Here in this material world there is winter and the counterpart summer also. In the winter we aspire, "If it would have been warmer." That means you want summer. And again summer you'll require, you aspire had it been, I mean to say, cooler. You apply cooling machine. So this is our struggle. In the summer, we apply cooling machine, and in the winter, we apply heating machine. So undisturbed happiness, either in coolness or warmth, you cannot have. This is not possible. Therefore we have to become callous. But the materialist persons, they are disturbed. A little winter, little chilliness, immediately, "Bring electric heater, immediately." Or if there is too much hot, "Bring fan, bring cooler." So they are busy how to adjust these material disturbances. But they do not think that "Why these material disturbances are disturbing me? I do not want them." That question do not come... They simply struggle how to counteract it. Struggling like fool. But here is the solution. Here is the solution. The solution is that don't be disturbed with this cooling and heating machine. Be pleased in whatever condition Kṛṣṇa has placed you.
Fan (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "In the form of a human being, the living entity can perceive a little Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if he makes further development the fire of spiritual life can be kindled in the human form. By careful handling of the smoke in the fire, the fire can be made to blaze."
Prabhupāda: Yes. When the fire is covered by the smoke, if you little fan over it, then immediately there is blazing fire; immediately smoke is gone. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, in every living entity, especially human being, there is, even in the aborigines, those who are called uncivilized. They are also offering some respect to the seas, to the thunderbolt, to a big mountain. Something wonderful, they offer. They bow down. That means there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so, just like a fire covered with smoke. Now, if you fan it, if you just try to eradicate the smoke, the fire will come out.
So we should take advantage. We have got now this consciousness, God consciousness. Therefore in every human society there is some sort of religious propaganda: "Try to understand God." So we should take advantage of this. But instead of taking advantage of this opportunity, we have declared, "God is dead. I am God. This God, that God." You see? So we are not fanning. We are, rather, going more and more away from God. This should not be done. Go on.
So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "In that condition, one who has decided to stop all bad or immoral habits and just to make his progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even by chance, if he does something which is immoral in the face of the society, that should not be taken account of." Of course, that is by chance. And in the next verse, you'll find, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā: "Because he has dovetailed himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is sure that he will become a saintly, I mean to say, a pure saint very soon. Very soon."
The example is... Just like the electric fan is going on, and if you put off the switch, you'll see the fan is still going on. But that going on will stop because the switch is already off. Similarly, if one dovetails himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then automatically he'll become a saintly person, automatically. Because his switch is made off. Just like the fan, when the switch is made off, the current supply is stopped. Now... There was a force of running. You may see that it is running for few minutes. But it will stop. Similarly, anyone, it doesn't matter what he is, if he puts himself, dovetails himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he, all his material contamination will be washed off, washed off.
Just like the fan is rotating. You stop the switch, it will rotate. At least, for some time. Because the force is there. Similarly, even if we accept that these things should be stopped—no more eating, no more sleeping, no more sex, no more fearing, that should be... There must be determination. But it may go around because we are practiced to this. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness full, even due to our past habits, we are attached to all things, Kṛṣṇa says it doesn't matter. But you keep yourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tri-tāpa-yatana. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Three kinds of sufferings are always going on. Why you are running fan? Because suffering. There is heat. So where is no suffering? This is called adhidaivika, the scorching heat, scorching, I mean, severe cold. There must be always. We are suffering now due to scorching heat, and when the... We are thinking, "If it is become cooler..." And when it is cool, then also we suffering. Then we think, "If there is some heat." When there is winter, we are hankering after heat, and when there is summer, we are hankering after cooling.
Just like there are three kinds of miserable condition always. This boy is fanning me. Why? There is little miserable condition here. We are feeling too hot. So again, if you go outside, you may feel too cold. So either inside or outside, you are in miserable condition. This is called adhyātmika.
Rascals and fools, they are thinking that "We are independent." They are completely under the grip of the material nature. Every one of you know. We want to do something; we don't want excessive heat. Why there is excessive heat so that we have to manufacture this fan and air condition, so many things? This is simply struggle against the control of the material nature. This is a fact. And we have to accept this. You cannot deny it.
So, anyone can see God within his heart, if he adopts the process, bona fide process. Nārāyaṇa is within you. Therefore, great, great saintly persons, they are sitting in a lowly place, alone. But he is not alone. He is with Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa. He is seeing always there. So he is not alone. We are always accompanied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as paramātmā, antaryāmī, within the heart. That is the Vedic statement, that there are two birds sitting on the same tree. One bird is enjoying the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is simply witnessing. So the two birds, jīvātmā and paramātmā, are always associated. He is so kind, He is just looking forward, "When this jīvātmā, who is illusioned, bewildered, captivated by this material world, material enjoyment, when he will come back again to Me?" Just like father and the son, the son who has gone out of home. The father is always looking forward when the son would come back at home and enjoy. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father, He is always looking forwad when we shall go back to Him. Therefore, He comes personally, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. The general opportunity for human being is to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, and go back to Him again. We have come from Him, but we are attracted by this material enjoyment, which is not very pleasurable. It is suffering. Just like here, without this fan, it was uncomfortable, excessive heat. So, excessive heat, excessive cold, so many things, adhibautic, adhyatmic, adhidaivic. We are actually suffering always. This is the nature of this material world. Stringent laws of the material world. And still we are trying to become happy by some adjustment. This is called struggle for existence. In this way we cannot be happy.
So this material world is separated energy from Kṛṣṇa, but it is energy, His energy—His energy, acting under His direction. But this material energy is not independent. The material scientists, they are thinking that there is no God, matter is working by actions and reactions. But that is not the fact. Matter is dependent on the direction of the Supreme Lord. That will be stated in the Ninth Chapter: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "This prakṛti, this material energy, is acting under My superintendence." How material energy can act independently? That is not very good understanding. Suppose this electric fan is running on, but it is not running on independently. There is electric energy, there is powerhouse, there is the superintending engineer in the powerhouse. So at the end there is living force. Matter cannot work independently. We have no such experience. Anything you take, matter, material, it has no power to work independently. Behind that, there is spiritual existence.
Prabhupāda: Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam... Why not this fan?
Devotee: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). This verse we have been discussing last... (break)
So ādau śraddhā, how to increase. That is given direction by Rūpa Gosvāmī. This faith, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). If you have little faith don't try to demolish it. Try to increase it. Just like if there is little spark of fire, if you fan it, it increases. Increases. And you have several times... In this temple, when there is yajña performance we ignite fire. So we take a little small piece of wood and ignite it. Then gradually it becomes blazing fire. Similarly, this faith is just like little fire, and you have to fan it very nicely.
Just like because I have got this material body, I am feeling some heat. Therefore fan is required. Similarly, by this body in the winter season I shall stop the fan. So under different season my body feels differently pains and pleasure. But actually, if I am not this body, then I should tolerate all these pains and pleasures. This is called sama-duḥkha.
- mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
- śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
- āgamāpāyino 'nityās
- tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
- (BG 2.14)
We should not be disturbed by these material pains and pleasure. We have to execute our spiritual consciousness business. That is called sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ. And kṣamī. Kṣamī means kṣama, excuse.
So this knowledge required, that "Why I am forced?" Just like he is fanning me. Why? Because I am feeling unhappy due to warmth of this room. Then again, in winter season, I'll not like this fanning. This fanning will be uncomfortable. So a thing which is now comfortable, a few days after, it will be uncomfortable. So whether that thing is, particular thing, is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan may be comfortable at the present moment, but if there is cold, severe cold, it will be uncomfortable. So whether the fan is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan is neither comfortable or uncomfortable. It is the situation of my body that makes me comfortable and uncomfortable.
Therefore the first condition of acquiring knowledge is adambhitvam. Amānitvam adambhitvam. First of all to deny that "I am not matter. I am..." Then "If I am not matter, then I am God." Oh, then Kṛṣṇa says, "No. That is your false pride. You are not God." Adambhitvam. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Then nonviolence. As soon as one is a realized soul, he will be nonviolent. These are the different stages of acquiring knowledge. And when one is in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes qualified with all the good qualities, all the good godly qualities. The Bhāgavata says, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12) If one is actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all godly, good qualities will develop. Because we are part and parcel of God, the godly qualities are there. It is simply covered. Just like the fire is covered by ashes. If you fan out the ashes, then the fire comes out. Similarly, spirit soul is pure. So when he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes pure soul. Amānitvam adambhitvam. Amānitvaṁ sva-sat-kāraṇam apekṣatvam, adambhitvam dharmikatva-khyāti-phalaka-dharmācaraṇa-virahaḥ.
Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it possible for one person to be part demon and part devotee in the same person?
Prabhupāda: If he's a devotee, he's not demon at all, if he's devotee.
Devotee (2): But he may have some demoniac qualities?
Prabhupāda: Yes. That, if he is seriously devotee, that demonic qualities will disappear very soon. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30), kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Just like electric fan is moving, and you make the switch off. Still you will find, it is moving. But that movement will stop very soon because switch is off. Similarly, a devotee, if it is sometimes found that he is demonic, that demonic, if he is sincerely a devotee, that demonic qualities will go very soon.
- kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
- śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
- kaunteya pratijānīhi
- na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
- (BG 9.31)
So if one is strongly a devotee, then, gradually—it may take little time—all good qualities will be manifest in his body. So, any other question?
Why you are covering this body? The body is the cause of suffering and in contact with the atmosphere I feel cold. Therefore I have to cover. It is a means of mitigating the suffering. The position is suffering, but somehow or other we are trying to mitigate the suffering. Similarly, in summer season also, the suffering is there. At that time we don't want this covering; we want electric fan. So always there is suffering. Either in the summer season or winter season, suffering must be there. That we do not come to understand. This is due to our asuric svabhāva. So we do not question. In the summer season and the winter season... The summer season, we like something cool and in the winter season we want something which is warm. So two things are there. So sometimes the warmth is suffering; sometimes this cool is also suffering. So where is enjoyment? We simply hanker that "At this time, if there were warm..." But warm is also suffering. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't bother about the suffering." It will continue. You are thinking in summer season something as very pleasing. The same thing in winter season will not be pleasing. So they will come and go. Don't bother about this so-called suffering and enjoyment. Do your duty, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So everyone is trying to be liberated. So in the bodies lower than the human being, there is no question of liberation. There is no question. Out of the 8,400,000's of species of life, 8,000,000 and at least 300 species, aḥ, 3,000 species of life, there is no question of liberation. They must live under the conditions of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). You have accepted this material body voluntarily for enjoying this material world. You enjoy it to the fullest extent under the condition of stringent laws of material nature. Now, in the human form of life, civilized human form of life, your consciousness is now developed. There is a chance to understand why you are conditioned. You don't want condition; you want liberation. This question arises in the human form of life, not in the cat's life, dog's life. No. So we should remember this is the difference between other bodies and this body. Here, we become awakened that "Why I am conditioned?" Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He was minister, great man, very opulent. So the first question was put before Lord Caitanya, 'ke āmi,' 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.' "My dear master, I have come to You to ask the first question, that 'What I am? Why I am conditioned to suffer three kinds of miserable condition of life always?' " Why you are using this fan? Because I am conditioned. I cannot bear too much heat or too much cold. As soon as I go out in the park, I was covering. So these questions should arise, that "Why I am conditioned? Sometimes I am covering, sometimes I want fan."
Four classes of men, means those conditioned souls... (aside:) Why it stopped? (about fan) People who are pious, not ordinary men, those who are pious... Therefore in the Vedic principle everyone has been directed to become pious, puṇya-karma. Tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. This is moral instruction, that "Don't keep company with durjana." Durjana means those who are very much attached to material enjoyment. They are called durjana. Actually, human life is meant for tapasya, not to become like cats and dogs and hogs, simply eating and sense gratification. That is not human life. This is Vedic civilization. Because human life is meant for making solution of all problems.
So this is called māyā. This is called illusion. Everyone is thinking that "I am happy," although his body, this material body, means suffering. Who is a person here who is not... Why we are getting this fan? Because the body is suffering on account of excessive heat. This is called adhidaivika, the heat, excessive heat, excessive cold. These are also sufferings. This is called adhidaivika. But we are thinking, "We are very comfortable." We never think that "I do not want this heat. Why it is being forced upon me?" That he never considers. "If there is any remedy? I do not want it." But this body, as soon as you accept this material body made of these five elements, earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence... This is material body.
So this śraddadhānāḥ, if we have got little faith that... Just like people come here with little faith. That faith is the little spark of fire. Now you have to fan it, fan it, so that fire may increase. Tat śraddadhānāḥ munayaḥ. So śraddadhānāḥ, Rūpa Gosvāmī has given us the formula that if you have got little faith in for understanding the Absolute Truth, Bhagavān, then ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15), associate with sādhu. Who is sādhu? Sādhu means devotee. Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He's sādhu. Not a sādhu having big beard or mustaches and having red cloth without any sense of Kṛṣṇa. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means one who is fully engaged in the service of the Lord. He's sādhu. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Even if he's not very well-behaved, su-durācāra, still he's sādhu. Why? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He has no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the symptom of sādhu.
