Now, this watch, this name of this watch... This name of this article is "watch." Now, "watch" and the thing, watch, there is difference. If I want to see watch and if I sound, "Watch, watch, watch," no, my purpose of watch—seeing will not serve. I want the actual substance, which is watch. If I am thirsty, if I simply speak of "Water, water, water," my thirst will not be quenched. I want actual water. If we want something else for my enjoyment, the name will not do, because nothing in this... This is dual world. This world is of duality. But in the absolute world there is no such duality. Everything is everything. One plus one equal to one; one minus one equal to one. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). These are Vedic injunction, that "If you take the whole thing from the whole, still, the balance is whole. The balance is whole."
Article (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Prabhupāda: So you are working, you are not realized. But we are giving concrete absolute truth. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, how He is concrete Absolute. It is just like this. You are studying this article. You are simply trying to understand it. "It is not this, it is not this, it is not this." But if you take it from an authorized person who knows what it is, that "This is spectacle," your knowledge is immediately there. So here the Absolute is speaking about the Absolute. So if you understand Him, Kṛṣṇa, then immediately understand Absolute. Yes.
Young Woman: How do you (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa? By talking about it?
Prabhupāda: No. These people are not talking. They are realized. Talking is the beginning but there is realization. Just like when I did not come to your country I was talking that "America is like this." But now when I have come to America I realize what is America. So talking is theoretical understanding and when you realize that is practical understanding. One is called jñāna, other is called vijñāna. So jñāna and vijñāna both things are there, theoretical and practical.
So in order to understand asaṁśayam... Asaṁśayam means "without any doubt." At the present moment we have got many doubts whether actually there is God or not. In Europe and America, when I first went there in 1965, I was informed even by some clergymen that "God is dead." Then again, when I was chanting in the Tompkinson Square in New York, they admitted, and they published a very big article in one of the important papers of New York. They admitted that "We thought God was dead, but actually now we see God is there in the saṅkīrtana movement started by Swamiji." They admitted.
So these are saṁśayam, or doubts: whether there is actually God or not, whether God is dead or alive. But here Kṛṣṇa says that if we develop our attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Take Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality. Still, if you develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa by the prescribed methods, then you will understand God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam. And samagram. Samagram, "in fullness." Not partially. The Absolute Truth, samagram Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
Although we are not meat-eater, I have seen. A little piece of meat... (break)
Where the tiger is coming? That he has no brain to understand. Why there are so many varieties of life? Because according to... Just like your... In a, in a city, there are many varieties of apartment. As you are able to pay for it, or in a shop, in a store, there are many varieties of articles. But you have to purchase according to the price you can pay.
Similarly all these varieties of bodies are there according to my desire. Kṛṣṇa... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you know: yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati, The Lord is situated in everyone's heart. Arjuna tiṣṭhati. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). Bhrāmayan. He is causing to wander all over the universe all living entities, riding on a car or machine. This machine is this body. Now I am walking, I am going here, preaching.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
The sun is moving sixteen thousand miles per second. This is called jagat. Everything is going on. Your motorcar is going on. You are going on. We have a big city, especially in Europe, America, simply going on. This way, this... Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. No rest. This is called jagat. Where he is going on? You have heard Rabindranath Tagore, poet Tagore. He wrote one article that "When I was in London I saw the people are walking very fast, the cars are going very fast. But I was thinking that 'This England is a small island; they may not fall down on the sea.' " (laughter) If you let loose your dog, it will go on this way, this way, this way, this way, this way. (laughter) This is jagat, going on. Going on, but condition: "You cannot go beyond this." Just like these so-called scientists are going to the moon planet and coming back—because conditioned. You have remain where you are placed by your karma. You cannot move. I cannot move beyond this body.
Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He was being crucified. Still, he was saying, "My father, they do not know what they are doing." Is it not? He is so much compassionate that "These rascals do not know what they are doing, rascals. Still, I request You to forgive them." This is Vaiṣṇava. Personally he is suffering, but he is still compassionate. There was an article recently, that Jesus Christ, although he was crucified, he did not die. Yes. He went to Kashmir. Some historical references are there. So actually, when he was representative of God, son of God, how these rascals could kill him? It was a show only.
