Center Society on Spiritual Profit
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.6
San Francisco, June 23, 1968
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Take a testSan Francisco, June 23, 1968
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Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana) So
Prahlada Maharaja's proposal is that kaumara acaret prajnah. Intelligent Who is
intelligent? He should begin Krsna consciousness from childhood. Not that we
have to wait. And he is presenting an analytical study of the whole life, that
unless we begin Krsna consciousness from childhood, hardly there will be
opportunity to practice this transcendental method. Because in the beginning he
has said that this life, human form of life, is very rare. The present
educational system, they do not know it, that how important this human form of
life is and how it has to be utilized. So that is being explained.
So he is analyzing the whole life, that pumso varsa-satam hy ayuh [SB 7.6.6]. Accepting that we have got one hundred years of life, but we have to waste half of it, fifty years, by sleeping at night. So immediately fifty years minus. Nisphalam yad asau ratryam sete 'ndham prapitas tamah. When we sleep, we have no activity. We cannot make any advance, any department of knowledge. Sometimes we sleep more by intoxicating habit. So nisphalam yad asau ratryam. The whole night is wasted because we cannot produce anything. There are two kinds of production: material production and spiritual production. Arthadam. Artha means factual profit. So there are two kinds of profit. Those who are materialists, they calculate profit by dollars, and those who are spiritualists, they calculate profit: "How much I have advanced today in spiritual or Krsna consciousness?" Both of them are profits. So either make this profit or that profit, but don't waste your time. That is the proposal. But the best profit is, for human form of life, to advance in Krsna consciousness. So he has analyzed that mugdhasya balye kaisore kridato yati vimsatih [SB 7.6.7]. So fifty years immediately minus from our life. Then, by playing in youthhood and childhood, another twenty years. Seventy years minus. Then jaraya grasta dehasya yaty akalpasya vimsatih. Then, when old age comes, by disease, by invalidity, another twenty years minus. That means fifty plus twenty plus twenty. Out of hundred years, ninety years gone. Then,
durapurena kamena
mohena ca baliyasa
sesam grhesu saktasya
pramattasyapayati hi
[SB 7.6.8]
The balance ten years, because the whole life we have spoiled in material activities, in the balance, ten years are wasted: "What I have done, and how to pull on? Oh, this was not successful. How I have to make successful? This boy was not educated. That boy was not properly brought up. He has gone out home...," so many anxieties. That means if we do not practice from childhood, then in the advanced age it is not possible. That is the proposal of Prahlada Maharaja.
There is a proverb in Bengali that kancaya noyale bhas pas korbe nyastas (?). Bhas means bamboo. Bamboo, while it is green, you can bend it, but when its yellow or dry, oh, it cannot be bent. It will break. It will be break. Therefore school children... Just like Prahlada Maharaja is instructing his class fellows. School children, from five years old, they should be given lesson about Krsna consciousness or God consciousness. Otherwise, in advanced age, oh, it is not possible. Generally, we find in our class or in this Krsna conscious movement, the youngsters, they become little more interested, but we don't find any old men. Why? Because whatever they have been taught, they cannot forget. It is very difficult to forget what he has been already taught. So they do not become interested.
ko grhesu puman saktam
atmanam ajitendriyah
sneha-pasair drdhair (baddham)
utsaheta vimocitum
[SB 7.6.9]
"One who has passed his life simply being attached to household affairs, sneha-pasair, and when the affection of household life is too strong, it is very difficult to get out of it." That will be very nicely explained, one after another.
Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is compulsory get-out from household life. Compulsory get-out means pancas ordhvam vanam vrajet. Pancas means fifty years. "As soon as one passes over fifty years of age, he should get out." That is the injunction of the scriptures. No more in household affairs. The life is divided into four parts, four divisions. First of all brahmacari. Just like Prahlada Maharaja is teaching. Brahmacari, a boy from five years old is taught, and up to twenty-five years. And if he is not... Of course, he is properly taught, but if he is not properly convinced that "Worldly life is botheration. Better remain brahmacari for throughout the whole life..." There are many brahmacaris in India still, naistika-brahmacari. They are called naistika-brahmacari. That means they had never any experience of sex. They are called naistika-brahmacari. Just like my Guru Maharaja was naistika-brahmacari. He never married. So boys are taught like that, the inefficiency of this family life, encumbrances, because the aim is to advance in Krsna consciousness.
