A living entity must have independence, although it is very little, minute. That Kṛṣṇa does not touch. He'll never touch. You'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, I shall surrender unto You. Yes. That is for my benefit." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You must voluntarily agree, not hackneyed, mechanical. "Spiritual master says like this right. All right let me do it." No. You have to understand very nicely. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Prīti, with love. When you work, when you work for Kṛṣṇa with love and enthusiasm, that is your Kṛṣṇa conscious life. If you think that "It is hackneyed, it is troublesome, but what can I do? These people ask me to do it. I have to do it," that is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to do it voluntarily and with great pleasure.
Hackneyed (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
"Yad-avadhi, since the time, mama cetaḥ, I have engaged my life and soul, my consciousness, in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa..." This verse is given by Yāmunācārya. He was a great king, and kings, they are generally licentious, but he became later on a saintly devotee. So his personal experience, he is saying, that "Since I have engaged my mind in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde..." Nava-nava. And service, spiritual service means every moment new. It is not hackneyed.
Those who are spiritually realized, they will find to serve Kṛṣṇa means new enlightenment, new enlightenment. Nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt. Here, in this material world, you enjoy. It becomes hackneyed. Punaḥ punaś carvita; therefore you are disappointed. But if you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you'll find new and new encouragement. That is spiritual. If you find it hackneyed, then you must know that you are not yet serving spiritually, you are serving materially. Formality, stereotype. But if you feel new and new energy, then you know that you are serving spiritually. This is the test. Your enthusiasm will increase, not decrease.
We are advising everyone, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Kīrtan... This Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra should be chanted twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. But (if) it becomes difficult or hackneyed, then you can remember Kṛṣṇa otherwise. While drinking water, while seeing the sunshine, while seeing the moonshine, while chanting Vedic mantras, or even hearing some sound in the khe. Sound is produced by the ether. So many sounds we are hearing. If you simply remember this śloka of Bhāgavata, that śabda, any sound... Hare Kṛṣṇa sound is transcendental. That's all right. But if you don't like Hare Kṛṣṇa sound, you take any sound, any sound is also... That is coming from the original sound. Simply it is covered by māyā. What is the difference between spiritual and material? Everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But when it is covered by māyā, it is material. That's all. And what is māyā? Forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. The same water, the same water, it is spiritual. Because it is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa has already said, bhūmir āpaḥ. Āpaḥ. Here also, apsu. So āpaḥ, jala, or water, is Kṛṣṇa's energy. How it can be different from Kṛṣṇa? So we have to deal with water in so many ways. How we can forget Kṛṣṇa?
They ask me sometimes that "Why so many younger, younger generation come to you?" Yes, they are frustrated. They are no more interested to live like their fathers and grandfathers. That is become... That has become hackneyed. The same things, same gambling, same meat-eating, same woman-huntering, and same intoxication—that has finished.
Some of you might have taken prasādam here. So how nicely they have made. Our Bhānu is expert in making nice prasādam. These boys, these American boys and European boys and some Japanese boys, they have adopted this means. They are happy. So everyone can become sura. There is no... Kṛṣṇa says... It is not it is hackneyed. If somebody says, "Oh, he is born in the asura family. He shall remain as asura," no, no, that is not shastric injunction. He can be improved. He can become a sura.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Just like in the Western world, they have been endowed with so much facilities of comfortable life, but because they do not know how to utilize the comfortable situation of life, there is so much chaos and confusion. The so rich nations, young boys and girls, they are turning to be hippies. Because they do not find... It is hackneyed. The same wine, same women, and same motorcar and same road, it has become disgusting. That is the nature's way. Because human life is not meant for that purpose. Human life is meant for, as it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. You are working so hard... You are so working hard... Why? Is it meant for simply sense gratification and satisfying the bodily needs? That is being done by the hogs and dogs. The... We see the hogs and dogs, they are always busy. So this human form of life is not meant for that purpose. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Earn money, but... Be comfortable, but utilize time—tattva-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is your aim of life.
And one who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is directed, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "One should surrender to a spiritual master." Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Who will surrender? Who has become very inquisitive, "What is God?" Take for example, "What is God? What I am?" Now, unless one is very seriously inquisitive about this subject matter, there is no need of spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means very inquisitive. And what sort of jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive? There must be some subject matter of inquiry. Just in the market place the businessmen, their inquiry, "What is the rate? What is the price of this thing?" He's interested in purchasing and selling. The Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquisitiveness. Not for any material inquiry." There is no need of asking about any material things which are hackneyed. Jijñāsuḥ śreya. "What is my ultimate goal of life?" That inquiry. Now, everyone knows that "My ultimate goal of life is to accumulate a big bank balance." Generally, we think like that. Or somebody thinks that "If I possess a big skyscraper house and several motorcars, that is ultimate goal of my life." But Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquiries. You do not require to enquire about how to achieve a skyscraper house or several motorcars or very good apartment." Just materialists, as they want. That you may enquire or not enquire. What is destined to you, it will come. It will come. The Bhāgavata says that "Either you enquire..." You go to astrologer, "What is in my fate? Whether I am getting such and such things or not?" You enquire or not enquire, if you are destined to achieve that thing, it will come automatically. Everyone is bound up by the reaction of his past work.
