To follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to follow the six Gosvāmīs. This is called paramparā system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptaṁ imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ (BG 4.2). If we follow the paramparā system... The same message, what Kṛṣṇa said, that is also said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that is also said by the Gosvāmīs. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇa niveśayet. Somehow or other, try to induce people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is Gosvāmī's, Rūpa Gosvāmī's message. Where you are sitting, this is Rūpa Gosvāmī's place. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So these boys, Ṛṣi Kumara Gosvāmī and others, Satsvarūpa Gosvāmī, Hṛdayānanda Gosvāmī, they're preaching the mes..., same message, Kṛṣṇa message. In the paper: "Kṛṣṇa message in South Africa." "Kṛṣṇa message in South Africa." This is very encouraging, that Kṛṣṇa message is being spread as Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is very encouraging. So all of you... Of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted the matter to all Indians, especially.
Somehow or other (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)
Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
And Śrīdhara Swami confirms it: atra mokṣa-vāñcāḥ-paryantaṁ nirastam. A devotee is above the point of liberation. The devotional service is called pañcama-puruṣārtha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His opinion: premā pumartho mahān. Not dhara is pumarthaḥ. Our ultimate goal of life is neither dharma, or artha, religiosity, economic development, kāma, sense gratification, and mokṣa, liberation.
So people are very busy for economic development. They think that is the highest goal of life. To get money somehow or other; and then, after getting money, to satisfy the senses. And when they are defeated in satisfying senses, defeated... Defeated means everyone is trying to satisfy his senses to the greatest extent. Unfortunately, māyā will now allow him to do so. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Parābhavaḥ. The karmīs who are trying to satisfy their senses to the highest limit, they are being defeated. It cannot be. Nobody's satisfied with the senses, to the greatest extent. In Europe and America, this can very practically experienced. Many, many, old, very rich men, seventy-five years old, seventy years old, they're still going to the club for satisfying the senses. That means the sense satisfaction business cannot be completely done even to the point of death.
Aparaspara-sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma-haitukam. Just like a man and woman accidentally unite and there is a child, similarly, there is no purpose. Somehow or other, the material energy came into existence, and therefore there is creation. This is their argument. This is asuric argument, or the demoniac argument. But the Vedas says, "No." Vedas says that janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). There is original. Absolute Truth, or God, is He from (whom) everything emanates. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). And that God must be sentient. He's not zero. Not zero. The śūnyavādi. He has got brain. He's person. That is explained. The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now they, that Absolute Truth, from where everything is emanating, is discussed in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Bhāgavatam is accepted as the real commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. Real commentary. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. Vedārtha paribṛṁhitam. These are the statements. This is accepted by the ācāryas. In the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, therefore, the Gosvāmīs, they did not write any comment on the Vedānta-sūtra although other ācāryas like Rāmānujācārya, Mādhavācārya, they wrote commentaries on the Bhagavad, uh, Vedānta-sūtra. But our Gosvāmīs, they did not write purposefully, because they accept that there is already natural perfect commentary written by the same author, Vyāsadeva, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānām **.
So in this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa from the śāstra, from the Vedas. Then we shall understand Kṛṣṇa. And once we understand Kṛṣṇa, our life is successful. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa in truth, his life is perfect. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). The perfection of life is that after giving up this body, we shall not accept any more material body. That is perfection. The people do not know that. They think... People, the karmīs, they think that "If we get a nice body in the heavenly planet, that is perfection of life." Svargaloka. And the jñānīs, they think that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul. But somehow or other, if we finish my body, and merge into the Brahman effulgence, that is perfection of life." The yogis, they think that "We may keep this body, but with this body, if we can play some jugglery, magic, that is perfection of life." Sometimes we see somebody plays some jugglery, magic, little magic, not very nice magic... One cannot show greater magic than Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill with little finger. So who can show this magic? There are so many imitation Gods, but if I ask him that "You just lift this one hundred kilo burden with your finger," it will be very difficult for him. You see.
If one is Kṛṣṇa devotee, he can deliver Kṛṣṇa: "Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Vaiṣṇava... Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting, actually He was doing this victory also, war. So in this way, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, if we simply invoke our kṛṣṇa-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other, just be absorbed within your mind about Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Some way or other. It doesn't matter which way. And another place Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. Purchase this kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if it is available somewhere. Tatra laulyam eka mūlyam, na janma koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ labhyate.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very rare thing, but, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is being distributed all over the world freely. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace. Mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). If we adopt the method of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then we can distribute what Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge of Kṛṣṇa may be distributed. The scholars and the paṇḍitas, they can understand, but love of Kṛṣṇa is different thing. That is a different thing. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te.
