741130 - Lecture SB 03.25.30 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

741130SB-BOMBAY - November 30, 1974 - 41:43 Minutes

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

tad etan me vijānīhi

yathāhaṁ manda-dhīr hare

sukhaṁ buddhyeya durbodhaṁ

yoṣā bhavad-anugrahāt

(SB 3.25.30)

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct)

(break)

"(My dear son, Kapila,) after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness."

Prabhupāda:

tad etan me vijānīhi

yathāhaṁ manda-dhīr hare

sukhaṁ buddhyeya durbodhaṁ

yoṣā bhavad-anugrahāt

(SB 3.25.30)

So this is submission. The process of understanding transcendental subject matter is not by challenge but by submission. The whole bhakti process is submission. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching.

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

If one is interested to advance by chanting, then Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that you should be humbler than the straw or grass and tolerant than the tree. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā: Without feeling oneself becoming very proud of intelligence, he should give respect to others, and in this way one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly.

So Devahūti, although mother of Kapiladeva, because she is woman—not only woman; because she is going to be disciple or the student—she is presenting herself as very humble student, not that superior mother. No. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). One has to learn. The first condition is praṇipāta. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta, complete surrender. Praṇipātena. Then paripraśna. Sad-dharma-pṛcchat. First of all, praṇipāta, full submission; then paripraśna, guided by sevā, service. We have to please the spiritual master, the teacher, by service. This whole bhakti process depends on service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. I have several times explained this verse. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present material senses are blunt. By these present senses it is not possible to understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. Everything of Kṛṣṇa, they are all divyam, divine. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). So divyam, transcendental subject matter, is not possible to understand by these material blunt senses. Therefore one has to purify it. That is bhakti-mārga. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to purify the senses, and when the senses are purified, then, with that purified senses, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. When our senses are purified, then we can serve Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam. Bhakti means to serve Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, by our senses. But these present senses, they cannot be fit for serving Kṛṣṇa. It has to be purified.

So how this purification is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234): by engaging oneself in service of the Lord. And the first service begins from the tongue, jihvādau. We have got many senses, sense organs, but devotional service begins from the tongue, jihvā, jihvādau, by chanting. It is very difficult subject matter, but it is made easy because . . . Devahūti says, sukhaṁ buddhyeya: "Very easily I can understand, because I am woman." Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone: striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ (BG 9.32). Although they are considered less intelligent, still, Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone. And especially in this age, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51): "Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ, "one becomes liberated, and then paraṁ vrajet, he is transferred to the spiritual world."

"Although this Kali-yuga is full of faulty things, everyone is embarrassed with so many difficulties, still, very easy metho . . ." This is spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī after describing the faults of Kali-yuga. There are many, many hundreds and thousands of faults. People will suffer. They are all described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. People's intelligence, bodily strength, mercifulness—everything will be reduced. And so many things are described. Some of them are very prominent even at the present moment. Just like in the Kali-yuga, it is stated, lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam (SB 12.2.6): "People will think by keeping long hairs they will become beautiful." Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. So that is very visible now, especially in the Western countries. They keep very long hairs. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi: "Marriage, husband and wife, they will be simply by agreement." Nowadays that is happening. You go to a marriage-maker and agree, marriage is finished. Not like before. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi. And rati means sex desires. So long their sex desires will be completed, they can live. Svīkāra eva codvāhe (SB 12.2.5). These are stated, all. Vipratve sūtram eva hi (SB 12.2.3): "To become a brāhmin, just have a sacred thread." Sacred or not sacred, get a thread, that's all, without executing the brahminical duties. That is going on. In this way there is a long list of Kali-yuga's activities.

So after submitting the list, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "My dear King Parīkṣit, I have described all the faults of this Kali-yuga. But there is a special advantage in this age. That is," he said, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51), "People can become liberated and go back to home, back to Godhead, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra."

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

So this easy process, sukhaṁ jihvādau, that begins from the jihvā, tongue. If you kindly train your tongue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and if possible without offense . . . there are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become liberated. And it is very easy. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. Mukta. Anyone who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, if he is chanting sincerely . . . sincerely or not sincerely, if he chants, then he will become sincere and purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).

