Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.149 in Hindi – January 30, 1971, Allahabad

Devotee: [indistinct] on the evening on the 30th of January 1971.

Prabhupada: Krsna-bhakta-niskama, ataeva 'santa' [Cc. Madhya 19.149], before this Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave instructions to Srila Rūpa Gosvami about 450 years ago. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was returning from Vrindavan and on his way to Benaras then he instructed Srila Rūpa Gosvami for ten days at the Dasasvamedha-ghata near Prayagaraja. Rūpa Gosvami was the principle disciple of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He taught Rūpa Gosvami what devotional service is, a relationship. This we discuss before, now Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving analysis regarding who can be a real devotee of Krsna? All the living beings were considered, all those which can move and all those which cannot. amongst those which can walk many are in the animal species but above them all are the human beings. Among the human beings there are the mlecchas, yavanas, savaras and bauddhas, amongst them there are those who believe in the Vedas veda nistha and even among them there are those who accept the Vedas only in the name and don't act according to their instructions.

The activities which are forbidden in the Vedas as sinful, such people mainly engage in them. However, those who actually follow the Vedas amongst them mostly are attached to fruitive activities karma kanḍa. Amongst such millions of fruitive workers there is one jnani. And among such millions of jnanis there is a liberated person. And among millions of such liberated persons there is a rare devotee of Krsna. This is the principle given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu and that devotee of Krsna is completely free from all selfish desires. The karmis the jnanis and the yogis, all of these have material desires, there are karmis who wish to attain results of their activities and enjoy this world, they are karmis. These include those big businessmen who work hard all day long, their only desire being, to enjoy their senses, have a big house, cars etc. however, according to the scriptures, this attempt to give pleasure to the senses itself means conditioned state of being, this is actually maya, illusion. In Bhagavata it has been said

The fruitive workers the karmis, this mentality is same not only in the ordinary human beings but also within the animal society, and the birds, insects etc. These two things the attachment of men towards the women and attachment of women towards men. And this attachment is the cause of all bondage. Pumsaḥ striya mithuni-bhavam etam, the sex desire between a male and a female, is the center of this material world yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45], this is the verdict of the scriptures. One should understand it nicely, this is the root of all miseries-the people in this material world who are working hard to enjoy facing happiness and distress, both the conditions make them miserable this they understand to be great pleasure, but those who know this to be full of miseries they are thinking it right, those who accept material happiness and happiness are wrong.

It is not possible to become happy in this material world, those who think that there is happiness within this world, they are in illusion, because the illusory energy maya is very strong. So, pumsaḥ striya mithuni-bhavam etam, this is going on all over the world, mithuni bhava, the sex desire between a man and a woman, just like there is this institution of marriage. It is according to Vedic rules and regulation because men and women both have sex desire, so it can be legalized by marriage otherwise it is no different from a dog and she-dog who engage in sex life one the streets. Such kind of an activity between a man and a woman is considered extremely sinful. So, sex desire is within everyone but if it is only regulated and one establishes his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a fickle mind cannot establish this relationship with God.

Only the person whose mind is not flickering can reestablish his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to control the mind, is there in the yoga system, yoga indriya-samyamya, yoga is specifically meant for controlling the senses. This is real yoga, to control the senses and engage them in the service of Krsna sa vai manaḥ krsna [SB 9.4.18], actually this is the basis of all spiritual practices. Those who have reestablished their connection with Krsna they can engage their mind constantly at His lotus feet, he no longer has the need to perform any further austerity. He is supposed to have achieved the fruit of all austerities aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim, if someone has achieved Krsna and awakened his dormant God consciousness, it is not like one speaks to God face to face, that is bogus, because in our current condition we cannot see God.

Still God can be experience by those who budha bhava-samanvitaḥ [Bg. 10.8], those who have achieved that emotion, bhava, after bhava stage one comes to the stage of prema. The scriptures say that if you reestablish your loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead then you no longer have to perform any austerities. You have achieved all the results of all austerities. However, naradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim, and if you perform all the austere practices but do not establish your relationship with the Supreme Lord and simply speak nonsense that you are also God, I am also God, there is no God, God is dead. Speaking such philosophies signify that the results of all austerities are now useless, for the relationship with God remained forgotten. aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim naradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim, if one can see God everywhere both inside and out then one has achieved love for God premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38], those whose eyes are anointed with love for God, only they can see God constantly, both within and without.

Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38] and who is God? Yam syamasundaram, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the two-handed flute playing Krsna, yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarūpam, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.38], these are the words from the Brahma Samhita. Similarly, antar-bahir yadi haris tapasa, those who are devotees of Krsna both within and without, they see everything in its relationship with Krsna. By seeing anything therefore, they see its connection with Krsna and therefore remember Him. This is needed and, in this way, wherever one goes one can remain in his relationship with Krsna by remembering Him constantly and this will make their lives successful. One should make his life like this, ifone sees a flower, a karmi may see it and think that O it is such a nice flower, let me pin it in my coat.

To simply think of and engage in sense gratification is the nature of karmis, and the jnanis think, this is such a nice flower! How did it bud like this? What is the cause of this flower? Where does it draw water from? Why is it so red? Who made it so decorative? Similar, to how the scientists perform research regarding all the hows and whats of the flower, these are the symptoms of a jnani. And those who are devotees what do they see? They see that it is such a nice flower. Such a nice smell it has, lets offer it to Krsna's lotus feet. The same flower is seen by the karmis and the jnanis, the karmis have a vision and the jnanis have a vision and the devotees have another vision. Actually, only the vision of the devotees is perfect because they know all about the craftsmanship of the Supreme Lord.

Parasya saktir vividhaiva srūyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport], the transcendental entity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His potency can be understood by an example. Let's say you know a big wealthy person, he can simply write one a piece of paper and just by his writing you can get, say ten thousand rupees, just by his writing on a piece of paper you can get ten thousand rupees from the cashier. A simpleton may think that how a simple piece of paper does this? But those who are in knowledge know that similar to this just by Krsna's desiring His motives are realized. They don't have to endeavor much for it. Parasya saktir vividhaiva srūyate, in this world everything is being done by the material nature, prakrteḥ kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27], the big scientists see that everything is being done by nature. That is true but we find out from the Bhagavad-gita that this nature is not independent.

There is a person behind it all, and Krsna also says mayadhyaksena prakrtiḥ sūyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10], just like this glowing light, one may simply flip the switch and the light is on, those who are foolish they think that light is working on its own, but nothing happens simply by itself. It is not possible for inert matter to work on its own. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is termed as inferior nature, apara prakrti, the living entity is known as para prakrti. Just like in this city of Allahabadh [now Prayagaraj] if there were no living beings present then all this setup would have remained nothing but a lump of dirt. That is why the inert matter isinferior, just like Krsna said bhumir apo analo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca… aparaeyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim para, in this way the entire cosmic manifestation is annihilated and is recreated according to the plan of Supreme Peronality of Godhead.

Krsna Himself says in Bhagavad-gita mayadhyaksena prakrtiḥ sūyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Therefore, those who are devotees, they know everything. They may not be very well read but Krsna Himself reveals all knowledge to them. Who can be a more learned teacher than Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Himself? if you wish to receive the knowledge and you are ignorant then you should approach a spiritual master. You will have to take knowledge from others. And Krsna is full of knowledge and completely independent abhijnaḥ svarat, Krsna doesn't have to take knowledge from anyone else. This is the very definition of God it is not like after cultivation knowledge and practicing yoga one becomes God. God is not like that, those who wish to attain knowledge, and mystic perfection they are not God, they only wish to attain minute portion of the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That's all, such people may appear very great but God is ever perfect jnani and ever perfect yogi.

This is the only difference, those who have established their relationship with Krsna they know this, antar-bahir yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim they know how things are taking place inside and out for they see everything in its relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like it has been said that karmis have their perspective according to which they wish to take the flower for their own sense gratification and the jnanis wish to know how the flower has been created. And the devotee knows that everything has been created by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee sees that this electricity is the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead which makes which makes the bulb glow. The bulb doesn't glow in itself there is a person flipping the switch. In this way everything that happens in this world is made possible by the potency of the Supreme Lord parasya saktir vividhaiva srūyate na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate, this is the statement in the Upanisads-that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is Himself Para brahman, He doesn't have to do anything Himself. Just like a wealthy person who has millions of rupees and is running a factory.