So the fact is, the idea is that you can make your relationship with Kṛṣṇa with any kinds of rasas. Because beyond these twelve rasas, there is no other rasa. There are... These twelve rasas is complete: five primary and seven secondary. Direct and indirect. Therefore our Gosvāmīs' instruction is that you establish your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other, you establish, you fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kaṁsa. He fixed up his mind on Kṛṣṇa how to kill Him. He was always thinking... He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious, that... But he was thinking, "As soon as Kṛṣṇa will take birth, I shall immediately kill Him." And he was anxious, "Whether He is born, whether He's born, whether He's born?" So when his sister, Devakī, was pregnant, he was thinking of the pregnant..., Kṛṣṇa, within the womb, "When He will take birth, when He will take birth, when He will take birth?" That was... That was also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but that kind of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not bhakti. The indirect Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is not bhakti. That is attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That will also give benefit. Just like Kaṁsa and other enemies of Kṛṣṇa, who were killed by Kṛṣṇa, they got immediately salvation, immediately got salvation.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not new. It, it, it is continuing, it is going on since Kṛṣṇa appeared. And later on, five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu revived it, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So when they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both the brothers decided that "Now we shall join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. It is very nice movement." So, after resigning their posts, Rūpa Gosvāmī stealthily left the country and Sanātana Gosvāmī was situated. He formally wanted to resign the post, but the Nawab would not allow him to resign; therefore he was arrested. And somehow or other, he managed to come out of the prison and then join Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.
So when he met, there was discussion of life's..., value of life between Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Sanātana Gosvāmī. So Sanātana Gosvāmī first of all questioned this, that grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita satya kari māni. "Now the ordinary few friends, my countrymen, they consider me, I am very learned scholar." He was very learned scholar actually. He was great scholar in Sanskrit and in Arabi, Arabic language and Persian language. Because in those days there were Muhammadan kingdom. So actually they were very learned scholars, from... Because we understand from their writings, later on, after becoming disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Prabhupāda: If you are actually serious to know God, or Kṛṣṇa, then you must take to this process of devotional service. Without this you cannot understand. Not through karma, not through mystic yogic exercises, but through devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad... But people do not know it. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. Bhakti-yogam, execution of bhakti-yoga, is the means of anartha upaśama, subduing the anarthas. Material life means we have accumulated some unwanted things. Just like this material body—this is also not wanted. But somehow or other, we have developed this, and as we have got this material body, we have got so many material necessities of life. So it is not that abruptly we have to give it up. But by yukta-vairāgya, everything, the material activities, dovetailing with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it becomes gradually purified, and we come to the final stage of understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is our success of life. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Karma, or fruitive activities, are sometimes understood to be ritualistic activities. There are many persons who are very much attracted by the ritualistic activities described in the Vedas. But if one becomes attracted simply to ritualistic activities without understanding Kṛṣṇa, his activities are unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be based simply on hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. Described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are nine different processes, besides which, everything done is unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus one should always be guarding against falldowns."
Otherwise, when you are, we are in training, that is called prakṛta-bhakta. Actually, we are in the material state, but we are being trained up, the Deity worship. This is, following the rules and regulations under the instruction of spiritual master. Or Vedic injunction, this is training period. But even in the training period, if one is sincere and serious, he's liberated. He's liberated. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that even in the training period, although he's not mature, and even one falls immature stage, there is no loss. That is also confirmed by Nārada Muni: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi apakva... (SB 1.5.17). There is a verse like this—I don't exactly remember—that if one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, and without being mature, somehow or other, if he falls down, there is no loss, whereas other persons, who are sticking to their sva-dharma, but has no idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not gain anything. These are the statements of Nārada. Therefore our position should be, our real active life begins when we begin to serve Kṛṣṇa with our senses without being designated, without being situated in designation. This is transcendental stage.
Therefore a bhakta, Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇava should not be considered that he's coming from European group or this group or that group. No. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. Vaiṣṇava should not be considered belonging to any jāti. Vaiṣṇave, arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-mati. Just like we worship Deity. Everyone knows that Deity is made of stone, but do we worship the stone? Do we construct so big, big temples for worshiping a piece of stone? No. Unless one has got this connection, that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sākṣād brajendra-nandana..." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Jagannātha Temple and immediately fainted. He saw sākṣād brajendra-nandana Hari, Kṛṣṇa, immediately. So we have to learn how to see Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That means we have to purify our senses. Then we can see Kṛṣṇa always.
So devotional service is rarely achieved. Rarely achieved means if you achieve, then you become free from all obligation. Na janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ. Tatra laulyam eka-mūlyaṁ na labhyate yad janmabhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved simply by your intense desire that "This life I shall try to achieve favor of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa will help you. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). If you are actually seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Kṛṣṇa gives us intelligence how to approach Him. So pure devotional service is rarely achieved. But by chance, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), if we somehow or other come in contact with bona fide guru and Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is already there. We are already in touch. And if we are serious, then by grace of Kṛṣṇa, we get niṣkiñcana, a devotee, and by his grace we achieve to the platform of devotional service. Otherwise it is very difficult. Not by executing karma, jñāna, yoga. No. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply you have to take pure devotional service. Therefore it is very difficult. People do not wish to come to the pure devotional service. They want hodgepodge: something this, something that, something that. No. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is the beginning of pure devotional service. No other engagement.
