Lecture in Hindi – November 14, 1976, Vṛndāvana

Prabhupada:

Gentlemen, devotees and matajis. This Hare Krsna movement…We are established by the name "Hare Krsnas" in Europe and America. This Hare Krsna movement is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. As you all know Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared in Navadvipa about five hundred years ago, little less than that four hundred eighty five years ago. It is the scriptural conclusion that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself.

This is the verdict of Srimad Bhagavatam. In which yuga, what incarnations the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts, in that description Caitanya Mahaprabhu's name is mentioned. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, He is personally Krsna, or He who always describes Krsna, Krsna-varnam. But His bodily complexion was akrsna or not dark. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam. It is stated in the sastra suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gataḥ [SB 10.8.13]

When Gargamuni made the Supreme Lord's astrological chart at that time he told Nanda Maharaja "Maharajaji, This child of yours had previously, suklo raktas tatha pita, appeared in white, red and yellow color." And that yellow color is Caitanya Mahaprabhu, akrsna. This is the scriptural conclusion. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is the same mission as that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. The Supreme Lord Krsna ordered everyone that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66], but foolish people could not understand it. They did not accept that dharma. Foolish people could not accept sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. This is because na mam duskrtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante naradhamaḥ [Bg 7.15]

We are also fools. But if we accept that what Krsna says is all right then it is good. There is no need to work hard. No need to become too learned. That much…[aside: Don't talk. When I was trying to register this Krsna Consciousness movement in New York, at that time the lawer Mr. Goldsmith and his friends suggested to me that you change "Krsna Consciousness into God consciousness." But I refused, saying that if I make it "God consciousness" then foolish people would bring so many Gods. But God is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. [SB 1.3.28] This is the conclusion of the sastra.

This is Vedic conclusion. And Bhagavan Himself is saying, mattaḥ parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg 7.7] Arjuna has also accepted.

Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs 5.29] Aham adir hi devanam. [Bg 10.2]

This is what we are trying to preach. This is your Krsna from Mathura-Vrndavan. What is the basic principle? It is not something new. Whatever the Supreme Personality of Godhead has instructed in the Bhagavad-gita, that same thing we are preaching. It is not manufactured item. And we not so intelligent as to manufacture a new God by mental speculation and present Him. The same old instructions. That is why our society is called Krsna Consciousness. As Krsna instructs we think in the same way. It is not difficult. What is the problem? The problem is that we have got this human form and in this form the living entity can understand what is God. He can also understand what is his relationship with God. And by knowing our relationship with Him and acting accordingly by following the rules and regulations our life will be successful. Sambandha or one's relationship with God, abhidheya or the process to achieve the goal of life and prayojana or the ultimate goal of life: these three things have been described in the Vedas. Sambandha, abhidheya. Just like in Vedanta-sūtra it is stated: Athato brahma-jijnasa. Now in this human form of life one should inquire about brahma or the Supreme Lord. jivasya tattva-jijnasa, [SB 1.2.10] the Srimad Bhagavatam also says so.

The only duty in human life is to inquire about what is God, what is our relationship with God, and what will be the benefit of keeping that relationship intact, and to apply that in practical life. This is the business of human life. This is the scriptural conclusion. Just like as we were coming we saw a sign in the bus "There is no way other than hard labor." Now people have started pushing hand-driven cart, started pulling ricksaws and on top of that "Work hard." That means what more, become an ass. What more can you… But the conclusion of our scripture is nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate viḍ-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]