You have seen the picture in our Nectar of Devotion. Kṛṣṇa's friends... Kṛṣṇa is resting. They are all engaged in service. Somebody is fanning, somebody is massaging. Although they are friends, there is equality, none of them think that Kṛṣṇa is greater than them. No. They think, "Kṛṣṇa is our friend, very nice friend, very beautiful friend, and very powerful friend." Every day they go to the forest, and they see one demon is killed by Kṛṣṇa. So they become very much devoted. Their love for Kṛṣṇa increased by seeing Kṛṣṇa's activities, beauty, opulence. Similarly, the gopīs. So they did not think Kṛṣṇa is God. They did not know. Even Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they did not know, neither they did care to know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. They simply loved Kṛṣṇa, without any identification. We are worshiping God, Kṛṣṇa, because we are impressed with so many things, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, He is the Absolute Truth. And therefore we are little inclined. "All right, let us serve Kṛṣṇa if He is God." You see? There is some condition: "If Kṛṣṇa is God, so if I do not love, if I do not worship, there may be something wrong." So that is business. But amongst the gopīs and the cowherds boy and the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, there is no business. "We love Kṛṣṇa unconditionally. That's all. We do not know anything except Kṛṣṇa." This is Vṛndāvana atmosphere.
So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by the grace of the Supreme Personality, guru-kṛṣṇa, by the grace of guru and Kṛṣṇa, then he understands that this place, this material world, is full of miseries. Then brahma-jijñāsā. But foolishly people do not understand that it is a miserable condition. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister. By contact with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he could understand that "Although I am minister, although I am holding very high, exalted position, I am learned scholar in Sanskrit, Urdu, Parsi, but I am not happy." Therefore he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa... He understands that "I am in the suffering." Suffering, everyone can understand. Why you are moving the fan? I am in suffering. But foolish people cannot understand. They think that I am enjoying. (laughter) Just see the example. Why I am moving the fan? Because I am suffering. Every step. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step danger, every step suffering.
But as soon as he comes out, then, māyā is there. Māyā is there, and there is father, there is mother, nice child. Now the child thinks, "I am very happy. I have got such a nice father. Nice father, nice mother. And other friends, they are taking..." This, these are described by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in a song. What is that song? Who can say? Janama haila...?
Indian devotee: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No, no, that after...
Indian devotee: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Ah! So in this way māyā is always entrapping him. We are always suffering three kinds of suffering—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—and we think, "Now we are very happy. Now we have got this electric fan, or air-conditioned room. So Yamarāja will not be able to enter, and I am secure. I have got good bank balance and good wife, good children..." No, no, no. This is illusion. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). So long you will possess this material body, so you'll have to suffer. That is described here, tāpa-traya. Tāpa means miseries, and traya means three. So cikitsitam. A sane man, when he's suffering, he goes to the doctor, physician: "Sir, I am suffering from disease. Give me some medicine." So he takes medicine. That is sane man. And insane man, he does not go to the physician for treatment. He thinks, "This is natural. What is that?" This is the difference between foolish man and sane man.
Sātvata means eternal, and saṁhitā means Vedic literature. Vedic literature... Veda means knowledge. There are two kinds of knowledge: material knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge means regarding these necessities of this body. So our educational system, the university, everything, that is simply imparting material knowledge. But material knowledge is superfluous because this body is also superfluous. Every one of us, we know that this body is nonpermanent. It is temporary. We create a certain type of situation, and we get a particular type of body, and we enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment; it is suffering. Just like we are running on this fan because the body is suffering. Otherwise, there is no necessity of this fan. And we require this light because without light the eyes will suffer.
So actually our material knowledge, we have discovered this electricity just to counteract these sufferings of this material body. Kaṣṭān kāmān. This body is therefore anartha. Anartha means things which are not required. That is called anartha. Artha means things which we require, positive. And anartha means things which we do not require but unnecessarily imposed upon us. So that is suffering. We are thinking that we are enjoying this electric fan, but actually we are suffering; therefore the electric fan is required. So why this electric fan is required? Because the body is anartha; it has created the situation. The same electric fan will be a trouble, a misery in winter season. The same body, the same electric fan—sometimes it is pleasing, and sometimes it is not pleasing. Therefore the conclusion is this body is anartha, not required. But people do not know that without this material body we can exist. Actually we are existing in spiritual body, and this material body is a covering of the spiritual body. Just like your shirt and coat are covering of your real body, similarly, this material body is covering of the spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. So when a person comes to the understanding that "This body is anartha, unnecessarily imposed upon me," that is called knowledge. That is called brahma-jñāna. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).
So this is the problem. But that is not the problem for Kṛṣṇa. But that is problem for us. Because we are very minute spark of Kṛṣṇa, as the spark has the chance of being extinguished out of the fire, similarly, being separated from Kṛṣṇa, being entangled in this material energy, we have forgotten. Our spiritual quality, burning quality, just like fire, that is now extinguished. It is not exactly extinguished: almost extinguished. We have forgotten. But it can be again brought into the original position by fanning. Just like there is small fire in the charcoal. You fan it, and it will gradually become a big fire. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is fanning that spiritual spark to come into full consciousness. Go on fanning like that. That is the rules and regulation, attending this class, hearing this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā. Twenty-four hours be engaged. That is real business. Dhyāyan, always, constantly, hṛdi brahma paraṁ dhyāyan. Dhyāyan means medi... This is meditation. And who is Para-brahman? Kṛṣṇa. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).
So it appears like death, but it is actually not death. Just like the electric fan, if you make the switch off, it has stopped running, but if you say, "Still running," that is not running. That is a show of running. Actually, the running is stopped. Similarly, as soon as you surrender to God, through His representative, your death is stopped unless you make it nullified by accepting anything which is against the bhakti principle. Otherwise your deathlessness is guaranteed. That is stated here. Na kaścin mriyate tāvad yāvad āsta ihāntakaḥ. If you simply know that "Yamarāja is there; he is supervising that I may not fall down," then you will not die. You will not die. It is not impractical. It is practical. Try to perceive the truth that since you have begun Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, your death has been stopped. But don't fall down and again capture death. That is the instruction.
Anything except this problem... There are problems always. This is a world of problems. So... Just like this summer season, that is also problem. The winter season, that is also problem. So many people come here in Hawaii because they cannot tolerate too much severe cold in the mainland. They come here. Again, when you come here, when it is too much hot, warm, then we require fan, we require refrigerator, we require so many. So problem is there. So Kṛṣṇa is saying, "My dear Arjuna, problems there will be." This is material world. You cannot avoid problems. But you should tackle with the main problem, not the insignificant or temporary problem. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā.
So sometimes people do that, suicide. They think that "If I kill, if I commit suicide, then all these pains and pleasures will be finished," because he has no information that a body is an instrument to feel pains and pleasure. Actually, I, as the spirit soul, I am unattached to it. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Ātma-māyā. It is a creation of, temporary creation. So if I get out of this temporary creation and be situated in my own position, then there is no more pains and pleasure. It is simply pleasure. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to change the consciousness. Now I am conscious of this material combination, this body, mind Therefore I am feeling pains and pleasure. And as soon as I am situated in my original consciousness, that "I am Kṛṣṇa's; Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant I am, so let me engage in Kṛṣṇa's service," and then there is no more material pains and pleasure. It is not that A neophyte, when he is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is feeling the same pains and pleasure, but that is due to our past habit, consciousness. Just like aeroplane. You come down on the land. Sometimes there is dizziness. You think that "I am still flying." But there is no more flying. That is stopped. Similarly, one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his material pains and pleasures has been stopped. But due to our past experience, sometimes we think, "I am still in pains and pleasure." This is due to our past experience. The same example again: just like the fan is running. You put off the switch; still, the fan is running. But actually it is not running. The running capacity has been stopped. But due to the, what is called?