So we have to minimize our bodily necessities of life and we have to expand the spiritual necessities of life. That is the perfect way of civilization. In the modern age, the more we can increase the demands of artificial demands of the body, it is called civilization. And when one is engaged, minimizing the demands of the body and utilize the valuable time for advancing in spiritual consciousness, they are accepted as uncivilized or not advanced, in so many words. But actually, India's civilization was based on this principle. We can find in the history of old days that they knew everything. From the books we can understand they had advanced knowledge for material civilization. Because we find description of aeroplanes, description of television. But they were used very, I mean to say, only limited circle, not that extensively. Because the whole process of civilization was to divert your attention too much for material advancement, but whatever little span of life you have got, just utilize it for spiritual advancement and get out of this material entanglement. That is the basic principle of civilization. Therefore the social life, human society, was divided into eight divisions. They are called varna and asrama. In the Bhagavad-gita also, you will find, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Four divisions of society, for spiritual advancement and for material advancement both. For spiritual advancement, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa.
So first twenty years, twenty-five years, or twenty years, because education begins from five years... Up to five years the child is given full liberty -- whatever he likes, he may do. Lalayet panca-varsani. It is said that you can give liberty to the child only for five years. And tadayet dasa-varsani. And as soon as he is on the fifth year, you must be very strict on the child, on the boy, so that he may not be spoiled. Very strict. Simply engage him in proper education. Tadayet dasa varsani. And prapte tu sodase varse. And as soon as he is on the sixteenth year... Sodase means sixteenth year. Prapte tu sodase varse putram mitravad acaret: the son, the boy should be treated as friend. No more punishment. Then there will be reply. So there must be restraint. So from sixteenth year to twenty-fifth year, higher education. And after higher education, if the boy is still after sense gratification, he should be allowed to get himself married and enter into family life. That family life is allowed for another twenty-five years. When youthhood is very strong, let him beget some children and... Of course, there is regulation of children. One has to take care of the children and he has to educate children, not that irresponsibly begetting children. No. So family life.
Then as soon as he reaches fiftieth years or little advanced, when he might have a grown-up child at home, then the father and mother leaves home. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. The gentleman, when the boy is grown up, he may get his boy married and get out of home. The wife may remain with him as friend, but there is no sex life. That is called vanaprastha. Vanaprastha means retired life. And that is also another training. First training is brahmacari so that when he becomes householder, he lives very restrained and regulated life. And then, after satisfying his senses, when he is grown up to fiftieth year, he is advised to get out: "No more sense gratification. Now you prepare yourself for the remaining days of your life for spiritual culture." That is called vanaprastha. So vanaprastha means retired life and training for completely renouncing this worldly life. And when he is prepared, the wife is asked to go back home. The grown-up boys will take charge of her. The woman is always protected. In childhood she is protected by the father, in youthhood she is protected by the husband, and in old age she is protected by the grown-up boy. That is the system. She is never given independence. In the Manu-samhita it is stated, na striyam svatantratam arhati: "Woman should never be given independence." That is good for her, yes. Just like a child should not be given independence -- then he will be spoiled -- similarly woman also should not be given independence. That is the injunction of Manu-samhita. They should be always given protection. The child, woman, brahmana, the cow, and the old man -- they should be given proper protection. That is the injunction.
Anyway, the vanaprastha, when the gentleman is completely educated for renouncing this world, then he sends back the wife to grown-up boys and he takes sannyasa. This is sannyasa dress. This is preparing, not... Preparing is finished. Sannyasa means he should distribute spiritual knowledge from door to door. That is his business. He has no family attraction, he has nothing to think for his maintenance, because the society is advised to take care of brahmacari, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. Just see. This is spiritual communism. One section of people, the householders, they have to maintain the three other divisions. We have divided the society into four divisions: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. Only the grhasthas are allowed to make money, to earn money. But the brahmacari and the vanaprastha and sannyasi is to live at the cost the grhasthas. Brahmacaris shall go from door to door and beg alms and bring it for the spiritual master. The spiritual master is a sannyasi. So whatever the brahmacaris bring, they cook and they eat and they cultivate spiritual Krsna consciousness. That is the system. That means it is the duty of the grhasthas, or the householder, to maintain the other three section of the people. And that is varnasrama-vibhagasah.
