Now, Kṛṣṇa will appear in the Kali-yuga. His symptoms are this. Just like Lord Buddha's symptoms were described, similarly, Lord Caitanya's symptoms are also described. What is that? That kṛṣṇa-varṇam: "He belongs to the category of Kṛṣṇa Himself," or, in other words, "He is always chanting 'Kṛṣṇa.' " Kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati, kṛṣṇa-varṇam. Kṛṣṇa... His business is simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. And tviṣā akṛṣṇam: "By His... But His complexion is not kṛṣṇa, black." Lord Caitanya appeared—very fair complexion, very nice, golden color. You have got pictures of Lord Caitanya, very beautiful. He was very beautiful figure. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam tviṣā... Tviṣā means "by His complexion." Akṛṣṇa. Therefore His another name is Gaurasundara. Gaurasundara means "very fair complexion." Sundara means beautiful, and gaura means fair. The another name is Gaurasundara, or Gaurāṅga, "whose body is very fair."
Black (Lectures, SB)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Therefore, distinction between animal and human being, that he must have some dharma. Dharma. And on religious principles, artha, economic development. Actually, if people become religious, then the economic development... Economic... You require some money to maintain yourself. So they will never be dishonest. Dishonest. In India still there are merchants, they would not take profit more than twenty-five percent, highest. There is no question of black market. "Now, I purchased this for one dollar. Oh, I am getting demand. I must charge five hundred times." No. That is irreligious. There are... Everything there is prescribed, that you cannot take more than this profit. So there was no black market, because people were religious.
This is pure devotee. Ahaitukī. No reason. "It is my duty." That is occupational duty. "It is my eternal occupation to serve You." These are the highest ideas of pure devotion. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then "You are poor man. How you can serve Me?" No. "You are illiterate. You have no education. How can you serve Me? You cannot understand Vedānta philosophy. How you can know Me? How you can serve Me? You are poor man. You are poor man, you are woman, or you are śūdra." No. Apratihatā. Whatever you may be, either you are poor man or rich man or black man or white man or woman or man, it doesn't matter. Everyone has right to serve Kṛṣṇa. Apratihatā.
Anything you take material, material thing has no value, it is inferior, but by the touch of the superior energy, the living entity, it becomes important. Therefore there are two nature—inferior nature and superior nature. Similarly, there are two kinds of dharmas. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, this, that or white, black, so many ways, according to the designation of the body you have created dharma or characteristics. That is inferior quality. But when you come to the superior quality of characteristics, of dharma, then you become happy. Anywhere there are two qualities always-inferior and superior.
Because the man remains the same. Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our movement is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed. The material consciousness should be changed into spiritual consciousness. That is our propaganda. It is meant for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, anyone. White, black, yellow, everything. Because it is the function of the soul. Soul is not black, white, yellow. Soul is spirit. So one has to realize that "I am spirit soul. I am not Indian nor American nor Englishman nor German nor white nor black. This is my bodily description. I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.
So actually, as I was discussing in the press conference, this is knowledge. So long one is under the impression that he is this body, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am South Indian," "I am North Indian," or "I am black," "I am white"—so many bodily concept of life—he is animal. That is the statement of the śāstra, and actually it is so. In the śāstra it is said,
- yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
- sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
- yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
- janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ
- (SB 10.84.13)
Go-khara. Go means cows, and khara means ass. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke: "Anyone who accepts this bag of bones and flesh as self, he is animal." So in the animal concept of life, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," because these are all bodily concept of life... Even if I say, "I am Hindu, I am distinct from Christian or Muhammadan," that means bodily concept of life. Even if I think, "I am brāhmaṇa," that is also bodily concept of life.
So long we have upādhi, "I am American," "I am Indian," or "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," or "I am black..." These are upādhi, because this is all bodily designation. This brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these designation to make a systematic progress of human life. But actually, when one becomes pure devotee, he is above all these things. He is above all these things. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. "Even one is caṇḍāla, if he becomes a pure devotee, then he becomes better than a brāhmaṇa." They are not ordinary things.
The subtle body is mind, intelligence and ego. So if we think of Kṛṣṇa in the mind, always, and if we work intelligently for Kṛṣṇa, that is mind and intelligence. And if we change our false ego, ego means, "I am." So I am at the present moment thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black," like that. "I am human being," "I am animal," "I am cat or dog," so many things, "I am." This "I am" has to be changed. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if you educate or transfer the activities of the subtle body, mind, intelligence, and ego, then, at the time of death, you give up this subtle body, material subtle body, mind, intelligence, and ego, and by your spiritual body you go back to home, back to Godhead. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
In that network of ignorance there are different senses, joḍendriya tāhe kāl, gross material senses. They are just like our death. Sometimes these senses are described as kāla sarpa. Kāla sarpa means the black cobra. As soon as the cobra touches—immediately dead. Similarly, if we allow this kāla sarpa to act in their own way, that means we are inviting death at every moment. Therefore those who are too much bodily attached, for them this yoga system is controlling the senses, yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ. Yoga does not mean to increase the power of sense gratification. Yoga means controlling the senses.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that this network of ignorance, where the senses are like black cobra, out of all those senses the tongue is the greatest black cobra. Tā'ra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. The tongue, if you practice... Just for example, nobody learns smoking from the birth, but when he's habituated, then they are as chain smoker, one cigarette after another, one cigarette after..., you see. This is simply by bad association. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that tā'ra madhye jihvā ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Because we have indulged this tongue to increase his greediness, therefore we see so much advertisement of liquor and cigarettes and so many, or teas and coffee. Simply it is practice. So as you have practice, by practice you have increased so-called demands of your body, you can decrease it also.
Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti, yaṁ śyāmasundaram (Bs. 5.38). The question was, "Why Kṛṣṇa is black?" But that black is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā, śyāmasundara. Here one who is black, nobody likes to see, naturally. But Kṛṣṇa is black, at the same time the most exquisitely beautiful. That we cannot adjust. In another place it is said, asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. His body is just like black cloud. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. We understand Kandarpa, the Cupid, as very beautiful, but if you millions of Kandarpas act together to increase the beauty, that is also not comparable with Kṛṣṇa's beauty. So these contradictory terms cannot be understood unless one has got the ointment of love of Godhead.
You can understand after jñāna. Jñāna means brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), one who understands ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul." So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Now we are designated by this bodily relationship: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am black," "I am white," "I am strong," "I am weak," "I am fatty," "I am thin," so many. These are all designation. So one has to become free from the designation. That is jñāna. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Upādhi. This upādhi. The bodily conception of life is called upādhi.
False ego means that the wrong conception that "I am matter. I am something, product of this material world." This wrong conception makes me localized. Just like because I have taken my birth in America, therefore I think myself American. Because I have taken my birth in India, therefore I think myself as Indian. But as pure soul, I am neither Indian nor American. I am pure soul. Because this is designation. This American, or Indian, or German, or Englishman, or cats and dogs and this and that, black and white, all these are designations. Spiritual consciousness means to become free from all these designations.
Bhakti can be performed when you are purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuk... Upādhi. These are the upādhis: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white." These are upādhis. This is the description of the skin, not for me. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I do not belong to the skin. I do not... Because I do not belong to the skin, then so many skin descriptions... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a śūdra. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a brahmacārī. I am not a kṣatriya." In this way, "not, not, not..." Then what You are? "I am gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80)." When you understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," that is purification. That is purification. You accept it blindly, or by the process of reading śāstra and Vedas, you have to come to the conclusion: vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Then you become mahātmā and your life is perfect.
Mlecchas, yavanas, they are accepting government post. What good government you can expect? Forget, forget good government for millions of years, unless you establish this varṇāśrama-dharma. There is no question of good government. There must be first-class kṣatriya who can take charge of the government. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He was on his tour, and as soon as he saw that one black man was trying to kill a cow, immediately he took his sword: "Who are you, rascal, here?" That is kṣatriya. That is vaiśya, who can give protection to the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Everything is there clearly. Where is the culture?
Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grā... Atīndriya. Atīndriya means "beyond this." It is covered. Covered senses, you cannot enjoy. Suppose I cover your tongue with some cloth and then I give you one rasagullā. Can you taste it? What you'll taste? There are so many things. If you cover the senses, the real senses, and try to enjoy with that covering, what you'll enjoy? That is not enjoyment. The..., it has to be uncovered. Then you'll enjoy. That is indicated: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). If you uncover the senses, upādhi... These upādhi... Because I am in bodily concept of life, therefore I am thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white," "I am man," "I am woman," "I am tree," "I am this," "I am that." This is covered. How you can enjoy with these covered senses?
