In Russia, in Moscow, many young men there are, very much anxious to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And some of them were initiated by me. And they are going on. Just like these boys are going on. So this... So far my experience is concerned, everywhere I go, people are the same. It is by artificial, I mean to say, means, they have been designated as Communist and this and that. (break) ...people, they're all the same. As soon as we speak of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they respond immediately. That is my experience. Actually that is a fact. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It is dormant. But it is contaminated and covered by the material dirty things. So śravaṇādi, śuddha-citte. This means, as you are hearing... Just like these boys, these American and European boys, they came, first of all, to hear me. By hearing, hearing, now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened, and they have taken seriously to Kṛṣṇa devotion.
Respond (Lectures)
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be disturbed whether his preaching work is being accepted by the people or not. It doesn't matter. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that... If somebody said that "We went to preach in such and such place. Only there were three or four, attendance." So my Guru Mahārāja used to encourage them and it is factual—that "Why, two, three men were there was sufficient. If there were none, you could speak and the walls would hear you." You see. "Why you are disappointed?" So even the walls, they hear, then our kīrtana is sufficient. You don't mind. Because only fortunate persons... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). So to become God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, is not very cheap thing. It requires a great amount of austerity, penance to come to this stage. So never be disappointed that because people are not responding.
If we can study this material relationship between one living being to another living being, then if, a sober student, a philosophical-minded student, can understand what is our relation with God. It is not very difficult to understand. Now, here Kṛṣṇa says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. He is looking after always: "When the living entity shall turn his face towards Me?" And as we turn our face towards Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, He also responds in proportionately. He also responds proportionately.
A proportionately, as I surrender unto the Supreme Lord... We must always know that our background of relationship is that we are subordinate, and He is great. God is great. We cannot be equal with Him. We have to follow. He is the supreme leader. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up everything." He is trying to give you leadership. He is prepared to give you all leadership provided you are prepared to follow His leadership. That's all. Reciprocation. And in proportionately, proportionately, as you accept His leadership, He also responds reciprocally. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante.
His energy is acting in such a way, perfect way, that as we see that it is automatically, automatic. An electronic machine, just by putting here, a button, it is immediately responding five thousand miles away, the same button working. That this scientific method we have discovered. And we have discovered; the law is there. You have simply learned to push one button, but there are vividhaiva button. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. So simply by His willing, everything is being done. That is Kṛṣṇa. Simply by His willing.
Now, you can say that why God should be worshiped in images, not in His original form, spiritual form? Yes. That may be a question. But I cannot see spiritual form. That is my difficulty. My senses are so imperfect that I cannot see God immediately in His spiritual form. Therefore, out of His causeless mercy, He appears before you as you can see you, Him. We cannot see just now with our material eyes except stone, earth, wood, something tangible. Therefore He becomes... These forms are called arcāvatāra, incarnation of arcā, conveniently presented by the Supreme Lord so that we can actually see. But the result will be that in the image, if you concentrated your energy, and if you love and offer your, I mean to say, devotion, this will be responded, even from that image.
I have got this body; you have got this body. This body will be destroyed. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. But my, that consciousness will not be destroyed. This body will be destroyed, but my consciousness will not be destroyed. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Idaṁ tatam. Idam, this body, is spread with consciousness. If you pinch any part of your body, you will become conscious that it is painful. But how long it is painful? So long the soul is there. And as soon as the soul is gone, you chop it with a dagger; it will not respond. Therefore avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That thing, that consciousness, is avināśi.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
When you address Kṛṣṇa as the son of Yaśodā, He becomes very, very glad. If you address Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12)," as Arjuna did, "paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān śāśvataṁ puruṣam adyam," they're all the Vedic hymns, they're praying for Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is very, very pleased if you address Kṛṣṇa as yaśodā-nandana, nanda-nandana, rādhā-mādhava, He is so pleased. Immediately responds. He likes it. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always worshiped by everyone as sublime, but nobody wants to chastise you, but He wants to be chastised also, and that power is given to mother Yaśodā. He wants! He disgusted some, that "Everyone praise Me; nobody comes to chastise Me." You see. "Ah, here is another devotee, 'Yes, I am prepared to chastise You.' " Just like in Vaikuṇṭha there is no fight, but Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight.