This is paropakāra. Those who are born in low-grade family... The most regrettable fact is that in India the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas, they did not take care of the fallen souls. Once one becomes, somehow or other, a Muhammadan, he has no more chance to come back to the Hindu society. This policy was being followed. And therefore the result is that these fallen souls, whom we call fallen souls, the Muhammadans, they partitioned. Now we are crying. Not only that. I think, from historical point of view, this whole planet was India, Bhārata-varṣa. This planet was called Bhārata-varṣa—not this portion of land. But because gradually the Vedic culture became diminished, they separated from this Vedic culture, as we have got actual experience, and within twenty years the Pakistan is taken away from India.
So if follow that policy that one who is born in India as brāhmaṇa, except him, nobody can become brāhmaṇa, then this Vedic civilization will be, in due course of time, lost. We should be very careful. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading Vedic culture outside India. And they are welcoming it, those who are intelligent, they are welcoming it. They are accepting it. We should encourage them. Instead of discouraging this movement, we should encourage, so that the whole world can be united on the platform of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If we simply hate low-grade families, low-grade men, that will not solve the problem. Just like when there was political movement in India, the Britishers, they presented so many problems. Just like the untouchables, the Muhammadans, and so many things.
His mission is, somehow or other, try to people..., try to engage people in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they may think of Kṛṣṇa, some way or other. Then regulate them, after that. Actually our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, has attained little success on this principle. When we began this movement we never asked people that "You have to do this; you have to do that." No. "Please come and hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." This was our policy. Never mind what you are. You may be Christian. You may be Jews. You may be Muhammadan or Hindu, Muslim. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come and join with us, the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. Actually, that has become successful. In Tompkins Square, I was sitting underneath a tree and chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra alone. And these young men, they used to assemble and dance also in the tune, for three hours—from two to five. In this way, we got our followers, associates. And gradually it developed into organization. So in the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulations. There is no rules and regulations. First thing required: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Unless one's heart is cleansed, he cannot accept rules and regulations. That is not possible. Cora nasane dharme khaiḥ (?). If, if a man is thief, and if you give him moral instruction, that "Stealing is very sinful; do not do it," he will not care for it. A butcher, if you advise him that "Animal killing is very bad. It is sinful," he'll not accept it. That is not possible. His heart should be cleansed. Prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam.
Prabhupāda: The general practice by everyone, whatever tendency he may have, differently. But the general platform is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That will pave the way for everyone. Go on.
Devotee: "This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. The great saint Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, although a responsible king, fixed his mind on Kṛṣṇa, and similarly anyone who tries to fix his mind in this way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now this sādhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, can also be divided into two parts. The first part is called regulative principles. One has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master, or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without any argument. Another part of sādhana-bhakti is called rāgānugā. Rāgānugā refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Kṛṣṇa and executes devotional service out of natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer ārātrika, which is a form of Deity worship. In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers ārātrika, but then he develops real attachment. When he gets this attachment he automatically tries to decorate the Deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely. Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is our prescription, that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any stop." And even death comes... Death may come at any moment, but if at the time of death, somehow or other, you can utter "Kṛṣṇa" or remember Kṛṣṇa, as soon as you utter the name of Kṛṣṇa, you remember Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, everything. So let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. There is no, I mean to say, impediment. Anyone... Ahaituky apratihatā. Nobody can check it. If you are determined that "I shall always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra," nobody can check. But we do not feel so much attached to the chanting. Therefore it is checked. So therefore we have fixed up a certain rounds. Just like we have given to you sixteen rounds. At least, as a regulative principle, you must chant. Then gradually we may increase and automatically chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That will be very good approach. Go on.
Devotee: "In the statements of Śukadeva Gosvāmī it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śukadeva recommends that one should always hear about Kṛṣṇa. He does not recommend that one hear and chant about the demigods. The Māyāvādīs (impersonalists) say that you can chant any name, either that of Kṛṣṇa or those of the demigods, and the result will be the same. But actually this is not a fact. According to the authorized version of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one has to hear and chant about Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) only."
Prabhupāda: Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, it is specially mentioned. Not that as the Māyāvādīs say, that you can chant any name. No. Śāstra says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.
Devotee: "So Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that in order to be fearless of death one has to hear and chant and remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, by all means. He also mentions that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Sarvātmā. Sarvātmā means the 'Supersoul of everyone.' Kṛṣṇa is also mentioned as Īśvara, the Supreme Controller, who is situated in everyone's heart. Therefore if some way or other we become attached to Kṛṣṇa, He will make us free from all danger. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that anyone who becomes a devotee of the Lord is never vanquished. Others, however, are always vanquished. Vanquished means that after getting this human form of life a person does not come out of the entanglement of birth and death and thus misses his golden opportunity. Such a person does not know where he is being thrown by the laws of nature.
