661207 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.137-142 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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661129CC.NY - December 07, 1966

Prabhupāda:

na sādhayati māṁ yogaḥ

na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava

na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgaḥ

yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

(CC Madhya 20.137)

So if you want God, Kṛṣṇa, then there is no other way except this devotional service. Neither yoga, neither philosophical speculation, neither ritualistic performances, nor study in the Vedic literature, neither penance, austerities . . . all these formulas which are recommended for transcendental realization, they may help us to advance to a certain extent. But if you want personal touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you have to adopt this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way.

So Lord Caitanya, I mean to say, giving evidence from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . . . He is giving:

bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ

śraddhayātmā priyaḥ sataṁ

bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā

śva-pākān api sambhavāt

(CC Madhya 20.138)

There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord says . . . the same chapter in which Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Uddhava . . . Uddhava was also one of His cousin-brother in the family. He was a great devotee, Uddhava. He was more advanced than Arjuna. There are different grades of devotees. The first-class devotees were the gopīs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana. Nobody could be compared with their devotional service. So next were Uddhava, then Arjuna. There are different grades of devotees also. So Uddhava was also a great devotee of Lord, and he was also instructed similarly, just like Arjuna was instructed.

So the Lord says to Uddhava, bhaktyā aham ekayā grāhyaḥ. Ekayā: simply by devotional service, one, this one method . . . God is one, and to achieve Him, the process is also one. Just like in your body there are many holes, nine holes, nine holes: these two nostrils, two ear, two eyes, one mouth, and genital and evacuation, these nine holes. So if you want to supply foodstuff within your body, that is the one way: this is the mouth. There is no other way. You cannot push the foodstuff through ears or eyes or your genital. No. That is not possible. Therefore, similarly, the . . . if you want God, then the one way, bhaktyā aham ekayā . . . ekayā.

The foolish person says that, "Whatever path you may adopt, you will go to God." There are certain rascals, they say like that. But this is misleading, completely misleading. You cannot, I mean to say, reach God by any other means except this means, this bhaktyā aham ekayā. It is clearly stated, ekayā. Ekayā means "only one." There is no second process. And the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is stated—you will find in the Eighteenth Chapter—bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means in fact.

So you . . . impersonal conception of Godhead, localized conception of Godhead or universal form of Godhead, pantheism, monism—they are not perfect. If you want to know perfectly, then bhakti. It is stated in everywhere, in all Vedic literatures, evidentially in Bhagavad-gītā, which is present before us, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Everywhere you will find this only way, that devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means "in fact." Partially you can know, but in complete . . . of course, God cannot be known in complete, but the highest point a human being or a living entity can reach, that, the only process, through bhakti . . .

Bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām. Śraddhā ātmā priyaḥ satām. That bhakti, that process of devotional service, is very dear to the actual transcendentalist. Very dear. Bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā. Man-niṣṭhā. To know simply "I believe in God," that is not sufficient. The ultimate goal is to attain very intimate relationship, or love of Godhead. That is required. Of course, to know, to believe in God, to accept God, that is all right. It is better than the atheist. But that is not end. You must develop yourself. You must . . . you should not simply make God as your order-supplier, but you should be order-supplier.

When I become order-supplier to God, that is my perfection. And so long I keep God as my order-supplier, that is not bhakti. Generally, people keep God as his order-supplier: "O God, give us our daily bread," "O God, I am in distress," "O God, I am in difficulty, "O God, I am . . ." God supplies them. God is supplying. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

But that is not ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is that you should supply God. God will be dependent on you. That is bhakti.

Just like Yaśodāmayī. Yaśodāmayī, he (she) was so advanced in devotion that God became dependent on her. God appeared as his (her) child. As the child always became er, always remains dependent on the mercy of the mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa before His foster mother Yaśodāmayī just remained just like dependent. Mother says: "My dear child, if You become more naughty, then I shall chastise You." And God is crying. You see? These are the relationship between God and the devotee. You see? One who chastises the whole universe, whole creation, He is afraid of His mother. He becomes dependent and He likes.

