740330 - Lecture BG 04.10 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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740330BG-BOMBAY - March 30, 1974 - 46:54 Minutes

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse)

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā

man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ

bahavo jñāna-tapasā

pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ

(BG 4.10)

vīta—freed from; rāga—attachment; bhaya—fear; krodhā—anger; man-mayā—fully in Me; mām—unto Me; upāśritāḥ—being fully situated; bahavaḥ—many; jñāna—knowledge; tapasā—by penance; pūtāḥ—being purified; mad-bhāvam—trancendental love for Me; āgatāḥ—attained

(break)

Translation: "Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me, and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me."

Prabhupāda:

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā

man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ

bahavo jñāna-tapasā

pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ

(BG 4.10)

This is the perfection of life, mad-bhāvam. Kṛṣṇa says, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. There is another version in Bhagavad-gītā: budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. What is the beginning of the verse?

Devotee: Ahaṁ sarvasya . . .

Prabhupāda:

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

This is bhāva: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so great." When one understands greatness of Kṛṣṇa, how great He is . . . because people do not understand. They generally speak, "God is great." That is very good. At least, one accepts God is great. But how He is great and what is the extent of His greatness, if we understand, then our regard and reverence for Kṛṣṇa increases. Just like we have got some friend, but if we know the opulence of the friend, how great he is—he may be a very big man, very big business magnate or minister—if we know, then our, "Oh, you have got such a nice friend." Similarly, we should try to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). In the previous verse it has been said, tattvataḥ. Not superficially. If we study Kṛṣṇa superficially, then I shall accept another rascal, competitor of Kṛṣṇa. Because we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it has been described:

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛdha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

Siddhānta, how great Kṛṣṇa is. For example . . . (sound of children crying in background) (aside) Get them out. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, the greatness of Kṛṣṇa is described, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. If we study Brahma-saṁhitā:

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ

yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ

aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.35)

This is another explanation of Kṛṣṇa's greatness, that by His one plenary expansion, eko 'py asau racayitum, one plenary expansion is maintaining the whole material creation—eko 'py asau racayitum—just to create this material world. One plenary expansion. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim (Bs. 5.35). Not only one, but millions of jagad-aṇḍa, universes. By His one plenary . . . in Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed:

athavā bahunaitena

kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna

viṣṭabhyāham . . .

ekāṁśena sthito jagat

(BG 10.42)

Ekāṁśena: "One My plenary portion," Mahā-Viṣṇu, for creation of this material world. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. And what is that ekāṁśa? That is described also. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Loma-vilajā. And innumerable universes are coming out from the hair holes of the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya, His breathing. He is, within the Kāraṇa Ocean, Causal Ocean, He is sleeping. Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām (Bs. 5.47). Yoga-nidrā. And while He's sleeping in His yoga-nidrā, innumerable universes are coming out through His breathing and from the air holes. (sound of child yelling) (aside) You can stop that child?

So this is greatness of Kṛṣṇa. This Mahā-Viṣṇu is only kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Kalā means portion of the plenary portion. That is called kalā. Aṁśa means plenary portion, and kalā means . . . so all the incarnation of Viṣṇu . . . and Kṛṣṇa described in the Śrīmad Bhagavad . . . Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Third Chapter. And at the conclusion it is said, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇa's name is also there, but just to make distinction between all the avatāras and Kṛṣṇa, it is concluded ete, all of them, are ca aṁśa: some of them are plenary portion, some of them portion of the plenary portion. In this, they are situated. But the name Kṛṣṇa which is there, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam . . . that is stated.

So we have to study. If we are serious student of Kṛṣṇa, then in the śāstras everything is there. So when we understand the greatness of Kṛṣṇa, then we become more attached. More attached. The greatness attracts. Suppose a man is very exalted position. He attracts the attention. Similarly, if we know the greatness of . . . one who does not know the greatness of Kṛṣṇa, he thinks Kṛṣṇa, "Yes . . ." that kūpa-maṇḍūka-nyāya, Doctor Frog, "Maybe little greater than me. That's all." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Such person thinks Kṛṣṇa as one of them, and therefore it has become a very fashionable thing to become Kṛṣṇa's avatāra, very cheaply. No. They do not know actually what is Kṛṣṇa's position.