Now, in another place you will find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that the perfection of varnasrama, these four divisions as we have stated... And in the grhastha there are still four divisions. That divisions are brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra. Those who are doing intellectual works, just like studying philosophy, science, astronomy, so many intellectual works, they are called brahmanas. And those who are in the administration class, they are called ksatriyas. Those who are in production, mercantile industry for producing things, they are called vaisyas. And those who are laborer class, they are called sudras. So these eight divisions. And that is known as varnasrama-dharma, the institution of eight divisions. The Hindus means those who follow these eight divisions of human society. That is called Hindu. Now it has become a name only, but actually this is... Actually this is Hindu religion..., this is not Hindu religion. This is actually the occupation or the basic principle of human civilization. If you do not divide human society in such eight divisions, there is no proper advancement of human society's ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to make perfect in this life or to realize the Absolute Truth. That is ultimate goal. In other place the Bhagavata says... The ultimate goal, they do not know. Not nowadays... In all the days there are a class of men who are called demons, and here Prahlada Maharaja instructing to the children of the demons, those who have no idea of what is the ultimate aim of life. They are called demons. The Aryans and the demons, sura and asura. Aryan means those who are advancing. And those who are static, not advancing... Static means limited with the animal propensities of life, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is animal propensities of life. And when there is question of spiritual advancement, that is called human society. Because the spiritual consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, cannot be injected in the animal society. So na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum: [SB 7.5.31] they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is this Krsna consciousness, to understand God, to understand oneself, "What I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God." This is human civilization. So Prahlada Maharaja is trying to instruct his class fellows like this.
So he says that unless you practice from childhood, when you will be grown-up, then you will be encumbered with so many things that there will be practically no possibility. And this Krsna conscious movement, by chanting Hare Krsna, is recommended in this age because that classification of eight divisions of human society is gone. And it is not possible to introduce it again. I am not speaking that it cannot be introduced in this country or that country. Even where it was being practiced, in India, there also it is gone. There also it is in the name only, that which you have understood... You have perhaps heard, "the caste system." The... Instead of accepting the scientific divisions of the human society, they have misused it in the form of caste system. Just like a person, a gentleman born in the family of a brahmana, he is brahmana. But originally the idea was different. The original idea is: in the society those who are intellectuals, those who are engaged in intellectual work, they are called brahmanas. To understand Brahman, to understand the situation of this world, they understand spiritual knowledge. Those who are engaged in such cultivation of knowledge, they were called brahmana. But at the present moment anyone who is born in the family of a brahmana, he is called a brahmana. But actually he may be a cobbler. But that is not the idea.
So these eight divisions of human society, scientific division of human society, is now lost. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed that kalau, "In this age," nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha, "there is no other alternative for advancement of human society's goal of life." Because human society is meant for advancing in the goal of life, and that goal of life is Krsna consciousness. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says... That is the sublime gift of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And Sri Rupa Gosvami adored Him, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te: [Cc. Madhya 19.53] "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Krsna." This is very rare thing, love of Krsna. Krsna personally failed. He canvassed, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You give up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Krsna, personally." But nobody surrendered; only a few persons of the Pandavas, Arjuna, Bhima, or the gopis in Vrndavana. But at that time there were others. And later age, people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Krsna also came to distribute love of Krsna, but He actually could not induce people to this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by this sankirtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of Krsna. Therefore He is called namo maha-vadanyaya: "My dear Lord, You are the most magnificent, munificent personality, incarnation, because," krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53], "You are distributing krsna-prema, love of Krsna, the most important thing, the goal of life." And that was the mission of Lord Caitanya. He said, kalau, in this age, when everything has become topsy-turvied, there is no more chance for systematizing the whole human society. It is lost. The regulating processes are lost now, and neither it is possible to reintroduce it. It is not possible. People have become so much degraded that it is not possible. Therefore direct method. Direct method: chant Hare Krsna. That will revive your old consciousness. Chant Hare Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: "In this age there is no other alternative, there is no other alternative." The so-called meditation, yoga or karma, jnana, mental speculation -- everything will fail. They are, of course, standard processes, but that is not possible to execute in the present age. What is to speak of present age, even five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was taught to learn yoga system... That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, the practice of yoga, the sitting posture, the breathing exercise, and controlling the senses and regulating eating, sleeping. So many things, they are recommended. And after hearing, Arjuna said, "My dear Krsna, it is not possible for me." Actually, Arjuna was a fighter, a military man. Where is his time to practice this meditation, all these things? He frankly admitted. But we are so proud that we want to surpass even a personality like Arjuna.
