The Renunciation of Raghunatha das Goswami -as a young family man
Madhya 16.237–“Be patient and return home. Don’t be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence.
PURPORT-As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58): samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo-murāreḥ bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām..This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with Brahmaloka and extends to Pātālaloka, and there are many planets, or islands, in this ocean.Not knowing about devotional service, the living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to reach the shore.Our struggle for existence is similar to this.Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence.One cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavors, he can cross the ocean by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy.One may be very eager to cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently under the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return home, back to Godhead.
Madhya 16.238-“You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it.”
PURPORT-The word markaṭa-vairāgya, indicating false renunciation, is very important in this verse. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external show of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in the forest.In this way they consider themselves renunciants, but actually they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female monkeys. Such renunciation is called markaṭa-vairāgye-the renunciation of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one actually becomes disgusted with material activityand sees it as a stumbling block to spiritual advancement.Renunciation should not be phalgu, temporary, but should exist throughout one’s life.Temporary renunciation, or monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels at a cremation ground. When a man takes a dead body to the crematorium, he sometimes thinks, “This is the final end of the body. Why am I working so hard day and night?” Such sentiments naturally arise in the mind of any man who goes to a crematorial ghāṭa.However, as soon as he returns from the cremation grounds, he again engages in material activity for sense enjoyment. This is called śmaśāna-vairāgya, or markaṭa-vairāgya.In order to render service to the Lord, one may accept necessary things. If one lives in this way, he may actually become renounced. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said: “The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should not superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is necessary to help one advance spiritually.”
In his Durgama-saṅgamanī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī comments that the word sva-nirvāhaḥ actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvāhaḥ.The experienced devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.256), markaṭa-vairāgya, or phalgu-vairāgya, is explained as follows: “Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing.” Yukta-vairāgya, or befitting renunciation, is thus explained: “Things should be accepted for the Lord’s service and not for one’s personal sense gratification. If one accepts something without attachment and accepts it because it is related to Kṛṣṇa, one’s renunciation is called yukta-vairāgya.” Since Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, whatever is accepted for His service is also the Absolute Truth. The word markaṭa-vairāgya is used by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to indicate so-called Vaiṣṇavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying to imitate Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.Such people carry a beadbag and chant, but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and money.Unknown to others, these markaṭa-vairāgīs maintain women but externally present themselves as renunciants.Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much opposed to these markaṭa-vairāgīs, or pseudo-Vaiṣṇavas.
Madhya 16.239-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued: “Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Kṛṣṇa will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of māyā.
Madhya 16 241-“What kind of means you will have to use at that time will be revealed by Kṛṣṇa. If one has Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, no one can check him.”
Srila Prabhupada speaks – “So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya.Bhagavad-bhajana, to advance in spiritual life, to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, that is the aim of life.
Srila Prabhupada speaks – “So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, to advance in spiritual life, to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, that is the aim of life.”
So that attitude should be maintained because here it is said, tvām akiñcana-gocaram [SB 1.8.26]. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also, he said that niṣkiñcanasya. Here it is called akiñcana. And the same thing in different way, niṣkiñcana. Akiñcana.”A” means negation, and “na” means negation. Niṣkiñcana. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, to advance in spiritual life, to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, that is the aim of life. That is the purpose of human form of life. So for him, he should always remain niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. So therefore Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, he remained niṣkiñcana. And his disciple, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, he also remained niṣkiñcana although he possessed so many temples, because nothing was for his personal…, but for Kṛṣṇa.