Anyway, so the devotees, they are so compassionate that titikṣavaḥ, they suffer all kinds of odds in this material world. Still, they try to give the information, "There is God, there is kingdom of God. You are suffering here. Please do this so that you can again come back to home." This is the Vaiṣṇava. Karuṇayā. Out of compassion.
The third stage is maintenance, the fourth stage is production, the fifth stage is dwindling, and the sixth stage, vanishing. This is anything material.
The scientists, they are very much busy. Just this morning our scientist, Svarūpa Dāmodara, was speaking about an article: the scientists are very much busy that the source of supply is being decreased. Just like petroleum. Petroleum, gas, that is diminishing. Now, whole modern materialistic civilization is depending on the motorcars and aeroplanes, transportation. So if the petroleum supply is stopped, then what will be the condition of the society? Formerly there was no need of going to see a friend thirty miles away, because every friend was within the village. Now, because we have got motorcar, we create friendship with a man who lives fifty miles away. We accept a job fifty miles away. In Hawaii our Gaurasundara was going to attend office fifty miles off. By fifty miles off.
Wherefrom inquiry? You have to inquire from a guru, a spiritual master, who can actually give you right knowledge. And spiritual master means he is able to answer your question. So one should be very much inquisitive. What sort of inquisitiveness? Asking his spiritual master, "What is the rate of this article?" Just like businessman? No. That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that you should inquire. What is that inquiry? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ. Inquisitive. What is that? What is that inquiry? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to understand uttamam, beyond this darkness. Because anything you inquire about material things, that is darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. Uttama. Tama, tama means darkness. Ut. Ut means udgatam.
So every word has volumes of meanings. Udga... Therefore sometimes right commentary required.
A literature presented to the people, to the public for reading, which are even grammatically incorrect, but because there is glorification of the Lord, it can produce revolution. It can purify the whole human society. My Guru Mahārāja, when he was selecting articles to be published in The Harmonist, if he sees simply that there is, several times the writer has written "Kṛṣṇa," "Lord Caitanya," like that, he passes immediately: "All right. It's all right. (laughter) It is all right." That so many times he has uttered "Kṛṣṇa" and "Caitanya," so it is all right. (chuckles)
So similarly, even if we present our Back to Godhead or any other literature in broken languages, it does not matter because the glorification of the Lord is there. That is recommended by Nārada.
Anyway, Vyāsadeva, Nārada says that "Even jñānaṁ nirañjanam..." Nirañjana means... Añjana... Añjana means ointment or designation, something covering. So nirañjanam. If one is elevated in knowledge, then he becomes free from this designated life. Our material life is añjana life, or designated life. Añjana... Just like we decorate. I think I wrote one article in my Back to Godhead in India, "Decoration of the Dead Body." This material qualification means decoration of the dead body. Actually, the body is dead, but there are certain men who wants to decorate this dead body. In India also, still the custom is in lower class men, when some of their relative die... I hear that here also they do such. They decorate the dead body very nicely. Here also the same system is there?
Therefore Deity worship, temple worship, essential for the common general people. Simply by their coming, visiting and doing something, they'll be pious. So... And other pious activities—to hear about Kṛṣṇa. The sound vibration. Even one does not understand what is spoken here, but Kṛṣṇa... Just like I am speaking in English. Those who cannot understand English, they do not understand what I am speaking. But in the middle I am talking of Kṛṣṇa. So that Kṛṣṇa hearing is sufficient: "Kṛṣṇa." My Guru Mahārāja, when some article was presented to see whether he approved for publication, he would simply say, or see, how many times he has uttered "Kṛṣṇa" and "Caitanya Mahāprabhu." That's all. If he has uttered in his writing "Kṛṣṇa," "Caitanya," like that, so if he hears that many times he has written—"That's all right. That's all right." It is so nice.
That is wanted. That is civilization. Produce sufficient quantity of grains, let the milk, cows, supply sufficient quantity of milk. All economic question solved. There is no use of industry. No use of man's going fifty miles to work. No, there is no need. Simply land and cows. Here is the statement. Kāmaṁ parjanyaḥ, vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā. Everything you'll get from the land. Even luxury articles. What can be more luxurious article than the jewels? The jewels are also produced. The medicine is produced, the minerals are produced, gold is produced, diamond is produced from the earth. Sarva-kāma-dughā. You get everything. Make your civilization very perfect, very luxurious simply by satisfying Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Thank you very much.
