760901 - Conversation - Delhi

Conversations by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

760901ED-DELHI - September 01, 1976 - 93:06 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . required to kill somebody, he'll do that—if it is required for his sense gratification. There are many instances that a woman is addicted to another man, and she has killed her husband, killed her son. Why? Sense gratification. I have seen one woman, my Godbrother's wife, she killed her son for being implicated with another man. I have seen it. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Things which are not to be done, they do it. Why? For the matter of sense gratification. They do it. That's a fact. So therefore simply for sense gratification they are prepared to do anything. That means pāpa. It is the verdict of the court that when a man kills another man he becomes mad. Without becoming mad, a man cannot kill another man. So everything is being done which is not sanctioned because for sense gratification. The whole world business is sense gratification. And at the end, when he's little spiritually inclined, he wants to satisfy senses by thinking artificially that "I shall become God." That is the greatest sense gratification. Because remaining a small living entity I have been hampered in my sense gratification. Now let me become God so that there will be no restriction of my sense gratification. Bhagavān . . . (indistinct) . . . because he has failed to satisfy his senses remaining non-Bhagavān, now he wants to become Bhagavān. Yogī, that is also another sense gratification, that if I show some magic, if I can create little gold like this, hundreds and thousands of men will be after me and I shall live very nicely, just gratify my senses. These things are going on practically. The man who is manufacturing gold, and so many rich people are coming to his disciples and he's begging for a motorcar. If he can create gold, why he cannot create a motorcar? This is going on. Wo English me bol raha tha. (He was talking in English.) (break)

Prabhupāda: Kya apka praśna hai? Apka praśna kya hai? (Do you have any question? What is your question?)

Indian man: Baat ye hai guruji ki ek mene do teen saal pehle kisiko 5000 rupaya loan diya tha, aur usne kaha tha ki 4-5 din me vapas kar dega lekin abhi tak vapas nahi kiya. (The thing is Guruji, 2-3 years back I had given someone a loan of 5,000 rupees, and he had said that he would return it in 4-5 days but he hasn't returned it yet.)

Prabhupāda: Kaun 5000 liya tha? (Who had taken 5,000 from you?)

Indian man: Mera ek dost hai uska printing press hai. (I have a friend who runs a printing press.)

Prabhupāda: Kam kya karta hai? (What work does he do?)

Indian man: Printing ka kam karta hai wo. (He does the job of printing.) . . . (indistinct background conversation) . . .

Prabhupāda: Us praśna ko hamare pas lane se kya faida? Nahi to . . . hum kya kare? (So what is the use of getting that question to us? What can we do?)

Indian man: Nahi humne bahut koshish ki, aap sahi tarika boliye kaise usko . . . (No I tried a lot, if you could tell me what is the right way to . . . )

Prabhupāda: Hum uska tarika batayen, ye koi praśna hai? . . . Ye sab chalta hai, "hum 5000 rupaya mangte hain, aap dila dijiye to aap bada saheb ho jayiye". Ab agar wo 5000 rupaya humko milta hi nahin, aap kuch mantra laga kar usko dila dijiye tab hum manenge apko bada saheb aur nahin to nahi . . . Sadhu ka ye kam hai ki jo deta nahi usko dila de, bada saheb, mantra padke. Ye koi praśna hai sadhu ke liye. Ye sab chal raha hai. (We should say the solution, is that a question? These things are going on "I am asking for 5,000 rupees, you help me get it then you will become a big Sir". Now if I don't get that 5,000 rupees, you please do some magic and get it for me, then I shall consider you a big man, otherwise not. This is the work of a sage, who hasn't got anything, to give him something . . . Big Sir . . ., by reading some mantras. Is this a question which should be asked to a Sage? All these things are going on.) (Devotees chanting 'Hari Hari') Ye Sadhu ke pas jata hai aur: Māhārāj hamara pet me dard hai, aur sadhu usko koi dawai dega aur bada saheb. (They go to the Sage and tell him: Māhārāj I have pain in the stomach, and the sage gives him some medicine, then he would become a 'Big Sir'.)

Indian man (2): Ye adalat ka kam hai. Sadhu-santon ke pas bhagvan ka poocho, bhagvan ke bhakti ka poocho, bhagvan ke kuch smabandh ki baat karo, ye sab maya ke bat nahi. (These works are meant for the court. When you come to a Sage you must enquire about God, about devotion to God, topics related to God, and not topics related to maya.)

Indian man: Nahi mujhe jab maya milegi me Kṛṣṇa ji ko daan kar dunga na (No when I get the money, I will donate it to Kṛṣṇa.)

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa ko wo daan nahi chahiye. Ap usko bhul jaiye. (Kṛṣṇa doesn't want that money. You forget about it.)

Indian man (2): Sab to wo deta hai, ap usko kya denge? (He provides for everything. What can we give to him?)

Prabhupāda: Apko 5,000 rupaya dila den to ap Kṛṣṇa ko denge. Abhi apke pas do chaar paise jo hain wo dijiye. (If you get that 5,000 rupees you will donate it to Kṛṣṇa. But whatever little amount you have now, you donate that first.)

Indian man: Sirf yahi dukh hain mujhe aur sab . . . (This is the only sadness I have, remaining everything . . .)

Indian man (2): To usko dena hoga de diya, jab lena hai to kabhi mil jayega. (This was your time to give, so you gave. When it's your time to get, then you will get it.) . . . (indistinct conversation) . . .

Prabhupāda: Sadhu kisko bataya jata hai? Bhagvan kisko sadhu bataya hai? To 'api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ' (BG 9.30) jo bhagvat bhajan karta hai, 'ananya bhak' se wo sadhu hai. Wo māhātamā bada durlabh hai jo ki Vāsudev bhagwan ko hi sab kuch manta hai . . . 'bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ' (BG 7.19) Ye sab kaun māhātamā hai, kaun sahdhu hai iske vishay me bhagvan khud bata diya hai. Wo 'bhajate mām ananya-bhāk' wo sadhu hai. Unke pas Bhagvat bhajan karne ke liye puch sakte hain, rupaya kaise milega uske liye to aur sab . . . ye sab ajkal yahi chalta hai. (break) Sadhu ke pas, kis tarah se tapasya karni padti hai . . . kaise Bhagwan ka sanidhya labh ho sakega usko puchna chahiye. (Who is called as a Sage? Who has God declared as a sage? So api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30) one who sings the glories of the Lord without deviation "Ananya bhak" he is a sage. That being is very rare who considers only Lord Vasudeva to be everything . . . bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19) These things like: 'Who is a Saint', 'Who is a Sage', the Lord himself has explained about these things. That one who is engagegd in devotional service without any deviation "bhajate mām ananya-bhāk" is a Sage. You can ask him about how to sing glories of the Lord. For things related to how to get money and all there are other . . . these things are all going on today. (break) How to perform austerities, how to get the association of supreme Lord, these things should be asked to a Sage.)

