This is very important verse in Bhagavad-gītā. It is a turning point of life. Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Miserly, doṣa means fault When one does not act according to his position, that is fault. And that is called miserly. So everyone has got his natural propensities, svabhāva. Yasya hi svabhāvasya tasyāso duratikramaḥ. Svabhāva, natural propensities. It is a common example, it is given, that yasya hi yaḥ svabhāvasya tasyāso duratikramaḥ. One, habit is the second nature. One who has, who is habituated or one whose nature, characteristic in some way, it is very difficult to change. The example is given: śvā yadi kriyate rājā saḥ kiṁ na so uparhanam. If you make a dog a king, does it mean that he'll not lick up shoes? Yes, dog's nature is to lick up shoes. So even if you dress him like a king and let him sit down on a throne, still, as soon as he'll see one shoe, he'll jump over and lick it. This is called svabhāva.
Lick (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
It is clearly mentioned in many places in the Bhagavad-gītā that this spiritual plurality is understood by those who are devotees of the Lord. Those who are envious of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead have no bona fide access to the great literature. The nondevotee's approach to the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā is something like a bee licking on a bottle of honey. One cannot have a taste of honey unless one can taste within the bottle. Similarly, the mysticism of the Bhagavad-gītā can be understood only by devotees. No one else can taste it, as is stated in the Fourth Chapter of the book. Nor can the Gītā be touched by persons who envy the very existence of the Lord. Therefore the Māyāvādī explanation of the Gītā is a most misleading presentation of the whole truth. Lord Caitanya has forbidden us to read commentaries made by the Māyāvādīs."
Those who are not bhaktas, they can also understand superficially. Just like one has got the bottle of honey. If one thinks that "I have got the bottle of honey. Let me lick up the bottle," so licking the bottle, what taste you will get? The bottle has to be opened and see what is there. (laughter) And if a rascal thinks that "I am licking this bottle, I am eating honey, I am tasting honey," he's a rascal number one. Simply. So similarly, if one is not bhakta, if one is not Kṛṣṇa's devotee, that rascal cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. Plainly. Plainly it is stated here. First of all, try to become the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then try to understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Not by your scholarship or by your speculation. Then you'll never understand Bhagavad-gītā. If you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to understand by the process as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, not by your own mental speculation.
One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth and death simply by knowing the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no alternative means, because anyone who does not understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is surely in the mode of ignorance. Consequently he will not attain salvation simply, so to speak, by licking the outer surface of the bottle of honey or by interpreting the text of the Bhagavad-gītā according to his own mundane scholarship. Such empiric philosophers may assume very important roles in the material world, but they are not necessarily eligible for liberation. Such puffed up mundane scholars have to wait for the causeless mercy of the devotee of the Lord. One should, therefore, accept the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with faith and knowledge, and in this way one can attain the perfection of life."
Arjuna was not a Vedantist. He was a householder, kṣatriya, fighter, soldier. A soldier is not expected to be Vedantist, and neither very much well-versed in all the Vedic literature. That is not the business of kṣatriya. That is the business of a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is paṇḍita. But kṣatriya is not supposed to become a paṇḍita. But still, Kṛṣṇa selected him. Kṛṣṇa, "Arjuna I shall speak to you the same old story which I spoke to..." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "That is now lost. Therefore I shall revive it again, and I shall speak to you, because you are My bhakta, you are My friend."
So this is the qualification of understanding of Bhagavad-gītā: first of all to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, it is licking the bottle of honey. Here is honey. "Oh, it is honey," and if you go on licking at the bottle, what taste you will get? It must be opened. Then inside.... rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. And who can open? The devotee can open. Otherwise lick up, go on, bottle, licking the bottle for many thousands of years. You will never taste what is within.
When one comes to that stage of devotional life, then bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). At that time, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ. The same thing. In three places, Kṛṣṇa has been described: tattvataḥ. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). How to understand tattvataḥ? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).
