But rascals, they claim to become God, and other rascals, they also believe that "Here is God." Both of them are animals. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). One who does not know actually what is Kṛṣṇa, if he accepts somebody, some rascal as God, then he is also animal. That is also animal. One who is claiming that "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa," he is certainly animal, crazy. He does not know what is the power of Kṛṣṇa, how much He is Yogeśvara. Still, he is falsely claiming to become Kṛṣṇa. And one who accepts him as Kṛṣṇa... So Kṛṣṇa, one should understand first of all Kṛṣṇa. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, if somebody remarks, if he thinks Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), that is the mūḍha's business, rascals' business. Kṛṣṇa, because He comes as ordinary human being, manuṣya-līlā, if we take Him, Kṛṣṇa, as like me, like ordinary, than I am a mūḍha. How a human child at the age of six or seven years, one can lift the whole mountain Govardhana? First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa, how much powerful He is. How a three-month-old child can kill a big demon, Putana. These things are there in the Bhāgavatam about Kṛṣṇa's life. How do you claim to become as good as Kṛṣṇa? This is crazy. Animalism.
First of all, try to understand...(Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"first of all try to understand"
|"first of all you try to understand"
|"first of all, one should try to understand"
|"first of all, try to understand"
|"first of all, try, try to understand"
|"first of all, you must try to understand"
|"first of all, you try to understand"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
First of all understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rāsa-līlā. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Kṛṣṇa is immoral." How Kṛṣṇa can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Kṛṣṇa is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Kṛṣṇa is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.
So that is his cowardice. That is being condemned by Kṛṣṇa, that "It is not your business to give up fighting and go away from the warfield and go to the forest for meditation. It is not your business."
Devotee: How did that war differ from other wars?
Prabhupāda: It is... Sometimes knife is pierced in your body by a surgeon, and in another occasion, another man pierces a knife to stab you. Do you think both knife piercing is the same?
Devotee: No.
Prabhupāda: Similarly.
Devotee: But a man charges at you on a horse with a lance or something in a war, this...
Prabhupāda: No, first of all try to understand this, that piercing the knife in the body is not always bad. Similarly, war or fighting is not always bad, provided it is done for right cause. That should be understood. So when the director is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is directing, so there is no cause of stopping it. He has His plan, He knows. We cannot judge. So He's the Supreme. So that war is necessary because it is desired by the Supreme Lord. To maintain the laws of the world, as to maintain the laws and order of a state, there is violence department, the police department, the military department. Why? The government can stop it. "Oh, this is unnecessary expenditure." No. That is necessity for maintenance of the state. Similarly, war is sometimes necessary for maintenance of the order of the world. But people have misused. That is a different thing.
Devotee: We are absorbed in performing bhakti-yoga, devotional service. Now you stated in the lecture that the purport of bhakti-yoga is that our real nature is spirit soul, whereas in jñāna-yoga is of the mind, and karma-yoga is the activities of the body. Now in our service in bhakti-yoga, how... I don't exactly understand if we actually are the spirit soul because...
Prabhupāda: Just give me some practical example. What you are doing?
Devotee: Preparing prasādam.
Prabhupāda: So it is not bhakti-yoga? Why don't you understand? Your prasādam you are not cooking for yourself. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee: Yeah, well, what I'm getting at is we're performing actions with our body.
Prabhupāda: But first of all try to understand this, this cooking... If you are cooking for Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga, and if you are cooking for yourself, for your sense gratification, that is karma. The same process. Why don't you take the example of Arjuna? For himself, he was considering, "Whether I shall fight or not." But as soon as he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he decided, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa wants me to fight." That is bhakti-yoga. So you can perform bhakti-yoga by fighting, by cooking, by going to the office, everything, if that purpose is for Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. Is it clear?
Devotee: And karma-yoga then?
Prabhupāda: Karma means sense gratification and bhakti-yoga means Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction.
Devotee: Well, karma-yoga...
Prabhupāda: Karma-yoga means just to dovetail your karma with yoga principles to arrive to the bhakti-yoga.
Devotee: To eventually arrive.
Kṛṣṇa comes here, God in His original form, in one day of Brahmā. These are very long, long narration, but first of all try to understand yourself. What is your nature? Then you will understand God automatically. Or if you are so advanced that you can understand God, then you can understand your nature also. Just like God is gold mine, and I am a gold ring. So the chemical composition of the gold ring and the chemical composition of the gold mine, the same. This is the position. Qualitatively we are one. Quantitatively we are different.
