Krishna Gratification

Krishna Gratification

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.26
Bombay, November 26, 1974

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Nitai: "Thus consciously engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste for sense gratification, both in this world and in the next, by constantly thinking about the activities of the Lord. This process of Krsna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is able to control the mind."

Prabhupada:

bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad
drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya
cittasya yatto grahane yoga-yukto
yatisyate rjubhir yoga-margaih
 [SB 3.25.26]

So the whole process of understanding the Absolute Truth... Absolute Truth means the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being, Absolute. There is no contradictory. Krsna and Krsna's name, Krsna's form, Krsna's activities, Krsna's paraphernalia, Krsna's attributes -- everything Krsna. That is called Absolute Truth. There is no difference. Krsna and Krsna's form is not different. Krsna's hand and Krsna's leg not different. Just like we have got difference: this left hand is different from the right hand; the nose is different from the ear. We have got. Because this is called sagata-vigata-vibheda(?). Krsna hasn't got that thing. That is called Absolute. It is stated in the Brahma-samhita, angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. Angani, we have got different parts of the body, limbs, for different purposes. But Krsna can serve any purpose from any limbs of His body. Krsna can eat by seeing only. Krsna can go by thinking only. There are so many description that Krsna is Absolute. So these contradictory things, how one can understand of the Absolute? He is absolute, advaya-jnana. Absolute means no duality; everything is one.

So viraga, bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad. Here our material disease is that we want to satisfy our sense. This is material life. The whole material civilization is going on, we have repeatedly said... Advancement of civilization means advancement of sense gratification. That's all. So bhakti means just the opposite. So, so long we are, I mean to say, very much interested in sense gratification, there is no question of bhakti. That is not possible. So we have to reduce the tendency for sense gratification by increasing our devotional activities. That is the process. Therefore it is said, bhaktya puman jata-viraga. Viraga, from where? Viraga means distasteful. Virakti. The other word is virakti: "No, no, I don't like." That is called viraga.

Raga means attachment, and vi means vigata. Vigata-raga. And from viraga-vairagya. Jnana-vairagya. This is wanted. Human life is meant for jnana and vairagya. Two things required. We are continuing this material existence on account of raga, attachment, attachment for sense gratification. That is the cause of material bondage. Material bondage means, we have explained several times, to accept one body, then create another body. We have got now this human form of body, and according to our, I mean to say, affection or infection to different qualities of the nature, we are creating another body. So in this way we are entangled. So unless we become viraga, viraga aindriyat, sense gratification... These different changes of body are being possible on account of sense gratification. Nature or God or Krsna will give me full facility. Just like in the Western countries especially, they are now trying to become naked, nudies. So nature will give them to stand naked like a tree, or tree, for many years. "You are so fond of become nudie. All right, you stand up here for ten thousand years without any dress." Nature will give you. Those who have no discrimination for eating -- "Anything, damn rascal, let me. Give me. I will eat it" -- "All right, then you can take the body of a pig and eat up to stool."

So nature will give you. Karanam guna-sango 'sya.

purusah prakrti-stho hi
bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan
karanam guna-sango 'sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
 [Bg. 13.22]

Why we are getting different bodies? Because we have got different tendency for sense gratification. Indriya, aindriyat. This is the disease, material disease. Everyone has got tendency for sense gratification, but not all of them of the same type. They have got different types. So our material bondage means these different types of sense gratification. Therefore we have to stop this. We have to be detestful from this sense gratification. Then our spiritual life will begin. That is possible by bhakti.

Therefore here it is said, bhaktya puman jata-viraga. Bhakti is so powerful that if you engage yourself in the bhakti-marga or bhakti-yoga... Here it is said, rjubhir yoga-margaih [SB 3.25.26]. Rjubhih means very easy to perform. How? Now, drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya. Drsta. You can see Krsna. Krsna is kind enough. Although Krsna is beyond our vision -- we cannot see with these eyes Krsna -- but Krsna has agreed to be seen by you or by us. How? He has assumed this arca-vigraha. Krsna, this vigraha-don't think it is stone. Even it is stone you think, but Krsna can become visible before you like a stone, because you cannot see beyond stone. That is Krsna's mercy. Because your eyes or senses are so imperfect that you cannot see Krsna present everywhere in His original spiritual... We have got difference between spiritual and material. We have got because we are imperfect. But Krsna has no such distinction. Because He is Absolute, He can become spiritual, He can become material, as He likes. That does not make any difference of Krsna. Then how Krsna is almighty, all-powerful? He can change matter into spirit, spirit into matter. That is Krsna. So don't think that, as the atheist class men, they think, that "They are worshiping an idol." Even it is an idol, still Krsna. That is absolute. That is absolute nature of Krsna. Even you think it is stone, it is metal, it is wood, still, He is Krsna.

So how He is Krsna, that will require your bhakti. Here it is said, bhaktya, anucintaya. If you are thoughtful, if you are philosopher, and plus bhakti, then you will understand that even Krsna is present here just like a stone, but stone is also Krsna. How stone is also Krsna? Now, Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
 [Bg. 7.4]

Me prakrtih: "It is My nature." Bhinna me prakrtir astadha. So stone is another formation of earth. Earth, water, air, sky, mind, intelligence -- they're all Krsna. Because Krsna says, bhinna me prakrtir astadha. (aside:) That's all right. Get up. Nothing is different from Krsna. Everything is Krsna's energy. The Mayavadi philosophers, they think that "Because everything is God, everything is Krsna, then where is Krsna? Krsna is finished." But actually that is not. Krsna is Krsna; at the same time, He is everything. That is Krsna. That we can understand by bhakti. Therefore it is said, bhaktya. Bhaktya. In Bhagavad-gita also, Krsna said, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. These things can be understood not by ordinary person without any devotion. One who is bhakta, he can understand that Krsna is everything and everything is Krsna. Krsna is everything -- that is drsta. When a bhakta sees a tree, he sees Krsna. That is bhakta's vision.

It is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta,

sthavara-jangama dekhe na dekhe tara murti
sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti
 [Cc. Madhya 8.274]

A devotee, sthavara-jangama... Sthavara means which cannot move. Just like tree, it cannot move, or a mountain, it does not move. And jangama means moving. Just like we are moving, animals are moving, and other, so many other, living entities, they are moving. So a advanced devotee, he sees both of them, the standing, immovable and movable, but he does not see immovable or movable; he sees Krsna. There is another statement in the Brahma-samhita, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Sadaiva means always. Sada eva, sadaiva. Who sees? Now, one who is devotee, one who is fully absorbed in love of Godhead, premanjana-cchurita, or whose eyes are anointed with love of Godhead. Not this eye. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilo... That bhakti required. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Santah, saintly person, sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti. That is the position of santah, always seeing Krsna. He does not see anything else except Krsna everywhere, but in everything, everywhere, the energy of Krsna.

I will give you a practical example. If you love your child, if you see the shoe of the child, immediately you see your child. If you see the toy of your child, you see your child immediately. If you hear the voice of your child, immediately you see the child. This is practical. Similarly, if you have actually developed love of Krsna... And Krsna has explained that everything is expansion of His energy; therefore nothing exists except Krsna. And if you have developed your love for Krsna, whatever you see, you will see Krsna. That is called bhaktya. Bhaktya, drsta, and sruta. Sruta means Vedic literature, sruti. You hear from authentic literature. Just like in the Brahma-samhita it is stated, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Now, apart from Brahma-samhita, we have heard, devotees have heard, that Krsna in Vrndavana used to go with His cowherd boyfriends in the pasturing ground. So hundreds and thousands of devotees are there in Vrndavana. They have not seen, but they have heard. They have not practically seen, but they have heard only. And they have seen the picture of Krsna with His boys, cowherd boys, or gopi friends. So a devotee can see and hear and immediately realize Krsna. That is possible because he has developed love. Premanjana-cchurita.

Unless one is advanced in krsna-prema, love of Krsna, he cannot see. He cannot understand. There is another verse in the Srimad... Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. So these blunt senses... By these blunt senses even we cannot understand what is the name of Krsna, why these people are chanting Hare Krsna. We cannot understand. Atah sri-krsna-nam... Because Krsna realization begins from the name. Therefore name, Krsna's name, and Krsna is not different, absolute, but we cannot realize. But the practice, if you practice chanting Hare Krsna, then you will realize. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. When you actually, in devotional attitude, chant Hare Krsna mantra... Therefore it is advised that you should avoid the offenses in chanting. Then you will... By simply chanting Hare Krsna mantra, you will realize. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Jihvadau. Now, krsna-bhakti begins from jihva, from the tongue. People will be surprised, "How is that?" Yes. You can utilize your tongue simply by chanting and tasting krsna-prasadam. Then you will become krsna-bhakta.

