A very rich man is situated little comfortably. The common distress and unhappiness, er, happiness, that is common. What is that common? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). To take birth either as a dog or as a king, the distress is the same. There is no difference because the dog has to keep itself within the womb of the mother in an airtight condition for so many months, and the man, either he is king or anything, he has also undergo that tribulation. There is no excuse. Because you are taking birth in a king's family, it does not mean that to remain compact within the mother's womb the distress is less, and because he is taking birth in a dog's mother's womb, therefore his is great. No. That is the same. Similarly, at the time of death, the distress... At the time of death there is great distress. It is so strong that one has to leave this body. Just like when the distress becomes very strong, one commits suicide. He cannot tolerate: "Finish this body."
For so many... (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
People are surprised sometimes that "These people do not work, do not take any profession, simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. How they live?" So that is no question. If cats and dogs can live at the mercy of God, the devotees can live very comfortably by the mercy of God. There is no such question, but if somebody thinks that "I have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I am suffering for so many things," for them or for all of us the instruction is mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ: (BG 2.14) "These pains and pleasure is just like winter and summer." In the winter the water is painful, and in the summer the water is pleasing. So what is the position of the water? It is pleasing or painful? It is neither painful, neither pleasing, but in certain season, by touching the skin it appears to be painful or pleasant. Such pains and pleasure is explained herein: "They are coming and going. They are not permanent." Āgama apāyinaḥ anityāḥ means "They are coming and going; therefore they are not permanent."
Everyone has prema, love. This propensity to love others. That is... There is, everywhere. But that prema, that love, is originally for Kṛṣṇa. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the original prema. But because we are illusioned, that prema is being applied or used for so many māyā. Prema I have got. I have got my love. That is a fact. But I do not know where to repose that love. That is my misfortune. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You have got prema. You apply it to Me. Then you'll be benefited." Prema is already there. You are simply misusing it. Therefore you are not happy. This is the process. Prema, you have got. But you are misusing it. But if you take Kṛṣṇa's word, that "Give your prema unto Me..." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is the beginning of prema. "Always think of Me." I think of my son. I think of my child. I think of my wife. Because there is prema. So if you think of Kṛṣṇa, then you will increase your prema for Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Prema is not you have to get it outside. It is already there. Just like a young boy, young girl. As soon as they meet, there is natural attraction.
Now Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is just trying to place Arjuna in the platform of working on pure consciousness. The... We have already discussed for so many days that we are not this dull body, but we are consciousness. Now, some way or other, we are in contact with this matter. Therefore our freedom is checked. As spiritual beings, we are free, free to act, free to have anything, pure, no contamination, no disease, no birth, no death, no old age, and besides that, we have got many, many other qualifications in our spiritual life. So unfortunately, because we are in contact with this matter, we are hampered in so many ways. This we should understand, and this is the opportunity; this human life is the only opportunity. If we miss this opportunity, then it may be that in our next life we may not have again this nice, civilized human form of life according to our karma. But one thing is sure. You'll be glad to hear that once begun, this process of spiritual realization, one is guaranteed to have next life as human being. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41).
So the whole thing is tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. We should always remember that, that to attain to the spiritual life, it is a great penance. It is a great penance. But although it is very difficult, although it is very difficult... Perhaps you know that in, in the Purāṇas, in the Vedic literature, we have got information that there are sages who underwent penance for so many, many years. Why in the history or the Purāṇas? You can see from the examples of Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Caitanya, Śaṅkarācārya, who were recently within the limit of our historical knowledge. They attained spiritual perfection after undergoing penances for many, many years. So spiritual perfection is not very easy thing, that simply by attending a, a, in either of the so many groups and hearing something, nice lectures from a person. No. It is practical. It is practical. If we are ac..., if we are actually serious about attaining, so we must be in a spirit of sacrifice. In this age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, the matter has been simplified. Matter has been simplified. What is that? He prescribed that
Yes. So the person who has given up all desire for sense gratification. We haven't got to kill our desire. How you can kill? Desire is constant companion of a living entity. That is the living symptom. Because I am living entity, you are living entity, you have got desire, I have got desire. Not this table. The table has no life; therefore it has no desire. The table cannot say that "I am standing here for so many months. Please move me to another place." No. Because it has no desire. But if I am sitting here for three hours, oh, I'll say, "Oh, I got tired. Please remove me from... Please get me another place." So desire must be there because we are living. We have to change the engagement of desires. If we engage our desires for sense gratification, that is material. But if we engage our desires for acting on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, that is our, we're free from all desires. This is the criterion.
We are declaring that "We belong to the free nation" or "free community," or everyone is seeking after freedom. But nobody is free. Nobody is free. Everyone is under the stringent laws of nature. So bondage means to remain under the condition of material laws. That is called bondage.
Just like people are trying for so many years to go to the moon planet. The Russian and the American scientists are competing. But they are so bound up, they go some, say, thousands and thousands of miles up, again come back. Just see how they are bound up. You cannot go. So this is the nearest planet, and there are so many other planets also. So you cannot go by your whims or by your will. This is called bondage.
But if you become free—when you are in spiritual understanding, then you are free—then you can travel anywhere. The perfect yogi, he can travel in any planet. That is freedom. That is little freedom. We have no idea what is the freedom of the spirit soul.
No. There is no such stereotype rules that you have to do it for so many years, so many... It depends on your personal energy of progress. It is very simple to understand. Suppose a man is diseased. No doctor can guarantee that "This will be cured in so many days." You see? It depends on the situation of the patient's condition and accepting the treatment. Similarly, it can be cured in one day, or it may not be cured in one thousand days. That will depend on the patient. (break)
...have got instances that one got perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness within a few seconds also. That is also possible. Because it is spiritual, it does not depend on any material rules and regulations. It depends on my seriousness.
Para means transcendental, first-class. Yato bhaktiḥ "By executing which, you can have, develop, Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness." And that process is called ahaituki, without any reason, apratihatā, and it cannot be checked by any material condition. If somebody thinks that "Well, I have been sinful for so many years, and even if I surrender to the God, it will take so many years," no, it is not like that. The surrendering process, if it is perfect, the result is immediately perfect. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati.
And by such Kṛṣṇa consciousness, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one's mind becomes fully satisfied. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Prasīdati means satisfaction, fully satisfied. Every one of us are trying to satisfy, to become satisfied. That is possible by attaining full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break)
Don't you see how many miscreants are suffering? Even you go to the law court, you see how they are suffering. Somebody is putting into jail for so many years, somebody is being ordered to be hanged, somebody is being ordered to be whipped, and so many things are happening. And then you see so many animal life. There are eight million four-hundred-thousands of different species of life. They are suffering.
The tree... If you get the body of a tree, you stand up for ten thousands of years in one place. We have got experience when teacher punishes us, "Stand up on the bench," for a few minutes, we become disturbed: "Sir, please excuse me. I shall not do this." Now, if you have to stand up for ten thousands of years in one place, just see. These are the punishment to the miscreants. So this human body is the only opportunity to understand all these things and make your life successful so that you may not come again for standing up for seven thousand years or ten thousand years. Yes. But the miscreants will not believe this. They think, "A tree, it is another thing. I am perfect."
Because He is full. Whatever He wants... Parāsya śakti... In the Vedic literature, you'll find. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Brahman, He has got different, diverse energies. As soon as He desires, everything is done immediately.
If I have to manufacture this stand, oh, I'll have to arrange for so many things. I'll have to go to the brass smith and ask him and give him some money and so many things. But the parāsya śaktir... If I have got... Even a, even a yogi, even a yogi, there is a prāpti-siddhi. You have heard the name of yoga. The yoga system is not so plaything as we have got so many branches in America. They are playthings.
Actually, the yoga system is so perfect that they get eight kinds of perfection before achieving the real perfection. And what is that perfection, the eight kinds of...? Aṇimā, laghimā-siddhi, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā, like that. Aṇimā-siddhi means when a yogi is, is not exactly perfect, when he's on the way of perfection, he gets this opportunity. He becomes... He can become the smallest. If you pack a yogi in a room and lock him, he'll come out. He'll come out.
