680615 - Lecture - Montreal

Lectures by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

680615LE-MONTREAL - June 15, 1968 - 34:41 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (maṅgalācaraṇa prayers)

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāṣcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye

vānchā kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsAdi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Ladies and gentlemen, this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is reviving our original consciousness. At the present moment, due to our long association with matter, the consciousness has become contaminated, just like when the rainwater falls down from the cloud, the water is uncontaminated, distilled water, pure, but as soon as the water falls down on this earth, it becomes mixed up with so many dirty things. When the water falls, it is not salty, but when it is touched with the matter, or earth, it becomes salty, or tasty, or something like that.

Similarly, originally, as spirit soul, our consciousness is uncontaminated, but due to our association with the matter at the present moment, our consciousness is contaminated. Therefore we have got so many varieties of consciousness. Disagreements between one person to another is due to this contaminated consciousness. I think some way; you think otherwise. Therefore we do not agree.

But originally, your consciousness and my consciousness were one. And what is that one? That conscious . . . pure consciousness, is "God is great, and I am His eternal servant." That is pure consciousness. As soon as we want to imitate, or artificially want to become one with God, immediately the contamination begins. There is a Bengali verse in which it is stated that:

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vānchā kare

pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta)

The English translation is that, "When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion."

So at the present moment, especially in this age, the forgetfulness of our eternal relationship with God is very strong. And by chanting this transcendental sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa, the first installment is that our heart or the mind becomes cleansed of all dirty things. This is not a theoretical proposition, but it is a fact. If you go on chanting this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is not difficult. Although it is pronounced in Sanskrit language, everyone can chant it, just like in this meeting we began to chant, and you also joined here, all my students, they are all Americans. None of them are Indian, but still, they have learned it very nicely, and it is not difficult. And there is no expenditure.

So what is this Hare Kṛṣṇa? Hare means the energy of the Lord, and Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So it is a prayer. There are three words only: Hare, Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. Three words. That has been arranged in sixteen words: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So our movement is that we request you to take up these sixteen words—not sixteen words; three words: Hare, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma. But it is arranged in such a way that there are sixteen words.

So anyone can take it by heart, these three words, and chant it. It is universal. And if you think that, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is the name of Hindu god," if you have got any objection, then you may not chant "Kṛṣṇa," but you must have a name for God. Just like somebody, the Muhammadans, call Allah, the Jews call Jehovah, or somebody calls something. That doesn't matter. If you think that, "Why shall I chant the Indian name Kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit name Kṛṣṇa?" so Lord Caitanya says that there are millions and billions of names of God. If you think that this Kṛṣṇa name is not very suitable, you can accept any name. That doesn't matter. Our proposition is you chant God's name. That is our proposal.

Therefore it is universal. If you like, you can chant Jehovah or you can chant Allah, but we request you that you chant God's name. Is it very difficult? It is not at all difficult. Lord Caitanya said that there are innumerable names of God according to different languages, different countries, different societies. And each and every one of them has the potency of God Himself. If there is any God, so God is Absolute—therefore there is no difference between His name and He Himself.

Just like in the material world, in the world of duality there is difference between the name "water" and the substance water. The name water is different from the substance water. If you are thirsty, if you simply chant "water, water, water, water," your thirstiness will not be quenched. You require the substance water. That is material. But spiritually, the name Kṛṣṇa or the name Allah or the name Jehovah is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Therefore if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa . . . you may inquire why we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name, was chanted by Lord Caitanya, who introduced this movement five hundred years ago in India. We are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya. Because He chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So, but Lord Caitanya has recommended that God has innumerable names, and any one of them can be chanted, and there is no hard-and-fast rules and regulations for chanting. It is not that you have to prepare yourself or you have to educate yourself or you have to adjust yourself for chanting. No. Everyone.

Just like immediately we began to chant. You were not prepared, but you joined with us, you clapped with us, you danced with us. So similarly, there is no preoccupation or any rules and regulation. You simply chant. And this is very easy. While walking, you can chant whatever name you like. We like "Kṛṣṇa." We chant always, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. While walking in the streets, while you are going in the bus, and whatever, even while working with your hands, you can chant. There is no loss on your part, there is no expenditure on your part, but the gain is very great. Why don't you try it? Try it. That is our request.