Therefore it is so easy. Susukham kartum avyayam, in the Bhagavad-gita. Susukham kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. To execute devotional service it is very easy and susukham, very nice and pleasing also. Just like this chanting and dancing. Even the child takes pleasure, what to speak of others? Others may be sophisticated, but a child is not sophisticated. When there is dancing and chanting, a child comes in front and he dances. Unless he feels pleasure, how does he do it? This is practical. He has not been taught, but he comes. As soon as he comes, he also takes part with the elderly person, chanting and dancing. And if you give him prasadam, he will also accept. Anyone will accept. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said susukham and kartum avyayam. Kartum avyayam. Avyayam means whatever little service you render, that is permanent settlement. If you come here and dance and chant or ring the bell or anything about the aratrika, if you see, drsta -- anything you do, that is your permanent credit.

Therefore, for the common man, this chance is given. This temple is meant for that purpose, that people will come see the Deity. The Deity is Krsna. Don't think otherwise. Krsna has agreed to be dressed by you. If you think of Krsna, about His virad-rupa, you will fail to bring dress for that virad-rupa. His head is on the sky; another leg is on the Patala. That is also true. But you cannot conceive of Krsna in His virad-rupa and at the same time dress Him and give Him something to eat. That is not possible. Therefore Krsna has become so merciful. Here, of course, the Deity is very big. Not very big. In Hyderabad we have got three times bigger Deity, like... But you can have a small Deity. Many Vaisnava, they carry Deity with them, a small Deity in a small box, and they worship. So Krsna... Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. He can become bigger than the biggest and the smaller than the smallest. That is Krsna.

So real thing is bhakti, bhaktya. Therefore it is said, bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. And the more you serve Krsna, serve Krsna... You give Krsna to eat; you give Krsna to be dressed nicely. Then you will forget dressing of yourself. Now see these devotees. They are dressing Krsna so nicely, they are satisfied with that dressing of Krsna. They are not very much busy for dressing themselves. This is bhakti-yoga, viraga. Everyone is very busy how to dress himself very nicely so that he may be attractive, but if you try to dress Krsna nicely, then you will forget yourself how to dress nicely. Is it not practical? Anyone will agree. These Vaisnavas, these boys, they are young boys. The girls, they are... They don't care for their dress because they are dressing Krsna. This is the way. You dress Krsna nicely. You give Krsna nice foodstuff. Then you will forget, "Oh, I will have to satisfy my tongue in this way and that way, by chop, by cutlet, by going to restaurant." You will forget. Therefore it is called bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. The materialistic persons, they are simply busy for satisfying the senses. Go to the hotel; satisfy the tongue. Go to the cinema; hear the cinema song, see nice girls, and so on, so on. But these devotees, they are not interested at all. The cinema is here, a few steps away, but you will never see a student or a disciple of Krsna consciousness will go to that nonsense place. Practical you can see. Why it has become possible? Bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. It is practical. The more you engage yourself in devotional service, the more you will forget your sense gratification process. And as soon as you become completely detestful for sense gratification, then you are liberated person, fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.

So the bhakti gives you chance to see Krsna, as you can see now. On this seeing or any other kind of seeing, they are the same thing. There is no difference. When Arjuna was seeing Krsna face to face -- Krsna was teaching Bhagavad-gita -- that seeing of Krsna and when you read Bhagavad-gita, it is the same thing. There is no difference. Somebody, they say that "Arjuna was fortunate enough to see Krsna face to face and take instruction." That is not correct. Krsna, He can be seen immediately, provided you have got eyes to see. Therefore it is said, premanjana-cchurita... Prema and bhakti, the same thing. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. I will recite one story in this connection, that one brahmana in South India, in Ranganatha temple, he was reading Bhagavad-gita. And he was illiterate. He did not know neither Sanskrit nor any letter, illiterate. So the people, neighborhood, they knew that "This man is illiterate, and he is reading Bhagavad-gita." He is opening the Bhagavad-gita, "Uh, uh," like that he was. So somebody was joking, "Well, brahmana, how you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" He could understand that "This man is joking because I am illiterate." So in this way, Caitanya Mahaprabhu also happened to be that day in the Ranganatha temple, and He could understand that "Here is a devotee." So He approached him and He asked, "My dear brahmana, what you are reading?" So he could also understand that "This man is not joking." So he said, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gita. I am trying to read Bhagavad-gita, but I am illiterate. So my Guru Maharaja said that 'You must read eighteen chapters daily.' So I have no knowledge. I cannot read. Still, Guru Maharaja said, so I am just trying to carry out his order and opening the pages, and that's all. I do not know how to read it." Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "You are crying sometimes, I see." Then, "Yes, I am crying." "How you are crying if you cannot read?" "No, because when I take this Bhagavad-gita book, I see one picture, that Krsna is so kind that He has taken the chariot driver, sarathi, of Arjuna. He is His devotee. So Sri Krsna is so kind that He can accept the position of a servant because Arjuna was ordering, 'Keep my chariot here,' and Krsna was serving him. So Krsna is so kind. So when I see this picture within my mind, I am crying." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately embraced him, that "You are reading Bhagavad-gita. Without any education, you are reading Bhagavad-gita." He embraced him.

So this is... How he was seeing the picture? Because he was a lover of Krsna, it doesn't matter, he could read these slokas or not. But he was absorbed in love of Krsna and he was seeing, Krsna was sitting there, and He was driving the chariot of Arjuna. This is required, not that education. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna said, "Not by passing M.A., Ph.D." Bhaktya: "Simply by bhakti." Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah. And bhaktya, the practical example, if you become pure bhakta, then you will forget all this material sense enjoyment. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. This is the test of bhakti. But if you have got taste for material enjoyment and at the same time you advertise yourself that you have become a bhakta, that is not bhakta. One who knows who is a bhakta, immediately detect that "Here is not a bhakta." Ei dharma dadi.(?) He has got the tilaka and kanthi simply for advertisement. He is not a bhakta, because he has got material taste.

So the bhakti means bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. From indriya, this word has come, aindriya, "pertaining to indriya." Everyone in this material world is engaged in sense gratification. That is the only... The cats, dogs and so-called civilized man is simply nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4], doing all kinds of sinful activities. Why? Yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti, simply for sense gratification. Simply for sense grat... This is material world. And spiritual world means there is no question of sense gratification. Simply they want to satisfy Krsna. That is spiritual world. Just like Vrndavana. What is the picture of Vrndavana? Vrndavana means there mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, the Radharani, the gopis, the cowherds boys, Sridama, Sudama, the land, the water, the trees, the birds -- everyone is trying to satisfy Krsna. That is Vrndavana. Vrndavana means nothing. When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, all of them become dead. That is Vrndavana. Similarly, you can live always in Vrndavana, always in Vaikuntha, if you are mad after Krsna. That was the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By His practical example, He showed. When He was in Jagannatha Puri, He was mad always, day and night. Last twelve years of His life was passed in madness. Sometimes He was falling down on the sea, sometimes somewhere, sometime, day and night, just like mad.

So of course, that is not possible. But that is sunyayitam jagat sarvam. When you will find everything vacant, govinda-virahena me, without Govinda, that is the highest state of devotional service. But that is possible. That is possible, that bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya. If you become a bhaktya, you will find... Anything, creation, you will find Krsna's intelligence. If you take one flower and see the constitution, how this flower is made, how the color is displayed, how it has come into existence, if we are intelligent, we can see Krsna's racananucintaya, how Krsna has created intelligently. That is premanjana-cchuri... Actually, it is created by Krsna. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Don't think like rascal, "It has come out automatically." Does thing come automatically? Why not your luci, puri, and everything comes automatically? Why you have to take so much trouble? No automatically. It has Krsna's hand, but you cannot see. You cannot see. But those who are learned, they can see. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana. This is the Vedic instruction. Everything, in every creation, there is hand of the Supreme Lord. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. But one who has got eyes to see, he can see Krsna, anucintaya, by thinking, by thoughtful, not like rascal, "It has come automatically." Why? Nothing comes automatically. How it comes automatically? That is rascaldom. It has come through the intelligence of Krsna. But His power is so fine and so accurate that svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. If you paint one picture of flower, you will have to arrange for so many things. Still, it will not be perfect. And this flower has come so perfectly. Does it mean there was no brain behind it? You nonsense. There is brain. And Krsna says that mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: [Bg. 9.10] "Don't think prakrti, nature, is working automatically, no. Under My direction." So one has to eye, one has to develop that eye. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Then one can see how things are going on. That is required, bhaktya. Bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. This will be possible.