Because the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā is to know five things, to know what are these living entities, what is God, what is nature, and what is time, and what is work. These five subject matters are there: God, the living entities, the nature, the time, and the work. These things are there.
Everyone is engaged in some sort of work, and there is time control. Your life, my life, everyone's life is controlled by time. We have to live for so many years, no more than. So to study time, to study our work, then what is God, "what I am," and what is this material nature—these five things are very nicely explained. One has to study. Then one becomes perfect in knowledge, and he can act accordingly.
So yoga-yukto munir brahma acireṇa. If we always dovetail ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and in that way we prosecute our duties... We don't take that this is false. We take it that because it has connection with Kṛṣṇa, it should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That yoga-yukto muni, he, at once, very nicely, very easily, he realizes Brahman. So many other processes, they're trying to realize Brahman for so many years by meditation, by penance, by going to the forest, Himalaya, and so many things. But if one is intelligent enough, always thinking that everything has got connection with Kṛṣṇa and it should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa, then I am yoga-yukta. And my brahma-bhūtaḥ, my Brahman realization is within my hand. It is such a nice thing. Yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā (BG 5.7). And one who is dovetailed in such a way, he is viśuddhātmā. Viśuddhātmā. Ātmā means self and viśuddha means pure. In pure self. This is... When we think that "I am the enjoyer," that is, my ātmā is covered with dirty things.
He recommends it. And that is the real purpose of human form of life. That we should not derive. We should not try to derive that false happiness in this diseased condition of material life. This is temporary. That is not happiness. We should understand that out of ignorance we are engaged to derive such kind of happiness, but that is not happiness. Real happiness is in spiritual life.
We have to attain that spiritual life and just a man tolerates so many things for being cured, similarly we have to practice tolerance. Then there will be urges, certainly, because we are practiced to these sense urges for so many births in so many evolutionary process. Now in this human form of life we have to consider that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." So I have to search out the happiness of the spirit soul, and for that, I have to train myself under superior guidance, as Arjuna has put himself under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa.
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Such...," sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ, "such great soul is very scarce, rarely found." But any intelligent person, if he understands this philosophy, that "My ultimate goal of life is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, why not surrender immediately? Why shall I wait?" Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. "Why shall I wait for so many births?"
So that stage is called real sannyāsa. Kāryam. Kāryam means "It is my duty." I am not forced, but voluntarily, out of love, transcendental love. Just like mother serves this child out of love. There is no question of salary or remuneration. The mother loves this child. Similarly, you can love the Supreme Lord in many ways. You can love the Supreme Lord as master, you can love the Supreme Lord as friend, you can love the Supreme Lord as child, you can love the Supreme Lord as your husband. Any way. There are five different rasas or humors, in which we are eternally related with the Supreme Lord.
You know yourself." Similarly, if you have... You can test yourself whether you have got full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. If not, you are not in samādhi. The test is in your hand. And that is being explained. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. In full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand what is the meaning of attachment. You have got attachment for sex. You have got attachment for so many things. So similarly, if you have developed attachment only for Kṛṣṇa and you have no more any other attachment, then you are in samādhi. It is not artificial. It is practical. (pause) Śrī Rāma. (end)
It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our senses are imperfect always. Even we cannot understand perfectly the material world. Just like we have seen so many planets and stars in the sky at night, but we do not know what they are. We do not know even what is this moon planet. We are trying for so many years, trying to go there in sputnik and... Even one planet. Even we do not know what varieties are there even in this planet. If you go on the sea, if you go on the sky, you are perfectly illusioned. So our knowledge is always imperfect. That we must admit. Foolishly, if we think we have acquired all sorts of knowledge, we have advanced in science, this is another foolishness. It is not possible. So when it is not possible to understand even the material things which we are daily seeing with our eyes and perception, what to speak of spiritual? And the Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme spiritual form.
This is our position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," means God. You know, all. It is not very difficult for Indians. So because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be disconnection. Therefore it is a stage of forgetfulness. Instead of loving Kṛṣṇa, we have expanded our love for so many things. Somebody's loving his body. Somebody's loving his family. Somebody's loving his society, community, nation, or the human society. We are trying to... We must love. There is no escape. I must love somebody, because the propensity's there. So the original love is for Kṛṣṇa. But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore our love is distributed in so many ways. But we are frustrated. We, we are not happy. Neither the person whom we love or the country whom we love or the society which I love, they're also not happy. Because everything is misplaced. Everything is misplaced. Just like if you water on the top of the tree or every leaf, every branch, every twig, you cannot keep the tree very fresh. But if you water on the root of the tree, it keeps fresh, always.
So here, this process is explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself. The śāstra says this is the process. But still Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself the process. The process is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. One has to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṇa. We have got attachment for so many things. We have to divert the attachment towards Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is the yogaṁ yuñjan. One has to perform, execute, mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga can be executed when we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. In two ways you can take it, the meaning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One who does not know except Kṛṣṇa, he's also mad-āśrayaḥ. And one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is also mad-āśrayaḥ. So one has to become a devotee, or to take shelter of a pure devotee to practice the yoga system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is our system. That is our system. That is the Vedic system.
Bhajana-kriyā means one becomes anxious. The effect of sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83) is to become anxious how to execute this devotional service properly. That is called initiation. So they come forward. The president recommends that "This boy or girl is now living with us for so many months, he's interested, he may be initiated." Then we initiate. But initiate with some condition. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. These are the different stages. Initiation means that he must be free from all kinds of sinful activities. These four principles, the pillars of sinful activities, are four in number: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Striya suna panabhi(?). So automatically they give. All these boys and girls who are sitting here, you know that they have given up automatically. They have been able, by association with Kṛṣṇa. It has become very practical and easy thing to give up all these four principles of sinful activities. Because without being pure, you cannot understand the Supreme Pure. God is the Supreme Pure. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām.
These are the things. Now, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān... Here it is said, bhagavān uvāca, Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta, mayi āsakta. Therefore if you become attached... We have got attachment for so many things. But if we transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to adopt this yogic process, meditation. Meditation... Unless you have got love for somebody, attachment for somebody, how you can think of him always? That is not possible. By force I cannot say that "You think of this thing or this man." That is not possible. If I have got attachment for a certain thing or a certain person, then we can think of that person or that thing. That is called yoga, connecting always, keeping linked always. That is called yoga. So if you want to know perfectly or as far as you can understand through your senses, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, then you transfer your attachment to Kṛṣṇa.
This is called arcana-viddhi. Kṛṣṇa has agreed to accept your service as you can afford to do. It is not idol worship. It is actually worshiping Kṛṣṇa.
So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, that simply you have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti-yoga. We have got attachment for so many things. Our attachment is now disbursed in so many ways. You have to concentrate that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then your business will be successful, bhakti-yoga, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Mine." Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor. Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting about Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, writing about Kṛṣṇa, selling the books about Kṛṣṇa, eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way you become Kṛṣṇaized. All-around Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga.
So śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, one who is worshiping Kṛṣṇa with śraddhā, with faith, complete faith, bhajate, and serving Him, so who is that person? A devotee. Without being a devotee, how with faith and adherence and reverence and obedience you can serve Kṛṣṇa unless you love Kṛṣṇa?
So mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. We have got attraction for so many things in this material world. Somebody has got attraction for his family, somebody has got attraction for his wife, children, or somebody has got attraction for some sporting, or somebody has attraction for his country, so on, so on. We have got attraction. That is not a new thing. We have got attraction, but we have got attraction in different subject matter, material. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means you should be only attracted by Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Attraction is there. Nobody can say that "I have no attraction for anything." That is false. Everyone has got attraction. If you have nothing to be attracted, then you keep a cat and a dog to be attracted.
