No Sex in the Spiritual World

No Sex in the Spiritual World

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.33
Honolulu, June 1, 1976

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "Dear sirs, whose servants are you, where have you come from, and why are you forbidding us to touch the body of Ajamila? Are you demigods from the heavenly planets, are you subdemigods, or are you the best of the devotees?"

Prabhupada:

kasya va kuta ayatah
kasmad asya nisedhatha
kim deva upadeva ya
yuyam kim siddha-sattamah
 [SB 6.1.33]

So the Yamadutas, their description of the body already given. They are not very good-looking. So when they saw the Visnu-duta -- the description of the Visnu-duta is in the next verse -- they were surprised, that "Wherefrom such nice features of the body..." They have been described here, sarve padma-palasaksah. They saw that their eyes were just like petals of the lotus flower, so beautiful. Sarve padma-palasaksah pita-kauseya-vasasah. And all dressed in saffron cloth, yellow. Kiritinah, with helmet, kundalino, and earrings. Kundalino. Lasat-puskara-malinah. And with flower garland. Just imagine if somebody is very good-looking, with helmet and nice earring, bedecked with jewels, and the helmet bedecked with jewels, and cloth yellow, with garland, four hands. Sarve ca nutna-vayasah. All young, not old like me; all young like you. Nutna-vayasah. Just (indistinct) very young. Sarve ca nutna-vayasah sarve caru-caturbhujah. And four-handed. Here we get two hands, in the Vaikuntha planet we get four hands. Dhanur nisa angasi-gada-sankha-cakra-ambuja sriyah. And each hand is decorated with bow, arrow, sword, and conchshell, and disc. Like that. This is the description of Vaikuntha features.

So always young. There is no old age, disease, or birth and death. Here in this material world these four things are there: birth, death, old age and disease. In the spiritual world the men are so beautiful, and imagine the women also still more beautiful, very attractive. But there is no sex. That is the feature we find in... Why there? Because, after all, we want pleasure. So in the material world the topmost pleasure is sex, because there is no other idea. So all people, even so-called yogis, swamis and... Ultimately they are coming down to sex. Whatever they have got asset, the culmination is sex. Old man, he has got money, he has got everything -- still he is going to the night club. So here in this material world, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. In the material world, grha-medhi... Grha-medhi means those who are entrapped within this universe or within this body, same thing. This is also entrapment, I am within this body. Or even in any part of the universe, either you go to the moon planet or sun planet or any other planet. You see the sky is just like egglike, within that. They are called baddha-jiva. Baddha-jiva means entrapped. So entrapped living entities, they are in different grades of life, 8,400,000 different forms of life. Now, how they are entrapped? This sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. This is their pleasure. And in the spiritual world there is no sex. So one may question, "How they are living? Life is finished if there is no sex.' So somebody committed suicide, who was telling? Because doctor asked him not to have any more sex. Who told me the other day? Somebody told me, some big man. He was famous man. So he was forbidden. Especially when one is attacked with tuberculosis, the medical man advises, "No more sex. Then you will die soon." So this was ordered and he committed suicide.

Devotee: Very soon.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee: Very soon.

Prabhupada: Just see. It is practical. Because his... The life is finished there is no sex life. Actually that is the fact here. Birds, beast, you will find the pigeons, the dogs, they are enjoying sex at least four times in a hour. There are men also like that. So here in this material world the sex life is the top pleasure. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. It is very abominable. Just imagine what kind of happiness it is, but we are forced to act like that. So tuccham, very insignificant. Yan maithunadi grhamedhi sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. What kind of pleasure? Kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. It is just like itching between the two hands. And trpyanti neha krpana bahu duhkha-bhajah. The aftereffects of sex life is very, very bad.

So in that interview I gave that information that woman's freedom? I gave this reply, that "Where is the woman's freedom? The boy and the girl intermingle, and the girl becomes pregnant, and the boy goes away without any responsibility, and the burden..., the child is a burden for the woman. Either she should kill or beg from the government. Is that independence?" They are trying to be independent. This is not civilization. There is no question of independence. The woman must be given protection in childhood by the father unless she is married, and in youthhood by the husband, and in old age by grown up sons. This is Vedic civilization. Na striyam svatantram arhati. Just like children, they must be always protected. It is not dependence, it is protection. So there should be responsible father, responsible husband, responsible sons to keep woman very happy. In India still it is going on.

So the point is that here the sex life is the highest pleasure, and in the spiritual world there is no sex. So what is that pleasure? That pleasure is this chanting and dancing, Hare Krsna maha-mantra. That is stated in the sastra. They are so much absorbed in this chanting and dancing, they are no more interested in sex. That is the only way. If you want to stop the pleasure of sex, then you have to take this pleasure, this transcendental pleasure. You'll forget everything. That is said by Yamunacarya:

yad avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor
nava-nava-dhaman udyata rantum asit
tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah sustu nisthivanam ca

Yamunacarya was a very big king. So he had very good opportunity for sex life, he was king. But later on he became perfect Vaisnava, devotee. So after he became devotee, he was expressing his experience, that "Since I have taken to Krsna consciousness and I am enjoying that ecstatic love for Krsna, whenever I think of sex with woman, I spite." Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca [SB 11.2.42]. So if we want to be free from the entanglement of this world, we should practice... That practice, simply artificial practice will not help. Unless we advance in Krsna consciousness, unless we become accustomed to enjoy this ecstasy of chanting and dancing, it is not possible.

