Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "Only take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Sarva-dharmān. Because any dharma which is not approved by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, that is not dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). A human being or a demigod or very exalted person cannot manufacture dharma. That is not possible. Real dharma is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, and that real dharma is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "Just surrender unto me." This is real dharma. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa and follow His instruction; your life will be perfect. Because you follow the perfect instruction, therefore you are also perfect. Simple process. To become perfect, we have to follow the perfect instruction.
Approval (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Arjuna was sympathetic with his brothers and relatives and he was practically crying, with tears in his eyes, and Kṛṣṇa said that it is non-Āryan. It is not befitting for an Āryan. Just see. He was so compassionate, but still, it is not approved by Kṛṣṇa.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Lord Kṛṣṇa did not approve of the so-called compassion of Arjuna for his kinsmen."
Prabhupāda: So-called compassion. He was thinking that by showing that compassion he’ll be, I mean to say, eulogized by Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa condemned it. Yes. Just the opposite. In other words, Kṛṣṇa is very strict also. That is the qualification of Kṛṣṇa and His associates.
Memory may be poor. Everything depends on cultivation. If you cultivate something, your memory increases. Everyone becomes expert not in one day but by cultivation. Similarly, if you try to remember, then your memory will help you to remember. It is not difficult. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that we have to try to remember Kṛṣṇa. He's so beautiful, His instructions are so nice. If we simply remember Kṛṣṇa... That was the perfection approved by Lord Caitanya.
So here is a point, that sometimes we may do something which is approved by the general public, but it may not be approved by the supreme authority. Superficially it may appear very appealing to the sentiment of the public, but factually such thing may not be correct, may not be correct. If we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and "Why He was inducing Arjuna to fight?" It does not mean that He was inducing Arjuna to do something wrong. But from worldly point of view, Arjuna was a very pious man and he was declining to fight, not to kill his kinsmen, not to kill his friends.
Who knows things as they are. Ācāryaṁ māṁ puruṣa, one who is under the guidance of ācārya. So you won't find this foolish nonviolence theory from any ācārya. Many ācāryas have commented on Bhagavad-gītā. There is Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, even Śaṅkarācārya. But never said that Bhagavad-gītā is proof of nonviolence. Nonviolence is good but when there is dharma-yuddha, righteous fighting, there is no question of nonviolence. Violence is approved.
And that we have already discussed. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like very learned man, but you are number fool one." Yes. This is the, I mean to say, reward given. "You are, you are declining to fight? This is your nonsensical." Now, just see. The things which are estimated in the public eyes very nice, very good, that is condemned by God. Condemned by God. We have got so many examples and experiences life that what is eulogized by some of our friends, it is condemned by others. So whole thing, our perfection of any act, that should be certified by the Supreme Lord. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām... (SB 1.2.8). Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Hari-toṣaṇam. We have to see it, "Whether the Supreme Consciousness is pleased with my, this action." So Arjuna's action was not approved, not approved by Lord Kṛṣṇa. But the same Arjuna, he fought at the last. After hearing the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, he engaged himself in the fight.
Just like a soldier, he is simply awaiting the order of the commander. Then his activities are approved, "Oh, he is doing nicely. Yes." By the approval of the commander, he is killing as many persons, and by this killing art, he is being rewarded, "Oh, you are a good soldier." But that killing, if he does for his personal interest, even he kills one man, he is hanged—by the same state. By the same state for which he is engaged in fighting, if he kills enemies, he is rewarded. He is awarded gold medal, recognition. And that very person, out of the war field, when he comes home, if he kills one man, then he is hanged. If he says that "The same killing I was doing in the war field, and same killing I have done. There I was killing hundreds and thousands of men. I was awarded gold medal. And here I have killed only one person. I am being hanged? What is this?" No. You have killed according to your own whims, and that is from the superior order. That is the difference. Similarly, if we do, if we act according to our mental speculation or mental whims, then we are bound up by the reaction. And if we practice ourself to be active under the direction of the Supreme, then we are free. This is the art. This is the whole art of spiritual life.
Now here it is said, tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya. You can control your senses only when you engage that senses into the service of the Lord. Tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. Mat. Mat-paraḥ means "unto Me, unto Me, in relationship with Me." That's all right. And in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu also, you'll find that nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. You haven't got to restrain yourself completely, but if you dovetail yourself, nirbandhaḥ, when it is in relation with Kṛṣṇa, then your vairāgya, your detachment, is approved.
at 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."
Just like a blind man is leading other blind men. What is the use of such following leaders? He is blind and I am blind. So if he leads me to cross the road, what (is) my life? My life is in danger. So don't follow these misleaders. Kṛṣṇa is approved leader. All leaders of the society, any part of the world, has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme leader. Follow Him. Then you'll be happy. Go on.
Those who are already cleansed of the impurities may continue to act in the same Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that others may follow their exemplary activities and thereby be benefited. Foolish persons or neophytes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness often want to retire from activities without having knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Arjuna's desire to retire from activities on the battlefield was not approved by the Lord. One need only know how to act. To retire from activities and just sit aloof making a show of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is less important than actually engaging in the field of activities for the sake of Kṛṣṇa."
The whole instruction to Arjuna is that Arjuna wanted to satisfy his senses, his senses. He wanted that, that by not fighting with the opposite party, who were composed of his relatives, brothers and brother-in-laws and father-in-laws and so many relatives. So he did not want to fight. And therefore this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā was needed by Kṛṣṇa. The whole basic principle is this. Now, that was Kṛṣṇa's, Arjuna's own satisfaction of the senses. Arjuna did not want to fight. Materially, it appears very nice that he is giving up his claim of kingdom for satisfying his relatives. Oh, he's very good man. But Kṛṣṇa did not approve it. Why? Because the basic principle was Arjuna decided to satisfy his own senses. Externally it appeared very nice. But anything which is done for the satisfaction of his own senses, that is kāma, kāma, lust, desire.
When one is enlightened, jñāna-dīpite, the light of knowledge is awakened, then ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau, controlling the senses and offering in the fire of yoga. So the Patañjali system is explained in the purport that controlling the inner different kinds of, five kinds of, prāṇa-apāna-vāyu. That is a mechanical system. That is approved also. That helps controlling the senses. But there is another process that is called this bhakti-yoga system, that not only controlling the senses but to give engagement to the senses.
To be highly rich, that is also due to previous pious activities. But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, kebala biṣera bhāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, fruitive activities for getting better position of life, better body... (break) ...though I get my birth in a good family, there is still risk of degradation. Because sometimes we get our birth in rich family and due to opulence we are associated with bad company. Then we begin to act sinfully. That means again degradation. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not very much approve even pious activities. What to speak of impious activities, they do not approve pious activities also.
Now here Kṛṣṇa says, api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛttamaḥ. If, if a person is the most sinful, the, and the, I mean, the supermost sinful man, but if he gets this knowledge, this knowledge of Kṛṣṇa science, then he can cross over this ocean of ignorance very easily. That means it does not matter what was our past life. Either... Any Vedic literature, especially Bhagavad-gītā... Bhagavad-gītā does not take into account what was you in the past life. That doesn't matter. Because we are in ignorance, we might have done so many things in ignorance, which is not approved, which is not virtuous. That is quite possible. Every one of us, we are subjected. Because due to ignorance, we do so many things, so nobody can say that "I am free from any sinful activities." Nobody can say. So that doesn't matter. But if we get, if we can learn the science of Kṛṣṇa, then, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛttamaḥ: "Even one is the most sinful man, but if he gets the Kṛṣṇa science, he is free. He is free, and he can go. He can cross over the material ocean of ignorance very easily."
