Lecture, Manipurin Dancing Group, the Zaveri Sisters – December 20, 1972, Bombay

721220LE-BOMBAY [11:54 Minutes]

Prabhupada: …chief devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu he said, radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir , the hladini, the affairs of Radha and Krsna, hladini-saktir asmad. Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead has got immense potentiality as it is confirmed in the Vedas,

So Krsna the absolute person has got immense potencies, so these potencies are is also emanating from Krsna. Just like in the Vedanta-sutra the first sutra is, janmady asya yataḥ-everything is emanating from Krsna or the absolute person. So the arts, music, anything there are 12 kinds of rasas-mellows. So there are ghastly mellows also, fearful mellows also and this melodic music that is also mellow.

So everything is there in Krsna, akhila-rasamrta-sindhu, all rasas are there. Raso vai saḥ He is the reservoir of all rasas so this display of art and music that is also from Krsna, therefore art and music should be employed in the service of the Lord, that is the perfection. Svakarmana tam abhyarcya samsiddhim labhate param, in the Bhagavad-gita [18.46] it is said that, "whatever your occupational duty may be it doesn't matter if you try to satisfy Krsna then that is perfection." In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is stated,

When there was a great meeting of the saintly persons in Naimisaranya, Sūta Gosvami explained to all the great learned brahmanas present there, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-srestha, dvija-srestha-the best of the brahmanas who are present there. They were informed that, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasaḥ. Our Vedic civilisation is based on the varnasrama-dharma, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisyas, sūdra. Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg 4.13]

So everyone has got different profession, for livelihood, that doesn't matter. But the Bhagavata injunction is svanusthitasya dharmasya, you may be whatever you may be, you may be artist, you may be dancer, you may be engineer, you may be doctor, you may be professional man or businessman but whatever you may be it does not matter. There are divisions in the human society there are so many divisions of labor but, svanusthitasya dharmasya, dharma means natural characteristics.

If you have got artistic character, if you can dance, alright dance, if you can sing you sing. If you can fight you fight, that is all right but you take the svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir, how your profession has been perfected. That perfection, the standard of perfection is samsiddhir hari-tosanam. Try to satisfy Hari the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your art, culture, profession, characteristics. So that is Krsna consciousness movement we do not stop anything, we stop only committing sinful activities-that we stop. Otherwise we do not stop anything-we simply stop, striya-sūna-pana-dyūta yatra papas catur-vidhaḥ [SB 1.17.38].

The sinful activities we stop. What are those sinful activities? Illicit connection with women, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling, we stop these. Otherwise you can go on with your profession don't commit these sinful activities and try to satisfy Krsna your life is successful. This is the program of Krsna consciousness movement, you remain in your profession, sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir [SB 10.14.3].

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that you stay in your position don't try to change your position but you try to hear of the Supreme Lord, sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir. You try to hear about the Supreme Lord and [indistinct].

That is the example in the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna gave an oral reception to the teachings of Lord Krsna, eh.. Arjuna, Arjuna gave his oral reception to the teachings of Krsna and he remained in his position as a fighter he did not change. Rather in the beginning he was hesitating whether he should fight or not but as a ksatriya it was his duty to fight. But he was hesitating after hearing Bhagavad-gita he confirmed, karisye vacanam tava [Bg 18.73]-my dear Krsna now I am convinced that this is my duty to fight.

So Krsna consciousness movement is like that, sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir, you remain in your position but try to hear from Krsna. You can hear from Krsna Bhagavad-gita is there, you can hear, don't misinterpret simply try to hear Bhagavad-gita as it is, your life will be perfect. Sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir, so this art and music, the loving affairs of Krsna and Radharani they are not ordinary things you should not take it as something material. Materially when you take it, it is perverted, actually it is spiritual-culture of the soul's original consciousness. The whole Bhagavata, paramo nirmatsaranam satam vastavam vastu vedyam atra [SB 1.1.2].

Srimad-Bhagavatam says that this Srimad-Bhagavatam is the narration which is to be understood param nirmatsaranam satam, paramahamsas they will understand. So I don't wish to take up much of your time but our proposition is that everything can be employed in the service of Krsna, anything. Anything there are 12 kinds of rasas and in any rasa, or any mellow, or any humor you can engage yourself in the service of the Lord in full Krsna consciousness. Full Krsna consciousness means that I am eternal servant of Krsna, jivera svarūpa haya nitya krsnera dasa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

That is the statement given by Lord Caitanya, if we want to realize self you do not require to undergo much austerities or penances. If you simply understand these things as it is spoken by Lord Krsna Himself, mamaivamso jiva-bhūta [Bg 15.7]. "All the living entities they are My parts and parcels," the part and parcels of Krsna's body or the part and parcel of a machine is to render service to the supreme, to the whole. The part and parcel is meant for rendering service to the whole, that is Krsna consciousness philosophy.

So unless you come to that point, therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]. That is the real life to surrender unto Krsna and whatever we know whatever characteristics are our special profession or duty we have got we should render for satisfying Krsna, hari-tosanam, samsiddhir hari-tosanam. So our this Krsna consciousness movement does not reject anything we can accept art, music, industry or even fighting just like Arjuna did. Everything can be employed under the guidance of Krsna or his representative. Just like Krsna says,

We have to learn this art from the tattva-darsi, who knows that everything is order, adjust everything for the satisfaction of Krsna then your profession, your occupation will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

Audience: [applause] [end]