So God has nothing to do. Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do. So we also have nothing to do. Why we are working? They are taking, "This is pleasure." This material life means... Because mostly they are infected with two qualities of material modes of nature, namely ignorance and passion. So impeded by this ignorance and passion they are working very hard, just like an ass, and still they are thinking that "I am happy." He comes back to home, working very, very hard in the office, and he thinks, "Now I... My successful... I have earned so much money." This is the nature of material life, that he will work very hard and he will think, "That is my life." This is material life. But actually, if you are actually happy, then why you have to work so hard? But that is nonsense. He is nonsense. He does not know. Therefore the karmīs are called mūḍhas, asses.
Infection (Other Lectures)
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Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Kūṭa-stha-bīja, prārabdha... Like that. This is, these are the... Our effects. Just like we can understand in the modern... Just like if you infect some disease, it becomes immediately kūṭa-stha. Kūṭa-stha means stocked. In due course of time, it will come out, manifest. Similarly, we are acting so many sinful activities. Sometimes they complain that "This man is committing so many sinful activities, but he's happy." But actually he's enjoying the effects of his past something pious. Now he's happy, but that effect of the impious activities, that is in stock. It will come out in due course of time. That is called kūṭa-stha. Kūṭa-stha phalonmukha, prārabdha. These are the Sanskrit language. That is being explained here. Go on.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. So you have no right. If you at all want to study Vedānta-sūtra, you have to accept it as it is, without any change. That is understanding. Vedānta-sūtra... Just like, several times I have given this example in this class, that it is... Lord Caitanya said to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that "In the Vedas, it is stated that if you touch the stool of any animal, you'll be, I mean to say, infected. So you have to take your bath." Just like we go to evacuate in the bathroom and, after evacuating, you have to take bath. This is the system to become cleansed. This is Vedic system. But again the Vedas says that if you touch the cow dung, the stool of cow or another animal, oh, it is pure. Rather, if you are impure, by touching cow dung, you'll be purified. Now here is contradiction, that you... The Vedas says that if you touch the stool of any animal, then you become infected—you have to take bath, cleanse yourself.
Unless one comes to the platform of sattva-guṇa, there is no question of perfection. Nobody can understand, nobody can achieve perfection on the platform of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, because one who is addicted with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, he is always very greedy and lusty. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). One who is infected with the material qualities of ignorance and passion, he is lusty and greedy. That's all. Therefore you will see, generally people are very much lusty and greedy. They are accumulating money, crores and crores; still, they are not satisfied. In Western country we see very usually. There are many, many workers, working very hard from very poor state. Just like Henry Ford, Mr. Rockefeller, they started life from a very humble state, but they accumulated immense wealth, and still, they were not satisfied. In our country also there are many Birlas and such, accumulating money, money, money. They are greedy because infected with the quality, modes of nature, ignorance and passion.
So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). So generally people are addicted, infected with the qualities of ignorance and passion. How he can understand Kṛṣṇa? It is not possible. So one has to engage himself this devotional service. Then you can... You may argue that "How these Europeans and Americans...? They are supposed to be in ignorance and passion. How they are coming to the platform of transcendental platform of pure goodness?" That is possible. That is possible by the execution of Bhāgavata-dharma. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Tato rajas-tamo bhāvāḥ. There are verses in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). One has to hear.
Yes. Provided you are pure, purified, you can meet everyone. The condition is purified. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. That is stated in the... That is purification. No more sinful life. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. A person is always engaged in pious activities. Te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28). So, so long one is infected with sinful activities, he cannot understand, neither he can surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is also explained by Kṛṣṇa:
- na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
- prapadyante narādhamāḥ
- māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
- āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
- (BG 7.15)
This is the signs. And one who is free from all sinful activities, mahātmā, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). This is the signs. If one is not accepting Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa means God—as the Supreme, he's placing himself as the Supreme. Just like so many rascals: "I am God." So such persons are called duṣkṛtina, sinful. Mūḍha. If one is claiming "I am God," how much foolish he is just you can consider. He is under the clutches of māyā, being kicked up by the material energy in so many ways, and he's thinking he is God.
