Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2 (begins with short conversation before class) Prabhupada: …interpretation… First thing is that why interpretation if the meaning is straight? Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, dharma-ksetre kuruksetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1], and somebody’s interpreting dharmaksetra means this body. Why this interpretation? Eh? The dharmaksetra, Kuruksetra, is still existing, the station is there, people are going as dharmaksetra. Kuruksetre dharmam acaret, this is the Vedic instruction, that everyone should go to Kuruksetra and perform ritualistic duties. That is being done, and it is written dharmaksetre kuruksetre, why interpretation? (exchange with a guest in Hindi) You are more than Krsna? You are so… You have got capacity to speak more than Krsna? (exchange in Hindi) Interpretation… (exchange in Hindi) We are discussing the same thing. We go or not go. (everyone laughs) You are a young man. Therefore I’m requesting you, “Don’t be misled by these blind leaders. Take Bhagavad-gita as it is and you’ll be happy.” (exchange in Hindi) The meaning is clear, very clear. No question of interpretation. Hare Krsna. mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye So the first proposal was that this human form of life is not to be wasted like cats and dogs. This is the first proposal by Rsabha. He was advising His sons, “My dear boys, don’t waste your, this valuable life like cats and dogs and hogs.” This are the Actually, without Krsna consciousness our life is no better than the dogs’ and hogs’. That’s a fact. That is the beginning of this instruction, nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. The dogs and hogs, they will try whole day and night for eating purposes and sense gratification. Why the human society should be like that? So these things can be learned by mahat-seva. Therefore this Vedic civilization that first of all send the children for mahat-seva, brahmacari. Mahat-seva, that is the essential part of human life. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. To make this human life successful, to understand the value of life, to understand what I am, one must approach, go to gurukula. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. This abhigacchet, this form of verb is used when it is called vidhi-lin, must! There is no option. I may go or I may not go. No. One must. That is human life. That is the instruction of Vedic sastra. In Prahlada Maharaja’s teaching also… At childhood he was five- years-old boy, and he was teaching to his class friend, “My dear friend, that kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1].” He was teaching Krsna consciousness as soon as he was getting little opportunity. In the tiffin hour, when the teachers are gone, he’d immediately stand up and preach to his friends, “My dear friends, begin Krsna consciousness from this point. Although you are very small boys, still we have to begin here.” kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. “Why so quickly? Let us become old and feeble and I’ll not be able to do anything. Then I’ll chant Hare Krsna.” “No,” he says no immediately. Kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha, durlabham manusam janma. “You do not know when you shall die. So before the next step comes, complete your Krsna consciousness.” This is the business. Kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. Where is that education now? This is misleading civilization. They do not know the value of life. They are simply wasting time for sense gratification. That’s all. No. This is not. The Bhagavata-dharma means children should be taught from the very beginning of life. That is Vedic civilization. The children should go… Even Krsna, although He’s God, He was also sent to gurukula, and He was collecting dry wood from the forest for guru, learning how to serve guru. The guru must be also bona fide. Therefore it is recommended, mahat-seva. mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. That is the Vedic civilization. One must approach a mahanta. Mahanta. This whole world is illusion and one who is above this illusion is called mahanta, one who has ended the illusion. Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12], one should approach a guru who is brahma-nistham. Brahma-nistham means fully fixed up in Brahman understanding because life is meant for brahma-jijnasa. Athato brahma jijnasa. This life, this human form of life, is meant for inquiring about Brahman, not for anything else. Anything else—Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is sex? Anybody’s different?—this is animal life. Above this, when we, in human life, our main business is brahma-jijnasa. Not that “Where is food?” “Where is shelter?” “Where is sex?” and “Where is difference?” These are animal propensities, animal inquiries. So I’ve repeatedly saying the same thing—that Indian civilization is different from others. We should stick to our own culture. That is the prerogative that I am repeatedly speaking, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message: bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41] Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of Bharata-varsa, he has got special advantage. He has got special advantage in this, that he can learn all this Vedic literature, mahat-seva. Then he makes his life perfect. He understands what is his life, what is the value of this life, why he’s suffering, how to mitigate it. This is, these things are required, and when one is very versed and practiced by example, then let him preach all over the world, para-upakara. Because they do not know. Actually that is happening. By one man’s endeavor all these foreigners they’re getting real life of Krsna consciousness. They have sacrificed everything practically. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66] This is required. That is human life. Otherwise, if we simply work very hard just like the stool-eater hogs, “Where is food? Where is food? Where is sex? Where is…” This is… Therefore this particular name has been mentioned here, vid-bhujam. It is very peculiar. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. Sastra sometimes uses very strong language. That is required. Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit. That is the… Therefore this very word is used, vid-bhujam ye. These kind of engagements are there among the hogs and dogs. Are you hogs and dogs or human being? Your engagement is brahma-jijnasa, athato brahma jijnasa. Inquire about Brahman. Learn about Brahman. Learn about yourself, that you are not this material body. If you are still thinking that you are this material body—you are Indian, you are American, you are brahmana, you are sudra, you are white, you are black—then you are in the dog’s consciousness, not Krsna consciousness. That is to be learned. So long we are in the bodily concept, that is going on all over the world. If we say people may not be happy… Now India, in your city it is going on, Andhra conference. How long you shall remain Andhra? You may remain Andhra for say twenty years or fifty years, utmost hundred years, then what you are doing? Andhra or something else? Where is the account for that? Because Krsna says, the Supreme authority, tatha dehantara-praptih. So if you perpetually remain as Andhra, that is very good. “But that is not allowed, sir.” You’ll be kicked out of your, this Andhra concept of life by nature’s law. Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham, Krsna says, “When death will come, ‘Oh, my dear death, you cannot touch me. I am Andhra, I am Indian, I am American.’ ” No. “No, sir. Get out!” So where is that knowledge? Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma-ijya-dhih, sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. This kind of civilization is the civilization of the cows and asses, go-kharah. Go means cow, and kharah means ass. So we must understand what we are. Krsna… Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this. He said, “I am not brahmana. I am not ksatriya. I am not vaisya. I am not sudra. I am not brahmacari. I am not sannyasi.” “Not, not,” neti, neti. “Then what you are?” Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah. This is self-realization. When we shall deny all this designation and we shall realize that I’m part and parcel of Krsna, that is self- realization. And so long we identify with this body and mind and do not know what I am, that is go-kharah civilization, cows and asses civilization. So especially in India we should be very careful not to follow the go-kharah civilization. We must follow real civilization, Brahman civilization. This is the land of brahma-jnana. This is the land of brahmanas, brahma janatiti brahmanah. We are losing that. Be careful. It is that we offer our respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca jagad-hitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah God’s first business is go-brahmana hitaya ca, brahmanya devaya. Krsna is very, very eager to maintain the brahminical culture in the human society, brahma janati, understanding of Brahman and go-brahmana-hitaya ca, go, cows, cow protection. Where is that civilization? Where is that brahminical culture? Where is that go-raksa? Very precarious condition. Therefore we should accept the standard of civilization. This is recommended here, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. If you want to become disentangled or free from this entanglement, conditioned soul one after another… We are forced. Our (indistinct) was saying about the change of body. The change of body is forced. You are young man. You cannot say, “I’ll not accept old man’s body.” “No, sir. You’ll have to accept.” Forced. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27] You cannot say “I will not accept this.” Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih. As you are forced to accept this body, old-age body—nobody wants to become old—similarly another body, tatha dehantara-praptih. These things are there. We are being forced by the laws of nature. Where is our independence? They’re declaring resolution: “Now we are independent. Ah. Finished.” Where is your independence? You are kicked out by the laws of nature. Daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. You are not free. You are under supreme control. Nature, they will accept nature’s control but not God’s control. But the foolish person does not know that nature is also controlled by God. This you will have to learn from Vedic literature. Nature is described in the Brahma-samhita: srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana- saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Goddess Durga is accepted as the material energy or material prakrti. So she’s so powerful. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya- sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga, icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa [Bs. 5.44]. Sa Durga is not independent. Icchanurupam api yasya, under who’s direction she is working? Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. I am worshiping the Govinda, the adi-purusa, the Supreme Person, adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. These are the information we get from the sastra. Adyam, He is the original person. Adyam purana purusam, the oldest person. Nava-yauvanam ca, and at the same time always fresh youth. So how we shall learn all these things? Mahat-seva. Go to mahat, mahanta, the guru. Serve him. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. You cannot challenge like a nonsense. You have to engage yourself to the service. That is the beginning. Brahmacari is indicated, “Go to gurukula.” And you may be a king’s son or a very learned brahmana’s son, it doesn’t matter. You serve your guru just like a menial servant. This is the instruction. This is the first education. Go to gurukula and serve the mahat guru, the broad-minded guru, just like a menial servant. What is that? You go collect everything for guru, alms, and do not claim proprietorship. It is guru’s property. Whatever you collect, that is not your property. That is guru’s property. And go to gurukula, and when guru will ask you, “My dear boy, please come and take your prasadam,” then you’ll take. If guru forgets to call you, you should fast. This is gurukula. Not that “I am hungry. There is foodstuff. Let me eat.” No. Without permission of guru you cannot touch anything. This is the injunction. Now how… Strenuous training was there to live in gurukula and sacrifice the whole life for guru’s instruction. This is the Vedic culture, brahmacari, and live at the place of guru just like a menial servant. Where is that education? Why you’ll not expect these upstarts, Naxalites? Where is that training? Of course it is very difficult to bring back that mode of civilization at the present moment, kalau nasta-drsam, we have lost everything by the influence of this Kali-yuga. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised that you harer nama, harer nama, harer nama eva kevalam [Adi 17.21], chant the name of Hari. Harer nama, thrice He’s stressing. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam kalau, in this age of Kali, nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. This is simple method. Chant the holy name of Krsna, harer nama. Not other’s name, harer nama. There people also diverting their attention, “Any name will do.” No. Not any name. Harer nama. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23] You have to hear and chant about Krsna, not any other demigod. No. It is particularly mentioned, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam. This is wanted. Very simple thing. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has… It is from the sastra, Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Agni-Purana. A saintly person, mahanta, will not speak anything which is not mentioned in the sastra. If somebody manufactures, he’s a devil. Krsna says in the Bhagavata, yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, na siddhim sa avapnoti. Anyone who goes against the sastra and manufactures his own concoction, for him there is no siddhi, na siddhim sa avapnoti. Na sukham, neither any happiness. And what to speak of param gatim? So we should give up all these things. The all, the essence of all sastra is Bhagavad-gita. All the (indistinct) Upanisad. All the Upanisad, Vedic sastra is spoken in a very short, cream Bhagavad-gita, and the Supreme Personality speaking Himself. So we should take it very seriously. Unfortunately, although Bhagavad-gita is spoken in India, and there are many so-called students of Bhagavad-gita, but they’re interpreting in their own way, misleading people. Don’t be misled in that way. Take Bhagavad-gita as it is; then it will automatically act. The medicine, as directed by the physician, you should take. You should not manufacture your own way of doses. Suppose physician says that “You take five drops of this medicine, mix with water and take it.” You have to follow. If you say, “No, let me be cured immediately. Let me take hundred drops” or “one drop.” No. That will not help you. Similarly, you should read Bhagavad-gita as it is prescribed by the physician, Krsna. Then you will benefit. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says personally that imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. This yoga system is avyaya, eternal. Krsna is eternal, and Krsna’s words are eternal, and you are also eternal. This is our position. Krsna is eternal and we are part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], Krsna says. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit, you are never born, never die. Krsna also nityo nityanam. We are all nityas, eternal, but He’s the supreme nitya, nityo nityanam. We are plural nitya; He is singular nitya. So what is the difference between this plural and singular? The singular maintains all these plural, eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. He is the maintainer and we are maintained. So everything is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, and that is the essence of all Vedic literature. Our propaganda is that you read Bhagavad-gita, try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any foolish commentary. As soon as you comment, that is foolishness. Don’t do it. Read as it is. Then you’ll get the enlightenment and you’ll understand Krsna, because Krsna is teaching to make you understand what is God, what is Krsna. Why should we deviate? Therefore Krsna says, “Learn Bhagavad-gita, the same instruction, mahat-seva.” Seva. Krsna says, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34], unless you are prepared to render service to your spiritual master… First of all you must find out the proper spiritual master. Then you must engage yourself to his service. Then you can question. Otherwise don’t waste your time and your spiritual master’s time. Tad viddhi, you must know. The first thing is pranipatena, pranipatena, prakrsta rupena nipat, fully surrendered. Just like these boys, they have learned. They will see their spiritual master hundred time, and hundred time they’ll fall flat and offer respect. This is called pranipa. Hundred times. Not that I finished my pranipa in the morning as an etiquette now. No. These boys are so good. They have learned that they’ll meet me hundred times and they’ll fall flat hundred times. This is called pranipa. This is the injunction. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34], that is the Vedic injunction. yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah [SU 6.23] This… The meaning of the Vedic literature is revealed. It is not by your mundane scholarship you can understand. That is not possible. Tasya ete kathita arthah prakasante, it becomes revealed. To whom? Yasya deve para bhaktir. One who has unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yatha deve tatha gurau, similar faith in guru. For them the meaning of this Vedic literature becomes revealed. It is not by mundane scholarship: “I think it is like that.” Who are you? You are thinking like that? No. That is not the process. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya, two things must be there. First of all pranipata, and the other side, seva, and the middle, pariprasna. tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti tad jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah [Bg. 4.34] Who is jnani? Who has seen the Truth. Not that supposing. “I supposedly like this.” No. Whether you have seen. That is required. tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti tad jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah [Bg. 4.34] Arjuna also made like that. In the beginning Arjuna was talking with Krsna on equal level like friends, but later on he said, sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam prapannam. Prapannam, this pranipa, “I am surrendering to You.” So find out guru. Who is guru? Guru means who’s coming from the parampara system. Just like Krsna says, evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2] Rajarsaya, big, big, learned saintly kings. That means government. Now we are taking, accepting king by democracy, anyone by votes. No. Rajarsaya. One must be governor, he must be as good as a rsi, saintly person. Rajarsaya. They must understand the purport of Bhagavad-gita, the aim of life. Then they will educate, the governor will educate the citizens how to make life successful. But if he does not understand what is the success of life, how he will govern? But it is going on. But Bhagavad-gita says, imam rajarsayo viduh. The Bhagavad-gita is meant for the rajarsis, saintly kings, saintly governor. Because he has to govern, he must know how to govern: what is the aim of life, how they can be elevated. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira, because he was a good governor, good king, so during his time, it is said that kamam parjanya vavarsa. There is word I am just forgetting, that all the necessities of life were supplied through rain. Kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha-mahi: [SB 1.10.4] that we derive all necessities of life through the earth. Sarva-kama-dugha-mahi. So if the king is pious, then the earth will give you production enough for your satisfaction. Now I’ve seen in your country so much land is lying vacant. Why it is not being produced? Because you do not know how to derive all benefits from earth. That you do not know. Therefore people are in scarcity. There is no question of scarcity. Krsna has given everything. Purnam idam purnam adah purnat purnam… [Isopanisad, Invocation]. There cannot be anything imperfect which is created by God. Everything is perfect. But if we become godless, the supply will be crippled. That is the secret we do not know. These things we have to learn from sastra. As soon as people will become demonic, nature will restrict supply. “Now you become demonic. That’s all right.” So this is going on. Therefore it is recommended mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes, if you want to become free from all anxieties. First of all this material world means anxiety. We are put… We are part and parcel of Krsna. Why we are sent to this material world? Iccha-dvesa sammutthena, sarge yanti parantapa, because we wanted to enjoy life independent of God, or Krsna. This is the disease. We are not independent. If there is no rain and there is no food grain, what your independence will do? No. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani, very practical. That if you want to be happy, either animal or man, bhutani, then you produce anna, food grains sumptuously. Annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah. And there must be sufficient rain for producing sufficient food grains. Yajnad bhavanti parjanyah, and you perform yajna, there will be regular rainfall. Yajnah-karma samudbhavam. Who is following this principle? Yajnah-karma samudbhavam. Krsna never says that factories, by factories bhavanti bhutani. Annad bhavanti bhutani, He says this is practical. We are not interested how to produce anna. We are now interested how to produce tire tubes. So eat tire tube. So this is going on. Take Krsna’s instruction as it is. You’ll be happy. This is Krsna consciousness movement. It is not a bogus thing, it is very scientific, authorized. Take it very seriously, especially those who are born Indians. They’ve got the advantage. Don’t be misled. Thank you very much. So any questions? Acyutananda: If there are any questions, kindly print them on a piece of paper very clearly… (indistinct) (pause) Is there any result to chanting Krsna’s name mechanically? Or must it be uttered with complete devotion? If it is the latter, how (indistinct) Ajamila, and how did he get moksa? Prabhupada: Yes. The chanting of Krsna’s name is exactly, immediately associating with Krsna. Krsna is absolute. Krsna… Atah sri-krsna-namadi. Namadi means name, then form, then quality, then entourage, so many things. Krsna is not alone. So they’re all absolute. Krsna and Krsna’s name is not different. Identical. So when we chant Krsna’s name it means that we are directly associating with Krsna. This is a fact. So as you, if you become nearer to, or touch fire, then you will get the resultant action. So if you chant the Hare Krsna mantra, that means immediately you are in touch with Krsna. And the result will begin immediately. That is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. By chanting Hare Krsna mantra, you will cleanse your dirty heart, because that is the beginning of our suffering. Misunderstanding. So there are other references in the sastra. Just like: srnvatam sva-kathah krsna punya-sravana-kirtanah hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam [Bhag. 1.2.17] Krsna is sitting within your heart, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61] Krsna is with you, but you do not know. But as soon as you try to chant and hear, hear Krsna’s name, then immediately the cleansing of your heart begins, ceto-darpana-marjanam. Then bhava maha-davagni-nirvapanam, as soon as your heart is cleansed… Heart is cleansed means you understand that you are not this material body. That is cleansing of heart. Everything is going on on this misunderstanding that “I am this body.” “I am Indian,” “I am American,” “I am this,” “I am that.” This is the grossest type of misunderstanding. So that becomes clear. Then you stand on your own position, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. There are so many things we’ll gradually follow. Therefore if we chant Krsna’s name without any offense… There are ten kinds of offenses—but in the beginning, even there is offense, you go on chanting and gradually, as your heart will be cleansed… That is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam (sarvatma-snapanam) param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam [Cc. Antya 20.12] So if you follow the instruction and if we chant, even though we do not understand in the beginning what is the effect of chanting Hare Krsna mantra, but it will show its effect if you go on chanting. Just like I began this movement in America. I did not ask them anything; I simply invited them, “Please come and chant with me.” And just see the result. It is practical. I never bribed them, nor I showed any magic. I simply asked them, “Chant Hare Krsna.” And see the result. It is practical. Guest (1): Why is Om not figured in your play(?) ? All should come to the banner of Om instead of praying to so many gods. By doing so there would be unity throughout the land. Prabhupada: Krsna says pranavah sarva-vedesu, “I am the omkara in all Vedic mantras.” Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti. Omkara is as good. That is also Krsna. So either you chant omkara or “Krsna,” there is no difference. But in the sastras it is recommended that you chant Hare Krsna, not omkara. So you have to accept sastra. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu practically demonstrated. He was chanting Hare Krsna. Krsna-varnam, krsnam varnayati, Hare Krsna. So we have to follow the sastra and the great saintly person. Otherwise there is no difference between omkara and Krsna. But because sastra recommends harer nama harer nama [Adi 17.21], we have to accept it. Mahamsa: There is a question here: please give brief resume of Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta’s life. I would just like to make a note that we have printed our recent Hare Krsna Explosion fortnightly. It is available at the book stall (indistinct). This issue had been dedicated to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada, how he started the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and other achievements, books of Srila Prabhupada. So if you would like to know, you can take one of these issues. Acyutananda: According to your observation, godlessness is responsible for scarcity. Then what about Communist countries compared with India? Prabhupada: What is that? Visnujana: If godlessness is the cause of scarcity, why the Communist countries are so affluent? Prabhupada: They are asking food from America. (laughter) Guest (2): Why is Krsna consciousness not spread in China, Russia, Pakistan and Bangladesh? (laughter) Prabhupada: You come forward. I shall train you. Acyutananda: Does Srila Prabhupada agree with the work of Ramakrishna Mission, Maharishi, meditation, and Divine Light Mission now working in America? Prabhupada: What is that? Pancadravida: Do you agree with the work of the Ramakrishna Mission, Mahesh Yogi, and Divine Light Society that are working in America? Prabhupada: I do not study them. I simply study Bhagavad-gita, that’s all. And Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66] I believe that. That’s all. Acyutananda: What is meant by absolute surrender? How are we to satisfy ourselves having done so? Prabhupada: Absolute surrender means anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. I am surrendering to Krsna to get this benefit—that is conditional surrender. I surrender to Krsna without any motive—that is absolute. anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [BRS 1.1.11] No motive. That is required. If I think that I shall get some benefit— that is business. That is not bhakti. That is taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karoty va adarsanan yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah “You can treat me like anything. You can make me brokenhearted by Your absence. Still You are my Lord.” That is unconditional surrender. Acyutananda: When I visited the Hare Krsna center I thought that God had no form. In such case why should we garnish the idol of Krsna with jewelry and adore the idol? Prabhupada: Hm? What is that? Pancadravida: Why should we adore the idol if God has no form? Prabhupada: Who says God has no form? God is the supreme father. You know your father has form. What the supreme father has done that He’ll not have form? Your father has got form. You’re born of him. Then why the supreme father will not have form? What fault He has done? What is this logic? God is supposed to…, the supreme father. Janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1] That is the Vedic information. The Supreme is that which is the source of everything. So we have got varieties of forms, and why the source should be formless? Why? What is the logic? We have got so many forms— 8,400,000—and Krsna says, aham bija- pradah pita: “Of all these forms of life, I am the seed-giving father.” The seed-giving father, Krsna, has form, and His sons have got form. Why the father should be formless? What is this logic? Eh? What is this logic—can anyone say?—that because He’s father, therefore He should be formless. What is this logic? The father must have form. Otherwise how many form… All these forms, wherefrom it is coming? Krsna says, aham bija pradah pita. He is the father. If the sons have form, why the father will not have form? What is this logic? This is not logical conclusion. The real idea is… Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that “My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled here, they were in the past like this,” that means they have forms, “and they’re existing like this. And they’ll continue to exist.” Where is formless? You see the (indistinct) Bhagavad-gita. He says in the past all of them existed like this, and we’re existing now like this, past present, and in the future they’ll continue. So where is formlessness? There is no question of formlessness. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. When there is such question, formlessness means that is not material form. But there is form. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda- vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], vigraha means form. But that is sat-cid-ananda, eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. This is not this form. Therefore Krsna says, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah, param bhavam ajananto: [Bg. 9.11] “These rascals, they do not know what I am. Therefore he’s thinking that My form and his form is the same.” Avajananti mam mudha, unless one is mudha, he cannot say that God is formless. God has form. But His form is different from our form, this material form. Sat-cit-ananda-vigraha. So therefore, we have to learn all these things by mahat-seva dvaram vimukteh. We can get out of all this ignorance when we are engaged in mahat-seva. Otherwise we shall remain in the darkness. Krsna has form, but His form is different from our, this material form. That is (indistinct). Acyutananda: Is showing miracles to the people by some swamis the way to bring them back to spiritual life or not? Visnujana: Is showing miracles like some swamis do the way to bring people back to spiritual life? Prabhupada: Why should I