So this whole Vedic civilization is made just to train how you can be detached from this so-called family affection. This is Vedic training. First of all brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means to lead the life of austerity. A brahmacārī is supposed to live to serve the spiritual master at his home, and he has to work just like a menial. He may be a king's son or a very great brāhmaṇa's son, but as soon as he agrees to live with the spiritual master, he has to live just like a menial servant. Whatever the spiritual master will order, he has to do it. This is brahmacārī. And they will gladly do, because they are children. Brahmacārī life begins from five years. So you ask any child do anything, he will do. They are learned. They are given education, "Go from door to door, house to house, and bring some alms." So brahmacārī means the neighborhood, their sons. So when the brahmacārī goes for begging, "Mother, give me something, alms," so immediately, some rice, some dāhl, some atta, is given, or some vegetables, sometimes some money. So they bring everything to the spiritual master and it becomes the property of the spiritual master. Because he has begged, it is not his property.
Supposed to... (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"suppose to"
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am confused about duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me (BG 2.7)." Purport. "By nature's own way, the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and it behooves one therefore to approach a bona fide spiritual master who can give one the proper guidance for executing the purpose of life. All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life which happen without our desire. They appear like a forest fire which takes place without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear without our wanting such confusion. Nobody wants fire, and yet it takes place and we are perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution one must approach a spiritual master who is in disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not therefore remain in..."
Prabhupāda: This is a translation of a Vedic version, ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāryavān, one who has ācārya as his guidance, he is supposed to know everything. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. That is given there.
So there... The author of Vedic knowledge... Who is the author of the Vedic knowledge? Not Lord Brahmā. The author of Vedic knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. As it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. He imparted the knowledge, brahma, śabda-brahma knowledge, into the heart of Lord Brahmā. So Brahmā is not self-sufficient. Factually, we are supposed to get knowledge, Vedic knowledge, from Brahmā, beginning from Brahmā. But actually it is not the, from Brahmā. Brahmā got the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ (SB 1.1.1). So actually knowledge is coming from Kṛṣṇa. So our proposal is, we are receiving knowledge, this Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is directly giving you the knowledge. So we have to accept it as it is. We cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā in my own way. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. That is something else. They take advantage of the Bhagavad-gītā and put their own conclusion. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. If you want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to study as it is. Then it is nice.
Guest/Devotee: But in, I think, in air, in the Bhagavad-gītā somewhere it says that at death you're supposed to, uh, concentrate on the air at the top of the head, which...
Prabhupāda: That concentration, in the Bhagavad-gītā I do not know where it is, but in the yoga system the concentration is to think of Him, Viṣṇu. Not of the lotus in the head. Yes?
Devotee: Is it true that the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya mantra is more powerful than the mahā-mantra?
Prabhupāda: (pause) Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and mahā-mantra the same. Kṛṣṇa and His name is same. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Hare Kṛṣṇa is the same. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is combination of Hare and Kṛṣṇa. So there is no difference. They are all the same. But because we receive through the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya has appeared to deliver us this mahā-mantra; therefore, we first of all pray Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya that "Give us strength to receive Hare Kṛṣṇa." Therefore we chant śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda... Just like you offer your respect to the spiritual master first. That does not mean that spiritual master is greater than Kṛṣṇa. But the spiritual master is mercy manifestation of Kṛṣṇa; therefore śāstra says that you should offer him the same respect as to Kṛṣṇa. But by that way, a spiritual master does not think that "I have become greater than Kṛṣṇa." Then he is a Māyāvādī, or equal to... (end)
Devotee: Supposed to have religion.(?)
Prabhupāda: (pause) (more noises, yelling, etc.) What is this? (pause) No, no. We cannot stop their procession. (drums, etc., continue) They will stand here? No, why they are doing? Let them come. Don't ask. (break) ...find in this verse that evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣayaḥ means king, rāja, and ṛṣayaḥ. Rāja means king. Formerly, the government was monarchy. So all the kings, all the government head men, they understood Bhagavad-gītā. That is needed. This science, Bhagavad-gītā, must be learned by the leaders. The society is managed by the leaders, by the kings, by the brāhmaṇas. That is Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas, they give guidance according to the śāstra, and the king is trained up in such a way that he takes instruction from the saintly persons and brāhmaṇas and rules over the kingdom. Therefore it was so perfect.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Beginning with the intelligent class of men technically called the brāhmaṇas due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the kṣatriyas due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men called the vaiśyas are situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance. And the śūdras or laborer class are situated in the ignorant mode of material nature. In spite of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord Kṛṣṇa does not belong to any of these divisions, because He is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form human society. Human society is the same as animal society but to elevate men from the animal status the above mentioned divisions are created by the Lord for the systematic development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The tendency of a particular man towards work is determined by the modes of material nature which he has acquired. Such symptoms of life according to different modes of material nature are described in the Eighteenth Chapter of this book. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is above even the brāhmaṇas, because a brāhmaṇa by quality is supposed to know about Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but only a man who transcends the limited knowledge of a brāhmaṇa and reaches the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa becomes a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or in other words, a Vaiṣṇava. Kṛṣṇa consciousness includes knowledge of all different plenary expansions of Kṛṣṇa, namely Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, etc. As Kṛṣṇa is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also transcendental to the mundane divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation or species."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa has many incarnations. Sometimes He appears in the species of fish. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. That does not mean that he belongs to the fish community. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Vasudeva, Vasudeva belonged to the kṣatriyas. That does not mean that He belonged to the kṣatriya community. Then again He was transferred to Vṛndāvana to become the foster son of Nanda Mahārāja. And Nanda Mahārāja was a vaiśya, mercantile community man. So that does not mean that Kṛṣṇa belonged to the vaiśya community. He does not belong to any community.
Similarly, in our this material activities we may have the chance of handling millions of dollars practically nobody comes here with millions of dollars, neither one goes with millions of dollars. Everyone comes here empty-hand. The child comes empty-hand and the dead body goes empty-hand. So between the birth and death this small duration of life we are supposed to possess so many things. That is our false possession. Actually you don't possess.
Just like so long I am cashier in the bank I am supposed to deal with millions of dollars but that is not my money. In this consciousness, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To understand everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. If one acts in that way that everything... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The Īśopaniṣad says everything belongs to God but God has given me chance to handle these things. Therefore my knowledge and intelligence will be there if I utilize for serving God. That is my intelligence. As soon as I utilize them for my sense gratification then I am entrapped. The same example can be given. If the bank cashier thinks, "Oh, so many millions of dollars at my disposal. Let me something and put in my pocket," then he is entrapped. Otherwise you enjoy. You get good salary.
ak of the supreme father. Is it possible? No.
Therefore just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. One who is fortunate to have a bona fide spiritual master, he is supposed to... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has taken shelter of a real ācārya, spiritual master, from the disciplic succession, he knows." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means "He is in the knowledge." One who has accepted a bona fide spiritual master, he is in the knowledge. Others are fools. This is the Vedic version everywhere. Here also, Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that "You try to learn the truth by approaching spiritual master."
And how to learn from the spiritual master? "Inquire from him submissively." You don't approach a spiritual master whom you can challenge. Then your selection of spiritual master is wrong. If you keep one spiritual master as showbottle, then your selection is not right. It is wrong. The spiritual master... You must select a spiritual master where you can bow down your head, "Yes," submissive. Therefore you have to see.
