681113 - Lecture - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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681113LE-LOS ANGELES - November 13, 1968 - 44:38 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . especially introduced by the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya, and this Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, who has sung this hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu, he's a famous ācārya. His compositions are accepted as Vedic truth. So this purport of this song is very nice. He's lamenting, appealing to Hari, the Lord.

Hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, I have uselessly spoiled my life." Biphale means uselessly, and janama means birth, and goṅāinu means "I have passed." He's representating a common man, as every one of us is simply spoiling our life. They do not know that they are spoiling their life.

They are thinking that, "I've got very nice apartment, very nice car, very nice wife, very nice income, very nice social position." So many things. These are the material attraction. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair.

(aside) Stop it. Oh, that's all . . .

The attraction, material attraction, is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in many ways. In one place it is very nicely summarized what is this material attraction. The basic principle of material attraction is sex. Pumsaḥ striya mithuni-bhavam etam (SB 5.5.8). A man is hankering after another woman, and the woman is hankering after another man. This is the basic principle of material life. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8).

Mithunī-bhāvam means sex. Tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim. And when they actually come into sexual life, each one of them become too much attracted.

Hṛdaya-granthim. Granthi means very hard knot, "I cannot leave you." He says: "I cannot leave you. You are my life and soul," and she says: "You are my life and soul." For a few days. And then again divorce. You see?

But the beginning is there. Basic principle of material attraction is this sex life. This is general. Those who have organized the sex life in social convention in so many ways . . . the marriage is also another convention to give a very finishing nice touch than the animal. That's all.

Just like sometimes it is said marriage is legalized prostitution. So for social convention the marriage is a license, but it is also based on the sex life. But for keep up social life, one has to accept some regulative principle. Therefore sex life like animals and sex life in marriage, there is difference; it is better. That is accepted in civilized world.

So when they're united some way or other, then next demand is nice apartment, gṛha. The next demand, gṛha-kṣetra, land. Because human civilization is based on land and cow, gavayā dhanavān. Formerly, a person was considered to be rich man by possession of the number of cows, by possession of land, not these papers, this false money. At the present moment, if you have got some printed paper, thousand dollars . . . they are papers actually.

When the government is a failure, it has no value. But actually if you possess some land and cows, the government may fail or not fail, your value is there. So that is actual property. Therefore in Sanskrit language it is said gavayā dhanavān. A man is known as rich man by the number of . . . by possession of the number of cows. That was the mode of civilization in the Vedic age.

Gṛha-kṣetra-suta. Suta means children. When you have got apartment, when you have got wife, when you have got . . . then next demand is children, suta. Because without children no home life is pleasant. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). A home life is just like desert without children. Children is the attraction of home life. So grha-kṣetra-suta āpta. Āpta means relatives or society. Sutāpta-vittaiḥ: and all these paraphernalia are to be maintained on money. Therefore money is required, vittaiḥ. In this way, one becomes entangled in this material world. Janasya moho 'yam. This is called illusion. Illusion.

Why illusion? So important things, why illusion? Illusion means that this nice paraphernalia arrangement—home, life, apartment, wife, children, society, position—everything is all right, but as soon as this body is finished, everything is finished, you're in a next platform. You do not know what is next platform. The next platform may be a human being or a cat or a dog or a demigod or anything. You do not know.

And as soon as you have got a next life, you forget all these things. There is no remembrance what I was, what was my home. Everything is finished. Everything is finished—flash, just like a bubble. By the thrashing of different waves in the ocean, there are so many bubbles immediately generated, and the next moment, oh, they are all finished. Finished. Toye janame punaḥ toye samat.

In this way the life is going on. The living entity is traveling in many species of life, in many planets. But this human form of life is an opportunity to understand how I am transmigrating from one place to another, one life to another, and simply wasting my time without understanding what is my constitutional position, why I am so much in distress, miseries.

These things are to be understood in this human form of life. But instead of understanding my real position, the process of life, we reject everything. Simply I am engaged with the gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ—home, society, money, position—everything is all right provided you can utilize it for elevating yourself from these material clutches. Otherwise, if you are simply engaged and captivated by these things, then I am spoiling my life.

So Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, representing ourself, he is lamenting, "My dear Lord, I have spoiled my life. I have simply spoiled my life." Why? This life, this human form of life, manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā. This human form of life was meant for understanding what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Lord, His energy, whatever you call—Hare Kṛṣṇa or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, the same thing, the Lord and His energy.

So, "Instead of making contact with Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, I am simply spoiling my life in sense gratification." So he's lamenting, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "Uselessly I have spoiled my life." Why? What is your lamentation? He says, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, this transcendental vibration, is not any material thing. It is imported from the transcendental abode, golokera. Goloka means the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa.

Golokera prema-dhana. From there, the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa . . . just like the sunshine, wherefrom it has come? From the sun planet. Everyone knows it. Although you cannot go there, it is far, far beyond your reach, but you can understand that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. There is no doubt about it.

Similarly this vibration, this shining, is coming from Kṛṣṇa, Goloka. Golokera prema-dhana. And prema-dhana means this chanting is in love with Kṛṣṇa. So golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. "I've no attachment for this." Why should one be attached to this? That is explained in the next line: viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. Hiyā. Hiyā means heart. Our heart is always burning. Why? In touch with this material sense gratificatory process. No sense gratificatory process is giving me satisfaction.

I'm trying this way, that way, this way, that way, that way. You see? Just like people are trying sense gratification in so many ways, they have come to the last point, naked picture, naked dance. What is called? That short, what is called?

Devotee: Miniskirt.

Prabhupāda: Miniskirt, yes. So because here the basic principle only sex, everyone is inviting, "Yes, come on, sex. Come on, sex." But this way, that way, sex, anyway you enjoy, you cannot be satisfied. That is certain. Because that is not your platform of enjoyment.

You are spirit soul. Unless you come to the spiritual platform, these material, any kind of sense enjoyment . . . therefore you will never be satisfied. You'll simply hankering after, but there will be no satisfaction.

Therefore Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura says, viṣaya-viṣānale. Viṣaya means these material demands, eating, sleeping, mating, these are called viṣaya. They are just like poison, fire. So everyone is burning. Viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. Jvale means it is burning, my heart is burning. Tari bare nā koinu upāy. "But I did not search out the relief, the immediate relief, hari-saṅkīrtana, this chanting. I have no attachment for this. Therefore I have spoiled my life."

Then he says, brajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta hoilo sei. Now, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is introduced by Kṛṣṇa Himself, Vrajendra-nandana. Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Mahārāja Nanda in Vṛndāvana; therefore He is called Vrajendra-nandana, Vrajeśa-tanaya. These are names. So this same Vrajendra-nandana, Kṛṣṇa, has appeared as Śacīnandana.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead takes pleasure when He's addressed with His devotee's name, with His energy's name. Devotee's also His energy. So He has no father. He is father of everyone. But He accepts some devotee. A devotee wants Kṛṣṇa as his son, therefore Kṛṣṇa accepts a devotee as His father.

So nobody can become His father, but a devotee . . . just like this girl, Nandarāṇī, is raising her daughter, always giving service. The child is accepting service from the parents. Her business is only to accept. Torture and accept service. So devotees accept Kṛṣṇa as son so that Kṛṣṇa may simply torture them and accept service. That is the policy. Because the devotee want to render service, so this is the best way of service rendering. The child will draw always service.

So this conception, fatherhood of the Absolute Truth, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is undoubtedly very good, but there is no service. Father is meant for exacting, "Father, give me this. Father, give me this." And here, the Vaiṣṇava conception, to accept the Supreme as child to render service. Not to accept. No parents accept any service from the child, but he simply gives service.

So anyway, Vrajendra-nandana, the idea of accepting the Lord as son . . . Mahārāja Nanda accepted Kṛṣṇa as his son, similarly Śacīdevī accepted Lord Caitanya as his (her) son. So both of Them are the one. So Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura says: "The same Vrajendra-nandana, Kṛṣṇa, has now appeared as Lord Caitanya, as the son of Śacī. And the same Balarāma has become Nitāi."

And what is Their business? The business is pāpī-tāpī jata chilo: "They are claiming all kinds of sinful conditioned souls." Their only business is. Because in this age, Kali-yuga, you cannot find any perfectly pious man or saintly person. Everyone is addicted to so many sinful activities.