I am the seed giving father of all living entities. So there are 8,400,000 species of living entities. Just like the, there are 2,000,000 species of living entities within the water, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. In this way the living entities are growing consciousness. Actually, when he comes in the human form of body, then he is his full consciousness. At that time, that is our subject matter, that time he should know why he is suffering, what is the cause. So similarly, when he finds that he is suffering on account of his being disobedient to the father, and he rectifies himself, he becomes happy. So you, first of all try to understand why you are suffering, and in human form of life you can rectify, why you are suffering. And then you become again happy. God has not made you unhappy. You became disobedient. You wanted to enjoy life in a certain way. God has given you the chance, all right, you do it. But you are not happy. Huh? God does not want you to become happy, therefore He comes, He instructs you again and again. But you do not hear. You neglect the instruction of God. There are your suffering. You come to your consciousness, become obedient to God, you will be happy. That is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
When we understand that "I am not this body...," As Kṛṣṇa wanted to impress upon Arjuna in the beginning of His teaching of Bhagavad-gītā: "First of all try to understand what you are. Why you are lamenting in the bodily concept of life? You have to fight. Certainly you have to fight with your brothers and brother-in-laws and nephews, other side. And you are lamenting. But first of all understand whether you are body or not." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. He tried to make him understood that you are not body. So these instructions were not for Arjuna. For everyone. We have to first of all learn that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is Vedic instruction. And as soon as you come to this point, if you are firmly convinced that you are not this body, that is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage, Brahman realization stage.
No, your first question was "What is this holy name?" First of all try to understand this. Then put another question. Don't disturb. First of all try to understand this question. Holy name means the name is nondifferent from the substance. Here if you become thirsty, you want water, the substance. If you simply chant "water, water, water," it will not act. But holy name means if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you are associating with Kṛṣṇa personally. That is holy name. Here the name is contaminated, whatever name you... But God's name, Kṛṣṇa's name, is holy name. That is nondifferent from God. Otherwise, don't you see, they are chanting "Kṛṣṇa." If Kṛṣṇa name is not Kṛṣṇa, how they are making advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. That is the holy name.
Guest (5) (Indian woman): If God is a word, it is part of the language. So you call it God; I call it Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference at all.
Prabhupāda: Hm? What she...? (laughter) First of all try to understand. This is the beginning of knowledge, that "I am not this body."
Guest (3): All right, I can understand.
Prabhupāda: Then other things will follow.
First of all try to understand that you read Christ and you violate his order. Then what is the use of reading? You follow. Then that is reading.
One who has understood Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller, the Supreme Person, the supreme maintainer, and everything, the supreme, ultimate, then he can become guru. Otherwise don't try to become guru. Impersonalists, half-understood, partially understood, he cannot become guru. This is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's formula. Therefore first of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa. You will understand in such a way that you can refute all others' argument, all others' opposition. There are so many opposing elements. Then you are guru. Otherwise you cannot become a guru. Guru is not so teeny thing or trifle thing that everyone becomes Guru Mahārāja, no. That is not guru.
The part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa or God, the soul, is there everywhere. Don't think that simply human being has got soul. This is not very good philosophy, that the animals have no soul. They have got soul. You can practically examine. What is the symptom of possessing soul? First of all try to understand. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam: The presence of soul can be perceived when there is consciousness on the body. This is the proof. When you pinch my body, I feel pain, when I pinch your body, you feel pain, when I pinch an animal's body, he also feels pain. Even I pinch even the tree's body he feels pain. It is scientifically proved. Sir Jagadish Candra Bose has proved by machine that when you cut a tree, it feels pain and it is recorded in this statistic machine. So everyone has got the soul. So how you can think...?
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
In India there is a class, they are professional Bhāgavata reciters. They make contract that he shall recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, finish within a week, and he should be rewarded. These things are not recommended in the authoritative scriptures. We should follow the footsteps of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He's explaining Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the very beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Try to understand the philosophy of Bhāgavata. Then gradually, when you are accustomed to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then go to the Tenth Canto, wherein Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance is described. Without reading in the beginning what is Kṛṣṇa, if we all of a sudden jump over to understand the rāsa dance... That is a very natural tendency. No, we should not go like that. First of all, try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. To understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult subject matter. But by the grace of Lord Caitanya we can understand little about Kṛṣṇa. And then gradually... Of course, the ultimate goal is to enter into the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. But not by speculation or by material misconception. Gradually, step by step.
