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721226ND.BOM
The Nectar of Devotion
Bombay, December 26, 1972 Pradyumna: (reading:) "...who was later to become Srila Sanatana Gosvami, took advantage of his brother's personal money, which had been deposited with a village banker, and escaped from the prison of Hussain Shah. In this way, both brothers joined Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Rupa Gosvami first met Lord Caitanya at Prayaga (Allahabad, India), and on the Dasasvamedha bathing ghata of that holy city the Lord instructed him continually..."
Prabhupada: Now sometimes it is questioned that Sanatana Gosvami paid the money in black market. Yes. Actually he paid. When the Hussain Shah, Nawab, imprisoned him, he was minister. The superintendent of jail, he was working under him. He was minister. So the Sanatana Gosvami requested him that "I had done so many times your benefit. So you do me one benefit. You let me go. Let me go al..., the, although the Nawab has imprisoned me." (aside:) That's not required. So "I am going to be a pir (?)." Because the Muslims, they respect very much the pir. So actually he was going to be a pir. They renounced the family life and became gosvamis. "So I am sacrificing my life for God, and you just help me in this service. And not only that, you get some material profit also. I have got this, that, about..." First of all, he offered five thousand, five thousand gold mudras (?). But when he was not very happy, then he offered ten thousand. In this way, it was settled and the superintendent of jail let him go. And he inquired from Sanatana Gosvami, "What I shall explain to the Nawab when he'll ask me explanation, call for explanation? You are going." So he gave him a trick that... Formerly, people used to evacuate on the field. So he was imprisoned. So he wanted to evacuate in the field. And the superintendent of jail was accompanying him. In this way, he fabricated story and he told that "When he was evacuating, immediately he jumped over the river and the river's waves were so strong, he was carried away. I could not find him." So in this way, Sanatana Gosvami escaped after bribing.
Now the question is whether this kind of black marketing, bribing, is required for spiritual life. And the answer is that everything is required, provided you can satisfy Krsna. This is the principle. In, according to time, circumstances, the dealing... Just like Arjuna, we have, in the battlefield, there was fighting, and Krsna is advising Yudhisthira that "You go and tell Dronacarya that your son, Asvatthama, is dead." So Krsna is advising to speak lie. And Yudhisthira hesitated: "How can I speak lie? I never spoke lie in my life." So the idea is that our dealings in the ordinary... When there is fighting, in fighting, they take all means, all propaganda, all means, you know that. Fighting, one... The aim is how to own victory. Although there are so many international laws, they don't care for it. Just like bombing. Bombing. Sometimes the opposite party, they keep soldiers under Red Cross, because Red Cross is not bombed according to international... But they, they get information and they bomb also. These are common practice. Just like in India, in the Hindu-Muslim fight, the Muslims were keeping weapons within mosques. You know that. Everyone knows. So there (are) so many international law of the fighting, but when there is necessity, they neglect all international law and they take advantage.
So then... I have heard from a very reliable officer, Mr. MacPherson, in Allahabad... He was my... At that, at that, at that time, I was keeping a drug shop. So he was my customer. And when he was coming, he was talking with me many past stories of the war. So once he narrated... He was also one of the commanders. That the First War, Marshall Foch? He was in Second World War, or First? I think First World War. Or First? I think First World War.
Devotee: First Expeditionary.
Prabhupada: Marshall Foch. He was in charge of the French centers. So the Belgium, there were many refugees from Belgium, most women and children. So they came to France. And in charge was Mis..., Marshall Foch. So this Mr. MacPherson, he told me that "We were officers. We informed that so many refugees have come from Belgium. What to do." Then Marshall became very angry. You see. He became very... "What can I do? In this battlefield?" So it was ordered that they should be killed. So actually it so happened that all these women and children, they were assembled together, and four guns from four sides, they were blown up. You see. Their own alliance. Not alliance, what it is called? Allies, allies.
