Don't Live the Life of a Hog

Don't Live the Life of a Hog

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2
Bombay, March 25, 1977

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Bhavananda:

rsabha uvaca
nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

"Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever."

Prabhupada: Next verse.

Bhavananda:

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam
mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta
vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye
 [SB 5.5.2]

"One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord's existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahatmas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas."

Prabhupada: So Mr. Jyesthish(?) Gandhi, ladies and gentlemen, the instruction of Rsabhadeva is very important. Rsabhadeva was the father of Maharaja Bharata, under whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa. So before retirement, Rsabhadeva instructed His one hundred sons about the aim of life. So this is Vedic civilization. So He says, "My dear boys, don't spoil your life by living like hogs." This very word has been used. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. Vid-bhujam. Vid-bhujam means there are hogs who are very much enthusiastic to eat stool. So why this particular animal has been named? Because we can find especially in Indian villages, the hogs, day and night, they are working very hard to find out where there is stool. And as soon as he eats stool, the hog very easily become fatty and strong. Therefore a class of men, they like to eat the flesh of hog because it becomes easily fatty. And the hog's business is, as soon as he gets little strength, then next business is sex, without any discrimination. The hog has no discrimination who is sister, who is mother, who is daughter. So therefore this particular animal has been named, and Rsabhadeva warns His sons that "Don't live the life of hogs. Live like human being."

That is wanted. And for that purpose you require to execute tapasya. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va [SB 6.1.13]. These are the injunction of the sastras. Human life is meant for tapasya, not to imitate the hogs and dogs. This is not human life. This is Vedic culture. The Krsna consciousness movement is tryng to give this Vedic culture all over the world, but they are after hogs and dogs. What can be done? This is very difficult job. But still we have to do, because we have placed ourself to become servant of Krsna. Never mind we have to face so many dangerous positions; still we have to do this thankless task. "My dear brothers, do not be hogs and dogs. Be a saintly person." This is our mission. That is India's culture. Bhagavad-gita, the same thing said: manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhi. Siddhi means perfection. Nobody is interested how to make this life perfect. Everyone is being carried away by the waves of material nature. This is not life. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a Bengali Vaisnava poet, he has written one song, kena mayara vase yaccha bhese kaccha habu dubu bhai. Jiva krsnadasa ei visvasa korleto ar duhkha nai. Mayara vase. There is the laws of nature. We are under the grip of laws of nature. You cannot violate. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. If you have touched fire, it doesn't matter whether you are elderly person or a child, innocent or knowingly or unknowingly, the fire must burn. There is no excuse. Similarly, we are contaminating different types of modes of nature. There are three modes of material nature -- sattva-guna, raja-guna and tamo-guna. Now mix it up, three into three equal to nine, nine into nine it becomes eighty-one. Again eighty-one... It increases. Those who are expert in mixing color, they know how to make different colors by mixing the original three colors: blue, yellow and red. Similarly, we are in this material world under the clutches of the modes of material nature, and according to different circumstances we are mixing with different modes of nature. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Because we are mixing with different types of material nature, next life we are preparing. Tatha dehantara praptir. We have to accept another body. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. This is our position. Don't be very happy that "Today I am such and such big person. It will continue." No, sir, it will not continue. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. You have to change your body.

So we have to understand this responsibility of life. That is human life -- not to enjoy senses by imitating the hogs and dogs. This is not human civilization. We have to learn from the sastras how our life is being transformed from one form to another, and there are 8,400,000 different species of life. Once this human form of life missed and if you are put into these waves of birth and death, then the opportunity finished. We must always be alert that we have got this responsibility. The Rsabhadeva says that tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyed sattva [SB 5.5.1]. Sattva means existence. Your existence is eternal. That is the first information in the Bhagavad-gita. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Na jayate na mriyate va. This is the first instruction. There are so many commentator or instructor of Bhagavad-gita, but they are missing the first instruction. They are not interested that "What is going to happen my next life?" They are not interested. Nobody takes care. They have concluded they have no life after death. This body is finished, everything is finished. Most irresponsible life. This is not to be carried on. Rsabhadeva says that "My dear sons, don't live this irresponsible life like animals, hogs and dogs, but take the responsibility of human life. Undergo austerities, penances, as they ae recommended in the sastras and make your life..." It is individual. If this movement cannot be taken massively, every individual can practice it. That is Indian culture. Every Indian was educated how to become a brahmana, for coming to this platform of austerity. And following the examples of brahmana, the ksatriya and the vaisyas and the sudras, they also benefited.

So this is a very elaborate scientific subject matter, and we are trying to present all over the world. Why not our Indian brothers take it very seriously? Why we should be carried away by the waves of material nature? This is not very good idea. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyed sattva [SB 5.5.1]. Sattva, my existence. At the present moment... Just like I am coughing. So because I am, for the present moment, I am diseased. So this is the symptom of coughing. Similarly, why I am dying? This should be the question. Ke ami kena more japatiya traya. I hear from Bhagavad-gita that I am eternal: na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Na jayate na mriyate va. Then why I am dying? This is intelligence. Why I am dying? This "why." Kena Upanisad. But this is not being educated. We are carried away by the temporary problems and missing the chance of human life. This is not very good, and Rsabhadeva especially instructs that mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. If you actually want liberation from these clutches of maya, vimukti, vimukti... Vimukti means liberation. What is liberation? Muktir hitva anyatha rupam svarupena avasthitih. We are living in a different way. This is not mukti. This is conditioned. I am living as Indian condition, I am living as European condition. This is not mukti. You must live in your original form. That is called mukti. Muktir hitva anyatha rupam. Now we are living anyatha rupam. Somebody is living as Indian, somebody is living as European, somebody as cat, somebody as dog, somebody... This is anyatha rupam. You must realize yourself,

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

So Dr. Jyestish(?) gave stress on bhakti. That is very good idea. So simply by becoming bhakta... Kevalaya... Kecid kevalaya bhaktya vasudeva-parayanah. Kevalaya bhakta. Simply if you take to the process of bhakti... That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita also. Bhaktya mam abhijananti. If you want to know God, if you want to know the relationship with God, if you know what is your business after understanding God, then bhakti. Krsna says. Krsna, no... Although there are different ways of self-realization -- karma, jnana, yoga, bhakti, these are the principles. But Krsna recommends that "If you want to know Me actually, then bhaktya." Krsna teaches Arjuna Bhagavad-gita because Arjuna was a devotee. Bhakto 'si me priyo 'si: [Bg. 4.3] "Because you are My dear friend and bhakta, therefore I am teaching you."

So bhakti-marga is not very difficult. Very easy. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Any child can do it. Any child, if he sees the form of Lord Krsna in the temple, he remembers, and he continues to think of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. And if you think of Krsna always, automatically you become devotee. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. And then mad-yaji, little offering. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Where is the difficulty? Little flower, little fruit, little water. Krsna is not poor person, (that) He wants something from you. But yo me bhaktya prayacchati. He wants to revive your original Krsna consciousness. Therefore He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7]. So in India we have got this opportunity. Why should we miss this opportunity? It is a suicidal policy. Don't do it. Take to it very seriously.

Thank you very much.

Devotee: Jaya, Srila Prabhupada!

Tamala-krsna: If anyone has any questions, this is the time. The process of receiving knowledge is to place inquiry at the perfect person, the spiritual master. So if any of you have any questions, there will be a microphone up front, and you can come up and place your questions to Srila Prabhupada. (no one responds)

Prabhupada: All right. Don't try to agitate them. Chant Hare Krsna. Oh, they are coming?

Guest (1): If God is everywhere, why His presence not felt by everybody?

Prabhupada: Everybody is not intelligent. Mostly they are rascals.

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

This is the statement by God, that "Out of millions and millions of persons, one tries to become perfect. And out of many millions of perfect persons, one may understand God." So God understanding is not so easy, but if we want to understand, God will help us. That is the point.

Guest (1): Thank you.

Guest (2): I want to ask two separate questions. One question is number one. What is the meaning of the giving up of the fruition of action?

Prabhupada: Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana. This is the... Action and reaction, there are two things. But under both headings, action and reaction means you become bound up. Yajnarthe karma anyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanam. This is the statement, that if you work if you work for yajna... Yajna means Visnu. Then it is all right. Otherwise you become under the laws of karma, good or bad. You have to suffer or enjoy. There is no question of enjoyment; there is suffering. Therefore one should be taught not to accept the result of karma, but do it for Krsna, yajnarthe. Then you are free.

