730723 - Lecture SB 01.02.06 - London

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

730723SB-LONDON - July 23, 1973 - 33:29 Minutes

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

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

(break)

Prabhupāda: This is a speech of Sūta Gosvāmī in Naimiṣāraṇya. Formerly, great sages used to assemble in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya. Those who are Indians, they will know Naimiṣāraṇya. There is a station, Nimsara, still. And it is near Lucknow. Still it is very nice place. So there was a great meeting of saintly persons. As nowadays ordinary persons meet together to find out the ways and means for people's prosperity, formerly the great saintly persons, sages, brāhmaṇas, they used to meet, and they used to give formula to the people, to the king that, "You follow this. You will be happy." This was the system, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.

So the brāhmaṇas will give the direction, and the kṣatriya king would execute it. And the vaiśyas will produce foodgrains. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Kṛṣi-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). For vaiśyas, three work, three kinds of occupation: first of all, agriculture, produce food, and then, give protection to the cows. Because cow is important animal, cow protection is very necessary. So kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). And where there is scarcity of food, transport food there, make business. These three things for the vaiśyas.

So there was meeting. So in the meeting . . . that meeting was held after the departure of Kṛṣṇa. So the question was that, "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, who has taken charge of this world for proper discharge of religious principles?" So the reply was that, "Kṛṣṇa has left this world, but here is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That will give you direction." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound representation of Kṛṣṇa. As Bhagavad-gītā is the sound produced, vibrated by Kṛṣṇa personally, similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is written by Vyāsadeva under the direction of his spiritual master, Nārada, about Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised to preach the message of Kṛṣṇa. That is His cult.

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

This is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And He wanted all the Indians to help this movement.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has advised every Indian . . . bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila. Every human being born in India, they should take up this cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They can take it. Because by birth they have got the right, because this Bhāgavatam is produced in India, Bhagavad-gītā is produced in India. That is the glory of India.

So the sons of India, those who are Indians, those who are proud of becoming Indian, they should take up this mission. Janma sārthaka kari. First of all make your life successful by understanding what is Bhagavad-gītā and what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janma sārthaka kari'. If you are yourself unsuccessful in the mission of your life, you cannot preach anything. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, janma sārthaka kari: "After making your life successful." That means by understanding the value of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, you preach this knowledge all over the world.

Because such knowledge is wanting all over the world. The Western countries, they might have advanced in material technology, technical knowledge, but they have no knowledge about the science of God. That is lacking. So the East and West, they should cooperate. They cooperate. You have got some knowledge; I take advantage of it. I have got some knowledge; you take advantage of it. This is cooperation. This is cooperation.

So especially now, people all over the world, they are trying to imitate the Western type of civilization. That is not bad. Do it. But you also do something so that Westerners may also take your knowledge. That is cooperation. So why you are silent in that point? Therefore, because Indians or Indian government has failed to do this duty, India is known as beggar country all over the world. I am traveling: "Oh, you are from India? It is very poverty-stricken country." This is the designation of India. Actually it is so. In comparison to Western country, India is very poor. Very poor.

So there is no need of remaining poor. You can make your economic development. This is required. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇām (SB 3.7.32). Human life means four things he must develop. First thing is dharma. He must know what is religion. Every human being—not Indians or Europeans or Americans. That is the prime duty of every human being. Without following the religious principle, then he is not human even. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ (Hitopadeśa). If the human society . . . it doesn't matter what kind of religion you follow. It doesn't matter. But you must follow.

(aside) Sit down properly. Don't go out now; come.

They, that is the duty, dharma. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ. Human civilization begins when there is religious conception of life. Therefore all over the world—it doesn't matter whether Europe, America or India or China, Japan—there is some kind of religion. There is some kind of religion—either Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, Buddhist religion. These are the prime religions of the world. Now, here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are discussing about religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

Everyone wants to be happy. Ātmā. Ātmā means body, ātmā means mind. Ātmā means ātmā, soul, also. So somebody is trying to be happy bodily. That is also ātmā. But that is very temporary. And somebody is wanting the peace and prosperity or tranquillity of the mind. That is also ātmārāma. Ātmārāma means everyone is wanting to remain happy and peaceful in his ātmā.

So those who are gross, they are trying to be happy bodily. They are called karmīs. And those who are little advanced, they are trying to be happy mentally. They are called jñānīs. Karmīs, jñānīs. And those who are trying to be happy spiritually, they are called yogīs. So yogīs, there are different kinds of yogīs. But the first-class yogī is bhakti-yogī. Bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

He is first-class yogī. Who is first-class yogī? Now, mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, "Who is always thinking of Me." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's advice in the Bhagavad-gītā. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Always think of Me." It is not difficult. You think of Kṛṣṇa. We have got Kṛṣṇa's form. That is first-class meditation. Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā.

