731207 - Lecture SB 01.15.29 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

731207SB-LOS ANGELES - December 07, 1973 - 27:26 Minutes

Pradyumna: Translation: "Arjuna's constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa rapidly increased his devotion, and as a result all the trash in his thoughts subsided." (SB 1.15.29)

Prabhupāda: So material existence means full of anxieties. This is the sum and substance of material existence. Everyone is full of anxieties, not only humans. Just like Karandhara was speaking, there are so many bad news. What is that? Where is Karandhara?

Karandhara: Energy crisis, food shortage.

Prabhupāda: Yes, energy crisis, food shortage, and what else?

Karandhara: Economic turmoil.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. And even Mr. Nixon is in such exalted post, he's also full of anxieties, when he'll be kicked out. You see. So find out any man who is not in anxiety. Not only human being but also animals, birds, beasts—everyone. That is the symptom of material existence, anxieties.

So spiritual life means anxiety-less. This is the difference between material life and spiritual life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is described what is spiritual life. As soon as you are identified with the Absolute Truth, Brahman, then symptoms will be prasannātmā, jubilation: "Oh, I do not belong to this material world; I belong to the spiritual world. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Why should I suffer so many things?" That is jubilation. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. The prasannātmā means na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 12.17). He has no lamentation, no hankering. Here people are always full anxieties because they have got hankering: "I want this. I want that." And there is lamentation. What they possess, if it is lost, they cry, "Oh, my things are lost." And what they do not possess, they hanker.

So their anxiety is there, either he possesses or not possesses. This is material anxiety. If you have no money, then you will hanker after money, "How to get money? How to get money? How to get money?" And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to . . . where to keep it, in the bank, or in the house, or who will take away—somebody will take away. So where is anxiety-less? You possess or not possess, the real disease is anxiety. So when one becomes brahma-bhūta, self-realized, identified with the Absolute Truth, then he has no more anxiety. This is the best education, when you become anxiety-less. That is perfection of education.

So when Prahlāda Mahārāja was inquired by his father that "What nice thing you have studied, my dear boy, in your school?" so he replied, "My dear father, the best education I have received: how to become anxiety-less." That's all. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām (SB 7.5.5). "Not only for me, but for everyone. But you will not understand, my dear father, because you are demon number one." (laughter) He is addressing his father, asura-varya. Asura-varya. Asura means demon, and varya, varya means the first class. (laughter) (chuckles)

He is not addressing his father as "My dear father"; "My dear best of the atheists." Therefore his father was very angry, "This child, he talks with me on equal level and does not fear me. Kill him!" Asura. He is prepared to kill his son even, if he does not agree with him. You see? We are also prepared. If one is not devotee, if he is son, we can kill him. The same. But our is for Kṛṣṇa, and the asuras is for himself. That is the difference. He wants to do everything for his personal satisfaction, and we want to do everything for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. That is the difference. The same propensities are there, but when it is applied for Kṛṣṇa, then it is purified, and when it is applied for personal self, it is impure. This is the difference.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "The best education is that which makes one anxiety-free." That is best education. Now where is that education? Is there any education throughout the whole world, in so many universities, especially in your country there are nice, very, very . . . rather, they have created so much anxieties that the boys, they are frustrated. They are giving up everything, becoming hippies. Where is anxiety-less? They increase anxiety. Increase anxiety. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna . . . "My dear father, the best of the asuras, I think that anyone who has accepted this material body is full of anxieties." Asad-grahāt. Asad-grahāt means . . . asat means temporary. Because he has accepted a body which is temporary, he is full of anxieties. That is the real problem. We, if we want to be anxiety-less, no anxiety, then we have to refuse to accept this material body. Otherwise there is no possibility. All anxieties are due to this material body. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5).

This is the problem, that somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material body. We . . . "I am not this material body, you are not this material . . . we are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this material body. Therefore I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I am pure soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the real business of human society. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The swine is inquiring, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose, "Where is stool?" or "Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also, whole day and night with motorcar, going this or, "Where is food? Where is food?"

Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). The whole day is spent, so many motorcars going this way and that way. What is the business? "Where is money? Where is food? Where is shelter?" And as soon as you get shelter, money and food, kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā, then "How to feed my children, how to feed my wife, how to feed my country, how to . . . society?" That's all. This is anxiety. This is anxiety. They . . . nidrayā hriyate naktam. At night they want to become anxiety-less by sleeping or by sex life. They want to forget anxiety. This is their business. Nidrayā hriyate naktam (SB 1.16.9). They think that "If I sleep, then I shall be . . . let me drink, so that I . . . there will be very deep sleep." That is not possible. You dream, very ferocious dream you are dreaming. So . . . and sex life, that is also temporary, free.

