So these boys, they're coming from different religions, different countries, different nationalities, different faiths. But actually, because they're accepting Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), they're happy. There is no difficulty. And people are accepting it. As if just they were ready to accept this cult. This is our experience. Any of our students can be questioned why he has accepted this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. He'll explain. So although Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a movement by any particular person, nation or religion, but still, because Kṛṣṇa appeared in India, Lord Caitanya appeared in India... And Lord Caitanya says that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in the land of Bhāratavarṣa must take the responsibility of spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for the benefit of all world.
Caitanya Says (Other lectures)
Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Anyone who is preaching the message of Lord Caitanya or Lord Kṛṣṇa, the same thing... There is no difference. Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa's message. And Lord Caitanya says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So there is no difference. Kṛṣṇa's upadeśa is to everyone that everyone should give up all nonsense type of occupation... Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are attached to the worship of demigods, they have been condemned by Kṛṣṇa: hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has commented on this word, hṛta-jñānāḥ: naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, "those who have lost their all intelligence." So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching the same as Lord Kṛṣṇa said and as Lord Caitanya said. Lord Kṛṣṇa said that "You surrender." He asked everyone, not only Arjuna.
He sees everything vacant. Why? Due to love. Similarly, when we'll come to that position, we shall see everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa. Then that is the proper position to see Kṛṣṇa. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. Lord Caitanya says that "I am not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." "Now, Sir, You are crying always for Kṛṣṇa." "That is simply to show, make a show that I am a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Then? "No, how we can understand that You are not...? We know You're..." "No. Because I am still living without Kṛṣṇa, that means I have no love for Kṛṣṇa. I should have died long, long ago." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. So this much ecstasy, this much eagerness, when we come, then can see always. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilo..., santaḥ sadaiva. Twenty-four hours, he can see Kṛṣṇa. He cannot see anything but Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunrise. As, as soon as the sun rises, you start your aeroplane, and you go on, towards the eastern, western side, you'll find always day. A practical... There will be no sunset. We have seen it while coming from Paris to London. Was it not? There was sunshine. We started from Paris at twelve o'clock and we reached London at three o'clock.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So you have no right. If you at all want to study Vedānta-sūtra, you have to accept it as it is, without any change. That is understanding. Vedānta-sūtra... Just like, several times I have given this example in this class, that it is... Lord Caitanya said to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that "In the Vedas, it is stated that if you touch the stool of any animal, you'll be, I mean to say, infected. So you have to take your bath." Just like we go to evacuate in the bathroom and, after evacuating, you have to take bath. This is the system to become cleansed. This is Vedic system. But again the Vedas says that if you touch the cow dung, the stool of cow or another animal, oh, it is pure. Rather, if you are impure, by touching cow dung, you'll be purified.
The Tapana Miśra invited him, that "Please accept your bhikṣā at my place." It is the system when a sannyāsī, or renounced order of life, is in the village or in the vicinity of a... So it is the Hindu system that somebody will invite. So Tapana Miśra invited him to take, accept prasādam at his place, and Lord Caitanya said that "First of all you get him to a barber and have him cleansed of, of his beard and hairs which has grown for so many days. Let him become a gentleman." The Lord said that "Let him become a gentleman."
Now, Lord Caitanya says that "Yes. I will have to give you instruction." Actually, this Sanātana Gosvāmī is eternal associated, associate of Lord Caitanya. Just like Arjuna, he's also eternal associate of Kṛṣṇa. Now, he placed himself as an ordinary man, and as if he was in illusion of this relationship of this body. Actually he was not so, but by the energy of Kṛṣṇa he was so-called illusion. Otherwise he would not place himself in that condition, would not question Kṛṣṇa, then Bhagavad-gītā would not come. That is the purpose. Just like playing. He is similarly the sum of the associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When Lord Kṛṣṇa, His incarnation comes on this earth, His associates are also present there without.
Make this primary and other things secondary. Kṛṣṇa will supply you. But if you want to make your sense gratification, if you want to accept more than what you need, then you'll be in trouble. That is māyā. So Kṛṣṇa has provided for everyone, everything. There is no need of being anxious. But that does not mean that I shall feel, "Oh, I shall do everything and anything." No.
So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, Lord Caitanya says,
sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya,
sei jīva nistare, māyā tāhāre chāḍaya
Now how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? A person who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no problem. Now how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? Lord Caitanya says, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpā: "One can become Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of saintly devotees and by the mercy of the scriptures." These two things are recommended. Not that fools, as they are thinking, "I can..., I can think myself. I don't agree with the śāstra. I don't agree with the spiritual master. I don't agree with scriptures. I have got my independent opinion." He is fool number one, rascal number one.
So sādhu-śāstra-guru. A sādhu, a guru... Here Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, sādhu-śāstra. That sādhu includes guru also, because a spiritual master, unless he's a sādhu, he cannot be a guru, cannot be a spiritual master. And the primary qualification of spiritual master—that he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, completely Kṛṣṇa conscious person. These are the things. So Lord Caitanya said, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya. Now, the sādhu's qualification is he's merciful, friendly... So the sādhus, they take the risk of becoming friendly and merciful to the fallen, conditioned souls, and they preach the message of Godhead. Therefore their mercy is required.
So Lord Caitanya says, "Because people in general, by the influence of the illusory energy, they have forgotten their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, therefore the Lord Himself, as Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa..." Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa is considered to be a powerful incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Unless he was a, he was an incarnation, it was not possible to write so many books. There are eighteen Purāṇas and four Vedas and 108 Upaniṣads, and Vedānta, then Mahābhārata, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Each of them contains thousands and thousands and millions of verses.