So our business is how to get out of this tāpa-traya. That is first-class civilization. Otherwise hackneyed. Again and again, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is not. Now, those who are thinking of worshiping other demigods, that is not recommended. That is not recommended because Kṛṣṇa clearly says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Even there are some inconveniences, Kṛṣṇa is completely able to remove your inconvenience. Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So we should stick to the position of devotional service, execute regularly the orders of the spiritual master and the śāstra, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand Kṛṣṇa only by service. There is no other way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you want to see Kṛṣṇa or want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then it can be possible only by your service, nothing else.
So we have to work according to our capacity, at the same time chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Kṛṣṇa has given you the tongue, and there is no difficulty. Kurvāṇā yatra karmāṇi. And always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "How I can think of Kṛṣṇa constantly? It becomes hackneyed." No, the varieties. Kṛṣṇa says that you think of Kṛṣṇa while drinking water, you think of Kṛṣṇa when you see the sunshine, think of Kṛṣṇa when you see the moonshine, day and night. So at daytime there is sunshine, at night there is moonshine. So day and night you can think of Kṛṣṇa.
First of all hear: Hare Kṛṣṇa. The leading, I mean to, singer, he says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and we repeat, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." So śṛṇvanti gāyanti. Very simple method. Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti. And takes it very seriously, accept: "Yes, this principle will alleviate all my sufferings." Seriously. Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanty abhīkṣṇaśaḥ. Abhīkṣṇaśaḥ means continuously, not that "For some days I do, and then again I go to my own habits." No. Abhīkṣṇaśaḥ, continually. And smaranti. And if you take it, then naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa. Smaranti nandanti. And then gradually you'll be pleased. You'll feel pleasure. Otherwise, hackneyed, how you can continue? From early in the morning you are chanting. Unless you feel some pleasure, how you can do it? Artificially, it is not possible.
Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). If you are engaged satatam, twenty-four hours, without any other engagement... Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), giving up all other nonsense business... Sarva-dharmān. Simply if you are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business... Prīti-pūrvakam, with love. Not as hackneyed: "Oh here is the duty, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right, Harekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇa..." (Prabhupāda chants very quickly and indistinctly) Not like that. With prīti, with love. Chant every name, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and hear. Here is Kṛṣṇa; here is Rādhārāṇī. That kind of chanting, quality. Not "Harekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇakṛṣṇakṛṣṇaharehare..." Not like that. Not like that. Prīti.
Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti (BG 10.10). That prīti is required. That is the essential quality.
So you cannot neglect these varieties of taste. That is enjoyment. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). We are all ānandamaya, joyful. Therefore there must be varieties. Without varieties, there is no joy. Simply hackneyed, one thing, "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman," nobody likes it. They keep with "Brahman, Brahman," they fall down or they again come to the explanation of this Bhāgavatam. I have seen so many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. By "Brahman, Brahman," they could not attract audience. Then come to Bhāgavata reading and explains in nonsense way all the Bhāgavata, Māyāvādī. But they come to... Because Bhāgavata is full of varieties. But they explain in their own way. I have seen one big Māyāvādī sannyāsī, explaining Bhāgavata that "God became pleased..." in some stanza. "So if you become pleased, then God becomes pleased." This was his explanation. If I am pleased by drinking wine, then God is also pleased? This is his explanation. Yes. I'm a grand debauch. By debauchery I am pleased. So God is also pleased by my debauchery. Because God and I, the same. This is their explanation.
Why you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa daily, the same thing? We are speaking nothing new. "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and you have to surrender." This is our daily business. But why you are coming to see..., hear the same hackneyed words? Because it is very pleasing. This is called ruci, taste, "Yes, I want to hear this repeatedly. Yes. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, I am the eternal servant." You have got a taste. Unless one gets the taste, then you'll say, "What is this hackneyed word?" Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, twenty-four hours you can chant because you have got the taste. Others cannot do. This is called ruci. And ruci means āsakti, attraction: "I must go. I must chant. I must do." Tato niṣṭhā, tato ruciḥ, atha āsaktiḥ. Tato bhāvaḥ. Then bhāva: "Ah, Kṛṣṇa. I will associate with Kṛṣṇa. Then Kṛṣṇa's love, that is perfection."
