Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is supreme. Nobody is equal to Him, nobody is higher than. Everyone is lower. That is the meaning of Bhagavān. Nobody can claim "I am Bhagavān." But nowadays there are so many rascals, they are claiming that everyone is Bhagavān. So Vyāsadeva is mistaken? Actually, these Māyāvādī philosophers, they are so great rascals they sometimes say like that, that Vyāsadeva is also mistaken. They have got the audacity to say Vyāsadeva, he is accepted as incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, who has given us the Vedic literature, so many books he has given, the Vedas, the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra. Everything is given by Vyāsadeva in writing, and we'll accept it, Nārāyaṇa, incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, mahāmuni-kṛte. He is also Vyāsa-muni, but He is also mahāmuni-kṛte. So there cannot be any mistake in the words of Vyāsadeva. This is the difficulty. If one does not come through the channel of disciplic succession, so they are in so many ways mistaken. Vyāsadeva is above all this. He is not an ordinary writer, material description or material name and faith. He cannot be mistaken. As Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa cannot be mistaken. Similarly, Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Bhagavān, he also cannot be mistaken. Neither devotee of Kṛṣṇa can be mistaken. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not say anything as his own opinion. He never says. What Kṛṣṇa says, he says. He may be not perfect, but what Kṛṣṇa has said, that is perfect.
Channel (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
" channelize"
|" channelized"
|" channelled"
|" channels"
|"channel"
|"channeling"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
When Kṛṣṇa is asked, He must give the proper answer; so He's giving answer that prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān. Because our mind is the factory of creating so many plans, so many plans. But one who has dovetailed himself, he has nothing to do for planmaking because everything is taken up by the supreme consciousness. He has simply to follow. Therefore he has, for himself, he has no plan. He has no plan. This is the first symptom. But without reaching that stage, we should not pose ourself, that "I have nothing to think. I have nothing to speak of future, past or anything." No. Gradually, we shall come to the stage when there will be everything done automatically. But in, in the present moment, in the present moment, we should give up planmaking, but we shall, we shall have to take up the plan of the supreme consciousness. Personally, we shall not make any plans. But we have to receive the plan from the supreme consciousness. That will be our position. Just like an apprentice. He is working, he is working in the apprenticeship. He should not present his own plan. But he has to take plans of work from his superior. Then he will learn. And when he's accustomed, when he's elevated, then he'll be able to make independent plans. Although not independent always, but even it is higher officer, everyone has to consult the higher authorities. Similarly, this means that I shall not independently make any plan, but I must accept the standard plan which is coming directly from the supreme consciousness through a channel. Through a channel. You have to seek that channel.
So that channel is called... You'll find it in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Fourth Chapter, paramparā, paramparā, disciplic succession. Disciplic succession. The words, the plan and the instruction which is coming directly from Kṛṣṇa, that thing we have to accept. We shall not make any our own plan. That is the way of making progress. Now, this disciplic succession, as we have accepted, this disciplic succession comes from Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna, and we have to understand how Arjuna has understood Kṛṣṇa. And if we follow the understanding of Arjuna, then we are following the paramparā system, or the disciplic succession. That is the process.
Our senses are not perfect. How we can understand God? That is not possible, because we have got defects. Our senses are not perfect: I cannot see perfectly. I cannot smell perfectly. I cannot touch perfectly. I cannot hear perfectly. So many defects. I commit mistake. I become illusioned. I accept something for something. In this way, our position is very imperfect.
But in spite of possessing imperfect senses, people are proud of their knowledge. That is mistake. We are not concerned with imperfect knowledge. We want perfect knowledge. Therefore we are going to Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise what is the use? If it is an ordinary book—you can interpret in your own way, I can interpret in my own way—then what is the value of Bhagavad-gītā with other books? No. It is not like that. Therefore the words of Kṛṣṇa should be understood through the devotees: perfect channel. As Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Avyayam, the... It is eternal. It is spiritual, avyayam. Avyayam means "that does not perish." Anything material, it perishes. But spirit soul, or spiritual anything, everything, that is imperishable, avyayam.
So knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, as Kṛṣṇa is avyayam, the spirit whole, whole spirit, paraṁ brahma, paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12), Supreme Spirit, similarly His words, Bhagavad-gītā, is also spirit, Supreme Spirit. Abhinna. There is no distinction. Therefore we are giving so much importance to the... The so-called scholars may take it as ordinary book, but one who is serious about Bhagavad-gītā, he does not take Bhagavad-gītā, the words of Bhagavad-gītā or the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, as ordinary teachings. This is confirmed. Therefore it is so important.
And it has to be received through the paramparā channel. That I was explaining, (that) as Kṛṣṇa is going to speak to Arjuna... Here it is said: sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ (BG 4.3). Next verse, it will explain. Bhakto 'si me priyo 'si sakhā ceti rahasyam etad uttamam. Kṛṣṇa will say. Because it is so important... It is a complete spiritual. Unless one is devotee... Devotee means complete spiritual. Any other one, if he's not a devotee, he is material.
One who has seen a dying man, he'll see there is cough in this kaṇṭha, in this throat, in the channel, throat. So he prays, at the time of death, kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ: "By the derangement of the bodily function, when kapha will choke up my throat, then how I shall be able to chant? Because I am now healthy. I am now chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, but at that time, how I shall be able to chant? So therefore, while I am chanting now in good health, please let me die immediately so that I can die chanting." Yes. That is the prayer. But, er, because that is the ultimate examination.
Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram-paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are paraṁ pavitra." And God is paraṁ pavitra is admitted in the Īśopaniṣad. Apāpa-viddham, asnāviram. Asnāviram means in the body of God there are no veins, and therefore apāpa-viddham. Veins, as soon as you have got this veins, that is material body. The body is maintained under certain material condition. You eat, and this eating substance transformed into secretion, then through the veins this comes to the heart, and heart it becomes red, corpuscle, the blood, the blood is diffused. Therefore there are so many channels, veins. And these things are pushed on with the air, and if there is shortage of air circulation, the man becomes paralyzed. This is scientific. So these things are required for the material body, not for the spiritual body. In spiritual body, asnāviram, there is no vein. Therefore one who misunderstands Kṛṣṇa as having a material body, he has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍhā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). He has no veins. There is no difference between His body and His soul. We have got difference with our body and soul; therefore this existence with this material body is not śuddha, is not pure. Therefore, sattva-saṁśuddhir, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So if we want to understand the real reality, vāstava-vastu, that is Kṛṣṇa, then this is the process. What is that?
- tac chraddadhānā munayo
- jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā
- paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ
- bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā
- (SB 1.2.12)
You have to receive through the channel of paramparā system, bhakti. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Paramparā. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Therefore we have to accept a guru who is coming in the paramparā. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is paramparā. Because the paramparā was lost, Kṛṣṇa again said Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. So as Arjuna understood, if you understand Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood, if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then your understanding of Kṛṣṇa is perfect.
So try to understand. The so-called facility of the modern science means creating so many difficulties also. That is the position. Just like formerly, a preacher could not come to your country, say, fifty years or a hundred years ago. So he was preaching within his limit. But we have got now facilities, so we are preaching everywhere. So from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can utilize all facilities in the proper channel. But not materially. Now, we are utilizing this facility of aeroplane; that means we are getting good chance for serving Kṛṣṇa. But others, materialists, they are getting this facility so that his child cannot recognize him. So we can take all facilities... So therefore we are actually utilizing the scientific improvements for the benefit of the people; the karmīs, they cannot. They are in difficulties, in the actually...
The Vedānta philosophy will reveal automatically. You haven't got to study. But provided you have got unflinching faith in God and spiritual master, all this Vedānta knowledge will be revealed within you. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya (CC Madhya 19.151). Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that you can make advancement in spiritual life by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and guru. You don't try to overlap guru and get Kṛṣṇa's mercy immediately. That is not possible. That is not possible. You have to go through the proper channel. Anyone who is thinking that "I shall make spiritual advancement without guru," he is wrongly thinking. It is not possible. Just like if you want to see a big man, you have to go through the servant of that man. You have to take permission. The servant may say, "Sir, such and such man wants to see you. He is very nice man, appears to be a good man." "Oh," the master says, "he is good man? All right, bring him." By the recommendation of the servant.
