When Lord Caitanya was traveling in South India in a big temple, Raṅganātha temple, He went to see the Deity, and He saw one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā. And people were joking him, "Oh, Mr. brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" Because they were the neighbors, they knew that this brāhmaṇa was illiterate and he was studying Bhagavad-gītā. So they were joking. But the brāhmaṇa did not care them. He was taking the book and in his own way he was reading. Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this incident, He came to the brāhmaṇa. So He asked the brāhmaṇa, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand "This persons is not joking with me; He is serious." So he explained, "My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate. I do not know even the alphabets." "Why you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" So he said that, "My spiritual master knows that I am illiterate, but still, he has asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā. What can I do? Therefore I have taken this book. I am seeing simply. I do not know how to read." "Oh, that's all right. You cannot read. But I see that you are crying. How you are crying if you are not reading?" "Yes, I am crying. Of course, there is cause."
Illiterate (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
It is not that Bhagavad-gītā is supposed to be Hindu literature, Vedic literature, it is read simply by the Hindus. Now the number of Hindus has minimized. Practically, in some portion of that India there are few Hindus only, actually speaking. So what is the number of Hindus? That is the, what is called, minority in the whole world. If you take calculation of other religion... I have seen the other day in the World Almanac the Hindus, the Hindus are the lowest. So how many Hindus are reading? In India not that 90% people are illiterate. So what they will read? And who is reading Bhagavad-gītā? It is all over the world. Still, you'll find in Germany Bhagavad-gītā is being read. In England you'll find. Even in Muhammadan countries you'll find, and what to speak of your country. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā. I mean to say that see the importance of real literature.
(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)
It is the most inexpensive performance of yajña. Anyone can adopt it, just to learn these sixteen words: Hare, Kṛṣṇa, Hare, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare, Hare, Hare, Rāma, Hare, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Hare, Hare, these sixteen words. Anyone, any illiterate man or any rich man, any poor man or any man of any country, these sixteen words anyone can learn. You see?
- Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
- Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
- And chant. Go on chanting it. There is no expenditure.
And one who dies with the knowledge of this brahma-jñāna, self-realization, he is called brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth, he is called brāhmaṇa. Therefore our business is to become a brāhmaṇa. Don't think that brāhmaṇas are produced only in India. No. Brāhmaṇa can be produced any part of the world. Simply by knowing Brahman, he can become brāhmaṇa. Everyone of you can become brāhmaṇa, if you understand what is Brahman, because brāhmaṇa means one who knows the Brahman. Janmanā jāyate śūdra, by birth everyone is a śūdra, illiterate, without any knowledge. He is called śūdra, worker class. Illiterate maybe, but without any sufficient knowledge. He is called śūdra. So everyone is born śūdra. By the father and mother, when one is born, he is to be accepted as a śūdra, uncultured. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ, by education, by reformation, he is become a dvija. Dvija means twice-born. Just like the bird.
So if we understand Kṛṣṇa like that...
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... Study Kṛṣṇa. Study Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself. There is no difficulty. You can study Kṛṣṇa. If you know now, "What Kṛṣṇa says is all right," simply if you know definitely, then iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti, simply by knowing this, karmabhir na sa badhyate, he is no more under the condition of this fruitive resultant action. He is free. So why don't you do that? So nice thing. Simply study. Now how can I study? Here is Krsna's instruction, you study and you become devotee. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Don't require education. If you cannot read, if you are illiterate, it doesn't matter. You hear. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. You hear from the realized soul. God has given you ear you can hear.
Just like in the family of a brāhmaṇa, in the family of a rich man. For pious work, one can get his janma. And aiśvarya. Aiśvarya means you can become very rich man by pious work. Janmaiśvarya-śruta (SB 1.8.26). Śruta means you can become very learned scholar. These are the results of pious work. Janmaiśvarya-śruta, and śrī. You can become very beautiful by pious work. These are the results of pious work.
Similarly, just the opposite, if you do vicious work, then you, you have to go to the lower class family or even the animal family, lower class birth, or become a fool, illiterate, and become not very good looking. So many things. These are the reactions of pious and vicious work.
Now, taking it for granted that I am doing all pious work. That's all right. And I am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like brāhmaṇa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or richness.
We are not wonderful men. But our only business is that we are speaking only the same thing as Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. There is no magic. This is the magic. If you adulterate nonsensically like a rascal, then you cannot become a spiritual master. If you simply follow what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, then you become spiritual master. Very simple thing. It doesn't require education. You can hear from your spiritual master what has Kṛṣṇa said.
It doesn't require even literacy. There are many great personalities, saintly persons. My Guru Mahārāja's Guru Mahārāja, he was illiterate, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He could not sign even his name. But my Guru Mahārāja was the best scholar of his time. He accepted him as guru. So this is the process, that yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128).
"Because he is a devotee, just to give, just to show him a special favor," teṣām evānukampārtham, "simply for showing a special favor, I Myself, from within, I light up the knowledge, I mean to say, searchlight, and he becomes..."
And you will be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja's spiritual master was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was completely illiterate. He did not know how to sign, and my spiritual master was the most learned man of his age. He accepted that guru who was completely illiterate. But when he would speak, that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references. And you will find in the Veda that
- yasya deve parā bhaktir
- yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
- prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- (ŚU 6.23)
So the spiritual knowledge becomes revealed. It is not subjected to any material acquisition. It is not subjected to any material acquisition of knowledge.
This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Even one is illiterate, if he sincerely takes to bhakti-yoga, so Vedic philosophical conclusion automatically awakens.
- yasya deve parā bhaktir
- yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
- prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- (ŚU 6.23)
These are the statement, and actually... Just like these boys. These boys, they were not educated in Vedic literature, never. But how they have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? This is the magic of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not dependant on studying of Vedas, but if you take seriously to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Vedic knowledge is automatically awakened.
Yes. Even one is illiterate. Even he does not know what is ABCD, he can realize God provided he engages himself in this submissive transcendental loving service. And one may be very learned, high scholar, but he cannot realize God. God is not subjected to any material condition. He is supreme spirit. Similarly, the process of realizing God is also not subjected to any material condition. It is not that because you are poor man you cannot realize God. Or because you are very rich man, therefore you shall realize God. No. Because you are uneducated, therefore you cannot realize God, no, that is not. Because you are highly educated, therefore you can realize God. No, that is not. He's unconditional. Apratihatā. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. In the Bhāgavata it is said, that is first-class religious principle.
So this is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Simply if one sticks to hearing, he may be a child, he may be a boy, he may be a woman or he may be some illiterate man, or anything, less intelligent—it doesn't matter, simply if he hears. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart. As soon as Kṛṣṇa sees, "Oh, this, this is very nice. He is hearing about Me," He will help you. He will cleanse your heart. (break) Because... Therefore to hear of kṛṣṇa-kīrtana is also another pious activity. So these boys, when they are going in the street chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, automatically they are giving chance to the people to become pious. Hearing is so important. They are becoming pious. They are purchasing one copy, Back to Godhead. They are nodding: "Yes, these boys are very nice." They are accumulating something spiritual. It is so nice. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply by hearing, chanting, it is pious activities.
Yes. Than hearing from Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is speaking. So hear from Him. If you say that "Kṛṣṇa is no longer present before me," no, Kṛṣṇa is present by His Bhagavad-gītā. His words and He, there is no difference. Absolute. Absolute. If you pollute the words... Kṛṣṇa is speaking something, and you are rascal, nonsense, explaining in a different way, then it has no meaning. Then Kṛṣṇa is gone. But if you speak as Kṛṣṇa is speaking, then it is..., Kṛṣṇa is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Kṛṣṇa. Just like the brāhmaṇa in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but immediately Kṛṣṇa became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.
So Kṛṣṇa can be present by His words. Because Kṛṣṇa's word and Kṛṣṇa is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa in the form of Bhagavad-gītā, then you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Kṛṣṇa. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is conquer. Then?
