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I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty

Expressions researched:
"So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty" |"Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge" |"I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are . . .?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western country, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I . . . that is my personal convenience: if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there, and I'll be . . . I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty bound. I am in duty bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

Prabhupāda: In Christian world also, that the water of the Jordan River is sacred is considered. Similarly, Hindus also, when they go to some pilgrimage, they take bath on the sacred river. But one should know that going to the sacred place does not mean simply to take bath in that water. Real meaning of going to a sacred place: to find out some intelligent scholar in spiritual knowledge, they are living there. To make association with them, to take knowledge from them—that is the purpose of going to pilgrimage.

Because in pilgrimage, holy places . . . just like I, my residence is at Vṛndāvana. So at Vṛndāvana there are many great scholars and saintly persons living. So one should go to such holy places not simply to take bath in the water, but he must be intelligent enough to find out some spiritually advanced man living there and take instruction from him and (be) benefited by that. But he does not go. He takes simply bath and purchases some goods and advertises, "Oh, I have been to such-and-such pilgrimage." Well . . . yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke and yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu: "He has the attachment for pilgrimage, for taking bath only, but he has no attraction for the learned people there." You see?

So such kind of man is considered as ass: sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go-khara. Go-khara. Go means cow or . . . and khara means ass. So practically the whole world is moving as the civilization of cow and asses, because the whole thing is identification with this . . . The center is this body, and expansion of the body, the attraction, whole attraction is there. Yes? You want to . . .?

Woman: Yes. In the . . . in the places known as sacred places . . .

Prabhupāda: Sac . . . yes.

Woman: . . . isn't . . . sacred places . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman: . . . isn't it also a fact that there is more magnetism there because of the meeting of . . .

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Woman: . . . saints and more advanced people?

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Certainly. Certainly. Therefore the place itself has got some magnetism. You see?

Woman: Yes. And where they have Kumbh Mela . . .

Prabhupāda: Just like at Vṛndāvana, at Vṛndāvana, that is practical. Now here I am sitting, New York, a very great, the world's greatest city, so magnificent city, but my heart is always hankering after that Vṛndāvana.

Woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am not happy here.

Woman: Yes, I know.

Prabhupāda: I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are . . .?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western country, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I . . . that is my personal convenience: if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there, and I'll be . . . I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty bound. I am in duty bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

So this is the whole thing, the whole basic principle of spiritual advancement of knowledge. One should first be convinced that he is not this body. He is not this body. Then other spiritual knowledge will begin. This is the basic principle.

Page Title:I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:2022-11-01, 13:49:51
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1