So these things take place in war, sometimes. There is no international law, no humanitarian... Everything goes on. Everything. Similarly, the point is that as people act, hooks and crooks, everything, for satisfying the senses, gaining some material profit, similarly, if need be, everything can be accepted for Krsna's service. Everything can be, can be accepted. Otherwise, how Sanatana Gosvami is bribing? How Krsna is advising Yudhisthira to speak lie? There is a verse, man nimitte krtam papam punya eva kalpate. Sometimes it appears that this is a sinful act, but if it is done for Krsna, the, our bhakti is anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. We have to satisfy Krsna. "Krsna is asking me to tell lie. Yes, I shall tell lie." That is bhakti. If I consider, "Oh, I never spoken lies in my life. How can I speak lie?" that is not bhakti. Because it is pratikula, against the desire of Krsna. Common people cannot understand this. They'll be shuddered. (aside:) Why one candle is not burning? Get it. You should... They think, "Oh, oh, Krsna is teaching Yudhisthira, such a nice man, religious person, and He's teaching him to speak lie." Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. If sometimes one thinks like that, he becomes mudha. When Karna was repairing the wheel of his chariot, Krsna asked Arjuna, "Kill him immediately. Kill him immediately." And Karna protested: "Arjuna, what you are doing? I am not in fighting now." So Krsna said, "No, this is the time of... Otherwise, you cannot be able to kill him. This is the time. This is the opportunity. You kill him." Because Karna was greater hero than Arjuna. Dronacarya, Bhisma... That is explained by Pariksit Maharaja, that "In the battlefield of Kuru, just like a ocean, and there were big, big crocodiles, animals, like Dronacarya, Bhisma, Karna. But by the grace of Krsna, my grandfather was able to kill them." Arjuna was not so strong that he could kill Bhisma or Dronacarya, Karna. They were greater heroes. So these things are there.
There, there are many instances. Just like gopis. At dead of night, when Krsna's flute was there, they left their husband, left their father, left their brothers, children, everything, and they went away. Now, according to our Vedic system, young girls, young women, leaving the protection of father, brother or superiors, and going in the forest for another boyoh, it is very sinful. Socially, it is sinful. And Krsna instructed them, "What you have done? You go back immediately." And they began to cry. That, this description is there. So now, from the social point of view, this is sin. This is sin when the gopis went to Krsna. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja was standing without any protest and his father is being killed. Now can any sane man see that his father is being killed, and he's standing silently, without any protest? And Bali Maharaja, he rejected his spiritual master. When Sukracarya said that "Don't promise. He's Visnu. He'll take everything of your. Don't promise anything," the Bali Maharaja said, "He is Visnu? And you are asking me not to promise to Him? Oh, I don't want such spiritual master. I reject him." To reject spiritual master is a great sin. So these are, from social point of view, from religious point of view, these are irreligious, sinful activities, to reject one's spiritual master; to see one's father being killed in one's presence; one woman is going to another boy, dead of night. Superficially they are sinful activities. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends, ramya kacid upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita. There is no upasana, method of worship, as it was conceived by the gopis. First class.
So the point is that superficially it may appear sometimes against the social and religious rules and regulations, but if it is done for Krsna, anukulyena... Bhakti means anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Krsna should be satisfied. That is... It doesn't matter. Krsna should be satisfied. Just like Krsna pretended that He was sick, and many physicians came. He said, "No physician cured Me. If some devotee gives Me the dust of his feet on My head, then I can be cured." So all devotees were asked, and nobody... "Oh! How can I give? My dust on the head of Krsna? How it is possible?" Nobody prepared. Then Krsna asked that "Go to Vrndavana. Just ask the gopis if they can give. They are My best friends. If they are prepared? Oh, I am very much suffering from headache." So nobody was prepared to go... As soon as gopis were approached: "Oh, Krsna is sick. They want, oh, dust of...?" Immediately: "Please take. Please take." She did not care that "We are going to hell by offering our dust of feet on the head of Krsna. Never mind. We shall go. Krsna will be happy. That's all. Krsna will be happy." This is gopi. It doesn't matter the whole world is going to hell, but if Krsna is satisfied, a devotee's prepared to do that. That is, that is called uttama bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. You'll find, this Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu: anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. To, not