So he should never be blasphemed. Yes.

Revatinandana: "Two. Considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupada: Yes. One should not put the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Just like the Mayavadi says, "The demigods and God, they are all the same." Because according to them, God has no form, so any form you accept, imagine, as the form of God, it is as good. But that is not the fact. There are demigods and the Supreme God also. So we should not place... Just like demigod, Lord Brahma or Lord Siva, Indra, Candra, they are demigods. So we should not place... In one sense, there is nothing except God, because everything expansion of God. But that does not mean I am equal to God. I am also expansion of God, that's a fact. Just like father and the son. Son is the expansion of father; still, the son is not the father. Don't mistake that. There is no difference between father and son because the same body is expanded as son, but still, the son is not the father. Father is father, son is son. This, I mean to say, variety, the Mayavadi philosophers, they do not understand. Then?

Revatinandana: "...or assuming that there are many Gods."

Prabhupada: God is one. There cannot be many Gods. If God is not one, there is no meaning of God. God means, according to Vedic definition, asamordhva. Asama means one who has no equal. Nobody is equal to God. And urdhva means nobody is greater than God. God is great. Nobody can be greater than God. Therefore God is one. Nobody is greater, nobody is equal. That means everyone is lower. Then?

Revatinandana: "Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is one offense. These are offenses. When we accept spiritual master, it is understood that you cannot deny his order. Just like Krsna and Arjuna was talking as friends, but when Arjuna accepted Krsna as spiritual master, he was simply hearing, and whenever there was difficulty to understand, he was questioning. Not that he was equally arguing with Krsna. Before accepting Him, he was arguing. So this is the position. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool [Cc. Adi 7.71]." Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not a fool, but it is the good qualification of a disciple to remain a fool before the spiritual master. Therefore he'll never, I mean to say, dare to argue or disobey. That is offense. Now, go on. That does not mean that when you cannot understand, you cannot question. Question must be there. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gita, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Your relationship is to know from a spiritual master everything, but you should know that with three things. What is that? First of all you should surrender. You must accept the spiritual master as greater than you. Otherwise what is the use of accepting one spiritual master? Pranipat. Pranipat means surrendering; and pariprasna, and questioning; and seva, and service. There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The fourth offense is minimizing the authority of the Vedas."

Prabhupada: Yes. Scriptures, authority of Vedas, they must be accepted. Just like the other day I was explaining, the Veda says the conchshell is pure although it is a bone of an animal. In other places Veda gives you the injunction that bone of an animal is impure. But it says the conchshell is pure. It can be placed before the Deity, it can be used in the Deity room in His service. Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there. Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Biblical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation. Just like Bhagavad-gita is Veda. Why Veda? The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally speaking; therefore it is Veda. There is no mistake. One should accept -- no interpretation -- as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Yes. Go on.

Revatinandana: "The fifth offense is interpreting the holy names of God."

Prabhupada: Yes. No interpretation in the holy... Just like Krsna, the Mayavadi philosophers may... Just like Gandhi has written, "Pandava means the senses; Kuruksetra means this body; Krsna means the mind." No such nonsense interpretation. Krsna is Krsna. Yes. Go on.

Revatinandana: "The sixth offense is committing sin on the strength of chanting."

Prabhupada: Yes. Now we have explained the mantra that as soon as one chants Hare Krsna, immediately, bahyabhyantarah sucih, he becomes purified. Now if one takes advantage of this holy name, "Let me commit sins..." Just like sometimes in the Christian church they take advantages that by confessing sin one becomes free from sinful reaction. So go to church and confess, and again come out and do all sorts of sins, and again confess. This sort of (laughs) minimizing is nonsense. It is fact. When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right. But if you commit again, then next confession will not be accepted. They do not know this. You cannot... Suppose a child has committed some mistake. Father says, "All right, don't do this." If he again does it, there is no excuse. They do not know that. They think, "We shall commit sin and go to church and confess and finish. So let us do this balancing business." Yes. Similarly, don't do this balancing business, that "Because chanting Hare Krsna will wash off all my accounts of sinful activities, so in the morning, from morning to night, let me do all kinds of sinful activities, and at night, at bedtime, let me chant Hare Krsna. Then finish." No. (laughs) Don't do that. Don't do that. That is the greatest offense. Yes. You'll never be forgiven. Those who purposely do like that -- "I have got very nice instrument for washing off my sinful activities. So whole day let me do all sinful activities, and at night let me chant Hare Krsna. Let me meditate. That's all. Finish." -- no. You should note that the name, the holy name has got the power. Now, from this date, you are free from all sinful activities, reaction. But don't do it. That is the greatest offense. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The seventh offense is instructing the Lord's name to the unfaithful."

Prabhupada: Yes. Those who do not believe in God, atheists, what is the use of...? But not to bother him, but give him the chance of hearing. That will make him competent to come forward. Therefore we are distributing this holy name. Not that everyone will be immediately turned to Krsna consciousness, but we are giving chance. If they hear... You have got practical experience. Somebody's hearing, he's reforming. So we should give chance. But if one is staunch atheist, we should not talk very much with him about Krsna. He may say something against, offensive. Yes. Then?

Revatinandana: "The eighth offense is comparing the holy name to material piety."

Prabhupada: Yes. And another thing, just like we are holding this ceremony, initiation ceremony. It should not be accepted just we are functioning some ritualistic ceremony. No. It is different from ritualistic ceremony. Although it appears like ritualistic, it is transcendental. Ritualistic ceremony, they are meant for giving you advantage of become pious, from impious life. It also gives that, but this is not the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim is to give you love of God, which is far, far transcendental to the pious and impious activities. That is a different thing that belongs to the spiritual world -- love of God. It is not that it is a function to nullify your sinful activities. That is automatically done. Just like if you get one million dollars, the purpose of ten dollars automatically solved. Similarly, this acceptance of holy name of God will automatically wash off all your sinful reaction. That's a fact. But it is not meant for that purpose. It is meant for higher purpose, to attain to this platform of loving God, rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. That is the aim. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The ninth offense is inattentive while chanting the holy name."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is ninth offense. While you chant, you hear also. You don't turn your attention to anything else, mechanically chanting and thinking of something. Thinking of Krsna is all right, but if I think something which is not in Krsna consciousness... Best thing is that I shall chant Hare Krsna and each word I shall hear; then it will be very much effective. Yes.
Revatinandana: "The tenth offense is attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting."