We have finished the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Today we shall begin the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter you'll find the process of yoga. You have heard many times of the yoga system. That yoga system is approved by Bhagavad-gītā. But the system of yoga as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is specially meant for purifying your status. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. To control the senses and to purify the process of work, that is the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to purify the process of our activities and to control the senses. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahmajyoti effulgence.
Just like Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, and you hear from Arjuna. Then you get the perfect instruction. If you say, "Where is Arjuna? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" but Arjuna's words are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa's words are there. So if you take the words as it is, then you hear Bhagavad-gītā. If you change, then you don't hear Bhagavad-gītā. You hear something nonsense. These are very simple things. So hearing is very important. So "Hear from Me." Nobody can be a great authority than Kṛṣṇa. And therefore, by hearing from Him, one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You hear from Kṛṣṇa as He is speaking. He says that "Practice yoga in full consciousness of Me." If you do that, then you hear Him. But if you do something nonsense, that is not hearing. That is not hearing. But they will do something nonsense which is not approved by Kṛṣṇa or His representative. That is their disease. Yes.
Therefore the statement is the same. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, so guru will say the same thing, that "You always think of Kṛṣṇa, you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you offer worship to Kṛṣṇa, you offer your obeisances." This is guru's business. Not that because in the śāstra it is said that guru should be honore as Kṛṣṇa, as bhagavān, therefore guru will think, "I have become bhagavān." No. That is māyāvāda. The disciple will offer as respect, as much respect he offers to Kṛṣṇa, to guru. That is the śāstric injunction. For that reason the real guru will not think that "I have become Kṛṣṇa." Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. By the mercy of guru, you get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. If, if guru approves, that "Here is a nice devotee," then Kṛṣṇa accepts, "Yes, here is a nice devotee."
Yes, there is... Vaiṣṇavas... Rāmāyaṇa is also approved. Rāmāyaṇa is also Vedic literature, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, not any other. So we discuss Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. In the Bhāgavata there is discussion about Rāmacandra's activities. So we are giving Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is Rāmacandra's activities there. Where is Rāmacandra, which planet He is now, that is also described in the Bhāgavatam. So it is not that we are without Rāma. And our direct worshipable Rāma is Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. We have opened the temple of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. So Rāma is there. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa has got many, many incarnation. Rāma is also one of them.
So association with Kṛṣṇa means just like association with daylight, sunshine, there is no question of contamination. If you get sunshine always, oh, you will never be..., ultra violet rays... That is scientific truth. If you are always in the sunshine, there will be no disease. This is a practical point. This is a practical fact, that modern medical science, they approve a disease incurable. They recommend, "Just lie down on the sunshine." Yes, it is a fact. And Vedic rules, one man who is diseased, he worships sun. That means he has to come into the sunshine, and naturally his disease will be cured. Similarly, as you associate with sunshine, you are cured of all diseases, similarly, if you associate with Kṛṣṇa always by consciousness, there is no trouble. There is no material trouble. Try it. Simply by sounding Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Not only sounding, this is also going on at the same time, this consciousness: "This water is Kṛṣṇa. The taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa. The sound is Kṛṣṇa. This illumination is Kṛṣṇa." In this way you have to practice.
The only thing is that our present stage is forgetfulness. We have forgotten, that's all. So we have to revive. We have to revive our spiritual life, our spiritual consciousness. And the simple process is this śravaṇam. This act, which you are performing, is approved by Lord Caitanya. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. When Lord Caitanya was speaking with Rāmānanda Rāya... He is a great friend of Lord Caitanya and great devotee, just like Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. So Rāmānanda Rāya was explaining about gradual development of spiritual life. So he recommended so many things—varṇāśrama-dharma, sannyāsa, and renunciation of work. Lord Caitanya says, "No, it is not so good. It is not so good. It is not so good." In this way, when he was... Rāmānanda Rāya, he was proposing something, that "This is the system of promoting spiritual consciousness," and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was rejecting, "No, no. You say something more, better than." Then he was proposing another, another, another.
But in order to particularly point out Kṛṣṇa, it has been said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Kṛṣṇa... Actually, Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa because He has got cent percent qualities of Bhagavān. That is analyzed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He is cent percent Bhagavān. Others, they are also Bhagavān, viṣṇu-tattva, Nārāyaṇa, He is also Bhagavān. But Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has analyzed; He is 94%, not cent percent. Or, in other words, you can take it that ṣaḍ-aiśvarya pūrṇaḥ, that is Kṛṣṇa. And They are also ṣaḍ-aiśvarya, but it is not displayed. Not that... Just like Lord Rāmacandra. Lord Rāmacandra... Madhva has approved, He, also Bhagavān. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is existing as the Supreme Person along with Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, many thousands of avatāras. They are also Kṛṣṇa.
The beginning of bhakti-yoga is hearing. So you have kindly come here to hear. This is bhakti-yoga. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this bhakti-yoga—simply by, simply by hearing from the realized person. Caitanya Mahāprabhu had talks with Rāmānanda Rāya how one develops spiritual life, sādhu-sadanana(?). So Rāmānanda Raya was answering, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was questioning. The Rāmānanda Raya felt a little inconvenience that "Caitanya Mahāprabhu is such an exalted person, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Apart from that, He's born in high brāhmaṇa family."
But Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, is specially referring herewith, brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva. Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra He's referring. That is approved. There are different philosophical ways: parāmaṇu-vāda, nirviśeṣa-vāda, saviśeṣavāda, māyāvāda. They are all rejected. Simply brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta-sūtra. It is called Brahma-sūtra because the first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "This human life is meant for inquiry about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." That is human life. Therefore it is called Brahma-sūtra. What is Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Janmādy asya yataḥ. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Brahman is the supreme source of everything."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Therefore my Guru Mahārāja did not approve the parties... They are called gaurāṅga-nāgarī. They accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, but they pose Him, "Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with gopīs." No, that is called gaurāṅga-nāgarī-bhāva. No. Kṛṣṇa has appeared now as devotee. So you must help Him how He can become a best devotee. Not that pose Him into Kṛṣṇa position. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu came in Vṛndāvana, so many people called Him, "You are Kṛṣṇa. You are Viṣṇu." He was doing this, "Don't say like this, don't say like this," to warn future generation who would like to become Kṛṣṇa's avatāra, so-called avatāra.
So sādhu-vartmānuvartanam. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. You must learn from guru, from śāstra, what is actually pure devotional service. Just like Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. One should read thoroughly this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu to understand the science of devotion. Sādhu-śāstra. And the śāstra means it is enunciated by sādhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī. You cannot read anyone's book. If he's approved sādhu, you can read his book. Then you'll be benefited. If you read hodge-podge, then you will not be able to understand. Therefore sādhu.