So when you come to the platform of love of Kṛṣṇa by this process, at that time if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance, that will be very relishable. Before that, if we try to understand, the effect will be we shall consider Kṛṣṇa as a young boy of this material world and the gopīs are young girls, and they're enjoying. "So let me imitate also and I become Kṛṣṇa, you become gopīs." That will be the effect. Don't do that. First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then go to read rāsa dance. Finish it.
So we have got our centers in Iran also. In Tehran, I am just coming from there. We have got so many Mohammedan students, and they have also taken to it. In Africa they have taken to it. In Australia they have taken to it. All over the world. So that is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.
- pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
- sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
This is the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. As many towns and villages are there all over the world, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be spread. So there is no credit for me, but it is only a teeny attempt, and humble attempt. So if one man could do, if you say, some success, why not all of us? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given power of attorney to all Indians. Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). He's speaking to the manuṣya, not to the cats and dogs. So manuṣya-janma yāra janma sārthaka kari'. First of all, try to understand what is the purpose of life. That is called janma sārthaka. Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra. Go. Everywhere there is very good demand for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
These dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa is meant for the liberated person. They can hear, not the ordinary persons. Therefore this kṛṣṇa-līlā is given in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So don't jump over. First of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). To understand Kṛṣṇa, not only... The Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins when one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra. A Vaiṣṇava, when he's asked about his identification, he gives acyuta-gotra. "Now I belong to the Acyuta, not to my original family." Therefore for a sannyāsī, when he's asked "What is your identification?" it is said, pūrvāśrama. Pūrvāśrama means "Formerly I belonged to such and such family. Now I belong to the family of Kṛṣṇa, acyuta-gotra."
Everyone is thinking, "I must first of all see my own interest." That's all right. But what is your interest, that you do not know. First of all try to understand what is your interest. But that you do not know. Because you are thinking falsely that "By adjustment of this material atmosphere I shall be happy." Everyone is trying. Nationally, individually, collectively, everyone is trying. But it is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It will be frustration. Therefore it is called bahir-artha-māninaḥ.
In the Bhagavad-gītā, in the beginning, the first instruction is that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara... (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, there is dehī, the proprietor of the... So we do not understand that, and we become very expert in reading Bhagavad-gītā. This is the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Therefore ātma-darśanam. First of all, you try to understand what you are. You are this body or something else? That is ātma-darśanam. I am not body. That's a fact. I am spirit soul. But I have become bodily conscious on account of loss of knowledge, ajñāna, ajñāna.
Well, first of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He says. Then, if you are dutiful, then you can say who is the other dutiful. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you come to that stage of life, then you are dutiful. Otherwise, if you create your duties as monkey, that is not duty. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
It has been very broadly described by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Read all this. Don't try to imitate. That is sahajiyā. We should know the position of Kṛṣṇa. His expansion of pleasure potency. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's līlā is put into the middle of the Tenth Canto. First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is Kṛṣṇa? Vāsudeve, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So what is Vāsudeva? Janmādy asya yato. Here is the original source of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Vyāsadeva has dedicated full nine cantos for understanding Kṛṣṇa.
There are two bhāgavatas: grantha-bhāgavata and the man bhāgavata. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, he recommended a brāhmaṇa. He came to see him, writing something that was full of mistakes. Then he chastised him that "You do not know what is what. You have tried to explain Bhāgavata." But when the brāhmaṇa was submissively hearing and tolerated the chastisement, then he gave the advice, bhāgavata porā giyā bhāgavata-sthāne: "Go. Hear Bhāgavata from a person whose life is Bhāgavata." Bhāgavata parā giyā bhāgavata-sthāne. Not the professional bhāgavata. They are aiming Therefore they immediately open the rāsa-līlā chapter and explain it very nicely. People will like: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa and myself, the same. He is also embracing the young girl. I shall now try to find out young girl." This is going on. They are going to hell by hearing Bhāgavatam from these rascal professionals. Bhāgavata is meant, from the very beginning First of all try to understand what is God. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itaraḥ (SB 1.1.1). Nine cantos to explain what is God. Then Tenth Canto, God, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is there, not Tenth Canto immediately. So everything is misused only for "Money, money, money. Bring money." This is Kali-yuga.
