Some way or other you just engage yourself in some activities so that it can remind you about Kṛṣṇa. That is the process. Therefore those who are elevated devotees, they, in everything, they remember Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection. (Bengali) Here is a light. A perfect devotee sees the light, not the light as it is, but he sees some relationship with Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa in the light. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā also, that prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the taste of the water." Now the..., when you are thirsty you want water. You feel some nice taste in the water by which your thirst is satisfied, "Yes, now I am satisfied." So Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that taste." Similarly He says prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "The light in the sun, in the moon, that I amthat light." In this way He has described. So when one is highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in everything, in every action and every phenomenon he will see only Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Thirst (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Sometimes you might have seen—not here, in India we have seen several times—that exactly there is a vast water, and it is reflecting, the reflection. That is called mirage. There is not a drop of water, but the animal, when he is thirsty he..., it thinks that "There is water." He jumps into the desert and the water is going ahead, going ahed, and he is running after it and then dying. So this illusion, that "I am this body." So we are after this sense gratification. Body means the senses. So that is mirage, illusion. Just like the animal is running after water in the desert.
In the desert or in very scorching heat, summer season, you can find before your car there is water, reflection. So this is called illusion. There is no water, but it appears there is vast mass of water. The animals are bewildered. They are thirsty, they go to the desert to take water. Where is water in the desert? This is called illusion. So mistake, to commit mistake, to become illusioned, and to the propensity of cheating. Every man is imperfect, but he is talking just like perfect.
In the material world, your name and you person, they are two different things. That is difference between God and you. So therefore, by chanting God's name, you actually contact with God. But in the material world that is not possible. Suppose I am thirsty, I want water. If I chant "water, water," it will not act. But in the case of chanting the holy name of God, it is as good as to associate with God. Try to understand. This is the absolute and relative relationship.
This is nāma-aparādha, to consider that the name is different from the person. As we have got experience in the material world that the name is different from the substance. If you want to drink water, simply if you chant "water, water, water," your thirst will not be satisfied. But in spiritual world, the absolute world, the name and the person is the same. Otherwise, why we stress so much on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa name? Not we, it is in the śāstra. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). This is shastric.
Reflection of the sunlight on the desert appears like water. Where is water there? There is no water. The animal, thirsty animal, is after the mirage. "Oh, here is water. I'll be satisfied." Similarly we are hankering after, running after the mirage. There is no peace, there is no happiness. Therefore we have to divert our attention back to Godhead. Don't run after this mirage. Just turn back to Godhead, back to Kṛṣṇa. That is our propaganda.
Now, this watch, this name of this watch... This name of this article is "watch." Now, "watch" and the thing, watch, there is difference. If I want to see watch and if I sound, "Watch, watch, watch," no, my purpose of watch—seeing will not serve. I want the actual substance, which is watch. If I am thirsty, if I simply speak of "Water, water, water," my thirst will not be quenched. I want actual water. If we want something else for my enjoyment, the name will not do, because nothing in this... This is dual world. This world is of duality.
Just like if I am thirsty, I want water, so the water must come to me. If I simply chant, "Water, water, water," that will not be effective, because it is relative world. But in the transcendental world, Kṛṣṇa is the name of God and it is God also. So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you are directly in contact with God. This is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa, directly in contact.
The Māyāvādī philosopher, whenever they think of form they think in terms of his own form. That is their defect. Therefore it is said in the Bhāgavata, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma is not ordinary nāma, name. Nāma means name. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma is transcendental, absolute. There is no difference between the name and person and object. Here, there is difference. The name and the object is different. Water and the name "water" and the substance water—different. I cannot satisfy my thirst simply by chanting "water, water." But by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, I can realize God. That is the difference.
Here in the material world, if you want.... You are thirsty. If you want water, if you simply chant, "Water water water," that will not satisfy you. You require water, the fact. But spiritually, when you chant Kṛṣṇa, you relish Kṛṣṇa. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. That is because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. So as we advance in realization, then we can understand that everything is Kṛṣṇa. That is described here. Brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam. Because everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy.