So these things are not possible in this age. If somebody is imitating, that is simply imitation. So imitation has no value. The real thing is this meditation: you chant and hear. This meditation. Meditation means to absorb your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is meditation, real meditation. In all the standard scriptures and in yoga practice formula, the whole aim is to concentrate one's mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called samadhi, samadhi, ecstasy. So that ecstasy is immediately brought by this chanting process. You begin chanting and hear for the few seconds or few minutes: you immediately become on the platform of ecstasy. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended this process not only for India but for all the people of the world. He said that prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama. Prthivi means "on the face of the world"; ache, "when there is." Nagar means "towns," and grama means "village" or "county." So He said, "As many villages, towns, or counties, the human society, there are on the surface of the globe," sarvatra pracara haibe more nama, "My name" -- means Lord Caitanya's name, because He introduced the simple method of chanting Hare Krsna -- "will be celebrated." That is His prediction.
So we can see practically also that somehow or other, in your country this chanting Hare Krsna is introduced practically only for one year, but it is being popularized. People are taking it very seriously. Even some places where I never visited, they are organizing centers. I have received information from Buffalo, from Atlantic City. One little boy, Terry, he is organizing. He has invited some of our brahmacaris to go there. And I have received letter from Germany, from Holland. They also have begun chanting Hare Krsna. In England, the Britain, the Beatles, they are also chanting. So this is getting popular in the Western countries, and it will get, I am sure. So this chanting process introduced by Lord Caitanya should be seriously taken up so that our aim of human life will be successful. We have forgotten. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. We have forgotten... The modern civilization has... In your country I was reading a little history that in 1813 or some year the government introduced that "We trust in God," "Trust in God," and that was declared by the secretary to be published on the coins or on the paper currency, and we see sometimes. But simply trust in God is not sufficient. We must know what is God. Trusting something oblivion, something fantasy, that is no trust. You must know where to put your trust. That is Bhagavad-gita. You have to know this, what is God. You simply believe in God... Faith in God is very nice. That is said then the... Very nice. It is better than godless person, that one who believes in God. That is all right. So this writing, that "We trust in God," it is very good. It is better than the communist countries, who say, "We do not trust in God." It is better. But simply official writing or trust will not do. We have to understand. And if you want to understand God, then this is the movement, Krsna consciousness. There is no other alternative. You cannot place any other scripture collected from the world where the science of God is so elaborately stated, which you can test with all reason and argument. That is Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we have to learn the science. As you are learning so many department of knowledge, similarly, this is also another department of knowledge, to learn the science of God. The government should come forward to popularize this movement and to educate people in the science of God.
So in the Bhagavata it is said, jnanam me paramam guhyam yad vijnana-samanvitam: "The science of God is, or the knowledge of God, iw most scientific." Jnanam me para... "And it is very confidential." Jnanam means knowledge, and me, the Supreme Personality says, "Knowledge about Me is very confidential." And yad vijnana-samanvitam: "And it is most scientific." Science of God is not sentiment. It is science. It is... Actually it is science, the science of sciences. Every science takes his, what is called, data, from this science. Just the material science begins from the sunshine, but the sunshine is based on this science, God consciousness, Krsna consciousness. Philosophy, any philosophy, er, any science you take, you have to accept some axiomatic truth. Then you go on. But wherefrom the axiomatic truth? Science is discovering some subtle laws of the nature, but who made that law? As soon as you say that "Here is a law which is being carried very nicely," there must be a lawmaker. You have to accept it. The science of astronomy, the planets, the stars, the sun, the moon moving in their orbit very nicely, very perfectly, and accurately -- there is law. This is law of nature. You might have discovered -- you are great scientist -- that under this law, the law of gravitation or this law, that law, so many laws there are. But the background you have to inquire, "Who is the law-maker?" Unless there is law-maker, how there can be law? Take for example your state laws. As soon as you say that this is law, "Keep to the right," you have to accept there is a law-maker under whose direction this law is being carried out nicely. If you don't carry out, then you are punished. Similarly, nature's law is not ultimate. There is law-maker, and that law-maker is God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: [Bg. 9.10] "Prakrti," means nature, "is working under My superintendence, under My superintendence." How you can deny? If there is nature's law, who made this law? You see that the clock is running very nicely, the machine is going on, but that is not the ultimate. There is a maker of the clock or watch. Without understanding the maker, simply if you understand the clock only, that is not sufficient knowledge.
So these things are very nicely explained in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and we are trying to explain the science of God or knowledge. If you like, you can take, and we are sure that your life will be successful. This chanting and combined with this hearing of this Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam will advance you in Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. And as Prahlada Maharaja is instructing his class fellows that this is to be learned from the beginning of your life, but if you have missed the opportunity, but it is better late than never. Here is a process introduced by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We can accept it immediately even though it is late.
