Devotional Service Will Free You

Devotional Service Will Free You

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.21-28
New York, January 11, 1967

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Prabhupada:

kevala jnana 'mukti' dite nare bhakti vine
krsnonmukhe sei mukti haya jnana vina

Mukti, liberation... The impersonalists think that simply by cultivating knowledge that "I am not matter; I am spirit," or "I am one with the Supreme Spirit; I am now... Out of ignorance, I am thinking different, but when I am fully elevated to the platform of knowledge, then I become liberated." But the..., there is no answer that "Why you have become conditioned?" The impersonalists think that "I am one with the Supreme. Now, due to my ignorance, I have forgotten that I am the Supreme." Because they do not recognize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so they think that impersonal conception of the spirit soul: "I am now... Out of ignorance, I am thinking matter, but as soon as my ignorance is over, I shall become one with the Supreme." So this is the theory of the impersonalists. But they... They cannot give any answer that "Why you have become under the influence of ignorance? If you are the Supreme, then what is the cause that you have become conditioned? Then the Supreme will become conditioned under the material nature. Then how one can become the Supreme? Supreme cannot be conditioned." So there is no answer for this question from the impersonalists' school. But real fact is that the Supreme never falls down. The part and parcel of the Supreme, they fall down -- some of them; not all. So therefore the living entities, they are different from the Supreme. They are one in quality with the Supreme, but not in quantity.

So Lord Caitanya says that "Simply by thinking that 'I am not this matter; I am spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. I am Brahman,' that will not help you to get liberation." The real fact is that the individual living entities, they are part and parcel of the Supreme, but somehow or other, they wanted separation from the Supreme and wanted to lord it over the material nature. Therefore they are entangled. That is the real fact. And as such, we find from the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord asked that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Just surrender." So therefore, unless there is surrender of the individual soul to the Supreme, there is no question of liberation. There is no question of liberation. You can cultivate knowledge that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," but that will not help for your liberation. Because real thing is that you have or we have rebelled against the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. That is the attitude, everywhere we can see actually. Everyone is: "Oh, what is God? What is God?" especially in this age. So this impersonalism is another type of atheism, and this impersonal theory of the Absolute Truth has converted practically the major portion of the world into atheism. So therefore Lord Caitanya says that simply by cultivation of knowledge that "I am not this matter. I am not this matter. I am spirit soul," that will not help.

Now He gives again evidence from scriptures. Every step, whatever He says, He gives some evidence from authoritative scripture. Mostly He gives evidence from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, because for the Vaisnava school these two books are sufficient for acquiring knowledge. So far Vedanta-sutra is concerned, Bhagavata is Vedanta-sutra itself. Bhagavata is the natural commentary on the, on the Vedanta-sutra. Therefore one who has sufficient knowledge in Bhagavata, he has automatically sufficient knowledge in Vedanta-sutra. According to Vedic system, one must have sufficient knowledge in Vedanta-sutra. Then he'll be considered as learned in spiritual science. So Srimad-Bhagavatam, although the Vaisnavas, they have got their commentaries on Vedanta-sutra, but this Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya, they did not make any commentary on the Vedanta-sutra because they belonged to the disciplic succession of Vyasadeva. So Vyasadeva is the spiritual master. So the later acaryas, they did not think it proper that whatever the... Because their spiritual master has had already made a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, "Oh, that is sufficient. Why should we do again?" These are some of the etiquette. Anyway, the Vedanta-sutra... And Bhagavata is natural commentary on Vedanta-sutra, and Lord Caitanya therefore gives evidence from the Bhagavata generally and Puranas also, and Mahabharata and every, I mean to say, Upanisad. They are all authorities. But especially He gives evidences from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now, so far, in confirmation of this statement that knowledge, cultivation of knowledge, is not sufficient to give one liberation -- one must take to devotional service. Devotional service past knowledge is just like gold with flavor. Yes. So, of course, those who are engaged in devotional service, their knowledge automatically comes. They are not fools. Those who are actually, seriously in devotional service, in Krsna consciousness, they will not lack in knowledge because you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Lord says that,

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
 [Bg. 10.10]

Those who are engaged in transcendental loving service of Krsna, for them knowledge automatically comes from within because Krsna is within us. So a sincere soul in Krsna consciousness will not lack in knowledge. And in the Vedic literature also it is confirmed:

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
 [SU 6.23]

The Vedic knowledge, revelation, to whom it is revealed? It is revealed to a person who has unflinching faith and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead as well as to the spiritual master. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. As much he has got faith in the Supreme, similarly he has faith in the spiritual master. Such a person gets revelation of the Vedic knowledge from within. So those who are actually serious in engaging themselves in Krsna consciousness, devotional service, for them knowledge is secondary. Knowledge automatically revealed to them. And those who do not take to the Krsna consciousness, devotional service, simply indulge in dry speculation, for them liberation is not possible. Not possible.