It is said in the śāstra that, "When My devotee thinks Me dependent on him, oh, I like that. I like that." People always worship God as the sublime, but the devotee, they do not worship—they want to serve God as dependent. Just like mother serves the child as dependent. There is no purpose. The mother is satisfied simply by keeping the child in perfect order. Yes. There is no purpose. Similarly, when we shall be inclined to see that He is always satisfied, that is devotion. Then you can have God in your grip. You see?

God is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that He becomes just . . . ajito 'pi. Nobody can conquer Him, but He becomes conquered by this kind of devotional service. You see? Ajito 'pi jito 'py asi. He becomes conquered. This is the process of conquering. (chuckles) What is the use of becoming one with God? You can conquer Him. You can have Him within your grips. Such is the process, devotional service. It is stated here.

Ataeva . . . therefore, Lord Caitanya concludes, ataeva 'bhakti'-kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya. Therefore, if you want Kṛṣṇa, then bhakti, the devotional service, is the only way.

ataeva 'bhakti'-kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya

abhidheya bali' tāre sarva-śāstre gāya

(CC Madhya 20.139)

Abhidheya means that is the transaction. So in this life, while we are in the material world, so we have our material body. So this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, doing everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is just like, what is called, apprenticeship to reach that highest stage.

The same thing will be there in your liberated stage in the spiritual kingdom. But here, by the order of the śāstra, by the guidance of the spiritual master, you are being trained up as apprentice. This is called abhidheya, abhidheya, practice. Practice. But even in practice you will feel that, "I am making progress." It is such a thing. 'Abhidheya' bali' tāre sarva-śāstre gāya. And:

dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya

sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya

(CC Madhya 20.140)

taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya

prema kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa pāya

(CC Madhya 20.141)

Very important passage. Just note it with carefully. Now, by apprenticeship, by practice, if one sincerely follows this practice, then what is the result? That dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya. Just like a poor man, if he gets sufficient money, then at once his all distress is over. At once, immediately.

Simultaneously, as soon as the sun is in the sky, at once the darkness is gone. Just in the morning, a little, not sun directly, but even there is sunshine far away, immediately the darkness goes away. I am in distress; I am in poverty-stricken. Suppose I get immediately some large amount of money. Immediately my distress gone.

So exactly like that, dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya, then automatically he becomes happy, a poor man when he gets money, similarly, as soon as we have little taste of this devotional service, at once all our miserable life becomes happy. At once. Yes. Sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya. And if there is happiness, where is the question of misery? If there is light, where there is question of darkness?

So a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot be in distress of material miseries. It goes automatically. Automatically. Taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya. Similarly, by execution of this devotional service, gradually you develop love of God. Love of God. And preme kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa . . . and as soon as you get a taste for Kṛṣṇa, you at once lose all this nonsense taste, culminating into sex life.

The material taste means we want to gratify senses in so many ways, and the supermost point is sex life. So as soon as you get into touch with Kṛṣṇa and you develop Kṛṣṇa love, all this nonsense finished. Then you are liberated. And so long you are attached even to a pinch of material taste, there is no question of liberation from material miseries—you have to continue this transmigration from one body to another, and body means material miseries.

The material body means material misery. You may get the body of a king or you may get the body of Brahmā or Indra, Candra or the ant or the insignificant animal—any body, any material body, that is meant for miseries, miseries, tāpa-traya, threefold, threefold material miseries, and, besides that threefold miseries, ultimately birth, death, old age and diseases.

So to develop love of Kṛṣṇa means that is real liberation. And that love of Kṛṣṇa begins after many, many births of cultural life. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

When one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of his real life. And as he makes progress, then he realizes—I have several times discussed this point—ādau śraddhā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.15–16).

