670323SB.SF
Jagannatha Deities Installation
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14

San Francisco, March 23, 1967
Prabhupada: Without devotion, simply we go on hearing for millions of years, oh, that will not also not earn(?). It is here... Bhaktya sruta-grhitaya. This is the process of understanding absolute knowledge. Please note these points, what are the process. First thing is that one must be faithful. Second thing is that he must be thoughtful. The third thing is that he must have knowledge. What is that knowledge? "I am not this body." And then detachment. As soon as I am convinced that I am not this body, then why should I take so much care for the body? Let me take care of my self. And as soon as these qualifications are fulfilled, then you can see within yourself what you are. Pasyanty atmanam catmani. And all these things is on the basis of devotional service and by the process of hearing from the authoritative source. These are the qualification for understanding Absolute Truth.
Now,
Now, it is clearly stated here that what is that Absolute Truth, because as soon as you understand Absolute Truth, then there must be a process of activity, the process of activity. Just like we do sometimes business. First of all we understand each other and make an agreement. Then there will be business procedure. And then, next stage is profit. Any way you take it... Suppose a boy and a girl agrees to get themselves married. So that is called agreement: "Yes, I shall marry you. You shall become my husband." "You shall become my wife." That is agreement. Then they should live together as a husband and wife. And the result is that they get good child, very nice child, lovely child. So everything, first there is to establish relationship. The next work is to act on that relationship. And the resultthen enjoy.
So similarly, if we understand what is Absolute Truth... The Absolute Truth is already mentioned, that "We understand the Absolute Truth in three phases: first of all, impersonal Brahman; second, localized Paramatma, Supersoul; and the ultimate, last, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So if you at all understand that "Supreme Personality, Godhead, is the cause of all causes. I am also one of the effects of that cause," then what is your duty? That duty is mentioned here, that atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. The speech was being delivered by Suta Gosvami amongst great sages. So he is addressing, "My dear learned brahmanas." All the sages, they were brahmanas. So, "My dear learned brahmanas," atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah, "according to the division of social system..."
What are the division? The first-class man is a brahmana, full of knowledge, spiritual knowledge; the second-class man is the administrator, maintaining the state; and a third-class man, economic development, mercantile people; and fourth-class men, they are laborer class. This is the division of the society. And there is division of spiritual advancement. What is that? That brahmacari, the beginning of spiritual life; then grhastha, householder, to live just like gentleman, with responsibility with spiritual view, householder; then vanaprastha, retired life; then sannyasa, renounced life. These are the divisions, varnasrama-vibhagasah. Varna means four division of the social system, and asrama means four division of spiritual enlightenment.
So here it is said, "My dear brahmanas, learned brahmanas, according to the division of the social status and spiritual status, everyone's duty is..." What is that duty? Svanusthitasya dharmasya. Everyone has got particular, specific occupational duty. A brahmana has got his occupational duty. The ksatriya has occupational duty. Similarly, brahmacari, householder, and retiredeveryone has got specific duty. That is mentioned in all the sastras. In the Bhagavad-gita also, that is mentioned, and in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is also mentioned. And one is to be understood what he is according to his quality and work, not by birth. When it is default, it is taken on the basis of birth. But actually, in the sastras, or scripture, there is no question of birth. Anyone can become a brahmana, anyone can become a ksatriya, anyone can become a sannyasi, anyone can become a brahmacari provided he acts according to the quality of the work.
So here Srimad-Bhagavatam, svanusthitasya dharmasya: "Everyone has got a particular type of occupational duty, but the ultimate goal of that duty is samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. If you want to make perfection of your duty, then you have to satisfy the Supreme Lord." It doesn't matter what you are. You may be a brahmacari, you may be a householder, you may be in renounced order of life, and you may be a laborer class, you may be a brahmana, or you may be administrator. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. But your duty, your occupational service, will attain perfection when you try to satisfy the Supreme Lord by your occupation. That is called Krsna consciousness. There is no harm that one is born a laborer class or uneducated or one is very learned or one is born of a very high family. These material qualification has nothing to do for spiritual evolution. Spiritual evolution is that you have to satisfy with the, with your talent, with your capacity, with your work, to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is your perfection. That is your perfection. It does not mean...
