Our only purpose is to present this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in order to guide the conditioned student to the same purpose for which Kṛṣṇa descends to this planet once in a day of Brahmā, or every 8,600,000,000 years. This purpose is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, and we have to accept it as it is; otherwise there is no point in trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā and its speaker, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa first spoke Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god some hundreds of millions of years ago. We have to accept this fact and thus understand the historical significance of Bhagavad-gītā, without misinterpretation, on the authority of Kṛṣṇa. To interpret Bhagavad-gītā without any reference to the will of Kṛṣṇa is the greatest offense. In order to save oneself from this offense, one has to understand the Lord as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as He was directly understood by Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa's first disciple. Such understanding of Bhagavad-gītā is really profitable and authorized for the welfare of human society in fulfilling the mission of life.
Will of Krsna
Expressions researched:
"Will of Sri Krishna"
|"krishna's will"
|"krsna's will"
|"will of Lord Krsna"
|"will of krishna"
|"will of krsna"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Preface and Introduction
BG Chapters 1 - 6
Due to his impatience, Arjuna was unable to stay on the battlefield, and he was forgetting himself on account of this weakness of his mind. Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in such a bewildering condition of existence. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt (SB 11.2.37): such fearfulness and loss of mental equilibrium take place in persons who are too affected by material conditions. Arjuna envisioned only painful reverses in the battlefield—he would not be happy even by gaining victory over the foe. The words nimittāni viparītāni are significant. When a man sees only frustration in his expectations, he thinks, "Why am I here?" Everyone is interested in himself and his own welfare. No one is interested in the Supreme Self. Arjuna is showing ignorance of his real self-interest by Kṛṣṇa's will. One's real self-interest lies in Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers material pains. Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle would only be a cause of lamentation for him.
Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in such a bewildering condition of existence. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt (SB 11.2.37): such fearfulness and loss of mental equilibrium take place in persons who are too affected by material conditions. Arjuna envisioned only painful reverses in the battlefield—he would not be happy even by gaining victory over the foe. The words nimittāni viparītāni are significant. When a man sees only frustration in his expectations, he thinks, "Why am I here?" Everyone is interested in himself and his own welfare. No one is interested in the Supreme Self. Arjuna is showing ignorance of his real self-interest by Kṛṣṇa's will. One's real self-interest lies in Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers material pains. Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle would only be a cause of lamentation for him.
All the living entities who are in the material world are struggling very hard for existence. For them the Lord, after creation of the material world, gave the Vedic wisdom advising how to live and get rid of the material entanglement. When the activities for sense gratification, namely the karma-kāṇḍa chapter, are finished, then the chance for spiritual realization is offered in the form of the Upaniṣads, which are part of different Vedas, as the Bhagavad-gītā is a part of the fifth Veda, namely the Mahābhārata. The Upaniṣads mark the beginning of transcendental life.
As long as the material body exists, there are actions and reactions in the material modes. One has to learn tolerance in the face of dualities such as happiness and distress, or cold and warmth, and by tolerating such dualities become free from anxieties regarding gain and loss. This transcendental position is achieved in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness when one is fully dependent on the good will of Kṛṣṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
Son of King Śūrasena, husband of Devakī and father of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the brother of Kuntī and father of Subhadrā. Subhadrā was married with her cousin Arjuna, and this system is still prevalent in some parts of India. Vasudeva was appointed minister of Ugrasena, and later on he married eight daughters of Ugrasena's brother Devaka. Devakī is only one of them. Kaṁsa was his brother-in-law, and Vasudeva accepted voluntary imprisonment by Kaṁsa on mutual agreement to deliver the eighth son of Devakī. This was foiled by the will of Kṛṣṇa. As maternal uncle of the Pāṇḍavas, he took active parts in the purificatory process of the Pāṇḍavas. He sent for the priest Kaśyapa at the Śataśṛṅga Parvata, and he executed the functions. When Kṛṣṇa appeared within the bars of Kaṁsa's prison house, He was transferred by Vasudeva to the house of Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Kṛṣṇa, at Gokula. Kṛṣṇa disappeared along with Baladeva prior to the disappearance of Vasudeva, and Arjuna (Vasudeva's nephew) undertook the charge of the funeral ceremony after Vasudeva's disappearance.
The commander in chief of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty and a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Akrūra attained success in devotional service to the Lord by the one single process of offering prayers. He was the husband of Sūtanī, daughter of Ahūka. He supported Arjuna when Arjuna took Subhadrā forcibly away by the will of Kṛṣṇa. Both Kṛṣṇa and Akrūra went to see Arjuna after his successful kidnapping of Subhadrā. Both of them presented dowries to Arjuna after this incidence. Akrūra was present also when Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadrā, was married with Uttarā, mother of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Ahūka, the father-in-law of Akrūra, was not on good terms with Akrūra. But both of them were devotees of the Lord.
Ugrasena: One of the powerful kings of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty and cousin of Mahārāja Kuntibhoja. His other name is Ahūka. His minister was Vasudeva, and his son was the powerful Kaṁsa. This Kaṁsa imprisoned his father and became the King of Mathurā. By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa and His brother, Lord Baladeva, Kaṁsa was killed, and Ugrasena was reinstalled on the throne. When Śālva attacked the city of Dvārakā, Ugrasena fought very valiantly and repulsed the enemy. Ugrasena inquired from Nāradajī about the divinity of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When the Yadu dynasty was to be vanquished, Ugrasena was entrusted with the iron lump produced from the womb of Sāmba. He cut the iron lump into pieces and then pasted it and mixed it up with the sea water on the coast of Dvārakā. After this, he ordered complete prohibition within the city of Dvārakā and the kingdom. He got salvation after his death.
SB Canto 5
By the supreme will of Kṛṣṇa, the mountain known as Lokāloka has been installed as the outer border of the three worlds—Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka and Svarloka—to control the rays of the sun throughout the universe. All the luminaries, from the sun up to Dhruvaloka, distribute their rays throughout the three worlds, but only within the boundary formed by this mountain. Because it is extremely high, extending even higher than Dhruvaloka, it blocks the rays of the luminaries, which therefore can never extend beyond it.
