740806 - Lecture SB 01.05.25 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740806SB-VRNDAVAN - August 06, 1974 - 32:18 Minutes

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

ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ

sakṛt sma bhuñje tad-apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ

evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasas

tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ prajāyate

(SB 1.5.25)

(break)

"Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing, all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me."

Prabhupāda:

ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ

sakṛt sma bhuñje tad-apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ

evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasas

tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ prajāyate

(SB 1.5.25)

Very simple process of awakening Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This ātma-ruciḥ . . . ātma-ruciḥ means attraction for the self, or soul. There are ātmā. Ātmā means sometimes this body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Gross materialists, they think that, "I am this body." That is also ātma-ruciḥ. They are busy to maintain this body, to decorate this body, to feed this body, to satisfy the senses of the body. This is also ātma-ruciḥ, because the body is also called ātmā. So this is another ātma-ruciḥ, materialist. Then ātmā means mind also, mental speculation, very much busy in mental speculation. That is also ātma-ruciḥ. And the . . . the topmost ātma-ruciḥ, topmost means that is real ātma-ruciḥ, to be attracted by the self or Superself. That is ātma-ruciḥ.

So our business is to awaken that Supreme ātma-ruciḥ. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Supreme ātma-ruciḥ, supreme ātmā. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). You can take in different platform different kinds of attraction, but when our attraction is in Kṛṣṇa, that is supreme. So just like for bodily comforts, there are so many scientists, physiologists, biologists, they are trying to understand the constitution of the body. They are busy. And similarly, mental speculators, philosophers, they are also busy. Similarly, the ultimate ātma-ruciḥ if we want to know, then we should be busy with such persons who are engaged in that type of ātma-ruciḥ. That is called sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. As you associate, so your desires become, I mean to say, attached.

So here it is said that dvijaiḥ . . . ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ. Dvijaiḥ, the brāhmaṇa. And the supreme brāhmaṇa is the devotee, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa. So Nārada Muni, in his previous birth, he was engaged in washing the dishes, eating the foodstuffs left by the dvijaiḥ, by the brāhmaṇas. In this way he infected their disease. As in ordinary material sense if you eat the remnants of foodstuff of a diseased fellow, then you infect that disease. Therefore sometimes when there is a patient suffering from tuberculosis, it is strictly separated from the family to another room or another house so that . . . it is very infectious. Cholera is very infectious. Smallpox is very much infectious. There are many infectious disease. So as you infect this material disease by eating the foodstuff left by a diseased fellow, similarly, if you eat the remnants of foodstuff left by a Vaiṣṇava you become Vaiṣṇava. This is infection. So we should voluntarily accept this infection. The other infection we should avoid, but this infection we shall welcome. But the process is the same. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). You can refrain from the lower class of infection simply by infecting yourself with the higher class, or transcendental class, of infection.

So Nārada Muni, he was a small boy. It was not possible for him to study Vedānta or philosophy. He was not even educated. But still, simply by eating the remnants of foodstuff left by the devotees, dvijaiḥ, he became so exalted. The explanation is given there that evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasaḥ. "Because I was engaged in this service, gradually my heart became cleansed." Viśuddha-cetasaḥ. Cetasaḥ means heart. So actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there. As it is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti (CC Madhya 22.107). Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like father and son: however there may be misunderstanding, but if the father and son come together and their affectionate dealings is began, immediately original relationship is revived. It does not take much time. Similarly, we are already related with Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7): "All living entities, they are My part and parcel." Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4): "I am the seed-giving father." So how this relation can be broken? That is not possible. That is already there, eternally.

Therefore it is said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Nitya-siddha means eternally perfect. It is not that we are artificially acquiring this kṛṣṇa-bhakti. No. It is not artificial; it is natural. This is actual fact. So we are simply . . . because our present . . . in the present material condition, our heart is covered with so much garbage of different types of body . . . just like all of a sudden something comes to your mind—it has no connection—just like a bubble comes out. Because so many dirty things are reserved on account of our material conditional life for millions and millions of years. Anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava jale (Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura). Anādi, we cannot . . . anādi means . . . ādi means the creation. So before this creation. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are in this material contamination not that in this millennium—before that, just like millennium after millennium. Nārada Muni was speaking his life before this millennium. So anādi. Anādi means creation. But not only one creation; several creations we are forgotten, or we are in this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhūlīya jīva-bhoga vāñchā . . . (Prema-vivarta) We are searching after material comfort, material comfort, sense gratification, in so many ways. So anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale, taribāre nā dekhi upāya. In this way we are going.

