Not that "Can you show me God?" What qualification you have got? You want to see God. Another rascal will say "Yes, I will show you God. Come to me. I shall show you God." This is going on. One rascal inquires, "Can you show me God?" and the big rascal says, "Yes, come to me alone. I shall show you God." This business is going on. God's seeing is so cheap thing that any rascal comes, "Can you show me God," and another rascal says, "Yes, come to me. In the evening I shall show you." That means if he is a foolish rascal, then he will show him something magic, and he will understand, "Oh I have seen God." That's all, finished. God-seeing business is finished. And he comes... After God-seeing, he is the same, the same rascal. What improvement you have... You have seen God. What improvement you have made? God seeing is so cheap thing. No.
Evening (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like a national leader like Mahatma Gandhi in our country. He planned that "Let the Britishers go away. My countrymen will be happy. My countrymen will be happy." But when the Britishers went away, giving the responsibility of Indian empire to the Indian people, Gandhi was thinking in the morning, "Oh, I am so unhappy. Now only death will please me." And the next, the same evening, he was killed. He was so unhappy. Because everything was topsy-turvied. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. Now the country was divided. The Muslims became separated.
One of the saṁskāra is also marriage. One must get married. So, before the child is given birth, there is a saṁskāra, what is called? Garbhādhāna saṁskāra. It is not that the husband and wife mix without any restriction and have sex life at any time. No. You know that, that mother of Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kaśyapa Muni, I think, father. So she, the woman became very much sexually excited and the husband replied that: "This is not time. This is very bad time, evening. Why you are insisting?" But she was too much lusty, and because the husband was obliged, Hiraṇyakaśipu was born, a demon was born. Therefore there is Garbhādhāna saṁskāra, to find out when the husband and wife should mix and give birth to a child.
Our war means... According to Vedic civilization, that is dharma-yuddha, religious fight. When the actual need is there to fight, we must fight. Not that when there is need of fight, one becomes nonviolent. Just like yesterday in the evening, when we were talking with Dr. Shoemaker, so they were supporting that "Why should you kill any animal who is coming to... If you are determined not to kill..." We were talking of not killing, that why should you kill one animal who is coming to attack? No. You must kill. That is necessity. You should not go to the forest to find out some living entities, living beings, to kill. That is not your business. That is hiṁsa. But if a tiger comes to attack you, you must kill. That is self-defense. And that is not hiṁsa.
So Kṛṣṇa has got enemies also, what to speak of ourself. This material world is so made, that you must have some enemies. Matsaratā. Matsaratā means enviousness, jealousy. This material world is like that. So there are jealous enemies of God also. They are called demons. Ordinary jealousy or enemy, that is natural. But even to God. Just like yesterday night, evening, somebody came to see me. He was arguing that "Why Kṛṣṇa should be accepted as God?" That was his argument. So Kṛṣṇa has enemies.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participate in this great movement. So this evening I shall present before you topics between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. I think most of you know the Bhagavad-gītā. The subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā is talking between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa was driver of the chariot. Both of them were in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He played just like an ordinary human being as friend of Arjuna.
So Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and Bhīma went to Jarāsandha. He was very charitable to the brāhmaṇas, and these three persons went there, dressing themselves as poor brāhmaṇas. So in the assembly they begged from Jarāsandha, "Sir, we have come to beg from you for fight." Kṛṣṇa, to save the other soldiers, He advised that "Let us fight with Jarāsandha alone. Why he should unnecessarily bring so many soldiers and we have to also? Why these poor soldiers will give life? Better go, let us individually fight." So Jarāsandha could understand that "They are kṣatriyas. They have come in the dress of a brāhmaṇa to beg," because kṣatriya cannot beg. So he accepted, "Yes." Then he selected Bhīma to fight with him. He rejected Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa also, that "You are not fit for fighting with me." So there was fighting for twenty-eight days. Fighting was going on from morning to evening. And at night they were friends. Bhīma, Arjuna, and Kṛṣṇa was the guest, and he received them as guests. They were eating together, talking together. In the morning again fighting. This is kṣatriya. It is sport, sporting, but that sporting was meant for... Until one dies, the fighting will go on.
Practically no brahminical qualification. All śūdra qualification. Therefore mandāḥ. Sumanda-matayaḥ. And if one comes forward to be spiritually enlightened, he accepts something bogus, which has no meaning, without any reference to the śāstras. Therefore mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. They have got a opinion, and that is going on. You may have any opinion. That is all right. This foolishness is going on in this age. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Manda-bhāgyāḥ, and most unfortunate. Everyone is practically unfortunate. Nobody has certainty what he will eat tomorrow, or in the evening. Everywhere... Don't think only it is only in India. In America.
Eighteen, twelve, eight, and four. How many it comes? Eighteen and twelve? Thirty, and then eight, thirty-eight, then four. This is rough calculation. Forty-two, forty-three. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. So so many years, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahaḥ. Ahaḥ means day. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). This is the one day of Brahmā. One day means morning to evening. Forty-three hundred thousands of years your calculation. Therefore these things are to be understood through the śāstra. Otherwise, you have no knowledge. You cannot calculate. You cannot go to Brahmā, you cannot go even to the moon planet.
Now, this world, this world... Even Mahatma Gandhi... I have read his life. The day when he was to be killed, he did not know in the morning that he was going to be killed in the evening. But as a big man, he was receiving so many letters, so many congratulation, so many condemnation. You do not know.
So our life should be so formed that in our every activity there will be God consciousness. That is the technique of yoga-sthaḥ. You haven't got to separately being seated in meditation as yoga, generally as we understand. Now, how much you can devote your time to meditation? Suppose one hour in the morning or one hour in the evening you can devote. But if you mold your life in such a way that always, twenty-four hours, you are in meditation, that is the platform of yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi. I am earning for the Supreme Lord. Then, when I earn, I bring things for cooking, I am thinking, "Oh, this thing will be cooked for Lord." Now, your wife cooks, and she is also very clean because it is being cooked for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Ṭhākura Haridāsa was at that time about twenty-five years old, young man. So that prostitute, there was agreement. "Oh, it is easy thing for me. Sir, you give me such and such money. I shall get him. All right."
So one day that prostitute, very nicely dressed, and at midnight and when he was chanting,
- Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
- Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
And the prostitute sat down before him, and the Ṭhākura said, "Why you have come?" She disclosed her intention, that "You are such a nice young man, so I have come to embrace you." "Oh, very good. Very good. You sit down. You sit down and let me finish. Let me finish my chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, because I have got a vow for chanting so many. So it is now almost finished. But as soon as finished, we shall enjoy. Very good. You sit down." So by chanting, chanting, chanting, it became morning. Now, that prostitute became restless. "I am very sorry. Because I could not finish my chanting, therefore we could not enjoy life. All right. You come this evening, this night. We shall enjoy." So next also night she came in the same way and the same business, chanting. And he said, "Let me finish. Then I shall do."
Early in the morning if the cow is milked, it gives the proper quantity of milk. That is the system, before sunrise. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī and... The whole day's business was that he would go to a householder. Because in India still the system is a householder keeps at least, in the village, at least ten to twelve cows. But he hasn't got to pay anything for keeping these. The cows go to the pasturing ground and in the evening comes back. And some grass, dry grass which is by-product of the grains, that is offered to her, and instead of, in place she offers milk. So milk in the village, still it is available very easily, without any expenses.
At least in India we have got this experience. Now, this Bhagavad-gītā... The Bhagavad-gītā, we always... We must always remember that it is being taught in the actual battlefield. Now, a great personality like Mahātmā Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence. He was... He was in favor of the doctrine of nonviolence. Now, you have seen Mahatma Gandhi's picture that he is always standing with Bhagavad-gītā like this. So Bhagavad-gītā was his life and soul practically. And in the morning he was having Bhagavad-gītā class; in the evening he was having Bhagavad-gītā class. So that was his life and soul. But unfortunately he interpreted Bhagavad-gītā in his own way. Although he took Bhagavad-gītā as his life and soul, so, but he interpreted it in his own way.
Janārdana: Swamiji, you'll have to excuse me just a few minutes early. I have an appointment with many people this evening.
Prabhupāda: Oh. At 8 o'clock you want to leave? That's all right. This is microphone for speaking, like this? Hare Kṛṣṇa. (someone begins to play harmonium) It has to be like this. All right. I can try. This is also (indistinct). Hare Kṛṣṇa. So just begin kīrtana. (kīrtana, prema-dhvani)
Prabhupāda: There is no support? Keep it like this.
If I ask you just exactly at this time what you were doing last evening, you will have to remember. You have forgotten. And what to speak of one week ago or one year ago? That is our nature, forgetfulness.
So here Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, although they are on the level of friendship, one is God and another is ordinary living entity. God does not forget; living entity forgets. That is the distinction. How you can say that you are God? You are so forgetful that you cannot say what you were doing a few hours before, and you claiming that you are God? They have made God as very cheap thing. Everyone is claiming, "I am God." They do not know what is God.
Now, you cannot say... Now... Just now it is eight o'clock. Can you say exactly at eight o'clock what you had been doing in the morning or yesterday, this evening. Oh, you have to remember it. So while I cannot remember even what I was doing twelve hours before or twenty-four hours before, oh, what I can remember what was going on in my previous life? It is not possible.
Now, just this evening, one gentleman was speaking about Ahmedabad, that the students have burned so many buses, they're now uncontrollable. So this is going on all over the world. People are frustrated, because on account of these rascal leaders. They are taking the position of leadership, but they're all rascals and fools, they cannot lead. If you want to be happy, take actual leadership of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy. Thank you very much.
This śloka, this verse, we discussed last Friday evening, and I tried to explain the supreme leadership of the Supreme Lord. By nature we are destined to follow a leadership. Nobody is independent. Even in the animal society, the animals, they have also got a group, and there is leader of the group. Perhaps you know it. So in every group... And we are trying to make some group according to the similarly of thought and propensities. There are association, you know, various association, mercantile association, bankers' association, lawyers' association, and there is a leader. That is the nature's way.
Just like the elephant is eating hundred pounds. Oh, God is supplying. "Yes. Come on. Take hundred pounds." But he's not stocking. He's eating both times, hundred pounds in the morning, hundred pounds in the evening. He's supplied. Nature supplies. Come on. You know, gorilla. They are very big animals. And where gorillas are prominent in the African jungle, there is a tree which produces a nut which is stronger than the iron bullet. And the gorilla uses those as peas and chew it nicely. So there is food supply there even for the gorilla, for the elephant, and for the ant also. The ant requires one grain of sugar. And he's also struggling. So here is a struggle. But the supply is there. Supply is there. Supply is already fixed up.
It is simply reflected. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is reflected in the glass, and that reflection comes to your, in my apartment. At six o'clock the sunshine comes from the western side... eastern side. So in the evening the sunshine cannot come from the eastern side. The sunshine comes from the western side, but it is coming because it is reflected through a glass in the opposite house. This is the idea of reflected. That reflection of the sunshine is not real, but it appears just like sunshine. Similarly, all our relationship here, either as master and servant or as friend and friend or as parents and child or as husband and wife or as lover and the beloved, any relationship, whatever we see here, that is the perverted reflection of our eternal relationship with God.
Intelligence, and thinking, feeling, willing, by all these assistants, whatever I have got, śanaiḥ śanaiḥ, always we have to think of controlling the senses. Ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā. And just mind being fixed up in the ātmā, in the Supersoul. Na kiñcid api cintayet. Then you do not think anything more. Just like this evening we were studying that Kṛṣṇa says that yuddhyasva mām anusmara: (BG 8.7) "You go on fighting; at the same time, be Kṛṣṇa conscious."
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.
We are so dependent on God's mercy that we cannot say. Just like today, this evening, when we were coming in this hall, there was heavy rain. So this heavy rain... I am coming from India, and other parts there is drought. There is no rainfall; they are suffering for want of rainfall. But in Australia, especially in Sydney, I see there is good rainfall. So how the distinction can be adjusted? In some places there is no rainfall, but here we have got sufficient rainfall at the present moment.