SB Canto 6
Victory or defeat depends on the Supreme Lord. Karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana: "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of actions." One must act sincerely, according to his position. Victory or defeat depends on the Lord.
Vṛtrāsura encouraged Indra, saying, "Don't be morose because of my victory. There is no need to stop fighting. Instead, you should go on with your duty. When Kṛṣṇa desires, you will certainly be victorious." This verse is very instructive for sincere workers in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We should not be jubilant in victory or morose in defeat. We should make a sincere effort to implement the will of Kṛṣṇa, or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and we should not be concerned with victory and defeat. Our only duty is to work sincerely, so that our activities may be recognized by Kṛṣṇa.
SB Canto 8
It is significant that Bali Mahārāja is here said to be very experienced. Although defeated, he was not at all sorry, for he knew that nothing can take place without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since he was a devotee, he accepted his defeat without lamentation. As stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (2.47), karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. Everyone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should execute his duty, without regard for victory or defeat. One must execute his duty as ordered by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). In first-class devotional service, one always abides by the orders and will of Kṛṣṇa.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Sympathetic to mother earth's lamentation, Brahmā, accompanied by Lord Śiva and other demigods, took the cow-shaped mother earth to the shore of the milk ocean, where he offered prayers to please Lord Viṣṇu, who lay there on an island in transcendental ecstasy. Brahmā thereafter understood the advice of Mahā-viṣṇu, who informed him that He would appear on the surface of the earth to mitigate the burden created by the demons. The demigods, along with their wives, should appear there as associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the family of Yadu to increase the sons and grandsons in that dynasty. By the will of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Anantadeva would appear first, as Balarāma, and Kṛṣṇa's potency, yogamāyā, would also appear. Brahmā informed mother earth about all this, and then he returned to his own abode.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
That abode is manifested within the material world by the will of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is identical to that original Gokula; they are not two different bodies.
The above-mentioned dhāmas are movable, by the omnipotent will of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa appears on the face of the earth, He can also make His dhāmas appear, without changing their original structure. One should not discriminate between the dhāmas on the earth and those in the spiritual sky, thinking those on earth to be material and the original abodes to be spiritual. All of them are spiritual. Only for us, who cannot experience anything beyond matter in our present conditioned state, do the dhāmas and the Lord Himself, in His arcā form, appear before us resembling matter to give us the facility to see spirit with material eyes. In the beginning this may be difficult for a neophyte to understand, but in due course, when one is advanced in devotional service, it will be easier, and he will appreciate the Lord's presence in these tangible forms.
CC Madhya-lila
“That original Saṅkarṣaṇa (Lord Balarāma) is the cause of both the material and the spiritual creation. He is the predominating Deity of egotism, and by the will of Kṛṣṇa and the power of the spiritual energy, He creates the spiritual world, which consists of the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana and the Vaikuṇṭha planets.
“The spiritual abode known as Goloka, which is a pasturing land for surabhi cows, is as powerful and opulent as Kṛṣṇa. By the will of Kṛṣṇa, the original Goloka and Gokula dhāmas are manifested with Him in all the universes.
CC Antya-lila
“If a transcendentally situated person, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, hears and speaks about the rāsa-līlā dance of Kṛṣṇa and is always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa while serving the Lord day and night within his mind, what shall I say about the result? It is so spiritually exalted that it cannot be expressed in words. Such a person is an eternally liberated associate of the Lord, and his body is completely spiritualized. Although he is visible to material eyes, he is spiritually situated, and all his activities are spiritual. By the will of Kṛṣṇa, such a devotee is understood to possess a spiritual body.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
By rough calculation it is estimated that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī finished Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu in Gokula Vṛndāvana in the year 1552. While physically present, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was living in different parts of Vṛndāvana, and his headquarters were in the temple of Rādhā-Dāmodara in the present city of Vṛndāvana. The place of Rūpa Gosvāmī's bhajana, execution of devotional service, is commemorated still. There are two different tomblike structures in the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple; one structure is called his place of bhajana, and in the other his body is entombed. Behind this very tomb I have my place of bhajana, but since 1965 I have been away. The place, however, is being taken care of by my disciples. By Kṛṣṇa's will, I am now residing at the Los Angeles temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This purport is finished today, the 30th of June, 1969.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Kṛṣṇa indicated that King Yudhiṣṭhira should not restrain them from enjoying the incident. Kṛṣṇa desired that Duryodhana be fooled in that way and that all of them enjoy his foolish behavior. When everyone laughed, Duryodhana felt very insulted, and his bodily hairs stood up in anger. Being thus insulted, he immediately left the palace, bowing his head. He was silent and did not protest. When Duryodhana left in such an angry mood, everyone regretted the incident, and King Yudhiṣṭhira also was very sorry. But despite all these occurrences, Kṛṣṇa was silent. He did not say anything against or in favor of the incident. It appeared that Duryodhana had been put into illusion by the supreme will of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and this was the beginning of the enmity between the two sects of the Kuru dynasty. This appeared to be a part of Kṛṣṇa's plan in His mission to decrease the burden of the world.
