MW MAY 1976-03-12 One Should Give to Temple
ANNOUNCER: Next is a morning walk conversation,
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
recorded on March 12th, 1976, in Māyāpur, India.
PRABHUPĀDA: …are also engaged in serving Kṛṣṇa.
They give flower, and they’re offering: “Take this flower.
Offer to Kṛṣṇa.”
This is service.
Dedicating.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda, then how… - This is explained…
This is explained by Balarā…
Kṛṣṇa to Balarāma while going through the Vṛndāvana forest,
the ha… “Just see how the trees are welcoming You, how the birds…”
You have…
- You have got that picture? HṚDAYĀNANDA: Yes.
Kṛṣṇa is seeing that:
How everyone is ready to serve.
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa-bhakta also sees how everyone is eager to serve Kṛṣṇa. [break]
…[en]gage them rightly: That is leadership.
- Hah. - Yes.
Otherwise andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31].
And as a blind leader is leading other blind men: The whole world is going on like that.
They do not know how to properly lead the people.
Misleaders. [break]
…grains, cows,
all they should be very properly taken care of and the products offered to Kṛṣṇa.
Everyone should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa’s service.
That is Vṛndāvana.
In Vṛndāvana everyone is engaged: How to please Kṛṣṇa.
That is Vṛndāvana. [break]
…business to study Vedānta.
In Vṛndāvana life we see they were not interested to know what is Brahmā.
They were interested how to please Kṛṣṇa.
How to see Kṛṣṇa smiling.
- That is Vṛndāvana. - Jaya.
Huh? Is it not?
From Vṛndāvana picture you see they are simply busy to see how Kṛṣṇa is smiling.
They didn’t care for studying; what they will study?
They were all village girls born in the ordinary class,
and they did not know. [break]
That is the… Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim [Nārada Pañcarātra].
“If Kṛṣṇa is served, then where is the necessity of tapasya?”
- No more tapasya. - Jaya Prabhupāda!
Tapasya is meant for the third-grade men to come to the stage of serving Kṛṣṇa.
And one who is—with heart and soul is serving Kṛṣṇa: He has finished all Tapasya.
tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur ārya [SB 3.33.7]
They have already finished all this tapasya.
Therefore they have come to this stage.
…kṛta-punya-punjaḥ [SB 10.12.11]
What is called?
- Piling. REVATĪNANDANA: Heaps of…
- Ah, heaps of, yes. - pious activities. [break]
Mahāprabhu: He immediately gives how to love and serve Kṛṣṇa,
because this Kali-yuga, they will not be able to
follow the regulative principles and become elevated.
So, He is therefore mahā-vadānyāya.
He is giving a process—immediately,
if followed, he becomes a lover of Kṛṣṇa and His service, immediately.
namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53] [break]
…circumambulating you, Prabhupāda, paying respects.
Of course, their vision, mahā-bhāgavata…
- Hare Kṛṣṇa. - Jaya.
I…
That is very beautiful.
- You mean the music? - No, no; that black.
- Yes, very nice. - Black is… [splice]
- Hmm? PAÑCADRAVIḌA: The gopīs: They didn’t like very much being instructed by Uddhava?
Yes.
That was dry for them.
They asked Uddhava, “Bring Kṛṣṇa; we don’t want you any more.” [break]
What is his name?
Tapomartavor [?].
Huh? He never sees whether it is watered.
He is in charge of agricultural department?
Where is Jayapatāka?
He never sees. [splice]
“By showing the Deity to earn livelihood is condemned.
Better become a sweeper— municipal sweeper,
and sweep the road and earn money.”
He said like that.
That is better: Honorable.
He is working and getting money,
instead of making a good show of Deity and earn money.
This is not required.
If you want to earn money,
go—work according to your capacity and earn money.
Don’t cheat people.
That is Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.
There was a big fight or difference of opinion, wasn’t there?
Huh?
There was a… a trouble in Nabadwip, wasn’t there,
when he advised the pilgrims not to pay money to go into the temples.
Yes.
He was fight against it.
All: Nabadwip—Vṛndāvana.
Vṛndāvana is not so… But still, they have got rate.
One thing is: Is a question of heart:
That a… a… a man should come and visit the… the temple: He must give something.
Why he is to be asked?
Voluntarily he should give.
YAŚODĀNANDANA: Do everything they…
In Nectar of Devotion this morning, Your Divine Grace is writing
that it is customary in India that whenever one visits the Deity or a saintly person
- Yes. - to offer something, even one grain of rice.
Yes.
That is system.
LOKANĀTHA: But encouraging is not recommended?
Huh? What is that encouraging?
- Requesting should not be done. - No.
It is voluntary.
Encouraging means your behavior should be so nice, that he’ll voluntarily give.
That is encouraging, not that begging and “Put something here.
My belly is empty.”
Yes, that is nice,
then “Here is an institution; you kindly become a member; help us.”
That is another thing.
But why should you earn by showing the Deity?
You work so nicely: They will become voluntarily member, contributing.
That is nice.
But not that “Now we have got Deity.
He’s starving.
Please give me something;” no.
That is not good.
You showed the example when you came to New York.
You were cooking chapatis and everything.
Yes.
Otherwise who would cook? That… [break]
…apartment.
So I was cooking, and… Ah, he liked.
He thought that “Without any payment, I have got a cook.”
Dharmādhyakṣa…
Dharmādhyakṣa dāsa used to be one of his disciples
before he joined your… Became your disciple.
And he said that he was talking to Dr. Miśra,
and Dr. Miśra still talks about your cooking.
He said, “Oh, Swamijī… He saved my life.”
- He said, “He taught me how to eat properly.” - Yeah.
[He] still talks about you. [break]
…improved his health.
- He says it still? - Yes.
- Ahh. - Yes.
Ahh.
Dharma was telling me. [break]
…to rise early in the morning and… and do whatever is needed.
Then, at nine—half-past nine—I’ll go to the apartment and begin cooking.
Then, after finishing, I’ll take my bathing, and then we shall eat together.
And then, after eating, I will go to the Fifth Avenue
- To go where? - for loitering.
PUṢṬA KṚṢṆA: Fifth Avenue. - Yes.
So I was cooking once only, that’s all.
Your loitering was very fruitful even.
I [was] studying Americans: How they are walking, how they are talking: Like that.
SATSVARŪPA: One time you said you were happier then, maintaining yourself, than
having thousands of disciples.
Yes, there was no chance of finding fault.
Now I have to find fault.
Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com