The Nectar of Devotion Madhavananda: (reading:) “It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vasudeva, knowing perfectly well that Krsna (Vasudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore he sticks to the lotus feet of Krsna and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Krsna, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Krsna for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahatmas. “Without being elevated to the position of jnani, or wise man, no one can stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others who are less intelli…” Prabhupada: This tulasi. big plant, while passing it should not touch your cloth. It is not ordinary plant. Very careful. Or it should not be kept there. Be careful. Go on. Madhavananda: “Others, who are less intelligent, or those whose intelligence has been taken away by the spell of maya, are attached to different demigods on account of the influence of the modes of nature. The wise man is he who has clearly understood that he is not…, that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and that Krsna is the Supreme Spirit, he knows that his intimate relationships should be with Krsna, not with this body. The distressed and the man who wants money are in the material concept of life because distress and need of money are both in relationship with this body. One who is inquisitive may be a little above the distressed and the man in need of money, but still he is on the material platform. But a wise man who seeks Krsna knows perfectly well that he is spirit soul, or Brahman, and that Krsna is the supreme spirit soul, or Parabrahman. He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite…” Prabhupada: Where it is? Madhavananda: At the bottom of thirty-one. Prabhupada: Eh? Thirty-one? Madhavananda: At the bottom of the page. Prabhupada: Go on. Madhavananda: “He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite, should always dovetail himself with the infinite and supreme soul, Krsna. That is the relationship of the wise man with Krsna. “It can be concluded that a person who is freed from the bodily concept of life is an eligible candidate for pure devotional service.” Prabhupada: “It can be concluded that a person who is freed from the bodily concept of life is an eligible candidate for pure devotional service.” People generally think that by, through devotional service, one rises to the platform of Brahman-jnana, nirbheda brahmanu-sandhana. Even the so-called devotees—they are called sahajiyas— their ultimate goal is to merge into the existence of Brahman. That Rajani Sena, Bombay, he’s also preaching in that way. And their process is very abominable. The, the sahajiyas, they also think like that, that by sex one can rise to that platform of merging into the effulgence of Brahman. Even Vivekananda was talking that “This Vaisnava religion is a religion of sex.” They have been so much misrepresented. By sexual indulgence, one can become one with the Supreme. This is their theory, very dangerous theory. Therefore these sahajiyas are amongst the thirteen rejected apa-sampradayas. In the name of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there are so many apa-sampradayas. Apa-sampradaya means they present themselves as belonging to the Caitanya cult. But they are not at all bona fide. They are rejected. [break] Even such sahajiyas, they would not read even Bhagavad-gita. They think themselves that they are so, I mean to say, elevated, they have surpassed reading of Bhagavad-gita. Similarly there are sahajiyas, they also say that kirtana is not required for them. Kirtana, one who has very much advanced, he doesn’t require to chant Hare Krsna. I have heard it. But the [break] …begins from kirtana. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. Sastra says, kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21] So in this age, especially in Kali-yuga, one who does not join in the kirtana, he’s not a devotee at all. He’s outside, bahir anga, bahir-artha-maninah. This sravana kirtana is the first business of devotee. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23] Those who are actually devotees… Caitanya Mahaprabhu always engaged in kirtana. He advised, kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. It is not that one who is advanced, he hasn’t, hasn’t got to take part in kirtana. That is nonsense. Sada. Sada means always, whether you are advanced or not advanced. Kirtaniyah sada harih. Sravanam, sravanam kirtanam. Kirtana, as, unless one hears, how he can… Kirtana also… Speaking (is) also kirtana. But unless one is hea…, hearing, how he can speak? Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam… [SB 7.5.23]. These are nine different processes, and our Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, following the footsteps of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, their principal business is this kirtana, hari-kirtana: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna… Kirtanad eva krsnasya. It is in Bhagavata, it is said: kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. Unless one is enthusiastic in sravanam kirtana, especially kirtana…, kirtanad eva krsnasya… There are… Talking of Krsna, that is also kirtana. But especially for the general… For everyone. Why general? Everyone. Caitanya Mahaprabhu—who can be more advanced than Caitanya Mahaprabhu?