The third offense is to consider the bona fide spiritual master to be a common man. The fourth offense is to blaspheme Vedic literature and authorized scriptures like the Purāṇas. The fifth offense is to consider the glories attributed to the holy names to be exaggerations. The sixth offense is to concoct perverted theories about the holy name. The seventh offense is to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name. It is understood that by chanting the holy names one is free from sinful reactions, but this does not mean that one should act sinfully on the strength of chanting. That is the greatest offense. The eighth offense is to consider that religious rituals, austerity, sacrifices or other forms of renunciation are equal to chanting the holy name. Chanting the holy name is as good as associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pious activities are only means to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they can even be performed for some material reason. The ninth offense is to preach the glories of the holy name of God to a faithless person who is not interested in hearing them. The tenth and last offense is to maintain material attachment even after hearing and chanting the holy names of God. The idea is that by chanting the holy name without offense, one can obtain elevation to the liberated platform. On the liberated platform one is freed from all material attachment. Thus if one chants the holy names and still has material attachments, he must be committing some offense.
Associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Expressions researched:
"associating constantly with the Supreme Personality"
|"associating directly with Krsna"
|"associating in different ways with the Supreme Personality of godhead"
|"associating somehow with Lord Krsna"
|"associating with Krsna"
|"associating with Lord Krsna"
|"associating with the Lord"
|"associating with the Supreme Lord"
|"associating with the Supreme Person"
|"associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence; therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform apart from sense gratification, there is no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss and full life. This platform is in the eternal atmosphere, or Brahman atmosphere. All the above-mentioned sacrifices help one to become cleansed of the sinful reactions of material existence. By this advancement in life, not only does one become happy and opulent in this life, but also, at the end, he enters into the eternal kingdom of God, either merging into the impersonal Brahman or associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
The devotees need not be disappointed in the physical absence of the Lord, though they may think of not being associated with Him. The devotional process of chanting, hearing, remembering, etc., (either all or some of them, or even one of them) can give us the desired result of associating with the Lord by discharging the transcendental loving service of the Lord in the above manner. Even the very sound of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa or Rāma can at once surcharge the atmosphere spiritually. We must know definitely that the Lord is present wherever such pure transcendental service is performed, and thus the performer of offenseless kīrtanam has positive association with the Lord. Similarly, remembrance and prayers also can give us the desired result if they are properly done under expert guidance.
SB Canto 4
The mahat-tattva, or the sum total of the material creation, is to be understood to be the ultimate end of all universes, including all the living entities therein. Brahman is the resort of the mahat-tattva, which includes all material and spiritual entities. It is described in this connection that the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, is the master of both pradhāna and puruṣa. Pradhāna means subtle matter, such as ether. puruṣa means the spiritual spark living entities who are entangled in that subtle material existence. These may also be described as parā prakṛti and aparā prakṛti, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa, being the controller of both the prakṛtis, is thus the master of pradhāna and puruṣa. In the Vedic hymns also the Supreme Brahman is described as antaḥ-praviṣṭaḥ śāstā. This indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is controlling everything and entering into everything. The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.35) further confirms this. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham: He has entered not only the universes, but even the atom. In Bhagavad-gītā (10.42) Kṛṣṇa also says, viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls everything by entering into everything. By associating constantly with the Supreme Personality in his heart, Dhruva Mahārāja naturally became equal to the greatest, Brahman, by His association, and thus became the heaviest, and the entire universe trembled. In conclusion, a person who always concentrates on the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa within his heart can very easily strike the whole world with wonder at his activities. This is the perfection of yoga performance, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47). Yoginām api sarveṣām: of all yogīs, the bhakti-yogī, who thinks of Kṛṣṇa always within his heart and engages in His loving transcendental service, is the topmost. Ordinary yogīs can exhibit wonderful material activities, known as aṣṭa-siddhi, eight kinds of yogic perfection, but a pure devotee of the Lord can surpass these perfections by performing activities which can make the whole universe tremble.
Dhruva Mahārāja was offered Dhruvaloka, a planet that was never resided upon by any conditioned soul. Even Brahmā, although the topmost living creature within this universe, was not allowed to enter the Dhruvaloka. Whenever there is a crisis within this universe, the demigods go to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and they stand on the beach of the Milk Ocean. So the fulfillment of Dhruva Mahārāja's demand—a position more exalted than that of even his great-grandfather, Brahmā—was offered to him.
Here in this verse the Lord is described as mukti-pati, which means "one under whose lotus feet there are all kinds of mukti." There are five kinds of mukti-sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sāmīpya and sārṣṭi. Out of these five muktis, which can be achieved by any person engaged in devotional service to the Lord, the one which is known as sāyujya is generally demanded by Māyāvādī philosophers; they demand to become one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord. In the opinion of many scholars, this sāyujya-mukti, although counted among the five kinds of mukti, is not actually mukti because from sāyujya-mukti one may again fall down to this material world. This information we have from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), wherein it is said, patanty adhaḥ, which means "they again fall down." The monist philosopher, after executing severe austerity, merges into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, but the living entity always wants reciprocation in loving affairs. Therefore, although the monist philosopher is elevated to the status of being one with the effulgence of the Lord, because there is no facility for associating with the Lord and rendering service unto Him, he again falls into this material world, and his service propensity is satisfied by materialistic welfare activities like humanitarianism, altruism and philanthropy. There are many instances of such falldowns, even for great sannyāsīs in the Māyāvāda school.
Recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is specifically meant to enlighten people about the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although there is no fundamental difference between impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Person, factual immortality cannot be obtained unless and until one attains the stage of associating with the Supreme Person. Devotional service, which leads to the association of the Supreme Lord, is actual immortality. Pure devotees, out of compassion for the fallen souls, are kṛpālu, very kind to people in general; they distribute this Bhāgavata knowledge all over the world. A kindhearted devotee is called dīna-nātha, protector of the poor, ignorant mass of people. Lord Kṛṣṇa is also known as dīna-nātha or dīna-bandhu, the master or actual friend of the poor living entities, and His pure devotee also takes the same position of dīna-nātha. The dīna-nāthas, or devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who preach the path of devotional service, become the favorites of the demigods. Generally people are interested in worshiping the demigods, especially Lord Śiva, in order to obtain material benefits, but a pure devotee, who engages in preaching the principles of devotional service, as prescribed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, does not need to separately worship the demigods; the demigods are automatically pleased with him and offer all the blessings within their capacity. As by watering the root of a tree the leaves and branches are automatically watered, so, by executing pure devotional service to the Lord, the branches, twigs and leaves of the Lord, known as demigods, are automatically pleased with the devotee, and they offer all benedictions.
In the material world, everyone wants some profit, some adoration and some reputation. By associating in different ways with the Supreme Personality of godhead or His devotee, one can very easily become opulent in every respect. Even if one is not known or recognized by society, he becomes very famous and important if he takes to devotional service and preaching. As far as education is concerned, one can become recognized in society as a great learned scholar simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, wherein the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees are described. This material world is full of dangers at every step, but a devotee has no fear because devotional service is so auspicious that it automatically counteracts all kinds of bad luck. Since hearing about Pṛthu Mahārāja is one of the items of devotional service (śravaṇam), naturally hearing about him brings all good fortune.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means constantly associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in such a mental state that the devotee can observe the cosmic manifestation exactly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead does. Such observation is not always possible, but it becomes manifest exactly like the dark planet known as Rāhu, which is observed in the presence of the full moon.
SB Canto 5
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that no one can receive the real favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without following in the footsteps of the gopīs. Even the goddess of fortune could not receive the same favor as the gopīs, although she underwent severe austerities and penances for many years. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discusses this point with Vyeṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 9.111-131): "The Lord inquired from Vyeṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, 'Your worshipable goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, always remains on the chest of Nārāyaṇa, and she is certainly the most chaste woman in the creation. However, My Lord is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, a cowherd boy engaged in tending cows. Why is it that Lakṣmī, being such a chaste wife, wants to associate with My Lord? Just to associate with Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuṇṭha and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities.'
"Vyeṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa replied, 'Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Nārāyaṇa are one and the same, but the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are more relishable due to their sportive nature. They are very pleasing for Kṛṣṇa's śaktis. Since Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa are both the same personality, Lakṣmī's association with Kṛṣṇa did not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Kṛṣṇa. The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Rather, by associating with Kṛṣṇa she could enjoy the benefit of the rāsa dance. If she wanted to enjoy herself with Kṛṣṇa what fault is there? Why are you joking so about this?'
SB Canto 6
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." If one simply engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to understand Kṛṣṇa, he surely becomes immune to the process of repeated birth and death. As clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) such a person, simply by engaging in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, becomes quite fit to return home, back to Godhead. Even those who are obsessed with material desires may also come to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead so steadily that they go back to Godhead. The fact is that if one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, although he may have many material desires, he becomes increasingly attracted to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa through associating with the Supreme Lord by chanting His holy name. The Supreme Lord and His holy name are identical. Thus he becomes uninterested in attachment to material enjoyment. The perfection of life is to be uninterested in material enjoyment and interested in Kṛṣṇa. If one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness somehow or other, even for material gain, the result is that he will be liberated. Kāmād dveṣād bhayāt snehāt. Whether for the satisfaction of material desires, because of the influence of envy, because of fear, because of affection or because of any other reason, if one comes to Kṛṣṇa, his life is successful.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Kṛṣṇa presented Himself as an innocent child to increase the transcendental ecstasy of maternal affection. As described in the śāstra, tāḍana-bhayān mithyoktir vātsalya-rasa-poṣikā. This means that sometimes a small child speaks lies. For example, he may have stolen something or eaten something and yet deny that he has done so. We ordinarily see this in the material world, but in relation to Kṛṣṇa it is different; such activities are meant to endow the devotee with transcendental ecstasy. The Supreme Personality of Godhead was playing as a liar and accusing all the other devotees of being liars. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.12.11), kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ: a devotee may attain such an ecstatic position after many, many births of devotional service. Persons who have amassed the results of a vast amount of pious activities can attain the stage of associating with Kṛṣṇa and playing with Him like ordinary playmates. One should not consider these transactions of transcendental service to be untruthful accusations. One should never accuse such devotees of being ordinary boys speaking lies, for they attained this stage of associating with Kṛṣṇa by great austerities (tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca (SB 6.1.13)).
"As living entities surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā." Everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa, for He is the Supersoul of all individual souls. Everyone loves his body and wants to protect it because he is within the body as the soul, and everyone loves the soul because the soul is part and parcel of the Supersoul. Therefore, everyone is actually seeking to achieve happiness by reviving his relationship with the Supersoul. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: "By all the Vedas, it is I who am to be known." Therefore, the karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs and saintly persons are all seeking Kṛṣṇa. But by following in the footsteps of devotees who are in a direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa, especially the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, one can reach the supreme position of associating with Kṛṣṇa. As it is said, vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati: Kṛṣṇa does not leave Vṛndāvana even for a moment. The vṛndāvana-vāsīs—mother Yaśodā, Kṛṣṇa's friends and Kṛṣṇa's conjugal lovers, the younger gopīs with whom He dances—have very intimate relationships with Kṛṣṇa, and if one follows in the footsteps of these devotees, Kṛṣṇa is available. Although the nitya-siddha expansions of Kṛṣṇa always remain with Kṛṣṇa, if those engaged in sādhana-siddhi follow in the footsteps of Kṛṣṇa's nitya-siddha associates, such sādhana-siddhas also can easily attain Kṛṣṇa without difficulty. But there are those who are attached to bodily concepts of life. Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, for example, have very prestigious positions, and thus they have the sense of being very exalted īśvaras. In other words, because Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are guṇa-avatāras and have exalted positions, they have some small sense of being like Kṛṣṇa. But the pure devotees who inhabit Vṛndāvana do not possess any bodily conception. They are fully dedicated to the service of the Lord in sublime affection, premā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore recommended, premā pum-artho mahān: the highest perfection of life is premā, pure love in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. And mother Yaśodā appears to be the topmost of devotees who have attained this perfection.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
"The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Rather, by associating with Kṛṣṇa she could enjoy the benefit of the rāsa dance."