This is guru. Suppose you are family member. So many living entities, you sons, your daughters, your daughter-in-law, or children, you can become their guru. Exactly like this you can sit down in the evening and talk about the Bhagavad-gītā, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You haven't got to manufacture something. The instruction is there; you simply repeat and let them hear—you become guru. It is not difficult at all. So that is our preaching.
I shall give you one example, that in a village there is a marketplace. So thousands of men gather there, and one village woman, old lady, she began to cry that "Where shall I accommodate so many people?" So his (her) son came, "Mother, you don't worry. In the evening I shall show you." So in the evening, the mother came. There was nobody. So you are thinking just like village lady, "Where we shall accommodate so many men?" They come and go. This conception of increasing, that is your misconception. There is no question of increasing and decreasing.
Janārdana: Paramhamsa? (?)
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Janārdana: I guess he's not here this evening.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So, I forgot to bring my watch. What is the time now? So classes end? From seven to...?
Janārdana: Seven to nine.
Prabhupāda: Seven to nine.
Haṁsadūta: The following was a wedding and initiation at the Cross Maidan, evening of 29th March, 1971.
Prabhupāda: ...yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu. By chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, one becomes purified in whatever condition he may be. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā, either he is pure or impure, sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā, any condition of life, if he chants the holy name of Viṣṇu, then he becomes immediately purified internally and externally.
Everyone has got his conception of perfection—all bogus. Sumanda-matayaḥ. Why this is? Manda-bhāgyāḥ: because they are unfortunate. Everyone does not know what he shall eat next morning or in the evening. Everyone is in need. Scarcity all over the world. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ. And still, they are disturbed, so many. Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). Kara means taxation.
Everyone has got his conception of perfection—all bogus. Sumanda-matayaḥ. Why this is? Manda-bhāgyāḥ: because they are unfortunate. Everyone does not know what he shall eat next morning or in the evening. Everyone is in need. Scarcity all over the world. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ. And still, they are disturbed, so many. Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). Kara means taxation.
Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa in every step of life. In every step of life. They will be all explained in this chapter, how you can perceive Kṛṣṇa. The beginning is tasting. Everyone drinks water or drinks something else. So try to taste the liquid, thinking that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa." You see in the morning the light of sunshine: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In the evening you see the moonlight: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." There is sound always, especially in a city like Bombay. It is full of sound. So whenever you hear any kind of sound—sound is the vibration of the sky—you remember: "This sound is Kṛṣṇa." Śabdaḥ khe. And whenever you meet any person very exalted, very extraordinarily able, you understand that "This ability is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, vibhūti."
As you have got twelve hours from morning, six, to evening, six. So this duration of period in the Brahmaloka is forty-three and five zero into three zero. Just imagine. That is twelve hours. Similarly, another twelve hours-night, same period. So that becomes one complete twenty-four hours of Brahmā. Brahmaloka. And such one month, and such one year, and one hundred years duration of life is there. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). That is the duration of life there.
One of our students, his father comes and instructs him, "Oh, I don't like this association. I have no meaning for marriage. You chase after women. You eat and drink and enjoy. I will give you car." You see? What is the fault of that poor student? That he is trying to give up all intoxication; he is not eating meat; he is living purely on vegetable; he is controlling; no illicit sex relationship, attending class morning and the evening. Oh, he thinks it is dangerous. So punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). He has already experienced. He is married. He was married. His wife divorced, and his wife divorced him three times, and so many things. He has bad, very bad experience of his life, but he is inducing his son to do the same thing. He has no other idea. This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), "chewing the chewed."
So ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). These very nice boys, they have established this temple, and very nice mūrti, Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, offering prasādam. They are offering prasādam at noon and in the evening after kīrtana and every Sunday. So what is the difficulty there? And you come here, chant and dance. We don't say that you make such exercise or press your nose or this or that. We simply say that "Come here, dance with us, chant with us and take prasāda." Is it very difficult? (laughter) It is not difficult. The most easiest process of transcendental realization. And by following this process, just see our students, how they have advanced. In very quickly, within short time.
Try to understand: kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. This body and the living entity, soul, who is working with this body, or working on this body. We get, a certain type of body to fulfill our certain type of desire. The... Yesterday evening we were talking with that cardinal. So when I said that: "If you eat meat like animals, like the tigers or the fox, then Kṛṣṇa will give you the facility to become, next life a tiger and fox and cat and dog, like that." These are stated. It is not my manufacturing word. These you'll find. You are human being. You must act like a human being. For human being, this Bhagavad-gītā is there. Kṛṣṇa is instructing to a human being, Arjuna.
Even if we had this land after paying so much money, we are not going to make any profit out of it. The money will be blocked(?). But if we want to have it, it is for the reason that the people of Bombay may take interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that their life may become successful. So I'll remain here for a few days. I'll come here in the evening. If you like, you can come also and hear from Bhagavad-gītā and shall be very happy. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gītā, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa.
The such important life, human form of life. Nobody is interested to know about the philosophy of life, value of life. They have become so frivolous. In this evening, everyone is engaged in childish activities, but nobody is interested in the real problem of life. The real problem of life is stated, na bhūyaḥ abhijāyate. And big, big leaders... Ask them what is the real problem of life. They do not know. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.
Prabhupāda: In the beginning of this chapter, Arjuna inquired,
- prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
- kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
- etad veditum icchāmi
- jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
Yesterday evening, those gentlemen who came from Protestant Church?
Yogeśvara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So they're talking about what is knowledge. Yes. This is very good question, what is knowledge. So Arjuna wanted to know this knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge means to understand this body and the soul. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the owner of the body. Just like if you study your body... "What is this?" Just like we ask any child. Sometimes we play with the child. We ask, "What is this?" He'll say, "My hand," or "My head." So even the child can say that the hand is different from him. We also say, "This is my hand," "This is my leg," "This is my head." We never say, "I head," or "I hand." No. "My hand." It is very simple thing.
Everyone knows that the morning, there is sunrise, and in twelve hours after covering twelve thousand miles, the evening is there. Again twelve thousand miles moving—you are sleeping—in the morning you see again the sun. The sun is there. Sun is not moving. But the world is moving. It is moving so nicely. Not only this earthly planet, but there are millions and trillions of planets within the sky. They are all moving. Seasonal changes, day and night, everything is going on. This is perfection. So those who are in divine nature, they can understand all these things. That is called daivī sampat.
Now, when the spirit soul falls down? Just like Jaya-Vijaya. Jaya and Vijaya became asuras. They fell down from Vaikuṇṭha. But they became asuras under the circumstances. That is mentioned we were reading Bhāgavata the Kaśyapa Ṛṣi, his wife... Diti? What is the name of? Anyway, she was very lusty during the sandhyā, just at the point of evening, the day's passing. So she wanted sex with her husband. He said, "No, this is not the time. This is not the time." But she was so lusty she obliged the husband to have sex life with her, and the result was two asuras were born.
So far we are concerned, we have no business, we have no profession. We do not know what we shall eat tomorrow. Or in the evening. We are in such a position. But we have no anxiety. You can see practically. We have no anxiety that "what shall I eat in the evening, what shall I eat tomorrow, there is no bank balance, there is no money." No. There is no anxiety. We know certain that as soon as we go, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will send us everything. That is actually a fact. If you study our activities, you'll see practically it is so. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. We have no hankering, no lamentation.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Last night we discussed about the origin, source of everything. So it is explained here, namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (SB 1.1.1). This is already ascertained, that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Lord is Vāsudeva because He is present everywhere. This evening there was some discussion that God has no particular name, but His names are there on account of His different type of activities. Just like God is present everywhere, therefore His name is Vāsudeva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that God is within this universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, and not only within the universe, but He is in everyone's heart, and also He is within the atom.
While drinking water, as soon as you taste, the sweet taste, you simply remember, "This is Kṛṣṇa." Is it very difficult task? Not at all. Simply you have to agree. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). And as soon as in the morning you see the sunshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as in the evening you see the moonshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." And what to speak of when the Vedic reciters, brāhmaṇas, are chanting, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam..., in the morning, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is oṁkāra." In this way you simply think of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and your life will be successful.
Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was given benediction by a devotee, Lord Brahmā. He tactfully got so many benedictions, "I shall not die in this way, I shall not die in this way, I shall not..." But Kṛṣṇa saw that "This rascal has created some complication. How to kill him?" So to keep the words of the devotee, Lord Brahmā, He did not touch all the conditions proposed by Hiraṇyakaśipu. He did something else and killed him. He wanted that "I shall not be killed by man, by animal." "All right." Then Nṛsiṁhadeva is neither man nor animal. He wanted, "I shall not be killed in daytime or night." "All right." He was killed in the evening, which is neither day nor night. He wanted that "I shall not be killed on land, on water, on air." "All right."
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu simply asked them that "I can accept you simply if you agree not to commit any more sinful activities." This is the condition. Not that you go on with your sinful activities and go on chanting also. This is called nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. There are many persons, they think, "Oh, we are expert in chanting. So in the morning let us commit all kinds of sinful activities, and in the evening I shall chant. It will be counteracted." Not that kind of chanting required. That is offense, greatest offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. One must give up for good all the propensities for sinful activities.
Just like if you speak to an ant or what is called, insect... There are many insects. They take their birth... We have seen it. In India we see. In this season there are insects. They are called divāli-pokā, insect divāli. Just in the evening they are born. And they flock together before a light, (sound imitation:) bawnh, bawnh, bawnh, bawnh, like that. And throughout the whole night they will do, and at the end of the night, in the morning, you will see, they are, in heap, they are lying dead. So their life, the duration of life is that night. within that night they take their birth, they grow, they beget children, family, and defend, eat, mate.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- janma guhyaṁ bhagavato
- ya etat prayato naraḥ
- sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā
- duḥkha-grāmād vimucyate
- (SB 1.3.29)
Translation: "Whoever carefully recites the mysterious appearances of the Lord with devotion in the morning and in the evening gets relief from all miseries of life."
Prabhupāda: This is called phala-śruti,(?) result. This chapter was describing different incarnations of God, and it is concluded that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There were many incarnations, and incarnations are coming incessantly just like there are waves in the ocean or in the river. You cannot sit down and count how many waves are flowing. As it is not possible, similarly, you cannot also count how many incarnations are there, how they are coming out. But the most important of them are described. And the conclusion is made that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So anyone who will recite these incarnations of God, Kṛṣṇa, regularly, in the morning and evening, that is the phala-śruti...(?) Janma guhyaṁ bhagavataḥ. Bhagavataḥ. He is the original source of everything, and He is taking birth. Therefore it is called guhyam. It is very mysterious. Just like Kuntī, when offered prayer to Kṛṣṇa, she said that "You are inside and You are outside. You are all-pervading. You are present everywhere. Still, people cannot see You." This is the mystery.
So these are the recommendation in the śāstra. If we don't follow, then we must fall down. There is no doubt about it. But if we follow the regulative principles, as they are enjoined in the śāstra... Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Śāstra will say the same thing as guru advises. Sādhu-guru. A saintly person also will say the same thing. Just like here, Sūta Gosvāmī, he is saintly person. He is advising, sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "Morning and evening you should try to understand the science of God." Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, topics, chanting. So these are the process. Sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā.
So Kṛṣṇa says, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. One who has finished all sinful reaction. This can be done. But we have our ten kinds of offenses. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. This Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra will finish all my sinful reaction, that is a fact. As soon as I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately my sinful reaction is finished. But that does not mean that "Because I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then let me, from morning to evening, let me do all kinds of sinful reaction and sinful activities, and I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, everything will be finished."
Whole day working, but eating a morsel of grass, that's all. He has no knowledge that "I take a morsel of grass only, I live. And why whole day I bear these so much tons of clothing of the washerman?" You have no experience of the ass, ass's business. In India the washerman loads the ass three tons and he goes to the waterside and the washerman washes all these clothings in some bank of river or reservoir of water. Again evening, the ass brings back the clothing.