Śyāmasundara: Momentum.
Prabhupāda: Momentum. It appears as if running. So a devotee, although sometimes it appears that he is in pains and pleasures, committing something nonsense, that is momentum.
This knowledge begins, inquisitiveness, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was minister, very big minister of Bengal, Nawab Hussein Shah's government. He left everything. He resigned from the post and became follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So when he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī, at that time, he placed this question that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. This is the inquisitiveness, knowledge. Tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. We are suffering always. Ātmā means body and mind—even soul. But soul is aloof from body and mind, but he is absorbed. On account of material contamination, the soul feels the pains and pleasure of mind and body on account of contact. So this is called adhyātmika. And adhibhautika, pains given by other living entities. Even if you sit down silently, without any, mean, cares, still, the mosquito will come and bite you. Or the bugs will come and bite you at night. And there are other, dogs and cats and envious persons, serpents. So many enemies. Even if you want to remain peaceful, the other living entities will not allow you to remain peaceful. This is material existence. You have got this body. From the body you'll have to suffer. At least, you have to suffer śītoṣṇa. When it is scorching heat, you'll have to suffer. Why you are running on this fan? Because you are feeling heat, extraordinary. Therefore you invented this fan. Or mosquito curtain. Just struggle. This is called adhibhautika.
So in this age it is very difficult to become exactly Vedic brāhmaṇa. That's very, very difficult because everyone has become śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga you cannot find out exactly a qualified brāhmaṇa. Very rare, very rare. Therefore Vedic brāhmaṇa is not possible. It is... Our movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is creating pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Pāñcarātriki-vidhi-brāhmaṇa means there is no evidence of, there is no certainty whether one is brāhmaṇa or son of brāhmaṇa because so many things are lacking. But, if he has got little taste of Kṛṣṇa understanding, he should be encouraged. That is pāñcarātriki. Just like if there is little fire you fan it-fan it and it will come out a big blazing fire. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to do that, and it is easier because in the śāstra it is said by Śukadeva Gosvāmī that there is one opportunity. "My dear King, Parīkṣit, I've described to you about the faulty nature of this Kali-yuga, but there is a very good opportunity for the people, fallen conditioned souls, of this Kali-yuga." "What is that?" Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "The, in the Kali-yuga, it is like the ocean of fault. But still there is one very good opportunity." "What is that?" Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and become liberated and go to back to home, back to Godhead."
So the sky is known by śabda, sound. This is tan-mātra. This is... By sound, you can understand there is sky. If you clap, there is sound (claps). You understand there is sky. Sky is understood by the śabda. Then air is understood by sparśa. Just like electric fan is running, but even if I do not see it is running, because the air is touching my body, I can understand the air is there. Sparśa. Rūpa, rasa, śabda. Śabda, sky, and rūpa, fire. From the fire, rūpa begins, form. Rasa. Rasa is in the taste in the water. And gandha is in the earth. So five gross elements and five subtle elements. The gross elements is understood by the subtle elements. Subtle means we cannot see it directly, but we can perceive it. So pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ . And then daśabhiḥ , ten senses, knowledge-acquiring, cakṣuḥ, karṇa, nāsikā: eyes, ear and nose and tongue, hands, in this way. And karmabhiḥ . We work with hands, legs, genital. In this way, there are five working sense organs and five senses to gather knowledge. So five, five, and ten, twenty-four. And the subtle senses, mano buddhir ahaṅkāraś cittam-four.
A spirit soul, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he is by nature very powerful. We do not know how much spiritual power we have got, but that is being suppressed by the material covering. Just like this fire. This fire, if there are too many ashes, the heat of the fire is not properly felt. But you move the ashes and just fan it, and when it is blazing, then you get the proper heat and you can utilize it for so many purposes. Similarly, we, as spirit soul, we have immense power. And God is the supreme spirit soul, so we cannot imagine how much power God has got. But even we, who are a simply minute particle... Just like... Comparison is just like the fire and the sparks. The fire and the sparks, both of them are fire. The spark even, wherever the spark will fall, immediately it will burn. Similarly, we have got all the qualities in minute quantity of God. God has the creative force; therefore we are also creating so many things. The scientists are creating so many wonderful things. That is wonderful for persons like us, because we do not know how much wonderful one can play. That we do not know. We simply...
So the aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. And we do not know what is the aim of life, why we are suffering. Ke āmi', 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya'. This was the question of Sanātana Gosvāmī. But people have become so animalistic, they cannot understand that they are suffering. They cannot un... The brain has become so dull, rascal, that they do not understand even that they are suffering. The suffering, tri-tāpa-yantraṇā... Now, just like this fan. We don't require it now. Now running of the fan is suffering. But in the summer season it is required. It is pleasing. That means either in the summer or in the winter we are always suffering, this way or that way. The same water, it is pleasing during summer and it is suffering during winter. The water is the same, but it is sometimes suffering, sometimes pleasing. So these things will go on. You cannot stop. That means suffering will go on. You cannot stop it. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). So long we have got this body, we must suffer. This is the truth. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). We are getting different types of bodies, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Each body is for a short period. It will not last forever. But so long it will last, it will be cause of suffering. That we do not understand. This is the ignorance, mūḍha. And this suffering can be ended only by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The suffering is inflicted by māyā. Bhuṇkte prakṛti-jān guṇān. But there is no education, the people are so dull, rascal, they cannot understand that they are suffering, and the suffering they are accepting as enjoyment. In this way they are rotting in this material world.
So there are different varieties of sinful activities, just like there are different varieties of diseases. To become diseased is not our normal life. To remain healthy is our normal life. When we become diseased, that is abnormal condition of life. Therefore we want to treat, get out of the disease. Similarly, this material life is the diseased condition of the living being. We are all living beings, but because we have accepted this material body, we are suffering. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Now we require this fan. Why? Because feeling some pains on account of heat. That heat is felt by the body, not the soul. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. These material pains and pleasure, they are simply touching this body, not the soul. Soul is always aloof. Just like we are on a car. Suppose there is some accident: the car is broken, but not the person, the driver, is broken. The car is broken. But because the driver or the proprietor of the car is too much adhered to the car, when the car is broken, his heart fails. Actually the person has nothing to do with the car, but because he is too much attached to the car, when the car is broken, he thinks, "I am finished." Heart is broken. Like that.
