One man is doing his duty, his occupational duty as a brāhmaṇa, or a kṣatriya or a businessman or a student or anyone. He's doing very nicely. But doing all these activities, if he could not awaken his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. Viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ means just like you have come here to hear about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, why you have come here? You have come here hearing me or anyone discussing śāstra. So this is required. You may do anything as your occupational duty, but the real life is that you have to awaken your dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, become eager to understand about Kṛṣṇa. That is main business. So therefore, it is said that after doing your duties very nicely, but you have no taste for understanding Kṛṣṇa, viṣvaksena... Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Viṣvaksa. Kathāsu, kathāsu means "message."
About Krsna consciousness (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The Vedic culture is that a sannyāsī, when he comes to beg in a householder's house, he receives him very respectfully, and whatever he wants, they want to supply. But they do not want anything, but the introduction is that they take this opportunity of sitting in a householder's home and talk about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is their real business. They are not beggars.
Anyway, this begging business is not for a householder or a military man. Therefore Kṛṣṇa say that "Don't try to imitate the business of a sannyāsī or a brāhmaṇa. You are kṣatriya. Your duty is to fight, so you should follow your own prescribed duty. Don't try to imitate others." But one can attain perfection by being engaged in his own occupation, provided he does it in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa is asking him to fight, and he is a professional fighter. So if he fights in accordance with the order of Kṛṣṇa, there is his perfection. This is the purport. Go on.
Guest: Swamiji, you mentioned about Kṛṣṇa consciousness...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest: Are you referring to self-realization when you mentioned that Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Guest: Are you referring to self-realization, cosmic consciousness?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means cosmic consciousness. Kṛṣṇa... When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, you don't take any personal view. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. So all-attraction is there in the cosmic. Cosmic consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Guest: Well, I believe that most of the westerners do not know the meaning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: That we are explaining here.
So one who is serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all these wonderful things, they do not captivate. You see? For them, two cents worth. Two cents. Suppose you can fly in the air. What is that? A rich man pay something to the aeroplane and, say, hundred dollars. He can fly from one place to another. Modern science, modern, has made everything cheap. So don't be after this perfection, material perfection. Any kind of material perfection will not solve our real problem. Our real problem is how to get rid of this material entanglement, the threefold miseries, birth after birth, I am going, repeating transmigration of, repetition of, getting one birth after... These are the problems.
Prasidhyati means it flourishes. The cause is advanced. How? Utsāhāt. We should be very much enthusiastic: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. We have heard about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so nice things. It is so beneficial for successful human mission, so I must have it. I must execute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This is called utsāhāt, to become energetic, not lethargic but energetic. So utsāhād dhairyāt. Dhairyāt means with patience. Suppose I have begun immediately. So if there are so many impediments, I am not immediately successful, oh, that does not matter. I must be patient.
Kaumāra means from the age of fifth year up to the tenth year. This is called kaumāra age. So we have opened our school in Texas. We are training very nicely all these children, and they are very learned. Children, as you teach them, they learn. They are innocent. Unfortunately, we do not give them training about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We give them education for sense gratification, how you can earn money, economic development.
Economic development means to get more money and to satisfy senses more and more. This is the modern theory. But Kṛṣṇa says that to achieve the perfection of life, one should be nirāśīḥ. Nirāśīḥ means unnecessarily desiring for sense gratification, unnecessarily. Everyone has got right to live and live nicely. For that purpose there is sufficient arrangement by the Lord. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. There is sufficient arrangement. No living being will starve. There is such arrangement.
Abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate. So this vairāgya can be very easily practiced when you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are practically seeing. These four things our students have very easily given up because they are serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is not advertisement. You can ask. There are many students here who have taken up this, I mean to say, philosophy very seriously, and they find it easy. Oh, they find it easy. Vairāgya automatically becomes. It is such a nice thing. It is such a nice thing that easily you become detestful to all these things. We do not discourage, I mean to say, sex life, but we discourage illicit connection with man and woman. Sex life cannot be discouraged. Because you have got this body, material body, sex desire is a demand. We have to satisfy; otherwise we shall go ill. As we have to eat something, as we have to sleep for some time, so sex life is also required. So we cannot discourage it, neither all the Vedic literatures discourage. But Vedic literatures cannot allow you... If you actually serious about advancement of spiritual life, then you cannot encourage illicit connection, no.
