730429 - Lecture SB 01.08.37 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730429SB-LOS ANGELES - April 29, 1973 - 32:00 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Begin.

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

apy adya nas tvaṁ sva-kṛtehita prabho

jihāsasi svit suhṛdo 'nujīvinaḥ

yeṣāṁ na cānyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt

parāyaṇaṁ rājasu yojitāṁhasām

(SB 1.8.37)

(break)

api—if; adya—today; naḥ—us; tvam—You; sva-kṛta—self-executed; īhita—all duties; prabho—O my Lord; jihāsasi—giving up; svit—possibly; suhṛdaḥ—intimate friends; anujīvinaḥ—living at the mercy of; yeṣām—of whom; na—nor; ca—and; anyat—anyone else; bhavataḥ—Your; pada-ambujāt—from the lotus feet; parāyaṇam—dependent; rājasu—unto the kings; yojita—engaged in; aṁhasām—enmity.

Translation: "O my Lord, You have executed all duties Yourself. Are You leaving us today, though we are completely dependent on Your mercy and have no one else to protect us now, when all kings are at enmity with us?"

Prabhupāda: So this conversation was going on between Kuntī and Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa was going home after establishing the Pāṇḍavas in their kingdom and finishing the battle of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa is going back home, Dvārakā, and was taking leave, farewell, from the aunt. At that time, Kuntī offered this prayer. Now he's (she's) asking directly that "After finishing Your duty, is it a fact that You are going away, leaving us alone?"

This is the devotee's position. Here it is said, yeṣāṁ na ca anyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt: "We have no other means of protection than Your lotus feet. This is our position." Anyat. Anyat means "anything else." This is full surrender. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta: "Nanda-suta, Kṛṣṇa, You are present here with the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu. So both of You are here." Hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. We don't want to see Kṛṣṇa alone.

(aside) Why everyone is coughing? What is the difficulty? Hmm? Yesterday also I heard. What is the difficulty?

Devotee: I think there's a cold going around.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: I think there's a cold going around, a lot of people.

Prabhupāda: But you have no sufficient warm cloth, so you are affected? That you must arrange. You must take care of your health. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi . . . (BG 6.17). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yuktāhāra. You should take food just to maintain your health nicely. Similarly, other necessities of body must be taken care of. If you become diseased, then how you can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Just like Brahmānanda could not go today. So we must be careful. We should not eat more or less. Better eat less than eat more. You'll not die by eating less, but you may die eating more. People die for overeating, not for undereating.

This should be the principle. The medical science always forbids not to eat more than you require. Voracious eating is the cause of diabetes, and undernourishment is the cause of tuberculosis. This is the medical science. So we should not take under, neither more. In children case, they can commit the mistake of taking more, but adult, they cannot commit mistake taking more. Children, they can digest. All day they are playing. So anyway, we should take care of our health also.

Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was suffering from itches very much, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was embracing him. So the . . . the itches were wet itches. There are two kinds of itches: wet and dry. Sometimes itching spot is dry, and sometimes it is wet. After itching, it becomes wet. So Sanātana Gosvāmī's body was all covered with wet itches, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was embracing him. So the wetness, the moisture, was sticking to the body of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he felt it very much ashamed that, "I am suffering from itches, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is embracing, and the wet thing is smearing over the body. How much unfortunate."

So he decided that, "Tomorrow I shall commit suicide instead of allowing me to be embraced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu." So next day Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired that, "You have decided to commit suicide. So do you think this body is your?" So he was silent. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, "You have already dedicated this body to Me. How you can kill it?" Similarly . . . of course, from that day, his itches were all cured and . . .

But this is the decision, that our body, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, those who are working for Kṛṣṇa, they should not think that the body belongs to him. It is already dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. So it must be kept very carefully, without any neglect. Just like you are taking care of the temple because it is Kṛṣṇa's place. Similarly, we should not take overcare, but some care we should take so that we may not fall diseased.

Anyway . . . so Kuntīdevī says, yeṣāṁ na ca anyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt. This is called full dependence. In the śaraṇāgati, in the surrender process, there are six things. The six things is that completely, one of the . . . completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.676). The first śaraṇāgati is to accept everything favorable for Kṛṣṇa's service. Ānukūlyam. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167).

Devotional . . . first-class bhakti means accepting everything which is favorable for devotional service. And prātikūlyasya varjanam: and reject everything which is unfavorable to the procedure of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we forbid that, "You don't do this," because they are unfavorable. And we say something, "You do this, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa sixteen rounds." That is favorable. Śaraṇāgati means to give up the unfavorable things and to accept the favorable. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. And believe that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." Full faith. And to count oneself as one of the servants of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, śaraṇāgati.