This madness, this hallucination, this illusion of this material world, is very difficult to overcome. It is very difficult. But Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If anyone voluntarily, or understanding his miserable life, if he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many lives. Now I understand that You are my father, You are my protector. I surrender unto You." Just like a lost child goes to the father, "My dear father, it was my misunderstanding that I went away from your protection, but I have suffered. Now I come to you." The father embraces, "My dear boy, you come on. I was so much anxious for you all the days. Oh, it is happy that you have come back." The father is so kind. So we are in the same position. As soon as we surrender ourself to the Supreme Lord... That is not very difficult. A son's surrender to the father, is it very difficult job? Do you think is it very difficult job? A son is surrendering to his father. It is quite natural. There is no insult.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement purely based on the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a manufactured thing. As you are hearing for so many days, our basic principle is the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that we have manufactured something, as there are so many manufactured processes. So if we actually take Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, as it is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, we are sure to achieve the result without any doubt. Kṛṣṇa assures, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be doubtful. Simply surrender unto Me. I shall take care of you." The whole Bhagavad-gītā is taught in that way. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca. In this way, in Bhagavad-gītā we'll find, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. So His instructions are there.
So our request on behalf of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that from...
Just like before I came to your country I got the description of your country from the books, similarly, we can have all the description of higher planets and the spiritual world. They are mentioned there. The yogi know. The yogi knows everything, and he can transfer his self, any planet he likes. He does not require the help of any sputnik. The sputniks, they are trying for so many years, and they will go on trying for one hundred or one thousand years more. They'll never reach any planet. Be rest assured. This is not the process. This is not the process to reach another planet. Maybe, by scientific process, one man, one man or two man can reach, but that is not the general process. The general process is: if you want to transfer yourself any better planet, then you have to practice this yoga system, or jñāna system, not bhakti system. Bhakti system is not meant for any material planet. That will be explained later on.
First of all I said this Bhagavad-gītā to sun-god, Vivasvān." Vivasvān means the sun. The present sun-god is called Vivasvān. His name is Vivasvān. Just like there are many kings, just there are many sun-gods also. They also change because there is death. There is death. They may be living for so many hundreds and millions of years, but they will die. So present sun-god, who is existing there, his name is also there in the Bhagavad-gītā, Vivasvān. So if you believe Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to believe that there is a sun-god whose name is Vivasvān. If you don't believe, then why you take so much trouble to read Bhagavad-gītā? If you have no faith in it, then what is the use of reading it? And if you have faith in it, then you have to believe. There is sun-god. In every planet there is a predominating feature predominant.
So each creation is called a kalpa, and it, after kalpa, after similar years... One kalpa, that is not possible for us to calculate, how many years, but some idea is given in this Bhagavad-gītā that suppose the kalpa exists for so many years, and as we have got calculation of the day of the year, just like 365 days in a year, so the duration of one day is given in the Bhagavad-gītā as forty-three hundred thousands of years into one thousand. That is the calculation of one day of the whole cosmic creation.
Now, we are concerned how to get out of this temporary life. We are hankering after eternal life, how to get out of this temporary life. That should be our problem. There is no use calculating for how many years one kalpa, one duration of this cosmic manifestation, is maintained. But our concern is that whether we can get out of these clutches of material nature and get into our spiritual nature and have our eternal blissful life. That is our problem. That we can make solution. If we culture the Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then even after annihilation of this body, we can get into the spiritual nature and spiritual nature, and we are also spirit. Therefore there is no difference; there is no question of birth and death. That is the problem.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Another point is that it doesn't matter. I don't say that your religion is cheating or my religion is bona fide. I don't say that. We have no right to say that. I want to see... "I" means, we are Bhāgavata. We are representative of bhāgavata-dharma. Or Bhāgavata wants to see. Any religion you may profess—it doesn't matter—I want to see whether you have got the result of religion. The result of religion is you will love God. That is result of religion. If you have become actually lover of God, then your religion—it doesn't matter whatever religion you profess—that is perfect. But if instead of developing your love for God, you have developed love for so many nonsense things, then you have simply wasted your time. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So in this life, whatever mental creation we are doing or creating, that will be carried in the next life, and according to that, nature will give us a body. So if we think of dog, maybe we are transferred to the dog's body. If I think of God, then I shall be transferred to a god's body. So we have scattered our love for so many things in the material world. We have to collect everything and transfer everything for loving God. That is successful life. So if we think of God, then how we become purified, and next we become transferred to the kingdom of God. And if we think of material things, then again we shall be transferred to another material body.
Whether I see Kṛṣṇa or not, it doesn't matter. He may not be present before me for millions of years and make me broken-hearted." If I aspire to see Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa does not come, naturally I become sorry, broken-hearted. But even one is broken-hearted, still, he should not stop devotional service. Not that "I have served Kṛṣṇa for so many days, or so many years, and Kṛṣṇa did not come. Oh, what is the use of it?" No, not like that. One should be confident that...
Just like Mukunda. Mukunda, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's class friend and devotee. So he was attending many jñānī, karmī, yogi... He was going everywhere. Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very much displeased, just to show example that we should not be hodgepodge. "This is also good, this is also good. Everything is same." No. This is hodgepodge. One must be fixed up in devotional service. That is wanted. So when Mukunda was going here and there, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the name kharajati adata.(?) So He stopped him that "He should not come before Me. Stop him."
Therefore, intelligent persons, they should try to get the ultimate transmigration. Ultimate transmigration means go back to home, back to Godhead. That should be the actual aim of life. That is first class intelligent. But they do not know. Therefore we are trying to render our humble service to the human society, to give this information, that "You are trying for so many things for becoming happy, but instead of being happy, you are becoming hippie. So please take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and actually you will be happy." That is our mission. That is our mission. Therefore the Bhāgavata says to this hu..., civilized human being, those who have got some religious principle, church, religious institution, that "You are executing your religious principles very nicely, that's all right. But if you do not develop the propensity for hearing about God..."
Now, within that seed, all these arrangements of the veins, nerves and fibers and muscles and everything was there. You cannot explain how these veins are working. Little discrepancy of the working of the vein, I suffer on my finger for so many days. What is that? There was no regular supply of the energy. The, there was some disturbance in the holes of the veins and nerves. This is the medical science. But as soon as it is cured, the supply is there. Just like when the pipe is jammed, the water does not go and it creates disturbance. Similarly, everything is going on nicely in a machine. And Kṛṣṇa knows everything. Anvaya-vyatirekābhyām. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). I do not know how the nerves in my finger became disturbed and how it has become diseased and how it became cured. And now it is all right. I do not know, although I claim, "This is my hand, this is my leg." But I do not know. Therefore it is not my leg, not my hand.
Therefore snake is always horrible. Just like the other day you found out one snake in the brahmacārī's house. So Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says, "Yes, snake is very fierce and horrible. But if you know that the snake has no poison, his poison teeth has been broken..." Snake has also use for human being. There are expert snake charmer who take the snake and take out the poisonous teeth, and that poison is used for so many medicinal purpose. So poison is also used for human benefit if one knows.
So Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he said, these indriyas, the senses, are just like snakes. Our senses are acting just like snakes. It is, as soon as it touches, there is some danger. Sense gratification means you are creating some danger, some future danger. That's all. We should always remember. All our troubles and miseries are due to sense gratification. They are always troublesome. The yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyama. Yoga means controlling the senses. That is the first principle.
So these two classes of men... Mostly people are infected with these two kinds of modes of material nature. Rajas-tamas. The whole world. At the present moment, especially, mostly ignorance, and some of them are passionate. That passionate tendency is engaging them for so many industries and very, very strong work, ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means very strong...? What is, should be the English word? Ugra... Ugra, just like chili, pungent. There are many things. They are very strong in taste. So ugra-karma, these... Just like they are building hundred-and-fifty-story building. People can live comfortably in a small cottage or one-storied house or little more. But no, they're increasing. Their passionate activities are increasing. Just like in your country, in New York, now there is hundred-and-four-storied building, or more than that. Some building?
