How to Remain Always in the Company of His Divine Grace

[krsna 3]

 

 

BY: SUN STAFF

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 19, USA (SUN) — Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta diary entry, 40 years ago today.

 

 

Sunday, September 19

 

"Today is the 38th day of our journey and we reached New York Port at 12/30 p.m. about three hours later than the scheduled time."

 

 

 

Today marks the conclusion of the Sun's Jaladuta Diary series, as Srila Prabhupada describes the 38th and final day of his epic transcendental journey aboard the steamship Jaladuta.

 

 

Srila Prabhupada's 'Jaladuta Diary' contains a few entries following this date, wherein he made note of various organizational activities and contacts, but September 13th concluded his westward travels.

 

 

In an address he made at Gorakhpur in February, 1971, Srila Prabhupada talked about how the printing of his 3-volume Srimad Bhagwatams were a focus point, both at the beginning and the end of his journey:

 

 

"So after publishing three parts [of Bhagavatam], then automatically, Guru Maharaja gave me indication that, "Now you can start for America." So some way or other, in 1965 I went to America, with great difficulty.

 

 

But I took about two hundred sets of books. The customs clearance was done. I told them that "Oh, I am taking these books for distribution. Not for sale." Anyway, they passed, and with these books I reached America."

 

 

 

 

During a Room Conversation in Vrindavana on September 9, 1976, Srila Prabhupada pleased the devotees by re-telling the story of his experiences immediately upon arriving in America:

 

Prabhupada: ...because as soon as the ship stopped, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, the immigration department came and took their papers. So I entered America in Boston. There was no checking in New York. The ship stopped in Boston. The official entrance was done there. Then when I came to New York, it is just like one day's travel.

 

Guest1: And then you went directly to Pennsylvania? By bus?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. Then one agent, appointed by my host, Gopal Agarwal...He was in Butler. So he arranged with some professional, what is called, host.

 

Guest1: Travel agent?

 

Prabhupada: Maybe travel agent. He came to see me, that "I am sent by Gopal Agarwal, so I'll arrange for your dispatch. You come with me."

 

Guest2: Dr. Agarwal was your sponsor?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. His father came to see me some time in Agra. Agra. His father, mother came.

 

Guest2: And then they suggested that he be your sponsor.

 

Prabhupada: It was all by chance. I was for a few days guest at his father's place in Agra. I did not know that his son is in America. So he was talking about his family. He was little sorry that his eldest son went to America to study electric engineering, and he was entrapped by an English girl, and he married and settled there and did not come back. In this way...So I took the opportunity, that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me?" I wanted to go to America. So I did not know how seriously he took it. But I simply told him that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me at least for one month? So I am thinking of going to America." Then that was talking, beginning and end, that's all. I did not know that he took it very seriously.

 

Then after two, three months, some documents came. I was receiving my letters in a postbox. So when I left Delhi I used to keep my key of postbox with some nice bookseller, Atmaram, he was manager. So he opened that, he got that documents. That is No Objection Certificate, Sponsor, and everything. I was out of Delhi. Then when I came back I took it. So everything was there, that sheet (indistinct) from the Indian Consulate, No Objection Certificate. Then I applied for a passport. In this way I had to go. So Gopal was unknown to me, but his father was, his father was known to me. His father was...Then his agent got me on the bus. So on the bus (I) went to Pennsylvania.

 

Guest2: That's a long drive.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, nine hours on the bus. And I took a little chipped rice, and whatever I had with me. So I got down from the ship about one o'clock. Then I had to wait for the bus till five o'clock. Then at five o'clock the bus started. About two o'clock, three o'clock in the morning, I went to Pennsylvania, and just in front of the bus Gopal was standing with his car, that...What is called? Van car?

 

Guest1: Station wagon.

 

Prabhupada: Station wagon. So he took my luggage, and from there thirty miles off, the Butler County. So I went there. Then at night he took my (indistinct). The next day, he had no many rooms in his apartment, he arranged for my stay in the YMCA nearby them.

 

Guest2: You never actually stayed with him, then.

 

Prabhupada: I was going. I was taking my meals there.

 

Guest2: Oh. And just keeping a room at the YMCA.

 

Prabhupada: Because he had no room, so I was staying there.

 

Guest2: And then he arranged programs, speaking programs?

 

Prabhupada: His wife, Sally. His wife, Sally, she was arranging. A very intelligent girl. They were of the same age, about thirty. Gopal was more than thirty and she was (indistinct). I saw that she was feeding her child, one boy, meat powder.

 

Guest1: Beef bouillon?

 

Prabhupada: I do not know what is the name. But I asked. She said, "It is meat powder." That is the system?

 

Guest2: When they're very young and they can't eat solids.

 

Prabhupada: With hot water.

 

Guest2: Yes, they have instant meals for children. All different kinds of things.

 

Prabhupada: So Gopal was very much pleased that he could get some Indian capatis, like this.

 

Guest2: So he had you cook for him. You took your cooker with you? Is that the same one?

 

Prabhupada: No. So I lived with him for twenty-one days. Then I came to New York.

 

Guest2: Yes, that picture in the Butler Eagle. It's in the Vyasa-Puja book this year.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Butler County, it is good (indistinct), there were many churches, (indistinct) people have got so many churches (indistinct) (break) ...some time, that one piece of wire Iying in one place, one piece of bamboo was Iying in another place, and one dry shell of a squash was Iying. So one intelligent man collected. So this dry shell became the tambura's what is called...

 

Guest2: I don't know. Like sound chamber. What do you call it?

 

Prabhupada: Sound chamber may be called. So with that dry squash he made the sound chamber. The bamboo he fixed up and the wire upon it, and then it became a "tin, tin, tin, tin..." (laughs) Our organization is like that. I was loitering in the street. Somebody was over there, somebody was there. Not combined together. International Society String Band. Yes. Separately we are all useless. Eh?

 

 

 

As we conclude the 'Jaladuta Diary' series, we offer a note of appreciation to Vicaru dasa, the Sun Column Editor responsible for presenting this excellent series, for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and his followers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jaladuta Diary

 

BY: SUN STAFF

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 18, USA (SUN) — Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta diary entry,

40 years ago today.

 

Saturday, September 18

 

 

"To-day is the 37th day of our journey & at 4 p.m. we left Boston Port for New York. In the morning I had telephonic talks with Gopal P. Agarwal in Butler and he said that his man will receive me at New York & dispatch me to Butler by Bus or train as convenient. I tried to contact Dr. Misra but he was not available both yesterday and to-day. I do not know if he is coming to receive me.

 

 

To-day I met two American nice gentlemen Mr. Gardiner & Fryer. We passed a beautiful canal and crossed underneath two overbridges. But at midnight there was considerable fog disturbance and the ship moved very slowly. The fog persisted till we reached late at New York Port at 12/30 on 19/9/65.

 

On board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

dated 18th of September, 1965

 

Markine Bhagavata-dharma

 

[Translation] My dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

 

ache kichu karja taba ei anumane

nahe keno aniben ei ugra-sthane

 

[Translation] But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?

 

rajas tamo gune era sabai acchanna

basudeb-katha ruci nahe se prasanna

 

[Translation] Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

 

tabe jadi taba krpa hoy ahaituki

sakal-i sambhava hoy tumi se kautuki

 

[Translation] But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic.

 

ki bhave bujhale tara bujhe sei rasa

eta krpa koro prabhu kori nija-basa

 

[Translation] How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.

 

tomara icchaya saba hoy maya-basa

tomara icchaya nasa mayar parasa

 

[Translation] All living entities have become under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion.

 

taba iccha hoy jadi tadera uddhar

bujhibe niscai tabe katha se tomar

 

[Translation] I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.

 

bhagavater katha se taba avatar

dhira haiya sune jadi kane bar bar

 

[Translation] The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message.

 

It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21):

 

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

 

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.

 

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

 

"By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

 

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

 

"As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.

 

evam prasanna-manaso

bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah

bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam

mukta-sangasya jayate

 

"Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.

 

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis

chidyante sarva-samsayah

ksiyante casya karmani

drsta evatmanisvare

 

"Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master." Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21)

 

rajas tamo hate tabe paibe nistar

hrdayer abhadra sate ghucibe tahar

 

[Translation] He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

 

ki ko're bujhabo katha baro sei cahi

khudra ami dina hina kono sakti nahi

 

[Translation] How will I make them understand this message of Krsna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.

 

athaca enecho prabhu katha bolibare

je tomar iccha prabhu koro ei bare

 

[Translation] Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

 

akhila jagat-guru! bacana se amar

alankrta koribar khamata tomar

 

[Translation] O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

 

taba krpa ha'le mor katha suddha habe

suniya sabara soka duhkha je ghucibe

 

[Translation] Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

 

aniyacho jadi prabhu amare nacate

nacao nacao prabhu nacao se-mate

kasthera puttali jatha nacao se-mate

 

[Translation] O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

 

bhakti nai beda nai name khub daro

"bhaktivedanta" nam ebe sarthak kor

 

[Translation] I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

 

Signed--the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar

 

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,

on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

dated 18th of September, 1965

 

[krsna 3]

http://prabhupadaconnect.com/PhotoAlbum226.html

[Guest guest]

 

August 14, 1976

 

 

 

Prabhupada: From spiritual point of view this has no meaning. This is worldly affection. It is worldly affection. That is not very good asset for spiritual life. Asakti. One has to give up asakti. That is the process, renouncement. Voluntarily.

Indian Doctor: Anasakta-manah.

Prabhupada: Anasaktya. Yes. Our Vedic process is that at a certain age you must retire from family life. Voluntary, forceful, giving up association.

Indian Doctor: Even there is worship (indistinct).

Prabhupada: Yes. So these are asaktis. This husband and wife dying together, it is admitted(?) because asakti is there. That asakti will help him, that the wife will become a husband next life, and the husband will become wife next. And in that way they'll have to take birth again.

Indian Doctor: Soul has got no tax.(?)

Prabhupada: Karma-bandha.

Indian Doctor: Karma-bandha and jiva.

Prabhupada: Find out this verse, Fifth Canto, Fifth Chapter.

Harikesa: Karmatmakam yena?

Prabhupada: Ah, sarira-bandha. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam, yavat mano vai karma?

Harikesa:

parabhavas tavad abodha-jato

yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam

yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai

karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah

Prabhupada: Bandha.

Harikesa: "As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmatmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear. And as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body."

Prabhupada: That's all. By labha-yoga (?) woman will become man and the man will become woman.

Indian Doctor: So long you are taking birth...

Prabhupada: What action you have got? Before that the verse is,

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma

yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam

asann api klesada asa dehah

[sB 5.5.4]

So this body is temporary, but it is very miserable. That they do not understand.

Indian Doctor: Kunape tri-dhatuke.

Prabhupada: That they do not understand. That as soon as you accept a material body, either a very rich man's body or poor man's body or any body, either brahmana's body or sudra's body, to accept material body means undergo miseries.

Indian Doctor: But you have no choice to accept. By the will of God...

Prabhupada: No, you have got... You can become free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [bg. 4.9]. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti...

Indian Doctor: Bhakti-avyabhicarini. I have got that tendency, bhakti, avyabhicarini-bhakti.

Prabhupada: No, no, simply to know Krsna. Mam ca 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena ya... So you cannot understand Krsna without bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [bg. 18.55]. So without bhakti there is no possibility to understand Krsna. But if you understand Krsna, then you'll become free from this process of accepting material body.

Indian Doctor: Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [bg. 18.66].

Prabhupada: Yes. This is only business, to become Krsna conscious and avoid this botheration of repeating body, tatha dehantara-praptih [bg. 2.13]. Dehantara-praptih is there. If you want to stop dehantara-praptih, then you have to become Krsna conscious. There is no other way. But if you think that it is very pleasure to enter within the womb of mother and accept one body, and again come out and again work, and again die, and again enter. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [bg. 8.19]. If you want this business, that is your choice. You can do it. But if you want to stop it, then this is the only way. Therefore sastra says na sadhu manye. It is not good. Nunam, read that verse.

Harikesa:

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma

yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam

asann api klesada asa dehah

[sB 5.5.4]

Prabhupada: Klesada asa dehah. Klesada, as soon as you get a body, klesada. May have good doctor friend, but I'll have to suffer. We can get some relief, but suffering is there. Therefore na sadhu manye. It is not good. So people are being trained up to become mad, pramattah. And do anything, bring money. This is the modern civilization. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [sB 5.5.4]. Things which are forbidden, they are doing that. Why? Indriya-pritaya aprnoti, only for sense gratification. They have no other ambition. Bring money and gratify senses. This is modern civilization. This is the exact explanation-nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [sB 5.5.4]. Black money, white money, this money, that..., never mind, bring money.

Indian Doctor: (laughter) By any way.

Prabhupada: Yes, this is modern civilization. Big man, big rich man means bring money some way or other. This is big man. This is Kali-yuga. Because if you have got money, you have got respect, you have got honor, you are recognized. So therefore they are after money. Bring money, that's all right. When I shall get money, I may have done black money, force money, this money, nobody will remember it. Bas. This is modern civilization. Bring money and enjoy sense. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [sB 5.5.4]. What for it is, struggle so much working hard? Yad indriya-pritaya. Only for the satisfaction of the senses. They have no other ambition. Because most of them, they do not believe there is next life. Most of them, 99.9 percent, they do not believe. Big, big professor, I have talked with so many big, big men in Europe. They have no... Our leaders also. The Munshi, he did not believe in the next life.

Indian Doctor: There is research in parapsychology in certain municipality(?) of India, they have proved that (indistinct).

Prabhupada: That they may do, a very great service, but we know it without going to the psychological process. We believe Krsna. Tatha dehantara-praptih [bg. 2.13], bas, finished. What is the use of going to the psychology and...?

Indian Doctor: But those...

Prabhupada: No, no, those who are fools, they may waste their time in that way. (laughter) But we are not so fool.

Indian Doctor: They are fools to not to think that they'll become...

Prabhupada: They are rascal fools because they do not take Krsna's word. Krsna says tatha dehantara-praptih [bg. 2.13]. Why should we bother? Our mission is simply to propagate Krsna's instructions. This is Krsna consciousness movement. We don't manufacture anything. So-called yoga, so-called meditation, so-called this and... We don't care for all this nonsense. Our only business is how to implement the instruction of Krsna, the rascals may understand and be happy. That is our mission. We haven't got to manufacture anything. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. You simply carry the message of Krsna and try to deliver it to anyone you meet. This is our... We haven't got to manufacture anything. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. Take it, without interpretation. Don't spoil the whole thing. Interpretation means spoiling. Whole thing spoiled.

Indian doctor: Each man understands according to his own level of understanding.

Prabhupada: No. Suppose, just like you are medical man, you are giving somebody medicine, you are giving the direction. If he wants to be cured, he must take your direction. Not that somebody comes, "No, no, you can take it this way, you can do this." That is nonsense. That is nonsense. This nonsense we want to stop. Krsna is giving the instruction, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [bg. 10.12], the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What business you have got to poke your nose and give interpretation? Are you bigger than Krsna? Krsna left it for you? This nonsense going on. Big, big swamis, big, big yogis, big, big politicians, simply misinterpreting, he's spoiling his own life and he's spoiling others. Bas. This is going on. Very serious condition.

Guest: You are not going to go down now?

Prabhupada: No.

Gopala Krsna: Would you like to go on the terrace, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: If I like, I can... (conversation in Hindi) Why I have taken so much trouble?

Guest: They are already traced out. So we come here.

Prabhupada: No, you come and preach. The country is going to hell, the human society is going to hell for misguidance. These rascal leaders, they're going to hell themselves and they're leading others. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah [sB 7.5.31]. These fools and rascals are leading, they are going to hell, and they are taking the followers to the hell. This is going on. Stop this. At least in India. Save. That is real para-upakara. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

[Cc. Adi 9.41]

Para-upakara. Our India is not meant for exploiting others. Doing good to others, that is India's mission. Our teachers, our acaryas, do not teach us "Go and exploit others and bring money" -- British Empire. This is not India.

Indian Doctor: Even Jesus never taught that. These are the wrong followers.

Prabhupada: Jesus is different thing than that. I mean to say generally, generally, the people they want to exploit others.

Indian Doctor: It is the greed of the human being.

Prabhupada: Yes, but the mission should be, human being should be meant for doing good to others. Para-upakara. That para-upakara spirit is gone on account of losing our own culture. Otherwise, India's culture is para-upakara. India was open, "Come everyone, learn." Lord Jesus Christ also came here. All the Chinese, learned scholars, they used to come. The history is there. And India was open. Grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akutobhayam. This is Indian culture. Even the enemy comes, "Yes, please come, you stay." But later on, they took advantage: "Oh, they are very liberal, enter there." And still we are liberal. "Please come here, stay here and take prasadam free, and chant Hare Krsna." Open to everyone. I shall manage anyway, I shall travel, still I shall lay down my life and bring money. Come here, stay. Still we are liberal. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission, janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. First of all, make your life successful by Krsna consciousness. Then do good to others. Yesterday, I think, in Tehran, one boy came. He proposed that is it not good to help others? I immediately challenged, "What you have got you can help? What is your asset?" You cannot help. It is simply bogus proposition. If you can help, you can simply help by spreading Krsna consciousness, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. "Sir, I have come to you.Why?To request you that you become Krsna conscious.How?" Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, "Always think of Me, just become My devotee, offer little obeisances." Anyone can do, a child can do. You cannot do? What is the difficulty to become Krsna conscious? Is there any difficulty? You haven't got to practice any yoga process, pressing your nose or keeping your head or this or that, no. Nothing. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi asamsayah [bg. 18.65]. "Without any doubt you are coming back to Me." And that is the highest perfection, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [bg. 4.9]. There is no difficulty in preaching this Krsna consciousness. There is no difficulty to accept it. And the result is the supreme.

