710218 - Lecture - Gorakhpur

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710218LE-GORAKHPUR - February 18, 1971 - 36:02 Minutes

Haṁsadūta: The following lecture was recorded the evening of February 17th, 1971, Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

(break)

Prabhupāda: This is the real picture of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: rādhā-mādhava kuñja-behari. Kṛṣṇa has no other business. Vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. Kṛṣṇa is . . . means original Kṛṣṇa, or the ādi-puruṣaṁ, which is known as ādi-puruṣaṁ.

He's always in Vṛndāvana, but He expands Himself as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, so many, unlimited expansions. But the original form is in Vṛndāvana.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). These are the Vedic evidences. Kṛṣṇa Himself says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).

That Supreme Personality of Godhead is always engaged in pleasure potency. Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. This is explained by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī:

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād

ekātmānāv api (bhuvi purā) deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau

caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ

vande rādhā-bhāva dyuti-suvalitaṁ caitanya saṁjñākhyam

(CC Adi 1.5)

So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when He wants to enjoy, He exhibits His pleasure potency. He is Paraṁ Brahman. For brahmānanda, for enjoying the transcendental pleasure, here we see many, many great saintly persons, sages, they give up this material enjoyment for enjoying spiritual enjoyment, brahmānanda, which is known as brahmānanda. Brahmānanda means unlimited, unlimited ānanda.

Here in this world, there is a reflection of ānanda, of brāhmaṇanda, but it is flickering, temporary. Therefore it is said in the śāstras, ramante yogino 'nante. Those who are yogīs . . . yogīs means who are realizing transcendental position, they are called yogīs. They may be divided into three categories: the jñānīs, the haṭha-yogīs or the bhakta-yogī. They are all called yogīs. So ramante yogino anante. Yogīs' target of enjoyment is to touch the unlimited.

Here there is no perception of unlimited pleasure. That is not. It is flickering. Rāmante yoginaḥ anante satyānande (CC Madhya 9.29). That is real pleasure. Here the pleasure is like this, that you, somebody is offering that "You take these rasagullās, and after eating rasagullā I shall beat you with shoes." Here the pleasure is like that, "You eat rasagullā and then be beaten by shoes." Perhaps we have got all experience of this. But actual ānanda is brahmānanda, unlimited. Brahmānanda means unlimited. There is no . . . it is increasing. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam.

When you get to the . . . everyone, we are seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Because Kṛṣṇa is ānandamaya, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, naturally we are also ānandamaya. But we have fallen in the circumstances where there is no ānanda. In this material world, there cannot be any ānanda. Those who are seeking after ānanda, they are under illusion, will o' the wisp. There is no ānanda.

"Why there is no ānanda? There are so many things to enjoy." No. Kṛṣṇa says that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). So how there can be ānanda? It is certified by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that it is duḥkhālayam, it is the place for miserable condition of life. So how there can be ānanda?

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says: "Those who are intelligent, they should always place before them four principles of miserable condition: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9)". We should not be illusioned. We should know that there is, I mean to say, distresses when we take birth. We have forgotten.

We do not know how much suffering we had to undergo when we were within the belly of our mother. It is very miserable condition. We had to remain there in packed-up condition like this in a bag, and it is suffocating. And because we are . . . at that time, the skin is very tender. There are many worms and germs within the belly, mixed up with stool and urine; they bite. We have forgotten that, the actual position.

Anyone who knows how a child remains within the womb of his mother . . . the medical profession, they also know how much it is suffocating. Suppose you are packed up in a bag . . . it is simply by the mercy of God, Kṛṣṇa, that we can remain in that condition. If you are put again into that condition, you will immediately die.

So we have forgotten what is the distress to remain in the womb of mother. And that also, sometimes a child is killed. At the present moment, advanced civilization, pregnancy is killed sometimes. So we cannot see even light. We die within the womb of a mother and again enter another womb. And it may be we die again. So just try to understand what is the miserable condition of birth. But because we forget, we think we are very happy.

And again, not only that, as soon as we take birth, again a new chapter of life begins. Again you . . . even after coming out of the womb, when we are little child we cry. There may be mosquito biting or bugs biting or something in the belly troubling, crying. Mother is trying to pacify, but we are crying, crying. We cannot express. So these are the miserable condition of life. Kṛṣṇa says it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).

So under the illusion of māyā, as soon as we get out of the womb we forget everything, what we are suffering. And because the mother and relatives, they take on the lap, we forget. So this is the condition, miserable condition of birth. And similarly, miserable condition of death. When one is lying in coma, so many sufferings is going on, so many dreaming, the Yamadūtā is coming. Sometimes the man on the deathbed cries, he's so much suffering. But there is no remedy. Everyone is helpless. So that is the miserable condition of death.