Suppose you are family member. So many living entities, you sons, your daughters, your daughter-in-law, or children, you can become their guru. Exactly like this you can sit down in the evening and talk about the Bhagavad-gītā, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You haven't got to manufacture something. The instruction is there; you simply repeat and let them hear—you become guru. It is not difficult at all. So that is our preaching. We do not want to become alone guru, but we want to preach in such a way that every, the chief man, or any man, he can become guru in his surroundings. Anyone can do that. Even a coolie, he can also, he has got family, he has got friends, so even though he is illiterate, he can hear the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and he can preach the same. This we want. And we invite all respectable gentlemen, leaders, to learn this, it is very simple: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and by executing this order of Kṛṣṇa, he assures, mām evaiṣyasi, "You come to Me." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Very easy thing.
So it is Kṛṣṇa's kindness that He has appeared before you in a small form, so according to your capacity, you can make very nice dress, and Kṛṣṇa, you can dress Him. And by dressing Him, Kṛṣṇa will understand that "Here is my devotee. He is giving Me some service." This is the position. Therefore temple worship, the Deity worship is necessity for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Simply if you think that "Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. I shall think of Kṛṣṇa, meditate on Him," that is not possible. Meditation, that is also regu..., requires good qualification. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). But Kṛṣṇa, by His kindness, arca-mūrti, a child can see also Kṛṣṇa. Any innocent, any illiterate man can see, any man can see—a brāhmaṇa can see, śūdra can see. Therefore the Deity worship so important.
Our propaganda is not for the East and the West, but our fight is with the ignorance of the people because at the present moment people are kept in ignorance, in foolishness, that he is this body, bodily identification. But still, there is difference between East and West. In the West, I have talked with big, big professors, learned scholars. They have no idea of next life.
I talked with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow. He said, "Swamiji, after annihilation of this body, everything is finished." They have no idea that there is soul. And in India even the poorest man, he knows that, "There is next life. I existed in the past, and I will exist in the future." This Vedic conclusion is known even to the poorest man, illiterate man. That is, of course, the difference between East and West.
So anyway, our position is that we should not identify this body as self. Kṛṣṇa says here that
- adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ
- tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam
- etaj jñānam iti proktam
- ajñānaṁ yad ataḥ anyathā
Adhyātmā-jñānam, to understand oneself as the spirit soul, that jñānam. Adhyātmā-jñānam, tattva-jnanārtha-darśanam. Philosophy should be utilized. Logic and philosophy should be utilized for self-realization, not for simply mental speculation.
And also there is no trouble. Very easily and very happily it is performed. Just like the devotional service. One may be illiterate, one may be having no qualification, but the process is so nice, to prepare flower garland for Kṛṣṇa, to prepare food for Kṛṣṇa, for chanting Kṛṣṇa, for reading books for Kṛṣṇa, for hearing about Kṛṣṇa. You simply hear, you don't do anything. Simply if you hear, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), you become devotee. Simply by hearing. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your place. It doesn't matter what you are, but if you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you become devotee. It is so nice. You don't require any education. You don't require any money, don't require anything. You simply hear. That is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Prabhupāda: we have already sung. Āra nā kariha mane āśā. Guru-mukha-padma **. What is that? Read.
Bhadra-vardhana: Āra nā kariha mane āśā **.
Prabhupāda: Ah. Mean do not think otherwise. Whatever guru has said accept it, finally. Āra nā kariha mane āśā **. Don't divert from this. This is the instruction. How you can divert from the instruction of guru?
Woman Devotee: So just read it, not comment.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You read it or not read it, but you have to realize. Suppose one is illiterate. It cannot read. But he can follow... (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Of course, we have tried our best; so in few years there are so many Kṛṣṇa conscious persons come out. This is the secret. Unless one is svānubhāvam, self-realized, life is bhāgavata, he cannot preach Bhāgavata. That is not... That will not be effective. A gramophone will not help. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, recommended, bhāgavata pora giyā bhāgavata-sthāne, that "If you want to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you must approach a person who is life living Bhāgavata." Bhāgavata pora giyā bhāgavata-sthāne. Otherwise, there is no question of Bhāgavata realization.
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī learned from his father, Vyāsadeva, mahā-bhāgavata, and he realized it, svānubhāvam. What is this book? Akhila-śruti-sāram ekam. Akhila means "all, universal." There are many scriptures, many religious scriptures, especially the Vedas. Śruti means Veda. Śruti is learned by hearing, not by reading. You can understand Vedic principle even though you are illiterate, provided you hear them, aural reception. God has given you the ear. And if you try to hear submissively, to receive something, then it will be fruitful. Submissive. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-mano..., jñāne prayāsam. This is the Brahmā's realization when he met Kṛṣṇa.
The complainer said, "There was a brāhmaṇa who was witness. He was taking bath in the Ganges." So he was summoned. The brāhmaṇa was so sharp in memory. He exactly said, just like gramophone record, tape record, whatever he said. He said, "I do not know what is the meaning of this, but these words were said." So people were so sharp in memory. That is brāhmaṇa. Once heard from the spiritual master... The spiritual master means śrotriyam: he has also nicely heard from his spiritual master. Therefore Vedic knowledge, factually, it is received simply by hearing. There was no necessity of becoming literate. Illiterate, it doesn't matter. Because it is after all received through the aural reception. Therefore it is called śruti. And śruti-sāram ekam. And of all the Vedic literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence.
Generally, I am passionate, and You are so exalted, You can give me anything. So I shall be inclined to ask You again. Just like my father had so many opulences. So kindly do not induce me in that way. I am not a merchant that because I have rendered some service unto You, I expect some return. No. Sa vai vaṇik. It is not business with You. I am your eternal servant." Oh, just see. This is pure devotee. Ahaitukī. No reason. "It is my duty." That is occupational duty. "It is my eternal occupation to serve You." These are the highest ideas of pure devotion. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then "You are poor man. How you can serve Me?" No. "You are illiterate. You have no education. How can you serve Me? You cannot understand Vedānta philosophy. How you can know Me? How you can serve Me? You are poor man. You are poor man, you are woman, or you are śūdra." No. Apratihatā. Whatever you may be, either you are poor man or rich man or black man or white man or woman or man, it doesn't matter. Everyone has right to serve Kṛṣṇa. Apratihatā.
Anyone who is engaged in pure devotional service, under the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, he's already liberated. He doesn't require liberation; he's already liberated. "How he can become, become liberated? He has not studied Vedānta. He has no sufficient knowledge. We see that he's illiterate, and he cannot read, write. What kind of liberation he has got?" The question may be. But because such questions are raised by atheist class of men, they cannot understand that how a so-called illiterate man also elevates himself to the highest platform of knowledge. That is explained here: janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca. Do not think that a devotee, who is on the adulterated platform of devotional service, can remain without knowledge. He's full of knowledge.
How he becomes full of knowledge? Yes. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- teṣām evānukampārtham
- aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
- nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvastho
- jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
- (BG 10.11)
So Kṛṣṇa says, "To My devotees," teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10), "those who are engaged twenty-four hours in unadulterated devotional service to the Lord," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I give them intelligence how he can go back to home, back to Godhead."
Actually, they were. Now see their vairāgyam. Practical. There is no theoretical. As soon as you engage yourself, vāsudeve bhagavati... These young girls... One of my student is, was... She is girl. She was a great artist, dancing girl in Australia. She gave up everything and came to me: "Swamiji, make me your disciple." I saw her father and mother in Australia. A very beautiful girl. Very big, big heading in newspaper that "Such and such girl has left everything." This is vairāgya. Very profitable business she was earning. All of them. They are all qualified. They are not like our Indian boys and girls, uneducated or illiterate. No. They are well qualified. They can earn any amount of money. But vairāgyam. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. This, see practically. And jñānam. Bring any so-called swami and yogis and talk with them about jñāna. They will be, I mean to say, victorious, even they are with me for only four and five years.
