Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām (BG 7.5). Bhinnā prakṛti, bhinnā prakṛti, aparā prakṛti, this material nature is a separated energy of the Supreme Lord, and the living entities, they are also energy of the Supreme Lord, but they are not separated. They are eternally related. So the Lord, the living entity, the nature, material nature, and time, they are all eternal. But the other item, karma, is not eternal. The effects of karma or activity may be very old. We are suffering or enjoying the results of our activities from a time immemorial, but still, we can change the result of our karma, or activity. That will depend on our perfect knowledge. We are engaged in various activities undoubtedly, but we do not know what sort of activities we shall adopt that will give us relief from the actions and reactions of all activities. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Adopt (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like we give up one kind of dress, one type of dress, for another type of dress, similarly, it is explained in this Bhagavad-gītā that vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). One, as one changes his different dresses, similarly the living entities, they are also changing different bodies, transmigration of the soul, and pulling on the actions and reactions of his past activities. So these activities can be changed when a living being is in the mode of goodness, in sanity, and he understands what sort of activities he should adopt, and if he does so, then the whole action and reactions of his past activities can be changed. Therefore karma is not eternal. Other things, out of the four, five items—īśvara, jīva, prakṛti, kāla, and karma—these four items are eternal, whereas the karma, the item known as karma, that is not eternal.
Faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change the faith afterwards and adopt another faith. But sanātana-dharma means which cannot be changed, which cannot be changed. Just like water and liquidity. Liquidity cannot be changed from water. Heat and fire. Heat cannot be changed from fire. Similarly, the eternal function of the eternal living entity, which is known as sanātana-dharma, cannot be changed.
Simply one has to practice the system. That system is hinted in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely and one can adopt it and make his life perfect and make a permanent solution of life. That is the sum and substance of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore, the conclusion is that Bhagavad-gītā is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully. Gītā-śāstram idaṁ puṇyaṁ yaḥ paṭhet prayataḥ pumān. And the result will be, if he properly follows the instruction, then he can be freed from all miseries of life, all anxieties of life.
Because Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore people should..., people may not read all other Vedic literatures. Simply if he attentively and regularly reads and hears Bhagavad-gītā, gītā su-gītā kartavyā... And one should adopt this means by all means. Gītā su-gītā kartavyā kim anyaiḥ śāstra-vistaraiḥ. Because at the present age people are embarrassed with so many things that it is hardly possible to divert his attention in all the Vedic literatures.
Only bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti. Otherwise, it is not possible. Bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti yāvan yas cāsmi tattvataḥ. Reality, in reality, if you want to understand what is God, then you have to adopt this bhakti process, devotional service. Then you transcend. Therefore, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Nārada says that: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). If anyone, even by sentiment, gives such, gives up his occupational duty according to guṇa... That is called svadharma... Svadharma means one's duty according to the quality he has acquired. That is called svadharma. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are divided guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), by guṇa and karma.
Yad vijñāna-samanvitam. Jñānaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yad vijñāna-samanvitam. It is a vijñāna. Vijñāna means science. As everything is understood thoroughly through a scientific process, similarly, if you want to know the science of God, then you have to adopt the process by which one can understand God. That process is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He says, "If anyone wants to understand Me, then he has to take the process of devotional service," not by the speculative process or by fruitive activities, or by yogic process, mystic yogic process. It is clearly stated. Not only in Bhagavad-gītā. In all other Vedic scripture.
Therefore śāstra says that we should try to control the itching of our senses. Then he is dhīra. And as soon as you become dhīra, you are the first-class candidate for going back to home, back to Godhead. So there is method; there is practice; there is process. If you like, you can adopt them—actually there is no difficulty—and solve all the problems of your life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand and adopt it. Now any question?
Otherwise, so long you are under the bodily concept of life, you are in the animal platform. That is the difference. (break) But bhakti's such a nice thing that kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī. Bhakti attract Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa attracts everything, but bhakti attracts Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have to adopt the bhakti means. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ.
They do not know even how to live peacefully. If these divisions are there, four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, it will be very systematic. People will be automatically enlightened. That is real human civilization. If the society, human society, does not at all adopt this system of social life, there cannot be any peace. Still, in India, although it is fallen so much, in the interior village you'll find the social divisions are maintained and they live very peacefully. Very peacefully. Those who have gone into the interior village, they have seen.
Yes, that is the way. That is the way of understanding. Just like I am in America. It is very easy to understand. I am not adopting any ways of life as the Americans do. So I am not in America. Not only myself, all my disciples who are following me, they are also not Americans. They're different from American behavior, American ways of life. In that sense I'm not in America. I am in Vṛndāvana because wherever I go in my apartment or in my temple I live with Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I don't accept any consciousness of America.
You are earning money; you are getting from the store; you are cooking. Everything... Nothing is stopped. Simply change your mentality, that everything is being done for God. It is not at all difficult. Simply we have to adopt it. We have to adopt it. So kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Now, if you think, "Oh, why...? I am earning for my palatable dishes. Why shall I offer it to God? This is there are so many, I mean to say, encumbrances. I am not going to do," then you become kṛpaṇa, miser. But if you be a brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means udāra, liberated, liberal, not liberated, liberal. The opposite word of kṛpaṇa is liberal. "I offer this body for the service of the Supreme." I become so liberal. Not for my sense enjoyment.
Simply for a moment, when Arjuna was disturbed in his mind, that "How can I fight with my relatives and friends and sons and grandsons and so, so many things?" Bodily relations. And the Bhagavad-gītā was spoken. So that is a practical thing that Bhagavad-gītā was practically spoken to induce Arjuna to adopt violence. Now, Mahatma Gandhi, his philosophy was nonviolence. How could he prove that Bhagavad-gītā gives evidence of nonviolence? No. Therefore, anyone, Mahatma Gandhi or anyone, who has got his own ulterior motive, to prove it from the topics of Bhagavad-gītā, he must adulterate it. But that is not the process of reading Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā, how to read Bhagavad-gītā, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. When we come to the Fourth Chapter, we'll know.
Now, the stage of sannyāsa, just like we have adopted, this is a practical example how much one has been able to become free from bodily affection. This is a chance. This is a chance given. Just like at home I have my wife, I have my children, I have my grandchildren, everyone, I have my daughters and everyone, but somehow or other, I have thought that "What is this relation?" Therefore I have been able to live aloof from these bodily rela..., relatives.
So these are the techniques. So ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ atha bhajana-kriyā tataḥ anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Anartha means... Anartha means that creates my miseries. Material activities will continue to increase my misery. And if you adopt spiritual life, then your material miseries will be gradually decreased, and practically it will be nil. And when we are actually free from material affinity, then your real spiritual life begins. Athāsakti. You become attached. You cannot give up any more. When your anartha-nivṛtti, when your material activities are completely stop, then you cannot give up. Athāsakti.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Simply by... It is explained. Go on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "The renounced order of life can be adopted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without the purifying process one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life, sannyāsa."
Prabhupāda: Renunciation is the fourth order of life according to Vedic civilization. Just like we are a sannyāsī. So we were also householder. I have got my wife, still living. I have got my children.
Prabhupāda: Sat nyāsa, sannyāsa. This is the combination. Sat means the Supreme, the ever-existing, and nyāsa means renunciation. That means one who has renounced everything for serving the Supreme, he is real sannyāsa. He may take this dress or not, that doesn't matter. Anyone who has sacrificed his life for service of the Supreme Lord, he's a sannyāsī. That will be explained in the Fifth Chapter. Go on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting sannyāsa or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Nārāyaṇa, God. But Lord Kṛṣṇa does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart, sannyāsa is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if somebody takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt."
Prabhupāda: Hm. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Svalpam means very little, api—although, asya—of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dharmasya—occupation, trāyate—delivers, mahato—great, bhayāt—fearfulness. Yes.
Just like a naughty boy. By force, you can stop him acting mischievously. But as soon as he gets opportunity, again he will act so. Similarly, senses are very strong. You cannot stop them artificially. Therefore the only remedy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These boys in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is also sense gratification, eating nice prasāda, dancing, chanting, reading philosophy—but it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is the significance. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. It is the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa. Not directly, but because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, my senses are automatically satisfied. This process should be adopted. Artificially...
Prabhupāda: Svārtha-gati, svārtha-gati. Yes.
Sudāmā: "...or goal of self-interest is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole varṇa and āśrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization one can live a controlled life as prescribed in the śāstras and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who works only for the sake of making a living."
Prabhupāda: Yes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that don't accept spiritual life for living. Just like we are sending the saṅkīrtana party. If we take it, "Oh, it is very easy method for living without working. We are getting money for our livelihood," this is not wanted. If your spiritual life is for...
The Vedic śāstras are there, the representatives of Kṛṣṇa are there. They are teaching, "My dear conditioned souls, please adopt this means and end your repetition of birth and death. Come to the kingdom of God." This is a chance.
Now, this is the formula of spiritual realization, that we should not stop our working capacity, the prescribed duties in which we are engaged. That is not to be stopped. If we stop work and spiritual realization, for spiritual realization, we leave this world and go to the jungle or Himalaya and sit down there for meditation for spiritual realization, oh, how many people will be ready to do this thing? No. This is not for mass people. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is prescribing something practical which can be adopted by every one and all, without any distinction. This point we have already discussed in the last day's meeting, that whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. You can realize the highest perfection of life, provided you work under the regulation of yajña. Yajñārthāt karma.
And if somebody is at all interested for some spiritual enlightenment, then, unfortunately, mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ, they adopt some spiritual method which is not recognized. Spiritual realization with relationship with God is no spiritual realization. The whole spiritual realization means one must understand his relationship with the Supreme Lord. But generally in this age they want to avoid the conception of God, and at the same time, they want to be spiritually advanced.
Now, for them, in this age, Lord Caitanya recommended this sacrifice, this saṅkīrtana-yajña which we are trying to perform here. Saṅkīrtana. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Now, those who have got better brain, they will adopt this process of saṅkīrtana-yajña for satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. That will be helpful for the men of this age. That is recommended in Bhāgavatam.
Now, either you adopt this yajña or that yajña, according to your capacity, but you must have to perform yajña. Without yajña, you cannot be happy.
That is not to be stopped. If we stop work and spiritual realization, for spiritual realization we leave this world and go to the jungle or Himalaya and sit down there for meditation, for spiritual realization, oh, how many people will be ready to do this thing? No. This is not for mass people. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is prescribing something practical which can be adopted by everyone and all without any distinction. This point we have already discussed in the last day's meeting, that whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. You can realize the highest perfection of life provided you work under the regulation of yajña. Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ. There is no harm working, but the work should be done for the Supreme Lord, Yajña.
It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation. Therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Those who have not followed Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas or karmas."
Now, take for example the other day we had some feasting. We cooked it nicely and offered Kṛṣṇa, and then you took. What was the difficulty there? Was there any difficulty? So many gentlemen, you are present here who partook of that prasādam. How nicely it was prepared and how we enjoyed. So is yajña a very difficult thing? So it is not at all difficult. Simply we have to adopt the principles. That's all. And if we adopt that principle... Here it is clearly said that yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santaḥ. Santa means these things are arranged by pious men and devotees of the Lord. Ordinary men, they don't care: "What is this nonsense yajña? Let us go to the hotel and take to our palatable things." You see? That is another thing. But those who are serious about solving the problems of life, let them take to this yajña principle. Is it very difficult? Not at all. It is rather pleasurable.
It is the most inexpensive performance of yajña. Anyone can adopt it, just to learn these sixteen words: Hare, Kṛṣṇa, Hare, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare, Hare, Hare, Rāma, Hare, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Hare, Hare, these sixteen words. Anyone, any illiterate man or any rich man, any poor man or any man of any country, these sixteen words anyone can learn. You see?
So we are not to be afraid of, that we cannot perform this yajña as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā. By the grace of Lord Caitanya and by the grace of Vedic literature we have got this information that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. This yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, chanting yajña, one can perform, and one can please the Supreme Lord. That is prescribed. So this is very easy, and anyone can adopt, only to remember the sixteen names, and at any time.
These are the points of realization. As we make sincerely sincere effort to perform this yajña, particular yajña for this age, then we make our progress. It is most inexpensive and very easy and very powerful. Why don't you adopt it? That is my request to you. Thank you very much. Now, if there is any question you can put.
Yad yad: "Whatever is practiced by the principal or the superiors..." In every society, in every country, there are certain class of men who are considered the leaders or the superior men. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that whatever is practiced by the top list men, that is followed by the ordinary class of men. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute. And the top list man, whatever he adopts or whatever scripture or whatever instruction he admits, lokas tad anuvartate. Ordinary class of men, they generally follow. The whole idea is that Kṛṣṇa wants Arjuna to become an ideal person, ideal person, so that ordinary men can follow. And generally the practice is also the same.
Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). Śarīriṇaḥ means one who possesses this body. This thing we have discussed in the second chapter, and in the third chapter Arjuna is advised to adopt the means of karma-yoga. For spiritual emancipation we have to act on the platform of consciousness, and because we are now engaged in material engagement, it is not possible for us to at once get rid of this material consciousness, but we have gradually to get out of it. And that is called karma-yoga. Karma-yoga means you have to adopt this process of karma-yoga in such a way that even within your material body you shall be able to act on spiritual platform, consciousness. That we have already discussed.
This Bhagavad-gītā yoga is to be understood by a person who is a bhakta, who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand it. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyam... Because there is a mystery, mystery of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is impossible to be adopted by a person who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the qualification. To understand, to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is rather a difficult job because unless one is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, it will be a difficult problem. This, this very word, it suggests, bhakto 'si, that one's qualification must be that he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that he can understand Bhagavad-gītā.
Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. It is not that people were not chanting in the Satya-yuga, in Satya-yuga this holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is not that. But in this age the process adopted in the Satya-yuga, dhyāyataḥ, meditation, that is not possible. In the Satya-yuga, kṛte yad... Because people were living at that time one-hundred-thousands of years. And it is said that Mahāmuni Vālmīki, he meditated for sixty-thousands of years.
So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā as well as to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Therefore we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And what is that Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Now, this process which you have adopted, which you have adopted. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Now, this chanting and this hearing of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā hearing as it is, from persons who are engaged in this business. That will help us to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And as soon as we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa also help us to understand.
So everyone's duty is that he should take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness by engaging himself in this process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), chanting and hearing, the simple process. You have nothing to do. Simply if you give aural reception, that will clear everything within your mind, and you, you'll get enlightenment because Kṛṣṇa will help you. He's present within. You have simply to, I mean to say, spare a little time. You, you'll see actually. If you kindly spare a little time in this process which you have adopted here, you'll feel yourself... Nobody has to canvass you that oh, whether you are making your progress? No. You'll understand it. Because it is actual, you'll understand it.
Similarly, this is the thing. If you kindly spare a little time, you'll feel yourself how much you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how much making progress in your human mission of life. So I shall request you that we are just trying to, just endeavor, our poor endeavor... It is, still our duty to do it. If you kindly take advantage of this opportunity, both, we shall be benefited. Then that is the process we have adopted here, the Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, and I invite you all to come and take part in it and make your life successful.
I shall read Bhagavad-gītā to kill Kṛṣṇa. There is no Kṛṣṇa. There was no Kṛṣṇa. There was no battlefield of Kurukṣetra. It is imaginary," that means the Kaṁsa's program, for killing Kṛṣṇa. So we should not adopt that. That is pratikūla, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, reading Kṛṣṇa's books but trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. So this is going on. "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and a learned scholar, commentator is saying, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa, not to the person Kṛṣṇa."
We have seen practically. These boys, although they are very young, you'll find they have got these beads. I have asked them to chant always. They are chanting as far as possible. So this, this process has to be adopted. If you're actually serious to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you do not try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you are making suicide. Ātma-han. They have been described in the śāstra: ātma-han. If I cut my throat, my self, then who can save me? So people do not understand it.
So everything requires sincerity. Otherwise things are not very difficult. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ, bahavaḥ (BG 4.10). Kṛṣṇa says, bahavaḥ. Not that one or two. Anyone... "Many who have adopted this means..." Then jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ: "By knowledge and tapasya, they became purified, and then..." What is that? Mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. Then come to the stage of bhāva. So to learn this art one, must be first... Just like we are hearing. If one determines, so why not adopt this means? Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ. "Why I am suffering?" Kṛṣṇa is advising. Why not take this step? Then Kṛṣṇa will help you. As soon as you decide to accept this means, Kṛṣṇa will help you. Kṛṣṇa will help you... He'll give you good assistance.
So we should take this opportunity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). This association, society, of sādhus, who have dedicated their life for understanding Kṛṣṇa, for serving Kṛṣṇa, they are sādhu. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu... tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. By sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83) means next stage is how to adopt devotional life.
They were very rich men, but still, how they could live in such a way? That is described that tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat: "They gave up all aristocratic association just like insignificant." And tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau: "And they adopted life of mendicant just to show mercy to the fallen souls." But how they lived? Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau: "They were merged in the ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa, and they lived so happily." That is... There is a position like that, that you can forget all these material comforts. There is no comfort in the material life. It is so-called. It is simply a delusion.
Young Woman: So how to realize Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Young Woman: Say that again?
Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. Ādau śraddhā. If you are inquisitive to understand that is your first stage of faith. That is called śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. In the beginning your inquisitiveness that "I want to understand," that is faith. Then next stage is association of persons who know, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Then initiation. Then disappearance of all misgivings. Then steady faith. Then attachment. And then ecstasy. Then realization. These are stages.
So anyone—it doesn't matter what he is—he can prepare foodstuff either family-wise or... Just like I am here, Hindu. I am cooking my foodstuff, and I am offering to Kṛṣṇa, and I am taking, and as far as possible, some of the remnants is distributed to the devotees. So this process we can adopt, everyone, because we have to maintain this body. So if we do not take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, then I become responsible for all kinds of sins. But if we take, accept, kṛṣṇa-prasāda, then I have no responsibility because Kṛṣṇa is taking.
Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was eating at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, every two.... After two, three days after, he was eating little butter, just to satisfy. Practically no eating. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was a very rich man's son. His father's income was twelve lakhs of rupees in those days. So he adopted this austerity at Rādhā-kuṇḍa.
There is activities. As soon as we accept dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ, there must be activities. A dāsa has got activities. So dāsa, when these activities are there, then hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170), that is called bhakti. If you adopt this means, to engage the senses in the service of the master of the senses... We possess some senses, but we are not master. Suppose I have got this touch sense, hand, I am working with, but actually I am not master. If the hand is paralyzed, you cannot work.
As we'll understand when we come to the Ninth Chapter, it is clearly stated that su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). It is very happy to adopt this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So instead of lamenting what has been done—that is useless. No use lamenting. We have to now go, make progress, advance by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and utilizing everything for that purpose, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then everything will be all right.
That is the whole system of yoga, jñāna, bhakti, anywhere. Anywhere. One may find, "This system is nice; that system is very difficult.' That is a different thing, but any system you adopt, the whole thing is that you have to purify your existence from the conception of material enjoyment to the conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness enjoyment. That will make you happy. Thank you very much.
That is perfection of life. Simply don't be lost to Kṛṣṇa. You can forget all things, but don't forget Kṛṣṇa. Then you are richest. People may see you are very poor man, just like Gosvāmīs. They adopted very poor life, mendicant. They were ministers, very opulent. Very honorable gentlemen, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, learned scholars, rich men, ministers, in every respect their social position so high. But they accepted this mendicant: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. That Gosvāmī prayer you'll find. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Just like most insignificant, they gave up everything.
Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kalau, in this age of Kali. Kalau nāsty eva, nāsty eva. Nāsty eva: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. If you adopt this system, this bhakti-yoga system, very simple, simply chanting. You'll find immediately result. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Any other yoga system, if you practice, you are in the darkness. You do not know how far you are making progress. But this system, you will understand, "Yes, I'm making such and such progress." This is the only yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, that one can practice for quick result and self-realization and liberation even in this life. He hasn't got to wait for another life. It is so nice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. Always glorifying, they are mahātmās. They are great souls. If you want to be great soul in terms of the Vedic literature, in terms of Bhagavad-gītā, in terms of great saints and sages, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. No other process will be possible. It is not impossible. Just imagine. A personality like Arjuna, with all facilities of life and five thousand years before the circumstances were different, and still, he denied. So yoga system... Actually, if you simply making a show, showbottle of meditation, if you are satisfied, oh, that is a different thing. Make yourself a showbottle. But showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. It is clearly according to Bhagavad-gītā. Showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. You have to be really bottle of medicine. Then it will cure. You know... Of course I... Here is not...
So if we want to control the mind, then we have to adopt these regulative principles of life. Not that we have to give up, but we have to make regulated. Vairāgya. Then it will be possible to adopt. And the best thing is that engage your mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are trying to engage our students twenty-four hours either in this way or that way, this way or that way, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is samādhi, trance, transcendental situation. You can eat, you can enjoy, you can dance, you can see, you can work—all things for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will automatically make you renounced order of life. But if you try to follow this yoga system which was possible in the Satya-yuga some millions of years before, and if you want to adopt that, oh, it is not possible. If you want to be satisfied becoming a showbottle, then that is a different thing. Remain a showbottle. But if you want really actual success, then you cannot adopt that process. Asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ.
Devotee: "These are transcendental. Beyond both body and mind. Self-realization is sought by the path of knowledge, the practice of eightfold mysticism or by bhakti-yoga. In each of these processes one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity, his relationship with God and the activities whereby he can reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three methods, one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter. Even a little endeavor on the transcendental path of bhakti-yoga is especially suitable for this age because it is the most direct method of God-realization. To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Kṛṣṇa to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely adopt the path of self-realization. But the process of cultivation of knowledge and the practice of eightfold yoga system are generally very difficult for this age. Therefore in spite of one's earnest endeavor one may fail for many reasons. The primary reason is one's not being sufficiently serious about following the process. To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on the illusory energy."
Prabhupāda: When we accept any self-realization process, it is practically declaring war against the illusory energy, māyā. So when there's a question of māyā or a question of fight or war there will be so many difficulty imposed by māyā, that is certain. Therefore there is a chance of failure. but one has to become very steady. Go on.
Either any yoga system, any spiritual life is called yoga. Yoga means to link. We are part and parcel of the supreme absolute, Brahman or Bhagavān, whatever you call, Paramātmā, it doesn't matter. But yoga means linking. So the linking, either you link with impersonal formless, the Supreme Brahman, that is also linking. And if you by meditation you link up with the Supersoul within yourself that is also transcendental activity. Or you directly worship as a devotee, Kṛṣṇa. Anything you adopt, that is spiritual life. But to become Kṛṣṇa conscious or a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is the ultimate goal.
So Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna," na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid durgatim: "Anyone who has attempted even one percent sincerely, culture of spiritual realization, he will never fall down. He will never fall down." That sincerity. Because we are weak, and the material energy is very strong, so to adopt spiritual life is more or less declare war against the material energy. The material, the illusory energy, she is trying to curb this conditioned soul as far as possible. Now, when the conditioned soul tries to get out of her clutches by spiritual advancement of knowledge, oh, she becomes more stringent. Yes. She wants to test, "How much this person is sincere?" So there will be so many allurement offered by the material energy.
Now, there is a story. There are many stories. One of them I am citing. It is very interesting. Viśvāmitra Muni. Viśvāmitra Muni, he was a great king, kṣatriya, but his priest, Vasiṣṭha Muni, he had great spiritual power. So he renounced his kingdom. He wanted to advance. He was kingly, royal order, but still, he wanted to advance in the spiritual orders. So he adopted yoga process, meditation. That time it was possible for adopting this process, yoga process. So he was meditating in such a way that the Indra, who was the king of heaven, he thought that "This man is trying to occupy my post." As there is competition... This is also... Heaven means that is also material world. So this competition—no businessman wants an another businessman go ahead. He wants to cut down. Competition of price, quality.
So similarly, if with everything we have got some relationship, why not with God? There is. That is practical relationship, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten our relationship. And yoga means to connect, to reconnect that relationship again. That is called yoga. Yoga is not a mental speculation or for health's sake. Oh, for health's sake you may not go to the yoga system. If you simply adopt the practice of Sandoz exercise you can become very healthy, very strong. There is no need of... Yoga is different thing. Yoga means concentration of the mind towards God, God, Paramātmā, which we have forgotten now.
So Kṛṣṇa says that "I will explain to you, if you adopt this principle, that development of attachment with Kṛṣṇa, under My protection..." If you don't take the protection of Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You have to accept. That development I have... The other day, I have explained to you that it takes place by giving something, by taking something, by disclosing something, by understanding something, by eating something, by giving Kṛṣṇa to eat something.
Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above goodness. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. But goodness is a qualification to get promoted on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But goodness is not a means to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the means is Kṛṣṇa only. That's all, nothing else. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means we have to adopt the Kṛṣṇa means, no other means. The Kṛṣṇa means is being instructed in this chapter, that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me..." That is Kṛṣṇa con... The means and the end, the same. If you want to come to the end of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
The first stage is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the last stage is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The difference is one stage is immature, and the other stage is mature. When it is mature, then you taste it nicely. Just like mango. In the unripe stage it is mango, and the ripe stage, it is mango. But in the ripe stage you taste nicely. In the unripe stage the taste is different. But if you give time for ripening, then you will taste. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the means of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other means can be adopted for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should know. Therefore it is being taught here that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me..." You have to think of Kṛṣṇa always.
