730130 - Lecture NOD - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

730130ND-CALCUTTA - January 30, 1973 - 33:14 Minutes

Bhavānanda: (reading) " . . . devotee is so much attracted to glorification of the pastimes, name, qualities, forms and so forth of the Lord that the devotee does not care for mukti. Śrī Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura has said, 'If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. By chanting the mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12): gradually we become cleansed of all dirty things within our heart. Thus our mind becomes purified. And in the purified condition of the mind we can think of Kṛṣṇa rightly. In this way, Kṛṣṇa becomes practically dependent on the devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the master, controller of everything, but to the pure devotee He becomes dependent. So why the pure devotee will ask for anything else?

Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. For a devotee, Kṛṣṇa is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito 'py asau. Although Kṛṣṇa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position. Just like He willingly placed Himself to be conquered by Mother Yaśodā, to be conquered by Rādhārāṇī, to be conquered by His friends. Kṛṣṇa became defeated, and He has to take His friend on the shoulder. Practically sometimes we see that a king keeps a joker amongst his associates, and sometimes the joker insults the king, and the king enjoys.

The joker sometimes . . . just like there is a famous joker, Gopal Bhanr, in Bengal. So one day the king asked him, "Gopal, what is the difference between you and an ass?" So he immediately measured the distance from the king. He said: "It is three feet only, sir. The difference is only three feet." (laughter) So everyone began to laugh. And the king enjoyed that insult. Because sometimes it is required.

So Kṛṣṇa also . . . everyone praises Him in exalted position. Everyone. That is Kṛṣṇa's position—the Supreme Lord. In Vaikuṇṭha, there is only praising. There is no such thing. But in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa is free to accept insult from His devotee. The people do not know that, what is Vṛndāvana life. So devotees are so exalted. Rādhārāṇī orders, "Don't allow Kṛṣṇa to come here," Kṛṣṇa cannot come in. He flatters the other gopīs: "Please allow Me to go there." "No. No, no. There is no order. You cannot go." So Kṛṣṇa likes that.

But the Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be controlled by the devotee. They want to become one. But here the Vaiṣṇava, pure Vaiṣṇava, they become so exalted that there is no question of becoming one. Daivena phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā yadi bhagavān syād (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107),

Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura says. Daivena phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān. "Mukti, oh, she's standing with folded hand, 'What can I do for you, sir?' " Dharmārtha-kāma mokṣa samaya pratīkṣāḥ. They're just like attendants, servants. Dharma-artha-kāma (SB 4.8.41, CC Ādi 1.90).

So for a devotee, the position is so exalted. They don't care for all this dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. They simply absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. Always thinking, satato . . . smārtavyaḥ satato viṣṇu. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Always, twenty-four hours. Even in sleeping. That is perfection. Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "To pure devotees, therefore, liberation and spiritual emancipation are not very important things."

Prabhupāda: That's not very important. They are . . . they think that mokṣa is very exalted position. Therefore Śrīdhara Swami says, mokṣa . . . mokṣa-vāñchā paryantaṁ nirastam. Mokṣa-vāñchā paryantaṁ nirastam. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstava vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2). So the Bhāgavata says that "This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant by the . . . meant for the paramahaṁsas, not for ordinary man."

Ordinary man, they are after dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. First of all, nowadays, even they do not care for dharma. They're animals. Really human life begins when they take to religious principle. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ (Hitopadeśa 25). So dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa, gradually improvement, and devotional service is above mokṣa. Therefore dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitavo, cheating. As soon as there is some motive, that is cheating religion. But bhakti, there is no such thing, dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. It is above, transcendental.

Therefore it is meant for the paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām. Nirmatsara. Nirmatsara means envious . . . er, not envious. Matsaratā. Parā utkarṣaṇam asahanam, Śrīdhara Swami says. If in . . . if somebody is advancing, somebody is making improvement, his neighbors, his friends, even most intimate friends, they also become envious: "Oh, this man is advancing so much. This man is becoming so rich, so popular." Envious.