Therefore Lord Caitanya says that "The subject matter of the Vedas, we must understand." And what is that subject matter? That we must know our relationship with God, or with each other, or with this nature, or this world; then what is our action, regulated action; then the prayojana, the ultimate goal of life is reached. 'Kṛṣṇa'-prāpya sambandha, 'bhakti'-prāptyera sādhana. The ultimate end is to reach Kṛṣṇa or to get Kṛṣṇa, ultimate end. And that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to reach Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So this is the ultimate goal of life, and Vedas describes this, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is describing also. We shall come to this point gradually.
So Lord Caitanya says the purpose of Veda is... Veda-śāstra kahe-'sambandha'. Sambandha. What is our relation? Our relation is, as Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So the relation with God is that we are... Everything is born out of the energy of God. So we are also born... Therefore we say God, "Father." This is accepted in every religion. There is no argument. Now, what is the relationship between father and son? Is it the relationship to exact only from father? There is no duty of the son, simply to take from father? No. There is duty. If a son is sensible and grown-up, he knows that "I have got my duty: to love my father." That is very simple thing, to love father. "Father has done so ma..., so much for me, I am just going to own the estate of father, and I am enjoying the earnings of my father. So is it not my duty to show respect to my father?"
So this is the, I mean to say, age. Don't think that I am particularly criticizing some country or community. This is the age, Kali. It is called Kali. Hypocrisy, simply hypocrisy. Kali means full of hypocrisy. So we have to be very careful. We have to... Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). And the illusory energy is very strong. At any moment, little slackness... (aside:) Oh, you have wrongly put. (break) So this is... Actually, we should understand. So Lord Caitanya says that sambandha means we have to revive, we have to reestablish our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is civilization. The relationship is there already because I am born. The supreme cause is Kṛṣṇa, or God. But I have, some way or other, I have forgotten that.
We do not require many moons in the sky. Only one moon is sufficient to drive away the darkness. Varam eka guṇī putra na ca mūrkha-śatair api. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, "It is better to have a qualified son than to have hundreds of fools." So the modern civilization is going on in that way, godless civilization. If some percentage of the civilized human beings become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that will bring forth peace. Otherwise it is not possible. It is therefore necessity. Lord Caitanya says, abhidheya 'bhakti', 'prema'-prayojana. Prayojana means it is necessary.
Then what is the end? That if you are peacefully in the society, then you can culture for your liberation. So dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41), so generally these four principles are the aim of human society. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Yes, these are all right." But premā pumartho mahān: "With all these things, if you have no love of Godhead, it is all nonsense. All nonsense. Therefore try to love God and everything will be all right." This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, premā pumartho mahān. So prema. Here, also, Lord Caitanya says that we should understand our relationship with God. We should act in that way. That means in devotion. Then we shall have the highest perfection of life, love of God, and our mission of human life will be fulfilled.
Now, the astrologer says, is giving him, it is figurative, that "If you want to search out the Absolute Truth by ritualistic method..." Mostly people are attached to the particular faith and its ritualistic method. They consider this is everything. Veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ. They think that performing these rituals of a particular religion and faith, that is all; no more. So Lord Caitanya says, Lord Caitanya in the shape of that astrologer says, that if you follow—it is given figuratively, that he is searching after the wealth left by his father.
So that process of reviving... There are different paths, different rituals. So Lord Caitanya says that no other method... Not only... Not Caitanya, but the Vedic literature says. So He is quoting one evidence from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: na sādhayati māṁ yogaḥ. The Lord says that "The yoga process cannot achieve success in reaching Me." Na sāṅkhyam. Sāṅkhyam means philosophical speculation. "That also cannot reach Me." Na dharma. Dharma means religious principles. Uddhava: "O My dear Uddhava." This is an instruction just like Lord Kṛṣṇa gave instruction to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā; similarly, He gave instruction to one of His cousin-brothers whose name was Uddhava. And that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So Jagat-īśa, the supreme master of this jagat, going concern. "Jagadīśa, O the supreme master of this jagat, I pray unto You that I do not want," na dhanam, "I do not want any wealth," na janam, "I do not want any number of followers..." Na janaṁ na dhanaṁ na kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Kavitām means very nice wife, poetical... "I do not want." "Then what do You want?" Mama janmani janmanīśvare. Janmani janmani (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4) means "birth after birth." So He does not want liberation also. Because when we speak of liberation, there is no birth. Mad-gatvā punar janma na vidyate: "One who reaches the kingdom of God, he hasn't got to come back again to take birth here." So here Lord Caitanya says, mama janmani janmani: "Birth after birth." That means "I do not want liberation also." Mama janmani janmani.
In any way you study Vedas—directly, indirectly, this way or that way—the conclusion is that the objective is Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya says. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also we get the same information. You will find in the teachings of Lord Caitanya, the same thing as in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the beauty of teachings of all ācāryas, that you won't find any deviation from the teachings of Kṛṣṇa and the teachings of ācāryas. Therefore it is said, ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has the guidance of a bona fide ācārya, he knows things. He knows things, what it is." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who is under the guidance of bona fide ācārya, he knows things, what they are."
So Lord Caitanya says, "You study Vedas in any way, directly, indirectly. In whatever way you like you study Vedas, but the ultimate objective is Kṛṣṇa."
Now, Caitanya, Lord Caitanya, is describing about the various forms of Kṛṣṇa. This is very important subject. How Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading, He is describing.