“"Pure devotees always reject the five kinds of liberation, which include living in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets, possessing the same opulences as those possessed by the Supreme Lord, having the same bodily features as the Lord"s, associating with the Lord and merging into the body of the Lord. The pure devotees do not accept these benedictions without the service of the Lord.’
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
One who does not understand the transcendental nature of the body of Kṛṣṇa becomes Kṛṣṇa's enemy and defies or fights with Him. The enemies eventually merge into the Lord's Brahman effulgence. Such mukti or liberation into the Brahman effulgence is never desired by the Lord's devotees. There are five kinds of liberation: (1) attaining the planet where the Lord resides, (2) associating with the Lord, (3) attaining a transcendental body like the Lord's, (4) attaining opulence like the Lord, and (5) merging into the existence of the Lord. A devotee has no particular interest in any of these types of liberation. He is satisfied simply by being engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. A devotee is especially adverse to merging into the existence of the Lord and losing his individual identity. Indeed, a devotee considers oneness with the Lord to be hellish. He will, however, accept one of the four other kinds of liberation in consideration for being engaged in the service of the Lord. Out of the two possibilities of merging in transcendence—namely becoming one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence and becoming one with the Personality of Godhead—the latter is more abominable to the devotee. The devotee has no aspiration other than engaging in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
Nectar of Devotion
In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is stated that all those who attended the pious meeting held by Lord Brahmā for the study of Vedic literature like the Upaniṣads became overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadu dynasty. Actually, the result of studying the Upaniṣads is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Negation of material existence is only one of the subjects of the Upaniṣads. The next subject concerns becoming situated in the impersonal realization. And then, after penetrating through the impersonal Brahman, when one comes to the platform of associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one reaches the ultimate goal in studying the Upaniṣads.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
For Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is far greater than such demigods as Lord Brahmā, it is not at all difficult to award one the opportunity of merging with His eternal body. This He awarded to Aghāsura. Aghāsura was certainly the most sinful living entity, and it is not possible for the sinful to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth. But in this particular case, because Kṛṣṇa entered into Aghāsura's body, the demon became fully cleansed of all sinful reactions. Persons constantly thinking of the eternal form of the Lord in the shape of the Deity or in the shape of a mental form are awarded the transcendental benediction of entering into the kingdom of God and associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we can just imagine the elevated position of someone like Aghāsura, into whose body the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, personally entered. Great sages, meditators and devotees constantly keep the form of the Lord within their hearts, or they see the Deity form of the Lord in the temples; in that way they become liberated from all material contamination and at the end of the body enter into the kingdom of God. This perfection is possible simply by keeping the form of the Lord within the mind. But in the case of Aghāsura, the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally entered. Aghāsura's position was therefore greater than the ordinary devotee's or the greatest yogī’s.
One should not uselessly labor in mental speculation to estimate the Lord's qualities. There is no need of adopting the speculative method or exercising the body to attain mystic yoga perfection. One should simply understand that the distress and happiness of this body are predestined; there is no need to try to avoid the distress of this bodily existence or to attempt to achieve happiness by different types of exercises. The best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead with body, mind and words and always be engaged in His service. This transcendental labor is fruitful, but other attempts to understand the Absolute Truth are never successful. Therefore an intelligent man does not try to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative or mystic power. Rather, he engages in devotional service and depends on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knows that whatever may happen to the body is due to his past fruitive activities. If one lives such a simple life in devotional service, then automatically he inherits the transcendental abode of the Lord. Actually, every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and a son of the Godhead. Each has the natural right to inherit and share the transcendental pleasures of the Lord, but due to the contact of matter, conditioned living entities have been practically disinherited. If one adopts the simple method of engaging himself in devotional service, automatically he becomes eligible to be freed from material contamination and elevated to the transcendental position of associating with the Supreme Lord.
"All the Vedic hymns glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The Ganges water is considered sanctified because of its being the water used to wash the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Vedic scriptures are nothing but the injunctions of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The purpose of the study of all the Vedas is to know Kṛṣṇa; therefore, the words of Kṛṣṇa and the message of His pastimes are always purifying. By the influence of time and circumstances, all the opulences of this world were almost completely wiped out, but since Kṛṣṇa has appeared on this planet, all auspicious features have again appeared due to the touch of His lotus feet. Because of His presence, all our ambitions and desires are gradually being fulfilled. Your Majesty, King of the Bhojas, you are related with the Yadu dynasty by matrimonial relationship, and by blood relationship also. As a result, you are constantly associating with Lord Kṛṣṇa, and you have no difficulty in seeing Him or touching Him at any time. Lord Kṛṣṇa moves with you, talks with you, sits with you, rests with you, and dines with you. The Yadus appear to be always engaged in worldly affairs, which are considered to be the royal road to hell, but due to the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead in the Viṣṇu category, who is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, all of you are factually relieved from all material contamination and are situated in the transcendental position of liberation and Brahman existence."
