So before creation there was Kṛṣṇa. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, it does not mean Kṛṣṇa was alone. Kṛṣṇa means with His form, with His pastimes, with His paraphernalia, with His entourage, everything. When we speak of king, it does not mean king is alone. As soon as we speak of king, we must understand the king, king's kingdom, king's secretaries, king's ministers, king's queen, king's palace, so many things. Similarly, when the Vedas says that eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, "Before creation there was only Nārāyaṇa." So Nārāyaṇa with His paraphernalia, with His expansion... Nārāyaṇa has expansion in the spiritual world, vaikuṇṭha jagat, innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. You have seen the picture. Innumerable. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable.
Entourage (Lect. Conv. and Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāma means name. So Kṛṣṇa is not only name. Ādi, that is the beginning, but form, activities. Just like śravanaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). So śravanaṁ kīrtanam, glorifying or describing about Kṛṣṇa... So He has got His form. So nāma means name, and then, rūpa means form. Nāma, rūpa... Līlā means pastimes; guṇa means quality; entourage, his associates; all these... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved (CC Madhya 17.136). Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. By ordinary senses we cannot understand... Either Śrī Kṛṣṇa's name... We are hearing our, through the aural reception, Kṛṣṇa's name, but if we keep our ear without purification... Of course, by hearing, it will be purified. We have to help. Help means to avoid the offenses, ten kinds of offenses. So in this way we shall help the purificatory process. Just like if I want to ignite fire, so I must help the igniting process by drying the wood. It will very soon get fire. Similarly, simply chanting, that will help us also. It will take time. But if we avoid the offenses, then it will be very quickly purified. The action will be there.
The name, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, is as powerful as Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference with Kṛṣṇa and His name. Kṛṣṇa is Absolute. Therefore there is no distinction between Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is Kṛṣṇa. If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you should know that you are touching Kṛṣṇa by aural reception. If you see Kṛṣṇa the Deity, that means you are seeing personally Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He can accept your service, any way. Because He is everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). His energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Everything's Kṛṣṇa's energy. So if we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa's energy, with a little knowledge, we are directly in touch with Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. As you become constantly in touch with Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become purified. Purified.
And actually, if we are not getting some spiritual enlightenment by chanting Kṛṣṇa then do you think that we are simply wasting our time? No. We're not wasting our time. We're actually getting spiritual ecstasy because there is no difference. But you take similarly, the name of water or something else, what you want, that will not be fulfilled. This is the absolute and relative conception. In the absolute stage there is no difference, name, quality, form, pastime, entourage, everything the same. If you chant Kṛṣṇa's name it is as good as Kṛṣṇa. If you see Kṛṣṇa's form it is as good as Kṛṣṇa. If you think of Kṛṣṇa's activities it is as good as Kṛṣṇa. This realization is spiritual realization. Therefore a first-class devotee who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees everything Kṛṣṇa. Nothing different from Kṛṣṇa. Any other questions?
Govinda dasi: You said that after leaving this body, this body is gone, you'll part with Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go to a higher place?
They have cleansed. So I have said that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), that, and they are getting the result. And chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, nondifferent. (Sanskrit—indistinct) There is no difference. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, they are all the same. Anything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. That is absolute knowledge. So it has become easier for them because they are accepting as they are stated in the śāstra. If we neglect the śāstra-vidhi, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim sa va (BG 16.23). So the defect at the present moment: that we are manufacturing our own concoctions. This should be stopped. You take as it is stated in the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme," mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). We accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme.
Because God is absolute, there is no difference between His name and He Himself. Just like in this material calculation, if you want water, simply by chanting "water, water," you won't get water. The water substance is different from the name "water." But God being absolute, His name, His form, His quality, His entourage, they are all the same, as good as God. So if you associate with any one of them, either God personally or with His name or with His form or with His quality or with His paraphernalia, immediately you become in contact with God. This is the science. This is not fiction; this is science. Because if you accept God as absolute, there cannot be difference between God and His name and His form. So this is science. You'll realize as you make progress. You'll realize. Just like these boys, they're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they are realizing; otherwise I've not bribed them. They're mad after Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is not due to my bribing them. They're actually realizing that they are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. So anyone can do that.