So they were surprised, wherefrom these beautiful... They never experienced. Because these Yamadutas, they generally... Just like police. Police go to the thieves, rogues and criminals. They have very little opportunity to see very beautiful, aristocratic, nice family. They have no possibility because they are invited by this class (indistinct) or they are forced to go there. So these Yamadutas, they are accustomed to go to the sinful men like Ajamila and many others. Their business is to arrest the sinful soul and take the soul to Yamaraja. So they were very much surprised by seeing these beautiful Visnuduta. Visnuduta. So don't think it is mythology. No. This is fact. Vyasadeva or big big saintly persons, they have no business to present before you something mythology. Why they should waste time in that way? It is simply rascaldom to think all the statement as mythology. Not mythology. We have no knowledge. In the sastra we understand, yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasya prabha. The rays of Krsna's body, when it is expanded, brahmajyoti, within that brahmajyoti there are innumerable universes. Just like within the sunlight, sunshine, there are innumerable planets. We are seeing daily. Similarly, there are innumerable universes in the brahmajyoti. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. And kotisu, and each and every universe, millions, kotisu. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-kotisu asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam [Bs. 5.40]. Vasudha, vasudha means planet. Just like this is also vasudha, this planet here. We can see there are so many millions of planets, at night you can see, and each of them is peculiar, different from the others. Why they have failed to utilize the moon planet? It is a different atmosphere. It is different atmosphere. These rascals cannot go there. It is not possible. They have simply made false propaganda. They cannot go there. So because the atmosphere is different... There is also blazing fire surrounded by ice. That is the description. I am speaking from the description. And therefore at night it is so pleasing. You have got experience. Fire coming through ice, the rays, that is very pleasing. Therefore sunshine is making the whole thing very hot, and the moonshine making it pleasing.

So God's arrangement is so nice that everything is going on nicely. There is brain behind it. Why there is sunshine, why there is moonshine, everything described. You'll read in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, moon is the cause of vegetation, and there is no vegetation, that's all. Moon is the cause of vegetation in all planets, and they say there is no vegetation, it is simply dust. So we have to believe it? And when you present actual fact, it is mysticism or mythology. Anyway, we are not concerned with their statement. Our process is to know things from the sastra. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya tinete kariya aikya. Our process is deductive, not inductive. We take knowledge, just like this Srimad-Bhagavatam written by Vyasadeva under the instruction of his guru, spiritual master, Narada. So Narada advised him that "You have written so many books: Puranas, Vedas, Vedanta." Vyasadeva said, "Still I am not feeling very satisfied." So Narada Muni advised him that "You are not feeling satisfied because you have not described about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the defect. So now you have got mature experience. You describe simply about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna." So therefore he wrote the Srimad-Bhagavatam, eighteen thousand verses. So each verse, we are reading suppose one verse daily, or two verses. So eighteen thousand verses, how long it will take? At least five thousand days. So five thousand days, how many years?

Devotee: Seven years?

Prabhupada: Seven years? Five thousand verses. Anyway, so we have got enough stock in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, at least whatever we have published. One thousand days how many years?

Devotee: Three years.

Prabhupada: Two years?

Pusta Krsna: It would take between twenty-five and thirty years.

Prabhupada: Yes. Not seven years. (laughter) If we regularly read two verses. That will be also not possible. Anyway, we can read. Not once reading you can understand. Repeatedly. Punah punah (indistinct) the stock which we have already got, you can study and take lessons from the Vedic literature. Make your life perfect. What kind of residential quarters are there throughout the whole universe, how many universes are there, what is the special features of different residents. But don't take this nonsense instruction that "Except on this planet there is no life other planet." This is simply nonsense. Every planet is congested with living entities. This is the description of the sastra. Jana, jana means "congested with," but different types. Just like they have come from Vaikuntha, their bodily feature is different. We have got experience here on this planet in some portion there are black people, some portion there are white people, some portion there are yellow people. There are so many manifestation within this planet. Just imagine how many. This is God's creation, different varieties. Just like we see on this planet. Why on this planet? Even on this Hawaii island how many beautiful things, flowers, trees, and fruits. That is God's creation. Ananda. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. If you want enjoyment there must be variety. Impersonal without variety, zero, these are not enjoyment. This is all rascaldom. The voidists make everything zero. Why zero? There must be varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment.

So Krsna, the Supreme Person... We are also. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna we have got the same quality. So you see Krsna, He is enjoying with the gopis, with the cowherd boys, friends, in Vrndavana, in the forest, with cows, with calves. This is enjoyment, variety. Zero is enjoyment? No. Zero is not enjoyment. Ananda mayo 'bhyasat. This is the Vedanta-sutra, that the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, is simply enjoying. Everything enjoyment. You find Krsna always, wherever He is, He is playing on flute with company, either gopis or cowherd boy or somebody, somebody. This is enjoyment. And He comes personally on this planet to show His enjoyment life in Vrndavana -- that place is Vrndavana; therefore Vrndavana is so important -- to invite us that "Why you are not in here? Come with Me. Enjoy with My dance." Similarly, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also you see dancing. Sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita-gadadhara srivasadi... All dancing. Sango-pangastra-parsada. So the life is this enjoyment, dancing. That is life, not meditation, "For fifteen minutes' meditation I become God. That's all." (laughter) These are all rascals. Enjoyment is real life. Enjoyment. That enjoyment, not this material world, the sex. No. Above this. Transcendental. That we find information in Krsna consciousness.

So I am very glad that you have all taken. Continue this Krsna consciousness. Read books, chant, dance, eat nicely and be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. (kirtana) (end)

 

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Devotion to Krishna

Devotion to Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15
Los Angeles, June 1, 1972

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sa vai bhagavato raja
pandaveyo maha-rathah
bala-kridanakaih kridan
krsna-kridam ya adade

Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of the Pandavas, was from his very childhood a great devotee of the Lord. Even while playing with dolls, he used to worship Lord Krsna by imitating the worship of the family Deity."

Prabhupada: Krsna-kridam. Bala-kridanakaih kridan krsna-kridam ya adade. This is the facility of taking birth in a Vaisnava family. Children, simply by playing with Krsna, they become Krsna conscious. Some way or other, if somebody comes in contact with Krsna, then his life becomes successful. So this krsna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, can be practiced even by a child without interfering with his natural propensities. A child naturally wants to play, so he can play with Krsna Deity. We had the opportunity of doing that. My father was worshiping Krsna Deity. So I wanted to imitate him, and he gave me small Deity. That Deity is still worshiped. My sister and myself, whatever we were eating, we were offering exactly the same arcana. And father used to encourage. This Ratha-yatra and Radha-Go.(?) Krsna temple which we are propagating, it was, from the very beginning of our life, was initiated by our parents. So anyone can initiate his child to this Krsna consciousness understanding from the very beginning.