Otherwise, how He can be God? God is not partial, that He is merciful upon me and not merciful upon you. God cannot be like that. Just like a state, government. Government is equal to everyone, all citizens. But why somebody is going to the university to take his M.A. degree, and why one is going to the prison house to be imprisoned and suffering for so many years and...? It is not the government's partiality, that somebody go to the prison house and somebody will go to the university and occupy responsible position. No. It is our fault that we do not take opportunity or the facilities offered by the government or Kṛṣṇa. It is our fault. Why there are so many discrepancies and nonequality? Somebody is very rich; somebody is very poor. Somebody is eating stool, and somebody eating nice prasādam, halavā. It is all due to the living entity's karma. Otherwise, God is equal to everyone. Samaṁ carantaṁ sarvatra (SB 1.8.28). God is not partial. Just like nowadays, these rascals, they say, "Why God is unkind to the poor man?" No. God is not unkind to the poor man. The poor man, he has become poor by his karma. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).
Just like people are trying to go to this planet, that planet. So tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also. So they are promised, "If you come to this demigod's planet, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), you will get so much happiness, you will live for so many years, you will have better standard of life, thousand times more than in the... These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.
So the..., this is the aspiration of the karmīs, to elevate life to higher standard of life. As the world is going on... The struggle is going on for having a higher standard of life. But they are becoming implicated. Now, there was bull-drawn cart or horse-drawn carriages. Now they have got nice cars also, but the problem is petrol.
Who can say that "I am not on the threshold of death?" Is there any man in this universe who can say that "I am not on the threshold of death." Can anyone say? Everyone is on the threshold of death. That's a fact. But such questions are made amongst them... Everyone is subject to death, and threshold, on the threshold of death. Nobody can say that "I shall live for so many years." No guarantee. Everyone is on the threshold of death. Any moment, we can die. Therefore it is said,"As sure as death." All other things may be not sure, but death is sure. Therefore, before death, one... Manīṣiṇām, manuṣyeṣu manīṣiṇām. Not ordinary man. Manīṣī. Manīṣī means thoughtful. They question, "What is to be done now, before death comes? Shall I die like cats and dogs, or shall I die like human being?" This is the question. Cats and dogs dying, nobody cares. But a human being dying, there are so many ceremonies, mourning.
Now, the argument is in the previous verse. It is said that we are decreasing our duration of life. The scientists will say, "No, we shall stop it." Taking this argument, Bhāgavata says, "Suppose you stop death ..." It cannot be.
Suppose you increase the duration span of life to a very extensive way. In reply to that, it is said that "What is the use of living for so many years?" If the life is not properly utilized ... Now, the living for many, many years, so the trees are also living, standing in one place, living for many years. In San Francisco we saw. They say that one tree, red tree, very tall, very stout and strong, and they said that this tree is standing there for seven hundreds of years. So what is the benefit? So we can argue that "You cannot compare with tree and us. Because we have got so many facilities." What facilities? That facility ... The tree's life ... That is life, admitting, but it cannot breathe. So immediately the answer is bhastrāḥ kiṁ na śvasanty uta. Bhastrāḥ, bellow ... You have seen big, big bellows in blacksmith shop. That is also made of skin.
The so-called advancement of human civilization has engaged a human being in the work of an ass. The laborers in great factories and workshops are also engaged in such burdensome work, and after working hard during the day, the poor laborer has to be again kicked by the fair sex, not only for sex enjoyment but also for so many household affairs.
So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam's categorization of the common man without any spiritual enlightenment into the society of dogs, hogs, camels and asses is not at all an exaggeration. The leaders of such ignorant masses of people may feel very proud of being adored by such a number of dogs and hogs, but that is not very flattering. The Bhāgavatam openly declares that although a person may be a great leader of such dogs and hogs disguised as men, if he has no taste for being enlightened in the science of Kṛṣṇa, such a leader is also an animal and nothing more.
Prabhupāda: Do you think that you are not taxed? Why should you not be taxed for the proper gain? You are being taxed for so many nonsense things. Why not be taxed for the proper thing? That is intelligence.
Guest (2): What is the importance of health in life, and how does Guruji advise people to maintain health, and how does it connect to your mission?
Prabhupāda: What is health? First of all you have to understand that however healthy you may be, you must die. What problem you have solved? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9), Kṛṣṇa says. It is not my manufacture. However you may try to remain very healthy, nature's law is that you must die. How you can help yourself? After all, you have to meet death.
This is real contraceptive method. Not to beget child like cats and dogs. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. So Bhāgavata says, "One should not become father, one should not become mother, one should not become relative, one should not become king, one should not become guru, if they cannot save their dependants from this cycle of birth and death." This is the meaning of this verse. Anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayam, varākāṇām ātmābhimāninām. So after wandering through these so many species of life and so dangerous... There are two million species of plant life, tree's life. Just see. You have to stand for so many years. A great opportunity, this human form of life. Don't waste. Don't become dogs and hogs and asses and camels. Become devotee. Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Make your life successful. Thank you. (end)
That's all right. So, virūḍhāṁ mamatām. Virūḍhām. Just like you have seen some big trees, standing for so many, many years. The root is firmly captured. You have seen, experienced. The business is to stand up for 10,000 years, but the root is capturing the earth like anything, strong. This is called virūḍhām, attraction. Suppose when you have got sense, improved consciousness, human being, if one asks you to stand up here for one hour, it will be so troublesome. And even if you are forced to stand up for one hour, you'll feel so much uncomfortable. But this tree, because it has not developed consciousness, it is standing up for 10,000's of years, and in open atmosphere, tolerating all kinds of excessive heat, rain, snowfall. But still, it is capturing. This is the difference between developed consciousness and undeveloped consciousness. A tree has also consciousness. Modern science, they have proved, they have got consciousness. Very much covered, almost dead.
So we must know that we are conditioned. So this is conditioned life. How you can improve conditioned life? Therefore our business is how to become liberated from all this condition. And that can be done only by sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam. If you...You have got so many attachment for so many things. If you turn all this attachment to a sādhu... Sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarva-śāstre kaya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised, sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarva-śāstre kaya. In all the śāstras they advise that to associate with the sādhu. Tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. Even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, a great politician... Bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. Asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). One gṛhastha Vaiṣṇava, householder Vaiṣṇava, he asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "What is the duty of a gṛhastha, householder Vaiṣṇava?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in two lines: asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. "Don't associate with nonsense asādhus."
Somehow or other, it is now covered by material attachment. So how to give up this material attachment and become attached to Kṛṣṇa, developing Kṛṣṇa attachment? The process is sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). That is... Sa eva sādhuṣu kṛtaḥ mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam. We have got so many attachment for so many things in the material world, and if you simply... You cannot make it zero; that is not possible. You have to purify. Just like if there is some disease in the eyes, if you simply say, "Pluck it out," that is not treatment. Treatment is: you must remove the disease. If there is cataract, by some way or other, then your eyesight will be revived. Similarly, we have got desires, we have got kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya. These are there. But you have to divert these things for Kṛṣṇa's service. Kāmaḥ kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇe. Just like we have got very much attachment toward doing business, for earning money and become very happy. So Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you can do business. There is no harm. But you give Me the result."
Why? Nothing comes automatically. How it comes automatically? That is rascaldom. It has come through the intelligence of Kṛṣṇa. But His power is so fine and so accurate that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. If you paint one picture of flower, you will have to arrange for so many things. Still, it will not be perfect. And this flower has come so perfectly. Does it mean there was no brain behind it? You nonsense. There is brain. And Kṛṣṇa says that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Don't think prakṛti, nature, is working automatically, no. Under My direction." So one has to eye, one has to develop that eye. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Then one can see how things are going on. That is required, bhaktyā. Bhaktyā pumāñ jāta-virāga aindriyāt. This will be possible.