—He was daily joining in kirtana. Four hours daily at Jagannatha Puri temple. It was a regular program. Not only that: He organized four parties, four parties, sixteen men in each party. So the four parties in four directions, they’ll perform kirtana, and in every party Caitanya Mahaprabhu seemed to be, He’s present in every party. That was another opulence of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So He has recommended, trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31] One should be very tolerant and humble and giving respect to anyone, not expecting any respect for oneself. Such person can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra sada, always. Kirtaniyah sada harih. Go on. Madhavananda: “It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that after Brahman realization, when one is freed from material anxieties and can see every living entity on an equal level, he is eligible to enter into devotional service. “As has been stated before, there…” Prabhupada: “When one is free from material anxiety.” Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54] That is the stage of free from anxieties. If I’ve got some anxieties for maintaining or some way or other, any anxieties, he cannot perfectly chant kirtana. But even though one is full of anxieties, if he takes to kirtana, then ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], his unclean heart becomes cleansed, and the more the heart becomes cleansed, he becomes anxiety-less. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. Unless our dirty heart is cleansed by the chanting process… By the chanting process, the dirty heart or consciousness or mind will be cleansed. This is the formula given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. So long we are in dirty heart, dirty, polluted mind, there is no question of anxiety-less. That is required. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. One who is God-realized, one who is advanced in spiritual life, he will be anxiety-less, prasannatma. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. Bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. One who is practicing Bhagavad-yoga, then this is the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is the verdict of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate [SB 1.2.20] The process is one must be free from anxiety. And how one can become free from anxiety unless one is realized Brahman soul, realized soul, brahma-bhutah? There are one after another. So evam prasanna-manaso. Without being anxiety-less, nobody can understand the science of God. This is the verdict of Bhagavad, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20] One who has executed the process of bhagavad-bhakti according to the rules and regulations, sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], he’ll be prasanna-manaso. The same thing, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita: brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. The Bhagavata says, evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah, bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam [SB 1.2.20]. Bhagavat-tattva, the science of God, is a vijnana. It is a science. It is not sentiment. Sentiment: I close my eyes and shed some tears, and then I go for smoking cigarette. That sentiment will not help us. It is a science. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. Yei krsna-tattva-vetta. One who knows the science of Krsna, he can become guru. Prthivim sa sisyat. He can make disciples all over the world. Prthivim sa sisyat. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirmed it: kiba vipra kiba sudra nyasi kena naya yei krsna-tattva(-vetta) sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128] It doesn’t matter whether one is a grhastha or one is a sannyasi or one is a brahmana or not brahmana. It doesn’t matter. Because this is not the science of this physiological ana…, anatomical science, or cobbler’s science. Cobbler’s science means cobbler knows what kind of skin it is. It is not like that. Neither cobbler’s science nor anatomical science or physiological science. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. It is another science. So anyone who is well-versed in bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam, he’s, he can become guru. Not others. And in many places this is confirmed, that sat-karma-nipuno vipro. A brahmana, very well expert in his business… Brahmana’s business means sat-karma, six kinds of karma. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. A brahmana must be very learned scholar. Brahmana pandita. He must be scholar. Scholar means not ordinary, but in transcendental science. Tad vijnanam. So pathana pathana. And he must be expert teacher also. He should not… Actually in our India, formerly, the brahmanas, they usually become teachers. In any village, a brahmana has no other business. He sits down. He’s called catuspathi, the higher scholars. But for ordinary also. A brahmana… Guru-maharsayah. We studied under guru maharsayah in our childhood. Patha sala. So anywhere a brahmana can sit down and the village boys, small boys, children would come there. He doesn’t charge anything, but their father, mother sends everything—rice, dahl, cloth. So he has no much demand for bodily necessities. This was pathana. This is brahmana. Brahmana should not accept any service. Formerly Sanatana Gosvami, because he accepted the service of Nawab Hussein Shah, he was rejected from the brahmana society. In the Bhagavata also it is stated if a brahmana is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a ksatriya or a vaisya, but never of a sudra. Sudra has been described there as dog. A dog, without having a master, he cannot live very nicely. Street dog is very wretched, but a dog under the care of a good master is very healthy and very happy. Similarly a sudra cannot live without having a master. That has been described as the dog’s business. So similarly a brahmana will never accept any service. He’ll starve, but he’ll never accept any service. That is against brahmana principles. Therefore sat-karma-nipu… He can accept charity if somebody gives willfully. Dana pratigraha. But pratigraha dana. He’ll take, pratigraha, accept charity, but whatever he requires, he’ll spend, and the balance he’ll immediately distribute. Dana. In Bengal it is said, lakteke baundiki (?). The… Why? A brahmana gets one lakh of rupees; next day, he’s again beggar. Why? He’ll not keep anything. Whatever he requires for the day’s expenditure, he will take it and balance he will again distribute. So sat-karma-nipuno vipro. Such strict brahmana, very expert in his business, pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah… And very well expert in his studies, mantra, Vedic mantra, tantra. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah, avaisnava guru na sa syad. If he is avaisnava, then he cannot be guru. Cannot be guru. Sad-vaisnava sva-paca guru. But a svapacah, a dog-eaters family, candala… Just the brahmana is considered to be the highest in the society, similarly candala is considered to be the lowest, dog-eaters. So the sastra says the highest, the topmost man in the society, brahmana, if he’s avaisnava, he cannot be guru, but the, a person coming out from the lowest grade of human society, svapacah, candala, if he’s a Vaisnava, he can become guru. This is the verdict of the sastra. sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah avaisnava guru na sa syad sad vaisnava sva-pacah guru Therefore one, one who, even coming from low-grade family, if he has become Vaisnava, then he’s no longer in the worldly society. He’s transcendental. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. One who is engaged in pure devotional service, he’s in the Brahman platform. He should not be neglected. Vaisnave jati-buddhih, arcye sila-dhir, gurusu nara-mati, vaisnave jati-buddhih. These are warned. One should not consider the Deity as made of stone, arcye sila-dhir. Salagrama-sila. If somebody says, “What is this, a stone chip, or stone ball?” No. These are warned in the sastra. Vaisnave… Ja… Similarly, to consider a Vaisnava as belonging to certain caste is as abominable as to think that the Deity is made of stone. Everyone knows it is made of stone. But are we worshiping the stone? We are spending so much money for decorating stone? No. Because we have no eyes to see, we see stone. Krsna is not stone. Krsna is Krsna. Krsna is absolute. He can appear in any way, any form, as He likes. That is His mercy. Because we cannot see except stone. Similarly, therefore He appears as stone. But He’s not stone. If we think that it is stone, then we are gone to hell. You see. No. Arcye sila-dhir. Similarly Vaisnava. A Vaisnava should not be considered that “Here is American Vaisnava,” or “brahmana Vaisnava,” and “sudra Vaisnava.” No. Vaisnava is Vaisnava. There is no more distinction. Just like Ganges water. So many sewage ditches, water coming, mixing in Calcutta. Everyone knows. But nobody says, “Oh, it is Chhitergar Paper Mills sewage water.” No. That is Ganges water. Everyone takes bath, without any objection. Everyone is taking water and giving, bringing to the Deity room. Nobody distinguishes that this, with this water, so many mill water has been mixed up. Therefore it is rejected. No. Similarly, when one becomes Vaisnava, never mind from which family’s he’s came. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah. One should not distinguish, “Oh, here is American Vaisnava. Here is a European Vaisnava. How can I eat with them?” This is not… Vaisnava should be respected. Sad vaisnavah svapaco guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms, kiba vipra… Haridasa Thakura, he came from Muhammadan family. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him the title Namacarya, Acarya. He became, he became the teacher of the science of chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Namacarya. We, every day, we glorify Haridasa Thakura: namacarya Haridasa Thakura ki jaya. Why? Because… If you can say, “Oh, he was born in Muhammadan family…” No. So all Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s big assistants… Sanatana Gosvami, he, Sanatana, Rupa Gosvami, they were practically Muhammadan, because the brahmana society rejected them. They changed their name. Dabira Khasa. Sakara Mallika. But Caitanya, by association of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they became Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami… Ei chaya gosai yara tara mui dasa, Narottama dasa Thakura says. That it is not to be considered, “Oh, these people…” This is the defect. So many people converted to Muslim, and we did not take care. Therefore the whole country is spoiled. Krsna says, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah. So we should take care of everyone. That is the verdict of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, verdict of Krsna. Now we are doing that in our Mayapur. All the Muhammadans and Hindus, they are taking prasadam together. This has been a unique thing. People are very much appreciating. But some of them, some envious persons are there. They are taking it otherwise. Why? In Jagannatha Puri, still the regulation is that anyone can come and take together jagannatha-prasadam. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a banghi, camara or brahmana. They take actually. Prasada. Prasada is transcendental, nirguna. So prasada should be taken together. If you have got really sense of prasada… If we think it is dahl, capati, then it is another thing. Otherwise, if you have got the sense of prasada, then there should be no distinction. It should, it can be… “Prasadam, I am taking prasadam, which is nirguna.” So these are the conclusions. So unless we come to the conclusion of Vaisnava cult, it is very difficult. The Vaisnava cult conclusion should be taken. Otherwise we cannot preach. Without becoming Vaisnava, one cannot become guru. Without becoming guru, how one can preach? These are the formulas. And anxiety-less, when one takes to the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, he must be anxiety-less. Because Krsna says, gives assurance, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. Then where is anxiety? Krsna says, “I take charge of giving you relief from all sinful reactions.” Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. So as soon as, moksayisya, as soon as you surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna, Krsna immediately takes charge of you and makes you immune from all sinful reaction. Then where is anxiety? That is also recommended by Prahlada Maharaja: vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5] tad sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5] If we become, if we want to become anxiety-less, then we have to take shelter of Hari and go to the forest. Prahlada Maharaja recommended, vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta. Hitva atma-patam grham andha-kupam. Grha is compared as andha-kupa, blind well. And atma-patam. If one falls down within blind well… (noise in background) (aside:) What is this sound? Eh? Down? Devotees: (indistinct) Prabhupada: Hmmm? Hitvatma-patam grham vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5] Unless we take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, there cannot be any question of anxiety-lessness. No, it is not possible. Go on. Madhavananda: (indistinct) Prabhupada: “When one is freed from material anxieties…” This is the process. Therefore we have started this society. People may take advantage of it, and he becomes free from all anxieties. Simply Krsna consciousness will make him anxiety-less. Otherwise there is no question. Because anxiety means asad-grahat. Prahlada Maharaja says, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Those who are materially inclined, asat, sad gamah, asato ma. That is the Vedic injunction. Don’t keep yourself in the asad. Asad means material, “which will not exist.” That is called material. Sad-gamah. And sat means which is spiritual. So, so long one is in asat, asat grahat, implicated, involved in material things, there is no question of… Therefore visaya… Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned us not to be involved in visaya. Visaya means material things, money, woman. They are called visaya. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us by His practical behavior that… Maharaja Prataparudra, he was a great devotee and serving Caitanya Mahaprabhu in every way. But when he wanted to see Him, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He denied: “No, no, no. I cannot see a king. I cannot see.” So His personal devotees, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Ramananda Raya, very confidential devotees, they requested, “Sir, he’s a great devotee. He serves You in so many ways.” “Yes, I know that, but because he’s king, I cannot see him. Because he’s king, I cannot see him.” And in this connection, He’s made a verse, Sanskrit verse: niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya param padam jigamisor bhava-sagarasya visayinam sandarsanam atha yositam ca ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato ’py asadhu He recited this, that if one is trying to make progress in spiritual life just to go on the other side of this bhava, bhava-sagara, the ocean of material existence, then two things he should avoid: visayinam sandarsanam atha yositam ca, a person who is attached to money and a person attached to too much sense enjoyment. One should not associate with such persons. Visa bhaksanad api asadhavah. Such action, for a devotee, is more abominable than drinking poison. It is warned. So those who are preaching, we have to meet with these visayis, but one… Because when we have to preach, we have to see so many visayis, but we should be very, very careful. We should be very careful. We have to meet also women, sometimes young women, beautiful women. But we must be very, very careful. Otherwise it is very dangerous. These things are… These things create anxieties. Visayinam sandarsanam. As soon as we become attached to visaya and women, then we become anxiety. That is material. So this line of devotional service, there is direction in the sastras. Therefore we have made prohibition that no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat, fish-eating, no intoxication. Even the smallest intoxication, that is also dangerous. Just like fire. Even a small particle of fire is dangerous. If you neglect it, “Oh, it is a small particle…” No. You must extinguish it. It may come out very great fire. Canakya Pandita has advised that fire and disease and debt, don’t neglect. You must clear. If you neglect a small fire, it may come out a great fire. If you, if you neglect, you have got debt, the money-lender, he’s adding compound interest, one after another, one after another; it was three rupees, and after some years, it has become three hundred, by compound interest. So you should not neglect. Similarly disease. Disease also, you cannot neglect. If there is… If you think, “Oh, it is little, it doesn’t matter…” No. You must finish it by treatment. That is Canakya Pandita’s advice. So everything is there for our knowledge, provided we follow. So there is no difficulty. Therefore our process is mahajana yena gatah sa panthah. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. We cannot manufacture our ways. We must follow the footsteps of predecessors. That is our business. Mahajana yena gatah sa panthah. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. By argument, by scholarship, or by becoming philosopher, one cannot make any progress, unless he follows the great acaryas, predecessors strictly. Otherwise it is not possible. What is time now? All right. Have kirtana. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Calcutta, January 28, 1973