Kṛṣṇa's position, if one understands, then he is liberated person. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He's liberated person, even in this body. Simply by knowing how great Kṛṣṇa is, simply by knowing this fact, how Kṛṣṇa . . . then one understands that mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate, iti matvā bhajante mām . . . then our bhajana for Kṛṣṇa's service will become very much fixed-up and determined. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). This is bhāva. Bhāva means . . . one can understand very easily, when you are fully conscious of something, greatness, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so great," that is called bhāva. That can be understood. It is not very difficult. Because in the śāstras everything is there about Kṛṣṇa. Simply we have to take it, accept it. And if we do not believe śāstra, then there is no, I mean, use of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Śāstra-cakṣusā. You have to see . . . Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja, beyond the perception, sense perception. But through the śāstra we can understand little bit of Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult to know. We cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited; we are limited. Still, whatever limited power we have got, we can understand Kṛṣṇa if we follow the śāstra, sādhu and guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya.

So this bhāva stage has to be attained. It is not that artificially we come to the bhāva stage. No. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). These are the qualification. Kṛṣṇa is personally saying. Not all of a sudden we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Vīta-rāga. The first qualification is to be detached from . . . our present qualification is we are too much attached to this material sense enjoyment. Material life means sense enjoyment. Therefore we have to reduce the sense enjoyment by tapasya. Tapasya. Sense enjoyment is not controlled all of a sudden. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa tyāgena śauca . . . śaucena yamena niyamena (SB 6.1.13). These are the statements. But if you take the devotional service, then everything becomes very easy to follow, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa.

Just like we are advising our student not to have illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is tapasya. Because everyone is prone to all these things. Everyone likes illicit sex. Everyone likes to eat meat. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityās tu jantoḥ (SB 11.5.11). Jantoḥ, jantu means animal or ignorant person. A person who has no knowledge, he also a jantu, animal. So vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevāḥ. Sex life and meat-eating, āmiṣa, and madya-sevāḥ, intoxicant, an natural tendency. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānām. This is pravṛtti. They have got inclination. That is material life. Āmiṣa-madya-sevāḥ. But they have to be controlled by tapasya. That is tapasya. If because I have got this inclination, I have got a desire to drink or have intoxication, therefore I shall take it . . . there is a Bengali song, cokṣe yadi lāge bhālo kena dekha mana that, "If my eyes like to see it, why shall I not see?" This is sense enjoyment. This is animalism. But when you can control them, that is humanity. Therefore laws are made for the human being, not for the animals. I have several times explained, when there is law on the street, "Keep to the left," it is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs and cows. Say if the cat, dog, goes to the left or right against the police direction, he's not punished, because he's animal. Or a child, if he trespasses. But if an adult person transgresses the law, he'll be punished.

So the human life has got responsibility. What is that responsibility? Tapasya. Here it is said, jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ, purified. Jñāna, knowledge, and tapasya. Then he's purified. Not that, "You can do whatever you like. It has nothing to do with the religion." There are so many rascals' program, "You can eat anything. You can do anything, and still you become a Vedāntist." This kind of rascal Vedāntists are going on. But here it is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, jñāna-tapasā. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam. Without knowledge, without tapasya, you cannot make any spiritual progress. Not by simple words. That is not possible. Because in the previous verse it has been said that:

janma karma me divyaṁ

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

So how one can come to Kṛṣṇa? Mām eti. That is being described. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). Mām upāśritāḥ, to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Therefore we are canvassing. We are going to door to door, country to country, continent to continent, city to city, village to village, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious." We are teaching them how you can be happy, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), how you can be a man of knowledge. That is our business. It is not very difficult. The examples are here. These Europeans, American boys and girls, four or five years ago they were different persons. But how they have taken to it? People are surprised. Because they have followed what we have said according to the śāstra. They have followed, and they are following. They are trying to follow sincerely. Therefore they are making progress.