Yes, this is the summary that the sages... Sages means those who have undergone austerities, penance, and many tribulation for attaining perfection, they are called sages. "The sages knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of sacrifice." Now if you perform austerities and penances that is a kind of sacrifice. But yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find these are explained that yad icchantaḥ. Simply by desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead one is supposed to follow the vow of brahmacārī. Brahmacārī, to live the life of celibacy, this is called brahmacārī. So it has got so nice effect that if anyone from the birth to the death simply observe this life of celibacy he is sure to go back to home. Simply by observing one rule: yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. It is so nice, brahmacarya. So this is sacrifice. Sacrifice means my senses dictate that "You enjoy," but I am not enjoying. I am not enjoying. This is sacrifice.
So in the Bhagavad-gītā we find that Kṛṣṇa Himself came and canvassed through Arjuna that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "My dear Arjuna..." Not only Arjuna. Arjuna is representative of the living entities. So He is appealing to all living entities, especially all human beings anywhere and everywhere, that "You just surrender unto Me, come unto Me, and then I shall get you relieved from all sinful reaction of your life." Ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Now, just see Arjuna. He's Kṛṣṇa's personal friend. He's always with Kṛṣṇa. He's eternal associate. He's talking with Kṛṣṇa. Just imagine his position. Still, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo: "I shall get you relieved from all sinful reaction." This means that a person like Arjuna, who can talk face to face with Kṛṣṇa, is supposed to have sinful activities of life. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo: "I shall get you relieved from all sinful reaction"?
That means even Arjuna was subjected to sinful activities. This world is so made that even if we do not want to be sinful, the circumstances is so made that we'll be obliged to commit sins. It is such a place.
So what is the difference between going to the higher planetary system and what is the difference, going to back to home, back to...? Everything is explained there. If you go to the higher planetary systems, suppose to the planets of the demigod, Kṛṣṇa says, "Then you will have to again come back." Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the topmost planet, then from there also, after... Kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). After your resultant action of pious activities is finished, then you have to come back again here. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). But there is another planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. If you go there, then you'll haven't to come back again in this material world, which is described by Kṛṣṇa Himself: duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15)-nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ. They... Not ordinary person can go to Kṛṣṇa's loka, back to home. Who can go? Mahātmānaḥ, those who are great souls. And who are great soul? They are called mahātmās.
So here is the... It is clearly said, tad aham aśnāmi. Aśnāmi, the Sanskrit word, means "I eat. I eat." Why? Bhakty-upahṛtam: "He has brought with devotional love." So you try to love God. You become a lover of God and offer Him whatever you eat, whatever you do. Then see the result, how peaceful you become and how the world becomes peaceful. Simply by theoretical resolution you can make peace in the world? Now resolve, "We shall not fight." Oh, next moment you are fighting. UNESCO resolution is going on for the last twenty years, and where is the peace? That is not the way of peace. Here is the peace. Try to establish your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. Then there will be peace. Now, Kṛṣṇa says in the next verse,
- yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
- yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
- yat tapasyasi kaunteya
- tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam
- (BG 9.27)
Now, every human being, he has got a philanthropic view. Now, the other day I met one gentleman. So I did not know that he is not a family man because in India we are supposed to accept anyone, any gentleman, as family man. So he said, "Yes, I am not family man." Then what he is doing? He is earning nicely, but he is helping one orphanage. That's nice. He said that "I have got many sons in this orphanage." That is very good. So this natural inclination for loving an orphanage is there, is there. So this give and take, this inclination, is there in the human being.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
The soul is migrating, transmigrating. There are 8,400,000 species of bodies; and you are transmigrating from one to another, another, another, in this way. They don't care for it. Even if you are Hindu... (break) ...he is informed, that if you are acting like this you are going to be a tree next life, "Oh, it doesn't matter, let me enjoy." You see. They say frankly, "If I become tree what is the harm? I shall forget." The people have become so rubbish that they have lost their self-interest. Just like if you say to a child that "You are always playing, you are not going to school, you are not becoming educated, you will suffer in your future life, you will have no position in the society." But if he says, "I do not care..." He may say that, but the risk is there. Similarly the modern human being, you inform him about the transmigration of the soul, and by his activities he is supposed to become next life very low grade animal, or aquatics, or reptiles. So if they are informed, if they do not care, that is not very good intelligence. This is a fact.
So dharma we have described. Dharma means occupational duty. Just like according to Vedic culture, we are supposed to follow the varṇāśrama-dharma. It has become very ambiguous at the present moment, Hindu dharma. There is no such thing as Hindu dharma mentioned in the Vedic literature. We don't find either in the Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any authorized Vedic literature Hindu dharma. Unfortunately, in India it has become very prominent, Hindu dharma, something hodgepodge. Real, our real Vedic dharma is varṇāśrama-dharma. That is mentioned in every Vedic literature—in Purāṇas, in Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, in Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata.
So similarly, people at the present moment, those who are serving under some master, capitalist, the master says that you have to vote for that person. They will vote, they have no personal discrimination. The master says, "I will give you some money," they will vote. Or in other words, kalau śūdra sambhava. Śūdra means servant. The dog is faithful servant; that is his only qualification. And hogs means no discrimination of food. So actually at the present moment people have no discrimination of food. Anything they will eat. Actually people are supposed to eat that which is beneficial for him. Not that anything and everything I shall eat. No. So therefore the hog has no discrimination of food. So if people become like that, no discrimination of sex, no discrimination of food, he is hog. He is not a human being.
So the representative must be very obedient. Then his position will go on. And... Just like so-called spiritual masters. They proclaim, "I am God." So they have no position. They have no position. Because they are rebellious. A spiritual master is supposed to spread God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, make everyone Kṛṣṇa conscious, as the most confidential servant of God—not as God. Just like Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says: sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ **. A spiritual master is honored as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Honored. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Haritva means "as God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is stated in all śāstras." It is not bogus that spiritual master is as good as God. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Uktas tathā... Because it is stated in the śāstras, tathā, therefore, those who are advanced, uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Sadbhiḥ means those who are actually advanced in spiritual life, they obey the spiritual injunction. Then is spiritual master as good as God? The next line is, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. A spiritual master is not God.
Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they were demons, godless demons. Rāvaṇa was very learned scholar in Vedic knowledge and very powerful materially. He converted his capital with gold, all the buildings and everything. It is supposed that Rāvaṇa's brother was a king of..., on the other side of the globe. So it is my suggestion... I do not say it is very scientific proof. So other side of the globe... Rāvaṇa was in Ceylon, and the other side of the globe, if you go by subway, it comes to Brazil. And Brazil is supposed to have gold mines. And it is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Rāvaṇa's brother was living on the other side of the globe, and Rāmacandra was taken through the subway. So taking this into consideration, we can suppose that Rāvaṇa imported large quantity of gold from Brazil, and he converted them into big, big houses. So Rāvaṇa was so powerful that he made his capital Svarṇa-laṅkā, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very wonderful.
Yaḥ śraddhayaitad bhagavat-priyāṇām. Bhagavat-priyāṇām. There is a common word in English, "If you love me, love my dog." That is very important. So bhagavat-priyāṇām, one who is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, if you love such person, then Kṛṣṇa is more pleased. Kṛṣṇa is more pleased. Bhagavat-priyāṇām.
