Go-dāsa. Servant of the senses. So instead of becoming servant of the senses, you have to become master of the senses. That is called gosvāmī. If you remain servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Kāmādināṁ katidhā kati na.... That is animal life. But when you become master of the senses... How it is possible, master of the senses? Now, if you employ your senses always in the service of Kṛṣṇa, your senses are already controlled. Just like your tongue. Your tongue asks you, "Go to the restaurant and eat some nice thing." But if you are a Vaiṣṇava, if you have this vow that "I shall not allow my tongue to eat anything except prasādam," it is already controlled. That means, to control the senses means to engage the senses in the service of the Lord. This is control.
Vow (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So beginning is the jihvā. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Sevā. The tongue can be engaged in the service of the Lord. How? You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, always glorify. Vācāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Vācāṁsi, means talking. Talking is the business of tongue, and tasting is the business of tongue. So you engage the tongue in the service of the Lord by glorifying. Whenever... You take a vow that "Whenever I shall speak, I shall simply speak, glorifying Kṛṣṇa, nothing more." That is tongue control. If you don't allow your tongue to speak anything nonsense, grāmya-kathā... We sometimes sit together. We talk so many nonsense. That should be controlled. "Now I have engaged my tongue for the service of the Lord, so we shall not talk anything of sense gratification." This is controlling the tongue. "I cannot eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa." This is controlling the tongue. So these are small techniques, but it has got great, great value so that Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, the austerity, and He will reveal. You cannot understand. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa.
So how to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be awakened for a person who wants to stay in this material world and become happy. He cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means home, and vratānām means one who has taken the house or home or this body as everything. Vrata. Vrata means... Just like you are observing this today, a Janmāṣṭamī-vrata, under vow. We shall fast, an austerity. The aim is different from the gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vrata's aim is how to decorate the home, how to become happy in this home, in this world, in this material world. That is their... So they cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. One who has become callous of this material happiness, he can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore it is said here, yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete. These material things, seasonal changes, so-called happiness, so-called distress, if one is not disturbed... There is no cause of disturbance. This is another foolishness. Why one should be disturbed? Because the so-called happiness or happiness or distress, whatever you are destined to receive, you must get it. You try or do not try, it doesn't matter. Whatever portion of happiness you are destined to get, you'll get it. And whatever portion of... Because this material life is mixture. You cannot get unadulterated happiness or unadulterated distress. No. That is not. You'll get distress and happiness both.
Even by hearing instruction from learned, I mean to say, transcendentalists or by self-study. Parataḥ. Parataḥ means taking lessons or taking instruction from others. And svataḥ means by self-culture. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho vā. Mitho vā: "by assembly." By assembly. Na: "It will never be." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām means... Gṛha means "house," and vrata means "vow." One who has made his vow that "This worldly live, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life. We have to decide it that spiritual life and material life, they are different angles of vision. If we give more stress to the material life, material way of life, then it is not possible to have any spiritual realization or spiritual emancipation. Those things... Because the whole idea is, as we are discussing for several weeks, that I am spirit, pure consciousness. I have been put to this material contact somehow or other. Without tracing the history and how I have put into it... (break) But the fact is that I am put into these material circumstances, and therefore, due to my material condition of life, I am undergoing miseries, so many miseries. So the whole idea is that I have to get out of this material contact and reinstate myself in the pure spiritual life so that I shall not, I shall be free from all miseries. Because spirit soul, as it is, in its pure form, it is sac-cid-ānanda. It is eternal, it is blissful, and it is full of knowledge.
And the prostitute sat down before him, and the Ṭhākura said, "Why you have come?" She disclosed her intention, that "You are such a nice young man, so I have come to embrace you." "Oh, very good. Very good. You sit down. You sit down and let me finish. Let me finish my chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, because I have got a vow for chanting so many. So it is now almost finished. But as soon as finished, we shall enjoy. Very good. You sit down." So by chanting, chanting, chanting, it became morning. Now, that prostitute became restless. "I am very sorry. Because I could not finish my chanting, therefore we could not enjoy life. All right. You come this evening, this night. We shall enjoy." So next also night she came in the same way and the same business, chanting. And he said, "Let me finish. Then I shall do."
Not that one becomes God by doing something. Nowadays it has been practiced to say that "I have meditated so many years, I have undergone so much penance. Then I have become now God." Oh, God is not manufactured in that way. God cannot be manufactured. Now, Kṛṣṇa, when He was in the lap of His mother, He was God at that time also, not that He had to grow up and undergo some penance and austerity and vows and go to the jungle or Himalaya or accept some very great spiritual master and so on, so on; then He became God, as it has been now the practice, that anyone who... He's a little advanced in spiritual life, and if he can display some wonders, oh, he at once becomes God. So God is not so cheap thing. Simply by playing some wonders...
Then how to understand Kṛṣṇa? That is recommended. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. You have to engage your tongue first of all in the service of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa realization begins from the tongue.
How? Now you simply make it a vow that "I shall not talk anything except glorifying the Lord." Then you become perfect. Very simple method. Simply you have to make this determination, that "I shall not talk anything which is not about Kṛṣṇa, and I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa." So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching these two things specifically. We are distributing little prasādam. If we get opportunity, we can give sumptuous prasādam. We are doing that in all other centers throughout the whole world. By eating, simply by eating, one can be beloved. It doesn't require if he simply eats Kṛṣṇa prasādam. It is so nice method. So jihvādau. And hearing. This is recommended here, that ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau. Ātmā, you have to make a determination, ātma-saṁyama, that "I shall not allow this tongue to take anything in the restaurant. But I can simply allow the tongue... "If you do this, then you become gosvāmī. That is called gosvāmī. Because we are all godāsa. Go means senses.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting)
- dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā
- yoga-yajñās tathāpare
- svādhāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca
- yatayaḥ saṁśita-vratāḥ
- (BG 4.28)
Translation: "There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice the yoga of eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas for the advancement of transcendental knowledge."
Prabhupāda: You can read the purport also.
Pradyumna: "These sacrifices may be fitted into various divisions. There are persons who are sacrificing their possessions in the form of various kinds of charities. In India, the rich mercantile community or princely orders open various kinds of charitable institutions like dharma-śālā, anna-kṣetra, atithi-śālā, anāthalaya, vidyāpīṭha, etc... In other countries too, there are many hospitals, old age homes and similar charitable foundations meant for distributing food, education and medical treatment free to the poor. All these charitable activities are called dravyamaya-yajña. There are others who, for higher elevation in life or for promotion to higher planets within the universe, voluntarily accept many kinds of austerities such as cāndrāyaṇa and cāturmāsya. These processes entail severe vows for conducting life under certain rigid rules. For example, under the cāturmāsya vow the candidate does not shave for fours months during they year, July to October, and does not eat certain foods, does not eat twice in a day and does not leave home. Such sacrifices of the comforts of life is called tapomaya-yajña. There are still others who engage themselves in different kinds of mystic yogas like the Patañjali system for merging into the existence of the Absolute, or haṭha-yoga or aṣṭāṅga-yoga, for particular perfections. And some travel to all the sanctified places of pilgrimage. All these practices are called yoga-yajña, sacrifice for a certain type of perfection in the material world. there are others who engage themselves in the studies of different Vedic literatures, specifically the Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtras, or the Sāṅkhya philosophy. All of these are called svādhyāya-yajña, or engagement in the sacrifice of studies. All these yogis are faithfully engaged in different types of sacrifice and are seeking a higher status of life. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is, however, different from these because it is the direct service of the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be attained by any one of the above-mentioned types of sacrifices but can be attained only by the mercy of the Lord and His bona fide devotee. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental."
Prabhupāda:
- dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā
- yoga-yajñās tathāpare
- svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca
- yatayaḥ saṁśita-vratāḥ
- (BG 4.28)
So charity, or sacrificing your possession for the benefit of others, this is also yajña. But they are called karma-kāṇḍa yajña, fruitive activities. By such performance of yajña, one can elevate his material position.
Just like feeding the poor. It is also yajña. But the same thing, if it is dovetailed in consciousness, that becomes perfect. People are very much inclined to feed the poor with sumptuous food, but it can be done in a little different way, that the foodstuff offered to Viṣṇu, prasāda, that distribution foodstuff is better than ordinary distribution of foodstuff. Ordinarily, that is puṇya, pious activities, but when it is connection with Kṛṣṇa, this is called yajña. Dravya-yajña. To distribute food and cloth, that is called dravya-yajña, but yajña can be said when it is done, dovetailing the activities with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So our the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are also distributing food in our about one hundred branches all over the world. But not directly, but through nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate.
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He talked on Vedānta-sūtra at Benares. And because the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they were criticizing Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "He is sentimental sannyāsī, devotee, He does not study Vedānta-sūtra..." The Lord was criticized like that. So some of His devotees requested that "We know that You do not mix with the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, but they are criticizing You. If you kindly meet them..." So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met all the Vārāṇasī Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he had sixty thousand disciples. So they asked. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "You are a sannyāsī. So you do not study Vedānta-sūtra. It is the," I meant to say, "vow of the sannyāsīs that they must." Vedānta-sūtra is the crucial point of sampradāya. One sampradāya must give his commentation on the Vedānta-sūtra. Otherwise he is not a bona fide sampradāya. So especially in the Śaṅkara sampradāya, they are very much fond of studying Sāṅkhya philosophy and Vedānta-sūtra.