Indian Doctor: These are the people who have no faith.

Prabhupada: Therefore you have to canvass. They have no faith, I know that. Then why there is necessity of preaching all over the world? They have no faith, it is a fact. And you have to create faith. That is preaching. Padayor nipatya. That Prabodhananda Sarasvati,

dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya

krtva ca kaku-s atam etad aham bravimi

he sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya durad

gauranga-candra-carane kurutanuragam

This is preaching. Prabodhananda Sarasvati, what is that? Kaku-satam padayor nipatya, kaku-satam krtva, satam, "I fall down on your feet and I am flattering you with folded hands.Why? Why? What do you want to say?Yes, I have to say something.What is that? Say it! Why you are becoming so humble?Yes, I have to say.What? Say it!" He sadhavah, "You are a very nice sadhu. But you forget all nonsense."

Indian Doctor: That's krsna-upakara.(?)

Prabhupada: He sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya, "Whatever nonsense you have learned-forget." Then what to do? Kaku-satam bravimi sakalam eva vihaya durad gauranga-candra-carane kurutanuragam. "You just become devotee of Lord Caitanya. I am flattering you, I am falling down on your feet" -- this is preaching. And what is Caitanya Mahaprabhu? Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. And if you do that, then what is the result? Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [bg. 18.69]. If one is doing like that, Krsna immediately recognizes, "Oh, you are the best friend of Mine." So if you are recognized by Krsna, then what you want more? You are undergoing so much austerities and... To be recognized by God. And God says that "Immediately I recognize you." Whom? One who is doing this. Ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati [bg 18.68]. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [bg. 18.69]. Immediately. You may be a fool, you may be rascal, you may be illiterate. But if you do this, immediately Krsna recognizes. Krsna never said that unless one is a big grammarian, big scientist, big politician, big engineer, big doctor, then I can do it. No. Simply one who does this. Ya idam paramam guhyam [bg 18.68]. What is that paramam guhyam? Sarva-dharman parityajya [bg. 18.66]. "Give up all nonsense. Surrender to Me." This is paramam guhyam. And they are simply manufacturing nonsense. So the time is very bad, but nature's law is very strict. We may defy it, "There is no God, there is no next birth, there is no nothing." We may say like that, but when death will come, you cannot say anything. Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [bg. 10.34]. Bas, all your talkings, all your intelligence taken away. Tatha dehantara-praptih [bg. 2.13]. Immediately transferred to another body. Daiva-netrena. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye [sB 3.31.1]. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [bg. 13.22]. "No, no, I am Prime Minister!No, you must become a dog." Immediately. How can you protest? You cannot protest. You have acted like dog, just become a dog. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. Just like your medical science, you have infected the disease, you must suffer disease. Karanam guna-sangah, guna-sangah. There's infection.

Indian Doctor: Only in nirguna, a man can become nirguna by...

Prabhupada: Eh, don't talk of nirguna, first of all (laughter) become a dog.

Indian Doctor: Because the only thing that can bring nirguna, then you may stop from getting a dog. If you do the bhakti. That is what I mean.

Prabhupada: Nirguna means bhakti. Nirguna means bhakti. Sa gunan samatityaitan [bg. 14.26]. That is nirguna. When you are untouched by the three gunas, then you are nirguna. That is not very easy job. That is not easy.

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunan samatityaitan

brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

[bg. 14.26]

Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati [bg. 18.54]. Nirguna is not so easy thing. This is nirguna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [bg. 18.66]. This is nirguna. Otherwise, everything sa gunan, everything sa gunan. Only fully surrendered to Krsna, nirguna. This is... So (Hindi) They are talking, "Yes, you take Bhagavad-gita without Krsna." They say it, and they are doing that.

Indian Doctor: Who?

Prabhupada: Anyone. Take Mahatma Gandhi. He was so great student of Bhagavad-gita. Did he preach krsna-bhakti? Bhagavad-gita minus Krsna, this is going on. Yes. Kamsa. Kill Krsna. This is going on. What is the meaning of Bhagavad-gita without Krsna? And everyone is preaching like this. Very worse condition of the world. Godlessness, and they'll suffer, there is no doubt. Prakrti is very strong. You can do whatever you like, but karanam guna-sango 'sya, that will act. You may be very proud of your so-called prestigious position, but the karanam guna-sango 'sya... Purusah prakrti-stho hi... [bg. 13.22]. Find out.

Guest: Bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan.

Prabhupada: Bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan. He has to, he has to. Bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan. So we are now put into the material prakrti, and prakrti-jan gunan, we have to accept another body.

prakrteh kriyamanani

gunaih karmani sarvasah

ahankara-vimudhatma

kartaham iti manyate

[bg. 3.27]

This is the rascaldom. Jaya. Prasadam, you have got? What is the report?

Yasomatinandana: We are publishing monthly magazine every month now, one is coming out in a few days for Janmastami. We have changed new house, very good house.

Prabhupada: What is the rent?

Yasomatinandana: Land also...

Prabhupada: No, no, rent.

Yasomatinandana: Rent is thousand rupees. One thousand rupees, plus tax for government.

Prabhupada: Plus twelve hundred?

Yasomatinandana: No, plus two hundred tax. They are life members from Ahmedabad. They came to see Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupada: Oh, thank you. So give them place to stay. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay

[krsna 3]

 

25 Sept 73 , Bombay

 

 

 

 

Prabhupada:

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the father of sankirtana movement within two hundred years. He was acarya and a householder, grhastha. He was very responsible officer, magistrate, householder. But he was a great devotee. Not only devotee-acarya in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu disciplic succession, acarya. So he sung, ye dine grhete bhajana dekhi, grhete goloka bhaya: "The day whenever we find there is bhajana," means worshiping the Supreme Lord, "at that time immediately the house becomes Vaikuntha." Actually, that is so. Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana is not material things. Just like Krsna is not material. Krsna... As Krsna can stay in His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, and still He can stay everywhere... Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. That is Krsna.

 

In the Brahma-samhita it is stated,

 

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim

yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah

andantara-stha-paramanu cayantara-stham

govindam adi-purusam...

[bs. 5.35]

 

Krsna, Govinda, is everywhere by His one plenary portion, which is known as Paramatma. Eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-koti. That Paramatma is situated in every universe, andantarastham. Garbhodakasayi Visnu. As Garbhodakasayi Visnu He is presented in every universe, and as Ksirodakasayi Visnu He is within everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [bg. 18.61]. Not only within the heart of everyone, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham, He is within the atom. That is Krsna. Similarly, Krsna's place, Goloka Vrndavana, that is also spread everywhere. How that Goloka Vrndavana becomes spread? As soon as there is devotee. Yes. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Krsna says, naham tisthami vaikunthe na ca yoginam hrdayesu: "I do not stay in Vaikuntha-loka or within the heart of the yogis." Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah: "I stay there where My devotees are chanting about Me, about My glories." This is the process. Immediately... Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [bs. 5.37]. That is Krsna's power, omnipotency, omnipotency. We pray God, "Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent." So that is fact. God can be present anywhere simultaneously, omnipresent. Similarly, there is no difference between God and His place. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam. As Krsna is worshipable, aradhya, similarly His place is also aradhya, worshipable. So as He is all-pervading, similarly, His place is also all-pervading. So how things can be changed into Vaikuntha? That is by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. So the bhaktas, they are also so powerful that by chanting the holy name of God, they make the supreme all-powerful Lord descend in that place. Therefore the statement of Bhaktivinoda Thakura that ye dine grhete bhajana dekhi, se dine grhete goloka bhaya... So we can change our home also into Vaikuntha. We can change our home. It is not difficult. Because as Krsna can be all-pervading, Vaikuntha is all-pervading. But we have to simply realize it by the authorized process. Everyone, we can change our home into Vaikuntha.

 

So there is another statement of Bhaktivinoda Thakura that krsnera samsara kara chadi anacara. To turn your home into Vaikuntha is not very difficult job. Simply you have to adopt the method. Krsnera samsara kara chadi anacara. Anacara means sinful activities. You cannot associate with God if you become sinful. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam: "One who is completely free from sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [bg. 7.28], "He can worship Me." So therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is that we do not recommend that "You give up your occupation, you become a sannyasi, give up your wife and children." No. That is not our movement. Amongst ourself here there are sannyasis, brahmacaris, grhastha, vanaprastha. Everyone is there. Everyone can worship Krsna. There is no such thing that "This class of men, only the brahmana or the sannyasis or brahmacari or Hindus..." No. Krsna is open for everyone. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [bg. 9.32]. Even lower born, born in the lower grade family, he is also open. Simply one has to adopt the means. That is recommended by... There are many songs. Locana dasa, Narottama dasa Thakura, he also says,

 

visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha'be mana

kabe hama herabo sri vrndavana

 

Visaya means sense enjoyment. Sense enjoyment. So one has to give up this practice of sense enjoyment. Then he becomes purified. There is no prohibition for eating, but there is prohibition of eating things which are rejected, amedhya. Eating is not stopped, but you cannot eat anything which is not accepted by Krsna. That is called anacara. If you eat something which is not accepted by Krsna... Because our life, Krsna consciousness life, means to be always eternal servant of Krsna. As the servant eats the remnants of foodstuff left by the master, similarly, we are servants of Krsna. We also eat, but we eat remnants of foodstuff which is left by Krsna. That is called prasadam, maha-prasadam.

 

So we have to, I mean to say, mend our life in such a way that krsnera samsara kara, chadi anacara. We have to give up anacara, forbidden things, sinful things. Striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah. There are four kinds of sinful activities. Basic principle of sinful life is avaidha, illicit sex life. Avaidha stri-sanga. Striyah suna, unnecessary animal killing. Pana, drinking intoxicant; and gambling. We have to give up these four principles. Then our life becomes pure. If we give up these four principles and chant Hare Krsna mantra, then we become perfect. How it is? You can see the examples. These European, Americans, they were accustomed to all these practices. That is their daily affair. But they have given up this. Now you see, how they are saintly. So the thing is not very difficult, but one has to accept the principles. Then one lifes becomes perfect. They do not know what is perfection of life. People are thinking that material advancement is perfection of life. No. That is not perfection of life. Because even if you make nice material arrangement, you cannot enjoy it. At any time you shall be kicked out. Where is your perfection? Suppose you have very nice apartment, very nice good bank balance, very nice wife, children. Everything is all right. But is there any guarantee that you can enjoy them? Is there any guarantee? At any moment you shall be out. This is not perfection. First of all make guarantee that "Whatever I am preparing for, very happy life in this material world, they will be permanent. I will not be kicked out." Then it is perfection. But there is no such guarantee.

 

Therefore this is not perfection of life. Perfection of life is that when there is guarantee of no more birth, no more death, no more old age and no more disease. That is perfection. That can be achieved by Krsna consciousness, not by material way. Harim vina na mrtim taranti. If you want to be eternal, blissful, eternally blissful and full of knowledge, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [bs. 5.1], then we have to take to Krsna consciousness. There is no other way. There is only way. Mam upetya kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam [bg. 8.15]. If you are serious about perfection of life, then one has to take to this Krsna consciousness. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [bg. 18.65], mam evaisyasi asamsayam: "Without any doubt, you shall come to Me." And what is the principle? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakti mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Four things: "Simply always think of Me," man-mana; "you become just My devotee," mad-bhakta; "just worship Me..." So is it very difficult task to think of Krsna and to worship Him, to become His devotee and to offer obeisances to Krsna? Just like we are doing this, in this evening. This is the process. We are thinking of Krsna by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. We are offering obeisances to the Deity and at least trying to become bhaktas. Man-mana bhava mad..., mad-yaji, and worshiping. What is the worshiping? Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [bg. 9.26]. It is not difficult. Little flower, little fruit, little water, anyone can collect. But the thing is a dog obstinacy: "I shall not do it." That is the thing. Otherwise it is very easy thing, Krsna consciousness. And if we adopt it, our life becomes successful. That is the perfection of life. That we are teaching. But there is a dog's obstinacy that they will not adopt: "No." This is our defect. Otherwise the process is very simple; everyone can adopt it in every country, every man. There is no distinction that "This class of men can adopt and that class of men can..." No. Just like the Hare Krsna mantra, it is now being chanted all over the world, and they are becoming Vaisnava. These European, American boys... Then where is the difficulty? But the difficulty is our obstinacy. If one is obstinate, he is determined, then it is very difficult. Therefore Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [bg. 7.15]. Only these classes of men, duskrtina, always engaged in sinful activities, mudha, rascal... Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. And lowest of the mankind. Because human life is meant for worshiping Krsna. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari viphale, janama gonainu: "My life is spoiled." Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visa khainu. So we are trying to stop drinking poison knowingly. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale, taribare na koinu upaya, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene taya. These are the Narottama dasa Thakura's... Big... They were stalwart acaryas.

 

So this Krsna consciousness movement is for everyone's benefit. It is the topmost humanitarian movement to make everyone happy, to make everyone immortal, to make everyone peaceful(?), to make everyone... [break] ...without being wise, nobody can surrender to Krsna. Mudhas, rascals, they cannot. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [bg. 7.15]. These are the qualification, who does not surrender to Krsna. Duskrtina, naradhama. "Oh, how he is naradhama? He is M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C., T.H.C. How he is naradhama?" Mayayapahrta-jnana: his knowledge has no value because he does not know Krsna. These M.A., Ph.D.'s will not help me. Sankaracarya said, na hi na hi raksati du-krn-karane. "By your grammatical jugglery of words nonsense, you cannot be saved." Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam bhaja govindam mudha-mate: "You rascal, just engage yourself in the loving service of Govinda." This is Sankaracarya's advice, although he was impersonalist. Krsna says that "Who does not worship Me?" Naradhama, mayayapahrta-jnana, they have no knowledge. Because if he remains in the real point a rascal, then what is the value of his knowledge? There is no knowledge. Therefore bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [bg. 7.19]. After many, many births of struggling for existence like this, if one becomes actually wise, jnanavan mam prapadyate, he surrenders to Krsna. This is intelligence. This is intelligence. "Krsna, from this day, I surrender. So long I was forgotten. I did not know that my only business is to surrender to You." So any moment you surrender, immediately you are protected.

 

sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

moksayisyami ma sucah

[bg. 18.66]

 

"Don't bother. Everything is there." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [bg. 9.31].

 

So this is our Krsna consciousness movement. We are trying to make fools and rascals and sinful men to become wise. If you take advantage of it, you will be glorified and we shall be glorified. This is our process. And actually it is happening. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is papi tapi yata chila, hariname uddharila, tara saksi... You want evidence? Jagai and Madhai. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered two Jagai and Madhai. Now you can see how much Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is strong. Many thousands of Jagai-Madhai's are being delivered. So His movement is greater than Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, personally He delivered two Jagai-Madhai. Now, by His movement, thousands Jagai-Madhai's are being... This is the practical. And it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Anyone can take. But if we take knowingly poison, janiya suniya visa khainu, who can protect you? So it is our appeal to everyone that take to Krsna consciousness movement, chant Hare Krsna mantra. Even if you cannot give up your bad habits, sinful activities, still, you take the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra and your life will be glorified.

 

Thank you very much. [break] (answering question:) It is just like without eating, if you question that how one is satisfied by eating food. A hungry man, if you give him food, he will say, "Yes, I am satisfied." There is no question of "How?" If you eat... If you are hungry, if you eat, you will feel satisfaction. It is automatic. Similarly, if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you will understand. Not from outside. How? You can see how these boys and girls, they are feeling satisfaction. Similarly, if you chant also, you will feel satisfaction. There is no question of "How?" It is so, exactly (as) when you are hungry, if you eat, you will feel satisfaction. It is practical. It is stated therefore,

 

raja-vidya raja-guhyam

pavitram paramam idam

pratyaksavagamam dharmyam

su-sukham kartum avyayam

[bg. 9.2]

 

Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam. It is not theoretical. If you practice, you will see, pratyaksavagamam. And it is very easy to perform. So if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you will understand. Exactly like that: if you eat, then you will feel satisfaction. Simply theoretically discussing how it become, we can say to you... It will not be understood. You chant, you will understand. Practical. Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam. This is the process. Any other question?

 

Indian man (1): To make it more clear to me what I feel, that it is something like not realizing that Lord Krsna is the real reason, to chant the name, it will be something like we have instances in the old sastras and books and histories, that...

