730109 - Lecture NOD - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730109ND-BOMBAY - January 09, 1973 - 41:54 Minutes

Pradyumna: (reading) "Impersonalists are very fond of merging into the Supreme, like rivers that come down and merge into the ocean. The ocean can be compared with liberation, and the rivers with all the different paths of liberation. The impersonalists are dwelling in the river water, which eventually comes to mix with the ocean. They have no information, however, that within the ocean, as within the river, there are innumerable aquatic living entities. The sharks who dwell in the ocean do not care for the rivers which are gliding down into it. The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers."

Prabhupāda: This comparison that the rivers . . . it does not matter from which way it is coming down to the sea; when they mix together, they become one. But if this comparison is taken, that the rivers merging into the sea, and when it mixes there is no separate existence of the river, but they do not see analogy. Analogy, according to law of analogy, the points of similarities must be one. Analogy is perfect when the points of similarities are there. Just like we say: "Your face is as beautiful as moon." That means the face, beauty of the face, is as attractive as the moon is attractive. The points of similarity is there. We cannot say an ugly face, "Your face is like moon." That cannot be. That is not analogy because there is no points of similarity. That is the law of analogy.

So similarly, if you make analogy that as the different rivers are . . . the water is coming down and mixing with the sea, then it becomes one, but there are other points. This is superficial vision. There is other points. The same water again becomes evaporated and again thrown on the ground, and they again glide down as rivers. There is . . . this is a fact. But if you go deep into the water, just like the shark fish—the comparison is given there—the shark fish is never evaporated. The shark fish is within the water of the sea, and there is no question of evaporation. The water may be evaporated. So our point is, from śāstra we can understand:

ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas

tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ

āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ

patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

(SB 10.2.32)

The point is that simply mixing with the sea water is not final salvation. Because the same example—the water is evaporated, again turns into cloud, then again falls, the same water again falls on the ground, then again glides down. So that is not very safe position. But if you take shelter of the ocean as a fish, then there is no question of evaporation. Just try to understand this analogy.

Similarly, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is realized in three different features: Brahman, impersonal Brahman, brahmeti; localized Paramātmā, the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, localized Paramātmā; and Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Māyāvādī philosophy is that because God is everything, therefore there is no separate existence of God. This is Māyāvādī philosophy. God is everything, that's all right, but that's not . . . that does not mean God loses His existence. This is material conception. The material conception is that you take anything . . . suppose you take a piece of paper and you make it into small pieces and throw it, then the original paper has no existence. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they are thinking like that. If God is everything—that's a fact; God is everything—but that does not mean that God is lost of His own existence. That is material.

Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). This is the Vedic information. You take . . . here we have got experience, one minus one equal to zero. But we get the Vedic information that one minus one equal to one, one plus one equal to one. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate. You take whole thing, but still, advaita acyuta. Acyuta. Advaita. God may expand Himself and so, eko bahu śyām, He has expanded Himself as svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Svāṁśa means viṣṇu-tattva, just like Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, so many.

Ananta. Advaita acyuta ananta-rūpa. So ananta-rūpam, that does not mean the original, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), He is lost. No. He is not lost. He is there, although He has expanded Himself. We are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. We are vibhinnāṁśa. We are small particles, not with the full power. The Viṣṇu expansion, They're with full power. We, living entities, we are also expansion, eko bahu śyām. That one God has become many. As viṣṇu-tattva, as Viṣṇu energy, as Viṣṇu svāṁśa, as Viṣṇu vibhinnāṁśa, so many He has expanded.

Just like the sun, you can understand. What is this material world? It is the expansion of sun's heat and light, that's all. Any scientist knows. But there are so many varieties of expansion. It is due to the sunshine that the trees are growing in different foliage, different color. There are so many fruits and flowers, they're growing, and as soon as there is no sunshine, everything becomes deserted. There are seven colors in the sunshine. From material point of view, you can understand how much potency is God, Kṛṣṇa.

Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8, CC Madhya 13.65, purport). Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis. Our philosophy is that God . . . everything is God. That is śakti pariṇāmavāda. He is everything by His potency. Not that He is finished. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. "In my impersonal feature I am spread all over the universe, all over the world."

ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtina

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

(BG 9.4)

"Everything is resting on me, but it is not that I am there." So this philosophy . . .

So devotional service is not only mixing, but to remain steady, engaged. The same example. The rivers, that is superficial. You . . . we are seeing the ocean superficially. There is no varieties—simply water, simply water, simply water. But if you go deep into the water, there are so many varieties. So many varieties. Similarly, simply entering, merge into the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyotir, that is not secure position. The secure position is within the brahma-jyotir . . . that is explained in the Īśopaniṣad. Within the brahma-jyotir there are planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets. So you have to take shelter in one of the planets. Just like the fish, the comparison of the fish, the shark fish, he has taken shelter of the ocean. Therefore the . . . for him there is no evaporation. The water, although it is also sea water, that, that is subjected to be evaporated. So simply by entering into the Brahman effulgence is not safe. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32).

So our Bhakti-rasāmṛta teaches just . . . just become a shark fish, or even small fish. Actually there are many types of fishes, even a small fish, that also not become evaporated. That remains in this water, because it has taken shelter completely of the ocean. Similarly, if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is no chance of falling down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Those who are not taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is chance of falling down. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they take shelter of Brahman and reject this world, material world as mithyā. But unless they take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot stay there. He has to again come back. That is the position.

Therefore bhakti-yoga is secure. Secure mukti. Mukti means to be engaged in the service of the Lord. We are serving in this material world. Everyone is serving. But this is not mukti. This is our anyathā rūpa. We are serving, just like I am serving my country. I, Indian, I am very much feeling compassion for my Indian brothers. Similarly, Americans are feeling, Chinese are feeling, in different, that we have made compartment. No. If you feel as Kṛṣṇa conscious, that feeling is perfect. Otherwise, these feeling, temporary āruhya, patanty adhaḥ. This is a fact. Now I have got Indian body, suppose; but next life there is no guarantee in human body. Next life, even if I get Indian body, if I become a cow or goat, then I'll be sent to the slaughterhouse.

So this, these are not guarantees. This is anyathā rūpa. Our this change of body, that is our anyathā rūpa. We must be fixed up in our own rūpa, svarūpa. Svarūpa-siddhi. It is called svarūpa-siddhi. Svarūpa-siddhi means to be engaged in the service of Lord. That is real mukti, mukti hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Purification. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to become free from all designation. We are designated now. I am working as American, I am working as family man, I am working as this, that. These are all designation. When I shall work as eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, that is real mukti. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers."

Prabhupāda: Just like the shark fish, they do not come into the river. That means those who are nitya-mukta, eternally liberated, they do not come into this material world. They do not come. There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-mukta and nitya baddha. Nitya-baddha, we are. Those who are in this material world, we are eternally conditioned. Eternally conditioned in this way, because I am changing my body, one after another. As I am desiring, I am getting my next body. This body I am creating my next body; again when I shall get next body, I shall create another body. So this is going on.

And because it is going on, when it has begun and when it is going to end, that you do not know. Therefore it is called nitya, eternal. Actually it is not eternal, but we do not know when I have begun my material existence. At least we can think that since this material . . . this term of material creation was there, I began my life. But no, that is not actual fact. The actual fact is, when there was no creation, I was submerged into the body of Nārāyaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu. And when there is again creation, I come out. So when I was submerged into the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu, before that, my activities began in this material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

So we are given chance. When there is creation, another cosmic manifestation, we have given chance. Now, you take another chance. Come back home, back . . . go back to home, back to Godhead. But we misuse this chance. On account of our ignorance, we misuse this chance, especially this human form of body. Here is a chance. We can go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore the śāstras are there. The Vedas are there. The Upaniṣads are there. Why? To give us information. To awaken us. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibhodata (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14). The Vedas says: "Now you wake up, take advantage."