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.
And brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ. Brahmacāri-vrata means celibacy, no sex life at all. Completely prohibited. Brahmacārī. Brahmacāri-vrate. Vrata means with a vow that "I'll have no sex life," with a vow. Such person can execute yoga system. Praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ, manaḥ saṁyamya. When the ātmā is... There is no demand. When you have no demand, then your mind is naturally becomes controlled. Manaḥ saṁyamya mac-cittaḥ. Now, doing all these things, the next item is mac-cittaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says mat, to transfer the whole thinking to Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Not vacant. Mac-cittaḥ. So if that is the system of yoga, mac-cittaḥ, yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. Mac-cittaḥ and yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. "Always thinking of Me, or Viṣṇu. Always thinking of Me." So now, that one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gets the opportunity of the highest yoga system, but he hasn't got to take the trouble of the process. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here the whole thing is coming down, the Lord says mac-cittaḥ. The mind should be engaged in Viṣṇu. The yogi, the real yogi, who goes to the forest, to the secluded place, he thinks of the catur-bhuja Viṣṇu. That will be explained here.
Brahmacārī, there are two kinds of brahmacārīs. One who is leading complete celibacy, complete free from sex life, he is called brahmacārī. Another brahmacārī is gṛhastha-brahmacārī. He has got his wife, but he has no other understanding with any other woman. And that wife also only, I mean to say, relationship is performed under regulation, he is also brahmacārī. One who has his relationship with wife under rules and regulation and does not know any other woman, he is also brahmacārī. That is also called brahmacāri-vrata. And one who lives complete celibacy life, that he is also brahmacārī. So that brahmacāri-vrata is essential for yogi. Brahmacāri-vrata. Now, yata-cittasya... yogam ātmanaḥ, that mind should not be agitated. He says, "The mind should not be agitated." Suppose I am brahmacārī, I have taken the vow, brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ, I have taken the vow that "I will have no sex life in my life." Then mind may be agitated sometimes. So there is precautions. Precautions. It is said in the Vedic literature that one should be very careful about woman. They are so much careful, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhave (SB 9.19.17)t. The prescription is that "One should not sit alone even with his mother, with his sister, and with his daughter." You see. Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. The mind is so, I mean to say, fragile that even little, they can create havoc. You see? So these things are prescription for the yogis. Yogi has to look into the prescription of the system.
Any way, if you keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa's business, then you are immune. You will not be infected. This is the process. Keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, you will always remain immune. Sa-gunān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya. And willfully, we shall not do anything which against the bhakti process, willfully. But because I am habituated... Suppose a smoker he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least has promised that "I shall not smoke, I shall...," but all of a chance, sudden, suppose his friend seduces him: "Oh what is that, smoke today, doing." So sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not willfully: "Now nobody is seeing, Kṛṣṇa is not here. Let me smoke now." Not that. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Kṛṣṇa's eyes.
Minimum because they cannot chant more than that, therefore minimum. Otherwise kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). So you must have a fixed amount of kīrtana. That is called tapasya, that "We must finish at least this much, if not more." Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka. By numerical strength one should chant. That is called vow. This is the idea. So these Europeans, Americans, they cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was chanting 300,000 times. So we do not advise to imitate. Really do something. One name is sufficient. If you can chant one name only, that is sufficient. But that is not possible. So to understand the value of name at least we must have some numerical strength. All the Gosvāmīs used to do that. We follow their footprints. Thank you. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Yes. Difficulty is there always. Even you go to a school there are so many difficulties. But if you practice with vow and rigidity, you become successful. Difficulties may be there. In every field of our activities there are difficulties. You cannot say... This world is full of difficulties. So difficulties may be there, but you have to struggle against the difficulties and you have to adopt the process. Then your difficulties will be over. It is not that "Because there is difficulty I shall refrain from it." No. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha... (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). These are process. Just like you have come here with some śraddhā, with some faith: "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let me sit down. Let me hear." This is the preliminary stage. If you become little serious, then you come daily and try to understand what is this. This is called sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Then, gradually, as these boys, they offered themselves, "Swamiji, I want to be your regular student, initiate." Third stage. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). And if he follows the rules and regulation, gradually the difficulties are over.
Those who are living within the family life, they cannot understand what is ātma-tattva. Apaśyatām. Apaśyata. Nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is advising to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that "There are many things. They are busy." Just like ordinary man, worldly man, he purchases huge volumes of newspaper, and he is interested. But he is not interested to understand Bhagavad-gītā where ātma-tattvam is described. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). They are not interested. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja śrotavyādi, subject matter for hearing. Nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ: "For ordinary man there are thousands and thousands of news." We can see so many magazines—technical, musical and cinema and ordinary news and so many editions of every newspaper in every city. So this is a fact. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands and thousands and thousands. Why they are busy with so many newspapers, and why they are not interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Because apaśyatām ātma-tattvam; (SB 2.1.2) "They do not know that the real purpose of life is to understand ātma-tattva." Apaśyatām. Why you are forget? Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They have made it vow, that, to maintain the family and to have some enjoyment from family life. Family life means society, friendship and love.
Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa has described different types of transcendentalists. First He has described about the mahātmā, mahātmā, the great soul. And their symptoms have been described, that satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). They are engaged twenty-four hours, cent percent, in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and trying to serve the Lord very carefully with vow. So they are first-class transcendentalists or the great soul. And then? Second-class? Those who are trying to understand the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, by identifying himself with the Supreme, that "I am, I am the Supreme." This I have already explained. This "I am Supreme" means "I am part and parcel of the Supreme, of the same quality." So these people, these devotees, not exactly devotees, transcendentalists, they, doing that, when they are little more advanced and if by chance they get association of another pure devotee, then he can understand that "I am not Supreme, but I am the part and parcel of the Supreme." Then he makes further advance and the ultimate goal, as I have several times explained before you, ultimate goal is to know Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord. That is the ultimate goal.
That seriousness, one who has taken that serious attitude, they can actually perform this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. But those who are still under the impression that "Material advancement will make me happy," they are still under the spell of illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This planet, that planet, that planet, that planet, that planet. But in no planet nowhere you can have perfect peace of life. That is impossible. Therefore those who are intelligent, those who are by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, or by good association one who can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform dṛḍha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6), I may be transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..." Now, the materialist says, "All right, you do not know whether you are going or not. You are giving up this material enjoyment. You are simply living on cāpāṭis. Oh, we have got so many palatable dishes, and you are not enjoying this. You are fool." So to these poor devotees who are taking cāpāṭis, the Lord says a very nice thing.
Therefore śāstra says that pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. A man should not desire to become a father and the woman should not desire to become a mother unless both of them have taken the vow that "I shall beget a child and stop his cycle of birth and death." This is the duty of the parents, not that "I shall beget children like cats and dogs." There should be some meaning of the life. Samupeta-mṛtyum. Because we have got the circumstances, unclean body, because we have got unclean body, therefore there is birth and death. Just like as soon as you are infected, there is fever, similarly, the birth and death is a kind of disease. It is also listed with disease. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). They are on the same category: birth, death, old age and disease. They are on the same category. But we take care of two things, namely old age... We try to remain young by cosmetic, but that is not possible. Similarly, we want to live forever. The lady doctor was (saying), "Yes, we can extend little more." Then what...? After all, you have to die. Extend little more or little less, you cannot avoid death.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati... (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa's vow is that He will see always His devotees are protected. So when they were perplexed, Kṛṣṇa came. Kṛṣṇa came that "What is the problem?" They explained, "This is the problem." Then asked Draupadī that "You have already finished..." Because Draupadī had an, a benediction that so long she does not take his (her) lunch, any number of men come, she, she will be able to feed. That was his (her)... But she had finished her lunch. then Kṛṣṇa said, "Just go, find out some foodstuff, any little in the kitchen." They said, "No, everything is finished. There is no food." "No, just try to see." Then, in one pot, they saw a little śāk, a vegetable, was stuck up. So they brought it and Kṛṣṇa took it, immediately. So as soon as Kṛṣṇa took, all the Durvāsā Muni and company, they, they felt that their belly is filled up. Tasmin tuṣṭo jagat tuṣṭaḥ. So they were feeling ashamed that "How we shall go? We cannot take any food?" So they fled away from the Ganges.
So for a devotee, there is no need of controlling senses. It automatically becomes controlled. Just like we have taken the vow we are not going to eat anything except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Oh, the sense is already controlled. There is no question of asking a devotee, "You don't drink, don't this, don't this, don't this." So many don'ts. Simply by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, all don'ts there, already there. And it becomes very easier. Others, if one is requested that "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult job for him. For a devotee, he can give up at any moment. He has no problem. Therefore the same example, that these senses are very strong undoubtedly, as strong as the snake. But if you break the poison teeth, the poison teeth, then it is no more fierceful. Similarly, if you engage your senses in Kṛṣṇa, no more controlling. It is already controlled. Protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate.