The best thing is that we are now here in this planet and immediately take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and surrender unto Him and become perfect. Why should you wait for another birth or in another planet? Finish. Now, if you are actually serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then finish now. This is the opportunity. Labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). This birth is obtained after many, many evolutionary process. Mānuṣyam artha-dam. This human body can give you the highest perfection. So tūrṇaṁ yateta, be very serious and try for that perfection. Anumṛtyu pated yāvat, until next death comes. But we are not serious. We are not very serious. We are serious about how to make our sense gratification very nicely. That is our seriousness. Human advancement, advancement of civilization means how nicely you can gratify your senses. This is going on. Only to give all sorts of comfort to this body. But actually human civilization means that people should be very serious to have perfection of this human body, spiritual perfection. That is perfect human civilization. That is missing at the present moment. (kīrtana) (end)
Seven-thirty evening. Please come. The temple will be open and you come, you try to understand. You invite us occasionally in this big place. We have no big place now. We have got very small place. But we shall be very glad to speak about Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
- So everything is... That I was going to explain. There was no time.
- mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
- yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
- asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
- yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
- (BG 7.1)
Kṛṣṇa is teaching, mayy āsakta: "Just try to increase your attachment for Me." There is a process, how to increase attachment. Mayy āsakta. So attachment process. Attachment process is
- ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā
- tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
- athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati
- sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ
- (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15)
There is a process. If you are actually serious, then come to the process, ādau śraddhā. Just like you are hearing me kindly. It is called śraddhā. You have got little śraddhā. Next stage is sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83).
Prākṛta means in the material platform. He does not actually promoted to the spiritual platform if he simply remains. Therefore along with the worship of Kṛṣṇa in the temple, this hearing should be... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Just like we are doing. We do not engage only the devotees to the temple worship, but there must be program for hearing Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the science of God. Otherwise, after sometimes, simply if you ring the bell, after time you'll be disgusted and the whole thing will be lost. As it has become now in India. There was no instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They simply attached to the temple and belling. And now it is now zero. Devotion is zero.
So two things must go on, parallel. Then if we, two things must go, then you are promoted to the second platform, madhyama-adhikārī. Madhyama-adhikārī means at that time he sees four things:
People are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is immense field for preaching this philosophy all over the world. You can see the example, the European and American boys, how they have been attracted, how they are singing in ecstasy. They have taken it seriously. So in India I don't find all our young men are so serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but I invite that "Come and join this movement, make your life successful by understanding the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, and try to distribute it all over the world." This is necessity of the present day. It is not sectarian, or crooked philosophy. It is meant for my brother and my sister, not for anyone else. No. It is meant for everyone. And this knowledge can be distributed especially if the Indians take it seriously. They are doing. There are... You'll find many sannyāsīs. The... Indians should have done it. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite haila man...
They are rising early in the morning. And at home you will think, "Oh, what is early in the morning?" (laughter) "Let me enjoy sleep."
So there is no such facilities at home. Therefore this institution is started. If you are serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you are serious about increasing attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then you should come and live with the devotees. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). And atha bhajana-kriyā. The sādhu-saṅga... (CC Madhya 22.83). Now they are chanting, they are having maṅgala-ārati, they are decorating the Deity, and so many things. Everyone who will associate, you will see. And then he will be inclined to be initiated. This is our practical experience. They will submit, "Please let me be initiated." This is called bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means if he is serious about bhajana-kriyā, how to worship, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha means we have learned so many nonsense things. They can be summarized in four items: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating.
This chapter is "Knowledge of the Absolute." So everyone... You ask any M.A., Ph.D., that "What is your next life, sir?" "Gow! Gow!" (laughter) That's all. "Gow! Gow!" means "Why you are bothering about these things?" Now, this is the position. And we have taken very hard job to convince these people about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They will not accept it. They will deny immediately. They will say, "Why do you bother us? You do your own business. Let us do our own business." But why we are bothering? Because we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that these rascals should be informed. These rascals should be raised from this status of ignorance. So that is our mission. Therefore we are going and pleading, "Sir, I am a beggar, I have come to beg from you that you kindly purchase one book and you read it." So sometimes they are doing. After all, human being... So this is our... This is our business. We are stressing on pushing on these books because modern man, if he purchases one book, then at least he will see one line, "What these nonsense have written?" So if he reads one line, if he is intelligent man, he will understand the value. That is sure. That is sure.
So we have to believe that. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You have to follow the footprints of ācārya. Not only in the... Everywhere, the footprints of ācāryas are followed. Just like in your country you are following the footprints of Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, that is the way. Or any ācārya. Because the ācārya, they come here to teach us about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is their business. They have no other business. That is bona fide ācārya. If somebody claims that "I am God," then he is fool number one. At once reject him. One who teaches about the message of God, he is ācārya.
