680327 - Morning Walk - San Francisco

Morning Walks by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

680327MW-SAN FRANCISCO - March 27, 1968 - 48:10 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Chant.

Girl devotee (1): (sings) Śrīvāsadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You learn this song.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

Śrīvāsadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Chant this when . . . (indistinct)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

Śrīvāsadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Manifestation of Kṛṣṇa in five expansions. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself. Not only Kṛṣṇa, even a perfect yogī, he can also expand. Not as many as Kṛṣṇa, but a perfect yogī, from the scriptures we can understand that a perfect yogī can expand himself up to eight, up to nine forms.

There was one Saubhari Muni. The Saubhari Muni he used to perform yoga practice within water. There were many sages who used to practice. Somebody within water, somebody surrounding fire and in the midst. That means voluntarily putting the body into trouble, and at the same time executing yoga practice. They were so much advanced that in spite of all material trouble they would be able to execute spiritual duties.

Saubhari Muni was sexually agitated within the water by the fishes. So he came out of the water, and the neighboring king—I forgot the name—he went there and demanded the king that "I want to marry your daughter. So give me your daughter." The king thought . . . he was so ugly, because he was within the water. So all body was, what is called?

Syamasundara: Distorted?

Devotee (1): Water-logged, yeah. The skin gets water-logged?

Prabhupāda: No, not that. There are some kind of weeds within the water.

Devotee (1): Oh. Algae?

Prabhupāda: Maybe.

Devotee (2): Seaweed.

Prabhupāda: Seaweeds, yes. So they . . . all over the body there was some seaweeds. Not exactly . . . he was very unclean and odd-looking, and beard and ugly. So he thought that "He's a great yogī. If I refuse, 'No, I'm not going to hand over my daughter to you,' then he may be angry and create some catastrophe."

So he said, just to avoid him that, "I have got eight daughters, and it is the desire of my daughters that they should be given over to one husband . . ." no, that "they should be married all at once. So unless I find other husbands of my daughters, you have to wait." So immediately, "Yes, I shall myself become eight, then." And he expanded himself, eight expansions.

So at that time what could he say? He said: "You know, my dear sir, that they are princesses after all. They may not like such ugly husband." Oh, he at once became very youthful and beautiful. Then he married. So we shall find that a perfect yogī can expand himself. So similarly, Kardama Muni also expanded into nine. He married Devahūti on condition that unless his wife has got sufficient children, he'll not leave her, and he must leave her. So he expanded himself nine and begotten nine daughters.

So we can find from history, the Purāṇas . . . purāṇas all means history, Purāṇas. Old history. Purāṇa means old. So even a perfect yogī can expand, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa. He is called Yogeśvara, the supreme yogī. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this word about Kṛṣṇa, yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. Yogeśvara: He's perfect in all practices of mystic power. So these five expansions, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda-śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsAdi-gaura . . .

Kṛṣṇa appeared in five expansions. Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Lord Caitanya, is Kṛṣṇa Himself. And Prabhu Nityānanda, His immediate expansion. Just like Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. And Advaita is incarnation, and Gadādhara is internal potency, and Śrīvāsa, marginal potency. And there is another potency, external potency. The external potency is not there. External potency means by which this material world is manifested.

Devotee (2): What is the difference between an expansion and an incarnation?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (2): What is the difference between an expansion and an incarnation?

Prabhupāda: Expansion is direct, and incarnation is indirect. When expansion of expansion is accepted, that is called kalā, incarnation, avatāra, kalā. So Advaita is not direct. The example is given in Brahma-saṁhitā, just like you get one candle kindled from the first candle, another from the second, another from the third. So similarly, either expansion or incarnation, they are all candles.

The original candle is Kṛṣṇa. It is not that expansion of expansion is less powerful. The candle power is the same either origin or expansion or expansion of the expansion. It is not that Nityānanda is less powerful than Caitanya, or Advaita is less powerful than . . . no. Any incarnation or expansion has the same potency, Viṣṇu-tattva. The manifestation of potency is different.

Just like Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Rāma is also the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But one is original. Kṛṣṇa is original, and Rāma is an expansion. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa exhibited the qualities of God fully; Rāma exhibited qualities of God partially. Take, for example, Rāma was manifesting Himself as an ideal king.

He was not manifesting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore as ideal king He was limiting Himself with the moral principles of this world. And Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He exhibited that He's above any principle of the material world. He's free to act any way He likes. Otherwise what is the meaning . . . means full-fledged manifestation of God.