The name, fame, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, everything, they are nondifferent. When we read Bhagavad-gītā, you must know when this writing is there, bhagavān uvāca, you must know Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is speaking just before you, immediately. Bhagavān uvāca. In this way you have to understand tattva. Jānāti tattvataḥ.
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
Tattva. Tattva means the Absolute is the same either by His name, by His form, by His pastimes, by His entourage—everything absolute same. Advaya-jñāna. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). There is no difference. This is tattva-jñāna.
So in this way if you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is the yoga, the first-class yoga. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gaten..., sa me yuktatamo mataḥ (BG 6.47). That is first class.
So here it is stated by Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. How we can become attached to Kṛṣṇa? You have to think over. Kṛṣṇa's different features, His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His entourage—so many things—you can simply think over. That is practical and actual meditation. If you study Vedic literature, you get so many information about Kṛṣṇa. And all these will be revealed to you. Svayam eva. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by our speculative knowledge. If we try to do that, then we can approach up to the impersonal Brahman feature of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti. That is not full Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Brahman realization means Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā: "The Brahman, the all-pervading Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is situated in Me." That's a fact.
That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Otherwise, by so-called mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If a person is very expert in exercising his senses, mental speculator, it is not that he will understand Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi means His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because name is the first. In our, this forgetful condition, our first business is to chant the holy name. Therefore nāmādi. To understand Kṛṣṇa we have to chant His holy name first, ādi. Then gradually, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage and everything will be revealed.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
"At that time, I appear." So this is... Kṛṣṇa has appeared in His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between this holy name Kṛṣṇa and the person Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. There is no difference between His name, between His form, between His quality, between His pastimes, between His abode, between His entourage. There is no such difference. Materially there is difference. I am Indian, I am person, and my place, India, is different. You are American. This is all designation of this body. So Kṛṣṇa says that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).
Now, this sṛjāmi, this word, is used in Sanskrit: "something manufactured." Something manufactured. Just like I make this spectacle case.
Prahlada Mahārāja said one who is engaged in these activities, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, hearing and chanting. Hearing means to hear about somebody else, his activities, his form, his quality, his entourage, so many things. If I want to hear about you, you must have some activities, just like history. We hear about history. What is the history? History means the record of activities of different persons in different ages. That is history. So as soon as there is the question, hearing, then the next question will be to hear what? Or what about? What is the subject matter? So that is said: Viṣṇu. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. The activities of Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is hearing. Not that hearing the news in the newspaper, not that sort of hearing. Brahma-jijñāsā. These things are statement in the Vedas. Inquiry about Brahman. Hearing about Brahman.
This word is used, adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means subdued. And Akṣa, akṣa means eyes or senses. Akṣaja. Ja means generated. So our senses are there—eyes, ears, hands, legs, nose, so many. Ten senses are there. So we are acquiring knowledge, generated. Knowledge is generated from the senses. But so long our senses are materially contaminated, we do not get real knowledge. We have to acquire knowledge through the senses, but unless our senses are purified, we do not have real knowledge. So we cannot appreciate or understand God, His form, His name, His quality, His pastime, His entourage, nothing of them we can understand by our these present material senses. That is not possible. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means cut (curbed) down. You cannot approach the Supreme by your these blunt material senses. That is not possible. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta akṣaja-jñānaṁ yatra. The adhokṣaja means... Jñāna means experimental knowledge.
It will not be appreciated. "Eh, why Kṛṣṇa God?" You will make so many protests. So... But actually, Kṛṣṇa is God.
So Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Not only Kṛṣṇa, to accept Kṛṣṇa as God, to hear about His name also. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name. So this name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi... Nāmādi means "beginning from name." Nāma ādi. Ādi means beginning. So we can understand Kṛṣṇa from the name. When name is perfectly chanted, then the form, the pastimes, the quality and all other things in relation to Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). But these blunt senses cannot appreciate what is Kṛṣṇa. Then how it will be appreciated? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When we engage our tongue... Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins from the tongue, not from the eyes. Some rascals want to see Kṛṣṇa.