So as you engage your indriyas, senses, in the service of Krsna, so it is very easy, that first of all you engage your tongue. Chant Hare Krsna and eat bhagavat-prasada! You will become perfect. Nothing, no other things required. That we are doing. We are distributing prasada and engaging people, "Chant Hare Krsna." This is Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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You Must Go to a Guru

You Must Go to a Guru

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.28
Bombay, November 28, 1974

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Devotee: "On hearing the statement of the Lord, Devahuti inquired: What kind of devotional service is worth developing and practicing to help me easily and immediately attain to the service of Your lotus feet?"

Prabhupada:

kacit tvayy ucita bhaktih
kidrsi mama gocara
yaya padam te nirvanam
anjasanvasnava aham
 [SB 3.25.28]

So, it is the duty of the disciple, disciple means everyone, human, human body, one who has got human body, athato brahma jijnasa. This is the Vedanta-sutra advice. Atha, atah, brahma-jijnasa. This life, human life is meant for inquiry. What is that inquiry? Brahman inquire, about the absolute truth. So the Vedic injunction is that if you are inquisitive about self-realization, Brahman realization, then you should approach a guru. Therefore here Devahuti is accepting his (her) son, exalted son, incarnation of God, Kapiladeva, inquiring from Him. That is the Vaisnava process. Vaisnava process is not to speculate oneself. If one is actually inquisitive to know about the absolute truth, he must approach a bona fide spiritual master. (indistinct) First business is to find out guru, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151], Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. At the present moment this is a mentality, of course they have got some bad experience, but the process is that you must go to a guru. That is Vedic injunction. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta [SB 11.3.21]. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Abhigacchet means "must," there is no other alternative. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said,

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti tad jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

If we actually are very serious to get out of the clutches of maya, the repetition of birth, old age, and disease, and get back our original spiritual life, eternal life, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], there is, that is our real identification. We do not die after the annihilation of this body, but you are so dull by the influence of maya, we think that death is inevitable. No, why death is inevitable? Death can be avoided, birth can be avoided, disease can be avoided, but you do not know, you have become so dull. We do not know how to overcome. We are busy temporary inconveniences. The whole world is struggling, some temporary. The real business is atyantika-duhkha-nivrtti, everyone is trying to minimize the miserable condition, but they are busy for temporary miserable condition. But the Vedic knowledge is how to mitigate the topmost miserable condition. That topmost miserable condition is the repetition of birth, death, and old age. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam, anu-darsanam [Bg. 13.9]. We should not be very much afflicted with these temporary things. We must have the sense how to solve the ultimate miserable condition of life. That, tad-vijnanartham, in order to know that science sa gurum evabhigacchet.

If one is interested to know that science, then it is necessary to approach Just like Arjuna was busy, perturbed that he has to fight with his relatives, the other side, and they will be killed. And he was presenting so many problems that, If I kill my brothers, my sister-in-laws will become widow and they will be polluted, and there will be varna-sankara generation, then the whole world will be hell. In this way he was thinking, the immediate material problems, but when, after arguing with Krsna, he could not find out any solution, then Arjuna submitted to Krsna, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. "My dear Krsna, now I don't want to talk with you as friend, because friendly talk, the talking will be very much, but there will be no benefit." Generally we do so. We talk with some person, some friend, without any duty, just to waste time. That is not the way. If you go and talk with some person, then you must derive some benefit. Gain should be there, otherwise simply waste of time. And it is the injunction of the sastra that, unless one is submissive, the superior man should not talk, tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34], unless one is submissive he will not be able to accept the sublime instruction.

So one has to become submissive. That submissiveness Krsna, Arjuna is teaching us, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. I am now submitting myself to you, not that equal position with you, friend and friend equal position, that I am giving up. I am becoming your disciple, submissive, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Prapannam means submissive, that is the way. You cannot speculate. Your speculation has no value, athapi te deva ciram vicinvan [SB 10.14.29]. Ciram vicinvan, you can go on speculating for many births, many years, still you will not be able to understand the ultimate goal of your life. It is not possible, therefore all the sastras, they advise that you go to a guru. Guru means weighty, one who has got more weight, one who can teach you, because everyone thinks that "I am learned. I am all learned." Who can teach you? No. Nobody is like that. Everyone requires instruction, therefore the Vedic system is (indistinct), to make one's life fruitful, one must approach guru.

Therefore our system is, Vedic system is from the very beginning, a child, a boy is sent to gurukula to learn. Not that automatically one learns. One must go to gurukula, brahmacari. Brahmacari goes to guru, and he works like a menial servant. He may be a son of a big brahmana or big king, it doesn't matter. The one who goes to gurukula, he immediately becomes the menial servant of guru. This is the system. That means guru can order him to act any, I mean to say, low class service, still he is prepared to do it. This is the business of brahmacari, and he takes all trouble, and childhood, he doesn't mind. Even Krsna, he went to gurukula. To teach us. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is the use of His going to gurukula? No, He is teaching, apani acari' prabhu jiveri sikhaya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also accepted guru, teacher, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71].

When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was talking with Prakasananda Sarasvati, Prakasananda Sarasvati was very learned scholar and he knew that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also very learned scholar. So he was criticizing Him that "This sannyasi from Bengal who has come to Benares, He is simply chanting and dancing and does not give attention in the reading of Vedanta, so He is not a bona fide sannyasi. He is sentimental." He was thinking like that, but one brahmana, Maharastrian brahmana, he arranged a meeting with Prakasananda Sarasvati and Lord Caitanya. There was discussion. So Prakasananda Sarasvati inquired from Him that "You are a sannyasi. Instead of giving your attention in the matter of reading Vedanta-sutra, Sankhya philosophy, what is this that you are chanting and dancing?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied that "My guru found Me, I am a fool number one, guru more murkha dekhi [Cc. Adi 7.71], I am not very much learned. So he said, My guru said, that 'You cannot read Vedanta-sutra.' " Actually Vedanta-sutra, Vedanta philosophy is not meant for ordinary learned person. It requires great knowledge in Sanskrit language and philosophy. So He, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, took the part of ordinary person, at the present moment that guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71] . Generally people are not so learned that they can understand Vedanta-sutra. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu taking the part of the murkha society, the illiterate, ignorant society, He said that "I cannot read Vedanta-sutra. He advised me to chant Hare Krsna and I am doing that. And I am getting the result.

So at the present moment, especially in Kali-yuga, they are not very much educated, mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bha... [SB 1.1.10]. They are simply busy how to earn some money and fill up the belly, that's all. They are not no more interested in Vedanta-sutra. Mandah, mandah means very slow, or very bad. They are so badly infected with the influence of maya, they do not care to understand that there is life after death, and that life may be anything of these 8,400,000 forms of life. And if I become one of them, if I become tree, if I become cat, if I become dog, or insect or even human being, then, if I am in a very inconvenient condition then they do not care to know. Sometimes they say, "Never mind if I become a dog, what is the wrong there? I will forget everything." People say, in western country, even the university student, they say they don't, so ignorance. Therefore they have been described as mandah.

Formerly, especially in India, the catur-varnyam, the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, so at least the most intelligent class of men, the brahmanas, they were interested to understand brahma-jijnasa. Athato brahma jijnasa. But at the present moment they are all sudras. They are not interested about brahma-jijnasa. They are interested how to get more money, where is the cinema, where, what picture is going, they are interested in that, not about brahma-jijnasa. But the human life is meant for that purpose. Therefore we learn from Bhagavad-gita. Arjuna is personally teaching us. He is accepting Krsna as guru, sisyas te 'ham [Bg. 2.7], "Krsna now I become Your servant, not that I remain as Your friend." Friend to friend talk is not very serious. Now I want to talk with serious. You become my spiritual master, you teach me, and I will take your lesson. This should be the It is not meant for only Arjuna. It is meant for everyone, that if you, you must find out the guru. The first guru is Krsna, and anyone who is Krsna's representative, he is guru. Guru is Krsna, the original guru, and if Krsna representative is found, is available, then he is also guru.

