Our mission, human mission, is to come to the platform of amṛtatvam, immortality. We have discussed this point. Amṛtatvam, immortality. The modern civilization, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they cannot imagine even that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They cannot imagine. Their brain is so dull that they cannot think of, that we can become immortal. Then how Kṛṣṇa is speaking about immortality? Is He speaking something nonsense, utopian? No, He is speaking the fact. Otherwise, if Kṛṣṇa speaks something nonsense, utopian, then nobody would be interested to read Bhagavad-gītā. We may be third-class men, that we indulge in Bhagavad-gītā, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking something utopian, nonsense. But there are big, big ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Why they are giving attention to the reading of Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa does not speak anything nonsense. It is fact. So if it is the fact that there is possibility of becoming immortal... That is sat.
Discuss on this point (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"discuss on this point"
|"discuss this point"
|"discussed on this point"
|"discussed this point"
|"discusses this point"
|"discussing on this point"
|"discussing this point"
|"discussion on this point"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So, it is the duty of the kṣatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samāna. One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma.
So practically there is no death. Death means changing the body. We have already discussed this point. Now... But that janma, that birth, oh, it is stated here that it is a bondage. Janma-bandha. Bandha means bondage. Practically there is similarity in English. It is called bandha. And in English, bond. There is similarity of sound. Janma-bandha. So this janma, so long, so long your mind will be absorbed in the activities of this material world, you are sure to take birth again. So that activities, by intelligence, have to be purified in such a way that it will not affect you. It will not affect you. That is the tactics. This tactic... So we should be very serious. We should be very serious that many, many lives, many, many lives we have passed, but there was no opportunity to get out of this tribulation of birth, death, old age and diseases. Now here is a chance. Here is a chance in the human form of life.
Mental platform cannot give us the actual freedom or the happiness. Therefore Lord says, "One should give up all mental speculation and should be satisfied in the understanding that 'I am consciousness, and there is Supreme Consciousness, and I am subordinate to the Supreme Consciousness. Therefore let me dovetail my consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness.' " Last day also, we discussed on this point. And the point is very clearly manifested in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā, that Arjuna mentally speculated in the beginning that "Whether I should take up this fighting or not?" But at the ultimate issue he gave up his mental speculation and agreed with the Lord that "Yes, I shall fight."
Now, so, so long we have got our, this material body... We have several times discussed this point, that all our miseries, distresses, are due to this body. There are three kinds of distresses—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika: distresses due to this body and mind; distresses due to the other living entities; and distresses which is beyond our power, distresses, natural distresses, adhidaivika, distresses offered by the supernatural power. So three kinds of distresses we are suffering always. There is no, I mean to say, rescue either from the three, or at least from one or two. There is always... It is going on.
And therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says that in order to reach to that stage of perfection, you should work. Your work should not be stopped. We have already discussed this point, that niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ, that "Your prescribed duty should be prosecuted nicely. Go on. Don't stop it, but work for the life of karma-yoga. Karma-yoga. Ordinary work is called karma. Ordinary work is karma. And when it is added with yoga, that means spiritualized work. Yoga. Yoga means spiritual perfection or linking up with the Supreme.
We have discussed this point that our material bondage is due to hankering and lust for dominating over the resources of matter. We are, in essence, we are pure souls, but circumstantially we are now fallen in this material bondage and therefore we are undergoing threefold miseries of material existence. And the whole Bhagavad-gītā scheme is how to get out of this material entanglement and be situated in your real spiritual life of bliss, knowledge and eternal life. That is the whole scheme of Bhagavad-gītā.
Ordinarily, when we give up these bodies, we quit this body, we have to accept another body. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). We have discussed this point that we living entities, our life is going on simply by changing dresses from one body to another, transmigration of the soul according to our work. So this, this body is dress.
