On His return to Purī, all the anxious devotees of the Lord got back their life, and the Lord remained there with continued pastimes of His transcendental realizations. The most important incident during that time was His granting audience to King Pratāparudra. King Pratāparudra was a great devotee of the Lord, and he considered himself to be one of the servants of the Lord entrusted with sweeping the temple. This submissive attitude of the King was very much appreciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The King requested both Bhaṭṭācārya and Rāya to arrange his meeting with the Lord. When, however, the Lord was petitioned by His two stalwart devotees, He flatly refused to grant the request, even though it was put forward by personal associates like Rāmānanda Rāya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.
Sweep
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence.
Unless all of the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, even one of them engaged in sense gratification can deviate the devotee from the path of transcendental advancement. As mentioned in the life of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, all of the senses must be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for that is the correct technique for controlling the mind.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Preface and Introduction
SB Canto 2
The common man, if he has no time to worship the Lord, may at least engage his hands for a few seconds in washing or sweeping the Lord's temple. Mahārāja Pratāparudra, the greatly powerful king of Orissa, was always very busy with heavy state responsibilities, yet he made it a point to sweep the temple of Lord Jagannātha at Purī once a year during the festival of the Lord. The idea is that however important a man one may be he must accept the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. This God consciousness will help a man even in his material prosperity. Mahārāja Pratāparudra's subordination before Lord Jagannātha made him a powerful king, so much so that even the great Pathan in his time could not enter into Orissa on account of the powerful Mahārāja Pratāparudra. And at last Mahārāja Pratāparudra was graced by Lord Śrī Caitanya on the very grounds of his acceptance of subordination to the Lord of the universe. So even though a rich man's wife has glittering bangles made of gold on her hands, she must engage herself in rendering service to the Lord.
SB Canto 3
The ladies in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Supreme Lord, Govinda, is always served in His abode by many, many millions of goddesses of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). These millions and trillions of goddesses of fortune who reside in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are not exactly consorts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but are the wives of the devotees of the Lord and also engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the houses are made of marble. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the ground on the Vaikuṇṭha planets is made of touchstone. Thus there is no need to sweep the stone in Vaikuṇṭha, for there is hardly any dust on it, but still, in order to satisfy the Lord, the ladies there always engage in dusting the marble walls. Why? The reason is that they are eager to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so.
SB Canto 6
The fault of illicit connection with women is that it makes one lose all brahminical qualities. In India there is still a class of servants, called śūdras, whose maidservant wives are called śūdrāṇīs. Sometimes people who are very lusty establish relationships with such maidservants and sweeping women, since in the higher statuses of society they cannot indulge in the habit of woman hunting, which is strictly prohibited by social convention. Ajāmila, a qualified brāhmaṇa youth, lost all his brahminical qualities because of his association with a prostitute, but he was ultimately saved because he had begun the process of bhakti-yoga. Therefore in the previous verse, Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke of the person who has only once surrendered himself at the lotus feet of the Lord (manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ) or has just begun the bhakti-yoga process.
SB Canto 7
A chaste woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a chaste woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
My dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging in the following devotional activities. One may purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving, and offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me. One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me. One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by participating in festivals, such as Janmāṣṭamī, which glorify My pastimes. In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and discussing Me with other Vaiṣṇavas. One should observe all the regularly celebrated annual festivals by attending ceremonies, pilgrimages and making offerings. One should also observe religious vows such as Ekādaśī and take initiation by the procedures mentioned in the Vedas, Pañcarātra and other, similar literatures. One should faithfully and lovingly support the installation of My Deity, and individually or in cooperation with others one should work for the construction of Kṛṣṇa conscious temples and cities as well as flower gardens, fruit gardens and special areas to celebrate My pastimes. One should consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity, and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home. First one should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one should further cleanse with water and cow dung. Having dried the temple, one should sprinkle scented water and decorate the temple with mandalas. One should thus act just like My servant. A devotee should never advertise his devotional activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of false pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to Me for other purposes simply because there is need of illumination, and similarly, one should never offer to Me anything that has been offered to or used by others. Whatever is most desired by one within this material world, and whatever is most dear to oneself—one should offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
"Knowing me to be performing austerities with the desire to touch His feet, He came with His friend Arjuna and accepted my hand. Yet I am but a maidservant engaged in sweeping the floor of the house of Śrī Kṛṣṇa."
The men in Vedic society who engage in public sanitary activities like picking up stool and sweeping the street are called hāḍis. Sometimes they are untouchable, especially when engaged in their profession, yet such hāḍis also have the right to become devotees. This is established by Śrī Bhagavad-gītā (9.32), where the Lord declares:
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim
"O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas (merchants), and śūdras (workers)—can attain the supreme destination."
CC Madhya-lila
As soon as the superintendent understood the desire of the Lord, he immediately delivered a hundred new waterpots and a hundred brooms for sweeping the temple.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had been very satisfied to see the King accept the menial task of sweeping the street, and for this humility the King received the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He could therefore observe the mystery of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's activities.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
In one palace he found Kṛṣṇa offering oblations to the sacrificial fire and performing the ritualistic ceremonies of the Vedas as enjoined for householders. In another palace he found Kṛṣṇa performing the pañca-yajña sacrifice, which is compulsory for a householder. This yajña is also known as pañca-sūnā. Knowingly or unknowingly, everyone, especially the householder, commits five kinds of sinful activities. When we receive water from a water pitcher, we kill many germs that are in it. Similarly, when we use a grinding machine or eat food, we kill many germs. When sweeping a floor or igniting a fire we kill many germs, and when we walk on the street we kill many ants and other insects. Consciously or unconsciously, in all our different activities, we are killing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every householder to perform the pañca-sūnā sacrifice to rid himself of the reactions to such sinful activities.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not for the persons who are envious. Envious. It is a movement to train people how to become not envious. It is very first-class scientific movement, yes. Not to become envious. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the beginning introduces, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharma, religious principles, cheating type of religious principle is completely eradicated, thrown away, projjhita. They are kicked out, projjhita. Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweeping and then kick out, don't keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system—kicked out. It is not such religion, "this religion," "that religion." Any religion system, if there is jealousy, that is not religion. Jealousy means... We should understand jealousy, what is jealousy. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won't allow you to take it. This is jealousy. This is jealousy. Jealousy, try to understand. Suppose you are rightful owner of something, and I am trying that "You don't own it. I shall own it. Or somebody own it. I shall not allow it." This is jealousy.
our motive is that people may know about Kṛṣṇa. That is your motive. If magazine selling is your business, you can take any other sense gratificatory magazine. There are so many. And you can sell, you can make some profit. So we have to mold our life in such a way that we shall always remember Kṛṣṇa. Therefore remembering Kṛṣṇa is my primary business. And we have to act in such a way that we may not forget Kṛṣṇa. That should be the principle. That is the secret. Therefore it is equally good for anyone because we can engage anyone in the business of Kṛṣṇa. If somebody has no, I mean to say, knowledge, he can simply sweep over the floor of Kṛṣṇa's temple. That will make him remembering Kṛṣṇa, that "I am cleansing the floor of Kṛṣṇa's temple." He's as good as the editor of Back to Godhead. Yes?