So these are not the methods. Method is, here it is recommended by Arjuna, vāsudeva-anudhyānam. Anudhyānam. Anu means constantly, and dhyānam means meditation. They have manufactured so many meditation—without Vāsudeva. That so-called Transcendental Meditation club and yogāsana, but go there, what you meditate upon? Zero. That is there. They cannot say what is that meditation, and where is that Transcendental Meditation. No rascal will be able to explain. But they'll call big, big words, "Transcendental Meditation." And "What is that Transcendental Meditation? Please explain," "Oh, that cannot be explained." You see? Is it not?

But we have got . . . (indistinct) . . . vāsudeva-anudhyānam. You just see. Vāsudevāṅghry-anudhyāna-paribṛṁhita-raṁhasā. Here is Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. You come here and see, very minutely, how Vāsudeva is dressed nicely, how He is playing on His flute, how He is situated with His eternal consort, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, how He is enjoying her company. So nice thing for meditation. But why you are after zero? (laughter) Just see the rascaldom. Here is such nice object for meditation, and they are trying to meditate upon zero.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Kleśa, that "Trouble is more." We can meditate upon Kṛṣṇa immediately. We are constantly seeing Kṛṣṇa here. So as soon as I close my eyes, I see Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Anything you see, you'll be able to immediately have the form within your heart. Immediately. So there is no difficulty, but they will create some difficult task. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām. To fix up the mind on Vāsudeva, or Viṣṇu, that is also difficult. But those who are trying to fix up their mind on zero, their position is more difficult, adhikataram. Adhikataram means "more."

So people are voluntarily accepting some nonsense method, and they are not happy. That is their misfortune. Misfortune. Narādhama. The . . . everything is there, but because they do not know . . . duṣkṛtina, narādhama. Duṣkṛtina, duṣkṛtina means misfortunate, or always engaged in sinful activities. They'll not meditate upon Vāsudeva; they'll meditate on something, some color, some zero, or something like that. We do not know what kind of meditation there is. But real meditation, recommended in the Vedas: dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogī. Yogīs see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditation. Meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā: mind is absorbed in the Supreme Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and meditation—to see the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, this is the, I mean, recommended process, standard recommended process.

So here, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa recommends also that: man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nothing, just to train people how to think of Kṛṣṇa and how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So you may become devotee . . . but you will become devotee. If you think of Kṛṣṇa, naturally you will become devotee. So . . . but think of Kṛṣṇa, is it very difficult task? Very simple, very easy; even a child can do it. Here is Kṛṣṇa. You can think of. So you go on thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, you will be attached. You will be attached. You will be attached. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (CC Madhya 23.14-15). And thinking of Kṛṣṇa in association of the devotees. Not alone, then you will go to hell. Alone will not do. Association is so strong that anyone who is coming to our association, we . . . not that we are everyone teaching, but by association, he wants to become devotee. By association, automatically. So the association is so powerful. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:

tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame mora ei abhilāṣa

(Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7)

He is praying, "My dear Lord, this is my ambition, birth after birth." What is that? "That to be engaged in the service of the ācārya guru, and in the association of devotees. This is perfection." Janame janame mora ei: "This is my desire. I don't want to stop my birth, but simply I want that I may take birth—it doesn't matter—but bhakta-sane vāsa, let me live with the devotees." That is the . . .

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says:

kīṭa-janma hau yathā tuwā dāsa

bahir-mukha brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa

(From Śaraṇāgati)

He says that, "If I forget You and take my birth as Lord Brahmā, I don't want it. I don't want it." What is the use of taking a birth like Brahmā? "But I shall like to take my birth as even a small insignificant insect where a devotee is there." This is the ambition of devotee. "I shall prefer to become an insect." Because there are different varieties of living entities, beginning from Brahmā down to the insect, insignificant. In the middle, there are so many varieties—aquatics, trees, plants, demigods, and men, human being. So many thing. So this is the end and . . . one end to another. Ābrahma-bhuvanā . . . (indistinct) . . . insignificant ant, nobody cares for, and Brahmā is very important, supreme person within the . . .