Now, so far the pious work, which is called, in Sanskrit language, which is called puṇya-karma, we get four results, four kinds of results. By pious work, we get very good birth. Good birth means to take one's birth in aristocratic family or in rich family. That is, materially concerned, very good birth. So by pious work, one can become a good birth, can get his birth in a good family. And he can become a rich man also. Just, just like in this world we see. Somebody is working very little, but he's gaining much. Another body is working very hard the whole day; still, he's not getting much. Why? Because due to his pious work, he is getting very easily riches. So richness is also result of pious work. And similarly, one student is becoming very quickly a scholar; another, he cannot. So this is also result of pious work. Similarly, beauty is also due to pious work. I discussed this point. And what was your point?
So either Brahman or Paramātmā or Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of, there is no difference. The same thing, but according to the capacity of the knower, they are manifested into different phases.We have several times discussed this point. Just like to understand the sun, somebody is studying the sun rays. He is also studying the sun and somebody is studying what is the sun disc. So he is also studying sun and somebody is trying to enter into the sun planet to see who is there. Everything is the sun. But the persons who are studying the sunshine, their grade is lower than the person who is trying to understand the sun disc. And their position is lower grade than the person who wants to enter into the sun. So the bhaktas, they are trying to see the sun-god within the sun. Just like they want to see Kṛṣṇa.
Tattvataḥ means the Absolute Truth as it is, you can understand. And tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā, and after understanding the Kṛṣṇa science very perfectly, he becomes eligible to enter into that spiritual kingdom. These things are stated.
- So here... We are discussing this point that
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
So if we actually want to reach that point of perfectional knowledge where we can fully surrender... Now, the intelligent person... According to my opinion... I have several times discussed this point, that if it is a point that after many, many births, when I am fully perfect in knowledge, I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then why not immediately surrender to Him? Why shall I wait for many, many births? That is very intelligent proposal. If that is the end of perfection, then why not accept the perfection immediately? But people are doubtful.
Just like you have got some boil in the boil, in the hand or some part of your body, and the physician says, "It is... It has to be surgically operated," now, with faith, you undergo the surgical operation, and during the operation it may seem very severe. You may be feeling very severely, but when the pusses are out and it is bandaged, oh, you'll feel relief. "Oh, my dear physician, you have done a great deal of progress." You are engaged. But when the operation was going on, you was in hell.So this is the point. With faith, you have to accept the formula, and we have to execute it. But if you do it... Because the authority is there. We are keeping our faith not to a third-class person. To the supreme authority, Kṛṣṇa.We have to understand first. Therefore we have discussed this point.
Just like several times I have discussed this point, that a big tree, if you have to pour water, then you have to pour water on the root. The tree has millions and billions of leaves, and if you go on pouring water in each and every leaf, neither you'll be able to pour water to all the leaves, neither it is possible to maintain the tree by pouring water on the leaves. You have to pour water on the root. Similarly, our work, our endeavor, whatever we may do, good work or bad work, if it is not done on account of Kṛṣṇa, then that will remain always imperfect.
Several times we have discussed this point, that this hand, this work of my hand, is a kind of energy of my body. Now, this hand is meant for working for this body. Similarly, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). The living entities, they are all parts and parcels of the Supreme, and therefore the energy... That is ... That energy also part and parcel. That energy also part of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited energy, and our energy is just a part of energy. That's all, part of energy. Therefore our energy should be spent for Kṛṣṇa.
So we are, by material advancement, we are just advancing the cause of illusion. That is all. We do not know. What we know? Therefore a person who begins a spiritual life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his asset will go with him. Never mind, in this body we may be little uncomfortable. A spiritually advanced man, or a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is never in discomfort. We have already discussed this point. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ (Bg. 6.20-23). When one attains perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not want anything more. Everything is complete. And the symptom will be seen that he's not disturbed even in the severest point of miserable condition.
Arjuna knew it that "Kṛṣṇa is not my ordinary friend. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he at once surrendered. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am surrendered unto You as Your disciple. Please accept me and just teach me what is good for me." Therefore Kṛṣṇa also says that jñānaṁ te aham, "I am speaking to you this knowledge, this confidential knowledge, because you are surrendered." So this thing, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins. Unless you have got at least a little attachment for Kṛṣṇa, unless you have taken to any sort of service to Kṛṣṇa it is very difficult to understand. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarūpa-viṣayakam. So jñānam, you can understand this because you are surrendered soul. Prapannāyāśeṣataḥ samagrena upadekṣyāmi. So jñānam means the actual, factual knowledge. Jñānam means factual knowledge and practical demonstration of that knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter, and we shall further discuss on this point.
Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Last day we have been discussing four classes of men who come to God and four classes of men who do not come to God. The four classes of men who do not come to God, they are impious, foolish, lowest of the mankind, and their knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy and they are atheists.
- na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
- prapadyante narādhamāḥ
- māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
- āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
- (BG 7.15)
We have discussed this point in detail.
Suppose you are poet. You are a thoughtful poet. Now, when you change your body, oh, you'll still remain a poet. By changing your body, it does not become something else. So the thought is the real thing. That will carry you to the other body. This is, this is gross body, and there is subtle body. The subtle body is mind, ego and intelligence. So when you give up this gross body, the subtle body carries me to another gross body, another gross body. But when you become on the same level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your this subtle body also cannot act. You directly go in spiritual body to Kṛṣṇa.So we shall discuss this point.
This material manifestation is... Sometimes it is created, and sometimes it goes into the nature of the Lord. But spiritual creation is not like that. Spiritual creation is permanent. In the material creation everything is temporary, nonpermanent. Just like this body. This body is created. And take for example. In our personal self, we are spiritual spark, fragmental. We have several times discussed this point, that we are all spiritual spark, fragmental part of the Supreme Lord. As we are creating our body and it is finishing, and again I am creating my body and again finishing... That is a fact.
Anyone who is devotee, naturally he'll worship Kṛṣṇa. The temple is there, we worship. Then? Man-manā bhava, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. And worshiping Kṛṣṇa means, if you cannot do anything, you simply go and offer your obeisances, that's all. It is open to everyone. There is no restriction that such and such men can come and offer obeisances. No. Anyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even born in low-grade family, it doesn't matter. So where is the difficulty? That we want to discuss. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious, is there any difficulty for any person anywhere, any part of the world? Let us discuss this point. Huh? You sit down properly. I say you, yes. So, discuss this point. What is the difficulty? Why people are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. But the process is simple. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī (BG 18.65).
Prabhupāda: Huh? Then there is no question of love, that is another thing, but if you actually want to love Kṛṣṇa, where is the difficulty?
Devotees: There is no difficulty.
Prabhupāda: That is my point. (laughter) If you don't want to love somebody, then there is no question of process. But if you know, by loving such and such person you'll be happy, then there is process and the process is very easy. And open to everyone. That is my point. Now discuss on this point.
Devotee: Sometimes devotees, they want to love Kṛṣṇa, but they fall down, they can't seem to
Prabhupāda: No, no. They want to love Kṛṣṇa, but they divert their love to other things. That is the difficulty. If you want to love Kṛṣṇa, then follow this—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. If you love Kṛṣṇa, then why you are diverting your attention?
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.
Vedas means just like this dictaphone machine is manufactured along with one literature is also compiled. So customers, they are given the delivery of the machine as well as the literature how to use it. That is the Vedas. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that vedānta-kṛt, "I am the compiler of the Vedas." Because if He does not give the literature, then how he will use the machine. The manufacturer of the machine, he knows how to use it, what for it is, how to manipulate it. Everything is there. The Vedic knowledge means that. We have come to this material world. So just like we have purchased this machine for some enjoyment, similarly, we are fallen down to this material world for some material pleasure. So Kṛṣṇa has given, God has given a literature. If you'll be guided by the literature, that, your propensity to enjoy this material world, will be fulfilled, at the same time you'll again be able to go back home, back to Godhead. So now you discuss this point that why we have come to this material world, what is the purpose. These things are mentioned in the Vedas. Vedas gives you knowledge about your relationship with God. That is the first knowledge. And then, according to that relationship, if you act, then you are rightly directed, and ultimately the goal is to go back home, back to Godhead. So discuss on this point if you have anyone any doubt, any question.
