750715 - Lecture Arrival - San Francisco

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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750715AR-SAN FRANCISCO - July 15, 1975 - 38:16 Minutes

Prabhupāda:. . .that one who has got unflinching faith in God and similar faith in guru, yasya deve . . . (buzzing feedback sound) (aside:) What is that sound? It cannot be stopped? Deve means Bhagavān. Devāya tasmai namaḥ.

yam brahmā varuṇendra-rudra . . . stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair

vedaiḥ saṅga-pada-krama upaniṣadair gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ

dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ

. . .devaya tasmai namaḥ

(SB 12.13.1)

So deva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is praised by the Vedic mantra. Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and all the demigods, they are offering their prayers. The Sāma Veda is singing in glorification of the Supreme Lord. The yogīs, they are always seeing the Supreme Lord within the heart, core of heart. So that is deva. Devāya tasmai namaḥ. So yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). Anyone who has got unflinching faith in God . . . God means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So anyone who has got unflinching faith in God and similar faith in guru, then the Vedic purpose becomes revealed to him. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau, tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ. The Vedic mantras and their artha becomes revealed. This is the process.

So these students, European, American students, they are offering respect to their spiritual master. Outsiders may think that the spiritual master is very puffed up, and he is sitting and taking respect from the disciple. But the fact is that they are to be taught like that, how to offer respect to the spiritual master. This is our Vedic process. Any sect or Vedic sect, the principle is ādau gurv-āśrayam: "The first principle is to accept guru." Unless there is guru, how it can be executed, yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23)? This is Vedic injunction. Other Vedic injunctions are like the same. Kaṭha Upaniṣad says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12): "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then your first business is to go to a guru." Guru . . . As God is one, guru is also one. There cannot be different gurus. Nowadays it has become a fashion that "I have got my own guru. You have got your own guru." No. Guru means the representative of God. As God is one, similarly, guru is also one. There cannot be different gurus. Because God is one, how there can be different gurus? The principle of guru is one. (child crying) (aside:) Stop. The original guru is Kṛṣṇa. Yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ (SB 12.13.1). Original guru, unto whom Brahmā, yaṁ brahmā varuṇa indra, all the demigods, offering their prayers. Within this universe Brahmā is considered to be the foremost living being, but he also offering respect to Kṛṣṇa. Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). Lord Śiva is also offering respect to Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic process.

So Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes to teach these fallen souls. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). As guru's business is to protect the subordinate disciples from falldown . . . Just like I am traveling all over the world twice, thrice in a year. My duty is to see that my disciples who have accepted me guru, they may not fall down. That is my anxiety. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa, being the original guru, He is also very anxious that "My sons . . ." We are all sons of Kṛṣṇa, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7).

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad-yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

Kṛṣṇa is not Indian or Hindu. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Everyone is Kṛṣṇa's sons, in any form. Sarva-yoniṣu. Yoni means species. There are 8,400,000 species. So all of them are living entities, and they are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is very much anxious to see His sons become very happy, just like father wants to see his son very happy. So Kṛṣṇa has admitted that He is bīja-pradaḥ pitā, He is the supreme father. I think in Christianity also God is accepted as supreme father. So actually that is the fact. God is the supreme father. So as the father wants to see his sons very happy, similarly, Kṛṣṇa wants to see all of us very happy. That is Kṛṣṇa. But we are persistently avoiding Kṛṣṇa and suffering. This is our business. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said,

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

This . . . Just coming here from Philadelphia we were talking with the aeroplane crews, the captain, the pilot. They were very patiently hearing us. The question was very intelligent question the pilot made, that "If everything is created by God . . ." Yes. That is a fact. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says everything is emanated from God. Without a thing being present in God, there cannot be any existence of anything. That's a fact. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So his question was, "Then what is this evil?" The evil is also God's creation. So I explained like this, that for God there is no good or evil; everything is good. So I gave him this example that good, or piety, that is God's frontage, and evil means God's back side. So taking this example, the chest or the back of my body, they are equal. It is not that when there is some pain on the back side I don't care for it; I simply take care of when there is pain in the chest. No. Although it is back side, it is as important as the front side. Then evil and good is also of the same importance? No. Evil . . . That I gave the example, that for God there is nothing evil. I gave another example. Just like the sun, there is no darkness. Anywhere of sun's body, there is no darkness. But for us there is light and darkness. Just like if you keep the sun back side, you will find darkness, a very long darkness, your shadow. And if you keep yourself in front, sun, there is no darkness. So it is my business; I create darkness. As soon as I change my position—instead of remaining in front of God, I keep God back side—then there is darkness. Otherwise there is no question of darkness. But in the sun as it is, there is no such darkness. Therefore God is all good. And for us, when we forget God, that is evil. And when we are in God consciousness always, everything good. Is that example all right?

Devotees: Jaya!

Bahulāśva: Perfect.

