720909 - Lecture - Pittsburgh

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720909LE-PITTSBURGH - September 09, 1972 - 07:41 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Parāḥ means who are attached to the Lord. Nārāyaṇa-parā, devotees of the Lord, na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28), they have no fear. All others they are fearful what will happen in this world and in the next the world they do not agree that there is life after death. They do not know and some of them who know there is life, of course they know heavenly planets or hell.

Just like in Christian religion it is said either heaven or hell. So there is admission of next life. If after death I am going to hell or heaven, so there is admission that there is life after death. That is nice, so nārāyaṇa-parā those who are devotees they do not distinguish what is hell or heaven because their business is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Actually a nārāyaṇa-parā devotee has nothing to do with hell and heaven because hell and heaven both of them are within this material world.

The upper planetary system is called heaven and the lower planetary systems is called hell but nārāyaṇa-parā is not interested with any planetary system within the universe. Because, their situation is transcendental. Brahma, that is beyond this material universe.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

All this planetary systems lower and higher or medium they are within this universe and their situation is calculated according to the three modes of material nature, but a devotee is transcendental to the material nature. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān, guṇāḥ qualities, material qualities they transcend. Therefore whenever pure devotees are there that is neither hell nor heaven it is Vaikuṇṭha. So either we are in Pittsburgh or New York or Los Angeles or Bombay or Vṛndāvana it is the same. In Vṛndāvana the same thing was going on Hare Kṛṣṇa and when you come to Pittsburgh the same thing is going on, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So there is a story that a cow was a little disturbing, the master said: "I shall sell this cow tomorrow." The cow was crying because the cow's business is wherever it goes it will deliver some milk that's all. Either it is sold or purchased it doesn’t matter, similarly we Kṛṣṇa conscious people wherever we live it doesn’t matter, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles our business is to chant the mahā-mantra and so long we shall continue to chant this mahā-mantra we shall perpetually remain in Vaikuṇṭha.

Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana, there is a threatening in Australia. The authorities they have devised our members a case against us. Big statement that these people are disturbing this peace. So the lawyer wants $2000, so I have advised there is no need of appointing lawyers, you chant on the street and if you are taken in the prison you simply go on chanting.

Devotees: Jaya! (laughter). Jaya haribol!

Prabhupāda: Why should you waste your money?

Devotees: (laughter). Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Because our business is chanting so either within the prison house or in the street it's the same thing. Nārāyaṇa parāḥ sarve na kutaścana, thank you very much.

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

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) (end)