This is Kali-yuga. A man has to work like an ass simply for bread. Simply for bread. This is Kali-yuga. So I saw that one side, there is the wife, and the other side, there is the husband, pulling on that ṭhelā, and they have got a child. On the top of the loaded articles the child is sat down. So he's sitting very comfortably. And the father and mother, they are pulling on ṭhelā. My point is that even a man, very poor, who has to work just like an ass, still, he has got family and he's maintaining him. That is my point. Still. You'll find the poorest man—he has got his wife, he has got his children. He has got... Anyway, some home. Although it is not very nice apartment, but he has got home. That means even in material life, if one has got peaceful home, then he..., there is something. But even that is now not possible in the modern, artificial civilization. Nobody has family.
Kṛṣṇa says, "Give me patraṁ puṣpam, vegetables, flowers, grains, milk." So you can prepare hundreds and thousands of preparations from these article, and you take the remnants of foodstuffs of Kṛṣṇa, that is human life. Not to eat kadarya, kadarya, nasty things. That is not human life. So if you continue to eat all the kadaryas, then you get ultimately the body of a hog, no discrimination even for stool. That is the laws of nature.
- prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
- guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
- ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
- kartāham iti manyate
- (BG 3.27)
Prakṛti, nature, will give you chance, "All right, you want this?" Mind... You are creating... Mind is the creating force.
So if you create a certain type of body, next life you get a body. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). So similarly, if we are going to create another body by thinking and feeling and willing in this life, why not get a body like Kṛṣṇa? That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Prabhupāda: I've seen your article; you can see me after. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ
- yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ
- na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
- netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ
- (SB 2.3.24)
Translation: "Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place and tears fill the eyes and hairs stand on end."
Prabhupāda: 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 aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedam. So just like stone or steel does not melt very easily, similarly, anyone's heart which does not change after chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra regularly, then it is to be understood that it is steel-framed, made of stone or iron. Actually, hari-nāma... Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). 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 Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12).
So what is the identification of the jīva, of the soul? Very minute. Aṇimānam. Very, very minute, infinitesimal. God is infinite, and we are infinitesimal, very small particle. Just like sun. Sun is very big, but the sunshine, it is a combination of very minute, bright articles, atoms. Everyone knows. It is a combination of, I mean to say, dazzling, bright... Similarly, we are also a small, bright particle, the same quality. Svayaṁ-jyoti. Just like God, or Brahman, is jyoti, we are also jyoti. But Brahman is all-pervading, infinite; we are aṇimānam. So Māyāvādī theory is that "At the present moment... I am the same." They, their theory is ghaṭākāśa-poṭākāśa. Just like a ghaṭa, or in a pot, there is, within the pot there is sky, and outside the pot there is sky. So the separation is due to the wall of the pot. If the... When the wall is broken, then the inside sky and the outside sky become one. This is Māyāvāda theory.
Our speed... What for speed? Because we want to go to certain destination, that is his speed. So the real destination is Govinda, Viṣṇu. And na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. They are running in different speed, but they do not know what is the destination. Our one big poet in our country, Rabindranath Tagore, he wrote an article—I read it—when he was in London. So in your country, western countries, the motorcars and the..., they run in high speed. So Rabindranath Tagore, he was poet. He was thinking that "These Englishmen's country is so small, and they are running on so great speed they will fall in the ocean." He remarked like that. Why they are running so fast? So similarly, we are running so fast for going to hell. This is our position, because we do not know what is the destination. If I do not know what is the destination and try to drive my car in full speed, then what will be the result? The result will be disaster. We must know why we are running.
As Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna. Means they know what is the benefit of entering into heavenly kingdom. There is no benefit. Suppose I may get thousands of years' age and I enjoy very high standard of life, woman, money, wine. Just think. But what is the benefit? There is no benefit. I was very glad to read one article sent by Satsvarūpa in Boston. He has said, "What is this society, family? It is all hellish. We do not wish to live without Kṛṣṇa." Very nice statement. That is real realization. We do not like to live without Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who has realized it that "Any amount of material happiness is to be kicked out. We don't care for it. We simply care for Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa will be happy," that is pure devotee. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Ānukūlyena means favorably. We should simply try to please Kṛṣṇa favorably, not unfavorably.
