The four defects are that we commit mistakes, we are illusioned, and our senses are imperfect, and therefore sometimes we cheat others. Although I know, I do not know a subject matter very clearly; still, I say something as authority. That is cheating. We should not cheat. If we want to give knowledge to the people, we must give perfect knowledge. So perfect knowledge, how it can come? The perfect knowledge can come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the process of acquiring knowledge, so far we are concerned. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). The knowledge, perfect knowledge, is coming from Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if we receive that knowledge in cool head and assimilate, then our knowledge is perfect. Just like we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is perfect knowledge.
Assimilate (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
If you inquire whether I am perfect or my disciples who are preaching this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, they are perfect, we may be imperfect. We are imperfect. We accept we are imperfect. But we are distributing the perfect knowledge. Kindly try to understand. We may be imperfect, but perfection means one who assimilates the perfect knowledge, he is perfect.
So we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I have manufactured some book and I am preaching. No. I am preaching Bhagavad-gītā. The same Bhagavad-gītā as it was first spoken forty millions of years ago to the sun-god and again it was repeated five thousand years ago to Arjuna. The same thing is coming down by disciplic succession, and the same thing is presented before you. There is no change.
So the authority says,
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptir
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
So we request simply people that you accept this authoritative knowledge and try to assimilate it by your intelligence. It is not that you stop your argument and intelligence, simply blindly accept something. No. We are human beings, we have got intelligence. We are not animals that we shall be forced to accept something. No.
So fighting, fighting is not bad, provided it is fought for the, for pleasing the Supreme Lord. And fighting is also necessary sometimes. So we cannot make the world nonviolent. Everything will remain. In the laws of nature, everything will remain. The sex life will remain. The fighting will remain. And whatever we are seeing in our experience, everything will remain, will continue to remain. You cannot abolish a drop of it. But the whole process is that we have to purify, purify it.
Just in the morning we were discussing a śloka, a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that, that a very nice point. The verse says that cause of the disease, the thing... Yasya āmayam. The cause of the disease, if it is properly treated, it can, it can cure the disease. It can cure the disease. The cause of the disease, when... Just like the example is like this, that a milk preparation... Suppose if you have taken too much milk, you have got disorder of the bowel. The same milk preparation, yogurt or curd, if you take with mixture of some carminative powder, just like cumin seeds, oh, it will at once cure your diarrhea and indigestion. Now the yogurt is also milk preparation, and your diarrhea has taken place on account of taking too much milk. Now the same milk preparation, when it is treated, it becomes the medicine. And the same milk preparation becomes the cause of disturbance. Similarly, the whole world situation is causing disturbance because it is not treated with spiritual treatment. That's all. As soon as there is spiritual treatment, as soon as people are spiritually conscious, as soon as at least the leaders of men, they are standing on the consciousness platform, the whole world situation will change. So Bhagavad-gītā teaches that thing. We should take it very seriously and try to assimilate it ourselves and distribute this knowledge for the benefit of all others, our friends
Without loving God, if I want to love my wife, that love is not perfect. Therefore so-called love is disrupted by divorce and so many things because that is not perfect love. We do not know what is perfect love and how to conduct it. That is the defect of our civilization. Which we are accepting as love, that is simply a desire for sense gratification. That is not love. Love is different thing. So because... Why the love is defective in the material world? Because it is not properly discharged. We have to understand that thing.
How it is not properly discharged? Just like you love your body. Nobody can deny. Everyone loves his body. All right, what do you want to do? I want to maintain my body nicely. Then what is the means of maintaining your body very nicely? Now, I have to take nice vitaminous foodstuff and supply to the stomach, and then there is assimilation, secretion of different blood or different, I mean to say, humor and so on. The physiological condition is going on. The main position is that you have to give proper foodstuff to this body.
If we actually take advantage of association of realized persons and if we hear from them, then the result is that it becomes very pleasing to the heart and the ear. Satāṁ prasaṅgān. Not to asatām. One must be realized soul in describing the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then the result will be that the audience will feel that it is very nice to hear, and it is appealing to the heart. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa (SB 3.25.25). Hṛt means heart. Karṇa means ear. Hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ, very pleasing.
Now, we have received this news, very pleasing. Now next duty? Taj-joṣaṇāt. Now, if you little try to assimilate it. And what is that assimilation? Smaraṇam. Simply by thinking, "Oh, this has been spoken." Try to argue whether it is true or not. So you have to think over. Satāṁ prasaṅgān, taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani. And if you do that... Suppose you hear something of the Bhagavad-gītā, and it appeals to you, or even does not appeal to you. Just try to think over: "What Bhagavad-gītā says? How Swamiji has discussed this matter?" Apply your arguments. Apply your logic. Don't take it as a sentiment or as a blind faith. You have got reason; you have got arguments; you have got sense. Apply it and try to understand it. Neither it is bogus. It is scientific. Then you will feel... Taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. You will gradually develop your attachment for hearing it, and devotional service will be invoked in your heart, and then, gradually, you will make progress.
