So the point is that superficially it may appear sometimes against the social and religious rules and regulations, but if it is done for Kṛṣṇa, ānukūlyena... Bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Kṛṣṇa should be satisfied. That is... It doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa should be satisfied. Just like Kṛṣṇa pretended that He was sick, and many physicians came. He said, "No physician cured Me. If some devotee gives Me the dust of his feet on My head, then I can be cured." So all devotees were asked, and nobody... "Oh! How can I give? My dust on the head of Kṛṣṇa? How it is possible?" Nobody prepared. Then Kṛṣṇa asked that "Go to Vṛndāvana. Just ask the gopīs if they can give. They are My best friends. If they are prepared? Oh, I am very much suffering from headache." So nobody was prepared to go... As soon as gopīs were approached: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is sick. They want, oh, dust of...?" Immediately: "Please take. Please take." She did not care that "We are going to hell by offering our dust of feet on the head of Kṛṣṇa. Never mind. We shall go. Kṛṣṇa will be happy. That's all. Kṛṣṇa will be happy." This is gopī. It doesn't matter the whole world is going to hell, but if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, a devotee's prepared to do that. That is, that is called uttama bhakti.
Rules and regulations (Lectures, Other)
Expressions researched:
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Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Then gradually, when he becomes accustomed, then rāga-mārga will be revealed. Rāga-mārga is not artificial. It becomes, svayam eva sphuraty adhaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau... (Brs. 1.2.234). Everything, devotional relationship with Kṛṣṇa, you cannot establish artificially. Everyone has got a particular relationship with Kṛṣṇa in his original constitutional position. That will be revealed gradually as you advance in devotional service in the prescribed rules and regulations as they are directed in the śāstras and by spiritual master. When you are trained up properly, you come to the platform of rāga-mārga, then your devotional si... That is called svarūpa-siddhi. Svarūpa-siddhi. So svarūpa-siddhi is attained at a certain stage. Just like svarūpa-siddhi... The desire for sex life is there in every human being, but when the boy and the girl come to the mature stage, it become manifest. It is, is not learned artificially. Similarly, the rāga-mārga, svarūpa-siddhi, becomes revealed or manifest. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Udaya. This very word, udaya, is used. Just like sun. Sun becomes visible when the sun rises automatically. You cannot force the sun to rise at dead of night. That is not possible. Sun will rise. You just wait. When the time will be right, morning, six o'clock, you'll find the sun.
Otherwise, another, the next verse, I forget now. Tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham, it has been described, tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā (SB 1.5.10). So this kind of literature, even it is not properly, grammatically correct, tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam, abaddha (SB 1.5.11). That, writing Sanskrit śloka, it requires very high education. It is not that whatever I write, three miles, one line, two lines, no. There is some metric system, canda, so saita (?). So the, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, even it is not properly composed, but because there is anantasya, anantasya guṇani, the glorification ananta, the Supreme, śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Those who are sādhus, actually, they accept it. It doesn't matter if there is little grammatical mistake or some poetical discrepancies. There are literary rules and regulation. So śāstra says, it doesn't matter, even there is not perfectly, Śaṅkarācārya also says, na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛṅ-kāraṇe. You cannot be saved by simply grammatical efficiency. No. The grammatical efficiency is secondary. Real thing is how much you are feeling for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat śṛṇvanti gṛṇanti gāyanti sādhavaḥ.
Then regulate them, after that. Actually our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, has attained little success on this principle. When we began this movement we never asked people that "You have to do this; you have to do that." No. "Please come and hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." This was our policy. Never mind what you are. You may be Christian. You may be Jews. You may be Muhammadan or Hindu, Muslim. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come and join with us, the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. Actually, that has become successful. In Tompkins Square, I was sitting underneath a tree and chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra alone. And these young men, they used to assemble and dance also in the tune, for three hours—from two to five. In this way, we got our followers, associates. And gradually it developed into organization. So in the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulations. There is no rules and regulations. First thing required: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Unless one's heart is cleansed, he cannot accept rules and regulations. That is not possible. Cora nasane dharme khaiḥ (?). If, if a man is thief, and if you give him moral instruction, that "Stealing is very sinful; do not do it," he will not care for it. A butcher, if you advise him that "Animal killing is very bad. It is sinful," he'll not accept it. That is not possible. His heart should be cleansed. Prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam.
The Gosvāmīs, or in the Pañcarātra system, in the śāstras, the regulative principles are so made that, if we practice it, gradually our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be awakened. Therefore these prescribed rules and regulations, as it is given in the śāstras and confirmed by the ācāryas... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi. We have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Ācārya means paramparā. One ācārya is following the previous ācārya. An ācārya does not manufacture anything, something novel. He follows the previous ācārya. And therefore he, he's ācārya. And one who follows... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācārya upāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. So we have to accept the principles laid down by the ācāryas. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa.
Pradyumna: "The injunctions of rules and regulations and the resultant reactions are mentioned in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Chapter, first and second verses. Camasa Muni, one of the nine sages who came to instruct King Nimi, addressed the King and said, 'The four social orders, namely, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras, have come out of the different parts of the universal form of the Supreme Lord as follows: the brāhmaṇas have come out from the head; the kṣatriyas have come out from the arms; the vaiśyas have come out from the waist; and the śūdras have come out from the legs. Similarly, the sannyāsīs have come out from the head; the vānaprasthas from the arms; the gṛhasthas from the waist; and the brahmacārīs from the legs.' These different orders of society and grades of spiritual advancement are conceived in terms of qualification. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that the four social orders and the four spiritual orders are created by the Lord Himself, in terms of different individual qualities. As the different parts of the body have different types of activities, so the social and spiritual orders also have different types of activities in terms of qualification and position. The target of these activities, however, is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, 'He is the supreme enjoyer.' So whether one is a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra, he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord by his activities."
Prabhupāda: Yes. The brāhmaṇa is considered to be the mouth of the total body, and the śūdras are considered to be the legs. So by comparative position, the head is more important than the leg, but they are equally important in terms of the whole body. Because the head cannot walk. For walking, you require the cooperation of the legs. So, as to maintain this body we require the cooperation of the head, arms, waist and legs, similarly, for serving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, the whole, it doesn't matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra; everyone can be engaged. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). One has to worship the Supreme by his own work. The leg has to work in his own way, the head has to work in its own way. But the aim should be to survive, to maintain this body. That is the process. If the aim is one—Kṛṣṇa—then it doesn't matter whether one is brāhmaṇa or one is śūdra. Equally they are serving and they are sharing the equal profit out of it.
The process is one must be free from anxiety. And how one can become free from anxiety unless one is realized Brahman soul, realized soul, brahma-bhūtaḥ? There are one after another. So evaṁ prasanna-manaso. Without being anxiety-less, nobody can understand the science of God. This is the verdict of Bhagavad, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. One who has executed the process of bhagavad-bhakti according to the rules and regulations, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), he'll be prasanna-manaso. The same thing, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The Bhāgavata says, evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam (SB 1.2.20). Bhagavat-tattva, the science of God, is a vijñāna. It is a science. It is not sentiment. Sentiment: I close my eyes and shed some tears, and then I go for smoking cigarette. That sentiment will not help us. It is a science. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. One who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. He can make disciples all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Huh? Republican. Although they are party, their aim is how to develop the country. Similarly, these Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, although they appear to be a separate party, but their aim is how to serve Kṛṣṇa. So don't think the party means some opposite party. No. Everyone has got for the advanced devotee to serve the Lord in a particular way so that the Lord may be more satisfied. That is their intention. Sometimes we also have some parties in the temple: someone wants to dress the Deity in a way, another wants to... Of course, they are not transgressing the rules and regulation, but still, everyone wants that "I shall serve the Lord in this particular way." We cannot change the original rules and regulation, but there is variety. We are not impersonalist. Every person has got to serve the Lord in a particular way, and that is allowed. The central point is Kṛṣṇa. So although there are parties, if the central point is Kṛṣṇa, so there is no dissension. It is a competition, that "My Godbrother, my Godsister, is serving such a way. She is so well versed in this art. Why not try myself to do something?" This is variety. That is not this ordinary party strife if we make Kṛṣṇa the center.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum (BG 9.11). Because He came as a human being, people have misunderstood Him, that He's a human being. He's not human being. He's the master of the human being. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Kṛṣṇa comes very kindly—because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—when we are in distressed condition on account of violating the laws of religion. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavaty. Glāni means deviation from the path of religion. And what is religion? Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the laws of God. That is religion. Simple definition. Laws, the words, the rules and regulations given by the Lord, that is called religion. Just like I have several times explained, the laws, the rules and regulations given by the state is called law. You cannot manufacture law. Similarly, you cannot manufacture dharma. Nowadays, in this Kali-yuga, all the rascals, they are manufacturing religion. But who cares for that religion, or what will be the benefit of such religion? There'll be no benefit.
He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa also says. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "Nobody is superior than Me." And how these rascals, they think that "I am equal to Kṛṣṇa"? Kṛṣṇa cannot be two. Kṛṣṇa is one. But He can expand. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu-kalā-niyamena-tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Kala, aṁśa-kala, avatāra. There are description in the śāstra. So we have to understand how Kṛṣṇa expands. There are expansion. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. Just like Kṛṣṇa... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna... (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, innumerable living entities. And not only that. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Aṇḍāntara-stham. Kṛṣṇa, as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is within this universe. Not only within this universe, but within the atom, every atom. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ-paramāṇu-cayāntara. So Kṛṣṇa is so all-pervasive. But that does not mean everything Kṛṣṇa. (break) The dogs and hogs of Vṛndāvana, they are also fortunate because they are in Vṛndāvana. So one life of dogs and hogs, then they will be liberated. But why should we take the risk of becoming dogs and hogs? Finish this business of understanding Kṛṣṇa in this life by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Remain pure, observing the rules and regulations. Then your life is successful. At the end: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). This is the highest success of life.
He is fully independent. And what sort of hog? That hog was covering practically half of the universe. It, He was so big. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is very nice explanation of the incarnation of hog. The... And They were being praised. The incarnation of hog was being praised from higher planets. The higher planets, three higher planets, they are resided by most pious men. They are called Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka. These three higher planets, they are considered to be the most pious place within this material world. So they were praying, and when the incarnation of hog was sprinkling water by, I mean to say, shaking His body, and the sprinkle of the water was dropping in those three lokas, planets, and they were thinking themselves that "We are becoming purified," although they are considered to be the most pious and purified residents of this material world, still they prayed that "We are becoming purified." So Kṛṣṇa or His devotee, they're independent. They are not under the rules and regulation of this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed this example, that He was staying at a place which is considered abominable by other sannyāsīs.
So the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs everywhere, they are very proud of their Sanskrit education. Sometimes people ask our students whether you have learned Sanskrit. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding does not depend on Sanskrit scholarship. That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said to the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that "My Guru Mahārāja studied Me as a great fool." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, presenting Himself. He was a learned scholar, undoubtedly, very learned scholar. In His youthful age He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. This paṇḍita title, especially the brāhmaṇas are given this paṇḍita title. But He was specifically known as Paṇḍita, Nimāi Paṇḍita, very good scholar. And He defeated the Keśava Kashmiri, a great, renowned scholar of Kashmir. The Kashmir country is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also. It is a very old country. And there were many learned scholars. And one scholar came to Navadvīpa to defeat the paṇḍitas, the learned scholars of Navadvīpa, but he was defeated by a young boy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Nimāi Paṇḍita was at that time only sixteen years old. But He defeated only in composition, Sanskrit composition. The Sanskrit composition, there is rules and regulations. So you know the story. He pointed out many defects in the verses composed by the Keśava Kashmiri. So he was defeated.
Vedic literature, it is scriptures. It is compiled by the Lord Himself. Religion means the regulation of the Supreme Lord. That's all. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like for proper execution of this material world there are certain rules and regulations of the king, of the state, similarly, to execute properly the supreme will of the Supreme Lord there are certain rules and regulations. That is called religion. This is the meaning of religion. Religion does not mean that "My religion says this. Your religion says this. Your religion says this." Religion means whether you are properly executing the will of the Supreme. That's all. This is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. The nonsense rascals, they cannot manufacture religion. Religion cannot be... Just like ordinary citizens, they cannot make laws for the state. Suppose if you make a law. Who will care for your law? Don't take advantage of the innocent people and make your own religion and make a group and try to exploit them. This is all nonsense. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Dharma means the regulation of the Supreme. So we have to know.
"The whole cosmic manifestation is rolling on under My superintendence." Mayādhyakṣeṇa. "Under My order, under My supervision," prakṛtiḥ, "this, oh, the huge, gigantic material nature, is working under Me," hetunānena, "and, on this account, there is rules and regulations, everything is being done nicely." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Because Brahman, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest, therefore His body cannot be made of this material nature." Because material nature is created at a certain interval, and who creates? Creates, the Supreme Lord. The creator, therefore, cannot be under the material nature. If I am creator of something, so I cannot be under the, that particular thing which is created. It is logical. So therefore, because the Supreme Brahman, or Bhagavān, is the creator of this material nature, He cannot be under the control of māyā. He is... And that is also stated in Bhagavad-gītā, many places. Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). Ātma-māyayā. Not this māyā. Māyā means potency. So we have got the experience of this potency, material potency, but there is another potency which is called spiritual potency. So spiritual potency is the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, and material potency is the external energy.
Prabhupāda: You can come please here. We can hear. You can come. What do you mean by "modern civilization"?
Guest (3): The civilization we are now going through.
Prabhupāda: So what do you mean by "modern civilization"? That means to violate all the rules and regulation? Does it mean modern civilization?
Guest (2): Question was, "Why there is a chaotic situation if...," I think if I'm understanding him correctly, "Why there is a chaotic situation? If God is to uplift the soul of all the persons, all the livings, why there is a chaotic situation?" Lord Kṛṣṇa has said that yadā yadā hi glānir bhavati... That is the answer, guru will say. Why there is a chaotic situation? That is his question, sir.
Prabhupāda: The chaotic sit..., must be there. Kṛṣṇa says one thing and you do other thing. So why there shouldn't be chaotic condition? You hear Kṛṣṇa, you follow Kṛṣṇa; there will be order. But if you do not follow, Kṛṣṇa says something and you do something... Kṛṣṇa says that,
- evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
- imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
- sa kāleneha (mahata)
- yoga naṣṭo parantapa
- (BG 4.2)
Kṛṣṇa says that this Bhagavad-gītā,
- imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
- proktavān aham avyayam
- vivasvān manave prāhur
- manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
- (BG 4.1)
Kṛṣṇa says the way of studying Bhagavad-gītā, but you do not accept Kṛṣṇa's instruction. You read all rascal's Bhagavad-gītā commentary. Then why there shall not be chaotic condition? You do not follow. He strictly prohibits. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Yogo naṣṭaḥ. As soon as the paramparā system is not accepted, the so-called commentary on Bhagavad-gītā is lost or rotten. So you are interested with the rotten commentary of so-called politicians, scholars. So how you'll get the benefit? Therefore it is chaotic.
Everyone is under the clutches of these material laws. You cannot violate even an inch. And still the rascal, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, by false prestige, he's thinking that "I am the master." I was asking this morning that what is this independence meaning? Actually, where is independence? This independence, has it meaning? If you are completely under the rules and regulations of the material nature, what is the meaning of this independence? So those who are paṇḍita, they do not take it as independence. They do not take it. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī said, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. "I do not know what is independence, I am dancing like dog, independence." Therefore he says, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "How independence I can get, that I do not know." Real independence is, as Kṛṣṇa puts in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). One who is intelligent, he sees that "My real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, birth, death, old age and disease."So when we get free from these four problems, that is real independence. Otherwise, there is no independence. I may dance with independence, but any moment I shall have to leave my country, my society, my friends, my family, any moment, "Get out immediately. No, no independence." That is my position. So that is intelligence.