Everything is there. You have simply to place, submit, "Here is kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here is Bhagavad-gītā and here is Bhāgavata. Just please hear." That is your business. You need not become a very learned speculator. Just like there are so many books simply full of speculation. You haven't got to do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving very simple formula. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa means instruction of Kṛṣṇa-instruction given by Kṛṣṇa or instructions spoken about Lord Kṛṣṇa. If you do this then you become a spiritual master.
So it is there. Simply we have to hear. Suppose if you are illiterate, you cannot read Bhagavad-gītā. Or... Of course, many of you, you do not know Sanskrit language, so you cannot read, but there are English translation. But you can hear. Bhagavān, the Lord, has given you the chance of hearing. You have got God-gifted ear. If you can attentively hear, you'll learn everything. Formerly, of course, people were very intelligent. Simply by hearing. They need not take any note or need not read any book, but simply by hearing. So śrotavyaḥ. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is recommended first thing that you have to hear. Simply by hear. And if you think, you become a spiritual master and you distribute this knowledge.
There is another Vedic evidence:
- yasya deve parā bhaktir
- yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
- prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- (ŚU 6.23)
To... Vedic literature, the meaning becomes revealed to a person who has got unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master. Just like Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he was illiterate, but he became the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. So the purport of the Vedic literature becomes revealed to a person who has got unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master.
There are three stages, you know: sattva, rajas, tamas. The material world is conducted by three modes—the modes of goodness, modes of passion, and modes of ignorance. Therefore we find varieties of men. So one has to come to the platform of the modes of goodness. Just like illiterate, uncultured, animal-like man is trained up to come, to become civilized. By training, it is possible. Just like, by training, even cats and dogs and tigers, they are also become obedient. That is our practical experience. The tiger in the circus, they play obediently to the orders of the master. So by training, it can be possible. But there are two kinds of training process. One process is scheduled: tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca (SB 6.1.13). Undergoing tapasya, austerity, brahmacaryeṇa... Brahmacaryeṇa means controlling sex indulgence or sex impulse. Brahmacarya means practically no sex life. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena, damena (SB 6.1.13), by controlling the senses, by controlling the mind. Tyāgena, by giving up in charity. So there are gradual process, but there is another process. Another process means this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Either you practice in this way... Just like if you want to go up, there are two vehicles or process.
So out of them, eleven became kṣatriyas, and others became brāhmaṇas, like that. So this proves that not that by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, but it is by different qualification. Otherwise how Ṛṣabhadeva's son... He was kṣatriya, supposed to be kṣatriya. So His sons are also kṣatriya. How they became brāhmaṇa? No. That was the Vedic culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. As soon as one is born, he is accepted as śūdra. Neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... Raw. By training, either he becomes a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.
Just like a man has got several sons, but all of them, in the beginning, they are illiterate. Now, in their grown-up age, by accepting different departmental knowledge, one becomes a medical practitioner, one becomes engineer, one becomes lawyer, or one becomes vagabond. So not by birth, one becomes engineer or medical man or this or... No. Everything by culture, by education. Similarly, the Vedic culture means everyone is given the chance to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That is called brahminical culture. Everyone is given. Because without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can understand what is God. And the human life is meant for understanding God. That is the only business of human form of life. Not like cats and dogs—how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sexual intercourse, and how to defend. These the animals know. The birds, bees, they know how to do it.
Human society is distinct from animal society by culture. What is that culture? Vedic culture, knowledge. Vedic means knowledge. One must be equipped with full knowledge. "So this Vedic culture," Vyāsadeva says, "or the Vedic principles, are not very easily understood by women class, by worker class, and dvija-bandhu." Dvija-bandhu means the boys who have taken birth in the family who are supposed to be very cultured, but their habit is different. They are called dvija-bandhu. In every country, that deterioration of social structure has already begun. They are called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara factually means that those who are illiterate. So for them it is very difficult to understand the Vedic principles. Therefore the same knowledge is described in stories just like Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and for understanding of all men, all women. So Mahābhārata is especially written for such class of men and women. And the hero of Mahābhārata is Arjuna. Similarly, the hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Arjuna's grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit.
That boy, that child, is supposed to be very intelligent. This is experienced. So for spiritual life also, one should be very seriously inquisitive and studious.
It is a great science. It is not a bluff, that anybody can manufacture something spiritual. No. It is a great science. One has to study the science from bona fide spiritual master. Study means... It does not mean that one has to be very highly qualified in academic education. Spiritual science does not depend on one's academic education. You'll be surprised to know that my grand-spiritual master, my spiritual master's spiritual master, he was illiterate. And my spiritual master was the learned, greatest learned scholar of his age. Now, how he became the disciple of an illiterate man? So, but that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja... His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master's spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of spiritual significance, he'll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.
So far, what you have done, that will be enjoyed by the crow class men. But you do something which will be enjoyed by the... Then you will be satisfied. Otherwise, you'll not be satisfied." That was his indirect hint. "You are not satisfied by, even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. That means, that indicates that these literatures will not be satisfactory for the swan class of men, or paramahaṁsa." Paramahaṁsa means the topmost transcendentalists. They'll never...
Actually, you'll find that our Kīrtanānanda Swami was in Vṛndāvana. There are many devotees. There are many devotees; they're illiterate practically. They do not know what is Vedānta-sūtra. But still, by their sincere devotional service they're very much elevated. What to speak of others, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he was illiterate. He could not sign even his name. But he was so spiritually elevated that my spiritual master, who was the topmost scholar of his time, he accepted him as spiritual master. What is the reason? The reason is that this transcendental science does not depend on academic qualification. It is, it is not that because one is very, academically very qualified, he'll become a devotee. No.
"This has to be meditated." Anusmara. This another word, anusmara. Anusmara means you don't manufacture your meditation. You try to follow the footprints who have had actually meditated. So then your meditation will be... Not that you manufacture some process of meditation and you get perfection. No, anusmara. And again he says... What is the subject matter of meditation? Tad-viceṣṭitam, the activities of the Lord. So if we simply remember how Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna, what He is speaking, and how Arjuna is receiving, that is meditation. That is meditation.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved one brāhmaṇa. He was illiterate. He could not know what is the Sanskrit alphabet or character, what to speak of reading. But when he was initiated, his spiritual master said, "You read daily so many chapters of Bhagavad-gītā." The spiritual master knew that he is illiterate. And he also knew that "I am illiterate. I cannot know what is alphabet, Sanskrit."
"I am illiterate. I cannot know what is alphabet, Sanskrit." Still, the order of spiritual master, that is... This is discipleship. "All right, my spiritual master, I shall try to read." So how he was reading? He, he took the book, and he was seeing the book, and "Ohhhh," like... That's all. His friends, who knew that this man is illiterate, and what he is reading: "Mr. such-and-such, how you are reading?" Criticizing. He was silent because he knew that "I am illiterate. My friends are criticizing. That's all right. What can I do?"
Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw that these things are going on in the Raṅganātha temple. But He saw that "This brāhmaṇa is very gentle and grave, and he's handling the book. That's all." So He inquired, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" He said... He could understand that "He's not criticizing. He's a, mean, a great man." So he said, "Sir, what can I say? My spiritual master asked me to read every day Bhagavad-gītā, so many chapters, but I am illiterate. I cannot read. Therefore I have taken the book, simply seeing. That's all. What can I do?" "But I see you are sometimes crying. You must be reading.
