721021 - Lecture NOD - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

721021ND-VRNDAVAN - October 21, 1972 - 38:22 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . that just now I have received one newspaper cutting. This is from South Africa. What is the city's name?

Devotee (1): Durban.

Prabhupāda: Durban. So these two young gosvāmīs, they are preaching very successfully in South Africa. And another news I have got . . . where it is from?

Śyāmasundara: From Satsvarūpa, Midwest.

Prabhupāda: Midwest of America. Another two gosvāmīs, they are having very successful meeting in Midwest America. The, in South Africa, they're boys . . . what is the age of Ṛṣi Kumāra?

Śyāmasundara: Twenty.

Devotee (2): Twenty.

Prabhupāda: Yes. His age is only twenty years. Ṛṣi Kumāra Gosvāmī left and Haridāsa brahmacārī. They have come to South Africa to spread the word, "Kṛṣṇa message for S.A.," South Africa. So by the grace of Lord Caitanya, the message of His Lordship is going on nicely all over the world. And you are also members of the Society. Try to preach this message. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126), and you will get strength, the more you preach. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says:

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu

kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ

(BG 18.69)

Ya imaṁ mad-bhakteṣu abhidhāsyati . . . (BG 18.68). Anyone who is preaching the message of Lord Caitanya or Lord Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. There is no difference. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Kṛṣṇa's . . . Kṛṣṇa's message. And Lord Caitanya says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So there is no difference.

Kṛṣṇa's upadeśa is to everyone that everyone should give up all nonsense type of occupation. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are attached to the worship of demigods, they have been condemned by Kṛṣṇa: hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has commented on this word hṛta-jñānāḥ: naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, "those who have lost their all intelligence."

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching the same as Lord Kṛṣṇa said and as Lord Caitanya said. Lord Kṛṣṇa said that "You surrender." He asked everyone, not only Arjuna. Through Arjuna, He spoke to everyone. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He was preaching His own word through Arjuna. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He's Kṛṣṇa Himself. He's preaching the same message as devotee. So our business is to preach this same message through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So if we follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to follow the six Gosvāmīs. This is called paramparā system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptaṁ imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ (BG 4.2). If we follow the paramparā system . . . the same message what Kṛṣṇa said, that is also said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that is also said by the Gosvāmīs. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇa niveśayet (Brs. 1.2.4): "Somehow or other, try to induce people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is Gosvāmī's, Rūpa Gosvāmī's message. Where you are sitting, this is Rūpa Gosvāmī's place. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128).

So these boys, Ṛṣi Kumara Gosvāmī and others, Satsvarūpa Gosvāmī, Hṛdayānanda Gosvāmī, they're preaching the mes . . . same message, Kṛṣṇa message. In the paper, "Kṛṣṇa message in South Africa." "Kṛṣṇa message in South Africa." This is very encouraging, that Kṛṣṇa message is being spread as Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa. This is very encouraging.

So all of you . . . of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted the matter to all Indians, especially.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara paropakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

The best welfare activity is spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So it was entrusted to the, to all Indians. Any Indian who has taken birth as human being, it is the duty of him to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But anyway, although there is only one Indian, (laughter) you follow and, and spread this message extensively. After this ūrjā-vrata, you'll also disperse and go different parts of the world and spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness move . . . message.

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness message is kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There is no other Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. So Kṛṣṇa is completely, cent percent, full of all opulences. Even Nārāyaṇa, He is ninety-six percent. And Lord Śiva is eighty-four percent. And Brahmā is seventy-eight percent. These are calculated by the Gosvāmīs. So Kṛṣṇa is cent percent Bhagavān. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Nānyat: nobody. So simply you have to . . .

Just like our little girl, Sarasvatī, she also preaches. She goes to some friend. She asks, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" If he says: "No, I do not know very much," so she says: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead." That's all. This is preaching. It is not difficult. Simply, just like the child, you go everyone, talk to everyone that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That's all. Everyone can do it. It is not very difficult. You believe it. You be convinced on the statement that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller, governor. So there are governors, many governors in your country, but there are not supreme governor. Everyone is governor. You are also governor, or īśvara, controller, but not the supreme controller. Our message is that here in this material world, there are many controllers, many governors, many īśvaras, but nobody is the supreme īśvara.