He is foolishly thinking that he is master. But he is always... Twenty-four hours, he is being kicked by the laws of nature. But the foolish man cannot understand. Therefore they have been called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They... He does not come to the sense that "Where I am master? I am servant of the dictation of māyā, the rules and regulation of material nature. Where is my mastership?" This intelligence does not come. He is thinking still he is master, he can control the nature, he can control everything, he is God, he is this, he is that. That is the misconception. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the very beginning of His instruction He is saying to Sanātana Gosvāmī that "You inquired from him what is your position," ke āmi, " 'What I am?' You are servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is the first impression.
Vede gāy yāṅhāra carito. You should understand this. So by the mercy of guru, by the favor of guru, we get prema-bhakti. There are vidhi-bhakti. In the beginning we have to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the śāstra, the instruction of guru, śāstra-vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). Kṛṣṇa says, "This śāstra-vidhim, the vidhi-mārga, if one gives up the śāstra-vidhi and manufactures his own way," na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti, "he does not get success," na sukham, "neither happiness," na parāṁ gatim, "and what to speak of going back to Godhead?" Forget all this. Śāstra-vidhi. So this is minimized. So when we are practiced to vidhi-mārga, then we gradually get love of Godhead. That is ultimate. Premā pumartho mahān. Just like in India formerly they... Very small, minor-aged boy and girl are married, especially the girl, ten, twelve years, married. So how she can love her husband? She does not know. But there is vidhi-mārga. Vidhi-mārga, the elderly people of the—"Now, just to give your husband this refreshment." So she gives. In this way, gradually, when she's grown-up, she does not require any instruction; she knows how to serve her husband. That is prema. That is the bha... But the beginning must be regulative principle. Prema, vidhi prema. Prema-bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte. Prema-bhakti, avidyā... Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa prema. Two things cannot go. Viraktir anyatra syāt. If you actually advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then naturally you'll be averse to this material enjoyment. Viraktir... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Just like if you are eating, naturally you are satisfying your appetite. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti means we are satisfying automatically all our desires. That is Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, you'll have no more material desires.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that let us live amongst devotees. Why we are struggling to get so many centers open? Because devotees will live there, follow the regulative principles according to the instruction of the śāstra and spiritual master, guided by, and people will get chance. As soon as one comes in this society of devotee, he'll get some opportunity. And svalpam apy asya... That is meant. Even by sentiment one comes... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). The Nārada Muni said, "Even by sentiments, one gives up his occupational duty, so-called occupational duty, and surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, even not understanding fully..." So śāstra says, "What is the loss there?" And if one is performing one's material duties very perfectly, then what is gain there? He's simply wasting time. And a devotee, even by sentiment or whimsically comes in this center and gives some service, that is a permanent record. And these karmīs, although they are acting very sincerely, but there is no guarantee what is the next life. He may become a dog. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and tyaktvā deham... Or what is that? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). These will be dehāntara, change of this body. The body will be finished, everyone knows, but body being finished, you are not finished; nobody is finished. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Then he has to accept another body. So if we do not work according to the rules and regulation of nature, then we have to accept another body, and we do not know what kind of body you are going to accept. But it will be a gift by nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Eh? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). So they do not know these things, the rascal civilization. Just like dancing like dog, that's all. This is rascal civilization.
He is no more interested in material happiness. He is fully satisfied with Kṛṣṇa. Taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya. Kṛṣṇa bhakti-phale. These, by the, as a result of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service... The same devotional service for the neophyte and the same devotional service for the advanced devotee, but the advanced devotee enjoys life, but the neophyte devotee simply practices. That is the difference. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives the example: just like mango. The mango remains the same, but in the unripe stage the taste is little different, whereas in the ripened stage the taste is different. So bhakti in the beginning maybe tastes a little pungent. One may feel very inconvenient to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the śāstra. But when he is advanced, the same service will appear to be very palatable, very relishable.
- yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ
- manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ
- yasmin sthite guruṇāpi
- duḥkhena na vicālyate
- (Bg. 6.20-23)
So devotional service... Because it is transcendental, pure, spiritual, and we are, every one of us, hankering after to be elevated to the spiritual stage of life because we are spiritual entities. The same example, as I have repeatedly explained, that if you take a fish out of the water, however you may keep comfortably on the land, it will never be happy unless and until it is again thrown in the water. Similarly, we are all spiritual sparks, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So however we may try to make ourself happy by material adjustment, it is not possible. We must turn to the spiritual life, or devotional... Spiritual life means devotional service. That is real spiritual life. As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi-bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. "One who is engaged in bhakti-yoga service," sa guṇan samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26), "he's already in the Brahman stage." People cannot understand how bhakti is on the Brahman platform. But here the Lord Himself says, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.
So Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is above everything. No rules and regulation. He cannot do anything wrong. He is not under the jurisdiction of any law. Therefore Kṛṣṇa manifested the full power of the Supreme Lord. And other incarnations, although they came, they came for the time being to perform a certain particular purpose, but they did not manifest the full power of God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). It is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the Supreme Personality, original Personality of Godhead. He is nobody's under control. Even He was not controlled by His supreme lover Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is considered... The gopīs are considered the topmost lover of Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa decided to leave Vṛndāvana, oh, they began to cry. They blocked the way. Kṛṣṇa didn't care, went away. Went away. He didn't care even. So much dear Rādhārāṇī. They became blind, crying, crying, crying, crying, whole life. But Kṛṣṇa never returned. Never returned. He sent His message, He sent His letter, that "I am very sorry, but..." That is God.
So when Kṛṣṇa was born... Of course, He is pure. He is God. But the social and the scriptural rules and regulations were followed. So when a child is born the astrologer is called. Still that system is followed. But due to this Kali-yuga the astrologer has also become a false, and this has become a formality. Somebody is following; somebody is not following. So as soon as a child is born... You will find Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as soon as he was born, his grandfather, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, called for astrologer. This is called jāta-karma. Just after the child is born, this astrologer will come and he will see the moment, the astronomical situation, and make a horoscope, and then immediately his future activities and everything will be clearly made, that "This child is born at such and such moment. He will be like this and this." And that will be... You will be surprised... Not surprised. This is calculation. In my horoscope it is written there, "At the age of seventy years he will go across the sea." It is written there. Yes. And there are so many things still. So this astrologer was so accurate. I have got that horoscope. Not here. If some day I shall, then will show. It is clearly written there that "This time he will go across the sea." Just see. The circumstances became so that I have come. So astrology is so nice.
There may be difference. Just like Buddha. Buddha's activities and Kṛṣṇa's activities, there is difference. Buddha's activity was different because, according to the place, according to the time, according to the audience, the activities are... Avatāra, incarnation, comes when there is necessity. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). When there is discrepancies in the discharge of dharma... Dharma means the prescribed rules by which one elevates himself to the transcendental life. That is dharma, religion. Why in human society there is religion? The purpose is to elevate himself to the transcendental position. That is religion. Where there is no such aim to raise one from the fallen condition to the liberated state, that is not religion. That is sentiment. Religion means that one should be raised from the fallen condition to the highest elevated condition. Therefore there are so many rules and regulations. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, yad icchantam, yad icchantam brahmacaryaṁ caranti. Yad icchantam. (aside:) Just open the... I think it is in the Eighth Chapter. Eighth Chapter, fifteenth verse. Open it.
So here Lord Caitanya says that kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. For self-realization, if you want to realize yourself or if you want to get out of these material clutches, then the main function is to become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be engaged in the service of the Lord directly. And bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, they're also admitted, but they are dependent on this process. That means if by karma-yoga, when you acquire knowledge, then that is another step forward. Then by jñāna-yoga, when you are able to meditate, by jñāna-yoga you can understand the Supersoul and your soul. And when you understand also that by the individual soul the Supersoul has to be seen by meditation or focus, that is called dhyāna-yoga. Then when you understand Supersoul, then go further. You can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyway, all these processes... Yoga means just like a staircase. You cover the staircases under certain rules and regulation, but the highest top, topmost place, is that Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ultimately you have to reach that point. So any other process, that is dependent on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is direct method. It is not dependent on any such method. A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not require to perform dhyāna-yoga or haṭha-yoga or karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. Automatically, everything will come out. Just like if you get ten thousand dollar, then your business for one thousand dollar is automatically served. But if you have got one thousand dollar, the business of ten thousand dollars cannot be served. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is full. Lord Caitanya therefore said, kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. Amongst all other processes for self-realization, this is the chief. Bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, just like karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, they are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
So we should very seriously execute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Without any deviation, very seriously. We should not be neglectful, that this is fashion or something imposed. No. This is the most important function. Human life is meant simply for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has no other business. But unfortunately we have created so many engagements so that we forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. We are forgetting our real business. We are engaged in different, so many businesses. Misleaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The rascal, blind leaders are leading to hell. Te 'pīśa tantryām uru-dāmni-baddhāḥ. All of them are tied up by the stringent rules and regulations of the material nature. And they have become leader. They do not like any authority. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. They are being misled; still they are following that. This is called māyā.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Some of them fall down from the higher planetary system. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kṣine puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). As soon as their period of enjoyment is finished, they are again brought down on this earthly planet. Just like in your country the immigration—every country—the immigration department, if somebody has come, he has got a visa for six months or one year, or something like that. As soon as it is finished, immediately the immigration department notifies: "Please get out. Please get out." Similarly, in other planets also, there are higher planetary systems where material comforts are many thousand times better than in your USA. Your United States is considered to have the best facilities, comfortable materialistic way of life. That is the calculation outside. So supposing that you have got the best facilities for material enjoyment. In higher planetary system there are many thousand times better facilities. You can go there. The living entities are therefore called sarva-gataḥ. A living entity can go anywhere he likes, but he requires qualification. Any country, when one is admitted, he must have visa, he must have passport, he must have required money to stay in a foreign country. So many rules and regulations are there. Similarly, in the higher planetary system also, where you get ten thousand years of duration of life, and their one year is far, far greater than ours. That is scientific.
Festival Lectures
So Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa philosophy is a very great philosophy. It is to be understood in the liberated stage. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa philosophy is not to be understood in the conditioned stage. But when we worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in our conditional stage, actually we worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. You have seen that picture, this viddhi-mārga and rāga-mārga. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship is on the platform of pure love, and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa worship is on the regulative principles. So long we do not develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles. One has to become a brahmacārī, one has to become a sannyāsī, one has to perform the worship in this way, in the morning he has to rise, he has to offer. So many rules and regulations. There are at least sixty-four rules and regulations. So we shall introduce them gradually as you develop. So in the viddhi-mārga, when you have no love for God or Kṛṣṇa, we have to follow the regulative principles and automatically..., there is practice. When practicing. Just like you practice this mṛdaṅga playing. In the beginning it is not in order, but when you become well versed in the practice, the sound will come so nice. Similarly, when we are engaged by regulative principles in the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, that is called viddhi-mārga. And actually when you are on the love platform, then that is called rāga-mārga. So without viddhi-mārga, if anyone wants to learn the rāga-mārga immediately, that is foolishness. That is foolishness. Nobody can pass M.A.
So his method of preaching is just according to the, strictly according to the rules and regulation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And as Caitanya Mahāprabhu was called by Advaita Prabhu, similarly, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, when he saw this condition of pseudo Vaiṣṇava all over the country, he also prayed to Lord Caitanya that "You kindly send somebody from Your personal staff so that I can start this movement." You see? So by the grace of Lord Caitanya, as we pray, śrī-gaura-karuṇā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te. Gaura... He is mercy representation of Lord Caitanya. And he appeared as the son of this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. At that time he was known as Kedaranath Datta. Ken Datta. And he appeared in 1867 as the child of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. And the house is still preserved in Jagannātha Purī. At that time Jagannātha Purī, he was magistrate in Jagannātha Purī, and he was... The system in the Jagannātha Purī, the manager, the official manager, is the district magistrate. So he was district magistrate. And in February 1867, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared. And when he appeared, his, this what is called, the intestine?
So kṛṣṇa-kathā, the temple should be always filled up with kṛṣṇa-kathā and distribution of Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy in this world and in the next. It is compulsory. You cannot avoid kṛṣṇa-kathā. If you avoid, then you are putting yourself in dangerous cycle of birth and death. It is not fiction or whims; it is compulsory, imperative. Everyone should become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If he does not become, then he's risking his life. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for saving all members of the human society without any distinction. There is no such question, Hindus, Muslim, Christian, or... no. Everyone can join. Even one is born in low grade family. That is Kṛṣṇa's order. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇaḥ punyā bhaktā rājarśayas tathā (BG 9.33). Even one is born in low grade family, he has got the facility of joining this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and everyone has the capability to understand it, every human being. Otherwise how in the western world, all these boys and girls who have joined, in number, so they are coming from different family. But they have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously. So if you yourself become serious and distribute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, the inhabitants of this island, Fiji Island, they will be also benefited and they will be also delivered. We have no such distinction. But everything must be done under proper direction and under the rules and regulation. So try to carry out and construct the temple very nicely and enjoy spiritual. Thank you very much.
Initiation Lectures
So this initiation means purification. In this material world we are all impure. Because we are impure, therefore death, disease, old age, and pangs of birth overcome us. Just like in diseased condition—we have experienced—there are so many painful conditions, similarly, in this materialistic way of life these symptoms, birth, death, disease, and old age, they are different kinds of miseries. The rascals, materialists, they are thinking that they're making advance, but they have no solution for these things. The solution is by tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some rules and regulations to purify him. That is called tapasya. Just like in diseased condition, one has to voluntarily accept the rules and regulations enforced by the physician: "You should not eat this. You should not do this. You should not go out. You should take rest. You should not, should not, should not," so many. Similarly, if we want to purify ourselves, then four principles of purificatory process, namely illicit sex life and intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling, these four things must be...
These four things are paraphernalia of your civilization. In the western... Not only western, eastern, everywhere. The Kali-yuga is spreading very rapidly, and wherever the Kali-yuga is very prominent, these four items are very prominent: unrestricted sex life, gambling, and meat-eating, and intoxication. When people become practiced to all this nonsense, they think, "Oh, what is wrong there?" But it is the most abominable part of human civilization. Anyone who are indulging in these four things, they cannot imagine where is he and how he will be free from this conditional life. So this is the purificatory process. So as you are being initiated, initiation means beginning of your purificatory process. So if we are serious about purification, then we must follow these four principles, if you want to be cured.
There is a very nice verse by Yamunācārya that there are authentic literatures, there are authentic personalities, and they accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Authentic literatures, they give proof that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And by His wonderful activities we can understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But still, the atheistic rascal will not accept. You see? There are sufficient proofs. Just like Arjuna says, "Kṛṣṇa, You are the paraṁ brahma. It is not because I am Your friend I am flattering You. You have been accepted by authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, in all scriptures, and You are personally explaining Yourself." So there is no doubt about it, but the demons, in spite of all this—dog's obstinacy—they will not accept. So let them go to hell. So far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His body is eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge, end sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). If we simply remember that Kṛṣṇa is like that, and as soon as we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we remember Kṛṣṇa, and we understand that He is the Supreme Personality.
This very consciousness will lead you. It is not very difficult. It is very easy, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And those who have taken already, they are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and they are making progress both, I mean to say... Their health is improving; their mind is becoming very nice. So you will be also feeling. There is no need of talking. You will yourself feel, but you must follow. And there are ten kinds of offenses. That also, you should avoid. And these rules and regulations. Now chant mantras. (end)
That's all right. So that Hari-bhakti-vilāsa is written by Sanātana Gosvāmī in the name of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Because Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was a very young boy, and Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very elderly. But because all the six Gosvāmīs happened to be direct disciples of Lord Caitanya, so Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, although very young, he was treated as younger brother of Sanātana Gosvāmī. So this book was actually written by Sanātana Gosvāmī, but it was published or dedicated to Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. In this book the rules and regulation of the Vaiṣṇavas are described—of the brahmacārīs, the students; of the gṛhasthas, householders; vānaprastha, retired men; and sannyāsī, renounced order—how gṛhastha should live, how brahmacārī should live, how vānaprastha should live, how sannyāsīs should live. All the... It is called Vaiṣṇava smṛti.
