Tidbits of Nectar from SP Srimad Bhagavatam lectures--Vol 4
Part 2
730627SB.MAY Lectures
Real Caitanya Mahaprabhu sampradaya is that he should
be feeling like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, separation.
Not sambhoga. Vipralambha. Vipralambha-seva: "Oh, I am so wretched,
I could not serve Krsna. How I can see Krsna? It is not possible." In
this way. That is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. "But even
though I do not see Him, neither it is possible for me to see Him..."
Means: "What I am? I am insignificant person. Why Krsna come and see
me?" This is right. "Why shall I aspire after seeing Krsna? What
qualification I have got?" This is bhajana. This is bhajana. Why
should I be proud that "Now I shall see Krsna"? What I am? That is the
teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat. Adarsana. "Without giving me
audience, You kill me, You break my heart; still, You are my Lord, You
are my worshipable Lord, nobody else." This is love. This is love.
(Bengali:) Asan krsna galai diba naiva beja tata(?). Not like that.
"Krsna may not come. I may not see Krsna for thousands and thousands
of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many
births. That doesn't matter. Still, I cannot give up Krsna
consciousness." This is required. I may be sent to hell, heaven; it
doesn't matter. What qualification I have got that I want to see back
to home, back to Godhead? It is not so easy thing. So why should I be
sorry for that? I should be happy even in the hell simply by thinking
of Krsna. That is wanted. That is wanted. That is Krsna consciousness.
So here is the example. Tears by force are coming out: "Oh, Krsna is
going away." At the same time, they want to check: "There may not be
any inauspicity for Krsna." They're thinking Krsna, for Krsna, not for
personal self. "Oh, I am now crying. I have become very much
fortunate. I am crying for Krsna." No. "My crying will create
inauspicity for Krsna, I must check it." This is Krsna consciousness.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
■730524SB.LON Lectures
Actually Vedanta, Veda means the knowledge. Vetti veda-vidah jnani.
The vid-dhatu. Those who know Sanskrit dhatu, verbal form... So, so
there are different forms of one root. Just like the real root is
vid-dhatu. Now it, it is sometimes spoken as vetti. Sometimes it is
called vida. Sometimes it is called vinte(?). Sometimes it is called
vindati, vindate. There are different forms of the same root,
vid-dhatu. So when which forms should be used, the grammarians, they
know it. Sanskrit language is very difficult language. One has to
learn the grammar portion of it only for twelve years. Then he becomes
expert grammarian. And when one becomes nice grammarian, he can read
any literature, different department of knowledge, Ayur Veda, Dhanur
Veda, Yajur Veda, Jyotir Veda. So many Vedas. So real Vedas means
knowledge. I've already explained when I was in 1968 in London, in the
Conway Hall... That is published in Isopanisad. …
… Tama. Tama means this darkness. This world, this material
world... Just like it is dark now. Therefore the country on the part
of the world which is always covered by darkness... Already there is
darkness, and if again that country does not get the facility of
sunshine, it is considered that that country is condemned. It is
shastric injunction. Any country which does not get the full facility
of sunshine, it is to be considered condemned. I think I remarked this
long ago, when I first came in the television. They asked me in London
that "What is your conception of hell?" And "This is hell, London."
Not conception. Practically... Always dark, moist, drizzly. No
sunshine. Cloudy, misty. Simply big, big buildings. That's all. So
there must be clear sunshine.
730524SB.LON Lectures
When we get our attachment for hearing
about Krsna, then at least we can consider that we have become free
from material contamination. When we get attachment simply for hearing
Krsna, nothing else, all nonsense, then you should understand that you
have become liberated. These are the test. Everyone can get this
position. Because there is process. If you follow the process, then
you come to the real stage.
So adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. The beginning of this process
is sraddha. Just like you have come here with a conception of faith,
that "Here is Krsna consciousness movement. Let us hear something
about this movement." This is sraddha. Adau sraddha. This is the
beginning. Unless one has faith, or attach... Not attachment, faith
only. So adau sraddha. Then you mix with the devotees. So we are
opening so many branches just to give opportunity to the people to mix
with us. Come with us. Radha-krsna bolo sange calo ei-matra bhikha
cai. We, we don't want anything from anyone. We don't want any
political independence, social reformation, or humanitarian benefit.
Nothing. We simply request people, "Please chant Hare Krsna and come
with us." That's all. We don't expect anything from anybody else.
740601SB.GEN Lectures
So this Krsna consciousness movement, it is the desire of Krsna
that these people who have no information practically about Bhagavan,
so they should learn something from this Krsna consciousness movement.
And therefore we have published so many nice books. It is the desire
of Krsna they should read these books and try to understand the Krsna
philosophy, the science of Krsna, the science of God. Then their life
will be perfect. Otherwise, this one-sided civilization, material
comforts, that will not help them. Because however you may create your
city, home, very nice, clean, materially comfortable, you will not be
allowed to stay. That defect, they do not understand. And after you
leave this body, there is no certainty what kind of body you are going
to have. There is certainty according to the material laws. There is
certainty, but they do not know it. That body will be manufactured
according to the association of the material modes of nature.
There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in
touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be
promoted to the higher standard of life. Urdhvam gacchanti
sattva-sthah. Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you
should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then
there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher
status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka,
Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as
it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called
bhur-loka. Bhur-loka. Om bhur bhuvah svah tat-savituh. You have
gayatri-mantra. This is called bhu-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above
this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets.
There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the
modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down.
Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. Jaghanya-guna.
Tamasika means abominable character. The abominable character means
these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and
gambling. This is tamo-guna, exhibition of tamo-guna. So, if you
continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of
ignorance, then you are going to become adhah. Adhah means down. Down
means there are many other planetary system. Just like upper there are
bhur bhuvah svah, Jana, Mahar, like that, and down also: Tala, Atala,
Vitala, Talatala, Patala, like that. There is system.
So our only request is that... We don't criticize you because you
try to live comfortably in the material... Do that. But don't
associate with the modes of ignorance. That is very risky. That is
very risky. So at least, either you remain in the householder life or
brahmacari life or, I mean to..., sannyasa life, you keep yourself
always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is
very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that.
They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky
civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know
it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them.
But these... They do not know it. As soon as there is talk of this
goodness and sinful activity, immediately they go away. Immediately.
Yesterday that gentleman came, and just when I began to talk about
pious activities and impious activities, he immediately left, "I have
got another meeting."
… Therefore every one of you should become pure devotee, first-class
devotee. First-class devotee is that... In this age it has been made
very easy. Simply keep yourself cleansed, not to indulge in the four
principles, prohibition, and chant Hare Krsna. Then you will be all
first-class devotees. And wherever you will go, you will be able to
purify there. Wherever you go. Wherever you speak, wherever you'll
sit. So keep this spiritual strength intact. Tirtha-bhutah.
Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani sva antah-sthena. The Hare Krsna mantra
chanting means keeping Krsna always within your heart. This is not...
It is not expensive at all. You haven't got to make a very exalted
throne for Krsna. You can imagine that "In my heart I have placed now
a very diamond throne, and Krsna is sitting." That is accepted. It
is... Actually it becomes. Even within the mind you think that "I have
kept one diamond throne, very costly throne, because Krsna is coming.
He will sit down here," that is not false. That is a fact. So you
create such situation within your heart. "Now Krsna has seated. Let me
wash His feet with the Ganges water, Yamuna water. Now I change His
dress to a first-class costly garments. Then I decorate with
ornaments. Then I give Him for eating." You can simply think of this.
This is meditation. Svantah-sthena gadabhrta. It is so nice thing.
740602SB.GEN Lectures
We are now entangled. Actually, our position in this material
existence is not very good. Everyone sees it practically. Still, they
want to adjust, "Let us make it good. Let us make it good." That is
called punah punas carvita-carvananam, again and again chewing the
chewed. Just like generally a father, especially here in India, he
wants that his son may be well-situated. Therefore we don't get Indian
youth very much, because the father and mother settles them. What is
that? Get them married and give them some earning capacity, either by
service or business. So he becomes satisfied, "This is the end of
life." Grhamedhi. Just "Now I am married. It is my duty to stick to
the grha and enjoy senses, that's all." Grhamedhi. Sacrifice for
Krsna, brahmacari, sannyasi... Sannyasis have become rogues. And there
is no brahmacari nor vanaprastha. Therefore it is very difficult to
get Indian workers. They have no... Your qualification is--I told in
the beginning--that you(Americans) have got a renouncing spirit. That is a great
qualification. Tyaga. Renunciation is opulence also. Krsna, six
opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah, jnana-vairagya. Vairagya means renunciation.
You have enough of this material enjoyment. You have enjoyed. Or you
have seen that there is no actually profit. Therefore you are in a
spirit... That is natural. That is natural. If one has enjoyed very
much, the next stage will be renunciation. This is natural. So because
you have got a renouncing spirit, you are understanding or taking
Krsna consciousness very nicely, at least, very eagerly.
Jnana-vairagya. That is required. This vairagya then... I therefore
sometimes like these hippies because they have a spirit of
renunciation. That is very good position. Simply they require jnana,
or knowledge. Then their life will be successful. To bring one to the
platform of renunciation, that is a very difficult job. Especially
when one has got nice wife, nice home, nice bank balance, it is very,
very difficult.
740603SB.GEN Lectures
There are two comments on this point, why Yadu-kula was destroyed
by Krsna's plan. One comment is that if they would continue to live,
then the same misconception, that a brahmana is born in the brahmana
family--they would continue to speak that "We are also gods, because
we are born of God's family, Krsna's family." Just like in India there
is a class, they call themselves Nityananda-vamsa, descendants of Lord
Nityananda. But that does not actually happen. And another comment is
that all these members of Yadu-kula, they appeared in the Yadu-kula
just to enhance the opulence of Krsna. But they came from different
heavenly planets to help Krsna in His incarnation. Just like a big
man, wherever he goes there are many others also go there to help him.
When a king goes somewhere, the king does not go alone. He goes with
his secretaries, his military commanders, and so many other
companions. So these Yadu-kulas were like that. They came to help
Krsna's lila, pastimes, within this material world. So some of them
were born as sons of Krsna, some of them as grandson, as
great-grandson, and Krsna did not want to leave them behind. Krsna was
planning to go back to His Vaikuntha, Vrndavana planet. So He did not
like that they should remain. They should also go back. Now, to go
back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is
unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is
also another point. The family of Krsna, there is no power in the
whole world that anybody could kill them. So Krsna planned that they
should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is
that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of
Krsna, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they
belonged to Krsna's family directly, still, because they fought
amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.
So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was
asked by Maharaja Yudhisthira about the family members of Yadu-kula,
he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as
family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pandavas that
Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such
an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathanubhutam kramasah.
Ity ukto dharma-rajena sarvam tat samavarnayat. He described
everything. Vina yadu-kula-ksayam. Vina. Vina means "without." Without
the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst
themselves.
■740604SB.GEN Lectures
So Vidura was cursed by Manduka Muni, Manduka Muni. He was a great
sage, but sometimes in his asrama, some thieves were caught, so police
arrested both the Manduka Muni and the thieves, and later on Manduka
Muni was chastised to be punished by sula. There was a system of
punishment. I do not whether (it is) still existing. The sula means
one lance, lancer. Lancer, it is called?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupada: It was to be pierced through the rectum and it will go
through the head and the man will die. The pierce was standing, and he
was to sit down. What is this punishment? Is there any mention?
… This is our position. Anything... If you are walking on the street,
if you kill an ant by walking, you will be punished. This is nature's
law. We are in such a dangerous position. In every movement there is
punishment. Now, if you believe the sastras, that is different thing.
If you don't believe, then do anything you like. But from sastra we
can understand the laws of nature, or God, is very, very strict, very,
very strict. So Manduka Muni also chastised Yamaraja, that "In my
childhood, without any knowledge I did something and for which you
have given me so great punishment. So you are not fit for becoming a
brahmana or ksatriya. You become sudra." So he was cursed to become
sudra. Therefore Yamaraja took his birth as Vidura and was born in the
womb of a sudra mother. This is the history of Vidura's birth.
… So Vidura was Yamaraja. Not only he was Yamaraja, ordinary, but he
is one of the great authorities. There are twelve authorities
mentioned in the sastra. One of them is Yamaraja. Balir vaiyasakir
vayam. This is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Yamaraja is one of the
GBC of Krsna. Yes. As we have got twelve GBC's, similarly Krsna has
got GBC's. Now,
svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
That twelve men are authorized to preach Krsna consciousness. So we
have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Therefore we have
created these GBC. So they should be very responsible men. Otherwise,
they will be punished. They will be punished to become a sudra.
Although Yamaraja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake. He was
punished to become a sudra. So those who are GBC's, they should be
very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise
they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the
punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty. You can see
from this example, Vidura. He was immediately punished. He did little
mistake at Manduka... Because the rsis, the munis, they will curse.
…not permanent settlement. According to one's work... Work means all
sinful acts. Without Krsna consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts
sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense
gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful
activities. Duskrtinah. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Krsna
consciousness... Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah.
This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for
Yajna, for satisfaction of Krsna or Visnu. Otherwise, you will be
entangled. And who is serving Krsna? Nobody is serving Krsna. So
everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.
731201SB.LA Lectures
king of..., on the other side of the globe. So it is my suggestion...
