The Lord is so kind upon the living entities because the living entities are claimed to be all sons of the Supreme Lord. The Lord declares sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). Every living, every type of living entity... There are different types of living entities according to their different karma, but the Lord claims that He is the father of all living entities, and therefore the Lord descends to reclaim all these forgotten conditioned souls back to the sanātana-dhāma, the sanātana sky, so that the sanātana living entity may again reinstall in his sanātana position in eternal association of the Lord. He comes Himself by different incarnations, He sends His confidential servitor as sons or associates or ācāryas to reclaim the conditioned souls.
Confidential (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"confidential"
|"confidentiality"
|"confidentially"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Therefore to become pure or to understand the essence of purity is very confidential. It is not to be acquired by our own efforts, by argument or by being expert in scripture or by becoming a philosopher or a similar way. It is very confidential. Then how? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You have to follow a pure devotee, acknowledged devotee. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā, if we follow Arjuna, then we understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. But if we don't follow Arjuna, if we follow somebody, Dr. Frog, or create our own interpretation, then we remain impure. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. We have to follow the footprints of mahājana, great soul. So here is directly you are meeting great soul, Arjuna. He is directly being taught Bhagavad-gītā by the original teacher.
Somebody was telling me that... Last... Who came? That Kṛṣṇa's picture. So when Kṛṣṇa is killing Putanā, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kaṁsa, or... Kṛṣṇa has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopīs. One who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, which Vyāsadeva has described what is Kṛṣṇa in nine cantos, to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Kṛṣṇa... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rāsa-līlā. First of all understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rāsa-līlā. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Kṛṣṇa is immoral." How Kṛṣṇa can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Kṛṣṇa is immoral. Just see the foolishness.
Then how to conclude what is the right path? I cannot establish it by my imperfect arguments. I cannot consult even the scriptures. Neither I can take real instruction from different philosophers. Then what, what is the way of having the real thing? So it says that dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "The truth of religiosity is very confidential, very secret." So how to know it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "We have simply to see that great personalities, as they have taken up, we have to follow. That's all." Just like in your Christian religion you may not understand all the Biblical injunctions or you may not have the time, but you'll simply, if you follow the ideal life of Lord Jesus Christ, then you get the same result. Similarly, the Muhammadans, if they follow the ideal life of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad, so they get the result. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Just like in a unknown path, in a village, especially when there is a field.
A brāhmaṇa, it is the duty of the brāhmaṇa to see that his son is being properly trained up as a brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Everything is there. The brāhmaṇas should be taught how to become truthful, first of all. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lie, at any cost. It is stated that even if his enemy inquires something confidential from him, he'll say, "Yes, this is my position." This is truthfulness. He'll not even, I mean to say, guile, against his enemy. He should be truthful. Even kṣatriyas, they are also truthful men. Truthfulness is so valuable. That makes one powerful brāhmaṇa. Satyam.
There is an instance how a brāhmaṇa is recognized. Satyakam yavala(?). Upaniṣads. This satyakam went to Gautama Muni. "Sir, please make me your disciple." So according to Vedic principle, without becoming a brāhmaṇa he cannot be accepted as disciple. Without becoming brāhmaṇa. In our Society also, we do not accept a disciple unless he's brahminically qualified: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. These are brahminical.
If I say... He asked me, "Swamiji, how many children you have got?" I told him I have got at home three boys and two girls. And he told me that "I understood that you have got fifteen children." So that means, anyway, if you want to know about me, then you must know from me. That is authentic. That is authentic. Or from a confidential person who is confidence of me. Similarly, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then here is Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. You just try to understand and you learn Kṛṣṇa. Or you learn confirmation. Suppose if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, or by hearing Bhagavad-gītā, then you know that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, and Arjuna has admitted about his understanding in the Tenth Chapter. So just try to understand Arjuna. How he understands? Either you understand Kṛṣṇa directly, or you understand through the authority who was spoken directly by the Lord.
We have, by chance, fallen into this material contamination and we have made our relationship with so many material things, so that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Now, the whole process is to revive our consciousness to Kṛṣṇa. For that purpose, Kṛṣṇa comes Himself or Kṛṣṇa keeps this Bhagavad-gītā for you or Kṛṣṇa sends His confidential devotees to you, to canvass you, "Come to the point and be happy." That is the whole process. So ātma-rati, ātma-rati, self-satisfaction.
You will find at Vṛndāvana, oh, so many great devotees. Just like these Gosvāmīs, about whom we pray daily. Now, about them it is stated, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Now, these people were very aristocratic. Maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders of great society. So they gave up. When they joined Lord Caitanya's movement they gave up everything. They resigned from ministership. The Nawab Shah was very much sorry.
And so far philosophers are concerned, one philosopher tries to defeat another philosopher. That is the philosophical way. So nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Therefore this truth of religion is very confidential. Nihitaṁ guhāyām. Guhāyām means it is very confidential.
Now, how to know it? Now, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "You just try to find out great men, great men of religious life, and you just try to follow." Now, you may have in your own ideal some great men. No. They are also checked. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam twelve different personalities have been described that "These persons are great men." So we have to follow their principle and, or their, in the principle in their disciplic succession. Then we can fulfill. The same thing is here also described. Yad yad ācarati śresthas lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21).
So impersonal conception is not purified intelligence. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. You may think that "I have become liberated," but it is not. Why? Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). After so much trouble and austerity, penances, you may acquire the position in the impersonal Brahman, but there is chance of falling down from there. Patanty adhaḥ.
Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they could not find out how to worship Your lotus feet." So unless you come to the personal form of the Absolute Truth, there is difficulty and there is chance of falling down. (break)
He never said, "My avatāra." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇam. Otherwise he'll be misguided. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). This is the most confidential information. Guhyatamam. Sarva-guhyatamam. So if you want to take the most confidential instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That is wanted.
Another has got different theory. So philosophers also cannot give you the real truth. So neither you can understand the real truth simply by going through different scriptures, nor you can understand the real truth simply by your logical force or argument. So dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The, the, I mean to say, the mystery of Absolute Truth is very confidential, very confidential. Then how I can understand? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "If you follow the mahājana, the authorities, then you can understand." Therefore, this authority, this disciplic succession...
In India there are disciplic successions. Now, so far we are concerned, we are following the disciplic succession. Just like Rāmānujācārya and the Madhvācārya and Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī. So we try to understand the Vedic literatures from our superior spiritual master. That is the process. Just like Arjuna is trying to understand from Bhagavad-gītā, or from Kṛṣṇa, similarly, if we want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, then we have to understand it from Arjuna, not from any other person.
The Lord says that "This confidential yoga system was explained by Me formerly to the sun-god, Vivasvān." There is, in every planet, there is a chief man or chief deity, and he has got different names. Just like in heavenly planet, there is also chief man or chief deity who is called Indra. Or the moon planet, he is called Candra. The sun planet, he is called Vivasvān. This is the name of the chief man. Just like in your country the chief man is called the president, or in other countries they call him so many... In some countries the chief man is called the king or the president, like that. So this is post. You can also occupy that post. If you are qualified, you can become the president of your country. Similarly, the post of sun-god, Vivasvān, also you can occupy if you are qualified. You can occupy the post of Brahmā. This is... They are also living entities like us. Just like President Johnson is also a living entity like you, but he is elevated to that position for his quality, similarly, if you attain such quality, you can become the chief deity or chief man in many other planets.
That is Kṛṣṇa's... As soon as you become devotee, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3).
Just like here also, if you have got a very intimate friend, he wants how you can be happy. So dṛḍham iti, iṣṭo 'si me dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi: "I am not speaking to the rascals. I am speaking to you, because you are My most confidential friend." What is that?
- man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
- mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
- mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
- pratijāne priyo 'si me
- (BG 18.65)
"You are My dear friend." This is... Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "Whatever I've spoken, they are all nonsense. There is sense, but the truth which I am speaking to you just now, 'You just become My devotee, just think of Me, just offer your obeisances unto Me, just work for Me,' this is the most confidential." But those who are not able to understand, they are not to be spoken.
Because he's so powerful. If that is possible for ordinary material things, how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa? So we should not discuss the rāsa-līlā generally. Because unless one is advanced in spiritual consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not try to understand what is rāsa-līlā. It is very confidential. It is meant for the liberated souls, those who are liberated by devotional service. Actually, those who are engaged in devotional service, they are liberated. They are not within the material world.
- māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
- bhakti-yogena sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
So this rāsa-līlā is to relished by the paramahaṁsas, liberated souls. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. Vāstavaṁ vedyam. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). Paramo nirmatsarāṇām. Vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra.
Similarly, the incarnation of God, God Himself or His representative, son, any... Because... Just like, if we have to do some business seriously, we send our very responsible man to transact, similarly, for the deliverance of the fallen souls here in this material world, sometimes the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa comes, sometimes sends His very confidential and representative to reclaim. The mission is the same. The mission is the same, to reclaim the fallen souls. To reclaim the fallen souls.
God is very compassionate to see our miseries here. We do not know. We do not... We have forgotten what sort... Although we are in miseries, we have, we are trying to adjust the miseries. We are trying to adjust the miseries. But we, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore we are not meant for all these miseries. We must know it. We are not meant for all these miseries. But we have voluntarily accepted these material miseries.
Just like sons are part and parcel of the father. Father's body extends as son and daughter. Similarly we are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's body. We are vibhinnāṁśa. Kṛṣṇa expands in two ways, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The vibhinnāṁśa expansion we are, we living entities. But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, we have come to enjoy this material world, we are becoming infected with the modes of material nature, and accepting different types of body, 8,400,000 species of life. But somehow or other if we come in contact with Kṛṣṇa, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa's confidential devotees, then our life becomes success. That is described here. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Then this transmigration of the soul stops. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti.
Punar janma naiti, does not mean that soul is finished. No. This body, material body, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This material body, when it is dissolved, pañcatvaṁ prāpta, mixes with these five elements, earth, water, fire, air, it does not mean that the soul is finished.
He says, "My dear Arjuna, I have spoken to you all about Bhagavad-gītā. I do not know whether you have understood the whole thing or not, but because you are My friend and I love you and you love Me, I say you the most confidential thing to you. And what is that? You give up everything and just follow Me. You just give up all your concocted things in the mind and just become Kṛṣṇa conscious."
"Oh, I shall give up everything and simply I shall follow You?" "Yes." "Oh, how can I do? I have got so many department of knowledge and department of things. How can I?" No. He says, mā śucaḥ: "Don't hesitate." Now, what will be the result? The result will be ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall deliver you from all reactions of your sinful acts."
This is the process. If you have got any doubt, that "Why should I take the leadership of Kṛṣṇa?" the answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is the real study of Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that "Arjuna, you are My dear friend. Therefore, although I have explained all the different branches of, I mean to say, spiritual cultivation, but the most confidential thing just I am telling you because you are My very dear friend." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Just give up everything, and just be surrendered unto Me. I shall give you all protection." So instead of accepting so many infidel or imperfect leadership, let us accept the leadership of Kṛṣṇa and make our life perfect. That is the whole philosophy.
Now, in the next śloka the Lord says,
- kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
- yajanta iha devatāḥ
- kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
- siddhir bhavati karma-jā
Now, I accept some particular class of leader because I belong to that status of ideas. So therefore you know that in the Vedic literature there are names of many demigods. Sometimes the Hindus are criticized that "Hindus have got many gods." But they are not the Supreme God.
Lord Rāmacandra's mūrti and Kṛṣṇa's mūrti, there is no difference. But as I have already explained, Kṛṣṇa paraṁ brahma full-fledged, and Lord Rāmacandra is also paraṁ brahma, but He did not exhibit His full-fledged opulence. So these are very confidential things, but still, on the birthday of Lord Rāmacandra we offer our respectful obeisances at His lotus feet so that He may be merciful upon us to bestow His bhakti, devotional service.
We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the śāstra, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). So although there is no difference between Śrī Rāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Kṛṣṇa disappeared from the rāsa dance and the gopīs were very much eager to find out Kṛṣṇa again.