So long one lives sinful life, he cannot have clear vision. Diseased condition. How? "Physician, heal thyself." He cannot have clear vision. Therefore amogha-dṛk means he is liberated person. He can see. Amogha-dṛk. Dṛk means vision. Amogha-dṛk. And Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ means whose śravāḥ, means aural reception... śuci. Śuci means pure. Who has received knowledge by aural reception in pure heart, or from the pure source. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci means pure. Śravāḥ. Śravāḥ means hearing. Śuci... These are the qualification of the person who can actually do benefit to the human society. Not that everyone can do. That is the mistake of the... Everyone is giving some idea and some theory that "This way there will be peace, there will be nice thing in the world." But he does not know that he has to receive from the pure source by aural reception. One has to hear from the pure source what is actually benefit to the human society. These are the qualifications. Śuci-śravāḥ. Then next word is satya-rataḥ. Satya means truth, and rataḥ means engaged. "One who is engaged in the matter of the Absolute Truth," not relative truth. Absolute, satya-rataḥ. And dhṛta-vrataḥ. Dhṛta-vrataḥ. Vrata. Vrata means vow, and dhṛta means who has taken vow that "I shall do this." These are the qualifications.
Nowadays, at the present moment, there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśyas. Everyone is a śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. The situation is different. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made the thing very easy. Either you become brāhmaṇa or śūdra or kṣatriya or less than śūdra, caṇḍāla, or, or anything, it doesn't matter. Take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and if you stick to this and if you follow the regulative principles, your success is sure. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. And that is confirmed here by Nārada Muni, that "There is no loss even one falls down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform." That does not mean we shall fall down. We must be very steady and rigid and with vow, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that te dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ. How we can become fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam: "Anyone who is completely free from all sinful reaction..." Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. And who can be completely free from all sinful reaction? They are always engaged in pious activities. Such persons... Because if you engage yourself in pious activities, there is no chance of your being engaged in sinful activities.
So, so in this way our proposition is that if we want perfection, then in whatever position we are, either I am a brāhmaṇa, or I am a kṣatriya, or I am a vaiśya, or I am a śūdra—it doesn't matter, if we simply take this vow, that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything... A śūdra is also a, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the cause of the śūdras. You should not hate anyone, because everyone is born of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu. It doesn't matter in what form the living entity is there, but Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the father, He is the father. So either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or mleccha, yavana, or white, black, European, American—anyone—he should know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life.
So he was a boy, but he gave up all these things. Arbhaka. Arbhaka means not experienced very well. Or almost foolish, ignorant, they are called arbhaka. So although he was a child, he was a boy, but by the association of exalted devotees he also became very sober. Sober. Śuśrūṣamāṇe munayaḥ alpa-bhāṣiṇi. And he was not talking very much. Too much talking unnecessarily is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore, sometimes those who are very, very talkative, they are ordered by their spiritual master that "You keep silence." Maunī. Maunī-bābā. Somebody, they practice to become always silent. You'll find some of the sādhus, the mendicants, they also keep silence. But they sometimes make this, that, this... And way (?) "onnnnh." That is not good. Silence means don't talk nonsense. Whenever you speak, you speak about Kṛṣṇa. That is real silence. The... "Make a vow that 'I shall not speak anything except topics of Kṛṣṇa.' " That is real silence. Not that to become silent. To become silent... Mind will work. Better chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. There is no question of becoming silent.
Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānāṁ matir na kṛṣṇe. Those who have taken it a vow, that "I shall remain in this family life and improve my condition," gṛha-vratānām... Gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha and gṛha-vrata are different. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. A man is living with husband and wife or children, but the aim is how to improve spiritual life. That is gṛhastha-āśrama. And one who has no such aim, he simply wants to enjoy the senses, and for that purpose he's decorating the house, decorating the wife, children—that is called gṛha-vrata or gṛhamedhī. In Sanskrit there are different terms for different meaning. So those who are gṛha-vrata, they cannot be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Parataḥ means by the instruction of guru or instruction of authority, parataḥ. And svato vā. Svataḥ means automatically. And automatically is not possible even by instruction. Because his vow is that "I shall remain in this way." Gṛha-vratānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta. Mithaḥ, not by conference, by meeting, by passing resolution, "If we want to become Kṛṣṇa conscious," that is not possible. It is all individual. I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa individually.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa is very, very satisfied with the Vaiṣṇava. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). So you have taken to the vow of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. And we have got little success. One politician in U.S.A., he has remarked that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is increasing like an epidemic." He has said that. "And if we do not check it, one day it may take our government." He has opined like that. So any intelligent man can know what is the ultimate result. Everyone... Because mass of people, if they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then government is yours. That is a fact. And if the Kṛṣṇa consciousness government is there, no meat-eating, no smoking, no illicit sex, so many no's, the demons will die. (laughter) That is the position. Thank you very much. (end)
Just like a big rich man. He eats so many nice things. But sometimes he says, "Give me some puffed rice." Puffed rice is not his food, but he likes sometimes. Similarly, everyone prays to God with reverence and vow and obedience, but He wants to be chastised sometimes. That chastisement, from where this chastisement will come? It will come from His devotee, not ordinary. If ordinary man chastises, imitating Yaśodāmāyi, he will be offender. He will be punished. But where He agrees to be chastised, "Mother you chastise Me," that is bhakti. That is devotional service. So there is nothing extraordinary when it is said here, bhagavān devakī-suta. He can become Devakī-suta. It is His mercy.
So the... It is the process. During lecture time, if we don't care to hear or we do other things or take rest, that is not very good sign. We should be very much careful. Then we shall remain mūḍha-dṛśā. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. We have taken the vow to see Kṛṣṇa or to understand Kṛṣṇa. We should be very, very serious and do the needful. Then our life will be successful.
So if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, satataṁ cintayanto mām (BG 9.14), "always thinking of Me," yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and endeavoring to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with vow, then we have to remain purified. Because Kṛṣṇa is purified. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa impurified. But if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, in this way, meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be purified. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). That meditation can be possible by hearing and chanting. Then thinking will automatically come. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Smaraṇa means remember. If you chant and hear, then remembrance will automatically come. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Then you will be engaged in worshiping His lotus feet. Arcanam. Then you'll be engaged in arcanam, the temple worship; vandanam, offering prayers; dāsyam, you'll engage yourself as servant; sakhyam, you'll become friend of Kṛṣṇa; ātma-nivedanam, and surrender everything to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.
So these books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, are there, and many other books, Purāṇas and others... They are simply describing the activities of Kṛṣṇa so that you can understand Kṛṣṇa. That... There is a verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: anādi bahirmukha jīva nāhi jñāna, kṛṣṇa... (CC Madhya 20.117). Means "From, since a very, very long time, he has forgotten Kṛṣṇa." Just like anyone you can ask, in this country even, and what to speak of others, that "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So you'll find so many, I mean to say, major portion, people, will say, "No, we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa." Just like our Śyāmasundara's daughter, Sarasvatī. She preaches, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" Even one knows, because he (she) is child: "No, no. I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead," she will say. She is so intelligent. She will say. So similarly, we can do. We can do Kṛṣṇa's service like this. Even a child can do. You go. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That becomes... You becomes spiritual master. If you take this vow, that "I'll preach only Kṛṣṇa," then you are spiritual master.
So when all these questions puzzled him, he decided to go to Bhīṣmadeva, who was lying on the arrows' bed before his death. As I told you that Bhīṣmadeva could not be dead without..., so long he does not wish. That was the benediction given by his father, that "My dear boy, you have taken such a strong vow. So I give you one benediction." Formerly everyone was so powerful. Of course, father's benediction always there, but they were actual benedictions. Everyone was so powerful. For example, the brāhmaṇa's son who cursed Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he was only twelve years old, a boy, and because he cursed Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that "Within seven days he will have to die," so he had to die. Just a small brāhmaṇa boy, how he was powerful. And it could not be changed. Although Parīkṣit Mahārāja was competent to change it, but he did not change. He showed honor to the brahminical curse. That is discussed by his father. So those who were powerful, actually they could benedict. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. As we read in the Gurvaṣṭaka, "By the benediction of the spiritual master, one becomes benedicted by the Supreme Lord."
So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the philosophy of equality, fraternity, as in your country they profess, it is not possible. Artificial. Without coming to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, this equality, fraternity, big, big words, universal brotherhood, it is impossible. That is not possible. Therefore one has to become learned scholar, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Then he will be able to see equally. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is thinking of all prajās, not only... Otherwise, the language would have been "human being." No. Prajā, "All, all kinds of prajā." This is universal understanding.
So deva-vrata. Deva-vrata is Bhīṣmadeva. Vrata means vow, and deva means God. So he took brahmacārī-vrata: "I'll, I remain ever-celibate. I'll never marry." It is called deva-vrata. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. This is possible in high-class society, that "I shall remain celibate all the life, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī." They do not marry. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So Bhīṣmadeva was naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Therefore his name is deva-vrata.