Suppose one does not develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this human form of life. He will be thrown into the cycle of birth and death involving 8,400,000 species of life, and his spiritual identity will remain lost. One does not know whether he is going to be a plant or a beast or a bird or something like that, because there are so many species of life. The recommendation of Rūpa Gosvāmī for reviving our original Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that somehow or other we should apply our minds to Kṛṣṇa very seriously and thus become fearless of death. After death we do not know our destination because we are completely under the control of the laws of nature. Only Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller over the laws of nature. Therefore if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa seriously, there will be no fear of being thrown back into the cycle of so many species of life. A sincere devotee will surely be transferred to the abode of Kṛṣṇa, as affirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: We are under the control of the material nature. Everyone can realize it. Nobody can be free. But the process of freedom is also stated there: Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā, mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). If anyone takes to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, surrenders there, and be engaged in His service, then these laws of nature will be slackened, or almost nil. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). These are the statements of the śāstras. Laws of material nature means karma. You act in a certain way and you get the result, good or bad; that is called karma. Sat-karma or asat-karma. Actually everything is asat-karma. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23).
Devotee: "Whether one concentrates his mind on the four-handed form of Viṣṇu or on the form of two-handed Kṛṣṇa, it is the same. The Padma Purāṇa recommends: somehow or other, always think of Viṣṇu without forgetting Him under any circumstances. Actually, this is the most basic of all regulative principles. For, when there is an order from a superior about doing something, there is simultaneously a prohibition. When the order is that one should always remember Kṛṣṇa, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him. Within this simple order and prohibition, all regulative principles are found complete. This regulative principle is applicable to all varṇas and āśramas, the castes and occu..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Regulative principles are meant for everyone, all varṇas and āśramas. Not that "I am now sannyāsī. I have got the highest platform. Therefore regulative principles is not meant for me. It is for the kaniṣṭha..." This is rascaldom. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājyam. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. Tapasya. Following the regulative principles means tapasya. So "I have renounced the world. Renounced. I have become a sannyāsī, renounced the world..." That doesn't mean I have renounced all these things, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. No. These things are not to be renounced. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyajyam. They are not to be renounced. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā pāvanāni manīṣiṇām. Even if you are, have become a great saintly person, still you should consider, continue yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. This is the injunction of the śāstra. It should not be given up at any stage. Pāvanāni manīṣiṇām.
Pradyumna: "Nārada Muni mentions this sādhana-bhakti in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, First Chapter, 30th verse. He says there to King Yudhiṣṭhira: 'My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa by any means.' That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Prabhupāda: Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. The practice means somehow or other, you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Practice in such a way that you'll be able to think of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, without any stop. That is the first-class yoga. Immediately you become a first-class yogi. You don't have to practice the meditation, samādhi, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, praṇāyāma, this aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Without practicing aṣṭāṅga-yoga, you simply practice the one simple thing, simply thinking of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa always; then you become a first-class yogi. It is not our statement. Kṛṣṇa's statement.
Pradyumna: "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose, centered around the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. The great saint Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, although a responsible king, fixed his mind on Kṛṣṇa, and similarly, anyone who tries to fix his mind in this way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Prabhupāda: Because fix up mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa is yoga. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Who is yogi? Dhyānāvasthita, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā... Tad-gatena manasā, absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. This is yoga system. Some way or other, if you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of yoga. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). That is the verdict of all śāstras. So by fixing up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, immediately you become first-class yogi. There is no doubt about it. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Now this sādhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, can also be divided into two parts. The first part is called regulative principles. One has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures."
Prabhupāda: Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). That is the success of life. Somehow or other, if one can remember Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, that is success of life. The... In Bengal there is a proverb: bhajana kara, pūjāna kara, mate janle haya. Your devotional service will be tested at the time of death. Because yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaram loke tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time of death, if we can remember Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ, that is all success. The practice of devotional service means so that we may be so accustomed to chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra that at the time of death we may remember it. Otherwise... Not like parrot. The parrot also imitates chanting. But when the cat catches, he does not say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." He says (imitates parrot sound), "kanh, kanh." So not that kind of... We should be accustomed to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa that whenever the death point is there, he would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then that is success. So practice means to remember. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). If we practice always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, naturally, at the time of danger, we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on.
Pradyumna: "In the statements of Śukadeva Gosvāmī it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śukadeva recommends that one should always hear about Kṛṣṇa. He does not recommend that one hear and chant about the demigods. The Māyāvādīs, or impersonalists, say that you can chant any name, either that of Kṛṣṇa or those of the demigods, and the result will be the same."