There are six kinds of philosophers in India. So philosopher means he must decry another philosopher. He must give a new theory. So nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. That will also not help. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. It is very confidential subject matter.
Mahājano yena gataḥ so panthāḥ. Then you accept the mahājana. Mahājana means following the paramparā system. According to Vedic system, there are twelve mahājanas. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ, janako bhīṣmaḥ and vaiyāsakir vayam (SB 6.3.20), like that. I am just now forgetting. Excuse me. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilo kumāraḥ manuḥ, prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Prahlāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja, this gṛhastha. Amongst these mahājanas, there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, and there are gṛhasthas also. So it does not mean only the sannyāsī and brahmacārī can become mahājana. There are gṛhasthas also. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is gṛhastha. Brahmā is gṛhastha. Svayambhū. Svayambhū. Nārada is brahmacārī.
If anyone knows perfectly, then he becomes the spiritual master.
And there is need of spiritual master at the present moment. We require thousands of spiritual master to preach all over the world this science of Kṛṣṇa, the science of Kṛṣṇa. That will solve all problems of the world. Take it from me. We discussed amongst our confidential devotees here, and they agreed that actually this is the science which can mitigate all the problems of the world.
So yaj jñātvā punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi. So Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna... He's addressing Arjuna because Arjuna is hearing as representative of us. He was not speaking to Arjuna alone, but He was speaking to all the human race. So yaj jñātvā na punar moham: "By understanding this science then you cannot go, you cannot be illusioned." Because Arjuna was illusioned and he was not prepared to fight, so this instruction was given, this Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to Arjuna.
Indian man (2): The Bhagavad-gītā is the confidential message of from Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Can Swamiji please explain how is it that Sañjaya is to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and how it came to pass that Vyāsadeva wrote the Bhagavad-gītā?
Prabhupāda: It is just like television nowadays. You can see things happening thousands of miles away in television, and you can explain to your friends. This is like that. It is a question of seeing power. So now we have got the instrument, television machine. It is not difficult to understand. In the football ground the matches is going on, and it is being relayed in your room. It is alike that.
This was taught by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). Sa aṅga upāṅga astra. Astra means weapons. Just like these Pakistanis are fighting with machine gun, Caitanya Mahāprabhu fought with māyā not with machine gun but with His most confidential associates.
- śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda
- śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)
His fighting weapons were Śrī Advaita Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, and other many devotees.
So his wife wanted to speak with my Guru Mahārāja. My Guru Mahārāja was at that time not less than sixty or more than that, and the girl, my friend's wife, she was not more than twenty-two years. But actually, she was just like his granddaughter. But she proposed, "Sir, I wanted to speak with you something confidentially." My Guru Mahārāja said, "Oh, no, no. I cannot speak with you confidentially. You can speak whatever you like here." Just see. "I cannot speak." Now the so much age difference, so much, I mean to say, affection, still, he refused: "No, no. I cannot talk with you confidentially because you are woman."
So a sannyāsī is forbidden not to talk even in private place with woman. But a householder, he, if he associates woman under marriage tie, then it is religious. And without this, this is irreligious. And that religious sex life is God. Religious sex life is God. This should be followed. If we, every one of us reading Bhagavad-gītā, every one of us, at least... So far India is concerned, that is a different thing.
So you cannot conclude what is real thing. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Therefore the truth, real truth, is lying in the very confidential part of your body." Then what is to be done? Now, best thing is mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "You just try to follow the higher authorities."
So Kṛṣṇa is the higher authority. Kṛṣṇa is the higher authority. If we accept Him and follow this instruction, and if we believe Him, then we get perfection. There is no doubt about it. Of course, these philosophical questions are difficult. It may not be very interesting. But it is..., they are to be understood. Actually, if we want to get out of ignorance, these books are meant for driving our ignorance. And as we become out of the ignorance, so we become free from this material entanglement. But at the present age people are not so intelligent that they can follow.
You must act accordingly, that you are not material; you are spiritual. That spiritual activity is called Kṛṣ..., act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is called rāja-vidyā, the king of all education.
Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyam. Rāja-guhyam. Rāja-guhyam means confidential, very confidential. It is not possible to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very easily, but by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it is very easily delivered to us through this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has discussed a very analytical study of the living entity. He has analyzed that the living entities... There are innumerable living entities all over the universe. If you dig earth, you'll find many living entities. If you make a study of the air, you'll find many living entities. If you go deep into the water, you'll find living entities.
You cannot manufacture your work. That you cannot do. Arjuna did not manufacture. Arjuna acted by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, if we do by the order of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, there is no question of sinful activities. There is no question of sinful... So this is rāja-guhyam. We cannot understand sometimes rāja-guhyam; therefore it is very confidential.
- rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
- pavitram idam uttamam
- pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
- su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam
- (BG 9.2)
Dharma. This is real dharma. To execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is real dharma. We cannot manufacture dharma, I have several times explained. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order of Kṛṣṇa.
Otherwise you can manufacture so many other dharmas—that is not dharma; that is your concocted dharma. But real dharma this is: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī... This is most confidential dharma. So anyone who is not interested in this dharma, but he manufactures his own dharma, then what happens to him? Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa aprāpya mām: (BG 9.3) "He does not get Me." Does not get. This is the mission of human life—to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). The real mission of life: how to go back to Kṛṣṇa, how to go back to Vaikuṇṭha-loka, the spiritual world. That is real mission. But that we do not know; therefore is most confidential. People do not know it that there is another world, the spiritual world, there is Vaikuṇṭha-loka. This, this material world is one-fourth creation. Atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna ekāṁśena viṣṭabhya aham kṛṣṇena.
When a, when a man goes to see a saintly person, or goes to a temple, he takes some fruit, as far as he, as he can acquire. So giving and taking, eating and feeding. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. You have to hear Bhagavad-gītā and, if you have got any distress, you have got any confidential thing, you have to submit to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I am in suffering this way. I am fallen in this tossing ocean of material illusion. Kindly save me. I can understand now that I have no identification with this material world. I am simply put here." Just like if I am put into the Atlantic Ocean, I have no identification with the ocean, but I am subjected to the tossing waves of the ocean, similarly, we are spiritual spark, fragmental part of Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other, we put into this material ocean, and there is tossing. So I am being tossed. Don't identify. Don't try to solve the tossing. That is not possible. If you want to make solution of the tossing waves of the Atlantic Ocean when you are fallen there, it is useless foolishness. That is not possible. Don't be foolish in that way.
Because one philosopher is giving one opinion, another philosopher is... Because nāsāv ṛṣir yasya...: "A philosopher is not philosopher if he does not cut another philosopher." That is going on. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Therefore the purport of spiritual life is very confidential." How I can learn? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Therefore we will accept the footprint of those recognized ācāryas." Ācāryopāsanam.
So Kṛṣṇa is the best and foremost ācārya, and He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In India all schools of, I mean to say, transcendentalists, the impersonalists and the personalists, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it. So here the Lord says Himself that "I eat." So we cannot say that He does not eat. "He does not eat"—in favor of my conclusion, there is no evidence. But here is the evidence, accepted evidence, that God eats. If God eats, then why don't you offer Him to eat?
Now in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, in the fourth chapter, we have discussed this point that the Bhagavad-gītā was specifically instructed to Arjuna for his only one qualification that he was a devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam (BG 4.3). The Lord said that "The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is very confidential. So, without becoming a pure and unalloyed devotee of Mine, it is very difficult to understand." Actually it is so.
In, in the market you'll have so many commentaries of the Bhagavad-gītā. In India we have counted, there are about six hundred and forty-five different commentaries of Bhagavad-gītā. One Dr. Rele(?) of Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā as the talks between the patient and the medical practitioner. Yes. He has imposed on Kṛṣṇa as the physician and Arjuna as the patient. And in his commentary he has tried to, I mean to say, interpose all the meanings of anatomy, physiology, everything in his own imagination.
He'll say sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are speaking, I accept. I accept it.' So that should be the process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I don't like this. So I'll reject this portion. I like this portion, therefore I accept it. This sort of studying Bhagavad-gītā is useless, nonsense. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). "Whatever You have said, I accept it." That is stated.
Similarly, a teacher of Bhagavad-gītā should be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa means a confidential devotee, unalloyed devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The same thing. He also accepted Kṛṣṇa as his... The student also should be like that. Then the study of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect. Otherwise, it is useless waste of time.
There is a nice verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is said,
- satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
- bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
- taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
- śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
- (SB 3.25.25)
If one, anyone wants to understand the spiritual science or the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he should associate himself with the satām, those who are pure devotees, those who are pure devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. When discussions take place between pure devotees, then the potency of spiritual knowledge, as they are depicted in the scriptures and sacred books, they become revealed. Simply armchair, I mean to say, mental speculators, discussing on Bhagavad-gītā, that is useless, futile.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
They are not stories. It comes from the Purāṇa. Purāṇa means filling up, supplementary, to complete it. Purāṇas, they are not out of the Vedic literatures. Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇa, they are all belonging to the Vedic literature. Especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-Purāṇa. Therefore Mahā-Purāṇa... Why Mahā-Purāṇa? Purāṇa-guhyam. Very confidential Purāṇa.
There are sāttvika-purāṇa, rājasika-purāṇa, tāmasika-purāṇa. Three kinds of purāṇas. So the aim is to take the leader on the liberation platform, but according to the quality. In the tāmasika-purāṇa there are recommendations for goddess Kālī and other. And rājasika-purāṇa there is recommendation for yajña or worshiping the demigods in the heavenly planet, Indra, Candra. But in the sāttvika-purāṇa only about Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, is recommended to be worshiped. So this is called purāṇa-guhyam because in this Purāṇa you won't find any recommendation for worshiping any other demigod. Simply satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Only the absolute.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes and instructs that "My dear sons, My dear part and parcel, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You are suffering here in this material world repeatedly, birth after birth. Still, you are not in sense." Therefore He said to Arjuna that "Because you are My intimate friend, I am just instructing you the most confidential part of dharma." What is that? Now, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is your duty." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching the same principle. What Kṛṣṇa taught five thousand years ago in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra to Arjuna, we are broadcasting the same message. We have not manufactured anything new. That is not dharma. Dharma cannot be manufactured. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law cannot be manufactured. If you manufacture some law at your home, that will not be accepted. Maybe some people, your friend, your relatives or your family members, may accept.
So those who are karmīs, they are not talked about here, tattva, because they are not interested in tattva-jijñāsā. They are interested in āhāra-nidrā-bhaya. Viṣayī. Viṣayiṇām sandarśanam (CC Madhya 11.8). Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, He was very strict sannyāsī. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu. If you are interested... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by His confidential devotee to allow a meeting with Mahārāja Pratāparudra. Oh, He immediately refused, "No, no, I cannot see a king." He was so strict. "A king is simply interested with politics and money, so what shall I do by meeting him? No, no, I cannot meet him." Refused. So in that connection He composed one śloka, verse, bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya: "Those who are interested to go to the other side of the spiritual world," bhava-sāgarasya jigamiṣoḥ, "that such person, for such person," viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca, "to see the viṣayīs interested in simply eating, sleeping, mating, such persons, and yoṣit, and woman," hā hanta, hā hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu, "oḥ, for him, this kind of action is more abominable than drinking poison."
Therefore, when it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tviṣā akṛṣṇam, "He is not black," that means "He is pīta, He is yellow." Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). "He is always associated by His devotees."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so long He lived on this planet, He was always associated with the devotees. The most confidential devotees, Caitanya Mahāprabhu: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, the central point, prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. So sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is always chanting Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, tviṣā akṛṣṇam, but His bodily complexion is not like that. And other feature: sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, and He is always associated with His devotees. They are His soldiers. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. In other incarnation, Kṛṣṇa comes with weapon. As Lord Rāmacandra He came with bows and arrows. As Kṛṣṇa He came with disc and club. Here Kṛṣṇa has come compassionately to distribute mercy to the fallen souls. So He has not taken any astra, any weapon.
