741019 - Lecture SB 01.08.39 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

741019SB-MAYAPUR - October 19, 1974 - 27:18 Minutes

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

neyaṁ śobhiṣyate tatra

yathedānīṁ gadādhara

tvat-padair aṅkitā bhāti

sva-lakṣaṇa-vilakṣitaiḥ

(SB 1.8.39)

(break)

"O Gadādhara, Kṛṣṇa, our kingdom is now being marked by the impressions of Your feet, and therefore it appears beautiful. But when You leave, it will no longer be so."

Prabhupāda: Those who have got books, there should be one correction. It is written "how." It should be "now," n-o-w, not "how."

neyaṁ śobhiṣyate tatra

yathedānīṁ gadādhara

tvat-padair aṅkitā bhāti

sva-lakṣaṇa-vilakṣitaiḥ

(SB 1.8.39)

So Kuntī . . . Kṛṣṇa was in Hastināpura, the capital of the Kurus. So wherever He was walking, that impression of His lotus feet was there, and on account of this, everywhere, full of opulence. Full of opulence. So Kṛṣṇa was leaving Hastināpura. Therefore Kuntīdevī was regretting that, "If You go away, then it will be not so beautiful as it is now on account of Your presence."

So, taking this instruction from Kuntīdevī, if we try to keep Kṛṣṇa, so everything will be opulent. There will be no scarcity. On account of Kṛṣṇa's presence . . . but how Kṛṣṇa will be present? Kṛṣṇa is already present. But His presence will be more and more appreciated by this kīrtana. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). This is the statement by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that, "I do not live generally in Vaikuṇṭha." Kṛṣṇa lives everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ.

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis

tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ

goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.37)

Kṛṣṇa lives in Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is His . . . Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni (Bs. 5.43). That is His own abode, nija-dhāma. But still, Kṛṣṇa is akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ. Expanding Himself in many, many forms, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta: there is no limitation. So Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Just like government is everywhere. Here we are sitting in this open field. Here is also government. But when the governor comes, it becomes a special feature. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. He's everywhere. But still, He personally comes. He personally comes. So not only that Kṛṣṇa personally was present five thousand years ago, but if we are sincere devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa is present as soon as we glorify Him. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. Those who are pure devotees . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu also becomes present when there is real, offenseless kīrtana.

So Kuntī wants to keep Kṛṣṇa in her kingdom because on account of His presence, everything is victorious. Yatra . . . in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yatra kṛṣṇo yogeśvaraḥ (BG 18.78). Yatra . . . "Wherever Kṛṣṇa is there, and wherever His devotee, Arjuna, is there," Sañjaya said: "all victory, all opulence, everything is there." He assured, he informed Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, "This combination of Pārtha and Kṛṣṇa means all opulence, all victory." In other words, he assured Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, "You are expecting victory by the superior strength of your sons, Duryodhana and others, but don't hope like that. It is not possible. Because victory will be there where there is Kṛṣṇa and where there is His pure devotee."

So if we remain pure devotee . . . what is that pure devotee?

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama

(Brs. 1.1.11)

This is pure devotion, no other desire. "Other desire" means material desire. Because we are spirit soul, our desires should be spiritual. Just like human being should desire like a human being, not like a dog. The . . . to desire like the dog, that is other desire, and to desire like a human being, that is real desire. Our philosophy does not teach to become desireless. That is not possible. Desire must be there. But it should not be other desire. "Other desire" means . . . then what is the real desire? Real desire is how to become a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real desire. Except this desire, anything—all "Other desire." Or how to become servant of Kṛṣṇa, the means and the way, the process, that is also pure devotional desire.