By karma we are creating another body, next body. That we do not know. Karma, according to my karma. Karmana daiva-netrena, supervised, decided by the higher authorities: "You have done like this; you must get this body." Automatically. Automatically. Karanam guṇa-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu (BG 13.22). Everything is going on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamanani guṇaiḥ karmani (BG 3.27). If you don't like or like, it doesn't matter. If you have infected some disease which you don't like, that will not save you because you don't like. You must have to suffer from that disease. That is the law of nature. But that we do not know. We are acting independently. That is not possible. So therefore it is called avidya. Avidya means rascals. (break) ...acting independently without knowing that there is overseer. There is the supreme seer. He is sitting within your heart.
Now, Hari, Viṣṇu is beyond this material world. That is accepted by Śaṅkarācārya. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇa, Hari... Although Śaṅkarācārya is impersonalist, but he has accepted Nārāyaṇa, Hari, the Supreme Lord, as beyond this material infection. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he has also agreed to accept Kṛṣṇa. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. It is accepted by Śaṅkarācārya. Those who are reading the commentary by Śaṅkarācārya on the Bhagavad-gītā, he will find in the beginning of that nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ. So it is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt: "Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is beyond the touch of this material qualities." Therefore His body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is not made of this tri-guṇa. Our, this material body is made of these three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Those who have got this body from the modes of goodness, they are called brāhmaṇas, or the most intelligent persons.
The advantage is that if you want to get release from the infection of these three guṇas, three qualities, then you have to render devotional service to the Lord. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirguṇo bhavet. Nirguṇa, when there is mention of nirguṇa, nirguṇa does not mean quality-less. Nirguṇa means without these contaminous three qualities of material nature. There are transcendental qualities. Those transcendental qualities... You have got the list, twenty-six qualities of the devotee. Those are transcendental qualities. Those transcendental qualities are in God as well as in the living entity. But when the living entity comes in contact with material nature, those transcendental qualities are covered by the material qualities. So they are not manifested. But as soon as one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, those transcendental qualities automatically develop. Because they are already there.
The hand which is cut off from this body, that hand will not come to cure my itching. That means it is fallen. His business is finished. Similarly, if we do not... Just like if the hand does not work the obligation which it has—to serve this body—then it is to be understood the paralyzed or diseased, infected. And doctor sometimes advise, "Cut it off. If you want to save your other parts of the body, then cut it off." Similarly, these conditioned souls, they are now conditioned, or in one way they are cut off from the original, I mean to say, relationship, forgetful. So if we want... If this hand wants to remain in healthy state, it is the duty of the hand to fulfill the obligation of the hand's duty, and then it remains very healthy condition.
And the whole city became surcharged with Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. Everyone began to dance and sing Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. They may understand or not understand, but the infection was there that everyone was chanting.
- prabhure praṇata haila sannyāsīra gaṇa
- ātma-madhye goṣṭhī kare chāḍi' adhyayana
Now, so far the sannyāsīs were concerned, they practically gave up their so-called Vedānta study, and they simply began to discuss on the sublime presentation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they were enjoying that.