Indian man: . . . Prabhuji ek baat hai, Bhagvan ki itni seva ki hai . . . aur main prarthana karta hoon ki mujhe aise ashirwad chahiye ki me bhagwan ko kabhi bhulun na aur jo kaam me karun unke liye karun. . . yehi mai aapse aashirvad mangta hoon. Aur kabhi gande kaam me mera dyan na jaye, sachai bolun. . . (. . . Prabhuji there is one thing, I have rendered so much service to the Lord. . . I worship God that I want this blessing: I should never forget God and whatever work I do, I should do it for him . . . also this is the blessing I seek from you. Also, my mind should never be engaged in any dirty works, I should always speak the truth . . .)

Prabhupāda: Bhagvan apko aashirvad kare. (May the Lord bless you.) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Devotees chanting 'Jay Prabhupāda')'kirtaniya sada Hari' 'satatam kirtayanto' Sab samay kirtan karo. Kam karo aur Hare Kṛṣṇa bolne me kya nuksan hai. (All the time sing the names of God. Do your work but what is the loss in saying Hare Kṛṣṇa.)

Indian man: . . . (indistinct) . . .

Prabhupāda: Karo to sahi, shuru to karo. Bhagwan bole 'satatam kirtayanto' sab samay bhagwan ka kirtan karo aur sab samay nahi hota hai to jahan tak hota hai karo, lekin karo. (break) Kirtan karo baith ke. (Do it, start at least . The Lord said: 'satatam kirtayanto' all time sing the glories of the Lord. And if it's not possible to do all time, then do as much as you can, but start doing. (break) Sit down and do kirtana.)

Indian lady: . . . (indistinct) . . .

Prabhupāda: Krodh, jaise Hanumān ji kiya tha. Jaise Hanuman ji wo Rāvan ka ghar jala diya. Bina krodh se koi kisika ghar jala sakta hai? To krodh ka aise vyavahar karo. To Rāvan ka ghar kyun jalaya? Ye bewakoof Sitā ji ko le aaya, badmash, uska ghar jala diya. Krodh . . . jo rakshas hai, bhagvan ka abhakt hai uske upar khub krodh karo. (Anger, like Hanumān ji had displayed? Like Hanumān ji had burnt down the house of Rāvana. Can anyone burn down a house without anger? So you should utilize anger in this way. So why did he burn down Rāvana's palace? This foolish rogue man kidnapped Sitā, so he burnt down his house. Whoever is demoniac, non-devotee, you should be very angry on them.)

Indian lady: Kabhi kabhi bahut jyada krodh ata hai. (I get very angry sometimes.)

Prabhupāda: Bahut karo, jab ghar jala diya to baki kya reh hai . . . Abhi krodh kitna ho sakta hai? Utna krodh kahan ayega? Ap kisika ghar jala sakti ho? Hanumān ji ne kiya tha isliye Hanumān ji ka aj tak puja karte hain, kyunki krodh kiya tha. Bichare vendanta ko nahi padha tha, padhe to jane Krodh kiya lekin Rām ke liye, apne liye nahi kiya. Krodha ka vyavahr hai bhagwan ke liye. Jo Bhagvan ko maanta nahi aur bhakt ko takalif deta hai, uske upar khub krodh kijiye, ghar jala dijiye. Krodh ka bhi vyavahr hai, krodh hai to krodh dikhao kahan tak hai krodh. (Do more, When he burnt a house, what more is left . . . Now how much high can anger be? Where would you get that much anger? Can you burn down somebody's house? Hanumān ji did it that's why till today he is being worshipped, because he became angry. Poor guys, they dont read the scriptures, if they read they will get to know that he displayed anger but only for Rāma, not for himself. The use of anger is done for Lord's service. The one who does not believe in God, and gives trouble to devotees, you should be very angry with them, you should burn down their houses. There is proper use of anger as well. If you have anger then display that anger.)

Indian lady: Krodh me to anisht bhi hota hai. (In anger, we perform forbidden things sometimes.)

Prabhupāda: Anisht hoye chod tum bhagvan ke liye karo. Hum bolta hai agar tumhare pas krodh hai to usko . . . ye krodh bhagvan ke liye vyavahar karo. Jaise Hanumān ji kiya tha. Hai to Māhājan hai 'Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ' (CC Madhya 17.186) Bade-bade Māhājan bhakt log jaise kaam kiya hai . . . wo Hanumān ji ke pas krodh tha tabhi to wo kiya, to apke pas krodh hai ap bhi wese kijiye. Is prakar apka krodh jab vyavahar hojayega fir apko shanti milegi. (Leave about the forbidden things, you did it for the Lord. I am saying if you have anger . . . use that anger for the service of Lord. Just like Hanumān did it. He is a self-realized predecessor Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186) Whatever is done by big big self realized predecessors, devotees . . . Hanumān ji had anger that's why he did it, so if you have anger you also utilize in the same way. In this way when you utilize your anger then you will find peace.)

Indian man (2): . . . (indistinct) . . .

Prabhupāda:' Kya puch raha hai? ( What is he asking?)

Indian man: Kehta hai Bhagvan ka naam kis tarah liya jata hai mujhe batao. (He wants to know how to chant the name of the Lord.)