to make business with Krsna: "I shall be devotee of Krsna provided my everything is all right adjusted. I shall not be sinful. I shall not do this. I shall not do... My family will be kept nicely. This..." All these conditions. Just as people go to Vrndavanaall the money distributed. And there are many persons, and the sons and grandsons are all right, that "You send me two hundred rupees per month. And all the two crores of rupees, that is for you. That is for you. That is not for Krsna. And simply for my eating, you send me two hundred." There are many in Vrndavana. So Krsna is also very, that, that "Two crores of rupees you earned, so with hard labor, that is kept for your children. And you have come here with empty hand. And for your food, two hundred rupees." So, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. No. The first principle is that one should be prepared to sacrifice any, everything for Krsna. Everything. It doesn't mattermy fate, my honor, my money, my prestige. He doesn't care. Krsna must be satisfied. Just (like) Arjuna did. Arjuna didn't like to fight, to kill, on the other side his brother, his grandfather. No. But when he understood, "No, Krsna wants it. Yes, karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. That's all right." This is Krsna consciousness. No consideration for anything else. Simply to satisfy Krsna. Satisfy Krsna, or Krsna's representative. The same thing. That is bhakti. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Jnana. Jnana, it should be, it should not be tinged by jnana. This is jnana. "Oh, I am going to speak lie. I'll go to hell. I am going to kill my grandfather. I'll go to hell." This is called jnana, knowledge. But the definition is, jnana-karmady anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. It should be untouched by jnana and karma. Untouched. Yes.
So this is pure bhakti. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady... [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. The, the, the gopis, they're not jnanis; they're ordinary village girls. What jnana they have? No jnana, no karma. They did not know what is karma, what is sacrifice. No. They did not know. (aside:) All right, you can close. Close this door. So we should, we should be prepared to sacrifice everything, without any consideration of jnana, karma, yoga. No. We have to see whether Krsna is satisfied. Svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. That is perfection. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam: whether Krsna is satisfied. So people have no information what is Krsna, and what to speak of satisfying Him. That... Who was speaking? That Giriraja. He was talking to Mr. Motta, every so-called learned scholars, they have no, I mean to say, idea what is God, what is Krsna, and where to speak of satisfying Him? But the bhakti means that he, a bhakta, is always ready to sacrifice everything to satisfy Krsna. But if one has no idea what is Krsna, then where is bhakti? For the impersonalist, there cannot be any bhakti because they have no information of Krsna. They do not know what is Krsna. And bhakti means satisfaction of Krsna. If I know the person, if I know what is his nature, then I can know also how to satisfy him. If you have no information of any person, then where is the question of satisfaction? Go on reading.
Prabhupada: So here, here the point is that Sanatana Gosvami, Dabira Khasa, he was so mad after meeting Caitanya Mahaprabhu that he, whatever money he had with the banker, village banker, and even it was sinful to bribe, he didn't care for it. He wanted... He re..., resigned his service as minister, Therefore he was imprisoned. Now to get out of the imprison, prison house, he bribed. He was so much ecstatic. There is a verseI just now forgetthat this laulyam. This is called laulyam. Laulyam means just like we become very much greedy in achieving some success or receiving something sometimes. We become mad. That is required. Laulyam eka mulyam. To achieve Krsna consciousness perfectly, this ecstatic eagerness or greediness, to serve Krsna, that is the only price to achieve success in devotional service. That is the only price. Not money, not anything. Not prestige, not good parentage, not beautynothing. Simply this ecstatic, intense desire, "How I shall get Krsna?" Then you'll get Krsna. He'll take you. That is the example of the gopis, intense desire. Tatra laulyam eka mulyam. Now, janma-koti, na labhyate janma-kotibhih sukrtinah. This ecstatic desire, that "I, this life, I shall get recognition by Krsna, that I have sacrificed everything for Krsna," this is required. Go on.
Pradyumna: "These teachings of Lord Caitanya to Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada are narrated in our book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Later, Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada elaborated the teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic literatures. Srila Srinivasa Acarya describes in his prayers to the six Gosvamis that they were all highly learned scholars, not only in Sanskrit but also in foreign languages, such as Persian and Arabian. They very scrutinizingly studied all..."