There is a version in the Purāṇas, Devī Purāṇa. Pārvatī was asking questions to Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva was replying. This is the process at home. The wife is supposed to inquire from the husband about spiritual advancement of life, and the husband must be competent to reply all the questions of wife. That will keep relation very nice. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). That is bhakti. So Pārvatī was asking... Because according to Vedas, there are so many demigods. Viṣṇu is sometimes taken, but Viṣṇu is not... Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. They are the principal deities. So the inquiry was "Which worship is the best? Viṣṇu, or Lord Śiva, or Brahmā or Candra?" There are so many demigods. Sometimes they are misunderstood that all of them are Gods. No. They are called demigods. God is one. That is... Originally, God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).
So the inquiry was, "There are so many gods. So which worship is the best?"
Gṛhastha? Gṛhastha means to live with wife. This is the meaning of gṛhastha. And a gṛhastha is supposed to support others who are not gṛhasthas just like brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means student life. So gṛhasthas support them. (break) ...sannyāsīs, other three classes. Because they are engaged in a different subject matter, they have no time to earn their livelihood, and therefore, those who are gṛhasthas, they take charge of him. This is the Vedic system. But they should live also on the bare necessities of life. They should not be luxurious. A brahmacārī cannot be luxurious. A sannyāsī cannot be luxurious. A vānaprastha cannot be luxurious. Luxury is allowed only to the householder because they are earning their own money. Others are dependent. So one cannot be luxurious at the expense of others. That is not allowed.
So in India they have got sufficient stock of rice, flour, ḍāl. They keep at least one month provision in every house, even in poor's man. As soon as he gets his money, he purchases the whole month provisions—rice, ḍāl, āṭā, ghee—and keeps it. So when the brahmacārī goes there, a little rice or little ḍāl, they contribute. In this way by collection of these alms from the neighboring householders, practically the āśrama's eating problem is solved. Brahmacārī is supposed to live in gurukula at the place of guru just like a menial servant. Even Kṛṣṇa, He also lived as a menial servant. His teacher asked Him to bring some fuel from the jungle, and He went with Sudāmā Vipra, and while collecting these dry woods there was a storm and there was heavy rain, and they became lost in the jungle, Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā Vipra. Then his teacher, Sāndīpani Muni... With the assistance of other boys, they were rescued. So this is the position of the brahmacārī, that they go to collect alms, all kinds of, for gurukula.
So that yoga system, ādhyātmika, is being explained by Kapiladeva, that you'll never fall down. Permanent, fixed-up position. Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Not only brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is statement of Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Varṇāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṇur ārādhyate, Viṣṇu becomes very pleased. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. If you execute as a pakka brāhmaṇa, that means Viṣṇu will be pleased.
Brāhmaṇa, he is supposed to know six kind of activities, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ means six. What is that six kinds of? Paṭhana pāṭhana. Brāhmaṇa must be very learned, very expert, expertly learned in Vedic knowledge. That is called paṭhana. And pāṭhana: and he must teach others. He must be teacher, not that "I know and keep all the knowledge in my belly." No. Therefore formerly all the brāhmaṇas they had catuṣpāṭhī. The brāhmaṇa will sit down anywhere and begin teaching others. The student will come. That is brāhmaṇa's business. Paṭhana... But unless he is himself learned, how he can teach? So therefore, first of all he must be learned, paṭhana, and then pāṭhana, then he can teach others. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He must worship the Supreme Lord, and he must teach others how to worship the Supreme.
That is the position of svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means this controller of the senses. Go means senses. So svāmī or gosvāmī means one who has control over the senses or one who has control over the mind. The mind is very restless. The whole yogic process is meant for controlling the mind because unless you control the mind, the mind will volumes and volumes of desires, hundreds, thousands, millions. And you have to satisfy them. Then where is śānti? You have to satisfy the master. Who has become your master? Mind. Then you are disturbed. There cannot be any peace. And mind has got many millions of desires. Therefore, when you can control over the mind, that mind desires something and you have to control, "No, you cannot do it," then you become a svāmī. Svāmī, these sannyāsīs, they are given the title "svāmī" or "gosvāmī" because the sannyāsīs are supposed to control over the mind, over the senses. Therefore they are called svāmī. Otherwise, not svāmī but servant. If you are controlled by the mind, then you are servant, and if you are controller of the mind, then you are svāmī, the same person.
Who says God has no form? God is the supreme father. You know your father has form. What the supreme father has done that He'll not have form? Your father has got form. You're born of him. Then why the supreme father will not have form? What fault He has done? What is this logic? God is supposed to..., the supreme father. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedic information. The Supreme is that which is the source of everything. So we have got varieties of forms, and why the source should be formless? Why? What is the logic? We have got so many forms—8,400,000—and Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "Of all these forms of life, I am the seed-giving father." The seed-giving father, Kṛṣṇa, has form, and His sons have got form. Why the father should be formless? What is this logic? Eh? What is this logic—can anyone say?—that because He's father, therefore He should be formless. What is this logic? The father must have form. Otherwise how many form... All these forms, wherefrom it is coming? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja pradaḥ pitā. He is the father.
Pradyumna: "As previously stated, both the material and spiritual natures, being emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are eternal. The living entities belong to the eternal, superior nature of the Lord. But due to contamination by the inferior nature, matter, their illusion is also eternal."
Prabhupāda: Just like a citizen is supposed to remain free, but sometimes is put into the jail because he has worked under different criminal energy. So therefore he is put into the jail. But when he becomes perfectly civil, so there is no jail for him, he is free to move. So we have preferred to act under material energy; therefore we are suffering, there are problems. And if we prefer to act under spiritual energy, then we'll be happy. This is the difference.
So what is difference between material energy and spiritual energy? Material energy means one works for his own sense gratification, and spiritual energy means one works for sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. There must be some sense gratification, working. But when we work for our personal sense gratification, that is called māyā. He cannot personally be satisfied without Kṛṣṇa. Just like in this body, different parts of the body, they cannot enjoy independently. If you get nice cake, you have to put it to the stomach; then you'll get energy. And if you want... This finger caught the cake and want to utilize themself, that is not possible. It must give it here. And then the energy will be distributed. This is the difference. The materialistic persons, they are simply taking things for enjoying themselves. That is māyā. They cannot enjoy them. But if you take through Kṛṣṇa, then it is spiritual life. That is the difference between material and spiritual.
Unless one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, his repetition of birth and death and contacting another body from one body to another, that will continue. This is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Do not misunderstand Kṛṣṇa consciousness as a kind of religious faith. It is a science, how to get release from this repetition of birth and death. This is the science. It is not that as people accept a system of religion and another system of of religion. Because a human being is supposed to accept some type of religion. Somebody is a Hindu, somebody is Mussulman, somebody is Christian. It is not that. It is a science. It is a science. We are teaching that somehow or other you enhance your love for God. Then you are saved. This is a science.
And how to enhance that love of Godhead? That is our activities: to rise early in the morning, to offer maṅgala-ārātrika, to dress the Deity, to offer Him nice foodstuff, to observe festivals, writing books, distributing them. These are activities in devotional service that will save us from this repetition of birth and death. Otherwise we are doomed. We have to continue this repetition of birth and death. Avidyayā eva manuṣyadan.(?) This is avidyā. By avidyā, by misunderstanding, without knowledge, being in ignorance, manuṣya, sometimes we are human being, sometimes cat, sometimes dog, sometimes demigod. This is going on. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona: (CC Madhya 19.151) "We are wandering throughout the whole universe, from one body to another, one planet to another, but somehow or other, if we are fortunate..." This fortune is made in this way. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." If somebody comes to our contact, if he tries to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is fortunate. He is fortunate. Because he'll be saved from the repetition of birth and death.