Similarly, in the human form of life there should be discrimination. We have to eat. We have to eat. Discrimination means (indistinct), that what kind of food I shall eat. Suppose the hogs, they eat stool. Does it mean because the stool is also food, I shall eat that? That is discrimination. If you say that everything is food, then why don't you eat stool? One man's food, another man's poison. That is... What is to be eaten, what is not to be eaten, that is discrimination. Now our discrimination is, because human life is meant for becoming God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to act in God consciousness. We have taken vow that we shall eat the remnants of foodstuff, prasāda, from Kṛṣṇa. Now, what Kṛṣṇa wants? Kṛṣṇa says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says "Give Me vegetable, water." "Anyone who offers Me in devotion." So we have to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Although animals are meant for eating by the man. That is stated in the (indistinct). Ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Ahastāni, they haven't got hands(?). Ahastāni. (indistinct) sahastānām, they are food of the human being. So ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Just like the creepers, grass, and vegetables. Catuṣ-padām. They're food for the four-legged. Phalgūni jīvo jīvasya jīvanam.
So, in this way, there is order that one life is meant eaten by another. That is nature's law. But we should use discrimination what kind of foodstuff, what kind of living entities we shall eat. That Kṛṣṇa... (?). We have taken vow to eat only Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. There is something. Whatever Kṛṣṇa orders. So that is a fact that each and every living entity is meant for another living entity for eating. When we get human form of life, the animals, they, just like, another eat vegetables. Similarly, the cows. Nature's law is there. Although one animal is meant for by another these animals, they use their discrimination by nature's law. Tigers will never come to your garden to eat fruits and vegetables. No. By nature, they have got teeth and jaws to kill another animal. They want to eat, drink blood, fresh blood. Nature has given them all the provisions for that. Similarly, we human beings, this is scientific. Our teeth are meant for eating fruits. That is one Dr. Cooney, in your Germany. He said that... And actually, if you eat fruits and milk, you will have never any kind of sickness. That's a fact. So they're also life.
So this devotional service is śuddha-sattva platform. There, you cannot bring in something contaminated which is material. Here, everything should a be spiritual. Therefore, because we have taken the vow of accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we cannot eat anything, although they are meant for eating. But we cannot eat anything. That is discrimination.
So this tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa means... There are four daṇḍas. One daṇḍa is the, what is called, symbol of his person. And the other three daṇḍas, they are symbol of his body, mind, and speeches. This daṇḍa means, perhaps you know, do not know. You try to under... So karmaṇā, this daṇḍa, means "I have taken now vow to engage myself, even whatever assets I have got." So I have got my assets. I can work with my body, I can work with my mind, and I can work by speaking. So tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa means one who has devoted his life, means his activities, his body and his speeches. That is tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa. Anyone who has devoted his mind, his body and his speeches for the service of the Lord, he is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī does not mean simply changing the dress and thinking otherwise. No. Sannyāsī, anyone, it does not matter whether the dress is changed or not, if one is fully engaged by his body, mind and words, sa sannyāsī.
So these things are all very elaborately, nicely explained in our books. So those who are going to be initiated, they should take it as a vow, not to fall down again. Catch Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly and you'll not fall down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So be determined. Don't make it a farce, that "Today I am initiated and tomorrow I again I give up everything and again grow my hair and then go to hell." No. Don't do that. If you want to be serious, then the path is clear for going back to home.
- māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
- bhakti-yogena sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service you become purified of all material contamination. Sa guṇan samatītyaitān. We are being troubled by the three modes of material nature, but if we stick to our devotional service... It is not very difficult to follow the four regulative principles. No illicit sex. There is no question of stopping sex, but no illicit sex. Unfortunately, they're so unfortunate that although they have got their wife, they go to another girl, and although the girl has one husband, he goes, she goes to another man. So unfortunate. These things should be stopped if you'll want to be serious; otherwise make a farce and do whatever you like. I cannot give you protection. That is not possible.
Pradyumna: "Generally people have many wrong conceptions about both of them. The wrong conception of the jīvātmā is to identify the material body with the pure soul. And the wrong conception of Paramātmā is to think Him on an equal level with the living entity. But both misconceptions can be removed by one stroke of bhakti-yoga, just as in the sunlight both the sun and the world and everything within the sunlight are properly seen. In the darkness no one can see the sun, nor himself, nor the world. But in the sunlight one can see the sun, himself, and the world around him. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore says that for purification of both wrong conceptions, the Lord presented His eternal form before Brahmājī, being fully satisfied by Brahmā's nondeceptive vow of discharging bhakti-yoga."
Prabhupāda: Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). That is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, "If you want to know Me, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga. No other means will...," because without full surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, nobody can know Him. Even a very important man in this world, you cannot know him by challenge. But if you surrender, it is possible to know him. Then? (break)
He manifested His form to Brahmā. That means God is not formless. If He is formless then how He could show His form? Brahmaṇe darśayan rūpam avyalīka. Avyalīka means without any cheating. Where is avyalīka? "Without any deceptive motive." So those who have realized impersonal form, not form, impersonal feature, they are cheated. They do not know actually what is God, what is the Absolute Truth. Avyalīka-vrata. And why Brahmā was favored to see the form of the Lord? Because he underwent severe tapasya, vow, worship. So God, or the Absolute Truth, is not formless. He has his form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). But that can be seen only by persons who underwent severe austerities, penances, or engaged in devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Otherwise, they will remain impersonal. The conclusion is, those who are impersonalists, their knowledge is imperfect. They have still to go forward.
"Simply I may remain a faithful devotee of Your..." That's all, without any reason, without any cause, causeless. This should be our vow. If we, taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we want to make some material asset, then we are cutting our throat, suicidal. The only prayer should be how to remain a pure devotee. If we remain a pure devotee, there is chance. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Because Kṛṣṇa, He is so kind, at the same time so strict also. Strict. If you have got a pinch of material desire, you cannot go to Vaikuṇṭha. You cannot go. Therefore niṣkiñcanānām. You have to become completely niṣkiñcana, nothing wanted of this material world. That is called tapasya. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). If you want to utilize Kṛṣṇa... You can utilize. If you want kingdom, Kṛṣṇa will give you kingdom. That is not very difficult for you (Him). Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation, to merge in His effulgence. That also Kṛṣṇa will give. But it is very difficult to get Kṛṣṇa's service, very difficult. Kṛṣṇa will give you everything, whatever you want. By Kṛṣṇa conscious, being Kṛṣṇa conscious, by rendering devotional service, if you want to have some material profit, Kṛṣṇa will give you. Kṛṣṇa will give you. That is not very difficult thing for Kṛṣṇa. If you want to merge in His existence—the Māyāvādīs—all right, you can get it. But that it not real profit. Real profit is here described, in Vaikuṇṭha, how they are face to face seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having the same body, and same ornaments, same opulence, everything same.
To live with the devotees. If we associate with the karmīs or the jñānīs or the yogis, then it will not be possible. Then you will be mislead. Therefore it is said that mad-deva-saṅgāt. Mad-deva-saṅgāt means one who has absolutely taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, mad-deva. There are many others, of course nobody is deva, deva is Kṛṣṇa. But there are others, demigods. There are thirty-three millions of devas. But Kṛṣṇa especially, He says, mad-deva, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the only worshipable deity. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), that is it. One who has taken such vow, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), I shall take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is not very easy thing. But, that is the ultimate point.
So brahmacarya, tapasya begins—brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Meditation means tapasya. So tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena (SB 6.1.13). Śama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy... That is natural. Yuvatīnāṁ yathā yunor yunor yathā yuvaḥ(?). Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that "I have taken vow, no illicit sex." That is knowledge. "Why? Even if I am attracted, I shall not do this." This is tapasya. And "Because I am now attracted, now we shall enjoy"—that is not tapasya. Tapasya means even one is attracted, he should not act. That is tapasya. There may be some difficulty to control, but that should be practiced. It can be practiced. It is not very difficult. But one has to practice the determination: "Now I have taken vow before Deity because at the time of initiation, it is promised before the Deity, before the fire, and before the spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇava, that 'I'll not have illicit sex.' That is promised. How can I break it?" This is tapasya. "I have taken vow before the Deity, before fire, before my spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇavas, 'No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no drinking or intoxication, no gambling.' I have promised it. If I am gentleman, how can I break my promise?" This is called jñāna. With knowledge one has to respect. That is called tapasya. With knowledge.
So what is the qualification of nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa? It does not require any qualification to become nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, but if you become voluntarily nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa... Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa means my life is now dedicated for Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, they're the same. So that is qualification, if you simply take it as vow that "From this day my life is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa." Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). As soon as we take this vow, that "From this day my life is dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender. I surrender unto the...," from that day you become free from all designation. Simply this determination, that "From this day I belong to Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. Whatever He wants..." That is the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā So long Arjuna... That is a superficial picture. Arjuna is always for Kṛṣṇa, but just to teach us, he became for his family. He became... In the warfield, when there was to be fighting, he became to the family side and he said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, how can I fight with my family? They are my brothers, they are my nephews, they are my grandfather, they are my teacher, the other..." Because it was a family fight, five brothers and hundred brothers.
Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that we must follow the Gosvāmīs and their servant. Ei chay gosāi jāṅr—tāṅr mui dās: "I am not going to be a servant of anyone. But a person who has taken the six Gosvāmīs as his master, I become his servant." Ei chay gosāi jāṅr—tāṅr mui dās. "Why I shall become anyone's dāsa? But if somebody is the servant of the Gosvāmīs, then I become his servant." Ei chay gosāi jāṅr—tāṅr mui dās, tāṅ-sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañca-grās: "Their dust of lotus feet, that is my food." This is... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. Ei chay gosāi jabe braje koilā bās, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-nitya-līlā korilā prakāś. What is the business of Gosvāmīs? From Vṛndāvana they tried to broadcast the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. Ei chay gosāi jabe braje koilā bās. So we should follow that principle, that we should not be packed up. Sometimes we find in Vṛndāvana they say, "No, no, I have taken vow. I am not going out of Vṛndāvana." Of course, the Gosvāmīs did not get out of Vṛndāvana, but they preached. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. They were always engaged in writing books, nānā-śāstra, various śāstra, scripture always studying, and taking essence of the śāstra and presenting to the world people. Why? Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau: just to establish real religious principle, nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau, with scrutinizing thinking over and giving to the people. This is Gosvāmīs' business. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau: for the benefit of the whole human society. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau mānyau śaraṇyākarau. Therefore one should take shelter of the Gosvāmīs. That is Gosvāmī.
So we have... This is the idea. So we must be serious. It is not that in one day we, all of us, we become paramahaṁsa. That is not possible. Don't try to imitate, but follow the rules and regulation with vow that "This life I shall go back to home, back to Godhead, with determination." Then Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence. That is promised by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prītiḥ, satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakaṁ dadāmi... If you are serious, then Kṛṣṇa is within everyone's heart, He'll give you intelligence. But we must be very serious. Then past, present, future will be clear before us, and because Kṛṣṇa is personally directing, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi. So what knowledge is wanting there when Kṛṣṇa...? In another place Kṛṣṇa says,
- teṣām evānukampārtham
- aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
- nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvastho
- jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
- (BG 10.11)
For a sincere devotee, Kṛṣṇa says: "To show him special favor, even though he is rascal, I'll make him intelligent."
Thank you very much. (end)
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. So this is also trained up, how to become clean, to rise early in the morning, take bath, wash mouth, feet. Guṇa-sampannaḥ. Then take to maṅgala-āratika. In this he was also trained up. Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. Guṇa means sad-guṇa, this śamo damo titikṣa ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. These are guṇālayaḥ, reservoir of all good qualities. Dhṛta-vrata. These things not occasionally but regularly, dhṛta-vrata. "I must rise early in the morning"—that is called dhṛta-vrata, vow. "I must do it." Dhṛta-vrato mṛduḥ, mild, gentleness. This is human life, not to live like cats and dogs. That is not human life. Real human life, the picture is here. One must be trained up to all these qualifications. Just like nowadays we send our boys to school, college, for being trained up as a technician, formerly the boys were sent for education... These are the effects of education.
So one day he came to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja on the dvādaśī day with sixty thousand disciples and ordered the Mahārāja, "Mahārāja, today we have come to take prasādam in your palace. Please arrange for this." So that was dvādaśī day. You know, on the dvādaśī there was... That is a regulative principle, that in the morning at about nine o'clock one has to take something, prasādam, to break the vows, break fast. So this Durvāsā Muni along with disciples, they went to the river Ganges to take bath, but they were willfully not coming back. So Ambarīṣa Mahārāja asked the priest that "Durvāsā Muni is my guest. I cannot take anything without offering him. So what shall I do? Now I have to observe the dvādaśī breakfast." So the brāhmaṇa priest ordered him that "Mahārāja, you can take little caraṇāmṛta," the water. So according to śāstra, drinking little water is not breaking fast, so it will be not taken very... So with the advice of the brāhmaṇa... Formerly the kings, they were guided by the instruction of the brāhmaṇas and great saintly persons. They were not doing anything whimsically. That is not the fact. So with the instruction of the brāhmaṇas, he took little caraṇāmṛta. And Durvāsā Muni was a great yogi. He could immediately understand. Then he came back and became very angry. His idea was to punish him some way or other. "Give the dog bad name and hang it." This was his policy. So he was to give some bad name. So he became angry that "I am your guest and you have already taken, broken your ekādaśī fasting. So I shall teach you."
If you don't accept the injunction in the śāstras, especially when Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is instructing you in the Bhagavad-gītā... That is the essence of all śāstra. You take that. Then you will be happy. Otherwise not. So here it is said that aghavān, the sinful man, cannot be purified by simply these ritualistic ceremonies, atonement, or keeping some vow, vrataḥ. Then how it is possible? Because everyone... Yathā harer nāma. Therefore it is recommended, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21), the same thing. You will never find the injunction of the śāstra contradictory. In the Agni Purāṇa it is said and in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also the same thing. Agni Purāṇa says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, and here in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam it is said, yathā harer nāma-padair udāhṛtaiḥ tad uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhakam. Harer nāma means chanting of the holy name. That is simple. But when you chant harer nāma then you gradually understand what is Hari, what is His form, what is His quality, what is His activities. Then you can understand. Because without harer nāma your heart is dirty—ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)—unless your heart is cleansed you cannot understand what is Hari, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality, what are His activities. You cannot understand.
So there is prescription in the śāstra that "If you are sinful, you do this prāyaścitta, atonement." Tapo-dāna-vratādibhiḥ. Tapo, tapasya, dāna, and observing some vratās, vows, ritualistic ceremonies, recommended. But here the Viṣṇudutas says that actually, by these processes, tapasya, dāna... Na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. Kṛṣṇa also says that... What is that verse? I just forget. That tapasya, dāna, vrata... Just like one has taken sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means he has given up all these obligatory ceremonies. But Kṛṣṇa says that "Even if you have taken sannyāsa, you cannot give up these processes." What is that? "Tapasya, dāna, and vrata." It is pāvanāni manīṣiṇām. Even if you have become manīṣi, very exalted great sage, still, you should continue this tapasya. And tapasya means voluntarily accepting some miserable condition. That is called tapasya. Just like they used to perform austerity in winter season, to go deep into the water. When one tries to avoid water, tapasya means one goes You have seen many persons, they are standing within the water and chanting Gāyatrī mantra. This is tapasya. And in summer season they ignite fire all around and sit down.
Gṛha-vratānām: "those who have taken it as vow to be happy in this material world." Therefore they are called gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha... There are two words in Sanskrit language. One is gṛha-stha, and one is gṛha-vrata or gṛha-medhi. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. As soon as... Those who are conversant with Vedic language, they know. Āśrama means something in connection with God. That is called āśrama. So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in any Vedic literature, "Hindu." It is a foreign word. Real word is varṇāśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa parā pumān. That is Vedic civilization, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. One who follow this system of civilization, they are called varṇāśramī. So the "Hindus" is a foreign name given to these Indians by the neighborhood Muhammadans. Actually, Hindu is not to be found. So when we call ourselves Hindus, that is misconception of Indian civilization. Real concept of Indian civilization, Vedic civilization, is varṇāśrama dharma.
So here it is said, gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vrata means those who have taken this family life or material life as all in all. That's all. Vrata. Vrata means vow. "I shall improve my family condition, I shall improve my social condition. I shall improve the international condition or political condition." All these things, they are called gṛha-vratānām. They have no idea that beyond this life there is another life. Therefore they are stuck up with this idea. They are called gṛha-vrata. Generally, at the present moment, everyone is gṛha-vrata. That's all. They simply want "How to improve my economic condition." That's all. Individually, socially, family wise, internationally or nationally, that is their aim. They are called gṛha-vrata. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, because he knew that his father is number one gṛha-vrata, atheist number one, and materialist number one, so when he inquired, "How you developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" he said immediately, flatly, to his father, "My dear father, don't worry. You will never will have Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (laughter) Because you are so much attached to this materialistic way of life, be sure you will never increase your devotion to Kṛṣṇa. Be sure. Don't be agitated." Yes. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. "Those who have taken this vow, for them there is no possibility of increasing or culturing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no possibility." These boys who have come to me, and they have become so nice devotee, because they are not gṛha-vrata. They have no interest with this material world. That is their first-class qualification. Therefore they have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If anyone wants to make his economic position developed by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, don't do that. There is no possibility. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is very kind. If anyone wants... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja wanted to develop his economic condition. Kṛṣṇa gave him. Kṛṣṇa gives. He is very kind. But that is not the purpose of developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be pure, simply to serve the Lord.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja first of all said, "My dear father, anyone whose vow is to live in this material world very comfortably, although there is no possibility of comfort..." This is called māyā. But they are trying to be comfortable. They are trying to be comfortable. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). They have seen that Roman Empire was lost, Greek Empire was lost, Mogul Empire was lost; still, they tried for British Empire, and it has failed. They are called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). The things which have been thrown away after chewing, again chewing the same thing, that is called gṛha-vratānām. You cannot make any permanent settlement within this material world. That is not possible. The nature is made so, whatever you do, for the time being you relish that "I have done something, I am now very comfortably situated," and so on, so on, but time will come, you will be kicked off from your position. You will be again thrown into the wilderness. Therefore they do not know. That will be explained also. They do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. They are foolish. Andhā yathāndhair. Their foolish leaders also misleading them.