That means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is samādhi. Citta aikāgrena. Ekāgra,(?) without diverting your heart and mind to any other business, if you simply be engaged twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa's activities, that is samādhi. That is samādhi. So by yoga process, one has to come to this platform of samādhi. That is the perfection of yoga. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is directly that stage. Therefore it is the perfect yoga system. One has to come to that stage, samādhi. And samādhi means without any diversion, you have to think always of Kṛṣṇa. So even a... Just like this man, this brāhmaṇa. He was simply... He was illiterate. He did not know what is Bhagavad-gītā's character, what is written there. But there is samādhi. He was thinking of "Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, how they are talking, how they are sitting, how the chariot is going, how Kṛṣṇa is nice." This is thinking. That is samādhi. Samādhi is not an artificial thing, by pressing your nose, or this or... That is... These things are recommended for the third-class men who cannot concentrate his mind in Kṛṣṇa, for the fourth-class, third-class men. It is not for the first-class man. A first-class man is automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So our duty is as, I mean to say, indicated by Nārada Muni. Our only duty is how to achieve full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other things, there is no need of trying. Actually, I have seen that in India... Everywhere the same case. A person without any education, even without any, practically illiterate... I have seen so many merchants, he cannot sign even his name. In Calcutta I've seen practically a Marwari, merchant. He, he cannot... He has deposited money in the bank. Simply he can sign his own name with great difficulty. So he's canvassing, "Will you kindly write here..." That means the check to be paid to the gentleman, he cannot write. He's asking somebody's help, "You write the name of the person whom I can pay." And he'll simply sign. If he writes something wrong, he'll have to accept. If he writes his own name... (laughter) So that man is earning millions of dollars. You see? And I have seen also very educated medical man, England-returned, M.R.C.P I am speaking from my practical experience. So he goes to a hospital, big doctor, but I have seen in his house. He had not even a good utensil at home. He's so poor in spite of so much education and highly qualified, England-returned doctor.
This is wanted. We are always perplexed with śoka, moha and bhaya. If you want to get out of it, then read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now if you are... If you say that "I'm uneducated, illiterate. I cannot read," there is no need of reading. Hear. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām. Simply hear. But hear from the right person, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Not rascals, professionals. Then it will be useless. Here... Why? Anyone knows some grammar or little literary education. Why...? Śukadeva Gosvāmī had no opportunity to go to a school. Śukadeva Gosvāmī... Śukadeva Gosvāmī, as soon as he took birth, after sixteen years keeping himself within the womb of the mother, immediately left home. So where is the possibility of taking education? And he was given instruction while he was in the womb of his mother.
That is our philosophy. One who was crow is now swimming like swan. That we can do. That is the benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So when the swans become crows, that is material world. That is Kṛṣṇa says: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). The living entity is encaged in this material body and he's trying to gratify the senses, one body after another, one body after another, one body, after another. This is the position. And dharma means to gradually turn the crows into swans. That is dharma.
Just like one man may be, may remain, may be very illiterate, uncultured, but he can be converted into educated, cultured man. By education, by training. So that possibility is there in the human form of life. I cannot train a dog to become a devotee. That is difficult. It can be done also. But I may not be so powerful. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu did. When He was passing through the jungle, Jharikhaṇḍa, the tigers, the snakes, the deers, all the animals, they became devotee. They became devotee. So what was possible for me, uh, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Because He's God Himself. He can do anything. We cannot do that. But we can work in the human society. It doesn't matter, however fallen a man is. If he follows our instruction then he can be turned.
So that instruction and when we read Bhagavad-gītā, that instruction, these two instructions, they are not different. Don't think that "Kṛṣṇa was present before Arjuna, but in my presence there is no Kṛṣṇa. Simply I have got this book." But you should know that the book and the instruction there in the Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa, they are absolute, one. There is no difference. We can take advantage of Kṛṣṇa's presence by reading Bhagavad-gītā.
I have narrated several times the story of a brāhmaṇa in South India. He was illiterate, and he was reading Bhagavad-gītā. So his friends, village friends, they knew that "This man is illiterate. How he can read Bhagavad-gītā?" So they were criticizing. "Hello, brāhmaṇa. How you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" So he did not say anything because he knew that "These friends are criticizing me because I am illiterate. He knows." So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu came there, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was attracted. He was illiterate, and he was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was attracted. Just see. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?"
So he did not say anything because he knew that "These friends are criticizing me because I am illiterate. He knows." So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu came there, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was attracted. He was illiterate, and he was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was attracted. Just see. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he also could understand that "Here is a person who has not come to criticize me. He is serious." "Yes, sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. I am illiterate." "Then what you are reading?" "No, I am simply turning the pages. I cannot read anything." "Then why you are reading if you cannot?" "No, my Guru Mahārāja ordered me. My Guru Mahārāja asked me that 'You shall read Bhagavad-gītā daily, eighteen chapters.' " Guru mahārāja knew that he is illiterate, but still ordered. This is called guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā **. This is called firm faith in guru. Guru ordered him that "You read." Guru must know him, that he is illiterate. So what he will read? Why guru is ordering him? But because he had firm faith in guru and he was trying to read, Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to see him. Just see. How this line is important: guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā **. Ār means anything more, you don't try to understand.
To understand Vedic literature means one must have firm faith in Kṛṣṇa and firm faith in guru, not that "My guru is not so learned, so let me capture Kṛṣṇa directly." That is useless. That is useless. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). One can get the seed of the plant or creeper of bhakti, how? Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, not that kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. First guru-kṛpā, then kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. So this brāhmaṇa attracted the attention of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was illiterate, and he could not read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. He took guru's order very seriously, that "My Guru Mahārāja has ordered me, and I must carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see. That's all." So he was doing that. So others criticized him that "This man is illiterate. What he is reading?"
I see there are tears in your eyes. What is the meaning?" Then he admitted, "Yes, sir. Yes. That is." "Why you are crying?" "No, as soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand a picture comes before me that Arjuna is sitting on the chariot ordering Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is carrying out his order and driving the chariot. So that makes me amazed. Therefore I am crying, that 'How Kṛṣṇa is merciful, that He accepted a menial service for His devotee. He is so kind.' " Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him: "Yes, brāhmaṇa, your reading of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect." So it doesn't matter whether one is illiterate or literate. Everyone has got these ears. So we should hear from the realized person, guru Vaiṣṇava, not professional, no. That will not help us.
He's Kṛṣṇa. He has appeared before you because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You can see stone, wood; therefore He has appeared in that form. You think that it is stone and wood, but He's not stone and wood; He's Kṛṣṇa. This is called Absolute Truth. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's words are also not different from Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa's words are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, it's Kṛṣṇa.
Just like the South Indian brāhmaṇa. As soon as he opened his... He was illiterate, he could not read Bhagavad-gītā. But his Guru Mahārāja said that "You shall read every day eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā." So he was puzzled, that "I'm illiterate, I cannot... All right, take me the..., the Bhagavad-gītā." So he was in a Rāmaṇatha temple. He took the Bhagavad-gītā and went like this. He could not read.
"Well, brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He did not answer because he knew that his friends are "Joking me because I do not know... I'm illiterate." But when Caitanya Mahāprabhu came, he was also puzzled, "Brāhmaṇa, you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He said, "Sir, I am illiterate. I cannot read. It is not possible. But my Guru Mahārāja ordered me to read. What can I do? I've taken this book." This is trying follow guru's word. He's illiterate. He cannot read. There is no possibility. But his Guru Mahārāja ordered, "You must read Bhagavad-gītā daily, eighteen chapters." Now what is this? This is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. I may be quite incomplete. It doesn't matter. But if I try to follow the words of my Guru Mahārāja, then I become complete.
So unnecessary waste of life, we should be very careful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the criterion of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. We should not waste our time. That is advised by Rūpa Gosvāmī also. Avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). We should be very cautious not to waste a single moment without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have got so many activities. If we have no activities, then we can polish the floor of the Temple. That is not very difficult. If I am illiterate, I have no interest in reading books, I have no interest in chanting or I cannot do it constantly, then take something and mop over the temple and cleanse the temple. That is also service. It is not that one who is engaged in the Deity worship, he is better engaged, and one who is polishing the floor, he is less engaged. No. Both of them will get equal benefit. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. So find out some business for Kṛṣṇa. Don't waste time. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Yes. You can associate with Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna every twenty-four hours, by reading Bhagavad-gītā. Why you require to go there? It is already here. You see. You read the Bhagavad-gītā, and you are immediately in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. His is instructing. That was the instruction. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. You know that story? Illiterate brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā. So he did not know; he was not literary. But because his spiritual master..., he has so staunch faith in the spiritual master... Just see. His spiritual master said that "You read, daily, eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā." Spiritual master knew that he was illiterate, but still he asked him, "You read, eighteen chapters, there will be..." So what can he do? The spiritual master has ordered. So he was simply making a show of reading, "uh-uh-uḥ," like this. So this other friends were criticizing, "Oh, Mr. Such-and-such, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He knows that this man... His friend is criticizing him, so he did not answer.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was really inquisitive, so he explained the whole thing, that "I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me to read; therefore I am reading. But actually I cannot read." So frankly he admits. This is staunch faith in spiritual master. He knew, his spiritual master knew that he is illiterate, and he knew also that "I cannot read Bhagavad-gītā." But still he was trying to read because his spiritual master has said. This is called staunch. Yasya prasādāt. "He has said. I have to satisfy him. I am incompetent—I cannot read—but he has said, therefore I must do it." This is called yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.