So here Śukadeva Goswāmī says that if one does not atone his sinful activities... That is prāyaścitta vidhi, according to Vedic culture. In Christian also they have got prāyaścitta, confession. Confession, the Christians are supposed to go into the church and confess the sinful activities and pay some fine and then he becomes free. But that free, that excuse can be done once, twice, thrice, not perpetually. It is not possible. Suppose if you have done something wrong, and if you go to the court and say, "Sir, excuse me. I did not know," the court may excuse you one time, second time, but not for the third time. Third time you will be severely punished. So these people who are thinking, "By going to the church, by confession, I become free from all sinful activities, and then let me go again, commit the same thing for the whole week, come again and confess," this is not very good business. (laughter) This is not very good business. Similarly, if you think also, you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means you become free from all sinful reaction of life. But if you think that "I have got an instrument, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, so let me commit all sinful activities, then I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it will be nullified," no. That is the greatest offense.
Atonement, yes. (laughter) That's it. Atonement. I was forgetting this word. Atonement. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī suggests that you should know the responsibility, and according to the gravity of sinful life, you should accept some type of atonement as they are described in the śāstras. Actually, according to Vedic way of life, there is a class of brāhmaṇas who... Just like you go when you are diseased. You go to the doctor for atonement, for paying doctor's bill, similarly, they go to a bhaṭṭācārya. The bhaṭṭācārya is supposed to give him prescription that "I've committed such sins, sir. What is my atonement?" He gives you a prescription that "You do like this." So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "According to the gravity of sinful life, one has to execute the prescribed atonement." Exactly... He gives the example, doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit (SB 6.1.8). Exactly like when you go to consult a physician, he prescribes a nice medicine or costly medicine, according to the gravity of the disease. If you have simply some headache, he may prescribe you something like aspirin. But if you have got something else, very severe, he immediately prescribes that "It has to be surgically operated, and the expenditure will be one thousand dollars." (laughter)
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means it is above the modes of goodness. The goodness characteristic is manifested in a true brāhmaṇa. What is that characteristic? He is truthful. First thing is satya. Satya means truthful. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to speak truth even to his enemy. Everyone hides his secret before the enemy, but truthful means that he does not hide anything even to his enemy. That is brahminical qualification. Satya śama, controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Dama, controlling the senses, satya-sama-dama-śaucam, always clean, taking bath three times daily. Antar-bahiḥ. Outwardly, to wash with soap and other materials to clean, keep oneself clean, and inwardly, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa—that is cleanliness. So satya-sama-śaucam ārjavam, simplicity. Not to encourage artificial necessities of life. Simple life: plain living, high thinking—simplicity. And titikṣa, tolerance. Because this world is miserable. If we become disturbed with the miseries of this world, oh, you cannot live for a moment, because this life is, material life is full of miseries. So you have to become tolerant. When Kṛṣṇa was instructed about the eternity of the soul to Arjuna, Arjuna understood it. He said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I quite understand that soul is eternal.
So this is first-class human life. This should be the ideal of first-class human life. The first thing is tapasya, austerity, not extravagance. That is not human life. Tapasya. Tapasā means, generally, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. And then brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means no sex life. According to Vedic civilization, the students, they are called brahmacārī. In student life there is no sex life. Then his brain will be finished. That is happening nowadays. From the student life they indulge in sex life. Therefore not very big men are coming now—because their brain substance is finished. So a brahmacārī is supposed to raise the semina to the brain, ūrdhvam anti,(?) not discharge, but keep it on the brain. Then their memory becomes very sharp. Once heard from anyone, he will exactly produce, without any forget. Where is that science now? There is no such thing.
Therefore the brahmacārī should be trained up how to control the senses. Then they will be able to understand. The brain will be sharp. Instead of discharging semina, there are brahmacārīs who takes the semina to the brain. They are called ūrdhvaretaḥ, means the brain becomes very, very fertile. Once heard from the spiritual master or teacher, he will remember. He will never forget. Therefore, formerly there was no written book. Śruti, simply by hearing, a brahmacārī would be educated, simply by hearing. There was no need of books, writing. Therefore the Vedic literature is known as śruti. It is to be learned by hearing. Even there is book, still, one has to learn it by hearing from the realized soul. Therefore it is called śruti. So this śruti memorizing power should be increased if one observes strictly the life of celibacy. This is the science. Therefore brahmacārī is taught strictly. The brahmacārī is supposed to remain in gurukula up to the twenty-fifth year. He is trained up. Then if guru finds him that he requires to be married, then he goes home and he is married. Otherwise the teaching is to remain a brahmacārī throughout the whole life. There is no need of entering...
So the Ajāmila later on became a great sinful person. Therefore he was to be taken to Yamarāja. But because he chanted at the end of his life "Nārāyaṇa," he became purified from all sinful activities. So the order-carriers of Nārāyaṇa came to deliver him, save him from the hands of the Yamadūta. So the Yamadūta is describing the history of Ajāmila in the past, how he was in the beginning. Because he was the son of a brāhmaṇa, his father trained up the brāhmaṇa boy like a brāhmaṇa. So as such, he got this training. What is that? Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ: "This boy got training to become expert in Vedic knowledge." Śruta-sampannam. Śruta means Vedic knowledge, and sampannaḥ means finished. Within twelve years a brāhmaṇa's son is supposed to finished all the studies of Vedas, vyakāraṇa, grammar. That was education. From five years he is trained up. He goes to... Nowadays also, the children are sent to school at five years age, but the mode of education, different. Formerly, within twenty years a student, a brahmacārī, was trained up with all these qualifications, as it is described. What is that? The first is śruta-sampannaḥ, "expertly aware of Vedic knowledge." Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ, śīla, śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. Śīla means śuddhacara, cleansing. Because brāhmaṇa's qualification is śamo damo satam. What is that? Śamo damo... Tapo satyam. Cleanliness.
Suppose a brahmacārī, he's supposed to follow the laws of celibacy, but he could not. He falls down. There are so many rules and regulations. And fall down.(?) He began the execution of devotional service, but some way or other māyā catches him and he falls down. Nārada Muni says, "Oh, there is no loss for him."Yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ ko vā artha āptaḥ abhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ. Nārada Muni says that even if he falls down he does not lose anything. But what does he gain if one is engaged in his occupational duty as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, or this or that? If he sticks to his occupational duty and does not understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what does he gain? He does not gain anything. Suppose if one follows the rules and regulations of a brāhmaṇa. His next life he may get a brāhmaṇa birth or a very, I mean to say, learned family. Like that he can get. But that is not a very good gain. But Nārada Muni says if one has begun the occupational duty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, giving up all other occupational duties, even if he falls down, that one percent, two percent, remains as his asset so that he will be able to begin from next life again Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
I have taken your shelter. You see? (laughter) It is actually a fact. You see? So in this way we are wasting our time. Śaṅkarācārya, he was walking on the street and he was lamenting because he has got the eyes to see. What he said? He said, "Oh," bālas tāvad kridāsaktaḥ, "oh, all the boys I see in the street, they are very nicely playing. They do not know anything except play." Bālas tāvad kridāsaktas taruṇas tāvad taruṇī raktaḥ: "And the young, youngsters, they are after young girls, embracing, kissing. That's all." So taruṇas tāvad taruṇī raktaḥ. And vṛddhas tāvad cintā-magnaḥ: "And the old men, they are thinking, 'How to pull on? What to do? How to adjust family affairs?' " Parame brāhmaṇe ko 'pi lagnaḥ: "Oh, it is very lamentable. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." He is lamenting because he has got to... He was seeing practically. A sannyāsī is supposed to wander from one country, one village to another. So he is lamenting, bālas tāvad kridāsaktaḥ: "Oh, boys are playing. They are not being trained in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The youths, they are very much enjoying. So the old men, they are thinking, deep, thoughtful, the same thing. But nobody is interested."
