Lord Caitanya's Sweetness

Lord Caitanya's Sweetness

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 21.1-10
New York, January 3, 1967

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Prabhupada:

agaty-eka-gatim natva
hinarthadhika-sadhakam
sri-caitanyam likhamy asya
madhuryaisvarya-sikaram

Agaty-eka-gatim natva. So the author of this Caitanya-caritamrta is offering his respectful obeisances unto Lord Caitanya. So he says, agaty-eka-gatim natva. Agaty, persons who have fallen, who have no hope for reaching the supreme destination, for them Lord Caitanya is the only hope. In this age, it is stated in authoritative scriptures, in this age the people are unfortunate. Of course, they are very much proud of advancing. From spiritual point of view, the people of this age, Kali-yuga, they are unfortunate. Their description is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Chapter, First Canto, that people are short-living, their duration of life is very short, and they are very slow in the matter of spiritual realization. The human form of life is especially meant for spiritual realization, but they have forgotten that aim of life. They are very much serious about maintaining about the necessities of this body, which he's not. And if somebody's interested to have some taste of spiritual realization, they are misdirected.

prayenalpayusah (sabhya)
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya...
 [SB 1.1.10]

And they are unfortunate; upadrutah, and always disturbed by so many things.

So this is the position of the present-day population, and the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, he says that Lord Caitanya is the only hope for these people. Why? Because spiritual realization is not an ordinary subject matter. But He has given us the shortcut. He's so kind to the people of the world that simply He has introduced this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By simple chanting of this transcendental vibration the people of this age will make exact progress in the matter of spiritual realization. Therefore this reference is there, agaty-eka-gatim. Those who are hopeless about their spiritual realization, Lord Caitanya is the only one hope. So hinarthadhika-sadhakam sri-caitanyam likhamy asya. So "I am just offering my respect to Lord Sri Caitanya. I am trying to describe about His transcendental activities and instructions and philosophy."

Now,

jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

This is the process of offering respect to Lord Caitanya. What is that? Lord Caitanya is always presented with five transcendental entourage. He is Himself present, and His next expansion, Nityananda, and His incarnation, Advaita, and His internal potency, Gadadhara, and His marginal potency, Sri Srivasa... So panca-tattvatmakam krsnam. He is Krsna, but He is present in this age with His five associates. Panca-tattvatmakam krsnam bhakta-rupa-svarupakam. But although He is Krsna, He presents Himself as a devotee of Krsna. Bhakta-rupa-svarupakam. Bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam. And incarnation of devotee, Advaita, and bhaktakhyam. These five associates are always with Krsna Caitanya. So to offer Krsna Caitanya means to offer with His associates. Sa-ghosti. This is the process.

Now Krsna's..., about the position of Krsna, what is Krsna, he has already described. The first proposition is sambandha. Sambandha means we have to understand our relationship with Krsna. Just like if we want to make some relationship with a friend, then we must know about him, what he is. So we are going to be Krsna conscious, so we must know what is Krsna. So Krsna, about Krsna he has described shortly, that He is personally like this, His incarnations are like this, and there are so many incarnations, and He is existing in this way, He manifests Himself in this material world in this way. As far as possible he has given description about Krsna. Now, about Krsna's abode... Krsna means not only Krsna. Nama dhama guna lila parikara vaisistha. Krsna means Krsna Himself, His name, His place, nama dhama, His quality, then His entourage, then His pastime. All these things Krsna means. Because we are not impersonalists, simply understanding Brahman we are satisfied... The impersonalists are satisfied simply understanding that He is Brahman. But the Vaisnava, they are not satisfied simply by knowing Brahman. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, brahma-bhutah. Brahma-bhutah means he's already Brahman, but he forgot himself. He thought himself that "I am matter." That is illusion. So every living entity, by constitutional position he is Brahman, but his forgetfulness -- he thinks that "I am something of this matter." So brahma-bhutah, when one becomes spiritually realized that he is not anything of this material world, he is spirit soul, brahma-bhutah, this is called brahma-bhutah. So long he does not understand that he is spiritual entity, he is jiva-bhutah. That is called jiva-bhutah. And when he understands that he is nothing of this material world, he belongs to the spiritual world and his position is spiritual identity, that is called brahma-bhutah stage. That is described in Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. Prasannatma means he becomes immediately enlivened: "I don't belong to this. Why I am identifying myself with these all miseries of material world? I belong to the part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], eternal, blissful knowledge." So he becomes prasannatma. Prasannatma means joyful, spiritually enlivened.

So this is the first stage of Brahman realization. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that this Brahman realization, people take so much, I mean to say, undertaking of austerity, penance and... But by chanting Hare Krsna, He says, ceto-darpana-marjanam. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. At once one becomes cleansed of the dust accumulated on the mind. Because everything is misconception. I am thinking matter. Actually I am not. This is misconception. So by chanting Hare Krsna, the first installment of benefit is that one becomes brahma-bhutah. He at once becomes brahma-bhutah. And prasannatma. Prasannatma. Brahma-bhutah. Next stage is prasannatma. Atma. He becomes engladdened: "Oh, I am not this matter." Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the same thing He says: ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. This bhava-maha-davagni... This world is compared with forest fire. It is going on. The fire is going on. So for a realized soul, the fire is at once extinguished. One who is realized soul, that he's not this matter, the fire of this material existence at once extinguished. So Lord Caitanya gave us this opportunity, and the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, he's saying that agaty-eka-gatim. Those who have fallen, for them Lord Caitanya is the only hope.

sarva svarupera dhama-paravyoma-dhame
prthak prthak vaikuntha saba nahika ganane

Now Lord Caitanya describes about the kingdom of God, or the spiritual sky. He says... He has already explained to you about different kinds of expansions: prabhava, vaibhava, vilasa, prakasa. You may remember it. So there are innumerable expansions. Eko bahu syama: "The one Supreme Lord has become so many." The same example: the original candle, and from that candle, you can expand millions and millions candles. Similarly, the original Personality of Godhead is Sri Krsna, and He has expanded in so many ways. Now, Lord Caitanya says, all the expanded plenary manifestation of Krsna has got a separate abode. Each and every one of them has got a separate abode. Sarva rupera dhama-paravyoma-dhame. And where they are? That is in the paravyoma. Paravyoma means... Vyoma means sky, and para means transcendental, beyond this sky. This sky is called material sky, and beyond this there is paravyoma, spiritual sky. They have no information. The material scientists, they have no information. What information they have got? They cannot reach even the moon planet, what to speak of others. It is far, far away. Whatever... We can see the sky just like a pot, and that is the covering of this universe. And if you can penetrate that covering -- that space is also many, many times longer than this outer space -- then you'll find the spiritual sky. That is not possible for any material scientist to find out where the spiritual sky is. But you can understand from authoritative scriptures and from authorities like Lord Caitanya. He says that for each of the expansions of Sri Krsna, there is a separate, I mean to say, planet into the, in the, I mean to say, spiritual sky. Prthak prthak vaikuntha nahika ganane. Prthak prthak. Each of them has got a separate Vaikuntha planet, but how many planets are there nobody can count. Nahika tara ganane.

So some estimate? The Lord says,

sata, sahasra, ayuta, laksa, koti-yojana
eka eka vaikunthera vistara varnana

There is no question of voidness or impersonalist. He says that all those Vaikuntha planets are so big that some of them, hundreds, some, millions and millions of miles, I mean to say, area. What is called? Round. Eka vaikunthera vistara varnana. Vistara means very much expanded.

saba vaikuntha-vyapaka, ananda-cinmaya
parisada-sadaisvarya-purna saba haya

And each and every Vaikuntha planet, there are living entities, not that they are vacant. But all of them are ananda. They are all made of sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], eternity and bliss and full of knowledge. The land is also eternal, blissful and full of knowledge; the inhabitants are also eternal, blissful and full of knowledge; and the presiding Deity expansion of Krsna, Narayana, He is also eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. This is called absolute. Here in the material world we have got difference. I am spirit soul, but there is difference between me and my body; there is difference between me and this material world. But there, everything is spiritual. Therefore there is no difference. The impersonalists, they cannot understand. Because everything is spiritual, they think that there is no variegatedness. But from this description of Caitanya-caritamrta and other scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, we can understand that the spiritual sky is exactly like this, but that is spiritual and this is material.

ananta vaikuntha eka eka dese yara
sei paravyoma-dhamera ke karu vistara

Now, so far the spiritual sky is concerned, there are innumerable Vaikuntha planets, and nobody can measure how great those Vaikuntha planets are. Therefore how great that space of spiritual sky is, nobody can calculate.

ananta vaikuntha-paravyoma yara dala-sreni
sarvopari krsnaloka 'karnikara' gani

Now, all these planets... Just like in a stem there are so many branches and flowers, take it for granted it is something like that. And the topmost flower... Just like if you take a rose flower, there are so many leaves, and on the topmost there is the nice flower, so the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Krsnaloka. Karnikara. That is just like... The shape of the Krsnaloka is just like a lotus flower.

ei-mata sad-aisvarya, sthana, avatara
brahma, siva anta na paya-jiva kon chara

The Lord says, "So what these ordinary living entities with teeny brain, they can calculate about Lord's opulence?" These are opulences of the Supreme Lord. He says, brahma siva. Brahma. Brahma is considered to be the highest of the living entities, and Siva, Lord Siva, he is also considered very high-grade demigod. So Lord Caitanya says that even Brahma and Siva cannot calculate, and what to speak of these ordinary human beings. They cannot understand it. It is not possible. Ei-mata sad-aisvarya. Nobody can calculate the six opulences of Krsna. We have discussed the six opulences: wealth, riches and strength and fame and knowledge and beauty and renunciation. Nobody can calculate.