Now, Lord Caitanya says, Vaikuṇṭha. Just like this universe is a jagad-aṇḍa, is a big round ball, aṇḍa. Aṇḍa means egglike, just like egg is round. Therefore it is called brahmāṇḍa. It is a round ball. Every planet is round, and the universe is also round, and the Vaikuṇṭhas are also round, all round. Vaikuṇṭha, brahmāṇḍa-gaṇa-śakti-kārya haya. So all these universes, the universe which we experience... There are innumerable universes that we cannot see. We can see only one universe, and in one universe there are innumerable planets. Similarly, there are innumerable universes, and in each universe there are innumerable planets. This information we get from Brahma-saṁhitā.
Somebody says that "Sunshine is sun." That is accepted. And somebody says, "Sunshine is not sun." That is also accepted because there is no difference between sun and the sunshine. Similarly... But by comparative study, one who is studying the sun as it is, he is studying everything or he knows everything. Similarly, one who knows Kṛṣṇa, he knows everything. He knows Paramātmā; he knows Brahman; he knows māyā and everything. Yes. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavanti. The Vedic literature says, "The understanding of that one is the understanding of everything."
So Lord Caitanya says that in order to understand that one Kṛṣṇa, there are nine cantos in the Bhagavad-gītā (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam). Yes. Daśamasya viśuddhaye.
So He is in the heart of a hog, of a dog, and the learned brāhmaṇa as well. For Him there is no such discrimination—what is hog, what is dog, what is brāhmaṇa, what is good, what is bad—because He is Absolute. But here we have to distinguish between the hog and the dog, at least so far the material body is concerned.
So Lord Caitanya says,
kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana
advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana
He is addressing Sanātana Gosvāmī. You'll remember that this chapter, "Instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī," was begun when Sanātana Gosvāmī, after his retirement, approached the Lord at Benares and surrendered himself and asked Him, "What I am?" So under that question, He is describing his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. The jīvātmā, the living entity, is eternally servitor of Kṛṣṇa, and one should understand the nature of his master so that his service attitude, his affection, may be more intimate.
So Lord Caitanya says, kṛṣṇa advaya-jñāna-tattva. He is Absolute Truth. Vraje vrajendra-nandana. And the abode which is called Kṛṣṇaloka, Vṛndāvana... He is just like the boy of... Vrajendra-nandana. He has got His devotee as father and mother. He is just like a boy, sixteen-years-old boy, Vrajendra-nandana. That is the real feature of Kṛṣṇa. You will never find Kṛṣṇa as very old man. No. Kṛṣṇa's real feature of body, not this body, His transcendental body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), with a flute in the hand, He looks just like a fresh sixteen-years-old boy, always freshness. Kiśora. Kiśora means, kiśora age is from ten years to sixteen years.
But actually it is not so. We therefore require to learn from the authority. Kṛṣṇa... Lord Caitanya says, cid-ānanda-deha. Cid-ānanda-deha, the transcendental eternal body. Cid-ānanda-deha and sarvāśraya. Sarvāśraya means He is the rest of everything. Now, you see before you that so many big, big planets, even the sun, it is floating in the air. Such a big body, lump body, which is some million times greater than this earth, we can see it is floating in the sky. So how it is floating? Here it is explained, sarvāśraya. It is floating on Kṛṣṇa's energy. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Sarvāśraya sarveśvara. Sarveśvara means the Supreme Lord. This is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya. Sarva-ādi: "He is the origin of everything." Sarva-aṁśī: "He is the whole of all the parts. And He is just like a fresh boy. His body is transcendental, spiritual, full of bliss." Sarvāśraya: "And He is the rest of everything. And He is the Supreme Lord." This is the description of Kṛṣṇa.
Now Lord Caitanya says that... He's giving evidence from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated,
- ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ
- kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
- indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ
- mṛḍayanti yuge yuge
- (SB 1.3.28)
Now, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, perhaps in the Third Chapter in the First Canto, you'll find there is description of different incarnations, principal incarnations—not all the incarnations, principal, in different yugas. So in that list of incarnations you'll find Lord Kṛṣṇa's name also, Lord Rāma's name also, Lord Buddha's name also. Lord Buddha is mentioned in that list. So we, Vaiṣṇavite, we respect Lord Buddha as incarnation, incarnation.
Lord Caitanya says that "The conception of Brahman is that it is the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunshine is the rays of the body of the sun disc, similarly," brahma-aṅga-kānti tāṅra nirviśeṣa prakāśe. And in that brahma-jyotir, or rays, there is no variegatedness. Just like if you all of a sudden see to the sun, you don't find any variegatedness in the sky. It appears just like only dazzling effulgence. But when the sunlight is not there, we can see millions and millions of stars in the firmament. So in the Upaniṣad also, it is prayed that "My Lord, You kindly move this curtain of glaring effulgence so that I can actually see You."
So what are the līlāvatāra? Lord Caitanya says, līlāvatāra kṛṣṇera nā yāya gaṇana: "How many number of līlāvatāras are there, nobody can count." God is unlimited, so anything manifested by Him is unlimited. That cannot be calculated by us. So there are so many līlāvatāra. Pradhāna kariyā kahi dig-daraśana: "Some of them I am just mentioning." Nobody can fully calculate or understand how many līlāvatāras are there and where it is going and how it is going on. But it is going on. The same example, that the sun is always in the sky. Now, where it is, that you have to find out. But sun is always in the sky. Similarly, the līlāvatāra is always there. Just like Kṛṣṇa. In this planet Kṛṣṇa is not present, but in some of the universe He is present. His avatāra is going on, is going on. In every minute, every second, He is taking His birth and He is fighting in the Kurukṣetra. That is called nitya-līlā, eternal. His everything eternal. He is eternal; whatever He does, that is also eternal. And because we are conditioned, we cannot understand His eternity, His unlimitedness. But He's unlimited; His everything is unlimited.
