So this is Vaiṣṇava's policy. Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukkura, baliyā janaha more. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, "My dear vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, you just accept me as your dog, as the dog works by the indication of the master." He will give his life. Dog has a good qualification. However a strong dog may be, when the master orders, he will give his life. This is dog, faithful, so faithful to the master. So vaiṣṇava ṭhākura... So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is praying, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukkura, baliyā janaha more: "My dear vaiṣṇava ṭhākura..." Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura means guru. "Kindly accept me as your dog." And he describes, I forget the exact language, that "I will always try to protect you. As dog keeps watch, so I will watch so nobody will come to disturb you. And whatever little prasādam you'll give me, I'll be satisfied." That dog's qualification. The master is eating, but the dog will never come, unless the master gives little morsel. He is satisfied. He is satisfied.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung...(Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"Bhaktivinoda"
|"Bhaktivinode"
|"sang"
|"sings"
|"sung"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So this problem, attachment for this material world, gradually we have to cut it. That is the Vedic civilization. If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then at the same time, if you remain attached to this material world, so-called society, friendship and love, then it is not possible. So long you will have a pinch of attraction with this material world, there is no possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. This is the position. Therefore by training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached, this society, friendship and love. We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love. It is just like... because we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river, going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of māyā. Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, khāccho hābuḍubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on. So long we are in this material world, we are being tossed by different currents, and sometimes I am here as the master of some kingdom, and sometimes I am dog of somebody else. This is my position. The same thing. Very good example, that we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Sometimes we are gathering together. So many straws and vegetables, they gather together. And sometimes the same vegetables and straws are thrown asunder. One is there, one is here. So here also, we assemble here as society, friendship and love exactly like that. In the waves of māyā. Then nobody is your father, nobody is your mother, nobody is your sister, nobody. It is simply māyic, illusory combination. Illusory combination, temporary combination. And we are so much attached to this combination that we are refusing to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our position.
First of all fix up your mind. Yoga means indriya-saṁyama. Yoga practice means that controlling the mind and the senses. That is yoga practice. Because our mind is very flickering and changing, something accepting immediately, something rejecting immediately, very flickering. Therefore we have to train up the mind, and when the mind is trained up, then automatically your senses will be controlled. If you are strong-minded, that "I will not accept any foodstuff which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," naturally your tongue is controlled. Naturally. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, śarīra avidyā-jāl jaḍendriya tāhe kāl jīve phele viṣaya-sāgare. Our this body is a network of nescience, or ignorance.
I have got spiritual body. But some way or other, circumstantially, on account of my desire, I get sometimes human body and sometimes dog's body, sometimes cat's body, sometimes tree's body, sometimes demigod's body. There are different, 8,400,000 different forms of body. So I am changing according to my desire. And according to my infection, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya, and according to my... These are the subtle things. That is the real knowledge of human being, not to invent something for temporary happiness. That is foolishness. That is foolishness, wasting time. If we invent something for the comforts of this present body and I shall live very comfortably, but "You will not be allowed, sir, to live comfortably." First of all you know it. Suppose a man is constructing very nice house, very strong house. It will never fall down in any circumstances. But that's all right, but what you have done for yourself that you will never die so that you will enjoy this? "No. Let it be. Let me have a very strong-built house." So house remains. You go there. Strong-built nation. Just like Napoleon constructed strong-built arches, but where he has gone, nobody knows. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, sings, jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we advance in so-called material happiness or material advancement, the more we forget our real identity. This is the result.
Hari-toṣaṇam. The real perfection of life is whether by your actions, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is perfection. You don't consider of your personal victory, defeat, loss or gain, or distress or happiness. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that: "When I work very difficult task for Kṛṣṇa, that difficult task becomes very happiness for me. That difficult task becomes very happiness for me." That is the standard of happiness. In the material world, there is duality. In the absolute world, there is simply happiness. There is nothing else. Just like when Kṛṣṇa is going to Mathurā, all the gopīs become very, very distressed, crying. But we cannot understand what is the happiness of that distress. That we cannot understand from this material point of view. That is greatest happiness. When the gopīs were crying in separation from Kṛṣṇa, that is greater happiness than meeting Kṛṣṇa, than meeting Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. That is now beginning.
Then anartha. Anartha means unnecessary things. We have practiced so many unnecessary things in our life. Unnecessary things, when they are too much strong, that becomes sinful life. Unnecessary. The modern civilization is simply meant for creating unnecessary necessities of life. That's all. So we are becoming deviated from God. The more we are advancing in so-called material civilization, we are more becoming far away from God. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung: jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. Jaḍa-bidyā, the material education, they are simply paraphernalia of this illusory energy, māyāra vaibhava. And the effect of this advancement of material civilization means stopping one's relationship with God. Jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre. Anitya means this temporary life, this... Everyone, we are in this material world, say, for fifty years, sixty years, hundred years. That is temporary. In the unlimited time, a duration of life, say of hundred years, that is nothing. Even, not even a point. It is very temporary, but in this temporary life, we are addicted to so many unnecessary things, and we are forgetting our real business, how to go to home, back to home, back to Godhead.
This human form of life is especially meant for understanding Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means everything, samagram. To understand Kṛṣṇa, that is the special mission of human life. "So I did not try for it. I simply carried away by the waves of māyā." And the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. We are being carried away by the waves of this material modes of nature, sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface. In this way, our life is going on. Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. But we can stop this being carried away by the waves of māyā simply if we accept that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. We can stop the carrying away.