So here Kuntī says that, "If You think, my dear Kṛṣṇa, now we are well established, we have got our kingdom back, so everything is nicely done, so You want to leave us, that is not a very good proposal. Because we are not free as yet. Because we have killed so many kings, all their relatives and friends, they're also planning to come and again fight with us. This is our position." Parāyaṇaṁ rājasu yojitāṁhasām. "They are still engaged. So You don't think that we are already all free from all dangerous condition. We are not. And we have no other protection except Your lotus feet. This is our position." So indirectly she was asking Kṛṣṇa, "Do not leave us.

Don't think that we are safe now. We are not safe. Without Your protection, we are always unsafe." This should be the position of the devotee. We are actually in a dangerous position, this material world. At any time, māyā will catch. At any time. As soon as we are a little inattentive . . . "Now I have done my duty. Now let me take rest little." No, there is no rest. We must be always alert.

There is a verse from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. What is that? Avyartha-kālatvam. Avyartha-kālatvam. A devotee should be so much careful that he should see, "Whether my time is unnecessarily being spent? Whether I am now engaged in māyā's service or Kṛṣṇa's service?" That one should be very much alert. Avyartha-kālatvam, nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tad vasati-sthale (CC Madhya 23.18-19). These are the symptoms of advanced devotees. What is that? Nāma-gāne sadā ruci: he's, he's never tired of chanting or singing or dancing. No tiresome feeling. Nāma-gāne sadā. Sadā means always; ruci, taste. "Oh, very nice: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma . . ." This is the taste. This taste, to awaken this taste, it takes time. To become . . .

Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. When he was chanting, he was thinking, "I have got only one tongue and two ears. What I shall chant?" He was thinking, "If I could get millions of tongues and trillions and ears, then I could relish something by chanting and hearing." This was the . . .

so we should not imitate, but at least we must be very careful to complete the sixteen rounds, the minimum. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. We have to increase our taste for singing and chanting. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tad vasati-sthale. And we should increase our inclination to live in the place where Kṛṣṇa is living. Kṛṣṇa is living everywhere—that is, that is the vision of the higher devotees. Actually He's living, but still, because we are in the lower condition, we should know that "Here is Kṛṣṇa in the temple." Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but for us, because we have no such vision to see Kṛṣṇa anywhere and everywhere, therefore we should come here in the temple and see Kṛṣṇa, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has kindly appeared here in a manner in which I can see Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy."

That is temple. We cannot see . . . Kṛṣṇa has complete spiritual body, but we have no eyes to see what is that spiritual body. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). We are accustomed to see this material, jaḍa, gross things. We can see stone, we can see metal, we can see wood. We can see all these material elements. But Kṛṣṇa is everything. Therefore to be visible to our imperfect eyes, Kṛṣṇa has appeared in the stone form, but Kṛṣṇa is not stone. It is not that we are worshiping stone; we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. But because we cannot see except stone, therefore Kṛṣṇa has kindly appeared in the form carved from the stone. This is the conclusion.

So prītis tad-vasati-sthale. So one should be very much inclined to live within the circle of temple environment. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. And increase our inclination to chant more and more. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tad-vasati-sthale . . . and one thing: always thinking dependent on Kṛṣṇa. To . . . this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking that, "Without Kṛṣṇa, my life is useless. I am in danger." Actually you are in dangerous position without Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa . . . Kuntī is offering that prayer that, "Kṛṣṇa, You are thinking that now we are safe, but I don't think we are safe. We are always in danger. So if You think that we are safe, then who will give us protection? Because we have no other protection except Your lotus feet." Yeṣāṁ na cānyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt. Padāmbujāt. Pada means "feet"; ambuja means "lotus." So "Except Your lotus feet, we have no other shelter. We have no other shelter. And so far our safetiness is concerned, we are already encircled by so many enemies, because in the fight one's father has died, so his son is preparing to fight with us. So we are not at all free now."

So apy adya nas tvaṁ sva-kṛtehita prabho. Now Kṛṣṇa is addressed as prabhu. Although Kṛṣṇa has come to Kuntīdevī to take the dust of his feet . . . of her feet—she's superior aunt—but Kuntīdevī is addressing Him the prabhu, the Lord. Kuntīdevī is not addressing Him . . . He's (she's) asking his (her) beloved nephew . . . but he . . . she knows that, "Kṛṣṇa, although playing the part of my nephew, my brother's son, still He's Prabhu, He's the supreme master." Therefore she's addressing, "Prabhu." Jihāsasi. Jihāsasi means, "Are You actually leaving us?" Jihāsasi svit suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means those who are well-wisher. Anujīvinaḥ. Anujīvinaḥ means, "They are living under Your mercy only. Our life is always under Your mercy."