So Lord Caitanya gives one evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam from Tenth Canto:

sreyah-srtim bhaktim udasya te vibho
klisyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye
tesam asau klesala eva sisyate
nanyad yatha sthula-tusavaghatinam

Real knowledge means to understand the last word of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and surrender unto Him, after knowledge. As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, bahunam janmanam ante: [Bg. 7.19] "After many, many births, one who is actually in knowledge, he surrenders." So Srimad-Bhagavata practically confirms the same, that sreyah-srtim bhaktim udasya te vibho. Any person who does not take to the devotional service in Krsna consciousness, simply indulge in dry speculation, klisyanti, takes trouble... Klisyanti means "takes trouble"; ye, "persons." Kevala-bodha-lab..., simply to understand that "This is not matter, this is not spirit, this is not...," like that, and that there is no separate Supersoul, only one soul is there, and this conception of individual soul is misunderstanding, ignorance -- in this way, there are volumes of books of, by Sankaracarya especially, and later on, his disciples. They are very, very learned scholars, undoubtedly. By their scholastic jugglery they want to cover the Supreme Personality of God. They do not want to cover; they think that they are advanced. But Krsna covers Himself so that they may not understand Krsna. Krsna does not want. Krsna wants that one should surrender and take to devotional service. So Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah: [Bg. 7.25] "I do not reveal Myself to everyone, one and all. No. I cover Myself." So these impersonalists, due to their, I mean to say, less intelligence, or misfortune, they cannot see Krsna. So therefore, for them this remark is here that sreyah-srtim, that "Actually what is auspicious, devotional service, if somebody gives that path away and takes to simply dry speculation, simply to understand..." Because jnana means to understand what is the difference between matter and spirit. So they, of course, indulge in that process of knowledge. But simply by that speculation the result is that tesam asau klesala eva sisyate. The trouble which they accept for discriminating matter from spirit... There is trouble. You have to see so many Vedic literatures, and you have to understand the instruction of Upanisads and logic, and so many things there are to, I mean to say, back your understanding. So tesam klesala eva... Their, their profit is that the trouble which they accept for studying so many Vedic literatures to prove that the Absolute Truth is not person, that trouble is their profit and nothing more. Klesala eva, tesam asau klesala eva sisyate: "They do not get any other profit except that troublesome business." That's all. Tesam klesala eva sisyate. How it is? The example is, nanyad yatha sthula-tusavaghatinam: "Just like husking the grain to take out the skin." Now, there are many grains which are skin over. So there is process of taking out the skin out of the grain. So if the grain is already taken out, only the skins are left. Then, if you husk on it and beat to get out the grains, so there is no possibility to get any grains from them because the grain is already taken out. So that is the trouble. Simply, I mean, beating the skin is no good. We must have some concrete result. That concrete result is one who is directly engaged in the transcendental service, loving service of the Supreme Lord. That is recommended.

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
 [Bg. 7.14]

So the same thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, Seventh Chapter, that the Lord says that... This is also another influence of maya, illusion. Just like under the spell of illusion we are thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am king," "I am big man," "I am poor man" -- so many we have got -- and this is all due to this body, bodily conception. It has no actual standing. It is all..., they are all designations. Similarly, the last snare of maya is to, I mean to say, induce one to think that "I am God." Just like we are under the spell of illusion. We are thinking, "I am this and that, this and that." So after many, many years' cultivation of knowledge, if one comes to the conclusion that "I am God. There is no other second God. I am God," so that is also another spell of illusion. So the Bhagavad-gita says that daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. One is trying to get out of the clutches of the illusory energy, but it is very difficult. Up to the last point the maya, illusion, will offer you something so that she will baffle your endeavor to get out of her clutches. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. Then how to get out of her hands? Mam eva prapadyante mayam etam taranti... Only process is just you surrender to Krsna, and maya will not any more interfere with your business.

So therefore surrender is the only process by which you can get out of the clutches of maya.

'krsna-nitya-dasa'-jiva taha bhuli' gela
ei dose maya tara galaya bandhila

Just like we become..., sometimes we take a pet dog with shackles on the neck, similarly we are under the spell..., we are pet dogs of the illusory energy, with shackles. You see? So why? Now, 'krsna-nitya-dasa'-jiva taha bhuli' gela: "That the living entity is eternally servitor of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, that he has forgotten." That he has forgotten. Therefore... [break] ...galaya bandhila. Just like the dog is shackled on the..., we are in that way shackled.

tate krsna bhaje, kare gurura sevana
maya-jala chute, paya krsnera carana

Therefore, if one agrees to serve Krsna under the direction of spiritual master, follows the instruction of spiritual master, and engages himself in the service of the Supreme Lord, maya-jala chute, paya krsnera carana, then he can get out of this network of illusory energy and paya krsnera carana, and he can get the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna.

cari varnasrami yadi krsna nahi bhaje
svakarma karite se raurave padi' maje

Cari varna. Cari varna means four castes, four division of human society: the brahmanas, the ksatriya, the vaisyas and the sudras. They have got their specific duties. One who is brahmana, he has got his specific duty. Culture, cultivation of knowledge is their first and foremost duty. Similarly, ksatriya, he has got his specific duty. The fore and foremost is to establish good administration in the state. And vaisya, he has got also specific duty. What is that? Cow protection and agriculture. That is the duty of vaisya. And the sudras, they have no responsibility. Therefore they serve these three higher class: the intelligent class, engaged in cultivation of knowledge; the administrator class, who are engaged in good government; and the mercantile, class who are looking to the productive side of the society. So this is natural. There is no denying the fact. In every society there is a natural division. A certain class of men, they are intelligent class, a certain class of men, they are, take part in politics, and a certain class of men, they delight in doing business. And there are certain classes -- they do not do anything; simply by serving, they maintain themselves. So these four classes are there.

