0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,507 RC BHU 1977-01-31 The Great Soul 1 00:00:01,508 --> 00:00:03,497 ANNOUNCER: Next is a conversation 2 00:00:03,498 --> 00:00:08,927 with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, 3 00:00:08,928 --> 00:00:16,287 recorded on January 31st, 1977, in Bhubaneshwar, India. 4 00:00:16,288 --> 00:00:21,237 PRABHUPĀDA: Still in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Vṛndāvana, you’ll see many devotees. 5 00:00:21,238 --> 00:00:26,637 They offer, counting, flat, so many times. 6 00:00:26,638 --> 00:00:29,717 So we have to take some labor. 7 00:00:29,718 --> 00:00:41,537 It is not so easy thing that you realize [chuckling] God so easily. 8 00:00:41,538 --> 00:00:47,047 Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau [Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka]. 9 00:00:47,048 --> 00:00:50,777 The valuable time of human life should be utilized 10 00:00:50,778 --> 00:01:01,587 only for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfect. 11 00:01:01,588 --> 00:01:05,878 No other business. 12 00:01:05,879 --> 00:01:08,878 Sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. That is sarva-dharmān. 13 00:01:08,879 --> 00:01:15,578 But if you cannot do that, all right, make minimum: “So many times I shall chant. 14 00:01:15,579 --> 00:01:19,038 So many times I shall offer obeisances.” 15 00:01:19,039 --> 00:01:21,528 Make some dṛḍha-vrata. 16 00:01:21,529 --> 00:01:26,928 Then gradually it will be successful. 17 00:01:26,929 --> 00:01:31,468 GUEST (5): [Bengali] 18 00:01:31,469 --> 00:01:35,458 Yes. 19 00:01:35,459 --> 00:01:42,738 Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa—twenty-four hours. 20 00:01:42,739 --> 00:01:45,478 Japa-tapa. 21 00:01:45,479 --> 00:01:50,768 Tapasya. tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed [SB 5.5.1] 22 00:01:50,769 --> 00:01:56,058 Japa means tapa, tapasya. 23 00:01:56,059 --> 00:02:01,238 And that is dṛḍha-vrata. 24 00:02:01,239 --> 00:02:07,358 Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. 25 00:02:07,359 --> 00:02:20,078 Tapasya begins with brahmacarya. 26 00:02:20,079 --> 00:02:22,758 There is no tapasya, there is no brahmacarya, 27 00:02:22,759 --> 00:02:27,738 there is no dṛḍha-vrata, there is no understanding, 28 00:02:27,739 --> 00:02:46,928 and they are becoming guru. 29 00:02:46,929 --> 00:02:49,588 Just see these Europeans, Americans. 30 00:02:49,589 --> 00:02:56,789 Their life beginning was meat-eating. And they have given up everything. 31 00:02:56,790 --> 00:03:03,419 This is tapasya. 32 00:03:03,420 --> 00:03:10,929 And we shall eat everything, do everything… 33 00:03:10,930 --> 00:03:15,939 yato mata tato patha “Whatever I like, I do, and still a devotee.” 34 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:22,409 What is this nonsense? 35 00:03:22,410 --> 00:03:23,079 Hmm? 36 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,269 GUEST (6): Viśvāsa first, faith strong. 37 00:03:25,270 --> 00:03:28,729 No, where is faith if we do not execute tapasya? 38 00:03:28,730 --> 00:03:36,169 Where is faith? 39 00:03:36,170 --> 00:03:46,039 viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya That is viśvāsa, the same thing. 40 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:53,439 This is viśvāsa: “Kṛṣṇa said this; I shall do.” This is viśvāsa. 41 00:03:53,440 --> 00:04:05,909 And if you do not do anything, what Kṛṣṇa says, where is viśvāsa? There is no viśvāsa. 42 00:04:05,910 --> 00:04:09,709 Kṛṣṇa says, Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām [Bg 9.14]. 43 00:04:09,710 --> 00:04:14,789 “Anyone who is chanting Me, Hare Kṛṣṇa…” So Kṛṣṇa says; I must do it. 44 00:04:14,790 --> 00:04:16,809 That is viśvāsa. 45 00:04:16,810 --> 00:04:20,229 If you do not do that, where is viśvāsa? 46 00:04:20,230 --> 00:04:23,109 What do you mean by viśvāsa? 47 00:04:23,110 --> 00:04:26,959 Viśvāsa means sudṛḍha niścaya. “Yes, Kṛṣṇa has said. I shall do.” 48 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,800 That is viśvāsa. 49 00:04:29,801 --> 00:04:33,130 If you have no faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa, where is your viśvāsa? 