So our request is that everyone may take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement without any hesitation. This is authorized movement and approved movement, and people are accepting all over the world. Unfortunately, in India, they are lacking. I must admit that as the younger generation from other countries, they're enthusiastically join, or joining, our Indian youths are not joining in that way. But we require so many preachers, so many young men, to preach all over the world this sublime movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People are accepting. Even in Africa, who are supposed to be uncivilized, they are also accepting. Everywhere. There is no impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. People are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You'll be surprised to know that I was going from London to Nairobi, Africa, and our plane stopped for forty-five minutes in Athens, and as soon as we dropped down, some young men there, in Athens, Greece, they immediately began to chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Chindanti ko... Chindanti: cuts; kovidāḥ, intelligent. Tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim. Kathā-ratim. One should be intelligent enough to understand or to hear kathā of Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have to do this. Just like you are all sitting here. It doesn't require that you have to pass M.A. examination, Ph.D. examination. God has given you the ear. Simply you sit down and hear from a realized person. The words are there, the message are there. Just like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, especially. Everything is there to understand about God. Simply you have to increase your attachment for hearing. That is, that qualification required. Not that first of all you pass M.A. examination, then you come here and you can understand. No. Simply by hearing, hearing, hearing, you will become expert. Kovida. Simply. That... This process has been approved by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You can remain in your position, but try to hear the transcendental message from realized soul. Then gradually you will be enlightened and you will be free from this knot, this material bondage.
If you do not follow the codes or the rules or the laws given by God, then what is your religion? That is not religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like the state can give you laws. There is legislative assembly of the state. They can enact laws. You cannot do at home. You cannot do. That will not be accepted as law. Similarly, our Vedic principle is: "Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God." That is religion. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is religion. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Dharma, here it is said that it should be given by Vāsudeva, or it must be approved by Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means son of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. So oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Now, the beginning of the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the answer, śrī-śuka uvāca: "Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said." Because in the previous chapter the questions were put by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, that "What is my duty? What is my duty?" So he says... Because he wanted to know about Kṛṣṇa, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī is approving his very nice praśna, question:
varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
ātmavit sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
- (SB 2.1.1)
"My dear King Parīkṣit, you have put very nice question. And to hear about Kṛṣṇa is the topmost subject of hearing."
These things happen simply by little merciful glance by Lord Caitanya upon us. Simply if Lord Caitanya approves our activity, "Well, this man is doing nice," oh, then you get all the success. Simply if He approves. Yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved one brāhmaṇa. He was illiterate. He could not know what is the Sanskrit alphabet or character, what to speak of reading. But when he was initiated, his spiritual master said, "You read daily so many chapters of Bhagavad-gītā." The spiritual master knew that he is illiterate. And he also knew that "I am illiterate. I cannot know what is alphabet, Sanskrit." Still, the order of spiritual master, that is... This is discipleship. "All right, my spiritual master, I shall try to read." So how he was reading? He, he took the book, and he was seeing the book, and "Ohhhh," like... That's all. His friends, who knew that this man is illiterate, and what he is reading: "Mr. such-and-such, how you are reading?" Criticizing. He was silent because he knew that "I am illiterate. My friends are criticizing. That's all right. What can I do?"
Therefore Deity worship, temple worship, essential for the common general people. Simply by their coming, visiting and doing something, they'll be pious. So... And other pious activities—to hear about Kṛṣṇa. The sound vibration. Even one does not understand what is spoken here, but Kṛṣṇa... Just like I am speaking in English. Those who cannot understand English, they do not understand what I am speaking. But in the middle I am talking of Kṛṣṇa. So that Kṛṣṇa hearing is sufficient: "Kṛṣṇa." My Guru Mahārāja, when some article was presented to see whether he approved for publication, he would simply say, or see, how many times he has uttered "Kṛṣṇa" and "Caitanya Mahāprabhu." That's all. If he has uttered in his writing "Kṛṣṇa," "Caitanya," like that, so if he hears that many times he has written—"That's all right. That's all right." It is so nice.
Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing, and his father is being killed. Is it moral? Would you like to see your father being killed in your presence and you stand. You don't protest. Is that moral? Nobody will approve it, that this is moral. But actually it so happened that Hiraṇyakaśipu was being killed... The picture is here. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to garland—the killer. "My dear Lord, Killer, You take this garland. You are killing my father. You are very good boy." You see. This is, this is spiritual understanding. Nobody will sanction that you, if you cannot protect your father, you must protest, you must cry that: "Here is my father is being killed. Come on, come on, come on. Help..." No. He's prepared with the garland. And when he was killed, he said to Nṛsiṁhadeva: "My dear Lord, now my father is killed. So everyone is happy. You now wind up Your angry mood." Nobody is unhappy. He said this very word. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Modeta sādhur api. A sādhu, a saintly person never approves that one should be killed. Never. Even an animal. A sādhu does not approve. Why animal should be killed? That is sādhu's business.
The purpose is how to become disentangled with this family relationship. Family or society, that is the increase or expansion of the same affection. So the so-called nationalism is also materialism. There is the simply expansion. Just like you have got a party of rogues. And a big party or small party, the business is plundering. That's all. Because you have got a very big party of thieves, it does not mean that you are immune from criminal activities. Therefore these things are not required. People have become accustomed, but we discourage them. We do not approve this so-called nationalism. Therefore we have named "Internationalism." "International," no distinction between this nation or that nation, this religion or that religion.
So we are in material disease at the present moment. We have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and struggling for existence, we are trying to be happy by manufacturing so many plans. But this will not help us. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this process. What is that?
Translation: "After this, the great religious king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, executed the royal power in the kingdom strictly according to the codes and royal principles approved by his uncle and confirmed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: This is very important verse: the king's duty and how a king is recognized. The first recognition was made by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his uncle. Why? Because there was fight between two section of cousin-brothers, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas. So the Kauravas were all killed. The Pāṇḍavas also, except the five brothers, their sons were all killed. So it is not that by force... There was force, but it was dharma-yuddha. Kṣatriyas, they would claim by strength, by fight, not by high-court judgment. By strength, by bodily strength.
Just like nowadays a so-called brāhmaṇa is working as a cobbler, and he is claiming to become brāhmaṇa. Not like that. It is the... Just like a medical man. A medical man, if he wants to practice, then he must get certificate from the medical board, registration. The medical board will see whether he is qualified as a medical man, whether he has passed medical examination. Then he will be allowed to practice as a medical man. So whenever a medical practitioner gives you a prescription along with his name, he gives his title, M.D., B.S. and registered number. That means he is approved.
Kṛṣṇa says like this, "I am their father." To whom? Sarva-yoniṣu: "In all species of life, beginning from Brahmā down to the ant." So if you kill your brother, say, who is not important, will your father approve, "Oh, you have done nice. You are very nice son. You are earning millions of dollars, and this man is useless, this, this boy. So you have killed. It is very nice"? No, father will never tolerate. To the father, the useless son and the earning son, both are equal in affection.
Recently one gentleman from India... He is a man of very good position, ICS, the old ICS, British ICS, Indian Civil Service. They are the topmost service. So he sent me one translation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So perhaps you know. Gargamuni knows. So I rejected it, that "No, this cannot be published. There are so many anomalies." And so his daughter is here in Los Angeles. So she came with her husband and took back. So we do not publish anything which is not approved by the ācāryas. We are not like ordinary press, that anything and anything will come and we shall publish. No. That is not our business. It must be approved, as we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, no mental concoction. We don't allow any mental concoction. It must be approved by the ācārya, disciplic succession. Then it is nice.
