Yes, the thing is we should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just like electrification. Touching electricity by one wire, another joining another, another wire, if the touch is there factual, then the electricity is everywhere. Similarly if our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is rightly connected, then there is no question of direct or indirect. Because absolute world there is no difference. As soon as it is touched with the direct connection... That is called disciplic succession. Because the connection is coming down one after another, so if we touch here, the spiritual master who is connected by the same way, then the electric connection is there. There is no question of direct or indirect. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Simply we have to see whether the connection is disconnected. If the connection is there, tight, then the electricity come without fail. So in our conditioned stage there will be so many doubts, so many implication. But the same thing as I gave you example, that don't be very much hasty to receive the result immediately. Simply we have to follow. We have to follow.
Disconnection
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
When civilization is disconnected from the loving relation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, symptoms like changes of seasonal regulations, foul means of livelihood, greed, anger and fraudulence become rampant. The change of seasonal regulations refers to one season's atmosphere becoming manifest in another season—for example the rainy season's being transferred to autumn, or the fructification of fruits and flowers from one season in another season. A godless man is invariably greedy, angry and fraudulent. Such a man can earn his livelihood by any means, black or white. During the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the above symptoms were conspicuous by their absence. But Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was astonished to experience even a slight change in the godly atmosphere of his kingdom, and at once he suspected the disappearance of the Lord.
There is nothing in the world with which the Lord is disconnected. The only thing we must learn is to excavate the source of connection and thus be linked with Him by offenseless service. We can be connected with Him by the transcendental sound representation of the Lord. The holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical, and one who chants the holy name of the Lord in an offenseless manner can at once realize that the Lord is present before him. Even by the vibration of radio sound, we can partially realize sound relativity, and by resounding the sound of transcendence we can verily feel the presence of the Lord. In this age, when everything is polluted by the contamination of Kali, it is instructed in the scriptures and preached by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that by chanting the holy name of the Lord, we can at once be free from contamination and gradually rise to the status of transcendence and go back to Godhead. The offenseless chanter of the holy name of the Lord is as auspicious as the Lord Himself, and the movement of pure devotees of the Lord all over the world can at once change the troublesome face of the world. Only by the propagation of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord can we be immune from all effects of the age of Kali.
SB Canto 2
This transcendental literature is especially prepared by Śrīla Vyāsadeva to give the utmost satisfaction to the people in general by narration of the activities of the Lord, as instructed by Śrī Nārada Muni to Śrīla Vyāsadeva. Such activities of the Lord are principally of two varieties. One concerns the mundane manifestation of the material creative force, and the other deals with His pastimes in the form of different incarnations in terms of the time and place. There are innumerable incarnations of the Lord, like the waves of the river flowing constantly in and out. Less intelligent persons take more interest in the creative forces of the Lord in the material world, and, being disconnected from their relationship with the Lord, they put forward many theories of the creation in the name of scientific research. The devotees of the Lord, however, know well how the creative forces work concurrently by the action and reaction of the material energy of the Lord. Therefore they take more interest in the transcendental activities of the Lord as He incarnates Himself on the surface of the material world.