Just like you are a businessman and anybody goes to canvass for business, to get some order for your business, he is your representative. It is not very difficult to understand. If he is your representative and talks something nonsense then he is not your representative, he is cheating you. He is taking your money and doing something else. No, real representative is he who is canvassing for Krsna, not canvassing for himself that "I have become Krsna." No, he is not guru, he is cheater.. The representative is he who canvasses business for Krsna. That is guru. Krsna wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]." Krsna wants this business. And Krsna's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Krsna. This is Krsna's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Krsna." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.

Anyone can become Krsna's representative, everyone, especially Indians. They should become Krsna's representative. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission,

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

Para-upakara means the whole world does not know about the message of Krsna, therefore it is the greatest welfare activity to carry this message and inform them. This is the work of Krsna's representative, and any Indian can do it but they'll not do it. They will take Bhagavad-gita and speak their hodge podge, that's all. That is not Krsna's representative. Therefore it has not been successful. For the last 200 years so many swamis and yogis went to foreign countries, but nobody spoke about Krsna. Simply hodge-podge. Therefore there was not a single person accepted this cult; Vedic culture. That is fact.

So as Arjuna We are reading Bhagavad-gita, you can understand that Arjuna is a friend, why he's accepting Krsna as guru? Why? He's a friend. He's talking equally, sitting equally, friend and friend, sometimes talking nonsense. Krsna, in the Eleventh Chapter he was begging Krsna, "Forgive me. As a friend I have misbehaved with you." Friend has got right, Krsna did not mind for that, but he knew that "Krsna, although He is my friend, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, He is the proper person to become my guru." And he says also that "The perplexity which I have been put into now in this battlefield, this cannot be solved by anyone else except Yourself." That he said also. So this is instruction we get from Bhagavad-gita, everyone reads Bhagavad-gita, that we have to accept Krsna as the guru, or Krsna's representative as guru. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34], and we have to give service to such guru and we have to surrender ourself. Not that I accept you guru just to know how much you are learned, how much you can talk with me, not with that spirit. (indistinct) ...that I surrender to you sir, sisyas te 'ham, I have become sisya. Sisya means voluntarily accepting his ruling. Whatever guru will say he will accept, that is called sisya. Sisya means ruling, who accept disciple, means disciplinary measure. Whatever guru says, one who accepts he becomes disciple. He, I don't care for my guru's order and still I am disciple, that is not accepting guru. Of course it has become a fashion like that, to have a guru but don't care for guru. That is not, that will not help. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7], and immediately Krsna as we, as soon as He accepted to become guru of Arjuna, He immediately chastised him,

asocyan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
 [Bg. 2.11]

"My dear Arjuna, you are not taking like a learned man. You are thinking that you are very learned man, that you are talking with Me, what will happen to this, to that if I fight. You have wasted so much time. But actually I find that you are a fool number one. You do not know anything. Asocyan anvasocas tvam, because you are lamenting for things for which one should not lament. What is that? This body. You are thinking of this body of your relative, and because they will be in the war, they will be killed. You are thinking like that. But actually this is not the subject matter pondering. The real subject matter is how to save the soul."

Therefore He began instructing that we are not this body, we are soul. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara-praptam [Bg. 2.13], in this way He gave first instruction that we are not this body. So here also Devahuti is woman. Everyone is less intelligent before his guru, especially woman. Striyo sudra tatha vaisya te 'pi yanti param gatim, but God, or Krsna, is open for everyone. It is not that Krsna is open for the brahmanas, the learned scholars or the Hindus or the Muslims or Christian, no, Krsna is open for everyone. Striyo sudra tatha vaisyas te 'pi yanti param, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32], even papa-yonayah. Papa-yoni means low class. Just like in our country we have got low class people, the cobbler muci, the candalas the dog-eaters. They are considered as low class. So Krsna is open even for the low class.

This is universal movement, Krsna consciousness, because it is concerned with the soul, consciousness. Therefore you have named the word consciousness. Consciousness belongs to the soul, that is the symptom of presence of soul. At the present moment because the soul is in the body, if I pinch your body then you will feel, consciousness, feel pains or pleasure. But as soon as the soul is gone out of the body, if I chop off your body with a dagger, you will not protest. The consciousness is gone. Yena sarvam idam tatam avinasi tu tad viddhi, yena sarvam idam tatam. Sarvam idam, this body. This body, wherever you pinch it you feel pain. Why? Because consciousness is there. So Krsna advises that consciousness is eternal. Therefore we have to purify our consciousness, then our life is successful.

Consciousness will go with us. At the time of death the consciousness carries me to another body. Suksma, the fine, or the subtle body, the mind, intelligence, and ego, but we do not see that mind, intelligence, ego. And the soul, it is still finer. Mind is, we know you have got mind, you know I have got mind but you do not see. I know you have got intelligence, you know I have got intelligence but you can not see. But how the mind, intelligence carry the soul to another body, how you can see? We see that this gross body is stopped, we say it is everything finished, because we have got gross intelligence, we have no suksma, in Therefore we have to approach guru, just like Arjuna approached guru. And Arjuna, Krsna teaching that you are thinking of this body like a rascal. Nanusocanti panditah. He said in a very gentlemanly language, no learned man thinks like that, that means you are a fool. Nanusocanti panditah, that you are not a pandita, you are a fool. Just try to understand, that real life is for the soul, therefore you should take care of the soul. The whole Vedic language, Vedic education means to take care of the soul. The soul is entangled, embodied, engaged in this material affair, and he is suffering, and to rescue him, to get him out of this material clutches, that is called education.

That is called education and for that education one has to approach a proper guru like Kapiladeva. Kapiladeva is incarnation of Krsna. So guru is there, Krsna, and His instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Why you are not taking advantage? You have become so foolish. The instruction is there. Guru is there. Somebody says that Arjuna had the opportunity, good opportunity to talk with Krsna face to face, but we haven't got that. But what is that talk? The talk is already there. You hear it from His representative, the same instruction. Where is the difficulty? But they will not do that. They will take Bhagavad-gita and misinterpret in a foolish way, in rascaldom, and spoil his career and other's career. That's all. Otherwise everything is there. Where is the difficulty? Krsna says that there is the owner of the body within the body and He has explained in so many ways, acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam, distinguishing the quality that the soul is never to be cut into pieces, acchedyo 'yam. It cannot be burned into the fire. It cannot be moistened by water. That means everything matter, there is interruption. Any matter will be interrupted by another matter, but the soul is not anything of this material world. In the material world, any hard thing, the iron, the stone, can be cut into pieces if you have got the instrument. But Krsna says the soul is acchedyo 'yam, it cannot be cut into pieces. So it is above all material action and reaction. Adahyo 'yam, in material, even iron can be melted, even a stone can be melted, but adahyo 'yam, asosyah 'yam, in so many ways. That means it is different from this material thing, the soul.

Therefore na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This instruction, the common sense is that if my position is like that, acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], that what is that life? How I can attain that life? That is brahma-jijnasa. One should be inquisitive. If you remain fools and rascals like cats and dogs to maintain this body only, then what is the benefit of this human life. Human life is meant for understanding this science that I am not this body, but I am busy with this bodily comfort. I am soul within the body, what I am doing for that which is Brahman? This is required. Therefore tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12], if you want to learn about that then you must find out a guru. What kind of guru? Just like Kapiladeva, Krsna, or His representative. Not a bogus guru. Then you will be cheated. Andha yathandair upaniyamanah. The so-called rascal guru, he does not know also what is the aim of life, and if he makes some disciples then sastra says, andha yathandair upaniyamanah, one blind man is trying to guide many other blind men. So what is the benefit? There is no benefit. So if you want to be guided by somebody, he must have opened eyes. Tattva-darsinah, upadeksyanti tad jnanam tad jnani tattva-darsinah. Darsana. Darsana means who have got eyes to see what is the absolute truth. Don't go to a blind man, who has no knowledge about the absolute truth. The absolute truth is there, Krsna. The sun is there, everyone can see. Sun is not hiding but I am hiding. I am closing my door, how can I see sun? Come to the field, open to the sun and you will see sun. There is sun, there is light. Similarly God is there, Krsna. You come to Krsna. Take His lesson, Bhagavad-gita, you will learn what is God.

