710218LE.GOR
Lecture
Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971 Hamsaduta: The following lecture was recorded the evening of February 17th, 1971, Sri Krsna-niketana in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. [break]
Prabhupada: This is the real picture of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: radha-madhava kunja-behari. Krsna has no other business. Vrndavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati. Krsna means original Krsna, or the adi-purusam, which is known as adi-purusam. He's always in Vrndavana, but He expands Himself as Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, so many, unlimited expansions. But the original form is in Vrndavana.
Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. These are the Vedic evidences. Krsna Himself says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7].
That Supreme Personality of Godhead is always engaged in pleasure potency. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna. This is explained by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami:
radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam vande radha-bhava dyuti-suvalitam caitanya samjnakhyam [Cc. Adi 1.5] So Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when He wants to enjoy, He exhibits His pleasure potency. He is Param Brahman. For brahmananda, for enjoying the transcendental pleasure, here we see many, many great saintly persons, sages, they give up this material enjoyment for enjoying spiritual enjoyment, brahmananda, which is known as brahmananda. Brahmananda means unlimited, unlimited ananda. Here in this world, there is a reflection of ananda, of brahmananda, but it is flickering, temporary. Therefore it is said in the sastras, ramante yogino 'nante. Those who are yogis... Yogis means who are realizing transcendental position, they are called yogis. They may be divided into three categories: the jnanis, the hatha-yogis, or the bhakta-yogi. They are all called yogis. So ramante yogino anante. Yogis' target of enjoyment is to touch the unlimited. Here there is no perception of unlimited pleasure. That is not. It is flickering. Ramante yoginah anante satyanande [Cc. Madhya 9.29]. That is real pleasure. Here the pleasure is like this, that you, somebody is offering that "You take these rasagullas, and after eating rasagulla I shall beat you with shoes." Here the pleasure is like that: "You eat rasagulla and then be beaten by shoes." Perhaps we have got all experience of this. But actual ananda is brahmananda, unlimited. Brahmananda means unlimited. There is no... It is increasing. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. When you get to the... Everyone, we are seeking after ananda. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Because Krsna is anandamaya, and we are part and parcel of Krsna, naturally we are also anandamaya. But we have fallen in the circumstances where there is no ananda. Those who are seeking after ananda, they are under illusion, will o' the wisp. There is no ananda. "Why there is no ananda? There are so many things to enjoy." No. Krsna says that this place is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. So how there can be ananda? It is certified by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that it is duhkhalayam, it is the place for miserable condition of life. So how there can be ananda?
Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, "Those who are intelligent, they should always place before them four principles of miserable condition." Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. We should not be illusioned. We should know that there is, I mean to say, distresses when we take birth. We have forgotten. We do not know how much suffering we had to undergo when we were within the belly of our mother. It is very miserable condition. We had to remain there in packed-up condition like this in a bag, and it is suffocating. And because we are... At that time, the skin is very tender. There are many worms and germs within the belly, mixed up with stool and urine; they bite. We have forgotten that, the actual position. Anyone who knows how a child remains within the womb of his mother... The medical profession, they also know how much it is suffocating. Suppose you are packed up in a bag... It is simply by the mercy of God, Krsna, that we can remain in that condition. If you are put again into that condition, you will immediately die. So we have forgotten what is the distress to remain in the womb of mother. And that also, sometimes a child is killed. At the present moment, advanced civilization, pregnancy is killed sometimes. So we cannot see even light. We die within the womb of a mother and again enter another womb. And it may be we die again. So just try to understand what is the miserable condition of birth. But because we forget, we think we are very happy. And again, not only that, as soon as we take birth, again a new chapter of life begins. Again you... Even after coming out of the womb, when we are little child we cry. There may be mosquito biting or bugs biting or something in the belly, troubling, crying. Mother is trying to pacify, but we are crying, crying. We cannot express. So these are the miserable condition of life. Krsna says it is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. So under the illusion of maya, as soon as we get out of the womb we forget everything, what we are suffering. And because the mother and relatives, they take on the lap, we forget. So this is the condition, miserable condition of birth. And similarly, miserable condition of death. When one is lying in coma, so many sufferings is going on, so many dreaming, the Yamaduta is coming. Sometimes the man on the deathbed cries, he's so much suffering. But there is no remedy. Everyone is helpless. So that is the miserable condition of death. And then, janma-mrtyu-jara, old age. Just like we have now come to the old age. There are so many troubles. Sometimes heart failure, sometimes there is... So many troubles. You know, everyone. So janma-mrtyu-jara and vyadhi. So long we have got this body, you'll have so many diseases. So how you can get rid of these duhkha? Therefore it is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. How you consider that "We shall make it adjusted"? That is not possible. Therefore it is the duty. This human form of life is meant for realizing what is my position.