SB Canto 4
When a devotee completely forgets his bodily existence, he should be understood to be liberated. He is no longer encaged in the body. The example is given that when a coconut becomes completely dry, the coconut pulp within the coconut shell separates from the bondage of the shell and the outer covering. By moving the dry coconut, one can hear that the pulp within is no longer attached to the shell or to the covering. Similarly, when one is fully absorbed in devotional service, he is completely disconnected from the two material coverings, the subtle and gross bodies. Dhruva Mahārāja actually attained this stage of life by constantly discharging devotional service. He has already been described as a mahā-bhāgavata, for unless one becomes a mahā-bhāgavata, or a first-class pure devotee, these symptoms are not visible.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
The Lord has made it convenient for the conditioned soul to live in Mathurā, Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa and thus be directly connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply by living in these places, one can immediately come in contact with the Lord. There are many devotees who vow never to leave Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. This is undoubtedly a good vow, but if one leaves Vṛndāvana, Mathurā or Navadvīpa-dhāma for the service of the Lord, he is not disconnected from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At any rate, we must understand the transcendental importance of Mathurā-Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa-dhāma. Anyone who executes devotional service in these places certainly goes back home, back to Godhead, after giving up his body.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Although posing as great scholars, ascetics, householders and svāmīs, the so-called followers of the Hindu religion are all useless, dried-up branches of the Vedic religion. They are impotent; they cannot do anything to spread the Vedic culture for the benefit of human society. The essence of the Vedic culture is the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Caitanya instructed:
- yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
- āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
- (CC Madhya 7.128)
One should simply instruct everyone he meets regarding the principles of kṛṣṇa-kathā, as expressed in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One who has no interest in kṛṣṇa-kathā or the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is like dry, useless wood with no living force. The ISKCON branch, being directly watered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is becoming undoubtedly successful, whereas the disconnected branches of the so-called Hindu religion that are envious of ISKCON are drying up and dying.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So India was so rich. But now how that India has become so poor? The same land is there. Why? Because they have lost that old culture, God consciousness. You see? And at least my calculation is that, that a state, a secular state... Secular state means he has no... Here in America you have got state religion. You have got state religion. But in India there is no state religion. Every country has state religion. Even Pakistan, it has divided. It is now a part of India. But they have also their state religion. But unfortunately India has no state religion. That means deliberately they are trying to disconnect with God relation, godly relation.
That is yoga system. To connect again with the Supreme. Because I am part and parcel. The same example. Somehow or other the finger is cut off and it is falling on the ground, it has no value. My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. But as soon as the finger is joined with this body, it has got millions and trillions of dollars value. Invaluable. Similarly we are now disconnected with God or Kṛṣṇa, by this material condition. Forget, not disconnected. Connection is there. God is supplying our all necessities just like a state prisoner is disconnected from the civil department. He has come to the criminal department. Actually not disconnected. The government is still take care. But legally disconnected. Similarly we are not disconnected. We cannot be disconnected, because there is no existence of anything without Kṛṣṇa. So how can I be disconnected? Disconnection is that by forgetting Kṛṣṇa, instead of engaging myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I am engaged in so many nonsense consciousness. That is disconnection. Instead of thinking myself that I am eternal servant of God or Kṛṣṇa, I am thinking I am servant of my society, I am servant of my country, I am servant of my husband, I am servant of my wife, I am servant of my dog or so many. This is forgetfulness.
Yogi's business does not mean simply have some gymnastic or bodily exercise and keep the body fit for sense enjoyment. That is not the purpose of yoga. Yoga means connecting. We are now, or we are now disconnected. Or it is not disconnected. We are now forgotten our intimate relationship with God. We cannot be disconnected. That is not possible. Because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, there cannot be disconnection. Just like father and son. The son may go out of home, forget his father and mother for many years, but the connection between the son and the father and the mother is never disconnected. That is not possible. As soon as the son comes home, although the son was absent for many, many years, the father receives him, the mother receives him with affection. And immediately the paternal relationship, affection, immediately established.
This is our position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," means God. You know, all. It is not very difficult for Indians. So because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be disconnection. Therefore it is a stage of forgetfulness. Instead of loving Kṛṣṇa, we have expanded our love for so many things. Somebody's loving his body. Somebody's loving his family. Somebody's loving his society, community, nation, or the human society. We are trying to... We must love. There is no escape. I must love somebody, because the propensity's there. So the original love is for Kṛṣṇa. But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore our love is distributed in so many ways. But we are frustrated. We, we are not happy. Neither the person whom we love or the country whom we love or the society which I love, they're also not happy. Because everything is misplaced. Everything is misplaced.
So our, this preaching of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for everyone. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ (BG 14.4). Sarva-yoniṣu. Not only He's for human being, but He's for every living entity, sarva-yoniṣu. There are 8,400,000 forms of life—trees, birds, beasts, aquatics, human beings. So many. They're all... Kṛṣṇa claims, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. "The material nature is the mother of all these forms, and I am the bīja, seed-giving father." So Kṛṣṇa is not only for Indians or for the Hindus or for the brāhmaṇas. Not like that. Or for the śūdras. No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. That is... Therefore because Kṛṣṇa is for everyone, therefore these Americans, the Europeans, Canadians, Africans, they're taking to Kṛṣṇa. The same thing, as I begun, because our relationship is father and son, how it can be disconnected? One might have forgotten, but as soon as the forgetfulness is removed, immediately understands: "Oh, I am Kṛṣṇa's." That this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So this is called sanātana. It cannot be disconnected. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa came personally to distribute this knowledge.
