740401 - Lecture BG 04.12 Appearance Day, Lord Ramacandra - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740401BG-BOMBAY - April 01, 1974 - 45:11 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (leads chanting of verses)

. . . kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.39)

ramante yogino 'nante

satyānande cid-ātmani

iti rāma-padenāsau

paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate

(CC Madhya 9.29)

Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Balarāma, Buddha—there are innumerable incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, rāmādi, of whom Lord Rāmacandra is the chief. So rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan. Kṛṣṇa simultaneously existing with His innumerable incarnation like Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, ity ādi. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarot. So Kṛṣṇa accepted so many innumerable incarnations, but the Supreme Personality, parama-puruṣa, is Kṛṣṇa. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu, kṛṣṇaḥ svayam, kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat (Bs. 5.39). In spite of His coming in different multi-incarnations, He personally also descends. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo, the Supreme Personality. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. This is the prayer offered by Lord Brahmā.

Then again, in the Sātvata Purāṇa the explanation of Rāma is given. Rāma, the word comes from the ram-dhātu, ramante. Ramante means fulfilling desires. So ramante yogino 'nante. Those who are yogīs . . . karmī, jñānī and yogī. And amongst the yogīs, the bhakti-yogī is the topmost.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

So yogīs, they are not interested with material enjoyment because material enjoyment is temporary. So ramante yogino 'nante. Everyone is seeking after happiness, blissful life. But those who are less intelligent, mūḍha, they are satisfied with temporary so-called happiness of material existence. But yogīs are not like that. Yogīs are interested in the permanent happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante, not ante.

Antavanta ime dehāḥ. Anta means this body. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18): "But within the body, the proprietor of the body is nitya." So nityo nityānām. If I am nitya, eternal, then I should be interested in eternal happiness. But the eternal happiness is not possible to enjoy by this body. Therefore it is said, ramante yoginaḥ anante. So ananta-ramaṇa, that is the description of Rāma. Rāma means ananta-ānanda, unlimited happiness. Iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29). Rāma is paraṁ brahma, and Kṛṣṇa is also paraṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa is recognized by Arjuna after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So there is no different between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is also paraṁ brahma, and Rāma is also paraṁ brahma. (break) . . . day of Lord Rāmacandra. So we Vaiṣṇava, we have equal faith and obeisances to all viṣṇu-mūrtis, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa, Mahāviṣṇu . . . there are advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). But we Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava or Madhva-Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, we are worshiper of Lord Kṛṣṇa mūrti. Lord Rāmacandra's mūrti and Kṛṣṇa's mūrti, there is no difference. But as I have already explained, Kṛṣṇa paraṁ brahma full-fledged, and Lord Rāmacandra is also paraṁ brahma, but He did not exhibit His full-fledged opulence. So these are very confidential things, but still, on the birthday of Lord Rāmacandra we offer our respectful obeisances at His lotus feet so that He may be merciful upon us to bestow His bhakti, devotional service.

We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the śāstra, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). So although there is no difference between Śrī Rāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Kṛṣṇa disappeared from the rāsa dance and the gopīs were very much eager to find out Kṛṣṇa again. So when they were too much eager to see Kṛṣṇa, where He is, Kṛṣṇa appeared as Nārāyaṇa, four-handed Nārāyaṇa. The gopīs saw nārāyaṇa-mūrti but did not become attracted by Him. All the gopīs said: "Oh, He is Nārāyaṇa. Let us offer our respect," and they went away. Actually there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa. (aside) What is that? But gopīs were not very much interested with Nārāyaṇa. They wanted Kṛṣṇa, although there is no difference between Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, although there is no difference between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, some devotees are attracted with rāma-mūrti and some devotees are attracted with kṛṣṇa-mūrti. But factually there is no difference.

But in the śāstras it is said that if you chant the name of Viṣṇu, viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma, by chanting one thousand times Lord Viṣṇu's name is equal to one name of Rāma. And by chanting three times the name of Lord Rāma it is equal to one name of Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict of the śāstra. So when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Rāma is there already, three times. It is not that because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we are neglecting Rāma. No. With each Kṛṣṇa name there are three times Rāma name. That is the verdict of the śāstra.