It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. Kṛṣṇa varṇayati, or in the category of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. And tviṣā akṛṣṇa, by His complexion He is not black. Akṛṣṇa. Akṛṣṇa means not black. So not black. It may be other color. Yes. That may be. But in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said... When Gargamuni was preparing the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, he said, śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. Incarnation of God, either white, śuklo raktaḥ, either red, yellow, or black. These colors accepted. So Gargamuni said, śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ: "Your son, this son, formerly He appeared in white color, in red color, in yellow color. Now He has appeared in black color." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was yellow color. Therefore, when it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tviṣā akṛṣṇam, "He is not black," that means "He is pīta, He is yellow." Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). "He is always associated by His devotees."
The brāhmaṇas were so strong. By simply cursing, they could kill anyone. So the Veṇa was killed. Then again the rogues and thieves came out. Then from the body of Veṇa, they created two sons. One son was black, and he was ordered that "You go to the forest." Because they could know that he was exactly son of the father. Niṣāda. Niṣāda. They were sent... He was sent to the forest. And then the King Pṛthu was born. The King Pṛthu, He is incarnation of, power incarnation of God. Śaktyāveśāvatāra So he proved himself as a great king on this earth. He produced foodstuff, foodgrains, profusely.
Our material bondage is due to an illusion. What is that illusion? That "I am this body." Dehātma-buddhi. "I am this body, and anything which is required for this body or which I possess for the comfort of this body, that is mine." Both of them are illusion, because I am not this body; I am soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But the illusion is everyone is thinking, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." So this is illusion. Therefore the Vedic system is, to save one from this illusion, the first stage of life is brahmacārī, to understand the value of life and strictly without any association with woman. That is called brahmacārī. Strictly.
Just like spark. Spark is also fire, so spark can also burn, but it can burn very small portion. Suppose a spark falls on your cloth. It will burn immediately. It will make immediately black. But it is very small. Similarly, the difference between Kṛṣṇa and me is that He is great, God is great, and I am small. Although qualitatively we are one. The same: big fire and small fire. Similarly, we have got also the same qualities, approximately, but very small quantity. We can play very wonderful by discovering some machine, say, the machine, what is called, which goes to the moon planet? Capsule. Or we float something in the sky, sputnik. But that is imitation of God. God is floating gigantic planets like sun, moon, in the space. You cannot do that. You can float a small sputnik.
Just like what is the meaning of "son"? The son is the son of a father. So unless there is father, there is no question of son. Unless there is husband, there is no question of wife. Unless there is black, there is no question of white. Similarly, whatever you try to understand, there must be the opposite number. That is called duality, or dvaita-jagat, or the duality. But in the absolute world there is no such distinction. One. The same father and the same son. Therefore, if I do not mistake, sometimes Jesus Christ is accepted as the father and sometimes as son. Because in the material world there is such distinction, master and servant, father and son, lower or higher. But in the spiritual world, although there are varieties, but there is no distinction. There is no distinction.
As the lusty man finds pleasure in the vagina, similarly, this sort of literature, nonsense literature, are enjoyed by persons who are just like crows. Not, what is called, swan. Swan will not go to that place. They will search out some place where there is nice transparent water and lotus flower, lilies, and nice trees and good birds. They are taking enjoyment. So even if you see among the animal society, in the bird society there is discrimination, and if in the human society there is no such discrimination, what kind of civilization that is? A crows' civilization. Black crows' civilization. Simply trying to take pleasure in nonsensical clubs, in liquor shop, in so-called cinema. They are trying to take pleasure there.
Their whole life is abhadra. Abhadra means abominable. Just like when earning money, I want to earn, say, millions of dollars. So I have to make plan. I have to go to black market, this and that, so many things. Then if I earn money, then how to invest it to make it double? Then how to keep it? Which bank I shall keep it so that my money will be safe? How I shall distribute it? So abhadra. Abhadra means the whole procedure is simply abominable, beginning to the end.
A śūdra is also a, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the cause of the śūdras. You should not hate anyone, because everyone is born of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu. It doesn't matter in what form the living entity is there, but Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the father, He is the father. So either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or mleccha, yavana, or white, black, European, American—anyone—he should know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life.
The same milk preparation which has caused your mucus, disease, it can be cured by the same milk preparation, cikitsitam, but it should be medically treated. The same milk. The milk is the cause of your dysentery, but the same milk, when it is medically treated, can cure it. This is the secret. How? One milk preparation. Milk is the origin. Rabri, you take too much and there is dysentery. And cikitsitam, the same milk converted into yogurt, add little black pepper, little salt and lime, it will cure. The origin is the milk. So one way you become diseased and the other way you become cured, but the preparation is the same—milk.
Pāpa-yoni, lower class, very, very lower class... Pāpa-yoni, their description in the śāstra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So these pāpa-yoni, these black, they are also considered pāpa-yoni, but for everyone Kṛṣṇa consciousness is open. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda. Hūṇa, kirāta, andhra, pulinda, pulkaśa, ābhīra, śumbha, yavana, khasādaya... Mongolia, those who do not develop mustaches, khasādaya, ye 'nye ca pāpa, and lower than that, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ—if he takes sincerely the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti, he becomes very purified. There is no, I mean to say, bar for anyone.
If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas... Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. "Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified."
Without violence, kṣatriya has no meaning. Kṣat, kṣat means injury. Trāyate. Kṣatriya's duty is to save the citizen from being injured by others. That is kṣatriya. Even an animal. Animal..., just like this Kali was trying to kill cow. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on his tour. He saw that a black man was trying to kill a cow. So immediately he took his sword, "Who are you, rascal? You are trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" That is kṣatriya's duty. Kṣatriya's duty is to give protection from injury for the safety of the citizen.
Now, the question is that some of the rascals, they take Kṛṣṇa as a black man. (aside.) Who is talking? Black man. Some, one government officer, I think, some rascal... His name is Mr. Anand. He has described Kṛṣṇa that "He was a black aborigine, and He became very powerful some way or other, and people worship Him as God." It was published in a government magazine. So there are so many rascals. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa... Means those who are demons, to defy Kṛṣṇa, that "This Kṛṣṇa is a crow" or "This Śrī Kṛṣṇa is a black man" or "Kṛṣṇa is śūdra..." Kṛṣṇa means so many things. Kṛṣṇa... Śūdras, they are also kṛṣṇa, called. The brāhmaṇas are called śukla, and the... So in this way, the rascal demons, they want to describe Kṛṣṇa in their own way so that Kṛṣṇa devotees may be unhappy, and that is their pleasure.
Of course, I am Indian, so I have tried my best to give you this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It was the duty of the Indians to preach this cult. But even they are not doing, so you can take up, and for the benefit of the human society, you simply preach about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇāya. We are speaking of this Kṛṣṇa, not that Kṛṣṇa, the "aborigine-Kṛṣṇa" or "the black Kṛṣṇa." "No, kṛṣṇa means black." No, Kṛṣṇa means many things. Kṛṣṇa means also attractive. Does not mean... Kāla-Kṛṣṇa does not mean that He's black. He's... "Your Kṛṣṇa is black." Yes, my Kṛṣṇa is black, but at the same time all-attractive. So many beautiful gopīs all became attracted. So many queens all became attracted. So this blackness of Kṛṣṇa is not this ordinary. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30). Kṛṣṇa's blackness is not ordinary blackness. Asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Although He's blackish like the black cloud, but sundara, very, very beautiful. How much beautiful? Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30). He's so beautiful that if you bring millions and millions of Cupids... Cupid is supposed to be very beautiful. Still, He will surpass. So Kṛṣṇa... Śyāmasundaram. Śyāma means black, and still, very, very beautiful. That is the understanding of Kṛṣṇa.
We fall down, we, because we are very small, spiritual sparks, and Kṛṣṇa is the whole fire. And the fire and the spiritual, fire, sparks from the fire, their quality—the same. They can burn. As the big fire can burn, similarly, the small spark, if it falls down on your cloth, that portion, it will immediately burn. It will become back, black. So the quality is the same. But when it falls down, it's burning quality becomes extinguished. We have got practical experience. Burning quality becomes extinguished. So when we fall down from the spiritual world, we come to the material world, our spiritual quality becomes extinguished. That we have to revive.