It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, once you begin, even one percent you can realize, that will never be lost. That will remain a permanent settlement. Now suppose if you are trying for BA examination, or you have passed your B.A. examination. Now, with the end of this body, that, your qualification as graduate of Columbia University or any university, is finished. Now your life begins in another body, and you have to acquire knowledge again to become qualified to graduate. But this knowledge is not like that. Because it is spiritual knowledge, absolute knowledge, it goes with you, your spirit. That you will find, explanation. And another chance is that one who tries to assimilate this knowledge, even if he is not, I mean to, perfect, so there is no harm. Because whatever he has learned, that remains an asset, and you get another chance of human body to begin from where you have ended in this life.
I may not be perfect, but the knowledge I receive from Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. That is perfect. Therefore we should receive from Kṛṣṇa knowledge. That is perfect knowledge. A small child, he does not know what is this watch, and the father explains to him, "My dear child, this is called watch. It is moving by this machine," and as far as the child can understand, it is explained. So when the child says, "This is watch, and it is working like this. I have heard it from my father," that is perfect knowledge. That is perfect. He may be imperfect, but his knowledge is perfect because he has received the knowledge from the perfect person. This is a crude example. Similarly, any knowledge you receive from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is perfect.
- Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that
- idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ
- pravakṣyāmy anasūyave
- jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ
- yaj jñātvā...
And if you learn this knowledge, if you actually assimilate this knowledge—yaj jñātvā mokṣyase aśubhāt—then you become liberated from this inauspicious life, aśubham. Śubha mean auspicious, and aśubha inauspicious.
Śruti means these ears, by hearing. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ: "Just try to assimilate with your body, with your mind, with your intelligence." Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. If you do this, then the result will be: prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām. God's another name is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer Him. Because everyone is lower than God, who will conquer Him? Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita means unconquerable. What to speak of God, you cannot conquer even the energy of God. You are under the material energy of God. At your present conditioned life, you are under the energy of God, this material energy. You cannot conquer even the energy, so how you can conquer God? Not possible. So therefore another name of God is Ajita. Just like Kṛṣṇa is another name of God. Of course, according to Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the principal name. God has many names. According to His work, according to different persons' understanding, He has got innumerable, numberless names. But the, in the Vedic literature it is said that Kṛṣṇa is the principal name. Because Kṛṣṇa means the highest pleasure.
Ajita means one who is unconquerable. So that unconquerable becomes conquered. How? By this process. What is that process? Just submissively hear and try to assimilate it nicely. That's all. So God is neither Christian or Hindu or Muslim or anything. God is God. If you hear Bhagavad-gītā submissively, with your arguments and... The first thing is you must be submissive. You should not think yourself that you are a... Do not be puffed up with false knowledge. Everyone, we should think that we are ignorant. We should have to receive knowledge. That should be the first step by me(?). And receive knowledge, and try to assimilate it, and try to apply it, apply it with your body, with your mind, with your intelligence. Then the, you'll understand God so nicely that although God is unconquerable, you'll conquer Him. You'll conquer Him, by this simple process. So therefore śravaṇam, hearing, is so important. So in the devotional service the first step is hearing, hearing submissively from the authoritative source and just to assimilate it and grasp it with our body, mind and intelligence. In this way you shall be able to conquer the unconquerable. And when you are able to do such, then you can make kīrtana, kīrtana.
Every, every day and night we are hearing something. There is television. There is radio. There is newspaper. There is so many things, hearing. Not that hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord. You should devote your time in hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-kīrtanam. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). If you simply do this, śravaṇam and kīrtanam, then you shall become free from this material attachment, and you shall be elevated to the supreme place, the kingdom of God. Mukta-saṅga... This is the remedy suggested in this age. You cannot practice anything. You cannot practice sacrifice. You cannot practice speculation. You cannot practice yoga, nothing. You can simply practice this: submissively hear from authoritative sources, try to assimilate it, and become perfect.
The tongue has two functions: to taste and to vibrate. Vibrate
- Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
- Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
and taste kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Just see how you are making advancement. This is called damaḥ. So as soon as you are able to control your senses, naturally you shall be able to control your mind. That is called śamaḥ. So these are the processes. So we have to practice this process and learn this process from reliable sources and assimilate them in our life. That is the real utilization of this human form of life. We should learn it, we should practice it, and make our life successful.
