…The example, as I gave you the other day, that a soldier is fighting and killing many enemies or killing many persons, but he is not responsible for killing. The same man, when he is not fighting for the country or for the government, if he kills one man, he is hanged. He is to be hanged. Try to understand. So because he is fighting or killing on the order of higher authority, the government, he is not responsible for all those killings. Rather sometimes he is recognized by giving some medal: “Oh, you have killed so many enemies. Very good.” And similarly, if he kills outside the warfield, at home… That is also enemy. Nobody kills nobody unless the other is his enemy. But he will be hanged. If he argues in the court that “In the battlefield I killed so many enemies. I was given recognition. But at home I have killed only one enemy and for which I am going to be hanged. What is this law?” This argument will not stay. So for higher authority’s order, if you do something, you are not responsible.
Note–In the above example Srila Prabhupada is explaining the principle of acting under higher authority by which one may even kill others without reactions.
On the other hand when some person acts on his own without obedience to the higher authority of Guru and God, then he is responsible for his actions and his so called spiritual activity has no good consequence-in other words it is not only useless but sinful.
Dec 23 1970 Surat conversations
Devotee (3): In regard to worshiping arcā-vigraha form, you have explained that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master who is not bona fide, that mantra has no effect. So I would like to ask if one is worshiping a Deity and his spiritual master is not bona fide, so that Deity cannot be considered the Supreme Lord?
Prabhupāda: Well, first of all, thing is if the spiritual master is not bona fide, how his mantra can be bona fide? Your statement is contradictory. If you say the spiritual master is not bona fide, then how his mantra becomes bona fide? If he is bona fide, then his mantra is bona fide.
Devotee (3): Then why is he giving instruction to worship the Deity? If the spiritual master is not bona fide, then is the Deity also not bona fide?
Prabhupāda: I do not follow. What does he say?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His idea is that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master, if the spiritual master is not bona fide…
Prabhupāda: Then there is no question of mantra. There is no question of worshiping Deity. These are all bogus things. If you are not… Just like here is a young medical man. If he has not received instruction from a bona fide medical college, so what is the value of his medical, being… That is… What is called? What is the technical name?
Devotee (4): Quack.
Prabhupāda: Quack! (laughter) (pronounces like “quark”)
Devotees: Quack.
Prabhupāda: A quack is not a medical man, however he may show all red bottles, white bottles.
SP explains how to make spiritual advancement-simple –two things only
June 27 1976 New Vrndavana
And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, when He was asked by a gṛhastha devotee what should be the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, He immediately said asat-saṅga tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava ācāra: [Cc. Madhya 22.87] “Give up the company of all rascals, asat.” Asat means those who are rascals. That is Vaiṣṇava. Do not mix with all rascals, asat. Now how shall I know who is rascal and who is not a (rascal)? Asat eka ‘strī-saṅgī—-eka asādhu, kṛṣṇa-bhakta āra. One who is too much attached with woman, he is rascal. Another rascal, who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That’s all. So we have got everything test tube. Put the test tube and you understand. If one is strī-saṅgī… Strī-saṅgī means not only the man, the man or woman, one who are very much sexually attached, he is a rascal. One should give up his company. And another rascal who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That’s all, finished. So if you want to be a Vaiṣṇava, you must give up the company of these two rascals. Then your progress is guaranteed. Everything is there. There is no difficulty to distinguish between rascals and intelligent, guru and bluffer. Everything is there. And to become a perfect Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said asat-saṅga tyāga ei vaiṣṇava. Don’t talk even with these rascals. But sometimes in the preaching work we have to talk with such rascals, but not to take their theory but to teach them our theory. If you become defeated by their theory, then you are not a preacher. Don’t preach, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You are not fit for teaching. If you become overcome by their teaching, then you are finished. A preacher is madhyama-adhikārī, advanced devotee. He can preach. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī should be engaged in temple worship, very nicely, then gradually he’ll come to the madhyama-adhikārī. So the preacher is madhyama-adhikārī. A kaniṣṭha-adhikārī cannot become preacher. He is in the lowest stage of devotional service; he cannot become preacher. He’ll be conquered by the asat. And madhyama-adhikārī, he knows how to deal with asat. At least he does not mix with them. That’s all. If he cannot defeat them, he should avoid them, because that valuable time can be utilized for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness to a person who is inquisitive to hear. Bāliśya. Bāliśya means innocent. He wants to know something about Kṛṣṇa. Better deal with him than with the rascals and waste time. Better avoid the rascals. Just like in hospital, emergency cases, the doctor, when they see that this patient hopeless, he does not take care anymore. But when there is hope, they give medicine and try to… So hopeless condition, better not. Don’t talk with them. That’s all. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Then he’ll remain safe. Hopeless person, don’t waste your time talking with them. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. Four observations. Bhagavān-īśvara; prema-love. And, prema-maitrī, friendship with devotees. And kṛpa, mercy to the innocent person. And upekṣā, no more talking. Don’t waste time, talking with all these nonsense. Better utilize, properly utilize the time by instructing a person who is innocent and eager to hear. Like that.
