Showing posts with label November 30. Show all posts
Showing posts with label November 30. Show all posts

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Liberated, When One Tastes Rasa

Liberated, When One Tastes Rasa
Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.142-143
New York, November 30, 1966

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 
Prabhupada:

daridrya-nasa, bhava-ksaya -- premera 'phala' naya
prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya

So by devotional service one should not expect, "My miserable material condition may be improved" or "I may be liberated from this material entanglement." So that is also a kind of sense gratification. If I want that "Let me be free from this entanglement..." Just like the yogis and the jnanis, they try. They try to be free from this material entanglement. But in the devotional service there is no such desire, because it is pure love. There is no expectation that "I shall be profited in this way." No. It is not a profitable commercial business, that "Unless I get in return something, oh, I shall not practice the devotional service in Krsna consciousness. There is no question of profit. Lord Caitanya prays to the Lord like this:

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
 [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]

"Oh," He says, "My dear Lord, Jagadisa..." Jagadisa means the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Jagat, jagat means this world, material world or spiritual world, all worlds. Jagat. Jagat gacchati iti jagat: "Which is progressing, that is called jagat." So Jagat-isa, the supreme master of this jagat, going concern. "Jagadisa, O the supreme master of this jagat, I pray unto You that I do not want," na dhanam, "I do not want any wealth," na janam, "I do not want any number of followers..." Na janam na dhanam na kavitam va jagadisa kamaye. Kavitam means very nice wife, poetical... "I do not want." "Then what do You want?" Mama janmani janmanisvare. Janmani janmani [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4] means "birth after birth." So He does not want liberation also. Because when we speak of liberation, there is no birth. Mad-gatva punar janma na vidyate: "One who reaches the kingdom of God, he hasn't got to come back again to take birth here." So here Lord Caitanya says, mama janmani janmani: "Birth after birth." That means "I do not want liberation also." Mama janmani janmani.

"Then what do You want?" Isvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki: "My dear Lord, I may be put in any condition of My life, but please bestow this benediction, that I may not forget You. That's all. I may not forget You. Because due to My forgetfulness I am suffering so much. So if I can remember You, I don't mind in whatever condition I am." He has to give the factual fact. Yam labdhva caparam labham. In the Bhagavad-gita in the Sixth Chapter we find in the yoga system, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah: "When one achieves that perfection of yoga," yam labdhva, "by gaining that perfection," yam labdhva caparam labham, "then he has no other desire to achieve." Just like we achieve something in this material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want further ten millions of dollars. And when I get further ten millions of dollars, then I desire for further hundred millions of dollars. There is no cessation. So here is a thing, Krsna consciousness. One who is perfect in that system, bhakti-yoga system, the Bhagavad-gita says, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam. Adhikam means "greater than this." We want, we desire something which is greater than what I possess now. Therefore I desire. I have got hundred millions dollars, and I want million millions of dollars, because that amount is greater than what I possess now. But one who possesses this devotional service, he does not think anything there is in the world which is more valuable than this. So why should he inquire? Why should he desire? He has got the sublime thing. Yam labdhva caparam labham. Labham means gain. Manyate na: "He does not think." Na. What is that? Adhikam. Adhikam means greater. If I have got two dollars' possession and if you offer me ten dollars, I think, "Oh, it is better." So he possesses such a thing that nothing is greater than because he possesses devotional service. Krsna consciousness is not different from Krsna. So therefore he possesses Krsna, and what thing can be greater than Krsna? Therefore he is fully satisfied.

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito gurunapi
duhkhena na vicalyate
 [Bg. 6.20-23]

"And one who is situated in that condition, then gurunapi duhkhena, the severest type of miseries, offered to him, he is not shaken." He is steady. He is steady. Just like a five-year-old boy, Prahlada Maharaja, and his father, atheist: "Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God's name? Who is God? I am God. Why don't you chant my name? If you don't do that, then I shall throw you in the fire." Oh, he is steady. He said, "Father, I cannot do that," this little boy. "You nonsense, you cannot do that? How do you dare to speak before me like this? Even the demigods, they are afraid of me." "Oh, yes, father. By the mercy of whom you are speaking so nicely, so by the mercy of Him I am speaking also like that." "Oh, I don't care for anyone's mercy." So this is... And so much wrath of his severe father, oh, he is not... Steady. Steady. So that is the characteristic of a pure devotee. Even in the greatest difficulty, even in the greatest danger, he is not shaken; he is steady. Yam labdhva. This is the perfection of yoga. When one is steady in every circumstances, that is the perfection of yoga. That can be achieved easily by this Krsna consciousness.

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito gurunapi
duhkhena na vicalyate
 [Bg. 6.20-23]

So here also we should not be aspiring after improving our material condition or liberation or anything. These are all desire, desires. They say that "desireless," but desire cannot be completely absent because I am living entity. So my desire should be not to forget Krsna. That's all, that one desire. That is real desire. And all other desires, they are foolish. So we cannot be desireless, but we should desire only bona fide. Just like I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is my natural position. That is desirelessness. If you... Suppose in this material condition, if you desire to eat, oh, that is natural. So long you have got this body, you have to eat. If somebody says, "Oh, you are desiring eating...?" Nobody says like that. Similarly, what is natural desire, that is permitted. And what is not natural, that is called "become desireless." Don't desire like this, unnatural. So desirelessness means not to desire unnatural thing. But to desire Krsna's remembrance, that is natural. Because I am part and parcel, how can I forget? This forgetfulness is the cause of my so many desires. And as soon as I desire Krsna, there will be no other desire. That is desirelessness.

So prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya. Prema-sukha. The happiness in the matter of our reciprocation as the whole and the part and parcel, that sense is the highest pleasure. That we should aspire after, not that by becoming Krsna consciousness we may desire some material profit. That is not.

veda-sastre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana
krsna, krsna-bhakti, prema -- tina maha-dhana

Now, we are aspiring after possessing something, possessiveness. What we should possess? The possession is Krsna, and desire is reciprocation between Krsna and myself, and the ultimate end is love. That's all. Just like we have got perverted reflection of that love here between the two lovers. They don't want anything. He wants she, and she wants he. That's all. That is desire and their reciprocation of loving affairs and the ultimate end, that they are peaceful in love. This is only perverted reflection of the real love, which is reciprocated with Krsna. Here there is no possibility of love. This is all lust. But we call it love because it is just a reflection. Just a real... That is real, and this is unreal. Just like shadow and reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and reality. So whatever love we see in this world, that love is only a perverted reflection of that real love with Krsna.

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

So a devotee is not anxious for liberation because his intimate connection with Krsna means he is liberated. One cannot be in intimate touch with Krsna unless one is liberated. So liberation and intimate connection with Krsna, the same thing.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

Yesam... Have you got Bhagavad-gita here? Yes. Just try to find out this sloka. I don't remember where it is. I think in the Eighth Chapter.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

Yesam. Yesam means those who are anta-gatam papam. Papam means sinful reactions. One who has surpassed all sinful reactions. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam. Such persons, punya-karmanam, who have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, punya-karmanam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Krsna. (aside:) Have you got it? What is that?

Devotee: "But those men of virtuous deeds whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me, steadfastly avowed."

Prabhupada: Yes. So to worship Krsna steadfast means he is liberated from delusion. That is mukti. One who has got still some doubt -- "Why shall I worship Krsna?" -- that means still in delusion, and still the reaction of his sinful life is not finished. A slight doubt means there is slight tinge still. And one who is dvandva-moha-nirmukta, duality... Duality means "Whether I shall do it or not? Whether I shall stick up to this process of Krsna conscious or not?" This is called duality. So one who is free from all these sinful reactions, he has no more duality. He has firm faith: "Yes! Krsna worship is the final."

So Krsna worship means he is liberated already. Just like the same example: If a man is sitting on the high-court bench, it is to be understood that he has passed all educational qualification, and he is a good lawyer. Therefore... There is no more necessity to ask, "Whether you have passed M.A. examination or law examination?" This is foolishness. Similarly, if one is, I mean to say, strictly in Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he is liberated. Liberation, the definition of liberation, is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, mukti..., svarupena vyavasthitih. Hitva... Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. Mukti means hitva anyatha rupam. Now we are now represented in different kinds of formalities. You have got a different kinds of idea; I have got different kinds of idea; another man has different from others. There are difference; therefore we are clashing each other. This is the sign of bondage. And mukti means when we are liberated from these different kinds of ideas, and svarupena vyavasthitih, when we are situated in our constitutional position, that is called mukti, liberation. And what is our constitutional position? "Oh, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme, Krsna." Then what is my duty? Duty, part's duty, is to serve the whole. That's all. Just like your hand, the part of your body. What is the duty of hand? To serve the body. It is very easy thing. If you are part and parcel of the Supreme, then what is your duty? Your duty is to serve Him. You have no other duty.

So one who understands this firmly and convincingly, he is liberated. He is liberated. Oh, how can I say liberated? "He is also now going to the office. He is dressing like ordinary man. What do you mean?" Mukti means he will dress like something else or he will have four hands or eight legs? No. Simply change of consciousness, that's all. So Krsna consciousness means change of your consciousness. I am thinking, "I am this matter. I have got so many duties with this material world." So when you change this consciousness -- "No, I belong to Krsna. I am part and parcel of Krsna; therefore whole energy should be for Krsna," this is Krsna consciousness. Now I am applying all my energy to this material conception of life. When you apply your energy, your transcendental energy, to Krsna, then you are liberated.

