730108 - Lecture NOD - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730108ND-BOMBAY - January 08, 1973 - 45:03 Minutes

Pradyumna: (reading) " . . . and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India, to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

"Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him. He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar, he may always feel transcendental pleasure in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: So, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is first offering his respect, obeisances, to Sanātana Gosvāmī, who is his elder brother, at the same time guru. So we offer our respect in that way, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau (Ṣaḍ-govāmy-aṣṭaka). That is the way. We cannot jump over the highest authority directly. That is not possible. That is not the etiquette, or rules, regulation. We have to go. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). So He presents Himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. So in order to become Kṛṣṇa's servant, we have to become the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. So my Guru Mahārāja is servant of Kṛṣṇa, his guru, his guru is servant of Kṛṣṇa, his guru is servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am also servant of Kṛṣṇa, but I have to approach through the other servants, not directly. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept that service.

If one disrespect the paramparā system, then he'll not be accepted by Kṛṣṇa. Just like . . . Śrīdhara Swami, Śrīdhara Swami wrote commentary on Bhagavad-gītā . . . er, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and other ācāryas also, they wrote. So we must follow the principle. The Subodhinī-ṭīkā was made by Vallabhācārya, but because he presented himself more than Śrīdhara Swami to Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . .

He requested Caitanya Mahāprabhu to read his comment on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam when He was at Purī. But he was little proud of his nice commentary, that he said, "It is better than Śrīdhara Swami." So that was not tolerated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He did not hear that Subodhinī-ṭīkā. He remarked, svami jīva nahi mane . . . (indistinct) . . . so this is not the way. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. We must go through the paramparā system, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau. So Narottama das Ṭhākura also says that:

rūpa-raghunātha-pade hoibe ākuti

kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti

(Lālasā-mayī Prārthanā 4)

In order to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, one has to go through the teachings of the Gosvāmīs, rūpa raghunātha-pade hoibe ākuti. This is the way. So Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī and all the six Gosvāmīs, they developed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by sitting together in Vṛndāvana. And not only in Vṛndāvana; in that very particular place, Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, where we have got a little space, that you have seen, Rūpa Gosvāmī's tomb, that space. All the six Gosvāmīs, used to sit down and discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was reading, and all the other Gosvāmīs, Rūpa, Sanātana, they were hearing, and Jīva Gosvāmī was writing comment. That is the comment of Grama-sandarbha.

So that place in Vṛndāvana, Rādhā Dāmodara Temple, is very sacred place. So they were practicing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness:

kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī

dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau

śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau

vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

(Ṣaḍ-govāmy-aṣṭaka)

They were practicing to teach us, āpani ācari' prabhu jīvere śikhāya. Simply teaching will not do unless we practice. That is very important thing, practice, practical life. Simply quoting verses like parrot will not be very much beneficial. One must apply, jñānam vijñāna-sahitam. Jñāna means to know the thing, and vijñāna means to apply the things in practical life. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam.

So we must know the vijñāna, how practically. That is taught by the Gosvāmīs, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana: always chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtana, gāna, nartana. Nartana means dancing. Dancing is very good. The more you dance, the more you become light; means the burden of material contamination becomes reduced. Dancing is so nice.

Even if you don't feel ecstasy, if you dance by force, that will also help us. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartanau-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. By dancing, dancing, we shall develop our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa. This is a nice process. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. Then you will merge into the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. So this is the highest stage of ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, dancing in ecstasy, and to be merged in the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. These are the perfection.

Dhīrādhīra jana-priyau: in this way we shall become friendly to every people, dhīrādhīra. There are two classes of men: dhīra, sober, and other class, rogue. So both of them will be pleased by kṛṣṇot-kīrtana. You have practical experience. When there is kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, people, all classes of people, become very much pleased, and they join. As soon as your kīrtana will be pure saṅkīrtana, not artificial, not professional . . . there are many professional dancer. That will not attract. But even if you do not know the art of dancing, if you simply dance in ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa's love, that will be appreciated by everyone. That will be appreciated by everyone. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. These are the art.