So our present position is solid: "Don't hear anything about God." But natural position is that we are servant of God. Because we are seeking master... The supreme master is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the master of the whole creation. I am the enjoyer." He is the master. Caitanya-caritāmṛta also said, ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa. Īśvara means controller or master. Ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya: "Except Kṛṣṇa, they are, any big or small living entity, they are all servants, except Kṛṣṇa." You will therefore see: Kṛṣṇa is not serving anybody. He is simply enjoying. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka... Others like us, they first of all work very hard, and then enjoys. Kṛṣṇa never works. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāranaṁ ca vidyate. Still, He enjoys. That is Kṛṣṇa. Na tasya... This is the Vedic information. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāranaṁ ca vidyate: "God, Kṛṣṇa, He has nothing to do." You see, therefore, Kṛṣṇa always dancing with the gopīs and playing with the cowherd boys. And when He feels fatigue, He lies down on the Yamunā and immediately His friends come. Somebody fans Him; somebody gives massage. Therefore He is the master. Anywhere He goes, He is master. Ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. "Then who is controller?" No, there is no controller of Him. That is Kṛṣṇa. Here we are director of such and such, president of United States, but I am not supreme controller. As soon as the public wants, immediately pulls me down. That we do not understand, that we are posing ourself as master controller, but I am controlled by somebody else. So he is not controller. Here we will find a controller to some extent, but he is controlled by another controller. So Kṛṣṇa means He is controller, but nobody is there to control Him. That is Kṛṣṇa; that is God. This is the science of understanding. God means He is controller of everything, but He has no controller.
This is Pañcarātrika. Our... In this age, Pañcarātriki-vidhi, not Vaidic. Vaidic is very very strict. Unless one is born by a brāhmaṇa father, he is not given the advantage of becoming a brāhmaṇa. That is Vaidic vidhi. But Pañcarātriki-vidhi means although he is not born of a brāhmaṇa family, if he has got a little tendency to become a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who is inquisitive to understand Brahman—brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11)—he should be given chance. Just like there is a little fire. Fan it. Fanning, fanning, fanning, and it becomes a big fire. So our process is that. Anyone, we pick up anyone, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā, what to speak of the śūdra. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ. In the ordinary way the stri, woman, śūdra, the fourth-grade man, and vaiśya, they are taken together, not very intelligent. But Pāñcarātriki-vidhi offers facility even persons who are lower than these striya, śūdra, vaiśya. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). And less than that, ye 'nye ca pāpa yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ... A devotee, a pure devotee of the Lord, and if these persons take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord, then śudhyanti—they become purified by following the injunction of the spiritual master. He knows how to deal with them, how to elevate them to the brahminical position. So that is not artificial. Śāstra says, Bhāgavata says, "Yes. By such expert management these kirāta-hūṇāndhra, lower than the śūdras, śudhyanti..." Śudhyanti.
Now, at the present moment, everyone is highly educated to the material standard, but they have no knowledge what is God. So even they become vipra, because they are lacking this knowledge, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that a person, a dog-eater who has God consciousness is better than him. Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Śvapaca means a person who is born in the family of dog-eaters. Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha. There is description, mauna-vijñāna-santoṣa-satyāṣṭika-dviṣād-guṇān, yad vā śamo damas tapo śaucaṁ kṣānti ārjava viraktataḥ. Mauna-vijñāna-santoṣa-satyāṣṭika-dviṣād-guṇān. The eleven, twelve qualities, good qualities, is described in the Vedic literature. What is this? That śama. Śama means the equilibrium of the mind. Dama. Dama means controlling the senses. Śamo damas tapaḥ, austerity. Tapa means... Tapa means from tapa, heat. Just like this heat is not tolerable. I require the fan. So tapa means to accept voluntarily some physical trouble. That is called tapa. There are many sages who, in, during summer, they will burn fire all sides and meditate. There is already high temperature, 112 degrees in India. Sometimes 180 degree, and still they have fire all sides, all sides. Yes. And they are meditating, not disturbed. So this is called voluntarily tapa. And in winter season, when the temperature is forty degrees, fifty degrees, is of course, not below zero, anyway, he goes to the water and dip into the water simply keeping the mouth up and meditating. So there are some severe processes for tapasya. So this is one of the good qualities.
Who are conditioned souls? Those who have got this material body. They are called conditioned souls. Because this material body means you have to live under certain conditions. Just like I require fan. Why? Because I have been put into the condition of warm. I cannot tolerate it, but I have to live. Similarly severe cold. I do not want it, but I have to live. I do not want set fire at home, but there is fire, and there is fire brigade. In this way, in every step of our life we are always in danger. But foolish persons, they do not understand it. They are thinking that "I am happy." They are thinking... This is called illusion, māyā. Actually, he's unhappy in every step, but the spell of māyā or illusion is so strong that even in the lowest stage of life, anyone will think that he's happy. Even in the animals, you have experienced that so many animals, they are living in such a miserable condition, but still, he does not like to give up this body. But the pain is more felt by God than the living creature in this conditioned life. So it is always... There is always endeavor on the part of God to send His representative; He comes Himself, He gives book.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Prabhupāda: People do not believe this. They think that everything is going on automatically. No. There is everything, account, witness. The Lord...
Devotee: Too windy? (about fan)
Prabhupāda: Yes. Anumantā upadraṣṭā sākṣīni. Sākṣīni. The Lord... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61).
So our, this bhakti process is also the same. Sometimes we are criticized: "Slave mentality." Yes, we want voluntarily to become slave—of Kṛṣṇa. We are, at the present moment, we are slave of the senses. Kāma krodha moho mātsarya. Kāmādi. Kāmādi means kāma, desire to enjoy. And if our enjoyment, if our desire is not fulfilled, then we become krodhi, angry; lobhi, moha mātsarya. The material existence means we are servant of so many sense gratificatory processes. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). We are now engaged to act sinfully. Any kind of sinful activity we can accept. Why? Yad indriya prītaya āpṛnoti. Simply for sense gratification. That's all. We are prepared to take any risk only for sense gratification. But we do not know that we are taking great risk, great risk. Because there is another life. After death, there is life. The modern people, they do not understand it. Therefore śāstra says, na sādhu manye: "These kinds of activities are not very good." Na sādhu. It is not honest. This is not good. Yato ātmano ayam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). We have got this body. That is kleśada. Just like we are feeling warm; therefore we want this fan, because the, on account of this body, we are feeling warm. Or sometimes chilly. So if I feel chilly, then I have to stop this fan. I'll have to cover this body. So all our pains and pleasure are due to this material body. That we do not understand. Śāstra says, asann api. Although this body's temporary, but it is kleśada, it is full of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika.
Prabhupāda: Now what is the argument against this? (aside:) Why don't you open this? All, open all fans.
Mādhavānanda: Just the, just...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe open the doors.
