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It is not necessary that one has to learn Sanskrit. He can be made good provided he fully surrenders to Krsna

Expressions researched:
"it is not necessary that one has to learn Sanskrit. He can be made good provided he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

If one's mind is not fixed up, you learn Sanskrit or no Sanskrit, it will . . . (break) To make a good man, it is not necessary that one has to learn Sanskrit. He can be made good provided he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Anyone can respectable. That is already described. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32). Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Everyone can be, śudhyanti, they can be purified. But if you take the real process, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. Otherwise, simply by learning Sanskrit, what will be able . . .? There are so many big, big Sanskrit scholars in India. They are loitering in the street. Huh? What is it? You have met so many scholars. What is their position? That Prabhākāra you know? He was my first student.

Pradyumna: Ah, Prabhākāra. Hmm, hmm.

Prabhupāda: He's a big Sanskrit scholar. But what is his position? He got big, big position also, but he could not stay. If one's mind is not fixed up, you learn Sanskrit or no Sanskrit, it will . . . (break) To make a good man, it is not necessary that one has to learn Sanskrit. He can be made good provided he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana (SB 5.18.12). If one has got unflinching faith and devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: all good qualities will develop automatically. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad guṇā. If he's not a devotee, he will hover over the mental concoction. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Then he'll remain in the material platform, never mind he's a Sanskrit scholar or this or that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Would you like to hear another question, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "It is said that while the śrutis embody the eternal truths of Hinduism, the smṛtis, which embody the rules of conduct, need to be revised according to the dictates of the changing times."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Will such a stand be acceptable to all sections of Hindus, and if so, how can the new smṛtis come into being, and who will give them sanction and sanctity?"

Prabhupāda: The authority will give. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is giving authority. The śāstra is giving authority. But in this age, Kali-yuga, it is full of faults, the ocean of faults. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving direction,

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(SB 12.3.51)

So although in this age there are so many faults, it is like the ocean of fault, but still there is one very great advantage, that simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one becomes purified. So this smṛti injunction we should take up, and actually we see all over the world how it is purifying all section of people. So take this, then śruti smṛti . . . Ah . . .

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Purāṇadi?

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything will be fulfilled. The easiest method: kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51).

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So the śrutis are eternally . . .

Prabhupāda: Śruti . . . It is based on śruti. Śabdad anavrtti, in the Vedānta-sūtra. Simply by chanting, śabdat, brahma, śabda brahma. Śabdad anavṛtti, in the Vedānta-sūtra. By chanting the holy name of Lord, one can become liberated.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The smṛtis are based on the śrutis?

Prabhupāda: Yes, smṛti . . . Bhagavad-gītā is considered smṛti. So Bhagavad-gītā also says, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Śruti-smṛti-purāṇadi (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu1.2.101). Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). And it is practiced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). Kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So these are the evidences. So introduce this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Everyone will be purified.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is smṛti more than just rules of conduct?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Smṛti means . . . The Vedas are considered as, taken as śruti. But simply by hearing, one cannot understand. Therefore smṛtis, they are explained. Purayati iti purāṇa. Complete. The Vedic mantra is not always understood. Just like the Vedānta mantra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is very shortcut. But Bhāgavata explains, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. Explanation. The smṛti is explanation. So either you take śruti or smṛti, subject matter is the same. But these are the evidences. Śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pāñcarātriki-vidhiṁ vinā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu1.2.101). You cannot be purified or become actually God conscious without reference to the śruti-smṛti. We are pushing on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is not whimsically. It is based on śruti-smṛti, pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Therefore it is becoming effective.

Page Title:It is not necessary that one has to learn Sanskrit. He can be made good provided he fully surrenders to Krsna
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-12-30, 08:07:48
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1