Real knowledge, jñānavān, is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is real knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante (BG 7.19). If one is actually intelligent, he should not wait for many, many births. If he believes in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, then, immediately after hearing this verse, that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, he should immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
That is, that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings,
- mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor
- arpiluṅ tuwā pade nanda-kiśor
This is surrender. Mānasa deha geha. We have got our, this mind. Mind is the center of creative force. Therefore we have to surrender, first of all, our mind to Kṛṣṇa, just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja did. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). He set example that he, first of all, he surrendered his mind unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor, and vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane, and he engaged his talkings simply on the matter of describing Vaikuṇṭha.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
This conditional life is going on anywhere you go within this material world. There are innumerable universes, and each and every universe, there are innumerable planets of different climatic conditions. Just like we find the climatic condition in the moon is different from the climatic condition of this earth. The climatic condition of sun is different from the climatic condition in the earth or from the moon. Every, each and every planet, each and every universe is differently conditioned. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa's creation. Keśava tuwā jagat vicitra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung: "Keśava, my dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, Your creation is so full of varieties." That's a fact. But all these conditions are not very liking to us. We are trying to be liberated from all conditions. Therefore liberation is the ultimate goal. As it is here stated, "Religion includes four primary subjects, namely, pious activities, economic development, satisfaction of the senses and, finally, liberation from material bondage."
We are wandering. The modern education system has no knowledge. They simply know that "This life is everything. Waste this life by sense gratification, because after death everything is void. Now I have got this body. Body means the senses. So enjoy my senses." This is the materialistic way of life. They have no knowledge that there is life after death. We should prepare ourself, what kind of body we shall have next life. Instead of, they are being washed off. Not washed off, carried away by the waves of material nature.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings,
- (miche) māyār bośe jāccho bhese' Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi
- (jīv) kṛṣṇa-dās e biśwās korle to' ār duḥkho nāi
Everyone is suffering, māyār bośe. Under the influence of māyā, the illusory energy, they are being carried away by the waves. Waves mean the three modes of material nature. And suffering. Sometimes being drowned, sometimes up, sometimes relief, sometimes distress. This is going on. So the only way to get out of this anxiety or to stop the perpetual being carried away is to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are suffering; you simply surrender unto Me."
So we are trying to give that body. Not a fish body, cat's body, dog's body. That we have experienced, past life. We have got this life now to make discretion, to make choice, what kind of body we are going to get next. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. Not that to give away with the waves of this time. Māyār bośe jāccho bhese' Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings that "Don't be carried away by the waves of māyā. Now you have got intelligence. You try to understand that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa and do the needful. Then get out of this māyā's webs." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, giving the right information, that "If you do not want to be carried away by the waves of this māyā, material nature, then take to this consciousness so that at the time of your death you will change this body to Kṛṣṇa planet, Kṛṣṇa, Goloka Vṛndāvana." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa is not making lying propaganda. He has no business. He is giving you information, that if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, janma karma me divyam, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa—how He is acting, why He has come, why He has appeared, why He has given us the Bhagavad-gītā, what lessons He is giving—in this way, if you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tat..., in truth, not whimsically, not sentimentally, with sound philosophy, knowledge, argument, you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you get tyaktvā deham... Then after giving up this body, undoubtedly you go back to Kṛṣṇa, go back to home back to Godhead.
The guru must be mahātmā and muni. Muni means thoughtful, philosopher. Not foolish rascal, manufacturing some philosophy. And mahātmabhiḥ. Not only self-realized, but by his character, by his behavior, by his understanding, he must be a mahātmā. What is that mahātmā? There are so many mahātmās, simply by changing the dress. No. Not that kind of mahātmā. Our Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a song, eita eka kalir celā: "Here is a disciple of Kali." What is that? Nāke tilaka galai mālā. "He has got tilaka..." Nata nara nāke tilaka galai mālā. He sings that, sahaja bhajana kache namu saṅge laiyā pare dala. (?) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings that "He's dressed like a bābājī. He has shaven his head, and has got tilaka and kaṇṭhi. But he has got at least half a dozen women, and that is his bhajana." So not that... That is not mahātmā. That is durātmā, a cheating... Of course, in this Kali-yuga... Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, eita eka kalir celā. Kalir celā means the disciple of Kali. Dressed like a sādhu, or Vaiṣṇava, but within, all rubbish things. That will not help us. He must be mahātmā, real mahātmā. We want guru like that. Then it will be a... We must be also qualified, and guru also qualified. Therefore it is said in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that one year should be taken to study one another, the guru and the disciple. The guru also will see whether the person is fit to become a disciple, and the disciple also will see "Whether this gentleman can become my guru."
So who will be interested in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? That is mentioned here: harer guṇākṣipta-matiḥ. Kṣipta means madness. Here is a man, kṣipta, means he's mad. So there are two kinds of madness. One madness is for material enjoyment. They are also mad, pramatta. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). The material madness entangles people more and more in the process of birth and death. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. Anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world, the ocean of nescience, bhavārṇava. Arṇava means ocean, and bhava means repetition of birth. In this ocean we have fallen. Therefore our prayer should be not for any material opulence, as we generally do. Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi: "Give me money or mitigate my distress." This is very lower stage of devotion, to ask something from the Supreme Lord.
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching, that "From Kṛṣṇa's side, He may do whatever He likes"—that is full surrender—"still, He is my master. He's nobody else. He is still my worshipable master." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung,
- mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor
- arpiluṅ tuwā pade nanda-kiśor
Nanda-kiśora is Kṛṣṇa. So this is full surrender. "My dear Nanda-kiśora, whatever I have got, now I am offering everything to You." What I have got? Mānasa deho geho: "I have got my body, I have got my mind, and a so-called home or a wife or a few children. What I have got? So everything is offered to You." Mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor. This is full surrender. Now he says, mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā: "I am surrendering to You everything. Now if You like You can save me, or if You like You can kill me." This is full surrender.
So our affection for this material world has to be cut into pieces. That is the aim of human life. The living being, nobody knows when he dropped into this ocean of material existence. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Anādi. Ādi means the beginning of creation, and anādi means before that. This creation, this material world, it is created and annihilated, as is the nature of anything material.