Guest (2): When the fruit comes, should we give it up?

Prabhupada: No. The fruit you can take as prasadam. Prasade sarve-duhkhanam hanir asyopajayate. When you take as prasadam, then you are not bound up. But if you enjoy it as your fruitive result, then you have to suffer or enjoy. That is not good.

Guest (2): We have that difficult with us.

Prabhupada: No difficulty.

Guest (2): Because when the fruit comes, we cannot distinguish whether it is ripened one or the wrong one. How to distinguish?

Prabhupada: Yes. So it is said clearly, yajnarthe. You work for yajna. Krsnarthe. Yajna, another name of Krsna or Visnu. Then it is all right. Otherwise you will have to suffer.

Guest (2): My next question is...

Prabhupada: First of all, you understand this question, that you have to work for Yajna. Then you are free. Otherwise you will be entangled.

Guest (2): My next question is, I don't think God is opposed to sex. Seriously. I have heard many a lecture, and it is always stressed that as if the God is opposed to sex. But I don't think that's so. And from Gita, Krsna Himself says...

Prabhupada: God is never opposed to sex. Who said? God said, dharmaviruddhah kamo 'smi: "Sex which is not against the regulative principle of religious life, that I am." God never says that "Stop sex." Otherwise, why there is grhastha asrama? Asrama means that there is Krsna consciousness. As soon as we say, "Here is an asrama," we understand that there is consciousness of Krsna. So brahmacari asrama, grhastha asrama, vanaprastha asrama, sannyasa asrama, make it asrama and follow the rules and regulations of asrama. Then it is all right. Otherwise you are bound up by the laws of nature.

Guest (2): As we heard in the beginning, one of the principal statements that a man goes on the motor train, stands there for two hours, reaches his place of business, and work there from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening, returns back, has his food and sex and all that. I found many a people who have worked very hard, raised children very nicely, have sex, but lead a good life. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, if there is no wrong, it is all right. But this sort of life is not very palatable.

Guest (2): Because I find even the dogs...

Prabhupada: If you like that life, it is very good. That is up to you. But I don't think this is a very nice way of life, to work so hard simply for bread.

Guest (2): No, I agree there.

Prabhupada: Then agreed, agreed. Then why disagree? (laughter) That's all right, no more.

Tamala-krsna: Another question, Prabhupada, a different man.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest (3): Karma is the cause of also the cycle of death and birth. So virtuous karma of action, liberation of man are inclined to the supreme (?). If it is so, that is called mukta. If it is so, what is the first cause that should denial(?) me from the supreme or the action?

Prabhupada: Karanam guna-sango 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. We have already mentioned. Karanam, the first cause. Guna-sango 'sya. As soon as you want to associate with the modes of material nature, then you are bound up, immediately, by the modes of material nature. Then your work begins. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. That is natural. Actually, every living entity is constitutionally the servant of Krsna, but when he wants to enjoy without Krsna, without becoming servant of Krsna, he wants to enjoy independently this material nature, then he has to associate with the modes of material nature and he becomes bound up. Yajnarthe karma anyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. So you have to know or study all these understanding. Then you will understand what is what. That's all.

Guest (3): No, when we are with the Krsna...

Prabhupada: Huh, what is that?

Guest (3): ...then we are in supreme bliss.

Prabhupada: What is that?

Guest (3): When we are with Krsna, we are enjoying the supreme bliss there. As soon as we come to this material world we are in a miserable condition.

Prabhupada: Well this is natural.

Guest (3): Why did we left Sri Krsna and came to this world? What was the cause? There was no action at all.

Prabhupada: There is cause: karanam guna-sango 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. There is master and servant. The servant sometimes desires, "Why not become a master?" That is natural. So...

Guest (3): No. When I was with Krsna, I was, matter was (indistinct) that my master is served.

Prabhupada: You are master? You are kicked by the material nature and you are master? Why you are so falsely proud? You are not master.

Guest (3): But you said that the moksa is I am, once...

Prabhupada: Moksa means that when you are eternal servant of Krsna. Whe

n you desire to become master of the world, then you become bound up. And when you give up this artificial desire, that is moksa.

Guest (3): Thank you.

Guest (4): Would you agree that God is just a concept? If you do not, please give a logical reason for that.

Prabhupada: What is that?

Guest (4): Would you agree that God is just a concept? If you do not agree to that, please explain it logically.

Prabhupada: Why shall I agree, God is only concept?

 

Guest (4): Because I want it logically.

Prabhupada: You do not know logic. You have to learn logic.

Guest (4): But I still would like you to explain it logically.

Prabhupada: Yes, but you have to learn how to know it. There is master. There is master. Just like you cannot prove logically that without father there is a child. This is no logic.

Guest (4): Not without logic.

Prabhupada: This is no logic. There cannot be any child without father. Therefore if anyone thinks that without father there can be child, he is animal. He has no logic.

Guest (4): But still the question is unanswered. Would you agree that God is just a concept?

Prabhupada: No, no. There must be father. Just like you see everything is growing out of this earth. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah [Bg. 14.4]. So there is mother, there is child. Where is the father? This is logic. Unless you come to this point, that there is mother, there is child, there must be father, then there is no logic. Without father there cannot be child. Simply mother cannot give birth to a child. This is logic.

Guest (4): Thank you.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Now chant Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977

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Human, Not Working Like Animal

Human, Not Working Like Animal

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1
Bombay, December 25, 1976

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Prabhupada:

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

This verse we were discussing yesterday. Portion of the verse was explained, and portion of the verse we shall try to explain this night. Tapo divyam. Rsabhadeva says, "My dear sons, this body, human body, nayam deha, this body is not for wasting life, dogs and hogs." They are not wasting. They are in the gradual evolution process. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. They are coming to the human form of body gradually, by nature's law. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. So long we are in the lower species of life, we are conducted by complete laws of nature, prakrteh kriya-gunaih karmani sarvasah, according to the different gunas.

There are three gunas; therefore the material nature is called guna-mayi. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Krsna says that this material energy... There are three different energies of the Supreme Lord. He has got multi-energies, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. We can see activities are going on, different varieties of activities in this world, but they have been summarized into three divisions: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So sattva-guna, rajo-guna... The animals, they are in the tamo-guna. Then gradually they are elevated by the evolutionary process to the rajo-guna, and then we are elevated to the sattva-guna. That is the brahminical qualification. And we have to surpass the sattva-guna also. Not that coming to the platform of sattva-guna we become perfect. No. There is chance of falling down from the sattva-guna. We have got practical experience in this age, Kali-yuga, many persons have fallen down from the platform of brahminical qualification. The brahminical qualification is the platform of sattva-guna: samo damo titiksava arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. This is the brahminical culture.

So if by coming to the platform of brahminical culture, one is sure, that is not possible. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Sometimes sattva-guna is overpowered by rajo-guna or rajo-guna is overpowered by tamo-guna or sattva-guna is overpowered by tamo-guna. In this way, topsy-turvy it is going on. That is material world. But if you want to become above the material platform, then you have to take to the platform of devotional service. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita:

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

If you take to the platform of Krsna consciousness, then we can overcome the jurisdiction of the gunas. That is also advised by Lord Krsna to Arjuna: traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. This whole world is being conducted by the three gunas, and if you want to go above the three gunas, then you have to take to this platform, nistraigunya. Nirguna. Is called nirguna. Nirguna does not mean no quality. No. Nirguna means nirastah yatra, material qualities. Do not think, as some philosophers think like that, that after being brahma-bhutah, as it is stated, brahma-bhuyaya kalpate, then business is finished. No. Business is not finished.

That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

When you come to this platform of transcendence, brahma-bhutah... Because we are going on under the wrong impression that "I am this body." This is the most fallen condition of the present human society. They are taking this body... Of course, this bodily conception of life there was even five thousand years ago, when the Battle of Kuruksetra took place. Arjuna was very much disturbed on the platform of this bodily conception of life, because he thought that he belonged to a particular family, and in that battle he was to fight with his family members. So he declined to fight. But Krsna, to raise him from that platform, He chastised him, that asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: "My dear Arjuna, you are lamenting for a subject matter and at the same time you are talking just like a very learned man."