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that, "I will not prefer a birth like Brahmā if I forget You. But I will prefer to become an insect if I remain with Your devotee." Because if one remains with a devotee, he will not forget Kṛṣṇa. That is the advantage. Just like when you go, people address you, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" Oh, it is very great benefit. Automatically they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We have seen it all over the world. And when I was going from London to Nairobi, we stopped at Athens, the dead of night. We are in the . . . what is called? That transit room?

Devotee: Transit lounge.

Prabhupāda: Yes, lounge. So as soon as they saw us, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" You see. So this is advantage. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam (SB 3.33.7). Even a dog-eater chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, he becomes glorified.

So this chance should be given. Let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, either willfully or jokingly or any way, let him chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the movement. Let him chant once. Let his tongue utter this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa—his life will be successful. It is such nice movement. You haven't got to do anything. Simply you come here and see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, you will be benefited. It is very easy. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). And once you get the impression of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa for meditation, and if you increase, then life, you are success. Life is successful. Because as soon as you become little inclined to see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa within your heart, that means you have developed His love. Just like if you love somebody, you want to close your eyes and see his face, his . . . your child or your lover. Similarly, as soon as you practice this, how to see, meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, that means you develop. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Then gradually it will increase, and you will be perfect.

It is very easy. This process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is so easy and so pleasant, anyone can take. There is no difficulty. And if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious completely, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, bahu anudhyānam, always, anudhyānam, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa—anyone can do it—then you become perfect. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). That is the problem. Our, what is that problem? Problem is that we are full of anxiety. Why you are full of anxiety? Because you have accepted this material body. So if you stop accepting material body, there is no anxiety. That can be done by vāsudeva-anudhyānam, constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

So you haven't got to pay any price. You are not losing anything. But you are becoming a great, perfect man. Why do you . . . don't you accept this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Why you are after something, false thing? Just see how unfortunate people are in this Kali-yuga. They will not accept the real thing without any payment, without any loss. Everything is gain. They will accept something nonsense and go to hell. Just see. This is Kali-yuga. The Kali-yuga is so powerful that it will not allow you to accept the real thing. You will be after non-real thing and waste your time and valuable life. This life is meant for Kṛṣṇa realization. It is not meant for anything, any other business. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, I have simply wasted my time." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā: "I got this valuable human form of life, but I did not worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. This is my fault." Jāniyā . . . jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu, "It is just like knowingly I have taken poison."

So anyone who is not taking to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa advised, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), he is simply drinking poison. Drinking poison. That's all. And what is the effect of poison? You will die. Not only this life, life after life, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). He will accept this life, again he'll give up, again another body, again another. And that you do not know. There is no guarantee what kind of body you are going to get. But they are so rascals, they do not understand that "I am going to get another body." And there are so many varieties of body. If I get the body of a tree, now standed up for seven thousand years . . . how much risk we are taking.

But all this risk can be avoided in this human form of life simply by thinking of Vāsudeva, simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Why people are reluctant? This is their misfortune. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kaṛ says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). This Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be accepted only by the most fortunate person. Not less fortunate, alpa-medhasa. Those who have got little brain, or little fortunate, they cannot. They cannot. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means very fortunate, very pious. And duṣkṛtina cannot take it. Vāsudeva . . . thinking of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is very easy, but those who are sinful, they cannot take to it. That is the difficulty.

Therefore we say: "Stop these four pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling." These are the four pillars of sinful life. If you accept these four pillars, then your rope, sinful life, is very strong. Break this, from the very beginning. There will be no more sinful life. If you simply stop, where is the difficulty? If you do not smoke or do not drink, will you die? We have got so many devotees, they do not smoke, they do not drink. Are they dying? They do not play any gambling. Are they dying? They do not take meat. Are they dying? They do not have illicit sex. Are they dying? It is artificial. Māyā's . . . artificial. Just like so many cigarette package are advertised, although there is written on the . . . what is that? "It is dangerous . . ."

Devotee: "Smoking may be hazardous to your health."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Still the rascal will take. Still . . . the things will be advertised. The government is writing on the packet, "It is dangerous," but they are not closing the factory of the cigarette. That will . . . because they want income. (laughter) You see? This is going on. Cheating. And if you don't like it, why don't you stop this? But that they will not do. Simply a show-bottle. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we want to stop this show-bottle business. Everyone must be a real leader, then people will be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya . . . (end)