Pradyumna: "Suppose one does not develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this human form of life. He will be thrown into the cycle of birth and death involving 8,400,000 species of life, and his spiritual identity will remain lost. One does not know whether he is going to be a plant or a beast or a bird or something like that, because there are so many species of life. The recommendation of Rūpa Gosvāmī for reviving our original Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that somehow or other we should apply our minds to Kṛṣṇa very seriously, and thus also become fearless of death. After death, we do not know our destination, because we are completely under the control of the laws of nature. Only Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller over the laws of nature. Therefore, if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa seriously, there will be no fear of being thrown back into the cycle of so many species of life. A sincere devotee will surely be transferred to the abode of Kṛṣṇa, as affirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). These statements are there. If we actually take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā, the laws of nature, will not act. And... Otherwise, we shall be put into the cycle of birth and death. So the best utilization of this human life is to elevate oneself to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, in truth, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then we'll not have to accept any more this material body, which is full of miserable conditions. Then we go back to home, back to Godhead. Go on.
Pradyumna: "We should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a way that we will constantly remember Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whether one concentrates his mind on the four-handed form of Viṣṇu or on the form of two-handed Kṛṣṇa, it is the same. The Padma Purāṇa recommends somehow or other always thinking of Viṣṇu, without forgetting Him, under any circumstances. Actually, this is the most basic of all regulative principles. For, when there is an order from a superior about doing something, there is simultaneously a prohibition. When the order is that one should always remember Kṛṣṇa, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him. Within this simple order and prohibition all regulative principles are found complete."
Prabhupāda: Smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇuḥ vismartavyaṁ na jātucit. This is, this is the principle of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. We should always remember Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, and we shall never forget Him. We shall mold our life in such a way... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, International Society, on this process, they are acting. They're publishing, they're going to saṅkīrtana party on the street—even they are arrested, they cannot forget Kṛṣṇa. Even they are put into the jail, there also, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa or remembering Kṛṣṇa, that "For pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have come to jail." And they are chanting; they're free to chant. So ahaituky apratihatā: Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be checked in any condition of life, provided we are serious. It is so nice. Any condition, any circumstances, without any check, we can remember Kṛṣṇa. Satato smartavyaḥ, smartavyo viṣṇuḥ. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). These are the instructions. Go on.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Bhakta-śakti, everything requires strength, so we can derive strength by chanting Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You don't require very high education, neither you require to take your birth in very high family. Ahaitukī. Execution of devotional service is independent, completely. It has nothing to do with material condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. No material condition can check. Who can check it? If all the world over they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, who can check? No government can check, no communist party can check. Go on chanting; that is the principle. So ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā suprasīdati, and you will get individually and collectively Where is he? Haridāsa, he went to Moscow? He has gone (indistinct). He was chanting in Moscow. So people could not understand, they were asking, "What you are doing?" "I am singing some cinema song." (laughter) He was telling like that. Very clever. (laughter) "I am singing because the Muscovites, they are after Indian culture." So he said that "This is Hare Kṛṣṇa cinema song."
So somehow or other, you can chant even in Moscow.
There is not difficulty. The small children, they are also taking part. Now somebody may say that "These children do not understand English. What they are hearing? Simply they are wasting their time." No, they are not wasting their time. The vibration is surcharged with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So even they simply hear, even though (they) do not understand English language, by simply hearing the vibration uttered by a Vaiṣṇava to a Vaiṣṇava, that will be effective. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply hearing will do. Simply by hearing they will become pious. And the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, somehow or other, if one takes part in these discourses, he will be pious. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Paraṁ vijāyate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), simply by hearing it is effective. So from the very beginning of our life, we should try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Not try, but we must. It is not, what is called, optional. It is compulsory. If you want to make your life successful, then this is compulsory, from the very beginning to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
There are rules and regulation, rituals, everything. So one who follows those rules and regulations, they are called religionist. And what is the effect of becoming religionist? The effect is that you can live very peacefully without any material want. Simply by following the rules and regulation of your scripture, it doesn't matter in which religion you belong to, but if you follow the rules and regulation, then your life will be peaceful and there will be no material want. That is not, of course, peaceful. You cannot expect any peace in this material world because the major problem is birth, death, old age and disease. So you cannot check this. But somehow or other, your life will be peaceful and more than those, I mean to say, upstarts who do not follow any rules and regulation. You'll be in better position, far better position than them. So this is one perfection, to become a man of religiosity.
Then, if you become a man of religiosity, then your economic wants will be almost nil. Dharma, artha and kāma. And, if your economic wants are fulfilled, then you can fulfill your sense enjoyment very nicely. We want economic development—why? Because we want to... Ordinary man, who is in the material world, he wants to fulfill his sense... He has got so many demands of his senses, either in this world or in the other world. Suppose a man is trying by his, following the religious principle to go to other planets.