50 00:04:33,131 --> 00:04:35,200 What do you mean by viśvāsa? 51 00:04:35,201 --> 00:04:37,240 Hm? 52 00:04:37,241 --> 00:04:39,130 Bhagavān’s servant. 53 00:04:39,131 --> 00:04:41,130 Bhagavān is your servant. 54 00:04:41,131 --> 00:04:45,370 Whatever you like, you can do, and He’ll serve you. You’ll not serve Him. 55 00:04:45,371 --> 00:04:47,740 He will serve you. 56 00:04:47,741 --> 00:04:50,670 Is that viśvāsa? 57 00:04:50,671 --> 00:04:53,630 “Whatever nonsense I do, Kṛṣṇa will support.” 58 00:04:53,631 --> 00:05:01,290 Is that viśvāsa? 59 00:05:01,291 --> 00:05:29,520 Viśvāsa means “What Kṛṣṇa says, I shall do.” That is viśvāsa. 60 00:05:29,521 --> 00:05:37,720 That has been impressed at the modern age, that “Whatever I do, 61 00:05:37,721 --> 00:05:41,630 Kṛṣṇa will accept it.” 62 00:05:41,631 --> 00:05:43,050 Is it not? 63 00:05:43,051 --> 00:05:45,900 Do you mean viśvāsa means this, 64 00:05:45,901 --> 00:05:50,050 that “Whatever nonsense you do, Kṛṣṇa will accept”? 65 00:05:50,051 --> 00:05:55,630 Do you mean viśvāsa means this? Then what is viśvāsa? Explain. 66 00:05:55,631 --> 00:05:58,651 “Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, I will do,” that is viśvāsa. 67 00:05:58,652 --> 00:06:01,871 Or “Whatever nonsense I do, Kṛṣṇa will favor”? 68 00:06:01,872 --> 00:06:04,731 Which one viśvāsa? 69 00:06:04,732 --> 00:06:12,051 What do you mean…? Huh? There is one pervading Supreme Soul. 70 00:06:12,052 --> 00:06:17,151 What is that pervading? What do you mean by that? 71 00:06:17,152 --> 00:06:20,731 Plain explain. 72 00:06:20,732 --> 00:06:26,541 What do you mean by viśvāsa? Explain. 73 00:06:26,542 --> 00:06:29,271 Faith in God. Faith in God. 74 00:06:29,272 --> 00:06:32,721 Then hear what God says. 75 00:06:32,722 --> 00:06:42,601 That is… I am speaking that “What Kṛṣṇa says, you do it.” That is viśvāsa. 76 00:06:42,602 --> 00:06:46,611 And if you do otherwise, where is viśvāsa? 77 00:06:46,612 --> 00:06:50,421 Hm? 78 00:06:50,422 --> 00:06:56,281 Viśvāsa means… I say, “Mr. such and such, do this.” 79 00:06:56,282 --> 00:06:58,841 If you have faith in me, you will do this. 80 00:06:58,842 --> 00:07:02,791 That is viśvāsa. 81 00:07:02,792 --> 00:07:07,721 And if you do otherwise, where is your viśvāsa? 82 00:07:07,722 --> 00:07:27,681 “You have no faith in Me.” 83 00:07:27,682 --> 00:07:33,291 Now people have degraded so much that they think, “This is viśvāsa. 84 00:07:33,292 --> 00:07:36,812 Anything I accept as God is God.” [splice] 85 00:07:36,813 --> 00:07:42,092 So if you take this, that Kṛṣṇa is the beginning of everything— 86 00:07:42,093 --> 00:07:46,052 iti matvā—by understanding this, 87 00:07:46,053 --> 00:07:53,652 if anyone engages himself in kṛṣṇa- bhakti, bhajante mām, that is bhakti. 88 00:07:53,653 --> 00:07:56,022 Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. 89 00:07:56,023 --> 00:08:02,882 He has come immediately to the bhāva stage. 90 00:08:02,883 --> 00:08:04,222 Means he’s budhāḥ. 91 00:08:04,223 --> 00:08:12,262 He is actual… He has actually understood the thing. 92 00:08:12,263 --> 00:08:15,432 So that is viśvāsa. 93 00:08:15,433 --> 00:08:20,342 In Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said viśvāsa… 94 00:08:20,343 --> 00:08:24,002 Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya, 95 00:08:24,003 --> 00:08:29,002 kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62]. 96 00:08:29,003 --> 00:08:38,112 kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya This is viśvāsa. 97 00:08:38,113 --> 00:08:41,332 Kṛṣṇa says, Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. 98 00:08:41,333 --> 00:08:44,152 I am thinking, “I have got so many other things. 99 00:08:44,153 --> 00:08:45,902 Simply why shall I surrender?” 100 00:08:45,903 --> 00:08:50,122 That is not viśvāsa. 101 00:08:50,123 --> 00:08:52,002 Viśvāsa means “Kṛṣṇa says, 102 00:08:52,003 --> 00:08:55,582 ‘sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ.’ [Bg. 18.66] I’ll accept.” 103 00:08:55,583 --> 00:09:02,922 kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva- karma kṛta That is viśvāsa. 104 00:09:02,923 --> 00:09:05,203 Sudṛḍha niścaya. 