So consciousness is there, but the dirty things contaminated life after life, that is accumulated. We have to cleanse this. That is called viśuddha-cetasaḥ. Viśuddha-cetasaḥ. Just like infection of disease can be also disinfected by injection, by vaccine, similarly, if you take this vaccine, or antiseptic . . . what is that called? Countering? Counteracting?

Devotee: Inoculation? Inoculation or . . .

Prabhupāda: Inoculation or . . . so many. There are different terms. So this is the process. We are eternally related with Kṛṣṇa, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, and we're eternally very affectionate and obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. Somehow or other, it is covered. So that garbage that's covering has to be moved. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This is the process of cleansing the mirror of the heart. Mirror, when it is covered by dust, you cannot see your face nicely. But as soon as it is nicely brushed and cleansed, you see exactly what you are. Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means cleansing the heart of all the dirty things that is accumulated life after life. It is not an artificial thing we are learning to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. We are already devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but we have forgotten, or the consciousness is covered. Now, by this process, devotional process, especially by kīrtana, by chanting, glorifying the holy name of the Lord, the cleansing process is accelerated. Very soon it takes place.

Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). This is the facility of this age, Kali-yuga. This is the only facility. In Kali-yuga you cannot perform meditation or perform big, big sacrifices as they are mentioned in the Vedas. Or you cannot perform even Deity worship very nicely. There are so many flaws. Everything is very difficult. And charity . . . and there are so many. Śamena, damena, dānena, tyāgena. So where is the money I shall . . .? There is no money even to feed me. I am eating . . . this morning I do not know what shall I eat in the evening. This is the position at the present moment. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ, kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ (SB 1.1.10). The life is also very short duration, and so many disturbances. Not only disturbance of the Kali-yuga, by the disturbance by the government also, by the demigods. There is scorching heat; there is severe cold. And ati-vṛṣṭi, sometimes more than we want there is rainfall. Sometimes there is no rainfall. And in this way there is scarcity of foodstuff. Anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa, and taxation. These are the disturbances. So many. One side, taxation by the government, another side, by nature there is scarcity of food and there is scarcity of rain.

So these are stated in the Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa, anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). People will be so much disturbed. It is already disturbed. Gacchanti giri-kānanam. They'll leave their home, their family, and go to the forest, go to the hills, disgusted. So this is the Kali-yuga symptoms. So how one will clean the heart? He cannot sit even peacefully for a moment, disturbed always. Disturbed in the mind; anxiety, full of anxiety. How it will be possible to meditate? This is all nonsense. This is not possible. In Kali-yuga meditation is not possible. The so-called meditation is a farce. Those who are trying to meditate . . . therefore you don't see any improvement in their life. They're making a formal meditation, but they remain what they are— don't improve anything. That is not possible.

So therefore in this age it is recommended that:

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

(SB 12.3.52)

Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is the only way. There is no other method. There are methods, but you cannot perform it, you are so condemned. "You" means we also, everyone. We are so condemned and the age is so condemned that it is very, very difficult. It is not possible. And another process is this, as Nārada Muni says, ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ: to serve the devotees, a pure devotee. If you serve some way or other, you contaminate his quality. Tad-dharma. Sakṛt bhuñje. One side is apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ. Kilbiṣaḥ means the sinful reaction of life. To reduce the reaction of sinful life . . . because unless we are sinful, we cannot remain within this . . . a prisoner means a criminal. As soon as you find a person in the prison house you should understand that he's a criminal. That criminality may be of different degrees—that is another thing—but he's a criminal. Similarly, anyone, beginning from Brahmā down to the germ in the stool, they're all sinful. All sinful. People will be surprised, that "Brahmā is also sinful?" Yes. Brahmā has also desired that, "I shall be the supreme creature within this brahmāṇḍa, whole universe." A little or more.

