750118 - Lecture SB 03.26.43 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

750118SB-BOMBAY - January 18, 1975 - 40:44 Minutes

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

kledanaṁ piṇḍanaṁ tṛptiḥ

prāṇanāpyāyanondanam

tāpāpanodo bhūyastvam

ambhaso vṛttayas tu imāḥ

(SB 3.26.43)

(break) (03:19)

"The characteristics of water are exhibited by its moistening other substances, coagulating various mixtures, causing satisfaction, maintaining life, softening things, driving away heat, incessantly supplying itself to reservoirs of water, and refreshing by slaking thirst."

Prabhupāda:

kledanaṁ piṇḍanaṁ tṛptiḥ

prāṇanāpyāyanondanam

tāpāpanodo bhūyastvam

ambhaso vṛttayas tu imāḥ

(SB 3.26.43)

So this is analysis of water. So many things can be performed by water. Everything is being analytically studied. Kṣitir āp tejo marud vyoma. So . . . but one thing important in this verse is that tāpa apanodaḥ, refreshing, refreshing. When you are thirsty, you drink water. Immediately your thirst is satiated and you feel a fresh pleasure. So in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says that this qualification of the water, tāpa apanodaḥ . . . what is that verse? Āpo 'ham . . .

Devotees: Raso 'ham . . .

Prabhupāda: Raso 'ham. Raso 'ham kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So this satisfaction . . . actually, our satisfaction can be revived only with relationship of Kṛṣṇa, revival of our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is śānti. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, when he came in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead . . . he was hankering after material opulence, kingdom, a better kingdom than his father, than his grandfather. That was his ambition. As a child, he was insulted by his stepmother. So actually when he saw Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, he was so satisfied that he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42): "Now I have no more hankering."

So this is also one tāpa. In this material world we are suffering so many varieties of tāpa. Tāpan vindanti maithunyam agaram ajhaḥ. It is simply full of tāpa. Tāpa means heat, and tāpa means unbearable, miserable condition. Therefore from tāpa . . . it comes from tapa, tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some unfavorable condition. Of course, the soul is not affected by any favorable or unfavorable condition. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. Actually, it has no connection with the favorable, unfavorable condition. It is simply abhiniveśa. The mind being affected by the material contamination, we are suffering so-called miserable condition of life. It is due to the mind. Otherwise, as it is said, one man is satisfied in a very poor condition of life, and another man is not satisfied even in the best opulent condition of life. Why? It is due to the mind. It is due to the mind.

So therefore whole process of spiritual life or peaceful life . . . spiritual life is peaceful life. Material life is not peaceful life. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). There are so many varieties of desires in material life; therefore one cannot be peaceful. That is not possible. But when one enters into spiritual life . . . spiritual life means to revive our spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then we can become happy. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Three things, if we learn . . . what are those three things?

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

Śānti. If we learn these three things, then we'll get śānti. Śānti, that is clearly explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta also. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, jñātvā mām: "Me," Kṛṣṇa says—person. Just like "Give me." So Kṛṣṇa says, jñātvā mām. What is that? So we have to know Kṛṣṇa, that He is actually enjoyer. Master and servant. If the servant knows that "In this house my master is the proprietor. He is the enjoyer. I am simply servant," then he is peaceful. But if he artificially tries to become the master, although he is servant there, then there is all disturbance.

So here our miserable conditions are caused by our thinking that "I am the proprietor. I am the owner. I am the enjoyer." One becomes to owner, proprietor, because he wants to enjoy. So this is our disease. Actually, we are servant of Kṛṣṇa: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108-109). This is our original position. We are servant, even in this condition. But we are servant of māyā, illusion—means we are servant of our lusty desires: kāma; krodha, anger; lobha, greediness; moha, illusion; so many, mada, madness. We are servant of these propensities. We are not master. When you become master of these sense gratification processes, then you are svāmī. That is the position of svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means this controller of the senses. Go means senses. So svāmī or gosvāmī means one who has control over the senses or one who has control over the mind.