Therefore a devotee of Krsna, pure devotee of Krsna, they are not hankering after Krsna..., mukti. They say, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Oh, the mukti lady is standing with folded hands, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " And devotee doesn't care. "Oh, what can I (you) do for me? I don't want your help." There is a nice verse of Bilvamangala Thakura. He lived for seven hundred years in Vrndavana, and he was, became a great devotee of Krsna. In the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life. He was a South Indian brahmana, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute, prostitute. So he was so much, I mean to say, devoted to the prostitute that he was performing his father's death ceremony and he was asking the priest, "Please, haste. Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go." Means prostitute's house. So he was very rich man. Priestly, anyway, he finished that business. Then there was ceremony. He took very nice foodstuff in a bag, and he was going to that prostitute's house. But when he came out of his home, oh, it was raining torrently. You see? So he never cared for that raining. He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that "How can I go to the other side?" He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, "Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come." So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, "Oh, the door is blocked," and it was raining still. "So how can I go?" So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: "Well, Bilvamangala" -- his name was Bilvamangala -- "how do you dare to come here like this?" Oh, he described, "Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this." Oh, the prostitute was astonished. Her name was Cintamani. So the prostitute said, "My dear Bilvamangala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Krsna, how would have been, your life, sublime." Oh, that struck him: "Yes." He at once left and went away: "Yes, you are right."

Then he was (going to) Vrndavana. He saw another beautiful woman because he was practiced to that habit. So he was going behind. Although he determined, "Now I am going to Vrndavana," on the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed that woman. That woman belonged to a respectable family. So he came, and the woman said to her husband, "Oh, this man is following me. Please ask, 'What is the idea?' " So the husband asked, "My dear sir, you appear to be very nice gentleman, and you belong to very aristocratic family. From your appearances I understand. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?" He said, "Yes, I am following wife because I want to embrace her." "Oh, you want to embrace? Come on. Embrace. Come on. You are welcome. Come on." So the wife also... She (he) ordered, "Oh, here is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that he may enjoy." So the wife also followed the instruction of the husband because wife's duty is to follow the instruction. And when Bilvamangala came inside before the woman, he said, "My dear mother, will you kindly give your hairpins?" "Yes. Why?" "I have got some business." Then he took the hairpin and at once pierced his eyes: "Oh, this eye is my enemy." And he became blind. He became blind. Then all of them... "That's all right. Now no more I shall be disturbed."

So in that blindness he was penancing, austerity in Vrndavana. So by the grace of Krsna, Krsna came like a boy. "Oh, my dear sir, why you are starving? Why don't you take some milk?" "Oh, who are You, my dear boy?" "Oh, I am a boy of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk." "All right." So Krsna supplied him milk. So there was friendship. And he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Mukti, mukti is nothing for me." So this is his verse, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "So we have no desire for mukti. When Krsna comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?" You see? That's a great soul, Bilvamangala Thakura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred hears he lived in Vrndavana, and he has written a nice book which is Krsna-karnamrta. That is a very authoritative book, Krsna-karnamrta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Krsna-karnamrta book.

Thank you very much.

Kirtanananda: Do you have it here?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Kirtanananda: Is it in English? (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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Liberated, When One Tastes Rasa

Liberated, When One Tastes Rasa
Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.142-143
New York, November 30, 1966

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 
Prabhupada:

daridrya-nasa, bhava-ksaya -- premera 'phala' naya
prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya

So by devotional service one should not expect, "My miserable material condition may be improved" or "I may be liberated from this material entanglement." So that is also a kind of sense gratification. If I want that "Let me be free from this entanglement..." Just like the yogis and the jnanis, they try. They try to be free from this material entanglement. But in the devotional service there is no such desire, because it is pure love. There is no expectation that "I shall be profited in this way." No. It is not a profitable commercial business, that "Unless I get in return something, oh, I shall not practice the devotional service in Krsna consciousness. There is no question of profit. Lord Caitanya prays to the Lord like this:

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
 [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]

"Oh," He says, "My dear Lord, Jagadisa..." Jagadisa means the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Jagat, jagat means this world, material world or spiritual world, all worlds. Jagat. Jagat gacchati iti jagat: "Which is progressing, that is called jagat." So Jagat-isa, the supreme master of this jagat, going concern. "Jagadisa, O the supreme master of this jagat, I pray unto You that I do not want," na dhanam, "I do not want any wealth," na janam, "I do not want any number of followers..." Na janam na dhanam na kavitam va jagadisa kamaye. Kavitam means very nice wife, poetical... "I do not want." "Then what do You want?" Mama janmani janmanisvare. Janmani janmani [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4] means "birth after birth." So He does not want liberation also. Because when we speak of liberation, there is no birth. Mad-gatva punar janma na vidyate: "One who reaches the kingdom of God, he hasn't got to come back again to take birth here." So here Lord Caitanya says, mama janmani janmani: "Birth after birth." That means "I do not want liberation also." Mama janmani janmani.

"Then what do You want?" Isvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki: "My dear Lord, I may be put in any condition of My life, but please bestow this benediction, that I may not forget You. That's all. I may not forget You. Because due to My forgetfulness I am suffering so much. So if I can remember You, I don't mind in whatever condition I am." He has to give the factual fact. Yam labdhva caparam labham. In the Bhagavad-gita in the Sixth Chapter we find in the yoga system, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah: "When one achieves that perfection of yoga," yam labdhva, "by gaining that perfection," yam labdhva caparam labham, "then he has no other desire to achieve." Just like we achieve something in this material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want further ten millions of dollars. And when I get further ten millions of dollars, then I desire for further hundred millions of dollars. There is no cessation. So here is a thing, Krsna consciousness. One who is perfect in that system, bhakti-yoga system, the Bhagavad-gita says, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam. Adhikam means "greater than this." We want, we desire something which is greater than what I possess now. Therefore I desire. I have got hundred millions dollars, and I want million millions of dollars, because that amount is greater than what I possess now. But one who possesses this devotional service, he does not think anything there is in the world which is more valuable than this. So why should he inquire? Why should he desire? He has got the sublime thing. Yam labdhva caparam labham. Labham means gain. Manyate na: "He does not think." Na. What is that? Adhikam. Adhikam means greater. If I have got two dollars' possession and if you offer me ten dollars, I think, "Oh, it is better." So he possesses such a thing that nothing is greater than because he possesses devotional service. Krsna consciousness is not different from Krsna. So therefore he possesses Krsna, and what thing can be greater than Krsna? Therefore he is fully satisfied.

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito gurunapi
duhkhena na vicalyate
 [Bg. 6.20-23]

"And one who is situated in that condition, then gurunapi duhkhena, the severest type of miseries, offered to him, he is not shaken." He is steady. He is steady. Just like a five-year-old boy, Prahlada Maharaja, and his father, atheist: "Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God's name? Who is God? I am God. Why don't you chant my name? If you don't do that, then I shall throw you in the fire." Oh, he is steady. He said, "Father, I cannot do that," this little boy. "You nonsense, you cannot do that? How do you dare to speak before me like this? Even the demigods, they are afraid of me." "Oh, yes, father. By the mercy of whom you are speaking so nicely, so by the mercy of Him I am speaking also like that." "Oh, I don't care for anyone's mercy." So this is... And so much wrath of his severe father, oh, he is not... Steady. Steady. So that is the characteristic of a pure devotee. Even in the greatest difficulty, even in the greatest danger, he is not shaken; he is steady. Yam labdhva. This is the perfection of yoga. When one is steady in every circumstances, that is the perfection of yoga. That can be achieved easily by this Krsna consciousness.

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito gurunapi
duhkhena na vicalyate
 [Bg. 6.20-23]

So here also we should not be aspiring after improving our material condition or liberation or anything. These are all desire, desires. They say that "desireless," but desire cannot be completely absent because I am living entity. So my desire should be not to forget Krsna. That's all, that one desire. That is real desire. And all other desires, they are foolish. So we cannot be desireless, but we should desire only bona fide. Just like I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is my natural position. That is desirelessness. If you... Suppose in this material condition, if you desire to eat, oh, that is natural. So long you have got this body, you have to eat. If somebody says, "Oh, you are desiring eating...?" Nobody says like that. Similarly, what is natural desire, that is permitted. And what is not natural, that is called "become desireless." Don't desire like this, unnatural. So desirelessness means not to desire unnatural thing. But to desire Krsna's remembrance, that is natural. Because I am part and parcel, how can I forget? This forgetfulness is the cause of my so many desires. And as soon as I desire Krsna, there will be no other desire. That is desirelessness.

So prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya. Prema-sukha. The happiness in the matter of our reciprocation as the whole and the part and parcel, that sense is the highest pleasure. That we should aspire after, not that by becoming Krsna consciousness we may desire some material profit. That is not.

veda-sastre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana
krsna, krsna-bhakti, prema -- tina maha-dhana

Now, we are aspiring after possessing something, possessiveness. What we should possess? The possession is Krsna, and desire is reciprocation between Krsna and myself, and the ultimate end is love. That's all. Just like we have got perverted reflection of that love here between the two lovers. They don't want anything. He wants she, and she wants he. That's all. That is desire and their reciprocation of loving affairs and the ultimate end, that they are peaceful in love. This is only perverted reflection of the real love, which is reciprocated with Krsna. Here there is no possibility of love. This is all lust. But we call it love because it is just a reflection. Just a real... That is real, and this is unreal. Just like shadow and reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and reality. So whatever love we see in this world, that love is only a perverted reflection of that real love with Krsna.

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

So a devotee is not anxious for liberation because his intimate connection with Krsna means he is liberated. One cannot be in intimate touch with Krsna unless one is liberated. So liberation and intimate connection with Krsna, the same thing.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

Yesam... Have you got Bhagavad-gita here? Yes. Just try to find out this sloka. I don't remember where it is. I think in the Eighth Chapter.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

Yesam. Yesam means those who are anta-gatam papam. Papam means sinful reactions. One who has surpassed all sinful reactions. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam. Such persons, punya-karmanam, who have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, punya-karmanam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Krsna. (aside:) Have you got it? What is that?

Devotee: "But those men of virtuous deeds whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me, steadfastly avowed."

Prabhupada: Yes. So to worship Krsna steadfast means he is liberated from delusion. That is mukti. One who has got still some doubt -- "Why shall I worship Krsna?" -- that means still in delusion, and still the reaction of his sinful life is not finished. A slight doubt means there is slight tinge still. And one who is dvandva-moha-nirmukta, duality... Duality means "Whether I shall do it or not? Whether I shall stick up to this process of Krsna conscious or not?" This is called duality. So one who is free from all these sinful reactions, he has no more duality. He has firm faith: "Yes! Krsna worship is the final."