Prabhupāda: So God is all good. There is no good or evil. Apāpa-viddham. In the Īśopaniṣad you will find description, apāpa-viddham (ISO 8). Whatever God does, that is all good. But if we imitate God, then it is evil. That is the disease of material disease. Their other question was—the pilot was very intelligent man—that "How one can become peaceful?" So I gave him the reply from Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

(aside:) Hmm. Your name is Śānti dāsa?

Śānti: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So three things, if we understand: that everything belongs to God . . . Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. He is the proprietor. And then, because He is the proprietor, therefore He is the enjoyer. Just like in a big establishment or a big family, who will be the enjoyer? The proprietor. So that is natural. If God is proprietor, then God is the supreme enjoyer. That is stated, that,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

If you learn these three things: that God is the proprietor, God is the enjoyer and He is the real friend . . . Actually, He is the real friend. And our godlessness means we are claiming that we are proprietor: "This is my land. I am American. America is mine," or "India is mine." Or anything, say. Actually, the proprietor is God, but we are falsely claiming that "It is my property" or "our property." Therefore there is no śānti. Try to understand. Actually, God is proprietor, but we, out of our foolishness, we are claiming "our property" or "my property." Therefore there is no śānti. Similarly, God is the supreme enjoyer of everything. Yajña-tapasām. By performing yajña, by executing tapasya, one is elevated, gets some profit, material body. . . . er, material profit. If you perform yajña, then you can go to the heavenly planet. Similarly, if you perform austerity, then you can be promoted to spiritual life.

So . . . But what you will do by spiritual life? "By spiritual life" means if you become servant of God, then you will live and you will have peace. But if you want to become yourself God or master, then you will feel inconvenience, because that is not the fact. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheś . . . suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). And God is the friend of everyone. Why not? He claims that "Everyone, every living entity—never mind in which form he is existing—he is My son." So is not the father the best friend of the son? But no. We are claiming, "I shall become your friend. I shall become your leader. I shall lead you to prosperity." No. That is false. The political leaders or the so-called religious leaders or other many leaders there are, they are taking the position of God, that "I shall become your friend. I shall lead you so that you will become happy." That is wrong. You cannot become friend. To how many people or how many men you can become friend? One, two, three, four, five, thousand, ten thousand, million? But there are unlimited, asāṅkhyā. Jīva bhāva sa . . . asāṅkhyāta. You cannot count how many. Suppose you can become friend of your children at home or your friend's wife, sons and others. But how you can become friends the elephant in the African jungle? You cannot become. But you will see. There are hundreds and thousands of elephants in the jungle of Africa. They are eating, sleeping very nicely. Who is supplying their necessities? God is supplying. You will find in your room in a hole that thousands of ants are coming out. Are you giving them food? Who is supplying food?

So therefore God is actually the friend of everybody. That is a fact. But we rascals, we are claiming, "I shall be your friend. I shall be your leader." Therefore the leader, so-called leader, is not in peace. How it can be? All leaders are trying to keep his position some way or other, and that is very difficult job—no peace. That is not possible. You know. Your president, Mr. Nixon, wanted to keep himself in the position. How much restless he was. These are to be studied, that don't claim yourself as friend of somebody or the people or the nation. No. Teach them that "God is your friend. I am God's servant. I am bringing this message to you. And I can teach you how God can become your friend and you derive friendship result from God." That is guru. A guru does not say, "I am God." That is not guru. Guru will never say. The Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's prayer says,

sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair

uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ

kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya . . .

A guru is worshiped . . . Just like my disciples, they are offering respect exactly like God. That is their duty. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstra recommends that guru should be respected as good as God." But that does not mean guru is foolishly thinking, "I am God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ. Uktaḥ means "said," "it is recommended." Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ: "Those who are exalted, advanced, they accept this truth, that guru should be respected as good as God." But why he is respected as such? Because kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: "Because he is very, very dear to God." The guru will never think that "My disciples are worshiping me exactly like God; therefore I have become God." He is not guru; he is rascal. Guru is always in the position of servant. And because he is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he is to be respected as good as Kṛṣṇa. Because in our present position we cannot see Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa sends His representative; therefore he is respected as Kṛṣṇa. Now, how one can become guru and representative of Kṛṣṇa? Everyone will say, "I am a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I am guru." No. That is enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "You just become guru on My order." So guru means who is carrying out the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not a self-made guru. Guru means the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. He is guru.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is ordering everyone, especially those who are born in India. He says especially,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

Anyone who has taken birth in India, Bhārata-varṣa bhumi . . . Formerly, Bhārata-varṣa means the whole planet. Now it has come, India. Never mind. So "Anyone who has taken birth in India, Bhārata-varṣa, let him make his life successful," and kara para-upakāra, "and go outside India and do good to others." Para-upakāra. This is India's business. India's business is to distribute the spiritual knowledge all over the world, because they are in darkness. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra, janma sārthaka kari: "First of all you become successful." Because in India you will find Vedas, Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas and Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, so many other things, all Vedic literature.