So if you don't worship Kṛṣṇa during your lifetime, then you have to worship at the time of your death, and He will take away all your possession. Therefore He is worshipable by everyone, devotee and nondevotee. The devotee take advantage of this life and worship Him, and the rascal, fools, demons, they are forced to worship Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. Therefore it is called sarva-loka-namaskṛtam. You have to worship Him. You cannot escape, you rascal. If you escape, then the time will come—He will take you, He'll take everything, all your possession, and the nature will give you the body of a dog. Just go on, barking, for so many years. This is the law of nature. You cannot stop it. It is not possible. You better take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and worship as sane man, as nice gentleman. Then your life is successful.
"My dear King, whatever we are speaking to you, kindly hear it with attention." Āyuḥ-śrī-bala-kīrtīnāṁ tava tāta vivardhanam: "If you kindly hear our advice, then you will live long." A pious man lives long. Impious man dies very soon. Even one who is pure devotee, he can prolong his duration of life more than what is destined for him. Everyone has got a destination that "This person will live for so many years, this person will live for so many years." But a pure devotee as a yogi can increase the duration of his life. Similarly, a pure devotee, although he does not artificially try to increase the duration of life, by God's grace his duration of life is increased. He is... A pure devotee is no longer within the rules and regulation of material nature. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Anyone who engages himself in pure devotional service, avyabhicāreṇa, he is no longer under the rules and regulation of this material nature. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.
When Mādhavendra Purī was in Vṛndāvana, the Gopāla in dream expressed Himself, "Mādhavendra Purī, I am very much suffocated. I am covered by this dirt and jungles. Please re-excavate Me from this condition and install Me in the temple." So Mādhavendra Purī, with the help of villagers, he excavated the earth and found this Gopāla mūrti. And this Gopāla mūrti was installed by the help of the villagers very luxuriantly. For so many days there was festival. That is the way of installing Deity. At least for seven days there must be festival. So after some days, Mādhavendra Purī was informed in dream that "Since I was long within the earth, My body is very much heated. So you kindly bring some sandalwood from Jagannātha Purī and smear all over the body the pulp of sandalwood, then I shall be happy."
And between the two, birth and death, there is old age and disease. Where is that scientist who are trying to solve this problem?
And Kṛṣṇa put this problem before us: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. They are making plans for so many things, but where is that plan to stop janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha? That is not so easy. Therefore they have avoided it. They do not touch this point. They are making arrangement for temporary so-called happiness. That attempt is done even by cats and dogs. That is not successful life. I have several times told you... This is Vedic civilization. When Visvamitra came to see Mahārāja Daśaratha... It is etiquette. Suppose a friend comes, we ask, "How are you, my friend? How things are going on?" So similarly, when Daśaratha Mahārāja inquired Viśvāmitra, "How are you?" that "How are you" was not ordinary question. He inquired, aihiṣṭaṁ yat punar janma jayāya.
A spirit soul, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he is by nature very powerful. We do not know how much spiritual power we have got, but that is being suppressed by the material covering. Just like this fire. This fire, if there are too many ashes, the heat of the fire is not properly felt. But you move the ashes and just fan it, and when it is blazing, then you get the proper heat and you can utilize it for so many purposes. Similarly, we, as spirit soul, we have immense power. And God is the supreme spirit soul, so we cannot imagine how much power God has got. But even we, who are a simply minute particle... Just like... Comparison is just like the fire and the sparks. The fire and the sparks, both of them are fire. The spark even, wherever the spark will fall, immediately it will burn. Similarly, we have got all the qualities in minute quantity of God. God has the creative force; therefore we are also creating so many things. The scientists are creating so many wonderful things. That is wonderful for persons like us, because we do not know how much wonderful one can play. That we do not know.
The beginning was faith, and after anartha-nivṛtti, firm faith, "Yes, I shall continue." Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. How one can be firmly fixed up unless he has got a taste for it? He relishes, "Yes, this chanting and dancing is very nice." That is called relish. Tato niṣṭha tato ruciḥ tathāsaktiḥ. Then he becomes attached. He cannot give it up. Āsaktiḥ. Āsaktiḥ means attachment. Just like we have got attachment for so many things. So these are the stages. Tathāsaktiḥ tato bhāvaḥ. Then ecstasy. And then you come to the platform of loving God. Now we are loving cats and dogs. We shall love God. This is the way.
Well, this is land of religion. It is admitted by other parts of the world. Just see. Columbus was searching after India even for trade, hundred of years... People are coming to India for so many: for knowledge, for philosophy, for trade, for money. Why these Britishers came? They came for money. And now, India being exploited for so many thousands of years and their standard of civilization deteriorated, the condition is now... Still, India's position is unique, still, in this fallen condition. Now people are degraded from their high standard of living, from spiritual point of view, material point of view. And still, they stand, previous social construction, their living condition, their feelings of religion. It is still going on. Climate also.
Prabhupāda: Spiritual body is there already. You simply cover yourself with another material coating. Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet. Your body's there, but you coat your body just suitable to the moon planet. And that dress costs $40,000 or something like that. (laughter) So after spending $40,000 for each man and going for so many years, they have collected little dust. That is their success. So if you want to waste your money in that way, do that. (laughter) Yes?
Indian lady: Is it better to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra loud or is it better hide the mantra? (?)
Prabhupāda: As loud as possible.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari bol!
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian lady: What is one's prescribed duty?
Devotee: What is one's prescribed duty?
Prabhupāda: To surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Very simple thing. "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many lives. Now I surrender unto You. Give me protection." That's all. Very simple thing. Yes?
Guest (4): Your Divine Grace, will you kindly explain the significance of Ratha-yātrā festival?
Prabhupāda: Ratha-yātrā is Kṛṣṇa's festival.
Guest (4): And purpose of it?
Prabhupāda: Purpose to see how Kṛṣṇa is enjoying.
Viṣṇu, about Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana (SB 1.2.17). If you simply hear and chant, then you will be purified. One who is chanting and one who is hearing, both of them will be purified. And gradually, as soon as one is purified, he becomes pious. If you argue that "Somebody is hearing for so many years," so then there is question of offense. Offense, ten kinds of offense, you know. While you are initiated the ten kinds of... So even one is in offense, still, if he continues hearing and chanting, he will be purified. It is so nice thing. This is kevalā bhakti.
But there should not be any motive. That you should be very careful. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), no motive. Bhakti, bhaj-dhātu, simply pure desire, "How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa?" Then he is mukta. Immediately he is liberated. One who has this fixed-up mind, that "How I shall render service to Kṛṣṇa?" and if he tries his best, then he becomes immediately mukta unless he changes his decision. That is... Every time is possible. Even one is mukta, liberated, he can be also fallen down unless he is very strong in his determination. Māyā is always there.
Prabhupāda: That is real knowledge, real perfection, as soon as one comes to this conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is mine, and I am Kṛṣṇa's," simply this understanding. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. So by this consciousness automatically all reaction of sinful life becomes washed. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, totally. How? How it is possible? "He has accumulated sinful reaction of life for so many births, and simply...?" Yes, it is possible. "How?" Now, nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. When there is, what is called? Frost.
Devotee: Fog.
Prabhupāda: Fog, yes. When there is fog, you try so many ways; it cannot go. Then, if somehow or other sun rises, immediately finished. Immediately clear. That is our motto in the Back to Godhead: "Godhead is light and nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead, there is no jurisdiction of darkness."
Just like in the śāstra it is stated that those who want to remain naked, they are punished in the next life to become tree, that "You wanted to be naked. Now you stand naked." The trees, they do not dress; neither they have the opportunity. Nobody goes to dress them. So they stand naked for so many hundreds and thousands of years. This punishment is awaiting. Human being is not supposed to be naked. That is civilization. They must cover. But if one wilfully does not cover, becomes as dull as the tree, then he gets the next body as tree. This is punishment. Otherwise, wherefrom all these living entities are coming? They have no calculation. They are thinking that "I shall remain in this human form of beautiful body and in opulent..." No, changing. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body according to the decision of superior authority, daiva-netreṇa. We should always remember it.