Suppose you are a businessman and you are doing some business. Now, it does not mean that because you are businessman, your perfection will be when you become a man like Rockefeller or Ford. That is not perfection. Perfection is that whether you are satisfying the Supreme Lord by your occupation. It doesn't matter what you are doing or what is your income. You will be surprised to know that Lord Caitanya had a very poor friend. In His childhood He had a poor friend. His name was Sridhara. His income was daily, in those days, five hundred years before, his income was, say, about five cent daily. And not even that. Suppose five cent. So out of that five cent, he would spend two half cent for ganga-puja, for worshiping mother Ganges. And with the balance two half cent, he will maintain his family. So similarly there are many instances. So it doesn't matter what is your income, five cent or five hundred dollars. You must try to satisfy according to your capacity, the Supreme Lord. That should be.
There are many examples. Just like Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami is the direct disciple of Lord Caitanya. When he retired from his servicehe was government ministeroh, he brought home golden coins, full, a boat full, full of gold. Now, just imagine how much the amount was. But he divided like this: fifty percent of his accumulated wealth, he spent for Krsna. There are many expenditure for Krsna. If you ask, "How we can spend for Krsna?" this society for Krsna conscious give you very nice program. If you have got millions of dollars to spend, we can give you program. Unfortunately, we are not getting. But our program is ready. For Krsna consciousness we can spend any amount of money. So Rupa Gosvami, he gave fifty percent to the persons who are working for Krsna consciousness. Twenty-five percent he gave to his relatives, because they expect something. If I am a family man, I have got my children, my wife. So they expect something. So they must be givenbut twenty-five percent, not all. And twenty-five percent he kept for himself, so that in times of emergency... Because as soon as my money is gone out of my hand, I have no control. We have recently lost six thousand dollars. As soon as the check is out of the hand... Not here, in our New York. So as soon the check is out of hand, now it is gone. It is gone. Therefore we should keep something, because, after all, we have got this material body. Either I pay to Krsna... Krsna consciousness spent, that cannot be returned. Now, if I give to my relatives something, that is also not returned. Then what to me if I am in danger, if I am in some difficulty? So something must be kept for yourself. So this is the process. So everyone should try.
Now, it is clearly stated that svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhih. Samsiddhih means the complete perfection. Complete perfection is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Now, how to make satisfaction of the Supreme Lord? That is stated here:
The satisfaction is how you can satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is also stated here. What is that? Ekena manasa: "with one attention," not diverting your attention to so many things. Simply, I mean to say, fixing your attention on the Supreme Lord. Tasmad ekena manasa bhagavan. Now, here is... The Bhagavata does not say brahmeti paramatmeti. The Absolute Truth is Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. That is mentioned. But here, when I have to give attention, then must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise where I am going to give attention? If the impersonal feature, if I think impersonal feature, oh, it is very difficult where to fix up my mind. Therefore impersonal feature, Brahman, is not said. Ekena manasa. Then Supersoul. Supersoul is within you. That is understood by meditation. Impersonal Absolute Truth is understood by philosophical process, speculation, and the Supersoul is understood by meditation. So, and Bhagavan, Bhagavan is practical.
Just like we are interested with Krsna. Here is Krsna. Krsna's form is there, Krsna's color is there, Krsna's helmet is there, Krsna's advice is there, Krsna's instruction is there, Krsna's sound is thereeverything Krsna. Everything Krsna. There is no difficulty. But if you turn your attention to the impersonal and to the Supersoul, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. You cannot fix your attention to the impersonal. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam: [Bg. 12.5] "Those who are attached to the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, their business is very troublesome, very troublesome," not like that, chanting, dancing and eating. Oh, it is very nice. That is very troublesome-speculate, "This is not, this is not. This is not Brahman. This is not Brahman." Go on. And the result is also achievedby working so hard for many, many lives you'll have to come to Krsna.
Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. This morning we have been discussing this sloka. So here also Bhagavata says that tasmad ekena manasa: "With your one attention," tasmad ekena manasa bhagavan satvatam patih, "you have to fix your mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead," satvatam patih, satvatam patih, "the master of the devotees." Which bhagavan? There are many bhagavan, because nowadays we have manufactured many bhagavans. But here it is said that bhagavan means satvatam patih, who is accepted by great devotees, just like Brahma, Siva, and not that by ordinary public one has been accepted, "Oh, here is incarnation of God." No. So that God is Krsna. That conception of God is Krsna, because in the Bhagavad-gita you find mattah nanyat parataram asti. Krsna says that "There is nothing beyond Me. There is nothing beyond Me." Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]: "I am the origin of everything." Mattah sarvam pravartate: "Everything emanates from Me." Iti matva: "One who knows this," iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah, "those who are actually learned, he knows it, and therefore he becomes My devotee."
In the Brahma-samhita also it is stated, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. There are many gods, but who is the Supreme God? The Supreme God is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah. Paramah means the Supreme. You may be your god, I may be god, and there are many gods. But Krsna is the Supreme God. Nobody is above Him. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah. He has no cause, anadi. He is causeless. We have got cause; He is causeless. Anadir adir govindah. Govinda means He is pleasure of... He is the reservoir of all pleasure, Govinda. Anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1], cause of all causes. So here it is said that "That Bhagavan, who is satvatam patih..." That means there are many great, great devotees, stalwart devotees, acaryas and teachers, and for all of them, He is the master. Satvatam patih. And what is to be done about Him? srotavyah: "You have to hear about Him." Where I can hear? When He speaks Himself. Why don't you hear there? How can you know the Supreme, the cause of all causes? Nobody can explain. But when He explains Himself, you can hear. That is Bhagavad-gita. Krsna is explaining Himself.
Suppose if you want to know me or know something about me, you can ask some friend, "Oh, how is Swamiji?" He may say something; other may, something. But when I explain to you myself, "This is my position. I am this," that is perfect. That is perfect. So if you want to know the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead, you cannot speculate, neither meditate. It is not possible, because your senses are very imperfect. So what is the way? Just hear from Him. So He has kindly come to say Bhagavad-gita. Srotavyah: "Just try to hear." Srotavyah and kirtitavyas ca. If you simply hear and hear in the class of Krsna consciousness, and go outside and forget, oh, that is not nice. That will not make you improve. Then what is? Kirtitavyas ca: "Whatever you are hearing, you should say to others." That is perfection.
Therefore we have established Back to Godhead. The students are allowed, whatever they are hearing, they must be thoughtful and write. Kirtitavyas ca. Not only simply hearing. "Oh, I am hearing for millions of years; still, I cannot understand"because you do not chant, you do not repeat what you have heard. You have to repeat. Kirtitavyas ca. srotavyah kirtitavyas ca dhyeyah. And how can you write or how you can speak unless you think of Him? You are hearing about Krsna; you have to think, then you can speak. Otherwise not. So srotavyah kirtitavyas ca dhyeyah and pujyas ca. And you should worship. Therefore we require this Deity for worshiping. We have to think of, we have to speak, we have to hear, we have to worship, pujyas ca... Then, occasionally? No. Nityada: regularly, regular. Nityada, this is the process.
So anyone who adopts this process, he can understand the Absolute Truth. This is the clear declaration of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Thank you very much. Any question? You can ask any question, what you have heard. Yes?
Guest (1): What is the source of life? Not the ordinary life. I am referring to it in the spiritual sense of the word. What is the source of... I don't mean to ask you if Brahman is the source of life. For example, could sound create life?
Prabhupada: Yes. Sound create life, that is the scientific truth. From ether, sound is created. From sound, fire is created. From fire... No. From sound, air is created. From air, fire is created. And from fire, water is created. From water, land is created. This is nature's law. But where the ether is created? That you have to search out. If you go upstairs, where ether is created, then you come to God. Therefore from God, everything is created. Ether is the subtle form of matter. Then it becomes gross, gross matter. So the grossest is this material, this matter, dark. And the finest in the material is the ether. And finer than the ether is the mind. And finer than the mind is intelligence. And finer than the intelligence is the soul. And who is the source of soul? The Supreme Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is everything.
Guest (2): Somebody said Christ studied in India. Is this true?
Prabhupada: What is that?
Guest (2): Somebody... I have heard or read somewhere that Christ had studied in India. Is this true?
Prabhupada: Yes, I have also heard, but I do not know whether it is true. Maybe, because India is the place of learning. From China, from other places, from Greece, the history says, they used to go to India. So quite possible. And I have heard from reliable sources that Christ was absent from his home for twelve years, and he went to India for studying. Maybe. Yes. Yes?
