720831 - Lecture - New Vrindaban, USA

Lectures by Date, 1972

720831SP-NEW VRINDAVAN - August 31, 1972 - 53:32 Minutes

(kirtana)

Prabhupāda: (prema-dvani) Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrī Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: . . . some of the sannyāsīs will speak or I will speak? Where is Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja?

Śyāmasundara: Maybe someone should introduce the bhāgavata-dharma discourse . . . Kīrtanānanda?

Prabhupāda: Or Rūpānuga, Rūpānuga Mahārāja.

Oh, it will fall down. You can take this.

Kīrtanānanda: You can hear?

Devotees: Yes.

Kīrtanānanda: Everybody can hear. New Vrindavan began when Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to me about four or five years ago and expressed some desire that he could make a transcendental place of pilgrimage here for the purpose of celebrating the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

We have gone through a lot since then. Śrīla Prabhupāda was so merciful up on us, I think two years ago, or three years ago, he came and he spent a month here in a little shack two miles up that hollow, but he blessed us so much and he gave us so much vision of what could be done here, and now we are beginning to see some of the fruits.

His Divine Grace has been so kind that he has come to us with a great new program to re-spiritualizing the whole world, the bhāgavata-dharma discourses. Lord Sri Krsna did appear five thousand years ago tomorrow, for the purpose of bhāgavata-dharma discourses. He says to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita I originally spoke this to the sungod but in the course of time it is lost and now again I am speaking to you. Either He comes Himself or He sends His confidential devotee always for the same purpose: to speak bhāgavata-dharma discourses. So we can say the same thing today that in the course of time Bhagavad-gītā As It Is has been lost, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa has appeared again through His pure devotee Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! Jagat-guru!

Kīrtanānanda: He is doing the same thing, he is presenting again Bhagavad-gītā As It Is of bhāgavata-dharma discourses. So none of us could calculate the mercy, the advantage that we are in, to be hearing directly from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord. All we can say is, thank you Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotees: Thank you. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

As already described by Śrīman Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, that this bhāgavata-dharma was spoken by Bhagavān Himself. Bhagavān, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Bhaga-vān. It is a Sanskrit word. Bhaga means fortunes, and vān means one who possesses. These two words combined together makes the word Bhagavān, or the supreme fortunate.

We calculate our fortune if somebody is very rich, if somebody is very strong, if somebody is very beautiful, if somebody is very wise, if somebody is in renounced order of life. In this way, there are six opulences, and these opulences, when one possesses in fullness, without any rivalry, he is called Bhagavān. The richest of all, the wisest of all, the most beautiful, the most famous, the most renounced—in this way, Bhagavān.

And the bhāgavata also comes from the word bhaga. From bhaga, when it is used a participle adjective, it becomes bhāga. So bhāgavata. The same thing, vān, this word is comes from the word vat, vat-śabda. Bhāgavata. In Sanskrit, every word is grammatically very systematically bound up. Every word. Therefore it is called Sanskrit language. "Sanskrit" means reformed. We cannot manufacture by whims; it must be strictly according to the grammatical rules and regulations. So the bhāgavata-dharma means the relationship between the devotees and the Lord. The Lord is Bhagavān and the devotee is bhāgavata, or in relationship with Bhagavān.

So everyone is related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like father and son is always related. That relation cannot be broken . . . at any stage, but sometimes it happens that the son, out of his own independence, he goes out of his home and forgets the affectionate relationship with father. In your country it is not very extraordinary thing. So many sons go out of father's affectionate home. That is very ordinary experience. So everyone has got independence. Similarly, we are all sons of God, but we are, at the same time, independent. Not fully independent, but independent. We have got the tendency of having independence because God is fully independent, and we are born of God; therefore, we have got the quality of independence. Although we cannot be absolutely independent as God, but the tendency is there that, "I shall become independent."