So according to Vedic civilization, these four classes are also recommended to serve the Supreme Lord, Supreme Lord. With their professional occupation, they want, they have to, they have to serve the Supreme Lord. That is the injunction of the Vedic literatures.

cari varnasrami yadi krsna nahi bhaje
svakarma karite se raurave padi' maje

Therefore Lord Caitanya says that suppose an intelligent brahmana, he's very learned scholar and great philosopher, big thinker... Everything is all right. But he has no relationship in the matter of rendering service to the Supreme Lord. That is minus. That means learned scholar minus Krsna consciousness. Similarly, a learned politician, able administrator, minus Krsna consciousness... Similarly, a successful businessman minus Krsna consciousness... Or the sudras... Anyone, if he is minus Krsna consciousness, then the result is that svakarma karite se raurave padi' maje: "By doing, by executing his specific duty, he's going to hell." Hell. It is fact. He's thinking that "I am doing my duty," but he's going to hell. So this is a version of Lord Caitanya Maha... He, even if he does his duty very nicely, still, he's going to hell. Raurave padi' maje. Raurave means hell.

And again He gives evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam:

mukha-bahuru-padebhyah
purusasyasramaih saha
catvaro jajnire varna
gunair vipradayah prthak

ya esam purusam saksad-
atma-prabhavam isvaram
na bhajanty avajananti
sthanad bhrastah patanty adhah

In the Srimad-Bhagavata, Eleventh Canto, these two verses are there. What is that? Mukha-bahuru-padebhyah purusasyasramaih saha. Now, according to Vedic conception of social life, there are four divisions of social order and four divisions of spiritual order. The four divisions of social order is the brahmanas, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra; and spiritual order is the sannyasi, vanaprastha, grhastha and brahmacari. To become a brahmacari means to make advance in spiritual life. And the social order is there, the brahmanas, ksatriyas. So it is called varnasrama-dharma. Actually, "Hindu," there is no such word as "Hindu" religion. We don't find in the Vedic scripture. Hindu religion... This "Hindu" word is given by the Muhammadans. They, they, they generally pronounce i as h. They... So there is river in the west, western side of India. There is river, Indus, Indus River. So Indus River the Muhammadans used to call "Hindus." From "Hindus" it has come to Hindustan, "the place of the Hindus." So Hindu, Hindu religion is a modern term given by the foreigners. Actually the Indians, bharatiya, they, their religion is varnasrama-dharma, religion of four castes and four spiritual orders, four spiritual orders and four social orders. The persons who follow these four orders of social status and four orders of spiritual advancement, they are called varnasrama. So Hindu religion is a miscalculation. Really, they are called varnasrama-dharma. That is the Vedic term.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967

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Passing Life's Final Examination

Passing Life's Final Examination

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.34
Bombay, January 11, 1975

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Nitai: "The activities and characteristics of the ethereal element can be observed as the accommodation for the room for the external and internal existences of all living entities, namely the field of activities of the vital air, the senses and the mind."

Prabhupada:

bhutanam chidra-datrtvam
bahir antaram eva ca
pranendriyatma-dhisnyatvam
nabhaso vrtti-laksanam
 [SB 3.26.34]

Space, accommodating space, this is the function of the ether. So this is technical description. There is nothing very much philosophy. Technical composition. So you can read the purport.

Nitai: The mind, the senses and the vital force, or living entity, have forms, although they are not visible to the naked eye. Form rests in subtle existence in the sky, and internally it is perceived as the veins within the body and the circulation of the vital air. Externally there are invisible forms of sense objects. The production of the invisible sense objects is the external activity of the ethereal element, and the circulation of vital air and blood is its internal activity. That subtle forms exist in the ether has been proven by modern science by transmission of television, by which forms or photographs of one place are transmitted to another place by the action of the ethereal element. That is very nicely explained here. This verse is the potential basis of great scientific research work, for it explains how subtle forms are generated from the ethereal element, what their characteristics and actions are, and how the tangible elements, namely air, fire, water and earth, are manifested from the subtle form. Mental activities, or psychological actions of thinking, feeling and willing, are also activities on the platform of ethereal existence. The statement in Bhagavad-gita that the mental situation at the time of death is the basis of the next birth is also corroborated in this verse. Mental existence transforms into tangible form as soon as there is an opportunity due to contamination or development of the gross elements from subtle form.

Prabhupada: So one important thing, that "The statement in the Bhagavad-gita that the mental situation at the time of death is the basis of the next birth is also corroborated in this verse." Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. Generally, with our these material eyes, material senses, gross vision, we do not see how a person dying and he is being transformed to another body. The gross material scientists, scholars, because they cannot see with the eyes, they do not believe in, that there is soul and soul transmigrates from one body to another. Big, big scientists, big, big scholars, they do not believe. They think that life is nothing but a mixture of these material elements and at a time the vitality is finished; therefore everything is finished. But that is not the fact. The fact is the gross body is finished, but the subtle body -- mind, intelligence, and ego -- that remains with the soul. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The... Just like in dream we do not work with this gross body, but we work in dream with mind, intelligence and ego. We create another atmosphere, and in dream we see or we place ourself in a different atmosphere, although the gross body is resting on the bed. So this we experience every night, that because the gross body stops working, it does not mean the soul stops working. The soul works with his mind, intelligence and ego. So when this body becomes incapable of working further, then the mind, intelligence and ego carries me to another body, means another process of formation of the body into the womb of the mother, and when the body is formed and in working capacity, even as a child or baby, then the body comes out and the living entity's another chapter of life begins. This is the process of transmigration of the soul.