So practical example... Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and I have simply be (indistinct) human being, "What can I do?" But I tried my best, because my spiritual master said that "You go and try to preach in English." So I tried my best, that's all. I have no qualification.
So he wanted to invite me in talk on Tilak's great task. So I told him that "Tilak does not understand Bhagavad-gītā." So immediately he was surprised. Then we had a talk, and I convinced him that "Tilak was a politician, maybe a big scholar, but that does not mean he can understand Bhagavad-gītā." Bhagavad-gītā is understood by devotee. He may be illiterate. It doesn't matter. Still... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu certified the illiterate brāhmaṇa who was reading Bhagavad-gītā in Raṅganātha temple... You know the story. The brāhmaṇa was illiterate. His guru ordered him that "You read Bhagavad-gītā daily, eighteen chapters." So he could not refuse the order of guru mahārāja; so he was taking the book and simply seeing. So those who knew that he was illiterate, they were criticizing, "Well, brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He could not answer because he knew that "I am illiterate. I do not know." Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this fun and approached him, "Well, brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?"
So he could understand that this Caitanya Mahāprabhu has not come to criticize him: "He's serious." So he informed Him, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. I am illiterate, but my spiritual master has ordered to read. So what can I do? I have taken this book and moving these pages. That's all. What can I do? Actually I cannot read." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "But I see you are sometimes crying." "Yes, sir, I sometimes cry." "Why?" "Now, because as soon as I take this book in my hand and I see the picture that Lord Kṛṣṇa is driving the chariot of Arjuna, I cry. 'Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has taken the service of His devotee. He should have been seated on the chariot—Arjuna should have driven the chariot—but He's driving the chariot and Arjuna is sitting on the seat. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind and beloved that He can serve His devotee. It is the duty of the devotee to serve Him, but He's so kind and affectionate that He serves His devotee.' So as soon as I think of this-Kṛṣṇa's magnanimity—I cry."
There is no solution. Therefore the every Indian should study Bhagavad-gītā and if possible Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and assimilate it, and preach all over the world. This is the duty of India. India has no other duty. Para-upakāra. So with our one man's endeavor, teeny effort, you, we can see that so many outsiders, they're attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless there is something substance... They are not illiterate. They are not fools. They are not poor. Why they are attracted? There is something to be learned from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spread all over the world regularly, then the face of the world will change. That's a fact. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the Vedic mission: "Let everyone become happy." And how he'll be happy? He cannot become happy by mental concoction. That is not possible. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one is situated on the mental platform, speculating, he will simply go to the asat. Asat means this material world. Asato mā sad gama. Vedic says, "Don't remain in this asat. Come to the sat. Oṁ tat sat."
His, He was preaching. So He was preaching everyone, from country to country. Of course, He did not go outside India. Within India. And He was instructing that "You learn from Me and teach your people within this village, within this country." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Ei deśa means "this country, or this place where you are living." Then? Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. You become guru. So one may think that "I am illiterate. I have no education. I am not born in very high family. How I can become guru?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "It is not very difficult." Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. You become guru. You simply speak whatever Kṛṣṇa speaks. Then you become guru.
So anyone who does not speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, he's not guru. He's a rascal. He cannot be guru. He is guru who speaks only what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. This is the shastric injunction.
That is not correct. Kṛṣṇa, He can be seen immediately, provided you have got eyes to see. Therefore it is said, premāñjana-cchurita... Prema and bhakti, the same thing. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). I will recite one story in this connection, that one brāhmaṇa in South India, in Raṅganātha temple, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā. And he was illiterate. He did not know neither Sanskrit nor any letter, illiterate. So the people, neighborhood, they knew that "This man is illiterate, and he is reading Bhagavad-gītā." He is opening the Bhagavad-gītā, "Uh, uh," like that he was. So somebody was joking, "Well, brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He could understand that "This man is joking because I am illiterate." So in this way, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also happened to be that day in the Raṅganātha temple, and He could understand that "Here is a devotee." So He approached him and He asked, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could also understand that "This man is not joking." So he said, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate.
'You cannot read Vedānta-sūtra.' " Actually Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta philosophy is not meant for ordinary learned person. It requires great knowledge in Sanskrit language and philosophy. So He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, took the part of ordinary person, at the present moment that guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71) . Generally people are not so learned that they can understand Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu taking the part of the mūrkha society, the illiterate, ignorant society, He said that "I cannot read Vedānta-sūtra. He advised me to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and I am doing that. And I am getting the result.
So at the present moment, especially in Kali-yuga, they are not very much educated, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhā... (SB 1.1.10). They are simply busy how to earn some money and fill up the belly, that's all. They are not no more interested in Vedānta-sutra. Mandāḥ, mandāḥ means very slow, or very bad. They are so badly infected with the influence of māyā, they do not care to understand that there is life after death, and that life may be anything of these 8,400,000 forms of life.
This, performing this yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, you have to simply agree. Otherwise you have no loss. Simply you have gain. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We are not asking anybody that "Give us some fee, some dollars. Then you chant." No. It is free. You can chant—if you like. This is yajña. This is the yajña of this age. Anyone can join. It doesn't matter that this class of men will join. No, anyone—poor, rich, white, black, illiterate, learned—everyone. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana means bahubhir militvā. Many people assembled together, when glorifying the Lord, that is called saṅkīrtana.
So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra means... We are preaching all over the world. There is no difficulty. Everyone is joining. Everyone is chanting. So it is not very difficult task. And you can... This is yajña. And then dāna. Dāna means charity. So whatever you earn, at least some percentage of your money should be given in charity. The best charity is to give for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, God consciousness.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu approached him and He saw the brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā and tears gliding down. So He could understand that "Here is a pure devotee." So He asked him, "Well, brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he said, "Sir, I cannot read. I am illiterate. I am illiterate and I cannot read what is Bhagavad-gītā, especially Sanskrit." His neighbors were criticizing him. They knew that "This brāhmaṇa is illiterate, and he is making a show of reading Bhagavad-gītā." So they were criticizing. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He could understand that "Here is a pure devotee."
So He asked him that "What you are reading?" He said frankly, "Sir, I cannot read. I have no education. Illiterate." "Then? It appears that you are reading something. And if you are illiterate, why you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" "No, my Guru Mahārāja said. He knew that I am illiterate, but still, my Guru Mahārāja said that 'You read every day the ślokas of Bhagavad-gītā.' So on account of his order, although I do not know anything what is written there, I am trying to read."
So that was His learning. He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Of course, brāhmaṇas were all called paṇḍita. Still in India that is the practice. The brāhmaṇas are addressed as "paṇḍitjī" because brāhmaṇa cannot be mūrkha. That is possible. Then he's not a brāhmaṇa. He must be a scholar. At least he must know what is the ultimate goal of knowledge.
So in the Kali-yuga we do not expect everyone to be very great scholar. That is not possible. But if he knows what is the aim of education, what is the objective of education, then he is also scholar. Just like our Gaura-Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was illiterate. He could not sign his name even. But he became the spiritual master of the best scholar of his time, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. So it is not the education, ABCD. In Bengal we say anguam(?). No. What is the purport of education? The purport of education is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). If one understands Kṛṣṇa and takes to the shelter of His lotus feet, he is also the biggest scholar.