So the Vedic literature teaches us that tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ: "In the spiritual matter, you cannot argue." Your argument will be failure because you may be very good arguer, but I may come. I can cut all your arguments. And somebody else comes—he cuts all my arguments. It is a question of logic. So there are many logical experts. So by arguments we cannot reach the Supreme Truth.
"Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness." This is the thirteenth chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The Lord is describing what is this material nature, who is the enjoyer of this material nature and what is the consciousness. We are preaching about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, in this chapter Kṛṣṇa Himself is describing what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Arjuna uvāca. Arjuna inquired,
- prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
- kṣetraṁ kṣetrajñam eva ca
- etad veditum icchāmi
- jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
Kṛṣṇa is addressed here as Keśava, "the killer of the Keśi asura." You know, in Vṛndāvana there is Keśi-ghāṭa. That Keśi-ghāṭa is famous because Kṛṣṇa killed one asura of the name Keśi. He appeared in Vṛndāvana as a ferocious horse and Kṛṣṇa killed him. Since then, his name is Keśava. Kṛṣṇa has got many names according to His activities. He killed the demon Madhu, therefore his name is Madhusūdana. He killed the demon Kaṁsa, therefore his name is Kaṁsahāni. There are many names. Some of the names are in relationship with His devotees, and some of the names are there in relationship with the demons.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Devotee: Devotees should try... (break) ...a person to inquire about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. On the other hand, it should be...
Prabhupāda: No.
Devotee: ...uncompromising.
Prabhupāda: No. Thing is that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, this very process will make his heart clean. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be understood not in dirty condition of mind. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. That is the definition given by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa..., to understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Persons who are simply engaged in pious activities and completely all sinful reaction of his life has ceased, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām (BG 7.28), he's no, no more hesitating or checked. Ahaituky apratihatā. He can serve Kṛṣṇa, he can love Kṛṣṇa. So this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means making him cleansed of all sinful reactions. So he'll chant, he'll hear, and as he hears, his heart becomes clean. Then he will naturally inquire about Kṛṣṇa. So you have to create that situation. You go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and as people will hear, his heart will be cleansed. Naturally he will be inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. They do not inquire about Kṛṣṇa because the heart is... (break) ...hearing and chanting. Then he'll be cleansed.
So they are not interested (in) all these political affairs or so-called social affairs and resolution because they know this is not the method of becoming peaceful or prosperous. This is not the method. Without... Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. Without God consciousness, nobody can be happy. Therefore if we write something, if a devotee writes something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness... Here Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. Such kind of creative energy which is trying to put something for understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, janatāgha-viplavaḥ, that brings a revolution to the people for killing their effect of sinful activities. Janatā agha. Janatā means people in general, and agha, agha means sins. And that will... That can be... By such literature, spreading such literature, Kṛṣṇa consciousness literature, there will be a revolution in the sinful activities of the people in general. Janatāgha-viplavaḥ.
Vātāhata-agunvitaḥ naur iva:(?) "Just like you cannot be steady on the ocean when there is tossing wind," I mean to say, "there is hurricane, you must be always tilting, similarly, unless we are firmly convinced about Supreme Lord, we must be tilting. So that, you must prepare some literature by which one shall be firmly steady, steadily convinced about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness." Vātāhata-agunvita, yad uktam gitasuḥ.(?) And here also, Śrīdhara Svāmī... Gītā is so authoritative that he, he is giving quotation from Bhagavad-gītā,
- vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
- ekeha kuru-nandana
- bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
- buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām
- (BG 2.41)
Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ... Those who are convinced for making a sure progress of life, he's called niścayātmikā buddhiḥ. That is determination. Dṛḍha-vrata, dṛḍha-vrata. These are Sanskrit words: "firmly convinced, steady." They have got only one business, one business. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha...bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddha... Those who are not steady, they have got many business, many business. Why many? If that one is the source of everything, take that one.
Now, our Vivekananda Swami, he interpreted that "Unless you become stout and strong like the bulls and the buffalo, you cannot realize self." He interpreted like that. So he engaged people to make gymnastics, exercise. "You become very stout and strong, eat meat, and..." This is going on. This philosophy is going on. Bala-hīnena... "Unless you become as strong as a tiger, you cannot realize yourself." This interpretation is going on. Bala-hīnena labhyaḥ. Therefore they are... Always they put this argument, that "Our countrymen is suffering. There is no food. First of all we must give them food, make them strong, stout. Then we shall talk about Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Do they not say like that?