- prakāśānandera śiṣya eka tāṅhāra samāna
- sabhā-madhye kahe prabhura kariyā sammāna
So after this incidence, one of the chief disciples of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he stood up and began to glorify Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the following words:
As soon as you speak something about God, they become fire: "Oh, what is this God nonsense?" So they are dviṣataḥ. Dviṣataḥ means envious. They cannot even tolerate the name of God. "Don't talk of God." So it is not now individually infection; it is now worldwide. And therefore, the result is that the Communist party is developing all over the world due to this godlessness. And we have got experience, personal experience, in our selling our books, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I have seen many gentlemen, as teachers and educationists. As soon as he sees Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "Oh, it is about God. Oh, we cannot purchase. We cannot purchase. Because it is God, therefore we have no connection with it. We cannot purchase." Such is the mentality. So that, by that such mentality, godless mentality, atheistic mentality, the people of the world, they are not happy. But still, they are fools. Because they are fools, they'll not take to God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But it is our duty to canvass, to request.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
"I am born of a very rich nation, American," but this status of my life is temporary. I will have to change. I'll have to change. So if I do not change for the better, then my life is very risky. Suppose a healthy man, if he is in the society of contamination, is it not his life is very risky? He may be contaminated and infected by disease any moment. So this ignorance should be dissipated. Here it is said that such a devotee can properly discharge his duty of human life. Those who do not do so are eating only sins. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpaṁ ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). Anyone who is cooking for himself... The difference of cooking here in this temple and in ordinary house is that in ordinary house they're cooking sins. The cooking, it appears that the same, "These people are also cooking," but this cooking and that cooking is different. Here there is no sin, because it is being cooked for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra. Beyond this field of activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything with the laws of nature. Generally, you are being implicated in sinful activities, generally.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
They are called karmīs. And next prāyaścitta vimarsanam, those who are a little advanced in knowledge, they think that I am making atonement, again committing the same thing. I am getting medicine from the physician, again I am being infected by the same disease. How long this business will go on? When one comes to the discussion within himself, then he's little farther advanced than this, these rascal karmīs. And above them, those who are bhaktas. Karmī, jñānī, bhakta. Yogi comes to the jñānī platform. Karmī, jñānī, yogi and bhakta. So a bhakta can be peaceful, others cannot. The karmīs cannot be peaceful, the jñānīs cannot be peaceful, the yogis cannot be peaceful, only the bhaktas, they can be peaceful. Why? Because everyone except the bhakta, śuddha-bhakta, pure, has desire.
A śuddha-bhakta has no desire. They are simply happy by serving Kṛṣṇa. They do not want to know Kṛṣṇa even, whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not, they don't bother.
Festival Lectures
This is called purity. Even impure, even I am impure, if am in touch with Kṛṣṇa consciousness then I also become pure. He does not become impure. We are so, I mean to say, teeny, that if I go to a contaminated place, I become contagious. I become infected with the contamination. But Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, They are so powerful that even a contaminated person approaches Him, He, it does not mean that Kṛṣṇa becomes contaminated—the contaminated person becomes purified. This is very nice to understand. So anyone, with any aim, if he approaches Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, he becomes anagham. Nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa-śānti-pradam. This nirvāṇa means finishing. Śānti. This material life, material existence, is always full of threefold miseries.
So Kṛṣṇa or Rāma can give you a position by which you can stop all this nonsense. Nirvāṇa-śānti-pradaṁ brahma-śambhu-phanīndras tebhyo 'nīśam. Brahmā, the demigods, there are millions of demigods. Of all the demigods, Brahmā, Śiva and Brahmā, they are considered to be the chief. Brahmā, Śiva, Phanīndra. Phanīndra means Śeṣa.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
French boy, if you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you lose the opportunity, then you may get, because you have got very good friend, dogs. So yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvam (BG 8.6), so at the time of dying, you will think of dog and you will get a body of dog. This is a fact. Because you are under the grip of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). As you infect some disease, you must suffer from that disease. Similarly, the infection of ignorance, tamo-guṇa, will give you a tamo-guṇa body. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Go down. Nature gives you the opportunity: get a nice human form of body, nice brain, try to understand what is God. But if you misuse it, then again go to become cats and dogs and hogs. This is nature's law. Don't risk your life. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). These things are explained.
This is the modern civilization. They try to make the best use of a bad bargain in this way, that "We have got this body. Let us enjoy senses to the utmost." But that is not the fact. Sense enjoyment means infection of the material modes of nature. That is sense enjoyment. Just like we infect some disease, and that disease will come out some day, will be manifested. They are called kutastha, phalonmukha, and prārabdha. Three stages. Infection... The same example. Infection remains in dormant stage, not manifest immediately. Then phalonmukha, fructifying; and then prārabdha, one gets it and suffers. This is the nature's way, going on. But people do not know it. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very serious movement, scientific movement, and people are gradually trying to understand the importance of this movement. Because in the foreign countries, especially in America, our books are being accepted by (the) higher circle, big, big universities, colleges, professors.