So kalau śūdra-sambhava. Therefore the general enunciation is that in this age everyone has to be accepted as born-śūdra. But this principle is accepted always, by birth everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone is born śūdra. Then? Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Dvijaḥ means this saṁskāra. This saṁskāra... By gradual process of cultivation of knowledge, of behavior, of rules and regulations, one becomes a dvijaḥ. Dvijaḥ means twice-born. The first birth is by the father and mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. At that time, the second birth means mother is the Vedic knowledge and father is the spiritual master. So Sanātana Gosvāmī says, because he has enunciated this rule for the so-called rigid brāhmaṇas, they say, "Without taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family there is no possibility of one's becoming a brāhmaṇa." But Bhagavad-gītā does not say like that. Bhagavad-gītā says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "These four principles of caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—I have created that division." Now it is creation of God. Nobody can nullify it.
Now you can chant, those who are initiated. (ceremony begins, chanting of oṁ apavitraḥ) (break) ...Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Then take another bead, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In this way you come to this end. Don't cross this summit. Again begin from this end. In this way chant daily sixteen rounds. One round, two round, three round, four round, fifth round, like that. And you have noted down the rules and regulation? Yes. And the ten kinds of offenses to give up, chanting? Yes. And your Godbrothers will help you. I don't think there is name, any Balabhadra? So your spiritual name is Balabhadra. Just bow down.
Simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa. Only He. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. He can overcome the stringent laws of māyā. So don't think that after finishing this ceremony you become all right. No. Māyā is always strong. Kṛṣṇa-nāma karo bhaya āra sab miche, palāivera path naya yo māche piche. The instruction is that you always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Āra sab miche. Whatever except... Nāma vinā kichu nāhika āra, cauddha-bhuvana-majhe. "Within this fourteen world, if there is anything summum bonum substance, this is this Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Mind that." Nāma vinā kichu nāhika āra, cauddha-bhuvana-majhe. So this is secondary, this ceremony. Real strength is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So of course, people may not think you otherwise, that you are not brāhmaṇa, you are not purified. Therefore this ceremony is there, the thread ceremony here, that "Yes, we are properly... According to scriptural rules and regulations, we have become brāhmaṇa. There is no question of... Because I am not born in a brāhmaṇa family, it does not mean I am not brāhmaṇa. I am recognized by authorized ācārya in the line of disciplic succession of Nārada." Nārada has given this definition in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam while instructing Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about the four..., eight divisions, varṇa and āśrama. He said, yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyañjakam. Varṇa. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Four classes, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—this is creation of God. It is not artificial. It is natural. God's creation is natural. So cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: "According to quality and work."
Yes, that is already done. When they were initiated hari-nāma, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, that acceptance of... Tasmāt guruṁ prapadyeta. Just like one has to enter himself into some educational institution for being educated more and more, similarly, one has to first of all accept a bona fide spiritual master. Then he gives him education one after another, one after another. So that initiation means that is the beginning. But that is not the end. There is no end. It will go on. It will go on. This is the second stage only. But the rules and regulations, they have already practiced, and they are doing them.
Viṣṇujana: Gaṅgārāma.
Prabhupāda: Gaṅgārāma. Gaṅgārāma was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Go on. Who's next?
Devotee: Suraci devī. Suraci.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Suruci. Suruci was one of the mothers of Dhruva Mahārāja. Take it. You know what are the rules and regulations? What is that?
Suruci: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: All right. (end)
Then, next. Where is...? No neck bead? How is that? Where is neck bead? Huh? Oh, these things are not good. It must be well equipped. Otherwise, what is the meaning of initiation? Give... No neck bead? Go on. First of all get neck beads. Who is next? You have got neck beads? That's all right. Viśvakarmā. Viśvakarmā is the engineer of this universe. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. You know what are the rules and regulations? That's right.
Next? Come on. Dineśvara. Dineśvara is the name of sun, sun-god. Come on. We are all dāsa, not the person. When you call "Kṛṣṇa," "Kṛṣṇa" means Kṛṣṇa dāsa. When you call Dineśvara, Dineśvara, means Dineśvara's servant. Our position is always servant. Dāsa-anudāsa (CC Madhya 13.80). Servant of the servant, servant of the servant, the more, the more you become on the lower status of servant, our position is greater. This is...
Come on. Next. You arranged for offering this sacrifice? You arranged? What is name? Mahā? Mahāvīra. Eh? M, h, r. Mahāvīra. Mahāvīra is the name of Hanumān, the servant of Lord Rāmacandra. He was very strong. He could raise even the hills for service of the Lord. Mahāvīra. Mahā means great, and vīra means hero.
Prabhupāda: What is your name? Eh?
Susie: Susie.
Devotee: Kaṅkā dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Kaṅkā. Your name is Kaṅkā dāsī, the daughter of a great king. All our, I mean, girl disciples are named great devotees' daughter or wife, like that. So you know what are the rules and regulations?
Kaṅkā: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Tell me.
Kaṅkā: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: And what is your name, spiritual? You forget immediately? (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right. How many rounds you will chant?
Kaṅkā: Sixteen rounds a day.
Prabhupāda: Only?
Kaṅkā: More if I can.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (Kaṅkā offers obeisances) All right.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (Kaṅkā offers obeisances) All right. Next. (japa)
Devotee: Rāṣṭrapālikā.
Prabhupāda: Rāṣṭrapālikā, governess, governeress. Is that?
Devotee: Governess.
Prabhupāda: Governess? Governess. You have to govern. So what are the rules and regulations?
Rāṣṭrapālikā: No meat-eating, no intoxication, (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Who is your husband?
Rāṣṭrapālikā: Nitāi dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Nitāi dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee: Vidarbha-sūtā.
Prabhupāda: Garbha-sūtā.
Devotee: Vidarbha-sūtā.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Vidarbha-sūtā. Vidarbha-sūtā means the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. Come on. You are married? No, not yet. All right.
Prabhupāda: Vilāsinī. Vilāsinī means who enjoys with Kṛṣṇa. Come on. (japa)
Devotee: Uṣika.
Prabhupāda: Uṣika.
Devotee: Uṣika.
Prabhupāda: Uṣika is Brahmā's another name, Uṣiksaya. So you know the rules and regulations? What are they?
Devotee: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (japa) Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).
Devotee: Romapāda.
Prabhupāda: Brahmapāda?
Devotee: Romapāda.
Prabhupāda: Roma?
Devotee: R-o-m-a-p-a-d-a.
Prabhupāda: Rāmapāda? R-o?
Devotee: R-o.
Prabhupāda: All right. So there was a great ṛṣi, Romaharṣaṇa, Romaharṣaṇa. So his disciple or servant. Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on.
Prabhupāda: Cedirāja. Cedirāja was Kṛṣṇa's aunt's(?) husband. In connection with Kṛṣṇa. He was a great king. His son, Cedirāja's son was Kṛṣṇa's cousin-brother but greatest enemy. Yes. Kṛṣṇa killed him. Yes. (laughter) Come on. (japa)
Devotee: Kuśakratha dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Kuśakratha. Kuśakratha. You know the rules and regulations? What are they?
Kuśakratha: No meat-eating, no gambling, no illicit sex, uh, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Which you like best? (laughter) Which of them?
Kuśakratha: You are reading my mind, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) All right. Don't do that again.
Devotee: Kirtīrāja.
Prabhupāda: Kirtīrāja. The king who is famous. Who is that king who is famous, very? Do you know? No? Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) What are the rules?
Kirtīrāja: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (break) Kaṁsā was the sister of King Kaṁsa. Kaṁsā was not bad, but Kaṁsa was bad. Yes. Come on. So is there any thread?
Devotee: Yes. There's seven gāyatrīs in all.
Prabhupāda: Puravī. Puravī means eastern, not western.
Devotee: Are these your beads? (devotee offers obeisances)
Prabhupāda: Śrutadeva. Śrutadeva means Viṣṇu. You know the rules and regulations? (Śrutadeva offers obeisances) Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Here.
Devotee: Harikeśa.
Prabhupāda: Harikeśa. (Harikeśa offers obeisances) Harikeśa means hairs of God. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee: Ravindra-svarūpa.
Prabhupāda: Ravindra-svarūpa. Just like sunshine. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? (devotees chanting japa)
Devotee: Rohiṇīdevī.
Prabhupāda: Rohiṇī. Rohiṇī, the mother of Balarāma. (laughter-it's a boy?)
Devotee: Devamīra.
Prabhupāda: Devamīra.
Devotee: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Victory flag. Victory flag. That means Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa) Madirā. Madirā means intoxication. So you be intoxicated by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So after performance (indistinct) they may to my room.
Prabhupāda: Mamatā.
Mamatā: Mamatā?
Prabhupāda: M-a-m-a-t-a. Mamatā devī, "one who is very affectionate to everyone." Come on. You know the rules and regulation? What are those?
Mamatā: No meat-eating, no taking of intoxicants, no illicit sex, and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: That's all. How many rounds you will chant?
Mamatā: Sixteen good rounds every morning.
Prabhupāda: Come on, next. (break) Ādi-pati. Ādi-pati means king. So you should be king. What is the business of king?
Ādi-pati: To rule.
Prabhupāda: So where you shall rule? You cannot say?
Ādi-pati: What is the rule?
Trivikrama: Where.
Prabhupāda: Where you will rule? You will rule over your senses. (laughter) Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know how to rule?
Ādi-pati: Everyone.
Prabhupāda: The rules. You do not know the four rules?
Ādi-pati: Oh, the rules. No meat-eating...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the ruling.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the ruling.
Ādi-pati: No illicit sex, no gambling...
Prabhupāda: Yes, if you... Then you become king. Come on, next.
Aravinda: Prācī.
Prabhupāda: Prācī, yes. Prācī means one of the directions. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? (japa)
Aravinda: Puru dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Puru dāsa. There was a very powerful king. His name was Puru. He was a devotee. The same thing, to become ruler of the senses. Come on. We are all ruled by the senses. Senses dictate and we follow. This is the general condition, and we have to become ruler of the senses. Then it is successful. Generally people are ruled by the senses. My sense says, "Please take me to the cinema," the eyes. I immediately go and stand there three hours for the ticket. You see? So I am ruled by the senses. And when you will be strong enough, the eyes will say, "Please take me to the cinema," and you will say, "No, you cannot go to the cinema." Then you are ruler. So one is go-dāsa. Go-dāsa means servant of the senses. And one is gosvāmī, master of the senses. That is the difference between gosvāmī and go-dāsa. Go means senses. When we are servant of the senses, then we are in the material world. And when we are master of the senses, then we are in the spiritual world. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You have got. All right.
Aravinda: Indriyāṇi.
Prabhupāda: Indriyāṇi. Indriyāṇi, the queen of Lord Indra. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? Thank you.
Aravinda: Pratīci.
Prabhupāda: Pratīci, one of the directions. You are also. Come on. (japa—break)
Trivikrama: Bimali.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Trivikrama: Bimali, B-i-m-a-l-i.
Prabhupāda: Bimalā, Bimalā. Bimalā means spotless, where there is no dirty things. You know the rules and regulations? Yes. If you follow the rules and regulation, then there will be no dirt. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Our, this process is simply to make the mind dirtyless. We are... Our mind is full of dirty things, so this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, cleansing the heart. And as soon as one is cleansed of the heart, that pure consciousness comes. Then he is liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. All problems solved immediately. Due to misunderstanding of our position we have created so many dirty things. (doorbell rings) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Is there somebody?
Viṣṇujana: Door. (pause) Maṇḍaleśvara.
Prabhupāda: Maṇḍeleśvara. Maṇḍaleśvara means a leader, leader of a group. He is called maṇḍaleśvara. Not ordinary rogues' group but Vaiṣṇava group. Hare Kṛṣṇa. There are different kinds of groups.
Prabhupāda: (break) You know the rules and regulations? Rules and regulations? Yes. What is that?
Viṣṇujana: Pañcaratna.
Prabhupāda: Pañcaratna dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Pañca means five; ratna means jewels. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa) You know the rules?
Viṣṇujana: Navaratna.
Prabhupāda: Navaratna. Navaratha. Nine chariots. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. "One who has got nine chariots." (japa)
Viṣṇujana: Aṣṭaratha.
Prabhupāda: Aṣṭaratha, "one who has got eight chariots." Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations?
Viṣṇujana: Patrick. Daśaratha.
Prabhupāda: Daśaratha, the father of Lord Rāmacandra. Hare Kṛṣṇa. "Who could drive his chariot on ten directions." Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)
Viṣṇujana: Daśarha.
Prabhupāda: Daśarha, a king in the dynasty in which Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations? What are they? How many rounds you chant?
Girl: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Śaśimukhi. Śaśi means moon, and mukhi means face.
Devotees: Ah!
Prabhupāda: Very nice, fortunate name. Come on. So...?
Viṣṇujana: Mahāmāyā.
Prabhupāda: Mahāmāyā. Mahāmāyā, the illusory energy. (chuckling) So illusory energy is not bad. Illusory energy is another face of Rādhārāṇī. Those who do not want to worship Kṛṣṇa, for them illusory energy is there. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on.
Viṣṇujana: Hemalatā.
Prabhupāda: Hemalatā, golden leaf. (japa)
Viṣṇujana: Saptaratha.
Prabhupāda: Saptaratha, "one who drives seven chariots." Hare Kṛṣṇa. (aside:) Take care... (japa)
Devotees: All glories to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)
Prabhupāda: You know the rules and regulations? That's all right. Jamadāgni.
Devotee: Jamadāgni.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Jamadāgni was a great sage. That's all. Father of Paraśurāma. (devotees chanting japa in background) (chanting japa) You know rules and regulations? Hm... What are they? Rules. What are the rules?
Devotee: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication...
Prabhupāda: What is his name?
Devotee: Brahma-vit.
Prabhupāda: Brahma-vit. Brahma-vit, "whose profession is to realize Brahman." That's all right. (chants japa)
Devotee: Pāyasvinī.
Prabhupāda: Pāyasvinī dāsa. Pāyasvinī means the Surabhī cow who delivers milk as much as you like. (devotees laugh) Surabhīr abhipālayantam. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Come on.
Devotee: Bhārgava.
Prabhupāda: Bhārgava. Bhārgava means the descendant of Bṛghu. Bṛghu is one of the great sages, seven sages, in..., rotating around the polestar, seven sages. And Bṛghu Muni is one of them. Bhārgava. In India there is still a brāhmaṇa's family, they are called Bhārgava.
Prabhupāda: Bhārgava. Bhārgava means the descendant of Bṛghu. Bṛghu is one of the great sages, seven sages, in..., rotating around the polestar, seven sages. And Bṛghu Muni is one of them. Bhārgava. In India there is still a brāhmaṇa's family, they are called Bhārgava. Come on, next.
Devotee: Sumahat.
Prabhupāda: Sumahat. "Great personality." Come on. You know the rules and regulations?
Devotee: (inaudible)
Prabhupāda: Thank you.
Devotee: Ricardo. Haihaya.
Prabhupāda: Haihaya, a great saintly king. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. What is this? Goblet? What is this? Oh! Thank you. Come on. What are the rules? The rules, regulative rules? Eh?
Devotee: The rules. What are the rules? The four regulative...
Prabhupāda: You do not know? No illicit sex... Tell her. Tell her.
Aravinda: Nārāyaṇa dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Nārāyaṇa dāsa. You know the rules and regulations? Thank you. Take this. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. This Deity photograph, this?
Aravinda: Pompā dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Pompā dāsī. Pompā is the sacred river. Flow with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Aravinda: Madhupurī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Madhupurī. Madhupurī is Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa's birthplace. So you have to serve Mathurā and be associated with Rādhārāṇī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulation? What are they?
Madhupurī: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication...
Prabhupāda: No gambling. She is not married?
Aravinda: Vārāṇasī.
Prabhupāda: Vārāṇasī dāsī. Vārāṇasī, the sacred conjunction of two rivers, Vāruṇī and Asī. Vāruṇī is Ganges, and Asī. So combination of two sacred rivers flowing from the lotus toe of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Spelling?
Aravinda: P-r-a-y-a-g.
Prabhupāda: Prayāg. Prayāg dāsī. Prayāg is the chief holy place in India, where we held our... That is Allahabad. That is Prayāg. Another name is Prayāg. Real name is Prayāg. Tīrtha-rāja, the king of pilgrimage. So you have to serve. Come on. You know the rules and regulation?