Why water is drunk by all living entities. The birds, the beasts, the man, human being, everyone drinks water. Therefore water is needed so much. And Kṛṣṇa has stocked water so much. You see? Water is needed so much. For agriculture, for washing, for drinking. So if one does not get a glass of water in due time he dies. That experience one has got in the war field. How much valuable is water they can understand. In fighting when they become thirsty and there is no water they die. So if you have learned this philosophy, whenever you drink water you see Kṛṣṇa. And when do you not drink water? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ.
There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa who is in His supreme abode and the name Kṛṣṇa which you are chanting. That is the same. There is no difference. This is absolute conception. Whereas if I am thirsty and if I call the name of water, "Water, water, water," I require the substance water actually. Simply by calling "water" will not do. That is the difference between matter and spirit.
Raso 'ham. Rasa means the taste, or the attractive taste. Just like when you eat sweetmeat or any, any eatables, there is some nice taste for which you eat. Or you drink water. You are thirsty; you want water. But there is a good taste in the water. Otherwise, how you quench your thirst? There is taste. Everyone knows. So Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "Any liquid thing, the taste, which attracts you, that is I am." Even you are a drunkard, you are fond of tasting wine, I should recommend that you simply think that "This taste of wine is Kṛṣṇa." That will make a yogi of you. That will make you the greatest yogi.
Holy name means the name is nondifferent from the substance. Here if you become thirsty, you want water, the substance. If you simply chant "water, water, water," it will not act. But holy name means if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you are associating with Kṛṣṇa personally. That is holy name. Here the name is contaminated, whatever name you... But God's name, Kṛṣṇa's name, is holy name. That is nondifferent from God. Otherwise, don't you see, they are chanting "Kṛṣṇa." If Kṛṣṇa name is not Kṛṣṇa, how they are making advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. That is the holy name.
Janārdana: The temple area used to be the front part.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Janārdana: The front part...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Janārdana: ...of this area used to be the temple area.
Prabhupāda: Nice. If this... The only difficulty is it is upstair. That doesn't matter. Those who are interested to come, even upstairs they will come. Those who are not interested, even in the downstairs they will not come. Those who are after water, they will find out water. "Where there is a will, there is a way." But those who are not thirsty, for them... How many students are coming per week?
Janārdana: Many.
Prabhupāda: In each meeting?
Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa by your daily experience. Kṛṣṇa says that "When you drink water and when you quench your thirst, when you feel the nice taste of water, that taste I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So you can understand Kṛṣṇa daily as soon as you drink water. Why one should say that there is no God? You just try to appreciate God according to the prescription given by God. Then you'll understand.
Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa is describing how you become Kṛṣṇa conscious fully, in every step of your life. This verse we have been discussing last day, that raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Now, this glass of water, the taste, the juice of this water, is Kṛṣṇa. You cannot, when you are thirsty..., this water given by God; there is no other replacement. If somebody offers me, "Instead of water, you drink gold," no, this water is required. The taste of water is so nice that when I am thirsty, I require water. No manufacturer can create this taste of the water. Therefore, which is not possible to produce by any human being, that is God's.
Just like if you are thirsty, you feel: "Where is water? Where is water? Where is water?" That is called tṛṣṇa. So nirvṛtta-tarṣaiḥ means one who has finished all hankering for material enjoyment. He's called nirvṛtta-tṛṣṇa. Nirvṛtta means finished. And tṛṣṇa means hankering. The same thing is described in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Kāṅkṣati. Kāṅkṣati means if I hanker, that means still I am hungry or thirsty. But there is a position, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) position, by brahma-jijñāsā, that we can get relief of these two activities, hankering and lamenting.