So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the life of devotion. And one who does not take to this life of devotion, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa of Kṛṣṇa-philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā. It is far, far away. It is... My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just like licking the honey bottle." One may come to the bottle filled with honey, but simply by licking the bottle, what taste he will get? The honey must be opened. Then if you taste, you will know what is honey. Similarly, simply by taking Bhagavad-gītā and trying to understand it by so-called scholarship is licking up the honey bottle. That's all. There will be no taste. There will be no taste. You go on for many millions of years, licking up that bottle.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
One has to know who is actually bhakta, who is ac... Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu. One has to do good for others. That is madhyama-adhikārī. If I become satisfied only with these regulative principles for worshiping the Deity in the temple and following the regulative principle daily, but if I have no other idea, then sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Prākṛta means on the material platform. Such devotee can fall down at any moment, because he's on the prākṛta stage. And prākṛta means this guṇamayī, prakṛti. It is very strong.
So any devotee can fall down if he remains prākṛta-bhakta. So he has to raise himself above this in the madhyama-adhikāra. So here it is said that sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. So we are not enjoying actually. We are enjoying the interaction of the three modes of material nature. And we are thinking... The same thing, as my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey. That is not real honey. You have to open the bottle of the honey and lick up the real honey, then you'll get taste. That is advancement of spiritual knowledge.
Pure devotion means to pray to the Lord, begging some service. "My Lord, kindly engage me in Your service." That is the perfection of life, when one is engaged in the service of the Lord in love. You can become a very great saint and live in a secluded place and become puffed-up that you have become very great personality, and people may come to see him, that "He's not to be seen, he's engaged in chanting." My Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. "My dear mind, your mental concoction, you are thinking that you have become a very big Vaiṣṇava. You do not do anything and sit down in a secluded place and imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, chanting. So you are a nonsense." Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. Why? Nirjanera ghare, pratiṣṭhāra tare. To get some cheap adoration as a great chanter. Because if one is actually chanting, why he should be attracted by woman and biḍi? If he is actually in such position like Haridāsa Ṭhākura then why he should be attracted by material things? That is a false show only. That is not possible for ordinary person.
Therefore ordinary person must be physically engaged. That is not physical, that is also transcendental. Always busy in some business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Not that, "Oh, I have become a great scholar and I have now learned how to become a great Vaiṣṇava. I chant sixty-four rounds, and think of my wife somewhere, and then good-bye to Govindajī and leave Vṛndāvana." These rascaldom do not follow. Govindajī drives such rascals away from Vṛndāvana. So Vṛndāvana, one who is living in Vṛndāvana, he must be very anxious how to spread the glories of Vṛndāvana-candra all over the world. That is wanted. Not that Vṛndāvana-candra is my private property and I sit down in a place and lick up.
Pradyumna: Translation: "The devotees of the Lord are accustomed to licking up the honey available from the lotus feet of the Lord. What is the use of topics which simply waste one's valuable life?" (SB 1.16.6)
Prabhupāda: The same last paragraph. The... Yadi kṛṣṇa-kathāśrayam. So the proposal was that "We are interested to hear about Kali's being punished by Mahārāja Parīkṣit if there is some connection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that we shall not do anything which has no connection with Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should be very alert: "I am going to do this. Whether it has got any connection with Kṛṣṇa? I am going to eat this. Whether there is any connection with Kṛṣṇa?" In this way, we have got always some activities, some action of the senses, but if we test every moment, "Whether this has got any connection with Kṛṣṇa?" then you will remain safe. I am going to talk with you or somebody else. Whether that talk has got any connection with Kṛṣṇa? If it has no, then I am not going to talk. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. That is really renunciation.