No, no, not at all. They want it that "Kṛṣṇa loves Rādhārāṇī so much, and Rādhārāṇī loves..." They simply try to join Them. And they are happy, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is now joined together." That is their happiness. This is Vaikuṇṭha appreciation. Here in the material world, suppose there are competition. "Oh, this girl has got such a nice lover. Then let us break it." This is material. But Vaikuṇṭha, there is everything. Everything, varieties. But that variety is concentrated on Kṛṣṇa. That is called ātma-sammataḥ. Ātmavit-sammataḥ. Ātmavit, self-realized, those who are actually on the transcendental spiritual platform. That must be approved.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is approved. It is not a manufactured thing, whimsical thing. It is approved. Just like Arjuna said to Kṛṣṇa that,
paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
- (BG 10.12)
Kṛṣṇa, You are the Parabrahman, Parabrahman. Not that Kṛṣṇa may say... Or anyone can say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are friends. Therefore Arjuna has eulogized his friend, 'Parabrahman.' " No. Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna said, "It is not that simply because I am appreciating you... You are appreciated, you are approved by Devala, Asita, Vyāsa and Nārada." That is called ātmavit-sammataḥ. Ātmavit. Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita, all the great sages, they accept. Similarly, at the present moment we have got four ācāryas—even take five ācārya—Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they all approve, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Even Śaṅkarācārya, he is this impersonalist, still, he has commented on his Bhagavad-gītā, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So Kṛṣṇa is approved. And because Parīkṣit Mahārāja wanted to talk about Kṛṣṇa, the whole Bhāgavata is full of kṛṣṇa-kathā. That is the beginning. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, ātmavit-sammataḥ. An
So this kind of intelligence, they are called animals. The animal does not know. The dog does not know. The dog will live for six years to ten years, but he is very proud: "I have got a very nice master. Gow! Gow!" You see? So this kind of intelligence is no good. Therefore it is said here, ātmavit-sammataḥ. This kind of question, approved by persons who are self-realized. Ātmavit, one who knows what he is. Sammataḥ. Sammataḥ means approved. Ātmavit sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Yaḥ paraḥ. Paraḥ means superior. We are accustomed to hear so many things, radio and dictaphone and so many things. We are hankering after hearing tape record or this gramophone album, and news from in the newspaper.
But this kind of hearing will not give me pleasure. Therefore here it is said, śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. This, it is not ordinary hearing. This kṛṣṇa-praśna, question about Kṛṣṇa and answer about Kṛṣṇa, this is not ordinary question and answer. It is ātmavit-sammataḥ. Those who are self-realized, they will understand, they will approve of it. Because it is transcendental. śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. So one can say that "There are many subject matter for hearing. It may be one of them." No. It says, he says, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "No, it is paraḥ, transcendental, the most superior kind of question and answer hearing." So one may think, "There are different types of subject matter for hearing. It may be one of them."
One should be taken... Approval should be from persons who is self-realized. Their, his opinion has value. Otherwise, a rascal says, "In my opinion..." What is the opinion of your..., value? We don't accept your opinion. We take the opinion of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee. One who is pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa directly, or His representative, we take their opinion. That is called ātmavit-sammataḥ.
O my dear king, you are very fortunate. Your question about Kṛṣṇa is welcome." Varīyān. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ: "You are inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. So this very question is very important." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: (SB 2.1.1) "And this is not good for you only; it is good for all the human society because you have questioned and I shall reply." So Kṛṣṇa questions and answers are so important that in future these questions and answers will be discussed in the human society. Actually it is being done so now. We are discussing the same incidents. And he said, ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsām: "And this question is so authorized that ātmavit, those who are interested in self-realization, they have got their approval, 'Yes. This is nice question.' " Ātmavit-sammataḥ. Sammata means approved. It is not bogus question. It is approved. This sort of question should be inquired, Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa. And if you speak about Kṛṣṇa... The whole world is full with questions and answers, so these questions and answers are approved by ātmavit, those who are self-realized, not bodily realized, ātmavit.
So eighteen thousand months meaning how many years? One thousand five hundred years. (laughter) It is such an important book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Each verse is a new verse, not repetition of the same subject. And it is deeply thoughtful. And every verse is, as it is stated here, ātmavit-sammataḥ, approved by persons who are self-realized. Ātmavit. Ātmavit. Ātmā means self, and vit means one who knows, well aware of self-realization. They are called ātmavit.
These Gosvāmīs, they were always writing books. Guṇānukathane. Guṇa. What is the writing books? When we write these books, what is that? We are simply describing the different activities and attributes of Kṛṣṇa. Anukathane. Anu means not whimsically. Following the superior authorities. You cannot write anything which is not approved by the superior authorities. Therefore, we have to give examples, quotation from the śāstra, that "What I am speaking, it is supported by the śāstras. Not that I have inventive power—I have, I can do, I can write anything I like." That is nonsense. Anukathane. Anukathane means you must hear from the authority perfectly. Then try to write. Not that you write whimsically, whatever you like.
Ātmavit-sammataḥ: "It is approved by the realized souls." Not that whimsically I do something or you question something. No. It must be... The question must be approved by ātmavit, self-realized person, and the answer should be given by the self-realized person, ātmavit-sammataḥ. This is wanted.
This is not conclusion of the śāstra. Śāstra conclusion is: the Deity and Kṛṣṇa, the same. There is no difference. We have many times explained this. Deity, the worshipful Deity in the temple, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. So Svarūpa Dāmodara did not approve of the poetry to be presented to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. At that time, he chastised him that "You do not know the conclusion, and you dare to write some poetry. Don't do this." And he said, bhāgavata para giya bhāgavata-sthāne:(?) "If you want to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then you go and study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the pure devotee. Then you'll understand. Otherwise, you'll write all these nonsense." Bhāgavata para giya bhāgavata-sthāne. So one bhāgavata... The two bhāgavatas. You study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from living bhāgavata. So if one does not take or does not surrender unto the living bhāgavata, he cannot understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Many scholarly, learned scholars, Sanskrit scholars, they cannot understand Bhāgavatam.
So Kapiladeva became very happy by seeing His mother so eager to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Therefore, dhiyā abhinandya, thanked her, "Oh, My dear mother, thank you very much. You are so interested in the subject matter." Because people are not interested. But when He saw that the family, head of the family, His mother, was interested, He became very happy, and therefore abhinandya, thanked her, "Yes, thank you, mother." Why? Now, ātmavatāṁ satāṁ gatiḥ: "You are asking the subject matter to know from Me which is approved by the ātmavatām."
So therefore these discussions which are going on, that is only for how to get liberation from the four principles of material condition, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is called mokṣa. Mokṣa, or liberation. So the... It is just like beating the dead horse. Nobody is interested about mokṣa. Or nobody can conceive even that there is something as mokṣa. Mokṣa means to get free from this condition of birth, death and old age. That is called mokṣa, liberation. So at the present moment modern educated persons, they do not know that there is something like mokṣa and it can be achieved and there is process and the whole Vedic śāstra is trying to educate us for getting mokṣa. They do not know it. So we have become so dull. Therefore, in this age, Kali-yuga especially, our conditions are described as manda, very, very bad, or very, very slow. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And if one little interested, they will take some path which is not approved, which is not approved. They will invent something, so many "isms."
So in order to get the mercy of guru, so yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **, we must search out a bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa or Kapiladeva, and then we shall submit and offer service. In this way we shall please the guru, and if he is satisfied, then our business is complete. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended this process, this process, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. The process of understanding or approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya. So the process of approaching the Supreme Lord... So he first of all explained the varṇāśrama-dharma.
So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving, educating people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, how to know the science of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. And anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly well... That is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu approves that it doesn't matter what he is, a scientist. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya: (CC Madhya 8.128) "Anyone who knows perfectly well the science of Kṛṣṇa," kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, "in truth, he is guru." Nobody can become guru unless he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said in the śāstra that ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ. Vipra means brāhmaṇa.
