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My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar

Expressions researched:
"It is just licking the bottle of honey" |"It is just like licking the honey bottle" |"My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar" |"My Guru Maharaja used to say that one who is licking up the bottle of honey" |"My Guru Maharaja used to say that the honey" |"as my Guru Maharaja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

One who does not take to this life of devotion, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa of Kṛṣṇa-philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā. It is far, far away. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just like licking the honey bottle." One may come to the bottle filled with honey, but simply by licking the bottle, what taste he will get?

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the life of devotion. And one who does not take to this life of devotion, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā. It is far, far away. It is . . . my Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just like licking the honey bottle." One may come to the bottle filled with honey, but simply by licking the bottle, what taste he will get?

The honey must be opened. Then if you taste, you will know what is honey. Similarly, simply by taking Bhagavad-gītā and trying to understand it by so-called scholarship is licking up the honey bottle. That's all. There will be no taste. There will be no taste. You go on for many millions of years licking up that bottle, you'll never understand.

If you want to understand, then Kṛṣṇa says here:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)
The same tattva. You have to approach a person who has seen tattva, tattva-darśinaḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We are enjoying the interaction of the three modes of material nature. And we are thinking... The same thing, as my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey. That is not real honey.


Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

So any devotee can fall down if he remains prākṛta-bhakta. So he has to raise himself above this in the madhyama-adhikāra.

So here it is said that sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. So we are not enjoying actually. We are enjoying the interaction of the three modes of material nature. And we are thinking . . . the same thing, as my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey. That is not real honey. You have to open the bottle of the honey and lick up the real honey, then you'll get taste. That is advancement of spiritual knowledge.

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
(SB 3.25.25)
Therefore, if we do not associate with the advanced devotees, uttama-adhikārī, if we simply want to remain in the lowest stage of devotional service, then we are not making progress. Then we shall simply enjoy the material field, without entering into the spiritual platform.

So-called scholars, politicians, and philosophers, they read Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way. This is their foolishness. They cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just licking the bottle of honey."


Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:


We have several times discussed this point that the so-called scholars, politicians and philosophers, they read Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way. This is their foolishness. They cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. My Guru Mahārāja used to say: "It is just like licking the bottle of honey." Now you want honey. I give you one bottle, but you do not know how to taste it. You began to lick up the bottle. So what you will taste? If you think, "Here is the bottle of honey. Let me lick," you will not get any taste. It must be opened. But the opening key is with the devotee. You do not know how to open it. Therefore it is said, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ (SB 3.25.25). The devotees know how to open it, the bottle. And then they can taste. Therefore, sabhājayante yatra pauruṣāṇi.

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that one who is licking up the bottle of honey. He is thinking that "I am licking honey," but that is impossible. Similarly, the so-called scholars when they comment on Bhagavad-gītā, they are licking up the bottle of honey.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:


My Guru Mahārāja used to say that one who is licking up the bottle of honey, he is thinking that "I am licking honey," but that is impossible. Similarly, the so-called scholars, when they comment on Bhagavad-gītā, they are licking up the bottle of honey. The taste of honey is different.

That taste one can get when the bottle is opened by . . . (indistinct) . . . person. Then he can taste the Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, licking up the bottle, that's all. If one is satisfied by licking up the bottle of honey, without tasting it, then is he not a fool? (laughter) The fools say, "I have got the honey!" but it is not opened.

Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3).

Rahasyam, the transcendental secrecy of Bhagavad-gītā, that secret will not be opened to a so-called scholar or academic educated. It must be taken from the (indistinct) authorized person, evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2), by disciplic succession.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar. One who thinks the books is the thing is content in this way. But we should learn the secret to open the jar and taste the honey. In this way, if we can simply understand one book, or one sloka, the perfection is there.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1968:


I am glad to know that you are working hard to expand the Krishna Consciousness propaganda in Boston. I may say that this practical devotion is the secret to understanding the Sastras. My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar. One who thinks the books is the thing is content in this way. But we should learn the secret to open the jar and taste the honey. In this way, if we can simply understand one book, or one sloka, the perfection is there. Lord Caitanya warned about reading too many books, although I see in America this is very popular to get volumes and volumes of books and not understand one. Anyway by sincerely working by carefully executing the instructions of the Spiritual Master, you will be all successful by Krishna's Grace. I am always praying to Krishna for your advancement in Krishna Consciousness, all of you, sincere souls.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that the honey, huh? There must be some expert who can open it, and then you can taste. So they are trying to taste the honey in the bottle by their own imagination and licking up the bottle.


Morning Walk -- December 20, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If you manufacture your own knowledge, then you'll never be able to understand. (everyone laughs) Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12): compulsory. You cannot understand; that is not possible. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that the honey, huh? Honey, honey, if somebody says, "Take this honey," the bottle, and he began to lick up the bottle: "It is not sweet. Now why it is not sweet?" You go to a person who can open the bottle. (laughter) Then you'll see. You cannot taste the sweetness of honey by licking up the bottle. It must be . . . there must be some expert who can open it, and then you can taste. So they are trying to taste the honey in the bottle by their own imagination and licking up the bottle. Where is the taste? Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says,

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

One who has seen, one who knows where is the honey is there, go there, and he'll open, and you'll understand.

Dr. Patel: So "I am not there for the rascals, and I am there for you," like that, is that the meaning you say?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Dr. Patel: "I am not there for the rascals, and I am there for those who are tattva-darśanas."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is the way of learning everything. You cannot learn your medical science from a pān-walla. You have to go to a medical college

Page Title:My Guru Maharaja used to say that for one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar
Compiler:Alakananda, Labangalatika
Created:14 of Nov, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=4, Con=1, Let=1
No. of Quotes:6