That is ass's intelligence. Ass. Ass just like works very hard, not for himself. He works for the washerman, for carrying tons of cloth on his back and for a morsel of grass. So in the actual sense also, if you go to see a gentleman, busy gentleman, businessman, ask him that "We want to talk with you something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness." "Oh, I have no time. I have no time, sir." "Why?" "I am very busy." "Why you are busy?" "For business." "What is this business for?" "For maintaining my family." So in this way, ultimately, he is thinking he is working for himself, but he is working for others.
So our intelligence is, if we have to work for others and sacrifice this body for others, why not for Kṛṣṇa? That is our philosophy. If I am whole time, whole duration of life, I am working for others... Others means, ultimately, my senses. The senses are others. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. My senses dictating, "You stick to this woman and go to hell." "Yes, I am ready. Yes." Kāma, lust.
This rascaldom will never make you happy. You have to follow as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Then you become guru. To become guru is not at all difficult, provided you follow the right instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then everyone can become, expand, expand. You have learned something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, now you rightly distribute them, then you will increase your group. But if you want to manufacture something of your own concoction, that will not act. That will not... That will be gramophone. No. (break)
So he was Hiraṇyakaśipu's son. He did not appoint any teacher to teach him about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But when he was in the womb of his mother, Nārada Muni advised the mother about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. She had to live for some time at the care of Nārada Muni when her husband was out being defeated by the demigods, the Hiraṇyakaśipu. So the woman's anxiety was when her husband will come back. And at that time the child was within the womb, and she begged a benediction from Nārada, "Sir, kindly arrange in that way, that as long as my husband does not come back, I may not give birth to this child." Nārada Muni said, "All right, it will be." So Nārada Muni was giving her advice about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But her mind was absent, but the child within the womb, he was hearing. He was hearing. This is stated in the Bhāgavatam. You will find that when Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked this question by his friend, "My dear Prahlāda, we are also being taught by the same teacher. You are also being taught by the same teacher. You are a prince. You cannot go out. Wherefrom you have learned all this nice instruction?" So he replied that "This instruction was given by Nārada. So it was given to my mother, but as woman she has forgotten, and I remember."
A father, a man should not desire to become a father, a woman should not desire to become a mother, unless they are fit to save the children from the impending clutches of death. That is the duty of father and mother.
And how one can be saved? The saved means if the father and mother together gives education to the son about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he can be saved. The father-mother's duty is... The same, apavarga-vartmani. Apavarga-vartmani. To give education in such a way that no more pavarga. No more pariśrama, no more phena, no more bhaya, no more vyarthatā, no more maraṇa. That is called apavarga-vardhanam. This is here real human life—human society cultivating knowledge in such a way that apavarga-vardhanam, gradually we are going forward for liberation. That is human civilization. Otherwise it is cats and dogs civilization. The same thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Again eating, mating, sleeping... That's all. Fearing and dying. This is general process.
Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Even if you do not do anything, simply if you hear, that is also puṇya. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. And if I speak just like a parrot, if I do not know anything about, it doesn't matter; still, it is pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Someway or other... The children, what do they know about Kṛṣṇa consciousness? But they are becoming pious, purified.
Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11).
- itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā
- dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena
- māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa
- sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ
- (SB 10.12.11)
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing when the cowherd boys were playing with Kṛṣṇa, that description. He says that "These cowherd boys, they are not ordinary human being." Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ: "They have accumulated many, many births' pious activities, as the result of which, they are now playing with Kṛṣṇa." And who is Kṛṣṇa? Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā: "Big, big ṛṣis and yogis, those who are interested in brahma-sukha or to merge in the Brahman effulgence—the source of Brahman effulgence is here playing: Kṛṣṇa." Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa (Bs. 5.40).
You are trying to be yogi, that's all right. This is haṭha-yoga. Go to a secluded place, sit down in this way, looking. Not sleeping. Eyes half-open. See to the point of your nose. So on, so on. Complete celibacy. These things Kṛṣṇa has said everything, how to become a yogi, how to become a jñāni, how to become a karmi. But everywhere He has concluded about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jñāni? All right: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). "They're coming to Me." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi kuruṣva tat mad arpaṇam. The ultimate is Kṛṣṇa. That is real plan. And if you do not know this plan, śrama eva hi kevalam—simply waste of time.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was Kṛṣṇa Himself. He advised, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). The only hope is if you go through the śāstras, Vedic literature, that is the way to understand. But at the present moment people are so engrossed with material affairs that they are not interested even to hear or to talk about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not a very good sign. It is the feverish condition of durbhikṣa. That is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that people in general, when they come to the point of suffering from natural law, then they will revive their nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. So therefore, as I was speaking in this morning, we have to elevate the human civilization from a platform which is on equal level with hog civilization. We should very carefully study and try to know whether the advancement of civilization which we have accepted is genuine. No. It is not genuine. It is misleading. Our aim of life is not to get a comfortable life for few years. Actually, there is no comfortable life.