Without any education, without any knowledge. There is no need of high-grade knowledge or education to understand Krsna consciousness. It is already there in everyone's heart. As it is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha. It is eternally a fact. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya means eternally, and siddha... It is not to be realized, it is already there. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not that one has to learn it artificially by some gymnastic. No. Natural. Just like the children here, they are also dancing with their parents. They are offering flower, trying to imitate how to chant. Naturally. And they are very much pleased. So similarly, in our Dallas school, if these things are introduced, krsna-krida ... I have already suggested how they can be engaged in krsna-krida. So some way or other, they should be engaged in krsna-krida. It doesn't matter whether one understands it or not understands it.

It is just like touchstone or infection. You know or do not know, it will act. Because krsna-bhakti, love for Krsna, is there in everyone's heart. If it is not so, how you all young boys and girls are taking very seriously? It is a question of two, three years, or less than that, our students are joining, but they are becoming first-class krsna-bhaktas, devotees. Even in India, they also are surprised that how these Europeans and Americans are coming to such nice Krsna consciousness. Not only Europeans, Americans, but Africans also. This is the proof that love for Krsna is there in everyone's heart. That is stated by Caitanya-caritamrta karaca, Krsnadasa Kaviraja. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Eternally, it is a fact. Simply it has to be awakened. Just like attraction for the opposite sex. A girl or a boy. That is natural. It is not unnatural. It has... Nobody goes to a school and colleges how to love, how to be attracted by young man. No. It doesn't require any education.

The natural instinct is already there. When the boy and the girl are grown up, naturally the attraction is there, spontaneous. Similarly, he has to be, they have to be brought up in the proper situation. In India, therefore, early marriage is recommended, according to sastra. According to Vedic civilization, a girl, before attaining puberty, must be married. There are so many injunctions about that. And the responsibility is of the father, or, in the absence of father, the elderly members or brothers. It is called kanya-daya. Kanya-daya means it is the obligation. You cannot avoid it. You can avoid the marriage of your son, but you cannot avoid the marriage of your daughter. That is Vedic injunction. Of course, when the marriage of daughter is there, there must be one boy. That is understood. But special care is taken for daughter's marriage, some way or other. If he has no money, he begs from friends and gets his daughter married. This is system. Because there is time.

It will be hankering. There will be hankering for sex. So if there is ready husband, then the girl is sent. That is the psychology. So our point is that as this hankering after sex or the opposite sex is natural, it doesn't require to be educated, similarly, krsna-bhakti is also natural. It is not that because we have established this temple and people are here... Of course, there is practice, but that practice is also very simple. Simply you have to hear. That's all. It doesn't require any gymnastic. Just like in other yogic process, hatha-yoga, you have to learn so many things: yama, niyama, dhyana, dharana, asana, pranayama, so many things. But here there is no need. Simply sit down and hear about Krsna. That's all. But that hearing must be from a person who is realized. Then it will act. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha sadhya kabhu naya, sravanadi-suddha-citte. By hearing, the more your heart will be cleansed of all material infection, you will understand what is Krsna.

In dirty heart you cannot. Therefore to cleanse the heart it is required that you regularly hear. Therefore we are holding this class, chanting Hare Krsna or about Krsna. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that we must hear about Krsna twenty-four hours. Not that a particular time I hear and then stop. Don't stop. Mold your life in such a way that you... Just like Pariksit Maharaja. From the very beginning of life, taught krsna-kridam. Read purport.

Pradyumna: "In the Bhagavad-gita (6.41) it is stated that even a person who has failed in the proper discharge of yoga practice is given a chance to take birth in the house of devout brahmanas or in the houses of rich men like ksatriya kings or rich merchants. But Maharaja Pariksit was more than that because he was a great devotee of the Lord since his previous birth, and as such he took his birth in an imperial family of the Kurus, and especially that of the Pandavas. So from the very beginning of his childhood he had the chance of knowing intimately the devotional service of Lord Krsna in his own family. The Pandavas, all being devotees of the Lord, certainly venerated family Deities in the royal palace for worship. Children who appear in such families fortunately..."

Prabhupada: People still, in India, those who are rich men, they have got their family temple Deities. One temple is there in Kanpur. The family members, they are very rich. The rule is that if the family members do not come in the temple to offer obeisances to the Deity, they'll be fined. The mother, the head of the family... Mother is still living. She has imposed this law, that "Any of my children or grandchildren, if he or she does not visit the temple, then according to this rule, this fine should be realized from them." So if somebody misses to go in the temple one day, the priest presents the bill: "Sir, you have been fined five rupees." (Laughter) So they pay. Yes. So we should also enforce that rule. Anyone who is not attending mangala-arati should be fined. (laughter) And the fine should be that he must sell one Krsna book. (laughter) Is that all right?
Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities, even in the way..."

Prabhupada: Children's nature is to imitate, because they have to learn. So nature has given them the propensity to imitate. So the first imitation begins from the parents. So if the parent is nice Krsna devotee, naturally the children become devotees. That is the opportunity of taking birth in a Vaisnava family. So you are all Vaisnavas. If your children do not become Vaisnava in the future, then it is a great, I meant to say, fault on your part. So you should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually Krsna conscious. That means you have to imitate, er, you have to be devotee, and they will imitate. By imitation, imitation, imitation, they will come to Krsna consciousness. Then they will never give it up. Go on.

Pradyumna: "By the grace of Lord Sri Krsna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krsna by imitating our father, and our father encouraged us in all respects to observe all functions such as Ratha-yatra and Dola-yatra ceremonies, and he used to spend money liberally for distributing prasada to us children and our friends. Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father Thakura Bhaktivinoda. That is the way of all lucky Vaisnava families. The celebrated Mira Bhai was a staunch devotee of Lord Krsna as the great lifter of Govardhana Hill. The life history of many such devotees is almost the same because there is always symmetry between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord. According to Jiva Gosvami, Maharaja Pariksit must have heard about the childhood pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrndavana, for he used to imitate the pastimes with his young playmates.