So pāpī-tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. Simply by distributing this chanting, He claimed everyone, however fallen he may be. "Come on, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and become delivered." You see? So nice thing. Pāpī-tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārila. What is the evidence that He has? Ta 'ra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were two brothers, debauch number one. You see?

They were all kinds of sinful affairs. They were drunkard, they were woman hunter, meat-eater, so many things. And, of course, they were born in a very high Brāhmin family, but bad association, they became like that. Similarly, at the present age, this human society, although they are coming from the Āryan family, very nice family, but due to association the only environment is there's woman and intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. That's all. So Jagāi-Mādhāi is the specimen, sample of this population, and Lord Caitanya delivered them simply by this Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So this chanting process, Hare Kṛṣṇa, will actually deliver all these fallen souls without any failure. It is not bogus propaganda. Anyone who will take to this chanting process, whatever, you don't consider about his past life. He will become saintly. He will become a pure Kṛṣṇa conscious person. So pāpī-tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo, ta 'ra sākṣī jagāi-mādhāi. The evidence is Jagāi-Mādhāi.

Then he says, hā hā . . . when he has come to the senses that, "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then he surrenders. This process, the chanting process, will purify our heart, our burning heart, and one will come to the understanding that, "I am eternal servitor of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa." Then, as soon as he comes to this understanding, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jṣānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), "After many, many births, when one person becomes actually wise, a man of wisdom, jṣānavān"—jṣānavān means wise man—then what does he do? "He surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19): "Because Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: "That kind of great soul is very rare." That is stated in . . .

But Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made easy to become such kind of great soul simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, at the end he says, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. Again the sutā, the son, son of Nanda, and Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu, They are standing. Kṛṣṇa . . . Vaiṣṇava, they do not worship Kṛṣṇa alone without Rādhārāṇī.

They do not worship Rāma without Sītā. They do not worship Nārāyaṇa without Lakṣmī. Because the Lord and the energy must be there. We don't say . . . we don't believe that God is without any energy. No. "Hare Kṛṣṇa." First the energy is addressed, Harā, Hare, then Kṛṣṇa.

So here also, Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura prays, "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are now present before me with Your internal potency, Your pleasure potency, Rādhā. So I am surrendering unto You." Hā hā prabhu nanda-sutā. And "Don't neglect me because I am so sinful, my past life is so black. Don't neglect me. Please accept me. Don't kick me away. I surrender unto You." This is the purport of this song.

So this instruction should be taken by all of us. The purificatory process is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as our heart is purified, we completely become convinced that, "The Lord is Supreme. I am His eternal servant. I have forgotten this. Servant . . . my servitorship is there, but instead of serving the Lord, I am serving my senses. That's all.

I have never become the master. I am not master of my senses, I am the servant of my senses. That is my position." So why not becoming the servant of the Supreme instead of serving on the servant of the senses?

You cannot become master. Actually, you become master of the senses when you are actually servant of Kṛṣṇa—otherwise it is not possible. There are two words, gosvāmī and go-dāsa. Persons who are servant of their senses, they are called materialistic go-dāsa, and persons who are master of the senses, they are called gosvāmī. Gosvāmī.

They control the senses. The tongue wants to eat something which is not . . . "Oh," he controls. "Oh, tongue, you cannot taste these things. It is not kṛṣṇa-prasāda." Therefore he becomes gosvāmī, master. He does not allow the tongue to eat any nonsense thing except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. He cannot allow his senses, his anything, for sense gratification. Only for the service. That is called devotional service.

Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Bhakti, this devotional service, means when you engage your senses for the satisfaction of the master of the senses. The supreme master of the senses is Kṛṣṇa. So we are trying to apply the senses for our personal service. This is called māyā; this is called illusion. The same senses purified, when they'll be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. So we are not going to stop the activities of the senses, but senses are being purified for being engaged in the service of the Lord. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances)

So, any question? Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, how was it that Lord Jesus was called a son of God? If Kṛṣṇa is usually the son, how come Jesus was the son?