 

Srila Prabhupada: What do you mean by old?

 

Indian man (1): I mean the history, those stories...

 

Srila Prabhupada: That story, that stories... You do not know the science. Why you are talking like nonsense? What do you mean by old? It is eternal. There is no question. Avyayam. Nityah sasvatah. You do not know.

 

Indian man (1): Therefore they used to pray to God before they used to go to commit theft, and they used to come back again to worship the God and to please Him that yes, they were not caught.

 

Srila Prabhupada: So do you think we are dacoits?

 

Indian man (1): No, but...

 

Prabhupada: Then what do you think? Why do you question this? Why do you question these nonsense things?

 

Indian man (1): That praying to God without...

 

Prabhupada: Yes, he is better than you because you do not know what is God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

 

api cet su-duracaro

bhajate mam ananya-bhak

sadhur eva sa mantavyah...

[bg. 9.30]

 

Who is worshiping God, but his character is not good, he is sadhu. And those who are talking and no connection with God, he is mudha, duskrtina, naradhama. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. We have to talk through the medium of sastra. It is said, api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [bg. 9.30]. He is sadhu, because he has taken, he has come to the right place, bhagavad-bhajan. Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. He will not remain such thief.

 

ksipram bhavati dharmatma

sasvac-chantim nigacchati

kaunteya pratijanihi

na me bhaktah pranasyati

[bg. 9.31]

 

If one has actually taken to Krsna consciousness, he will never be lost, even though you find for the present he is not well-behaved. That is the version of Bhagavad-gita. Even a thief, even a rogue, even a sinful man takes to Krsna consciousness and follows the rules and regulation, for the time being you may find there are some faults, but it will vanish very soon. Just like the electric fan, it is moving. You make the switch off, you will find still moving. But it will stop moving very soon, because the switch is off. Similarly, if anyone takes to Krsna consciousness seriously, if you find that still he is not well-behaved, that is not very important thing. He has taken to Krsna consciousness. That is important thing. Because this superficial external misbehavior will stop. There are many sastras' example.

 

tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer

patet tato yadi, bhajann apakva

yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim

ko vartha apto abhajatam sva-dharmatah

[sB 1.5.17]

 

Krsna consciousness is so nice, even one takes by sentiment, still he is profited. And person who are very honest in executing his duty but does not take to Krsna consciousness, sastra says ko vartha apto abhajatam: "What does he gain?" He does not gain anything, because he is bound up by the resultant action of his karma. So it is a great science. One has to understand. Then... But for the present... Of course, a Krsna-bhakta never takes the profession of a dacoitry. We have no such evidence. Rather, dacoits were made very great devotees. There are instances. But Krsna says, "Even if he is dacoit, but Krsna-bhakta," sadhur eva sa mantavyah [bg. 9.30], "he is to be considered sadhu." So it is the certificate of Krsna. What can I do? (laughter) [break] Arati. (end)

 

[krsna 3]

 

 

.

 

Submitted by Yaduvendu Das

 

__________________________

 

 

 

Prabha Vishnu: In April of 1972 I was sent on travelling sankirtan -- the first book distribution party in UK. In June Srila Prabhupada came to London and the following month went to Scotland for a visit.

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath requested our sankirtan party to go to distribute leaflets to publicize Prabhupada's programs in Edinburgh and Glasgow and we were very inspired to see the wonderful temple that Tribhuvanath had organized there along with Kishore.

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath: That morning Prabhupada had a bit of breakfast and left about noontime by train for the program in Glasgow, but no one had provided lunch for him. From breakfast until the evening he didn't eat, but he didn't complain even once.

 

 

 

Yaduvendu: We took the huge red vyasasan, which had been brought up from Bury Place -- the one Prabhupada commented on once, that "it looks like it was made for Lord Siva." We brought it in the transit van and placed it on the stage ahead of Prabhupada’s arrival.

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath: The hall was packed with 400 to 500 people including a number of street children, who some devotees had been trying to keep out in case they caused a disturbance during the lecture. But Prabhupada never liked that, he wanted to encourage everyone and so I decided to let them in.

 

 

 

Yaduvendu: Revatinandan Swami called the devotees on stage, picked up the mrdanga and walked to the microphone.

 

 

 

"Before our spiritual master gets here we’ll begin by chanting the maha-mantra, which is a spiritual sound vibration that elevates the mind to the spiritual platform. This is a form of meditation that we practise.

 

 

 

"Repeat after me: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

 

 

 

There was only a faint response and Revatinandan repeated the exercise, but louder. This time a large proportion of the audience participated and the mantra resounded throughout the hall.

 

 

 

"Now that you know the words I’d like to invite you all to sing along with us." Revatinandan said.

 

 

 

Revatinandan and the devotees chanted the prayers to the spiritual master and the Pancha Tattva, but when it came to the maha-mantra very few from the audience were participating.

 

 

 

In fact, most seemed to be quite wary of the devotees. They’d come out of curiosity. They’d knew that the world leader of the Hare Krishna Movement was going to be there, but most of them knew nothing about Krishna Consciousness and were probably wondering if attending the lecture had been a good idea.

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath: After the kirtan Prabhupada gave an amazing lecture from the Bhagavad-Gita and then asked if there were any questions.

 

 

 

Yaduvendu: Prabhupada did not speak for very long. He knew that people who were not familiar with our philosophy might have a short attention span. He started with a verse from Bhagavad-Gita and then explained how the purpose of all religion is to develop love for God. It was a simple and non-sectarian message that anyone could appreciate whatever religion they followed and he frequently used the word God where he might otherwise say Krishna.

 

 

 

When Prabhupada asked if there was any questions only person put his hand up. He was a thin, hippy-looking person in his twenties with shoulder length hair parted in the middle and with a goaty-looking beard. He wore a flower patterned shirt with a hood, which was down, beige corduroy trousers and sandals.

 

 

 

He’d been sitting at the back through the lecture and when he stood up to speak Prabhupada could not hear, so he asked him to come a little closer. The hippy walked about half way down the aisle and submitted his question again. Prabhupada still couldn’t hear him and the hippy came to the front of the stage looking up at Prabhupada on his vyasasan.

 

 

 

"Yes, you say that we should serve God, but surely, we’re all God aren’t we?"

 

 

 

Srila Prabhupada was sitting very serenely on his vyasasan. You could see that he was in ecstasy at such a preaching opportunity. But suddenly-- in a flash, his mood changed, becoming suddenly dark and displaying the ferocity of a lion.

 

 

 

He turned on the hapless hippy with a charge of power that was no less devastating than a thunderbolt.

 

 

 

"You think you are God?" Prabhupada yelled through the microphone.

 

 

 

"You’re not God. You’re Dog!"

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath: This guy was in the front of the audience, looking straight up at Prabhupada and Prabhupada was looking straight at him.

 

 

 

But Prabhupada said it in such an amazing way that the guy practically fell back in shock. The audience stood up, clapped, cheered and whistled as if someone had just scored a goal in the world cup. It was an amazing reaction and even Prabhupada was surprised by their response.

 

 

 

Prabha Vishnu: The hall was packed out and I remember many, many guests offering obeisances to Prabhupada afterwards. It was at that program that one hippy boy came forward and challenged Prabhupada saying "we’re all God." Prabhupada responded "you are not God, you are dog" and the whole auditorium erupted with applause.

 

 

 

Yaduvendu: Everyone rose to their feet giving Prabhupada a standing ovation, some standing in the aisles and some on their seats.

 

 

 

Revatinandan went to the mic and began a kirtan singing "Jai Prabhupada, Jai Prabhupada" and the whole assembly spontaneously joined in. This time when he chanted Hare Krishna everyone joined in clapping and dancing. It looked as if the audience were all enthusiastic devotees, enjoying the kirtan and dancing in ecstasy.

 

 

 

I was amazed because there were all sorts of people there, some my parent's age and even older, but they all seemed to appreciate Prabhupada so much. I thought to myself that if I lived to be a hundred I’d never forget what I saw there that day. And, it made me realise the amazing potency of a pure devotee; that he could walk into a hall of five hundred strangers and have such an effect -- turning them into instant devotees.

 

 

 

Tribhuvanath: After the program we had a feast of oranges, because that was all we could afford. Prabhupada ate about 10 oranges and as he was leaving you could see that he was intoxicated with ecstasy.

 

 

 

I had never seen Prabhupada like that before. I held the door and he put both his hands on my head and started rubbing it in a very gentle way. I couldn't believe it. He said, "I am very pleased with what you have done. Now you preach Krishna consciousness all over Scotland." It was so beautiful that it's hard to put into words. It was one of those amazing moments in life that can never be repeated.

 

 

 

Prabha Vishnu: Tribhuvanath was always working very, very hard to serve Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnavas; eating and sleeping very little. His enthusiasm was infectious and devotees around him always felt enlivenment from his association. Later he began travelling festival programs throughout the UK and had considerable success with that and has continued such preaching until recent times.

 

 

 

Tribhangananda: Tribhuvanath told me outside the building in Forest Road, that he’d asked Prabhupada, "how can young devotees get the association they need in order to advance in Krishna consciousness and Prabhupada told him, "you become that association."

 

 

 

I mentioned this to Tribhuvanath many years later and he didn’t remember the conversation, but Tribhuvanath always was that association. He was always very enlivening, fired up and inspiring. He was always ready to preach and be compassionate to others, but he also liked to have a joke and a laugh with the devotees. He used to explain to us that we had to do the needful and he was always talking about pleasing Prabhupada. He loved Krishna consciousness and that was always his mood.

 

__________________________

 

 

 

Related Links:

 

 

 

1) http://www.krishna.com/printarticles/37_1/tribhuvanatha.html

 

 

 

2) http://www.iskcon.org.uk/devotees/tribhuvanatha.html

 

 

 

3) http://britcrew.com/tribhuvannatha/l-rs.php

 

 

 

4) tribhuvannatha/

 

 

 

5) http://www.harmonikireland.com/print.php?topic=memoirs

[krsna 3]

 

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

Devotional service includes nine processes, beginning with hearing, chanting and remembering the activities of Lord Vishnu. Only one who has taken to devotional service can understand Srimad Bhagavatam, which is the spotless Purana for a transcendentalist (paramahansa). So-called commentaries are useless for this purpose.

 

All Vedic literatures maintain that Srimad Bhagavatam has to be learned from the person bhagavata, and to understand it one has to engage in pure devotional service. So-called erudite scholars or grammarians cannot understand it. Only one who has developed pure Krishna consciousness and has served the pure devotee, the spiritual master, can understand Srimad Bhagavatam.

 

Purport to Cc. madhya 24.313.

[krsna 3]

"'Democracy' vs. Divine Rule"

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18

 

Mayapura, September 28, 1974

 

 

 

That is the desire of Krsna, or God,

 

that the state executive head should be as pious as

 

Maharaja Yudhisthira.

 

That is the scheme.

 

Unfortunately, people do not want that.

 

They have now discovered this democracy.

 

Democracy... "Demon-cracy." Shortcut of "demon-cracy"

 

is "democracy."

 

All the demons and rogues, they gather together,

 

somehow or other votes, and occupy the seat,

 

and the business is plundering.

 

The business is plundering. If we talk very much upon

 

this, it will not be very favorable, but according to

 

sastra... We, we talk according to sastra, that the

 

democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers. That is

 

the statement in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhih.

 

The government men will be all dasyu.

 

Dasyu means plunderer.

 

Not pickpocket. Pickpocket, somehow or other, if you do

 

not understand, takes something from your pocket,

 

and the plunderer, or the dasyu, he catches you

 

and by force, "If you don't spare your money, I shall

 

kill you." They are called dasyu.

[krsna 3]

TAKING SHELTER OF KRISHNA

 

by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

This confidence. This is called saranagati, surrender. There are six points of surrender unto Krsna. One point of surrender is to believe that "Krsna will protect me." Just like a small child has got full faith in his mother: "My mother is there. There is no danger." Confident. I have seen it. Everyone. I have got...

 

I'll narrate one practical experience. In Calcutta, in my younger days, I was traveling in tram, and my youngest son, he was with me. He was only two years old, or two or two and a half years old. So the conductor, out of joke, asked him, "Give me your fare." So he first of all said like this: "I have no money." So the conductor said, "Then you get down." He immediately said, "Oh, here is my father." (makes some gesture) (laughter) You see. "You cannot ask me to get down. My father is here."

 

 

 

You see? So this is the psychology. If you have approached Krsna, then even the greatest fear will not agitate you. That is a fact. So such a thing is Krsna. Try to achieve this greatest boon, Krsna. And what Krsna says? Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. "My dear Kaunteya, son of Kunti, Arjuna, declare in the world that My devotees will never be vanquished." Will never be vanquished. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati.

 

 

[krsna 3]

http://prabhupadaconnect.com/PhotoAlbum233.html

[krsna 3]

 

28 Feb 75 , Atlanta

 

 

Prabhupada: ...pahu dui jana. Pahu means prabhu. The shortcut is pahu. Prabhu, lord, or master. So these prabhu two, two prabhus, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu... Caitanya Mahaprabhu is addressed as Mahaprabhu, Maha-purusa. And others, they are addressed as prabhu. So these two prabhus, Nityananda Prabhu and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, are very merciful, parama koruna. Parama koruna means extremely merciful. Extremely merciful because Krsna is also merciful, but because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original feature... Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also Krsna, but He is acting as devotee. He is not acting as Krsna. He is agting as devotee of Krsna.

 

namo maha-vadanyaya

krsna-preme-pradaya te

krsnaya krsna-caitanya-

namne (gaura-tvise namah)

 

He is Krsna, but at present He has assumed the name of Krsna-caitanya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya also appreciated Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He made one hundred verses about Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to teach us, He destroyed the slokas, "Oh, it is too much praising Me." So anyway, some of the slokas were saved. Two of them are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritamrta. So one of the sloka, verse, is

 

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-

siksartham ekah purusah puranah

sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari

krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye

[Cc. Madhya 6.254]

 

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is offering his obeisances to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, speaking like this, that "You are the same original person, Krsna. But You have now assumed the form of Krsna caitanya just to teach vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam. You have come to teach the mass of people the art of becoming detached to this material world.'' Vairagya-vidya. Vairagya. Ragya means attachment and viraga means detachment. So we fallen souls, conditioned souls, we are very much attached to this material body, and consequently, material world. This is the disease. This is called bhava-roga, or material disease, to become attached to this body. "I am Indian,'' "I am American,'' "I am white,'' "I am black'' -- I identify with this body because we are very much attached to this body. But if we study very deeply, "Why I am attached to this body?'' Suppose if there is some danger, immediately warning, just this roof is going to fall down, we shall immediately take care of our own body, not of our Godbrothers. Because we are very much attached to this body. This is the first business, how to save this body. Now, the next question is "Why you are so much anxious to save this body?'' What will be the answer? Can anyone say? Why one is so much attached with this body? The answer is that because I, the real I, I am within this body, therefore I am anxious to save it. Then why you are anxious to save the soul, individual soul? The answer will be that because I am part and parcel of Krsna. So ultimately we want to love Krsna, but because we are in a forgetful platform, then someone is trying to save his body, someone is trying to save his bodily relationship. Therefore in so many ways we are implicated with this material atmosphere.

 

So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us how to become detached to this material. That is vairagya-vidya. Vidya means vairagya-vidya. Vidya does not mean to become more and more attached to this material world. That is not... That is avidya, illusion, because I will not be able to save this body. This body will change. I will be annihilated. But still, I am very much anxious for this body. This is called illusion or ignorance or avidya. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us vairagya-vidya, how to become detached. He personally showed by His life example that... He was very learned scholar in Navadvipa. His name was Nimai Pandita, and He was very influential also. He was so influential that simply by His calling, 100,000 people joined Him to show a civil disobedience movement, disobeying the order of the magistrate that "You cannot perform kirtana." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu organized immediately about one lakh of people and went to perform at the house of the magistrate. The civil disobedience movement, perhaps you know that it was inaugurated by Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, in India against the British government. But long, long before, five hundred years before, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He started this civil disobedience movement against the order of Kazi. So He was so popular. My point is that not only He was a very learned scholar... He was young man, twenty, twenty-two years, but He was so popular that He could call 100,000 people at once to start this civil disobedience. The social position...

 

He was beautiful, Gaurasundara. His another name is Gaurasundara, very beautiful boy. And a very learned scholar, Nimai Pandita. Nobody could defeat Him. And very influential and born of a very high-grade brahmana family. His father, His grandfather, was very, very learned scholars. So in every way He was very well situated, although the brahmanas are not very rich. They do not care for money. They are interested in knowledge, brahma-jnana. And if one knows Brahman, then he is brahmana. Brahma janatiti brahmanah: "Brahmana means one who knows the Absolute Truth." That is brahma-jnana. The human life is meant for that purpose, athato brahma jijnasa. Everyone should be interested to enquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth. At least, a class of man must be there in the society. That is the brain, brain of the society, brahmana. Just like you have got the brain in your body. If the brain is absent, if the brain is gone mad, then your whole body is useless. That is the position at the present moment. There is no brain in the society. All sudras, no brahmanas. Because nobody is interested with the Absolute Truth.