So anyone who will follow these principles, how to come the stage of bhāva, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. There is process. Rūpa Gosvāmī has said how to come to the stage of bhāva. Bhāva means just the immediate stage before the stage of love of Godhead. That is the perfection. Premā pum-ārtho mahān. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us to become mad after God, Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of love. That is perfection. Just . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by His example how He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He's teaching us how to become bhāva, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. He taught us. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his respect to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne: "Sir, You are Kṛṣṇa, but You have now assumed the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. "And You are so munificent." Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).

So this bhāva stage can be attained if we follow Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's way of life. And what is that, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu's way of life? His way of life He has described in His Śikṣāṣṭaka: paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. He personally performed saṅkīrtana-yajña, and He taught everyone:

harer nāma harer nāma

harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva

nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

That is Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution that, "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then all perfection will come to you." All perfection will come. Very simple thing. It does not cost anything. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there is no loss on your part. It does not cost you. It does not make you obliged to undergo so many severe penalties. No. You can chant at any moment. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). We have seen practically. These boys, although they are very young, you'll find they have got these beads. I have asked them to chant always. They are chanting as far as possible.

So this, this process has to be adopted, if you're actually serious to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you do not try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you are making suicide. Ātma-hā. They have been described in the śāstra: ātma-hā. If I cut my throat, my self, then who can save me? So people do not understand it. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who understands, he has sung, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu, manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu. So it is our duty of course, as servant of Kṛṣṇa, to awaken everyone to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by this process of saṅkīrtana movement, but people should take it very seriously, that without taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one is making suicide—he's cutting his own throat, or drinking poison. If you like to drink poison, no can . . . nobody can check you, that's a fact. If you want to cut your throat your self, nobody can check you. But this is not very good business. We have got this human form of life to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the . . . our only business. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. And Kṛṣṇa is teaching personally in the Bhagavad-gītā, and why should we not take advantage of these things and make our life successful? Why we should be so much foolish? But they are. I do not why they are not taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They will take to so many other, bogus thing, but they will not take Kṛṣṇa.

But anyway, if one is serious, then he has to follow this principle, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56). Bhaya-krodhāḥ. Bhaya means fearfulness. That is one of the qualification of conditioned life. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. Four things. So long we are in conditioned stage, this material body, these things are demands: to eat, to sleep and to become fearful, defend, defend and . . . āhāra-nidrā, and maithuna, sexual intercourse. These are the four demands of this material body. And everyone is busy—how to eat . . . you'll find in Bombay city so many restaurants. Every step a restaurant. Eating. That is going on. Every city, all over the world, everywhere, eating. And then sleeping, nice apartment. And then defense measure. And then very happily have sexual intercourse. These are the demands.

So tapasya means to reduce these. That is tapasya. Tapasya . . . this is the general demand of the body, and if you want to be free from this material bondage, then you have to undergo tapasya. Tapasya means these demands of the body voluntarily reducing and coming to the point of nil. That is liberation. That is tapasya. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). But here, very nicely, Kṛṣṇa de . . . it can be, tapasya can be executed very easily if one becomes man-mayā, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Man-mayā. And mām upāśritāḥ, and taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Mām. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). As soon as you become submitted . . . samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ (SB 10.14.58). This is the description given in Bhāgavata. Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Murāri . . . Kṛṣṇa's another name is Murāri. He's puṇya-yaśaḥ. If we chant Kṛṣṇa's name, then at least we become pious. Because we are all sinful. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra offenselessly, you immediately become purified—if you do not commit again sinful activities.

