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750209AR.LA
Arrival Address
Los Angeles, February 9, 1975 Devotees: Jaya Prabhupada!
Prabhupada: (sings with harmonium, drum and karatalas) [break] ...movement is enlightening people because they're simply wasting their time without worshiping Radha-Krsna. The purport of this song made by Narottama dasa Thakura, that anyone who is not coming to Krsna consciousness is simply wasting his valuable human life... (sounds of children) (aside:) Take care of the children. This life is meant for reviving our lost Krsna consciousness. There is Krsna consciousness... (babies crying) Otherwise how it is happening that this place was a church and nobody was coming, so much so that they had to sell it to others? We purchased it. When I first came here to see this church, there was nobody. The place is the same. The people is the same. I have not brought men from India. Why it is crowded now? This is the proof that in everyone's heart Krsna consciousness is there. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not artificial way of taking something sentimentally. Otherwise how in my absence all these boys and girls are maintaining the status quo very nicely? I am very glad. That is required. This is the proof that in everyone's heart there is Krsna consciousness.
Udaya means awakening. It is not an artificial way of giving something, imposing something to become Krsna conscious. No. The Krsna consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It has to be awakened by certain process. That process is sravana-kirtana, nine different types of devotional service:
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] So anywhere... It doesn't matter, either in India or outside. People thought like that, that Krsna consciousness is the monopoly business for the Indians or for the Hindus. They were thinking like that: "It cannot be preached. Nobody will take it." But I thought, "If Krsna is God, why it will not be taken by everyone? It must be taken." So I was not very much hopeful to become successful. When I was in Boston port, I wrote one poetry that "I do not know why I have been brought here. How these people will take to Krsna consciousness? As soon as I will say these four regulative principles, they will ask me to go away." (laughter) It is very difficult for this country or this part of the world to follow the four principles of regulative life: no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. Even Lord Zetland, when he was given this formula for becoming advanced in spiritual consciousness, he flatly replied, "It is impossible for us." Yes. But impossible thing can be made possible by the grace of Krsna. That is possibleKrsna is all powerfulprovided we are serious and sincere. That is the main business. We must be very serious and sincere. Then Krsna will give you intelligence.
That is said in the Bhagavad-gita:
Anyone who is engaged very seriously, satata-yuktanam, twenty-four hours, thinking, "Krsna, how can I serve you...?" This is the only business. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Four things: Always think of Krsna... This Hare Krsna means "O the energy of Krsna, O Krsna, please engage me in Your service. I have given service to this material world so much, but I could not satisfy the master, neither I am satisfied." Everyone is serving society, friendship, love, family, country, but none of them are satisfied. None of them sat... Even your President, he could not satisfy you. You had to drag him down. Neither he could satisfy himself. Even Gandhi could not satisfy his countrymen. Although he gave so much service, he was shot dead. So this is the material world. You cannot satisfy anyone, neither you become satisfied, materially engaged. This is called material world. We may show some artificial satisfaction, but there cannot be satisfaction in the material world. First of all, you have to take it as axiomatic truth that there is no happiness and there cannot be any satisfaction in this material world. Then you'll make, spiritually advance. If you have got little faith still that "I can be satisfied; I can be happy materially," then that is maya's influence. That is maya's influence. There is no possibility.
So if you want satisfaction, then you have to take to Krsna consciousness. Compulsory: "You must." There is no other alternative. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari biphale janama gonainu: "My dear Lord Krsna, I have simply wasted my time." Actually, anyone who has not taken Krsna consciousnesssimply wasting time. This is fact, scientifically true. But they do not know it. Maya-mohita. Mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam [Bg. 7.13]. Being covered by the illusory energy, they do not know the background of this gigantic cosmic manifestation. That is Krsna. So intelligence means to find out Krsna. In the Isopani..., Iso, it is stated that "My dear Lord, please wind up Your, these dazzling rays so that I can actually see Your face." Within brahmajyoti the Krsna is there. So Krsna can be seen only by service. You cannot challenge Krsna, "Krsna, come here. I shall see You." No. That is not possible. You have to submit. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the way. You have to surrender. So long you don't surrender, that is up to you. Krsna will not force you. He is almighty, He can force you, but He does not do that. He says, "You do this. If you do not do it, that is your business. But I say you do it."