Now, suppose we are dancing here, and if we understand that immediately death will take place, then we shall not be able to enjoy the dancing. Immediately the anxiety will come. So here, ānanda, there is no ānanda. Why there is ānanda? This body is subjected to so many miserable condition of life. We become hungry, we become thirsty, there is death, there is fearfulness, there is enemy—so many things. If you study analytically that this body is simply meant for suffering, so where is ānanda? There is no ānanda; there is no complete knowledge; there is no eternity.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
When we eat something, we taste its rasa, the juice. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Kaunteya, My dear Arjuna, I am the taste of the water." Everyone, when he's thirsty, he wants, "Give me water, give me water." Because there is a taste in the water which will immediately quench your thirst. So we enjoy everything because there is some taste. That is called rasa. Anything we do. Just like a man, he's working very hard day and night. What for? For maintaining his family, his children and wife. So unless there is some rasa, some taste, he cannot work so hard day and night.
Omnipotency means in everything relating to Kṛṣṇa has the same potency. Just like here in this material world the..., if you want water, you are thirsty, if you want water, then this water, simply calling, simply saying repeatedly, "water, water, water, water, water," will not satisfy your thirst. Because this word has not the same potency as water itself. You require the water as it is. Then your thirst will be satisfied. But in the transcendental, in the absolute world, there is no such difference. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa's words and Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes—everything is Kṛṣṇa.
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was very much thirsty and hungry, and because he was king, he can order anyone, royal order, so he entered the cottage and asked the hermitage, that muni, that "Please give me something to eat. I am very hungry," or "Give me some drinking water." But he was in meditation. By chance he could not hear Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was silent. But because he was king, king, royal power, he little became agitated, although he was very nice king, "Oh, he is disordering, er, disobeying my orders?" then he became disgusted. And there was a dead serpent lying there. So he took that dead serpent and put it on the neck of the hermitage and went away.
The currents also described. The first current is hunger. The second current is thirst. Similarly another current, janma mṛtyu, birth, death, old age. These are all currents. These are different currents of the material nature. We become hungry, we become thirsty. We become overwhelmed with regret, śoka moha, illusion, then birth, death, so many currents. We are being carried away. I am spirit soul. I am put into the material ocean, and the currents, currents are carried away. So here, if you be engaged, śṛṇvanti gāyanti abhīkṣṇaśaḥ, twenty-four hours, then the current, upāsanam, uparamam, the current will stop.
Just like you are on the ocean and you are thirsty. You are in the ocean, profuse water, but you cannot touch a drop. Nire kari vas namre kila peyas. Thirsty, you want water, but you are in the water, in the ocean. Now drink it. Similarly, if Kṛṣṇa does not desire, you may have ample things, everything there, but still the key is in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. Unless He opens it, you cannot get.
Here in the material world the name and the person whose name, that is different because it is material. If you want water, this water substance or water is different from the name water. You cannot quench your thirst simply by chanting "Water, water." That is not possible. Because it is material. But you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the significance of spiritual and material.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy, not even twelve years old. When he heard that his father was insulted... One muni, he was in meditation, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the forest, hunting. So he was very much thirsty. So in those days in the forest there were many hermitage. Saintly persons, sages used to live. So he entered one of them and asked for water. But the muni was great meditation. He could not hear him, receive the king. So he felt insulted, that "I asked water. This man is silent." So there was a dead snake; so out of anger he took the dead snakes and round, round wrapped him and went away.
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die within seven days. He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. The reason is that the king was in the forest, engaged in hunting, and when he became tired he went to the cottage of a sage and asked him for water. But the sage was absorbed in meditation, could not hear him, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja, being thirsty, became angry, and there was a dead snake. So he, out of negligence, he took the dead snake and wrapped over the neck of the meditating sage. This news was spread and his son, twelve years old only, he heard that his father was insulted. So immediately he cursed that this snake would bit him within seven days.
