721028 - Lecture SB 01.02.17 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

721028SB-VRNDAVAN - October 28, 1972 - 37:30 Minutes

Pradyumna: (leads chanting of verse, etc.) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

(break)

śṛṇvatām—those who have developed the urge to hear the message of; sva-kathāḥ—His own words; kṛṣṇaḥ—the Personality of Godhead; puṇya—virtues; śravaṇa—hearing; kīrtanaḥ—chanting; hṛdi antaḥ sthaḥ—within one's heart; hi—certainly; abhadrāṇi—desire to enjoy matter; vidhunoti—cleanses; suhṛt—benefactor; satām—of the truthful.

Translation: "Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā, or Supersoul, in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

There is a English proverb that, "God helps him who tries to help himself." That is a English proverb. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult thing. People have no taste. They do not understand the importance of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But this is the only way by which one can become perfect and happy.

It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that just to become happy and peaceful one has to learn three things.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

If you want . . . because the problem is that we want to be happy and peaceful. Everyone says: "I want peace. There is no peace in my mind." That is a general understanding. Nobody can say that, "I am completely happy and peaceful." No. That is not possible. The material world is made in such a way that you cannot feel happy. That is not possible.

First of all, we have come to this material world to enjoy sense gratification. But that is not our proper business. Our proper business is to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not our senses. So because we have deviated from our original position, therefore it is always a perplexity of our life. But due to illusion we cannot understand it.

Just like a hog is eating stool, living in a very filthy place, having sex without any discrimination, but you see, hogs are very fatty. They feel very happy. Unless one feels very happy, he cannot become fatty. This is a psychology. Yes. We have seen, sometimes, a confectioner, very quickly they become fatty, because they always smell rasagullā. It is natural. You see? So the hogs, they feel very happy and get fatty. You see? But actually what is the happiness? He's eating stool, living in a filthy place and no fixity of eating. But still, he's happy.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was asked by his father, "My dear boy, will you kindly let me know what best thing you have learned from your teachers?" so Prahlāda Mahārāja replied:

tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ

sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt

hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ

vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta

(SB 7.5.5)

"My dear father . . ." He did not say, "father." He said: "My dear the best of the demons." His father was a demon, and he was not afraid of his father, although his father was always insisting him, "You give up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, learn like me, become a very big king, politician." But he would say: "No. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). This is best thing."

So that was the fight between the father and the son. So sometimes, after all, he was father, sometimes patting the son. So he replied: "My dear the best of the demon, asura-varya . . ." Asura means demon, and varya means the best. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām: "I think for any living entity who has accepted this material body . . ." All of us, we have accepted this material body. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Because the living entities accepted this material body, asad-grahāt . . . asat means "That will not exist."

Every living entity is eternal. He must have his eternal body. But purposefully, to enjoy this material world, the living entity has accepted a material body. Not only once, but it is going on continually, one after another. As I am accumulating material desires in this life . . . just like I have got this body according to my desires in the last life, similarly, whatever we are desiring in this life, that will be fulfilled in the next life.

Kṛṣṇa is very kind. As we desire, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is so kind that if you want a tiger's body, Kṛṣṇa will give you. If you want a demigod's body, Kṛṣṇa will give you. If you want a body like Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give you. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Whatever you want, especially in this human form of life, whatever you desire, Kṛṣṇa will give you chance. It may be very unpalatable, but this is a fact.

We have heard from authorities that is why in Vṛndāvana there are so many hogs and monkeys and dogs. This is very mysterious thing. The siddhānta, the conclusion, is we get it, information from Bhāgavatam . . . just like that, the two sons of Kuvera. What is the . . .? Maṇibandha . . .?

Devotees: Maṇigrīva.

Prabhupāda: Maṇigrīva . . .?

Devotees: Nalakūvara.

Prabhupāda: Nalakūvara. They wanted extensively sense enjoyment. They were enjoying. At that time, Nārada was passing. But they were so much intoxicated that they could not cover their body. So Nārada cursed them that, "You become a tree." But when they were very much submissive, fell down on the feet of Nārada, "How we shall get . . .?" so he asked them to get the tree life in Vṛndāvana. And because they were put in Vṛndāvana, after some time they were delivered.

So similarly, those who are executing devotional service, but at the same time cheating—cheating means outwardly very devotional, inwardly doing all sinful activities—such living entity is given the chance to become a hog and dog in Vṛndāvana so that the reaction of the sinful activities, they get this body; at the same time, due to their touch with the dust of Vṛndāvana, they become eliminated of all sinful activities and liberated.

So these hogs and dogs, they're also very important. They are not ordinary thing. But this is the explanation. The tortoise, the . . . they have, they have got . . . therefore a devotee, when he's punished in that way for the short time, they'll be liberated. Undoubtedly.

There is a statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer

bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi . . .

(SB 1.5.17)

Even one falls down, still, there is no loss, because he'll get the chance. Kṛṣṇa will arrange in such a way, they'll get the chance. So actually, there is no loss. But one must be purified completely. So to get this hog's and dog's life means they are being purified. They are being purified. But without being completely purified, nobody can enter into the kingdom of God. That is not possible. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28). So there is another version in Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

anivijñā tare viṣaye khana diba

sa caraṇāmṛtaṁ diye visa bhula iva

If one, by mistake, while executing devotional service, at the same times keeping his propensity for sense gratification, material enjoyment, then he is rectified in that way.

So we should be very much careful. Careful . . . it is said, kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14). The spiritual path, Kṛṣṇa consciousness path, is just like sharpened razor. You take your sharpened razor and shave your cheek. If you are expert, it will be very clean-shaved. But if you are not expert, there is little inattention, immediately cut and blood. Kṣurasya dhārā. This is an example. Durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14).

But the safest way . . . here it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we attentively hear about Kṛṣṇa, puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, if we hear about Kṛṣṇa, it doesn't matter what I am, but simply by hearing Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa, I shall acquire some resultant action of pious activities. Just like there is the Bhāgavata-saptāha. You, within a week, nobody can understand what is Bhāgavata, and the speaker also does not know what he's speaking. But because somehow or other they're hearing about Kṛṣṇa, there is some pious resultant action. That's a fact.

So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we engage ourselves . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted this process, simply hearing. That is the accepted process, śravaṇam, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also accepted this process. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. He refused so many other processes of self-realization, beginning from varṇāśrama-dharma, jñāna-miśra-bhakti, karma-miśra-bhakti, karma-tyāga. He . . . not rejected, He said: "It is external. If you know something more, speak," when He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya. So when Rāmānanda Rāya quoted a passage from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which was spoken by Lord Brahmā:

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

(SB 10.14.3)

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted that people should be given chance, some way or other, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. These meetings are arranged, these saṅkīrtana parties are arranged . . . we are sending our men throughout the whole world simply to give them some chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. And it is actually happening very effective. Simply.

When I was coming here, I was in Manila. What is called?

Devotees: Manila.

Prabhupāda: Manila. Yes. Manila, in Philippines. So this Manila, Philippines, they eat dogs. But still they gave very patient hearing to kṛṣṇa-kathā. My last meeting was in a big hotel. Our Sudāmā Vipra Gosvāmī Mahārāja arranged it, and it was very successful meeting. All full of young men. And they came to hear about Kṛṣṇa. And they responded very nicely. They purchased books, they danced, they chanted.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is progressing only on this basis: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Just give them chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. We are not bribing them. I have not bribed all these American and European boys to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. I have no money. I, when I went to America, I had only seven dollars—a one hour's expenditure in New York. You see?

So there is no question of bribing them. But they heard about Kṛṣṇa. I was reading Bhagavad-gītā on the street, on the store, in the park, and chanting. They heard, and they came to me. They became attracted. Why? Because it is said here, hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ, within the heart, hy abhadrāṇi.

People are suffering because they have got so many dirty things within the heart. The most important dirty thing are the modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa . . . sattva-guṇa is also not dirty, but it is mixed with dirty things. And rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is purely dirty. Rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is purely dirty.

Here, our intelligence is also dirty, because it is mixed up with these modes of material nature. In the material life, the int . . . we are using our intelligence . . . everyone is using, or . . . his intelligence, how to become happy. The whole world is going on, working so hard. There is intelligence, certainly. But that is dirty intelligence. That is dirty intelligence.

Dirty intelli . . . what kind of dirty intelligence? That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: duṣkṛtinaḥ (BG 7.15). Kṛtī. Kṛtī means very expert, kṛtī. Kṛtī. One who is expert, he's called kṛtī. But here the word has been added: du. Duṣkṛtī. Duṣkṛtin. Just like one who has discovered the atomic bomb. It has required very nice brain.

Unless the scientist is very intelligent, kṛtī, how he could discover such dangerous weapon? So there is intelligence, undoubtedly. But the intelligence has been wrongly used. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. They have discovered something to kill man. But they could discover something which will save man. But that is not possible.

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—which will save man. You can discover something to kill man, but you cannot discover something which will save man. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And it is very easy, simply by giving some time to hear about Kṛṣṇa. As soon as one sincerely hears about Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Kṛṣṇa and I, both are living together within the heart as friends. Kṛṣṇa is so sincere friend that He's trying always to take me back again, back to home, back to Godhead. That is His business. But I am denying, "No, Sir, I shall remain as hog. I shall be happy by eating stool." Kṛṣṇa says: "No, give up this business."

Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "I'll give you protection." "No, Sir, I'll eat meat, I shall eat the stool. I have got very good facility for sex life without any discrimination." There are so many so-called . . . I don't wish to discuss. But sex life is so strong that they cannot give up even in so-called devotional life. So this is dirty things. Actually it is very dirty. But one can give it up if one is very strongly under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde

nava-nava-dhāmany rantum āsīt

tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne

bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ . . .

(Śrī Yāmunācārya)

Yāmunācārya's. If one . . . Kṛṣṇa is Madana-mohana. If one is attracted actually, by Kṛṣṇa, Madana cannot kill him. Kṛṣṇa will save.

So the . . . actually, the dirty thing is our this sex desire. Sex desire increases our attachment for this world.

ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair

janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti

puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ . . .

(SB 5.5.8)

Everything is there, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The ultimate knowledge to understand everything. Unfortunately, they speak on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but not scrutinizingly, pointing out what are the defects in our life. They want to enjoy another type of sense gratification.

Anyway, we do not wish to discuss. But actually, if we want to get rid of all dirty things from our heart, we must hear scrutinizingly about Kṛṣṇa. This is the prescription given here. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you do not understand, it doesn't matter. You simply give vibration . . . hear the vibration. Just like we are doing. What, in European countries and American countries, they'll understand? But we are sending in every important street.

In New York we are sending in the Fifth Avenue, the most important street in the world. Fifth Avenue, New York, we are chanting. You have seen pictures in our Back to Godhead, they are chanting. In London, the most important street, Oxford Street, we send our men. In Melbourne, they're . . . they're now arresting. I do not know what is the position now. But they are prepared. These boys and girls, so nice that they're arrested sometimes. Just like Kazi was torturing Caitanya Mahāprabhu's party.

Of course, now, civilized world, there is no such torturing, but our men are, very often they are arrested and put into jail also. But still, they go. They go every day. Now in London, the police has become disgusted. They don't . . . do not arrest anymore. Yes. So I say that if you are arrested, why you should be sorry? You go in the jail and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all, so that others will get the opportunity to hear about Kṛṣṇa.

So this is our propaganda. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are giving chance to people to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). The same thing can be done in India also. But we have got better field of activities outside India, I tell you frankly. I am very much encouraged. Because the . . . we get very good response quickly. And they become immediately attached to Kṛṣṇa, as you see the samples here. They have given up, on account of their attachment to Kṛṣṇa, they have given up all their nonsense, or abhadrāṇi. Abhadrāṇi. Abhadrāṇi. This, the principle abhadrāṇi means illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. These are the four pillars of abhadrāṇi.

So by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa helps. Śṛṇvatām . . . when Kṛṣṇa sees that, "This man, this living entity, is now sincere to hear about Me," He helps. Hṛdi . . . because He's there. You haven't got to find out somewhere else. You haven't got to go to Himalaya to find Him. He's here. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hi. So He's also within. And my all dirty things are also within. So as soon as He sees . . .

I am also within. So as soon as He sees that, "This living entity's now little serious about hearing about Me," He helps. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti. He helps you. I cannot get out of these dirty things by my own endeavor. That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa helps. As soon as we are little serious to hear about Kṛṣṇa, He helps.

Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te, Kṛṣṇa says. Here, it is indirectly said that Kṛṣṇa helps. And in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa directly says, "Yes. I give him such intelligence so that he may come back to home, back to Godhead." Yena mām upayānti te. To whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). One who is twenty-four hours engaged in the loving service of the Lord, and satata-yuktā . . . satata means twenty-four hours. Not officially.

Of course, by official, one may gradually come to the position of satata-yuktānām. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. With faith and love, if one is engaged in the service of the Lord, then Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. There are two things, buddhi and buddhi-yogam. Buddhi, ordinary buddhi, intelligence, that is dirty. But when it is yogam . . . yogam means connected with Kṛṣṇa. It is called buddhi-yogam.

So we require buddhi-yogam, not buddhi. If we simply use our buddhi, intelligence, then we continue to become duṣkṛtinaḥ. Buddhi's there, but it is utilized in a misdirected way. That is called duṣkṛtinaḥ. Therefore we must engage our buddhi . . . because buddhi is the immediate step before we realize self. First our conception is indriyāṇi, these senses. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). We give very much importance to the senses. The bodily concept of life means to give importance to sense enjoyment. That's all. This is bodily concept of life.

So indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. They are very important. Those who are bodily, in bodily concept of life, they are addicted to sense gratification. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). And those who are little advanced more, they are addicted to the mental speculation. The so-called jñānīs, mental speculation. Manasas tu parā buddhiḥ. Then again you come to the platform of intelligence. Intelligence. And when the intelligence is purified, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi, purified, simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you are raised to the platform of spiritual life. This is the process. So:

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

He is very intimate friend of the sādhus, of the devotees. He is everyone's friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). He's everyone's friend. God, Kṛṣṇa, He's everyone's friend, but He's a special friend for the devotees. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. He says:

samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ

ye tu bhajanti māṁ pṛthyā

. . . teṣu te mayi

(BG 9.29)

Because He's God, He's kind to everyone. Without His kindness, we cannot live for a moment. That is a fact. But if one becomes a devotee, He gives special protection. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So therefore this human form of life is a special prerogative for the living entity, and if we take advantage of it and simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare . . . (break) (end)