105 00:09:05,204 --> 00:09:08,633 śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya, 106 00:09:08,634 --> 00:09:13,343 kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya That is viśvāsa. 107 00:09:13,344 --> 00:09:19,613 That viśvāsa wanted, not that I manufacture something. 108 00:09:19,614 --> 00:09:22,233 It is useless. 109 00:09:22,234 --> 00:09:37,293 moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ [Bg. 9.12] That is hopeless. 110 00:09:37,294 --> 00:09:43,943 What Kṛṣṇa says, if you believe firmly, then it is viśvāsa. 111 00:09:43,944 --> 00:09:44,503 Dṛḍha-vrata. 112 00:09:44,504 --> 00:10:07,963 And execute, determination. Then you get the result. 113 00:10:07,964 --> 00:10:27,043 Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19]. Such mahātmā is very rare. 114 00:10:27,044 --> 00:10:31,243 And nowadays mahātmā means one who does not know anything about Kṛṣṇa, 115 00:10:31,244 --> 00:10:37,663 speaks all nonsense. He is mahātmā. 116 00:10:37,664 --> 00:10:44,843 “Because we stamp somebody, mahātmā, therefore he is mahātmā. 117 00:10:44,844 --> 00:10:56,893 Find out this verse, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim. 118 00:10:56,894 --> 00:11:00,623 SATSVARŪPA: Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ 119 00:11:00,624 --> 00:11:09,513 bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam [Bg. 9.13]. 120 00:11:09,514 --> 00:11:12,673 “O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, 121 00:11:12,674 --> 00:11:17,183 the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. 122 00:11:17,184 --> 00:11:19,984 They are fully engaged in devotional service 123 00:11:19,985 --> 00:11:24,114 because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, 124 00:11:24,115 --> 00:11:28,004 original and inexhaustible.” 125 00:11:28,005 --> 00:11:29,604 This is mahātmā. 126 00:11:29,605 --> 00:11:31,334 Is there any purport? 127 00:11:31,335 --> 00:11:32,404 Yes. 128 00:11:32,405 --> 00:11:36,694 “In this verse the description of mahātmā is clearly given. 129 00:11:36,695 --> 00:11:43,304 The first sign of the mahātmā is that he is already situated in the divine nature. 130 00:11:43,305 --> 00:11:46,824 He is not under the control of material nature. 131 00:11:46,825 --> 00:11:49,054 And how is this effected? 132 00:11:49,055 --> 00:11:51,934 That is explained in the Seventh Chapter. 133 00:11:51,935 --> 00:11:57,034 One who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, 134 00:11:57,035 --> 00:12:01,084 at once becomes freed from the control of material nature. 135 00:12:01,085 --> 00:12:03,304 That is the qualification.” 136 00:12:03,305 --> 00:12:10,634 mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti 137 00:12:10,635 --> 00:12:14,274 “One can become free from the control of material nature 138 00:12:14,275 --> 00:12:18,884 as soon as he surrenders his soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 139 00:12:18,885 --> 00:12:23,335 That is the preliminary formula. Being marginal potency, 140 00:12:23,336 --> 00:12:27,705 as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material nature, 141 00:12:27,706 --> 00:12:31,005 he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. 142 00:12:31,006 --> 00:12:37,845 The guidance of the spiritual nature is called daivīṁ prakṛtim, divine nature. 143 00:12:37,846 --> 00:12:40,625 So when one is promoted in that way 144 00:12:40,626 --> 00:12:43,825 by surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, 145 00:12:43,826 --> 00:12:48,245 one attains to the stage of a great soul, mahātmā. 146 00:12:48,246 --> 00:12:53,305 The mahātmā does not divert his attention to anything outside Kṛṣṇa 147 00:12:53,306 --> 00:12:58,045 because he knows perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, 148 00:12:58,046 --> 00:12:59,795 the cause of all causes. 149 00:12:59,796 --> 00:13:01,885 There is no doubt about it. 150 00:13:01,886 --> 00:13:07,055 Such a mahātmā or great soul develops through association with other mahātmās, 151 00:13:07,056 --> 00:13:12,557 pure devotees. 152 00:13:12,558 --> 00:13:12,559 Subtitles by Gaurāṅga Sundara Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com