"Never" means so long he remains a gṛha-vrata, because his only plan was—he was a powerful king—to conquer all over the world and become happy with money and women. That's all. That is gṛha-vrata. Anyone who wants to be happy with money and women, that is called gṛha-vrata. So he flatly said to his father, matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. But by good association, by Kṛṣṇa conscious association, one becomes free from this vow, gṛha-vrata. They becomes detached. That is the progress of devotional service. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). ...materialistic way of life. Therefore people are afraid to send their boys to us. "Oh, he'll be disinterested. He'll not do business. He'll not become a demon." That's it. They do not like. All right. (end)
So Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was inquired by his father that "Who has taught you this Kṛṣṇa consciousness...?" Because he knew that "He is my son, king's son. He does not go to mix with anyone else. He simply takes his lesson from the appointed teachers. How is that this boy, five years old only, and he is so much Kṛṣṇa conscious?" So he was surprised. He asked him that "How you have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" The answer is that "My dear father, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by a person like you, whose vow is simply to enjoy this material world." Hiraṇya. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means nice bed, very soft, cushioned bed. Hiraṇyakaśipu.
- matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā
- mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
- adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
- punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām
- (SB 7.5.30)
This materialistic way of life means chewing the chewed. Just like the father. Father knows that "I married, I work so hard to maintain my family, and it is very difficult to keep the high standard of living in this age. We have to work very hard. Still, I engage my son also in the same way. In spite of my very bad experience of materialistic way of life, still, I engage my son in the same way." This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaś means "again and again." Carvita: "chewing chewed things." Just like sugarcane. One has chewed it, has taken its juice—it is thrown away in the street. And if somebody wants to taste it, "How it is sweet, let me see," that is called chewing the chewed. Similarly, we have got very good experience about this materialistic way of life, hard struggle for life.
So we have to take advantage. That is explained in the first verse by... Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "This human form of body, it is very rarely obtained. It is not to be misused." That is the first knowledge. But people are not educated in that way. They are encouraged that go on, sense enjoyment: "Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy." Some rascal comes, so he also says, "All right, go on. Enjoy. Simply meditate for fifteen minutes." But actually, this body is not meant for aggravating sense enjoyment. We require sense enjoyment because that is a demand of the body. If we want to keep body in healthy condition, then the demands of the body—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—must be provided. But it should not be aggravated. Therefore in the human form of life, tapasya. Tapasya means austerity, penance, vows. These are the teachings of all scriptures. Either you take Hindu scripture or Christian scripture or Muhammadan scripture, in every scripture human form of life is meant for training. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Lord Ṛṣabha, He instructed His boys. He had one hundred children, boys. So He instructed them, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: (SB 5.5.1) "My dear boys, this form, human form of life, although it is a body, but this body is in human society." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means Nṛ means man. "So when the body is obtained in the human society, not in the dog society, not in the cat society, that body is not meant for simply working very hard and ultimate sense gratification." That's all.
Sense control begins from the tongue. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given you the song: tār madhye jihvā ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives a description that Śarīra avidyā-jāla joḍendriya tāhe kāl. This body is the encagement. We are in the prison of this material world. How we are imprisoned? We have been given a material body. This is imprisonment. Śarīra avidyā-jāl. And we are very happy to keep this body very comfortably without knowing the aim of life. That is avidyā-jāl, a network of ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, and the senses are our greatest enemies. Unless we control the senses, we are put into this avidyā-jāl, network of... And out of all the senses, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says tār madhye jihvā-jihvā means tongue-jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. It is very greedy. Jihvā, to control the tongue. To control the senses means begin with the controlling the tongue. That is also very difficult job. So therefore to control the tongue, best thing is to take kṛṣṇa prasādam. First of all, offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take. Tāra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati tā'ke jetā koṭhina soṁsāre. Kṛṣṇa boḍa-doyāmoy kori bare jihvā joy. At least if we take it as a vow that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," that will help us. Kṛṣṇa boḍa-doyāmoy, kori bare jihvā joy svaprasād ānna dilā bhāi.
That I explained yesterday. It is very... Vaiṣṇava aparādha is the greatest dangerous offense. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His teaching to Sri Rūpa Goswāmī, He has especially, vaiṣṇava-aparādha hātī mātā, you are doing everything. He has compared Vaiṣṇava aparādha as mad elephant. He has very nicely metaphorically explained this. Just like you have a nice garden, very good garden, you are watering, you are giving protection, giving manure, everything. But if in that garden a mad elephant enters, then it will destroy everything, all your labor will go to hell immediately. It will destroy everything. Similarly, you may do anything very nicely; but if you commit offense at the feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava, then all your assets will be immediately vanquished. Vaiṣṇava aparādha. Because Kṛṣṇa is very angry. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram yoniṣu (BG 16.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, dviṣataḥ krūrān. Dviṣataḥ, those who are envious upon Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu, the more dangerous position is to be envious of a Vaiṣṇava. Viṣṇu aparādha can be excused, God is very kind. But He never excuses Vaiṣṇava aparādha. That is His vow.
Even our Kṛṣṇa, He also married as a kṣatriya so many wives. So, not like Kṛṣṇa or any other, but everyone wants to keep more than one wife. Everyone wants. That is his heart's desire. And if one is able actually, he keeps. But what is his position? That is described here, that bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti. Now suppose you have got one dozen wives. So when you come home the every wife is waiting: "My husband will come from work. I shall snatch him in my room by force. Last night he did not come. Now, this night, I shall forcefully bring in my room." So this man enters, and every wife is prepared to take the opportunity, so all of them come. So one catches one leg, another catches another leg, another, hand, another, mouth, another, hair, (laughter) and they're all snatching: "Come here, come here." So he's flat. So what is his position, just imagine. This example is given. Similarly, if all the senses, supposed to be my subordinate wife, they snatch the man, that "Just enjoy this. Just enjoy this. Enjoy this. Enjoy this," then what is the position? Most disturbed condition. So in such disturbed condition one should... What? One should take vow that "No more wife, that's all. I have suffered so much. Now no more wife. That's nice." Then the mind will be in peaceful condition. No more disturbance.
So if you can control your tongue, then you can control your belly also. Because without control of the tongue... If you lock up, that "I shall not accept anything except prasādam," so if you go on the street and if you see hundreds and thousands of restaurant, you'll not be allured. "No more chop cutlet, finished, because I cannot take anything without being offered to Kṛṣṇa." So automatically it becomes controlled. If we take this vow, that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa..." Naturally Kṛṣṇa does not take any chop cutlet, so you cannot offer it. Kṛṣṇa personally says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). So you have to prepare foodstuff for Kṛṣṇa from patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ, nothing else. Although He can eat... Kṛṣṇa can eat fire also or anything, all devour. But Kṛṣṇa prescribes for us that "You can give Me this in bhakti, with devotion and faith, then you'll be benefited." If Kṛṣṇa eats from your hand, then your life is successful. If Kṛṣṇa accepts any bit of service from you, then your life is successful. Immediately you become liberated, because bhakti is not for the conditioned soul. As soon as... Kṛṣṇa therefore adds this word. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry for eating anything from your hand. He's not hungry. But He wants to teach you how to become a bhakta. Mad-bhaktaḥ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. He wants you to become His devotee. Then your life's problem is solved.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Śaraṇam—to take shelter of; bhramataḥ—the living entities rotating and wandering throughout the universe; anupaśye—I can see actually from authorized evidence. Translation: My dear Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, I see there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are simply interested for their own deliverance, and thus, without caring for big, big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayan forest for meditating, taking mauna-vrata, the vow of silence. They are not interested to deliver others. So far I am concerned, I do not wish to be liberated alone and leave aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, nobody can be happy, and therefore I wish to bring them to You, to the shelter of Your lotus feet."
Prabhupāda:
- prāyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kāmā
- maunaṁ caranti vijane na parārtha-niṣṭhāḥ
- naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa eko
- nānyaṁ tvad asya śaraṇaṁ bhramato 'nupaśye
- (SB 7.9.44)
This is the conviction of a (person) perfectly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The preacher who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they must be convinced that without accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody has any means of escaping these stringent laws of material nature. It is everywhere stated. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, although they are very, very much afflicted with the pressure of material nature, they have become callous. Every moment, every second, they are being controlled, and still they are thinking they can do anything and everything independently. So in this way they are suffering. But a learned, saintly person... Prahlāda Mahārāja, he thinks that "Without delivering these fallen souls, alone I am not prepared to go back to home, back to God." Naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān.
