So the Prahlāda Mahārāja advising that "You give up all this nonsense conceptions" Vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Just vanaṁ gataḥ, means just become free from this conception, gṛham andha-kūpam conception of life. Take the broader life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you'll be happy. Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Harim āśrayeta. The real business is harim āśrayeta. Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ means go to the forest. Formerly, after gṛhastha life, vānaprastha life, sannyāsa life, they used to live in the forest. But going to the forest is not the main purpose of life. Because in the forest there are many animals. Does it mean they are advanced in spiritual life? That is called markaṭa-vairāgya. Markaṭa-vairāgya means "monkey renunciation." Monkey is naked. Nāga-bābā. Naked. And eats fruit, monkey, and lives underneath a tree or on the tree. But he has got at least three dozen wives.
Broad (Lec, Conv, & Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The present communists, they are thinking of the human being only. And the animals are being sent to the slaughterhouse. Although the human being and the animal is born in the same land... Actually, they are also nationals. National means one who's born in that particular land. So why not these animals, nationals? But because they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they cannot think so broadly. They think nationalism means it is limited to the human being, not to the animals, not to the trees.
So this God consciousness is not a cheating religion. It is very broad-minded. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām (SB 3.25.21). This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means everyone wants to become friend of everyone. Otherwise if a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not feel like that, why he should take trouble to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world? Vimatsaraḥ. One should understand that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that everyone should relish it, everyone should take part of it.
The more we engage our mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the more you keep yourself in the sunlight, there is no chance of getting into darkness. That is the process. If you like, you are at liberty. You can keep yourself within the room in darkness, and you can come in the broad daylight. That depends on your choice. But when you come in the broad sunlight, there is no chance of darkness. Darkness can be eradicated by light, but light cannot be covered by darkness. Suppose you are in a dark room. You bring one lamp. The darkness over. But you take something dark and go to the sunlight, it will fade away. So kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama māyā haya andhakāra. Kṛṣṇa is just like sunlight. And māyā is just like darkness. So what darkness will do in sunlight? You keep yourself in sunlight. Darkness will fail to act upon you. This is the whole philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in the California university there is our student, Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He's my disciple. He's doctor in chemistry. So, when this German chemist was lecturing, theorizing that life has come from chemicals, so he put the question that "Suppose if I give you these chemicals, whether you can prepare a life?" He answered in the meeting, "That I cannot say." That means he's not certain; still, he's theorizing, that from chemical, life has come. No, from chemical, life has not come; from life, chemical has come. This is real theory.
So these things are discussed very broadly in our American centers, so we stick to the point that life does not come from chemical, but chemical comes from life. So I gave one crude example. Just like a tree. It is also life, because there are different forms of life, 8,400,000 forms of life. So a tree also, another form of life. One who knows what is the condition of life, paṇḍita, learned, sama-darśinaḥ.
So how to get the knowledge of the sun? By receiving through the ear. That's all. Simply you have to receive the knowledge from the authority. It is not that practically you are experimenting by going to the sun, that it is so great and so long, so broad. That is not possible. You have to receive such knowledge through authority. That's all.
Kṛṣṇa preached this Bhagavad-gītā, five thousand years ago, but it was not broadly preached. It was spoken on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Arjuna knew it and some of his other friends. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa. He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And He distributed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and He wanted that every Indian should seriously take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, make his life perfect, and distribute the knowledge. This is India's duty. So you have got one opportunity, you Indian people, that you take this advantage of distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is good for you and for everyone who takes the knowledge very adherently.
Mahātmā means one who has enlarged his heart, enlarged his heart: "Oh, everything belongs to God, and I also belong to God." He's mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha: (BG 9.13) "My dear Arjuna, these mahātmās, they are not in, under the control of this material nature." One who can think that "Everything belongs to God, and I also belong to God. Therefore the supreme proprietor is God. Everything should be engaged in His service..." This is the qualification of mahātmā, broader. "God is great," and his heart is also has become great for serving the great. He's mahātmā. Mahātmā, not a stamp, a political leader, mahātmā. Don't misunderstand. "I stamp you mahātmā by votes, and you become God. You become mahātmā." These are not accepted in Bhagavad-gītā. Mahātmā's description is there, that mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ: (BG 9.13) "He has taken the shelter of the superior, spiritual energy."
So mahātmā, those who have broadened their heart for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious or devoting himself for the service of the great... Just like to, one, a government servant, important government servant, he also becomes important, similarly, God is great, and when you are engaged in His service you become great. You become great. That is called mahātmā. So as soon as you take shelter of the spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord, at once you become mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). And suppose now I have identified with the greatness of the Supreme, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This Vedic word is called ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am the... I am Brahman." But simply being puffed up, "I am Brahman, I become God," that is another rākṣasīm, another misleading. Here it is said that if you have become Brahman, then you must show your activities in Brahman. Because you are spirit, you are not inactive. To become Brahman does not mean that I become inactive.
If you have got such broad vision, why you are taking particular? That is imperfect vision. You cannot send the chāga-nārāyaṇa, goat-nārāyaṇa, to the slaughterhouse and allow the daridra-nārāyaṇa to eat the meat. This is not bhakta's business. This is demonic. Bhakta's business is... Here it is clearly stated, adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām. You should be equally kind to everyone, to the daridras, to the dhanīs also. Here everyone is daridra because everyone is lacking knowledge. So nobody is rich. Here the so-called rich is also daridra because he has no knowledge. And the so-called daridra is also daridra.
This bhajana is for mahātmānaḥ, not for the durātmās. Or kṣudrātmā. Mahātmā. One whose ātmā has been expanded, ma hātmā. Not crippled. Those who are thinking in terms of society, nationality, country, religion, or so many things, they are not mahātmās. They are kṣudrātmās, small, crippled minded. Those, those who are thinking in broader way. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. He's not thinking in terms of... Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. As many towns and villages are there all over the world. He's not thinking in terms of "My village, my country, my society." Everyone is thinking like that. But those who are mahātmā actually, they are thinking in a broader way.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a crippled movement. It is very broad movement, claiming all living entities to come to Kṛṣṇa, back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore we should not be bodily conscious. Kṛṣṇa, here says: the body is not I am this body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram. It is a field of activities. Kṣetram. Field of activities. Just like one who is bodily conscious, he undergoes many severe exercises. So body becomes very stout and strong and he's happy. He's happy. Because he thinks: "I am this body."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Now, in the broad road so many cars are going in seventy mile speed. What is their research? "Where is food? Where is money?" Ask anybody who is very busy in driving car in seventy miles speed that "What is your business?" He will answer that "I have got to take money from there. I have to do this business." That is also money. This will be the answer. They have no other answer. And if you ask him, "What you will do with your money?" then he will say, "I shall live in a very nice apartment, I shall eat very nice foodstuff, I shall have to enjoy very good sex life and I will have to defend myself." But the Bhāgavata says, or the supreme authority says, "No, this is not your business. Because you are human being... This business is also there in the animal life. Therefore your business is tattva-jijñāsā, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. When you are developed animal... Now you are also animal because you don't enquire about the Absolute Truth. But you are developed, so now your business is to enquire about the origin of everything." Your business is not to increase the problem of the four necessities of life. By this karma or unnecessary activities you are increasing simply problems.
Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Daivīṁ prakṛtim. Mahātmā, one who is broad-minded, or greater souls, they are under the control of daivī-prakṛti. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ, they have no other motive than to render service to the Lord. That's all. This is the symptom of mahātmā. No motive. No gain, no exchange. Simply to serve the Lord. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Any kind of desire, even liberation. No. But if one is pure devotee, liberation will be at his door. He, what he has got to ask for liberation? He's already liberated. He hasn't got to ask for liberation.
So, by the grace of devotees like Kuntīdevī, we can understand that here is Vasudeva. The all-pervading Absolute Truth, Paramātmā, Vasudeva, is here. Kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya (SB 1.8.21). So this vāsudeva realization is possible by the impersonalists after many, many births. Not very easily.
- bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
- jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
- vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
- sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
- (BG 7.19)
Sudurlabhaḥ, "very rare," mahātmā, "broad-minded." But one who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, they are cripple-minded. They are not broad-minded. If one becomes broad-minded, then, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, he can understand Kṛṣṇa.
These so-called scientists, philosophers, they are very much advanced, but their only business is how to become happy in this planet. That's all. That is their... Not mahātmā. Durātmā. Their mind is not very broad. What is called? Ah? What is the English word? Crippled. Mind is very crippled. Durāśayā. Therefore they are hoping against hope. They will not live here. Still, they are decorating, decorating the dead body. "This is my apartment, this is my house, this is my country, this is my skyscraper building." Painting. And one day, mṛtyuḥ sarva... Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He's challenging, challenging, "Where is your God?" "Ah, here is God! Come on! Finished. Finished. Here is God."
So God will appear. Don't forget that you will be godless. You will see God, and death, at that time, after seeing, you will be finished, no more understanding. That is... Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraḥ... When you will be taken away, everything, all your possession, all your scientific knowledge, bank balance, skyscraper, everything will be taken away, then you will understand what is God, like Hiraṇyakaśipu. So why don't you try to understand before that moment comes? Live so very nicely, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity, and eat nicely, live nicely.
First of all Kṛṣṇa says, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "To get a mahātmā, broadly-minded great personality, it is very difficult to find out." But still, one may try to find out what are the symptoms of mahātmā. That is discussed in Bhagavad-gītā. When one understands, "Kṛṣṇa is the origin or original source of everything," janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), as it is indicated in the Vedānta-sūtra that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." That is Absolute Truth.
A Vaiṣṇava does not like unnecessarily a tree should be cut down. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. A Vaiṣṇava does not like to trample over an ant. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Sarva-dehinām. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām (SB 3.25.21). We have already discussed this verse.
So how this can be possible? This suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām is possible when one has surrendered himself to the Supreme Being. On His account, because he has surrendered to the Supreme Being, he is friend to all living being. Artificially you cannot. Artificially you select some section, the poorer section, and worship him like Nārāyaṇa, and you call him daridra-nārāyaṇa. But a devotee, if he has got vision of Nārāyaṇa, he will see the daridra-nārāyaṇa, the rich Nārāyaṇa, the chāga-nārāyaṇa, and the every Nārāyaṇa, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Why a section should be called Nārāyaṇa? If you have got such broader vision, that you are seeing Nārāyaṇa in everything, then what the rich man has done? He is also Nārāyaṇa. And the goat has... He is also Nārāyaṇa. The cow, he is also Nārāyaṇa. Then you should... If you have such broader vision, that you see everywhere Nārāyaṇa, then why should you specify a section, daridra-nārāyaṇa?
Mahātmā means one who is broader, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-yoniṣu. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father of all living entities, and they are suffering. Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am simply anxious, perplexed only for these persons who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I am thinking of them." This man is mahātmā. He is thinking of all living entities who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and making plan how to again take them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So the intelligent persons, they should understand that how to stop this unlimited plan-making business. Still there is no solution. That is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is life, athāto brahma-jijñāsā, when one is inquisitive to know the broader plan, Brahman plan. Brahman means the biggest, bṛhatva, the biggest. The biggest plan, if anyone wants to understand, becomes inquisitive, then his life, real life, begins. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So wherefrom brahma-jijñāsā? Brahma-jijñāsā... This ordinary jijñāsā, inquiry, "What is the price of rice today?" or "What is the situation of strike? What is the situation of this, that?" that you can ask from the newspaper or from anyone, friend. But so far brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry of Brahman, then where shall you inquire? Will you go to the exchange market or in the other market? No. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Sa gurum evābhigacchet. That is the injunction of the Vedas, that you must find out guru. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Guru means brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham. That is the guru's qualification. And śrotriyam, one who has heard from the disciplic succession, he is guru, not anyone, magician, no.
If you want to be liberated from this entanglement of bodily concept of life and mental concept of life and become more and more entangled in the process of transmigration of the soul from one body to another... That is entanglement. And to come out of this entanglement is called mukti. That is mukti: no more material body, no more material mind—everything is spiritual. That is called mukti. So Ṛṣabhadeva recommends that if you want mukti, if you want to come out of the entanglement of bodily concept of life and mental concept of life, then mahat-sevā: associate with mahātmās. Mahat. Mahat means who are not crippled, who are broad-minded. Mahat-sevā. You have to serve him. In the... One Vaiṣṇava ācārya, he says, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā. If you do not agree to serve mahat... That is the Vedic injunction.
Go to mahat, mahānta, the guru. Serve him. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You cannot challenge like a nonsense. You have to engage yourself to the service. That is the beginning. Brahmacārī is indicated, "Go to gurukula." And you may be a king's son or a very learned brāhmaṇa's son, it doesn't matter. You serve your guru just like a menial servant. This is the instruction. This is the first education. Go to gurukula and serve the mahat guru, the broad-minded guru, just like a menial servant. What is that? You go collect everything for guru, alms, and do not claim proprietorship. It is guru's property. Whatever you collect, that is not your property. That is guru's property. And go to gurukula, and when guru will ask you, "My dear boy, please come and take your prasādam," then you'll take. If guru forgets to call you, you should fast. This is gurukula. Not that "I am hungry. There is foodstuff. Let me eat." No. Without permission of guru you cannot touch anything. This is the injunction.