Therefore it is prasādam. Therefore it is prasādam.
So we do not know how to know Kṛṣṇa's activities. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). These are all transcendental subject. Here also, it is said, janma guhyaṁ bhagavataḥ. Very confidential. These mysteries, confidence, are open to the confidential devotees. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). One who is devotee, He understands everything. Others cannot understand. Others, they will think, "Oh, they are worshiping an idol, and unnecessarily spending money for preparing prasādam." They will see like that. But a devotee knows how Kṛṣṇa is eating, how Kṛṣṇa's prasādam is being prepared. Everything He knows because He is bhakta.
Therefore one should try to become a devotee. Then everything will be disclosed to him. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). God will be revealed, and he will see everywhere God. Without any cessation twenty-four hours, he will see God. So as it is prescribed in the authorized śāstras and directed by spiritual master, if you follow the principles, it is not very difficult to see God, to understand God. It is very easy.
Therefore one who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, or God, is very fortunate. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who surrenders, he's not ordinary man. He is greater than all scholars, all philosophers, all yogis, all karmīs. Topmost man, one who surrenders. Therefore it is very confidential. So our teaching, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is, is a process of teaching people how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says this is a confidential... Nobody will accept. But one who takes the risk, "Please, surrender..." So when you go to preach, you know the preachers are sometimes attacked. Just like Nityānanda Prabhu was attacked by Jagāi-Mādhāi. And when Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, killed... So a preacher has the risk. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "These field workers who are engaged in preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, they are very, very dear to Me. Very, very dear to Me."
"There is nobody dearer to Me than that person who preaches this confidential truth to the people."
Therefore if we want to please Kṛṣṇa, we have to take this risk. Kṛṣṇa, guru. My spiritual master took this risk, preaching work, and he inspired us also to do that preaching work. And we are also imploring you to take this preaching work. So this preaching work, however, I mean to say, I mean to say, poorly we do... Poorly—it is not poor, but suppose I am not very much educated. Just like this boy. If I send him for preaching work, he is not very educated now. He's not a philosopher. He's not a scholar. But he can also preach. He can also preach. Because our preaching is not very difficult thing. If we go from door to door and simply request people, "My dear sir, you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat
- sākṣād bhagavatoditam
- anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ
- kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ
- (SB 1.5.30)
Translation: "As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedāntas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject which is instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
Prabhupāda:
- jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat
- sākṣād bhagavatoditam
- anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ
- kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ
So yesterday we have been discussing the symptoms of guru and the symptoms of disciple—who is actual disciple and who is actual guru. It is stated by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura,
- sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
- uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
- kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya
- vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **
So guru's position is very exalted. Exal... Why exalted? Because he is the confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. One... Suppose you want to do some business and..., with some firm, and a representative comes to transact business, naturally, one tries to satisfy that representative so that the business can be done very fairly. This is natural psychology. Similarly, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Guru is very dear to Kṛṣṇa because his business is to serve Kṛṣṇa. His business is to execute the will of Kṛṣṇa.
So we should take any līlā of Kṛṣṇa as Supreme. Not that simply the most confidential... The vṛndāvana-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's līlā with the gopīs, is the most confidential līlā. We should not entertain this confidential līlā unless we are liberated. It is very difficult subject. And because they cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa's līlā, they imitate, they fall down. There are so many things. We do not wish to discuss. But we should be... If we are actually serious about advancing in kṛṣṇa-līlā, then we must know first of all what is Kṛṣṇa, what He desires, and how we shall act. Then we can enter into the confidential part of Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Otherwise we shall misunderstand and fall down.
So the... Here it is said that sākṣād bhagavatoditam, uditam. That... What is Bhāgavata, Bhāgavata? Kṛṣṇa never says that "First of all you hear My līlā with the gopīs." He never says that. He first of all says that "You surrender unto Me." First of all learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. First of all learn how to love Kṛṣṇa.
I have got the propensity for sense gratification there is no possibility for understanding Vṛndāvana. There is no possibility." It is the statement of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He says viṣaya chāṛiyā kabe śuddha. Viṣaya means this āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. If you are still inclined for eating, sleeping and sex life, there is no possibility of understanding what is Vṛndāvana.
So these are the instructions. These are the confidential message given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers. That is yena. If you follow this yena gacchanti tat-padam, then you are sure going back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. And that is the highest perfection of life.
Therefore it is said, sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ kṛtvānukramya cātma-jam. It is very confidential subject matter. He taught it, instructed to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Ātma-jam. Like father, like son. There is no difference between son and disciple. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has equalized,
- lālane bahavo doṣās
- tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ
- tasmāt putraṁ ca śiṣyaṁ ca
- tāḍayen na tu lālayet
That is the, I mean to say, Vedic system—to teach the son and teach the disciple. If one cannot teach the son—the son is disobedient—he should give up his family life. Otherwise a father is in obligation to teach the son properly. But if it is not possible... Sometimes it so happens as family members, they do not take care. Otherwise Vyāsadeva's son is expected to become Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
He wants to manufacture something. Don't do that. Here Arjuna is mahājana, he's Kṛṣṇa's friend, he's always with Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa recognizes him. Not that because one is always with Kṛṣṇa, therefore he knows Kṛṣṇa. No. That is not possible. Just like I have given this example many times, that I am sitting here, and the bug is also sitting here. That does not mean we are very confidential. No. Bug is different visions (business?), and my business different. And bug's business is biting. That kind of association will not help. Association means to develop love for the person. That is association.
- dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
- guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
- bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
- ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam
So we have to become associate of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna became. Always with Kṛṣṇa-eating with Kṛṣṇa, sitting with Kṛṣṇa, talking with Kṛṣṇa, joking with Kṛṣṇa, fighting with Kṛṣṇa—everything Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Not a single moment. Therefore Kṛṣṇa certifies, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "My dear Arjuna, you are very dear to Me." Naturally if Arjuna is always with Kṛṣṇa, sitting with Kṛṣṇa, talking with Kṛṣṇa, consulting with Kṛṣṇa, joking with Kṛṣṇa, eating with Kṛṣṇa, so why he should not be very dear? Kṛṣṇa, does He remain with anyone unless he is very dear? So bhakto 'si priyo 'si me sakhā ceti.
Pradyumna: "It was by Droṇācārya's mercy that you learned the military art of throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons."
Prabhupāda:
- sarahasyo dhanur-vedaḥ
- savisargopasaṁyamaḥ
- astra-grāmaś ca bhavatā
- śikṣito yad-anugrahāt
- (SB 1.7.44)
This is also another Vedic civilization, that if you are benefited by somebody, you should always remain obliged to him. Śikṣito yad-anugrahāt. There is one Bengali proverb, guru-māra-vidyā. "Guru, you learn from him first of all, then kill him. Don't care for guru." This is demonic. By the grace of guru you learn something. Then when you learn something, then you become greater than him, don't care for guru. This is demonic. Even if you have learned something, you must feel always obliged, ataḥ padarśayat(?).
Pradyumna: "Dhanur-veda or military science, was taught by Droṇācārya with all its confidential secrets of throwing and controlling by Vedic hymns. Gross military science is dependent on material weapons, but finer than that is the art of throwing arrows saturated with Vedic hymns, which act more effectively than gross material weapons like machine guns or atomic bombs. The control is by Vedic mantras, or the transcendental science of sound. It is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Mahārāja Daśaratha, the father of Lord Śrī Rāma, used to control arrows by sound only. He could pierce his target with his arrow by hearing the sound only, without seeing the object. So this is a finer military science than that of the gross material military weapons..."
Prabhupāda: It is called śabda-vedī. He who... Just like I cannot see where is the bird. He's chirping. But śabda-vedī, I can throw wherever the bird is, it will go and kill. That is called śabda-vedī. Mahārāja Daśaratha used it. Therefore he was cursed that he would die being aggrieved when Rāmacandra will be banished.
You try to understand Kṛṣṇa not by speculation, but as Kṛṣṇa says, as God says, or as a Kṛṣṇa devotee says. Just like Kuntī. Kuntī is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. She said that "You are prakṛteḥ param." She is authority. She is authority, because devotee, every devotee, pure devotee, they are confidential. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become her nephew? Just like Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become the son of Yaśodāmāyi or Devakī, similarly, He has accepted to become a nephew of Kuntīdevī. This prayer was offered by Kuntī when Kṛṣṇa was taking leave. After establishing them, after the battle of Kurukṣetra, when everything was settled up and Kṛṣṇa was going back to Dvārakā, so He came to offer His respects to His aunt, Kuntīdevī, and when the farewell was taking place, Kuntī offered this prayer to Kṛṣṇa. Namasye, namasye. He happens to be nephew, but she is offering his obeisances. Because (s)he knows, "He is playing the part of my nephew, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
So he was akiñcana. So similarly... Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was gṛhastha, very opulent, governor. He is also akiñcana because nothing was possessed by personal; everything for Jagannātha. This is distinction. On one side, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and one side, Rāmānanda Rāya. And Rāmānanda Rāya is the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he's a gṛhastha, because he is akiñcana, as akiñcana as Rūpa Gosvāmī. So we have to become akiñcana. Akiñcana. Then we shall realize Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, akiñcana-gocaram: "You are understandable only by a person who does not possess so-called material opulence." So we should always remember that whatever we are trying for material..., it is all for Kṛṣṇa, nothing for us. So that people may... Big, gorgeous temple means people will be attracted to come here, and we'll distribute Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. The aim is some way or other to turn them to convert them into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you remain akiñcana. And if we think that "We have got now very big house.
"Because I know simply by glorifying Your Lordship, I am..., I can do that." Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). That is quite possible. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. So a pure Vaiṣṇava like Haridāsa Ṭhākura can simply chant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised anyone, especially His confidential devotees... Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. He was advised that "You chant and don't eat very palatable food. Don't dress yourself very gorgeously." This instruction... But the chanting. Everyone was advised, whoever went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You chant."
So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I know..." Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. "I can... I have no problem because I have understood what is the value of chanting Your holy name. But I have got another business." What is that? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "I am simply concerned with these rascals who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious."
So these activities are going on not only in the human society. The animal society also. Animal society, aquatic, because everyone is Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, sons. So they are rotting in this material world. So Kṛṣṇa has a plan, a big plan to deliver them. Personally He comes. Sometimes He sends His very confidential devotee. Sometimes He comes Himself. Sometimes He leaves instructions like Bhagavad-gītā. The whole propaganda is going on. Therefore it is said here: tiryaṅ nṛ, tiryaṅ nṛ ṛṣiṣu. Everywhere Kṛṣṇa's incarnation is there. Yādaḥsu. Aquatics also.
Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared as the Fish Incarnation. Tad atyanta-viḍambanam (SB 1.8.30). So Kṛṣṇa's disappearance and appearance, His taking birth, these are all bewildering. It is not that... We are forced to take birth. We are, we are , we living entities, conditioned souls, we are transmigrating from one body to another, being forced by the laws of nature. But Kṛṣṇa does not appear by being forced by the laws of nature. That is the difference.
He's becoming the son, dependent son of Mother Yaśodā. So Kṛṣṇa is variety. Without variety, there cannot be enjoyment. So therefore variety of instruction also.
So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Kṛṣṇa is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Kṛṣṇa, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Kṛṣṇa. The mind is meant for Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, so pārakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Kṛṣṇa. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and serve Him, then our life is perfect.
They think that Kṛṣṇa is ordinary young boy, and the gopīs are young girls, and as they read novel and dramas, one man, one woman, their activities, they think Bhāgavata is like that. They think... Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ. They think like that. The gopīs, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, it is most confidential part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is to be relished by the liberated soul, not these ordinary persons who have got sex attraction. They are unfit for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rāsa-līlā. Unfit.
So unfortunately, these professional reciters, they do not begin Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the very beginning, where Vedānta-sūtra is discussed. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Bhāgavata begins with this word of Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. So it is the, in the beginning, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has recommended, therefore, one should learn Bhāgavatam from a person who knows Vedānta-sūtra.