I do not say it is very scientific proof. So other side of the
globe... Ravana was in Ceylon, and the other side of the globe, if you
go by subway, it comes to Brazil. And Brazil is supposed to have gold
mines. And it is said in the Ramayana that Ravana's brother was living
on the other side of the globe, and Ramacandra was taken through the
subway. So taking this into consideration, we can suppose that Ravana
imported large quantity of gold from Brazil, and he converted them
into big, big houses. So Ravana was so powerful that he made his
capital Svarna-lanka, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes
from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when
they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although
skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very
wonderful.
731201SB.LA Lectures
There is a story that one beautiful woman was hunted by another
man. So he was wooing, canvassing, but she was chaste lady. But... She
did not agree. But that man was after her. So one day she said, "All
right, you come to me three days after. I will accept you." So on the
third day he (she) took purgative, a very strong purgative, and passed
stools whole day and night, and he (she) kept those all those stools,
stools and vomit and everything, kept in a very good preserver. Then
third day, when the man came, she was sitting, and he was asking,
"Where is that woman?" "No, I am the same woman. You don't recognize
me?" "No, no, you are... She... She was so beautiful, and you, you are
ugly." (laughter) "No, no, I am the same. You do not know." "Then how
you look so ugly?" "Because I have separated my beauty." "You have
separated your beauty?" "Yes, I will show you. Come here. Come here.
The stool and the vomit are all stocked for you to show you." But
actually, it is very knowledge, very good knowledge. Sankaracarya
says, etam raktam mamsa-vikaram. (?) He is teaching renouncement, that
"Why you are attracted with this beautiful? What is this beauty? It is
a combination of stool, urine and flesh and bone. That's all." So he
saw, "Here is my beauty. Now you add it with me. Then again I shall be
beautiful."
►731202SB.LA Lectures
So by chance, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring in South
India... The Puranas, Siva Purana or something like that, it is stated
there. And He brought the evidence again, that "Here you see, in the
Purana it is said that when Ravana came to kidnap Sita, immediately a
false Sita was given to him, and the real Sita disappeared. Then
again, when Lord Ramacandra, after killing Ravana, He was accepting
Sita back to home, He tested with fire, that 'Sita, you should enter
the fire, and if you are not burned, then you are chaste. Otherwise
you are not chaste.' Yes. So the false Sita which was taken by Ravana,
she entered the fire, and the real Sita came out." This is the
statement in the sastra.
731202SB.LA Lectures
So this is the fact, that Krsna will never tolerate insult on a
devotee. He will never tolerate. The devotee may excuse, trnad api
sunicena taror api sahisnuna. He may suffer. Just like Prahlada
Maharaja, he was suffering. His father was torturing him. He was
suffering, "All right." But Krsna never tolerated. "Oh, you have done
so much. Now it is the time to kill him." This is the process. Krsna
will tolerate. Even you insult Krsna, He will tolerate. But if you
insult His devotee, He will never tolerate. Then you are finished.
Then you are finished. Just like a big man. If you insult him, he may
think "All right, let him." But if you insult or do something harm to
his child, he will never tolerate. He will never tolerate. Similarly,
a devotee who is dependent on Krsna in everything, and if somebody
does harm to him, insults him, Krsna will never tolerate. That is
explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, vaisnava-aparadha. Tara madhye
vaisnava-aparadha hati matta. So we should be very careful not to
offend Vaisnava devotees. Not to offend. This is greatest offense.
Therefore it is said vipra-sapa-vimudhanam. Vimudhanam. Those who are
rascal, fools, they will want to try to insult real brahmana,
Vaisnava. Then they are finished.
750306SB.NY Lectures
becomes relieved. So that is also fact. Bhagavad-gita... Whenever you
are perplexed, you read Bhagavad-gita you will immediately get relief.
That's a fact. Gandhi also said that. Gandhi was a politician.
Although he could not understand Bhagavad-gita neither he could
understand Krsna, still, he said that "When I read, I get great
relief." He was always very busy, so many political problems always
coming. So there was no spiritual understanding of these politicians.
Sometimes they take the spiritual shelter, so-called, for getting some
benefit out of it so that his political movement may be increased or
enhanced. So we do not wish to discuss, but Bhagavad-gita, even if you
read without any actual knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, still, you
will feel relief. Still you will feel relief. Just like if you go to
the fire, you will feel some warmth. That's a fact. Even you do not
know how to enjoy fire, still, because you are near the fire, you will
get some warmth. So Bhagavad-gita is like that. Even if you do not
understand, by simply hearing the words of Krsna... Simply we chant
this, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, and gradually
you do that...
satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati
If we discuss Bhagavad-gita amongst the societies of the devotee...
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mad-bhaktesu abhidhasyati.
Bhagavad-gita should be discussed amongst the devotees. Sometimes we
discuss Bhagavad-gita amongst the non-devotees. That is due to higher
order, higher order--Guru Maharaja asked that "You go and speak." So
we are doing that. Actually, Bhagavad-gita is to be discussed amongst
the devotees. So our hard task is that first of all we have to make
one devotee and then let him understand Bhagavad-gita, our double
task. Because nobody wants to become devotee. So we are canvassing
door to door, country to country, village to village, "Sir, please
come in our temple. We shall give you nice prasadam. You simply chant
Hare Krsna and hear something about Krsna." So still, people will not
come. Still, they will not come. We have to canvass. We have to do so
many things. That is the influence of maya. Maya is so strong that
unless one is very much determined, maya will be very strong for him.
So still, if we understand that this life is meant for
understanding Krsna or to advance in Krsna consciousness, if this much
we understand, then also, our life is successful. But we do not take
it seriously. We do not take it seriously. That is the difficulty.
Actually, as Narottama dasa Thakura says, that visaya-bisanale,
diba-nisi hiya jwale, juraite na koinu upay, "My heart is always
burning on account of this material condition of life, and I did not
make any means to get out of this entanglement"... So everyone should
be intelligent. Intelligent person will admit that his heart is always
burning. That's a fact. Now, if we want to get out of it, then, as….
… So that instruction and when we read Bhagavad-gita, that
instruction, these two instructions, they are not different. Don't
think that "Krsna was present before Arjuna, but in my presence there
is no Krsna. Simply I have got this book." But you should know that
the book and the instruction there in the Bhagavad-gita and Krsna,
they are absolute, one. There is no difference. We can take advantage
of Krsna's presence by reading Bhagavad-gita….
…he was reading Bhagavad-gita, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was attracted.
Just see. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "My dear brahmana, what you
are reading?" So he also could understand that "Here is a person who
has not come to criticize me. He is serious." "Yes, sir, I am reading
Bhagavad-gita, but I am illiterate. I am illiterate." "Then what you
are reading?" "No, I am simply turning the pages. I cannot read
anything." "Then why you are reading if you cannot?" "No, my Guru
Maharaja ordered me. My Guru Maharaja asked me that 'You shall read
Bhagavad-gita daily, eighteen chapters.' " Guru maharaja knew that he
is illiterate, but still ordered. This is called
guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa.