And then, janma-mṛtyu-jarā, old age. Just like we have now come to the old age. There are so many troubles. Sometimes heart failure, sometimes there is . . . so many troubles. You know, everyone. So janma-mṛtyu-jarā and vyādhi. So long we have got this body, you'll have so many diseases. So how you can get rid of these duḥkha? Therefore it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). How you consider that, "We shall make it adjusted"? That is not possible. Therefore it is the duty. This human form of life is meant for realizing what is my position. Then Bhāgavatam says:

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye

(SB 5.5.1)

The Bhāgavatam says that this life, this human form of life, ayaṁ deha . . . nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means the human form of life. It is not meant for working hard day and night and live like a hog. The hog's life we have got experience. They eat stool, all day long working, and they have got some pleasure, sex pleasure, without any discrimination. A person who has no discrimination of sex life, who has no discrimination of eating, he is given the birth of a hog. He has to take the birth like a hog. Because our activities are judged by higher authorities. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).

We are acting, but there is a higher authority who is judging our actions, what kind of action. Because in the human form is an opportunity. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sitting in your heart along with you as friend and witnessing what you are doing. And if you are desiring unlimited sex life and unlimited eating without any restriction, then Kṛṣṇa gives you . . .

Because the human society, it is not possible. There are so many restriction even from social laws, political laws. But animal life, there is no restriction. Anyone can have sex life—the dogs and hogs on the street in open place—because they are animals. There is no law. But a human being, if he does so, then he is punishable.

So why? Because human being. All the laws, all these books, are meant for human being. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said:

anādir bahir mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gelā

ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karila

(CC Madhya 20.117)

Why these Vedas and Purāṇas and the Vedic literature there? It is for human beings, not for the cats and dogs. So this human form of life should be utilized. In our, especially India, the land of Vedic culture, we should utilize. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says that:

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara paropakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

In India, one who has taken birth as a human being, it is his duty to make his life perfect. Because there are so many, I mean to say, authentic literatures. So if we don't take advantage of these literatures, then we cannot make our life perfect. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that you make your life perfect and distribute this Vedic knowledge to the whole of the world. Paropakāra. Paropakāra.

You are meant for paropakāra, not for exploiting. That is the duty of the Indians. Unfortunately, neither we are inclined to make our life perfect by understanding the Vedic literatures . . . therefore we are begging. Instead of doing paropakāra, we are begging. This should be stopped. And the essence of all Vedic literature is Bhagavad-gītā.

So if we study Bhagavad-gītā as it is, our life will be perfect, undoubtedly. But unfortunately, we also misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā according to our own whims, and therefore we are misguided. We cannot take the essence of Bhagavad-gītā, and therefore our this human form of life is also lost, and we cannot do any welfare activities in the world.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, according to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "Make your life perfect and distribute the Vedic knowledge throughout the whole world." The time has come. This Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is in the foreign countries.

And you can see, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and studying Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, how these boys and girls, they are in ecstasy. They are in the spiritual platform. You cannot expect such dancing and such joyful attitude in this material world. It is not possible. They are in the spiritual world. Yes.

māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi-

bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

If you are situated in bhakti-yoga, avyabhicāriṇi, without any adulteration . . . the adulteration is most dangerous. Bhakti-yoga means:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanam bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

Simply you have to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, not unfavorably. Kṛṣṇa conscious . . . to become Kṛṣṇa conscious unfavorably, that is not bhakti. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa: "As soon as Kṛṣṇa is born, please bring Him. Or inform me. I shall immediately kill Kṛṣṇa."

When Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of His mother Devakī, Kaṁsa was Kṛṣṇa conscious. He could understand that, "Kṛṣṇa is now . . . because Devakī, she is now so much glowing." So he could understand. He sometimes wanted to kill Devakī; then he restrained himself that, "If I kill Devakī in pregnancy, it will be great," I mean to say "bad reputation." So he restrained himself. But therefore he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, but he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa unfavorably.

So similarly, those who are reading Bhagavad-gītā unfavorably means in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is the principal factor, but anyone who is trying to kill Kṛṣṇa and reading Bhagavad-gītā, that is Kaṁsa's reading.

Indian man: Very good, very good.

Prabhupāda: That is not bhakti. That is going on. Great, great scholars, they are trying to kill Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā.

So this has to be stopped. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness on this basis that, "Don't try to kill Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa cannot be killed. You will be killed. You will be killed. Kṛṣṇa cannot be killed." When I went to Western countries, they said that, "God is dead." Here also, in our country so many people says that, "Kṛṣṇa came. He is dead and gone. Now I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." So many rascal incarnation: "I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." You see? So this is going on.

So by this way you cannot be happy. You must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you act like that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ . . . we have to understand Bhagavad-gītā through the paramparā system, not whimsically: "I think," "It is my opinion." What you are, nonsense? Throw your opinion. This process should be given up. We should understand as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that:

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāhur

manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

(BG 4.1)

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam

imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ

(BG 4.2)

So we have to take, understand Bhagavad-gītā from paramparā system, not from the rascals. That will not do.