That poor man is also the subject of the citizen of the state. You cannot kill. Why not expand this philosophy, that the poor animal—the trees, the birds, beasts—they're also sons of God. You cannot kill. You'll be responsible. You'll be hanged. Just like by killing one poor man on the street you'll be hanged. Never mind it is poor. Similarly in God's eyes, there is no such discrimination. What to speak of God, even a learned man's vision, there is no such discrimination, "This is poor, this is rich, this is black, this is white, this is..." No. Everyone is living entity, part and parcel of God.
We have created so many religious system, so many religious system. And the Hindu is fighting with the Muslim, Muslim is fighting with the Hindu, that "My religion is better than your religion." Or any other, other countries also, the Jews fighting with the Christian; Christian, Jews; and the black fighting with the white; white fighting with the black. This Kali, that is the result of this material existence. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. That is the work of this material nature. Even if you want to live very peacefully, you'll not be allowed to live. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā durat... (BG 7.14). It is not a place to live very peacefully.
Our magazine is named Back to Godhead. "Now you have finished your business—now see back to Godhead." Just like if you do not see the sun, if you keep the sun backside, then you'll simply see a long shadow of your body, black shadow. That's all. But if you turn towards the sun, you'll not see the black shadow; you'll see all light. Simply you have to turn. So we have named this Back to Godhead very scientifically. You see towards God; then everything is light. "Where there is God, there is no nescience."
Everyone is trying to become happy. But the karmīs, the jñānīs, the yogis, they do not know how to become perfectly happy. They're making their own endeavor. Karmīs are trying to work harder, hard, day and night, to get money. "Some way or other, never mind black and white. Bring money. I must have nice car, nice house, nice bank balance." This is karmī. And jñānī, when he is fed up with working, when he understands that "This working hard and bank balance could not make me anyway happy, so therefore this is false, all these activities, what I am..." The brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So they become disgusted and take to Brahman. Brahma satyam.
They are prepared to work for something which one should... Just like stealing or black-marketing and... There are so many things. They are working hard. Even a, a thief, he is risking his life not to work hard, but he's risking his life. Especially in the Western countries, the burglars, they risk their life because there the law is that anyone trespassing within your house, even ordinarily, you can kill him. Is it not? The law is so hard that even if you, if you enter anyone's gate, anyone's property, without permission, he can kill you. Is it not I am right? Yes. Here in India we don't take it so seriously.
In Philadelphia, one lady was inquiring that "Are you Americans?" Perhaps you know all these things. So actually your countrymen, those who are sober, they are seeing that "How these boys and girls are becoming so nice and jolly, beautiful." Because at the present moment in your country all young generation mostly they are confused, hopeless. We see every day-morose, black-faced. Why? Because they're missing the point. There is no aim of life. But these devotees, Krsnized, they look so beautiful. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. That's all. It is a fact. Any sane man will admit.
Asat. The spiritual world is called sat. Oṁ tat sat. So we should transfer ourself to the spiritual world. Asato mā gama, sad gama. Asato mā sad gama. This is the Vedic injunction. "Don't keep yourself in this asat." Asat means bad. Asat means which will not exist. That is called asat. Asad-grahāt. So because we have accepted this asat, grahāt, with very great eagerness, that "We shall become very happy; we shall live here very happily," therefore there is all... Actually there is no happiness. Suppose if you get some money all of a sudden, actually this is also asat, because when you did not get money, you were anxious to get it, and as soon as you get it, how to preserve it? "Shall I keep it in the bank? Because it is black market. Then there will be income tax. Then what I shall I do?" Another anxiety.
So the king's business is as soon as he sees one undesirable element, immediately he would kill him. That is real protection. Just like when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you." He immediately took out his sword. This is king, that... Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Prajā. Prajā means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called prajā. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there.
All the political parties—I have seen personally—simply they are making plan how to keep their position in the government so they may not be dethroned, other party may not come. The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?" That is the duty of the government first. But nobody is caring. Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired whether this boy will be loving his prajā like his forefathers. That is the first inquiry. Therefore to follow the tradition of the pitṛ-paitāmaham, forefathers... The kings... Formerly all the kings, they were following the footsteps of their forefathers. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, when he saw that one black man was trying to kill one cow, he immediately took his sword, and he said, "Do you think that because there is no Arjuna, no Yudhiṣṭhira, you shall do anything you like?" Forefathers, remembering forefathers. "Still I am there. I am his representative. You cannot do it." So forefathers.
Uttama means which is not material, which is beyond material... Ut-tama . Ud-gata-tama yasmāt. Tama means darkness. Here they are so-called scholars, big big professor, scientist, and... but they are in the darkness, tama. Tama means darkness. They do not know what they are. Ask any scientist, any philosopher, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this body. I am Indian. I am American. I am white. I am black. I am this. I am that. I am Christian. I am Hindu." He will say. But all these designation is outward, external. Eho bāhya, āge kaha āra. But everyone is going on, big, big man, identifying himself with this body. So they are all fools, tama, in darkness.
Now somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material body. We, "I am not this material body, you are not this material... We are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this material body. Therefore I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I am pure soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the real business of human society. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The swine is enquiring, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose, "Where is stool?" or "Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also, whole day and night with motorcar going this or, "Where is food? Where is food?" Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3).
Even in human society, every man is different from the other man. Why? If it is nature's process, then all the bodies should have been equally the same. But why different? Just like in an apple tree the formation of apple is the same. So if it is nature's evolution, then why there are white men, black men, colored men, deformed men and...? No one's face will be equal to anyone. That he cannot explain. This is the explanation, that... Just the same example, just a man, as he pays for it, he gets a different apartment. So we have got different bodies, different apartments, according to our karma. And whose karma? The soul's karma.
Everything is there, śāstra. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja followed the principles as it was done by the previous mahātmabhiḥ, great personalities, not only in his family but also otherwise. Because knowledge is... Right knowledge is not different. "Two plus two equal four," it is right in Europe, in America, in Asia, in white, in black, everywhere. It is truth, "Two plus two..." You cannot make "Two plus two equal to five." That is not possible. That is truth.
Those who are purified in their thinking process... Those who are thinking, "I am this body," they are third-class rascals. The present world is simply full with third-class rascals. Because everyone is thinking, "I am American," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." So "I am this body." That's all. But they cannot. They cannot. Therefore it is said, virajena ātmanaiva. Virajena. Virajena means one who has become completely washed, cleansed, viraja. Raja. Raja means this material world, and vi means vigata, without. Virajenaiva. And it is very difficult to come to this position.
It is stated in the śāstra, kṛṣṇa-varṇam, kṛṣṇa varṇayati: "He is simply chanting 'Kṛṣṇa,' although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself." Kṛṣṇam-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. Therefore He has hidden Himself. His bodily color is more Kṛṣṇa, but golden. That is also stated. Kṛṣṇa has got four colors. Śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. When Gargamuni made the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, that "This child has three other colors, śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ. He had His color. Red color and white color and now..., and yellow color. Now He has assumed black color." Śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. So therefore His name was Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has another color. Pīta. Pīta-varṇa-gauraḥ. That is Lord Caitanya.
So here, this man was cheating. Because here it is said: nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. He was dressed like a king. Just like king is very gorgeously dressed. But his bodily feature, he was a black man. The black man means śūdra. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they were not black. But the śūdras were black. From external point of view, these things are there. Śūdras, another name is kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means black. So this black man was dressed like a king, and what was he, was he going to do? Ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā. He was trying to kill a pair of cow and bull. So naturally he could understand. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, and on his way he saw that this rascal is dressed like a king and he's trying to kill cows and bulls. Oh, he immediately chastised him.
Nṛ-loke means the human form of body, in the human society. We don't discard that "This is American society" or "This is European society," "This is Indian society..." No, all human being. All human being. It doesn't matter what he is. All human being. What to speak of civilized men, even uncivilized, anārya. They are also described in the Bhāgavatam. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). These names are there. Kirāta. Kirāta means the black, the Africans. They are called kirāta. Kirāta-hūṇa āndhra. Hūṇa, the nation or the community on the North Pole, above Russian, German, they are called hūṇa. There are so many we do not know. Khasādayaḥ, the Mongolians. Khasādayaḥ means who does not grow sufficiently mustaches and beard, this Mongolian group.