Lord Rāma, He married only one, Sītā. And when Sītā was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, He never married again. Or when Sītā was sent to the forest for public opinion, He never married again. He remained a sticked to . . . stuck to only one wife, because He was setting example, moral principle, to the world. Kṛṣṇa married 16,108.

Not religious. Religious, He married only eight wife. But these 16,100 girls were kidnapped by one demon, and they were concentrated in a camp. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa to save them. Kṛṣṇa is kind to everyone. So Kṛṣṇa came to their rescue, and He killed that demon. He rescued all the girls.

But the girls requested Kṛṣṇa that, "Because we were kidnapped and we are concentrated under his custody, so if we go back to our father, it will be difficult for him to get us married to a suitable prince. So our request is that You marry us." Kṛṣṇa agreed, "All right." He married wholesale, 16,100. And that can be possible. Why 16,100? He can marry 16,000,000 at a time. Otherwise how He's God?

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises his class fellows that "Don't be bothering yourself for solution of economic question. That is already provided." Just like all these animals, these birds, they have no question how to live, how to eat, how to mate, how to defend. This is already there.

They're eating, they're sleeping, they're mating and they're defending as far as required. Just see the birds, as soon as they see us they . . . (indistinct) . . . so the defending propensity is there. How you can say the man is greater intelligence? There is intelligence. They were here, and as soon as they saw, "Here are come all the men. They can eat us. Let us fly there." The man cannot come to . . . (indistinct) . . . so don't you see the defensive propensity is here?

You may, according to your intelligence, you may discover defensive weapons, nuclear weapons, and aeroplanes and bombs, and so many things, because they have got higher intelligence. That the . . . but the ultimate conclusion: that the defensive propensity is there in you also. There is no difference in the material existentional propensities. So what does he find?

(break) . . . from history point? . . . (indistinct)

Mālatī: That man is . . .

Prabhupāda: Huh?

18:15 Mālatī: I think I understood you to say that man's intelligence is higher in purpose and it's not manual service, taking advantage of it.

Prabhupāda: Yes, his higher intelligence is utilized for purification. That is the teaching.

Mālatī: You were talking about Prahlāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Prahlāda Mahārāja said. Yes. About this body. It is arrangement, according to different body. Now, these swans, they have left this, defending—they're going away. This is defending only. Yes. And as soon as they're on the water, they think, "Oh, we are safe, because these rascals cannot come in the water." They are thinking about us "rascals." As we are thinking about them that they are lower animals, so they are also thinking, "These are rascals." Just like some father rebukes the son, the son also thinks of the father as rascal: "Unnecessarily he's chastising me."

There is a proverb that as the child grows . . . (break) . . . also thinks that "This boy is a fool, he'll do wrong by . . ." This is stated. And the child is stated in a different way. Just like sometimes our audience also. When we speak, they think, "All nonsense he's speaking. Oh, Kṛṣṇa, what is this Kṛṣṇa? Let us enjoy." They are not purified.

So this Prahlāda Mahārāja says that according to the body, the specific facilities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending is already arranged. It is already arranged. So one hasn't got to learn. Just like for mating. There is no college or school where in the classroom dis . . . that, "This is way you have to mate." Everyone knows automatically.

Everyone knows how to mate automatically. Nobody is taught how to laugh. Oh, when laughing comes, it, automatically one laughs. Nobody's taught how to cry. Everyone cries when there is some distress. So these truths, what is wanted as the necessity of my body, so arrangement is there.

But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, you think that "We can do something." Therefore we take advantage of our high intelligence to defend ourselves more nicely, to have mating more nicely or eating more nicely. And a devotee should be satisfied that "Whatever Kṛṣṇa arranged, that's all right. That kṛṣṇa-prasāda we will take.

Whatever Kṛṣṇa has kindly sent, let me be satisfied with this." They do not want more than that. Similarly, "Kṛṣṇa has sent me this woman as my wife. Oh, let me be satisfied with that." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that He's pleased to send me such foodstuff, He's pleased to send me such wife, He's pleased to give me strength for so much defense."

So the whole question is solved there. But because you have got high intelligence, we are going to surpass the intelligence of Kṛṣṇa: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has given me this wife? Why not search out another nice wife?" That means I am going to surpass the intelligence of Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has sent this prasāda. Oh, this is all vegetables. Why not take some animal food and liquor?" Kṛṣṇa does not send you liquor. You have manufactured.