King Parīkṣit had inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī why Duryodhana was not satisfied after the termination of the great Rājasūya sacrifice, and thus it was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
When Kṛṣṇa approached the covering layer of this universe, the four horses which were drawing His chariot—Śaibya, Sugrīva, Meghapuṣpa and Balāhaka—all hesitated to enter the darkness. This hesitation is also a part of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa because the horses of Kṛṣṇa are not ordinary; it is not possible for ordinary horses to go all over the universe and then enter into its outer covering layers. As Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, His chariot and His horses and everything about Him are also transcendental, beyond the qualities of this material world. We should always remember that Kṛṣṇa was playing the part of an ordinary human being, and His horses also, by the will of Kṛṣṇa, played the parts of ordinary horses in hesitating to enter the darkness.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
And if you remain friend, then seven births." So they preferred, "Oh, I shall become Your enemy, Sir, so that I can come back again after three births." So why? That Kṛṣṇa has all the propensities. Just like we sometimes want to fight, mock fight. So in the Vaikuṇṭha world there cannot be any fight. So because Kṛṣṇa wanted to exercise His fighting spirit, He sent His devotee. He became enemy and He fought. So you have to understand Kṛṣṇa in that way, as Hṛṣīkeśa. He knows that unless Arjuna becomes affected family-wise, how Bhagavad-gītā will be there? Therefore although Guḍākeśa, Arjuna, is above darkness, still, by the will of Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, he played just like ordinary man, affected with his family affection. Therefore Kṛṣṇa in the next verse says... Uvāca. Kṛṣṇa said, "My dear Pārtha, now you wanted to see with whom you have to fight. Now, here is Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and many other kings. All the descendants of Kuru dynasty, your Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons. Now you see very nicely and be prepared to fight with them." So this is the explanation of Hṛṣīkeśa and Guḍākeśa.
Just like this whole cosmic manifestation is created by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but you will not find him here. Disinterested. Many millions of universes are working by His will, but He is not interested. The example is just like a big capitalist. He has got many factories, and if you go to the factory—there is a Tata factory, iron factory—you will find huge factories going on, but Mr. Tata is not there. Things are going on. Similarly, all cosmic manifestation going on, it is under the will of Kṛṣṇa. But He is not present here. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." Any factory, every worker knows that the whole factory function resting on that supreme person. He knows that. So actually fact is that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." Similarly, Bhagavān means that. Under His will, under His power, everything is working so nicely, systematically, but if you want to see God, Kṛṣṇa, you cannot see Him. He is not there. He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana, but His influence is so extensive that even without His personal presence, things are going on so nicely. This is called Bhagavān. Bhagavān means this.
And as you, you fulfill your desire, you become complicated with the reaction of your desire. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. If you act for Kṛṣṇa, then you are all right, but if you are acting for your sense gratification, you'll be entangled by the resultant action. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that if you want to do something, first of all He says, "No." Just like a thief, he's praying to God: "My dear Lord, give me some opportunity. I can steal that thing." Kṛṣṇa first of all says, "No, no. Don't do it." But he insists. Then Kṛṣṇa says, "All right. Do it." But as soon as you do it, you become entangled. Why you are doing against the will of Kṛṣṇa? That is your entanglement. Kṛṣṇa says: "Don't do this." Why you are doing that? So Kṛṣṇa is giving you facility to steal others' property, but you become entangled. That is not Kṛṣṇa's responsibility. Your responsibility. Suppose a high-court judge gives sanction that "This man should be condemned to death. He should be hanged," Does it mean the high-court judge is your enemy and hanging you? He has nothing to do to become your enemy or friend. You have committed situation that you should be hanged. He's giving order: "Be hanged." That's all. So your business is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and act according to His instruction. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise not.
Now, the process of life described here, yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ: "One should be satisfied with things which comes very easily." We should not try for anything too much to obtain it. No. We shall be satisfied. Whatever comes automatically or by the will of Kṛṣṇa, we may be satisfied in that way. Yadṛcchā-lābha. For gaining something, we should not be too much endeavoring. Then I shall be deviated from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
There are six formulas which can deviate us from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there are six formulas which can encourage us, which can enhance, advance us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And what are they? Now, first of all let me state what are "against" principles, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness, against the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What are they?
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if Kṛṣṇa has created everything and everything is submitted to Kṛṣṇa's will, can we really say what is good or bad?
Prabhupāda: There is no good or bad, it is mental concoction. But on the whole, in the material world means everything bad. Spiritual world everything is good. Material world means absence of spiritual world, that's all. You bring again spiritual world, it is good.
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, since presently we cannot see Kṛṣṇa as He is as a person, how can we, how should we meditate on Him?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Yogeśvara: He says now, because we are not yet advanced enough to see Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person directly, how should we meditate upon him.
Prabhupāda: You do not see Kṛṣṇa is in the temple? (laughter) We are worshiping something vague? You have to see Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says. In the present stage... Just like Kṛṣṇa says raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8).
That is the best service. That is the best service. People have manufactured so many philanthropic associations, charitable associations, and hospitals, so many things. But, if somebody or if some association can enlighten people to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the human society. That is the best service to the human society.
So a further advancement from neutrality, that I love Kṛṣṇa or God because He's great. No, that love is not sufficient. We must render some service to the Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa as a soldier. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the battle of Kurukṣetra should be executed and Arjuna did not like it because it was concerned to his family members, with his brothers, so he did not like it. But, when, after hearing this Bhagavad-gītā, he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he executed the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the fighting must continue. So he executed in spite of his own conclusion that he would not fight.
So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one has to do. That is better con... Simply to know, simply to make God as order-supplier, I love God because He gives me my daily bread, that is also good, good sense. But better sense is that how you can serve Kṛṣṇa.
So devotee will have to meet so many enemies. Just like we have got this from the life of Lord Jesus Christ. When he was being killed by others, he said, to excuse them, "God, they do not know what they are doing." That is devotee's position. Kṣamī, always excusing. We have to learn this.
So these are some of the qualities of the devotees. In the twelfth chapter some of them are being described. And the Bhagavad-gītā we are narrating.
Then santuṣṭa, satisfied. Satataṁ yogī. A devotee should not be dissatisfied in any condition of life. He should remain satisfied. Because he knows that "My pains and pleasure are now dependent on the will of Kṛṣṇa. Not now, always. So if Kṛṣṇa desires that I should suffer like this, why should I bother? Let me suffer." Santuṣṭa.
