710826 - Lecture SB 01.02.06 - London

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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710826SB-LONDON - August 26, 1971 - 36:03 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhūtale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

These prayers, although it is in Sanskrit language, simply by hearing, the effect is made by the vibration. They're symbolical representation of the Supreme Spirit. Just like you are acquainted with the oṁkāra, oṁ, that is also an alphabetical representation. But the sound, oṁkāra, has a specific significance. So, even sometimes you do not understand the meaning, by hearing the vibration you will be benefited.

There was a meeting in the Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya is a place in northern India. Still that Naimiṣāraṇya is still existing. There is a railway station of the name Nimsar. So formerly, at least five thousand, six thousand years before, all the sages and saintly persons used to gather there and perform religioustic rituals or discuss on the matter of spiritual progress.1

There are several places in India. One of them is this Naimiṣāraṇya, and another place, important place is . . . that is called Prayag, generally known as Allahabad, but original name is Prayag. That is considered to be one of the most sacred place in India, and still every year there is a fair called Māgha-melā.

Māgha means during the month of January, February. A fair takes place in which all the sages, saintly persons, from all over parts of India, they gather, and they take their bath on the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā. That is also very nice place. When you . . . if you visit India, you should see all these nice places.

So there was big meeting of the sages, and Sūta Gosvāmī was on the chair. So amongst the audience, one sage, his name was Śaunaka, he was putting questions to the speaker and he was answering chapter by chapter. So one question was there, that in this age, Kali-yuga . . .

Kali-yuga means the age of dissension, disagreement. Nobody agrees with anybody. Everyone is independent. That is the sign of . . . they don't . . . unless they are forced, they don't care for any authority. Of course, we care or do not care, the authority is there. If I do not care, then I will be forced to care. That is the law of nature.

So in this age, the question was, "What is the best form of religion by which one can become elevated to spiritual emancipation?" The best form of religion. So somebody may recommend that Hindu religion is best, or others may recommend that Christian religion is very good, and others may say: "Oh, Muhammadan religion is very good," and others may say: "Buddhist religion is very good." But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says very nicely . . . Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam does not advocate that, "Hindu religion is good" or "Christian religion is good" or "Muhammadan religion is good" or "Buddhist religion is good."

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives a general description. What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ: "That is the best form of religion for a person." What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ: "That is the best form of religious principle," yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, "by performing which you become a devotee of the adhokṣaja."

Adhokṣaja means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The real, literal meaning of adhokṣaja: adhaḥ—this is Sanskrit word—adhaḥ means made down, and akṣaja, akṣaja means sense perception, knowledge acquired by sense perception. So adhokṣaja means the Supreme Personality of Godhead which cuts down all kinds of sense perceptional activities.

Just like the mental speculators, they are making research, "What is God?" Speculating. You have got experience, they are writing volumes of books simply by speculation. So to them, this word is the answer. What is that? Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ jñānam: "You may go on speculating for many thousands of years, still you will be cut down. You will never be able to understand what is God." Therefore this particular word is used, adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ jñānaṁ yatra tatram. This is the Sanskrit definition of this word.

So God's another name is Adhokṣaja. Just like "Kṛṣṇa" is one name; "God" is general name. "God is great," and . . . we generally define like that, "God is great." But we do not know how great He is. That definition is given perfectly: "Kṛṣṇa." If you want a perfect definition of the word God, then it is Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. All-attractive. Unless one is all-attractive, how one can be God, the great? The general definition is "the great." But this is a nicer definition, "Great" means all-attractive.

Suppose you are very great in this city, just like you are Mr. Kennedy or you are Mr. Rockefeller or Mr. Ford. Just like in your country there are so many big men, by their richness—because they are very rich; they have got money—so they are attractive. So money is one of the feature of attraction.

Therefore God must be the supreme wealthy person. Otherwise He is not God. Another attraction is beauty. So God must be the most beautiful. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa so many times. Perhaps you are convinced that you have never seen such a beautiful picture, although He's little blackish.

So in this way, "God," "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. He's attractive by His opulences, six kinds opulences, which I have described many times in this class. Another name is Adhokṣaja, this name here. He has got many millions and trillions of names, according to perception of the devotee or the knower.