Prabhupāda: Not usually. Kṛṣṇa is father, that I told you. But He becomes son out of His love. Kṛṣṇa is father. Kṛṣṇa's position is father, but He . . . he's simply father, so He voluntarily becomes a son also sometimes, to taste how to become a son. Son is not His constitutional position.

Father is His constitutional position. But He voluntarily accepts to become a son. But who is going to be His father? He is the original father. He is a father of everyone. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. In the Bhagavad-gītā says there, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4): "There are millions, 8,400,000 species of life, and I am the father of all these living entities." So who is going to be His father? Nobody is father, but a devotee, when likes, "My dear Lord, I want a son like You," so Kṛṣṇa accepts: "Oh, where is another son like Me? I'll become your son." That's all.

Just like Vasudeva and Devakī. In their previous life they underwent severe austerities. They were married couples, but they had no sex. They were determined that, "Unless we get the Lord as our son, we are not having any son." So they went on for many years, many thousands years' austerity.

Then the Lord appeared, "What do you want?" "Sir, I want a son like You." "Where can I get another son like Me? I'll become your son." So Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, is father of everyone, but He voluntarily accepts to become a son to His devotee. Otherwise His position is always father.

Yes.

Madhudviṣa: Prabhupāda, I read in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Volume Three, that when one becomes a liberated soul, he attains perfect freedom, and even sometimes that freedom is on the same level as Kṛṣṇa or even more than Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: Can you explain that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this Vasudeva, he's more than Kṛṣṇa. Yaśodā . . . you have seen the picture, Yaśodā is binding Kṛṣṇa?

Madhudviṣa: Oh, the little baby. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, He has become . . . the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is, I mean to say, afraid, who is fearful by everyone, Yaśodā . . . and Kṛṣṇa has become fearful to Yaśodā: "My dear mother, kindly do not bind Me. I shall obey your orders." So Yaśodā has become more than God, more than Kṛṣṇa.

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to be one with Kṛṣṇa or one with Lord, but our philosophy is to become more than Kṛṣṇa. Why one with Kṛṣṇa? More than Kṛṣṇa. And actually He accepts. He makes His devotee more than Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa took the part of a driver, and he was the hero of the fight.

Actually, Kṛṣṇa was the hero, but He gave position to His devotee, "You become the hero. I shall become your charioteer." That's all. Don't you see how Arjuna has become more than Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says: "Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but you know that all these person who have assembled in this battlefield, they are not going back. They are already killed. That is My plan. You simply take the credit that you have killed them. That's all." That He wants.

Just like a father wants a son to see him more than himself. If a father is an M.A., he wants to see his son M.A., Ph.D., or something more. He's satisfied. He'll not tolerate anybody to become more than him, but he'll tolerate if his son becomes more than him. I'm giving you a crude example.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, wants to see His devotee more than Himself. That is His pleasure. He takes pleasure in that. So to become a devotee is not ordinary thing. You see? He has got the chance to become more than God. Why equal with God, one with God? No. More than God. Yes. That is our philosophy.

Yes?

Jaya-gopāla: What is the relationship of the surabhī cow with Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jaya-gopāla: What is the relationship of the surabhī cow with Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: They are also . . . these cows are also devotees, and Kṛṣṇa is fond of keeping cows, taking care of them. The same love affairs, exchange of love. That's all.

Jaya-gopāla: Which . . .

Prabhupāda: Dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa, servitude. There are different rasas, mellows of relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Śānta, dāsya . . . just like Vṛndāvana-bhūmi or the trees, the plants, they are serving Kṛṣṇa silently. And the cows and servants, they are offering superior service. The friends, they are offering service as friend.

The gopīs, they are . . . gopīs, or the motherly gopīs, just like Yaśodā and ladies, offer their . . . loving Kṛṣṇa as son, and the younger girls, they're loving Kṛṣṇa as husband, as lover. So in this way in Vṛndāvana there are different transcendental mellows of loving affairs.

So the cows are on the śānta . . . dāsya-rasa, giving service, just like master and servant. They are situated in this transcendental humor. But they're all one with Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is inferior than Kṛṣṇa, but the relationship is exchange of loving service. That's all.

