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One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the sastras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Krsna's cause. That is called dana. Yajna, dana, and tapasya

Expressions researched:
"One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the sastras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Krsna's cause. That is called dana. Yajna, dana, and tapasya. Tapasya"

Lectures

General Lectures

One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the śāstras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa's cause. That is called dāna. Yajña, dāna, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Śrī Rāma-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

These are the classifications of the demons, those who are atheists, faithless and do not accept the Supreme Personality, their description. But there are others. Not that everyone is asura. There are devatās also. Two classes of men are always there: devatā and the asura. So what are the devatās? Catur-vidhā bhajante mam janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna (BG 7.16). There are four classes of men whose background is pious activities. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ. The other word is duṣkṛtina, miscreants who are always engaged in sinful activities. And there are others also who are always engaged in pious activities. Therefore śāstra recommends to be engaged always in pious activities: "You do this. You do that. You go to the temple. You take early morning bath. You take bath in the Ganges. You take bath in the Yamunā." That is the basic principles of Indian culture, to make all people sukṛtina. Because without becoming pious, nobody can understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. The whole civilization is based on the process of making people pious. Because in another place we'll find Kṛṣṇa says that yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇam. Without puṇya-karma, without pious activities, nobody can enter into the devotional service.

yeṣām anta-gatam pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇam
te dvanda-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

So this process should be adopted, how to become sukṛtina. Sukṛti means yajña-dāna-tapa-kriyā. One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the śāstras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa's cause. That is called dāna. Yajña, dāna, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Śrī Rāma-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya. Just like Ekādaśī day—there is no eating sumptuously. Simply you take little fruits and flowers. Try to avoid that also. You don't take even water. That is really ekādaśī. But because we cannot do it—in the Kali-yuga the time is different—therefore we are allowed to take little fruit and milk, which is called anukalpa. These are different methods of tapasya. And yajña. This yajña, saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajñaiḥ, yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. In this age you cannot perform that big aśvamedha yajña, gomedha yajña, rājasūya yajña, so many other yajñas. It is not possible. First of all, you have no means to perform such yajñas, hundreds and hundreds of tons ghee required for putting into the sacrificial fire. You have not even a drop of your ghee. So forget all those yajñas. In this age, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyaiḥ. That is recommended in the śāstra:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
(SB 11.5.32)

So these are pious activities, to perform yajña and to give in charity, yajña, dāna and tapasya, accepting voluntarily austerity. That will make you sukṛtina. And if you actually become sukṛtina, then you'll be inclined. Because the dirty things will be cleansed by these pious activities, then you will understand. Just like when the sky is cleared of all clouds you can see the sunshine very brilliantly, similarly, you can see Kṛṣṇa and God very brilliantly as soon as the cloud accumulated in your heart of all dirty things is cleansed. The process of cleansing in this age is this saṅkīrtana yajña. This saṅkīrtana movement is not unauthorized. It is authorized by the śāstras. And because they are being properly performed, it is taking effect all over the world.

So we have to undergo all these processes recommended in the śāstras-yajña-dāna-tapa-kriyā. So this is yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña. It is recommended in the Vedic literature that in this age, Kali-yuga, the form of the Lord as kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam, that "He is always engaged in describing or glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa." Who is that? Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the indicated incarnation in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). You have seen Lord Caitanya's picture. He is always followed by many devotees chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, sāṅgopāṅgāstra pārṣadam, especially His associates Lord Nityānanda, Lord Advaita, and Śrīvas, and Gadādhara. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. These associates, they are Kṛṣṇa-varṇam always. The Lord Himself, Kṛṣṇa, He is always describing about Kṛṣṇa as devotee. He is teaching us how to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Just see how much merciful is Kṛṣṇa upon us. He is coming personally, instructing Bhagavad-gītā, and asking us, "Surrender unto Me. Give up all other business, all other so-called occupations. You surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa..., mā śucaḥ: (BG 18.66) "Don't be worried. I'll take charge of you." But still, we do not surrender unto Him. Still, we say, "Oh, this is too much. Kṛṣṇa is demanding too much from us. No, no. We have many other gods. We can surrender there, or we can do our own business." Therefore Kṛṣṇa again comes as devotee, Lord Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. This time, just to hide Himself He is come in very fair complexion, goldenlike, tviṣākṛṣṇam. Kṛṣṇa, naturally He is blackish, but this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He came not as blackish but akṛṣṇa, without being blackish. Pitā. That is also confirmed in the śāstra. So this body, this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but His bodily hue is not blackish, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32), and He is always followed by His associates, sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, such Personality of Godhead should be worshiped by yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ. This yajña should be performed. Because without performing yajña, you cannot become pious. So, because in this age there is no possibility of performing big yajñas, there is no qualified brāhmaṇas how to perform that yajña, there is no supply of pure ghee, you have no means how to arrange for such yajña—therefore, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, He is recommending this yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ—this yajña at your home, in your office, in your factor, anywhere, without any cost. Simply you sit down together and clap on your hand and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (applause)

So by performing this yajña, you become purified. Yajña-dāna. And so far dāna is concerned, that is, of course, different way. You can give in charity. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. You can make charity. Not that because you have no money, you cannot make charity. You can make charity. What is that? You can dedicate your life, prāṇaiḥ. Just like these boys and girls. They have not brought any huge amount of money for this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has not attracted the richer class of America. Now they are little, little coming. But I have attracted the middle class. So they have not brought any money, huge amount of money, but they have dedicated their life, prāṇaiḥ. And those who have got money, they can contribute. Just like we are begging from door to door, "Please become a life member and contribute something so that this movement can be pushed on." Prāṇair arthaiḥ. So if somebody says, "Sir, I have no money, neither I can dedicate my life," then how he will perform the yajña? Prāṇair arthair dhiyā. You can give your intelligence: "So your movement, I appreciate your movement. So please do like this. I will take you to some friend who can help you." That is dhiyā, intelligence. And if you have no, if you cannot dedicate your life, if you cannot sacrifice any money, if you have no intelligence, then vācā, you can use your words. What is that? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You simply go to any friend and advise him, "Please surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." That is also sacrifice. Is there any difficulty or expenditure to accept this saṅkīrtanair yajñaiḥ prāyaiḥ, to accept this saṅkīrtana-yajña movement by anyone? Anyone can accept it, provided he is willing to do it. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. It is meant for everyone. There is no discrimination. So far we Indians are concerned, we have got some responsibility. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa says... Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says—He is Lord Kṛṣṇa also—bhārate-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra. Especially for the Indians. Indians have got special prerogative for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. (applause)

Page Title:One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the sastras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Krsna's cause. That is called dana. Yajna, dana, and tapasya
Compiler:Krsnadas
Created:21 of Dec, 2013
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1