The human form of life, just like a hog works hard whole day to eat stool, whole day, you have seen this in your Mathura city that how the hogs wander about whole day where is stool, where is stool, where is stool. But sastra says that the human life should not be like that. Kastan kaman arhate viḍ-bhujam ye. This is not our civilization. The Vedic civilization is, not work hard whole day like a hog to look for food and that too without any discrimination, whatever is available, even stool is all right. No consideration about food. That is not human life. This is the consideration of our Vedic civilization. So what should be the aim of human life? Tapasya. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddheta sattva. Perform austerity. Why perform austerity? Eat, sleep and enjoy life. Why to undergo austerity? No. If you value your life, if you are a responsible person then you must perform austerity. Yena suddheta sattva. Now your sattva or existence is not pure. You should purify it. Just like a patient, he should go to a doctor, take proper medicine and be pure, cured. That is his duty. If he doesn't do that then he is not a human being. He is an animal. Animals don't go to the doctor. Therefore it is said in the sastra, Rsabhadeva was instructing His sons before retiring that "My dear sons, you should undergo penance. tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam [SB 5.5.1] So even though we have this civilization, vedic civilization we imitate others and work hard whole day like pigs and when we are strong we enjoy sex life. There is no need of discrimination. The hogs make no discrimination whether mother, sister, or daughter, simply enjoy sex with anyone. This is not life. This is not human life. This is our civilization. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddheta sattva. We read Bhagavad-gita and the first lesson of Bhagavad-gita is

There will be change of body. Big, big politicians and scholars write commentaries on Bhagavad-gita, but nobody explains that you will have to change your body. Today you are Indian tomorrow you will become something else. No guarantee of human life you may become an animal also. Because that is not in your hand. Now you may show your expertise but

You do as you like for now but after death it is in material nature's hand. That's all. Tatha dehantara praptir, there must be change of body. For this subject matter there is no university education. What type of body am I going to get? Will that be of a hog or a demigod, or a tree, or a fly? No such consideration. andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhaḥ [SB 7.5.31] He is bound up by the nature's law still he doesn't think and the leaders misguide him. andha yathandhair upaniyamanas. This is going all over the world. In our country this knowledge is available. The Supreme Lord personally comes and instructs, Vedic literatures are there, Vedas, puranas and other scriptures are there, big, big sages, great souls, big, big acaryas come and preach. If we give up these things and simply work hard, there is no other way than to work hard. This is not good. Even a hog, an ass also works hard. Is that our aim of life? You all are cultured people so our request to you is that this civilization-work hard whole day, you have to labor hard, tapasya is a very hard labor and not ordinary. But you labor hard for something concrete so that you will actually gain. Therefore sastra says tapo divyam putraka yena suddheta sattva. Work hard, undergo tapasya, but for what? To achieve something transcendental. Not for eating and enjoying sense gratification like hogs. No. Not that kind of labor. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddheta sattva. We read Bhagavad-gita, but the Supreme Lord says na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. [Bg 2.20]

Nobody is ready to understand this. The spirit soul has no birth no death. But in the practical field we see that we take birth and we die. None of us even think about it. What is that? That we neither take birth nor die then why should we be put into such a situation where we have to take birth and die? And in between birth and death we suffer from disease and lamentation and so on. But what is your actual problem? janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi- duḥkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg 13.9] This is your problem. You make big, big plans for finding solutions to tiny problems.

Today I have got this much bank balance and tomorrow I will earn more and my bank balance will be this much. This demoniac propensity is very nicely described in the sixteenth chapter of Bhagavad-gita. Jagad ahur anisvaram [Bg 16.8] There is no God. That is kim anyat kama-haitukam [Bg 16.8] This kind of concept is prevailing in India, at least it should not be. Everywhere this is going on, here also the same thing. This is also the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and nothing else. That these foolish people who are covered by ignorance they should be awakened. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. And the duty of awakening them lies on the shoulder of the Indians. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says bharata-bhūmite haila manusya janma yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara [Cc Adi 9.41]

The mission of of the land of India is to do good for others. Others countries mission may be to plunder and bring money for which the Muslims came here, Mohammad Ghori, the Englishmen also came here before. Their aim was to plunder India. That might be the mission of the other countries. Christian missionaries also come from foreign countries to establish their empire. That is why many people doubt that this movement that we are pushing on is run by American people-CIAs. But that's not true. Why CIAs will become vaisnavas and dance? Why they will give up eating meat and fish? What is the need? What is the need of becoming vaisnavas? Couldn't they work in their original feature? This is illusion. They are actually vaisnavas. One should not consider a vaisnava as belonging to a particular caste. That is prohibited in the sastra. Neither the vaisnavas belong to any caste. In our movement we have Americans, Europians, Africans, Iranians, Hindus, Muslims and everything. They have forgotten their respective castes. They are…The constitutional position of the living entities jivera svarūpa haya krsnera nitya dasa. [Cc. Madhya 20.108]