Then Bhagavata says,
The Bhagavata says that this life, this human form of life, ayam deha... Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke. Nrloke means the human form of life. It is not meant for working hard day and night and live like a hog. The hog's life we have got experience. They eat stool, all day long working, and they have got some pleasure, sex pleasure, without any discrimination. A person who has no discrimination of sex life, who has no discrimination of eating, he is given the birth of a hog. He has to take the birth like a hog. Because our activities are judged by higher authorities. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. We are acting, but there is a higher authority who is judging our actions, what kind of actions. Because in the human form is an opportunity. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sitting in your heart along with you as friend and witnessing what you are doing. And if you are desiring unlimited sex life and unlimited eating without any restriction, then Krsna gives you... Because the human society, it is not possible. There are so many restrictions even from social laws, political laws. But animal life, there is no restriction. Anyone can have sex lifethe dogs and hogs on the street in open placebecause they are animals. There is no law. But a human being, if he does so, then he is punishable. So why? Because human being. All the laws, all the books, are meant for human being. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, anadir bahir mukha jiva krsna bhuli gela, ataeva krsna veda purana karila. Why these Vedas and Puranas and the Vedic literature there? It is for human beings, not for the cats and dogs.
So this human form of life should be utilized. In our, especially in India, the land of Vedic culture, we should utilize. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says that,
In India, one who has taken birth as a human being, it is his duty to make his life perfect. Because there are so many, I mean to say, authentic literatures. So if we don't take advantage of these literatures, then we cannot make our life perfect. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that you make your life perfect and distribute this Vedic knowledge to the whole of the world. Paropakara. Paropakara. You are meant for paropakara, not for exploiting. That is the duty of the Indians. Unfortunately, neither we are inclined to make our life perfect by understanding the Vedic literatures... Therefore we are begging. Instead of doing paropakara, we are begging. This should be stopped. And the essence of all Vedic literature is Bhagavad-gita. So if we study Bhagavad-gita as it is, our life will be perfect, undoubtedly. But unfortunately, we also misinterpret Bhagavad-gita according to our own whims, and therefore we are misguiding. We cannot take the essence of Bhagavad-gita, and therefore our, this human form of life is also lost, and we cannot do any welfare activities in the world.
So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, according to the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that make your life perfect and distribute the Vedic knowledge throughout the whole world. The time has come. This Bhagavad-gita is being presented as it is in the foreign countries. And you can see simply by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra and studying Bhagavad-gita As It Is, how these boys and girls, they are in ecstasy. They are in the spiritual platform. You cannot expect such dancing and such joyful attitude in this material world. It is not possible. They are in the spiritual world. Yes.
mam ca vyabhicarini-
bhakti-yogena yah sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] If you are situated in bhakti-yoga, avyabhicarini, without any adulteration... The adulteration is most dangerous. Bhakti-yoga means,
Simply you have to cultivate Krsna consciousness favorably, not unfavorably. Krsna conscious, to become Krsna conscious unfavorably, that is not bhakti. Just like Kamsa. Kamsa was also Krsna conscious. He was always thinking of Krsna. "As soon as Krsna is born, please bring Him. Or inform me. I shall immediately kill Krsna." When Krsna was in the womb of His mother Devaki, Kamsa was Krsna conscious. He could understand that "Krsna is now... Because Devaki, she is now so much glowing." So he could understand. He sometimes wanted to kill Devaki; then he restrained himself, that "If I kill Devaki in pregnancy, it will be great, I mean to say, bad reputation." So he restrained himself. But therefore he was always thinking of Krsna, but he was thinking of Krsna unfavorably. So similarly, those who are reading Bhagavad-gita unfavorably means in the Bhagavad-gita Krsna is the principal factor, but anyone who is trying to kill Krsna and reading Bhagavad-gita, that is Kamsa's reading.
Indian man: Very good, very good.
Prabhupada: That is not bhakti. That is going on. Great, great scholars, they are trying to kill Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita. So this has to be stopped. We are preaching Krsna consciousness on this basis, that "Don't try to kill Krsna. Krsna cannot be killed. You will be killed. You will be killed. Krsna cannot be killed." When I went to Western countries, they said that "God is dead." Here also, in our country so many people says that "Krsna came. He is dead and gone. Now I am greater than Krsna." So many rascal incarnations: "I am greater than Krsna." You see. So this is going on.
So by this way you cannot be happy. You must be Krsna conscious. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is Krsna consciousness. So if you act like that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. We have to understand Bhagavad-gita through the parampara system, not whimsically: "I think," "It is my opinion." What you are, nonsense? Throw your opinion. This process should be given up. We should understand as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that,
So we have to take, understand Bhagavad-gita from parampara system, not from the rascals! That will not do. So what is that parampara system? That parampara system... Take, for example, Krsna is speaking to Arjuna. How? Why He is speaking to Arjuna? Arjuna was not a Vedantist; he was a military man. You do not expect a military man to be highly learned or Vedantist. And He was talking to him when he was fighting, very busy hour. And still, Krsna said, "I'll speak to you this yoga system of Bhagavad-gita because you are My devotee and dear friend." Therefore the first qualification for understanding Bhagavad-gita is to become a dear friend of Krsna. And if you are a Kamsa, what you will understand, Bhagavad-gita? If your motive is to kill Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita... Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan says, when he is explaining this verse, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], "It is not to Krsna." He directly says. He's advising not to surrender to Krsna. "It is the unborn which is within Krsna." He does not know, there is no "within," "without" Krsna. Krsna is absolute. He has no knowledge. Still, he's trying to comment on Bhagavad-gita. This is going on.