There are many verses to support this. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee, when he is put into distress, he thinks that "It is God's kindness that He is giving me little pain, hurt, although I should have suffered more." This is devotee's view. He is not, I mean to, disturbed by any kinds of pains and pleasure. Santuṣṭa. Satataṁ yogī. Even in distressed condition he also thinks of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is yogi. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). A devotee always thinks of Kṛṣṇa. That is devotee. Yogi. Yatātmā. He does not neglect his duty, his devotional service.
No. I stop." Then Kṛṣṇa explained the actual position and He asked him: "Now, what is your decision? You can do whatever you like. I have explained everything." He said, "Yes, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73)." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must be ready to do anything for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "According to my whims, I shall decide." No, this is position. We must be ready because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because I want to move it, similarly, we are all, all living entities, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore, our duty is simply to move according to the will of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Therefore this philosophy cannot be understood by ordinary person. Therefore He said, na atapaskāya. Tapasya. This life is meant for tapasya, not to lead a life like hogs and dogs. This human... That is not human life. That is hogs' and dogs' life.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
I want to take all of them who are godless or not devotee. I want to take. Unless I educate them how to go back to home, back to.,., I alone am not prepared to..." This is Prahlāda. This is Vaiṣṇava. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī kṛpāmbudhir yaḥ. Vaiṣṇava means for himself he has no problem, but he is very, very, I mean, morose, by seeing others in distressed condition without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava has no problem. He can sit down anywhere and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be supplied to him. Kṛṣṇa said, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). There is no problem. But it is a Vaiṣṇava's business to execute the will of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says,
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
If everyone has got the potency to go back to home, back to Godhead, it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to educate the whole world how to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Why exalted? Because he is the confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. One... Suppose you want to do some business and..., with some firm, and a representative comes to transact business, naturally, one tries to satisfy that representative so that the business can be done very fairly. This is natural psychology. Similarly, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Guru is very dear to Kṛṣṇa because his business is to serve Kṛṣṇa. His business is to execute the will of Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore here it is said, yat tat sākṣād bhagavatoditam. (aside:) Don't disturb in this way. Sākṣād bhagavatoditam. Sākṣāt means directly. What was spoken directly by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that is jñānam, that is real knowledge. Jñānaṁ guhyatamam. Guhyatamam, most confidential. Guhya, guhyatara, and guhyatamam. What is that verse in the Eighteenth Chapter? Guhyād guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmi... That... The conclusion is that the most confidential knowledge is that which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. And what it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā? Guhyād guhyatamam. Find out this verse. Could not? Before sarva-dharmān... Yes.
While acting, doing something, at the same time, we can remember Kṛṣṇa. Anusmaranti. Anusmaranti. Anu means follow. You cannot remember, memorize Kṛṣṇa, by your whims. No. Therefore this word is used, anusmaranti. Anusmaranti bhagavac-chikṣayā. As Kṛṣṇa has personally taught you. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that... What is that? Ap... The water, taste? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So Kṛṣṇa is teaching that "You try to understand Me in this way." Not whimsically, "I am meditating something." No. You meditate, but according to the will of Kṛṣṇa, bhagavac-chikṣayā, as He has taught. He says that you can meditate. This is very good subject matter of meditation. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Very easy. Everyone is drinking water, and as soon as you get water and drink, if you meditate little what Kṛṣṇa has said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "I am the taste of the water," where is the difficulty? Bhagavac-chikṣayā. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as you see light, sunlight, moonlight, immediately you can remember Kṛṣṇa: "This light is Kṛṣṇa."
This is our duty. We have to, for existence, struggle for existence... There is, according to cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ... (BG 4.13). There is prescription of duties according to guṇa we have acquired, and let us work, but at the same time... Kurvāṇā yatra karmāṇi, bhagavat, bhagavac-chikṣayā. Or by the will of Kṛṣṇa we are put under certain condition of life. Never mind. Kṛṣṇa has made me, say, a śūdra, not a brāhmaṇa. A śūdra also has got work to do. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So if we simply remember that "Kṛṣṇa has put me in this condition of life, I am a śūdra," that is very nice. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee is satisfied always. He does not grudge, that "I am put into this condition. Why I'm not put into the condition of a king or a learned brāhmaṇa?" No. "Whatever condition Kṛṣṇa has given me, that is all right." Tat te anukampām, it is His grace. "By His grace I have got this position."
You cannot be independent. You are not independent. If you falsely think that you are as good as God or you are independent, that is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍha. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā.
So following the mahājanas, the principles, as Arjuna is doing, we must follow the instructions of Kṛṣṇa. That is fully explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And surrender unto Him. And then our life will be successful. There will be no disturbances. Otherwise, if we declare independence, that is troublesome. It will create simply trouble. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That is māyā. To think oneself independent is māyā. We are not independent. We are completely under the control. So, so long we declare independence we suffer. And if we remain fully dependent on the will of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, then we are happy.
That is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava qualification means completely dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Even if I consider myself that I am a learned brāhmaṇa, that is also misconception. That is also not svarūpa. When one understands that "I am not brāhmaṇa, not kṣatriya, not vaiśya, not śūdra, nor American, nor Indian, nor this, nor that; simply I am spiritual part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and my only business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167), that is first-class life. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam. Not pratikūlyena. Pratikūlyena means against the will of Kṛṣṇa. That is pratikūla. Bhakti means ānukūla. Just like Kamsa. He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa: "Whether Kṛṣṇa is born? I have to kill Him. Whether this or that..." He was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. But pratikūlyena, not ānukūlyena. One Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always making plan how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another Kṛṣṇa cons..., how to kill Kṛṣṇa.
This is the injunction, śāstra. Here is śāstra, that the incarnation of God, even He passes stool, it is fragrant. He can do it. That is God. That practically you can see, that the cow dung... Cow dung, you can make a stack of cow dung here. It will never disturb you. You'll, rather, feel pleasure, passing through that portion of field where cow dung is stacked. You'll never feel any disturbance because it is pure. Cow dung... We have discussed this point many times. Where it is impure, that it makes pure. In Indian villages, still they use cow dung for smearing over the floor, and it becomes very nice, fresh, and purified. That is injunction of the śāstra, that cow dung is pure. So if by the will of Kṛṣṇa, by the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa, even an animal's stool can become so purified, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa's stool?
