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Mastership

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

In the material world, no one wants to be a servant; everyone wants to become the master because false mastership is the basic disease of the conditioned soul.
SB 3.6.33, Purport: It is clearly said here that the principle of service was generated from the legs of the Lord for the sake of perfecting the religious process, but this transcendental service is different from the idea of service in the material world. In the material world, no one wants to be a servant; everyone wants to become the master because false mastership is the basic disease of the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul in the material world wants to lord it over others. Illusioned by the external energy of the Lord, he is forced to become a servant of the material world. That is the real position of the conditioned soul. The last snare of the illusory, external energy is the conception of becoming one with the Lord, and due to this conception the illusioned soul remains in the bondage of material energy, falsely thinking himself a liberated soul and "as good as Nārāyaṇa."

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So our mastership in this material world is like that. Actually, we are servant, but we are thinking master.
Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969: Just like in your country the President Johnson was the master. Actually, he was not the master; he was the servant of the country. Now the country has dismissed him. He is no longer master. So our mastership in this material world is like that. Actually, we are servant, but we are thinking master. In a family, I am servant of my wife, I am servant of my children, I am servant of my servants, but I am thinking I am master. "I am master of this family. I am master of this country. I am master of this society." Nobody is master.
When you actually come to the sense of your knowledge, then you come to this conclusion that "What I am? What is my mastership? I am simply serving the senses.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974: When you actually come to the sense of your knowledge, then you come to this conclusion that "What I am? What is my mastership? I am simply serving the senses, different senses." Even in the outward... [break] ...what is the taste of that knowledge. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: [Bg. 7.19] "After many, many births, spoiling the life and spoiling the time by satisfying the senses..." Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. So long you will go on satisfying these senses, either your senses—that is centralized senses—or expanded senses, the senses of your family, senses of your society, senses of your country, nationality, these are all sense gratification process, simply extending. It begins centralized, my senses, then my son's senses, then my grandson's senses, then my country's senses, then... It is sense gratification, that's all. There is no other business.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition.
Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974: Just like when you are under the influence of some contaminated disease, at that time, that disease infection is kartā. You are not kartā. That is our practical experience. When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition. Similarly, we spirit soul, although we are better in quality than the material element... That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtām: "The jīva, living entities, they are better quality than the material elements." But still, on account of his viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ, forgetting God—we are leading a different type of civilization or different type of life—therefore we have been subjected to the influence of time. This is Kṛṣṇa's, or God's, influence.
"My dear friend, please once chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," that is your duty finished. He may accept or not accept—that doesn't matter. You have finished your spiritual mastership.
Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967: Hare Kṛṣṇa has so much potency that one day you can catch the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your grip. It is got so potency, so much. But he will say, "Oh, what is this nonsense, Hare Kṛṣṇa? You chant. I don't like it." But it is your duty. He may take it or not take it. If you ask somebody, "My dear friend, please once chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," that is your duty finished. He may accept or not accept—that doesn't matter. You have finished your spiritual mastership. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' sarva deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Yāre dekha tāre kaha... There is no question of who he is, what he is, where he is born, whether he is civilized, uncivilized, capitalist, communist or this or that, Indian, American, African. Never mind. Whatever he is, simply request him, "Oh, please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Do yourself, chanting, and this will make you advanced, and the friend you meet, oh, he'll someday, because the, if he takes Even if he does not say, if he simply understands that "Here is something," and says, "Yes, it is very nice. It is very nice," then also, he gets the result.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Simply by this process, by surrendering: "Kṛṣṇa, I, I was mistaken. I got..., forgot your mastership; You are my eternal Lord.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972: These four kinds of stages of sinful activities, in stock, almost fructified, manifest, all the stages of sinful activities can be immediately nullified. Because it is assured by Kṛṣṇa, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. It is not imagination. If we believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no question of denying this fact. Kṛṣṇa personally says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa... Sarva-pāpebhyo [Bg. 18.66]. The kūṭa-stha, phalonmukha, prārabdha, everything, it become immediately nullified, simply by this process, by surrendering: "Kṛṣṇa, I, I was mistaken. I got..., forgot your mastership; You are my eternal Lord. So I was bewildered. I was wandering. Now I have come to my senses. I surrender unto You sincerely. You accept me." This very thing will give you immediately protection from all sinful activities.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Under certain condition we become master, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is master without any condition.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974: Just like Arjuna was fighting, kṣatriya. His business was to fight. Why he was fighting the battle of Kurukṣetra? To become master of the kingdom. But he remained eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is success. Don't be satisfied simply I become master of your material position. At the same time, you try to become the servant of the supreme; then you are successful. Relative. Our mastership is relative. Under certain condition we become master, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is master without any condition. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa prema pradāya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. Because He's master He can distribute kṛṣṇa prema very easily. Otherwise, kṛṣṇa prema... Not only kṛṣṇa prema; one cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa.
Where is my mastership?
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975: He does not come to the sense that "Where I am master? I am servant of the dictation of māyā, the rules and regulation of material nature. Where is my mastership?" This intelligence does not come. He is thinking still he is master, he can control the nature, he can control everything, he is God, he is this, he is that. That is the misconception. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the very beginning of His instruction He is saying to Sanātana Gosvāmī that "You inquired from him what is your position," ke āmi, " 'What I am?' You are servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is the first impression.