So wherever Kṛṣṇa's pure devotees are there and when the pure devotees chant, Kṛṣṇa is there. This is the secret. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). So we, if we keep ourself pure devotee, without any other desire, material desire, then you should know that Kṛṣṇa is present there. And as soon as Kṛṣṇa is present there, then, on account of His presence, all opulences are there. Kṛṣṇa is Mādhava. Mādhava means the husband of the goddess of fortune, Rādhā-Mādhava. So try to keep Kṛṣṇa always. Then all opulence is automatically there. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ (BG 6.22). If you can gain Kṛṣṇa . . . this is intelligence. The devotees, they don't want to become very powerful yogī, mystic yogī, by practicing gymnastic. No, they don't require it. Simply peacefully, if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then everything is there.

Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He did not visit Jagannātha Temple. He considered himself . . . or there was some agitation that, "This man belonged to the Muhammadan family, and now he is trying to enter the Jagannātha Temple. There will be some roar." So he did not like to agitate things. Vaiṣṇava is peaceful. Even Sanātana Gosvāmī, because he almost turned to become a Muhammadan . . . his name was changed—Sākara Mallika—because he was servant of the Muhammadan government. So he was also rejected by the brāhmiṇ community. Actually he belonged to a very respectable brāhmiṇ family, Sārasvata brāhmaṇa. So he also did not go even near the temple. This is humbleness. Actually, they are better than thousand times to become brāhmaṇa. But every Vaiṣṇava thinks himself tṛṇād api sunīcena (CC Adi 17.31), that he is very, very lower, down. That is Vaiṣṇava humbleness.

Just like Jhaḍu Ṭhākura. We are discussing this in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He belonged to the caste bhuṅi-mālī. Bhuṅi-mālī means the sweeper, baṅgi. He became a great Vaiṣṇava. And Kālidāsa, one of the relative, uncle, of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was also very great Vaiṣṇava, mahā-bhāgavata. His business was to eat the remnants of foodstuff left by Vaiṣṇava. He did not care whether he's a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava or śūdra-vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is not śūdra. But a Vaiṣṇava coming from śūdra family, sometimes they are called śūdra-vaiṣṇava. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he's sometimes called Yavana-Haridāsa. He's not yavana. He is hundred times, thousand, million times better than brāhmaṇa. But because he is born in a Muhammadan family, he was, another name . . . the Vaiṣṇava never says: "Yavana-Haridāsa." He is "Nāmācārya Haridāsa." Vaiṣṇava . . . why he should be yavana? Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ (Padma Purāṇa). Nobody should consider a Vaiṣṇava belonging to this caste, that caste. No. Just like here. The Deity is there. Everyone knows that Deity is made of brass metal. But that is not metal. Because we cannot see Kṛṣṇa in any other way at present, therefore Kṛṣṇa has appeared as made of metal. But He is not metal. Or even if He is metal, still He's Kṛṣṇa, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. So arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. We should not consider like that.

So that Jhaḍu Ṭhākura declined to give his remnants. So when Kālidāsa wanted, "Sir, give me little your prasāda," "No, no," he said: "No, no, I . . . you are respectable gentleman, very rich. I am coming from low, low grade family, and how can I . . .? No, no, no. This is not possible." Then Kālidāsa Ṭhākura, Kālidāsa recited some śāstric pramāṇa that, "Why you are thinking that you are low caste?" Śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam (SB 3.33.7). "You are better than . . ." Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha (CC Madhya 20.59). So even a caṇḍāla, he is better than a brāhmiṇ, who is a devotee. When he quoted all these verses to prove . . . there are many other verses—in Mahābhārata, in Padma Purāṇa, in Bhāgavatam. A Vaiṣṇava is never to be considered as lower caste. No. But he was thinking. So what was his reply? His reply was, "Yes, this is correct. The quotation you have given from the śāstra, it is quite correct. But it is meant for a person who has become devotee. But I am not a devotee, so it is not applicable to me. I am the lower caste." That was his reply. That is his humbleness.