Prabhupada: That I explained. This is the disease, aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. The material disease means I am thinking this body, "I am," and everything belonging to this body or in relationship with the body -- "Mine." This is material disease. So we shall see. By chanting we shall see how much we are making progress, how much I am free from these two concept of life, that "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine." This is the test, how we are becoming free from these two concept of life. If there is still the concept that "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine," then you have to chant very cautiously to make progress. That's all. These ten kinds of offenses you should guard against. [break] (japa) (leads girl in chanting:)

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

Come on. Your new name, Anuradha. A-n-u-r-a-d-h-a. Anuradha. Anu. Anu means one who follows, and Radha, Radharani you know. So one who follows Radharani. Wherever Radharani goes, she follows.

Devotees: Oh!

Prabhupada: Yes. Anuradha. (japa) Nama apavitrah pavitra va... (chants fire sacrifice mantras) No, no. Everyone take little little. Very little, little take, everyone. Let him come. You come also. You take. Your yajna is not... You can take. (continues mantres) Svaha. Offer. Svaha. Three times. I shall say svaha three times; you'll offer. Why don't you... Svaha. Why you are sitting? Take and offer. You keep in hand and three times in three division you'll offer. Everyone take. Nama om visnu-padaya...  (continues) Now take each one banana. Stand up.

namo brahmanya-devaya
go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
govindaya namo namah

(repeats twice) Now put this banana slowly like this. Put everyone. That's right.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

(repeats, with devotees responding) Now chant Hare Krsna. Hm? No, I'll not chant. They'll chant. Chant. (kirtana, prema-dhvani) (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Central Point Of Attraction

Central Point Of Attraction

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.144-146
New York, December 1, 1966

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Prabhupada:

vedadi sakala sastre krsna-mukhya sambandha
tanra jnane anusange yaya maya-bandha

Lord Caitanya, summarizing the purport of the Vedic knowledge... He says that vedadi sakala sastre krsna-mukhya sambandha. All the Vedas, all the Vedic literature, all scriptures, all over the world, all over the universe -- what is meant? What is the purpose of the scripture? The purpose is to understand Krsna. That's all. He is summarizing the whole thing, that "All purposes of different types of scriptures, Vedas, they are meant for realizing what is Krsna." That's all. Tanra jnane anusange yaya maya-bandha. Simply by understanding Krsna, one becomes automatically liberated from this material entanglement. A Krsna conscious person hasn't got to make separate endeavor and attempt to become liberated. The more you understand Krsna, the more you become liberated, anusange, as a by-product. (coughing) Just see how material entanglement, this body. At any moment, at any moment you can be finished. You cannot be finished, but your all activities is. Therefore we should be very careful because we have to pull on with this body. Because unless you are perfectly in understanding of Krsna, there is no release from this body. It is not that "I want to get release myself from this body; therefore I cut my throat and I get relief." No. That is not possible. You have to be completely detached from this body, and that can be possible when you come..., (coughing) when you understand at least something about Krsna. You cannot know Krsna completely. That is not possible. He is unlimited. But even a little knowledge of Krsna, preliminary knowledge of Krsna, will make you liberated from this material entanglement. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So this Krsna consciousness is so valuable that even little progress will make you liberated from this material entanglement.

He is citing another nice verse from Padma Purana. There are eighteen Puranas. Out of that, this Padma Purana is one of the most important Puranas.

vyamohaya caracarasya jagatas te puranagamas
tam tam eva hi devatam paramikam jalpantu kalpavadhi
siddhante punar eka eva bhagavan visnuh samastagama-
vyaparesu vivecana-vyatikaram nitesu nisciyate

In different Puranas... These Puranas are made just to complete Vedic knowledge, or supplementary addition to the Vedic literature. Because Vedic literature is very difficult to understand, therefore they have been expanded by the Puranas for different classes of men. So there are three divisions of the Puranas: sattvika Purana, rajasika Purana and tamasika Purana. Sattvika Purana is meant for the higher class of people who are in transcendental knowledge of Brahman, Paramatma and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rajasika Purana are meant for those who are aspiring to have improvement of material condition. And tamasika Purana are meant for those who are in the lowest stage of..., little, just like animal life, and to develop them the Purana is helping them to come to the second and first stage.

So in the Puranas there are worship of different demigods. Just like in the tamasika Purana  there is description of the worship of goddess Kali. You have seen perhaps the picture of goddess Kali, a black female standing with sword and cutting the heads of so many people like that, that picture, goddess Kali. And animal sacrifice is offered before goddess Kali. So such kind of worship is mentioned in the tamasika Purana.  The purpose of such worship and demigods, several times I have explained to you. So Padma Purana is a sattvika Purana, for men who are in the modes of goodness. So here it said that although in the different Puranas there are recommendations for worshiping different kinds of demigods, but at the conclusion it is found that Visnu, the Supreme Lord, He is all in all, all in all. Just like... You have not seen in India. Even there is worship of any other demigod, just like Durga-puja, so even in that paraphernalia of gorgeous worshiping arrangement, when the worship will begin, the first worship is offered to Visnu, Yajnesvara, because, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20]  "Those who are mad after material sense gratification, they go and worship other demigods to have some immediate reward." And they get it. But how they get it? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayaiva vihitan hi tan: "They cannot have that reward without My sanction." Because the demigods, they are also subordinate servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the demigods, although they can give you the reward which you want, but with the permission of the Supreme Lord... Because they are not fools. If somebody, some of you, somebody comes, outsider, and asks from this institution, our Society, that "Please give me this," so you can deliver it, but you will take permission from me. That is a common custom. Similarly, the demigods also, they cannot offer their reward without sanction of Visnu. Mayaiva vihitan hi tan. Antavat tu phalam tesam [Bg. 7.23]. Therefore Visnu is present there. He... In the midst of worshiping other demigods, Visnu is presented, and that is the system of Vedic process. So therefore Visnu is Supreme. Why Visnu's sanction is required? Therefore it is understood, although in different Puranas different types of worship for different types of demigods are recommended, but the ultimate sanction is of Visnu. Therefore Visnu becomes supreme.

So from this verse, Lord Caitanya wants to impress upon us that "Don't be misguided for worshiping different demigods. The ultimate issue -- the Visnu is worshipable." Aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param. Even in the Siva Purana it is stated that Parvati, the wife of Lord Siva, she was asking Lord Siva that "Sir, worship... Which worship is the best?" There are different kinds of worship mentioned in the Vedic literatures. So Lord Siva replied, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param: "There are different kinds of worship, but the best and the supreme worship is worship of Visnu." Then again he gives more stress, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param, tasmat parataram devi tadiyanam aradhanam: "And more than Visnu worship is to worship devotee of Visnu." Tasmat parataram. Visnu aradhanam is the best. And better than the best worship is to worship the devotees of Visnu, Vaisnavas. This is recommended in the Siva Purana.