Prabhupāda: Is it not?
Guest (1): Are you asking me to go out and chant all day long?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Guest (1): Are we supposed to chant twenty-four hours?
Prabhupāda: Not only chanting. There are other engagements.
Guest (1): Right. That's what the Maharishi says also.
Prabhupāda: So, twenty-four hours... Now, that meditation, what is that, what Maharishi says you do not know you say just now, that you do not know.
Guest (1): I don't know as well as the Maharishi knows, but I'd like to. Perhaps you can explain.
Prabhupāda: But then explain. What is that?
Guest (1): He says that to meditate twice a day.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. What is that meditation process?
Guest (1): Okay, you're given your mantra, and when you sit there and meditate, you think...
Prabhupāda: Do you know that mantra?
Guest (1): Yes, but I can't speak it.
So he planned something, that "Indirectly I shall take benediction from Lord Brahmā in such a way that I'll remain immortal." So in order to keep Brahmā's promise, Nārāyaṇa appeared as Nṛsiṁha-deva, half lion and half man. Therefore adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrva. Even Lakṣmī did not see such feature of the Lord, the half man, half lion. This is Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, all-powerful. He can assume any form. That is... Adṛṣṭā aśruta-purva. Never saw. Although she is associated with the Nārāyaṇa, but she never saw such wonderful feature of the Nārāyaṇa. Therefore it is said, adṛṣṭā aśruta-pūrvatvāt sā na upeyāya śaṅkitā. Lakṣmījī is chaste. So śaṅkitā: she was fearful, "May be He's different person." And she is the chaste, the most chaste. How she can mix with different person? Therefore śaṅkitā. This word is used, śaṅkitā. Although she is supposed to know everything, still, she was thinking, "May not be my husband." This is the ideal chaste, chastity, that even Lakṣmījī, being doubtful about Viṣṇu, she did not talk, did not approach. Śaṅkitā. This is another quality of Lakṣmījī. She became afraid, "He may not be Nārāyaṇa." Because she's never experienced of her husband such wonderful feature, half lion and half man. So adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt sa nopeyāya śaṅkitā.
So if we study the character of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, then we shall cease to manufacture such words as daridra-nārāyaṇa or this or that. No. We should therefore never follow this pāṣaṇḍi.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, considering himself born in the lowest, atheistic family, he thinks that "When Brahmā and other big demigods failed to satisfy the Nṛsiṁha-deva, how it is possible for me? I am neither born in a very scholarly family or devotee's family." Because a devotee is supposed to take birth in the family of a brāhmaṇa or very rich king or princely order or mercantile family. But Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a very rich family, and his father was also brāhmaṇa. And so... But unfortunately, his father was atheist. Therefore, in spite of his becoming born in the brāhmaṇa family, he was designated as demon, daitya.
So, of course, sometimes we require car. But we should not forget Kṛṣṇa simply for the manfacturing and riding car. This is foolishness. This is foolish. We can utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like we have got so many cars... Not here. Here also we have got many, eight to ten buses and cars. In the foreign countries each temple has got more than dozen cars. So, but these cars are used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to make the best use of a bad bargain. So we never use car for sense gratification. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate, prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari... A sannyāsī is supposed to walk. But if somebody criticizes, "Sir, why you are flying on airplane?" no, that is our not principle. The Jain sannyāsīs, they never use cars. Now they have begun. Because I am traveling all over the world, now the Jains, they are also. (laughter) But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Suppose I have to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Europe or America. So because a sannyāsī has to walk, therefore I shall walk throughout the whole life to go to America? This is foolishness. If I can go to America within fifteen hours for preaching facility, why shall not I use the aeroplane? Why shall I stick... It is called niyamāgraha, "without any profit," to follow the regulative principle without any profit. No. If we get opportunity, preaching facilities for going on car, on airplane, using typewriter, dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Kṛṣṇa's property, it must be used for Kṛṣṇa. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Kṛṣṇa's. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So when it is used for Kṛṣṇa it is not material; it is spiritual.
Pradyumna: "The brahmacārī should go out morning and evening for collecting alms. All the collections should be offered to the spiritual master. The brahmacārī is supposed to eat only if he is ordered to take foodstuffs by the spiritual master; otherwise, without being so ordered by the spiritual master, he may sometimes have to observe fasting."
Prabhupāda:
- sāyaṁ prātaś cared bhaikṣyaṁ
- gurave tan nivedayet
- bhuñjīta yady anujñāto
- no ced upavaset kvacit
- (SB 7.12.5)
Very strict life. The brahmacārī should go out of the āśrama for begging alms: "Mother, we are coming from such and such temple or āśrama. Give us some alms." So every home, gṛhastha, they will give some little attar. It doesn't matter he gives so much. A little, that is nice. Little attar or little rice or little dahl, little fruits, or little vegetable—everyone can contribute. And the brahmacārī should go to neighboring householders' place to take something from him. This collection is not for his personal sense gratification. This collection is made from these persons to offer to the Deity.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Of course, he is performing very rigidly the Vedic principles. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means very severe austerity. Those sannyāsīs following the principles of Śaṅkarācārya, they strictly follow austerities, lie down on the ground, and taking three times bath even in very severe cold, and simply have a kamaṇḍalu, nothing more, and lying down on the earth without any bedding, so many austerities. They are going, undergoing, severe austerities. Why? Now, to rise up to the Brahman realization—āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32)—paraṁ padam, that impersonal Brahman effulgence. But patanty adhaḥ, they fall down. Just see. After so much severe austerities, performing, they rise themselves to the brahma-pada, but they again fall down. For example, you know, many learned Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, very learned scholars, they suppose... They are supposed to have realized Brahman, but after few days they come to politics. You have... Perhaps you know. So many sannyāsīs, they go to fail for political affairs. Why? If you have realized Brahman, brahma satya jagan mithyā, why you are mingling matters here in the material world? That means he has not. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. He has come to the position of Brahman realization, but because he has no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nirākāra-vādī, he falls down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They don't care, this worshiping, or bhakti-mārga.
The other day, when I was discussed about Sanātana Goswami, how even an ordinary hotel keeper, he kept an astrologer who told the hotel keeper that "This man has got eight golden dollars." Just see. This is astrology. Even a thief could be conducted, guided by astrologer, and what to speak of others. So that was their system in India. So that example is being placed here by Lord Caitanya that the Veda, that is astrology for your guidance. For your guidance, the scripture is your astrologer. He knows your future, he knows your past. So therefore you should consult, you should consult, for our guidance.
Now, the astrologer is supposed to give some instruction to the poor man.
- 'ei sthāne āche dhana'-yadi dakṣiṇe khudibe
'bhīmarula-barulī' uṭhibe, dhana nā pāibe
Now, the astrologer says, is giving him, it is figurative, that "If you want to search out the Absolute Truth by ritualistic method..." Mostly people are attached to the particular faith and its ritualistic method. They consider this is everything. Veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ. They think that performing these rituals of a particular religion and faith, that is all; no more. So Lord Caitanya says, Lord Caitanya in the shape of that astrologer says, that if you follow—it is given figuratively, that he is searching after the wealth left by his father. Similarly, we have got our father, the Supreme, and He is the supreme proprietor of everything.