Kṛṣṇa is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of māyā, and He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gītā left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Kṛṣṇa. So He is helping us from within—buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam—from within. Tene brahma hṛdā. These statements are there in the śāstras. "He expounded the Vedic knowledge," hṛdā, "from the heart,"—brahma means Vedic knowledge, śabda-brahman—"to Brahmā." Because at that time there was nobody to instruct him. So how he got the instruction of Vedas? Because Kṛṣṇa instructed. Kṛṣṇa hoite catur-mukha, hoy kṛṣṇa-sevonmukha. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung. Catur-mukha means Brahmā. So being instructed by Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā became inclined to serve Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he has written Brahma-saṁhitā. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. He understands, "Here is ādi-puruṣa. I am the only creature now within the universe, so I am getting instruction from Kṛṣṇa, hṛdā, from my heart."
Enjoying and suffering. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that "This place..." The supreme authority says, "This place, this material world, is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: (BG 8.15) it is the place for suffering." That is a fact. One person is trying to accept suffering as enjoying, and another person is trying to end actually suffering. This is the difference between sane and insane person. I'll give you a practical example, that in the prison, government prison house, there are some prisoners who are called first-class prisoners. They are given special favor by the government. So... And there are third-class prisoners also. But both of them are prisoners. And prison is not meant for comfortable life. It is meant for suffering. The Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings, anādi karama-phale paṛi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. One who is sane person, he knows that "I may be first-class prisoner, that does not mean I am not prisoner. I am prisoner." The suffering of the prison house, that I have no independence to do anything, that is prison life.
Real position is that we are being carried by the waves. We have no independence. That is... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bo..., Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi: "You are being carried away by the waves of material nature. You are sometimes becoming drowned, sometimes you're floating. In this way your life is going on." You have no fixity. The fixity is when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa e viśvāsa... When he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and develops this cult, then he becomes perfect one day. Then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he comes back. Kṛṣṇa gives guarantee, "After giving up this body, he comes to Me." That is perfection.
That is called jñāna-vairāgya. Jñāna. Jñāna means to know thoroughly that "I am not this body." This is jñāna. And as soon as you know that you are not this body, naturally you become disinterested with anything which has got bodily relation. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. Bhava. Bhava means repetition of birth and death. "You become," bhava means. So "you become" means you die also. Because this is the world. To become does not mean that you stay forever. That is not possible. "You become" means you die also. So... But under wrong impression, as soon as I become, I think that this world is very nice. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings that "My dear Lord, when I was in the womb of my mother, at that time I saw You once, became visible." Those who are spiritually advanced, they can see God within the womb of the mother. When a child remains packed up and the consciousness is gained, he feels very uncomfortable. So at that time, one who is pious, spiritually advanced, he prays to God, "Please rescue me from this bondage. I am too much suffering. And this time I, after taking my birth, I shall simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," promises. But Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, janama hoilo poṛi' māyā-jāle.
As soon as birth is taken, the māyā is there; we forget. Immediately, father, mother, other relatives, they take up the child and pats very nice. So in this way we forget that we were in such a precarious condition, almost suffocating. Almost, it is suffocating. After coming out from the womb of the mother, if you are packed up again in such airtight bag, within three seconds you will die. We live under the protection of the Supreme Lord; otherwise that is not a living condition. Just imagine within the womb. So this we forget, and being taken care of, affectionate father and mother, on the lap, we think life is very nice, this life. But this is māyā, this is illusion. Actually, this bhava, to take birth, is very, very unpleasant task. It is blazing fire, bhava-mahā-dāvāgni.
We don't hate anyone. Otherwise there will be no preaching. And Lord Jesus Christ said that you hate disease, not the man who is suffering from disease. That is very nice. So we shall hate this influence of māyā but not the man who is now under the influence. Then how we can preach? That is our business. Doctor knows that this man is infected with some serious disease. But if he hates, then he cannot make treatment. He requires treatment. So if he hates, "No. He is diseased. I cannot go there," then how can So we shall hate this influence of māyā. We should know how māyā is acting, but still, we have to do our duty, preaching work on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, sometimes taking risk also. What can be done? This is the position of the world. All rascals, the so-called PhD, DAC, NAC. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one nice song: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā: "My dear Lord, all this material scientific advancement of education, they are simply expansion of the three qualities of māyā. That's all." Jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. They are all the different combinations. What is called? Permutation and combination? What is called?
Devotee: Permutation means a change.
Prabhupāda: So different qualities. All these, whatever you see in the material world, they are simply permutation, combination, like that, of the material qualities, tri-guṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). They are nothing more. So this jaḍa-vidyā, this material science, expansion of material qualities, so Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says the jaḍa-vidyā, this kind of education, they are simply expansion of material qualities. And they are simply impediments for, to advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The more you become technologist and attached to this material world, then more you go far away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one song, jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava. This material education without God consciousness is expansion of the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are simply impediments in the matter of advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. Anitya saṁsāre. And why? Now, result of godless material education means that anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. We are already illusioned. Anyone who has come to this material world, he is illusioned. But advancement of so-called material education means the increasing of the same illusory propaganda. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. They are trying to become happy in this temporary material life. He has forgotten that he is eternal. Even if we become very happy, temporary life in this life, that will also illusion because we will not be allowed to stay and enjoy the status. But they do not understand.
So this creation... Not only this creation... We are in this material world, maybe. "Maybe" not; it is a fact that we have been in many other creations. Therefore our this forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa is called anādi. Anādi means before creation. This creation is going on. Before that, there was another creation. The same thing was going on. Now, this is called saṁsṛtiḥ, saṁsāra, saṁsāra-bandhana, bound up by saṁsṛtiḥ. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, "On account of my fruitive result before the beginning of the creation, I am now in this material ocean." Anādi karma-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāy: "I do not find any means how to get out of it." This is knowledge. When one becomes very anxious, very serious to get out of this saṁsṛtiḥ, continually going on, birth and death, birth and death, birth... People have no knowledge. So tad asya saṁsṛtir bandhaḥ. This is bondage.