Then you suffer. So vikarma. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Now, why they are doing? Because they are mad, pramattaḥ. What for mad? Yad indriya-prītaya: "Simply for sense gratification." There is no other profit. A temporary sense gratification. They are acting so sinfully. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye: "This is not good." Why? Yata ātmano 'yam: "Because you have got already this material body, this temporary body." So "That's all right. I have got this temporary body. It will be finished." No. Asann api kleśada: "Although it is temporary, so long you will possess this material body, you will have to suffer so many suffering, threefold miseries." So they don't care for it because illiterate. Not illiterate—ignorant. Literary knowledge is not sufficient. There must be real knowledge. The real knowledge you will get from the Vedas. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Real knowledge you will get from guru, from Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). That is real knowledge. Otherwise, anything has got some knowledge, that knowledge is not sufficient.
That is pāpa, adharma. Dharma is to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa. That is very simple. And if we do that then we become qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead. Very simple thing. It doesn't require much education. Simply it requires a purified mind, that "I shall execute it honestly." That much qualification is sufficient. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's law and order. Kṛṣṇa does not say anything which is very difficult to execute, because we cannot do it. Kṛṣṇa asks from you very simple thing. Not that Kṛṣṇa is asking from you very things which we cannot supply. No. We can supply. Anyone, any poor man, any illiterate man, any poor man or any rich man. Everyone, it is open to everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not forbidden to anyone, even pāpa-yoni.
It was questioned by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa that "How one man is forced to commit sinful activities." So Kṛṣṇa replied, kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa-samudbhavam. There are three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So those who are in tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, they are forced to commit sinful activities, forced. There is no alternative. Therefore we have to come. Just like we go to school, college for education. What is the purpose? That "We are ignorant. We are illiterate, uneducated. Therefore I must go to school to learn, to become enlightened." Similarly, from the lower animal status we are coming by evolution, and in the human form of life, especially in the civilized human form of life, the enlightenment is that one should come from this tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa to sattva-guṇa. That is required. Therefore the brahminical culture is so much adored in India to make one from the lower status of life to the higher status of life. And that is very easily done simply by devotional service.
Reading is also smaraṇam. That śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam. It is clear? Śravaṇam means hearing, kīrtanam means chanting, and smaraṇam. When you read, you remember God's activities, Kṛṣṇa's activities, His devotee's activities. Therefore it is smaraṇam. This is also one of the prescribed methods. But if anyone cannot read even... Suppose if he is not educated, illiterate. Does it mean that he will not get Kṛṣṇa consciousness? He will get, simply by hearing. The process is so perfect and nice, there is no need of education even. Illiterate person, simply if he gives aural reception submissively, he will get the benefit. Therefore it is universal. It is good for everyone—educated, noneducated, learned, fool, rich, poor, everyone. Man, woman, child, adult—everyone can take part and take benefit out of it. It is so nice.
This is the definition of different ages. So kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ. If one is intelligent, if one is wise... Prājña means wise. If he's a fool, rascal, it is not for them. Caitanya-caritāmṛta therefore says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa caturā. Caturā means very intelligent. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot understand the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you try to find out intelligent class of men, naturally the number will be very small. If you want that in this street find out some boys who have passed their M.A. examination and Ph.D. examination, hardly you will find one or two. But if you try to find out the illiterate or without any education, you will find many. So we should not judge by the number. We should judge by the quality. What is the quality.
Of course, in India I have personal experience that many... Why in India? I have seen here also. In New York our boys wanted to purchase one house, and they had a few thousand dollars, and a group of lawyers, I mean to say, they made a plan to take out this ten thousand dollars from these boys, and... I know it personally. They are educated lawyers, but because they're acting on the mental plane, they are thinking that "By somehow or other, if we can grab this money and we shall divide amongst lawyers..." This is going on. The so-called educated persons, for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they can act less than even an animal. You see? So vidvān apītthaṁ danujāḥ kuṭumbaṁ puṣṇan sva-lokāya na kalpate vai. So they do not care for what is going in the next life. Tamaḥ prapadyeta yathā vimūḍhaḥ. They also fall into the darkness, the darkest region, or ordinary illiterate or ignorant persons also fall.
He becomes so much, I mean to say, enthusiastic, "Oh, I have got this," and dances and like that. This is, of course, material conception. Similarly when one has actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in developed position, his symptom will be that as soon as he hears of Kṛṣṇa, or God, he becomes immediately ecstatic and begins to dance and cry and sing just like a madman. So this stage... We have several times cited the example, that reading of Bhagavad-gītā... When Lord Caitanya was traveling in South India, He saw one brāhmaṇa, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā, but he was illiterate. But he was crying. So on inquiry from Caitanya Mahāprabhu what he is reading, he frankly admitted that "I am illiterate. I do not know even the letters. But my Guru Mahārāja asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā daily, so I am trying to read it. But I cannot read it." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Then why you are crying?" He replied, "Yes, I get an ecstatic sentiment. As soon as I touch this book, I see the picture, that Kṛṣṇa is driving the chariot, and Arjuna is sitting, and He is instructing. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so faithful to His devotee, that He has taken the menial execution of service to His devotee. These feelings, whenever I feel, I am crying." This is the stage. This is the stage, when one becomes too much, I mean to say, glorifying about the wonderful acts. This is very wonderful act.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for, to love Kṛṣṇa is there in everyone's heart. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Kṛṣṇa. That is our business. And how it is possible? The śāstra, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. Śravaṇādi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich, or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come, sit down and hear. But in the hearing process, there is so many impediments, māyā. Just like people are coming here to hear, but there has been impediment: "Oh, sir, our lift if being to much used. The electric supply will cut off." Māyā is always there. They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways, that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is māyā. Māyā is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the māyā, then we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
"That means He has (no) knowledge. He has not studied all this Vedānta philosophy, and He's a nonsense. What He can do?" Sometimes we are considered a nonsense because we have no other stock except chanting. And actually, we have no stock except chanting. But why do we talk of philosophy? Because the fools want to talk of philosophy. Otherwise, there is no need of talking philosophy. Simply by chanting, everything is complete. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was showing this example, and other Māyāvādī sannyāsīs criticizing Him, "Oh, here is a, a foolish, is a," mean, "a illiterate sann..." Because there were many illiterate sannyāsīs also in India. "Illiterate sannyāsī. He does not know how to execute..." (aside:) Oh, I have forgotten. (break) "...how to execute the sannyāsa life. Therefore He's chanting and dancing." This sort of criticism was going on. Bhāvuka ha-iyā phere bhāvukera sane: "And there are other sentimentalists who are also equally foolish and ignorant. So therefore they are following this sannyāsī."
"Yes. You are right, My dear Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. You are right. But there is reason why do I do it. Now I can explain to you. When I took sannyāsa from My Guru Mahārāja, from My spiritual master, he found Me a rascal and fool number one, rascal." So guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana: (CC Adi 7.71) "So, because he found Me a foolish person, therefore he has chastised Me." Why? What is that? "He said mūrkha tumi: 'You are foolish. You have no education. You are illiterate.' " Tomāra nāhika vedāntādhikāra: " 'It is not possible for You to understand Vedānta.' " 'Kṛṣṇa-mantra' japa sadā—ei mantra-sāra: " 'Therefore, You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. That will make You all right.' " Now here is the point, that was Caitanya Mahāprabhu a foolish person? No. He was not a foolish person. In His childhood He was known as Nimāi Pandit, the greatest learned man. Even when He was sixteen years old, He defeated another very learned fellow from Kashmir. So He was reputed scholar, and He was known. And Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī knew it that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, even in His gṛhastha āśrama or in His householder life, He was a teacher of nyāya, logic, and He's great learned man.
That is the principle. You cannot make any change. If you do not understand, then you go to the right person.
Who is the right person? That right person who is receiving the knowledge by the paramparā system. Not the right person like Dr. Radhakrishnan, because he's very much educated and world-famous, oh, a philosopher, therefore he's the right person. No. He's not the right person. The right person is... He may be a illiterate person, but if he follows the guru-paramparā, the disciplic succession, he's the right person. He's the right person. He may be illiterate. He may not know. Just like Lord Caitanya confirmed that brāhmaṇa, he was illiterate, but he was studying Bhagavad-gītā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes." He embraced him.
