Arr LA 1974-07-08 Education, Culture, Happiness, Satisfaction
ANNOUNCER: The following is an arrival address,
given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
recorded on July 8th, 1974, in Los Angeles.
PRABHUPĀDA: Thank you very much for your kind reception.
It is necessary.
sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam [Śrīla Visvanātha Cakravāti Ṭhakūr]
This is the process, Vedic process,
to receive the transcendental knowledge through the paramparā system,
and the reception or honor given to the spiritual master: it goes to Kṛṣṇa.
Spiritual master is the official collect[or].
Just like in government there is collector.
He receives the money, taxes, from the citizens,
not for his personal use but for the government.
Similarly, this is the Vedic system,
to receive knowledge through the transparent medium, guru,
and to receive…
Guru means the honor goes to Kṛṣṇa.
So, this is necessary.
This is not an artificial thing, but spiritually it is necessary.
Therefore we hold Vyāsa-pūjā day.
So, I am very glad to see that you are maintaining
the temple standard as good as I saw when I left.
That is my satisfaction.
And keep this, I mean to say, situation, atmosphere, always,
and follow the regulative principles; chant sixteen rounds.
You’ll remain always happy, because although we are in Los Angeles,
we have nothing to do with the material atmosphere of Los Angeles.
Therefore a devotee who lives with Kṛṣṇa or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness:
he does not live in the material world.
He always live[s] in the spiritual world.
That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.
māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇi- bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate [Bg. 14.26]
“Anyone who [is] engaged in bhakti-yoga with Kṛṣṇa.”
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]
“Such [a] person is always above these material modes of nature.”
Our difficulty or miserable condition of life is due to be…
being under the material laws of nature.
So, it is very simple method.
And you are all intelligent boys and girls in the Western country.
And I am very, happy that you have taken it seriously.
And continue this.
You’ll never be unhappy.
And not only here but also, as Kṛṣṇa said,
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]
If you simply practice these four principle[s]:
always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā, or become Kṛṣṇa’s devotees,
and offer Kṛṣṇa obeisances and worship Kṛṣṇa; these four.
We are teaching these four principle in the temple:
how to worship Kṛṣṇa, how to serve Kṛṣṇa,
how to become Kṛṣṇa’s devotee,
and how to think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours.
And if we do this, there is guarantee.
Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva eṣyasi asaṁśaya [?].
“Without any doubt,
you’ll come to Me;” you’ll go back to home, back to Godhead.
So do not be slackened.
And it is not difficult.
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]
This devotional service is so nice.
It is… To execute the devotional [service] is also very pleasing.
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]
And whatever you do, that is your permanent asset.
It will never be lost.
In the material world, suppose you have got some money.
So that is not permanent.
But anything, material possession, that is not permanent.
Especially after death, everything is finished: another new chapter.
That we do not know.
But devotional service: it is guaranteed.
It is permanent asset, even you cannot finish in this life.
But that does not mean you should be neglectful.
Try to finish the completely to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in this life.
Do not keep in abeyance.
That is not intelligent.
But even if it is not finished, then the next life a human life is guaranteed.
And you begin again where it ended.
These are the sastric…
So, execute this devotional service very sincerely, seriously.
Even there is [a] little inconvenience, tolerate it.
There is no inconvenience.
But if you think it is inconvenience… That is our mental concoction…
Still, you should not be neglectful in the discharging your duties as devo…
in devotional service.
So those who are engaged in Deity worship,
those who are engaged in [the] saṅkīrtana party,
those who are engaged in distributing books,
those who are engaged in the office for keeping [the] accounts…
And all of them in devotional service.
Not a single moment waste[d].
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31]
And whenever you have got time, read books.
Now we have got volumes of books.
Again we have got another five volumes of books.
All are now immediately published.
So you have got enough to study.
And those who are gṛhasthas, children, we have got our Dallas [school].
As soon as the children is fit, three to four years, can send to Dallas.
They are taking very much care.
And if your children are educated [in] Sanskrit and English,
and reads all our books, he is more than any university MA/PhD.
More than.
The MA/PhD of the ordinary university will not be able to be compared with that.
So rest assured that education, culture, happiness, satisfaction,
and next, go to home, back to home, back to Godhead.
- Thank you very much. DEVOTEES: Haribol! Jaya!
Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com