740128 - Lecture SB 01.16.35 - Honolulu

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

740128SB-HONOLULU - January 28, 1974 - 30:50 Minutes

Pradyumna: (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

kā vā saheta virahaṁ puruṣottamasya

premāvaloka-rucira-smita-valgu-jalpaiḥ

sthairyaṁ samānam aharan madhu-māninīnāṁ

romotsavo mama yad-aṅghri-viṭaṅkitāyāḥ

(SB 1.16.35)

(break) (leads chanting of synonyms)

Translation: "Who can, therefore, tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme Personality of Godhead? He could conquer the gravity and passionate wrath of His sweethearts like Satyabhāmā and others by His sweet smile of love, pleasing glance and hearty appeals. When He traversed my (the earth's) surface, I would be immersed in the dust of His lotus feet and thus would be sumptuously covered with grass, which appeared like hairs standing on me out of pleasure."

Prabhupāda: Kā vā saheta virahaṁ puruṣottamasya. Puruṣottama. Puruṣa and prakṛti, there are two words. Prakṛti means "enjoyed" or "the energy," and puruṣa means "the enjoyer" and . . . or "the powerful." So we are prakṛti. We living entities, we are prakṛti. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: prakṛteḥ hi me parām vidhi, apareyam itas tu prakṛti me . . .

Devotee: Prakṛtiṁ vidhi me parām.

Prabhupāda: Prakṛtiṁ vidhi me parā (BG 7.5). So, puruṣāṁ śāśvatam: Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person enjoyer, puruṣa. Puruṣa has got different features: personal expansion, personal feature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Expansion feature also two kinds: svāṁśa, vibhinnāṁśa, His personal expansion and separated expansion. We are all separated expansion, vibhinnāṁśa, a small particle. Just like the sun, we are. The sunshine means combination of, what is called, sparking, sparking molecules, very small. The sunshine means they are not homogenous; they are small particles of shining, part and parcel of the sun. Similarly, we living entities, we are like that—a small particle, part and parcel of God. So we are also brightening, shining. We are not dull. But on account of our combination with the material nature, we have been covered. Therefore our shining quality is now stopped. Shining quality is now stopped. That is our forgetfulness about our relationship with the Supreme puruṣa, puruṣottama, uttama puruṣa. Uttama, madhyama and adhyama. There are three grades of puruṣa. We are the lowest grade, adhyama. So, because we are adhyama puruṣa, therefore there is chance of our brightness being sometimes covered. But we can again revive our brightness and shine with the Supreme Person. As the sun and the sunshine, they are together shining, there is light, similarly, when we are again posted in our own constitutional position, and Kṛṣṇa is like the sun and we are shining particles, then our life is successful. That is wanted.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes, the puruṣottama, to take us back. "Why you are now covered, your shining is stopped? You are morose. You are suffering threefold miserable condition of material existence. Why you are rotting here?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa comes Himself. He is within everyone's heart. He's instructing. He is ready to instruct, but He'll only instruct to such persons who have engaged themselves in devotional service. Kṛṣṇa is there, just like the master is there and many workers are there also. The master speaks to the important persons, not to the ordinary person. Similarly, the master is there in everyone's heart:

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati

brahmāyan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(BG 18.61)

Whatever we are getting for our sense enjoyment, that is with the sanction, sanction of the puruṣa, the Supreme Person. The paramātmā feature is madhyama puruṣa. He is purusottama. Puruṣottama is the Supreme Person, and the Supreme Person by His expansion as the Supersoul is present in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām. He's guiding, as friend. He's guiding as friend, but He speaks directly with the living entity as soon as we are purified by devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). That if . . . that qualification we have to attain, then Kṛṣṇa, puruṣottama, will speak from within, just like He spoke from within of Brahma: tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1).