If you actually remain with saṅkīrtana, that means you are with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He's called jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate. He's liberated even in this body. He's liberated. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. Absolute. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya... (CC Madhya 17.133). If you have understood that Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa are the same thing, that, you are always living with Kṛṣṇa, if you have understood this... Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Kṛṣṇa is not different. Kṛṣṇa's book, Kṛṣṇa's words, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's glory, Kṛṣṇa's entourage—everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa—that is Kṛṣṇa. But if you have got that perfect knowledge, then you are living with Kṛṣṇa, always. You are already in the Vaikuṇṭha.
I can render service with my hands, with my legs." No. The science of understanding God—the service begins with the tongue. Just see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, His name, His activities, nāmādi... Nāmādi means name, form, qualities, activities, pastimes, entourage, so many things, ādi. Therefore... Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but we cannot understand what is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand. Nāmādi. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriyaiḥ means the senses. There are so many people are hearing this sound vibration, but why they're not becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? Because there is no sevā, there is no service. Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). But how it will be perceived by the indriyas? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. By service. And wherefrom the service begins? It begins jihvādau, beginning with the tongue, beginning with the tongue. This is the service.
That's all right. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. (aside:) That's all right. Why you are bothering? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. In these blunt material senses you cannot understand what is this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It requires purification of the senses, when you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa's name, nāmādi, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality, what is Kṛṣṇa's entourage, what is Kṛṣṇa's pastime. You cannot understand. How you will be understanding? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you are engaged in the loving service of the Lord, beginning with your tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau, by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and taking prasādam, in this way, gradually, when you will be purified, you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa. He will reveal. Kṛṣṇa reveals. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). For others, He is covered with yogamāyā's curtain, but for the devotees, He is open.
They were not forbidden, but that was the system. But this Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He took pleasure in hearing about the gopīs. Just try to understand. So therefore gopīs' pastime with Kṛṣṇa, they are not material. They are spiritual. Otherwise, how Caitanya Mahāprabhu was attracted?
So Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, His name, quality, paraphernalia, entourage, everything is spiritual. That is accepted by great scholars like Śaṅkarācārya. He says: nārāyaṇa parā. "Nārāyaṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this material world." There are many examples. In your Bible also, those who are Christians, God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this world, this word is not vibration of this material world. In the material world, if I say, "Let there be some mango," so no. That is not possible. But in the spiritual vibration, that is possible. That is possible. So the study is that God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation.
If one has actually heard, known about God, then next stage will be he will be very much enthusiastic to speak to others. That is preaching. Śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyaḥ. Smartavya means remembering. Unless you remember what is God, what is His form, what is His quality, what is His pastimes, what are His activities, what are His entourage, everything about God, if you hear... Just like if you hear Bhagavad-gītā, you understand everything, what is God. And that is our only duty.
I have seen in this Delhi near Jawarmal Street the small Muhammadan boys, they are reading Koran. That is very good. From childhood they should learn, learn about God. And that is recommendation in Bhāgavata. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān (SB 7.6.1). Kaumāra, from the beginning of life, children should be engaged. Therefore we have opened the Gurukula, Dallas. The small children, four years, five years old, they are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, about God.
A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him.
Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door of perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has explained such contact in the following words. 'Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled, nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.' (BG 2.40) As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, similarly, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently.
Prabhupāda: God, God and God's word. They're identical. God's, God and God's form, God's quality. God's, I mean to say, entourage, everything is God. That is called absolute. As, when I speak, my speaking is different from me, so that is not the case with God. God's words, the vibration of God, that is also God. (break)
Jyotirmayī: ...name of God, can the name of God be pronounced, uttered?
Prabhupāda: Yes, why not.
Jyotirmayī: God was existing before we could utter, we could pronounce, so how can you...
Prabhupāda: So God, because existing, His name was also existing. Therefore, His name is not material name. Because God was existing, His name was existing. So God was existing before creation, therefore His name, His form, is not material.
The chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name is exactly, immediately associating with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi means name, then form, then quality, then entourage, so many things. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. So they're all absolute. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. Identical. So when we chant Kṛṣṇa's name it means that we are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. This is a fact. So as you, if you become nearer to, or touch fire, then you will get the resultant action. So if you chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that means immediately you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. And the result will begin immediately. That is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will cleanse your dirty heart, because that is the beginning of our suffering. Misunderstanding. So there are other references in the śāstra. Just like:
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇa
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is with you, but you do not know. But as soon as you try to chant and hear, hear Kṛṣṇa's name, then immediately the cleansing of your heart begins, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam.
So we were speaking this verse yesterday morning. So vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. That is to be understood—why Vedas are given so much importance. Here it is explained that Veda means directly Nārāyaṇa. Why? Because Nārāyaṇa is absolute, God is absolute; therefore the words of God are also God. You cannot make any differentiation. Sākṣāt, directly. So this is to be understood, that God—His form, His quality, His pastimes, His entourage—everything of God is God. Even sometimes... Why sometimes? Always, the devotee of God is also God. Just like we chanted this mantra, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ, that "In every scripture the spiritual master is identified as directly God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Viśvanātha Cakravartī said, not that any section śāstra, but all śāstra, all scriptures, they admit that the spiritual master is God directly. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is said. It is mentioned.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma me divyam. The rascals, they cannot understand what are the activities, pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. They think it is māyā. But they are divyam, transcendental, not of this material nature. Kṛṣṇa-līlā is not of material nature. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who knows factually, in truth, he only is immediately liberated. Just try to tally. Here it is said that Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, simply by chanting this holy name, if immediately you remember what is the nature of the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the nature of His pastimes, what is the nature of entourage, then you immediately become liberated. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Therefore chanting is so easy and sublime. One who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, if he is offenseless he'll always remember Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's entourage. The whole thing will be remembered and that will make him liberated. Offenseless chanting means liberated. We should therefore (be) very much careful not to commit offenses. Then we remain always... So long you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you remain liberated. And actually ayi mukta-kalir upaśyamāna. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said that the chanting is possible only by the liberated soul. Ayi mukta-kalir upaśyamāna. When he is addressing the holy name he says mukta-kalir upasya: "Those who are liberated, they can chant offenseless or pure holy name of the Lord." Ayi mukta-kalir upaśyamāna. And Parīkṣit Mahārāja also has stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... What is that verse? I immediately forget.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
"You chant and dance in the society of devotees." Nāca, gāo, bhakta-saṅge kara saṅkīrtana: "And Yourself enjoy this chanting and dancing, and at the same time," kṛṣṇa-nāma upadeśi' tāra' sarva-jana, "at the same time preach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy so that others may also be delivered. Don't be satisfied that You have attained the perfectional stage, so Your business is end. No. You have to distribute this sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the world so that others may take also advantage." Kṛṣṇa-nāma upadeśi. Upadeśi means "Instruct kṛṣṇa-nāma, about Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, Kṛṣṇa's glories, Kṛṣṇa's form." There are so many things about Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa science is Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, principally, and there are many other supplementary books of knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. So this is also another duty of this line, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
This is the process of offering respect to Lord Caitanya. What is that? Lord Caitanya is always presented with five transcendental entourage. He is Himself present, and His next expansion, Nityānanda, and His incarnation, Advaita, and His internal potency, Gadādhara, and His marginal potency, Śrī Śrīvāsa... So pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇam. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He is present in this age with His five associates. Pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam. But although He is Kṛṣṇa, He presents Himself as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam. Bhaktāvatāram bhaktākhyam. And incarnation of devotee, Advaita, and bhaktākhyam. These five associates are always with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. So to offer Kṛṣṇa Caitanya means to offer with His associates. Sa-ghoṣṭi. This is the process.
So we are going to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, so we must know what is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa he has described shortly, that He is personally like this, His incarnations are like this, and there are so many incarnations, and He is existing in this way, He manifests Himself in this material world in this way. As far as possible he has given description about Kṛṣṇa. Now, about Kṛṣṇa's abode... Kṛṣṇa means not only Kṛṣṇa. Nāma dhāma guṇa līlā parikara vaisiṣṭha. Kṛṣṇa means Kṛṣṇa Himself, His name, His place, nāma dhāma, His quality, then His entourage, then His pastime. All these things Kṛṣṇa means. Because we are not impersonalists, simply understanding Brahman we are satisfied... The impersonalists are satisfied simply understanding that He is Brahman. But the Vaiṣṇava, they are not satisfied simply by knowing Brahman. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ means he's already Brahman, but he forgot himself. He thought himself that "I am matter." That is illusion.