If you want the purpose of life and if you want to execute tapasya, if you want all these things, then you should approach a mahātmā, not durātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā. Mahātmā is not made by stamping that "You are a mahātmā," "You are a harijana." It is not like that. Mahātmā is different person. Mahātmā means whose ātmā is very broad—broader ātmā, not crippled. All are durātmā. Everyone is thinking, "I am this Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that." But what mahātmā thinking? He's thinking, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am not servant of these petty things. I am servant of Kṛṣṇa, Parabrahman." Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsa. That is mahat. "I am a servant of Kṛṣṇa's servant, servant, servants, hundred times servant." The lower my position is servant, then I am great mahātmā.
Acyutānanda: Are not all the poor, and miserable, and the weak, God? Why not worship the living God first?
Prabhupāda: Who is living God? Who is living God? That he has not mentioned.
Devotee: The poor.
Prabhupāda: Poor is God? Then why rich is not God? If you have so broad vision, that you see God everywhere, so why you make distinction between poor God and rich God? Why you make distinction? If poor is God, the rich is also God. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). If you have got so broader vision, then why you distinguish between poor and rich.
All gaura-bhakta-vṛndas, they were gṛhasthas. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also gṛhastha. But their only business was to satisfy Kṛṣṇa: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti. And the ordinary gṛhasthas, they are called gṛhamedhi, they are simply interested with family life, not for the people in general. So a gṛhastha can be a mahātmā also if he is broad-minded, how to do benefit to the mass of people by introducing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So mahā-bhāgavata means he is above the madhyama-adhikārī. He does not see anyone nondevotee. He sees everyone devotee. He sees all living entities existing in Kṛṣṇa, and he sees Kṛṣṇa is living within the heart of everyone. That is mahā-bhāgavata. What is that verse? Sarva... Mayi paśyati. Yo mām... He is mahā-bhāgavata. He is mahā-bhāgavata. He is broad-visioned. Everything. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). In everything He sees Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's hand, Kṛṣṇa's energy. Actually that is the fact. What is this microphone? This is also Kṛṣṇa because what is this? This is made of this material gross matter. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva (BG 7.4). Bhūmi... From earth the iron comes, the aluminium comes, the wood comes. So this is combination of bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ, Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore it is Kṛṣṇa. Śakti śaktimatayor abheda. There is no difference between śakti and śaktimat. Śaktimat is Kṛṣṇa, and śakti, the manifestation of His energy, of, I mean to say, gross energy Prakṛtir me bhinnā aṣṭadhā. Bhinnā... Just like I am speaking, and this is recorded in the tape recorder, but when replayed, you will find that I am speaking. But I am not there. Bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. This is bhinnā, originally coming from Kṛṣṇa, but it is an energy where you cannot find Kṛṣṇa directly. But it is Kṛṣṇa's energy.
Everyone is dying. Nobody can live here permanently. That's a fact. But one who is dying after executing the life of tapasya, he's a brāhmaṇa. And one who is dying like cats and dogs, without any execution of tapasya, he's called kṛpaṇa. The two words are there in the Vedic literature: one is brāhmaṇa and one is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser, and brāhmaṇa means liberal, broad-minded. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ, or one who knows the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, he's brāhmaṇa. And one who does not know, that is animal. This is the difference between animal and man. Man should be educated to understand the Absolute Truth.
It has been very broadly described by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Read all this. Don't try to imitate. That is sahajiyā. We should know the position of Kṛṣṇa. His expansion of pleasure potency. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's līlā is put into the middle of the Tenth Canto. First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is Kṛṣṇa? Vāsudeve, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So what is Vāsudeva? Janmādy asya yato. Here is the original source of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Vyāsadeva has dedicated full nine cantos for understanding Kṛṣṇa.
There are 8,400,000 different forms of living entities. The grass is also a living entity, and Brahmā is also a living entity. So a paṇḍita accepts everyone as living entity, and he deals with them-ātma-vat: "What I feel, pains and pleasure, I must deal with others by the same sentiment." Therefore modern days' nationality means human being. But actually the animals, they are also national. National means one is born in the same country according to their definition. The "national" word is never found in the Vedic literature. This is modern invention. So here ātma-vat sarva-bhūteṣu. It doesn't matter whether one is national or outsider national. Sarva-bhūteṣu. Here is also... It is said, sarva-bhūta-suhṛt. Suhṛt, friend, well-wisher, sarva-bhūta. Why I shall think only well for my relatives or my family members? That is kṛpaṇa, miser. A broad-minded brāhmaṇa should be engaged for doing good to all, everyone.
So sādhavaḥ, they are... Apparently, it appears that they are living in a very, in a poor condition. But they are very rich. Sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. These are the symptoms of sādhu.
- titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
- suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
- ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
- sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
- (SB 3.25.21)
The first thing is they are very tolerant, titikṣavaḥ; kāruṇikāḥ, compassionate; and suhṛdaḥ, friend of all living entities. They are not like that... Just like politicians, they are friends only to the countrymen or to the party. But still, they are so much eulogized: "Oh, he is our leader." But this sort of leader cannot be compared with a sādhu because a sādhu is leader for all living entities. They are thinking of the ant also, how it will be helped. Not only human society or own society, family members. There cannot be broader-minded than a sādhu. That is real sādhu. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Friend of all living entities. Never mind whether it is an ant or whether he is Brahmā—he's friend of everyone. Ajāta-śatravaḥ. And because a sādhu is friend of everyone, there cannot be any conceivable enemy. But still, there are enemies. That is the nature of the world.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So for their different stages, karma, jñāna, yoga, so many things, they have been described. But here, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His mercy is that He directly gives this highest instruction—what Kṛṣṇa could not give, but Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, or Kṛṣṇa in His incarnation as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He gave us. Therefore He is considered the most munificent, charitable personality, man of charity. Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his respect, that namo mahā-vadānyāya: "You are the greatest munificent personality." Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "You are directly offering Kṛṣṇa, which is very difficult to understand." It is very difficult to understand. "So many scholars, so many philosophers, so many great personalities, they could not understand Kṛṣṇa, but Your mercy is so broad that You are directly offering Kṛṣṇa." Therefore, mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "Directly You are giving Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa."