So the benefit will be that gradually you shall understand what you are. The whole civilization, modern civilization, is going on under a wrong impression that, "I am this body." In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that, "One who goes on with the concept of the body, he is no better than an ass or cow." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). It is a very long verse. But actually we are not this body. So if we chant this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, then I can understand what I am. And as soon as I understand that I am not this body, then my activities become different.

Because at the present moment I am acting on the concept of my life as this body. Because this body is born of a particular place in a particular country, therefore I am saying that, "I am American" or "Indian" or "China" or "German," due to this body. And because I have got relationship with some woman with this body, therefore I accept the woman as my wife. There are hundreds of thousands of women, but the woman who has got relationship with this body is my wife. There are thousands and millions of children, but one child who has got intimate relation with this body I call my son.

So if the body is falsely identified, then we can understand that our identification with this world is also false. The real identification is, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman." "I am Brahman " means "I am spirit soul. I am not this matter." So this misconception has to be removed. Of course, it is not possible that everyone will understand or everyone will be able to understand it, but even a certain percentage of the human society can understand, immediately there is solution of so many problems—to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi. And how that solution is made, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

This Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Just like in your Christian Bible or any other scriptures, Muhammadan or Christian or Jews or Buddhist . . . so ahaṁ brahmāsmi means that "I am spirit soul," this realization. As soon as this realization is there, then the other things immediately follow. What is that? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Immediately one becomes cheerful. So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that, "I am not this body, I am spirit soul"—the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety.

I am full of anxiety because on account of this bodily concept of life. Just like one man has got very costly motorcar, and he is running the car on the street. He is very careful so that there may not be any accident in the car, the car may not break. So much anxiety. But a man who is walking on the street, he has no such anxiety.

Why the man in the car is so anxious? Because he has identified himself with the car. If the car, if there is any accident with the car, if the car breaks, he thinks, "I am gone. Oh, my car is gone." Although he is different from car, he thinks like that due to identification, false identification. Similarly, because we are falsely identified with this body, therefore we have got so many problems of life.

So if we want to make solution of the problems of life, then we have to understand what I am. And unless this question arises in your mind—not only in your mind; everyone's mind—then we should . . . we must consider that whatever we are doing, that is our defeat, because we are doing everything in false consciousness.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ (SB 5.5.5). Abodha-jātaḥ means one who is born fool. Every one of us is a born fool. Why? From the beginning of our life I know that, "I am this body," although I am not this body. Therefore we are all born fools—everyone. And therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one has to take his second birth. One birth is made possible by conjugation of the father and mother. That birth is called animal birth. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. (Prema-vivarta)

Everyone, by birth, is śūdra, or the lowest class of man. And saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ (Prema-vivarta): "By reformation, one becomes twice-born." And what is that reformation? By understanding oneself, "What I am." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ (Prema-vivarta): "And after twice . . . after his second birth, if he tries to understand the spiritual science, the science of God, then he is called vipra." Vipra means quite cognizant. And brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ (Prema-vivarta) : "And when he understands that he is Brahman, he is spirit soul, then he becomes a Brāhmin." Perhaps you have heard that in India the Brāhmin are called the topmost men of the society. Why? Because he knows that "I am Brahman; I am not this matter." Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ.

So by understanding Brahman your position will be that prasannātmā, you'll be joyful; na śocati na kāṅkṣati, you will never lament any loss, neither you will hanker after any so-called gain, na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and you will look every living entity on the same level. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). In that stage of realization, you can understand what is God and what is your relationship with God.

Therefore this movement is that one understands himself what he is. It is, of course, very plain question and answer. The other day we had some lectures in a . . . (indistinct) . . . sunday school, and I called one, a small boy, and I asked him that, "What is this?" He said: "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my body, it is my pants, it is my . . ." And I asked him, "Where you are? You are simply saying 'my, my, my,' and where you are?"

So similarly, everyone can understand that what I am. If you think yourself, if you meditate on yourself, if you see your hand, "Am I this hand?" you will say: "No, it is my hand." "Am I this leg?" You will say: "No, it is my leg." "Am I this head?" "No, it is my head." Then where you are? So that person who is thinking within that, "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my pant, it is my coat," that you are.