Prabhupāda: Eternally Kṛṣṇa is playing with the cowherds boy. Not that these children are being born. They are like... Just like in this world also we see Kumāras, that eternally child, Kumāras, the four Kumāras. They are born along with the Brahmā, but they're just like a small, four years old boy, Kumāra, catuḥsana-kumāra. So we get some information only, but you will see them practically when you go. (laughter) You take information only. But it is not variety-less, not the nonsense theory, zero. That is the first thing. It is not zero. So any other question? Nirviśeṣa-saviśeṣa. There Kṛṣṇa is dancing always with the gopīs. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). There everything is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's own form. Here is also This is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy, material energy. And that is Just try to understand like this. Here everything is by the expansion of Kṛṣṇa's material energy. And there, everything is there by His spiritual energy. That's all. Something made of sugar and something made of dirt. The sugar is always sweet, and dirt is always detestful. That's all. Two dolls, one is made of clay, another is made of sugar. Which one you will like? Children? Two dolls. One is made of sugar and another is made of this clay. Which one would you like?
Devotees: Sugar.
Prabhupāda: Because that doll, wherever you lick up, is sweet, and this doll made of clay, you cannot lick. So that is the only explanation. This... Kṛṣṇa says that bhūmir āpo... Apareyam. Aparā. "These are My inferior energies." Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā: "Beyond this, there is another prakṛti, another nature. That is parā, superior." The superior? How I can understand this inferior and superior? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5), that "Superior energies are jīva, living entity." Just like here the matter is there, and the living entity is there, but the living entity is controlling the matter, controlling the matter, not the matter is independent. The matter independently cannot become this here tape recorder.
Those who are devotees, they assemble together. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "They discuss about the glories of the Lord." Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. That is sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). We have also discussed this. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ (SB 3.25.25). When things are discussed about the Supreme Personality of Godhead amongst the devotees, it becomes a different thing than the discussion in the debating club of the nondevotees. The kṛṣṇa-kathā is not a subject matter for debating club. It is meant for the devotees. Without devotees, nobody can understand. The others who are not devotee, they simply waste their time in reading Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, such literature. They simply waste their time because these subject matters are for the devotees.
We have several times discussed this point that the so-called scholars, politicians, and philosophers, they read Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way. This is their foolishness. They cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just licking the bottle of honey." Now you want honey. I give you one bottle, but you do not know how to taste it. You begin to lick up the bottle. Then what you will taste? If you think, "Here is the bottle of honey. Let me lick," you will not get any taste.
The so-called nondevotee, atheist class, scholar and politician, they cannot understand. It is not possible. They cannot enter into it. The same thing, licking up the honey bottle, that's all. What you will taste? It is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
The same example can be... You can go to a person who knows how to open the bottle of honey. Then you can taste. Otherwise, if you simply lick up the book, Bhagavad-gītā, becoming a very big scholar, you will never taste it. You will never taste it. You can satisfy yourself, "Now I am licking up daily Bhagavad-gītā, thrice," but what you will understand unless you are a devotee? You will not understand. The bottle is packed up.
San-nimitte varaṁ tyāgo vināśe niyate sati(?). This is the instruction of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, that whatever money you have got, it will be spent. You cannot keep it. Either the money will go from you, or you have to go from the money. You cannot keep together. That is not possible. If you don't spend the money for Kṛṣṇa, if you keep it, that "I shall see it. I shall lick up this money and become happy..." Kṛpaṇa, that those who are miser, they do not spend money for Kṛṣṇa but they see the money. Therefore it has become a problem for us, how to spend the money. How to spend the money for Kṛṣṇa, that is our policy. We do not want to keep money. We cannot keep, that is not possible. Somebody will take it. Ultimately the government will take. Better spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Spend it for Kṛṣṇa that is the right use. San-nimitte varaṁ tyāgo vināśe niya... Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was great politician, he is advising that if you have got money, spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Don't keep it. Spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Why? It will be spoiled. Today or tomorrow it will be spoiled. Somebody will take and spoil it. Better, if you spend it for Kṛṣṇa, at least your service will be recognized. Kṛṣṇa will see that this man is spending his hard-earned money for Me. That is called ajñāta-sukṛti. This service to Kṛṣṇa, this inclination, does not arise unless one is very, very, good asset he has got.