Prabhupāda: Kis tarah se leta hai dekhta nahi hai ap, phir kaise batayega apka jab ankh nahi hai. Ye sab kaise leta hai, din bhar kirtan karta hai. Ye koi mushkil hai kya? Dekho wo jaise karta hai waise karo, usme kya hai seekhna? Ye to baccha bhi kar lega. Us din baccha kirtan kiya na, usme seekhne ka kya hai? Jo dekhe usiko karo. Aaiye, han, aiiye. Dekh ke sikhna hota hai, jaise kaunsa bhi sevak hai . . . Hanumān ji se jake seekho . . . Jo dekh ke sikhta hai wo bada chalak hai. Ek aadmi ko zabardasti aise karo-waise karo bolne se sikhta hai to usko der lagta hai aur jo dekh ke sikhta hai jaldi seekh jata hai, wo bada chatur hai. Adarsh . . . adarsh sab cheez ka hai, wo adarsh hum le aaye, yehi humlog ka pantha hai 'Māhājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ' (CC Madhya 17.186). Bade-bade bhakt log jaise rasta dikhaye hain usko anusaran karo sab seekh jaoge. Tarko ’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā (CC Madhya 17.186) Ye tark karke seekhna, wo tark karenge, hum unse jyada tark karenge, koi aur humse zyada tark karega, usse koi labh nahi hai. Aur yadi ved vedanta padhenge to hum dekhenge ved me kuch aur likha hai aur doosre ved me aur kuch likha hai aur darshnik vichar karenge 'Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam'(CC Madhya 17.186) aur ye muni ko daba nahi sakta hai to uska jo philosophy hai wo bhi thik nahi hai aise bata denge. (Aren't you seeing how they are chanting, then how can I explain if you don't have the eyes. How do they chant, they chant the whole day. Is it difficult? See how they are doing, you do like them, what is there to learn in this? Even a child can do this. That day the children chanted, what is there to learn? Whatever you have seen, you should do that. Come, please come. You must see by seeing, just as we have the devotees, go and learn from Hanumān ji . . . one who learns by seeing is very clever. If one forcibly keeps telling you to do like this, like that, then it takes time to learn but one who sees and learns, he learns quickly, he is very intelligent. Everything has got certain principles that we have brought. This is our belief system. Māhājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ(CC Madhya 17.186) Whatever path the great devotees have shown ,just follow it and you will learn everything. Tarko ’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā (CC Madhya 17.186)) Learning by giving arguments, he will give some argument, we will then try to add some more argument, and somebody else will give more argument than us, there is no benefit from these arguments. And if we study the vedanta then we know something else is written in the 'vedas', and in some other 'veda' there is some other thing which is written then we try to think philosophically. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam (CC Madhya 17.186) and if they can't suppress the saint, then whatever philosophy he has given, they just mark it as incorrect.

'Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ'(CC Madhya 17.186) isiliye jo dharma vastu hai uska tattva bada gambhir hai. To kis tarah se sikha jaye? 'Māhājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ'(CC Madhya 17.186) Bade-bade Māhājan jis tarah se rasta dikhaye hain usko follow karo. Hamare vedic niyam se sab māhān acharya hain, jaise aaj kal pehle Sri sampradaya, Rudra sampradaya, Brahma sampradaya, Kumar sampradaya, to shastra me sab bataya hai kaun-kaun mahajan hain: 'Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam (ŚB 6.3.20) ye sab Māhājan hain. Naradji hain, Brahmaji hain, Mahadev Shivji hain, aur Kapil hain, Manu hain, Prahlād maharaj hain, Janak māhārāj hain, Bhishmadev hain, dwadash māhājan shastra me bataya gaya hai, wo log jaise jaise kaam kiya hai us tarah se hum log anusaran karen aur unko jo adarsh hai usko follow karen. (Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ(CC Madhya 17.186) Therefore the matters related to dharma is very deep. So how should we learn it? Māhājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ(CC Madhya 17.186) We should follow the path shown by the great self realized personalities. In our Vedic culture we have very great teachers as nowadays the Sri sampradaya, Rudra sampradaya, Brahma sampradaya, Kumar sampradaya. So all this is mentioned in the scriptures, who are the great personalities, Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam (ŚB 6.3.20) these are the great personalities. We have Narad ji, Brahma ji, Mahadev Shiv ji, Kapila muni, Manu, Prahlād Māhārāj, Janak Māhārāj, Bhismadeva, these 12 great personalities are mentioned in the scriptures. We should follow the work they have done and follow their ideals.) Thank you.

Indian lady: . . .(indistinct) . . . Kalyug me kirtan se uddhar ho sakta hai. Bhagwan Kṛṣṇa Gita me kehte hain ki sthita-pragya ke liye dhyan yoga. . . (. . . In Kali yuga by chanting the Lord's name one can be elevated. Lord Kṛṣṇa has said in the Gitā that for a person to be equipoised . . .)

Prabhupāda: Wo sthita-pragya ho jayega Rām-naam karo. Bhagvan ka naam karo, bhagvan ka smaran karo. Rām ka naam liya to Rām ka to dhyan ho jayega. Dhanurdhari Rām, Sitāji baithe hain, Hanumān ji baithe hain, Lakshman ji hain, ye sab dhyan hogaya. Kya mushkil hai. Kisi ka naam lene se uska sab kaam dhyan me aata hai ki nahin, usi prakar aap yadi Rām ka naam lenge to sath sath Rām ka dhyan bhi ho jayega (verse). Yadi aap dhyanavastit hokar ke bhagvan ko dhyan karenge to fir yogi hogaye. Aur pehle se thik thak kar liya ki Rām ka haat nahi hai, pair nahi hai, naak nahi hai, aankh nahi hai, to kis par dhyan karnege. To keval klesh hoga. (verse) Bhgavan ka dhyan kijiye, Bhagvan ka naam lijiye, jo hogaya sawar lijiye. Shastra me bataya hai (verse). Dhyan ka, meditation ka arth kya hota hai. Jo man ko sab samay bhagvan ke charan me laga deta hai ye samadhi hai. (Chant the names of the Lord and you will become equipoised. Take the names of the Lord, remember Him. If you chant the names of Lord Rāma then automatically meditation happens on Lord Lord Rāma. Lord Rāma with bow and arrow, Sitā seated next to Him, Hanumān ji is also sitting and Lakshman is there, all this is meditation. What is the difficulty? When you take a person's name, all his activities will come to your mind or not. Similarly if you take Lord Rāma's name then automatically you will meditate on the Lord. (verse). If you meditate with single minded devotion towards to Lord then you will become a yogi. And beforehand if you fix that Lord Rāma does not have hands, does not have legs, does not either eyes or ears then what will you meditate on. Then there will be only tribulation. (verse). Meditate on the Lord, take the names of the Lord, fix everything. In the scriptures it is said (verse). What is the meaning of meditation? One who focuses his mind all the time on the lotus feet of the Lord, that is trance.)

Indian man: Bhagvan ki siddhi aur moksh prapt karne ke raste ek hi hai ya alag-alag? (Are the ways of obtaining mystic powers and liberation one and the same?)

Prabhupāda: Moksh ka arth aap kya samjhte hain? (What do you understand the meaning of liberation?)

Indian man: Shakti, jaise shakt log hain shakti ko prapt karte hain. (Power, like how we have the 'shakta's' who aquire the power.)