Kṛṣṇa has sent you this fruit, He has sent you the grains, Kṛṣṇa has sent you the milk. You should be satisfied. Why should you manufacture liquor? Why should you manufacture slaughterhouse? We don't eat meat. Are you dying? Ninety percent of Indian population, they don't eat meat. They're simply vegetarian. Yes. And you can see how they are healthy. They cannot get sufficient food, that is different thing. That is maladministration.

Kṛṣṇa has given sufficient food for all the people of the world. Somewhere the foodstuff is being thrown in the sea, and somewhere people are starving. This is want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If a man becomes . . . if the president becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious president, then he'll think, "This foodstuff is Kṛṣṇa's. It is not our result. So Kṛṣṇa claims all living entities as His sons.

So we are sons of God, and the Indians or other poverty-stricken countries, they are also sons of God. So if we have got enough, why not send there?" Why you are putting the foodstuff, which no human being can produce, you are throwing it in the water? This is lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness education is greatly needed for human society. Do you follow, Gurudāsa?

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So you have to convince people like that, that it is not a sentimental institution. We are teaching the thing which is very, absolutely needed for the human society. As soon as one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, his personal questions and problems are solved. And if others adopt the same principle, then social-political questions are also solved. So we have to teach.

They will say it is not practical. Why not practical? . . . (indistinct) . . . this is not practical. There are so many scientific . . . you discovered. Just like this tape recorder. This is advantageous to the human society. But it is not practical that everyone will have a nice tape recorder. That is not practical. But when you go to manufacture, say the discoverer, "Oh, that it is not practical—therefore it should not be manufactured . . ."

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness may not be practical for all, but that does not mean it should not be preached. The customer will take. Just like this tape recorder: one has got money, you have purchased, taking advantage. Similarly, there are many pious persons who can take Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just like you have taken. You are not ordinary, common man. There must have been some pious activities in your past lives. Therefore you have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously. Bhagavad-gītā says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ (BG 7.28). A sinful person cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is said, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ. One who has completely vanquished all sorts of sinful reactions.

Now, the question may be that whether one can finish all sorts of sinful reactions within this material world. No. That is not possible. But it is possible also. What is that? That is also answered in the Bhagavad-gītā that, "You give up everything. Surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." So I may be sinful, and there are so many reactions awaiting me for giving me trouble, but as soon as Kṛṣṇa takes charge of me, then everything is finished. How it can be finished? Because He is all-powerful, He's the supreme.

Just like if the president says . . . one man is ordered to be hanged. If the president says: "No, he should not be hanged," then immediately all others sanction, because he's the supreme. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, in spite of a huge stock of sinful reactions awaiting me, simply for the purpose of my surrendering to Kṛṣṇa they're all set aside by Kṛṣṇa.

He'll see to it. Simply surrender. And that surrender, as soon as it is done, then the other word says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ (BG 7.28) One who has finished all kinds of reactions of sinful activities, janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, persons executing pious activities . . . and the most pious activity is devotional service.

"How is that? There are so many other kinds of activities. What is this? This man has made so much charity, he has made so many hospitals, he has . . . (indistinct) . . . in such things. And this man is simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Do you mean to say he is more pious than that man who has made so much charity?" The śāstra says, "Yes. Yes." Why? That is also explained in the Bhāgavata: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That activity is considered to be the highest pious activity. The Bhāgavata does not say what kind of activity. "That activity which leads one to be a devotee of the Lord."

That activity is not limited. Any activity that makes one progressing for realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is higher, the highest pious activity. That is the description. Just as military art is not a very pious activity, killing art. But because the killing art exhibited by Arjuna was leading him to this platform of satisfying Kṛṣṇa, so that became the highest pious activity. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro . . . we have to see whether by his activity he's gaining strength in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it is highest. It doesn't matter whether it is photography or business or painting or cooking. It doesn't matter. Whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied by his activities.

Just like you are engaged in different activities. But as soon as you bring your money and engage in the Society's cause, oh, I am very gratified. I do not require . . . of course, we do not encourage impious activity. That is not the meaning. But phalena paricīyate. Because you offer the result of your activities to Kṛṣṇa, that becomes pious. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. So that is the standard of pious activity.

Now, this is also pious activity . . . (indistinct) . . . teacher. But if by satisfying the poor teachers one becomes pious, how much pious he is who is trying to satisfy the supreme teacher, Kṛṣṇa. He's also a living creature. He's also individual person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

(pause) Oh you have finished our walking? Not yet?

Devotee (2): Excuse me?

Prabhupāda: All right, one round more.

Devotee (1): (indistinct) . . . flower?

Prabhupāda: Oh, no flavor?

Devotee (1): No, they bloom in the springtime.