This is called firm faith in guru. Guru ordered him that "You read."
Guru must know him, that he is illiterate. So what he will read? Why
guru is ordering him? But because he had firm faith in guru and he was
trying to read, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to see him. Just see. How
this line is important: guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya,
ar na koriho mane asa. Ar means anything more, you don't try to
understand. Whatever your guru says, you just try to carry it out. So
what is the next line? Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete...
Pusta-krsna: Sri-guru-carane rati...
Prabhupada: Sri-guru-carane rati, ei se uttama-gati. Don't try to
make very good advance by manufacturing your own way. Simply,
sri-guru-carane rati, ei se uttama-gati. That is first-class. That is
Vedic instruction. Vede gay janhara carito. The Vedas says,
yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
To understand Vedic literature means one must have firm faith in Krsna
and firm faith in guru, not that "My guru is not so learned, so let me
capture Krsna directly." That is useless. That is useless. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu says, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. One can get
the seed of the plant or creeper of bhakti, how? Guru-krsna-krpa. By
the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Krsna, not that krsna-krpa.
First guru-krpa, then krsna-krpa. So this brahmana attracted the
attention of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was illiterate, and he could not
read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing.
Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya. He took guru's order
very seriously, that "My Guru Maharaja has ordered me, and I must
carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see.
That's all." So he was doing that. So others criticized him that "This
man is illiterate. What he is reading?" But Caitanya Mahaprabhu did
not criticize. Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "Oh, what you are
reading, My dear brahmana?" So he explained, that "This gentleman has
not come to criticize me." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew that "He is a
perfect knower of Bhagavad-gita." Still, He inquired, "Well, if you
are not reading, then how you are crying? I see there are tears in
your eyes. What is the meaning?" Then he admitted, "Yes, sir. Yes.
That is." "Why you are crying?" "No, as soon as I take this
Bhagavad-gita in my hand a picture comes before me that Arjuna is
sitting on the chariot ordering Krsna, and Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is carrying out his order and driving the
chariot. So that makes me amazed. Therefore I am crying, that 'How
Krsna is merciful, that He accepted a menial service for His devotee.
He is so kind.' " Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately embraced him: "Yes,
brahmana, your reading of Bhagavad-gita is perfect." So it doesn't
matter whether one is illiterate or literate. Everyone has got these
ears. So we should hear from the realized person, guru Vaisnava, not
professional, no. That will not help us.
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
Tattva-darsinah. Tattva-darsinah means one has seen the truth, not
superficially knowing. One who understood that this is the truth, so
go there and submit there. Pranipatena. Prakrsta-rupena nipatena.
Fully surrender there and then question, then try to inquire if you
cannot understand. First of all, first business is pranipata: "Sir, I
surrender unto you." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. Arjuna also
did so. "My dear Krsna, we are talking like friends. This will not
solve the problem. Therefore I am submitting unto You as Your
disciple." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. "I surrender unto You.
Now You can teach me." Because as soon as you accept guru, you have to
hear him, surrender, full surrender. You cannot unnecessarily argue.
Of course, if there is any doubt, you can question submissively. But
not that, "I shall test my guru, how he is learned." That will not
help. One must surrender. So tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena
sevaya. Arjuna did that. Therefore Arjuna learned the Bhagavad-gita,
and it was always relief for him when he was perplexity. Haranti
smaratas cittam. Haranti. What is that haranti? Hrt-tapa. Hrt-tapa,
the blazing fire within the heart, within the core of the heart,
immediately becomes minimized, haranti. Smaratas cittam. As soon as I
remember, my consciousness, my heart, core of heart, becomes
immediately relieved. How it is relieved? Why it is relieved? Govinda
abhihitani me: "Govinda instructed." Govinda means Krsna
…speaking about Himself. You haven't got to speculate like nonsense.
Just like Gandhi speculated, "I do not believe that ever any person
like Krsna lived." Do you know that? This is Gandhi's statement, and
he is mahatma. The mahatma's definition is there in the Bhagavad-gita:
…compete. We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the
business of the sudras. Technology is not the occupation for the
brahmanas, ksatriyas, or vaisyas, no. In our country still, there are
blacksmith, weaver, oil crusher. Still they are in the village. But
they are sudras. So this technology means craftsmanship. That is not
knowledge. That is not knowledge. Just like I do not know how this
microphone is working. If it is wrong, some man who knows the art, he
repairs it immediately. That does not mean he has got knowledge. That
particular department, he has got knowledge, that's all. Knowledge
means that one who knows God. That is knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate. This is knowledge…
…Devotee (3): How can one rid oneself of sex desire if one continues to
chant, continuously chant Hare Krsna, and is still being plagued by
desire for sex?
Prabhupada: Chant Hare Krsna seriously. The examples are there.
Therefore Haridasa Thakura, he was chanting Hare Krsna, …
Devotee (4): Prabhupada, what does it mean to chant seriously?
Prabhupada: Without offense. You know there are ten kinds of offense?
That's all right. (end)
731206SB.LA Lectures
This is our Krsna consciousness movement, that if constantly our mind
is engaged in thinking of the lotus feet of Krsna... Thinking begins
from the lotus feet, not all of a sudden... (child makes sounds)
(aside:) Stop this child. You cannot think of Krsna all of a sudden on
the top. This is the process. In the Second Canto you'll find we have
to think of Krsna's lotus feet. Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto and
Second Canto are the lotus feet of Krsna. Then you gradually rise.
When you are accustomed to think of Krsna, that is called
transcendental meditation. At any time, at any moment, if you
immediately meditate, you'll see the lotus feet of Krsna. That is
transcendental meditation. Then gradually rise to think of this
portion, this portion, this portion and, at last, the smiling face.
That smiling face is compared with the Tenth Canto, Tenth Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is explained.
So Arjuna was disturbed in so many ways, but as soon as he began to
think of Krsna's lotus feet, (Sanskrit), immediately everything became
pacified. This is the process. This transcendental consciousness or
transcendental meditation, immediately, without any delay, for a
moment you'll feel completely pacified. Therefore Krsna advises
(Sanskrit). "Always..." Man-manah, "Always engage your mind upon Me."
This Deity worship means to train the neophytes devotees how to
concentrate upon the form of Krsna, especially His lotus feet. That
will make our life pacified always, santa, santa, pacified, peaceful.
731207SB.LA Lectures
So you go on thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, you
will be attached. You will be attached. You will be attached. Adau
sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And thinking of Krsna in association of
the devotees. Not alone, then you will go to hell. Alone will not do.
Association is so strong that anyone who is coming to our association,
we..., not that we are everyone teaching, but by association, he wants
to become devotee. By association, automatically. So the association
is so powerful. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says,
tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame haya ei abhilasa
He is praying, "My dear Lord, this is my ambition, birth after birth."