Renunciation Through Wisdom
There are sufficient scriptural proofs to substantiate that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth. Even scriptures like the Bible or the Koran, declare that the Absolute Truth is the all-powerful, all knowing Supreme Person. Throughout the Vedic literature, that Supreme Person is declared to be Lord Kṛṣṇa. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself says that He is the Absolute Truth. Thus simply by associating somehow with Lord Kṛṣṇa, we can become illuminated about the divine Self. When the sun rises in the morning, everything again becomes visible in the sunlight. Similarly, when the sun of Lord Kṛṣṇa rises on the horizon of the transcendental spiritual sky of our realization, the darkness of illusion is immediately extirpated. Then only does one become purified and radiant with pristine beauty.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
If you cannot see Kṛṣṇa physically... Although Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere, but we have no eyes to see Him. Therefore this Deity worship... Deity is not hedonism or idol worship. No. Deity is as good as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's absolute. His form and He is not different. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Abhinna, identical. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, not that like gramophone.(?) No. We are associating with Kṛṣṇa. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. By chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa is present on your tongue. Unless we realize in that way, then it is the period of nāma-aparādha or nāmābhāsa. Not nāmābhāsa—nāma-aparādha. This is nāma-aparādha, to consider that the name is different from the person. As we have got experience in the material world that the name is different from the substance. If you want to drink water, simply if you chant "water, water, water," your thirst will not be satisfied. But in spiritual world, the absolute world, the name and the person is the same. Otherwise, why we stress so much on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa name? Not we, it is in the śāstra. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). This is shastric. But there are many rascals. They give the example, that "Chanting, what is the benefit? I can chant 'soda water, soda water,' like that." But they do not know, rascals, what is the śāstra's injunction. And actually, it is happening. But they are blind. How these European, American boys and girls, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra they are becoming purified? How? Unless there is spiritual potency in chanting, how they are becoming so purified? Even in..., so-called Hindus they are surprised that "How these Europeans and Americans they have become so nice devotees." The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra has got the power, has got the potency.
Suppose if you are moving on the street and if you go on chanting
- Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
- Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
There is no expenditure and there is no loss. Suppose you are sitting on the bus, on the car, for two hours. For two hours, if you go on chanting, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," then tremendous result. So why don't you try it? There is no expenditure; there is no loss, neither loss of time, neither loss of money, neither loss of energy. There is no loss. Simply and melodiously, in a singing way, if you go on, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare," you are... You will be directly associating with the Supreme Lord. You will be directly associating.
So Kṛṣṇa can be present by His words. Because Kṛṣṇa's word and Kṛṣṇa is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa in the form of Bhagavad-gītā, then you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Kṛṣṇa. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is conquer. Then?
No, your first question was "What is this holy name?" First of all try to understand this. Then put another question. Don't disturb. First of all try to understand this question. Holy name means the name is nondifferent from the substance. Here if you become thirsty, you want water, the substance. If you simply chant "water, water, water," it will not act. But holy name means if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you are associating with Kṛṣṇa personally. That is holy name. Here the name is contaminated, whatever name you... But God's name, Kṛṣṇa's name, is holy name. That is nondifferent from God. Otherwise, don't you see, they are chanting "Kṛṣṇa." If Kṛṣṇa name is not Kṛṣṇa, how they are making advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. That is the holy name.
There are nine different process of associating with God. The first, preliminary association is śravaṇam. Just like you are hearing. You are kindly hearing the speeches of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That means you are associating with Kṛṣṇa, or God. Always remember when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means God. So because we are hearing, we are associating with God. And as we are associating with God, then your material contamination is being reduced. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). As you go on hearing, then the contamination which you have acquired in this material world, that is being reduced. So by the association of God in this way, by consciousness, that "Here is God, here is Kṛṣṇa. In sound there is Kṛṣṇa, in the taste of the water there is Kṛṣṇa, in the illumination there is Kṛṣṇa," so how you can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Every step you can remember Kṛṣṇa. And if you can remember in that way, then your association is permanent, twenty-four hours, your association with Kṛṣṇa.
One who is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is not associating with this material nature. He is associating directly with Kṛṣṇa, the supreme spirit.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa because the more you practice, immediately with your chanting, the name, the form, the quality, the pastimes, everything will be revealed. As we go on cleansing our dirty heart by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and as we chant faultless, offenseless harer nāma, Kṛṣṇa reveals. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). By service attitude, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal Himself. You cannot try to see Kṛṣṇa by your speculation or yogic practice. If you simply submissively, surrendering yourself, chant His holy name... There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). People generally ask that what is the meaning of chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. We explain, you know, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means immediately, directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. One has to approach Kṛṣṇa by yogic practice or mental speculation for many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). They can come to the conclusion that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. But if you take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, then immediately you contact Kṛṣṇa. You save so much time. Why should you wait for many, many births?
So any way, if we try to associate, simply by chanting or hearing, that means we are associating with Kṛṣṇa. And the more we associate with Kṛṣṇa, the more we become purified. Just like more you remain with the fire, you become warmer, warmer, warmer. And one day you become so warm you exactly like fire. The example I have given that if you put an iron rod in the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, warmest, and then it becomes red. And when it is red, it is no longer iron. It is fire. Similarly, simply by chanting and hearing you spiritualize yourself. So a day will come when this material body also will be fully spiritualized. The... That fully spiritualized means there will be no more material activities; simply these spiritual activities will be there.
Kṛṣṇa is addressed in the Bhagavad-gītā as Yogeśvara. A little mystic power, when we get, we become so big, important man. And now He's the master of all yogic mystic power. Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ (BG 18.78). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that wherever Yogeśvara-Hari, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all mystic power, is there, and where there is Dhanurdhara Arjuna, Pārtha, so everything is there. Everything is there.
So we should remember this. That if you can keep yourself always in company with Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there. Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ. All perfection is there. And Kṛṣṇa has agreed especially in this age. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra, Kṛṣṇa has incarnated in this age as the holy name. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that: "My dear Lord, You are so kind that You are giving Me Your association by, in the form of Your holy name." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. "And this holy name can be chanted in any situation. There is no hard and fast rule." You can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa anywhere.
Just like these children. They also chant, they also dance. It is not at all difficult. While walking, just like our students, they take the beads. They're walking on the sea beach, still chanting. Where is the loss? But the gain is so great, that we are associating with Kṛṣṇa personally. The gain is so much. If you feel very much proud... If you are associating personally with President Nixon, how much proud you feel? "Oh, I am with President Nixon." So will you not feel very much proud if you are associating the supreme Nixon? Who can create millions of Nixons?