So Lord Caitanya making an analytical study of the Vedic literature, and He is giving His conclusion. This is called mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. We have to follow the footprints of great acaryas. Lord Caitanya is playing the part of an acarya; so His conclusion should be taken. Lord Krsna said also that kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajanti anya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] "Those who are worshipers of other demigods, they are mad after sense gratification." Oh, that means they are third-class men. Those who are mad after sense gratification, they are not considered first-class men because they are not transcendentalists; they are materialists, just like animals. They do not know anything. Simply sense gratification -- ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna: eating, sleeping, mating and defending -- that is their business. So those who are engrossed in the matter of sense gratification only, they are not in higher position. Therefore hrta-jnanah. Hrta-jnanah means those who have lost their sense. For sense gratification they have lost their sense. Hrta-jnanah. So Lord Caitanya wants to say that "Don't be hrta-jnanah. Don't be hrta-jnanah, or senseless. Be," I mean to say, "senseful."

mukhya-gauna-vrtti, kimva anvaya-vyatireke
vedera pratijna kevala kahaye krsnake

In any way you study Vedas -- directly, indirectly, this way or that way -- the conclusion is that the objective is Krsna, Lord Caitanya says. And in the Bhagavad-gita also we get the same information. You will find in the teachings of Lord Caitanya, the same thing as in the Bhagavad-gita. That is the beauty of teachings of all acaryas, that you won't find any deviation from the teachings of Krsna and the teachings of acaryas. Therefore it is said, acaryavan puruso veda: "One who has the guidance of a bona fide acarya, he knows things. He knows things, what it is." Acaryavan puruso veda: "One who is under the guidance of bona fide acarya, he knows things, what they are."

So Krsna also, as spiritual master of Arjuna, He played. He is the original acarya. Then acarya's disciple becomes acarya when he assimilates the knowledge received from bona fide acarya. So he becomes bona fide to act as an acarya. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. Acarya means one who has become a rigid disciple of his acarya. Just like a critical student under a professor, he becomes a first-class professor, similarly, a person who is a very rigid student of bona fide acarya, he becomes next acarya. That is the... Evam parampara-praptam. This is the disciplic succession. So as in the Bhagavad-gita five thousand years before Lord Krsna said, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: [Bg. 15.15] "The purpose of all Vedic literatures, the conclusion, is that, to understand Me, Krsna..." By understanding Krsna, immediate liberation... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
 [Bg. 4.9]

Anyone who can understand critically and in truth about the appearance, disappearance, activities, transcendental activities, pastimes, of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, at once he becomes liberated. Tyaktva deham: "This person who has known like that," tyaktva deham, "by quitting this body," punar janma naiti, "he never... No more he takes another material body." Then what does he do? Mam eti: "He comes to Me."

So simply by understanding what is Krsna, one becomes liberated. Vedas, knowledge of Vedas, means to become liberated. The knowledge of Vedas is set in such a way that they are directing that "You have come here to enjoy this material world, so you try to enjoy in this systematic way." Just like government gives you facility. You want to do some business; the government gives you all facility, but under certain rules and regulations, not that whatever you like, you can do. No. You have to get license to do any sort of business. Even if you do any nonsense, still, you have to follow the rules and regulation of the government. So Vedas means that we conditioned souls who have come here in this material world to become an imitation Krsna, enjoyer... Because Krsna is enjoyer, and we are all here imitation enjoyers, imitation... Frogs. Frog's philosophy. So Krsna is very kind. He has given you all facility: "All right, you enjoy. You build up. You construct skyscrapers and again break it and again do it. Do it and waste your time." So He gives us facility. He supplies us materials: "All right, you take material." Because He has no scarcity, purnam, He is complete, so whatever you go on taking, you take, you build and break and keep it again. Dig earth and make high buildings, and again break it and fill it up. This is your business. Go on doing that and waste your valuable time. Your life is meant for realizing your self, self-realization, and get out of this material entanglement. But if you want to waste in that way, well, Krsna will give you all facilities. Waste. This is going on. Therefore Vedas, they give you instruction, "All right, you want to enjoy? Just try to enjoy this way, so that by following the Vedic principles you will come to this stage of liberation." And what is that? Knowing Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. By study of Vedas, when you come to that conclusion, that Krsna is everything, vasudevah sarvam iti: [Bg. 7.19] "Oh, Krsna is everything," sa mahatma su-durlabhah: "That great soul is very rare."

So similarly, as Krsna says, this is called disciplic succession. Lord Caitanya, although He is Krsna Himself, but He has accepted the disciplic succession from Krsna... I have given you the process of disciplic succession: from Krsna, Brahma; from Brahma, Narada; from Narada, Vyasa; from Vyasa, Madhva; from Madhva, Madhavendra Puri; from Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri; from Isvara Puri, Lord Caitanya. So evam parampara. So in the parampara system in that disciplic succession, you will find no change. The original word is there. That is the thing. They are not foolish to manufacture something new. What new? People are after something new manufactured by this tiny brain. What new you can manufacture? That is all nonsense. If you want really thing, then you have to take the old, the oldest. You cannot change anything. Can you change any law of the sun rising or sun setting? The old laws, they are going on, and you have to follow. So you cannot manufacture anything. The same seasons are coming for millions of years. As there were system of change of season, that is going on. Millions of years before, the sunrise, sunset, was going on. That is... Millions of millions of years, the death was there. That is going on. And the birth was there. That is going on. And disease was there. That is going on. So what you can change? You are simply foolishly wasting your time. There is no possibility of changing the laws of nature. It is simply futile attempt. Therefore those who are sane people, they understand that this life is meant for not fighting with the material laws, which I cannot change. Better stop this nonsense and realize yourself, what you are, what is your duty, and what the human form of life is meant for. That is stated here, that you have to realize Krsna. You have to become Krsna conscious. If you become Krsna conscious, then your life's mission is fulfilled.

Thank you. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.144-146 -- New York, December 1, 1966

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Hear About Krishna Submissively

Hear About Krishna Submissively

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.31
Bombay, December 1, 1974

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Nitai: "Sri Maitreya said: After hearing the statement of His mother, Kapila could understand her purpose, and He became compassionate towards her because of being born of her body. He described the Sankhya system of philosophy, which is a combination of devotional service and mystic realization and is received by disciplic succession."

