710716 - Lecture - Detroit

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710716LE-DETROIT - July 16, 1971 - 43:07 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (prema-dhvani)

Why not open these windows? It is very hot.

Devotee: Open the window.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Is there any small table? You have got it? No. No, no. Yes. The window doors are open or not?

Devotee: Yes, they're open.

Prabhupāda: Then open . . . there are so many men. It must be . . . ventilation must be there.

ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

(Śrī Guru Praṇāma)

Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Ajñāna means ignorance, darkness. Timi. Timi means darkness. So ajñāna-timirāndhasya: one who is in ignorance and in the darkness, such a person, every one of us . . . this material advancement of civilization is not knowledge. People may not agree with us, but actually this is the fact. This is ignorance.

Suppose I have come here in your city. I have got some business. So if I forget my business and I become busy with my apartment, is that very sound knowledge? I have come here to execute some business. I have got my temple here. There are devotees. They want to see me; I want to see them. They want to take something, spiritual knowledge, from me, and my duty is to impart. This is the business. But if I simply become engaged how to decorate the apartment where I shall live and forget my business, does it mean that I am very intelligent? No.

Therefore that is called ignorance. I forget my real business; I become engaged in some business which is very temporary. I am here for two days. I shall live in an apartment. It may be very nice or not very nice—that is not very important thing. For two days I can live anywhere, even underneath a tree. That does not hamper my business. But I must be very serious about my business. That is intelligence. If I forget my business and simply engage myself how to decorate the apartment, or simply thinking how I shall live here comfortably . . . just like I saw one advertisement while coming, "Comfortably living in heat begins here." I saw.

So we are contemplating to live in this material world very comfortably. That has become our business. That is very much manifest in your western countries. They are always busy how to live comfortably in this world. But they forget that one day will come, however secure and comfortable we may make our country or home, we will be kicked out, "Please get out immediately." You cannot say that, "I have not finished my decoration of the apartment. Let me stay here for some days." No. The death is so cruel that one day, all of a sudden, it will come and say: "Please get out immediately." So if I could not finish my business during that time, and if I am kicked out, then just imagine how much loss we suffer and what kind of fool we are.

The modern civilization, they do not know this. They think that, "This body has come out all of a sudden by accident"—and the body means the senses"—and let us enjoy the senses to the best capacity. That is perfection of life." The whole world, especially the Western country, their ideology, philosophy, is this—hedonism. "Enjoy this life very comfortably, as nicely as possible." But that is a great defect and great mistake. Those who are in gross sense enjoyment platform, it is very difficult for them to understand.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Those who are too much attached to material sense enjoyment, bhoga . . . bhoga means material sense enjoyment; and roga, roga means who is . . . which puts impediments to sense enjoyment, or diseased condition. You cannot enjoy life in diseased condition.

(aside) Don't make that sound. Hear first of all.

So bhoga, roga, and there is another word, yoga. These are sanskrit words. Bhoga. Bhoga means enjoying sense gratification. Roga means diseased condition, where . . . when we cannot enjoy. And yoga means to get out of this bhoga and roga and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is called yoga. Bhogī, rogī and yogī. Yes. Bhogī means they are interested in sense gratification, and rogī means those who are suffering.

Every one of us suffering more or less, because this is a place where suffering is the condition of life. But we forget. That is called ajñāna. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Ajñāna means that we living entities, being part and parcel of God, our position is as good as God. We may be little God, but our position qualitatively is as good as God. The Māyāvādī philosopher, they take it that we are as good as God in full strength. No. That is not.

Just like part and parcel, anyone can understand, a little part of any good thing . . . suppose gold. A little particle of gold, it is gold. That's a fact. But it is not as valuable as the lump of gold. The lump of gold is more valuable. The mine of gold and a particle of gold: particle of gold is also gold, but not equal to the gold mine. So the Absolute Truth, God, is just like gold mine, and we, every one of us, everything—a part and parcel of that gold mine. We are also gold.

But the quality being the same, the propensities should be also the same. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Here Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with gopīs. So because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we also want to enjoy life with young girls, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. This propensity to enjoy life with young girls or young boys, that is natural. Yuvatīnāṁ yathā yunoḥ yunaṁ yatati yathā yuvatī (Vijñāpti-pañcaka). Young girl, young boy, they have got natural tendency to mix, to love. That is not unnatural. Why? Because this propensity is there in the Supreme. Just like you see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture:

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis

tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ

goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.37)

Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa, He has expanded His ānanda-cinmaya-rasa energy. That ānanda-cinmaya-rasa energy expanded, there are so many gopīs, cowherds boys, cows, calves: they're giving, all combined together, ānanda, transcendental bliss to Kṛṣṇa. Just like . . . it is not very difficult to understand. Just like somebody keeps a batch of dogs to love. The dog also love the master, and the master loves the dog. So why not Kṛṣṇa loving cows and calves and they also love Kṛṣṇa? What is the difficulty to understand? This tendency try to understand.

The Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now what is the Absolute Truth? That is the question in the Vedānta-sūtra. The answer is, "The Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates." Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now, now, what is that Absolute Truth? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: "By nature He is blissful."