He saw that one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and his neighbors, they knew it that "This brāhmaṇa is illiterate and he does not know even what is ABCD, and still he's reading Bhagavad-gītā." So they were joking, sometimes criticizing him. The brāhmaṇa, of course, he was reading as far as possible. What possible? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the fun and approached the brāhmaṇa, "Oh, My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" He understood that "Here is a sincere person. He's not joking me. He's simply inquiring." So he said, "My dear Sir, I am illiterate. I do not know even the alphabets. But my Guru Mahārāja asked me to read every day eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. So what can I do? I have taken this Bhagavad-gītā in pursuance of my spiritual master. I am simply seeing the cover and trying to understand what is there." Now he's illiterate. By seeing the cover, he's trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā by the order of his spiritual master. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Because my spiritual master has ordered me to read Bhagavad-gītā—I know I'm illiterate, I cannot read—oḥ, let me see what it is." Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "Well, you are illiterate, but I see that with feeling you are crying." "Yes, Sir, I am crying." "Why?" "Now, soon as I take this book, the picture of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna comes before me.
Such interpretation, if somebody hears, then his future is doomed. Just like our Gandhi, he wanted to prove, from Bhagavad-gītā, nonviolence. The Bhagavad-gītā is being preached in the battlefield, and it is completely violence. How he can prove? Therefore he is dragging the meaning out of his own con... It is very troublesome, and anyone who will read such interpretation, he is doomed. He is doomed because the Bhagavad-gītā is meant for awakening your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If that is not awakened, then it is useless waste of time. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced the brāhmaṇa who was illiterate, but he took the essence of Bhagavad-gītā, the relationship between the Lord and the devotee. Therefore, unless we take the real, I mean to say, essence of any literature, it is simply waste of time.
Festival Lectures
Just see. It is very nice. You'll find in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, now it is published. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, He is the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. He says, āmāra ājñāya. "Whatever I say, āmāra ājñāya, by My order, you become a spiritual master." Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So one may be very illiterate, no education, or no scholarship, may not be born in brāhmaṇa family, or may not be a sannyāsī. There are so many qualification. But one may not have all these qualifications. He may be rascal number one, but still, he can become spiritual master. How? Āmāra ājñāya. As Kṛṣṇa says, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, if you follow, then you become spiritual master. One may be rascal number one from material estimation, but if he simply strictly follows whatever is said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative spiritual master, then he becomes a guru.
If you are initiated, worship here. Or you install Deity at home, as our Kṣīrodakaśāyī Prabhu is doing. Everyone can do it. Where is the difficulty? Now ask him how he is happy. The whole family is happy. Not only he. But his wife, his children, everyone is happy. Practical. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And if you cannot do anything, simply come and offer your obeisances: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am so poor, so unfortunate, I cannot do all these things, but I offer my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet." That much also. If you do this, you become spiritual master.
So, simply by accepting this principle, and even if you are not learned, illiterate, you are hearing so much from Bhagavad-gītā, you simply repeat that. Simply repeat that. There is no question of becoming very learned scholar. God has given you this ear. Even if you are blind, you cannot read, you can hear. So kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, what is Kṛṣṇa...? This is 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. And at last, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if you simply preach this cult, "My dear friend, my dear brother, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa," you become spiritual master. You become spiritual master. You go door to door. No other talks. Simply say, "My dear friend, you are very nice, you are very learned." That was adopted by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
I have got thousands of letters from my disciples. They're feeling so much obliged that "We have got our life. We were hopeless." Actually, that is the position. Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are all hopeless, confused. So I am very happy to see so many nice boys and girls assembled here. So take to this process. We have got sufficient literature-books, magazines. And the simple method is, even if you do not read, suppose you are not educated, illiterate, you can not read, and still you can reach Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti, devotional service is not dependent on any material condition. Because one man is very rich, he can get Kṛṣṇa? No. Because one man is very poor, he cannot get Kṛṣṇa? No. That's not right. Because one is Hindu or Indian, he can get Kṛṣṇa, not others? No. That is also not. Kṛṣṇa is unconditionally for everyone. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sarva yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Otherwise, how He can be God? If He is a Hindu God, just like they describe in the dictionary that Kṛṣṇa, a Hindu God—that is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "I am a Hindu God."
Now we have got over three dozen books, all beautifully published. We have given enough literature to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can be understood by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu very easily, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Simply by chanting. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. But if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through philosophy and science, we have got three dozen books. So we can convince you in both ways. If you are illiterate, if you have no knowledge, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you will get your life back. And if you think that you want to understand through science and philosophy, we have got three dozen books. Anyway, you come. That is our appeal. Don't take this movement very, I mean to say, neglectfully. It is very serious movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and it is the duty of all Indians, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu predicted,
- bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
There is a great need for this movement. We want hundreds and thousands of preachers to go outside India and preach this cult. And there are customers ready.
General Lectures
Therefore our business should be, for God realization, to please Him. And that pleasing process is this devotional service. Let us engage in His service, and when He becomes pleased, "Yes. He's very sincerely..." Just like the gopīs. They were village girls, not even born of very high family. Cowherds, ordinary agriculturists, cowherds men. So their daughters. So how much education you can...? There was no education practically. In the village even men... In India still, they are ninety-percent illiterate. And what to speak of the girls, the men are not even literate. Because according to Vedic civilization it was not necessary that everyone should go to school. There was no necessity. Because things were being learned by śruti, by aural reception. Knowledge from the perfect man, one would hear, and he would become learned. There was no necessity of, I mean to say, learning ABCD. No. Even in Vedic age, everything was memorized. There was nothing in writing. People were so sharp in brain that once heard from the spiritual master, they will never forget. The brahmacārī system made their brain so powerful that whatever they will hear from the spiritual master, they will keep in the brain and never forget. They will repeat verbatim. Smṛti. It is called retaining power.
Similarly, we are suffering. That is a fact. Nobody can deny. Why you are suffering? Forgetting Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Now you revive your memory about Kṛṣṇa, you become happy. That's all. Very simple thing. Now don't try to find out the history when you forgot. You have forgotten, that is a fact, because you are suffering. Now here is an opportunity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Revive your memory, your love for Kṛṣṇa. Simple thing. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and take Kṛṣṇa prasāda. And if you are not educated, you are illiterate, hear. Just you have got natural gift, ear. You have got natural tongue. So you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you can hear Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from persons who are in the knowledge. So there is no impediment. No impediment. It does not require any prequalification. Simply you have to use whatever asset you have got. That's all. You must agree. That is wanted. "Yes, I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That depends on you because you are independent. If you disagree, "No. Why shall I take to Kṛṣṇa?" nobody can give you. But if you agree, it is here, very easy. Take it.
Guest: Maybe you've already answered this. I'm not sure. I didn't hear. But I have always been taught since I was a little kid to love God and then I will love everything. Is God Kṛṣṇa?
He is great personality. Just like in your country, you accept Lord Jesus Christ as great personality. He is son of God. Or take him as personality, one of the human beings; still, he is great because he preached God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the test of great personality. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). So in Buffalo I was instructing the younger boys and girls in the college that "You are very nicely situated. Your country is economically very well equipped. You are very good looking. Your education is very nice. You have got hundreds of universities in your country. Practically there is no man or woman illiterate. So your situation, comparatively with other nations or other country, is very good. That is admitted by everyone. So you should utilize this opportunity. That is my request. Your well situation, your material prosperity, your intelligence, your education should be properly utilized. It should not be misused." What is misused and what is proper utilization? That is also explained by Ṛṣabhadeva in this instruction.