From the tongue, it goes to... Sex is not prohibited, but illicit sex, that is controlled, that is controlled. If one is allowed to have unlimited, unrestricted sex, then he is doomed. Better restrict your sex in one wife, woman (indistinct). That means gradually it will be controlled.
So we have to follow this. If we are actually serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and going back to home, back to Godhead, make our lives successful in this very life, then... Life successful means mukti, to be not entangled again with this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That is success. That after giving up this body... This body means the combination of the so many, twenty-four elements. So long we'll be entangled within this network of twenty-four elements, it is called conditioned life. And mukti, liberated, means no more entanglement. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam. We are now entangled in these twenty-four elements, and mukti means we are not entangled. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam.
So our request is, you all foreigners, so you have learned something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order. Although He expected that every Indian should go out for parupakāra, but anyway, some of the Indians, at least one... But you take this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you. You are already doing that, in Europe and America, (people are) deep asleep. Because people are sleeping under misguidance, and they are becoming candidate for being carried away by the Yamadūta. This is the position of the whole world, Yamadūta. Palaye barā kathā naya yo māche piche.(?) Yamāduta will not excuse you, however you may be very proud of becoming independent. This is not possible. To save the human civilization, the rascal civilization, that "There is no life after death, and you go on enjoying as much as you like," this wrong civilization is killing civilization. So you save them. You save them. Otherwise the Yamadūta is there.
They regular chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, sixteen rounds. In this way we are training. Not only we are training these young boys, but we are training their sons and children. We have got a very nice school in Dallas, Texas. From the very beginning they are being taught about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to rise early in the morning, how to take part in the maṅgala ārātrika, how to take prasādam. Then teaching, they are learning Sanskrit and English especially, a little geography, mathematics. We have started a school. So do not take this movement very insignificantly. Try to understand this movement with all your intelligence. As Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says, caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. Vicāra. Just put your judgment. Try to understand with logic and try to understand with philosophy. Not as a fanatic. Vicāra. Vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra. And if you rightly judge this movement, you will find it very sublime.
So even one has got nice guru, he cannot also get Kṛṣṇa consciousness if he has determined himself to remain in this material world. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā. And svato. Svataḥ means by mental speculation, judging, considering oneself personally. And parato means taking instruction from others. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipad... Mitha, meeting. Just like we are talking about Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this meeting. Mitha, mitha means in assembly. So gṛha-vratānām. If our determination is that "I shall remain in this material world, I shall enjoy this material life," then Kṛṣṇa consciousness is impossible. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā. Whose decision is that "I shall try to make my life in this material world," as everyone is trying... All kinds of political, philanthropical, humanitarian activities are going on. For what purpose? To make material life happy and prosperous. That's all. Which is not possible. One should understand it defintely that in the material world, however you may try to make adjustments, you cannot be happy. It is not possible.
Matir na... Parata means hearing from others, and svataḥ, svata means personally by mental speculation or philosophical speculation. Mitho. Mitho means by congregational meeting, by conferences. Why? Now, gṛha-vratānām. If one is addicted to this material way of life, he cannot understand, or cannot be convinced, about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said that,
- bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ
- tayāpahṛta-cetasāṁ
- vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
- samādhau na vidhīyate
- (BG 2.44)
Those who are too much attached for materialistic way of life—means sense gratification... Materialistic way of life means sense gratification. What is the difference between spiritual life and material life? These boys, these boys from Europe and America, they have adopted this spiritual life means they have stopped the process of sense gratification—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. This is materialistic way of life. Otherwise where is the difference between this life and that life?
Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was a great demon. He would not allow Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So still, Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was a boy, he used to take opportunity for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness among his friends. So in the tiffin hours, when the boys were left free to play, so Prahlāda Mahārāja used to call them, "My dear friends, sit down. Let us talk about Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So he is preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is saying to his friends, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). The friends were very much anxious to play and Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "My dear friends. Don't play. Sit down. Sit down." Why? "A very important subject matter, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhāgavata-dharma."
Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So he was asking...