What is that? "That to be engaged in the service of the acarya guru,
and in the association of devotees. This is perfection." …
…Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that "I will not prefer a birth like Brahma
if I forget You. But I will prefer to become an insect if I remain
with Your devotee." Because if one remains with a devotee, he will not
forget Krsna. That is the advantage.
►731208SB.LA Lectures
Prabhupada: Hmm. So here it is explained what is Bhagavad-gita. Gitam
bhagavata. Bhagavata means "by the Supreme Personality of Godhead,"
and gita means "spoken." They say "sung," you can say. But gita means
"spoken by." Therefore it is called Bhagavad-gita, "the instruction
given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally." Therefore it
is called Bhagavad-gita.
731208SB.LA Lectures
So if you want to understand Bhagavad-gita, then we must understand
in the same way as the person who directly heard from. This is called
parampara system. Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual
master, so I speak to you the same thing. So this is parampara system.
You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read
some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me.
This is called parampara system. You cannot jump over to the superior
guru, neglecting the next acarya, immediate next acarya. Just like
our, this Gau..., Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult; we cannot understand
Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly. It is not possible. We have to
understand through the Gosvamis. Therefore you'll find in the
Caitanya-caritamrta and at the end of every chapter, the writer says,
sri-rupa-ragunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsna-dasa
This is the process. He does not say that "I've understood Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly." No. That is not understanding. That is
foolishness. You cannot understand what is Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Therefore repeatedly he says, rupa-ragunatha-pade... "I am that Krsna
dasa, Kaviraja, who is always under the subordination of the
Gosvamis." This is parampara system. Similarly, Narottama dasa Thakura
also says, ei chay gosai jar mui tar das, "I am servant of that person
who has accepted this six Gosvamis as his master. I am not going to be
servant of any other person who does not accept the way and means
of..." Therefore we say or we offer our prayer to our spiritual
master, rupanuga-varaya te, rupanuga-varaya te, because he follows
Rupa Gosvami, therefore we accept, spiritual master. Not that one has
become more than Rupa Gosvami or more than... No. Tandera
carana-sebi-bhakta-sane vas. This is the parampara system.
Now here, the same thing is repeated: Arjuna, who directly heard
from Krsna. Sometimes some people say that "Arjuna heard directly from
Krsna, but we don't find Krsna in our presence, so how can I accept?"
It is not a question of direct presence, because you have no idea of
the absolute knowledge. Krsna's words, Bhagavad-gita, is not different
from Krsna. It's not different from Krsna. When you hear
Bhagavad-gita, you are directly hearing from Krsna because Krsna is
not different. Krsna is absolute. Krsna, Krsna's name, Krsna's form,
…also puzzled, "Brahmana, you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" He said,
"Sir, I am illiterate. I cannot read. It is not possible. But my Guru
Maharaja ordered me to read. What can I do? I've taken this book."
This is trying follow guru's word. He's illiterate. He cannot read.
There is no possibility. But his Guru Maharaja ordered, "You must read
Bhagavad-gita daily, eighteen chapters." Now what is this? This is
called vyavasayatmika buddhih. I may be quite incomplete. It doesn't
matter. But if I try to follow the words of my Guru Maharaja, then I
become complete.
This is the secret. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau.
If one has strong faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and as
much faith in the guru, yatha deve tatha gurau, then the revealed
scriptures become manifest. It is not the education. It is not the
scholarship. It is faith in Krsna and guru. Therefore
Caitanya-caritamrta says guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. Not
by education, not by scholarship, never says. Caitanya Mahaprabhu
says, guru-krsna-krpaya, by the mercy of guru, by the mercy of Krsna.
It is a question of mercy. It is not a question of scholarship or
opulence or richness. No. The whole bhakti-marga depends on the mercy
of the Lord. So we have to seek the mercy….
…is perfect. That is Bhagavad-gita As It Is. And if you try to
understand Bhagavad-gita as some rascal commentator says, then you are
reading somebody else; rubbish. There's no meaning. You're simply
wasting your time. He may be such scholar, such big politician, like
this. In our country, big politician, they have commented; big, big
yogis, they have commented; big, big scholars they have... They're all
useless. Take it: useless. If you read such commentary of
Bhagavad-gita, it is simply waste of time. If you actually want to
study Bhagavad-gita, then as Arjuna understands. Arjuna directly
listened from Krsna….
…"Oh, Krsna is like us. He has got also two hands, two legs, one head.
We have got also. He is like me," he is a mudha, rascal. Therefore it
is said in the Bhagavad-gita, avajananti mam mudhah: "These rascal
fools, they deride." Manusim tanum as... Param bhavam ajanantah, "They
have no knowledge of the param bhavam." So the param bhavam, that is
understood by the devotees. That is the difference. Budha
bhava-samanvitah, Krsna has said. Budha bhava-samanvitah. Param
bhavam, this bhava... Bhava means assimilation--"Oh, Krsna is so
great." This is called bhava. That is real understanding, when you
understand really this bhava stage. Bhava-bhakti. Bhava-bhakti. Simply
engaged in Krsna's service. Param bhavam. Person who has not come to
this stage of bhava, he cannot understand Krsna. Param bhavam
ajanantah. The bhava stage comes.
Everyone can attain that bhava stage. There is process. This
process is described by Rupa Gosvami how to come to the bhava stage.
Bhava stage means just prior to perfection. One must come to the bhava
stage, next stage is perfection. Next stage is full perfection. So how
to come to this bhava stage, that is Rupa Gosvami has described, adau
sraddha. First of all little faith. Just like many outsider also come
here, "What these people are doing, these Krsna consciousness men? So
let us see." So sraddha. That is called sraddha. Sraddha, real sraddha
means complete faith. That is described by Caitanya-caritamrta.
Sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. One who has got this much
faith, strong faith, that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
this faith, not flickering, firm faith, "Yes, Krsna is the Supreme
Personality..." That is called sraddha. That is beginning of sraddha.
If you have got still doubt, then you have not come to the stage of
sraddha even. Superfluous. You may come, but when you actually believe
that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if I engage
myself in Krsna's service, I am perfect"--two things--that is sraddha.
And the more you increase this sraddha you become advanced. The
beginning is this sraddha. Adau sraddha.