Everyone was engaged in dancing and chanting, never mind whether Indian, American, black, white, children, or old like me. This is wanted. This is wanted. And when we thoroughly understand what is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we understand, "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the central point of attraction," then our life is successful. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Mahātmā means great soul. So great soul, one who has understood that Kṛṣṇa is the source of all energies, just like the sun is the source of all material energy... So then we can become perfect. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. I request you that each and every one of you just become mahātmā, not crippled-minded, but broad-minded. So that is possible when we understand Kṛṣṇa is the source of all energy.
Festival Lectures
Asurī-bhāvam āśritāḥ. There are two classes of men: asurī-bhāvam āśritāḥ and daivī-prakṛtim āśritāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find these two words. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Those who are mahātmānas, broad-minded... Mahātmā means broad-minded. And durātmā means cripple-minded, just the opposite word. Durātmā. Dura means far away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dura ātmā. And mahātmā... Mahān, mahato mahīyān, Kṛṣṇa. So whose ātmā is attached to the Supreme, the great, he's called mahātmā.
So durātmā means one who is under the influence of this material nature, far, far away from Kṛṣṇa. This material nature actually situated many, many, many, many thousands and millions of miles far away from Vaikuṇṭhaloka. This universe is unlimited according to our measurement. And beyond this universe there is the spiritual world, paravyoma. And far, far away, the topmost planet of the spiritual world is Kṛṣṇaloka. So those who are in this material world, actually they are durātmā in this sense that they are far, far away from the planet which is known as Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana.
...means a broader heart. They are not satisfied simply by his personal comfort. In political history also, you will find so many great leaders. They sacrificed their own comforts. In your country there was George Washington. He sacrificed so many. There were other leaders. In every country, in political field. Similarly, social field also. Even the political leaders, the Marx, they also, he was also compassionate by seeing the terrible condition of the Russian peasants, so he started that communist movement. That is the way. Great men, they work for the general mass of people. They are not... That is their greatness.
Mahātmās, those who are mahātmā, they take shelter of the spiritual nature, and those who are durātmā or kśūdrātmā... Mahā means great, and just opposite to mahā means, opposite to mahā is kśūdra, small. Just like somebody is very liberal and somebody is very miser. So mahātmā is broad, broader-minded, broader soul, whose soul has become broader. How you can become broader? If you dovetail yourself with the supreme broadest, then you become broader. Otherwise you become smaller. So this is the difference between mahātmā and kśūdrātmā. People are generally, they are doing something for his own body, something for his society, something for his family, something for his country. So you can expand your activities, but unless you expand your activities to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become the smaller.
Oil cannot mix with water. If you put a drop of oil with water, the oil will remain separate. But if you put a drop of water with water, immediately mixes. Similarly we are spirit soul. As soon as we are in the spiritual world, in spiritual activities, then we are one. There is no discordance. There is no opposing elements. But so long we exist in the material world, everything opposing. Everything opposing. Therefore it is struggle. Struggle for existence. Suppose if you are thrown into the sea, however expert swimmer you may be, it is struggle. It is struggle for existence. But if you are on the land, there is no such struggle. You live natural life. Similarly, mahātmā, those who have become broader by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa after many, many births... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Ante means after. Janma means birth. And fully understanding that everything is Kṛṣṇa, everything is display of Kṛṣṇa's energy.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Prabhupāda: Just like at home you are controlled by your parents. Is it not? You like to obey them?
Indian man: You like to obey them or sometimes you don't want to obey them?
Prabhupāda: Similarly, you take the whole world as a big family. So there must be somebody, father and controller. Otherwise, how it is being conducted? That is God, the Supreme Controller. Just like in your family the father is the controller, similarly, you take it in wide scale, broader scale, there must be somebody father. Therefore the Christians, they take it, "O Father, give us our daily bread." And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also confirmed, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.
Initiation Lectures
Brahmacārī is trained up to live at the place of guru for the benefit of guru. The same principle, when it is matured and when one dedicates his life for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa... Benefit of Kṛṣṇa means benefit of the whole world. Kṛṣṇa wants sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). A sannyāsī should go door to door. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ grhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. A sannyāsī is called mahātmā. Why he is mahātmā? Because his ātmā is now broader. Gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahad-vicalanam. Mahātmā travels or wanders country to country, door to door—mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇām—especially for the householders, dīna-cetasām, whose consciousness or mind is very crippled. They are dīna-cetasām. All these materialistic person, they are simply interested how to enjoy senses; therefore they are called dīna-cetasām, cripple minded. They have no other idea. So to enlighten them it is the duty of the sannyāsī to go from door to door, country to country, just to teach them about the aim of life. That is still going on in India. Still, if a sannyāsī goes in a village, people will come to invite him, try to hear from him.
General Lectures
This is my obligation, to give them education in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the best service I am giving to the humanity. Why I have come to your country? I am old man. Just to fulfill this obligation. So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious he feels obligation very extensive, not limited. He is called mahātmā, very broad-minded. Not cripple-minded. So "I am good, my father is good"—not like that. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that it makes your mind broader. Mahātmā.
There are so many theories how to become liberated, how to become mahātmā, how to become religionist, how to become philosopher. There are many thoughts and theories, but real success of life is to become a mahātmā, broader, broad-minded. Mahātmā means broader-minded. They are not, I mean to say, short-minded, that "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—no. Mahātmā is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). He is freed from all designation.
In the Garga Upaniṣad it is said, etad viditvā ya prayāti sa brāhmaṇa. Etad aviditvā ya prayāti sa kṛpaṇa. Brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa means broadminded, liberal. So one who... Everyone will die. The cats and dogs and human being, everyone will die. But the Garga Upaniṣad says that if one dies after understanding the science of God, then he is perfect. He is brāhmaṇa. His life is broader, mahātmā. And if one dies without understanding this, he is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Miser means... Suppose if you have got millions of dollars. If you cannot utilize it, if you simply waste it, then you are kṛpaṇa, miser. You do not know how to spend money. Similarly, we have got this body which is worth..., not millions-trillions and more than that, because we can realize in this life what is our relationship with God, what is God. We can understand. But if we don't do that, simply we waste our time in sense gratification, then we are kṛpaṇa, miser.