Prabhupāda: Open the doors. Open, fully open. Now we say simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness every member in the society, human society, will be happy. This is our proposal. Now discuss on this point, whether actually people will be happy or unhappy. What is the counterargument? It should be understood by threadbare discussion, how Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can make the whole society happy. This is the proposal. Now those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, what argument they will forward against this proposition? Yes.
Acyutānanda: Well, as you say, if everyone became Kṛṣṇa conscious, then how would the world go on?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Acyutānanda: If everybody started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then how, how would we eat?
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Prabhupāda: ...Māyāvādī sannyāsīs why He was not engaged in reading Vedānta-sūtra, and why He was indulging in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that in this age, Kali-yuga, Vedānta-sūtra, to study Vedānta-sūtra and to understand the purport of Vedānta-sūtra, is very difficult. It requires a very good Sanskrit scholarship. Although it is not very difficult to understand if it is taken by the paramparā system, but because people try to understand Vedānta-sūtra by scholastic demeanor (?), therefore it becomes difficult. It was discussed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. He was a very learned scholar. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya... (aside, about fan:) Make little curved. (someone turns fan off)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want...? Prabhupāda wants the fan down more, on him.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To keep the flies off. (fan noise resumes)
Prabhupāda: Not so much. That's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Touching his body.
So if we want to become out of this ignorance, then we have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise there is no possibility. And if we remain in ignorance, then we shall go on committing sinful activities and entangle ourselves in the karma-cakra. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). If you don't give up this ignorance of bodily concept of life, and if you go on continuing this bodily concept of life, then we are becoming entangled in the laws of nature. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). And then we'll create another situation for another body. And another body means another period of suffering. This is going on. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ, na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam. Atma is sac-cid-ānanda, but on account of being bodily covered, encaged in this body, we are suffering. We are suffering. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "Bhārata, O the son of Bhārata dynasty, Bhārata..." So in the material world the suffering is there. But what is that suffering? Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). On account of this body... Now, in this season, we are feeling heat. Therefore the fan is there. But another season the body is the same, but season has changed. Therefore I will have to cover with hot coat and pant. So this feeling of heat and cold is due to this body. And what is this body, this material body? Therefore all our feelings of happiness and distress, it is due to this body. That we do not know. So therefore the best solution of miserable condition of life is to stop this material body. Then you become spiritually situated, and there is no more contradiction.
Festival Lectures
So out of that independence we have come to this material world, to enjoy freely. So Kṛṣṇa has given us freedom, "You can enjoy freely." And we are trying to do that. But the result is that we are becoming entangled. We are given the freedom to work in this material world. Everyone is trying to become the master of the material world. Nobody is trying to become the servant. Only we, the Vaiṣṇavas, we are trying to become servant. The karmīs and jñānīs, they do not like to become servant. They criticize us that "You Vaiṣṇavas, you have got slave mentality." Yes, we have got the slave menta... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). That is our position. What is the use of claiming artificially, "I am master"? If I had been master, then why the fan is required? I am servant of this influence of summer season. Similarly, I shall be servant in the winter season, too much cold.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Try to understand this philosophy. Don't be mislead. It is not a sectarian religion. It is the fact. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. The author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, he says, nitya siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, our love for Kṛṣṇa, is eternal fact. Everyone has got love for Kṛṣṇa. Now, somehow or other it is covered. But that has to be awakened. Just like covered fire. Sometimes fire is covered by the ashes, and if you'll fan over the fire and put some new charcoal, again the fire will awaken, very bright. So similarly, somehow or other, our love for Kṛṣṇa is covered by these material designations: "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that." These are all ashes. The fire is the spirit soul. So if you rightly fan it over, and you'll see very soon, the fire will come out again. So how fanning? Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. You kindly hear about Kṛṣṇa śuddha-citta, without any embarrassment, without being biased to something else. Śuddha-citte. If you... then Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or love for Kṛṣṇa, will automatically awaken, simply by hearing. That is happening. What we are doing? We are chanting everywhere "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and people are coming for hearing. We're not bribing them that "You take some money and become a member of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." Rather they are paying. So how it is happening, unless that Kṛṣṇa consciousness (is) within him? Try to understand that. Everyone, it doesn't matter when he is born, what he is, what profession he's not—whatever he may be. Simply if he hears about Kṛṣṇa. Just like after very, very long time, if you hear something which was very intimately known to you, you immediately become attracted: "Oh, that sound is again coming." You see. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is our original father. As soon as we hear about Kṛṣṇa, naturally we shall be inclined to hear about Him more and more. So the more you hear, the more you become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and more our life becomes successful. Then you go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.
Jayapatākā: You feeling all right here?
Atreya-ṛṣi: Yes.
Jayatīrtha: The atmosphere here is sublime, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Now make sublime management. (laughter) That is required now. We are now extended. We must manage very nicely. Of course, management means sincere service. Then everything will be all right. Still, we have to deal with the material world. We have to become little proper.(?) So in Calcutta the one lock was open. There was nothing. You said it is in Calcutta? Is it all right? You don't require fan. Therefore I planned two sides open, cross ventilation.
Initiation Lectures
Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, even there are some faults, still, they are saintly persons. That is the recommendation of Kṛṣṇa. Because that fault may be due to his past habits, but that is being stopped. Just like you make the switch off, no more electric current will act, but the fan still gives some rounds due to the past force. Similarly, a Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, even if he's found in fault, Kṛṣṇa says, "No." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). "He's saintly person, sādhu." Why? Now, the process he has taken up, that will cure him in due course of time. Śaṣvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. So these who have fortunately come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness by association, by practice, this is the way. So stick to it. Don't go away. Even if you find some fault, don't go away from the association. Struggle, and Kṛṣṇa will help you.
Just like a child; a child is persisting, crying, "Father, I must have. Give me." Father does not like to give him that undesirable thing, but because the child persists in crying, making disturbance, then my father says, "All right, you take." That is father's mercy. "Oh, why this child is crying? Let him have it. That's all." We have got practical experience. So, I may recite that in my younger days when my eldest son was only two years and half, so, he was trying to catch the table fan—the table fan was moving—so I was resisting(?), "No, don't touch." But he insisted, a child. So, one of my friends was sitting, he said that, "Make it slow and allow him to touch it." So I did it and the child touched it; then there was, in the finger, "Tunnng!" And, then I asked him if, "Again touch?"
General Lectures
Woman: Doesn't Rāma refer to a man that was born..., I'm not..., in India or somewhere, and Christ was born in Europe? Two different men, but still the same, the same...
Prabhupāda: Yes. The sun is every day born in India, born in Europe, born in America. Does it mean that he's Indian or American or Chinese?
Woman: No, that's not what I mean.