Prabhupada:

viditvartham kapilo matur ittham
jata-sneho yatra tanvabhijatah
tattvamnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam
provaca vai bhakti-vitana-yogam
 [SB 3.25.31]

So Kapiladeva is the propounder of Sankhya philosophy. This is original Kapiladeva. Later on, there was another Kapiladeva, so he is called the atheist Kapila. And this Kapiladeva is known as Devahuti-putra, "the son of Devahuti" Kapila. So sankhya-yoga, the later atheist Kapila's sankhya-yoga, is different from this sankhya-yoga. The atheist Kapila's sankhya-yoga is analysis of the material elements. So this analysis of material elements by the atheist Kapila is very much liked by the Western philosophers. And the sankhya-yoga explained, propounded, by Devahuti-putra Kapila is practically unknown.

So this Kapila, Devahuti, son of Devahuti Kapila, His sankhya-yoga means bhakti-vitana-yogam, how bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, is expanded. That is sankhya-yoga. And how it is received, that is also stated here, tattva amnayam yad pravadanti sankhyam. Amnayam, by disciplic succession. No philosophical speculation, but as it is received by predecessor, by tradition, amnayam. Tattva amnayam. We cannot manufacture tattva. That is improper way of understanding the truth. Generally, the Western philosophers, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by the ascending process. There are two processes of understanding the Absolute Truth. One is called ascending process, or inductive logic, and another process is descending process, or deductive logic. So ascending process is based on speculation, and descending process is based on fact.

This evening we were talking about Bhagavad-gita, that Bhagavad-gita is understood by the descending process, as Krsna said. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that this yoga system... Bhagavad-gita is also yoga system. That is bhakti-yoga. Although there are description of karma, jnana, and the mystic yoga and ultimately bhakti-yoga, but actually it is meant for bhakti-yoga, the Bhagavad-gita. Those who are jnanis, speculative, for them also, it is described. And those who are hatha-yogis, they are also described there. But ultimately, the conclusion is bhakti-yoga. Just like in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita the yoga system is described. The yoga system is described, that one has to go in a secluded place, and he has to sit down straight, right angular, and see the front portion of the nose, and the eyes half closed. In this way the hatha-yoga system, or astanga-yoga system, is described in the Bhagavad-gita. But when Arjuna said that "This system of yoga is very difficult for me. Krsna, I cannot concentrate my mind in this way"...

cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva suduskaram
 [Bg. 6.34]

Five thousand years ago a personality like Arjuna, who was so qualified that he could talk with Krsna as ordinary friend... How much exalted he was, just we can imagine. And born in the royal family, very exalted position, great warrior. He said that "Krsna, I cannot execute this yoga system. It is not possible." Cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham, tasyaham nigraham manye [Bg. 6.34]. "My mind is so disturbed that to control the mind is exactly like that, to control the wind." Suppose there is very heavy wind, and if one tries to stop it by spreading his hand, is it possible? It is not possible. He has given this example. Pramathi balavad drdham. Mind is so uncontrollable, just like madman. Mind's business is like that. Immediately I am accepting something and again rejecting. Everyone has got this experience. Therefore he frankly said that "To control the mind is not possible for me. I cannot do so."

So now just try to understand the... A personality like Arjuna is not ordinary man. He was advised by Krsna to practice this yoga system, meditation, generally. Actually yoga system means meditation. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. The yogis, they dhyanavasthita manasa, mind being absorbed in meditation and concentrates the mind on Visnu form of the Lord, four-handed Visnu. That is dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1].

yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah
dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino
yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah

So this yoga system is meant for persons who are too much bodily attached, this hatha-yoga system. And otherwise, real yoga system is the sankhya-yoga or bhakti-yoga, real yoga system. This is preliminary. Therefore when Arjuna declined, that "I cannot execute the yoga system," so Krsna, in order to pacify Arjuna... Because he was friend -- Krsna thought that Arjuna is thinking unable to execute this yoga -- He pacified him by saying ultimately, "My dear Arjuna, don't be agitated." Indirectly He said that "You are a first-class yogi." "How is that, I am first-class yogi?" "Now, because you are always thinking of Me." Arjuna, he did not know anything but Krsna. Krsna, when He placed Himself divided into two in the battlefield... Because it was a family fight, so Krsna said that "I can divide Myself." Both of them approached. Duryodhana approached and Arjuna also approached, "Krsna, You become my side." So Krsna said that "I have got eighteen aksauhini, division of soldiers. That is one side. And I personally, one side." So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought that "What shall I do simply by taking Krsna? And He says that 'I'll not fight. If I go to any side, I'll not fight.' " So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought it wise that "Let me take His soldiers, eighteen divisions, many thousands of elephants, horses, chariot." There is estimate, very big number of elephants, horses. I don't remember exactly. But... So Duryodhana decided to take the soldiers of Krsna. (aside:) That child may be... But Arjuna thought that "If I get Krsna in my side, that is sufficient. I don't want His soldiers."

So Krsna was so friendly and very loving friend, not ordinary friend. Therefore Krsna said, "My dear Arjuna, don't be disappointed because you cannot execute this astanga-yoga. The first-class yogi is he who always thinks of Me." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. One who has taken Krsna within his heart and always thinking of Krsna, satatam smartavyah visnuh, this is the system. This is meditation. If one is thinking of Krsna twenty-four hours, that is the first-class meditation. You are seeing Krsna here, standing with Radharani. And if you see always, then you naturally you get impression of Krsna within the heart. And if you serve Krsna... Those who are engaged in service, just like they are offering this foodstuff, Krsna. They have prepared this foodstuff very nicely, thinking that "Krsna will eat. Let us do it very cleanly and attentively." And whatever they can offer, first-class thing... That is meditation, because they are thinking of Krsna, "This foodstuff will be taken by Krsna. This dress will be used by Krsna. These flowers will be offered to the lotus feet of Krsna." Real meditation is this. And that is the first-class yoga. Therefore Krsna is advising in the Seventh Chapter that "If you cannot think of Me, then you can think of Me in your ordinary dealings." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: [Bg. 7.8] "I am the taste of the water."

So that, this yoga system, we have to practice, this yoga system. This is called sankhya-yoga. That is explained here, provaca vai bhakti-vitana-yogam. The more you think of Krsna... Satatam cintayanto mam, satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. These are advised in the Bhagavad-gita. If you always chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you remember Krsna. Immediately the form of Krsna is awakened within your heart. And Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana: "Always within the heart..." That is the sankhya-yoga system, or perfect yoga system, bhakti-yoga-vitanam. And Krsna says personally,

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
 [Bg. 6.47]

They are first-class yogi. So anyway, some way or other, if you can think of Krsna always... That is... We have named Krsna consciousness, always conscious of Krsna. Then you become the first-class sankhya-yogi. Bhakti-vitanam.

