Open order

Expressions researched:
"open order" |"order is already there, it is open" |"order is open"

SB Canto 9

The Lord says that Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be spread all over the world, in every village and every town. This is the open order of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

SB 9.11.25, Purport:

Lord Rāmacandra showed His favor to His brothers by ordering Them to go out. Many of the Lord's devotees residing in Vṛndāvana have taken the vow not to leave Vṛndāvana to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But the Lord says that Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be spread all over the world, in every village and every town. This is the open order of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

A pure devotee, therefore, must execute the order of the Lord and must not gratify his senses by remaining stagnant in one place, falsely proud, thinking that because he does not leave Vṛndāvana but chants in a solitary place he has become a great devotee. A devotee must carry out the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Every devotee, therefore, should spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness by preaching, asking whomever he meets to accept the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." This is the order of the Lord, who speaks as the supreme emperor. Everyone should be induced to accept this order, for this is victory (dig-vijaya). And it is the duty of the soldier, the devotee, to impress upon everyone this philosophy of life.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kṛṣṇa says the essence of Bhagavad-gītā that "A person who preaches this sublime message of Bhagavad-gītā, he is My dearmost friend in the human society." This is the open order of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: Purport: "Lord Kṛṣṇa now directly says that Arjuna should fight for the sake of fighting because Kṛṣṇa desires the battle. There is no consideration of happiness or distress, profit or gain."

Prabhupāda: This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa says... Actually this happened... This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should not think of personal loss or gain. "Kṛṣṇa desires it, so I have to do it," that's all. There is no personal consideration. That is real Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to do this. I do not like to do this. You give me some other work." That is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no, I mean to say, yes or no. As Kṛṣṇa says. What Kṛṣṇa says? Kṛṣṇa says the essence of Bhagavad-gītā that "A person who preaches this sublime message of Bhagavad-gītā, he is My dearmost friend in the human society." This is the open order of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya says,

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

"Take My order and you become a spiritual master." How? "Simply speak Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that's all. Simply speak on Kṛṣṇa's message, kṛṣṇa-kathā." There are two kinds of kṛṣṇa-kathās. One is the Bhagavad-gītā, and the other is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So this is the propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to abide by the superior orders without consideration of our personal gain or loss. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no question of personal gain or loss.

You must be interested to know; then you can understand. And if you simply understand this science, then you become liberated. It is open order. Simply by understanding, even not engaging yourself in transcendental service of the Lord, simply by understanding the process of appearance and disappearance.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

If one can understand the principles of appearance and disappearance of God, His activities, so simply by understanding these principles he will be liberated. It is said here that after quitting this body, he is no more coming to take birth again in this material world. So just like a layman does not know how the sun appears and disappears, but an astronomer, he knows very well the movements of the sun, moon, and other planets' appearance and disappearance. This is a science, astronomy. Similarly, there is a science of God by which you can understand how God appears, disappears, how He acts, how He works. Everything is there, but if you are not interested that does not mean that the science of God is false or there is no such science. There is. You must be interested to know; then you can understand. And if you simply understand this science, then you become liberated. It is open order. Simply by understanding, even not engaging yourself in transcendental service of the Lord, simply by understanding the process of appearance and disappearance. So why don't you try that?

My open order is... I receive so many letters daily that "I wish to marry." Immediately I sanction, "Yes, you get yourself married." But one who is strict, one who can follow very rigidly the orders of brahmacārī and sannyāsī, they continue.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So Kṛṣṇa says that out of many thousands of human beings, species of 400,000's of species... manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). They come to the principle of this Vedic system of varṇāśrama-dharma. That is the process of siddhi. Without coming to this process of varṇa and āśrama, cātur-varṇyam, the human life is animal life, or less than animal life. That is not accepted as human society. Therefore it is necessary that all over the world this varṇāśrama-dharma, according to Bhagavad-gītā, must be established. I am therefore trying to get these boys and girls married. This is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. And they are happy. These boys and girls who are married... Of course, there are sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs. My open order is... I get... I receive so many letters daily that "I wish to marry." Immediately I sanction, "Yes, you get yourself married." But one who is strict, one who can follow very rigidly the orders of brahmacārī and sannyāsī, they continue. Therefore you will find in our society there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, there are gṛhasthas, there are vānaprasthas, like that. So no one is checked or hindered to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone is welcome.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The order of the Supreme is there. "Just become My devotee. Always think of Me. You worship Me. You haven't got to worship anyone else." Mām ekam. The order is open. But we'll not do it. That is another thing. We'll not accept. But still, Kṛṣṇa comes.

