Pandal Lecture
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bombay, April 10, 1971

Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana prayers) Ladies and gentlemen, (applause) we thank you very much for your kindly coming here and participating in this noble movement of Krsna consciousness, or sankirtana movement. You’ll be very glad to know that today I have received one letter from my disciple, Sriman Krsnadasa adhikari, the in-charge-of, commander, matha-command, or temple command, of West Berlin. He was negotiating with Russian Cultural Society, and one very important professor, he has invited us to lecture in Russia. (applause) So very soon I shall be going to Russia with some of my disciples. (applause)

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupada: So gradually it will be realized that Krsna is for everyone. Don’t take Krsna as Indian or Hindu. Don’t limit Krsna’s activities. Krsna is unlimited, Krsna’s activities are unlimited, Krsna’s devotees are unlimited, and Krsna’s field of activities, unlimited. So Krsna says, yayedam dharyate jagat. (aside:) Why it is not working? Huh?

Devotee: The power is dead.

Prabhupada:

apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat

Yaya. Prakrti. Prakrti, the energy. Energy is feminine gender; therefore it is stated here yaya. Dharyate jagat. We are, we living entities, we are superior energy, and the matter is inferior energy. Therefore dharyate. We are enjoying or we are capturing this material energy. We are using in so many ways. Sayatana (?). Just (like) I am sitting on this material cushion or sitting on the material floor, using this material microphone or having material bedstead, car. In so many ways we are enjoying this material world, yaya. The same prakrti. Both of them are prakrtis, energy. One energy is called superior, and another energy is called inferior. Matter is inferior, and the living entities are superior. But in relationship with Krsna, both of them are energies. The energies in their particular field of activities, superior or inferior… But still, in connection with Krsna, because Krsna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, for Him, there is no such distinction, superior and inferior.

Visnu Purana therefore says, visnu-saktih para. Originally, the energy of Krsna is transcendental, spiritual.

visnu-saktih para prokta ksetrajnakhya tatha para avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir isyate [Cc. Madhya 6.154]

So Krsna can change superior energy into inferior energy and inferior energy into superior energy. That is His omnipotency. As such, when Krsna appears within this material world, even though He assumes a so-called material body, according to the Mayavadi philosophers, that is not material. He can change into spiritual. That is His omnipotency. Sambhavamy atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.6] Just like the electrical engineer, the same electrical energy, he can use it for refrigerator and he can use it for heater. It is his manipulation. Similarly, Krsna, by His Krsna consciousness movement, He can turn this material world into spiritual world simply by changing the consciousness. That is in His power. Therefore anything in Krsna consciousness should not be considered as material.

prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah mumuksubhih parityago phalgu-vairagyam kathyate

That anything… Take for example, just like Mayavadi philosopher, they say brahma satyam jagan mithya. But jagat, not mithya, but temporary. And still, even if it is mithya, false, it can be turned into truth by this Krsna consciousness movement. That is possible. Nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate. So this Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that it can transform the matter into spirit. How? Not transform, but the faith or feature is changed. Consciousness is changed. The same example as we have several times recited, that you take an iron rod, put into the fire. It becomes warm, warmer. But when it is red hot, it is no longer iron; it is fire. If you touch that rod, hot iron, in any place, it will burn. Similarly, Vaisnava, by his spiritual advancement in Krsna consciousness, makes the whole body spiritualized. Just try to understand the same example. By developing your Krsna consciousness, you can make your body spiritualized, completely forgetting all material activities. Yayedam dharyate jagat.

Then Krsna says,

etad-yonini bhutani sarvani iti upadharaya aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha

So Krsna is the original cause of the material energy, the spiritual energy. And by combination of this material energy and spiritual energy, the whole cosmic manifestation is there. There are two kinds of energies working. Everyone can experience. Just like in my body, I am the spirit soul, and the body is matter, material. When combined together it is working wonderfully. A man is becoming a great leader, a great scientist, a great philosopher, how? So long the spiritual spark is there. As soon as the spiritual spark is gone, the same very body is no longer a great leader, a great scientist, or great philosopher. So both these energies are products of Krsna’s body. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god also. We get it from Bhagavad-gita. In the Fourth Chapter there is mention of the sun- god: imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam, vivasvate [Bg. 4.1]. Vivasvan is the name of the sun-god. At present, the predominating leader, or the principle deity, in the sun planet is called Vivasvan. So he’s a person. He’s a person, and his globe is the sun globe. And from the sun globe, there is sunshine. Similarly, there is a planet which is known as Goloka Vrndavana. In the spiritual world there are millions of planets there. As we have got millions of planets here in this material world, millions of universes, similarly, the spiritual world there are millions of planets, globes, which are called Vaikunthalokas. And the topmost of the Vaikunthalokas is called Goloka Vrndavana or Krsnaloka. That is the original abode of Lord Krsna. And from that globe, there is effulgence, which is bodily effulgence of Krsna. We get this information from Brahma-samhita: yasya prabha prabhavato jagadanda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasya prabha. The brahmajyoti is the bodily effulgence of Lord Krsna. Exactly the sunshine is the bodily effulgence of Vivasvan, it is being emanating, it is emanating from the sun globe, similarly, the brahmajyoti is emanating from Krsnaloka. And in that Krsna, Brahman effulgence, so many universes and so many Vaikuntha planets are growing exactly the same way as so many planets have grown from the sunshine. This is scientific.

So how Krsna is aham sarvasya prabhavah, you can understand it. If you study, if you take information from Vedic literature, if you attentively think over it, you’ll very easily understand that everything is produced out of Krsna’s bodily effulgence or energy. Krsna also personally says here,

etad-yonini bhutani sarvani iti upadharaya aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha

Aham: “I am.” The Mayavadi philosophers cannot accommodate this idea, how a person can be the cause of creation, maintenance, and annihilation. But Krsna here says that aham krtsnasya. Aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha. Therefore Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7], because He is the origin of all energies. We have already understood that the whole manifestation is nothing but, I mean to say, demonstration of the different types of energies of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed in the Vedas: parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. The Absolute Truth has varieties of energies, and they are so perfect and so perfectly working that it appears…Svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. You take a flower, nice flower, how it is nicely painted, how it is symmetrically colored. But it is sprouting from the bud automatically. So we are seeing that if flower is coming out automatically… There is no such thing automatically. It is Krsna’s energy which is working there. It is Krsna’s energy. And if the energies are so perfect that we see that it is working automatically, that is because our energy is so limited. If I want to paint one nice flower, I have to arrange for so many things. I have to arrange for the colors, I have to arrange for the brush. I must have the requisite knowledge how to paint it. I have to devote some time for learning how to paint, then actually paint. So many things required. But Krsna’s energies are so perfect that it appears, svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. Flowers automatically. That we have to study. And when you concentrate in that study with bhava, then you can understand Krsna, how He is working, how He is the original source of everything. That requires little brain.

Therefore unless one has got very fine brain, he cannot understand Krsna. Gross brain cannot understand. In order to make our brain and senses very purified and fine, we have to take to devotional service. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. That fine brain and purified senses can be achieved. Just like you can get relief from diseased condition of life, similarly, the brain is already there; it will become finer, it will become subtler to understand Krsna when we are able to give up our all material designations. At the present moment I am thinking, feeling, and willing under different designations. I am thinking, “I am this body.” I am thinking, “I am Indian.” I am thinking, “I am American,” “I am Russian,” “I am Pakistani.” These are upadhis. But if you practice devotional service, Krsna consciousness, then you become free from this contamination of designation. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam means completely freed from all dirty things. These are all dirty things. As soon as I think that “I am this, I am that, I am that…” Just like in the Bhagavad-gita we have understood that the body is simply just like a dress. So suppose I am dressed in orange color robes. If I think, “I am orange color,” is that very nice intelligence? Similarly, as soon as I think in terms of my body, in my nationality, in my creed, in my being—they are all designations. So purification of the senses made by devotional service, bhakti-yogena, nirmalam… That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam also:

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati [SB 1.2.19]

nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]

By daily, regular study or serving Srimad-Bhagavatam, anything in relationship with Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead… Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. These abhadras, this designations, can be eradicated simply by regular service to Bhagavatam. Bhagavatam means the person who is a devotee, he is also bhagavata, and the literatures which describe about Krsna, that is also bhagavata. So we have to associate with devotees. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. If you associate with devotees, with pure devotees… And who is a pure devotee?