Prabhupāda: Then? Therefore it is like that. When... This is our limited knowledge. We have been taught in that way, that God is great. Just like the sun is great; therefore even the sun is seen in India or in America or China, anywhere, any part of the world, any part of the universe, the sun is one. Nobody can say, "Oh, it is American sun" or "It is Indian sun." So either Jesus Christ or Rāma or Kṛṣṇa, whoever comes from the kingdom of God, they are the same. There is no difference. But the difference is... Just like in your country temperature of sun is less, and in a tropical country the temperature of the sun is very great. Does it mean the sun's temperature is changed? It is according to the reception. The atmosphere of this country is so surcharged that you cannot receive the sunshine properly, but the sunshine distributes its shining everywhere the same. Similarly, according to the country, according to the circumstances, according to the planet, God is manifested differently, but He is not different. You are wrapping your body with some winter clothes. Same time, telegraph in India, oh, they are running fan. Why the temperature is different? Therefore whatever Lord Jesus Christ says or whatever Kṛṣṇa says or what Rāma says, that is in terms of the place, in terms of the circumstances, atmosphere, persons, hearer. There is different. One thing which I try to convince a child is not possible to teach the same thing to his father. Or a child cannot understand what is sex life, but a young man can understand. The same child, when he'll be grown up, he'll know. So you do not think that everyone can understand everything. So Bible is spoken under certain circumstances; Bhagavad-gītā is spoken under certain circumstances. It is the difference of the circumstances. Otherwise, the principle is the same. In the Bible also it is said, "Love God," and Bhagavad-gītā also says, "Love God." There is no difference.
Prabhupāda: You have got fan? Fan, fan. (sings) Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. (devotees respond) So our program is to worship the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, find out who is the original person. Naturally, everyone is anxious to find out the original person of a family, original person of a society, original person of a nation, original person of humanity... You go on, searching. But if you can find out the original person from whom everything has come out, that is Brahman. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything has emanated. Very simple description. What is God, what is the Absolute Truth, very simple definition—the original person.
We don't say that you go on with all nonsense, at the same time you become spiritually advanced. We don't talk all this nonsense. There must be practical exhibition that one is advanced in spiritual consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). All good qualities will develop. That is spiritual advancement. That is the test. But it may be due to my past habit I may sometimes commit mistake, I may fall down. But Kṛṣṇa says, śaśvad bhavati dharmātmā. Even if he falls down sometimes out of ignorance, still, he'll very soon become purified. The process is so nice. Just like a fan is moving and make the switch off. Still you will see the fan is moving, but rest assured it will stop because the switch is off. Similarly, a person taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his material life's switch is off immediately. And even though it is seen it is moving, it will stop very soon. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to put off the switch of material existence immediately. It is so nice. Yes.
Guest (2): Why shouldn't they eat meat?
Prabhupāda: Meat-eating, and if you believe in Bhagavad-gītā, is not the..., against the, our purificatory process. You cannot kindle fire, at the same time add water on it. If you want to kindle fire, then you have to keep that place very dry and fan it. Similarly, there are rules and regulations. Out of that rules and regulation is jīva-hiṁsā. Jīva-hiṁsā means unnecessary killing of animals. Now, if you have got sufficient foodstuff—a state I see in America... You have got sufficient grains, sufficient fruits, sufficient milk, milk products. Then if you can live on these things which are meant for human beings, why should you kill animals unnecessarily? If there is no alternative, that you cannot live... Just like in the desert, Arabian Desert, there is no food, no grain, for them animal-eating may be permissible. Because after all, we have to live. That is a different thing. But when you have got very nice foodstuff, and a very nutritious, palatable, sweet, why should you indulge in this unnecessary killing of animals? That is, will go against your purification. Therefore it is prohibited.
First of all, we do not know that we are suffering in every step. Why we are using this fan? Because we are suffering. Because the excessive heat we cannot tolerate, suffering. Similarly, in the winter season this wind will be another suffering. We have closed the doors tightly so that air may not come. Now the air is counteracting suffering and in another season the same air will be suffering. So, the air is the cause of suffering and it is the so-called cause of happiness also. Actually we are simply suffering, that we do not know. But we get information from Lord Kṛṣṇa that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is a place for miseries. You cannot expect any happiness. That is our foolishness. That is our foolishness. We are trying to adjust things to become happy, but we are so foolish that we do not know there cannot be any happiness. This is called ignorance. This is called ignorance. Therefore Bhāgavata says parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāta. Abodha-jāta, every one of us born foolish. And we are acting in different ways to become happy, but we do not know that every step we are being defeated. We are fighting with the stringent laws of nature, struggle, but we are happy by some complacent thoughts that we have become happy, we are advanced. We are happy. We are becoming educated, we are advanced in science. But Bhāgavata says, "No, you are not advancing, you are simply being defeated, because you do not know how to get happiness. You are not trying for real happiness."
Then here is one commentation by a learned scholar and devotee, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana. He said, nanu cettvām eva prapannā vimucyante, tarhi paṇḍitā api kecit kim iti tvāṁ na prapadyante. Now, if Kṛṣṇa has said simply by surrendering unto Him, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te... Our business is, in the human form of life, how to get out of the clutches or conditions of māyā. We are actually trying to do that. All the scientific improvement, material advancement of knowledge, means that we are trying to avoid the conditions imposed by material nature. That is actually we are doing. Why you have invented this electric fan? Call it, that is material science improvement. Because in the excessive heat we are troubled. And wherefrom this excessive heat comes? It comes from the material nature. Therefore our struggle for existence is to fight with the impositions of the material nature. So Kṛṣṇa says that in this way fighting, you cannot get out of the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult. You may have hundreds and thousands of electric fans, but still you will have to feel the effect of excessive heat. You cannot avoid it. Similarly, you may have hundreds or thousands of heating arrangements; still, you have to feel the effects of the cooling effect of winter season. You cannot... Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). We have traveled all over the world. I have seen different climatic influence, how people are suffering. In the Western countries they are thinking that "Indians are very happy because the country is very warm," and we are thinking that "The Western people are very happy because the country is very cold." But nobody is happy; that is a fact—neither the Westerners nor the Easterners—because all of them under the grip of māyā. That is a fact. So in this way you cannot escape the stringent laws of māyā, or material nature. That is impossible. That is said by Kṛṣṇa Himself. It is not my statement. Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape.
"My dear Arjuna, even if you are very much affected when the body of your son or your relative is finished, these things are temporary," āgamāpāyina anitya. This death is also temporary because he'll accept immediately another body. So because we are accustomed to think that "This body is my son," or "my father," "my this, that," there is some pain, causes of pain. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These are temporary." You'll not forever cry for your father, for son. Say one day, two days, three days, that's all. So it is just like temporary seasonal change, āgamāpāyino 'nitya, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Just like we are feeling now very warm; therefore we require fan. This is due to change of season. Again, sometimes it will come that we have to cover with warm. So the body is the same, the world is the same, but something comes and goes. It makes some changes in the order. So we have to simply tolerate, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. You should not be overwhelmed. This is knowledge.