One does not require to become a Vedāntist. Simply if one chants Kṛṣṇa's name, holy name, and in ecstasy dances, he's more than a Vedāntist. Actually, vedānti means one who knows the ultimate knowledge, veda. Veda means knowledge. And anta means ultimate. Vedānta. Then what is that ultimate knowledge? Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That is ultimate knowledge. So one who has understood Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's love, he's dancing, then what more Vedānta can do? That is the first-class realization of Vedānta. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau.

So we should always offer our respect to the Gosvāmīs, ei chay gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tā-sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañca-grās. We should be so humble, respectful to the Gosvāmīs. Not only these Gosvāmīs, anyone who is serving the Gosvāmīs. The Gosvāmīs has also the mission.

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

That is our prayer. Śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭam, Lord Caitanya's desire. What was His desire? His desire was:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

That is His desire. Not to sit down in a secluded place and to get cheap popularity as a petty meditator. Even if he's meditator, but that is for himself. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Go, everyone, in every village, in every town, and preach this gospel:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grama

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mano-'bhīṣṭam. That is His desire.

So śrī-caitanya mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. Rūpa Gosvāmī, they established śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭam. Rūpa Gosvāmī was instructed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally, ten days in Allahabad. Similarly, it was instructed regularly for two months to Sanātana Gosvāmī in Benares, because He wanted Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī to preach His mission, mano-'bhīṣṭam. Therefore our prayer is, we offer this prayer:

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

(Śrī Rūpa praṇāma)

If you want to preach the gospel of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then the personalities who established, by writing these books, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, Vidagdha-mādhava, so many books they have written, so we must go through them, must try to understand. Then we can understand what is the Caitanya-caritāmṛtam, Caitanya-bhāgavata, Caitanya-maṅgala—there are so many—Caitanya-candradoya by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. So many devotees, they have given us so many high literatures, we should consult. Therefore the prayer is, śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. Persons who established the desire of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Padāntikam: when they will give shelter on their lotus feet? That means Gosvāmīs.

tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame ei mor abhilāsa

(Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7)

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tādera caraṇa-sevi, let us serve the lotus feet of the Gosvāmīs and live within the association of devotees. Otherwise we may fall down.

Bhakta-sane-vāsa, one must live with the devotees.

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido

bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ

taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani

śraddhā bhaktir ratir anukramiṣyati

(SB 3.25.25)

Satāṁ prasaṅgān. We should have discourses of Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any literature about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mama vīrya-saṁvido. Those words are vīrya-saṁvido. Vīrya means potency. Just like if a man is potent, as soon as there is sex, he gives birth, potency. Similarly, we should associate with devotees who has got potency, mama vīrya-saṁvido, bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Otherwise we may go on hearing for three millions of years, we are in the same position. But the words must be from the potent person. Potent person. Then it will act very quickly.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself advises, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido (SB 3.25.25). Satām, devotees. That same thing Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. Tādera caraṇa: the desire should be how to serve the Gosvāmīs, how to serve Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That should be the desire. That this desire can be fulfilled when we are living with the devotees. Therefore we have got this Society, Kṛṣṇa consciousness Society. Anyone who will live in this Society, naturally he will develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness very quickly, very easily. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very potential. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī advises:

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ

pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam

śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam . . .

(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa)

Avaiṣṇava-mukhod, this professional, who is not actually Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means whose life is dedicated for service of the Lord, Viṣṇu. He is Vaiṣṇava, viṣṇu asya devatā iti vaiṣṇavaḥ.

So one who has taken Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu and Rāma, the same thing, there is no difference. Kṛṣṇa includes everything:

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo . . .

(Bs. 5.39)

Kṛṣṇa is the paramaḥ pumān, although there is no difference between Rāma and Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. They are the same, same potency. Just like the candle, first candle, and lit up another candle, it is second candle. But the second candle is not less in power of lighting. The same. But still this is first, this is second. Similarly, kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa is the original, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). All others, they're incarnation or kalā, but Kṛṣṇa is the avatārī, the source of all incarnation.