So what is that paramparā system? That paramparā system . . . take, for example, Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna. How? Why He is speaking to Arjuna? Arjuna was not a Vedāntist; he was a military man. You do not expect a military man to be highly learned or Vedāntist. And He was talking to him when he was fighting, very busy hour. And still, Kṛṣṇa says: "I'll speak to you this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā because you are My devotee and dear friend."

Therefore the first qualification for understanding Bhagavad-gītā is to become a dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. And if you are a Kaṁsa, what you will understand, Bhagavad-gītā? If your motive is to kill Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā . . . just like Dr. Radhakrishnan says, when he is explaining this verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65): "It is not to Kṛṣṇa."

He directly says. He's advising not to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. "It is the unborn which is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know there is no "within," "without" Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He has no knowledge. Still, he's trying to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. This is going on.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to awaken the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is lying within everyone's heart. It is not artificial. It is not that I have spoken to these boys and girls in America and all over the world, with my speeches they have been enticed and they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. Nobody has such power that simply by artificial, by speaking, one can convert. That is not possible. The real . . . real mystery is, as it is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

(CC Madhya 22.107)

Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is in everyone's heart, dormant. Every living entity. Because every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like a father and son, there is natural affection; it is not artificial. Even there is misunderstanding between father and the son, and if they meet at a time after many years' misunderstanding, immediately the affection of father and son will act, immediately.

Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our affection for Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's affection for us is eternal. Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to reclaim us from this miserable condition of life than we are, because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yaḥ (BG 14.4). He is the father of all living entities. We are part and parcel. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is very anxious. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kar says:

anādi bahir mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gelā

ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karilā

Just to remind us. Not only He has given us Vedas and Purāṇas to remind us that, "Your position is different than you are thinking. You are thinking that you are a material product. That is illusion. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. You are brahma-vastu. You are part and parcel of Brahman . . ."

Therefore there are so many literatures—vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15)—just to draw your attention to come to Kṛṣṇa. Just to draw your attention that, "You are My part and parcel. You are My eternal son. Why you are rotting in this miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Therefore Kṛṣṇa's advice is give up all nonsense engagement, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa favorably, not like Kaṁsa or so-called scholars, but with natural affection for Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy.

That is our program. We are preaching all over this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement just to awaken their natural affection for Kṛṣṇa. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says:

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā samprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

We have to develop our natural affection. Natural affection. Just like a father loves the child, child loves the father. That is natural. At least, father loves the child without any thinking of remuneration. No. That is natural. Similarly, when we shall develop, awaken—not develop; it is already there—simply to awaken . . . how it is awakened? Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte.

As you are coming here, if you try to hear the real fact of your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and yourself from the śāstras . . . because ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karilā. We have to learn from the authorized śāstras, from the Bhagavad-gītā, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from Vedas, not from the rascals. Then you'll understand. Your real affection from Kṛṣṇa will be awakened, and your life will be successful. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25).

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore advised, bhāgavata para giyā bhāgavata sthāne. We have to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the person Bhāgavatam, whose life is simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you'll understand Bhāgavatam. Not from the professional readers. You cannot understand. Sanātana Gosvāmī has prohibited strictly.

Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam (Padma Purāṇa). One, he is not Vaiṣṇava in his behavior, pseudo-Vaiṣṇava, Sanātana Gosvāmī says even he speaks hari-kathāmṛtam, the message of Kṛṣṇa, it is not to be heard, because he'll not present real Kṛṣṇa. He'll present adulterated Kṛṣṇa, or his business will be to kill Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

So this movement is cultural movement, Kṛṣṇa cultural movement. Of course, it is Indian movement, but it is not for only . . . meant for only for the Indians. It is meant for everyone, because everywhere there are Kṛṣṇa's parts and parcels. (pause)

(aside) Sit down.

So if we want to be free from the clutches of māyā, the formula is very simple. Formula is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). To become liberated, to become free from the contamination of this mayic illusion, or māyā . . . there are many yogīs, they are trying to get out of the clutches of māyā, but the method is simple according to Bhagavad-gītā.

Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You can try to get rid off . . . out of the clutches of māyā in different ways, but it is very, very strong. It is not so easy to get out of the clutches of māyā. But immediately, He says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti: simply by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa.

What is that surrendering? "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many births, from time immemorial. Now I surrender unto You. Please accept." This simple method. This simple method will make you liberated if you do it sincerely, without any, I mean to say, reservation.

That we are teaching. Simply kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). And you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be perfect. Your life will be perfect. That is injunction of all śāstras, and especially Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead teaching personally.

Why do you say: "There is no God," "What is God?" I was surprised. When I was speaking in the Berkeley University, one Indian girl asked me, "Swāmījī, what is God?" You see? I inquired from her, "Are you Indian? You are so misfortunate, you are coming from India—India is the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāmacandra—and you are asking me what is God?" So much degradation. Apan dhan vilaya ye vikram aje pare tyaje. (laughter) You see?

So you should be careful now. You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously and you'll be happy. That is our propaganda.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Haribol! (cut) (end)