The human society is not ordinary task. And it is not possible for any ordinary man. All great men or great, I mean to say, personality who has appeared on this earth and rendered great service to the humanity, they are still remembered. Just like in your country, President Washington, he rendered very valuable service to your country.
He's still remembered. Recently, President Kennedy. He's still remembered. Similarly, those persons who have dedicated their life for the welfare of the human society, they are not ordinary men. Therefore he is addressed as mahā-bhāga, the most fortunate personality, because he dedicated his life for the good of the humanity.
The greater man is engaged for the service to the humanity, he is considered the great man. Similarly, Lord Caitanya, He also renounced this world. You see His feature is just eighteen years to twenty years boy. And after this movement, saṅkīrtana movement, at Navadvīpa during His householder life . . . He was married at the age of seventeen years.
So He was considered to be a householder. And His first wife died at the age of twenty years. Then His mother requested to marry again. So He married again, at the age of twenty years. And . . . but He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years.
He renounced the order, or, I mean to say, household life, in twenty-four . . . when He was only twenty-four years old. His wife was only sixteen years old, and His mother was about seventy years old. But He still He took sannyāsa. Why? For the good of the humanity. He was very well-to-do, He was brāhmaṇa, He was learned, and He had many followers, and still, when He saw that, "If I remain a householder, and they will not care for My instruction," therefore He was obliged to accept the sannyāsa order. Because in India, the system is that sannyāsī, renounced order, a gentleman in renounced order, he is accepted as spiritual instructor.
So this Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so dedicated His life for the whole humanity. In His preaching there is clear statement why He was preaching this movement all over India. He instructed every Indian. The exact verse in Bengali language is said:
- bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
He ordered that anyone who has taken his birth in India as a human form of life, he must take up this responsibility of preaching this saṅkīrtana movement all over the world to do the best service to the humanity. That is His order. To do the best service to the humanity. He was so much compassionate with the human society. So by His grace, His philosophy, His teachings are now being spread in the Western countries. And I have taken up the humble responsibility. Please help me. You will be happy. It is such a nice movement.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was also humanitarian. He's not a religionist. He was not meant for preaching a particular cult to gather some followers. No. It is the need of the human society, and He wanted to preach all over the world. Because it was not possible at that time, in His time. He lived only for forty-eight years.
He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years, and He passed away in . . . Twenty-four years He was very busy all over India. Therefore He left His legacy to the Indians, any Indian, to take up this cause and preach this cult of saṅkīrtana movement all over the world.
So I shall request you to understand the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His movement. We have got already six centers; five centers in your country. I started first in 1966, July, in New York. Then I started in San Francisco, then Boston, then at Montreal. Of course, I did not go everywhere.
These boys, the sincere boys and girls who are helping me, who have joined this movement, they are doing. This center was started also by one boy. I have come for the first time here. Now I will request you that this movement is nothing sectarian or anything bluff. It is the movement as the necessity of the human society. You join it, you consider it—you put your logic, arguments. In every way, you'll find that this is the necessity of the present day.
So not only one center in Los Angeles, but you open centers in every village, every country, every home. And the process is very simple. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance in ecstasy and everything will come within yourself gradually. Everything will come. You'll practically feel how you are becoming reformed. There is no need of wasting time.
This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement can be done at home, outside home, when you are working, when you are walking, every moment. So try to understand this movement and try to follow it. It is not sectarian; it is the need. I shall discuss all these points gradually. If you kindly come and attend our classes, I shall be very much thankful.