So this Parīkṣit Mahārāja was hunting, and when he became tired and thirsty he entered in the hermitage home of a sage. Because in those days in the jungles there were many hermitages. Those who wanted to live secluded life in the jungle, in the forest, they would have their home, very small cottage, and their means of living was milk and fruit. They would get fruits from the trees, and the kings would sometimes contribute some cows. So that was sufficient for them.
So this king, being tired, being thirsty, entered the home of a sage, and he was in meditation. So the king called him. Because he was king, so he is habituated to order. A king is not supposed to submit, although they submitted to great sages and brāhmaṇas. But generally, their spirit is ordering, commanding spirit. So he commanded, "Give me a glass of water. I am very thirsty." So that sage, who was in meditation, could not hear him. The king became little angry, that "I am your guest. I am king. I am asking you water, and you are not hearing me. You are in your meditation." So he became little disgusted, and there was a dead snake. So he took that dead snake and got it round about the neck of the sage and went away in disgust, that "This sage did not offer me even a glass of water."
So because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was king, he saw that there is negligence of this disciplinary action. "I became... I was king, and I was thirsty. I became his guest, I came..." Athiti. This guest is called athiti. Athiti means there are some guests who give notice before, prior to coming there, and some guests come without any notice. So the guest who comes without any notice, he's called athiti. So according to Hindu custom, the householder is to keep always some foodstuff for athiti guest.
So when Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw that "This sage, although he's sage, he's to be ideal man, he did not hear me. I am thirsty, I asked him water, and..." The injunction is, when you receive somebody, even if you are very poor man, you should offer the guests a comfortable seat and a glass of water. That is not expensive. You can offer anyone a seat: "Please come and sit down here and take a glass of water." And if you can provide, you can give him nice foodstuff, but even if you have got nothing at your home, this thing you can offer without any expenditure, without any botheration: to receive him, "Please come on, come here, sit down. Take a glass of water." That is the system still.
Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Rasa. Rasa means when you are thirsty, when you drink water, you taste something very nice to quench your thirst. So Kṛṣṇa has instructed that "To begin with, you can think of Me, aham, while you drink water." It is not difficult. Everyone can practice it, so easy thing. Everyone can practice it. Everyone drinks water, and the rasa, the taste, the nice taste, when you are thirsty, how it is palatable by drinking water. Without water, sometimes we die, and by getting little sip of water, we live. Water is so important.
Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, Kṛṣṇa's Deity is there, but still how can I see? How can I understand?" This is obstinate. That Kṛṣṇa is so kind, "All right, you see Me in the water, come on. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Why don't you see Me? You are seeing water and why you take water? For satisfying your thirst, and that quality of satisfying your thirst, I am," Kṛṣṇa says. So if you think of Kṛṣṇa when you become satisfied by drinking water, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, you will become one step advanced, immediately.
Just like in bright sunshine in the desert you will find that there is water. So the thirsty animal, they think there is water. They jump over it, and the animal runs after the water, and the water also goes away, goes away, goes away. Sometimes we have got also experience. In bright sunshine on the street we find exactly a shadow of water, but there is no water. Tejo-vāri-mṛt, amṛṣā. In the Bhāgavata it is stated: tejo-vāri-mṛt, amṛsā. Sometimes in the water we see land, and on land we can see water. This is called marīcikā, or mirage.
Just like the animal goes to the desert, and he sees mirage, a shadow of water in the desert. He is thirsty. He goes to the water, and the water goes again, farther away. And he jumps over, jumps over. In this way, being thirsty and in the hot sand, he dies. This is called māyā-marīcikā. Our struggle for existence is like that. We are thinking, "Let me go little farther, and we shall be happy." But actually, where is the water? There is no water in the desert. But those who are less intelligent, like animal, they seek happiness here in this material world. Just like the animal running after water in the desert. Māyā-marīcikā.
Just like mirage in the desert. Sometimes you see there is vast mass of water in the desert. The animal runs after the water, being thirsty, but there is no water. Therefore the animal dies. But human being should not be like the animal. They should raise their standard. They have got special consciousness. They can raise their standard of understanding by these literatures, Vedic literatures given by God. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, so he has given us the Vedic literature.