Big, big asuras like Rāvaṇa, he also wanted to be happy himself and others by material adjustment. He proposed that "There is no need of acting piously to go to the heavenly planet. I shall construct a staircase so anyone can go." Rāvaṇera svargeśvari. So that was failure. Just like we are now trying, the modern scientists. We are trying to go to the moon planet. It is failure. They will never be able to go there. I have discussed this point. We are conditioned. We cannot live one place to another without being proficient or without being eligible. Just like even in this planet you cannot go to the other country.
Mukti means if you give up the artificial endeavor to become predominator and become situated in your original position, being predominated. Artificially... Suppose a woman is trying to become man artificially, how long it will go on? How she can be happy? That is not possible. Actually, in the Western countries at least we see that the woman class, they want equal rights with men. And there is. There is no distinction. But it is my experience, the woman class, they are not happy in the Western countries. And still in our country, although we are so fallen, still our woman class remains satisfied. Being predominated, they are happy. They are happy. That is my practical experience. So I do not wish to discuss this point very much, but according to our Manu-saṁhitā, it is said that women should not be free. Na strī svātantryam arhati: "Svātantryam is not allowed to the woman class." Actually, we have seen, and by experience, those who are under the domination of the father when they, still they are not married, they are happy. Those who are under the domination of the husband after being married, they're happy. And those who are under the domination of elderly children, they are happy.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Spirit is described... We have already discussed on this point that the spirit is eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "Even after the destruction of this body, the consciousness is not destroyed." That continues. Rather, consciousness transferred to another type of body makes me again alive to the material conception of life. And that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So here is the information of creation. The creation is from a person, not from the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Creation, there must be brain; otherwise how there is question of creation? We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are..., we have also creative power. So as soon as there is question of creative power, there must be a brain behind the creation, and brain means a person. Creation cannot be possible from void or impersonal thing. We have several times discussed this point, that the government, this word, appears to be impersonal, but actually, behind the government there is a person—the president or the king, like that. So this creation, cosmic manifestation, is possible through the creative power of the Supreme Person; therefore God cannot be impersonal.
The modern fashion is that they want to become God by meditation, by advancement of mystic power. But that kind of God is not Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not become God; He's God always. Others, they try to become God by mystic power. We have heard so many so-called Gods, that "He attained such perfection of mystic power. Now he has become God." That is also another māyā. Nobody can become God. God is God; dog is dog. This is the law of identity. A dog cannot become God, neither God becomes dog. This is Māyāvāda theory that at the end the Absolute Truth is void, or impersonal. The Buddhist theory is void and the Māyāvādī theory is impersonal. But our philosophy is that God is originally the Supreme Person. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). We have discussed this point many times.
A government's duty is, if anyone is proclaiming himself a Hindu, the government must see that he is acting as a Hindu. If a person is claiming to be Mussulman, he must act as a Mussulman. That is secular government. Secular government may be impartial, but it is not the government's duty to let the people to be whimsical: "Whatever he likes, he can do." No. That is not civilization. So we were discussing on this point.
Icchatā abhayam. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving instruction to Mahārāja Parīkṣit what is to be done at the point of death. We have already discussed this point, that we must know the responsibility of our next life. Just like a child is given education for the next life, to become youthful, to get into higher education, admission. Then a youth is given higher education for better life in future. That is natural. Every one is expecting future prospect. Similarly, we, every one of us, we are changing our body exactly the same way as the child is changing his body to boyhood, the boy is changing his body to youthhood, the youth is changing his body to old body. Similarly, after old age, there is next stage is death.
Distress and happiness, they're already destined, according to our body. We have discussed this point. Take, for example, you American boys and girls, you have got a body, by your previous activities. So your standard of living is better than other country. So actually I see that even if you go outside your country, your standard of living is maintained. Because you have got already the body. Deha-yogena dehinām.