So Kapiladeva could understand the desire of His mother. The mother was submissive because to understand the sankhya-yoga, bhakti-yoga, it requires... The first condition is submission. Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. You cannot understand the sankhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system by falsely being proud that you are very learned scholar or speculator. These things will not help. You have to hear about Krsna very submissively and accepting, not challenging. Then you will be able to understand. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position. It doesn't matter what you are, simply you hear about Krsna. There are so many things about Krsna we can hear. Even if we are not educated, we can hear from a person who can speak rightly. But that person must be selected, not ordinary person, not professional person, but here it is said, tattva amnayam. Amnayam means by disciplic succession. We have to accept a positive party.

Just like in political activities you accept some party, Congress party or this party or that party. That is the system, even in politics. Similarly, you have to accept a party of devotee. There are not different parties; they are of the same party. Just like the political parties may be different, but their aim is how to improve the condition of the country or the people. The aim is the same, but they may be a little different in their ways. Similarly, there are four amnaya party. Amnaya means disciplic succession. One party is coming from Lord Brahma, and one party is coming from Laksmi, goddess of fortune, or the consort of Narayana, Visnu. That is called Brahma-sampradaya and the Sri-sampradaya. Sri. Sri means Laksmi. Sri means beauty. Sri means fortune. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the "sri" word is added before anyone's name, sri. So there is Sri-sampradaya, and there is Kumara-sampradaya, and there is Rudra-sampradaya. There are four sampradayas of Visnu, er, Vaisnava. So Brahma-sampradaya, Sri-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya, and Kumara-sampradaya -- they are called amnaya. If you want to know the truth, then you have to accept. Tattva amnayam. Tattva amnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam. This is Sankhya philosophy. You try to understand the Absolute Truth through the disciplic succession of amnaya, amnaya.

So in the Vaisnava sampradaya these four sampradaya, this Brahma is Brahma-sampradaya and Sri-sampradaya. The Brahma-sampradaya is, at the present moment, is represented by the Madhva-sampradaya. Just like we are belonging to the Madhva-gaudiya-sampradaya, our original sampradaya from the Madhvacarya. So in that sampradaya, disciplic succession, there was Madhavendra Puri. From Madhavendra Puri his disciple is Isvara Puri, and Isvara Puri's disciple is Lord Caitanya. And we are coming through the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya. Therefore our sampradaya is called Madhva-gaudiya-sampradaya. But we are in the amnaya-sampradaya. We are not upstart. We have not manufactured a sampradaya. It is coming from Lord Brahma. Similarly, there is Ramanuja-sampradaya. They are coming from Sri-sampradaya. Similarly, there is Visnu Svami. They are coming from Lord Siva, Rudra-sampradaya. And there is Kumara-sampradaya, Nimbaditya-sampradaya. So sastra says, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: "If you do not belong to any sampradaya, party of bhakta or devotees, then nisphala matah, your verdict or conclusion is nisphala, without any fruit." It is not acceptable.

So our this Krsna consciousness movement is to present the Krsna consciousness, or the conclusion given by Krsna, or the conclusion in the Bhagavad-gita, in this amnaya Sankhya philosophy, disciple after disciple, not that "I know little more ABCD. I am, therefore, a big scholar. I can interpret Bhagavad-gita in my own way." This is useless. This is useless. You cannot make your own comment. But that is not also good. So many commentaries which have been made without this amnaya, Sankhya process, they are useless. There is no effect. This is very essential. Therefore Bhagavan Krsna says in the Fourth Chapter, evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. That is required, parampara, amnaya, disciplic succession. Otherwise it will be useless. This is the secret of success. You have to accept the same philosophy as it was contemplated by Brahma, by Narada, by Brahmacarya, er, Madhvacarya, by Madhavendra Puri, by Isvara Puri, by... You cannot make any new thing beyond the scope of the amnaya Sankhya philosophy system. That is called amnaya. Because we are imperfect. We must first of all know that we are all imperfect. However great scholar I may be, because my senses are imperfect, therefore, whatever conclusion I make by my so-called scholarship, that is imperfect. Therefore all these scientists, philosophers, they use this word "perhaps," "it may be," because there is no right conclusion. There is no right conclusion. He is simply speculating.

So speculative knowledge cannot be perfect. Just like we are sitting here. If there is some sound on the roof... Now we are, say, one hundred persons sitting here. We can speculate that "This sound may be for this reason." That, all of them, may be imperfect, and if somebody says from the roof that "This sound was caused for this reason," that is perfect. That is perfect because he has got direct experience. That I was speaking in the evening, that you have to accept Bhagavad-gita by this amnaya-patha. Tattva amnayam. Krsna says to Arjuna that this bhagavad-bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gita yoga... That is a yoga. Yoga means which connects, and viyoga means which disconnect. So we are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now we have to connect again our relationship. That is called yoga. That yoga is described in the Bhagavad-gita as karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and astanga-yoga, and at last bhakti-yoga.

So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitana-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and dhyana-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jnana-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyana-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. He does not say, "By jnana, by karma, by meditation, one can understand Me fully." No. He does not say. He says clearly, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: [Bg. 18.55] "Tattvatah, in truth what I am, that can be understood only by bhakti-yoga." You see Bhagavad-gita.

So to understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept this sankhya-yoga or bhakti-vitana-yogam. Then you will understand very... Because question was, by Devahuti, that manda-dhih sukham buddhyeya. Sukham buddhyeya: "Very easily, without any much trouble, I may understand. You kindly describe in this way -- the Absolute Truth I can understand very easily." So that is bhakti-yoga. In the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita it is said, susukham kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. Susukham. If you practice bhakti-yoga, it is very easy, at the same time very pleasing, very pleasing. Susukham kartum avyayam. And avyayam. Avyayam means not deteriorating. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If you execute even partially, it has got so potency that it will lead you more and more to the ultimate goal of life. This is called perfect sankhya-yoga.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for giving education to the people of this sankhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system, because it is the recommended process by authorities. And all the amnaya, origin of the amnaya, just like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, then Kapiladeva -- here is Kapiladeva -- they are mahajana. Mahajana means great authorities. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. It is very difficult to understand the path of perfection. Therefore the sastra recommended that "You follow the mahajana." This is called amnaya. "You follow the mahajana." And who are mahajana? They are also described in the sastras: svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhu means Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is... Another name is Svayambhu. He was found in the lotus flower emanating from the navel of Visnu. So practically, he was not born of father and mother; therefore he is called Svayambhu. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh. Narada Muni is authority. And Sambhu, Lord Siva. Therefore there is Rudra-sampradaya, amnaya, because he is authority. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah [SB 6.3.20], this Kumara. And Kumara means catuhsana, Sanat-kumara, catuhsana. They are also authorities. And Kapiladeva, here, Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva, He is also authority. In this way, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Kapiladeva, Manu, and Bhismadeva, Janaka, Janaka Maharaja, Bhismadeva, and Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja -- in this way there are twelve authorities, and all of them are following the Sankhya philosophy or bhakti-yoga, all of them.