Prāpya varān. "You have got this book. You fulfill your mission. Don't rot in this material world." Kṛṣṇa Himself comes, He . . . to recall us. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But still we cannot understand Him. We say Kṛṣṇa is dark, Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Why Kṛṣṇa is unknown? Kṛṣṇa, He is giving His own identification, and I am authority of explaining Bhagavad-gītā, I say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fuss. I am writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā for misleading others, and personally when I'm asked, "What you know?" "That Kṛṣṇa is unknown to me." This is going on. Kṛṣṇa is declaring Himself:

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

"I am the origin of all creation," ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate, "Everything emanates from Me." Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2), Kṛṣṇa says. Devānām, from Brahmā. Devānām means beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, then other devas, Indra, Candra. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. "I am the ṛṣīnām, all the ṛṣis, then prakṛti." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10): "Under My superintendence this material world is working."

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakta mad-yājī māṁ nama . . . everything Kṛṣṇa is declaring, and the rascals say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fun. And he's explaining Bhagavad-gītā. He should have explained that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, instead of his posing that, "Kṛṣṇa is unknown. He is black, dark." Our philosophy is, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says:

kṛṣṇa-sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

(CC Madhya 22.31)

Kṛṣṇa is just like sun, sūrya-sama. Māyā is andhakāra, not Kṛṣṇa is andhakāra. Because Kṛṣṇa, this Kṛṣṇa word sometimes means darkness, so Kṛṣṇa has become dark. He becomes unknown. Actually, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no more darkness, there is no more ignorance.

kṛṣṇa-sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

So actually, such persons, they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be explained who knows about Kṛṣṇa. And who knows Kṛṣṇa? Only the devotee knows. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. "I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense." He says. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). "Actually what I am," tattvataḥ, "in truth, that can be understood through devotion," through love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3).

Everything is there, clear. If you are not bhakta, if you are philosopher, that's all right, remain philosopher; why you try to touch Kṛṣṇa? That is not your subject matter. Don't poke your nose in that subject matter. Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell, that is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṇa. They know, Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself like this, still he says, "Kṛṣṇa is unknown." This is cruel, hiṁsā.

So in this way you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We must understand Kṛṣṇa by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The . . . Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When one becomes purified after being freed from all kinds of designation, that is the beginning.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

There begins bhakti.

evaṁ prasanna-manaso

bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ

bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ

mukta-saṅgasya-jāyate

(SB 1.2.20)

Only the muktas. Those who are conditioned, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They will say: "Kṛṣṇa—a dark," "Kṛṣṇa is unknown," "Kṛṣṇa is black." That's all. Because he is seeing with his eyes. Kṛṣṇa is not unknown. Kṛṣṇa known only to the devotees.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam

(SB 10.14.29).

Athāpi te deva. "My dear Lord, by Your mercy, one who has got a little, fragmental portion of Your mercy," prasāda leśa . . . prasāda means mercy, and leśa means very small portion. "Anyone who has got a little portion of Your mercy, he cannot know You." Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam. He can understand. Na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan. Others, they can go on speculating on their philosophy for millions of years; still they will not be able to understand. They will not be able to understand—simply futile, simply futile. They cannot.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that, "Surrender unto Me. If you don't surrender unto Me, you do not become My devotee, I'll not be exposed to you. I am not so cheap." Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap, but He's cheap to the devotees. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Vedeṣu durlabham. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa by the strength of your Vedic study, so-called Vedic study . . . because that is foolish study. He does not know. That is the test. If he . . . one does not understand Kṛṣṇa, his Vedic study is simply waste of time. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. The test will be whether he has understood Kṛṣṇa. If one has studiesVedas, the test will be whether he understands Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). If he is missing Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa is unknown—then all his study is useless waste of time. Useless waste of time. This is the verdict of the śāstra.