So this Bhagavad-gītā gives the definition of the person who has expanded his feeling very wide. Who is that? It is said there, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). We are trying to expand our feeling socially, communally or nationally or internationally or universally or some way or other. This is going on. We try to do it. That is our natural function, especially in the human form of life—expanded consciousness, broader consciousness. We try, we try to do some service to the whole humanity, to society, to the country. That is expanded consciousness. But Bhagavad-gītā says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Bahu means many, and janma means birth. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: at the end of. At the end of many, many births. Perhaps you know that we believe the theory—not theory, the fact—of transmigration of soul. We are changing bodies one after another. There are 8,400,000's of different species of life, and we are evolving. And at last we come to this form, human form of life. This is also called bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte.
The Supreme Absolute Truth has many varieties of energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). And the energies are acting so nicely that it appears that it is being automatically, nicely done. Just like a flower is (blooming). The energy of God is acting there, but we are seeing that it has automatically become so beautiful and blooming. No. That is energy. That is the vision how we can see God. How we can see Kṛṣṇa? In the Fourth Chapter you'll find, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, you, if you try to understand Me, if you want to make your soul broader to understand Me, try to understand Me—raso 'ham apsu kaunteya—I am the taste, the sweet taste in the water." So every day we are drinking water. There is nobody here who does not drink water. So when you drink water and you feel satisfaction, that satisfaction is Kṛṣṇa. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Nobody can escape seeing the light of the sun, of the moon. Śaśi, śaśi means moon. Sūrya means sun. So Kṛṣṇa says, "That illumination is I am."
So there is so many list of understanding that God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So when one is fully cognizant of the energies of the Lord, how they are acting... And we have to practice. We take lesson from Bhagavad-gītā and we practice. You will be able to understand.
Jñātvā means "knowing perfectly that I am the source of everything." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the source of everything." So these things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It is not possible to explain all the verses. But our request is that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to spread the knowledge depicted in the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any nonsensical commentation. Then the human society will profit by it. They are actually not in sound condition of living atmosphere, but if they understand Bhagavad-gītā and if they actually expand their broader outlook, then these questions of social, national, international, all will be automatically solved.
When we actually purify our, this material contamination and designation, we, I mean to say, raised, we are promoted to the actual spiritual life. And then, at that time, we shall feel happy and our consciousness will be broader, and everything will be all right.
Indian man: I don't know the equivalent verse in Sanskrit from the Gītā, but somewhere it says that..., Kṛṣṇa says, "All roads lead to Me. No matter what one does, no matter what one thinks, no matter what one is involved with, eventually he's evolving towards Me," this Kṛṣṇa.
Mahātmā means the person who is broad-minded. Broad-minded means he is not..., his intelligence is not teeny, that he is satisfied with this material world full of misery. He wants to go to the life of eternal. Just like the Vedas say, tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ. Jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain in this darkness. Come out for the light." So one who wants to go out to the light, he is called mahātmā.
Anyone can go anywhere very swiftly. You can go to London from Bombay within nine hours. So the world is not bounded anymore by "geographical limits to the particular countries or communities. Human society is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state of human society." There is already the United Nations. In New York, they have constructed a big organization, establishment, United Nations. But actually, when we pass through that road—I think it is First Avenue—instead of being united, the flags of the nations are increasing. They are becoming disunited. Just like in India, our independence movement was started by Mahatma Gandhijī for uniting all the different section of the people, but actually, the result was that instead of being united, India was partitioned. And the partition has become so poisonous that formerly there was only sporadic Hindu-Muslim riots in some place; now there is organized fighting between Pakistan and Hindustan. So although the tendency is to unite, but in fact, it is not being united; they are becoming disunited more and more—not only the Hindus and Muslims.
The human life is meant for composing an association where devotees may take part, sādhu-saṅga. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-seva. Mahat means whose mind has been broadened, not crippled. Cripple-minded man thinks in terms of personal interest or society's interest or community's interest, nation's interest, or international interest. Even international interest is cripple-minded, because there are many planets. If we expand ourself from self-interest to family interest, from family interest to community interest, similarly, even you expand to the international interest, it is imperfect unless your interest is expanded up to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the Vedic injunction in the Ṛg Veda, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Those who are advanced in knowledge, their aim is, their interest is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu.
He is most intellectual, mahātmā, whose intelligence has been broadened so that he has understood Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Very rare.
People are trying to bring in peace and prosperity in the world by so many activities—philanthropism, altruism, nationalism, socialism. And so-called religion also, they are trying to bring in. The whole idea is the human society should remain in peace and prosperity. And the vivid example is the United Nations in your country. America invited all nations that "Let us form a community of United Nations," but the America herself is fighting. You see? Because the idea was there to unite, but they do not know the basic principle, how to unite. That is the defect. There is a church in the United Nations, and we tried to get a room there for making our propaganda. The church unity denied to give us. So their crippled mind is not expanded. Sa mahātmā... Mahātmā means broad-minded. Su-durlabhaḥ. So mahātmā, unless one becomes nonenvious, mahātmā, there is no question of so-called unity or fraternity. These are all false propaganda. It is not possible.
. There are facilities now. Therefore the world is now not limited by geographical condition. Anyone can go anywhere very swiftly. You can go to London from Bombay within nine hours. So the world is not bounded any more by geographical limits to the particular countries or communities. "Human society is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state of human society." There is already the United Nations. In New York they have constructed a big organization, establishment, United Nations, but actually, when we pass through that road—I think it is First Avenue—instead of being united, the flags of the nations are increasing. They are becoming disunited. Just like in India our independence movement was started by Mahatma Gandhiji for uniting all the different section of the people. But actually, the result was that instead of being united, India was partitioned.
So "The ideals of human society is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state or one human society. The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, of the entire energy of living beings." This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for not only uniting the human society but also all living entities.
God, His representative, His name, His form, His activities, everything in relationship to God, that is also God. This evening we are discussing. Actually this world is also God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro. Viśvam means the whole universal creation. Because it is creation of God—God has created—therefore the whole universe, the whole creation is also God, although it appears different from God. For example, just like the sun and the sunlight or sunshine. Although apparently different—sun is different from the sunshine—still, sunshine is also sun. Without sun, how there can be light in the sunshine? So in broader sense there is nothing but God; everything God.
The owner of the body is sometimes in the childhood body; the owner of the body sometimes in a different boyhood body; the owner of the body is sometimes in the youthhood body. Similarly, as he is changing different types of body during this duration of life, similarly, after this annihilation of this body, when it is old... Just like old garment or old coat, old shirt cannot be used—it is thrown away; another new shirt, new coat is taken—similarly, this body, being annihilated, the soul accepts another body. This is a real knowledge. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā very broadly.
