750322 - Lecture SB 01.02.07 Hindi - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

750322SB-CALCUTTA - March 22, 1975 - 54:31 Minutes

(Hindi translated into English)

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

(break)

Prabhupada:

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

(Hindi throughout)

Hindi. Yesterday earlier sloka sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6) Lord Adhoksaja surrender at His lotus feet and do devotional service. Devotional service means sravanam kirtanam visnu, to listen about Lord Visnu, just like all of you are listening, this is devotional service. Sravanam kirtanam and after listening, performing kirtana. Today this was spoken about God, and this is proper to remember it sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam. What we listen in assembly of devotees, that should be remembered. This is how devotional service will progress. Satāṁ-prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). In assembly of devotees, topics about God become more relishing. Not from anyone, satāṁ-prasaṅgāt those who are devotees, they should sit together and listen about God, and then discuss about it properly sravanam kirtanam visnu and one who has listened properly, he will definitely perform kirtana, this is symptom of devotional service.

Just like, these English people, are young American boys, they have many facilities for material enjoyment in the western countries, but because they listened, they have left everything and in such a young age, they have taken sanyasa and preaching all over the world, performing kirtana. This is the fruit of listening. If in reality someone has listened attentively to topics about God, then he will be inspired from within that I should perform kirtana and preach to all, this is such a good thing. I should preach to the world, this is called kirtana. Kirtana does not mean that kirtana can be only performed by mridanga and karatala. No. Preaching topics about God is also kirtana. Just like Sukadeva Goswami did, abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. This śravaṇa kīrtana smaraṇa vandana arcana, there are many parts, take up any one part, take all that is also alright, take some of them that is also alright, but at least take one of these, life will be successful.

Examples are like Pariksit Mahārāja, he only did sravana. He did not get a chance to perform kirtana. Only seven days of his life were left. So Sukadeva Goswami advised him, he asked Mahārāja what should I do now, only seven days are left for my death. So Sukadeva Goswami said, you hear about topics about God. So Pariksit Mahārāja only heard and Sukadeva Goswami preached to him, he performed kirtana. Śrī-viṣṇoḥśravaṇe parīkṣit. By hearing topics about God Praiksit Mahārāja was liberated abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane and vaiyasakih, son of Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Goswami, only by performing kirtana, he was benefitted by liberation. He was transformed from this material world to the spiritual realm, all these instructions are given in the scriptures.

So devotional service, that is sravanam kirtanam, sravanam kirtanam visnu, in this sloka it is said that vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. adhokṣaje earlier to this sloka it is said adhokṣaje, bhaktir yoga adhokṣaje, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6), which ever religion you follow, it does not matter, but one should look at the results. Only by labeling oneself as Hindu, Muslim, Christian there is no profit. One should look at the actual result, so that fruit is bhaktir yogam adhokṣaje, adhokṣaje, Adhaḥ-kṛta akṣaja jñānam. Our knowledge this material knowledge, we acquire thorough the senses. Just like we see with the eyes, by our tongue we taste, hands we touch, by nose we smell and by ears we listen. Similarly there are eleven senses, five senses are through which we acquire knowledge, those are called jñanendriya and karmendriya and the mind, these are eleven senses.

So the Supreme Personality of Godhead adhokṣaja is beyond these eleven senses. Atha śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). We acquire knowledge through our senses, but the knowledge which we have by using eyes, ears, nose, etc senses we have learned to acquire, that is material and from this material knowledge it is not possible to acquire knowledge about God. Atha śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. That is why God is called adhokṣaja, akṣaja jñāna is the one which we acquire through the material senses and God is atindriya. So how can we acquire a thing which is atindriya with my material senses? Solution to this problem is mentioned here adhokṣaja, bhaktir adokṣaje. I am not able to see God with my material eyes. It is not possible to understand topics about God with my present material senses. That is why God is called adhokṣaja, that knowledge is Adhaḥ-kṛta. That is why big big munis and yogis, only meditate, but are not able to understand what is God and at the end they claim that God is without form, that's all. If one is unable to grasp the topics beyond his capacity, then he declares allright God is formless. No. Why should God be formless? Shyamsundara, were beautiful and blackish, this is the instruction of the scriptures. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs 5.38) How is He formless? Santaḥ sadaiva, saintly people every moment, twenty four hours a day see God. So how is he formless? He is not formless, He is beyond the perception of our present material senses, with our material senses we cannot see God. He is not formless. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvas yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). God says that I do not appear before everyone. I am covered by yogamaya. So one who can cross yogamaya, he can see God. God has form, qualities, pastimes, everything, but with these material senses atha śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136) with these material senses we cannot understand topics about God.

