We are in this material world according to our association with different modes of nature. We are making one type of mentality, and at the time of death, that mental position is responsible for carrying me in a different type of body. In this way we are changing body one after another. So we are spirit soul. This is the chance of rectifying or purifying our existence. If we like, we can purify our existence in this human form of life. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to purify the existence, and after death, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means you understand Kṛṣṇa... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding and acting accordingly, you can purify your existence, and next life means after giving up this body... This body we have to give up. But those who are not purifying their existence, they will accept another material body. And those who have purified the existence, they will go back home, back to Godhead.
Rectify (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
If a person is actually executing devotional service, then he must be happy. If he's not happy, then he's not doing properly. So first thing is this. He might be doing something in the name of devotional service. If he's actually rendering devotional service, then he must be feeling. Just like if you are eating actually, then you must feel strength and satisfaction of your hunger. You cannot say, "I'm eating, but I'm not satisfied of my hunger." That is impossible. This is not possible. Then you are not eating. Or you are eating, but it is being devoured by the worms within your intestines. Sometimes it happens. If there are many worms within the intestines, you go on voraciously eating, but you don't get strength because the eating substance, the essence, is taken by the worms. Therefore the worm treatment is there to kill the worms. Otherwise they will eat everything. You'll feel hungry, but will not get any strength. This is the worm disease. So if I am actually rendering devotional service and I'm not getting any happiness, that means there is some māyā's play. Otherwise there is no such reasoning. He must feel happy. Then he has to rectify the process of his service. Not to change but rectify the process. (aside) What is that? (laughs) It cannot be. If you are actually executing devotional service, you must feel happy. If you don't feel happy, then you are not executing. There is some flaw.
The best thing is that why not finish cent percent in this life? Why should we indulge in materialistic way of life, sense gratification? That we have tried in many lives. This is human form of life, and there were many other lives also. We have been in the water, aquatics; we have been in the vegetable kingdom; we have been animals; we have been worms. So many. This is the highest boon. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. After many, many births, millions of births, here is another form of body, human form of body, and especially in the civilized society, in well-to-do society. So just try to utilize it. How to utilize it to... The consciousness, the present consciousness, polluted consciousness should be rectified to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means purified. If you can purify your consciousness in touch with Kṛṣṇa or God, that is your success. And if you can execute even certain percentage, that is your permanent asset. It will go with you. Next life also you'll get chance. This is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So every sane man, every intelligent man should take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and whatever percentage he can achieve, he should try for it.
Now, so far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the Lord says that,
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
"Whenever there is any flaw in the standard process of religiosity, at that time I take My incarnation and I come on this earth." So this is a fact. This is a fact. The whole material nature is working under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord. Now, whenever there is any discrepancy, just to rectify, sometimes punishment is given or sometimes the Lord comes Himself, or sometimes He sends His representative, or sometimes He leaves some books of knowledge. In this way the whole process from God's side is to put ourself always on the right path. That is the process going on.
This is the instruction given. Buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ: "Don't be miser. Don't misuse this great opportunity."
- buddhi-yukto jahātīha
- ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte
- tasmād yogāya yujyasva
- yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
- (BG 2.50)
Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam. Kauśalam means expert trick, expert trick. Just like there are two men working. One man is very expert; another man is not so expert. Even in machinery. There is something wrong in the machine. The, the man who is not very expert, he's trying whole day-night, how to adjust it, but the expert comes and at once sees what is the defect, and he joins one wire, this way and that way, and machine becomes start. Hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum, hrzum. You see? Just like sometimes we, we find difficulty in our, this tape recorder, and Mr. Carl or somebody comes and rectifies this. So everything requires some expert knowledge. So karma, karma means work. We have to work. Without working even our, this body and soul cannot go. It is a very misconception that for one who is a..., for spiritual realization he hasn't got to work. No, he has got to work more. Persons who are not for spiritual realization, they may be engaged in work for eight hours only, but those who are engaged for spiritual realization, oh, they are engaged twenty-four hours, twenty-four hours. That is the difference.
If the foreigners can take to it very seriously, so why not Indians? It is Indians' knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in India. Why you are neglecting it? Why you are not taking advantage? Why you are falsely proud that you are independent? These are our questions. You are not independent. You are under the full control of prakṛti. So you have to rectify. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). That is the..., that we want happiness, but here any happiness... There is no happiness. It is simply distress. But even if we take as happiness, that is temporary. But we want unlimited, unending happiness.
I am the seed giving father of all living entities. So there are 8,400,000 species of living entities. Just like the, there are 2,000,000 species of living entities within the water, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. In this way the living entities are growing consciousness. Actually, when he comes in the human form of body, then he is his full consciousness. At that time, that is our subject matter, that time he should know why he is suffering, what is the cause. So similarly, when he finds that he is suffering on account of his being disobedient to the father, and he rectifies himself, he becomes happy. So you, first of all try to understand why you are suffering, and in human form of life you can rectify, why you are suffering. And then you become again happy. God has not made you unhappy. You became disobedient. You wanted to enjoy life in a certain way. God has given you the chance, all right, you do it. But you are not happy. Huh? God does not want you to become happy, therefore He comes, He instructs you again and again. But you do not hear. You neglect the instruction of God. There are your suffering. You come to your consciousness, become obedient to God, you will be happy. That is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Dharma is translated into English as religion, and religion is described in the dictionary as a particular type of faith. "So actually, it is not that. Dharma does not mean a particular type of faith. Because faith, you may accept some faith, I may accept some faith, another may accept another faith. Then there is no question of preaching. Everyone is satisfied with his own particular type of faith then there is no need of preaching, neither there is need of Kṛṣṇa's coming, descending on this planet. He said,
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
If anyone accepts his own type of religion, so "I may not like your religion, you may not like my religion, but everyone is right," then what is the use of Kṛṣṇa's coming here to rectify adharma?