So the living entities, we—we are part and parcel of God—when we want to live independently of God, that is our conditional stage. Conditional stage means we accept a body, material body, which is conditioned in so many ways. Just like the body undergoes six kinds of changes. It is born; the body is born, not the living entity. It is born at a certain date, it remains for some time, it grows, it gives some by-products, then the body dwindles and at last it vanishes. The six kind of changes. Not only these six kind of changes, but also there are many tribulations. They are called threefold miseries: pertaining to the body, pertaining to the mind, miseries offered by other living entities, miseries happening by natural disturbances. And after all, the whole thing is summarized into four principles, namely birth, death, old age and disease. These are our conditional life.

So in order to get out of these conditions of life, if we revive our bhāgavata consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness—whatever you like. When we speak of "Kṛṣṇa," means the Supreme Lord, God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or our original consciousness. Just like every one of us, we remember always that, "I am the son of such-and-such gentleman. Such-and-such gentleman is my father." It is natural to remember one's father and his relationship with father. And, in ordinary business also, the etiquette is if one presents his identification, he has to give his father's name. In India it is very essential, and the father's name or the title is the last name of everyone.

So when we forget the supreme father, Kṛṣṇa, and we want to live independently . . . independently means if we want to enjoy life according to my whims. That is called so-called independence. But by such independence we are never happy, so we transmigrate for this so-called illusory happiness from one body to another. Because a particular body has got a particular facility of happiness. Just like every one of us, we want to fly in the sky. But because we are human being, we have no wings, we cannot fly. But the birds, although they are animals, lower animals, they can easily fly.

In this way, if you make analytical study, every particular body has got a particular type of facility, while others haven't got. But we want all facilities of life. That is our inclination. Just like modern scientists, they're trying to go to other planets, but they're conditioned; they cannot go. We can see, there are millions and trillions of planets before us—the sun planet, the moon planet, the Venus, the Mars. Sometimes we wish, "How I could go there." But because I am conditioned, I'm not independent, I cannot go. But originally, because you are spirit soul, originally you were free to move any way. Just like Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni moves everywhere; any planet he likes, he can go.

Still, there is one planet within this universe which is called Siddhaloka. That Siddhaloka, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, they can fly from one planet to another without any airplane. Even yogīs, yogīs, haṭha-yogīs, those who have practiced, they can also go from anywhere to any place. The yogīs, they sit down in one place and immediately transferred in another place. They take a dip in some river nearby here, and they can get up in some river in India. They dip here, and they rise there. (laughter) These are yogic powers.

So we have got immense independence, but we are now conditioned by this body. Therefore in the human form of life it is an opportunity to get back our original independence. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Freedom. When we have got our spiritual body, without being covered by this material body . . . we have got our spiritual body within this material body, very small. That is my real identification. Now I'm covered by two kinds of material bodies. One is called subtle body and the other is called gross body. The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego, false ego, and the gross body is made of earth, water, fire, air and ether mixed together, this body.

So two kinds of body we have got. And we are changing. Generally we can see the gross body; we cannot see the subtle body. Just like everyone knows . . . I know that you have got your mind. I know that you have got intelligence. You know I have got mind, I have got intelligence. But I cannot see your mind. I cannot see your intelligence. I cannot see your determination. I cannot see your thoughts, thinking, feeling and willing. Similarly, you cannot see. You see my gross body made of this earth, water, air, fire, and I can see your gross body. Therefore, when this gross body is changed and you are carried, you go away by the subtle body, that is called death.

We say: "Oh, my father has gone away." How do you see that your father has gone away? The body is here lying. But actually his father has gone away by the subtle body. Just like at night, we are sleeping on our nice apartment, but the subtle body takes me away on the top of a mountain. Sometimes we see I have come, in dream, I have come on the top of a mountain, very high, and I am falling down, although actually, my gross body is sleeping in a nice, comfortable apartment. But the subtle body carries me. We have got daily experience.

Similarly, death means this gross body we change. Just like you have got your shirt and coat. So you change the coat, but you keep your shirt. You do it, generally. Similarly, I keep my subtle body and I give up my gross body; that is called death. And I am carried by the subtle body in the womb of another mother by the laws of nature, and I develop another gross body, materials supplied by the mother. And when the body is prepared, I come out of the womb of mother and I work again with that subtle and gross body.