If you want to make one friends, then these six kinds of dealings must be there. Dadāti. Dadāti means there must be... One must give something to the other, a friend. Just like I am friend. You are friend. I give you something. In return you give me something. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. I open my mind to you, you also inquire confidential things from me. Or I inquire. Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. And then bhuṅkte bhojayate. Whatever you give me, I eat. And I give you, you eat. By these six kinds of dealing, prīti, love increases.
So in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we practice this. As far as possible, we are giving and taking. We are... We have made this program, life membership. We are giving our books, knowledge. Whatever we have got, little knowledge, we have written in our books, we are giving them: "Take it." And they are also giving: "Take this eleven hundred rupees." So this is dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. And they also come here to inquire: "Swamiji, your movement is very nice. What is the meaning of this?
Pradyumna: "He therefore called for some of the confidential demigods to appear in the Yadu family and serve Him in His great mission. After the mission was fulfilled, the demigods, by the will of the Lord, relinquished their corporeal bodies by fighting amongst themselves in the madness of intoxication. The demigods are accustomed to drinking soma-rasa beverage, and therefore the drinking of wine..."
Prabhupāda: Now, we can take one lesson that intoxication is so bad that it had a bad effect in the family of God, Yadu dynasty. And what to speak of others? Intoxication is so bad. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Therefore the drinking of wine and intoxication are not unknown to them. Sometimes they were put into trouble for indulging in intoxication. Once the sons of Kuvera fell in the wrath of Nārada for being intoxicated, but afterwards they regained their original forms by the grace of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is goodness. One may be intoxicated. When he comes to his senses that "This is not good," then he is godly. That is the difference. But the demon cannot understand that. They continue. Just like our devotees. They are all godly.
This priya. Priya is word. So therefore try to become priya of Kṛṣṇa. Do, act in such a way that Kṛṣṇa can understand that you are very dear to Him.
And the very simple thing is that ya idaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. This confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā... What is that? Bhagavad-gītā preaching essence: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Simply go and preach. This very thing. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Preach to the world, "Just be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manāḥ. "Just become Kṛṣṇa's devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. "Just worship Kṛṣṇa." Mad-yājī mām... "Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa." Four words. Then you become a preacher. It is not very difficult to become a preacher and to become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. You have nothing to manufacture, Dr. Frog.
Why shall I do it? Why shall I do? What benefit I shall get?" So many questions will be there. But when there is love, there is no question. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, after teaching so many things, yoga, jñāna, karma and so many other things, at last, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-guhyatamam: "Now I am speaking to you the most confidential instruction." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). This is the most confidential.
So generally, a human being accepts four principles, namely dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Dharma means religious principle; artha means economic principle, how to develop economic principle; dharma, kāma, how to satisfy our senses; and mokṣa, and ultimately, salvation. But this is material principles. We have to surpass this material principle, then come to the spiritual platform. That is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... Sarva-dharmān (BG 18.66). This is also dharma. So just like people are engaged formally.
Otherwise, if you make me a dictionary, that go on questioning, there will be no end. That should not be done. Now, we have not discussed here about Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Of course, this is also relevant question, but the public will not understand. We are discussing on general subject matter. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa discussion is very confidential. You have to go to the platform first of all by understanding Kṛṣṇa. You see? Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-tattva is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the Tenth Canto. So first of all you have to go through the nine cantos very carefully. Then you will understand. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi (CC Adi 1.5). If you want to discuss about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, that is not in the public meeting. They are very confidential subject matter. People may misunderstand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Generally, questions should be put on the subject matter discussed in the meeting. That should be the point. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-tattva is very confidential, for higher status of understanding. Yes?
There are two things, inside and outside. So Kṛṣṇa is... Outside He is helping, spiritual master. Spiritual master is external manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Just like if somebody is going somewhere in this Tokyo city. I have to say something. So I apply him, "Will you kindly carry this message to him?" Similarly, Kṛṣṇa deputes some of His confidential devotees to help the people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious: "Please go and tell him this." The spiritual master is, therefore, external manifestation of the Supreme Lord. And internally He is sitting there as Paramātmā. So both ways, He is helping. And because the business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore there is no difference between the external teacher and the internal teacher. Because teaching is the same.
Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura..., sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstras, the spiritual master is accepted as directly Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead," because he is carrying directly the message of Hari.
So that is the position. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **. So we can interpret... When the Christian people say that... Just like they say "only son." So we can interpret... Of course, we are not going to interpret. We can take it that anyone who becomes confidential... Just like father position. He has got many sons. One son who is very obedient, he says, "He is my only son, and others not sons." Does he not, father say, sometimes? "Actually he is my son." Sometimes father says like that. But that does not mean that he has got only one son. He has got many sons, but all of them are useless, worthless. He is only bona fide.
Similar statement is there by Tulasī dāsa. He says—Tulasī dāsa was some Hindi poet—that "The put, the son, and mut, the urine, they come through the same source." That's a fact. Put and mut. Put means son, and mut means urine. So when we beget son, the same genital; when we pass urine, the same genital.
Pradyumna: "When we speak of the king, it is naturally understood that the king is accompanied by his confidential associates like his secretary, private secretary, aide-de-camp, ministers, advisors, etc."
Prabhupāda: Otherwise what is the meaning of king? "God is imperson. God is zero"—what is this nonsense God? If our great conception, king or president, we understand is a great personality, if in this tiny material world in one corner of this planet there is a big president like Nixon and he has got secretary, his staff, his this and that, so many things, and why God should be without any associates, nirākāra, nirviśeṣa, zero? What kind of God? He must be associated with so many associates. Then?
Pradyumna: "So also, when we see the Lord, we see Him with His different energies, associates, and confidential servitors, etc. So the Supreme Lord who is the leader of all living entities, the Lord of all devotee sects, the Lord of all opulences, the Lord of sacrifices, and the enjoyer of everything in this entire creation, is not only the Supreme Person, but also He is always surrounded by His immediate associates, all engaged in their loving, transcendental service to Him."
Prabhupāda: Śriya-pati. Śriya, the goddess of fortune. He is not only sātvatāṁ patim. He is not only the Lord of the devotees. So therefore if we accept the Lord of everything, then where is the question of our poverty? If your father is very big man, very rich man, then where is the question of poverty? So devotee renounces. But a devotee has got all the opulences of the Supreme Lord, background. So he doesn't want to be opulent himself, but the background is all-opulent. If need be... Just like a small child, a very rich man's son. So he may remain a simple child, but all the property of his father is there on his back.
These are the wonderful activities. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he practically became Muhammadan. Why practically? Absolutely. He was rejected by the brāhmaṇa society because he was minister, he was mixing with the Muhammadan and everything. He was eating with them. So the brāhmaṇa society rejected him. The name was also changed, Sakara Mallika. Nawab Hussain Shah's very confidential man. Nawab Hussain Shah was keeping Sanātana Gosvāmī as his representative in everything. The government was being managed by him. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted them, and they became the Gosvāmīs, Sanātana Gosvāmī.
So in this movement, no such consideration, who is who. Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is first class, that's all. So our principle should be how to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious. Then our mission will be successful. Either as gṛhastha, as a vānaprastha, as sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. Philosophy, the truth, should be preached. Everyone will be happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Always think of Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me. You haven't got to worship anyone else." Mām ekam. The order is open. But we'll not do it. That is another thing. We'll not accept. But still, Kṛṣṇa comes. When this dharma is disobeyed, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Because you are My friend, I am just talking to You the most confidential dharma. Because I have spoken to you in so many ways, but because you are My intimate friend, so I am talking to you now the most essential part of dharma." What is that? "Now, whatever I have said, you can give up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "I have explained to you about so many yoga systems, but this is the real yoga system: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Bas."
So this dharma is taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His incarnations, by His devotee, by saintly persons. This is real dharma. But we do not take it. That is another thing. But if we take it, then we become benefited. So here it is said, "You are my spiritual master, although You are my son.
He does not say another thing. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya me. Niḥśreyasa means the ultimate benefit. Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing, that paraṁ guhyatamam: "I have instructed you so many things, but because you are My dear friend, I am just disclosing to you the most confidential thing." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you accept this principle, then you become actually transcendental to this so-called material happiness and distress. That is yoga.
We should not be captivated by the material distress, or we should not be very much aggrieved by the material distress, and we should not be very much happy for material happiness. These are bondage. Material happiness is not actually happiness. That is through distress. Just like we are trying to be happy, trying to be very rich, get some money. That is not very easily obtained. We have to undergo so much distresses. So actually, it is distress, but with the hope of getting some false happiness, we accept this distress. Actually, there is no happiness.
"Now let us dance with young girls." And they are going to hell. Therefore you have to learn from the proper person about Kṛṣṇa's activities. If you learn Kṛṣṇa from the professional uneducated person, nondevotee, then you will go to hell. Therefore immediately we should not try to understand Kṛṣṇa's dealing with the gopīs. It is very confidential. It is kept in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That means you have to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is by reading first nine cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then you will be able to understand janma karma ca divyam. The Kṛṣṇa's activities, they are not ordinary thing. They are divine. And if we actually understand, then immediately you become liberated. Janma karma ca divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ.
Therefore here it is said, kīdṛśaḥ kati cāṅgāni. How that bhakti-yoga is situated and how many processes or branches are there? Kīdṛśaḥ kati ca aṅgāni yatas tattvāvabodhanam. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva, in truth. That is required. That is bhakti-yoga. And that aṅgāni, aṅgāni means they are all the same.
This is paramparā system. Do not deviate." Because he is training people according to the desire of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is desiring that everyone should surrender unto Him. That is His desire. So guru's business is to train people how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, not to become Kṛṣṇa. That is foolishness. You cannot become Kṛṣṇa. Your respect is as Kṛṣṇa because you are doing the most confidential service of Kṛṣṇa, but if you think that you have become Kṛṣṇa, then you are not guru. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya.
- sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
- uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
- kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **
This sākṣād-dharitvena, equal to Kṛṣṇa, why? Priya eva tasya. Because he is very, very dear to Kṛṣṇa.
Now, how he has become dear to Kṛṣṇa? Because he is preaching the same principle as Kṛṣṇa wanted.
Kṛṣṇa is ready to give intelligence to everyone because everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4) So father is not particularly inclined to a particular son. No. But a son, if he is very obedient, then father discloses the most confidential things to that son. This is natural. This is not partiality. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ: (BG 9.29) "I am equal to..." Otherwise, how He can be God? If He is partial to somebody... Foolish people think, "Why God has made me poor? Why God has made so many poor men?" God has not made. They have made themselves poor. God has not made. He does not make any distinguish. He says the plain truth, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He is saying to everyone. So if we do not do—we have got little independence—then we are in this miserable condition of life.
People may think, and actually that happens. If without being mature, without being advanced in spiritual consciousness, if one tries to understand or see Kṛṣṇa-līlā with the gopīs, then he will be misled. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you will find, rigidly He discussed this Kṛṣṇa-līlā with very confidential devotee, Rāmānanda Rāya, not with others. He never discussed with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He discussed on philosophy of Māyāvāda, but not on Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Kṛṣṇa-līlā He discussed with Rāmānanda Rāya, most confidential devotee. And to understand Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsadeva has devoted nine chapter, nine cantos. And then, from Tenth Canto, he begins Kṛṣṇa-līlā.
So Kṛṣṇa-līlā is the face of Kṛṣṇa, smiling of Kṛṣṇa. So here we have to practice to see the different parts of the body gradually from down. We first of all see His lotus feet, then gradually... So that is described. The two feet, they are called the first chapter, in the First Canto, Second Canto. In this way we must go.