Perhaps you all remember that a bridegroom party was to go to the bride's home. In India the marriage party, bridegroom party, the bride, his father, his relatives, go with the bride, bridegroom, to the bride's home, and the marriage ceremony takes place there in the presence of all kinds of relatives. That is the system. So the marriage was to take place in a different village some miles away, and in Bengal the land is full of rivers. The rivers are considered to be high roads. So it was settled that the bridegroom's party will start in the evening before the marriage day and reach there in the morning and rest whole day, and in the evening the marriage will take place.
Even poor class vaiśyas, and in the morning they'll take some ḍāl, bag of ḍāl, and go door to door. Ḍāl is required everywhere. So in morning he makes ḍāl business, and in evening he takes one canister of kerosene oil. So in the evening everyone will require. Still you'll find in India, they... Nobody was seeking for employment. A little, whatever he has got, selling some ground nuts or that peanuts. Something he's doing. After all, Kṛṣṇa is giving maintenance to everyone. It is a mistake to think that "This man is giving me maintenance." No. Śāstra says, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. It is confidence in Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa has given me life, Kṛṣṇa has sent me here. So He'll give me my maintenance. So according to my capacity, let me do something, and through that source, Kṛṣṇa's maintenance will come." Just like we are maintaining so many people in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
In Kali-yuga you cannot perform meditation or perform big, big sacrifices, as they are mentioned in the Vedas. Or you cannot perform even Deity worship very nicely. There are so many flaws. Everything is very difficult. And charity... And there are so many. Śamena damena dānena tyāgena. So where is the money I shall...? There is no money even to feed me. I am eating... This morning I do not know what shall I eat in the evening. This is the position at the present moment. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ, kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The life is also very short duration, and so many disturbances.
There is no escape. Brahmā, he has the greatest amount of years to live. His life is... We have calculation in the Bhagavad-gītā, that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand. That is the one daytime duration of Brahmā. Ahar rātri means morning to evening. Morning to evening, that is sahasra-yuga, one thousand times of forty-three lakhs of years. Similarly night. Then day and night becomes one day. Similarly one month, and then twelve months, a year—such hundred years. So there is difference between our hundred years and his hundred years. Similarly, ant's hundred years and my hundred years different.
If you don't like to chant Kṛṣṇa's name, then there are other names also, any name. Must be name of harer nāma, nāma, the name of Hari, not others, harer nāma. Then you get all the potencies. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā. And niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And there is no, I mean to, consideration whether you shall chant in the morning or in the evening or while you are, mean, purified or not purified. Any circumstances, you can chant. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. There is no such consideration. So Kṛṣṇa is available so cheaply for the people, especially kalau, in this age of Kali.
So this is the description of Kṛṣṇa's becoming Dāmodara. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Dāmodara. The Dāmodara Temple, Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple, is there in Vṛndāvana, and I was staying there. Still I have my two rooms. So this Dāmodara description... The Dāmodara month is coming, and it will begin on the 18th of this October. So from that day, we'll observe Dāmodara-vrata for one month. From 18th to 17th November. The duty will be that in the evening you'll offer candle, a small candle, all of you, just before the Deity, not within the room, outside the room, and chant the Dāmodarāṣṭaka, namāmīśvaram. That is already printed in our song book. So this will be Dāmodara-vrata. That Dāmodara is explained here.
Just see how much rascal they are! In the morning this business is done. And in the evening all big, big men will come and flower him, garland him, full of garlands. And after evening, they'll go away, and again, next morning, the crows will pass stool. That kind of worship is accepted. And if we install Deity of Kṛṣṇa and worship Him nicely—"These are for the fools and rascals, less intelligent." And he's very intelligent. This is going on all over the world. They are worshiping Napoleon. They are worshiping... I have seen in Paris, Napoleon's statue. "France and Napoleon, one."
Kṛṣṇa was going in the forest with His cows and calves, and gopīs at home, they were disturbed in the mind, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is walking bare-footed. There are so many stones and nails. There is pricking Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, which is so soft that we think our breast as hard when Kṛṣṇa puts His lotus feet. Still He's walking." They are absorbed in this thought. And they are crying. So they are so anxious to see Kṛṣṇa back home in the evening that they are standing on the way, on the roof, "Now Kṛṣṇa is coming back with His..." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is... Kṛṣṇa cannot be absent from a devotee when he's too much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Without any payment, I close. Now don't commit any more." That is nāma-aparādha. If you, if we think that kṛṣṇa-nāma, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, can, I mean to say nullify so many sinful activities, so if I commit little sinful activity and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it will be nullified. No, don't think like that. That is the greatest sin. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Anyone who is thinking like that, that "Let me commit some sinful activities, and in the evening I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It will be all right," no. No. no, that is the greatest offense. Out of ten kinds of offenses, that is the greatest offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi. Don't take to that process, confession. Just like the Christians do. They go to the church and confess.
So all these things—Kṛṣṇa is Paramātmā; He knows everything. So He saw that "There is danger tomorrow. Now Bhīṣma has decided to kill all these Pāṇḍavas." So He asked Arjuna, "Arjuna, you just go, approach Duryodhana this evening." Formerly the practice was, daytime there is fight, but in the after evening they are all friends. After evening they are friends. One can go this camp, that camp, and talk together, sit together, just like friends. There is no enemy. So Duryodhana sometimes promised Arjuna that "I want to give you some benediction. You can ask." So Arjuna said—Duryodhana was elder than Arjuna—that "I will ask you in proper time." So Kṛṣṇa reminded that "Today, tonight you go to Duryodhana and ask him to deliver those five arrows kept in secret. Otherwise tomorrow you will be finished."
A man is considered to be rich when he has got enough quantity of grains, enough quantity of, I mean to say, number, enough number of cows. Just like Mahārāja, Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Kṛṣṇa. He was keeping 900,000 cows. And He was rich man. He was mahārāja, king. But see the behavior. His beloved son, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, he has entrusted to take care of the calves or cows: "Go in the forest." He is well dressed with ornament, and nice dress, everything. All the cowherds boys, they are very rich. They have got enough grains and enough milk. Naturally they will be rich. But not that the cows and the calves will be taken care of by some hired servant. No. They would take care himself. That was children's sport, to go to the forest, take the calves and cows and carry some tiffin. Eat there, dance there, play there, and again come in the evening. Then they will take bath and change their dress and take their meals and immediately go to sleep.
So Kṛṣṇa is present. There are innumerable universes. In one of them He is always present. These is rotation. Just like sun rotates, morning to evening, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā is going on. Just like something, a horse, is passing before your eyes. You see the horse is passing through your windows, and then you do not see the horse. Does that mean the horse is finished? No. The horse is running. But when it comes before your window, you see. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, pastime, is going on. And when He appears here... Exactly like the sun. The sun is always present, but the planet is rotating.
At the present moment a human being has no arrangement what he is going to eat in the morning or in the evening, whether he has got any chance of sex life. These things are preliminary requirement, but nobody is guarantee of these things, they are so unfortunate. They are not getting the preliminary necessities of life, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are so unfortunate. So why should come Kṛṣṇa to kill them? They are already killed by the laws of nature. They are already killed, half-killed. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has come in the form of His name. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
God has provided. But still, he will capture that tackle, fish-catching tackle, a little something. For taste, he will capture it, and that means lost life. Similarly, the bees, the enter the flower, a big flower like lotus flower, enjoying the smell, but in the evening, with the set of sunset, the petals close and they remain and suffocated, loses their life.
In the meantime there was a roaring of a lion, and the deer was pregnant. She gave birth to a calf and she fled away. So Bharata Mahārāja saw the little calf is dying. He picked up and kept and it became..., it began to growing. So he had some little affection, just like we have got affection for cubs of dog and others. So one day, that little calf did not return in the evening, and he went to search out on the hill, and accidentally he fell down, and next life he became a deer.
Jarāsandha, he immediately accepted, "Yes." So he rejected Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. He said, "Kṛṣṇa is a coward. I do not wish to fight. And Arjuna, Arjuna is less strong then me, so I don't wish to fight with him. Now, the only combatant is Bhīma. So I shall fight with him." So during daytime they would fight, all day. And after daytime they are friends. All these three gentlemen, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma, were guests of Jarāsandha. From evening, they will eat together, talk together, laugh together, and then in the morning they will fight. This is kṣatriya spirit.
Kṣudra, means very small, āyuṣām, duration of life. As we can compare that an ant's life or a germ's life... They are also living entities. Their duration of life is very small. There are many flies, they take their birth at night, in the evening, and the whole night they are busy, the same way: eating, sleeping, begetting children and being afraid of. All the qualities are there. In India we have got experience. They are called diwali germs or insects. In the evening before the light—one, two, three—in this way, by midnight, it increases to thousands and millions. And in the morning, at the end of the night, you will find heaps of insects or dead body. Heaps. Millions.
In the Brahmaloka, the duration of twelve hours, our twelve hours, morning to evening, that is many millions of years to our calculation. So even if you go to that planet Brahmaloka, as you are trying to go to the moon planet... From śāstra we understand in the moon planet, they live up to ten thousands of years according to heavenly calculation. In each planet, in each society, the calculation is different. So it is calculated that in the moon planet you can live for ten thousands of years, and that calculation is compared: our six months equal to one day in that planet. So just imagine how many years of our calculation they can live.
The sex life is very strong in this material, in this age. But sex life should be regulated. Not that anywhere and everywhere, or any time. Therefore the population is unwanted population. One irregular sex life produced the Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu's mother became very sexually agitated, and she wanted to sex, with her husband (have) intercourse. And just in the evening. Kaśyapa Muni, he said, "No, no, this is not the time, proper time." But she was insistent. So the result was two demons were born.
Outside cleaning by taking bath, washing the body with oil or soap or soda, and inside, inside, materially, there will be no unclean things, stool, unnecessary stool. That means one must evacuate every morning and evening. If we eat more, then we have to evacuate twice. But if we eat less, then once evacuation is sufficient. It is said, yogi, bhogī, and rogī. Yogi means spiritually advanced, and bhogī means materialist, and rogī means diseased. It is a common saying.
When it becomes actually... When a man becomes actually learned, he's sama-darśī. He sees everyone on the equal level. I was seeing just this evening the Ten Commandments. Now, in the Ten Commandments, the one commandment is that "Thou shall not kill." But I am sorry to feel that killing propensity is so great in the Christian world. Why? Because there is lack of love of God. "Thou shall not kill." Now there is organized killing process. So I do not know how they are following the Christian principles. It is clearly stated, "Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not tease your neighbor." So why should I tease an animal neighbor? These defects are due to lack of love of God.
"I shall not die at daytime, I shall not die at night, I shall not die on land, I shall not die on water." In this way, all definitions by negation. Brahmā said, "Yes." Now, to keep the words of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa is so kind... Brahmā is servant. He appeared in such a way that all the prayers of Hiraṇyakaśipu was not touched. Hiraṇyakaśipu said that "I shall not die by any man or any animal or any demigod." So He appeared in Nṛsiṁha-mūrti, who is neither animal nor man nor demigod. You cannot define. Then Hiraṇyakaśipu prayed for that "I shall not die in daytime, at night." Yes. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed in the sandhyā, between the junction of day and night. Just in the evening. You cannot say it is day, neither it is night. In this way, Kṛṣṇa kept all the words of Brahmā, and still killed him. That is Kṛṣṇa.
In our childhood, we saw every village, every town, the transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Lord Kṛṣṇa. And system was—still there are, but practically closed now—that in the evening, in the village, everyone should assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, especially, because these two books can be understood by common man. Not... Vedānta philosophy was discussed. So my maternal uncles was in the suburb of Calcutta, about ten miles from our house. So sometimes when we used to go there, so in the evening after taking their meals, by eight o'clock, they would go to a place, assemble, and hear about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata.
In our childhood, we saw every village, every town, the transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Lord Kṛṣṇa. And system was—still there are, but practically closed now—that in the evening, in the village, everyone should assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, especially, because these two books can be understood by common man. Not... Vedānta philosophy was discussed. So my maternal uncles was in the suburb of Calcutta, about ten miles from our house. So sometimes when we used to go there, so in the evening after taking their meals, by eight o'clock, they would go to a place, assemble, and hear about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata.