So Krsna worship means he is liberated already. Just like the same example: If a man is sitting on the high-court bench, it is to be understood that he has passed all educational qualification, and he is a good lawyer. Therefore... There is no more necessity to ask, "Whether you have passed M.A. examination or law examination?" This is foolishness. Similarly, if one is, I mean to say, strictly in Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he is liberated. Liberation, the definition of liberation, is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, mukti..., svarupena vyavasthitih. Hitva... Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. Mukti means hitva anyatha rupam. Now we are now represented in different kinds of formalities. You have got a different kinds of idea; I have got different kinds of idea; another man has different from others. There are difference; therefore we are clashing each other. This is the sign of bondage. And mukti means when we are liberated from these different kinds of ideas, and svarupena vyavasthitih, when we are situated in our constitutional position, that is called mukti, liberation. And what is our constitutional position? "Oh, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme, Krsna." Then what is my duty? Duty, part's duty, is to serve the whole. That's all. Just like your hand, the part of your body. What is the duty of hand? To serve the body. It is very easy thing. If you are part and parcel of the Supreme, then what is your duty? Your duty is to serve Him. You have no other duty.

So one who understands this firmly and convincingly, he is liberated. He is liberated. Oh, how can I say liberated? "He is also now going to the office. He is dressing like ordinary man. What do you mean?" Mukti means he will dress like something else or he will have four hands or eight legs? No. Simply change of consciousness, that's all. So Krsna consciousness means change of your consciousness. I am thinking, "I am this matter. I have got so many duties with this material world." So when you change this consciousness -- "No, I belong to Krsna. I am part and parcel of Krsna; therefore whole energy should be for Krsna," this is Krsna consciousness. Now I am applying all my energy to this material conception of life. When you apply your energy, your transcendental energy, to Krsna, then you are liberated.

Therefore a devotee of Krsna, pure devotee of Krsna, they are not hankering after Krsna..., mukti. They say, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Oh, the mukti lady is standing with folded hands, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " And devotee doesn't care. "Oh, what can I (you) do for me? I don't want your help." There is a nice verse of Bilvamangala Thakura. He lived for seven hundred years in Vrndavana, and he was, became a great devotee of Krsna. In the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life. He was a South Indian brahmana, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute, prostitute. So he was so much, I mean to say, devoted to the prostitute that he was performing his father's death ceremony and he was asking the priest, "Please, haste. Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go." Means prostitute's house. So he was very rich man. Priestly, anyway, he finished that business. Then there was ceremony. He took very nice foodstuff in a bag, and he was going to that prostitute's house. But when he came out of his home, oh, it was raining torrently. You see? So he never cared for that raining. He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that "How can I go to the other side?" He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, "Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come." So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, "Oh, the door is blocked," and it was raining still. "So how can I go?" So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: "Well, Bilvamangala" -- his name was Bilvamangala -- "how do you dare to come here like this?" Oh, he described, "Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this." Oh, the prostitute was astonished. Her name was Cintamani. So the prostitute said, "My dear Bilvamangala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Krsna, how would have been, your life, sublime." Oh, that struck him: "Yes." He at once left and went away: "Yes, you are right."

Then he was (going to) Vrndavana. He saw another beautiful woman because he was practiced to that habit. So he was going behind. Although he determined, "Now I am going to Vrndavana," on the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed that woman. That woman belonged to a respectable family. So he came, and the woman said to her husband, "Oh, this man is following me. Please ask, 'What is the idea?' " So the husband asked, "My dear sir, you appear to be very nice gentleman, and you belong to very aristocratic family. From your appearances I understand. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?" He said, "Yes, I am following wife because I want to embrace her." "Oh, you want to embrace? Come on. Embrace. Come on. You are welcome. Come on." So the wife also... She (he) ordered, "Oh, here is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that he may enjoy." So the wife also followed the instruction of the husband because wife's duty is to follow the instruction. And when Bilvamangala came inside before the woman, he said, "My dear mother, will you kindly give your hairpins?" "Yes. Why?" "I have got some business." Then he took the hairpin and at once pierced his eyes: "Oh, this eye is my enemy." And he became blind. He became blind. Then all of them... "That's all right. Now no more I shall be disturbed."

So in that blindness he was penancing, austerity in Vrndavana. So by the grace of Krsna, Krsna came like a boy. "Oh, my dear sir, why you are starving? Why don't you take some milk?" "Oh, who are You, my dear boy?" "Oh, I am a boy of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk." "All right." So Krsna supplied him milk. So there was friendship. And he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Mukti, mukti is nothing for me." So this is his verse, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "So we have no desire for mukti. When Krsna comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?" You see? That's a great soul, Bilvamangala Thakura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred hears he lived in Vrndavana, and he has written a nice book which is Krsna-karnamrta. That is a very authoritative book, Krsna-karnamrta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Krsna-karnamrta book.

Thank you very much.

Kirtanananda: Do you have it here?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Kirtanananda: Is it in English? (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Understanding-Standing Under

Understanding-Standing Under
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.30
Bombay, November 30, 1974

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 
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Nitai: "...after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness."

Prabhupada:

tad etan me vijanihi
yathaham manda-dhir hare
sukham buddhyeya durbodham
yosa bhavad-anugrahat
 [SB 3.25.30]

So this is submission. The process of understanding transcendental subject matter is not by challenge but by submission. The whole bhakti process is submission. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching.

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
 [Cc. Adi 17.31]

If one is interested to advance by chanting, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that you should be humbler than the straw or grass and tolerant than the tree. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna, amanina: Without feeling oneself becoming very proud of intelligence, he should give respect to others and in this way one can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly.

So Devahuti, although mother of Kapiladeva, because she is woman, not only woman, because she is going to be disciple or the student, she is presenting herself as very humble student, not that superior mother, no. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. One has to learn. The first condition is pranipata. Prakrsta-rupena nipata, complete surrender. Pranipatena. Then pariprasna. Sad-dharma-prcchat. First of all, pranipata, a full submission, then pariprasna, guided by seva, service. We have to please the spiritual master, the teacher, by service. This whole bhakti process depends on service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. I have several times explained this verse. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our present material senses are blunt. By these present senses it is not possible to understand the transcendental nature of Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. Everything of Krsna, they are all divyam, divine. Janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. So divyam, transcendental subject matter, is not possible to understand by these material blunt senses. Therefore one has to purify it. That is bhakti-marga. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One has to purify the senses, and when the senses are purified, then, with that purified senses, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. When our senses are purified, then we can serve Hrsikesa. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam. Bhakti means to serve Krsna, the master of the senses, by our senses. But these present senses, they cannot be fit for serving Krsna. It has to be purified.

So how this purification is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau: [Brs. 1.2.234] by engaging oneself in service of the Lord, and the first service begins from the tongue, jihvadau. We have got many senses, sense organs, but devotional service begins from the tongue, jihvadau, by chanting. It is very difficult subject matter, but it is made easy because... Devahuti says, sukham buddhyeya: "Very easily I can understand, because I am woman." Krsna is open to everyone: striyo vaisyas tatha sudrah [Bg. 9.32]. Although they are considered less intelligent, still, Krsna is open to everyone. And especially in this age, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: [SB 12.3.51] "Simply by chanting Krsna's name, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra," kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah, "one becomes liberated, and then param vrajet, he is transferred to the spiritual world. Although this Kali-yuga is full of faulty things, everyone is embarrassed with so many difficulties, still, very easy metho..."

This is spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami after describing the faults of Kali-yuga. There are many, many hundreds and thousands of faults. People will suffer. They are all described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. People's intelligence, bodily strength, mercifulness -- everything will be reduced. And so many things are described. Some of them are very prominent even at the present moment. Just like in the Kali-yuga, it is stated lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "People will think by keeping long hairs they will become beautiful." Lavanyam kesa-dharanam. So that is very visible now, especially in the Western countries. They keep very long hairs. Dampatye ratim eva hi: "Marriage, husband and wife, they will be simply by agreement." Nowadays that is happening. You go to a marriage-maker and agree, and marriage is finished. Not like before. Dampatye ratim eva hi. And rati means sex desires. So long their sex desires will be completed, they can live. Svikara eva codvahe. These are stated, all. Vipratve sutram eva hi: "Become a brahmana, just have a sacred thread." Sacred or not sacred, get a thread. That's all, without executing the brahminical duties. That is going on. In this way there is a long list of Kali-yuga's activities.

So after submitting the list, Sukadeva Gosvami says, kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah: "My dear King Pariksit, I have described all the faults of this Kali-yuga. But there is a special advantage in this age. That is," he said, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51], "people can become liberated and go back to home, back to Godhead, simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra."

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
 [Cc. Adi 17.21]

So this easy process, sukham jihvadau, that begins from the jihva, tongue. If you kindly train your tongue to chant Hare Krsna mantra, and if possible without offense... There are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and you chant Hare Krsna mantra, you become liberated. And it is very easy. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Mukta. Anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna mantra, if he is chanting sincerely... Sincerely or not sincerely, if he chants, then he will become sincere and purified. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12].