And many gopīs who were forcibly stopped, going to Kṛṣṇa, they lost their life. Just see how much eager they are. So this eagerness is wanted. Then you can see God. Either you become lusty or a thief or a murderer or whatever it may be. Some way or other, if you develop this eagerness, that "I must see Kṛṣṇa," then Kṛṣṇa will be seen.So here is... The first thing is how much eager you are to see Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will respond. If you are actually eager to see Kṛṣṇa... It, the reason may be different, either you are lusty or to steal His ornament. Some way or other, you become attracted to Kṛṣṇa, then your business is successful. Rūpa Gosvāmī has advised that... He says in a poetry. It is on the matter of the gopīs talking.
Manila, in Philippines. So this Manila, Philippines, they eat dogs. But still they gave very patient hearing to kṛṣṇa-kathā. My last meeting was in a big hotel. Our Sudāmā Vipra Gosvāmī Mahārāja arranged it, and it was very successful meeting. All full of young men. And they came to hear about Kṛṣṇa. And they responded very nicely. They purchased books, they danced, they chanted. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is progressing only on this basis: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Just give them chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. We are not bribing them. I have not bribed all these American and European boys to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. I have no money. I, when I went to America, I had only seven dollars. One hour's expenditure in New York. You see. So there is no question of bribing them. But they heard about Kṛṣṇa. I was reading Bhagavad-gītā on the street, on the store, in the park, and chanting. They heard, and they came to me. They became attracted.
Nārada Muni says that "If somebody, even by sentiment-'All right, Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya. Let us stop any other business, become Kṛṣṇa conscious'—even one accepts by sentiment, not thoroughly understanding, he is also fortunate." He also fortunate because he accepts the real thing. Therefore Nārada Muni said that "Even one accepting by sentiment, and later on," bhajann apakvo 'tha, "his execution of devotional service (is) not mature and he falls down, then," Nārada Muni says, yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kim, "where is the loss for that person? On the other hand, the other person who has not accepted this—he is very regularly executing his respons..., material responsibility—what does he gain by that?" This is the opinion. "If Kṛṣṇa consciousness is accepted even by sentiment, and after that, even he falls down, there is no loss. And if we are very faithful to our material duties, then," Nārada Muni says, "what do we gain by that?"
Just try to understand that thing as imperishable. What is that thing? Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That thing which is pervading all over your body. And what is that thing? That is consciousness. So long there is consciousness, you feel either from this part of this body or this part of the body or this part of the..., anywhere you pinch, because the consciousness is there, you feel, "Oh, it is painful," or it is pleasure. There are two kinds of feelings: painful or pleasure. And that is due to consciousness. And this consciousness is there in every body, but they are in degrees. That is, the consciousness in tree is very lower. Therefore if you cut a tree, it does not respond. It responds... According to modern science... Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, he has invented a machine that when you cut a tree or take out the fruit or the leaves or the branches, he feels, and that feeling is recorded in a machine. I do not know exactly the machine name, but there is a machine.
This Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Harā, Kṛṣṇa's energy, Rādhārāṇī, Harā..." Hari Harā. So this addressing, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa's internal potency..." Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, chanting, addressing: "O Lord Kṛṣṇa, O the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa." So They will respond that "Why you are calling Me, or Us?" You have to submit, "Please again accept me as Your eternal servant." This is the only prayer, not that "Give me this money, this me that, this me that. Give me that." No. That is not pure devotion. That is devotion, but it is mixed. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ. That is pious life. When we ask from Kṛṣṇa anything other than devotional service, that is pious activities. That is not devotional activities. Devotional activity is different from pious activity.