That, that is pure transcendental stage of executing devotional service, after being free from material designation. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is called nirmala. That is mukti. Because spirit soul is eternal. It has to be cleansed, the material contamination. So when he's clean, then hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are purified... Not this American hand or Indian hand. "It is Kṛṣṇa's hand. This hand should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, in sweeping the temple." If he thinks like this, he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. If he simply knows that "This hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa," then he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. These Vedāntists... Of course, all devotees, they are Vedāntists. But somebody thinks that he has monopolized as Vedānta. Veda means knowledge. Anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So the so-called Vedāntist, if he cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is the meaning of that Vedāntist? It has no meaning. They, the, he's perfect vedāntī, who knows that "Kṛṣṇa is Supreme. He's my Lord. I am His eternal servant." This is Vedānta knowledge.
So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that everyone should be employed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That I am repeatedly saying to my students, that "Nobody sit idly. You must be engaged, either as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya or as a vaiśya or at last, as a śūdra. But there must be..." But anyone who is engaged in the business of.... Superficially, it may be the brāhmaṇa's business, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is no such difference. Even though one is sweeping the temple, it may be śūdra's business, but he can be allowed to worship the Deity, the brāhmaṇa's business. Because a devotee is neither brāhmaṇa, neither kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra, because he is above. He is in the transcendental position. But in this material world, guṇa-karma, if one is not fit for performing the work as a brāhmaṇa, he can work as a śūdra, he can work as a vaiśya, but employment must be there for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Employment must be there.
What is that? Which teaches one how to become unalloyed, unflinching devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is first-class. All others, they are defective. Sometimes they are described as cheating. Like in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitava means cheating. So anything going in the name of religion, but it is cheating, that is rejected here. Dharmaḥ projjhita. Projjhita means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like when you sweep with a broomstick, you cleanse all the dust, throw away, similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said that cheating type of religious system is completely swept away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2).
Just like you require water. That is very essential. Especially in the tropical countries, they use water very profusely for cleansing the whole house, for cleansing the body, for cleansing the utensils, cleansing the cloth. That is Vedic civilization, cleanliness. "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Everyone should take thrice bath, cleanse everything. In India, not in the city but in the villages, the woman's first duty is to cleanse the whole house, still. Early in the morning they'll sweep over the whole house, not this apartment, three feet, no, but it is a good house. There is courtyard. Without courtyard, it is pigeon's hole. But you like pigeon's hole, this big, big skyscraper building containing so many pigeon's hole. That's all. So in India still, although poor country, they have got a courtyard, a little garden. That kind of house, in the village that is the system. So the first business is cleanliness. Everything should remain clean.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So how is that Bhāgavata says? The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find, in the introductory portion, Vyāsadeva says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Atra, śrīmad-bhāgavate, kaitavo dharma, projjhita. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is completely kicked out. Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭha rūpena ujjhita. Just like we sweep over the floor and throw away the dust just to make the floor very clean. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, just to make it very clean from this cheating type of religious system It is written by Vyāsadeva, religion means that yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. This is religion. Here it is said. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddha or Jaini or so on, so on. There are so many, hundreds. But the test is yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, whether you have developed your love for God. That is wanted. It doesn't matter.
To execute religious principles means gradually elevated to the highest principle of knowledge. The highest principle of knowledge is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, it has been described what kind of dharma is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are different types of dharma. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the introduction, Vyāsadeva is giving you introduction: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. "All kinds of cheating religious systems are swept away, thrown away, kicked out." Kicked out. Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like we sweep over some room to get out the dust, similarly, dusty, hazy system of religion is completely thrown away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu, vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2).
So in the morning, these ordinary sweepers, they'll cleanse the statue with their brush, because the whole year, the crows have passed stool on the face. So it has become a very solid stool, fixed up. So... I have seen it, brushing like this. This is their arcanam. This is allowed. And if you worship the Deity, bathe the Deity, this is idol worship. And that municipal brush, sweeping brush, and on the face of Sir Asutosh Mukharjee, brushing, that is very good. Just see how much rascal they are! In the morning this business is done. And in the evening all big, big men will come and flower him, garland him, full of garlands. And after evening, they'll go away, and again, next morning, the crows will pass stool. That kind of worship is accepted. And if we install Deity of Kṛṣṇa and worship Him nicely—"These are for the fools and rascals, less intelligent." And he's very intelligent. This is going on all over the world. They are worshiping Napoleon. They are worshiping... I have seen in Paris, Napoleon's statue. "France and Napoleon, one." I asked them, "Where is your Napoleon? France is there, but where is your Napoleon?"
There is no other way. And actually, we are seeing practically how by chanting this holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, how nasty people are becoming purified, Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa. Actually nasty. Now, here it is said that surākṛtam, a drop of wine makes the whole thing impure. And liquor drinking is our daily business. So the example is given that suppose here is one drop of wine, and the place has become impure. So if you bring another gallon of wine and just sweep over it, mop it with wine, that is not the process. You have to bring pure water and wash with it. Then it will purify. You cannot say that "Wine is also liquid. Why not cleanse it here by wine?" No.
Devotee (2): Well, like, if one is in a big temple, he's a cook in a big temple.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In a big temple, the cooker and the man who is worshiping the Deity, and the man who is sweeping over, they're all one. There is no distinction. There is no such material dis... In the material world, if somebody's doing nice job, he is greater, and if somebody's not nice job, he's smaller. In spiritual world, there is no such distinction.
Prabhupāda: So somebody's there? The door is closed? Somebody?
Satsvarūpa: They're sweeping.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all...
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So it's described that such is the life of such envious householders. So in previous verses householders were described: gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. So these gṛhamedhis, they're described as being envious. And so this enviousness means that they do not accept that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Enjoyer. And because they do not accept this, they falsely think themselves to be the enjoyer. But this is not actually the position of the tiny living entities. The tiny living entities are described in Bhagavad-gītā as being parā-prakṛti.
Prabhupāda: Anyone else? Hm? You can speak.
Devotee: This verse indicates that... (break)
Prabhupāda: Hm. Anyone else who will speak? Pradyumna Mahārāja?
Pradyumna: Nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya...
Prabhupāda: Hm. You have to speak. Try to speak.