But we have got only these senses, then how can I see God? The solution to that is also mentioned sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (BRS 1.2.234). We cannot see God by excercising our material senses, but if by mercy of God, He gives us His darsana, then it is possible. This is the desire of God. How will God's desire be fulfilled sevonmukhe, when we will be engaged in God's service bhaja sevayā bhakti, devotional service and bhakti are same thing. So when we will start worshipping God, worship starts with kirtana, sravana, sravanam kirtanam. When we listen about the topics of God and preach, then God by His mercy gives his darsana. I personally cannot see God. Just like, the President or a king. I am a common man, by my desire it is not possible to see the king, but if king wants he can come and give his darsana. This is king's mercy. Similarly, by our endeavors, we cannot see God, Just like yesterday, some gentleman questioned, can we see God in His form. Yes we can, but if one is qualified, and until one is unqualified, one cannot see God, So one should become qualified. How? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ this is the first step, our tongue has to be engaged in God's service, tongue, not eyes, tongue. Just look at this it is amazing - you can see God through your tongue. Everyone knows that one can see through eyes, but scriptures say that one can see God by one's tongue, just see this is amazing thing.

Engage your tongue in God's service,

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

That's all. Engage your tongue in this, and there is one more duty of the tongue. Two things are possible with the tongue, one can speak with their tongue and one can taste through the tongue. Because of the greed for tongue the whole world is going on. All the work in the world is going on because of the greed for the tongue. Some places have restaurant, some have tea, somewhere bidis, somewhere cigarettes, somewhere there is meat eating and intoxication and what is there, this tongue. Everything is because of this tongue. If you can control your tongue and engage it in God's service, then you can see God. This is the instruction in the scriptures. First one must control the tongue. Bhaktivinoda Thakur while explaining about honoring prasadam, has mentioned tāra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamaya sudurmati tare jeta kothin a samsare, kṛṣṇa baḍa dayāmaya, karibāre jihvā jaya sva-prasāda-anna dilā bhāi. Sei annāmṛta khāo, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāo, preme ḍāka caitanya-nitāi. So one should engage the tongue. One should engage the tongue in kirtana, God’s kirtana. tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-citta. Prahalada Mahārāja has mentioned, Mahārāja, Prahlada Mahārāja says to Narshimadeva, naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās (SB 7.9.43) Mahārāja, I have no fear to cross the material ocean, I am not at all afraid. I have become completed fearless. Why? How did you become fearless? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-citta (SB 7.9.43), because I have learned to sing Your glories, that's all. I have won over this world. But it looks that you are sad. So Prahalad Mahārāja says, yes I am sad. Why? Tato vimūkha-cetasā for one who has forgotten You vimūkha, they do not want God, such people, tato vimūkha-cetasā māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). I am sad for people who are working so hard for material happiness. they will live for 25, 50 or maximum 100 years, for some time one has to stay here but they are trying to be happy here and are working hard day and night, I think for these foolish people, that is why I am unhappy. Otherwise I don’t have any problem. This is Vaisnava thinking.

Vaisnava has no problem, since he has learned how to glorify God. therefore there are no problems. But there is one thing they are sad about. Just like father, some old person at home, if some child is sick, child is unhappy, so they also become unhappy, although they themselves are not sick. Similarly, there is no problem for a Vaisnava, but these māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43), these foolish people who are working hard day and night for some material happiness, for them they are unhappy. That is why Vaisnava, preach God’s names and glories, perform kirtana because they have listened and seen towards God and other also start worshipping God, this is their only wish, that everyone should start worshipping God, that's all, by seeing this Vaisnavas are happy, nothing else. There is no other objectives for them. That is why human being has to be taught sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6) Adhokṣaje, God is beyond the perception of our material eyes that is adhokṣaja, So how can one serve adhokṣaja, that is explained in this sloka, vāsudeve bhagavati, Vāsudeva, Lord Vāsudeva,, Vāsudeva, means, one who became the son of Vasudeva, Krsna, He is called Vāsudeva, because who can become God's father and mother, God is the father of all, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥpita:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pita