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, speaking about the topmost form of yoga system. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā He has explained the general haṭha-yoga system. Please remember that we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. It is nothing manufactured. (dog barking) (pause) Whose dog? He may go away. So this bhakti-yoga system is authorized, and if you want to know about God, then you have to adopt this bhakti-yoga system. Because in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is concluded... (break) ...he who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself.
So if we purify ourself... In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna appreciates Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). How you can approach the pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān without being pavitra? So there is a process to appreciate whether Kṛṣṇa or God has form. Unless we adopt the form, superficially it is not possible. I see otherwise there are... Why so many process of bhajana-sādhana if it is so cheap that we can immediately understand what is God? No. And the Veda says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That was our system. First of all, they used to become brahmacārīs, to become most obedient servant of the spiritual master before becoming gṛhastha.
So many things. And your life will be perfect. So many nonsense things will go automatically. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. So therefore to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, every house, everywhere, every person, every human being should adopt this arcana-vidhi. Then at least he will save so many unnecessary... Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15).
Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process. If you adopt this process... They are with me for the last two, three or four years. Now they are... You detach them from Kṛṣṇa consciousness if you have got any power. You cannot do that. Even you bribe them or, no, what you can do? Their father, mother, their countrymen can give you enough.
So there is a process. If we adopt that process, then everyone can become mayy āsakta-manāḥ, Kṛṣṇa āsakta-manāḥ. We have to accept the process. That process is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to accept the yoga system under the protection of Kṛṣṇa personally or His bona fide devotees, representative. Then you will be... Then what will be the result? The result will be asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Now people are educated in all other institution about God, but they are all full of doubts, full of doubts: "What kind of God? What is the nature of God? Whether there is God? Whether there is no God?" So many doubts.
Therefore if you become attached... We have got attachment for so many things. But if we transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to adopt this yogic process, meditation. Meditation... Unless you have got love for somebody, attachment for somebody, how you can think of him always? That is not possible. By force I cannot say that "You think of this thing or this man." That is not possible. If I have got attachment for a certain thing or a certain person, then we can think of that person or that thing. That is called yoga, connecting always, keeping linked always.
If you want to know God without any doubt, completely, then you have to adopt this yoga. So first of all come to the yoga. Then speak of God understanding. It is not so cheap thing.
So those who are practicing this bhakti-yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their first position is that they are attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti means attachment. We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows. Accept Him as your master. Accept Him as the Supreme. Accept Him as your friend.
They try to relish brahma-sukha. Now, when they... Brahma-sukhānubhūti, Kṛṣṇa is the goal of brahma-sukha anubhūti. So when Brahman wants to have pleasure, does it mean that He takes pleasure within this material world? To understand Brahman, one has to give up all material pleasures. And when the Brahman relishes pleasure, does it mean this is material pleasure? Try to understand this fact. For relishing brahma-sukha, one undergoes severe austerities. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena (SB 6.1.13). There are so many processes. Tapo divyaṁ śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). For purifying our existence, we have to adopt so many means of austerities, for understanding what is brahma-sukha.
So point is that Arjuna was not ordinary person. He was specifically friend of Kṛṣṇa. So he said that "This practice of yoga, haṭha-yoga, is not possible by me." So Kṛṣṇa therefore concluded the yoga system that "Don't be discertain. There is another yoga system, bhakti-yoga system. You can adopt it."
So, anyone can see God within his heart, if he adopts the process, bona fide process. Nārāyaṇa is within you. Therefore, great, great saintly persons, they are sitting in a lowly place, alone. But he is not alone. He is with Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa. He is seeing always there. So he is not alone. We are always accompanied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as paramātmā, antaryāmī, within the heart.
No more birth. "Then it is finished? I am finished?" No, you are not finished. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. "You come to Me. You come to Me." Go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy. Everyone can adopt. Why should you give up? Take it very seriously and be happy.
Of course, those who are observing... But it is very hard to say who is observing. But if it is not observed, then any child born, either in the brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, it is to be understood that that child is śūdra. Even if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed, still, by birth, it is accepted that every child is a śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And if the regulative purificatory processes are adopted, then he becomes dvija. Dvija means twice-born. First-born by the father and mother, and his second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Veda-mātā. Vedic knowledge and the spiritual master gives another birth. Upanayana-saṁskāra. Upanayana.
This is necessary for you to become this Kṛṣṇa conscious, to adopt this life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why? Because jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya: "In order to get out of the miseries of jarā." Jarā means old age, invalidity. And jarā-maraṇa. Maraṇa means death. Due to ignorance, we forget the miseries of death, the miseries of invalidity, or old age. We think, "Now we are young, young man, young woman. Oh, we don't care for what is old age or what is death. Let us enjoy." We forget. But a man who is not in ignorance, he has always in his view that this material life is full of miseries because there is birth, there is death, there is old age and there is disease.
Now, if we believe Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority, if we believe Him, then we can adopt this. And there is no question of disbelieving Him, because all great souls, all great scholars and all great spiritualists... Arjuna, you say the example of Arjuna. He's not an ordinary man. He belongs to the royal order. And he's a very, I mean, a great fighter, great general. And he is taking instruction from Kṛṣṇa. If Arjuna has taken instruction from Kṛṣṇa... He's a... Rāmānujācārya has taken, accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. He... Śaṅkarācārya has accepted the Kṛṣṇa as Supreme.
Difficulty is there always. Even you go to a school there are so many difficulties. But if you practice with vow and rigidity, you become successful. Difficulties may be there. In every field of our activities there are difficulties. You cannot say... This world is full of difficulties. So difficulties may be there, but you have to struggle against the difficulties and you have to adopt the process. Then your difficulties will be over. It is not that "Because there is difficulty I shall refrain from it." No. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha... (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). These are process. Just like you have come here with some śraddhā, with some faith: "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let me sit down. Let me hear."
This is not possible. You have to reach there bhaktyā, by devotion, ananyayā, ananya-cetāḥ, without deviation to this karma, fruitive activities, or the philosophical speculation or this exercise. No. Simply, simply this devotional service, unalloyed devotional service without any mixture. If you can adopt that, then...
So in the beginning we have to chant. We may be in whatever position we are; that doesn't matter. If we begin chanting then our, the first benefit will be ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) "The mind will be clear of all dirty things." Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. And then next stage will be bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. The next stage will be that the sufferings, the miseries of this material world, will subside. So we'll have to, I mean to say, make progress stage after stage. But any stage you can adopt this means, any stage. There is no necessity of preliminary qualification, that "You have to come to this stage and then chant." From any stage you can chant. Yes.
So those who believe in scriptures, they adopt, not all. Just like I explained that mostly people, they simply accept a certain faith. Mouth, in mouth only. Actually, they do not do anything. Do not do anything.
Out of them, those who are sacrificing, making charities and adopting penances, out of many millions of like, persons like that, some of them are actually in knowledge what he is.
Every brāhmaṇa, every self-realized soul, every vipra, or expert in the knowledge of Vedic literature, he would be provided with some brahmacārīs, group of brahmacārīs. They will follow the rules and regulation of brahmacārī life and live with the spiritual master, and the spiritual master will teach them, from Vedic literature, real knowledge. That is the process. This is called śravaṇam. So one should not adopt the means of ascending process. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Udapāsya means "Give it up." And namanta eva: "And be submissive." Namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way, if one lives and hears, san-mukharitām, from the realized soul... Just like Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, from the perfect person, san-mukharitām.
So therefore our duty is to engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are, at the preliminary, rules and regulation. And if we follow, if you follow those principles, it is not very difficult thing to see God or to become acquainted with God intimately. God is very cheap if we adopt the means. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Adurlabha. Adurlabha, very cheap. To whom? To the pure devotee. But to others, those who are, I mean to say, mongering in philosophical speculation and manufacturing something, some hallucination, it is not possible to have a relationship with God. But adurlabham ātma-bhaktau: He is very cheap to the pure devotee.
Now, somebody may inquire, "Now, to become a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, is there any qualification required? Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa. He appeared to be a Hindu, and it was spoken in India, and all the ācāryas, they are very learned men. They have adopted. But how we can take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? I am not... I do not belong to such particular creed or, say, particular country." Now Kṛṣṇa says, "No, that is not disqualification." Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yonayaḥ... Of course, according to Vedic literature, there are mentions of pāpa-yoni. Yoni means species. Pāpa-yoni. Just like it is mentioned here, striyaḥ śūdrāḥ, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.
Persons... Let them remain in their own position but adopt this principle. What is that? The principle is that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give up this nonsense speculation, volumes of books. The world is producing every year volumes of books, and they're useless. After six months that is useless, thrown. So don't take to that speculative process, this way and that way, this way and that way, because our senses are limited. How you can have the Supreme Truth known by these imperfect blunt senses?
Although He's not known even to the demigods, even to the great sages, he can be known to you at your home, ajita jito 'py asi, although He is unconquerable, if you adopt this process. So you have to adopt the process only. Otherwise, if you don't adopt the process, there is no alternative. You cannot know. Because greater personalities than us in the human society, the devas, the sura-gaṇāḥ... Sura-gaṇāḥ means the demigods. They cannot know.
The whole thing will reveal. You have to find out such an authoritative person and surrender unto him. Surrendering unto him means surrendering unto God because he is God's representative. But you are allowed to make questions, not to waste time, but for understanding. That is called paripraśna. These are the process. So everything is there. We have simply to adopt it. But if we don't adopt the process and simply waste our time by intoxication and speculation and all nonsensical activities, oh, that is not possible ever. You'll never understand what is God. Because God is not understandable even by the demigods and by the great sages. What is our teeny efforts?
This is the process. And if we adopt this process, so ultimately we can get in touch with Kṛṣṇa and our life becomes successful. The process is very simple, and we can, everyone can adopt. Thank you very much.
Renunciation means you must first stop your sense gratification. That is renunciation. If you engage in your sense gratification, how you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa's senses? So you have to stop this nonsense sense gratification, you have to adopt the real sense gratification. That is renunciation. Renunciation does not mean you become idle. Renunciation means you have to stop nonsense things and then begin real thing. That is renunciation. The Māyāvādī philosophy is stop everything. Stop everything, what is the gain? Stop nonsense, do something sensible, that is wanted. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), give up everything. Does He say, "And then stop"? No. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "Come here." That is wanted. Just like the dictaphone. Stop recording cinema songs, record kṛṣṇa-kathā, discussion of Kṛṣṇa. That is utilization properly. So everything has got utility. When it is used for Kṛṣṇa, that is proper utility. When it is used for other purpose, that is māyā.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for this purpose, to change the pravṛtti nivṛtti. Just like there is pravṛtti for meat-eating. We are advising, "Please do not eat meat." This is nivṛtti. Before that, they do not know what is the difference between meat-eating and not meat-eating. But now they are understanding. Therefore they are becoming sura. One who adopts the methods... And why one should eat meat at all?
Just like in our... You have taken. Some of you might have taken prasādam here. So how nicely they have made. Our Bhānu is expert in making nice prasādam. These boys, these American boys and European boys and some Japanese boys, they have adopted this means. They are happy. So everyone can become sura. There is no... Kṛṣṇa says... It is not it is hackneyed. If somebody says, "Oh, he is born in the asura family. He shall remain as asura," no, no, that is not shastric injunction.
You will see in every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38), twenty-four hours. Those who are actually Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa. They are seeing nothing but Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of not seeing Him, but you have to adopt the method how to see Him. And that is given there. You adopt it, and you will see Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? Any other question? This Bhagavad-gītā, if you study minutely—this is the science of God—you will see God, you will see Kṛṣṇa, and you will understand everything. Therefore we are present...
So people are being controlled by the three kinds of material nature, and if they do not follow the shastric injunction, then he will concoct, he will create something according to his position, either in the tamo-guṇa or rajo-guṇa or sattva-guṇa. But those, means superficially doing something in the tamo-guṇa, he will not be successful. He will not be successful. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma... (BG 16.23). He is going on, conducting himself under the influence of the same modes of nature, material nature, which he has naturally adopted from his birth. There are... We have discussed all these, this verse, that sad-asad-janma, yoni-janmasu. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Everyone is getting a particular type of body. So one may say, "This body is very nice, this body is not so nice and this body is very good." So why it is so? Because according to the association of the material nature. After all, the living entity falls down from the spiritual world. Just like Jaya-Vijaya.