So how this sraddha, this faith can be increased? Sadhu-sanga. If
you keep yourself associated with the devotees, then this sraddha can
be increased. If you simply believe, "Yes, Krsna is Supreme
Personality," but you do not live with the sadhus or devotee, then it
will drop. It will finish. So just to keep the standard, the
temperature right, you must keep always yourself warm. If you go away,
then your (indistinct) is gone. Again you become cold. You see. This
is the process. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Everything is
perfect. The first thing is that you must believe that Krsna is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yes. And to keep this faith strong and
going on, you must keep association with devotees. Otherwise whatever
little faith you got, it will be lost. It become again under the
clutches of maya. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And if you actually
associate with sadhu, then the next stage is bhajana-kriya,
initiation, how to worship Krsna. Then anartha-nivrttih syat. If you
are actually engaged in devotional service, anartha, which are not
required, things will vanish. Just like we ask our students, "No
illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating." Simply by
hearing it you cannot follow it. It is not possible. If you make
bhajana-kriya, if you're actually following--chanting sixteen
rounds--then you can follow the others. Otherwise, if you are
spiritually weak, you cannot. The government is spending so much money
to stop this intoxication, LSD, in your country. They're all failure.
But here, with our pure association, a person can give up immediately.
Just see how much the association is strong. Adau sraddha tatah
sadhu..., bhajana-kriya. Anartha.
Then after one is free from these sinful activities, then he comes
to the understanding stage. So long one is sinful, he has no
possibility of understanding. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam. One who is
completely free from all sinful activities, anta-gatam, finished,
yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. And how you can
become free from sinful activities unless you act piously? Because we
must have some engagement. If you have no pious engagement, then you
cannot become free from sinful activities. You must act. If you do not
act piously, then you must act viciously. This is the way. The
Mayavadi philosopher, they simply wants to stop impious activities.
But they do not engage themselves in pious activities. Therefore they
fail. They fail. You must have side by side. Param drstva nivartate.
If you get something better, then you can give up inferior. But if you
do not get better, you cannot give up the inferior. That is not
possible.
So you can give up this impious activities provided you are engaged
fully in devotional service. Otherwise it is not possible. Simply by
moral instruction, that "Stealing is very bad. Don't steal," nobody
likes it. Nobody likes it. It is practical. One man has stolen, and
he's arrested and he's going to the police custody. So everyone has
seen, and he has heard also that the government says that if you
steal, you'll be punished. In the Bible or in any other religious
scripture it is said that stealing is not good. So he has heard it,
and he has seen it that a man who has stolen, he is going to jail. So
these two things are experienced: hearing and seeing. In spite of all
his experience, why does he steal? Because he has no good association.
He knows that stealing is bad; otherwise why he steals at night?
Nobody can see. He knows he is doing some bad thing. But why he cannot
give up that bad thing? Because he's not associating with good person.
That is it.
So association is so... Therefore we have named this Krsna
Consciousness Society. Not Krsna consciousness only. Krsna
Consciousness Society. A society's so beneficial we should understand.
So, in this way, atha bhajana-kriya anartha-nivrttih syat. If we
prosecute our devotional activities and keep our association with the
devotees, then we can be free from sinful activities. And when you are
completely free from sinful activities, then we get nistha. Yes, it is
full faith. Nistha means full faith. Tato nistha. Tato rucih. Ruci
means taste. Why you are hearing about Krsna daily, the same thing? We
are speaking nothing new. "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and you have to surrender." This is our daily business. But
why you are coming to see..., hear the same hackneyed words? Because
it is very pleasing. This is called ruci, taste, "Yes, I want to hear
this repeatedly. Yes. Krsna is the Supreme Lord, I am the eternal
servant." You have got a taste. Unless one gets the taste, then you'll
say, "What is this hackneyed word?" Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,
twenty-four hours you can chant because you have got the taste. Others
cannot do. This is called ruci. And ruci means asakti, attraction: "I
must go. I must chant. I must do." Tato nistha, tato rucih, atha
asaktih. Tato bhavah. Then bhava: "Ah, Krsna. I will associate with
Krsna. Then Krsna's love, that is perfection."
… Therefore we are trying to keep ourselves, our students always in
the sattva-guna. Cleanliness, sattva..., to remain a brahmana. If you
remain a brahmana then you'll not fall down. You'll not fall down.
Otherwise, if you remain in tamo-guna, then you are going to be next
animal. This is the process of nature. You cannot check.
731210SB.LA Lectures
In his
Brhad-bhagavatamrta Sanatana Gosvami has stated that if you become
perfect in Krsna consciousness, then immediately after death you will
be sent where Krsna is having His pastimes within this material world.
… So if you become perfect in Krsna consciousness... Perfect in Krsna
consciousness means no more material desire. That's all. Only Krsna.
that is perfection. So long you will have a pinch of material desire,
you will have to take birth. According to your desire, Krsna will give
731211SB.LA Lectures
Just like big, big swamis in India... Sometimes they come to your
country also. They say that "This world is false," jagan mithya,
mithya. But we don't say that it is false. We say it is reality, but
temporary. That is right philosophy. How it can be false? Because
everything is produced by the truth, by the Absolute Truth. Janmady
asya yatah. Nothing can come out except from the Absolute Truth. Krsna
says, aham sarvasya prabhavah: "I am the origin of everything." If
Krsna is truth, He is the origin of everything, so how everything can
be false? Is that very logical? No. If something has come from gold...
Just like we have got so many preparations of gold: gold bangles, gold
earring, gold necklace. But it has come from the gold; therefore it is
gold. How it can be false? Gold is never false. Gold is gold. So this
philosophy that brahma satyam jagan mithya, that "Gold mine is right,
but the gold earring is wrong..." No. That you cannot say. If gold
mine is right, then gold earring is also right because it has come
from the gold mine. Similarly, Krsna says that aham sarvasya
prabhavah: "I am the origin of everything." And the Vedanta-sutra also
says, janmady asya yatah: "Absolute Truth is that from whom everything
emanates." So everything has emanated from Krsna. So how this material
world can be false? It is true. Then what is that false? It is not
►731213SB.LA Lectures
…Not taking advantage of it. Everything is there. Therefore
our Krsna consciousness movement is to rescue these rascals from this
ignorance and give Krsna consciousness. Most philanthropic work. They
will become dog next life; we are trying to save them, "Don't become
dog. Just become god or godly." This is our movement. But they are
persistent to become dog. Even they are coming here, again falling.
Persistent to become dog. So that is nature's
law, what can be done?
731215SB.LA Lectures
others, he is inimical always. In your country we have got experience.
They have written, "Beware of dog." And if you pass, you are not
entering the house, still, unnecessarily, the dog will bark. Even if
he is on the top of veranda corridor, by seeing another unknown
person, he will bark. That is offensive. So that is dog's business.
And at the present moment the dog is happy only when he has got a good
master. Otherwise dog is not happy. A street dog, he cannot eat. He
has no eating. He has no place. He is lean and thin. You have seen.
But he has got a good master, he is very stout, fatty, and very expert
in barking. (laughter) So this is dog's qualification. He is very
faithful.
So at the present moment people are like that. They are being
educated, but technologist or computer expert or this, that, so
many... The father spends so much money. He becomes an expert. But if
he does not get a good master to employ him, he is useless. He is
useless. His technological knowledge will be useless if he does not
get a master. So therefore the modern education system is to create
dogs. He will never be happy unless he gets a good master. Actually,
we are constitutionally all dogs. But we do not know whom to serve.