There are divisions: civilized, noncivilized; educated, noneducated; cultured, noncultured; black, white; this and that. There are... Externally these divisions... But that distinction is of the body. But spirit soul is not this body. He is spirit. That quality is one. There is no such distinction, "This is better," "This is lower," "This is black," "This is white," "This is civilized." In the spirit soul platform, everyone is one, one. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ. Samatā. Samatā means equality. Where? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one is self-realized, ahaṁ brahmāsmi... "I am not this body. I am not Christian, I am not Hindu, I am not black, I am not white, I am not fat, I am not thin. I am Brahman." Brahmāsmi. That is called Brahman. "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. My only business is to serve God, because I am part and parcel of God."
So each king had different colored horses and differently marked flag on the top of the chariot. Just like Arjuna's chariot was drawn by white horses. Śveta. Śveta means white. And his grandson, his horses are of blackish. Not... Śyāma is not black. Blackish. Swarthy. No, blackish. Turaṅga, jeweled. They have four horses in chariot, and there is a charioteer and flag marked with lion. This lion is not to be considered an ordinary lion. This lion is Mṛgendra or Narahari, Nṛsiṁhadeva. Arjuna's chariot was with flag marked with Vajrāṅga, Hanumānjī, Hanumānjī. Kṛṣṇa's chariot flag is marked with Garuḍa. So these are the distinctive marks. One will understand immediately, "This is such and such king's chariot." That mark is there.
Just like brāhmaṇa-varṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇa, same category. But He is, by complexion, yellowish, not kṛṣṇa. Tviṣā akṛṣṇa. Tviṣā means "by the bodily skin." Just like we have different color, different skin, different color, similarly, tviṣā, by His skin, He is not kṛṣṇa, He is not black. Tviṣā akṛṣṇa. Akṛṣṇa means not black. So "not black" means you can accept any other color which is not black. So that there is proof in the śāstra that Lord, Kṛṣṇa, has also many colors. Śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ. When, similarly, when Kṛṣṇa's horoscope was made by Gargamuni, he said that "This child formerly had śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ. He was white color, He was yellow color, and He was red color." So this pītaḥ, yellow color, is also Kṛṣṇa's another color. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. So here, tviṣākṛṣṇa. Akṛṣṇa means not black. So "not black" means you must take the other three, namely white, red, and pīta. So other two colors in the Satya-yuga and Dvāpara-yuga, was manifested, red color and white color. Hayagrīva, white color. So the pīta..., kṛṣṇa color is also finished. Therefore pīta, yellowish color.
Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam. Nirmalam means purification. Now we are sa-malam. We have got so many dirty things with us. So one has to become nirmalam. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. First business is to become free from the designation. If you think yourself that "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white," these are all designation. So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam, when you become transcendental to all designation, when you come to the platform to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), then you become happy.
"Dharma (in the form of bull) asked: Madam, are you not hail and hearty? Why are you covered with the shadow of grief? It appears by your face that you have become black. Are you suffering from some internal disease, or are you thinking of some relative who is away in a distant place?" Actually the cows... When I was in New Vrindaban, our Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja purchased one cow without calf. (someone says, "Children have to go out") Yes. So that cow was actually crying because the calf was taken away for slaughtering. It is not that they have no soul, they cannot understand, they have no feeling. But they are helpless. Everything is there.
Pūtanā came to kill Kṛṣṇa, smearing poison over her breast. And Kṛṣṇa sucked the milk and her life also. But Kṛṣṇa took her as (His) her mother. This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa did not take the black side. The intention was to kill Kṛṣṇa, Pūtanā came. But who can kill Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa thought Himself as obligation, that "I have sucked her breast. So she is My mother. She must be given the position of mother." So Pūtanā, after being killed, she was given the same opportunity as Mother Yaśodā. This is Kṛṣṇa. Bhāva-grāhī-janārdanaḥ.
These hands and legs are there because originally we are spirit soul, we have got hands and legs. This is the proof that we are not formless. With form. Because this body has been described as dress, outward dress, different dress. Just like we are, somebody white, somebody yellow, somebody black, somebody... This is dress. But actually, we spirit soul, we are one. It is by dress we are fighting. "You are Englishman," "I am German," "I am this," "I am Indian," "I am that," "I am man," "I am woman." So many fighting on account of this dress. So when you become dressless, that is the spiritual platform.
Go-kharaḥ. Go means cows and khara means ass. So anyone who has got this concept that "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am black," "I am white," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am this," "I am that," this is ātma-buddhi, dehātma-buddhi. Yasyātma-buddhi... One should know that "I am not this body." That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. But nobody knows that. Everyone thinking. The fighting is going on all over the world.
We have translated into English, and they're enjoying. Actually that is the fact. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Now, our problem, what is this problem? Problem is that we have got so many dirty things within the heart. The first dirty thing is that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am Englishman," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black and white..." These conceptions, these are all dirty things. "I am not this body," that is real knowledge. Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), to cleanse the dirty things from the heart, that is my first business. And what is that dirty things? To identity myself with this body. That is the dirty things. The whole world is in distressed condition on account of this dirty thing, that "I am this body." This is the conception of the ass.
If you have got material body, you must suffer. It is not the question of European, American or white, black. There is no such question. If you are animal or man, as soon as you have got this material body, you must suffer. This is condition. This is material condition. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not meant for, I mean to say, mitigating the so-called sufferings of the body. When there is body, there must be suffering. So we should not be very much disturbed by the sufferings of the body. Because you'll have to suffer. Even though you make very nice arrangement.
Generally people are ātmavit, bodily conscious, mass of people or class of people also. Hardly you will find a person at the present moment ātmavit, self-realized. Everyone is: "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Canadian," "I am Australian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," this way—"I am this body." Ātmavit means "I am the self; I am the soul." Bhāgavata... This is the Vedic word. If one understands that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," he is called ātmavit, or he is liberated. He is not bodily conscious platform. There are three platforms of identification with self.
An interesting story has been described by our Satsvarūpa Mahārāja in the Back to Godhead: The learned scholar and the boatman. The boatman... In Bengal there are many rivers, and so people generally transport by boat service. So a learned scholar from Calcutta, say, was going home in the village on a boat, and he was very happy. So he was asking the boatman, "My dear boatman, do you know what are these stars, this astronomy, how they are working?" "No, sir, I do not know." "Oh, your life is twenty-five percent lost. You do not know anything." Then after some time, "You know the geology, how this earth, water, they are working?" "No, sir, I am poor man. What can I know?" "Oh, your fifty percent of your life is lost." Then all of a sudden there was a cloud, black cloud on the sky, and there was storm. Then at that time the boatman asked, "Sir, do you know how to swim?" "No, I do not know." "Then one hundred percent you have lost.(laughter) You are going to be drowned." He jumped and he drowned.
I am putting on this sweater, but when it is torn, no more useful, I get it up. I get another, new. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro 'parāṇi (BG 2.22). Everything is clearly stated. This is dress only. This body is dress. Therefore we do not give on the bodily dress. We give stress on the soul. We do not make any distinction that "This is Hindu dress, Muslim dress, Christian dress, white dress, black dress." No, no, we have nothing to do with the dress. We have to do with the soul within the dress. He is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He has forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is suffering. Therefore our movement is to revive this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). So it is very important movement.
So din ka ḍākinī, rāt ka bāghinī, palak palak rahe cuṣe. The witches, they also, by their black art, they suck the blood of children. Do you know that? There are witches. You know? I am asking Svarūpa Dāmodara. The kamekha (?) witches, from the black art. The Pūtanā was like that. They suck the blood of children by some mantra. So din ka ḍākinī, rāt ka bāghinī. It is pointing out to one's wife. During daytime she is ḍākinī, witches, and at night she is tigress. So Tulasī dāsa says that. . . Tulasī dāsa's life is very interesting. Therefore he had very bad experience of his wife. Everyone. So bāghinī. Nobody keeps a tigress to suck one's blood, but Tulasī dāsa says, duniyā sab bhora hoye. The whole world, being mad, they keep one tigress. Palak palak rahe cuṣe. In every moment, sucking blood. This criticism is for the materialistic person. Those who are spiritually advancing, this criticism does not apply. For materialistic person, this agent of sucking blood is their happiness, is their happiness.
