760402 - Lecture SB 07.09.47 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

760402SB-VRNDAVAN - April 02, 1976 - 26.06 Minutes

Śāstrījī: (chants slokas, devotees repeat) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (chants verse; Prabhupāda and devotees respond) (break)

rūpe ime sad-asatī tava veda-sṛṣṭe

bījāṅkurāv iva na cānyad arūpakasya

yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvāṁ

yogena vāhnim iva dāruṣu nānyataḥ syāt

(SB 7.9.47)

Puṣṭa-Kṛṣṇa: Translation: (03:22) "By authorized Vedic knowledge one can see the cause and effect of the cosmic manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because the cosmic manifestation is also His energy. Both of them are different energies of the Lord and nothing else. The wise man can see how the fire is spread within the wood by consideration of cause and effect. Similarly, persons engaged in devotional service understand, O my Lord, how You are both the cause and effect."

Prabhupāda:

rūpe ime sad-asatī tava veda-sṛṣṭe

bījāṅkurāv iva na cānyad arūpakasya

yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvam . . .

In this book it is vicinate. I think that other book, vicikṣate?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vicakṣate. And in the other book it says.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It doesn't make any difference.

yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvāṁ

yogena vāhnim iva dāruṣu nānyataḥ syāt

(SB 7.9.47)

So yogena, this word, is very important in this verse. There are . . . Yogena means "by the means of"; upayena, "by the means of." So as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55): "Only by devotional service one can understand Me." So here the word yogena should not be understood otherwise. If one says that jñāna-yogena, karma-yogena, haṭha-yogena, dhyāna-yogena . . . There are many yoga system. One can understand. That is the usual proverb nowadays, that "Any means, you can understand the Absolute Truth." Yata mat tata patha. "You can have your own process or yoga, and you can realize God." But that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa personally says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). In another place, bhaktyā ekayā: "Only through devotional service." And practically we see there are many jñānīs and dhyāna-yogīs, karmīs; they have no clear conception of the Absolute Truth. Vague idea. Even in many other religious system they have got some conception of God, not clear idea. But in bhakti-yoga you can understand directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many expansion of God. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (BS 5.33). He has got many forms, but this form which we know as Kṛṣṇa, that is the original Kṛṣṇa, or original God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): "Although I have got many forms, but the original, supreme form is Kṛṣṇa." But that does not mean that the other forms of Kṛṣṇa, not our manufactured, but as it is stated in the śāstra . . . Kṛṣṇa has got many names: Rāma, Govinda, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. There are other forms. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (BS 5.39). Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. He has got many forms. Rāma is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So these forms . . . We should not consider they are less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. Not that. But Kṛṣṇa is the original form. The example is given in the śāstra: just like candles. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya (BS 5.46). The . . . There are thousands of candles, so we get one of them ignited, light up, and then second, then third, then fourth, then fifth—you can go on increasing millions. The each light, each candle, is equally powerful. There is no doubt. Kṛṣṇa's expansion not . . . The viṣṇu-tattva. It is called viṣṇu-tattva. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate na hi tathā pṛthag asti hetu (BS 5.46). So viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is one, but still, just like the example, candle. One candle, first candle, is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (BS 5.1), govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. This is the conclusion.

There are sometimes controversy that "You do not worship Lord Rāmacandra" or "You do not chant the name of Rāmacandra first." These are all material consideration. Either you chant Hare Rāma or Hare Kṛṣṇa, it does not make any difference. If you like, you can begin with Hare Rāma, and if you like, you can . . . These are, I mean to say, neophyte question, that "You are not chanting Hare Rāma. You are making discrimination." We do not make any discrimination. We equally. But I like the form of Kṛṣṇa. Hanumāncandra liked the form of Rāma. But that does not mean that you like any form and he'll be God. No. You have to go according to the direction of the śāstra. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu. Viṣṇu form, they are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have to accept the direction of the authorities.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by Sanātana Gosvāmī that "How we can understand the incarnation of God?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that "You will understand the incarnation of God with reference to the śāstra. Don't manufacture your incarnation of God. That is not allowed." Then Sanātana Gosvāmī wanted to say Caitanya Mahāprabhu was incarnation, because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said . . . Not only in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in many other, Mahābhārata and Upaniṣad, there is mention, mahā vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam. This mahāpuruṣa, Mahāprabhu, this vande mahāpuruṣa, it is applicable to Lord Rāmacandra.

tyaktvā su-dustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ

dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam

māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad

vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam

(SB 11.5.34)

This śloka is applicable to both Rāmacandra and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Viṣṇu is always mahāpuruṣa. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja is addressed sometimes, mahāpauruṣika. Because he is devotee of Mahapuruṣa, so he is addressed as mahāpauruṣika, like that.

So by the śāstra indication, especially in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is described:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñair saṅkīrtanair prāyair

yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ

(SB 11.5.32)

This is the most important verse indicating Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is in the same category. And another meaning, kṛṣṇa-varṇayati: "The incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who is always describing Kṛṣṇa or chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Varṇayati. But tviṣa akṛṣṇam: "But by complexion, akṛṣṇa, not black." So "not black," that may be many other colors. Then which of them I shall take? That is also stated in the śāstra. While making the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, Gargamuni, he said, idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. Śukla-raktas tathā pītam idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ (SB 10.8.13): "Nanda Mahārāja, your son, this child, has now appeared as kṛṣṇa, blackish." Idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. "Otherwise this very child appeared in previous ages." Śukla-raktas tathā pīta: "He . . . Sometimes He appeared in white color, sometimes red, sometimes yellow." This yellow color refers to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, golden color. So this is also confirmed. Not . . . If somebody says that "He is Kṛṣṇa. Why He is not blackish?" No. He appears as the devotee of Kṛṣṇa in golden color. We say, therefore, "golden avatāra."