So those . . . one who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he . . . his knowledge is not at all advanced, what to speak of perfection. There is no question of perfection. Perfection of knowledge is surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

So this is the position. So one who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, if they speak to the public about Kṛṣṇa, about Bhagavad-gītā, they are nonsense, simply misleading people. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are themselves blind, and they are other blind men there also, therefore they do not get any profit out of it. So many Gītār jñāna, Gītār version is going on, but still they are in the same darkness. Same darkness. Not a single . . . (indistinct) . . . is follower. Why? Well, that is not the way of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Such, you have to approach a jñānī who has seen the truth. And how the truth can be seen? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). The tattva-darśinaḥ and tattva. It is through the devotional side. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa . . . there are so many versions about this thing:

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi

na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ

sevonmukhe hi jihvādau

svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

(CC Madhya 17.136)

Kṛṣṇa reveals. You cannot order Kṛṣṇa, "Please come here, I'll see You." No, that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not your order-supplier. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. You have to surrender. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal unto you. Being pleased by your service, He will reveal. Not that because you are very nice scholar, you know much A-B-C-D, Kṛṣṇa will come to you. No. Kṛṣṇa is not subjected to such order-supplying agency.

(aside) Yes, go on.

Pradyumna: "Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prays to his spiritual master, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, for the protection of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 'The Ocean of the Pure Nectar of Devotional Service,' from the argumentative logicians who unnecessarily meddle in the science of service to the Lord."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Logicians, nyāya, what is called?

Devotee: Mīmāṁsā.

Prabhupāda: Mīmāṁsā. Mīmāṁsā. Mīmāṁsā . . . (indistinct) . . . so Kṛṣṇa is not subjected to this logic, mīmāṁsā, grammar. No. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said:

bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ

bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate

prāpte sannihite maraṇe

na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe

Ḍukṛn, du-prata, kṛñ-prata, these are grammatical jugglery. So these Māyāvādīs, they coin words by grammatical jugglery, "This word may be meant, may be meaning like this." They're all grammatical jugglery. Then nyāya jugglery. So they take advantage of this jugglery. Kṛṣṇa is not subjected to this jugglery of words. Kṛṣṇa keeps always His independence, and if you fulfill the condition, if you surrender unto Him, then He will be revealed unto you. Not by your jugglery of words. That is not possible.

Pradyumna: "He compares their arguments and logic to volcanic eruptions in the midst of the ocean."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sometimes they create havoc. Because these Māyāvādīs, Kṛṣṇa gives them intelligence. Because he wants to, he puts forward his logic to kill Kṛṣṇa or to forget Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also gives his intelligence, "Yes, you talk like this so that you will forget forever." Yes. (laughter) "You talk like this." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca, Kṛṣṇa says. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa can give you.

If you actually want Kṛṣṇa, He'll give you intelligence. Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Kṛṣṇa is very cunning also: "This man is trying to forget Me, to mislead others." Not . . . (indistinct) . . . he is misleading himself. Others cannot be misled for the time being, but he is misled for good. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu (BG 16.19).

These asuras, on account of their enviousness upon Kṛṣṇa, to prove that there is no Kṛṣṇa, there is no God, so these people are put into andhā yoni. Andhā yoni means in such . . . just like animals. They cannot understand about Kṛṣṇa. Kṣipāmy andhā yoniṣu. So that is Kṛṣṇa's punishment, that "He wants to forget Me, he wants to kill Me. All right, he . . . let him be put into such birth that he may not know what is Kṛṣṇa for many, many births."

(aside) Yes, go on.

Pradyumna: "In the midst of the ocean, such volcanic eruptions can do very little harm, and similarly, those who are against devotional service to the Lord and who put forward many philosophical theses about the ultimate transcendental realization cannot disturb this great ocean of devotional service."