Soul enters another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That is the misunderstanding of the modern civilization. They do not know that soul is eternal, it is changing body, different bodies, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. According to his desire, he is entering another body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). As he is associating or he is being infected by the different modes of material nature, he is getting, next life, another body. (break) ...big king or big minister or the body of an ant, as soon as you accept this material body it is suffering is there. So if you want to be happy, then this is the opportunity. This human form of body is the opportunity. Don't waste this human form of body like cats and dogs. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, but a human being can understand. There is so, so many books of knowledge, and so many self-realized persons. So if anyone wants to understand what he is, he can understand in the human form of body. So if we take this opportunity, then we make the solution: no more accepting body.
You cannot make permanent settlement. That is not possible. Then what? Bhuñjate... What is that? Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). We are placed in this material condition and we are obliged to contact the three types of material modes of nature, and according to the infection we suffer. Actually we suffer, but sometimes there is a little so-called happiness. In this way we are loitering within this universe—sometimes in the upper planetary system, sometimes lower planetary system, sometimes as human being, sometimes as demigod, or sometimes as cats, dog, trees. This is our position. And we are manufacturing our position. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu (BG 13.22). So we are completely under the clutches of material nature, and this is going on.
You have to change your body. Dehāntaram. Tathā dehāntaram-prāptir. But different grades of body is awarded by the laws of nature according to our karma. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). So this is... Our material position is that we are associating with different modes of material nature, and that is infection. If you become infected with some disease, germ, then you have to suffer from that disease. You cannot check it. Similarly, this infection will give us our next body. That we do not know. This is a rascal civilization. They're kept into the darkness, that how things are going on. Their so-called education, university... So whatever they are doing, they are all being defeated. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam. Unless one is inquisitive to understand "What I am?" whatever he is doing, he's being defeated. That's all. Parābhavaḥ.
So the human life is meant for understanding what is the position, "What I am?" This is intelligence.
Initiation Lectures
Completely pure means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), no material desire. Here in the material world, we manufacture so many plans to be happy, material desires. Somebody's thinking, "I shall be happy in this way." Somebody's thinking... There is no question of happiness here. The place is contaminated. In a contaminated... Just like in an infected place you cannot be happy. The medical officer will ask you to leave that place, that "This quarter has been infected by the disease. Better you leave, you go somewhere else." That is the treatment. Infected place must be left immediately. So similarly, this world, this material world of three modes of different qualities, you have to keep yourself always antiseptic, pure, by remembering Kṛṣṇa. That is the process. As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa, immediately the infection, māyā, immediately affects you. Kṛṣṇa bhūliya jīva bhoga-vāñchā kare.
Whom remembers? Puṇḍarīkākṣam, the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Puṇḍarīkākṣam. Sa, that person, bahya means externally, abhyantaram means internally, śuciḥ. Sa bahyābhyantaram. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Apavitraḥ means contaminated, and pavitra means liberated, without any contamination. Infected or disinfected. So in the material world we are all infected. This is the disinfecting process, simply remembering Kṛṣṇa, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. So this initiation is to teach how to remember always Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa. This Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, as soon as we hear, we immediately remember Kṛṣṇa, His speech in the Bhagavad-gītā, His form, His name, His quality, His pastimes. Everything comes. So we have to practice that. Then we remain always uncontaminated. And if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then there is chance of... Just like in the medical science, if there is some epidemic disease, they give some vaccination. I think in Los Angeles you gave me some vaccination? (chuckles) What is that, flus?
The purport of this mantra, namaḥ, namaḥ means "I surrender," or "I become submissive," namaḥ. So one has to become submissive. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Apavitraḥ means contaminated. This material world is contamination, infection of the spirit soul. We are suffering... Just like in ordinary diseased condition we suffer on account of infection, similarly the..., one who is intelligent, he should understand that this conditional life is suffering. One should not be foolishly very optimistic, that "I am very well situated. I am enjoying life." This is ignorance. Nobody is enjoying life in this material world; everyone is suffering. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka: ** this world is just like blazing forest fire; so everyone is suffering, contaminated. This is the sign, symptoms of contamination, that suffering, threefold miseries-ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. But as the animals, they suffer, but they do not understand, this is animal life. The animal is being taken to the slaughterhouse, but still he's happy.