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [BRS 1.1.11]

Those who are executing devotional service without any material desire. Not that I render service to Krsna to fulfill some material desires. That is not pure devotee. Pure devotion is anukulyena krsnanu-silanam: [Madhya 19.167] simply take to such work and activities which will favorably dispose Krsna. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya samsiddhim labhate param. Svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13] As soon as we simply take to such activities as will please the Supreme Personality of Lord, Personality of Godhead… Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Madhya 19.167]. Anukulyena. As Krsna becomes favorably inclined, we have to please Krsna. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13].

So we do not know what is Hari, what is God, what is Krsna, and what is our activity to please Him. That we have to learn. That we have to learn satam prasangat, by association with devotees. Satam prasangat. Just like if you are a businessman, suppose a sharebroker, if you are a member of the stock exchange, your business is flourishing. You get more opportunities. The scientists, they make some association. Every particular… The lawyers, they make an association, Bar Association. That is needed. The engineer, they make an association. The doctors, they make a medical club. Similarly, if you have to learn Krsna consciousness, then you have to admit yourself with the society for Krsna consciousness. That is necessary. Satam prasangat mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Unless you associate with practical devotees, you cannot understand or you cannot relish the transcendental nature of Lord Krsna. Bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah. Pleasing, rasayanah. Relishing some mellows, transcendental mellows. How? Satam prasangat. Simply in the association. Sadhu-sange sato vrtte. Rupa Gosvami instructs that,

utsahan dhairyat niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat sadhu-sange sato vrtteh sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati

If you actually…, if you are actually serious to understand Krsna consciousness, then you must be very much energetic, utsahan: “Yes, I shall learn this art verily in this life.” You must be fixed up, drdha-vratah. In the Bhagavad-gita it is called drdha-vratah. Bhajanti mam drdha-vratah. That determination should be “Yes.” Just like Dhruva Maharaja, five-years-old boy. Narada Maharaja said, “My dear boy, you are king’s son. You cannot undergo so much severe austerity. Why you are feeling so much insulted by your stepmother? Please go home.” And Dhruva Maharaja replied, “My dear sir, what you are saying is all right. But I am a son of ksatriya. I am unpolite. I cannot accept your advice. I must see God. Please show me the way how I can get Him.” That is determination, a five- years-old boy saying, “I must see God in this life. If you know something, how to do it, please explain that. Don’t try to deviate me.” That is determination.

So that determination means utsaha, “I must.” That is necessary. Not that “When Krsna is merciful, then I shall do.” Krsna is already merciful. But if we do not take it, then what Krsna will do? Krsna does not touch on your little individuality or little independence. So therefore we have… Just like when we earn money, we are very enthusiastic, similarly, if we want Krsna consciousness, if we want to earn that position, go back to home, back to Godhead, we must be very much enthusiastic, utsahan. And dhairyat. Dhairyat means patience. “Oh, I am executing Krsna consciousness according to the rules and regulations. Still, I am not yet perfect?” So don’t be impatient. Be patient. The example is that any woman desires a child. So when she is married, it is supposed that she will get a child. But if she wants immediately child after being married, that is not possible. She must be patient, then in due course she will be pregnant and there will be child. Similarly, if we are patient, at the same time, very much energetic, utsahad dhairyat, and tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. But we must take to the regulative principles by which we can make advance in Krsna consciousness. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanat sato vrtteh. And our occupation should be very nice, honest. Sadhu-sange, the sadhu-sange, in the association of devotees. These six things: utsahad dhairyat niscayad and sato vrtteh, sadhu-sanga, tat-tat-karma. These six kinds of devotional service will make you perfect. Sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati. These six kinds of activities will make your devotional service perfect. Anything, if you want to do, if you want to learn, there are different regulative principles, anywhere. So similarly, for understanding Krsna consciousness, for entering into the kingdom of Krsna, we have to adopt this means. And similarly, there are counteractivities also. The counteractivities also kill our Krsna consciousness. So we have to be very cautious not to accept the counteractivities, but we have to take the favorable activities. Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Madhya 19.167]

So Krsna says that,

mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva [Bg. 7.7]