Of course, the holy name of the Lord and the Lord, they're identical. There is no difference. But still we are chanting the holy name of the Lord, and if the Lord comes personally, how much we shall be engladdened. So we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, but the Pāṇḍavas, they were practically associating with Kṛṣṇa. So if a person associating with devotees, becomes interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord, how much it is impossible, how much it is impossible for the Pāṇḍavas to give up His association. Because they are so fortunate that darśana-sparśa-saṁlāpa-śayanāsana-bhojanaiḥ. They're in intimately friendly terms with Kṛṣṇa, that they're lying together, they're sitting together, they're eating together, always seeing Kṛṣṇa. How they can tolerate His separation? It is impossible. If a..., satāṁ prasaṅgāt, if a devotee cannot give up this chanting of His holy name, how the persons who are actually seeing Kṛṣṇa, associating with Kṛṣṇa, can tolerate separation from Him?
Devotee (3): We have to... We leave the universe. But then we are associating directly with Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna?
Prabhupāda: Yes. You can associate with Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna every twenty-four hours, by reading Bhagavad-gītā. Why you require to go there? It is already here. You see. You read the Bhagavad-gītā, and you are immediately in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. His is instructing. That was the instruction. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. You know that story? Illiterate brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā. So he did not know; he was not literary. But because his spiritual master..., he has so staunch faith in the spiritual master... Just see. His spiritual master said that "You read, daily, eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā." Spiritual master knew that he was illiterate, but still he asked him, "You read, eighteen chapters, there will be..." So what can he do? The spiritual master has ordered. So he was simply making a show of reading, "uh-uh-uḥ," like this. So this other friends were criticizing, "Oh, Mr. Such-and-such, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He knows that this man... His friend is criticizing him, so he did not answer. But when Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" He knew that this gentleman, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was really inquisitive, so he explained the whole thing, that "I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me to read; therefore I am reading. But actually I cannot read." So frankly he admits. This is staunch faith in spiritual master. He knew, his spiritual master knew that he is illiterate, and he knew also that "I cannot read Bhagavad-gītā." But still he was trying to read because his spiritual master has said. This is called staunch. Yasya prasādāt. "He has said. I have to satisfy him. I am incompetent—I cannot read—but he has said, therefore I must do it." This is called yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.
If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Hearing about Kṛṣṇa means associating with Kṛṣṇa. This secret they do not know. But we are canvassing, "Please come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be perfect."
So people who are interested in materialistic life, they are called asat. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by a devotee that "What is the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, of devotee?" Vaiṣṇava means devotee. (aside:) Who is this? Who is making noise? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being inquired, "What is the duty of a devotee?" (aside:) ...what is the sound?
Brahmānanda: They're doing it purposely.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all right. That's all right. Never mind. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. He, in one line, He said that "First of all, Vaiṣṇava, his business is to avoid the company of asat." Asat means those who are materialistic interest. Asataḥ. Asato mā sad gama. This is very important thing. We have established this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society—means that to avoid the asat-saṅga, to avoid the... Of course, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst the people who are interested in material subject matter. But we are not associating with them. We are associating with Kṛṣṇa, because we don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa. We are not interested with their business. Everyone is interested with his own business. Similarly, we are interested with our own business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. Even if we go to a materialistic person, we canvass, "Kindly become our member. Kindly read this book. Purchase this book," so we are not going to take their activities. We are trying to bring them in our activities.
So we should give chance to people to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words, they are not different—absolute. When we hear about Kṛṣṇa, that means we are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. And the more you associate with Kṛṣṇa, the more you become purified. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti. Kṛṣṇa helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The same thing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa's service.
"My dear Kṛṣṇa, I think the mind is very, very restless." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa. Pramāthi: "as madman." As madman is always restless... "And very strong. I want to control the mind, but it does not come under control. So this is the position. Therefore, You are asking me to control the mind..." Tasya ahaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram: "I think it is more difficult than controlling the wind." Suppose there is very strong wind, and if you want to stop it, you see, it is not possible. There is cyclone. Similarly, Arjuna has compared the mind with the speed of cyclone. How it is to be controlled? So completely denied. But Kṛṣṇa said, just to encourage Arjuna, that he should not be disappointed because he could not control the mind. But still, because his mind was always engaged in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he is the best of all the yogis.
- yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
- mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
- śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
- sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
- (BG 6.47)
He encouraged Arjuna that "Don't be disappointed because your mind is always engaged in Me." Arjuna might be anything, but he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He was always associating with Kṛṣṇa. He did not know anything else, Kṛṣṇa. That is the position of first-class yogi. Otherwise, if you try to control the mind from kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya, that is not possible. You have to change the position of such activities.
The chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name is exactly, immediately associating with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi means name, then form, then quality, then entourage, so many things. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. So they're all absolute. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. Identical. So when we chant Kṛṣṇa's name it means that we are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. This is a fact. So as you, if you become nearer to, or touch fire, then you will get the resultant action. So if you chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that means immediately you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. And the result will begin immediately. That is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will cleanse your dirty heart, because that is the beginning of our suffering. Misunderstanding. So there are other references in the śāstra.