We are one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense by quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda, eternal life, blissful life, knowledge, full of knowledge, we are also like that in minute quantity, not like Kṛṣṇa. But there is the same quality. But now we are covered by this material energy. That Kṛṣṇa is never covered. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves although the quality is the same. But we are prone to be covered. But Kṛṣṇa is not prone to be covered. Otherwise, why should we take lessons from Kṛṣṇa? If He's also like one of us, then what is the use of taking knowledge from Him? There is no use. But these rascals, they think that Kṛṣṇa is like us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy comes down to teach you how to take you back to home, back to Godhead, rascals think that "Kṛṣṇa is like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says "All these lessons, instructions, can be assimilated, understood, by My devotee," mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). "And therefore they are eligible to get back his original consciousness." Mad-bhāvāyopapadyate. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If you take more than you can digest, then immediately there will be indigestion, means you cannot assimilate so much food. That is nature's law. If you touch fire, either you touch or your innocent child touch, the fire will burn it. Fire will not consider that "Here is a child. Let me excuse." No, it will burn. This is nature's law. Similarly, the thoughts which you are maintaining during your lifetime, if that thought becomes prominent—naturally it becomes—at the time of death, then you are going to get a similar body. If you are thinking like a demon, then you get the demon's body next life. And if you are thinking like a devotee, then you get your next life back to home, back to Godhead. This is nature's law.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
In the Vedic civilization there are twenty big, big books, dharma-śāstra, for regulating life. Very difficult subject matter, dharma-śāstra. So Sūta Gosvāmī was offered the seat of vyāsāsana because he was aware of these things, itihāsa, history, Purāṇa, still older history, dharma-śāstra, the scriptures, everything. Therefore he's first of all addressing that "You have read... Not only you have read, but you have described." Description means... You read something. Unless you fully assimilate, understand, you cannot describe it. So two things... Simply reading will not help us. When we shall be able to preach the reading matter, doesn't matter whether in the same language or in my own language... It doesn't matter. That is wanted. Ākhyātāny adhītāni. Adhītāni means "You have read." And "You have explained." In this way the śaunakādi ṛṣis... There were thousands of ṛṣis in Naimiṣāraṇya... When you go to India, you must see this place, Naimiṣāraṇya. It is very, very old place. At least, from historical point of view, modern estimate is it is five thousand years old, because the first Bhāgavata discussion took place there after instruction of Vyāsadeva. So in India there are many places very suitable for spiritual advancement. Still they're existing from the very, very old time, historical time.
Pradyumna: Translation: "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him (Śuka), the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyāsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this Purāṇa, supplement to the Vedas, the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience."
Prabhupāda: So these are the qualifications of the spiritual master. What is that? Svānubhāvam, "must assimilate personally." Svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram. Śruti. The Vedas are called śruti, absolute knowledge. It has to be learned by hearing, not by speculation. Śruti. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyam (MU 1.2.12). From śruti, the śrotriya comes. So he's offering respect to Śukadeva Gosvāmī because he has assimilated the whole Vedic knowledge. Śruti-sāra. What is that sāra? Sāra means essence. What is the ultimate goal of knowledge, essence of knowledge? This is also explained in Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The real purpose of Vedic knowledge is to search out where is Kṛṣṇa.
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī assimilated the Vedic knowledge and he was after Kṛṣṇa. Although he was liberated soul, still, he was after Kṛṣṇa. To become liberated is not the final stage. Liberated means one who understands that he is not this material body—he is liberated. But that much knowledge is not sufficient. One must act according to that.
The actual life is to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. That is actual life. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
After being brahma-bhūtaḥ, not simply by knowing ahaṁ brahmāsmi. No. One must realize, assimilate, how he is Brahman. Brahman means the same thing as the Absolute Truth. So we, all living entities, being part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Kṛṣṇa, certainly we are Brahman. There is no doubt about it. But if one stops activities of Brahman realization, then he falls down.
The Brahman activities are this devotional service. People may see that "These Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are also working, they are also eating, they are also sleeping, they are earning money. We are earning money in this way; they are earning money in another way." So they may see the similarity of action. Karma and bhakti to the fools appear to be the same. No. It is not the same. Here is realization that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, whereas in the karma platform, the realization is that "Everything belongs to me. It is my house, my money, my children, my country, my society, my property." "My" and "I." "I am the monarch of all I survey, and I am the proprietor of everything." So this misconception is not there in the bhakti. In the bhakti school, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. We don't take anything as our own. That is called Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Assimilate. Anubhāva. So it is stated here yaḥ svānubhāvam. Svānubhāvam. Svānubhāvam means personally convinced. Anubhāvam. God can be realized at the present stage by anubhāva.