The sanitary engineer's functions, they are coming here, everyone knows. They are called sanitary engineers? The scavengers? Similarly, they are like that, different kinds of engineers. Sanitary engineer, water work engineer, light department engineer, that's all. First of all, try to understand what is your function, then try to understand what is other's function. (chuckles) Your function is to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's it. How you can know? There are millions and trillions of other beings, what is the function? Here you have to see what is your function.
Don't try to imitate Kṛṣṇa. First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The simple process. First of all, try, try to understand Kṛṣṇa and try to love Him. Your love will be distributed, not only in your family and community, but throughout the whole world. All animals, all insects, all trees. You'll never be inclined to do harm, even to an ant even. A tree is cut down—a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta becomes sorry. Others, they do not become sorry. They are so sympathetic. Nowadays, trees are being cut into pieces without any consideration. This is also sinful activities. They're also living entities. You cannot kill them unnecessarily. This is the law of nature.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Kṛṣṇa simply instructed Arjuna about his darkness of identity, and He punished him, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "You are talking very big, big words, but you are lamenting on a subject matter on which no learned person laments." Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. That means "You are fool number one." Paṇḍitāḥ. "No paṇḍita makes like that. Now try to understand what is the position."
Then He said,
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
"First of all try to understand what you are." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. It is no politics. It is knowledge, pure knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā is pure knowledge. The politicians take advantage of it. The sociologists, the so-called swamis, yogis, they take advantage of it and try to prove their all nonsensical theories. But it is not at all Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā as it is is pure knowledge, beginning with the first knowledge one has to understand, that he is not this body. Because this is the basic principle all ignorance: "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this," "I am that"—this is the basic principle. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing in a different way. He says, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya, I am not a śūdra, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha, I am not a sannyāsī." These are negation. Then what is the positive? He says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the gopī-bhartuḥ, Kṛṣṇa, who maintains the gopīs."
In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa does not speak anything about His pastimes with Rādhārāṇī. That is strictly prohibited. You never find Kṛṣṇa is speaking about His pastimes with the gopīs or with Rādhārāṇī. No. He's officially speaking about Himself, "I am this, I am that." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Thoroughly study Bhagavad-gītā, and after studying Bhagavad-gītā, if you are fortunate enough to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, surrender. That is the beginning of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs. Just like if you make a friend, ordinarily, if you become intimate friend, then you can understand about his household affairs. If you are newly a gentleman introduced with another gentleman, you cannot ask him, "What is the affair in your household or with your wife or with your beloved?" That you cannot ask, neither it is possible to understand.
Everything should be understood in truth. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to understand the Absolute Truth. So in another place Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) anyone who understands the Absolute Truth factually as He is, not by mental speculation, but by the paramparā system... So therefore, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta is beginning with guru, pūrve gurv-ādi. Beginning is the guru, the spiritual master, because he is the representative of the paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore, whatever we do, we must first of all try to understand from guru.
That's all right. Ātmā is there. You have studied Bhagavad-gītā or not? First of all tell me. Do you think ātmā and Paramātmā are the same thing?
Guest (5): Mostly the same thing. Yes. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. That is foolishness. First of all try to understand. That is foolishness. Ātmā and Paramātmā—different.
There are two kṣetrajñas: one kṣetrajña, the individual soul, and the other kṣetrajña is Bhagavān. There are two kṣetrajñas. Dvaitavāda.
Guest (5): Yes. Then this monism and dualism, then what about the Viśiṣṭa-advaita?
Prabhupāda: No, no. We are talking of Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are bringing so many things? First of all try to understand the simple thing in the Bhagavad-gītā. Then bring big, big words. Yes, there are two kṣetrajñas. You have to accept it.
Kṛṣṇa says ca, this word. Ksetrajñaṁ ca means "I am also kṣetrajña." Therefore He is different from the ordinary kṣetrajña. First of all try to understand this. Ca means different, another. And the difference is that sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata, whereas the individual kṣetrajña is within the body. That's all. (break) ...there is no advaitavāda. There may be advaitavāda philosophy, but in Bhagavad-gītā there is no adva itavāda. It is dvaitavāda. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān partiyajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ: "You śaraṇaṁ vraja. You are different from Me"? Kṛṣṇa says. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa asked that "You surrender"? That you and I, different. That is dvaitavāda.