You will have practical exam... If you ask him what is the taste, he'll say bitter. Everyone knows that sugar candy is very sweet, but if you give to a patient suffering from jaundice, he'll say it is bitter. Similarly, the kṛṣṇa-kathā, the Lord's name, fame, quality, entourage, all these things are very sweet. To whom? Those who are liberated from this jaundice of materialism. For them it is very sweet. So as you feel sweetness of this Kṛṣṇa-kathā, you should know that you are becoming liberated from this material entanglement. The same thing: sugar candy is the only medicine for jaundice. Those who are suffering from jaundice, they are prescribed by physician to take sugar candy water in the morning. And by drinking that sugar candy water, gradually he feels the sweetness of sugar candy. That is the test that he is getting free from the disease. So similarly, Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or anything where the topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is discussed, if you feel it is interesting, that means you are getting out of the jaundice of this material disease.
Initiation Lectures
Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, somebody is taking pleasure in hearing the name of Kṛṣṇa. Somebody may say, "What is this nonsense? They are disturbing," because he has no knowledge of the name. But this name... Not any name. Nāmādi, beginning from name. First of all name, then quality, then form, then pastimes, then entourage. In this way God has everything. When we say "king," "king" means his kingdom, his palace, his secretary, his queen, so many, his government, go on expanding, so many things, simply by one word, "king." "King" does not mean simply one person. Similarly, when we say "God" or "Kṛṣṇa," immediately it is to be understood that He has so many things behind Him. So many... The whole world is behind Him. So how to understand? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. His name, His quality, His forms, His entourage, His expansion. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. These indriya, these senses, materially contaminated, cannot understand, cannot grasp what is the name of Kṛṣṇa, what is the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the quality of Kṛṣṇa. Then? "Why you are taking so much trouble?
General Lectures
The God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's paraphernalia, God's entourage, like that, and anything in relation to God cannot be realized with our present senses. But when we are in service attitude, then God is so merciful, He is so pleased, that our tiny efforts to realize Him attracts Him, and He becomes manifested gradually as we make our progress in spiritual service or devotional service.
So this method, chanting, chanting of the transcendental name of the Supreme Lord, is a part of devotional service. There are nine kinds of devotional services, of which
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
- sākhyam ātma-nivedanam
- (SB 7.5.23)
These are different, nine processes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇam means hearing, and kīrtanam means chanting, chanting. So by this process... Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. This is the factual activities of devotion in devotional society. This bodhayantaḥ parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I hear. So by this process, the transcendental name, the sound incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting and hearing that will be realized.
So we were discussing janma-karma. Janma-karma-guṇānāṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, everything. Kṛṣṇa's abode, everything, they are one Absolute Truth. So any of these items you chant, it is as good as chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference. As in the material world there is difference between the object and the name or other paraphernalia, in the spiritual world they are all the same. That we require to understand. Because we have no spiritual understanding at the present moment, we sometimes are misguided, thinking... Just like Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with the gopīs, some rascal people take it as ordinary dealings between young boys and girls. But it is all transcendental. It requires, I mean to say, service attitude to understand this. The whole thing, the basic principle of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness is surrender.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: When one is completely merged in the ocean of love of Godhead, he will relish in any condition of life Kṛṣṇa, present. Kṛṣṇa present means, Kṛṣṇa present, His name present, His form present, His līlā present, His paraphernalia present. Everything. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. We are not impersonalist. As soon as we say, "Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa means with His name, fame, opulence, entourage, pastime, etc. So Back to Godhead generally deals in two stages of understanding, the, to awaken the relationship and to train them. Although our aim is... That is our aim, to come to the highest platform of loving exchange, but generally, we are dealing with the mass of people. Therefore our propaganda should be how to, by reasoning, by philosophy, by science, by argument, how to convince him that he is in illusory stage. These politicians, these scientists, these philosophers, they have no advanced knowledge except the human being. That's all.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. I'm also answering this point. Just like Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His pastimes, His entourage, they are all the same. Otherwise, what is the benefit of chanting Kṛṣṇa's name? Suppose I am thirsty just now. If I simply chant the name of water, "water," I'll not be satisfied. Water is required, actual substance.