He can do everything impossible, possible." So whatever is being done in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, don't think that it is my influence of my... It is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa can do everything. He can change sattva-guṇa into tamo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa into rajo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa into sattva-guṇa. That is as He likes. Just like a expert electrician: he can turn the heater into cooler and cooler into heater. The electric energy is the same. Similarly, parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has His energy. If He likes... My point is that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has come to your country by the will of Kṛṣṇa. So there is favorable situation because the will of Kṛṣṇa is there, that "Now the Westerners, especially the Americans, they should become Kṛṣṇa conscious." That is His will. So you take the opportunity, cooperate with Kṛṣṇa, and you will be successful.
So we have got this advantage, and we are giving up these advantages. First of all, the advantage is that we are born in India, and we have got the stock of knowledge left by great sages, ṛṣis and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And you are not taking advantage of it. How much foolish we are becoming by so-called education, we should understand that. It is graha-grasta. We are thinking that... Our leaders are thinking that India, becoming too much religiously conscious, they have been poverty-stricken. No. That is not the fact. By Kṛṣṇa's desire, by Kṛṣṇa's will, everyone is provided. In the Vedas it is said, yo eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. The Supreme Lord is quite competent to provide, to supply the necessities of life to millions and millions of living entities. There is no question of scarcity of supply. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. In the forest there are millions of elephants. Who is supplying them food? Kṛṣṇa is supplying. So there is no question of overpopulation. Overpopulation, there is no question of. If Kṛṣṇa has overpopulation, He is competent to supply them food. But it is the nature's restriction. When we become godless, the nature's trouble will be there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like the flood is going on in many parts of the world. So this is due to our sinful life. Nature is punishing.
Similarly, either you be Kṛṣṇa conscious or not Kṛṣṇa conscious, you have to serve. But in non-Kṛṣṇa consciousness condition, you have to serve your senses. And in Kṛṣṇa consciousness condition you serve Kṛṣṇa directly. That is the difference. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And you serve Kṛṣṇa. Then you become purified. Your senses are purified exactly like the same example, that when a citizen is free and willingly obeying the laws of the state, he is free from contamination. And as soon as he is disobedient, he is contaminated. Therefore he is put into the jail. Similarly, our material existence means that we have revolted against the will of Kṛṣṇa or God. Therefore we are dragging the struggle for existence, and as soon as we become again obedient to Kṛṣṇa, we shall always remember that our characteristic is to serve. So by natural way, if we serve God, then we are happy, and by unnatural way, if we serve our senses, then we are unhappy. This is the difference. Service you have to give.
Just like we are giving this service. Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are spreading, why? It is not a business. But because we have established our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, we want to propagate it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean to be aloof from this material world, but his activities are different. He is not in that activity which will create anxiety. Here we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Oh, there is no business. We don't expect anything from you. But if you accept it, then our mission is nice. If you don't accept it, so there is no anxiety.
We are executing the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes up this responsibility of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is very dear to Me." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' sarva deśa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa in the form of devotee. He said that "By My order, you become a spiritual master." "Oh, I have to become a spiritual master? What I have to do? Oh, I have no qualification." "Oh, you don't require any qualification." "Then what is to do?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you just try to give him some instruction of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you cannot do, if you cannot speak on Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata or Bible or Koran—they're all books of knowledge, of Kṛṣṇa consciousness—you can simply say, "My dear friend, I've got one request to you."
Because Kṛṣṇa does not want it. I cannot utilize everything and anything for Kṛṣṇa which Kṛṣṇa does not like. Because you are Kṛṣṇa's servant, so you have to take permission from Kṛṣṇa, "Would You like this?" If He says, "Yes," yes, I can use that. If Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, I will eat meat," oh, I shall kill all the animals and give Him, offer Him. But if Kṛṣṇa says, "No, I want fruits," then how can I give everything Him against His will? Is that devotion? Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He says that "Fruits, flower, vegetables—anyone give Me with devotion, I eat." Therefore you have to do that. Everything, anything, does not mean that you will go against the will of Kṛṣṇa. Does it mean that? If Kṛṣṇa says, "You bring this," "Ah, never mind." Even though I do not like it, I shall do it. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that "You fight." Is fighting good? He was good man. He didn't want to fight. But Kṛṣṇa said, "You fight," so against his will he fought. That is anything and everything. From gentleman's point of view, from nonviolence point of view, Arjuna was very nice. He was not willing to fight. But Kṛṣṇa said, "You must fight," and therefore everything was engaged. That is everything: with permission of Kṛṣṇa. Not that you can manufacture anything, "Oh, it is for Kṛṣṇa's service."
Generally, those who are ārta-bandhu, friend of the suffering humanity, they specially show favor to the mūḍha, to the rascals. Kṛṣṇa comes for that purpose because every one of us, we are mūḍhas. Duṣkṛtino. Na māṁ duṣkṭtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante. Normally we, because we are sinful, because we are mūḍhas, we do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ prapadyante. Anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He is classified as duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhamā, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. It is not at all possible to become independent of Kṛṣṇa's will. That is not possible. Therefore those who are trying to work independently, without Kṛṣṇa's favor, they're mūḍha, all rascals. They will not accept what Kṛṣṇa says, and they are trying to establish some law without Kṛṣṇa. "There is no need of God." This is the... Most scientists, they say like that. "Now we have got science. We can do everything." They are mūḍhas. It is not possible. Independently you cannot do without Kṛṣṇa's favor.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
If you take that milk, then you'll die. So kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very good, but when it is touched by the lip of the Māyāvādī, nondevotee, it becomes poisonous. It becomes poisonous. Poisonous in this sense. It will push you far away from kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the loss, greatest loss of life.