General Lectures

Our ideal spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968: Woman: What then is a master?

Prabhupāda: Master means who is master of the science. That's all. He must know everything of spiritual life. That is master.

Woman: Are there not many planes in mastership?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Upendra: "Are there not many planes in mastership?"

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is. But you have to accept the standard platform by your advancement. Just like somebody accepts somebody as master, that is according to his own mentality. And somebody accepts somebody else as master, that is his mentality. But the highest, according to Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master. Because all the ācāryas, all the spiritual masters of Vedic perfection, just like in the recent years Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme spiritual master. All of them. Even Śaṅkarācārya, he's impersonalist, still he has accepted Kṛṣṇa. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. He says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. That is mentioned in his commentary of Bhagavad-gītā. And what to speak of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they accept. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. If you want to become a spiritual master, then try to disseminate the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So that is our, so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our ideal spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa.
If every one of us, we become reinstated in the transcendental platform of loving Kṛṣṇa, then our aspiration of mastership will be fulfilled.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968: The adjustment is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if you become servant of Kṛṣṇa, then your aspiration to become master, at the same time your aspiration of freedom, is immediately achieved. Just like here you'll see one picture of Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Arjuna is a living entity, living being, a human being, but he is in love with Kṛṣṇa as friend. And in exchange of his friendly love, Kṛṣṇa has become his driver, his servant. Similarly, if every one of us, we become reinstated in the transcendental platform of loving Kṛṣṇa, then our aspiration of mastership will be fulfilled. That is not known at present, but if we agree to serve Kṛṣṇa, then gradually we'll see that Kṛṣṇa is serving you. That is a question of realization. But if we want to get out of this service of this material world, of the senses, then we must transfer our service attitude to Kṛṣṇa. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

As soon as one has his mastership on the grammar, he can study all other books.
Morning Walk -- March 25, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...one has to study grammar for twelve years.

Dr. Patel: How much?

Prabhupāda: Twelve years.

Dr. Patel: Twelve years.

Prabhupāda: And as soon as one has his mastership on the grammar, he can study all other books.

Dr. Patel: No, he can be a poet then. The Sanskrit language is poetic in a way.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, yes.

Dr. Patel: So if you study grammar properly, and then you can, you can just compose poetry. [break]

Prabhupāda: Therefore Lord Brahmā is called Ādi-kavi. Ādi-kavi. Yes.

Dr. Patel: Sanskrit is poetic. You can just compose poetry.

Prabhupāda: Whole Sanskrit language in poetry. Bhagavad-gītā is in poetry. Bhāgavata in poetry. Mahābhārata in poetry.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Because the mentality to remain master is continuing, even they are in the Brahman, merge into the Brahman, the mastership mentality is there; therefore he falls down again.
Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: Even one is in this spiritual knowledge that "I am spirit soul," still he's trying to become master. That is Māyāvāda. They have understood that "I am not this body, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but I am the supreme Brahman." The same disease is there—master. Therefore they are condemned, arūhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam tataḥ [SB 10.2.32]. Because the mentality to remain master is continuing, even they are in the Brahman, merge into the Brahman, the mastership mentality is there; therefore he falls down again. Because mastership exhibition can be done in this material world. So many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they give up, "This world is false," and they merge, so-called merge, but the mastership mentality is there. But in the void, simply spiritual light, he cannot do any mastership; therefore again falls down in this false world, and he wants to be by becoming a leader of hospital, and school, college, a Christian missionary. And our Vivekananda also imitated that. So this, this is the material disease. He is actually servant, but he wants to become master. That is the defect. So he has to give up this mentality, mastership, then he'll be making real progress. Sarāopadhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, that "I am not master, I am servant." When he's fixed up on this platform, then he's liberated. Or in other words, when he feels pleasure, transcendental pleasure, remaining the servant, that is liberation. But as soon as he continues the mentality that "I want to be master," then he's in the māyā. That mentality he has to give up. Or he has to understand that "I'm not master; I am servant." That is liberation.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Mastership mentality is there in Brahma, and the mastership mentality is there in the worm of the stool.
Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Even in the stool, the worms in the stool, he's also thinking "I have got so much stool to eat." This same mastership. "I am the monarch of all I survey. I have got so much stool." And you just take the worm from the stool, put it here: "No, no, no, here is my enjoyment." This mastership mentality is there in Brahma, and the mastership mentality is there in the worm of the stool. This mentality you have to give up. Then you become liberated. That is liberation. The bondage is that mastership mentality. He's servant, but he's thinking falsely that he's master. Just like your President Nixon. He thought that "Now I have become master of America, I'm president." He forgot that he's servant. As soon as the people wanted, dragged him down. That he forgot, that "I'm servant of the people." So everyone is servant, but falsely thinking "I'm master." That is material disease. The best thing is that if I have to remain servant, why not become servant of Kṛṣṇa? That's all. That is perfection. That is perfect life. Even by becoming a false master of the whole American country, I was not happy, I am now dragged down as a common man, Mr. Nixon, then what is the use of becoming master? It is all false. Let me become servant of Kṛṣṇa; then it is perfect. Instead of becoming a false master of the American country, let me be a real servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is liberty, liberated. Because any stage of my life, to become master is false. That is not possible. He has to be convinced that he cannot be master. Your constitution is to remain servant. If you prefer to remain servant of a big populace in America... But you are servant; don't think you are master. That is sane. And soon as you commit mistake as master, immediately he's in trouble. Is it not? That's it. You give up this false notion that "I am master." Then your all welfare is there. We teach that ask a Godbrother, "Prabhu." Don't become master, but become servant. Prabhu means "my lord." So everyone, if you address each other "prabhu," that mastership mentality will be less. If you remember that "I am not master. I am servant." Then?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "How he is put into such different bodies is explained here. It is due to association with the different modes of nature. One has to..."