 

Everyone is interested how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to defend. That is going on, nationwide, worldwide. Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is interested to make a section of the people brahmana, brain. They can guide. It is not that everyone requires; neither it is possible. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot become brahmana. Brahmana means the most intellectual class of the society. That is brahmana. Satya samah damah titiksa arjavah, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [bg. 18.42]. These are the brahmana's qualification. He must be truthful, so much so truthful that even to his enemy he will not keep any secret. That is called truthfulness. And samah. Samah means controlling the senses. Damah. Samah means controlling the mind. Mind is our enemy; mind is our friend. So if we can control the mind, the mind can act as very good friend. And if we do not control the mind, then he acts as enemy. Therefore the yoga system means controlling the mind, controlling the senses so they can act as my friend. Otherwise they will act as my enemy. Kama krodha lobha moha.

 

So there is necessity of a class of men who will act as the brain of the society. That is called brahmana. That is real human society, where there are four classes of men: one acting as brain, one acting as arms or armies or protection, one acting as belly, or the food digesting machine... Unless you eat and digest food, how your body will be maintained? So everything is very scientifically designed in the Vedic civilization. So in the Kali-yuga there is scarcity of brahmana. Brahmana is vairagya. A brahmana is not interested with pounds, shilling, pence, "Get money and enjoy." That is not brahmana's business. What us enjoyment? That is illusion. You cannot enjoy because you are conditioned by the stringent laws of nature, and where is enjoyment? There is no enjoyment. But they are thinking, "I am enjoying." This is called illusion, maya. There cannot be any enjoyment. When you are not free, when you are conditioned under the stringent laws of... You do not like to die. You are forced to die. You must die. You cannot say, "No, I will not die." No, that is not possible. So where is your freedom? But we are declaring, "Now we are independent." This is all illusion.

 

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to save us from all these illusions. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya means living, not dead. If we have no spiritual consciousness, if we have not Krsna's consciousness, then we are dead. This, what is this body? This body is dead. Alive or dead, so-called dead, it is already dead because it is matter. But because there is spirit soul, it is moving. The same example: the motor car, what is this? A lump of matter, some iron, some other metals or some rubbers and combination. And so long the driver is there -- it is moving -- it is important so long it is moving. And as soon as the movement stops, you throw it away. That is very good experience in your country. So many useless motor cars are heaped together. So similarly, the brahmana means one must know that who is the driver of this body, brahma-jnana. So at the present moment nobody knows who is driving this body. So therefore all sudras, fourth-class men. There is no first-class man. But in the human society there must be four classes of men: first class, second class, third class... Fourth class also required for assisting the higher, third class. Everything is very nicely described in the Bhagavad-gita, and Bhagavad-gita was taught by Krsna Himself. But people could not follow Him, misunderstood Him. Therefore Krsna again came as Krsna-caitanya to teach personally the philosophy of Krsna.

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not teach anything else than what was taught by Krsna. Therefore, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam siksartham, puranah purusah. That Supreme Personality of Godhead... Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam siksartham ekah puranah purusah [Cc. Madhya 6.254], sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari: "Now You have assumed the form of Sri Krsna-caitanya, but You are Krsna.'' That is also..., Rupa Gosvami said. We have to follow the mahajanas, great personality, authorities. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. We cannot manufacture a way of life. We have to follow the footprints of mahajana, great personalities. That is the way. Here, at the present moment, everyone is speculating. What is the use of speculation? You are imperfect. Your senses are imperfect. Whatever you establish, because you have established by imperfect senses, they are all imperfect. Therefore, that suffering, there is no solution. So speculative method will not help us. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching is It is not as He had manufactured something. He is also following. He quoted one verse from the prayers of Lord Brahma.

 

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva

(jivanti) san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam

sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir

ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

 

This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam in Brahma's prayer to Krsna. The purport is that you should give up this bad habit of speculation. Jnane prayasam. Prayasam means endeavor: "I shall get this knowledge by speculating." This is called jnana-prayasam, endeavoring uselessly for knowledge. So udapasya. You give it up. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta. Just become submissive. Don't think yourself that you are very learned. Because if the senses are imperfect, how you can be learned? Whatever you see, that is imperfect. Just like we see every day the sun, these eyes. And what we see? It is just like a disc. Is it a disc? It is fourteen hundred times bigger than this earth. So what is the value of your seeing? You cannot see what is behind the wall. Still, you are proud of seeing -- "Can you show me? Can you show me God?" And what power you have got to see? That he does not consider. He thinks, "I have got seeing power." Similarly, you study every sense -- they are all imperfect, blunt. So any knowledge you acquire by gymnastic of the senses-useless. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, it is the Bhagavata's teaching and Caitanya Mahaprabhu's the same. So we have to give up this nonsense idea, that "I can attain to the perfect knowledge by speculation, manodharma, by speculation, manodharma, mental gymnastic." This will not help us.

 

So jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Just become submissive. And where to submit? You must submit to a perfect person. Otherwise why should you submit? Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12], samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham. So Bhagavan Krsna also says,

 

tad viddhi pranipatena

pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti tad jnanam

jnaninah tattva-darsinah

[bg. 4.34]

 

Tattva-darsi, one who has seen the things as it is. Go there and from him take the knowledge, not that one who is speculating. This is the process, Vedic process. Therefore it is called sruti. Sravanam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [sB 7.5.23]. Sravanam means hearing, kirtanam means glorifying. Of whom? About Visnu, not for anything else. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved this point. When He was talking with Sri Ramananda Raya, Ramananda Raya suggested various methods of self-realization. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not reject them. He said, "Yes, it is also nice, but you go farther above. Go forward still." So in this way, when Ramananda Raya quoted this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, jnane prayasam udapasya, He said... No, in the beginning He had, eho bahya, age kaha: "This process is not very important; it is external. If you know better than this, say." So in this way, after many rejections, when Ramananda Raya came to this version, jnane prayasam udapasya, Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not say that it is useless. Eho haya: "Yes, it is nice." Eho haya: "It can be accepted." That is the beginning, that don't try to speculate. Just become humble and meek and hear from the realized soul. Namanta. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Just become submissive. Do not think that you know by everything. That is your illusion, maya. Because you cannot know everything. You can, you may know something. That is not possible that you know everything.

 

So to know everything perfectly you cannot do it simply by speculating or handling your senses, imperfect senses. San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. You hear from the realized soul. So Krsna, hear from Krsna. That is He is perfect. And sthane sthitah. To hear about Krsna, you do not require to change your position. Sthane sthitah. You are medical man? That's all right. Remain medical man. You are scientist? That's all right. You are lawyer? That's all right. You are fool? That's all right. (laughter) Because everyone is fool, but they are divided by mental concoction that "Here is a fool; here is a learned.'' Because the learned is also a fool. But by mental concoction, he is recognized as intelligent. Same mental concoction. Dvaite' bhadrabhadra sakali samana. Caitanya-caritamrta kar said that "In the material world, this is good; and this is bad -- this is all mental speculation.'' Dvaite' bhadrabhadra sakali samana, ei bhala, ei manda', saba manodharma: "That division, 'This is good; this is bad,' it is mental speculation.'' It has no value. It has no value. So this mental speculation will not help us. And therefore sthane sthitah. You remain in your position. It doesn't matter, good or bad. The mental speculator's verdict that "This is good; this is bad. This is intelligent; this is fool,'' they are all mental speculation. That will not help.

 

So you remain in your position. Either in good or bad, it doesn't matter. But you do one thing. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You use your ear. That ear is bestowed upon everyone, either fool or learned. So use that ear, sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih, and hear attentively, and mold your life as you hear from the realized soul. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-mano. One who remains like this, although he is imperfect fool, whatever he may be, he can conquer the ajita. Ajita means God. Nobody can conquer Him, but a devotee who sincerely hears about Him from the realized soul, he can conquer even Ajita, Krsna. Just like gopis. The gopis were women and not very high class woman, cowherd's men, in the village, not in town, very educated, high society, brahmana, ksatriya, no. They all belonged to vaisya class. And they were woman, not Vedantist, not scholar. But they conquered Krsna. Why? And that is this They heard about Krsna, and they became lover of Krsna. That is required. So that is the real qualification. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He was so strict about womanly association. Still, He recommended, ramya kacid upasana vrajavadhu-vargabhir ya kalpita: "There is no better type of worshiping Krsna than the system which vraja-vadhu, the gopis, adopted to love Krsna. That is the first-class.'' That is the recommendation of Vedic sastra. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [sB 1.2.6]. First-class religion Religion means to understand God. That is the sum and substance.

 

The process may be different according to country, men. Just like we worship the Deity in the temple. This is also bhakti. And the Christians go to the church and offers prayer to God. That is also bhakti. That is also bhakti. Nine items of bhakti. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam dasyam [sB 7.5.23]. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam. Vandanam is offering prayer. So they go to the church or go to the mosque, they offer prayers to the Supreme. That is also bhakti. So there is no question of what type of religion you are following. That doesn't matter. You follow anything, whatever suits you. But the result should be that. You worship with the result. The result is how to love God. That should be the result. If you have come to that platform, how to love God, mad after God, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu...

 

yugayitam nimesena

caksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam

govinda-virahena me

 

Govinda-virahena: "Being separated from Govinda, God, my life is vacant." This is required. It doesn't matter whether you follow Christianity or Hinduism or Muslimism. Whether you are feeling vacancy, everything vacant without Krsna, without God -- that is the test. Yugayitam nimesena. Every moment... Because one who is feeling separation from the Lord, he is feeling also, "When I shall see Him?" So this anxiety, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yugayitam nimesena: "A moment is seeming to Me a millenium, hundreds and millions of years' separation." That is love. If you love somebody and if you... Of course, in the material world, this love is not possible. There is no love in the material world. It is all lust. So love means loving God. That is love. So the Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching this, yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam: "I am feeling one moment as a millenium, being separated from Krsna. And the torrents of tears are coming just like torrents of rain.'' And sunyayitam jagat sarvam: "And the whole world is seeming to Me vacant,'' govinda-virahena me, "being separated from Govinda.'' This is love. So it doesn't matter what religious system you are following, but the result should be this, that you should be mad after God. That is the test. Sa vai pumsam paro... That is first-class religion, yato bhaktir adhoksaje, to love. Bhakti means love, service, rendering service. Adhoksaje. Adhoksaje means beyond the speculation of mind, mental exercise, bodily exercise. Adhoksaja. Adhakrta aksaja jnanam.

 

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this. And He took sannyasa. For the benefit of the whole world, He took sannyasa. He gave up His very opulent position in Navadvipa, as I have told you, very learned scholar, very beautiful body, very beautiful wife, very affectionate mother, good popularity. There was no scarcity. And He was God Himself. Why there will be any scarcity? There is no question. But in spite of, He took sannyasa for the benefit of the whole world. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come here in Atlanta. So you worship this Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Parama koruna, pahu dui jana, They are very, very merciful, and little service will enhance your devotional service to a larger scale.

 

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975

[krsna 3]

"In Bhagavad-gita (10.34) it is said that the Lord in the shape and form of death destroys all a person's possessions. Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: "I am all-devouring death." The Lord in the shape of death takes away everything that is created by the conditioned soul. Everything in this material world is subject to perish in due course of time. However, all the strength of time cannot hamper the activities of a devotee, for a devotee takes complete shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord. For this reason only is a devotee free from formidable time."

 

 

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.56, Purport)

 

[krsna 3]

"A devotee completely surrenders unto the Supreme, who reveals Himself by His causeless mercy. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, dadami buddhi-yogam tam. The Lord says, 'I give him intelligence.' What is that intelligence? Yena mam upayanti te. The Lord gives one the intelligence to cross over the ocean of nescience and come back home, back to Godhead. In conclusion, the cause of all causes, the Absolute Truth, or Supreme Brahman, cannot be understood by philosophical speculation, but He reveals Himself to His devotee because the devotee fully surrenders unto His lotus feet."

 

 

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.11.23, Purport)

 

[krsna 3]

 

7 Oct 75 , Durban

 

 

 

Pusta Krsna: The question is, "Why should one pray to God?"

 

Prabhupada: Our prayer is, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught,

 

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram

patitam mam visame bhavambudhau

krpaya tava pada-pankaja

sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

[Cc. Antya 20.32, Siksastaka 5]

 

Just like if you are in danger, you ask your friends to help you. This is prayer. So our prayer is, to Krsna, ayi nanda-tanuja. Nanda-tanuja means... Krsna appeared as the foster son of Nanda Maharaja; therefore He is addressed as nanda-tanuja, means "the son of Maharaja Nanda." So patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavambudhau. "I am your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience, ignorance." Just like if you are a person of the land, if you are thrown in the ocean, it is struggle for existence. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [bg. 15.7]. This is struggle for exis... Everyone is struggling. But what you will struggle in the ocean? You may be a very big swimmer, but how long you shall swim? You will be tired. The only means is to take you out of the ocean. Even one inch above the ocean is your safety. It doesn't matter how many inches you are taken from the ocean. Similarly, the prayer is, "My dear Lord Krsna, I am your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean. Please pick me up and fix me again as the dust of Your lotus feet." This is the prayer. So we should know in what dangerous position we are. Then there is necessity of prayer. And prayer to whom? To the Supreme Person to save us. Therefore there are so many prayers in the sastra. Prayers means addressing the Lord to save us from this. The real saving is to pick us up from this ocean of nescience, ignorance. Then everything is all right. As soon as we come to the knowledge that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God," then our knowledge is perfect. This is called brahma-bhutah prasannatma. This is called Brahman realization.

 

brahma-bhutah prasannatma

na socati na kanksati

samah sarvesu bhutesu

mad-bhaktim labhate param

[bg. 18.54]

 

So prayer is needed because we are in danger. And actually we pray when we are in great danger. Suppose if immediately there is some earthquake or there is some danger, naturally, spontaneously, we pray. We pray. But we forget it. But the prayer, the tendency of offering prayer to the Lord at the time of danger, is automatic. So we should know that we are in danger. We are in this material condition of life means we are in danger. Therefore we should pray. We must pray to pick him up, to pick us up. That is necessity of prayer.

 

Pusta Krsna: Are there any questions?

 

Indian man (2): Swamiji, I would like to know from you whether or not it is necessary for a person to be a vegetarian or to have a special diet to be able to respond to the..., your teachings...

 

Prabhupada: What is that?

 

Pusta Krsna: He would like to know whether it is necessary for one to be a vegetarian or not in order to respond or understand the teachings.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Because if you want to be Krsna conscious -- that is the whole teaching -- you have to act according to the instruction of Krsna. So vegetarian or not vegetarian, it is not a very important thing. Either you eat meat or vegetable, both of them have got life. That is the nature's way. Jivo jivasya jivanam. One life has to eat another life. That is nature's law. But Krsna consciousness means he does not anymore eat anything which is not offered to Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. We take prasadam. Whatever is offered to Krsna, we take that. So Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati tad aham asnami [bg. 9.26]. So just like if you ask some guest at your home, you will ask him, "What you shall eat, sir? What can I offer you?" Similarly, when you invite Krsna to your home or to your temple, you should prepare foodstuff according to Krsna's instruction, not according to your whims. So Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: "Anyone who offers Me patram" -- that is vegetable -- "puspam" -- vegetable -- "and liquid things like milk, water..." And you can prepare so many other things from vegetables. If you offer to Krsna and take prasadam, then you are free. That is, yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih. If you accept foodstuff which is offered for yajna-yajna means acceptance by Krsna -- then you are free from sinful life. Otherwise you are responsible. Either you eat meat or vegetable, it doesn't matter.

 

Pusta Krsna: Are there any more questions?

 

Prabhupada: No. One man once.

 

Pusta Krsna: There are many other people who would like to ask questions.

 

Prabhupada: Others should be given opportunity.

 

Indian man (3): I would like to have this question. Why should one accept this Krsna as God?

 

Prabhupada: That I have already explained. We have to accept the Vedic evidence. So the Vedic evidence establishes krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [sB 1.3.28]. Otherwise you have no opportunity to understand what is God. Then, if you don't accept Krsna as God, then present somebody else who is God and whether he is satisfying the definition of God. So considering the Vedic evidences, authorities, we have to accept Krsna as God. And when He was present on this planet, He proved that He is God. Then we have no other alternative than to accept Krsna as God.

 

Pusta Krsna: Any other questions? Yes.

 

Indian man (4): With the present state of the world as it is -- it seems to be in a pretty mess -- what would you say we are actually advancing spiritually?

 

Pusta Krsna: "With the present state of the world, in the present mess that it's in today, would you say that we are advancing spiritually?"

 

Prabhupada: No. Practically, the present state of the world means without any spiritual knowledge. We are blind; therefore it is very dangerous position. The spiritual knowledge we must have; otherwise we are doomed.