So if Indians, those who are actually prestigious . . . They should learn from guru all these literatures, make his life successful, then go outside and preach. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . Then if anyone says that "I have no knowledge. I have no education. How I can learn all these books and become . . . make my life perfect, and then I preach?" so Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that you haven't got to learn so many books. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "You just become guru on My order." "Then what is Your order, Sir?" Yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is guru. You haven't got to learn very much. You simply repeat like parrot what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. Is it very difficult? Kṛṣṇa has said everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. You learn Bhagavad-gītā, and you repeat that, you'll become guru. This is guru.

So sometimes people gives me very much credit that I have done wonderful throughout the whole world. But I do not know that I am wonderful man. But I know one thing: that I am speaking what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. I am not making any addition, alteration. Therefore I am presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. This credit I can take, that I don't making any nonsense addition or alteration. And I see practically it has become successful. I have not bribed so many Europeans and Americans. I am poor Indian. I came to America with forty rupees with me, and now I possess forty crores. So there is no magic. (quietly to one devotee:) You can go a little back side. You are sleeping. So this is the secret, that if you want to become guru honestly . . . If you want to cheat, that is another thing. There are so many cheaters. People also want to be cheated.

As soon as we say that "If you want to become my disciple, you will have to give up four things: no illicit sex, no intoxication up to drinking tea and smoking cigarette, no meat-eating and no gambling," and they criticize me, "Swāmījī is very conservative." And if I say that "You can do all nonsense, whatever you like. You simply take this mantra and give me $125," this they will like. Because in America, $125 is nothing. Any man can pay immediately. So I would have collected millions of dollars if I would have cheated like that. But I do not want that. I want one student who follows my instruction. I don't want millions. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara-sahasrasaḥ. If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient for illumination. There is no need of millions of stars. So my position is that I want to see that at least one disciple has become pure devotee. Of course, I have got many sincere and pure devotees. That is my good luck. But I would have been satisfied if I could find out one only. There is no need of so-called millions of stars.

So therefore the process is there, and it is very simple, and if we understand the all instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā and then we study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . . . Or even if you don't study, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given very simple method. That is also recommended in the śāstra:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

If we want to study Vedic literature, that is very good. That is sound footing. So we have already got fifty books. You study. Become very great scholar in philosophy, in religion, in sociology. Everything is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—politics also. And you become perfect man, with full knowledge. And if you think that you have no time, you are not so good scholar, you cannot read all these books, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Either way you will become perfect, either both or at least one. If you cannot read books, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You will be perfect. And if you read books and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is very good. But there is no loss. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but you cannot read books, there is no harm. There is no loss. That chanting is sufficient. But if you read, then you will be able to defend yourself from the opposing parties. That will help you preaching work. Because in the preaching work you have to answer so many question, you have to meet so many opposing elements, so if you are strong in your position by reading books, Vedic literature, then you become very, very favorite to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, na ca tasmāt manuṣyeṣu kaścit me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). Ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣu abhidhāsyati (BG 18.68). Anyone who preaches this confidential knowledge, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), if he is ably fit to preach this message to the world, then immediately he becomes very, very much recognized by the Supreme Lord. Na ca tasmāt manuṣyeṣu kaścit me priya-kṛttamaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says.

So I am especially requesting those who are Indians and those who have now learned Bhagavad-gītā, they should preach this message all over the world. There is good potency. That already we have tested. But don't make adulteration. Then it will be spoiled. You speak Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and it will be effective. Why it will not be effective? Because the Lord's word and the Lord Himself, absolute. There is no difference.

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ

pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto

abhinnatvāt nāma-nāminoḥ

(CC Madhya 17.133)

Abhinnatvāt. The Lord's name and the Lord, they are not different—absolute. That is Lord's potency, acintya-śakti. He can present Himself by His name, by His fame, by His form, by His qualities, by His paraphernalia. Anything in connection with Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. Anything. That is absolute. Kṛṣṇa is never different from His name. Kṛṣṇa is never different from His form. We are worshiping the form of the Lord. That is Lord Himself. Don't think it is different from Lord. No. We are not wasting time by worshiping some statue. No. It is therefore forbidden in the śāstra, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir (Padma Purāṇa). These are forbidden.

So we are, of course, opening so many branches all over the world, and I am very pleased to see this branch. There is wonderful prospective. Utilize it properly, and stick to the principle that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). The ājñā, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and ājñā, our Kṛṣṇa, not different. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, and when He appeared as Kṛṣṇa, people misunderstood Him; therefore He has come as a devotee to teach us how to love Kṛṣṇa. So therefore, if we go through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chanting,

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda,

and then we chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

so rest assured the full perfection is awaiting you.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end).