So the society must be divided as suggested in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature, that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be four varṇas and four āśramas, ideal. Then you may be a śūdra, you may be a gṛhastha, or you may be a brāhmaṇa. Everyone will get salvation, everyone attain the perfection, if we adopt this process. So there must be one class of men, first-class men, ideal, that people will learn that "Here is an ideal class of men. Let me try to imitate or follow them." But there is no ideal men now, at the present moment. Everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Then how the society will be happy? It is not possible because there is no ideal men.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So the original person is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ. The idea of praising Śukadeva Gosvāmī means he is not a professional Bhāgavata reader; he is realized soul. Therefore hearing of Bhāgavata from Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommended. Or the representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Representative means one who is strictly following the principle adopted by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī first of all spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam before Mahārāja Parīkṣit. And in that meeting, Sūta Gosvāmī was present. So here you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sūta uvāca, means Sūta Gosvāmī, after hearing from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he repeated the same Bhāgavata recitation in the Naimiṣāraṇya.
So whatever Kṛṣṇa will do, that is all right. Let me utilize my valuable time of this human form of life in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. People will not agree to this. But actually, if anyone wants peace of the mind, yenātmā suprasīdati, then this process should be adopted. This is practical also. There are many saintly persons. They do not try where to go, where to take money, or where to eat. They're busy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "If Kṛṣṇa sends some food, I shall eat. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. I shall starve." They have got that determination, strict. They do not go anywhere, but Kṛṣṇa sends him everything. Just like Bilvamaṅgala. He was not going anywhere.
That is the highest perfection. And therefore here it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). So if you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. You have to adopt this means, bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, cannot be understood by karma, jñāna, yoga. No process will be sufficient to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you have to take to this process as recommended by Kṛṣṇa, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaśs cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).
Therefore you have to take to this process as recommended by Kṛṣṇa, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaśs cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Therefore we do not indulge in Kṛṣṇa's līlā unless it is performed or it is executed by the devotees. Not professional men. That is forbidden. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never indulged in. Because the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by the process of bhakti. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Without bhakti, it is not possible. The bhakti process one has to adopt if he actually wants to go back home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So... But that is not pure devotion. Pure devotion is described here that, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is first class. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. You can adopt any means. There are different kinds of religious system all over the world. You can become Hindu, you can become Muslim, you can become Christian, you can become something else. But the test is how much you have learned to love God.
As soon as he gets the information that devotional service is the perfect type of religion, he should take immediately, without waiting. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is not that "I am conditioned by so many things. I cannot take to bhakti just now." No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā. Without any check. Without any hindrance, you can adopt bhakti.
Simply offers a little obeisances, just bow down, māṁ namaskuru. And if you think of these Deities, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, in this way, those who have become devotees, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, you worship. These four principles, if you adopt, that is bhakti-yoga. That is bhakti-yoga. But the bhakti-yoga can be kept active by śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Just like you are hearing, I am speaking. This is kīrtanam, and you are hearing, both we are benefiting.
This is renouncement. So this renouncement and knowledge can be acquired, simply this method of bhakti-yoga, what is that? Thinking of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā, to become His devotee, to worship Him, and to offer Him obeisances. Only four things. That is called bhakti-yoga, if you adopt it gradually you will understand God and your life will be successful. Thank you very much.
So this is avyabhicāriṇī-bhakti, without any adulteration. There are so-called bhakti-yogas. They are not bhakti-yoga. Someone is thinking that "By executing bhakti-yoga, I shall become merged into the body of the Supreme." There are many. Superficially, they appear to be bhakti-yogīs, but at heart, they are nirbheda-brahmānusandhana. They clearly say also, śaṅkarera mata caitanyera patha(?). "When you adopt the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that means chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but ultimately we accept the opinion of Śaṅkarācārya." Śaṅkarācārya means nirbheda-brahmānusandhana, to become one with the Absolute Truth. This is Śaṅkara's philosophy. "When we are liberated, there is no more distinction between the Absolute and myself. I'll be, both of us, we become one, merge." This is the Māyāvāda philosophy. But Caitanya philosophy's different.
So we have to speak about Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ kīrtayantaḥ. They are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. They are dancing for Kṛṣṇa. They are singing for Kṛṣṇa. They are talking for Kṛṣṇa. They are going round the world for Kṛṣṇa. Everything for Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and bhakti-yoga. Everyone can adopt these principles. Where is the difficulty? Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). In this way, if you practice bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result will be janayaty āśu, very soon...
This is the process. San-mukharitām. Not professional. One who has actually realized, from him, if you hear, meek and humble, without speculating mentally, then by this process only, one can realize the Supreme Lord very easily. Supreme Lord is called Ajita; nobody can conquer Him. But if one adopts this process, hearing from the realized soul in an attitude of humbleness, then he can conquer the ajita. He can understand. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately accepted this process, eho haya, āge kaha āra. Eho haya "This is nice."
So a brahmacārī is strictly prohibited not to see even one young woman. But what can be done? In the Western countries, the boys and girls, they mix very freely. And if I say, "My dear boys, you cannot see even a young girl," then finished. My business there is finished. Therefore I have to arrange according to the country, according to the circumstances, as far as possible. So gradually, they are coming to the perfectional stage. So we have to adopt deśa-kāla-pātra, according to time, according to... But we are keeping our principles as it is, but making arrangement according to the circumstances. That is required.
So they gave up this life of luxury, exuberance, but adopted sannyāsa order for greater benefit of the human society.
These things are required, jñāna and vairāgya. That is very easily achieved. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. If bhakti-yoga is adopted unto the Supreme Personality of God, Vāsudeva, then very soon janayaty āśu... Āśu means very soon. Jñāna-va irāgyam ahaitukam.
So my present activity is making another picture forward. Just like in my past activities I created this body. Similarly, by my present activity also I am creating my next body. So this transmigration of soul is going on. But if you adopt this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then karma-granthi-nibandhanaṁ chindanti. This knot, one after another, this will be cut off.
Now, so, so long we have got this material body, we have to work. We cannot stop working. That is not possible. But we have to adopt the tactics of yoga so that even by doing ordinary work in which by destiny or by circumstances I am put into, there is no harm. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā that even if you find in your own occupation there is... Suppose I am occupied in some business in which I have to speak lie. Without speaking lie, my business cannot go on.
The guru, the devotee, they are bhāgavata. So we have to serve, we have to please them. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you want to learn the transcendental subject matter, then you must adopt three things. Tad viddhi... First of all surrender. Find out that kind of person where you can surrender. If there is no surrender, it is not possible.
Here also it is confirmed: bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. It is not said, "By mystic yoga, by haṭha-yoga, by jñāna-yoga, by karma-yoga." No. Bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. If you want to understand the science of God, then we have to adopt this devotional service. Not by other yogas. Otherwise, in Bhāgavata it would have been said "By karma-yogataḥ, by jñāna-yogataḥ, by haṭha-yogataḥ, by dhyāna-yogataḥ." No. It is clearly said, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate (SB 1.2.20). If you are still after jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, God. It is clearly said.
Just like they are going, trying to go to the moon planet. So how to go to the moon planet, that process is described. You can, you can adopt that process and automatically, after your death, you'll be transferred to the moon planet. You don't require this artificial sputnik. No. Neither you can go there by the sputniks. It is not possible. You must be qualified to enter into a particular type of planet. You cannot go by force. I have given this example many times in America, that if somebody wants to come to America, he has to secure the proper passport and visa.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of water." Now, you are drinking water hundreds times. So as soon as you taste water, how nice it is, you can immediately see God, Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." So how do you say that "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" You can see. Here is the process. You adopt it. You taste water, and when you enjoy the taste, that taste is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this taste." Then where is the difficulty to see Kṛṣṇa? There is no difficulty. The people say, "Can you show me God?" God is everywhere, in every moment, in every step. You do not like to see Him. That is the difficulty.
Our dresses are not so clean. Our rooms are not clean. From the materialistic point of view, somebody comes. He says, "Oh. How wretched these people are living!" That is also another kind of austerity. They have adopted. But that is pleasing. Even they are in so-called wretched condition, they are happy. They are happy. So they're in both ways. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that, if once adopted, he'll not degrade like ordinary man. This is stated here clearly. Na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen mukunda-sevy anyavat. Anyavat, others, as they have become a tool in the hands of material nature, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, because he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he is not under the jurisdiction of the material nature. Mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti.
Now, who is, who can understand Kṛṣṇa? There are so many impediments. One side, there is curtain of māyā; another side, everyone is a rascal and fool; and another side, Kṛṣṇa is beyond your sense perception. This is the position. How much one must be alert. Then one can understand. Just like the Gosvāmīs. Is Kṛṣṇa is so easy thing to be understood? But there is process. So if we do not adopt the process, then how we can understand Kṛṣṇa? These are the so many difficult things. One side, one thing is the māyā is checking. Māyā is trying to put stumbling block for your advancement of spiritual life. Māyā-javanikācchannam. And the other side, we are all fools and rascals. And the, again, Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja, beyond the range of sense perception. This is the position.
This system is still current in India, when the child too much disturbing, he is bound up in a place. That is very common system. So Yaśodā Mother adopted it. Sā māṁ vimohayati. So that is the scene appreciated by pure devotees, that how much greatness is there in the Supreme Person that He is playing exactly a perfect child. When He's playing like a child, He plays perfectly. When He plays a husband (with) 16,000 wives, He was playing perfectly as husband. When He was playing as lover of the gopīs, He was playing perfectly. When He was friend of the cowherd boys, He was playing perfectly.
So the process is there. And actually it is so happening all over the world. How the Christian priests are surprised that "These boys, these Christian boys or these Jewish boys, they never came to the church. They did not inquire even what is God. Now they have left everything and they are mad after God. How it is po... How it is?" Because we have adopted the process enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; therefore it has become easier. Otherwise, to understand Kṛṣṇa only, it will take millions of years, simply to understand Kṛṣṇa. And what to speak of becoming lover of Kṛṣṇa? If I do not understand you, I cannot become your lover. You... We cannot love an unknown person. Is it possible? You must know him.
Apratihatā. Bhakti is apratiha... Nothing can check the progress of bhakti. So simply you have to adopt the process. The process is hearing. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya in the beginning. He was, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was son of Jagannātha Miśra, and Jagannātha Miśra ... Jagannātha Miśra and Jagannātha Miśra's father-in-law, that means Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grandfather, grandfather, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, he happened to be class friend of Sārvabhauma's father.
We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa, we have to speak about Kṛṣṇa, we have to deal about Kṛṣṇa. Simply There are so many activities in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. We have to adopt everything. Then such persons, sa eva paśyanty, ta eva paśyanty. "By this process one day will come that he will see You." Ta eva paśyanty. And what is that vision? When you see God, Kṛṣṇa, then what is the effect? The effect is: bhava pravāha uparamam. Bhava pravāha. Pravāha means current. Now we are going on. Caitanya, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that: māyāra vaśe yāccho bhese.
Simply always thinking of Kṛṣṇa... Just like the gopīs. Their Kṛṣṇa consciousness is perfect because they had no other desire except trying to please Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended: ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. There is no better process of worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead than the method adopted by the gopīs.
Simply if you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then the sinless automatically, sinlessness automatically comes in, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), simply by hearing. So by hearing, hearing, it is both the process and the medicine, both, everything. Because one has to become sinless, so one has to adopt some means by which one can become sinless. So simply by hearing, you become sinless. And after being sinless, you become more and more interested.
This is brāhmaṇa's business. But if the government calls all our students to the draft board, "Come on, fight," that is nonsense. Of course, they have got clauses not to disturb the ministerial class. That exception is there. Many of our students was excused from being called by the draft board on the ground that they have adopted the religious, ministerial order. That rule is prevalent everywhere, at all times.
Brahmānubhūti. They give up everything. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). By austerity, brahmacarya, yamena, niyamena, tyāgena, satya-śaucābhyām—so many processes they adopt for tasting a little brahmānubhūti. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena (SB 10.12.11). So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that "Here, the Kṛṣṇa, here is, playing with the cowherds boys. Who is He?" Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. "The great sages, saintly persons, who are trying to taste the spiritual realization, that is here. He is playing as cowherd boy."
So this practice should be adopted. Don't waste time. As much as possible, try to hear about this transcendental subject matter, Bhāgavatam. Yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyam. It is stated that "The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is very, very dear to the Vaiṣṇavas, to the devotees." In Vṛndāvana, you will find, they are always reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is their life and soul.
That is pure devotional service. Because we cannot devote twenty-four hours in hearing and chanting; therefore we have extended our activities, program activities, in so many ways. Otherwise, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so nice, if you practice anywhere, any condition, simply by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will be happy. So adopt this practice and make your spiritual life perfect more and more.