So this is the easiest process. So durbodhaṁ yoṣā bhavad-anugrahāt. But this chance is gotten by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Bhavad-anugrahāt. If Kṛṣṇa sees somebody that he is sincerely chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra . . . He is within everyone—īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61)—so He can understand that "Here is a sincere devotee." Then He gives chance. He, as caitya-guru, the Supersoul, caitya-guru, and this external guru. He gives the chance of meeting external guru also, His representative, so that Kṛṣṇa helps a sincere devotee externally and internally. Internally, He helps, Himself, as Paramātmā. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa says that, "I give him intelligence from within." And without, externally, His representative the spiritual master is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Combination of guru and Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, one gets a bona fide guru, and by the grace of the bona fide guru, one gets Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. So as we are fallen, similarly, śāstra has given us very easy method to appreciate our transcendental life, our blissful life. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This we are teaching everywhere that, "You chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra," śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. And when they are advanced, they are engaged in Deity worship, in preaching work and so many other.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

So Devahūti-devī, he . . . she thinks herself, because woman, yoṣā, durbodham. So she is accepting her son as guru and very submissively, and she wants to understand the very difficult subject matter very easily by the grace of Kapiladeva. This is very important thing: to receive the causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, both. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy we shall get spiritual master, and spiritual master's . . . yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he has very much stressed on the mercy of guru. And that is actually fact. If we receive the mercy of guru, if we can satisfy guru by our service, and if he gives his blessing, that is very, very great opportunity. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. Guru is confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Guru never claims that he is Kṛṣṇa, he is God. That is not guru. Guru, although worshiped as Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa . . . sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Not in one śāstra, but all the Vedic śāstra, they describe guru, guru-brahma. They describe on the equal footing. Guru, being representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is worshiped as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. All śāstra recommends that. Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. And those who are pure devotees, they accept. But that does not mean that guru declares himself that, "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." No. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. He is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is very dear. And as he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, if he recommends somebody, "Kṛṣṇa, accept him," He will accept him. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. That is the system.

Guru is very confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Why confidential servant? Because he is canvassing door to door, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and guru takes that very mission, but does not say like Kṛṣṇa that, "You surrender to me." He says: "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." One has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa through the via media of guru, not directly. This is the process. Therefore guru accepts respects from the disciple not for his personal self, but conveying the respect to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. If you cannot get the mercy of guru, then it is very difficult to approach Kṛṣṇa. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paramparā. Guru, he offers the same respect to his guru, his guru, it goes. In this way, it goes to Kṛṣṇa, paramparā. As the mercy of Kṛṣṇa comes through the paramparā system, similarly, the offering of respect to Kṛṣṇa goes up through the paramparā system. Therefore it is stated, bhavad-anugrahāt. Bhavad-anugrahāt: "Please kindly become merciful upon me."

So in this way, one has to learn how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our Vaiṣṇava system is ādau gurv-āśrayam (Brs 1.1.74). If we want to approach Kṛṣṇa, then in the beginning, ādau, the beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is being shown by Devahūti. Although He is son, (s)he is begging the mercy of Kapiladeva so that by His mercy she could understand what is devotional service and how to approach Kṛṣṇa. Tad etan me vijānīhi yathāhaṁ manda-dhīḥ. So this is very good qualification. Manda-dhīḥ: "My intelligence is not very sharp; manda." That is especially in this age. Of course, Kapiladeva and Devahūti was not in this age. Still, she is submitting because she happens to be woman, and although she is such exalted woman that she could give birth to the Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva—she was not ordinary woman—still, she thinks manda-dhīḥ: "I am less intelligence." Manda-dhīr hare: "My dear Kapila, You are Supreme Personality of Godhead, but I am manda-dhīḥ. My intelligence is not very sharp. Still, I want to understand the sublime subject matter, transcendental subject matter, from You. So it is possible." Bhavad-anugrahāt: "If You become merciful, then it is possible." This is the process.

So in order to get the mercy of guru, so yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, we must search out a bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa or Kapiladeva, and then we shall submit and offer service. In this way we shall please the guru, and if he is satisfied, then our business is complete. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. This is our . . . therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended this process, this process, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva (SB 10.14.3). The process of understanding or approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya.