Candanācārya: Do you know the rules and regulations?
Prayāg: Yes. No illicit sex, no intoxicants, no meat, fish or eggs, and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Next. Come on. (japa)
Aravinda: Sītā-Rāma dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Sītā-Rāma. Raghupati rāghava. Lord Rāmacandra, husband of Sītā. You are servant of Sītā-Rāma. Very high position. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations? All right. Thank you.
Aravinda: P-u-s-p-a-v-a-n.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Puṣpavana. Puṣpavana is the name of Cupid. He throws the arrow of flower. And Kṛṣṇa is the supreme Cupid. You know the rules and regulation? Yes. Come on. (sings softly) Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava dayite, gokula taruṇī maṇḍala... Hm?
Aravinda: Puṣkara.
Prabhupāda: Puṣkara dāsa. There is a sacred lake in India, Puṣkara tīrtha. Puṣkara tīrtha. So anyone who takes bath in that lake, he becomes a devotee. So you try to bring all people of the world to take bath in Puṣkara.
Aravinda: Tapas.
Prabhupāda: Tapas. From tapasya. You have to perform severe austerity. Without severe austerity nobody can achieve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). After many, many births' pious activities and austerity one can understand Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Siddhānām, those who have attained perfection, out of many of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. So by Lord Caitanya's grace we are distributing freely such thing, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53), Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulation? Then you come. (break) Open. You take this and... Yes. First of all take this. Then care of... Stand up. This side. Now where is that mantra? You chant this mantra. (Trivikrama repeats) Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām upāsitāṁ pūrvatamair maha... What is this? It is not properly... Oh. Pūrvatamair mahadbhir ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ tamo mukundam aṅghri niṣevayaiva. Yes. Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā. This vow-today you are taking sannyāsa—so keeping oneself steady and fixed up in this position, etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā... Parātmā, the Supreme Lord... Jīva, living entities, they are ātmā, and Kṛṣṇa is parātmā. Paramātmā and parātmā. So parātmā-niṣṭhām, to serve Kṛṣṇa. So "Taking sannyāsa, from this day my vow to serve Kṛṣṇa is more fixed up, steady." Upāsitāṁ pūrvatamair mahadbhiḥ: "This practice, this process was accepted by my previous ācāryas." Your spiritual master, his spiritual master, his spiritual master, they all accepted this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted at the age of twenty-four years. Therefore it is not a new introduction. Pūrvatamaiḥ. Pūrvatamaiḥ means previous ācārya, they accepted it, sannyāsa āśrama. That is Vedic civilization.
Aravinda: Yogamāyā dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Yogamāyā. Yogamāyā, the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa. You are the servant of internal energy. Come on. What are the rules and regulations?
Yogamāyā: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: So you agree?
Yogamāyā: (laughs) Yes.
Prabhupāda: All right. Come on. Next. (japa) (break)
Aravinda: Chāyadevī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Aravinda: Chāyadevī. Chāyadevī.
Prabhupāda: Chāyadevī. Chāyadevī. Chāyadevī means material nature. That is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Acts according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Come on. You know the rules and regulation? All right.
Aravinda: Kaumadakī.
Prabhupāda: Kaumadakī, born of lotus flower. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Aravinda: Gandharvikā.
Prabhupāda: Gandharvikā. Another name of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Come on. You know the rules and regulation?
Gandharvikā: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: All right. Thank you. Right hand. Right hand you should... Yes.
Aravinda: Charaṇi.
Prabhupāda: Charaṇi devī. Celestial singers. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations?
Charaṇi: Yes. No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. (japa)
Aravinda: Kapindra.
Prabhupāda: Kapindra means Hanumānjī, servant of Lord Rāmacandra. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? That's all right.
Aravinda: Virendra.
Prabhupāda: Virendra. Virendra means Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa. Come on. The supreme hero. Virendra. (japa)
Aravinda: Surendra.
Prabhupāda: Surendra is also Kṛṣṇa's another name. Sura means gods, demigods, and the chief, the chief is Kṛṣṇa. Come on.
Aravinda: Viṣṇugadā.
Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu?
Aravinda: Viṣṇugadā.
Prabhupāda: Viṣṇugadā. You know Viṣṇu has got the club? Śaṅkha cakra gadā padma. Gadā, the club. So you are that. You have to punish all the demons.
Devotee: Rādhā-bhavānī
Prabhupāda: Rādhā-bhavānī, "always thinking of Rādhārāṇī." You know the rules and regulation? The rules and regulations?
Rādhā-bhavānī: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxicants and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (japa chanting continues)
Devotee: Nimāi-sundara dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Nimāi-sundara. Nimāi-sundara is Lord Caitanya's name. Nimāi-sundara dāsa, you are servitor of Lord Caitanya. (japa continues)
Devotee: Māyāpur-śaśi dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Mahāprabhu?
Devotee: Mahāprabhu-śaśi dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Mahāprabhu Śaśi?
Devotee: Mahapura-śaśi.
Prabhupāda: Māyāpur.
Devotee: Māyāpur-śaśi.
Prabhupāda: Māyāpur-śaśi is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's another name. Śaśi means moon, and Māyāpur is the birthplace of Lord Caitanya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations? The rules and regulations?
Devotee: The rules?
Prabhupāda: Yes (pause). All right. (japa continues)
Devotee: Navadvīpa dāsa.
rabhupāda: Viśvambhara. Viśvambhara is another name of Lord Caitanya. Viśvambhara dāsa. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee: (offers praṇāma mantras in background)
Devotee: Jagannātha-sūta.
Prabhupāda: Jagannātha-sūta is Caitanya... Prabhu. His father's name is Jagannātha. Sūta means son. Jagannātha son. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's father's name was Jagannātha Miśra. So you know the rules and regulations. What are those?
Jagannātha-sūta: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. (japa)
Devotee: (chants praṇāma mantras)
Prabhupāda: So those who are initiated now, you're path is now open to Kṛṣṇa's abode. Satāṁ prasaṅga: by association of devotees. Satām, satām means devotees. Sat, sat means, that exists eternally, is called sat. Kṛṣṇa is sat, om tat sat. So devotees are also sat. So satāṁ prasaṅga, by association... Prasaṅga means very intimate association. Saṅga means association, and pra means still elevated or intimate association. Kṛṣṇa's words, Kṛṣṇa's teachings, Kṛṣṇa's topics, they become very palatable in the association of devotees. In the association of nondevotees one can not understand Kṛṣṇa, neither it becomes very palatable. Bhagavad-gītā is well known in your country, since a very long time. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā in your country, Indian and foreign editions. Many. But nobody could become a Kṛṣṇa conscious, a Kṛṣṇa's devotee, because they were not discussed amongst the devotees. They took it, Bhagavad-gītā, as table talks or some sort of philosophical... They could not seriously understand Kṛṣṇa, because the writing or discussing or discourses took place amongst the nondevotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. But if you actually (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa, then you have to talk of Kṛṣṇa amongst devotees.
Prabhupāda: It is not required.
Śyāmasundara: That's all right.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Take it. You know all the rules and regulations, regulative principles?
Yajñeśvara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Yajñeśvara dāsa. Yajñeśvara means... This is yajña, so sacrifice, sacrificing or satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So yajña means sacrifice, and one who enjoys the resultant action of sacrifice... All our sacrifices should go to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His name is Yajñeśvara. (break) Whatever we shall do, as it is prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajñārthe karma anyatra lokaḥ ayam... (break) ...you do, act only for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you are not entangled in the resultant action. Otherwise you'll be entangled. Entangled means for one resultant action we are now, we have got this body. Again we are going to take another material body. So this is a chain of birth and death. But if you dedicate your life for the satisfaction of the Yajñeśvara, then no more you are going to accept any material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After quitting this body, he does not accept any more material body. The spiritual body is already there within this material body. So those who are engaged in Yajñeśvara's service, they are giving up this material body and developing a spiritual body. The example can be given: just like an iron rod. It, put into the fire, it become warm, then warmer, warmer, and at last, it becomes red hot. When the iron rod is red hot, it is no longer iron rod; it is fire. Similarly, if you practice this spiritual way of life, the same way, gradually you will become completely spiritualized. Completely spiritualized means that no more material activities. That is possible. If we follow the process, we can turn our life from material contamination to pure spiritual life. And that will help us going back to home, back to Godhead. That's all.
Prabhupāda: Pārtha. Come on. (devotee offers obeisances) So you know the rules and regulations? All right. Pārtha dāsa. Pārtha means Arjuna. Arjuna's mother's name was Pṛthā; therefore Arjuna is addressed sometimes as Pārtha. Pārtha means "son of Kuntī," in relationship with his mother's name. Kuntī was also great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So Pārtha dāsa, you are trying to become, follow the footsteps of Arjuna, how he was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the meaning of Pārtha das. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on, next man.
Śyāmasundara: Śyāmānanda dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Hm. So you know the rules and regulations? You have heard already? And how many rounds you shall chant?
Śyāmānanda: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Sixteen, at least, yes. So Śyāmānanda. Śyāma means Kṛṣṇa. Śyāmasundaram. So one who takes pleasure in serving Kṛṣṇa, his name is Śyāmānanda. Ānanda means pleasure. We take pleasure in serving so many nonsense things. Sometimes we take pleasure in serving a dog, but the same service attitude, when transferred to Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. Our... Everyone is giving service. Somebody is giving service to a country, to his society, to his wife, the children. And if he has nothing to serve, then he keeps a pet dog and gives it service. So service we must give. That is our constitutional position. But that service is meant for rendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So long we remain forgetful where our service should be given, that is called material life. When we come to that consciousness, that "I have to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is spiritual life. That is difference between material life and spiritual life. We are serving. There is no doubt. We cannot be master. Any one of you who are present in this meeting, none of you can say that "I am the master." Every one of you, servant to somebody. That is our position. But that service is being rendered to mistaken places; therefore we are not happy, neither the person whom we are serving, they are happy. This is the position. But as soon as you serve Kṛṣṇa, Śyāmasundara, then you become happy, the whole world becomes happy. This is a great science. Try to understand. Go on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Oh. And Vyāsadeva is the greatest professor. He is the authority of Vedic literature. All right, very good name, Vyāsadeva dāsa: to become the servant of the greatest authority of Vedic literature. Thank you. Come on. That... They will be married later on.
Śyāmasundara: Yes. This is Kalki dāsa and Ambikā devī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Now, with this dress you look so beautiful. This Vedic dress is also nice, very beautiful. It increases the beauty hundred times by this dress. So you know the rules and regulations? This is hers?
Śyāmasundara: Are those your beads?
Prabhupāda: So chant with your husband. That's all. Thank you.
Śyāmasundara: Her name. Her name. Kalki devī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Ah, Kalki devī. Kalki is the incarnation. The last incarnation of Kṛṣṇa is Kalki. Kalki will come on this planet about 400,000's of years after. But his name and address is also given. (laughter) That is śāstra. Not... It is no laugh. Don't laugh. That is śāstra, that they can speak of future which will happen hundreds and millions of years after. That is mentioned, "This Kalki avatāra incarnation will come. He will appear in a place whose name is Sambhalapur." That is still in India. "And his father's name will be Viṣṇu-joshi." His father's name and his place of birth is mentioned in the śāstra. So Kalki is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, and that means you are servant of, maidservant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all.
Prabhupāda: Lakṣmaṇā. Sulakṣmaṇā. Lakṣmaṇā. Lakṣmaṇā was the daughter of Duryodhana. She was married with Kṛṣṇa's son, and there was some misunderstanding. The kṣatriya families, whenever there was marriage, there was fight also. That means they exhibited the valor of kṣatriyas. So Lakṣmaṇā became the daughter-in-law of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You can take it.
Śyāmasundara: Dvaipāyana?
Prabhupāda: So Dvaipāyana is another name of Vyāsadeva. You know the rules and regulations? All right. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So now you can get these married.
Nanda-kumāra: There is one more boy.
Śyāmasundara: Sahadeva. Sahadeva dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Sahadeva dāsa. That is his beads? Oh, all right, you can give it, then again chanting. So you know the rules and regulations?
Sahadeva: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Sahadeva, the youngest brother of Arjuna. That's all. Our names are so many, but the real name is dāsa, dāsa, "servant." Our position is servant of the servant. We don't want to become master of the master. Our position is servant of the servant. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). The more we become servant of the servant, the more we become advanced. It is very difficult to understand from material stand of... Here everyone wants to become master of the master. And the spiritual world, they want to become servant of the servant. That is a bigger position. So as we make advance in spiritual life, we understand this. So, that's all right. No. No. You perform the marriage, that change, and get them promise. Yes. Yes, take it.
Prabhupāda: Wedding? There is wedding also? All right. Keep it.
Devotee (2): I have some flowers for the... (Prabhupāda chants japa)
Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulations? What is that?
Devotee (3): Four rules.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes.
Devotee (3): No meat-eating...
Prabhupāda: Speak loudly.
Devotee (3): No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling...
Prabhupāda: No intoxication.
Devotee (3): ...and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Including tea, coffee, cigarettes, everything. No more. Is that all right? And how many rounds you will chant? At least sixteen rounds. You'll begin from here, come here. Don't cross. Again begin from here. In this way, sixteen rounds at least. So what is the name? Oh, list.
Śyāmasundara: Sanaka dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Sanaka dāsa. Know rules and regulations? What is that?
Sanaka: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: That's good. And how many rounds?
Sanaka: Minimum of sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Yes, minimum. Now get them promised. You sit down here and ask him to... "I, such and such..."
Śyāmasundara: Henceforward from this day...
Prabhupāda: Let him promise. You promise, "I..."
Śyāmasundara: You, Sanaka dāsa...
Prabhupāda: Say, "I, Sanaka dāsa..."
Sanaka: I, Sanaka dāsa...
Prabhupāda: "...take charge of you..."
Śyāmasundara: "...take charge of you..." (girl laughs)
Prabhupāda: Why you are laughing? It is laughing thing? I told you first. Don't take anything very lenient. Very serious.
Prabhupāda: You know the rules? What is that?
Devotee: No meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Your name is Śuklāmbara. Śuklāmbara was a great brahmacārī devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You are servant of Śuklāmbara. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
(Another devotee is called; sounds like Carla) (japa) Kaumudī. Do you know the rules and regulations? Yes, tell. (devotee recites rules) So, your name is Kaumudī dāsī. Kaumudī is a nice flower liked by Kṛṣṇa. (japa)
Next. What is your name? You know the rules and regulations? What is that? (devotee recites rules) Hm. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So your name is Rūpa-mañjarī dasi. There are different gopīs. The assistant gopīs is mañjarīs. So Rūpa-mañjarī, you, this maidservant of Rūpa-mañjarī.
Come on. (another devotee is called) What are the rules? (devotee recites rules) Hm. Thank you. Brahmaṇya-tīrtha dāsa. (japa)
Devotee: Will? Will McLoughlin.
Prabhupāda: ... just do it nicely. You know the rules and regulation?
Will: ... meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, no illicit sex.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Thank you. Varuṇa dāsa. Varuṇadeva. Varuṇadeva is the demigod of sea? Yes. You have to control the Pacific Ocean. (laughter) Preaching. (laughter) All the Pacific islands, you have to preach. Is that all right? (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kaumadakī(?)
(another devotee is called) (japa) So you know the rules and regulations? Yes. What are they?
Sheila: ...meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication...
Prabhupāda: What is that, next? Four you have not mentioned.
Devotee (2): Yes.
Prabhupāda: So all right, Lavaṅga-mañjarī. Lavaṅga-mañjarī. Assistant of Lavaṅga-latā. (japa)
Pradyumna: Robert Dorman?
Prabhupāda: (japa) You know the rules and regulations? (indistinct) And how many rounds you have to chant? Thank you. Vyāsatīrtha, one of the ācāryas in our sampradāya. Vyāsatīrtha. Remember; don't forget. (laughter)
Pradyumna: Katherine?