So this is Vedic culture, that they know how to offer respect to the proper persons. But Arjuna, he also decided that although Kṛṣṇa ordered him to kill Aśvatthāmā, he's guru's son, although he's not brāhmaṇa; he's brahma-bandhu. He has been described as brahma-bandhu, not brāhmaṇa. But Draupadī, being woman, vāma-svabhāvā, very soft-hearted, she did not consider whether he's actually a brāhmaṇa. The son of a brāhmaṇa, that much she knew. This is the difference, how to calculate whether one is brāhmaṇa or not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa and brahma-bandhu, these two words are there. Just like if you are the son of a high-court judge, you can be called, you have got the right, that "son of a high-court judge." That is all right. But you cannot claim to become the high-court judge. That is not possible. Unless you are qualified, unless you are actually acting as high-court judge, you cannot be called a high-court judge. Simply by becoming the son of a high-court judge you cannot become the high-court judge. Similarly, simply by becoming the son of a brāhmaṇa, you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. A woman, vāma-svabhāvā, she can accept that "Because he's the son of a brāhmaṇa, he's brāhmaṇa." Therefore this word is used, vāma-svabhāvā. Because woman are considered less intelligent. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Their heart is very soft. Just like children, their heart is very soft. But their intelligence is not very sharp. That is the difference. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā... They have been put in one group: woman, vaiśya and śūdra. Because they are not very intelligent. They can be molded by another intelligent man to the proper channel. Therefore they require guidance. They require guidance.
Mind is the center of all sensual activities. If your mind is absent, in spite of having your eyes, you cannot see; in spite of having your ears, you cannot hear. Therefore mind is considered the eleventh sense. There are ten senses—five working and five knowledge-acquiring—and the mind is the center. So indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). Kṛṣṇa is explaining that we take the senses are very prominent. But beyond the senses there is another, superior thing. That is mind. Beyond this mind, there is intelligence. And beyond this intelligence, there is soul. So how they can appreciate existence of soul if they cannot understand the psychological movement of the mind? Behind that mind there is intelligence. They... Ultimate, utmost, they can approach to the intellectual platform. But one has to go beyond the intellectual platform to understand what is soul, or what is God. Otherwise, it is not possible.
So everything is there, but we have to understand through the right channel. Therefore Vedic information is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic injunction, that if you are actually serious about understanding that supernatural transcendental subject matter, you must approach a bona fide spiritual master.
The demigod pūjā, that is for his sense gratification. That's all. Kṛṣṇa, therefore, condemns this: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). This very kāma. These words, kāma, kāmas, kāma, kāma. So Kṛṣṇa also says... So you won't find any difference between Bhagavad-gītā , or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or any Vedic literature. It is to be understood through proper channels. So all these kāmas have been condemned by Kṛṣṇa. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ.
By nature's way, Kṛṣṇa has given us everything. You can simply work little. You get food grains. Kṛṣṇa says like that. Kṛṣṇa never says that "You open big, big fierceful, horrible industries." You will never find in Bhagavad-gītā. For your livelihood, Kṛṣṇa says very simple method. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Annād. Anna, you produce anna. Why you are planning big, big industries? The oil will come from America through the channel, and the Arabia will refuse to supply oil. There will be power problem, so many things, one after another, one after another. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that do all these things, ghora. No. He says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni: "You just produce food grain." And bhavanti bhūtāni. Bhūtāni means all living entities, they will be stout and strong by eating. What you want more?
As soon as you give up this paramparā system, immediately the whole thing is lost, sa kālaneha... Otherwise what was the use of Kṛṣṇa speaking again to Arjuna? Because Bhagavad-gītā was there current, but Kṛṣṇa said because the paramparā system is lost, every rascal is interpreting. This is the system always. As soon as some time goes away, so many rascals come and they interpret Bhagavad-gītā in their own rascaldom way. That is lost. Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Therefore I am advising you again. You take it. So if we take Bhagavad-gītā in that way—or any śāstra—through the paramparā channel, then it is all right. Just like this example. This is Vedic instruction, Vedic order: "Yes, cow dung is pure." We have to take it. This is paramparā. "Yes, conchshell is pure. Although it is bone, never mind. It is pure." The order.