Just like Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was requesting God: "My Lord, please excuse them. They do not know what they are doing." This is the position of the devotee. Yes. Because they are mad after materialistic way of thinking, so they cannot be hated. Anyone. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that there is no question of hating. Everyone is welcome. Please come here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Take Kṛṣṇa prasāda and hear some nice philosophy from Bhagavad-gītā and try to rectify your material conditional life. This is the program—Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Caitanya introduced this movement. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "Whoever you meet, wherever you meet, simply try to teach him this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Words from Lord Kṛṣṇa. You'll be happy and they will be happy.
So we have to rectify this mistake, that we are not this body. This is our external covering. We are spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. And that is the stage of liberation. Svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Now we are acting according to the covering. When we shall not act according to the covering but according to our constitutional position, that is liberated platform. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means when we understand that "We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," this is self-realization, this is liberation.
Therefore one who is pure devotee, he does not pray to God for any personal interest. Even if he is distressed, he says, "O Lord, it is Your kindness. You have put me in distress just to rectify me. I would have been put into more and more, thousand times in distress, but You are giving me little. That's all. That is Your great mercy." That is his vision. He does not... He's not disturbed. Tulyārthāpamānayoḥ(?). A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't care for all this material distress or insult or honor, because he is aloof from this. He doesn't... He knows very well that "This designation, this honor, or this insult, they are pertaining to my body, but I am not this body."
We should not be lost of all senses, influenced by this material lust. We have to revert ourself, we have to rectify the lust into love. And if we love God, then we love everything. And without loving God, if you want to love something else, that is nonsense. You cannot love. Therefore we find practically there is so much love between a boy and girl. And just after two years, oh, divorce: "Go to hell." Because there is no love. It is simply lust. We do not know what is love. Simply you are playing with lust, and lust, as soon as you do not satisfy my senses to my satisfaction, then there is anger, krodha, or wrath. And out... Then illusion. Then out of wrath, you give..., you separate with me, I separate with you. So basically there is no love.
So long we do not surrender, we cannot understand God. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. The Lord says, "One who is actually in knowledge, that knowledge is achieved after many, many births, not all of a sudden."
Of course, if we accept that "God is great. Let me surrender," then we can accept in a second. But our present position is to become envious of any greatness. So we are also envious of God: "Why shall I surrender unto God? I am independent. I shall work independently." These things are there. Therefore for rectifying these misgivings we have to wait many births. And Lord says, "After many, many births, one who is actually in knowledge, he surrenders unto Me. He surrenders." Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19).
The problems are created. Just like if I do not give food to the driver, and he is entrusted with a nice car, and he is not happy on account of not being properly taken care of, then he must create disaster. There will be car accident. So that is happening. Nobody is taking care of the driver of this body. No education is there. They are simply trying to rectify the defects in the body.
Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Kṛṣṇa is full independent, we are not full independent. Kṛṣṇa is sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Sva-rāṭ means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-mārga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.
Correct means we shall be less attached to the material enjoyment. So long we are attached to material enjoyment, we have to transmigrate from one type of body to another. So daivī-sampada means those who are devatās, their first business is how to rectify this diseased condition of life, repetition of birth and death. Everything is there. Sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna. This requires jñāna, knowledge. Unless I know what is my position, why I am dying, what is death... This requires jñāna.
So instead of thinking always like this demon that "I have got so much money. Now I shall get further amount of money and it will be like so much money. He is my enemy. I have killed one of them. The other enemy..." This is going on actually, in the material field. So we have to rectify. We have to rectify. Āḍhyo 'bhijanavān asmi: "I am the richest man. I have got so many friends, all aristocratic." Abhijanavān. Janavān, dhanavān. Dhanavān means possessing wealth, and janavān means possessing men, strength, popular strength, and strength of money.
The defect is that my business is to render service to the Supreme Lord which is misplaced in so many ways. In so many ways I am giving service to my society, to my friend, to my community, to my nation, and so on, so on. That is misplaced. Your duty is to render service to Kṛṣṇa, or God, but that is being misplaced. Therefore you are not satisfied, neither the person to whom you are giving service, they are also not satisfied. This is the material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharmasya again. What is that dharma? To render service. When there is discrepancy to render service, then Kṛṣṇa comes to teach you how you should render service. So we have created so many platform of service. They are not giving us satisfaction, neither to the person nor to me. So Kṛṣṇa comes to rectify it. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. This is glāniḥ. The service is misplaced.
Not that because these boys, European, American boys, have given up these bad habit, they are dying for it. No. Rather, their parents, their countrymen, say they are bright-faced. When they chant on the street, they become surprised, their fathers. And some of the fathers, they come to thank me, "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that you have come to our country," because they know that how their sons are being rectified from the LSD habit. Professor Judah has written a book, very nice book, appreciating that "How these LSD men could become Kṛṣṇa conscious servant of Kṛṣṇa?" So it is... Everything is possible provided you agree, tapasya. Śamo damas tapaḥ.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Adhokṣaja means beyond your sense perception. So God's another name is Adhokṣaja, means beyond our perception. You cannot understand God by directly seeing or directly smelling, or directly hearing, or directly tasting or touching. It is not possible at the present moment unless you are spiritually advanced, unless our seeing power is rectified or hearing power is modified. In this way, when our senses are purified, then we can hear about God, we can see God, we can smell God, we can touch God. That is possible. To training in that science, how to see God, how to hear God, how to touch God—by your senses, that is possible. That science is called devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore, Bhāgavata says, "That is first-class religious system by which you can develop your dormant service attitude for God." That is first-class religion.