Now try to understand. If the Absolute Truth, God, is blissful, full of enjoyment . . . blissful means . . . without enjoyment there is no bliss. Ānandamaya abhyāsa. So we must be blissful. We must enjoy life very nicely. But that is not possible here, because here we are in diseased condition. The proof of diseased condition is that there is birth, death, old age and disease. These are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-

duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam

(BG 13.9).

Every effort is being made here to surpass distressed condition and to reach to the platform of happiness. The whole struggle is there. Why people are running by motorcar this way and that way? The background is to be happy, how to become happy. But they are making planning, "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in that way." Just like there is advertisement: "Come on: there are some naked girl pictures." They are inviting: "Come here. You will be happy."

So we are planning for happiness. Why? Why you are searching after happiness? Because constitutionally you are happy. Just like when we fall diseased we go to the doctor, physician, to cure the disease. Why? Because constitutionally we are healthy. To remain healthy is our normal life, and to fall diseased condition, that is not normal—that is abnormal. Therefore we go to the physician, take medicine—ask treatment, "How shall I be cured?"

Similarly, we are searching after happiness. Why? Because constitutional position is we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, who is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He is by nature full of bliss. But our blissfulness has been disturbed. Now we shall have to find out why our happiness has been disturbed so that life after life we are searching after happiness, but we are becoming frustrated. That is our business—not to make the temporary place very comfortable.

Just like when you go to your office but you find the bus too much crowded. But you are not happy. Because the bus is too crowded, you have to stand, or very . . . with difficulty you have to stand. You don't like that. But because you have to go to the office, you tolerate. You tolerate, "First my business is to go to office, attend at the time. What can be done? Let me suffer this." Similarly, if you are serious about your business, that seriousness can be understood in this human form of life.

The animals cannot understand. The animals, they are taken to slaughterhouse, and one said . . . if one animal enters, all the animals will enter. They do not know. Even they know that, "We are going to be slaughtered," they have no means to protest or to go out. If a human being is slaughtered in the street, then his relatives, his kinsmen, file suit and brings the man into law.

So many facilities are there for a human being. But an animal, because it is animal, it has no facility. A cow is born in America and a gentleman is born in America, but the state takes care of the gentleman, not of the cows. They say "national," "nationality." Why nationality is refused to the animals?

Just like few days or few years ago the nationality was also awarded to the black man. This is nice. Why one section of humanity should be denied nationality? That was very nice. So similarly, if national means the living entity born in that land . . . that is natural. If a child, even of an Indian, if a child is born in your country he gets immediately the citizenship. That is the law. So the conclusion is that anyone who is born in this land, he gets nationality. But why we should refuse nationality to the poor animals? This is called ignorance. He is also . . .

But we have made concoction, law that, "Animal has no soul." Why it is, it has no soul? What is the difference between you and animal? You eat; the animal eats. You sleep, the animal sleeps. You have sex life, the animal has sex life. You also try to defend yourself and the animal also tries to defend himself. So āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca (Hitopadeśa), eating, sleeping, mating and defending, these four principles, bodily demand, are similar to the animal and to the man.

So why the animals should be denied nationality? It is not that because they are less intelligent they should be denied nationality. No. Just like a father has got four boys. Not that everyone is of the same intelligence. But does the father gives less protection to the less intelligent son? No. The protection, the family protection, is equal for everyone.

These are the conception, bhāgavata community, equal right to everyone, even to the animals. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ, learned. One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is fully learned, paṇḍita. So what is the symptoms of a paṇḍita, learned man? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

One person is very learned. In our country a brāhmiṇ, he is supposed to be very learned; therefore he is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means very learned. Nowadays he may be a fool number one, but he is called paṇḍita. That is not actually the fact. A brāhmiṇ means very, very learned in Vedic literature. Veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ. One who has studied the Vedas very nicely, he is vipra.

So one who is actually paṇḍita, he will see a learned brāhmiṇ, a hog, a dog and a caṇḍāla, an elephant, like that, everyone, all living entities—that means all living entities—on the equal level, because he sees to the soul, not to the body. Just like we are meeting here. We are seeing each other. We have not come here to see the dress, we have come to see or to learn some knowledge. Similarly, the human life is especially meant for grasping the knowledge we are missing. The missing knowledge is that I have forgotten that I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. That is the missing point.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for reviving that lost consciousness. That lost consciousness. We have lost this consciousness that, "I am the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the supreme blissful enjoyer, but somehow or other, being complicated within this matter, I am suffering. I am trying to become happy with this material atmosphere, which is not possible." Just like if you are put into the water you may be very nice swimmer, but you cannot be happy there, because the water is not your place.

You are a living entity of the land. Similarly, a fish, if you take out of the water and give it a velvet bedding, "My dear fish, you lie down here, on the velvet," he'll die, because the condition is different. Similarly, we are spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. So unless we go back to Kṛṣṇa, just like the gopīs or the cowherds boy, we cannot be happy. There is no possibility.

