700503 - Lecture ISO 01 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1970

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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700503IP-LOS ANGELES - May 03, 1970 - 14:30 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. Ādi-puruṣam, the original Personality of Godhead. So when we speak of Govinda, Govinda is not alone. Just like when we speak of a king, it is to be understood that king is not alone. He has got many other followers, secretaries, ministers, soldiers—whole state. Similarly, when we speak of Govindam, behind Govinda, with Govinda, all living entities, all creation, everything . . . Govindam. So you can st . . . (break)

Gargamuni: (reading) "It is also wrong to consider that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can save himself from transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life. One life is meant to feed another living being, and that is the law of nature. One should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian. The point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. The animals have no developed consciousness to recognize the Lord, but a human being . . ."

Prabhupāda: That is the main point. Just like there are the Buddhists, they are also vegetarian. According to Buddhist principle . . . nowadays everything has deteriorated, but Lord Buddha's propaganda was to make the rascals at least to stop animal-killing. Ahiṁsā paramo dharma.

Lord Buddha's appearance is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and many Vedic literatures, sura-dviṣām. He came to cheat the demons. The demons . . . he made such a policy that the demons were cheated. How He has cheated? The demons, they are against God. They don't believe in God. So Lord Buddha propagated, "Yes, there is no God. But what I say, you follow." "Yes, sir." But He is God. (laughter) This is cheating. Yes. They do not believe in God, but they believe in Buddha, and Buddha is God. Keśava-dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare (Śrī Daśāvatāra Stotra 9).

So that is the difference between a demon and a devotee. A devotee sees that how Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, is cheating these rascals. The devotee can understand. But the demons, they think, "Oh, we have got a nice leader. He does not believe in God." (laughter) You see? (chuckles) Sammohāya sura-dviṣām (SB 1.3.24). The exact Sanskrit word is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have seen, those who have read: sammohāya, for bewildering sura-dviṣām. Sura-dviṣām means persons who are envious of the Vaiṣṇavas.

The atheist class, demons, they are always envious of the devotees. That is the law of nature. You see this father. Father became an enemy of a five-years-old son. What was his fault? He was a devotee. That's all. Innocent boy. Simply he was, I mean to say, attracted with chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The father himself—he became a staunch enemy, "Kill this boy." So if a father can become enemy, what to speak of others.

So you should always expect that as soon as you become a devotee, the whole world becomes your enemy. That's all. But you have to deal with them, because you are appointed servants of God. Your mission is to enlighten them. So you cannot be . . . just like Lord Nityānanda, He was injured, but still He delivered Jagāi-Mādhāi. That should be your principle. Sometimes we have to cheat, sometimes we have to be injured—so many things. The only device is how people can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is our mission. Some way or other these rascals should be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, either this way or that way.

So Lord Buddha, he cheated the demons. Why he cheated? Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. He was very compassionate. God is always sympathetic to all living entities, because everyone is His son. So these rascals were killing unrestrictedly, simply animal killing . . . and if you say: "Oh, why you are animal-killing?" They will immediately say: "Oh, it is in the Vedas. Yes. Paśavo vadhāya sṛṣṭa." The animal killing is there in the Vedas, but what's the purpose? That is to test the Vedic mantra. An animal will be put into the fire, and by Vedic mantra he'll be rejuvenated. That is sacrifice, animal sacrifice. Not that for eating purpose.

Therefore in this age of Kali, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden any kind of yajña, because there is no plan . . . I mean to say, expert brahmin who can chant the mantras and make experiment of the Vedic mantras, that "Here is coming out." That is . . . before performing yajña, how the mantra is potent, that was tested by sacrificing animal and again giving new life. Then it is to be understood that the priests who were chanting that mantra, that is right. That was a test. Not for animal killing.

But these rascals, for eating animals they cited, "Here, there is animal killing." Just like in Calcutta . . . you have been in Calcutta? And there is a street, College Street. Now it is differently named. I think it is named Vidhan Raya, just like . . . anyway, so there are some slaughterhouses. So slaughterhouses means the Hindus, they do not purchase meat from Muslims' shop. That is impure. (laughter) The same thing: stool this side and that side. They are eating meat, (chuckles) and Hindu shop is pure, Muslim shop is impure.

These are mental concoction. Religion is going on like that. Therefore . . . therefore fighting: "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." Nobody knows religion. You see? They have given up religion, these rascals. There is no religion. The real religion is this, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which teaches how to love God. That's all. That is religion. Any religion, it doesn't matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. Otherwise you are rascal, your religion is nonsense. That is the test.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharma

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

This is Bhāgavata religion. That is first-class religion. What is that? Yataḥ, by executing the religious principles, if you develop your love for the Supreme, who is beyond expression of your words and beyond the activities of your mind . . . adhokṣaja. This very word is used, adhokṣaja: where your material senses cannot approach. And what kind of that love? Ahaitukī, without any cause. "O Lord, I love You, God, because You supply me so many nice things. You are order-supplier." No. Not that sort of love. Without any exchange.

That is taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu that, "Whatever You do . . . "Āśliṣya vā pada-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām (CC Antya 20.47). "Either You trample Me under Your feet or You embrace Me . . . whatever You like. You make Me brokenhearted by not seeing You—that doesn't matter. Still You are My worshipable Lord." That is love. "From God's side, He may do whatever He likes. I don't want anything in exchange." That is love. That sort of love Kṛṣṇa wants.

Therefore He was so much fond of the gopīs. In the gopīs' love there was no question of business propaganda—"Give me this, then I love You." (chuckles) No. That is pure love. That is unalloyed love. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means without being checked. No impediment. If you want to love God, there is nothing throughout the whole world which can check you. Simply you have to develop your eagerness: "Kṛṣṇa, I want You." That's all. Then there is no question of checking. In any condition, you'll increase your love, increase your love. Ahaituky apra . . .

And why this? Yayātmā suprasīdati. If you attain that state, then you will feel fully satisfied. Otherwise not. Otherwise not. If you can develop your love for God, or Kṛṣṇa, without being checked, without any cause, then you will feel fully satisfied. Otherwise not. It is for your interest. And . . . it is not for God's interest that He wants you. It is for your interest. If you do otherwise, you will never be happy. This is the only way. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ . . . (BG 18.66)

Therefore here it is stated, simply to become vegetarian is not the last word. There are many vegetarians. The monkey is vegetarian. (chuckles) He's naked and lives in a jungle. Just like there are so many so-called sages that, "I live naked. I live in the jungle. I have given up the society." So monkey is doing that. Huh? (laughter) Naked, vegetarian, no home. But the rascal has got at least two dozen wives. That is monkey.

So it is called markaṭa-vairāgya. He has become a sannyāsī, vairāgī, and, but, so much thing, but privately he has got so many connections. Yes. That is called markaṭa-vairāgya, monkey's renunciation. Monkey has renounced, naked, but, hah, at heart there is sense gratification. So markaṭa-vairāgya is no good. So simply to become vegetarian is no good. You must develop love of Godhead. That is real thing.

Thank you.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)