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710702IN.LA
Initiation Lecture Excerpt
Los Angeles, July 2, 1971 Prabhupada: ...interested in material profit by devotional service, he is not fit at all to enter into the devotional service. There are... Everyone is trying to become happier, the karmis, jnanis, yogis, devotees, because in the material world there is no happiness. So the karmis are trying to be happier to increase their sense gratification. So one man has got hundred dollars income. He is trying to be happy, more happy, by increasing the income to a thousand dollars, because his sense gratification is not sufficient in one hundred dollars. He wants thousand dollars. So if one takes to devotional service, but, "My income is hundred dollars. Krsna, give me thousand dollars," so this is not pure devotion. Krsna can give. Why thousand? Millions of dollars He can give. But anyone who asks from Krsna for this material benefit, he is not a pure devotee. And unless one is pure devotee, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. By devotional service, if you want material prosperity, Krsna can give you. Krsna can... Whatever you want, Krsna can give you. But that is not pure devotion. Dhruva Maharaja went to obtain his father's kingdom in the beginning, but at the end he said that "I don't want." That is the benefit. If anyone has got any desire for material benefit and takes to Krsna consciousness, Krsna can give him, but the benefit is that one day he'll come to the stage he'll ask nothing from the Lord. Whereas, if anyone goes to demigods to ask some material profit, he will get, but it will be finished, and he'll never come to the stage of transcendental platform, that he has no material necessities.
So similarly, Krsna's name, we should not try to exact some material profit by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. That is not pure devotion. Sarva... What is called? Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. We shall simply aspire to serve Krsna. The Hare Krsna mantra means, "He Krsna, my Lord Krsna." He, Hare Krsna, Hare, "O the energy of Krsna, O Krsna, please engage me in Your service." This is the sum total meaning of this Hare Krsna mantra. Simply praying, "Please engage me," that is real profit. Not that "Please give me, instead of hundred dollars, give me thousand dollars." No. This is not pure devotion. You should all understand this. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Completely freed from any material desire. That is pure devotion. That will make you happy. Go on. Go on with... You are finished?
Dayananda: There's still one.
Prabhupada: All right. Yes. (japa) What is your name?
Girl: Jean Pickman.
Prabhupada: Your name is Sivani, wife of Lord Siva. Who is this? Nicely wove it and sewn it. What is your name?
Boy: Jeffrey Seeler. (?)
Visnujana: Gangarama.
Prabhupada: Gangarama. Gangarama was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Go on. Who's next?
Devotee: Suraci devi. Suraci.
Prabhupada: Huh? Suruci. Suruci was one of the mothers of Dhruva Maharaja. Take it. You know what are the rules and regulations? What is that?
Suruci: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling.
Prabhupada: All right. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/initiations/initiation_lecture_excerpt/los_angeles/july/02/1971 Previous: Initiation: Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970 Next: Initiation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971
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