Now Lord Caitanya says, "I have mentioned some of the līlāvatāra. Now, Sanātana, you just hear from Me about guṇāvatāra." Guṇāvatāra means the incarnation of the material qualities. There are three qualities in the material world: goodness, passion and ignorance. So each quality is controlled by the Supreme Lord Himself by His expansion of different incarnation. Brahmā, viṣṇu, śiva—tina guṇa avatāra. Now on these three qualities, material modes of nature, the heads are Brahmā-Brahmā, the first living creature, Brahmā—and Viṣṇu—Viṣṇu, God Himself—and Śiva, Lord Śiva. Śiva's position is between Brahmā and Viṣṇu.
Now Lord Caitanya has explained about... Out of six kinds of incarnations, He has explained to you the incarnation of puruṣāvatāra, three, then līlāvatāra, then guṇāvatāra. Three kinds of incarnations are already explained. Now the remainder, three kinds of incarnations, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra, and śaktyāveśāvatāra, He is going... Out of that three, first the manvantarāvatāra, Manu... So Lord Caitanya says that "I shall now explain to you about the manvantavatāra." And He says, manvantarāvatāra ebe śuna, sanātana: "My dear Sanātana, just now I shall explain to you about the manvantarāvatāra. You hear it." Asaṅkhya gaṇana tāṅra, śunaha kāraṇa: "And this manvantarāvatāra... So far other incarnations are concerned, we have somehow counted three or say ten, like that.
Para-upakāra means "do good to others." "You are born in Bhāratavarṣa. You are not meant for exploiting others. You are meant for doing good to others." That is His mission. Para-upakāra. Para-upakāra means "Do good to others." It is specially mentioned, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra. Bhārata-bhūmite, in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, one who has taken his birth as a human being... Human being. "I am not talking," Lord Caitanya said, "I am not talking of others, less than human being. Anyone who has taken his birth as human being..." Janma sārthaka kari. Janma sārthaka. How? How to make your life perfect? Now, just you become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So similarly, actually if you want peace, then you have to work. The process is there. The process open for everyone, but you have to take it. Otherwise it is not possible. Therefore Lord Caitanya says, manuṣya-janma sārthaka kari: "You first of all make yourself perfect; then preach." Don't become yourself nonsense, and you become a preacher. No. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvera śikṣāya. Preacher must be in his life perfect. Then he can become a preacher. If I smoke, how can I say that "You do not smoke"? Then how... Modern days is, "What I do, that you may not do.
Now, śukla-mūrti, that white incarnation of God, He will teach the people... The incarnation of God, why does He come? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. The incarnation of God comes... When there is discrepancy all over the world about religious principle, the incarnation comes. So Lord Caitanya says that in the Satya-yuga this incarnation of God in white color, He preached meditation, dhyāna. Therefore meditation is for the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when cent percent people are pure. That is called Satya-yuga. And Tretā-yuga means 75% are pure, 25% impure. And Dvāpara-yuga means 50%, 50% pure and 50%... And Kali-yuga means 75% impure and 25% may be pure. (laughter) This is Kali-yuga. And we are thinking we are advancing. Such a foolish civilization, they are less than 25% pure, they do not know what is purity, and they think that they are advancing in civilization. Civilization means to purify.
Āra tina-yuge means this is Kali-yuga, and there are, there were other three yugas: the Satya-yuga, the Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga. There are different processes of realizing God. So Lord Caitanya says, "In other three yugas, what was achieved by meditation, by sacrifice, by temple worship, now that can be achieved in this age by saṅkīrtana. Kalau..."
- kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
- asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
- kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
- mukta-bandhaḥ paraṁ vrajet
- (SB 12.3.51)
This is a śloka, verse, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with conversation with Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate: "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."
So here it is said, sarvajña munira vākya-śāstra-'paramāṇa.' Therefore... Tasmāt śāstra pramāṇa ante. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, that everything should act, should be acted in terms of the śāstra. Just like when you go to post something, you are, you are directed by the postal guide. Śāstra pramāṇa only. So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as Kṛṣṇa has given stress upon the evidence, on the scripture, similarly, Lord Caitanya also is giving stress. The question is very interesting. The question is how one should accept a person or a body as incarnation. Lord Caitanya says that through śāstra, by the evidence of śāstra. So many fools, they are presenting themselves as incarnation. An intelligent person should see whether this fool is mentioned in the śāstra. He's presenting himself as incarnation. Whether his activities are, his characteristics is mentioned in the śāstra? Then accept. Otherwise, don't accept. This will be discussed more.
We should always think that we are in the modes of ignorance. We are just trying to make progress from ignorance to goodness and then transcend. This is the process of spiritual realization. Nobody should think that we are perfect. We cannot be. God is... Only God is perfect, and we are all imperfect. Even our so-called liberated stage, we are still imperfect. Therefore one has to take shelter of authority because, constitutionally, we are imperfect. Lord Caitanya says, āmā-sabā jīvera haya śāstra-dvārā 'jñāna'. So therefore, for real knowledge, we have to consult the scriptures, śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. Sādhu means pious, religious, honest person. Sādhu, whose character is spotless, he's called sādhu. Śāstra means scripture, and guru, guru means spiritual master. They are on the equal level. Why? Because the medium is scripture. Guru is considered to be liberated because he follows the scripture. Sādhu is considered to be honest and saintly because he follows scripture. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Nobody can become a sādhu if he does not accept the principles of scripture. Nobody can be accepted as guru, or spiritual master, if he does not follow the principles of scripture. This is the test.