So that is a kind of vrata, vow. But our process is different: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). We do not stop talking, but we talk for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. So there are many, you'll find, they take credit by not talking. Sometimes you go to them and ask some question, they'll write in pencil on the paper, "We will not talk." And what is the meaning of his silence? If I put some questions and you write in paper, what is the difference between talking and writing? I am using the senses. For talking I am using the senses, tongue. Instead of using the sense, tongue, active senses, I am using my hand. So this is also sense gratification. The real fact is that you cannot stop the tongue working. Engage the tongue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Don't talk material subject matters. In big, big meetings the politicians, the United Nation, they talking—but talking all nonsense, simply going there for passing resolution that "Now we have to do this. Then the world will change." No, it will never change. By such kind of foolish talking, it will never change. Better close this United Nation organization because it has not given any practical effect. But talking about Kṛṣṇa, just see how it is giving practical effect. Here you are assembled here from Europe, America, and Africa, Canada, and practically all over the world, but you are united nation. You are united nation simply by talking Kṛṣṇa. This is the remedy. And if you keep yourself as American, as Indian, as Canadian, as African, and go to the United Nation and talk for years and years, there will be no more United Nation. It will be... More flags will increase because this is nonsense talking. It is practical.
Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That word, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. If you simply take this vow, determination, that "I shall do nothing except serving Kṛṣṇa..." Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ.
- mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
- daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
- bhajanty ananya-manaso
- dṛḍha-vratāḥ...
- (BG 9.13)
Like that. So if we simply decide that "I shall do nothing except to serve Kṛṣṇa," this dṛḍha-vrata... If you want to take vow, take this vow. Then you haven't got to work very hard. So āpavarga. A means not, negative, and pavarga means five principles of material condition. First thing is pa—you have to work very hard, pariśrama. And then pha. Pha means you have to work so hard that foam will come through your mouth. You have seen sometimes in horse, in man, after hard working there is foam. So pa, pha, and ba. Ba means vyarthata. Vyarthata means disappointment in spite of working so hard so that foam is coming in the mouth, vyarthata. Just like you see, you have seen, horse or bulls. They are working so hard, and the master beating with whips, and still, the master is not satisfied and the animal cannot get sufficient food-vyarthata. In spite of so much working hard... We can see in the animal—sometimes we see in human society also—disappointment. After working so hard, disappointment. That is the nature of this material world.
And that, you benefit. Very easy, you take it and chant it sincerely, without any offense. You haven't got to follow these, what is called, mauna-vrata-śruta-tapo-'dhyayana (SB 7.9.46). It is not possible nowadays to be a very learned scholar in Vedic literature or to remain silent or to take some vow, then to remain in solitary place, then japa, samādhi, to remain in trance as the yogis try. They are impossible. They are recommended processes for getting liberation, but in the Kali-yuga it is not possible. So we are so fallen, it is not possible to execute all these processes. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mercy incarnation, that "These people, so fallen, they cannot do anything." So He has recommended a simple thing, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Chant (devotees chant simultaneously) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
Pradyumna: "Nārada Muni continued to speak: A student should completely practice how to control the senses, be submissive. Firmly in friendly attitude upon the spiritual master, with great vow, the brahmacārī should live at gurukula only for the benefit of the guru."
Prabhupāda:
- brahmacārī guru-kule
- vasan dānto guror hitam
- ācaran dāsavan nīco
- gurau suḍṛdha-sauhṛdaḥ
- (SB 7.12.1)
So as it is stated that human life is meant for tapasya, austerity... Tapasa. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1), that this human form of life is meant for tapasya, not to live like cats and dogs. That is not human life. And tapasya, austerity, begins from brahmācārya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). This is tapasya. Brahmācārya means restraining sex life, celibacy. That is brahmācārya. So when one is serious about advancement of spiritual consciousness, he must live under the control of the guru to learn how to become brahmacārī. This is main purpose.
The dog-eater is better than the brāhmaṇa with twelve qualifications. Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Vipra means real vipra, qualified, not the so-called birthright vipra. But he said dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād, a brāhmaṇa who is actually qualified with the twelve guṇas. These guṇas are mentioned here, Śrīdhara Swami. He says, (reading from commentary:) dharmasya sattvaṁ ca damas (indistinct) titikṣa anasūya yajñasya danaṁ ca dhṛti sūtaṁ ca vratāni dvādaśa brāhmaṇas. He is quoting from śāstra, this is brahminical twelve qualifications. What is that? He must be religious; he must be truthful; he must be controlling the senses; he must be controlling the mind; he should not be envious; he must be very intelligent; he must be very tolerant, titikṣa; anasūya—he is not envious; yajñasya, he must engage himself always in sacrificing, yajñasya; danaṁ ca—he must be charitable; and dhṛti, he must be very powerful memory he must have; and then śrutasya, very learned scholar; sūtaṁ ca, vratāni he must be endowed with vows, "I must do it," vratāni; dvādaśa brāhmaṇa. These are the twelve qualities of brāhmaṇa.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
What you, what is the answer? You must have rain, and produce grain. Now you have got some stock of grain, you are distributing. That's all right, you have got money, that's all right. But when there will be all stock finished, and still there is no rain, what you will do? Because rain is not in your hand. Rain is not in your hand. It is in higher authorities. So what you will do? But the process is given there in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajñād bhavati parjanyo parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Yajña, but they will not take the yajña. They have made a vow, (indistinct). No, we are not going to make any yajña. We are requesting, that you are distributing, at the same time perform yajña. Yajña, not that you have to expend so much money. Simply this saṅkīrtana-yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Simply chanting. You are distributing food, that's all right. Why not allow them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? What is the loss? But they'll not accept it. They'll not accept it. This is the dog's obstinacy, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot answer. Just suppose, if your stock of grain is finished, then what you will do, if there's no rain. You cannot produce rain in your factory, rain or grain or anything, in your factory or mill. That is not possible.
So the tongue is very good instrument for developing devotional service. If we don't use this tongue in devotional service, then it is compared with the tongue of the frog. Jihvā dārdurikeva. Why? Why? "My tongue is so nice. Why it is compared with the tongue of a frog?" Now, because the frog, crowing, (imitates frog sound:) "caw a kronh, caw ka kronh," that means inviting the snake. The snake cannot see where is the frog, but by hearing the sound, crowing sound, the snake can understand, "Here is my food." So his crowing sound will be stopped as soon it is swallowed up by the snake. Similarly, we have got this tongue, human body. It is not the cat's tongue or dog's tongue or tiger's tongue or hog's tongue. It is the human being tongue. So this should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's service by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare... This is... The tongue is being used. And tasting Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. If we simply, if you do not read any śāstra, if you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the tongue is... And simply we do not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. If we take this vow, that "My tongue should be used only for Kṛṣṇa..., by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... And chanting, chanting, when I become hungry, I take some little prasādam..."
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
As Brahmā, the first created being, had to undergo tapasya to get information from the Supreme... The Supreme Lord is within you. He's there. But He will advise. When you are fixed up by tapasya, determined with vow, then He will talk to you. He's ready to talk, but you require to acquire the qualification to hear Him. And what is that qualification? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Such persons... (aside:) Don't do it. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Satata means always, twenty-four hours, not that five minutes I meditate and rest of the time I live like cats and dogs. No. This kind of meditation will not help you. Kṛṣṇa says, satata. Satata means twenty-four hours. You have to mold your life in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think, "Now I have chanted my sixteen rounds. Now I've finished my business. Now I can do whatever nonsense I like," no. Kṛṣṇa says no. Satata. Therefore we have to plan our life in such a way that we haven't got any other engagement than service of Kṛṣṇa. This is required. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Satata means twenty-four hours. Yukta means engaged.
Of course, in Western countries, it is very difficult. They say, "It is impossible." Big, big men, they say, "It is impossible." Yes, it is impossible. Therefore śāstra has given concession that you require sex life, but enjoy it in married life, but no illicit sex. At least, stop this. If you want to be immortal, these things are to be followed: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. Then you can think of immortality, gradually. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Every śāstra, you'll find. At least at the end of life one should be completely free from these bad habits. That is called sannyāsa. Don't cheat, accept sannyāsa and indulge in these things. Don't be cheater. That is very bad. Sannyāsa means to take vow. In other station of life, there may be we fall down. But sannyāsa means no, no falldown. Therefore we have now taken very seriously. Unless one is found completely competent to accept sannyāsa, there is no more use of awarding sannyāsa. So this is the process. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Brahmacarya is very, very essential. And that is, when one becomes detestful to sex life, that is the beginning of spiritual life. That is the beginning of spiritual life.
So that is the representation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says that "My Guru Mahārāja found Me..." It is better if you remain a fool always before your spiritual master. Then you'll make advance. And if you think yourself, even for a moment, that "I know something more than my spiritual master," you are fallen. This is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru nandana (BG 2.41). That one vow, that "I have to follow the order of my spiritual...," that will make you advanced. The more you strictly follow the order of spiritual master, the more you become advanced. You do not become fool. Actually you become advanced. Otherwise, what is the use of...? It is not a formality. It is actually fact, if you at all want to make advancement in spiritual life, you must follow the orders of the bona fide spiritual master. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu, such a great scholar, and He's accepted as the incarnation of God, and He's showing us the example that "I followed the order of My spiritual master because he found Me a nonsense."