So yoga means, here it is stated, yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya. Yoga system means to lead one to the ultimate benediction. And ādhyātmikaḥ. Ādhyātmikaḥ means "pertaining to the soul." Yoga, practice of yoga, does not mean to gain some material profit. Actually, those who have attained to perfection to some extent in the yoga process... The yoga process which is very much advertised in your country, that is more or less bodily exercise. Yoga process is very difficult for the modern age. I have several times discussed this point.
We have several times discussed this point that the so-called scholars, politicians, and philosophers, they read Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way. This is their foolishness. They cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just licking the bottle of honey." Now you want honey. I give you one bottle, but you do not know how to taste it. You begin to lick up the bottle. Then what you will taste? If you think, "Here is the bottle of honey. Let me lick," you will not get any taste. It must be opened. But the opening key is with the devotee. You do not know how to open it. Therefore it is said, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ (SB 3.25.25). The devotees know how to open it, the bottle. And then they can taste.
Just like children, they are thinking that "If I play like this, it will be very nice." So becomes engaged in one type of playing. And then again changing, another type of playing, because they do not know what kind of plan should be made so that Children. Abodha-jātaḥ. Children's another name is abodha. So from abodha, one has to be brought to the platform of bodha. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. This word is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is mahātmā. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. Not the abodhayantam. The other rascals, they are abodha, those who are bodhayantaṁ parasparam. What is that verse? Mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam (BG 10.9). This is called sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga. People should be engaged always inquiring about progress of spiritual life. That is advancement. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. There should be constantly discussion. Everything is there in the books. Just like this word abodha-jātaḥ. We can discuss on this point, abodha-jātaḥ.
So the meaning is clearly described in the translation. So the brāhmaṇas, why they are accepted as the supreme in the human society? On account of these qualities. We have discussed this point, that either brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, especially dvijottama... The brāhmaṇas are called dvijottama. Dvija-śreṣṭhā. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā. Dvija means twice-born, one birth by the father and mother and the other birth by Vedic knowledge and spiritual master.
So here is incarnation of God, Ṛṣabhadeva. Now there are so many rascal incarnation. Is it possible to pass stool and make it surabhi? Is it possible? So you can ask these rascals incarnation that "Pass your stool here. Let us see first of all. Then we shall accept you." Practical. "We are fools and rascals. We want practical test." So śāstra-cakṣuṣaḥ. This is the injunction, śāstra. Here is śāstra, that the incarnation of God, even He passes stool, it is fragrant. He can do it. That is God. That practically you can see, that the cow dung... Cow dung, you can make a stack of cow dung here. It will never disturb you. You'll, rather, feel pleasure, passing through that portion of field where cow dung is stacked. You'll never feel any disturbance because it is pure. Cow dung... We have discussed this point many times. Where it is impure, that it makes pure. In Indian villages, still they use cow dung for smearing over the floor, and it becomes very nice, fresh, and purified. That is injunction of the śāstra, that cow dung is pure. So if by the will of Kṛṣṇa, by the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa, even an animal's stool can become so purified, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa's stool?
Rūpa Gosvāmī has given a very nice example that a woman, if she is attached to some man and she has a fixed up time to meet the man at some place or at some hour, so she may be engaged in household affairs very busily, but she is expecting, "When that hour will come?" This is very factual example. The mind is there, "When that meeting will take place?" Similarly, you can remember Kṛṣṇa. The... It is a crude example, but it is possible that you be busy in so many ways, but at the same time you can remember Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have no objection. You do business, you do this, you do that. But if you can always remember Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. It doesn't matter. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. And if you remember always Kṛṣṇa, that means you are becoming purified. You are purified immediately.So that is required. Prāyaścitta and other things, they may be temporarily... That is... We are discussing this point. The real point is that nārāyaṇa-parāṅmukham. Without thinking of Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, no other method will be able to purify you.
"For the entities who have accepted this material body..." He is speaking universally. Not for himself or for his father, but he was speaking generally for everybody. Everybody. Anyone. Dehināṁ. Dehi means this body. We are different from this body. We have several times discussed this point. So in Sanskrit word there are two implications in the understanding of our existence. One is deha. Deha means this body. And dehi means the proprietor of this body. I am the proprietor of my body, you are the proprietor of your body. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "For all the proprietors of the body"—that means for everyone who has accepted this material body, all living entities—"that is the best thing." What is that? Sadā samudvigna-dhiyṁ. And anyone who has accepted this material body, his symptom is that he is full of anxieties. This is the disease. To get this body, material body, means to remain always full of anxieties.