The boys were very eager to play and he said, "No, no, no, my dear friends, don't play. Let us discuss something about bhāgavata-dharma." Therefore he says that kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ: "Don't think that in the old age we shall discuss about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Immediately, in this age," kaumāra a..., "if you are really intelligent." Why? Is there any guarantee that you become old man? You can die at any moment. So take this opportunity. Until the next death comes you take this opportunity in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction. There is no guarantee. Why you are thinking that way, that now you are five years old; you will live for five hundred years? No. There is no guarantee. At any moment you can die.
And in the fourth millennium, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age of Kali, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you can attain the perfection. So these are the prescriptions. We have to follow that.
So our policy, those who are serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not waste their time for sense gratification. And because the body is there, we are not free from the body, there are demands of the senses. So that should be controlled. That is the process in every line of action, either you meditate or you perform sacrifices, do anything. The real process is to control the senses. So try to control the senses as far as possible and utilize your time for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is very simple—simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So make your life regulated. There is no denial. It is not that you cannot eat or you cannot sleep or you cannot have sex life or you cannot defend yourself. Do all these things according to the rules and regulations. But don't waste your time for artificial increment of sense gratification. Don't do that. You require to eat to maintain your body and soul together. You eat. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daḥ (?).
There is a proverb in Bengali that kañcaya noyale bhas pas korbe nyastas (?). Bhas means bamboo. Bamboo, while it is green, you can bend it, but when its yellow or dry, oh, it cannot be bent. It will break. It will be break. Therefore school children... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing his class fellows. School children, from five years old, they should be given lesson about Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. Otherwise, in advanced age, oh, it is not possible. Generally, we find in our class or in this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, the youngsters, they become little more interested, but we don't find any old men. Why? Because whatever they have been taught, they cannot forget. It is very difficult to forget what he has been already taught. So they do not become interested.
Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing his friends, all small children, about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is instructing so many things. We have been discussing this subject matter for the last few days. Now he's placing before them for submitting, for consideration. "My dear friends," deha-bhṛtām, those who have accepted this material body, asura... Asura means demons. He also belonged to the family, atheistic family. His father was great atheist, and all his friends... Because his father was king, so all his friends happened to be the citizens of that atheistic kingdom. So all of them are being addressed as asura. Asura means demons, godless. There are two kinds of people, asura and sura, or deva and asura. So who are asuras and who are devas? Devas means godly, and asura means nongodly, or atheistic. In the Vedic literature you'll find there are definition that there are two kinds of people. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6).
Similarly, that French professor, he has mentioned specially... In comparison to my writing—he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Yes, that is right. What Dr. Radhakrishnan, Aurobindo, knows about Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because they are not in the line. They simply tried to exhibit their erudite scholarship. So that is useless. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. This is the injunction given in the Vedas. Ayam ātmā, self-realization, God realization... Nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ: "One who has no spiritual strength, he cannot understand." It is not possible. Nāyam ātmā bala hīnena... Na medhayā. If you have got very good fertile brain for manufacturing concocted ideas, that doesn't mean you'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. Only one who is favored by Kṛṣṇa and His, I mean to say, confidential devotee... (aside:) What is this nonsense? One cannot understand.
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is giving warning that "I shall recite the narration of Your pastime which is composed by Brahmā." Viriñci. Viriñci means...
They are so callous, foolish, just like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, and mating. That is their happiness. So they are reluctant. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore you have to... By the grace of Kṛṣṇa you have to adopt such means that they may be interested a little about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise they are so dull and miserly, they do not understand that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important for them. They have no sense even to understand. But the preacher who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he knows that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness these people are condemned. They cannot be happy. They cannot be liberated. They will simply remain within this material world, accepting one body after another. And whichever material body we accept, it is meant for suffering. It is not meant for any happiness. Tri-tāpa-yātana. The three kinds of material miseries-adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—he has to undergo.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
This is the difficulty. As soon as you talk of them, talk to them about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll immediately say, "Sir, we have no time." And for other things, the paraphernalia of Kali-yuga, they have got enough time. They'll read newspapers, all full of rascal news. "One man has stolen, one man has kidnapped, one man has stabbed." These news, he'll very, with great interest he'll read. And as soon as we present Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "Oh, this is not good." This is the position.