That is our misunderstanding. Actually, every one of us, servant.
That's a fact. But we are missing the point, where to engage ourself
in good service. That is Krsna. We have to serve. You cannot avoid
this. If you do not serve Krsna, then you will have to serve maya.
That's all. But you have to serve. So in that respect, if we do not
know who is the best master, then we will have to serve our senses,
our lusty desires. If I do not become servant of Krsna, then I shall
become (sic) desire, to my lusty desires for sex life. I have to
become servant. That is a fact. You cannot become master. Therefore
the most intelligent person is he who knows that "Why shall I serve my
lusty desires? Why not serve Krsna?" Because I have to serve. This is
intelligence.
731215SB.LA Lectures
Designation. So at the present moment I am thinking, "This is my hand.
I am American. Therefore this is my American hand." "I am Indian;
therefore it is my Indian hand." So you have to forget this, or you
have to purify: "This hand is neither American nor African nor Indian.
This hand belongs to Krsna." This is purification.
So, so long you will engage this hand under illusion for American
service or Indian service, you will never get happiness. You purify
this hand, that "This hand belongs to Krsna. Therefore it should be
engaged in cleansing the temple with my hand," then you will be
satisfied. Then you will be satisfied. Similarly, your tongue.
Similarly, your legs. Similarly, everything, all senses. When you are
purified of all these designations, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam, when with that purified senses you will engage
the senses, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam, in the service of the master of
the senses, then you will be happy. This is Krsna consciousness
movement. Otherwise you'll never be happy.
731217SB.LA Lectures
equal, and adhika means greater. How God can be great? If somebody is
greater than Him, how God is great? If somebody is equal to Him, then
how He is great? Just see how the definition is given perfectly. Na
tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate: "He has nothing to do." Because He is
great, why He should work? All the subordinates will work. We are all
subordinate. Therefore we shall work for God. But we have made our
formula, that "God shall work for me." "God, give us our daily bread.
We have nothing to do. Simply give us our bread." What is this? But
the Vaisnava idea is that "Without giving bread to God, God will die."
Yasoda-mayi is thinking, "If I do not give Krsna to eat something
nice, Krsna will become lean and thin." That is love of Godhead, how
to serve Krsna, how to serve God. Sevonmukhe. That is real religion.
When we are not to take service from God, but we are ready to give
service to God, that is real religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato
bhaktir adhoksaje. Adhoksaje. God is beyond our senses. Therefore He
is Adhoksaja.
So that type of religion which teaches the followers how to serve
God, how to love God, that is perfect religion. It doesn't matter
whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion, no. If the
followers are trained up how to love God, how to serve God, that is
perfect. That is being taught here. In this Krsna consciousness
movement, there is no such teaching to ask from God. No. To give
everything to God. That is Krsna consciousness movement. That is
required. …
… Pranair arthair dhiya vaca etavaj janma-saphalyam dehinam iha
dehisu. This human form of life can be perfected. How? How it can be
perfected? Pranair arthair dhiya vaca. Prana means life. Artha means
riches. Pranair arthair dhiya. Dhiya means intelligence. And vaca,
vaca means words. So we have got four things. We have got our life,
and everybody has got some riches, either one pound or one million
pounds. Everybody has got something. That is called artha. Prana,
artha, and everyone has got intelligence, and everyone has got the
power to speak. So we have to engage all these four things. Either
four or three or two, at least one, we must engage. Pranair arthair
dhiya, sreya-acaranam sada. This is the principle of religion or
perfection of life.
731219SB.LA Lectures
So this inquisitiveness is very good. My Guru Maharaja
accepted me as a disciple because he saw in the beginning I was very
inquisitive to hear him. So in the beginning, when many gentleman... I
was one of them, was introduced to my Guru Maharaja, that "They are to
be initiated. They want to be initiated, to become your disciple." So
when my turn came, he immediately said, "Yes, I will accept this boy
as disciple because he is very inquisitive to hear." That was my
recommendation. And actually, I was very inquisitive. I could not
follow what Guru Maharaja was speaking, but still, I was asking
others, that "When Guru Maharaja will speak? I will hear." I could not
follow. He was speaking in a very high philosophical term. So at that
time I had no capacity to under... Still, I wanted to hear him, I
understand or not understand.
So this is very good qualification. So those who are coming here to
listen about God, they are very fortunate. Krsna will help them.
731220SB.LA Lectures
Now everything has become business. Formerly a brahmana, he'll
start a school. Brahmana is pathana pathana. His business is to become
learned himself and to distribute his knowledge, education, to
everyone free. This is brahmana. The brahmana, and the opposite word
is krpana. Krpana means miser. A miser, he has got money, but he does
not spend. He keeps it only. And brahmana means he has got knowledge
and he distributes for others' benefit. That is brahmana. Therefore we
are making every one of our disciples brahmana, not that he should
simply know himself what is God. No. He must distribute the knowledge
also. Go from town to town, village to village, and try to convince
these rascals what is God.
731220SB.LA Lectures
So anyone who has not developed his consciousness to understand
God... Krsna consciousness means to understand God and then trust Him.
This is Krsna consciousness. Actually, your currency notes advertising
our movement. But they do not know scientifically. Now this movement
is scientifically started. The Americans should take advantage of it
and try to understand the simple slogan, "In God We Trust."
Thank you very much. (end)
731222SB.LA Lectures
"Oh, I am going to die?" That is natural. That is natural. So before
making nice arrangement for our living condition, first of all make
this condition sure that you are going to live actually, you will live
comfortably. Is that guaranteed? No, that is not guaranteed. At any
moment you will be kicked out. Any moment. So that is real problem.
First of all make yourself assured that you will not be kicked out.
Just like even we enter an apartment, we make so many agreement with
the landlord, this condition, that condition. What is the idea? That I
may not be kicked out, I may not be kicked out tomorrow. The landlord
may say, "Get out." This is the agreement you make. So what is the
agreement for your living condition?
Therefore real problem is that, that we are coming, we are
accepting one type of body, either in the human society or animal
society or tree society or dog society, accepting some body, karmana
daiva, according to our karma. There (are) so many varieties of life.
►731223SB.LA Lectures
... all. No more test. One test is sufficient: "Whether you know God?"
Because this human life is meant for knowing God. This temple is meant
for human being, not for the cats and dogs. So if you (do not) know
God, then you are a rascal. You are exactly like the cats and dogs.
That's all
731223SB.LA Lectures
composition of ignorance. Now, the friends... Which friend helps me to
keep me in this perpetual ignorance? These are illicit sex,
intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, these four friends. You
associate with these four friends, you will be very easily advancing
under the influence of Kali-yuga. This is the fact. Kalinadharmena
731224SB.LA Lectures
things are taking place like that. Formerly marriage, at least in
India, at least up to our time, the marriage was taking place not on
the liking of the boy and the girl. No. It was decided by the parents.
