RC COL 1969-05-10 Follow Christ or Buddha or Krishna --etc
ANNOUNCER: Next is a conversation,
with with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
recorded on May 10th, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio.
PRABHUPĀDA: Material consciousness means thinking falsely independent.
That is material consciousness.
Falsely.
He is not independent, but he is thinking falsely, “I am [independent].”
This is māyā.
Just like in dream he is falsely thinking there is a tiger.
There is no tiger, but he is actuated by this false impression, “Oh, tiger is eating me.
It has attacked me.
Save me.”
So this material existence means because he is insane,
he is thinking there are so many problems:
“The tiger is there; he is attacking me; this, that, or so many enemies, friends also…,”
Creating so many things.
But they’re all false.
But he is attacked by that false hallucination; that’s all.
This is māyā.
Everyone is thinking, “Oh, there are so many problems I have to solve.
I have to make this, make that, this, so many.”
But he has no problem.
He has no problem.
His only problem is to… how to accept Kṛṣṇa.
That’s all.
And Kṛṣṇa is so kind.
He says, “Yes, you accept Me; simply chant Kṛṣṇa; I am yours; that’s all.”
But my… I am so misfortunate that I cannot chant even.
All problems solved simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa.
Etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavān [Cc. Antya 20.16]; Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches this:
“So, Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind
that You have come to Me in the sound vibration—word, ‘Kṛṣṇa.’
I can very easily chant, and You remain with Me,
but I am so misfortunate that I have no attraction even for this.”
You say people, “You chant Kṛṣṇa; you get everything;” they will not believe it.
If you say, “You press your nose; you pay me fifty dollars; I’ll give some you
nice mantra and this, that; you’ll make your head like this,
leg like this,” “Oh,” he’ll say, “here is something.”
Something.
“And this Swamiji says, ‘Simply chant Kṛṣṇa;’ oh, what is this?”
Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,
etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavān mamāpi durdaivam… [Cc. Antya 20.16]:
“But I am so unfortunate that You have become so easily available in this age,
but I am so unfortunate, I cannot accept it.”
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness so easily being distributed,
but they are so unfortunate, they cannot accept.
Just see.
And you give them bluff; you cheat them; they will, “Ah, yes, welcome; yes.”
They welcome it.
And cheaters are always ready: “Oh, there are so many customers for being cheated.
Let me take advantage of it.”
So my Guru Mahārāja used to say,
“This world is the society of cheaters and cheated.”
The members are [somebody] are cheating, and somebody are cheated.
The association of cheaters and cheated.
So we want to save them from this society of cheaters and cheated.
JANĀRDANA: Prabhupāda, often when we’ll be performing, doing something…
some activity in the a… during our day, and so many things will go wrong,
and we become frustrated…
Well, when one is a professional, there may be something wrong.
That doesn’t matter, but you try to discharge your duties, rightly:
Whatever you are prescribed to do.
Then everything will come to the right point.
Yours only business is to follow the four principles of regulative way… life
and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa sixteen rounds.
So there may be sometimes mistake.
That will be corrected automatically.
Because we are coming from a different platform, so it may be.
And that is also said in the Bha…: Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk,
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]
“If one is found doing mistake or doing something wrong,
but because he is sticking to this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is sādhu.”
Sādhu means a holy man.
He is holy.
He is not doing any wrong consciously.
But due to habit…
Suppose just like: Most of you… your… ah…
In your former life, you were smoking or taking intoxication.
But by some influence, if you sometimes take to it, yes, if you are conscious,
“Oh, I have done wrong,” but that is excused if you have done unconscious.
But if you think that “Now I am Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Whatever I do, it is right,” then it is great sin.
But accidentally it happens: That is excused.
Never mind.
So accidental mistake… mistake is not dangerous.
Willful mistake is dangerous.
That we should be careful.
We should be very careful always
so that accidental mistakes also may not take place,
but if it takes place, it is excused.
GUEST: Can haṭha-yoga hinder or help Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or is it…?
- Hinder. - Hinder.
Yes, because it is useless, simply wasting time.
You cannot perform haṭha-yoga in this age.
You do not follow the rules and regulations.
You are simply bluffed.
Do you know what is the rules and regulations of haṭha-yoga factually?
- Not actually. - Yes.
You have to select a secluded place.
Haṭha-yoga is not practiced in assembly of so many men.
Just you go to a haṭha-yoga class.
There are hundreds of members practicing, and he is collecting money:
Five dollars per seat, and you are thinking, “I am practicing.”
That is useless waste of time and money.
Haṭha-yoga is not practiced in that way; you have to practice in a secluded place:
Alone.
Do you do that?
Yes, not… No, I guess I don’t.
It is very difficult in this age.
Then you have to restrain yourself in so many things.
Complete free from sex life.
You have to eat under certain direction, you have to… So many things there are.
These rules are not followed.
Simply they have got some bodily gymnastic sitting posture.
They are thinking, “I am practicing.”
No.
That is one of the items.
So all the items cannot be observed in this age.
Therefore it is wasting. [Break]
“…who always abides in Me with great faith,
worshiping Me in transcendental loving service
is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”
This is the goal of yoga practice.
So, that is possible very easily by this movement: Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Not by any other process.
And the ultimate goal is here.
One should be always abiding with God, worshiping Him,
[transcendental] loving…
transcendental service, and intimately united with Him.
Intimately.
This intimate unit… unity means that five kinds of relationship.
That is the perfection of yoga.
This is the…
When Kṛṣṇa has advised yoga practice: Sāṅkhya-yoga…
You have Bhagavad-gītā?
There is sāṅkhya-yoga.
You’ll find in the forty-seventh verse.
This is the version.
There’s… There’s no value in keeping the body fit through exercise?
Huh?
There’s no value in keeping the body fit through exercise?
Yes, you can become very healthy.
But does it mean that he… healthy [is] the perfection of life?
Do you mean to say healthy life: You will not die—will not change his body?
So health is required, but health is not the ultimate goal of life.
Ultimate goal of life is here.
GUEST (2): [indistinct] Buddha taught very similar things
to what the Gītā taught also, didn’t he?
Are there agreeances there?
In agreement in certain places with what Buddha taught and what the Gītā teaches?
Do you follow the Buddha?
Ah… No.
A simple talk of him?
To practice Buddha you have [to] appreciate him. [splice]
“Jack of all trade; master of none.”
That is not good.
Be master of something.
It doesn’t differ.
Either you follow Lord Jesus Christ or Lord Buddha or Kṛṣṇa: It doesn’t matter much.
But do it perfectly.
That is our request.
Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com