Lecture in Hindi – October 14, 1972, Delhi

721014LE-DELHI [58:25 Minutes]

Prabhupada:

In the seventh Seventh Canto, fourteenth chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam King Yudhisthira is asking inquiring from Narada Muni. My dear sir, you have told us about the duties of brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis and what the process they need to follow to become liberated and go Back to Godhead. However, we are mūḍha-dhiḥsmudhadhis, and are particularly of weak intelligence. Why so? Because we consider this worldly life to be all in all, we don't think there is something beyond this. So, he questioned Narada Narada muni like that.

So, the householders are called mūḍha-dhiḥs as if the householder have no intelligence. So, you please tell us that how we can get intelligence, such was the inquiry. So, deha cetasa, those who are great souls they keep on traveling constantly. They go village to village, even country to county to wake the householders up. However, Yudhisthira Maharaja was no ordinary person. The Supreme Personality of Godhead was present with his family of Panḍavas and he was the king of religious behavior, dharmaraja. So, not an ordinary person nor was his family. Now, mūḍha means an ass. In the Bhagavad gita in many places the word mūḍha has been used: na mam duskrtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante naradhamaḥ mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritaḥ [Bg. 7.15], and in other place, avajananti mam mūḍha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]:

So, in reality, those who are in household life they don't attain this unique spiritual knowledge. Therefore, for the householders it is required that they may serve a saintly person and hear from him on the topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like we have arranged this program today. These saintly people from all over the world have come here to take darsana of this holy land of Krsna. Not only in this country of India. These people assembled here are preaching in every nook and corner of the world.

This is the very instruction and object of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed that we should fill the ears of people all over the world with the word of the Supreme Lord. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself: caitanyat para-tattvam [Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami]. Krsna has said so in the Bhagavad gita and in conclusion he said sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], but those who are mūḍha-dhiḥ they don't understand.

Because people are mūḍha-dhiḥ the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself comes to explain everything such as who God is, what our relationship with Him is; but those who are mūḍha-dhiḥ they still fail to understand. Therefore, the Supreme Lord reappeared in a devotee form i.e. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to explain the same thing. That which was elaborated by Lord Krsna for the benefit of the entire world, to further simplify the same thing the Supreme Lord appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya. Therefore, when Srila Rūpa Goswami received the audience of the Lord in Prayaga, he greeted Him by a prayer:

Srila Rupa Goswami, this is where he stayed, the six goswamis rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha Srijiva gopala bhatta dasa raghunatha.

Yesterday, we discussed a little upon this verse of prayer by Sri Prahlada Maharaja: viprad dvi-saḍ-guna-yutad [SB. 7.9.10], that there may be a brahmana who is completely qualified with twelve qualities such as sama dama titiksa, arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42], sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradaḥ [Padma Purana]. Even after having all these qualities if he is not inclined towards worshiping the Supreme Lotus eyed Lord? The Supreme Lord who is lotus eyed and hence known as aravinda nabha. All of the limbs of his body are compared to a lotus, padma palasa hasta, padakamalam… So, such is the Supreme Lord. He is also addressed as aravinda nabha because out of His navel upon which Lord Brahma is situated.

Another place where the word aravinda has been used: ye 'nye 'ravindaksa [SB 10.2.32], earlier there was aravinda nabha and here is aravinda aksa, and when anye word is used that is to address those who are not the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anye includes those who are karmis and jnanis. Yes, the devotee is always separate from the karmis and jnanis because unlike the latter tow they have the sole aim bhajate mam ananya-bhak [Bg. 9.30] to solely to worship the Supreme Lord only, they are free from fruitive desires and desire for impersonal liberation jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167], this is devotion.

Just like the gopis. The gopis were neither big philosophers nor ritualistic performers. They were ordinary village girls. However, Krsna was their life and soul. Krsna was their everything. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to avoid the association of women very strictly. But Mahaprabhu said: ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhū-vargena ya kalpita. The way the vraja gopis have devotion for Krsna and their method of worship is incomparable. Why? Because they had only one aim, Krsna and nothing else did they knew. They used to pray to Krsna: "My dear Krsna there are such great yogis who perform great austerities to attain Your lotus feet within their hearts. All we ask for is that please leave our hearts so that we can bring our attention to our households for a little while."

So, yes… it was not possible for them to forget Krsna. When Krsna used to go for grazing the calves, the gopis used to sit at their homes and get anxious about the soft and tender lotus feet of Krsna. They used to think that Krsna's feet are soft and delicate and He is roaming barefoot in the forest. There must be so many thorns and rocks, "Oh! He must be miserable." Such was their anxiety all the time they waited for Him to come back. This is exactly what is quoted as: dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginaḥ: [SB 12.13.1], the topmost yogi is the one who in every circumstance meditates upon the lotus feet of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa vai manaḥ krsna-padaravindayor [SB 9.4.18], this is the topmost yoga system that all the time one should meditate about Krsna within his heart.

Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhū-vargena ya kalpita. Why? Because this is their only concern and only activity. Meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna. There is no other mode of worship higher than this. Krsna Himself confirms this in the Bhagavad gita:

So, who is the highest? The one who meditates upon me constantly within his heart That is a yogi. So, yes not just sitting at a place with one's eyes closed. That is also a technique and some day in future one may be able to think of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord but the perfection of yoga is to constantly meditate upon the lotus feet of Krsna. That is why Prahlada Maharaja says, manye tad-arpita-mano-vacane 'hitartha [SB 7.9.9], even though a person may be born in the family of dog eaters but at all times if he is able to meditate upon Krsna's lotus feet, manye tad-arpita-manah tad-arpita-manah, tad-arpita means when one has devoted his mind completely to the Supreme Lord, then he will naturally meditate upon Him. The mind has to think. The mind cannot stay without thinking even for a second. Therefore, we should engage our minds upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], this is yoga. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji: The Lord says just this-always think of me. One should think of the form of the Lord, the qualities of the Lord, His pastimes and one should meditate upon His holy name, this it the path to devotion.

This chanting or kirtanam means chanting the holy names of God. The name of God and His personality are non-different. Whoever considers this as different commits an offense against the chanting of the holy name. There are ten offences against the holy name. It is also an offence to consider this kirtan as a ritualistic performance. Another offence is to consider the name of the demigods as equally powerful or independent of the name of the Supreme Lord.

There are many people who say that one can chant either Hare Krsna or any other name. they are one and the same. No, this is not right. Otherwise, why do the scriptures say, harer nama? Sravanam kirtanam visnoḥ? And to say that this name is same as that of any demigod is improper. One should chant the names of God: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam . There are many names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari: Rama, Krsna, Nrsimha, Narayana, and many other names such as there are Visnu-sahasra-nama. All of you know of it. So, one may chant the names of Krsna or Rama, the names of the Supreme Lord are all given in the scriptures. That name should be chanted. There are all the potencies of the Supreme Lord within His name: namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitaḥ smarane na kalaḥ. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has told that this name and the personality are non-different. There is no difference, when you chant purely the Hare Krsna maha mantra. I said pure chanting because as soon as we consider this chanting of the Lord's holy names as something material it becomes offensive.

There are three stages of chanting the holy name one is offensive stage, then the stage of clearing offenses and finally pure chanting of the holy name. The pure chanting of the holy name awards love for God, the chanting within the clearing stage awards liberation and the chanting within the offensive stage gives material comforts. This is the verdict of the scriptures: subha-kriya-samyam api pramadaḥ. So yes, whatever is there it is inauspicious within this world. Although, this material world itself is inauspicious. So, offensive or inauspicious chanting of the holy names, if one chooses to chant the holy name to remove inauspiciousness, then even though it will happen but such an act of chanting if offensive. So, even though it is auspicious still there is offensive because there is no love for God present. Such a chanter uses the holy name for his own convenience. Devotional service unto the Supreme Lord means to engage oneself in His service not to take any service from Him. This is not a concept of pure devotional service.

One should give everything to God and ask for nothing in return. And mixed devotion is when one tries to achieve something out of their devotional activities that is pertaining to karma, fruitive activities or jnana mental speculation. In other words, those who wish for some selfish facilities for performing devotional service. So, yes, this is not the concept of pure devotional service and as long as we have such desires we will not become peaceful. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta therefore says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami, sakali 'asanta' krsna-bhakta-niskama, ata eva 'santa' [Cc. Madhya 19.149], so 'santa' and who is 'asanta' [without peace of mind]?

Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami, bhukti means those who wish for worldly enjoyment. Such are the karmis, the karmis have only one concern: how to get good facility for sense enjoyment. They wish to enjoy by getting a birth in the heavenly planets, they wish to enjoy wherever they go including in this present life. Such is the thinking of the karmis. When a person engages in devotional service only for the sake of material enjoyment that still is accepted because it is possible that some day in the future he will attain the lotus feet of the Lord.