Pradyumna: "The Lord in the temple, in the worshipable form, is never to be considered to be made of stone or wood because the Lord in His arcā incarnation as the Deity in the temple shows immense favor to the fallen souls by His auspicious presence. By the hearing process, as mentioned hereinbefore, this realization of the presence of the Lord in the temple is made possible. As such, the first process of hearing in the routine work of devotional service is the essential point. Hearing by all classes of devotees from the authentic sources like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is essential. The common man who is puffed up with his material position and does not bow down before the Deity of the Lord in the temple, or who defies temple worship without any knowledge of the science, must know that his so-called turban or crown will only succeed in further drowning him in the water of the ocean of material existence. A drowning man with a heavy weight on his head is sure to drown more swiftly than others, who have no heavy weight.
A foolish puffed-up man defies the science of God and says that God has no meaning for him, but when is in the grip of God's law and is caught up with some disease like cerebral thrombosis, that godless man sinks into the ocean of nescience by the weight of his material acquisition. Advancement of material science without God consciousness is a heavy load on the head of human society. So one must take heed of this great warning.
The common man, if he has no time to worship the Lord, may at least engage his hands for a few seconds in washing or sweeping the Lord's temple. Mahārāja Pratāparudra, the greatly powerful king of Orissa, was always very busy with heavy state responsibilities, yet he made it a point to sweep the temple of Lord Jagannātha at Purī once a year during the festival of the Lord. The idea is that however important a man may be, he must accept the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. This God consciousness will help a man even in his material prosperity. Mahārāja Pratāparudra's subordination before Lord Jagannātha made him a powerful king, so much so that even the great Pathan in his time could not enter into Orissa on account of the powerful Mahārāja Pratāparudra. And at last, Mahārāja Pratāparudra was graced by Lord Śrī Caitanya on the very grounds of his acceptance of subordination to the Lord of the universe. So even though a rich man's wife has glittering bangles made of gold on her hands, she must engage herself in rendering service to the Lord."
Prabhupāda: So this is an actual fact, that Mahārāja Pratāparudra ... He was the King of Orissa, and in the fifteenth century, India was conquered by the Muhammadans, Pathans, but they could not conquer that portion of the country, Orissa. Because Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very strong king. But his strength was on the basis of his devotion to Lord Jagannātha. So even if we want to enjoy material world ... The devotee does not want to enjoy, but Kṛṣṇa keeps his devotee in all comfortable situation. There is no question about it. So we should not desire separately for material comfort. We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa and be satisfied; in whatever condition He keeps, be satisfied. Then He will look after whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable. If you try, yourself, independently, to become comfortable, that is māyā. You cannot become so. Otherwise, you see everyone is trying to be comfortable in this material world. Do you think that everyone is comfortable?
Prabhupāda: Yes. So I change my body, but I remember that I was a child, I was a boy, I was playing like this. I was doing like this. My mother was chastising me like this. Therefore I am not dead. But the body is gone. So this is the distinction between death and life. If you can remember, then you have not died. And if you forget, that is death. But the ātmā is permanent, eternal. So Kṛṣṇa does not die. Otherwise, how He could remember? This is the reason. You try to understand all this reasoning. You have to preach. This is the reason. Because Kṛṣṇa says that "I remember everything," therefore Kṛṣṇa does not die. Is it established or not? Yes. You say... My personal example... Because I remember all my childhood, boyhood activities, therefore I am not dead. Nobody says that "You are dead man," although my body has changed, because I can remember. And as soon as I shall forget, that is death.
Then? One heard and one spoke. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja sat down. He did not do anything. He simply heard about Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, activities. So śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe: "Simply by hearing, Parīkṣit attained perfection." Abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Vaiyāsaki. Vaiyāsaki means Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Kīrtane. He simply narrated. He also gained. Therefore śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). There are nine different processes of bhakti-yoga. Any one of them you adopt, you become perfect, not that you have to adopt nine. If you can, it is very nice. So nine, eight, seven, six, five—if you adopt only one, you become... You don't anything. Simply hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a realized soul, you will become perfect. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam. If you simply worship the Deity in regulated form, you become perfect. This is arcanam. Śravaṇam. So all the methods are there. You adopt any one of them; you become perfect. Simply you offer prayer—you become perfect. Vandanam. You simply work. You simply wash this temple and sweep this temple regularly with heart and soul—you become perfect. You don't require even to read. So dāsyam. Dāsyam means simply work as menial servant of Kṛṣṇa. Dāsyam. Sakhyam. Arjuna. Just like Arjuna. He made simply friendship with Kṛṣṇa. In friendship so many insulting words are used also.
So simply by that attitude... These things are described, that there is not a single dust in the Vaikuṇṭha world. Everything is clean, but still, they are trying to sweep, make it clean, the stairway. This is service attitude. Actually, as Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do—He is complete—similarly, His servants there, they also have nothing to do. Everything is nice. There is no question of sweeping or cleansing or cooking. These things are not required. But still, they are ready to serve. And Kṛṣṇa, or Nārāyaṇa, is very favorably looking upon them. Abhimukham. Dṛg... What is that? Dṛk?
You cannot make your law at home. Law means the law given by the government. Similarly, dharma means the orders given by God. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture, that "We have manufactured this dharma." That is not dharma. That is, in the Bhāgavata, is called cheating. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "The so-called dharmas, which are cheating the public in the name of dharma, such kind of dharma is kicked out from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." Dharmaḥ projjhita. Projjhita means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like you sweep over the floor and the dust throw away. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the real dharma is there. Real dharma. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), this is ordinary dharma. Real dharma is, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is real dharma. And all other dharmas, so-called dharmas, they are simply cheating. Because that will not benefit anybody, the followers or the dictators. So real dharma is... And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from there.
She wanted to satisfy her husband. So she promised, "My dear husband, I shall try my best to take you to that prostitute." "Oh, where you'll get one hundred thousand pieces of diamond?" "All right. I shall see to it." Then she went to the prostitute's house, and without her permission she was washing her dishes, her clothes, and, I mean to say, sweeping the rooms and everything. The prostitute asked, "Who are you? You are coming. You are not charging anything. You are not asking anything. What do you want?" "I shall tell you." So in this way, when she was daily asking that "What is your mind. You tell me. You are very nice woman. You are, for nothing you are working for me. I must something do for you." Then she disclosed her mind: "My dear lady, I am very poor woman, but my husband, he is diseased and he has no money, but he wants to visit you." So the woman could understand. She said, "Yes. You can bring your husband on such and such date." So she was very glad and told her husband that "I have fixed up, appointed a date. You shall be able to go." Oh, he was very glad.