So Vaiṣṇava is not envious. If somebody advances more than him, he appreciates: "Oh, he's so nice that he has advanced more than me. I could not serve Kṛṣṇa in such a nice way." That is Vaiṣṇavism. And if one is envious—"Oh, this man is going so fast. Let him . . . let us put some impediments on this path"—he's not Vaiṣṇava; he's hīnasya jantuḥ. He's animal. Vaiṣṇava cannot be envious.

Therefore Vaiṣṇava cult . . . this is paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). No matsaratā, no enviousness. Satām, devotees. Devotees means he must be nirmatsara.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "In this connection, in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Chapter Twenty-five, verse 23 (SB 3.27.23), Kapiladeva has advised His mother, Devahūti, as follows: 'My dear mother, My pure devotees are charmed by seeing My different forms, the beauty of My face, the structure of My body so enchanting. My laughing, My pastimes and My glance appear to them so beautiful that their minds are always absorbed in thoughts of Me, and their lives are dedicated fully unto Me. Although such people do not desire any kind of liberation or any kind of material happiness, still, I give them a place amongst My associates in the supreme abode.' "

Prabhupāda: Therefore this arcana-mārga:

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

This is the first duty of the spiritual master, to engage the devotees in arcana-mārga. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya. Cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating with flowers, ornaments and . . . so that devotees, as soon as see smiling Kṛṣṇa, pleasing Kṛṣṇa, they become pleased. They become pleased by seeing Kṛṣṇa pleased. They do not want to be pleased independently. That is not devotee. Devotee's pleasure is seeing Kṛṣṇa is pleased.

Kṛṣṇa is also pleased when He sees the devotees are pleased. This is competition. This is competition. Kṛṣṇa wants to see that His devotees are pleased, and the devotees want to see that Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Dui lāge hura huri. This is the competition going on between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī. By Rādhārāṇī, seeing the Rādhārāṇī's beauty, Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased, and Rādhārāṇī, when She sees that Kṛṣṇa is very pleased, She becomes pleased. She becomes more beautiful. And Kṛṣṇa wants to see. In this way there is competition. This is rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (CC Adi 1.5). This is the exchange of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa.

So people who do not know that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā is not ordinary thing, just like human being or young girls or young boys . . . no. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis (Bs. 5.37). They are display of ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. Cinmaya-rasa. Not jara-rasa. Here everything is jara-rasa. So when rascals, they take Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with girls, they think in comparison to this jara-rasa. But they do not know that this is not jara-rasa; this is ānanda-cinamaya-rasa. That they do not know.

Therefore they characterize Kṛṣṇa differently. They question that, "Why Kṛṣṇa danced with the gopīs?" The rascals, they do not know that gopīs are not these ordinary girls. They are cinmaya-rasa. Ahlādinī śakti, expansion of ahlādinī śakti. They should think that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Supreme Brahman, for realizing brahma-sukham, one gives up all material happiness. Tyāgena. And the Supreme Brahman is enjoying material happiness? No. They do not know. Therefore it is prohibited, that ordinary man should not try to understand radha kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir. Because they'll commit offense. They do not know. Therefore Narottama, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings:

rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti

kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti

(Lālasā-mayī)

He's hankering. He's looking for the days when he will be able to understand what is rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya vikṛtir. And these ordinary men, they're immediately . . . as if, as if they have become more than Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā. No, you should be very much careful.

This Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā can be understood by the paramahaṁsa, liberated soul. We should simply worship . . . now we are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. It is not directly Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; it is Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa sevā. It is not directly . . . it is not possible. For conditioned soul, there is no possibility of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. But we worship through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore we keep Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu along with Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we may be able to understand Rādhā Kṛṣṇa līlā some day in our life. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir ahlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau, śrī-caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad dvayaṁ caikyam āptam (CC Adi 1.5).

So through Caitanya Mahāprabhu we can be, I mean to say, able, we may be able some day to understand what is Rādhā Kṛṣṇa. Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇāyāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnata ujjvala rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam, hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti . . . (Vidagdha-mādhava 1.2) What is that verse? I forget now. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we should try to understand, we should try to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion, through the Gosvāmīs. Don't try to . . . the sahajiyā . . . then you'll be sahajiyā—smoking bīḍī and doing all nonsense and singing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā on the street and here, there. Going through hell.

Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā is not so cheap. Therefore they are called sahajiyā. They have made it cheap. If they want to read Bhāgavatam—immediately rasa-līlā. If they want to hear something about Kṛṣṇa—immediately rasa-līlā. Because it appears similar, just like young boy, young girls. But it is not that. It is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Rādhārāṇī's expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy, and the gopīs are expansion of Rādhārāṇī's body. They are not ordinary things.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "This evidence from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives assurance to the pure devotee of being elevated to association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī remarks in this connection that one who is actually attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa or His service and whose heart, by such attraction, is always full with transcendental bliss, will naturally never aspire after the liberation which is so valuable to the impersonalists."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Liberation, a devotee never . . . why liberation? Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he says . . . liberation means kaivalya. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. What is this liberation? It is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Tri-daṣa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). The persons, they are hankering after being elevated to the heavenly planet. So for a devotee, this is will o' the wisp, phantasmagoria; it has no value. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpayate durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate. And the yogīs . . . Karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs. Karmīs are after heavenly planet; jñānīs are after kaivalya, liberation; yogīs are after controlling the senses.

So senses are very dangerous. Everyone knows. Our senses are very strong. Therefore the yoga system is recommended for them who are very much in bodily concept of life. Therefore they are advised to exercise the body to come to the point of spiritual platform. But those who are above bodily concept of life, those senses have been purified.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkeṇa-hṛṣīkeśa

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

Those who are actually engaged in pure devotion, their senses are purified. Without purified senses, you cannot approach. With ordinary material senses, you cannot approach.

Therefore we have to follow the regulative principles. Regulative principle and sinful activities. Otherwise, how we can approach Kṛṣṇa? Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28). By the senses we commit so many sinful activities. Therefore sin . . . without being free from sinful activities, nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Kṛṣṇa is pavitraṁ paramam, the supreme purified. So how we can approach Kṛṣṇa without being purified? Therefore the four principle, regulative principles, must be followed. Otherwise, there is no chance of advancing. There is no chance. They are relatively, cooperatively helpful, chanting, but one must be willing that, "I must be purified to approach Kṛṣṇa." Otherwise he becomes sahajiyā. So "I am approaching Kṛṣṇa. I can smoke bīḍī. I can take marijuana. I can . . ." No. Must be purified.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "A similar passage is also there in Third Canto, Fifteenth Chapter (SB 3.4.15), of the same book, wherein Uddhava addresses Lord Kṛṣṇa and says, 'My dear Lord, for persons who are engaged in Your transcendental loving service there is nothing worth obtaining from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or liberation, although happiness from these different sources can be very easily had by them.' "

Prabhupāda: Therefore devotee's another name is niṣkiñcana, akiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya (CC Madhya 11.8). Niṣkiñcana. He doesn't possess anything, don't want to possess anything material. These are all material things. What are those? Sense gratification, economic development, liberation. They are all different stages of material existence. And Kṛṣṇa is not for the persons who are hankering after material possession. Kṛṣṇa is far away. Therefore in the Kuntī-stotra in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata it is said, niṣkiñcanasya gocarāḥ: "You, Kṛṣṇa, You are understood by persons who have become niṣkiñcana." Niṣkiñcana.

So niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. The qualification of devotion is to become a niṣkiñcana. Means one should not try to possess anything material. He should simply try to possess Kṛṣṇa. There must be some possession. The Māyāvādī philosophy, to dispossess material things, will not help him. He must possess something positive. Otherwise he'll fall down. That is our . . . because we want something. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). So we simply, we try, that "Let me become sannyāsī, niṣkiñcana." That is not possible. You must take to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then when you are fully satisfied that, "I possess Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within my heart," then you can give up all this nonsense, kick out—"I don't want." Otherwise not possible.