Lecture on SB 3.25.10 -- Bombay, November 10, 1974:

When we become too much attached with this material world, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ. What is dharma? Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order of the Supreme Person. That is dharma. The order of the Supreme Person is, I mean to say, open to everyone. Nobody can say that "I do not know what is the order of the Supreme." "I do not carry out," that is another thing. But the order of the Supreme is there. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Just become My devotee. Always think of Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me. You haven't got to worship anyone else." Mām ekam. The order is open. But we'll not do it. That is another thing. We'll not accept. But still, Kṛṣṇa comes. When this dharma is disobeyed, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Because you are My friend, I am just talking to You the most confidential dharma. Because I have spoken to you in so many ways, but because you are My intimate friend, so I am talking to you now the most essential part of dharma." What is that? "Now, whatever I have said, you can give up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "I have explained to you about so many yoga systems, but this is the real yoga system: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Bas."

So this dharma is taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His incarnations, by His devotee, by saintly persons. This is real dharma. But we do not take it. That is another thing. But if we take it, then we become benefited.

Suppose if you go to a king and he says, the king gives you open order that "Whatever you like, you can ask from me. I shall give you." And if you ask from the king, "My dear king, please give me a plate of ashes," is that very intelligence?

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

Without Kṛṣṇa nobody can have anything, either demonic or devotional. The difference is that the demons, they do not know what to ask from Kṛṣṇa. The devotees know what to ask from Kṛṣṇa. That is difference. Suppose if you go to a king and he says, the king gives you open order that "Whatever you like, you can ask from me. I shall give you." And if you ask from the king, "My dear king, please give me a plate of ashes," is that very intelligence? The king is asking that "Whatever you want, you ask from me. I shall give you," and if somebody asks from him, "Give me a plate of ashes," is that very nice? So that intelligence, the demons, they haven't got. They are asking from God that "Give me this. Give me riches. Give me power. Give me material name, fame. All these things give me. I don't want anything." So Kṛṣṇa is giving them.

Festival Lectures

So Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king, and at the same time he was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. So his open order was that whenever and whatever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask anything, it must be supplied.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So that function is observed yearly, and Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, goes to that Gundica. So today is Guṇḍicā-mārjana day. So Lord Caitanya personally used to wash the whole temple along with His assistants. Hundreds of... At that time there was no hose pipe, but people used to bring water in big, big waterpots. So when Lord Caitanya wanted to wash the Guṇḍīca Mandir, the king of Jagannātha Purī, Mahārāja Pratāparudra... He was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. So it was his open order to his officers that whenever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask for anything, it must be immediately supplied. So during this time about... In those days there was no railway facilities five hundred years ago. So people used to go on foot from, especially from Bengal. And because He was staying in Orissa, there were many Oriyan-Gauḍīya. Practically Lord Caitanya's followers are the Bengalis and the Oriyas. They are generally. Because Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal and resided, He made His residence in Orissa. Naturally, the people of these two provinces became His devotees in large number. And still, in Orissa there are many devotees, as there are in Bengal. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was patronized or... Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king. He did not allow the Mohammedans to enter into Orissa. He was so powerful. At that time whole India was occupied by the Pathans, but they could not enter in Orissa and South India. So Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king, and at the same time he was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. So his open order was that whenever and whatever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask anything, it must be supplied. So on this day Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to wash that Guṇḍīca Mandir with hundreds of His followers. And they were ordered to bring water from the nearest tank. There is one tank. If you go sometimes to Jagannātha Purī, you'll see that place. So from that tank hundreds of waterpots were brought, and first of all it was... What is called? Sweeping. The sweeping process is first of all taken. And He wanted to see all the devotees, "How much dust you have gathered." He'll see personally. "Let Me see what is the amount of your dust you have gathered by sweep... (break) Then I will understand that you worked very hard." So then after it is very finely, twice. First of all, once swept, then second time. Not even a small particle grain should remain. That was His order.