This is the method of worship. What is that? That Supreme Personality of Godhead who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Kṛṣṇa varṇayati, kṛṣṇa varṇa tvīṣa akṛṣṇam. But His bodily complexion is not kṛṣṇa, not blackish, but yellowish, tvīṣa. Tvīṣa means by the complexion, akṛṣṇa, not Kṛṣṇa. And another symptom, sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. He's associated with His most confidential devotees and expansions. Therefore we chant
- śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda
- śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)
Now what are the countermethods by which they can be saved?" This is the question. This question... Because he is Vaiṣṇava, he is thinking, "Oh, so many living entities are suffering. How they can be saved?" A Vaiṣṇava comes, God also comes and God's son or very confidential devotee also comes. Their only mission is how to save these sinful men who are suffering so much. That is their mission. They have no other mission. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Nṛsiṁha-deva met him, he said a very nice verse. I'll quote that verse. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says one place,
- naiva udvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyāḥ
- tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ
- śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
- māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān
- (SB 7.9.43)
Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "My dear Lord, I'm not very much anxious for my deliverance." Because Māyāvādī philosophers, they are very much, I mean to say, careful, that "My salvation may..., may..., may not be interrupted. If I go to preach, and in association with others, if I fall down, then my business will be finished." So they do not come. Only Vaiṣṇava comes at the risk of their falldown.
He understood, confidential devotee, Rūpa Gosvāmī, "O my Lord, You are the same Kṛṣṇa. Now You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya, and Your business is to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa, not only Kṛṣṇa, but love of Kṛṣṇa."
So this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy that you are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, it is not so easy thing; very, very difficult. Kecit kevalayā bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15). So stick to this principle. Chant śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. By their favor, by their mercy, we can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we are vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. There is no more fear. That is required. So you stick to this principle, do not forget. We have already given our ways and instruction. So don't deviate from it. Then everything is perfect and your life is successful.
All the Vaikuṇṭha's inhabitants: the same dress, same garment, same ornaments, same weapons. But still, there is distinction, that kaustubha jewel. That you will find Him hanging. By that kaustubha jewel, one can understand that "Here is Lord Viṣṇu, and here is ordinary living being." Just like the president has got his confidential plaque. If one challenges his credential, he can show, "Yes." The same principle.
So ruling is there. You can say foolishly that "There is no ruling. I can do whatever I like." That you can do. Just like Ajāmila was doing. But now the two classes of messengers have come. The Yamadūtas have come to take him away because externally he is the most sinful man. Therefore they are protesting, "How is that? It is already settled up. This man has committed so many sinful activities. So they are under our jurisdiction. Who are you, you are forbidding us?" But the Viṣṇudūtas have come there because although he was sinful, although he was most impious, although he was a prostitute-hunter and cheater and so many good qualities, still, he has chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life.
So dharma, the path of religiosity, is very confidential. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Then how I shall accept what is dharma, what is religion? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. You just follow the footsteps of authorized persons. Then you understand what is dharma. You cannot manufacture. So, here is the same system, the Vedic system is the same. Either you hear from the direct Vedas or scriptures following the Vedas.
So here the Yamadūtas says that dharma means what is spoken or directed in the Vedas. And what is Veda? Veda nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. Veda means God Himself. Just like... We can understand very easily. Just like the king and the king's law. What king has said, that this should be done like this, keep to the right, king or government, whatever it may be, authority... So that is Veda. What is... Just like the law means what the government says. You cannot manufacture law.
So long we shall think of nārī-saṅga, association, unity with woman, we must consider this is material body. Not siddha body. Siddha body means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). All material desires, zero. That is siddha body. So therefore it is very confidential. But to clear it, that "How Kṛṣṇa accepted to dance with so many gopīs," this was for clearance.
In that question, you'll find, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has answered that unless one is liberated, he should not think of it even. Should not think of it. And he has given the example that, you have read, that Lord Śiva, when there was churning, the poison came out, he took it and kept it. But if we imitate Lord Śiva, that "He kept, he also drunk, so let me drink also, let me smoke gañja," no. You cannot do. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). The example is given: those who are very, very powerful, they are not contaminated. Just like the sun. Sun is so powerful that it can soak water from the urine, or from the stool, but it still is sun.
When He comes within this universe He comes on this planet, and He appears in Vṛndāvana. So these are special features of this planet. So He comes to give us enlightenment. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavaty bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). He comes, He's so kind, and gives us instruction. The most confidential instruction is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful.
- bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
- jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
- vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
- sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
- (BG 7.19)
Simply by this understanding, kevalayā bhaktyā.
- kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
- vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
- aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
- nihāram iva bhāskaraḥ
- (SB 6.1.15)
Aghaṁ dhunvanti, this material life means full of sinful activities. Either little... Sinful activities are sinful activities. It may be, according to the material calculation, these are good sinful activities and these are bad sinful activities. No, sinful activities are sinful activities. And what is our sinful activity? As soon as we forget Kṛṣṇa, everything we do, that is sinful. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino prapadyante narādhamāḥ. This is the criterion, test, that if one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, if he's not a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, whatever activities they are doing, that is all sinful. This is the conclusion.
Śruti means education. Not by medhā, brain, and not by education, not by lecturing, but simply by surrendering. Or... Surrendering, or simply by the mercy, by the causeless mercy of the Lord. By... His causeless mercy to this age is simple. Immediately says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), sarva-guhyatamam: "The most confidential part of My instruction is this, that you simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān. Sarva-guhyatamam. What is that verse? Mahārāja, you can say? Sarva-guhyatamam. No, no. In the Bhagavad-gītā. Before this sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), there is another verse. Where is the Bhagavad-gītā? Not English. I want original Sanskrit. Sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ. Sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ: "The most confidential instruction, just try to understand." (Hindi) "Surrender unto Me." They cannot understand: "Why shall I surrender?" But it is the most confidential instruction. Those who cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā, they will put forward, "Why should we surrender?
Why not these processes?" But he does not know that is the ultimate process. The jñāna, yoga, may help one to come to that point, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19), after many many births, but that is not the direct process. The direct process is sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ iṣṭo 'si: "I am disclosing this most confidential part of My instruction unto you," iṣṭo 'si, "because I love you." Iṣṭo 'si me dṛḍham iti. "Because I am confident that you are My confidential friend." Dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam: "Therefore I am disclosing this to you."
Kṛṣṇa does not say everyone that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), only to a selected devotee. Because unless one is very highly elevated devotee, he cannot accept this proposition. He is puffed up with his material, contaminated life. That's all. "I am this. I am that. I am this. I am that. Why shall I surrender?" Actually they forgot. Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "This is sophistry, that Kṛṣṇa is demanding like that." He is proud of his becoming a great philosophy, but he does not know he is a fool number one.
"My dear boys, these twelve men..." Dvādaśa. Two and ten, dvādaśa. Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ: "We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult." They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā..." Jñātvā means "If one understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion."
Śyāmasundara has brought one book, Ideas of Philosophers, different philosophers talking differently. So how you can take the conclusion? Even Aristotle, he is talking so many things nonsense. So mental speculators, philosophers. In this way you cannot.
Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Actually, the purport of religion and God is very confidential." Therefore, to understand it, one has to follow the great authorities, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana. So that mahājana, great authorities, are also mentioned, who are mahājanas. Authorities. So,
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
Everything is there in the śāstra. If you simply refer to śāstras for the right source of knowledge, then you get. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If you do things without reference to the śāstras, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, na siddhiṁ sa avapnoti: "You will never get perfection." Na sukham: "Neither happiness."
Yes. He said that "I am speaking to you Bhagavad-gītā because you are My devotee, you are My confidential friend." That is the qualification to receive this from disciplic succession. That is the qualification. He, he, Arjuna did not go to instruct, yes, Kṛṣṇa did not like to instruct the confidential system of yoga to any so-called impersonalist or so-called Vedantist. Arjuna was ordinary householder. He was, of course, belonging to the royal family. He was a great warrior, that's all, but he did not belong to the brāhmaṇa family or any learned scholar. He was a military man. Then why Kṛṣṇa to discuss the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā to him? Because his qualification is accepted by Kṛṣṇa that, "I am speaking to you that old system of Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, because you are My devotee and you are My confidential friend." So we have to become a devotee or we have to establish a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to understand what is the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by so-called scholars by academic degrees. One has to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. One has to become a friend or some way related with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise it is impossible.
That we mark in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Eighteen years He lived in Jagannātha Purī. Every night there was kīrtana, but there was no līlā-kīrtana you'll find, no līlā-kīrtana. Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all. No līlā. But does it mean that Caitanya Mahāprabhu avoided līlā-kīrtana? No. He enjoyed it with very, very confidential devotees like Rāmānanda Rāya, Svarūpa Dāmodara, like that. Not for the... Because so long we are in the lower stage of devotion we shall misunderstand. They are doing that. You'll find that the rascals who have no idea about Kṛṣṇa, they are very much fond of painting Kṛṣṇa's picture dealings with the gopīs, because they take it that it is just like we deal with young men or woman, it is something like that. So that is a great mistake. They should not. Then they will become sahajiyā. Very strictly prohibited. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Śukadeva Gosvāmī has warned that one should not even dream like that, that "Kṛṣṇa's dealing with gopīs is just like our dealing with woman."
It is not possible. Nāyam ātmā bala hīnena... Na medhayā. If you have got very good fertile brain for manufacturing concocted ideas, that doesn't mean you'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. Only one who is favored by Kṛṣṇa and His, I mean to say, confidential devotee... (aside:) What is this nonsense? One cannot understand.
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is giving warning that "I shall recite the narration of Your pastime which is composed by Brahmā." Viriñci. Viriñci means... Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). That is the secret of success. You cannot compose by whimsical way. No. That is not. That will not be possible. Therefore the next word is very important, when he says, pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. This is possible when we associate, saṅgaḥ... Saṅgaḥ means association. Whose association? Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa.
He is called goṣṭhy-ānandī, increasing the number of devotees. That is preferred by Kṛṣṇa. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati: "Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gītā," na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ, "nobody is dearer to Me than he is." So if you want very quickly recognition by Kṛṣṇa, go on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in your capa..., whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased. I have seen practically. In my Guru Mahārāja's day there was a paper, Dainika Nadiyā Prakāsh. It was being published daily, a piece of paper, just like I was publishing Back to Godhead. And if a small brahmacārī would go to Navadvīpa and would sell a few copies, one paisa a copy, that would be taken as a great preaching by Guru Mahārāja: "Oh, you have sold five copies?
So Prahlāda Mahārāja... There are stages of devotees. So gopīs are the topmost, and amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost. Therefore there is no comparison of Rādhārāṇī's love for Kṛṣṇa. There is no comparison. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the part of Rādhārāṇī to understand Kṛṣṇa. So these are very confidential subject matter, but they are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in the beginning. So that is the highest perfection, that don't ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. Try to make such arrangement that Kṛṣṇa may not give you anything; you give to Him.
There is another narration of Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were living in this forest of Vṛndāvana. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was elder brother, and Rūpa Gosvāmī was younger brother. So they were living underneath a tree. So they had no means. Rūpa Gosvāmī thought that "If I could get some articles, I could prepare something and invite my guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
That means the sense satisfaction business cannot be completely done even to the point of death.
There are many stories. We have got practical experience that Akbar Shah inquired from his, one of his very confidential ministers that "How long a man is sexually inclined?" So the minister replied that "Up to the point of death." He replied. The Akbar did not believe it. But the minister sometimes took him to a man who was goi..., just going to die, and the minister requested Akbar Shah to get with him his young daughter. So when the Akbar Shah and his daughter was entering, the man on the death bed, he was looking to the young girl, not to the Akbar. So he pointed out, "Just see." And he was convinced, "Yes." So the sex life is so strong that you cannot be satisfied. If you re..., remain in material existence, then this sex desire will never be satisfied. But it can be satisfied only when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
As soon as we raise the consciousness to the platform of Kṛṣṇa, then we become spiritualized. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. Who is talking? Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate.
Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was governor. He was Governor of Madras, but he was the, one of the most confidential devotees of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya were talking together, and Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was feeling little shyness because he did not belong to the brāhmaṇa community. He was governor, householder. So he thought that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asking him question and he was answering, that means he was taking the superior position. So he felt little shyness. And when he was feeling such shyness, Caitanya Mahāprabhu encouraged him,
- kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya
- (CC Madhya 8.128)
Encouraged him. Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught the whole world, how one can become exalted simply by learning the science of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. Tattva means science. It doesn't matter whether he's a sannyāsī or a gṛhastha or a śūdra or a brāhmaṇa. It doesn't matter. These are all designations of the body. Spiritually, we are all one. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).
So we have to see what is favorable to Kṛṣṇa, not sense gratification, not favorable to me. Or to my country, or to my society. No self-interest. Only Kṛṣṇa's interest. That is bhakti. So by fighting, Arjuna became a great devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Kṛṣṇa certified that "You are My greatest devotee. You are My very confidential friend." But what did he do? He did not read Vedānta philosophy. He was a gṛhastha, a king, engaged in fighting. He knew how to fight only. He did not know what is Vedānta philosophy. But still, he became a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhakto 'si. So what is the criterion? The criterion is that he fought favorably. He did favorably to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
That is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. What is the difference between kāma and... Kāma means lust; and love. Kāma and prema. Prema is love, and kāma is lust. It appears similar. In the material world, lust is going on in the name of love.
Pradyumna: "There was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya known as Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, who was a very poor man. He was doing a small business selling cups made from the leaves of plantain trees, and his income was almost nothing. Still, he was spending fifty percent of his small income on the worship of the Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he was somehow living. Lord Caitanya once revealed Himself to this confidential devotee, Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, and offered any opulence that he liked..."
Prabhupāda: Yes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered this Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, wanted to benedict him with any kinds of benediction he wanted. But he said, "I am quite happy." Go on reading.
This is very confidential. To attain Kṛṣṇa's service, that is not so easy. You can get liberation—if you want from Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa can give very easily—or any material opulence. But to give engagement in devotional service, that requires very sincerity. As it is stated by Rūpa Gosvāmī, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11). People, generally, go to temple and churches for mitigating some material wants. Ārto arthārthī. Jijñāsī jñānī ārto arthārthī. Generally, people go to Kṛṣṇa to mitigate some material distresses, ārto, or one who is in need of money. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to Kṛṣṇa, he went to worship Kṛṣṇa under the instruction of his mother in the forest with a desire to achieve the kingdom of his father or better, better kingdom than his father. That was his aspiration. But later on, when he actually met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he said, "My dear Lord, I have no other aspiration. I am completely satisfied." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). So this is the advantage of worshiping Kṛṣṇa. Even one has got some material desire, that material desires will be fulfilled. At the same time, he shall become a pure devotee, just like Dhruva Mahārāja became.
Therefore viṣaya... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned us not to be involved in viṣaya. Viṣaya means material things, money, woman. They are called viṣaya. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us by His practical behavior that... Mahārāja Pratāparudra, he was a great devotee and serving Caitanya Mahāprabhu in every way. But when he wanted to see Him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He denied: "No, no, no. I cannot see a king. I cannot see." So His personal devotees, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rāmānanda Rāya, very confidential devotees, they requested, "Sir, he's a great devotee. He serves You in so many ways." "Yes, I know that, but because he's king, I cannot see him. Because he's king, I cannot see him." And in this connection, He's made a verse, Sanskrit verse:
- niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya
- pāraṁ padaṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya
- viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca
- hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu
- (CC Madhya 11.8)
He recited this, that if one is trying to make progress in spiritual life just to go on the other side of this bhava, bhava-sāgara, the ocean of material existence, then two things he should avoid: viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca, a person who is attached to money and a person attached to too much sense enjoyment.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
There are many incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare, keśava dhṛta-nṛsiṁha-rūpa jaya jagadīśa..., many incarnations. But this incarnation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is anarpita-carīṁ cirāt. The mercy of this incarnation is unlimited. It was never given before. That is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. He distributed the most confidential part of love of Godhead. Although we are living in this fallen age, Kali-yuga, but He is giving the topmost platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt. Therefore He is supposed to be the most munificent incarnation. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa-prema.
It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of His loving affairs. It is very difficult.
Anyway, this kind of literature... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to read Gītā-Govinda, Caṇḍīdāsa, amongst with His confidential devotees. The Gītā-Govinda, the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, it is not for the neophyte student. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... You'll find Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaching... Generally, He was talking with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, He was talking with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya—but the subject matter was not the same. When He was talking officially with the Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, there is no talk about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with Rādhārāṇī. Simply on the basis of Vedānta He was talking. But when He was talking with Rāmaṇanda Rāya, He talked about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with Rādhārāṇī. So we should be very careful that from the very beginning... Just like the professional Bhāgavata readers. The Bhāgavata reading means describing rasa-līlā. Whenever you find there is Bhāgavata reading, they are describing. I have seen one big Gosvāmī. He was professional Bhāgavata reader, and whenever... He would speak very nicely on rasa-līlā, and after describing rasa-līlā, Bhāgavata reading, he would come for recreation and smoke cigarette. I have seen it.
Santoṣa: "In a temple of jewels in Vṛndāvana, underneath a desire tree, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them."
Prabhupāda:
- dīvyad-vṛndāraṇya-kalpa-drumādhah-
- śrīmad-ratnāgāra-siṁhāsana-sthau
- śrīmad-rādhā-śrīla-govinda-devau
- preṣṭālībhiḥ sevyamānau smarāmi
- (CC Adi 1.16)
So, description of Vṛndāvana, Vṛndāvana and Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa situated there. The Vṛndāvana... Vana means forest, and vṛnda means tulasī. Mostly there are tulasī plants and other trees also, but all the trees are living desire trees, spiritual. They can serve Kṛṣṇa in any way, desire. They have become trees by their voluntary desire. They're all spiritual beings—there is no force—but everyone has got a particular tendency to serve Kṛṣṇa in a different way. So these trees and plants, they are also living beings. They are not ordinary living beings, but they have decided to serve Kṛṣṇa by supplying fruits and flowers. They want that service. Everyone has got his particular propensity. So someone is serving as the land there, someone is serving as the throne, someone is serving as the supplying agent of fruits and flowers, someone is engaged in His service as the gopīs, confidential servitors. The cows, calves, everything—they are all different living entities. They are not made of these material things, material body. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). They are all also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency.
So ordinarily people are amazed with simply brahma-jyotir. They do not go deep into the matter. So ullaṅhita-trividha-sīma-samātīśāyi. God is beyond the limitation of our thinking and philosophical speculation. Sambhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍhima-svabhāvam: "Your very grave and confidential activities, it is very difficult to understand by ordinary men." Māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhyamānam. Māyā-balena: "That yogamāyā, although it is covered in that way all Your activities," paśyanti, "somebody can see You." Paśyanty kecid aniśam: "Not sometimes or accidentally, but aniśam, continually, he can see You." Paśyanti kecid aniśam tvad-ananya-bhāvāḥ. Ananya-bhāvāḥ means "Those who have unflinching devotion unto You." They can see. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Although God is covered in that way...
Therefore, so long we shall want something for our sense gratification, without serving Kṛṣṇa we shall suffer. That is the proposition. In different ways we shall suffer. Therefore Kṛṣṇa very kindly, most confidential... Sarva-guhyatamam. Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna that "I am talking to you most confidential matter." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "This is the secret of life. Don't bother yourself in this way and that way. That is the secret. You simply become surrendered unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I am giving you guarantee. You have committed so many sinful activities life after life, and you'll suffer life after life. But if you surrender unto Me, I give you protection, guaranteed." Mā śucaḥ: "Don't be worried." Why don't you take this path? This is the way. Viṣṇu-śakti. We are visnu-śaktis, parā, para-śakti, cit-śakti. But we are not śaktimān. Śaktimān is Kṛṣṇa, and we are śakti.
One was Rāmānanda Rāya. Raya Rāmaṇanda, he was Governor of Madras, and later on he retired from that governorship and became a constant companion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Although he was a householder, he never accepted renouncement, but still, he was con... He was the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he was a householder, because he was highly advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa. So there was some discussion with this Rāmānanda Rāya, and there was some discussion with this Sanātana Gosvāmī, and some discussion with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, and some discussion with Rūpa Gosvāmī. So He had no other discussion with anyone, and the rest of His life was spent by simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. And these disciples, under the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they have made volumes of books on the basis of the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not write any book in His own hand. He wrote only eight verses, which is called Śikṣāṣṭaka. That was His only writing.
Just like the Bhagavad-gītā: the Lord Kṛṣṇa is directly instructing Arjuna. But in the Bhagavad-gītā there are many phases of instruction, fruitive action, philosophical speculation, yoga system and jñāna system, all kinds of different paths. Ultimately, of course, Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed him that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the most confidential part. But here Lord Caitanya, He is not instructing any superfluous things. So that is the blessings of Lord Caitanya. Even what Kṛṣṇa could not give, what Kṛṣṇa could not, or Kṛṣṇa hesitated to give... Because Kṛṣṇa hesitated that "If I speak in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), people would not accept it." There was no necessity of describing Bhagavad-gītā in so many phases of instruction. Because the last instruction, most confidential instruction, was that "You give up everything and just surrender unto Me." That is the actual instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but that was not spoken in the beginning because there are many phases of human beings. They are under different stages of...
That is Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya was very fair complexion, nice looking. So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā. Tviṣā, by complexion, He is not Kṛṣṇa, but He is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam tviṣākṛṣṇam and sāṅgo 'pāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. And He is associated by His confidential, I mean to say, devotees. You'll find Lord Caitanya always crowded by His devotees, always. His dancing mood—you have seen the picture. Special associates, that Advaita, Gadādhara, Nityānanda. So that incarnation, who is Kṛṣṇa, but His color, His complexion, is not black, but He is associated with devotees... And the process of worshiping that incarnation is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare.
So in this yuga, this Kali-yuga, incarnation is Lord Caitanya, and the process of worship is this sound vibration. That is mentioned. In every avatāra, every incarnation... Just like Lord Buddha. His name is also mentioned.
That Personality, incarnation of God, who is yellowish color and is accompanied by His associates, confidential associates, He is worshiped by this process of saṅkīrtana in this age of Kali.
- āra tin-yuge dhyānādite yei phala haya
- kali-yuge kṛṣṇa-nāme sei phala pāya
Āra tina-yuge means this is Kali-yuga, and there are, there were other three yugas: the Satya-yuga, the Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga. There are different processes of realizing God. So Lord Caitanya says, "In other three yugas, what was achieved by meditation, by sacrifice, by temple worship, now that can be achieved in this age by saṅkīrtana. Kalau..."
- kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
- asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
- kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
- mukta-bandhaḥ paraṁ vrajet
- (SB 12.3.51)
This is a śloka, verse, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with conversation with Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate: "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."
Because Lord Caitanya described here that in this Kali-yuga the avatāra, His symptoms are like this: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He is in the category of Kṛṣṇa; by His complexion, He's non-black. Akṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. And He's always followed by confidential associates. And people who are intelligent, they worship Him by the process of saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtanair yajñaiḥ kalau yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Su-medhasaḥ means those persons who are, who have got good brain substance. Not foolish persons. Su-medhasaḥ, a man of great brain substance, they can understand, "Oh, here is..." That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in Mahābhārata, in Upaniṣad, in Purāṇas, about Lord Caitanya's appearance. There are many symptomatic explanation. But still there are many fools, they do not accept.
So accept or no accept, His work, His activities, His characterize, characteristics will be known because God will be known. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
This subject matter is very confidential, but still, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is describing to Sanātana Gosvāmī, and we are trying to take advantage of this. But a little advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is little difficult for others, how Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, manifests Himself fully and manifests Himself less than full. These consideration are there. But let us try to understand as far as possible.