So this is the easiest process. So durbodham yosa bhavad-anugrahat. But this chance is gotten by the grace of Krsna. Bhavad-anugrahat. If Krsna sees somebody, that he is sincerely chanting Hare Krsna mantra... He is within everyone. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So He can understand that "Here is a sincere devotee." Then He gives chance. He as caitya-guru, the Supersoul, caitya-guru, and this external guru. He gives the chance of meeting external guru also, His representative, so that Krsna helps a sincere devotee externally and internally. Internally, He helps, Himself, as Paramatma. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. Krsna says that "I give him intelligence from within." And without, externally, His representative, the spiritual master, is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Combination of guru and Krsna. By the grace of Krsna, one gets a bona fide guru, and by the grace of the bona fide guru, one gets Krsna. This is going on. So as we are fallen, similarly, sastra has given us very easy method to appreciate our transcendental life, our blissful life. That is Krsna consciousness movement. This we are teaching everywhere, that "You chant this Hare Krsna maha-mantra," sravanam kirtanam visnoh. And when they are advanced, they are engaged in Deity worship, in preaching work, and so many other.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
 [SB 7.5.23]

So Devahuti-devi, she thinks herself, because woman, yosa, durbodham. So she is accepting her son as guru and very submissively, and she wants to understand the very difficult subject matter very easily by the grace of Kapiladeva. This is very important thing, to receive the causeless mercy of Krsna and the spiritual master, both. By Krsna's mercy we shall get spiritual master, and spiritual master's... Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, he has very much stressed on the mercy of guru. And that is actually fact. If we receive the mercy of guru, if we can satisfy guru by our service, and if he gives his blessing, that is very, very great opportunity. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Guru is confidential servant of Krsna. Guru never claims that he is Krsna, he is God. That is not guru. Guru, although worshiped as Krsna, Krsna... Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. Not in one sastra, but all the Vedic sastra, they describe guru, guru-brahma. They describe on the equal footing. Guru, being representative of Krsna, he is worshiped as Krsna. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. All sastra recommends that. Tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. And those who are pure devotees, they accept. But that does not mean that guru declares himself that "I am Krsna. I am God." No. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. He is the most confidential servant of Krsna. Therefore he is very dear. And as he is very dear to Krsna, if he recommends somebody, "Krsna, accept him," He will accept him. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. That is the system.

Guru is very confidential servant of Krsna. Why confidential servant? Because he is canvassing door to door, "Please become Krsna conscious. Please surrender to Krsna." Krsna says to Arjuna, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], and guru takes that very mission, but does not say like Krsna, that "Your surrender to me." He says, "Surrender to Krsna." One has to surrender to Krsna through the via media of guru, directly. This is the process. Therefore guru accepts respects from the disciple not for his personal self, but conveying the respect to Krsna. This is the process. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi **. If you cannot get the mercy of guru, then it is very difficult to approach Krsna. We cannot approach Krsna directly. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita. Parampara. Guru, he offers the same respect to his guru, his guru. It goes. In this way, it goes to Krsna, parampara system. Therefore it is stated, bhavad-anugrahat. Bhavad-anugrahat: "Please kindly become merciful upon me."

So in this way, one has to learn how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our Vaisnava system is adau gurv-asrayam. If we want to approach Krsna, then in the beginning, adau, the beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is being shown by Devahuti. Although He is son, (s)he is begging the mercy of Kapiladeva so that by His mercy she could understand what is devotional service and how to approach Krsna. Tad etan me vijanihi yathaham manda-dhih. So this is very good qualification. Manda-dhih: "My intelligence is not very sharp, manda." That is especially in this age. Of course, Kapiladeva and Devahuti was not in this age. Still, she is submitting because she happens to be woman, and although she is such exalted woman that she could give birth to the Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva -- she was not ordinary woman -- still, she thinks manda-dhih: "I am less intelligence." Manda-dhir hare: "My dear Kapila, You are Supreme Personality of Godhead, but I am manda-dhih. My intelligence is not very sharp. Still, I want to understand the sublime subject matter, transcendental subject matter, from You. So it is possible." Bhavad-anugrahat: "If You become merciful, then it is possible." This is the process.

So in order to get the mercy of guru, so yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **, we must search out a bona fide spiritual master, representative of Krsna or Kapiladeva, and then we shall submit and offer service. In this way we shall please the guru, and if he is satisfied, then our business is complete. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi **. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended this process, this process, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. The process of understanding or approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is this. Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Ramananda Raya. So the process of approaching the Supreme Lord... So he first of all explained the varnasrama-dharma. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman, visnur aradhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. The human life is for visnur aradhanam. That is the human life,  Visnur aradhanam. In varnasrama, the system... Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13], Krsna says. Why establish this catur-varnyam maya srstam? Because through the catur-varnya, systematic institution, following the rules and regulations of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, one can approach Lord Visnu. Visnur aradhyate. This varnasrama-dharma is very important. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that it is very difficult even to execute the rules and regulation of varnasrama-dharma in this age. Actually that is a fact. Therefore, after explaining varnasrama-dharma before Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He said, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya: "Yes, it is one of the processes, but in this age it is very difficult." Who is going to be brahmana? It is very difficult. Especially it has become very difficult in India. We are advertising, we are soliciting, "Please come here in this Hare Krsna Land and just become a brahmana-vaisnava, and we shall try to serve you by giving you good place," but nobody is coming. Therefore it is very difficult to revive the old varnasrama-dharma culture.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, said, "No, no, it is all right, but it is very difficult now." He is practical. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the...Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. He is studied by Rupa Gosvami as the most munificent avatara, incarnation. There are many incarnation, but He's the most munificent, vadanya, the supreme charitable. Why? Krsna-prema-pradaya te. He is distributing love of Krsna like anything. Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. One cannot understand Krsna.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
 [Bg. 7.3]

To understand Krsna is very, very difficult. Out of many, many millions of person, one tries for making his life successful. And out of many, many such successful, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3], one who has attained siddhi, such person, may... One may understand Krsna. So Krsna, to understand... So first of all, we cannot understand Krsna. Then what is the, where is the question of love of Krsna? If you do not understand somebody, how you can love him? Love is far, far away. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so kind that He is distributing krsna-prema: "Take, anyone. Come on." Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very practical, that "I want to give krsna-prema. One should be ecstatic, emotional in krsna-prema. One shall cry for Krsna." And He taught everyone by His practical example how He was mad after Krsna. Govinda-virahena me. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. This is krsna-prema: without Krsna, one should see everything vacant. This is Radharani's prema.

But that is not possible for ordinary human being. It might be possible for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and few devotees. Just like His immediate disciples, the Six Gosvamis, they were also following the same principle. In the Vrndavana the Six Gosvamis used to live. But they were seeking Krsna, becoming mad.

he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah
sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah
ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

So they were mad after Krsna: "Where is Krsna?" They never said, "We have seen Krsna." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu also, He said, "I was dreaming of Krsna, and why you wake Me? I have lost the chance." In this way they were making bhajana. This is called viraha-bhajana, viraha-bhajana, separation. That is very recommended process. So we should be awakened, awaken our consciousness, Krsna consciousness, in such a way that being separated from Krsna, we shall become mad after Him. This is called krsna-prema. That prema was being distributed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And He is still distributing.

So how this prema can be awakened easily, that has been recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, quoting from Lord Brahma's prayer to Krsna, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Don't try to understand Krsna by your tiny knowledge. We are imperfect. How we can speculate on Krsna? That is not... Because there are certain persons, jnanis, they want to know. Just like theosophists. They want to know the Absolute Truth by speculation. But that is not possible.

athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
 [SB 10.14.29]

 Ciram, for many, many years, if you speculate, you cannot understand Krsna. You have to receive the mercy of Krsna through the spiritual master. Then it is possible. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita. Krsna's another name is Ajita; you cannot conquer Him. When Krsna was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "Don't speculate." Sthane sthitah... Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Be submissive: "Krsna, I am very poor. Krsna, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Krsna is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered.

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

If we... This is the process. If we hear about Krsna...Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position. Don't change. Either you are brahmana or sudra or grhastha or sannyasi, it doesn't matter. But you hear about Krsna. This is the process. This is the first-class process.

So we are opening hundreds and thousands... Not thousands, we have opened about 102 centers all over the world. But we want to open thousands. But we are in need of assistance. But nobody is coming. Anyway, the Europeans, Americans, some of them have joined. Still, we required many thousands because Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama: He wants to spread this Krsna consciousness movement not in this city or that city but nagaradi grama. Just like here we have opened a center in Gandhigram. But in Bombay such hundreds and thousands centers can be opened. It is so big city. Similarly, there are other cities. It is required. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

And that is the duty of the Indians, bharata-vasi. That is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
 [Cc. Adi 9.41]

This Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy, krsna-prema distribution, is the best, topmost para-upakara, welfare activity. Therefore every Indian should understand the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the philosophy of Krsna, Krsna consciousness, the same philosophy. Krsna says His philosophy is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is the same. He is Krsna, but as He has appeared as devotee. He says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Whomever you meet, you Indian, bharata-vasi, you just try to understand this Krsna philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, and make your life successful and go door to door and say this 'krsna'-upadesa." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Bas. You become guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

So we should give chance to people to hear about Krsna. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Krsna. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Krsna and Krsna's words, they are not different -- absolute. When we hear about Krsna, that means we are directly associating with Krsna. And the more you associate with Krsna, the more you become purified. Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti. Krsna helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The same thing, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Krsna consciousness and engage ourself in Krsna's service.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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Thursday, April 26, 2012

Again Become A Mouse



Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.20
Los Angeles, November 30, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

so 'ham nrpendra rahitah purusottamena
sakhya priyena suhrda hrdayena sunyah
adhvany urukrama-parigraham anga raksan
gopair asadbhir abaleva vinirjito 'smi

Translation: "O Emperor, now I am separated from my friend and dearmost well-wisher, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore my heart appears to be void of everything. In His absence I have been defeated by a number of infidel cowherd men while I was guarding the bodies of all the wives of Krsna."

Prabhupada: So after departure of Krsna, Krsna's all the wives, 16,108, they were being taken care of by Arjuna. But some cowherdsmen, they plundered all the queens, and Arjuna could not protect them.

So this is the instance, that we may be very powerful so long Krsna keeps us powerful. We are not independently powerful, even in the case of Arjuna. We are very much proud of our janmaisvarya-sruta-srih. The material world, everyone is very much proud of his birth, riches, education and beauty. Beauty. These four things are obtained as result of pious activities. And as a result of impious activities, the opposite number. Not birth in a very nice family or nation, no wealth, poverty, no education and no beauty. But one should know that these assets, material assets... Just like you American people. You have got nice assets. You are born of a very respectful nation -- American nations are still honored all over the world. So that's a good opportunity for you, janma. You are born in... Every American is... In comparison to India, every American is rich man, because any ordinary man earns here at least four thousand, five thousand rupees. And in India, even the high court judge, he cannot earn so. Utmost four thousand. So you should be conscious that by the grace of Krsna, you have got all these things. There is no poverty, there is no scarcity, there is good chance of education, and you are wealthy, beautiful, everything. Janmaisvarya-sruta-srih. But if you do not become Krsna conscious, if you misuse these assets, then again punar musiko bhava.