So the consciousness is there in the trees also. But that has been known by the scientific apparatus, but according to our Vedic injunction, that is already mentioned in the śāstras, that the trees have consciousness. They are also living entities. Don't say that they are without life. They have got life. And therefore the system is... Just like we pick up flowers from the trees for offering to Kṛṣṇa, but the injunction is that after evening you should not touch the tree. The idea is that they are sleeping, don't disturb. So the consciousness of the trees are admitted in the Vedic literature. Similarly, the consciousness is developed from tree to worms, microbes, worms, germs—their consciousness is little more higher.
Just like this morning, today is 12th July, the sun rises at 5:30 in the morning, and now it is 5:30 again in the evening. These twelve hours have been taken away from the duration of our life. Is it not a fact? You'll never get it back. If you ask any scientist that "I'll give you twelve millions of dollars. Please give me back these twelve hours again," no, it is not possible. No scientist can give you. That is not... Therefore Bhāgavata says that from the beginning of the sunrise up to the end of sunset, your duration of life is being taken away. That is the business.
The whole year, the crows passed stool on the face. It becomes covered with stool. And the day of their anniversary the municipal washing brush, street , they brush over the..., in the morning. (laughter) They brush over the... Because the gene..., gentlemen will go, they have to call some sweeper. So he will brush the face of Sir Asutosh Mukherjee and wash, and then in the evening-big garland. In the morning it was washed with municipal brush, and in the evening there is big garland. So people have become so... So therefore they are compared with these dogs, asses, camels. They have no intelligence. We are worshiping Deity.
So altogether, it is a city of fifty thousand population, but there are five thousand temples, Kṛṣṇa. All Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So this is a chance, that "Come to Vṛndāvana, and wherever you go, you see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That will make your life successful." By seeing, seeing, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, seeing, seeing, you'll get an impression. And if you continue... The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, you'll find if, when you go there, that in the morning and evening, all of them, they are going different temples and seeing the Deity Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Where is karatāla? My karatāla is in that... Where is Nitāi?
Jayatīrtha: It was planned for you to lecture this evening, rather than this morning.
Prabhupāda: Management?
Devotee: He thought you were lecturing this evening.
Prabhupāda: Evening? Not in the morning?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Where is Nitāi?
Prabhupāda: I was lecturing in the morning at...
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!
Prabhupāda: If you like, I can speak in the evening also.
These bahu-rūpa, these varieties of rūpa, form, is given by māyā. So this is intelligence. Just like mother, or like a small child, dressing morning in some way, in the evening another way, changing dresses. Māyā is our mother, and she is giving us a different type of dresses, māyayā bahu-rūpayā, and therefore we are changing into bahu-rūpa. But because we are attached to the dress, so according to the form, we are forming our consciousness. Now I have got a different body, different form, so I have got a different consciousness. You have got a different body; you have got a different consciousness.
Sudāmā: We're missing the point.
Prabhupāda: This evening you will have to chant these verses and you will explain. Who will explain? You will explain? That's all right. Then I shall speak. First of all let them hear from my disciples, then I shall speak. Is it all right?
Sudāmā: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: So now practice whole day how to pronounce these ślokas.
Pradyumna: Better all chant.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And explain. Practice like this. Then wherever you go, you will be all respected. (break) Very nice. What is this? It is not even W.C. in comparison to the higher planetary building.
This nature, we can, although we cannot reach, there are millions and trillions of stars glittering in the evening. We can see simply. Simply we can see. We cannot go even to the moon star. Moon is also a star, nearest star. That's all. Similarly, all these stars, they are like moon. Nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. Kṛṣṇa says, nakṣatrāṇām. They are nakṣatra. The nakṣatra, the modern science, they say they are all suns. No. They are like moon, glittering. If we have to believe our śāstra. Nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. So we cannot even go to the nearest planet, nearest star, and what to speak of going beyond? Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). The spiritual, there is spiritual sky, paravyoma. That is called paravyoma. This is called material vyoma, and... The vyoma means ākāśa.
If it is cleansed, then it is friends, and if it is dirty... Just like if you keep yourself unclean, then you contaminate some disease. And if you keep yourself clean, then you don't contaminate. If you take action, remaining... Therefore according to Vedic civilization, one has to cleanse himself three times a day, tri-sandhyā. Morning, early in the morning, again at noon, again in the evening. Those who are strictly following the brahminical rules and regulations... Vaiṣṇava also. Vaiṣṇava means he's already brāhmaṇa. So he must follow the rules and... Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam... (BG 18.42).
"If I don't bother, then how shall I eat?" No, that people generally says, that "Everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, how we shall eat? How things will go on?" Now, we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, practical example. Are we not eating? Are we not sleeping? What business is stopped? We have no business; we simply beg. There is no certainty that "Tomorrow I shall go there. I'll get this money." There is no certainty. We do not know. We are eating in the morning. We do not know whether there will be food in the evening. If Kṛṣṇa gives, then we can eat. You know it very well. We have no business. We are not professional men.
This evening we were talking about Bhagavad-gītā, that Bhagavad-gītā is understood by the descending process, as Kṛṣṇa said. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that this yoga system... Bhagavad-gītā is also yoga system. That is bhakti-yoga. Although there are description of karma, jñāna, and the mystic yoga and ultimately bhakti-yoga, but actually it is meant for bhakti-yoga, the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are jñānīs, speculative, for them also, it is described. And those who are haṭha-yogīs, they are also described there. But ultimately, the conclusion is bhakti-yoga. Just like in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā the yoga system is described.
So speculative knowledge cannot be perfect. Just like we are sitting here. If there is some sound on the roof... Now we are, say, one hundred persons sitting here. We can speculate that "This sound may be for this reason." That, all of them, may be imperfect, and if somebody says from the roof that "This sound was caused for this reason," that is perfect. That is perfect because he has got direct experience. That I was speaking in the evening, that you have to accept Bhagavad-gītā by this āmnāya-patha. Tattva āmnāyam. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that this bhagavad-bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gītā yoga... That is a yoga. Yoga means which connects, and viyoga means which disconnect. So we are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Everyone is trying to that. Any family you go in this evening, they are trying to enjoy life with wife and children and friends. Therefore they are taking the responsibility. So this is ānanda, but because in this material world the ānanda is being converted into distress... But you can get the ānanda when you are with the supreme father, Kṛṣṇa. We are all children of the supreme father.
Just like we are doing here saṅkīrtana-kīrtana and saṅkīrtana. Kīrtana means alone, and saṅkīrtana means in the assembly of many others. That is called saṅkīrtana. So that is recommended, that many persons, you sit together. There is no need of even instrument, but because Lord Caitanya introduced this khol, karatāla. Otherwise this clapping is sufficient. So it is very easy, saṅkīrtana-yajña. You sit down familywise, all the family members. If you perform saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, with the clapping of hands, that is saṅkīrtana-yajña, very easy to perform. But people will not do that. Instead of performing saṅkīrtana-yajña in the evening to become free from all fears of life, they will go to the restaurant, to the cinema and other places, talking unnecessarily in clubs, societies, waste their time. This is going on. This is modern education. This is modern civilization.
So Kṛṣṇa's name are different. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). There Kṛṣṇa is tending this surabhī. Surabhī cow means, that is also wonderful, spiritual. You can milk cow, milk from the cows, as many times as you like. Just like here in the, we have got experience, we can take milk from the cows morning and evening, not more than that. But there you can milk the cows whenever you like, and you can draw milk as much as you like. That is called surabhī cow.
Just like the moon planet. The scientist says that it is below zero, two hundred degrees. It is very cold. That's a fact. Because it is very cold, therefore the shining from so much distance in the evening—we feel very comfortable. Not in the sunshine. God's arrangement is so nice. You require both. The sunshine also you require, and the moonshine also you require. If simply there is sunshine, then you die. And if there will be simply moonshine, then you will also die. Both.
Although Kṛṣṇa is one, but He can expand Himself into many, many millions. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. And each rūpam is acting in some universe. Just like at this time, here, you find darkness in Bombay, but the sun is present in all his different phases all over the world. Sun rises in the morning at, say, seven o'clock. So this seven o'clock to next seven o'clock, in the evening seven o'clock, you will find, if you immediately take information, somewhere it is seven o'clock, somewhere it is twelve o'clock, somewhere it is six o'clock, somewhere it is... All the time formula of the sun is present, although we are seeing there is no sun.
If we accept... The United Nations, is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14).
There are many big, big philosophers writing on zero. They believe in zero, but they write volumes of books. Why you are wasting time writing volumes of books on zero? After all, if you are going to be zero, remain zero. So zero means disgust. Even Mahatma Gandhi, we have also heard in the paper, in the morning, the day when he was killed, the morning, he was disgusted with so many different opposing elements, letters, and news. So he said that "I don't want to live anymore. It is too much disgusting to me." And the same evening he was killed.
Tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha means we are accustomed to this material condition of life, so many anarthas. Just like there are so many people, they are going to the cinema in the evening. But those who have attained bhāva, his anartha nivṛtti is already done. He is not attracted any more by the cinema. He is attracted, bhāva, in the worship of the Deity. That is called bhāva. That bhāva means prema. Only thinking of Kṛṣṇa, serving Kṛṣṇa, simply busy in Kṛṣṇa's service—that is the perfection of life.
Now it is explained by Kapiladeva, how things are developing, everything. This evening we were discussing. Here it is said that jihvā ambhaḥ. They are coming out by interaction of touch sensation, the fire. In this way everything is emanating. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The original source is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). This is the real science. Everything is coming from Him. So whatever we possess, the physical transformation, the gross body and the subtle mind, intelligence, everything is produced from the original source, Kṛṣṇa.
Either as Kṣīra-corā Gopīnātha, or as a taunter to the gopīs, or any way in the material world which is abominable. But when Kṛṣṇa does it, because He is absolute, it is good. That is absolutism. You cannot accuse Kṛṣṇa that "Oh, You have done like this." Whatever He has done, it is right. So just last evening one boy was criticizing Kṛṣṇa that "Why Kṛṣṇa makes this distinction stri-śūdra-vaiśya as pāpa-yoni?" So this is Godlessness, that we dare to criticize Kṛṣṇa. We should not criticize Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee (2): Swamiji? Why is it that in the mornings and the evenings we say bells before the Deity?
Prabhupāda: Bells?
Devotee (2): Prayers. Bells.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is ceremonial. Yes. When you offer something to Kṛṣṇa in the temple, the system is that you offer with bell. That bell offering worship, even in Christian world there is bell, church bell. So that is system everywhere. Only in Muhammadan religion they don't allow any sound. Yes. But in Hindu religion or in other religion there is sound. Sound vibration. Our whole process is sound vibration. The Muhammadans, they offer silent prayer. That is also prescribed in devotional service.
This evening I shall explain to you some of the important verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest contribution of Vedic literature. In the Vedic literature we find a desire tree. Whatever knowledge you want to derive, there is in the Vedic literature, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is described as nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ (SB 1.1.3), the desire tree of Vedic literature, and a tree is eulogized on account of the fruit. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the ripened fruit of that desire tree. Just like, God has given our food, nice milk, fruits, food grains, sugar, rice, wheat, so many nice things.
Guest (2): As we heard in the beginning, one of the principal statements that a man goes on the motor train, stands there for two hours, reaches his place of business, and work there from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening, returns back, has his food and sex and all that. I found many a people who have worked very hard, raised children very nicely, have sex, but lead a good life. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.
Prabhupāda: Yes, if there is no wrong, it is all right. But this sort of life is not very palatable.
Guest (2): Because I find even the dogs...
Prabhupāda: If you like that life, it is very good. That is up to you. But I don't think this is a very nice way of life, to work so hard simply for bread.
Nowadays we hold some meeting. Some ordinary people they come to hear. But that kind of discussion Caitanya Mahāprabhu never did. Never did. Because these outsiders, they are not submissive. They come to see the fun. They do not come to learn something. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu never made any big meeting. In big meeting He was present, but kīrtana, saṅkīrtana. He was meeting in big meeting daily in the evening for four hours in Jagannātha temple, but the whole period of time was engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But when there was a person like Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī or Rāmānanda Rāya, like such exalted person, He used to discuss. Otherwise, He was not discussing.