If you say, "How can I take instruction from Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is not present." No, Kṛṣṇa is present by His instruction. The Bhagavad-gītā is there. Not that it is necessary... Kṛṣṇa is always present, but you have no eyes to see. That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu cayāntara-stham. Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere, even within the atom. But we cannot see. That is another thing. I have no eyes to see. But if I develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then I'll see constantly Kṛṣṇa. This is the effect. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to develop love for Kṛṣṇa. So one who has developed this love for Kṛṣṇa, he can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa is present. So even though you think that Kṛṣṇa is not present, but He is present by words, Bhagavad-gītā. He is absolute. Kṛṣṇa, the person, and Kṛṣṇa's words, Bhagavad-gītā, there is no difference. Advaya-jñāna, no duality. Everything is one, absolute. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is also absolute, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes absolute. Everything. That is Absolute Truth. There is no difference. In the material world the name and the thing is different. Suppose here is mango, so mango is the thing and mango is the name. So if I simply say "Mango, mango, mango," there is no mango. There must be the thing, mango. That is duality. This is the world of duality. Absolute means the name mango and the mango thing is the same. Otherwise what is the... If they're different, then what is the use of chanting Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa chanting means Kṛṣṇa, this word, and Kṛṣṇa the person, the same. Therefore by constant chanting means constantly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Then we are becoming purified. Purified. There is no difference.
Everyone asks us that, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, why not serve the suffering humanity?" They say always. And what you can do? You are... Simply like a madman you are thinking that you can serve the humanity. You cannot serve the humanity. You have no such power. What you can do? The example was... I was giving that if you want to give help a suffering in disease man, and bring some nice doctor, medical man to help him and bring some nice medicine, that is good work, but does it mean that it is guaranteed that he will be cured? No. Therefore you cannot do anything. You may think like that. Or you may act like that. But unless the Supreme Person sanctions, you cannot do anything. One is sure to suffer the material pangs of life. Nobody can stop it. So therefore we should not try. It will be automatically tried.
Just like we are distributing prasādam. Not that because he is poor man and we are giving prasāda, no. This is not our idea. To our eyes, the so-called poor man and rich man, they are all suffering, not that the simply poor man suffering and the rich man is not suffering. Therefore we give them prasādam or īśa-saṅga. That prasādam is also Īśa. The prasādam accepted by Kṛṣṇa, offered to Kṛṣṇa, is also Kṛṣṇa. So if we give prasādam, then he is getting the opportunity of associating with Kṛṣṇa. This is our idea. But people very much appreciate poor-feeding. So that, you can take it, that. But everyone is poor. Who is rich? Unless one has got knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, he is poor. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). So-called knowledge has no value. Therefore a jñānavān, a man of knowledge, after many, many births he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). So this is the process. Īśa-saṅgāt. So this prasāda distribution means giving chance to the people, those who are poor in knowledge, to awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is our policy. Otherwise we cannot do any good to any others.
Haṁsadūta: Prabhupāda, you said that when a person changes original spiritual form, just like the Viṣṇudūtas, they have their four-handed form. Does that mean that they will never rise up to the state of associating with Kṛṣṇa in two-handed form? What does it mean, "original form"?
Prabhupāda: Original form, two-handed.
Haṁsadūta: Two-handed.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Haṁsadūta: So that four-handed form is not complete perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Prabhupāda: No. There is perfection everywhere in the spiritual world, but it is a question of variety, taste. When you take rasagullā, don't take kachori, that does not mean kachori is not perfect. It is a question of taste. Somebody likes kachori, somebody likes rasagullā. Not that kachori is inferior to rasagullā; rasagullā is inferior to kachori.
Haṁsadūta: So that means if someone is situated in that svarūpa...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is svarūpa. Everything is svarūpa.
Haṁsadūta: Suppose someone is situated as Viṣṇudūta. He may change his taste.
Prabhupāda: Why he shall change it?
Haṁsadūta: He may get a taste for associating with Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: The change is taking place in this material world. There all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us has a different taste of associating with Kṛṣṇa, and that will be realized when one is liberated.
Haṁsadūta: So that's fixed already.
Prabhupāda: Yes. When you are liberated, you will understand in which way you are related with Kṛṣṇa. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. But that is attained when you are actually perfect in devotional service. Just like in our family, we enjoy different rasas. We have got one kind of relationship with wife, one kind of relationship with sons and daughters, one kind of relation with friends, one kind of relationship with servants, one kind of relationship with property. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa... The whole creation is His family, and He has got relationship in that way. So why the son will change his relationship into husband and wife?
Guest: Yes, right. Sometimes we forget to do our duty very attentively. Sometimes we forget to do the (floor?). By associating with Kṛṣṇa through His name, then we can remember our duty? Or (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Yes, you remember. If you remember Kṛṣṇa, then you'll remember all duties of Kṛṣṇa. If you remember... Suppose you are working in an office. If you remember that you have to go to such office at such and such time, that means you'll remember all the duties of the office. That is automatically... It is not that while you are going in the office, on the way you know what you have to do there. But because you are remembering the office that means automatically they are there in dormant stage.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
When we chant loudly, anyone who hears—it doesn't matter whether he's man, animal, tree, insect—anyone who will hear, he'll get profit. This is transcendental vibration. Just like when there is... Not to speak of this transcendental vibration, even the vibration of cloud, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṇām. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So animal has no realization that "Here is Kṛṣṇa," but a human being, after attending sat-saṅga, devotee's, association of the devotees, he can understand: "Oh, here I am drinking water. Now in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. So this taste of water is Kṛṣṇa." He remembers immediately Kṛṣṇa. That means he immediately associates with Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Either you remember... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam (SB 7.5.23). Any way, when you hear about Kṛṣṇa, you are associating Kṛṣṇa. You are chanting about Kṛṣṇa. You are associating with Kṛṣṇa. You are remembering, smaraṇam, that is also Kṛṣṇa.
Festival Lectures
Initiation Lectures
So, one who has no faith that the name of the Lord and the Lord Himself the same, there is no difference, one should not be instructed about the glories of the Lord. He should be instructed to understand, but if he's unable to understand, then he should not be initiated. He should require some time to understand. But you should always remember that nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ: (CC Madhya 17.133) Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name nondifferent. As soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, that means Kṛṣṇa is dancing on your tongue. You should be careful in that way. Just like if Kṛṣṇa... As you offer so much respect to your spiritual master as soon as he's present, so if Kṛṣṇa is present on your tongue, how much careful you should be. So you should always know that Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is always everywhere. God is everywhere, but we have no realization. But this particular chanting, as soon as chant holy name, that means you must know. So by associating with Kṛṣṇa you become purified. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. Just like associating with fire you become warm, similarly, associate with Kṛṣṇa means you become purified. Gradually you become spiritualized. No more material. Finished. This is the process.