So he's giving a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam,

ko vetti bhuman bhagavan paratman
yogesvarotir bhavatas trilokyam
kva va katham va kati va kadeti
vistarayan kridasi yoga-mayam

He, bhuman: "O the great, O the Supreme Personality of Godhead, O the Supersoul, O the master of mysticism, how You are acting tri-bhuvane, tri-bhuvane, within the three worlds?" Three world means that in the materially there is lower planet and middle planets and upper planets, these three worlds. So "How You are acting within these three worlds, and how You are utilizing Your internal potency, yogamaya, extending Yourself in so many expansions, plenary expansions? Who can understand You? Nobody can understand You." You may say if nobody can understand, what is the use of discussing such things? That is the qualification of the devotees. In spite of their inability to understand His supremacy, the expansion, the extension of the Supreme Lord, still, by discussing about the Supreme Lord, hearing and chanting, they take transcendental pleasure. It is not that anybody can understand Krsna, but still, it is a transcendental pleasure to try to understand. Not that we shall be able to understand Krsna fully; it is not in our power. But still, bodhayantah parasparam, tusyanti ca ramanti ca. Mahatma, those who are great souls, in their society, in their spiritual society of Krsna consciousness, by discussing about Krsna in terms of the Vedic literature and authoritative literature, they enjoy transcendentally. This is transcendental pleasure. (end)

 

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Vaisnava Philosophy

Vaisnava Philosophy

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.395
Hyderabad, August 17, 1976

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Prabhupada: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. This is from Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Twenty.

kona brahmande kona lilara haya avasthana
tate lila 'nitya' kahe agama-purana

Agama-purana means Vedic literature. Agama, "which is coming from higher plane," not manufactured here. Agama-purana. And Purana means the old history of the world, Purana. Purana, some of the modern scholars, they take everything as mythology, imagination. That is not fact. They're real history. Purana. Purana means very old. Nityah sasvato yam purano [Bg. 2.20]. In Hindi it is called Purana. Purana means old. The Puranas means the old history, not only of this world, but of the whole universe. Purana is also Vedic evidence. Purana is not ordinary thing. Therefore here it is said, agama-purana. Vedic literatures. Srila Madhvacarya has accepted the Vedic literatures -- four Vedas, Vedanta-sutra, Upanisads, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata. They're all Vedic literature. So here it is said, kono brahmande. (aside:) Come here. This room is very nice. Yes. Although it is not very big, but very comfortable. Daksina, daksina-raja.

So,

kona brahmande kona lilara haya avasthana
tate lila 'nitya' kahe agama-purana

Nitya-lila. Nitya-lila means everlasting pastimes. Our lila, material, that is not nitya-lila. Whatever I'm acting by this body, it is not nitya; it is temporary. I am the son of such and such family, I am such and such important person, my name is such and such, my position is such and such -- these are not nitya. This is temporary. As soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. Then another lila: I am such and such dog, I am such and such this and that. With the change of body, our lila is finished. Therefore ours is not nitya-lila. But Krsna's, Bhagavan's activities, they are nitya-lila. That is the difference. Nitya means eternal. Krsna's Vrndavana lila is going on. It is nitya-lila. Just like what is the time now? Quarter to eight. This quarter to eight is a crude example of the sun. It is going on. It is not that quarter to eight here, but when it will be eight, in some other place it is quarter to eight. Somewhere the sun is rising and setting within this regulation. Now suppose in Hyderabad it is quarter to eight and say it is in the eastern side.

Mahamsa: Central India.

Prabhupada: Central India. So the sun will pass. It will be eight. But the sun will go somewhere where it is quarter to eight. Is it not? Somewhere the sun will pass and it is quarter to eight. That quarter to eight is also permanent. Somewhere there will be, must be quarter to eight. This is crude example. This example is given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu to explain what is the meaning of nitya-lila.

So this is material example. And material, everything is temporary. Still we find some similarity of nitya-lila. And what to speak of spiritual. Spiritual, it is clearly said, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. So kono brahmande kona lilara haya avasthana. Just like we are opening the temple. This is also nitya-lila. In some brahmanda there is this opening ceremony of temple. When tomorrow we shall open, day after tomorrow it is opened. But day after tomorrow in some brahmanda it is being opened. This is nitya-lila. Some other brahmanda, again it is finished; in another brahmanda it is being opened. In another brahmanda it is being opened. There is no end. This is called nitya-lila. In some brahmanda Krsna is born, Janmastami. It is finished here. In other brahmanda, again Janmastami. Every moment. This is pastimes of Krsna. Kona brahmande kona lilara haya avasthana. There must be some... The same example: quarter to eight is somewhere. Similarly, Krsna's lila, it is eternal. Somewhere it is going on. And you have no experience of one brahmanda, what to speak of innumerable brahmandas.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was requested by one of His devotees that "Sir, You have so kindly come. Please liberate all the living entities of this brahmanda, and You take them with You to Vaikuntha. And if You think that they're so sinful they cannot be taken away, then please give all their sinful actions to me. I shall suffer. You take them." This is (not) Vaisnava's philosophy, that "You suffer. I'll go to Vaikuntha." That is not Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava philosophy is that "I take your all sinful activities. Let me suffer here. You go to Vaikuntha." This is Vaisnava. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Suppose I take all the living entities to Vaikuntha. Do you think that the maya's business will be stopped? No. This brahmanda is one of the mustard seeds in the bag of mustard seeds." In the bag of mustard seeds, can anybody count how many mustard seeds are there? So here it is called kona brahmanda. This is one of the brahmanda, universe. And there are so many universes that is just like this one seed of mustard. One grain of mustard seed, and there is a bag of mustard seeds. That is kona brahmande. So in each brahmanda Krsna's lila is going on. Now you count. This is Krsna. They become very cheaply God, Krsna, but they do not know what is Krsna. Therefore they take it so cheaply, that "Anyone can become God. Anyone can become Krsna." Mudha. Mayaya-apahrta-jnanah. These rascals they say like that. But they do not know what is Krsna.

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

They do not know what is Krsna. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. And they're coming out... Just like within our breathing there are so many things, particles, or germs are coming, similarly, with the breathing period of Maha-Visnu, so many universes are coming. This is Bhagavan. By breathing period innumerable universes are created. Not that they create something jugglery and become Bhagavan. Our conception of Bhagavan from the sastra is different.

So Krsna's creation of this brahmanda and His pastimes, they are going on, nitya-lila. Kona kona bhagavan ei dekhi bare paya. The lila is going on constantly, but one who is fortunate enough, he can see how lila is... Kona brahmande kona lila haya avasthana, tate lila 'nitya' kahe agama-purana. It is not that Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami is manufacturing some idea. No. He says, kahe agama-purana. "I do not manufacture anything." That is not acarya. Acarya does not manufacture anything concocted. He quotes from the Vedic literature. Agama-purana. That is the qualification. So,

goloka, gokula-dhama-'vibhu' krsna-sama
krsnecchaya brahmanda-gane tahara sankrama
 [Cc. Madhya 20.396]

So Krsna-lila is going on in the spiritual world, but by Krsna's desire that spiritual world also comes down in this material world. Just like a big man, he lives in his palace, but if he likes he can go anywhere, and he has the same facility of his palace by arrangement. Similarly, when Krsna comes within this material world, He has all the paraphernalia of his Goloka Vrndavana lila. As such this Vrndavana is as good as the original Vrndavana. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa, tanaya tad-dhamam vrndavanam. This Vrndavana is not ordinary place; it is the same Goloka Vrndavana. By Krsna's omnipotency the same Vrndavana is duplicated. It is possible. That is called nitya-lila. Wherever He likes, He can bring in Vrndavana and He can have His pastimes. So this temple, do not think that it is Hyderabad place. No. It is Goloka Vrndavana. You should be very careful. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa, tanaya tad-dhamam vrndavanam. As Krsna is worshipable, similarly His place is also worshipable. Not that His place is different from Him. No. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. As the worship of the Deity is important, similarly, sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marj anadau **. To keep the temple very cleansed, very attractive, that is also Deity worship. Those who are here working, they should keep this temple as clean as possible. Then Krsna will be satisfied. Krsna's body -- this temple. Do not think it otherwise. Temple should be worshiped in that way. Therefore I ask you not to come with shoes. Even the temple is not opened, it is still Krsna's temple. It is not different from Krsna. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara **. You should always remember that. The temple management very nicely means to render service to Krsna.

So we are going to open this temple. Those who are in charge, they must take care of the temple. Cleanliness. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. The more we have got men, engage them. And do not think that temple cleaning and Deity worshiping are different. Do not be envious, that "This person has been given the in charge of decorating the Deity, and I have (been) given to wash the temple where there are not Deity." No. It is the same thing. There is no difference. It is spiritual. In spiritual... Just like either you worship Krsna's lotus feet or you offer a garland to Krsna on His head, it is the same thing. It is no such thing as "This is head, this is tail." No. This is absolute conception of... So Bhagavan, His lila, His form, His pastimes, His place, they're all Bhagavan. Even higher, those who are highly elevated devotees, they do not see even this material world different from Bhagavan. Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetara. That is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Narada Muni says. The whole universe is Bhagavan, although it appears different from Him. Bhagavan ivetara. So actually everything is Bhagavan, but it is not this Mayavada philosophy, that because everything is Bhagavan, there is no Bhagavan. No. Everything is Bhagavan, and still Bhagavan is there. Krsna says, maya tatam idam sarvam [Bg. 9.4]. Maya, a person is there. Otherwise, there is no use of the word maya. Maya tatam idam sarvam. Vaisnava philosophy is that this material world is expansion of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the Mayavada philosophy is that because God has become everything, there is no more God. Nirvisesa. That is called nirvisesa -- without understanding the beauty.