So one may question that “Your Guru Mahārāja was sitting on the ground in a municipal lavatory…” Because he did not like that “Anybody should disturb me,” he was sitting by the side of municipal lavatory. Because so many people will come for darśana and āśīrvāda, he did not like it. He did not like to be disturbed by these āśīrvāda. You see? They will not take any spiritual instruction. They are thinking that “Here is a saintly person, and he’ll bless me. So I have got now one thousand. I’ll take ten thousand.” That’s all.Therefore, they come. They do not come to take any spiritual instruction. Therefore, it is botheration. It is botheration. So Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not like this botheration. He was sitting by the side of a municipal lavatory so that “These rascals will not come out of the bad smell and will not disturb me.” You see? So Mahārāja Mahīndrānandī, he was one of the… He had organized one saṅkīrtana festival. So he came to Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and to invite him. So after many requests, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja said, “Mahārāja, you have got many tenants. You are Mahārāja. Why you are trying to make me your tenant? Because you are rich man, you also want… As your tenants carries your order, so you also want me. So why you are…?” “No, sir, no. You are my lord. Whatever you say, I shall carry out.” “Will you carry out?” “Why not?” So, he said that “Don’t go home. Sit down here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.” He fled away. (laughter) You see. So he was very humorous also, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, that “If you are so obedient, then I ask you, ‘Don’t go home. Better give up your dress and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa here.’ “
So, he was akiñcana. So similarly, … Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was gṛhastha, very opulent, governor. He is also akiñcana because nothing was possessed by personal; everything for Jagannātha. This is distinction. On one side, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and one side, Rāmānanda Rāya. And Rāmānanda Rāya is the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he’s a gṛhastha, because he is akiñcana, as akiñcana as Rūpa Gosvāmī. So we have to become akiñcana. Akiñcana. Then we shall realize Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, it is said, akiñcana-gocaram: “You are understandable only by a person who does not possess so-called material opulence.” So we should always remember that whatever we are trying for material…, it is all for Kṛṣṇa, nothing for us. So that people may… Big, gorgeous temple means people will be attracted to come here, and we’ll distribute Kṛṣṇa’s prasādam. The aim is some way or other to turn them to convert them into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you remain akiñcana. And if we think that “We have got now very big house. We shall live comfortably and sleep comfortably,” then na gocaram, then Kṛṣṇa will not be realized. Then that comfort will be realized only, not Kṛṣṇa. Akiñcana-gocaram. We should always remember this.
This is… Kuntī devī is saying, tvām akiñcana-gocaram [SB 1.8.26]. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said also, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, if one is interested, he should not desire anything material possession. Material… Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajano… And Bhagavad-bhajana, why required? Now, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya. We are rotting in this material world. We have to cross over the nescience ocean, and go to Vaikuṇṭha. That is bhagavad-bhajana. Bhagavad-bhajana does not mean to increase our material possessions. That is dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa [SB 4.8.41]. These are material things. People become religious to increase their economic condition better, dharma artha, generally. They want to… Just like there are so many so-called saintly persons. They advertise that “If you give me one, I shall give you ten.” Magic, gold manufacturing, or some cloth and they get more… People are after them. But akiñcana. We have nothing to give. So they do not come to us.
So Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocaram. We should always remember that, that if we desire to be materially happy, and if we think, “Some material possession and prestige in the society and becoming a learned scholar… I shall be getting more and more adoration from the society. I’ll be a big man,” then Kṛṣṇa will be finished. Kṛṣṇa will be finished. Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocara. That is the instruction of this verse. Naivārhaty abhidhātum. These persons, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna [SB 1.8.26], increasing material opulence, they does not, they do not deserve approaching Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will be approached by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura when he says, tomā bine ke āche āmāra: “I have no other alternative than to take shelter at the lotus feet of Your Lordship. Please give me…” We should always remember this. Then we shall be able to make progress in spiritual life.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, to advance in spiritual life, to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, that is the aim of life. That is the purpose of human form of life.
So therefore Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, he remained niṣkiñcana. And his disciple, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, he also remained niṣkiñcana although he possessed so many temples, because nothing was for his personal…, but for Kṛṣṇa.
a, he did not like it. He did not like to be disturbed by these āśīrvāda. You see? They will not take any spiritual instruction.
They are thinking that “Here is a saintly person, and he’ll bless me. So I have got now one thousand. I’ll take ten thousand.” That’s all. Therefore, they come. They do not come to take any spiritual instruction.
Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was gṛhastha, very opulent, governor. He is also akiñcana because nothing was possessed by personal; everything for Jagannātha. This is distinction.