Prabhupāda: Just like to eat anything and everything. It is different association. You go to the restaurant, you eat the intestine of pig. I've seen it. Is that anything eatable? But you have learned it on account of association. Karaṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgos 'sya. And if he remains with the Kṛṣṇa conscious, he eats kachorīs, samosā, prepared by Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja. (laughter) It is due to association. By bad association he'll have to eat up to the stool. Then?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "One has to rise therefore above the three material modes and become situated in the transcendental position. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his material consciousness will oblige him to transfer from one body to another because he has material desire since time immemorial, but he has to change that conception."

Prabhupāda: That is material desire, how to become master. From different types, he's trying to become master. Just like in the morning the dogs are barking. He's also master, thinking "Why you are coming here?" Whatever little power he's got, he's asserting his mastership: "Don't come here." The same mentality.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Mastership competition is going on life after life, sometimes as human being, sometimes as animal, sometimes as fish, aquatic, sometimes as demigod, bird.
Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm): Prabhupāda: This mastership competition is going on life after life, sometimes as human being, sometimes as animal, sometimes as fish, aquatic, sometimes as demigod, bird. This is the whole material situation. And the difficulty is that we cannot become master, but on account of our false ambition that "I shall become master," we are becoming servants of material nature. We are acting in a certain way to become master, creating a situation, mentality, and at the time of death, when this body finishes, the mind absorbed in that mastership idea takes me to another body according to my ambition, so I become again manifest in different body to exhibit my mastership. Another chapter begins. So they do not know how these subtle laws of material nature is working to give us opportunity to become master according to our idea, false idea. And we are actually suffering, sometimes as human being, sometimes as animal, sometimes as trees, sometimes as dog. So the mastership cannot be attained. That is not possible. In the false idea to become master we are becoming slaves of the laws of material nature. This is real position, and that is suffering. So when one comes to this understanding, that we are not master, we are servant, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births, if by chance one gets the association of the servant of the Lord, then he understands that he is not master, he's servant of Kṛṣṇa. And then he surrenders. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19]. Such great soul who has understood that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," he's a very great soul.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

In Bengal, jatigosain spiritual mastership is very prevalent.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968: Bali Maharaja was a man of that type. Under the circumstances he was not averse to accept charity and other pious activities. He was being guided by his spiritual master, Sukaracharya. Sukara means the semina. In other words, one claims to become acharya on the principle of being born of a Brahmin father. They may be called sukaracharya, or acharya or preacher not by disciplic succession, but on the right of heredity. In India there are still superstitions that one should be initiated by such sukaracharya family. They are called generally as the jatigosain. Jatigosain means the caste spiritual master. All over India, especially in Bengal, this jatigosain spiritual mastership is very prevalent. But really goswami means one who is master of the influence of different senses, namely the influence of tongue, the influence of mind, the influence of anger, the influence of belly, the influence of genital, and the influence of talking. So one who is master of these influential webs of sense gratification, he is called goswami. Goswami is not by hereditary chart. So Sukaracharya posed himself as such goswami spiritual master. He had many mystic powers, therefore he was considered to be very influential spiritual master of the demons.
Page Title:Mastership
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Sharmila
Created:16 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=9, Con=4, Let=1
No. of Quotes:15