In this way, try to understand Krsna and His paraphernalia, His form, His name, His quality, everything. There are so many things to understand about Krsna. That is called Krsna consciousness. The materialistic persons, they will think that "These people are wasting time. They are doing nothing." But the agnostic, the material person, he does not know anything. Because here is the study of Krsna. And Krsna is so unlimited, what one life one can understand? It requires many lives. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante [Bg. 7.19]. It is not so easy thing that we have understood immediately Krsna. Bahunam janmanam ante, after many, many births if one is fortunate, he can understand Krsna. So don't lose a single moment. Try to understand Krsna, agama-purana, from sastra. Don't manufacture. Here it is said, tate lila 'nitya' kahe agama-purana, from sastra. Sruti-smrti-puranadi pancaratriki vidhim vina [Brs. 1.2.101], you have to understand Krsna from the sastra. Sruti means veda, smrti means the history, the corollaries, just like Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata. Sruti-smrti-puranadi, without reference to the Vedic literature, the knowledge of Krsna is simply disturbance. So you should always refer to the sastras. The sastras are there by Krsna's grace. It is now available in the English language. Be always engaged in studying, in rendering service, understanding the philosophy, then life will be successful. Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976

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Chief Saktyavesa Avatara

Chief Saktyavesa Avatara

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.367-384
New York, December 31, 1966

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Prabhupada:

saktyavesavatara krsnera asankhya ganana
dig-darasana kari mukhya mukhya jana

Lord Caitanya says that incarnation of opulence... Saktyavesa avatara means incarnation of opulence. We have analyzed the opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So saktyavesa avatara... An incarnation who represents a particular opulence of the Supreme Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. So Lord Caitanya says that there are innumerable incarnations like that, of whom only the principal, I mean to say, principal incarnations, they are mentioned herein. And who are they?

'sanakadi', 'narada', 'prthu', 'parasurama',
jiva-rupa 'brahmara' avesavatara-nama

Jiva-rupa 'brahmara' avesa. Brahma, the first creature of this universe, he's also considered as one of the saktyavesa avataras.

Now, so far our experience is concerned, Lord Caitanya says there are innumerable. So how we can accept a avatara, a saktyavesa avatara, whose names are not mentioned herein? Then we have to... As in the beginning, Lord Caitanya says that by the symptoms we can understand that He is saktyavesa. By the symptoms and activities and influence. So what is that symptom? Symptom is that eternal and temporary. So avatara, incarnation, comes to glorify the eternal existence of the Supreme Lord. So any avatara, any incarnation, he comes to glorify that "There is spiritual kingdom, there is God, and I have come to reclaim you to back to Godhead, back to home." This is the symptom. So therefore, by that symptom, we accept Lord Jesus Christ as saktyavesa avatara, or Hazrat Muhammad, he's also. Because these two religious leaders of the world, they preached about the glorification of the Supreme Lord. And they sacrificed everything for preaching the glories of the Lord. Therefore... And their influence and their followers, there are... These are the symptoms by which we can understand that Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad was, were saktyavesa avataras.

So far Buddha is concerned, he's also considered saktyavesa avatara. He preached this nirvana philosophy. Although he did not speak about God, because it is considered that he was himself God, but the people amongst whom he preached, they were mostly atheistic people; therefore he did not preach about God. But he did not deny also. He simply wanted to make extinction of this present worldly activities. That was, yes... Nirvana. And he represented the sacrifice of renouncement. He..., you may remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His six opulences, one opulence is renouncement. So Lord Buddha's life is renouncement. He was prince. He, he was in a very young time. He renounced the world and underwent severe penances. These are the symptoms by which we can understand that he's also saktyavesa avatara. And the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, yad yad vibhutimat sattvam mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam. Anyone, not only Lord Buddha or others, but anyone, Lord, in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated, anyone who has got some extraordinary power, uncommon power, he's to be considered vibhu. Saktyavesa avatara, there are two kinds, one directly empowered for particular mission, comes from the transcendental spiritual sky, and others, those who are in this material world, but they have got some specific power, uncommon power, not found in ordinary man. They are called vibhuti. This vibhuti (is) explained in the Bhagavad-gita: yad yad vibhutimat sattvam mama tejo-'msa sambhavam. That is out of the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

sanakadye 'jnana'-sakti, narade sakti 'bhakti'
brahmaya 'srsti'-sakti, anante 'bhu-dharana'-sakti

Now, so far the principal saktyavesa avataras are concerned, as mentioned by Lord Caitanya, now, what are the manifestation of opulences in each of these saktyavesa avataras? He says that sanakadye, the Kumaras, the four Kumaras-Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda, Sanat-kumara -- these four Kumaras, they were vastly learned, and they..., first they preached the philosophical way of understanding the Absolute Truth. Sanakadye. Later on, they become devoted, devotees, and they have got a sampradaya, or party, they are called Nimbarka-sampradaya. Sanakadye 'jnana'-sakti. Now we have analyzed that the Supreme Lord has the opulence of knowledge, full knowledge. So these four Kumaras-kumaras means unmarried brahmacaris -- they were sons of Brahma. Because in the beginning Brahma begot so many sons, and each of them were asked to increase the population. Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana, they were also requested by their father to increase population, but they refused. They said, "No, we are not going to be entangled in these material affairs. We shall remain kumaras, brahmacari, and preach the glories of God," by which Brahma was angry. And while he was angry, from his anger Rudra, Siva, was produced, and Lord Siva is therefore supposed to be son of Brahma.

So these four Kumaras, they represented the knowledge opulence of the Supreme Lord. Narada, Narada, he's also saktyavesa avatara. He was, in his previous life, he was a maidservant's son, but by the association of devotees, he rose up to this position, Narada. Narada's position is very exalted as devotee. All of the devotees of the, in this material world, more or less, they are all disciples of Narada. Vyasadeva is also a disciple of Narada. Prahlada Maharaja -- these are big devotees -- he's..., he was also a disciple of Narada. And Dhruva Maharaja, he was also disciple of Narada. Valmiki, he was also disciple of Narada. So Narada is the representation of the devotional path of opulence. Brahmaya 'srsti'-sakti. And the creative opulence was manifested in Brahma. Creative.

Anante 'bhu-dharana'. Ananta, Sesasayi, what is known as law of gravitation, that is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures as sankarasa, who is supposed to be supporting all these planets in the air. 'Bhu-dharana'-sakti. 'Bhu-dharana'-sakti means all the planets are supported by Sesasayi. It is described in the Vedic literature that He has got many hoods, just like serpent has got hood. And each hood, each planet, all these planets are resting.

sese 'sva-sevana'-sakti, prthute palana'
parasurame 'dusta-nasaka-virya-sancarana'

Sese, Sesa-avatara, He is personally serving the Supreme Lord as Maha Visnu, Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu. You have seen the picture that Visnu is lying on a serpent bed. That serpent bed is supposed to be Sesa-avatara. And prthute, Maharaja, King Prthu, he was ideal king. Therefore 'palana', God has another opulence: maintenance. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. That Supreme One is maintaining so many, innumerable eternals. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eka bahunam vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). So this maintenance performance, opulence, was invested to Prthu Maharaja. He exhibited extraordinary power, how to maintain the citizens, as king and subjects. Parasurame 'dusta-nasaka-virya-sancarana' Parasurama... Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Under two, these two missions, the Lord comes, incarnates, descends. And Parasurama was supposed to kill the dusta, the wicked ksatriyas, when they forgot to rule over the world as bona fide ksatriyas. They..., they..., they were killed twenty-one times, and it is mentioned in the Mahabharata during that killing process, many ksatriyas fled from, fled away from India and they settled in other parts of the world, especially in Europe. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata. So Parasurama was especially meant, vinasaya ca duskrtam, to kill the miscreants.

So,

jnana-sakty-adi-kalaya
yatravisto janardanah
ta avesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah

Another definition is given by Sanatana Gosvami. This same Sanatana Gosvami who is now being taught by Lord Caitanya, he also has written many books. These two brothers, Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, and their nephew, Jiva Gosvami, composed many valuable literatures. So Sanatana Gosvami has written one book, Laghu-bhagavatamrtam. Laghu-bhagavatamrtam, supplementary to Srimad-Bhagavatam. So in that Laghu-bhagavatamrtam book, he has written,

jnana-saktya-adi-kalaya
yatravisto janardanah
ta avesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah

He has defined that these saktyavesa avatara, they are all living entities; they are not on the level of Visnu-tattva. But they have special power and special, I mean to say, opulence to glorify the Supreme Lord.

'vibhuti' kahiye yaiche gita-ekadase
jagat vyapila krsna-sakty-abhasavese

Now that vibhuti is, is mentioned by Lord Caitanya. That vibhutimat sattvam, saktyavesa, there are many, many... We find in the history so many extraordinary, powerful men come and go. They are called vibhuti of the Supreme Lord.

yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam

Anyone extraordinary. You'll be, I mean to..., pleased to learn that in India, the king is considered vibhutimat sattvam. King. He is also considered as the incarnation of God, king. Because when Sanatana, this Sanatana Gosvami, when he resigned from government service... So, when the King, Nawab Shah, Nawab Hussain Shah, came to his house -- "What is the matter that my minister Sanatana is not joining office? And he's taking leave under so many pretexts?" So when he personally came to the house of Sanatana Gosvami... He was not at that time Gosvami. His name was Dabira Khasa. Khasa shah. So he was received very well, and when the Nawab Shah said... There was some topics, conversation with the minister and the Nawab. The minister wanted to resign, and Nawab Shah did not like that idea. So at last it was... Nawab Shah said that "If you whimsically, whimsically resign your responsible post, then I shall arrest you." At this order, Sanatana Gosvami replied that "If you think I shall be punished, I shall accept it, because you are God's representative. You are God's representative." So this was the idea of king and Nawab. Now, although he was Muhammadan and he was brahmana, but, so far the respect of a king is concerned, Sanatana Gosvami rightly told him that "You are Nawab. You are king. You are not ordinary man. Therefore you are empowered by the Supreme Lord. So anything you punish..." Because king's punishment has to be accepted. And in the Manu-samhita it is said that when king punishes a citizen, he is reduced in his sinful actions so that he may not subjected in his next birth for that sinful reaction if he undergoes the punishment of a king. These are stated there.

So, vibhutimat...