Supreme īśvara means He has no controller over Him. He has no controller over Him. He's the supreme controller. Here, everyone is controller, but he has got another controller over him. But even big, big demigods . . . just like Indra, Candra, Sūrya, Vāyu, Varuṇa, they have also controller. Even Lord Brahmā, he's also controlled. Only Kṛṣṇa or kṛṣṇa-tattva, viṣṇu-tattva, He's not controlled. He's the supreme controller. So:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

This is our message.

So read. Why don't you keep open? No. There is no other copy? Go on. Go on. Read. (break)

Pradyumna: ". . . in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life, free from anxieties, and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation, because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Yes. People generally think that liberation is the ultimate goal, or the full achievement. But liberation is a very insignificant thing in the presence of devotional service. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra (SB 1.1.2). Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Adi 1.90). Mokṣa means liberation. So Bhāgavata says that dharma artha kāma mokṣa, they are thrown away from the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīdhara Swami confirms it: atra mokṣa-vāñcāḥ-paryantaṁ nirastam. A devotee is above the point of liberation. The devotional service is called pañcama-puruṣārtha (CC Adi 7.85). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His opinion: premā pumartho mahān. Not dharma is pumarthaḥ. Our ultimate goal of life is neither dharma nor artha, religiosity, economic development; kāma, sense gratification; and mokṣa, liberation.

So people are very busy for economic development. They think that is the highest goal of life—to get money somehow or other; and then, after getting money, to satisfy the senses. And when they are defeated in satisfying senses, defeated . . . defeated means everyone is trying to satisfy his senses to the greatest extent. Unfortunately, māyā will not allow him to do so. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ (SB 5.5.5). Parābhavaḥ.

The karmīs, who are trying to satisfy their senses to the highest limit, they are being defeated. It cannot be. Nobody's satisfied with the senses, to the greatest extent. In Europe and America, this can be very practically experienced. Many, many old men, very rich men, seventy-five years old, seventy years old, they're still going to the club for satisfying senses. That means the sense satisfaction business cannot be completely done even up to the point of death.

There are many stories. We have got practical experience that Akbar Shah inquired from his, one of his very confidential minister that, "How long a man is sexually inclined?" So the minister replied that "Up to the point of death." He replied. The Akbar did not believe it. But the minister some times took him to a man who was goi . . . just going to die, and the minister requested Akbar Shah to get with him his young daughter. So when the Akbar Shah and his daughter was entering, the man on the death bed, he was looking to the young girl, not to the Akbar. So he pointed out, "Just see." And he was convinced, "Yes."

So the sex life is so strong that you cannot be satisfied. If you re . . . remain in material existence, then this sex desire will never be satisfied. But it can be satisfied only when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Yamunācārya has said:

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ

nava-nava-(rasa)-dhāmany (udyataṁ) rantum āsīt

tad-avadhi bata nāri-saṅgame smaryamāne

bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

(SB 7.5.30)

Śrī Yamunācārya says: "Since I have been engaged in serving the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, from that time I do not any more have any desire for sex life. Even if I do remember of sex life, I want to spite on it."

So this is the result. Kṛṣṇa is Madana-Mohana. Madana-Mohana. Madana, Cupid, he agitates everyone for sex life. But if we actually be attached to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, then we shall never be enamored by the arrows of Cupid. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59).

So . . . what is the subject matter?

Pradyumna: ". . . thus minimizing the value of liberation."

Prabhupāda: So this is the position of the materialistic person. Therefore sometimes they take to the path of rejection, giving up. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They come by knowledge, by advancement of knowledge. But sometimes that also becomes failure. Even liberation. I have several times explained that many person on the platform of liberation also falls down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One who does not take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, even he is raised to the platform of liberation, there is chance of falldown. Āruhya kṛcchṛena paraṁ padam. Paraṁ padam means liberation; not material platform, but paraṁ padam, spiritual platform. Spiritual platform means liberation.