Our only objective is how to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are writing books, we are publishing magazines, we are preaching, we are going everywhere—just to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is our only business. This process is recommended here, citta-śodhaka. If you sit down and write some article on Kṛṣṇa, that means you have to concentrate on Kṛṣṇa's activities or Kṛṣṇa's devotees' activities, and that very process will purify your heart. Therefore we always recommend to our students that you write articles, read our magazine, read our book. In this way if we keep ourself... Work for Kṛṣṇa. This... We have come here in this paṇḍal or in this Kumbha-melā not for any other purpose than to glorify the Supreme Lord so that people may understand the importance of this movement. So citta-śodhaka, here recommended by the Viṣṇudūta. Viṣṇudūta means the direct associates of Lord Viṣṇu.
Now state is secular; therefore this is the condition. Formerly the kings and the executive heads were very responsible to protect religion. That is the duty of the king, to protect. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he was on tour. As soon as he saw that one man is trying to kill a cow, immediately he became fire: "Oh, in my kingdom there is killing of cow? Who are you? I shall immediately kill you." You know this? The kings were taking. The kings were so responsible. But here they have declared... The so-called kings, they are themselves debauch, and they do not know what is religion. Therefore, in the Kali-yuga there is no other alternative than to chant peacefully, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare... There is no protection. And what does the executive heads, the presidents or secretaries? They simply manipulate some votes, third-class men. Who has written that article?
Prabhupāda: "Lowest class of men." He is bold enough to declare like that. One of my, our students, he has written an article in which he has said that "At the present moment, everywhere, the government is ruled by lowest class of men." And he's right in this sense because this is the verdict of the Vedas. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Unless one is a devotee of the Personality of Godhead, he cannot have any good qualification. That's a fact. And one who is a devotee, all good qualifications automatically develop. (noise) What is this? Hm?
Guest: He tipped a glass of water.
Prabhupāda: So as far as possible, let us follow the footsteps of mahājana-mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186)—and depend on Kṛṣṇa and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be all right. The simple method. Try to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teachings. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and be sincere, and, as far as possible, worship the Deity. Everything is all right. (break) ...camp, the servant's camp was overcrowded, and people would come to our camp.
You can sit down and show people, "I have now become a very liberated soul," and chant and meditate. That means sleeping. This sort of business is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja. Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari-nāma kevala. This is simply cheating. He did not approve this kind of business. He did not approve. He wanted to see that everyone is engaged in preaching work, some sort of preaching work, either indoor or outdoor. When you are indoor you have to be busy writing articles for a magazine and proofread and so many things indoors. And outdoors you have to go door to door, make them members, make them interested in this movement, collect money for expenses, outdoor. Preaching, you have to meet opposing elements. So many will criticize, so many will attack. Nityānanda Prabhu was hurt personally, but still, outdoor. This is missionary work, not that "Whenever I find some opportunity, go to some solitary place and sleep." This is not missionary life.
You can sit down this side. Dehādau mohajaṁ tyajet. So, Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing his demon class friends. They are not demons, but they are sons of demons. Just like you are. (laughter) You are not demons, but you are sons of demons. (chuckles) Is it right? (laughs) But you have no more connection with your demon father. That's nice. So, in some of these, I think Back to Godhead No. 40, Hayagrīva has written a very nice article, Constitution of the Soul. It is very nicely written. So, demonic principle is they do not give stress on the soul. They are bodily conscious that "I am this body." And as soon as one is such foolishly conceiving body as self, his activities will be demonic. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). The demons also sometimes they have got conception of the soul, they believe in transmigration of the soul, but though they.
That is the highest perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhi nā dekhe tāra mūrti, sarvatra sphūraya tāra iṣṭa deva mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). When one is fully advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees this world... The world is full of sthāvara-jaṅgama. Some things, some articles, are moving; some articles are not moving. Just like tree—it is not moving, but an animal is moving. This is sthāvara-jaṅgama. So he is seeing the tree or the animals or the hill or the water or the river or the ground. So because he is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees nothing but Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhi nā dekhe tāra mūrti. He does not see anything else except Kṛṣṇa. And actually that is the fact. Simply we have to purify our eyes, then we can see in everything. He is in the atom even. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. But because we are not qualified, therefore we cannot see. One who is qualified, he can see.