Śāstra means that which controls. Śās-dhātu. Śāstra, śastra, śāsana, śiṣya comes from the same root. Śiṣya. Śiṣya also comes from the same root. Śiṣya means one agrees voluntarily to be governed by the spiritual master. He's called śiṣya. And śāsana, the government. So śāstra means that regulates our daily activities. So here it is called... Śāstra is learned by hearing, not by licking, not by seeing. Just like here is a śāstra, bhagavat-śāstra. You cannot learn it by seeing or by touching or... You have to learn it by hearing. Śās... This is called śruta. Therefore Vedas are called Śrutis. Śruti. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). So śruta, śruta means hearing from authoritative sources, either you take a scripture or lawbook. So one knows that in every śāstra, every scripture, every lawbook, man is warned: "Don't commit theft; you'll be punished.
There are four kinds of foodstuff: something we chew, something we swallow, something we lick up, and something we drink. So everything was being supplied, bālakam, to that small boy. Every mother, every father does so. It is very natural. Sneha-yantritaḥ. Why do they do so? That is God's arrangement. If the father and mother hasn't got such affection, then the helpless child... In the beginning there is no other means of living. Even cats and dogs, even tigers, they also take care. So this is not very extraordinary thing, that human being has got affection. That affection is there even in tiger. So you are not very in that way advanced. That is natural. That kind of affection for the small child, you will find in cats and dogs and tigers, even snake. These things are not extraordinary thing. They are very much proud, "How I have to take care of my children." So that is taken care by other animals also. Bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ, bhojayan pāyayan mūḍhaḥ. In spite of so much affection and taking care of the children, he is addressed here, mūḍha. Just see. (laughs) They are very much proud of being affectionate, but śāstra says, "You are rascal, that's all." Mūḍha. Bhojayan pāyayan mūḍho na veda āgatam antakam. He could not understand that "I am very busy in raising my child, but here, back side, there is death. Death is waiting to scramble me."
Family life, according to Vedic system, or anywhere, is responsible life to maintain the wife, children. Everyone is engaged. They think this is the only duty. "To maintain the family, that is my duty. As comfortably as possible. That is my duty." One does not think that this kind of duty is performed even by animals. They have got also children, and they feed. What is the difference? Therefore here the word used is mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. One who is engaged in such duties, bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan. Prapiban. Prapiban means drinking, and bhuñjānaḥ means eating. While eating, while drinking, khādan, while chewing, carva casya raja preya (?). There are four kinds of eatables. Sometimes we chew, sometimes we lick up, (Sanskrit) sometimes we swallow, and sometimes we drink. So there are four kinds of foodstuff. Therefore we sing catuḥ vidhā śrī-bhagavat-prasādāt. Catuḥ vidhā means four kinds. So we offer to the Deities so many foodstuffs within these four categories. Something is chewed, something is licked up, something is swallowed. In that way.
All of our eyes are covered with darkness; we cannot see. Then how we can see in the darkness? Ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Śalākayā means torch. So the torch, what is that torch? Jñānāñjana, smearing with the ointment of knowledge, that is the torch. So knowledge means not to see but to hear. Therefore it is called śruti, śuśruma. Knowledge has to be received through the ear, not by the eyes. Not by the eyes. This is not recommended. Nobody says, "I want to see knowledge," no: "I want to hear knowledge." Therefore it is called śruti, and knowledge is received through the ear, aural reception. Why not with eyes and other senses? That is also very important to know. Suppose you are sleeping. Then all your senses are also sleeping. But the ear does not sleep. You have got practical experience. When a man is sleeping and somebody is coming to kill him, so what do you say? You cry, "Mr. such and such, wake up! Wake up! There is danger. There is..." Then he can... Otherwise, all the senses are there, but only the ear will help you. The eyes are there, hands are there, legs are there, everything is there—nothing of this limbs of your, part of your body, will help you. Simply your ear will help you when you are in danger. Therefore here it is said, śuśruma: "We have received knowledge through the ears, not with the eyes." Those rascals says, "I want to see practically." He cannot see. That is not possible. The modern defect is that they do not hear. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they do not hear. They simply want to see, want to touch, want to smell, want to lick up. That is not knowledge. So they are all failure. They do not hear. But the process is here, as it is said, śuśruma: "We have received knowledge by hearing from the authority." That is perfect knowledge. That is perfect knowledge.