Puṇḍarīkākṣam. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Externally, internally, he becomes immediately purified. So keep on chanting, you keep yourself purified, māyā cannot touch you. Māyā's contamination will not touch you. Just like if you take vaccine, the infectious disease will not touch you. Similarly, if you keep yourself vaccinated with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the māyā has no power to touch you. And if you can keep, then you will be accustomed. Just like a child, when he learns walking, he requires little help. He may fall down, but that doesn't matter. He again stands up. Similarly, in the beginning there may be childlike falldown, but if you stick to the position, then one day you'll be able to walk freely, without any hamper. So this mantra, apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthām, any condition of life, you can simply remember Puṇḍarīkākṣam, Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you chant "Kṛṣṇa," you remember everything.
Sa, that person becomes; sa bahyābhyantaram. Bahya means externally and abhyantara means internally. Bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. Śuciḥ means purified. Another śuci means brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is called śuci. A brāhmaṇa means a purified person. Not that by birth one becomes pure. No. The purificatory process. There are purificatory processes. Just like in infectious condition, those who are vaccinated, given injection, he is supposed to be purified. He cannot be attacked or infected by the disease. Similarly, in spiritual life also one has to remain purified. The whole process, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to purify the people in general from the contaminated condition of material existence. Purifying. It is purifying process. A living entity by nature is pure because he is part and parcel of the Supreme Pure, God. But due to his impure condition, he has forgotten his eternal relationship with God. So this initiation means that one is being accepted as student by the spiritual master to promote him gradually to the purified state, where he can realize himself and God.
"Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see. That will keep you in your svarūpa, in your real identification, and you'll never be attacked by māyā. Just like if you keep yourself vaccinated and if the period... What is called? Active. Then there is no fear of being infected. That is practical. If you get yourself vaccinated of certain type of infection and you keep yourself active... Just like doctors, they go, treat patients suffering from infectious disease, but they keep themselves always unaffected. They know the remedial measures, antiseptic, prophylactic processes. So this prophylactic antiseptic process is Kṛṣṇa-kīrtanam. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-kīrtanam. That is Lord Caitanya's blessing. Paraṁ vijayate. All glories to the saṅkīrtana, śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana. Kīrtana means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Not any other kīrtana. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they introduce so many other kīrtanas. No. Kīrtana means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma...
The purpose of this mantra, apavitraḥ pavitro vā... Apavitraḥ means contaminated, infected, and pavitra means purified. So the mantras says, "Either one is in contaminated stage or purified stage..." Apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthām. Sarva means all, avastha means circumstances. "In all circumstances, in whatever circumstances one may be, either in contaminated stage or purified stage," yaḥ smaret, "anyone who remembers Puṇḍarīkākṣam..." Puṇḍarīkākṣam means Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Puṇḍarīka-akṣam, lotus-eyed. So Lord Viṣṇu's eyes are just like lotus petals, so He's called puṇḍarīkākṣam. So such person who remembers, chants the name of the lord, puṇḍarīkākṣam, sa bahya... Bahya means external, and internal, abhyantaram, śuciḥ. Śuciḥ means purified. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. So simply by remembering the holy name of the Lord, Viṣṇu, one is purified in any stage of life.
So just like here also, the father is diseased, the son gets the body diseased, infects. If the father is healthy, the son is also healthy, child is also healthy. Similarly, if Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda vigraha, if Kṛṣṇa is the original father, then we are also sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1). But at the present moment, what is our condition? Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Now because we have got this material body, we have come in contact of this external energy, material energy, we have got this material body; therefore we are engaged in struggle for existence with mind and the material senses. That is our position. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi-prakṛti-sthāni. Prakṛti-sthāni means material. Karṣati, hard struggle. So this is our position. And if you want to get out of it... If you are foolish, that "Whatever it is, that's... Let it... Let us enjoy now. Don't talk talk of all these...," oh, that is another thing.
General Lectures
Here is reminder. So take opportunity. Don't try to history why you have forgotten and what was the date of my forgetfulness. Even if you know, what is the use? You have forgotten. Take it. Just like if you go to a physician, he'll never ask you how you got this disease, what is the history of this disease, at what date, at what time you were infected.