So Vaiṣṇava . . . just like Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kaṛ, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, he says that:

purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha

jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha

(CC Adi 5.205)

Caitanya-caritāmṛta author, such an exalted person, practically the most exalted personality in Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava . . . his Caitanya-caritāmṛta, there is no comparison. It is a postgraduate study. So the author of the book, he's presenting himself that, "My position is lower than the worm in the stool." Purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha. And jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha. Jagāi-Mādhāi was the example of pāpī, sinful. Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, pāpī-tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo, brajendra-nandana jei śacī-suta hailo sei balarāma hailo nitāi: "Two brothers who were formerly the son of . . . Vrajendra-nandana, the Mahārāja Nanda, his son, Kṛṣṇa, and Balarāma, so Balarāma has become Nitāi, and Kṛṣṇa has become Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." But . . . why They have become Nitāi, and Caitanya Mahā . . .? Now, pāpī-tāpī jata chilo: "Just to deliver all the sinful person." So "Did He . . . did They do actually so?" "Yes." "Then where is the evidence?" Tāra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi, "Here is evidence. They delivered Jagāi and Mādhāi."

So Cai . . . Jagāi-Mādhāi in those days were taken as very, very sinful, although they were born of brāhmiṇ family. But by bad association, they became thieves, rogues, guṇḍā and drunkards, meat-eaters, woman-hunters. These are all good qualification now, very good qualification. If one is woman-hunter and drunkard and meat-eater, oh, his social position is very nice, up-to-date. Up-to-date. This is modern civilization. But formerly, especially a gentleman—gentleman means born of high caste: brāhmiṇ, kṣatriya, vaiśya—if they would be woman-hunter, drunkards, meat-eaters, immediately they'll be rejected from the position. Immediately. That was Hindu society. No gentleman could . . . still now, in some provinces, the high-caste men, brāhmiṇ, kṣatriyas, they'll never take . . . touch these things. This is sinful. So Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars, very rich men, and brāhmaṇa. But because they were addicted to these habits, they were taken as the most sinful. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu delivered them: pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo.

So the same principle is being followed at the present moment. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the result is also same, because Jagāi-Mādhāi was delivered by Them. By the same Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, thousands of Jagāi-Mādhāi are coming to be purified. The process is the same. This is called paramparā system. If we follow the paramparā system strictly, then the effect will be the same. As it was five thousand years ago, five hundred years ago, the same effect will be now also.

So here, as Kuntīdevī says, that during the time of the Pāṇḍavas, five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa was present, so everything was very nice in Hastināpura. Śobhi. Śobhiṣyate. Śobhiṣyate. Everything was very beautiful. Śobhā. Śobhā means beautiful. So Kuntī is requesting Kṛṣṇa that "Don't go. Please don't go." It is, of course, Kṛṣṇa's duty. He was going to Dvārakā. But Kṛṣṇa . . . Kuntīdevī was desiring like that, that "If You go away, then the beautiful Hastināpura will . . ." Na śobhiṣyate. Na ayaṁ śobhiṣyate tatra yathā idānīm, "As it is now beautiful, it will not be so beautiful." Yathā idānīṁ gadādhara. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Gadādhara. Tvat-padair aṅkitā bhāti. Why it is beautiful? "Because You are walking, and the impression . . ." Kṛṣṇa has got special impression under the feet, in the sole, and that is being impressed. Simply by impression. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, by Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet impression, by vibration of His name, by glorifying Him—everything is Kṛṣṇa. Everything is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Either Kṛṣṇa's impression of the lotus feet, or chanting of His name, or His personal presence, or glorifying Him—it is the same; there is no difference. Therefore it will be our duty to keep . . . keep Kṛṣṇa always present by chanting His holy name:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

So if we keep this principle in this temple, as it is now being appreciated . . . this is the most opulent temple in this district. That is being admitted. People are coming here to see this temple. It is being advertised. The other day, one gentleman, that Gopal, he said that, "In Navadvīpa, they simply inquire, 'Where is that American temple?' " They inquire. It is already nicely advertised, and it will be more and more advertised, provided you keep Kṛṣṇa here by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Thank you very much. (break) . . . taste only Kṛṣṇa prasādam. This advantage we want to give to the whole world. Therefore we are opening so many centers all over the world, giving them chance: "Come here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam. Go home."

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. (end)