So we have to accept one of these mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Then you will be successful. Tarko 'pratisthah: If you want to learn the Absolute Truth by logic and argument, it will never be possible. Logician... You may be one logician, better logician than me, and another logician may be better than you. But the Absolute Truth is avan manasa-gocara. By logical arguments how you can reach? That is not possible. Tarko 'prati... Therefore it is useless waste of time. Tarko 'pratisthah srutayo vibhinnah. Scriptures, even you take the Vedic scriptures, there are so many: four Vedas... Some of them are following the Yajur-veda, some of them following Rg-veda, some of them Sama-veda, Atharva-veda. Then there are Upanisads. Then there are Puranas, then Brahma-sutra, the Ramayana, Mahabharata. They are all right. But because I am ill-advised, I take conclusion differently. Srutayo vibhinnah. Or you take Bible or Koran. So by simply reading all the scriptures, it is very difficult also. So srutayo vibhinna nasav munir yasya matam na bhinnam. Muni, means thoughtful men, philosophers, they are also defeating, one thoughtful man, another thoughtful man. Unless he defeats another man, philosopher, he does not become a very big philosopher. Therefore it is said, nasav munir yasya matam na bhinnam. Why? You cannot become a muni unless you propound a different system of philosophy. So this is the position. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. Therefore the truth of spiritual life is very complicated. It is very difficult to understand. Then how I shall be able to understand? The conclusion is mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. You follow the mahajana. Out of these twelve mahajana, you follow any one of them, and you will be successful.

So our proposition is that Krsna is the original mahajana. Krsna instructed Brahma. Brahma is also mahajana. And Krsna instructed everyone. Just like Bhagavad-gita. He is instructing everyone. How? Aham adir hi devanam: [Bg 10.2] "All the demigods, they are subordinate to Me." Aham adih: "I am the original." Everyone has learned from Krsna. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. So Krsna is teaching personally just like Kapiladeva is teaching personally. So you take Kapiladeva's philosophy, Sankhya philosophy, Krsna's philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, but try to understand as He says. Don't interpret in the wrong way. So this is amnaya-tattvam. So if we fix up the idea how to receive transcendental knowledge and how to practice it, if we simply take the instruction of these mahajana, amnaya, so that will be very beneficial and easy also.

So Kapiladeva will describe the Sankhya philosophy to His mother, and not only mother, but tanvabhijatah. Naturally, if we take birth from my mother, I have got natural affection for my mother, but Devahuti is not ordinary mata. She is very submissive. Therefore it is said that jata-snehah. Naturally there is affection, and when Kapiladeva saw that "This woman... Woman is supposed to be less intelligent, but she is very submissive and My mother," in both ways He became compassionate, that "She is eager to know about the truth, and she is so submissive, and after all, I have taken, I have received this body from this woman, My mother. So let Me try to give her the best of the philosophical conclusion." And that is Sankhya philosophy. He will speak from the next verse.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Civilization Minus Krsna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.21
Los Angeles, December 1, 1973


 

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Pradyumna: Translation: "I have the very same Gandiva bow, the same arrows, the same chariot drawn by the same horses, and I use them as the same Arjuna to whom all the kings offered their due respects. But in the absence of Lord Krsna, all of them, at a moment's notice, have become null and void. It is exactly like offering clarified butter on ashes, accumulating money with a magic wand or sowing seeds on barren land."

Prabhupada: Very important verse, hm? Tad abhud asad isa-riktam. Everything will be null and void when there is no God. That's all. The modern civilization has got everything, but without God consciousness, any moment it will be finished. And there are symptoms... Any moment. At the present moment, this godless civilization, as soon as there is declaration of war, the America is prepared to drop atom bomb, Russia is... The first nation who will drop the atom bomb, he will be victorious. Nobody will be victorious, because both of them are ready to drop. The America will be finished and Russia will be finished. That is the position. So you may make advancement of civilization, scientific improvement, economic development, but if it is godless, at any moment it will be finished. At any moment.

Just like Ravana. Ravana, Hiranyakasipu, they were demons, godless demons. Ravana was very learned scholar in Vedic knowledge and very powerful materially. He converted his capital with gold, all the buildings and everything. It is supposed that Ravana's brother was a king of..., on the other side of the globe. So it is my suggestion... I do not say it is very scientific proof. So other side of the globe... Ravana was in Ceylon, and the other side of the globe, if you go by subway, it comes to Brazil. And Brazil is supposed to have gold mines. And it is said in the Ramayana that Ravana's brother was living on the other side of the globe, and Ramacandra was taken through the subway. So taking this into consideration, we can suppose that Ravana imported large quantity of gold from Brazil, and he converted them into big, big houses. So Ravana was so powerful that he made his capital Svarna-lanka, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very wonderful.

So we can create everything very wonderful, but we can take the example of Ravana. Ravana was very advanced materially, and he had Vedic knowledge sufficiently. He was son of a brahmana. Everything was there. But the only fault was that he did not care for Rama. That is the only fault. "Oh, what is Rama? I don't care for Him. There is no need of performing yajnas and ritualistic ceremony to be promoted to the heavenly kingdom." Ravana said, "I shall construct a staircase to go to the moon planet. Why you are trying in this way or that way? I will do that." Svargesari.(?) So these people are trying like Ravana, but they should take lesson from Ravana that his godlessness made him doomed. Everything he lost.

So this instruction by Arjuna... He said that so 'ham dhanus ta isavah. He was defeated by the cowherdsmen. He could not protect the queens of Krsna, and they were taken away by these cowherdsmen. So he is lamenting that "I have got this bow and arrow with which I fought in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and I became victorious because Krsna was sitting on my chariot. That is the only reason. Now I have got these bows and arrows, the same bows and arrows with which I fought in the Battle of Kuruksetra, but at the present moment there is no Krsna. Therefore it is useless." Isa-rikta, asad abhut. Asat means which does not act; it does not exist. "So my bows and arrows are the same, but it is now useless."

