Engagement – September 18, 1971, Nairobi

710918LE-NAIROBI [20:30 Minutes]

I have simply passed my life uselessly

Prabhupada: ...sung by Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya of the Gauḍiya-sampradaya. You know in the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says,

First of all, long, long ago Krsna says, "I spoke this yoga system to the sun-god, millions of years ago." If you take..., calculate the age of Manu, it comes forty millions of years. If you believe Bhagavad-gita, as Krsna says, that "First of all I spoke to Vivasvan..." Vivasvan is the name of the sun-god who is now predominating there. In every planet there is a predominating deity, just like in this planet we have got president.

Similarly in other planets also there are predominating deities. And the present predominating deity in the sun globe is known as Vivasvan. The name is there. And Vivasvan has a son, Manu. His name is Vaivasvata Manu. The present age is going on of the Vaivasvata Manu. In each and every day of Lord Brahma there are changes of such fourteen Manus.

So Krsna says, sa kaleneha yogo nastaḥ paran-tapa [Bg 4.2]. In due course of time that yoga system is now lost. Why? The parampara system is lost. Learning the system, the Bhagavad-gita yoga system, from the master to the disciple, when Krsna was present personally, it was lost. He says, yogo nastaḥ paran-tapa. Therefore Krsna says, "The same yoga system, Arjuna, I shall inform you." Why? "I am not a Vedantist." Krsna was speaking to Arjuna. Arjuna was not a Vedantist; he was a military man. A military man is not expected to become a Vedantist. He knows his military art. Why Krsna decided to preach Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna?

That is also said in the Bhagavad-gita why He selected Arjuna. He said, bhakto si, priyo si: "My dear Arjuna, you are My devotee and very dear friend. You can understand Bhagavad-gita." Rasam yogam tam, "You can understand the rasa." Therefore to understand Bhagavad-gita, one requires to be very intimately connected with Krsna as His devotee. Otherwise, Bhagavad-gita cannot be understood.

Unfortunately… The Bhagavad-gita is going on all over the world. There are about seven hundred editions in all languages of this Bhagavad-gita, and it is going on for the last more than one thousand years. That means we can understand from the historical records that in Western countries Bhagavad-gita is known for the last two hundred and fifty years, and there are German edition, English edition, so many editions.

In spite of Bhagavad-gita being popular in the Western countries, in spite of our so many svamis from India went to preach Indian culture or the Hindu culture, before this movement of Krsna consciousness, not a single person became a devotee of Krsna. That is a fact. It was simply armchair discussion of Bhagavad-gita.

But why at the present moment these youngsters, Europeans and Americans, Australians, Canadians, Japanese, why they are taking to Krsna consciousness? Because this Bhagavad-gita is presented as it is, without any adulteration. That is my point. Bhagavad-gita is not meant for anyone else except the devotee. Bhagavan Sri Krsna could explain this Bhagavad-gita to the jnanis, to the yogis, to the karmis. But why he selected Krsna..., why He selected Arjuna? This is the secret of Bhagavad-gita: bhakto si, priyo si. And the whole Bhagavad-gita is taught to make everyone devotee of Krsna.

[microphone feedback] Now on account of the microphone being disturbed we could not speak from the very beginning. Tomorrow I shall speak, if the microphone is all right. Today I have given you some introduction about this Krsna consciousness. My students have already spoken.

So there is a nice song of Narottama dasa Thakura. He says, hari hari! bifale janama gohainu: "My Lord Krsna, I have simply wasted my time and life." Bifale janama gohainu. Bifale means uselessly. "I have simply passed my life uselessly." Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya. I got this human form of life, but I did not take care to worship Radha and Krsna.

Hari! Hari! bifale janama gohainu, "My dear Lord Krsna, I have uselessly wasted my time." Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya janiya suniya bisa khainu. "I have drunken poison knowingly." He regrets. Everyone should regret who is not becoming devotee of Radha and Krsna. Everyone should regret like Narottama dasa Thakura is showing us the way.