Prabhupāda: Shakti me moksh nahi hai. Shakti, ye material power . . . (indistinct) . . . usme moksh nahi hai. Material power usko shakti 'dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpa-pati-bhājaṁ dehi' lo usko aur phas jao. Ye sab duniya me jo power chahte hain wo phas jate hain ki nahin, ye aapko maloom hai ki nahin. To duniya ka shakti labh hone se, aap phas jaiyega yahi labhi hoga. Wo to moksh nahi hai, wo to phasne wala baat hai. Shakti ye nimn star ka vyajan hai, ye duniya ka power chahte hain, jo shakti upasak hai. Ye shakti analysis karke dekhte hai aag me shakti jyada hai to agni upasak ho jate hain. Aur fir jo aag pe analysis karke dekhta hai, jo aag jo aata hai wo surya ke agni se aata hai, to surya ka upasak hai. Ye shakto. Isi tarah shakt aur kya nam hai danapatta, aur souryo . . . ye sab panch upasana hai . . . (indistinct) . . . It is gradual state. To asal me vishnu upasana hi mukhya hai. (verse) to jitna upasana hai wo sab karte-karte jab usko theek chiz maloom hoga 'ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param' (Padma Purāṇa). To sadharan vyakti nahi jante hain (verse) to sartha gatim kya hai jante nahi he isliye kabhi shakti me phas jate hain, kabhi agni me fas jate hain, pancha-upasak. Aur swayam Vishnu aa karke bata rahe hain tum ye sab chodo 'sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ' (BG 16.66) usme tumhara sab labh hai. (verse) Aur jisko Bhagwan ka krpa labh ho gaya wo aur kisika kripa nahi chahte hain. (There is no lieration in power. 'Shakti', this is material power . . . there is no liberation in that. Acquiring material power 'dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpa-pati-bhājaṁ dehi' and getting more entangled. All the people in the world who want power, don't they get trapped, do you know this or not? So if you get the material power, you will get entangled more and that's the only benefit. That is not liberation, that is entanglement. Power is a low form of energy, whoever are the worshippers of power, they want power of this world. The analyze this power and see, there is power in the fire, so they become worshippers of fire. Now they analyze the fire and they find out this fire actually comes from Sun's heat , then they become worshippers of the Sun. Like this there are 'Shakta's' , 'Shouryo' . . . there are five types of worshippers . . . (indistinct) . . . It is gradual state. So in reality, worship of Lord Vishnu is the most important. So out of all the different kinds of worship, after doing everything when he realizes the correct thing 'ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param' (Padma Purāṇa). So normal people do not know this, and they sometimes get stuck in power, or fire . . . they get stuck in the worship of these five types. And Lord Vishnu himself comes and tells, you leave all this sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 16.66, your benefit is in that.) And whoever has received the blessings of the lord, they don't need blessings from anyone else.

Indian man: . . . (indistinct) . . . Ishwar darshan, bhagvan darshan kya hai? (What does the darshan of God mean?)

Prabhupāda: Pehle to aapko ye nischit karna chahiye ki kiska darshan chahte hain. Abhi to bataya na shakti, daanpatra, souryo anek prakar upasana hai. Aapko kya chahiye tab bataya jayega kis tarah se upasana karne se labh milega. (First you must decide whose darshan you want to have. Just now I mentioned 'Shakta' , 'Shouryo', there are different kinds of worship. Which one you want, then we can say how to perform the worship to get the benefit.) First of all you must fix up what you want.

Indian man (1): What is realization?

Prabhupāda: Realization—everything is realization. If you can do business well, that is also realization.

Indian man (1): Realization of God.

Prabhupāda: Then you, if you want . . .

Indian man (1): Realization of God.

Prabhupāda: Realization of God, To wo to Bhagwan bata rahe hain (So Lord is saying), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). So "If you want to know Me, then bhaktyā, bhakti." Ye to bataye nahi gyan se, karma se, yog se humko mil sakte hain, nahi. (It is not said that you will obtain God by knowledge, by duty, by yoga, no.) Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. If you want to know God really, then you have to take this path, bhakti. If you want something else, that is a different thing.

yānti-deva vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni

mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām

(BG 9.25)

Pehle to aapko fix-up hona chahiye ki aapko chahiye kya. (First you have to decide what it is that you want.)

Indian man: Aur Prabhupāda, ye sākār aur nirākār me kaafi matbhed chalta hai. Sākār samne pratyaksh murti rakne se, hriday me dhyan ekatrit karke aur kendrit karke hum puja kar sakte hain, bhakti kar sakte hain, lekin nirākār me dhyan nahi jamta hai. To apka iske bare me kya vichar hai aur . . . (And Prabhupāda, there is a lot of difference of opinion in the form and formless formless feature of the Lord. In the form, we can keep the Deity in front of us, meditate in our mind and worship the Deity and do devotion but in formless we cannot meditate. So what is your view on this and . . .)

Prabhupāda: Ye nirākār ka arth pehle samajhiye. Nirākār aakār ko nakharch kar dena, Nirākār - aakar hai baki usko nakharch karke . . . (indistinct) . . . To bhagvan jo hai wo dekhta hai baki uska aankh nahi hai. Aise ye sab vichar, to ab sochna chahihye ki aankh nahi hai to dekhta kaise hai, ye vichar karna hai (verse). Ye achaksur jo hai nirākār hai aur pashyati jo hai wo aakār. (Try to understand the meaning of the word formless first. Formless means to break the form, form is there but . . . (indistinct) . . . We say the Lord is seeing everything but he doesn't have eyes. These thoughts are going on, now one should contemplate if there are no eyes then how is he seeing, you should think about this. (verse) This 'achaksur' is formless and 'pashyati' is form.)