The mind is very restless. The whole yogic process is meant for controlling the mind, because unless you control the mind, the mind will volumes and volumes of desires, hundreds, thousands, millions. And you have to satisfy them. Then where is śānti? You have to satisfy the master. Who has become your master? Mind. Then you are disturbed. There cannot be any peace. And mind has got many millions of desires. Therefore when you can control over the mind, that mind desires something and you have to control, "No, you cannot do it," then you become svāmī. Svāmī . . . these sannyāsīs, they are given the title svāmī or gosvāmī because the sannyāsīs are supposed to control over the mind, over the senses. Therefore they are called svāmī. Otherwise, not svāmī but servant. If you are controlled by the mind, then you are servant, and if you are controller of the mind, then you are svāmī, the same person.

So how you can become svāmī? Because we are falsely thinking that "I am the proprietor. I am the enjoyer. I am the leader. I am the friend of my family, my society, my nation," so many ways, you have to convert these things. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the friend of everyone." But we are taking the place of Kṛṣṇa, leadership. I am declaring to my countrymen, to my follower, that "I am your friend." So actually, I cannot be friend because I do not know what is the goal of life. I cannot lead them properly. Some immediate convenience we can offer, and people, being less intelligent, they are after immediate profit. It is called preya. Just like if you say to a small child, "Don't go to school. Please come and play with me," he would like to play with his friend. That is immediate profit. But if you ask him to go to the school, that is remote profit. That is called śreya. And preya, preya means immediate profit. Two young men, if one friend says to the other friend, "Oh, let us go to the cinema," that is very palatable. And if he says, "Let us go to this meeting in Hare Kṛṣṇa Land," that is not very palatable. This is the distinction between śreya and preya. Niḥśreyasāya. Niḥśreyasāya means ultimate goal of life, ultimate profit of life.

So ultimate profit of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead. Because we are suffering on account of separation from God. This is our cause of suffering. Instead of becoming servant of God we have become the servant of senses. That is the cause of our suffering. Therefore three things, if we can understand thoroughly: that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is the proprietor and enjoyer of the whole universe or creation, and . . . bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of all universal planets, and suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, and He is the real friend of everyone. Jñātvā, "One who knows," Kṛṣṇa says, mām, "Me, then he gets śānti." Otherwise, there cannot be any śānti.

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta also it is confirmed that,

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali aśānta

kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva śānta

(CC Madhya 19.149)

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, one who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is śānta. He is fully confident. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is fully confident that Kṛṣṇa . . . "I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. I have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and He has promised, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Then where is the cause of my anxiety?" Therefore he can become . . . he has understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, almighty, all-powerful, full of all opulences. "So if He has taken my charge, then where is my anxiety?" That is śānti. That is śānti. And so long we are taking shelter of māyā, asat, which will not stay . . . suppose we are taking shelter . . . child is taking shelter of the father, mother, or the citizens is taking shelter of the state, of the government. So one has to take shelter of something else for protection, for security. But they are not actually security. Therefore we are always full of anxiety. You may be a citizen of a great state like United States of America, but you are not without any anxiety because that shelter is not sufficient. That will not stay. Just like recently in America they had to dethrone Mr. Nixon because they were not free from anxiety.

So you cannot become free from anxiety by taking shelter of anything material. That is not possible. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat and sat. Sat means eternal, and asat means temporary. So we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not annihilated after the annihilation or destruction of this body. Therefore we have to take shelter of the eternal. Then we'll be happy. And so long we shall take shelter of the temporary thing, asat, this material world, material society, friendship, love, state, community, nation—anything you take, they are not permanent—so you cannot be happy. But if you take shelter for security at the lotus feet of the Supreme, then you are actually secure.

Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asad-grahāt. Asad means this material world. It will not stay. Just like this material body, it will not stay, everyone knows. It has a beginning, birth; it stays for some time; it transforms some other bodies as children; then it becomes old, dwindling; and then finished. These are six different transformation of the material world. But it is temporary, asat. But there is another life, where there is no transformation: eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That is spiritual world. So that spiritual world, we have no information, but we have got little experience. Spiritual world means complete peaceful, śānti. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). Therefore it is compulsory business of our life to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, if you want śānti. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If you want śānti, then you have to know God, what is God. Not vague idea; actually. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. You have to know.