So our Krsna consciousness movement is to awaken the dormant Krsna consciousness which is lying within everyone's heart. It is not artificial. It is not that I have spoken to these boys and girls in America and all over the world (and) with my speeches they have been enticed and they are Krsna conscious. No. Nobody has such power that simply by artificial, by speaking, one can convert. That is not possible. The real, real mystery is, as it is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta,
Krsna-bhakti, Krsna consciousness, is in everyone's heart, dormant. Every living entity. Because every living entity is part and parcel of Krsna. Just like a father and son, there is natural affection; it is not artificial. Even there is misunderstanding between father and the son, and if they meet at a time after many years' misunderstanding, immediately the affection of father and son will act, immediately. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Krsna, our affection for Krsna and Krsna's affection for us is eternal. Krsna is more anxious to reclaim us from this miserable condition of life than we are, because we are sons of Krsna. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah [Bg. 14.4]. He is the father of all living entities. We are part and parcel. Therefore Krsna is very anxious. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta kar says,
Just to remind us. Not only he has given us Vedas and Puranas to remind us that "Your position is different than you are thinking. You are thinking that you are a material product. That is illusion. Aham brahmasmi. You are brahma-vastu. You are part and parcel of Brahman..." Therefore there are so many literatures-vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]just to draw your attention to come to Krsna. Just to draw your attention, that "You are My part and parcel. You are My eternal son. Why you are rotting in this miserable condition of life, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]?" Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Therefore Krsna's advice is give up all nonsense engagement; simply surrender to Krsna. Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Just try to understand Krsna favorably, not like Kamsa or so-called scholars, but with natural affection for Krsna. Then you'll be happy. That is our program.
We are preaching all over this Krsna consciousness movement just to awaken their natural affection for Krsna. And the Srimad-Bhagavatam says,
We have to develop our natural affection. Natural affection. Just like a father loves the child, child loves the father. That is natural. At least, father loves the child without any thinking of renunciation. No. That is natural. Similarly, when we shall develop, awaken... Not develop; it is already there. Simply to awaken. How it is awakened? Sravanadi-suddha-citte. As you are coming here, if you try to hear the real fact of your relationship with Krsna and yourself from the sastras... Because ataeva krsna veda purana karila. We have to learn from the authorized sastras, from the Bhagavad-gita, from Srimad-Bhagavatam, from Vedas, not from the rascals. Then you'll understand. Your real affection for Krsna will be awakened and your life will be successful. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah [SB 3.25.25]. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised: bhagavata para giya bhagavata sthane. We have to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam from the person Bhagavatam, whose life is simply Krsna consciousness. Then you'll understand Bhagavata. Not from the professional readers. You cannot understand. Sanatana Gosvami has prohibited strictly. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam. One, he is not Vaisnava in his behavior, pseudo-Vaisnava, Sanatana Gosvami says, even he speaks hari-kathamrtam, the message of Krsna, it is not to be heard because he'll not present real Krsna. He'll present adulterated Krsna, or his business will be to kill Krsna. That's all.
So this movement is cultural movement, Krsna cultural movement. Of course, it is Indian movement, but it is not for only..., meant for only for the Indians. It is meant for everyone, because everywhere there are Krsna's parts and parcels. (pause) (aside:) Sit down. So if we want to be free from the clutches of maya, the formula is very simple. Formula is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. To become liberated, to become free from the contamination of this mayic illusion, or maya... There are many yogis, they are trying to get out of the clutches of maya, but the method is simple according to Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. You can try to get rid of, out of the clutches of maya in different ways, but it is very, very strong. It is not so easy to get out of the clutches of maya. But immediately He says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti: simply by surrendering unto Krsna. What is that surrendering? "Krsna, I forgot You for so many births, from time immemorial. Now I surrender unto You. Please accept." This simple method. This simple method will make you liberated if you do it sincerely, without any, I mean to say, reservation. That we are teaching. Simply krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. And you surrender to Krsna, and everything will be perfect. Your life will be perfect. That is injunction of all sastras, and especially Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead teaching personally. Why do you say "There is no God. What is God?" I was surprised. When I was speaking in the Berkeley University, one Indian girl asked me, "Swamiji, what is God?" You see? I inquired from her, "Are you Indian? You are so misfortunate, you are coming from IndiaIndia is the place of Lord Krsna, Lord Ramaand you are asking me what is God?" So much degradation. Apan dhan vilaya ye vikram aje pare tyaje(?). (laughter) You see? So you should be careful now. You take to Krsna consciousness very seriously and you'll be happy. That is our propaganda.
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