Therefore there are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and chant, then immediately we become mukta-puruṣa. Immediately. But our habit we have got, to commit sinful activities. So this is not . . . nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ (Padma Purāṇa, Brahma-khaṇḍa). If one thinks that, "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, so my sinful resultant actions are now nullified. Now again let me do it. Again I shall nullify," this is greatest offense. This is greatest offense. Out of ten offenses, this is the greatest offense, nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ.

So everything requires sincerity. Otherwise, things are not very difficult. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ, bahavaḥ (BG 4.10). Kṛṣṇa says bahavaḥ. Not that one or two. Anyone . . . "Many who have adopted this means." Then jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ: "By knowledge and tapasya, they became purified, and then . . ." What is that? Mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ: then come to the stage of bhāva. So to learn this art, one must be first . . . just like we are hearing. If one determines, so why not adopt this means? Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ. "Why I am suffering?" Kṛṣṇa is advising. Why not take this step? Then Kṛṣṇa will help you. As soon as you decide to accept this means, Kṛṣṇa will help you. Kṛṣṇa will help you. He'll give you good assistance.

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

Kṛṣṇa is with you. As soon as you decide, "Now, Kṛṣṇa, I want You. Kindly help me," He's ready to help you. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). These are the definition given in the Vedic literature.

So Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving us direction how to come to the bhāva stage. Ādau śraddhā. First of all, first thing is śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith, firm faith. Śraddhā has been explained by Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kar:

śraddhā'-śabde—viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya

kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

(CC Madhya 22.62)

This is called śraddhā. One when believes firmly as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), one, if he is firmly fixed-up, "Yes, by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa I get all perfection of life," that is called śraddhā. That is called śraddhā. That is explained by Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya (CC Madhya 22.62). If I have got intention, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" then that is not śraddhā even. That is not śraddhā. Śraddhā means firm conviction. So śraddhā-śabde . . . so ādau śraddhā.

Then next stage is, tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. If you have got śraddhā, "Yes, I want Kṛṣṇa in this life. I must do anything required," then that determination is called śraddhā. Then if you want to develop that determination, then you should associate with sādhu. Who is sādhu? Sādhu . . . bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. That is sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk (BG 9.30). It doesn't matter if he has got some bodily faults. He's accustomed in a different atmosphere. Even though he has got some habituated faults, but if his only qualification is firmly fixed up in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Kṛṣṇa says. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Titikṣava. Sādhu is titikṣava. He has to tolerate so many things, criticism, opposing elements. Because sādhu cannot sit down idly. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He is engaged fully in Kṛṣṇa's service.

So Kṛṣṇa's service is not sitting idly. Kṛṣṇa wants to spread the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā everywhere. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ

mad-bhakteṣv abhidāsyati

(BG 18.68)

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu

kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ

(BG 18.69)

And Kṛṣṇa, as devotee, He orders:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is service. Especially it is ordered to the Indians, the inhabitants of the Bhārata-varṣa. Because in Bhārata-varṣa it is easier to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Because by nature, because they have taken birth in this land of Bhārata-varṣa, in the blood there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But unfortunately, the leaders are inducing them to forget Kṛṣṇa. This is the misfortune of present-day Bhārata-varṣa. You go to the village, and if there is bhāgavata-pāṭha, hundreds and thousands of people will gather immediately. Immediately. Not only in the village; in the town, when we held Kṛṣṇa festival in Bombay, Calcutta, twenty thousand, thirty thousand people come. By nature. We cannot expect this big assembly in other countries. That is my experience. But India, because it is Bhārata-varṣa, it is very easy.

But we are sacrificing this birthright, Bhārata-varṣa. Oh, we are misled in such a way that we are forgetting, trying to forget Kṛṣṇa, "Throw away these śāstras. Throw away these . . . throw away. And put all impediments to the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement." This is our misfortune. Actually, every Indian is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sometimes they ask me in foreign countries that, "How many Kṛṣṇa conscious people are there in India?" And cent percent, all, even Muhammadans, what to speak of the Hindus.