But the rascals will not do that. They will manufacture some meaning. This meaning this, this meaning that, this meaning that. They will not accept Krsna. That is the difficulty. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Even there is difficulty, one can say that "Yes, it is all right. Krsna's instruction is there, Krsna's Deity is there, but still how can I see? How can I understand?" This is obstinate. That Krsna is so kind, "All right, you see Me in the water, come on. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh [Bg. 7.8]. Why don't you see Me? You are seeing water and why you take water? For satisfying your thirst, and that quality of satisfying your thirst, I am," Krsna says. So if you think of Krsna when you become satisfied by drinking water, if you think of Krsna, you will become one step advanced, immediately. Is that very difficult? Nothing difficult, but we are obstinate, we will not do that. We will not try to understand Krsna, we will not take Krsna's instruction. Why it is so? Maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14], that is very strong. As soon as I try to accept Krsna as the Supreme Lord, maya will whisper in my ear, "No, no, no. There are many gods, why you are accepting Krsna?" Immediately, "There are many gods, why you are accepting Krsna?" But sastra says, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28], isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. That we will not hear. I will not take lesson from the sastra, from the acaryas. At least in India we have got big, big acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami, even Sankaracarya, even Guru Nanak, they have accepted, all, Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why should we not? Why you? I shall be another competitor to Krsna. This is our misfortune. Therefore Bhagavan said, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Because we are sinful, because we are rascals, we do not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after Krsna, making speculation, philosophical. Don't do that. Accept Krsna and be in Krsna consciousness and be happy. Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974

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Association of Devotees

Association of Devotees

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24
Bombay, November 24, 1974

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Nitai: "O My mother, O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of great devotees who are freed from all attachment. You must seek attachment unto such holy men, for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment."

Prabhupada:

ta ete sadhavah sadhvi
sarva-sanga-vivarjitah
sangas tesv atha te prarthyah
sanga-dosa-hara hi te
 [SB 3.25.24]

So at our present moment we are sanga-dosa-yukta, we are contaminated by the attachment of modes of material nature. Some of us contaminated by the sattva-guna, some of us are contaminated by the rajo-guna, and some of us is contaminated by the tamo-guna, and some of us is contaminated by the tamo-guna. So out of the three, the rajo-guna and tamo-guna is very dangerous. Rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. Rajo-guna and tamo-guna means kama-lobhadayas ca ye, to be contaminated by lusty desires and greediness. So one has to overcome in the beginning, at least, the contamination by rajo-guna and tamo-guna. At the present moment, especially in this age, the contamination of tamo-guna is very prominent, and little rajo-guna also, but sattva-guna is practically nil in this age, Kali-yuga. It is said in the sastra that sattva-guna will be practically nil. Rajas-tamah. And the aim of life is to become free from all the contaminations, even sattva-guna contamination. This has been explained in the Bhagavad-gita very nicely in the Fourteenth Chapter, how to become not contaminated, disinfected.

So here Kapiladeva advises that "Mother, if you want to be disinfected, uncontaminated by this material nature, then you associate with sadhu." That was the beginning.

prasangam ajaram pasam
atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
moksa-dvaram apavrtam

This was the beginning, how to become uncontaminated. We have got some attachment to the material modes of nature. That is the cause of our bondage. Now, if we want to be free from this bondage, uncontaminated, then the same attachment should be transferred to the sadhu. Sa eva sadhusu krtah, the same attachment. Everyone has got attachment. Nobody is free of attachment. The Mayavadi philosophy, they say that "Stop this attachment." The Buddha philosophy says that "Make this attachment zero." This is also a little advancement, but it is not possible to make our attachment zero. That is not possible. Therefore Bhagavan says in the Bhagavad..., param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. Just like a child has got attachment for playing, and gradually, his attachment should be transferred for reading, going to school, education. But if you stop his attachment, then he will become mad. You must give something. Param drstva nivartate. Just like we are. To the Western devotees, we are advising them -- at least, those who are accepted as our disciples, they must -- no meat-eating. They are accustomed to meat-eating, but that how this meat-eating has been stopped? We have given them nice things, kacuris, srngara, rasagulla. So they have given up meat-eating. So you must give something more palatable. Then detachment will be possible. First of all nullify the attachment, and then give him better attachment. Then he will forget. Param drstva nivartate. You cannot force a living entity by force. Gradually... The same example: a child has got attachment, but by some system, its attachment is turned over.

So similarly, our consciousness is there. Somehow or other, it is now contaminated. So gradually, this contaminated consciousness has to be purified, and then Krsna consciousness automatically will arise, will be awakened, because the Krsna consciousness is original consciousness. Somehow or other, it is now covered by material attachment. So how to give up this material attachment and become attached to Krsna, developing Krsna attachment? The process is sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. That is... Sa eva sadhusu krtah moksa-dvaram apavrtam. We have got so many attachment for so many things in the material world, and if you simply... You cannot make it zero; that is not possible. You have to purify. Just like if there is some disease in the eyes, if you simply say, "Pluck it out," that is not treatment. Treatment is: you must remove the disease. If there is cataract, by some way or other, then your eyesight will be revived. Similarly, we have got desires, we have got kama, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya. These are there. But you have to divert these things for Krsna's service. Kamah krsna-karmarpane. Just like we have got very much attachment toward doing business, for earning money and become very happy. So Krsna says, "Yes, you can do business. There is no harm. But you give Me the result." Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi, kurusva tad mad-arpanam [Bg. 9.27]. He does not say that you have to do something particular. Of course, bhakta, bhakti, but one who is not accepting bhakti cult immediately, to him Krsna says, "All right, never mind. Whatever you do, that's all right." Yat karosi. He does not say that "Do this." Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi. "Try to give it to Me."

That is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. If you do business and you earn money and spend it for Krsna consciousness, that is also bhakti. That is also bhakti. Just like vivid example is Arjuna. Arjuna is a fighter, and by fighting, he became a devotee; not by chanting Hare Krsna, but by fighting. Krsna advised him to fight. He was, rather, because he was a Vaisnava, he was not willing to fight, to kill. Vaisnava does not like to kill. But if there is necessity... Just like Arjuna had to kill. That is by the order of Krsna, not by his own will. By his own will, Krsna did..., Arjuna did not like to kill, to fight. That is Vaisnava's natural instinct. He does not wish to do harm or to kill anybody. But when a Vaisnava knows that Krsna wants it, he doesn't care for his own consideration. "Never mind." That is practical example, Krsna.

So similarly, sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. Everyone has got his some particular duty, occupation. If, by executing your occupational duty, you worship Krsna, then your life is perfect. That is the instruction given in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Naimisaranya.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
 [SB 1.2.13]

Atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah. Pumbhih, by person. Everyone is engaged in some occupational duty. Formerly it was the varnasrama: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi. Everyone has got some particular duty according to his position. Now, the different occupational duties have expanded. It doesn't matter. If you are engineer, if you are medical man, if you are something else, it doesn't matter. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. But try to serve Krsna by the result of your work. That is bhakti. That we have to learn. Our Krsna consciousness movement does not mean that we are going to stop all activities. No, this is not our mission. You be engaged in your activities, but don't forget Krsna. This is our mission. Be always Krsna conscious.

Therefore Krsna says... How to become Krsna conscious? Yat karosi: "Whatever you do," kurusva tad mad-arpanam: "the result you give Me." Then it will be Krsna consciousness. You always think that you are doing for Krsna. Of course, by the order of Krsna or by His representative, not whimsically. If you do something nonsense and if you think that "I am doing for Krsna," that will not be accepted. It must be verified by the acceptance of Krsna and Krsna's..., or Krsna's representative. Arjuna did not fight without Krsna's order. Therefore we must receive the order. If we say that "We do not find Krsna. How shall I...?" then Krsna's representative. That is sadhu. The Krsna's representative is sadhu. Therefore Kapiladeva is advising herewith that "You, mother, you associate with sadhus." Ete sadhavah.

He has described the symptoms of sadhu. By the last three, four slokas, he has described what is the symptom. Everything should be accepted by the symptom, characteristic. Not that anyone will come: "I am a sadhu." No. We must know by the characteristic of sadhu. That has been described. Similarly, incarnation of God, not that anyone will come and say, "I am incarnation of God." That will not be accepted. We have to see the characteristics of God as they are stated in the sastra, then we can accept somebody as God by uncommon quality.

