Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.313–317 – December 22, 1966, New York

661222CC-New York [22:47 Minutes]

Prabhupada:

Nirguno bhavet. The liberation from material bondage is called nirguna. Nirguna means the three qualities, three modes of material nature, is nullified. As soon as we are transcendental to the three modes of material nature, that is called liberation.

So just like there is injunction in the Vedic literature: to live in the city is rajasika; to live in the forest is sattvika, goodness. Sattvika quality means to live in goodness is to live in a forest. Therefore formerly, all the sages and saints, they used to live in a forest. Still there are many transcendentalist, they live in the forest, because forest is considered to be situation in goodness. Similarly, those who live in cities and villages, in society, human society, that is rajasika. And those who live in the liquor shop and similar, gambling shop and other, they are called tamasika.

So this goodness, passion and ignorance, the division. And how to nirguna? When you live in a temple of Krsna, that is nirguna. That is transcendental. So if you live in a society like this, Krsna consciousness, then you are nirguna. You are above the qualities. It is far better than to live in the forest or in the city. Those who are in touch with the supreme nirguna... Nirguna means transcendental to the material modes of nature. So nirguno bhavet.

Sa sarva-drg. Harir hi nirgunaḥ saksat. Nirguna means only Visnu is nirguna, above the transcendental, above these material modes of nature. It is accepted by all the authorities. Even Sahkaracarya, he says, narayanaḥ paraḥ avyaktat. Avyakta. So far this material nature, manifested and nonmanifested, what we see, this is manifested. And then it is... Nonmanifested stage is there, covering, covering of the universe. Oh, then that space is far, far greater than, ten times greater than this space. That is avyakta.

And above that avyakta stage... Avyakta means nonmanifested. Vyakta avyakta. This is vyakta, this is manifested. Certain space is manifested, and certain space is nonmanifested. So this is called vyakta and avyakta. Sahkaracarya says that Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is vyaktavyaktat sanatanaḥ [Bg 8.20].

Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita also. So Narayana, the Supreme Lord, Krsna, Visnu, He is God. He is nirguna, transcendental to these three gunas. They cannot affect. The three gunas cannot affect. So similarly, those who are in touch with Krsna, in Krsna consciousness, they are also nirguna. They are also transcendental to the three material modes of nature. This is from Srimad-Bhagavatam, quotation by Lord Caitanya.

So we have to accept these authorities, quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vedic literature, and quoted by authority, Lord Caitanya. We have to follow in that way. Mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186]. Therefore we have to accept this, that if we be engaged in devotional service of the Supreme Lord, then we are transcendental to these material modes of nature. Therefore anyone who is so engaged, he is liberated. He is liberated. Officially he is liberated. But if he falls down by the attraction of these three modes of nature, that is a different thing. That is possible.

That is possible if we are not strong enough, because... Always remember that this Krsna consciousness is a sort of declaration of war with this illusory material nature. So there is war. She will always try to get you fall down. Daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg 7.14]. It is very strong, powerful. How you can save yourself? Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. If you persistently simply adhere to the devotional service of Krsna, there will be no more strength of this illusory nature to drag you. No more. There will be no more power to get you into this province of sense gratification.

Material nature means the jurisdiction of sense gratification. That's all. Simply people are engaged like sense gratification like cats and dogs. That's all. This is material atmosphere. And in the spiritual atmosphere there is no sense gratification; there is only activity for satisfying the Supreme, Krsna. That is the difference.

So if you adherently be always engaged in some sort of service, twenty-four hours in the service of the Supreme Lord Krsna in Krsna consciousness, there is no power in the world who can drag you into this sense gratification province. That at once becomes nirguna. This is the process. So we have to stick to this principle: "How I can serve Krsna always, always?" Īha yasya harer dasye. If you cannot do, if you simply think, "How can I do? How can I do? How can I do?" simply this, if you practically cannot do, but if you simply think that "How can I do?" oh, then also you become liberated. Then also you become liberated. And what to speak of when we actually serve. This is such a nice thing, Krsna consciousness. So if you want to save yourself from this material turmoil, then always stick to this Krsna consciousness persistently. Yes.

Now, these Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, although He is in this material world... There is a planet-I have already explained to you-it is called Ksirodaka planet, or where the oceans are of milk ocean. So in that planet Lord Visnu is there, within. But He is not within this material world. Just like even a devotee who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness, he is not in this material world, how Visnu, the Supreme, He can be in the material world? He is not in the material world.

Just like outside there may be snow falling, but inside, if you are protected by heating system and other thing, you are not affected. The whole city may be overwhelmed by snow falling, but if you are protected by certain means and adjustment, then you are not affected. Similarly, Visnu and visnu-bhakta, they are not affected by this material nature. Avajananti mam mūḍha manusim tanum asritam [Bg 9.11].

Therefore foolish creatures, when they see Krsna is here, they think that "Krsna is like one of us." But He is not. So here it is stated, palanartha svamsa visnu-rūpe avatara. He is providing. Bhūta-bhrt. Krsna's name or Visnu's another name is Bhūta-bhrt. He is providing our necessities. Always know that. This is also another knowledge. Don't think that you are producing your foodstuff, you are producing your necessities. No. You cannot do anything. He is providing. God is giving you. God is giving you. So you should always remember that palanartha.