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

That means indirectly He accused Arjuna that "You are not pandita. You're a fool because you are lamenting on the subject matter on which no pandita laments." So what is that? This bodily conception, agatasums ca. Gatasun agatasums ca. This body, dead or alive, is not the subject matter of study by learned scholars -- this is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita -- dead or alive.

So actually we are concerned at the present moment with the body -- either Indian, American, Hindu, Muslim, brahmana, ksatriya, they are all bodily conception of life. But sastra says that those who are on the bodily conception of life, they are no better than the animals.

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

If on the bodily conception of life we take leadership, then the position is sa eva go-kharah. Go means cows, animal, and kharah means ass. So he is no better than the animals go and kharah. So how he can take leadership? This is the difficulty at the present moment, that we take leadership of the society although we remain on the bodily conception of life. They cannot take leadership. So another place it is condemned: sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. These are sastric injunction, that when we elect some leader without any spiritual knowledge, then what is the position? The position is that the elected person is also one of us. And what is our position? Our position is without spiritual knowledge, without being beyond the bodily conception of life, we are no better than sva-vid-varahostra-khara. Sva means dog, and vid-varaha means the stool-eater hogs, and ustra means camel and ass. Ass means gada, khara. Khara means ass. So this is a long definition. The summary is that without spiritual knowledge, with bodily conception of life, we are no better than the dogs, camels, and these hogs and asses. So we should not become like that. Therefore advises that tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed [SB 5.5.1].

Now in the bodily conception of life we are so much contaminated that our existence is now polluted. Actually it is polluted, because Krsna says, na jayate na mriyate va kadacin na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is our position. Our position is we never take birth. We are not subjected to take birth because we are part and parcel of God, spirit soul. And na jayate na mriyate va: we do not die. How we are seeing... Every day we are dying. My father die, my brother die, my neighbor die. How is that? Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is our position. We do not die, even the body is destroyed. So where is that knowledge throughout the whole world? There is no such... There is no university, no school, no college to impart this knowledge, that na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], this simple word. This is fact. And who is speaking? The Supreme Personality of Godhead. He accepted. Arjuna accepted. Arjuna listened to Krsna about Bhagavad-gita, and he understood that "Here is the Supreme Person." Not only that, he admitted that "Not that I'm Your friend." Just like it has become a fashion if I like somebody I make him God. Krsna is not that type of God, by meditation or by votes. He is God. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Just like when He was only three months old on the lap of His mother, the Putana came to kill Him. But He killed that Putana raksasi. He was that time also God, when three months old. And He had not to undergo the austerities of meditation. He had no time. So from the very beginning up to the time of His departure from this world, He is God. That is God. God is not manufactured. God is always God. Neither God falls down. Therefore Krsna is addressed in the Bhagavad-gita as Acyuta. Cyuta means falling down, and Krsna is acyuta.

So we are parts and parcel of Krsna. Krsna admits, mamaivamso jiva bhutah [Bg. 15.7], aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. We are sons of God, Krsna. Not that by imagination; God Himself says. And all sastra says that jiva is equal in quality with God. That's a fact. Then why we are subjected to this birth and death, old age and disease? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. We are trying to solve all problems of life, but real problem is janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Where is that scientist, where is that education to conquer over birth, death, old age and disease? They are trying to control: birth control, over-population. But that is not a problem. Birth control cannot be. That cannot be. The birth is increasing. That is not possible. And why birth control? That is also a long subject matter. There is no need of birth control, because Krsna says, aham bija-pradah pita: [Bg. 14.4] "I am the father." And Krsna is not only ordinary father but He is the controller of nature:

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
 [Bg. 9.10]

So nature is producing our foodstuff, and He is the controller. And He is the father. So how there can be scarcity of food? This is a bogus propaganda: because the population is big therefore we cannot... This is our incapability. We cannot manage -- we accuse that overpopulation. But actually if you study sastra, if you accept Krsna as the father, the Supreme Lord, He is not a poor man. He knows. Vedaham samatitani [Bg. 7.26]. He knows past, present and future. So it is not that because there is overpopulation there is scarcity of food. No. That is not the cause. The cause is that as soon as people will become godless, the supply will be stopped. That time is coming. That time is coming. It is predicted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that anavrsti and kara-piditah. People gradually being godless, they will be suffering from these three principles. There will be no more rainfall. Therefore last time when I was in Europe -- I do not know what has happened now -- there was scarcity of rain, and England was making plan to import water. So this is scientist's program. There is enough water in the sea, but they cannot use it. So that is hand of God. Unless God helps, Krsna helps, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram... [Bg. 9.10]. The vast ocean, although the water is there, you cannot use one drop. You are so controlled.

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
 kartaham iti manyate
 [Bg. 3.27]

Ahankara, our false egotism, we are suffering by the punishment offered by nature.

So the cause is godlessness. If we become godless, the prakrti will restrict supply -- so much so there will be anavrsti. How can control? Because you may be very great scientist, you may deny the existence of God, but when there is anavrsti you are looking up in the sky, "When there will be cloud? When there will be rain?" Then taking this plea, our government will tax for relief fund. That is all mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Anavrsti karo-pidita. People will be so much harassed. And acchina-dara-dravina giri-kananam. They will be so much harassed by these three principles -- no rainfall, scarcity of grains, and taxed heavily by the government... They will be so much harassed that acchinna-dara-dravina giri-kananam, they will be forced to leave home, that "Now it is hopeless. I cannot manage. Let me go to the forest." And there will be... Now we are getting rice or wheat or sugar. But these things will be completely stopped. Now we are getting milk powder, but there will be no milk. It is not my imagination. They are described in the symptoms of Kali-yuga, that the end of Kali-yuga these things will happen. That means more and more suffering. More and more become godless, more and more suffering will be inflicted by the laws of nature.

Therefore Rsabhadeva says here that tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed [SB 5.5.1]. This human life is not meant for, I mean to say, spoiling by working hard like the animals, as we have said that, kastan kaman. Kastan kaman. We require something, some because we have got this body. Very easy solution is given by Lord Krsna: annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. You produce foodgrains. Why you are going to produce tools and implements and... Of course, we do not condemn. But at the sacrifice of producing foodgrains, we simply open big, big tire factory. When I go to Delhi I see, from Vrndavana, hundreds and thousands persons are coming from the village on cycle to go to the tire factory, Goodyear tire factory. So now eat tire instead of getting food grains. So this is misdirected civilization. Krsna does not say that you produce tire tube. Krsna says annad bhavanti bhutani: "You produce anna." This is practical solution. We have therefore started in Europe and America farming. And they are very happy. In our latest Back to Godhead the description is published about our farm in France. We have got a very palatial building. We have named it New Mayapur. What is the place?

Hari-sauri: Chateau d'Oublaise.

Prabhupada: I cannot pronounce this French word. So anyway, our men, there are about three hundred men living there. Last time, four months, five months before I was there. It is very very nice place. We are getting our own fruits, own vegetables fresh, and we are getting fresh wheat and milk. It is so happy life.

So government is also advertising "Go to the village." Actually that is life. Go to the village. Mahatma Gandhi also wanted to organize this life, but unfortunately you have changed. Now we have got place in Hyderabad about six hundred acres of land. We are also trying here. We have already done in Mayapur. We are producing our own food, our own cloth, own milk, and we are chanting Hare Krsna. This is the simplest life. This life is meant for not working like hogs and dogs. That is the instruction. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. But what is meant for human life? Tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed [SB 5.5.1]. Just rectify your existence. You are not to die. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Why don't you take this formula seriously, that "I am not subject to die. I am not subjected to death. Why I am forced to take birth and die?" This one question, that is human life. Athato brahma jijnasa. Now this life is meant for... "I am Brahman. Now I must inquire about my identity, about my constitutional position, how I can become happy, why I am put into this tribulation." Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. Krsna says; I am not saying. This place, Krsna says, this is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. But we are trying to mitigate our distresses by material adjustment. But Krsna says no, that is not possible. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Whatever plan you make, the nature will break it. You have to suffer here. Because you have preferred to come into this material world and want to become happy -- you do not know what is the way of happiness -- you must suffer. Krsna does not like, because you are His son, but it is a punishment under the control of the material nature.