So mind is the basic principle of another form of body. Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is training the mind how to remain Krsna conscious at the time of death, because Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yam yam vapi smaran bhavam [Bg. 8.6]. Therefore in Bengali poetry there is a saying, bhajan kara sadhan kara mate janle haya,(?) means "You are doing everything in spiritual life, but everything will be examined at the time of death. How you have practiced your bhajana, sadhana, this will be examined at the time of death." If at the time of death you remember Krsna, that will be the examination. We are chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, training the mind. So at the time of death, if you think of Krsna, then your examination is passed. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam [Bg. 8.6]. That krsna-bhava immediately will carry you to the Krsnaloka.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
 [Bg. 9.25]

Mad-yajinah, Krsna says. "Those who are worshiping Me," yajana... Yajana means worshiping. So Krsna therefore advises, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. So Krsna worship, mad-yaji, worshiping Krsna... Krsna says, "Worship Me." What is that? Mam namaskuru. If you simply come in this temple and offer little obeisances, dandavat... Danda, danda means "rod"; vat means "like." Just like one stick falls straight on the ground, similarly, if we fall straight before the Deity, that is called dandavat, "like the stick." Dandavat-pranama. Prakrsta-rupena namrata. Namrata is required. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Namanta. Be submissive. So this dandavat is the symbolic presentation of submission. And Krsna wants that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], submission. The bhakti process is simply submission. So mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. If you do not study or if you have no education to study Vedic literatures, you simply... The temple is installed for this purpose, that if somebody comes, simply offers his obeisances before the Deity, before the spiritual master, simply by doing that, he will become perfect. Just like these children. A small child is offering obeisances. It may be said that they are imitating, but not all child imitates. There are many children. So there are fortunate children who comes here, offers obeisances, dances with kirtana, and... So these are not in vain. They are taken into account, and he also becomes developed in spiritual consciousness. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat.

Mahato bhayat. Bhaya, or fearfulness, is of our next life. That is bhaya. Everyone is afraid of dying. Why? There is fearfulness that after this body, after death, nobody knows where he is going. That is bhaya. Everyone should be afraid of that. Suppose you are pushed somewhere. You do not know whether..., where you are going. So that is very dangerous. One must know "Where I am going." But they do not believe in the next life. Due to lack of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge, they... There is no question of disbelieving. It is quite logical, as Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. As you are changing body... Everyone is changing. Everyone knows, "I was a child. Then I became a baby, I became a boy, I became a young man. Now I am old man." So these, one after an..., change, one body after another, that is going on simply... Similarly, tatha dehantara-praptih, after this body is finished, I must get another body. So I am transformed to one body to another by mind, intelligence and ego. That has to be trained, mind. If you train up your mind where to go... We decide even in this life. We first of all decide in the mind, "Where I shall go?" We purchase ticket. We make arrangement. Similarly, the mind should be trained up how to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is called bhajana-sadhana, to train up the mind. If the mind becomes disturbed at the time of death, then... Even Bharata Maharaja, such an exalted person, he became very much affectionate with a deer calf, and he had to take birth as a deer. Such an exalted person, so much advanced in spiritual life, but at the time... Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam [Bg. 8.6]. He was absorbed in the thought of the small deer whom he loved very much, so he had to take the body of a deer.

So there is such chance. So how much careful we should be, training our mind so that at the end of life we can think of Krsna. That is the Krsna consciousness movement, training the mind to think of Krsna, the same thing. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This should be trained up. And the... That is also practical. We can understand. Just like some air is passing before us, and there is some good smell, rose smell. We can understand that the air is carrying the flavor of this rose because it is passing through the rose garden. So you cannot see the mind or the air -- it does not mean that subtle things are not there. Don't believe your eyes in that way. You have to know things as it is stated here. The space, the air, they are acting. Prana-vayu. The yoga system is controlling the vayu, the air within the body. That is called pranayama, prana, prana, vayu, control the prana-vayu. So perfect yogi, they control the prana-vayu in such a way that by their sweet will they can transfer themselves through the prana-vayu in different planets. They can do that when they are fixed up, that "Now I am completely able to transfer myself," so they can transfer to any planet, or if he wants, he can transfer himself to the spiritual world. That is the perfection. We have given this picture in our Perfection of Yoga book: a yogi is transferring himself to another planet. So if you want to go to the planets of the demigods... They are trying to go to the moon planet, but by yoga system, you can transfer yourself to any planet by yoga practice perfection. Therefore we have written that book Easy Journey to Other Planets. You can go to any other planet by bhakti-yoga or the astanga-yoga. Astanga-yoga, by practicing and becoming perfect, you can transfer to any planet yourself within this material world. But by bhakti-yoga, you can transfer yourself immediately to this spiritual Vaikunthaloka or Goloka Vrndavana. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam.

So the yoga system is meant for that purpose, that you practice yoga, and when you are mature, you can select an auspicious time and transfer yourself to certain planet, as you like. Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. If you want to go to the demigod's planet, so you can transfer there. And if you want to transfer yourself to Krsnaloka -- mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam -- that is the best way. Because here, even if you transfer yourself to the Brahmaloka, the topmost planet, where duration of life is millions and millions of years... You can transfer in that planet, but that is not very good bargain. Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna: [Bg. 8.16] "Even if you transfer yourself to the Brahmaloka, where the duration of life is very, very long, still, you have to come back again." Ksine punye punah martya-lokam visanti. So long your pious balance is there, you can stay there. But after that, you have to come back again in this material world. So sastra says, "So if you have to prepare yourself, then why don't you prepare for going back to home, back to Godhead?" Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. Krsna says, "If you go to the spiritual planet, Vaikunthaloka or Goloka Vrndavana, then you haven't got to return. That is eternal." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. Mam eti. If you go to Krsna, then your complete success is...

mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
 [Bg. 8.15]

Samsiddhim, that is the highest perfection, paramam. Therefore we should try, we should endeavor, for that purpose, how to go back to home, back to Godhead.