So... Just like I was also married man. I was married when I was a
student, and I did not know what will be the... But the parents
arranged. What to speak of me, I will give you another very brilliant
example, that you have heard the name of Dr. Rajendra Prasad. He was
the first president of Indian... He has written his biography. He was
married at the age of eight years. Formerly, in India the marriage was
taking place like that. I know. My father-in-law was married when he
was eleven years. And my mother-in-law was seven years. You see? So
actually, the point is that the marriage was taking by the
calculation, "Whether this couple will be happy in their life?" In
this way marriage was taking place. Not that a grown-up girl, grown-up
boy, mixes together, and he likes, she likes. Then again he leaves or
she... This kind of marriage was not sanctioned.
But in this Kali-yuga it is said that dampatye abhirucih. That's
all. Abhirucih. Boys and girls are intermingling freely, and if she
likes, that's all right. But no future calculation. This is Kali-yuga.
No future calculation, whether in future marriage is sanctified life,
the man and the woman live peacefully, make spiritual culture, each
one will help the other so that they will live very happily and become
advancement in spiritual life and then go back to... That is the
system. But nowadays, in Kali-yuga, it will be simply liking. Liking
means next moment disliking. That is a fact. You see. Liking has no
value. As soon as you based on liking, then you expect next moment
disliking. That's all.
731224SB.LA Lectures
Snanam eva prasadhanam. Snanam eva prasadhanam. Cosmetic. Simply if
one can take little shower bath, then everything is finished.
Actually, snana means sandhya. You have to take bath nicely. Then you
have to put tilaka and candana. Then perform your gayatri-mantra. This
is called snana. Tri-sandhya-snana. Now they are simply taking somehow
or other bath, and finished. No more. But Kali-yuga, this will be
snanam eva. And then dure vary-ayanam tirtham lavanyam kesa-dharanam.
Just see how future tell. At the present moment, Kali-yuga, a man will
think himself, he has become very beautiful by keeping long hair. You
have got very good experience in your country, long hairs. Just see
how future. Who knew that people would be interested for keeping long
hair? But that is stated in the Bhagavata. Kesa-dharanam. Kesa means
hair, and dharanam means keeping. Dure vary-ayanam tirtham. And
pilgrimage, it must be far away. Just like in Calcutta there is
Ganges. So nobody cares for Calcutta Ganges. But they go to Hardwar.
The same Ganges. The Ganges is coming from Hardwar down to the Bay of
Bengal, but people will like to go to Hardwar, taking so much
hardship, to take bath there, because that becomes tirtha. In every
religion they have got tirtha. The Muslims, they have got mosque. What
is that? Mecca, Medina. The Christians, they have got, where?
Jerusalem. Similarly, the Hindus. Then they must travel very long.
That will be tirtha. But actually tirtha means tirthi-kurvanti
tirthani. Where there is saintly person, that is tirtha. Not to go ten
thousand miles and simply take a dip in the water and come back.
731225SB.LA Lectures
therefore discussing so many... We have written so many books simply
about Krsna. Not all books published--we have published about twenty
books--but we have to finish it. It cannot be finished, but at least,
to some extent it will be finished by sixty books. And what is that
subject matter? Krsna. That's all. People cannot imagine that about
God, sixty books can be written. There is no, I mean to say, system of
religion where you can find... Not only... Sixty is the minimum. Sixty
books of four hundred pages can be written simply on God. So there is
possible... If we divert our attention to Krsna consciousness, we can
chant Krsna--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Kirtanad
eva krsnasya. We can read about Krsna whole life, such big literature.
Whole life. If you read twenty-four hours daily--that you
cannot--still, you have to devote your whole life to finish this
literature.
731225SB.LA Lectures
Krsna has given different foodstuff for different animals and human
beings. Krsna has given stool for the pigs and so nice foodstuff,
fruits and grains and milk, for the human being. Not that every food
is for everyone. No. What is called? "One man's food, another man's
poison." So the stool is also a kind of food. Everything is a kind of
food. Even the stone is also food. You know? The pigeons, they eat the
stones particles. They can digest. For them, the hardest peas are
supplied. So they can digest. Payara-matara. It is called in India,
payara-matara. Payara means pigeon. Pigeon's peas. They require such
thing. Just like the gorilla. The gorilla animal, where they live in
the African jungles... We have read book. There are trees, the fruits
of that tree are so hard, harder than the iron bullet. You can hammer
on the bullet; it may bend. But that fruit will not bend. So those
fruits are taken by the gorillas, and they chew it just like you chew
peanuts or something like that, yes. (laughter)
►731227SB.LA Lectures
... thing. Because life is divided into four parts: brahmacari,
grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. So woman has got three positions.
They require protection. Women is never allowed to become renounced
order of life. No. They are supposed to be under the care of somebody.
So ... Draupadi was being taken care of their husband, but when the
husbands were going for renounced order of life, anapeksatam, without
caring, she could understand, "Now I will be uncared for....
731228SB.LA Lectures
Means "My dear wife, Devi..." Wife is addressed "Devi," not by name.
The husband should address the wife, "Devi." They must be like devi.
Devi means goddess. And the wife must address the husband as "lord."
This is the system. ….
731228SB.LA Lectures
"Just become dear to Krsna." That's all. Krsna
consciousness movement means "You are trying to be dear to so many
things." Somebody is trying to be dear to his father, to his mother,
or to his family, children, or country, community, society, nation.
Everyone is trying to be dear. "I will do such and such thing for you.
Please give me vote. Please make me president." They are trying. And
after all, the president also is not dear, neither people is not dear.
The real fact becomes disclosed after a few days when the, what is
called, face covering, ah, mask, is over. That's all.
So this kind of trying to become dear is no use. It is simply waste
of time. So if you try to become dear to Krsna, that is siddhi. That
is perfection. You are trying to become dear to so many objectives. At
last, to become dear to a dog, ferocious dog. He does not say anything
to the master. That means the master has become dear to him. So we are
trying to become dear to somebody. That is our desire, dormant desire.
But that is being misplaced. We do not know where to become dear. That
we do not know. That is Krsna. If you become dear to Krsna, that is
the highest perfection. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita.
Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. Siddhi, this siddhi,
perfection. Out of millions and millions of persons, one is interested
to become perfect. Because this world is imperfect. So everyone is
imperfect, all of us. So neither they do know what is perfection…
... There are three subject matters in the Vedas. The first subject matter is to know God and what is my relationship with God. This is the first subject matter. Then
second subject matter is that what is the ultimate goal of life, and
the third subject matter is how to attain it. To know God, my
relationship with God, and what is my ultimate goal of life, and how
to attain it--these three subject matters are Vedic knowledge. That is
everywhere.