So if we want to avoid this punishment, duhkhalayam, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9], this polluted condition... This is polluted condition. I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. So our question should be... [break] The human life is meant for inquiring about our permanent life. He requires a guru. Not a guru who can give me some so-called happiness by manufacturing some material things. No. The guru means, as it is described by Visvanatha Cakravarti,

samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-
tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam
praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya
vande guroh sri caranaravindam **

Guru means one who can deliver me from this duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. Maya... We are in the duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], but under the influence of maya we are thinking we are living very very happily, or we not trying to solve the question. No. This kind of solution will not help you, because you have to die. Whatever you make solution, Krsna says, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. If you don't agree to surrender to Krsna, "All right, make your arrangement. But at the time of death I shall come and take away everything whatever you have got." Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. Then your bank balance, your skyscraper building, your country, your family, your good name -- everything will be taken away. And you have to accept another body, tatha dehantara-praptir. Now whatever assessment we're given in this life, everything will be taken away, and we'll be forced to accept one body which you cannot deny.

Karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. According to your karma you have to accept another body because you are under the laws of material nature.

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

Purusah. This living entity, he's purusah. Factually he's not a purusah, he's a prakrti. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

apareyam itas tu viddhi
me prakrtim param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
 [Bg. 7.5]

This material world is matter, bhumir apo 'nalo-vayuh [Bg. 7.4]. They are described as prakrti, prakrti me bhinna astadha. And again He says that apareyam, "These are inferior prakrti." But there is a superior prakrti. Apareyam itas tv viddhi me prakrtim param. Who is that? Jiva-bhutam, the jivas, living entities.

So we are prakrti. We are trying to become purusah. Purusah means enjoyer. So our endeavor to become purusah... Everyone is trying to be purusah, enjoyer. And at last he wants to become the supreme purusah: "I want to become God." When everything is baffled then he wants to become God. So this purusah, when he's struggling, manah sastanindriyani prakrti sthani karsati, hard struggle for existence to become purusah, but he cannot become purusah. He's prakrti. He's enjoyed. He's predominated, and the predominator is Krsna. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. He is the enjoyer; we are enjoyed. We are not enjoyer. So that is mistake. That is our maya. We are not enjoyer. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives us the direction, jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna-dasa: [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109] don't try to become purusah, enjoyer, artificially. Better instead of serving your senses you become servant of the Supreme Lord. This is Krsna consciousness movement. We are trying to convince people that "Don't try to become master artificially. You'll never be successful. Just agree to become servant of Krsna." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. That is your perfection.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976

Why Pay Electric Bills, Live in the Spiritual World

Why Pay Electric Bills, Live in the Spiritual World

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.21
Nairobi, Novewmber 1, 1975

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Harikesa: "The devotee should first concentrate his mind on the Lord's lotus feet, which are adorned with the marks of a thunderbolt, a goad, a banner and a lotus. The splendor of their beautiful ruby nails resembles the orb of the moon and dispels the thick gloom of one's heart." [SB 3.28.21]

Prabhupada: Sancintayed bhagavatas caranaravindam. This is the beginning of meditation, sancintayet. It is not nirvisesa, nirakara meditation. What is that meditation? Here it is, direction, sancintayet. Sancintayet means meditation. What about, meditation? Sancintayed bhagavatas caranaravindam. First of all meditate on the lotus feet, caranaravindam, lotus feet of Krsna. And if you minutely see, then you will find the symptoms are there. Our feet and Krsna's feet, there is difference. Why difference? Because on the sole these marks are there. What is that? Vajra ankusa, dhvaja, saroruha. Four things are there: thunderbolt, mark of thunderbolt; and kusa, the mark of... What is that instrument which controls the elephant?

Harikesa: Driving rod?

Prabhupada: No. It is called ankusa in Sanskrit. It is like this.

Harikesa: Hook.

Prabhupada: Maybe, whatever. So ankusa; vajra, thunderbolt; then ankusa; then dhvaja, flag; and saroruha, lotus -- these four things are there. You have seen. Sometimes Visnu lotus feet is painted and these signs are there. So sancintayet. What about, sancintayet? These things, minutely, that "Here is the lotus feet of Krsna, and on the sole, upon the sole, these marks are painted." Lanchanadhyam, deriving. It is very brilliant, beautiful. Krsna's everything is beautiful. Uttunga-rakta-vilasan-nakha-cakravala. This is the special significance of Krsna's hand, that these nails are raised and reddish, uttunga-rakta-vilasan-nakha-cakravala. It is just like cakravala bird. Jyotsnabhih. And from the effulgence of the nails, jyotsnabhih, ahata, if you see the brilliance and effulgence of the nails of Krsna, nails in the finger of Krsna, then the result will be that ahata-mahad-dhrdayandhakaram.

This material world, we are living in darkness, hrdayandhakaram. Our heart is dark. We do not know what is what. So if you simply concentrate on the lotus feet of Krsna as it is described -- there are marks -- then, in contact with such vision, your hrdayandhakaram, the dirty things, andhakaram... Andhakaram means darkness or dirty things. That will be ahata, off, attacked: "Get out!" Ahata. Jyotsnabhir ahata-mahad-dhrdayandhakaram. Mahat means very great. This is our material condition, that we are covered, absorbed in so many darkness, and still we want to show some intelligence. This is material existence. Therefore we always say "fools and rascals." He is... He does not know anything clearly, and simply he wants to see with imperfect eyes, imperfect instrument, microscope, telescope. What is the value of this? It is simply andhakara. The whole world is... This is called darkness. We can... We experience every moment. If there was no sun, then what is the value of this world? We have got good experience. In the Western countries where there is no sun, it is hell, simply hell, simply hell without sun. All the condemned countries are devoid of sunlight. This morning we were speaking that London, it is without sunlight practically throughout the whole year. Long ago, in 1969, in the television, the television man asked me that "Where is hell?" and "It is here in London." (laughter) That was published in the paper. There is such a... And always dark and always moist and always so cold. So this is hell. Why you have to search out hell? Here is hell. Simply you bring money from outside, exploiting others, and construct big, big building. It is little attractive. People come here as tourist. Otherwise who comes here to see the hell? So actually that is the...

So anyone's heart is always clouded with ignorance and rubbish knowledge. If you want to drive away this knowledge... Ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya. This ignorance... This material world is tama. A Vedic injunction is tamasi ma: "Don't remain in this darkness." If there is light, why we shall remain in the darkness? That is intelligence. If there is light, why should we rot in the darkness? So there is light. Jyotir gamah, brahmajyoti. Jyotir gamah, Brahman. That Brahman world go, not this material world. Yasya prabha [Bs. 5.40]. What is that Brahman world? The Brahman world means where there is complete effulgence, bodily rays of Krsna. That is Brahman world. Just like here the bodily rays of the sun makes it clear, so brilliant, what we can see. Then what is the sunshine? It is the bodily rays of the sun. Why don't you believe that? The example is there, you learn. If a material thing like the sun globe or the sun-god, he has got so much bodily effulgence that it is keeping lighted all over the universe, just imagine what is the bodily brilliance of Krsna.

That is described in the sastra. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Krsna's body is bluish or blackish; therefore you see the sky bluish because the rays in the spiritual world is effulgence, bluish effulgence, and that is being reflected through the sky. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. His bodily light is being reflected in millions and trillions of universes. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti. Jagad-anda [Bs. 5.40]. Jagad-anda means... Anda, it is round. Anda means egg shape. We don't say it is flat. Sastra never says, "Flat." Then you correct, "No, no, it is not flat. It is round." This is sastra. Long, long years, in the beginning, it was called round, anda. Goloka, go, Goloka, Bhurloka. Goloka means round. Goloka Vrndavana. Everything is round. So jagad-anda. Anda, anda means egg shape. Jagad-anda-koti. The each and every universe is egg shape; it is covered. So yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti kotisu [Bs. 5.40]. And each and every universe, kotisu... In each, not that in one universe. We see so many universes, one universe, but there are many millions of universes. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti kotisu asesa-vasudhadi bhinnam [Bs. 5.40]. And in each and every universe there are so many planets, asesa, you cannot count -- unlimited -- in one universe, and there are millions of universes. What is your material knowledge? What do you know? You are trying to go to the moon planet. That is also you committing mistake. And what about the millions of universes?