Every śāstra has been interpreted wrongly and therefore people are misguided. They could not take advantage of the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā because all through, the Bhagavad-gītā has been misinterpreted. So many so-called politicians, scholars, but it is maybe for the first time—not first time; it is there—but to make it broad propaganda wide, that try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation. That is our mission. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Don't try to interpret and spoil it.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Here in the Bible it is said that "Thou shall not kill," so that means two thousand years ago they were simply killers. That does not mean five thousand years there were no highly elevated personalities. That is his lack of studying. He is too much localized. He has no broadened knowledge, neither he has studied all the books, contemporary books; therefore he has poor fund of knowledge. He's very poor in his knowledge. Just like, still, there are many Americans... You Americans are completely different from others. You cannot say that all the Americans are drunkards and irresponsible; therefore, they are also. Side by side some moral is still there. You don't drink; you don't take meat; you are all God conscious; side by side there is.
Prabhupāda: Here the creation is temporary, existence is temporary, and annihilation is also temporary. This is material nature. And we can understand it very easily, that this body, your body, my body is created at a certain date, it will continue to a certain date, and it will be finished. This is material understanding. Anything you will take, it has a beginning, it has a duration of period to exist, then finished. So if you take broader way, the whole cosmic manifestation, it has a beginning and it has an end and it has a duration of period to exist. But before this creation, who was there? That is God. Otherwise how the creation is possible if God is not there before the creation?
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interviewer: Is yoga part of meditation?
Prabhupāda: Yoga is a very broad term. Yoga means to connect with the Absolute Truth. That is yoga. Yoga means connecting link. So there are different varieties of yoga. Just like one staircase, it is the connecting link to the top floor. So that is, everywhere you can say staircase, but one who has crossed a few steps and one who has crossed a few floors, they are not on the same level.
Interviewer: Then love is the most important element of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How do you feel about Christians, Buddhists, Moslems, Hindus, then? Are their other beliefs of real, of no importance to you just so long as they believe in one God and in love?
Prabhupāda: So far Hindu religion is concerned, it is a very broad thinking. The Hindu religion, Vedic religion, is divided into two kinds of philosophers. One kinds of philosopher is the impersonalist. They take the Absolute Truth as impersonal, all-pervading impersonal. And the another philosophers, they take that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person. The impersonal feature is one of the features of that person, but ultimately he is person. So without person there cannot be any question of love. Therefore the section who believes in person... Not believing, they know actually what He is, and there is method how to love that person. The example is given: just like the sun and the sunshine and the predominating Deity in the sun globe, similarly, one who comes to the light, he first of all sees the sunshine. That is impersonal. Then, if he goes further, if he is able to go to the sun planet, that is localized. And if he can enter into the sun planet and see the predominating deity there, then he is a person. So this is a vast science.
Prabhupāda: So you take that house. It is very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many rooms does it have?
Dayānanda: I think it has two bedrooms and a bathroom and a big living room and a dining room which you can make into a temple. And a kitchen too. There's a back yard with a tree in it.
Prabhupāda: Very nice. (Devotees discuss for some seconds.)
Prabhupāda: And on the broad road. A very important place. Very nice. You immediately take that house. Yes.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: First of all bodily concept is gross life, ordinary, like animals, they do not know except the body. Higher than bodily concept of life, the exercise of the mind, mental speculation. That mental speculation is adjusted by intelligence and that intelligence belongs to the soul. Therefore soul is the ultimate and soul is the part and parcel of God. Therefore God is the supreme. So the mental speculation or the evolution of mental exercise when it comes to the summit, that is God realization. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). When one realizes "God is everything," that mahātmā, that great soul is very rare. That is the statement in Bhagavad-gītā. Mahātmā means whose mind is great. The mind is great. He's not thinking ordinary things. He's thinking of greater subject matter. They are called mahātmā, broader minded, broad-minded.
Prabhupāda: Hinduism is a foreign word, given by the Muslim. We don't find any word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. Why do you call Hinduism? We are not preaching Hinduism. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Reporter: By such a social system, social...
Prabhupāda: That is, that you satisfy (indistinct). But this is a broad Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is broader than any system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not preaching. We don't go to preach that "Oh, we are preaching Hinduism." But because those who are accepting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mostly they are Hindus, then you can call it like Hinduism. But this is not Hinduism.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: You cannot say that I have got a different faith. I do not care for the laws of God. If it is a law... Just like, for example, here in the state, if you kill somebody, then you have to pay for it with your life. So if that is the law in your state, why a similar law in broader sense is not there in the courts of God, law..., law of God? You can avoid the arrest by the police and punishment by the state law by tricks, but you cannot avoid by tricks the law of God. That is not possible. If you violate the law of God, then you will be punished.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...nice, very broad and clean. (break) ...can overflood the whole area, but no. "Up to this, no more, sir." Under whose order they are working? There must be some control.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Karandhara: Should we depict animal-slaughter or meat-eating?
Prabhupāda: Animal slaughter.
Karandhara: Animal slaughter.
Prabhupāda: That will be still broader.
Prabhupāda: If you have got so broad vision, because the Nārāyaṇa has entered everywhere, so you cannot say simply "daridra-nārāyaṇa." You can say, "the sun-nārāyaṇa. Sun-nārāyaṇa."
Prabhupāda: If you have got so broad vision that Nārāyaṇa is everywhere present, why you particularize daridra-nārāyaṇa?
Mr. Sar: Well, human beings, we are the first of everywhere.
Prabhupāda: Everyone. "Dog-nārāyaṇa, cat-nārāyaṇa."
Guest (3): If you say that you are... (break) That's nonsense.
Prabhupāda: These, these rascals, what are they? Now, they are worshiping daridra-nārāyaṇa and they are killing goat-nārāyaṇa.
Guest (3): That's right.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: As you think everything belongs to the state, we think everything belongs to God. So you can utilize your possession, what is alloted to you. Don't encroach upon others. So people are not thinking in that way. First beginning is that you Americans, you are thinking this America land is your, although two hundred years ago it was not your. You have come from other parts of the world. Now you are claiming it is your land. But actually it is God's land. So God's land belongs to everyone. Everyone is God's children. That is our broad conception. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam: (ISO 1) "Everything belongs to God." So people have no conception of God. Everyone is practically godless. Therefore they should be educated about God.
Prabhupāda: No. You should be diplomatic. You should give positive information of our philosophy. Where need be, absolutely necessary, you can criticize others. (break) ...preaching is successful.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Only because you've sent us here. Otherwise we would have never come to this place in a million years. I think in America the devotees think that Africa is simply a bunch of jungles. No one wants to come here to preach.