So simply you have to train your mind. Man-mana bhava..., this, the prescription. Mam evaisyasi asamsaya. Krsna says that "You, this practice," mam evaisyasi, "you will come to Me." Asamsaya. Krsna says, "There is no doubt about it." So why don't you do that? Train your mind, always Krsna conscious, and the method is simple. You do not require much education or university degree -- nothing of the sort. Simply man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: you just become devotee of Krsna and always think of Him. Where is the difficulty? You can walk on the street and remember Krsna. Is there any tax? No, the government will not ask you for any income tax, sales tax, that "You are chanting Hare Krsna." They may do so. The time is coming. (laughter) They may say, "The Hare Krsna people must be taxed three times because they are chanting and doing nothing." The Communist government will do that. So never mind. The tax will be sent by Krsna. (laughter) You haven't got to bother. Still, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22], Krsna says. You believe in Krsna. Then every problem is solved. We have no problem if we simply follow Krsna's instruction. Krsna says, tesam satata-yuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 10.10]. Even they tax for chanting Hare Krsna, then Krsna will bring the money. We are getting that practically. So you know the history, how this land was purchased. There was no money, but Krsna sent money and everything was done nicely. So there is no anxiety, provided we are purely Krsna conscious, without any other desire.

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
 [Brs. 1.1.11]

No other desire. Simply... Desire will not come. Krsna is so strong and nice. As soon as you allow Him to sit down within your heart... He is there already. Simply you have to see. Then the strength is already there. There is no need of acquiring external strength for acquiring Krsna. The simple thing is that you follow the instruction of Krsna, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65].

So this is very natural. This temple worship is meant for that purpose. Actually, when we see the Deity, immediately our mind become Krsna conscious. At least, we think of Krsna: "Here is Krsna." So that is man-manah. Chanting also, chanting, that is krsna-manah, man-manah. In this way you become bhakta. Regularly chanting, you become bhakta. Without becoming bhakta, nobody can chant. So man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. And worship Deity. He has come very kindly to accept your service. You just dress Him, just bathe Him, just decorate Him with ornaments, with garland, with nice thing. So He is ready. Just like a child is ready to accept the service of the mother. The mother dresses the child nicely, and the child accepts. So Krsna is so kind that... You cannot capture Krsna in His virad-murti. You can capture Krsna in your capacity. So Krsna has agreed. So take this chance. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. Worship Him. Why you are denying? It is not difficult, not expensive at all. And in this way, if you follow the process, then your bhava, your nature, will be changed. You will become a complete devotee.

So at the time of death, if you can maintain this bhava, Krsna conscious bhava... The bhava is the perfection. Bhava is attained after much practice of devotional service. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktis tato bhavah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Asakti, when there is asakti, attraction, attraction... Now, recently I have received one letter. One boy, he was engaged in worshiping the Deity in our Hyderabad center, and he was transferred to Madras. So he became madlike. He has come back. He could not stay there without serving. He has written me letter. So that is bhava. He cannot stay without worshiping the Deity. That stage comes. You have to simply adopt it. Tato bhavah. Tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat. Anartha. Anartha means we are accustomed to this material condition of life, so many anarthas. Just like there are so many people, they are going to the cinema in the evening. But those who have attained bhava, his anartha nivrtti is already done. He is not attracted any more by the cinema. He is attracted, bhava, in the worship of the Deity. That is called bhava. That bhava means prema. Only thinking of Krsna, serving Krsna, simply busy in Krsna's service -- that is the perfection of life. And if we can maintain that bhava, that situation, mentality, then yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6], and at the time of death, if that bhava is maintained, that is samsiddhim paramam gatah. That is the highest perfection of life. This is Krsna consciousness practice, Krsna consciousness. We are trying to... We are not trying to give others. We are trying ourself also, how to get that bhava. That is the perfection of life.

So human life is meant for that purpose, not to practice how to imitate barking like the dog, no. That is not human life. Human life is meant for acquiring this bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitah. In another place in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, budhah...

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
 [Bg. 10.8]

Bhava-samanvitah. Budhah. Those who are actually learned, actually advanced, such persons-budha bhava-samanvitah, bhajante mam. That is perfection of life. So take this opportunity, human life. Don't miss. You may be very proud of your intelligence, but this intelligence is not very good intelligence if you are devoid of Krsna consciousness. Then you are a mudha. If, by your intelligence, you learn how to surrender to Krsna and worship Him with bhava, that is real intelligence. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. And if you try to become intelligent, some tricks, material trick, to get some money or cheat others, that is not very good intelligence. These cats and dogs that... They have also such intelligence. How to steal food from the room, the cat knows very well. So that is not intelligence. That intelligence can be found, even birds, beasts, everywhere. Real intelligence is how to regain your Krsna consciousness and be promoted to the stage of bhava, and at the time of death maintain that bhava, and then your life is successful. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9].