Therefore there is a great necessity for pushing on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the best welfare activity to the human society. All of them, they are rascals. Abodha-jāta. In the śāstra it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāta. They are being defeated by the onslaught of material nature. These rascals, they do not know. They are thinking they have become great leaders, philanthropists, nationalists, politicians, scientists, philosopher—but they're killing themselves and others. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. They do not know how to make progress. Therefore a person who has understood little value of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should take this movement very seriously and distribute to the fallen souls.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
This is foolishness, to try to become more than Kṛṣṇa. There are so many rascals. They present that "Now we have advanced. We know more than Kṛṣṇa." So be saved from these rascals. Then you will understand Kṛṣṇa, and through Caitanya Mahāprabhu you will understand what is the position of Kṛṣṇa, what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is the ultimate goal of life. These things will be clearly exhibited.
And Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is written for this purpose so that a person who is serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness may understand Kṛṣṇa through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is wanted. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa consciousness without going through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And to go through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to go through the six Gosvāmīs. This is paramparā system.
While Lord Caitanya was residing at Benares, Rūpa, Sanātana Goswami met Him, and He taught him about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the procedure to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For two months He instructed.
itimadhye candraśekhara, miśra-tapana
- duḥkhī hañā prabhu-pāya kaila nivedana
- (CC Adi 7.49)
So while Lord Caitanya was residing at Benares, that Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara submitted with great regret that "Sir, the other party, the Māyāvādī sannyāsīns, they are criticizing Your activities. Because You are chanting and You do not give much attention to the reading of Vedānta philosophy, they are criticizing that 'What kind of sannyāsī is He? He does not take part in the matter of studying Vedānta philosophy, and on sentiment He is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, and some innocent people are following Him.' So in this way they are criticizing."
We are servant of Lord Caitanya. So, in the disciplic succession we are trying to present. The Caitanya Mahāprabhu's topic is yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whoever you meet, please try to convince him about Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So in order to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he says that "I have taken straw in my mouth and I am falling down to your feet and I am flattering you in so many ways. Kindly, for the time being, you forget whatever you have learned. Please try to hear about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This should be the preaching method. Because you cannot enforce. You cannot enforce. The atheistic party, the godless civilization is so strong. So you are not weak. You are protected by the Supreme. But our mission is not to fight, but our mission is to convince. So this is the method to be accepted by devotees, those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to preach the philosophy in the world.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So, I will not take much of your time. My appeal to you, to all of you especially, and with the help of these people, my request to you all ladies and gentlemen, (indistinct) please try to understand the potency of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and make your country... Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is in India, it is surprising that India is not serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I have read in one government paper, Kṛṣṇa's (indistinct) or something black of origin. And people are sophisticated to worship Him. Such article has been published by the government. And average Indian can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is our intelligence, and there in the government also. So it is very unfortunate that we are not taking care of our own treasure-house of knowledge, and we are trying to get knowledge from technology and be happy. This, there is no question of peace unless you understand Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
General Lectures
Upendra: Swamijī, someone approached me and we were discussing about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And I said to approach Kṛṣṇa one must be pure, but he said, "What is purity?" Could you explain that technically? What is purity?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Purity means standing on the spiritual platform. That is purity. In the material platform there is no purity. So according to Bhagavad-gītā, that standard of purity, that means standing on the spiritual platform, which is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. So Kṛṣṇa says this purity,
- māṁ ca vyabhicāreṇa
- bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
This Brahman understanding, or to stand on the Brahman platform, is purity. How one can attain that platform of purity? Kṛṣṇa says that "One who is engaged in devotional service to Me without any deviation," that means twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, "he is pure." He is pure. If you can keep yourself always, constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then you are pure. Otherwise... Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, it doesn't make any difference.
Also he can come and hear. God has given him the ear, and he can learn. So there is no cost. There is no official cost. (reading:) "How much does this course of study cost?" We don't charge anything.
(reading:) "What should one know about Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Is it something mystical?" No mystical. No bluffing. You are part and parcel of God. Who can deny it? There is no secrecy. As you are part and parcel of your father—God is the supreme father—so you are the part and parcel of your father, and it is your duty to love God. So what is the secrecy and what is the mystical? We don't teach that you press your nose, you put your head, you go up and down. Nothing required. Simply to know that "God is my father; I am His eternal son. My duty is to love Him," that's all. There is no secrecy. There is no so-called bluff or mystical, this or that. It is simple truth. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). God is teaching that "You simply surrender unto Me, My dear son.
No, there is no waiting. Immediately. (reading:) "Will ISKCON accept people this young?" Oh, yes, we, younger, even younger. Even one child is within the womb of his mother, we can teach. It is so nice thing. The instance is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in his womb of his mother, one saintly sage taught his mother about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the child became Kṛṣṇa conscious from the womb of his mother. So we can teach even in the womb of the mother because it is spiritual. It is not material. No material condition can check this teaching. Ahaituky apratihatā. That is the highest perfectional system of religion which is unchecked and develops love of Godhead. That is first-class religion, not under any condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means without being checked. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not such thing that because one is child, he cannot learn; because one is blind, he cannot learn; because one is poor, therefore he cannot... Because one is rich... No condition, anyone, simply he must be a living entity, that's all.