We have dismissed everything, all instruction of the śāstra, all instruction of Kṛṣṇa, all instruction of guru. We have all dismissed, "Oh, these are all mythology. There is no life after death." This is going on, maha... Ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā. Vimudhātmā. This is the position. We should understand that what is our position. But they have become so dull, just like a stone or a tree. You cut it; it does not respond, does nothing. But if there is life, little pinching—immediately, "Why you are pinching?" That is the difference between life and dead body, or jada and cetana. So long one is not conscious, he's as good as the stone or the wood. Therefore sometimes Vaiṣṇava poets say that amāra lid pasanta bolo na, pasan hole bolo yato(?). We have created such a strong heart of material existence that it does not respond even after suffering so much. This is our position.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to bring him to the right position of consciousness. Consciousness we have got. The more it is covered, dull, it cannot respond. But it can be brought into the proper existence, and the process is hearing, hearing. Go on hearing, hearing. Kṛṣṇa has given us one chance, this ear. If we properly use it... Therefore Vedic knowledge is to be heard, hearing. Listen. It is therefore called śruti. The Vedic instruction has to be gotten from the right person through aural reception.
Each one is a person. You cannot find anyone exactly similar to the other, because everyone has got his personal propensities. And according to the personal propensities and desires, Kṛṣṇa is giving us different opportunities, and that is different body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Just like in the court, the..., everyone is judged as person, not wholesale. The judge not says that "Now all you have come here"—some of them are complainants and some of them are respondents—"so you stand together. I give this judgment." No. Everyone is personally judged. And everyone is given reward or punishment personally. So where is the question of imperson? And in the Vedas it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God means He is also nitya, eternal, amongst the eternals. There are many... We living entities, we are many, plural number. Nityānām. Nityānām means plural number.
As we understand from the Brahma-saṁhitā, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham: (Bs. 5.35) "Kṛṣṇa, or God, is within this universe and within this room, within your heart, even within the atom." Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. So Kṛṣṇa is within you. As soon as you become sincere, Kṛṣṇa responds from within. If you want Kṛṣṇa, or God, sincerely, then the help will come two ways: from without, from within. From without, by these books of knowledge, by the instruction of spiritual master, you will get help from without. And as soon as you are serious to follow, then you will get instruction from within also, within.
You dance with Kṛṣṇa, you eat with Kṛṣṇa, talk with Kṛṣṇa, you enjoy with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will kiss you also. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa is very kind to everyone, either you love Him as a lover, either you love Him as your son, either you love Him as your friend, or you love Him as your master. In whichever way you like you can love, and Kṛṣṇa will respond. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). In the Bhagavad-gītā you will see Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who loves Me in different ways or different type," so Kṛṣṇa also loves reciprocating that way. If somebody Kṛṣṇa..., loves Kṛṣṇa as enemy, Kṛṣṇa also gives him salvation in that way also. Kṛṣṇa is so kind.
There are many persons, they come to Vṛndāvana, and whatever they have earned throughout the whole life, so they give everything to the wife and children and make contract that "I am going to Vṛndāvana. You send me at least two hundred rupees for my expenditure." "And what about two lakhs and crores?" "Oh, that is yours. The two lakhs and crores, what I have earned, that is for you, my dear children, my dear wife, and you give me two hundred for God. So I am going to Vṛndāvana." So Kṛṣṇa is very intelligent: "All right, I am also for you two hundred. (laughter) I am also for you two hundred." Ye yathā mām... This is the meaning, real meaning. Ye yathā māṁ prapadya... Kṛṣṇa is for you. It is called... What is called the exact word? Responsive cooperation. "If you have surrendered to Me cent percent, then I respond cent percent. If you have surrendered twenty-five percent, then I respond twenty-five percent." This is the position.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
If you engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and suppose you do not become perfectly mature, some way or other, you fall down... We should not fall down. Because if we have got enthusiasm and patience, we shall not fall down. But suppose we fall down. Śāstra says, tasya abhadra abhūd amuṣya kim. There is nothing inauspicity because whatever you have done sincerely, that is recorded in the book. In the Kṛṣṇa's book. Kṛṣṇa has got accountant. He keeps nice account of the activities of His devotees. That's a fact. Just like the nondevotees' accounts are kept by Yamarāja for punishment. Similarly, devotees' accounts are kept by Kṛṣṇa, personally. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Unless he keeps account, how He says, "I respond to the devotee to the proportionate surrender"? Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The real business is surrender to Kṛṣṇa. If we surrender immediately, cent percent, then Kṛṣṇa also gives you the result immediately, cent percent.