On one side, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and one side, Rāmānanda Rāya. And Rāmānanda Rāya is the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he’s a gṛhastha, because he is akiñcana, as akiñcana as Rūpa Gosvāmī. So we have to become akiñcana. Akiñcana.
Then we shall realize Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, it is said, akiñcana-gocaram: “You are understandable only by a person who does not possess so-called material opulence.”
And if we think that “We have got now very big house. We shall live comfortably and sleep comfortably,” then na gocaram, then Kṛṣṇa will not be realized. Then that comfort will be realized only, not Kṛṣṇa.
Bhagavad-bhajana does not mean to increase our material possessions.
That is dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa [SB 4.8.41]. These are material things.
People become religious to increase their economic condition better, dharma artha, generally. They want to… Just like there are so many so-called saintly persons.
They advertise that “If you give me one, I shall give you ten.” Magic, gold manufacturing, or some cloth and they get more… People are after them. But akiñcana. We have nothing to give. So they do not come to us.
We should always remember that, that if we desire to be materially happy, and if we think, “Some material possession and prestige in the society and becoming a learned scholar… I shall be getting more and more adoration from the society. I’ll be a big man,” then Kṛṣṇa will be finished. Kṛṣṇa will be finished. Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocara.
Kṛṣṇa will be approached by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura when he says, tomā bine ke āche āmāra: “I have no other alternative than to take shelter at the lotus feet of Your Lordship. Please give me…” We should always remember this. Then we shall be able to make progress in spiritual life.
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out regarding what is “Action”,”Inaction” and “Forbidden Action”
Hare Krishna, Dandavat pranams and all glories to His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all Vaisnavas.
In this article, a collection of instructions by Srila Prabhupada in his original books is presented in which he explains the meaning of action, inaction and forbidden action.
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out on Misinterpretation of Bhagavad Gita
Hare Krsna, all glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all Vaisnavas. The following quotes give some instructions on misinterpretations of Bhagavad Gita.
“Intermingling the spiritual with the material causes one to look on transcendence as material and the mundane as spiritual. This is all due to a poor fund of knowledge.” (Cc. Madhya 16.72, Purport)
We have seen pictures that show a vyasasana in an Iskcon temple room. On this vyasasana is mounted a large picture of an “iskcon guru,” and it appears there is a ritvik initiation ceremony going on–but without Srila Prabhupada. Apparently the iskcon gbc accepts ritvik initiations if Srila Prabhupada is not recognized as the diksha-guru. These photos and various Iskcon altars show that the GBC is promoting idolatry in Iskcon.
Idol worship is condemned in every scripture. Idolatry is defined as the unauthorized worship or adoration of a material object or person as if it (or he) were super potent, super cognizant, fully divine, and capable of reciprocating with all devotional offerings. Srila Prabhupada and our previous acharyas teach that those who think Krishna’s archa-vigraha manifestation is simply a statue or prop to be used for money collection are atheists and idol worshippers. Those who think bona fide Deity worship and the Holy Names of Krishna are material or similar to the names and worship of demigods are considered atheists (psandis). Similarly, those who teach that the Vedic puranas like Srimad-Bhagavatam, which describe Krishna and His pastimes, are mythological, are atheists, although they sometimes pose as Vaishnavas.
“If one tries to mingle the worship of yogamaya with mahamaya, considering them one and the same, he does not really show high intelligence.” (Cc. Madhya 8.90, Purport)
One reason idolatry is sinful is because simple persons who are pious and naturally inclined to offer worship to the Supreme Lord often become diverted from authorized devotional service to the Lord’s Deity form and become bewildered instead by showy displays of idolatrous rituals based on concocted traditions. Sometimes, in imitation of Deity worship, tribesmen, fallen dvijas, misguided sudras, and others offer incense, flowers, fruits, ghee lamps, cooked foods, and other items to pictures or idols of minor devatas,yaksas, raksasas, bogus “avatars,”bogus “gurus,”and even political leaders.All such unauthorized ritual is farcical.
“Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.18.5, Purport)
Archana-marga and sri guru-puja are completely different from idol worship because both the Deity and Sri Guru are fully divine, omniscient, omnipotent, and fully capable of reciprocating all devotional offerings. Such worship has been going on since time immemorial and is authorized in the Vedic scriptures and by all Vedic acharyas. Sometimes great Vaishnavas or nitya-siddha parishadas of the Supreme Lord are worshiped in the same manner as Lord Krishna Himself, either as a painting, picture, or murti made of earth, stone, or wood.
If a devotee follows the rules of archana-marga with devotion, the representational form of the Supreme Lord or great Vaishnava becomes identical with the divine personality Himself, who accepts all sincere offerings and prayers and speaks to advanced worshipers. In true Vedic culture, even Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva are generally not worshiped on the same level as the Supreme Lord and His nitya-siddha parisada. Demigod worship, as described in the karma-kanda sections of the Vedas, is meant for less intelligent materialist—not Vaishnavas. In this age most demigod worship is done whimsically and without reference to Lord Vishnu, and is thus the same as idol worship.
Authorized worship of the Supreme Lord and His empowered devotees, one the other hand, is true spiritual action. It is not a mere “festival of flowers”, a Hindu custom, demigod worship, or an ecclesiastical ritual. Rather, it is the essence of pure spiritual activity, “the character of the living force in immortality”. Archana-marga, particularly the pancaratriki-vidhi enunciated by our param guru, Sri Narada Muni, is sanatana-dharma. Sanatana-dharma means activity that is eternal, common to all living beings, and directly enunciated by the Supreme Lord Himself or His empowered expansions such as Narada Muni, Asita, Vyasadeva, the Six Goswamis, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktiisiddhanta, or Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada introduced the full practice of sri guru-puja as described in the revealed scriptures and by great acharyas like Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura. For the benefit of us fallen souls of Kali Yuga, Srila Prabhupada instituted elaborate guru-puja in His temples, in public, and all over the world. He has made all necessary arrangements to remain fully available for everyone through His books, His murtis, His mission, His institutions, and His representatives. This is His causeless mercy. He made it as easy as possible for conditioned souls of this age to approach Him and accept Him as spiritual master. By His mercy, He has prescribed an easy minimum sadhana to help guarantee anyone’s return home, back to Godhead. Only an empowered maha-bhagavata can offer this supreme boon to everyone in the world on behalf of Lord Krishna and Lord Chaitanya.
“The Lord empowers a special devotee to teach people their constitutional position.” (Cc. Madhya 19.114, Purport)
“Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Krishna to fulfill His desire, and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become spiritual master for the whole word… Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, He cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore, He extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, He broadcasts the shining brightness of Krishna’s effulgence throughout the world… Such a person is… guru or spiritual master for the entire world, a devotee of the topmost platform, the maha-bhagavata stage.” (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s prediction, Cited in Cc., Madhya 25.9, Purport.)
When imperfect preachers imitate Srila Prabhupada by allowing their followers to offer worship to their own pictures or put their pictures on the altar with nitya-siddha acharyas, such a farce is an offense. Such concocted rituals are never authorized and should never be allowed in Srila Prabhupada’s temples. It betrays a paucity of real knowledge on the part of the upstart “guru” and his followers.
“But if everyone simply imitates your exalted status, there will be only a contradictory result. As long as this pretense continues, there will only be utter failure.” (From Vaisistya-Astaka, a poem by Srila Prabhupada, 1961)
“However, one should not imitate the behavior of an advanced devotee or mahā-bhāgavata without being self-realized, for by such imitation one will eventually become degraded.” (Nectar of Instruction, Text 5, Purport.)