The advancement of civilization will be tested, how the nation, individually or collectively, has advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very difficult to understand this, but the fact is this. Bhāgavata says that you cannot rectify the destiny of another man. That is not possible. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. It is not that because one has got good parents, therefore he will be happy. No. Not necessarily. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No, there is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction... Suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The śāstra says that "You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment." They, they can also, cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor, that "This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?" They will say, "No, that is not possible. We are trying our best."
There is a statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer
- bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi...
- (SB 1.5.17)
Even one falls down, still, there is no loss. Because he'll get the chance. Kṛṣṇa will arrange in such a way. They'll get the chance. So actually, there is no loss. But one must be purified completely. So to get this hog's and dog's life means they are being purified. They are being purified. But without being completely purified, nobody can enter into the kingdom of God. That is not possible. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. So there is another version in Caitanya-caritāmṛta:
- anivijñā tare viṣaye khana diba
sa caraṇāmṛtaṁ diye visa bhula iva(?)
If one, by mistake, while executing devotional service, at the same time, keeping his propensity for sense gratification, material enjoyment, then he is rectified in that way.
So in the beginning we must be sincere, very sincere, to follow the rules and regulations. But due to our past habits, if there is some flaw, that is excused. Not intentionally. Because I am habituated to something, and I am, although engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, my past habits sometimes becomes manifest. So Kṛṣṇa says, "All right, you try your best. It will be rectified." Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Kṣipram means "Very soon, you'll be dharmātmā, perfect, religious." Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati: "And you'll be elevated to the eternal platform of peace and tranquillity." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "If one is sincere devotee, he'll be not lost. He'll make progress." But if there is any ulterior motive, then he'll be lost. Māyā is there. The māyā, just like shadow and light, they're side by side. A little crossing the marginal line between shadow and light, you are in the darkness. Similarly, a little crossing of the marginal line from the darkness to light, you are in light.
So long you will be in the material world, if you do not rectify yourself, śuddha-sattva... Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). If you don't rectify your existence, then this janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi will go on (BG 13.9). Then what is the good? Actually, there is no good. 'Ei bhāla, ei manda'—ei saba 'bhrama'.. It is simply mental concoction. So in the material world, even you become very expert to deal with your business very nicely, it is all useless. Ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ. If one does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, his so-called success in this material world or failure, they have no value. Rather, if by sentiment somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if for a few days he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, their success, in future at least, guaranteed.
There are so many obstacles in the peaceful way of life. Even in the family, in the society, politically, nationally, internationally—so many difficulties. Everyone has got the experience. Therefore the recommendation of the śāstra, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Kevalam. You cannot rectify all these difficulties, because this is the age for all these difficulties. You must know it. They are trying to mitigate all these difficulties in different ways, but śāstra says that it is not possible. Only, it is possible only by chanting the harer nāma, the holy name of the Lord.
So one should be advanced by hearing the authorities, that God is equal to him. I say why there should be Hindu religion and Muslim religion or Christian religion? There cannot be. Just like gold is gold. And nobody can say, "This is Indian gold, this is American gold, this is Christian gold, and this is Muhammadan gold." Gold is gold. So actually one who is God conscious, for him, there is no such distinction, because he knows, samaṁ carantaṁ sarvatra bhūtānām: (SB 1.8.28) "God is present everywhere." Simply he has forgotten. That forgetfulness is applicable to anyone, either Hindu, Muslim or Christian. It doesn't matter. The, our business is to rectify that forgetfulness. Rectify. To remove that forgetfulness. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
I am eternal. So I am existing, but I am suffering. I am suffering. Just like I have got now cold affection (infection). This is not my natural state, but I have been affected by chilly cold or something like that. Therefore I am suffering. So it is my duty to cure it, to take some medicine, to go to the physician. That is called sattva-saṁśuddhi, purifying your existence. By nature, by constitutional position, every living entity is as pure as God. But God does not become impure. We become impure. Therefore we are suffering. That is the... So this impurity can be rectified in this life, this human form of life. Therefore human form of life is meant for purification. Therefore so many scriptures are there, so many teachers are there, so many rules and regulations are there. They are not meant for the animals, because they cannot be purified. They must have to come to this position by evolution of human being. Then there is chance of purification.
So this varṇāśrama-dharma means cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), from the animal position of the human being, to bring him to the human position. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. Just (as in) school (or) college, to become graduate means to become distinguished from the fools and rascals. Similarly, human being does not mean the struggle for existence as the one big fish is eating another small fish, another is... No, no, that is not human. That is natural, but you have to rectify the natural position for the..., for realization of the utmost aim of life. That is human life. Not to treat like animals. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
So the meat shop is kept out of the vision of public. I mean to say, privately one could purchase, and if one was accustomed to eat meat, he could not get the chance daily. Because in the family, no Hindu family will allow meat-eating or fish-eating. No. In our childhood we have seen, our family also. If one wanted to eat meat, then he would do it hundred miles away secretly. Nobody will know. Or he will go to some rascal hotel. That was the system. Now they are keeping chickens, everyone's roof. This is the advancement, Kali's advancement. And government is giving license, "Yes, you manufacture liquor." Because it is a great profit for government. I know. I had also license to keep in my medical business, this rectified spirit. Rectified spirit means pure alcohol, from which whiskey is made. Absolute alcohol. So I know that the cost of rectified spirit, distilled by the government, was one rupee per gallon. One rupee per gallon. But the same rectified spirit, when turned into liquor by some process, not any very difficult process, just making it coloring or flavoring... The real thing is the rectified spirit. The government would charge sixty rupees per gallon. The cost, it is one rupee. And they would sixty charge rupees. Because government knew it or know it that when a man becomes drunkard, he will drink at any cost. At any cost.