It's not like he stands in the factory and works Himself. It is very easy to understand. That if a ordinary persons in this world, if he doesn't have to do anything himself then why would Krsna Himself have to work here? That is why there are His various potencies parasya saktir vividhaiva srūyate, that is why everything is happening. Those who are foolish, who cannot understand they think that everything is happening on its own, nothing happens automatically on its own. You can try performing an experiment, nothing happens automatically, there has to be someone's direction. There has to be someone's brain and someone's hand. Therefore, those who know the truth they know that everything there is within this world is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything, just like you can see this material nature, it is making everything happen but its not the fact, actually this is the creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is working under His direction.

Just like it has been said in the Brahma Samhita, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka [Bs. 5.44], to manage the creation, annihilation and maintenance there is a major potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the potency which is chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga, this Durga potency means this coat you see is this material world and the owner of the coat is Durga, that is why it is called devi dhama. This material world is called devi dhama and the spiritual world is called vaikuntha dhama, Vaikuntha means the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Devi or Durga devi means this material world or the world which is under direction of Durga devi, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir [Bs. 5.44], that is why those who wish for material happiness they worship the goddess Durga dhanam dehi janam dehi rūpam dehi, they pray for these things, but this is the activity of the karmis. Those who are jnanis they have realized that they asked for all these things from the goddess Durga but they never became happy. What actually happened is that Durga's trident came upon their chests. You may have seen the picture of goddess Durga, those who are demons they are chastised by the goddess. They are punished by her.

We address Durga devi as mother, because in this material world we receive our body from the mother, we have obtained our body from Durga, and according to the scriptures when a person advances to the highest stage of spirituality he becomes a vaisnava. These are the concepts therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given this well though principle that within millions of liberated persons there is rarely a devotee of Krsna koti mukta madhye durlabha Krsna bhakta. And we are not talking about bogus liberated persons who simply claim that they are liberated. There is a class of people who are actually liberated and if one is fortunate then he will be able to find one devotee of Krsna amongst millions of such liberated persons. That is why the rarity of a devotee is discussed, a devotee is extremely rare, that which is easily obtained is called sulabha and which is found with difficulty is called durlabha. Koti-mukta-madhye 'durlabha' eka krsna-bhakta, He is also quoting the scriptures,

Among many liberated and perfect persons, there is one person who is Narayana parayana, who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and it has been said sudurlabha which means that such a person is very rare to find. But what are his symptoms? Prasantatma, prasantatma he is peaceful and is never agitated. As long as not narayana-parayana he will become agitated due to some reason. This is bhakti yoga and this is the benefit of bhakti yoga yenatma suprasidati [SB 1.1.11], in the Bhagavata it has been said:

Somewhere it has been said suprasidati and somewhere suprasidati, this means whatever path of religion you follow, regardless of who you are a Hindu, a Muslim, Christian doesn't matter. The test is that upon following that path of religion, the success will be determined whether or not you achieved devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And what kind of devotional service? Ahaituki without any selfish motive, there should be no ulterior motive and neither there is any restriction. It cannot be said that one cannot render devotional service because he is just to poor, or that one is too foolish, or a mleccha, or some other reason, a person can give many excuses. But these are material reasons and cannot hinder devotional service. There is no material condition which can check the progress of devotional service. All one needs to do is to engage his consciousness in the work of devotional service. then even if one is locked up air tight, there is no difficulty for God to reach you, because since the soul is sarva ga, so is the Supersoul. Just like Krsna says tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti, as one gives up his body…

Right at that moment, one proceeds towards the abode of the Supreme Lord within a second. So, this soul is to be understood, just like this body of ours is inert matter, if you wish to go from here to Bombay then if will take a lot of time even if you travel by air, but your mind, if you wish to go to Bombay then you can go within a second. This is inert matter but just see its potency but the mind is so subtle. The soul is much more subtle than the mind, one cannot perceive the potency of the Super soul. We cannot conceive for the soul is the part and parcel of the Super soul. This potency is experienced when one comes in contact with the Super soul. Before that our state of life is yasyatma-buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13], that is why such people are referred to as asses in the scriptures.