Srila Prabhupada, of course, is perfect and always fully present in His vani, His murti, His worshiped picture,andHismission. By Srila Prabhupada’s divine grace, devotees also have access to mercy and guidance from our great nitya-siddhaparam gurus: Their songs, Their stories, Their examples, Their pranams, Their prayers, Their murtis, Their pictures, Their poems, Their books, Their instructions.We have all this association, sadhu-sanga of the highest level,in Srila Prabhupada’s books and mission.Why should Srila Prabhupada’s followers believe they need a voted-in or self-appointed upstart “guru”? The reason is ignorance. The reason is their “poor fund of knowledge” and gbc campaigns of deliberate misinformation, envy, and deceit.
Regarding our eternally living gurus, Srila Prabhupada comments as follows: “As Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa. One’s aim of life should be to serve the acharyas. Acharya upasanam. So, our ahcarya in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya, the sri-rupa sanatana bhatta-raghunatha, sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasa-raghunatha, the Six Gosvamins, and if we associate with them…this book, Nectar of Devotion, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, if you read regularly, try to understand, this means you are associating with Srila Rupa Gosvami directly. And if you act accordingly, then you are serving their lotus feet. Tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa.”
It is a great credit to many second-generation disciples of Srila Prabhupada that they have seen through the gbc’s acidic smoke screens and–in spite of the politics and chaos generated by these misguided clerics–have accepted Srila Prabhupada as their eternal diksha-guru.
Responding to the same question repeated twice–“Who will be your successor?”–Srila Prabhupada replied, “My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there always. It may come before your vision or not–the sun is there. But if you are fortunate, you come before the sun… The sun is open to everyone.” (Interview, Mexico City, 1975.)
“These initiations–I have deputed my disciples. Is it clear or not?” (Conversation, Oct. 18, 1977, Vrindaban.)
Additional References:
“The spiritual master is not a question of [‘living’ or ‘dead’] … The spiritual master is eternal. The spiritual master is eternal…” (Lecture, Seattle, Oct. 2,1968.)
“Although the physical body in not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration–what we have heard from the spiritual master–that is ‘living’.” (Lecture, January 13, 1969, LA, CA.)
“When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, He is to be accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of guru.” (Chaitanya-charitamirta, Madhya 24.330, Purport, citing Padma Purana.)
“Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” (Cc., Adi 1.35, Purport)
“As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14, Purport.)
“And as soon as he learns that Guru Maharaja is dead, ‘Now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and I become guru’… then he is finished.” (Conversation, August 16, 1976, Bombay)
When Prabhupada came to the west, so many devotees and others were confused and polluted by this impersonalism theory-its all one, you and I are god, etc, etc. This thinking pervaded peoples consciousness-especially among the younger generation. In this conversation he , sometimes with humor, invalidates these illusions and with logic establishes the Vedic conclusion-Krsna is God and we are all His parts and parcels.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
Sept 13 1`975 Vrndavnana
Dhṛṣṭaketu: They say when you become liberated then you become…, then you pervade everywhere. It’s just that… They say that just now, in this position…
Prabhupāda: So when you will be liberated? What is the standard of liberation?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: By performing austerities, by studying the…
Prabhupāda: That’s all right. What is the standard?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: When I merge, when I lose my identity, when I don’t…
Prabhupāda: That means you forget. You forget everything. Then how you will be liberated? Whatever little consciousness was there, that is finished. Then how you become liberated? Whatever you had, that is also finished. Eh? Then how you become liberated?
Harikeśa: But what we are forgetting is just illusion anyway.
Prabhupāda: That is liberation. Then I kill you, you forget everything—liberation. (laughter) What is the meaning of liberation? They do not know even the meaning of liberation.
Harikeśa: To get rid of all these miseries.
Prabhupāda: That you can do. I can kill you; you get rid of all miseries. Finished. You are finished; your miseries are finished. That’s all.
Brahmānanda: It doesn’t matter whether you live or you die because it is all one.
Prabhupāda: Well, let me kill you. That’s all right. It will be great beneficial to you.
Indian man (1): To my opinion, we are more liberated in… (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Your opinion, my opinion. We have to consider the fact. (Vraja-vasi passes by, singing) This is jīvan ko sabadiya tomara. This is surrender, that he is singing, jīvan ko sabadiya: “When I surrender unto Your lotus feet.” That is surrender. This is liberation. Just like the child fully surrendered to the parent, he is liberated. He has no anxiety. He is confident “My parents are there. Whatever he’ll do, that’s all right for me.” That is liberation.