Prabhupāda: We are chanting always the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. These have got special significance because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. There is no difference between Him and His name. Here, just like this milk substance and the milk name is different. If I want to take milk, simply if I go on chanting "milk" and "milk," that will not satisfy. I must have the substance milk. But in the spiritual world the Absolute has no differentiation between His name, ...between His name, between His quality, form, entourage. They are the same. So this chanting of holy name means that directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Directly associating with Kṛṣṇa.
Ambassador: It's a constant reminder to yourselves of the...
Prabhupāda: ...of my relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So the Brahman realization is like that. Every living entity, he wants ānanda. Ānanda means just like we are walking together, talking together. This is ānanda. If I would have walked alone, it would have been no ānanda. I do not like. Nobody likes. So ānanda means there must be entourage. Therefore ānanda is with Kṛṣṇa. When we play with Kṛṣṇa, we dance with Kṛṣṇa, talk with Kṛṣṇa, serve Kṛṣṇa, take care of Kṛṣṇa, then there is ānanda. And simply to become one with the Brahman, then you will have to fall down again. Therefore jñāna-kāṇḍa is not perfect. And karma-kāṇḍa is, you can migrate from one body to another or one planet to another. You'll be brahmāṇḍa bhramite. You have to wander. And jñāna-kāṇḍa means you merge. That is also intolerable. Therefore unless you come to bhakti-kāṇḍa, there is no question of real life and bliss. That is the conclusion.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have quite a big entourage now.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Scientist...
Prabhupāda: But our most auspicious sign is this, "Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is bona fide religion."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is preceding your arrival in Bombay.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's announcing your coming, practically. Very prominent.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, I found Bombay very good scope.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Organize Bombay as the center of...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Especially when our that big hall is finished, we can hold several lectures...
Prabhupāda: Daily. At least weekly twice. Sunday, Monday, we shall hold lectures and call all scholarly people to understand. Make it nicely.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's ten of us. Bhavānanda Mahārāja, Śatadhanya Mahārāja, Upendra, myself, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Jayādvaita, Yadubara, Adri-dhāraṇa, Bhakti-caru, and one kavirāja. It is a proper entourage for a king.
Prabhupāda: I am prepared also. How many hours it will take altogether?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By plane?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It will take three hours to the Delhi airport. Then it will take..., say, three hours, then one hour before take-off is four hours. Two hours on the flight is six hours, and three hours to Māyāpura, total...
Bhavānanda: No. Four hours to Māyāpura, 'cause we'll go slow.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyway, within ten hours from this bed to your bed in Māyāpura.
Prabhupāda: Ten hours?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maximum.
Prabhupāda: How ten hours?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Three hours from here to the Delhi airport. One hour at the Delhi airport makes four hours.
Prabhupāda: You are going to Delhi airport in three hours. Then?
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
I am so much pleased to receive your letter of 8/16/67, and it has given me much encouragement for your being advanced in K.C. Sincere souls who are engaged in the service of Lord Krishna are benedicted by the Lord by revelation. Sri Krishna, His Name, Form, Entourage, Paraphernalia and Pastimes are not material; they are purely spiritual. Therefore, in the beginning they are not appreciated by our materially conditioned senses, but as we go on chanting Hare Krishna with service mood and attitude, the Name, Qualities, etc., become revealed as Reality. For the Unbeliever Krishna and His Name etc are fictitious, but those who are advanced in K.C. realize that K.C. is pure and eternal.
I am very glad that you are gradually realizing these truths. I very much appreciate your attempt for a photo book of the Sankirtana movement.