We are in this material world on account of this icchā and dveṣa. We wanted to satisfy the senses, material senses, independently. And we wanted to disobey the orders of the Supreme Lord. These are the two causes for which we are put into this material world. So we have to rectify this mentality, that "I am independent. I am God. I can do whatever we like." This mentality has to be rectified. For that rectification we are in this material world, and we are undergoing different types of miserable condition of life to become rectified so that we may come to the senses, that "I want to be happy. I want to enjoy life. Why I am put into this unfavorable circumstances? The most unfavorable circumstance is that I do not want to die. Still, I have to die." This is common sense. So in order to... On account of this puruṣa mentality... Just like I have already explained the strī can enjoy happy life along with the husband, not independently, similarly, we, being prakṛti, our business is to remain eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Then we will be happy. Otherwise we will not be happy. It is not possible.
And the whole material world, whole Vedic śāstra, whole Vedic culture is meant for rectifying this mentality, that "I am not independent. I am dependent on Kṛṣṇa. So I have forgotten Kṛṣṇa somehow or other, and I have taken this mentality of puruṣa, enjoying this material world. I have to rectify this." So if I rectify that, then I become free from the clutches of māyā. Otherwise, since I have put myself under the clutches of this material energy, she is giving me different types of body, different types of situation, to fulfill my desire. But because she has given a different type of body, a different type situation, she is not responsible; I am responsible. Therefore I will have to suffer or enjoy of the sequence or the resultant action made by the material nature.
So therefore this planning, real planning, is this varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama means a regulative, regulative life. So we have come to this world. There will be no difficulty for our maintenance. Peacefully let us live and save time for spiritual consciousness, for advancement of. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). We have to rectify, purify our existence. This present existence is not purified. Otherwise, why we are accepting death? Because the existence is not purified.
Our senses are also Kṛṣṇa's senses. He is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka-īśa, iti hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means senses. Unfortunately, our senses are being used for sense satisfaction, neither for our use. It is for sense gratification. So bhakti means this practice of using the senses for sense gratification should be rectified, should be purified. Then the same senses will be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, and then you become a bhakta. Kṛṣṇa's things may be used for Kṛṣṇa. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).
Guest (2): Swamiji, I was asking point in a different way, that we are so helpless. We are born as human being with inherent weaknesses and shortcomings, like kāma, krodha, moha, lobha...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that I know. But you can rectify it provided you like. But if you don't like to rectify yourself, how it can be done? If you are thinking that you have got so many defects, you rectify your defects, just like these European, American boys. They were all illicit sex-hunters and intoxicators and meat-eaters. That is their daily affair. How they have given up? They have decided that "We shall rectify ourself." You rectify yourself and you will be able to do. Are you prepared to rectify yourself?
Guest (2): That's why nature has given us to..., why nature...
Prabhupāda: Nature has made you a dog. Why should you remain a dog? You should become a human being. That is your duty.
It is very essential that this human form of body is meant for rectifying or purifying our existence. That they do not know, especially in the modern age, that this body is temporary and we living entities, we are eternal and this is our bondage. So long we are within this material body, it is our bondage. Real life is eternal life, without any birth, death, old age and disease. Where is that science? There is no such department of knowledge that how one can live eternally without any disease, without any old age and without any death and without any birth. If there is birth there is death. And between the two, birth and death, there is old age and disease. Where is that scientist who are trying to solve this problem?
. We are producing our own food, our own cloth, own milk, and we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the simplest life. This life is meant for not working like hogs and dogs. That is the instruction. Nayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. But what is meant for human life? Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed (SB 5.5.1). Just rectify your existence. You are not to die. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why don't you take this formula seriously, that "I am not subject to die. I am not subjected to death. Why I am forced to take birth and die?" This one question, that is human life.
What is our position? Our position is as described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real position is that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So gata-smṛtiḥ, I have forgotten that. And therefore, bhuliyā tomāre saṁsāre āsiyā peye nānā-vidha byathā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, "My Lord, forgetting You I came in this material world. I am simply suffering." Peye nānā-vidha byathā. These... The same thing is there in the Vedic literature, the same thing is instructed by the advanced, enlightened, liberated devotee. The same thing. This forgetfulness. We have forgotten what is our position. Temporarily, because I have got this body in India, I am thinking, "I am Indian, so my interest is Indian." And somebody is thinking, "My interest is American," "My interest is brāhmaṇa," "My interest is śūdra," "My interest is this, that." We have created so many interests. That has to be rectified.
Who has fully dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa, he is sādhu. Even he has got some bad habits... Bad habits? A sādhu cannot have bad habits because if one is sādhu, if in the beginning he has got some bad habit, that will be rectified. Śaṣvad bhavati dharmātmā. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. If he's actually sādhu, his bad habits will be rectified very soon, very soon, not that he's continuing his bad habits and also a sādhu. That cannot be. That is not sādhu. Maybe due to his past habits, he might have committed some mistake. That can be excused. But if he, in the name of sādhu and become a liberated person, he continues to do all nonsense, he's a cheater. He's not sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro. Cet, yadi, if, by chance, it is possible. But if he sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati.