Therefore it is said that kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve kāraṇaṁ prakṛtiṁ viduḥ. One should understand the... I have got this body. This is given by material nature. I have got a different type of mentality. That is also given by prakṛti, na... I am suffering. That is also given. There is circumstances created. But prakṛti, material nature, is not responsible, nor she will suffer, but you will suffer. Just try to understand. This is the position. Kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve bhoktṛtve. Kartṛtve is material nature. But bhoktṛtve I am, bhoktṛtve. I am put into that. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale: "Somehow or other, I have fallen in this ocean of birth and death." Taribāre nā dekhi upāy: "I do not find how to get out of it." But we can get out of it very easily. That is advised by Kṛṣṇa: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Otherwise you cannot. Here it is a great struggle. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Karṣati, great hard struggle going on. We are trying to be happy, but that is not possible. Just like if you are put into the ocean, you may be very good swimmer, you may struggle very nicely, but you are under the control of the prakṛti. You cannot be happy in the water. But if somebody helps you to get out of the water, then you will be happy.
So the darkness is there, and the light is also there. Simply we have to be awakened. Therefore Vedas, they instruct us that "Don't sleep! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata prāpya varān nibodhata jāgrata. Similarly, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also sings, kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole. Gauracānda means Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, "O the living entities, you get up! Be awakened!" We may say, "Now we are awakened." This is not awakened. This is also slumber in darkness of ignorance. Real awakening is when we come to our spiritual consciousness. That is real awakened.
So therefore it is our little attempt that to train some boys to become first-class character. Śamo damo titikṣa. That is required in the society. Simply all fourth-class, fifth-class men, how the society will improve? That is not possible. And therefore, kas taṁ svayaṁ tad-abhijño vipaścid avidyāyām antare vartamānam. And one who is actually educated in the Vedic knowledge, how he can say that "You are all right"? He cannot say. He gives chance for being trained to be free from the avidyā. Avidyāyām antare. Śarīra avidyā-jāl. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, śarīra avidyā-jāl. This material body is a network of avidyā, ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, jaḍendriya tāhe kāl. On account of this body of avidyā, ignorance, the blunt senses are simply... They have been described sometimes as kāla-sarpa. Kāla-sarpa indriya-paṭalī durdānta-indriya-kāla-sarpa paṭalī. So therefore yoga system is recommended to control this kāla-sarpa, the indriyas. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Real yoga, ordinary yoga Nobody is getting that yoga-siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi. Generally the so-called yogis, they show some āsana, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, praṇāyāma, but that is meant for controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Without sense control nobody can make any progress in human life. Tapasya. That is called tapasya. The yoga is also another tapasya. Tapo. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13).
So the entanglement is made by the senses. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that śarīra avidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl, jīve phele viṣaya-sāgore. This body is covering of ignorance, śarīra avidyā-jāl. Everyone has got a material body, and according to the different proportion of ignorance (aside:) This child is so crying. From three miles we can hear. Balanaṁ rodanaṁ balam. This is strength of the children, crying. They can disturb the whole world (laughter) simply by crying. So just see. This is the body, immediately. You cannot cry like that. Even if you are aggrieved, you cannot cry so loudly that up to four miles one can hear. That is not possible. Why it is not possible? Because he has got a different body and you have got a different. Everything is going on according to the body. This is mahā-vimoha. This is going on, 8,400,000's of different forms of body according to mano, vaca, dṛk, karaṇa, etc. This body is the entanglement, and the senses are the instruments, and we are acting with the senses and we creating another type of body. This is going on. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl.
Therefore guru must be authorized person, not that bhūmi-phala-guru(?). No. "I am guru," no. You cannot become guru unless you are agent to draw out the mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. And therefore a guru is not an ordinary person. He is the representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, Kṛṣṇa is your property. If you like, you can give." Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by studying Vedas. That is not possible. There is Kṛṣṇa in the Vedas, but you cannot pick up. It is not possible. But if you go to the Kṛṣṇa's favorite person... Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Kṛṣṇa's very dear servant, confidential servant, is guru. Nobody can become guru unless he is in confidence of Kṛṣṇa. Na ca tasmād manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ. These things are there. Not that by magic one can become guru. No.
So just like in this planet there are different places of different conditions, so it is natural to accept it that different planets have got different atmosphere, different opulences, different kinds of population, living entities. Keśava tuyā jagat vicitra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your creation is variegated." There are different types. Similarly, there are planets where hellish conditions perpetually continue. Just like you can compare the northern pole. It is a hellish condition within this earth. And similarly, there are planets, so, and they are suffering.
So in this way we have to remain within the womb of the mother. And when the body is formed, time is right, then by nature's way the child comes out. But he forgets that "I was in such condition. Now I am relieved." But he forgets. The mother or the father or the relative takes him. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung these different conditions. So we forget. That is spell of māyā. Then, even in this childhood, there are so many pains. Just like our... Here are children. They are crying. There is some pain. But we cannot understand what is the pain. Suppose some bug is biting. He's crying and mother is thinking that "He is hungry, so he's not stopping. So just..." Our point is: just try to study this life, how much painful it is. This is the human body and what to speak of the dog's body, cat's body? You study very minutely. You'll find, from the beginning of my life in the womb of my mother up to the death point, simply miseries. Simply miseries. Simply. Duḥkhalayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Kṛṣṇa said that this material life is duḥkhālayam, simply full of miseries. But under the spell of māyā we are thinking that we are very happy. That's not the fact. Therefore human life is a chance to get out of this miserable condition. That should be the aim of life, how to get out of this miserable condition of life.