Now, this body," ayaṁ deha, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke, "one who has got this human form of body," nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujām (SB 5.5.1), "don't engage yourself for simply for eating, sleeping, in very hard labor." Just like at the present moment huge, big, big industries, karma It is called ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities. Anyone who has gone into the factories, it is ferocious activities, unnecessarily economic development. So this is kaṣṭān, so much laboring. Even the animals, they do not undergo so much laboring. And a human being is engaged in so much laboring? Kaṣṭān kāmān. And what for, laboring, working? Now, kāmān, to sense gratify, that's all. This is the highest state. Whole day and night, night shift, day shift, and—who was telling? Upendra—that our next door neighbor, he wanted to sleep up to ten o'clock. So when they were, I mean to say, sweeping the floor he became disturbed because last night he had drunk and sense gratification, now, little disturbance, he cannot sleep. You are creating in this way entanglement, ajñaḥ, dehy ajñaḥ, on account of his ignorance. And this education system is keeping him more and more in ignorance. Mūḍha.
Festival Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was patronized or... Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king. He did not allow the Mohammedans to enter into Orissa. He was so powerful. At that time whole India was occupied by the Pathans, but they could not enter in Orissa and South India. So Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king, and at the same time he was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. So his open order was that whenever and whatever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask anything, it must be supplied. So on this day Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to wash that Guṇḍīca Mandir with hundreds of His followers. And they were ordered to bring water from the nearest tank. There is one tank. If you go sometimes to Jagannātha Purī, you'll see that place. So from that tank hundreds of waterpots were brought, and first of all it was... What is called? Sweeping. The sweeping process is first of all taken. And He wanted to see all the devotees, "How much dust you have gathered." He'll see personally. "Let Me see what is the amount of your dust you have gathered by sweep... (break) Then I will understand that you worked very hard." So then after it is very finely, twice. First of all, once swept, then second time. Not even a small particle grain should remain. That was His order.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is transcendental, paro dharmaḥ. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Para means above, above the so-called religious system. So this is not our manufactured thing. It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the beginning, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "Any kind of kaitavaḥ, pretentious or false, illusory...," kaitavaḥ. Kaitavaḥ means cheating. "Cheating type of religion is rejected, thrown away," projjhita. Prākṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like we sweep over the floor, we take the last particle of dust and throw it away, similarly, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious means we have to give up all these so-called or cheating type of religious system. Because experience has shown that following the so many different designated religious systems, nobody has attained the platform of how to love God. Nobody has attained. This is practical experience. It is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He introduced. But Lord Kṛṣṇa gave hint that "This is real religion, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is religion." Any other religion, system of religion, which does not train the followers, how to love God, that is cheating type of religion. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, premā pum-artho mahān. And Bhāgavata says also. Real achievement of success in life is how to love God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection of life.
General Lectures
So, according to Vedic principle, that is not dharma. Vedic principle says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion which teaches people how to become devotee of the Supreme Lord. Paro dharmaḥ. Paraḥ means transcendental. There are many kinds of dharmas, and according to Vedic system, there are twenty different types of books, viṁśati-prakāśa-dharma, given by different sages. But the conclusion is that that is first-class dharma which is convenient for becoming a devotee of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). In another place, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is said, dharmaḥ projjita-kaitavo atra. Atra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhāgavate, projjhita. Projjhita means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita, very cleansely swept away. That means it is taken away, projjhita. Just like we sweep very nicely, cleansely, our room, similarly all types of cheating religion is wiped out, swept away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2).
These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedānta system, Brahma-sūtra, everything done by Vyāsadeva. And in order to protect the sanctity of Vedānta... Because there are so many foolish persons, they are distorting the purpose of Vedānta-sūtra; therefore Vyāsadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master Nārada, he personally wrote a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. 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.
Departure Talks
So devotees are very sorry to see their plight. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am very sorry for these persons." Who are they? Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). These rascals, vimūḍhan, they have created a civilization, gorgeous civilization. What is that? Just like in your country especially, a gorgeous truck for sweeping. The business is sweeping, and for that they have manufactured a gorgeous truck: "Gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut." The sweeping can be done in hand. There are so many men. But they are loitering in the street, and a huge truck is required for sweeping. It is creating huge sound, and it is very dangerous also, but they are thinking, "This is advancement of civilization." Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, māyā-sukhāya. Just to get relief from sweeping... There is no relief; they have got other troubles. But they are thinking, "Now we haven't got to sweep. It is a great relief." Similarly, a simple razor can be used for shaving, and they have got so many machines and, to manufacture the machines, so many factories. So in this way if we study, item by item, this kind of civilization is called demonic civilization. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities.
That is dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real dharma. And Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all cheating types of religious principle is rejected." The real dharma is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is real dharma. And any religion which does not teach this principle, to surrender to God, Kṛṣṇa, and love Him... hat is real religion. Therefore Bhāgavata teaches that real religion, Bhāgavata-dharma. And Bhāgavata declares in the beginning that "All cheating type of religious system is rejected, kicked out." Projjhita. Projjhita means just like you wash your floor or sweep your floor and collect the dust and throw it away, similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the unwanted so-called religious system, they have been collected and thrown away. Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is only one religious system, which is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā in the last chapter, Eighteenth Chapter, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we accept this principle, then we enter into the Bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise there is no entrance in the Bhāgavata-dharma.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Pradyumna: What does that mean in relation to the occupation?
Prabhupāda: Expert means whatever he is doing, he must do it very nicely That's all. Suppose you are sweeping this room. You can do it very nicely, to your best knowledge. That is expert. The people will say, "Oh, you have very nicely done." Any work you do, do it very nicely. That is expert. Don't do it haphazardly. To your best talent, to your best capacity, try to finish it very nicely, whatever it may be. You are entrusted with some work. Do it nicely. That is expert. If you think that you are unable to do that work, then whatever work you can do, you take. But do it nicely. That is expert. Don't imitate. "Oh, I have no capacity to work in that way, but I want to imitate. Oh, he is doing that. I shall do that." Don't do that. That is not expert. You take up what you can do very nicely and do it nicely. We have so many works. Kṛṣṇa is not that He is static. He is dynamic force. Just like Arjuna, he was not a Vedantist, he was not a brāhmaṇa, he was not a sannyāsī. He was householder. He was military man. But he knew his business, how to do it nicely. So you do your business nicely. That is expert.
Prabhupāda: She likes this... (microphone noise) But also marriage problem, one must have a choice. So if we force something, that is not (chuckling) good. At least, in your country it is not... Of course, in your country, the husband...the boys and girls are, I mean to say, not major, whatever the parents force, that is another thing. When the boys and girls are grown up, it is not possible. Just like in India, there was svayaṁvara. Svayaṁvara means the girl will select her own bridegroom. That was allowed to princess. Princess, highly qualified princess. So the father would make a challenge, that "This is the condition. One who can fulfill this condition, I'll offer my daughter to him." So this was generally amongst the princes. So there was great fight. (laughs) Just like Arjuna. Arjuna married Draupadī. You know the condition? Her father made condition: there was a fish on the ceiling and one wheel was circling. So one has to pierce the eyes of the fish through the hole of the circle. And he cannot see directly. He has to see down. There is a reflection in waterpot. In this way, he had to pierce. (laughs) "In this way, he has to fix, and in one stroke the eye will be pierced. One who is successful, my daughter is for him." So nobody could, except only Arjuna. He was such expert bowman that he... Similarly, Lord Rāmacandra also made... In the palace there was a big bow. It was all hardened, made of iron. So long standing it was there. So one day, Sītā was sweeping the floor, and with her left hand she pushed the bow. It was very heavy. Nobody could... It was very weighty, heavy. And with her left hand she pushed it. So her father said, "Oh, this is wonderful girl. She can lift this. Nobody can lift it and with her left hand she pushed it? Oh, then my son-in-law will be he who can break this." (laughter) So he made a challenge that anyone, any prince, who will come and break this bow, he'll be my son-in-law.