And bhāgavata-dharma means that we have to transcend both the gross and subtle body, come to the spiritual body. It is very scientific. And as soon as we come to the spiritual body, mukta saṅga, being freed from the gross and subtle body, we come to our real body, spiritual body, then actually we feel happiness and independence.

So this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest benediction for the human society because it is trying to bring the human being to the platform of spiritual body—transcending the gross and subtle material body. That is the highest perfection. Human life is meant for coming to that platform, the spiritual platform, transcending the gross and material bodily concept of life. That is possible. It is made easy in this age. This age called Kali, it is not very good time. Simply disagreement, fighting, quarreling, misunderstanding. This age is full of that, all these happenings. Therefore to come to the spiritual platform is very difficult in this age.

Formerly, it was not so difficult. People were very easily trained up by the Vedic process. But now the people are not interested. They're simply interested with the gross body or, a little more, who is a little advanced, the subtle body. But they have no information of the spiritual body. Although there is advancement of education, there is no education about the spiritual body. They're simply concerned with the gross material and subtle body. Therefore this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is very important movement. Those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they're very, very fortunate.

So I shall further explain one song sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura was one of our predecessor ācārya, teacher, and his songs are accepted in our Vaiṣṇava society as Vedic truth. He has written in simple language, but it contains the Vedic truth. So he has got many songs. One of the songs is: hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu. He says: "My dear Lord, I am simply wasting the valuable time of my life." Biphale janama goṅāinu.

Everyone takes birth as human being, but he does not know how to utilize it. He utilizes it just like animal. The animal eats; we simply make arrangement of eating unnaturally. That is our advancement. In the animal kingdom, every particular animal has got a particular type of food. Just like tiger, a tiger eats flesh and blood, but if you give tiger nice oranges or grapes, he'll not touch it, because that is not his food. Similarly, a hog. A hog eats stool. If you give the hog nice halavā, (laughter) it will not touch. You see? So every particular animal has got a particular type of food. Similarly, we human being, we have got our particular type of food also. What is that? Fruits, milk, grains. Just like our teeth is made—you take a fruit, you can easily cut into pieces by this tooth. But if you take a piece of flesh, it will be difficult to cut with these teeth. But a tiger has got particular type of teeth, he can immediately cut into pieces the flesh.

So we are advancing in education, but we do not study even of our teeth. We simply go to the dentist. (laughter) That's all. This is our advancement of civilization. The tiger never goes to dentist. Although its teeth are so strong that immediately he can cut into pieces, but he doesn't require a dentist, because he doesn't eat anything which is unnatural for him. But we eat anything damn; therefore we require the help of dentist.

So our human being has got a particular type of business. That business is to study or to discuss on the bhāgavata life. That is our natural. Bhāgavata-dharma. We should try to understand Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-dharma, I have already explained. Bhagavān and the bhakta or bhāgavata, their relationship, that is called bhāgavata-dharma. So it is very easy. How?

Now simply you have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, and we . . .

. . . are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like suppose we have forgotten our home. I left my home since a long time, I've forgotten my father. So if somebody reminds me, "Do you know such gentleman? He is your father. You were playing in such a way, his father was helping you," in this way, if you simply talk of his father, he remembers his home: "Oh, yes." Similarly, we have forgotten our father, our relationship with father. If we simply hear about Him, then we remember. A simple process.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ 'stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt-satām

(SB 1.2.17)

Simply we have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, and we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or forgotten our supreme father on account of material contamination.

So if we hear about Kṛṣṇa attentively, just like you are doing now, kindly, it is very good opportunity. I thank you very much. You are all young boys and girls, but you are very fortunate. Your fathers, grandfathers, do not come here. But you have come. So because you are fortunate. So similarly, continue this. Just try to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful. You haven't got to do anything. It doesn't require that you have to become a master of degree examination, M.A., Ph.D. or D.S.C. No.