Therefore a human being should be very, very cautious and conscious.
You'll get, by nature's way, you'll get another body according to the desire. According to the mentality you create at the time of death, nature will supply you another body. And as soon as you get another body, your suffering begins. Your suffering immediately begins, even from the womb of the mother. As soon as the body is developed, the suffering is there. To remain in that compact bag and for so many months, hands and legs all tied up, cannot move. And nowadays there is risk of being killed also. There is so much suffering from the beginning of my body in the mother's womb. And then I come out, again suffering, again suffering.
So one should have the sense that so long we shall go on accepting this material body, the sufferings will go on. We simply forget. So this awakening of consciousness is possible simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. It is so simple thing. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then you'll understand. Ceto-darpaṇa.
What is this? This is all defense. So eating, sleeping, defense, or sex life is required, but you have got another prerogative. Consciousness. That is to be changed into, that is to be improved into Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. That is your duty. So unless we are trained up to change our consciousness which we have had in many other animal life Because this is evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni. From 900,000 species of life of aquatics, then trees and plants, then reptiles, worms, then birds, then beasts, then uncivilized men, then we have come to this form of civilized men who are, there is intelligence for production, there is nice brain for so many things. So how it should be utilized? Prahlāda Mahārāja says it should be utilized for understanding God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, it is simply a misuse of life. Thank you very much.
He helped. And the demigods were very pleased with that king, and the demigods liked to give him some benediction, material benediction, that "You have helped us so much; so we want to give you something. What do you want?" So he first of all asked that "How long my duration of life is there?" So they replied, "Oh, your life is not very long. It is for so many hours now." So he immediately took the opportunity and took to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is a very nice example. That means within very short time he realized Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this was heard by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed by a brāhmaṇa that he would die within seven days. So he simply heard this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for seven days very seriously, and he was fully conscious of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he described also the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Mahārāja Parīkṣit for seven days only. He also became fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. So it is a thing which is not material. In material calculation one has to wait.
Political life means greater family life. A family man is interested with his family members, and a political leader is interested with the whole, a group of family. The principle is the same. Ordinary family man, he's looking after three, four members of the family, and a political leader is thinking that he's responsible for so many millions of men. The idea is the same: the extended family. But extended or diminished family, sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ, he's thinking, "I have to do something for them." But when death comes, you are unable to do anything, you have to immediately leave the scene, and according to the laws of nature you'll have to accept a body according to your karma. This is the law of nature.
They said that "We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married." In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He's (She's) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "We'll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry." Then Kṛṣṇa understood that "Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere." Then Kṛṣṇa... He's so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, "What you want?" That... They said that "You accept me. Otherwise we have no other means to stay." Kṛṣṇa immediately: "Yes, come on." This is Kṛṣṇa. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces.
So one should be conversant with all these authoritative scriptures. Without knowing these, if there is an imitation of devotional service, Rūpa Gosvāmī says that is simply disturbance. Simply disturbance. Therefore we see that in India the original principle is Vedic principle, but due to so many reasons, there being no real king or government who can control the citizens, or India being for so many years under the control of foreigners, and at the present moment forgetting their own real culture... Not only India, everywhere the same thing. So they are creating disturbances. Disturbances. Asuric civilization, demonic civilization.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My dear Lord, now the, my father who was atheist and always disturbing... These demigods, they are Your devotees. They are not disturbing elements." Brahmādayo vayam iveśa. Brahmādayo. "All these demigods standing here, headed by Brahmā, they are not like us, like demonic persons like my father and his associates. So You can now be peaceful. Don't show Your anger."
Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅgo 'sya sad-asad janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). These rascals who are not dhīra, they are thinking independent, rascals. Not a single moment you are independent. You are controlled. Even if we are dropping our eyelids, there is regulative principles. Some demigod is controlling. Breathing. Breathing, there is control. You can breathe for so many years, that's all, and live. And when the breathing is finished, then you are not controller. The great scientists, they are begin oxygen gas, injection. Can you increase the period breathing for a moment? No. Controlled. Controlled. You cannot increase your breathing even for a moment. So the yogis, they try to save the breathing. That is yogic process. Samādhi. They practice breathing control so that without breathing they can remain. Recaka, kumbhaka yoga, so they can increase their life. Suppose I shall live for eighty years or hundred years. There is breathing period. If I can save breathing, then I can live more. Just like your bank balance. If you don't spend it, your balance is all right.
This is real contraceptive method, not to beget child like cats and dogs. Sva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. So Bhāgavata says, "One should not become father, one should not become mother, one should not become relative, one should not become king, one should not become guru if they cannot save their dependents from this cycle of birth and death." This is the meaning of this verse. Anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayaṁ varākhānām ātma-vimāninaḥ.
So after wandering through these, so many species of life and so dangerous... There are two millions' species of plant life, trees' life. Just see. You have to stand for so many years. A great opportunity, this human form of life. Don't waste. Don't become dogs and hogs and asses and camels. Becomes devotees. Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Make your life successful.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
If you disregard it, then, if you commit suicide, the result will be that you will not be allowed to accept another material body. You will have to remain in that subtle body. That is ghost. Ghostly life means one who has misused this life, this body, and by his whims he has killed this body. He becomes ghost. That means he will have to suffer for so many day, then he'll get another material body.
Therefore there is śraddhā ceremony. The śraddhā ceremony means, supposing my father or my relative has not got, yet, again gross body, this śraddhā ceremony will help him to get another gross (body). Because without this gross body, the ghostly body is very troublesome, because he wants to enjoy something, but he has no instrument to enjoy. Therefore he creates, the ghost creates trouble. Sometimes captures some body to fulfill his desires, and the man becomes ghostly haunted. There are so many subtle sciences. What do they know, these so-called scientists?
Dhāma is also Kṛṣṇa. If in the dhāma we commit sinful activities, then we are, what is called, suiciding, committing suicide. It is a fact.
You know the story of Yamala-arjuna. So they were given the place in the dhāma, Vṛndāvana-dhāma, as a tree, but they had to waste time for so many hundreds years. Although there is guarantee, anyone who is in dhāma, he'll get the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but not... Why should we waste your time to become a tree or a monkey or a hog or a dog? Don't waste. You should be very careful. Don't commit any offense in the dhāma. Then one life is sufficient to go back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaun... (BG 4.9). If you actually live in Vṛndāvana carefully, without committing any offense and sinful life, then in this life you are going to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. To live in Vṛndāvana means to know Kṛṣṇa—how He appeared there, how He played here, how He executed His pastimes here. Janma karma divyam. These are all celestial, all transcendental. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
The Tapana Miśra invited him, that "Please accept your bhikṣā at my place." It is the system when a sannyāsī, or renounced order of life, is in the village or in the vicinity of a... So it is the Hindu system that somebody will invite. So Tapana Miśra invited him to take, accept prasādam at his place, and Lord Caitanya said that "First of all you get him to a barber and have him cleansed of, of his beard and hairs which has grown for so many days. Let him become a gentleman." The Lord said that "Let him become a gentleman."
So by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu or by the mercy of the servants of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one can be enlightened as to the..., what is the goal of life, why there is struggle for existence, why there is death. I do not want to die; why there is birth? I do not wish to enter into the mother's womb and remain packed-up condition for so many days; I do not want to become old man; but these things are enforced upon me. Therefore our business is..., real business is how to solve these questions, not to arrange for economic development. Economic development, whatever we are destined, we shall get it. Either happiness or distress, we shall get it. Just like we don't try for distress, but it comes. It is enforced upon us. Similarly, the little happiness which you are destined to obtain, that will also come. That is śāstra's advice. Don't waste your time to get artificially some happiness. Whatever you are destined to get happiness, it will come automatically. How it will come? Yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ. The same way. Just like you don't try for distress, but it comes upon you.