Therefore our knowledge is very, very limited, poor. Poor fund of knowledge, and still we are proud. Sapari phora-phorayate.(?) Just like a small fish, you have seen in the pond. Little water, say one feet -- (makes sound) "phor, phor, phor, phor." But the big fishes, they are in the deep in the water, big fish. So we take knowledge from the big fish, not from the small fish, "phor, phor, phor, phor." So phora-phorayate(?), this kind of knowledge will not satisfy us. We take from the big fish, one who knows. Then who knows? Krsna knows. And one who knows from Krsna, he knows. Acaryavan puruso veda. One who is acaryavan, who has taken shelter of acarya, he knows. Why? Because acarya receives knowledge from Krsna and he distributes knowledge to his disciple. That is perfect knowledge. Acaryavan purusah. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. These are the instruction.

So actually we are in the darkness. This whole world is dark. It is... It requires, therefore, the sunlight, the moonlight, the electric light, the fire, the lamp, because it is dark. Because it is dark. But there is a spiritual world where here is no need of. Na yatra bhasyate suryo na sasanko na pavakah. In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, na yatra bhasyate suryah. There is no need of this surya. There is no need of surya. Surya is required, the sun is required, because this world, material world, is dark, very, very dark, dense darkness. And we are born in this darkness. Our heart is full of darkness. Simply by the Krsna's grace there is sun, there is moon, there is fire, there is electric... Therefore we can see. Otherwise you remain in the darkness. But if you go to the spiritual world... Tamasi ma: "You don't keep yourself in this darkness; come to the light." "What is that? There is also the sun, moon?" No. There is no need. Na yatra bhasayate suryo na sasanko na pavakah. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. These are there. Where is Bhagavad-gita? Find out. Na yatra bhasayate suryah. Who will find out? This is spiritual world. There is no need of sun, moon, electricity, fire. We are inviting, or, rather, trying to go to that world where there is no need of sun, there is no need of moon, there is no need of electricity. And somehow or other, if we can go there, yad gatva na nivartante [Bg. 15.6], then you'll haven't got to come back again in this darkness. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

So at least one life try to going back to that place. Then your whole problem will be solved. Here we are paying so much electricity bill, and if there is no sun, we are rotten place. So why do you suffer in this way? Come here. There is no need of sun; there is no need of electricity. And the prime gain is that if you can go there, there is no need of coming back again. So those who have no information of the spiritual world, they stick to this material world as everything is here. But those who have got knowledge, mahatma, whose atma is very great, who can understand the greatness of God and His great knowledge and take knowledge from Him, he is perfect. So here is the knowledge. Everything is there. He is giving... We... Not that back to home, back to Godhead, is our imagination. No, not imagination. Just like if somebody gives you information of America, that "America is very rich city. There are so many big, big bridges and road and motor cars." So naturally you become inclined: "Why not see once America, how it is?" So similarly, here is the information about the spiritual world, and why don't you try to go back to home, back to Godhead?

What is this foolishness? Why should you pay the electric bill? Go there and live there. There is no need of... Na yatra... Na tad bhasayate. It is... The spiritual world is not lighted by the sun, moon. Na tad bhasayate suryah. Because everyone is effulgent, every planet is effulgent, so therefore there is no need of these things. There is no ignorance. There is no scarcity. There is no miserable condition. That is called Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha means vigata kuntha yasmad iti vaikuntha. Kuntha, anxiety. Here every man, even the richest man is full of anxiety. Your president, he is the richest person in this country, and he is the third richest man in the world, somebody. But do you think he is without anxiety? No. That is not possible. That is not possible. He is full of anxiety: "The other party may not take." (aside:) You sit down properly. Other party may not take his position. This is all politicians' anxiety. Even the king of heaven, Indra, he is also full of anxiety. There are Hiranyakasipus. So sometimes they drive away that Indra, King Indra, and he enjoys there. This is going on, not only in this planet. In all planet, wherever you go, the same condition prevails. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokan punar avartino 'rjuna. Don't think that by going to the heavenly planet you'll be happy there. No. There is no possibility. Either you go to the heavenly planet or you go to the hell, you will have to undergo the threefold miserable conditions.

Therefore inviting. Krsna is coming, inviting. We are also, on behalf of Krsna, inviting. Na yatra bhasayate suryah. So you come to that spiritual life. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. And what is? How you can go there? Very simple. Very simple. Krsna has given you the simple program. What is that? Manmana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi asamsayah [Bg. 18.65]. If you simply follow these four principles without arguing foolishly and rascally, manmana bhava mad-bhakto [Bg. 18.65], these four principles. "Always think of Me," Krsna says. Not I am saying, but Krsna personally saying, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto: "Just become My devotee," and mam namaskuru, "worship Me." So it doesn't require any M.A., Ph.D. degrees. It doesn't require that Apratihata. Bhakti is apratihata, without any hindrance. Nobody can say that "Because I am poor," "Because I am uneducated," "Because I am black," "Because I am white" -- no "because." Any condition of life, you can become a devotee and go back to home, back to This is Krsna consciousness movement. No material condition can check you. This is our movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [break]

Prabhupada: Yes, begin by seeing the lotus feet of Krsna. That is advised here. Tat caranaravindam. Sa vai manah krsna padaravinda. If you worship the Deity, always see the lotus feet, then gradually you will understand.

Devotee (1): Should we not gaze...?

Prabhupada: Huh? Yes, gradually. No, no. First of all see the lotus feet and meditate. When you are fully practiced to see the lotus feet simply by thinking of Krsna, then that business is finished. Then go up, then go up, then go up, then go up. Then see the face. This is the process of meditation. Not... Therefore I said, "Not jumping over the face, rasa-lila." What do you know about Krsna's lila, rasa-lila? First of all study what is Krsna, then Krsna's rasa-lila. Any other?

Jnana: Srila Prabhupada, will you please explain the phrase, I mean, "serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master," "serving the lotus feet."

Prabhupada: Yes. Give little water and tulasi and flower. That's all. It is very difficult job? Then everyone can do it. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. No. Simply... Just as Advaita Prabhu, He simply offered Ganga-jala and tulasi to please the Lord to come. Caitanya Mahaprabhu came. This is... There is no difficulty at all. Because we simply use..., misuse our intelligence, misuse our opportunity, there is trouble. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? Tulasi-patra you can have, and little water, offer to the, on the lotus feet of Krsna, and pray, "Give me intelligence so that I can serve You nicely." And he gives intelligence. Tesam satata-yuktanam [Bg. 10.10]. If you are continually giving tulasi flower and water and praying, "Krsna, give me intelligence how can I serve You nice," then Krsna says, "Yes." Tesam nityabhiyuktanam: "One who is engaged in this way, tesam nityabhiyuktanam... What is that?

Brahmananda: Tesam satata-yuktanam.

Prabhupada: Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. When Krsna sees that "He is worshiping Me with faith and reverence and love," then buddhi-yogam dadami tam. He'll give you intelligence. He is within you. Therefore I was saying, "First of all become fit. First of all deserve. Then desire." Why foolishly you desire something for which you do not deserve? That is your fault. That is misuse. Don't desire something without being deserving. So these are the process given how to think, how to meditate upon Krsna. So practice it. Become qualified. Then you'll see everything. Without being qualified, why you want to see? This devotional service means practicing how to become qualified. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to become fully cleansed. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Sarva... What is that? Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. We have to become completely zero about material desires. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Then you become qualified. So long you have got any pinch of material desires, you are disqualified. Krsna says, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Parityajya means giving up completely, cent percent, no reservation. In this way, surrendered, that is the qualification. Everything is there. No reservation. And Krsna will give you chance: "All right, if you have got still desire for material enjoyment, do it." "I want to become a king." "All right, become a king." Then "I want to become a dog." "All right, become a dog." He gives you both opportunity. And we are doing that. We're doing that. We are rotating throughout the whole universe in different types of bodies just to fulfill our damned desires, that's all. Therefore your first qualification is no desire. Simply desire to worship Krsna. That is qualification. Then everything will be revealed. Buddhi yogam dadami tam. Then everything will come from Him. Chant Hare Krsna.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada! (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975

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A Most Moving Statue

A Most Moving 'Statue'

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.20
Nairobi, October 30, 1975

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Harikesa: "In fixing his mind on the eternal form of the Lord, the yogi should not collective view of all His limbs, but should fix the mind on each individual limb of the Lord."