Just like anyone who is coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any country, they are forgetting their bodily consciousness. Just like in our society we have got members from different parts of the world. Especially in Africa we have seen. There is very much distinction between white and black. But in our society there is no such distinction. The Indians there, they hated with the Because the Africans are working as servant to Indians. So now this time they agreed to take prasādam, all in the same line. The Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, even brāhmaṇas, high caste, all. I also. We sat down to take prasādam. In our Māyāpur they are distributing prasādam. Perhaps it is for the first time that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasādam in the one line.
Don't think that Kṛṣṇa figure is the imagination of some artist or painter. No, no. These are the description in the Vedas. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, is playing on His flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam (Bs. 5.30). And His eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam. There is a feather of peacock, asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, His complexion is like black cloud but very, very beautiful. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. He is so beautiful that more attractive than many, many hundreds and thousands of Cupid. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham bhajāmi (Bs. 5.30). This is the Govinda's description. There are so many descriptions.
Just like in the prison life we are subjected to the rules and regulation of the prison house on account of disobeying the government laws, similarly, when we are disobedient to the laws of God, at that time, we are put into this material existence under the influence of time, and therefore our conditional life is always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Everyone is thinking differently, all living entities. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian," "black," "white." So many ways we are thinking. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Our real identity is when we understand that "I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, nor American, nor Indian, but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then there is no more fear.
If people are simply induced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Just see. Even a child, he is taking part. It is natural. There is no distinction between black and white, no question of language, nothing. You see practically. There is white child, black child. They do not know how to speak, tut they are dancing and chanting. So this movement is so important. Somehow or other if you can engage them in chanting and dancing, the whole world will be united. What the United Nations has failed, this movement can do—if it is not checked by the rascals. But the rascals are ready to check this movement. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, God, Kṛṣṇa, is always ready to help us. How? Here it is said, antaḥ puruṣa-rūpeṇa kāla-rūpeṇa yo bahiḥ. He is inside and outside. Antaḥ, antaryāmī. Caitya-guru. He is acting as caitya-guru.
"I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." It doesn't matter in different forms. He does not say that "I am the father only of the white, not of the black." He never says. He has no such distinction: white, black, European, American, or poor, rich, bird, beast, human being. No. He does not make any discrimination. He is always ready to bestow favor as the original father. That is God.
Just understand. Don't be rascal and fools, that you do not understand what is the potency of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. If you become so rascal and fool, if you do not understand, then you are animal. Here is a practical example. How it has become possible that the white Americans, Europeans, and other colors and the black African, they have forgotten everything? When they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance, do they remember that "I am African," "I am American," "I am Indian"? No. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. (devotee laughs) (aside:) Why you are laughing? It is so important thing.
You have to give up this designation that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am African." No, no designation. Simply become pure Brahman, then pratijāne. That is called pratijāne, not that "I remain a Christian," "I remain a Hindu," "I remain black," "I am white," and "I am Brahman." No, not that. You have to give up your designation. That requires practice. And that practice means this, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Simply by chanting, you'll be purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And the beginning will be ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, because we have got our heart.
Just like these European, American or African boys. They have joined this Kṛṣṇa con... They have not come here for some material progress. No. They have not come here. Others may come. You can say, "The Africans are poor. They have come." No. Nobody has come for material profit. What about the Europeans, Americans? They are not poor. They have got enough money. Why they are after Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after me? I am not rich man. No. That is called ahaituki, without any motive. Nobody. "Kṛṣṇa is my lovable, worshipable. I shall worship Kṛṣṇa." This is wanted. Ahaituky apratihatā. And if you have got this intention, that "Kṛṣṇa is my Lord. I must love Kṛṣṇa. I must learn how to love Him," then apratihatā—no material condition can check it. Either you become American or African, black and white or this or that, nothing can check you. You can go on—if it is motiveless. This is wanted.
If you simply follow these four principles without arguing foolishly and rascally, manmanā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), these four principles. "Always think of Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Not I am saying, but Kṛṣṇa personally saying, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto: "Just become My devotee," and māṁ namaskuru, "worship Me." So it doesn't require any M.A., Ph.D. degrees. It doesn't require that Apratihatā. Bhakti is apratihatā, without any hindrance. Nobody can say that "Because I am poor," "Because I am uneducated," "Because I am black," "Because I am white"—no "because." Any condition of life, you can become a devotee and go back to home, back to This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. No material condition can check you. This is our movement.
Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit. That is the... Therefore this very word is used, viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. These kind of engagements are there among the hogs and dogs. Are you hogs and dogs or human being? Your engagement is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Inquire about Brahman. Learn about Brahman. Learn about yourself, that you are not this material body. If you are still thinking that you are this material body—you are Indian, you are American, you are brāhmaṇa, you are śūdra, you are white, you are black—then you are in the dog's consciousness, not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is to be learned.
There are different types of sacrifices mentioned, but in this age it is difficult. Therefore in this age the easiest sacrifice is chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). This, performing this yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, you have to simply agree. Otherwise you have no loss. Simply you have gain. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We are not asking anybody that "Give us some fee, some dollars. Then you chant." No. It is free. You can chant—if you like. This is yajña. This is the yajña of this age. Anyone can join. It doesn't matter that this class of men will join. No, anyone—poor, rich, white, black, illiterate, learned—everyone. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana means bahubhir militvā. Many people assembled together, when glorifying the Lord, that is called saṅkīrtana.
In another place it is said, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). This is sama-cittāḥ, equally disposed to everyone, not that "He is American, so I shall be kind to him," or "He is Indian. I shall be kind to him," "He is black, I shall be kind to him." No. Everyone. Pāṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Sama-cittāḥ. This is the qualification of great soul. There is no distinction that "He is such and such person. Therefore I have no business with him." No. The preaching Kṛṣṇa is preaching to everyone. Christ is preaching to everyone. They are called mahānta. Mahānta means great soul.
You can make nice preparation, chānā. That is very nutritious, full of protein. And you can make rasagullā, sandeśa, so many other preparations from the casein of the cheese. But they do not know. Crude civilization, and take a lump of flesh and boil it and give little salt and black pepper and eat like animal. This is civilization. This is civilization. Just try to understand. You have to convince your countrymen that what is this civilization, nonsense civilization? Stop this kind of civilization. Learn how to become civilized. Don't claim yourself as civilized man and eating like tigers and dogs and cats. Is that civilization? But they are doing. That is stated here. It is not new. Always, there is a certain class of men, demons, who are not civilized, but declaring themselves as civilized. Otherwise, how it has come into Bhāgavata? There were also in that time. Now the number has increased on account of this age. But these two classes of men are always there.
Simply taking care of some human being. Otherwise there is no question of nationalism. Even according to their definition of nationalism, there are so many discriminations. Nowadays in your country, now the white and the black have been given the equal rights. But formerly, although the blacks were born, they were treated like animals. But one of your president has given them the right. But there are so many defects. Unless you become mahātmā. So unless you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this so-called nationalism, philanthropism, altruism, this "ism"—that is all rascaldom. It has no value. Real value is here. Mahātmā vimanyavaḥ sādhavaḥ suhṛdaḥ.
So this animal civilization will continue so long one does not inquire what he is. That is real intelligence, "What I am? Am I this body? If I am not this body, then I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not black, I am not white, I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not śūdra." So many things become "I am not." And when you understand what you are, if you work on that basis, then there is no crisis. You are working on the wrong basis of understanding, identifying with this body yourself. You are not this body. Therefore unless one comes to the standard of inquiring, "What I am? Why I am forced to suffer? I do not like to suffer. I do not like to die. Why there is death? I do not like to become old man. Why I become old man? I do not want any disease. Why there is disease?" they are not making solution of these problems. They are after these temporary problems.
Before your coming out from the womb of your mother, you might be killed by your very mother or father. Because that movement is going on, abortion. So either you are in a womb of a very rich mother or a poor mother or in the womb of a black mother or white mother or a learned mother or foolish mother, the pains of staying within the mother is the same. It is not that because you are in the womb of a rich mother, therefore there will be no pain of living within the womb. The same pain. So janma. Then again, as soon as you accept some material body, you will have to suffer the bodily pains and pleasure. Then, at the time of death, the same painful condition. So it doesn't matter whether one is rich, one is poor, the material condition, both of them will have to suffer. The material condition.