We have to become qualified to talk with the Supreme Person, and He will give us advice. He's giving us advice. He's ready to give us advice from within and from without—from within as Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master. Therefore it is said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Both things are required—guru and Kṛṣṇa. If we are sincere, if we actually want Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-latā. Bhakti-latā-bīja. Just like one small creeper, first of all to sow the seed and water it, then gradually it spouts and gradually, I mean to say, grows. Similarly, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, guru, spiritual master, you get the seed of bhakti-latā, devotional service, and if you sow it within the heart, mālī haya sei bīja kare āropaṇa. Just like if you take a seed, nice seed, and if you sow it, and pour water little, little, then it will grow and it will become a big tree or big creeper and give you the fruits. You'll enjoy it. Similarly, the bhakti-latā-bīja is given by the spiritual master in cooperation with Kṛṣṇa. That is initiation. This initiation arrangement means sowing the seed of devotional service. Now, if you get . . . if you think that after getting initiation, "I have become perfect. Now again, whatever nonsense I was doing, I shall go on doing it," then it will be useless. It will be useless. Suppose if you get a seed. If you don't take proper care, water it nicely, then it will not grow; it will be stunned there. You have to take:

mālī hañā sei bīja kar āropaṇa

śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana

(CC Madhya 19.152)

So this initiation means by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa though His agent, the spiritual master, you are getting the seed of bhakti-latā. So you have to take care of yourself by the instruction. Not that, "Now I have got a spiritual master and I have got the initiation, my business is finished. Let me do all nonsense." No. This initiation process, we take promise from you that no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication—before the fire. The fire ceremony means fire is also representation of yajña-puruṣa, and through fire, the yajña-puruṣa eats, puruṣottama. So there is fire, there is spiritual master, there is śāstra, there is Kṛṣṇa—before . . . they are all witness. Just like before the high-court judge you promise, "Yes, I'll speak . . . whatever I'll speak in this court, it is all truth." So this promise the judge knows, and he gives his judgment on that. Similarly, these promises must be kept; otherwise it will be useless. That is your business, the same thing, guru-kṛṣṇa . . . that by the mercy of guru, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, you get the thing. Now to use the thing properly, that will depend on you. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). I can give you very nice thing, but you keep it locked up in your treasury and never use it, then what will you be? Mālī haya sei bīja kare āropaṇa. You have to sow it and pour water, and see that it is nicely growing. This . . . that is very nicely described in Rupa-śikṣā, mālī hay sei bīja kare āropaṇa. So don't think that after the official ceremony of initiation your business and my business is finished. No. The business begins. It is not the finishing; it is the beginning. So if you don't go farther, ādau guru-āśrayaḥ . . . the beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is the beginning. And, adau guru-āśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchā, then the student must be very inquisitive, sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. You'll find all these things, instruction, in the Nectar of Devotion. They are there.

So today some of you are going to be initiated. This is the beginning of your spiritual life. But if you don't take care for farther development, then that is up to you. You may fall down. Because māyā is very strong. Māyā will place so many impediments. She does not like that so easily you go back to home, back to Godhead. That is māyā's business. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Just like police. Police business is to see the criminal that is actually, he is in his original consciousness to become law-abiding citizen. Otherwise police will go on punishing him. That is police affair. Similarly, this māyā is the police agent. Her business is to chastise you. Every moment this is going on. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa brahmite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151).

So this material life means within the jurisdiction of māyā, and she's always punishing us. Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva māyā tare gola bhagiya. Because we have tried to forget Kṛṣṇa, that is not good for us. That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād

ātma-prabhavam īśvaram

avajānanti na bhajanty

sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

(SB 11.5.3)

I'll give you practical example. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, your body, but if it becomes diseased, then it cannot act as my finger. It becomes a source of pains only. Then sometime doctor advises, physician, or the surgeon that, "Unless you cut off this finger, the whole hand will be poison," and you have to cut off to save the other fingers. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. When we become disobedient or diseased . . . to become disobedient to God means that is diseased condition, because we have to become obedient to somebody, even if our so-called disobedient state, don't care for God. All right, don't care for God, but care for somebody else. That is obligatory. You cannot say that, "I am . . . I don't care for anybody." That is not possible. If you don't care for God, then you have to care for somebody else. If you don't care for the state law, then you have to take care of the police department. You cannot say that "I am independent." That is not possible. So, our position is forgetting God, we have been kicked out constantly by māyā. The māyā has given us the senses, and the senses are dictating us, "Do this, do that, do this, do that," and we have become servant of our senses.