You know the story, punar musiko bhava? Anyone knows? Punar musiko bhava means "Again you become a mouse." (laughter) A mouse came to a saintly person: "Sir, I am very much troubled." "What is that?" People generally go to saintly persons for some material profit. That is the nature, animalistic nature. Why you should go to a saintly person for some material benefit? No. You go there to learn what is God. That is real business. Anyway, saintly persons sometimes receive. "So what do you want?" Just like Lord Siva, his devotees are all like that mouse, want something. "Sir, this cat troubles me very much." "So what you want?" "Let me become a cat." "All right, you become a cat." So he became a cat. Then after few days, he came back. "Sir, still I am in trouble." "What is that?" "The dogs, (laughter) they trouble us very much." "So what you want?" "Now I want to become a dog." "All right, you become." Then after few days... One after..., there is nature's arrangement. One is weak, one is strong. That is nature's arrangement. So after all, he wanted to become a tiger. So by the grace of the saintly person, he became a tiger. And when he became a tiger, he was staring on the saintly person like, oh. (Prabhupada makes a face -- devotees laugh) So the saintly person asked him, "You want to eat me?" "Yes." "Oh, then you may again become a mouse. (laughter) If by my grace, by my favor, you have become tiger, so I will again condemn you to become a mouse."

So you American people, you have become tiger now, Nixon tiger. But if you don't behave obligely, if you don't feel obliged, if the tiger feels obliged that "By the grace of the saintly person, I have come to the stage of becoming a tiger, I must be very much obliged to him..." But instead of becoming obliged, if you want to eat, then again become a mouse. If the saintly person has got the power to make you from mouse to tiger, then he can convert you again from tiger to mouse. You must always remember this. So by the grace of God, Krsna, you have become so powerful nation, rich, beautiful, educated. By grace of Krsna you have become, but if you forget Krsna, then you are again going to be mouse. Remember that. Nobody will care for you. Just like Englishmen. Englishmen, they established the British Empire, great, powerful, most powerful nation in the world. Now they are not so. Because they misused their power. So you get power, opulence, by the grace of Lord, Krsna. And if you misuse it, then you become again... That is happening. That is the nature's law. Nature's law.

So here, Arjuna, by his personal behavior, he is showing that "Without Krsna... I was so great fighter that I took charge of the sixteen thousand wives of Krsna to take them safely. Because Krsna passed away, so they must be given protection." He was Krsna's friend, but he could not do so. All the queens were plundered by cowherdsmen. Therefore he says that gopair asadbhih. Cowherdsmen, they are not very powerful. They are ordinary men, cowherdsmen. But Arjuna was ksatriya, so powerful. So he was defeated by them. Therefore he is regretting that asadbhih: "If I would have been defeated by another powerful person, that would have been glory, but I have been defeated by the cowherdsmen." Just see. Asadbhih. They are not counted amongst gentlemen. Asadbhir abaleva.

Abaleva. Abala, another name of the woman. Just like if somebody attacks woman... Any young man, when he has got sixteen years old, he can attack any woman. But a woman, even though she is sixteen years or eighteen years or twenty years, she becomes immediately victim. So abaleva. Even the woman is higher in age, still, she cannot protect. Therefore woman requires protection. Woman requires protection. According to Vedic culture, woman has no independence, because they cannot keep their independence. It is not possible. A sixteen-year-old boy can go safely all over the world, but a sixteen-year girl cannot. That is not possible. By nature, they are weak. So they require protection. And until she reaches youthhood, she is protected by the father. As soon as she reaches youthhood, she is given to a young man, her husband, to give protection. And in old age, she is protected by the elderly sons. This is the Vedic culture. They have three phases of life: childhood, youthhood, and old age. So... Because they are weak. In the Western countries, the women are given freedom like man, but that is unnatural. Unnatural. Therefore these poor souls are being exploited by the other section. It is a great deficiency of the Western sociology.

But the Vedic culture is different from this. Woman is not given independence. And generally one man marries more than one wife. That is Vedic culture. Just like see Krsna. Krsna has 16,108. That is allowed. Krsna was Personality of Godhead. He could maintain... Why sixteen? Sixteen millions wife. That is not difficult for Him. But even ordinary man, ksatriyas especially, they used to marry more than one wife. Still. Not only wife, but one wife, one princess is married, and along with her, hundred, two hundred maidservants, they will go with the king. Just like when Vasudeva was married to Devaki, some hundreds of maidservant was given with. So women... The conclusion is that women are weak. They should be given protection. They should not be ill-treated. Just like a father gives protection to the children. It does not mean it is ill-treatment. There is no question of. But protection. Otherwise, abaleva, they can be victimized by any man, powerful, because man is powerful.

So so 'ham nrpendra rahitah purusottamena. We also require. Don't be proud, "Because I am man, I don't require protection." Here it is said, Krsna said, er Arjuna said, purusottamena so 'ham rahitah: "Now I have no protection." Arjuna was so great hero. Still, he required protection. Purusottamena. Purusa, purusa means enjoyer. The supreme enjoyer is Krsna. If He does not give protection, you cannot enjoy your life. That is not possible. Therefore Krsna says... Krsna is giving protection, but not as much as He wants to give you protection, because you deny to accept it. Because you deny to accept His protection, therefore He is giving protection to you as much as you want. And if you want full protection, then the condition is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Give up your own manufactured, concocted means of protection. You just surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection." Protection for what? "Protection from sinful activities." We are victimized by our sinful activities due to ignorance. We do not know what to do, what not to do. Out of ignorance we do something, and we become victimized by the laws of nature. But if you surrender to Krsna, He will give you protection. You will never be victimized. You will never be victimized. Because Krsna says,

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

Krsna will guide you. Krsna is within yourself, and He can speak to you. You can hear Him also, provided you are fully surrendered.

So it does not mean that Arjuna was not fully surrendered. Arjuna was fully surrendered, and Arjuna was fully protected by Krsna. Neither these queens, sixteen thousand queens could be plundered away by some cowherdsmen. But the... It is an instance, that even a person like Arjuna, he will be helpless without Krsna. He will be helpless, what to speak of ourselves? He will be helpless. That is his... He is showing that example. Krsna was... So so 'ham nrpendra rahitah purusottamena: "Now I am bereft of the association of my dearest friend, Krsna." Sakhya, sakha means friend. Sakhya priyena. Not only friend, very dear friend, priyena. Suhrda. Suhrda means... Suhrt. There are different kinds of friends. But suhrt is a friend who always thinks of his friend, how he will be happy. That is called suhrt. That is... This description is given about the devotees also. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. A devotee is always thinking how whole world will be happy. Suhrdam sarva... Not only human being, but animals, birds, trees, beasts, everyone. A devotee does not like to see even a grass is unreasonably cut. That is devotee vision. That is the...

Therefore Vaisnava... What is that? Vaisnavanam? Vaisnava is happy. Just like, take Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja said... Prahlada Maharaja was praying Lord Nrsimhadeva to pacify Him. So the commentator says that Prahlada Maharaja might have been very much afraid of this ferocious feature of the Lord, Nrsimhadeva. So he assured Nrsimhadeva, "My dear Lord, don't think that I am afraid of Your this feature. No, no." Naivodvije. "Neither I am afraid of this materialistic existence." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. "I am quite confident that I have no fear." And he has practically seen that his father teased him in so many ways, but at last he was protected. So why he should not believe? He knows that "I am (have) dedicated my life to Krsna, and Krsna is not so ungrateful that He will not give me protection. How it is possible?" But one who does not believe in Krsna, he thinks that he will protect himself. Apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam [SB 2.1.2]. Those who are not God-realized, they think that they will be protected by their society, friendship, love, country, nation, like that. But that is not possible. Just like you are flying in the sky, so many aeroplanes at a time. Sometimes in a bunch, a group they fly. But if one of the aeroplane is in danger, no other aeroplane can help him. He'll finish. So similarly, we are also flying as aeroplane in the open sky. The protection... You don't expect protection from your so-called society, friendship and love, materially. When there is question of danger, you have to protect with your own strength.

Therefore if we want actually protection, we should take protection of the Supreme, Krsna, or His devotee. Krsna is suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the friend of everyone." He can become friend. He is living within our heart as friend. But we refuse the guidance of such a nice friend. That is our misfortune. Krsna is so kind, so friendly, that you are... Just like one bird is flying from one tree to another, and another bird is following him. So similarly we are flying from one body to another. Tatha dehantara-praptih. But Krsna does not leave us. He's also going with you just to give you guidance. But we won't give Him. Just like father... It is very natural. Father naturally wants to guide the son without any motive. That is father's nature. Similarly, Krsna, or God, the supreme father, is naturally inclined to give us protection, naturally. Therefore He comes, Krsna comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Krsna's two business. First of all, preaching, these rascals who have forgotten Krsna, that "We are very intimately related. I am the father of all living entities. So you come to Me, come to home. You will be happy. I am not poor. I can provide you with all necessities." Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. That one can provide everyone with necessities of life, actually He is doing. What government is doing for the cats and dogs and the ants and the trees? They are not doing anything. Rather, they are cutting. When there is jungle, for their paper mill, they are cutting all the trees. No protection for the trees. They are all cutting all the throats of the cows and animals for eating. So the government cannot give protection. Nobody can give protection. Only Krsna can give you protection. Therefore we should always seek the protection of Krsna. That is our security, not any other thing.

So suhrt means... Krsna is suhrt, suhrt means who always, I mean to say, trying for our welfare. He comes Himself. And even though we do not accept... Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. He gives plain advice that "You always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your respectful obeisances unto Me. That will make your life perfect." But we shall not do that. We shall not do that. We shall think of so many other things, but we will never accept thinking of Krsna. We shall become devotees of so many rascals, even of a dog also, but we shall never become devotee of Krsna. This is the position. We are devotee or master to our wife, to our children, to our country, to our society, but as soon as you say that "You become devotee of Krsna," oh, he is enraged immediately: "What nonsense you are speaking? I have got so many work to do. Why shall I become devotee of Krsna?" This is the disease. This is the disease. Therefore Krsna ultimately says that "You give up all this nonsense, and if you surrender unto Me, then I shall give you protection."