Prabhupada:

tasmil labdha-padam cittam
sarvavayava-samsthitam
vilaksyaikatra samyujyad
ange bhagavato munih
 [SB 3.28.20]

So as we have explained many times, that this arca-murti... The rascal class of men, they cannot understand arca-murti. They think that "They are worshiping idol." Even amongst the Hindus there are so-called followers of Vedas. They also say that "What is the necessity of worshiping Deity in the temple?" They made very vigorous propaganda in India to stop temple worship. For a short time it has got some reaction, but now it is finished. That rascal propaganda not to worship the Deity in the temple is finished. Nobody cares for that. They think that God is everywhere -- except in the temple. (laughter) That is their view. And God is everywhere; why not in the temple? No. That is their poor fund of knowledge. They cannot accommodate. No. God is everywhere but not in the temple. This is their intelligence, rascals. So we have to follow therefore acarya. Acaryavan puruso veda: one who has accepted acarya... One who knows the sastra and practically behaves according to the regulation of sastra, he is called acarya. Acinoti sastrarthah.

So all the acaryas... In India there are many thousands and thousands of temples, very, very big temples, especially in South India. Some of them you have seen. Each temple is like a big fort. So all these temples were established by the acaryas, not that the people whimsically established. No. Still there is very prominent temple, Balaji temple, Tirupati, Tirumalai. People are going, and the daily collection is more than one lakh of rupees still. Although they have been propagated so vigorously not to visit temples, but people... That is the birthright in India -- they are automatically Krsna conscious, automatically. Therefore all the demigods, they also desire to take birth in India. Automatically.

So the temple worship is essential. So those who are against temple worship, Deity worship, they are not very intelligent class of men, foolish, mudha. Again, the same word.

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuri bhavam asritah
 [Bg. 7.15]

 Mayayapahrta jnanah. They are talking very big, big words, that "God is everywhere," but they are forbidding temple worship. Apahrta-jnana. The knowledge is imperfect. A common man can say, "If God is everywhere, why not in the temple?" And if we have to worship God, why not in His original form? The original form, Krsna, when He was present, the original form so many people have seen. They have got photograph..., not photograph, paintings. And it is confirmed in the sastras, in the Brahma-samhita, venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam [Bs. 5.30]. Krsna is described in the Brahma-samhita from so millions and millions of years ago described by Lord Brahma, that venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam. He is always playing His flute, venum. Venu means flute. Kvanantam. And eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam [Bs. 5.30]. And on the head He has got the plume of peacock feather. In this way the description is there in the sastra. And when Krsna came... (aside:) Let him... Why do you disturb? Let him do that. Sit down. So sastra says Krsna is like this. And when Krsna appeared on this planet the exactly the same description was there in His form.

So we have to accept the form of the Lord as confirmed in the sastra and as confirmed by the acarya. Then it is perfect. Sadhu sastra guru vakya tinete kariya aikya. We have to understand something very rigidly by three things, the... It must be confirmed by the sastra, and it must be confirmed by the acaryas and by the spiritual master. Very simple thing. We have description of Krsna in the sastra, Brahma-samhita, the treatise given by Lord Brahma. And this Brahma-samhita was collected from South India in handwriting by Caitanya Mahaprabhu and He delivered to His devotees. So the sadhu... Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. Still, He is playing the part of a sadhu. Sadhu and sastra, Brahma-samhita, and because we have received from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are delivering to our disciples: "Here is Krsna's form." The sadhu, sastra, guru. It must be confirmed. Then we can accept, not that whimsically if some rascal comes and becomes God by concoction. We cannot accept. It must be confirmed by... (aside:) Why do you bother? Let them. No, no. As he likes. That's all.

So sadhu sastra guru. This is the way. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was instructing Sanatana Gosvami in various subject matter, and He also described the incarnation in Kali-yuga from sastra that,

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtanaih-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
 [SB 11.5.32]

He quoted from Bhagavatam, "This is the incarnation of Kali-yuga." So He is Himself yajnaih sankirtanaih-prayaih. So Sanatana Gosvami was prime minister, very intelligent man. So he had inquired from Caitanya Mahaprabhu that "How we can accept the avatara?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said, "From the sastra." And Sanatana Gosvami got it confirmed that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was... He stopped, of course. When he inquired that "Shall I accept this personality who is now preaching sankirtana movement and along with His associates, He is the Supreme Lord?" Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Let us go on further. We don't..."

So this is the way, not whimsically accept any rascal as avatara. No. That is not the process. Or any rascal as God. This rascaldom has killed the whole human society to become atheist. You should be very, very careful of these rascals. As soon as somebody says that "I am God," you shall immediately take him as dog, not God. So God is not so cheap. In the Brahma-samhita the description of God, Krsna, is given, and it is said there,

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah
visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.48]

Govinda, the adi-purusa, His plenary representation is Maha-Visnu. And what is the description of Maha-Visnu? Yasya eka nisvasita-kalam athavalambya. From one exhaling of the breath, then... Yasyaika nisvasita-kalam athavalambya [Bs. 5.48], all these innumerable universes. We are seeing... We are in one universe. There are many millions of universes. That we cannot see. We are within this universe compact. We can see it is packed up, just like a ball. But there are many such. So all these different universes controlled by one Lord Brahma, they are coming during the exhaling period of Maha-Visnu's breathing. That is God. Who can imagine Him? Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. And universes are coming from the, what is called? Hole?

Devotee: Pores.

Prabhupada: Pores. Pores of the body. From breathing in this way. Then just imagine how many pores are there in the Maha-Visnu's body and how many universes are coming. And this is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita:

athava bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat
 [Bg. 10.42]

"This material manifestation is one fourth-part of My energy, so many innumerable universes." And this is the plenary portion of God, Govinda -- not full, but plenary, one part only. And do you think God is so cheap, anyone can become God? You don't take so cheaply that "Here is a God, incarnation. Here is a God." All bogus. Immediately reject them. Sadhu sastra guru vakya.

So this arca-vigraha which you are worshiping, it is recommended by sadhu, by acarya, by sastra. It is not poetic imagination. Don't think that Krsna's form has been carved by the sculptor by some poetic imagination. No. Sadhu sastra guru vakya. It is confirmed by the sadhu, by sastra, by acarya. So why? To give us facility. Give us facility. We cannot see God by this blunt, materialistic eyes. Materialistic eyes means everything we think in the, with reference to our sense gratification. That is materialistic eyes. "Everything belongs to God" -- that we cannot believe or neither we have got the power to understand it. Krsna says, God says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "Everything belongs to Me." Still, we are fighting: "No, this Africa is mine," "This America is mine," or "This India is mine." They are simply fighting, simply fighting on this misconception. It is clearly said, and is a fact. How this land becomes yours? It does not belong to you. You have come for the time being, for, say, fifty years, hundred years. But the land is lying for millions and millions of years. So before your coming the land was there, and after your going away the land will be there. How it becomes yours? But they have no common sense, these rascals. They have no common sense. They are fighting -- "nationalism." Therefore they are described as go-khara, go-khara, animals, cows and asses. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma-ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. Bhauma-idya-dhih, this is nationalism, worshiping the land of birth. This is called nationalism.

So everyone is becoming very great personality by bhauma-ijya-dhih. The land in which he has taken birth is worshipable, not this Deity. Deity is impersonal, but the land is personal. This is their intelligence. Therefore in sastra it is said, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. The mistake begins from this misunderstanding that "I am this body." Therefore all other mistakes What are those? Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke..., sva-dhih kalatradisu: family. "My wife. This is my wife. This is my children. This is my father. This is my mother. We are in a family." Sva-dhih: "They are my kith and kin. Others, they are all my enemies." So this crippled thought Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu [SB 10.84.13]. Because they have no knowledge that "Nobody is my father. Nobody is my mother. I am nobody's son. We are simply assembled together under certain condition, just like some straws gathered together by the waves of the river, and again, by the same river, it is tossed here and there and then the straw remains one." So we can study our history of life, that someone was born in India; someone was born in America; someone was born in Africa, Canada. So we have come together. There was no idea that we shall have to give up our family relationship and come into this society of Krsna conscious. So similarly, we mix together, intermingle, by chance. Not by chance -- by the arrangement of the Supreme, by providence. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. So we play the part of the son, the father, the wife, the children, but it is exactly the same -- a straw gathering by the waves of the river. So just like sometimes in a foreign country we make some relationship, brother, father, but that is not actually the fact. The real father is Krsna. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayoyah [Bg. 14.4].