He is also known as Brahma, Paraṁ Brahma, Paramātmā and Kṛṣṇa, Madhusūdana, Govinda. There are many millions and trillions of names of God, but in the Vedic literature it is said that out of all kinds of names designated . . . not designated, designated will be wrong word. Actually. Because God name . . . God's name is given according to His transcendental quality.

Just like this word "Kṛṣṇa." "Kṛṣṇa" means, real means the all-attractive. So because He has got transcendental qualities to attract everyone, He can attract the richest man, He can attract the most beautiful man or woman, He can attract the most strong man, He can attract the most wise man—therefore He's all-attractive. So adhokṣaja means you cannot perceive. You cannot have any actual idea of God by your mental speculation. He is called adhokṣaja.

So here the definition is adhokṣaja means God, the Supreme Lord. The definition is: that principle of religion is the best by which you can develop your devotion or love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How nice this definition is, just try to understand. You may follow Christianism or Hinduism or Buddhism or Muhammadanism—it doesn't matter. The test is how far you have developed love of God. That is the test.

If you have developed the sense of love for God, then it is to be understood that you have actually followed the religious principle. Not the rituals that go in a hackneyed way to a temple or to a mosque or to a church, and as a matter of formalities you pay something and come back and do all nonsense subjects.

That is not religion. Religion is how far you have . . . just like in the same way a man is supposed to be great. How? He is considered a great man if he has got riches or he has got knowledge or he has got influence or he has got beauty—so many things.

So similarly, how a man can be tested that he is a man of religious principles? The test is that whether he has developed love of God. Then he is religious. Just see how nice definition. Is there any nicer definition of religion than it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Can you say? The one word, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, that is the best kind of religious principle to be followed, by which one can develop love of God, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje.

"Oh, yes, I have love of God. I love God." That's all right. But what kind of love? Because we have got love in this experience of this world. A man has got love for the beautiful girl. How long? So long he is . . . she is beautiful. That's all. And a girl loves a boy—for how long? Oh, so long his pocket is all right. So this is not love. This is not love, this is lust. I love your skin, I love your money, or I love you for some reason. Oh, that is not love.

Here it is stated, "What kind of love of God?" Ahaitukī: "Without any cause." Not that, "My dear God, I love You because You supply me my daily bread." "O God, give me my daily bread," this is our prayer. Either in church or in temple, the same thing. In a temple also, generally people go, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am in difficulty. Please get me out of it," or "I am in need of some money. Kindly give me a million dollars." Like that.

So this is not love of God. This is also very good; that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, er, Bhagavad-gītā: catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. If anyone goes to God for asking some benefit, he's also pious man. But he's not a devotee. He may be counted in the list of pious men because he recognizes God, the Supreme; therefore he is pious. But he has not developed the highest principle of religion, love of God. The love of God, as enunciated by Lord Śrī Caitanya, it is very nice. He says:

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa

cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam

śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ

govinda-viraheṇa me

(CC Antya 20.39)

"O my dear Govinda! Because I do not see You, therefore every moment is appearing to me as twelve years." Yuga means twelve years. "Every second is appearing to be a long duration of time." Everyone, you have got experience: if you love somebody and if you are expecting your lover, every moment you think, "Oh, it is full one day." You see? This is due to love. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. Nimeṣa means a moment. "My dear Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, a moment is appearing to me as long as twelve years."

Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: "And my tears pouring water just like torrents of rain." That means He's crying, "Hā Kṛṣṇa, I could not see You." Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitaṁ śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "Oh, I see the whole world void and vacant." You see? He does not see anything.

He sees everything void. Just like if you have lost anything beloved, you don't see anything; you see everything is gone. So śūnyāyitaṁ ja . . . how? Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me. Viraha means separation. "On account of separation." So this should be the only cause, that you cannot tolerate the separation of Govinda. That is love.

He explains many other verses also. The last verse He says that āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanān (CC Antya 20.47). Now lover and beloved, one is anxious to see the other, and if the lover sees the beloved, he becomes happy.

But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that, "If You make me unhappy for many thousands of years by Your disappearance, but by not being present before me, I don't mind." Just see. "I don't mind." Āśliṣya: "You either embrace me, or You trample down me on Your feet, You are at liberty, whatever You like." Lampaṭa. Lampaṭa, just like a debauched husband sometimes ill-treats the good wife, and the good wife tolerates.