So to understand Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, to know about Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is like that. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). If you study just like here, analytical study of fire... Dyotanam, illumination; pacanam, digesting; pānam, increasing thirst. If you don't feel thirsty, that means the agni, or the fire element within the stomach, is not working. Agni-māndya. Māndya, the word comes from manda. Manda means slow. So the Ayurvedic treatment, they say it, agni-māndya. So when there is agni-māndya, there is medicine how to ignite the fire again.
So this is energy study. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "Apsu, in the water, the taste I am," because every one of us becomes thirsty and we take water. And actually it is so; the taste of water is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise who can give taste unless Kṛṣṇa is there? Now take. There are big, vast water in front of Bombay. Now change the taste. Then there is no need of acquiring water from here and there, bringing big, big pipes. No. You take and change the taste, salty taste, and making drinkable. No. That you cannot unless Kṛṣṇa does it. Therefore the taste is Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult to understand.
So this is analysis of water. So many things can be performed by water. Everything is being analytically studied. Kṣitir āp tejo marud vyoma. So... But one thing important in this verse is that tāpa apanodaḥ, refreshing, refreshing. When you are thirsty, you drink water. Immediately your thirst is satiated and you feel a fresh pleasure. So in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says that this qualification of the water, tāpa apanodaḥ...
If you want water, if you chant only "Water, water, water, water," you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word water. Therefore, simply by chanting "water, water," you cannot quench your thirst. You must have the substance water. That is material sound. Anything you take, simply by chanting the name, you will not get the thing. That is material.
Actually in the desert there is no water, but an animal, he sees that there is water in the desert, as we also see. But we are human being. We know in the desert there is no water, it is a reflection of the sunshine. But animal does not know. He's thirsty, he looks after the water in the desert. So this is the distinction between animal and human life.
The England is surrounded by water. Why don't you take water? No. Nire kari bas na me tilo piyas. "I'm living in water, but I'm dying of thirst." (laughter) These rascals' philosophy... Or in... I think in our childhood we read one book, a Moral Class book, said there was a story that shipwrecked, and they took the shelter of one boat, but some of them died of thirst because they could not drink water. So in the water they were living, but they died of thirst.
In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. He says that "I am the taste in the water." Who does not take water? Water is our life. So when you take water, quench your thirst, you can immediately thank God because that taste is God. So immediately you can remember, "O my dear Lord, You have created so nice thing, water. Oh, I am so thirsty. It is quenching my thirst. Thank You." Is it very difficult? But the nonsense, they will not do even this. They'll say, "Oh, God is dead." Therefore we are suffering. We are so ungrateful that we even do not give thanks. In the ordinary way, if somebody gives me a glass of water when I am thirsty—it is etiquette—I say, "Thank you." And God has given us so vast mass of water in the ocean, in the sea, in the sky. Without water we cannot live. There is no thanksgiving.
So this pa means working hard, pariśrama. And pha means foam, phenam. If you work very hard... You have seen sometimes the horse. They are having foams in the mouth. So we have to work so hard in this material world that sometimes foam comes. Yes. We become thirsty. We require some drinking because the tongue becomes dry, the lips become dry, and sometimes, the pa, pha... And ba—still, we are disappointed, vyarthata. And bha—we are always fearful, bhaya. And ma—after this, mṛtyu, death.