According to Sridhara Svami, Maharaja Pariksit used to imitate the worship of the family Deity by elderly members. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti also confirms the viewpoint of Jiva Gosvami. So accepting either of them, Maharaja Pariksit was naturally inclined to Lord Krsna from his very childhood, and he might have imitated either of the above-mentioned procedures, and all of them established his great devotion from his very childhood, a symptom of a maha-bhagavata. Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, or souls liberated from birth. But there are also others who may not be liberated from birth but who develop a tendency for devotional service by association, and they are called sadhana-siddhas. There is no difference between the two in the ultimate issue, and so the conclusion is that everyone can become a sadhana-siddha, a devotee of the Lord, simply by association with the pure devotees. The concrete example is our great spiritual master Sri Narada Muni. In his previous life he was simply a boy of a maidservant, but through association with great devotees he became a devotee of the Lord in his own standard, unique in the history of devotional service."

Prabhupada: So this is the difference between sadhana-siddha and nitya-siddha. Gaurangera sangi-gane, nitya-siddha kari' mane, se yaya vrajendra-suta-pasa. Gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jane cintamani, tara haya vrajabhume vasa. So nitya-siddha means he has no chance to forget Krsna. That is called nitya-siddha. And sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles, the rules and regulations, one revives his Krsna consciousness. Both things are siddha because you cannot revive Krsna consciousness without being Krsna conscious. It may be covered. So nitya-siddha means he does not get covered by the influence of material nature about his natural devotional tendency to serve Krsna. He never becomes covered. This is difference. Krsna gives him chance to get birth in such a family. Just like Pariksit Maharaja, that he never gets the chance of forgetting Krsna. So one who does not get the chance of forgetting Krsna is called nitya-siddha. This is the difference.

And sadhana-siddha means one has forgotten Krsna. That is the position of all materialistic men. Every one of us forgotten. But even though forgotten, the thing is there. It has to be awakened only. And the awakening process is hearing. Just like you are out of your family touch for many years. Practically, you have forgotten. Now, if somebody comes to you, some friend, "Do you remember your child, when he came out, he was such little, and now he is grown-up? Now he's this, that, so on." If for some days this topics of the family is... then again he becomes attracted: "Let me go and see." It is natural. Similarly, anyone who has forgotten Krsna somehow or other -- the cause may be so many -- but if he is given chance to hear about Krsna... Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
 [SB 1.2.17]

As soon as somehow or other one begins to hear about Krsna. Either by his natural inclination or by chance or any way, he comes to hear about Krsna, attempts hearing about Krsna, then... Krsna is within everyone's heart, Paramatma. So Krsna helps him immediately. Krsna helps both ways. If you want to forget Krsna, Krsna will help you with that, so that you will be able to forget Krsna. Similarly, if you want to revive your lost relationship with Krsna again, Krsna will help you.

These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. One who is engaged twenty-four hours in rendering service to the Lord with faith and devotion, bhajatam ... Bhajatam, this word is used. Bhaja, seva, service. Bhaja sevaya. Every verbal root has got particular meaning. When this bhajatam, bhajana ... Just we call bhajana. Bhajana means serving the Lord. So bhajatam, one who is engaged always. Tesam nitya, satata-yuktanam. Twenty-four hours he's engaged. In that stage, Krsna is become, Krsna is very pleased upon you: "No, now he has taken to My service. He's engaged twenty-four hours. All right, let Me give some instruction."

So Krsna (is) within you. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. One profit is, by hearing about Krsna, he becomes gradually sinless, simply by hearing. Unless we are sinful, we don't come into the material world. So we have to become sinless before going back to home, back to Godhead. Because kingdom of God ... God is pure, the kingdom is pure. No impure living entity can enter there. So one has to become pure. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam anta-gatam papam. "One who has completely been freed from all sinful reaction of his life," yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, "and always engaged in pious activities, no more sinful activities..." So this Krsna consciousness movement is that once he's given chance to erase all the sinful activities and keeping himself intact: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. If we follow these regulations, then after initiation, all my sins are washed off. And if I keep myself in that washed-off position, then where is the question of becoming sinful again?

But once washed off... You take your bath and again take the dust and throw on your body -- that process will not help. If you say, "I take again wash and again throw," then what is the use of washing? Wash off. Once washed off, now keep yourself in that washed-off condition. That is required. So that will be possible if you keep yourself constantly in touch with Krsna by hearing about Him. That's all. You have to remain uncontaminated. And that is punya-sravana-kirtanah. If you hear about Krsna, then punya, you will be always in pious position. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Either you chant or... Therefore our recommendation is always chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So we should be careful about our slipping down again into the sinful activity. Everyone should be careful and keep oneself in the chanting process. Then he's all right. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. And gradually, as you go on hearing about Krsna, the all the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed.

The dirty things are that "I am a material body; I am American; I am Indian; I am Hindu; I am Muslim; I am this; I am that." These are all different types of covering of the soul. The uncovered soul is fully conscious that "I am eternal servant of God." That's all. One has no other identification. That is called mukti. When one comes to the understanding that "I am eternal servant of Krsna, God, and my only business is to serve Him," that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean that you will have another two hands, another two legs. No. The same thing, simply it is cleansed. Just like a man is suffering from fever. The symptoms are so many, but as soon as the fever is not there, then all the symptoms gone. So our, this fever in this material world is sense gratification. Sense gratification. This is the fever. So when we become engaged in Krsna consciousness, this sense gratification business ceases. That is the difference. That is the test how you are becoming advanced in Krsna consciousness.

Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. That is the test. So because this disease is called bhava-roga... Bhava-roga means again and again taking birth, bhava-roga. But if we take the medicine, bhavausadhi. Everything is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhava-roga, the disease of repeated birth and death in the material world, and the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is bhavausadhi, the medicine to cure this bhava-roga. Bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat virajyeta puman vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. There are very nice verses in Bhagavatam. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. This chanting of the holy name of Krsna, or God, is possible by a person who is disgusted with all these material activities. They can actually chant. That means mukta-purusa, liberated soul. It is ... The chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is the business of liberated soul, not for the conditioned soul. But even in our conditioned life, we chant, we become gradually purified.

Therefore it is recommended that everyone should chant. Never mind. Nama om apavitrah pavitro va yah smaret pundarikaksam. Anyone who remembers the Pundarikaksa. By chanting, you'll remember. So nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhat [SB 10.1.4]. It is the medicine for our, this bhava-roga, repeated birth and ... Such a nice thing. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat. Not only it is medicine ... Medicine is always bitter. But it is not bitter. Mano 'bhiramat. It is very pleasing to the mind, to the senses. Otherwise, how we become ecstatic in chanting unless it is pleasing? It is medicine, but pleasing medicine. Other medicines, they are very bitter. If you practice yoga, oh, you have to take so much labor. And that, you do not know whether you'll be successful or not, hatha-yoga. And if you take to jnana, that also requires much education, much understanding of philosophy. So they actually, although they are medicine, but they are bitter medicine.

Not very palatable. Neither everyone can take it. A child cannot become a jnani. A child cannot become a yogi. But a child can become a bhakta. Therefore this is the easiest process. Pleasing. Everyone is pleased to execute this process. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Mano-'bhiramat. Even for ordinary men who wants to hear about conjugal love... They read therefore so many novels, fiction, dramas. What is that? The love affairs between one young man, one young girl. But that is also there, Krsna, Radha-Krsna. In that sense also, it is pleasing.

Even to the ordinary man. So, mano 'bhiramat, it is very pleasing. Nivrtta-tarsaih... For philosophers it is also pleasing. We are talking all of philosophy in Bhagavata. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat. Uttamasloka is Krsna, who is worshiped by offering nice, selected slokas, authorized. Just like we offer prayer, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa... [Bs. 5.29]. Each line is full of poetry, poetic and literary character, grammar. Anything you take, they're all full. All Bhagavata, all Srimad-Bhagavatam. You cannot produce such literature in this day. Such meaningful. Because Vyasadeva was incarnation, he could produce. Therefore it is uttamasloka: by the best selected verses, Krsna is described.

So who can be away from such activities, to hear about Uttamasloka through nice verses, philosophy? Who can be bereft? Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Only the animal-hunter or the animal-killer. The animal-killer cannot understand. Therefore it is prohibited, no meat-eating, no flesh-eating. This is the greatest disqualification for understanding. One cannot understand. The animal-killer cannot understand. Therefore it has to (be) stopped. Vina pasughnat. Pasughnat means... Ghna means "killer," and pasu means "animal." And another meaning is, pasu means oneself, living entity-ghna. So either one is killing himself or killing animals, such person cannot understand about the glories of the Lord. It is not possible. Pariksit Maharaja said that, ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat puman virajyeta vina pasughnat. Only the animal-killers. Arati. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Make Your Heart Place Of Pilgrimage

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.10
Geneva, June 1, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage."

Prabhupada:

bhavad-vidha bhagavatas
tirtha-bhutah svayam vibho
tirthi-kurvanti tirthani
svantah-sthena gadabhrta

So tirthi, tirtha. Tirtha means holy place of pilgrimage. In every religion there is the system that the followers, they go to the holy place of pilgrimage. Just like in India, there are many holy places: Gaya, Prayaga, Mathura, Vrndavana, Haridvar, Ramesvaram, Jagannatha Puri, Navadvipa. Many. Some of them are very prominent, and still there are many nonprominent. Similarly, the Muhammadans they go to Mecca, Medina. The Christians they go Jordan. What is that?

Bhagavan: Jerusalem.

Prabhupada: Jerusalem. So human society, there must be some religious process; otherwise, it is animal society. And in every religion there is recommendation to go to the place, holy places of pilgrimage. This is one set up. Another set up is that bhagavatas tirtha-bhutah. Those who are devotees, they are themselves maha-bhagavata. They are first-class devotee. They themselves are the holy place. Not only they are themselves holy place, but wherever they go, they make that place holy place, pilgrimage. This is the idea.

It was spoken by Maharaja Yudhisthira when Vidura came back home... Vidura left home. Although he belonged to the royal family, his nephew Duryodhana behaved with him not very nicely, so he left home. Before the beginning of the Battle of Kuruksetra, he was very fond of his eldest brother Dhrtarastra. So he was always giving him good counsel, "My dear elder brother, why you are intriguing against the Pandavas?" But he would not hear the younger brother's advice. So his son, Dhrtarastra's son, Duryodhana, he understood it that "This, my uncle, is always instigating my father not to take part in the matter of the vanquishing of the Pandavas." So he used very harsh word, because Vidura, although he was the son of king, but he was not born of the queen. He was born of a maidservant. Formerly, the queens had many maidservants, and they also sometimes begot children by the king. So they were called dasi-putra. By legal significance, they were not inheritor. So Vidura was born like that. He was not born of the queen, but of the maidservant. But his elder brother Dhrtarastra liked him very much. He got him raised -- he was younger -- very nicely. He got him married and gave him sufficient property. He was very kind upon him. And therefore Vidura was also very much obliged to his eldest brother, and he was always giving him good advice, and a great devotee.

So on this account of family dissension, he left home. And after the battle of Kuruksetra, when everything was finished, so still, he had affection for his eldest brother, "My dear brother, now everything is finished, your all sons, for whom you intrigued so much. And you are still living, I mean, shamelessly. Because you treated Pandavas, your nephews, very badly -- you wanted to kill them in so many ways -- you fell. Then there was battle. So your sons and grandsons all finished. And still, you are shamelessly living in the house of your nephew, with whom you treated so badly. You have no shame." So in this way he very strongly criticized his brother, and then he surrendered, "My dear brother, what do you want me to do?" So he said that "You immediately come with me. Don't remain here." So immediately he left home, and then he underwent tapasya, and then he got salvation.