So the two things: niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajano . . . param paro jīveṣa. Those who have become ni . . . what is this liberation for them? Nothing. The four things, dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. So when one takes to this shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that is the highest dharma, topmost. That is the topmost yoga. So why he should hanker after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Ādi 1.90)? It is so nice thing. That is the statement of Uddhava. One who has become pure devotee . . . one who has possessed . . . svāntaḥ-sthita gadābhṛtā. He has become purified. But don't imitate. Actually see whether you are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then it is all right.

niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya

pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya

viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca

hā hanta ha hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu

(CC Madhya 11.8)

So we have to become niṣkiñcana. But niṣkiñcana we can become only when we possess Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, not possible.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: " 'In spite of such facilities, my dear Lord, I do not aspire to achieve any such results. My only prayer is that I may have unflinching faith and devotion unto Your lotus feet.' "

Prabhupāda: This is the only thing. If we have got unflinching faith and devotion to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then we can automatically become niṣkiñcana, liberated, developed in economic condition. That is not important thing for a devotee. They come automatically. yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Kṛṣṇa says. Why he should try for economic development? Kṛṣṇa personally comes: "You want this? Take it." That is devotee.

Why he should hankering after economic development? No. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). There is no need of hankering. Kṛṣṇa knows what he requires, "How My devotee will be satisfied." Kṛṣṇa knows. If Kṛṣṇa sees that this devotee has got little desire for some material enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa will give.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest to worship the Lord for getting the kingdom of his father or better than that. So although when Dhruva Mahārāja saw the Lord he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yā . . . "I, I don't want anything. I am now fully satisfied," still Kṛṣṇa gave him Dhruvaloka. Because he desired: "No, you enjoy. Then you come back again." So there is no need of asking any . . .

Kṛṣṇa knows, as the father knows, the mother knows, "What is the need of my child." Therefore pure devotee never asks from Kṛṣṇa anything except His service. Mama janmani janamanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī. "Without any cause let me be engaged in Your service." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, perfection.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "A similar passage appears in the Third Canto, 25th Chapter, thirty-first verse, wherein Kapiladeva instructs His mother and says: 'My dear Mother, devotees whose hearts are always filled in the service of My lotus feet, and who are prepared to do anything for My satisfaction, especially those who assemble together to understand My qualities, pastimes and form, and thus glorify Me congregationally and derive transcendental pleasure therefrom, such fortunate devotees never desire to become one with Me.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on.

Bhavānanda: " 'And not to speak of becoming one with Me, if they are offered a post like Mine in My abode, or opulence like Mine, or even personal association with Me with similar bodily features, they refuse to accept because they are satisfied simply by being engaged in My devotional service.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. All kinds of mukti, sarūpya-mukti, sa, sa . . . sāyujya-mukti, no devotee desires. Kicked out. There is no question of sāyujya-mukti. But other four kinds of muktis—sārūpya-mukti, sālokya-mukti—these muktis are desired by the inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭheśvara. Especially in South India, they worship, the Vaiṣṇava, Veṅkateṣa. Veṅkateṣa means Vaikuṇṭheṣa, the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha.

So the . . . the associates, the devotees of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha, they desire sārūpya-mukti, to have similar feature of the body, four-handed. Viṣṇudūta. And sālokya, the same as Nārāyaṇa is living in Vaikuṇṭha, they also live in Vaikuṇṭha. This is also in the bhakti-mārga. But a, a higher advanced devotee, even he does not want all these things. Even . . . wherever Kṛṣṇa puts him, that's all right. It doesn't matter. Yathā tathā vidadhātu lampato mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ (CC Antya 20.47, Śikṣāṣṭaka 8). You can, whatever You like, You can do. It doesn't matter. I don't want any exchange. I don't want to do business with You. That is pure devotee.

(aside) Go on.

Bhavānanda: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fourth Canto, Ninth Chapter, tenth verse (SB 4.9.10), King Dhruva says, 'My dear Lord, the transcendental pleasure derived by meditation upon Your lotus feet, which is enjoyed by the pure devotees, cannot be approached by the transcendental pleasure derived by the impersonalists through self-realization. So how can the fruitive workers, who at most can aspire to promotion to the higher, heavenly planets, understand You, and how can they be described as enjoying a happiness similar to the devotees' happiness?"

Prabhupāda: So there are three kinds of happinesses described: material happiness, spiritual happiness and devotional happiness. Three kinds of happinesses are very nicely described in this chapter.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)