God has given you these two ears, and if you kindly submissively hear from the realized souls, then your life will be successful. Actually, that is happening. All these boys and girls who have come to me in different parts of the world, simply by hearing . . . I have not bribed them, I have no money. So they are sacrificing their everything for me. Why? Simply by hearing me. That's all. So the hearing is so strong. And they are educated boys, they're university graduates. I'm not befooling them. But as they're hearing, they're understanding the gravity of the movement, and gradually they're becoming convinced and firmly situated in the post. So this is called bhāgavata-dharma. So we are giving opportunity to everyone to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Of course, in your country it is new. But in our country, in India, still although India is fallen in so many ways, still, if there is some bhāgavata discourses, throngs of people, crowds will come there. We are holding bhāgavata discourses in Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Jaipur, big, big cities. So in Calcutta and Bombay we saw thirty thousand people were daily attending, continually, for ten days. Similarly in Bombay.

So although there is propaganda in India to forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but how they can forget? They're born in a land where Kṛṣṇa appeared. They cannot forget. They have been given the opportunity, took birth in India. That is also due to pious activities. But unfortunately they are being forced to be dragged. I do not wish to discuss this point. But Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is for Indians or for the Hindus or for . . . no. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

So within your country, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started since 1966 from New York, and gradually we are having more and more students and branches. So kindly continue this habit. Simply hear about Kṛṣṇa; then Kṛṣṇa will help you. He is within your heart. He'll help you in every way.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

(BG 10.10)

Kṛṣṇa says: "If anyone is very serious and sincere, and constantly engaged in My devotional service," satata . . . satata means constantly. Satata-yuktānām. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam: "Engaged in devotional service with love and faith." For them, Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him intelligence." Because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart—in my heart, your heart, everyone's heart. So He gives you intelligence. What kind of intelligence?

The intelligence by using which one can come or go back to home, back to Godhead. That intelligence. So these bhāgavata-dharma discourses mean constantly calling, "My dear sir, please get up. Please get up." Jīva jago jīva jago gauracandra bole. This is the message of Lord Caitanya. He says, "My dear jīva, living being, kindly get up. This is the opportunity." So I was explaining Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's song. Let me finish it. He says:

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu

manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā

jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu

He says: "My dear Lord, I got this valuable human form of life, but I have wasted it for nothing. Because this life is meant for understanding Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. But I did not do so; therefore I have taken poison with knowledge." Just like sometimes (to) make suicide, he takes poison. He knows that as soon as he'll take the poison he'll die. Similarly, one who is not taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that means he's taking poison. This is the opportunity of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if you don't take this opportunity, that means knowingly I am drinking poison. Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu.

So what is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. This hari-nāma saṅkīrtana. Just like we receive vibration from the radio from different countries, similarly, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, this vibration we are receiving from the spiritual world. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana rati nā janmilo kene tāya. "I could not get my attachment to this transcendental vibration." Viṣayā-viṣānale divā-niśi hiyā jvale taribāre nā khāinu upāya: "I am suffering constantly with the poison of this materialistic way of life, and I did not try to get out of it by taking shelter of this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra."

Then he says that vrajendra-nandana yei śacī-suta haila sei: "In this age, the same Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared five thousand years ago as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, vrajendra-nandana . . ." Nanda Mahārāja was the king of Vraja, vrajendra, and his nandana, his son, that means Kṛṣṇa. Vrajendra-nandana yei śacī-suta haila sei: "That Kṛṣṇa has appeared in this age as the son of Mother Śacī." Lord Caitanya's mother's name was Śacī-devī. Balarāma haila nitāi: "Balarāma, the same Balarāma who appeared as Kṛṣṇa's elder brother, he has appeared as Nityānanda, Gaura-Nitāi."

So what is Their business? Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila harināme uddhārila. Their business is . . . there are two kinds of people within this material world. Another one is committing sin, and the other is suffering the sinful reaction. Pāpī-tāpī. That is our business. In this life, I am suffering the resultant action of my past impious activities, and I'm creating another set of impious activities so that I shall suffer next life. This is our position. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila. Therefore there are two kinds of activities. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila, harināme uddhārila: but all these people can be delivered simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Prabhupāda! (obeisances) Jaya Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: So I can go? (kirtana) (end)