So we should take this opportunity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (CC Madhya 23.14-15). This association, society, of sādhu, who have dedicated their life for understanding Kṛṣṇa, for serving Kṛṣṇa, they are sādhu. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu . . . tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. By sādhu-saṅga means next stage is how to adopt devotional life. These boys, these girls, gradually they came. First of all they were hearing; then they came forward, "Please make me your disciple." That means, "Under your direction my bhajana-kriyā will go." This is called bhajana-kriyā, under the direction of the spiritual master.

Then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha means things which are not wanted. We are accustomed to so many things, rascal things, which is not at all wanted. But we have been accustomed, by bad association. Take, for example, one smokes. Nobody learns smoking from the birth. By bad association one learns how to smoke. Similarly drinking, similarly meat-eating. Because from the birth we require milk, not meat-eating. But then after all we understand that, "Beef is very nice. There must be a beef shop," and . . . this is going on. You see? These are anarthas, not required. You require simple food - rice, wheat, little milk, vegetable and little sugar. That's all. You don't require all these nonsense. But you have been habituated.

But if we become bhajana-kriyā—you come to the practice of devotional service—naturally you have to give up. Because we accept a disciple to engage in the bhajana-kriyā, first of all he must give up these anarthas. So these anarthas, one cannot giving up smoking or drinking, but actually, if he takes to devotional service, he can very easily give up. He can very easily give up. There are so many examples. It is not story. So if there is bhajana-kriyā sincerely, then the anartha-nivṛtti automatically becomes. Then you become clean. Here it is said, jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ, purified. Jñāna-tapasā. Knowledge is there that, "I am a spirit soul. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Therefore my business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." This is jñāna. And if one does not know this, he is rascal. That's all. No jñāna. This is jñāna. Therefore it is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Jñāna means he must surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is jñāna. And so long one does not reach to this point, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he's a rascal. That's all. Mūḍha. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). That is his qualification. One who has not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, then he is duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ . . . "No, no. He's M.A., Ph.D." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. His knowledge has no value. Useless. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrama eva hi kevalam. That is the verdict of the śāstra.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

Simply laboring for nothing.

So this is called anartha-nivṛttiḥ. Jñāna-tapasā. Then niṣṭhā, "Oh, I must fix up." Then ruci, taste increases. Tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment. As soon as you get attachment for Kṛṣṇa, naturally, vīta-rāga, you give up attachment for your material life. Vīta-rāga. Unless you have got attachment for Kṛṣṇa, you cannot give up attachment of this material sense gratification. That is not possible. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). By force, you cannot train a person that, "You must be refraining from all these things." No, it is not possible. Vīta-rāga means when you increase rāga for Kṛṣṇa, then you can become vīta-rāga. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā ni . . . that if you get rasagullā, you can give up gur. Gur is also sweet, and rasagullā is sweet, but if somebody says that, "Why you are eating gur?" or something else, "Here is nice rasagullā." Similarly, unless we get better things . . .

Better things . . . Kṛṣṇa is better thing, there is no need of proof. These European boys and girls, they have not come to me for better money. Because money is considered the best thing in the world, but they have enjoyed all these things. Therefore they are no more after money accumulation. They are after Kṛṣṇa. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. They can earn. They have dedicated their life. They're doing everything for me. They could earn in their country thousands of dollars. Thousands of doll . . . any man can earn any day twenty-five dollars minimum. And twenty-five dollars means two hundred and fifty rupees per day. So they can get so much money. Why they have sacrificed everything? They have sacrificed their money. They have sacrificed their intoxication habit. They have sacrificed their illicit sex life. They have sacrificed their gambling life. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Because they have understood little bit of Kṛṣṇa. Little bit of Kṛṣṇa. Sv-alpam apy asya vairaghya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Such things, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56).

And you become fearless. You fearless. Even so many incidences happened in this spot, why they are fearless? Because they had attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This boy was threatened for life, but still he stood, fearless. Vīta-rāga . . . . (break) (end)