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975

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Everyone Of Us Loves Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.16
Los Angeles, January 11, 1974

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Pradyumna: Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit heard that out of His causeless mercy Lord Krsna, or Visnu, who is universally obeyed, rendered all kinds of service to the malleable sons of Pandu by accepting posts ranging from chariot driver to president to messenger, friend, night watchman, etc., according to the will of the Pandavas, obeying them like a servant and offering obeisances like one younger in years. When he heard this, Maharaja Pariksit became overwhelmed with devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord."

Prabhupada: So this is the exchange of love between the Lord and the devotee. It is not Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... He's master, the Supreme, but we may not calculate the master and the Supreme by our material experience. Just like in our material experience we see the master is always master and the servant is always servant. But in the spiritual world, sometimes the master is the servant also. This is called Absolute, Absolute world. Here there is distinction between master and the servant, but in the spiritual world there is no such distinction. Sometimes the servant is rendering service to the Lord, and sometimes the Lord is serving to the master. Just like Krsna, when He was playing with His friends, so they were sporting, and in the sporting there is defeat and victory. So if some of the friends would become victorious, then the challenge was that one who will be defeated, the victorious person will ride on his shoulder. That was the challenge. So when Krsna became defeated, the other boys, they rose up and got up on the shoulder of Krsna, and Krsna had to carry them.

So although Krsna is master, but He became a servant. Just like Krsna, when He was playing as a child of mother Yasoda, so He was taken with stick, "Krsna, if you become again very naughty, then see the stick." So Krsna used to cry. There are very nice verses in the Kunti's prayer, that "The whole universe is afraid of Krsna, and Krsna is afraid by the stick of mother Yasoda." (laughter) Just see. This is Krsna. This is spiritual world. When Krsna was a little boy playing, Nanda Maharaja, father of Krsna... Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja, they are foster father and mother. Real mother, father, is Vasudeva and Devaki. So Nanda Maharaja came within the house and saw little Krsna, "Yes." He was playing. So Nanda Maharaja challenged Yasodamayi, "Your Krsna can do something work." "Oh, yes, why not? He can do anything." Immediately Yasoda-mata, mother Yasoda, ordered Krsna, "Just carry the wooden slipper of Your father and go there." So Krsna immediately took the slipper on His head and brought it to Maharaja Nanda. Then Nanda Maharaja said, "Oh, your Krsna is very good. Come on, come on, come on." These were, that, the childhood pastimes of Krsna was enjoyed by the foster father and mother.

Therefore all the sages were surprised that "What pious activities this mother Yasoda did that Krsna is completely under her control? Completely." The supreme controller. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Krsna is the supreme controller. There is no controller of Krsna. Krsna, the Supreme Lord, govindam adi-purusam, He is the original person. So who can be His father and mother? He is the father of everyone, the supreme father. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [Bg. 14.4]. Krsna says, "In all species of life, as many forms as there, I am the seed-giving father of all of them." So nobody can be Krsna's father. Nobody can be controller of Krsna. Nobody can be master of Krsna. Krsna is the Supreme. Mattah parataram nanyat: [Bg. 7.7] "Nobody is superior than Me." But He accepts inferior position out of love. If you love Krsna... The Mayavadi philosophers, they are very much eager to become one with Krsna, merge into the existence of Krsna. That is their perfection. And Vaisnava philosophy is: "What is there becoming one with Krsna? We want to become father of Krsna." This is Krsna philosophy. "Why I shall be one with my son? We want to become master of Krsna." Just like gopis. Gopis were addressing Krsna with very slanting language, but Krsna enjoyed that. That is service to Krsna. Krsna... Everyone worships Krsna as the Supreme. So sometime Krsna becomes disgusted, that "Everyone is coming, simply offering Me respectful obeisances. Nobody comes to chastise Me." So who can chastise Krsna? His devotee. Therefore a devotee who comes to the position of chastising Krsna, he is more liked by Krsna. That is Krsna's position.

So here, about the Pandavas it is described that Krsna accepted sarathyam. Krsna's another name is Partha-sarathi. Partha. Arjuna's name is Partha. Partha means "the son of Prtha." Kunti's another name is Prtha. Kunti's father's name was Prthu, so Kunti's name was Prtha. Therefore Arjuna's name was Partha. And because Krsna served as the chariot driver of Krsna, His another name is Partha-sarathi. So it is a fact that God has no name. Sometimes some philosopher says that "God has no name." That is fact. But why God has so many names? These names are calculated according to His pastimes. Just like Krsna is known as Devaki-nandana. Because He appeared as the son of Devaki, therefore His name is Devaki-nandana. By the action. Krsna is known as Yasoda-nandana. Because Krsna acted as the son of mother Yasoda, His name is Yasoda-nandana. Krsna's name is Radha-ramana. Because Krsna enjoyed with Radharani, therefore His name is Radha-ramana. Krsna's name is Govinda. Because He gave pleasure even to the cows, therefore His name is Govinda. Or Krsna gives pleasure to every sense; therefore His name is Govinda. There are so many thousands and millions of names of Krsna. Actually, His name is calculated in relationship with devotee. That is Krsna's name. And there are devotees in all fields of life, amongst human beings, among demigods, among plants, amongst trees, among animals, among insects. Everywhere, Krsna has got His relationship. So therefore the supreme name of the Lord is Krsna. Krsna means all-attractive. That is the meaning. (aside:) Please sit down properly. Krsna's name is... This is the supreme name, Krsna, "All-attractive." He can attract everyone.

