Arrival Lecture
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Melbourne, April 19, 1976

Prabhupada:

ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur-unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

Now the time is too late. I wish to take my bath. I’ll not speak very much now. When the time is fixed up for…?

Devotee (1): Evening.

Prabhupada: Evening.

Gurukrpa: Seven.

Prabhupada: At that time we shall speak, but this much I must express, my obligation that you are worshiping the Deity so nicely. That is my great happiness, and that is your happiness also. The more gloriously you worship the Deity, decorate the Deity as gorgeously as possible, the more gorgeous you will be. That is the secret. The materialistic, they are trying to dress themselves very gorgeously, and gradually their dress is being taken away by maya, and voluntarily they are becoming hippies. Because they did not try to dress Krsna, therefore maya is taking their dresses. So the secret of success is that if you give nice… Everything belongs to Krsna. Simply you have to collect them and offer for the pleasure of Krsna. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi tapasyasi yat yad asnasi, kurusva tad mad-arpanam. This is the secret of success, that whatever you do… It doesn’t matter what you are doing. You are businessman, you are a lawyer, you are engineer or… Something must be done for earning one’s livelihood. That is a fact. Without karma, without working, you cannot keep your body and soul together. That’s a fact. So in the human form of life the motto should be that “Whatever I do, whatever I earn, it must be given to Krsna.” This is Krsna consciousness. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi tapasyasi yat… Everyone is doing something. (aside:) It is not working?

Pusta Krsna: It is working.

Prabhupada: Everyone is doing something. Everyone is eating something. Everyone is undergoing some austerity for success of his endeavor. So that should be converted to Krsna only. Then it is success. This is the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]

This is the resolution passed in the Naimisaranya big meeting, that… Everyone is working according to his capacity. Of course, in the Vedic conception a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, or brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa—this is the division. So in the meeting in the Naimisaranya the conclusion was that atah pumbhir dvija-srestha. The president addressed all the learned brahmanas and scholars assembled… Because Krsna consciousness is meant for very first-class men, not for the loafer class. In the Bhagavad-gita this is clearly said, imam rajarsayo viduh. Not for the loafer class. But a loafer class man can become rajarsi by Krsna consciousness. This is the secret. As the rajarsi becoming… By materialistic way of life, a rajarsi becoming as a loafer class… Just like you see, so many kingdoms were there, Moghul Empire, British Empire, Roman Empire, and so many empires were there. Where are those empires? Finished all. That will finish. It will not stay. Now the so-called kings, the emperors, they are now practically beggars. So if we do not decorate Krsna, if we decorate our personal body, then gradually it will be finished. You’ll be forced to become naked, what to speak of decoration? This is the way of nature. But if you try to decorate Krsna, then without decoration you’ll be worshiped; you’ll be beloved. And this is the secret, just opposite. Therefore Krsna says, yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi.

So try to understand. Of course, I have given a glimpse of idea in the Western countries of this Krsna consciousness movement. Now you are able young boys, young girls. You are intelligent. You have got so many credits behind you for material civilization. Now you take it. Just convert it. Material civilization means to endeavor for one’s personal benefit. Just the opposite. The same thing should be done, but for the benefit of Krsna. So Krsna does not want any benefit from you. He is quite competent. He does not want. But if you do for Krsna, then you are benefited. This is the secret. Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: “If you give Me little flower, little…” What Krsna…? Krsna is worshiped by… Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29] What? What does He want from you? What He’ll gain by your patram puspam? But He wants from you something. That you have forgotten. This is rascaldom. We have forgotten to offer to Krsna. So Krsna consciousness movement means it is the beginning of offering everything to Krsna. Then it is successful. Try to satisfy Krsna.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]

This is the secret. Whatever you do, it doesn’t matter, but try to satisfy Krsna. Then your life is successful. And for this purpose you have to satisfy your spiritual master, because he’ll give direction. He knows. So yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado **. The things are very easy. Simply we have to adopt. Everything is mentioned there in the sastras. Simply you have to follow the sastra and guru and sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya. Sadhu, those who are devotees, we have to follow the devotees, the sastra and guru. Then everything successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada! (end)