It is particularly mentioned. God means śyāmasundaram. This is also..., appears to be contradictory. Śyāmasundaram. We have got idea: what is black is not beautiful. But here Kṛṣṇa, Śyāmasundaram. Although He is black, He is sundaram. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Asitāmbuda, black cloud. Black cloud, like that, color, but He is very sundaram. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30). He's so beautiful that if you compare with millions of Kandarpa, Cupid Cupid is supposed to be very beautiful. So if you bring together millions of Cupids, still, their combined beauty cannot be compared with Kṛṣṇa's beauty. But He's still Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgaṁ, kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.30).
We have got this yantra, machine. This body is a machine. That's a fact. But this machine, we are accepting as self—"I am this machine." This whole world is accepting—"I am this body." "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white." No. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said in the beginning that "You are not this body." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). This change of body is different. That is on the body. At different times we are accepting different body. So we are not this body. But that is not possible for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body—the same. These foolish persons, they do not know. Therefore avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). These mūḍhas, these rascals, they think that Kṛṣṇa has got a different body. No. Kṛṣṇa hasn't got different body. We are given this body by māyā. Māyayā. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).
This life, human form of life, we have got bahu saṁbhavānte, after many, many years in the evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-sāṅkhyakāḥ. We are coming, one after another, from the lowest low-grade life in the water. Then plants, creepers, trees, then insect, then flies. In this way—then birds, then beasts—in this way, millions and millions years after, we have got this human form of life, especially those who are civilized. There are 400,000's forms of human life also—not all the same: the uncivilized and civilized, the black and white, and so many different grades of men. They have different intelligence. In this way, one who has taken birth in India, he is the most fortunate.
Prabhupāda: Central Asia. Caucasian. Kaśyapa Muni's place.
Haṁsadūta: How come they're so white?
Prabhupāda: The Aryans are white. But here, this side, due to climatic influence, they are a little tan. Indians are tan but they are not black. But Aryans are all white. And the non-Aryans, they are called black. Yes.
Devotee: They use the term Caucasian to designate those persons who...
Prabhupāda: Not only Europeans. The Kashmir side of this Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Punjab, they are all white.
Himāvatī: Also in Vṛndāvana (indistinct). And they're tall.
Prabhupāda: Tall. So Aryan family, whole Aryans, they are white. And śūdras are called kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa, black.
Revatīnandana: But the śūdras have handsome bodily features also. In Amritsar the people have, I think, handsome bodily features.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Aryan family, the structure of body... From the... There is a science called physiognomy. No? Yes. So it can be ascertained. But we have got forget all these material. We have to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
One has to get himself freed from all material designations. We are impure because we are compact in designation: "Oh, I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black." So these are all designation. If you simply know that "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am servant of God," then you are purified. You are neither white nor black nor this nor that, but you are simple servant of Kṛṣṇa. If you continue this consciousness, then you are purified immediately. No more contamination. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And as soon as you take it very seriously, that "I am Kṛṣṇa's"—neither to the society, neither to the community, neither to the country, neither to the international society, or neither anything, but "I am Kṛṣṇa's"—if this firm conviction is there, then you are completely pure: tat-paratvena nirmalam. And in the pure condition, when you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, that is called Kṛṣṇa conscious service or devotional service.
If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in ecstasy, the first benefit will be that your heart will be cleansed. Then you can see what is your position, what you are, what is your business. If your heart is unclean, then... So that uncleanliness of heart cannot be cleansed by this process, atonement. That is not possible. Therefore... Parīkṣit Mahārāja is very intelligent. He said, prāyaścittam atho apārtham. Apa, apa means "negative," and artha means "meaning." "It has no meaning." He immediately rejects the prāyaścittam apārtham. "What benefit will be there? He remains unclean. He does not cleanse his heart, core of heart." In the core of heart he has got all the dirty things: "How I shall cheat, how I shall make black market, how I shall enjoy senses, how I will go to prostitute and drink." These things are packed up. So simply by going to the temple or to the church and make some atonement, it will not benefit. One has to take seriously to this method, saṅkīrtanam. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-davāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).
Because originally you are good. You have become bad on account of the material association. Therefore devotion means to be purified. This is a purificatory process from material contamination. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). If you think... Vimarśanam. If we think little soberly, that "I am thinking I am American or Indian. Am I American or Indian? This is upādhi, designation. By accident or somehow or other, I have got this body in America. Therefore I am American. But next time I may not take the American body. I may take another, Chinese body or something else." So one has to understand that "I am neither American, neither Chinese, nor Indian, nor white, nor black." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God." That is knowledge. We have to come to that.
If you want to enter fire, you must be fire. And if you are not fire, then you will burn. So first of all we have to revive, because Kṛṣṇa... The example is given that Kṛṣṇa is the big fire and we are sparks of fire. We are also fire, very small. The sparks of fire can play, can remain within fire, and it is beautiful: "Phat! Phat!" There is spark. You have seen while fire is going on. It is very beautiful. And as soon as this "Phat! Phat!" falls down, separate from the..., it is extinguished. No more fire. It is black charcoal, that's all. So if we want happiness, then we have to dance with Kṛṣṇa. But you cannot dance Kṛṣṇa if I am not pure. Kṛṣṇa is pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Pavitra means the supreme pure. If you want to take pleasure in the company of Kṛṣṇa and dance rasa dance, then you have to become pure, purified. That is sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), to free from all designation. Nārāyaṇa parāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa society or Kṛṣṇa society, the same thing.
Just like this Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is also one of the Purāṇas, essence of history. Whole history. Similarly, Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa, these are Purāṇas in the modes of goodness. There are different types of people. The example is given just like there are different types of birds. A pigeon class... "Birds of the same feather flocks together." You see? That is natural. The pigeons will flock together and the crows will flock together. The swans will flock together. The swans will never go to the crow or the crow will never go to the swan. In human society also the same natural tendency is there. Of course, now we are becoming more liberal. Otherwise, formerly, the white people will not mix with black people. So this is not new. It is by nature. Everyone has got a particular type of society, environment.
The soul is eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That they do not know. They think this body, "I'm this body. I'll be hot, I'll die, I'll this," and so on and so many. Simply anxiety: "How I shall protect my body? How I shall protect my bodily relationship?" everything in connection with the body. Everything asat. The body's asat, perishable, temporary. So whatever you have got in relationship with this body—my country, my society, my bank balance, my money, my wife, children—everything in the body, they're also temporary. So they are very, very anxiety. Tat sādhu manye. So "I want to relieve them from this anxiety." What is that? Tad sādhu manye asura-vārya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Then, what you advise? Hitvātmā-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. He's fallen in this dark region of black well, this family life.
And Kṛṣṇa is so kind that although her motive was to kill Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa took the bright side. What is that? "Oh, I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother." Kṛṣṇa has taken that. And therefore, after death, Pūtanā got the same position as mother Yaśodā. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Who can kill Kṛṣṇa? So for Kṛṣṇa there is no black side or bright side. Kṛṣṇa can drink oceans of poison. So that He did not take very seriously, that "This witches have come to poison Me, but she has agreed to give Me milk from her breast. Then she is My mother." This is Kṛṣṇa's conclusion. Therefore Uddhava says, "Such a kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, that the enemy, the poison-giver was accepted as mother. So whom I shall worship except Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Little service..."
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that naturally it will make you beautiful, not black-faced, not morose—beautiful face. That is the sign of spiritual advancement. By the face you'll understand that "Here is a man who is spiritually advanced." Pratyakṣam avagamaṁ dharmyam. This process of spiritual consciousness can be directly perceived. It is not theoretical: "Oh, I am a very great devotee." No. Simply theoretical understanding, "I am a great devotee..." From the very face it will be understood. Face is the index of mind, how you are thinking. If you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa always, then your face will be beautiful. Therefore it is called pratyakṣam avagamaṁ dharmyam, direct perception. There is no theoretical. It is practical. Pratyakṣyam avagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukham.
Every planet is congested with living entities. This is the description of the śāstra. Jana, jana means "congested with," but different types. Just like they have come from Vaikuṇṭha, their bodily feature is different. We have got experience here on this planet in some portion there are black people, some portion there are white people, some portion there are yellow people. There are so many manifestation within this planet. Just imagine how many. This is God's creation, different varieties. Just like we see on this planet. Why on this planet? Even on this Hawaii island how many beautiful things, flowers, trees, and fruits. That is God's creation. Ānanda. Variety is the mother of enjoyment.