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
"To come back to Me, that is the highest perfection of life. He does not come to this miserable world." So we should be careful not to eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa, prasādam. That should be determination. We cannot purchase things from the market and eat. No. That is not possible. We cannot eat. We can simply eat such things which are offered to the Deity, Kṛṣṇa. That is yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ. Even if we have committed some sin, by eating this prasādam we counteract it. Mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Yajña-śiṣṭa. Aśiṣṭa means the remnants of foodstuff after offering yajña. If one eats, then mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Because our life is sinful, so we become, I mean to say, freed from the sinful activities. How it is? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "If you surrender unto Me, then I'll give you protection from all sinful reactions." So if you make it a vow that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," that means it is a surrender. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that "My dear Lord, I shall not eat anything which is not offered to You." That's vow. That vow is surrender. And because there is surrender, you are protected from the sinful reaction.
Festival Lectures
When he was a child two, three years old, he ate one mango fruit which was kept for offering to the Deity. So his father mildly rebuked him, "Oh, you have done a very wrong thing. It was meant for Deity, and you have taken it. You should not have done it." The child was two or three years old. He took it so seriously that never after that he took mango. Whenever we offered him mango he said, "No, I am offender. I cannot take mango." He was thinking like that, you see. Never in his life he took a mango. He was thinking that "I offended in my childhood by taking the mango of the Deity." This is the characteristic of ācārya. They teach by their life's action that one should be so much determined, that one should not be... A child took the mango, there was no offense. But he took that vow.
Initiation Lectures
Yes. The whole thing is purification. Material contamination means desire to enjoy this material world. That is contamination. We have nothing to do with this material world. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. You are spirit. Unfortunately, we are put into this association. So that is another chapter. But now we are trying to come out of it. So at the same time I am trying to go back to home, back to Godhead, at the same time, desiring some material sense gratification, this is another offense. This should not be... We should try to forget. We shall try to forget, "No more I'll... No. There is no necessity of my materialness enjoyment." That sort of vow, determination, must be there. Then what is next?
So it will be possible? (laughter) Yes. For your country this is very, I mean, a big stricture, but one has to perform it, execute it for Kṛṣṇa's sake. Kṛṣṇas te bhoga-tyāga (?). For Kṛṣṇa's sake we can do anything. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Although it is very difficult for boys and girls in this country, but because they are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should sacrifice their propensities for Kṛṣṇa's sake. That is a vow. That is an austerity. So Kṛṣṇa will be very much satisfied that "This boy, this girl has done so much. All right. Accept him." So strictly follow these rules and regulations. So every one of you know these regulative principles? Yes. Then you perform your yajña. (break) ...kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. (end)
You take this and... Yes. First of all take this. Then care of... Stand up. This side. Now where is that mantra? You chant this mantra. (Trivikrama repeats) Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām upāsitāṁ pūrvatamair maha... What is this? It is not properly... Oh. Pūrvatamair mahadbhir ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ tamo mukundam aṅghri niṣevayaiva. Yes. Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā. This vow-today you are taking sannyāsa—so keeping oneself steady and fixed up in this position, etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā... Parātmā, the Supreme Lord... Jīva, living entities, they are ātmā, and Kṛṣṇa is parātmā. Paramātmā and parātmā. So parātmā-niṣṭhām, to serve Kṛṣṇa. So "Taking sannyāsa, from this day my vow to serve Kṛṣṇa is more fixed up, steady." Upāsitāṁ pūrvatamair mahadbhiḥ: "This practice, this process was accepted by my previous ācāryas." Your spiritual master, his spiritual master, his spiritual master, they all accepted this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted at the age of twenty-four years. Therefore it is not a new introduction. Pūrvatamaiḥ. Pūrvatamaiḥ means previous ācārya, they accepted it, sannyāsa āśrama. That is Vedic civilization. Everyone has to accept sannyāsa āśrama at a certain period, generally at the end. But one who is advanced, he can take sannyāsa even at young age.
Wedding Ceremonies
This marriage is being performed as gandharva marriage, simply by changing the garlands. In the Kali-yuga, the other kinds of marriage, selected by the parents, that is not possible. Therefore, one of the marriage system, gandharva marriage, is accepted. And simply by changing the garlands and promising. (Sanskrit) That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Kali-yuga, simply by accepting, the man accepts the woman as wife and the woman accepts the man as husband, that is the vow. Svīkāra eva hi udvāhe. Simply by acceptance. Because other things are not possible. And without marriage, that is not civilized life, because in the animal society there is no marriage. But in any form of civilized society there is marriage. Everyone has got sex appetite. Therefore, marriage is allowed by the Vedic system. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi, "Kāma, lust, which is not against religious principles, that is I am."
General Lectures
But it is difficult to understand this philosophy, Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Why it is difficult? That is explained, gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means "house." So vrata means "vow." Just like everyone, common man, anywhere, they are interested with these bodily comforts, nice apartment, nice country, nice state, confident, nice bank balance. These things are their aspiration, no more. Nothing more. First of all this body, gṛha. Gṛha means "house, living place." So I am the soul, I am living, and this body is my first living place. This is also gṛha. I am not this body. Just like I am living in this apartment, I am not this apartment. Similarly, I am living in this body, but I am not this body. This is the beginning of spiritual education. Unless one does not understand that "I am not this body; I am living in this body," there is no question of spiritual education. He does not know what is spiritual and material. So this misunderstanding, that "I am this body. I belong to this apartment, I belong to this society, I belong to this country, I belong to this nation, I belong to this world, I belong to this universe"—you can expand—that is all misunderstanding. All misunderstanding.
Yogeśvara: His first question was do we use machines and modern methods on our āśramas and farms.
Prabhupāda: We have no objection. We want to be self-sufficient. That is our point of view. We have no objection with... It is not that we don't touch machine. We don't say like that. But we want to be self-sufficient. That is our point. We have not taken a vow that we shall not touch any machine. No, no. We're not like that.
Guest (6): Well, I think it's an admirable objective. Certainly it can be realized in small rural communities which acquire the necessary surface to have each member in the community to be self-sufficient. Like in the Middle Ages in this country the monks were more or less self-sufficient within the frame of their land. But outside this, the peasants were really always hungry.
Guru-gaurāṅga: He says that on a small level that may be valid like the monks who have their monastery and they made food enough, but for most people, especially where the climate is so unfavorable... He said that the Swiss people, they could not even stay on the land in the past, but they had to go away to find food because of the climate. So on the whole he does not see the practicality.
Prabhupāda: Well, after all, this is material world. The miserable conditions are there. But as far as possible, try to minimize. Our only aim is how to save time for spiritual cultivation. That is our main aim. So we have to find out the opportunity according to the time, circumstances. We, we do not reject anything. Whatever is favorable, we accept.
So gṛhasthāśrama is as good as other āśramas. There are four āśramas. Vedic civilization means four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So those who are not following this principle of varṇāśrama-dharma, living like cats and dogs, they also live with wife, children. That sort of living is called gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vratānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe: "They cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Why? Now, adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means senses. Go means cow. Go means land also. So anyone who has taken the vow of sense gratification... That is the modern world, that "Somehow or other, satisfy senses." They cannot control the senses. Adānta-go. Adānta. Dānta means control. Adānta, not controlled. Adānta-gobhiḥ. So what is that? Viśatāṁ tamisram: "They are going towards hell," because this sense gratification process, unrestricted sense gratification process, he is creating a situation of different mentality and that mentality will be prominent at the time of death, and according to that situation he'll get his next birth.
Philosophy Discussions
Hayagrīva: Continuation of Aquinas. Aquinas felt that the monastic vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience gave one a direct path to God but that they are not meant for the masses of men. He conceived of life as a pilgrimage through the world of the senses, through the world of nature, and to the spiritual world of God's grace. These, when a..., when one enters a monastery he takes a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience, these three vows.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is called tapasya. According to Vedic instruction one must take to the path of tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily self-denial, sense gratification denial. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya, our austerity begins with brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā, controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Then tyāgena, renouncement or giving in charity, whatever you have got, for the service of the Lord, tyāgena; satya-śaucābhyām, by following the path of truthfulness and remaining cleansed; yamena niyamena vā, by practice of mystic yoga. In this way one makes advancement towards spiritual kingdom or spiritual world. But all these can be totally performed simply by engaging oneself in devotional service. That is also stated: kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). If one becomes devotee of Lord Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, then simply by executing devotional service he attains the result of austerity, celibacy, and mystic yoga practice, and the result of charity, truthfulness, cleanliness—everything attains simultaneously, without separate effort. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading devotional service. By one stroke, the candidate can attain the results of all other processes.
| Page Title: | Vow (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 14 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=82, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 82 |