Very good result. He is lamenting, that He doesn't want this good result that everyone will become Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Eh? There is a story in this connection, that there was a haṭṭa, a fair or market. So many people came there, and one old lady began to cry. "Where shall I give them place? So many people have come here." She began to cry. Then her son said, "My mother, see in the evening. You don't worry about giving them place." So in the evening she saw everyone has gone. Similarly, in due course of nature's activities, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), everything will go nicely. You haven't got to be worried. You better be worried how to develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
We have got incidences in the history. There was fight, Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, but in the evening time they were friends. Evening time, there is no animosity. Just like Arjuna went to Duryodhana. Duryodhana criticized as grandfather. Grandfather is sometimes criticized by the grandsons. It is not an offense. You cannot criticize superiors, but between grandfather and grandchildren the relation is different. The grandfather also criticizes the grandchildren. So Duryodhana criticized Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear grandfather, you have got affection for the Pāṇḍavas. Then you are not fighting sincerely. You have been appointed the commander-in-chief, but out of your affection you are neglecting your duty."
In this planet also, different places have got different opulence. Just like in India you will find throughout the whole year brilliant sunshine, and in Western countries, in London, hellish—always moist, raining, and cloudy. You cannot distinguish whether it is night or day. In our... Now I was in London. When I was, I think, last year, in this time, December, the morning was at ten o'clock, and the evening was at three o'clock.
Nehru was such a rascal that he came... Ramakrishna Mission has a big hospital in Vṛndāvana. So on the opening day he came from Delhi by helicopter. He stayed there the whole day. He came in the morning, and the function took place in the evening. Or in daytime. He left the same day. But he did not visit a single temple. You see? Such an atheist he was.
I remember long ago, about forty years ago, one of my servants, he left my service and he was pulling on ṭhelā. You know ṭhelā, a hand-pulled cart? So after that he came to see me. I asked him, "How you are doing now?" So he was very pleased that "I am working, pulling on this ṭhelā and eating sumptuously, and by evening it becomes all digested and again I'll eat." That is the (indistinct). He's eating sumptuously, and by working, by pulling on the ṭhelā, hard labor, whole thing is digested and again goes in the evening he eats very sumptuously, he is very pleased. That is his success of life. So people are doing like that. They are eating in the morning and working very hard whole day, and in the evening again he becomes hungry and eats more sumptuously. That is his happiness. That is his happiness. But he does not think that these distresses are there, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).
Nitai: "The sun, fire, sky, sir, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and the Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity."
Prabhupāda:
- sūryo 'gniḥ khaṁ marud devaḥ
- somaḥ sandhyāhanī diśaḥ
- kaṁ kuḥ svayaṁ dharma iti
- hy ete daihyasya sākṣiṇaḥ
- (SB 6.1.42)
Sometimes foolish people challenge that "Who has seen? Who has seen?" Sometimes they argue, Christian philosophers, that "If I am suffering the resultant action of my past life, then where is the witness that I have done something wrong in my past life? Where is the witness?" So to them this is the answer, that God has created so many witnesses. The first witness is sūrya, the sun.
Demigods or God, God is also situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Devaḥ. And sandhyā. In the morning there is sun, in the evening there is moon, and sandhyā ahanī. Ahanī means day. And diśaḥ, the direction: east, west, north, south, then corner, then up and down. These are called diśaḥ. Kam, then water. And kuḥ means the land. Kaṁ kuḥ svayaṁ dharma. And the Dharmarāja, Yamarāja, he is present. Iti, "thus," hi, "indeed," ete, "all these," daihyasya. Daihyasya means one who has accepted this body, material body. A living entity who has accepted this material body he has to work. This is called field of work.
Perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot see anywhere where there is no Kṛṣṇa. This is for the devotee. For the ordinary person these are the description, that the sūrya, the sun is also Kṛṣṇa, the fire is also Kṛṣṇa, the sky is also Kṛṣṇa, the air is also Kṛṣṇa, the moon is also Kṛṣṇa, the evening is Kṛṣṇa, daytime is Kṛṣṇa. Then how you can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says that "I am..." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa. Simply on account of your foolishness, māyā is covering your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then māyā's curtain will be taken away and you will see Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is required. Then you become perfect as soon as you learn how to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. This is the art, transcendental art, spiritual art, how to see Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. That is wanted.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land, and the Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity."
Prabhupāda:
- sūryo 'gniḥ khaṁ marud devaḥ
- somaḥ sandhyāhanī diśaḥ
- kaṁ kuḥ svayaṁ dharma iti hy
- ete daihyasya sākṣiṇaḥ
- (SB 6.1.42)
In the Christian religion they do not believe karma, that I did something in my past life. "Where is the evidence that I did something; therefore I am suffering?" They take the analogy: just like a criminal in the court is convinced when there is sufficient witness, not that I have complained against you, and you go to the court, you are punished. No. My charges against you should be corroborated by sufficient witness.
The answer is here, that... We may not compare our inefficiency with the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. Now, God has kept so many witnesses. How you can escape? Here is a name, list of witness. Sūrya first of all—the sun. So how you can escape Sūrya's light? You cannot escape. So here is one witness. Then Agni, fire. Then Kham, the sky. Where there is no sky? Here we are sitting; there is sky. And there is light also. Then Marut, air. Deva. Who is deva? Demigods, yes. Then Soma. At night there is moon. Sandhya, evening or noon. Noon is also sandhya. Sandhya means junction. When the night is going away—the day is coming early in the morning—that is also sandhya. When midday, the forenoon is passing—the afternoon is beginning—that is also sandhya. Tri-sandhya. Tri-sandhya. We have to chant Gāyatrī mantra tri-sandhya, early in the morning, in the midday and in the evening.
This tri-sandhya, early in the morning, midday and in the evening. So every sandhya is witness. Sandhya, ahani, day and night together, whole day, twenty-four hours, ahani. Ahany ahani lokā gacchanti yama-mandiram. This ahani. Every day hundreds and thousands of living entities are dying. Śeṣaḥ sthitam icchanti kim aścaryam ataḥ param. Still, one who is not dead, he is thinking, "I'll not die. I'll remain." This is the wonderful thing, most wonderful thing. Everyone should be prepared for death. Death is inevitable. So diśaḥ, and ten directions: north, south, east, west, the four corners, eight, and up and down.
So bhadrāṇi, auspicity or auspicious activities, is this, devotional service. Be engaged always, twenty-four hours, in devotional service. There we have got program, early morning, 4:30, up through 9:30 in the evening. This is all auspicious activities. We are giving chance people: "Come here and join this auspicious activity so that you will be saved from this repetition of birth, death and old age."
So first of all the Yamadūtas are so experienced because they are servant of Yamarāja. He is not ordinary living being. Therefore they are explaining that how people are happy, unhappy, in one position or other... It is due to past activities, dharma adharma. That is the next verse. So the example is given that why there are so many varieties of living entities? It is due to varieties of three guṇas. Last evening I was talking with that Hope(?) professor that "Why in country like America and Europe there are hippies lying on the street? Why? They are not poor. In India you can say that they are poor. They have no shelter; therefore lying down on the street."
So Yamaraja, when a person is brought before him, he can immediately understand that "He was sinful in this way." Manasa pure devaḥ. Or Yamarāja is sitting in his place, but he is seeing everyone, what he is doing through the sun, through the moon. We have already discussed, through fire, through evening, through morning—there are so many witnesses. And all those information goes to him, and because he is almost as powerful as Bhagavān, he can remember. This is special power.
So in the morning we shall speak in Hindi for the foreign students. In the evening there will be Hindi. Morning, seven up to eight or little more, and similarly in the evening.
We develop different consciousness by particular association. Therefore, for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we must associate with the devotees. You cannot advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without being in the association of devotees. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says... (aside:) Tell them that Hindi will be in the evening. Tell them that Hindi will be evening. They are going away. Yes. Between half past seven to half past eight. So mano madana-vepitam. Cupid is always disturbing. This material world means this Madana, Cupid, whole material world. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ (SB 7.9.45). Gṛhamedhi means those who have decided to prolong this body for sense enjoyment.
Everything he insured there. That's all right. But God's policy is so nice that, all his insurance keeping aside, He killed him not by weapon—by the nails. He forgot this, that "I may be killed by the nails." Then he thought, "I shall not be killed by any animal or man." So Nṛsiṁhadeva—you cannot say it is lion or man-mixed. And he thought that he would not die in daytime or nighttime, but he was killed in the evening. It is neither day nor night. So he would not be killed in the sky, in the water or in the land, so he was killed on the threshold. Therefore we should always remember that we cannot cheat God. He is always at least little more intelligent.
We cannot calculate his duration of life. His duration of life is so long that it is beyond our calculation. Therefore they are sometimes called amara. Amara means immortal. Although none of them are immortal, but... Just like in comparison to a germ or... What is called in our, in Diwali, during? What is that, that worms? They generate in the night, in the evening, and at the end of the night, finished. During... We call deoyāli-pokā in Bengali.
Devotee (1): Glowworms.
Prabhupāda: No, no. Glowworm is different. They..., small. They generate in the evening, lots of. They come, attack the light.
Guest: Pataṅga.
Prabhupāda: Pataṅga. And many millions gather, and in the morning finished. Within that period their birth, death, marriage, and children—everything finished. Now, for them, suppose such pataṅgas, whose life is only, say, twelve hours, within that hours they finish all business. So if they are told that "You are doing so much, but there is another, man—this night is only twelve hours; similarly, another twelve hours, day; similarly, another such thirty days makes a month; such twelve months makes a year; and such hundred years they live," so they will be surprised: "How is that?" Similarly, we are surprised also when we hear about Brahmā.
So in India there are weekly bazaar which is called haṭṭa. So at that time the salesmen with their goods, commodities, they assemble and many purchase are..., just like in market place. So there was a market, weekly market, and thousands of people assembled there. So one old lady of that village, she began to cry. Then her elderly son inquired, "Mother, why you are crying?" "No, where shall I accommodate all these people to lie down in the, at night? There are so many people in this village, and how I shall accommodate?" The son began to laugh. "My dear mother, you don't bother. It will be all arranged." "No, my dear son, I am very much perplexed." So she began to cry. So in the evening the son called the mother, "Mother, now you see in the marketplace."
Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was a great politician. He was sometimes prime minister of the emperor of India. So he says, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhya svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. He says that "A moment's time of your duration of life, moment..." Not to speak of hours and days, but moments. He was considering moment to moment. Just like today, 15th March, 1968, now it is half past seven or past seven, thirty-five. Now this 1968, 7:35, gone, as soon as it is 7:36, you cannot bring back that 1968, 15th March, evening, 7:35, again. Even if you pay millions of dollars, "Please come back again," no, finished. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Time is so valuable that if you pay millions of golden coins, you cannot get back even a moment."
The advantage: hand to mouth. You earn in the morning and eat in the evening—finished. You see? Such qualified boys that... I take, for example, Gaurasundara. He is thoughtful. He is educated. He knows so many things, artist. But for livelihood he has to go early in the morning and come late in the evening. So what is the result? This is the way of materialistic life. Life means that they should not work. Working hard, very hard working, that is the animal's business. The animal should be engaged to work hard for feeding, whole day.
Satya śaucam. Śaucam, cleanliness. There are two kinds of cleanliness: external and internal. External cleanliness by taking bath with soap and other cleansing material... Of course, in India, the brāhmaṇas, they take... They cleanse themselves externally at least three times a day: in the morning, early in the morning; at noon before taking lunch; and in the evening before going to the temple. Tri-sandhyā. There are so many rules and regulations for becoming cleansed. This is external cleanliness. And there is internal cleanliness. The internal cleanliness is this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the heart.