So Krsna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. People are simply misled by so-called rascals, yogis, swamis, incarnation, magician, juggler, bluffer, but they come and go. They cannot do anything because they are themself cheated. They are themself cheated, so how they can do good to others? So don't be members of the society of cheaters and cheated. Then the life will be spoiled. Our only request, this Krsna consciousness movement, is "Take to Krsna consciousness." Krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna he. This is our... Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught. Always chant Krsna Krsna or Hare Krsna, as it is convenient. That is the way of, the simple way. There is no difficulty. There is no loss. These boys and girls took "Krsna, Krsna," so there was no loss, but now everything is gain. So why not make an experiment that chant Hare Krsna always?
satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate [Bg. 9.14] This process... I am very glad that you are following despite all impediments. The Deity is nicely decorated, and the Deity is worshiped, and He's pleased upon you. Be blessed. Continue this process, don't deviate, strictly follow the regulative principle, chant Hare Krsna at least sixteen rounds, and you'll be happy. There is no doubt about it. You can experience. It is not an imposition. Don't leave this process. Then, in this life, you will be able to understand Krsna. It is very difficult to understand Krsna.
To understand Krsna is very, very difficult, even for the siddhas, those who have attained perfection of life. Krsna said, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. First of all, out of many, many millions of person, one endeavors to become siddha, perfect. That is also not very easy, siddha. Siddha means perfectly self-realized. Aham brahmasmi. That is siddhi. That is the siddhi of human life. The dogs', cats' life, they cannot understand that "I am Brahman," aham brahmasmi. They think, "I am dog." So if you think like that"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim"then you are no better than the dogs and cats because they are also thinking like that. But when you think yourself that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is called brahma-bhutah. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. After that, after being brahma-bhutah-samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate paramthen bhakti life begins. After being liberated, after being self-realized, then bhakti begins. And as soon as bhakti begins, then you understand Krsna. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. You cannot understand Krsna by any other processby jnana, by yoga, by tapasya, by karma, by sacrifice, by charity. You cannot understand. Simply, Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati. If you want to know Krsna as He is, then you have to take to this process, very simple process. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your respectful obeisances unto Me." Four things. That is here. Chant Hare Krsna. That will be thinking of Krsna, man-mana. And unless you are devotee, you cannot engage your time in that way. Then if you chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, automatically you become devotee. Then you worship Deity. Unless you are a devotee, you cannot worship Krsna.
The atheist will say, "They are worshiping some idol." No. That is not fact. They do not know that here is Krsna personally. He is accepting the devotees' service in a manner in which we can serve Him at the present moment. If Krsna shows you the virat-rupa, then you cannot serve Him. Where you'll get the dress of the virat-rupa? The whole world's cloth factory will fail you. (laughter) Therefore Krsna is accepted, a four-feet-small Deity, so that you can acquire Krsna's dress within your means. You can put Krsna within your means. That is Krsna's mercy. Therefore it is forbidden, arcye visnu sila-dhih. If any rascal thinks that in the Visnu form, as stone, as wood..., vaisnave jati-buddhih, devotees considered as belonging to certain nation, caste, these are naraki-buddhi. This is not to be done. It is fact that here is Krsna. Very kindly, just to show me favor, He has come in this form. But He's Krsna; He's not stone. Even it is stone, that is also Krsna, because there is nothing else but Krsna, anything. Without Krsna, there is no existence. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. So Krsna has got the power that even in his so-called shape of stone, He can accept your service. That is Krsna.
So you have to understand these things, and if you understand properly what is Krsna, this much qualification will make you fit for being liberated even in this life.
It is all stated there. So Krsna can be understood only by devotional service, by no other. You cannot speculate, "Krsna may be like this." Just like Mayavadis, they imagine. The imagination will not help you. You cannot imagine God. That is foolishness. God is not subjected to your imagination. Then He is not God. Why He should be subjected to your imagination? So these things are to be understood properly, and one can understand properly when he's pure devotee. Otherwise not. Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah: [Bg. 7.25] "I am not exposed to everyone." Why He should be exposed to everyone? When He's pleased, He will reveal Himself to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234]. You cannot ask the sun to appear immediately. When he is pleased, he will appear in the morning. Similarly, you have to please Krsna so that He will appear before you and talk with you and bless you.
Thank you very much. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/arrival/arrival_address/los_angeles/february/09/1975 Previous: Arrival Lecture -- Mayapur, September 27, 1974 Next: Arrival Lecture -- Mexico, February 11, 1975, (With Spanish Translator)
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