We are accustomed to hear so many things, radio and dictaphone and so many things. We are hankering after hearing tape record or this gramophone album, and news from in the newspaper. We are always anxious, very anxious. Big, big news... In your country especially, millions of papers, newspaper, such big, just to hear what is going on in the world. But after seeing one or two pages, you throw it away. Because you are hackneyed. You know that there was political strife, there was fire, there was burglary, there was this, there was this... The same story. Carvita-carvaṇānām, chewing the chewed. No, actually, no pleasure. By... We have seen in your country, and nowadays in our country so many nice news magazines, but they see one or two pages and they throw away. Because there is no pleasure, although I have got hankering to hear so many things.
But this kind of hearing will not give me pleasure. Therefore here it is said, śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. This, it is not ordinary hearing. This kṛṣṇa-praśna, question about Kṛṣṇa and answer about Kṛṣṇa, this is not ordinary question and answer. It is ātmavit-sammataḥ. Those who are self-realized, they will understand, they will approve of it. Because it is transcendental.
The more you are attached to spiritual variety, it is just like ocean. An ocean does not increase, but spiritual varieties are said they are increasing. Now just like here you have got the Arabian Sea. It is not increasing. It would have increased, then Bombay town would have been finished long ago. So it is not increasing. It has got a certain limit. You go to the beach you see no, no more than. But it is compared with ānandāmbudhi, the ocean of bliss, increasing, vardhanam. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. The more you enter into the spiritual bliss, the more you become joyful. That is spiritual. Spiritual, just like these boys, these girls they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Had it been hackneyed, how long they would have chanted? No. That is not possible. Unless it is spiritual, nobody can be satisfied simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. You take any other word, "Mr. John, Mr. John, Mr. John," how long you will chant? After chanting for half an hour you will be fed up. But this is ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. The more you chant the more you become spiritually advanced. This is called
So next verse will be discussed sometimes later on because I am leaving this place tomorrow. So tomorrow, of course, Rādhāṣṭami, we shall have meetings in daytime. And... Of course, those devotees are present, please come tomorrow, Rādhāṣṭami. Try to understand the Rādhā's position in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice. Try to understand it in so many ways. We have got immense literature. If lifelong we try to understand, there is sufficient stock. It is not hackneyed. You'll get nava-navāyaman. Newer and newer things you'll get, experience. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. And the more and more you get relish in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your transcendental pleasure becomes more and more appreciated. It is so nice. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ambudhi... Ambudhi means ocean. In the ordinary course, the ocean does not increase. If ocean would have increased, then there would..., so many towns would have been washed away. Sometimes it happens of course, temporarily. But anandāmbudhi. The spiritual ocean is so nice that it increased, and the enjoyer of that ānanda, he also increases.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The ultimate goal is to take shelter unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas (SB 10.2.32). Simply to concoct that I become, I have become liberated. And, that... Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. They, those who are thinking that they have become liberated simply by merging into the Brahman effulgence, they are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, they are still, their intelligence is not very clear, not purified. Why? Now, although they have gone there, and thinking that they are liberated, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ patanti (SB 10.2.32), they'll fall down. They cannot remain there. Because there is no varieties. And our life, because we are living entities, we want varieties. Without varieties, it is hackneyed. We cannot stay there. Therefore they fall down. Those who merge into the Brahman effulgence, they fall down. Go on. Therefore a bhakta does not accept the Brahman, brahmānanda. Brahmānanda, they know. Brahmānanda is, there is brahmānanda. That is liberation from the material ānanda. But unless one is engaged in sevānanda, service of the Lord, this brahmānanda will not be sufficient to keep him in the spiritual world.