 

Indian man (5): Master, I wish to inquire. From the ancient Vedic scripture of the Vedas, we learn that God is and He cannot be seen. However, in the Bhagavad-gita we learn that Lord Krsna is born as a human. Now, does this not work conflict to the ancient scriptures of the Vedic religion?

 

Prabhupada: Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita you will find that you have to understand Krsna in truth. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [bg. 4.9]. If we simply see that Krsna is born or He has taken His birth as a human being, that is not sufficient study of Krsna. Therefore Krsna says His birth and activities are transcendental. Janma karma me divyam. So that you have to study, divyam yo janati tattvatah. Anyone who understands what is Krsna's birth... His birth and my birth is not the same. That means you have to study the subject matter very scientifically. Then you will understand that although Krsna comes as a human being, still, He maintains His position as God. That is real understanding. Unless you understand this fact, you will misunderstand Him. Therefore Krsna says as soon as you understand Krsna in truth, then you become liberated. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Simply superficial study will not help you. Then you have to study to become a serious student of Krsna consciousness and study Him. Then you will understand. Otherwise, superficially, we cannot understand.

 

Woman: Swamiji, would you say that the soul is locked in the third eye?

 

Prabhupada: Hm?

 

Pusta Krsna: The soul is what?

 

Harikesa: Locked in the third eye.

 

Pusta Krsna: Locked in the third eye. She's asking if the soul is locked in the third eye.

 

Prabhupada: Locked? What does it mean locked? Soul is not locked. Soul, for temporarily, is embodied according to the soul's desire. There are 8,400,000 forms of body, and as we are desiring, the material nature is supplying the body. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gita,

 

isvarah sarva-bhutanam

hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

bhramayan sarva-bhutani

yantrarudhani mayaya

[bg. 18.61]

 

Yantrarudhani. Yantra means machine. So Krsna is situated in everyone's heart. That is all-pervading. And He knows what the soul wants, so He is given the opportunity. As he wants to work, he is given a particular type of body, machine, yantra. Yantra means machine. And he is seated there, and in this way he is wandering in different species of life and different planets for different times. That is going on. Yantrarudhani mayaya [bg. 18.61]. So if we stop this business, if we hear Krsna-sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66] -- then our life is successful. Otherwise we shall continue to change this yantra, one yantra to another, another, another. This is going on. So practically the soul is not locked up, but intentionally he wants some position. And Krsna is very kind. God is very kind. He is giving the opportunity: "All right, you want like this? Do it like that."

 

Indian man (5): Swamiji? Are we (indistinct) to believe in that by chanting the holy name of Krsna that we can attain a higher conscious level on this earth and attain self-realization without going through all the rigors of the old Vedas, scriptures?

 

Pusta Krsna: The question is, "Are you saying that simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Krsna, that you can do without all of the other instructions which are in the older Vedas?"

 

Prabhupada: Yes. This is the special concession for the conditioned soul of this age, that if you simply chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, then your heart will be purified. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Then everything will be revealed. This is special concession. So you can see it. All these students coming, joining this movement all over the world, they are beginning, chanting Hare Krsna, and gradually they are becoming purified and taking this consciousness very seriously. You can see it.

 

Indian man (1): Om. Om. [break]

 

Indian man (6): ...explain the ways of papa-nirvanam.

 

Pusta Krsna: Papa-nirvanam.

 

Prabhupada: Papa. Yes. Papa. I understand. Papa... First of all, we have to know what is papa. Just like in ordinary way, in ignorance we commit something unlawful. Just like in this country it is said, "Keep to the left," and some other country it is said that "Keep to the right." Say, Americans, they "Keep to the right." Now, in this country, if instead of keeping to the left, if he keeps to the right, then he becomes punishable. So this is due to ignorance. So papa means in ignorance. So if you become in knowledge, there is no more papa. So if you understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, and if you act accordingly, there is no papa. This is papa-nirvana, no more papa. That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

 

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

[sB 1.2.17]

 

If you simply hear Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita, then gradually you become free from all sinful reaction of life. That is papa-nirvana. This is very simple thing. That's all.

 

Pusta Krsna: Would you like to take any more questions, Prabhupada?

 

Prabhupada: One more.

 

Pusta Krsna: One more question.

 

Indian man (7): Swamiji, I got a disturbing mind. I would like to clear my mind. We understand that according to the Lord's creation, apart from this planet, there are many other planets which is called the universe. And as such, being created by the Lord, I'm sure He has given His right in a way of knowledge to understand Him. Now, if Krsna conscious, as we understand in this part of the world, then I am sure it should be in the other part of the world as well. So I don't know, Swamiji, what is the position, knowing that we are living in this part of the world, or this planet, what could be the other part of the planet which is called the universes. I was just reading today the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I don't expect that I will be able to bring about this bit of the Gita that I read in a question form, because Lord... In the Gita itself it says that Arjuna presaged(?) to Lord Krsna in the Tenth Chapter, verse thirteen and fourteen, where He mentions that He is supreme, He is the ultimate, He is abode, place of residence of His, He is purified, eternal, primal God and so on, transcendental, original, and unborn. Now, Swamiji, I would like to know, being unborn, then how come that Lord Krsna was born as a human being or brought Himself to that position to form Himself as the Supreme Being? I would like this answer to be given. Thank you.

 

Prabhupada: If you have read Srimad-Bhagavatam, you can see that Krsna was not born. Krsna appeared before Devaki and Vasudeva as four-handed Narayana. Then the father, mother requested Narayana that "You have appeared as Narayana. Immediately Kamsa will kill You. Please, You become like human child." So He again immediately became a human child. So the conception of birth from the womb of the mother was not actually the fact about Krsna. You read Bhagavatam. You will find this description. So even though if He comes as a child, still He is unborn because Krsna, or God, is in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [bg. 18.61]. So from the heart, if He comes before you, so is it very difficult task for Him? It is not at all difficult. [break] What to speak of Krsna, we are part and parcel of Krsna; we do not take birth. You will find in the Bhagavad-gita, na jayate na mriyate va. When the description of soul is given there, it is said that the soul is never born. If the soul is never born, how the Supersoul is born? That you have to understand. Even the soul... We are ordinary soul. We are not..., also not born. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit: "At any time." Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [bg. 2.20]. So we have to study this. We have to learn this. Superficially understanding will not help us. You have to become a serious student. That is wanted. And so far Krsna is speaking, He is speaking for all living entities. It is not that He is speaking for India or for the Hindus or for this planet or that planet. He is speaking for everyone. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [bg. 14.4]. Krsna says, "In all forms of life, all the living entities, I am..." Aham bija-pradah pita: "I am the supreme father." So Krsna does not speak for any particular section or any particular country or any particular religion. It is for everyone. And so far we are concerned, that is also described in the Bhagavad-gita:

 

yanti deva-vrata devan

pitrn yanti pitr-vratah

bhutani yanti bhutejya

mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam

[bg. 9.25]

 

Now, in this human form of life you can select where you will go next. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, so you can go there. Yanti deva-vrata devan. The higher planetary... Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah [bg. 14.18]. You qualify yourself. So if you qualify yourself to go to the higher planetary system, you can go. Yanti deva-vrata devan. And if you qualify yourself to go back to home, back to Godhead, that also you can do. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. So if you become a pure devotee, then you go to Krsna. That is up to you to make your selection. And this human form of body is meant for that purpose. If you don't utilize it for our next elevation, then you are committing suicide. That is our Krsna consciousness movement, to inform you. That's all. Thank you very much. Let us chant Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975

[krsna 3]

The Myth of Scarcity

 

With the good will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there can be enough fruits, grains, and other food stuffs produced so that all the people in the world could not finish them, even if they ate ten times their capacity. In this material world there is actually no scarcity of anything but Krishna consciousness. If people become Krishna conscious, by the transcendental will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there will be enough foodstuffs produced so that people will have no economic problems at all. One can very easily understand this fact. The production of fruits and flowers depends not upon our will but the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead. If He is pleased, He can supply enough fruits, flowers, etc., but if people are atheistic and godless, nature, by His will, restricts the supply of food.

 

 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 9.38)

 

[krsna 3]

Something's Happening Here

 

.

 

by Swarup Das

 

______________

 

 

 

When I was still living at home and visiting the temple every chance I got, I had gone into my neighborhood "head shop" one evening and in a little cardboard box there were a bunch of albums that were kind of offbeat. One was of hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist monks chanting and making strange sounds with their vocal chords (some of them could make three different sounds at once) and among those esoteric LPs was the original Happening Album. On the back I immediately noticed the Ginsberg quote: "It brings a state of ecstasy." I bought it and took it home with me and began playing it... and playing it... and playing it... and chanting along with it... and listening to Prabhupada's talk explaining the meaning of the mantra. In fact at one time I had practically the whole speech memorized. Still do. It's Krishna Consciousness in a nutshell.

 

 

 

When I left the head shop and walked to where my car was parked (it was my sister's car that she got to commute to college with -- a '66 Malibu Chevy with big hippy flower decals pasted all over it), just as I was getting the keys out to unlock the door a cop car drove up and shone his flashlight on me. Apparently the local cops developed the brilliant strategy of watching the local head shop and assuming that anybody patronizing the place was a drug user. (They were probably right but that was beside the point.) Anyway, he asked me for my license and registration -- the usual shakedown -- and asked me to empty my pockets. Ordinarily I would have been a nervous wreck -- to this day whenever I'm confronted by police I practically shake with anxiety. But that night -- holding that album in my hand and thinking about the Hare Krishna chanting and the temple and moving in and becoming a devotee -- I was cool, calm and collected with the cop. I felt as if I were untouchable -- or even transcendental -- that I was no longer in his jurisdiction. I felt PROTECTED!! SHELTERED!! Yeah... that's how I felt come to think of it.

 

 

 

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

 

 

Swarup Das

[krsna 3]

 

 

BY BABHRU DAS

 

 

 

— About 500 years ago, Lord Krsna personally appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the place of the avatar for the age of Kali. Lord Caitanya had two purposes for coming: to experience first-hand the bliss of serving Krsna and to spread pure love for Krsna, which is very rare. Writing about Lord Caitanya's plan for making His mercy widely available, Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Gosvami says, "sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara, vicara karile citte pabe camatkara: If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful."

 

Actually, Lord Caitanya revolutionized vaisnavism. He took Krsna consciousness into the streets when He inaugurated the congregational chanting of Krsna's holy names and deputed bands of devotees to widely preach the glories of sa"kirtana and pure devotional service. He Himself traveled all over India preaching Krsna consciousness. He specifically deputed Lord Nityananda to preach in Bengal. Whereas Lord Caitanya's direct followers came mostly from the higher social classes, Lord Nityananda made absolutely no distinction. He approached and anyone and everyone, as demonstrated in His pastime with Jagai and Madhai, and implored them to take up devotional service to Krsna accompanied by chanting Hare Krsna.

 

In the mid-nineteenth century, Srila Saccidanana Bhaktivinoda Thakura saw that Lord Caitanya's teachings had become distorted in several ways and had fallen into disrepute. He conceived a dynamic plan to spread the glories of devotional service to everyone around the world. Part of his program was a modern approach to presenting Krsna consciousness. He presented the philosophy of Srimad-Bhagavatam in a way that even those who were influenced by modern Western philosophies, both in India and abroad, could appreciate it.

 

Essential to Bhaktivinoda's revolutionary view was the understanding that Lord Caitanya was not exaggerating when He said that His name would be sung in every town and village around the world. Bhaktivinoda wrote in his monthly journal Sajjana-tosani, "Sriman Mahaprabhu did not descend with His associates to deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His purpose was to deliver and uplift all living beings in all countries of the world by practicing the eternal religion of all souls." He quoted a verse from Caitanya-bhagavata in which the Lord predicted, "My name will be preached in all the countries and towns that exist throughout the world." Bhaktivinoda Thakura then expressed his heart's desire: "There are many kinds of religion in the world, and among all of them the highest development of religion is the congregational chanting of the Supreme Lord's divine names. Of this there is no doubt. Alas! When will that day come when greatly fortunate souls in countries such as England, France, Russia, Prussia, and America will take up banners, kettle drums, måda"gas and karatalas and thus cause the ecstatic waves of Harinama-kirtana and the singing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Holy Name to rise in the streets of their towns and cities? O when will that day come, when pure and transcendental Vaisnava-prema will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of Vaisnavism as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?"

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura's plan for propagating Krsna consciousness also included reviving a scientific daivi-varnasrama system to help make society more conducive to spiritual culture. He passed this vision of preaching Krsna consciousness to his son and siksa disciple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who extended Bhaktivinoda's revolution by taking concrete steps to reinstitute varnasrama-dharma. Asserting that vaisnavas are as good as brahmanas, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati gave his disciples the sacred thread at initiation, regardless of their family lineage. He also reintroduced the asrama of tridandi-sannyasa to Gaudiya vaisnavism. Moreover, he created an organized institution for systematically propagating Krsna consciousness and trained his disciples to aggressively confront all forms of false religion.

 

Throughout his preaching career, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati exhorted everyone he met to help spread Krsna consciousness to the entire world. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada recounted that when he first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta immediately challenged him and his friends, as educated young men familiar with English, to take Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission seriously and teach it to those who spoke English. In his last days, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati told his disciples to, above all, work cooperatively to continue and expand the systematic preaching he had begun, following Bhaktivinoda's instructions.

 

Among Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's many disciples who were working to spread Lord Caitanya's message as broadly as they could, Srila Prabhupada worked steadily toward further extending this transcendental revolution. We know now how he persisted over the years to satisfy Bhaktivinoda's and Bhaktisiddhanta's desire for systematically making Krsna consciousness available to everyone everywhere in the world. He worked with his Godbrothers for decades, published Back to Godhead single-handedly and distributed it himself, wrote Easy Journey to Other Planets, translated Srimad-Bhagavatam, and coaxed Sumati Morarji to give him passage on a freighter to New York, where he arrived practically penniless at the age of 70.

 

After suffering two heart attacks on the ship, Srila Prabhupada struggled in New York to distribute his books and establish the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. He worked tirelessly for twelve years to translate, publish, and distribute many authentic Vedic literatures, establish temples on every continent except Antarctica, and train thousands of disciples to carry on his work.

 

In 1976, while Srila Prabhupada was staying in Honolulu, some friends of mine spent a night in the temple's front yard. Unable to sleep, they stayed up until mangala-arati chanting japa and watching the window of Srila Prabhupada's room. He was up all night working on his books, occasionally stopping to chant devotional bhajans with his harmonium. Although he was almost 80 years old, he worked through the night to satisfy the desires of his spiritual master and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Looking back, one of Srila Prabhupada's prominent Godbrothers concluded that Srila Prabhupada had been personally empowered by Lord Nityananda to give Krsna consciousness to everyone everywhere in the world. After reading the poems Srila Prabhupada had written aboard the Jaladuta and on his arrival at Boston Harbor, he reasoned that Srila Prabhupada had emptied himself of all desires except to spread Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message. And very much like Lord Nityananda, who gave anyone he encountered the most valuable treasure of the chanting of Hare Krsna in exchange for only a little faith, Srila Prabhupada freely distributed the holy name of Krsna to anyone who showed even enough faith to stop and listen for a moment. Lord Nityananda distributed what amounted to free samples of the highest spiritual realization, confident that those who tried the sample would want to buy his product, possibly becoming steady customers. Srila Prabhupada also gave out free samples of harinama, advertising it with the slogan, "Chant Hare Krsna, and your life will be sublime." Consequently, millions who tried it became at least lifetime customers, if not distributors.

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had implored his disciples to work vigorously to spread Krsna consciousness everywhere, thus satisfying the desires of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Bhaktivinoda Thakura. "The line of Bhaktivinoda will never be closed," he wrote. "With even more enthusiasm you should become engaged in preaching the desire of Bhaktivinoda's heart." He also figuratively exhorted all his disciples to "be prepared to shed two hundred gallons of blood for the nourishment of the spiritual corpus of every individual of this world." Considering objectively what Srila Prabhupada did in his lifetime, we can safely conclude that he set the perfect example of sacrificing everything to satisfy Krsna. It's clear that he understood the revolutionary desires of Lord Caitanya, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and worked to bring about what Srimad-Bhagavatam calls "a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization." Whoever applies their powers of logic and argument to considering the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada will certainly find it strikingly wonderful.

 

[krsna 3]

Learn Bhagavatam From The Living Bhagavata

 

by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

 

***

Please come here, sit down, and hear." That's all. This is the yoga system. Hearing yoga system.

***

"Therefore our bhakti process, bhakti-yoga process is hearing. The more you give aural reception to the transcendental message, more you become expert."

***

"All our, this institute, Krsna consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing. The hearing, everything was changed within themselves and they have joined with full, whole-heartedness."

 

***

 

The Following is a trasnscript of a lecture on the Bhagavad Gita As It is Chapter 7, Text 1

 

given in San Diego on July 1, 1972

 

It is found on CDM10 and in the BBT folio at: 720701BG

 

 

 

 

 

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

 

sri bhagavan uvaca

mayy asakta-manah partha

yogam yunjan mad-asrayah

asamsayam samagram mam

yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

 

Translation: (not on tape) "Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna) how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

 

Prabhupada: Purport.