Nandarāṇī: Is our rasa with Kṛṣṇa already established? I mean, is it eternal? Or do we . . . can we attain . . .

Prabhupāda: No. It is already established. You have got eternal relationship. When you become liberated, you realize that your relationship is with Kṛṣṇa like this. You'll develop that taste, whether in śānta-rasa or dāsya-rasa or mādhurya-rasa or vātsalya-rasa. But that is not to be imitated at the present moment. When we are actually liberated.

To come to that stage, the routine work, regulative work, should be followed: chanting, hearing, worshiping, following the regulative principles. In this way, gradually, as we are purified, we come to the pure consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then at once we understand, "My relationship with Kṛṣṇa is like this." And you are transferred to the Kṛṣṇaloka in that humor.

Dayānanda: We could also have a passive relationship with Kṛṣṇa, like a tree?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will be revealed, how we are related with Kṛṣṇa. Every relationship is as good as the other. Just like in this material world, everyone's position, he thinks it is very nice. Similarly, in the spiritual, what to speak, they are all equal, but still, one is apprec . . . one's aptitude is that, "I want to love Kṛṣṇa in this way." Yes.

So he's there in that way. There must be variety. If there is rasa-līlā, there must be nice trees, nice field, nice cows, nice Yamunā river. Otherwise how it is, simply if the gopīs and Kṛṣṇas are there, if the other things are not there? The background must be there.

So everything is spiritual. Background is also spiritual. That is creation of Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahu-śyāma. Just like a painter paints a picture, he makes a nice background. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy, so He has created us in different varieties to supply His pleasure potency. You see. Eko bahu-śyāma. This Vedic literature says that alone He has many. Why? Just to enjoy. Why? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He's by nature joyful, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

So ānanda does not mean that one. No. Variety. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. So that variety, they're all spiritual. Just like the same example: you paint a picture with the same brush and color, but as soon as you make it variety, variegated, it becomes very enjoyable.

So we don't say that the varieties created by God is false. No. It is real. How can I say it is false? This flower, it is designed by God so nicely, it is colored so nicely. It has got its use. There is variety. Even there is greenness . . . there is so many things, varieties. There is color display, sometimes a dark red, sometimes it is light red.

So nicely created by Kṛṣṇa, and I shall say it is false? Why it is false? It is Kṛṣṇa's creation. Let me take it and offer it to Kṛṣṇa. This is called bhakti. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I don't enjoy it. It is Kṛṣṇa's creation; it must be offered to Kṛṣṇa.

And after offering to Kṛṣṇa, you'll enjoy. After offering nice prasāda, Kṛṣṇa is full, Kṛṣṇa is not eating. You'll enjoy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't reject anything. This tape recorder we don't reject. We don't say: "Oh, it is material. We shall not touch." Bring any scientific invention, we shall engage in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

We don't say it is false. Why? You have applied your brain, you applied your energy to invent such nice machine. Let it be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Your life will be successful. That's all. The flower from . . . the tree from which this flower is grown, if this flower is offered to Kṛṣṇa, his life is successful.

So it is so nice program, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All-round successful. There is no comparison with this program, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There cannot be any comparison, neither any rivalry with this conception of philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So try to understand, preach it nicely, and be happy, and let them become happy.

So you want to chant something or . . . no?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, the neighbors, ah . . .

Prabhupāda: All right. That's all right. We have chanted. Now we can distribute prasāda. (devotees offer obeisances)

(aside) You distribute. I want to go to the bathroom.

(break) "Oh, I don't like this. He may come back." He must be seen as beloved child. First of all he gave him work just like ordinary laborer. He became sick. He's also tasting. That is nice.

So tomorrow we must find out some store.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda? I spoke to Puruṣottama. He is coming here.

Prabhupāda: Coming?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Brahmānanda said: "Do you know what you are doing to me, Tamāla? Now I have to do all the work here." So he said: "But it's all right." Number-one man.

Prabhupāda: So you may send somebody to help him.

Nandarāṇī: Who is coming? (pause)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Puruṣottama. He said it was all right, because Puruṣottama can still get a lot of advertisements for Back to Godhead in Los Angeles area.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you can . . . (indistinct)

Devotee: When's he coming? (break) (end)