(BG 14.4)

Lord is saying I am the seed giving father and this material world maya, Durga devi, mataji. So that God, now living entity is a part and parcel of God, and God is situated in everyone's heart Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So that God, Vāsudeva Krsna, God's name . . . many people say that God has no name. No. God's name is there, but there is no particular name, His name is based on His qualities and activities. Just like Vāsudeva,, because God incarnated as a son of Vasudeva, that is why His name is Vāsudeva, He did His pastimes by being a son of Yasoda mayi, therefore His name is Yasodanandan, He loves Radharani that is why He is called Radha Raman. So based on His activities, God has His names. God accepted to become chariot driver of Arjuna, that is why His name is Partha Sarathi. This thought we also have that there is no name of God and there is name of God also, but since His activities are there, by His activities His name is there. Here it is said Vāsudeva, God is adhokṣaje, but though He is adhokṣaja, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8), in order to please His devotees, He accepts one of this devotees as His father and incarnates as Vāsudeva, this is the thought. God is adhokṣaja, avan mānasa gocara, but to show His mercy on devotee, He incarnates to show His causeless mercy on a devotee and along with that those who are demons, they are also killed by him paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Duskirta means who is always engaged in sinful activities, they are called as duskritna, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). That is why in order to perform devotional service one has to become free from sinful activities. That is why devotional service is called vairāgyam jñānam. Vairāgyam jñānam. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. vairagya means becoming free from sinful activities, vairagya vidya is also called nivrriti dharma. pravritti dharma and nivrriti dharma. Pravitti dharma means how to enjoy the material world nicely, this is called pravitti dharma, that is why we all have come here.

Whoever is in this material his dharma is pravitti dharma, and one who wants to be free from here and want to go to God, that is called nivritti dharma. pravitti and nivrtti, there are two things. Nivrtti dharma is vairagya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu descended to teach this nivrtti dharma, vairagya dharma. One should have detachment. We are entrapped in this material world because of pravitti dharma, we want to enjoy, So adhokṣaje is para dharma. When we leave pravitti dharma and go to nivrtti dharma, that is para dharma, transcendental, Aprakrita dharma. So if we want to go to aprakrita realm, then using nivritti dharma as an instrument, gaining detachment Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12), If we want to go towards God, then nivritti means freeing oneself from sinful life, nothing else. Unless one is completely free from sins, one cannot understand God, and reaching God is out of question:

yeṣām tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇāṁ

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

To worship God is not a simple thing, that is why Bhagavat religion is called paramhamsa religion, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vedyaṁ vāstavam atra (SB 1.1.2)

Paramhamsa, so I mean to say if we surrender to the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, vāsudeve bhagavati, Who is Vāsudeva? Supreme Personality of Godhead, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28) original Personality of Godhead, ādi-puruṣaṁ, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Brahma samhita), So that Vāsudeva, Krsna, Vāsudeva, also means that He is present everywhere, Vāsudeva,, Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ (BG 18.61) there is more description about Vāsudeva, in Brahma Sahmita:

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ

yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ

aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham-

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(B.S. 5.35)

One part of Govinda is Vāsudeva, Krsna lives in Vrndavan, and Vāsudeva, who is an expansion, lives in Dvarka, Mathura etc, this is mentioned in the scriptures. Vāsudeva, if we engage in devotional service at His lotus feet, then what will be the result? Janayaty āśu vairāgyam, this is wanted, detachment. That is why bhakti yoga is also called as vairagya vidya, this is taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-

śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī

kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye

(CC Madhya 6.254)

Vasudeva Bhattacharya . . . Sarvabauma Bhattacharya . . . Vasudeva Bhattacharya was praying to Caitanya Mahaprabhu in hundred verses, but when he met Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he tore those writings, to teach us. We like to praise Caitanya Mahaprabhu, hundred verses, he tore and threw it away, in that some devotees, had assembled some verses, that can be found, this is one of the verses.

vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-

śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī

kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye

(CC Madhya 6.254)

That Lord Sri Krsna, has come as Sri Krsna Caitanya and is teaching vairāgya-vidyā and what is vairāgya-vidyā? nija-bhakti-yoga, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga. So bhakti yoga means, we are trapped in this material world and doing everything for this material body, one has to be detached to this, that is bhakti yoga. Unless we are detached from this material body, bhakti paresanubhava viraktir anyatra (SB 11.2.42) this is bhakti. Bhakti means to experience God and simultaneously becoming detached from worldly topics, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167). Attachment to the world means material desires, all the time, there is no limit. Just like it is going on now a days in the world, how to increase material desires. There are no rules, just trying to advance more and more. This is not correct. It is necessary, material objects are necessary for maintaining the body, but whatever is needed that is required, not more than that, and the remaining time one should engage in devotional service, this is very difficult to teach this and to accept this. That is why is it said that it is possible if vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Just like we worship Lord Vāsudeva, Krsna here and you are kind enough to come here. You can do this at home also, there is no difficulty. Even though God is very great, in order to shower His mercy on a devotee, he can take a small form also, aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. If you want to see God in a universal form that is present, and if you want to worship He can become small deity. Vāsudeve bhakti should be started in every house, not only in the temple. In the temple it is taught how to worship God, and especially grahasta's vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ, vāsudeve bhakti yoga. So then you will be detached. Without detachment, we will have to continue this repetition of birth and death and as per our activities we will have to enjoy or suffer. This janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi this is the real problem, but people don’t understand. They think that I have got a chance to enjoy, No, you definitely have chance, but one will be trapped in sense gratification,

Rsabha deva has mentioned Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). If you get stuck in pravritti marg, then one will have to do vikrama Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. Vikarma means work that is against the scriptures, one will have to do all that, by force, kurute vikarma and why vikarma? Simply for the satisfaction of the senses, for sense gratification. So what is the profit in that? One will be trapped and one has to accept material body again Tathā dehāntara-prāptir, and one accepts a material body, will have to only suffer. There is suffering in mother's womb, there is suffering after coming out of the womb, there is only suffering duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Otherwise, because of the influence of material energy, we consider this suffering as happiness, that is why it is called maya. Factually it is suffering. Day and night we are working hard, and as a result of that we earn some money, we think we have become happy, and so much hard work that we did that is forgotten. That is why one should develop detachment. As I mentioned before Yayātmā suprasīdati, in order to make the soul happy, puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6), in order to make the soul happy. In Bhagavad-gita also same thing is said:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁśāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

If you want peace to make the soul happy then this is the way, that God is the enjoyer, I am not the enjoyer. So make God the enjoyer. What is happening in these temples, every work that is going on is going on for God, in order to make God happy, not for our happiness. If God is happy I will also become happy. Pour water at the roots, if roots are happy then branches, leaves, flowers, fruits and twigs of the tree will be satisfied. In order to make the world happy, many plans are going on, but there is one plan Krsna Consciouness, Accept Krsna Consciouness and make Krsna happy. Krsna is happy, but from our side we should try. Krsna is not unhappy, but otherwise, Bhagavad Gita is Krsna's instructions, if one preaches it, then Krsna becomes very happy. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's thought, yāre dekho tāre kaho kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprahu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha, tāre kaha "kṛṣṇa"-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is Krsna Himself. Since He is preaching as a devotee of Krsna He says, krsna upadesa, does not say that My instructions. It is My instruction, what is that? Listen to Krsna's instructions, this is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yāre dekha, tāre kaha "kṛṣṇa"-upadeśa, every one of you can do this, what is the difficulty? And if you preach Krsna's instructions then you become a guru. There is no difficulty in becoming a guru. There is no need to become very learned. If you just speak what Krsna has said, as it is, not in public, but in your household itself, in the evening if you sit together and speak about the instructions of Krsna, then you become a guru, that's all.