Guest (3): You mentioned about how you should fulfill the supreme law, and you should be what your..., what the spirit tells you or what this Supreme Being, whatever, this tells you? I mean, like, if you, like, if you meditate a lot and you really, well, you feel something, that you should do something...
Prabhupada: It is not something. It must be actual fact. There is no question of "something." "Something" is vague. You must speak what is that something.
Guest (3): Well, let's say it'd be to...
Prabhupada: Oh, that you cannot express. That means you have no idea. So you have to learn. This is the process. I am speaking of the process. So if you want to have knowledge of Absolute Truth, the first thing is, basic principle is, faith. Then you must be thoughtful. Then you must be devoted, and you must hear from authentic sources. In this way, these are the different methods. And when you come to the ultimate knowledge, from Brahman platform to Paramatma platform, then Paramatma to the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead, then your duty shall be to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the perfection of your active life. These are the process. These are the process, and it is concluded that therefore, everyonenever mind what he ishis duty is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And how we can satisfy? We have to hear about Him, we have to speak about Him, we have to think about Him, we have to worship Him, and that is regularly. That will make, help you. If you have no worship, if you have no thought, if you have no hearing, if you have no speaking, and you are simply thinking of something, something, something, that "something, something," it is not God.
Guest (3): No, well, I mean, well, you know, I'm still young and I didn't know what I mean. I don't know what I'm...
Prabhupada: So here don't talk (indistinct). That I am speaking, that you have to know in this process. We are all "don't knows." So we have to know. This is the process. Yes?
Nandarani: But since we don't yet understand the supreme law, because we are young and just new to this, how can we speak about it without saying...?
Prabhupada: Therefore you have to hear. First thing is srotavyah. You have to hear. Unless you hear, how can you speak? We are, therefore, giving you facility to hear. You hear, and then you can speak. Then you can think. We are giving all facilities: to hear, to speak, to think, to worship. This is the Society's work. Unless you hear, how can you speak? The first, I mean, task is given, srotavyah kirtitavyas ca dhyeyah pujyas ca nityada. These are the process. You have to hear, and hearing you have to repeat, chant. And then you have to think. You have to worship. These are the processes. Yes.
Upendra: Swamiji, so we can hear, but do we speak? We listen for a long time, or do we...?
Prabhupada: No. Why? Suppose you hear two lines. Oh, you repeat that two lines. Now, anything... Suppose leaving aside everything, now hear Hare Krsna. Oh, you can chant Hare Krsna. What is the difficulty there? srotavyah kirtitavyas ca. You have to hear and chant. So if you cannot remember on the topics which are, mean to say, speaking from Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, then you can at least remember this, "Hare Krsna." Therefore it is the easiest process. You hear Hare Krsna and chant Hare Krsna. Then other things will come automatically. Now, this is possible for everyone. Even the child can repeat Hare Krsna. What is the difficulty? You hear Krsna and you chant Hare Krsna. We are not giving you very difficult or troublesome task. Then everything will follow. We are giving you everything. But if you feel in the beginning to be difficult, then you can do this. This is very nice. Hare Krsna. We are doing that actually. Somebody is speaking and hearing and you are chanting. This process will help you.
This sravanam, hearing and chanting, is the basic principle of advancement in spiritual life. Without hearing, we shall simply concoct, simply waste our time and mislead people. We have to hear from the authoritative sources. (aside:) Hayagriva, come here. Come here. Now this should be lighted up, and when there is kirtana, one must be doing like this before the Deity. You see? Yes, with the kirtana. When he stops, he should hand over to another person, devotee. When he stops, he should another. So so long kirtana will go on, this will go on. You just, with the kirtana just now... You do not follow? You begin, and when you are tired, you hand over to other. It will go on.
Hayagriva: Like this?