Thank you very much. Any questions?
Guest (1): Was Krsna born, and if so, where?
Prabhupada: Yes, Krsna was born, but you have to know how Krsna is born. That is your intelligence. Just like sun is born every morning. There is no sun now, but in the morning we will see sun and from the eastern side. So do you think that eastern side is the mother of sun? Because sun is born from the eastern side, you can take it for granted that eastern side is the mother of sun. Similarly, Krsna appears in similar way, but that does not mean that He is born. That is stated in the Fourth Chapter, Bhagavad-gita: janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. "Anyone who understands in truth how I take My birth, how I work, how I am transcendental..." Simply by knowing these three things -- how Krsna is born, and how does He work and what is His actual position -- the result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya: [Bg. 4.9] "My dear Arjuna, simply knowing these three things, one comes to Me after quitting this material body." Punar janma naiti: "He never again comes back to..." That means, in other words, if you can understand the birth of Krsna, then you will stop your any more birth. You will be free from this birth and death. So try to understand how Krsna takes His birth. Simply by understanding this... Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. If you can understand how Krsna takes his birth, then your birth and death problem is solved. How becomes liberated. So birth of Krsna has to be understood. And who can understand? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye: [Bg. 7.3] "Out of many thousands of men" -- sahasra means thousands; thousands, many thousands, means many hundreds of thousands men -- "one is interested for spiritual advancement of life." Kascid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye means "perfection." Not all men are interested. "What is perfection, nonsense? Let us eat, drink, be merry, enjoy. Don't care for perfection. This is perfection. We are eating, sleeping, mating, that's all. Who knows what is going to be happened after death? Who can..." They don't care. This is the position of general population. So out of that rascal population, one may be intelligent enough, "What is the aim of life? What I am? Why I am suffering? Why suffering is imposed upon me? I want to be happy. Why happiness is not there? Why it is simply temporary?" So many things, questions. So these question arises in the mind of a person out of many thousands of men. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhaye means one who is trying to reach to the point of perfection; not perfection, but simply trying. And yatatam api siddhanam: [Bg. 7.3] "And out of many thousands of such persons who are trying to approach the Absolute Truth," kascid vetti mam tattvatah, "one can understand Me as I am." Therefore one who can understand Krsna, His birth, His appearance, His disappearance, His activities, all these things... That is also confirmed in another place, tato mam tattvato jnatva: "Thus one understanding Me in truth," visate tad-anantaram, "he is allowed to enter into My kingdom." Yavan yas casmi tattvatah: "Only by devotional service one can understand Me, actually what I am." So if we engage ourself in submissive way in the devotional service of Krsna, then Krsna will let you know what is His birth, what is His appearance, disappearance, activities -- everything revealed. These things are not to be understood by mental speculation. These things are revealed to a heart of a devotee when he is engaged in devotional service. So that is the process of Krsna consciousness. As you make more advance in Krsna consciousness, you understand everything. Any other question?
Guest (2): Chanting is devotional service?
Prabhupada: Yes. Devotional service are discharged in nine different ways: sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], to hear about the Lord from proper source, and kirtanam, and to glorify the Lord; smaranam, meditating upon the Lord; pada-sevanam, to engage oneself in the service; arcanam, worshiping; prayer... There are nine different ways of devotional services. So you can accept nine all together or eight or seven or six or five or four or three or two. So even you accept one, you will advance. If you simply come here and hear this chanting, your devotional service will be perfected one day. So although there are nine different processes, but if you can accept even one, you will be advanced in devotional service. Yes?
Devotee (1): What is the relationship between Lord Krsna and Lord Jesus Christ?
Prabhupada: Oh, that you know. What do you ask me? What is Lord Jesus Christ? Don't you know?
Devotee (1): The son of God.
Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore relationship is father and son. But there is no difference between father and son. Both of them are authorized. Just like your father, and if you are a trustworthy son of your father, then the work done by your father and by you is the same.
Devotee (2): Swamiji, Krsna being the cause of all causes, how can (we) use our individuality if we are always under His direction?
Prabhupada: Hm?
Devotee (2): If we are always under Krsna's direction, how is it we can use our individuality?