So that we have to learn by the process ekānta-bhaktyā bhagavaty adhokṣaje. Then what is the benefit? Niveśita-ātmā-upararāma saṁsṛteḥ. If you can utilize your senses for the service of Adhokṣaja, beyond your sense perception, if you adopt that method, then the benefit will be niveśita-ātmā, fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness always. That is very easy. But those who are not doing, for them it is very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says... He gives the prescription that satataṁ cintayanto mām: (BG 9.14) "Always thinking of Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).
We have referred to the politicians, because king means he is also politician. As soon as we speak of king, he is in politics. So these are the example. Although he was also great politician, he had to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, he had to adopt diplomacy, everything, but not that he would forget his real duty. This is perfect civilization, that one should not forget the real duty. The real duty is to fulfill the mission of the human life. The mission of human life is to understand God. And God is there, you cannot deny, God is there.
One who has got firm faith in declaration, that "If I become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if I fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there," this is called faith. This is called faith. Not flickering faith: "Let me adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and when there is opportunity, let me go to some rascal who has appeared as Bhagavān." That kind of faith will not help. That will not help. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. That is śraddhā (Cc. Madhya 22.62), firm faith. It cannot be changed at any cost, at any circumstance. That is called firm faith.
You read nicely. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Because even if you go to the Brahmaloka, the highest planet, either by good work or by your airplane sputnik... It is not possible to go there by sputnik (laughter), but you can go there by your pious activities. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ. Yānti (BG 9.25), you can go, but you have to adopt a means. But these are for the karmīs, those (who) simply want comfortable life of this body. They cannot understand that "However comfortably I may live, I have to give up this body. Then what is my next position?" They do not know. They are called karmī.
And then hear, then chant. There are so many. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), nine kinds of methods. You adopt them all, or some of them, or at least one. Then you become perfect. That is bhakti-yogī. Some way or other, think of... Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. That is the instruction of Rūpa Gosvāmī, "Some way or other, just engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa." Some way or other. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10).
Śravaṇam means hearing. Kīrtanam means chanting. Smaraṇam, memorizing. Vandanam, prayers, offering prayers. So there are different methods. Whichever method is possible by you, you can adopt and you can become perfect. Not that you have to execute all the methods. Even one method, if you perfectly do, you'll become perfect. You'll be transferred to the spiritual kingdom. So we do not say that "This religion is good," "This religion is bad." In every religion there is some form of worship out of these nine. Just like in Christian church there is offering of prayers. We also offer prayer, and that is also recommended in the list: vandanam. Vandanam means offering prayers. Muslim also, they offer prayers in the mosque.
So many things are there. So therefore it is said that "strictly following the direction and regulation of arcanā-vidhi." So you are being trained up. In India they are trained up since centuries. Their culture is different. They automatically can adopt, immediately. They're trained up. You are not trained up as yet. You are being trained. So unless you are fully trained, don't establish Deity to make a farce. Better learn it perfectly in the temple, and when you think that the members of the household are also now as good as the devotees in the temple, then you must establish the Deity. That is required. Next.
Vaiyāsaki means Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Kīrtane. He simply narrated. He also gained. Therefore śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). There are nine different processes of bhakti-yoga. Any one of them you adopt, you become perfect, not that you have to adopt nine. If you can, it is very nice. So nine, eight, seven, six, five—if you adopt only one, you become... You don't anything. Simply hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a realized soul, you will become perfect. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam. If you simply worship the Deity in regulated form, you become perfect. This is arcanam. Śravaṇam. So all the methods are there. You adopt any one of them; you become perfect. Simply you offer prayer—you become perfect. Vandanam. You simply work. You simply wash this temple and sweep this temple regularly with heart and soul—you become perfect. You don't require even to read. So dāsyam.
So any one of them you adopt, you become perfect. So the best thing is nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). If you hear Bhāgavata... This Bhāgavata is written for hearing, for hearing, discussing. Otherwise, why we are taking so much time? So here it is said that "Both Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Parīkṣit Mahārāja attained perfection through the medium of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." So any questions?
So this is bhakti-yoga process. Bhakti-yoga. If we adopt the bhakti-yoga process, then you become free from the kāma-lobha. Kāma-loba means the influence of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. So as soon as we become free from... We have to become free from all the guṇas. Because ceto guṇaiḥ, cetaḥ khalv asya bandhāya. So to become free from the guṇas, that is simply explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Maṇḍala-pati means very big, big leaders. When one is minister, certainly he is connected with so many big, big men. So they were actually connected with them, but they gave up, sadā tuccha-vat, as most insignificant thing. And what was their next adoption? Now, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Kaupīna, a, simply a loincloth and underwear, kaupīna-kanthāśritau, and one quilt. That's all. Minimum. Minimum necessities of the body. But how they lived? They were so big men. How they adopted such life and lived? Because if a man, rich man, adopts immediately renunciation, that affects his material condition of life. That we have seen. Just like in Bengal, C.R. Das, he had fifty thousand rupees' income in those days, and he gave up everything and joined Gandhi's movement. He died within one year, because he could not tolerate.
You can make little advance, but it is... Avan manasa-gocaraḥ. What advance you can make with your limited senses? That is not possible. He is beyond the scope of my mental activities. So you cannot reach that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has recommended that "If you want to know Me, then you have to adopt this process, bhakti-yoga." And Kṛṣṇa accepts everything through bhakti. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Not these karmīs, jñānīs. He doesn't accept anything from the hands of karmīs and jñānīs. Karmīs and jñānīs cannot approach Him, what to speak of accepting their offering. That is not possible. They cannot approach Him.
So that is bhāva. He cannot stay without worshiping the Deity. That stage comes. You have to simply adopt it. Tato bhāvaḥ. Tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha means we are accustomed to this material condition of life, so many anarthas. Just like there are so many people, they are going to the cinema in the evening. But those who have attained bhāva, his anartha nivṛtti is already done. He is not attracted any more by the cinema. He is attracted, bhāva, in the worship of the Deity. That is called bhāva. That bhāva means prema.
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa or if anyone wants to understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly, tattvataḥ, in truth, then he has to understand it through bhakti, not any other process, although there are many other processes, different ways. Some so-called philosophers, they say that "We can adopt any process. It leads to the same goal." That's all right, provided you make progress. Then you'll reach to the same goal. But if you become stuck up with the process only, you do not make progress, then it does not lead to the same goal. Just like one staircase going to the fourth floor. So you cross, say, twenty-five steps. You are in a certain position. If you cross fifty steps, you are in a certain position. If you cross sixty steps... In this way, the final may be hundred steps.
So this process, if you adopt... Very easy. It is authenticated. We have not manufactured this. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8), "That rasa, that satisfaction by drinking water, that is I am." So why not think of Kṛṣṇa like that? You drink so many times water, especially in India. You drink water and think of Kṛṣṇa, you become perfect.
I have to worship it. I have to develop." All these consciousness is just the opposite number of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when we shall always think of Kṛṣṇa, satataṁ cintayanto mām: always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to spread Kṛṣṇa's glories. How it is possible to adopt the means and ways and plans and always thinking. Just like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did and all the ācāryas, the Gosvāmīs. We have to follow mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186).
So if we keep that animal life problem, at the same time we claim that we are civilized, is it very nice? Civilization means how to get out of this material miseries—birth, death, disease and old age. That is real advancement of civilization. If there is any way and means to get out of this problem, then we must adopt in this human form of life. And that is possible in this human form of life. In no other life.
So all our students, they were also addicted to such things, but by following this process they are also now free. So it is not impossible. There is no such program which is impossible to be performed. No. Practically this program is the simplest and the easiest process, and it can be adopted by anyone in any condition of life. That is the beauty of this process.
So our preaching is like that. Śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥv. This process is adopted not by rascals. Su-medhasaḥ, those who have got good brain, they will take it. So very simple thing, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is approved by the ācāryas, by big, big scholars. So you have no fear of falling down. So take Caitanya Mahāprabhu's first mercy, and then preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You'll be successful. It is not possible nowadays to imitate Ṛṣabhadeva. Just like the Jains, they imitate that. What their imitation...? Not a single Jain up till now has become perfectly in the renounced order of life.
So Ṛṣabhadeva is Kṛṣṇa. So He became disturbed while walking on the street. He is not disturbed, but it is instruction that "If you are disturbed, you feel disturbed in this way, so you adopt this way. You sit down." Similarly, if they are disturbing too much, so we can sit down in one place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. And Kṛṣṇa will send you all necessities. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He promises. Kṛṣṇa cannot say anything lie. He is perfect. So if there is actually impediments to push on this movement—people disturb too much—never mind. You sit down in one place and still go on preaching.
Unless we become ātmārāma, there is no possibility of happiness. Just like these Gosvāmīs. They were very opulent ministers, but they were not happy. They resigned from the post. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Because there was no happiness. And what they adopted? They adopted the life of a mendicant. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. For doing good to the others they accepted kaupīna-kanthāśritau. So it is not a business of imitation, that "I am following the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī." That is not so easy to become a Rūpa Gosvāmī, ātmārāma. They were busy, very busy in transcendental activities.
Pradyumna: "Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was the head of all kings and emperors within this universe, but assuming the dress and language of an avadhūta, He acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently, no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogis how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position as a plenary expansion of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Ṛṣabhadeva within the material world. If, following in the footsteps of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again."
Prabhupāda:
- Athaivam akhila-loka-pāla-lalāmo 'pi vilakṣaṇair jaḍavad avadhūta-veṣa.
(SB 5.6.6)
So this is also opulence of Kṛṣṇa. Jaḍavad avadhūta-veṣa. Although He is the proprietor, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), still, this is another opulence, how to become renounced. This is another opulence. It is as good as the other opulences. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. All the op..., means property, money, wealth—these are aiśvarya. And He says, Kṛṣṇa, sarva-loka-maheśvaram.
It is very easy. Spiritual movement means to understand God. Any spiritual movement you adopt, if you understand God, then it is all right. Otherwise it is a bogus. If you understand God... You take any movement. If you think everyone is spiritual movement, all right, you take it. Then, if you come to understand, "Now I have understood God," then that is all right. Otherwise bogus.
You can see how they have become mendicant. A small loincloth, one waterpot only, that's all, finished, no possession. So why? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśadau karuṇayā. They wanted to show their mercy to the suffering humanity. So in this way they adopted change of life. That is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava personally has no demand for life, no unhappiness. He is completely satisfied with Kṛṣṇa. But he is unhappy by seeing other conditioned souls suffering. This is Vaiṣṇava. There are many example. Prahlāda Mahārāja also said the same thing.
So Vaiṣṇava is very, very merciful. They are merciful to the fallen souls. Their only concern is how to deliver these fallen souls. They are under the clutches of māyā, suffering. So various means adopting, just try to save them. This is Vaiṣṇava business. Nānā-śāstra-vicā raṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. These Gosvāmīs, they were studying so many books, Vedic literature and found out the cream, how to establish... Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthā... Sad-dharma, not cheating dharma. Dharma means religion. Real religion, sad-dharma. So the sad-dharma... As soon as we become addicted to sinful activities, then our real, constitutional position we forget, and we become mad after it and the disease increases.
The translation is, "Only a rare person who has adopted complete unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful action with no possibility that they will revive." Kevalayā bhaktyā. "Simply... He can do the simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays." So by other processes temporarily it can be ceased, but actually from the root of the cause it is not possible to get it out.
So brahmacarya means that you cannot think of sex life, you cannot talk of sex life, you cannot whisper about sex life, or you cannot endeavor for sex life. These eight types of activities in sex indulgence are against brahmacārī life. But here it is prescribed that if you want to make solution of the problems of life, then you adopt, you have to adopt a life of tapasya, austerity, which begins from brahmacārī.
Santoṣa: "The rare person who has completely adopted unalloyed devotional service can uproot all the weeds of sinful activities simply by discharging that service, and there is no possibility that the weeds will grow again. His devotional service is just like the sun, which can immediately dissipate fog simply by its rays."
Prabhupāda:
- kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
- vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
- aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
- nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
- (SB 6.1.15)
So we have been discussing for the last few days how to become free from the reaction of our sinful life. That is real problem. But people, they have no knowledge what is life, what is sinful life, what is pious life, why we are put into this condition that "We have to do this; we haven't got to do that."
We are discussing the process of purification. Different methods have been described, by prāyaścitta and by tapasya. We have discussed. And then kevalayā bhakta. Bhakti includes everything—karma, jñāna, yoga, everything. And it is specially recommended that by austerities and other methods, there is possibility, but it may not be successful. But if we adopt this process, devotional service, then it is sure. So this purificatory process means nivṛtti-mārga. And pravṛtti-mārga means without any knowledge where we are going on, rushing on—we are doing everything, whatever we like—that is called pravṛtti-mārga. People are generally engaged in pravṛtti-mārga. Especially in this age, they do not care what is going to happen next.