First thing is that "I must get myself out of this material contamination." That is called śraddhā. "In this very life I shall realize." So this śraddhā, this belief and this determination, as you make more and more perfect, you make advance. You make advance. Not as official, not as makeshow, but really.

Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgaḥ. Then, as you are determined, so your taste for associating with devotees . . . just like we are now associating with Lord Kṛṣṇa's . . . Lord Caitanya's teaching. He is a great devotee. This is called sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83).

Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga tathā bhajana-kriyā. Then bhajana-kriyā, how to execute. Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching. You will gradually know what is the bhajana-kriyā, how to execute devotional service. That we shall come later on.

Tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. And as soon as your devotional service, prescribed duties, are discharged, you become free from all material contamination. That is the test. Tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā. Then you become firmly convinced convinced, firmly convinced. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruci. Then taste. Tathāsakti: then you cannot give it up; at any circumstances cannot give it up. Tathāsakti tato bhāvas: then you become fully in samādhi, in trance. Sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādur (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.16). This is the . . . these are the steps of attaining love of God.

Love of God is not that you can immediately go and purchase from the market, in the store. You have to practice it. The love is there within you. It is not artificial, neither an imposition by some person or . . . no. It is already there. If you kindly become submissively hearing this, by hearing only, and if you practice, it will be very nice, and quickly we shall develop.

So hearing and practicing. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234).

Kirtana, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ jihvādau. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. This tongue especially meant, tongue. Tongue, tongue should be engaged, jihvādau. How? Tongue should be engaged in glorifying. That is one business. And tongue should be engaged for eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda. These two things, chanting and eating. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. As soon as you submissively engage your tongue . . . just see the technique: no other body, no other part. Tongue has been especially mentioned. And what is the business of tongue? I am speaking with the help of tongue. If there was no tongue, I could not talk with you. And another, I taste. So engage your tasting capacity of the tongue in kṛṣṇa-prasāda and engage your tongue in talking of Kṛṣṇa. Then this is the process.

Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. And as you engage them in this process, God will reveal to you. You cannot order God, "Come please come and be . . . stand up. I shall see You." He is not your servant. You have to please Him by your service attitude. Then He will reveal to you what He is. And that is bhakti. That is bhakti: taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya.

If you execute the devotional service, then you will develop that love. And as soon as kṛṣṇa-prema āsvāda haile, bhava nāśa pāya . . . and as soon as you develop, the more the proportionate way of, you develop love of Kṛṣṇa, love of God, proportionately you are free from this material contamination. When you are perfectly in Kṛṣṇa love, you are perfectly free from material contamination. This is the way of liberation.

dāridrya-nāśa, bhava-kṣaya—premera 'phala' naya

prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya

(CC Madhya 20.142)

So one should not think that, "Now I am materially happy. My all distress, my all poverty, has gone by Kṛṣṇa, by devotional service of Kṛṣṇa," or "I have become liberated." No. These are by-products. To become liberated and to become materially happy by prosecution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a by-product. You have to attempt further thing. And what is that? Prema-sukha-bhoga: you shall be absorbed in love of Kṛṣṇa. That is the . . . that is here recorded, that that should be your ultimate goal of life.

So we should not stop, "Oh, now I am very happy. Now I have no material misery," or "I am liberated. Now this material contamination does not affect me." No. When you will be so much absorbed in love of God, just like Lord Caitanya showed . . . cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me (Śikṣāṣṭaka 7). Govinda-viraheṇa me: "Oh, I am crying. Just my tears coming, just torrents of rain from my eyes." Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "I am seeing everything vacant." Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me: "In separation of Govinda." That is highest stage of life. Govinda-viraheṇa me. Just like in this material world, if you love somebody and if he is dead and passed and gone, you see everything vacant. That is a test of that govinda viraha.

But we are foolish. We know that everything will be finished here. Why should I give so much attachment to this nonsense? Give your attachment to Kṛṣṇa. He will never be finished. So that is love of Kṛṣṇa. We have to attain that stage. Yes. That is the perfection of life.

Thank you. (end)