Prabhupāda: (japa) Very good. Kalā ... What is that? (indistinct) There is no such name. All right, give her name. Kalāvatī. So your name is Kalāvatī dāsī. You know the rules and regulations?
Kalāvatī: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. Come on, that's all right. Don't take ...
Pradyumna: Dirk.
Prabhupāda: You know the rules and regulations? What are they? (indistinct) That's nice. So you are Dattātreya dāsa. Dattātreya dāsa, the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Dattātreya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So ārati, begin. Bhaja bhakata-vatsala? (japa) (end)
Prabhupāda: All right. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... (japa)
Pradyumna: Now everyone can take the water which is in front of them when we say these prayers of purification and do just as I am doing. Take the spoon in your left hand... (break) (japa)
Prabhupāda: So you know all the rules and regulations?
Devotee: No meat-eating, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, no illicit sex.
Prabhupāda: Hm. And how many rounds you'll chant?
Devotee: At least sixteen.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Vrajeśvarī dāsī. Vrajeśvarī is the name of Rādhārāṇī. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: Lois?
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules?
Lois: (indistinct) (recites rules)
Prabhupāda: How many rounds you'll chant?
Lois: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Minimum, yes? So, what is?
Śyāmasundara: Vṛndāvaneśvarī.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Vṛndāvaneśvarī dāsī. Vṛndāvaneśvarī is another name of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
Prabhupāda: You are still impersonalist or personalist?
Pravīnacandra: Not still impersonalist ... For the learning, I am learning still. I am not yet... I want to learn more.(?)
Prabhupāda: All right. So, you know the rules and regulations?
Pravīnacandra: Chanting sixteen rounds, no meat eating, no illicit sex life, no gambling and no drinking wine.
Prabhupāda: What is?
Śyāmasundara: Pratibhānu dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Pratibhānu dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: Sandy Waxner? Satyamādhava dāsī. Her name's not on the list.
Prabhupāda: Mādhavī?
Śyāmasundara: Her name is not on the list that you gave me.
Prabhupāda: Then Mādhavī can, Mādhavī it can be. Mādhavī. So what are the rules and regulations?
Mādhavī: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: So your name is Mādhavī devī dāsī. Mādhavī is another name of goddess of fortune. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: Pierre?
Prabhupāda: So what are the rules?
Pierre: No illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat, fish, or eggs.
Śyāmasundara: Parvata Muni dāsa.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Parvata Muni dāsa. Parvata Muni was a great friend of Nārada Muni.
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
- sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
- (SB 7.5.23)
These are the nine different processes. So you can execute all the nine processes or eight, seven, six, five, four. But at least, take to one. You will be perfect. If you simply come here in this temple, without doing anything, simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, your life will be perfect. Thank you very much. (break) (devotees start coming up for initiation) So what are the rules and regulations? (girl gives answer) So your name is Rasa-mañjarī, one of the gopīs. You are maidservant of Rasa-mañjarī. Take this. Next, come on. What are the rules and regulation? (boy answers) How many rounds you will chant?
Devotee: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Minimum. Your spiritual name-Jñānasindhu dāsa. Jñānasindhu was one of the ācāryas in our disciplic succession.
(to next devotee) What are the rules and regulation? (devotee answers) Thank you. Akṣobhya. He was also one of the ācāryas in our disciplic succession. Come on. You want to speak? No. (end)
Kīrtanānanda: "The eighth..." (break)
Prabhupāda: Chant the mantras first. Then I shall tell you all. Then after that you can perform sacrifice. (break) (maṅgalacaraṇa chanted responsively) (japa) (break) All right. The rules and regulation.
Devotee: (repeats four rules in background.)
Prabhupāda: How many rounds do you chant?
Devotee: I do sixteen a day.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sixteen rounds. So your name is Akulānanda. Akula means incomparable, and ānanda means blissfulness. So Kṛṣṇa is Akulānanda.
Devotee: John Swindler.
Prabhupāda: Akulānanda dāsa brahmacārī.(aside:) He's brahmacārī? (japa)
Devotee: Pyāri-caraṇa.
Prabhupāda: Hm? Pyāri-caraṇa? (devotee spells name) What are the rules and regulations?
Bhakta John: No intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, no illicit sex life, and chant at least sixteen rounds a day.
Prabhupāda: And no intoxication, also. So your name is Pyāri-caraṇa. Pyāri is another name of Rādhārāṇī. So caraṇa means lotus feet. So Pyāri-caraṇa dāsa. So you are servant of the lotus feet of Rādhā.
Devotee: Jayarāma. Harold? Harold Miller? (japa)
Prabhupāda: What is that? Jayarāma? What are the rules and regulations?
Bhakta Harold: No illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, and at least sixteen rounds a day.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Jayarāma. Jayarāma, "all glories to Lord Rāmacandra." (japa)
Devotee: Hara-kumāra.
Prabhupāda: Hara-kumāra.
Devotee: Susan II.
Prabhupāda: What is that? (break)
Devotee: Rādhā-kuṇḍa. (japa)
Prabhupāda: Rādhā-kuṇḍa dāsī.
Prabhupāda: So, name? Come on, one after another.
Brahmānanda: Arlene?
Prabhupāda: Arlene. So you know the rules and regulation?
Arlene: Yes.
Prabhupāda: What are these?
Arlene: No meat-eating, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no illicit sex.
Prabhupāda: How many rounds will you chant?
Arlene: Sixteen at least.
Prabhupāda: What is the...
Brahmānanda: Kīrtidā-kanyakā dāsī.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Kīrtidā dāsī.
Brahmānanda: Theresa?
Prabhupāda: What is the name, come on. Come here. What are the rules and regulations?
Theresa: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: And how many rounds?
Theresa: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: That is the minimum. Yes, come on.
Brahmānanda: Taraṇī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Tariṇī dāsī. You can deliver everyone. Come on. Next.
Brahmānanda: Cindy.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Cindy: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: And now many rounds will you chant?
Cindy: Sixteen at least.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Brahmānanda: Bhagavat-citta-rathinī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Big, big name. (laughter) So your name is Bhagavat-citta dāsī. Bhagavat-citta. Citta means consciousness. Come on.
Brahmānanda: Harold?
Prabhupāda: What is the name?
Brahmānanda: Hasta-yajña.
Prabhupāda: Hāsya-yajña? (pause) So? Make it Hāsyānanda. Now get up. Come on. (laughter) So you know what is the rules and regulation?
Hasyānanda: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: All right. Your name is Hāsyānanda, "who laughs in ecstasy, ecstasy, chanting."
Hāsyānanda: Thank you very much.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Next, come on.
Brahmānanda: Larry? Lakṣmaṇa dāsa.
Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulation? What are the rules?
Larry: No meat-eating, gambling, sex or intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Illicit sex. So, Śrī Lakṣmaṇa dāsa. You know Lakṣmaṇa dāsa? He is the younger brother of Rāmacandra. Lakṣmaṇa dāsa.
Brahmānanda: Stuart?
Prabhupāda: Why you are laughing? So everyone should have neckbeads immediately. You know the rules and regulations? What is that?
Stuart: No meat-eating, no illicit sex life, no intoxication and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Sutrajit.
Sutrajit: Jaya. Thank you, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on. What are the rules and regulations? (child is crying in background, "I want my mommy!")
Girl: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Suśarmā dāsī. She is your child? So you are married?
Suśarmā: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Suśarmā dāsī. She is your child? So you are married?
Suśarmā: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. (laughter)
Brahmānanda: Why is the child crying? Roy?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulation?
Roy: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: And how many rounds you will chant?
Roy: At least sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Rāmalāla dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on, next.
Brahmānanda: Cheryl Nixon.
Prabhupāda: What are the regulations?
Cheryl: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. Śaraṇāgatā? Śaraṇāgatā, it should be. Śaraṇāgatā, long 'a.' Śaraṇāgatā dāsī. "One who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa." (to next devotee:) What are the regulative principles? (boy answers) How many rounds you will chant? (answers) Thank you.
Brahmānanda: Bālika dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Bālika? It should be Bālaka, not Bālika. Bālaka. Your name is Bālaka dāsa. Bālaka, cowherd boy.
Brahmānanda: Michael Nixon.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Michael: No eating meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no mental speculating.
Prabhupāda: Mahājana dāsa. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means great authority. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Brahmānanda: Jim?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules?
Jim: No meat-eating, no gambling, no illicit sex and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Kuvera dāsa. (laughter) Kuvera is the treasurer of the demigods. You have to bring money more. (laughter) We require money. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. When Kuvera wanted to give benediction to Dhruva Mahārāja, Dhruva Mahārāja was very angry and was killing the descendants of Kuvera. And they were offender. The descendants of Kuvera killed Dhruva Mahārāja's brother; therefore he was retaliating. At that time somebody requested, Brahmā, I think, requested that "Now you just pacify yourself. You have done..." So he immediately stopped killing. So Kuvera became very much pleased that although he could kill all the descendants of Kuvera, he stopped it. So he came forward to give him some benediction. Kuvera is the richest treasurer. So he wanted to give some benediction. If Dhruva Mahārāja wanted, he could ask him that "Give me all the money of the universe." He could give. But what did he ask? He said, "Sir, give me benediction that I may remain attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa."
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupāda: It is a great example. He could ask him for money, but no. "Give me benediction. You are offering me benediction, so give me this benediction, that my mind may always remain attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." Come on. So what are the rules and regulation? (girl answers) That's nice. Revatī dāsī. Regulative principles? (boy answers) Everyone is giving up meat-eating. The slaughterhouse will be closed. (laughter) And the butchers are not very much pleased with us. (laughter) Never mind. We have to do this. Come on. What is the name?
Brahmānanda: Bṛhadbhānu dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Vratabhānu dāsa. That's nice. So everyone is unpleased except the devotees, for our movement. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulation? (girl answers) All right, come on. What is the...?
Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Rasa...?
Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni.
Prabhupāda: Rasapara... Rasa-parāyaṇī. Rasa-parāyaṇī. Correct it. One of the gopīs. Rasa-parāyaṇī dāsī, "one who wants to dance with Kṛṣṇa in rasa dance." No ball dance. Finished? All right. Now who shall explain the ten kinds of offenses and the meaning of the oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā and then perform yajña?
So call. Come on. You know the principles? (devotee answers) You name is Arjuna dāsa. (pause) You know the rules and regulations? Yes. (devotee answers) So your name is Jagariṇī. Jagariṇī—who is always awake, never sleeps. (laughter) This life is for jagaraṇa. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata. Everyone is sleeping, dull, like animals. The animals are sleeping. Although they are running very fast, but according to śāstra, they are sleeping because they do not know what is life. So anyone who does not know what is the value of life, he is sleeping. And one who knows what is the value of life, he is jāgrata. The Vedic injunction is this, uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata: "Now, this time, in human form of life, you become awakened, and the benediction which you have got, utilize it." They do not know. They are just like animals, sleeping. Ignorance. Ignorance is sleeping. Does not know what is the value of life.
Come on. (pause) What are the rules? (devotee answers) So your name is Hāsyapriya, friend of Kṛṣṇa. (pause) You want? You want? Oh, they were not distributed prasādam? All right, wait. (laughter)
So what are the rules and regulations? (devotee answers) Actually or theoretically? Thank you. What is the name? Ah, your name is Brahma-rūpa. The impersonalists, they say Brahman has no rūpa. We say, "No, there is rūpa. That is Kṛṣṇa." Brahma-rūpa. Brahma-rūpa dāsa. (pause)
So you know the rules and regulations? (devotee answers) So you name is Nirakula dāsī. Nirakula. Akula means one who becomes confused, and nira means not. One who does not become confused, fixed up. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
(All spiritual names first told to Śrīla Prabhupāda by Karandhara dāsa) So your spiritual name is Manobhirāma. Manobhirāma. Manobhirāma is Kṛṣṇa, who pleases everyone's mind. (pause)
There is all neckbeads, everyone? You knows the rules and regulation? Dhanurdharī. Not left. Yes. Dhanurdharī. Dhanurdharī is Lord Rāmacandra's name. (pause)
You know the rules and regulation? Here, take. Your spiritual name Gambhīra dāsa. Very grave. That is Kṛṣṇa. (pause)
Bāṅke-bihārī. Bāṅke means curved. Kṛṣṇa stands always this. That is Bāṅke-bihārī. He is not very straight, Kṛṣṇa. People are crooked, so He is the most crooked. (pause)
Hari-sevikā. Hari-sevikā, "maidservant of Kṛṣṇa." (break)
Greedy for Kṛṣṇa. Tatra leulyam eka laulyam. To get Kṛṣṇa, you have only one price: to become greedy for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is the only... (break) Tatra laulyam ekalaṁ mūlyaṁ na janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhir labhyate. (pause)
Divya. Divya. Your spiritual name is Divya. Divya means spiritual. (pause)
Dhīra-sevā. Dhīra-lalitā. Dhīra-sevā? No. Dhīra-sevī. She is woman. You know all the rules and regulation? Your name is Dhīra-sevī. Kṛṣṇa is Dhīra. Dhīra-lalitā. (pause)
Sajjana-jīvana. You know rules and regulations? Yes. Sajjana-jīvana. Sajjana-jīvana. Her life is very gentle.
So thank you very much. Now begin chanting and yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). That is the yajña, saṅkīrtana. (end)
Devotee (2): The next initiate is Bhaktin Carol.
Prabhupāda: So your name is Rāja Lakṣmī.
Devotee (2): Rāja Lakṣmī. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Royal, Rāja means royal. So, what are the rules and regulation?
Rāja Lakṣmī dāsī: No illicit sex. No meat-eating or eating anything that's not prasādam. No intoxication. No gambling or speculation.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. How many rounds will you chant?
Raja Lakṣmī dāsī: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Raja Lakṣmī dāsī: Sixteen.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Minimum. (laughter)
Devotees: Hari bol!
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Anyway, it doesn't matter whether he is Bengali or am Hindu or Muslim. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And there is great necessity, great necessity. And the preaching work is meant for the sannyāsīs. So we have got some sannyāsīs who are doing very nicely, so today we shall make a number of sannyāsīs more to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. And those who are going to take sannyāsa, they should remember how much responsibility they have got. So live like a very strict sannyāsī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu took Himself sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years. So it is not that in old age one has to take sannyāsa. That is not in the śāstra. From brahmacārī āśrama one can enter into the gṛhastha-āśrama or vānaprastha-āśrama or sannyāsa-āśrama as he thinks fit. There is no such rules and regulation that only the old man without any energy, he'll take sannyāsa.
So we have got many śāstric evidences how one can become completely sinless simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and observing very strictly the four prohibitive rules and regulations. I hope those who are initiated today, you have promised before Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Deity, before Vaiṣṇava, and before the fire to give up these habits and do not take to... Even if you are practiced now, you do not take it again. This is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's initiation. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to deliver all the sinful men. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo, harināme uddhārilo, tāra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said that "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (is) so merciful that He delivered all kinds of sinful men," pāpī tāpī, "all types of suffering from material disease." And what is the medicine? Pāpī tāpī yata chilo, harināme uddhārilo. And evidence? Tāra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. You see Jagāi-Mādhāi. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited one example, to deliver Jagāi-Mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi means they were born in a very aristocratic brāhmaṇa family but by bad association they became illicit sex, woman-hunter, drunkards and meat-eaters and gamblers. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, through the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, delivered them. And the only promise was that "You promise no more this sinful life. Then I accept you." So if we give up our sinful activity, immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu takes you. There is no condition, because in this age everyone is addicted to sinful life, but he simply promises that "Henceforward I shall not act anything sinfully," these four principles. Then you go back to home, back to Godhead.
Prabhupāda: Hmm? What is that full-time job?
Mādhavānanda: He's working at a very responsible job.
Prabhupāda: Somewhere. Where?
Mādhavānanda: At Burroughs Corporation.
Prabhupāda: All right. So what are the rules and regulations?
Randy: The four principles are no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex life.
Prabhupāda: So, what?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ramiya.
Prabhupāda: Ramiya dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jim prabhu, Jim from Detroit.
Prabhupāda: Tad-viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇipātena. This is praṇipāt. So what are the rules and regulations?