So Lord Caitanya advises... Sanātana Gosvāmī's inquiry is how to know that he, here is a avatāra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says the medium is śāstra, and direction is the guru. Śāstra also we cannot understand any book, what to speak of the scripture. Sometimes we find contradiction in the scripture. That is not contradiction; that is my poor fund of knowledge. I cannot understand; therefore assistance of guru, a spiritual master, is required. So far incarnation is concerned, here Lord Caitanya says that we have to see through the śāstra whether a person is incarnation or not. We should not blindly accept anybody as incarnation because there are, nowadays, numberless incarnations.
So Lord Caitanya says that incarnation, He never advertises Himself that He is avatāra. But experienced munis, those who are liberated souls, those who are expert in Vedic knowledge, they understand that this is avatāra, or incarnation, by the symptoms, as they are stated in the scriptures. In the scripture, the color, the activities, the time and the place and the parents—everything is described about the incarnation. So, so that, just like everything has to be understood by the symptoms, that is the scientific advancement. Just like a drug is tested in the laboratory and the drug, the symptoms and the taste, how it is, how the color changes, how it tastes in the tongue, everything is described there, so scientists proves, understands the genuineness of a particular chemical by testing. Similarly, nobody should be accepted as incarnation. That is foolishness. Incarnation, they are stated in the scriptures. Their symptoms, everything is there, and one should understand from that. The avatāra never advertises. Anyone who advertises himself that "I am incarnation," he should be at once rejected. He should be at once rejected.
Lord Caitanya says that incarnation of opulence... Śaktyāveśa avatāra means incarnation of opulence. We have analyzed the opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So śaktyāveśa avatāra... An incarnation who represents a particular opulence of the Supreme Lord, he is called śaktyāveśa avatāra. So Lord Caitanya says that there are innumerable incarnations like that, of whom only the principal, I mean to say, principal incarnations, they are mentioned herein.
Now, so far our experience is concerned, Lord Caitanya says there are innumerable. So how we can accept a avatāra, a śaktyāveśa avatāra, whose names are not mentioned herein? Then we have to... As in the beginning, Lord Caitanya says that by the symptoms we can understand that He is śaktyāveśa. By the symptoms and activities and influence. So what is that symptom? Symptom is that eternal and temporary. So avatāra, incarnation, comes to glorify the eternal existence of the Supreme Lord. So any avatāra, any incarnation, he comes to glorify that "There is spiritual kingdom, there is God, and I have come to reclaim you to back to Godhead, back to home." This is the symptom. So therefore, by that symptom, we accept Lord Jesus Christ as śaktyāveśa avatāra, or Hazrat Muhammad, he's also. Because these two religious leaders of the world, they preached about the glorification of the Supreme Lord. And they sacrificed everything for preaching the glories of the Lord. Therefore... And their influence and their followers, there are... These are the symptoms by which we can understand that Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad was, were śaktyāveśa avatāras.
Nitya means eternal. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, appearance and dis..., disappearance, is continuous and eternal. There is no stoppage. Lord Caitanya says, bujhite nā pāre līlā kemane 'nitya' haya. Ordinary persons, common men, cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance, can be eternal. Generally, we think that Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years before; now He's no longer. So either He's dead or gone. Just like ordinary man takes his birth and stay here for some time and then he goes away—no more, no trace of that particular man's activities. He's lost in the whirlpool of this material ocean.
So Lord Caitanya says, "Just like the time calculation of the sun is always present in the orbit of this earthly planet, similarly, in the orbit of Kṛṣṇa-līlā, everything is happening in some universe." That is called nitya-līlā. Because it is happening eternally and continually, in either of innumerable planets, which we cannot calculate, therefore His pastimes, appearance and disappearance are all eternal. We are not worshiper of a dead thing. Just like if a foolish person says at night, "Oh, sun is finished." How? "I cannot see. Because I don't see in the sky, it is finished." Similarly, the foolish person thinks, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is..., I cannot see; therefore He's finished."
It is such a nice place. Here Lord Caitanya says that goloka, gokula-dhāma-'vibhu' kṛṣṇa-sama. Just like Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, similarly, His place is also unlimited. It is not limited by the material laws. Similarly, His name is unlimited. When you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name, the holy name, has got unlimited potency. Simply you have to realize it. Even God is present before us, we cannot realize it. When Kṛṣṇa was present before us on this earth, not that all people of the world or all people of India could recognize. Only few people—the Pāṇḍavas and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, inhabitants of Dvārakā, some of them could understand. So it requires training only. Otherwise, the unlimited God can be seen even within this limited sphere of material existence.
So far the forms of Kṛṣṇa are concerned, they're also unlimited. Śākhā-candra-nyāye kari dig-daraśana. So śākhā-candra-nyāye. There is a logic, śākhā-candra logic. What is that? That the sun, uh, moon, at night, is far, far away, but one is pointing out that we can see the moon through the branches of the tree. So there is a location. So through that location one can see the moon. Similarly, although kṛṣṇa-līlā and Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's forms, no human being can describe, still, as far as possible, Lord Caitanya says, this śākhā-candra logic: just like the branch of a tree is far away from the moon, still, one can see it by perspective view through the branches of the tree.
Now Lord Caitanya describes about the kingdom of God, or the spiritual sky. He says... He has already explained to you about different kinds of expansions: prābhava, vaibhava, vilāsa, prakāśa. You may remember it. So there are innumerable expansions. Eko bahu śyāma: "The one Supreme Lord has become so many." The same example: the original candle, and from that candle, you can expand millions and millions candles. Similarly, the original Personality of Godhead is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and He has expanded in so many ways. Now, Lord Caitanya says, all the expanded plenary manifestation of Kṛṣṇa has got a separate abode. Each and every one of them has got a separate abode. Sarva rūpera dhāma-paravyoma-dhāme. And where they are? That is in the paravyoma.