So the ideal pictures are there, that you become Kṛṣṇa conscious and you go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, and be happy. That is our program. It is very nice program. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not an ordinary, bluffing movement. It is a solid, authorized movement, and we are opening branches as far as possible in all parts of the world to give facility to the people, to the civilized men, to understand what is the value of his life, how he can be happy.

That is our business. We have no business to cheat you that, "I give you some mantra and you give me some money, I go away." No. We have come to serve you, so you take advantage. You don't misunderstand us that, "It is a religious sect." No. We are not religious sect. We are cultural sect. We are giving the highest culture to the human society, to awaken his lost consciousness.

So I am very happy to see you all, American boys, Indians. This is wanted. We want to unite the whole world under this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And actually that is happening. In our Society we have got devotees from all section of people—from christian, from jews, from hindu, from muhammadan, from black, from white. It doesn't matter, because we are seeing according to the Bhagavad-gītā, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). A learned man sees every living entity on the equal level. So we are trying to see in that light, and we are trying to teach others also how to accept that light, how to enjoy that light.

So it is a very serious movement. You can take. Every one of you can take advantage of it. It is not very difficult to practice, because our process is very simple—you come and chant with us Hare Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can pronounce this word "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Actually we are seeing all over the world. There is no difficulty to chant this mantra. It is open. There is no secrecy that, "I shall give you one mantra, a particular mantra for you." No. This mantra is one, and it is equally applicable to everyone—to the learned, to the ignorant, to the white, to the black, to the old, to the youth. Everyone can chant.

And actually it is happening. It is very easy. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and learn how to chant. There is . . . of course, there is no hard and fast rules. You begin chanting, in whatever condition you are and, see the result. And so far examples, we have got our temples, we have got our devotees. How they are living, how their characters are being formed, how they are becoming purified, how their faces are becoming brighter, you try to see. It is practical.

So that is our request, that you take full advantage of this center. You come here. It is being guided by one of my best disciples, Bhagavān dāsa. So he and others will help you. Please come regularly to this temple and take advantage of it.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So is there any other business? I shall go.

Devotee: Prasādam.

Prabhupāda: All right. Ārati? If you have got any question, you can . . . sit down. Come on.

Bahulāśva: What is the thing that will please you most, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Bahulāśva: What is the thing that would please you the most?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Prabhupāda: That is the simple thing. You are chanting. I am very much pleased. That's all. I came to your country to chant that, "You chant also along with me." So you are helping me by chanting. So I am pleased. But this tendency is very nice, that you want to please me. That is very good. And to please me is not very difficult.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, "Under My order, every one of you go and preach and become spiritual master." And what is that order? The order is that, "Whomever you meet, you talk to him about Kṛṣṇa."

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ajñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

He says that, "Under My order, you become a spiritual master." To become a spiritual master under the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not very difficult. Unless we adulterate, mix in something nonsense in His teachings, if we simply present, as it is, then every one of us can become a spiritual master.

But the difficulty is that they mix up something. Just like you have tasted sweet rice, paramānna. And if somebody mixes some sand with it . . . the paramānna is very good, but because it is mixed with some sand particles it is spoiled, you cannot take. This is practical. Similarly, the teachings of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, is very simple. But the rascals put some sand particles. That is the difficulty. Spoils the broth, spoil the everything. "Kṛṣṇa means this, and Pāṇḍava means this." Why "Pāṇḍava means this"? Why not as it is in the Bhagavad-gītā?

So this process should be avoided—mixing sand with the sweet rice. This rascaldom should be avoided. Then you can . . . everyone can distribute nicely. So many people say: "Oh, Swāmījī, you have done wonderful." So I say, the secret of my wonderful activities is that I have not tried to adulterate it. I am simply presenting as it is. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So I have told you that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). I say that, "You simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." So what is the difficulty?

Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, and I am simply reproducing it, "Do this." And it is acting. Because I am not adulterating the sweet rice with sand, people are tasting it very nice. So you also follow the same principle. Don't try to adulterate. Present it as it is. And people will like it. There is no difficulty.

So this is a paramparā. Our system is paramparā, guru-paramparā. Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So if we say in the similar way that, "Give up everything. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Just always think of Kṛṣṇa. Chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Worship Kṛṣṇa. Offer obeisance to Kṛṣṇa," where is the difficulty? It is very simple thing.

All our disciples, they are doing the same thing. I have come here for the first time, but before me, Bhagavān dāsa, he has organized. But what is his credit? He has presented the thing as I have told him. That's all. This is wonderful. In Los Angeles also our program is going on very nicely. He, my disciple in charge, Karandhara—he's present here—he's simply doing what I instruct, and he's doing very nicely, first class. Everyone who comes, they become enchanted with the temple, with the activities, with the disciple.

So this is the way. This is called paramparā system. Don't try to manufacture. The difficulty is that we are manufacturing. And some rascals are supporting that, "Whatever you manufacture, it is all right." This is another rascaldom. They are supporting that, "Whatever you think of, religion, whatever you manufacture, it is all right." We don't say that. We say: "What Kṛṣṇa says, that is right. And everything wrong." That is our business. So if you say like that, "What Kṛṣṇa says is all right," that will please me. We don't want to adulterate and bluff.

Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on. (end)