So we should take this lesson that without God, without spirit, this material, I mean to say, gorgeousness has no value. Just like we were talking with the scientist in our walking. I was giving this example. Now, there was big, big scientist, just like Professor Einstein was a well-known scientist, but when that small spark of soul was gone from the body, the scientist was lying down, but useless. Nothing coming. Nothing coming. Now, the scientist himself also could not discover any implement or medicine or something like that and teach his disciples, "My dear disciples, when I will be on the death point, please give, inject this medicine in my body and then again I shall come out a scientist." No. That is not... He could not discover that. At least, as a big scientist, it was expected that "Do something wonderful." They might have discovered so many wonderful. The real problem -- birth, death, old age and disease -- there is no discovery. That I was talking, that discover something by which there will be no disease. You are discovering very nice medicine. The drug shop is full with various types of up-to-date medicine, but none of the medicine is sufficient to make a man not to die. That is not possible. Or not to become diseased. That is not possible.

So this advancement of civilization, material civilization, without God, is like that. That is stated in the Vedic literature, that,

bhagavad-bhakti-hinasya
jatih sastram japas tapah
apranasyeva dehasya
mandanam loka-ranjanam

Jati, big nation, big achievement, japas tapah kriya, big activities... Just like you American people, you are big nation. Your activities are very big, considered in other parts of the world. And your tapasya is there. You have earned this, you have made this America so nice by tapasya, by austerity. It has not come out automatically. You have labored hard. That is called tapasya. So this big nationality, jati, japas, tapah, these hard work, scientific discoveries, they are very nice, but what kind of popularity it is? Bhagavad-bhakti-hinasya jatih sastram japas tapah. All these are simply decoration of the dead body. I do not know whether in your country it is a fashion. In India there is a custom that low-class men... Just like cobbler. Cobbler is taken as the low..., those who prepare, expert in skin. So they are generally very poor man. Now they have advanced, because now the Kali-yuga is the age of the sudras. So they decorate the dead body. If a cobbler's father dies, he brings, he spends money. He brings nice covering cloth, and with flower and everything... So sastra says that,

bhagavad-bhakti-hinasya
jatih sastram japas tapah
apranasyeva dehasya
mandanam loka-ranjanam

If you decorate a dead body, it may be very fanciful to the people, that "This dead body is decorated with costly garments and flowers and all things." So, but the dead body is dead. It is not enjoying. You can be complacent that "My father, the body of my father or my relative, is decorated so nicely." But factually, if you study scrutinizingly, what is the benefit out of this? What is the benefit? Dead body decoration? But people do that. They are accustomed to do that.

So similarly, this body is dead. That's a fact. It is dead from the very beginning. Because it is matter. Matter is always dead. So this body made of matter, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh -- earth, water, fire, air. This external body is dead, but it is living on account of that small spark of spirit. That is the real meant. That we understand from Bhagavad..., dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. Dehinah, the small spark, spiritual spark, he is within this body. This is the first understanding of spiritual knowledge. You must know. This is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. When Bhagavad-gita was taught to Arjuna, Arjuna was lamenting for this body. So Krsna, when He was accepted Arjuna's spiritual master, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam, then He advised him that "You are talking like a very learned scholar." Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase [Bg. 2.11]. "You are talking just like you know..." Just like our so-called scientists, they speak as if they know everything, but real thing they do not know. That is zero. What is spirit, they do not know. They are thinking this body. And according to Vedic knowledge, if one is misguided on the bodily identification of ourself, he is animal. He is animal. He may be Ph.D., D.H.C. or something, but he is animal. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. Because he does not know how the body is moving. And neither they can discover anything. When the body is dead... It is dead from the very beginning, but it was moving. Just like so long petrol is there, the motorcar moves. But as soon as there is... Now there is crisis. So how their motorcars will move? They are concerned. So why their crisis? Because the petrol is the life of the movement of the motorcar. Similarly, that spiritual spark, or spirit soul, is the petrol of this body.

So without knowledge of this, sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13], just like cats and dogs, they cannot understand how he is moving. That he does not know. If a human being also does not understand that how this body is moving, neither they can discover what it is, then what is this? It may be very so-called decoration of the body. A decoration of the dead body, what is the profit thereof? If you do not know what is the real living force within this body, then if you simply decorate the body, dead body, loka-ranjanam, you may get some applause from ordinary men, but it has no value. It has no value.

So you can expand in so many ways. Isa-rikta. Isa-rikta means without God, without God, isa-rikta. So we living entities, we are also part and parcel of God, and because we living entity, part and parcel of God, is within this body, therefore the body is so beautiful, so big scientist, so philosophers or politician and... You can say anything. But without that soul, this body is useless, dead body, and you can give all titles, Ph.D, D.H.C., they are all useless. Suppose a man is dead and from Oxford University somebody comes, "Now I give you Ph.D. title," what is the use? Suppose a beautiful woman attracted so many people. Now, when she is dead, if she is offered, "Now you can take this body. You can use it as you...," nobody will like. Why? The same beautiful lying on the... Why don't you take it now? You were after her so many... "No. It is no, (laughing) no more useful. No more useful." Everyone knows it.

There is a story that one beautiful woman was hunted by another man. So he was wooing, canvassing, but she was chaste lady. But... She did not agree. But that man was after her. So one day she said, "All right, you come to me three days after. I will accept you." So on the third day he (she) took purgative, a very strong purgative, and passed stools whole day and night, and he (she) kept those all those stools, stools and vomit and everything, kept in a very good preserver. Then third day, when the man came, she was sitting, and he was asking, "Where is that woman?" "No, I am the same woman. You don't recognize me?" "No, no, you are... She... She was so beautiful, and you, you are ugly." (laughter) "No, no, I am the same. You do not know." "Then how you look so ugly?" "Because I have separated my beauty." "You have separated your beauty?" "Yes, I will show you. Come here. Come here. The stool and the vomit are all stocked for you to show you." But actually, it is very knowledge, very good knowledge. Sankaracarya says, etam raktam mamsa-vikaram. (?) He is teaching renouncement, that "Why you are attracted with this beautiful? What is this beauty? It is a combination of stool, urine and flesh and bone. That's all." So he saw, "Here is my beauty. Now you add it with me. Then again I shall be beautiful."