So energy is not different from the energetic. Śakti-śaktimatayor abhedam. There is no difference. Just like the sun and the sunshine, or heat of the sun. Heat of the sun and the sunshine, or heat of the sun. Heat of the sun and the sunshine, they appear to be different from the sun, but actually it is not, because they are simultaneous. Wherever there is sun, there is heat and light. Or wherever there is heat and light, there is sun. In the morning, when you see that it is now clear, there is no more darkness, immediately you understand that there is sunrise. So this svānubhāva, when there is no darkness in your heart... Svānubhāva. What is Kṛṣṇa, when you understand fully within your heart, at that time your actual liberation is attained. So what Śukadeva Gosvāmī did, that after assimilating the whole Vedic literature, he distributed it. That is another instinct. If you really have learned the essence of Vedic knowledge, automatically you'll be inclined to preach it.
Translation: "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him, Śuka, the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyāsadeva, who, out of his causeless compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience."
Prabhupāda:
- yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam
- adhyātma-dīpam atititīrṣatāṁ tamo 'ndham
- saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyaṁ
- taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām
- (SB 1.2.3)
So Sūta Gosvāmī is offering respect to the spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. When we offer respect to the spiritual master or anyone, we glorify his transcendental qualities. That is glorification. Just like we offer respect to Kṛṣṇa, glorify Him. So this is very important process, glorify the spiritual master by his activities, what he is actually doing. That is glorification.
So what Śukadeva did? Svānubhāvam. He first of all heard from his father, Vyāsadeva, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and realized it. Not a professional Bhāgavata reciter.
If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, then he should search after a spiritual master. That is the direction. So here Nārada says that "You, jijñāsitam, you have inquired. You have inquired. And after inquiry you have done also very nicely." Because Vyāsadeva has written so many books. Just like we are trying to write so many books. What is that book? That means whatever we have understood from our spiritual master. That's all. So one should be inquisitive, assimilate them, and susampannam, and... This is called śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). The inquiry means śravaṇam. Inquiry means to get the answer; that is hearing. And then assimilate. Then kīrtanam, then distribute the knowledge to the world. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of India, Bhāratavarṣa... Just see how Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives power to every Indian. Every Indian has got this opportunity because his land of religion, the land of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. But these rascal men, they are being taught that "Throw away these books." You see. Such misfortunate condition is now in India. They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India, to make this business... Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals. So the sooner the Indians give up their..., now, so long these nonsensical things are going on, it is better. It is better.
So jijñāsitam. Nārada says that "You inquired nicely and you have written very nice books also." Jijñāsitaṁ susampannam api te mahad-adbhutam. "And your knowledge is wonderful." Everything, all credit is being given to Vyāsadeva. Adbhutam. Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca brahma yat tat sanātanam. "Not only ordinary things, not only your material knowledge, but you have inquired about Brahman." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Sanātanam. The Brahman means that is eternal. And what is not Brahman, that is temporary. So sanātana, "You have inquired about Brahman and you have understood, you have assimilated. You have compiled very wonderful books, adbhutam, and the history, bhāratam, Mahābhāratam."
So in Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna says, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, he said, "You are Parabrahma." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Bhavān. Bhavān means "Your Lordship." "You are Parabrahma, the Supreme Brahma." He's the Supreme Brahma. Brahma means spirit and brahma means the greatest. So he has explicitly explained that spirit soul, we are all spirit soul, every one of us. But He is the supreme spirit soul, param. Param means the supreme. He's not ordinary. So He comes as ordinary, not ordinary, as human being, but He is the supreme human being. That is the difference. Supreme human being. But one who cannot understand, one who thinks, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is like us. He has got also two hands, two legs, one head. We have got also. He is like me," he is a mūḍha, rascal. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: (BG 9.11) "These rascal fools, they deride." Mānuṣīṁ tanum āś... Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ, "They have no knowledge of the paraṁ bhāvam." So the paraṁ bhāvam, that is understood by the devotees. That is the difference. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, Kṛṣṇa has said. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). Paraṁ bhāvam, this bhāva... Bhāva means assimilation—"Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so great." This is called bhāva. That is real understanding, when you understand really this bhāva stage. Bhāva-bhakti. Bhāva-bhakti. Simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Paraṁ bhāvam. Person who has not come to this stage of bhāva, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. The bhāva stage comes.