Thinking of Kṛṣṇa, antar-ātmanā, within the core of heart—sa me yuktatamo mataḥ: he is first-class yogī. So we are teaching that, how to become first-class yogī. "Chant Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and hear." Immediately . . . all Kṛṣṇa's—Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia, Kṛṣṇa's opulence—everything will be subject of your thinking. This is called first-class yoga.

So here also, what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā, that is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Here it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Para and apara. Para means superior or transcendental. There are two kinds of prakṛtis: parā-prakṛti, aparā-prakṛti. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Material: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ buddhir mano eva ca (BG 7.4). Material things: earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, ego. Prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā, bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. Kṛṣṇa says: "They are My prakṛti, My nature, My energy." Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, next verse, apareyam: "This material prakṛti is inferior. But beyond this material prakṛti, there is a superior prakṛti." What is that? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5): "That is living entity."

So living entity is also prakṛti, another energy of Kṛṣṇa. Just like this material world is one creation, material creation, similarly, there is spiritual energy also. Kṛṣṇa has multi-energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8, CC Madhya 13.65, purport). Na tasya kāryam . . . this is Vedic injunction. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. God has nothing to do with His hands and legs. He is so powerful that He has got so many energies . . . just like big man here, he does not do anything with his hand, but he has got so many assistants. As soon as he wants to do something, immediately it is done. If it is possible for ordinary human being, how much energy is in stock of Kṛṣṇa, and how He can perform everything perfectly. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Everything comes out nicely. So much energy is there, inconceivable energy. That is God.

So that energy is divided into three: material energy, spiritual energy and marginal energy. We are marginal energy. We living entities, we belong to the marginal energy, taṭasthā-śakti. Marginal means we can remain in the material energy or in the spiritual energy. Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are under the control of the material energy. You can understand it very easily. Just like government. The government, that is one energy working. Similarly, the prison house, that is also another energy working. And the citizens, that is also another, another energy working. But the citizens are marginal. They can remain outside the prison walls and inside the prison walls. Therefore they are called marginal.

When you are abiding by the laws of the government, you are free. You are not abiding by the laws of the government, you are within the prison house. So you are at liberty. Either . . . that is your choice. Government has got university, as well as the criminal department. Government does not canvass; rather, government canvasses that, "You come to the university. Be educated. Be advanced." But it is our choice we sometimes go to the prison house. It is not government's fault.

Similarly, those who have come to this material world, they are all supposed to be criminals, disobedient to the laws of God. Therefore there is dharma, to teach people that, "You take to religious principle, gradually become purified, and come back again to the spiritual world. That is your real abode." Here it is foreign. Here it is foreign, and you are under so many tribulations. Just like if you are in the prison house, there you cannot expect any comfort of life. That is not possible. It is meant for inflicting miseries upon you so that you can understand that you are criminal, you should not do like this and come here again. That is the process going on.

Similarly, here also in this material world, we are always under troublesome condition. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga. So that we may come to our sense, if there is any possibility of making a solution of this miserable condition of life . . . but we are so callous, just like animals. They do not know. The animals are kept in the room for being slaughtered. They do not know. They are eating grass and very happy. Not happy. Some of them know that, "We are going to be killed." They cry. But there is no escape. What can be done? But human life is not like animals. They must know that, "We are in threefold miserable condition of life, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And we do not want these all miserable condition. We want to be happy. We want to be peaceful. How to do it?"

That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

It is very difficult. You are trying to be happy by adjustment of material conditions, but that is not possible. Māyā is very strong. She'll not let you become happy under material condition. That is not possible. Then how one can become happy? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). As soon as you become obedient, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you become transcendental to the laws of material nature. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Those who are mahātmās, they are not under material condition. They are under spiritual guidance, daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is their symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ. Without any diversion, they are engaged in bhajana. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. This is bhajana.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

There are nine kinds of bhajana. Hearing—just like you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa—this is bhajana. So we are giving this opportunity. We are opening hundreds of branches so that people may take advantage of hearing about Kṛṣṇa. That is bhajana. You don't do anything. If you simply come here . . . we are holding class. If you simply come and hear, you will advance in spiritual consciousness. Simply by aural reception. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte.

Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). We cannot understand God, Kṛṣṇa, by our present senses. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Here, this is the verse, it is said, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja. Akṣaja means direct perception. Just like somebody says: "I want to see." This is called akṣaja. Akṣa means eyes or senses. So He is not perceived by these blunt material senses. Therefore He is known as Adhokṣaja, adhah-kṛta akṣaja-jñānaṁ yatra, where this direct experimental knowledge is defeated. You cannot understand God by your this blunt material experience. No. That is not possible. Therefore we have to submit. We have to surrender.

Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you want to know, then first of all is praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. Just like we have got the system, the disciples they fall flat, straight, and offer respect to Deity or to the spiritual master. This is called praṇipāta. Praṇi . . . prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. The first thing is praṇipāta. You have to find out somebody where you can surrender fully. That is the beginning of spiritual life. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). First condition is praṇipāta. Praṇipātena paripraśnena. You can inquire. You can ask questions, after you have fully surrendered, not before that. Don't waste your time. It will not act.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa like friends. When Arjuna said: "Oh, the other side, they are all my kinsmen. How can I kill them? Oh, it is not possible," Kṛṣṇa said: "No, you are kṣatriya. It is your duty to fight. It doesn't matter the other party is your own kinsmen." Ordinary question, answers. In this way, questions and answer, questions and answer were going on. But at last, when by such questions and answers, friendly talk, nothing was solved, then Arjuna said, śiṣyas te haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7): "My dear Kṛṣṇa, in this way the problem will not be solved. I am becoming Your disciple. I am not talking any more as friend." Śiṣyas te 'ham: "I become Your disciple." Because you cannot argue with guru. That is praṇipāta.

Therefore we must have a guru where exact knowledge is coming, without any mistake. Because we cannot argue. So we must find out such guru, where perfect knowledge is coming. Just like . . . therefore guru is . . . Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Guru must be perfect representative of Kṛṣṇa. So ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27): "Do not neglect the ācārya." Na martya-buddhyā: "Don't consider him as ordinary human being." Asūyeta. If he sometimes chastises you, don't be envious: "Oh, he is also man, I am also man. Why he is talking like that?" No. Nāsūyeta martya-buddhyā. These are the instruction. This is called praṇipāta. So Arjuna accepted this process, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now, from this moment, I am Your śiṣya. I am Your śiṣya. I become Your disciple. Now You teach me." The Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna because he became a śiṣya.

So if we actually want the solution of the problems of this material existence, as it is said, yenātmā suprasīdati . . . yena ātmā suprasīdati. Supra . . . su means "very nicely"; prasīdati, "becomes satisfied." Everyone is trying to be satisfied, peaceful in his mind. But that is not being happen. How it will happen? The direction is given here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether you are following Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion or any religion. It doesn't matter. dharma means religion. That is English translation. But actually dharma means which you cannot change.

Religion, the so-called religion, is a sentiment. Today you are Hindu; tomorrow you become Muslim. Or today you are Muslim; tomorrow you become Christian. That kind of conversion, change, is not religion. Because the man remains the same. Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our Movement is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed. The material consciousness should be changed into spiritual consciousness. That is our propaganda. It is meant for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, anyone—white, black, yellow, everything. Because it is the function of the soul. Soul is not black, white, yellow. Soul is spirit. So one has to realize that, "I am spirit soul. I am not Indian nor American nor Englishman nor German nor white nor black. This is my bodily description. I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.

Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī says: "That type of religion which actually gives spiritual education, and by spiritual education one develops his forgotten love of Godhead." Love of Godhead is there in every one of us. It is now forgotten. We have to simply awaken it. Otherwise, how these English boys, these American boys, the Canadian boys or gentlemen, they are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously? It is not something artificial. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness was there. It is being awakened under certain prescribed method. That's all. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107). This is the process. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there, dormant, in everyone's heart. It is already there." Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte: "If you kindly hear about Kṛṣṇa and your heart becomes purified, the original dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness is immediately awakened."

So this is the process. Therefore Bhāgavata recommends, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ: "That type of religion is first class who has accepted this process how to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Adhokṣaja. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. What kind of bhakti? Ahaitukī: without any motive. Without any motive. Because generally we go to temple or perform religion with a motive, some material purpose. But bhakti should be without any motive, ahaitukī, no cause. Apratihatā: and it cannot be checked. It is not that because one is Christian or one is Muhammadan or one is outside the Vedic culture, he cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means nothing can check.

Anything material impediment is not able to check Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. If you follow this method how to awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then automatically your ātmā will be satisfied, "Oh." Just like Mrs. Sharma was describing, "Now I am so happy." She is not an ordinary woman. She is very rich. She has got business. But she is finding happiness here. This is practical example. This is practical example. Yenātmā, yena atmā suprasīdati.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, "Take this responsibility of preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, those who are Indians." Now, there are many Indians in London. You take this Movement very seriously. It is your duty to spread this Movement. At least, you do it in European countries. Now here is a chance, good chance. Come here, participate with the Movement, become Kṛṣṇa conscious yourself, and preach it. That will be Indian's glory. Otherwise, simply beg. You will remain simply beggars, that's all.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya . . . (applause) (cut) (end)