The whole Vedic civilization means how to utilize this human form of life for better purposes. Even modern scientific point of view. Not scientific, but they say. Accepting their version... Just like Darwin's theory: by evolution you come to the human form of life. Accepting that from monkey one becomes a human being, so what is after this form? Then they have no information. What is the next life? If the evolution is... That is also accepted in the Padma Purāṇa, 8,400,000 species, forms of life, and then we come to this human form of life. What is next? That is the question. But they have no knowledge. They have no sense. They cannot explain what is next. And there is next life. If by evolutionary process through the channel of so many species of life, 900,000 aquatics. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa... Two millions trees and plants, then 1100,000 insects, and one million species of birds, and then 33,000,000 species of animals, four-legged animals, paśu. And then we get this human form of life, especially civilized form of life. Then what is next? That question nobody inquires, neither there is answer by the so-called modern scientist, that what is next.
There are thousands of Viṣṇu's name. The people would keep the children's name according to that so that, so that indirectly, directly, they would be able to chant the holy name of the Lord. That was the process. And by doing so he will be gradually developing his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ. By affection. Some way or other, we have to increase our affection for Kṛṣṇa, love of Godhead. Through the channel of the affection of one's son or children, one can increase—that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So for to know Kṛṣṇa, there are so many Vedic literatures. So we have to know through the mercy of the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Everything is there, just like Kṛṣṇa is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, but people could not understand Kṛṣṇa. Now we are presenting Kṛṣṇa as it is. People are understanding. They are becoming devotee. So we have to go through the right channel. Then we'll know Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you know Kṛṣṇa as He is, your life is successful.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The sahajiyās, they immediately try to understand the love affairs of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī. That is sahajiyism. Here we have to take instruction from Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. First of all we have to take the mercy of Rūpa-Raghunātha, Gosvāmīs. Then if there is, our luck is good, then we can understand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema. You, it is not a thing to be understood by the common man in the bazaar, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, in spite of hearing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā for many, many years, they remain in the same position, not a single step forward, what to..., to understand Kṛṣṇa? Because they do not try to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through the channel chalked out by Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Gosvāmīs. We must know. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śakti. This is the manifestation of the ahlādinī śakti of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not enjoy any material thing. The gopīs and Rādhārāṇī, they are not these ordinary girls. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37).
So this is the process. We don't, therefore, advise people that immediately come to understand rasa-līlā. No. We never do so. First of all, understand Kṛṣṇa by the channel, by the proper method. Then gradually, when you are actually purified, they you'll understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty. Why? The water is reserved. Unless it is salty, it will decompose. And how the water is distributed? Oh, there is sun. Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water. Now see—nature study—how it is perfectly made. Can you do that? No. It is not possible. When there is scarcity of water, you have to see to the sky. You have no power. Your science cannot acquire when there is scarcity. There is no rain—you cannot create rain. You have to wait. So therefore everything made by the Lord, that is perfect. There is no question of imperfection.
Without going through a devotee, nobody can understand God or His statements. Thousands of people for thousands of years, reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know Kṛṣṇa. Is it not a fact? Yes. So because they are not going through the proper channels, they are... Still, vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Simply by trying to understand the Vedic literature, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedeṣu durlabha. Durlabha means very difficult to approach. Adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. But ātma-bhaktau, those who are devotees, for them He is very easily accepted. Take for example... Now, you have gone to see a very high officer, say, the secretary of the government. You are waiting. You have sent your card, you are waiting. But you cannot enter the room without being permitted. But an ordinary orderly, his servant, he's thousand times going and coming. There is no restriction for him. He does not require any permission. He goes within because... And the message will come through him. In Dvārakā... Perhaps you have read in the Nectar of Devotion that Brahmā, Indra, they used to come to see Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's orderly... They were offering prayers, and Kṛṣṇa's orderly was requesting them, "Please make no noise." They were offering prayers, Brahmā, Indra, and His personal servant was prohibiting him, "Please do not make noise. Sit down here." This is the position. So vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa is not available, not approachable, simply by studying Vedas. He has to be obedient to the orders of the devotees.