Prabhupāda: (break)...very broad. (break) ...ask him about swimming, why they cannot swim all through like the fish. They are defeated.
Indian man: They can't swim like the fish.
Prabhupāda: Therefore they are defeated.
Indian man: They have to put the skins on, I mean the rubber.
Prabhupāda: That I am pointing out, that they are less efficient than the fish. Even a small fish, you will find, he is enjoying, but he cannot. So why they are proud of becoming more intelligent than the fishes? Where is that intelligence?
Girirāja: ...very nice.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very long also.
Prabhupāda: Long and broad. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Jayapatākā: The new building is equal to three of these buildings.
Prabhupāda: No, it is not so broad.
Jayapatākā: But it is six times as long.
Yaśodānandana: But there's still space...
Jayapatākā: Five times as long...
Yaśodānandana: But there's still space around to build.
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa bhakti is there in everyone. So leper and non-leper. Just like our Vivekananda, he took up daridra-nārāyaṇa. This is an absurd proposition. Nārāyaṇa is never daridra. But if you put this argument, that Nārāyaṇa is everywhere, so if Nārāyaṇa is everywhere, why you take up only daridra-nārāyaṇa? Why not dhanī-nārāyaṇa also? If you have got so broad vision that Nārāyaṇa is everywhere, therefore we see everyone, so why you particularly take the daridra-nārāyaṇa? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa bhakti is everywhere. It is in the leper or non-leper. So why should we take particularly the lepers? So that is outwardly a social service that they are taking care of the leper. So if that vision it will not be right. Kṛṣṇa bhakti even requires, even a karmī like big, big owner of factories, he's more diseased than the leper. Because he has no Kṛṣṇa bhakti. So we have to take care of the leper and the richest man also if he has no Kṛṣṇa bhakti.
Prabhupāda: Kuśa grass. Kuśāsana, very nice, nice, and broad, especially. Upon this, there is a deerskin.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We should get deerskin also?
Prabhupāda: And how you will get? Why you are asking this nonsense question? Unless you get, why you waste time in that way? Where is...? Have you got? This is extra question. You must get. So, first of all this kuśāsana, then the deerskin and then a linen. Cailājina...
Hari-śauri: Caila, agna, ajina, sutaram,(?) kuśottaram.
Prabhupāda: Kuśottaram means upon the kuśāsana these, ajina, caila, caila... What is caila?
Hari-śauri: Caila, ajina, soft cloth and deerskin.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that para upakara. They do not know what is civilization. Such broader idea of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He never said that "Sit down in Vṛndāvana and become a bābājī." Kara para upakara. That is saṅkīrtana.
Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, can be worshiped if you perfectly follow the rules and regulation of four varṇas and four āśramas. Here it is also said, sve sve karmaṇi. You work as a perfect brāhmaṇa or a perfect kṣatriya, perfect śūdra; you get perfection. The perfection is available in your natural life. Why should artificially you become unnatural and fall down and become ludicrous? Perfection is not checked.
Satsvarūpa: But in most of our temples, the duties are either Deity worship, brāhmaṇa...
Prabhupāda: Brāhmaṇas are available. Why you are bothering about this? Brāhmaṇas are also available, śūdras are also available. Why śūdra should be artificially become a brāhmaṇa?
Satsvarūpa: What will the śūdras do in the big city temple, in all the temples?
Prabhupāda: Why you are bringing our temples? I am talking of the principle.
Satsvarūpa: Oh.
Hari-śauri: The principle we follow. We're just thinking how it can be implemented. You were saying that it should be started in our society.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a very broad idea. Now we are speaking of some of them, training them. That is another thing. That is small scale.
Hari-śauri: The principle we're following.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In the... For the big scale, this is the required. In big scale you cannot make all of them as brāhmaṇas or sannyāsīs. No. That is not possible. This is a small scale. How many percentage of people of the world we are controlling? Very insignificant. But if you want to make the whole human society perfect, then this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be introduced according to the Kṛṣṇa's instruction, if you want to do it in a large scale for the benefit of the whole human society. Now we are picking up some of them, best. That is another thing. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said para-upakāra. Why a certain section should be picked up? The whole mass of people will get the benefit of it.
Prabhupāda: Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining it. Iti śuśruma. But śuśruma, why he should waste his valuable time? He knows it is definite. So unless you come to this standpoint that whatever is spoken in the Vedic literature, that is definite, you cannot be convinced by argument. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Śukadeva Gosvāmī said—that's all. Mahājano yena. Vaiyāsakiḥ.
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
These mahājanas. This is our argument. And for common-sense argument, the Himalaya is very, very high. Very, very broad. You have never crossed and you have met with so many accidents. They avoid that portion, flying plane. And I have seen how high has it gone, then it will be in the clouds. Still they say twenty-eight thousand. Huh? Twenty-eight thousand?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty-nine thousand.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
You know that I am attached with one cultural mission of the name of the League of Devotees as well as Indian cultural Congress which is trying to broad caste this message of Paropakara. The standard of Paropakara should be such as will be useful both in the current life as well as life after death. Every sane man thinks of Paropakara in that way. Temporary sense gratification is not real Paropakara. Please therefore begin these Paropakara activities in the foreign countries as you have gone there. I think your going there is another __ preaching the Indian culture as above mentioned. I shall be glad to be in touch with you by correspondence so that I may be giving you my humble suggestion for this service.
1968 Correspondence
The Rathayatra festival is going to be held between 27th June to 7th July, and they are making broader arrangement than last year, and expecting people numbering from 1000 to 5000 will attend the procession, chanting Hare Krishna. They have been advised to turn San Francisco gradually into New Jagannatha Puri, and I have advised Kirtanananda and yourself to convert West Virginia into New Vrindaban. I understand the spot is very beautiful, and the hills may be renamed as New Govardhana. And if there are lakes, they can be renamed as Syamakunda and Radhakunda. Vrindaban does not require to be modernized because Krishna's Vrindaban is transcendental village. They completely depend on nature's beauty and nature's protection. The community in which Krishna preferred to belong was Vaisya community, because Nanda Maharaja happened to be a Vaisya king, or landholder, and his main business was cow protection. It is understood that he had 900,000 cows and Krishna and Balarama used to take charge of them, along with His many cowherd boy friends, and every day, in the morning He used to go out with His friends and cows into the pasturing grounds. So, if you seriously want to convert this new spot as New Vrindaban, I shall advise you not to make it very much modernized.