So when you enter into the Kṛṣṇa science you get so much volumes of transcendental knowledge, and we are trying to present before you this knowledge in so many ways, by cleansing your heart from this material contamination. And this initiation is the beginning of cleaning the contamination. Therefore this mantra suggests, apavitraḥ pavitraḥ vā: either you be contaminated or not contaminated. When one is not contaminated, he's relishing this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra by associating with Kṛṣṇa. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he's also chanting. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also chanting, but His chanting and my chanting, there is little difference. That chanting is on the transcendental platform, actually relishing with Kṛṣṇa. My chanting... In the beginning there are three stages: offensive stages, liberated stage, and relishing stage. So you will be initiated for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, there will be so many offenses. So we have to offend..., we have to defend ourself from the offenses. There are ten kinds of offenses. You'll get the list. So we shall try to avoid. Then our chanting will be purified. And when the chanting is purified, then immediately you are liberated. And after liberation? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) your life of devotional service actually begins. Then you relish reciprocation of love with Kṛṣṇa.
So those who are going to be initiated, they should understand that chanting of the holy name means directly associating with the Supreme Lord. So as I have given several times the example of the iron rod and the fire: if you touch the iron rod with the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer and then red hot. Similarly, when you chant offenselessly the holy name of the Lord, gradually you become purified, and when we chant holy name without any offense, then we immediately live at the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa. When we are almost free from contamination, then we become liberated, and when we chant purely the holy name, we are situated on the lotus feet of the Lord. And the more we go on chanting, we enjoy loving exchange affair between the Lord and ourself.
General Lectures
So this is the technique of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if you learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then you will love everything. Otherwise, your love will be localized and you will be frustrated. It is most scientific. And our process is very simple: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name—nondifferent. So chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are associating with Kṛṣṇa. That means you are directly in touch with the root of everything. So by advancing in love for Kṛṣṇa, you can love your society, your country, your community, your family, your husband, your wife, your children, your friend—everything, complete, pūrṇam. Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya (Iso Invocation). And that love will never be ended. Pūrṇa. Love of Kṛṣṇa is so complete that you go on distributing this love; it will never be expended. It will remain the same stock. So I am very glad to see you in this temple. Please try to understand our philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have got books, and at the same time we have got the simple method, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, in which even a small child can take part. The small... Most erudite scholar also can take part, and an innocent child who has no education, no literary sense, he can also take part equally. And equally, both of them take the same advantage. A small child who comes before the Deity and dances and claps, he is getting the result. Don't think that it is in vain. He is also getting the same... Just like fire. Either a child touches or an adult touches, fire's action will be there, equal. Similarly, anyone who is coming in this temple, offering obeisances, taking little prasāda, joining with the chanting, hearing some talks, everyone will be benefited spiritually. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Dhyānāvasthita, in full samādhi, in meditation, the yogis, they see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the yogi. And out of all those yogis, the Kṛṣṇa form... Kṛṣṇa has got many forms. Advaita acyuta anādi ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). Ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam. Kṛṣṇa has multiforms. He is the Yogeśvara. The yogis, they can also sometimes expand to many-fold forms. There is only one instance in the śāstra. There was a Saubhari Muni. He was a great yogi. He expanded himself to eight forms. So yogis, they can. But if a yogi can expand himself into eight or, say, several forms, how much potency is there in the yogeśvara. Kṛṣṇa is called yoge... Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ. Yogeśvara (BG 18.78). He is the master of all mystic powers, Yogeśvara. So He can expand Himself in many forms, multiforms. That is explained. Advaita acyuta anādi ananta-rūpam. Ananta-rūpam. Ādyam, but He is the original person. Purāṇa-puruṣam, the oldest person, because He is the original. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca, but He is still young man. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. You will never see Kṛṣṇa as old man. When Kṛṣṇa was in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra... You have seen the picture. Kṛṣṇa is driving the chariot of Arjuna. At that time His age was not less than hundred years. He had great-grandchildren. But you have seen the picture. He was looking like a boy of sixteen to twenty years. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is described in the Vedic literatures as nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa's body... Therefore His body is spiritual body. The spiritual... When you get your spiritual body, you also get nava-yauvanam. Those who are associating with Kṛṣṇa in the Kṛṣṇa planet or those who are associating with Nārāyaṇa in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they are also ever-young. Their bodily features are exactly like Nārāyaṇa. It is called sārūpya-mukti.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: So our conception is—"our" means Vedic conception—that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everyone." Either you call the son or the Holy Ghost, it doesn't matter, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin. Then, He has got expansion. That expansion is not actually His son... Or there are two kinds of expansion: His personal expansions and His expansion as part and parcel. His personal expansion is called Viṣṇu-tattva, and the part and parcel expansion is called jīva-tattva—in Sanskrit technical words, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The personal expansion there are also many varieties—puruṣa-avatāra, saktyāveśa-avatāra, manvantara-avatāra, many varieties. So generally, His personal expansion for creation of this material world are three also, accepted as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Viṣṇu is personal expansion, and Brahmā is expansion of the living entity, or the vibhinnāṁśa. And another expansion, via-media between the personal expansion and expansion of jīva, the via-media expansion is called Śiva. So the material creation is done by personal expansion primarily—the whole material ingredients, and then with the ingredients the guṇa-avatāra, Brahmā, he creates particularly. And Lord Śiva, when the time is right, he annihilates. So this creation, material creation, is created, maintained for sometimes, and again dissolved or annihilated. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is the nature of the external potency. There are others, detailed information, described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, but the jīvas, or the living entities, they are considered as the sons, and they have got two positions: one liberated position, one conditioned position. Those who are liberated, they are personally associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and those who are fallen in this material world, they have, almost all of them, have forgotten, and suffering within this material world in different forms of material body. But they can be delivered from this material conditioned life to liberated position by Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding, which means that there are śāstras, Vedic knowledge, and the guru which..., who is fully cognizant of Vedic knowledge and preaches and delivers the conditioned soul on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the Vedic conception.