740304 - Lecture CC Adi 07.04 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740304CC-MAYAPUR - March 04, 1974 - 36:36 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on. Hmm?

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse)

pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge

pañca-tattva lañā karena saṅkīrtana raṅge

(CC Adi 7.4)

(break)

Translation: "These five tattvas incarnate with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and thus the Lord executes His saṅkīrtana movement with great pleasure."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So tattva, Absolute Truth, I tried to explain last night. Tattva . . . Kṛṣṇa has spoken about tattva in the Bhagavad-gītā, and in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also there is statement of tattva, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva, the truth, can be learned from the tattva-vida, one who knows. The Absolute Truth cannot be ascertained by imaginative speculation. One has to learn the tattva from the tattva-vit. Therefore, the tattva-vid vadanti. Vadanti means they explain; tattva-vit, one who is tattva-vit, he explains. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. One who knows, he's not silent. He is to preach, he is to speak. Nowadays it has become a fashion to be maunī-bābā, does not speak. So these are . . . may be very good device for professional business, but so far we are concerned, in the Vedic culture, the tattva-vit must speak. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. The tattva-vit must hear from the authorized person, then he'll speak. That is nice. Otherwise, there is no need of speaking. So those who have not heard from the authorized person, they may make a business by making himself maunī-bābā. Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkho yāvat kiñcin na bhāsate: "A mūrkha, a dull rascal, is very beautiful so long he does not speak." Because as soon as he speaks, then his knowledge, his learning, his capacity, his position will be immediately exposed. So our paramparā line, Prahlāda Mahārāja has condemned this system, maunī-bābā. No. Our system is kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

And Kṛṣṇa also confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā: satatāṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). That is mahātmā, always glorifying the Lord, Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means this satatāṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14): twenty-four hours we have to glorify. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, God is unlimited. So we have to chant, glorifying His qualities, unlimitedly. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that, "How I shall glorify the Lord by chanting His name and pastimes? I have got only one tongue. If I could possess millions of tongues and trillions of ears, then it was possible to glorify the Lord to some extent." This is our business. You'll be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, sometimes Paṇḍita Madanmohan Mahalabhya, a great politician, well-known political leader, he came to see him. So he inquired from my Guru Mahārāja, "What are your activities?" So in describing his activities he said that, "We have got six magazines, and out of them, one is a daily, Dainik Nadiya Prakash." Those who are resident of this place might know. So he was publishing one paper daily, Nadiya Prakash. So Madanmohan Mahalabhya inquired that, "You are publishing daily one paper about spiritual subject?" He said: "Yes, why not?"

Now, he explained that this universe is only one of the millions universes. This small universe is one of the many, many. Many, many . . . we get information from the śāstra, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ. Jagadānda means this universe, and there are koṭis, unlimited. In Caitanya Mahāprabhu's dealing, when devotee, Vāsudeva Datta, he pleaded to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear Lord, You have come. You take away all the inhabitants of this earth, or within this universe, and if You think that they are so much sinful that they cannot be delivered, so You can transfer their sinful resultant action, sinful activities, unto me. I shall suffer." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy that, "Let others be delivered, and if they are unfit, sinful, all their sins may be transferred to me." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, "You do not require to take their sinful reaction, but even without your transferring they can be delivered. But this is only one universe." And He compared that this universe is just like a grain of mustard in the mustard bag. Say, hundred kilos, kg., mustard bag, and there is one mustard seed. So this universe is like that. So many universes are there. So my Guru Mahārāja explained that, "This universe is only just like a grain of mustard seed among millions and trillions of universes, and in each and every universe there are millions and trillions of planets, and this earthly planet is one of them. And in this planet, the earthly planet, there are so many cities, and in each city there are so many daily papers, and each daily paper has got so many editions. So this is only one-fourth exhibition of God's creation. If in one city there are so many news, people can read, so from the three-fourth creation of the world, Vaikuṇṭha-jagat, we can give so many news that we can overflood them with news. Unfortunately, we have no customer." That is . . .

So this is the position. Kīrtana. Kīrtana, we can glorify the Lord twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours we have got at our disposal. We have got only twenty-four hours, but unlimited. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). This is only one-fourth part manifestation of the whole creation. There is no limit of kīrtana. That is unlimited. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction is that, "Glorify the Lord continuously." Tṛṇād api sunīcena (CC Adi 17.31). And as soon as you begin kīrtanīyaḥ, real kīrtana of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll have many enemies. Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally had many enemies. You know that in this spot there was persecution, religious persecution, by the then magistrate, Chand Kazi. His samādhi is still there. So . . . and we are also experiencing. Our only fault is that we are preaching the saṅkīrtana movement, and there are so many enemies. You see? So that is possible. Even the father become enemy. Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five-years-old boy, and because he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, his father became enemy. So you'll have enemies.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives us, warning us that, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā: "You just become humbler than the grass." Just you trample over the grasses, it does not protest. Not only you, so many people are going on the grasses, but they tolerate. So tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. And He has given the example, "Tolerant than the trees." The trees are standing in one place. Scorching heat and cold and rains, they are all suffering, and the people taking their leaves, taking their branches, woods, cutting them, taking fruit, and still, the trees give you shelter. This is the example of tolerance. So tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena. Everyone in this material world is very much fond of getting honor. Although he's not honorable, still, he wants to get honor. Although he is unfit, still, he wants. That is the material propensity. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that, "You give them honor. Don't ask for yourself any honor, respect, but others, you give them." That is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. As Prabodānanda Sarasvatī has explained:

dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya

kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca ahaṁ bravīmi

he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt

caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāga

(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 90)

He says . . . this is the process of preaching, "My dear sir, I am falling down on your lotus feet, and with folded hands I am flattering you thousand times, and I have taken one grass in my mouth to show my humbleness. So you kindly hear my one word." "What is that?" He sādhavaḥ, "You are very great sādhu, but you have learned so many things," he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt. "This is my request, that whatever you have learned, so many things, kindly forget. Kick them out." "Then what shall I take?" Caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāga: "Just become a servant on the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is my request." So we have to preach like that. Just flatter him, but request him that, "You forget all these bogus things. Simply take to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Your life will be successful," as it is . . . we have already . . . tāṅhāra caraṇāśrita, sei baḍa dhanya (CC Adi 7.2): "Anyone who takes shelter at the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he becomes glorified." Sei baḍa dhanya.

So our preaching should be like that. The Pañca-tattva . . . here it is said. We are discussing:

pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge

pañca-tattva lañā karena saṅkīrtana raṅge

(CC Adi 7.4)

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has got His associates. That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti he su-medhasaḥ

(SB 11.5.32)

This is the method of worshiping the Lord Viṣṇu. Yajña means to worship the Supreme Lord. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyaiḥ.

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

This is civilization, varṇāśrama. One must observe, the material world. In the spiritual world, of course, there is no such thing as varṇāśrama. That is pure identity of the soul. So there is no . . . so long we are in this material world there must be a scientific division of progress of life. That is Vedic system. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. I have repeatedly said that people call us Hindu in India. Actually, "Hindu" word is not visible in any Vedic literature. This is the name given by the Arabians to the . . . this part of the world, on the bank of the Sindhu. From the "Sindhu" the word "Hindu" has come. So actually, our culture is varṇāśrama-dharma. Therefore śāstra says, varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). In the varṇāśrama-dharma, the ultimate goal is to worship Lord Viṣṇu, whose name is Yajña. Out of many names of Lord Viṣṇu, one name is Yajña, Yajña-puruṣa. So yajña, to . . . anything performed to satisfy the Supreme Lord, that is called yajña.

So other yajñas are not possible in this age, Kali-yuga, Kali-yuga. The only yajña: this saṅkīrtana movement. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). If you want to perform yajña and if you are intelligent, su-medhasaḥ . . . the two words has been used in Vedic literature: su-medhasaḥ and alpa-medhasaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā this word has been used, alpa-medhasaḥ, tad bhavati alpa-medhasām, in the matter of worshiping the demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). If you get some resultant action by worshiping demigod, that is antavat. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu: he got some benediction from Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is not ordinary demigod. He's the . . . amongst the demigods he's the head, pitāmaha. So Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted benediction from Lord Brahmā to become immortal. So immortality is not possible. So Lord Brahmā said that, "My myself . . . I am myself not immortal. How can I give you? It is not possible." So Hiraṇyakaśipu took indirectly, negative way that, "I shall not die this way, I shall not die this way, I shall not die this way," negative way. So he thought himself to be very intelligent demon. So even that benediction was given, but still, he was killed by Nṛsiṁha-deva.

So therefore, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām. Even by tricks or by penance or austerities you take some benediction from the demigods, even if you are awarded, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). People want to be satisfied with little benefit. With little benefit. No, that is not our mission. We want the supreme benefit. Supreme benefit is that you are now entangled in the process of birth, death, old age and disease in the material existence. The real benefit is how to save yourself from these four difficulties. As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). We are embarrassed with so many difficulties, but real difficulty is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: birth, death, old age and disease. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give you ultimate benefit: no more birth, no more death, no more disease, no more old age. Always mind that.

So the greatest benefit. The greatest benefit is . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu is offering. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). This greatest benefit you can get if you develop your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

janma karma me divyaṁ ca

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

That is ultimate goal.

mām upetya kaunteya

duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ

saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

(BG 8.15)

So we have to achieve the highest benefit, go back to home, back to Godhead. So for this purpose, Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Lord Kṛṣṇa has not only appeared Himself, but with His associates. They are called Pañca-tattva.