So apart from God, now our present problem is that we are entangled by the infection of material qualities, rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19] especially. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. We have to conquer over the quality, the infection of quality of rajas-tamah, and then we have to situate ourself in sattva-guna. Then we are in the safe position. And if we do not allow to be infected again by the rajo-guna and tamo-guna, if we keep ourself purely in sattva-guna, that is called suddha-sattva, simply purified sattva-guna. Then we will be able to understand what is Krsna, what is God. So not only we have to acquire the qualities of sattva-guna, satyam samah saucah arjavam titiksa, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam... [Bg. 18.42]. These are the characteristic of sattva-guna: truthful... So much so truthful that, as they are stated by the commentators, that even an enemy asks some secret from you, you can say. Suppose a thief has come: "Now, what you have got in your box?" So if you say, "I have got so many thousands of rupees" or "hundreds," truthfulness should be like that. Even to your enemy it should be disclosed. That is called truthfulness. Satyam samah damah saucah, cleanliness. Then controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and simplicity, very simple in behavior, arjava; titiksa, tolerance; and full knowledge; vijnanam, practical application of knowledge; astikyam, full faith in Vedic literature and in God. These are the qualification of sattva-guna.

So everything can be attained very nicely and easily simply by this sadhu-sanga. Sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. Therefore we repeatedly say that we are trying to create some sadhu so that in different parts of the world they will preach Krsna consciousness, and people will be able to associate with them, and they will become purified. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that sadhu-sanga. It is very essential. People are suffering on account of being contaminated by the tamo-guna and rajo-guna, becoming entangled simply by lusty desires always, just like cats and dogs. So they are becoming more and more entangled. Unfortunately, they do not know that there is life after death, but they do not know what kind of life is going to happen next after death. They are blind, andha. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31]. The leaders are also blind.>>> ... <<

So this is our position, and the human life is the opportunity to stop this dehantara. And to stop this dehantara, that is the main business. And how it can be done? Simply by understanding Krsna. And how you can understand Krsna? Simply by association of the devotees. That's all. It is not very difficult. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Rupa Gosvami says. If you get some faith, "Now I shall become free from this material attachment," then, as it is advised here, sa eva sadhusu krtah. The attachment we have got for material enjoyment -- similar attachment should be for the sadhu, that's all. Suppose I want to drink. As I become mad without getting any drinking, similarly, when you become mad without sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], then you are liberated. You have to simply divert the attachment. Not to speak of drinking, even those who are smoker, if he cannot smoke for one hour, his throat becomes dried up, "Give me bidi. Give me bidi." So as you have got attachment for the bidi, similar attachment for sadhu will be our liberation. Tat krtah sadhusu. That is to be learned. That you can learn with sadhu-sanga, if you mix with the sadhus. Therefore our mission is if we can create some sadhu and they distribute themself all over the world... As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

He wants that in every village, every town of the whole world, there may be a center of Krsna consciousness so that people will take advantage of it and they will also become sadhu. This is the mission of Krsna consciousness.

So the sadhus have been described in different way:

titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah
 [SB 3.25.21]

We have discussed these verses. A sadhu... Because everything you want to learn, you have to take some penance voluntarily, so we have to give up something in the beginning. Just like we advise, "No illicit sex, no intoxication, even up to smoking bidi and taking tea." So one who is accustomed to these habits, for him to give up immediately these things, it becomes a little painful. Therefore one has to become tolerant, "Never mind. I will have to become free." Just like to become cured from some disease, we agree to undergo surgical operation although it is very painful, tolerate; similarly, we have to learn toleration although there will be some pain. That is called titiksavah.

At the same time we have to become karunikah, taking compassion on the fallen souls. We have to go from country to country, town to town, city to city, village to village, to enlighten them to become Krsna conscious. That is sadhu's duty. Those who are preachers, they are better sadhu than those who have gone to Himalaya. The sadhus who have gone to Himalaya for his personal benefit, that is also good, but those sadhus who are preaching and facing so many difficulties, so many opposing elements, they are better sadhu. They are better sadhu. They are fighting for Krsna's sake. So karunikah. Because they are more compassionate. One sadhu has gone to Himalaya, sitting there in a secluded place not to be bothered by any asadhu. That is also nice, but that is personal interest. But those sadhus are not gone to Himalaya but have left Vrndavana, easy life, and gone to fight to the world, they are better sadhu. That is the opinion of Krsna. Ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati [Bg 18.68]. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. Those who are preaching the message of Bhagavad-gita, facing many opposing elements, many difficulties, Krsna says, na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah: [Bg. 18.69] "Nobody is dearer than him."

So if you want to become very quickly under the recognition of Krsna, then every one of you become a preacher of Krsna consciousness. That is the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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

And in India everybody is conscious of Krsna. Somebody... I am asked in foreign countries, "How many Krsna conscious people are there in India?" That "India... In India the cent percent, they are Krsna conscious. Unfortunately they have artificially covered that by the so-called blind leaders." Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31]. The leaders are advising them, "What is the use of becoming Krsna conscious? Now you become technical conscious." So no, that will not make us happy. We have to become Krsna conscious, especially in India, because he has got his birth in India for developing Krsna consciousness. So we should not give up this opportunity. Not only that, we shall become fully Krsna conscious, and we shall go out, outside India, to preach Krsna consciousness movement. That is para-upakara. That is the best welfare activities in the human society. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. Of course, He expected from the human being, not from the cats and dogs.

So sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83] is so essential. And sadhu's symptoms are described. And suhrdah. Suhrdah. We have already explained. Suhrdah means well-wisher for everyone. His heart is full of well-wishing for everyone. "Everyone" means for Indians, nationals? No, sarva-dehinam. Sarva-dehinam, all bodies, even for the cats and dogs. A devotee wishes welfare even of the cats and dogs by giving him prasadam: "Take little prasadam." So the dog will be also... There is an instance during Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time. Devotees from Bengal were going to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and on the way a dog also began to follow them. So the leader of the party, Sivananda Sena, he was also giving food, prasadam, to the dog, and they had to cross one river, and the boatman would not take the dog. Sivananda Sena paid him some more money, that "You take the dog." This is Vaisnava, that "This dog has taken our company. He is going with us. How I can leave him behind?" So he paid more money: "Please take this dog." This is called suhrdah sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21]. And the dog was emancipated. He went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he was sitting as dog, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was eating something and throwing it to the dog. In this way, the dog got Vaikuntha. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that this consciousness, this sympathy for everyone, can dispatch even a dog to Vaikuntha. Suhrdah sarva-dehinam.

Ajata-satravah: A Vaisnava is not enemy of anyone, ajata-satravah santah, always peaceful. Sadhavah sadhu. This is the first, preliminary symptoms of a sadhu. The next? Mayy ananyena bhavena: "simply attached to Krsna," ananyena bhavena. These are the external, and these are internal. Ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. Simply as Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], so a devotee, a pure devotee, is simply attached to Krsna. They are not dis... A devotee is not disrespectful to other demigods. That is a mistake, that "These Krsna devotees, they do not care for other demigods." No. A Krsna devotee cares for the other demigods very rightly because he knows what is the position of the other demigods in comparison to Krsna. Just like Durga, Goddess Durga. In the Brahma-samhita the goddess Durga is worshiped. In which way? Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Mother Durga is the external energy, or potency, of Krsna, and she is so powerful that srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana, she can create, she can maintain, and she can annihilate, or bring devastation. She is so powerful. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka [Bs. 5.44]. And mother Durga is so powerful alone. Chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga: "But she is acting not independently, but like the shadow," chayeva. Chayeva yasya bibharti bhuvanani: by the indication of Krsna. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita also: mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10].

So don't think that this material energy is working independently. She is working under the direction of Krsna. So a devotee knows this. Just like a policeman is working. A sane man knows that he is working not independently, but under the government order. This knowledge required, not that that because policeman has got some power, he becomes God. No. God is not so cheap. You can accept... Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. God has got multi-energies. One of the energies is Durga, not that she is all in all, no. There are many millions of Durgas, many millions of Sivas, because there are many millions of universes. Just like many millions of police force, similarly, these demigods, there are many, many millions. But God is one. God is not million. Of course, He can expand in million forms; that is different thing. Svamsa, vibhinnamsa.

So this devotee offers respect to the demigods as the assistant or energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not as the supreme power. That is the difference. And one who does not know what is God, they take these demigods as supreme. They are less intelligent. So therefore a devotees offer respect to the demigods, but he knows that Supreme Lord is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Therefore, mayy ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. Drdha-vrata. Bhajante mam drdha-vratah, Bhagavad-gita.

mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
 [Bg. 9.13]

Ananya-bhavena. They... It is not that they disrespect demigod; they give proper respect to everyone. What to the demigods? Even to the ant.