So this is bhakti. And bhakti means spontaneously responding to Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. There is no... Therefore it is transcendental platform. It is not on this material... Material platform, karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. But bhakti is above.
- māṁ ca avyabhicāriṇi
- bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
Transcendental platform.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that this karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, that is also nice, those who are in the too much bodily concept of life. But it is very difficult to raise the people to the karma-kāṇḍīya, jñāna-kāṇḍīya vicāra. In this age especially, they have become so fallen that it is not possible for them to raise them, either karma-kāṇḍīya, jñāna-kāṇḍīya or yogic process. This is not possible.
So we can enjoy Kṛṣṇa's loving service in so many ways. Not only by the embrace of the gopīs, but in the fight of Bhīṣma with Kṛṣṇa and piercing His body with arrows. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akhila-rasāmṛta. Any one rasa... There are twelve rasas, either primary rasa or secondary rasa. Any rasa, Kṛṣṇa is ready to respond to any rasa you want to deal with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Kāmāt krodhād bhayāt dveṣāt. So what to speak of those who are loving. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. That was his, that was her purpose. But when Pūtanā was killed by sucking her breast and life both, then Pūtanā was given the position of Kṛṣṇa's mother. Because Kṛṣṇa took it the bright side.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
When Caitanya Mahāprabhu goes to the Ganges to take His bath, and after taking bath He used to visit the temple of Viśveśvara in the morning, so at that time hundreds of people gathered round Him.
- bāhu tuli' prabhu bale—bala hari hari
- hari-dhvani kare loka svarga-martya bhari'
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special feature, as you see in the picture, He would simply raise His hands and ask anybody to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. And people will, in the crowd, they will also respond to Lord Caitanya. So in this way, at Benares He was enjoying.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
People are suffering from anartha, unwanted things. They do not know how to get relief from this entanglement. Therefore vidvān, the most learned scholar, Vyāsadeva, compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhagavate mahā-muni-kṛte. Mahā-muni is Vyāsadeva. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to preach this sātvata-saṁhitā. Saṁhitā means Vedic scripture. Sātvata-saṁhitā. So people are responding, especially in the Western countries. In Africa also, they are responding. Many Africans, they have become Vaiṣṇava now. That is the latest news. And they are receiving very well.
Initiation Lectures
And that is being done. And the people from all parts of the world, they are responding. There is very, very good scope for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and learned circle, important men in all parts of the society and world, they are appreciating this mission. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya... It was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire that especially those who are born in India, and especially in Bengal, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this land of Bengal, so it is the duty to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But unfortunately they are not coming forward.
General Lectures
Kṛṣṇa, as I was talking, that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. And as soon as one is inclined to serve Him, He is also ready to respond immediately. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). One who is engaged twenty-four hours in His service, in Kṛṣṇa's service, bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam , not as a matter of routine... Of course, we have to begin as a matter of routine. But when you develop gradually love for Him, that is called prīti. Just like this Deity worship. Our students, first of all they are engaged in a matter of duty of devotional service. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanam (SB 7.5.23). This is called arcanam.
| Page Title: | Respond (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 29 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=26, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 26 |