So here it is explained, pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge (CC Adi 7.4). If you take guru, then there are six tattvas. But Caitanya personally has expanded, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (CC Madhya 13.65, purport). When you speak of Bhagavān, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). When Bhagavān . . . Bhagavān means His paraphernalia. Just like when we speak that, "Now the king is coming," it is not that king is alone coming. The king is coming with his minister, with his commander, with his secretaries, with his so many officers. So when we speak of Bhagavān, don't think He is alone only. No. Pañca . . . that Pañca-tattva. When Bhagavān incarnates, He comes with all the associates—His śakti-tattva, avatāra-tattva, prakāśa-tattva. Many paraphernalia He comes.

So here Caitanya Mahāprabhu, avatīrṇa. Here it is said, pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge (CC Adi 7.4). Caitanyera-saṅge . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So He must have His associates. Associates. That is Bhagavān. Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is explained, the beginning of understanding, how Bhagavān lives in the spiritual world:

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa

lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam

lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambrahma-sevyamānaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.29)

Govinda is not alone. Govinda is associated with the surabhīr abhipālayantam, many millions and thousands of surabhī cows. He tends so many cows. And lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambrahma-sevyamānam. We are flattering one Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, but in the spiritual world, lakṣmī-sahasra-śata, many, many millions Lakṣmīs, goddess of fortune. Sambrahma-sevyamānam, with great respect. Here we are flattering one Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, "Mother, give me some money," but there the Lakṣmīs are flattering Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambrahma-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣam.

So Kṛṣṇa is never alone. Similarly, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is never alone. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, caitanyera saṅgi gaṇe, nitya-siddha boli māne. Gaurāṅgera. Gaurāṅgera saṅgi gaṇe, nitya-siddha boli māne, sei yāya vrajendra-suta-pāśa. That is the explanation of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. So either Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whenever They appear, They appear with Their associates. So here Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared with Pañca-tattva. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā-kṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana (SB 11.5.32). He has appeared, these five tattvas. In our exhibition ground we have first placed these five tattvas: Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Gadādhara Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. Nityānanda Prabhu is the immediate expansion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Baladeva-tattva. Baladeva means who gives strength for spiritual advancement. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23), nāyam ātmā balahinena labhyaḥ. These are the Vedic injunction.

So without Baladeva's or Nityānanda's grace, one cannot make advancement.

āra kabe nitāi-cānda karuṇā koribe

saṁsāra vāsanā mora kabe tuccha . . .

(Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura)

This is the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura explains, āra kabe nitāi-cānda, karuṇā koribe. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is aspiring for the day when Nityānanda Prabhu will be pleased upon him. Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi was delivered by the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, so we have to pray Nityānanda Prabhu. He's very merciful. He's so kind, Baladeva, He gives spiritual strength. Then we can approach the Supreme Lord. Therefore we chant "Nitāi-Gaura." This is the process. We cannot change this policy. Pañca-tattva must be worshiped; otherwise wherefrom we shall get . . .? The spiritual master . . . Nityānanda Prabhu is the spiritual master. Or spiritual master is the replica, representation, of Nityānanda Prabhu. So when Nityānanda Prabhu is pleased, then we become detached from this material attraction.

People . . . conditioned soul means they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, they are suffering. That's a fact. Tri-tāpa yantana, adhibhautika. But because they are illusioned, they are thinking, "We are enjoying." This is called illusion. They are suffering, working day and night like an ass, and still, he's thinking that he's very happy. But he does not know that there is a life where there is no such thing as to work hard. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's associates in Vṛndāvana, they are jolly, tending their cows, getting milk in the village, sufficient food, dancing with the gopīs. That is life. No mill, no slaughterhouse, no motorcar. You see? No skyscraper building. You see. So this is another philosophy, another philosophy: simple life, simple life with Kṛṣṇa. Simple life we can live still, but we do not agree. If we live simple life, people will criticize, "Oh, this is primitive, primitive. What you have made advancement?" But they have no sense.

Anyway . . . so if we really want relief from this materialistic way of life, then we should take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His saṅkīrtana movement. Then our misunderstanding of existence will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni (CC Antya 20.12). And we have created a civilization which is blazing fire. Blazing fire. Everyone, all politicians, all in the . . . even ordinary citizens, they are now suffering. The politicians cannot give them enough food. They simply take vote, and the price of foodstuff is increasing. This is a very precarious condition. It is called saṁsāra-dāvānala, "The blazing fire of material existence." We may extinguish for the time being, but again . . . dāvānala is used for this purpose. Nobody sets fire, but it takes place. That is called dāvānala. In the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place by dealings. So when we deal in a different way than Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there will be fire immediately. This dealing will produce fire. That has come already.

So this is the only remedy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's process:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

So here is the statement, pañca-tattva lañā karena saṅkīrtana raṅge (CC Adi 7.4). You take to this movement, chant and dance. All problems will be solved.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol . . . (break) (end)