Just like if you want to do some business, you have calculated that "I shall invest so much money, and I shall get so much profit. So let us do this business. It is very nice." But śāstra says, "No, you have simply calculated the profit, and you also calculate no profit, not one-sided." Similarly, to know dharma, you must know adharma also, the opposite side. If you know white, you should know what is black. Otherwise the knowledge is not... Relative. This world is... If you know the father, then you must know the son. Or if you know the son, then you must know the father. So in the religious system, if one knows the son, the further improvement is to know the father. That is required. Otherwise incomplete. If you simply know the son of God, then it is incomplete. If you know the father of the son of God, then it is complete.
Unless one agrees to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, why he'll chant? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me." So we have created this temple. Come on, worship Kṛṣṇa. And māṁ namaskuru—and whoever comes to the temple, he offers obeisances. We teach how to offer obeisances as soon as we enter. That is our business. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. Either you are learned or a fool or rich or poor or black or white or American or Indian, Hindu, Muslim, never mind—take this lesson, you become perfect. So human society should take advantage of this movement and do these four things only—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Then what is the... Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "I guarantee you come back to home, back to Godhead, by this process."
Kṛṣṇa described what is the meaning of dharma. Here the question is that "If you are servant of Dharmarāja, then explain what is dharma and adharma." Dharma means religiosity, and adharma means nonreligiosity. What is adharma? Everything is... Because this world is duality. If there is black, there is white. If there is good, there is bad. If there is father, there is son. Otherwise, there is no meaning of son, eh, father. "I am father, bachelor daddy." No. If you are father, you must have a son. If you are a son, then you must have a father. If the son says, "I dropped from the sky," how it is possible? These rascals say it that there is no creator.
Kāriṇaḥ means fruitive actors, those who are working for getting some profit. So sometimes with getting profit we make some undesirable activities which is called black market. So that is punishable. There are system... Of course, I cannot quote from where, but it is the system that a merchant, highest profit he can take for exchanging—not more than twenty-five percent. That is the highest. If one merchant takes more than twenty-five percent profit, then he is punishable. This was the system. So the kāriṇaḥ... So we are all workers. So somebody is working for his personal profit, and somebody is working for the profit of Kṛṣṇa. It appears almost similar. A ordinary man is selling some newspaper, and our man selling the magazine. It looks the similar thing, but it is not similar; it is different.
Natural. Or, in one word, it can be explained as characteristic. So, just like a chemical, it has got some characteristic in the chemical analytical book, that... Take soda bicarb. The characteristic—it tastes like this, the color is like this, the, like this, so many things. Hmm. (aside:) That child is coughing. So dharma means characteristic. So what is the dharma of the living entity? We are all living entities. What is the dharma? What is the characteristic? Common. Not that because I am Hindu, my characteristic is different from your characteristic. As living being, our characteristic is the same. Either you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or white or black, never mind. What is that characteristic? That characteristic—to serve. The inferior must serve to the superior. That's all. This is characteristic. Find out all over the universe, the service.
Vaiṣṇava does not belong to any jāti. He belongs to Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa dāsa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Therefore practically you can see the members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, some of them are Indians, some of them are Europeans, some of them are Englishmen, some of them are black, some of them are white, some of them are brāhmaṇas, some of them are Hindus, but they do not think anymore that "I belong to this category." No. No. Or otherwise they could not work. Every one of them completely aware that "We are all Kṛṣṇa's servants." Similarly, guru is not ordinary human being. Guruṣu nara-matir. Guru is not ordinary human being. Ordinary human being cannot preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe kṛṣṇa nāma pracāra. So anyone who is preaching, he cannot be considered as ordinary human being.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means they want to educate people, rectifying the basic principle of misconception: "I am body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black," "I am white"—all bodily conception. This has to be removed first of all. So the śāstra says that if one is in the bodily concept of life, then he is no more better than an animal. No better than an animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). We have discussed many times. This bodily concept of life should be first of all removed. We must be enlightened.
There are two words still current in the Hindu society: śuci and muci. Muci means cobbler, dealing with skin. "I am this skin," "I am white skin," "I am black skin," "I am American skin," "I am Indian skin"—this understanding means muci. And muci is skin expert. "This is cow skin. This is goat skin. It is lamb skin." This is... He is called muci, skin expert. Modern technology has given the title "tannery expert." So this "tannery expert," if you become tannery expert, then you are muci. So there is a Bengali proverb, muci haya śuci haya, yadi kṛṣṇa bhaje. Every one of us, we are all tannery expert and we have created so many "isms" on the basis of becoming a tannery expert. Therefore they are called muci. So muci haya śuci haya. And śuci means brāhmaṇa, pure. He has no such sense of becoming a tannery expert. He is brāhmaṇa, brahma-vit. One who knows Brahman, he is called brāhmaṇa. He is śuci.
Religion means when one understands Kṛṣṇa, or God, he understands automatically that all living entities are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcels. Some way or other, they have been put into this māyā. Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela. They have forgotten. Therefore a devotee tries to bring them back to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, back to home, back to Godhead. This is vision. He has no discrimination that "Here is a Hindu. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Christian. Here is an African. Here is a white. Here is a black." No. "Everyone is Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Let them revive their Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy." That is religion. All others cheating.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit... Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on a tour. These Pāṇḍavas, they were the emperor of the whole world. So he saw that a black man was trying to kill a cow. So immediately he took action: "Who is this man trying to kill cow?" So he chastised him, punished him. He was going to kill him, but he saved himself, that "This is my time. I am Kali-yuga. I am the representative. So this is my business, to kill cow. So what can I do?" Then he said that "You better get out. Otherwise I shall kill you."
Upādhi means artificially. "I am the husband of this wife." "I am the father of these children." "I am the inhabitants of America." "I am American." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am Christian." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am fat." "I am thin." "I am white." "I am black." So many. These are all upādhis. So one has to become free from these upādhi. "I am not this. I am not that. I am not this." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsa. When one becomes like that... "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, gopī-bhartuḥ (CC Madhya 13.80)." This is called paramparā system. This is our real identification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So if you want to be happy, you cannot become happy by your so-called endeavor, by tidbits: "This I will do and I will be happy." No, this is all nonsense. You can be happy only when you fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa without any abhilāṣa.
So yesterday we have explained that we are put into such position in this material world (pause) that we have to commit sinful activities. This is our position. Even if I do not want to do it. Just like a man accustomed to steal, he is dictated from within, "Don't steal." Otherwise why he goes at night to steal? He knows that "This is not good." He does not steal openly. Secretly, without any knowledge. Because he knows that "What I am going to do is not good." That's a fact. Therefore sometimes it is called black. So he is forced to do it.
You have heard the name of yogi. Yogi means that he has no other business. The sannyāsī and yogi is the same because yogi has no other business. He is simply trying to concentrate his mind on the Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, not these black yogis. The real yogi. Real yogi means he is always in meditation, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyāna means meditation. Dhyānāvasthita manasā. Where meditation is performed? In the mind. That means concentrating the mind. Dhyānāvasthita manasā. Then what is that concentration? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yam, whom. That means the Supreme Viṣṇu. One who sees the Supreme Viṣṇu always within his mind by concentration, he is called yogi.
So Kṛṣṇa gives them. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). It is not that Kṛṣṇa does not give... Kṛṣṇa satisfies always. For this reason, it is recommended that even if you have got some lusty desires to fulfill, still, you go to Kṛṣṇa and He will satisfy it. Don't go to other demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajanty anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Generally people go to other demigod for fulfilling their lusty desires: "Mother, Goddess Kālī, I am very great devotee of you. Kindly allow me to eat meat." That's all. Mother says, "All right, bring one black goat and offer me and then take prasādam." This is meant for the meat-eaters. The purpose is to restrain him. Instead of purchasing meat from the slaughterhouse, the śāstra says, "All right, you meat eat in this way." This is restriction. This is not indulgence.
The Professor Marshall, the economist, he has given the definition, that "Wherefrom the economic development begins? By family affection." Or by sex attraction. So this earning money, there are so many smugglers, so many illicit businessmen, black market, they are risking their lives to get money. The purpose is when one becomes too much attached to family life and too much devoted to maintain it, he doesn't care. He has to earn money, some how or other, even risking life. Even risking life.
Just like I have several times given you the example: You have got a glass. If you fill it up with milk, then there is no possibility of its being filled up with ink. But so long it is filled up with ink, there is no possibility of its being filled up with milk. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is milk, and material consciousness is ink. So if you want to black milk, then let us remain. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu suggests Or accepts, not suggests. It is already there in the Vedic literature, that sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. (children yelling outside, devotee chases away) (aside:) That's all right. Don't take much.