Prabhupada: As the English language was compulsory during the British Rule, during Muhammadan's rule, at least all big, big officers, there were many Hindu big officers, they had to learn Arabian and Persian languages. So these Gosvamis, because they were ministers, they were learned, highly learned scholars in Arabic and Persian languages. Go on.
Pradyumna: "They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic literatures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge. The present Krsna consciousness movement is also based on the authority of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. We are therefore generally known as rupanugas, or followers in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. It is only for our guidance that..."
Prabhupada: Rupanuga varaya te. Rupanuga, followers of Rupa Gosvami. We Gaudiya Vaisnavas, we follow the instruction... Narottama dasa Thakura says in his song:
Yugala-piriti, the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna, it is not be understood by a third-class man. It is not possible. If one thinks Krsna is ordinary human being, Radharani as ordinary girl, then it is not possible. One has to understand Krsna and Radharani through the bhakti literature of these Gosvamis. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti. Eagerness. "When I shall try to understand yugala-piriti, the conjugal love of Radha-Krsna, through the literature of Rupa-Raghunatha?" Rupa-Raghunatha means... There are six Gosvamis. Begins from Rupa Gosvami, ends with Raghunatha. Srila Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta, dasa Raghunatha. There are two Raghunathasone Bhatta Raghunatha, one dasa Raghunatha. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, Rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhabo... To understand Radha-Krsna and Their love affairs, one has to understand through the literature given by Rupa Gosvami. Just like this Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion.
Pradyumna: "It is only for our guidance that Srila Rupa Gosvami prepared this book, the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which is now presented in the form of The Nectar of Devotion. Persons engaged in the Krsna consciousness movement may take advantage of this great literature and be very solidly situated in Krsna consciousness. Bhakti means devotional service. Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this material world..."
Prabhupada: Without, without some attractive feature, nobody is interested. Just like we are talking here about Krsna-bhakti, but people in general, they're not very much attracted to Krsna consciousness. So they do not care to come. There must be some attractive feature. Otherwise... So different people have got different attractive features. Therefore Krsna says,
This attraction for Krsna can be developed in the association of devotees, satam prasangat. Automatically, nobody's attracted for Krsna. The whole world is like that. So the Krsna consciousness movement means to give these people a chance to associate with devotees and thus become attracted to Krsna. That is required. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Mayy asakta, to become attracted by Krsna. Krsna means attractive, Krsna. Akasatira-sakti. Krsna means attractive. Just like magnetic stone, attractive, naturally the iron... But the iron, if it is rusty, it cannot attract. It cannot attract. Similarly, Krsna is attractive, and we are part and parcel of Krsna. We are also attracted by Krsna. But because we are now covered by the maya rust, we are not attracted. This maya rust has to be polished; then you'll be attracted. Otherwise Krsna is attractive. Krsna means attractive. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it."
Prabhupada: Yes. We cannot work unless we derive some pleasure. Just like the, in the Ahmedabad, the dramatic performance, he was killing animal, and he was attracted by killing, that's all. The butchers... I have seen in Calcutta, while passing through, one hotel man was cutting the throat of a chicken, and the chicken was, after being cut, the throat, it was jumping like anything. You see. And he was laughing. He was taking pleasure. It was for me so horrible, but he was taking very nice pleasure: "This half-cut chicken is jumping." And his son was crying. And he was asking, "Why you are crying? Why you are crying?" So it is the question of different qualities. One is attracted, and one, he finds that, that they are detracted. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family, and the nationalists for the cause of his country and countrymen. That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalists is called rasa, or a kind of..."
Prabhupada: That attractiveness is called rasa, mellow, taste. Go on.
Pradyumna: "...or a kind of mellow, or relationship whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard, day and night, in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A business man is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyaga, which means..."
Pradyumna: "...which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."