There is another narration of Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were living in this forest of Vṛndāvana. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was elder brother, and Rūpa Gosvāmī was younger brother. So they were living underneath a tree. So they had no means. Rūpa Gosvāmī thought that "If I could get some articles, I could prepare something and invite my guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī." So just after a few minutes one very nice young girl came with so much presentation, rice, dahl, ghee, and so many other things. So She came and offered to the gosvāmī. The saintly persons are addressed as "bābā." "Bābā, please take this presentation. We have got some ceremony at our home, so my mother has sent. You take it." So he was very glad: "Oh, I was thinking if I could get some nice things, I could prepare and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī." So he was very glad to receive those articles and invited Sanātana Gosvāmī and prepared so many nice foodstuff and offered to the Deity, and Sanātana Gosvāmī was given the prasādam. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was very pleased, and he inquired, "Rūpa Gosvāmī, where you got these nice things? You are living in this... How you could receive all these things?" "Yes, my dear brother, I was just thinking in the morning. In the meantime a very nice young girl came and offered so many things, so I could..." "So what is that? Who is that young girl in this forest? So how She was looking?" "Oh, she was very, very beautiful." "Oh, Rādhārāṇī. Oh."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa is within you. Kṛṣṇa is within you and as soon as Kṛṣṇa sees that now you are very much eager to hear about Him. The first business. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. And the hearing about Kṛṣṇa is puṇya, even if you do not understand, because hearing about Kṛṣṇa means you are hearing the sound Kṛṣṇa. That sound Kṛṣṇa will purify you, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). My Guru Mahārāja, if somebody would write some article, he would hear, he would simply see how many times there is Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya. Then he'll pass, "Yes, it is all right." (laughter) Because, because there are so many times Kṛṣṇa uttered, it is already nice. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
What they were saying? "Oh, here is a sannyāsī, and He's dancing." According to Māyāvāda sannyāsa, this dancing and singing is forbidden, forbidden. In Muhammadan religion also, dancing and singing is forbidden. I do not know what is there in the Bible, but I understand in the Bible there is saṅkīrtana allowed. I have asked our Kīrtanānanda to write some article, "Saṅkīrtana and Bible," because he is, he knows Bible very well than other members. So we shall see very nice how in Bible there is saṅkīrtana. The Muhammadan Koran, they do not... In some of their sections, there is saṅkīrtana, not within the mosque, but without. Anyway... So similarly, these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they also do not like singing and dancing. Of course, now they are stopping, finish. They are also taking now to this process of singing and dancing in India. So formerly they used to, I mean to say, decry. So sannyāsī ha-iyā kare nācana gāyana: "Oh, here is a sannyāsī. He is dancing and singing."
This is the last stage of knowledge, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). "After struggling for many, many births to acquire knowledge..." So when one comes to this point—bhavān eva śaraṇam, "You are the ultimate shelter"—that is the perfection of knowledge. Our editor has written very nice article, "Kṛṣṇa, the End of Knowledge." Yes. When you come to Kṛṣṇa point, then everything is knowledge, knowable. Of course, so far our knowledge is concerned... But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, He is unlimited. Nobody can know Him. But at least to that point, if we can reach... That is also very difficult. Simply to reach to that point, there are the struggle. So many scholars, so many still, coming to the nearest point, still, they say, "Oh, not Kṛṣṇa, not Kṛṣṇa. It is impersonal. It is impersonal." So this knowledge is acquired by the grace of the Supreme Lord, by the association of pure devotees.