So unless one is attached to . . . āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ, why they fall down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. One who neglects to worship the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, even he is on the liberation platform, mukti, there is chance of falling down. And there are many examples.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Yes. As soon as you are engaged in the service, loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (pause as drinks), immediately you feel liberation. This is practical. When you are fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if you walk on the street, you'll feel that, "I am separate from these persons. I am in a . . . I am walking on a different path." This is the feeling. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavaḥ (SB 11.2.42). This is bhakti. Pareśānubhava. You'll anubha . . . you will experience yourself. That is the test. If you experience yourself that "I am different from these persons," then where is the attachment for material things?

So that is the test; how much you have become advanced in devotional service you can experience yourself. The example is given: Just like a hungry man, if he's given food, if he eats, then he experiences himself that he's getting strength, his hunger is being satisfied. The, these things will be experienced. He hasn't got to take certificate from others, "Whether I am advancing in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." He'll feel himself. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhava viraktir anyatra syāt. This is the test.

Just like Gosvāmīs, the six Gosvāmīs. They were ministers. How they gave up their lucrative service, engagement? Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up their minister, high posts, association of aristocratic families, maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They were, themselves, not only maṇḍala-pati, great leaders, but they were associate with great leaders. But they gave up everything. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. They found something better in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they were able to give up.

Just like you are. You are, European and American boys, you were accustomed to better, comfortable life. I know. But you have given up your better, comfortable life, and you have learned, or you are satisfied lying down on the floor, without any bedding. How you have been practiced to it? Because you are trying to find out a better engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59).

Sometimes in your country, they are surprised how we are living without furniture. Because without furniture, living is impossible. Sometimes in the beginning, when I was accommodated in some apartment, the landlord used to inquire, "Oh, where is your furniture?" So they do not know they don't require furniture. We can lie down anywhere. It doesn't matter whether in a nice apartment or on the . . . underneath a tree. That doesn't matter. So how these things happen? Unless one becomes little advanced, one has got little taste in devotional service, they cannot give up these material comforts.

The Gosvāmīs are the best example. They were coming from very, very aristocratic family. They were . . . they did not join the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement out of poverty-stricken. No. All of them, six Gosvāmīs . . . just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very, very big men, ministers, very rich men. Similarly, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. He was the only son of his father and uncle. And at that time his father and uncle had twelve lakhs of rupees' income.

So you cannot imagine what is the exchange of twelve lakhs of rupees five hundred years ago. So very rich man. Similarly, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa; and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, he was the jewel of all learned philosophers. That is acknowledged even by the greatest philosophers of the world. So these six Gosvāmīs, they were not ordinary men, but still, for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's service, they left everything. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat, bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kantāśritau.

So kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, is so exalted that a devotee can kick out even mukti. They do not want. A devotee doesn't want. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says:

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye

mama janmani janmanīśvare

bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī (tvayi)

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

So devotional service, this line of activities, should not be taken for some material gain. This is not bhakti. Bhakti must be pure, cent percent pure, free from all material desires, free from the resultant action of jñāna and karma. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). In other words, if you are actually a devotee, you'll have no more interest with these material desires. Material desires means dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Adi 1.90). They're all material desires. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kar, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī . . . of course, it is spoken by Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta

kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva śānta

(CC Madhya 19.149)

That is the test of kṛṣṇa-bhakta. He has no desire. He does not want to exchange anything by serving Kṛṣṇa. That is not pure devotion. You can exchange. You can get the result. Therefore śāstra has recommended, Bhāgavata has recommended:

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa

(SB 2.3.10)

Akāma. Akāma means these devotees who have no desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). That is called akāma. And others are kāma, not akāma. Others, who? Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī: those who are desiring for material gain, bhukti, and those who are desiring after mukti, liberation. They are also kāmī. And those who are desiring after siddhis, yoga-siddhi, aṇimā-laghimā-siddhi. So all of them are kāmīs. They are not akāma. Therefore Bhāgavata says, akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāmaḥ (SB 2.3.10). Sarva-kāma means karmīs.