Note—In this valuable conversation Srila Prabhupada is explaining how to make spiritual advancement-We have to associate with fixed up devotees, who follow the process and who know the sastra, and then avoid those who are not following strictly this line of transcendental thought. Give up those too attached to women and wealth and those who are not actual devotees of God-Krsna.
June 28 1976 New Vrndavana conversations
Prabhupāda: they do not know what is the aim of life. They think that “they are not racing like dog; therefore, they are lazy.” But they are busy, very busy, from the childhood. But they have no eyes to see what is, business means.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The second point is, in connection with this question, that there’s a certain class of people in India—he describes them as being advanced, well-meaning and highly educated people in India today—that they’re accusing Hinduism of inhibiting progress and he wants to know why is this.
Prabhupāda: That is explained. They do not know what is progress. The Vedic civilization is not interested in this so-called false progress. Just like from hut to skyscraper. They think this is progress. But the Vedic civilization thinks how much he is advanced in self-realization. Either he is in cottage or in skyscraper. But if he wastes his time to turn the huts into skyscrapers, then the whole life is finished. And next time he is going to be a dog. He does not know. That’s all.
Note-We see today many devotees who are more interested in economic development, collecting money, and building skyscrapers than in spiritual realization. As SP says above they think that going from hut to skyscraper is advancement, but it is not.
I remember when I joined the movement and was out on the streets the very next day distributing books , shaved head and in dhoti. And then years later that “sankirtan” turned into selling candles, then paintings and they (the so called leaders) still called it “sankirtan” but it was simply the business of making money in the NAME of sankirtana. Today we see this in many places or temples. And this is what Srila Prabhupada warns us about NOT doing in the above conversation. What was once Transcendental has now become karma. Even if one is making money for Krsna, that is called karma yoga but not bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga is the 9 direct processes of devotional service.
Hare Krsna-Below we have arranged a series of statements by Srila Prabhupada
who is explaining the three different stages of God realization or consciousness. I have had many arguments with devotees in the past who seem to think they are on the platform of Bhagavan realization, (just because they are looking at some deity of Krsna) when it is easy to understand they and we are all mostly on the bodily platform.-not even the beginnings of the spiritual platform or Brahman realization. Here below are some of the proofs for this assertion.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
Madhya 10.175–“I have been meditating on the impersonal Brahman since my birth, but since I have seen You, I have fully experienced Kṛṣṇa.”
PURPORT–Brahmānanda Bhāratī admitted that when there is an argument between the spiritual master and the disciple, the spiritual master is naturally victorious, although the disciple may put forward a strong argument.
Madhya 10.178–“Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura abandoned his impersonal realization for the realization of the Personality of Godhead. I now see that my condition is similar to his, for it has already changed.”
PURPORT—In his early life, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was an impersonalistic monist, and he used to meditate upon the impersonal Brahman effulgence. Later he became a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and his explanation for this change is given in a verse (text 178) that is quoted in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Sometimes a devotee gradually comes to the stage of Bhagavān realization, realization of the Supreme Person, after having attained the lower stages of realization-impersonal Brahman realization and localized Paramātmā realization.
Three phases of realizing God
SB 4.30.31 purport–
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is parataḥ parāt. The word para means “transcendental, beyond this material world.” The impersonal Brahman effulgence is beyond this material world, and this is called paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (Bhāg. 10.2.32). Merging into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord is called paraṁ padam, but there is a higher transcendental position, which is the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (Bhāg. 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is realized first as impersonal Brahman, then as Paramātmā, and finally as Bhagavān. Thus the Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, is parataḥ parāt, beyond Brahman and Paramātmā realization.
June 19 1974 Germany–This is a material example. Similarly, self-realization is ultimately, as I taught you, that, first impersonal Brahman, then localized Paramātmā, and then the yogis, they realize the localized Paramātmā. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]. The yogis, they observe the Supersoul within himself, and they meditate upon Him. What is that verse?
SB 4.9.16 purport-Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes that this impersonal feature, or Brahman manifestation, of the Supreme Lord is meant for persons who are essentially very advanced but still not able to understand the personal features or variegatedness of the spiritual world. Such devotees are known as jñāna-miśra-bhaktas, or devotees whose devotional service is mixed with empiric knowledge. Because the impersonal Brahman realization is a partial understanding of the Absolute Truth, Dhruva Mahārāja offers his respectful obeisances.
It is said that this impersonal Brahman is the distant realization of the Absolute Truth. Although apparently Brahman seems to be devoid of energy, factually it has different energies working under the headings of knowledge and ignorance. On account of these different energies, there is continually a manifestation of vidyā and avidyā. Vidyā and avidyā are very nicely described in Īśopaniṣad. It is said there that sometimes, due to avidyā, or a poor fund of knowledge, one accepts the Absolute Truth as ultimately impersonal. But in fact the impersonal and personal realizations develop in proportion to the development of devotional service. The more we develop our devotional service, the more closely we approach the Absolute Truth, which, in the beginning, when we realize the Absolute Truth from a distant place, is manifest as impersonal.