So bhakta-sane vāsa. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido (SB 3.25.25). The kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ, or the discussion about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, becomes very pleasing, and satām, when they're discussed among the devotees. Nondevotees, he may go on speaking, but it is dry. It does not give any relish. Therefore it is advised, satāṁ prasaṅgān, one should discuss Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst the devotees. So just contrary to this, Sanātana Gosvāmī says that:

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ

pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam

śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam . . .

Avaiṣṇava, who is not a Vaiṣṇava, Māyāvādī . . . Māyāvādī philosophy is very dangerous. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has personally said, māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. They're offenders to Kṛṣṇa. Just like the literatures . . . what is that literature, Kṛṣṇa is black something?

Indian man: Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Indian man: Some commentary by this Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is unknown, a black thing. A Māyāvādī, great philosopher of this city, he has explained like that. The Māyāvādī philosopher, Dr. Radhakrishnan, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." So the Māyāvādīs' only business is—because they're avaiṣṇava, not Vaiṣṇava—only business is to kill Kṛṣṇa. Sanātana Gosvāmī has, in his Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, has very strongly recommended that "Don't hear anything from . . . about Kṛṣṇa, from the Māyāvādīs or the avaiṣṇavas." Those who are follower, those who are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they can protest. They can immediately chastise the rascal, "What you are nonsense speaking?" But a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, he cannot challenge—therefore it is forbidden for them: not to hear, kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. For an advanced devotee, this Māyāvādī cannot do anything, but those who are neophyte, they become sometimes victim. Therefore, it is better to forbid them, not to hear.

So Sanātana Gosvāmī has said, as Kṛṣṇa has said, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). In the association of pure devotees, kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ becomes very relishable. Hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ. It is relishable, it is very pleasing to the ear and to the heart. Hṛt means heart, and karṇa means this aural reception. Both ways pleasing, bhavanti hṛt-karṇa. Taj-joṣaṇād. If one little tries whatever he has heard, then śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Śraddhā, the real beginning is śraddhā.

ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-

saṅga tato bhajana-kriyā

tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt

tato niṣṭhā tato ruci

athāsaktis tato bhāvas

(tataḥ premābhyudañcati)

sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ

prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ

(CC Madhya 23.14-15)

These are the different states. So śraddhā. So by hearing from pure devotees, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25), it will be very pleasing to the heart, to the ear, taj-joṣaṇād āśu apavarga-vartmani. Śraddhā. Beginning is śraddhā, śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati.

Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the Association is opening different branches to give people the chance of hearing about Kṛṣṇa in the association of pure devotees. That is required. Read; hear about Bhagavad-gītā from the pure devotees, not from the rascals. Then you'll never get any benefit. Sanātana Gosvāmī forbids . . . nasam . . . śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam, never hear from these rascals. "Why? Kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very good. Never mind he's a rascal, what is the fault of kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ?" He's giving this example: śravaṇaṁ na kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payaḥ yathā. Milk is very good, everyone knows, but when it is touched by the lip of a serpent, immediately it becomes poisonous. If you take that milk, then you'll die. So kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very good, but when it is touched by the lip of the Māyāvādī, nondevotees, it becomes poisonous. It becomes poisonous. Poisonous in this sense—it will push you far away from kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the loss, greatest loss of life.

This life is meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is left by Kṛṣṇa to make all people after Him to become devotees. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The instruction is there, but these rascals will spoil. They will never allow you to become a devotee. These rascals are so dangerous. They are going against the will of Kṛṣṇa. You see? So one must be very careful to save himself from the poisonous effect of these rascals. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa (Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7): live with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness devotees. And then by the association of the saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. As you make association, so you develop your desires, your qualities. Tādera caraṇa-sevi.