So this is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. Bodha-labdhaye. They stress on knowledge. What is this knowledge? You can talk on any insignificant thing for many years. That is not knowledge. Just like in the present modern civlization, so many nonsense articles without any utility, or volumes of volumes of books are sold in the market. There is nothing, no substance. Take for this..., newspaper. Especially in your country, volumes of papers in the news. Just after glancing over, it is thrown away. That's all. No more use. Just as The newspaper is published early in the morning, and just in the afternoon it is useless, it is heap of paper only, because there is no substance. Nobody can take any interest. But see Bhagavad-gītā, it is, five thousand years before it was published, and a few pages only, and how much care is being taken after Bhagavad-gītā. Because there is substance. Similarly, if you don't accept the substance, simply if you are busy with the skin.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So, I will not take much of your time. My appeal to you, to all of you especially, and with the help of these people, my request to you all ladies and gentlemen, (indistinct) please try to understand the potency of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and make your country... Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is in India, it is surprising that India is not serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I have read in one government paper, Kṛṣṇa's (indistinct) or something black of origin. And people are sophisticated to worship Him. Such article has been published by the government. And average Indian can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is our intelligence, and there in the government also. So it is very unfortunate that we are not taking care of our own treasure-house of knowledge, and we are trying to get knowledge from technology and be happy. This, there is no question of peace unless you understand Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
Prabhupāda: You are good typist? (laughter) So why you have not published Bali-mardana's article?
Jayādvaita: Bali-mardana's article.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jayādvaita: We were waiting. We weren't sure if it was appropriate to publish it.
Prabhupāda: He thought disappointed. He has published. He has written very nicely.
Jayādvaita: He has written nicely?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jayādvaita: We can publish it?
Prabhupāda: So we should... Yes, here is the... What is that?
Brahmānanda: "Illusion and reality," two essays...
Prabhupāda: He has presented very nicely. So we should encourage our men.
Jayādvaita: Publish it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And our men, all our men should write. Otherwise how we shall know that he has understood the philosophy? Writing means śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.
Prabhupāda: Just now I have seen one article in the Times, four five pages article, "Crime...," and what is that?
Brahmānanda: "Why and How to Solve It."
Prabhupāda: "Why and How to Solve It."
Brahmānanda: It's the cover story of Time.
Prabhupāda: So if you are serious, you can take our method and suggestions. Then you can stop this crime.
Prabhupāda: ...to stop the crimes of your country. My message is to stop the crimes of your country. This is my sum and substance. We have read the article in the Times, "Crime and How to Stop It." So if you take my advice, that can be stopped. (break) (in car:) ...opportunity to propagate.
Brahmānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Crimes and how to stop...
Brahmānanda: Why and how to stop it.
Prabhupāda: Why and how to. That is answered in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, actually. (break) ...condition of the world, simply full of criminals, that's all. And our is pāpī tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. This is our movement. Crimes means pāpī, sinful. And this is the only remedy for reclaiming the sinful. Simply by law if you want to suppress them, it will not be successful. Deliver them. Then you also come, I mean to say, along with them. Not that these criminals only should be delivered, and you will go on, continue with criminal activities, slaughterhouse, and killing the child in the womb. You are criminal yourself, the whole state. So reception was very nice.
Indian man: We have seen the articles in Blitz.
Prabhupāda: Because they are also afraid. Because the Communist movement means godlessness. And our movement is, "Here is God." There is no blind faith. "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa! You take His name, you take His address—everything." Practical. So that is a great cause of fear for these Communists. So they are against us. So now I shall request the śreṣṭhas, those who are leading persons in India, they should join this movement, take it seriously. It is not a bogus movement. It is a scientific movement. And we have so many books. Now, at the present moment, we have got eighty-four books. So that is my request, that people should come forward. They should come forward and take seriously this movement. And we have got our places. In Bombay we have got big place. In Vṛndāvana we have got big place. In Nadia we have got big place. At least elderly gentlemen like you... Now you should retire from family life and leave in charge of the grown-up boys. You should take seriously for India's interest, for everyone's interest, but as we want... We should not keep people in darkness. That is very risky. Very risky. You may be very proud that "I am this, I am that, I have to...," but you are after all under the control of the laws of nature. That you cannot avoid. Falsely proud. But you have to abide by it.