There is no difficulty in becoming a guru. So it is proper for a guru, that he saves everyone from death, gurur na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syād na mochayet samapet mrytum (SB 5.5.18). It is the duty of a guru, duty of father, duty of mother, duty of a fellow person, duty of a friend. What is the duty? It is to save everyone from death. Then it is ok to become a guru, father, or mother. But people don't understand these things, one day one has to die so we will die. No, why should we die? We are eternal thing, na jāyate mriyate vā (BG 2.20) one does not die at all, then why do we die? real living entities don’t die, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Only body dies. That is also very troublesome and it is risky. Now we have this beautiful human body, and next life if we might have to take body of a tree, we will have to accept a body as per our activities, this is very troublesome, it is miserable. If one becomes a tree or a dog from a human being in next life is this something to be proud of? No it is condemned. That is why we should work in such a way in this life, that we engage in devotional service vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu jnanam this is knowledge. I am an eternal being, a part and parcel of God, aham brahmasmi, why should I become prey to death, this is knowledge. Why should I die?

All these thoughts are very nicely explained in Bhagavatam, kindly listen to this and you all are already members and read this very nicely and after reading vāsudeve bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ and engage in devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva What is the profit? Janayaty āśu vairāgyam, we cannot develop detachment, day after day we are only getting attached in order to enjoy sense gratification, but we need to develop detachment, but no, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42) Just like it happened to Dhruva Mahārāja, that is called vairagya, God I do not want anything svāmin kṛtārtho. We always go to God to ask something, as I explained yesterday. That is also good, to approach God for some material benefit, pious souls can do this. One who has no pious activities, he cannot reach God, and one who is pious, if he is asking for the world, he has reached God and slowly he will be benefitted by devotional service, just like it happened with Dhruva Mahārāja, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce. Mahārāja, Your darsana, is the only best thing. Other than this I don’t want anything else, this is called detachment. I do not want anything else, this is detachment. Like vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga if we engage in devotional service onto Lord Vāsudeva, then very soon, asu, asu means very soon, janayaty āśu vairāgyam. You can see the result of this all these English boys and girls, how much detachment they have developed, they have taken sannyāsa, they have taken sannyāsa and on occasion of Caitanya Mahaprabhus birth day, some have come from Mexico, Some have come from New York, Some have come from France, Paris, London. Lakhs of rupees need to be spent just to come and go.

All these people generally, use money for drinking liquor and going to club for dancing, but see how much detachment they have developed. They have left everything and in order to come to Ciatanya Mahaprabhu's birth place they are spending so much money. Just see how much detachment, practical proof. We can see this janayaty āśu vairāgyam. They are with me only from past four to five years only not more than that, they are detached so quickly. This is the proof vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyam. There is detachment and they have knowledge also. You ask them, talk to them, they will talk perfectly as per the scriptures. That is knowledge janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam (SB 1.2.7). How this happened, no one can tell! ahaitukam what is the purpose? purpose is vāsudeve bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ. there is no other purpose. Those who are so much addicted to sense gratification, they have developed so much detachment, how they have done that ahaitukam, but that is no ahaitukam, there is only one reason, to engage your life at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva. This is the proof also, and instructions of the scriptures and proper for everyone, that one should engage oneself in devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam (Nectar of instruction). These are the symptoms of love, that accept the prasadam of the Lord and give to God, patram. God wants, at least give something, "give something to Me" patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). God says "I am willing, give me a little leaf a flower." If you don’t have anything? "Give Me something" what can I give I don’t have anything? "No give, give a leaf, bring a flower, little water, I will accept it." What else do you want, Why should we not engage in devotional service, is it difficult devotional service? God is willing to do everything. This preaching of devotional service which is going on, Krsna Consciousness, and this is based on scriptures, it is not manufactured thing, no. As God instructed, as the scriptures say, we are preaching this devotional service, Krsna Consciousness, in this, we thank you, you all are already cooperating, try to understand it nicely and cooperate this is my only request. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hari Bol!! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!!

