Prabhupāda: Yes. It was hundred and two stories. Now the others, they have increased to hundred and four, five. So . . . but why these American boys are frustrated? Their father, their grandfather have got enough money, enough skyscraper building, but they are not satisfied. They don't want to work like their father and grandfather. They've left. I have got many students, my disciples, their father, very rich man, industrialist, lawyers. But they don't like.
So this kind, this kind of so-called happiness will never satisfy us. The real happiness which is within—our love, loving propensity for Kṛṣṇa—that has to be revived. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for . . . to love Kṛṣṇa is there in everyone's heart. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Kṛṣṇa. That is our business. And how it is possible? The śāstra, the Śrīmad . . . śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. Śravaṇādi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come, sit down and hear.
But in the hearing process there is so many impediments, māyā. Just like people are coming here to hear, but there has been impediment: "Oh, sir, our lift is being too much used. The electric supply will cut off." Māyā is always there. They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways—that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is māyā. Māyā is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the māyā, then we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That fighting determination must be there. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). One must be determined. So māyā may check my progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I must fight māyā. This determination wanted. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That is wanted. "All right, let me do. All right, not. That's all right. Let me do my business." No, no. One must be very serious, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and firmly convinced. These things are required to revive your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise it is very easy.
Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when there was discussion about śraddhā and sādhana—what is the aim of life and what is the process of achieving that aim of life—this discussion was made between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was questioning, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying. So the first reply was given by Rāmānanda Rāya when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "What is the goal of life?" and "What is the process to reach that goal of life?" Very nice question. So Rāmānanda Rāya replied:
- varṇāśramācāravatā
- puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
- viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ
- nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
- (CC Madhya 8.58)
He immediately replied that a human being must, first of all, come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha . . . unless they come systematically, life on these principles, they're animals. They're not human being. They're . . . that was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being done. So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They . . . there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because this is right thing.
So varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Ihā bāhya. Bāhya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varṇāśrama-dharma in the beginning that, "You become brāhmin, you become gṛhastha, you become sannyāsī . . ." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are not prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . .
It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu; it is the sanction in the śāstras: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brāhmin. Now they are becoming more than brāhmins. Here, in India, the brāhmins, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brāhmin. But here, these European brāhmins, American brāhmins, they're real brāhmins, because they have given up all sinful activities. The brāhmins life is first of all truthful. Truthful. Satya śama dama titikṣa. Controlling the senses, controlling the mind, forbearance and simplicity, full knowledge, application of knowledge, belief in the Vedas—these are the symptoms of brāhmin. Satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).
So if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these brahminical qualification automatically come. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). This is the test. A devotee shall be qualified with all the godly qualities. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said if you induce people . . . because His mission is to propagate this Vedic culture all over the world. He's not confined within some limited area. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126). As many villages and towns are there in the world, His mission is to be preached there. So, so if we, in the beginning we say: "You have to become a brahmin first of all," so who's going to become a brāhmin? Our people are not becoming brāhmin. They'll say: "It is all nonsense. Let us become śūdra." So that is not possible. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Bāhya. Then Rāmānanda Rāya suggested karma-miśra-bhakti, then jñāna-miśra-bhakti—bhakti with jñāna, mixed with jñāna, process of jñāna, speculative philosophy; and bhakti mixed with karma, karma-kāṇḍīya, karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra. But real bhakti is jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). It must be untouched by the process of jñāna and karma. It should be spontaneous. Spontaneous. That is bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇa (Brs. 1.1.11). Spontaneous means when we shall rise to the platform that "Here is a service for Kṛṣṇa. Let me do it immediately. Let me do it." Just like Yudhiṣṭhira was advised by Kṛṣṇa that, "You just go to Dronācārya and speak him lie that his son is dead." Yudhiṣṭhira hesitated: "Oh, how can I speak lie? I never done it in my life." This is karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra. This is karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra. He is . . . he is looking after his own benefit.