Jim: No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no intoxication, and no speculation.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jiyātulya.
Prabhupāda: Jiyātulya dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. You are also responsible officer?
Mādhavānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So what are the rules and regulations?
John: No illicit sex life, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxication.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Juṣya.
Prabhupāda: Juṣya dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Margaret.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know what are the rules and regulations?
Margaret: No meat-eating, no illicit sex life, no intoxication, and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: She's married.
Prabhupāda: Mihira-kanyā.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John D.? From Detroit. John D.
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
John D.: No gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no eating meat.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Paramparā dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Paramparā das.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: From Chicago, Glenn.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Glenn: One must not engage in meat-eating, illicit sex, gambling or mental speculation, or intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Thank you.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Gaura dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Gaura dāsa. (japa)
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jim from Chicago. Ann Arbor, Miles from Ann Arbor.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: He's working, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: So, what are the rules and regulations.
Initiate: No meat-eating, no illicit sex life, no intoxication and no gambling.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mitravān dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Mitravan dāsa. Come on.
Mitravān: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Linda from Ann Arbor.
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Amara prabhu.
Prabhupāda: Amara is male name. Amarā. Make it Amarā. Amarā. Amarā dāsī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Matthew from St. Louis.
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Matthew: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. What is name?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mathurā-pati.
Prabhupāda: Mathurā-pati das.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jim from (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Jim: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Citta-vratā.
Prabhupāda: Citta-vratā dāsa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: From the Rādhā-Dāmodara traveling party, Lenny.
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Lenny: No meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, no illicit sex.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Cakrī.
Prabhupāda: Cakrī dāsa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John?
Prabhupāda: You did not... What are the rules and regulations? (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
John: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Śāśvata dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John prabhu, from Rādhā-Dāmodara party, is he here? John Rhode? Is he here? Lazlow?
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Lazlow: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Viśva.
Prabhupāda: Viśva das.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jim from Chicago.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Jim: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jitendriya.
Prabhupāda: Jitendriya das.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John from Rādhā-Dāmodara?
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations? (break)
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sergio! (devotee comes up)
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations? Huh? What are the rules and regulations?
Sergio: No meat, fish or egg eating, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śaṅkhi.
Prabhupāda: Śaṅkha dāsa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Henry?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Henry: No meat-eating, no gambling, no illicit sex, no intoxication.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ajñāya.
Prabhupāda: Ajñāya das.
Hari-śauri: ...all mixed up. (break) ...got to do the men first, then the women... (break) ...initiated.
Prabhupāda: No. Why the men? Anyone can come. Take one, yes.
Devotee: Steve? Steve? (devotee offers obeisances)
Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulations?
Steve: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life.
Prabhupāda: And chanting?
Steve: Sixteen rounds per day.
Prabhupāda: Minimum.
Pradyumna: Sthiti-kartā dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Sthiti-kartā dāsa.
Devotees: Jaya, Haribol. (another devotee offers obeisances)
Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: You know what are the rules and regulations, regulative principles?
Devotee: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Gauḍīya dāsa.
Hari-śauri: Robert Richards? (devotee offers obeisances)
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Robert: No illicit sex life, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no intoxication.
Prabhupāda: Prabhu-pati dāsa.
Hari-śauri: Bhakta Lloyd?
Prabhupāda: Is he a doctor?
Hari-śauri: Bhakta.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. What are the rules and regulations?
Lloyd: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating.
Prabhupāda: Thank you.
Pradyumna: Devideva dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Devideva dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. What are the rules and regulations?
Devotee: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating, chanting minimum sixteen rounds of Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Pradyumna: Deśikā dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Diksik?
Pradyumna: Deśikā
Prabhupāda: Oh. Deśikā dāsa.
Hari-śauri: Bhakta Ivan?
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Ivan: No intoxication, no meat-eating, no sex illicit, no gambling.
Pradyumna: Īśāvatāra dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Īśāvatāra dāsa.
Hari-śauri: Richard Hoffman?
Prabhupāda: (japa) What are the rules and regulations?
Richard: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules?
Gary: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling.
Prabhupāda: Gurubhāvanā dāsa.
Hari-śauri: Bhakta Allen?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Allen: No gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no illicit sex.
Prabhupāda: So after performance of the sacrifice, those who are to be doubly initiated, how many? Eight. They may come upstairs, one by one. So one thing I request that these promises—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling—these promises are made by you before Kṛṣṇa, before the fire, before the Vaiṣṇavas and before your spiritual master. Don't break it. It will be great sin. Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)
Devotee (2): No intoxication, no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling.
Harikeśa: Kṛṣṇa-kiśora dāsa.
Prabhupāda: So your spiritual name, Kṛṣṇa-kiśora dāsa. What are the rules and regulations? (Hindi) He does not understand English? Hindi?
Devotee (3): No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex life, no gambling.
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Harikeśa: Sudhīra dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Sudhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). You are sudhīra.
Harikeśa: Vrajeśvara Prāṇa?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations? (Hindi)
Devotee (4): (Hindi) And chanting sixteen rounds daily.
Harikeśa: Viśvarāja dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Very good name. Viśvarāja dāsa. Viśvarāja is Kṛṣṇa.
Harikeśa: Rangachala Pati Veo?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Devotee (5): Pardon?
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Devotee (5): (Hindi) No meat, onions, tea, wine, and all these four principles.
Prabhupāda: Illicit sex.
Devotee (5): Illicit.
Harikeśa: Rāmasvarūpa dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Rāmasvarūpa dāsa.
Harikeśa: Rādhā-sakhī dāsī.
Prabhupāda: Rādhā-sakhī dāsī. That's all?
Harikeśa: For second initiation, Śrīkāra dāsa and Yoga dāsa.
Prabhupāda: So they can come to me at three o'clock. Or in the evening after...
Prabhupāda: While coming they should be careful not to touch feet anything. These people, they do not know. Especially...
Lokanātha: (Hindi) Do not touch any of these things with your feet.
Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?
Robin: No egg or fish, no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, and no gambling.
Pradyumna: Atīndra dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Atīndra dāsa.
Pradyumna: Roger?
Prabhupāda: Walk very carefully. You should come very carefully to get beads.(?)
Lokanātha: Excuse me, prabhus. I'll repeat one more time, do not touch any of these things. Be careful.
Prabhupāda: Not touch nor cross.
Wedding Ceremonies
If you are situated in that position, then if you are put into the test of severe difficulties, you will not be moved. You will be steady. Na vicālyate. Just like we have got many instances. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was a little boy, five years old, and his only difficulty was that he became a devotee of the Lord. His father became enemy, atheistic father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. He tortured him like anything, but he was not to be moved. He was stuck, sticking to his own position. This is... And you have many instances in your, this part of the world. Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified, but still, he remained steady in his position. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was Muhammadan. When he took up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Muhammadan government chastised him like anything. He remained steady. So these religious persecution, this and that, that is the history of the whole world. But if one sticks to the position of becoming pure devotee of the Lord, he has nothing to be afraid of. He will be steady, and he will prosecute his business steadily. Kṛṣṇa will help him. There is no doubt about it.
Thank you very much.
(ceremony follows, repeating prayers) (break) You shall begin here, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Then you go to the next bead. In this way come to this side. Again begin from here. Come to this side. And do sixteen rounds. And you know the four rules and regulations? What is that?
General Lectures
So by this process... Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. This is the factual activities of devotion in devotional society. This bodhayantaḥ parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I hear. So by this process, the transcendental name, the sound incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting and hearing that will be realized. Of course, there are some rules and regulations for chanting, but in the beginning we haven't got to observe those rules and regulation at the present. First of all let us have the taste for chanting; then we shall be little careful that the rules and regulations are followed. In the beginning, if we stick up to the... Rules and regulations are subordinate, subordinate thing. Just like you enter into an office. You are appointed in some office to work. So on the very day, you do not know all the rules and regulations. But because you do not know all the rules and regulation, that does not mean that you cannot be appointed. First of all let yourself be appointed. Now, working, working, yourself you will know that rules and regulations: "This is the rules, and this is the regulation." Just like in my life, I will say one instance. When I met my spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, so as a gentleman meets as a gentleman, so he was sitting in a couch like that. So, and I also sat down on that very couch. So I did not know that what are the rules and regulations. Now, when I saw that his other disciples are coming, and they are sitting down, (laughs) so I thought myself, "Oh, I have done this wrong. I should not have sat with His Divine Grace." So of course, I did not get down immediately, but I took it, and from next day I did not sit. So rules and regulations automatically was taught. So that rules and regulations is not very important. The important is... The thing is that we must take up. The first rules and regulation is that we must have some attachment for this. Attachment for this. Then, automatically, rules and regulation we shall learn. There will be no difficulty.
Therefore if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa... You may inquire why we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name, was chanted by Lord Caitanya, who introduced this movement five hundred years ago in India. We are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya. Because He chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But Lord Caitanya has recommended that God has innumerable names, and any one of them can be chanted, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for chanting. It is not that you have to prepare yourself or you have to educate yourself or you have to adjust yourself for chanting. No. Everyone. Just like immediately we began to chant. You were not prepared, but you joined with us, you clapped with us, you danced with us. So similarly, there is no preoccupation or any rules and regulation. You simply chant. And this is very easy. While walking, you can chant whatever name you like. We like Kṛṣṇa. We chant always: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. While walking the streets, while you are going in the bus, and whatever, even while working with your hands, you can chant. There is no loss on your part. There is no expenditure on your part, but the gain is very great. Why don't you try it? Try it. That is our request.
Because my life is meant for satisfying God, but understanding that God is not present in my front, I cannot see Him face to face, how can I know that He is satisfied or not? But there are books, scriptures, literatures. Apart from that, the Vedic injunction is that tad-vijñānārtham. In order to understand whether your action or activities has pleased the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you have to take information from the guru, or the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. Abhigacchet means "must." And in the Viśvanātha Cakravartī's prayer for the spiritual master, this is also said: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasāda. The last version of his prayer is yasya, "whose"; prasādāt, "satisfaction"; bhagavat-prasāda, "the Supreme Lord is satisfied." This is the test. If by your action... Because when you accept a spiritual master, then you have to work under his guidance. There are so many, I mean to say, rules and regulation. But ādau gurvāśrayam. The first thing is to accept a spiritual master. And if you have got a bona fide spiritual master, then it is to be understood that you have approached God because he is His representative. And if you act according to his direction, then it is to be understood that you are satisfying the Lord. This is the way, Vedic way. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasāda yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. If you cannot find out a bona fide spiritual master or if you cannot satisfy the bona fide spiritual master, then you must know you do not know where you are going. Na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī says, dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya guṇārṇavasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam. This is the process.
Yes, government wants it. You cannot be revolting against the government. (chuckling) You have to live keeping pace with the government. We are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That does not mean we shall not use this electricity, we shall not take an apartment or we shall not sleep. Something unnatural we have to do. Why? Everyone abides by the law. We have to abide by the law. There is no difficulty. And government provides that religious society or this society, they should get themselves incorporated so that it is recognized. In so many activities they want to know whether this society is recognized. So we have to take all these measures. We cannot go out of the purview of the general rules and regulations.
In the Bhagavad-gītā we can understand five main principles: namely God, the living entity, the material or the spiritual nature, time, and activities. Out of these five items, God, the living entities, nature—material or spiritual—and time are eternal. But activities are not eternal. The activities in the material nature are different from the activities in the spiritual nature. In the material nature, although the spiritual soul is eternal, as we have explained before, the activities are temporary. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is aiming to place the spirit soul in his eternal activities. The eternal activities can be practiced even when we are materially encaged. It requires simply direction. But it is possible, under the prescribed rules and regulations, to act spiritually. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement teaches these spiritual activities, and if one is trained up in such spiritual activities, one is transferred to the spiritual world, of which we get ample evidence from Vedic literatures and also from the Bhagavad-gītā. And the spiritually trained person can be transferred to the spiritual world easily by change of consciousness. The consciousness is always there because it is the symptom of the living spirit soul. But at the present moment the consciousness is materially contaminated. Just like pouring water, water pouring, down from the cloud is pure, distilled water, but as soon as the water comes in touch with the earth it becomes muddy immediately. Again, by filtering the same water, the original clearness can be regained. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the process of clearing the consciousness, and as soon as the consciousness clear and pure it is transferred to the spiritual world for eternal life of knowledge and bliss, which we are hankering for in this material world, and being frustrated in every step on account of material contamination. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be taken very seriously by the leaders of the human society.
So therefore this is offered, spiritual name.
(reading:) "What are ISKCON's future plans here? Will a temple be built?" Yes, temple is already there. Here is a temple. Unfortunately, nobody coming. What can I do? We are prepared to give this nice philosophy to everyone. There is no necessity of creating a very huge building as temple. We can sit anywhere and carry this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and keep there and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is a temple. We don't require any huge building. You see? Temple means wherever there is God, that is temple. What is the difference between temple, church, and ordinary house? Temple means where there is God. Or church, where there is God. God means where there is God's name. Because in this condition we cannot see God, but God is not different from His name. So wherever the chanting is there, that is temple. And if other rules and regulations are followed, then it is temple. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. It is said, Lord says, that "I stay there. Wherever My pure devotees are glorifying Me, I stay there." God is everywhere, but particularly He is there. So temple, there is no necessity. But if somebody has got money and if he wants to spend it for Kṛṣṇa, then we can give plan, a very nice temple, you see, spending millions of dollars. We have got such ideas and such plans. But that does not mean that we are depending on a temple. We can create temple anywhere and everywhere simply by sitting, chanting.
So how it is possible for the present-day people, which was refused by Arjuna five thousand years ago? It is not possible. The yoga system is accepted in the Vedic literature, that is a standard practice for self-realization. But the diagnosis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52), "The yoga system of meditation was possible to be practiced in the Golden Age, or in the Satya-yuga," but not in this age. Then how self-realization is possible? That is said, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt: "Simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa." It doesn't require a secluded place, a sanctified place, or so many rules and regulations. Anywhere you can chant. While you are walking on the street, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You are in meditation. While you are working, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is going to tax you; nobody is going to bother you. You have no loss, but the gain is immense. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is started, and it is easy, it is prescribed. If you at all want to get some spiritual benefit, you try to follow this prescribed method. Just like if you want at all to be cured, you must take the prescription of an experienced physician. Don't take any prescription who is a quack. If you take proper treatment, if you follow the instruction, then you be sure that you get the result out of it.
Prabhupāda: What do you mean by wakefulness?
Guest (4): Awareness. Feeling the present, being aware of yourself.
Prabhupāda: No. First you have to execute devotion; then awareness comes. If you do not read or labor for passing your examination, how you can pass examination? So therefore devotion is the prescribed rules and regulation. That is not very difficult. The primary rule is that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just see. It is not difficult. Yes.
Guest (5): Should not one try to purify one's heart first and personality?
Prabhupāda: Yes. That will go. Just like if you take proper medicine for curing your disease, the more the disease is cured, you feel healthy life. Pure life means healthy life, and impure life means unhealthy life. So there is a process of bhakti-yoga, how one becomes purified. The first stage is ādau śraddhā. Just like you have, all ladies and gentlemen, come here with little respect for this, I mean to say, movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the basic principle. A little faith. "Oh, all right. Let us hear about it. Let us see." This is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga. Now, if you think, "Oh, it is very nice. Oh, Swamijī explains very nicely," then you come again. That is called sādhu-saṅga, association. We have got our class. If you want, you can associate with us. Ādau śraddhā tato-sādhu-saṅga tato bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means practice. Just like my students, they came also like this. Not in the beginning they accepted, but he came after attending some lectures, then advanced, then offered that "Swamijī, I want to be your student." That is called bhajana-kriyā. So if he practiced the bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then he becomes purified.