Festival Lectures
So here... Teachers are generally brāhmaṇas. Not generally. To become teacher is the business of the brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa means they have got six kinds of... Everyone must have livelihood. This material world is that you must work; otherwise you cannot get your livelihood. That is the law, whatever you may be. So the brāhmaṇas' means of livelihood, six things: paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. Paṭhana means he must be a very learned scholar, study the Vedic literature, and must teach others also. That is brāhmaṇa's business. And in that way, whatever the disciples bring, that is his income. No salary, no contract, that "If you pay me hundred dollars or five hundred dollars weekly, then I can teach you." No. There is no such contract. Teaching is free. It is the business of a brāhmaṇa to give free education to everyone. Now, it is the... Just like in our institution, I am your teacher, but there is no such contract that you have to pay me. But you pay me more than anything. So paṭhana pāṭhana, that is the means of livelihood of brāhmaṇa. And kṣatriya, they are kings. They can levy tax of the citizens because they are giving protection from being hurt by others. Kṣatriya means one who gives protection (to) a man being hurt by others. That is the real root meaning. Kṣatriya. And vaiśya means they should, kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyam, they should engage themselves in producing foodstuff, foodgrains, kṛṣi, protect cows. Especially gorakṣya. As the king is meant for giving protection to the man, similarly, a vaiśya is supposed to give protection to the cows, or they keep cows and produce milk products. They are vaiśya. And śūdra, simply service. So these are the different types of employment of different kinds of social order. And a king, the king has to see that everyone is employed. Not that hundreds of people are unemployed, and government has to give welfare, subsidy. Not like that. The king's duty is that everyone is independently earning his livelihood. That is king's duty.
In this way, in this age we are reducing everything. Every one of you can understand very easily. Formerly if somebody is attacked by another man, many persons will come to help him: "Why this man is attacked?" But at the present moment if one man is attacked, the passersby will not care for it because they have lost their sympathy or mercifulness for others. Our neighbor may starve, but we don't care for it. But formerly the sympathy for other living entities, even for an ant... Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, while he was touring on his kingdom, he saw that one man was trying to kill a cow. Parīkṣit Mahārāja saw. Immediately he took his sword that "Who are you? You are killing a cow in my kingdom?" Because the king is supposed, or the government is supposed to give everyone protection, not that the government is meant for giving protection to the human being and not to the animals. Because it is Kali-yuga, the government discriminates between two nationals. National means one who has taken birth in the land. That is called national. That is... You know, everyone. So the trees, they are also born in the land, the aquatics also born in the land. The flies, the reptiles, the snakes, the birds, the beasts, human beings—everyone is born in that land. Suppose your land, America, United States... Why the government should give protection to one class of living entities, rejecting others? This means they have lost their sympathy for others. This is Kali-yuga. Formerly, before Kali-yuga, unnecessarily even an ant would not be killed. Even an ant. There are many instances that a hunter who was taking advantage of killing animals, but when he became a devotee he was not prepared to kill even an ant.
So "lowest of the mankind..." Now if somebody's not Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if we say that "You are lowest of the mankind," a very, very strong word used... A gentleman, suppose he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but if we say that "You are the lowest of the mankind," he'll be certainly very angry, that "I am such a nice gentleman, and you are talking of me as the lowest of the mankind." But actually the fact is this. Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkho yāvad kiñcit na hvāyate, sabhāyaṁ vastra-veṣṭhitaḥ.(?) There is a normal instruction that a so-called gentleman, nicely dressed in the assembly of human society, may appear to be very nice so long he does not speak. But he's, if he speaks nonsense, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately he becomes the lowest of the mankind. If he proves by his speaking that he has no knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's simply well dressed, that's all... That we are finding all over the world. They are very nicely dressed, they have got very nice car, but if we ask him about God consciousness, they say, "Sir, after finishing this body, everything is finished." This is their knowledge. Therefore they are the lowest of the mankind. Lowest of the mankind means that in the human form of life he was supposed to know that life is eternal and the soul is changing different types of bodies on account of karma, different types of activities. But although the gentleman is well dressed, he does not know. He does not know what is going to happen in his next life. Neither he believes in the next life. This is the position of the modern civilization. So anyone in that ignorance is called the lowest of the mankind, narādhama.
So they were preparing just to satisfy the demigod Indra, because he was supposed to... Not supposed. Actually he supplies rains sufficiently. Without rains you cannot have successful agriculture. So they were preparing that sacrifice. So this preparation was being observed by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa is the youngest, and Balarāma is the eldest. Balarāma is son of Rohiṇī, and Kṛṣṇa is son of Devakī. Both these ladies, Rohiṇī and Devakī, they were wives of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa's father. So Balarāma was born of Rohiṇī, and Kṛṣṇa was born of Devakī. Devakī-nandana-gopāla. So Devakī-nandana. So They were not very... There was not much difference of Their age, say one year or two years, like that. So Balarāma was eldest brother. They were playing together, and this is an incidence when Balarāma was about eight years old and Kṛṣṇa was about seven years old. So, bhagavān tatraiva baladevena saṁyutaḥ. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, along with Baladeva, His elder brother, apaśyan, "saw." What is that "saw"? Nivasan gopa indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān: "All the cowherds men, including His father, they were preparing for sacrifice of Indra-yajña." Indra-yajña.
Now, this is a very important question. Nāry asatī. Asatī. Asatī means not chaste, not chaste woman. Just like... In India, of course, it is very strict, that the woman is not to give up her husband and acquaint herself with any other man. This example is given that "An unchaste woman gives up her own husband and makes friendship with others; similarly, one who gives up his own profession and takes other profession, he is also similarly unchaste." Unchaste. Nāry asatī yathā. Varteta brāhmaṇo vipra rājanya rakṣayā bhuvaḥ: "Therefore one should not deviate from his professional duties, just like the brāhmaṇas..." Brahman..., varteta brāhmaṇo vipraḥ: "Those who are brāhmaṇa, they should stick to their principle of life, simply spiritual culture." Rājanya rakṣayā bhuvaḥ: "And those who are kṣatriyas, they should stick to their protecting the citizen." The kingly order, royal order, their duty is to give protection to the... They should not simply collect tax. The kṣatriyas, this king is allowed to collect tax because he is supposed to give all protection to the people. So therefore it is said, rājanya rakṣayā bhuvaḥ. Rājanya means the royal order stick to his principle, how to give protection to the people. Similarly, vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvet śūdras tu dvīja-sevayā: "Similarly, these mercantile, they should live on their trade, and those who are śūdra, those who are laborer class, they should serve all these three classes." That is the rules.
Initiation Lectures
Therefore to deliver them this prasāda distribution is required. Mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Not that cooking in an, like a hotel, and sometimes, out of compassion, we distribute prasādam. That kind of, means bhuñjate te aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). Simply for feeding myself or yourself. Just like in marriage ceremony and other ceremonies we do. That, that bhuñjate te aghaṁ pāpā, they're simply eating pāpā. Therefore we are prohibited to take prasādam anywhere and everywhere. Because if there is no Deity worship, if we take food from their house, then we partake the sin, resultant action of their sinful activities. We should be careful. Unless it is prasādam, if we accept invitation from anywhere and everywhere, that means we are accepting the sinful activities, resultant action of the sin, person. Therefore a sannyāsī... And it was, formerly, this was the regulation, that sannyāsī would take prasādam in the house of a brāhmaṇa, because a brāhmaṇa is supposed to worshiper of Nārāyaṇa. In every house of a brāhmaṇa there was Nārāyaṇa-śilā. Still some rigid brāhmaṇas, they worship. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu even, He did not accept prasādam from a non-Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa. He must be brāhmaṇa, at the same time, Vaiṣṇava. Then He would accept.
