Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.4.3–4 and Initiations – June 28, 1972, Los Angeles

720628SB-Los Angeles [31:30 Minutes]

What are the rules?

Prabhupada: [prema-dhvani] Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [devotees offer obeisances]

Prabhupada: Where is Pradyumna? Om namo bhagavate…

Pradyumna: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

[Prabhupada and devotees repeat]

Prabhupada: So, we read this verse, 3 and 4, again.

Pradyumna:

Prabhupada: You have read the purport yesterday?

Pradyumna: Ah, no.

Prabhupada: So read the purport.

Pradyumna: "The three activities of religion, economic development and sense gratification are generally attractive for conditioned souls struggling for existence in the material world. Such regulated activities prescribed in the Vedas are called the karma-kanḍiya conception of life, and householders are generally recommended to follow the rules just to enjoy material prosperity both in this life and in the next.

"Most people are attracted by such activities. Even in the activities of their modern godless civilization, people are more concerned with economic development and sense gratification, without any religious sentiments. As a great emperor of the world, Maharaja Pariksit had to observe such regulations of the Vedic karma-kanḍiya section, but by the slight association with Sukadeva Gosvami he could perfectly understand that Lord Krsna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead [Vasudeva], for whom he had a natural love since his birth, is everything, and thus he fixed his mind firmly upon Him, renouncing all modes of Vedic karma-kanḍiya activities.

"This perfectional stage is attained by a jnani after many, many births. The jnanis, or the empiric philosophers endeavoring for liberation, are thousands of times better than the fruitive workers, and out of hundreds of thousands of such jnanis one is liberated factually. And out of hundreds of thousands of such liberated persons, even one person is rarely found who can firmly fix his mind unto the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna, as it is declared by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita [Bg 7.19].

"Maharaja Pariksit is specially qualified with the word maha-manaḥ, which puts him on an equal level with the mahatmas described in the Bhagavad-gita. In the later age also there were many mahatmas of this type, and they also gave up all karma-kanḍiya conceptions of life, solely and wholly depending on the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna.

Lord Caitanya, who is Lord Krsna Himself, taught us in His Siksastaka [8]:

Prabhupada: So let them chant, aslisya.

Pradyumna: [chants Siksastaka word by word] [Prabhupada and devotees repeat]

[07:27]

Prabhupada: That's all. What is the meaning?

Pradyumna: "Lord Krsna, who is the lover of many devotees [women], may embrace this fully surrendered maidservant or may trample me with His feet, or He may render me brokenhearted by not being present before me for a long duration of time. Still He is nothing less than the Absolute Lord of my heart."

Prabhupada: Hmm. All right, let them begin our..., this function. Hare Krsna.

Devotees: Hare Krsna!

[japa] [break]

Jayatirtha: So, I think we can chant now...

Prabhupada: No.

Jayatirtha: ...the mahgalacarana...

Prabhupada: That's alright.

Jayatirtha: ...mantras. These mantras...

Prabhupada: Wait.

Devotee: Do you want to give the names now?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Syamasundara: Maggie?

[to Prabhupada:] Nandi-mukhi, Nandi-mukhi dasi.

Prabhupada: Nandi-mukhi.

Syamasundara: Yes.

Prabhupada: Hm. What are the rules?

Maggie: No meat, fish or egg eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling.

Prabhupada: Hmm. And how many rounds?

Maggie: Sixteen rounds.

Prabhupada: Yes, minimum. You are Nandi-mukhi. Nandi-mukhi.

Jayatirtha: Jayate.

Prabhupada: Who is? [japa]

Syamasundara: Dennis? Dvarakanatha dasa.

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Dennis: No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, no illicit sex and no gambling or speculation.

Prabhupada: Hmm. How many rounds you will chant?

Dennis: Sixteen.

Prabhupada: Minimum. Hare Krsna. Take. Dvaraka...

Syamasundara: Dvarakanatha.

Prabhupada: Dvarakanatha.

Devotees: Jaya, haribol.

Syamasundara: Barbara? Bhavatarini.

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Barbara: No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication.

Prabhupada: And how many rounds?

Barbara: At least sixteen.

Prabhupada: So your name Bhavatarini. Not in the, right...

Syamasundara: Right hand.

Prabhupada: Right hand.

Syamasundara: With your right hand.

Bhavatarini: My right?

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna.

Syamasundara: Karen? Krsna-priya dasi.

Prabhupada: Hmm. What are the rules?

Karen: No illicit sex, no gambling, no eating of meat, fish or eggs and no intoxicants.

Prabhupada: So, Krsna-priya.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna.

Syamasundara: Jim? Yasoda-dulal.

Prabhupada: Hmm. What are the rules?

Jim: No meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling.

Prabhupada: So your name, Yasoda-dulal, darling of Mother Yasoda [laughter.] Hare Krsna.

Syamasundara: Kay? Kesava-priya dasi.

Prabhupada: Hmm. Come on. What is... What are the rules?

Kay: No taking of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication.

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Syamasundara: Kesava..., Kesava-priya.

Prabhupada: Kesava-priya. Kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira. Come on.

Chant little Hare Krsna.

Devotees: Hare Krsna! [bell rings as curtain opens]

Prabhupada: Ah. Thank you. Ah, thank you. Very good. Begin.

[15:24]

[kirtana] [Prabhupada plays gong] [prema-dhvani] Thank you very much. Hare Krsna [end]