Prabhupada: Here there is light, can darkness come here? So wherever there is God, maya cannot come there

Devotee: Yoga maya bhagvan is covered by yoga maya . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Yes, yes, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55), God Himself is saying, that one can understand me only by devotional service. So wherever one has started devotional service, maya cannot come there. Maya will be far away, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14) otherwise maya is very duratyayā to get free from maya's grip is very difficult, nobody can do that:

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

Just like, if you are a good citizen, then there is no fear of police for you. Let there be police. If you are a thief, then you should fear the police. So all the non-devotees are thieves, because God's artha, Lakshmiji, like Ravan, kidnapped God's Lakshmi, Sita. What was his profit? He lost everything. If one wants to steal Lakshmiji from God then one will suffer like Ravan. And if you want to keep Lakshmiji, then keep God also along with her, because Lakshmiji cannot live without God. So sense gratification, that is not happiness, that is why it is called māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Those who are working hard for material happiness, they are vimūḍhān fools. The real happiness is devotional service to Krsna, one must accept this. There is no maya in that, that is spiritual energy mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13) daivīṁ prakṛtim God’s, cit energy, that is why Vaisnava's address Sita Rama, Gods internal energy and Lord Ramachandra, Radharani, Radha Govinda, Lakshim Narayan, always together with God. First addressing God's internal energy and then God the energetic, this way one can become devotee. So in reality Lakshmiji will favor only a devotee of the Lord or else never mind if he is a demigod like Brahma or Rakshas like Ravana, Lakshmiji will not favor them. The favor which we see, is temporary, that is called illusory happiness, it will be there for some days and then all finished. You change the body and everything finished, that's all. Then again a new chapter will begin. That is why those who are devotees, who are intelligent they do not work hard for material happiness, the real happiness is devotional service, that is what they work hard for vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). These are the thoughts.

Prabhupada: when there is detachment, nivritti is already there, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. One cannot change pravritti to nivritti by force. If you get a better thing, then your pravritti changes to nivrriti in which our pravritti is there paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate, nivartate. When one experiences devotional service that this is the real happiness, then they will automatically leave material happiness. These are the thoughts.

Devotee: (question in Bengali)

Prabhupada: (answer in Bengali) Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ suddhyed (SB 5.5.1) If you want to purify your existence, then you must accept tapasya. Without tapasya it is not possible.

Devotee: In order to worship God in his form what should one do?

Prabhupada: Devotional service, sravanam listen, listening, listening, listening, one day your heart will become pure, all the diseases in the heart śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanam (SB 1.2.17). In hearing and preaching about topics of God, if you don’t find anything, at least you will become pious. If you do not understand anything, only by hearing you become pious, and the more the amount of pious activities you do, more you will advance towards God, because Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28). If you engage in pious activities you will not find a chance to do any sinful activities, So one who has finished the fruits of sinful actions te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥv (BG 7.28). That is why in order to accumulate that pious activities, that is also simple. Just like you all are hearing, this is pious, this is the best pious activity, sravanam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanam if one only hears the topics of God in association of devotees, then automatically, one becomes pious and that is why śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanam hṛdy antaḥ stho (SB 1.2.17). God is sitting in the heart, every ones heart Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). When God sees that you are trying to listen to Him very attentively, then He will also help śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi, all those things God will destroy, God can do everything ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), God is saying that I will free you from all sinful reactions, you simply surrender, nothing else:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi māśucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

This is said by God Himself, He is all powerful. If he likes he can immediately within a second he can make you free from all reaction of sinful activities, immediately. Simply you surrender, this is wanted, that is vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ. There is no difficulty, everyone can do that.

Devotee: Lust, anger, attachment greed?

Prabhupada: All that will be destroyed, Lust is not a bad thing, if your lust is for God, that is the utilization of lust. Just like we make skyscraper buildings, for that we are very anxious in the heart, how to make it?, same anxiety, if you apply it to think how to construct God's temple, then that is proper use of lust, or else it is Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8), the work for making a temple for God, will advance you in devotional service, and the work to build a skyscraper will just remain as it is only and Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa thing depending upon that you will be given another body, this is called karma kanda and same karma kanda, it is not karma kanda, same business if done for God, it becomes devotional service, this is called Krsna Consciousness. The desire to work is there, to use it in God's service. Just like for example, Arjuna, what is the qualification of Arjuna? He is a military man, he knows how to fight, he knows how to kill others and the same thing he used for God, in Kurushektra, and God gave him a certificate of Bhakto 'si priyo 'si, sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46), By your occupation doing devotional service saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ you will find perfection in that, this is the instruction in the scriptures.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

This is devotional service, Krsna Consciousness movement, you all understand it nicely and work accordingly, and your life will be successful. Thank you very much

Devotees: Haribol (end)