Now, the position is how to know God. How to know God. So God know, it is very easy. If you don't chant . . . suppose if I say that "By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you will know God," you may think that "Why shall I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? I belong to different religion. Why shall I chant this Hindus' Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra?" Then all right, you do not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but you try to understand God in your daily life. What is that? That satisfaction by drinking water. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Everyone drinks water. Either you become Hindu, Muslim, Christian, you have to drink water. And after drinking water, when you feel satisfaction, as it is said, tāpa apanodaḥ, the tiresomeness immediately annihilated, immediately diminished, satisfies. So that satisfaction is Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa says. So you haven't got to search out Kṛṣṇa anywhere. Kṛṣṇa is within you, God is within you. But still if you are doubtful, then God says, Kṛṣṇa says, "You try to understand Me in this way, tāpa apanodaḥ, the water." Everyone drinks water, very easy. So raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Then the beginning, if you do not do anything . . . just I am trying to convince you about the easy process of bhakti-yoga. Anyone, everyone, at any place, any condition of life, he can become a bhakta. Ahaituky apratihatā. This is first-class religion, to become devotee of God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti . . . when you . . . bhakti means loving service. When you develop your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa and you begin to serve Him, that is called bhakti.

So this bhakti is the first-class religion, paro dharma. All other different kinds of religious systems, they are material. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist"—these are all material designation. Actually, it is not dharma. Just like gold. Gold cannot be Hindu gold, Christian gold, Muslim gold. Gold is gold. There is no question of Hindu gold or Muslim gold. Similarly, dharma, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means relationship with God. So human being in any society, any part of the world, there is a consciousness or sense of understanding God. The method may be different; that is another thing. But the idea is how to know God. Just like Christians, they say, "O God, give us our daily bread." So there is relationship. Muslim, they say, allahu akbar, "God is great." So in Hindu conception generally say, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So any sense you say, there is relationship with God. So unless you revive your relationship with God which is dormant, there is no śānti. There cannot be any śānti. So try to understand God.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that "If you do not take this process, that process, you simply, while drinking water, you think of Me: 'Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa.' " As it is said here, tāpa apanodaḥ. Everyone drinks water, so everyone can remember Kṛṣṇa, or God, if you simply learn this art, that "While drinking water, while I feel satisfaction, I must know, 'Here is God.'" Your devotional life immediately begins—without any education, without any enlightenment. Even a child can . . . if you teach the child that "When you drink water, you think of God . . ." Of course, one must have some knowledge what is God. So that according to different status of life . . . so here from Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata we understand, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple. Kṛṣṇa is in my room in picture. So that is also not difficult. How easy it is, just try to understand, that if drinking water and if I think, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," and I have seen Kṛṣṇa in the temple, I have seen Kṛṣṇa in my room, my father has shown me, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," then where is the difficulty? And if you think Kṛṣṇa like that—"Here is Kṛṣṇa"—that is the beginning of spiritual life. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23), memorizing.

So we request everyone to come to the temple, because he will have the impression what is Kṛṣṇa, how He looks. Here is Kṛṣṇa. It is not imagination. Don't think it is imagination, we have imagined some form. Just like the Māyāvādīs say, "It is imagination." No. It is fact. Because this Kṛṣṇa, this form of Kṛṣṇa, the our forefathers or ācāryas they have seen when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet. And there are many, many old temples—the same feature of Kṛṣṇa, two hands, playing on the flute, and anywhere you will see Kṛṣṇa He has got this flute, because that is His most beloved, favorite instrument. That is stated in the śāstra, not imagination. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asita . . . (Bs. 5.30). In the Vedic language it is said that Kṛṣṇa, He has got a flute in His hand. He likes to play on flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam (Bs. 5.30). Barhāvataṁsa means the peacock feather. He likes peacock feather. These symptoms are described in the Vedic literature, and when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, the same feature was there. So this picture, this photo, or this statue of Kṛṣṇa, this arcā-mūrti, is not different from the original Kṛṣṇa.