So this statement, that "God has no name," that is fact, but He has got His name in relationship with His activities with devotees. So Krsna worked as sarathi, as it is stated here, sarathyam. He acted as the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore Krsna's name is Partha-sarathi. So Krsna did all these things. He acted as a chariot driver. He acted as the president of the assembly. Not that He is eternally chariot driver. Eternally servant is the human being or the living entities. Eternally master, that is. In Vaikuntha, in the spiritual world, there is equality with God and the living entities. They enjoy on equal level. But everyone knows that "Here is the Supreme." That is spiritual world. When Krsna drives the chariot, Arjuna does not forget, that "He is my chariot driver." He knows that "Krsna is the Supreme. But He is so kind, He has accepted the post of my chariot driver." This is spiritual sense. And sometimes, by the influence of yoga-maya, Krsna also forgets that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the devotee also forgets that he is eternal servant of Krsna. That is the action of yoga-maya.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, there are so many things to learn. And when practically one learns everything -- not everything; as far as possible, perfection -- then his position is janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Anyone who learns about Krsna, His janma... He has no father, but He is accepting a father. Therefore janma. Janma means birth. When there is birth, there must be father and mother. So when Krsna takes His birth, appears, as a son, so there must be father and mother. But who can be His father and mother? His devotee. Because His business is with the devotees; with no other else. When He wants father and mother, the devotee must be father... Even when He wants some enemy, the devotee will become His enemy, what to speak of father and mother. Therefore He is all-attractive. He is as much attractive to His father and mother, similarly, He is attractive to the small calf. You have seen the picture. Krsna is embracing. Krsna is not simply embracing Radharani or the gopis. He is embracing the insignificant animal, calf. Therefore He is all-attractive. And when the calf goes to Krsna... This is described in the Krsna book, how all the cows and calves were so much, I mean to say, attached to Krsna. That is Vrndavana. Everyone is attached to Krsna. It doesn't matter whether he is human being or plant or trees or water or animal or the land or the flowers or the fruits. Whatever there is, they are all attracted to Krsna.

So similarly, if we become attracted to Krsna... We are attracted to... Actually we love Krsna. That is the fact. But we have forgotten it. We are under illusion. Just you analyze yourself. Why we love this body? It is very easy to understand. Because the soul is there. Does anybody love a dead body? Is there any instance, a dead body is loved and embraced and taken into the room and kept it? Nobody cares. Throw it. Or burn it. So the body is not a lovable object. But because the soul is there within the body, therefore we love this body. This house, if it is vacant, nobody will come. But because there is Krsna or because there are devotees of Krsna, so many people come. Not that this house is lovable. Similarly, you analyze. You love this body. You work so hard day and night to keep this body fit. Why? Because the proprietor of the body, soul, is there. Then the love transfers from body to the soul. Then why do you love the soul? Because it is part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore we love the soul. So ultimately, the love goes to Krsna. This is natural feeling of love between Krsna, or God, and between living entities, but the maya is interrupting the relation. It is called illusion. The process of interruption is called illusion. Otherwise, we, every one of us, we love Krsna. Everyone of us. You analyze. You see that ultimately goes to Krsna.

Therefore in the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti: "The loving attitude of the living entity towards Krsna is nitya-siddha." That is eternally fact. Not that we are preaching this Krsna consciousness movement, artificially we are creating some situation that a person may love Krsna. No. That is not. That is not fact. We are cleansing the process which has covered our Krsna-bhakti. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. The love for Krsna is there automatically. Everyone loves. But it is now covered by maya. So sravanadi-suddha-citte. Just like when you become diseased... Actually your position is, normal position is, that you can eat nicely, you can sleep nicely, you can talk nicely. That is healthy life. But when you cannot eat nicely, when you cannot sleep nicely, you cannot have sex life nicely, you take the help of a physician. The physician helps you, not that artificially he is creating some machine in you so that you can eat. The eating process is already there. You (are) competent to eat. But it has been disrupted by another influence. That is called maya. Similarly krsna-bhakti, or our love for Krsna, is eternally fact. Some way or other, it has been interrupted by the influence of maya, and we have to cleanse this. Or, as the physician cures the disease, so this maya, maya, means an illusion, means it is not a fact. Just like you cannot eat -- this is not a fact. You can eat, but something has come between you and your healthy life. That is disease. So not to become Krsna conscious is disease. To become Krsna conscious is healthy. That is real health. Not to become Krsna conscious, to become a demon, that is disease.

So our process is to cure the disease, not that we are enforcing something by some artificial means. That is not possible. That is not possible. Otherwise, in the foreign countries... Now, for Krsna there is no foreign country, because He is the proprietor everywhere. But people think that "Krsna is a foreign name, and He is Indian, Indian God," like that. But actually that is not for... Just like you cannot say the sun, "This is American sun and this is Indian sun or this is African sun." Sun is one. Similarly, God is one. There cannot be two Gods, American God or Indian God or African God. God is one. But when God consciousness comes into, I mean, awakening, then we can understand what is God. Therefore in the Bhagavata there it is said, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. By our these diseased senses, blunt senses... Diseased means blunt condition. So atah sri-krsna-namadi. Simply I speak, "Krsna is God," and you hear, it will not be appreciated. It will not be appreciated. "Eh, why Krsna God?" You will make so many protests. So... But actually, Krsna is God.