Your American Embassy here, they purchased eighteen copies, and they gave me open order that "Whenever this Bhāgavata will be published next part, subsequent parts, this is open order, eighteen copies, each part." That order is still there.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

Then, when I wrote book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam First Canto was finished. So I approached the Bhāijī of... Perhaps Mātājī knows this. (chuckles) In 1962. So I asked him that "You take this publication." So I am very much obliged to Bhāijī. He said that "Our English printing is not very efficient. You can get this book published from elsewhere. I shall partly help you." So he helped me with some money from the Dalmia Trust, and I first of all published my first part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then I published second part also. There was sale. Then there was no necessity of money. I was getting money by selling Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Everyone appreciated. Even the, your American Embassy here, they purchased eighteen copies, and they gave me open order that "Whenever this Bhāgavata will be published next part, subsequent parts, this is open order, eighteen copies, each part." That order is still there.

So after publishing three parts of readings(?), then automatically, Guru Mahārāja gave me indication that "Now you can start for America." So some way or other, in 1965 I went to America, with great difficulty. But I took about two hundred sets of books. The customs clearance was done, I told them that "Oh, I am taking these books for distribution. Not for sale." Anyway, they passed, and with these books I reached America. And I was maintaining myself by selling these books for one year.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Kṛṣṇa said this knowledge to Arjuna and Arjuna said to others and it is open. Everyone can take it, there is no secrecy. We have to accept only, that's all. The order is already there, it is open, open secret. There is no secrecy. Anyone can take it.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Are you the one who chooses who runs each center, who is responsible in each temple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our program is to open centers in every village, every town, to propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Interviewer: And you choose the leaders, or Kṛṣṇa does and tells you, how does that work?

Prabhupāda: No, I have been chosen by my spiritual master.

Interviewer: Yes. And you in turn choose others?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. That is our succession.

Interviewer: On what basis?

Prabhupāda: Basis, on the order of Kṛṣṇa. Originally the order is from Kṛṣṇa.

Interviewer: How does that come?

Prabhupāda: Comes by disciplic succession. Just like Kṛṣṇa said this knowledge to Arjuna and Arjuna said to others and it is open. Everyone can take it, there is no secrecy. We have to accept only, that's all.

Interviewer: I missed that, I'm sorry.

Prabhupāda: The order is already there, it is open, open secret. There is no secrecy. Anyone can take it.

Interviewer: All right. But in terms of specific, say, choosing, specific things, specific details.

Prabhupāda: Yes, in all details, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is all details in this book, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Hari-śauri: So he's asking what's a man's qualification to be chosen.

Rāmeśvara: In other words Prabhupāda will decide who should be leader if he's qualified and there's a process for making him qualified and there's a process for testing to see if he is qualified. So in that way it all comes from Kṛṣṇa.

Interviewer: You chose, for example, these fellows here to run the publishing house and be responsible for the east coast.

Prabhupāda: Yes, like that. He's in charge of publication, he's in charge something else, he's charge, like that.

Interviewer: On what basis, though, can you tell me some of the things that...

Prabhupāda: Basis, just to see whether he's qualified, that's all. Just like ordinarily one manager is appointed by the superior authority on the merit, on his qualification. That's all.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

So why stock lacking? Why this mismanagement? There is no question of shortage of stock. I give you open order. Print more than necessity. If you do not print, what shall I do?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you'll get money. Print.

Jayapatākā: One of our parties has gone to Bihar, and they sold about twelve thousand books and they ran out. They just now ran out of books, so they went to Bombay to get Hindi books, but there was no stock. So they came here to... Spent four hundred rupees going there, they found no books. Then they came here to Delhi, and they got two thousand books from Vṛndāvana here, what stock they had.

Prabhupāda: So why stock lacking? Why this mismanagement? There is no question of shortage of stock. I give you open order. Print more than necessity. If you do not print, what shall I do?

Bhakti-caru: Should we start printing Hindi books in Calcutta, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I do not know where to be... But get it printed in huge stock.

Bhakti-caru: Calcutta also has all the facilities in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: What is use of telling me?