What are the symptoms of yoga? Kapiladeva, Kapiladeva is son of Devahūti. Devahūti is the mother of Kapiladeva. The mother is taking instruction from son. So it doesn't matter. One should not think, "Oh, he is my son. What instruction I shall take from him? I know better than him." No. Son or anyone, anyone, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa he becomes guru. This is the Vedic system. It doesn't matter. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in a very respectable brāhmaṇa family. He was very advanced learned scholar, and after all He took sannyāsa. So when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha, householder and governor of Madras, means politician. A householder, politician, and he was born not in brāhmaṇa family; in kāraṇa, kāyastha family. They are considered as śūdras. So he had no position to instruct Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the place of instructor and He took the position of a listener. Just see Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes. He gave him the position of instructor and He took the position of student, listener.
That is being explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, and when he understands what is Kṛṣṇa, then he can hear further about Kṛṣṇa. The books are there, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya—all we are teaching the science of Kṛṣṇa. So here also Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya: (CC Madhya 8.128) "Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru." That is our mission. That is not my mission; that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. So it doesn't matter you Europeans, Americans although not born in brāhmaṇa family. It doesn't matter. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's approval. If you try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa, then, and if you behave properly, you can teach about Kṛṣṇa all over your country, all over the world. That is my mission. And that is approved by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be able to preach nicely and people will be benefited.
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 they say so. It was imitated by one king in the South India, and he is the originator, propounder of the Jainism. They say. But you cannot imitate Ṛṣabhadeva. That is not possible in this age. Better try to follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be perfect.
Prabhupāda: No, no, not condiment. Condone.
Devotees: Oh, condone, Sanction, approval.
Prabhupāda: No. Suppose if you commit some sin and counteract it by some other thing. What is called? Just like in Christian Bible there is...?
Devotees: Confession, atonement...
Prabhupāda: Atonement, yes. (laughter) That's it. Atonement. I was forgetting this word. Atonement. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī suggests that you should know the responsibility, and according to the gravity of sinful life, you should accept some type of atonement as they are described in the śāstras. Actually, according to Vedic way of life, there is a class of brāhmaṇas who... Just like you go when you are diseased. You go to the doctor for atonement, for paying doctor's bill, similarly, they go to a bhaṭṭācārya. The bhaṭṭācārya is supposed to give him prescription that "I've committed such sins, sir. What is my atonement?" He gives you a prescription that "You do like this." So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "According to the gravity of sinful life, one has to execute the prescribed atonement." Exactly... He gives the example, doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit (SB 6.1.8). Exactly like when you go to consult a physician, he prescribes a nice medicine or costly medicine, according to the gravity of the disease. If you have simply some headache, he may prescribe you something like aspirin. But if you have got something else, very severe, he immediately prescribes that "It has to be surgically operated, and the expenditure will be one thousand dollars." (laughter)
So here it is said that even if you perform austerity, penances, the worldly circumstances are so implicated that it will involve you some way or other again into the material modes of nature. There are many instances. Many sannyāsīs, they give up this world as mithyā, all false. "Let me take to Brahman." But again they become implicated to philanthropic work, welfare activities. If this world is false, why you are attracted to the welfare activities? If it is false in your opinion... We say it is not false. Our philosophy is... We don't say that the world is false; we say the world is temporary. How it can be false? If God created this world, if God is true, how His creation can be false? We don't approve this philosophy. We accept that this is not false, but this is temporary. And because it is creation of God, because He's Absolute Truth, it is also true. Simply we are seeing it otherwise.
Therefore my Guru Mahārāja condemned this policy. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: "What kind of Vaiṣṇava you are?" Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare: "And simply for cheap popularity, 'Oh, he is a Vaiṣṇava. He is chanting. All right.' " Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari..., nirjanera ghare. No botheration, because if there is no preaching, there is no botheration. You can sit down and show people, "I have now become a very liberated soul," and chant and meditate. That means sleeping. This sort of business is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja. Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari-nāma kevala. This is simply cheating. He did not approve this kind of business. He did not approve. He wanted to see that everyone is engaged in preaching work, some sort of preaching work, either indoor or outdoor. When you are indoor you have to be busy writing articles for a magazine and proofread and so many things indoors. And outdoors you have to go door to door, make them members, make them interested in this movement, collect money for expenses, outdoor. Preaching, you have to meet opposing elements. So many will criticize, so many will attack. Nityānanda Prabhu was hurt personally, but still, outdoor. This is missionary work, not that "Whenever I find some opportunity, go to some solitary place and sleep." This is not missionary life.
Boys and girls, today I shall explain to you the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness as it was conceived by one of the greatest devotees in this disciplic succession. You know we are under disciplic succession. We do not manufacture anything by mental concoction. We do not approve that method. We receive knowledge from the authorities and out of such many ācāryas, or authorities, who have appeared and disappeared... We don't say born and died, no. (laughter) Appear and disappear. This is the actual explanation. None of us, either Kṛṣṇa or we or all living entities, they appear and disappear.
Vaiṣṇava philosophy means the Vaiṣṇava is ready to do anything for God's sake. That is Vaiṣṇava. It is approved by God, Kṛṣṇa, then they are ready to do anything. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not that by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement everything, our daily routine work will be stopped. No. I am very glad to see that these small children are being trained here in such a far distant place from India. I thank our Bhūrijana Prabhu for this work.
There is no secrecy. We worship Kṛṣṇa, we think of Kṛṣṇa, we work for Kṛṣṇa, we glorify Kṛṣṇa, we chant for Kṛṣṇa, we dedicate our life for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... This is our philosophy. We think of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, we are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, we worship Kṛṣṇa, mad-yājī, we offer our obeisance to Kṛṣṇa, māṁ namaskuru, this is our... Sarva-dharmān parityajya, we have no other religion, we don't approve any other religion except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is our philosophy.
So Kṛṣṇa wants this variety. So you all are devotees. You, the central point is to love Kṛṣṇa and offer Him service, but that service may be of variety. Variety. You cannot claim that because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in a type, and therefore, if somebody is serving in a different—must be approved by the authority... You cannot criticize him. Varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. The same vegetable, the same ghee, the same salt, same spices, but there are varieties of preparations. That is required. We Vaiṣṇava, we want varieties. Bahūnmukhi-sevā. How... The central point is how... The Vṛndāvana-Kṛṣṇa is the central point. The cowherd boys, they are satisfying Kṛṣṇa by going in the forest, playing with Him, mock-fighting with Him. That is also variety. And when He comes home, Kṛṣṇa is taken care by mother Yaśodā, different dress, different foodstuff, variety. Similarly, when in the company of the gopīs, varieties, So variety is the mother of enjoyment. So it is not that I'll have to do exactly like you.
Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... (SB 2.4.18). Śukadeva Gosvāmī says. Kṛṣṇa says, the Lord says, and it is confirmed by His devotee. These two things we require: whether it is approved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and whether it is approved by His servant, devotee. Kṛṣṇa-guru-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. This is said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Without undergoing the process of śruti—means Vedas—smṛti, the Purāṇas, and other corollary literatures, Bhagavad-gītā, Mahābhārata, Smṛti, Manu-smṛti, the laws given by Manu, Parāśara... So Hari-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, must be approved by Vedas, Purāṇas. Pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Otherwise, any show of devotional service is simply disturbance. Anyone can manufacture. And it is being supported by some very big missionary activities: yata mata tata pata. You can manufacture your way of religious principles. But that is not Vedic way. Vedic way is evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Although we are initiating people from low-grade society, still, following the principles of Pāñcarātriki-vidhi, injunction of the Gosvāmīs. Therefore it is bona fide. Bhāgavata-vidhi, Pāñcarātriki-vidhi, they are bona fide vidhi. So Sanātana Gosvāmī... Rūpa Gosvāmī, first offers his respectful obeisances to his elder brother, Sanātana Gosvāmī, because Rūpa Gosvāmī accepted him as spiritual master. And he was initiated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī also. So he offers his respectful obeisances to Sanātana Gosvāmī. Go on.