Besides that, we are chanting also Hare Rāma. Hare Rāma and Sītā-Rāma the same thing. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa or Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, there is no difference. This is also rāma-dhun, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In the śāstras it is recommended, Agni Purāṇa, Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad the:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Besides that, when we chant Kṛṣṇa's name, we chant also Lord Rāma's name. Just like in the prayer offered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa rakṣa mām

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi mām

rāma rāghava rāma rāghava

rāma rāghava rakṣa mām

kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava

kṛṣṇa keśava pāhi mām

So devotees, they always chant together Kṛṣṇa's name and Rāma's name. So when there is question of rāma-dhun, there is Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. That is rāma.

So there is no partiality that, "These people are simply after Kṛṣṇa." Of course, we are little more attached to Kṛṣṇa, but that does not mean we do not know who is Lord Rāmacandra. We know that He is also Kṛṣṇa Himself in His different feature of pastime.

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.39)

Now let us begin our regular class.

(leads Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava) (prema-dhvani) (break)

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

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ

yajanta iha devatāḥ

kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke

siddhir bhavati karma-jā

(BG 4.12)

Translation: "Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world."

Prabhupāda:

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ

yajanta iha devatāḥ

kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke

siddhir bhavati karma-jā

(BG 4.12)

So last night we were discussing:

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante

tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham

mama vartmānuvartante

manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

(BG 4.11)

Everyone is seeking the Absolute Truth in different way. So the worship of the demigods, that is also, in one way, searching after the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore in the Vedas, the demigod worship is also recommended. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa. The Vedas are divided into three kāṇḍas, or division: karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Therefore the other name of Veda is trayī. Trayī na śruti-gocarā. Strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). That is stated in the Vedic literature. Strī, śūdra and dvija-bandhu . . . dvija-bandhu means born in brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya family, especially brāhmaṇa family, but he is not possessing the qualities of brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, as now it is going on. Everyone is presenting himself as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but he hasn't got the necessary qualification. A brāhmaṇa's qualification is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamo dama titikṣā ārjava jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, kṣatriya: śauryaṁ vīryaṁ tejo yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam, īśvara-bhāvaś ca (BG 18.43). In this way there are kṣatriya's qualification. Similarly, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). The vaiśyas are described to be engaged in agricultural work, giving protection to the cows, and excess grains to trade, where there is necessity to carry there and take something in exchange. Similarly, śūdra: paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. Śūdra means he is satisfied by serving somebody. Just like a dog: he is satisfied having a nice master, that's all. Sometimes it is compared, the śūdras, like the dogs. So kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. This guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, that will be explained in the next verse.

So karma, to get success in one's particular type of occupational duties, sometimes they worship the demigods. That is described here. Demigods, they are also living entities, and all living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). So demigods, they are also part and parcel. We are also part and parcel. There is no difference. But they are more fortunate to get the post of Candra, Sūrya, Indra, Brahmā. Brahmā is also a living entity. Therefore, to get success in our material welfare activities, sometimes—not sometimes; always—we worship demigods. So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "Demigod worship is also My worship, but that is avidhi-pūrvakam. That is not the vidhi." Vidhi is to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But sometimes, just like we give some reward to the doorman to enter into the room of a great officer, similarly, demigod worship means to get the result very quickly. And we may ask any type of benefits and reward from the demigods. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. That will be explained in the Seventh Chapter.

So demigod worship may be bringing quickly the resultant action, desired result, but antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23): the result is antavat, it is limited. But bhakti is not limited. Bhakti is unlimited. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. But people . . . tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Those who are less intelligent, instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they worship the demigods. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. Therefore people are more interested in worshiping demigods than Kṛṣṇa. The demigods . . . in India especially we will find, there are many devotees of the demigods. Not devotees. Devotion is only applied in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigod worship, they are not devotee, but they are interested to get the reward from the demigod. Otherwise they are not interested.

But bhakti is not like that. The bhaktas, they are not after any reward from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is difference between bhakti and other demigod worship. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu: He is teaching us bhakti. He says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye: "My Lord, I do not wish to ask from You opulence, riches, nice wife or many followers." These are material opulences. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: "I do not want all these things."

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye

mama janmani janmanīśvare

bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

That is the desire of devotee. He doesn't want even liberation. Janmani janmani: he wants to serve the lotus feet of the Lord birth after birth. That is his aspiration.

So kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhir bhavati karma-jā. So karma-kāṇḍīya, those who are on the platform of fruitive activities, generally they are attracted by the demigod worship. But vīta-rāga-bhaya-sokhā (BG 2.56), those who are detached from material happiness, they becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa. Man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. That is already explained. Now we have to make our choice whether for temporary benefit we shall worship demigods or for permanent benefit we shall worship Kṛṣṇa. That is our choice. But people generally make their choice: kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhir bhavati, immediate result. Immediate result. That will be explained that immediate result, it may be very palatable in the beginning, but it is . . . it will produce bitter result at the end. But that we do not consider. We want immediate.