The sun is rising exactly at 6:15, and the whole day working, and again in the evening exactly at 5:30 it is setting. So this material world is that heat. Just like I am sitting here, I feel heat—immediately I shall be warm. There must be some fire; otherwise wherefrom the heat is coming? "See where there is fire." If there is smoke, then one should understand there is fire. I have seen practically in Nainital, very high hill, and there was smoke. So I asked the station master that "Why there is smoke?" So he said, "There is forest fire." So nobody goes there to set fire, but there is fire. By the smoke, one can understand there is fire. Similarly, we should try to understand there is presence of Kṛṣṇa by the heat and light; two energies, spiritual energy and material energy. The spiritual energy means light. You can see directly Kṛṣṇa. You can talk with Him. You can deal with Him. And the material world the heat is there. The Kṛṣṇa's energy is working.
We have no experience. Kalpa-vṛkṣa, there is in the higher planetary system and especially in the Vaikuṇṭha world. There are, trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa, because everything is spiritual; nothing is dead. Here you can take some fruits or flower from a particular tree, but there, if you like, you ask kachori and samosa from a tree—you get. But we have no idea what is surataroḥ, what is kalpa-vṛkṣa. Whatever you desire, you'll get it. Surabhīh, surabhīr abhipāl... The cows are surabhī. Here you have got limitation. You can milk morning and evening to a certain extent, but there the cows are surabhī. Surabhī means you can milk as many times as you like, and as much milk as you want, you can take it. But these things are there. But we have no information. We are struggling here.
"No animal can kill me." "That's all right." "No man can." "That's all right." So he thought, "Now I am secure. There is no death." But Kṛṣṇa is so intelligent that He killed him not at night, not in day, not in the sky, not on the land, not on the water, not by animal, not by man—all things, ṛtam, yes, everything kept. Still, he was killed. He was killed in the evening, which you cannot say it is day or night. He was killed on the lap of the Lord. You cannot say it is sky, land or water. He did not kill him with the open weapon, but He killed with His nails. In this way you'll find that He kept everything intact, what benediction was given by Lord Brahmā, ṛtaṁ vidhātum. "Yes."
So I go on committing all kinds of sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be neutralized," this is the most dangerous offense. Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Because I am chant... "I know that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa I shall be free from all resultant action of sinful..., so let me go on, and throughout whole day I shall commit all kinds of sinful activities and in the evening I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be finished." This rascaldom is very, very dangerous. We must be very careful. Don't take Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra as an instrument to neutralize your sinful activities. Don't take it. It is a fact that as soon as you are initiated with Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become free, but don't commit it again.
So I go on committing all kinds of sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be neutralized," this is the most dangerous offense. Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Because I am chant... "I know that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa I shall be free from all resultant action of sinful..., so let me go on, and throughout whole day I shall commit all kinds of sinful activities and in the evening I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be finished." This rascaldom is very, very dangerous. We must be very careful. Don't take Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra as an instrument to neutralize your sinful activities. Don't take it. It is a fact that as soon as you are initiated with Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become free, but don't commit it again.
In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni is describing how civilization should be advanced. The first proposal is brahmacārī, how to create brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. What is that? So what is the duty of the brahmacārī, it is now said. The first duty is that sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta: "They should be taught how to worship the Supreme Lord at least twice in a day," sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "in the morning and in the evening." Tri-sandhya. The prescription is for tri-sandhya. One should take bath three times. In India there is no difficulty. Even in Western countries you have got very good arrangement, hot water and cold water. You can arrange and can take bath. This is essential. Not that sleeping up to ten o'clock.
Pradyumna: "The brahmacārī should go out morning and evening for collecting alms. All the collections should be offered to the spiritual master. The brahmacārī is supposed to eat only if he is ordered to take foodstuffs by the spiritual master; otherwise, without being so ordered by the spiritual master, he may sometimes have to observe fasting."
Prabhupāda:
- sāyaṁ prātaś cared bhaikṣyaṁ
- gurave tan nivedayet
- bhuñjīta yady anujñāto
- no ced upavaset kvacit
- (SB 7.12.5)
Very strict life. The brahmacārī should go out of the āśrama for begging alms: "Mother, we are coming from such and such temple or āśrama. Give us some alms." So every home, gṛhastha, they will give some little attar. It doesn't matter he gives so much. A little, that is nice. Little attar or little rice or little dahl, little fruits, or little vegetable—everyone can contribute. And the brahmacārī should go to neighboring householders' place to take something from him. This collection is not for his personal sense gratification.
Whatever you can, you must give. This is the system all over India still. So here it is said that sāyaṁ prātaś cared bhaikṣyam. Twice in a day the brahmacārīs should be trained up to collect alms: in the morning, in the evening. And bhaikṣyam, and gurave tan nivedayet. And whatever collection is there, it should be offered to the guru. Not that something kept for my own purpose. No. Everything should be offered, whatever you collect. You cannot keep because everything in the gurukula or in the temple, it is for the interest of the guru. In the beginning it was said, vasan dānto guror hitam. Everything, all collection, either in cash or kind, that is for the benefit of guru, not the personal benefit.
Actually, in India they take. In our country I was also taking twice bath till I was attacked last year. So I thought that in this country, twice taking bath is not possible, so I am taking once now. But India, there are many gentlemen, high class gentlemen, they take bath thrice. Morning, and before lunch, and in the evening. Especially the brāhmaṇas. So cleanliness is next to godliness. To take bath, to evacuate daily, to wash the teeth, wash clothings, this cleanliness process. But as the days of this Kali-yuga will make progress, this system of hygienic cleanliness, cleanliness both inside and outside Outside by taking bath, inside by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious—two kinds of cleanliness. Simply if we take bath with soap outside, and inside all rubbish things, that is not cleanliness.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Just like Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, He talked with some philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. And when there was high-class devotee like Rāmānanda Rāya, He discussed about Kṛṣṇa's līlā. You'll find this. Not that with everyone He discussed Kṛṣṇa's līlā. No. Neither He discussed philosophy with everyone. But for the general public, so long He remained at Jagannātha Purī, every evening, He was simply organizing great saṅkīrtana party. And for four hours, at least, He was going on saṅkīrtana in four parties. We have studied this thing from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, or Teachings of Lord Caitanya, that from the dealings of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, because although He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, He's playing the part of ācārya, playing the part of devotee.
So Kṛṣṇa could understand that "Now Bhīṣma has promised to kill the Pāṇḍavas tomorrow, and he has selected five arrows for them." So He has to protect His devotees. Now, He asked Arjuna that "Duryodhana sometimes promised to give you some benediction. Now it is the opportunity. You go there to Duryodhana. And he has kept five arrows very carefully; you take it, them." So Arjuna went to Duryodhana... Because after fighting, in the evening, they were friends. There was no enmity. One man can go to the other camp as friend, brothers. So when Arjuna arrived to Duryodhana, Duryodhana received him.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So this evening I shall speak to you about Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he resigned from his ministership in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah in Bengal and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
As soon as He will call, the cow will come immediately and dropping milk. And those cows are also spiritual. Surabhī. It is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhī. Surabhī cow means nonexhaustive. You can milk as much milk you want and as many times. In the material world the cow is limited. There is time that you can milk, morning and evening, and so much quantity, not more than that. But surabhīr means you can milk those cows anytime you like and you can draw milk as many as you like, as much as you like. This is called surabhī. Surabhīr... In the description of Brahma-saṁhitā: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhīr abhipālayantam. So therefore He is Govinda. He gives... He is pleasure for everyone.
As soon as He will call, the cow will come immediately and dropping milk. And those cows are also spiritual. Surabhī. It is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhī. Surabhī cow means nonexhaustive. You can milk as much milk you want and as many times. In the material world the cow is limited. There is time that you can milk, morning and evening, and so much quantity, not more than that. But surabhīr means you can milk those cows anytime you like and you can draw milk as many as you like, as much as you like. This is called surabhī. Surabhīr... In the description of Brahma-saṁhitā: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhīr abhipālayantam. So therefore He is Govinda. He gives... He is pleasure for everyone.
So one evening... Still during summer season on the Ganges side in the evening there are so many ladies and gentlemen, especially gentlemen. Ladies do not come. Nowadays come. Formerly they did not come out. So they came for strolling. And Nimāi Paṇḍita, although He was sixteen years old, He had many students. So formerly the system was that as soon as a boy becomes little grown up and learned, he will also teach some students. Catuṣpāthī. So although all the students were of the same age, still, Nimāi Paṇḍita was chief of them. So He was discussing with His own students on the bank of the Ganges.
So one evening... Still during summer season on the Ganges side in the evening there are so many ladies and gentlemen, especially gentlemen. Ladies do not come. Nowadays come. Formerly they did not come out. So they came for strolling. And Nimāi Paṇḍita, although He was sixteen years old, He had many students. So formerly the system was that as soon as a boy becomes little grown up and learned, he will also teach some students. Catuṣpāthī. So although all the students were of the same age, still, Nimāi Paṇḍita was chief of them. So He was discussing with His own students on the bank of the Ganges.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Ordinary people, they do not like our activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are surprised. Gargamuni was telling me yesterday evening that people ask, "Where do you get so much money? You are purchasing so many cars and big church property and maintaining fifty, sixty men daily and enjoying. What is this?" (laughter) So they are surprised. And we are surprised why these rascals are working so hard simply for filling the belly. So Bhagavad-gītā says, yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgrati saṁyamī. We are seeing that these people are sleeping, and they are seeing we are wasting our time. This is opposite view. Why? Because their line of action is different, our line of action are different. Now, it is to be decided by an intelligent man whose actions are actually right.
Festival Lectures
Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching this philosophy that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; your life will be perfect." And the method is very simple. It can be..., there is no secrecy. Just like this evening I was talking with a boy. He has got a mantra, very secret. But we say have no secret mantra. Our mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is open to everyone. Why it should be secret? If by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra we can approach God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why it should remain secret? It should be distributed like anything so that everyone can go. So there is no secrecy. A secret mantra we don't approve. It must be very open. There is no secret. The śāstra never says that mantra can be secret.
There was a Durvāsā Muni, great yogi. Within one year he traveled all over the universe and went to Viṣṇuloka and again came back. That is recorded in the history. So these are the perfections of life. And how these perfection can be attained? By understanding Kṛṣṇa. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavanti. The Upaniṣad says, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then all these things can be understood very easily. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is such a nice thing. So today, this evening, we are talking about Rādhāṣṭamī. We are trying to understand the chief potency of Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. As we understand from Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa has many varieties of potencies.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was gṛhastha, very responsible officer, magistrate. And he was so exalted that he would come from his office generally at five o'clock, then take his supper and immediately go to bed. Immediately. Say at seven o'clock in the evening he goes to bed, and he wakes up at twelve o'clock. So suppose he goes to bed at seven o'clock in the evening and wakes up at twelve o'clock at night; it is sufficient sleep, five hours. One should not sleep more than five to six hours.
So today is the appearance day of Śrī Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Therefore we are discussing this evening Teachings of Lord Caitanya, which is the summary study of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The most important chapters in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, namely, His teachings to Rūpa Gosvāmī, His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī, His talks with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, His talks with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, and His talks with Rāmānanda Rāya—these five subject matters are delineated in The Teachings of Lord Caitanya specifically.
So today is the appearance day of Śrī Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Therefore we are discussing this evening Teachings of Lord Caitanya, which is the summary study of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The most important chapters in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, namely, His teachings to Rūpa Gosvāmī, His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī, His talks with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, His talks with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, and His talks with Rāmānanda Rāya—these five subject matters are delineated in The Teachings of Lord Caitanya specifically.
Just like in daytime, especially in the summer season, we become very much exasperated. But at night, in the evening, as soon as there is moonshine, we become very much satisfied. All day's labor and fatigue is immediately moved. So nitāi-pada-kamala, the shade of Nityānanda Prabhu's lotus feet, is koṭi-candra-suśītala, as pleasing as one crore of moonshine.
Mālatī: This lecture was recorded on February 15, 1971, in the morning, and it was in Gorakhpur, in U.P., India. It was on the occasion of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī's Appearance Day. That day, we fasted in the morning up till noon time. Then we offered a regular noon meal, and in the evening time there was the feast of four preparations: puris, halavā, vegetable, and chutney.