Pradyumna: "By assimilating the instructions of the Bhagavad-gītā one is sure to become released from such bewilderment."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā is left for you. Kṛṣṇa has left before going away from this planet. He gave the instruction: "This is the position. You are like this. Your position is like this. You are now in trouble. You are in material existence. Why you are struggling for existence simply making your mind as the guide?" Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "These living entities, they are My part and parcel. They're as good as I am, but..." Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣa... "They have made the mind, given the power of attorney to the mind, and therefore they are forced to the struggle for existence." This is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā.
Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he has no more illusion." Māyām etaṁ taranti. Immediately. So people are conditioned, encaged. So many big, big words The Māyāvādīs, they are undergoing austerities or penances just to become liberated. Yogis, they are also trying to become one. So many endeavors are going on. But the simple process is, as soon as you surrender, that you are not fallen, "It was illusion. I was dreaming. I am Kṛṣṇa's," finished. All gone. "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant. These are all nonsense"—he immediately becomes liberated. Just try to understand. Immediately, within a second. Liberation can be attained within a second, provided we abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the position. We are not fallen. We are thinking fallen. So we have to give up this nonsense thinking. Then we are liberated. There is no Is there any difficulty to understand? Just see how important this verse. It is already there, but you are not reading. Each verse, read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit, every day, hundred yards forward, hundred yards forward, yes. They are so important verses. How nicely composed by Vyāsadeva. In two lines the whole thing is explained. This is called śāstra.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in the human society, the best. There is no more better welfare... There are so many welfare activities in the human society, but this kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, to instruct people about the primary principles of Bhagavad-gītā in the human society, that is the best para-upakāra. People do not know how to become happy. They are... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). They are simply making struggle for existence by mental concoction. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). In this material world, they are simply struggling. There is no solution. Therefore the every Indian should study Bhagavad-gītā and if possible Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and assimilate it, and preach all over the world. This is the duty of India. India has no other duty.
So if we simply take the words of Bhagavān and preach, then it is very easy for us to become, each and every one, to become guru. Not to exploit. No. But to give knowledge. And what is that knowledge? What Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. So even one is not very learned scholar, Sanskrit scholar, everyone has got this ear. He can hear from Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's representative and assimilate what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and he can repeat the same. Then he becomes guru.
Guru's business is to give you light by knowledge. Then you understand. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). How the jñāna, knowledge, light is given? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. This is the guru's system, guru's symptom, what is guru. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. He has completely assimilated the Vedic essence of life. That is called guru.
So we should give chance to people to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words, they are not different—absolute. When we hear about Kṛṣṇa, that means we are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. And the more you associate with Kṛṣṇa, the more you become purified. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti. Kṛṣṇa helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The same thing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa's service.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said who is guru. He asked everyone to become guru. His mission is that people are suffering all over the world for want of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That's a fact. So He is advising everyone, especially those who are born in India,
- bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
That is His mission. He is requesting every Indian, every Indian, because they have got the facility for understanding what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, what is Vedas. They have got this opportunity. Therefore He says, janma sārthaka kari': "You have taken your birth in India. You make your life successful by taking advantage of these scriptures and then assimilate the knowledge and preach all over the world."
So kāmām, dharma-viruddho kāmām aham asmi, Kṛṣṇa says. Even without wife and everything. Then you take sannyāsa. That is the stage of hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Not that up to the last point of death you are attached to a family and wife and children. That is animal life. That is not human life. Human life, you must try to unknot this hṛdaya-granthi, man and woman. Hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. That is self-realization. So this Sāṅkhya philosophy described by Kapiladeva is very scientifically described and if we try to assimilate it then our life will be successful.
This material world is padaṁ padaṁ vipadām, only danger. Every step there is danger. That's a fact. So if we take shelter of that abhaya-caraṇāravinda, then we have no fear. This is a fact. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Our existence, when it is purified... So this bhakti-mārga, or devotional service, is the process of purifying, purifying process.
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Satām, those who are devotees, they are simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Simply these centers are created to give chance to the people in general to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Because as soon as we hear about Kṛṣṇa attentively and try to assimilate it, then the purification of the heart begins.