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya (BG 4.8). Kṛṣṇa came to establish what is real religion. Not cheating religion. Cheating religion will not help us. Why I say "cheating religion"? Because it is said in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitava means cheating. You cannot make people happy by presenting some cheating religion. That is the injunction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Real religion. What is the real, real religion? Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the codes given by God. That is dharma. You cannot make this dharma, that dharma. Dharma is one. God is one. And you have to follow that one principle, how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. So dharma is to approach Kṛṣṇa, and the process is bhakti. And Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God.
So, sattva-saṅga. So this mentality develops by this association. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-samvidaḥ. If you associate with Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, then the benefit will be that your dormant, I mean to say, relationship with Kṛṣṇa will be invoked. We have got, every one of us, we have got our eternal relationship with God. And the foolish people, they say that "I don't believe God." Just like an upstart son says, "I have no connection with father." How can you disconnect your father? Similarly, there is no question of disbelieving in God. It is simply foolishness, simply foolishness.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2), if you have got connection with the original powerhouse, then there is electricity. Otherwise it is simply wire. What is the value? Simply wiring will not help you. The connection must be there. And if you lose the connection, then it is of no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you have to keep yourself always connected with the original powerhouse. Then wherever you'll go, there will be light. There'll be light. If you're disconnected, there will be no light. The bulb is there; the wiring is there; the switch is there. Everything is there. That's how Arjuna is feeling, that "I am the same Arjuna. I am the same Arjuna who fought in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. I was known as so great a warrior, and my bow is the same bow and my arrow is the same arrow. But now it is useless. I could not defend myself because disconnected with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is no longer." Therefore he began to remember the words of Kṛṣṇa which was taught to him in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
Similarly, ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ. Asaṅgaḥ, no more connection with this material nature. But I have my connection with Kṛṣṇa. It may be little, very. I may be very minute, but that, I mean to say, connection is very valuable. I have given many times this example that a car running at a speed of 60 miles, and a cycle is running at the rate of 10 miles, but as soon as the cyclist catches the car, the cyclist also runs in the 60 miles. So similarly, instead of trying to satisfy our senses independently, if we join with Kṛṣṇa in His rāsa dance, as cowherd boys, gopīs, we join with Kṛṣṇa, then you get the same pleasure as Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't try to enjoy independently. Just like here, in this temple. Every one of us trying to enjoy life in connection with Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we are disconnected with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this kind of foodstuff or this kind of living, simple living, will not satisfy you. You'll be tossed by the waves of material nature.
So actually Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Being, original spirit soul. We are simply minute part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Exactly the same example: just like the fire and the small sparks. You can see. This fireworks is going on. The fire is there, and there are small sparks. So long the fire and the small sparks are together, they are illumination. Similarly, if we connect with Kṛṣṇa, then we are illuminated. As Kṛṣṇa is illuminated, we are also illuminated, although we are small. But if we fall down from Kṛṣṇa, the original fire, we become extinguished. Our spiritual power, our spiritual illumination, becomes extinguished. Therefore yoga system means again connecting the link. That is called yoga. Yoga, the Sanskrit word, means connect, and viyoga means disconnect.
There are many different types of yoga system, and all the yoga systems are discussed in the Bhagavad-gītā, haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, rāja-yoga, so many yoga systems. But the real yoga system, the first-class yoga system, is to revive your connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is first class. Here it is also said, yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsām. Ādhyātmika. We are living entities, soul. We are now... We are disconnected, but we have forgotten. Disconnection cannot be. That is not possible. But it is covered. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). There is yoga and there is a yogamāyā. Yogamāyā means forgetfulness. So Kapiladeva... Kapiladeva is Bhagavān. He is advising, Bhagavān, that "This is first-class yoga." Ādhyātmikaḥ. Ādhyātmikaḥ, about the soul.