So this mentality should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge. Or you have to behave with a person to understand, "Whether he is fit to become my spiritual master?" Then you should offer yourself to be a student. That is the process, not that all of a sudden you shall go to a person, "Oh, please accept me as your..." No. You should first of all try to understand whether he is actually fit. Then offer yourself. So just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he first saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he did not offer himself, but when he heard from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and he understood, "Yes, it is very nice thing. So I should now retire from service, and I should wholly devote to Caitanya Mahāprabhu," so he left his very lucrative job, ministership, and just like a very poor man he approached to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he's placing, submitted himself as blank slate, that "These are my qualifications. Please accept me."
General Lectures
Young man: Because I don't feel like I'm inferior to...
Prabhupāda: That is the disease. You have diagnosed your own disease. That is the disease of materialism. Everyone is thinking that "I want to be master. I don't wish to bow down myself." Everyone is thinking, not only yourself. Just try...
Young man: Uh...
Prabhupāda: Let me finish this. This is the disease, material disease. First of all try to understand. It is not your disease or my disease. Everyone's disease is this, that "Why shall I bow down? Why shall I become subordinate?" But nature is forcing me to become subordinate. Now who wants to meet death? Why people are dying? Can you answer this?
Young man: Why am I forced to death?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you are subordinate.
Young man: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you understand your position, that you are subordinate. You cannot declare that "I am free. I am not subordinate." If you are wishing that "I don't wish to be subordinate, don't wish to bow down," that is your disease.
Young man: What do you want me to... What...
Prabhupāda: No, first of all try to understand your disease. Then we shall diagnose your medicine.
It is very pleasant to become servant of God. You see so many reformers, they came, they served the mission of God, and they are still worshiped. So to become servant of God, servitor of God, is not very insignificant thing. It is the most important thing. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. But don't accept it. First of all try to understand. Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Try to understand what is Brahman. (microphone is making sound) Why this sound? Try to understand what is Brahman and try to understand your relationship. And then, when you actually surrender, you'll feel your eternal blissful life, full of knowledge.
My dear boys and girls, I thank you very much for attending this meeting. We are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because there is a great need of this movement through the whole world, and the process is very easy. That is the advantage. First of all, try to understand what is the transcendental platform. So far our living condition is concerned, we are in different platforms. So we have to first of all stand on the transcendental platform. Then there is question of transcendental meditation. In the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Third Chapter, you'll find that we have got different status of conditional life. The first is indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur... (BG 3.42). Sanskrit, indriyāṇi. First thing is bodily conception of life. Every one of us in this material world, we are under this bodily concept of life. I am thinking Indian, "I am Indian." You are thinking you are American. Somebody's thinking, "I am Russian." Somebody's thinking, "I am somebody else." So everyone is thinking that "I am this body." This is one standard, or one platform. This platform is called sensual platform because so long we have bodily conception of life, we think happiness means sense gratification.
Body is already there. Spiritual body is already there. Just like from Bhagavad-gītā we understand that this body is dress. Just try to understand. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). The Bhagavad-gītā says that "As we give up old dress and accept another new dress, similarly, we give up one body and accept another body." Now, if this body is dress, so dress cannot stand without real body. Now, one dress is moving, coat-pant. That means that within that dress there is a man, not that automatically the coat-pant is moving. Similarly, this dress is standing so long the soul is there. As soon as the soul is gone, it is flat, no more moving. This is very easy to understand. It is dress, but dress is moving. Just like coat-pant moving, how long? The real man is there. If the man is not there, finished. The coat is coat; pant is pant. That's all. It is so simply given in the Bhagavad-gītā. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). It is dress. So dress means there is real body. Otherwise how dress can be made? Because you have got this hand, therefore your coat has got a hand. Because you have got leg, therefore your dress, pant, has got a leg. So if it is dress, then it is to be understood that within the dress the spiritual body is there. It is common affair. First of all try to understand this.
So try to understand the Bhāgavata. Try to understand Vedānta philosophy. Unfortunately, when we study Bhāgavata we immediately jump over Kṛṣṇa-līlā with the gopīs. That is not the process. The process is first of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, which is very difficult subject matter... Kṛṣṇa says that yatatām api siddhānām kaścid māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). So the preliminary study of Kṛṣṇa is Śrīmad, er, Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa explains Himself.
| Page Title: | First of all, try to understand...(Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 09 of Nov, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=37, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 37 |