So Vedic culture or the representative of Vedic culture, Mahārāja King Ṛṣabhadeva, He advised His sons, "My dear sons, this human life, human form of life, is not meant for working hard like the animals. This is not." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kaṣṭān kāmān. Kāmān means we require some necessities of life, but civilization should not be made in such a way that one has to live at the cost of sacrificing everything. This is not human civilization. Kaṣṭān kāmān. Everyone wants something. That is required. So long the body is there, we must have to eat, we must have to sleep, we require sense gratification and protection or security. This is required. But the Vedic civilization was very simplified, simplified. A class of ideal men, the brāhmaṇa, they are ideal. They are simply assimilating the Vedic knowledge and guiding others—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—how to live peacefully. The kṣatriya, they are meant for giving protection to the people, security. And the vaiśya is meant for producing food. And śūdra, because they cannot do anything independently, they must serve these three masters: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So this is very scientific.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Those who have taken birth in Bhāratavarṣa, they are not ordinary human beings. Naturally, they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Unnaturally they are being forced to be otherwise. Therefore it is misadjustment. It is not taking place. If you, even in this age, in this city, big city, oh, as soon as there is some religious meeting, thousands and lakhs of people gather. Why? They are meant for this purpose. Artificially, they are being withdrawn. "Don't think of Kṛṣṇa. Don't think of religion." Most artificial. Therefore there is fight. There is always fight. Now Andhra is fighting Teliṅga(?). Teliṅga is fighting this way. No peace. India, such a peaceful land. Here, we are killing cows. They are killing animals. You are fighting. You are doing so many sinful activities artificially. This is not our business. Our business is different. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra, janma sārthaka kari (CC Adi 9.41)'. Here you have got the advantages to fulfill the mission of life. Janma-sārthaka kari'. Here is Bhagavad-gītā. Here is Vedas. Here is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Lord Rāmacandra. Here is Vyāsadeva. And we are going to learn technology? How much degraded we have become, just consider. The, our mission should be, first of all, we must assimilate all the knowledge given by all the great saintly persons—Kṛṣṇa and others—and distribute this knowledge all over the world.
So this Bhagavad-gītā should be taken as it is. One should assimilate. The Indian people, those who are... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Those who are actually human beings, not cats and dogs, for them, this is the duty. The duty is to assimilate. What is our asset? Our asset is spiritual asset. Now we are giving up. Bhagavad-gītā's not allowed to be instructed in the schools and colleges. How much degraded we are! And we are becoming very proud of our advancement of civilization, material assets.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Now, how to present himself before the spiritual master? He said that "Actually I am not learned, because I do not know my own position, what I am. But people say that 'You are paṇḍita,' and I am puffed-up, and I think, 'Yes, I am paṇḍita, I am learned.' " This is the situation of the world. Everyone who has no spiritual knowledge, who does not know what he is, still, he is very much proud that he's very learned. So such kind of learning may be praised materially, but spiritually it has no value. Spiritually it has no value, because this is temporary, temporary. Just like by force, so many people is posted on the king's position, but after five years, ten years, again he's a common man. So similarly, all this material acquisition, they have no permanent value. Therefore those who are actually learned, they don't give any importance to this material acquisition. So Sanātana prabhu is, by his personal behavior, he's presenting himself that "People say that I am very learned, but actually I am not learned." This should be the position. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttama. Now, "Because I am not learned, and very kindly You have delivered me from the māyā of illusion, kindly now let me know what is my duty." This is the position. One should present himself to the spiritual master, not that... We have to first of all select spiritual master. The selection is required. Because as soon as you accept one spiritual master, you cannot say that "I don't agree with you." No. That you cannot say. Then it is useless, simply waste of time. First of all you have to select a person who is actually representative. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī is representative of, I mean to say, Lord Caitanya. Just like Arjuna is representative of Kṛṣṇa, because he's directly receiving instruction from Kṛṣṇa, and he's assimilating it; therefore, he is representative. So this is the paramparā system. So we have to select a person who is actually representative of the Supreme. Then we have to surrender, and then we can... Of course, before (indistinct) and do not understand, we must put our questions, then the procedure is nice.
So there are many energies, and all the energies now aggregated divide into three. One is cit-śakti, the spiritual energy; another is jīva-śakti, the marginal energy. Jīva-śakti... We are marginal energy. We are śakti; we are not śaktimān. You must always remember. Jīva-bhūtaḥ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhārya... Para prakṛti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūta. Jīva is parā prakṛti. It is prakṛti. The other day I have already explained. It is not puruṣa. Puruṣa is enjoyer, and prakṛti is enjoyed, predominated. Prakṛti is predominated and God is predominator. So all these śaktis are under, fully under control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). In another place:
- sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir eka
- chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā
- icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.44)
- Every śakti is working under His direction. That is Kṛṣṇa.
- kṛṣṇera svābhāvika tina-śakti-pariṇati
- cic-chakti jīva-śakti āra māyā-śakti
- (CC Madhya 20.111)
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu... That is the ācārya process. Ācārya. Acinoti śāstra, śāstrārtha. One who knows the śāstra-artha, one who has assimilated the śāstrārtha, he is ācārya. So immediately He is giving evidence from śāstra.