So speculative knowledge cannot be perfect. Just like we are sitting here. If there is some sound on the roof... Now we are, say, one hundred persons sitting here. We can speculate that "This sound may be for this reason." That, all of them, may be imperfect, and if somebody says from the roof that "This sound was caused for this reason," that is perfect. That is perfect because he has got direct experience. That I was speaking in the evening, that you have to accept Bhagavad-gītā by this āmnāya-patha. Tattva āmnāyam. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that this bhagavad-bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gītā yoga... That is a yoga. Yoga means which connects, and viyoga means which disconnect. So we are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now we have to connect again our relationship. That is called yoga. That yoga is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and aṣṭāṅga-yoga, and at last bhakti-yoga.
There are different degrees of guṇa. The degrees are so mixed up. Therefore three guṇas is manifested into 8,400,000 different forms of life, mixture. You can calculate. We have several times calculated. Three multiplied by three equals nine. Nine multiplied by nine, eighty-one. So therefore there are so many varieties. So human civilization should be so arranged that never mind, it is so mixed up, you have to gradually draw him again to the sattva-guṇa. That is human civilization. Not that drag him again to the tamo-guṇa. Somebody, by pious activities, by good work, he's already in the sattva-guṇa, but the arrangement The social, political, economical arrangement is so bad that one is dragged to the tamo-guṇa. This is not civilization. This is degradation. Civilization means elevation. The aim is how to become disconnected with this material body. This is civilization. Otherwise that is not civilization. It is animal life. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).
There are different yogas. Yoga means how to connect with the Supreme. Yoga means connection, and viyoga means distraction. We know, anyone who knows mathematics, yoga. Yoga means addition, and subtraction, viyoga. So at the present moment, in our conditional stage, we are separated. Not exactly separated, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to connect it again. That is called yoga. Because we are now disconnected somehow or other, now we have to connect it again.
General Lectures
This is yoga system: bhakti-yoga. Yoga means to connect, to add, yoga. So at the present moment we are almost disconnected. Not exactly disconnected; forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. God means Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa means God. So in the human society there are many different types of yoga system just to reconnect our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā they are explained differently, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect or to link up with the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Any kind of distress we suffer, it is due to our impious activities in the past.
Bob: But when one is removed from karmic influence...
Prabhupāda: Yes?
Bob: ...does he still get sick?
Prabhupāda: No. Even if he gets sick, that is very temporary. Just like this fan is moving. If you disconnect with the electric power, then the fan will move for a moment. That movement is not due to the electric current. That is force. What is called physically, this...
Śyāmasundara: Momentum.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Śyāmasundara: Momentum.
Prabhupāda: Momentum. But as soon as he stops, no more movement. Similarly, a devotee who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, even he's found that he's suffering from material consequences, that is temporary. Therefore a devotee does not take any material miseries as misery. He takes as Kṛṣṇa's, God's, mercy.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yoga means connection. As soon as you study Kṛṣṇa in this way, you make your connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of yoga. Yoga means connection, the Sanskrit word yoga. And the opposite word is viyoga, disconnection. Yoga-viyoga. So yoga means, real yoga means, to connect your relationship, your identity, with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga.
Prabhupāda: So many inconveniences. (laughter) Vyasanad apy atra. Wherever you go, even though you found it is very convenient, very nice, you must know there is, there is inconvenience. Don't be so sure that it is full of nice things. No. That is not possible. Sarvatra vyasanad api. What is that?
Śrutakīrti: Fifteen minutes of water.
Prabhupāda: Oh... So you, you can get that connection disconnected now. Otherwise you're going...
Śrutakīrti: Yes. I could also connect over to here.
Prabhupāda: Yes. For the time being, you disconnect. Otherwise it will fall down.
Śrutakīrti: Yes.
Prabhupāda: With water. Then you create another inconvenience.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Madhudviṣa: There is a government house. Simply a monument now.
Prabhupāda: The governor lives there?