Hṛdayānanda: What is the use of telling him?

Jayapatākā: He said, "I give an open order to print books. Always have big stock."

Hṛdayānanda: Huge stock, he said, more than necessary.

Kīrtanānanda: It's up to us to figure out where to print books.

Gargamuni(?): I have to put this question, Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā: He already answered that question. Gaura-Govinda, he's already translated sixteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā in Oriya, and he's translated three small books in Oriya.

Prabhupāda: Let him bring. There is fifty thousand rupees in Orissa.

1968 Correspondence

The American Congress library purchasing department in India are pleased to purchase 18 copies of my Srimad-Bhagavatam, as soon as it is published and they have open order for it.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

Now you are in good opportunity to do the transliteration work and in cooperation with your professors and Hayagriva, make the Srimad-Bhagavatam revised edition in such a nice way that it may be accepted in any scholarly society. In the last editions, because the transcription was not there, some of the universities in the western countries refused to stock them. Of course, the American Congress library purchasing department in India are pleased to purchase 18 copies of my Srimad-Bhagavatam, as soon as it is published and they have open order for it. Still we want it to be done so nicely that it may not be refused by any scholarly section. So the transliteration and divisions should be so nicely done that it will go to your credit when they are accepted everywhere. I think by Krishna's Grace Hayagriva's attempt to revise it nicely and your attempt to fix up transliteration perfectly will make the next edition as perfect as possible. Do it very sincerely, and also pray Krishna to help you, and I am sure it will come out successful.

1969 Correspondence

They have open order for 18 copies of each volume as soon as published. Why not bring this fact to the Librarian of Congress, and introduce my other books, including Bhagavad-gita, TLC, etc.?

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hawaii 10 March, 1969:

Another thing, the Library of Congress has got one agency in India, and they have recognized my Srimad-Bhagavatam, you know it. And they have open order for 18 copies of each volume as soon as published. Why not bring this fact to the Librarian of Congress, and introduce my other books, including Bhagavad-gita, TLC, etc.? And there are so many public libraries, and university libraries also, who may receive them. So, business has to be organized and I hope you will do the needful.

1970 Correspondence

Under the circumstances, it is my open order for everyone that everyone can marry without any artificial pose. But if somebody is able to remain a Brahmacari, there should not be any causing for his marriage.

Letter to Trivikrama -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1970:

I do not think that Hamsaduta is pressing you for marriage. Marriage is a concession for a person who cannot control his sex desires. Of course it is a difficult job for the boys in this country because they have free access to intermingling with the girls. Under the circumstances, it is my open order for everyone that everyone can marry without any artificial pose. But if somebody is able to remain a Brahmacari, there should not be any causing for his marriage.

1974 Correspondence

There is one American Library of Congress which used to take 18 copies of my books as soon as they were published. If you try you will get also an order for 18 copies of all our books. This open order was published in my picture advertisement for the Bhagavatam.

Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 2 January, 1974:

All over the world they are taking our books seriously and that is accepted by educational departments as extra study books at schools and colleges. In that way we will have a good recommendation for introducing our books to all kind of libraries. When I was alone in India I got this sanction and introduced my books in so many libraries and schools. There is one American Library of Congress which used to take 18 copies of my books as soon as they were published. If you try you will get also an order for 18 copies of all our books. This open order was published in my picture advertisement for the Bhagavatam. So please try in this way to get our books circulating among the educated classes. I wish you to go ahead full speed to print Bhagavad-gita there.

We are getting very good written appreciations from learned circles in USA of our books and many libraries and universities are ordering an open order all of the books as they are published.

Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Mayapur 16 October, 1974:

Your success with the South Africans there is very good. I have initiated the boy and girl, and their spiritual names are as follows: Gokulendra dasa and Rocanai devi dasi. You can chant on their beads. You must get more South Africans to join and make our mission solid there. The Indians they are hopeless so far I have seen, so get the Europeans to join as many possible. Regarding the draft situation, let them go from the college to the temple. They can stay with us for some time and then go back and forth. In the colleges they can introduce our books. We are getting very good written appreciations from learned circles in USA of our books and many libraries and universities are ordering an open order all of the books as they are published.