So Kṛṣṇa also, as spiritual master of Arjuna, He played. He is the original ācārya. Then ācārya's disciple becomes ācārya when he assimilates the knowledge received from bona fide ācārya. So he becomes bona fide to act as an ācārya. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Ācārya means one who has become a rigid disciple of his ācārya. Just like a critical student under a professor, he becomes a first-class professor, similarly, a person who is a very rigid student of bona fide ācārya, he becomes next ācārya. That is the... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam. This is the disciplic succession. So as in the Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years before Lord Kṛṣṇa said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "The purpose of all Vedic literatures, the conclusion, is that, to understand Me, Kṛṣṇa..." By understanding Kṛṣṇa, immediate liberation... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- janma karma me divyaṁ
- yo jānāti tattvataḥ
- tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
- naiti mām eti kaunteya
- (BG 4.9)
Anyone who can understand critically and in truth about the appearance, disappearance, activities, transcendental activities, pastimes, of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, at once he becomes liberated. Tyaktvā deham: "This person who has known like that," tyaktvā dehaṁ, "by quitting this body," punar janma naiti, "he never... No more he takes another material body." Then what does he do? Mām eti: "He comes to Me."
Festival Lectures
To become a spiritual master is not very wonderful thing. Simply one has to become sincere soul. That's all. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "By disciplic succession this yoga process of Bhagavad-gītā was handed down from disciple to disciple. But in course of time that disciplic succession is now lost. Therefore, Arjuna, I am teaching you again the same philosophy." So this is the process. Simply if we... Therefore Vedic knowledge is called śruti. One has to hear it properly, assimilate it, and then practice it in life and preach the same thing. Then everyone becomes spiritual master.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So my Guru Mahārāja ordered me long, long ago, when I was twenty-five years old, my Guru Mahārāja ordered me to go to the foreign countries and preach Lord Caitanya's message. But somehow or other I could not assimilate his order until I was seventy years old. But it was better late than never. So also I was trying how to make a successful tour for preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message. So by the grace of my Guru Mahārāja and by your blessings, I went to the Western countries and had such a very good response, very good response. I went there empty handed with forty rupees in my pocket and free ticket, return ticket, by the Scindia Steam Navigation Company. And for one year I had no place to live, I had no money to eat; still I was going here and there. Then in 1966... I went in America in 1965. After struggling for one year, in 1966 I incorporated this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. So some of our friends suggested, "Why not make 'God Consciousness Society'?" and "No. 'Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.' If I make 'God Consciousness,' that will be a big task." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇah (Bs. 5.1). Therefore this distinctly should be the society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
A devotee, wherever he is, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana tīrtha. Kurvanti tīrthāni. A devotee, a pure devotee, can make any hell a tīrtha, a holy place. That is devotee. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. That was Bhagīratha. Gaṅgā was hesitating, mother Gaṅgā, that "I shall go to the material world. People will take, all sinful men will take bathing, and I'll be overloaded with sin. Then how I shall get out of this sinful, accumulation of sins?" So Bhagīratha said, "My mother, don't hesitate. When a holy man will take bath in your water, then all the sins he will assimilate." Then she agreed. "Yes. That's..." So if we become holy man, actually, then immune. There is no difference. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These are bogus, that "I do not go out of Vṛndāvana." They are making Vṛndāvana limited. Vṛndāvana is not limited. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He, once only, He went to Vṛndāvana. Does it mean He was not in Vṛndāvana? So this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, that preaching must go on in hell and heaven. We should be very much expert and follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the simple instructions. Mukunda mādhava yādava hari bolena bolo re vadana bori. Simply chant the holy names of Lord, mukunda mādhava yādava. This is Caitanya. Rise early in the morning. You go and preach, and work hard, day and night, and that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... This song indicates. That's all.
Initiation Lectures
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (sticks breaking, devotees chanting) Why so much? Least. Give me least. Not so much required. All right. When I shall say svāhā you'll take all, little, little. Oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarva... (chants prayers, devotees respond) Now bow down.
- nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
- śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
- Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (kīrtana)
So in the morning, evening, the ārātrika should be performed, and this should be parikramā, circumambulating within this hall three times at least. These processes should be followed. Kṛṣṇa has given you nice place. You utilize it properly. So there are many other processes. Gradually, it will be introduced. All of a sudden, you cannot assimilate. (laughter) So this kīrtana, evening ārātrika and circumambulating... If possible, you can circumambulate around the temple so that others may see also what they're doing. Yes. If not, within the temple you can circumambulate. Now you can distribute prasādam. Today's function is finished. Where is some... No fruits? You have not arranged any fruits?