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Some of them.
Allen Ginsberg: Well it's... The chimneysweeper is the little boy who has to go into a chimney to sweep out the soot. And the man who hired the chimneysweeper cut off all his hair, and he had beautiful hair, so his friend told him, "Never mind because when your hair is gone you know that the soot cannot spoil your pretty white hair." So if you have no hair you don't have to worry what will happen to your hair, which is a very Vaiṣṇava doctrine also.
Devotee: Excuse me, Prabhupāda, it's five to eleven now.
Allen Ginsberg: Ok. We'd better let everybody retire.
Kīrtanānanda: Here, there's a little bit of food coming.
Devotee: Ah, prasādam.
Allen Ginsberg: Oh, it's a Gnostic doctrine, if it's not Vaiṣṇava.
Prabhupāda: Come on. You come, Mr. Ginsberg, take. First of all, you take. You take.
Allen Ginsberg: Thank you.
Prabhupāda: Take more.
Allen Ginsberg: I have something. (end)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What did the people say when they saw that?
Prabhupāda: Then... That was... Caitanya Mahāprabhu already adored, He was. So, there is... Rathayātrā car festival, and Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Before the Rathayātrā festival, the system is Jagannātha goes from the temple to another place about two miles away. There is a big temple there also which is called Jagannātha Aunt's(?) house, Mahiṣī badi. So He stays there for eight days. Just like we make program in San Francisco to reside on seaside. So that temple was to be washed. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do it by His personal supervision. So all the devotees... And He will check how much dust you have recovered, and then you shall be rewarded. Otherwise, it should be understood that you have not labored nicely. (chuckles) So He'll sweep over the whole temple nicely and wash the ceilings and walls and everything so clearly. And He'll see in this way if there is any sand. If there is, "Oh, it is not washed." That means He would engage everyone. Then after washing, then call for prasādam and distribute Himself. This is called Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Actually, whatever He was doing, they were washing, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa," chanting. That's all.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. Why... the same language, the same language.
Dr. Weir: Well you won't get very far in any form of philosophy...
Mensa Member: (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: But the consciousness in which something is done denotes it. For instance, I could be sweeping the street. Someone would think, "Ah, I'm just a material street sweeper." But if I'm doing it for Kṛṣṇa it's a transcendental activity, it's a spiritual activity, not a material activity.
Dr. Weir: Ah, yes, but I mean, then you have a, if somebody else who's sweeping faster and better, you say that he's greater spiritually even if he's doing it...
Śyāmasundara: No.
Prabhupāda: No, the purpose must be spiritual, the purpose must be for Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: So if we're speaking about Kṛṣṇa then our words become spiritual.
Dr. Weir: Yes, but I think if you're talking about spiritual things you mustn't try and quantify it.
Prabhupāda: Spiritual means it has no material qualification. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guest (2): (aside) Could I ask a couple of questions now?
Devotee: Please. Yes.
Guest (2): Swami, please, I don't want to interrupt. I want to try and ask you a few questions (indistinct). I'm with (indistinct). Swami, what do you think accounts for the..., your popularity, popularity of the..., the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement sweeping America?
Prabhupāda: Because it is not due to my personality. I am presenting the truth as it is. It will appeal. Just like if you prepare some foodstuff with nice ingredients, it will be appealing to everyone, and if you prepare something obnoxious, it may be appealing to a certain section, not to all.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Karandhara: The Russian scientists are very proud in their working, and they're atheistical. But still they're not able to produce enough food. Every year, there's not enough food.
Prabhupāda: No. There's not enough food. Yes. I have experienced it. You cannot get food as you like. What government supplies, you have to accept. That's all. And that is rubbish, all rubbish. Generally, they supply meat. No fruit, no vegetable, no rice, no, nothing. You cannot get. You simply eat meat. That's all. And milk is available. This is their arrangement. And in all store, lines. You have to ask, even if you want to take meat only, you cannot go and immediately purchase. You have to wait for three hours, control. This is their position. No bank. No motor car. No taxicab. Simply... There are simply symbolic. And people are poverty-stricken so much that one taxi driver, he was trying to cheat us. They have no sufficient money. So they saw us, that: "Here is a foreigner, Indian and American. Let me cheat." This is their position. Just like India. India, being poverty-stricken, they also cheat. Of course, cheating is a disease. But especially those who are poverty-stricken, generally, they cheat, they steal. No character. And all women are engaged for sweeping, fat, fat women.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: How he has left for some service.
Guru dāsa: Maybe. I can inquire.
Prabhupāda: No. There is no... Why you should go? Let them do their own work.
Guru dāsa: Yes.
Devotee: I can sweep over here?
Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes. Why not?
Guru dāsa: Next month is again rental, rent time. I paid him six months in advance previously. So it would go to February. Because I knew that the Śaivite was changing, so I wanted to do like that. Next month is again, March 1st, payment...
Prabhupāda: But whenever you give money, you must take receipt in this printed.
Guru dāsa: Yes. Printed receipt.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Printed form.
Prabhupāda: So where is equal rights? Even in Russia, there is managerial class and laborer class. Where are equal rights? Why there are managers? Yes. I have seen it. The managerial class and the laborer class. So where is equality? Why the managerial class? You know that? There must be required. The old women, they are sweeping the street. Why not Mr. Lenin come and sweep the street? Why he is sitting in a big palace and the poor woman has been engaged to sweep the street? Where is equality? What advancement they have made? We are following opiate. They are following opiate, Lenin's rascal's philosophy. That's all. That is also opiate. But where is equality? That is also opiate. You are advocating equality, but where there is a man manager and another man is working. So why you are accepting this nonsense philosophy being opiated by rascal Lenin?
Haihaya: They measure everything by the type of work.
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter. If I become manager, I will pay for that. Suppose there is work as a... Would you like to work sweep the street or become manager? What shall I say? "No, no, I shall become manager." Why this mentality? Why he does not accept, "Yes, I shall sweep"?
Haihaya: Yes, but the point is that equal right is...
Prabhupāda: Where is equal right?
Haihaya: The same possibilities of education to everyone.