So this is understanding. So we have to return to that understanding. Therefore it is advised how to make our relationship stronger with Krsna. That is recommended here. Tasmil labdha-padam cittam sarvavayava-samsthitam. Don't think that Krsna or God has no head, no tail. No. Sarvavayava samsthitam. Virata-murti. They are repeatedly said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. But His avayava, different parts of the body, they are different from our, this material, at the present moment the material conception. That is different. He... Just like we can pick up our foodstuff by this hand. This hand is not just like Krsna's hand. Krsna's hand appears to be nonmoving. I think my hand is moving, but Krsna is so powerful that even He has got the so-called statue hand, a metal hand or a stone hand, He can capture food which you offer. That you have to understand. When Krsna is described as "He has no hand," that means He has no that limited hand as we have got. He has got... He appears before us just like a stone idol or statue, but He has got all the capacity of the limbs of the body, sarvavayava. He has kindly appeared before us so that we can see. Here it is recommended that samyujyad ange. You have to see each and every part of the body, limb of Krsna. That is meditation.

This arca-vigraha... By offering worship to the Deity, you see the lotus feet is there, the ankle is there, the mark in the sole is there. Everything is there. So each and every part you study and understand, "Krsna is here. Krsna is there." This is meditation. It is not that the rascal's theory that God is everywhere except in the temple. No. It is not like that. He is everywhere. Now He has appeared in this temple specifically to show His mercy how we can study very analytically: "Here is feet. Here is hand. The feet is marked with these symptoms. His hand is like this. His flute is like this. His hair is like this. Eyes are..." Study everything minutely. Then that is meditation, and this will help you to think of Krsna constantly, and that will be trance, samadhi, samadhi, practical. It is not to be imaginary. The Mayavadis, they think that it is imagination. No, it is not imagination. It is confirmed by the sastras, sadhu sastra guru vakya.

So don't be misled by the Mayavadis. As we have got our acaryas, they are instructing, as Bhagavata is instructing, Bhagavad-gita is instructing, we have to follow. And if we cannot follow, then we should see the acaryas, how they are doing. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. In this way we have to make our life perfect.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [break]

Prabhupada: ...on this subject matter, not bring the whole list of questions.

Girl devotee (1): Srila Prabhupada, you said that the demigods, they want to take birth in India, but is there not the same Vedic culture in the heavenly planets? Why do they want to...

Prabhupada: They are missing the opportunity. That is their misfortune. They do not take advantage of the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavatam. They are taking to technology. What can be done?

Brahmananda: Her question was of the demigods, that you said that they wanted to take their birth in India, but is not the Vedic culture in the heavenly planets?

Prabhupada: No, heavenly, they... By pious activities they go to the heavenly planets, but they find there inconvenience in God consciousness. Therefore they desire that "By our pious activities we have come to this higher planetary system, and as soon as our reaction, or the resultant action of pious activities will be finished, we shall have to go again to the material, or this Bhurloka. So if remaining little balance of our pious activities, instead of going anywhere, let us take birth in India." They desire like that. Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, janmaobi more iccha yadi tora kita-janma ha-u..., dasa tuara, like that. He is praying, "My Lord, I do not know whether I am sufficiently fit to go back to home, to back to Godhead, but my only prayer is that if You think that I have to take birth again, so kindly give me this opportunity that I may take birth in a place..." Kita janma hau yatha dasa tuya: "Let me become an insignificant ant in the house of a devotee. If I am going to take birth at all, so give me this concession, that let me take birth as an ant even in the house of a devotee." So Bharatvarsa, the devatas, the demigods, they desire to take birth in India because here is the opportunity. Still, so much broken, you will find, you have seen, that when we hold this Hare Krsna festival, twenty thousand, fifty thousand men come automatically. You will find never in any other country. Still in India you will find that. Why? Because they have taken birth in India the facility is there. So it is very unfortunate that Indians are trying to forget Krsna. Very unfortunate. Krpana. If you have got money, if you don't utilize is properly, that is your misfortune. Similarly, in India, those who have taken birth, they have got the opportunity. Bhagavad-gita was spoken in India, but they are reluctant. They're reluctant. This is their misfortune.

Jnana: Srila Prabhupada, is it sometimes more appropriate to worship arca-murti of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai than Sri Sri Radha and Krsna?

Prabhupada: That will be recommended to you by your spiritual master according to your position. There is no stereotyped idea. That you have to take, instruction from your spiritual master, or you have to do according to the instruction of spiritual master. That will be nice.

Girl devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada, when we chant japa in front of arca-murti, do we then therefore, by this verse, meditate on Krsna limb by limb?

Prabhupada: Hm?

Brahmananda: When we chant japa in front of the Deity, does that correspond to this verse of meditating on the Lord limb by limb?

Prabhupada: Yes. You can see. The Lord is everywhere. You can... Anyone can think. All right. Chant Hare Krsna.

Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975

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Krishna's Impression in Heart

Krishna's Impression in Heart

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.19
Nairobi, October 29, 1975

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Harikesa: "Thus always merged in devotional service, the yogi visualizes the Lord standing, moving, lying down or sitting within him, for the pastimes of the Supreme Lord are always beautiful and attractive."

Prabhupada:

sthitam vrajantam asinam
sayanam va guhasayam
preksaniyehitam dhyayec
chuddha-bhavena cetasa
 [SB 3.28.19]

This is meditation. These hatha-yogis, they meditate in their impersonal feature, but our meditation, Vaisnava, devotees' meditation is very easy. For the hatha-yogis, they have to select place, asana. Dhyana, dharana, asana... Asana is also one of the activities. But here, in Vaisnava philosophy, you are seeing the Deity always, at least daily, so you have got some impression that "Our temple Deity is like this." That impression, either you are sitting in one place without any activities, sthitam vrajantam... While walking on the street also, you can think of this Deity. There is no difficulty, either you are sitting or you are walking or you are standing, any way. Because the mind is there in Krsna, in Krsna's form. Therefore Deity worship is so essential for the neophyte. He can have always the opportunity to think of the Supreme Lord by the impression of the Deity within the mind. Sayanam. Even in lying down, even talking.

So this is our process. This is the perfect process. You don't require any artificial method to think of God. It is natural. If you simply come to the temple daily, chant in the front of the Deity, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, then you become advanced immediately. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. Now there are books. Either you chant, sit down in the Deity room in front of the Deity, see how aratrika is going on, how Deity is nicely dressed with flower, ornaments, so if you constantly be engaged in thinking of the Deity, that is first-class meditation, not artificially going to That is not possible at the present moment, that, as it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, you have to select a very solitary place and you have to sit down under certain posture, looking half-opened eyes on the tip of the nose so that you may not sleep in the name of meditation. There are so many. And you have to follow brahmacarya. All these rules and regulations are there: dhyana, dharana, asana, pranayama. Pranayama. Then? What is called? Pratyahara. Pratyahara means you have to completely withdraw the senses from sense gratification. That is called pratyahara. Then there is samadhi. So this yoga system is recommended, but that it is very, very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Krsna explained this hatha-yoga system in the Sixth Chapter to Arjuna Arjuna was honest man. He flatly denied, "Krsna, these things cannot be done by me." Because in those days, especially a person like Arjuna, why he should speak lies? This meditation is not possible. It was only possible in the Satya-yuga when people were very peaceful, long duration of life, there was no artificial necessities of life. Krte yad dhyayato visnum. At that time, to meditate upon Visnu and for years Just like Valmiki Muni. He practiced meditation for sixty thousands of years. Then he got perfection. At that time people used to live for 100,000.

So this meditation is very difficult to execute at the present moment. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature.