Prabhupada: Yes, that's it, before the Deity. All right. Let us begin kirtana. (kirtana)
Prabhupada: (recites jaya om prayers) Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Bring that before me. Yes. Show everyone. Each and every one show. Whatever they contribute... Take, take the... Yes, like this. Show everyone. The Bhagavata has recommended hearing, chanting, thinking... Hearing, chanting, thinking and worshiping, the process which we just now introduced on the advent of Jagannatha Svami. Now this temple is now completely fixed. So the worshiping process, this is the worshiping process. By light... This is called aratrika. So at the end of kirtana this aratrika will go, and the worshiping process is to take the heat of the light, and whatever your condition is, pay something for the worship. So, this simple process, if you follow, you just see how you realize the Absolute Truth. Another, I request you, all the devotees, when you come to the temple, you bring one fruit and one flower. If you can bring more fruit, more flower, it is very good. If not, it is not very expensive. One fruit and one flower. And offer to the Deity. So I'll request you when you come to the temple you bring this. Whatever fruit it may be. It does not mean that you have to bring very costly fruit. Any fruit, whatever you can afford. One fruit and one flower. Yes. Now you can distribute prasada? (pause-guests take prasada) Very nice preparation. Mmmm. All glories to the cookers.
Girl: Hare Krsna.
Prabhupada: Jagannathah svami nayana-patha-gami bhavatu me. Howard, repeat this.
Prabhupada: Yes, this should be chanted. Jagannathah svami nayana-patha-gami bhavatu me. (pause)
Hayagriva: Oh. Uh, "Lord of the universe, please be present before me." (pause-door opens and closes)
Prabhupada: Oh, why he is going away? Ask him to come. (someone goes out) Please, please take prasada. Give him first. [break] Human life is not for, I mean to say, playing, sense gratification. Very important life. So Krsna says manusyanam. But they do not know. Foolish people, they do not know. They are simply wasting life in sense gratification. They are thinking, "By sense gratification we shall be happy." One day the cruel death will come, at once give him a slap: "Come on! Go! Finish your business. No more human life. Become a cat and dog." So these risks are there. So we should be very responsible. So we are not responsible. Krsna says, "They are not responsible." Therefore manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many thousands of people, a person desires to utilize his human form of life very nicely. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. Kascit means somebody tries to make his life perfect. And yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. And among such millions of persons who are trying to make his perfect, one can understand Krsna.
So Krsna is not easy to understand. But He is so kind that He is explaining Himself. One who takes this explanation of Krsna and understand Him, he becomes perfect.
Thank you very much. Any question? No, question? Have you got any questions?
Govinda dasi: Uh, well, could you tell about Lord Caitanya asking where is Krsna and falling in the water? Or would that be not blissful?
Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Very nice. Your question is very nice. I'm very glad. Lord Caitanya, He was the greatest symbol of krsna-bhakta, a devotee of Krsna. So just see from His life. He never said that "I have seen Krsna." He never said that "I have seen Krsna." He was mad after Krsna. "Where I can see Krsna? Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna?" He was mad after Krsna. That is the, I mean to say, process of Caitanya philosophy. It is called viraha. Viraha means separation. Separation. "Krsna, You are so good, You are so merciful, You are so nice. But I am so rascal, I am so full of sin, that I cannot see You. I have no qualification to see You." So in this way, if one feels the separation of Krsna, that "Krsna, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You." These feeling of separation will make you enriched in Krsna consciousness. Feeling of separation. Not that "Krsna, I have seen you. Finished. All right. I have understood You. Finished. All my business finished." No! Perpetually think of yourself that "I am unfit to see Krsna." That will enrich you in Krsna consciousness.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed this, these feelings of separation. This is Radharani's separation. When Krsna went from Vrndavana to His place, His father's place, and Radharani was feeling in that way, always mad after Krsna. So Krsna Caitanya, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, took the separation feeling of Radharani. That is the best way of worshiping Krsna or becoming Krsna conscious. So you know that Lord Caitanya fell on the sea. "Krsna, if You are in the sea? Krsna, if You are here? Krsna, if You are here?" Similarly, the next devotees, Lord Caitanya's direct disciples, Gosvamis-Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami. They also, the same disciplic succession, they also worship Krsna in that separation feeling. There is a nice verse about them: (sings)
he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah
sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah
ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau
These Gosvamis also, later on, when they were very much mature in devotional service, what they were doing? They were daily in the vrndavana-dhama, just like a mad man: "Krsna, where You are?" That is the qualification. It is very nice question. (pause) (Prabhupada chants Govinda jaya jaya, recites jaya om prayers) (end)

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