So one has to transcend these guṇas; then God realization, or understanding of Kṛṣṇa, can be achieved. But the devotional service, vidhi-bhakti, the process of rendering devotional service to the Lord according to the prescribed regulative principles in the śāstra, helps us to transcend all these qualities. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who? Māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Anyone who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Lord, he is immediately on the transcendental position, I mean to..., surpassing the three guṇas. Sa guṇān... Guṇān, bāhu-vacanam, plural number. Immediately. Therefore, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If somehow or other one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he immediately becomes liberated. Immediately becomes liberated. Because Kṛṣṇa says that sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). And that is a practical application we are now experiencing while preaching in the Western world. The Western world, as you know, ninety-nine percent, they are in the tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. They are very active, working day and night. We are also, here in India. That is rajo-guṇa. And tamo-guṇa, ignorance, and rajo-guṇa, passion. Rajo-guṇa is better than the tamo-guṇa in the sense: in the tamo-guṇa people are lazy, sleeping, lethargic, but in the rajo-guṇa they are active. But they are active only for sense gratification. So rajas-tamo-guṇa. So we have to make further progress to be situated in sattva-guṇa.
In another place the Lord says that "To understand Me, actually what I am, is very difficult." Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of human beings, somebody tries to make a perfection of his life." Otherwise they are all working like cats and dogs, that's all, simply āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. They have no other information. "Work hard, eat, be merry and enjoy, and have mating, that's all." So out of millions and millions of persons like this, engaged in animal propensities of life, only a few persons, selected person... Because the illusory energy has grasped us under her clutches very tightly, to get out of the clutches is very difficult. So somehow or other, a few people, out of many millions and thousands, they come to the understanding that what is the real perfection of life. Now, those who are actually perfected, out of them, out of millions of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Siddhānām means those who are already achieved perfection. Out of them—not these imperfect fools—those who are actually attained perfection, they can understand what Kṛṣṇa is actually, tattvataḥ. And that actual position can be understood... In another place in Bhagavad-gītā it says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "What He is actually, that can be understood by this devotional service, no other process." No other process will help to understand Kṛṣṇa. You can... By other processes you can achieve some other thing, but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to understand through your devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "As I am." Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā.
They are called nīca jāti, as śūdras or less than the śūdras. According to Vedic system the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya, they are higher caste, and the śūdras, they are lower caste. And less than śūdras, they are lowest.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī, actually he belonged to the brāhmaṇa family. His forefathers belonged to the Sārasvata brāhmaṇa. There are different sect, gaura brāhmaṇa and sarasvata brāhmaṇa. So Sārasvata brāhmaṇa, actually they belonged to the Aryan, ārya-varta, the Punjab side and Kashmir side. They are considered to be high-class brāhmaṇa. So he belongs to that community. But somehow or other, their forefathers, I mean to say, make their domicile in Bengal because they had some property in Bengal. They were very rich, aristocratic family. And this Sanātana Gosvāmī accepted ministership in the Muhammadan kingdom. So in those days, amongst the brāhmaṇa community, if any brāhmaṇa would accept service, he becomes at once a śūdra. He becomes at once, because service is meant for the śūdras, not for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas. They would never accept anybody's obligation as service. They will starve. That was the principle. Only the śūdras could accept service. So because this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī accepted government office—although it was government office, but it was service—so they were outside the brāhmaṇa community. So all these Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. Otherwise, at that time social condition was very strict. You have heard the name of Rabindranath Tagore. They were also in that way ostracized. They were out of brāhmaṇa community. They also belonged to the brāhmaṇa community. So therefore he is presenting himself that nīca jāti. Nīca jāti: "I am lower caste." Why? Nīca-saṅgī: "Because my association nīca, my association Muhammadan. They are not brāhmaṇas. They are not highly qualified. Because my association lower, so I am lower also." And patita: "I have fallen down from the standard of my paternal position." Patita: "I am fallen." Adhama. Adhama means "I am the lowest of the human beings."
He said, "Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are Kṛṣṇa. Now, this time, You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya in order to give everyone Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa made some condition, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but here now, as devotee of Kṛṣṇa, You are distributing Kṛṣṇa without any condition. Therefore mahā-vadānyāya: You are the most munificent incarnation." So somehow or other, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he became attracted to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He resigned his ministerial post, and he has come to surrender to Caitanya Mahāprabhu while he was at Benares. Therefore it is said, tabe sanātana prabhura caraṇe dhariyā.
So when we approach guru, our first condition is that we must be humble and surrender. Praṇipāta. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa-nipāta. Then sevā, to serve the spiritual master; yasya prasādād, to gain his favor. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. This is the process. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Sanātana Gosvāmī's teaching how to approach guru, so, very humbly... Dante tṛṇa lañā. In India the system is that to... Symbolic representation of humbleness is to take one piece of grass in the mouth. Then it is to be understood that he is coming very submissively. Now this system is not current, but formerly it was. So Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī also said like that, dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kṛtvā cāhaṁ kāku-śatam ahaṁ bravīmi. He was a devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he also taught us how to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becoming very humble, humbler...