Festival Lectures
If you take the opportunity of hearing-śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ visnoḥ (SB 7.5.23)—about Viṣṇu's līlā activities... And if you simply stick to the nirakāra Brahman, what we shall hear? Therefore they fall down, these Māyāvādīs who simply take seriously the impersonal feature of Kṛṣṇa, because there is no līlā. "Brahman brahman ahaṁ brahman brahman," then how long it will go on? It will be hackneyed. But when we take to Kṛṣṇa's personal activities, then are newer, newer, newer, and multi and many... Then we get the opportunity of hearing Kṛṣṇa. Then you stick. Otherwise, if I simply become understood about the Brahman feature, it will be hackneyed, we want seek ānanda, pleasure. So in the impersonal feature there is no pleasure. Just like in the sky, even if you take a very nice airplane, and simply fly in the sky, you'll be very much displeased. That is our practical experience. If you go in the sea and for months together remain in the sea, you'll be very much sick. We want pleasure. We want pleasure, varieties. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. He also discover..., varieties of pleasure, and if we join with Him, we also enjoy the varieties of pleasure eternally in the spiritual world. That is success of life.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Prabhupāda: So I am very happy to see you again after eight months, or nine months. Ānandambudhi vardhanam. This movement is not hackneyed. Increasing the ocean of happiness. You have no experience of the ocean increasing. If the ocean increases, then the whole planet will be again overflooded. But this is an ocean of happiness. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Lord Caitanya says, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Ambudhi. Ambudhi means ocean and ānanda means bliss. If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, as soon as our heart is cleansed... That is the first benediction of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that our heart becomes cleansed. If your heart is not cleansed, how we are participating together? Somebody is Indian, somebody is American, somebody is Canadian, somebody is African. Because on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform the heart becomes cleansed. There are no more such consciousness that "I am this," "I am that." The only consciousness is that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is cleanliness of heart. As soon as we come to this platform, that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." Just like the gopīs. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they were thinking, "We are all Kṛṣṇa's." Central point is Kṛṣṇa. That is the beauty of Vṛndāvana. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, the elderly cowherd men, the boys, the girls, the trees, the river, the birds, the beasts—everyone—they are simply thinking, "I am Kṛṣṇa's." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
General Lectures
This Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration may be foreign to you, but there is no difficulty to chant. The words may be in Sanskrit, but it is not difficult to chant. And if you simply chant, you get the result because it is transcendental vibration. Just like when television or radio vibration is there, either in India, America, everywhere the vibration is equally beneficial. Similarly, this transcendental vibration is coming down from the transcendental world. It is not material sound. It is not hackneyed. If you chant, if you practice, you'll realize it. So our request is that without any charges, without any fee, without any bluff, we say that you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
Prabhupāda: After each and every verse we chant, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Similarly, we repeat Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Why we repeat? The more we repeat means we learn to love. That is required. Anything which you do not love, you cannot repeat. It will be disgusting. Anything, any word you take, if you simply repeat, you'll feel disgusted. Sometimes those who are not in Kṛṣṇa conscious life, they also feel this repetition as disgusting, hackneyed, because they have not developed love. Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "What shall I chant with one tongue and what shall I hear with two ears? If millions of tongue I would have possessed, then I could chant little." And they're tasting... Because they have got love for Kṛṣṇa, they are tasting the nectarean of chanting. They cannot give up. In the material world also, there are many slogans. We repeat because we love.
We have got our class. If you want, you can associate with us. Ādau śraddhā tato-sādhu-saṅga tato bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means practice. Just like my students, they came also like this. Not in the beginning they accepted, but he came after attending some lectures, then advanced, then offered that "Swamijī, I want to be your student." That is called bhajana-kriyā. So if he practiced the bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then he becomes purified. This is the process of purification. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Tato niṣṭhā. And as soon as he is purified, he become stuck up to this principle. He cannot give up. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means he gets a taste for it. Don't you think they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa always... Hackneyed, for others it is hackneyed, but they are feeling pleasure. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means taste. Tathāsakti. Then they cannot give it up. Tato bhāva. Then ecstasy. Sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ: "These are the gradual process of developing love of Godhead." And as soon as you develop love of Godhead, your life is successful.
My dear boys and girls, I thank you very much for participating in our saṅkīrtana. It is very simple, chanting the sixteen words Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Actually there are only three words: Hare, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma. It is not difficult. Everyone can immediately, within a second, can chant these three names, Hare, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma. But to make it still easier and suitable, they have been arranged in two lines of eight words each line. That is very rhythmic, and one feels immediately transcendental pleasure to chant. It is not hackneyed. We have chanted about exactly half an hour, but if we chant even twenty-four hours, you'll never feel tired. That is the significance, practical. You will feel more and more enthusiastic to chant. Our boys and girls do that. In the beginning, of course, you may not understand, but you take to this practice of chanting, you'll feel immediately transcendental pleasure. I saw, although some of you could not join us in dancing and chanting, but you were, from your seat, you were trying to dance. That I have seen. It is practical. We have seen even children, they immediately take to this dancing and chanting. So it is not very difficult.
So a human being, if he tries, he can attain that perfection. That is stated. It is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Anyone who knows in truth about the Supreme Personality of Godhead... People say, "God is great." That is a hackneyed word. But if we want to know how God is great, that can be also known from authorized scriptures. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God Himself describes about Himself. So we can know. So He says that "Simply by understanding what I am..." Kṛṣṇa says or God says, janma karma me divyam: "My appearance, or taking birth just like a human being, is transcendental." It is not exactly like the human body, but God is so kind that He comes before us as an ordinary human being.
| Page Title: | Hackneyed (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Vraj Kishori, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 04 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=25, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 25 |