So yesterday we discussed the different grades of life: first class, second class, third class, fourth class, fifth class, sixth class. So this kind of life, without any responsibility and carried away by the waves of time, is the tenth-class life. This is tenth-class life, ignorance. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sings one song, miche māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi: "By the waves of māyā you are being carried away, and hābuḍubu, sometimes being drowned within the, under the water, and sometimes rising, floating on the water." This is our life, material life. We are being carried away by the waves of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). And sometimes... Just like in the waves of water you will find many straws and vegetables and leaves, they gather together. You will find. And again, by another toss, they are separated. One straw goes this way, another straw, leaf, goes this way, no combination. Similarly, we are, gathering together: society, friendship, love, community, society, and so on, so on, nationality, family, sons, daughters, wife. The same thing: the waves of water gathering together the straws, leaves, and other, and another wave, finished. All society, friendship, love, children, wife, everything, national—finished. This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).
This is very nice challenge. Suppose if somebody, if you say that "We are Kṛṣṇa conscious persons." So one may challenge you, "First of all, explain what do you know about Kṛṣṇa?" That is quite natural. If you do not know about Kṛṣṇa, you have no right to say that "I belong to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." You have not right to say. So your position is like that, simply if you have a tilaka and a kaṇṭhi, that does not mean that you belong to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Any cheater can do that. You must know the philosophy. If one challenges, you must reply. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a song indicating these cheaters. He says, ei oto ek kalir cela(?). "Here is a servant of Kali." What kind of cela? Na te tilal golai mālā (?). "He has got a tilaka and golai mālā, bās, that's all." He does not know what is the philosophy. If you do not know the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you simply mark your body with tilaka and kaṇṭhi, then you are not proper servant, you are not qualified. So tilaka, mala, is necessary. Just like a policeman. A bogus man, if he dresses like a policeman, he is not a policeman. He must know what is the police law, criminal law, who is to be punished, who is not to be punished, what is criminality, what is innocence. All these things he must know.
In the cycle of birth and death, we are rotating. Once a chance is given to decide whether we shall rotate in the cycle of birth and death or we shall go back to home, back to Godhead. That decision rests on this life. It is a very responsible life. Labdhvā sudurlabhaṁ idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "Don't spoil this human form of life like animals." This is the special prerogative, to realize one's spiritual identity and engage oneself in spiritual activities. That is human life. And if we do not take care of it and give(?) us washed away by the waves of material nature, as Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bośe, yāccho bhese khaccha hābuḍubu bhai... The ocean of nescience, if we place ourselves to be carried away by the waves of nescience, then our life is spoiled. If we want to save our life from this being carried away by the waves of material nature, then we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jīv kṛṣṇa dās ei viśvās korle to' ār duḥkha nai. This is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, that if we simply accept this truth, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then we are immediately free.
So unless we are free from all kinds of desires, we shall be entangled with these elements. Therefore bhakti, bhakti-mārga, devotional service, means no more material desire. It is difficult because we are associated with the material desires life after life, from time immemorial. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings therefore: anādi karama phale pori bhavārṇava-jale toribāre na dekhi upāy. Anādi karama, time immemorial I am fallen in this ocean of fruitive activities and I have no rescue from this ocean. Toribāre na dekhi upāy. This is our position. Very, very difficult to come out of these elements. But if we practice, that is possible. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā (BG 8.8). Cetasā nānya-gāminā, this is practice.
This is the position of all of us living entities. Because we cannot control the mind and the senses, especially karmendriya, the eyes, the ear, the tongue, the touch, the udara upastha... Pāṇi, pāda, pāyu, udara, upastha, these five karmendriya Pāṇi means hand, pāyu means rectum, and pāda means leg. Udara means belly, and upastha means genital. And these are karmendriya, and mind So mind dictates, "Oh, let me see this beautiful thing"—immediately eyes act. "Let me hear this sweet song"—immediately ear is engaged. So of all, the jihvā, the tongue, is very strong. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. Amongst all the senses, the tongue, taste, it is very strong. In your country especially, for the tongue so many advertisement: this wine, that wine, varieties of cigarettes, restaurants, roasted beef, so many things, just attracting the tongue, "Please come here. Please come here and be entangled." This advertisement. So one has to control the tongue. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. This is very secret science that you have to clear out your path of liberation by controlling the tongue. Then other things will be controlled, the straight line: tongue, then belly, then genital. Therefore in our society we have restricted the tongue: "Don't eat meat. Don't take intoxication." And then, the straight line: "No free use of the genital, illicit sex." These things are required if you want to be free from this material entanglement. This is called tapasya.
So evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe. Ahi kūpa. Ahi means the serpent. So we have got these serpents surrounded by us, surrounded, all round. What are the serpents? The senses. Everyone, we are in the dark well surrounded by serpents, this body. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung this song, śarīra avidyā-jāl, jaḍendriya tāhe kāla. Kāla means serpents, kāla-sarpa. Kāla-sarpa, it can bite at any moment and finish you. We are being bitten every moment. It is Kṛṣṇa's grace that we are living. Otherwise our senses are so dangerous that it can bring me down at any moment, kāla-sarpa. There are many places, kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁstrāyate. One devotee says, "Yes, I am surrounded by kāla-sarpa, the serpent, that's nice, but I can break the teeth." But if kāla-sarpa is the... What is called, that? Fangs? If they are broken—they are taken out—they are no more dangerous. Dangerous. They are dangerous so long the fangs are there.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja was not deluded by any kinds of material profits. Evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi. Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva said, "Prahlāda, you take. Whatever benediction you want, you take." So he said, "Sir, I am your servant. I am not a merchant that in exchange of something I will have to give You service. No. Please do not delude me." Just see what kind of servant he is. Evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi varair loka-pralo... Ekāntitvād. "What is the reason?" The reason is that determination of Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, that "We shall simply serve Kṛṣṇa. We shall not accept anything but Kṛṣṇa." This is ekāntitvād. "My... I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). "I shall simply serve. I shall give everything, whatever I have got." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora, arpilūn tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora. What we have got, nonsense? Everything Kṛṣṇa's. But still, He has given us something. What is that? This body, this mind. This body for sense enjoyment and the mind for speculation. So body, mind. Manasa. And a little home, a wife, some children. We can claim. That is also not actually ours. That is given by Kṛṣṇa. "You want to enjoy your senses? All right, take this."