 

Pradyumna: "In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the nature of Krsna consciousness is fully described. Krsna is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Krsna and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Krsna are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gita, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul, which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Krsna, or in other words, Krsna consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one's mind upon Krsna, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahmajyoti or localized Paramatma realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Krsna, and everything is revealed to the person in Krsna consciousness. In complete Krsna consciousness one knows that Krsna is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only stepping-stones on the path of Krsna consciousness. One who takes directly to Krsna consciousness automatically knows about brahmajyoti and Paramatma in full. By practice of Krsna consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full, namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature and their manifestations with paraphernalia. One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which..."

 

CDM begins at this point only:

 

Prabhupada: There are many persons who like meditation. Nowadays, it is very popular, especially in your country. But when we ask them what is the subject of meditation, they cannot say. Can you say what is the subject of meditation?

 

Anyone who is little aware of this meditation? What is that meditation?

 

Devotee: It's a process of negation.

 

Prabhupada: Eh?

 

Devotee: It's a process of negation for some yoga systems...

 

Prabhupada: Negation how?

 

Devotee: Of feeling. Thinking, feeling, and willing.

 

Prabhupada: No, no. Negation... Something positive you negate. So what is that positive, and what is that negation? Nobody can...

 

Devotee: Desires, negating the desires, natural desires? They want to...

 

Prabhupada: That means these are manufacturing. Actually, there is no fixed-up knowledge. Just like somebody was asking (about) transcendental meditation. What is that transcendental meditation? Can anyone explain?

 

Devotee: I went to one of their meetings, and it was just..., they talk about something concentrating, feeling, something going down, like, something coming up. But it's just...

 

Prabhupada: Not very, I mean to say, clear. Something vague. So this will not help. Here is positive proposition, that you concentrate on the form of Krsna.

 

Mayy asakta-manah partha. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan... Antar-atmana. One has to fix up the form... Actual yoga system is to concentrate on the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa. By... Meditation means to concentrate the mind without being diverted to any other subject. Simply thinking of Lord Visnu. That is the yoga meditation recommended in Vedic literature. So here also, Krsna says "Me." Krsna and Visnu, the same. Visnu is expansion of Krsna. So when we concentrate our mind upon Krsna, Visnu is included there. Go on.

 

Pradyumna: "Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which sravanam is the first and most important."

 

Prabhupada: So our yoga system is not like that, that we whole day, twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, I engage myself in all nonsensical activities, and fifteen minutes I concentrate my mind, the meditation. That kind of yoga system is not here. Here, twenty-four-hours' meditation. Even during sleeping. Twenty-four hours means during sleeping also. Life should be melded, molded in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll be able to think of Krsna. So we are engaging our students in so many Krsna activities. They are going to the park, chanting Hare Krsna, or distributing literature. All these activities, remembering Krsna. They have no other, I mean to say, thought except Krsna. So, this fifte4n minutes, twenty minutes sitting is alright, but one who is twenty-four hours thinking of Krsna or Visnu how far he is advanced?, that we can imagineTherefore Krsna says yoginam api sarvesam. Of all the yogis.

 

There are different types of yogis. It is, it is not that... Just like we do some other business, twenty-three hours, forty-five minutes, and fifteen minutes we sit down for meditation. No. Twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih. Sada means twenty-four hours. That is recommendation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

trnad api sunicena

taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

 

To execute this twenty-four-hours' meditation one has to be, become, has to become, has to become very humble. Because so many people will criticize. Just like last night our Atreya Rsi was speaking that some of his fellow officer was criticizing him. So we have to tolerate. Just like when the elephant passes, many dogs bark. So we do not care for these dogs barking. As elephant, we must go on gravely. You see.

 

Therefore trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. We have to execute this twenty-four-hours' Krsna business, Krsna consciousness, always absorbed in thought of Krsna--in sitting, in walking, in eating, in sleeping, everything. In working. That is first-class yoga. It is also yoga, but first-class yoga. Not third-class, fourth-class yoga. Of course, any yoga system, we cannot say it is third class, fourth class, but when we make comparative study, there must be something better or something inferior. Just like we have already described. You have got a staircase to go to the one hundredth floor. So one has gone twenty steps, one has gone fifty steps, one has gone seventy-five steps, one has gone full hundred steps. So one who has gone twenty-five steps, he cannot be compared with one who has gone one hundred steps. Similarly, the yoga system is just like a staircase for going to the spiritual world. So one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, he's on the top, topmost yoga system. Go on.

 

Pradyumna: "The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chrnu, or 'Hear from Me.' No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore, by hearing from Him..."

 

Prabhupada: There... Here is another important point. We have to learn by listening from somebody. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet. We approach guru for hearing from him the truth. Just like child listens from the parents and he learns to speak, he learns to know what is what. The father says, "This is dish"; the child also says, "This is dish." The father says, "This is spoon"; the child also says, "This is spoon." So he learns by hearing. "Mother language" means if the child is handed over to some other person whose mother, whose language is different from the mother, he'll learn, from the very beginning he'll learn that language.

 

So hearing is very important. Therefore our bhakti process, bhakti-yoga process is hearing. The more you give aural reception to the transcendental message, more you become expert. You haven't got to become a Ph.D. or very learned fellow, or very scholar. No. Even a child, without any education, he can also become Krsna conscious simply by hearing. In New Yor... In Los Angeles, our child friend, he's only three years old. Oh, he cites so many mantras. He has learned. Yes. So many. Of course, one child may be specially intelligent, but anyone can learn. The method is simply hearing and seeing the behavior. You put one child in this association; automatically, with his growth, he'll become a Vaisnava, a Krsna conscious devotee. Automatically, by seeing these activities, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, by thinking of Krsna. Because the child will get the opportunity for hearing the word "Krsna, Krsna." Everyone has got God-gifted instrument, this ear. And if we give aural reception, we'll learn. There is no need of education, ABCD. No.

 

So hearing is so important. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching work... Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, this propaganda of sankirtana movement, He has given stress on this hearing process. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You can remain in your place. We don't say that you change your place. Whatever you are, you remain. If you are American, you remain American. If you are Hindu, you remain a Hindu. If you are Muslim, you remain Muslim. We don't say that first of all you become a Hindu or this or that. No. We simply request, "Please come here, sit down, and hear." That's all. This is the yoga system. Hearing yoga system. We don't say, press, that "You do this, you do that." We say the regulative principle. When one is seriously becoming our intimate friend or member, then we say that "You have to follow the rules and regulations." That he will agree. If he has actually heard our words, then immediately he will agree. It is not very difficult thing.

 

So hearing is so important thing. Sravanam. Sravanam means hearing. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu was talking with Ramananda Raya, the process of self-realization. You will have it. For those who have got Teachings of Lord Caitanya, he'll read it. When Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya (were) speaking, so Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Raya, "What is the best process for self-realization?" Because life is meant for self-realization. This human life is meant for self-realization. Atma-tattvam. Otherwise it is animal life. The animals, they are cats and dogs; they are not interested in self-realization. But human life is meant for self-realization. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu questioned Ramananda Raya that "What is the best process of self-realization?" He recommended, first of all, the varnasrama-dharma.

 

 

varnasramacaravata

purusena parah puman

visnur aradhyate pantha

nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

 

The real business is visnur aradhanam. Visnu, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the atom, who is within your heart, and who is also in His Goloka Vrndavana, that all-pervading... So varnasrama-dharma means how to realize that Supreme, all-pervading Godhead. That is varnasrama-dharma. Varna means four social divisions: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra; and asrama means four spiritual divisions: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... So accepting these four spiritual and four material principles of life, that is humanity. One who is not within this category, varnasrama-dharma, he's not accepted as a human being or a civilized human being.

 

In the civilized nation, there is the four divisions of spiritual life and four divisions of... But they do not know it. But those who are followers of Vedic culture, they know how the divisions are to be made. Just like in your body, you have got four divisions: the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division. They're all required. It is not that simply you have got a nice brain like Professor Einstein; that will do. No. You must have hands also. You must have belly. You must have legs. Then it is complete. The head is most important part of the body--that is all right--but leg is also required. You cannot neglect leg. So similarly, this division is very scientific: intelligent class of men and martial class of men and productive class of men and laborer class of men. When we compare the laborer class of men with intellect, intellectual class of men, there is difference. But both of them are important factors to maintain this body. That is called varnasrama-dharma.

 

So life's aim is self-realization--Visnu--not the skyscrapers. These are piling stones and woods. This is not very intelligent work. The woods and stones and earth is there already--big, big mountain, hills. You do the business of a porter, carry it out, and high, I mean to say, heap, heap it in one place, it becomes a skyscraper building. And if you simply are proud of these heaps of stones and woods and iron, that is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization is that the living entity who is using these resources, what, to know what is the actual business. This piling of stones and wood is done also by the birds. They also pick up, according to their strength, some twigs, and they make a nest. That intelligence is there. The rat also, he makes subway. (laughter) You see, So this is not very intelligent work, to imitate the rats, the birds, the cats, the dogs. That is not civilization. Civili..., civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization. When all these inquiries will come into one's mind... "Well, I do not wish to die. Why death is there, forced? I am forced to die. I do not wish to be diseased. Why disease comes to me upon me?" When this "why" question will come, "Why?" that is humanity. And if he remains dull, "All right, let me die," then he's cat and dog. That's all. If there is no "Why?" then he's cat and dog.

 

So human civilization does not mean this piling of woods and stones. No. That is not human civilization. Human civilization means brahma-jijnasa, inquiry. These are the inquiry. "Why? Why I am forced to do this?" These things are taught regularly in the varnasrama system. One is made brahmacari, celibacy, spiritual. One is made a very decently, family life, grhastha. One is made retired life, sannyasi. Very systematical. So if we don't follow the varnasrama-dharma, then we are not even human beings. They are cats and dogs. So therefore Ramananda Raya proposed this varnasrama... Varnasramacaravata. He quoted from Visnu Purana. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Oh, this is rejected." He immediately rejected. Now, so scientific institution of varnasrama-dharma system, coming from very early age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "This is external. Say something better." So in this way, Ramananda Raya was putting some better proposal than varnasrama-dharma. Then varnasrama-tyaga. Tyaga means renouncing, renounced order. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's speaking, "No, no. It is ... It is not very important. Go more."

 

So when Caitanya Maha..., eh, Ramananda Raya quoted one verse from Bhagavatam which was spoken by Brahma, that jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, "When one gives up this nonsense speculative process..." Everyone is speculating. The scientist, philosopher, everyone is speculating, just to show himself that he has grown very learned, he can put some theory. So this is first rejected. Brahma... Brahma says. Brahma's experience... He's the topmost living creature within this universe. He said that "When a person will give up this nonsense habit of speculation..." Jnane prayasam udapasya. He must become submissive. One should not pose himself that he knows something, he can speculate something, he can invent something. Just like the so-called scientists, they are simply speculating and wasting labor. Nothing can be done by you. Everything is already arranged. You cannot change. You can simply see how the law is working; so much you can do. But neither you can change the law, you can make a better facility for the law. No. That you cannot do. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. Duratyaya means it is very difficult. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was informed this statement of Brahma, that one should give up the speculative method, that he can create something... These nonsense habits should be given up. He must become very humble. Humbler than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; it does not protest. "All right, sir, you go." That type of humble. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Taru means tree. Tree is so much forbearing.

 

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva... "Or then I, I give up the speculative process and I become humbler, as you advise. Then what is My next duty?" Next duty is: namanta eva, being humble, san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, you should approach a person who is a devotee, and you should hear from him. Sthane sthitah. You remain in your place. You remain American. You remain Indian. You remain Christian. You remain a Hindu. You remain black. You remain white. You remain woman, man, whatever you are. Simply you lend your ear to the discourses given by realized souls. This is recommended. And when you hear, then you contemplate also. Just like you are hearing me. If you contemplate that "What Swamiji said...?" Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Sruti-gatam. Sruti means just receiving through the ear. If you contemplate and try to understand with your body, mind, then gradually you'll... Because your aim is self-realization. So self means Superself. The Supreme Lord, He's the Supreme Self. We are part and parcel. So by this process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, God, Ajita, one who is never conquered... If you... By challenge, if you want to know God, you'll never understand. God never accepts challenge. Because God is great. Why should He accept your challenge. If you say, "Oh, my dear God, please come here. I shall see You," so God is not like that, that He will carry your order. You must carry His order. Then God realization. God says: "You surrender," sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. That process, you'll learn God. Not that "Oh, I shall know God. I have got good intelligence, speculate." No.

 

So this hearing... We are talking of the hearing. The hearing process is so important. All our, this institute, Krsna consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing. The hearing, everything was changed within themselves and they have joined with full, whole-heartedness, and the... Going on. So hearing is so important. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance of hearing about the transcendental message. So you take chance, you take, I mean to say, the advantage of this hearing process. Then?

 

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna..."

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Then hearing from Krsna. The Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is speaking. So hear from Him. If you say that "Krsna is no longer present before me," no, Krsna is present by His Bhagavad-gita. His words and He, there is no difference. Absolute. Absolute. If you pollute the words... Krsna is speaking something, and you are rascal, nonsense, explaining in a different way, then it has no meaning. Then Krsna is gone. But if you speak as Krsna is speaking, then it is..., Krsna is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Krsna. Just like the brahmana in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gita, but immediately Krsna became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.

 

So Krsna can be present by His words. Because Krsna's word and Krsna is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Krsna in the form of Bhagavad-gita, then you are directly associating with Krsna, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Krsna is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Krsna. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Krsna." That is conquer. Then?

 

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Krsna consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Krsna directly or from a pure devotee of Krsna, and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this process of understanding Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of First Canto as follows:

 

 

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

evam prasanna-manaso

bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah

bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam

mukta-sangasya jayate

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis

chidyante sarva-samsayah

ksiyante casya karmani

drsta evatmanisvare

 

 

'To hear about Krsna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krsna, Lord Krsna, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a well-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krsna from the Bhagavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. And by development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asamsayam samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead."

 

 

 

Prabhupada: This is the process. By hearing, you become pious. Those who are hearing in this meeting, even they cannot understand the words which we are discussing, he's, he's becoming purer. He's becoming... Just like one becomes purer by acting piously. So simply hearing, if one cannot understand the whole thing, he becomes pious. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. One who is speaking Krsna's words, and one who is hearing Krsna's..., both of them are becoming purified.

 

So if we hear daily, regularly, nityam, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, then... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. If you hear daily... Just like we are holding class daily in the morning. And bhagavata-sevaya. Sevaya means service. To make the place nicely cleansed so that devotees will sit down and Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita will be discussed, this is called bhagavata-seva, serving the Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu. The whole difficulty is that our heart is covered with so many dirty things. So by this process, this bhagavata-sevaya, the dirty things will be cleansed. Not that exactly all cleansed. Even a little portion is cleansed, nasta-prayesu, not fully cleansed, prayesu, almost, then immediately, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki, immediately you come to the platform of bhakti-yoga. Little cleansed. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Not that... Therefore, we sometimes see that one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, still, he is committing something wrong. But that is not very, that is not a case of discouragement. You stick to this principle. Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. Api cet su-duracarah. We should not willingly do anything wrong. But due to our past habit, if we do something wrong, that we should not be discouraged, But stick to the principle, then gradually you'll be cleansed. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Prayesu means almost cleansed, not completely clean. So we don't claim that we have become liberated from all dirty things. There are so many dirty things still. But little clearance will help us to become a devotee of the Lord.

 

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

 

Naisthiki. This is the stage of attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah. There are different stages. So this nistha, firm faith. First of all, loose faith. Then, as we execute devotional service, the faith becomes firmer, firmer, firmer. And when it comes to firm, "Yes, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I am His eternal servant," this is firm faith. Without any deviation. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki.

 

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

 

Sthitam sattve prasidati. Sattva-guna, when goodness, the modes of goodness... So progress in devotional service means one is becoming perfect. Because he is perfect, everyone is perfect, but he's covered with some dirty thing. Just like gold is covered with some dirty earth. But if you wash the gold, or, by chemical process, if you cleanse, then real gold will come out. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God. Therefore Godly qualities are there, in every one of us. It is simply covered by these material dirty things. This will be cleansed by this hearing process. The more you hear, the more it becomes cleansed, the more you become fixed up in devotional service. Then more you give up your other nonsense habits. Kama and lobha. Other nonsense habits, they are based on two things: lust and greediness. Kama-lobha. Lust and greediness. These are two dirty things. So tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Ceta. Your heart will be cleansed of these lusty things and greediness. Then you come to the pure modes of goodness. And as soon as you come to the pure platform of goodness... Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham. Then your heart will not be pierced by these nonsense two, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. You'll be situated in sattva-guna. Sthitam sattve...

 

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

 

Then you'll see everything clearly and be satisfied. "Oh, this is my position."

 

So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Krsna consciousness. And your advancement in Krsna consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Krsna conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits--that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.

 

Thank you very much.