The Lord says, "So what these ordinary living entities with teeny brain, they can calculate about Lord's opulence?" These are opulences of the Supreme Lord. He says, brahmā śiva. Brahmā. Brahmā is considered to be the highest of the living entities, and Śiva, Lord Śiva, he is also considered very high-grade demigod. So Lord Caitanya says that even Brahmā and Śiva cannot calculate, and what to speak of these ordinary human beings. They cannot understand it. It is not possible. Ei-mata ṣaḍ-aiśvarya. Nobody can calculate the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa. We have discussed the six opulences: wealth, riches and strength and fame and knowledge and beauty and renunciation. Nobody can calculate.
Even Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, He does not know how unlimited is His potency. Lord Caitanya says that. He also does not know.
Now Lord Caitanya says that the whole energy of Kṛṣṇa is divided into two. The inferior energy is manifested. That is one-fourth energy. And the superior energy manifested in the spiritual world, that is three-fourths. Now, just try to understand one-fourth first; then you will understand three-fourths. Lord Caitanya says that tripāda-vibhūti kṛṣṇera-vākya-agocara: "It is very difficult to describe the three-fourth energy. Let us try to understand one-fourth energy first of all." Eka-pāda vibhūtira śunaha vistāra. And what is that one-fourth energy?
- ananta brahmāṇḍera yata brahmā-rudra-gaṇa
- cira-loka-pāla-śabde tāhāra gaṇana
There are innumerable universes, and each universe contains one Brahmā, one Śiva, one sun, one moon, one Indra, like that, officers just like. So there are innumerable universes, so innumerable Brahmā, innumerable Rudra, innumerable suns, innumerable moons, everything innumerable. But each brahmāṇḍa contains one each. So how it happens? It is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Lord Caitanya is reciting that story.
Now, Lord Caitanya says that Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, advaya-jñāna-tattva, who is Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, svayaṁ bhagavān, the Supreme Personality... The Absolute Truth in the ultimate is a person. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will see in the Eleventh Chapter that Kṛṣṇa was requested by Arjuna to show His universal form, because for ordinary persons, that universal form is..., the gigantic universal form is supposed to be... That is God. But they do not know. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). They do not know that this universal form is only an offshoot of Kṛṣṇa.
So you are spark, spiritual spark. You are simply changing dress. That is your conditioned stage. So Lord Caitanya says, advaya-jñāna-tattva kṛṣṇa-svayaṁ bhagavān. Svayaṁ bhagavān, the Absolute Truth... 'Svarūpa śakti' rūpe tāṅra haya avasthāna: "He is situated in His internal potency."
So here Lord Caitanya says that kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. For self-realization, if you want to realize yourself or if you want to get out of these material clutches, then the main function is to become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be engaged in the service of the Lord directly. And bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, they're also admitted, but they are dependent on this process. That means if by karma-yoga, when you acquire knowledge, then that is another step forward.
So Lord Caitanya says that "Simply by thinking that 'I am not this matter; I am spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am Brahman,' that will not help you to get liberation." The real fact is that the individual living entities, they are part and parcel of the Supreme, but somehow or other, they wanted separation from the Supreme and wanted to lord it over the material nature. Therefore they are entangled. That is the real fact. And as such, we find from the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord asked that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender." So therefore, unless there is surrender of the individual soul to the Supreme, there is no question of liberation. There is no question of liberation. You can cultivate knowledge that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," but that will not help for your liberation. Because real thing is that you have or we have rebelled against the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. That is the attitude, everywhere we can see actually. Everyone is: "Oh, what is God? What is God?" especially in this age. So this impersonalism is another type of atheism, and this impersonal theory of the Absolute Truth has converted practically the major portion of the world into atheism. So therefore Lord Caitanya says that simply by cultivation of knowledge that "I am not this matter. I am not this matter. I am spirit soul," that will not help.
Therefore Lord Caitanya says that suppose an intelligent brāhmaṇa, he's very learned scholar and great philosopher, big thinker... Everything is all right. But he has no relationship in the matter of rendering service to the Supreme Lord. That is minus. That means learned scholar minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Similarly, a learned politician, able administrator, minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Similarly, a successful businessman minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Or the śūdras... Anyone, if he is minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result is that svakarma karite se raurave paḍi' maje: "By doing, by executing his specific duty, he's going to hell." Hell. It is fact. He's thinking that "I am doing my duty," but he's going to hell. So this is a version of Lord Caitanya Maha... He, even if he does his duty very nicely, still, he's going to hell. Raurave paḍi' maje. Raurave means hell.
Now, there are many speculators. After some philosophical speculation, they think, "Now I have realized that 'I am the same. I am same God. I am God.' " So this process is called jñāna system. So Lord Caitanya says that these jñānīs, they artificially think that "Now I have realized myself," but actually that is not self-realization. Self-realization is when you actually engage yourself in the service of the Lord. That is your self-realization. Because you are part and parcel, your duty is to serve the whole. If you think yourself, "I am whole," that is wrong conception. That is wrong conception. You are not whole. How you can be whole? So there are so many examples that think ourself that "I am the Supreme. I am the whole." Just the other day I was speaking to you: it is the last snare. We are not whole. We are part and parcel. Just..., just the hand in healthy condition, as part and parcel of the body, is very nice. When the hand is working in his position, that position is very nice. But when it is not working—it is in diseased condition—do you think it is very nice? No. Paralyzed hand, simply in the name it is hand, but it has no function. So that sort of understanding, without actually reinstated in the healthy state of our spiritual life, simply thinking that "I am now spiritually realized; I am the Supreme," this is not pure. So Lord Caitanya says, vastutaḥ buddhi 'śuddha' nahe: "That sort of conception is not purified intelligence. That is still contaminated intelligence."