So when one is advanced devotee, he says, "My Lord..." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "I have got these assets: my mind, my body, and my wife and children, and maybe something else." Yo kichu mora, arpilūn tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora: "Nanda-kiśora, Kṛṣṇa, everything is offered to You. Now whatever You like, You can do." Marobhi rākhobi: "Now I have given to You everything. I am now zero. Now, if You like, You can give me protection, or if You like, You can kill me. I don't mind." This is ekāntitva, simply depending on Kṛṣṇa. Ekānitvād bhagavati. Depending on whom? Kṛṣṇa. Not these demigods. Demigods cannot give you protection. Kṛṣṇa can give you.
So what should be our aim of life? We shall go to the higher planetary system or back to home, back to Godhead? "Back," we say, because we have come from God. Just like one man is put in the prison house. He has come from his free home. By his work he is criminal; therefore he is put into the prison house. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God. Our real home is Vaikuṇṭha. But we have come here. How we have come, that is a very mysterious thing; but we are part and parcel. Somehow or other... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama phale, padi 'bhavārṇava-jale. Somehow or other we have fallen this. Therefore the real aim of life, how to get out of this bhavārṇava, nescience, that is the aim of life.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
He's not imitating, or he's speaking falsely. He feels like that. A mahā-bhāgavata feels like that, that "I am the lowest." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, āmāra jīvana sada pāpe rata nāhika puṇyera leśa (?). He says like that, that "My life is always engaged in sinful activities. I've not a trace of pious activity." Āmāra jīvana sada ape rata nāhika puṇyera leśa. "I have given so much distress to all other living entities." He's representing common man. But he's feeling like that. It is not that artificially speaking. He's feeling like that. Just like Rādhārāṇī. She thinks always Herself as the lowest of the devotees. She thinks always. She sees always that the gopīs, other gopīs, they are better qualified to serve Kṛṣṇa. And She is not qualified, so much qualified. Therefore in Vṛndāvana, you'll find, the devotees approach Rādhārāṇī. "Jaya Rādhe." Because if Rādhārāṇī advocates for him to Kṛṣṇa, it is very easily accepted. And Rādhārāṇī says... If Rādhārāṇī's pleased, then She represents the devotee's case that "Here is a devotee. He's better than Me. Kindly accept his service, Kṛṣṇa." So Kṛṣṇa cannot deny. So mahā-bhāva. Rādhārāṇī is mahā-bhāva.
So one has to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then we can understand the teachings of the Vedas. Vedas means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Any way you go, either... Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedic literature. Bhāgavata is also Vedic literature. So either you take directly Vedas, Īśopaniṣad, or Upaniṣad, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukura baliyā jānaha more. He's presenting himself, "My dear sir, Vaiṣṇava, kindly accept me as your dog." Davita... What is that song? You have forgotten?
Śyāmasundara: I don't know.
Indian man: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No. Vai...
Indian man: Kṛṣṇa se tomāra...
Prabhupāda: Ah. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra, tomāra śakati āche. This is a fact. If you want Kṛṣṇa, then you have to approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He can give you, deliver you. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. If one is Kṛṣṇa devotee, he can deliver Kṛṣṇa: "Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is the special prerogative of devotee.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sings, jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. This advancement of material education means advancement of the snares of the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa. Māyāra vaibhava. Because we are already enamored by the glimmer of this material world. Just like the insects are attracted by the fire. They, with great force, enter into the fire without knowing that he's going to die. His forceful entrance into the fire means his sure death. Actually, we are seeing, especially in the Western countries, this motorcar civilization, when we run on on the motorcar, especially with high speed, it is always we think that any moment danger can take place. (aside:) You remember, you were driving your father's car, eighty miles. So I asked you, "Don't go so fast." So the materialistic way of life is that. We create some so-called comforts of life for temporary enjoyment, but at the same time, we take the risk of so many dangerous condition. In the śāstra it is said that this place is padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In every step there is danger. Although we are trying to mitigate all kinds of discomforts, it is simply changing the burden from head to the shoulder.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So everything can be controlled by Kṛṣṇa's grace. He is Madana-mohana. Therefore, our first business is to surrender to Madana-mohana and establish our relationship with Him. "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, I have so long forgotten..." That song is sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,
- mānasa, deho, geho, yo kicho mora
- arpilūn tuyā pade, nanda-kiśora
This is full surrender. Then Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66), He will protect. So tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. There are so many disturbances. So Kṛṣṇa says tolerate, and do your business faithfully. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follow the rules and regulations, and remain fully surrendered at the lotus feet of Madana-mohana. There will be no more disturbance.
We are simply dancing in this material world. We are trying to be master of the material world. Everyone is trying. Everyone wants to exploit the resources of the material nature. He wants to become master. That is the struggle for existence. I am trying to become master, you are trying to become master, so there is clash, there is collision. I am challenging you, "Why you should become master?" He's challenging why I should be master. This is going on. This is material world. But if we accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, if we accept this principle that none of us is a prabhu, everyone is a servant... Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). If we accept this principle, that we are eternal servant, we are not master—master is Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu—then our problems are solved. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he has sung a song, jīv kṛṣṇa dāsa ei viśvās korle to ār duḥkha nāi. This is the solution. Everyone is thinking to become the master, prabhu. Prabhu you can become. That is not, I mean to say, extraordinary. Someway or other we are prabhus. Suppose I am a family man. I am managing my family, my wife, my children, my servants, my subordinates, so I may be prabhu. In that sense I am a small prabhu. Similarly, everyone is prabhu, he has got some subordinates. But there is the supreme prabhu, the prabhu of all prabhus. So Mahāprabhu is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. He's Kṛṣṇa. As it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means ruler or controller. So all of us more or less a little controller or ruler, but not the absolute ruler. The absolute ruler is Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the absolute prabhu, master, is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So, tāṅhāra caraṇāśrita: The prabhu... Everyone is prabhu—that's all right—but if that prabhu takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Mahāprabhu, sei baḍa dhanya, he becomes glorified. Not to remain satisfied becoming a prabhu of your wife, children, family, country, or this or that, but you should try to become the servant of Mahāprabhu.