Isliye aapko nischay karna chahiye ki bhagvan dekhta hai, baki wo unka hamara jaisa aankh nahi hai, ye nirākār hai. Hum jaise dekh rahe hain, ye kamre ke bhitar sab dekh rahe hain aur diwar ke udhar kya hai dekh nahi sakte. Aur jo bhagvan hai wo sab dekhta hai (verse) sab jagah unka haat hai , pair hai. Isliye vichar karna chahiye ki bhagvan ka haat, pair sabhi hai baki hamare jaise nahin hai. Ye vichar karna chahiye. Jo ye hamara jaise hai hi nahi wo nirākār hai aur unka jo haat-pair hai wo aakār. Isliye shastra me bataya hai 'ISVARA PARAMA KRISHNA SACHIDANANDA VIGRAHA ANADIR AADIR GOVINDA SARVA KARANA KARANAM'. Unka jo vigrah hai, aakār hai wo sacidanand hai, sac-cit-anand. To jahan sacidanand kaha gaya hai ye jo sharir hai ye nirākār hai, kyunki ye jo sharir hai ye sat nahi hai, asat, (verse). Ye sharir to naash ho jayega. Bhagvan ka sharir hai baki maas-mans sharir nahi hai. Isliye bhagvan kehte hain mai jab aata hoon to ye moorkh log samjhte hai ki sadharan manushya jaisa hai 'avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā' mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam' (BG 9.11). (Therefore first you should decide that God can see, but he does not have eyes like us, this is formless. Like how we are able to see what is inside this room but what is there behind the wall we can't see. But the Lord can see everything, (verse). He has his hands and legs everywhere. So we must think that His hands and legs are there but not like ours. So this must be considered. So the one which is not like us, is formless and the hands and legs which the Lord has is the form. Hence it is said in the scriptures that ISVARA PARAMA KRISHNA SACHIDANANDA VIGRAHA ANADIR AADIR GOVINDA SARVA KARANA KARANAM Lord's deity, the form , is sac-cit-ananda, full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. So where it is said eternity, knowledge and bliss, but this body of ours is not eternal, it is temporary (verse) This body will perish. God's form is there but not made of flesh and bones. So God says, when I descend these rascals think that I am an ordinary person like them Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā' mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11))

Kyunki ye do haat-payr leke main aaya hoon to moorkh log samjhte hai ki hamara jaise koi vyakti hai baki wo sachidananda vigrah hai. 'sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā' (BG 4.6) ye sab vachan hai Bhagavad-Gita me. Bhagvan ka jo sharir hai wo hamara jaisa sharir nahi hai 'janma karma ca me divyam' (BG 4.9). To bhagvan ka sharir kya hai usko agar samajh jaye to wo . . . baki wo samajhta nahi hai, wo samajhta hai hamara jaisa vyakti hai aur unko ye mayavadi log kehte hai jab bhagvan aate hai to maya ka sharir dharan karke aate hain. To nirākār ka artha hota hai bhagvan ka bhautik sharir nahi hai. Bhagvan ka sharir hai sac-cit-anand vigraha. Agar sacidanand vigraha nahi hota to 7 varsh ke umar me koi pahad utha sakta hai, boliye. (Just because I have appeared with 2 hands and legs, these rascals think that He is a person like us, but he is sac-cit-ananda vigraha sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). All these statements are given in the Bhagavad-gita. The form of God is not like ours. janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9) So if one understands the form of God then . . . but he does not understand and thinks the Lord is like one of us, and to this the impersonalists say that whenever God appears He comes with this maya form. So the meaning of formless is that God does not have a material form like us. God's form is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. If His form was not eternal, full of knowledge and bliss then how could a 7 year old lift such a big mountain on a little finger, tell me.)

Indian man: Mera matlab ye tha prabhuji ki jab hum puja karte hain baithte hain agar samne murti hoti hai Bhagwan ki sākār murti ho ya chitra ho, to us par dhyan jaldi aakarshit hota hai, kendrit hota hai. Lekin agar hum bina murti ke dhyan karne baithe nirākār ka, to wo dhyan kendrit ho nahi pata hai. To kya koi jariya hai sākār ke dwara nirākār pahuchne ka? (I meant to say this Prabhuji that if we sit in front of the Deity or a photo of God to worship Him, then our mind gets drawn to the Deity very quickly. But if we sit meditating on the formless, then it's very difficult to focus and meditate. So is there any way to achieve the formless through the form?)

Prabhupāda: Nirākār kyun pahunchega, nirākār pahuchna nahi hai. Wo aap jante nahi je bhagvan ka aakār kya hai. Wo agyan ko door kijiye. Bhagvan to nirākār hai hi nahi, sachidanand vigraha. Vigraha ka arth hota hai murti. To fir bhagvan ke murti ko aap nirakar karne kyun chahte hain. Aur jo nirākār karne ko chahte hai usko 'kleśo ’dhika-taras teṣām' (BG 12.5) usko adhik klesh hota hai, aur kuch nahi milta hai. (Why would he reach the formless, he doesn not have to reach the formless. You don't know that the Lord has a form. Remove this ignorance first. God is not formless, He is sac-cid-ananda. The meaning of 'Vigraha' is Deity. Why do you want to make God's Deity formless? And one who wants to make Him formless, he suffers a lot, kleśo ’dhika-taras teṣām (BG 12.5) he does not get anything.) Find out this verse.

Indian man: Aisa shastron me bataya gaya hai kali kaal me . . .(indistinct) . . . (It is mentioned in the scriptures that in this 'Kali yuga' . . .) (break)

Prabhupāda: Pehle samjhiye Bhagvan nirākār nahi hai. Bhagvan ka aakār hai baki . . . (First of all understand that God is not formless. God has a form . . .) Somebody . . . why don't you send? What they are doing, all these rascals, that they cannot read?

Devotee: Someone should come in?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But they do not know that somebody should remain there. Why they are there? What they are doing there?

Hari-śauri: Harikeśa is typing. Pradyumna is reading Sanskrit books.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Send Pradyumna immediately. Kleśo 'dhikarataras teṣām avyaktasakta-cetasam. Kleśa. Beginning with kleśa. (devotees tries to find verse) You could not? Kleśa. K-l-e-s. Why don't you come here? And who will find out? Come here.

Devotee: Kleśo 'dhikarataras teṣām?

Prabhupāda: Why do you say that you do not find? Find out. They are not accustomed. Kleśo'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Ye bhagvan swayam bata diya, jo nirākār bhajan karne wala hai uska kewal klesh adhik hota hai. To apko klesh hua to wo to hoga hi. Ye to shastra me bata diya. Apko sukh kaise hoga. Jab shastra batata hai adhik klesha, jisko adhik klesh usko sukh kaise hoga. (The Lord himself has already said, one who worships the formless, for him only tribulation increases. So if you are having to suffer, then it was bound to happen. This is already told in the scriptures. How will you feel happiness? When the scripture says too much suffering, then how can one who is suffering get happiness.) (Pradyumna enters) Read it.

Pradyumna:

kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām

avyaktāsakta-cetasām

avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ

dehavadbhir avāpyate

(BG 12.5)

Prabhupāda: Ah. Avyaktā hi gatir duḥkham. Avyakta chintan karne kewal dukh labh hota hai aur kuch labh nahi Read it. (If you meditate on the unmanifested form then you get only sadness, nothing else.)