Stealing, cauryaiḥ, and garhitāṁ vṛttim. Those are condemned profession. Now these condemned professions have become ordinary profession in the civilized society, but according to the Vedic civilization, these things are condemned things. Cheating or gambling, cheating and speaking lie, bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś. And stealing. These are condemned profession. But he adopted all these things because he was associated with a woman for illicit sex.
Now his profession was... When a man falls down, then he lives by this profession. What are these? Bandy-akṣaiḥ: gambling, cheating, and stealing. All these abominable activities they adopt. And he does not think that "I am doing something bad because I have no other means to maintain my family." He gives the reason that "What can I do? I have to maintain my family, so somehow or other I must get money." So there is a practical example in Patna high-court.
But when his friends asked him that "Why you were doing so?" he replied that "I have got expenditure, ten thousand rupees per month, and I get only four thousand. What can I do?" So the... (the door opens) (aside:) Come on. Just see practically. Even a high-court judge, because he has to spend more than his income, he adopted these vile means of living. The trend of modern civilization is like that. They unnecessarily increase their expenditure and adopt these all vile means. (Hindi) So your party is ready? (Hindi) So you can go with him. Yes.
He was most debauched and therefore he wanted money, ten thousand rupees per month. And in spite of his position as a high-court judge and getting four thousand, five thousand salary, he could not check from his falldown. So this is natural. If you indulge in illicit sex life and naturally other things, intoxication, gambling, then there will be no limit of expenditure. And to meet all those expenditure one has to adopt cheating or stealing. These processes has to be.
But... (Hindi) So by any means money wanted. So he adopted all disrespectful profession—cheating, gambling and stealing, any way to live.
- bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryair
- garhitāṁ vṛttim āsthitaḥ
- bibhrat kuṭumbam aśucir
- yātayām āsa dehinaḥ
- (SB 6.1.22)
The only attraction is family, kuṭumba. So for the sake of maintaining family, he was committing all kinds of sinful activities.
So in this way, Ajāmila, he practiced this unfair way of livelihood, bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryair garhitāṁ vṛttim āsthitaḥ. So vṛtti means livelihood. If one adopts abominable livelihood, there is no, I mean to say, hope of spiritual advancement. Finished. Because we have learned from Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna says Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme Brahman," paraṁ dhāma, "the supreme resort to everything," and pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, "and the supreme pure." So nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa if he is impure.
The bird maintains his children, brings some fruit or something in the mouth and push into mouth of the small kiddies. That is natural. But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. This is culture. But nowadays they have manufactured "Necessity has no law." "I require money, somehow or other I must have it and let me adopt this means, that means." No. So evaṁ nivasatas tasya lālayānasya. Lālayānasya tat-sutān. So without understanding what is the duty of human being, because he is fallen... We should not bother for maintaining our family and children till the time of death. No. Up to twenty-five years. A brahmacārī is trained to refrain from sex life, that is brahmacārī, celibacy.
So in this way the Ajāmila, he practiced this unfair way of livelihood. Bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryair garhitāṁ vṛttim āsthitaḥ. So vṛtti means livelihood. If one adopts abominable livelihood, there is no, I mean to say, hope of spiritual advancement, finished because... We have learned from Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). "Kṛṣṇa, you are the Supreme Brahman, param dhāma, the supreme resort of everything, and pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, and the supreme pure." So nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa if he's impure.
So that is natural. But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. This is culture. So but nowadays they have manufactured. "Necessity has no law." "I require money, so somehow or other I must have it. Let me adopt this means, that means." No. So evaṁ nivasatas tasya lālayānasya. The lālayānasya tat-sutān. So without understanding what is the duty of human being, because he is fallen, so we should not bother for maintaining our family and children till the time of death.
If you go on speculating, you will never be able to understand. Therefore give up this practice. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. "Be submissive." If you think, "Oh, I am so much advanced. I can speculate. Why shall I go to a devotee and hear from him?" No. You have to adopt this. Why? If you want to conquer the ajita. Ajita, ajita means Kṛṣṇa, or God. Nobody can conquer Him. But you can conquer Him. How? By this process. Remain your process..., remain in your situation, in your occupation, but try to hear from the realized soul. Very simple thing.
Therefore to stop this nonsense, he appeared. And he declined to accept the Vedic principles because there was no other way to stop. If he would have accepted Vedic principles, then these animal-killers would have shown him evidences that in the Vedas there is mention of animal-killing in the sacrifice. But he wanted to stop completely animal-killing; so therefore he adopted a new type of religion. But those who were followers of Vedic religion, they did not accept because that is not religion because it is against the Vedas. These are the principles.
Mālatī: (break) ...that Lord Buddha, he adopted a new type of religion, but those who were strict followers of Vedas, they would not accept him. Does that mean that there were still people who were following those beliefs, scriptures, at his time, or did he convert all of India?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Lord Buddha was patronized by the then emperor, Ashoka. And anything patronized by the state, it becomes very popular. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). So Lord Buddha converted Ashoka, Emperor Ashoka, to this religion. Therefore whole India became Buddhist.
So this man, being attracted with the śūdrāṇī, naturally there was children. So he began to maintain them. This is natural affection. Even cats and dogs, they maintain their children. The birds also, they maintain their kiddies. So although children were born of śūdrāṇī, natural, there was affection. So he required money. But he became sinful; he could not earn money honestly. A sinful man cannot earn money honestly. Just like a thief: because he has adopted the means of earning money by sinful activities, he cannot take to honest work. He can work, but he is accustomed to steal. He knows that "This work is not good." If he is arrested, he will be punished. He has seen that one thief arrested and punished, and he has heard also that if one steals, he will be punished. And he has heard also from the śāstra, either law book or Vedic literature, that "Stealing is not good. It is punishable." But still, he does it.
You cannot deviate from this process. There is no other alternative process. You cannot say that "I will be liberated by this process or that process," no. Because it is Kali-yuga, any other process will not be successful. You adopt any process; ultimately you have to come to this process, bhakti-yoga. You can work on karma-yoga. You can work on jñāna-yoga. You can work on haṭha-yoga. There are different yogas. Yoga means how to connect with the Supreme. Yoga means connection, and viyoga means distraction. We know, anyone who knows mathematics, yoga. Yoga means addition, and subtraction, viyoga.
So the purport is that yadā nārāyaṇa āyeti jagāda catur-akṣaram. So Ajāmila was benefited, although he did not know the distinction between pious and impious activities on account of too much attachment with this material world. He was the husband of a prostitute, and he got some children. So to maintain the family and children he used to adopt any means. Never mind. He did not know what is sinful and what is not sinful. But his only credit was that he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." He was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." It does not mean knowingly we shall commit sinful activities and chant "Nārāyaṇa." It is not meant, that. He did not know what is sin, what is not sin, what is Nārāyaṇa, but circumstantially he was doing all the sinful activities; at the same time he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." This is by accident.
Both together is helpful. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja introduced... You have seen the, what is called? That signia? One side, pañcarātriki-vidhi, one side bhāgavata-viddhi. That is... I have seen that Gauḍīya Math emblem. Yes. And, so actually, Bhāgavata-mārga is very strong. That is sufficient. But without pañcarātrika-vidhi this polluted body, polluted mind of the devotee, cannot be purified. Therefore both the process should be adopted in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I think it is now... So any questions?
So both the spiritual master and the disciple, they became perfect simply by śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. This is Bhāgavata-mārga. Simply by hearing and chanting. The spiritual master chanted, recited Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and that is being imitated. Again this karma-kāṇḍīya... This karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, fruitive activities. The smārta brāhmaṇas, they have manufactured a way of bhāgavata-saptaha. That is a farce only because it is imitation of the process adopted by Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. But they are... These people, at the present moment, they are neither Parīkṣit Mahārāja nor Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So how it is possible to finish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam within seven days? That is not possible. It has become a profession, that gorgeousness. They will make a mañcha(?), they will perform some ceremonies and there is some charitable.
Now I am perfect. Because I am getting some food without any work, and honor, then I am perfect." This is not the mentality. Prāṇa āche yāra. You must be engaged continually for these missionary activity. The Gauḍīya Mission has failed in preaching work because they adopted this principle. As soon as they got a little shelter under the name of Maṭha, or temple, and a few dozen of..., not few dozen, one dozen, then he is settled up there. Now he is bhajana, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," showing that he is very great chanter. And what is your preaching? Lord Caitanya ordered you pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. Why don't you go? How you are Indian?
Those who are too much attached for materialistic way of life—means sense gratification... Materialistic way of life means sense gratification. What is the difference between spiritual life and material life? These boys, these boys from Europe and America, they have adopted this spiritual life means they have stopped the process of sense gratification—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. This is materialistic way of life. Otherwise where is the difference between this life and that life?
It is not simply by changing dress. Sādhu means sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇām. Sādhu means honest, sadācārī, good character. But the ultimate aim(?) is, as Kṛṣṇa recommends, that api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya..., not that one has to adopt all these sadācāra. That is secondary. But if one is staunchly devoted to Kṛṣṇa, he is sādhu. Not exactly that he has to observe all the rules and regulations because by practice... Just like these European and American students, sometimes they cannot adopt to the principles of sadācāra, as it is recommended. But that doesn't matter. Because they have devoted, they have sacrificed their life for Kṛṣṇa, they are sādhu. One has to (indistinct). They should be given the respect of a sādhu because they have no other business than Kṛṣṇa. That is recommended from Kṛṣṇa.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tatra, uh, guru-śuśrūṣayā. So you have to begin your spiritual, your Kṛṣṇa consciousness by accepting a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession. And your first business will be guru-śuśrūṣā. Ṣuśrūṣā means to please the Supreme, this is spiritual master, by service, sevayā. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to adopt three processes in the beginning. You have to select one, a bona fide spiritual master. Then you have to surrender. The same surrender process.
She knows that "My husband has appeared as Nṛsiṁha-deva," but because that wonderful feature of the Lord was so fearful, she did not dare to come before Him. Why? Now, adṛṣṭaśruta-pūrvatvāt: since she also never knew that the her husband can assume the form of Nṛsiṁha-deva. This Nṛsiṁha-deva feature was specifically adopted for Hiraṇyakaśipu. This is all-powerful. Hiraṇyakaśipu took benediction from Lord Brahmā that no god, demigod can kill him, no man can kill him, no animal can kill him, and so on, so on, so on.
And all of them, they are foreigners. They belong to foreign religion. They belong to foreign country. How they are understanding? Do you mean to say these educated boys are dancing and chanting without understanding? Are they fools? No. They are realizing bhaktyā, because they have adopted the means of bhakti. Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya.
They are so callous, foolish, just like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, and mating. That is their happiness. So they are reluctant. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore you have to... By the grace of Kṛṣṇa you have to adopt such means that they may be interested a little about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise they are so dull and miserly, they do not understand that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important for them. They have no sense even to understand. But the preacher who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he knows that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness these people are condemned. They cannot be happy.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Prabhupāda: Go on.
Pradyumna: "This eternal engagement in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life, free from anxieties and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Generally..."
Prabhupāda: Bhakti-rasa is better than liberation, mukti. Because generally the Māyāvādī philosophers, jñāni-sampradāya, they consider mukti means to merge into the spiritual existence, Brahman. Brahma-sayujya-mukti, to, to merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Absolute.
Pradyumna: "...in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life, free from anxieties, and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: Yes. People generally think that liberation is the ultimate goal or the full achievement. But liberation is a very insignificant thing in the presence of devotional service. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Mokṣa means liberation. So Bhāgavata says that dharma artha kāma mokṣa, they are thrown away from the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīdhara Swami confirms it: atra mokṣa-vāñcāḥ-paryantaṁ nirastam. A devotee is above the point of liberation. The devotional service is called pañcama-puruṣārtha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His opinion: premā pumartho mahān. Not dhara is pumarthaḥ. Our ultimate goal of life is neither dharma, or artha, religiosity, economic development, kāma, sense gratification, and mokṣa, liberation.
To be elevated to the transcendental platform of loving service of the Supreme Lord there is a process. The process is that as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is the process. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This yoga system you have to adopt, how to increase your love for Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Just like this arcana, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). So these are the different processes, how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. The attachment of Kṛṣṇa is there, but by śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very rare thing, but, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is being distributed all over the world freely. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace. Mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). If we adopt the method of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then we can distribute what Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge of Kṛṣṇa may be distributed. The scholars and the paṇḍitas, they can understand, but love of Kṛṣṇa is different thing.