If one has actually taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will never be lost, even though you find for the present he is not well-behaved. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā. Even a thief, even a rogue, even a sinful man takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and follows the rules and regulation, for the time being you may find there are some faults, but it will vanish very soon. Just like the electric fan, it is moving. You make the switch off, you will find still moving. But it will stop moving very soon, because the switch is off. Similarly, if anyone takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, if you find that still he is not well-behaved, that is not very important thing. He has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is important thing. Because this superficial external misbehavior will stop. There are many śāstras' example.
Somebody fanning, and water also. (chants maṅgalacaraṇa prayers) So śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhiṣṭam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's ambition or mission. Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhu mano 'bhiṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. His ambition was propagated or established by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were ministers in charge of the then Pathan government in Bengal and very learned scholar in Urdu and Sanskrit, but after meeting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Rāmakeli village in the district of Maldah in Bengal, North Bengal... That was supposed to be the capital of Nawab Hussain Shah. So then they joined to preach this saṅkīrtana movement or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So their mission was to establish the Rādhā-Govinda Mandir, as many as possible. They first started in Vṛndāvana, Madana-mohana temple. Most Indians present here, they know. There are... (break) ...temples in Vṛndāvana. There are five thousand temples in one small city of fifty thousand population, but the most important because they were established by the Gosvāmīs. Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Dāsa Raghunātha, the Six Gosvāmīs, direct disciple of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Sanātana Gosvāmī established first the Madana-mohana temple. Then Rūpa Gosvāmī established Govindajī's temple. Then Jīva Gosvāmī established Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, then... (break) ...Gosvāmī established Rādhā-Madana-mohana temple. Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, he established Śyāmasundara temple. These are important temples.
Philosophy Discussions
Karandhara: Scientists often take the shelter of this premise, that it's not..., we don't..., we're not trying to find out. Whenever they're asked what is the original source, they say, "We're not concerned with that. We're concerned with just examining the phenomenon of that source."
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is childish. That is childish. Just like I have seen the phenomena, without man there cannot be singing. In the box there must be one man there. This is childish calculation, that's all. Phenomenal study means childish. A fan, in our childhood we will think that a fan is running, there must be some ghost who is running it. So this sort of phenomenal study is not scientific study. It is not scientific. (If) we don't find the original cause, that is not scientific.
Śyāmasundara: If you'll remember, some of the philosophers we have discussed, they believe that unless the world is perceived, it does not exist. But Bertrand Russell thought that the world was real in itself. Even though we do not perceive it, it still exists.
Prabhupāda: That, that (indistinct). World exists, whether we perceive or not perceive. It doesn't matter. So many things we do not perceive. Just like the child, he sees the electric fan is moving, but he does not perceive where is electricity power, or the powerhouse. So because the child does not perceive the powerhouse and electricity, it does not mean that there is no electricity or no powerhouse. It is the childish fault that one must think like that, that without electricity, without powerhouse, the fan is moving. That is childish. The so-called perception or no perception is simply childish.
Śyāmasundara: But how does someone prove that something exists beyond his..., beyond our senses?
Prabhupāda: That I have already explained. Just like child does not know. He simply sees the fan is running-superficially. But he does not know that there is electricity power, and there is a powerhouse. So that is lack of knowledge. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births, one comes to the real knowledge, and that is vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Then he knows that Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the original (indistinct). It is a question of knowing, and knowing through the direct current via media-guru. Otherwise he remains in darkness. Therefore guru-namastaya. Ajñāna timirāndasya. Everyone is blind by the darkness of ignorance. Jñānāñjana śalākayā. And the guru's business is to lighten ignorance, the śalāka. What is called, śalāka?
Devotee: Lamp.
Śyāmasundara: Torch.
Prabhupāda: Torch. Yes. Torchlight. The torchlight. Guru gives the torchlight, jñānāñjana śalākayā. What is that torchlight? By awakening his dormant knowledge. That is torch. Then he can see what is world.
Prabhupāda: So that is our process. We say that perceptual fact is that we are controlled. Every one of us, controlled. Who can deny it? Why you are running on this fan? Because you are controlled. There is excessive heat controlling you. Therefore I am trying to counteract it. In every step you are controlled by the laws of nature. So how he thinks that he is independent? Why does he manufacture so many so-called laws of independence? In fact he is controlled. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). He is in contact with some modes of material nature, and he is controlled by them. So why does he not accept that "I am not independent, I am controlled. The basic principle is that I am controlled." Then if one is actually conversant with the laws of control, then he makes adjustment according to that. One being controlled, how he can become controller? This is phenomenon. Where one is... Let any man come and say boldly that "I am not controlled." Who is that man? Find out any man. We are sitting, so many men here. Let any one of us declare that "I am not controlled." So therefore basic principle is that "I am controlled." So how this position of being controlled can be perfect, that should be our study. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We say that you are controlled. So the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. So you voluntarily surrender yourself, that "Kṛṣṇa, from this day... I was struggling against Your laws. Now I fully surrender."
Śyāmasundara: The urge to advance is there in the human more developed. How does that...?
Prabhupāda: You can give this side. This side. Yes. Why not this fan is running? What is that? All right. Let them sit.
Śyāmasundara: In the human beings, we can see that everyone has the urge to become something better or something more.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. They can understand English. Ah, yes.
Hayagrīva: But Kṛṣṇa is present nonetheless.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is always present, but if when you hold a ceremony, garbhādhāna ceremony, that "I am going to have sex with my wife for begetting a Kṛṣṇa conscious child," then you remember Kṛṣṇa. And at the time of sex, the mentality of the father and mother, that is acquired by the child. There is rules and regulation for garbhādhāna ceremony, and in the Bhāgavata you will find that as soon as a..., the..., one gives up the garbhādhāna ceremony, he is a śūdra. So who is observing this garbhādhāna ceremony at the present moment? Therefore everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavāḥ. Everyone is born as śūdra. The father and mother gave birth as śūdra. So this birthright of brāhmaṇa is no longer in this day. Even they falsely claim, "Because I am born of a brāhmaṇa father I am brāhmaṇa," that śāstra will not support. Whether garbhādhāna ceremony was performed? And nowadays, especially, who knows that he is son of a brāhmaṇa? The woman is intermingling with everyone, and who has given birth of the child? Whether he is actually a brāhmaṇa's son, a śūdra's son, who knows it? So how he can claim, by birthright, a brāhmaṇa? That is not possible. Therefore everyone is śūdra. But he can be trained as a brāhmaṇa. That is pāñcarātrikī-vidhi. We are following this pāñcarātrikī-vidhi, not Vedic vidhi. Vedic vidhi is different. Pāñcarātrikī. By training. He has got little tendency, little fire, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. All right, fan it, make the fire bigger than this. But if he gives up the firing process, he remains fire, but he will go unfinished. (Sanskrit), that a small seed, you sow it and regularly pour water... Just like Govinda dāsī introduced this Tulasī. She is responsible for introducing Tulasī in the Western countries.
| Page Title: | Fan (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 14 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=64, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 64 |