So two things are there. You are servant by constitution. Don't think that you are master. But when you forget or give up the service of the Lord, then you become servant of your senses, or māyā. This is your position. So when you voluntarily again give up this service of the senses and surrender to the master of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa . . . Kṛṣṇa's another name is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka-īśa. Hṛṣīka means senses. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta (BG 1.21). Acyuta and hṛṣīkeśa, . . . (indistinct) . . . that is one word, hṛṣīkeśa. So Hṛṣīkeśa is the master of senses, Kṛṣṇa. So when in our present condition we have forgotten our master of senses but we have taken senses as our master, this is our position. We have forgotten the master of the senses, but we have accepted the senses as our master. So this is . . . this has to be purified: not to become the servant of the senses, but to become servant of the master of the senses. Then you also become master of the senses. That purificatory process is called devotional service, or bhakti. That is described in Nārada Pañcarātra: sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Now, how we have become the servant of our senses? On account of so many designation: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am this," "I am that," "I am . . ." so many designation. So if you . . . designation means to become servant of the senses. Designation means to become the servant. So we have to forget our designation. From this initiation point of view, everyone should consider that, "I am no more American," "I am no more Indian," "No more this or that"—"No, I am Hindu; he is Christian"—"I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then you become designationless—"I am servant of Kṛṣṇa, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108-109)." Then you become designationless, and immediately purified. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam. Nirmalam means spotless. When the spotless, you become spotless, then hṛṣīkena . . . you have got your senses, then your senses are engaged in the servant of the master of the senses. That is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170).

So these things are all very elaborately, nicely explained in our books. So those who are going to be initiated, they should take it as a vow not to fall down again. Catch Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly and you'll not fall down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So be determined. Don't make it a farce that, "Today I am initiated and tomorrow I again I give up everything and again grow my hair and then go to the hell." No. Don't do that. If you want to be serious, then the path is clear for going back to home.

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service you become purified of all material contamination. Sa guṇan samatītyaitān. We are being troubled by the three modes of material nature, but if we stick to our devotional service . . . it is not very difficult to follow the four regulative principles. No illicit sex. There is no question of stopping sex, but no illicit sex. Unfortunately, they're so unfortunate that although they have got their wife, they go to another girl, and although the girl has one husband, he goes . . . she goes to another man. So unfortunate. These things should be stopped if you'll want to be serious; otherwise, make a farce and do whatever you like. I cannot give you protection. That is not possible.

So you must have to follow these rules and regulation if you are serious. Then take initiation. Otherwise, don't make farce. Don't make farce. That is my request. One has to be very determined, bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This word is used in the Bhāgavatam: dṛḍha-vratāḥ, strong determination: "Yes, in this life I shall go back to home, back to Godhead." This is determination. And what is the difficulty? No difficulty. Chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You are taking the beads, sixteen rounds. You can be finished, utmost two hours or three hours. So you have got twenty-four hours. If you want to sleep, of course, twenty-three hours, that is another thing. You have to minimize your sleeping. If you cannot finish sixteen rounds, then you must not sleep on that day; you must not eat. Why don't you forget to eat, forget? Why do you forget chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? This is negligence, aparādha, offense. Rather, you should forget your sleeping and eating and must finish sixteen rounds. This is called determination. This is called determination. So you are welcome to take initiation, but if you are neglectful, if you want to make it a farce, that is your business. I cannot give you any protection.

Thank you very much.

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Devotee: Questions, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee: Any questions?

Prabhupāda: No question now. (end)