Therefore initiation means to accept the mercy of the sādhu and spiritual master. If you don't accept, so there is no other way. If you think... If you cry that "I am fallen in the pit. Please take me," and when somebody comes to help you, you say, "No, I'll not catch it," then you remain there. Who'll help you?
So because I am a living entity, I try for so many things, for my daily bread, and I don't try to catch the mercy of sādhu and śāstra. Just see my foolishness. I, for getting a work, I flatter so many persons and put my, serving my application, but for my deliverance from the material bondage I don't care. "No, I am not going to submit to anyone. I don't require." Just see. How much foolishness there is. Just like a dog, for his bread he'll submit everyone, but for his spiritual emancipation, oh, he's not agreeing to submit. Just see the foolishness. For bread, which is already settled by the nature, he'll submit to everyone. Just like dog goes from door to door and moves its tail that "Give me a bread. Give me a bread." Yes.
So all right, I am calling them all." So Kṛṣṇa called all the Brahmās, and by His māyā, Brahmā could see them, but they could not see this four-headed Brahmā, and each of them came and offered obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, and they asked, "My Lord, what can I do for You? You have asked me?" "Yes. I have not seen you for so many times, so many days, so I have called you." So they came, thousands and millions of Brahmās came, and offered obeisances, and they went away. And this Brahmā, four-headed Brahmā, remained in the corner, "Oh, what is I am?" So this is Kṛṣṇa's creation.
So here it is stated that yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). "Only just abiding by the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu"—there are millions of Brahmās—"they are living." And each Brahmā's period... That you have read in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). The Brahmā's one day means 4,300,000's times 1000. That is Brahmā's twelve hours.
So many, there are different... But they are simply steps. They are not themselves final. One who is unable to engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for them these different steps are prescribed, not for the person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because if he... If one does not engage himself in the service of Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he may not like for so many reasons: for social reason, for political reason, for religious reason, for many other reasons. Although we find that it is very nice process, but still, there are some impediments which restrict us not to follow this principle. Now, one who cannot follow this principle, for them these different process are prescribed so that some day in the future he can have this opportunity of becoming a servant of Kṛṣṇa. Because that is the final goal.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
You see? This is called māyā. And as soon as you get into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Kṛṣṇa takes care of you. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa, as soon as you surrender, Kṛṣṇa's immediate word is, "I take care of you. I save you from all, from all sinful reaction." There are heaps of sinful reaction in our life, for so many life after life in this material world. And as soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately Kṛṣṇa takes care of you and He manages how to adjust all the sinful reactions. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mā śucaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't hesitate." If you think that "Oh, I have committed so many sinful activities. How Kṛṣṇa will save me?" No. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. He can save you. Your business is to surrender unto Him, and without any reservation dedicate your life for His service, and thus you'll become saved.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Therefore there are so many persons, they are trying to interpret Bhagavad-gītā by their so-called scholarship, but nobody cares for them. They cannot turn even one person, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is a challenge. In your Bombay there are so many persons, they are explaining Bhagavad-gītā for so many years, but they could not turn even a single person a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is our challenge. But this Bhagavad-gītā, now it is being explained as it is, and thousands and thousands of Europeans and Americans, whose forefathers or family never knew the name of Kṛṣṇa, they are becoming devotees. This is the secret of success. But these foolish people, they do not know. They think that by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā by their so-called rascaldom knowledge, they can reveal Bhagavad-gītā. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to these foolish and rascals. Kṛṣṇa is never exposed. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya (BG 7.25).
Arrival Addresses and Talks
We don't say that you starve or become weak in health or weak in intelligence. No. You remain quite fit in intelligence and health, but don't be unnecessarily in need. The difficulty of the modern educated person is... Not educated, but so-called educated, they are attracted in the city for so many things unnecessary. Just like the club, the restaurant, the liquor and the cigarette, so many things. But if your attention is diverted to Kṛṣṇa, you will not feel inclined to enjoy all these unnecessary things. That is the test of spiritual life, that bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, advancement of devotional life, means no more taste for all these nonsense. That is the test.
Initiation Lectures
The Vedic literature informs that labdhvā sudurlabham idam (SB 11.9.29). Idam means "this." "This" means this body, this opportunity, human form of life, developed consciousness, full facility. The animals, they have no facility. They are living in the jungles. But we can utilize these jungles, these forests, for so many comfortable situation. So we have got developed consciousness, intelligence. We can utilize. So it is called arthadam. Artha. There are two meanings of artha. Artha-śāstra. Artha-śāstra means economics, how to increase wealth. That is called artha. So arthadam. This human form of life can bestow upon you artha. Artha means something substantial. Generally we understand substantial means money. If somebody gets money, that is substantial for material comforts, of course, but real substantial thing is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real substance, arthadam.
Avacintya means beyond our conception. Even though you are able to go in high speed, and for so many years, still Kṛṣṇa remains avacintya-tattva. Nobody can find out where is Kṛṣṇa's abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore, the Māyāvādīs, in desperate frustration, they say that Kṛṣṇa is impersonal, because they want to approach Kṛṣṇa by mundane activities, by mental exercise, mental gymnastic. Kṛṣṇa is not available in that way. Kṛṣṇa is available only to His devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the property of His devotee.
The same thing Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in a different way, asat-saṅga-tyāgī, not to associate with nondevotees. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. So in future we shall be very careful, all the devotees, not to talk with rascals, nondevotees. It will be impure, it will have poisonous effect, and that will kill Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I do not know how this man was allowed to stay here for so many months. Nobody could detect that here is a serpent?
So you should be very careful in future. That is very easy to understand, who is a serpent. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, because one may inquire, "Who is asat? How can I understand?" asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta. Asat means who is attached to, very much attached to woman. You see that man, he was posing himself as yogi, and he is living with one woman. It was God's grace that he came with that woman so that he disclosed himself. By Kṛṣṇa's grace. Asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta.
So this yoga system is very simple and the sublime. You have to simply engage your mind only on Kṛṣṇa, on the form of Kṛṣṇa, meditation. Simply you think of Kṛṣṇa. And how? Āsakta, āsakti, with attachment. Just like if you love somebody, you want to see him, and attachment is so strong that without seeing him, you become restless. That is called āsakti. Āsakti. We have got āsakti, attachment, for so many material things. So we need not explain what is meant by āsakti or attachment. So different people have different attachments, but attachment is there. Somebody may be attached to a dog, and somebody may be attached to God, but the attachment is there. Rūpa Gosvāmī has explained this attachment, very simple. He says, "My dear Lord, as a young man awakens his attachment immediately by seeing a young girl, or a young girl increases her attachment immediately seeing a young boy..." This is natural. Nobody wants to learn in the university how to love a young man or young girl. That is natural. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "When my attachment unto You will becomes such naturally and simultaneous?"
Wedding Ceremonies
The medical science also says all the energy is coming from the heart. The heart stops to work, that means man is dead. So the soul and the Supersoul both are sitting in the heart. We get this information from Vedic literature. So as soon as we begin hearing about the Supersoul or the Supreme Lord, then the contamination which are accumulated on the covering of our heart for so many years of our past work, by simply hearing, by electrifying or by lighting, it becomes clear. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). To hear about God is itself a pious activity. Even if we do not understand, simply if we hear this chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma..., one becomes gradually a pious man. Apart from any other realization, he becomes a pious man. In this way, as soon as we hear about God, we become cleansed of all material contamination. Then our three modes of material nature, namely we are... This world is moving under three modes: the modes of goodness, the modes of passion and the modes of ignorance.
General Lectures
So if we keep ourself within some limit, then it will be not possible to understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha... These are verses... Bhāgavata verses can be explained for so many days. They are so important. Yes. Another verse is, why they are keeping themself within the limit of this sense gratificatory platform? That is answered in Bhāgavata: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). This is very important. These foolish persons, they do not know what is the ultimate goal of their life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that their self-interest... Everyone is self-interest(ed). Everyone is eager to look after his self-interest, but they do not know what is the self-interest.