Prabhupāda: ...I am accepting this dress following the footprints of other ācāryas. This dress was accepted by Rūpa Gosvāmī, not ordinary person. The six Gosvāmīs, they accepted. It is called paramahaṁsa stage, sannyāsī's highest stage. Sannyāsī has got four stages: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya and paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka means when he takes sannyāsa, he is not accustomed to beg; therefore he makes a small cottage outside the village, and the foodstuff comes from the home or somebody sends. In this way, when he is little practiced, then he goes door to door, begs, bahūdaka. Then he is more practiced: parivrājakācārya, he travels all over the world. And after that, when he is fully mature, he can chant one place Hare Kṛṣṇa. He has no more business. So this is the last stage of mature sannyāsa. But because you are thinking that you may not live many years, so you simply sit down, go to Māyāpur. You have no other business. Simply go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and whatever little prasādam available, you take. And the rest of your life simply engage in chanting. That will be success.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he supposed to get a name, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Name is the same.
Brahmānanda: Audolomi dāsa Bābājī?
Prabhupāda: Ah, Audolomi dāsa Bābājī. That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So this is the first time in our institution: a bābājī. So it is not to be imitated. It is the paramahaṁsa stage when one is very mature in sannyāsa life, for that, not for ordinary person. Don't request, "Give me sannyāsa. Give me bābājī." Don't do that. It is not a fashion. It is a stage of realization. That's all. (end)
General Lectures
Prabhupāda: We are practicing the emperor yoga. Therefore rāja-yoga is included there. The Bhagavad-gītā says that,
- yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
- mad-gatenāntarātmanā
- śraddhāvān bhajate māṁ yo
- sa yuktatamo mataḥ
- (BG 6.47)
Anyone who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself, he is the topmost yogi. Therefore a person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the authority of Vedic literature, he is supposed to passed all kinds of yogic principles. What is your understanding of kuṇḍalinī yoga? Do you know?
Young man (2): It's very dangerous.
Prabhupāda: So why do you accept such dangerous thing?
Young man (2): No, I just wanted to know what you thought of it.
Prabhupāda: There is no need of... It is not possible to practice that yoga. Yoga practice... That kuṇḍalinī process of yoga is not possible in this age. It is a very difficult process. So we should recommend not to waste your valuable time following something which is not possible to be done by you. That is our recommendation. But if you have got some hobby, that is a different thing. But it will never be successful. It is very difficult to perform. At the present age, as it is recommended and it is followed, practiced, and experienced, this bhakti-yoga is the only possible way for self-realization. It is made very simple: simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... Anyone can do it. Any part of the world can people practice it, of any age, it doesn't matter, either old, young, or child. We have got many children of our devotees, they are also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And many old men like me, they are also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And these young boys and girls, they are also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So it is universal. And all these boys and girls, they are neither Hindus nor Indians, nor they have any knowledge of Sanskrit. But they easily pick up this Hare Kṛṣṇa and chant and getting the result. So this is the easiest, universal method of self-realization in the present age. Any other practice of yoga system will never be successful. It will be simply waste of time.
Of course, it is a system in India that a brāhmaṇa is addressed as a paṇḍita because he is supposed to become a learned scholar. Brāhmaṇa's business is to study Vedic literatures and teach others also paṭhan pāṭhan. He must be scholar and he must make others also scholar. Not that he is simply remains a scholar, no, that is bad. Brāhmaṇa is so liberal that he wants to make others also scholar. paṭhana, pāṭhana, yajana, yājana. Yajan means worshiping the lord and yājan means helping others. Priest, you know, priestly business. Priest means he helps the householders how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Purohita. Purohita means one who does welfare activities for the householders. Purohita. Yajana yājana, Paṭhana pāṭhana, and dāna pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa business is to take charity from his disciples, followers, and again spend it for Kṛṣṇa's service. So, these six kinds of business is for the Brāhmaṇas and they are suppose to be very learned, paṇḍitajī. Brāhmaṇa's position is paṇḍita, so he was called paṇḍita. And he was actually paṇḍita but he presented himself as a fool although he was learned. He presented himself, "My dear Lord, people say that I am very learned but actually I do not know what I am, where from I have come, why I am suffering."
So Kṛṣṇa, first business is go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, He's the protector of cows and brāhmaṇas. Why? Why He's specially giving? Nowadays it has become a fashion, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, to give protection to the daridras. That is good idea. But why you should bring Nārāyaṇa amongst the daridras? Nārāyaṇa is not daridra. Nārāyaṇa is the husband of Lakṣmī, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Not only one Lakṣmī, millions of Lakṣmīs. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Surabhīr abhipālaya. In the transcendental world, in Kṛṣṇaloka, there are..., there that is called goloka. Goloka means that planet is full of many cows, and those cows are known as surabhī. Surabhī. The Kṛṣṇa is habituated to take care of the cows. Just like nowadays any respectable gentleman is supposed to take care of dog, similarly, Kṛṣṇa (indistinct) take it as hobby, so He has got the hobby of giving protection to the cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). And Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by many, many thousands of Lakṣmīs, these gopīs. The gopīs, they're all Lakṣmīs, expansion of goddess of fortune. They're not ordinary. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyā. Here in this material world everyone is worshiping Lakṣmī, or goddess of fortune. In the beginning of the year everyone worships Lakṣmī so that Lakṣmī may be pleased and money may come. But here (indistinct) we are worshiping Lakṣmī (indistinct), but there in the spiritual world not only one Lakṣmī but thousands of Lakṣmīs are worshiping Govinda. This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama. And they're worshiping with all respect. So Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, They cannot be daridra. This is a misconception. This is manufactured concoction, daridra-nārāyaṇa. How Nārāyaṇa can be daridra? He's worshiped by many, many thousands of Lakṣmīs. How He can be daridra?
So long we have got this material body, there are four necessities of life. They are eating, sleeping, sex intercourse and defense. So the cats and dogs, they also eat, they sleep, they have sex life and they can defend also. So therefore a human being should not be educated only for these four principles of animal necessities. The human necessity is to understand God. Therefore in civilized human society, there is some system of religion. Either you call it Christianity, Muhammadanism, or Hinduism, in civilized society there must be some form of religion. And a human being is supposed to follow the principles to have complete knowledge about God and himself, to know "What is the relationship between God and me?" and what is the goal of life.
So it doesn't matter whether you are Christian, Hindu, Muslim. The real purpose of life is to know God. And in the Vedic literature it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt bhagavat-praṇītam: Dharma, or religion, means the codes given by God. Just like in the state we have got practical experience. We, if we abide by the laws of the state, then we are good citizen, peaceful citizen... (yelling noises and applause in the audience) (aside:) What is that?
Prabhupāda: You can answer.