So the process of approaching the Supreme Lord . . . so he first of all explained the varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). The human life is for viṣṇur ārādhanam. That is the human life, viṣṇur ārādhanam. The varṇāśrama, the system . . . cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13), Kṛṣṇa says. Why He established this cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam? Because through the cātur-varṇya, systematic institution, following the rules and regulation of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, one can approach Lord Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhyate. This varṇāśrama-dharma is very important. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that it is very difficult even to execute the rules and regulation of varṇāśrama-dharma in this age. Actually that is a fact. Therefore, after explaining varṇāśrama-dharma before Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya: "Yes, it is one of the process, but in this age it is very difficult." Who is going to be brāhmin? It is very difficult. Especially it has become very difficult in India. We are advertising, we are soliciting, "Please come here in this Hare Kṛṣṇa Land and just become a brāhmin-vaiṣṇava, and we shall try to serve you by giving you good place," but nobody is coming. Therefore it is very difficult to revive the old varṇāśrama-dharma culture.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, said: "No, no, it is all right, but it is very difficult now." He is practical. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the . . . namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He is studied by Rūpa Gosvāmī as the most munificent avatāra, incarnation. There are many incarnation, but He's the most munificent, vadānya, the supreme charitable. Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te. He is distributing love of Kṛṣṇa like anything. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te. One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult. Out of many, many millions of person, one tries for making his life successful. And out of many, many such successful, yatatām api siddhānām, one who has attained siddhi, such person, may . . . one may understand Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa, to understand . . . so first of all, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the . . . where is the question of love of Kṛṣṇa? If you do not understand somebody, how you can love him? Love is far, far away. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind that He is distributing kṛṣṇa-prema: "Take, anyone. Come on." Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very practical that, "I want to give kṛṣṇa-prema. One should be ecstatic, emotional in kṛṣṇa-prema. One shall cry for Kṛṣṇa." And He taught everyone by His practical example how He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. Govinda-viraheṇa me. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. This is kṛṣṇa-prema: without Kṛṣṇa, one should see everything vacant. This is Rādhārāṇī's prema.

But that is not possible for ordinary human being. It might be possible for Caitanya Mahāprabhu and few devotees. Just like His immediate disciples, the six Gosvāmīs, they were also following the same principle. In the Vṛndāvana the six Gosvāmīs used to live. But they were seeking Kṛṣṇa, becoming mad.

he rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ

śrī-govardhana-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ

ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau

vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

So they were mad after Kṛṣṇa, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" They never said: "We have seen Kṛṣṇa." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also, He said: "I was dreaming of Kṛṣṇa, and why you awake Me? I have lost the chance." In this way they were making bhajana. This is called viraha-bhajana, viraha-bhajana, separation. That is very recommended process. So we should be awakened, awaken our consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in such a way that being separated from Kṛṣṇa, we shall become mad after Him. This is called kṛṣṇa-prema. That prema was being distributed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And He is still distributing.

So how this prema can be awakened easily, that has been recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, quoting from Lord Brahmā's prayer to Kṛṣṇa, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Don't try to understand Kṛṣṇa by your teeny knowledge. We are imperfect. How we can speculate on Kṛṣṇa? That is not . . . because there are certain persons, jñānīs, they want to know. Just like theosophists, they want to know the Absolute Truth by speculation. But that is not possible.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ . . .

na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

Ciram, for many, many years, if you speculate, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. You have to receive the mercy of Kṛṣṇa through the spiritual master. Then it is possible. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita; you cannot conquer Him. When Kṛṣṇa was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that, "Don't speculate." Sthāne sthitāḥ . . . jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Be submissive, "Kṛṣṇa, I am very poor. Kṛṣṇa, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt-satām

(SB 1.2.17)

If we . . . this is the process. If we hear about Kṛṣṇa . . . sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position. Don't change. Either you are brāhmaṇa or śūdra or gṛhastha or sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. But you hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the first-class process.

So we are opening hundreds and thousands . . . not thousands; we have opened about 102 centers all over the world. But we want to open thousands. But we are in need of assistance. But nobody is coming. Anyway, the Europeans, Americans, some of them have joined. Still, we required many thousands, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma: He wants to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement not in this city or that city, but nagarādi grāma. Just like here we have opened a center in Gandhigram. But in Bombay such hundreds and thousands centers can be opened, it is so big city. Similarly, there are other cities. It is required. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

And that is the duty of the Indians, bhārata-vāsī. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, kṛṣṇa-prema distribution, is the best, topmost para-upakāra, welfare activity. Therefore every Indian should take up this job, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra. So every Indian should understand the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same philosophy. Kṛṣṇa says His philosophy is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is the same. He is Kṛṣṇa, but as He has appeared as devotee, He says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "Whomever you meet, you Indian, bhārata-vāsī, you just try to understand this Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā, and make your life successful and go door to door and say this kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa." What is kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. Bās. You become guru. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

So we should give chance to people to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words, they are not different—absolute. When we hear about Kṛṣṇa, that means we are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa. And the more you associate with Kṛṣṇa, the more you become purified. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The same thing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa's service.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)