760515 - Lecture SB 06.01.15 - Honolulu

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760515SB-HONOLULU - May 15, 1976 - 18.05 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number fifteen.

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā

vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ

aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena

nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ

(SB 6.1.15)

(02:04)

So karma, jñāna, yoga, then bhakti. So karmaṇā, karma niyahara na tantritaṁ bhaviṣyati. We have discussed this. By karma you cannot nullify something . . . (break) So because everyone has got that tendency, the śāstra gives them chance to act, fruitive activities. Because by working, working, one day it will come when he will be not interested working any more. Then athāto brahma jijñāsā (Vedānta-sūtra). Jñāna. Jñāna also, theoretical. It has been seen that theoretical knowledge, even one has come to the platform of Brahman . . . āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32). There are many examples. Simply theoretical knowledge will not help us. Our main aim is how to become perfect.

So by karma we cannot become perfect perpetually. Just like I have given several times the example that in spite of so much education and universities and advancement of civili . . . nobody is perfect in the modern civilization, even, not even honest. In spite of education, so much learning . . . I have given this example many times. This is tested in the airport, that everyone is examined about his dishonest. That means nobody is honest. So this will not help. If you want to make the world perfect, then not by karma, neither by mental speculation. That is not possible. The only means is bhakti, especially in this age. In this Kali-yuga people are very much embarrassed. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutaḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyā. Even nobody is happy in his family life, so unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā. That is practical. So these things will not help, especially in this age.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī suggested for kecit, "somebody," not all. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding is very easy, at the same time very difficult also. So therefore here it is said kevalā bhaktyā. Kevalā means only bhakti, without any jñāna, karma, yoga. That is kevalā bhakti. That is pure devotion, bhakti. Tan manye adhītam uttamam (SB 7.5.24). Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was asked by his father that "What the best thing you have learned? What is the best thing?" he said this: kevalā bhakti. Kevalā bhakti.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sākhyam ātma-nive . . .

(SB 7.5.23)

If we simply stick to these principles of kevalā bhakti, even simply by hearing, śravaṇaṁ . . . just like we are holding class everywhere, in every center. If somebody simply hears attentively, he'll be perfect. This is bhakti: simply hearing. Or śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, or describing or chanting the holy name, he'll be perfect. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu . . . but Viṣṇu, about Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa.

Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana (SB 1.2.17). If you simply hear and chant, then you will be purified. One who is chanting and one who is hearing, both of them will be purified. And gradually, as soon as one is purified, he becomes pious. If you argue that "Somebody is hearing for so many years," so then there is question of offense. Offense, ten kinds of offense, you know. While you are initiated, the ten kinds of . . . so even one is in offense, still, if he continues hearing and chanting, he will be purified. It is so nice thing. This is kevalā bhakti.

But there should not be any motive. That is, you should be very careful. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11), no motive. Bhakti, bhaja-dhātu, simply pure desire, "How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa?" Then he is mukta. Immediately he is liberated. One who has this fixed-up mind, that "How I shall render service to Kṛṣṇa?" and if he tries his best, then he becomes immediately mukta unless he changes his decision. That is . . . every time is possible. Even one is mukta, liberated, he can be also fallen down unless he is very strong in his determination. Māyā is always there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). But if one is determined that "I shall stick to the service of Kṛṣṇa," māyā will not touch. That is kevalā bhakti. If sometimes it appears that he has deviated out of past habit, that is excused. Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). But not intentional. We should not fall down and deviate from our path of devotional service intentionally. That will not . . . that is very great criminality. We must try our best, kevalayā bhaktyā.

So kecit. Kecit means this determination is very difficult. Therefore it has been said here kecit, "somebody," not all. Not all can get that determination. But everyone can get determination, provided he likes. It is not determination is monopolized by a certain man. Anyone who determines that "I shall simply serve Kṛṣṇa," that simple determination will save him. Kevalayā bhaktyā. And kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). Bhaktyā, bhakti, devotion, to whom? Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). If one determines that "Vāsudeva is everything . . ." Actually, Kṛṣṇa is everything. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). In everywhere. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam yat kiñcid jagatyāṁ jagat (ISO 1). Everywhere there is Kṛṣṇa's relationship, because without Kṛṣṇa, nothing exists. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyaktya, mat-sthani sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Without Kṛṣṇa . . . so that is the fact. But when you come to this understanding, then you become perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Without Kṛṣṇa, nothing can exist.

So vāsudeva-parāyaṇā-agham. Agham means sin, sinful reaction of life. Dhunvanti, "one washes." Just like dirty thing, if you bring bucket of water and wash it, then everything cleansed immediately. So this process of chanting is so nice that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). It cleanses the heart, misunderstanding that "I am this body. I belong to this nation. I belong to this community. I belong to this religion." No. "I belong to Kṛṣṇa," that's all. This is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). That is real knowledge, real perfection, as soon as one comes to this conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is mine, and I am Kṛṣṇa's," simply this understanding. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. So by this consciousness automatically all reaction of sinful life becomes washed. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, totally. How? How it is possible? "He has accumulated sinful reaction of life for so many births, and simply . . .?" Yes, it is possible. "How?" Then, nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. When there is . . . what is called? Frost?

Devotee: Fog.

Prabhupāda: Fog, yes. When there is fog, you try so many ways; it cannot go. Then, if somehow or other sun rises, immediately finished. Immediately clear. That is our motto in the Back to Godhead: "Godhead is light and nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead, there is no jurisdiction of darkness."

kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama māyā andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyā adhikāra

(CC Madhya 22.31)

As soon as there is sunshine, immediately the fog is . . . it's practical.

So somehow or other, Kṛṣṇa, if we get Kṛṣṇa arisen in our heart . . . sa vai manaḥ-kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). If we simply concentrate our mind, that is real meditation, to think of Kṛṣṇa—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Then everything will be cleansed automatically. Kṛṣṇa says in the . . .

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

Kṛṣṇa is there already, just like friend. Kṛṣṇa is always ready to give us instruction so that we can get out of this miserable condition of life. Kṛṣṇa is ready. He is coming to give you instruction. Simply you have to follow; then everything will be all right.

So this is the only way. Otherwise in this age, severe austerity, tapasya, celibacy, charity and so on, recommended. Tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ yamena niyamena vā (SB 6.1.13). These are the methods, gradual process of transcendental life. But in this age, especially in this Kali-yuga, it is very, very difficult, almost impossible. So best thing is take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kevalayā bhaktyā, simply this understanding, that "Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master; I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant. So let us exchange our feelings of master and servant. Then I shall be perfect."

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)