So have you seen that thing? You have seen your father, you have seen your mother or you have seen your son. But have you seen the real father who is within the body of the father? Have you seen the real son which is in the body of the son? No. Then your whole conception of education, your whole conception of living condition and problems—in the false world.

Therefore this movement is required at the present moment in the world. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12, Śikṣāṣṭaka 1). This will cleanse the status of your mental condition. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. And as soon as you understand yourself, then the whole problem—social, political, economical—everything will be solved, and gradually you shall realize your transcendental life.

Your transcendental life is joyful. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Transcendental life means always full of joy, joyful. That is our nature. We are hankering after joyful life, but we do not know where to hanker, how to get it. By nature we are joyful. It is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12): "By nature a living entity is joyful." But my joyfulness is covered by this material understanding. So I have to remove this material understanding; then again I shall become joyful.

So this movement is very scientific movement, and we have got authoritative statements. You cannot defy authority, authority. As I have read the literature of this Unitarian Church, in one place he has denied authority, and in another place he has quoted so many authorities. So many authorities he has quoted. Why? If you deny authority, then why you quote other authority?

So you cannot defy authority. This is not possible. From the beginning of your life, when you were child, you asked your parents, "Mother, father, what is this?" Why? That is the beginning of life. You cannot go even a step without authority. You are governed by authority. You are running your car by authority—"Keep to the right." Why? Why don't you defy it?

So authority we have to obey. But the difficulty is, who is authority? That we require to learn, who is actually authority. So authority means who has no mistakes, who has no illusion, who does not cheat and whose senses are perfect. That is authority. That is the definition of authority. A conditioned soul who . . . just . . ."To err is human." Any human being is sure to commit mistake.

However learned he may be, however advanced he may be, he must commit mistake. Therefore this word is, "To err is human." And one must be illusioned. And there is cheating propensity of every man. Even a child, he wants to cheat. The mother asks, "Oh, what is in your hand?" Oh, the child says: "No, mother, nothing," although the mother can see he has got something. So the cheating propensity is there.

And above all, your senses are imperfect. You are proud of your eyes, "I want to see." What you can see? If the light is off, your seeing power is immediately gone. If there is no sun, your seeing power is gone. Therefore we see under condition. Therefore imperfect.

So you cannot get perfect knowledge by imperfect senses, by speculative knowledge. You have to accept authority. Just like if you want to know who is your father, the authority is your mother. The mother says: "Here is your father," you have to accept. You cannot make research. Mother is the last authority, who is your father. Similarly, we have to accept authority, and if the authority is not a conditioned soul, if he is liberated soul, if he is not a cheater, if his senses are not imperfect, if he does not make any mistakes, if he is not in illusion, if you receive knowledge from that authority, then your knowledge is perfect. That is the process.

So we have got such authoritative, I mean to say, literature, Vedic literature. You can test it by your reason, by your argument, by your philosophical talks—everything. Religion without philosophical basis, without scientific basis, is sentiment. But religion based on philosophy and science, that is right. So Bhagavad-gītā is that book. Any question, any inquiry, any doubt—all the answers are there, and very nicely. Just like one or two verse I shall explain to you.

In one place Bhagavad-gītā says that . . . the Lord says that:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

The Lord says that there are eight hundred, er, 8,400,000 species of life, different forms of life, species of life. There are aquatics, there are plants, trees, worms, germs, then birds, beasts, and at last, the human species of life, only 400,000's. So Kṛṣṇa says that "All the species of life—never mind whether he is man or he's a dog, he's a cat—he's a living entity, and I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." Now, how nice you can understand simply. This verse, if you can understand, then you can have some idea of universal brotherhood. If you want to make universal brotherhood, you must find out the center—the universal father.

So these questions and answers are there, and we have got the science of God, the education of science of God, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So these books are meant for human society, and if you take advantage of the knowledge imparted in this book, and if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will see how your life becomes improved, how you become full of knowledge, full of bliss, and how you advance in your eternal life.

Thank you very much. If any question, you can make. (cut) (end)