Pradyumna: "For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Wo rasta ko pakadne se apko klesh adhik hoga, Bhagvan khud bata rahe hain, to apko sukh kaise milega. (The Lord himself says, if you take that path then you have to suffer a lot. So how will you get happiness? You are expecting happiness by thinking of impersonal form of the Lord. That is not possible. You simply get troubles, that's all. Ye to aap buddhiman hain, bhagyavan hain, jiska apko anubhav hua hai. Aur jo moorkh hota hai usko klesh bhi hota hai aur wohi rasta me jata hai. Wo janta hai usme klesh hota hai phir usi me jata hai. Aisa moorkh hota hai. Apko to bhagvan kripa kiya. Koi chahte hain ki khushi se hum klesh uttaye, wo moorkh jati hai. Ye buddhiman klesh ke rasta me kyun jaye. Isme anand hota hai idhar Bhagvan ka murti hai, dekho kitna sundar sajaya hai, nach rahe hain, gaa rahe hain, isme anand hai. Nirākār kuch nahi hai. (You are intelligent, and fortunate that you are experiencing this. And one who is foolish suffers and still continues on the same path. He knows that the path is full of suffering but still goes on that path. Such foolishness. God has showered His mercy on you. No one wants to take suffering happily, such people are rascals. Why should the intelligent person go on the path of suffering? Is there happiness? Here we have God's Deity, see how nicely it is decorated, they are dancing, they are singing - this is happiness, bliss. There is no formlessness.) What is the purport?

Pradyumna: "The group of transcendentalists who follow the path of the inconceivable, unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called jñāna-yogis, and persons who are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in devotional service to the Lord, are called bhakti-yogis. Now here the difference between jñāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga is definitely expressed."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa personally says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). To aap agyan panth ka kyun lijiye. Yadi aap bhagvan ko janane ko chahte hain, bhagvan bata rahe hain 'bhaktya mam abhijanati' to aap agyan panth kyun lenge. Fir apko klesh hoga (verse) To jo . . . Bhagvan sab bata diya hai, do rasta hai (verse) jo abhakton me aasakt hain usko adhik klesh hota hai. (Why do you want to take the ignorant path? If you want to know God, then God himself is saying "bhaktya mam abhijanati" then why will you take the path of ignorance? Then you will have suffering (verse). So, the Lord has already mentioned, there are 2 ways (verse), the one who is attached to non-devotees gets more suffering.) So If you like to tolerate adhik-kleśa, that is your choice. Otherwise, Bhagavān, sac-cid-ānanda . . .

śrī vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Srivigraha ka aaradhan kijiye, usko sajaiye, sabko khane ko dijiye, prasad paiye, kirtan kijiye, dance kijiye, dekhiye anand milega. To anand ka path chod karke aagar klesh ka path lijiyega to ye aapke kushi ke baat hai. (Worship the Deity, decorate it, Offer food to the deities , feed prasadam to everyone, you also honor prasadam, perform congregational chanting, dancing and you will get bliss. So if you discard the path of bliss and take the path of suffering, it is your choice.) You can accept any way. That is your choice.

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis

'tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ

goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(BS 5.37)

Ye sab shastra me hai. (All this is given in the scriptures.) Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa vigraha. Sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (BS 5.1).

Nirākār kyon? Artificially wo vigraha bhagvan ko nirākār karne ko kyun chahte hain. Isme apko kya labh hoga. Isko jawab dijiye. Aap bahut accha sākār se nirākār jayenge. Jab bhagvan ka sacidananda vigraha mauzood hai aap wahan se phir, nirākār roop bhi unka hai, sabhi to wohi hai 'brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate' (SB 1.2.11). To bhagvan aakhir roop hai. To bhagvan ka roop chod karke . . . jaise Suryadev hai. Wo suryadev suryalok me hai aur unka sab chata . . . to Suryadev ka sharir ka prakash se ye sab prakash hai, to udhar se idhar aane ka jaroorat kya hai, idhar se udhar jaiye. Surya ka jo prakash hai, roudra dhoop hai, dhoop se aahiste-aashiste suryalok me jaiye. Suryalok me jake suryadev ka darshan kariye, ye paddhati hai. Aap suryalok me gaya, suryadev ka darshan kiya, chalo fir dhoop me chalo, ye kaun sa vichar hai, boliye. Idhar se udhar jayenge na udhar se idhar aayenge. Jisko bhakti hai usko gyan yog hai. Jisko bhakti hai wo bina gyan bhakt kaise hoga. (Why formless? Why do they want to artificially make the Deity of God formless? What benefit do you get from it? Answer this. You will go very nicely from form to formless. When God's form of eternity, bliss and knowledge is there, He is also formless, He is everything. brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So ultimately God has form. Then why do you forget His form? Like how we have Sun God. The Sun God is in the sun planet and all his rays, the sunshine from the sun's body illuminates everything. Then what is the need to come from there to here, instead go from here to there. The light of the sun, the heat - from the sunshine, he gradually enters into the sun planet. Enter into the sun's planet and have darshan of Sun God, this is the process. And he goes to the Sun planet, gets darshan of the Sun God and then again comes out in the sun, what's these kind of thoughts called, tell me. Will you go from here to there or come from there to here . . . one who has devotion, has got knowledge. One who has devotion, how will he become devotee without knowledge?)

Jab tak purna gyan usko nahi hota ki bhagvan ye hai 'bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ' (BG 7.19) jab tak apko purna gyan nahi hoga to bhagvan ko kaise samjhenge. Bhagvan ko samajhna kya sadharan baat hai 'manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ' (BG 7.3). To bhagvan ko samajhna aisa maamuli baat hai kya. Hazaron-karodo aadmi siddhi labh karne ke liye prayatna karte hain aur jo siddhi labh kiye hue hain usme abhi tak koi bhagvan ko janta nahi. Gyan purna ho jayega to bhagvan ko samajh jayenge. Jab bhagvan ko jante nahin, uske gyan ka kya mulya hai. Vo to agyan hai 'Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo' (BG 15.15). Ved-vedanta ko padh kar bhi yadi bhagvan ko nahi samjha, to phir apke gyan ka kya fayda hua. (Until he has complete knowledge, that God is this:

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)

Unless you have complete knowledge, how will you understand God? Is it an ordinary thing to understand God?

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3)

So is it such a simple thing to understand God? Thousands and crores of people are trying to obtain mystic powers and out of those who have got these powers, no one has understood God yet. When the knowledge is complete, then you will understand God. When you don't know God, what is the value of your knowledge? That is ignorance. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo (BG 15.15) Even after reading so many scriptures - the vedas, the vedanta—if one has not understood God, then what is the use of such knowledge?)

Indian lady: . . . (indistinct) . . . Bhakti yog ke liye to prem ki jarurat hai. (To perform bhakti yog, we need love.)