If we remain puffed-up, that "I am born in such and such family. I am educated such and such, and I am posted in such and such post, so now my life is successful," that is false. Life is successful when we understand that... Here it is said, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. When we understand what is the goal of life, then life is successful. Not the temporary position, "I am getting good salary, I am very nicely posted, I have got good family," and so on, so on. No. One must know the goal of life.
The goal of life is that... We are fallen in this material world somehow or other. As Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, anādi karma-phale pori' bhavārṇava-jale. Now when a man is fallen in the ocean or in the water, he's asking help, you cannot say that "How did you fall? What was the cause?" That we shall discuss later on. First of all, save him. So that is the immediately necessity.
There is a verse spoken by Nārada Muni, that even by sentiment, not understanding properly the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even by sentiment—"All right, let me also dance and chant like these people, the saffron-colored, shaved-head people are doing. Let me do that"—so once dancing with them will never go in vain. It will (be) immediately accounted, "Ah, he has danced." It is so nice. It will never go in vain. Then these children are dancing. Don't think it is spoiling time. Everything is recorded. This you will find in the, our Nectar of Devotion. You'll find. Rūpa Gosvāmī... It will never go in vain. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also sings, keno māyār bośe, yāccho bhese', khāccha hābuḍubhu bhāi, jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, ei viśvās, korle to' ār duḥkha nāi. Everyone is being washed away by the big waves of the ocean of nescience, but if he simply accepts, "No, I am Kṛṣṇa dāsa. I am not master. I am not God. I am simply a servant..." And the more you become servant of the servant, more you are perfect.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
So leaders should think over it, that "What we are producing, in spite of so many educational institutions?" That is hinted here, that because you are worshiping avidyā... That is not knowledge. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung very nicely: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means this material education. He says they are expansion of this māyā. Jaḍa vidyā. Jaḍa vidyā sa māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we shall advance in this material education, the more we will be hampered to understand what is God. And at last we shall declare, "God is dead. I am God. You are God," this, all this nonsense. That is hinted here: andhaṁ tamaḥ. Andham means darkness. There are two kinds of darkness. If you remain in ignorance, that is also darkness, and if you remain actually in darkness, where there is no sunlight, there is no electric light, that is also darkness. So avidyām upāsate. Another, tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u vidyāyāṁ ratāḥ. So these materialists, they are certainly being pushed in the darkness, but there is another class, who are so-called philosopher, mental speculators, religionists, yogis. They are going still more in the darkness, because they are defying Kṛṣṇa. They are posed as if culturing spiritual knowledge, but because they have no information of Kṛṣṇa, or God, their advancement of education is also more dangerous. More dangerous. Because they are misleading people.
So vidyā and avidyā. We should learn what is vidyā and avidyā. Avidyā means this materialistic knowledge. That is avidyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, jaḍa vidyā sab māyāra vaibhava: "Advancement of material knowledge means advancement of māyā's jurisdiction." The more you become implicated in material knowledge, entangled, you..., less you can understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People, those who are supposed to be very advanced in material knowledge, they think, "Eh, what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?" They have no attraction. Just like some of our Indian boys sometimes come. They have come here to learn technology. So sometimes they question. They are surprised that... They have rejected these things, and they have come here to learn technology. So when they see that Swamijī introduced the things which they have rejected in India, so they are surprised.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Then again, it is said, vedeṣu durlabha. (aside:) What is that sound? Vedeṣu durlabham. Vede means in the Vedic literature, if you make research work how Kṛṣṇa is, then it will be very difficult. Then you come to the impersonal only. Vedeṣu durlabham. You have to go beyond the Vedas. What is that? Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa is available through His confidential devotee. Not that if anyone has studied very nicely all Vedic literatures he'll understand Kṛṣṇa. No. Maybe, but it is very difficult. Kṛṣṇa can be delivered by His devotee, ātma-bhaktau. Therefore you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's devotee. That is paramparā system. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, if you want to have Kṛṣṇa... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a very nice song. He's praying to a Vaiṣṇava, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura bhuliyā jānaha more: "Sir, Vaiṣṇava, you are Ṭhākura. You are as good as Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kindly accept me as your dog." Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura bhuliyā jāna... Kukkura means dog. Just like dog follows the master very faithfully. We have to learn something from the dog. The dog also is a teacher: how to become faithful to the master. That teaching we can have even from the dog. He is very satisfied. Whatever food you give, he'll not protest. Still, he'll remain faithful. There are so many good qualifications of a dog. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura bhuliyā jānaha more: "Kindly accept me as your dog. I shall serve you faithfully." Why? Kṛṣṇa se tomāra kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Because Kṛṣṇa is yours, you can deliver Kṛṣṇa." Very nice song. "Kṛṣṇa is yours. By your devotional service, you have made Kṛṣṇa your property; so you can deliver Kṛṣṇa to me. Therefore I want to follow you as faithfully as a dog." Vedeṣu durlabham. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: vedeṣu durlabha. If you study independently all the Vedas... Veda is the source of knowledge. So vedeṣu durlabha, it will be difficult. But if we approach Kṛṣṇa's devotee, then it will be very easy.