Prabhupāda:
- etāvatālam agha-nirharaṇāya puṁsāṁ
- saṅkīrtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām
- vikruśya putram aghavān yad ajāmilo 'pi
- nārāyaṇeti mriyamāṇa iyāya muktim
- (SB 6.3.24)
So we have concluded this verse, that Yamarāja says that the holy name of the Personality of Godhead, Bhāgavata, not only His name, but also His activities and His qualities, these qualities... Last night, somebody was discussing with me saguṇa and nirguṇa. Saguṇa means, according to their version, or a standard version, saguṇa means the material quality. They worship saguṇa-rūpa. Saguṇa means forms of this material world. Sādhakānāṁ hitārthāya brāhmaṇa-rūpa-kalpanaḥ.(?) Kalpanaḥ. According to Māyāvādī school, the Absolute Truth is imperson. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām, adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5).
So we should honor this tithi very respectfully and pray to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī that "We are engaged in your service. So give us strength, give us intelligence. And we are being guided by your servant." So in this way we have to pray. And I think in the evening we shall distribute prasādam. Not at noon. In the evening there will be some, so many audience come. So they can be distributed prasādam, and some of the members who can come from Bhatikara, they can be also invited. So arrange for this. And at twelve o'clock, we offer puṣpāñjali. That puṣpāñjali mantra, it should be beginning... It should begin from the beginning. Not... You were singing, śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī. There are two other lines.
Now I'll have to offer my respect with my spiritual family members, sagoṣṭhī. That is called sagoṣṭhī. Just like Vyāsadeva says, dhīmahi. He's offering prayer sagoṣṭhī, with all his followers and disciples. That is the process. So this flower offering will be done at twelve, and I think feasting will be in the evening. And after offering this puṣpāñjali, we can take our usual food. But the feasting may be done in the evening. Make like that. Because some audience, some members, visitors come, they should be given.
Only, I think, Keith—now Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja—he was at that time twenty-nine. Hayagrīva was, I think, twenty-nine. So in this way... This Hayagrīva, I met him on the street. After renting the apartment and storefront, when I was returning, this Hayagrīva, Professor Howard Wheeler, he was philosophically minded. So he asked me, "Swamijī, are you coming from India?" So I told, "Yes, I am coming from India." So, "Are you interested in Indian philosophy?" "Yes, sir." "So why don't you come? I have taken one storefront and apartment." So I came back. I showed him, "Here is my storefront and apartment. You come in the evening."
Kṛṣṇa is eternal, but still, He appears. The same example. Just like the sun is in the sky but we see in the morning it appears; in the evening it retires. That is defectness of our eyes. Actually the sun is always there. So similarly Vaiṣṇava, as Kṛṣṇa comes, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir. Similarly, a Vaiṣṇava means the confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa, he also comes for some purpose by the order of the master. So their life and Kṛṣṇa's life, it is same.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Jayatīrtha: He came. The week before we left, he came three times to the temple, twice for the evening āratik and once for the Sunday feast. He came and listened to the lecture. So he is doing a little better. (break)
Rāmeśvara: Scientific Basis?
Prabhupāda: Yes?
Rāmeśvara: It is being printed now in America.
Prabhupāda: Oh, you wanted to bring it?
Rāmeśvara: We may print it in India also.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Rāmeśvara: But to get it in the selling right away we printed it in America.
Prabhupāda: You have brought some book? You have brought some books?
Rāmeśvara: Not too many of those, because they're still printing.
Prabhupāda: All right.
Jayatīrtha: Now everything is very nice.
Prabhupāda: When you have come?
Brahmānanda: I came Wednesday evening.
Prabhupāda: So you look bright.
Brahmānanda: Oh, thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: So, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, how is your preaching going on?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very well, Śrīla Prabhupāda, thank you.
Prabhupāda: Nice now. Yes. So Sudāmā is doing nice?
Jayatīrtha: Yes, he seems to be. He gave a very nice lecture the other night. He seems to be very, how would you say it? Repatriated. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...is behind. Why?
Jayatīrtha: Well, now we are catching up. Now things are becoming much more organized. But at the end in New York, things were very disorganized, and nothing was getting done.
Prabhupāda: Brahmānanda Mahārāja, you kindly inquire where is the bottleneck.
Devotee (1): Evening.
Prabhupāda: Evening.
Gurukṛpa: Seven.
Prabhupāda: At that time we shall speak, but this much I must express, my obligation that you are worshiping the Deity so nicely. That is my great happiness, and that is your happiness also. The more gloriously you worship the Deity, decorate the Deity as gorgeously as possible, the more gorgeous you will be. That is the secret. The materialistic, they are trying to dress themselves very gorgeously, and gradually their dress is being taken away by māyā, and voluntarily they are becoming hippies.
Initiation Lectures
Now let us perform this yajña. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Like this, eight, nine, ten. Do it again. (Ceremony continues, Prabhupāda recites Gāyatrī mantra, Gurudāsa repeating) So this mantra, morning, evening, and noon recite.
As many of our students are initiated, so some of our students are going to be initiated this evening. The initiation means the third stage of joining this movement. The first stage is śraddhā, a little faith. Just like our students are going in the marketplace, they are chanting, and many people are contributing some money; somebody's purchasing our Back to Godhead. This is the beginning of faith: "Oh, here is a nice movement. Let me cooperate." Ādau śraddhā. Then, if he becomes little more interested, then he comes here, into the class. "All right, let us see what these people are teaching, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So they come. So that is the second stage. The first stage is automatic sympathy for this movement. The second stage is joining or associating with this, our activities. Just like you have kindly come here. You are hearing me. Similarly, if somebody becomes more interested or his faith is still further advanced, then he comes, that is the second stage.
So in the morning, evening, the ārātrika should be performed, and this should be parikramā, circumambulating within this hall three times at least. These processes should be followed. Kṛṣṇa has given you nice place. You utilize it properly. So there are many other processes. Gradually, it will be introduced. All of a sudden, you cannot assimilate. (laughter) So this kīrtana, evening ārātrika and circumambulating... If possible, you can circumambulate around the temple so that others may see also what they're doing. Yes. If not, within the temple you can circumambulate. Now you can distribute prasādam. Today's function is finished.
Suppose you are playing the part of George Washington in a drama. Are you George Washington? But while playing, you may feel like that; otherwise the play will not be successful. That is different thing. (pause) So Govinda dāsī, so long you are here, morning, evening, you should see that the ārati is performed. In the morning, evening, and lunchtime.
Twice-born means brāhmaṇa especially—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, three classes of twice-born. Several times I have explained: first born by father and mother, and second born, birth, is this. So you should have responsibility, you should follow. But you can be steady and you will be able to follow all these principles provided you chant regularly Hare Kṛṣṇa. That sixteen rounds you must complete. Then māyā will not be able to deviate you. That is... You must keep this. This kīrtana process, as we are performing morning, evening, this will keep your life steady, fixed up, firm. You will always be situated in brāhmaṇa's position if you strictly follow this. Otherwise māyā will immediately: "My dear boy, please come here. Why you are taking so much botheration?" You see? Just like one boy wanted to be initiated from Montreal.
Only form is that the mantra which will be given to him, he has to chant that mantra three times a day, morning, early in the morning, and in the noon, and in the evening. Tri-sandhya. Tri-sandhya means three times, junction of different moments. Morning, day and night, evening, day and night, junction, and the noon, afternoon and before noon. Three times.
There is English word like that. So that we may not fall a victim of sinful activities, you shall go on always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa (devotees complete chanting), not that after committing sin, you'll utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract it. Don't do that. Then you'll give it up. Just to keep yourself aloof from sinful activities, you chant always Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, but don't utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract your sinful activities. "So I am, I have got an instrument, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, let me do all nonsense and I shall chant in the evening Hare Kṛṣṇa and it will neutralized." Actually, they are doing. There are so many rascals, they are committing this offense, on the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the greatest offense. They will never make any progress in spiritual life if I utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for my material purpose.
This evening we were discussing with some learned psychiatrist to solve the problems of the world. So we have tried to convince them that the problems of the world are due to ignorance of our spiritual life. So this body... Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. This body means combination of different senses. This body means we have got hands, legs, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, genital, rectum. All these different parts of the body are working. So these senses are working under the leadership of the mind, and the mind is activated by intelligence, and behind the intelligence there is soul.
Those who are initiated this evening, I have several times explained what is the meaning of initiation. Initiation means beginning of receiving transcendental knowledge. In the Vedas it is enjoined that in order to understand the transcendental science, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). The human form of life is meant for understanding transcendental knowledge. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. So everyone should be interested to understand the Absolute Truth. But this is Kali-yuga. Practically nobody is interested.
Harikeśa: For second initiation, Śrīkāra dāsa and Yoga dāsa.
Prabhupāda: So they can come to me at three o'clock. Or in the evening after...
Hari-śauri: We'll be here tomorrow, also.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They can come in the evening about five o'clock. So now you can perform yajña.
Wedding Ceremonies
This evening we are going to hold a marriage ceremony for three couples of our students. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to understand to always bear in mind or always be in consciousness that we are eternally related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the process is to utilize this human form of life for elevating oneself to the highest perfectional stage.
General Lectures
Our perpetual relationship with God is to worship Him, or to serve Him. That service is very pleasant. Don't take it... As soon as we talk of service, we may think that "Oh, we are suffering here by adopting service." Just like the other evening one boy was questioning, "Why should we bow down?" I do not know if he's present here. The bow down to surrender to somebody is not bad, but because we are in a different situation, by surrendering to other, it is very uncomfortable.
We have got classes, we have got different branches in different cities, we have got books, we have got magazines, and we try to convince you by our morning and evening classes. So my humble request to you all that you try to understand. Caitanyer dayā kathā karaha vicāra. We put for your judgment to understand. We put this Kṛṣṇa consciousness before you for your judgment. And if you scrutinizingly see and try to understand, then you'll feel, "Oh, it is so sublime. It is so nice." That is our request.
Ādivas day means the inauguration. Inauguration day. So you shall prepare the large feast every day and chant every day and eat prasādam every day. This is the inauguration day. (laughter) Yes. At least, make your program that every day in the evening, from seven to eight, at least one hour this kīrtana will go on. I'm very glad that Viṣṇujana chants very nicely, and you also, one after another. So every day make chanting at least for one hour in the temple. And do your activities as usual. Don't be disappointed.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can we have kīrtana, then serve prasādam?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kīrtana have, twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Always.
Revatīnandana: Did you mean from seven to eight every evening, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes. You can repeat that, replay, the tape.
So I shall try to speak before you this evening one of the instruction of Vedic literature spoken by Ṛṣabhadeva. So our offering of obeisances to the spiritual master is in accordance with the disciplic succession. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā, cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena: "The personality who opens the eyes by the torch of knowledge." Tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ: "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual master." So here is a speech by Ṛṣabhadeva. Ṛṣabhadeva is accepted as incarnation of Godhead.
Whatever we are finding in this material world, the last evening we explained, that it is that perverted reflection of the spiritual world. So if you want unlimited happiness, unlimited knowledge, and eternal life, you should not spoil your, this very nice opportunity simply for sense gratification, but adjust it to accept this life of austerity to promote yourself to the spiritual life. Then you will get unlimited happiness, unlimited life, unlimited pleasure. That is the sum and substance of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
If you follow this one principle, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare... There are sixteen names: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Actually, there are three names only—Hare, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma—but they are very nicely, systematically assorted in sixteen names. It is very easy to chant. Just this evening one American child, girl, she was cycling in the street, and one of my students, she asked her to chant: "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," and she was very nicely chanting.
The regulations on food, on sexual relations, which generally cause much confusion in mutual-living health pads, the regulations on sleep and thinking process, are like an interesting model to study for those who are interested in forming affinity groups or large family communes. I will have my turn at language tomorrow because I'm giving a poetry reading at the student union somewhere—I'm not sure where—which is my regular thing, which is why I was invited here by the student activities committee. So I will cut myself off now and be brief and leave the rest of the evening to Swami Bhaktivedanta, who will give a language explanation, or whatever he wants to say, of the cultural, or metaphysical or religious roots in... Pardon me?