So anyone who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time he wants material enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa sees his foolishness. Foolishness. Anyone who is making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not be envious, "Oh, he is so great. He is so rich man. He has got so nice palace. He has got so nice wife. I haven't got anything." Don't be. Because it is completely different life. Don't be captivated by the material opulence, even you are put into great difficulties. Because you are not this material body. You are spirit soul. So your progress should be steady on the spiritual platform.So we shall discuss this point more. The time has passed. So Prahlāda Mahārāja will explain that why one should offer everything to Kṛṣṇa.
Prahlāda Mahārāja is submitting that "I do not require to be highly elevated to offer my prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Nobody requires any material acquisition to approach God. We have been discussing this point for the last few days. Simply bhaktyā tutoṣa gaja-yūtha-pāya. Even an elephant or any other animal can also satisfy the Lord. How? Bhaktyā, simply by feelings of love, that's all.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Prakṛta-bhakta means executing devotional service under the instruction of spiritual master and the regulative principles of śāstra, but he's still on the platform of material understanding. That is called prakṛta-bhakta. A prakṛta-bhakta cannot understand how another bhakta is transcendental. A prakṛta-bhakta cannot understand that Vṛndāvana is always transcendental. Therefore Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has discussed this point in his Tattva-sandarbha, that we cannot accept any manufactured ideas. Because everyone is defective by the four defects of material life, we have to accept the version of Vedas, Purāṇas. He has tried to establish Purāṇas as Vedic supplementary. Others, they reject Purāṇas out of the Vedas. But Jīva Gosvāmī established. All the Gosvāmīs. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī has given, śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pāñcarātriki-vidhiṁ vinā, aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate (Brs. 1.2.101). It is utpātā, disturbance. If you do not follow the principles of śruti, smṛti, purāṇa, pāñcarātriki-vidhi... Just like we were discussing this point, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). This is pāñcarātriki-vidhi. So if we do not follow these principles... Without following these principles, the so-called devotional service, Hari-bhakti, utpātā, simply disturbance, simply a disturbance. Therefore we have to follow the principles laid down by the Gosvāmīs, Ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs.
Now we say simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness every member in the society, human society, will be happy. This is our proposal. Now discuss on this point, whether actually people will be happy or unhappy. What is the counterargument? It should be understood by threadbare discussion, how Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can make the whole society happy. This is the proposal. Now those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, what argument they will forward against this proposition?
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Sanātana Goswami, after retirement, he had many troubles. He was arrested by the Nawab because Nawab thought him that he was very important hand. "He has now... By sentiment, he's going to Caitanya." So he thought it wise to arrest him. And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations. We have... Some part of this Sanātana instruction, we have discussed. Again we shall discuss. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī met at Benares while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was returning back from Vṛndāvana. We shall discuss this point tomorrow.
We have been discussing this point, that īśvara-vacana, what is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no flaw. In our statement, in our writing, because we are conditioned, therefore we have got four kinds of flaws. We are subjected to commit mistakes, we are sometimes illusioned, and sometimes we try to cheat, and always our senses are imperfect. So therefore whatever knowledge I will present or I will tell you, that is all imperfect. You cannot expect perfect knowledge from imperfect person.
So to develop love of Kṛṣṇa means that is real liberation. And that love of Kṛṣṇa begins after many, many births of cultural life. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). When one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of his real life. And as he makes progress, then he realizes—I have several times discussed this point—ādau śraddhā. First thing is that "I must get myself out of this material contamination." That is called śraddhā. "In this very life I shall realize." So this śraddhā, this belief and this determination, as you make more and more perfect, you make advance.