 

 

 

 

--

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

 

sri bhagavan uvaca

mayy asakta-manah partha

yogam yunjan mad-asrayah

asamsayam samagram mam

yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

 

Translation: (not on tape) "Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna) how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

 

Prabhupada: Purport.

 

Pradyumna: "In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the nature of Krsna consciousness is fully described. Krsna is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Krsna and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Krsna are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gita, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul, which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Krsna, or in other words, Krsna consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one's mind upon Krsna, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahmajyoti or localized Paramatma realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Krsna, and everything is revealed to the person in Krsna consciousness. In complete Krsna consciousness one knows that Krsna is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only stepping-stones on the path of Krsna consciousness. One who takes directly to Krsna consciousness automatically knows about brahmajyoti and Paramatma in full. By practice of Krsna consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full, namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature and their manifestations with paraphernalia. One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which..."

 

CDM begins at this point only:

 

Prabhupada: There are many persons who like meditation. Nowadays, it is very popular, especially in your country. But when we ask them what is the subject of meditation, they cannot say. Can you say what is the subject of meditation? Anyone

 

who is little aware of this meditation? What is that meditation?

 

Devotee: It's a process of negation.

 

Prabhupada: Eh?

 

Devotee: It's a process of negation for some yoga systems...

 

Prabhupada: Negation how?

 

Devotee: Of feeling. Thinking, feeling, and willing.

 

Prabhupada: No, no. Negation... Something positive you negate. So what is that positive, and what is that negation? Nobody can...

 

Devotee: Desires, negating the desires, natural desires? They want to...

 

Prabhupada: That means these are manufacturing. Actually, there is no fixed-up knowledge. Just like somebody was asking (about) transcendental meditation. What is that transcendental meditation? Can anyone explain?

 

Devotee: I went to one of their meetings, and it was just..., they talk about something concentrating, feeling, something going down, like, something coming up. But it's just...

 

Prabhupada: Not very, I mean to say, clear. Something vague. So this will not help. Here is positive proposition, that you concentrate on the form of Krsna.

 

Mayy asakta-manah partha. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan... Antar-atmana. One has to fix up the form... Actual yoga system is to concentrate on the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa. By... Meditation means to concentrate the mind without being diverted to any other subject. Simply thinking of Lord Visnu. That is the yoga meditation recommended in Vedic literature. So here also, Krsna says "Me." Krsna and Visnu, the same. Visnu is expansion of Krsna. So when we concentrate our mind upon Krsna, Visnu is included there. Go on.

 

Pradyumna: "Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which sravanam is the first and most important."

 

Prabhupada: So our yoga system is not like that, that we whole day, twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, I engage myself in all nonsensical activities, and fifteen minutes I concentrate my mind, the meditation. That kind of yoga system is not here. Here, twenty-four-hours' meditation. Even during sleeping. Twenty-four hours means during sleeping also. Life should be melded, molded in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll be able to think of Krsna. So we are engaging our students in so many Krsna activities. They are going to the park, chanting Hare Krsna, or distributing literature. All these activities, remembering Krsna. They have no other, I mean to say, thought except Krsna. So, this fifte4n minutes, twenty minutes sitting is alright, but one who is twenty-four hours thinking of Krsna or Visnu how far he is advanced?, that we can imagineTherefore Krsna says yoginam api sarvesam. Of all the yogis.

 

There are different types of yogis. It is, it is not that... Just like we do some other business, twenty-three hours, forty-five minutes, and fifteen minutes we sit down for meditation. No. Twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih. Sada means twenty-four hours. That is recommendation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

trnad api sunicena

taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

 

To execute this twenty-four-hours' meditation one has to be, become, has to become, has to become very humble. Because so many people will criticize. Just like last night our Atreya Rsi was speaking that some of his fellow officer was criticizing him. So we have to tolerate. Just like when the elephant passes, many dogs bark. So we do not care for these dogs barking. As elephant, we must go on gravely. You see.

 

Therefore trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. We have to execute this twenty-four-hours' Krsna business, Krsna consciousness, always absorbed in thought of Krsna--in sitting, in walking, in eating, in sleeping, everything. In working. That is first-class yoga. It is also yoga, but first-class yoga. Not third-class, fourth-class yoga. Of course, any yoga system, we cannot say it is third class, fourth class, but when we make comparative study, there must be something better or something inferior. Just like we have already described. You have got a staircase to go to the one hundredth floor. So one has gone twenty steps, one has gone fifty steps, one has gone seventy-five steps, one has gone full hundred steps. So one who has gone twenty-five steps, he cannot be compared with one who has gone one hundred steps. Similarly, the yoga system is just like a staircase for going to the spiritual world. So one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, he's on the top, topmost yoga system. Go on.

 

Pradyumna: "The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chrnu, or 'Hear from Me.' No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore, by hearing from Him..."

 

Prabhupada: There... Here is another important point. We have to learn by listening from somebody. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet. We approach guru for hearing from him the truth. Just like child listens from the parents and he learns to speak, he learns to know what is what. The father says, "This is dish"; the child also says, "This is dish." The father says, "This is spoon"; the child also says, "This is spoon." So he learns by hearing. "Mother language" means if the child is handed over to some other person whose mother, whose language is different from the mother, he'll learn, from the very beginning he'll learn that language.

 

So hearing is very important. Therefore our bhakti process, bhakti-yoga process is hearing. The more you give aural reception to the transcendental message, more you become expert. You haven't got to become a Ph.D. or very learned fellow, or very scholar. No. Even a child, without any education, he can also become Krsna conscious simply by hearing. In New Yor... In Los Angeles, our child friend, he's only three years old. Oh, he cites so many mantras. He has learned. Yes. So many. Of course, one child may be specially intelligent, but anyone can learn. The method is simply hearing and seeing the behavior. You put one child in this association; automatically, with his growth, he'll become a Vaisnava, a Krsna conscious devotee. Automatically, by seeing these activities, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, by thinking of Krsna. Because the child will get the opportunity for hearing the word "Krsna, Krsna." Everyone has got God-gifted instrument, this ear. And if we give aural reception, we'll learn. There is no need of education, ABCD. No.

 

So hearing is so important. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching work... Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, this propaganda of sankirtana movement, He has given stress on this hearing process. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You can remain in your place. We don't say that you change your place. Whatever you are, you remain. If you are American, you remain American. If you are Hindu, you remain a Hindu. If you are Muslim, you remain Muslim. We don't say that first of all you become a Hindu or this or that. No. We simply request, "Please come here, sit down, and hear." That's all. This is the yoga system. Hearing yoga system. We don't say, press, that "You do this, you do that." We say the regulative principle. When one is seriously becoming our intimate friend or member, then we say that "You have to follow the rules and regulations." That he will agree. If he has actually heard our words, then immediately he will agree. It is not very difficult thing.

 

So hearing is so important thing. Sravanam. Sravanam means hearing. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu was talking with Ramananda Raya, the process of self-realization. You will have it. For those who have got Teachings of Lord Caitanya, he'll read it. When Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya (were) speaking, so Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Raya, "What is the best process for self-realization?" Because life is meant for self-realization. This human life is meant for self-realization. Atma-tattvam. Otherwise it is animal life. The animals, they are cats and dogs; they are not interested in self-realization. But human life is meant for self-realization. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu questioned Ramananda Raya that "What is the best process of self-realization?" He recommended, first of all, the varnasrama-dharma.

 

 

varnasramacaravata

purusena parah puman

visnur aradhyate pantha

nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

 

The real business is visnur aradhanam. Visnu, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the atom, who is within your heart, and who is also in His Goloka Vrndavana, that all-pervading... So varnasrama-dharma means how to realize that Supreme, all-pervading Godhead. That is varnasrama-dharma. Varna means four social divisions: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra; and asrama means four spiritual divisions: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... So accepting these four spiritual and four material principles of life, that is humanity. One who is not within this category, varnasrama-dharma, he's not accepted as a human being or a civilized human being.

 

In the civilized nation, there is the four divisions of spiritual life and four divisions of... But they do not know it. But those who are followers of Vedic culture, they know how the divisions are to be made. Just like in your body, you have got four divisions: the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division. They're all required. It is not that simply you have got a nice brain like Professor Einstein; that will do. No. You must have hands also. You must have belly. You must have legs. Then it is complete. The head is most important part of the body--that is all right--but leg is also required. You cannot neglect leg. So similarly, this division is very scientific: intelligent class of men and martial class of men and productive class of men and laborer class of men. When we compare the laborer class of men with intellect, intellectual class of men, there is difference. But both of them are important factors to maintain this body. That is called varnasrama-dharma.

 

So life's aim is self-realization--Visnu--not the skyscrapers. These are piling stones and woods. This is not very intelligent work. The woods and stones and earth is there already--big, big mountain, hills. You do the business of a porter, carry it out, and high, I mean to say, heap, heap it in one place, it becomes a skyscraper building. And if you simply are proud of these heaps of stones and woods and iron, that is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization is that the living entity who is using these resources, what, to know what is the actual business. This piling of stones and wood is done also by the birds. They also pick up, according to their strength, some twigs, and they make a nest. That intelligence is there. The rat also, he makes subway. (laughter) You see, So this is not very intelligent work, to imitate the rats, the birds, the cats, the dogs. That is not civilization. Civili..., civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization. When all these inquiries will come into one's mind... "Well, I do not wish to die. Why death is there, forced? I am forced to die. I do not wish to be diseased. Why disease comes to me upon me?" When this "why" question will come, "Why?" that is humanity. And if he remains dull, "All right, let me die," then he's cat and dog. That's all. If there is no "Why?" then he's cat and dog.

 

So human civilization does not mean this piling of woods and stones. No. That is not human civilization. Human civilization means brahma-jijnasa, inquiry. These are the inquiry. "Why? Why I am forced to do this?" These things are taught regularly in the varnasrama system. One is made brahmacari, celibacy, spiritual. One is made a very decently, family life, grhastha. One is made retired life, sannyasi. Very systematical. So if we don't follow the varnasrama-dharma, then we are not even human beings. They are cats and dogs. So therefore Ramananda Raya proposed this varnasrama... Varnasramacaravata. He quoted from Visnu Purana. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Oh, this is rejected." He immediately rejected. Now, so scientific institution of varnasrama-dharma system, coming from very early age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "This is external. Say something better." So in this way, Ramananda Raya was putting some better proposal than varnasrama-dharma. Then varnasrama-tyaga. Tyaga means renouncing, renounced order. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's speaking, "No, no. It is ... It is not very important. Go more."

 

So when Caitanya Maha..., eh, Ramananda Raya quoted one verse from Bhagavatam which was spoken by Brahma, that jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, "When one gives up this nonsense speculative process..." Everyone is speculating. The scientist, philosopher, everyone is speculating, just to show himself that he has grown very learned, he can put some theory. So this is first rejected. Brahma... Brahma says. Brahma's experience... He's the topmost living creature within this universe. He said that "When a person will give up this nonsense habit of speculation..." Jnane prayasam udapasya. He must become submissive. One should not pose himself that he knows something, he can speculate something, he can invent something. Just like the so-called scientists, they are simply speculating and wasting labor. Nothing can be done by you. Everything is already arranged. You cannot change. You can simply see how the law is working; so much you can do. But neither you can change the law, you can make a better facility for the law. No. That you cannot do. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. Duratyaya means it is very difficult. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was informed this statement of Brahma, that one should give up the speculative method, that he can create something... These nonsense habits should be given up. He must become very humble. Humbler than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; it does not protest. "All right, sir, you go." That type of humble. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Taru means tree. Tree is so much forbearing.

 

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva... "Or then I, I give up the speculative process and I become humbler, as you advise. Then what is My next duty?" Next duty is: namanta eva, being humble, san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, you should approach a person who is a devotee, and you should hear from him. Sthane sthitah. You remain in your place. You remain American. You remain Indian. You remain Christian. You remain a Hindu. You remain black. You remain white. You remain woman, man, whatever you are. Simply you lend your ear to the discourses given by realized souls. This is recommended. And when you hear, then you contemplate also. Just like you are hearing me. If you contemplate that "What Swamiji said...?" Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Sruti-gatam. Sruti means just receiving through the ear. If you contemplate and try to understand with your body, mind, then gradually you'll... Because your aim is self-realization. So self means Superself. The Supreme Lord, He's the Supreme Self. We are part and parcel. So by this process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, God, Ajita, one who is never conquered... If you... By challenge, if you want to know God, you'll never understand. God never accepts challenge. Because God is great. Why should He accept your challenge. If you say, "Oh, my dear God, please come here. I shall see You," so God is not like that, that He will carry your order. You must carry His order. Then God realization. God says: "You surrender," sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. That process, you'll learn God. Not that "Oh, I shall know God. I have got good intelligence, speculate." No.

 

So this hearing... We are talking of the hearing. The hearing process is so important. All our, this institute, Krsna consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing. The hearing, everything was changed within themselves and they have joined with full, whole-heartedness, and the... Going on. So hearing is so important. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance of hearing about the transcendental message. So you take chance, you take, I mean to say, the advantage of this hearing process. Then?

 

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna..."

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Then hearing from Krsna. The Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is speaking. So hear from Him. If you say that "Krsna is no longer present before me," no, Krsna is present by His Bhagavad-gita. His words and He, there is no difference. Absolute. Absolute. If you pollute the words... Krsna is speaking something, and you are rascal, nonsense, explaining in a different way, then it has no meaning. Then Krsna is gone. But if you speak as Krsna is speaking, then it is..., Krsna is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Krsna. Just like the brahmana in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gita, but immediately Krsna became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.

 

So Krsna can be present by His words. Because Krsna's word and Krsna is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Krsna in the form of Bhagavad-gita, then you are directly associating with Krsna, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Krsna is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Krsna. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Krsna." That is conquer. Then?

 

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Krsna consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Krsna directly or from a pure devotee of Krsna, and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this process of understanding Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of First Canto as follows:

 

 

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

evam prasanna-manaso

bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah

bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam

mukta-sangasya jayate

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis

chidyante sarva-samsayah

ksiyante casya karmani

drsta evatmanisvare

 

 

'To hear about Krsna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krsna, Lord Krsna, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a well-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krsna from the Bhagavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. And by development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asamsayam samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead."

 

 

 

Prabhupada: This is the process. By hearing, you become pious. Those who are hearing in this meeting, even they cannot understand the words which we are discussing, he's, he's becoming purer. He's becoming... Just like one becomes purer by acting piously. So simply hearing, if one cannot understand the whole thing, he becomes pious. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. One who is speaking Krsna's words, and one who is hearing Krsna's..., both of them are becoming purified.

 

So if we hear daily, regularly, nityam, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, then... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. If you hear daily... Just like we are holding class daily in the morning. And bhagavata-sevaya. Sevaya means service. To make the place nicely cleansed so that devotees will sit down and Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita will be discussed, this is called bhagavata-seva, serving the Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu. The whole difficulty is that our heart is covered with so many dirty things. So by this process, this bhagavata-sevaya, the dirty things will be cleansed. Not that exactly all cleansed. Even a little portion is cleansed, nasta-prayesu, not fully cleansed, prayesu, almost, then immediately, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki, immediately you come to the platform of bhakti-yoga. Little cleansed. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Not that... Therefore, we sometimes see that one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, still, he is committing something wrong. But that is not very, that is not a case of discouragement. You stick to this principle. Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. Api cet su-duracarah. We should not willingly do anything wrong. But due to our past habit, if we do something wrong, that we should not be discouraged, But stick to the principle, then gradually you'll be cleansed. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Prayesu means almost cleansed, not completely clean. So we don't claim that we have become liberated from all dirty things. There are so many dirty things still. But little clearance will help us to become a devotee of the Lord.

 

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

 

Naisthiki. This is the stage of attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah. There are different stages. So this nistha, firm faith. First of all, loose faith. Then, as we execute devotional service, the faith becomes firmer, firmer, firmer. And when it comes to firm, "Yes, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I am His eternal servant," this is firm faith. Without any deviation. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki.

 

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

 

Sthitam sattve prasidati. Sattva-guna, when goodness, the modes of goodness... So progress in devotional service means one is becoming perfect. Because he is perfect, everyone is perfect, but he's covered with some dirty thing. Just like gold is covered with some dirty earth. But if you wash the gold, or, by chemical process, if you cleanse, then real gold will come out. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God. Therefore Godly qualities are there, in every one of us. It is simply covered by these material dirty things. This will be cleansed by this hearing process. The more you hear, the more it becomes cleansed, the more you become fixed up in devotional service. Then more you give up your other nonsense habits. Kama and lobha. Other nonsense habits, they are based on two things: lust and greediness. Kama-lobha. Lust and greediness. These are two dirty things. So tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Ceta. Your heart will be cleansed of these lusty things and greediness. Then you come to the pure modes of goodness. And as soon as you come to the pure platform of goodness... Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham. Then your heart will not be pierced by these nonsense two, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. You'll be situated in sattva-guna. Sthitam sattve...