Madhudviṣa: Our spiritual master has traveled about ten thousand miles to come and speak to you. We did have... We've not come here to bribe anyone to come and listen to him. We have rented this hall. We have rented this hall here and we have invited people cordially to come and listen as representatives of the intelligentsia of Australia. Now if the intelligentsia of Australia cannot sit for half an hour and listen to a gentleman speak about love of God, it does not speak very well for you. We are simply not asking for disturbance. We are not asking for violence. We will meet violence with violence. We are not artificially pacifists. We are asking you to listen like gentlemen. We have come here in good will. We have come here not to cause any disturbance. So we ask you please to have that much respect for our spiritual master. Now at this time, if there is any question about Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy... Not about fighting. We can go on the street and fight. We can solve everything out there. We have come here to speak about spiritual matters. If you want to hear about spiritual matters, let's speak together like brothers and sisters. Let's not cause a disturbance. I have an ego; you have an ego. If you do something to flip off my ego, I may get mad. If I do something to flip out your ego, you get mad. So we'll go out into the street and settle it like cats and dogs? No. We're not here at this university to act like that. We're supposed to have raised above that platform. So please, we ask you to present sober questions to our spiritual master. Yes, sir?
Young man (2): I'm a Christian. I follow Jesus. What is your spiritual master in relation to Jesus, and do you see Jesus as just another prophet like...
Madhudviṣa: The question was, this man is a follower of Lord Jesus Christ, and he would like to know what our opinion is of Jesus Christ.
Prabhupāda: We respect Jesus Christ as you do. Because he is the representative of God, son of God, and we are also speaking of God, so we respect him with our greatest veneration.
So why God cannot come? So when God says, "Yes, I come for this purpose. This is My mission..." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. What is that glānir? Glānir means discrepancies. Not, the principles of religious..., when it is not executed properly, that is called glānir. So what is dharma? A simple definition is given: dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt-bhagavat-praṇītam. Dharma means the law given by God, that's all-three words: God and His words. So if we do not know who is God, if we do not know what is His order, then we are lost. If we do not know God and if we... Just like if we do not know what is the government and if we do not know what is the order of government, then what is our position? We'll commit every step some mistake, and we shall suffer. So we must know what is dharma and... A cat, dog cannot understand dharma, but a human being is supposed to understand dharma. Lawbooks are made for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. "Keep to the left" or "Keep to the right," the signboard is there in the street. Or the red light is there, blue light is there—for whom? For the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs may disobey; there is no criminality on their part because they are cats and dogs. So there is law of God, there is God. If human being does not know what is God and what is the law of God, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. He must know. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: By discovering new medicines and new techniques to improve our health.
Prabhupāda: So where is the medicine which stops disease? You are discovering medicine, and many new diseases are coming out, so where is the stopper?
Karandhara: That's supposed to come. That is the promise.
Prabhupāda: Promise, a fool can promise anything. And...
Śyāmasundara: And instead all they do is...
Prabhupāda: That is a different thing.
Śyāmasundara: ...add more wars.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: President Nixon has made a promise that very shortly this cancer disease should be cured. So he has allotted a lot of money for the coming few years and he is giving to all scientists (indistinct). He is saying he is going to stop this death from cancer, but...
Prabhupāda: Suppose he stops death from cancer. Can he stop death at all?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Not at all.
Prabhupāda: Then what does he say?
Śyāmasundara: Other people are saying he is a philosopher.
Prabhupāda: Other... We don't say he's a philosopher. He says. He wants to pose himself as a philosopher; therefore he is talking all this nonsense. That's all.
Śyāmasundara: This existential psychoanalysis is supposed to get down to the root of a man's existence.
Prabhupāda: Has he seen that? Has he gone up to there?
Śyāmasundara: The level that he takes it to is that man is basically a "being for himself."
Prabhupāda: That's all right, that individuality.
Śyāmasundara: And that his decision-making power, his freedom to make decisions, is his real essence, his real nature.
Prabhupāda: So he agrees also at the same time, responsibility.
Śyāmasundara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So that means he must have the power to make decisions, right and wrong. That is responsible.
Dr. Rao: That is imperfection.
Prabhupāda: So therefore it is concluded that direct perception is always imperfect. (laughter)
Devotee: (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: His belief for..., the criterion for truth is called the correspondence theory, that a belief is true if it agrees with the facts with which it is supposed to correspond.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this example, we see the snow as white, but it is..., does not correspond with the fact. Therefore it is not knowledge.
Dr. Rao: There is another example. They see water can (indistinct) in several (indistinct). One is the seawater, one is the (indistinct rest of comment)
Śyāmasundara: He also says that besides the correspondence, that fact must correspond with..., that a belief must correspond with the fact if it is to be true. Also he says...
Prabhupāda: So that fact does not correspond by direct perception, (indistinct) that we are seeing the snowball white, but scientifically it is not white; it is a combination of seven colors.
Prabhupāda: That is his defect. The nature is dead body, matter. So how it can be rational? Just like this table is a dead wood. How it can be rational? That is nonsense. The carpenter is rational, who has made the wood in the shape. So he says the nature is rational. Nature is dead matter. How it can be rational? Therefore there is a rational being behind the nature. That is God. This, the wood, is dead. The wood, out of its own accord, cannot become a table. The carpenter is shaping the wood into table. That is rational. Therefore behind the dead nature, the rational being is God. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. I think Mr. Huxley is supposed to have read..., understand he has given some comment on the Ramakrishna Mission Bhagavad-gītā, but he has not studied Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly.
Hayagrīva: Oh, that's his son, his grandson.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Hayagrīva: That's Aldous, Aldous Huxley.
Prabhupāda: Uh-huh.
Hayagrīva: And this is Thomas Henry Huxley.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Purports to Songs
Then he says, se sambandha nāhi jā'r. Sambandha means connection or contact. "So anybody who has not contacted a relationship with Nityānanda," se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r, "then he is supposed to have spoiled his human birth." In other song also Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "Anyone who does not approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through the relationship of Nityānanda, his life is uselessly spoiled." Se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r. Bṛthā means useless, janma means life, tāra means his, and sambandha means relationship. "So anyone who has no relationship with Nityānanda, he is simply spoiling his, the boon of human form of life." Why he is spoiling? Se paśu boro durācār. Se means that; paśu, animal; durācār, dura, misbehaved, mostly misbehaved. Because without our elevation to Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the mercy of Lord Caitanya-Nityānanda, the life is simply animal propensities. That's all. Sense gratification. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that ordinary animal, he can be tamed, but a human being, when he is animalistic, when he has simply animal propensities, oh, he is horrible.
Gaurāṅgera duṭi pada, yāra dhana sampada, sei jāne bhakati-rasa-sāra. This is another song composed by Narottama das Ṭhākura, and he says that "One who has accepted the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, in other words, one who has the only asset of possession, the two feet of Lord Caitanya, such person is supposed to know what is the essence of devotional service." Sei jāne bhakati-rasa-sāra. What is the purport of devotional service, or what is the humor of devotional service, can be understood by a person who has accepted Lord Caitanya's lotus feet as everything. The idea is that actually Lord Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, and He is teaching devotional sevvice to the living entities personally. Directly. Therefore the modes of devotional service, as taught by Lord Caitanya, is the most perfect. There cannot be any doubt. The expert, or the master, is teaching the servant how to work. If a... If somebody is master of some engineering work and he is personally teaching some assistant, that teaching, instruction, is most perfect. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, in the role of a devotee, is teaching devotional service. Therefore the path chalked out by Lord Kṛṣṇa is the most feasible way for perfection to devotional service. Sei jāne bhakati rasa sāra. Sāra means essence.
| Page Title: | Supposed to... (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 16 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=60, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 60 |