So Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Kṛṣṇa is not nirākāra. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal, because He has got so many personal associates. Nityo nityānām. All these personal associates, they're individual persons. We are all person. You are person, I am person. We are all individual. I have got my individual opinion; you have got your individual opinion. Oneness means when these individual opinions are coincided in the matter of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa; that is oneness. Oneness does not mean that all these individuals become one, homogeneous. No. They keep their individuality, but they become one in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is oneness. Now everyone is working for his sense gratification, personal. When everyone becomes agreed that "We shall satisfy Kṛṣṇa," that is oneness. That is oneness. One nation. We can understand: one family. One family means they're individual persons, but they're working for the interest of the family—all of them combinedly, conjointly, working. Similarly, they're working conjointly for the society, or they're working conjointly for the community, or conjointly working for the nation. That is oneness. When we speak, "We are Indian nation, oneness," that oneness does not mean that every individual Indian has become homogeneous with other Indians. No. Every Indian is an individual person, but he has sacrificed his individuality and engaged himself for the service of the country. That is national consciousness. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As there is national consciousness, community consciousness, family consciousness, so many other consciousness, similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means all persons agree to work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is oneness. Oneness does not mean we lose our individuality. Sometimes, individually we fight. Just like in the legislative assembly, our representative, M.P.'s, they go and fight. There is a deliberation. But that purpose is to serve the country. Therefore, instead of the difference of opinions, they agree to work in this way. That is legislative assembly. Similarly, individuality there must be always, but when we find out a one means to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is oneness. Ekatvam anupaśyataḥ (ISO 7). Eka. That is ekatvam. Why a... In other words, ekatvam... This is the version of the Īśopaniṣad, ekatvam anupaśyataḥ. Ekatvam anupaśyataḥ. Ekatvam, at the same time, anupaśyataḥ. That means we are all spirit soul. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That is anupaśyataḥ. And on this basis, when we find ekatvam, oneness, that is the platform of peace, that "We are all servants of Kṛṣṇa." Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised this, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). When we feel that "Eternally I am servant of Kṛṣṇa, you are servant of Kṛṣṇa," that is ekatvam. Not that we become a lump of thing. No. Impersonality cannot be... Personality cannot be changed. Jīva-loke. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). This individuality is sanātana, eternal. But when we disagree to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is asanātana, not sanātana. That is artificial.
So here in this material world, we have disagreed to serve Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the whole proposal is again agree to serve Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real philosophy. We disagreed; therefore we came into this material world, and we are fighting with one another. Now again the proposal is, agree to this oneness, ekam. Then there will be peace. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchanti. These things are there.
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
We are becoming leaders, the friend of the people. But we are not friend of the people. Kṛṣṇa is the friend of... Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. If I simply say that "I am your friend in this sense that I deliver the message to you that 'Kṛṣṇa is your best friend.' I do not... I am friend so far I am giving you this information. But actual friend is Kṛṣṇa," suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, so this is friendship. If one preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness and teaches everyone that Kṛṣṇa is your best friend... He does not say, "I am your best friend." "I am your best friend in this sense that I am giving you this information." Actually, Kṛṣṇa is your best friend. What can I do? I am a teeny living entity. What can I do for you? I be..., may become your friend, but when you are in danger, I cannot give you any protection. Kṛṣṇa can give you protection. This is real friendship. He does not take himself. He always carries the message only. Ya imaṁ mad-bhakteṣu abhidāsyati. Simply our business is to carry the message of Kṛṣṇa. Then we are friend. Otherwise we are not friend. We may pose to become friend, but we are not friend because we do not know how to benefit the friend. Sometimes we mislead him.
Therefore our business is to point that "Kṛṣṇa is your friend." Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). "He's the proprietor. Don't claim your proprietorship. You are not proprietor. You are falsely claiming; because what you are claiming as your property, it will be taken away by Kṛṣṇa at the time of your death. Everything will be finished." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham, Kṛṣṇa says. Mṛtyu... Kṛṣṇa says, "I am death when I take away everything from the person—his life, property, body and everything." Actually, we claim, "This is my property." This is moha. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Lokasya janasya moho 'yam. This is friendship, to educate people that "You are not proprietor. Kṛṣṇa is proprietor. You are not enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa is enjoyer. You are seeking out friends to give you protection. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme friend who will give you protection." If we spread this message all over the world, then I am friend of Kṛṣṇa, I am friend of the persons. Otherwise, I am not friend, because I cannot become friend. I can simply carry... Just like post peon give you five thousand rupees, delivers. He does not deliver. Somebody else is delivering. He's simply carrying. That's all. Similarly, if we simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is, we become perfect. It is not very difficult. If I simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa, where is the difficulty? Everything is there. Kṛṣṇa has said everything. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. We carry this message. Just always think of Kṛṣṇa, always offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā, think of Kṛṣṇa always. We have to carry this message. Where is the difficulty?
So to become a bona fide spiritual master, there is no difficulty, if you, simply, if we carry the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is, without any adulteration. So we must find out a person who is actually bona fide spiritual master by this test, that he's not, I mean to say, adulterating Kṛṣṇa's message. He's not playing havoc with the message of Kṛṣṇa in order to introduce himself, his person. He's simply presenting the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is. Then he's spiritual master. Nobody else.
Thank you very much. (end)