 

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah

kama-lobhadayas ca ye

ceta etair anaviddham

sthitam sattve prasidati

 

Then you'll see everything clearly and be satisfied. "Oh, this is my position."

 

So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Krsna consciousness. And your advancement in Krsna consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Krsna conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits--that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.

 

Thank you very much.

 

[krsna 3]

He Lives Forever

 

 

 

Recently, while discussing Srila Prabhupada and his glories with a younger devotee, I was surprised to hear him say, "You're so lucky. You got Srila Prabhupada, but what about us?" Startled by hearing such a despondent remark by a newcomer who should be brimming with hope and enthusiasm in Krsna consciousness, I proceeded to explain that Srila Prabhupada is, in fact, as present now as he has ever been. Throughout his books, letters and conversations, Srila Prabhupada emphasized this point again and again, so there should be no cause for misunderstanding.

 

 

 

In 1975, when asked by a reporter in Berkeley what would happen to the movement after his departure, Srila Prabhupada replied, "I will never die. I will live forever in my books." In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 1.35, purport), Srila Prabhupada explains, "There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself." Further assuring us all, Prabhupada spoke the following words just prior to his departure in 1977: "If I depart, there is no cause for lamentation. I will always be with you through my books and my orders. I will always remain with you in that way."

 

 

 

Fortunately, we don't have to go far to hear this same message repeated for our benefit. A Vaisnava is an ocean of mercy, and no matter how much one may drink from that ocean, the mercy is always available. There is no shortage or deficiency on the spiritual platform, and therefore we can all rejoice in our shared good fortune. Srila Prabhupada is so kindly offering his spiritual blessings to one and all.

 

 

 

"As far as my blessing is concerned, it does not require my physical presence. If you are chanting Hare Krsna there, and following my instructions, reading the books, taking only Krsna prasadam etc., then there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord Caitanya, whose mission I am humbly trying to push on." (Srila Prabhupada letter, 30/6/74)

 

 

 

Everywhere we look in Krsna consciousness, we can see the mercy of Prabhupada. He personally delivered to us the Hare Krsna mantra, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, Krsna Book, Nectar of Devotion, the arca-vigraha (Deity form of the Lord), numerous temples around the world, Vaisnava association, Krsna prasadam, over 7,000 letters -- and the list goes on and on. In fact, we cannot escape the network of his causless mercy and love upon the fallen souls of Kali-Yuga. He has personally flooded the entire world with Krsna consciousness.

 

 

 

Although it may appear that such a great personality has come and gone from the world stage, he has promised us that we can still have his personal association if we have faith in his words and instructions.

 

 

 

"But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should be concerned only with this spiritual connection." (Srila Prabhupada letter, 13/11/69)

 

 

 

As we hear more and more from Srila Prabhupada himself, and as we accept him into our hearts, we will experience his transcendental presence and love. Prabhupada used to say that when we eat to our full satisfaction, we do not need a certificate from others saying that we are full. We will know it ourselves. Similarly, when we have made the Prabhupada connection in our own lives, there is no room for doubts or uncertainty.

 

 

 

"He lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him."

 

 

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

Pd

 

[krsna 3]

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, chadiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba: Unless one serves a Vaisnava he cannot be delivered. The spiritual master initiates the disciple to deliver him, and if the disciple executes the order of the spiritual master and does not offend other Vaisnavas, his path is clear.

 

Consequently Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested all the Vaisnavas present to show mercy toward the two brothers, Rupa and Sanatana, who had just been initiated by the Lord. When a Vaisnava sees that another Vaisnava is a recipient of the Lords mercy, he becomes very happy. Vaisnavas are not envious. If a Vaisnava, by the mercy of the Lord, is empowered by Him to distribute the Lords Holy Name all over the world, other Vaisnavas become very joyful - that is, if they are truly Vaisnavas.

 

Why should a Vaisnava be envious of another Vaisnava who is successful in spreading the Holy Name of the Lord? An actual Vaisnava is very pleased to accept another Vaisnava who is bestowing the Lord's mercy. A mundane person in the dress of a Vaisnava should not be respected, but rejected. This is enjoined in the sastras (upeksa).

 

The word upkesa means neglect. One should neglect an envious person. A preachers duty is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, make friendships with Vaisnavas, show mercy to the innocent and reject or neglect those who are envious or jealous.

 

There are many jealous people in the dress of Vaisnavas in this Krishna Consciousness movement, and they should be completely neglected. There is no need to serve an envious person in the dress of a Vaisnava. When Narottama dasa Thakura says chadiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba, he is indicating an actual Vaisnava, not an envious or jealous person in the dress of a Vaisnava.

 

A jealous person in the dress of a Vaisnava is not at all happy to see the success of another Vaisnava in receiving the Lords mercy. Unfortunately in this age of Kali there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaisnavas and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described them a disciples of Kali.

 

He says, Kali-cela, he indicates that there is another Vaisnava, a pseudo-Vaisnava with tilaka on his nose and kunti beads around his neck. Such a pseudo-Vaisnava associates with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaisnavas. Although passing for a Vaisnava, his only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaisnava.

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura therefore says that such a pseudo-Vaisnava is not a Vaisnava at all, but a disciple of Kali-yuga. A disciple of Kali cannot become an acarya by the decision of some high court. Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaisnava acarya. A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgement. A false acarya my try to override a Vaisnava by a high-court decision, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that he is nothing but a disciple of Kali-yuga.

 

(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Ch 1, 218-219)

[krsna 3]

 

 

Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others. There is no point in telling another man to stop smoking if you yourself are smoking cigarettes. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (06-14-05)

 

Hyderabad, 23 April, 1974

 

Glasgow, Scotland

 

Dear Niranjana,

 

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 9th April from Scotland.

 

You are asking what should your preaching work be now that you are attending the university. So the first preaching work is that yourself should become an ideal devotee. Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others. There is no point in telling another man to stop smoking if you yourself are smoking cigarettes. Even though you are mixing with all kinds of the student class at the university, you must strictly refrain from the four prohibitive sinful activities, and as an initiated student you must not let a day pass when you do not chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra. If you can follow just these things nicely that in itself will be strong preaching by behavior. You should also always wear Kunti beads around the neck and wear the marking of tilak. People will inquire from you and you can tell them about Krsna Consciousness and sell them books also.

 

You should also try to associate with the devotees in England and Scotland. If possible, visit the temple on Sundays and whenever you can, and always read my books. I will be coming to London in the first week of Maya and if you can come and see me at Bhaktivedanta Manor that will be very nice.

 

Your ever well-wisher,

 

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

 

 

[krsna 3]

Calcutta, 3 Albert Road, 1973

 

 

 

Mangala aratik was in progress with about 20 devotees attending. The lights were dimmed. A melodious kirtan was ecstatically kept to one rhythmic tune. Suddenly there was an unusual commotion in the back of the temple room. Srila Prabhupada had entered the temple unnoticed and was in the process of chastising one of the brahmacaris, quite severely it appeared. The kirtan stopped, and everyone hit the floor paying their obeisances. Srila Prabhupada motioned to continue on with the kirtan, shortly thereafter the chastisement stopped. The devotees tried to figure out what the cause of all this was. There was some confusion. The kirtan had lost it's melodious nature, but continued on with less enthusiasm, while trying to comprehend what was being said. Meanwhile Srila Prabhupada walked to the front of the temple room, again Srila Prabhupada raised his voice to yet another devotee standing up front. Again the kirtan stopped, and devotees got confused what this was all about.

 

 

 

After Srila Prabhupada finished up with the second devotee, he left the temple room. Afterwards it was revealed that both devotees that received the chastisement were standing with both their hands behind their backs while facing the Deities. Srila Prabhupada considered this a serious offense. Thus explaining the action he took. Epilog: do not stand in a disrespectful way in front of the Deity.

 

 

 

Mayapur Roof, March, 1973

 

 

 

Once while wandering around on the top floor of the Mayapur building which was still under construction, Srila Prabhupada suddenly appeared from one of the rooms dressed in a gumpsa only and chanting japa while holding his bead bag sort of pointed up. I hit the cement floor amid the construction rubble and materials and paid my respects. After finishing my prayers I got up brushing off the cement dust and expecting Srila Prabhupada still to be there, but he had left the scene, nowhere to be seen. I figured that due to my offensive nature, I wasn't worth the time to be paid attention to.

 

 

 

Calcutta, 1973, 10:30 PM

 

 

 

Fulfilling the duties as a treasurer of the Calcutta temple, I sometimes stayed up late to balance the books from that day's activities. My office was right next to Srila Prabhupada's room with a door separating it, which was permanently locked. But the keyhole was free and clear, and sometimes when I got brave enough I would peek through the keyhole and see Srila Prabhupada translating his books on his dictating machine. One evening around 10:30 PM I prepared to take rest, and walked carrying my toothbrush over the veranda, through the temple room, and to the back in the building where the bathroom was located. Before I even reached the temple room, I got startled by seeing Srila Prabhupada walking by himself in near-darkness on the veranda chanting his japa dressed only in a gumpsa. He was about 20 feet away from me. I had a gut feeling that I would be confronted. After paying my obeisances, I slowly got up while keeping on my knees and looked up only to see, as expected, Srila Prabhupada standing right in front of me. With a somewhat stern voice he inquired why I was still up so late. I answered that I just finished my treasury work and was just on my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. He replied that I should take rest on time and stay regulated, "now go on.Yes Srila Prabhupada," I said and walked off hurriedly.

 

 

 

Vrindavan, 1975, Infected foot

 

 

 

While residing in the holy dhama of Vrindavan in 1974, I suffered from a stubborn infection between my toes on my right foot. I suffered from it for many weeks, and the infection refused to heal, no matter what I did. I had difficulty walking because it was swollen so bad. One morning when Srila Prabhupada started out for his morning walk, a group of devotees, including myself had gathered by the door of his room. Srila Prabhupada as usual looked supremely effulgent as he came out of the door and after walking a few paces he noticed me. I stuck out like a sore foot, with my foot all bandaged up. He paused while pointing his cane at my troubled foot, and inquired what was the matter with my foot? I replied that it was infected and that it had difficulty healing. He said to take care of it properly otherwise it would never heal. Then he walked off after taking the time to instruct me. And I hobbled off behind the entourage.

 

 

 

Bombay, 1974, Why are you so skinny?

 

 

 

Once upon a time in Bombay I paid a visit to Srila Prabhupada's quarters during darsan hours. After entering the room I immediately paid my obeisances and then automatically made eye contact with His Divine Grace. He stopped talking and looked at me and said, "Why are you so skinny?" Somewhat taken aback, I said that I didn't know why. He bounced right back saying "You should eat more." I replied that I would. I mean what else could I say? Then he gestured that I should come over and sit right beside him next to the table where a straw mat was laying on the floor unused. I complied with his request. After I took my place, he continued on with the discussion he was conducting with the few devotees present. Then he was served a glass of fresh sugarcane juice in his silver cup and he immediately proceeded to pour some of it into his mouth. While holding the cup, with a grin on his face he said confidently that this juice is excellent for one's health and gives one good strength. The devotees were all soon dismissed which brought the darsan to an end. I went off looking for something to eat.

 

 

 

Ekanatha Dasa

 

(President, Bhaktivedanta Archives)

[krsna 3]

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[krsna 3]

Bombay, 1975, Sanka's tiny garland

 

 

 

Once when Srila Prabhupada came out from his quarters in Bombay for his usual morning walk, his path was suddenly blocked by Sanka dasa who happily presented him with a flower garland made of fresh gardenias. Looking at the garland I could not help but notice how small it was. I kind of wondered what Sanka was going to do with it. Sanka suddenly attempted to place the garland around Srila Prabhupada's head. But to everyone's surprise and panic the garland got stuck on Srila Prabhupada's head. So for a little while Srila Prabhupada appeared to look like Julius Caesar. While everyone stood frozen and melted in shock, Harikesa Prabhu immediately came to the rescue and started to roll the garland down Srila Prabhupada's head, which ended up right below Srila Prabhupada's chin. Srila Prabhupada tolerated the whole affair and folded his hands in respect and continued on his way. (I guess the garland probably had to be cut off later on.)

 

 

 

Bombay, 1975, Birds chanting

 

 

 

Half way along the left-side of the road on Hare Krishna Land towards the entrance gate stood a very nice tree which had a dense foliage. The tree became the dwelling place for many hundreds of birds of one kind. One morning during a morning walk, these birds were creating an enormous pandemonium, chirping very loudly so that it was almost deafening. Srila Prabhupada stopped and looked up while pointing his cane toward the tree and commented, "They are discussing Krishna Katha." He turned, and continued on walking. Everyone was flabbergasted by what Srila Prabhupada had just said and we were all looking at one another, not really knowing what to make of this one.

 

 

 

Mayapur, The Klompen affair, 1973

 

 

 

When a political temple climate change forced me to leave the temple in Amsterdam in 1972, I had not really decided which direction to go. Go East or West? Which direction to go? Going North was out of the question, the South didn't appeal to me at that time. Nevertheless I was psyched up for a big adventure, being 20 years old, I had sufficient spark and was ready to take on the world. My brother after all traveled twice by himself to India, so why couldn't I? A tossed coin came up tails and revealed that I was going East. Because I lacked owning regular shoes, I decided to wear wooden shoes, the same ones that were used on the German TSKP not long before. In Holland they call them klompen. Here they're named clogs. They were white and quite large. It takes a bit of practice to conveniently walk in those things. So I began my hitchhike to India, because of not having sufficient money for air fare. On route through the various Middle-Eastern countries, people gave me various kinds of surprising looks. In Turkey I was a big attraction. In Iran nobody knew what to make of it. In Afghanistan they were thinking that I was clearly out of my mind, which I was of course, and in Pakistan the mussies barely took notice of me. After 3 months on the road I arrived finally in Amritsar. I visited the Golden Temple and took advantage of the free daily kicari lunch. After a few days I moved on to Vrindavan. After that I traveled to Mayapur just a week ahead of time for the Gaura Purnima festival, which Srila Prabhupada would also attend. Jayapataka Maharaja gave me a slap on the shoulder type of a welcome, and thus I proceeded to settle in the temporary residence in the Mayapur Lotus building which was under construction. When placing my first klomp step onto the newly poured concrete staircase, the klomp broke apart right down the middle. Having done it's duty and become useless at that point I discarded both klomps amidst the construction rubble near the staircase. The next morning when Srila Prabhupada came down for his morning walk he noticed the left over klomps. Poking at them with his cane he commented "what is this?" I stood away from the scene in the back. One of the devotees answered that "a boy from Holland had just arrived wearing these as shoes." Srila Prabhupada stood there for a while contemplating. He expressed some amusement and went on his way. Everybody else present there had a good snicker as I stayed out of sight.

 

 

 

Calcutta, Relaxed friends reception, 1973

 

 

 

Having seen Srila Prabhupada only a few times so far, it was always in a formal type of mood. I was shocked and very much delighted seeing him conversing with his guests in a very congenial relaxed mood. He looked extremely happy and completely content. He appeared like a small boy completely undisturbed and aloof from the world. Being a very young aspiring servant in the movement at that time, I thought, "Hey, this spiritual life has got some definite potential. Wouldn't it be wonderful to feel like he does permanently?" These were my neophyte thoughts then, and still are. Every time I see a picture of His Divine Grace in that setting, like the one in Bombay on the rooftop, it reminds me what I experienced in Calcutta back then.

 

 

 

Bombay, Gurupuja, 1974

 

 

 

Once during a gurupuja in Bombay when the devotees each took their turn offering flowers and paying obeisances, I decided just then before my turn was up to act very "so-called humble." So when I appeared before His Divine Grace, circling my flowers around him as is the custom, I kind of loudly within my mind declared myself to be a fool number one, a rascal not deserving to be there that instance. I deliberately avoided eye contact with Srila Prabhupada. I paid my dandavats and again took my spot where I was standing. One of the devotees elbowed me exclaiming "did you see that?" I said "see what?Srila Prabhupada gave you a gigantic smile." Hearing that, I became very embarrassed, understanding that Srila Prabhupada actually had read my mind and even though I lacked complete seriousness, he still accepted the offering! All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

Hare Krishna!

 

 

 

Ekanatha Dasa

 

(President, Bhaktivedanta Archives)

[krsna 3]

"Personally I have no credit for myself, but I am trying to act as faithful servant of my predecessors and just presenting without any adulteration the message which I have received from my Spiritual Master. Similarly, if this message is presented by you all who have accepted me as the Spiritual Master, then all the people of the world may be benefited by receiving this transcendent message of Krishna Consciousness. Try to execute this mission wholeheartedly and faithfully, and all of you try to broadcast the message to your best capacity."

 

 

 

(Srila Prabhupada letter, 1st June, 1968)

[krsna 3]

There are two gurus -- one internal and the other external. The internal Guru is Krishna Himself seated in everyone's heart, and the external Guru is the Spiritual Master. So a sincere devotee is helped both externally and internally. To the sincere devotee the internal Guru Krishna dictates, but the thing has to be conformed by the external Guru then it is all right."

 

 

 

(Srila Prabhupada letter, 14th January, 1968)