If you remain silent, never ask "Why I am suffering?" then you are in the category of cats and dog. And when this inquiry begins, athāto brahma jijñāsā, then your human life begins. Otherwise you remain in the category of cats and dog. If you are satisfied with all miserable condition of life... In this country, the Western country, they present television, simply presenting problems. That's all. You have got experience. And they are making plans how to solve these problems. This is going on. Whole day and night, and twenty-four hours. But actually, we are in a place with problems only. And intelligent man must inquire how to solve these problems. But they are inquiring, some of them, but not in the right channel. That should be in the... Just like Arjuna had problems, whether to fight or not to fight. So he approached Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "Kṛṣṇa, I know that the problems, You can make solution." Arjuna knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. "Although He's acting as my friend..." But he knew what Kṛṣṇa is, and therefore he asked. So we are in face of so many problems. Why not approach Kṛṣṇa? What is wrong there? And take Kṛṣṇa's instruction and be happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are opening centers everywhere. Take advantage of this movement and be happy.
Festival Lectures
Prabhupāda: All this eulogization about me, people, outsider, may think that "This man is being flattered and he is hearing his own eulogization." But that is not the fact. It is the test, how they are receiving the message sincerely and they (are) expressing their feeling. So it is going to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it has come through the channel of disciplic succession, all these praises will also reach to Kṛṣṇa through that disciplic succession. So it is not personal thing. These things are required. Just like in the military training, they are taught by the officers in a different way, in so many ways. Similarly, this is also training of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that the feeling of pure consciousness will reach to Kṛṣṇa. I thank you all very much for your improving in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And... I am a sannyāsī, you know. I came here empty-handed. So you are providing me. What can I do for you? I shall simply pray to Kṛṣṇa. Another thing, that don't be satisfied that you have understood. That's all. No. This should be distributed. Just like in my old age I have come to your country carrying the order of my spiritual master to distribute it. You are all young boys and girls; take this message and distribute it. The whole suffering humanity will be happy. That is our mission.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We are inviting all intelligent persons, the leaders of the society, to understand the basic principle of this movement. And if the leaders of the society lead the people in the proper channel on the basic principle of spiritual life, then everything will be solved. Everyone will be happy. These instructions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā very elaborately. Simply we have to follow the instruction. It is not at all difficult. Then all the questions—social problem, political problem, economical problem, religious problem—everything will be nicely solved. We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And you take any question and the answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, very nicely given. Just like, say, our first problem is economic problem. So Bhagavad-gītā says, "Yes. Economic problem will be solved very easily if you produce food grains." Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). You produce food grain. Just like in your country I see there is enough land. If you people produce your food grain, within three months you can get all the necessities of life for the whole year. And the balance time you can save, nine months. And these nine months you can utilize for advancing in spiritual life, because your life or my life, this human form of life, it is distinct from the cats' and dogs' life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand what is the basic principle of life. But a human being can understand. If he takes little care, he can understand that his problem of life is due to misunderstanding, accepting this body as self. This is the problem.
Philosophy Discussions
Devotee: His first doctrine was that we should indulge the senses, that this would help, but later he reformed that idea, that instead of indulging the gross senses we should sublimate our natural instincts to some higher cause. So his idea was that instead of actually indulging in gross sex life, we should channel this sexual impulse to some higher cause, such as for developing the culture.
Prabhupāda: That we have explained by quoting Śrī Yamunācārya's verse, that "Since I have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whenever I think of sexual intercourse, my mouth becomes deformed and I want to spit."
Śyāmasundara: I heard you say once that we cannot really repress desire but we have to channel it, control it, into other objects.
Prabhupāda: Repression means, suppose you have a disease, you are suffering from typhoid fever, and the doctor says that you don't take any solid food. Now if you desire to take a paratha, you have to repress it: "No, I cannot take paratha." Suppose there is looseness of your bile(?), and if you want to take some condensed milk, you have to repress it. (indistinct) go against you, you have to repress. Repress means repressing something which is going against my welfare. So in this brahmacārī system also there is repression. He should not see young woman, he should not sit down with young woman. But he desires. The desire is that "I shall see young woman." He has to repress. So this is called tapasya, voluntary repression.
Śyāmasundara: Aren't these desires given outlet in other ways? Do we channel the desires to some other field? Instead of seeing a beautiful woman, we see the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, like that?