People in general, who are under the influence of avidyā-śakti, or māyā, have neither knowledge nor devotion. But when a person who is a little advanced and is therefore called a jñānī advances even more, he is in the category of a jñāna-miśra-bhakta, or a devotee whose love is mixed with empiric knowledge. When he is still further advanced, he can realize that the Absolute Truth is a person with multienergies. An advanced devotee can understand the Lord and His creative energy.As soon as one accepts the creative energy of the Absolute Truth, the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are also understood. Devotees who are still further advanced, in full knowledge, can understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Only on that platform can one fully enjoy transcendental bliss. An example is given in this connection by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura of a person proceeding towards a destination. As he approaches, he sees the destination from a distant place, just as we see a city from a distance. At that time he simply understands that the city is situated at a distance. When, however, he comes still nearer, he sees the domes and flags. But as soon as he enters the city, he sees various paths, gardens, lakes, and marketplaces with shops, and persons buying. He sees varieties of cinema houses, and he sees dancing and jubilation. When a person actually enters the city and personally sees the activities of the city, he becomes satisfied.
You are not transcendental-but trying to be transcendental–
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Perth, May 11, 1975
Brahmanas ascting as vaisyas when nobody can do it
Prabhupāda: Muci, yes. Their business is shoe maker. So when the cow is dead, they take it, they eat the meat and take the skin and the hoof. They make business without any, what is called, investment. Harer nāma [Ādi 17.21]. That is economic. He gets the skin without any price, and he makes shoes and gets full profit. But that is for a class of men, not for all. Economic gain for a cobbler is not the economic gain for a brāhmaṇa. “One man’s food another man’s poison.”
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is considered, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that when a brāhmaṇa is engaged in the activities of plowing and cultivating, that he has become a vaiśya?
Prabhupāda: No. If there is nobody to help, he can do.
Hari-śauri: As long as he keeps up his brahminical standards.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes. This is our car?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
….Prabhupāda: Hmm. Now wherefrom this fragrance have come?
Devotees: From the earth.
Prabhupāda: Get out this fragrance from earth, you scientist. By Kṛṣṇa’s manipulation here is fragrance. Everyone knows it has come from earth. If there is, in the earth, there is no such fragrance, wherefrom it came? So therefore it is there, it is understood, but you get it out.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Well, we can take the chemicals and mix them, produce fragrance.
Prabhupāda: Take the chemicals?
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Yes. We can analyze the chemical structure and make…
Prabhupāda: No, the flower has taken directly, without any chemical addition. You do that. It is a fact the flavor is there within the earth, you take the flavor, extract the flavor. Not only this flavor, there are different flavors, all, everything there. There are so many flowers coming out. Huh? Sarva-kāma dugha-mahī. Mahī means earth. Everything’s coming out from the earth. But not in your attempt. It is Kṛṣṇa’s attempt that He can take out. Out of so many different flavors, everything is there within the earth, but Kṛṣṇa’s manipulation takes the different colors, different flavors, different bodies, everything. That is Kṛṣṇa’s manipulation. Mayādhyakṣeṇa [Bg. 9.10]. Just like in our kitchen we have got the ingredients, rice, dahl, āṭṭā, ghee. But the expert can prepare hundreds of preparations. That expert is Kṛṣṇa. And if one is not expert, even the ingredients are there, he’ll spoil everything. He’ll mix the āṭṭā with water then put ghee and then put rice. (laughter) This is the… We have to become expert. If you become expert, then you’ll do very nice purī, dahl, rice, ah… There are so many varieties. You enjoy. And if you are not expert, you’ll spoil. So Kṛṣṇa is expert and Kṛṣṇa bhakta is expert because he takes lessons from Kṛṣṇa. So for them this is not mithyā. Rascals who spoil it, they think it is mithyā. He could not do anything. He mix with a conglomeration, and because he could not get any result, he said mithyā, disappointment. And one who knows, he knows how to utilize it. Just like we are utilizing the cows in so many nice preparations, and these rascals killing them. Finished
…”The brāhmaṇa is thinking, “I am brāhmaṇa.” And the land is lying fallow.“
Srila Prabhupada writes – “Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya break the teeth of the Māyāvādī philosophers, who can therefore be called Vidantīs, “toothless.” Hare Krishna. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In the following verse, Srila Prabhupada gives us a complete description of Oṁkāra and the ways by which these Mayavadis interpret the meaning and how their attempts are defeated by Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya.The meaning of three parts of Oṁkāra (A,U,M) is also described. Hare Krishna. Caitanya Caritamrta-Adi Lila-Chapter 7-TEXT 128 – 1974 Edition ‘praṇava’ se mahāvākya–vedera nidānaīśvara-svarūpa praṇava sarva-viśva-dhāma
SYNONYMS
praṇava—the oṁkāra; se—that; mahā-vākya—transcendental sound vibration; vedera—of the Vedas; nidāna—basic principle; īśvara-svarūpa—direct representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; praṇava—oṁkāra; sarva-viśva—of all universes; dhāma—is the reservoir.
TRANSLATION
“The Vedic sound vibration oṁkāra, the principal word in the Vedic scriptures, is the basis of all Vedic vibrations. Therefore one should accept oṁkāra as the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the reservoir of the cosmic manifestation.
PURPORT
In the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 8.13) the glories of oṁkāra are described as follows:
This verse indicates that oṁkāra, or praṇava, is a direct representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore if at the time of death one simply remembers oṁkāra, he remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is therefore immediately transferred to the spiritual world. Oṁkāra is the basic principle of all Vedic mantras, for it is a representation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, understanding of whom is the ultimate goal of the Vedas, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ). Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand these simple facts explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, and yet they are very proud of being Vedāntīs. Sometimes, therefore, we refer to the Vedāntī philosophers as Vidantīs, those who have no teeth (vi means “without,” and dantī means “possessing teeth”). The statements of the Śaṅkara philosophy, which are the teeth of the Māyāvādī philosopher, are always broken by the strong arguments of Vaiṣṇava philosophers such as the great ācāryas, especially Rāmānujācārya. Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya break the teeth of the Māyāvādī philosophers, who can therefore be called Vidantīs, “toothless.”
The transcendental vibration oṁkāra is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Eight, verse thirteen:
“After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable oṁ, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.”
If one actually understands that oṁkāra is the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whether he chants oṁkāra or the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the result is certainly the same.
The transcendental vibration of oṁkāra is further explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Nine, verse seventeen:
pitāham asya jagatomātā dhātā pitāmahaḥvedyaṁ pavitram oṁkāraṛk sāma yajur eva ca
“I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support, and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas. .”
Similarly, the transcendental sound oṁ is further explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Seventeen, verse twenty-three:
oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśobrahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥbrāhmaṇās tena vedāś cayajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā
“From the beginning of creation, the three syllables oṁ tat sat have been used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth [Brahman]. They were uttered by brāhmaṇas while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.”
Throughout all the Vedic scriptures the glories of oṁkāra are specifically mentioned. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his thesis Bhagavat-sandarbha, says that in the Vedic literature oṁkāra is considered to be the sound vibration of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only this vibration of transcendental sound can deliver a conditioned soul from the clutches of māyā. Sometimes oṁkāra is also called the deliverer (tāra). Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the oṁkāra vibration: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Therefore oṁkāra has been described by the great commentator Śrīdhara Svāmī as tārāṅkura, the seed of deliverance from the material world. Since the Supreme Godhead is absolute, His holy name and His sound vibration oṁkāra are as good as He Himself. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that the holy name, or oṁkāra, the transcendental representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has all the potencies of the Personality of Godhead.
nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktistatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
All potencies are invested in the holy vibration of the holy name of the Lord. There is no doubt that the holy name of the Lord, or oṁkāra, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In other words, anyone who chants oṁkāra and the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately meets the Supreme Lord directly in His sound form. In the Nārada-pañcarātra it is clearly said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa personally appears before the chanter who engages in chanting the aṣṭākṣara, or eight-syllable mantra, oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya. A similar statement in the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad declares that whatever one sees in the spiritual world is all an expansion of the spiritual potency of oṁkāra.
On the basis of all the Upaniṣads, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that oṁkāra is the Supreme Absolute Truth and is accepted as such by all the ācāryas and authorities. Oṁkāra is beginningless, changeless, supreme and free from deterioration and external contamination. Oṁkāra is the origin, middle and end of everything, and any living entity who thus understands oṁkāra attains the perfection of spiritual identity in oṁkāra. Oṁkāra, being situated in everyone’s heart, is īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 18.61): īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati. Oṁkāra is as good as Viṣṇu because oṁkāra is as all-pervasive as Viṣṇu. One who knows oṁkāra and Lord Viṣṇu to be identical no longer has to lament or hanker. One who chants oṁkāra no longer remains a śūdra but immediately comes to the position of a brāhmaṇa. Simply by chanting oṁkāra one can understand the whole creation to be one unit, or an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Lord: idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro yato jagat-sthāna-nirodha-sambhavāḥ. “The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos, and still He is aloof from it. From Him only this cosmic manifestation has emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him it enters after annihilation.” (SB 1.5.20) Although one who does not understand concludes otherwise, Śrīmad-Bhagavatam states that the entire cosmic manifestation is but an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Lord. Realization of this is possible simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, oṁkāra.
One should not, however, foolishly conclude that because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is omnipotent, we have manufactured a combination of letters-a, u and m-to represent Him. Factually the transcendental sound oṁkāra, although a combination of the three letters a, u and m, has transcendental potency, and one who chants oṁkāra will very soon realize oṁkāra and Lord Viṣṇu to be nondifferent. Kṛṣṇa declares, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu: “I am the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras.” (BG 7.8) One should therefore conclude that among the many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, oṁkāra is the sound incarnation. All the Vedas accept this thesis. One should always remember that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are always identical (abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ). Since oṁkāra is the basic principle of all Vedic knowledge, it is uttered before one begins to chant any Vedic hymn. Without oṁkāra, no Vedic mantra is successful. The Gosvāmīs therefore declare that praṇava (oṁkāra) is the complete representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they have analyzed oṁkāra in terms of its alphabetical constituents as follows:
Oṁkāra is a combination of the letters a, u and m. A-kāreṇocyate kṛṣṇaḥ: the letter a (a-kāra) refers to Kṛṣṇa, who is sarva-lokaika-nāyakaḥ, the master of all living entities and planets, material and spiritual. Nāyaka means “leader.” He is the supreme leader (nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām). The letter u (u-kāra) indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and m (ma-kāra) indicates the living entities (jīvas). Thus oṁ is the complete combination of Kṛṣṇa, His potency and His eternal servitors. In other words, oṁkāra represents Kṛṣṇa, His name, fame, pastimes, entourage, expansions, devotees, potencies and everything else pertaining to Him. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu states in the present verse of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sarva-viśva-dhāma: oṁkāra is the resting place of everything, just as Kṛṣṇa is the resting place of everything(brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham).
The Māyāvādī philosophers consider many Vedic mantras to be the mahā-vākya, or principal Vedic mantra, such as tat tvam asi (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7), idaṁ sarvaṁ yad ayam ātmā and brahmedaṁ sarvam (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.5.1), ātmaivedaṁ sarvam (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.25.2) and neha nānāsti kiñcana (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.1.11). That is a great mistake. Only oṁkāra is the mahā-vākya. All these other mantras that the Māyāvādīs accept as the mahā-vākya are only incidental. They cannot be taken as the mahā-vākya, or mahā-mantra. The mantra tat tvam asi indicates only a partial understanding of the Vedas, unlike oṁkāra, which represents the full understanding of the Vedas. Therefore the transcendental sound that includes all Vedic knowledge is oṁkāra (praṇava).
Aside from oṁkāra, none of the words uttered by the followers of Śaṅkarācārya can be considered the mahā-vākya.They are merely passing remarks. Śaṅkarācārya, however, has never stressed chanting of the mahā-vākya oṁkāra; he has accepted only tat tvam asi as the mahā-vākya. Imagining the living entity to be God, he has misrepresented all the mantras of the Vedānta-sūtra with the motive of proving that there is no separate existence of the living entities and the Supreme Absolute Truth. This is similar to the politician’s attempt to prove nonviolence from the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is violent to demons, and to attempt to prove that Kṛṣṇa is not violent is ultimately to deny Kṛṣṇa. As such explanations of the Bhagavad-gītā are absurd, so also is Śaṅkarācārya’s explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra, and no sane and reasonable man will accept it. At present, however, the Vedānta-sūtra is misrepresented not only by the so-called Vedāntis but also by other unscrupulous persons who are so degraded that they even recommend that sannyāsīs eat meat, fish and eggs. In this way Śaṅkara’s so-called followers, the impersonalist Māyāvādīs, are sinking lower and lower. How can these degraded men explain the Vedānta-sūtra, which is the essence of all Vedic literature?
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has declared, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa: “Anyone who hears commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra from the Māyāvāda school is completely doomed.” As explained in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: all Vedic literature aims to understand Kṛṣṇa. Māyāvāda philosophy, however, has deviated everyone from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore there is a great need for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world to save the world from degradation. Every intelligent and sane man must abandon the philosophical explanation of the Māyāvādīs and accept the explanation of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. One should read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is to try to understand the real purpose of the Vedas. Key points:1. The Vedic sound vibration oṁkāra, the principal word in the Vedic scriptures, is the basis of all Vedic vibrations. Therefore one should accept oṁkāra as the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the reservoir of the cosmic manifestation.2. Therefore if at the time of death one simply remembers oṁkāra, he remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is therefore immediately transferred to the spiritual world.3. The statements of the Śaṅkara philosophy, which are the teeth of the Māyāvādī philosopher, are always broken by the strong arguments of Vaiṣṇava philosophers such as the great ācāryas, especially Rāmānujācārya. Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya break the teeth of the Māyāvādī philosophers, who can therefore be called Vidantīs, “toothless.”4. From the beginning of creation, the three syllables oṁ tat sat have been used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth [Brahman]. They were uttered by brāhmaṇas while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.5. Only this vibration of transcendental sound can deliver a conditioned soul from the clutches of māyā. Sometimes oṁkāra is also called the deliverer (tāra)6. All potencies are invested in the holy vibration of the holy name of the Lord. 7. In other words, anyone who chants oṁkāra and the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately meets the Supreme Lord directly in His sound form.8. Oṁkāra is beginningless, changeless, supreme and free from deterioration and external contamination. Oṁkāra is the origin, middle and end of everything, and any living entity who thus understands oṁkāra attains the perfection of spiritual identity in oṁkāra.9. One should not, however, foolishly conclude that because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is omnipotent, we have manufactured a combination of letters-a, u and m-to represent Him. Factually the transcendental sound oṁkāra, although a combination of the three letters a, u and m, has transcendental potency, and one who chants oṁkāra will very soon realize oṁkāra and Lord Viṣṇu to be nondifferent. 10. Oṁkāra is a combination of the letters a, u and m. A-kāreṇocyate kṛṣṇaḥ: the letter a (a-kāra) refers to Kṛṣṇa, who is sarva-lokaika-nāyakaḥ, the master of all living entities and planets, material and spiritual. Nāyaka means “leader.” He is the supreme leader (nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām). The letter u (u-kāra) indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and m (ma-kāra) indicates the living entities (jīvas).11. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu states in the present verse of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sarva-viśva-dhāma: oṁkāra is the resting place of everything, just as Kṛṣṇa is the resting place of everything12. The Māyāvādī philosophers consider many Vedic mantras to be the mahā-vākya, or principal Vedic mantra, such as tat tvam asi (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7), idaṁ sarvaṁ yad ayam ātmā and brahmedaṁ sarvam (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.5.1), ātmaivedaṁ sarvam (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.25.2) and neha nānāsti kiñcana (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.1.11). That is a great mistake. 13. Only oṁkāra is the mahā-vākya. 14. Aside from oṁkāra, none of the words uttered by the followers of Śaṅkarācārya can be considered the mahā-vākya. They are merely passing remarks. 15. Śaṅkarācārya, however, has never stressed chanting of the mahā-vākya oṁkāra; he has accepted only tat tvam asi as the mahā-vākya. 16. Kṛṣṇa is violent to demons, and to attempt to prove that Kṛṣṇa is not violent is ultimately to deny Kṛṣṇa. 17. At present, however, the Vedānta-sūtra is misrepresented not only by the so-called Vedāntis but also by other unscrupulous persons who are so degraded that they even recommend that sannyāsīs eat meat, fish and eggs. 18. In this way Śaṅkara’s so-called followers, the impersonalist Māyāvādīs, are sinking lower and lower.19. Anyone who hears commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra from the Māyāvāda school is completely doomed20. Every intelligent and sane man must abandon the philosophical explanation of the Māyāvādīs and accept the explanation of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. One should read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is to try to understand the real purpose of the Vedas.
Srila Prabhupada describes seriousness in Krsna consciousness
(So that seriousness is also very difficult, to become very serious that “In this life I shall finish my business and go home, back to home, back to Godhead.”)
Devotee: What determines, Srila Prabhupada, if one is serious or one is not serious? What makes one…
Prabhupada: Well, this seriousness comes after many, many births. It is also not so easy. Rupa Gosvami says, tatra laulyam api mulyam ekalam janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate. He wrote a verse, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate: “The krsna-bhakti, Krishna consciousness, this thing, if you can purchase somewhere, just immediately purchase it.” Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam: “Just purchase.” Yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate.
First of all, if you want to purchase, the things must be available. Yadi kuto. Therefore kuto ‘pi, “If it is available, immediately purchase.” Then next question is, “What is the value? What is the price I have to pay?” Then he said, tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam, “Simply your serious eagerness to have it. That is the price.” “Oh, that I can have very easily.” “No.” Janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate: “That laulyam, that seriousness, is not obtained after thousands of years’ pious activities.” It is so difficult. Janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate. People are acting piously, but that kind of seriousness is not available even after executing pious activities for thousands of lives. So that seriousness is also very difficult, to become very serious that “In this life I shall finish my business and go home, back to home, back to Godhead.” Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. Krishna says, “After many, many births, when actually one becomes in knowledge, he surrenders unto Me.”
[Srila Prabhupada Lecture, November 1, 1976, Vrindavan]
Rasa bhasa-overlaping of mellows in the attempt to serve Radha Krsna-Lord Caitanya did not want to be called Krsna or be known as Krsna and to do so was and is an offense or rasa bhasa—overlaping mellows.
SB 1.2.16 purport…
The servants of God are to be respected as God by the devotees who actually want to go back to Godhead. Such servants of God are called mahātmās, or tīrthas, and they preach according to particular time and place. The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord. They never tolerate being called God. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Viṣṇu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn us against unscrupulous men who take pleasure in being addressed as God.
SB 3.29.33—purport….
The word akartuḥ means “without any sense of proprietorship.” Everyone wants to act as the proprietor of his actions so that he can enjoy the result. A devotee, however, has no such desire; he acts because the Personality of Godhead wants him to act in a particular way. He has no personal motive. When Lord Caitanya preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it was not with the purpose that people would call Him Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rather, He preached that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should be worshiped as such. A devotee who is a most confidential servant of the Lord never does anything for his personal account, but does everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. It is clearly stated, therefore, mayi sannyasta-karmaṇaḥ: the devotee works, but he works for the Supreme. It is also stated, mayy arpitātmanaḥ: “He gives his mind unto Me.” These are the qualifications of a devotee, who, according to this verse, is accepted as the highest of all human beings.
Adi 8.32 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, is greatly magnanimous. Unless one worships Him, one can
never be liberated.
Purport- Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura here remarks that one should
not give up the worship of Radha-Krsna to worship Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. By worshiping either Radha-Krsna or Lord Caitanya alone,
one cannot become advanced. One should not try to supersede the
instructions of the six Gosvamis, for they are acaryas and very dear
to Lord Caitanya. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura sings:
rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti
One must be a submissive student of the six Gosvamis, from Srila
Rupa Gosvami to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Not following their instructions but imagining how to worship Gaurasundara and Radha-Krsna
is a great offense, as a result of which one clears a path to hell. If
one neglects the instructions of the six Gosvamis and yet becomes a
so-called devotee of Radha-Krsna, he merely criticizes the real
devotees of Radha-Krsna. As a result of speculation, he considers
Gaurasundara to be an ordinary devotee and therefore cannot make
progress in serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha-Krsna.
Recently a devotee commented to me that he thought why should we have to worry ourselves over fruitive work or anything else for that matter since , and he quoted Krsna where He says,” I maintain what they have and provide what they lack” ?? His conclusion being was that we really didn’t have to concern ourselves with
anything else but following the 4 reg’s, chant 16 rounds a day, worship the Deity, and basically try to think as much as possible of Krsna throughout the day. I think this was his understanding of our “basic spiritual obligations”.
This behavior is very good, but this is not the end of it, and this article will attempt to show why. If I am wrong, then I hope some devotees will correct this misunderstanding for me.
So the main point is this- If we want to go back to Godhead then we must be 100% pure and on the transcendental platform. If we are actually on the transcendental platform, this means every action we perform is for the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna, and then this work is A-karma, or without reaction.
Now consider just this one conversation with Srila Prabhupada where he explains how any devotee who is NOT giving 50% of his income to the Krsna Consciousness Movement , then all that work he does is unauthorized work, or generating karma of some sort. Here it is…
750203mw.haw Conversations 371406/530501 Devotee (1): No, I know, but for his actions other than just following the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. He does so many other things during the day. Where does he derive his authority if he’s not, let’s say, living in the temple? Prabhupada: I do not follow. The authority is guru. You have accepted. Bali Mardana: For everything. Jayatirtha: Say I have some outside job, I’m living outside, but I’m not giving 50% of my income. So then that work that I’m doing, is it actually under the authority of the guru? Prabhupada: Then you are not following the instruction of guru. That is plain fact. Jayatirtha: So that means that whole activity during the day, working, that means I am not following the instruction of the guru. It’s unauthorized activity. Prabhupada: Yes. If you don’t follow the instruction of guru, then you are fallen down immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. It is my duty to satisfy guru. Otherwise I am nowhere. So if you prefer to be nowhere, then you disobey as you like. But if you want to be steady in your position, then you have to follow strictly the instruction of guru.
Devotee (1): We can understand all of your instructions simply by reading your books. Prabhupada: Yes. Anyway, follow the instruction. That is required. Jayatirtha: So the purpose of having the Society is to show the devotees how they can always be twenty-four hours engaged according to your instruction. Prabhupada: Yes, that is helping one another. If I am deficient, by seeing your example I shall correct myself. This is the idea, not that a fool’s paradise: all fools and join together. Not like that.
So from this above example, we can easily see that according to Srila Prabhupada
that we must donate at least 50% of our income to some Krsna Conscious activity.
Now that may be well and good for some devotees , like the ones living in the Bangalore
temple, who live there, and do some sort of service all day long, give all the money they collect to the temple, and the temple provides for them, but what about the rest of us who live in this rotten material world and have to “work” for our bread??
I am not crying over spilt milk because of what happened to iskcon, but am only asking the question to all, that how do WE live in this world– transcendentally?
It is practically impossible for me and I would suspect most if not all others, to give 50% of their income up.
OK some might say, well I have several Deities of Krsna here in our home/ashram and “everything “
we do here is for Their pleasure.
Being a grhastha, I know this is just not the case. We may say we are doing everything for Krsna, but how many of us engages a “lot of time” in Krsna Seva and maybe a “little time” here and there in some sense gratification which has nothing at all do with the Service of our Deities or Srila Prabhupada?
So if that is true, then what is the result of those activities? Are they not karma producing?
One time Sruti Kirti told a story when Prabhupada was in the LA Temple.
Prabhupada had his japa beads on his hand, then took the bead bag
and tossed it on his table and said: “there my 16 rounds are finished,
now I can do any damn thing I want.”
First of all in BG, Krsna says-
Bg 7.28 T Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.
PURPORT
Those eligible for elevation to the transcendental position are mentioned in this verse. For those who are sinful, atheistic, foolish and deceitful, it is very difficult to transcend the duality of desire and hate. Only those who have passed their lives in practicing the regulative principles of religion, who have acted piously and who have conquered sinful reactions can accept devotional service and gradually rise to the pure knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, gradually, they can meditate in trance on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the process of being situated on the spiritual platform.
Bg 8.5 purport–in this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord. The word smaran (remembering) is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. To remember Kṛṣṇa one should chant the mahāmantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, incessantly, following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, being more tolerant than the tree, humbler than the grass and offering all respect to others without requiring respect in return. In such a way one will be able to depart from the body successfully remembering Kṛṣṇa and so attain the supreme goal.
BG 9.3-Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world.
PURPORT
The faithless cannot accomplish this process of devotional service; that is the purport of this verse. Faith is created by association with devotees. Unfortunate people, even after hearing all the evidence of Vedic literature from great personalities, still have no faith in God. They are hesitant and cannot stay fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus faith is a most important factor for progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that one should have complete conviction that simply by serving the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa he can achieve all perfection. That is called real faith. ….
After reading Bhagavad-gītā one should promptly come to the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā: one should give up all other engagements and adopt the service of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. If one is convinced of this philosophy of life, that is faith. Now the development of that faith is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
There are three divisions of Kṛṣṇa conscious men. In the third class are those who have no faith. If they are engaged in devotional service officially, for some ulterior purpose, they cannot achieve the highest perfectional stage. Most probably they will slip, after some time. They may become engaged, but because they haven’t complete conviction and faith, it is very difficult for them to continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have practical experience in discharging our missionary activity that some people come and apply themselves to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness with some hidden motive, and as soon as they are economically a little well-situated, they give up this process and take to their old ways again. It is only by faith that one can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As far as the development of faith is concerned, one who is well versed in the literatures of devotional service and has attained the stage of firm faith is called a first-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And in the second class are those who are not very advanced in understanding the devotional scriptures but who automatically have firm faith that Kṛṣṇa bhakti or service to Kṛṣṇa is the best course and so in good faith have taken it up. Thus they are superior to the third class who have neither perfect knowledge of the scriptures nor good faith but by association and simplicity are trying to follow. The third-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness may fall down, but when one is in the second class or first class, he does not fall down. One in the first class will surely make progress and achieve the result at the end. As far as the third-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is concerned, although he has faith in the conviction that devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is very good, he has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa through the scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Sometimes these third-class persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness have some tendency toward karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga, and sometimes they are disturbed, but as soon as the infection of karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga is vanquished, they become second-class or first-class persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
BG 9.12-Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.
PURPORT–There are many devotees who assume themselves to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service but at heart do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as the Absolute Truth. For them, the fruit of devotional service-going back to Godhead-will never be tasted.
BG 10.2-Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and the sages.
PURPORT
As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. No one is greater than Him; He is the cause of all causes. Here it is also stated by the Lord personally that He is the cause of all the demigods and sages. Even the demigods and great sages cannot understand Kṛṣṇa; they can understand neither His name nor His personality, so what is the position of the so-called scholars of this tiny planet?
“From the highest executive in his skyscraper office down to the coolie in the street—all are working with the thought of accumulating wealth, legally or illegally. Actually it is all illegal, for to work for one’s self-interest is both unlawful and destructive. Even the cultivation of spiritual realization for one’s own self-interest is unlawful and destructive. The point is that all activities must be directed to the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa and His service.
May 10 1969 Ohio conversationPrabhupada: Suppose you have stolen something from somebody’s house or some friends. You will not be happy, even possessing that thing, stolen property. But if someday you come to return that thing to that friend, you will be happy. What do you think, Hayagrīva?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you will feel relieved. So therefore the real thing is that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. We are artificially enjoying the stolen property. Therefore if you go on enjoying like that, then this frustration will come. But before coming to that frustration, if we return this property to Kṛṣṇa, then we become happy. So best thing is to return everything to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you will not be a loser. You will be gainer, just like BaliMahārāja. Actually, if you think, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Nothing belongs to you. This is māyā.Kṛṣṇa’s property you are thinking, “mine.” Is this land of American belongs to you actually? It is stolen property. You have stolen from the Red Indians or from Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is, not you, everyone. Somebody is claiming, “This much my property,” somebody is claiming, “This much my property,” but this much or that much, everything belongs toKṛṣṇa. It is stolen property. There is another example in Indian words, that hira cauri kiya abhicaurya, khira caurī kiyā abhicaura. Hira means diamond, and khīra means… What is that called? Cucumber, a small? So if somebody has stolen a cucumber from other’s tree, so he is captured. And another man has stolen some diamond. He is also arrested. So from the police, both are thieves. If the man says, “Oh, what I have stolen? I have stolen a little cucumber. It is nothing, worth not even two cent or one cent. Why you are arresting me? He is thief. He has stolen a big diamond,” no, in the eyes of law, he is also thief; he is also thief. Everyone is thief. Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇaconsciousness, he is thief. He’ll not be happy. The best thing is to return whatever he has possessed: “Kṛṣṇa, it is Yours. Take.” Finish business. Mānasadehageha, yo kichumora. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s song…Now, everything we possess in mind. Actually we don’t possess. Suppose I am possessing all this. As soon as I go from this body, all possession will remain here. I’ll not take anything. So I don’t possess. But in mind I am thinking, “Oh, this is mine. This is mine. Where is another box? Why it is not coming?” And possessing in mind. If I leave this body, either the box here or in the Chicago or anywhere else, what is the difference? There is no difference. But because I am possessing in the mind, “Oh, that box is mine,” so I am asking, “Whether it is Chicago or it is here, it is there? Why it is not coming?” So possession in the mind. Actually you don’t possess. Mānasadehageha. So by that supposingly possessing, we have got our mind, we have got our body, then expansion of body, wife, children, family, society, country. In this way we possess so many things. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, mānasadehageha, yo kichumora: “Now whatever I possess, either in the mind or in the family or in the society or in the body—whatever I have got, I surrender unto You, my dear Kṛṣṇa.” Mānasadehageha, yo kichu…, arpilun tuā padenandakiśora: “Nanda-kiśora, O the son ofNanda, I give unto You.” Marobi rakhobi, yo icchā tohāra: “Now whatever You like, You can do, either you kill me or You protect me, as You like. You are the proprietor. You have right to do everything.” This is surrender. This is fullKṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible immediately. Therefore we have to practice.