The Yamadūtas said that iti śuśruma. Never said, "I have seen it." Vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt svayaṁbhūr iti śuśruma: "We have heard it." Vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣā... He never says, "I have seen it." No. Iti ṣuṣruma. So this is experience, real experience, real knowledge. Vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. Veda is directly Nārāyaṇa. So Nārāyaṇa... You can see Nārāyaṇa. You can hear about Nārāyaṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Viṣṇu is Nārāyaṇa. This is the beginning of understanding Nārāyaṇa, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Never says, "By seeing, by touching, by licking up." No. You cannot see. That is not experience. Real experience is iti śuśruma. So if we take our knowledge that there is no witness what we did in our previous life, that is nonsense. Here are the so many witnesses. Iti śuśruma. Hear. You cannot say there is no witness. You hear from the Vedic literature how many witnesses are present there for all your activities and how they are becoming recorded minutely, and everything will be judged. Therefore the Yamarāja is there.
Yes. He said that "I am speaking to you Bhagavad-gītā because you are My devotee, you are My confidential friend." That is the qualification to receive this from disciplic succession. That is the qualification. He, he, Arjuna did not go to instruct, yes, Kṛṣṇa did not like to instruct the confidential system of yoga to any so-called impersonalist or so-called Vedantist. Arjuna was ordinary householder. He was, of course, belonging to the royal family. He was a great warrior, that's all, but he did not belong to the brāhmaṇa family or any learned scholar. He was a military man. Then why Kṛṣṇa to discuss the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā to him? Because his qualification is accepted by Kṛṣṇa that, "I am speaking to you that old system of Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, because you are My devotee and you are My confidential friend." So we have to become a devotee or we have to establish a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to understand what is the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by so-called scholars by academic degrees. One has to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. One has to become a friend or some way related with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise it is impossible.
My Guru Mahārāja used to say that one who is licking up the bottle of honey. He is thinking that "I am licking honey," but that is impossible(?). Similarly, the so-called scholars when they comment on Bhagavad-gītā, they are licking up the bottle of honey. The taste of honey is different. That taste one can get when the bottle is opened by (indistinct) person. Then he can taste the Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise licking up the bottle, that's all. If one is satisfied by licking up the bottle of honey, without tasting it.
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is eternally existing in every human being, every living entity." Not only human being. You have seen the one picture that a calf, how he is loving Kṛṣṇa by licking His body. You have seen it. So even in the calf, even in the animal, even in the bird, even in the beast. We have described all these things in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya, that when Kṛṣṇa was present in Vṛndāvana, how the cranes, how the cuckoos, how the peacocks, how the walks(?), how the flowers, how the creepers were loving Him. How they were loving Kṛṣṇa. So it is not a thing that we have to teach. Simply by good association, by reference, it comes out. It is called suptotthita-nyāya. Just like a man sleeping at night, he forgets everything, where he is lying on and what he is doing and which family does he belong to, which country does he belong to, what is his occupation. Everything he forgets. Sleeping means forgetfulness. But as soon as he is awakened, he remembers everything. Everything. "Oh, I have to go to office. I have to do this thing. I have to meet such and such person." Everything. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sleeping in everyone's heart. He is hankering. He is hankering after how to love Kṛṣṇa, but he is being checked up.