They think themselves as eternal servants of Krsna. gopi-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasaḥ [Cc Madhya 13.80] This is taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says "I am not a brahmana, not a ksatriya, not a vaisya, not a sannyasi, not a vanaprastha, not a brahmacari" and thus denied the varnasrama system. Then what you are? I am gopi-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasaḥ. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna who maintains the gopis, I am His servant's, servant's, servant's, one hundred times servant's below I am that servant. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's identity. And to teach this to He instructed everyone, He ordered. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc Madhya 7.128] That's all. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words. That you all become guru. What I have to as a guru? Wherever you are present you deliver it. You are a householder living at home with children, you deliver them. You become a guru of your wife, children, servant and so on. You deliver them if you cannot do more. And if you are capable of doing more then deliver your society, community, country, country-wide. Become a guru and deliver everyone. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa. But I am not learned? How can I become a guru? To become a guru I require knowledge, wisdom etc. I don't have them. No. No need of any knowledge or education. yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. That's all. You simply repeat what Krsna has said. You are a guru. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. So we went to the foreign countries as a guru and these people are sitting here they have accepted it. That's all I did. Some magic or to produce gold or to cure stomach and head disease-these things I have not done. These things we know ourselves. Our only business is yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. That's all. "Look sir, this is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna and Krsna says like this. What did He say? man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 9.34]

Do these four things-always think of Me, become My devotee or at least offer Me one obeisances. Who cannot do that? Even this boy can do it. Can't we do it? There is no need to become a big scholar or a big pious person. There is no need to become too expert or show some magic. If one learns these four things, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji, mam [Bg 9.34] evaisyasi asamsayaḥ. [Bg 18.68] The Supreme Lord is giving assurance. I assure you that you will come to Me, just follow these four things. What can be more simple path of religion than this? At last He declared sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66] There is no difficulty. Everyone can do it. It is not difficult. God is for everyone. He is not for Hindus only, not for Indians only. sarva-yonisu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yaḥ [Bg 14.4]

Animals, birds, insects, flies, for everyone. God is for everyone. Krsna never said anywhere that He is only for Indians or Hindus. But this is going on. All of you kindly join this movement. Our request is that there are customers for this, so many. They have become fed up with modern civilization. At least persons have certainly become fed up. And they are looking for this. Therefore when some sadhu, sannyasi go there people surround him with curiosity. But they cheat and rob them. They teach meditation, someone tries to deceive by word jugglery, teach gymnastic and so on. But the real fact which Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said yare dekha, tare kaha Krsna-upadesa, that nobody teaches. They themselves become Krsna. This kind of cheating is going on.

That is why up till now not even a single person became devotee of Krsna. And when we took up the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-…See how many have become. This is a fact. About one hundred years ago Vivekananda went, and after him others also went, but none of them could make even one devotee of Krsna. Even one. Today you see thousands of them. There are thousands. Did I bribe them? No. The real thing that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, the teachings of Bhagavad-gita should be preached. Do not bring about ruination to the people of the world by cheating, manipulating and misinterpreting the original thing. Simply repeat what the Supreme Personality of Godhead has instructed. You will be benefitted and others will be benefitted. This is my point.

So this is my request to you that you all belong to Krsna's place and Krsna is yours therefore you should all join this movement. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Not just for Mathura and Vrndavana. There would no Indian who does not accept Krsna. Even though people may be of different culture and religion yet they all celebrate Krsna's Janmastami. When they ask me "How many festivals do you celebrate in Krsna Consciousness?" I reply "Millions." There is nobody in India who does not accept Krsna. Even Muslims, they also accept. Millions and millions. This is my answer. Actually that is a fact. I specially request as you are residents of Mathura, take this Krsna mission very seriously. Join our movement and help so that the work of this mission can increase more and more. You all come. This is my request to you all. yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. That's all. All of you become guru.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. [end]