So here when Vidura came, returned back, so Yudhisthira is receiving the uncle. He was also... He knew that "Our uncle Vidura was always in our side and tried to protect us." So he was very pleased. So Vidura, during the time of war between the two section, he was traveling in the holy places of pilgrimage and talking with his spiritual master, Maitreya. So therefore because he was traveling in holy place, Yudhisthira Maharaja wanted to inform him that "My dear uncle, you are so exalted devotee, you do not require even to travel in the holy places of pilgrimage, because wherever you stay, that will turn into pilgrimage." Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says in his song, tirtha-yatra parisrama, kevala manera bhrama. He says, "To go to the holy places of pilgrimage, it is also a mental satisfaction." Actually, if one is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Krsna, he is so exalted that wherever he lives, that is a holy place of pilgrimage. That was Narottama dasa Thakura's... And actually, that is the fact. The pure devotee of Krsna, he is always thinking of Krsna. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. They cannot forget Krsna even for a second, carrying Krsna. Therefore, because Krsna is with the devotee, such devotee, wherever he goes, that becomes a place of pilgrimage.

It is also said that ordinary persons, they go to the holy places of pilgrimage, and they leave their sinful activities there in the holy place. That is the purpose of going to the holy place, that "During the whole life, whatever sinful activities I have done, now I leave it here, and I become purified." That's a fact. One becomes purified. But the ordinary man, he does not know how to keep purified life. Therefore again comes back home and again commits the sinful activities. And sometimes again he may go. Just like in your, the Christian church, they go to the church weekly, and they, what is called, atone, atonement. So this kind of business is not very good. Once purified, you remain purified. So when the holy places of pilgrimage become piled up with all the sinful reaction of common man, a saintly person when he goes there, he makes the holy place clean. The holy place becomes unclean due to the common men's coming there and leaving their sinful reaction. So holy place becomes overburdened with the sinful results of other people. But in that holy place, when a devotee goes, then again the holy place becomes cleansed. This is the idea. Bhavad-vidha bhagavatah.

So bhagavatah. Bhagavata means one who has his relation with Bhagavan. From Bhagavan... Bhagavan comes from the word bhagavata, and anything in relationship with Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead, is called bhagavata. Just like this book is called bhagavata because it has nothing to do with any other thing except the activities of the Supreme Personality of... So Bhagavata. So there are two kinds of bhagavata: the book Bhagavata and the person bhagavata. So both of them are so pure that wherever Bhagavata reading is going on... And Bhagavata reading should be performed by the bhagavata, person bhagavata. Then it is very nice. Bhagavatas tirtha-bhutah. They are already purified, holy place of pilgrimage. Mahad-vicalanam nrnam grhinam dina-cetasam. Therefore, the bhagavatas, they travel all over the world to purify the ordinary human being because they are dina-cetasa. Dina-cetasa. Dina means poor. They are thinking... Materialistic persons, they think, "It is my duty to live comfortably, to give all facilities to the family or to the society or to the nation, earn your livelihood and spend for sense gratification." This is their philosophy. They do not know anything more than that. Especially in the Western countries, they are very expert how to adjust materially for sense gratification. Just like we had been immediately to the park, very nice park. They know how to live comfortably in the material world, but there is no spiritual information. Missing point. That is the defect of the Western civilization. They have got some vague idea of God, practically no idea. But human life is not meant for that purpose, simply living very comfortably in material life. The other necessity is that they should know Bhagavan, become bhagavata. That is another necessity.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, it is the desire of Krsna that these people who have no information practically about Bhagavan, so they should learn something from this Krsna consciousness movement. And therefore we have published so many nice books. It is the desire of Krsna they should read these books and try to understand the Krsna philosophy, the science of Krsna, the science of God. Then their life will be perfect. Otherwise, this one-sided civilization, material comforts, that will not help them. Because however you may create your city, home, very nice, clean, materially comfortable, you will not be allowed to stay. That defect, they do not understand. And after you leave this body, there is no certainty what kind of body you are going to have. There is certainty according to the material laws. There is certainty, but they do not know it. That body will be manufactured according to the association of the material modes of nature.

There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be promoted to the higher standard of life. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhur-loka. Bhur-loka. Om bhur bhuvah svah tat-savituh. You have gayatri-mantra. This is called bhu-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. Jaghanya-guna. Tamasika means abominable character. The abominable character means these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is tamo-guna, exhibition of tamo-guna. So, if you continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, then you are going to become adhah. Adhah means down. Down means there are many other planetary system. Just like upper there are bhur bhuvah svah, Jana, Mahar, like that, and down also: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talatala, Patala, like that. There is system.

So our only request is that... We don't criticize you because you try to live comfortably in the material... Do that. But don't associate with the modes of ignorance. That is very risky. That is very risky. So at least, either you remain in the householder life or brahmacari life or, I mean to..., sannyasa life, you keep yourself always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them. But these... They do not know it. As soon as there is talk of this goodness and sinful activity, immediately they go away. Immediately. Yesterday that gentleman came, and just when I began to talk about pious activities and impious activities, he immediately left, "I have got another meeting."

So this is the position. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. A snake, if you kindly give him foodstuff, there is no... Snake is very fond of drinking milk. They are very much fond. So sometimes a snake charmer, they mix milk with banana and give them to eat for their satisfaction. But the result? What is the result? Result is as soon as he becomes strong by eating, the poison teeth becomes filled with poison. Just like with our healthy body, our different nerves and parts of the body become healthy, similarly, the snake's most important part of the body... They have got a teeth. They keep... Within the pocket of the teeth there is venomous poison. So when they bite, from the hole of that teeth, the poison is emitted, and the man dies or the animal dies. But this is a fact. If you infect some disease, you will have to suffer from that disease. This is a fact. It is scientific. Similarly, if you are infected with the particular type of the modes of nature, then you will have to suffer like that. If you remain in ignorance, then you will get the body of animal. This is the...