Prabhupāda: No, no. Where is equal right? That is also with the capitalists also. The same thing, we divide. We divide that "This is brāhmaṇa, this is kṣatriya, this is vaiśya, this is śūdra." We also divide, and you also divide. Then where is the advancement in philosophy?
Haihaya: Because they think that capitalists, they don't give the same possibilities to earn...
Prabhupāda: They think, but we see practically: Why there is difference between this manager and the laborer class? Will the dictator, the manager will take the same salary as the sweeper is taking? Why there is difference? Why the manager is given more preference for living condition? Where is equality? First of all show me. Simply talking will not do.
Haihaya: Śrīla Prabhupāda, they said that equality came by... No, it's not equal, but they must give the same possibilities to everyone.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So that everyone is giving. We also give. "Never mind you are śūdra. You become brāhmaṇa. Come on. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious." That we also are giving. We don't deny, "Oh, you are śūdra, you cannot become a brāhmaṇa." We don't say that. He can also become brāhmaṇa. "Come on. You learn how to become brāhmaṇa." That's all. That... The point is this equality, there cannot be. First point is this. This is nonsense. But everyone should be given the chance to occupy the best position. That is in our philosophy also. But unequality there must remain. You cannot make equality. It is not possible. That is nonsense. In your country there is no equality. Why an old man—I have seen it—she is sweeping the street? So old woman, she should have taken rest, but she is engaged for sweeping the street. And a young man, he is becoming dictator. Where is the equality? She should have given rest, but she is obliged to work. And another young man, he is a manager. Why? Why this inequality? Where is equality? First of all settle up how you can make equal. That you cannot do. Then you are talking nonsense, "equality." It is not possible.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Brahmānanda: I was seeing in one of these Time magazines. On the rear page they're advertising a cigarette that is especially meant for women. It's a slimmer size. The larger size is for the men; the slimmer size is for the women. And the title of the advertisement, they show one picture of a woman cleaner, sweeper. She is cleaning the floors. This picture was taken in the 1920's. It was taken in Washington D.C. because in the background they show the capitol building is there in Washington D.C. So then they have a picture of a modern woman. She's sitting there looking very nice. And they say that "You've come a long way, baby." (laughter) Whereas in the 1920's you were sweeping the floors and now you're sitting on a throne.
Prabhupāda: "So you accept this cigarette."
Brahmānanda: Yes. "This cigarette is meant just for you to show that you're superior."
Prabhupāda: I think there was some objection, woman taking this objection, why woman's idol should be displayed in the shopkeeper's show windows.
Brahmānanda: The mannequins.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There was some protest. Generally, they keep the dolls of woman, beautiful woman. So there was some protest.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very lively.
Jayapatāka: (break) ...twenty years, they've never swept the street.
Prabhupāda: Twenty thousand?
Jayapatāka: Something like that. "Are sweeping the street." But only a few thousand of that are actually doing it. There's a big scandal.
Prabhupāda: Dishonest. They are producing only dishonest men. (break) ...get a boat like this? No.
Jayapatāka: Not a dinghy. This is bigger than.... The dinghy is not suitable for rough water.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How big is your boat? As big as that...
Jayapatāka: Forty feet. (break) ...boats in the back about two-thirds that size.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Jayapatāka: Those two big wooden boats back there? About two-third that size but not the same exact shape. Those are also big dinghies. (break) ...sagara, Midnapur, Diamond Harbor, that area, where...
Prabhupāda: Those places are good places for preaching.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can get many... I think we could get many, many men that way.
Prabhupāda: The children, they are enjoying. In the morning they are... That is wanted.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they're in ecstasy.
Bhavānanda: All day they enjoy. When they are sweeping the road, they don't know that there's difference between work and play.
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Bhavānanda: To them, sweeping the road is their play. They love it.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These children are much more hard working than the children in America. Like these few American boys that are here, they cannot compare with these Bengali boys.
Prabhupāda: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Their service attitude is much, much better. I think we should...
Prabhupāda: By association they will be also.
Prabhupāda: Why? Nothing. Let them come and see. That's all.
Yaśodānandana: (break) Our Deity is not beggar.
Prabhupāda: No. He is bestower. He gives everything. If anyone voluntary gives, that's all right. You should not ask. (break) ...instead of doing this. (Bengali) He said like that. "By showing the Deity to earn livelihood is condemned. Better become a sweeper, municipal sweeper, and sweep the road and earn money." He said like that. That is better, honorable. He is working and getting money, instead of making a good show of Deity and earn money. This is not required. If you want to earn money, go, work according to your capacity and earn money. Don't cheat people. That is Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.
Pañcadraviḍa: There was a big fight or difference of opinion, wasn't there?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Pañcadraviḍa: There was trouble in Nabadwip, wasn't there, when he advised the pilgrims not to pay money to go into the temples?
Prabhupāda: Yes. He was fight against it. All, Nabadwip, Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana is not so... But still, they have got rate. One thing, it is a question of heart, that a man should come and visit the temple—he must give something. Why he is to be asked? Voluntarily he should give that.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Śrīla Prabhupāda was pointing out that at seven o'clock in the morning you'll see everyone in the liquor stores, but they don't organize them to come and clean. You were mentioning that everyone is lining up to buy liquor in the morning with their money from the government. They don't work. But instead the government should have them working cleaning the parks, but they are not expert managers. (break) ...in the early hours the people are sweeping the streets, cleaning.
Devotee (1): People in America, they don't care, they don't care to even walk five steps to drop a paper in a can.
Makhanlāl: In the Upadeśāmṛta, in the eleventh verse, it says that if one takes his bath even once in the Rādhākuṇḍa he immediately awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa. I was wondering, some of those who have had the opportunity to take bath in Rādhākuṇḍa, it seems though it may take some time. I was wondering, is that because we don't see time in the proper perspective?
Prabhupāda: Why do you go to Rādhākuṇḍa? Unless there is some awakening of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break)
Devotee (1): ...he's a rich man's son, but he's walking without shoes just like a sādhu. (break)
Satsvarūpa: ...was the president of Ann Arbor temple. I told him what you were thinking. You think you really want to go to Ann Arbor?
Prabhupāda: Not necessary.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Devotee (2): You cannot buy a devotee.
Prabhupāda: That is not possible.
Devotee (2): You can buy someone to sweep the floor, but you cannot buy a preacher.
Prabhupāda: No, that is not possible. So so long we remain devotees, our movement will go, without any check.
Devotee (2): Devotees should take over the world.
Prabhupāda: Yeah, that is... That is good for the world.
Devotee (2): Yes.