Actually, we are the servant of the senses. We are not master. When you become master of the senses, then this title is given, gosvāmī, svāmī. Svāmī means master. Master means master of your senses. Now we are being dictated by the senses, 'You do this," we do that. So our master is the senses, and the senses are six kinds of senses: Kāma, kāmādīnā, lusty desires; lobha, greediness; and mohaḥ, illusion; kāma, krodha, anger, mind... Mind is dictating something; I am serving: "Yes, sir, I will do it." This is our position. Kāma, krodha, lobha, mohaḥ, mātsarya, in this way. So by good association, by saintly man's association... That is recommended: mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-sevā. This human life is meant for rectification.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on authority. We are prescribing the right medicine, and it is becoming very effective also. That is the proof. If you say that "How I can understand that this medicine is very effective?" Yes, it is effective. By chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, any part of the world, although they do not know the meaning, they chant and they join and they become rectified, and they become bright-faced. That is the verdict. So therefore we appeal to everyone, irrespective of any caste-creed consideration, please come, join this movement, and be happy.
Next step means to become cultured. First of all prāyaścitta: "You have done this wrong; you should be punished." But the punishment will not rectify him. And that is practical. There are so many rules and regular punishment. In common cases... Just like every day the police is giving a ticket to the motor driver; still, the same thing is going on. So to keep oneself in darkness and makes rules and regulation will not help. Just like your government has admitted that they have spent millions of dollars, they could not stop the intoxication habit of LSD. That's a fact. But in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement one who joins, he gives up immediately. That's a fact. What is the difference? The difference is that to stop one kind of karma by karma will not help. Therefore it is said, karmaṇā karma-nirhāra. One kind of activity is criminality, and one kind of activity just to punish him, this will not stop criminality. This is the real fact. He must be in knowledge. Cultivation of knowledge required. He must come to the senses, that "I am suffering. Every time I commit some criminality, I am punished. This is not very palatable. So why I cannot stop it?"
So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous life or in this life. How? By this process. Kṣipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Veṇu-gulmam, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like if you set fire to unwanted grass and creepers in the field. You set fire, and they will be all burned. Similarly, by this process, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13), you can liquidate all of your sinful activities of life and you become purified.
(reads Sanskrit commentary) Śrīdhara Swami says that bhakti mārga, the path of devotion, is immune from all kinds of fearfulness because jñāna-mārga, jñāna mārga, the path of knowledge is full of difficulties. Because I am trying myself, I have no protector. I do not know if I am in danger who will give me protection. Jñānīs, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of their knowledge. So Śrīdhara Swami says they are atahaya. Atahaya means without any protection. If they make any mistake... Just like a little student they are learning something, but there is protection of the teacher. As soon as he commits a mistake, immediately the teacher rectifies: "My dear boy, do like this." But anyone who has no teacher, no protector, simply trying himself, if he commits any mistake there is nobody protecting him. Therefore jñāna-mārga, the path of knowledge, is risky.
So we are in this material world on account of this infectious condition. This is our problem. And we have to die. That's a fact. If you say that "I don't believe in death," that is not excuse. Death must be there. You must die. So in this way our life is going on. So in the human form of life we can rectify this. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if we rectify our constant association with different material modes of nature... And as the result of this association, we are accepting one body and again dying, and again accepting another body, again dying. This business will be stopped. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Somehow or other, if you become fit to go back to home, back to Godhead, yad gatvā, then you haven't got to come back again. But they do not understand that this material conditional life is always miserable. They have accepted, "It is very nice."
Suppose you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa. That is not finish, that "Now I am initiated. I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No. You must act as a brāhmaṇa. Then you are brāhmaṇa. You always remember that. They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brāhmaṇa's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism. If there are so many foreign brāhmaṇas in India and I am making brāhmaṇa in the Western countries, if they are still fallen, then what is this attempt? My attempt is futile. So kindly be responsible, those who are second initiated. If you fall down, then the whole movement becomes false. That is happening. So kindly rectify if that is happening, that guṇa-karma. You must acquire the qualities and must act accordingly. That is practical.
The Māyāvāda philosophers, they say, "Yes, spiritual master is God and I am God, you are God—everyone is God." No. That is rectified. Everyone is not God. God is God, and living entities are living entities. In the Vedas it is..., nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "He is the prime entity of all entities." So there cannot be two Gods. One God. As such, if God is one, there cannot be two religion also, because religion means to understand God, to love God. That is religion. And religion means the words of God, just as it is said. So why there should be two religions? There cannot be two religions. There may be some difference according to climate, country, population. There may be some difference in the execution of religion. But on principle there cannot be two religions because God is one and religion means the words of God. So how there can be two religions?
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means they want to educate people, rectifying the basic principle of misconception: "I am body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black," "I am white"—all bodily conception. This has to be removed first of all. So the śāstra says that if one is in the bodily concept of life, then he is no more better than an animal. No better than an animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). We have discussed many times. This bodily concept of life should be first of all removed. We must be enlightened. Otherwise, if we act on the bodily concept of life, then—not bhadrāṇi, not auspicious—everything is inauspicious, viparītāni.
So Ṛṣabhadeva said, "For only sense gratification, why you are accepting so much suffering life after life? Now you have got this human form of life, you just try to rectify, that no more material body. This is human life." Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). "You purify your existence, tapa, by tapasya, by austerity, penances." Therefore in the human life you'll find so many tapasvīs undergoing tapasya. Voluntarily not accepting the so-called material pleasures, that is called tapasya. Tapo divyam. So tapo means undergo some austerities, penances, for divyam. For awakening your spiritual existence. Then your struggle for existence will stop.