By your material senses you cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Nāmādi: the first beginning of understanding Kṛṣṇa is to understand His name. This is the beginning of bhakti. Nāma ādi. Nāma, the name, should be the first. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Because immediately we can understand what is the form of God, how does He look. It is very..., not immediately. But this nāma we can hear. Kṛṣṇa has given us the capacity that as soon as somebody chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, even a small child can hear. Oh, he... They imitate. Now we go on the road, and the small children, they say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Nāma is so strong that the boys, they also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so easy. We have seen it. The small children immediately, they clap, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." And some of our students' children, in Buffalo they are dancing, in San Francisco. I received recently one letter from the mother of my disciple. He (she) wants to instruct his two children, other two children. So it is so nice. It doesn't require any material acquisition. Simply God has given you this nice apparatus, ear. Simply you hear Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha pāya. Yathā kevala-bhaktyaiva gajendrāya tuṣṭuyavaḥ (?). The example is Gajendra, the elephant. It was not even a human being. Now, how he satisfied? You have seen that picture of, that... Here I don't find that picture in my apartment, that a calf is by the side of Kṛṣṇa, and it is trying to lick up the body of Kṛṣṇa like this, and Kṛṣṇa is embracing immediately.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Devotional service is not dependent on śubhāśubha-karma. It is simply dependent on the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Kṛṣṇa de... Sādhu. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ (SB 7.5.32), mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yā... Unless we surrender to the lotus feet of a pure devotee, it is not possible to come to the platform of devotional service. That is the way. We cannot taste the honey within the bottle. The bottle must be opened by the expert. If you simply lick up the bottle, if we think, "Now we are tasting honey," that is not the proper way. We should get the bottle opened by the expert, and when we taste within the bottle, then actually... Similarly, devotional service, without being opened by the..., open, without the door being opened by the devotee, we cannot enter into the region.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Govinda means... Go means three things. What is that? Go means the senses, and go means cow, and go means land. There are three meanings of go. So He gives pleasure to these three things. Wherever He is present, it becomes blissful, ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Vedānta-sūtra says, ānandamaya, always full of... Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure. So whenever He is present, in whichever land, in whichever country, in whichever planet He is present, it becomes full of bliss, ānanda. Govinda. And He is playing just like cowherd boy, sixteen-year-boy and playing with cows. His father has got many cows, and He goes to the cows, pleasure trip with friends. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. He is not going to any office or any factory. You see? So goṣṭha. He goes, and His mother gives Him sufficient to eat. And after eating breakfast, with His friends and His flute and cows He goes outside for pleasure trip. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Therefore He is Govinda. The cows, oh, as soon as they see Kṛṣṇa, they become... They lick up His face and body, and every cow has got a different name. As soon as He will call, the cow will come immediately and dropping milk.
Wedding Ceremonies
The greatest impediment of acquiring knowledge is congestion of our heart with dirty things. And Lord Caitanya says that if you chant without any offense very nicely, then your heart becomes cleansed of all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). And then you are liberated. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati (BG 18.54). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on Lord Caitanya's teachings and teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a new thing. Of course, in this country it is being presented for the last two years, but the thing is not new. It is the oldest because, if we take the version of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord (Kṛṣṇa) says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "This yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken by Me to Vivasvān, the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāha: "And the sun-god said to his son Manu." Manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: (BG 4.2) "In this way it is coming." So kaleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "But unfortunately that link has been broken; therefore I am speaking again to you the old philosophy, yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, unto you, Arjuna." "Why You are speaking to me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not even brāhmaṇa. Why You want to teach me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Therefore the first qualification of understanding the Vedas or Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is blocked. Just like if you take a bottle of honey and lick it on the bottle, you won't get the taste. It has to be opened, who has got the key. Then you get the taste of honey. So Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by academic scholarship. It is not possible, the same bottle-licking.
General Lectures
Catur-vidha means four kinds of eatables: carvya, cūṣya, lehya, peya. Something is chewed, something is swallowed up, something is licked up. In this way, there are different kinds of palatable dishes. Catur-vidha-śrī... Catur-vidha means four kinds of different types of varieties of prasādam. Catur-vidha-śrī... Śrī-bhagavat-prasādam. Śrī means opulent. If you eat bhagavat-prasādam, then gradually you become spiritualized. It has got the potency. If you eat the prasādam. Therefore it is said that realization of God can be done by the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). If you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then you realize God realization. So what is that tongue engagement? The tongue engagement is you chant the holy name of the Lord, and you take the prasādam, remnants of foodstuff given to the Lord.
| Page Title: | Lick (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Lilasara |
| Created: | 27 of Jun, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=25, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 25 |