This life is meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is left by Kṛṣṇa to make all people after Him, to become devotees. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The instruction is there, but these rascals will spoil. They will never allow you to become a devotee. These rascals are so dangerous. They are going against the will of Kṛṣṇa. So one must be very careful to save himself from the poisonous effect of these rascals. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa, live with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness devotees. And then by the association of the saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. As you make association, so you develop your desires, your qualities. Tādera caraṇa-sevi. Ei chay gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Caitanya here, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "I want to become servant of that person who has accepted these six Gosvāmīs as masters.
So where is the difficulty? Let us surrender to Kṛṣṇa and execute His will, whatever He... Surrender means I must be prepared to execute the will of Kṛṣṇa; not my whims, but Kṛṣṇa's will. The Kṛṣṇa's will is that you become Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Where is the difficulty? You surrender unto Him, and He assures, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Immediately he becomes relieved from the effects of illusory energy. So there is no difficulty, not at all difficulty. Let us immediately become surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Think of Him always. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, to become His devotee, always think of Him. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "Always worship Me. Always offer obeisances." These are the four principles. Anyone can do it. There is no restriction for any caste, creed, nation. Everyone. It is open to the human being. So if we actually want to be happy, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no alternative. That is our point. Yes? Go on.
General Lectures
So we can see that it is the desire of the pure devotee. Whatever Kṛṣṇa wants, He does not have to work at all. His desires are immediately fulfilled simply by His desiring. Everything is fulfilled. By Kṛṣṇa's finger signal the whole material creation is created, brought about, and it's maintained by His separate energies. And everything is annihilated by Kṛṣṇa's will and created again. And Kṛṣṇa, He is fulfilling all His infinite desires in the spiritual world also. So as Kṛṣṇa's desires are immediately fulfilled, the pure devotee's desires are also fulfilled. That's because he is one with the Lord. His interests are the same are Kṛṣṇa's. This is the oneness, that the pure devotee has no desire but to see that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. And so by Śrīla Prabhupāda's desiring this to come about, praying to Kṛṣṇa, therefore the devotees also praying and endeavoring have brought about that now Toronto is situated in such a nice temple, and just since opening that temple now so many new devotees have come and joined. So it's now very firmly situated in this big North American city to go on spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: It is ultimately depending on God's will. That is the explanation.
Śyāmasundara: He says that these monads are spiritual in nature; therefore they are immortal.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That we admit, because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's will, both of them are spiritual.
Śyāmasundara: So even the particle of matter is eternal?
Prabhupāda: Ultimately everything is spiritual, because the matter is Kṛṣṇa's energy and spirit is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. If Kṛṣṇa is the original cause, therefore the matter can be changed into spirit, spirit can be changed into matter. Just as it is the same electric energy acting as heater and as cooler, but the electrician, he can change the cooler to heater and the heater to cooler, because the original cause is electricity. Similarly, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa can change matter into spirit, spirit into matter. That is in His power. The rascals and fools, when Kṛṣṇa appears in His own body, ātmamāyā, they think it is just like material body, but they do not know that to Kṛṣṇa there is no such distinction of material and spiritual. Even accepting that He had got a material body, there is no hampering—He has changed into spiritual body.
Prabhupāda: But anyway, it goes to somebody, public opinion, but this public opinion is not final. Therefore above the public opinion there is the supreme will of Kṛṣṇa. That should be the final, to sanction morality or immorality.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the moral sentiments which are approved by society enhance the social good, whereas immoral attitudes are egoistic and antisocial. So that a society will always approve of a certain set of moral values, and then the individual living in the society must either accept or reject them. And if he rejects them, then he must act through politics, through the social body, to try to change their attitude, their opinion.
Prabhupāda: Therefore it depends on that social body, which is authority. So ultimately we have to depend on the authority for all sanctions. So our proposition is that the supreme authority is Kṛṣṇa. So whatever He sanctions, that is morality; whatever He does not sanction, that is immorality. Just like Arjuna was thinking to become nonviolent, not to fight, is good. But Kṛṣṇa said, "Now you fight." So fight became good. So ultimately it depends on Kṛṣṇa's will, what is morality, what is immorality, what is good, what is bad. Therefore our duty is, instead of depending on social body or political... (break) ...are so many, one is different from the other—we depend on the supreme will of the supreme authority.
Prabhupāda: No. Not willing you cannot say. Not willing bad, but willing good. That is called purification. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). To... We are willing. We are willing to serve to Kṛṣṇa, we are willing to preach Kṛṣṇa's glories. But this kind of willing. Willing is now reformed. This is real willing. Because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so I must will according to Kṛṣṇa's will. Just like this hand is part and parcel of my body. It is moving according to my will .
Śyāmasundara: He says that through self-mortification that we can destroy the willing process altogether.
Prabhupāda: That is impossible. That is rascaldom. It is not possible. Nobody can destroy the willing process.
Śyāmasundara: I'll just read what he says. He says, "Eventually the ascetic will exist only as a pure knowing being, the undimmed mirror of the world. Nothing can trouble him more. Nothing can move him, for he has cut all the thousand cords of will which hold us bound to the world, and as desire, fear, envy, anger, drag us hither and thither in constant pain, to such a man life is an illusion to which he must be indifferent." So his idea is that you cut all the cords of will which bind us to this material world.
Prabhupāda: Then what remains?
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Our philosophy is
- ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
- varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
- svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
- saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
- (SB 1.2.13)
You may be industrial administrator, you may be engineer, you may be something else, but you make your profession perfect. And that perfection is achieved by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your profession. Just like Arjuna. He was a soldier. He knew how to fight. So by his profession he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that there should be fight between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas for right cause. And Kṛṣṇa came-paritrāṇāya sādhunaṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He had two business: to give protection to the devotees and to kill the demons. So by Kṛṣṇa's will sometimes all the demons, they come together and fight with one another and they are killed.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee (4): I was thinking earlier how a farmer can put the seed in the ground, but he cannot actually make the seed grow if it is not the will of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The situation is not favorable. That is the proof that everything is a living entity. If you put the seed... The seed is not the tree, but when you put the seed on the ground, if the situation is favorable, the particular living entity who has to take the form of that tree, he comes, and then it grows. That is the proof. Just like sex. It is not the secretion of the man and the woman. It creates a situation so that the soul may come and live there, and then there is pregnancy. It is not the matter. This is the proof.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Does that mean to some extent that the soul is dependent on a material condition?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi (BG 13.22). Find out this verse, puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi.