So, yei grantha-kartā cāhe sva-mata... If anyone wants to establish his own foolish theory, he takes advantage of popular book and tries to explain in his own way. So in other words it is clear that Śaṅkarācārya, he wanted to establish this theory of monism, and therefore he has explained Vedānta-sūtra in his own way, but that is not the actual explanation. What Lord Caitanya said, that is real explanation. All of them admitted. And this Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he also admitted. Bhagavattā mānile advaita nā yāya sthāpana. Now, they wanted to establish the theory of monism, no difference between living entity and God, one; there is no separate God. Then, if admit, if it is admitted that God is the source of everything, then you have to accept duality. Because the source of everything and the everything emanated—duality.
Festival Lectures
So Lord Caitanya said the same thing. Lord Kṛṣṇa said... As the Supreme Lord, He commended—He has got the commanding power because He is the Supreme God—that "You surrender unto Me." Just like some superior, the teacher or father or king, says "You must do it." But there is force. A state says "You must do it," but if you do not do it, then there is force. Just like this draft board. They are demanding that "You must join. If you don't join, there will be force, and you will be forcibly joined after that." So here, in the Kṛṣṇa's order, because He is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, there is no force. That voluntary. He says that "This is life. You surrender unto Me."
So any rituals, religious rituals... Now, according to Kṛṣṇa... How practical He is. He said that "No religious ritual should be performed without practical effect, without practical effect." People have become atheist because in the modern age there are so many rituals in all religions, not only Hindu religion, but Christian religion. But, they say, simply formality; there is no effect. There is no effect. Such sort of rituals, religious ceremony, is not recommended by Kṛṣṇa. You must actually the effect. Just like in Purāṇas there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and Kazi, Chand Kazi. Chand Kazi was a Muhammadan magistrate, and Lord Caitanya, when He started this saṅkīrtana movement, there was many complaints. Just like we are receiving daily reports that our saṅkīrtana movement is disturbing some tenants here. Similarly, when Lord Caitanya, He started His, this saṅkīrtana, some of the brāhmaṇas... Because Lord Caitanya said that "This is the only religion.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So I am very happy to see you again after eight months, or nine months. Ānandambudhi vardhanam. This movement is not hackneyed. Increasing the ocean of happiness. You have no experience of the ocean increasing. If the ocean increases, then the whole planet will be again overflooded. But this is an ocean of happiness. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Lord Caitanya says, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Ambudhi. Ambudhi means ocean and ānanda means bliss. If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, as soon as our heart is cleansed... That is the first benediction of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that our heart becomes cleansed. If your heart is not cleansed, how we are participating together? Somebody is Indian, somebody is American, somebody is Canadian, somebody is African.
Initiation Lectures
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and this is liberation, and this is mukti. If you simply stick to this principle, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80), that "I am nothing except the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you are in the liberated platform. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. You keep yourself. And for keeping yourself in that consciousness, the simple method is this chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa. You keep yourself chanting as many hours, twenty-four hours. Why as many hours? Twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Lord Caitanya says, "This is to be practiced twenty-four hours." And that you can do. It requires simply practice. Even in sleeping you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Even in sleeping. And there is no bar. In sleeping, in eating, in going to the toilet room, there is no restriction. You can go on, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see.
Student: The first mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that's for, you say, that's to clean the mind of the material contam...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the basic, that is the first principle. Lord Caitanya says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) "By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one becomes cleansed of the dirty things, material contamination."
Just like Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender unto Me." He's saying. Not that by force making him surrender. That kind of surrender will not stand. We should not canvass. Let him become attracted by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and he personally asks for harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, bhakativinoda prabhu-caraṇe paḍiyā. As soon as Lord Caitanya says that "I have brought this medicine for killing māyā." Hari-nāma mahā-mantra loilo. "Everyone can take from Me this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." So bhakativinoda prabhu-caraṇe paḍiyā. The Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura immediately fell down on the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and begged, "Please give me." So this, this should, the chance should be given like that. One should beg. Not that canvassing. No. That is not required.
Wedding Ceremonies
It doesn't matter whether a man is a śūdra or a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī or a householder. It doesn't matter. If he actually knows the science of God, Kṛṣṇa-tattva... Kṛṣṇa means God, the Supreme Lord, and tattva means scientific knowledge. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. And another place Lord Caitanya says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra sarva deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). To become a spiritual master, one may think it is very difficult job. Yes, it is very difficult job, but it is also very simple thing. Very difficult job in this way: If one cannot assimilate the Vedic knowledge, veda-vāda-paraḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ, if they become simply Vedic student only, without assimilating, then it is very difficult. But if one can understand what is the idea of Vedic principle, then it is very easy. So what is the idea of Vedic principle? The Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By different scriptures, Vedic literature, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata... There are so many allied scriptures.
So this merciful benediction was given by Lord Kṛṣṇa, er, by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). He is Kṛṣṇa. Categorically, He is Kṛṣṇa, or chanting Kṛṣṇa. But by complexion He is akṛṣṇa. Tviṣākṛṣṇam. So He gave us this greatest benediction, that you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and you get all knowledge. The greatest impediment of acquiring knowledge is congestion of our heart with dirty things. And Lord Caitanya says that if you chant without any offense very nicely, then your heart becomes cleansed of all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). And then you are liberated. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati (BG 18.54). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on Lord Caitanya's teachings and teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā.
General Lectures
Lord Caitanya says that in this age, when our life is very short, we are not very much enlightened in spiritual matters and we are very lazy at the same time, and at the same time we are unfortunate, so under these conditions the people are recommended simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Now this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, you may say that "This 'Kṛṣṇa' is Indian name or Hindu name.