Prabhupāda: Sastra vachan dekhiye, ki jiska gyan nahi hai wo kya bhagwan ko samjhega. To isliye jo bhagwan ko samjha hai usko gyan jarur hai. Aur jo bhagwan ko samjha nahi uska gyan ka kya kimat. 'Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo' (BG 15.14) Ved ka artha hota hai gyan to sab ved ka uddesya kya hai? Ki Bhagwan ko samarpan karna. Aur yadi wahan tak ap pahunche nahi Bhagwan kya chiz he nahi samjhte hain, to apko gyani kehne ka kya matlab hai, wo to agyani hai. Aisa to gyan, jo mistri hai usko bhi kuch gyan hai. Thoda bahut gyan sabhi ka hota hai. Gyan sabhi ko hota hai, bacha ko bhi hota hai. Jiv matr ko kuch na kuch gyan hota hai. Kuch Kuch gyan ka baat nahi he, purna gyan. Jo purna gyan hai wo Bhagwan ko samjehnge. Uska naam purna gyan. (See the statements of the scriptures, the one who doesn't have the knowledge, what will he understand God. So the one who has understood God, he definitely has knowledge. And the one who did not understand God, what is the value of his knowledge. 'Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo' (BG 15.14) The meaning of 'ved' is knowledge, so what is the purpose of all the scriptures? To surrender to the supreme Lord. And if you haven't reached there, and did not understand what is God then what is the meaning of calling you a 'Gyani', he is called as ignorant. Even a craftsman has some knowledge. Little bit knowledge is there with everyone. Even a child has some knowledge. Every being has some or the other knowledge. But we are not talking about little knowledge . . . complete knowledge. One who has complete knowledge can understand the Lord. That's known as complete knowledge. )

Indian lady: Prabhuji ahankār ko kis tarah mitaya jaye? (Prabhuji how to get rid of ego?)

Prabhupāda: To ahankār . . . jab tak ap samjhke baithe ho ki hum bada gyani hai to ahankār kaise jayega? So pehle apne ko samjhna hai maha-murkha hai tab apko jayega. Jab tak ap ye nahi samjhenge ki hum maha-murkh hai tab tak ap agyani rahenge. (So, ego . . . till the point you believe I am very knowledgeable then how will ego go? So first you must consider yourself as a great fool, then ego will disappear. Till the time you don't consider yourself as a great fool, you will stay ignorant.) . . . (indistinct conversation) . . .

Indian lady: Hum kal bhi aye the apke darshan ke liye magar time hogaya tha. Mummy aur papa bhi . . . (We came yesterday as well to see you, but it was late. Mom and dad also . . .)

Prabhupāda: Acha. Abhi sab aye hain? (Okay. Everyone has come today?)

Indian lady: Hum log prabhuji shayad is mahine me ja rahe hain . . . (inidistinct) . . . (We are planning to go this month Prabhuji . . .)

Prabhupāda: Jaiye. Abhi to hum logon ko bhari palace he . . . Wo makan banane me , 50 varsha pehle 6 million dollar kharcha hua tha. Paris me hai bahut bada. (Please go. Now we have a big palace . . . It cost 6 million dollar to build that place 50 years ago. There's a big one in Paris.)

Indian lady: Guruji ek baat hai, kehte hain kuch log ki tum puja karte ho path karte ho, ek ghanta do ghanta karte ho lekin agar tumhara dhyan nahi laga to vyarth hai. To pura dhyan nahi lagta to hume nahi karna chahiye? Jaise hum kar rahe hain kuch adha ghanta, ek ghanta . . . dusre log kehte hain tum ek ghanta baithi ho tumne puja kiya, to tumhara ek ghanta dhyan laga? Yadi nahi laga to tum do minute kyun nahi karte ho, to fir kya karna chahiye? Agar man lijiye hamara puri tarah dhyan nahi laga to kya puja nahi karni chahiye? (Guruji there is 1 thing, some people say you worship for half and hour or 1 hour but if your mind is not fixed then it's all waste. So if we are not able to concentrate fully then what should we do? Like we sit for half an hour or 1 hour . . . and other people say, you sat for 1 hour and you did worship, so were you able to concentrate for that 1 hour? If not, then why don't you sit just for 2 mins, so what should be done in that case? So suppose we don't have any concentration, what should be done in that case?)

Prabhupāda: Iska vichar bahut bhari hai. Ap Bhagavad-gītā padhiye. Unme sab baat bataya gaya hai. Kuch log kehte hai, aise bahut se log hain wo sab kehne se kya labh. (This idea is very deep. You read Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is mentioned there. Some people say, like this many people keep saying what's the use of that.)

Indian lady: . . . (indistinct) . . .

Prabhupāda: Vishay to apko chahiye. Mind khali nahi reh sakta hai. Ek chiz ko chodiye to aur ek chiz ye me hoga. To Kṛṣṇa ko lijiye to nirvisay hoga. Aur Kṛṣṇa ko nahi lijiyega to visay me rahega. Bhakti yog ka artha hota hai vairagya yog. Aiye, ap piche kyun hai? Abhi aye kya? (You need some topic. Mind can't remain ideal. If you leave one topic, it will go to other. So take your mind to Kṛṣṇa and then it will become out of topics. And if you don't take to Kṛṣṇa then you will always still in the thoughts. The meaning of Bhakti yog is yog of detachment. Come, why are you sitting back? Did you come now?)

Indian lady: Nahi bahut der se hain (No I came from a long time.)

Prabhupāda: Acha tabhi thik hai. Lochan Dasa Thakura geet gaya hai 'Viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā' Jo bhagwat ras me jamne ke liye visahy ras chodna padega. 'viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā mukhe bolo hari hari'. Bhagwan bhi bataya hai ek jagah (Okay it's alright then. Lochan Dasa Thakura has sung: Viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā To merge in the mellows of the supreme, you need to leave the material things. Viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā mukhe bolo hari hari The Lord has also said in one place:) Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām Find out this verse.

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ

samādhau na vidhīyate

(BG 2.44)

Jyada vishay, bhog aiswarya me jiska man laga hai wo samadhi me aa nahi sakta hai. (If one is too much involved in material sense gratification then he can't go into trance.) Find it out.

Pradyumna:

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ

samādhau na vidhīyate

(BG 2.44)

"In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place."

Prabhupāda: This qualification.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: Your Divine Grace, how long are you staying at Vṛndāvana?

Prabhupāda: I'm going . . . oh, Vṛndāvana? Three weeks.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: When you are . . .