So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the hunting excursion and he became very thirsty. So he entered one āśrama of saintly person. He was at that time on meditation. So he entered, and he asked him, "Give me drinking water. I am very thirsty." He thought, "It is āśrama." But the sage who was engaged in meditation could not hear him. So the king became little disgusted that "I am king. I am asking water, and this man is silent." So he became little enraged, and there was a dead snake. So he took that snake and coiled over his neck and went away.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Just like water. If you are thirsty, simply if I chant, "Water, water, water," it will not quench your thirst. You require the substance, water. So similarly, a, a person's photograph or a statue is different from the person. If there is a photograph of a certain gentleman and if you want to do business with the photograph, it is not possible. You'll have to seek for the actual person. But in case of Kṛṣṇa, it is not like that. Kṛṣṇa, the person, and Kṛṣṇa's name, Hare Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. It is not that we are chanting "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa" and this Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is different. No. Nāma rūpe kṛṣṇa avatāra. The name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa, the person, identical.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
That is all stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." Water is so popular, so tasteful, to every living entity. Man, beast, birds—anyone—water requires. Why? There is a nice taste, quench our thirst. And Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "That taste in water, I am." So if you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you know from the śāstras that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa," then at once you become Kṛṣṇa conscious while drinking water. "I am sound in the sky." So, as soon as there is some sound, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." In this way, you study Kṛṣṇa.
We have got here experience that the thing and the name of the thing, they are different, dual. Suppose here is a glass of water. I am thirsty. I want glass of water. But if I say "water, water, water, water," that will not quench my thirst. I must have the thing, water, and then it will be acting. But Kṛṣṇa is advaya-jñāna. So when we hear Kṛṣṇa's name, then we should understand that "Kṛṣṇa is before me in His sound vibration. He is present before me in sound because He is everything." Why sound (is) not Kṛṣṇa? If He is everything, sound is also Kṛṣṇa.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
God says that "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." And who has not seen the sunshine and moonshine? Everyone has seen. As soon as there is morning, there is sunshine. So if sunshine is God, then you have seen God. Why do you deny? You cannot deny. Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." So who has not tasted water? We are drinking, daily, gallons of water. We are thirsty, and the good taste which quench our thirst, that is Kṛṣṇa.
Just like Kṛṣṇa says, try to understand Me, try to under... Try to see Me everywhere. How? Now, first of all He says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, I am the taste of the water. So when you are thirsty, you require a glass of water, drink it, and when you feel happy you understand that this quenching power of this water is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa realization. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8).
Festival Lectures
So every time, if you drink water and remember Kṛṣṇa, then you are on the devotional service. Where is the difficulty? But the rascals will not take it. That is the... Where is the difficulty? Everyone drinks water, and as soon as you drink water when you are thirsty, and the taste of the water appeases your thirst, so if you simply remember that "In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that this taste is Kṛṣṇa," then immediately you remember Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṇa, it is devotional service, smaraṇam.
Just like if you thirsty, if you want water, if I give you some adulterated water, you are not satisfied. If you get clear water, pure water, then your thirst is quenched: "Oh, I am satisfied." Because the taste is there in the clear water, not in the colored water. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says sukham ātyantikaṁ yat (BG 6.21). That superhappiness, super-sense gratification, can be achieved by your transcendental sense, not by these covered sense.
Just like this is an example how to practice to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Whenever you drink water, as soon as you are satiated, your thirst is quenched, immediately you think that this thirsting, the quenching power is Kṛṣṇa. Prabhāsmi śaśi sūryayoḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." So during daytime, every one of us seeing the sunshine. As soon as you see sunshine, immediately you can remember Kṛṣṇa, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you see moonshine at night, immediately you can remember, "Here is Kṛṣṇa."
If you chant "water, water, water, water," your thirst will not be quenched. But if you cry "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa," you may find your position in this world, where you came from, why are you here, what are you doing, where are you going. These questions man must answer, or he's not making use of his ability of man. He's simply living an animal life, eating, sleeping, mating, defending. It does not matter if you are man, you are woman, you are a child, you are Indian, you are American.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
This morning we were discussing this point, mirage. In the mirage there is a show of false water, and the animal runs after it. But there is no water, and finally he becomes more thirsty, and it is desert; he falls down and dies. So the material world means we are running after false family. But don't think that there is no real family life. There is real family. That is Kṛṣṇa's real family, eternal family, blissful family.