So anyone can take it by heart, these three words, and chant it. It is universal. And if you think that "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is the name of Hindu god," if you have got any objection, then you may not chant Kṛṣṇa, but you must have a name for God. Just like somebody, the Muhammadans, call Allah, the Jews call Jehovah, or somebody calls something. That doesn't matter. If you think that "Why shall I chant the Indian name Kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit name Kṛṣṇa?" so Lord Caitanya says that there are millions and billions of names of God. If you think that this Kṛṣṇa name is not very suitable, you can accept any name. That doesn't matter. Our proposition is you chant God's name. That is our proposal. Therefore it is universal. If you like, you can chant Jehovah or you can chant Allah, but we request you that you chant God's name. Is it very difficult? It is not at all difficult. Lord Caitanya said that there are innumerable names of God according to different languages, different countries, different societies.
So still, in spite of our present leaders' policy to completely eradicate all religious ideas... They have made secular state. But people are so born that naturally they are inclined to take part in spiritual movement. That is the nature. Therefore Lord Caitanya said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). To take one's birth in the land of India, to take one's birth as human being, is great opportunity undoubtedly. But still more great opportunity is there who has taken his birth in India. We are... We must be proud, provided we do not forget our own Vedic culture.
Just like Kṛṣṇa is spiritual master, and Lord Caitanya is spiritual master. We are talking about Lord Caitanya's teaching to Sanātana Gosvāmī. That means Lord Caitanya is the spiritual master. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā we find Arjuna is taught by Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā. So there is no difficulty to understand who is spiritual master. Is there any difficulty? Because we see that Lord Caitanya is teaching Sanātana Gosvāmī and Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna. So both Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa are spiritual master. Is there any difficulty to understand? So anyone who represents Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa, he is spiritual master. That's all. Anyone who speaks exactly what Lord Caitanya said, exactly what Kṛṣṇa said, then he is spiritual master.
So kindly accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. At the same time, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Lord Caitanya says that the Lord's name... Lord's name is not, I mean to say, limited with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the perfect name. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. And Rāma means the supreme pleasure. So if God is not all-attractive and supreme pleasure, then what is the meaning of God? God must be. He must be the supreme pleasure. Otherwise how you can be satisfied with Him? Your heart is hankering after so many, so many pleasures. If God cannot satisfy you with all the pleasures, Rāma, then how He can be God? Therefore these two names, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, and all-attractive. If Kṛṣṇa cannot be attractive to any person, then how He can be God? He is attractive actually. So these three names... We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So if you think, "Oh, this is Indian name. This is Hindu name. Why shall we chant? Why shall I chant the Hindu name...?" There are some sectarian people, they may think like that. But Lord Caitanya says, "It doesn't matter.
So this perfectional stage can be achieved when you are in the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, Brahman realization stage. So Lord Caitanya said that if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the first installment of your gain will be that your heart, which is contaminated now with so many materialistic dust, it will be cleansed. And next stage will be bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. That means you'll realize yourself that "I am not this matter, I am soul. And my relationship with God is this. God is like this." And gradually, you will develop your love for God. You have got that love. Dormant love is there, but because we do not know what is God, because we do not see the beauty of God, because we do not know the mercy of God, therefore our love has been forced or placed in the dog. Instead of God, we have placed our love on dog. So we have to simply change. Our love is distributed in the matter in so many ways. That will not make me happy because I am not matter. I am a spirit soul. I have to transfer my love towards the Supreme Spirit, God, then I'll be happy.
"If you know any other name of God, you can chant also, because there is no difference between the different names of God. And each name, holy name, is invested with all powers of God." Lord Caitanya says that each and every name, holy name of God, is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. Therefore all the powers, all the energies that God has, it is also there in His holy name. In the absolute platform there is no such difference, as in this relative world there is difference between the name and the person whose name we are chanting. As such, there is no difference between the holy name of God and God. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for this chanting.
Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). The thing which is achieved after many, many births of intellectual activities, Lord Caitanya says, "Now this is the point. You catch up this." Kṛṣṇa also says, "You catch up this. Why should you wait for many, many births?" If it is a fact that after many, many births of intellectual exercises you have come to the point of surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says the most confidential part of knowledge is that "You surrender immediately unto Me."
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: So here you see relative—I am controller and controlled. So when I approach the person who is simply controller, not controlled, that is God. How can you deny this definition of God? Simply (indistinct). Here by our experience we see, everyone is rejecting the controller and controlled. But if you can find out the Supreme Person, who is controller but not controlled, then He is God. Find out. Now, if i say that it is beyond my capacity, so go to experienced man, Brahma. He has got duration life a million times greater than you, and he got knowledge. He said,
- īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
- anādir ādir govindaḥ
- sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
- (Bs. 5.1)
Sarva-kāraṇa. Kṛṣṇa also said, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcit asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior." (indistinct) Brahmā said, "He's God." Now Śrīdhara said, "He's God." My Guru Mahārāja said, "He's God," and Caitanya says, "He's God." Then where shall I go? (indistinct) God. (indistinct) rascal, God? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186).
Purports to Songs
Then he recommends, bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi. "My dear brother, just try to worship these two Lords, Caitanya and Nityānanda," sudṛḍha viśvāsa kori', "with faith and conviction." One should have faith in the words of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya says that "Go on chanting. Simply by chanting, one will get all perfection of life." So this is a fact. Unless we take to chanting, we cannot realize it, but those who are chanting, they are realizing that they're getting all desired perfection of life very quickly.
| Page Title: | Caitanya Says (Other lectures) |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, Mayapur |
| Created: | 04 of Jan, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=72, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 72 |