"You, the individual soul, he's the proprietor of this body." Or not exactly proprietor, but leaseholder. You cannot say you are proprietor, because as soon as you'll be asked, "Vacate," oh, you have to vacate. But you can say "leaseholder." Actually, it is leaseholder. We are, we are holding this body on certain lease term, for so many years. As soon as the lease period is over, "Vacate, please vacate." "Oh, I have got so much attraction for this body. How can I vacate?" Oh, there is no argument. "Please get out, immediately." "Oh, I am President of USA." "Oh, never mind. Immediately." (laughter) Yes, immediately. So don't you see? So what is use of becoming President? If I am so much under the laws of nature, under the order of Supreme, that immediately, I am going in procession very nice, and then, oh, there is shot and finished everything...
You can try to get rid of, out of the clutches of māyā in different ways, but it is very, very strong. It is not so easy to get out of the clutches of māyā. But immediately He says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti: simply by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa. What is that surrendering? "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many births, from time immemorial. Now I surrender unto You. Please accept." This simple method. This simple method will make you liberated if you do it sincerely, without any, I mean to say, reservation. That we are teaching. Simply kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). And you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be perfect. Your life will be perfect. That is injunction of all śāstras, and especially Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead teaching personally. Why do you say "There is no God. What is God?" I was surprised. When I was speaking in the Berkeley University, one Indian girl asked me, "Swamijī, what is God?" You see?
We do not know when we have begun this conditioned life in this material world. You cannot trace. That is impossible, because this life is not only in this creation, but it is coming from another creation. Suṣupti. Now the creation is going on since the birth of Lord Brahmā, and it will continue for so many millions of years. Again it will be annihilated. As you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This creation takes place exactly like your body, my body. The creation of this body takes place at a certain date. That is the beginning of history. But time is immemorial, I mean to say, eternal. It is all relative truth. The history is relative. Just like my life begins, this body begins somewhere in 1896—something like that—and it ends somewhere. That time limit is relative to my body. Similarly, there is Brahmā's body. That relative time is long, long duration. As you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahmā's life is described by Kṛṣṇa, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17).
So we are seeing that if flower is coming out automatically... There is no such thing automatically. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy which is working there. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy. And if the energies are so perfect that we see that it is working automatically, that is because our energy is so limited. If I want to paint one nice flower, I have to arrange for so many things. I have to arrange for the colors, I have to arrange for the brush. I must have the requisite knowledge how to paint it. I have to devote some time for learning how to paint, then actually paint. So many things required. But Kṛṣṇa's energies are so perfect that it appears, svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Flowers automatically. That we have to study. And when you concentrate in that study with bhāva, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa, how He is working, how He is the original source of everything. That requires little brain.
"You rascal, you are trying to be happy by your material plan. You will never be happy. Don't be fooled. You have been befooled so many lifetimes. Now just make an experiment in this life. Take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and see whether you are becoming happy or not. Why not make...?" This is our method. That's all. It is very simple thing. You have tasted your life for so many years. Now why not taste this also? In this way, peacefully we have to execute our devotional service. And the more you do, more you become strong, more Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you.
So our business is very nice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are happy. We are para-upakārī. We are doing good to others. That is puṇya-karma, pious activities. So keep yourself in this attitude. Never mind where you are situated. We are not concerned with a particular place or country or society. We are concerned with Kṛṣṇa. And everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, wherever we go. We are here. We are not in Japan. We are in Vaikuṇṭha, this temple. We are in Vaikuṇṭha.
So that education will be complete if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is being taught in the Seventh Chapter by Kṛṣṇa Himself. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha: "You have to become always absorbed or attached on Me," on Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta. Āsakta means attachment. We have got attachment for so many things. We have got attachment for our family, for our country, for our society, for our business, for our cats, for our dogs, so many things. But we have no attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is lacking. Therefore life is imperfect. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
Nowadays we have imitated so many other birthday ceremonies, but in the śāstra it is enjoined the birthday ceremony of the advent of God should be observed. The birthday ceremony of God is called jayantī. That is special constellation of the stars. But now the jayantī has been used for so many rascals and fools. This is not śāstric. So because Kṛṣṇa's janma and ordinary man's janma is not the same thing, therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam means transcendental, not material. Not material. It is spiritual or transcendental, divyam. Janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Still you have to learn it in truth.
So if you learn this science, simply to understand why Kṛṣṇa advents, why Kṛṣṇa takes part in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra or other activities just like a human being... Why? If you try to understand this fact... That can be known. They are all mentioned in the śāstra. The sādhus, they know; the guru, he knows.
Similarly, we are marginal energy, or we can remain open also, in spiritual energy. So this process of, I mean to say, converting the material energy to spiritual energy is called bhakti-yoga. Just like this microphone. When it is used for some material purpose... Just like I am speaking. But sometimes the politicians or other parties or so many things—this microphone can be utilized for so many purposes. And it can be utilized also, God's purposes. I am speaking through this microphone about the message of God. So when it is utilized for God's purposes it is spiritual. And when it is utilized for our material purposes or sense gratification, this is material. Just like electricity. Electricity is one energy. It can be utilized for heating purpose and cooling purpose. Similarly, God's energy is one, but when it is utilized for sense gratification, that is called material energy, and when it is used for service of God, then it is called spiritual energy. So to transfer ourself from material energy to spiritual energy is to begin service of God. Anything engaged in the service of God, that is spiritual.
In this age, Kali-yuga, we are living not very long time. In Kali-yuga, the duration of life will be reduced so much, gradually, that if a person lives for twenty to thirty years, he'll be considered a grand old man. That day is coming. Now we have got practical experience. Our grandfather or father lived for so many years, but we are not living for so many years. Our sons will not live so many years. In this way the duration of life, the memory, the mercifulness, the bodily strength—everything will be reduced. This is already foretold in the śāstras. So therefore in this age we are all short-living, mandāḥ, very slow or bad, and sumanda-matayo. Everyone has got a obnoxious opinion about philosophy, about the goal of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo, and manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate also. The description, if we try to describe, it will take long time. The short-cut description is there: mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. At the same time, disturbed always. This material world means always disturbed condition, but in this age, Kali-yuga, the disturbance is more and more.
If you are lacking in that, that you have not..., instead of developing your dormant love of God, you are developing your love for so many other things...
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta that just like when you seed some plants, there are..., some other plants also grow. So the gardener takes out the unnecessary plants in order to give impetus to the real plant to grow. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, following the principle that dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19), that dharma means, religion means, the law enacted by the Lord... This is the law, that "You surrender unto Me." Kṛṣṇa says. Now, if you say that Kṛṣṇa is Indian God or Hindu God, oh, Kṛṣṇa, of course, does not say like that. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: (BG 14.4) "In any form of life, all the living entities..." It doesn't matter, even a human being or in the animal kingdom or lower than human beings, lower than animals, birds, beast, reptiles, aquatics. There are 8,400,000 species of life. Kṛṣṇa claims, sarva-yonisu: "All species of life, they are My sons." Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: "I am their father, supreme father."
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He's using the sense of free will in two senses. Just like I would drive down the right side of the road because I know that it's the law. So I want to obey the law. And then the other sense would be I want to drive down the right side of the street in order not to harm anyone and for so many other reasons, a higher type of use of free will. One is automatic, one is more thoughtful.
Prabhupāda: So automatic cooperation is bhakti, and forced cooperation is karma. That is the... It looks the same thing. Karmīs and the bhaktas are working... Just like we are working in the same way. Karmī is typing and a bhakta is typing. It looks the same thing, but karmī is typing under force. His master has ordered, "You work it; otherwise you won't get salary." And a bhakta is typing for pleasing Kṛṣṇa and for glorifying Kṛṣṇa. So the typing looks the same, but the bhakta's typing and a karmī's typing different.
| Page Title: | For so many... (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 12 of Sep, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=93, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 93 |