Naturally... Just like we are preaching Krsna consciousness. We are not devotee to the people in general. Then why we are preaching? We are devotee. We are actually devotee, without any motive. Any so-called political leader, he has got some motive. When he becomes devotee of the nation, he has got some motive. But we have no such motive. We simply say plainly that "You become happy by becoming devotee of Krsna. You are now devotee of your lust, anger, and illusion. You have become devotee of so many things, rascaldom. You simply become devotee of Krsna. Then your problems will be solved." Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesah. We are devotee, somebody. But we are not devotee of somebody. We are... We have got some motive. Just like now it is coming to exposure. So many leaders, they got election, pretending themselves devotee of the nation. In everywhere, not only in your country. But actually, they were not devotee of the nation. They were devotee of their own lusty desires. That's all. That "If I occupy this post, then I shall be able to fulfill my lusty desires." Nobody is devotee. Devotion is only applicable to Krsna. If somebody is proclaiming himself that "I am devotee, servant of my nation, of my society, of my wife, of my children" -- all false. Here nobody is devotee. Everyone has got some motive. Even the intimate relationship between husband and wife, there is some motive. The husband has got some motive and the wife has got... As soon as the motive is not fulfilled, divorce: "Ah, no more now. Take another chapter."

So this is going on. You see? This is going on, and therefore in the name of devotion, in the name of love, in the name of faith, they are trying to satisfy their own senses. This is called illusion. And he will never be happy so long he will try to satisfy his senses. And that is the truth. They will never be happy. Because... I have given this example. The parts and parcel of your body. If separately the part and parcel of the body wants to satisfy itself, it will never be satisfied. The only means of satisfaction is that the part and parcel conjointly work and satisfy the stomach, and then it will be satisfied. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Krsna. If we want to satisfy ourself, our senses, independently, we shall never be satisfied. This is the fact. You have to satisfy Krsna. Then you will be satisfied. This is the process. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170].

Because actually the owner is Krsna. I am claiming, "This is my hand." It is not my hand. It is Krsna's hand. He has given us to use it. So if I don't use it for Krsna, then it will be criminal. It will be criminal. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. Simply for Krsna you have to work. And if you work for your sense gratification, then you will be entangled. This is called karma-bandhana. You will be entangled more and more. Yavan mano vai karmane saktam tavat na muncante deha-bandhat(?). So long we will be, I mean to say, sense-gratifying minded... Because everyone's mind is absorbed in the thought of gratifying his own senses. So so long we shall be absorbed in this type of thoughts, then we have to accept a body, either human body or other body. There are 8,400,000 different types of forms and body. So we have got different types of desires also, because we are prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. We are under the modes of material nature, and the material nature has got the modes, different modes: goodness, passion and ignorance. You mix up these three; three into three, it becomes nine. Nine into nine, it becomes eighty-one. Eighty-one into eight..., it increases. It increases. Therefore we see so many varieties of life, according to the mentality.

So if we work on our, according to the dictation of the mind, then we become entangled. And if we work under the dictation of Krsna, then we become free. This is the process of Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973
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Friday, December 31, 2010

"Vedic And Parampara System"

72/11/30 Hyderabad, Bhagavad-gita 2.26



Prabhupada:

atha cainam nitya-jatam
nityam va manyase mrtam
tathapi tvam maha-baho
nainam socitum arhasi
[Bg. 2.26]

So this is the opinion of the modern scientists or the Buddha philosophy, that soul, there is nothing like soul separately, but by combination of matter, at a certain stage, the living symptoms are manifest. And as it is combination of several chemicals, so it is also finished as soon as the body is finished. There is no, nothing as soul. That is their opinion. So for argument's sake, Krsna says, "If you think like that, that the body is all in all..., by certain condition, the material elements combine, and again it is finished..." So Arjuna was declining to fight. So the, for argument's sake, Krsna says that "If you think like that, the body's everything, so it will be destroyed automatically. So why you are so much afraid?" Suppose I have combined some chemicals and it is destroyed... Say, bottles of chemicals, some way or other, it is destroyed. So who laments for that? You can purchase another bottle. That is simply for argument's sake. Actually, that is not the position. Now, if you think that the combination of chemicals can produce living force, then why don't you do it in the laboratory? The chemicals are there. You can combine and just produce a small ant, moving. Then it is... Science means observation and experiment. So if you simply observe, and cannot make any experiment, practical, so then that is not science. That is only theory. That is not possible. No scientist has ever made any living entity by combination of chemicals in the laboratory. Nobody can do that. (pause)

jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyur
dhruvam janma mrtasya ca
tasmad apariharye 'rthe
na tvam socitum arhasi

Jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyuh. "It is a fact that by the cycle of birth and death, one who dies, he has to accept again another body. So why you are deviating from your duty?"

The warfare of the ksatriyas and the warfare at the present moment of the whimsical politicians, it is, they are different. Formerly it was not democracy. Only the ksatriyas would fight. Especially the king, the royal order, they should come forward. Not that the politicians are sitting very comfortably at home, and poor people, they are given to fight in front of the enemy. No. That was not the system. The king must come forward. The other side, the king also come. And the opposite side, they also, he also should come forward and fight. It was duty. And as soon as the king is killed by the other party, then the other party becomes victorious. There was no more fighting. It is not the so-called king and president is sitting very comfortably and the poor soldiers, they are fighting unlimitedly, and the war is going on for many years. Just like last war we saw at least eight years it continued. Eight years, six years, no. The Battle of Kuruksetra, it was finished within eighteen days. There is no use of prolonging the war unnecessarily. If the chief man is killed, then war is finished. Therefore Krsna is advising Arjuna that "Suppose your grandfather on the other side dies, so where is the cause of lamentation? He's old man. He will get another, new body. So you should be rather happy that your old grandfather is going to have a new body." Jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyuh. "And everyone will die. You die today or tomorrow, or, say, fifty years after. You have to die. It is as sure as death. So why should you deviate from your duty? You are a ksatriya. Your duty is to fight. Why you are afraid of being dead, or killing others? This is your duty."

avyaktadini bhutani
vyakta-madhyani bharata
avyakta-nidhanany eva
tatra ka paridevana

So the body was not existing before. And it will not exist after death. So in the via media, if the manifestation of body is there, so why it should be the object of lamentation? In this way, Krsna is trying to convince Arjuna that he should act as ksatriya and perform his duty. A ksatriya is profited, either dead or alive. That will be explained. Because in a, in a fighting, I mean to say, real religious fighting, on principle, it is, a ksatriya is not responsible for killing. Just like in sacrificial ceremony, if the animal is killed, the brahmana is not responsible for killing an animal. So because it is duty, it is ordained by the sastras, therefore they are not ordinary killing. Avyakta-nidhanany eva tatra ka pari... "It was nonmanifested before, and it will become nonmanifested again. So why should you lament for the via media?"

ascaryavat pasyati kascit enam
ascaryavad vadati tathaiva canyah
ascaryavac cainam anyah srnoti
srutvapy enam veda na caiva kascit

There are many theories and philosophical speculation all over the world about understanding the soul. Therefore Krsna is concluding that "Somebody's explaining wonderfully, somebody is hearing wonderfully, but even after hearing and speaking, it remains a mystery, and less intelligent person cannot understand it." That is the fact. There are so many theories. Therefore we have to accept the reality from the authority. By theorizing, by speculating, we cannot come into any decision. I may be very good logician. You may be greater logician. So you can defeat my logic. I can defeat your logic. So what is the conclusion? This kind of talking, it is called ku-tarka, unnecessarily talking, because you'll not come to my decision, I'll not come to your decision. So everyone is mysterious.

So in this way we cannot understand which is beyond the perception of our knowledge. Acintyah khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yojayet. Things which are beyond our perception, you, we should not simply try to understand by logic and argument. It is useless waste of time, because nobody can decide theory. The modern so-called scientists, they also write like that: "Perhaps," "It may be," like that. "It may be millions of years. It was like this." "It may be." What is the value of saying "It may be." Say definitely. That they cannot do. All the scientists" theory like "Perhaps," "Maybe." "Perchance, if it comes to be true..." So such kind of argument has no value. Therefore our sastra says: acintyah khalu ye bhavah. Beyond your perception, beyond your sense perception, don't try to understand it by argument and logic. Then how to know it? Know it from the person who knows it. That is knowledge. Just like we are trying to get knowledge about the soul, not by experiment, but we are trying to understand from the words of Krsna. Krsna is the authority. So He says, in the beginning: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. We can... Krsna says, and we can think over it and ponder over it. Then we come to conclusion. And the other process, Vedic process, is:

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

Our process is descending process. We are not trying to understand by the ascending process. Inductive or deductive. We accept the statements of the Vedas. Therefore we haven't got to make much effort to understand a thing. Veda-vacana, sruti, sruti-pramana. There are three kinds of evidences: direct perception, and evidence from the Vedas, and evidence from history. Aitihya. Pratyaksa, aitihya, sruti. Three kinds of evidences. So pratyaksa and aitihya is neglected. According to our Vedic system, sruti-pramana, if it is statement, the statement is there in the sruti, in the Vedas, then we accept. We have got a society in India. They call veda-pramana. "We cannot accept without it is not mentioned in the Vedas." That's a, that's nice. But there is another class who are described in the Bhagavad-gita by Krsna Himself: veda-vada-ratah. They are simply unnecessarily fight on the basis of so-called Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge must be understood from the guru. That is injunction. They defy that. They... The Vedic injunction is... Kathopanisad. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. You... To understand the Vedas, you must approach a guru. Otherwise, you cannot understand. Just like it is forbidden that without becoming a brahmana, nobody should read Vedas. Because he cannot understand. Unless one is qualified brahmana, unless one has approached another qualified brahmana who knows, there is no question of understanding Vedas. Just like Max Muller translated Veda. What does he know about Veda? Such kinds of translation, understanding, is useless. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Abhigacchet means "He must!" There is not that "I may go or I may not." No, you must. If you really serious. In our vaisnava-parampara also... vaisnava-parampara is actually Vedic parampara. That adau gurvasrayam... Adau gurvasrayam: "To enter into the spiritual life, first thing is first of all to accept a guru." That is... All big, big stalwarts... Even Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva, the wonderful literature. This reading. We are reading Bhagavad-gita. It is Vyasadeva's literature. He heard from Krsna and wrote it. And not only this. The Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Vedanta-sutra, and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Wonderful literatures. There is no possibility of producing such literature by any scholar of these days. It is not possible. But he accepted guru, Narada, Narada Muni. When, after compiling all the Vedas, and Puranas, even Vedanta-sutra, Vyasadeva was not satisfied himself, he was seeming very morose, at that time, his spiritual master, Narada, came, and he asked that "Why you are morose? You have done so much nice literary work. So why you are not very happy?" So Vyasadeva replied, "Yes, my lord, I am actually not happy, but I cannot understand why I'm not happy. So you know everything. Kindly describe why I'm not happy." So at that time, Narada replied him that "All the literatures you have so far made, they are with reference to the body and the mind. You have nothing described very nicely about the Supreme Soul. So now you try to describe something about the Supreme Lord, about the Supreme Soul. That will make you happy." Therefore he described the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is the history of Srimad-Bhagavatam. And his last contribution was mature contribution was Vedanta-sutra. So from the Vedanta-sutra, he began writing Srimad-Bhagavata: janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. This is the beginning of Vedanta-sutra. Athato brahma jijnasa. He said, in a different language, jivasya tattva-jijnasa.