To come to the platform of light, it requires tapasya, austerity. That is required. The human life is meant for tapasya, to come to the life platform. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). Tamasic or tamas, or darkness, means just like a person is attacked with tuberculosis, but he doesn't care for it. But intelligent man goes to the physician, asks that "Why I am suffering? What is the medicine?" That is intelligence. So human life begins when one is inquisitive to know, "Why I am suffering?" That is human life. And if he keeps himself in darkness—"Oh, this is... Suffering is suffering. Let me enjoy..." Sometimes they want to forget the suffering by another suffering, drinking or LSD, to forget suffering. That is another suffering, another suffering so much so that one becomes crazy and commits suicide. This is going on, a very precarious life. And human life is the only opportunity to rectify these mistakes and come to his original position, constitutional position, means the spiritual platform.
So human society, they should rectify their mode of civilization by taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Then they will be happy. Otherwise, if they keep themself in ignorance, ajñaḥ, dehy ajñaḥ, then ajita-ṣaḍ-varga: he will never be able to control the senses. The yoga system, haṭha-yoga system, is meant for this class of rascals, ajita. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Real meaning of yoga means controlling the senses. So because everyone is ajita-ṣaḍ-varga-ajita means not conquered—so those who are too much addicted in the bodily concept of life, for them this haṭha-yoga is prescribed. The purpose is to control the senses, not that to reduce fat or something else. No. Real purpose is yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ because unless we control the senses, we remain in ignorance, blind, and go on.
f you want to open the door of your liberation, then you should engage yourself in serving the mahat, the devotees, a pure devotee. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Tamo-dvāram means the door for hellish condition of life. And if you want that, then you mix with yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Those who are too much attached to women, you associate with them. These things are there in the śāstras. And practically it is said, dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic chūdraṁ saha bhujiṣyayā, pītvā ca madhu maireyam. Not only he was engaged in embracing a prostitute, but the prostitute was drunk. Her eyes were moving by madhu. Wine is made from madhu, sugar, and still, all spirit is made from molasses. This is old system. This is very intoxicating. Rectified spirits, you know, doctor may know, this is made from molasses. Because we were in the chemical line we know. So here it is also said that spirit made, liquor made, whiskey made from madhu... Pītvā ca madhu-maireyam. Maireyam. Another process of manufacturing wine is, from a flower, is called mahuyā, mahuyā flower. Perhaps you know. The jungle people, the kirātas, they take this mahuyā flower from the jungle, and they soak it in water, and when it is fermented, it becomes wine. So such kind of... Everything is there. If anyone wants to manufacture wine, that is also there in Bhāgavata. You see? (laughter) Because it is perfect knowledge, all knowledge you can get.
So simply become Kṛṣṇa devotee, your life is successful. That's all. You are well protected and you are very recognized. Your qualities, your everything becomes all transcendental, immediately. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). "I'll give you." That is... These are things are stated. Tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe. "They are not our candidates and neither we have got any power to punish them. Even he's in wrong, that is not our jurisdiction. That is Kṛṣṇa's jurisdiction. Kṛṣṇa will see to it what to do, even if he's wrong." That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment. Not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours." Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." And actually it is so. By a little inconvenience, immediately he's rectified.
Our business is to revive our original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter in which pot I am at the present moment. Ahaituky apratihatā. You can taste Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any hesitation, without any check, without any hindrance. You can have. Simply you have to see inside to our consciousness and rectify the consciousness. That is required in this human form of life. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja in the beginning said, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This understanding, this knowledge can be attained only in human form of life. This analysis of unhappiness and distress can be explained before a human being. If I call three dozen dogs here and ask him, "Now hear Bhāgavata," it is not possible. The dog will not be able to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but a man, however low he may be, if he has got little intelligence, he will be able to understand. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. You have got the opportunity to understand what is bhāgavata-dharma. Don't lose it like cats and dogs.
So we must rectify our karma. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). If you cultivate bhāgavata-dharma, then your karma can be changed. Otherwise, it is not changed. Otherwise, it is not possible. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate (SB 1.5.18). Everyone is born with the resultant action of some past karma. That also, people in the modern days, they do not understand, what is past, what is future, what is present. Simply animals. The animals, cats and dogs, they cannot understand. Therefore human form of life should not be wasted like the animals. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kasṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This should be, there should be responsibility, and the state, the father, the elderly persons, the guru, they must be very responsible. And what is that responsibility? Every person under one's control should be trained up in such a way, because he has got this human life, he can be elevated to the highest position. That, how it can be done? By bhāgavata dharma. Not otherwise. Not by karma or jñāna or yoga. No. You cannot change. Simply by acting in devotional service, bhāgavata dharma, anyone can be raised to the highest position.
So we are very much entangled in this material world. One should be very much afraid. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... Prahlāda Mahārāja was not afraid of Nṛsiṁha-mūrti, but he is very much afraid of this material existence. It is really very, very fearful. People do not know the seriousness of material existence, and they continue and waste their, the chance, human being. Human form of life is a chance to rectify, but they do not care. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important. Everyone, door to door, a devotee has to go and teach them that "You are leading a very, very irresponsible life. Be responsible to your consciousness and be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That will save you."
So Prahlāda Mahārāja advised that "The best thing which I have learned is that you should give up this material world." Tyaktva... Gṛham andha-kūpaṁ ātma-pātaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). "My dear father, I have learned this best thing," that tyaktva... Gṛham andha-kūpam. "This world, material world, which is just like a dark well..., if a man is thrown into this dark well as he is in this precarious condition of life, similarly, anyone who is in the material world, he is put in the dark well. Therefore, somehow or other, we have to get out of this and," vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5), "we shall accept the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari." The father became very much angry. Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye, if you give good instruction to a mūrkha, to a foolish person, he will be angry. He will not rectify himself, but he will be angry (indistinct).
You cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You may have your eyes, big, big eyes, but you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You have to please Him. That pleasing activity is bhakti. Bhakti. And bhakti means the activities which will please Kṛṣṇa. Without that bhakti, means sitting down silently... No. "No, no. I am chanting. I do not want to go out. I am busy." Means excuse. What you will chant? You will think of money and woman, that's all. Just work. Go to sell books and work hard. That is wanted. Therefore we do not give that opportunity. My Guru Mahārāja did not give this opportunity, and we are following the same principle: no opportunity of sitting idle. No. You must work. That will rectify. Yes.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Mukti does not mean stopping activities. That is not mukti. That is suicidal. You are living entity. How you can stop? That is not possible. They say that, Māyāvādī philosophers, they say to become desireless. That..., you cannot be desireless because you are living entity. How you can stop your desires? But you have to rectify, you have to purify your desires. Now we are desiring simply for sense gratification, to lord it over the material nature. That is your desires. And, and when this desire is purified, then you'll desire that how everything should be engaged in the service of God. Now I am trying to become God, lord it over the material nature, but when my desires are purified, then I shall understand that everything belongs to God; therefore everything should be dovetailed in the service of God. That is liberation.
After committing some sinful activities to counteract it, there are, in every śāstra there is some counteracting formulas. The people generally follow that. In Christian religion also, there is confession, atonement. A sinful man goes to the church and confesses. Similarly, in every religion, there is such atonement process, but Parīkṣit Mahārāja refused to accept this atonement process. He protested that a man commits sinful activities and executes some atonement process—again he commits the same thing. Then what is the use of this atonement? So Śukadeva Gosvāmī understood it because he was a serious student. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī was also a serious teacher. So he then said, "No. Atonement process cannot rectify one. Only prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam. One must be thoughtful. One must be in knowledge. Then he can give up sinful activities."
If you want actually to make progress in our devotional life, the utsāhān, enthusiasm, is the first thing. If you are lacking enthusiasm, then you should rest, instead of making too much agitation within the mind. The... If you cannot find out... Some, something has dropped in the water, in the river, you cannot see the things dropped within the water by agitating the water. Just stand still for sometimes. As soon as the water is settled up, you'll see the things as they are. So as soon as our enthusiasm is agitated, it is better to sit down in any temple suitable and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of being disappointed. After all, we commit so many mistakes. That is human nature. To err is human. That is not fault. But try to rectify with cool head. That is required.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So I am speaking to America because America is a little serious against this communistic movement. And it can be counteracted because the process is current since a very, very long time. Deva asura, devāsura, the fight between the demigods and the demons. So the same fight is there in different name, "Communists and the capitalists." But the capitalists are also eighty percent, ninety percent demons. Yes. Because they do not know the science of God. That is demonic principle. So there is good chance in your country to make them, or they rectify their demonic principles. And then they will be very, (I) mean, strongly able to fight with the other demons.
"My dear Sañjaya, my sons, māmakāḥ, my sons and Pāṇḍava, the sons of my younger brother, Pāṇḍu, they assembled in the battlefield which is also a pilgrimage. Then what did they do?" This is the simple... But the nonsense rascals, they are eschewing some meaning, "Oh, kuru-kṣetra means 'body,' and dharma-kṣetra means this and this... Pāṇḍava means 'the five senses.' " So many nonsensical... Even Gandhi has done this. What Gandhi? Gandhi's nothing. You see? So they are, these rascals are doing and misleading persons. I've recently written one written to Dr. Radhakrishnan that "You are going to retire. Now join this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. You have written your Bhagavad-gītā, and you don't believe Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Lord, God. Therefore by reading your Bhagavad-gītā people have become godless. So you better rectify your mistake. Now join this." I've written state letter to Dr. Radhakrishnan. "So if you want to, I mean to say, compensate the greatest sin you have committed in your Bhagavad-gītā, then you join this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement and rectify yourself." "Not to Kṛṣṇa."
Woman: If someone who does not believe in scriptures, um, what is his duty, and...?
Prabhupāda: His duty is to go to hell. One who does not believe in scriptures, they are meant for going to hell.
Woman: What can one do to rectify his offenses? (?)
Prabhupāda: Well, just come... (break) That will help you.
Woman: But if a person is not willing to do that, is there any way... (static)
Prabhupāda: Oh, how can you do that? If a person is not willing to take medicine, how he can be cured? He'll go to death. He must be willing to. That is a, I mean to say, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So that is very dangerous position, one who does not take care.
This Vālmīki Muni was a dacoit, a plunderer. He used to plunder, I mean to say, innocent men on the road, kill him and take everything. That was his business. But by chance, he was associated with Nārada Muni, and he rectified him. This is the process. When a devotee meets even a dacoit like Vālmīki Muni, he becomes... Nārada Muni elevated so many fallen souls. This Vālmīki Muni was also. So he was given this mantra, "Rāma." He could not chant it. Then he was advised to just the opposite, māra. Māra means dead body. So māra māra māra. Three māra means one "Rāma" is there. So in this way he was initiated and he became a great sage. For sixty thousands of years he meditated simply on "Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma." And when he was liberated, he wrote this Rāmāyaṇa.