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
 [SB 12.3.52]

The meditation which was possible in the krte, in the Satya-yuga... Satya-yuga continued for twelve lakhs of years; then Treta-yuga, eight lakhs of years... No, Satya-yuga, eighteen lakhs; then Treta-yuga, twelve lakhs; then Dvapara-yuga, eight lakhs; and Kali-yuga, four lakhs. Altogether forty-three. So bhakti-yoga includes everything. So this process, this arcana process. If we... Everyone alternately they should learn how to worship. That will give the impression of the Lord within the heart, and then, either you are walking or you are sitting or you are lying or you are eating or you are talking, you'll always think of Krsna. This is the process. It will be automatically done. Sthitam vrajantam asinam sayanam va guhasayam. Generally the yogis, they try to find out the Visnu murti within the core of the heart, but this is as good. When you are walking on the street, then, if you are thinking, there will be no hindrance to your activities, but you can think of Krsna. Sa vai manah krsnah. Just like Maharaja Ambarish. He was emperor. He had many responsibilities, but he practiced how to think of Krsna always.

Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. You engage your senses. So this is practice. First of all think of the Deity. First of all think of the lotus feet, then the knees, then the eyes, then the belly, then the chest. In this way, as you become practiced, then go further, advance. In this way, when you become fully practiced, then automatically, in whatever condition you are, you will be able to meditate upon Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Satatam cintayanto mam. If you always think of Krsna, always chant... Chanting is also meditation. As soon as you chant, you immediately remember Krsna, His form, His name, His quality, His pastimes. So where is difficulty? The Gosvamis practiced it.

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi
dhiradhira-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau
sri-caitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

The six Gosvamis, they were always engaged, krsnotkirtana, loudly chanting. The same process we are following: loudly chant always; be engaged in arcana. Always there is possibility of Krsna consciousness. The facilities are there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31]. Then preksaniya, "He is worth seeing." We are accustomed to see so many things. That is our bondage. Aksnoh phalam. If by the eyes you see the Deity, the Vaisnavas... The Vaisnavas, with tilaka, with kunti, with chanting beads, as soon as you see... And practically you know. As soon as they see these Hare Krsna movement people, they also chant, "Hare Krsna," giving a chance to the others. The dress is also required. You should be always equipped with tilaka, kunti, and sikha, sutra. Then, as soon as a common man sees, "Oh, here is a Hare Krsna man. Hare Krsna," he'll chant. Automatically you give a chance to chant Hare Krsna.

So this is required. The foolish rascals, they say that "What is the necessity of this, that?" No. This is necessity. You must always remain dressed like a Vaisnava. That is necessity. So preksaniya: "is very beautiful to see." Otherwise how they became impressed? Immediately they become so pious that they chant Hare Krsna. The chanting of Hare Krsna is not so easy. So many people come here, but when there is chanting, they do not chant because it is not easy. Yaj-jihvagre nama tubhyam. In the sastra it is said, aho bata sva-pacato 'pi gariyan yaj-jihvagre nama tubhyam. Anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna, jihvagre, with the tongue, even if he is born in a family of dog-eaters he is glorious. He is glorious. Yaj-jihvagre nama tubhyam. So we give this chance. As soon as he chants Hare Krsna, immediately he becomes glorious. Immediately become glorious. Aho bata sva-pacato 'pi gariyan yaj-jihvagre na..., tepus tapas te [SB 3.33.7]. That means in his previous life he has already performed many sacrifices. Therefore he has got this qualification of chanting Hare Krsna. Tepus tapas te jihuvuh sasnur arya [SB 3.33.7]. They are really Arya, Aryan, who is chanting Hare Krsna.

So we should practice ourself to chant Hare Krsna always. Kirtaniyah sada harih, Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended.

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

Hari-nama, this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, one should practice always. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So preksaniya ihitam dhyayet. This is meditation. Dhyayet chuddha-bhavena, suddha-bhavena. Not artificial. But even if you do artificially, you will be purified by chanting. Artificially, if we do... That is in the sastra. Still, the chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it will make you... Because it is directly associating with God. Dhyayet. So as soon as chant, immediately there will be meditation, suddha-bhavena cetasa, by consciousness, by the mind, by intelligence. So this is the recommendation.

(reads purport) "The process of meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within oneself and the process of chanting the glories or pastimes of the Lord are the same." There is no difference. This is called advaya-jnana: no difference, absolute. Either you chant, hear, or you try to see within your heart the Supreme Lord -- the same thing. "The only difference is that hearing and fixing the mind on the pastimes of the Lord is easier than visualizing the form of the Lord within one's heart, because as soon as one begins to think of the Lord, especially in this age, the mind becomes disturbed, and due to so much agitation, the process of seeing the Lord within the mind is interrupted." Suppose one is big businessman. He is always thinking of his business, how to sell this, how to purchase this. This is... His mind is absorbed with these things. So if he sits down to meditate upon the Lord, it will not be possible. It will not be possible. His mind will be disturbed, and he will think of his business transaction. So that is natural. But if you chant Hare Krsna loudly, you will be forced to hear "Krsna," and that Krsna immediately comes within your mind by force. So it is better process than sit down and think of Krsna.

"When there is sound vibrated passing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, however, one is forced to hear. That hearing process enters into the mind, and the practice of yoga is automatically performed. For example, even a child can hear and derive the benefit of meditating on the pastimes of the Lord simply..." Now, just like these children. They do not understand English, they do not understand language, but when there will be chanting, they will stand up and dance. See how this process is easy. There is no question of language understanding, no question of being young or child. Anyone who will hear the chanting of Hare Krsna Mantra, he will be enthused immediately, and that is natural. Unless he is covered with sinful activities very much, he will be enthused. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. But even if he is covered with sinful activities, by chanting, immediately the process of cleansing begins. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Simply by hearing and chanting, he becomes pious. And the more he becomes pious, he understands what is God, what is Krsna. Without being pious, nobody can understand. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, te dvandva-moha-nir...

So the punya-karma means yajna-dana-tapasya... That is called punya-karma, pious activities. So in this age who is going to perform yajna? Where is that capacity? It is not possible. And who has got money to give in charity? Everyone is poverty-stricken. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagyah [SB 1.1.10]. Everyone is unfortunate, everyone in this age. So how he can give in charity? Any country you go-maybe in some special-otherwise you will find poverty-stricken men, hungry men, without any culture, without any education. They are majority. Manda-bhagyah. Mandah sumanda-matayo. And mostly, cent percent Why? Cent percent men, they are mandah, bad men. They won't hear about their real necessities of life. Mandah sumanda-matayo. And if they are at all interested for progress of life, they will accept some so-called system, sumanda-matayo. It has no meaning, simply bluff. They will accept that. Mandah sumanda-matayo. Why? Manda-bhagyah, unfortunate. Unfortunate. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah. And always disturbed. This is the description of the men in this Kali-yuga. And beyond that, they are short-living. The duration of life is very short. Under the circumstances, the general process is impossible. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended,

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

So this should be taken.

So, "Hearing includes applying the mind. In this age of Kali-yuga, Lord Caitanya has recommended that one should always engage in chanting and hearing Bhagavad-gita." Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128].' Krsna also said... Somebody questioned me, that "Where is chanting is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita?" That is there: satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. And they say, "Where is chanting in the word?" Here is chanting. Mam. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Mam-Krsna-kirtana, not this kirtana, that kirtana. They have imitated. No. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. Sravanam kirtanam means of the, by the name of Visnu. The Mayavadis, they have invented. In Calcutta, in Bengal, they have invented Kali-kirtana, Kali-kirtana. The Ramakrishna Mission, they have invented Kali-kirtana. "Why Hari-kirtana? Kali-kirtana." They have got a party. As we say... Because they are rival, if we say, "Hare Krsna," they will say "Kali, Kali, Kali," like that. This is going on. Kirtana does not mean any other demigod. Kirtana means of Visnu. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh, clearly state. But these bogus, so-called swamis and yogis, they cheat people, bluff people by their own concoction. That is the difficulty. Even if you speak the right truth, they are unable to receive it because they have been deceived by so many rascals. So kirtana means... Krsna says in the Bhagavad..., satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14], Krsna. He doesn't say that "Any kirtana will do." No. He doesn't say. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14].

So everything is there. Stick to Hare Krsna maha-mantra and see the Deity always and have impression of the Deity. In whichever position you are, you'll be meditating and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Chant Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.19 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975

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