Hari-śauri: Just like when the body is no good, the soul has to leave.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the proof there is soul.
Prabhupāda: Their hard-earned money, whatever we are giving something. Yajña, that is wanted. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). That money should not be utilized for any other purpose except yajña. First of all, you have to decide like that. Then we can give you direction. First of all, you have to decide that this money, not a single farthing should be spent for any other purpose than performing yajña. Then we can give you right direction. And if you have plan to utilize this money for any other purpose, that is not Kṛṣṇa's mission. That is your mission. So first of all you have to decide whether you are going to execute Kṛṣṇa's mission or your mission. Kṛṣṇa's mission is very clearly defined. It is there, everything is declared there in the Bhagavad-gītā. We can do it very nicely. But if you want to do any other mission, then you can do. You are government, you are in power, you can do that. But that will not be pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. He has got a mission. That is stated. Dharmasya glānir bhavati. So any dharma, so-called dharma, which does not awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness is glāniḥ. Kṛṣṇa does not want that. If you're against the will of Kṛṣṇa, against the mission of Kṛṣṇa, if you want to do something, you can do. People are doing so many things. That is also mentioned by Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: So how you can take care with nothing? Kṛṣṇa makes you nothing, then how you can take care of your family? Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nārtasya ca... These things I have explained. That we have got so many means against struggle for existence, but that is not final. Tāvat tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. If there is no sanction from Kṛṣṇa, you cannot do it. It is impossible. If Kṛṣṇa does not like you to be implicated in that way, that is false, then how can you do it? You are thinking that I shall take care of my family. But if Kṛṣṇa wants that you cannot take care of your family then how you'll do it? Can you go against the will of Kṛṣṇa? You can understand at least this, if not very much advanced. You cannot go against the will of Kṛṣṇa. So you have tried for the last one and a half years, you could not improve your material situation. That means you are going against the will of Kṛṣṇa. Take it from me. Kata bāccā? Four (Hindi) Separate. No more together. (Hindi) Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ (SB 7.9.45). Everything is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛpaṇa, brāhmaṇa, kṛpaṇa, tṛpyanti neha. He knows that one bāccā has given me so much trouble. Illicit or legal, (Hindi) it is troublesome business. Otherwise why these Americans and Europeans, they're killing their own child. They don't want to take the botheration.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It may be Kṛṣṇa's will that you... I think that if for one month you are under the care of Dr. Ghosh in a very first class healthy weather...
Prabhupāda: I think also. He is a very kind doctor. Whole family is attentive. Living is... That we have already discussed. Trees also live for many years. That is not wanted. To live for living forever, that is wanted. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). That should be the human endeavor, not this dog race, changing condition, from four legs to four wheels. This logic was never taught, from four legs to four wheels. They are astonished.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And anthills. Yes, it's a very unique presentation of the philosophy. They have never heard it so nicely adapted to the modern situation.
Prabhupāda: So they have got farther two days, so I think they will be able to do it. That, my, apartment in Juhu.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
I have come to Vrindaban to see you specially on some important mission.
The attention of Government is now turned to the side of reforming the religious activities of Indian sadhus and Sannyasis and they are now going to enact some statutes in this connection. Of course nothing is possible without the sanction of the Supreme Will of Sri Krishna but still man-made laws must have defects as the lawmakers are deficient in four primary principles of a conditioned soul.
I have come to Vrindaban to consult with you if it is possible to form an association of the Vaisnavas of all Indian Sampradayas to protect the interest and principles of all the Acaryas: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu amalgamated the views of all the previous Acaryas in His thesis of Acintya-bhedabheda Tattva explicitly explained by Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Govinda Bhasya of the Vedanta-sutra.
1967 Correspondence
We are concerned with Reality, not Maya, and that should be the object of life.
I am very glad to learn that many of my devotees are coming to India. Students who will come here for studying Krishna philosophy as scholar and devotee will have ample opportunity. My god-brother Swami B.H. Bon, has agreed to give them free boarding, lodging and tuition, at least for ten students at a time. So they are welcome. I am also trying for their concession of passage as well as a permanent home in Vrindaban. Let us depend upon the Will of Krishna.
Your letter is certainly full of sense, and a K.C. boy or girl cannot be "nonsense". I am proud to have disciples like you, who think freely, but correct their mistakes by consulting me without any reservation. I am always feeling separation for you all. Let Krishna help us meet again.
You may not write anything to Miss Bowtell. I think she will not be helpful in our scheme. The best thing is that you finish up the Gita Upanisad hand it over to Messrs. MacMillan Co. and then make practical progress to start for England. Certainly I shall be in need of your assistance in finishing Srimad-Bhagavatam. On my return I shall make practical progress so that both of us may go on compiling Srimad-Bhagavatam and opening different centers in all parts of the world simultaneously. We are completely dependent on the Supreme will of Krishna. Let us try our best to serve Him and He will give us all facilities in our mission. Our San Francisco friends may be very anxious because I sent them two telegrams, one informing of my arrival and the other cancelling it. You can inform them of the real position as you understand by this letter. The booklets which you have sent are very much appreciated. Printing and painting are our life back bone. Our nice Guru who have been sent to us by Krishna are trying their best and I am sure we shall be successful. More when we meet. Hope you are well. Convey my blessings to all prabhus.