So if you simply come here, take the impression of Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa while drinking water, you become a devotee. Is it very difficult job? Very easy. Anyone can do. Anyone can do. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Then, if you develop . . . this is śānta rasa. Then, when you develop your śānta-rasa, then there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa means that you want to serve Him. That is further development. "Here is God. No, why not . . .?" Therefore, according to the Vedic principle, whoever comes to the temple, he brings something to offer to Kṛṣṇa. Not that He requires huge amount of money. No. You must offer something. What is that? Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa is not in want, but if you give something to Kṛṣṇa, that is for your benefit. If Kṛṣṇa accepts something from you, then your life becomes successful. So . . . "But I have no money. What can I offer to Kṛṣṇa?" Oh, that is not the fact. We have got money for going to cinema, and you have no money to bring one flower for Kṛṣṇa. This is denial. This is denial. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You bring one thousand dollars." No. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.

So anywhere within this universe you can get all these things, however poor man you may be. Patram, a little leaf, better tulasī leaf, or any leaf. Patraṁ puṣpam, a little flower. Phalam, little fruit, and little water, that's all. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa, He is the bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka . . . (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of the all universes. So why He is asking this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam? He is so poor? He is not poor. He is the most opulent. But if you begin to give something to Kṛṣṇa, you become opulent. That is wanted. Therefore He is canvassing that "Give Me something." Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi, kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). Because you have forgotten to give to Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa comes down. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). He canvasses, "Please give Me something," as if He is in great need of it. He is not need of it. But if you hear Kṛṣṇa and if you give something to Kṛṣṇa, then it is for your benefit. You will understand gradually what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and gradually develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then your life is successful. Then your life becomes peaceful.

Otherwise, there is no possibility. Otherwise there is no possibility. Everyone is hankering after peace, but this is the way of attaining peace: to revive your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, to engage your mind fully in the service of Kṛṣṇa, in the matter of understanding Kṛṣṇa. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa . . . the books are there. Bhagavad-gītā is there. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is there. You have got your reason. You have got your knowledge. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then, from this asat, this temporary life which you are changing one after another, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya . . . (BG 4.9). After giving up this body . . . this is also temporary body, asat, the asat. Asat means it will not stay. So after giving up this body, if you get another body . . . that is compulsory. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ there is. Just like we are getting different bodies in this life, similarly, when this body is finished, we get another body. But another body or this body, because this material body, asat . . . asad-grahāt, because we accept this material, temporary body, there must be suffering, kleśada. Or whatever we feel pains and pleasure, that is due to this body.

So the best achievement of life is the how to stop this getting material body again. Spiritual body, that is happiness. Then you will get eternal happiness, blissful life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). That you go to the spiritual world. There is spiritual world, as this, here, is material world, you have got material body. So if you are fit for going to the spiritual world, then you'll get spiritual body, same way. And spiritual body means sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), spiritual body. Vigraha means body, and sac-cid-ānanda . . . sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda, blissful. That we want. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Very easy. If you drink water as Kṛṣṇa advises, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. That satisfaction by drinking water, that is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You think, "This is Kṛṣṇa." You think that "I am drinking Kṛṣṇa." Then twice, thrice "Kṛṣṇa" means you become purified. Kṛṣṇa . . . eka kṛṣṇa-nāme yato pāpa hare, pāpī haya tato pāpa kari bare nare. Eka kṛṣṇa, one, once chanting of Kṛṣṇa, it can kill so many reaction of sinful life that you cannot do so many sinful life. A sinful man can do large amount of sinful activities. But you cannot do even.

So this process, if you adopt . . . very easy. It is authenticated. We have not manufactured this. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8), "That rasa, that satisfaction by drinking water, that is I am." So why not think of Kṛṣṇa like that? You drink so many times water, especially in India. Hey? You drink water and think of Kṛṣṇa, you become perfect.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. Haribol. (end)