If we remain puffed-up, that "I am born in such and such family. I am educated such and such, and I am posted in such and such post, so now my life is successful," that is false. Life is successful when we understand that... Here it is said, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. When we understand what is the goal of life, then life is successful. Not the temporary position, "I am getting good salary, I am very nicely posted, I have got good family," and so on, so on. No. One must know the goal of life.
The goal of life is that... We are fallen in this material world somehow or other. As Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, anādi karma-phale pori' bhavārṇava-jale. Now when a man is fallen in the ocean or in the water, he's asking help, you cannot say that "How did you fall? What was the cause?" That we shall discuss later on. First of all, save him. So that is the immediately necessity. There is no... Sometimes we are questioned that "How a living entity fallen in this material world?" Yes, that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Icchā-dveṣa. Actually, we are servants of God. That is our real position. But we sometimes become envious, that "Why shall I become servant of God? This is slave mentality." Sometimes we are accused, the Vaiṣṇavas are, of slave mentality because they want to serve God. And the Māyāvādīs, they think that "We are so exalted that I am as good as God. I am God." That is their position. But actually, nobody is God here. Everyone is servant. He's simply falsely thinking that he's God, he's master, he's this or that. You have got very nice example in the life of Mr. Nixon. He was thinking that he's everything: "I am the President." But now what is his position, you can understand.
So, last Sunday we were discussing about Sanātana Gosvāmī's meeting with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government of Bengal. So he resigned his office. The Nawab was reluctant to give him release. He was arrested, but somehow or other he released himself by bribing the superintendent of jail and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, or Vārāṇasī. And for two months He gave him instruction how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So approaching the guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī, his submission was that "People in general, they talk of me as very learned scholar." He was very good scholar in Sanskrit, in Arabic and Persian language because he was minister, very responsible post. So... And he was born in brāhmaṇa family, Sārasvata brāhmaṇa family. So naturally he was supposed to be very learned scholar, paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa paṇḍita. Still we address a brāhmaṇa as paṇḍitajī. Never we address a brāhmaṇa as mūrkhajī. So, that is the etiquette. Brāhmaṇa means he must be very learned scholar and a very advanced devotee. Brāhmaṇa paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. These are the qualification of brāhmaṇa. So naturally he was addressed as paṇḍitajī, but he denied to accept that he is actually paṇḍita.
Guru means one who has seen the Absolute Truth. That is guru. Tattva-darśinaḥ, tattva means the Absolute Truth, and darśinaḥ, one who has seen. So this movement, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is for this purpose, to see the Absolute Truth, to understand the Absolute Truth, to know the problems of life and how to make a solution. These things are our subject matter. Our subject matter is not material things, that somehow or other you get a car and a good apartment and a good wife, then all your problems solved. No. That is not solution of problems. The real problem is how to stop your death. That is the real problem. But because it is very difficult subject matter, nobody touches it. "Oh, death—we shall peacefully die." But nobody peacefully dies. If I take a dagger and I say, "Now die peacefully," (laughter) the whole peaceful condition finished immediately. He will cry. So these are nonsense, if somebody says, "I will die peacefully." Nobody dies peacefully, that is not possible. Therefore death is a problem. Birth is also a problem. Nobody is peaceful while within the womb of the mother. It is packed-up, airtight condition, and nowadays there is risk of being killed also. So there is no question of peacefulness, birth and death. And then old age. Just like I am old man, so many troubles I have got. So old age. And disease, everyone has got experience, even headache is sufficient to give you trouble. The real problem is this: birth, death, old age and disease. That is the statement given by Kṛṣṇa, that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If you are intelligent, you should take up these four problems of life as very dangerous.
Lord Caitanya says, bujhite nā pāre līlā kemane 'nitya' haya. Ordinary persons, common men, cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance, can be eternal. Generally, we think that Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years before; now He's no longer. So either He's dead or gone. Just like ordinary man takes his birth and stay here for some time and then he goes away—no more, no trace of that particular man's activities. He's lost in the whirlpool of this material ocean. Neither exactly in a similar body, that particular living entity will again come back. Once. This form which you have got, material form, it is just like a bubble in the ocean. It is formed somehow or other according to our past actions and reactions, and it will stay for hundred years at most. Then it will disappear. And there will be no trace where that particular individual soul has gone. Of course, there is account in the books of Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He says, "I know everything." And He's always constant companion. As Supersoul of the individual soul, He knows. But we, the persons of a particular person's relatives, father, mother, brother, all these things—who knows? Nobody can give information. But Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance is not like that, because He's not different from His body. We are, in our conditioned stage, we are different from our body. But Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body is the same thing. This is to be understood. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigraha. His form is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. This material body is not like that. Therefore we cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā is eternal, continuous eternal.