Prabhupāda: It is just like a beautiful man without any qualification.

Devotee (1): Ah! No scent.

Prabhupāda: No scent.

Gurudāsa: Is that a qualification? Is that part of the age of Kali-yuga? Flowers with no scent?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Trees will have no fruits. The fruit will have no juice. That is mentioned. Just like in a mango there is a seed. In many fruits there is seed. In Kali-yuga you'll find simply the skin and seed, no pulp. And cloud without rain. These are mentioned. What can you do?

If the cloud becomes without rain, if the fruit become without pulp, if the paddy becomes without grain, then what you have to eat? You have to eat the grass, the husk, the skin and the seed. Or kill another man and eat. Just like in Africa, still, they are doing: cannibals. Killing the grandfather, that is a great ceremony. Do you know that?

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They kill the grandfather and have a feast, the cannibals. Yes. That is a great sport, that the grandsons will kill the grandfather and have a feast on his body by toasting. Yes. The same idea is being preached by the Communists. They want that all old man of the society, they should be killed. That is one of the theories put forward by the Communists. Because they are not producing anything.

So just imagine, these things will come gradually. So better to leave this place as soon as possible. Not to come again. That should be our serious attention. The other day the radio man was asking, "Swāmījī, how to adjust?" And "There is no adjustment. You have to go out of the scene. There is no adjustment." So he was not very happy.

If I would have bluffed him, "Oh, you do this, you do that, you do this humanitarian work, you spread education and give foodstuff." No! There is no adjustment. The only adjustment is quit this place. That is the function of this human form of life.

You can get out of this show by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa says that this is the abode of miseries and that also temporary. Because you can accept any miserable life. That is the spell of māyā. Just like this dog life. If somebody asked me, "Would you like to be a dog? I can make you," shall I agree? Why not? Because I know that's miserable life. But the dog is satisfied. By becoming a purchased slave, very much satisfied.

He has no independence, always chained and always servant, eternal servant of a particular man. He can do any harmful thing by the order of the master, he's so faithful. But still, his life is miserable, because he's dog. But he is satisfied. He thinks that, "Oh, it is a very nice life." This is called covering power of māyā, illusion. Anyone in the most miserable condition of life, he'll think, "Oh, I am very happy." Ask him, "How are you?" "Oh, very nice. Very nice."

So there is no adjustment. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should . . . he knows that here, only adjustment is to live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the only . . . if he's materially conscious . . . what is the difference between materially conscious man and Kṛṣṇa conscious man? Materially conscious person is thinking everything as his property or enjoyable thing. And Kṛṣṇa conscious person is seeing the same thing as Kṛṣṇa's.

A materially conscious person is satisfied, you get him a nice, aromatic flower for his personal enjoyment; and Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he at once thinks, "It is very nice flower; it should be offered to Kṛṣṇa." The flower is there, he is there, the consciousness is changed. That's all. He's thinking everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Here the man, distributing food to the animals and fish, he's thinking that, "I am doing some pious activities, and I shall enjoy the fruit of it." And that's a fact. But if we distribute kṛṣṇa-prasāda, we think that, "This man is being supplied kṛṣṇa-prasāda, one day he may become Kṛṣṇa conscious." There is no personal question. And the principle of distributing kṛṣṇa-prasāda is there. Therefore even they don't pay any charge, if you distribute the prasāda, if you are able, you are doing some service. Because by eating only, he shall one day become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

So whole program is for Kṛṣṇa. And that is you are preparing, you are earning money, you are distributing prasāda. Why? For Kṛṣṇa's sake. Otherwise, why should you work so hard? But we have voluntarily accepted, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. Everyone may act in his own duty. It doesn't matter what kind of duty he has got, but he has to see whether by execution of that duty Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Then he's successful. That is the version in the Srimad-Bhāgavatam:

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, everyone has got a specific duty. So one has to see that by his specific duty, entrusted with or discharging that duty, whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied. That's all.

Therefore one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master to know whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied by his work. Who will certify? You cannot concoct, "Oh, I am doing for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa." No, that is not possible. It must be accepted by the representative of Kṛṣṇa: "Yes, by your work, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied." Then it is all right. So . . . (break)

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. In everything, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, just stick to these two books very nicely. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. It is a great science and very intricate also. But one has to learn also very diligently. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for the fools. It is not for the fools. Highly intelligent class of men, he can understand the philosophical aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

But the thing is so attractive that even a child, even a fool is attracted.

(break) Yes. That is the beauty. Although it is very difficult to understand this philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced the system that anyone can take it. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)