Sa eva gokharah, this is the verdict of all the scriptures where it has been said yasyatma-buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke, this body is a bag filled with three elements kapha pitta and vayū. Tridhatuke, this si a bag filled with three elements, but those who are in contact with the body yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhiḥ kalatradisu [SB 10.84.13]. just like currently we are in contact with the body, taking our birth from the womb of a woman, and because we are connected to a mother and a father, we are also connected to our brothers and sisters. All those who think that these family members are my soldiers and will protect me, the scriptures call these people gokhara, they are all cows and asses.

Yasyatma-buddhiḥ, when it will be time to give up this body then all that is in relationship with this body will not help us at all. Our bank balance will not help us, our wife, our sons, our relatives, our friends, our nation and our own men, none of them will help us. just like when a bird flies in the sky, it may be flying with other birds but in times of some difficulty one has to help itself no other bird will help it. That is why it is called atma labdhi [?] only Krsna can help in such a condition. That is why in the scriptures Krsna Himself says suhrdam sarva-bhūtanam [Bg. 5.29], I am the well-wisher of everyone, those who think that dehapatya-kalatradisv atma-sainyesv [SB 2.1.4], those who think that this struggle for existence we are undergoing, these relatives of the body are my soldiers, my caste, my community, and all the people I know are like my soldiers who will protect me.

So actually, no one can protect, tesam nidhanam pramatto pasyann api na pasyati [SB 2.1.4], this we can see at all times that my father had so many people to protect him, he is gone, so who shall protect me? Actually, only Krsna can protect, no one else is there to give us security. That is why it is the verdict of the scriptures, that those who think the mother and father protect heir child, this is a mistake. Even when the partents are present still the children are unhappy because the will of the Lord for such happiness is absent. For example, a person is suffering and is about to die, his father may be a very big person and many doctors may be treating him still he dies. Why? This is the discussion in the scriptures, there are so many huge ships constructed for travel but they all sink, why? in this way in this world whatever is going on duḥkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], this work is simply meant to experience distress. still we have made some adjustments, to save ourselves from distress, all these arrangement however only work if the Supreme PErosnality of Godhead allows.

The parents of a child can only protect him if God allows them to. Otherwise, even though the mother and father are present still the son will remain miserable. This should be the consideration. So, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is saying, that a devotee narayana-parayana, only such a person knows the truth, that vasudevaḥ sarvam iti, only Lord Vasudeva is everything sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19]. Those who realize that Vasudeva is everything the root of all causes, without the will of Lord Vasudeva no will is perfect. Vasudeva parayana and Narayana parayana are the same thing. It has been said in the scriptures:

Among millions of people there can be a person who is fully surrendered unto Lord Narayana, narayana parayana, upon attaining such a stage one will automatically become yayatma suprasidati [SB 1.2.6].

The pure devotees depend only on Lord Narayana and surrender unto His lotus feet, that is why Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. They don't wish to gain anything from such surrender. This surrender itself is auspicious for everyone. This will lead to deliverance of the devotee, there is no other way. But we don't heed this advice. Some people pray to God, saying they are distressed and need relief, they are in the need of money, they may need knowledge. Krsna agrees to giving them all these things but first He demands surrender, not otherwise. For example, if one listens to the doctor but doesn't take the medicine he prescribes then what possibly can the doctor do? In all the scriptures there has been this instruction, that one should surrender unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and this will free them from all distress.

Krsna Himself says, we are preaching this cult of devotional service, people in general think that we don't have anything to do. We try to explain this to you, what Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66], one should give up everything and surrender unto me and I will keep you safe from every sinful reaction. When Krsna is making promise of protecting us then what do we have to worry? Still one should not plan to surrender and sin at the same time. One should fully surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and if one does so then surely, he will become free from all sinful reactions. Then what more does one need? One needs to refrain from committing any more sin, then one will be protected by Krsna, and will become completely joyful.

Thank you very much. [end]