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

So ekamsena, ekamsena, this partial, plenary representation of the Supreme Lord, Paramatma, Visnu, Maha Visnu, they are also parts and parcels. Visnu parts. Svamsa. Visnu, or the Supreme Lord, expands Himself in two ways. One way is Visnu expansion, and the other way is the jiva, these living entities expansion. We are also expansions of the Supreme Lord. Eko bahu syama. He alone, He has become so many. And why? What is the purpose of becoming so many? The purpose is anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). He wants to enjoy Himself with so many. So practically our creation is for enjoying in the company, in the association of the Supreme Lord. But we thought that it is better to become an imitation God and try to lord it over the material nature. That is not possible; therefore we are suffering.

eita kahilun sakty-avesa-avatara
balya-pauganda-dharmera sunaha vicara

Now the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is analyzing the characteristics of God, Krsna. Now He has explained about His different incarnations. Now He says, about His ages, how the Lord is old. Lord never becomes old. Adyam purana purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that, although He's the oldest personality, adyam, because He's the original person from whom everything has come out. Everything has generated. So we living entities, we are also sons and grandsons of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the Brahma-samhita says although He's the oldest person... In the Bhagavad-gita He is stated by Arjuna as great-grandfather. Prapitamahas ca. You'll find this word in the Bhagavad-gita. Because Brahma is addressed as pitamaha, grandfather. He's the original first creature in this material world, in this universe, and everyone has come from him. Therefore he is called pitamaha. Pitamaha means grandfather. And, because he's born also of Visnu, therefore Visnu is prapitamaha [Bg. 11.39].

So the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, is the oldest of all, but whenever you'll find, you'll find just like a young man. Adyam purana purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. Nava-yauvanam means just a fresh youth. So that is being explained, explained by Lord Caitanya, the age of... This is another characteristics of God. Kisora-sekhara-dharmi vrajendra-nandana. Kisora-sekhara. Kisora. Kisora is... Kisora age is called from eleven years to sixteen years. These teen years, or, in English, what is called? Adolescent? Yes. This, this age... So Krsna represents Himself just like a boy from eleven to sixteen years old. Not more than that. Even in the Battle of Kuruksetra, when He was great-grandfather, still, His feature was just like a young boy.

kisora-sekhara-dharmi vrajendra-nandana
prakata-lila karibare yabe kare mana

Prakata-lila. Prakata-lila means... Prakata and aprakata. Just like the sun, at night, we cannot see. This is called aprakata. And when we can see, during daytime, that is called prakata. Sun is already there, in the sky, but at night, by certain arrangement of the planetary system, we cannot see. That is called aprakata. Similarly, Krsna is always there. So sometimes He is manifested within this material world; sometimes He is not manifested. So when He desires to manifest Himself in this material world, rather, when He descends, then He... Prakata-lila karibare yabe...

adau prakata karaya mata-pita-bhakta-gane
pache prakata haya janmadika-lila-krame

So before His coming, some of His devotees, they come first, just to become His father, become His mother, become His family members, like that. Because He does not do anything which is against the process of this world. A man is born out of his father and mother, so He has to take His birth from a father and mother. So these fathers and mothers were, are first sent. I think in the Bible they call messiahs, or what you have? Similarly, nobody can become the father and mother of God. But, when He manifests Himself in this material world, He shows that "He's My father." Just like Krsna accepted father, Vasudeva, Vasudeva as His father and Devaki as His mother. Or His foster-father, Nanda Maharaja, and His foster-mother, Yasoda. So they are all devotees. Krsna's friend, Krsna's father, Krsna's everyone, when He displays Himself, they are all devotees. He's the Supreme. Nobody can be father of Krsna.

vayaso vividhatve 'pi
sarva-bhakti-rasasrayah
dharmi kisora evatra
nitya-lila-vilasavan

Nitya-lila-vilasavan means eternally He's..., He's manifesting His pastimes. Just like Krsna, Krsna-lila, the manifestation of Krsna and His different pastimes in this material world. In the..., on this earth was manifested, that thing is going on, nitya-lila. As I have several times explained to you that the sun, sunrise and sunset, is going on every moment. Every moment. You inquire by, by communication you'll find in some country, there is always sunrise and some country there is always... Any country, you'll find. Similarly, krsna-lila, Krsna's pastimes, are going on in some of the universes, in any of... There are innumerable universes. In some of the universes He is there already.

putana-vadhadi yata lila ksane ksane
saba lila nitya prakata kare anukrame

From His childhood, just on the lap of His mother, He killed the demon Putana. Similarly, such pastimes are going on every moment. Every moment. That is called nitya-lila. In some of the universes... When the round (?) comes in this universe, it takes so many years. For millions and billions years. Just you can imagine how many millions and trillions of universes are there. Ananta brahmanda, tara nahika ganana. Ananta means innumerable universes are there. Nahika ganana: nobody can count.

ananta brahmanda, tara nahika ganana
kona lila kona brahmande haya prakatana

Some of His pastimes is going on in either of the innumerable brahmandas.

ei-mata saba lila-yena ganga-dhara
se-se lila prakata kare vrajendra-kumara

Just like the waves of the Ganges going on, nobody can count. Similarly, all the incarnations of different pastimes in different universes, that is going on.

krame balya-pauganda-kaisorata-prapti
rasa-adi lila kare, kaisore nitya-sthiti

So krsna-lila means beginning from His childhood, up to the age of sixteenth year, when He performed the rasa-lila, this is actual krsna-lila. And beyond that lila, when Krsna left Vrndavana and came to Dvaraka, that is not krsna-lila; that is Vasudeva lila, Krsna in His Vasudeva feature, that lila. It is stated that Krsna never goes out of Goloka Vrndavana. When He goes, He goes in His Vasudeva feature. Krsna expands Himself -- Vasudeva, Sankarsana. Therefore when this is described in the Vaisnava literature, a great literary novelist, Bankimacandra Chatterji, he misunderstood that Krsna of Vrndavana is different from the Krsna of Kuruksetra or Dvaraka. He has analyzed, Krsna-caritra, character of Krsna. But in everything, he has very much eulogized.

So we shall discuss tomorrow. Any questions? (end)

 

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How Valuable Is Speculation

How Valuable Is Speculation

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.360-366
New York, December 30, 1966

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Prabhupada:

 

...ei sloke ‘param-sabde ‘krsna'-nirupana

‘satyamsabde kahe tanra svarupa-laksana

[Cc. Madhya 20.360]

 

So we have been discussing this janmady asya verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, and this sloka, this verse, ascertains two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna: constantly, eternally manifested features, and temporary features. The sum and substance of this verse is that there are two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the nature: superior nature and inferior nature. So in the last line of this verse, it is clearly stated that, dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1]. Our aim should be to offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Lord along with His eternal abode.

 

So the impersonalists, they take it for granted that everything is God, so we can approach the Supreme Truth by any way. That is not accepted by Srimad-Bhagavatam here. Here it is stated clearly, param satyam dhimahi [SB 1.1.1]. The eternal part of the Supreme Lord, that should be accepted, that should be worshiped; not the temporary manifestation. Take for example, the same example, just like in this apartment we are not so much interested with this toilet part of this room. We keep it closed. Although the toilet part of this room is also part and parcel of this room, but we have nothing to do with the toilet part. You have to take advantage of the other part so that we can sit and we can talk. Similarly, the Srimad-Bhagavatam indicates that dhamna svena nirasta-kuhakam: we offer our obeisances, satyam param, the Supreme, where there is no these illusory, temporary things. Dhamna svena satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1].

 

There are many interesting stories in this connection. Of course, I do not wish to take much of your time, because our morning time is very short; but we should be interested into the spiritual part of the Supreme. Just like in this body also, the spiritual part is the soul and this material part is this gross body. But unfortunately, in the modern civilizations they are taking more care for this material part of this body. They have no information of the spiritual part of the body. But actually one should take more care to the spiritual part of the body. Material part of the body, secondary. We can maintain our body for spiritual realization. We should not be too much attracted with the bodily necessities of life, sacrificing our spiritual needs. Satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1].

 

That is the defect of modern civilization. They have no information. They don't care for the spiritual part. Whenever you call some gentleman, if you begin to talk about spiritual necessities of our life, oh, they will at once think that "Swamiji is talking some nonsense. Let us go away." And if you talk of politics and just everything...Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Regarding in relationship with this body, we have many things -- we have manufactured so many things, bodily necessities. So the Bhagavata says, pasyann api na pasyati. Tesam pramatto nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati [SB 2.1.4]. Pramatta, the mad, crazy human being, although they are seeing that everything is being vanquished, it is all annihilated, vanished. Pasyann api: still they do not see. Why? Pramatta, crazy.

 

The Bhagavata has given designation to these people who are materially interested: pramatta. Tesam pramatya pasyann api..., nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati. I see that my father has died, my father's father has died, his father has died, and I am going to die; and similarly my son will die, my grandson will die, and therefore no more will come back again. Once this body is vanished, there is no chance of coming back; it is vanished forever, simply just like a bubble in the ocean. Still we are interested with these bodily activities. Therefore, they have been described as pramatta. Pramatta. Pra means "specifically"; matta means "mad." "Specifically mad." So pasyann api: we have seen that everything is going to be vanquished. In the past we have seen so many empires, so many Napoleans, so many Subash Bose, Gandhi, came and gone. And what is the use of becoming a Subash Bose, Gandhi or Napolean or Hitler or great politician? Nothing. Let us this life be engaged in spiritual realization, so that we can make a complete solution of the problems of life.

 

But this path is not accepted by the general mass of people. So we should not be discouraged. Because anything best, the customer for that best thing, you will find a very small number. But that is not discouragement. But we should not, therefore, give up the best part. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. In the Bhagavad-gita you have read that out of many, many thousands of people they are interested in the self-realization process. But that does not mean because we have no many followers, that does not mean that it is..., the subject matter is not changed. The subject matter is here affirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and by Lord Caitanya, that this is the highest truth of life. Satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1]. We should be interested in that ei sloke ‘param-sabde ‘krsna'-nirupana [Cc. Madhya 20.360]. And that Absolute Truth is Krsna.