1968 Correspondence
So the more you become in service attitude for Krishna, Krishna will reveal Himself to you. Krishna is within you and He is awaiting your surrender and service, and as soon as He sees that you are seriously in serving mood, you will understand everything about Krishna—His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His entourage, and His abode. I am very glad to know that you are gradually stepping upwards by your service attitude and I would request you to prolong this attitude eternally, and Krishna will reveal Himself unto you continually. In other words, Krishna is unlimited, but the more we advance in service attitude, we appreciate Him in newer and newer features. There is a verse spoken by Yamuna Acarya. He says, since I have begun to realize the newer and newer features of Krishna, I have forgotten more and more about material enjoyment. And the summit of material enjoyment is sex. And Yamuna Acarya says that whenever I think of sex, I spit on it. This is the state of Krishna Consciousness.
From their behavior it may be known that the people at that time or at least the place where Lord Jesus Christ preached, they are not very much advanced, otherwise they would not have dared to crucify such a nice saintly person. So preaching work is always like that. But one who is real preacher, he shall be undeterred, and go on keeping his objective to the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
Regarding your question: The spirit soul of Krishna's entourage, all the associates of Krishna or anyone situated in Vaikuntha the spiritual sky, never mind, either in Vaikunthas or in Krishna Loka, they have no separate body. Just like Krishna has no differentiation between body and soul, similarly, those who are transferred or living eternally in the spiritual sky, they haven't got also such distinction, between spirit and body. The body is also spiritual and the soul is also spiritual.
1969 Correspondence
Regarding serving your godbrothers, this is a very good practice. The Spiritual Master is never without His followers, so to serve the Spiritual Master also means to be the servant of His disciples. When you want to serve the king, you must also serve his minister, secretary, and everyone who serves him. And to serve his servants may please him more than to serve the king personally. So the Spiritual Master is not alone. He is always with His entourage. We are not impersonalists. We take care of every part of the whole, as much as one should take care of his hat as well as his shoes. Both are equally important for the upkeep of the body. I hope that you will understand this rightly.
1970 Correspondence
I am very glad to learn that Nectar of Devotion is now completed. You have inquired about the quality number 63 of Krishna that He is surrounded by loving devotees can be explained as follows: When we speak of Krishna, Krishna is not alone. Krishna means His name, His qualities, His fame, His friends, His paraphernalia, His entourage—everything included. Just like when we speak of a king, it is to be understood that he is surrounded by ministers, secretaries, military commanders and many other people. Krishna is not impersonal, so in His Vrindaban Lila especially, He is always surrounded by the Gopis, cowherd boys, His father, His mother and all the inhabitants of Vrindaban.
So I am very glad that you are gradually coming to that stage; continue it carefully. Try to realize it yourself and teach the method to all your younger brothers and sisters.
Krsna Consciousness means full cooperation with Krsna, and Krsna means with all His entourage. We should always remember this. Just like when we speak of a tree, it includes the root, the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the flowers—everything. Therefore to love Krsna means to love Him along with all His Name, His fame, His qualities, His entourage, His abode, His devotees, etc.
Now I have sent you one copy of all celebrations in the current year of Caitanya Era 484. I hope you have received it through Syamasundara. by this time. It will be published in calendar form, but I have sent you one copy in advance.
When the sun is visible it is called prakata, and when the sun is not visible that is called aprakata or unmanifested. Nonmanifested therefore does not mean there is no existence, but the terms are used in relation to the visibility or nonvisibility to the limited conditioned souls.
Krsna by His causeless mercy manifests Himself along with His form, name, qualities, entourage, and pastimes in order to attract the conditioned souls to the eternal blissful life of knowledge. Thus by understanding Krsna in His manifest Lila one is attracted to His eternal Lila, and that is the highest success of life which is explained in the latter part of the verse
- yam prapya na nivartante
- tat dhama paramam mama
"Going, no one ever returns from that, My Supreme Abode."
Please offer my blessings to Sriman George and all the other Prabhus there. I am marking that George has the serving spirit, and that is making him advance gradually.
1971 Correspondence
| Page Title: | Entourage (Lect. Conv. and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 16 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=31, Con=7, Let=8 |
| No. of Quotes: | 46 |