Meat-eating, and if you believe in Bhagavad-gītā, is not the..., against the, our purificatory process. You cannot kindle fire, at the same time add water on it. If you want to kindle fire, then you have to keep that place very dry and fan it. Similarly, there are rules and regulations. Out of that rules and regulation is jīva-hiṁsā. Jīva-hiṁsā means unnecessary killing of animals. Now, if you have got sufficient foodstuff—a state I see in America... You have got sufficient grains, sufficient fruits, sufficient milk, milk products. Then if you can live on these things which are meant for human beings, why should you kill animals unnecessarily? If there is no alternative, that you cannot live... Just like in the desert, Arabian Desert, there is no food, no grain, for them animal-eating may be permissible. Because after all, we have to live. That is a different thing. But when you have got very nice foodstuff, and a very nutritious, palatable, sweet, why should you indulge in this unnecessary killing of animals? That is, will go against your purification. Therefore it is prohibited.
They are interested only with the bodily concept of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And always disturbed by so many anxieties. How he can ascend to the platform of transcendental realization? It is very difficult in this age. Therefore Arjuna, who was being taught by Kṛṣṇa that "You try this practice of transcendental life," but Arjuna said... Arjuna means he was taking this instruction five thousand years ago. He was a royal prince. He was very much advanced in so many things. He said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible to practice this transcendental process of ascending by yoga practice, this haṭha-yoga practice. It is not possible." He refused. He refused that "Because I am a family man, I have come here to fight for my, I mean to say, political interest, how I can practice this system, that I have to go to a solitary place, I have to sit down like this, I have to practice like this, I have to cease from sex life? It is not possible." Just try to understand. So transcendental platform by the haṭha-yoga system, practicing all the rules and regulations, is not possible in this age at all. If somebody is trying to practice that thing in so-called ways, that is not... Actually you cannot perform this transcendental meditation in city life. It is not possible. That is very clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You'll read. So you have to live in the city. You have to live with your family. You have to live with your friends. It is not possible to go to the forest and find out a secluded place.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, not to interpret it any nonsensical way and mislead the people. We don't try to mislead the people. We give without any changes and without any cost, any loss on your part. But, give a try, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, simple thing, just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, these sixteen words: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. You practice it, you chant anywhere you like, either in your home or anywhere. There is no restriction, there is no hard and fast rules and regulation for chanting, and anyone can chant. You see all our..., you also chanted just a few minutes ago. You chanted. So it is not difficult. Give it a try. That is our request. We request you, most humbly, that you take these sixteen words, you chant, and your heart will be cleansed of all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Every dirty things. Our, we do not know how long we are changing births—900,000 species of births in the water, and two million species of life as plants and leaves and trees, and so many lives as reptiles, and cats and dogs and so many... Now we have come to this, by evolutionary process, this civilized form of life, human form of life, very beautiful form of life. Why you should waste this life, again go to that cycle of changing birth after birth, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9)? The intelligent man should understand, try to understand, how much miserable it is to undergo birth and death and disease and old age. Don't be carried away by whims. You are intelligent boys and girls, born in rich family and rich nation. Just try to utilize, then it will be finishing touch to your country. Your country is advanced in so many ways. You have no poverty. You are advanced in so many ways. Take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
In the Satya-yuga it was possible to execute the meditation process. Just like Vālmīki Muni. He meditated for sixty thousands of years to get perfection. So where is your age? Besides that, that process, meditation process, are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. You have to select a secluded place, you have to execute it alone, you have to sit down in such a posture, you have to completely lead a life of celibacy, and so many rules and regulations. So aṣṭāṅga-yoga, meditation, that is not possible. But if you are satisfied by doing some imitation, that is different thing. But if you want right perfection, then you have to execute all the different stages of yoga practice, aṣṭāṅga-yoga. There are eight divisions: dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, prāṇāyāma... So if it is not possible, then it is waste of time. What is the ultimate goal of yoga process or meditation? To contact the Supreme, the Supersoul, the Supreme Lord. That is the aim and object of yoga process. Similarly, philosophical research, jñāna process, that is also, the aim is to understand Supreme Brahman, realize Brahman. So they are recognized process undoubtedly, but according to authoritative description, those processes are not practical in this age. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Therefore one has to take to this process of hari-kīrtana. Anyone can take, without any prequalification. You haven't got to study philosophy or Vedānta. This Vedānta philosophy was very much discussed between Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī... Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī asked first of all Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "I understand that You are were a very good scholar in Your previous life." Caitanya Mahāprabhu actually was a very great scholar. His name was Nimāi Paṇḍita. And at the age of sixteen years old He defeated one great scholar from Kashmir, Keśava Kāśmīrī. So He was a great scholar.
Yes. But generally, he is under the protection, but in spite of all protection, if he violates the rules and regulations, he become immediately subjected to the laws of nature. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, gives protection. He says,
- sarva-dharmān parityajya
- mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
- mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
- (BG 18.66)
"You just surrender unto Me. You give up all other occupational duties. You simply become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and I'll give you," I mean to say, "immunity, or protection from all sinful..." But if you do not accept, Kṛṣṇa will not force you. So He is giving protection to everyone, generally. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Not only giving the human society—the animal society, the birds, trees, every... Don't you see it, how the arrangement is there? Everyone is living under certain conditions. Just like a prisoner. Prisoners are condemned, at the same time, given protection by the government. Within the prison walls they are protected. If somebody comes to kill them, government immediately calls for military or police to protect them. But because they are condemned, they are put into the prison. Similarly, all living entities, they are children, they are sons of God. So God is giving them all protection. Kṛṣṇa is giving them all protection. But by misuse of their little freedom, they are misusing, they are misusing their liberty. Therefore they are put into this material world. Otherwise, generally, the protection is there.
Those who are scientists, who are physicists, they can study the sunshine. But this sunshine study is not final study about sun. Then the next question is, "What is the sun globe?" If you have got power, if you have got capacity to manufacture some machine... Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet. Similarly, if you can have some capacity to enter into the sun planet, then you study what is the sun planet. And then again, further if you study, then what are the living entities in the sun planet? And when you study the living entities in the sun planet, who is the head? Who is the chief of the living entities in the sun planet? Just like we are foreigners. We have come here. We inquire, "Who is the chief of your country?" Oh, you'll get answer, "The queen," or "The prime minister." Similarly, in every planet there is a chief predominating personality, in every planet. Not only in this planet, but in every planet. They are called devatā in higher planets. These things are described in the Bhagavad... Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If you want to go to the moon planet, you can go. There are rules and regulation, mean, how you can prepare yourself. Not like that you go there with some masked dress and capture some sand and come out of the... Not like that. Actually, you go there and live there and enjoy life there. That is possible. Otherwise Bhagavad-gītā would not have said, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). Devān. Devān, this is plural number. There are many higher planetary systems where the demigods live, devān. They are extraordinarily intelligent. Their standard of living is far, far sublime, better than this planet. Therefore they are called demigods, almost God. God is the supreme, but they're almost like God. They're beautiful. It is said in the Vedic literature the more you go to the higher planet, your opulence, your standard of living is thousand, thousand times better than this planet. So these arrangements are there.
So these descriptions are there. So you have to... Vedic knowledge means the knowledge of authority. So you have to prove. But there is a process for understanding God, that "I am God." That is a process. But not that one is God. "I am God" means in that way: "Qualitatively, I am God." So we have to find out, meditation, "What is that quality?" That quality is the spirit soul, on account of whose presence the whole body is working. As soon as the spirit soul is absent from this body, this body has no more any value. That you have to understand. And what is that spirit soul? That you have to find out, where it is. Where is the spirit soul... Now, if you medically analyze where is the spirit soul, you cannot find out. But there, in the yoga process, there are different rules and regulations, sitting posture and then breathing exercise, controlling the air passing through this body. In that way, gradually you come to know what is that... Not only you come to know, but the perfection of yoga system is that you can practice to take the soul from six different position, from the navel position to the heart, then to the, it is called, what is called?
Your first, the first installment will be that your heart will be cleansed of all material contamination. Then you'll be situated on the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Oh, prasannātmā! Oh, joyfulness! Without being joyful, you cannot understand what is God. If your mind is disturbed always, you cannot meditate, neither you can understand what is God, what you are. It is impossible. Therefore we have to accept any process which can make me joyful. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We have got... Simply we are not chanting by sentiment. We have got enough literature, philosophy, background. It is not that we are sentimentalist. But this is a fact, that if you simply... You do not require to read all this literature. If you can, it is very good, but if you have no time, simply chant these sixteen words, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Make an experiment. We are not charging anything. We are not cheating you, that "Give me some fifty dollars or twenty dollars. I'll give you some secret mantra." No. It is open. You can take. Everyone can take. Everyone. We are chanting. You can chant with us and practice it, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulation. You can chant anyway, anywhere. Whether you are in the college, whether you're on the street, whether you are sleeping, lying, or whatever, you can chant. Because God has given you this tongue and you can chant. And this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, a dog or cat cannot chant although he has got the tongue. So you have got the facility. By God's mercy you have got this facility to chant the holy name of God. If you think that Kṛṣṇa is Indian God's name, actually it is not Indian God's name. Kṛṣṇa never claims that He's Indian or Hindu. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā.
So that determination means utsāhā, "I must." That is necessary. Not that "When Kṛṣṇa is merciful, then I shall do." Kṛṣṇa is already merciful. But if we do not take it, then what Kṛṣṇa will do? Kṛṣṇa does not touch on your little individuality or little independence. So therefore we have... Just like when we earn money, we are very enthusiastic, similarly, if we want Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we want to earn that position, go back to home, back to Godhead, we must be very much enthusiastic, utsāhān. And dhairyāt. Dhairyāt means patience. "Oh, I am executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness according to the rules and regulations. Still, I am not yet perfect?" So don't be impatient. Be patient. The example is that any woman desires a child. So when she is married, it is supposed that she will get a child. But if she wants immediately child after being married, that is not possible. She must be patient, then in due course she will be pregnant and there will be child. Similarly, if we are patient, at the same time, very much energetic, utsāhād dhairyāt, and tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. But we must take to the regulative principles by which we can make advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
As we are spirit soul, we are evolving through many species of life, and if we don't take advantage of this human form of life, then we are missing the chance. Without God consciousness or without Kṛṣṇa consciousness there cannot be any peace. Everyone is hankering after peace, but he does not know how to achieve peace. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest welfare activities in the world, and we request everyone to take advantage of this great scientific movement. Our presentation is authoritative because we are guided by the principles of the old knowledge, the ancient knowledge of India, the Vedas. And the process of understanding this science of Kṛṣṇa is also made very easy in this age. The process, as you have already known, the process is chanting the holy name of God: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Now this is recommended in the Vedas, that "In this age people are so much fallen that they cannot realize God by the prescribed method; therefore the best chance for them is to chant this holy name of God." That is recommended in the Vedas. You can chant... "If you know any other name of God, you can chant also, because there is no difference between the different names of God. And each name, holy name, is invested with all powers of God." Lord Caitanya says that each and every name, holy name of God, is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. Therefore all the powers, all the energies that God has, it is also there in His holy name. In the absolute platform there is no such difference, as in this relative world there is difference between the name and the person whose name we are chanting. As such, there is no difference between the holy name of God and God. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for this chanting.
We don't charge anything for giving you this name. It is open to everyone. You can take it and make an experiment. By chanting, you will feel how much you are advancing in spiritual knowledge. This is the shortcut way of understanding God realization. But if you don't believe in the simple method, if you want to understand this philosophy through science and philosophy, we have got books, about one dozen books, four hundred pages each, to explain this science of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. We have got our magazine, Back to Godhead, and our books, Kṛṣṇa book, Nectar of Devotion, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So many books we have got. So those who are very much serious... And everyone should be serious because if we miss this opportunity, then after death we do not know what is going to happen. I may have a human form of body or we may have a body of the animals or of a tree. That we do not know. But if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least next life again human form of body is guaranteed. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that those who have begun Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding, if they can fulfill the whole program within this life, they get salvation and goes back to home, back to Godhead. But even if one fails to achieve success in one life, his next life as a human being in rich family or in a pious family is guaranteed. So our humble request to you all is that henceforward you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra whenever it is possible. You have got enough time and there is no rules and regulation, there is no fee, and see how much you are benefited.
So many important books, you study, and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra like this, and that is the following the footsteps of Gosvāmīs. Ācāryopāsanā. We have to worship the ācāryas. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, for making advancement in spiritual life, ācāryopāsanā. So this is ācāryopāsanā, by reading their books, nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Why studying so many books? For the sake of establishing real religious life. Sad-dharma. There are two kinds of dharmas, religious, religions: pravṛtti-mārga, nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means materialism, and nivṛtti-mārga means spiritualism. Pravṛtti means because we had intention to enjoy this material world, therefore we have given this material body by the energy of Kṛṣṇa, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27), by the..., for associating with this material world. We are spirit soul. We have been given this chance to associate with the material world, this material, which is called... So there is still the rules and regulation. You associate, you enjoy this material world under this instruction, then you'll not be fallen. You'll not be implicated. That's śāstra. Śāstra gives you codes. Just like when I immigrated in this land, they gave me one paper, welcome, and some immigration rules. That is śāstra. Similarly, the Vedas means the rules and regulation which following they'll very happily live in this material world. Material world is not required by me or you. We are spirit soul. We have no business in the material world. Just like we are living entities of the land. We have no business with the water. But if anyone wants to cross over the sea, he must have a well-built ship to cross over.
So if we execute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following the footsteps of the Gosvāmīs, then tri-bhuvane manyau, you will be honored in the three worlds, wherever you go. Just like I am Indian, but you are honoring me. Why? Have I bribed you with my Indian money, currency? I came with forty rupees only, had no money. Why? Because you are having some message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the state of being honored. Similarly, just like this time when I went to India, all my American students-forty students are still there—they're being honored very nicely everywhere. In every city—Calcutta, Bombay, Benares, Amritsar. Why? Many American tourists go there. They are not honored. But why these boys are honored? Only for this kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So not only... This is the process. Any country you go, if you are strictly adhering to the rules and regulation and chanting sixteen rounds, that is your spiritual strength, and following the prohibitive rules, then you will be honored everywhere. Any part of the world you go, you'll be honored. It is not very difficult to chant sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles, but if you follow strictly, rigidly, you'll get spiritual strength and you'll be honored all over the world. Just take this secret. They'll not ask you to know how far you are educated, or that you have passed your M.A. examination or Ph.D. No. They will be charmed by this kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana.
So there are four yugas: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So the aggregate of all these yugas is about forty three hundred thousands of years. And if you multiply by one thousand, then that becomes Brahmā's one day only, twelve hours. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. So similarly, he has got one night also, and similarly, one day and night, then one month, then one year. In this way he lives for one hundred years. So during this period of daytime, Kṛṣṇa appears once. That we learn from the Vedic literature. So Kṛṣṇa said that what is His mission to come here? Kṛṣṇa is God. He does not require to come here, but He comes to serve some purpose. If God wants to come, nobody can check. Sometimes people question that "Why God should come?" So our answer is, "Why God should not come?" If He is all-powerful, who can check Him to come here? If we say that God cannot come, that means God becomes under our rules and regulation. So according to Vedic scripture, God comes, and He says personally why He comes: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Whenever there is discrepancy in the prosecution of religious principles, He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, abhyutthānam adharmasya. And whenever there is discrepancies in religious procedure, irreligious activities increases. That is natural. Whenever there is lenient government, the rogues and thieves will increase. It is natural. And if the government is very strict, then rogues and thieves cannot become very prominent. So when Kṛṣṇa comes, He has got two business: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8)—for giving protection to the devotees, to the faithful, and for killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He exhibited these two things. Perhaps you have seen our picture of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu has got four hands. In two hands He has got lotus flower and conchshell, and in the other two hands He has got a club and a disc. The disc and club is meant for vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, for killing the demons and the miscreants. And the conchshell and the lotus flower is meant for giving benediction and blessings to the devotees.