In this age, in this age, Kali-yuga, there is incarnation of God. What is that, incarnation of God? Now He's tviṣa-akṛṣṇam, His bodily complexion is not black. Kṛṣṇa is blackish, but He is Kṛṣṇa, that Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa. And what is His business? Now, kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He's always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma..., varṇayati. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam and saṅgopaṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He's associated... You see the picture. He's associated with four others. And in this picture also you see, associated. So you put this picture or form before you and just go on chanting and dancing. This is worship. Just go on chanting and dancing.
Tan manye adhītam uttamam, they are being first-class educated, these boys, they, simply by chanting and dance. Don't be disturbed that "My child is not being educated." What is this education? This education, this bodily concept of life, it is not education. That "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am white," "I am black." This education, the whole world this education is going on, nationalism. In the name of nationalism, communism, socialism. They are all bodily concept of life. That is not education. That education is useless, because this kind of education will not stop the process of birth, death, old age and disease. They may be technical education, temporary, some bodily comfort, but this is not taken as education.
Feverish condition, one becomes sick, attacked by fever—his joyfulness goes away. He becomes sick. Similarly, our natural position is joy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. Kṛṣṇa is joyful. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore I must be also joyful. That is natural. If my father is black, then I am also black. If my mother is black, I am also black. So our father, the supreme father Kṛṣṇa, is joyful. Don't you see Kṛṣṇa's attitude? Anywhere you see, Kṛṣṇa is joyful. He is not engaged in some industrial work or in some heavy machine making. He is simply playing on His flute. You see? And Rādhārāṇī is there. That is joyful nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.
Simply hearing, chanting, you join with us chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you hear Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you become pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is so nice. Bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam. Suta Gosvāmī said that the kṛṣṇa-sampraśna, because you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa, so it is loka-maṅgalam, it is very much beneficial to the whole world. This saṅkīrtana movement is like that. Anywhere we are going, we are making the whole atmosphere purified. It is not here in India, we have got branches all over the world. In Africa, even those black men, they are also. Because in the spiritual world, there is no such consideration the black, white. Because it is the spiritual platform. The spirit soul is neither black, neither white, neither yellow. This is dress. Just like within the dress we are everyone. The dress may be black, white, yellow, that does not matter.
"There are two envious living entities. One is a snake, black snake, and one is a human being with the quality of black snake." He cannot see any good thing. Sarpaḥ krūraḥ. The snake is envious. Without any fault he bites. A snake is there on the street, and if you happen to pass by him he becomes so angry, immediately he bites. So this is the snake's nature. Similarly, there are persons like the snake. Without any fault they will accuse you. They are also snake. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "This black snake is less harmful than the man snake." Why? "Now, this black snake, by chanting some mantra or by some herb can bring him under your control. But this man snake you cannot. It is not possible."
The same thing as Prahlāda Mahārāja says. Prāṇa, mana, vaca. Because these things required for endeavoring. We require our mind, attention. If you want to do, you have to have clear attention; you must engage your body, you must engage your words. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says, īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā manasā vacā nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu. He may remain in anywhere, in any stage of life. It doesn't matter whether he is European, American, Indian, brāhmaṇa, śūdra, white, black, or this or that. It doesn't matter. But if he has simply engaged his endeavor for the service of the Lord, he is a liberated person. That is the definition given by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Īhā yasya harer dāsye. So Prahlāda Mahārāja also says the same thing, that "I consider that person is better than the so-called qualified brāhmaṇa because his endeavors are engaged in the service of the Lord." Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ.
We have to give up this false prestige. Ahaṅkāra must be there because you are a reality. You are not false. Your body is false, but you are reality. "I am soul." That realization must come. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Not that ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, "I am dog," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this." This is ahaṅkāra, this false ahaṅkāra. But giving up all these nonsense prestigious position... A dog is also thinking he's in a prestigious position: "I am dog. I can bark very loudly. Gow! Gow!" He's also thinking that. Similarly, if I also think, "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am this," what is the difference? Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). He is completely under the control of material nature, and he's thinking falsely that "I am very advanced in...," so on, so on. This should be given up.
So anybody who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, even for a moment, it will never go in vain. It will act. It will act, and it will act so nicely that sometimes he'll be saved from the greatest danger. That experience some of our students have already expressed. One girl is present here, she also experienced this. She was attacked by some black Negroes, and she began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and she was saved. So these things are actual fact. There are many instances. So svalpam apy asya trāyate mahato. So anything, a little flower, a little fruit, a little water, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, or if you chant for a little while Hare Kṛṣṇa, or if you make association with devotees for a moment, this will never go in vain.
Although in material consideration, according to the body, there is distinction, in the spiritual platform there is no such distinction. Kṛṣṇa therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Anyone, it does not matter in which family he belongs to, if he takes shelter unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never mind what he is. He may be a man, he may be a woman, he may be a śūdra, he may be a brāhmaṇa or he may be black or he may be white. Everyone can approach to the highest platform of devotional service. It is open field.
When I was in Allahabad, in my bed there was a snake. I do not know how it came, but I informed to the servants, and they came with all stick immediately. So when the bed seat was taken away, it was under the, I mean to say, quilt. So that snake was there, and from the face of the snake I could understand that she was, it was so afraid. He could understand that "Now I'm going to be killed by so many people. They have come." So I told them that "Don't kill this poor fellow. Better take it and send it to the forest." But they took it away, but I later on understood they killed it. So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake with... In Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed." So at that time I thought that "How Guru Mahārāja ordered for killing the snake?" Then, after so many years, when I began to read Bhāgavatam and came to this passage, Prahlāda Mahārāja assertion, modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā, then I thought that "My Guru Mahārāja did right thing." Here also, modeta.
So long I am identifying with this body, then my..., I am in ignorance, I am a go-kharaḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). But unfortunately, these people are going under the identification of this body. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am white," "I am black," "I am learned," " I am fool," " I am rich," "I am poor." All these designations are our ignorance. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says dehinām. Anyone who has accepted this body, tat sādhu manye 'sura-vārya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyam. Because the living entity, although spirit soul, he has accepted this material body, asat. Asat means which will not exist. This body will not exist, but we forget that. This is the most wonderful thing in this material world. Everyone is dying every moment, still one who is living, he thinks that he will live forever. That is the most wonderful thing.
So by the śāstra indication, especially in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is described:
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñair saṅkīrtanair prāyair
- yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
This is the most important verse indicating Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is in the same category. And another meaning, kṛṣṇa-varṇayati: "The incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who is always describing Kṛṣṇa or chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Varṇayati. But tviṣa akṛṣṇam: "But by complexion, akṛṣṇa, not black." So "not black," that may be many other colors. Then which of them I shall take? That is also stated in the śāstra. While making the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, Gargamuni, he said, idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. Śukla-raktas tathā pītam idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ: "Nanda Mahārāja, your son, this child, has now appeared as kṛṣṇa, blackish." Idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. "Otherwise this very child appeared in previous ages." Śukla-raktas tathā pīta: "He... Sometimes He appeared in white color, sometimes red, sometimes yellow." This yellow color refers to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, golden color. So this is also confirmed.
Electricity is everywhere, but still, by arrangement we can touch the electricity or take it into service by preparing electric wiring and switch. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, and you can worship Kṛṣṇa from anything. Everyone knows that this Deity is made of stone. The ground floor, the marble stone, black and white, and the Deity is also black and white. Everyone knows. But why you see the black and white Deity in this temple and gather together and offer prayer? Is it the same marble of the ground, black and white? That means you are seeing in a different position. That is love, love of Kṛṣṇa. Those who haven't got the love, they are seeing that "The same stone on the floor and same stone in the Deity. What these foolish men are worshiping?" They say that "I can worship this stone also." No, no. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, that is... The stone on the floor, that is also I am, but I am not present there." This is called acintya-bhedābheda. "Yes, stone I am also, but I am not there at the same time."
Later on, with the progress of Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the dark age or the sinful age or the age for argument, unnecessary talks and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. That is going on. Since the last five thousand years, the Kali-yuga has begun, and the beginning of Kali-yuga was cow-slaughtering. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw this and immediately... The cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means that... Kṣat means injury, and trāyate—it is called kṣatriya. There are persons who want to do harm to others. It has increased now. But during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time, it was not allowed.
| Page Title: | Black (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 02 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=123, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 123 |