General Lectures
I have already explained that we are recommending that you chant the holy name of God. If you have got any holy name of God in your religion, you can chant that. We don't say that you chant Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are thirsty, you want water. Somebody may call "water," somebody may call "pani," somebody may call "jala." That doesn't matter. But you want water. Similarly, if you have got any name for calling the Supreme Lord, you call in that name. It doesn't matter. That is our recommendation. When we say, harer nāma. Harer nāma means the holy name of the Supreme Lord.
Just like in the material world, in the world of duality there is difference between the name "water" and the substance water. The name water is different from the substance water. If you are thirsty, if you simply chant, "Water, water, water, water," your thirstiness will not be quenched. You require the substance water. That is material, but spiritually, the name Kṛṣṇa or the name Allah or the name Jehovah is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is descended from the spiritual world. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name—not different. Abhinnatvāṁ nāma-nāminoḥ. As in this material world there is difference between the name and the substance... If you are thirsty, then if you simply chant "water, water, water," your thirst will not be quenched. You have to get the substance water. But in the spiritual world it is, being absolute, the name and the person whose name we are chanting, they are the same. Therefore by chanting this holy name of God, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... Hare is addressing the spiritual energy of the Lord, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. So by being in touch with the Supreme Lord and His energy directly, we become purified.
Just like illusion, best example of illusion, is given that māyā-marīcika, to accept water in the desert. An animal sees that there is water in the desert, and being thirsty, he goes after the water, but the water also makes progress, and he also makes progress. In this way he dies. That is called illusion. Actually, there is no water, but he is fleeing after water. So for conditioned soul these are the defects. He is to commit mistake, he is illusioned, and he has got a cheating propensity also.
Just like raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "I am the taste of the water." Water you have to drink. Just like I drank just a minute before and quenched my thirst. But that quenching active principle is Kṛṣṇa. So we can realize Kṛṣṇa every time we'll drink water. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śās..., prabhāsmi śaśi sūryayoḥ. Kṛṣṇa is the sunshine, Kṛṣṇa is the moonshine. Kṛṣṇa is the fragrance of the flower. As soon as you take a flower and smell it, the fragrance is Kṛṣṇa. In this way, every step we can understand Kṛṣṇa.
Just like my heart is now thirsty. I am quenching with drinking water and putting here. So as soon as put this water here, immediately the energy distributed all over the body. So a God conscious person cannot be neglectful or envious to anyone. That is the test. This is test. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. All good qualities. So this is a good quality, love your neighbor, to give them service. So if actually one person is God conscious, he must be sympathetic with the troubles of his neighbor, or anyone, not only human being. Animals also. They are also living entities. A God conscious person has no discrimination between human being and animal or trees or plants because they are also living entities.
Just like if you are drinking water... These things are very nicely described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So you are thirsty; you require water. And when you drink water, you feel so much pleasure. Sa vai. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure, all pleasure. So raso vai saḥ. So that pleasure, by drinking water, that pleasure is Kṛṣṇa. That is stated, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). For ordinary person who cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction that "When you drink water, the taste which quench your thirst and you feel relief, that is Kṛṣṇa." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya.
You can understand that on the desert sometimes it appears there is a vast ocean of water, mirage. But actually there is no water. Those who are animals, they sometimes are misled. They are thirsty, and they think that there is water in the desert, and they run over, but actually there is no water. The animal runs, and the water also advances. In this way, when he becomes too much fatigued, he dies. This is the exact example of this material world. We are hankering after water, we are thirsty, and we are being misled by so-called water, mirage, Just like while I was coming here, both sides, the manifestation of material civilization, electrical wire pumping station of oil, big, big motorcars light, motel, hotel and so many things... So we are thinking that these things will give us relief; our thirst will be quenched, our hankering for water will be satisfied. But it has failed.