Prabhupāda: If devotees take up the whole world for management, then everyone will be happy. It is no doubt it. Kṛṣṇa wants that. He wanted the Pāṇḍavas should be in charge of the government. Therefore He took part in the fighting. "Yes, you should be the... All the Kauravas should be killed, and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira installed." That is the dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). He wants everything goes very smoothly and people become God conscious. So their life be successful. That is Kṛṣṇa's plan. That, "These rascal misleading and therefore... the (indistinct) the human life has been spoiled." Therefore I was talking about the "What is the meaning of the independence, (indistinct)?" ? The life is spoiled. And they will spoil their life and become next life a dog, and this big, big building, with stair, that's all. What the big buildings will do benefit to these people who is going to be a dog next life? Taking as a theory, that those who have constructed this big, big building and next life they're going to be a dog.
Ali: The way I look at it, it's better to talk about God than to talk about...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is good. One must be serious, that we are talking about God, so what is my God realization? That is nice. Otherwise, if I go on life after life talking about God and there is no God realization... That is going on. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
- dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
- viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
- notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
- śrama eva hi kevalam
- (SB 1.2.8)
We are talking of God, but instead of loving God, we are loving this body. So that is not practical. That is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. If one does not become enthused to love God, then simply talking about God is a waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. That is going on all over the world. Somebody's Hindu, somebody's Christian, somebody's Muhammadan, they are going to the church, they are going to the mosque, they are going to the temple, everything is going on, but when you ask whether you love God or dog, he'll say, "I love dog." Practically we see. Everyone is keeping a dog, very favorite pet. And in church, they'll talk of God, but practically they love the dog. Is it not? This is going on, in the name of religion, that's all. Therefore Bhāgavata says it is simply waste of time. What is the use of talking God? If by talking of God perpetually you are developing your love for dog, then what is the use? Śrama eva hi kevalam. It is simply waste of time. These are all discussed. Regularly going to the church, regularly going to the mosque or temple, but the love is for material things, not for God. How I get money, how I get motorcar, how I get dog, how I get nice wife, how I get nice—the love is here. The example is given, just like a vulture. The vulture goes very, very high, four miles high, five miles. But his business is to find out where there is a corpse, where there is a corpse. Very highly elevated, but business is to find out a dead body. And as soon as he finds it... (hand motion indicating sweeping down) So this is going on. Very religious, very regularly performing religious ceremonies, rituals, but the business is where is a corpse. "Come on, here is some sense gratification." This is going on. If you are talking of God, then you must love God. That is progress. But there is no love of God, there is love of something else, so what is the use of talking about. Hm? What do you think? Is it not waste of time?
Prabhupāda: They are dancing on snake or what?
Hari-śauri: Just dancing.
Prabhupāda: For collecting few dry leaves, three, four servants are engaged.
Hari-śauri: More than that. They have about, they must have about twenty men around here sweeping the path.
Prabhupāda: Twenty?
Hari-śauri: When we were here the other morning at least a dozen or so walked past, and there were others working elsewhere, and they were all sweeping.
Prabhupāda: So there are many servants. What is their general payment?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: About eight hundred rupees per month.
Prabhupāda: Hundred dollars. What is the average expenditure here?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Depends on how one lives; it is quite expensive. Eight thousand, ten thousand rupees per month.
Prabhupāda: For rent?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: No. Just for food, it is per head, simple devotee food, per person, about five hundred rupees per month.
Prabhupāda: Oh. In India... India, two hundred rupees per month. And it has increased very recently. In 1930, we were paying servant twelve to fourteen rupees per month, and they were satisfied. With food, six rupees. And without food, twelve rupees, fourteen.
Jagadīśa: Some of the younger boys chant six or eight rounds instead of sixteen. They chant that much during that time and then they study. Then they attend the temple program, guru-pūjā and Bhāgavatam class. And then after that, they go upstairs, wash their clothes and clean the āśrama. That takes them about an hour, to wash their clothes and sweep and cleanse the floor, cleanse the shower room, wash their clothes...
Prabhupāda: Now, when they chant the mantras?
Jagadīśa: Brahma-saṁhitā?
Prabhupāda: Or any...
Jagadīśa: Any mantras. At... Right now they're chanting from nine until 9:30 in the morning with Yaśodānandana Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Not in the, early in the morning?
Yaśodānandana: In the early morning I take some of the boys in the Deity room between 5:30 and six the boys and the Deities.
Prabhupāda: Deity means temple.
Jagadīśa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Deity? What do you mean, "the Deity room"?
Yaśodānandana: Within the Deity room, when they are bathing the Deities, we are offering the prayers to the Deities, the Brahma-saṁhitā and Īśopaniṣad.
Prabhupāda: Why? Why? Deity room? Within the Deity room there is no need of chanting. Who told you this? There is no need. Eh? Within the Deity room? You told?
Pradyumna: No.
Jagadīśa: "But such tactics are a gross violation of fundamental human and constitutional rights are to go without saying. In cases where victims have instigated charges of kidnapping against parents and deprogrammers, grand juries have thus far refused to issue indictments apparently because the work is done at the behest of parents or other relatives and ostensibly for the good of the victim. The situation which has prompted me to communicate with members of the professional psychiatric community involves sweeping implications of a very important legal case which will be going to trial sometime in the late winter or early spring. Some background of the case may be helpful here." Then he explains about the case. Anyway, it's very nicely written. And he's mostly trying to expose that the psychiatrists have to take an objective standpoint. Otherwise, there are some psychiatrists who are atheistic and they are contending that any religious experience or so-called religious consciousness is a...
Prabhupāda: Artificial dependence.
Jagadīśa: ...artificial dependence, yeah. So this is...
Prabhupāda: They say that there is a tissue in the brain, they disturb with this religious idea. They say like that. And if that tissue is operated then there will be no more religion. They can do that. With a brain operation he'll forget willfully. These rascal, so-called scientists, they can do anything.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: You take one paper, that black one there.
Jagadīśa: Do you want to take rest, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No.
Hari-śauri: (to child) Finished? It's too hot? He can't eat the samosa. It's too hot. He can't eat the samosa. It's too hot.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So is there any remaining in...?
Hari-śauri: Puffed rice is finished. But he can't eat the samosa.
Prabhupāda: So you can eat. He can take this thing. Hand. Keep that paper and apply it in service. (sweeping noise) Yes. (sounds of door opening, closing, train starts again) The bathroom is free?
Hari-śauri: Yes. (break)
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is real religion. Religion cannot be "your religion" and "our religion."
Rāmeśvara: Yes. They were saying in essence that only the Jew or the Christian, he can represent God. Hare Kṛṣṇa, he does not represent God.
Prabhupāda: Now let us talk why he cannot or why you are the only. First of all you have to ascertain what is religion. Then it will be decided who has got the stock. Let the Christian or the Jews answer this question: What is religion?
Rāmeśvara: They cannot answer.
Prabhupāda: Then you have no religion.