Wedding Ceremonies
It doesn't matter whether a man is a śūdra or a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī or a householder. It doesn't matter. If he actually knows the science of God, Kṛṣṇa-tattva... Kṛṣṇa means God, the Supreme Lord, and tattva means scientific knowledge. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. And another place Lord Caitanya says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra sarva deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). To become a spiritual master, one may think it is very difficult job. Yes, it is very difficult job, but it is also very simple thing. Very difficult job in this way: If one cannot assimilate the Vedic knowledge, veda-vāda-paraḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ, if they become simply Vedic student only, without assimilating, then it is very difficult.
General Lectures
Our business is, we haven't got to make research work. Everything is there, given by the Gosvāmīs and ācārya. We have simply to follow. That's all. Who, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, you haven't got to make research. Kṛṣṇa is personally saying about Himself, Bhagavad-gītā, "I am like this." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8), mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So these are thing there. You have simply to accept it, to know it and follow it. Then your life is successful. We are not so foolish that we are going to make research work. Why? When there are so many things present already, what is the use of research work? First of all assimilate what is already there. And what is research you can make? Your senses are faulty, imperfect. What research you can work? So that is not possible. That is humbug. You simply try to understand, without any malinterpretation, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and you understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. And you follow the ācāryas, then your life is successful.
If we understand Kṛṣṇa superficially, that is not tattvic understanding. The tattvic understanding are in truth. You can get information from the Vedas what is Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the cream of all Vedas. Sarvopaniṣada gāva. Vedas, and the topmost part of Veda are the Upaniṣads. There are a hundred eight Upaniṣads, of which Īśopaniṣad is the topmost. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa from this Vedic literature, tat vijñāna(?). And to understand the Vedic literature, we have to approach a person who has actually assimilated the purpose of Vedas. Kṛṣṇa also said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The purpose of studying Vedas is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Or in other words, if anyone has understood Kṛṣṇa, he has studied all the Vedas.
Kṛṣṇa says personally in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ..., te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim (BG 9.32). So there is ample śāstra-pramāṇa, approved by the ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu converted many Pathans into Vaiṣṇava, changed their name. So things are going according to śāstra and mahājana. Why you should not receive them as Vaiṣṇava and give them proper reception? That is my request. I hope... There are many learned scholars and devotees present here. They should endeavor to remove this, I mean to say, restriction or short-sightedness, and let us combinedly work for Jagannātha to preach the bhakti cult for the benefit of the whole world. Janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). This Bhārata bhūmi is for para-upakāra, because this knowledge, the Vedic knowledge, is here in the Śrīmad Bhāratavarṣa. So we should assimilate the bhakti cult to the right direction, and making our life successful, we should distribute this knowledge, this cult, all over the world. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: It is essential that one must go to guru and with guru Guru is representative of God. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair. He, guru, being representative of God, he is worshiped as God, but he never says that "I am God." He is servant God. He is worshiped as God, but he is servant of God, and God is the master God. This is the conception of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And who is guru, that is described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He asked everyone to become guru. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Wherever you are staying, it doesn't matter. You become a guru and deliver all these foolish persons who are in ignorance." So one may say that "I am not so learned. How can I become guru?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that you do not require to be a learned scholar. There are many so-called learned foolish scholars. It has no meaning. You just instruct what Kṛṣṇa has instructed. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So real instruction is there, Bhagavad-gītā, and any who explains Bhagavad-gītā as it is, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. So if one is fortunate enough to approach such guru, then his life becomes successful. Guru is essential.
Hayagrīva: He feels on the one hand philosophy has degenerated into exclusively...
Prabhupāda: Mental...
Hayagrīva: ...intellectual and academic speculation.
Prabhupāda: ...speculation. That is our opinion. They are simply mentally speculating. It has no value. Unless you are directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and assimilate the instructions given by Him, by all your reason, and then in practical life you execute it, then one can become guru, he can do good to others; otherwise not possible.
Hayagrīva: His ultimate goal is to merge into what he calls the universal ego.
Prabhupāda: That universal ego, so just like I have got some ego, "I am the husband of my wife," "I am the chief man in my family," "I am the president of the state"—these are egos. But you cannot say that "I am the master of this whole universe." That is false ego.
Hayagrīva: So he feels that one can go through the universe assimilating everything, until one finally unifies with the impersonal Absolute.
Prabhupāda: Impersonal Absolute means the Absolute, as soon as you say Absolute, there is no distinction between impersonal and personal. Then it is no Absolute. If you have got distinction that "This is personal; this is impersonal," then that is not Absolute. Do you think it is Absolute? It is contradictory.
| Page Title: | Assimilate (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Deepika, MadhuGopaldas, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 29 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=47, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 47 |