Morning Lecture at Kumbha-melā – January 15, 1977, Allahabad

Prabhupada: So people do not understand that there is life after death. But Bhagavan says, "Yes, there is life after death." Tatha dehantara-praptiḥ [Bg 2.13]. So dehantara-prapti, two kinds of dehantara-prapti: either towards the hell or towards heaven; towards liberation and towards bondage. So liberation means mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2].

We want liberation. Then mahat-seva: we have to take shelter of mahatma. And if you want to go to the darkest region of material existence, then yositam sahgi-sahgam, sense enjoyment... Yosit means woman. So the last resort of sense enjoyment is sex life. So if we indulge in sex life, then yositam sahgi-sahgam. Not only directly we indulge in sex life, but even indirectly we associate with person who are only interested in sex life... The whole world is interested in sex life. Pumsaḥ striya mithuni-bhavam etat [SB 5.5.8]. This material world is existing on this mithuni-bhava. So tamo-dvaram yositam sahgi-sahgam. Therefore you'll find in the Vedic way of life, sex indulgence is restricted. If we indulge in sex life than it is absolutely required, then we are gliding towards hellish condition of life. And if we follow the path of mahatmas, mahat-seva, that is dvaram ahur vimukteḥ. We are making progress towards liberation.

So this is a chance. This Kumbha-mela is a chance to get opportunity of mahat-seva. Mahat-seva dvaram ahur vimukteḥ. Many... Of course, it is Kali-yuga. There are so many so-called mahatmas in dress for earning livelihood. That kind of mahatma is not required. Mahatma is also described in the Bhagavad-gita: sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ. Actually we have to associate with such mahatma who is su-durlabhaḥ, not very easily obtainable. And who is that su-durlabhaḥ mahatma? That is also described:

So you'll get so many mahatmas who are declaring atheism: "There is no God. I am God. You are God. Where you are searching out God? The God is loitering in the street, the daridra-narayana." If you associate with such mahatma, so-called... They are not mahatmas. They are duratmas. [laughter] So be careful that you may not mistake who is mahatma. Mahatma, very simple thing: mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritaḥ [Bg 9.13].

Mahatma has nothing to do with this material world. They are under the care of daivi-prakrti, spiritual world. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivi prakrti..., bhajanty ananya-manaso. The symptom is that he's fully engaged in serving Krsna. Mam. Krsna is original, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to catch up the lotus feet of Krsna. Bahūnam janmanam ante [Bg 7.19]. It is not very easy, but it can be done if we have got intelligence. Intelligence is... That Krsna says.

[banging sound] [aside:] Who is that making sound?

Krsna says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg 7.14]. If you take to Krsna consciousness, immediately-of course, we must take sincerely, not a show; everything is seriously-then immediately we become on the path of mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2]. So... And this line of devotional service is seva, service. Ultimately we are all servants, but in the absence of being mahatma, we are serving maya. Service is there. We cannot become master. That is not possible. Jivera svarūpa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

That is the qualification. And to become devotee of Krsna, it is not at all difficulty. There is no difficulty. Anyone can become. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuḥ papa-yonayaḥ [Bg 9.32]. Even lowborn, they can also take shelter of Krsna, and what to speak of... Kim punar brahmanaḥ punya bhakta rajarsayas tatha [Bg 9.33]. If actually qualified brahmanas, they take shelter, what to speak of... Their progress is very quick. Punya. Without punya background, sukrti, nobody can take birth in the family or society of brahmanas. So brahmana... First of all, we have to become pure brahmana. Satya samo dama titiksa arjava,

These are the brahminical qualification. Unfortunately, nobody is interested to become a brahmana, and what to speak of becoming a Vaisnava. Vaisnava is above the brahmanas. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradaḥ [Padma Purana]. Brahmana's business is sat-karma: pathan pathan yajan yajan dana pratigraha. So even a brahmana is very expert in this brahmana's business, pathan pathan... He has studied Vedas very thoroughly, and he has many students whom he has taught the Vedic knowledge. This is pathan pathan. Yajan yajan: he is expert in worshiping the Deity, and he teaches other disciples also. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srhgara-tan-mandira-marj anadau. So there are brahmanas who are not Vaisnava, worshiper of demigods other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such brahmana is not required. Such brahmanas are condemned. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanaḥ yajante anya-devataḥ [Bg 7.20].

Anya-devataḥ. The Visnu is the original devata, and then next devata, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and then others. So they are all anya-devataḥ. Om tad visnoḥ paramam padam [Rg Veda 1.22.20]. So one has to worship Visnu. That is Vaisnava. Visnur asya devata iti vaisnavaḥ. Vaisnava means that he's not worshiper of any other demigods. There is no question of disrespect for any other demigods. But saranam saranyam. But to take shelter of and to worship is recommended to the Supreme Lord-mam ekam-not everyone. We can show our respectful obeisances even to the ant, but worshipable Deity, or God, is Krsna, or Visnu, visnu-tattva. There are many forms of visnu-tattva. Ramadi-mūrtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs 5.39]. He's expanded in many forms: Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha... There are so many incarnation of visnu-tattva. They're all one. Advaitam acyutam anadi ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33].

So visnu-tattva, worshipable, or krsna-tattva, worshipable. And to pin our staunch faith in Visnu, we should discuss about visnu-tattva. And not visnu-tattva... That is called siddhanta. Siddhanta boliya citte na kara alasa: "Don't be lazy to discuss about siddhanta." Iha haite krsne lage sudrḍha manasa: "The more you discuss the thesis-not thesis; the factual presentation of visnu-tattva, maya, and jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva-then it will be clear what is Krsna." Krsna is the origin of everything. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvam pravartate [Bg 10.8].

We should try to understand this fact, that Krsna is the origin of everything. And if we take to Krsna consciousness... Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62]. If you become Krsna conscious, then your all other duties automatically... The same example as we have given: if you pour water on the root of the tree, then all other duties are automatically done. There is no question of separate attempt-philanthropy, philosophy and nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." We have discovered so many things and diversion of the real duty. That we shall have to concentrate. That is siddhanta.

We become more and more faithful to Krsna by understanding the siddhanta. So mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva... [Cc Madhya 6.169]. For kanistha-adhikari, to avoid this Mayavadi philosophy, that "Everyone is God. I am God. You are God..." This is atheism. It is cheating atheism. One class of atheism is sūnyavadi: "There is no God." That we can understand, that he is atheist. "There is no God." He publicly declares, "We don't believe in God." But the Mayavadis are dangerous because they say that there is God, but without any form-no head, no leg. If you make "no, no, no," then where is the...? It becomes zero, ultimately. Go on making "no, no"-"No head, no tail, no hand, no..." So what remains? So this is another trick for saying there is no God. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that this class, who give the negative definition of God-"Not this, not this, not this, not this"-the Mayavadi, Maya... They say, "Not this. This is maya." So this Mayavadi, they are greater atheist.

So it is very dangerous to associate with Mayavadis. Of course, those who are kanistha, they are..., those who are fixed up in Krsna consciousness, they can mix with anyone. Nobody can influence. They are protected. If one has become pure devotee, for preaching work he can go anywhere. [break] [end]