Ei chay gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Caitanya here . . . Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: "I want to become servant of that person who has accepted these six Gosvāmīs as masters. Because I have to become servant of servant." So the Gosvāmīs, "One who has accepted these Gosvāmīs as masters, I want to become his servant." Narottama dāsa does not say, "I want to become servant of the Gosvāmīs." He says that "I want to become servant of that person who has accepted these six Gosvāmīs as master." That is the test. "No, I can speak, I can act, I mean to say, greater than the Gosvāmīs." "I don't want to become servant of such false proudly." No, anyone who submits:

tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame hoy ei abhilāsa

(Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7)

"I may not be liberated birth after birth; it doesn't matter. But I wish that . . . I wish to live with the devotees," bhakta-sane vāsa. Janame janame hoy ei abhilāsa."

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also says the same thing, that janmaobi yadi mane icchā tohārā. He prays to Kṛṣṇa, "If You want that I shall take again my birth, then give me the chance of taking my birth in a place where is Your devotee. That is my only request. Because if I am placed in a society where there is no devotee, then my life will be spoiled. Then my life will be spoiled. Therefore I pray only this much. I don't want anything from You."

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye

mama janmani janmanīśvare . . .

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

It doesn't matter I don't become liberated. What is liberation? If I am in the service of Kṛṣṇa, what is . . . liberation is already there.

In Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta you'll find,

bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā yadi bhagavān syād

daivena (naḥ) phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ

muktiḥ (svayam) mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate 'smān . . .

Mukti, she'll stand with folded hands, "My dear sir, what can I do for you?" This is the position of bhakta. One, if one becomes bhakta, then mukti becomes her maidservant. Why shall I ask for mukti? Mukti is nothing. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. What is the mukti? It is as good as hell. Mukti means to merge into the Brahman effulgence, but there is no service of Kṛṣṇa. It is simply merging, to become one. Just like sunshine, and if you are put into the sunshine, what benefit do you get? Simply to have scorching heat of, that's all. What benefit do you get? And mukti is like that. That is light. Sunshine is light. Similarly, from darkness if I go to the light and don't get any shelter anywhere, simply I remain in that sunshine, what benefit do I get?

So for a devotee, the mukti is bothersome. Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Prabhupāda says that kaivalyaṁ narakāya. Mukti means kaivalya. Simply ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that's all. Kaivalya. This perception, Brahman perception, brāhmanada. But for a devotee, he says, kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). So for devotee, these things are not very much alluring, mukti, bhukti, siddhi. It is so sublime. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so sublime that other things very insignificant in the front of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate 'smān dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa samaya-pratīkṣāḥ. People are after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Ādi 1.90), but this bhakti is above these four kinds of principles. Dharma . . . actually, human life begins when he is religious, dharma. And artha, when he is economically developed, and when he can satisfy the senses very nicely. And then becomes mukta, liberated. But for a devotee, these four things are not very important things, bhukti, mukti, siddhi. No. Siddhi means mukti. Siddhi means yogic siddhi.

So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, Vyāsadeva says, in the beginning, dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa, these are kaitava. Kaitava means phala visandi. I am approaching . . . I am trying to become a religious person, but my inner desire is how to make my economic position developed. This is my inner position; therefore it is called kaitava, cheating. So phala visandi. As Śrīdhara Swami says, that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, phala visandi paryantaṁ nirasta. Phala is mukti. Mukti is also phala visandi. So up to mukti. Then above mukti, there is bhakti.

It is a mistaken idea that one has to attain mukti by bhakti. Sometimes they say that, these pañcopāsanā Māyāvādī, they say that "Ultimately, the Absolute Truth is nirākāra. There is no form. But because you cannot worship or meditate upon the nirākāra, so just imagine some form—either of Viṣṇu, or Lord Śiva or Sūrya or Devī." Pañcopāsanā. It is called pañcopāsanā. Sādhakānāṁ hitārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. This is kalpana. He imagines. "Ultimately the Brahman has no form, but because you are accustomed to meditate on the forms, and it is very difficult for you to meditate upon the formless, so you imagine some form. This is imagine, not fact." That is their theory.

And Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). So that is simply troublesome. After much trouble in that way, when they come to the form of Vāsudeva, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That mahātmā is greater. Kṛṣṇa is not imagination. This is another offense to think of Kṛṣṇa as imagination. "Just see, that it is imagination, kalpana. Just make it kalpana, imagination of Kṛṣṇa." No, Kṛṣṇa is fact. Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are not after imagination; they are after the fact. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Bhagavān, the personal. Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā manuṣīṁ tanum āś . . . paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11).

So this thing will be realized by . . . through the process as it is recommended by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura.

tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame mora ei abhilāsa

If we get the chance of living with the devotees, and try to serve the Gosvāmīs, who wanted to establish the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then our life will be successful. This is Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Study Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu very minutely, and this result you will achieve very easily. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has left The Nectar of Devotion.

(aside) Read the next.

Pradyumna: "Let us offer our respectful obeisances to all the great devotees and ācāryas, or holy teachers, who are compared with sharks in the great ocean of nectar, and who do not care for the various rivers of liberation."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers, they give this example that "As all the rivers come down to the ocean, and then business is finished." But our philosophy is not so scanty. We do not wish to mix with the ocean; we want to go deep into the ocean. They give this example, nirākāra. Because ocean is . . . it is not nirākāra, but it is . . . still they say nirākāra. Ocean is ākāra. We see a round plate. But anyway, their philosophy is that you come to the ocean by different paths, then it becomes mixed. But they do not know even though you come to the ocean, immediately you'll be evaporated. The ocean water is evaporated. The sun is always evaporating.

Now you will be perhaps surprised, the modern science, they believe that the ocean water is . . . turns into cloud. But actually that is not the fact. The fact is that the ocean water is taken by the sun. Now, now there is heat, ocean water is evaporated always, where is the cloud? Where is the cloud? For three years the ocean water is being taken away by the sunshine, but why there is no cloud and no rain? Why? What is the answer of the scientist? Actually the cloud, when the sun, sun-god, that he ejects the water again, that becomes cloud. The rain comes from the sun, and the sun is taking the water, reserving, and when you deserves, it gives it. There is some control.

So we are suffering for want of rain, but you do not know how to get rain. We are, of course, making arrangement to feed the poor on account of scarcity of grains. That's all right, you are doing; but if there is no rain, how long you will go on with this philanthropy work? That is our question. How long? What stock you have got in your store so that you can continually, you can go on with this? What you . . . what is the answer? You must have rain, and produce grain. Now you have got some stock of grain, you are distributing, that's all right. You have got money, that's all right. But when there will be all stock finished, and still there is no rain, what you will do?

Because rain is not in your hand. Rain is not in your hand. It is in higher authorities. So what you will do? But the process is given there in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajñād bhavati parjanyo parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14). Yajña. But they will not take to yajña. They have made an avowed decision: "No, we are not going to make any yajña." We are requesting that "You are distributing, at the same time perform yajña." Yajña—not that you have to expend so much money. Simply this saṅkīrtana-yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Simply chanting. You are distributing food, that's all right. Why not allow them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? What is the loss? But they'll not accept it. They'll not accept it. This is the dog's obstinacy, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just see. But they cannot answer. Just suppose, if your stock of grain is finished, then what you will do if there is no rain? You cannot produce rain in your factory, rain or grain or anything, in your factory or mill. That is not possible.

So people have become so mane . . . Āmi balatē cā'itēchi. (I mean.) fallen, they cannot understand the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, although they are very much proud that reading Bhagavad-gītā daily. What you have understood? Then they cannot say anything. "We have understood Kṛṣṇa means this black spot." Just see. This rascal hasn't understood Bhagavad-gītā, and he's preaching Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the fun. So this is going on. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a war declared against all these rascals. We have got many enemies, but we don't care for them. Still we shall go on. Johnny Walker is still going strong. (loud laughter)

Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you.

Devotees: Haribol. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)