- saṅkṣepe kahiluṅ kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra
- 'ananta' kahite nāre ihāra vistāra
Now Lord Caitanya is summarizing about Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, līlā, pastimes. Saṅkṣepe. They are all, whatever, which I have already spoken to you, that is only summary of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Otherwise, ananta kahite nāre ihāra vistāra. Ananta... The Śeṣa incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He's called Ananta. Ananta means unlimited. So it is said that Ananta is describing about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes for unlimited years and eternally; still it is not yet finished.
So out of these three places, Vṛndāvana-dhāma is the most important. That is the confidential home of Kṛṣṇa. Just like a businessman might have many places for his business activities, but his home is different from all this business. He may live in the countryside in a cottage, but he may be a very big businessman. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, although He's all-powerful, He lives at Vṛndāvana in the gardenlike city. Not city; a tract of land. A small city is there now. They have named Vṛndāvana. But Vṛndāvana's not that small city. It is a tract of land about eighty-four miles. So it is full of gardens and full of nice places. Anywhere you go, you will find something wonderful to see. There are many trees and fruits and flowers, many varieties of birds, and the cranes on the Yamunā side. Each and every place is remembering Kṛṣṇa. If you go there you'll find that "Kṛṣṇa is... Somewhere He was playing. I must find out." It is such nice place. So Vṛndāvana is the most confidential part of Kṛṣṇa's abode.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Those who are trying to catch up here something, catch up here something, they have been described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu as khara jati abata (?). Khara jati abata. The kha... One, one of the devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Mukunda, he was very, mean, confidential devotee. His class friend also, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. So he was going sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes here, sometimes there. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very angry upon him, and gave him the title khara jati abata. Khara jati abata: "Don't allow him to come here." He became so strict. So he was very sorry. "Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said not to come in His meeting." So he was asking other devotees that "I shall not be allowed?" So, "We can..., how we can allow you? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden." "So will you ask if there will be any time so that I can again come back?" So some devotee inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Mukunda is very sorry. You asked not to come. But he's asking whether there will be any day in future when he'll be allowed to come again."
Festival Lectures
Then philosophy. The philosophy, it is said, nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. One philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just now today Śyāmasundara has purchased one book about different philosophers. So that you also cannot ascertain what is truth. Therefore śāstra says, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The truth is very confidential. So if you want to know that truth, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), you should have to follow the great ācāryas. Then you will understand. Therefore ācārya-upāsanā is essential. Ācārya-upāsanā is very essential. In all the Vedic śāstras the injunction is that. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād gurum prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Anyone who is inquisitive to understand higher truths, he must surrender to guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive, who is now inquiring about transcendental subject matter. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).
"Now, if you think that it is very confidential, it cannot be disclosed, then I think for a person like you who is doing publicly such sacrifice, you should (sic:) not explain to Me." Na hi gopyaṁ hi sādhūnām: "Sādhu, those who are saintly person, for them there is no secret." There is no secret. There is no privacy. A sādhu, sādhu has no privacy. Just now in our ordinary social affairs, there is difference between private life and his public life. Now, if somebody is teacher... Now, he is very good teacher. He can very good... He can explain very nicely a subject matter, but his private life is not very good. Then he is not a teacher. He is not a sādhu. That is Vedic conception. One must be a teacher according to his own behavior in life. There is no secrecy or privacy. Now, we think that "We don't mind what is private character. We don't mind. We are concerned with his teaching." No. That sort of teaching will not have any effect. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āpani ācārī prabhu jīverī śikṣāya: a teacher must demonstrate in his practical life what he is teaching. That is the meaning of ācārya. Ācārya means the teacher must demonstrate things by applying the same thing in his own life. That is called ācārya.
That is the meaning of ācārya. Ācārya means the teacher must demonstrate things by applying the same thing in his own life. That is called ācārya. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "You cannot disclose anything. You cannot keep anything private. Please disclose." Udāsīno 'rivad varyam ātmavat suhṛd ucyate: "And even if it is very confidential, I am your son. You can explain to Him. I am your well-wisher."
- jñātvājñātvā ca karmāṇi
- jano 'yam anutiṣṭhanti
- viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syāt
- tathā na viduṣo bhavet
"Whether this is a superstition?" Just see how Kṛṣṇa is speaking. "Whether it is a superstition or it has got some actual effect." You should not do anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That is the recommendation of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not like that people should perform anything under superstition.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
That they are surprised. They are attracted because that attraction is there already. We are trying simply to awaken that attraction. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. The matter is already there. Just like the young man and young woman, the attraction is already there, nitya-siddha. It is natural. And when they come near, talk little confidentially, then attraction increases, not that an artificial attraction. Similarly, our attraction for Kṛṣṇa is already there. Therefore... That is the Vṛndāvana picture. Vṛndāvana, everything is attracted with Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. The animals, the trees, the flowers, the land, and the cowherd boys, the elderly cowherds men, Nanda Mahārāja and others—all are attracted to Kṛṣṇa. This is Vṛndāvana. The Yamunā water, everything. Fruits, flowers and everything. That is Vṛndāvana. So Kṛṣṇa is the center of attraction. You might have read that when Brahmā stolen all Kṛṣṇa's associates, so He created Himself again all of them, and everyone was feeling more attracted by Kṛṣṇa. So this is natural. This is not unnatural. Our position is, natural position is, to be attracted by Kṛṣṇa.
Initiation Lectures
You just come to Me," but people still, they are so much attached to illusion, māyā, that they cannot do it. But the spiritual master, he is so kind that he is begging from door to door, from country to country, from town to town, "My dear ladies, my dear gentlemen, my dear boys, my dear girls, please take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So therefore he is doing very confidential service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. He gives simply orders. But the spiritual master executes that order practically. Therefore spiritual master is so dear to Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhāgavata-prasādaḥ. So guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).
So the idea is that whatever I have brought Kṛṣṇa consciousness message to your country, that is due to the grace of His Divine Grace, of my spiritual master, who is sitting here. And I am very glad that you have come here from San Francisco for your going to London mission. And in auspicious moment you have come so that there was going to be a ceremony, initiation ceremony.
I give him something: "My dear, you take this." And when he offers also, if he also loves you, he also return you. Not exactly for returning. It is love to give and take. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. Opening mind. "My dear lover, I like this." And the other party also opens his mind. Guhyam ākhyāti... Guhyam means very confidential things. Ākhyāti, disclosed, exchanged. Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. And bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. And giving the lover to eat something and accept from him some eatable. These are the six ways of increasing love. If you act in that way with Kṛṣṇa...
You are taking so many things from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving you everything. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Whatever our necessities of life, that is being supplied by Kṛṣṇa. We are taking these fruits, flowers, grains. It is not possible to manufacture these in your factory. It is Kṛṣṇa sending, Kṛṣṇa giving you. So we are living at the cost of Kṛṣṇa, and after cooking these fruits, flowers or grains, if we do not offer to Kṛṣṇa, is that very good gentlemanliness?
General Lectures
From Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā heard; from Brahma, Nārada. If we do not go so far... Now, Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna. Arjuna is mahājana therefore. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Because you are My devotee, you are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore I am speaking to you this confidential yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. "The process was there. Now it is lost. So I am speaking to you again the old system because you are My devotee." Similarly those, or one person who is accepting the version of Arjuna, as Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, he is mahā jana, and you have to follow him. That's all. If somebody is speaking something against as Arjuna understood, he is not a mahājana. He's a rascal. The simple test. And you go to the Tenth Chapter, Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says, "Kṛṣṇa," sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan vadasi keśava (BG 10.14), "whatever You are speaking, I accept it in toto, without any minus." This is mahājana. Not that according to my whims, I cut something, I accept something.
One should know for himself how much he is progressing in yoga practice. In the Bhagavad-gītā this practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is described as rāja-vidyā, the king of all erudition; rāja-guhyam, the most confidential system of spiritual realization; pavitra, the purest of all that is pure; su-sukham, very happily performed; and avyayam, inexhaustible. Those who have taken to the most sublime bhakti-yoga system, this practice of devotional service in transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa can testify to how they are nicely enjoying its happy and easy execution. Yoga means controlling the senses, and bhakti-yoga means purifying the senses. When the senses are purified they are also automatically controlled. You cannot stop the activities of the senses by artificial means, but if you purify the senses, they are not only kept back from rubbish engagement but also they become positively engaged in transcendental service to the Lord.
Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā should not be discussed in public meeting. It is most confidential. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu never discussed. He discussed Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, līlā with gopīs, with His confidential, very confidential circle. Or those who are... Lord Caitanya had many thousands of followers, and... He was not discussing even within these five persons, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi, Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, and Himself, these five persons. So when He was at Navadvīpa, He was not discussing even with them, what to speak of others. He set up this example so that in future people may be very cautious. Because unless one understands what is Kṛṣṇa, how he can understand Kṛṣṇa's pastime? So this discussion of rasa-līlā is the summit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not ordinary thing. They're purely spiritual. There is nothing material. But because we are not completely free from material concept of life, we may think that Kṛṣṇa's līlā is something like this material. So that is offense.
There is a very nice incidence in this connection. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then governor of Bengal, Pathan government. So when Sanātana Gosvāmī met Lord Caitanya, he decided to resign the government responsible post and take to this preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Nawab, his most confidential representative was Hussain Shah. He was known as Sākara Mallika. Formerly the brāhmaṇa community was very strict. Because Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he was born in a Sarasvata brāhmaṇa family, he accepted the service of a Muhammadan king, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society, so practically he became Muhammadan. His name was Sākara Mallika, name was also changed. But this Sākara Mallika later on decided that he would propagate the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya. So when he wanted to resign, the Nawab was very much sorry, because he was right-hand man. He frankly said that "I am engaged with sporting and so many other proclivities, and you are my only representative to rule over the country.
Anyone you meet, you simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. That is Bhāgavata-dharma. What Kṛṣṇa has said. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mad-yājī, mad-bhakta. So Kṛṣṇa says... This is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. He has given upadeśa in the Bhagavad-gītā in many ways—karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. But His special instruction is, the most confidential instruction is, He said to Arjuna, "Because you are My friend, therefore I am giving you this most confidential instruction." What is that? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is the confidential instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā.
So it is not difficult. You haven't got to manufacture a religion. Because you cannot manufacture religion. That is not possible. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like the state can give you law; you cannot manufacture law. Similarly, any ordinary man, he cannot manufacture religion. Religion means the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is religion.
Although you are not Vedantist, you are not supposed to be a great scholar because you are a military man, you are gṛhastha, but still I have selected you because you are My dear friend and bhakta." Without being bhakta, who can become Kṛṣṇa's dear friend? "So therefore, I am speaking to you this confidential." Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. It is very mysterious. The first thing is that without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, bhakta, and dear friend... Kṛṣṇa, we can establish our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. There are five rasas. They are called śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, and mādhurya-rasa. Of course, in this material world also we find these five rasas in a perverted reflections. Originally, it is between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. So Arjuna was related with Kṛṣṇa in sakhya-rasa, as friend, a devotee as a friend. Anyone can become related with Kṛṣṇa. We have got our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa because we are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the father and the son is eternally related. A son may become rebellion to the father, but the relationship of father and son cannot be broken.
There are many thousands of yogic processes, but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know God, then you have to take to this bhakti-yoga process.
That is also indicated by Arjuna. When Arjuna was being advised, he was assured that... Why Kṛṣṇa was advising about Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna? He was a gṛhastha, householder, a kṣatriya, fighter, warrior. He was not a Vedāntist, neither he had any time to study Vedas. He was a gṛhastha. Study of Vedas is the business of the brāhmaṇas. So he was not a brāhmaṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa said that "Still, I am instructing you this Bhagavad-gītā, rahasyam etad uttamam. The most confidential, secrecy, mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is difficult to understand, but I am instructing you." "Why? Why You have selected me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." This is the only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, unless one is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand the confidential teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā.
So God descends, He comes Himself or He sends His representative, to reestablish the real purpose of religion, whenever there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging real religion. So the real... Kṛṣṇa, when appeared, He said... His last instruction is... In the Bhagavad-gītā, you know, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā. He said, "The most confidential part of religion is this." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other processes of faith and religion. Simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. Religion means to become purified, to become purified from our sinful activities. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you surrender unto Me..." When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," you may understand "God." God is speaking that "You surrender unto Me and I'll give you protection from the reaction of all sinful activities." In this material world we are encaged in this material body for our sinful activities, different types of sinful activities. So our aim of life is to get out of these sinful activities and be situated in our own original position, constitutional position, spiritual position.
So in the Bhagavad-gītā He is giving us the principles of dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He said to Arjuna, "Because you are My very dear friend, I am giving you the most confidential information, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja." This is dharma. Dharma, satyam, truthfulness. That is also reduced, being reduce. Dharma means to become devotee of the Lord. That is practically not reduced. It is practically nil. And people have manufactured so many dharmas, dharma without the principle of God consciousness. So, according to Vedic principle, that is not dharma. Vedic principle says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion which teaches people how to become devotee of the Supreme Lord. Paro dharmaḥ. Paraḥ means transcendental.
Here is the yoga system Kṛṣṇa describes, sa ma guhyatamam, most confidential yoga system. What is that? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto: (BG 18.65) "Simply always think of Me." Man-manā, mad-bhakta: "You just become My devotee." So this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Even I don't like it, think Kṛṣṇa, as soon as the name is chanted immediately I'm forced to think of Kṛṣṇa, immediately. Hare Kṛṣṇa, as I say, immediately I remember Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. Not only that, a devotee thinks of Kṛṣṇa because he develops love for Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa, we must have to think of Kṛṣṇa. Just like we think of our lover, beloved, always, similarly, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore as soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. That is man-manā. And unless I have developed devotional service, then how I can chant Kṛṣṇa? Just like they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So these are the processes, confidential, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). It does not require any high education. To think of Kṛṣṇa, any child can do. To chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, any child can do. It is not difficult. And to offer obeisances before the Lord Kṛṣṇa's Deity in the temple, anyone can do. Where is the difficulty? Mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, simply by offering obeisances, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's picture. Let me offer my obeisances." Simple thing. Man-manā bhava mad-bha..., the most confidential. The result? What will be the result? Result is mām evaiṣyasi satyam: "I take it, without any desire to cheat you, satyam, the truth that he'll come back, back to home, back to Godhead." Simply by executing these four principles—always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā, becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa, following the devotional process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇu means Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Just hear about Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
That is stated. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Those who are unaware of God and His service, he cannot, one cannot have any good qualification. That is not good qualification. So therefore it is said here that guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodham, very confidential. The activities of dharma, very guhyam, very confidential. Guhyaṁ viśuddham. Viśuddham means... Dharma does not mean any material activities. Dharma means spiritual activities, viśuddham, pure, pure of the contamination of the material qualities. Guhyam viśuddhaṁ durbodham. Durbodham means very difficult to understand. Anything which is very difficult to understand, if you go to a superior authority, it becomes simplified. Just like you do not know law. Suppose you are in need of some legal protection, but you do not know "Under which legal protection I will be safe." You have to approach a good lawyer. You cannot say that "I'll defend myself. I will do." No, that is not possible. When you are diseased, you have to consult the physician.
Does he come to establish Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma or Christian dharma? If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why He should be interested in particular type of dharma, Hindu dharma, Christian dharma or Muslim dharma? No. Therefore after giving instruction throughout the whole Bhagavad-gītā, at last says Kṛṣṇa, "The most confidential part of My instruction, Arjuna," sarva-guhyatamam, "is this: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." This is dharma. If you are not surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, or God, your dharma has no meaning. It is useless. And where the definition of dharma is given by Kṛṣṇa at the last stage of His instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, if one can catch up this point, then he begins bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma.
The standard is there, the instruction is there, everything is there. Why should we try to manufacture something new? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhayaṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. That is our process. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhanam. Simply by argument, you cannot reach the confidential part of dharma. Śrutayo vibhinnā. And if you study Vedas, that is also..., Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, you will be puzzled. So, nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. He is not a philosopher or a muni who cannot give a separate theory.
So these things are going on. Therefore how to know what is the purpose of dharma? That is stated that dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Just follow, try to, mahājana. Who can be better mahājana than Kṛṣṇa? Is there anybody in this world still now better than Kṛṣṇa, who can give good instruction, more beneficial than Kṛṣṇa? No. There is not. So take this principle, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, the instruction of Gītā, instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and try to follow.
The ordinary artists, they are very much fond of painting pictures that Kṛṣṇa is embracing Rādhārāṇī. They won't paint picture in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness that Kṛṣṇa is killing Kaṁsa. Kṛṣṇa has two business: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). So we should not try to understand Kṛṣṇa's love with the gopīs all of a sudden. It is very confidential. It is meant for the paramahaṁsas to understand. Let us understand Kṛṣṇa first of all. Of course, that is the aim, the higher understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau. But not all of a sudden. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa first. Therefore Vyāsadeva has compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nine cantos to understand Kṛṣṇa, beginning from the First Canto, First Chapter, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), Vedānta philosophy. Then he begins to write about Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's activities on the Tenth Canto. One has to understand Kṛṣṇa by studying nine cantos. Then if he tries to understand Kṛṣṇa from the Tenth Canto... Otherwise the mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā (BG 9.11). "Kṛṣṇa is like us, a young boy, and He's after so many young girls. So let us imitate."
He has now appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Śāśvata-purāṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Purāṇa. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). He's the oldest person, ādi-puruṣa, but nava-yauvana. So in every way you'll find that if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then we have to take shelter of this Kṛṣṇa's renounced order of life in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu's one of the confidential devotees was an Oriya, this Rāmānanda Rāya and Śikhi Māhiti. So it is a great opportunity for the Oriyas to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness science through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We are discussing the talks between Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya. You'll kindly hear and take advantage of it and be benefited.
Then what is the result? Mām evaiṣyasi: "Then you come back to Me," asaṁśayaḥ, "without any doubt." And in the last verse also, Kṛṣṇa concludes Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, I have spoken to you so many things—karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga—but you are My very dear friend, so I will give you the secret of success," sarva-guhyatamam, "most confidential part of My instruction." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mam ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up everything. You simply surrender unto Me. That's all." Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, and dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (BG 18.66) "Dharma means the laws given by God." Now, what is this law? He says that "Don't manufacture religion. Even if you have manufactured, give it up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya. This sarva-dharmān includes all religious principles.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: The whole plan is that everyone must come back. But he is obstinate, he is obstinate. Just like a bad boy, father says, "Come on," he's not. He's crying, "No, I'll not go." But the father's only business is to drag him. Therefore the final, after speaking all the proposals in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says finally, "I am giving you final, very confidential instructions," sarva guhyatamam. "You give up all this rascaldom, arguing with Me. Just surrender unto Me." Arjuna was arguing. "Just surrender unto Me. That is your business. If you think you will be sinful by killing your... I will give you protection." Therefore, before citing this verse He says, "I am speaking to you most confidentially." That means unless one is very sincere to God, he does not heed the final confidential instruction. "All right, you go on with your own work." But to show Arjuna special favor, He says that "I am talking to you now the most confidential instruction. I have talked to you about karma, jñāna, yoga, and so many things, but the most confidential thing is this: that you fully surrender to Me. I will give you all protection."
Prabhupāda: All the laws of nature are working (indistinct). The body is durgā, the superintendent of the fort. This is called durgā. Just like fort is very much fortified; you cannot go; they say nobody can enter, nobody can leave, like that. This is called durgā. And the superintendent is called Durgā. From durgā it has come to Durgā. She is also confidential maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, but she has got (indistinct) to punish these demons. Demon is (indistinct), that I worship his mother, but mother is engaged to punish him because (indistinct). She is giving whatever the demon wants. "Give me money. Give me good wife. Give me reputation. Give me strength." "All right," but at the same time everything is frustrated with this (indistinct). Two things are going on. One thing, that whatever he wants he is given: "I will get it." On the other side, punishment. This is nature's flow, and she is doing this under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. "This living entity, he has, or he wants immediately to become an enjoyer, so give him all sources of material enjoyment, but at the same time go on punishing him."
Prabhupāda: So what is this (indistinct)? Therefore we get from our śāstra that even you will receive your enemy at home, you will receive him so friendly way that he'll forget that you are his enemy. Gṛhaṁ satram api prāptaṁ visvastham akuto 'bhayam. He should feel himself so confidential that he's not near his enemy. His dealing and behavior are so nice. The morality is that "Whatever you may be, you have come to my house, you are my guest, so I must offer you all kinds of hospitality, never mind you are my enemy. Now you are my guest." So how much ethically improved the society was. "Yes. We are enemy, so when we fight we shall fight like enemies. But now we have come to my home, you are my guest, honorary guest, I must receive you with honor." That was being done Mahābhārata time.
Prabhupāda: This process of acting in obedience to the order of God, as we are doing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... We have no other business than to obey the orders of God. God says that you preach this confidential philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere. So because we are trying to love God, we have got some affection and love for God; therefore we are so much eager to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, "It is Kṛṣṇa's business. Why should we bother about Him?" No. Because we love Kṛṣṇa, and He is happy that His message is being spread, that is our happiness also, that we are trying to serve God, tacitly, without any doubt. So we also feel happy, and God says that He will be very happy if you do this. So this is reciprocation. This is religion. Religion is no sentiment. Actual realization of God, actual carrying out or executing the orders of God, then God is happy, we are happy, and our progress of life is secure.
Prabhupāda: That is, that is called cheating. Yes. In Sanskrit it is called bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā, karaṇā. Vipralipsa, that is one of the tendencies of the conditioned soul, that he wants to cheat others. So their confidential means cheating.
Śyāmasundara: For instance, someone may have some kind of desire which he does not like to reveal to others, so he keeps it suppressed, unconscious.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is politics. That is diplomacy. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita advises, (Sanskrit): "Don't manifest your intentions by your words, since you are thinking (indistinct)." These things are required because it is material world. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has advised, tato śāstram samadvayam (?). The people are cheaters, so you have to become cheater also; otherwise you cannot live. What can you say? Just like a shopkeeper, everyone knows that he is making profit, but he has to make bargain. So a shopkeeper says, "I am taking (indistinct). You are my friend, I am not taking a single paisa profit." How he'll do it, come on (indistinct).
Purports to Songs
So the poet sings, Śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, vandana, pāda-sevana, dāsya re. So there are different processes: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping in the temple, engaging oneself in the service. So he is desiring all nine kinds of devotional service. Ultimately, pūjana sakhī-jana. Sakhī-jana means those who are confidential devotees of the Lord, to please them. And ātma-nivedana. Ātmā means self, and nivedana means surrender. Govinda-dāsa-abhilāṣa. The poet's name is Govinda dāsa, and he expresses that his desires are only this. He wants to utilize the opportunity of his human form of life in this way. This is the sum and substance of this song.
Therefore one who takes a dip into this ocean, gaura-prema-rasārṇave, sei taraṅga yebā ḍube. Just like we take a dip and bath, and we play, sport, in the waves of the ocean or sea. Similarly, one who takes pleasure, taking a dip and sporting with the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya's distribution of love of God, such a person becomes immediately a confidential devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sei rādhā-mādhava-antaraṅga. Antaraṅga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke. "Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya's movement," because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord...
Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "Such devotee, it doesn't matter whether he's in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder." Gṛha. Gṛha means householder. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement does not say that one has to become a renounced order, sannyāsī. Just like Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, impersonalists, Śaṅkarācārya, they first, they put the first condition that "You take up the renounced order of life first, and then talk of spiritual advancement." So in Śaṅkara sampradāya nobody is accepted as bona fide impersonalist unless he has accepted the renounced order of life. But here, in Caitanya's movement, there is no such restriction.
| Page Title: | Confidential (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari, Mayapur |
| Created: | 25 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=132, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 132 |