So a human life should be engaged inquiring about the Absolute Truth, and he should inquire from a person who, who has heard about the Absolute Truth from a realized person. There is a.... Therefore it is called sruti, parampara, disciplic succession. One... Just like Vyasadeva is hearing from Narada. Narada is authorized. He has heard from Brahma. Brahma has heard from Krsna. So this is the parampara system, disciplic succession. So there are four parampara systems. They are known as, at the present moment, Ramanuja-sampradaya, Brahma-sampra..., Brahma-samprada..., yes, Madhva-sampradaya, Brahma-sampradaya, Madhva-sampradaya, the same, and Rudra-sampradaya and Sri-samp..., Sri, Rama, Kumara-sampradaya. These is four sampradayas. So we should hear from the sampradaya-acarya by disciplic succession. As Krsna recommends in this Bhagavad-gita: evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2].

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
[Bg. 4.1]

Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So that is the system. We should receive knowledge by the bona fide, parampara system. Otherwise it may be bogus. Because without parampara system, we cannot understand actual fact. And we have to become in the disciplic succession. We must accept a guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. If you are actually eager, anxious to understand the spiritual science, then you must approach a guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Uttama means transcendental subject matter. You cannot learn it. Just like if you purchase one pharmacology book from the bookseller's shop, and if you read, at home, do you mean that you become a medical practitioner, pharmacist? No. You must go to the university, you must go to the college. You must hear the experienced professor and learn it and practically experiment it. Then you can learn. Not that by purchasing a book you become a medical practitioner or lawyer. That is not possible. Therefore the direction is that tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "Must." Here also we see, Krsna in the beginning was talking with Arjuna just like friends. But when Arjuna understood it that "We are talking like friends. So we cannot come into conclusion." The friend, they talk, they argue, they put logic. In that way, we cannot understand. Na tams tarkena yojayet. Then? Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet. So therefore Arjuna surrendered himself: sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "I, I can understand that I am a ksatriya. It is my duty to fight. But in front of my grandfather and relatives, I am declining to fight. Therefore I am affected with karpanya-dosa. I am deviating from my duty. So why I am deviating from this duty? Therefore I am surrendering myself unto You."

So in a position of perplexity, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. That is the process, Vedic process. Otherwise, it is not possible. And our Sanatana Gosvami, our predecessor, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's direct disciple, he gives his direction that avaisnava-mukhodgirna-puta-hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam. He says. He says, "Do not hear from a person who is not a Vaisnava." He must, one must become a Vaisnava. Otherwise his so-called ideas and interpretation has no value. Has no value. Just like in your country, South India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he has done so many works. But to tell you frankly, it is useless labor. Because he has said in one of his writings that Bhagavad-gita is mental speculation. He is surpassing all the acaryas who came, who appeared in South India. Ramanujacarya appeared in South India, Madhvacarya appeared in South India. Nimbarka appeared in South India. Visnusvami appeared in South India. Sankaracarya appeared in South India. South India is so blessed. And he also appeared in South India. He's decrying all the acaryas. Just see the position. He says, "Bhagavad-gita is a mental speculation." And he has interpreted in a different way. Krsna says that man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan's translation of Bhagavad-gita, he says, "It is not to Krsna." Krsna says directly that man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. He says, "Not to Krsna." You'll see. So this defect will be there, unless one is sadacara-sampanna-vaisnava, self-realized. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami says, avaisnava-mukhodgirna-puta-hari-kathamrtam. Our first guru is Krsna. To understand Bhagavad-gita... Arjuna is understanding that Bhagavad-gita from Krsna directly. So after understanding Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam adyam [Bg. 10.12]. These are the words. And Arjuna also accepted "It is very, very difficult to understand Your personality."

Now people may say that Arjuna was Krsna's friend. To satisfy his friend, he has accepted Him as param brahma. But that is not the fact. Arjuna gives evidences that "Not only I, but the great authorities like Vyasa, Narada, Asita, Devala, they have also accepted You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In the recent ages... This is five thousand years ago. Even one thousand, five hundred... Sankaracarya, who is impersonalist, he has also accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa bhagavan svayam krsna. He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita: narayanah avyakta, avyaktat, para avyaktat. Narayanah para avyaktat. "Narayana is not a creation of this material world. He's transcendental." He has accepted. And what to speak of the Vaisnava acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, all. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-sutra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna is speaking as person. And He is warning the rascals: avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. "Because I am speaking as a human being, the rascals, they deride." Param bhavam ajanantah. They do not know what is My influence, what is My power."

So this Personality of Godhead... It is a fact. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. The last word is Bhagavan. From Bhagavan, the expansion is Paramatma, localized aspect. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. That is expansion. Ekamsena sthito jagat [Bg. 10.42]. That is one of the plenary portions. Vistabhya aham. He enters within this universe, and therefore the universe becomes manifest. Just like I am soul, dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13], I enter into this body. You enter into your body. Therefore the body expands. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead enters as Garbhodakasayi Visnu within each and every universe. Then it becomes manifest. So there is no question of impersonal. The original source is person. Krsna says,

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

Budha, not the abudha. Abudha means less intelligent. Those who are intelligent, budha bhava-samanvitah, with a bhava, with an ecstatic position, can understand that Krsna is the original person. Aham sarvasya prabhavah [Bg. 10.8]. Sarvasya means including Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara, all the devatas. Aham adir hi devanam [Bg. 10.2]. He is the original source of all the devas. The original devas within this... Brahma is the first deva in the first creation. (aside:) What is that? So aham adir hi devanam. The Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. So He's the origin of Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. From Krsna, for material creation, there are three Purusas. First of all, three purusas. Not directly from Krsna. From Krsna, Baladeva. From Baladeva, catur-vyuha: Sankarsana, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. Then from Sankarsana, Sankarsana, Narayana. Then second catur-vyuha. From the second catur-vyuha, Sankarsana, the purusa-avataras. Three purusa-avataras, three Visnus: Karanodakasayi, Garbhodakasayi, and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. So the, in the Vedic literature all these informations are there. And as Krsna says, personally, also... Arjuna accepted that "I accept, on the authority of Vyasadeva, Narada, Devala, Asita, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and You also speaking directly. Then where is my doubt?"

So we should follow... This is called parampara system. As Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita, if we understand in that way, then we are perfect. I may be imperfect, but because I understand Bhagavad-gita as it was understood by Arjuna, I am perfect. Because the knowledge I am distributing, that is not imperfect. Just like a post peon. A post peon is delivering you one thousand dollars. So he may be poor man, but the one thousand dollars, he is delivering, that is a fact. That is not bogus thing. Because he has not manufactured something. He has received that money order from the post office. He's asked to deliver it to such and such person. His honesty is to deliver the money order as it is to the bona fide person. That is his perfection. He doesn't require... Because he's delivering one thousand dollars, he doesn't require to become a very rich man. He may be a poor man. Similarly, a guru, a guru is perfect when he delivers the words of the superior authority as it is. Then he's perfect. He may be imperfect in your estimation. But that is his perfection, that he is not misleading people by becoming a so-called rascal scholar and interpreting in a different way and misleading the whole population. That is perfection. People say so much about me, that I have done some wonderful thing. But I say that I am not a magician. I'm not a magician. My only credit is that I am presenting Krsna as He is. That's all. I am not diluting Krsna. That is not my business. And therefore, because it is pure, pure ghee, therefore everyone accepts. And if you place dalda, mixing with ghee some rascal thing, then nobody will accept. Therefore, so many swamis went before me in the Western countries, and they presented adulterated, and there was not a single person became a krsna-bhakta. Now, by thousands they are becoming. Why? Because it is presented pure thing. Pure thing will be accepted everywhere. I give this example. In a, in Delhi, there is... I have seen. One, there is confectioner's shop. He rigidly prepares in pure ghee all the sweetmeats. So you'll find always hundreds of customers there. And there are by the side of that... Dalda manufacture. It is not... People are still prepared to pay sufficiently if you give pure thing. So our this Krsna consciousness movement is presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We have not manufactured anything. While I started this movement in America, some friend suggested that "You are writing ‘International Society for Krishna Consciousness.' Why not make it ‘God consciousness.' It will be accepted by everyone." God is Krsna. There must, there must be clearly stated: "Krishna consciousness." I don't mind if nobody accepts it, but there must be ‘Krsna.'