Festival Lectures
So this is the real position of everyone. One may be materially, academically very learned, so-called learned, but he does not know what is the aim of life, why he's put in this material condition, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tapa-traya. They are trying, tapa-traya, and miseries of life, we know. There is heat and cold, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. These are miseries. And there are problems—birth, death, old age and disease. But we do not know from which source they are coming, and they are being enforced upon us, and still we are proud of our education. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings, jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we become so-called materially advanced, means we are entangled with the network of māyā.
- jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā
- anitya saṁsāre moho janamiyā jīvake koroye gādhā
So anitya saṁsāra, this material atmosphere, it is anitya. Anitya means temporary. Although temporary, I shall live here, say, for fifty years or hundred years. Still, I am very much busy to make adjustment of my, this temporary living condition. Everyone is busy: how to have a house, how to have nice bank balance, how to be secure nationally, this way, that way. We are embarrassed with so many problems. But at any time, at any moment, the notice may come: "Please vacate this place." We have to do that. But we do not take care of this.
Everyone is dog. Everyone is searching after to serve a master. But none of them are satisfied because that is false master. You take real master, Nityānanda Prabhu. You'll be happy. Se paśu boro durācār. He does not know where is happiness. Where I shall become a dog? That...
Our Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he has sung therefore,
- vaisnava ṭhākur, tomāra kukkur,
- boliya janaha more
"My dear Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly accept me as your dog, as your dog. I am dog already, but I am māyā's dog. I'm not Vaiṣṇava's dog. So kindly accept me." If you become a Vaiṣṇava's dog... Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā, nistār pāiche kebā. If you do not become a dog of Vaiṣṇava and Nityānanda Prabhu... Nityānanda is guru. So if you do not become a dog of Nityānanda Prabhu, Vaiṣṇava, or guru, there is no question of happiness.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, jay sakal bipod... (aside:) It is going now. Jāy sakal bipod, gāi bhaktivinod, jakhon ami o-nām gai, rādhā-kṛṣṇa bolo bolo, bolo re sobāi. The Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is to request everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that "When I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then all dangers go away." So this place, this material world, is a dangerous place. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. Vipad means danger, and padaṁ padam means every step. In the material world you cannot expect very smooth, peaceful life. That is not possible. And the only remedy is to take shelter of the lotus feet of Murāri. Murāri means Kṛṣṇa.
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.
Initiation Lectures
The tongue is the most important sense within our body; therefore for controlling our senses it is recommended that one should control first of all the tongue. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings in his song: tā'ra madhye jihvā ati lobhamaya sudurmati. Our present conditional state is like this. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, we are packed up in the network of this material body. It is just like a fish is caught within a net. Similarly, we are caught up by this network of this material body. Not only this body—we are changing this net in various phases of life. There are 8,400,000's of holes of this network. This is a network of ignorance, avidyā-jāl. Avidyā means ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl jaḍendriya tāhe kāl. And this network, my imprisonment within this network of ignorance, is being continued on account of these dangerous senses. Sense enjoyment. So out of these dangerous senses, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, the tongue is the most dangerous. Tongue is the most dangerous. The tongue... If we cannot control the tongue, then the tongue will oblige me to take different types of body, one after another. If I am very much fond of satisfying my tongue by flesh and blood, then nature, material nature, will give me facility to taste flesh and blood fresh and give me a body of the tiger. If I do not discriminate of eating, then material nature will give me a body just like a hog, when we have to accept as our food stool.
General Lectures
So it is not very difficult business, simply we'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa. So long I did not surrender unto You. Now I immediately surrender unto You." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sang a very nice song, that arpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora. Mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora. He says that "Whatever I possess." First thing his mind, mānasa. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. First of all we have to give our mind to Kṛṣṇa because mind is the creative force by which we become entangled. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that mind is the enemy or mind is the friend. If you can create your mind your friend, then there is immense profit Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if you create your mind enemy, the mind will drag you in so many things, you will forget your duty and responsibility of human life. Therefore yoga system, practicing yoga means controlling the mind. Controlling the mind. But the easiest process of yoga system is that you simply think of Kṛṣṇa always, then the perfection of yoga.
So Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa, bahir nā brahma janme nāhi mora āsa. Kītā janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. Tuyā dāsa means your servant. Actually we are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa hoy nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa. But forgetting our position, we are now acting as dāsa of māyā, māyāra-dāsa. Hoiya māyāra dāsa kori nānā abhilāṣ. The advantage of Kṛṣṇa dāsa is that he has got only one desire. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167)—to serve Kṛṣṇa purely. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. Kṛṣṇa is person, and whatever He orders, whatever He says, if you carry out faithfully, then our original constitutional position is regained. It can be done very quickly. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And if you do that immediately, then you revive your original position immediately, within a second. Hoiya māyāra dāsa kori nānā abhilās. We are making plans in so many ways to be happy. But if we accept this one plan, that immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. And if we do not accept this proposal of Kṛṣṇa, and if we make our own plans to be happy, it will be never be possible. Hoiya māyāra dāsa kori nānā abhilāṣ. Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gelā, ataeva māyāra tare goliyā badila. We are not independent. If we do not agree to serve Kṛṣṇa, then we have to serve māyā. Our position as servant is never changed. We remain servant. So if we don't agree to accept Kṛṣṇa's proposal sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then we have to take shelter of māyā and you have to perpetually serve. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: Their advancement is misplaced.
Prabhupāda: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bośe yāccho bese kācho hābuḍubu bhāi. Just like one man is being carried away by the waves and he is sometimes dipping, sometimes coming out, sometimes dipping, sometimes So our position is like that, that we are being carried away by the waves of this material nature and we are sometimes being drowned, sometimes coming out. When we come out, we breathe little. We think, "We are now happy." He forgets that "Again I shall have to be drowned." So in this way we struggle. This is called struggle for existence. And "fittest" means when we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, then our fitness is spiritual. That's all.
| Page Title: | Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung...(Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika |
| Created: | 16 of Sep, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |