720622SB.LA Lectures
Prabhupada: So here is one word, “steel-framed.” Nowadays, the medical
science is changing the heart, steel-framed. So this modern science is
making steel-framed hearts, but we can understand that formerly, also,
there were steel-framed hearts. Otherwise how this word comes? Tad
asma-saram hrdayam batedam. So just like stone or steel does not melt
very easily, similarly, anyone’s heart which does not change after
chanting Hare Krsna mantra regularly, then it is to be understood that
it is steel-framed, made of stone or iron. Actually, harinama… Harer
nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. It is especially meant for
cleansing the heart. That every… All misconception is within our
heart, beginning from the wrong identification, that “I am this body.”
That is the beginning of all misconception. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu
says, ceto-darpana-marjanam. So as you go on chanting, gradually the
heart will be cleansed, and you’ll be able to understand that you are
not this body.
… So this verse suggests that if a person is chanting Hare Krsna
mantra, but his eyes are not tearful or there is no ecstatic shivering
of the body, then that means he’s not coming to the perfectional
point.
So if we chant this Hare Krsna mantra without offense, according
to, and observing the regulative principles and numerical strength …
Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-
used to chant keeping in numerical strength. They were all liberated
persons; still, for teaching us an example, they also used to chant
keeping a numerical strength. Haridasa Thakura, he used to chant Hare
Krsna mantra keeping a numerical strength–300,000 times. 300,000
times. So our prescription is only 25,000. Not 100,000. So it is not
very difficult; it takes utmost 2 hours. We can find out, out of 24
hours, 2 hours. We can find out time. So if we actually follow the
rules and regulations and chant Hare Krsna mantra, then these symptoms
will come. Netre jalam gatra-ruhesu harsah. When this comes then you
know that “I am coming to perfection.” And if it is not coming, then
it is to be understood the heart is steel-framed. Steel-framed. So it
is steel only. Stone. Stone, if we keep our heart stone or
steel-framed, then it cannot be melted. This… These symptoms mean
heart is melting or changing…
…disturbance. So such things are happening. Now anyone is manufacturing
his own way of self realization, and there are rascals who are
supporting, that “Everyone, we are independent. We can find out our
own way of worship.” But Rupa Gosvami says, “This is simply creating
disturbance.” That is very natural to understand. Suppose here, in our
temple, we have got some regulative principles. But if everyone says
that “I can manufacture my own way of worshiping the Deity,” then what
will be the condition?
It will be simply pandemonium. You see? So that is going on.
…(not)authorized by the disciplic succession. We reject immediately. There
is example that in India there is a tree, sagu, sagu(?) tree. I do not
know whether it is in your country. That, that tree has a very, I mean
to say, thick trunk. But a little jerking, it will break. A little
jerking. Sagu. And there is another tree which is called tamarind
tree. So even a fingerlike stem, you cannot break. It is so strong. So
our policy should be that when we are falling down, we must take
shelter of this tamarind tree, not that sagu tree. The tamarind tree
is Vedic instruction, infallible, without any mistake. As I have given
you several times the example that Vedas says that stool of animal is
impure, and in another place it says that stool of cow is pure….
.. Even if you say “primitive,” the primitive life is very nice.
Primitive life means simple life. Keeping pace with the nature’s law.
It is very nice. Primitive life … It gives you anxiety-free life,
and therefore, even if you take it as primitive, the saintly persons,
sages, they used to live long, long years, and their brain was so
sharp, because they were taking natural food, fruits, grains, and milk
that helps to develop human brain for understanding subtle subject
matter. So even Vyasadeva… You have seen the picture of Vyasadeva.
He’s writing books just near a cottage only. But he’s writing. Nobody
can create such literature. But he was leading very simple life, in a
cottage.
720624SB.LA Lectures
Prabhupada: So it takes not more than five minutes. If you practice,
then you become learned scholars, simply by chanting these mantras,
and the translation, transcendental vibration, will keep you fit for
spiritual advancement. Every verse in Vedic literatures, especially
Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, they are not ordinary sounds.
Simply if you chant the mantras, you become purified. Srnvatam
sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. Punya-sravana-kirtanah.
Simply by hearing and chanting you become pious.
Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Even you don’t understand the meaning, the
very sound vibration will help you.
…parampara system. The parampara system means… Just like we claim
parampara system from Krsna. So whatever Krsna says or He said 5,000
years ago, we are repeating the same thing. That is called parampara
system. Not that “The world has changed. Scientific advancement is
very great. Now we can interpret in this way and that way.” This is
all nonsense. All nonsense. You cannot change a single alphabet. They
are all unmistakable. They cannot be changed. So that is niscayam
atmanah.
If you want to know positively, what is God, then we should take
lesson from a self-realized soul who has understood, who has seen.
Jnaninas tattva-darsinah. Just like here it is tattva-niscayam
atmanah. So tattvam, the truth, so one must have seen the truth,
realized the truth. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. That is
guru. Means one who has seen the truth. How he has seen the truth?
Through the parampara system. Krsna said this, and then Brahma said
the same thing, then Narada said the same thing, Vyasadeva said the
same thing, and then disciplic succession, Madhvacarya, Madhavendra
Puri, Isvara Puri, Lord Caitanya, Sad-gosvami, Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami, Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama dasa Thakura, Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura. In this way. Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Gaura Kisora
dasa Babaji, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Then we are speaking. The same
thing. Not that “Because we are modernized… Your modern science has
changed.” Nothing has changed.-