General Lectures
It was very kind of him that he received him as a teacher, not as contemporary. So even that Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is also studying this Bhagavad-gītā very, I mean to say, profoundly. You know your Professor Einstein. Oh, he was a profound, I mean to say, student of this Bhagavad-gītā. Hitler was a great student of Bhagavad-gītā. So many, in all the countries. There are so many Muhammadans in India, oh, they are devout student of Bhagavad-gītā. I know one Dr. Inrai(?) of Allahabad University. Oh, he is so devoted to Lord Kṛṣṇa that on the birthday of Lord Kṛṣṇa he must write one nice article and publish in the paper. So this instruction, that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ... (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot have the knowledge of the Absolute Truth simply by argument or simply by philosophy or simply by big brain or speaking power. No, no. All these things will not do. Simply we have to follow the great authority.
So Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, He introduced this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare for this age. And He recommended, kalau... Not recommended by His own brain, but it is recommended in the scriptures:
Yes. Infinite aspect. We are publishing one article, "Dr. Frog." Dr. Frog means... Perhaps you know, everyone. The frog lives in a well. That is only a few feet. And one, another frog, he's giving information to his friend in the well, "My dear friend, I have seen a vast water, Atlantic Ocean." But this frog has never seen Atlantic Ocean. He's calculating, "It may be so much big. It may be so much big. It may be so much big." So how this infinity can be calculated by the frog? So those who are calculating infiniteness of this tiny soul, they're all Dr. Frogs. You are not infinite. You are finite. How you can be infinite? You can be infinite only when you dovetail yourself with the infinite. Individually you are finite. That is the position, real position. In the Bhagavad-gītā in the Fifteenth Chapter... You have read Bhagavad-gītā? So did you not read this verse in the Fifteenth Chapter, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loka sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7)? Have you read this? That "These living entities, they're My parts and parcels, fragmental parts." So you are... God is infinite. You are infinitesimal part and parcel. So how you can be infinite?
Prabhupāda: No. Now you read that article, "Superconsciousness," in the paper.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Superconsciousness."
Prabhupāda: You can sit down here face to face.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then I'll turn my back to you.
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is from Back to Godhead, which is a monthly publication that we put out in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There's an article in it called "Superconsciousness," by our spiritual master. "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest yoga performance by trained devotional yogis. The yoga system, as it is stated in the standard yoga practice formula given by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā and as recommended in the Patañjali yoga discipline, is different from nowadays—practiced haṭha-yoga as it is generally understood in the Western countries. Real yoga practice means to control the senses, and after such control is established, to concentrate the mind on the Nārāyaṇa form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original absolute personality, the Godhead, and all the other Viṣṇu forms, with four hands, decorated with conch, lotus, club and wheel, are preliminary expansions of Kṛṣṇa." Should I wait a second? Wait for them to leave?
Prabhupāda: This will go on. They are not comfortably seated.
These Vedic scriptures, the Bhagavad-gītā which our spiritual master speaks from, is also the Absolute Truth, but it is in all its variegatedness, all its detail. And there's such a need to hear a man like our spiritual master, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, speak. He is a pure devotee, pure lover of the Lord. That is the qualification for one who can teach about God. He must be one hundred percent engaged in glorifying the Lord, that his every action, every word, must be spent on account of the Supreme Lord. Nothing else.
I had an article sent to us by some Godbrothers from New York. It's really a pertinent article. Very interesting. It's from the Daily News, a big New York newspaper. The heading reads, "Drive and aid(?) retreat for priests who drink." It goes on to say, "Right now there are 5,000 alcoholic priests in the U.S., and the number is growing, according to a spokesman for Guesthouse, a sanatorium dedicated to preventing priests from wrecking their lives." These are the holy men.
Prabhupāda: Jaya. Jaya. Jaya. Very nice. The first vibration is jaya. (laughs) (aside:) Your article is out. You have seen it?
Upendra: No, I have not seen it. I heard that it is out.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Very nice article you have... You are feeling all right?
Upendra: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is simply full of bliss. Nobody should become morose. If he's feeling morose, then it is lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the sign.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a stage after liberation. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ means "I am now free from all material anxieties." That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Just like a person suffering prison life for years together, and if he is given freedom, "Now you are free," how much delight he'll feel. "Oh, now I am free." You see? So that is the stage of brahma-bhūtaḥ. Prasannātmā, joyful, immediately. And what is the nature of joyfulness? Na śocati. Even in the great loss, there is no lamentation. And big profit, there is no jubilation, or there is no hankering. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Equipoised.