There are nine different processes. So you can adopt either all the nine processes, as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja accepted all the nine processes: Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). So we can do that. Or eight. Or seven. Or six. Or five. Or four. At least one. At least one. Some way or other, become connected with Kṛṣṇa. Just like śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he simply listened about Kṛṣṇa. That's all.
Pradyumna: "Śukadeva points out that austerity, charity and the performance of ritualistic ceremonies for counteracting sinful activities are recommended processes, but that by performing them one cannot remove the sin desire-seed from the heart, as was the case with Ajāmila in his youth. This sinful desire-seed can be accomplished very easily by chanting the mahā-mantra, or Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In other words, unless one adopts the path of devotional service, he cannot be one hundred percent clean from all the reactions of sinful activities."
Prabhupāda: So we shall discuss more tomorrow. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Ei chaya gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa. We have to follow the principles of these six Gosvāmīs. That will make us happy. Otherwise, if we adopt the ritualistic ceremonies, śubha-karma... Sama-śubha-kriyā matir pramādaḥ. If we take devotional service as one of the pious activities, śubha-kriyā, that is offense. We should not take devotional service, or chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, equal to some Vedic pious activities, ritualistic ceremonies. It is offense. We should simply follow the path... That is also Vedic. But because we cannot select... Vedeṣu adurlabha.
This is pure Vaiṣṇavism. One has to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Not for any other purpose. So this preaching work should be taken up by pure Vaiṣṇava, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11). And if the śāstric injunctions and the direction given by the authorities, if they are presented as they are, surely there will be effect. It has been proved. And it is being proved. So this process we should adopt, and our success of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is assured.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So immortality is not very difficult thing. Simply one has to adopt the method, process, as recommended in the śāstra, and then you can become immortal. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). Punar janma naiti—this is immortality. The Kṛṣṇa says, punar janma na. "No more punar janma." And if you have no punar janma, there is no punar death, punar vyadhaka, or punar disease. Punar means again.
And whenever there is question of enjoyment, there must be variety. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. So philosophically or theoretically, we may accept voidness, negation, out of frustration. When we are frustrated in these material varieties we adopt the suicidal policy, "Let me commit suicide, finish." This is called Māyāvāda. Actual spiritual variegatedness, unless one is informed about it and one is situated in spiritual varieties, there is no satisfaction.
God being pleased with your sincere service and love, He will let you know. Just like Arjuna is being instructed by the Supreme Lord, and He says, "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge." So if we become friends like Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal Himself, as He is revealing Himself, "I am this, I am that, I am this, I am that." (indistinct) So if you actually want to reestablish your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa and God, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and nothing more.
So if you want God, Kṛṣṇa, then there is no other way except this devotional service. Neither yoga, neither philosophical speculation, neither ritualistic performances, nor study in the Vedic literature, neither penance, austerities... All these formulas which are recommended for transcendental realization, they may help us to advance to a certain extent, but if you want personal touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you have to adopt this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way.
You cannot push the foodstuff through ears or eyes or genital. No. That is not possible. Therefore, similarly, if you want God, then the one way, bhaktyā aham ekayā... Ekayā. The foolish person says that "Whatever path you may adopt, you will go to God." There are certain rascals. They say like that. But this is misleading, completely misleading. You cannot, I mean to say, reach God by any other means except this means, this bhaktyā aham ekayā. It is clearly stated, ekayā. Ekayā means "only one." There is no second process. And the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is stated—you will find in the Eighteenth Chapter—bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means in fact.
So Śaṅkarācārya's real purpose was no existence of God, because he had a very thankless task. He was dealing with the persons who are Buddhists. They did not believe anything except matter. So for them, to establish that there is God, it is very difficult. Therefore he adopted this means that "There is no separate God. We are all God. You are God, I am God." And a demonic person, if he is addressed, "Oh, you are God," oh, he becomes very happy because he does not become responsible to any higher authority. He becomes God. He can do anything. He can perform any nonsense. Nobody is going to punish him.
Festival Lectures
So we have come to that spiritual platform. We have to give up our, this sense gratification process, and that is the teaching of Lord Caitanya. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu practically demonstrated how to adopt that life of pure sense gratification or pure utilization of the senses. He said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Jīvera svarūpa haya means the real nature of the living entity is eternal servitor, eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The same thing, what Kṛṣṇa taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught also in His, this Bhāgavata-dharma teaching, and practically He showed how to do it.
These four divisions of social life and four divisions of spiritual life—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha..., brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in this way there are eight divisions. These eight divisions of human society are very scientifically adopted. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This civilized division of human society is so perfect that one can gradually, from the aquatic life, can go back to home, back to Godhead.
And at last, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if you simply preach this cult, "My dear friend, my dear brother, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa," you become spiritual master. You become spiritual master. You go door to door. No other talks. Simply say, "My dear friend, you are very nice, you are very learned." That was adopted by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī.
So I am offering my respectful obeisances unto this His Holiness, because he forcefully made me adopt this sannyāsa order. So he is no more in this world. He has entered Kṛṣṇa's abode. So I am offering my respectful obeisances along with my disciples. On the first day of my sannyāsa, I never thought, but I remembered that I'll have to speak in English. So I remember on that sannyāsa day, when there was a reception, so I, first of all, I spoke in English.
Only the śūdras can accept. That was the Vedic system. To accept another's service was so abominable. In the Bhāgavata also it is stated that if the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśya, especially the brāhmaṇas, they have no livelihood, then they can adopt the business of kṣatriya and vaiśya, but never accept the occupation of the dog, śūdra. That is stated. You see? So to accept service of others was so abominable, even five hundred years ago. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were also belonged to very rich family, but because they accepted ministership in the government of a Muhammadan, they were rejected.
So you should know it, that this movement should be pushed on. This should not be neglected. And I am glad that you are catching the ideas very nicely, and try... Simple thing: you chant sincerely and follow the rules and regulation. The rules and regulation are not very strict. They are very simple. But because you are trained in a different way... But I am so pleased and obliged to you that you have adopted. I never expected. When I came first in Boston, I was thinking, "Oh, who will accept these Vaiṣṇava rules and regulations? These people are after meat and wine and illicit sex, and how they will accept it?" I was hopeless: "How they will chant?" You see? So by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at least, I am hopeful that this movement can be accepted by anyone. It is not so hopeless as I thought.
So anyone who adopts this process, he can understand the Absolute Truth. This is the clear declaration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Thank you very much. Any question? You can ask any question, what you have heard. Yes?
Arrival Addresses and Talks
This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Our philosophy is not simply a negation. It is positive. They, general people, they are unnecessarily producing children, then cannot manage. So they are adopting so many sinful activities, so much so that they are now killing their own child within the womb and becoming implicated in sinful activities and prolong the life in this material world very miserably. Just see the miserable condition of the child, baby within the womb.
This is the secret. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter, but try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. And for this purpose you have to satisfy your spiritual master, because he'll give direction. He knows. So yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. The things are very easy. Simply we have to adopt. Everything is mentioned there in the śāstras. Simply you have to follow the śāstra and guru and sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Sādhu, those who are devotees, we have to follow the devotees, the śāstra and guru. Then everything successful.
Initiation Lectures
Just like go to the church every week and confess and... Confessing your sinful activities before Lord Jesus Christ or his representative, surely your sinful activities are squared up. But does it mean, very nice, that every week, the whole week you shall commit sinful activities, and at the end of the week you shall go and confess? Does it look very well? You are not ashamed that "Every week I commit these sinful activities, and on the seventh day I confess"? This process should not be adopted, that because God's name, God's remembrance actually squares up all of our sinful activities. That's a fact.
So this mantra suggests that either you are contaminated or not contaminated... It is not that... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that so long we are contaminated in the māyā, we can adopt any means of self-realization, and after self-realization, when we become liberated, we become one with the Supreme and there is no more any work. This is partially true. Partially true means when actually you realize yourself, then you have no material activities. That is the sign of self-realization.
So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to take one from the material concept of life, material consciousness, to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then he will be joyful. He will be no more hankering for anything material, neither he'll be sorry for any so-called material loss. And he'll be equal to everyone, universal brotherhood. So they do not know... They simply talk of these high sounds. But here is the process. If you adopt the process, then you come to the platform. It is open for everyone. So this mantra suggests that either you are in the material consciousness or not, apavitraḥ pavitraḥ vā, or in spiritual consciousness.
One should submissively approach the spiritual master. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta eva means submissively offering respect, obeisances. And after that, if you hear from the self-realized soul, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitām. San-mukharitām means self-realized soul. From his mouth one has to hear. Bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way, although God is never conquered by anyone else, still, this man, who has adopted this process, he will conquer God someday. And who can conquer God? Only the devotees. Just like in Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, the cowherd boys, Mother Yaśodā, father Nanda and all of them, even the cows and calves, they conquered God, Kṛṣṇa. So this is the science of God, and we have got all these books translated into English, and other things are being translated in other languages. So we shall request you to understand, to hear about God. Then some day will come—you will understand what is God, what is your relationship with Him, and you will act accordingly. Then your life will be successful.
General Lectures
Then your life will be successful. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not something manufactured to mislead and bluff the people. It is a most authorized movement. Vedic literature, the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, Purāṇas, and many, many great saintly persons adopted this means. And the vivid example is Lord Caitanya. You see His picture, He is in the dancing mood. So you have to learn this art, then our life will be successful. You haven't got to practice anything artificial and speculating and bother your brain and... You have the instinct for loving others. That is instinctive, natural. Simply we are misplacing love and therefore we are frustrated. Frustrated. Confused. So if you don't want to be confused, if you don't want to be frustrated, then try to love Kṛṣṇa, and you'll feel yourself how you are making progress in peacefulness, in happiness, in everything that you want.
So these are the definition of intelligent person. So if we want to be intelligent, we can adopt the process how to become intelligent. But on the other hand, if we are actually intelligent, why not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately and become intelligent? Without, without going to the process, you take... It is offered to you by the most magnanimous incarnation, Lord Caitanya.
Therefore this verse, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Our perpetual relationship with God is to worship Him, or to serve Him. That service is very pleasant. Don't take it... As soon as we talk of service, we may think that "Oh, we are suffering here by adopting service." Just like the other evening one boy was questioning, "Why should we bow down?" I do not know if he's present here. The bow down to surrender to somebody is not bad, but because we are in a different situation, by surrendering to other, it is very uncomfortable. Just like nobody wants to be dependent on other nation, nobody wants to be dependent on other people.
History repeats itself. That is well known to everyone. So our movement is not new. It is the same movement, that you accept the supreme authority of God or Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But the process adopted is suitable for this time. That is also not new, not manufactured. It is recommended that in this age... Just like during winter season the process is to protect your body from being affected of cold. So that process is not new. Similarly, in this age... This age is called Kali-yuga. So it is recommended, kalau tad hari-saṅkīrtana, where God realization is only possible by this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Simple process.
So by engaging your senses in the service of the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. Now, how you can do that? Tat-paratvena nirmalam. You have to simply purify. Then it is easily possible. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to adopt the purificatory process, and then you have got natural engagement in the service of the Lord, your life is perfect. Yes?
In the material world, "This thing is good," "This thing is bad," that is our mental concoction. Everything is bad here. Everything is bad. We have simply manufactured by our own imagination that "This is good," "This is bad." But to keep pace with the human society or peace in the human society, there is necessity of doing or adopting something which is approved by somebody, or the state. That is different thing. That is material. But actually at the ultimate end, as we have cited the quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, good or bad means satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the Lord. If any action is approved or gives satisfaction to the Lord, that is good. If any action gives dissatisfaction to the Lord, it is bad. That is the general. Now you have to adopt yourself in the service of the Lord in such a way that you can know that this action is giving satisfaction and this action is not giving satisfaction. Then your life is all right.
Viṣṇujana: Then all our faculties of perception will be purified by adopting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and we can understand.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means purification of all faculties. Because the faculties work on the basis of consciousness. If your consciousness is pure... Just like I am seeing. I am not seeing; my mind is seeing. So if my mind is pure, then my seeing is pure. Similarly, if my consciousness is pure, my mind is pure. It is superficial. I am moving my hand. I am not moving; my mind is moving. So all the senses, ten senses... And the central sense is mind. And behind mind, there is intelligence, and behind intelligence, there is consciousness. This consciousness, if purified, then whole thing is purified. If this consciousness is polluted, then the whole thing is polluted. So we have to purify the consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Anartha means when one is freed from all anarthas. But it is so nice, even those who are with anartha, misgivings, if they are devotee, if they have got full surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, so they also will derive benefit. Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā means that Kṛṣṇa was adopted or foster child. Is that foster child? Yes. So, of Nanda Mahārāja. His father exchanged. His father Vasudeva wanted to save Kṛṣṇa, and he brought from Mathurā to Vṛndāvana, Gokula. And Nanda Mahārāja had a daughter. So he placed Kṛṣṇa on the lap of Yaśodā and took away the daughter, and this daughter was given to Kaṁsa for killing. Just see, there is selfishness. He wanted to save his own son and wanted to kill Yaśodā's daughter. (chuckling) You see? So this is not selfishness; therefore we shall misunderstand.