So maybe a perverted form of religious system. Similarly, in India also there are primitive races in the jungles, they have also... Religious system means approving the authority of some Supreme Being. That is religious system. So in the animal society there is no such conception that "There is God.
So if you expand your selfishness in the name of nationality—"I possess this land"—we do not approve. We say, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community? That's not proper. Just like pickpocket and a gang, gangsters, organized rogues, thieves. It does not change the quality. There was some talk, you know, between Alexander the Great and the robber. The robber proved that "You are a greater robber. That's all. Why you are trying to punish me?" Alexander the Great arrested one robber, and he was going to punish him. So the robber explained that "Why you are punishing me? You are also a robber. You are going under the name of conqueror, and because I am not as great as you are, therefore you are trying to punish me. So why you are...?" So Alexander the Great, he was very, mean, highly advanced in... He immediately released him. "Yes. I am also a robber. Why shall I punish you?"
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not approve this. Kṛṣṇa says,
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mam evaiṣyasi
kaunteya asaṁśayaḥ
- (BG 18.65)
"O My dear Arjuna, you just surrender unto Me. You worship Me. You offer your obeisances unto Me. You always think of Me." This is straight. The straight meaning, "Me," Kṛṣṇa is saying.
Then this is a hint by Lord Caitanya that a sannyāsī who has renounced everything, if he lives very gorgeously, with good dress, and good house, and apartment... No. This is not approved by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then what is that? What does it mean? A sannyāsī living like a first-class gentleman, smoking, and very nice apartment, and some, I mean to say, lady assistant, secretary... What is this? Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not approve. He must be, as far as possible... Whatever is absolutely necessity, he should accept, not more. Yes. That is renounced order of life, not that in the name of renounced order of life he should live at the expense of the householders, very gorgeously. No. This is not sannyāsa. It is not accepted by Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya.
Now, after Caitanya Mahāprabhu's approval of renouncement of Sanātana Gosvāmī, He instructed him for two months at Benares. In the formerly... Here it is referred. In the formerly, as He instructed Rāmānanda Rāya at, in Kabul (?)—Kabul is a place in the Madras, South India—similarly, in that occasion the Lord was questioning Rāmānanda Rāya, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying and here, in the similar way, the Sanātana Gosvāmī will question and Lord Caitanya will reply. So sometimes the disciple and the spiritual master, the relationship is like that.
So yoga process is very difficult at the present moment. Yoga... Because it is stated in the Vedic literature, that is an approved method. That's all right. But that method is very difficult in the modern age to perform. And what to speak of us, even five thousand years before, when the circumstances were more favorable and people were not so polluted and they were advanced in so many things, still, at that time a personality like Arjuna, he refused. When Kṛṣṇa asked him that "You become a yogi like this," he said, "It is not possible for me. It is not possible for me." So this is an overendeavor, to practice yoga in this age, which was refused by a personality like Arjuna. So yoga is not at all possible. It was possible in the Satya-yuga, when every man was in the modes of goodness. Every man was highly elevated. The yoga process is meant for the highly elevated personalities, not for ordinary man.
This is the secret of modern fashionable interpretation. If you want to establish... Suppose you have got some conviction, and if you want to establish it by evidence of an approved literature... An approved literature. Just like Gandhi. Gandhi wanted to establish nonviolence from Bhagavad-gītā. He was a... He is known to be a great student of Bhagavad-gītā, but he was not at all. His political theory was that he wanted to conquer over the enemies by nonviolence method. Nonviolent noncooperation, that was his, I mean to say, theory. He wanted to get away all kinds of nonviolence from the world, all kinds of violence from the world. So he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence. But how you can prove nonviolence from Bhagavad-gītā?
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Three times. When we stress upon some important point, we say three times, "Do it, do it, do it!" It is like that. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. So yoga practice is approved process, but it requires long, long period, time, and the time is not at all suitable in this age. And persons are differently cultured. They are eating everything, they are drinking everything, smoking. And it is not possible. It is not possible. Simply childish. It is not possible. And you can see practically. Just like I have given the example. Bring any so-called yogi, mystic practitioner...
Festival Lectures
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching this philosophy that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; your life will be perfect." And the method is very simple. It can be..., there is no secrecy. Just like this evening I was talking with a boy. He has got a mantra, very secret. But we say have no secret mantra. Our mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is open to everyone. Why it should be secret? If by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra we can approach God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why it should remain secret? It should be distributed like anything so that everyone can go. So there is no secrecy. A secret mantra we don't approve. It must be very open. There is no secret. The śāstra never says that mantra can be secret.
That you cannot, at any circumstances. These things must be continued. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. Kāryam means "must," "you must perform." The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, karma-tyāgī, they do not work. Their principle is always study Vedānta philosophy, and whatever they require, a little, they will beg, taking alms from gṛhasthas, and live and follow the strictly the principles of austerity. They are very strict. Those who are really Māyāvādī sannyāsī, not false, they follow strictly three times taking bathing. Even in severest cold they must. They lie down on the floor and always read Vedānta and Sāṅkhya philosophy. But in spite of all these austerities, they do not approve the worship of Deity, the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because they are impersonalist, they do not worship.
Now, here is a point, that Kṛṣṇa does not approve the worship of demigods. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñāna yajanty anya-devataḥ: (BG 7.20) "Those who are out of intelligence, they simply worship the demigods." In the Bhagavad-gītā or in the Bhāgavata, anywhere, worship of demigods is not very much recommended. So here also the same thing, that svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ: "Everyone is carried by the modes of nature." Svabhāvam anuvartate: "And he cannot surpass the spell of the modes of nature." Svabhāvam anuvartante, svabhāvas tam idaṁ sarvam: "Everyone is under the control of the nature he has acquired." And sa-devāsura mānusaḥ. Sa-devāsura. "Always, either he is man or superman or animal, everyone is being controlled by the modes of nature."
Nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala, je chayay jagata juray. This is a song by Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya of the Gaudiya-vaisnava-sampradaya. He has written many songs about the Vaisnava philosophy, and they are approved as completely corresponding with Vedic instructions. So here Narottama dasa Thakura is singing that "The whole world is suffering under the blazing fire of material existence. Therefore, if one takes the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda...," whose birthday is today, 31st, January, 1969. So we should relish this instruction of Narottama dasa Thakura that in order to get relief from the pangs of blazing fire of this material existence, one should take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda because it is as cooling as the moon rays combined together of millions of moons. That means one will immediately find peaceful atmosphere.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Yes. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has also said, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā. Our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for nistāra. Nistāra means to be liberated from the capture of māyā. That is called nistāra, release, release from the capture of māyā. So Vaiṣṇava... Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, another Vaiṣṇava... As it sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, similarly, you know that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he also has sung many song, approved songs. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's songs are Vedic evidence. All Vaiṣṇavas, songs are like that, Vedic evidence. There is no mistake, cheating, imperfectness or illusion. Conditioned soul, they are manufacturing by mental concoction. That is another thing. They are full of imperfection, illusion, mistake and cheating. But when we hear songs by the Vaiṣṇava, that is for liberation.