He further says, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sahkirtana. This hari-nama-sahkirtana, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is imported from Vaikuntha world. Golokera prema-dhana. Prema-dhana: it is the treasure of love of Godhead. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sahkirtana rati na janmilo kene tay: "I did not grow any attachment for the transcendental vibration Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna."

Visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale: "I am burning in the materialistic way of life day and night," juraite na koinu upay, "but I did not take any ways and means from being delivered from this blazing fire." Golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sahkirtana rati na janmilo kene tay visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale. Materialistic way of life means to be always burned in the blazing fire of desire.

Brajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei. Formerly who was Brajendra-nandana... Brajendra-nandana means Lord Krsna. He accepted Nanda Maharaja as His foster father; therefore He is known as Brajendra-nandana. Brajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei: "The same Brajendra-nandana, Hari, Krsna, has now appeared as Lord Caitanya, the son of Saci." Lord Caitanya's mother's name was Saci devi. Balarama hoilo nitai: "And the same Balarama has now become Nityananda Prabhu."

Papi tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo: "These two brothers, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, is delivering all kinds of sinful persons," papi tapi jata chilo. Jata chilo means forcing. Harinama is that. Simply by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra, everyone is being delivered. It was done during the time of Lord Caitanya, and it is also being done at the present moment.

Tara saksi jagai and madhai. There are two brothers, Jagai and Madhai. They were born in brahmana family, but due to bad association they became drunkards, woman hunters, murderers-[indistinct]. So they became great devotees. So there were two Jagais and Madhais during Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time, but at the present moment there is unlimited numbers of Jagais and Madhais, and they can be delivered simply by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra. This is a fact.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura prays, ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, vrsabhanu-suta-juta: "Here is Lord Krsna, Nanda-suta, and His consort, eternal consort, Srimati Radharani." Radharani is the daughter of Vrsabhanu, King Vrsabhanu. Therefore, Krsna and Radharani, They like very much to have Their eternal means of [indistinct]. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura is not asking Krsna but asking Nanda-suta, the son of Nanda.

Krsna likes to be the son of His devotee. Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no father. He is the original father. Bijo 'ham sarva-bhūtanam.

He is the original father. Then who can be His father? His father can be His devotee. That is Krsna's pleasure. He accepts His devotee as father. He accepts His devotee as mother. Therefore He likes to be addressed as Yasoda-nanda, Nanda-nandana, Devaki-nandana. This Krsna is so kind.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is authorized. It is not a sentiment. It is based on Vedic literature. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete camsa-kalaḥ pumsaḥ krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. So, today's time is almost finished. I request all Indians in this foreign country, Nairobi, to take part in this Krsna consciousness movement very seriously. It is India's gift to the whole world. If India is actually serious to become glorious, they cannot become glorious by imitating technology of the Western world. They remain behind hundred years for this technological development. Learn this technology of Krsna consciousness and distribute throughout the whole world. They are in need of it.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,

Janma sarthaka kari. First of all make your life successful, because you are born in India, tapo-bhumi, dharmaksetra. These are the names of India. Don't try to make India another ksetra for technological works. India is glorious because Lord Ramacandra advented there, Lord Krsna advented there, Lord Buddha advented there, and every one of them left their spiritual instructions, especially Lord Krsna left His spiritual instruction for the future persons all over the world.

So my request to you, those Indians here in Nairobi, please try to understand this Krsna consciousness movement seriously and take it, and you have got immense opportunity to spread among the Africans. Just like our student Sriman Brahmananda was speaking. He went to preach on the street this Krsna consciousness movement, and many hundreds of these Africans joined, and they chanted.

So, ceto-darpana-marjanam: if you want to live with the Africans very nicely, friendly, try to introduce this Krsna consciousness movement amongst them. They will be happy and you will be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [end]