Just like in the desert, the mirage... In the desert sometimes, the animals find that water, there is a vast mass of water, and when they're thirsty, they jump over and go farther, farther, farther. But because there is no water, he dies. But no sane man goes after that water. But water is not false. That water is being sought in a false place. Similarly, the pleasure, the pleasure between two sexes, man and woman, that is not false. But we are seeking that pleasure in a false place in this material world. Therefore you have (indistinct). It is a great science.
Just like in the material world the name and the subject, or the substance, they are different. Just like when you are thirsty, you simply utter the word "water, water," it will not quench your thirst. But in the spiritual world, the name "God," or "Kṛṣṇa," and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, They are the same. Just parallel to this Bible passage I'll quote one Sanskrit verse from the Vedas. Therefore it is said,
- nāma-cintāmaṇi-kṛṣṇaś
- caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
- pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
- 'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
- (CC Madhya 17.133)
Namely, the name of God is as powerful as God is Himself. It is called pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. And śuddha. Śuddha means without any material contamination. Pūrṇaḥ śuddha nitya. Nitya means eternal. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ means without being different from the person whose name we are chanting.
In the material world your name and you, person, they are two different things. That is difference between God and you. So therefore, by chanting God's name, you actually contact with God. But in the material world that is not possible. Suppose I am thirsty; I want water. If I chant "water, water," it will not act. But in the case of chanting the holy name of God, it is as good as to associate with God. Try to understand.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He says that all of nature as we see it is only illusory sense material reflecting the ongoing moral necessity of reality of the universe.
Prabhupāda: That is our philosophy. Mirage, sometimes mirage, if you see in front of the water in the desert. Actually there is no water in the desert, but you see under illusion. But you know, you are human being, you know that there is no water, you don't go after it. But the animal will go after it and he'll lose his life because (indistinct). He wants to take that water, and the water also goes ahead. In this way when he's too thirsty in the midst of desert he becomes dead. So that is the difference between man and animal. So the human consciousness, when it is developed, you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you become detached with this material mirage. He does not run after the false water. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others may go after the false water. That is called māyā, or illusion.
Prabhupāda: That is our opinion. Beauty, knowledge, strength and opulence—everything—they are transcendental. Here, in this material world, it is perverted reflection. Just like the example is the mirage. A fool, animal, is thinking there is water in the desert, and he is running after it, and after sometimes he dies of thirst because there is not. But a sane man knows there is no water; it is simply a reflection by the sunshine, and this foolish animal is running after it. So he does not..., a sane man does not go for this false water. But another thing is that because there is no water in the desert, it does not mean there is no water. Water is there, but not there. Similarly happiness, beauty, opulence—everything is there. That is in the spiritual world. Here it is only a perverted reflection.
Prabhupāda: Vedic view of education is, actually there is no pleasure in this material world, because we may arrange for all pleasure artificially in the material world, but all of sudden one has to die. So where is the pleasure? If you make arrangement of all pleasure and all of a sudden death comes upon you, then where is pleasure? So first of all they must, if they are intelligent, they must make arrangement that they will be able to enjoy the pleasures they have created. Otherwise, where is pleasure? It is disappointment. That is going on. They are trying to become pleased by inventing so many things, but because they are controlled by some superior element, so at any moment they will be kicked out of the pleasure platform. Then where is pleasure? Therefore the conclusion should be: there is no pleasure in this material world. If one is searching after pleasure in the material world, then it is the same thing as the animal is searching water in the desert. There is no water in the desert; it is simply illusion, and he is preparing for death. Because he is thirsty, he is searching after water, and in the wrong way he is searching water. The ultimate result will be he will die of thirst.
Prabhupāda: Just like Kṛṣṇa said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). He said that "I am the taste of the water." So you are drinking water always. The taste which quenches your thirst and you feel satisfaction, that is Kṛṣṇa. Now if you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, "Now I am drinking water. Now I am feeling satisfaction. Now this satisfaction is Kṛṣṇa," then you remember Him.
| Page Title: | Thirst (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Serene |
| Created: | 26 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=71, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 71 |