Children’s Darśana – January 26, 1975, Hong Kong

Children's Darsana
-
January 26, 1975, Hong Kong

750126CD-HONG KONG [18:17 Minutes]

So as far as possible, try to understand this Krsna philosophy

Prabhupada: Try to answer, children? Do you know what is Krsna? Who can say? You say something about Krsna?

Girl: The Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Prabhupada: Hmm. So, what does He do? Tell something about Krsna. You have read Krsna book? Huh?

Boy: He was given many names.

Prabhupada: That's all right. Many names everyone has got. But what is the difference between your many names and Krsna's many names? Just like your father calls you by some name and mother calls you by some name; friends calls you. So you have got also many names. Similarly, Krsna has also many names. But what is the between... What is the difference between your name and Krsna's name? Can anyone say?

Girl: Each of Krsna's names has a meaning behind it.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Girl: Each of Krsna's names has a meaning behind it.

Prabhupada: Every name has got some meaning. That is not… The difference is that Krsna and Krsna's name, the same thing. Just like if you want water, if you simply say, "water, water, water," that substance, water, is not there. Try to understand this. The water, liquid substance, that is different from the name water. Anything you take. Just like here is rose. So if you simply chant, "rose, rose, rose," there is no rose. Rose is different from the name rose. Similarly, in the material world anything you take, the name is different from the substance, whereas in case of Krsna, the name Krsna and the person Krsna, the same thing. Just like we are chanting Hare Krsna, the holy name of Krsna-that means immediately Krsna is on your tongue. He is dancing on your tongue. This is the difference.

Therefore, immediately we chant the holy name of Krsna means immediately we get in contact with Krsna or in association. Just like we are sitting together. Similarly, as soon as you chant Hare Krsna, immediately Krsna is with you. Immediately. Krsna is with you always. Still, particularly, tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktaḥ [Padma Purana]. And that is a fact. If you chant Hare Krsna mantra, that means you directly associate with Krsna. And Krsna being the Supreme Spirit, para-brahma, then, although we have got this material body, still, by association with Krsna we become spiritualized. Just like you take one iron rod and put into the fire, the rod becomes warm. At last the rod becomes red hot. So when the iron is red hot, you put in touch with anything else, it will burn. It is no more iron rod. Although it is iron rod, but because it was in touch with fire, now it has attained the quality of fire. Similarly, if you always remain in touch with Krsna by chanting His holy name, then you become spiritualized.

Therefore, chanting of His holy name is very important. Kirtaniyaḥ sada hariḥ [Siksastaka 3]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that you should chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra always, twenty-four hours; then you will remain in touch with Krsna, just like the iron rod in touch with the fire. And gradually, as the iron rod turns to be fire, similarly, constantly in touch with Krsna means you become Krsna-ized, the same quality. That is wanted. We are now covered by material things. Inside we are there. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg 2.13]. Inside we are spirit soul. Outside… Just like inside your coat you are there, but the coat is outside. When the coat and shirt is taken away, then you are clothed in your original body. Similarly, as soon as these material coverings are taken away, then we are spirit soul.

We have to attain to that stage. That is perfection of human life: to get out of this material covering. To get out of this material covering means you get your original spiritual body and you become eternal, blissful, ananda-mayo 'bhyasat [Vedanta-sūtra 1.1.12].

We are seeking after ananda, everyone. We are dressing, we are talking, we are going here and there. The real purpose is how to become happy. That happiness, ananda, is being hampered on account of this material covering. That we do not understand in this stage. In this stage also… There are three stages: goodness, passion and ignorance. In the ignorance stage, it is almost like dull matter or animals. In the passion stage, there is both propensity for enjoyment. And in the goodness stage, we can get some glimpse of light of our spiritual existence. Therefore, we have to come to the platform of goodness to understand the spiritual values of our life.

This platform of goodness is described in the Bhagavad-gita. That is qualified brahminical stage. Not a brahmana born in the family and doing all nonsense. No, not like that. A quality brahmana. Quality brahmana means one who is truthful, one who is self-controlled, one who has controlled his mind and senses, one who is very tolerant, one who is very simple, no duplicity, one who is very, very advanced in knowledge. And not only simply one knows, but the things are practically behaved. Just like I may know, you may know, a brahmana means truthful. It is not simply to know truthful but actually to become truthful. That is called vijnanam. As some of you who are studying science, the scientific knowledge means you should know theoretically what is water-a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. But you must know how to prepare, mixing the two chemicals, hydrogen, oxygen. That is called vijnana. Jnana means simply theoretical knowledge, and vijnana means practically to know, experimental knowledge.

So these are the qualification of brahmana: jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg 18.42]. So when you are on this platform, pure light, full of knowledge, then you will be able to understand what is God, what is Brahman. And this will be very easily done if you simply hear the holy name of Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. You become purified. In this way, as soon as you become purified-even not fully purified, say fifty percent purified-then you are immediately situated on the modes of goodness. That purification can be possible, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, by associating with devotees and understanding the subject matter stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the Bhagavad-gita. We are having so many centers all over the world just to give chance to the people to understand the subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So in this way one becomes purified and happy. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20]. This bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, by practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, one becomes prasanna-mana, very happy mood. Then he will be able to understand, bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sahgasya jayate [SB 1.2.20].

So from the very beginning of your life, as Prahlada Maharaja did, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. He was five years old, and from the beginning of his life he was Krsna conscious, and he used to teach Krsna consciousness among his class friends. Prahlada Maharaja, in the school, he would preach Krsna consciousness amongst the small children. So try to follow, mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186]. Follow the footprints of great personalities like Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja. They were child; still they become topmost devotees. There are many others. The Kumaras, they were very topmost devotees. So of course it requires little endeavor. Prahlada Maharaja's father was a demon, number-one atheist. Still, Prahlada Maharaja had the chance to hear Narada Muni while he was within the womb of his mother. Narada Muni was instructing his mother, but Prahlada Maharaja within the womb of his mother heard everything from Narada Muni. So before coming out of the womb of mother he understood the Bhagavata philosophy. So from the very beginning of his life he was bhagavata. Bhagavata means devotee.

So we can follow Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja. Of course, it requires the help of the parents. Otherwise, if we practice bhagavata-dharma or bhakti-yogam from the very beginning of our life, it is successful life. Fortunately, we had the good opportunity of learning bhagavata-dharma from our very childhood. My father was a devotee, and he trained us. So it is the duty of all parents to train the children in the bhagavata-dharma. Then life is successful. Otherwise life is not successful. There is every chance of falling down. Falling down means life is meant for elevation to the platform of spiritual life. And if we do not do that, then we fall down to the animal life. There are many species of life. You have seen in your front. One may become cats and dogs also. There is a great science, but people have no knowledge, neither in the school, colleges these things are taught. Neither do they know, the so-called teachers and educated persons. They do not know.

So as far as possible, try to understand this Krsna philosophy and chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra whenever you have got time. I think you have got enough time. That is my request. That we are preaching all over the world.

Thank you very much.

Devotee: Jaya Prabhupada. [end]