The immediate result and remote result is described in Sanskrit word, śreya and preya. Preya means immediate benefit, and śreya means ultimate benefit. So those who are interested in the ultimate benefit go back to home, back to Godhead. For them, worshiping the Supreme Lord is most beneficial. And those who are interested in the matter of temporary benefit, dhanaṁ dehi, rūpaṁ dehi, yaśo dehi . . . just like by worshiping Goddess Durgā we want all these things. But we forget that whatever we get material benefit, with the end of this material body, everything is lost. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that, "At the end, I, as death, I take away all your material possession." Sarva-hara mṛtyuḥ.

So that is not good. We, because we are eternal—nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)—we should be after eternal happiness, eternal benefit. That should be our business. Therefore we should not be karma-ja, not karmī. Neither we should become jñānīs. We should become yogī. And what kind of yogī? Bhakti-yogī. Because there are different types of yoga practices. Out of that, bhakti-yoga is the topmost. Because Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Without being in the bhakti-yoga, neither you can be happy, nor you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). If you want to be happy, then bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ, it can be possible. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā.

That is stated, naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). This class is held for the benefit of the human society. And this is the process of nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you regularly hear about Kṛṣṇa . . . why regularly? Constantly. If we practice in such a way that we shall hear about Kṛṣṇa, talk about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa, eat about Kṛṣṇa, work about Kṛṣṇa, sleep about Kṛṣṇa, walk about Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Anything we do in relationship with Kṛṣṇa is pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. This is the instruction of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the recommendation. Then our life will be successful.

And Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart. When He sees you, that you are very serious about Kṛṣṇa, then He helps you.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti . . .

(SB 1.2.17)

So, Kṛṣṇa, abhadrāṇi vidhunoti. We have got many dirty things within our heart, but as soon as we begin to hear about Kṛṣṇa . . . just like we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is speaking about Himself. Kṛṣṇa is speaking about the situation of this material world. He'll speak about the spiritual world. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if you regularly hear, that is the beginning of success of life—hearing.

The Vedas are called hearing, śruti. One has to hear Vedas from the right person. That is the recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ (SB 10.14.3). To achieve success in self-realization or God realization, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, sthāne sthitāḥ: "You just remain in your present position. You remain as a gṛhastha or as a brāhmaṇa or as a sannyāsī, as a businessman, professional man. It doesn't matter." Sthāne sthitāḥ: "You remain as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. It doesn't matter. But . . ." śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ, "just try to hear about Kṛṣṇa," śruti-gatām, aural reception. Śruti-gatām means aural reception. Tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ: "And try to employ your body, words," tanu-vāk, and manaḥ, "mind, engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service." Tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo jito 'py 'jita asi. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita: He is never conquered. But any person who hears about Kṛṣṇa, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām, simply mental speculation, giving up this bad habit, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, leaving aside, namanta eva, very humbly and meekly, if one hears from the realized soul about Kṛṣṇa, then in any position, sthāne sthitāḥ, because he is hearing from the realized soul, then one day it will be possible to conquer the unconquerable. Prāyaśo jito 'py 'jita asi tais tri-lokyām.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give chance to everyone to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the first process, śravaṇam. And when one has heard very nicely about Kṛṣṇa, they can . . . then he can speak about Kṛṣṇa. And he must speak. You cannot remain without speaking. That is the result of śravaṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. One who has heard nicely, he must speak or preach. And preaching and hearing about whom? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa, the same thing.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

These nine different process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being pushed on by the members of Kṛṣṇa conscious Society all over the world. And we have opened also here in Bombay, the most important city of India. So we request you all to come every day and try to understand this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness based on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, all authentic scriptures.

There is no concoction; there is no manufacturing, malinterpretation. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any deviation. So if we take advantage of this process of understanding, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17), then gradually we shall be bereft of all sinful activities, resultant action of sinful activities. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. Abhadrāṇi means inauspicious things accumulated within our heart. By this Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), the heart is cleansed. It is just like mirror. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. So as soon as our heart is cleansed, then we can understand immediately what is Kṛṣṇa, what I am, what is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa and how I should act in relation to Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life. (aside about microphone) What had happened?

Thank you very much, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)