I am very pleased, I have seen practically in this Delhi that the Muslim children are given instruction of Koran from very early age. Actually, this should be done for everyone. I am very pleased. Not I am pleased, I may please or not, but that is the way of life. A human child should be given instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning, and that was our Vedic system, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī should go to the house of the teacher or spiritual master at the age of five years old, and he should remain there for twenty years to understand the value of life. And the brahmacārī would accept any kind of menial work for satisfying the spiritual master. It is stated that nīcayeva, just like menial servant. The brahmacārīs, they come from very respectable family, from brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family especially, but they are instructed that "You should accept the order of the spiritual master just like menial servant."
"That's all right." In this way, he thought that "I am very intelligent and I am cheating Brahmājī. Indirectly, by different way, I have now become immortal."
So he also underwent great austerities, but for material enjoyment. He wanted to live forever in this material world. So he was never interested to teach his children about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, fortunately, when he was in the womb of his mother, at the care of Nārada Muni, he understood the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because if you associate with a sādhu, the saintly person, then saintly person has nothing to do but simply deliver the knowledge, transcendental knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have no other duty. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was king but a great Vaiṣṇava. So about him it is stated, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). He was king, very responsible king, emperor of the world, but he cultivated this Kṛṣṇa consciousness that he fixed up his mind, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor, always fixed up on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So we are teaching this philosophy all over the world. They are being accepted. But I am doing it single-handed. But if some of you come and join us, it will be increased, and people will be very, very happy.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) That is my reply. Otherwise, I have not come to teach you something invented by me. I have come to teach you about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you must be amongst these four classes of men: duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. This is my first reply. So far economic condition is concerned, then I may say, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. God supplies you everything. God is supplying food to the elephant who is eating at a time forty kilos of food, and He's supplying to the ants also. So your anxiety for food, that is not humanly. Even the cats and dogs, they are not anxious for their food. Even the birds, they rise early in the morning, they are also not anxious for the food.
We are not asking for violence. We will meet violence with violence. We are not artificially pacifists. We are asking you to listen like gentlemen. We have come here in good will. We have come here not to cause any disturbance. So we ask you please to have that much respect for our spiritual master. Now at this time, if there is any question about Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy... Not about fighting. We can go on the street and fight. We can solve everything out there. We have come here to speak about spiritual matters. If you want to hear about spiritual matters, let's speak together like brothers and sisters. Let's not cause a disturbance. I have an ego; you have an ego. If you do something to flip off my ego, I may get mad. If I do something to flip out your ego, you get mad. So we'll go out into the street and settle it like cats and dogs? No. We're not here at this university to act like that. We're supposed to have raised above that platform. So please, we ask you to present sober questions to our spiritual master. Yes, sir?
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Therefore the Vedānta gives for him: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now we have got enough to eat, enough to enjoy. Now we inquire about Brahman. This is the business we should (indistinct). So this is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving knowledge about Brahman, or the Supreme. We are not concerned about giving you some scientific invention, some this invention, that invention. We are giving the ultimate benefit. Now, just like I have come to America with this hope, that "Americans are not properly (indistinct), they have no (indistinct) problems. If I go there, if I speak to them about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be able to take." So if we, the human society, has come to such standard, then the next point is, now they should eat peacefully, sleep peacefully and sense gratification peacefully and, making the mind peaceful, inquire about the Supreme Absolute. This is ideal life.
Purports to Songs
So God is so merciful that even some persons cannot understand Him... First thing is people cannot understand actually what is God, but God comes Himself to explain Himself. Still, they commit mistake. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes as a devotee to teach us about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So we have to follow the footprints of Lord Caitanya. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura teaches that "First of all, try to chant the name of Gaursundara." Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. In this way, when we are a little bit attached with Gaurasundara, Lord Caitanya, then we automatically feel transcendental emotion. And that emotional stage is exhibited by shivering in the body. We should not, however, imitate such shivering to show to the public that "I have become a great devotee," but we should execute devotional service nicely and faithfully.; then that stage will come automatically, shivering. As soon as one will chant the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, there will be shivering. This is the first symptom that one is getting advanced in the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gaurāṅga bolite habe pulaka śarīre. He's expecting.
| Page Title: | About Krsna consciousness (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 07 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=52, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 52 |