show miracles? What is the business? I have to speak the truth. That’s all. What is the use of miracle? When you go to college or school, we want to see miracles or you learn books and knowledge? Krsna never said that you go to a guru who can perform miracles. He never said that. He said tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti tad jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah [Bg. 4.34] Go to a jnani, and who has known the truth, not to a jugglers, magician. Science is not magic. Science is knowledge. That is the Vedic injunction. Tad vijnanartham: in order to understand that science, not to see jugglery and magic. The jugglery and magic is here present: all these meat-eaters, drunkards, woman-hunters, now Vaisnava. This is real magic. If you have got eyes to see, see the magic. If you are blind, then that is different question. This is magic. Acyutananda: Question: I believe in Krsna but please clarify the following doubts. Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so when Krsna is the only God in the world, the creator of the whole universe, then why the existence of Jesus Christ and Allah? Why should not only one God for all? Why Christians and Muslims are not accepting Krsna as God? Prabhupada: They are accepting God, but they did not disclose the name of God because the people are unable to understand. “Krsna” means “the all-attractive.” That is the meaning of Krsna. So unless God is all-attractive, how He can be God? “Krsna” means all- attractive. aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8] When one understands Krsna… To understand Krsna it takes little time. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3] So Krsna revealed Himself in India before Arjuna, and what the others will understand about Krsna unless he’s advanced like Arjuna? So there are different persons, so different types of religion they have revealed. That is also Krsna—but, to some extent. The full extent they cannot understand. Just like Lord Jesus Christ says “Thou shall not kill.” Just imagine what the audience were. They are killers. So what they’ll understand about Krsna? Let them first stop this killing. Then the stage will come he’ll understand what is Krsna. yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28] One who is sinful, the first instruction should be, “You stop your sinful activities.” Then the opportunity will come to understand Krsna. That is stated in the… Yesam tu anta-gatam papam. One who is sinful, what he will understand about Krsna? First of all, stop sinful activities. Then this stage will come, he’ll understand Krsna. Therefore Jesus Christ said, “You nonsense, stop killing.” Then there will be time we’ll understand one day Krsna. So the first instruction is to stop sinful activities; then he’ll be qualified. yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28] So everything by step by step, not by jump. That is not possible. Acyutananda: It is said, manava-seva is madhava-seva, then why doesn’t your mission serve man as in the incarnation of Lord Krsna instead of chanting the name? Visnujana: Why don’t we serve man instead of chanting Hare Krsna? Prabhupada: We are not going to follow your instruction. We have to follow the instruction of the sastra. You cannot say that “Why you are…” Are we not serving the man? We are trying to give you the knowledge of Krsna. Is it not serving the man? The better service—to give knowledge. If a man is hungry, he can give some food. That will give him some temporary benefit. But if you give him knowledge how to earn his livelihood, that is better gift. So people are suffering for want of knowledge. So this Krsna consciousness movement is giving knowledge to the whole world. Not only that, we are giving prasadam also, hundreds and thousands of people. We are not that simply we are giving knowledge, but we are giving, we are inviting everyone, “Come, live with us peacefully, take Krsna prasadam and be Krsna conscious.” This is our movement. That’s all? One more. Acyutananda: What are the ways and means for controlling temptations and conquering desires? Prabhupada: Mm? Devotee: What is the way for controlling our desires? Prabhupada: Yes. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra esah, param drstva nivartate [SB 11.2.42], you have to give better engagement, then they will give up this inferior engagement. Param drstva nivartate. Param drstva nivartate means if you get better engagement, then you can give up inferior engagement. You must have some engagement. Without engagements he will become mad. So our Krsna consciousness movement is to give better engagement. So when he’s engaged in better type of activities, he forgets all this inferior… That is explained bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra esah [SB 11.2.42], as soon as one become devotee, he naturally becomes reluctant. Just like these American and European boys and girls, they are little advanced in Krsna consciousness, they have immediately given up all these inferior engagements of drinking and illicit sex and meat-eating. They have given up. This is the way. You give them better engagement and they’ll give up this inferior engagement. That is the pushing of Krsna consciousness movement. Chant Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Hyderabad, April 12, 1975