So actually it is very happy that Western countries, they are accepting Krsna. Why not? Krsna is for everyone. Krsna is Go... Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, aham bija-pradah pita, sarva-yonisu kaunteya: [Bg. 14.4] "In all forms of life, the living entities, they are My part and parcel. They are my sons. I am the father, original." Bija-pradah pita. So why Krsna will not be accepted? And actually that is happening. They are coming from different groups, but because very one of us is Krsna's son, Krsna's part and parcel, therefore simply it requires a little attentive hearing about Krsna. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adhah [Brs. 1.2.234]. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Krsna is there, in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 18.61]. But we do not know. But Krsna and Krsna consciousness can be awakened simply by hearing from the realized person. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah [SB 3.25.25]. Satam prasangat. From the lips of devotees, when it is heard, then it becomes hrt-karna-rasayana. It becomes very pleasing to the ear and to the heart. Taj-josanat, if one cultivates in that way, asu apavarga-vartmani sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati. These are the formulas.

So the process should be to receive the knowledge by disciplic succession, not sporadically hearing sometimes this scholar, hearing sometimes this scholar. "I interpret in my scholarship." No. This thing will not. Our process is, as directed by Sanatana Gosvami, avaisnava-mukhodgirna-puta-hari-kathamrtam. Hari-katha is amrta. Amrta. But still, it should not be received when it is uttered by some avaisnava. There is another direction: avaisnavo gurur na sa syat. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A person, a brahmana, sat-karma-nipunah. Brahmana's business is become to become scholar and to make others scholar. Pathana pathana yajana yajana. He must be a worshiper and he must teach others how to worship. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Brahmana should receive charity and he makes immediately distribute the charity. So these, these are the occupational duty of brahmana. Pathana pathana. Sat-karma, sat-karma-nipunah. A brahmana, he is very expert in his business, sat-karma. Sat-karma-nipuno mantra-tantra-visaradah. And he has read the Vedic literatures and tantras very nicely. Visarada. Still, if he's not a Vaisnava, then avaisnava gurur na sa syat. By that only qualification, that he's not a Vaisnava, he cannot become guru, whereas, on the other hand, sad-vaisnavah sva-pacah guru. If a person, sva-pacah... Sva-pacah means coming of the family of dog-eaters, candala, if he has become a Vaisnava, sadacara-sampanna-vaisnava, sa guruh syat. You can accept him as guru. There are so many instances. Sriman Ramanujacarya's guru was not from a brahmana family, but still, he accepted guru.

So in the Vaisnava literature... Just like Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura, we give "Jaya, Thakura Haridasa Thakura ki jaya." We say. This Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu made him namacarya, Srila Haridasa Thakura. He was chanting Hare Krsna mantra daily three hundred thousands of times. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu selected him, namacarya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself came to broadcast the glory of Hare Krsna maha-mantra. So instead of becoming Himself the acarya, He designated Haridasa Thakura as acarya. And similarly, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Rupa Gosvami, they also became Mohammedans. They were born in Hindu, sarasvata-brahmana family, but due to their association as minister of the then Muslim government, they were rejected from the brahmana society. Formerly, the brahmana society was very strict. Anyone becoming serving, serving, servant, he is immediately excluded: "Oh, you cannot become a brahmana. You are serving." In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also, by the, spoken by Narada, he says a brahmana, if he's in difficulty, he should not accept the business of a dog, service. He should not accept service. He may go to the profession of a ksatriya, or even up to vaisya. Not of a sudra. These are the injunctions. So they were strictly being followed. These Sanatana Gosvami, they were very learned scholars, in Sanskrit, in Arabic language, Persian language, but because they accepted the ministership of Nawab Hussain Shah, immediately they were rejected. And they changed their name. Almost they became Muslim. Sakara Mallika, Dabhir Kasa. Their name was that. These are Mohammedan names. So they were living like that. But when Caitanya Mahaprabhu blessed them, they became the first-class gosvamis: Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy. And He therefore said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama. He asked to spread this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world, in every village, in every town. Does he mean that let them become sudras? Let them remain sudras, and they become Krsna conscious? No. He did not mean like that. That means everywhere there should be Vaisnava. And a Vaisnava means above brahmana. That is the Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

(answering question:) Because you are here. It is for you. For us. You means you, me. Because we wanted to enjoy, we became, we wanted to lord it over the material nature, therefore God has given you the facility that "You enjoy." But just to make you convinced that we cannot enjoy, we become enjoyed... This conviction, when you come to this conviction, that we cannot enjoy, we become enjoyed, at that time, we seek after God. That is natural. Athato brahma jijnasa. So God has created this material world because we wanted it. That is the philosophy... [break] ...your opinion, why God has created? Eh?

Indian: No, I am not... (too faint)

Prabhupada: But the... No, the trouble must be there because God has created this world for your enjoyment and for my enjoyment, there therefore must be struggle. Because I don't agree with you, you don't agree with me. So why there shall not be trouble? Because everyone, if everyone... Just like in office, if everyone wants to become the proprietor, will not there be confusion and chaos? Do you think the office will go on nicely? Similarly, here, God has given you chance to become master because you wanted, but everyone wants to be master. There is chaos. How there can be harmony when everyone wants to become God? Do you think it is all right? There must be chaos. Here is the position. Everyone in the material world, first of all, they want to become big man, big businessman, big, big this, big that, minister, president, and when everything is failure, then he wants to become God. That is the last snare of maya. So this is going on. How you can expect peace and prosperity here? That is not possible. Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is stated by Krsna Himself that this is a place only for misery, but under the influence of maya, we are accepting all miserable conditions of life as happiness. This is called maya.

Indian: Who is a real brahmana?

Prabhupada: Who is qualified. Satya sama dama titiksa arjava astikyam jnanam vijnanam. When one has acquired all these qualities, then he becomes brahmana.

Indian: Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Hindi)...

Prabhupada: [break]...come to Krsna consciousness. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26]. Unless we come to that platform of bhakti-yoga and become re-related, not related, again revive our Krsna consciousness, we, there cannot be equality. That is not possible. There must be distinction, some higher class, some middle class, some lower class. Even in European countries, there are, in America there are, so are in India. So it is not very astonishing. Because the whole world is being conducted, the whole material nature is being conducted by the three gunas, and anyone associating with a particular type of guna, he must suffer or enjoy according to that gunas. Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. Tamasa, they, those who are in the tamasika-guna, they go adhah. Madhye tisthanti rajasah. And via media, those who are in touch with the rajo-guna. And urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah: [Bg. 14.18] those who are in the goodness, they go up, in the upper platform of the society or in the universe. But Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Either you go even to the Brahmaloka, one day you have come to the hellish loka. This is the way. So some, cakravat parivartante sukhani ca duhkhani ca. Just like the wheel turns round, sometimes up, sometimes down, so this is the position of this material world. There is no question of lamenting. You cannot say, "These people are suffering and that people are enjoying." The man who is enjoying, he'll also suffer next moment. This is going on, suffering and enjoying. Unless we come to Krsna consciousness, there is no way of coming out of this duality of this world. This is duality. Everything you'll find in dual. Unless there is happiness, you cannot understand what is distress. And unless there is distress, you cannot understand happiness. You cannot understand light unless there is darkness. So this is the world of darkness and light, so-called light. You have to transcend. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. So we have to make arrangement. That facility is there to every human being, how he can get out of this world of duality and come to the transcendental platform which is called avyabhicarini-bhakti-yoga.

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

That is required. [break]

Indian: ...to know how to awaken kundalini, and how to have permanent state of awakened kundalini.

Prabhupada: Chant Hare Krsna. (laughter) That's all. [break] Thank you.

Indian: ... Carvaka not to believe God at all.

Prabhupada: Eh? What is that?

Indian: Carvaka, Carvaka...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: And what was... And second thing, the god among the dasavataras, Buddha accepted, supposed to be one avatara. Buddha never told any idol worship, or any Rama and Krsna worshiping. And particularly one avatara, another avatara and this avadhuta. Or holy place. And will never accept in such a way, how to believe and what to believe and what is the temples.

Prabhupada: So you reject everything. (laugher) That's all right. That is the way. That is very nice process. You reject everything. Because you are doubt in everything, so you reject everything. That's all right.

Indian: Even Lord Buddha... [break] ...these are the contradictory.

Prabhupada: Hm. Therefore our philosophy is acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Acintya, inconceivable. Just like you are trying to conceive that whole world is God, and still, God is not there. That is spoken by God Himself, Krsna: mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah [Bg. 9.4]. Maya tatam idam, avyakta-murtina. So this impersonal feature, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti [SB 1.2.11], the impersonal feature is Brahman. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. That means sarvedam akhilam jagat, parasya brahmanah saktih sarvedam akhilam jagat. Just like the sunshine. You are in the sunshine. That is a practical faith. The sunshine is not different from the sun. The sun is ninety-three millions of miles away, but still, because you are in the sunshine, you are in sun. Can you deny it? That is the thing. You are in the sunshine. The sunshine is not different from the sun. But still, it is not the sun. This is the philosophy, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. The sunshine is not different from the sun, but still, it is different. Similarly, the whole manifested, the cosmic manifestation is God, but still He is..., it is not God. This is, therefore it is called inconceivable, acintya. With our teeny brain, we cannot accommodate how it is one and different. Therefore it is called acintya. Acintya-bhedabheda: different and separate, simultaneously. Everything. Idam hi visvo bhagavan ivetarah. The whole world is Bhagavan, but it appears different from Bhagavan. So how? To a maha-bhagavata, who understands actually what is Bhagavan, he does not see any difference. Because he, everywhere he sees his worshipable Deity, Krsna. He does not see anything. I am seeing a tree, but a devotee is seeing tree: "Oh, it is the energy of Krsna." Immediately he remembers Krsna and worships Him. So this is higher stage of realization of God, how the inconceivable things, simultaneously one and different, can be perceived. Therefore, there are three stages of devotional life, kanisthadhikari, madhyamadhikari, and uttamadhikari. So to become uttamadhikari, it is not so easy, but we are generally in the kanisthadhikari. But we shall try to come to the madhyamadhikari. Then our life will be successful.

Indian: That is correct, Swami. As you have told, he said we have no suffering. He suffered for others. We should not condemn them. We should pray to the Lord that we may take...

Prabhupada: No. No devotee condemns anything. But when he does not... Just like when..., father always gives, always merciful to his son, but if the son is very obstinate, he gives him a slap. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972
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