Indian man (1): We can become free from all anxieties.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is liberation. If you are filled up with anxieties where is your liberation? That is not liberation.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: They will also say that this condition of being one with the Supreme is also…
Prabhupāda: How you become one? If Kṛṣṇa or the consciousness is there but you lose your consciousness, why you become one?
Harikeśa: Well, it’s not exactly that we lose consciousness but we merge into the supreme consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Supreme consciousness?
Harikeśa: Then we become God.
Prabhupāda: No. You cannot. Then why you are different now?
Harikeśa: It’s my līlā. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Then if it is līlā, then why you are undergoing austerity? That is also līlā. If it is līlā, then why you are trying to get out of it by practicing austerity?
Harikeśa: Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Harikeśa: Ṛṣabhadeva, he performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: No, what…? I do not follow what you say.
Brahmānanda: He’s saying that Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity, so therefore I am performing austerity.
Prabhupāda: You are performing but what is Ṛṣabhadeva’s position?
Brahmānanda: He never claimed to merge with the supreme consciousness.
Dhanañjaya: But the whole thing is that the supreme consciousness is unembodied and we are embodied right now. So when we attain supreme consciousness we also become unembodied.
Prabhupāda: How you become embodied if you are supreme? Who made you embodied if you are supreme? Then who made you embodied, he is supreme. You are not supreme. You did not like to be embodied; therefore you are trying to be bodyless. But who made you embodied? Then that he or she is supreme. You are not supreme.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: I put myself in this condition so that I can enjoy getting out of it.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: I put myself in this condition of illusion so that I can enjoy being liberated.
Prabhupāda: And so you put yourself to be kicked by me and enjoy. Just test what is the enjoyment of being kicked.
Dhanañjaya: But without pain how can you experience pleasure?
Prabhupāda: You get this experience, how it is pleasure? I kick and you enjoy?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: The idea is that after experiencing the suffering of this material world then liberation will be very…
Prabhupāda: Why there is suffering, material? You are supreme; why it is suffering for you?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: Well, so that when I…
Prabhupāda: So, there is no “so that.” Why you are suffering?
Brahmānanda: It’s suffering only for those…
Prabhupāda: If it is your līlā, then you are suffering. What is this nonsense of “my līlā.” Suffering?
Brahmānanda: The suffering is only for those who haven’t…, who don’t understand that they are supreme.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Brahmānanda: Those who don’t understand, they are the ones who suffer, but I don’t suffer.
Prabhupāda: So it is better to remain in that ignorance. Just like the hogs and dogs, they do not understand that this is suffering. But we can understand that this is suffering.
Brahmānanda: Yes. To be a dog, that’s all right because the dog doesn’t suffer. He is enjoying.
Prabhupāda: No, no, why you are doing austerity? Remain as dog and cat. Therefore you are mūḍha. You do not know what is suffering, what is enjoyment. Mūḍho nābhijānāti mam ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Therefore one who is intelligent, jñāni, bahūnām jan… After suffering in this way and talking all nonsense, when he comes to the real knowledge, then he surrenders. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān maṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. That is knowledge.
Indian man (1): Kamādinaṁ katīna katidha palita durnideśaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Ah. When he comes to this awareness, that “I have simply suffered and I wanted to maintain myself by jugglery of words,” then he comes to the real knowledge.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: So the Māyāvādīs’ philosophy is actually the supreme illusion.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden. Māyāvādī-bhāṣya sunile haya sarva nasa [Cc. Madhya 6.169]. One is finished if he follows the Māyāvāda philosophy. He is doomed. He will never be able to accept the real philosophy. He will be absorbed in that false philosophy. This is Māyāvādī’s position. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. They are aparādhī, offender. Therefore they shall remain perpetually in ignorance and think himself, “I am God.” This is Māyāvādī’s position. Vivekānanda preached openly that “Why you are thinking that you are sinful? You are God.” He preached like that.