So we have to rectify ourself. Unless we approach to the spiritual stage... That is the process. Just like a diseased man, he cannot imitate the healthy man. A healthy man eats as he likes, but a diseased man, if he eats as he likes, he'll die. Death is sure. So he has to be restricted, not the healthy man. So if you want really happiness, if you want really freedom, and if you really want everything is reality, then you have to transfer yourself to the spiritual world, in association with Kṛṣṇa. That is the whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Festival Lectures
So the whole process is to rectify, to purify your senses. And the purified sense means instead of using the senses for this so-called material happiness, one has to utilize the senses for happiness of Kṛṣṇa. That is purified sense. The example, the vivid example, is Arjuna. Arjuna was not willing to fight to satisfy his senses. He thought, "If I do not kill my brother or nephews or my grandfather or my teacher, the other side, that will make me happy. If they are killed, then where is my happiness?" This is material calculation, because he was giving more importance to the material body, what is his brother, what is his grandfather or teacher? He was seeing the material. Just like what is our calculation? I am thinking somebody my friend and another body as my enemy. Why? Because I make distinction on the bodily platform.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Indian man (1): What my sister was saying was that most of the parents do not understand how they should bring up their progeny.
Prabhupāda: Yes. At least, the children should be... Therefore I'm starting that Gurukula in Vṛndāvana. So you come, you manage that take the ideas, and make your children... Whatever mistake is done is done. Now why the mistake should continue? Rectify it.
Initiation Lectures
If by chanting, you see that your love for Kṛṣṇa is increasing and your love for matter and material enjoyment is decreasing, then you must know that you are progressing. If, by the result of chanting, you are increasing your material hankering, that is not progress. Then that is an offense. One should know that "Now I am chanting with offense. I have to rectify it." You have to test whether you are increasing your love of God, Kṛṣṇa.
General Lectures
When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter you will find, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). And he also confirmed that "I am accepting You like this, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). So people may be in doubt because I am Your friend. So they may say, 'Out of friendship, regard or affection, out of sentiment, he is speaking like that, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme person, paraṁ brahma.' " But Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, they are also affirming."
If we take Bhagavad-gītā seriously then we should follow the footprints of Arjuna as he understood. He accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Paraṁbrahman. So what is spoken by Paraṁbrahman, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person, how we can interpret His words and squeeze out some meaning and mislead myself and mislead others? This is not good. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to rectify this mistake.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: So the happiness of this viṣaya-eating, sleeping, mating and defending—they are equal everywhere. That does not mean that a rich man is enjoying eating more than a poor man. No. When one eats if one is hungry, the enjoyment is the same. There is no difference. Similarly the hog eats the stool with great eagerness. You pass stool, and the hog is waiting. As soon as you stand up, two or three hogs, "ruh, ruh, ruh," like this. (laughter) You see? So the happiness of eating stool and the happiness of eating halavā are the same. You see? It depends on the different tongues. Therefore a man, a drunkard, he, by his drinking liquor, it is tasting so nice. But at least for me, if you give me drop of liquor, it is so pungent, because I tasted rectified spirit when I was in medical practice, you see. It is so pungent, so... Just like burns the tongue. You see? So one man's food is another man's poison. That is all.
Prabhupāda: Just like ordinarily in the state drinking liquor is also controlled by the excise department of the government. The government opens drinking shops, but the price is enhanced. I know because I was dealing in rectified spirits, so because we are preparing medicine we are getting opium, rectified spirits, gañja, very cheaply. One smuggler came to me and said that "You give me your license, you take one thousand rupees. I will manage." So I told him that when I would be arrested, because after I would be arrested, then the government would ask me that "We have given you the license as a respectable gentleman, and you are doing this," then what shall I reply? So this restriction is that liquor... Wine is made from rectified spirits, brandy, whiskey, everything; I know all the formulas, how to make them. The cost price of the rectified spirits is about Rs. 1/59 per gallon, and the government is selling at 60 rupees. For us it was five rupees, because we were manufacturers. So why (indistinct)? Restriction. Because unless the government takes this matter in their hands, people will distill... It is not very difficult. There are many illicit distillers also. That's why it is the duty of the excise department to arrest them. My point is that why is the government increasing the price? So that restricting, that people may not pay so much price, they may not drink (indistinct).
Devotee: (indistinct) sometimes they can't trace out the history of a particular case. The idea is that if they can find out from this person remembering back when they were young that he had been locked in a room, then (indistinct) the person was able to understand the significance of that incident, that it was really very small. Then it loses its importance in his life. He has been unable to resolve it because he has repressed it.
Prabhupāda: But I don't think when a man's brain is already deranged he can be rectified by finding out the cause.
Śyāmasundara: He says because we have been abandoned by God, therefore we must rely on ourselves alone.
Prabhupāda: No. Abandoned by God—why? God is not partial, that He is accepting somebody and abandoning somebody. You have done something for which you are abandoned. So if you rectify your position, you will be accepted again.
Devotee: Impelled. Because (indistinct) as a human being. He has a tendency because of the four defects of a human being.
Prabhupāda: Then the question arises, how to rectify these defects?
Śyāmasundara: He says by changing the social environment. By changing the social environment.
Prabhupāda: But he cannot do.
Devotee: But in my experience changing the social environment...
Prabhupāda: The social environment is already there, but still you will be punished.
Hayagrīva: Mortal sin. A mortal sin would be a breaking of one of the direct commandments of God given in the Bible, such as "Thou shall not kill."
Prabhupāda: So anyway, we also have similar passage, that kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. This is mortal sins, when the living entity disobeys the order of God, he is put into this material world, and that is his punishment. And he either rectifies himself by good association or he continues this transmigration one body after another and suffers this tribulations of material existence.
| Page Title: | Rectify (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Kanupriya, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 11 of Apr, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=76, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 76 |