Eko bahūnam vidadhati kaman [Katha Upanisad 2.2.13]. Eko, that one supreme eternal, He is providing all the necessities of so many, innumerable living entities. Don't you see? We are mad after economic development from morning to late at night. In our cars, in our trucks we are going hither and thither. But there are many, many millions of living creatures; they have no economic problem. Who is providing them? Who is providing them? Providing, Krsna is providing them. Visnu is providing them.

He is, although in this material world, He is transcendentally situated. He has nothing to do with this material world.

Krsna-sama praya. Now, I have already told you, praya means He is almost like Krsna. Because Krsna is cent per cent, he is ninety-four percent. Therefore it is said, krsna-sama praya. All these Visnu-mūrti, They are krsna-sama praya, or almost like Krsna. Krsna amsi. The difference is that Krsna is the original tehho amsa and this Visnu is plenary expansion. This is the difference between Visnu and Krsna.

How it is? Somebody may say, "Oh, Lord Caitanya is devotee of Krsna, and you are all devotee of Krsna. Therefore you are saying that Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead." No. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find, Krsna Himself says, mattaḥ parataram asti..., nanyat asti kincid [Bg 7.7]: "There is no more supreme than Me." "All right, He may say personally. He may advertise Himself." But there are many instances in the Vedic literature. Just like in the Brahma-samhita it is said,

"Govinda, Krsna, He is the original, and from Him all other Visnu expansions are emanated." How it is that? Just like this is a lamp, original. Now you can, I mean to say, ignite another lamp, another lamp, another lamp, another lamp, another lamp. Now, all these lamps, they are equally powerful so far the luminous quality is concerned, but you have to accept, "This is original lamp." Similarly, all these Visnu expansions, they are almost like Krsna; a little difference, but... Krsna, what is that difference? That also we can note. When Krsna was here, He was completely..., He manifested Himself as completely free from any rules and regulation. Any rules and regulation. But other incarnation, when They come, They follow the rules and regulation.

Just like Lord Ramacandra. When He came, He accepted only one wife. Accepted only one wife. And even when that wife was banished... You know that. Sita. Sita. He [She] was kidnapped by Ravana, and Lord Rama fought with him, killed the whole family, and installed his brother in that kingdom and rescued Sita and brought home. So He was living with Sita.

But some of the sūdras, they criticized, "Oh, just see Ramacandra. He is king. He is very powerful. He is living with His kidnapped wife." Because in India, once a woman goes out of home-still the culture is-you cannot be..., she cannot be accepted any more. She has to live just like prostitute. She has no shelter. But when this, I mean to say, popular opinion was there... But He was king. He has to take the criticism of the public. Just like at the present moment the president, they don't care for public opinion. Irresponsible. They say, "Responsible government." They are most irresponsible.

But formerly, although there was monarchy, they were very much responsible. As soon as there was some criticism from the public, Ramacandra at once banished Sita: "Oh, I cannot live with Sita. Public opinion is against it." Just see. He is following the rules and regulation. His father told Him, "My dear boy, I wish that instead of being enthroned, please go to the forest." "All right, it is your order. I must carry." Just see. He is following the principle. He is ideal... Ramacandra is ideal king means He has followed the principle of moral codes. And...

But from Krsna's behavior, you will find there is no moral code. He is free. At night He is calling girls, "Come on, I'll dance with you." They were coming. From material point of view it is immoral, at least in India. But He is free. Ramacandra accepted one wife; He accepted sixteen thousand wives.

So Krsna, Krsna is above everything. No rules and regulation. He cannot do anything wrong. He is not under the jurisdiction of any law. Therefore Krsna manifested the full power of the Supreme Lord. And other incarnation, although they came, they came for the time being to perform a certain particular purpose, but they did not manifest the full power of God. Therefore Krsna is the Supreme God. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28].

It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that He is the Supreme Personality, original Personality of Godhead. He is nobody's under control. Even He was not controlled by His supreme lover, Radharani. Radharani is considered... The gopis are considered the topmost lover of Krsna. But when Krsna decided to leave Vrndavana, oh, they began to cry. They blocked the way. Krsna didn't care; went away. Went away. He didn't care even. So much dear Radharani. They become blind, crying, crying, crying, crying, whole life. But Krsna never returned. Never returned. He sent His message, He sent His letter, that "I am very sorry, but..." That is God. He is not controlled by anything. Anything. That is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28].

So,

Therefore all demigods, including Siva, Brahma and everyone, they are only order-carrying servants. In the Caitanya-caritamrta you will find one passage that "Only master is Krsna, and everyone-never mind what he is-is servant. Is servant." Everyone is servant. And what to speak of us. We are servant's servant's servant. Therefore anyone who understands this philosophy, that "I am servant's servant's servant's servant, hundred times, million times lower servant," he is a liberated person. And one who thinks that "I am God," he is a dog. He is a dog. And one who thinks, "I am servant, God's servant's servant's servant, million times servant's servant," he is liberated. He is liberated. This is the process.

Lord Caitanya, He said that "I am not a brahmana. I am not a Christian. I am not a Hindu. I am not a sannyasi. I am nothing of this sort." Then what You are? "I am the servant's servant's servant's servant of Krsna. That is My identification." And when you identify yourself in that way, you are liberated person. That is Krsna consciousness, perfection of Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. Any question? [end]