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

Amanina. Everyone is given respect by Vaisnava. Mat-krte tyakta-karmanas tyakta-svajana-bandhavah. But they are ready to give up family, relatives, everything. Sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Mat-krte, only for Krsna's sake, they can... This is sadhu. Then what is their business, activities? Mad-asrayah katha mrstah. They simply take pleasure in talking about Krsna. They simply take pleasure, srnvanti kathayanti ca, by hearing about Krsna. We have got so many things to hear about Krsna, how Krsna is fighting, how Krsna is killing the demons, how Krsna is behaving with the gopis, how Krsna is playing as a cowherd boy, so many things we have got. Therefore Krsna has given us so many literature. If you simply hear and talk about Krsna... We are translating all these books about krsna-katha. Already there are about one and half a dozen books, big, big books. We have to publish sixty books like that, simply about Krsna, simply about Krsna, apart from Bhagavad-gita. So we can read. Srnvatam kathayanti, srnvanti kathayanti. So we have got enough to become sadhu if you simply hear about Krsna and speak about Krsna. Tapanti vividhas tapa naitan mad-gata-cetasah. The immediate relief will be that we shall be saved from the sufferings of this material condition of life.

So these are the symptoms of sadhu, and Kapiladeva is summarizing, "Mother," ta ete sadhavah sadhvi sarva-sanga-vivarjitah, "these symptoms are visible when one has no more any material attachment." Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. This is sadhu, no more designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American" -- these devotees, they have got no such conception. They are... Every one of them is thinking, "I am servant of Krsna." This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. These are upadhi. Even this varnasrama, that is also... "I am sannyasi," "I am grhastha," "I am vanaprastha." Caitanya Mahaprabhu has rejected all these things. Naham vipro na ca nara-patih: "I am neither brahmana, nor ksatriya, nor vaisya, nor sudra." Then what You are? Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: [Cc. Madhya 13.80] "This is My position." This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], no more designation.

So if we become no more designation, then immediately the whole world becomes Vaikuntha. We are fighting -- "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German." The whole disturbance is there. "This is my land. This is your land." The whole world is doing. As soon as they become Krsna conscious, immediately this hellish world become Vaikuntha, immediately, tat-ksanat. Simply one has to learn.

So such important movement we should take very seriously and try to spread it all world wide. That will be the best service to the human society.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974

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Devotees Don't Feel Suffering

Devotees Don't Feel Suffering

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.23
Bombay, November 23, 1974

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Nitai: "Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities."

Prabhupada:

mad-asrayah katha mrstah
srnvanti kathayanti ca
tapanti vividhas tapa
naitan mad-gata-cetasah
 [SB 3.25.23]

Na etan. Generally, people, they are suffering. There is nobody in the world, those who are materially engaged, can say boldly that "I am not suffering." Is there anybody? I challenge anyone. Can anyone say that "I am not suffering"? So everyone must be suffering. Now, why these Anacin tablets are advertised, "pain-killer"? Because they are suffering. And not in this country, but in the Western countries, America, one takes at least one dozen tablet daily for mitigating suffering -- tranquilizer, this, that, so many. They are advertised, and they take. At last, for sleeping. Because they are more advanced. We are less advanced; therefore we are satisfied only one tablet, Anacin. (laughter) But they are not satisfied with one tablet. They have dozens of tablet. I have seen it. It is advertised in the subway trains. So many tablets are advertised. Suffering must be there. Anyone who has got this material body has accepted suffering. That's a fact. But foolish people, they cannot understand. He thinks, "I am got very fatty and beautiful body." He is satisfied. The dog is also satisfied. He does not know that this dog's body is greater suffering than human body. The hog's body is greater suffering than the human body. But everyone is thinking, "I am happy." This is called maya, illusion. You go to a hospital, a man is lying down on the bed, and if you ask, "How are you?" "Yes, I am well today." What is "well"?

So there cannot be anyone without suffering. That is not possible. There are three kinds of suffering: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyatmika means pertaining to the body and mind. "I have got headache today. I have got some pain here in the back. My mind is not very much settled up today. I cannot talk with you." These kind of sufferings are called adhyatmika, pertaining to the body and the mind. And there are sufferings adhibhautika. Just like at night, unnecessarily, the dogs bark, and we cannot sleep. This is called adhibhautika, suffering imposed by other living entities -- the mosquitos, the bugs. Then enemies. Suffering. Just like some of our enemies, they are hindering sanctioning this temple. So this is called adhibhautika. And besides that, big, big sufferings there are. Then adhidaivika, accident, which you have no control over. No sufferings you have control. That is not possible. There is famine; there is pestilence; there is no rain; there is excessive heat, excessive cold. They are called adhidaivika. Earthquake..., so many. So this is the reminder, that "You rascal, you are thinking you are very happy in this material world. What you have done about these sufferings?" Mudha. They think, "Oh, this is all right. It doesn't matter." Besides that, there is very grave sufferings. That is birth, death, old age, and disease. So where is your happiness? But because we are under the spell of maya, we are thinking, "This position is very nice. Let us enjoy life." This is their enjoyment.

So one has to... Tapanti vividhas tapah. Vividhah, multi. Vividhah means many. Tapanti vividhas tapa na etan mad-gata-cetasah. Those who are Krsna conscious, they... We cannot say that they are not suffering. They are suffering, but no so acutely. They know. Therefore we have begun this sadhu's symptoms, titiksavah, tolerant. Everyone is tolerant. One has to tolerate. But a sadhu's toleration and ordinary man's toleration is different. Sadhu's toleration is not so acute because a sadhu knows that he is not this body. There is a Bengali Vaisnava song, deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara. If we understand properly that "I am not this body," then, although there is suffering, you will not feel very much, although we are now absorbed with this body, bodily sufferings are there. Just like the example that you have got a car, and there is some accident. So one who is too much absorbed with the thought that "This is my car" or "I am car," he suffers more. But if one knows that "I am not this car. All right, there is some accident. It can be repaired or it can be... That doesn't matter." It is a question of absorption of the thought. The materialistic person, because they are like animal, he suffers more. And for the devotees, as it is advised in the Bhagavad-gita,

matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata
 [Bg. 2.14]

Krsna says to Arjuna that "These material sufferings are just like the sufferings of season, seasonal suffering." In summer season also, you suffer, and in winter season also, we suffer. Sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah. And the same thing, this fire, in summer season it is suffering. The heat is suffering. And in the winter season is suffering, but in the summer season it is pleasing. The same water, the same fire -- sometimes it is suffering; sometimes it is pleasing. But the matter is the same. Why? Matra-sparsah: it is due to the touch of the skin. Because we have got this skin disease, "I am this body," therefore you are suffering, because you have become so nonsense rascal that "I am this body." Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Tri-dhatuke: This is the bag of three elements: kapha, pitta, vayu. Kapha, pitta, vayu. According to Ayurvedic system, they are called tri-dhatu. So this body is made of material elements: kapha, pitta, vayu. So,

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
 [SB 10.84.13]

So the more we are in bodily concept of life, the suffering is more. Nowadays new things have developed: nationalism, communism, communalism, so many things. Sufferings are more. We have seen in 1947 in Calcutta Hindu-Muslim riot -- more suffering because one is thinking, "I am Hindu," one is thinking, "I am Muslim." But if one is advanced in Krsna consciousness, then they will not suffer. They will not unnecessarily fight, "Because I am Hindi or because you are Muslim, therefore we have to fight." No. Because if both of them know that "I am not this body. Therefore I am neither Hindu nor Muslim. I am eternal servant of Krsna," then where is the suffering of Hindu-Muslim riot? The understanding is missing. Because people are being educated to become more bodily conscious, therefore their sufferings are increasing. Sufferings are increasing. And if you reduce this bodily concept of life, then suffering also will be reduced.