Prabhupāda: That is our process. From this (indistinct) if you have got better engagement, you give up inferior engagement. When you are captivated by seeing the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, naturally you have no more desire to see the beautiful form of a young woman.
Śyāmasundara: He sees that the mind is composed of a balance of conscious and unconscious, just like light and dark, there's an equal amount, but that the function of the personality is to integrate the conscious and unconscious functions. For instance, if one had a strong sex desire, if somehow he were able to cultivate or channel that into a creative art or a creative value. Just like this brahmācārya, that sex impulse is channelled into higher thinking about Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is our process. Just like sex impulse is natural for everyone in the material (world), but if we think of Kṛṣṇa embracing Rādhārāṇī or dancing with the gopīs, then our sex impulse becomes subordinate, no more stronger. Hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam āśv apahinoti. Hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam, this is a heart disease, to be lusty. But if anyone hears about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, through right source, then this hṛd-rogam, this lusty desire in the heart, is suppressed and he will develop devotional service.
Śyāmasundara: This is an example of what Jung would call individuation, where the energies of the unconscious sex impulse are channelled into a conscious and creative activity of God realization. So those energies are being utilized in a proper way. This is what he would call integration or individuation.
Prabhupāda: This thing I was explaining, this prakṛti, it is very scientific. Kṛṣṇa is the only puruṣa, enjoyer and if every one of us serves everything in the propensity of His enjoyment, that is our enjoyment. That is our enjoyment-predominated and predominator. Just like, crude example, it is not exact: husband wants to enjoy wife, and the wife voluntarily helps him in that enjoyment, the wife also becomes joyful. Similarly, the supreme enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa, and if you help Him in His enjoyment, then automatically we become also joyous. Predominated enjoyer and predominator enjoyer. Both of them enjoying but one of them is predominated, one of them is predominator. So predominated, when... He helps to be predominator, reciprocation of enjoyment.
Revatīnandana: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there's one point, I think if I understand it, you will say that from the man or a woman being you can see the (indistinct) sex desire is there, from the body comes sex desire. He says then that sex desire can be elevated for self-realization or for some kind of higher...
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Revatīnandana: No, but for some kind of higher pursuit, that same sex energy can be channelled at what you would call a higher (indistinct).
Devotee: Sublimation.
Revatīnandana: But we say that originally there were desires to enjoy coming from the soul. If it is channelled to the body it becomes sex lust, but if it is channelled higher it becomes higher (indistinct) for advancement. It's not coming from sex, it's coming from the soul, is that correct—the desire to enjoy?
Prabhupāda: No. Try to understand. Sex desire is there in everyone. So once sex desire is (indistinct) up, male sex desire and female sex desire. The sex desire is there in both male and female, but some from impartial view, it appears that the male is the enjoyer and the female is the enjoyed. So both of them are (indistinct). So the female, if she agrees to be predominated, enjoyed, then naturally she also becomes enjoyer. So living entities are described as prakṛti, female. So when the living entities agree to help Kṛṣṇa's sex desire, then they become happy.
Prabhupāda: Purpose of the universe is already there, but you have to know it through proper channels. But if you speculate then you will be misled. That's all. They want to speculate, that is their defect.
Purports to Songs
And after finishing respectful obeisances to the spiritual master and the Gosvāmīs, then we approach Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is also approached with His associates. Sāvadhūtam, sādvaitam. Sa means "with." Advaita, Advaita Gosai. And avadhūta means Nityānanda. So with Advaita and with Nityānanda, the offering goes to the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So after finishing all these obeisances one after another, according to the system, then śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān, then we approach Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is also associate. Kṛṣṇa is associated with Rādhārāṇī, and He (she?) is associated with Her immediate companions like Lalitā, Viśākhā, and others. So this is the process of offering respectful obeisances to the Deity. We cannot approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa directly. We have to approach through the spiritual master, through the Gosvāmīs, through the associates of Lord Caitanya. Then we approach Rādhā, then Kṛṣṇa. If one approaches Kṛṣṇa through this channel of disciplic succession, his efforts becomes successful. Otherwise, if he wants to approach Kṛṣṇa directly, it will be futile endeavor.
| Page Title: | Channel (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 09 of Feb, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=32, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 32 |