Prabhupāda: These things were not going nicely. Therefore gradually it broke. But if things are going nicely, people will be happy. They will not revolt. You have to keep the citizens satisfied in all respects. You must know the necessity how people are satisfied. You have to arrange the government in that way. Then there will be no revolution. Mass of people, if they are satisfied, they will not revolt. But they do not know the process. The "demoncracy," the common man is allowed to vote. He has no knowledge and he's voting. This is most condemned process. Camara-bhangi, a sweeper, he is voted to become Minister of Defense. His business is to cleanse the street, and now he's voted to become because he has got number of votes. So many bhangis, they vote, "Yes, he is our leader. He should be Defense Minister." You have to do that. This is democracy. His business is to sweep, and he's voted a defense minister.
Hari-śauri: But in, say in America, they argue that everybody's educated now. In America...
Prabhupāda: What educated? Educated means hippies. That's all. This is their education. They do not know what is meant by education. Education... University student was informed that "Next birth you may become a dog," so he said, "What is the wrong there?" This is education. Is that education, that he agrees to become a dog very happily? There is no education. Simply waste of time.
Prabhupāda: Girls should be completely separated from the very beginning. They are very dangerous.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we're... I thought there were girls in Vṛndāvana now. They said that they're going to have the girls' gurukula behind the boys' gurukula. Gopāla was talking about that.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. No girls.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It should be in another city or somewhere else.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They should be taught how to sweep, how to stitch...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Clean.
Prabhupāda: ...clean, cook, to be faithful to the husband.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They don't require a big school.
Prabhupāda: No, no. That is mistake. They should be taught how to become obedient to the husband.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, you won't learn that in school.
Prabhupāda: Little education, they can...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. That they can get at home also.
Prabhupāda: They should be stopped, this practice of prostitution. This is a very bad system in Europe and America. The boys and girls, they are educated-coeducation. From the very beginning of their life they become prostitutes. And they encourage.
Bhavānanda: People are always saying "Work is worship." Actually they're almost right. Work for Kṛṣṇa is worship. I know that's why they're attracted to Māyāpur temple. Because there's so much work going on, people are attracted: "Why these people are so happy while they're working?" Especially the gurukula boys, sweeping the road hard as anything, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa while they're sweeping.
Prabhupāda: What about my house?
Bhavānanda: That money has just been received, and the plans have arrived from Delhi, but we are wanting an architect in Calcutta, competent architect to... Because we don't want to have anything go wrong in the middle. Ram Nrisinghatar(?) was saying that Mistri is interested in doing Prabhupāda's house. The house and gorgeous garden we have, with fountains and terraces and walkways, all around, before and behind the house, on either side, all enclosed and private.
Prabhupāda: Not yet begun?
Jayapatākā: They say there's no... Because we've just received the plan now from Saurabh, so the architect said there's no difficulty. Now he thinks we can begin right through the rainy season. We can work through the rainy season. There's no difficulty for that. If it was a big building, then in the rainy season we could not build.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How long it will take?
Bhavānanda: Six months.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By October, November.
Jayapatākā: (aside, discussion with Bhavānanda about building)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, I think you are tied to this planet by the love of your devotees.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Jayapatākā: He loves his devotees even more than his devotees love him.
Prabhupāda: All right. Then you shall begin. Jaya. (break) Daily or alternately, (makes bleating sound:) "Myaaaḥ, myaaḥ." And there is religious process that the head should be eastern side and the throat should be cut up. And when the animal dies, bifurcate, cleanse it and the skin and everything... And they have got cāpāṭi. Government subsidizes. So they cook at home the meat, and in market they purchase a cāpāṭi according to the family, one big cāpāṭi, two cāpāṭi. That's all. Our men who has eaten that cāpāṭi, they say it is very nice, very soft and digesting. Huge deserted country, but some stock, some spots, water. There are trees. They raise the cattle there. Eighty percent of the land, all desert. Or ninety percent. No, eighty. Say seventy-five. And because they have got now money, they are having big, big buildings, foreign cars, roads in the air, developing. And they're importing at any cost. From Bombay the best mango they are importing at any cost.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Yes, the analogy concerning the spiritual body of the Sat-Guru is acceptable, but not in the material sense. In the material world, the gold box and the gold plated box may be different in price, but in spiritual world there is no such distinction. There the gold box and the gold plated box are the same. In material world there is difference between a sweeper and a cooker; in the spiritual world a person who sweeps the Temple and a person who worships in the Temple are all the same. That is absolute knowledge.
1969 Correspondence
Regarding Citsukhananda, he needn't bother at present to translate into Spanish. Unless we have got branches in some country where the Spanish language is important, he should not divert his attention. Regarding the little boy named Jimmy and his mother, the mother may do work; just like sweeping, cleansing the temple, collecting flowers, making garlands, washing dishes, etc. The boy should be trained to be a nice brahmacari, but it is risky to keep a boy of this age away from the public schools. In your country the law is very strict to send such minor children to school. The best thing will be to send him to New Vrindaban to be taken taken care of by Kirtanananda, Ranadhira, Satyabhama, Syama Dasi and Paramananda. They are already taking care of some young boys who are there. They are trying to develop a school of our ideal in that place. So after some time, if the mother sticks to our principles, the child may be sent to New Vrindaban and she can remain in the temple and gradually be initiated. In the meantime, encourage her to read our literature and books, and be engaged in some service as above mentioned.
1972 Correspondence
I am very, very pleased with your program to infiltrate the schools and colleges, especially by introducing our books and classes in Krishna Yoga. I say one thing, if you can somehow or other turn all of these students and hippies, or even a portion of them to Krishna Consciousness, then this Movement will sweep across the world and save it from the present-day precarious condition when everything has become so much degraded. If many of their student class take up this Movement, your country's government will help, and if they help, there is immense potency for spreading to all other places. Now you push very cool-headedly and tactfully on this program of reaching and convincing the student-class with our books and philosophy, and that will be your success of life and for that Krishna will very quickly reveal Himself to such sincere worker face-to-face, you may know it for certain.
You remain the beautiful maid servant of Krishna. That is your business, and you should dress yourself always very nicely so that Krishna by seeing you will be pleased. Don't try to be ugly before Krishna. Krishna does not like ugly gopis. We are transcendental artists, musicians, writers, so everything should be beautiful for Krishna. After all we are members of Krishna's family, just like Krishna had 16,000 wives and each wife has thousands of servants and maid-servants and all of them are very beautiful for serving Krishna and His Queens. So the servants of the gopis and queens cannot be ugly, they are as beautiful as the queens. In the Vaikuntha world there is no need of serving anything because everything is already clean and beautiful. It is so clean that just like a mirror when the maid-servants would sweep the floor they could see the reflections of their bodies. So remain always compact in Vaikuntha yajna, simply by thinking of the Glories of the Lord. Don't try to do anything artificially. That is sahajiya, which means a class of men that take everything very cheap. You want to perform sacrifice so continuously read our Vedic scriptures and perform the Vaikuntha yajna.
| Page Title: | Sweep |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 16 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=7, CC=4, OB=1, Lec=24, Con=25, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 66 |