So there are so many rules and regulations. Those who are interested in yoga, you will find in the authorized books, yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ: "The aim of yogic power, yogic success, is to control the senses." Our senses in this material world have been described as venomous serpents. Indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. Kāla-sarpa, cobra, black cobra. So these indriyas are like that. Indriya means senses. As soon as touches, immediately it makes him poisonous. And that is the cause of our material conditional life. The more we are indulging unrestrictedly in sense gratification, we are becoming more and more entangled. Therefore those who are very much addicted to the bodily necessities of life, for them this haṭha-yoga system... Haṭha-yoga system means yama, niyama, aṣṭāṅga-yoga. It is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, pratyāhāra, samādhi. These things are in the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. The first thing is yama-niyama. One must have regulated life. That is called yama-niyama. Then practice āsana. There is mechanical process of sitting which will help you; concentration of the mind, āsana. Then praṇāyāma, concentration of the mind. Then meditation. So meditation is not so easy thing. Unless you practice the preliminary necessities of meditation, you cannot concentrate. Even if you sit down closing your eyes, either you will sleep or you will think of other things which are more important, you think, more important in your life. So the yoga system is practically not very helpful. Helpful means we cannot execute this system very nicely.
Just like the government creates the prison house. That does not mean that government wants that somebody should be criminals and fill up this prison house. It is a freedom to the citizens. Government creates university also, or government creates prison house also. But it is your freedom. You make your choice: either you go to the university or you go to the prison house. It is your choice. Just like government opens some liquor shop, gives license. That does not mean that government is encouraging drinking. The liquor shop is there. Those who are drunkards, they can go. That's a facility. That's all. Otherwise, that is not encouragement. Similarly, the... When God created this material world... I think in your Bible also it is said that the Adam and Eve, the forbidden apple... That means He made some rules and regulations, "Do this; do not this." And if you do this, what is not sanctioned, then you suffer. God forbade not to eat the apple—I do not know actually—but by the request of Eve, Adam ate it, and he became conditioned. Similarly—it may be story—but the fact is that God created this world. That's a fact. And He created the rules and regulation also. That is called Vedic knowledge. And in the Vedic knowledge there are injunctions: "You do this; you do not do this." If you follow the Vedic knowledge, then you have come to this world for enjoyment, so your regulated enjoyment will satisfy your senses; at the same time, you will be able to go back to home, back to Godhead, again. But if you do not follow the regulative principles, if you simply try to enjoy, exploit, this material world, then you will be implicated. So in the beginning you may come in this material world as Brahma, and gradually, by your propensities, you may glide down to become the insect of stool. That is... That responsibility is yours. That is not God's responsibility. You can elevate yourself. Just like at the present moment we have got this human form of body. We can hear the instruction of God, and we can again elevate. That is possible.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As already described by Śrīman Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, that this bhāgavata-dharma was spoken by Bhagavān Himself. Bhagavān, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Bhaga-vān. It is a Sanskrit word. Bhaga means fortunes, and vān means one who possesses. These two words combined together makes the word Bhagavān, or the supreme fortunate. We calculate our fortune if somebody is very rich, if somebody is very strong, if somebody is very beautiful, if somebody is very wise, if somebody is in renounced order of life. In this way, there are six opulences, and these opulences, when one possesses in fullness, without any rivalry, he is called Bhagavān. The richest of all, the wisest of all, the most beautiful, the most famous, the most renounced—in this way, Bhagavān. And the bhāgavata also comes from the word bhaga. From bhaga, when it is used a participle objective, it becomes bhaga. So bhāgavata. The same thing, vān, this word is comes from the word vat, vat-śabda. Bhāgavata. In Sanskrit, every word is grammatically very systematically bound up. Every word. Therefore it is called Sanskrit language. Sanskrit means reformed. We cannot manufacture by whims; it must be strictly according to the grammatical rules and regulations. So the bhāgavata-dharma means the relationship between the devotees and the Lord. The Lord is Bhagavān and the devotee is bhāgavata, or in relationship with Bhagavān.
This verse (I have) partially explained last night. This is very important subject matter. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the knowledge is perfect. We are conditioned soul under the rules and regulation of the material nature, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not under the rules and regulation of the material world. That is the difference. Both of us, we are living entities, as I explained. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God is also one of us. So far we are living entities, are concerned, we are the same. Just like I explained last night that we are samples of God, but He's complete, He's the whole; we are part and parcel. As part and parcel, there is tendency of being covered by māyā. The example we can cite that the sun and the sunshine... Sunshine means accumulation of shining particles. They are also individual shining material, molecular parts. The cloud can cover the sunshine partial, not all. The sunshine is expanding millions and millions of miles. Out of that, hundred, two hundred miles may be covered by the cloud. So that portion of sunshine is called material world. Just try to understand. The God is just like sun, kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama, and the sunshine, light, is the brahma-jyotir. Impersonal brahma-jyotir is just like the sunshine, and Paramātmā is just like the sun globe. To understand the Absolute Truth we have to make progress from impersonal Brahman to localized Paramātmā and then, from Paramātmā, to this Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Just try to understand how much qualified he was. Not only that, he belonged to the royal family. He was a great warrior, great hero, so many qualities. But he said that "I cannot practice this yoga system. It is not possible. I cannot control my mind and practice this haṭha-yoga system." Now just try to understand. He is such a personality, great personality, and five thousand years ago, when things were so nice. So at that time a person like Arjuna felt that he's unable to practice this yoga system. And nowadays a (indistinct) people with teeny knowledge, they are trying to practice yoga system as if they're..., he has become more than Arjuna. It is very difficult subject matter. It is not possible for ordinary man. The first principle is that he has to sit down alone in a sacred place, alone. Yoga practice is not possible in a big city, with friends and smoking habit and drinking habit. This all first. One has to become very strong in controlling the mind, controlling the senses, sitting in a solitary place, sacred place like Himalaya or Hardwar, like that. And who is going there, and who is practicing? It is not possible. Not only that, he has to sit down straight, and not bending, and looking on the tip of the nose, and not closing the eyes completely, half closed—so many rules and regulations—and always thinking of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā pra... It is not possible. This yoga system, Arjuna denied five thousand years ago. And what we are? This is going on, all farce.
Today's subject matter is "What is Religion?" So we are reciting some verses from the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, where the subject matter, dharma, is discussed. It is said that dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, it is Sanskrit word, and the English translation, generally, it is made as "religion." Religion is accepted as a kind of faith. But faith may be wrong or right—according to the different time, persons, climate, condition, so many consideration. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Dharma, or religion, means the law given by God. Simple formula. As there are laws given by the state, similarly, the supreme state, supreme governor is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God means the supreme being, supreme person. So... Or the supreme authority. Supreme means the greatest authority. As in a state the greatest authority is the government, similarly, throughout the cosmic manifestation, throughout the whole creation, there must be some supreme authority. So that supreme authority is God, and whatever He gives, the rules and regulation, that is called religion. You cannot change it. That the law whimsically, you cannot change. Then you will be punishable. Similarly, the laws or the words (are) of the regulative principles given by God. That is religion. And if you do not follow it, then you'll be punished.
So these are... There is authoritative statements in all the śāstras, but if we do not care for śāstra and sādhu and devotees, we manufacture our own way of life, that is different things. We have nothing to speak about that. On the whole, I am very much thankful to Śrīpāda Nṛsiṁha-vallabha Gosvāmī that he has come, taking so much trouble. He is old man. And he has advised you that you stick to bhakti principle, and that will make your life successful. You have come so far, distant place, in Vṛndāvana, from America, Australia, Africa, spending so much money. So... Of course, there is no consideration of material profit and loss. But your anxiety, laulyam, that will make you successful in receiving the mercy, unalloyed mercy of Kṛṣṇa. So you have nothing to be disappointed. You go on with your prescribed duties, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and observe the rules and regulations as they have been given to you. Chant your numerical strength of beads and your life will be successful.
This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced these two things—saṅkīrtana and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means the expansion of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, at the last stage, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also begins from that point. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives introduction, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system kicked out, projjhita. Projjhita means just like you sweep over the floor, and all the dust, you throw it away. That is called projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita.
So this system, one system, to accept the real principles of religion. That is, Kṛṣṇa also explained. It is explained by Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa came, appeared. Why? What is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's appearing? Sometimes they argue, atheist class of men, that God cannot come. Why God cannot come? God is your father's servant, that He cannot come? You are ordering? If He cannot come, how He is God? God can do everything. Why you say that God cannot come? He is not under your rules and regulations. Then He is not God. God can come. God says, "Yes, I come!"
Departure Talks
So these are the six principle, positive. Ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati: "By following these six principle, success is assured." Similarly, there are opposite number. What is that? Atyāhāraḥ, eating too much. Atyāhāraḥ means eating too much or unnecessarily collecting too much. And prayāsaḥ. Prayāsaḥ means too much endeavoring for a thing, mean unnecessarily taking some anxiety. Don't do that. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsas prajalpaḥ, and talking nonsense, gossiping some subject matter which has no concern with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are accustomed to do that. We should avoid it. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Niyamāgrahaḥ means the positive rules and regulation, simply make a show but not actually realize it. Niyamāgrahaḥ, laulyam, and to become very greedy, and jana-saṅgaś ca, and mixing with persons who are not devotee. These six things should be avoided, and the first things should be followed. Then your success in devotional service is sure. (Hṛdayānanda begins to translate and pauses) Prajalpaḥ, unnecessary gossiping. Just like people are wasting time taking one newspaper and talking for hours. These things should be avoided. And to associate with nondevotees. And greediness. These things should be avoided.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: This is religion. Therefore I was talking in this morning that accept God as the supreme father and the material nature is the mother and we living entities, in 8,400,000 forms, we are all sons of God. So everyone has got the right to live at the cost of the father. The father is the maintainer—that is natural—and we are maintained. So every living being should be satisfied in the condition given by God. Man should live in his own condition, the animal also should live in his own condition. Why the man should encroach upon the rights, living right of other living entities like the animals? No. Nobody should encroach upon other's right. Everyone is son of God. Let him be maintained by the orders of God. That is ideal life, family life. All living entities are the members of the same family. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi' anācāra: just live in the family of Kṛṣṇa without violating the rules and regulation. Then it is family life. Or without violating the orders of God. Just like in the family the father is the chief man, and the sons can live very happily by being obedient to the father. There is no trouble; father will give all supplies and necessities if we remain obedient to the father, and all the brothers can live peacefully. A very common example. But they will not do that. They will encroach upon others' jurisdiction. That is the cause of disturbance: obeying..., disobeying the orders of God.
Śyāmasundara: Today we are discussing the philosopher and psychologist Sigmund Freud. His thesis was that certain unconscious states must be repressed by a special mental mechanism which serves as a defense for the ego against painful or fragmental memories, emotions and desires.
Prabhupāda: That is our brahmācārya system. The psychology is that everyone has a sex appetite, everyone has a tendency for intoxication, and everyone had a tendency for meat-eating. Vyavāya āmiṣa madya sevā. These tendencies are already there. There is injunction in the śāstras that one can have sexual intercourse by marriage, legal sex. We are prohibiting illicit sex, but we are not prohibiting legal sex. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, dharmāviruddho' bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha, sex indulgence which is not against religious principles. That is (indistinct). So religious principle means regulated sex life. People have a tendency... Just like those who are not regulated by the Vedic injunctions are also having sex. So what is the meaning of this legal sex? Legal sex means it is restricted, that is all. Where there is no set injunction. Just like in Western countries, they are having sex without any restrictions. But according to the Vedic system, there are restrictions. Just like eating meat, that is also restricted. You cannot eat meat from the slaughterhouse, but the injunction is that you can take a goat and in the presence of goddess Kali you can offer it, and then you can eat it. In the śāstras this is called (indistinct). Amisa means meat which is not sacrificed. There are so many rules and regulations. Similarly, there is also injunction for drinking. By worshiping (sandamani) you can drink. So when the śāstras deal with meat-eating, drinking and sex, which is already there... Psychologically everyone has this tendency. Then why is it mentioned in the śāstras in this way? The whole thing is to restrict. 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.
Revatīnandana: But the introverted person could be even in tamoguṇa or sattva-guṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is right.
Revatīnandana: So that is not (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: So similar, that there are the paramahaṁsa and there are mleccha-yavanas. The paramahaṁsa is not under any rules and regulations, and the mlecchas also, they are not under rules and regulations.
Revatīnandana: Like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, they thought he was a madman, and this would be tamoguṇa, but actually he was...
Prabhupāda: Transcendental.
Devotee (3): It's time for massage now, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: All right. (break)
Śyāmasundara: So today we'll finish that psychologist Jung, Carl Jung. As we were discussing before, his idea is that there is a collective unconscious, there is an unconscious state of mind and there is a conscious state of mind. The inner, the working between these two, conscious and unconscious, determines the personality of the living entity. The behavior of the living entity is determined by the interaction between his unconscious and his conscious...
Prabhupāda: That is called, in Sanskrit, (indistinct), (indistinct) and suṣupti. When you are fully conscious, that is called (indistinct). And (indistinct), dreaming, that (indistinct). And another state, suṣupti, no consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Just like animals. Sex life like animals.
Śyāmasundara: They said.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) say that. (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: They do not reinforce the sin of sex life.
Prabhupāda: Sex life, we don't say it is sin, but there is rules and regulations of sex life.
Śyāmasundara: However, they have contraceptive methods, because to bring children into the equation at this time is not good.
Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. That is the difficulty, that these people are coming as philosophers teaching. Rascals. That is the difficulty with the present society. (indistinct) Dogs, hogs, camels, and asses. They are taking the position of teacher. That is the defect. We don't take (indistinct) like that. Dogs, hogs, we cannot accept.
Śyāmasundara: They are making life into an equation, like a mathematical formula. Competing like that. But it doesn't work.
Prabhupāda: It will not work.
Prabhupāda: His image, if God is absolute, His image is also God. If God is absolute, then His words are also God. That is absolute conception. That iw not different. So the image which we worship in the temple, if it is actually image of God, then it is as good as God. God is absolute. God says that "This earth, water..., so everything is My energy." So even if you say, "This image is made of stone," but the stone is God's energy, bhūmi, earth. So there is a regulative principle, just like a wire, a copper wire, it is carrying electricity. Although the copper wire is not electricity, but it is carrying electricity. Similarly, if you take even material-otherwise spiritually everything is God, that is another thing—but materially if we distinguish that the copper wire, it appears as copper wire, but if you touch, "Oh, there is electricity." So it is manipulated. Similarly, by the rules and regulation as enunciated by the experienced spiritual master and guru, then even if you think it is stone, it is God. The same example, you see it is electric wire, but it is electricity. Similarly, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhir guruṣu nara-matiḥ. It is..., this has been warned: don't think that this śilā, stone. Is God. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted. So we have to be trained up by the instruction of God how to realize God everywhere.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is always present, but if when you hold a ceremony, garbhādhāna ceremony, that "I am going to have sex with my wife for begetting a Kṛṣṇa conscious child," then you remember Kṛṣṇa. And at the time of sex, the mentality of the father and mother, that is acquired by the child. There is rules and regulation for garbhādhāna ceremony, and in the Bhāgavata you will find that as soon as a..., the..., one gives up the garbhādhāna ceremony, he is a śūdra. So who is observing this garbhādhāna ceremony at the present moment? Therefore everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavāḥ. Everyone is born as śūdra. The father and mother gave birth as śūdra. So this birthright of brāhmaṇa is no longer in this day. Even they falsely claim, "Because I am born of a brāhmaṇa father I am brāhmaṇa," that śāstra will not support. Whether garbhādhāna ceremony was performed? And nowadays, especially, who knows that he is son of a brāhmaṇa? The woman is intermingling with everyone, and who has given birth of the child? Whether he is actually a brāhmaṇa's son, a śūdra's son, who knows it? So how he can claim, by birthright, a brāhmaṇa? That is not possible. Therefore everyone is śūdra. But he can be trained as a brāhmaṇa. That is pāñcarātrikī-vidhi. We are following this pāñcarātrikī-vidhi, not Vedic vidhi. Vedic vidhi is different. Pāñcarātrikī. By training. He has got little tendency, little fire, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. All right, fan it, make the fire bigger than this. But if he gives up the firing process, he remains fire, but he will go unfinished. (Sanskrit), that a small seed, you sow it and regularly pour water... Just like Govinda dāsī introduced this Tulasī. She is responsible for introducing Tulasī in the Western countries.
| Page Title: | Rules and regulations (Lectures, Other) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 15 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=135, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 135 |