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710629AR.LA
Arrival Lecture
Los Angeles, June 29, 1971 Prabhupada: So I am very happy to see you again after eight months, or nine months. Anandambudhi vardhanam. This movement is not hackneyed. Increasing the ocean of happiness. You have no experience of the ocean increasing. If the ocean increases, then the whole planet will be again overflooded. But this is an ocean of happiness. By chanting Hare Krsna mantra, Lord Caitanya says, anandambudhi-vardhanam. Ambudhi. Ambudhi means ocean and ananda means bliss. If we chant Hare Krsna mantra, as soon as our heart is cleansed... That is the first benediction of chanting Hare Krsna mantra, that our heart becomes cleansed. If your heart is not cleansed, how we are participating together? Somebody is Indian, somebody is American, somebody is Canadian, somebody is African. Because on the Krsna consciousness platform the heart becomes cleansed. There are no more such consciousness that "I am this," "I am that." The only consciousness is that "I am Krsna's." That is cleanliness of heart. As soon as we come to this platform, that "I am Krsna's." Just like the gopis. All the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they were thinking, "We are all Krsna's." Central point is Krsna. That is the beauty of Vrndavana. All the inhabitants of Vrndavana, the elderly cowherd men, the boys, the girls, the trees, the river, the birds, the beastseveryonethey are simply thinking, "I am Krsna's." This is Krsna consciousness. And as soon as we think otherwise"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," that is material consciousness. Try to understand the simple fact that as soon as we identify with our designated body, which I am not... I am not this body, so why shall I identify myself with American or Indian? Accidentally I have got this body in America or India or Africa or in hell or heaven. That is accidental. Or by my karma. But actually, I am not this body. And if I am not this body... Generally everything we are accepting in this material world (is) on the bodily concept of life. Because I have got bodily relationship with some man or woman, I am thinking... There are thousands of men and women, but I am thinking, "This woman is mine," "This man is mine." This is a crude example. And similarly, children. Grha-ksetra. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. This bodily concept of life increases our delusion and we become enwrapped, entangled in material world, and we get a different type of body.
So the Krsna consciousness movement is meant for releasing all these conditioned souls from this misconception of life. Anyone, any intelligent man can understand that as soon as we identify our activities with the body, then we are fool number one. That is the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Anyone who is identifying himself with this body... Sva-dhih kalatradisu. "And family members, wife, children, they are our own men. All others are enemies." Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih. "And the land in which we have taken birth, that is worshipable." People are sacrificing their life in so many ways. The leaders are enthusing them, "Oh, you are national of this, national of that." Falsely they are working so hard. This is the basic principle, mistake, of the modern civilizationidentifying oneself with this body, which he's not. So by Krsna kirtana, this bodily concept of life is..., in the beginning it becomes vanquished. A tacit example: you are all boys. You have forgotten that this body is Indian or American. You are Krsna's. This is the first installment. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. If this bodily concept of life is removed, immediately all the problems of the world solved. Immediately. All these great writers, thoughtful men, philosophers, politicians, diplomats, and the United Nations, they are trying to solve the problems of the world, but they are increasing the problems. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas [SB 7.5.31]. How they can mitigate? It is not possible, because the basic principal mistake is there.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Bhava, bhava means this material world. Bhava means to become. Bhava and abhava. You take some, accept some body, that is bhava: "I become." And keep myself in this body for some years, utmost hundred years. Then again abhava. Abhava means another change of body. So this is very botheration, the changing of body. But one who comes to Krsna consciousness, there is no more change of body. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. A Krsna conscious person, after giving up this body, he does not accept any more material body. Then what happens to him? Krsna says, mam eti. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti: "He comes to Me." So why don't you take this simple formula? Be Krsna conscious. How nice it is to become Krsna conscious. We are living in... Not heaven. Heaven is nothing for us. We are living in Vaikuntha in this temple. Anyone can practically see how they came from hellish life; now they are living in Vaikuntha. So Krsna consciousness is so nice and so simple. Why people are so foolish they do not take it? What is their complaint? We are living so nicely that sometimes people are envious, that "These people have no business, no occupation, and they are living in nice house, eating nice Krsna prasadam, and chanting Hare Krsna, and dancing!" They're envious. But when we say, "Why don't you come here?" they will deny: "No, sir. I cannot go." (laughter) Why you are envious? You come and participate and live like us, happily. "No." That he will not. (laughter) And this is the maya. You see? Maya will say, "Oh, why you are going there? (laughter) You just come here in the Bowery Street, and as soon as you get some money, you purchase one bottle and lie down." That is life.
So this is the position. But still, as living representative of Krsna, our duty is to save these fallen conditioned souls. That is our duty. One may agree to come or not come. It doesn't matter. You try your best to bring him to this Krsna consciousness position. Then Krsna will be happy. "Oh, this person is trying." Because it is Krsna's business. Krsna comes. He advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And we are saying the same thing, that "You just surrender to Krsna. Be Krsna conscious." Therefore we are living representative of Krsna. We are saying nothing else. Our only business is to repeat the Krsna's word. Therefore we are representative. So anyone can become representative of Krsna. It is not difficult. Simply one has to go door to door: "Please surrender to Krsna. Chant Hare Krsna." That's all. Is it very difficult job? Pranair arthair dhiya vaca. We can serve Krsna in four ways. First of all, try to dedicate your life for Krsna. That is first class. If not, then spare some of your money for Krsna. If not, then give some words for Krsna. Or give some intelligence. You can give. "Sir, if for organizing your this movement, we know that you require money, but I have no money. So I have got a friend. He is rich. If you come, he will help you." This is intelligence. You can serve Krsna by intelligence. You can serve Krsna by your money. You can serve Krsna by your life. And at last, you can serve Krsna by your words. Simply go door to door and request everyone, "Please chant Hare Krsna. There will be no loss on your part. The gain you will see within one week. The gain you will see within one week if you chant Hare Krsna. But you are not losing." What is the difficulty? So our business is like that. We should go door to door and request them, "Please chant Hare Krsna." You'll be happy.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/arrival/arrival_lecture/los_angeles/june/29/1971 Previous: Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969 Next: Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971
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