 

Now Lord Caitanya said that Absolute Truth is Krsna: krsna-nirupana. Krsna is... In this verse, Krsna is being pointed, indicated. In the beginning of this verse -- that is not here, but those who have seen Srimad-Bhagavatam -- namo bhagavate vasudevaya [SB 1.1.1]. This vasudevaya means Krsna. And Jiva Gosvami has written voluminous notes on this specific verse, and he has also mentioned that this satyam, this Absolute Truth, which is indicated here in this sloka, is Krsna. Because in the later chapters the Bhagavata affirms: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. He is the Supreme Personality, ultimate, the last word in the Absolute Truth. Therefore Lord Caitanya also confirms this:

 

ei sloke ‘param-sabde ‘krsna'-nirupana

‘satyamsabde kahe tanra svarupa-laksana

[Cc. Madhya 20.360]

 

Now Krsna, what He is, that is described in these two words, satyam param. Satyam param: the highest truth. And His svarupa is that just like... [break]...being present when He comes here... [break] [end]

 

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Symptoms Of Saintly Persons

Symptoms Of Saintly Persons

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.354-356
New York, December 28, 1966

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Prabhupada:

avatara nahi kahe-'ami avatara'
muni saba jani' kare laksana-vicara

So Lord Caitanya says that incarnation, He never advertises Himself that He is avatara. But experienced munis, those who are liberated souls, those who are expert in Vedic knowledge, they understand that this is avatara, or incarnation, by the symptoms, as they are stated in the scriptures. In the scripture, the color, the activities, the time and the place and the parents -- everything is described about the incarnation. So, so that, just like everything has to be understood by the symptoms, that is the scientific advancement. Just like a drug is tested in the laboratory and the drug, the symptoms and the taste, how it is, how the color changes, how it tastes in the tongue, everything is described there, so scientists proves, understands the genuineness of a particular chemical by testing. Similarly, nobody should be accepted as incarnation. That is foolishness. Incarnation, they are stated in the scriptures. Their symptoms, everything is there, and one should understand from that. The avatara never advertises. Anyone who advertises himself that "I am incarnation," he should be at once rejected. He should be at once rejected.

yasyavatara jnayante
saririsv asaririnah
tais tair atulyatisayair
viryair dehisv asangataih

The first thing is that avatara, incarnation, He hasn't got this material body. The first symptom is... And still, the avatara appears before us. Because, so far our senses are concerned, we can see the material objects. We can see a stone. We can see, I mean to say, wood. We can see water. We cannot see even air, the finer material things. We cannot see mind. We know that mind is there in every soul, every body. Every one of us has got mind, but we cannot see. We cannot see the sky. So the..., in the material world also, there are so many finer things which we cannot see. And what to speak of spiritual? So that spiritual, Supreme Spirit, when He appears before us, seeable, so that we can see, so that is His mercy. That is His mercy. Because we cannot see even the soul within ourself; we are seeing only the body. So what to speak of the Supreme Spirit? That is not possible. Yasyavatara jnayante saririsv asaririnah. Therefore it is the inconceivable power that the incarnation of God appears before us.

'svarupa'-laksana, ara 'tatastha-laksana'
ei dui laksane 'vastu' jane muni-gana

The symptoms are analyzed in two divisions. Svarupa-laksana means the symptom which (is) always present. That is called svarupa-laksana. And tatastha-laksana, the symptoms which are sometimes present and sometimes not present. They are called... In this way, the experienced sages, they analyze the characteristics of the avatara, or God -- two symptoms. One symptom is always there. As soon as there is God, that constant symptom is there. And there are other symptoms which may appear, sometimes may not appear.

akrti, prakrti, svarupa -- svarupa-laksana
karya-dvara jnana -- ei tatastha-laksana

Akrti, prakrti. The form and the activities, all uncommon. Just like Krsna. Krsna, He married sixteen thousand wives and He divided Himself into sixteen thousand. Krsna. This is called akrti. This is uncommon. God can expand Himself in any number of forms. We cannot do that. That is the..., symptom of God. Akrti, prakrti. Prakrti is His nature, supreme nature. As soon as He likes anything to do, He'll do it. There is no impediment. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyat... And He does in such nice way that we cannot conceive how it is being done, nature's way. Akrti prakrti, these are tatastha laksana, uh, svarupa laksana, personal symptoms of God. And karya-dvara jnana -- ei tatastha-laksana. And the activities... Just like Krsna, when comes as incarnation, His activities and activities of Rama, or activities of Nrsimha, activities of Vamana, these activities may differ according to time, according to place, according to the mission. The activities may be different. But Their, Their akrti, Their feature, and Their power -- extraordinary. We should understand very nicely that incarnation means Their feature and Their nature -- uncommon.

There may be difference. Just like Buddha. Buddha's activities and Krsna's activities, there is difference. Buddha's activity was different because, according to the place, according to the time, according to the audience, the activities are... Avatara, incarnation, comes when there is necessity. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. When there is discrepancies in the discharge of dharma... Dharma means the prescribed rules by which one elevates himself to the transcendental life. That is dharma, religion. Why in human society there is religion? The purpose is to elevate himself to the transcendental position. That is religion. Where there is no such aim to raise one from the fallen condition to the liberated state, that is not religion. That is sentiment. Religion means that one should be raised from the fallen condition to the highest elevated condition. Therefore there are so many rules and regulations. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, yad icchantam, yad icchantam brahmacaryam caranti. Yad icchantam. (aside:) Just open the... I think it is in the Eighth Chapter. Eighth Chapter, fifteenth verse. Open it. (pause) Read it.

Devotee: Mam upetya punar janma [Bg. 8.15].

Prabhupada: No. Then, before that.

Devotee: Ananya cetah...

Prabhupada: Before that.

Devotee: Om iti...

Prabhupada: Yad icchantam. The sloka is yad icchantam brahma... You don't find it. Let me. Let me have the book. (pause) Yes, here. Eleventh.

yad aksaram veda-vido vadanti
visanti yad yatayo vita-ragah
yad icchanto brahmacaryam caranti
tat te padam sangrahena pravaksye

Here is the transla... "I shall briefly describe to  that state which the knowers of the Vedas call the imperishable, which the ascetics, freed from passion, enter, and desiring which, they lead a life of self-control." Not... Brahmacarya is celibacy. Translation is not here. Celibacy means completely ceasing from sex life. Yad icchanto brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means celibacy. No sex life. Therefore the brahmacarya asrama is recommended. The first basic principle of religious life, according to Vedic principle, the students are expected to go to the spiritual master's place and learn how to live without any sex life. For twenty-five years or at least for twenty years, the student is trained up in that way. Then he's allowed to enter into the grhastha life to marry. So there is a process. Religion means there must be process. It is not simply mental speculation. Yad icchantam brahmacaryam caranti. Yad icchantam brahmacaryam caranti tat te padam sangrahena pravaksye. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gita.

So to understand, to elevate oneself from the fallen condition to the highest liberated condition, one has to be trained up, one has to follow the rules and regulations as they are prescribed. Otherwise, simply some recreation, spiritual recreation, talking something -- "This is that; this is that," "Neti neti" -- and I lead my life like anything... That will not help us. Therefore the tatastha laksana. Therefore we accept anyone and everyone as incarnation, because we are not trained up who is incarnation, to see. And, because we want to be cheated, there are so many cheaters who comes as incarnation and this and that, and the society's going on like that. Not only here -- in everywhere, every part of the world. They are not very serious, what is the ultimate aim of spiritual life. Spiritual life and material life is that when you want to enjoy, when we want to be lord of these material resources, that is material life. And when you want to become servant of God, that is spiritual life. They..., there is not much difference between the activities of material life and spiritual life. Only the consciousness has to be changed. When my consciousness is to lord it over the material nature, that is material life, and when my consciousness is to serve Krsna, the Supreme Lord, here, Krsna consciousness, that is spiritual life. So as there are rules and regulations for accelerating your material possession, material life, similarly, there are rules and regulation for spiritual life also.

So the basic principle is yad icchantam brahmacaryam caranti. One should be very regular. Vita-ragah. Visanti yad, visanti yad yatayo vita-ragah. Vita-ragah. Vita-ragah means completely separated from materialistic life. Vita-ragah. Ragah means attachment, and vita means completely freed. Yad aksaram, yad aksaram brahma vido vadanti. Brahma-vida. Brahma..., those who are conversant in Vedic literature. Aksaram. Aksaram. Yad aksaram. The God has His representation in three letters, a, u, m, which is sounded vibrated om. There is no difference between omkara and Krsna. It is admitted in the Bhagavad-gita that omkara 'smi. Aksaram omkaro 'smi: "Of all the letters I am the omkara." So Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare and omkara, there is no difference, so far the transcendental sound vibration is concerned. But the objective is different. By omkara one attains impersonal existence in the brahmajyoti, and by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, one attains the spiritual body and he's situated in the spiritual planets. We have many times discussed that there are spiritual planets. That is the difference. So far quality is concerned, both of them are spiritual, omkara or Hare Krsna.

So,

bhagavatarambhe vyasa mangalacarane
'paramesvara' nirupila ei dui laksane

Now how the two different characteristics of God can be analyzed, that is mentioned in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lord Caitanya is referring. Lord Caitanya's mission as preaching was based on, cent percent, on the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam. And Bhagavad-gita is the basic, I mean to say, preliminary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore in Caitanya-caritamrta you'll find most of the parallel passages and evidences offered by Lord Caitanya, they are from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita and some of the Puranas. Just like Visnu Purana, Padma Purana, they are called sattvika purana, puranas in the modes of goodness. There are eighteen puranas, six for each quality, modes of the nature. Six, six puranas for the person who are in the modes of ignorance, six puranas for the person who are in the modes of passion, and six puranas for persons who are in the mode of goodness, those who are actually qualified brahmanas. So Srimad-Bhagavatam is called Maha-purana. Maha-purana means the topmost of all the puranas. You have seen the review by the Theosophical Society of India of my books. They have stated this very word, Maha-purana, Bhagavatam, the Maha-purana.