Prabhupada: That is individuality, that even under the direction of Krsna, you can use your individuality. Don't you do that? Your father says, "My dear boy, do this." You say, "No, I don't do this." That is your individuality. Otherwise what is the meaning of individuality? Individuality means if I like, I can accept; if I don't like, I do not accept. That is individuality. If I am forced to do something, that is not my individuality.
Janardana: We are marginal energy.
Prabhupada: Yes. Marginal energy is that, that by your individuality you can abide by the order of Krsna, and if you like, you do not abide by the order of Krsna. That is your choice. That is practical everywhere. The father and son -- the son may obey the father, and the son may disobey also. That is the choice of the son. That is given there, that every individual living entity has got this minute quantity of independence. And as soon as we misuse this minute quantity of independence we are in the hands of maya. Just like in every country... You are American. You are considered to be independent. But that does not mean that you are absolutely independent, you can do whatever you like. But you have got the right to do whatever you like. But as soon as you misuse your independence, you are in danger, although you belong to the independent nation. So there is possibility of misusing the independence at every moment. Therefore we have to continue Krsna consciousness so this possibility of misusing the independence will no longer live. All right.
Guest (3): Swami, one more question. If you have misused the energy of the past and go on with the results of your misuse, are you still responsible for those forms?
Prabhupada: As you had misused your independence in your past life or in past, similarly, you can immediately, properly use your independence. Do you follow? You... Somehow or other, you misused your independence. Similarly, immediately, if you use your independence properly, then the result of that misuse of independence is corrected. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Because the conditioned souls here in this material world, they have all misused their independence... Anyone, beginning from the highest planet down, beginning from Brahma down to the small ant, everyone has misused his independence. This conditional life, this material body, is due to that. Therefore our reactions of that misuse is going on life after life. Now, Krsna says that "If you surrender immediately, then I take charge of you." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just give up all your other engagements. Just surrender unto Me." Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I shall give you protection from all reaction of your misuse of independence."
Guest (4): The false wrong(?) is that he is misled by material consciousness execute the things, really.(?) If he is misled by other, by circumstances, this is... He has no fault of his own.
Prabhupada: That's all right, but innocence is no excuse of law. If you say that "Somebody misled me to go to the left side" in the court, oh, that does not mean that you will be saved from the fine. So you have to become such intelligent person that you may not be misled by others. You have got the intelligence. Why should you be misled? Then what is the meaning of this human form of life? And you have to be educated. You have to take the opportunity of education so that you may not be misled. Why do you agree to be misled? Then you must agree to take the punishment also. If you, by innocence, put your hand on the fire, so fire will not excuse you. So innocence is no excuse. You have to be learned. Therefore we are here to give proper education to the people. Yes?
Guest (5): Is not Krsna a God of compassion?
Prabhupada: What is that?
Devotee (6): Is Krsna not a God of compassion?
Prabhupada: Oh, who can be more than, compassion, than Him? He is canvassing you, "My dear boy, please come to Me. I will give you all protection. Why you are suffering here?" Can you find out any person more compassionate than Krsna? He is the most compassionate.
Guest (7): Cannot, then, Krsna understand that...?
Prabhupada: First, the only thing is that we are misusing our independence. That's all.
Guest (7): Do we ever personally contact Krsna in Krsna consciousness?
Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna is always with you. He is within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati: [Bg. 18.61] "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone's heart." In your heart, in my heart, everyone's heart.
Guest (7): How do you reach there?
Prabhupada: That requires practice. Krsna is always with you. In this explanation of Prahlada Maharaja we shall come to that point. Krsna is not without you. Andantarastham paramanu-cayantarastham. Krsna is even within the atom. That is realization. One has to realize, and one has to talk with Krsna. So that means he has to qualify himself. Just like in your body there are so many things -- do you know everything? Do you know everything? Then? Do you know? You are eating, and how it is being transformed into blood? Can you see it? Then it requires knowledge. Similarly, by knowledge you will understand that Krsna is with you. That is the mistake of this modern civilization. Everyone thinks, "I know everything. I don't require any authority to understand anything." But the Vedic literature, the Vedic civilization, they direct, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "If you want to understand that science, you must approach a bona fide spiritual master." This is very simple thing. If you want to learn engineering, then you must admit yourself in engineering college. If you want to be a medical man, you must admit yourself in a medical college. Similarly, if you want to understand Krsna, then you must approach a person who knows Krsna. It is not fanaticism or mental speculation. You have to learn the art scientifically. (starts playing karatalas and someone starts playing a melody on harmonium) What is that? Begin Hare Krsna. (changes to Hare Krsna melody on harmonium-kirtana) (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