So Krsna... Atah sri-krsna-namadi. Not only Krsna, to accept Krsna as God, to hear about His name also. Just like we are chanting Hare Krsna, Krsna's name. So this name, Krsna's form, Krsna's quality, Krsna's pastimes, Krsna's entourage, atah sri-krsna-namadi... Namadi means "beginning from name." Nama adi. Adi means beginning. So we can understand Krsna from the name. When name is perfectly chanted, then the form, the pastimes, the quality and all other things in relation to Krsna becomes revealed. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. But these blunt senses cannot appreciate what is Krsna. Then how it will be appreciated? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. When we engage our tongue... Krsna consciousness begins from the tongue, not from the eyes. Some rascals want to see Krsna. They will see that Guru Maharaj(-ji). You see? Such rascals will see that so-called Krsna. But to see real Krsna, one has to purify the eyes, purify the senses. Not that anyone comes, "I am Krsna," and I can see and become perfect. No. Sevonmukhe. And how the senses will be purified? By sevonmukha, by rendering service. For many, many thousands of years, if one is engaged in the service of Krsna, then one day there is chance of understanding what is Krsna. Krsna is not so easy thing. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [BRS. 1.2.234]. Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita: manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Krsna seeing is not so easy. Manusyanam sahasresu. Out of many millions of people. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. To siddha, to become siddha, is not that "I go on doing all nonsense work, I become perfect man." No, no. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca, tyagena satya-saucabhyam [SB 6.1.13]. This is a process, how to become perfect. The rascals cannot become perfect. These are the process. One has to undergo austerity, penance, brahmacaryena, completely cessation from sex life, brahmacaryena. Not that any rascal doing everything and he has realized Krsna, he has seen Krsna. These are all rascaldom.

Krsna is param pavitram. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. So to go to Krsna, one requires to be perfectly purified. Just like without becoming fire, you cannot enter into fire. If your body is not fire, as soon as you enter fire, you will be burned. But you take another fire and push into the fire, there is no reaction. There is no reaction. Just like to live within the water, you must have a particular type of body so that living within the water, you will not be infected. Just like a human being, if he artificially enters into the water, for few hours he can remain. That is also with great difficulty. He will feel bodily pain. But the fishes within the water, they are living very peacefully, happily, for hundreds of years. So this is real fact. You cannot enter into an atmosphere without being fit for living in that atmosphere. Is it very difficult to understand? Because they are going to the moon planet, why they are coming back? Because they have no arrangement to make the body fit to live there.

So God's creation is like that. You cannot by force enter into any atmosphere unless you become fit to live there. That is God's creation. By force you cannot live within water. By force the fish cannot live on the land. You'll die. Similarly, by force you cannot enter into the moon planet. Therefore they are frustrated. It is not possible. Similarly, without being Krsna-ized, you cannot understand what is Krsna, you cannot associate with Him. That is the process of Krsna consciousness, to become perfectly Krsna-ite, as good as Krsna. That is purification process. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam. Nirmalam means purification. Now we are sa-malam. We have got so many dirty things with us. So one has to become nirmalam. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. First business is to become free from the designation. If you think yourself that "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white," these are all designation. So sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam, when you become transcendental to all designation, when you come to the platform to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54], then you become happy.

So long we are with designations, we are not happy. To become designationless means feeling complete happiness. That is the test. If you simply artificially say that "I am not identifying with this body," that is fact. But real identification with..., identification with the body will be realized when you don't feel pains and pleasure. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, hrsikena. When your senses will be purified in that way, without any designation, then you can begin devotional service.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
 [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Hrsika. Hrsika means the senses. Hrsikesa. Hrsikena hrsikesa. Hrsika means the senses, and hrsikesa. Hrsika isa. One who knows Sanskrit, the sandhi, hrsikesa. Because Krsna is the master of the senses, so when our senses will be... Krsna is purified, the most purified, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam [Bg. 10.12], transcendental, completely purified. So unless you are also completely purified, how you can touch Krsna? This is common sense reasoning. Therefore Krsna realization is not so easy. (aside:) You just train them how. This is not the process. Then you shall sit down backside. And before the Deity it should not be done. From the childhood it should be trained up.

So this is called purification, to learn how to sit down before the Deity, how to talk before the Deity. So everything should be learned. There are seva-aparadha, sixty-four kinds of offenses in the service. So we have to become offenseless. Then Krsna will accept your service. Not by making a show. Krsna will accept your service when you are sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. Automatically there will be. As soon as you're purified, automatically Krsna will appear, immediately. Krsna will ap... Krsna is there. Therefore premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti: [Bs. 5.38] "Those who are purified, santah, saintly persons, they can see Krsna in every second, every moment." Because they have been purified. After purification, there will be prema, love. The symptoms of purification is that when you do not love anything except Krsna, that is purification. We have got our love. So instead of loving Krsna, we are loving dog, cats and this and that -- my country, community, family, nation, so many ways distributed.

So when you love Krsna, automatically you love other thing. But at the present moment, we do not love Krsna, only the other things. But love is there. Just like to keep the tree quite fitness, you have to pour water in the root. But if you simply you give up the watering to the root, if you simply water the leaves, twigs, and the branches, then what you will get? Naturally there will be declination of the tree, automatically. If you do not give food to the stomach and if you supply food to the eyes, to the ears, to the... Then what will be your health? Similarly, so long we do not love Krsna, then whatever those so-called love we are showing to the society, friendship and love and country and community, they are all futile. Therefore, in spite of so much advancement of so-called civilization, there is no love between one another. You try to love Krsna. Then everything will be perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.