Just like Dhruva Maharaja, he worshiped the Supreme Lord to get material opulence but as soon as he had the audience of the Lord, the real thing, he said: My dear Lord, I wish for nothing else svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. My dear Lord, I don't wish to get another boon. This is the benefit of engaging in devotional service. If one wishes to get some material benediction and for that they engage in devotional service, then even though such is not a pure attitude but it is acceptable from the beginners. Because, the Supreme Lord says: catur-vidha bhajante mam janaḥ sukrtino 'rjuna there are four types of people who are considered pious and thus, take to my devotional service. Who are they? Arto artharthi jijnasu jnani [Bg. 7.16]. Artah those who are distressed, they pray to the Lord: My Lord, I am very much in distress. Please have mercy over me. This is also accepted because at least he has approached the Lord. However, those who are duskrtinah, as opposed to the above four who are pious and thus, sukrtinah, catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtino 'rjuna. Sukrti, sukrtivan means those who are pious having committed pious deeds. Without being pious there is no possibility of rendering devotional service.

Drḍha bhajan or devotional service with determination means to consider the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the only object of worship. Just like it has been said in the Caitanya Caritamrta krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya: only by worshiping Lord Krsnacandra will we attain all that we desire, this intelligence or this resolution is called sraddha. This is sraddha or faith, whereas when one thinks that we will worship the Supreme Lord and also, this and that demigod. No, this is deviation. This cannot be considered pure devotional service but mixed devotional service. One needs to engage in pure unadulterated devotional service, unadulterated

Pure and topmost devotional service has to be anyabhilasita, not that the practitioner still keeps on desiring something for himself. Such as "God give us our daily bread." This is a lower is lower stage of devotion. God is giving the dogs and hogs to eat, why would he not give to you? What is the need for praying for such a thing? God gives it anyway. If God wasn't giving how anyone would be eating? God us God give us our daily bread, god give us our.

Everything that the people wish for, God provides. This is the reason Which is why we have to take up different bodies life after life. Because we have too many desires, all of that is recorded in the subtle body. This recording is similar to that of a tape recorder which slowly but gradually records in sequence which can be heard upon playback. In this way everything that we desire, is recorded in the subtle body which constitutes of the mind, intelligence and ego. All of this is again reproduced in sequence. God is not at fault here. We desire and therefore to fulfill those desires we have to take up a body in the next life. So, should we give up this desire entirely? No, and it cannot be given up because we are the living entities so we will desire essentially. Otherwise, we will be rendered inert. The inert objects have no desires, those who are alive, desire and one should strive to purify this desire. Desiring cannot be given up and therefore is not recommended. One who is a living being, how is it even possible to not desire?

Therefore, that which has been given in the scriptures tat-paratvena nirmalam, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. Currently, we have desires which either make us devoted to the country and therefore wish for its welfare, sometimes being devoted to the family we wish for its advancement, then we also wish for the betterment of our body. All of these are identifications born of designation because we have taken up a body which is Indian by name and therefore, everything should be done to benefit the country India. But this is material desire. Regardless of how big a nationalist I become, maybe I will reach the stage of a minister or president, it still remains devoid of pure devotional service. Devotional service unto the Supreme Lord is something else entirely. That is why it has been said: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. One should desire which is free from any designation. And what is this pure desire?

Pure devotional service is simply to desire how to remain engaged in serving the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is pure desire. This Hare Krsna mantra :

Now, this maha-mantra, what does it mean? The meaning goes like: O Hare, the vocative of Hara which means the potency of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is addressed as Hare Krshna. The potency of the Supreme Lord is included because He is always adorned by His Supreme potency: parasya saktir vividhaiva srūyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport], this is the mantra from the vedas which states that there are various energies of the Supreme Lord and Srimati Radharani is His svarūpa sakti.

So, Radharani is the svarūpa sakti or the pleasure potency [ahladini sakti] of the Supreme Lord. She, Radharani is meant to arrange for the pleasure of the Lord, and this Hara means the ahladini sakti or pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. The meaning of the mantra is: O potency of the Supreme Lord, please engage us in His service and such are the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Why should we pray like this? Because we are here engaged in the service within the material world. Everyone is engaged in some service. Some are engaged in the service of the body, some are serving the society, some are serving the gods and goddesses and those who have nothing, they tame a dog and engage in its service. So, service one will have to render. We will never be able to give up serving. However, such a service is useless.

Just see, Gandhiji rendered so much service to the nation but even then he was shot dead. Such is the nature of service within this material world. You will not be able to please anyone. I mean, who will be able to serve the country as much as Gandhi did? But some people were left unsatisfied so they just shot him dead. This is the truth that as much as you like, you like you can go on trying to serve in this world but neither anyone else nor even yourself will be happy. That is why the Lord says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66] come and serve me, only then then only will you be happy not otherwise.