Prabhupada: Yes, their position is sense enjoyment. If, by bhoga, they are not satisfied, then tyaga. Brahma satyam jagan mithya. Give it, give it up. Again, by tyaga, when he does not find any sense pleasure, then again comes back: All right, come to social service, open hospital, open the school. Why are you coming again? You have given it up, tyaga, brahma satyam jagan mithya. Why you are coming to mithya again, to open school? That, that is going on. That is going on. Sometimes this is brahma... Jagan mithya, everything is mithya, and Brahman is satya. Aham brahmasmi. But when they cannot get Brahman, cannot realize Brahman, then again come to this bhoga. Bhoga. Pendulum. Bhoga, tyaga, bhoga, tyaga, bhoga, tyaga. You know that pendulum works: (makes noise) kaut kaut kaut kaut. Bhoga, tyaga, bhoga, tyaga. So Krsna says, sarva-dharman pari... You have to give up this bhoga dharma and tyaga dharma. Sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. You are now engaged in two kinds of dharma. Somebody, karmis, they are bhoga, bhoga dharmi. They want to enjoy. And tyagi, they want to renounce this bhoga. So both of these will not help you. Bhoga-tyaga. Then what? Seva. You have to take the dharma of seva. That is bhakti. Krsna-seva. For Krsna, you can accept anything. That is It may appear bhoga. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, Prthu Maharaja, they were kings, very opulent kings. Dhruva Maharaja. So still they were great devotees. Not only ordinary devotees, mahajanas. So this bhoga-tyaga has no meaning. It has no benefit. One has to become devotee. Either in the bhoga field or in the tyaga field, it doesn't matter. Bhoga-tyaga is not required. Required service. That service, it may be on the platform of bhoga or service... Service is required, Krsna's service. Krsna has to be satisfied. Either in the bhoga platform or tyaga plat... He does not... Devotee's not concerned with bhoga-tyaga. Devotee's concerned with Krsna's service.
So sometimes... Just like there is example. We asked this question, bhoga-tyaga, to our Guru Maharaja. So... What is the difference...? Just like Rupa Gosvami, he left everything for Caitanya Mahaprabhu's service. His lucrative service, minister post and everything, he re... Tyaga. And Ramananda Raya, he was governor. He was governor and grhastha, and living very luxuriantly. He's bhoga, he's bhoga platform. Now both of them were devotees of Lord Caitanya. So what is the difference? This question was put. So our Guru Maharaja replied: Just like a woman. According to our Vedic system, when the husband is out of home, the women is not supposed to dress herself very nicely. Prosita bhartrka. It is called prosita bhartrka. The system was that one should dress herself in such a way that people can understand what is her positionwhether she's unmarried, whether she's married, whether she's widow, whether her husband is away, whether she's a pro..., she's a prostitute, everything. By the dress one should understand. "She is, she is widow," "She has got her husband," "Her husband is now away from home." "Oh, she is a prostitute," "She's not married." In this way. Because she's not to be asked. Simply by the dress one can understand. So the prosita bhartrka. She does not dress herself, she lies down on the floor, does not change her clothes very nicely, does not dress the, comb the hair, prosita bhartrka. And the same woman, when her husband is at home, she take twice bath and dresses herself, applies oil and very nice dress, ornaments, and so many things. Women know how to decorate themselves. But the... There is no difference. Her not dressing herself nicely and dressing herself nicely, it may be considered that bhoga and tyaga. But either of these positions is for center is husband. Center is husband. Therefore bhoga-tyaga is not consideration. If for Krsna I have to give up everything, I will give up. And if Krsna, I'll have to accept everything, I will accept. This is required. Not the position of bhoga-tyaga, but service. If by giving up everything I can serve Krsna well, I shall give it up, everything. And if by accepting everything I shall serve Krsna very nicely, then I accept everything. That is required. Anukulyena.
Because we have to see whether Krsna wants it, Krsna wants it. Krsna wants Arjuna that "You become victorious in this battlefield and kill all of them." "Yes, I shall do that." Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. If Krsna would have asked him, "What is this fighting? You give up. Come with Me. Go to the forest," Arjuna would have done that. So our policy is not bhoga-tyaga. Our policy is satisfaction of Krsna. That is pure bhakti.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170] That's all right. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/nod/the_nectar_of_devotion/bombay/december/26/1972 Previous: The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972 Next: The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972
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