Not only in India, but also throughout the whole universe, in every country, in every nation, in every society, there must be some people who have brahminical tendency. Just like from your country, we have picked up some boys and girls who are inclined to adopt this way of life. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply picking up where there are brahminical class of boys, girls, men. Not that we are taking account, "Oh, who is your father? Is your father a brāhmaṇa?" No. We don't take account. His father may be anything; it doesn't matter.
You simply meditate for fifteen minutes, and within six months you become God," these bluffs like this will be accepted very easily. But we are not meant for giving people false information. We are trying to give you information from authoritative scriptures, Vedas. And if you are fortunate enough, you will take this information, try to understand by your reasoning, by your logic, and adopt it, and your life will be sublime. Your life will be successful. Otherwise you will be put into the cycle of birth and death and going on, and sufferings will continue.
So you, the spirit soul, you are above the intellectual platform. So this dress is the gross, gross covering. It has nothing to do with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But just like you go to your office, you dress in some way, similarly, this is a particular type of dress. It is sanctioned by our predecessors. We adopt. So if you don't accept this dress, that does not mean you cannot be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved in any condition of life. It doesn't matter whether you are dressed in this way or in your American way or any way. That doesn't matter. It has nothing to do.
Prabhupāda: So do you think that Russia has solved their questions? That their problems, all problems are solved?
Student (2): I would say that in 1917 the state of the Russian peasants was fundamentally better by the revolution.
Prabhupāda: Well, the history will repeat itself again. It will be wars again. So do you think by adopting the Russian method, people have become very happy?
Student (2): No.
Prabhupāda: Then? So we manufacture something. This material world is like that, problematic. That I have already explained. Just like the blazing fire. So the answer is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama duratyayā (BG 7.14). In this material world the onslaught of the material nature is very, very severe. Nobody can surpass it. In some way or other it will come in a different form. The problem will not be solved. The problem can be solved, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te, when one surrenders unto God, Kṛṣṇa.
When He was teaching to him beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, He said, bhakto 'si me priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: "Because you are My devotee, because you are My friend, very dear friend, therefore I am disclosing you the mysteries, rahasyam." Not anybody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible if he does not follow the principles adopted by Arjuna. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). That is the way of studying Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, those who are duṣkṛtina, they will take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā for making their business and flatter some other duṣkṛtina miscreants also to mislead them. Because other miscreants, they want to be misled, the asuras. Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. What is the āsuri-bhāva, demonic tendency? The demonic tendency is that "I am God." That is called demonic tendency, falsely thinking that "I am God." In spite of all education, they have not the little sense that how he becomes a God.
So this process should be adopted, how to become sukṛtina. Sukṛti means yajña-dāna-tapa-kriyā. One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the śāstras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa's cause. That is called dāna. Yajña, dāna, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Śrī Rāma-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya. Just like Ekādaśī day—there is no eating sumptuously. Simply you take little fruits and flowers. Try to avoid that also. You don't take even water.
So similarly, for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for entering into the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa, we have to adopt this means. And similarly, there are counteractivities also. The counteractivities also kill our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have to be very cautious not to accept the counteractivities, but we have to take the favorable activities. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167).
Ordinary. But what is their credit? The credit is nobody could love Kṛṣṇa excelling them. That was their credit. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā: "There is no comparison of the method of worship which was adopted by the damsels of Vraja." Unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa. No bargaining: "By loving Kṛṣṇa, I shall become a big man, I shall become a great philosopher, or great scientist," or "I shall improve my material condition." These are anyābhilāṣitā. And bhakti begins when one is devoid of all these material considerations. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11).
So this is our process, very easy. Anyone can adopt and make his life perfect. And if somebody says that "I am not educated. I cannot read book," still, there is possibility. you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So you have got tongue. You have got ear. Kṛṣṇa has given you. And you'll be surprised to know that Kṛṣṇa is realized through tongue, not through eyes, not through ears. Tongue. Of course, after tongue, the other senses are following. Tongue is the chief.
That is the secret. You see? If your eyes covered with something, how you can see things perfectly? Similarly, we have got many dirty things within our heart due to our so many sinful activities. That should be cleansed. Then immediately, as the mirror, when it is clean you can see your face nicely... But if the mirror is full, overcast with dust, you cannot. Therefore there is a process. We must adopt this process. So anyone who is adopting this process, they are understanding very quickly the science of God. The sum and substance of this process (is) that we should be freed from sinful activities. That's all. Then God realization will be very easy. But if you surrender to God fully, then God will help you to become free from all sinful activities. There are two processes. Either you try to become sinless by your efforts, but if you think that you are unable, then you simply surrender to God, and He will help you.
And what is the difficulty to remain always thinking of Kṛṣṇa? Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). And the process is very simple. That I already explained: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So adopt this process. Then your... In this life you get Kṛṣṇa. But even if you are not successful, then a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is guaranteed next life human form of life, and that is also either in very rich family or... Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41). Śucīnām means very pure family, and śrīmatāṁ means śrī-mat, fortunate, rich. Śrī means riches, and mat means possession, one who possesses.
Napoleon wanted to construct that arch, and he was so, I mean to say, powerful man, but he could not see the arch beginning in his life; he was taken away. He did not like that, that he wanted to see something more, but he was taken away. But we are not seeing this point, that "I am trying to enjoy and we are adopting so many means, but where is the certainty of my enjoyment? At any moment I shall be kicked out, 'Get out!' " That brain is lacking in the present civilization. Therefore it is said in the Bhāgavatam, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. Because these persons are abodha, have no knowledge, therefore they are trying for something to enjoy which may not be allowed by him. It is not actually allowed to him.
So there is another statement of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. To turn your home into Vaikuṇṭha is not very difficult job. Simply you have to adopt the method. Kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra means sinful activities. You cannot associate with God if you become sinful. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam: "One who is completely free from sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "He can worship Me." So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we do not recommend that "You give up your occupation, you become a sannyāsī, give up your wife and children."
Everyone is there. Everyone can worship Kṛṣṇa. There is no such thing that "This class of men, only the brāhmaṇa or the sannyāsīs or brahmacārī or Hindus..." No. Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even lower born, born in the lower grade family, he is also open. Simply one has to adopt the means.
It is not difficult. Little flower, little fruit, little water, anyone can collect. But the thing is a dog obstinacy: "I shall not do it." That is the thing. Otherwise it is very easy thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if we adopt it, our life becomes successful. That is the perfection of life. That we are teaching. But there is a dog's obstinacy that they will not adopt: "No." This is our defect. Otherwise the process is very simple; everyone can adopt it in every country, every man. There is no distinction that "This class of men can adopt and that class of men can..." No. Just like the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, it is now being chanted all over the world, and they are becoming Vaiṣṇava. These European, American boys... Then where is the difficulty? But the difficulty is our obstinacy. If one is obstinate, he is determined, then it is very difficult.
So we are trying, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that stop sinful activities and hear Kṛṣṇa and accept Him as He is saying. Then your life is successful. That's all. Very simple thing. And those who are adopting this ways, this process of life, is becoming successful practically. There is no doubt about it. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. Asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Samagram, in full, not partial.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Black brāhmaṇa is to be understood that his father is not real brāhmaṇa. He is born of somebody else, but he is known as brāhmaṇa. Similarly a śūdra, if he is fair-complected, he is also not real. Kalba kata śūdra bete mussulman. Muslim, if he is a dwarf, he is not real Muslim, because Muslims from Afghanistan are very tall. And kaṅki chale, the son of a prostitute, and puṣṭi putra, adopted son, all of them are rascals. Puṣṭi putra, adopted son, he gets money because a rich man, when he hasn't got a son, he takes somebody else, adopted son, and he gets money for nothing and spends like anything. We have seen it in London. One Mr. Sil, he got immense money, and he died a penniless street beggar. And he was an adopted son. I have seen it. His only business was how to spoil his adopted father's money. And we have seen, he was such a rich man, died a street beggar. This I have seen.
Śyāmasundara: What about the businessman who goes to please that man for his...
Prabhupāda: When a businessman goes to please somebody, he wants the money for himself. That is the difference. But when we go to please somebody, to get some money, our ultimate aim is to please Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth. Therefore the means adopted, even if it is relative truth, that becomes Absolute Truth. The end justifies the means. Because the means is adopted, just like Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna, "Just go and tell Droṇācārya that his son is dead," although his son was not dead. So this is not truth. But because by that action Kṛṣṇa will be pleased—Kṛṣṇa is Absolute Truth-therefore even that lying is also absolute.
Śyāmasundara: So practicality has to be judged on the result, what is the result of that action?
Hayagrīva: He says that the natural existence often proves itself to be basically unhappy. "With such relations between religion and happiness, it is perhaps not surprising that men come to regard the happiness which a religious belief affords as a proof of its truth. If a creed makes a man feel happy he almost inevitably adopts it. Such a belief ought to be true; therefore it is true. Such, rightly or wrongly, is one of the immediate inferences of the religious logic used by ordinary men."
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you are actually in clear conception of God, and if you have decided to obey God and love Him, that is happiness. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). This process of acting in obedience to the order of God, as we are doing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... We have no other business than to obey the orders of God. God says that you preach this confidential philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere.
Devotee: Sense activity. If my impulse is passionate nature.
Prabhupāda: But passion is working differently. Unless... Passion is all right, activity, but if you do not know the goal, then you are misled.
Devotee: This philosophy has been adopted by the hippies.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: The mode of passion is truth.
Prabhupāda: The Vedānta begins with this word, "Now this human form of life is to acquire the ultimate knowledge." Athāto brahma. Brahma means the ultimate. So, the absolute. Now it is the time to understand. So far understanding of sex, the dog also knows. You don't require to give him any education. So nobody is given education... Now of course they have adopted, but there is a Bengali proverb, "How to cry and how to enjoy sex, it doesn't require any education." When you are aggrieved, you cry automatically.
Hayagrīva: He feels that a materialistic Western capitalism cannot possibly defeat a pseudoreligion like Marxism. He says that the only way to combat atheistic Communism is for the individual to adopt, to adopt a nonmaterialistic religion.
Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It has nothing to do with materialistic "isms." It is directly connect, connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God demands that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). So we are teaching that "You, you are servant, but your service is wrongly placed; therefore you are not happy. You place or render the service to Kṛṣṇa, you will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are neither for capitalism nor for so-called Communism, or not for so-called religion also. We are only for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Prabhupāda: He has predicted very nice. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is above everything, either Christianism or Marxism or capitalism or anything. It is based on Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So actually it is a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that if you adopt this principle of life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will remain above all sinful reaction of life and make progress spiritually, gradually.
Śyāmasundara: Well, still, his basic idea is that all theories, all natural laws are proven in practice, social practice, that... For instance, Marx's idea that capital is not necessary for production, that profit is not necessary for production. It's proven by the communist state where there is no profit-taking, there is no capital making, and still the wheels(?) of production go on.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that sense is by nature's law. But artificially we have adopted so many things. That means, nature's law means God's law. So God's law is that you have got land. You till and you get production. But if you cannot till personally, then you have to employ somebody else. So you have to pay him. Therefore you must require profit.
Śyāmasundara: But excess profit, excess profit is taken by the owner...
Prabhupāda: Anyway, I have hired one man to work for me. I have to pay him and therefore I require profit.
Purports to Songs
So our life is tilting. At any moment it may collapse. We may meet, by chance, any danger, and finished. So don't waste life in that way." Bhajahū hari-pada nīti re. "Be always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the success of your life." And how to discharge this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? He advises, śravaṇa kīrtana, smaraṇa vandana, pāda-sevana dāsya re. You can adopt out of the nine ways of devotional service any one. If you can adopt all of them, that's very nice. If not, you can adopt eight of them. You can adopt seven of them, six of them, five of them, four of them. But even if you adopt only one of them, your life will be successful. What are those nine methods? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Hearing from authoritative sources. And chanting. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Smaraṇam.
That is required. So that is the real qualification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was so strict about womanly association. Still, He recommended, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargabhir yā kalpitā: "There is no better type of worshiping Kṛṣṇa than the system which vraja-vadhū, the gopīs, adopted to love Kṛṣṇa. That is the first-class." That is the recommendation of Vedic śāstra. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). First-class religion Religion means to understand God. That is the sum and substance.
| Page Title: | Adopt (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, JayaNitaiGaura |
| Created: | 25 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=239, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 239 |