So, our propensity to serve is not to be given up, we don't have to become void. We don't have to become impersonalist or voidist. We can never be zero to begin with neither we can be nirvisesa, or lose our personality. Therefore, we should try to purify our service and the way to do it is devotional service: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. Currently, our service mentality is to serve, the country, the society, the people, the poor because our real propensity is to serve. But we should try to purify this service propensity and what are the results of performing such purification: hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170] i.e. your service will become bhakti. Hrsika means the senses, after all I require my hands and legs to serve. So, I should try and purify these hands and legs. And how can they be purified? Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, our current mentality of thinking ourselves as Hindu, Muslim, this or that, this needs to be given up. So, what will I remain? Gopi-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasaḥ [Cc. Madhya 13.80]: this should be our identity. Just like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught: I am not a brahmana, not a ksatriya, not a vaisya, not a sannyasi, not a brahmacari, everything he denied. All the designations of varnasrama the four varnas and four asramas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that all of these are simply designations. That is why it has been said sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: one should give up all so-called religions which are born out of designations. Just like one may say that he is a brahmana, so the brahmanas have some occupational duties satya sama, dama, titiksa. Ksatriyas have some duties or dharma, isvara-bhavas ca yuddhe capy apalayanam [Bg. 18.43], ksatriyas will fight and protect the country and in the same way the vaisyas have the duty krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. In the same logic the sūdras have their duties, so do the brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas all of those are innumerate didn't dint the scriptures have them. All the different ways one should carry out his duty and the Lord says sarva-dharman parityajya this means that you become void of all designations. This is the stage of liberation.

So, free from all designations but does it mean that by giving up all designation one will become impersonal? No. Our external identity that we start considering ourselves as this or that. This should be given up. Just like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, that I am not a brahmana, not a sannyasi, not a brahmacari, he identifies with none of these: naham vipra na ca nara-patir na yatir va, so then what are you sir? Gopi-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasaḥ [Cc. Madhya 13.80]: the one who is the maintainer of the gopis, krsna. The one who maintains the gopis, gopijana vallabha is His name because he is the well-wisher of the gopis. Just like the gopis only wish how Krsna can be happy, the same way Krsna also thinks how gopis can become joyful. This is the reason why Krsna is addressed as gopijana vallabha girivara dhari just for the convenience of the i who were very much distressed due to torrential rainfall. Don't you worry, Krsna said, I shall protect you.

So, just like the devotees constantly think how Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be happy. The same way Krsna thinks how His devotees shall become joyful: kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktaḥ pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. God is equal to everyone he has no enemy or friends samo 'ham sarva-bhūtesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyaḥ [Bg. 9.29]. It is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who will he envy or befriend? He is the only one maintainer everyone eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman: but even among them those who engage in devotional service upon them He becomes especially merciful. Such devotees have a special relationship with the Lord. There is no objection in that, no objection or fault at all.

The Lord is impartial but those who love the Lord a little extra, the Lord loves them extra in reciprocation. This is not faulty but very natural ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]: those who love the Lord the Lord loves them back. So, we should become free from designations. Yes, we have the serving propensity but the way we serve with the senses, the senses needs to be purified and upon purification should be engaged in the service of Krsna.

Hrsikesa, the name of the Lord is Hrsikesa. Actually, just the Lord is the master of the senses. The hands and legs that we think as ours are not really ours, they belong to the Lord. Meaning, that the hands and legs that a servant possess, they are not his property but the possessions of his master. Similarly, our hands and legs are the property of the Supreme Lord but we engage them in some other service and this, the the cause of our all distress. Just like if we have a servant, he takes salary from us but he is serving someone else just for his own convenience. Then how long will he remain satisfied in that service? This is our dilemma. Whatever we have in this body everything has been given by the Supreme Lord but we engage this in other's service, instead of in the Lord's service. This is called conditional life and we are conditional living beings. They are in illusion because either they can serve maya or the Lord, they will have to serve regardless.

Just like yesterday we went to the prison house. Who has gone to the prison house/ those who disobey the government or the king. They are admitted to the prison. Even within the prison the government's rules apply. And outside of the prison the rules of the government. So, whoever protests against the rules of the government he is forced to follow by being sent to jail. Similarly, the living beings being are subordinate to the Supreme Lord and if they refuse to serve the Lord they serve maya and those who don't enjoy maya's service they can engage in the service of the Supreme Lord such simple is the difference.

There is no confusion, daivi hi esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14] until we are not engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord maya will give you distress and will keep you engaged very nicely. It will give you so many different types of bodies

So, this machine or yantra, just like we go about here and there in a motor car. Just like one has obtained a Ford car someone may get some other car. There are different types of cars car, the same way there are different types of bodies according to one's tendency to enjoy. According to their karma the Lord gives them the opportunity them opportunity to either climb some cars car, even the car of a hog for those who wish to enjoy eating stool. This happens by the will of the Lord. [End]