Regarding the picture, Panca-tattva, I do not think there is necessity of putting them in perspective. Actually they are standing on the same line. Just like a group photo is taken and nobody looks smaller or greater. That is the system. But the thing is that if you make Lord Caitanya smaller, that would not be nice. He should be larger, and actually he was very large and broad shouldered. So better to paint as you have been doing, and with Lord Caitanya a little larger.
You should not give political or social discussions, while speaking on Krishna Consciousness philosophy from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam you can simply touch on some socio-political implications. Krishna Consciousness is so broad and all inclusive that naturally when speaking in Krishna Consciousness we get so many opportunities to deal in politics although that is not our subject matter. To do so requires expert handling. You can take part in such classes and present the subject matter in such a way that it may at first appear like socio-political-philosophical affairs, but actually introduce our Krishna Consciousness philosophy.
The whole modern city of Vrindaban was established originally with these temples, started by different Gosvamis. And later on, many kings and princes started their own temples and thus the present Vrindaban is now full with small and big 5000 temples. We have to make such scheme in our New Vrindaban, gradually expanding to an area of one mile long and one mile broad. Vamanadeva is still here, and I have advised him to construct some thrones for Radha and Krishna, because Nara Narayana is attempting to get some pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis 24" high. We shall require so many pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis at different temples. Anyway, do not feel discouraged. As soon as New Vrindaban is connected with a link road as well as electricity, very soon it will develop into our idea. I shall personally go and stay there and see it is developed.
I think Mr. Kallman has broken the terms of the contract, but Brahmananda told me that he has taken a letter from Brahmananda adjusting this account. Of course, Brahmananda had no power to adjust this account without my sanction. So you can inquire from Brahmananda what is the position. Otherwise, the contract is already broken. So by joint consultation with your father and Brahmananda you can do the needful. I understand you are coming here by the 23rd instant, and when we meet we shall discuss on this point broadly.
1969 Correspondence
You are correct when you say that when the Spiritual Master speaks it should be taken that Krishna is speaking. That is a fact. A Spiritual Master must be liberated. It does not matter if he has come from Krishna Loka or he is liberated from here. But he must be liberated. The science of how one is liberated is explained above, but when one is liberated, there is no need of distinction whether he has come directly from Krishna Loka or from the material world. But in the broader sense everyone comes from Krishna Loka. When one forgets Krishna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krishna he is liberated.
Those who are qualified graduates, they are earning at least 500 dollars per month, which means in Indian exchange Rs. 6,000 or more. That is the difference between India and America. Here, people are earning up to 20,000 per month. Those who are independent businessman earn 50,000 per month or more and they are spending also. Therefore, the distribution of wealth here is broader, and as such, every man is well-situated, even an ordinary worker. There is no scarcity of money or material comforts, but still the modern younger generation, they do not feel very happy. They are hankering after some spiritual food, and as such they are relishing this Krishna Consciousness Movement with some taste.
Regarding BTG no. 27, it is nicely done, but there is no mention of the words "Back To Godhead" on each page. Why this mistake has been done? Besides that, some of the headings, like "Parts and Parcels," are not very prominent, while at the same time there are many places where empty space is found. If some space is available, the heading should be broader. Henceforward, we shall try to avoid the Beatles or hippy's articles, because they have no spiritual importance.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 23rd, 1969 along with the press proof copy of BTG #28. It is nice. Everyone here liked it. Simply the mistakes which you have already admitted may be corrected in the future. That is to say the headline should be broader and each page should mention the words "Back To Godhead". I think from next issue the editor's and co-editor's name should be mentioned: that is Hayagriva and Satsvarupa. At least officially there must be the editor's name there. I think that is required by the press act.
1972 Correspondence
Our married couples are rendering the greatest service to humanity, their countrymen, and to their parents, of that kindly be assured by me. Do not worry for anything in this connection, you are a great gentleman, otherwise you could not have fostered such intelligent daughter, and gentlemen are known to be broad-minded, so therefore I appeal to you as their spiritual father to encourage them in every respect.
1973 Correspondence
I am very glad to hear how our festival program is going on so nicely in Germany. These festivals will be successful all over the world. As GBC member it is your duty to carefully make a broad program for implementing Krsna Consciousness in every sphere of life, in this way we will become respected as the most important members of human society.
The aim of our education should be, whatever education we might have got, we must satisfy the Lord by such education. That is the perfection of life. I have therefore asked our chemist friend, Dr. Swaroop Damodara das Brahmacari to refute the theory that life comes out of matter. This is not the fact, rather, matter comes out of life. We have discussed this point very broadly and Swaroop Damodara is convinced that everything comes from life, Krsna—aham sarvasya prabhavo/ mattah sarvam pravartate. (BG 10.8). So, I've asked Swaroop Damodara to invite Ramananda Rao to come and join him to present this revolutionary theory to the learned advanced scientists. We know it certainly that matter comes out of life. Simply we have to present this thesis in chemical, technological words.
1974 Correspondence
Regarding the GBC meeting to be held in Mayapur 1975, the meeting should be held five days before the actual festival is to begin and it will be held in my presence. As far as your proposals are concerned the real thing is that we must make broader constitution of the management by GBC. But the difficulty is that our GBC men are falling victim to maya. Today I trust this GBC and tomorrow he will fall down. That is the difficulty. If the GBC men are so flickering then what to speak of the others. Unless this problem is solved whatever we may resolve it will not be very useful. We shall discuss this at our meeting. If the GBC men can ever manage properly then I shall get some time for writing my books.
1975 Correspondence
t present I am at Bombay and you are welcome to come and see me and we shall discuss these things broadly. And if possible I am prepared to go to Bharatapur and speak my views on spiritual advancement of life.
1976 Correspondence
Perfect communism is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam wherein it is stated that you feel for the poor animals as well as the human beings. Srimad-Bhagavatam instructs that even if there is a snake or lizard in the house, it is the duty of the householder to see that they are also eating, not starving. So you have to begin your preaching with such broader idea of communism.
1977 Correspondence
On Sunday morning 29/6/68, when you were speaking I was very glad to note that you have studied the whole question of social and spiritual upliftment of mankind in a very broader sense. I was also glad to note that your study is deeper than many of the so-called Sannyasis who take the shelter of yellow robe for solving the question of bread problem. And because you are a critical student of everything, I am sure that you will appreciate the teaching of Lord Caitanya when you hear them patiently and scrutinize the same by all practical tests.
| Page Title: | Broad (Lec, Conv, & Letters) |
| Compiler: | SunitaS, Priya |
| Created: | 04 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=57, Con=19, Let=17 |
| No. of Quotes: | 93 |