So taṁ sila rūpa caritaiḥ. Rūpa. It is mentioned that Kṛṣṇa, is mention... His... Just like Lord Caitanya's rūpa is mentioned, tviṣā akṛṣṇa: by complexion He's not black. Similarly, everything is mentioned. So Yamunācārya, that "Your character, Your beauty and Your wonderful work, and accepted... You are accepted by great authorities. You are mentioned in śāstras. In spite of all this, those who are atheists, they'll never accept." So the characteristics of avatāra are there in the śāstra. So we should follow that and, in that way, we shall select... That question is being asked by Sanātana Gosvāmī. We discussed this point yesterday and today also, because it is important point, and further we shall discuss tomorrow.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
As a learned scholar, He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Beautiful, very beautiful body, Gaurasundara. Very beautiful wife. Very honored brāhmaṇa, Jagannātha Miśra's son, grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, very social, aristocratic position. But still, He gave up everything. That means that although He had nothing material, but to show us that material things should be renounced, that is sannyāsa; and enter into the spiritual family of Kṛṣṇa. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He does not become again entangled in these material varieties of life. In material world there is also varieties, but that is false. This morning we were discussing this point, mirage. In the mirage there is a show of false water, and the animal runs after it. But there is no water, and finally he becomes more thirsty, and it is desert; he falls down and dies. So the material world means we are running after false family. But don't think that there is no real family life. There is real family. That is Kṛṣṇa's real family, eternal family, blissful family. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to train up people to be detached from this false family and to enter into the real family. That is the point.
General Lectures
In India, practically there is no dress. You see these pictures, they are without any dress because there is no need of dress. It is tropical country. But in your country you require dress. You cannot go out without dress. You have to take precaution. Similarly, in other planets the atmosphere is different, the standard of living is different, the duration of life is different. There are varieties. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that if you want to go to the higher planets, there is ways and means. So we have discussed this point in our small book Easy Journey to Other Planets. So there is life in other planet, there is standard of living.
So there is supreme control. The modern civilization, they do not understand it due to lack of knowledge. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people to come to this point of knowledge. They're all crazy, conducted by the influence of the three modes of material nature. They're not in normal condition. So it is very important movement. We invite... This morning also I said at the press representative meeting at the airport that there are so many universities and, especially in your country, department of knowledge, but why they are not discussing this point? Where is the department of knowledge? Sometimes past, I think sometimes in 1968, when I went to Boston, I was invited to speak in the technical institute. So my first question was that "Where is that technological department which is making investigation between the dead man and the living man?" Where is that technology? A man becomes dead. Something is losing. Where is that technology to replace it? Why do they not try for it? But because it is very difficult subject, they set aside.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Actually the students, the children, should be given chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the duty of the state, that is the duty of the parents, that is the duty of the guru, that is the duty of kinsmen. That is the instruction given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This human form of life, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions and millions of births, evolutionary process. We have already discussed this point. So that is the Vedic civilization, that a human being should be given chance to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means Bhāgavata-dharma.
So we are giving opportunity to everyone to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Of course, in your country it is new. But in our country, in India, still although India is fallen in so many ways, still, if there is some bhāgavata discourses, throngs of people, crowds will come there. We are holding bhāgavata discourses in Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Jaipur, big, big cities. So in Calcutta and Bombay we saw thirty thousand people were daily attending, continually, for ten days. Similarly in Bombay. So although there is propaganda in India to forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but how they can forget? They're born in a land where Kṛṣṇa appeared. They cannot forget. They have been given the opportunity, took birth in India. That is also due to pious activities. But unfortunately they are being forced to be dragged. I do not wish to discuss this point. But Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is for Indians or for the Hindus or for... No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult is special cult. And He wanted to preach not only in India but all over the world. We have several times discussed this point, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma, this cult, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult. And what is that cult? Kṛṣṇa-prema, to love Kṛṣṇa, or God. God... In many religions they have got different names of God. And in Vedic scripture there are many demigods and incarnation of God. But Kṛṣṇa is the original name of God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.
| Page Title: | Discuss on this point (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Sureshwardas, Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 11 of Feb, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=52, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 52 |