No. He simply feels your pulse and sees that you have got a disease and he gives you the medicine: "Yes. You take it." Similarly, we are suffering. That is a fact. Nobody can deny. Why you are suffering? Forgetting Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Now you revive your memory about Kṛṣṇa, you become happy. That's all. Very simple thing. Now don't try to find out the history when you forgot. You have forgotten, that is a fact, because you are suffering. Now here is an opportunity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Revive your memory, your love for Kṛṣṇa. Simple thing. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and take Kṛṣṇa prasāda. And if you are not educated, you are illiterate, hear.
This finger, a very small part of your body. If there is any pain, you spend thousands of dollars. You pay to the physician to cure the pain thousands of dollars, and when the physician says that "This finger has to be," what is called, "dislocated or cut off, separated, otherwise the whole body will be infected," so when this finger is cut off from your body, you don't care for it. No more value. Just try to understand. A typewriting machine, a small screw, when it is missing, your machine is not working nicely, you go to a repairing shop. He charges ten dollars. You pay immediately. That little screw, when it is out of that machine, it has not a value even one farthing. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of the Supreme. If we work with the Supreme, that means if we work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, that "I am part and parcel..." Just like this finger is working fully in consciousness of my body. Whenever there is little pain I can feel. Similarly, if you dovetail yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you are living in your normal condition, your life is successful.
God is so powerful. Just like sunlight is so powerful it can sterilize any infected thing. Any infected. Infection, we are afraid of being infected. But if you come to the sunlight, no infection. No infection. This is scientific. Similarly, whatever your qualification may be, however you may be impelled by the qualities of this material nature, if you come to the sunlight of Kṛṣṇa consciousness you become immediately purified. There are many instances among my students, how they have become immediately purified.
So we have to take to this process. Then there will be no more force that you commit criminality. No. There will be no chance if you become pure by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It has to be attained by tapasya.
Therefore we prescribe so many things just to keep you cleansed—cleansed within, cleansed outside. Then there is no affection of māyā. Otherwise, you will be harassed by three kinds of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika... I have seen many persons in India, within two or three days, by perspiration, within their coat, they germinate so many germs. Do not take bath, unclean. You see? So cleanliness is the protection from infection. And water is very disinfectant, natural disinfectant. This is the medical opinion, water. Therefore God has supplied unlimited quantity of water. You can spend it as much as you like. Yes?
There is no license, no expenditure, no loss, but the gain is very great. That is our request.
So we thank you very much that you are sympathetic with this movement and coming every weekly to participate in our love feast. So if you simply come by taking part in this feasting festival, you'll be infected with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!
Prabhupāda: Everything has got some infectional influence. So if bad thing has got infectional influence, why not good thing? So you try to associate with us and you'll be infected. You'll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much.
And hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti: "Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody can be saved from the cycle of birth and death." That is not possible. There are many Vedic versions. Yāvan na prītir mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. Deha-yoga means contacting this material body. We are not this material body, but we have contacted. Just like we contact some infectious disease, similarly, we have somehow or other contacted. Deha-yogena. And that is the cause of all our misery.
So Bhāgavata says, yāvan na prītir mayi vāsudeve. So long one does not develop this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no chance of getting out of this contact of material body. We can get very nice body or very bad body. That doesn't matter. We can get a dog's body, or we can get a demigod's body. We can live for five minutes. There are many insects and germs which live for five minutes, and there are living entities in Brahmaloka who live for five millions of years.
That is the process. So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, your heart, the mirror of your heart, becomes cleansed so that you can see. Just like mirror, when it is dusty, you cannot see your face nicely, similarly, when our heart is contaminated with the material infection, we cannot understand our real position. But if we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then it will be possible to understand, to see our constitutional position. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). And bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there is no expenditure and there is no less. Just like we requested you while our students were chanting to join with. What was the loss? But if you do not do, then how we can help you? We are not asking you to pay something for chant this mantra. It is free. It is open. You have to simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa and see the result. Why don't you do that? We are not asking any payment.