So Lord Caitanya gives evidences from the Maha-puranam, Srimad-Bhagavatam, that the Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth, is analyzed in two characteristics. What are they? The, the personal characteristics and tatastha characteristics. Tatastha means they are sometimes manifested and they are not sometimes manifested. So this material world is the tatastha characteristics, and the spiritual world is the personal characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this tatastha, or, I mean to say, tatastha means marginal, marginal characteristics to the permanent characteristics. That is called spiritual elevation. We should not remain in the marginal state, but we should go to the permanent state.

Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966

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Scriptural Test For Avatar

Scriptural Test For Avatar

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.353-354
New York, December 26, 1966

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Prabhupada:

sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana'
ama-saba jivera haya sastra-dvara 'jnana'

We should always think that we are in the modes of ignorance. We are just trying to make progress from ignorance to goodness and then transcend. This is the process of spiritual realization. Nobody should think that we are perfect. We cannot be. God is... Only God is perfect, and we are all imperfect. Even our so-called liberated stage, we are still imperfect. Therefore one has to take shelter of authority because, constitutionally, we are imperfect. Lord Caitanya says, ama-saba jivera haya sastra-dvara 'jnana'. So therefore, for real knowledge, we have to consult the scriptures, sastra. Sadhu-sastra-guru. Sadhu means pious, religious, honest person. Sadhu, whose character is spotless, he's called sadhu. Sastra means scripture, and guru, guru means spiritual master. They are on the equal level. Why? Because the medium is scripture. Guru is considered to be liberated because he follows the scripture. Sadhu is considered to be honest and saintly because he follows scripture. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya. Nobody can become a sadhu if he does not accept the principles of scripture. Nobody can be accepted as guru, or spiritual master, if he does not follow the principles of scripture. This is the test.

tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
 [MU 1.2.12]

Srotriyam, srotriyam means one who has accepted the Vedic literature, the sastra, scripture, as the guidance, he can be... Not a extravagant upstart, he makes some group and religious principle of his own and become a guru. No, no, he'll not be...

So Lord Caitanya advises... Sanatana Gosvami's inquiry is how to know that he, here is a avatara. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says the medium is sastra, and direction is the guru. Sastra also we cannot understand any book, what to speak of the scripture. Sometimes we find contradiction in the scripture. That is not contradiction; that is my poor fund of knowledge. I cannot understand; therefore assistance of guru, a spiritual master, is required. So far incarnation is concerned, here Lord Caitanya says that we have to see through the sastra whether a person is incarnation or not. We should not blindly accept anybody as incarnation because there are, nowadays, numberless incarnations.

avatara nahi kahe-'ami avatara'
muni saba jani' kare laksana-vicara

This is another significance of incarnation. Incarnation never says that "I am incarnation of God." I have read one book about a big avatara in India. He was canvassing his students, "Do you now accept me as incarnation? Do you now accept me as incarnation?" And the... Perhaps you know. (laughs) And the disciple was denying, "No." Then, at a time the disciple said, "Yes, I accept you." So this is not avatara. Here Caitanya Mahaprabhu says avatara does not canvass that "I am..." Guru does not canvass. Sadhu does not canvass. He automatically, by his qualities, he becomes accepted. Yes.

So here Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, avatara nahi kahe-'ami avatara'. Actually who is avatara, incarnation, he'll never say that "I am avatara." Muni saba jani' kare laksana-vicara. Muni, those who are thinkers, they are actually in the line, they see the symptoms and, with symptoms, they specify, "Yes, here is a avatara." The symptoms... How the symptoms are analyzed of avatara? The symptom is, first symptom is that there is reference in the sastra, scripture, that in such and such time, such and such personality will come. He will be incarnation of God. Even his father's name, his birthplace, everything is written in the scripture. So we have to identify, laksana. Then he'll act like this. He'll come like this, and he'll act like this. So these things we analyze, whether he is actually avatara. Now, even there are characteristics, somebody does not accept also. Just like Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He never said that "I am avatara." But from His symptoms, from His characteristics, later on great sages, great philosophers, they decided that He's avatara. Just like here. Sanatana Gosvami's stressed Him, testing, and he's trying to confirm it by Lord Caitanya. Because Lord Caitanya described here that in this Kali-yuga the avatara, His symptoms are like this: krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra parsadam [SB 11.5.32]. He is in the category of Krsna; by His complexion, He's non-black. Akrsna. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam. And He's always followed by confidential associates. And people who are intelligent, they worship Him by the process of sankirtana. Sankirtanair yajnaih kalau yajanti hi su-medhasah. Su-medhasah means those persons who are, who have got good brain substance. Not foolish persons. Su-medhasah, a man of great brain substance, they can understand, "Oh, here is..." That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in Mahabharata, in Upanisad, in Puranas, about Lord Caitanya's appearance. There are many symptomatic explanation. But still there are many fools, they do not accept.

So accept or no accept, His work, His activities, His characterize, characteristics will be known because God will be known. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. And during the time of Emperor Asoka, he was patronized, Lord Buddha was patronized, not Buddha, or Buddhism was patronized by Asoka. So practically the whole of Far East, including India, all over, the Buddhism was broadcast and everyone become Buddhist. Whole of India, practically, became Buddhist during his time. But later on, after Sankaracarya's drive against Buddhism, Buddha-ism... Sankaracarya wanted to establish the difference of Buddhism and Hinduism is that Buddhism, Lord Buddha did not accept Vedic authority. He did not accept Vedic authority. But according to Hindu culture, if somebody does not accept the Vedic authority, then he's not a authority. Vedanta philosophy, there are different parties in India. The Maya... Generally, two parties: the Mayavada philosophers and the Vaisnava philosophers, or the impersonalists and the personalists. Otherwise, there is no difference. Ultimately, the Mayavadi philosophers they say that God, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is impersonal, and the Vaisnava philosophers, they say in the ultimate end, the Absolute Truth is Person and He is, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. This is little difference, and they stick to their position and they fight. Fight means by philosophical arguments. That is going on since a very long time. But both of them belong to the sanatana Hindu dharma because both of them will talk on the Vedanta philosophy. They'll simply, they can give different interpretation, but they cannot say that "We don't accept Vedanta." Oh, that will..., then it is at once rejected. So one must give an interpretation on the Vedanta philosophy; then he'll be accepted as acarya. Three things: Vedanta philosophy, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. One must be able to explain these three books. Then he'll be accepted acarya. These are the principles.

So very recently... The impersonalists, they also accept avatara. They accept Krsna. Sankaracarya accepted Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Sa bhagavan svayam krsna. Specifically... People may misunderstand that Krsna may be some other Krsna because, as the present followers of Sankaracarya, they are interpreting in that way. But Sankaracarya, just to specify Krsna, devaki vasudeva jatah. This means Krsna who appeared Himself as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, that Krsna. That Krsna. Just like Sankaracarya has a nice prayer of Krsna, the present followers of Sankaracarya, they say... They cannot say that this is not composed by Sankaracarya. It is very famous.

bhaja govindam bhaja govindam
bhaja govindam mudha mate
prapte sannihite kale marane
na hi na hi raksati dukrn-karane

So there is a very famous prayer made by Sankara... Sankaracarya has made many prayers about Krsna, especially about His Vrndavana lila, he has made. He has worshiped Krsna in many ways. And last, this is his last composition of poetry. Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam bhaja govindam mudha mate: "You fools, you mudha mate..." Mudha mate means "you fools." He was addressing the whole world, "you fools." Bhaja govindam: "Just become devotee of Krsna. Just become Krsna consciousness." Prapte sannihite kale marane na hi na hi raksati dukrn-karane: "You are philosophizing. You are talking on grammar and this way and that way." Because these people, they want to establish impersonalism from Bhagavad-gita by strength of grammar. Such a nonsense they are. They want to understand God by..., through grammar. God is so cheap that He can be understood through grammar. Therefore especially he specified, prapte sannihite kale marane: "When death will catch you, your grammar, dukrn, prata, this will not save you. You fools. You please become Krsna conscious, Krsna conscious." That was the instruction of Sankaracarya. And he has especially mentioned Bhagavad-gita and Ganges water. He especially mentions. "A little quantity of Ganges water and a little study of Bhagavad-gita will save you from many dangerous positions."

So, because the symptom is bhagavan, so even Sankaracarya has accepted. But there are many people, they do not accept... Sri Yamunacarya, Sri Yamunacarya, a great devotee, he's supposed to be the spiritual master of Ramanujacarya. He was a great king, and later on he became a great devotee. He has written his Alavandaraya. Alavandaru... Amongst the Ramanuja-sampradaya, there are twelve great, I mean to say, acaryas, and he's one of them. So he has written a very nice verse:

tvam sila-rupa-caritaih parama-prakrstaih
sattvena sattvikataya prabalais ca sastraih
prakhyata-daiva-paramartha-vidam mattais ca
naivasura-prakrtayah prabhavanti boddhum

Now he says, "My dear Lord, those who are asura prakrtayah..." Asura prakrtayah means the atheistic demons. Atheists are called demons. In the Vedic literature, those who are atheists, they are called demons, raksasas. Just like Ravana, he was a great scholar in Vedic philosophy. He was son of a brahmana, and he was very learned. And he materially advanced his kingdom so nice that his capital was called golden. He was so rich. Everything, he was, in every way, in education, in opulence, in power, everything was so great. Only fault was that he was atheist. Therefore he's called raksasa, asura. All the asuras that are mentioned in the sastra, their only fault is that they are atheists. Otherwise, from education point of view, from opulence, they are very much advanced.