Wedding Ceremonies
This world is called relative world. It is not Absolute. Relative. Difference, two, duality. We cannot understand a man without knowing a woman. We cannot understand father without understanding a son or a mother. Relativity. But in Absolute world, everything is one. So this love between male and female, conjugal love, we Vaiṣṇava philosophers... Because everyone, according to Vedic system, everyone has to follow the Vedānta-sūtra. There are two section of philosophers in India, approved; not, I mean to say, manufactured philosopher, mental speculators, but actually those who are counted valuable. There are two classes of philosophers, namely the impersonalist and personalist. The Vaiṣṇava, they accept that the Absolute Truth is person, and the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that Absolute Truth is impersonal. That is the difference. Otherwise their process of other paraphernalia, execution of understanding, is almost the same. Now our Vaiṣṇava philosopher's argument is that how the Absolute Truth can be impersonal? Because here, in this world, in our experience, we see everything personal. So unless the personality, the individuality, or the individual attraction is there in the Absolute Truth, how they can be represented here in the relative truth?
General Lectures
Yes. He has written a very nice authorized book on Lord Caitanya in German language, and it is very big book, paperback, five hundred pages. It is approved by the Sweden University, and he has sent me. So even a German gentleman, he is taking so much interest. And this Mr. Sulyea, he told me long, about forty years before... At that time I was also householder. So he told me that "If some student come to Europe and then come to Germany, first of all we try to test him, how much he has got his original cultural knowledge." He said that "If we find that this boy, the student, knows something of Indian original cultural life, then we welcome him. Otherwise we reject him."
Now what is the proof? That means if he speaks exactly like persons who have passed M.A. examination, then he is M.A. A medical practitioner who is approved by other medical practitioners in the medical college, he is medical practitioner. Similarly, if you want to test who is spiritual master, you have to see the standard spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya and similar. Even Lord Jesus Christ, there are..., Lord Buddha, they are also spiritual masters, but they spoke in different circumstances. That is different thing.
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.
Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. So loka-hitam. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). Varīyān means glorify; eṣa, this; praśnaḥ, question; kṛtaḥ, what you have done; loka-hitam, the best welfare activities. This kind of question and answer. And not only that. One may say that "In your society, you are talking something of Kṛṣṇa. That is your hobby. You may take pleasure." Because everyone has got some, his hobby. But it is not like hobby. Not only loka-hitam, it is said ātmavit-sammataḥ. It is approved by the transcendentalists. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna says that "You are accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Not that because I am Your friend, out of my whims or affection I am talking of You as the Supreme Personality. You are accepted by such great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita." Great stalwarts, Vedic scholars
He has clearly mentioned. Because one may not misunderstand, "This Kṛṣṇa may be different." But he has specif... Just like identification. If you go to the court, you give your identification by your father's name. So Śaṅkarācārya has given identification of Kṛṣṇa by His father's name, by His mother's name. Devakī vasudevāsya. We also say Devakī-nandana, Vasudeva. So ātmavit-sammataḥ. It must be approved by great ācāryas. We are pushing on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness not by whims. It is approved by great ācāryas. We are following their footsteps. That's all. That is our business. Ātmavit tattva, ātmavit-sammataḥ. And then puṁsām, for the people in general, śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. They have got many subject matter for hearing, ordinary people. But this subject matter, hearing of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the, śrotavyādi... Whatever subject matter you have got for hearing, this is the topmost. This is the topmost. Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ.
Now here Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "You wanted to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is your superexcellent proposal." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa (SB 2.1.1). "And because you have inquired and I'll have to say something about Kṛṣṇa, so it is the most beautiful and superexcellent welfare activities for the all people of the world." Loka-hitam. And ātmavit-sammataḥ. And this sort of question and answer is confirmed by persons who are self-realized, ātmavit. Ātmavit. Ātmā means soul, or self, and vit means one who knows. So "Your, this proposal, this inquiry, is approved by persons who are self-realized." Ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Paraḥ means transcendental. There are many things, many subject matter for hearing, but this subject matter, Kṛṣṇa, is transcendental.
You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. Immediately you become benefited, immediately, and you get ecstasy. So our humble request is that this is very simple process, recommended process, approved process, and experimental process. If you try it without any loss, but with a prospect of a great gain, then you are requested that you can accept it.
But if you have got something tangible to meditate, that is very easy. So why not Kṛṣṇa? So nice, beautiful, and He's accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead by great sages, saintly persons, scholars and Vedic literature. And they have achieved success. Why not follow their example and simply concentrate your mind, meditate on mind? And that meditation is very nicely done by chanting. As soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, your ear is forced to receive this Kṛṣṇa. And the Kṛṣṇa sound and Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent. This is the philosophy. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa sound... Because Kṛṣṇa is everything, God is everything, so why not this sound, "Kṛṣṇa," which is approved? So by chanting Kṛṣṇa, you receive Kṛṣṇa in transcendental vibration immediately, and your meditation is there because your attention is diverted to Kṛṣṇa.
If one, one, anyone goes there, he doesn't come back again. So to go to that platform, or that plat..., planet, you don't require any sputnik or any airplane. Simply you have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That's all. But unfortunately, we have no taste for this simple thing. We want to do something wonderful. Very simple thing. Kṛṣṇa does not prescribe anything which is impractical. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). The process is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām: (BG 9.14) "Always chanting about Me." This "Me" means..., does not mean Kṛṣṇa. I mean to say, Kṛṣṇa means God; you can chant that also. But it must be bona fide. But this is approved, "Kṛṣṇa." Therefore if our aim is to make our, I mean to say, if we want to revive our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, this is the simplest method. You can do it.
Mukti means to become transcendental to the three guṇas. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. So Bhāgavata-dharma is in the transcendental platform. It is not material. There are two kinds of dharmas: material and spiritual, because we are combination of matter and spirit at the present moment. So long I want to enjoy this material world or to satisfy my senses... This material body means combination of senses. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. So the platform where we are concerned with the senses, that is called karma, karma platform. Just like people are working very hard day and night in the city. The purpose is to gratify the senses. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). So that is karma. Then, indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). When you come to the activities of the mind-psychology, metaphysics, philosophical speculation—that is another stage; that is better than this stage, karmī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has approved that out of many thousands of karmīs, one jñānī is better. And out of many thousands of jñānīs, one mukta is better, liberated. One who has realized that "I am not this matter, I am Brahman," he is better. He is mukta. Mukta means one... Brahma-bhūtaḥ, he understands. He no more identifies himself with these material activities. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu approves that out of many thousands of karmīs, one jñānī is better. And out of many thousands of jñānīs, one mukta is better. And out of many thousands of mukta, hardly you can find any bhakta.
So people are gradually losing interest in temple worship even, what to speak of yoga or offering sacrifices. Everything is now finished. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. This is prescribed in the śāstra. That system was introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because other system will not be successful in this age. May be successful in one or two cases, but not for the general mass of people. Therefore śāstra recommends... There are different incarnation of God, but one incarnation is there, it is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other places also, in Upaniṣad and Mahābhārata. These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedānta system, Brahma-sūtra, everything done by Vyāsadeva.
He's not only this Purī-nātha, or Oriya-nātha; He's Jagannātha. Kṛṣṇa declares in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). That is the definition of Jagannātha, sarva-loka-maheśvaram. So why you should deny the inhabitants of Sarva-loka the darśana of Jagannātha? That is not... Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never approved such thing.