So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣa akṛṣṇam saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He is with His soldiers, saṅga, upāṅga, part of the part: Advaita Prabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu is directly part; Advaita Prabhu is part of the part. And astra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also has His astra, weapon. The astra means to, I mean to say, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). So this astra, what is that? Saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtanaiḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajanti hi (SB 11.5.32). This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is also astra of Kṛṣṇa for killing the demons, but it is not like a . . . like a sword. It is not active. But it is astra. It is killing the demons, but in a different way. The demonic habits are being killed, demonic habits. Everyone, we can understand it how our demonic activities are being killed by this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. This is astra. This is an astra, but it is being used in a different way, because in this age they are so fallen. So . . . Manda, manda-bhāgyā. This real astra weapon cannot be used upon them. It is already dead. So therefore another type of astra to awaken them to life, that is Hare Kṛṣṇa, mahā-mantra astra. Otherwise they are already dead. A dead horse . . . "Beating the dead horse." A horse is dead; what you will get by beating with whips? It is already dead. So there are big, big demons. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was required to be killed by the nails of the Lord. He appeared as a ferocious lion. But here, the teeny demons, there is no need of nails or any sword. They are to be awakened simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "You cannot understand in this age." In the last śloka he said, mauna-vrata-śruta-tapo-'dhyayana-sva-dharma-vyākhyā-raho-japa-samādhaya āpavargyāḥ (SB 7.9.46). The real business is apavarga. Pavarga I have explained yesterday: simply suffering. This material life means simply suffering. Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. Each alphabet I have explained. It is simply suffering. And human life is a chance how to make this suffering null and void. That is apavarga: a means to make null and void. Pavarga. To make this pavarga life into apavarga. So these ten processes is . . . are recommended in the śāstra. I have already explained. Mauna, śruta, tapa, these things are required. But they are also not direct method. You cannot understand. There are many, many tapasvīs, raha. In Vṛndāvana you'll find many devotees, they are in a very secluded place. But my Guru Mahārāja did not like this process, secluded. We have discussed many times. Sometimes if you sit down in a secluded place, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, then you'll complain, "I am being disturbed in this way." One, that African boy, came? So he became disturbed. You must be disturbed. Because your mind is not controlled, if you sit down to get some extra credit, that "I have become so great devotee I can remain in a secluded place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa like Haridāsa Ṭhākura," it is cheating. It is cheating. You cannot do that. You cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He met one beautiful young prostitute at dead of night, and the prostitute offered her body, and he was young man. He simply said, "Very nice proposal. You sit down. Let me finish my Hare Kṛṣṇa." (laughter) So this is not . . . Don't laugh. It is very serious thing. So you cannot do that; I cannot do that. It is not possible.

So we should not imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But we should . . . My Guru Mahārāja used to say, man tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. It is mental speculation that "I shall do like that, raha. I shall . . . In a secluded place, I shall chant." You cannot do that because your mind is not yet trained up. It is for the highest perfection stage that anywhere one can sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and remain happy. That is not possible for the ordinary stages. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja criticized, man tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. Because it is all mental speculation. Therefore he's chastising his mind, "My dear mind, you have become a Vaiṣṇava?" Man tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhara tāre nijanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava: "In a secluded place, sitting down, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, for you it is simply to get some material adoration and cheating the people." He has said like that. Don't try to do that. Always be engaged actively in Kṛṣṇa's activities.

We, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, engaging each and every one of you in some active service. We don't advise that "You have become so advanced . . . Now you are initiated. You can sit down in one place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is not possible. So therefore, although it is recommended in a secluded place, but that is not possible in this age. We should be always engaged in active service. Then, some way or other, our mind will be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. That is required, activities. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa . . . Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. He was statesman, emperor; still, he was fixing up his mind in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. That practice we should . . . Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena (BG 8.8). If we do something . . . Suppose you are going to distribute books. But what is the idea? "It is Kṛṣṇa's books; it must be distributed." So Kṛṣṇa is remembered there. At the same time, because it is Kṛṣṇa's book, if somebody purchases, if he pays something, he'll look at it, something, that "What this nonsense has written? Let me see." Then he will get some idea. And if he reads one line, he comes hundred times forward to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the idea. If you want . . . Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato (BG 2.40). This is preaching. And a layman, he does not know anything about . . . (break) . . .the wood. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (BS 5.35). Any wood you take, there is fire undoubtedly. Everywhere is Kṛṣṇa, but sevonmukhe hi svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you engage yourself in service, then you'll see the fire, Kṛṣṇa, there, in everywhere. Sarvatra sphurāya tāra iṣṭa-deva-mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). That stage wanted, that whatever he'll see, he'll see Kṛṣṇa. "Here is microphone. Here is loudspeaker. Where is Kṛṣṇa?" Yes, here is Kṛṣṇa, because we are speaking about Kṛṣṇa through this microphone. He is there.

So we have to practice this bhakti-yoga according to the direction of the authorities. Then you'll realize Kṛṣṇa. Then the cause and effect, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam . . . (BS 5.1). Everything will be realized, and every moment you will see Kṛṣṇa. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (BS 5.38). So unless we get that stage, we should not imitate personalities like Haridāsa Ṭhākura and others. We should wait for. That is the ultimate stage. But we should practice and work actively for understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! (end).