Prabhupāda: That sometimes, everyone knows, there is volcanic eruption in the ocean. What does it harm to the ocean? It throws out some lava, and some little island may come out, but what is the harm to the ocean? Similarly, these rascal may go on with their philosophy for killing Kṛṣṇa. That does not hurt Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It will go on. This ocean will never be disturbed by these so-called philosophies. This will never be disturbed. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The author of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Every Vaiṣṇava, that is Vaiṣṇava's sadācāra, humbleness. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā (CC Adi 17.31). Although Vaiṣṇava knows everything, still he presents himself very humble, lower that the straw, humbler than the tree. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā: they don't . . . the devotee does not claim any so-called popular respect, false respect. They go on with their Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā: if anyone wants some honor, he gives everyone honor. For him, he does not want any honor. What honor he'll take, this material honor?

Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was offered benediction by Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, "You take any kind of benediction," so Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: "My dear Lord, I am born of a father, passionate, and I am always greedy about material opulence, naturally, because my father was like that. So You are offering benediction. I can ask from You any kind of material opulence. I know that. But what I shall do all these material opulences? I've seen my father was so strong materially that when he was angry even the demigods trembled. He was so powerful. Now everything is finished within a second by You. So what is the value of this material opulence? Why shall I ask You all these nonsense? Kindly engage me, kindly engage me in the service of Your servant. That I want." This is devotion. They don't want anything. "Kindly engage me nijunkaman ātmā dāse." That is the prayer.

So the devotees, they do not want anything material. They are not captivated by so-called followers. No. Na dhanaṁ na janam—janam means followers—na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). What is this false power? Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ. If one disciple is enlivened with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can work as the moon. Otherwise, so many foolish followers, what they'll do? Just like stars. Thousands and millions of stars, they cannot do anything. One moon is sufficient. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is not required that everyone will be follower. That is not possible, because it is very difficult. But still, if one follower, sincere follower, is there, it will go on. It will go on. Nobody can stop it.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas."

Prabhupāda: Yes, we should not be very much proud that, "I have created wonderful." Why? What wonderful? What? I am not a magician that I can create wonderful. Sometimes people, they give me so much honor: "Swāmījī, you have created wonderful." I do not feel that I have created wonderful. What I have done? I say that I, I do . . . I'm not a magician. I do not know how to create wonderful. I have simply Bhagavad-gītā, presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all. If there is any credit, this is only credit.

Anyone can do that. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and anyone can present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So it will act wonderful. I am not a magician. I do not know the tricks of magics and the yoga-siddhi, I am creating (makes gesture) like this. (laughter) I have no such power. Neither I do it. So I . . . my only credit is, I do not want to mix with this pure Bhagavad-gītā teaching any rascaldom, that's all. That is my credit. And whatever little miracle has been done, only on this principle. That's all.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: ". . . and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit . . ."

Prabhupāda: Yes, the same thing. Our purpose should be to satisfy our predecessors.

tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame more ei abhilāsa

(Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7)

We cannot deviate from the path of the previous ācāryas. We must strictly follow. That is the qualification. We must follow their instruction. Therefore I repeatedly say to my students that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen rounds and follow the regulative principles. Your strength is there." If we . . . just like Himalayan mountain, nobody can push it. Very simple thing. It is so powerful. Yaha hoite sarva-siddhi haya. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's request. Don't deviate from the instruction. Then you will stand as strong as the Himalayan mountain. Very simple thing. Anyone can do.

We are asking, following the footsteps of predecessor, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction to Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpānuga. Therefore we are called rūpānuga. Anuga. Anuga means following. Going, following the footsteps of Rūpa. So as the, Rūpa Gosvāmī is following his predecessor, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so we have to follow our predecessor. Then we will be successful. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can do any harm.

Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). If you stick to the principle of following the footsteps of previous predecessor, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2)—don't add anything, don't subtract anything, present as it is and keep your spiritual strength intact—then the preaching will go on. Nobody can disturb you.

That's all. Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)