Kṛṣṇa says personally in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ..., te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim (BG 9.32). So there is ample śāstra-pramāṇa, approved by the ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu converted many Pathans into Vaiṣṇava, changed their name. So things are going according to śāstra and mahājana. Why you should not receive them as Vaiṣṇava and give them proper reception? That is my request. I hope...
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because every living entity is part and parcel of God, although very minute portion, similarly proportionately, he has minute proportion of freedom of will. Not absolute. That is natural. Every man has got a little freedom of will, but it is not absolute. A man cannot will as he likes. That is not possible. Therefore it is said, "Man proposes; God disposes." Although the freedom of will is there, it is subordinate to the freedom of will of God. You cannot fulfill your desire unless it is sanctioned and approved by God.
Prabhupāda: But your personal opinion sometimes does not meet with approval. So if you are satisfied with your personal opinion, but if it is not approved by others, then you are in the fool's paradise. That's all.
Prabhupāda: He was personally thinking that "If I kill my brothers, cousins, this, that," so many things, but because he was a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, when he understood "Kṛṣṇa wants it," he said, "Yes." This is morality. That is the fact. When your actions are approved by the supreme authority, that is morality. If it is not approved by the supreme authority, that is immorality. Therefore so-called morality-immorality has no fixed position. When it is approved by Kṛṣṇa, it is morality. Even so-called immorality will be morality, and so-called morality will be immorality. That we practically see, the same example as I gave you, that a soldier killing so many human beings, he is awarded, and it is... (break) ...he does what he likes, then it becomes chaos.
Prabhupāda: Then why does he say public opinion? Your senses may not be approved by the public opinion. Then where do your senses stand?
Prabhupāda: That we accept. That we accept, that we have to adjust things according to circumstances. That is acceptable. But finally, if God does not approve of it, it does not happen. Pratividhi. Pratividhi, counteraction. Tavat tanu-bhrtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. Pratividhi. We make counteractivities for adjusting things, but unless it is approved by the Supreme Lord, that adjustment also will not be very much helpful. Bālasya neha pitarau nṛsiṁha. Just like a small child, the nature's way is the parent has got affection to take care. At that time, if the parents do not take care, the child cannot live. But the parents' taking care is not all. If the child is condemned by the Supreme Lord, in spite of the parents taking care, it will not be happy, or it will not exist. Parents' care is natural. Generally it so happens by the parents' care the child is happy, but in spite of parents' care the child is unhappy, then you have to go to the Lord. Is it not? Just like when a man is diseased, the counteraction is physician, medicine. Generally it is expected by attendance of good physician or using good medicine, diet, the patient becomes cured. But it is also seen that in spite of all careful attention, scientific medicine, he dies. Then what is that?
Prabhupāda: Why? Therefore God has to depend on the free will or on the opinion of Mr. Mill? Is that? He says that God is not so good. God is good, but not so good because he does not approve all of His activities.
Hayagrīva: James believes that the existence of many religions in the world is not regrettable but is necessary to the existence of different types of men. He says, "All men have, should have... Should all men have the same religion? Ought they to approve the same fruits and follow the same leadings? Are they so like in their inner needs that exactly the same religious incentives are required? Or are different functions allotted to different types of men, so that some may really be the better for a religion of consolation and reassurance whilst others are better for one of terror and reproof?" And he goes on to conclude that he thinks that difference...
Prabhupāda: This is religion. Therefore I was talking in this morning that accept God as the supreme father and the material nature is the mother and we living entities, in 8,400,000 forms, we are all sons of God. So everyone has got the right to live at the cost of the father. The father is the maintainer—that is natural—and we are maintained. So every living being should be satisfied in the condition given by God. Man should live in his own condition, the animal also should live in his own condition. Why the man should encroach upon the rights, living right of other living entities like the animals?
Prabhupāda: That, that we say liberation. One should be free from the material contamination. That is our... Because under material condition, he is in three modes, goodness, passion and ignorance. So one who is in goodness he does not approve conclusion in ignorance. And one who is in ignorance, he thinks it is better.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is our philosophy. If it is approved and Rūpa Gosvāmī says, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167), our ought to be is what is Kṛṣṇa approves or His representative approves. That is ought to be. Our standard. Otherwise it is not, not ought to be. Therefore we accept our guidance (indistint). Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore Vedas say that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master, in order to be fully in knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. These are Vedic injunctions. One who has accepted a bona fide spiritual master, he knows everything. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means in knowledge. So ācāryavān, one who has accepted ācārya. Therefore our principle is to follow the ācārya. In Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, ācārya upāsanam, one must worship ācārya, to go to the right knowledge. So that is our philosophy.
Prabhupāda: That means I can manufacture my own duty, you can manufacture your own duty. There is no standard. But our standard is, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śar... (BG 18.66), whatever you, rascal, whatever you have manufactured, give it up. The Bhāgavata says that dharmaḥ projjhita atra kaitavaḥ, that all cheating type of religious system is kicked out. Here is the religious system, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). What is that satyam? Oṁ namo bhāgavate vāsudevāya. Everything is clear. And where is that clear understanding? Simply speculating. That is the difference, the Vedic standard knowledge and this speculative philosophy. So, so far we are concerned, we refer to the Vedas, śabdaḥ pramāṇam. Śabdaḥ means Vedas, śabdaḥ brahman. So whatever action we do, if it is approved by the Vedic injunction then it is standard and confirmed.
Purports to Songs
Bhajahū re mana, śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāravinda re. This is a song composed by Govinda dāsa, a great poet and Vaiṣṇava. He says, addressing his own mind Because mind is the center of all elevation. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that if you have your mind controlled, then your mind is the best friend. But if your mind is uncontrolled, then he is your greatest enemy. So we are seeking after friend or enemy. So both of them are sitting with me. If we can utilize the friendship of the mind, then we are elevated to the highest perfectional stage. But if we create mind as my enemy, then my path to hell is clear. Therefore Govinda dāsa Ṭhākura, he is addressing his mind. The yogis try to control the mind by different gymnastic process. That is also approved. But it takes a long time, and sometimes there are failures. In most cases they are failures. Even a big yogi like Viśvāmitra, he also failed, what to speak of these teeny and nonsensical yogis.
At that time, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also said, "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent of all incarnations. Because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." In other words, when Kṛṣṇa was personally present, He simply asked us to surrender, but He did not distribute Himself so easily. He made condition that "First of all you surrender." But here, in this incarnation, Lord Caitanya, although He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, He makes no condition. He simply distributes, "Take love of Kṛṣṇa." Therefore Lord Caitanya is approved as the most munificent incarnation, and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "Please be merciful upon me. You are so magnanimous because You have seen the fallen souls of this age, and You are very much compassionate upon them. But you should know also that I am the most fallen. Nobody is a greater fallen than me." Patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra. "Your incarnation is just to reclaim the conditioned souls, fallen souls. But I assure You that You will not find a greater fallen than me. Therefore my claim is first."
Tattva-darśī, one who has seen the things as it is. Go there and from him take the knowledge, not that one who is speculating. This is the process, Vedic process. Therefore it is called śruti. Śravaṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Śravaṇam means hearing, kīrtanam means glorifying. Of whom? About Viṣṇu, not for anything else. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this point. When He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, Rāmānanda Rāya suggested various methods of self-realization. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not reject them. He said, "Yes, it is also nice, but you go farther above. Go forward still." So in this way, when Rāmānanda Rāya quoted this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, He said... No, in the beginning He had, eho bāhya, āge kaha: "This process is not very important; it is external. If you know better than this, say."
| Page Title: | Approval (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Haya, Partha-sarathi, Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 22 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=107, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 107 |