One book is named Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. That book was written by one of the devotees, very great devotee, Bilvamaṅgala. His life is very interesting. He was too much prostitute-hunter. In one incidence his kept prostitute gave him instruction, "Oh, you have got so much attraction for this skinny body. If you would have such attraction for Kṛṣṇa, I do not know what you have done." Oh, at once he became, "Yes." This is called reference to the context. Because he, that gentleman, in his previous life he cultivated Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the highest degree, but somehow or other, it was stopped. And as soon as the same thing was pointed out, he began again from that point. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if we do not perform the whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever we do, that remains in asset. That is never lost. So this Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, from that prostitute's house he became a saintly man. So he wrote a very nice book, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta means "pleasing to the ear." Anything about Kṛṣṇa is pleasing to the ear. So he wrote a voluminous book, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. That book was collected by Lord Caitanya. And along with that book, this Brahma-saṁhitā was collected.
Supreme cannot be conditioned." So there is no answer for this question from the impersonalists' school. But real fact is that the Supreme never falls down. The part and parcel of the Supreme, they fall down—some of them; not all. So therefore the living entities, they are different from the Supreme. They are one in quality with the Supreme, but not in quantity.
So Lord Caitanya says that "Simply by thinking that 'I am not this matter; I am spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am Brahman,' that will not help you to get liberation." The real fact is that the individual living entities, they are part and parcel of the Supreme, but somehow or other, they wanted separation from the Supreme and wanted to lord it over the material nature. Therefore they are entangled. That is the real fact. And as such, we find from the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord asked that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender." So therefore, unless there is surrender of the individual soul to the Supreme, there is no question of liberation. There is no question of liberation. You can cultivate knowledge that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," but that will not help for your liberation. Because real thing is that you have or we have rebelled against the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. That is the attitude, everywhere we can see actually. Everyone is: "Oh, what is God? What is God?" especially in this age. So this impersonalism is another type of atheism, and this impersonal theory of the Absolute Truth has converted practically the major portion of the world into atheism. So therefore Lord Caitanya says that simply by cultivation of knowledge that "I am not this matter. I am not this matter. I am spirit soul," that will not help.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
So some way or other, if we can develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then immediately we become purified. That is the process. Kṛṣṇa gives chance to everyone. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, how shall I find out Kṛṣṇa? I shall kill Him." That was his business. That is the asuric mentality. Āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. But he also became purified. He got salvation. The same example again: somehow or other, if you come to the sunlight, you become purified and you get warmth. Not that sun becomes contaminated by you. No. That is not possible. Sun is so powerful that even you are contaminated... You cannot contaminate the sun. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). When one is very powerful, there is no contamination. Therefore here it is said, apāpa-viddhaṁ śuddham. Always purified, Kṛṣṇa. This is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā when Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: "You are the supreme pure." Pavitraṁ paramam.
So same thing is here. The Vedic literature is not contradictory. Whatever you find in Brahma-saṁhitā, the same thing you'll find in Īśopaniṣad, the same thing you'll find Bhagavad-gītā, same thing you'll find in other Vedic literature. It is our misunderstanding that we, sometimes we cannot understand. Otherwise, it is always the same truth spoken everywhere.
So avidyā mṛtyum. If you do not go, then you remain in darkness. It is... Vedic injunction is gacchet. This is a verb, form of verb, which says "must." It is not that "Oh, I may accept a spiritual master; I may not. There are books. I shall learn it." No. Therefore the injunction is gacchet. Gacchet means "must go," not that alternative, may go or may not go. No. "Must go." Tad-vijñānārtham, in order to understand that knowledge, that science, you must go. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Otherwise you remain in avidyā. Vidyām avidyām ca: two sides, darkness and light. So you must know two things: what is māyā and what is Kṛṣṇa. Then your knowledge is perfect. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is so nice that somehow or other, if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your all business finished. You automatically will learn what is māyā if you have got full surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence from within. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), Caitanya-caritāmṛta. "By the mercy of spiritual master and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one enters into this devotional service." How is that? The mercy is parallel line. If you have not found out a spiritual master, but if you are sincere, then Kṛṣṇa will take you to a bona fide spiritual master. And if you get a bona fide spiritual master, then he will take you to Kṛṣṇa. So both things parallel. If you are sincere... Kṛṣṇa is always sitting within your heart, caitya-guru, the spiritual master within the heart. That spiritual master within the heart manifests himself externally as spiritual master. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Sākṣāt, directly, directly representative of Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict of all śāstras. Samasta. Samasta means all śāstra. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva **. And it is not only stated, but it is accepted as such by all great sadbhiḥ, devotees.
| Page Title: | Somehow or other (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 17 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=36, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 36 |