There are many instances such thing, India, still, but that is diminishing. Of course, if we say so many stories, it will take . . . but there are many examples. I have got personal experience of my youngest sister, you see. She is dead and gone. Her husband was a first-class debauchee. (break) . . . she could understand, after her marriage.

But she was so tolerant that when I used to go to her house, I used to enquire about my brother-in-law, and she would reply, "Oh, he has gone just now out." She would never say that her husband never comes home. So in order to hide the secrecy . . . and later on I saw—this is our practical experience—that debauched husband become a faithful servant of my sister, simply by her toleration. This is practical experience I have seen.

So the same thing, sometimes it is happened that a man, man has got a, I mean to say, spirit of controlling. So his wife tolerates, then the . . . then there will be no misunderstanding; gradually the family life will be nice. But if in a moment's misunderstanding we prepare ourself to be separated, that is not . . . there is no love.

There is no love. So here the Lord Caitanya gives the same example, that "Either You embrace me, or kiss me, or You trample down under Your feet, because You are a debauch, I know, still You are my beloved." This is pure love.

So that is stated here that love of Godhead, not for any purpose. Without any purpose. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means without being hampered by any reason. "Oh, I cannot love Kṛṣṇa, because I am very poor man." Or "I cannot love Kṛṣṇa, because I have no education, I cannot study Vedānta." No.

To love Kṛṣṇa, you don't require any material acquisition. No material acquisition will help. So if somebody says: "Oh, I have to bring fruit and flower at least, and incense to the temple, otherwise . . ." Yes. That is the sign of love.

The sign of love is six. Six. They are six in number. What is that? You give something to your lover and you accept something from your lover. If you simply go on giving your lover, and if you don't . . . your lover does not give you something, then there is no love. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. Everything is defined in the Vedic literature. Love means one should give and should accept also.

Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate (Upadeśāmṛta 4). One should give the lover eatables and accept eatables from him or her. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca . . . you should not keep anything secret within your mind, and the lover should not keep anything secret within the mind. If these six kinds of exchanges are there, then there is love. And that love should be without any reason and without being stopped by any material cause.

So how nicely it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, that is the highest principle of religion. You can accept any kind of religion, it doesn't matter. You be Hindu or Mussulman or Christian, it doesn't matter. The test is whether you have developed that causeless . . . causeless love for God, and whether that execution of loving affair is going on without being stopped by any material reason. That is the test of religion. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, how nice this is, the definition of . . .

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

If you can develop such for love for God, without any cause, without being checked, without being stopped for any material reason, then you will feel suprasīdati, all satisfaction—no more anxiety, no more dissatisfaction. You will feel the whole world full of pleasure. Viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta).

One devotee says that "If one has learned this causeless love for God . . ." One of the devotee of Lord Caitanya says, he says that through Lord Caitanya—because I have quoted so many ślokas from Lord Caitanya's writing—He has actually taught how to love Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is the most significant point of His preaching work. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī, when first saw Lord Caitanya, he offered his respect to Lord Caitanya. This is the same attitude.

He was dancing in the front of Bindu-mādhava at Prayag—the Prayag description I have already given you—and at that time Rūpa Gosvāmī went to meet Him, and he fell down before His lotus feet and prayed with these words. What is that?

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

"My dear Lord, You are the most magnificent, charitable incarnation. There are many incarnations of God, but You are the most magnificent . . . munificent." Not magnificent, magnificent is also there. Why? "Because You are distributing love of God." Love of God: kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te.

Therefore this love of God cannot be distributed by anyone unless he is empowered by God. No ordinary man can. If he's not a lover of God, how he can distribute love of God? If one is poor man, how he can be a charitable man? Similarly, unless Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the ideal figure, how He loved Kṛṣṇa? You see His picture, only . . . not even twenty-four years, because at the age of twenty-four years He left home. His wife was only sixteen years old, His mother was seventy-five years old, very old lady, but He left home for distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa.

So this is the best kind of religious principle, to understand how to become a lover of God and distribute this knowledge, how to love God. That is the best religion. So this description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, definition of religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6), without any cause, apratihatā, without being checked up, without being infected by any materialism.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so beautiful thing that it does not require any material acquisition, neither it can be checked by any materialism. Anywhere, any part of the world, at home or out of home, anywhere you can, with your ecstasy, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you attain love of God very quickly.

Thank you very much. (end)