So those who are Krsna conscious, Krsna conscious means, here it is said, mad-gata-cetasah. Naitan mad-gata-cetasah. Mad-gata. Bhagavan says, "Those who are always thinking of, in the mind, within the heart," mad-gata-cetasah, "they are not suffering." They are not suffering in this way because they know that "Even if I am suffering, it is Krsna's desire." So they welcome. Just like Kunti. Queen Kunti, when Krsna was departing, taking farewell from Kunti, so Kunti said, "My dear Krsna, when we are in full of danger, at that time You are always present as our friend, as our advisor. Now we are well situated. We have got our kingdom. We are well established. So You are going away to Dvaraka? No, no, no, this is not good. Better we may again go to that suffering so that we can remember You always." So the devotee sometimes welcomes suffering because that is an opportunity of remembering Krsna very constantly. Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam [SB 10.14.8]. So when a devotee suffers, he thinks that "It is due to my past misdeeds. So I am suffering not very much, a very little, on account of Krsna's grace. So it doesn't matter." So after all, it is, everything, in the mind, suffering and enjoying. So a devotee's mind is trained up in Krsna consciousness. Therefore he does not care for suffering. That is the difference between a devotee and nondevotee.

Therefore it is said that tapanti vividhas tapa na etan mad-gata-cetasah. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. So how much suffering he had to undergo, the five-years-old boy, and his father was putting in dangers, sometimes under the feet, leg of the elephant, sometimes throwing from the mountain, sometimes on burning oil, sometimes amongst the snakes, so many ways. But he was silent. Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was a Muhammadan by birth. So he became a very good devotee and always chanting Hare Krsna. That was his fault. So the Muslim Kazi called him, that "You are Muhammadan. You born in a such great family, Muhammadan family, and you are chanting Hindu's Hare Krsna mantra? What is this?" So he mildly replied, "My dear sir, there are many Hindus, they also have become Muhammadan. So suppose I have become Hindu. So what is the wrong? What is the wrong there?" So Kazi became very angry, that "You are talking before me? All right." So he was punished to be caned in twenty-two bazaar, in front of twenty-two bazaar. That means he was to be killed by caning. So it is understood, when he was beaten by the cane, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on his back. So he did not feel any suffering. So there are many instances. A devotee had to suffer many sufferings, but they did not take it very much severely. They tolerated. And a devotee is educated to tolerate.

Therefore, in the sadhu's symptoms, beginning, that titiksavah karunikah [SB 3.25.21], they, a devotee, suffers; at the same time, he is very kind to these conditioned soul, how to elevate them, how to make them Krsna conscious. This is karunikah. These are the very primary features of a devotee's life. People put him into suffering in so many ways, but he does not give up his job. His job is to spread Krsna consciousness so that others may become happy. Just like Prahlada Maharaja said, "My Lord, I have no suffering. I have no suffering because I know the art, how to become happy." Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah [SB 7.9.43]. The same thing is described here: srnvanti kathayanti. So Prahlada Maharaja said that "I know how to become happy." How to become happy? "Now, simply hearing about You and chanting about You, that's all." Srnvanti kathayanti. Just like here two business is going on: you are hearing, and I am speaking. Bodhayantah parasparam. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanti [Bg. 9.13]. This bhajana means srnvanti kathayanti. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23] -- this is bhajana. You simply hear about the Lord, you talk about the Lord. That is bhajana. Sravanam means you can further make progress. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. Sravanam kirtanam is going on all over the world. Some is hearing about some politician, other is speaking about some politician or some other man, some important man in the society. Sravanam kirtanam is going on. But they are suffering. But when the sravanam kirtanam is pertaining to Visnu, sravanam kirtanam visnoh, then you will not be suffering. This is the... It requires experience. It requires advancement.

Then... Prahlada Maharaja, as he says, that tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah: "Because my mind is always absorbed in talking about You and hearing about You, therefore I am not unhappy. I do not... I know how to become happy." "But you seem to be very unhappy." So he says, "Yes, I am unhappy because I see these..." Tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha-maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan: [SB 7.9.43] "These foolish people, simply for temporary so-called happiness, they are engaged in material activities. I am thinking of them only. That is my unhappiness. Otherwise I have no unhappiness."

So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world, staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jivan mukta. Jivan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of absorption of thought. I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the communist leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said, "No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation." So even in ordinary life it is possible. Because the mind is absorbed in a different way, even a surgical operation does not disturb a man. Similarly, what to speak of spiritual life, if your mind is always absorbed in Krsna thought, Krsna consciousness... That is stated mad-gata-cetasah, always thinking of Krsna. And Krsna advises also. What is His advice? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "You always think of Me."

There are many instances. If we believe, that is another... If you don't believe, that is another... But there is practical also, that these boys, European, American boys, from their childhood, from their birth, they are accustomed to so many bad habits. But for want of those bad habit, they think it is impossible to live. Not only ordinary man. I will tell you the story of one very big man, the Marquis of Zetland. The Marquis of Zetland was talking with one of my Godbrother. The Lord -- they are called Lord -- he asked, "Can you make me brahmana?" So the my Godbrother said, "Yes, it is not very difficult. If you give up these bad habits -- intoxication, illicit sex life, meat-eating, and gambling -- you can become a brahmana." So he said, "It is impossible." Yes. A very big man, he said, "It is impossible. This is our life." Actually, we have got experience in the Western countries, this is their life. Even very, very old men, they cannot give up this. For want of this, it is a great suffering. But here you see practically. These young boys, young girls, they have given up. There is no suffering. Take practical example. And an old man, a very respectable gentleman, he was requested to give up these four habits; he replied, "It is impossible." How it is becoming possible for these boys? If they would have suffered for want of this illicit sex, intoxication, the boys or girls, then how they could remain with me? I am not a very rich man. I cannot give them nice shelter. I cannot give them nice food. But why? Because they are not feeling... They have no furniture. They are lying down on the floor, no bedding, no proper cloth. Because they are not suffering actually. Otherwise they could not remain with me. This is a fact. If they would have suffered, then, like Lord Zetland, they would have also said, "It is impossible to remain with Prabhupada." But they are not saying that. There is suffering from disease also; still, they are not leaving. They are not leaving.

So Krsna consciousness is so nice. Mad-gata. They do not feel any suffering. It is practical. Others, they feel suffering. Therefore it is said, tapanti vividhas tapa na etan mad-gata-cetasah. Na etan. Therefore we should accept this. What is that? Mad-asrayah kathah. Katha, krsna-katha. There are so many literatures, especially Bhagavad-gita. That is open to everyone. Everyone knows Bhagavad-gita. So if we simply hear Bhagavad-gita, we can attain this stage of perfection, no more suffering. That is a fact. So just like Ambarisa Maharaja. He made his life... Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. He was a very responsible king, emperor of this world, and he was administering his kingdom. At the same time, he was a great devotee. These are the examples in this country. There were many kings like that; they are called rajarsi. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

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

Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsi. The kings were... Although they were king, raja, still, they were as good as the great saintly person, rsi. So Maharaja Ambarisa, he was also a rajarsi. He gave example: although he was busy in his administration work, still, he was talking only of Krsna, only. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. Whenever he would talk, he will talk about Krsna. This required practice. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised all His devotees, gramya-katha na kahibe. This requires... This is called advancement. Don't talk nonsense of these material talks. What is the use? What you will gain? Just like you open the newspaper. What do you find? The same thing. The same plane crash, the same politician condemn another politician, and something lost, something gained, something... It is punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. The same thing are being repeated in different way. So what is the use of talking such thing? Better, if you want to talk, talk on Krsna, talk on Bhagavad-gita, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam, and enjoy life. That is required.

That is recommended here: mad-asrayah katha mrstah srnvanti kathayanti ca. If you simply talk about Krsna and hear about Krsna, then that stage will come when there will be no more suffering always. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). This is called anandamaya in the Vedanta-sutra. A living entity or Krsna, they are anandamaya. Pracurye maya-pratyaya. Simply ananda. When you are in pleasure, transcendental bliss, there will be no more possibility of this material suffering. That is instructed here:

mad-asrayah katha mrstah
srnvanti kathayanti ca
tapanti vividhas tapa
naitan mad-gata-cetasah

There is also another statement in the Bhagavad-gita: yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. There are many yogis, but that yogi who is thinking of Krsna always, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, mad-gatenantar-atmana, sa me yuktatamah: "In My opinion that is... He is the first-class yogi." Not to show any magic. Magic, that is magic, that if he does not suffer from any suffering, that is the greatest magic. But that will be done by a devotee. And Krsna also recommends.

So our life should be... This Krsna consciousness movement is being spread only for this purpose. What is this? Srnvanti kathayanti ca. Mad-asrayah katha mrstah. When we shall feel pleasure by hearing about Krsna or talking about Krsna, we must know that we are making progress on the path of perfection. And at that time any kind of this material suffering will not be felt. This is the practical effect of executing devotional service.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974

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