Allen Ginsberg: Yes, I will. So the rest of the evening will be, Swami Bhaktivedanta will explain his divine self. Then we will continue chanting. Swamijī. (applause)
Prabhupāda:
- oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
- jñānāñjana-śalākayā
- cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena
- tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)
As I told you the other day, that King Bhārata, he was very much elevated and very great soul. At twenty-four years of age he was emperor of the world, but at the very young time he gave up his wife, children and kingdom and went to the forest for spiritual enlightenment. And he was making progress. Unfortunately, one day he saw that a deer cub was in helpless condition. It's mother came to drink water from the river, and there was a roaring of lion, and she begot the calf and fled away—after all, she's animal. So Bhārata Mahārāja took compassion on the little, just-born calf: "Oh, it will die. Let me take care." So he was taking care. One evening that calf did not come back. So he was anxious where it was gone, and so he went to the forest, and while he was on the up, hill, he slipped from the hill and fell down and died. And at that time, his mind was absorbed in the thought of that calf. So next body, he got a deer.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I thank you very much for joining us in this evening of chanting together Hare Kṛṣṇa. The saṅkīrtana movement is a prescribed performance in this age. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto, Ninth Chapter, 6th verse, there is a statement that,
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā-kṛṣṇaṁ
- sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñair saṅkīrtana-prāyair
- yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
Su-medhasaḥ, this Sanskrit word, means intelligent persons. Medhas. Medhas means brain substance, one who has got very good brain substance. The brain substance... According to psychology, there is difference of brain substance. Not the brain substance equally, of equal weight, in every man's brain.
Sāyaṁ tri-sandhya, morning, noon, and evening, prātar gṛṇan, daily chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā, with devotion and faith, duḥkha-grāmād vimucyate. Duḥkha-grāmād means volumes of miserable condition of life. One can avoid volumes of miserable condition of life simply by chanting. Anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan iti. When it is stated anudinam ādareṇa, with great care and attention one should chant. Not that we should utilize the chanting of holy name for my sense gratification, that "I commit sin, and again I chant, and it will be counteracted.
Haṁsadūta: The following lecture was recorded the evening of February 17th, 1971, Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. (break)
Prabhupāda: This is the real picture of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: rādhā-mādhava kuñja-behari. Kṛṣṇa has no other business. Vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. Kṛṣṇa means original Kṛṣṇa, or the ādi-puruṣaṁ, which is known as ādi-puruṣaṁ. He's always in Vṛndāvana, but He expands Himself as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, so many, unlimited expansions. But the original form is in Vṛndāvana.
This simple process that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and māyā immediately gives you release, "Oh, no more. That's all right." (pause) Yes, any questions? So, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized and practical, and very simple. You all take to this and be happy. That is our program. If you have got any question, you can ask. (pause) We shall hold class here in the morning at about half past five, six and in the evening at seven, after seven. Any questions? (pause) Then have kīrtana.
One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the śāstras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa's cause. That is called dāna. Yajña, dāna, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Śrī Rāma-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya. Just like Ekādaśī day—there is no eating sumptuously. Simply you take little fruits and flowers. Try to avoid that also. You don't take even water. That is really ekādaśī. But because we cannot do it—in the Kali-yuga the time is different—therefore we are allowed to take little fruit and milk, which is called anukalpa.
Australian man: Just at this point we'd like to welcome tonight Swami Bhaktivedanta here, as well as all of you who are participating in this Family of Man meeting. The Wayside Chapel, of course, is the home of world religion. As a matter of fact, in three weeks time the Sikh community will conduct their major festival here in this very theater, and everybody is invited to share with the Sikh community on that particular Sunday. So that's part of our program. And therefore it's perfectly natural that this evening we should have in our presence such a renowned world leader of a religious movement, which we have watched with great interest from the Wayside Chapel, and we are very honored that the Swami should be in our presence this evening. And in a few moments time we're going to invite him to speak just as long as he wishes to speak to the whole community which is present. And after that, as usual, in connection with our Family of Man meetings here on Wednesday night, there will be ample opportunity for questions and discussion. I think nothing more needs to be said except to say that we want you to feel very much at home. Everybody here is most anxious to hear what you have to say. The Wayside Chapel originally began... (break)
Prabhupāda: So ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to place before you our views on saṅkīrtana movement all over the world. This saṅkīrtana movement, don't take it as a religious movement. As you generally understand in the Western countries, the word religion is used as "a kind of faith." Faith you can change. Today you are Christian; tomorrow you can become Hindu. But religion cannot be changed. What we mean by the exact word, Sanskrit word, corresponding to religion is dharma, d-h-a-r-m-a. That dharma is different thing from the word religion.
I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is very important. It is a movement to save the human society from a suicidal policy. The suicidal policy is... Just this evening I expressed my desires to the press conference that the human society is being misled by leaders who are blind themselves. Take for example just like there a few blind men, and one, another blind man, is proposing to help them, crossing over the street.
Mr. Justice Rangarajan, Justice Misra and Lalaji, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Today, this evening, we are especially enlightened by the nice speech delivered by Justice Rangarajan, little describing about bhakti-yoga. Actually, we are discussing this bhakti-yoga for the last few days.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is already there in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So in the morning we shall speak on the Bhagavad-gītā in Hindi, and in the evening we shall speak on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in English. Of course, in India there was no necessity of speaking in English, but at least once if I do not speak in English, all my disciples who have come from Europe and America, they will be bereft of hearing me. Therefore we have made this program: morning I shall speak in Hindi, and in the evening I shall speak in English.
So our program is to speak on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the evening and to speak in English, and in the morning we speak on Bhagavad-gītā in Hindi. So we are very much grateful to you that you are kindly trying to cooperate with this movement and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Your cooperation means you please hear about Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, rādhā-kṛṣṇa bolo saṅge calo ei-mātra duhkhā cāi. We are simply begging you that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and please come along with us. This much begging we are submitting.
If I ask you what you were doing last evening at this time, you will have to remember, "Yes. I was doing that. I forget." But Kṛṣṇa will not forget. Therefore, this is described here, (Sanskrit). He knows everything. (break) "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭho mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). "From Me there is remembrance; jñāna, knowledge; and forgetfulness."
According to Vedic scripture, Kṛṣṇa appears on this planet in one day of Brahmā. And Brahmā's duration of life is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a very, very long period. His one day, daytime, twelve hours, from morning to evening, is described sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. Yuga, this age. Just like this is, according to Vedic culture, this yuga is called Kali-yuga. So there are four yugas: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So the aggregate of all these yugas is about forty three hundred thousands of years.
Rotarians, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly inviting me this evening to speak something on Sanātana-dharma. Sanātana means eternal, and dharma also means eternal characteristic. Just like every ingredient, element, of this world has got a certain type of characteristic. As I have been introduced, I was manager in a chemical factory. So you know... (aside:) That sound may be stopped... that every chemical has got a certain characteristic—its color, its taste, its granules.
Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that when there is too much disobedience in the matter of law of the Supreme Lord, adharma, adharmasya abhyutthānam... Godlessness, without any knowledge of God, without any knowledge of the God's order, that is called dharmasya glānir, discrepancies in the matter of discharging the order of God. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. At that time, God advents or descends. He descends personally, He descends by His representative, by His son, or by His name also. Because they are all identical. God, His representative, His name, His form, His activities, everything in relationship to God, that is also God. This evening we are discussing. Actually this world is also God.
So there were many questions and answers. There are seven hundred verses. So we shall discuss this evening about the nature, the enjoyer, and the consciousness.
- śrī arjuna uvāca
- prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
- kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
- etad veditum icchāmi
- jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
Those who have got this copy, it is page 619. Arjuna wanted to know prakṛti, the nature, the material nature, and puruṣam. Puruṣam means the enjoyer, the living entities. Here in this material world every living entity is trying to enjoy this material nature. Prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetram.
Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). If you are serious about perfection of life, then one has to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayam: "Without any doubt, you shall come to Me." And what is the principle? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakti mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Four things: "Simply always think of Me," man-manā; "you become just My devotee," mad-bhakta; "just worship Me..." So is it very difficult task to think of Kṛṣṇa and to worship Him, to become His devotee and to offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa? Just like we are doing this, in this evening. This is the process.
Indian man (1): Prabhupāda, who has been kind enough to grace this occasion wherein we have assembled this evening to pay our respectful homage to Jagannātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who was a contemporary of Lord Caitanya.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) I thank you very much...
Hari-śauri: The microphone's not working.
Prabhupāda: ...for kindly receiving me. So in our humble way we are trying to...
Indian man (1): Is the mike on?
Prabhupāda: ...introduce the Jagannātha Swami's culture. Jagannātha svāmī nayana-pathagāmī bhavatu me. You'll be very much pleased that in the year 1967 I introduced Ratha-yātrā in San Francisco. And it is going on continually for the last six or seven years, and the government, they have fixed up a holiday for Ratha-yātrā. We have got 25th July as government fixed-up day, holiday, for Ratha-yātrā.
So our darśana and talks, if there is any, generally, every day it will be done. And on Sunday you can fix up some time. I will speak in the evening. And then Kṛṣṇa's desire, as He likes. For the time being, this arrangement.
Departure Talks
In Vṛndāvana we shall have Ūrja-vrata for one month. You also could observe ūrja-vrata here from the next Ekādaśī, one month. I have already instructed Karandhara to have a sky lamp and put candle in the evening to the Deity for one month. Each one, a small candle should... And then, after Ūrja-vrata, we have a big engagement in Hyderabad. And then in Bombay, then in Delhi. In this way. So in the meantime you go on with your work, hold the morning class, Bhāgavatam. Each verse try to understand scrutinizingly and worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: You cannot know; that does not mean beyond the mind is relative time and perception. Just like a small insect, he takes birth in the evening, and from evening to morning, his birth, his marriage, his begetting children, everything is done, and in the morning he dies. There are many insects. They are called diwali pokali. At night they will throng together, in India. So for this insect, it is very difficult to understand that there is another animal which is called man, who has got this duration of his lifetime period in only twelve hours of his life. But the insect cannot go beyond that. Just like when we hear from Bhagavad-gītā that Brahmā lives such-and-such, we disbelieve sometimes.
Hayagrīva: Although it appears that Schopenhauer does not believe in God, although his stand appears atheistic, he writes, "If a man fears death as his annihilation, it is just as if he were to think that the sun cries out at evening, 'Woe is me, for I go down to eternal night.' Thus even already, suicide appears to us as a vain and therefore a foolish action. When we have carried out our investigation further, it will appear to us in a still less favorable light."
Prabhupāda: Investigation of father, that means God.
Hayagrīva: The what?
Prabhupāda: Investigation, he says?
Hayagrīva: Oh, "When we have carried out our investigation further."
Prabhupāda: Further.
Prabhupāda: God Himself says that "You take." "You take Me" means by His instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. "You take to Me, you will be saved." But they will not. That is their obstinacy. And the Vedas therefore says, tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain in the dark well. You come out to the light." But they will not come to the light. They want to remain in the dark well. And if you want to become perfect, that is their misfortune. Within this material world it is darkness, just like the, just now it is evening. It is giving us that actually it is dark. Because Kṛṣṇa has supplied the sun, moon, therefore it is light. But there is another place where, without sun, without moon, you will get light. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: na yatra bhāsayate sūryo, na pāvakaḥ, like that, there is a na yatra bhāsa, tad dhāma paramam, "That is My kingdom."
Purports to Songs
Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance nicely, and when you feel tired, just take rest and eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam." So His formula is very pleasing. Kevala ānanda-kanda. While He was present in Jagannātha Purī, every day in the evening, dancing was, chanting and dancing continued. And after dancing is finished, He used to distribute sumptuously prasādam of Jagannātha. So many thousands of people used to assemble every night. So simply transcendentally pleasing, this movement. Kevala ānanda-kanda.
| Page Title: | Evening (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | SunitaS, Gopinath, Mayapur |
| Created: | 26 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=200, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 200 |