So asura prakrtayah, in the Bhagavad-gita, also: asuram bhavam asritah.

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

As soon as one becomes atheist, oh, it is very difficult to convince him. You see. Therefore our preaching should avoid the atheist class. Of course, if we stop that, then we cannot find who is theist in the... Time is so nice that 99.9% all atheists. So we have to take the risk of talking with atheist also. But generally it is advised that preachers should not talk this atheist class because they'll not..., they simply argue. Their only point is simply argue and waste your time. That's all. They'll never accept, however you may try to convince him with reason and argument, they'll never... Here is a sloka by Yamunacarya. It is, say, about one thousand years before, this was the same condition for the atheist. He says,

tvam sila-rupa-caritaih parama-prakrstaih
sattvena sattvikataya prabalais ca sastraih
prakhyata-daiva-paramartha-vidam mattais ca
naivasura-prakrtayah prabhavanti boddhum

There are different kinds of authorities. First authority is sastra, authorized sastra, scripture. There the description of avatara, the characteristics and his work, they are mentioned there. And prabalais ca sastrair. Prabala means the very powerful. Just like Vedanta philosophy, it is very powerful. Bhagavad-gita, it is very powerful. Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is very powerful. So even we give evidences from these powerful sastras, not only that, prakhyata-daiva-paramartha-vidam mattais ca, with the opinion of great stalwarts like prakhyata, very famous. Who is that? Just like Vyasadeva. Who can be more famous than Vyasadeva? He's the compiler of all Vedic literatures in the world, Vyasadeva. And Narada, he's greatest rsi, sage. Asita, Devala -- there are many. Vasistha. There are many stalwarts. And especially these twelve person, just like Brahma, Lord Siva, Manu, Kapila, Maharaja Prahlada, Bhisma. There are authorities. So even their evidences in the authorized scriptures, even they are accepted by great stalwarts and sages and munis, still, the asura prakrti, those who are atheistic persons, they'll never accept. They'll never accept. They'll simply go on arguing. The process is that if... Vedic process is if something is mentioned in the Vedas, and it is accepted by the previous acaryas, then it is accepted. I have nothing to bother. That's all. This is the proce..., the simple process. Suppose I am a fool number one. That doesn't matter. I may be fool, but if I follow the previous authorized acaryas, then I am all right. Just like a child, he may be a child, innocent child, but if he catches the hand of his father, then he's all right. He can walk. He can cross the street. This is the Vedic process. Vedic process, research, oh, there is no research in Vedic process. What research, nonsense, you'll do? What sense you have got? You shall research about God? The frog philosophy? There is no research. Research, that is not accepted in Vedic philosophy. You have to accept the authority. That's all

So here Yamunacarya says, "My dear Lord, tvam sila-rupa-caritaih parama-prakrstaih..." Oh, just like Krsna, His character, His activities. Now His character was certified by Bhisma. Bhisma. Bhisma was at that time Arjuna's grandfather. So practically he was, in age, Krsna's grandfather. Krsna's grandfather, Bhisma. He was fighting in the battlefield, a great warrior, ksatriya, a great... He's called pitamaha, Grandfather Bhisma. He's known as Grandfather Bhisma. Now his character is spotless. His character... Although he was living as a householder, he was more, more than any sage or any saint. Bhisma. The history of Bhisma is that he was son of Ganges. So Ganges was his mother, and his father, Maharaja Santanu, after the death of his mother, he wanted to marry again. At that time, Bhisma was elderly. He was about twenty years old. So father, instead of getting the son married, he was himself very much anxious to get him married. So he selected a very beautiful girl, but she..., he belonged to a, that girl belonged to a low-caste family. Ksatriyas could find, marry from anywhere. That is the injunction. They are not within the boundary of caste system. So the girl was a fisherman's daughter. So Maharaja Santanu wanted to marry that girl, and the father was very cunning. He said, "No, no. I cannot offer my daughter to you. You are old man. You have got your son. So I cannot offer." He was bargaining. "No? Why? I shall give your daughter a palace. We shall enjoy so many years." "No. I can offer you my daughter provided if my daughter's son becomes the king after your death. Then I can offer." "Oh, that I cannot agree, because my eldest son is living. That I cannot agree." "Then I..."

So Bhisma understood that "My father wants to marry that girl, but the only impediment is that the father of the girl is making a condition that her son should be king, and my father is declining because I am present. I should be king." Oh, he at once approached the father of the girl: "What is your condition, sir?" "This is my condition." "All right, I shall not accept kingdom of my father. Your daughter's son will be king. I agree to this." "Oh, no. You may agree, but your son will again claim, because you are the proprietor, you are the prince." "Oh, you think so? Then I shall not marry. I shall not marry. Is that all right?" So then, he was so... He promised that "I shall never marry in my life. That's all right? Then marry your daughter to my father." He was so pious and so strict. This Bhisma was brahmacari from the very beginning. And Maharaja Yudhisthira performed Rajasuya-yajna. Rajasuya-yajna means one who performs that sacrifice in that assembly, all the princes of the world are invited, and they select him as the emperor of the world. That is called Rajasuya-yajna. So in that yajna, there were all princes present, and Krsna was proposed to become the president of that assembly, although He was young man. So Krsna had many... Not many, especially two, Sisupala and Dantavakra, they were very much against Krsna. So they objected: "Oh, Krsna cannot be... There are many others." He wanted that he become president. The protest meeting. At that time, Bhisma recommended that "Nobody is present here spotless character as Krsna." He recommended like that. "Krsna, when He was sixteen years old, He was surrounded by girls, but He had never sex desire. I am brahmacari from my birth. I think I could not be such restrained personality as Krsna." He recommended like that. That is mentioned in Mahabharata. So this is character.

So tam sila rupa caritaih. Rupa. It is mentioned that Krsna, is mention... His... Just like Lord Caitanya's rupa is mentioned, tvisa akrsna: by complexion He's not black. Similarly, everything is mentioned. So Yamunacarya, that "Your character, Your beauty and Your wonderful work, and accepted... You are accepted by great authorities. You are mentioned in sastras. In spite of all this, those who are atheists, they'll never accept." So the characteristics of avatara are there in the sastra. So we should follow that and, in that way, we shall select... That question is being asked by Sanatana Gosvami. We discussed this point yesterday and today also, because it is important point, and further we shall discuss tomorrow.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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One Good Quality In Kali-yuga

One Good Quality In Kali-yuga

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.337-353
New York, December 25, 1966

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Prabhupada:

dvapare bhagavan syamah
pita-vasa nijayudhah
sri-vatsadibhir ankais ca
laksanair upalaksitah

namas te vasudevaya
namah sankarsanaya ca
pradyumnayaniruddhaya
tubhyam bhagavate namah

These are some of the mantras for offering respect to Krsna. This mantra, you may particularly note down:

namas te vasudevaya
namah sankarsanaya ca
pradyumnayaniruddhaya
tubhyam bhagavate namah
ei mantre dvapare kare krsnarcana
'krsna-nama-sankirtana'-kali-yugera dharma

So in the Dvapara-yuga, this was the process, krsnarcana, worshiping Krsna, and in the Kali-yuga, this pita, this yellowish-colored incarnation of Krsna, Lord Caitanya, He's to be worshiped by this sankirtana movement. Sankirtanair yajnair. This is also called sacrifice, this sankirtana yajna. There are different kinds of yajna. This is called nama-yajna, sacrifice of the holy name of the Supreme Lord.

dharma pravartana kare vrajendra-nandana
preme gaya nace loka kare sankirtana

The process is that the Lord chants and He dances Himself, and people follows similarly. Just like we are painting the picture: the Lord is dancing and everyone is following. And that following can be continued even up to date. God is always there. It is not that Caitanya is not present here. He's always present, and, whenever there is sankirtana, there is this kirtana by the devotees, sincere devotees, it is said that Lord Caitanya is there, present. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Suddha-bhakta, those who are pure devotees. Pure devotees means without any material desire. Those who are pure devotees, those who are determined to go back to Godhead, to Krsna, they are called pure devotees. They have lost all interest for any material enjoyment. They are now determined. They are called pure devotees. So this sankirtana movement creates pure devotees, who gradually loses all interest in the material enjoyment.

Now this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, as I've already explained to you, that is also cited here:

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

That Personality, incarnation of God, who is yellowish color and is accompanied by His associates, confidential associates, He is worshiped by this process of sankirtana in this age of Kali.

ara tin-yuge dhyanadite yei phala haya
kali-yuge krsna-name sei phala paya

Ara tina-yuge means this is Kali-yuga, and there are, there were other three yugas: the Satya-yuga, the Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga. There are different processes of realizing God. So Lord Caitanya says, "In other three yugas, what was achieved by meditation, by sacrifice, by temple worship, now that can be achieved in this age by sankirtana. Kalau..."

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
mukta-bandhah param vrajet
 [SB 12.3.51]

This is a sloka, verse, from Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with conversation with Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Maharaja Pariksit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate: "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."

So, when he was so sorry, so Sukadeva Gosvami encouraged him, "Maharaja, don't be sorry. There is very nice process in the Kali-yuga. In the midst of so many difficulties of this age, there is one boon, and that boon is one can become liberated from this material entanglement altogether simply by chanting this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama..." Kirtanad eva krsnasya. It was especially mentioned, kirtanad eva krsnasya [SB 12.3.51], simply by chanting Hare Krsna, one can become... This is the greatest boon in this age. Although there are so many difficulties, full of miseries, increase in the greatest volume... The world is, material world is miserable. Just like cold season, this winter season, today we are feeling most inconvenienced. Similarly, this material world is always miserable. But still, in this age it is most miserable, in this age of Kali. But the boon is, the first-class boon is that even there are so many miserable conditions, in the midst of all those disadvantages, one can become free from all contamination simply by krsna..., kirtanad eva krsnasya. Simply by this.