“Everything is resting on Me just like the pearls are remaining on the thread.” Krsna is the thread, and all these universes, all this cosmic manifestation and their different activities in different planets, they are all resting on the thread of Krsna. Therefore He is the original source of everything. How you can accept Krsna as ordinary man? I do not know. Avajananti mam mudhah. They are described as mudhas. They do not know. Although it is all explained here in the Bhagavad-gita, but they will not accept Krsna in that way. They will manufacture a different way of understanding Krsna. Therefore they are deviated. Therefore, after studying thousand times Bhagavad-gita, they are as in darkness as they were in the beginning. That is the result. But if you take Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any malinterpretation, without exercising your brain to manufacture something out of Bhagavad-gita, then naturally you become Krsna conscious and our life is successful. Here it is stated, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] “There is no more superior factor than Me.” Then how we can think of Krsna as ordinary human being? What is your answer? How do you form such idea? These are the challenges by Krsna. And I cannot understand how Krsna is accepted as ordinary person. Then either you don’t believe in Bhagavad-gita… That is a different thing. But don’t try to malinterpret, wrongly interpret Bhagavad-gita in your own way. That will not help you. You can propound your own philosophy as you like. Everyone has got the right. Nasau munir yasya matam na bhinnam: “One cannot be a philosopher, muni, thoughtful man, unless he has got a different philosophy.” That’s a fact. Everyone wants to propound a type of philosophical method and tries to become famous. That is the natural way. But you make your philosophical presentation in different way. You have got right. But don’t try to interpret in Bhagavad-gita in your own way. That cannot be accepted. And that will not give you the effect of Bhagavad-gita. You have to accept Bhagavad-gita as it is.

Our, this Krsna consciousness movement, we are not presenting Krsna in a different way. Our only method is to present Krsna as He is. That is our… If there is any credit for this Krsna consciousness movement or for us, now, our credit is that we are not adulterating Bhagavad-gita. We are simply presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. And by Krsna’s grace it is being understood very easily all over the world, and they are accepting it, that one God, Krsna; one philosophy, Bhagavad-gita; and one hymn, Hare Krsna mantra; and one nation, Krsna conscious people. Just push this movement and the world will be happy. Don’t create God: “Here is a incarnation of Krsna.” Sometimes we accept somebody as God because he says that “I am the same Krsna. I am the same Rama,” believing on his word. All right, accept that he may be the same Rama and same Krsna. But when Krsna is there, why should we accept an imitation Krsna? Why? Suppose if you go to purchase some medicine in a drug shop and the shopkeeper says, “Here is a medicine, sir, which is equally good, but the price is very cheap. You can take it,” and if you are sane man, you will say, “No, no. I don’t want it. Give me that original. Why shall I take this? Let it be cheaper, but I don’t want it.” Similarly, why should we accept so-called incarnation of Krsna? We should accept Krsna, original Krsna. Original Krsna is there. Krsna and Krsna’s words are identical. When you read Bhagavad-gita, you are exactly in front of Krsna, as Arjuna was in front of Krsna while Krsna was personally speaking. That is transcendental nature of Krsna. Why He has left this instruction? Because if we accept the teachings of Krsna, Bhagavad-gita, immediately we are in presence of Krsna. Just like the other day I cited the example of the illiterate brahmana. So that is transcendental way of understanding Krsna. Take this formula. Krsna says here that everything that is working in this material or spiritual world, they are different energies of Krsna. He is the original source of creation, He is the original source of maintenance, and He is the original source of annihilation. Therefore nobody is greater than Him. Mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. Na anyat: “There is no other greater elevated.” Kincid asti: “Not even one.” You cannot say, “Here is something which is greater than Krsna.” That is not possible. Na anyat kincid asti dhananjaya, mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva. Just like in your necklace, pearl necklace, all the pearls are situated in the thread, similarly, Krsna is the thread and everything existing… This will be explained more explicitly in the Thirteenth Chapter.

maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesv avasthitah

So all the sastric conclusion is… Now, so far the universes are concerned, that is also stated in the Brahma-samhita:

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.48]

So Govinda, the adi-purusa, whose plenary portion is Maha-Visnu. And what is Maha-Visnu’s activity? That He is lying on the Causal Ocean, and while He is breathing, with His breathing only, innumerable universes are coming out. And innumerable universes are going into Him. In this way He is sleeping. That Maha-Visnu is the plenary portion of Krsna. So we have to believe in the sastras, and there is no other way for understanding Krsna. What is beyond our imagination, beyond our mental cultivation, beyond the reach of our senses, we have to accept authority. Exactly in the same way, just like we have to accept somebody as our father simply on the version of mother, similarly, we have no information of Krsna, but we have got Krsna’s books, we have got Vedic literatures, and if we study… Sastra-caksusat: you have to see through the sastras. Then you will understand Krsna and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (applause) (end)