Everyone is suffering on account of ignorance. Just like you contaminate some disease out of ignorance. You do not know hygienic principle; you do not know that "This thing will contaminate me. This association will contaminate me. This kind of food will contaminate me." Because we do not know, therefore we contact infections, sometimes suffer from disease. It is very simple to understand. Everyone's... Suppose one commits something criminal due to ignorance, due to ignorance. But in the court, when a man is criminal, in the court, if he says, the criminal, if he says that "I did not know the law," he'll not be excused. Ignorance is no excuse. Similarly, even a child, he does not know, he catches on fire—the fire will burn. No excuse. The fire will not consider that "Here is a child. He does not know. Excuse." No. No excuse. So as there are stringent laws of nature or laws of the state, that because you do not know something, you have committed some wrong, you'll be excused—no, that is no, there is no possibility.
Suppose I, this time, this life, I am very busy for constructing a big skyscraper building, and next time, next life, if I get the body of a cat or dog, so I'll have to live in that house because I have got attraction as a cat and dog, and who will care for me? So these are the facts. Because nobody can change the nature's law. Nature's law is exactly like infectious disease. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). They do not even believe that there is life after death. I talked, in Moscow, a big professor, Kotovsky. He said, "Swamijī, after death there is nothing." You... He's a big professor. He has no knowledge of the soul. And he's a big professor. Just see. This is going on.
So as far as possible... Now, as gradually this godless civilization will go on—that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata—there will be problems. Anāvṛṣṭi. Anāvṛṣṭi: there will be no rain. And durbhikṣa. As there will be anāvṛṣṭi, no sufficient rain, there will be no sufficient production. Actually, these things are already begun.
Material nature is controlling. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). How the material nature is controlling? She has got machine, three modes of material nature. So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). They are contacting either of these three modes of material nature and thus being infected. We know that if we infect some disease knowingly or unknowingly-generally we infect unknowingly-later on that disease becomes developed. This is law of nature. Not that you do not know when you infected that particular disease... That is no excuse. You have infected yourself with this kind of disease; you must suffer. This is knowledge. Similarly, there are three kinds of infection, modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. So ignorance is no excuse. If in the law court you say, "My lord, I did not know that by stealing one is punished," that, the magistrate or the judge, will not excuse you.
So ignorance is no excuse. If in the law court you say, "My lord, I did not know that by stealing one is punished," that, the magistrate or the judge, will not excuse you. The law, even this material law, is so strict, and you can imagine how much strict are stringent laws of the nature. So this is the material life, that knowingly or unknowingly we are infecting a particular type of modes of material nature, and our next body is being created. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Sad-asad life, there are different varieties of life, 8,400,000 varieties of forms. So why there are different forms of life, different standard of life? Why? The answer is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇam, the reason, is guṇa-saṅgaḥ, his particular infection with a particular quality of material nature. This is going on perpetually. "Perpetually" means we do not know when this process of life began and when it will be ended; therefore it is perpetual.
Why? The answer is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇam, the reason, is guṇa-saṅgaḥ, his particular infection with a particular quality of material nature. This is going on perpetually. "Perpetually" means we do not know when this process of life began and when it will be ended; therefore it is perpetual. So our this privilege, to possess a human form of life, is great advantage in this sense, that we can study all these things—what is the living entity, how he is being infected and how he is taking different types of bodies, and account of the body, the standard of life, nice or bad, is going on. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, in the very beginning of His teaching of the Bhagavad-gītā, He is trying to impress that "I am not this body, or we are not this body. I am the owner or occupier of the body." This is the first instruction.