Madhya 16.64–-“Do not come to Jagannātha Purī every year, but stay in Bengal and fulfill My desire.”
PURPORT-The mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to spread the only medicine effective in this fallen age of Kali-the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Following the orders of His mother, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was residing at Jagannātha Purī, and the devotees were coming to see Him. However, the Lord felt that this message must be spread very elaborately in Bengal, and in His absence there was not a second person capable of doing it. Consequently the Lord requested Nityānanda Prabhu to stay there and broadcast the message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Lord also entrusted a similar preaching responsibility to Rūpa and Sanātana. Nityānanda Prabhu was requested not to come every year to Jagannātha Purī, although seeing Lord Jagannātha greatly benefits everyone. Does this mean that the Lord was refusing Nityānanda Prabhu a fortunate opportunity? No. One who is a faithful servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must execute His order, even if one has to sacrifice going to Jagannātha Purī to see Lord Jagannātha there. In other words, it is a greater fortune to carry out Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s order than to satisfy one’s senses by seeing Lord Jagannātha.
Preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult throughout the world is more important than staying in Vṛndāvana or Jagannātha Purī for one’s own personal satisfaction. Spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission; therefore His sincere devotees must carry out His desire. pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
The devotees of Lord Caitanya must preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every village and town in the world. That will satisfy the Lord. It is not that one should act whimsically for his own personal satisfaction. This order comes down through the paramparā system, and the spiritual master presents these orders to the disciple so that he can spread the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the duty of every disciple to carry out the order of the bona fide spiritual master and spread Lord Caitanya’s message all over the world.
Prabhupāda: …indirect worship, abiding. Just like you don’t worship the government, revolt. But when you are put into jail you have to worship the government.
Akṣayānanda: We don’t worship, yet we don’t break the law.
Prabhupāda:You cannot break the law. Outside you break law. That you can do. But when you are put into jail, then you cannot. And jail means unless the government finds that you are now obedient to the government laws... (dog growling and barking)
This Sudarshan cakra sila was given to me by Sukadev das shown below-and whose separation from I am not feeling any happiness…..
The qualities of one engaged in the service of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu-such as reputation, austerities, penances and knowledge-are not to be compared to the good qualities of others. Such is the perfection of a devotee always engaged in the service of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Madshya 8,248–Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?” Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”
Purport-Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:
vṛddha-sevā-paricyutaḥ “A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaiṣṇavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.“
There is also a statement given in the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.51): sva-jīvanādhikaṁ prārthyaṁ śrī-viṣṇu-jana-saṅgataḥ vicchedena kṣaṇaṁ cātra na sukhāṁśaṁ labhāmahe
“[King Yudhiṣṭhira said:] ‘Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.’ “
this picture taken one summer at our ashram- during Janmastami festival time-as you can see the two of us enjoyed a very “hands on” relationship !!
So to make a solution we must approach Kṛṣṇa as guru, or Kṛṣṇa’s representative. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s representative… In, they are the same. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. By pleasing guru, you can please Kṛṣṇa. EVEN KRSNA IS NOT PLEASED, IF THE GURU IS PLEASED , KRSNA HAS TO BE PLEASED. Because he’s representative. Suppose you have given somebody power of attorney to do some business. So after finishing the business, if you see the paper, not very favorable, it has not been done very nicely, still you have to accept. Because your representative has signed it. Yes. Therefore yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. KRSNA NOT SATISFIED, BUT IF YOUR GURU IS SATISFIED, THEN KRSNA MUST BE SATISFIED. THIS IS KRSNA’S OBLIGATION. Because He has sent representative. Kṛṣṇa has… ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān [SB 11.17.27]. Kṛṣṇa says: “ācārya, that is I am.” Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit. “Never try to neglect ācārya. Nāvamanyeta. Neither think of ācārya as ordinary person. Vedic injunction is one must approach understand all this subject matter.