So one has to go outside this limited area. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Then they'll have real Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato. So why I want that I shall be happy in this way? I make my own plan: "My nation will be happy in this way." This is called saṁsāra, adānta-gobhir, because I want to satisfy my senses. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. And the position is punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaś carvita-car..., carvita-carvaṇa means chewing the chewed. Something is chewed and thrown away in the street, and if somebody comes and chews again that thrown away article, he cannot get any juice out of it. Similarly, we are making plan, but because it is on the platform of sense gratification, the whole thing is coming to the four principles of animal life—eating, sleeping, mating, defending—that's all. That means in a circle, coming to the same animal platform. The distinction between animal and man is that... Man and animal, they have got common platform of these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The only extra qualification of man is that he can come to understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is God. That is his special qualification.
And it is increasing. First of all it was started in New York in a storefront, 26 Second Avenue. Then we started our branch in San Francisco, in Los Angeles, in Santa Fe, in Buffalo, then here. We have got now twenty branches, including one in London and one in Hamburg. And in London, the boys—they are all American boys, American boys and girls—they are preaching. They are not sannyāsī, neither they are Vedāntist, neither they are Hindus, neither they are Indian. But they have taken this movement very seriously. Here one lady from London, she has come. She was very much praising about their movement. And in London Times there was an article. They said that "Kṛṣṇa Chanting Startles London." So we have got many followers now. All my disciples till now, at least in this country, they are all Americans and Europeans. They are chanting, dancing. They are issuing paper, Back to Godhead. Now we have published so many books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: I didn't know we were going to have a class today, but for the next class I wanted to read that article about heredity, genetics, how they think that they might be able to reproduce life in the future.
Prabhupāda: Again "in future."
Śyāmasundara: I have that article, I want to read it and study it first. I wasn't prepared for today.
Prabhupāda: The future... Any fool can say "In future I shall prove." Then what is the difference between scientists and the fool? "Trust no future, however pleasant."
Śyāmasundara: But Darwin is the one who introduced this whole concept that we are evolving towards something better.
Prabhupāda: That we accept. That we accept. Just like we are now in human form of life. Now we can go, can make our position better. Either we go in so many higher planetary systems or we go to Vaikuṇṭha.
Prabhupāda: Sir John Stuart Mill to support our movement. Yes. Write one article that "John Stuart Mill suggests this. This is real utility, and here is real utility."
Śyāmasundara: He gives the same idea by saying that it is better to be like Socrates and be dissatisfied than to be like a pig satisfied.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That's nice. Just like we, we have given up everything, dissatisfied. I left home because I was dissatisfied with my wife and children; gave it up. Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Just like to be a devotee, even though I may be dissatisfied a little, still, but it's better than to be like a pig satisfied.
Prabhupāda: Dissatisfaction is a good thing if it is for better advancement. That is wanted. Dissatisfaction. Just like the karmīs, they are also dissatisfied with 100,000 of dollars. That means they want to make one million thousands of dollars. So that kind of dissatisfaction for the karmī is good, because he can increase further assets. Similarly, if I am dissatisfied spiritually or I am not making advance, I am still on the material platform. That is good. That dissatisfaction is... Socrates also. Yes. And ass, cats, dogs, they are satisfied with a morsel of grass, that's all. You see? A little stool, what is the value of that satisfaction? What is the value of that? That is our philosophy. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is dissatisfied. What is that? Kadā tava-nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyate.
Hayagrīva: Concerning worship, he writes, "The only adequate way to express the sense of God's majesty is to worship Him, to renounce everything as an act of worship offered to God, and so not because He needs to use you as an instrument but to renounce everything yourself as the most insignificant suprafluity, an article of luxury. That means to worship." That is, worship is renunciation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Worship is the beginning, begins with renunciation, or the renouncing any motive. Ahaituky apratihatā. Our only business is to love God. That is first-class religious system which teaches the followers to love God without any motive. Ahaituky apratihatā. Such kind of worship will not be checked by any material condition. In any condition of life one can love God. God will help. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. That is pure worship and pure love for God.
| Page Title: | Article (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | SunitaS, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 25 of Jul, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=45, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 45 |