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Chanting is to make the process very easy. Because in this age people are unfortunate, short living, and they are attracted in false things, they are very slow, they do not take it very seriously. Therefore chanting is a common platform. Anyone can chant. Anyone, even the child can chant, the old man can chant, the fool can chant, the intelligent can chant, the rich can chant, the poor can chant. So the chanting is a common; therefore it is becoming successful. And chanting means, Kṛṣṇa being absolute, Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa there is no difference. Absolute means there is no duality. As in this dual world there is difference between the name and the substance, in the absolute world there is no difference between the name and the substance. Both of them are the same. So therefore chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name means associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. And because they are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly, they're quickly becoming purified. Just like if you touch a metal rod to the fire, it becomes warm and then it acquires the quality of the fire. The metal rod, you can touch anywhere, it will burn, although it is metal rod. But because it acquired the quality of the fire, it can burn, it can act as fire. Similarly, if we constantly associate with Kṛṣṇa, then we acquire the spiritual quality. Then we can act as spiritual very quick. This is the point.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We are chanting always the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. These have got special significance because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. There is no difference between Him and His name. Here, just like this milk substance and the milk name is different. If I want to take milk, simply if I go on chanting "milk" and "milk," that will not satisfy. I must have the substance milk. But in the spiritual world the Absolute has no differentiation between His name, ...between His name, between His quality, form, entourage. They are the same. So this chanting of holy name means that directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Directly associating with Kṛṣṇa.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So Lord and Lord's name, They're the same, identical. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa name and the Kṛṣṇa person, identical. Because the Lord is absolute. In the material world, the world of duality, the name is not the substance. If you require water, simply by chanting "Water, water," your thirst will not be quenched. You require the substance water. But in the spiritual world, the Lord and His name, the same thing. If you chant the Lord's name, Kṛṣṇa, or any name of Lord, that is identical with the Lord. Therefore by chanting the holy name of the Lord, you are associating with the Lord. And as soon as you associate with the Lord, you become purified. Because Lord is all-pure. Just like if you associate with fire, you become warm. Similarly, if you constantly associate with the Lord, you remain purified. Therefore our principle is they are always chanting... Just like we are... I am chanting also. (Holds up beads) Or reading some book. Or talking with you about Kṛṣṇa. So we are always connected with Kṛṣṇa, or God. In all our activities... The whole house, you'll see, they are engaged in some sort of work which has connection with Kṛṣṇa. There is no other work. So nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. Anything attached with God, that is also godly.
Prabhupāda: We are always imperfect, but Kṛṣṇa will help us. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). How he can be imperfect? Kṛṣṇa will give him intelligence. Imperfect means whose intelligence is not perfect. But when Kṛṣṇa is giving intelligence, how he can be imperfect? He may be imperfect, but he's being helped by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he's not imperfect.
Guest (1): Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation).
Prabhupāda: Yes. He's associating with Kṛṣṇa. And unless one is confidential devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa does not speak with him. But when he becomes perfect, confidential servitor, Kṛṣṇa speaks with him, "Do like this, do like that," and he'll do that. And therefore in his action, you won't find any fault. (break) If somebody perfect instructs him, "Do like this," then my action is not imperfect. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If I say, "Yes, you give up everything. Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa," then I am perfect.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Reporter: So how, if when we chant "Water, water, water," we don't...
Prabhupāda: That is material word. If you chant "Water, water," the real water will not come. But if you chant "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa," then because it is absolute, then you are associating with Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: If you see my picture, you see me. This is material picture. But God is omnipotent. God's picture is also God. That is God's potency. Otherwise we are worshiping Deity. People may think: "This is the form of Kṛṣṇa." The form of Kṛṣṇa, the name of Kṛṣṇa, the quality of Kṛṣṇa—they are all Kṛṣṇa. That is Absolute. In the material world there is difference. Otherwise, why they are engaged in chanting, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare..." Have they become mad? Because Kṛṣṇa person and Kṛṣṇa's name, the same thing. That is Absolute. So here it is said, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. So if you chant Kṛṣṇa's name, that means you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you are becoming purified. Just like if you associate with fire, you will remain always warm. Is it not? If you remain near the fireplace, you remain always warm. Similarly, if you chant Kṛṣṇa-Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa, not different—then you will remain always spiritual.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Mrs. Sahani: Chanting Kṛṣṇa's name is very essential.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the easiest way. By chanting Kṛṣṇa, you are associating with Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, so Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, no difference. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, everything, absolute. So chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name means you are associating with Kṛṣṇa. So if you are associating with Kṛṣṇa, then gradually you become Kṛṣṇa-ite.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
I have seen the pictures of your new altar and temple renovation and everything is looking gorgeous. Always be sure that the Lord is pleased and your success as His genuine servant is assured. I am glad that you have decided to give your time now fully to serving Krsna directly, but do not misunderstand the position of "outside" jobs. Any work which is performed by a devotee in Krsna Consciousness is never work on the material platform although it may appear to be so. Such a Krsna Conscious person is never associating with the materials of mundane work or with the mundane workers, he is always associating with Krsna by devotional service whatever his position may be. Krsna is maintaining everything at all times, but those who are less intelligent do not see that everything is working by direction of the Lord and they think things are running on automatically somehow or other. That is the view of atheists and fools. Persons in Krsna Consciousness always are fixed in knowledge that the Lord is the Supreme Controller of all that be.
| Page Title: | Associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead |
| Compiler: | Haya, Tripti-Madhavi, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 09 of Aug, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=10, CC=2, OB=7, Lec=28, Con=7, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 56 |