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

What was achieved in the Satya-yuga by meditation, what was achieved by offering sacrifices in Treta-yuga, and what was achieved in the Dvapara-yuga by worship, that can be achieved in this age by sankirtana yajna.

dhyayan krte yajan yajnais
tretayam dvapare 'rcayan
yad apnoti tad apnoti
kalau sankirtya kesavam

A similar passage... The two above passages, they are quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Another passage is quoted from Padma Purana. Padma Purana, there are eighteen puranas, puranam. Six puranas are in the modes of goodness, and six puranas are in the modes of passion, and six puranas are in the modes of ignorance -- for different people. Just like in a best institution, there are different classes, different kinds of books of learning, gradual process. Similarly, this Vedic culture is so nice, they don't give one class of literature for all. No. There are so many different literatures because there are so many varieties of people. How can you convince you, convince all classes of people by one literature? No. That is not possible. Now the people are here in your country, they are losing interest in religion because the Bible was given to a certain class of people long, long years before. So people are far advanced in scientific knowledge. So that does not appeal. So they're all... We should always remember that there are always different classes of men, and for different classes... The aim is all the same that, see, "Two plus two equal to four." Nothing. But different classes of men there are. So different class of arithmetic, higher mathematics, middle mathematics, lower mathematics. The mathematical, mathematical principle is the same, "Two plus two...," "One to three to nine." There is no other figure.

So similarly, there are eighteen puranas. Those who are in the modes of passion, those who are in the modes of ignorance, they should also have some chance. For them, oh, "You go and you worship this demigod." Because we are, every one of us, hankering for material acquisition. The disease is that we are simply thinking of... Idam adya maya labdham. "Today I have got so much material possession, and next day I shall have so much, and next day I shall have so much. And next day and next day...," and when next day I shall go away -- that's all. Finish. This is material disease. They're always hankering after. So there are different hankerings, there are different persons. So, the demigods, "All right, you worship. You want this thing, you want a beautiful wife? All right, you worship Uma. You want to be very learned man? All right, you worship this Devi-Sarasvati. Oh, you want to be, get out of your disease? All right, you worship the sun-god." So in this way, there are recommendations.

But in the Bhagavata, after all these recommendations, the Bhagavata concludes,

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta paramam purusa
 [SB 2.3.10]

If you have got any desire, still, you go to Krsna. You worship. Krsna recommends. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtino 'rjuna. Even if you go to Krsna for asking something material profit, still it is better. Don't go to other demigods. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya devatah [Bg. 7.20]. The foolish persons, they do not know that the demigods, they cannot offer any benediction. They cannot offer. They are not fool. Just like here in this institution, although you are free, you very kindly ask me, "Swamiji, can I take this fruit?" Why? This is etiquette. Similarly, the demigods, they are not fools. Suppose one man worships a demigod and asks some benefit. Oh, demigod will ask the Lord, Supreme Lord. Or, in another sense, the demigods also do not know, because they are also living entities like us. But isvarah sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is so kind that this person, this particular man, is wanting something, "All right, give him. Give him." Krsna is... This is freedom. There is no argument, "Oh, why Krsna has arranged like this?" He arranges out of His causeless mercy. He can say, He can stop asking the individual soul. But He does not do that. Why He shall do? Then there is no meaning of independence. "All right, you want it? I have arranged it. Take it. Take." So He asks the demigod, "All right, he's asking from you? Give him. Give." So this is going on.

So therefore there are different kinds of literature because there are different kinds of people. But the ultimate literature is, the substance of all Vedic literature is the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krsne sva-dhama upagate dharma-jnanadibhih saha. It is..., there is a verse in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. When Krsna was present He personally gave this Bhagavad-gita and all knowledge. So many people took knowledge. There is another gita, Uddhava-gita. That was spoken to Uddhava. That is in Bhagavata; this is in Mahabharata, Bhagavad-gita. So there is a question by the Saunaka Rsi that, after departure of Krsna, wherefrom knowledge should be searched? So they recommended this Srimad-Bhagavatam. So in the Padma Purana also there is similar passages. In Bhagavatam also, there are similar passages. In all Vedic literature, the same thing is there. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. The last target and the last goal, ultimate goal, is Krsna. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Bhagavata says, akamah sarva-kamo va [SB 2.3.10]. Even if you are this materially desiring, still, you should go to Krsna. And Krsna also confirms, bhajate mam ananya bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Api cet su-duracaro. One should not ask God. But still, if one asks, he's accepted, because he has come to the point, Krsna. That is his good qualification. He's in Krsna consciousness. So all faults there may be, but when one becomes Krsna conscious, everything is nice. Just like there are so mu..., so much snowfall. As soon as there is rise of sun, everything finished. Everything finished. Krsna surya sama. Only we have to wait when the sunrise will be there. Then all these disturbances will be at once cleared.

So we have to take to krsna-surya and everything will be cleared.

kalim sabhajayanty arya
guna-jnah sara-bhaginah
yatra sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate

Sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate. There are nice verse. You see? Here it is said, yatra sankirtanenaiva. This Kali-yuga, this age of Kali, we are condemning so much. But even the demigods, they, I mean to say, highly eulogize this Kali-yuga. Why? Why? Oh, here is a great opportunity. Simply by chanting Hare Krsna, yatra sankirtanena. Yatra means in this Kali-yuga, simply by this sankirtana movement, simply by chanting, sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate, all interest is served. Your material interest, your spiritual interest -- every interest will be served. Lord Caitanya also said, iha haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomara. Just... Even if you are materially desiring something, that also will be fulfilled by simply chanting Hare Krsna. It is such a nice thing. This is... Therefore we call maha-mantra. All...

purvavat likhi yabe gunavatara-gana
asankhya sankhya tanra, na haya ganana
cari-yugavatare ei ta' ganana
suni' bhangi kari' tanre puche sanatana

Now here is a very trick. Sanatana Gosvami, he was politician. He was minister. Now when Lord Caitanya was describing about the incarnations, especially of the incarnation of the Kali-yuga, now he's asking, Sanatana Gosvami is asking to Lord Caitanya,

raja-mantri-sanatana-buddhye brhaspati
prabhura krpate puche asankoca-mati

He's asking very frankly because he's very intelligent. He was minister.

'ati ksudra jiva muni nica, nicacara
kemane janiba kalite kon avatara?'

"My dear Sir, Lord Caitanya, I am the lowest of the lowest. I am very fool number one. So I may inquire from You that how can I understand that this is the incarnation of this age, Kali-yuga?"

prabhu kahe -- anyavatara sastra-dvare jani
kalite avatara taiche sastra-vakye mani

"Oh, why you are in confusion? As other incarnation are to be understood from the indication of the sastras, similarly, we have to understand from the indication of the sastra who is incarnation." Sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana'.

Now sastra, the scripture, is the most first-class evidence, sarvajna munira va..., sarvajna... Because sastras are written not by ordinary person. Not by Rabindranath Tagore, a sex play. (?) No. (laughs) Sastras are written by liberated persons. Therefore sastra, scripture, have got so many advantages and so much respect. So therefore Lord said: sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana'. Sastra paramana. Just like (we) see in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, four hundred thousands of years after there will be avatara, Kalki, and His father's name, His birthplace, is already mentioned there. This is called sastra. Five thousand years before Bhagavata was written, and there is indication that in such and such age, in such and such province, in such and such family, Lord Buddha will appear. That is written there. And five thousand years before, ago, the, the symptoms of Kali-yuga is already written there. And we are experiencing.

In the Bhagavata you'll find, svikara eva hy udhvahe: "In the Kali-yuga, marriage will be performed simply by agreement." Just see. Another... Lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "People will think by keeping long hairs they will be very beautiful." It is stated in Bhagavata. They'll look very beautiful. Lavanyam kesa-dharanam. It is written there if you see. It is not story. Svikara eva hy udvahe. Dampatye ratim eva hi: "And husband and wife relation means sex. That's all." If the husband has got sex power, then there will be no divorce. These are all written there. Simply sex life, husband and wife relationship. Simply sex life. Vipratve sutram eva hi: "And one will be considered a brahmana simply by this thread." These are all written there. A two-cent-worth thread, you get it..., "Oh, you have got thread. Oh, you are a brahmana." That's all. This is going on in India. Two-paisa-worth brahmana. He has all the qualification of less than a candala, but, because he has got this nonsense thread, he's considered a brahmana. So these things are all mentioned. And we have to believe it also that, in the last stage of the Kali-yuga, nobody will understand what is God, what is religion. And there will be no supply of these grains. Now we are getting all these grains. But, as you are, as you are thinking grain is not meant for human being, they are meant for animals, all right, God will stop completely. Then you'll have to live only on the seeds and animal flesh. That is also mentioned. There will be no milk. There will be no sugar. There will be no grain. These things are mentioned. Therefore sastra, it is called sastra. Sarvajna. Sarvajna means the sastra is written by persons who know, who knows the, I mean to say, past, present and future. Everything is clear. Therefore we have got so much respect for scripture. The foolish people say, "Oh, it is also written by man. Why shall I...?" Yes, it is written by man. That's all right. But he's not a man like you. He's liberated man. There are different kinds of men. So don't think all men are like you, all men are like you fools.

So here it is said, sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana.' Therefore... Tasmat sastra pramana ante. In the Bhagavad-gita also, that everything should act, should be acted in terms of the sastra. Just like when you go to post something, you are, you are directed by the postal guide. Sastra pramana only. So Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as Krsna has given stress upon the evidence, on the scripture, similarly, Lord Caitanya also is giving stress. The question is very interesting. The question is how one should accept a person or a body as incarnation. Lord Caitanya says that through sastra, by the evidence of sastra. So many fools, they are presenting themselves as incarnation. An intelligent person should see whether this fool is mentioned in the sastra. He's presenting himself as incarnation. Whether his activities are, his characteristics is mentioned in the sastra? Then accept. Otherwise, don't accept. This will be discussed more.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.337-353 -- New York, December 25, 1966

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