Therefore every one of you should become pure devotee, first-class devotee. First-class devotee is that... In this age it has been made very easy. Simply keep yourself cleansed, not to indulge in the four principles, prohibition, and chant Hare Krsna. Then you will be all first-class devotees. And wherever you will go, you will be able to purify there. Wherever you go. Wherever you speak, wherever you'll sit. So keep this spiritual strength intact. Tirtha-bhutah. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani sva antah-sthena. The Hare Krsna mantra chanting means keeping Krsna always within your heart. This is not... It is not expensive at all. You haven't got to make a very exalted throne for Krsna. You can imagine that "In my heart I have placed now a very diamond throne, and Krsna is sitting." That is accepted. It is... Actually it becomes. Even within the mind you think that "I have kept one diamond throne, very costly throne, because Krsna is coming. He will sit down here," that is not false. That is a fact. So you create such situation within your heart. "Now Krsna has seated. Let me wash His feet with the Ganges water, Yamuna water. Now I change His dress to a first-class costly garments. Then I decorate with ornaments. Then I give Him for eating." You can simply think of this. This is meditation. Svantah-sthena gadabhrta. It is so nice thing. Anywhere you can sit down and think that Krsna is sitting in your heart and you are receiving in so nice way. They are not false. They are also fact. It is so easy.

So here is the... If you simply carry Krsna within your heart always in a very devotional service, exalted devotional service, and chant Hare Krsna, and think of Krsna, wherever you will go, you will purify the whole place. Svantah-sthena gadabhrta. It is fact. It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Try to remain in your position as devotee, and as far as possible teach these rascals who are simply attracted by the glaring material stones and woods, and let them have some knowledge and do benefit to your countrymen, to your society, to your family.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974

"We Are Naturally Jubilant"

74/06/01 Geneva, Bhagavad-gita 4.11



Translator translates into French)

Nitai: "All of them -- as they surrender unto Me -- I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha."

Prabhupada

ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
[Bg. 4.11]

We are continuing from yesterday's subject matter, how one can become purified and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Here the second line of this verse is very important. It is said, mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah: "All human being is searching after Me." As we have explained yesterday, Krsna means sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], the transcendental form of eternity, knowledge and blissfulness. In the Vedanta-sutra, the summarized philosophy of Vedic knowledge, it is said, anandamayo 'bhyasat: "The spirit soul by nature is jubilant." So the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is supreme living being, and we are also living being, but we are not the Supreme. Try to find out this difference. But both of us, we are of the same quality. That means jubilant. So our present position being materially contacted... Just like a man in his healthy condition, he is happy, but in his diseased condition he is not happy, similarly, we, being part and parcel of the Supreme, we are naturally jubilant, but on account of being contacted in material nature, we are morose.

In the Upanisads, the Vedas, it is said that nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam: (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13) "The God is the chief of the living beings. He is the chief of the persons. He is the chief of knowledge." In this way He is described. Just like we can find out amongst us. One is more intelligent, more in knowledge. In this way you search out. God means the most intelligent, the full of knowledge, full of opulence, everything full.

Now, Krsna said in the last stanza, mad-bhavam agatah. Mad-bhavam means "My nature." So Krsna's nature, you will find always Krsna, He is enjoying with His flute and His associates, His consort Radharani and the gopis. You will never find Krsna in morose condition. He is in jubilation always. And because we are also part and parcel of Krsna, we have got the propensity to dance with young girls or enjoy the company of the young girls. That propensity is not unnatural. It is natural, jubilation, but because it is in material contact, we cannot enjoy it fully. There are so many inebrieties. Those who have seen our temple, we worship Radha and Krsna in jubilation. They are, along with the gopis, playing the flute and many musical instruments, dancing. That is the definition given in the Vedanta-sutra. Anandamayo 'bhyasat, means "by nature jubilant." There is no moroseness. There is no unhappiness. That is the kingdom of God.

Now, Krsna says, ye yatha mam prapadyante: "According to the degree of surrender, one comes nearer and nearer." Krsna is manifested in three features, namely, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11], means He is revealed as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramatma, or the Supersoul, or as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. There are three different types of transcendentalists. They are called the jnanis, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jnanis means those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth in impersonal feature, brahmajyoti. The jnanis means those who are mental speculators, philosophers, neti neti. They are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of their limited knowledge. They are called jnanis. And the yogis, the mystics, they are trying to find out the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. Because the Lord is situated in everyone's heart as Supersoul.

In the Vedic literature it is said that dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. "Yogis, mystics, they are meditating and trying to find out the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Supersoul, Paramatma, within the heart." And the bhaktas, or the devotees, they are directly contacting the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Just like Krsna appeared, and the bhaktas met Him face to face. Not everyone could understand that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the bhaktas could understand. That is vrndavana-lila, pastimes. Vrndavana-lila, Krsna manifests just to attract us that how you can meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face.

Just like we are meeting in this meeting face-to-face, similarly, you can also meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face-to-face, but you have to be qualified for that purpose. If you want to understand Krsna in His impersonal Brahman feature, there is risk also. I will explain that. The Brahman feature is impersonal.

Just like... Try to understand that there is sun, the sun globe, and within the sun globe, there is the sun deity, and outside the sun globe, there is sunshine. All of them are light. The... Within the sun globe, there is light, and in the outside the sun globe, there is light, and the sunshine is also light, but still, there are differences. Another example is: just like if you try to observe a mountain from distant place, it will appear as a hazy cloud. And if you go still nearer, you will find something, greenish rock. The subject of observation is the same thing, but you are looking in different way on account of your different angle of vision. Similarly, if you actually enter the mountain, you will find there are many trees, many houses, many animals, many men. It is full of varieties. Similarly, the Absolute Truth, object of vision, is one, but according to our angle of vision, sometimes we are seeing it is hazy cloud, sometimes as greenish mountain, and when you actually in that place, you see varieties of living entities, trees and houses, everything there.

Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of his limited knowledge, they realize impersonal Brahman. Here Krsna says, mama vartmanuvartante manusyah, everyone. Everyone means those who are actually seeking after God realization, they are following the same path, but on account of their distance of vision, they are realizing the Absolute Truth in different way. But all of them are beyond this material world. That I have already explained yesterday. Tapasa puta bahavah. Tapasa puta mad-bhavam agatah. Bahavo jnana-tapasa. Bahavo jnana-tapasa puta mad-bhavam agatah. The process of going to the spiritual world is knowledge and austerities. That is for everyone, either he is jnani, yogi or bhakta. But even going to the spiritual platform, there are differences according to the angle of vision.

So risk of impersonal realization is that because in the impersonal feature you cannot enjoy that blissfulness eternally, therefore sometimes -- not sometimes, mostly -- they come back again into the material world. Because by nature we are jubilant, in the impersonal feature of brahmajyoti, we cannot enjoy life. Therefore again we come back to this material enjoyment. Just like by an airplane, you want to go higher and higher, but if you don't get the shelter, a shelter in another planet, you will have to come back again to this planet. It is stated in the Vedic literature... (baby starts crying very loudly and Prabhupada stops speaking for a few moments)

Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: [SB 10.2.32] "Unless you become elevated to the position of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, simply by impersonal Brahman realization you cannot become happy. Therefore for enjoyment..." Enjoyment means variety, the varieties of enjoyment. "You come down again to the material world." We have seen it practically. Many big, big sannyasis and transcendentalists, they give up this world as mithya or false and take to sannyasa, but after some time, again they come back to this material world for executing philanthropic activities like opening hospitals or opening schools and other philanthropic activities. It so happens because they cannot fully realize the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Person, they again come to these material persons.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita you will find, Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19], which means, "After many, many births, the jnanis, after speculative knowledge, when actually they come to the platform of knowledge, they surrender unto Me or they understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

The next line is, vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who can understand Krsna, whose another name is Vasudeva, so He is everything, He is the origin of everything, one who can understand, He is supposed to be mahatma, the liberated soul, or the great soul. Mahatma. Maha means great. Atma means soul. But sa mahatma sudurlabhah. It is very difficult to find out such mahatma. So the Krsna devotees who are engaged in these missionary activities, Krsna consciousness movement, they are not ordinary persons. They are mahatma, but very rarely to be found. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. So although everyone is searching after Krsna, either in impersonal Brahman or localized Paramatma, the person who has understood Krsna, the Supreme Person, he is the greatest, I mean to say, successful man within this world.

In another place Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna never says that "By mental speculation or yogic mystic practice, one can understand the Supreme Lord." Never says that. It is clearly said that bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvatah means in truth. To understand Krsna in truth, that requires bhakti or bhakti-yoga, not the jnana-yoga or karma-yoga, hatha-yoga or any other yoga system. By other yoga system like jnana-yoga or karma-yoga, hatha-yoga, you can understand Krsna partially. As I have explained, that somebody is seeing the mountain as hazy cloud and somebody is seeing as greenish something, and somebody is seeing actually the mountain with all varieties, so without bhakti-yoga realization of the Absolute Truth, it is partial. In another place Krsna says,

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

He clearly says that "Out of the many varieties of yogis, one yogi, or the bhakti-yogi, who is always thinking of Me within his heart, he is first-class."

So this Krsna consciousness movement is teaching everyone to become the first-class yogi. This movement is giving everyone the chance of chanting this Hare Krsna mantra, which means always thinking of Krsna. As soon as you chant Hare Krsna and if you hear -- the chanting process is you chant and hear -- then immediately you become in the samadhi state, absorbed in Krsna. This is not our manufactured way. It is all authorized by the Vedic scripture.

Therefore our request is that if you want to become first-class yogi according to the authorized statement of Vedas, then you take to this maha-mantra, chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The chanting, the purpose of chanting is that it is addressing, Hare. Hare means addressing the energy of Krsna. The energy is called Hara. Krsna is called Hari, and His energy is called Hara, or Radha. Krsna, Radha, or Hari, Hara. So the form of addressing is Hare. Those who know Sanskrit, there is... The example is just like lata. Lata word, the note of address is late. Similarly Hara is the word, and the note of address is Hare. So the request is "O the energy of Krsna, O Lord Krsna, please accept me in Your service." Without going through the energy of Krsna, nobody can approach Krsna.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Those who are mahatmas, actually, after many, many lives cultivation of knowledge, when one becomes fully cognizant of Krsna's position, he surrenders. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. So that is also explained. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah: [Bg. 9.13] "Those who are mahatma, they have taken shelter of the superior energy, daivim prakrtim."

Therefore we worship Krsna not alone -- Krsna with Radharani. You have seen the picture. Krsna is standing with Radharani. So that is full realization of the Absolute Truth. Without energy, simply energetic Krsna, that is not full realization. So all the Vaisnavas, they worship the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead, with the energy. Just like there are many devotees, Sita-Rama. They worship mother Sita and Rama. There are other Vaisnavas who worship Laksmi-Narayana. Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and Narayana. In this way, we Gaudiya-Vaisnavas, we worship Radha and Krsna.

So in this way the process of approaching the Absolute Truth is one straight line, but it is a matter of progress. One who has progressed hundred steps, another has progressed thousand steps, another has progressed many other more steps. But the aim is the same: Krsna. Anyone... Anyone in transcendental line, they are aiming at Krsna.

This can be understood in another way: Just like every one of us we love our body. Or I love your body. But what is the reason? The reason is because the spirit soul is there. Nobody loves a body, either his own body or other's body, when it is dead. Therefore the conclusion is that each, every one of us, we love our body because I, the spirit soul, is there. Therefore the conclusion is that I love myself, or yourself, the spirit soul. Then the next question will be "Then why one should love the spirit soul?" The spirit soul is loved because it is part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore ultimate goal is Krsna. We do not know that. Therefore we sometimes love the body or sometimes love the mind or sometimes love the soul or in this way, but the ultimate aim is to love Krsna. That is our natural instinct.

In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said,

nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
[Cc. Madhya 22.107]

The meaning is that our love for Krsna is eternal... [break] (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974