This is the business of human form of life, not that simply eating, sleeping and mating and defending. These are animal business. The animal knows how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate, and how to defend in its own way. So that is common formula for human being or animal. But there is one speciality in human society or human being—he can understand God, what is God. If I explain to a human being, however illiterate, uneducated, he may be, if he has simply these two ears, he will understand what is God. Therefore the Vedic information is called śruti. Just try to hear. You haven't got to be educated or literate. God has given you these two ears and you can learn. Simply you have to learn from the authorized sources. Then you will understand God. And when you understand God, then you develop love of God. And when you develop love of God without any motive and without any impediment, then you find, "Oh," svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), "I have no more any demand. I am completely satisfied." Try to come to this platform, transcendental stage. You cannot be happy simply by material advancement. That is not possible.
The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters, and the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction. That is material. But according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy... Because a Vaiṣṇava sees every living entity, not only human being, not only animals, birds and beasts, anyone, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). If one is actually learned and advanced, he sees all living entities on the equal status. Because, the reason is that a learned Vaiṣṇava... Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita—these are the designations. A brāhmaṇa cannot be illiterate or rascal. And after becoming brāhmaṇa, one has to become Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa, generally... Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, one who knows Brahman, brahma-bhūtaḥ. At the present moment, we are under the bodily concept of life, every one of us. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sannyāsī," "I am brahmacārī," "I am gṛhastha." There are so many designations. So these designations are pertaining to the body and mind. But when you transcend the bodily and the mental concept of life, then you can become Vaiṣṇava.
Unfortunately, we do not understand or do not try to understand or do not like to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. If we try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then we have to accept a certain prescribed process. Not that because one is very erudite scholar academically, because one has got some degrees of the university he will be able to understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not like that. Even a very layman, illiterate man, without any understanding of the Vedas, if he is a devotee, he can understand Bhagavad-gītā, whereas a person, very erudite scholar, with reputation, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. I shall cite one example when Lord Caitanya was traveling in the South India. When He was in the Raṅganātha temple of South India, one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and his friends and neighbors knew that the brāhmaṇa was illiterate. He could not know even what is written there, but still he was trying to read Bhagavad-gītā. So some of his friends were criticizing him: "Hello, brāhmaṇa.
"They are criticizing," so he remained silent. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw that he was reading Bhagavad-gītā with transcendental ecstasy. He therefore approached him, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" The brāhmaṇa could understand that this gentleman, or this sannyāsī—Caitanya Mahāprabhu at that time was a sannyāsī—He was not joking. He was serious. So he informed Him, "My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā a few chapters daily, although he knew that I am illiterate. So I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I cannot actually read it." But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "But I sometimes see that you are in full ecstasy and sometimes you are crying." He said, "Yes, sir. I feel some ecstasy." "What is that?" He said that "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand I feel that Kṛṣṇa is the chariot driver of Arjuna.
Why shall I take this? Let it be cheaper, but I don't want it." Similarly, why should we accept so-called incarnation of Kṛṣṇa? We should accept Kṛṣṇa, original Kṛṣṇa. Original Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words are identical. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you are exactly in front of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was in front of Kṛṣṇa while Kṛṣṇa was personally speaking. That is transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. Why He has left this instruction? Because if we accept the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, immediately we are in presence of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the other day I cited the example of the illiterate brāhmaṇa. So that is transcendental way of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Take this formula. Kṛṣṇa says here that everything that is working in this material or spiritual world, they are different energies of Kṛṣṇa. He is the original source of creation, He is the original source of maintenance, and He is the original source of annihilation. Therefore nobody is greater than Him. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Na anyat: "There is no other greater elevated." Kiñcid asti: "Not even one." You cannot say, "Here is something which is greater than Kṛṣṇa."
.He was traveling in South India. He saw one brāhmaṇa reading Bhagavad-gītā. And persons who knew him, that "That man was illiterate," it was not possible for him to read Bhagavad-gītā... But still, he was trying to read it, and crying also. So while others were criticizing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to him, "Brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand that "This person, He's not come here to criticize me. He's serious." So he talked seriously, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate." Now see. He is illiterate and he is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired that "How is that, you're reading Bhagavad-gītā and you say you are illiterate?" He said, "Yes, actually I am illiterate, but my Guru Mahārāja asked me that 'You should read every day eighteen chapters.' So what can I do? (laughter) I have to carry out the order of my spiritual master. So I have simply taken this book. I am seeing it." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, you are not seeing it, simply. You are crying also." "Yes, Sir, I am crying also."
And the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction. That is material. But according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, because a Vaiṣṇava sees every living entity, not only human being, not only animals, birds and beasts, anyone, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ... (BG 5.18). If one is actually learned and advanced, he sees all living entities on the equal status because... The reason is that a learned Vaiṣṇava... Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita, these are the designations. A brāhmaṇa cannot be illiterate or rascal. And after becoming brāhmaṇa, one has to become Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa, generally, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows brahma, brahma-bhūtaḥ... At the present moment we are under the bodily concept of life, every one of us. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sannyāsī," "I am brahmacārī," "I am gṛhastha..." There are so many designations. So these designations are pertaining to the body and mind. But when you transcend the bodily and the mental concept of life, then you can become Vaiṣṇava.
"Two plus two equal to four." Just like (indistinct). Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be efficient for everyone if he studies impartially. Otherwise, how in the Western world the Americans—they are not foolish people, all these young men; they are qualified, educated—they're accepting this movement very seriously? I have got many branches almost in every city in America now. Similarly, in Europe. Why not here? Simply I invite all the intelligent class of men to understand. Take one of our books. We have given not only one Bhagavad-gītā... (indistinct) means (indistinct). Anyone can take part (indistinct) illiterate, literate, rich, poor—anyone. But if anyone is proud of his education, let him come and study our books, understand this philosophy, and I'm sure he'll find (indistinct) satisfying. Don't take it as something sentimental, religious (indistinct). It is a scientific, educational movement. Take it in that (indistinct), and you'll be profited.
So the government, the leaders and the guardians, they should deeply contemplate on the serious nature of this movement and help us. Now we are bringing men from the foreign countries to preach. How long I shall bring? If we want to spread this movement all over India very seriously, then we invite educated, intellectual young men to come forward to study this movement. It is not blind; we have got books. We have already published about fifty books on this movement. So for the Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is meant for both kind of men. The ordinary men without any education, illiterate, he can also take to it, and the most advanced scientists, philosopher, philanthropist, politician, they also can take to it. So we are helping both ways. Those who are educated scientist, philosopher, for them we have got volumes of books. And those who are not educated, they can simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will help them, both ways.
Philosophy Discussions
That's all. But layman is seeing that "Simply by pushing a button, a miraculous thing is happening." But no, with the pushing of the button there are so many complicated machineries, they work one after another, one after another. So similarly, God's energy is so subtle that simply by His willing, the process takes place, but it takes place so swiftly and quickly, we see it as miracle. So there is no such thing as miracle. The process is there, but it acts so quickly and nicely, we see it as miracle. Just like a man is very innocent, illiterate, so servant, so I give a chit, "Just give it to Bhavānanda," Bhavānanda gives you ten thousand rupees. So he says, "Oh, what is this miracle? He writes some few lines and immediately ten thousand rupees came?" So to him, it is miracle. Isn't it? But Bhavānanda says "Prabhupāda wants ten thousand-I'll give him," that's all. He sees my signature and I want it. But this man does not know. He takes it as miracle: "Oh, a chit of paper brings immediately ten thousand rupees?" Miracles to the rascals, fools!
Yes. The example can be given that the quail, it is called kokil, it is very black, just like crow. But when you vibrates the voice, it is so beautiful that people are attracted. So the beauty of the body is secondary. The beauty of the soul is primary. So just like a mūḍha, a illiterate man, nicely dressed—he is beautiful so long he does not speak. And as soon as he speaks, we can understand what is his position. So dhavaca so vate mūḍha yavad kiñcid na vasa (?). A ugly, illiterate rascal, fool, is beautiful so long he does not speak, and as soon as he speaks we can understand what is his position. So this external beauty is no beauty. If an ugly man, if he speaks very nicely, he will attract so many people, and if a beautiful man, if he speaks nonsense, nobody cares for him. So real attraction is different and artificial is different.
| Page Title: | Illiterate (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 03 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=84, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 84 |