So these are actually knowledge. People are after something false. That is called maya. Maya means which is not actually fact, but we are after that. Similarly, this so-called advancement of civilization is maya. It will be finished at any second, but they do not know. They do not know. It will be finished at any second. Even though we accept it, all right, Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: "I am the death, and I take away everything at the time of death." Either you take as a philosopher, scientist or rich man, capitalist, as soon as there is death... Just like you see, Hiranyakasipu, he was very powerful, and as soon as Nrsimhadeva appeared, everything finished. Now he is dying. You see? So people do not understand it, that without Krsna, without God, without Krsna consciousness, simply we are wasting our time, that's all, after false things. Everything will be useless. Today or tomorrow or day after. It will be useless, all useless. Real spirit soul -- na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20] -- that we do not take care. After finishing this false body, which will exist, the spirit soul, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], which is never vanquished even after the annihilation of this body, we are not taking care of that, wherefrom it has come. People are ignorant, so foolish. They do not know. This is the ignorant, civilization of ignorance. Na mam duskrtino mudhah [Bg. 7.15]. They do not know therefore. In ignorance they are committing so many sinful life. For the satisfaction of the tongue, they are killing so many animals. Why? There are so many nice foodstuffs. Why you are committing these sinful activities? They do not know what is sinful activities or pious activities. They do not know.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, na vidur asura janah, pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana na vidur asurah. Pravrtti means we have got some inclination to accept something and we have disinclination to reject something. Everyone knows it. But the asuric jana, those who are asuras, demons, they do not know in which way we shall accept and in which way we shall reject. That they do not know. That is called asura-jana. Just like we are advising our students, "Reject this: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. Reject. And accept; chant Hare Krsna." The demons, they do not know. They do not know it. They do not know why they are rejecting this and why they are accepting this, jana na vidur asurah. Because they are asuras. If we accept this path, then we are going to be liberated. What is that liberation? Liberation means to get out of this material bondage of body, dehino 'smin. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. This knowledge is wanting. There are so many universities, educational institution, big, big professors, scientists, all rascals. All rascals, we declare. Let them come and argue with us. All rascals. So therefore it is said, harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah.

Here is practical example, Arjuna is giving, that "I have got the same arrow, I have got the same bow. I have got the same chariot, my same horses, but everything is... I am the same Arjuna who was being honored by so many kings, ‘Oh, Arjuna is such a great warrior!' Now nobody cares for me." This is example. Here is said, so 'ham rathi nrpatayo yata anamanti: "I am the same Arjuna, great fighter. People were offering their obeisances to me, ‘O Arjuna, you are great friend of Krsna. You are great warrior.' Now nobody cares." How it has vanquished? The example is here, "Just like to pour butter in the ashes." This example is... Because in sacrifice the butter is poured into the fire. If it is poured into the fire, then the butter increases the strength of the fire. But if it is put into the ashes, where there is no fire, it is useless waste. And similarly, if you sow the seed in the Arabian desert to get some nice rose flower... The seed is all right, rose seed, but you have to sow it in the proper place, not in the Arabian desert.

Therefore your knowledge, university advancement of civilization, will be perfect when it is properly carried with God consciousness. Otherwise it is all useless. It is all useless, no use. You try to understand it and spread this knowledge. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Don't be misled by the so-called leaders.

na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum
durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah
andha yathandhair upaniyamanas
te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah
 [SB 7.5.31]

The modern civilization, they are so rascals, they are expecting something utopian, that by material advancement of civilization they will be happy. Now, one gentleman, that doctor, what is his name, Ifrenzia,(?) yes, he said that in Sweden they are the richest men, but the largest number of suicide cases are there. So this kind of material richness will not help you. That will not help. Actually, practically, we are experiencing. Why their every nation is dissatisfied? Although they have materially advanced so much, but dissatis... In your country also, why this section of people have become hippies? From university student, they have become hippies. Why? Frustration. They know that "What is this life? If I am become educated, then what is my future?" There is no future. Frustrated.

So this kind of civilization will not help. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad... So therefore they do not know what is the actual aim of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they do not know what should be the aim of life. The aim of life is God realization, God realization, that "There is God, His name is Krsna, His address is Vaikuntha, His number is this, He has got so many friends, He has got so many lovers." Everything we are giving. But still, the rascal will not take. We are giving the name, address, activities, everything. "You come, go there." But no, they will not do that. This is called misfortune. He is coming Himself, canvassing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam [Bg. 18.66], but still they are researching God. God is canvassing, and they are researching God. Somebody's failure, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is dead. He is finished. Now we are God." These things are going on.

So why? Because na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. Their real fault is that they are trying to become happy in this material existence. That is their fault. In Delhi, when I presented in some library my book Easy Journey to Other Planets, so one gentleman met, "You have got, written some book, Easy Journey to Other Planets?" "Yes." "Then we shall go and come back?" "No, why you shall come back?" "No, no, then I don't want." (laughter) The rascal wants to go to other planet and come back. They are doing actually. They are going to the so-called moon planet and coming back. The first aeronautics from Russia, when he was far, far away, he was just looking after, "Where is my Moscow? Where is my Moscow?" You see. This is our intelligence. You may go far away. There is an example. Just like the vulture, they have got a very good eyesight, very good eyesight. You... Seven miles away from the surface, they can see where there is a dead corpse. So they have got good eyesight, but they are searching after dead corpse only. That is their business. These so-called scientists, philosophers, they are very much advanced, but their only business is how to become happy in this planet. That's all. That is their... Not mahatma. Duratma. Their mind is not very broad. What is called? Ah? What is the English word? Crippled. Mind is very crippled. Durasaya. Therefore they are hoping against hope. They will not live here. Still, they are decorating, decorating the dead body. "This is my apartment, this is my house, this is my country, this is my skyscraper building." Painting. And one day, mrtyuh sarva... Just like Hiranyakasipu. He's challenging, challenging, "Where is your God?" "Ah, here is God! Come on! Finished. Finished. Here is God."

So God will appear. Don't forget that you will be godless. You will see God, and death, at that time, after seeing, you will be finished, no more understanding. That is... Krsna says, mrtyuh sarva-harah... When you will be taken away, everything, all your possession, all your scientific knowledge, bank balance, skyscraper, everything will be taken away, then you will understand what is God, like Hiranyakasipu. So why don't you try to understand before that moment comes? Live so very nicely, chant Hare Krsna and see Radha-Krsna Deity, and eat nicely, live nicely. "No, that is not possible. We shall see at the time of death when everything will be finished. All intelligence, all good food, everything will be finished." So therefore in the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, krsna yei bhaje se bada catura. Unless one is first-class intelligent, he cannot take to Krsna consciousness. The last class fools and rogues, they cannot take to Krsna consciousness.

So by the grace of Krsna, you have first-class intelligence, those who have taken to Krsna consciousness. Now try to continue it. Don't give it up. Don't be foolish, mudha. Continue. Then you will be happy, and all problems of life will be solved.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973