So these things, these are the symptoms of really Kṛṣṇa conscious person, that one should think always in danger without Kṛṣṇa. This is the first step. And by taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, one should always feel safe: "Now I am under the protection . . ." Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). It is a fact. If you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of danger. Praṇaśyati. Kṛṣṇa gives protection to everyone. Without His protection, nobody can live even for a single moment. That's a fact. So if you think that, "Kṛṣṇa is giving protection to everyone; then what is the use of becoming a special devotee?" No, there is use. Just like the king gives protection to everyone, every one of the citizens. That is his duty. But he has got special protection for his own men. This is the distinction.

This is not unnatural. One is directly engaged in the governor's or the president's service, so when he is in some difficulty, he has got some special protection. Although President Nixon is giving protection as president to every citizen, but those who are personally associated with him, giving him the service, they are special consideration. That is not unnatural. That is natural. That is not partiality. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29): "I am equal to everyone." He's God. How He can be partial to somebody and partial to some . . .? No. Samo 'ham. That is samatā. That is natural. When a gentleman loves all children but he has special love for his own children, that is natural. That is not partiality. Nobody will . . . you will say: "Oh, why you are loving your own children more than others?" No, that is natural. This is not partiality.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa loves everyone because everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. But He takes special care of the devotee. Therefore He says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). His bhakta, His devotee, will never be . . . He's always allowed to see the comforts of the devotees. And the devotees are always busy to see how Kṛṣṇa is satisfied—by dressing Him, by supplying Him food, by serving Him. Always engaged. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also always engaged to see "How My devotees will be happy." This is the process going on.

So this is intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The ordinary living entity, they have got relationship; but when one becomes devotee, it is intimate relation, intimate friend. Therefore Kuntī is requesting Kṛṣṇa that, "How You can leave us? We are Your intimate friends." And anujīvinaḥ. Anujīvinaḥ means, "We are simply living by Your care, by Your mercy. So don't think that we are safe, and You are leaving us. We have no other shelter than Your lotus feet. Kindly don't leave us." This is the Kuntī's prayer.

Similarly Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta koruṇā karoho ei-bāro: "Now I am fully surrendered. You can show Your mercy." Because without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when one thinks that "I shall protect myself, my society will protect me, my community will protect me, my state will give me protection. What do I care for God . . .?" This is the general tendency. So "I have got so many protection. Why shall I go to Kṛṣṇa? These rascals, those who have no protection, they can go to Kṛṣṇa." This is . . . that is their view. But that is not the fact. Unless Kṛṣṇa gives you protection, there is no protection.

This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha (SB 7.9.19). When Prahlāda Mahārāja, offering prayer to Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁha-deva, he said: "My dear Lord, bālasya, for the children, it is not to be thought that because one child has got father and mother, he has got full protection. No. That is not." If Kṛṣṇa does not give protection to a child, in spite of having thousands of father and mother, he'll not be protected. This is the fact. Similarly he says, nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ (SB 7.9.19).

It is not that good physician or good medicine can give one protection. No. Suppose one is suffering from some disease and one is very rich man. He engages first-class physician; first-class medicine is being . . . does it mean that his life is guaranteed? No. If Kṛṣṇa does not give him protection, despite all supply of good medical treatment and medicine, he'll die. This is a fact. Similarly, if you have got good, nice boat, it is not guarantee that you'll not drown in the ocean. No. At any moment, if Kṛṣṇa does not give you protection . . . this is our position.

So we may have invented so many counteract . . . counteraction for our protection. That is scientific advancement, struggle for existence. Nature is offering difficulties, and the human beings, so-called scientists, they are trying to invent something to check this difficulty. This is called struggle for existence. But it is not possible. Unless Kṛṣṇa gives you protection, your invention has no use.

So Kuntī knows it. Although Kuntī happens to be the mother of big, big warriors—Arjuna, Bhīma—still she thinks that, "They are not sufficient to give us protection. My sons are so big, big warriors, but that is not protection. Except Yourself . . ." Therefore she says, yeṣāṁ na ca anyat: "It is not that anyone can give us protection except Your lotus feet."

So this is a very nice verse for the surrendered soul seeking the protection of Kṛṣṇa. And if we remain in that position, that our only protector is Kṛṣṇa and our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)