1968 Correspondence
You have high intelligence, opulences, birth in the families of the rich nation. Use this opportunity for making life successful and go back to Krishna, back to Home. It is a very scientific movement authorized by the Vedas and accepted by all great acaryas. I think the boy Terry is God-sent. In his past life he must have cultivated this science of Krishna Consciousness and therefore he has automatically been attracted with this movement and who knows if all the boys and girls joining me were not born by the Supreme Will of Krishna just to help me in this great task of distributing Krishna Consciousness in the Western World specifically. I am always at your service and whenever you shall call me I shall come to your place and enjoy your good company. Please try to open a center there as soon as possible. I have instructed Terry about this. Please cooperate with him and chant Hare Krishna and open a center there.
Regarding chanting in the street chased by the police is not good at all. The best thing is to invite people in our temple, and chant peacefully. If a person can sell from 7 to 12 magazines individually there is no need of making a procession of chanters and thereby disturbing the police equilibrium. If you can sell Back To Godhead individually as proposed by you, and some copies of our books, like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that will be a great success. And there is no need of leading a procession of chanters for this purpose. The idea submitted by you is very nice, and I have given my 100% approval and I have given my opinion as above mentioned. Now you can do with intelligence depending on the supreme will of Krishna. I hope this will meet you in good health, and offer my blessings to all the devotees there.
1969 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter of January 4, 1969 along with your note for Purusottama who is here now and will give you his note along with this letter. I understand that you are anxious to go to New Vrindaban. I think that it is Krishna's will that you shall go there and try to develop that nice land because there is so much potential there which can utilize your abilities in being developed. I hope that by now you have received a note from Hayagriva who was staying with me for more than a fortnight. He is now married with Syama Dasi and he has returned back to New Vrindaban. If Kirtanananda Maharaja welcomes you during the winter months there is no need of waiting for the springtime. I have no objections. The only question is if there is sufficient place to accommodate you during the winter season. Also be sure to consult with Hamsaduta to be sure that there will not be too great inconvenience in your leaving to New Vrindaban.
I have received your note along with Satyabhama's letter. I thank you for your very nice sentiments. I hope by this time you must have improved your health and very soon you will be able to work fully along with your good husband. I think by the will of Krishna you two good souls, Hayagriva and yourself, are combined now to fulfill my mission of publishing the whole of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krishna is sufficiently powerful and able to give facilities to His devotees provided a devotee works very sincerely to please Him. We shall always keep this motto in our view, and it is very nice to hear that you are feeling separation from most beautiful Syamasundara, but you are satisfied by chanting His Holy Name. Syamasundara is not different from His Name. Krishna's Name, qualities, form, fame, abode and paraphernalia, all are identical with Krishna. So if we take advantage of associating with any one of them that makes us fixed up in our eternal relationship with Syamasundara.
I thank you very much for your letter dated July 18, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I was very much anxious to hear from you and Mandali Bhadra since you left Vancouver, and I am very glad to learn that things are going nicely. By Krishna's Will you are all a good combination. So continue to execute Krishna Consciousness very seriously and sincerely and take care of your child, Moyuradwaja. I have a great hope for Moyuradwaja. He is very intelligent with signs of a great devotee. My special request to you is that you take care of this child very nicely, and he will be a great son to glorify his parents. I have noticed that he has all the instincts of devotional life, and it is up to the guardians to take care of him. I am pleased to note that you and Jaya Govinda are learning to speak German language. Please help all of the boys to become a little conversant with with this language. That will facilitate your business there. I think that for American boys it will not be difficult to learn to speak German quickly.
1970 Correspondence
Force is applied only when there is denial of Krsna. Just as the citizens of a state have freedom to follow the laws of the state, that is subordinate freedom, and the freedom of the living entities is also subordinate to Krsna. The clue is given there in the Bhagavad-gita that the living entities are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, this means that all the qualities of Krsna are therefore present in minute quantity in each of His parts and parcels. That is simultaneously one and different philosophy—the living entities thus have free will because they are parts of Krsna and Krsna has free will, but the free will of Krsna is Supreme while the freedom of the parts and parcels is minute. So if the living entity out of love subordinates his free will to Krsna that is his liberation. He is no longer forced to act helplessly, but he acts freely rendering loving devotional service to Krsna in every way. Then we have the practical conclusion from Krsna confirmed by Him in Bhagavad-gita (18:66), "Just surrender unto Me; and in return I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore you have nothing to fear." In this way astral influences are also material and therefore they do not affect the devotee who has taken protection of Krsna's internal energy, by surrendering his life and soul in the service of the Lord.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 31st March, 1970, and in the meantime I have received one small tape record. Your teaching of Sanskrit pronunciation has been very much successful. I was just thinking of teaching our students the pronunciation of the Sanskrit verses in the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. and by Krsna's will you have already begun this. It will be a great help for me if the students are taught to pronounce in Sanskrit vibration. It will be another effect of transcendental sound vibration.
But we should always remember that our aim is spiritual realization, so in such classes in the beginning there must be Kirtana and at the end also there must be Kirtana. And they should not only pronounce the verses, but they should also understand the meaning and purport of each verse, then it will be grand success.
If possible, you can make another complete tape for use in other centers. You should make several copies and perhaps Dinesh can help you in this connection. Then distribute these specimen tapes to all centers and they may be asked for the charges.
1973 Correspondence
Even Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu a 16-year-old boy was killed at the battle of Kuruksetra. We should be prepared to protect the Deities and always expect Krsna's Mercy, because we are always dependent on Him and we cannot do anything on our own without Him.
You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him. For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever. The whole universe is finally subject to certain annihilation by the will of Krsna, but devotional service is eternal and is the only certain way one can save himself from devastation. We can preach all over the world that the only way to be saved from collective and individual devastation is to take to the chanting of Hare Krsna. In short, this material world is a very precarious place therefore we should always chant Hare Krsna and seek Krsna's protection.
| Page Title: | Will of Krsna |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 10 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=4, SB=6, CC=4, OB=3, Lec=27, Con=5, Let=11 |
| No. of Quotes: | 60 |