So anyone who has got this desire that "I shall enjoy in this material world," he's a sinful man. That is sinful. Because suppose something your . . . something belongs to you, and if I desire, "How I shall take this . . . possession of this thing?" is not that criminal? Something belongs to somebody, and if you make a plan to possess that thing, is it not criminal? So actually, Kṛṣṇa is the bhoktā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor, sarva-loka. Not a single plot of land belongs to you. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Actually Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, He is the enjoyer of everything. Then why I shall desire to enjoy and own the property? This is criminal. This is criminal. That may be in small portion. That is going on. The ant is also struggling for existence to possess a grain of sugar, and somebody is trying to possess some state, and somebody is trying to possess the whole universe. But the status of mentality is the same. So this mentality means criminality, this mentality: "How I shall become enjoyer? How I shall possess this?" Kṛṣṇa-bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. He forgets. When one forgets that Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, as soon as he forgets and tries to become himself the enjoyer or himself the proprietor, immediately māyā captures.

kṛṣṇa-bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare

pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta)

"Yes, come on. Now come under my jurisdiction. Not there; here." This is the position.

Therefore we living entities, we are described taṭastha. Taṭastha means marginal. Actually, we are spirit soul, our position in the spiritual world, but we are sometimes fallen down in this material world on account of our desire to enjoy. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy—not His manufactured philosophy; this is the actual position—He, when He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī put before Him the question that, "I was a minister, and I am a Brāhmiṇ, I'm very learned. They say, of course, that I am paṇḍitajī. But actually I do not know what is my position. Actually I am fool number one. I do not know what is my position. These innocent people, they call me I am paṇḍitajī, I am minister, I am this, I am that, and I accept that I am that. But actually, I do not know what I am." That is the position everywhere. You ask any prime minister that, "You are prime minister, but actually what you are? Will you remain prime minister forever?" he or she cannot answer this question. Or they evade this question. But this is really the question. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should try to understand "What I am?" but they do not rea . . . they do not inquire, neither they are interested. So foolish persons, they may be prime minister in this life; next life a dog. They don't care. But this is not life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should inquire and purify himself.

So this purificatory process, here it is very simple. Try to take shelter of mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. Vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. It is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). Urukrama. Urukrama means Kṛṣṇa, whose activities are very, very great. Just like Kṛṣṇa lifts the mountain. It is called urukrama. Urukrama means His power is very, very great. Foolish persons accept a rascal as Bhagavān, but we are not so rascal. We accept Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, Urukrama. He can lift when . . . He can pick up the mountain, and immediately, He can keep on His finger. We want this kind of God. Not making like this and a grain of gold. (laughter) We are not so fool. We want this kind of God, Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. So how this Urukrama, one can surrender? Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukrama aṅghrim. Aṅghrim means this leg. How one can be attached? Now, what is the use of taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet? Because these misgivings, this garbage of different types of desires, will be finished. So how it is possible? Niṣkiñcanānāṁ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. So long one does not take the dust of the lotus feet of a devotee who is niṣkiñcana, who has nothing to do with this material world, but he's exalted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . unless you do that, there is no possibility. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam.

So here Nārada Muni is doing that. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. Therefore by eating the remnants of foodstuff left by them, by washing their dishes, by washing their feet . . . everyone can do. Therefore this association is required. If one associates with devotee, pure devotee, and somehow or other gives service one another, to the spiritual master, to the Vaiṣṇava, automatically he becomes purified. Automatically, without any study of Vedānta, without any . . . simply by sincere service to the devotee. Evaṁ pravṛttasya. If one is engaged in this way, viśuddha-cetasaḥ, he becomes gradually cleansed of the dirty things accumulated in the heart. And tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ. And the saintly person and devotees, what is their business? The business is ātma-ruciḥ, taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prajāyate. Automatically he will develop it.

Therefore every one of us, the members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should remain purified always by the regulative principles given, and chanting, so that everyone is Vaiṣṇava and everyone is serving everyone. In this way the association will purify the whole stock of their . . . (indistinct) . . . this is the process.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)