Madhudviṣa: Yes. They still let them fly the flag, the British flag.
Prabhupāda: British flag?
Madhudviṣa: They still let them fly the British flag on top of the house.
Prabhupāda: They have disconnected the British?
Madhudviṣa: Yes, but there is some traditional respect.
Prabhupāda: That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "Yes, you have responsibility so long you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious," not that a person who is not in the devotional service of the Lord, he can say, "I have no responsibility." He cannot say.
Bhagavān: Duty.
Prabhupāda: He cannot. He has all the duties. But one who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any reservation, he has no duty. He has no respons...
- devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇaṁ pitṛṇaṁ
- nayam ṛṇī na kiṅkaro rājan
- sarvātmanā ye śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
- gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kārtam
- (SB 11.5.41)
This is the statement. As soon as we take birth, we have got so many responsibilities. We are responsible to perform sacrifices for all the demigods. You are taking light from the sun. You have got responsibility. Otherwise how you are getting so much light? If you don't pay the electric bill, the next day it will be disconnected. And you are taking so much light from the sun. You have no responsibility? You have. "No, there is no responsibility. You are taking light, air, water. So many things you are taking, supplied by the different demigods. Deva, ṛṣi, ṛṣi, great... Just like Vyāsadeva or many other ṛṣis, they have given you knowledge, and you have no responsibility? You have responsibility.
Prabhupāda: .... yoga. Viyoga, viyoga means disconnected. Yoga and viyoga, the opposite is viyoga. So viyoga is material.
Dr. Patel: Separation.
Prabhupāda: Bhinnā me prakṛti aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Those who are connected with this material energy, they are apparently viyoga. So we have to attain for yoga. That means turn back again back to Godhead. That is yoga.
Dr. Patel: He quoted that thing from Kathopaniṣad.
Prabhupāda: Hm, what is that?
Dr. Patel: Yogo bhavateo. Yoga can be caught and can be lost. Yoga can be caught and can be lost. So that type of yoga. Not this bhakti-yoga.
Prabhupāda: No, this is lost, when you are in materially, that is lost. And when you are spiritually joined, that is gained. Yoga and viyoga. Tasmād yogī bhavārjuna, Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna to become yogi, bhakti-yogi.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: ...I ask, natural answer you gave, "Because it is disconnected with the mother." That is natural answer. Then how you can say the life has come from matter? Immediately you are captured. Can you say like that, that life has come without life? And they are making us believe like that.
Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
Regarding your third question—"Why are there apparent time-gaps in the line of disciplic succession as listed in the Bhagavad-gita? Is Arjuna an instructor Spiritual Master and not an initiator Spiritual Master and therefore not listed?" The time gap mentioned by you is inevitable, because the disciplic succession sometimes becomes disconnected, as we find from the Bhagavad-gita. This is the influence of material energy, and to link it up again, it takes some time. That some time may appear to our calculation a big gap, but in relation with the eternal time, it is not even as instant. So this big gap or small gap of time is relative. Just like our 24 hours and Brahma's 24 hours, there is much difference. Our 24 hours is not even a fraction of his second.
You have asked if it is true that the Spiritual Master remains in the material universe until all of His disciples are transferred to the Spiritual Sky. The answer is yes, this is the rule. Therefore, every student should be very much careful not to commit any offense which will be detrimental to this promotion to the Spiritual Kingdom, and thereby the Spiritual Master has to incarnate again to deliver him. This sort of mentality will be a kind of offense to the Spiritual Master. Out of the ten kinds of offenses, the number one offense is to disobey the orders of the Spiritual Master. The instructions given to the disciple by the Spiritual Master at the time of initiation should be strictly followed. That will make one advance to the spiritual path. But if one deliberately defies such instructions, then his advancement is hampered from the very beginning. This defying means to disconnect the relationship with the Spiritual Master. And anyone who defies and therefore disconnects the relationship with the Spiritual Master can hardly expect the assistance of the Spiritual Master life after life. I hope this will clear up this question sufficiently for you.
| Page Title: | Disconnection |
| Compiler: | Rati, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 09 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=5, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=16, Con=7, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 31 |