The karmīs have no end to their desires: "Bring money, bring money, bring money, bring money." You have seen. You have got good experience in your country. Millionaires, multi-millionaires, still working hard, "Where is money? Where is money?" Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). These materialistic persons, they are engaged at night either by sleeping or by sex indulgence. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ. They are wasting their time, valuable time of this life, either by sleeping or by sex at night. This is their night's business. And what is day's business? Divā cārthehayā rājan. In the daytime, simply walking or running by cars.

You have seen in your country, there are flyways and always cars, hundreds and thousands of cars. Sometimes I think that so many cars are going this way, and so many cars are going this way, why they not settle up their business by telephone that, "I do here your business," "I do here"? (laughter) But that is not possible. Because it is karmī, all of them running this way, whoosh-whoosh, and there is accident. Yes. So many thousands. How many thousands, they die every year? There is statistic. Yes.

So this world, material world, is like that. So divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). And as soon as they get money, they want to purchase. The wife says: "I want so many, so much, so many dollars for my this purpose." "All right, take it." The children says . . . therefore in the Bhāgavata they are called svajanākhya-dasyu. Dasyu means burglars. So the wife and children, they are legitimate burglars. Yes.

If somebody takes your money from the pocket, he becomes pickpocket, criminal, but if your wife takes it away, you very become pleased: "Oh, how my wife is nice." (laughter) So they are called svajanākhya-dasyu. It is taken as love. "How much my wife loves that (s)he is taking all my money from pocket." (laughter) So divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). This is the occupational duties of the materialistic person.

But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not like that. They say that . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, the ideal Kṛṣṇa conscious Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa . . . Śrī . . . kṛṣṇa-Caitanya-nāmne. Vande mahā-pu . . . what is that śloka? Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne.

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne . . .

(CC Madhya 19.53)

He is Kṛṣṇa. Simply He has taken the name Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Otherwise how one could give kṛṣṇa-prema? Kṛṣṇa-prema can be given by Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else.

So namo mahā-vadānyāya, this is the first verse, śloka, uttered by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī when he met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Prayāga, modern Allahabad. Prayāga is also named there. So he offered his prayer like this: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).

He understood that, "Here is the incarnation of God who is the most munificent." Mu . . . most munificent. Other incarnation of God . . . even Kṛṣṇa could not give kṛṣṇa-prema. He simply ordered that, "You surrender unto Me." Not that, "You take Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa." No. He did not give. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu came, Kṛṣṇa came again that, "I did not give My love." So He came as Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau (Vidagdha-mādhava 1.2). Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt. In other incarnation, the Lord, Rāmcandra or Lord Kṛṣṇa, They did not give . . . of course, those who were devotee, they automatically . . . but Their purpose was different. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, incarnation of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He specially came to distribute kṛṣṇa-prema. That is a special significance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-prādāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

So we shall always . . . you have taken the path of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He will bless you if you sincerely stick to His principle, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then by His grace, you'll be able to preach His message as these boys . . . they have been given sannyāsa in very, I mean to say, minor age, and still, they are doing very nice. You are, all of you, you are very minor age. But take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also Himself took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years. It is not that one has to accept sannyāsa in ripe old age like me, seventy years or seventy-five years. Not that.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu set up the example that for Kṛṣṇa's service one can take sannyāsa at any time. So He did it by His personal example. Tyaktvā tūrṇam . . . there is a verse, just now I forget, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave up His opulent family life. When He was . . . he took sannyāsa. At that time, His wife was only sixteen years old, and He had His affectionate mother, Śacīdevī, very old. Nobody was to take care of him, her. But still, He took sannyāsa for giving mercy to the poor human society in this age. Therefore He's called:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namo namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

So you follow the instruction of the Gosvāmīs, follow the path of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and try to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, and your life will be glorified.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol. (end)