Now I am Indian or American. I am very great leader, Indian leader or American. Next moment I may become a dog or cat. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ is absolute. There is no question of... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). As we are working, creating a mentality—just like if I am infecting some disease, then I have to suffer from that disease—so similarly, this material world is consisting of three modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, and mixed. So we are infecting according to our activities. The first-class position is to become a qualified brāhmaṇa. Śamo damo satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So that is the best quality. And next the kṣatriya quality, next the vaiśya quality... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So according to the infection of different qualities, we are preparing the next body, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activities for the human society to save them from a dangerous type of life. It is a very scientific movement. The fools and rascals, they do not know that there is next life and one has to accept a type of body given by nature. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). According to karma, the nature... Just like if you infect some disease without any knowledge, so that disease, infection, will develop. If you have infected the small pox germ, then it will develop. You may believe or not believe or you may know or not know. It doesn't matter. Nature's way is like that. Similarly, we are contaminating within this material world different infection of the modes of material nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad yoni janmasu. One is getting higher type of birth, one is getting lower type of birth, why? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅgo 'sya: (BG 13.22) the cause is different contamination of the material modes of nature. Therefore in human form of life we should not be irresponsible animals.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: There is a cause. Now, you may not find out the cause, just like here is a diseased man, and there is some cause. So instead of finding out the cause, you go on treating the disease. Get it cured. But cause must be there. Otherwise he is infected, why others are not infected? The cause must be there.
Śyāmasundara: So he says that the laws of physics are not inherent in nature, but they are modes of thought.
Prabhupāda: No. This is also nonsense. There is a law. All physical things which are going on, there is a law. Just like while the temperature is below zero, the water becomes solid. That is a physical law.
Prabhupāda: So he told me that when he was a student in Calcutta there was a big professor, Colonel Megha, English professor. He was lecturing, and with in talking he said that in our country that seventy-eight percent of the students are infected with syphilis. Yes. So the doctor said as soon as he heard from Professor Megha, he said, "Horrible." And the doctor said, "Why you are saying horrible? In your country ninety-nine percent are suffering from malaria. So as a doctor you should take the disease. Why do you think that this is a horrible and this is not horrible? You are thinking that malaria is not horrible; syphilis is horrible. But in our country we think syphilis is not horrible and malaria is horrible. So as a medical practitioner you should consider the disease, not the aftereffects. Aftereffects of all diseases is suffering, either it is malaria or it is syphilis." So we should be concerned that this soul, pure soul, is affected by these sattva, rajas, tamaguṇa, material modes of nature, and he is suffering.
Prabhupāda: He analyzed some sane people also. But one psychiatrist's opinion is that (indistinct) was a civil servant, he was called to give evidence in a case where the criminal was pleading (indistinct) became insane while he committed the murder. So the civil servant was called to test him, whether actually he was insane or (indistinct) insanity. So he gave evidence that "I have tested so many persons, so I have seen that more or less everyone is insane. More or less. They are bewildered. So in that case, if insanity is the only plea that he should be excused, he can be excused. But so far as I know, everyone is more or less insane." And that is our conclusion. We say (indistinct), anyone who is infected with this material nature is more or less insane, crazy. He is crazy, not more or less. Anyone who has got this material body must be crazy. And therefore everyone is speaking in a different way.
Prabhupāda: "My dear sir, you have worked like a dog, you become a dog. You liked this surfing in the sea, now you become a fish." That will be given by the superior order. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You have worked in a certain way. Now, by superior, super, superior dictation you will accept a type of body naturally. If you have infected some disease, when you are attacked by the disease you cannot protest because you have got already infected. Similarly, we are creating our next body, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). We are keeping ourself in touch with a certain type of modes of material nature. That means we are creating our next body. How we..., can you stop it? That is nature's way. The same, if you have infected some disease you must get that disease. Similarly, there are three modes of material nature, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa, and transcendental. As you have kept your association in this life you get the similar body, paurva-dehikam.
Prabhupāda: No. That they do not know. The same soul is, is passing through another gross body with his mental, intellectual identification. He is..., that is nature's gift. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). As we have infected a certain type of modes of nature, he is getting a similar body, but the person is the same.
Hayagrīva: Now the, this would be the view, the second view, that is reincarnation. "This concept of rebirth necessarily implies the continuity of personality. Here the human personality is regarded as continuous and accessible to memory, so that when one is incarnated or born one is able, at least potentially, to remember that one has lived through previous existences, and that these existences were one's own, namely that he had the same ego form as the present life. As a rule, reincarnation means rebirth in a human body."
| Page Title: | Infection (Other Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari, Mayapur |
| Created: | 18 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=47, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 47 |