Prabhupāda: Any time you are home.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: Any time which is convenient to Your Divine Grace. Shall I come over to Vṛndāvana on the 15th evening? Fifteenth evening, I'll come over to Vṛndāvana?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: And then what is the program? Your Divine Grace is coming back to Delhi from Vṛndāvana after three weeks' stay?

Prabhupāda: They have made program to go to Chandigarh.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: Chandigarh. You can . . . (indistinct) . . . Aligarh. Your Divine Grace can go to Aligarh to Delhi. The route is almost the same distance from here to Vṛndāvana. And you can go to Vṛndāvana via Aligarh. About five miles, eight miles difference. It won't cost you much mileage-wise.

Prabhupāda: Udhar . . .(indistinct) . . . ka koi jhanjhat hai? (Is there any complication about this? . . .)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No. The road is okay. You said we should go to Vṛndāvana via Aligarh?

Surendra Kumar Saigal: In my opinion you should. I heard that road is very bad. Five or six kilometers they have raised the road by about six, seven feet, and all this is all mud and muck, and the car skids. In my opinion, you go via Aligarh.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Or we can come to Aligarh from Vṛndāvana.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: I'm suggesting because I don't want to . . . (indistinct) . . . go back to Vṛndāvana and then come . . . (indistinct) . . . (Gopāla Kṛṣṇa converses with Indians about which road to take)

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct) . . .

Pradyumna: Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ . . . purport? Purport: "Samādhi means 'fixed mind.' The Vedic dictionary, the Nirukti, says, samyag ādhīyate 'sminn ātmatattva-yāthātmyam: 'When the mind is fixed for understanding the self, it is called samādhi.' Samādhi is never possible for persons interested in material sense enjoyment, nor for those who are bewildered by such temporary things. They are more or less condemned by the process of material energy."

Prabhupāda: Yehi agyan hai ki thodi der ke liye ye bhautik sukh me aaplog fas jate hain aur usise hamara agyan chaloo hota hai. Shastra adi paath karne se sab gyan milta hai vishesh karke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Aap usko padh rahe hain ki nahin? (This is the ignorance that for a short period you get entangled in these material comforts and from that our ignorance begins. By reading the scriptures we get all knowledge, especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Are you reading it or not? )

Prahlāda Mahārāja yahi bataye hain 'śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān' (SB 7.9.43) Hamare liye to koi dukh nahi hai, hum to kahin bhi baith jayenge aur apka naam, gun kirtan karenge. Baki hamara sochne ka jo cheez hai, ye moorkh log thode der ke bhautik sukh ke liye itna parishram karte hain, great arrangement. 'Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato' Sukh to sthayi nahi hai. Sukh to hai hi nahi, 10 sal, 20, sal, 50 sal, zyada se zyada 100 sal. 'Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato' bharam bolta hai na to God jaisa lagta hai, to ye vimudha jo hai, 'ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā' (Prahlāda Maharaj has said this śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43) There is no sorrow for us, we will sit anywhere and start singing your name and glories. But the thing which we have to consider is : these rascals are working so hard day and night for a flickering moment of happiness. They are making great arrangements. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato Happiness is not permanent. There is no happiness, may be 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, maximum 100 years. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato So because of the illusion we feel ourselves as God, so this is ignorant ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā )

Vimudha bataya ye log kya vastvik sukh hai jante nahi, jaisa ek balak hai, wo uska life ka jo purpose hai, education lena, age jake usko bahut kuch karna padega . . . to isi prakar hum log vimudh hai je jivan ka uddeshya kya hai, kis liye humko manushya jivan mila hai, kya chahiye, ye sab kuch vyavasta nahi karte, kewal acchi tarah se khayenge, achi tarah se soyenge, maza karenge, 'Māyā-sukhāya', acchi tarah se ye sab bhog nahi kar sakega, usme bhi bahut zhanzhat hai. Thoda achi tarah se bhog karne ke liye jo vastu ki jarurat hai, sabko paisa to milta nahi, wo bhi bhagvan ki kripa se milta hai, nahi to sabhi bada aadmi ho jata tha usko paisa khub milta. Ek aadmi din bhar parishram karta hai usko khane ko do roti nahi milta hai. Roti sabhi ko milta hai, kutta ko bhi milta hai. Aur ek aadmi thoda hi parishram kiya aur bahut rupaya milta hai. Ye bhagvan dene se milta hai, ye nischit hai. Jisko bhagwan deta hai usko milta hai. Wo apna destiny lekar aata hai. Jabardasti humko zyada parishram karne se jyada mil jayega, ye bhul dharana hai (verse) so utna hi apko milega jitna apko hak hai, destiny. Lekin dukh, dukh ko koi bulata nahi tabhi dukh pahunch jata hai . . . Jisko jitna dukh milna hai wo milega, to sastra kehte hain jitna apko sukh milna ko hai wo milega, to uske liye prayas karna. Wo jitna tumko milna hai mil jayega thik time pe. Tum prayas karo kis tarah se bhagwan ko samajh sakte ho, uske liye prayas karo. (verse) Kyunki janm-janmantar gaya bhagvan ko samajha nahi, upar-niche bahut ghoome, kabhi swarglok me gaya, kabhi nark me gaya, sab doondh ke aya hai . . . ab jo manushya jivan mila hai ab bhagvan ke liye koshish karo, mil jayega, aur sukh-dukh ke liye tumhara jitna destiny hai wo mil jaygega. Adhik prayas karne ka koi jaroorat nahi. (Ignorant person doesn't know what is real happiness, just like a child, what is the purpose of his life? To get education, going forward he has to achieve a lot . . . similarly we are ignorant, what is the purpose of our life? Why have we got this human form of life? What do we want? We do not organize these matters, only eat nicely, have fun, sleep, "maya sukhaya" but he will not be able to enjoy these pleasures as well nicely, there are a lot of complications in this. To enjoy sense gratification we need resources, everyone doesn't get money, that also is received by the mercy of God, otherwise everyone would have become a rich man. One man works hard day and night and he doesn't get a square meal a day. Everybody gets a piece of bread, even a dog. On the other hand, another man puts just little effort but gets lots of money. He gets this only if God gives it, this is certain. Whoever the Lord gives, he receives it. He brings along his destiny. Forcibly if we work very hard then we will get more, that is a misconception (verse). So you will only get that much on which you have the rights, destiny. But sadness, nobody invites it but still it comes. How much one has to suffer, he will suffer. The scripture says, how much ever happiness you have to get you will get, no need to work very hard. The one which you are destined to receive, you will receive at the correct time. You should endeavor how to understand God. Because life after life has passed and we have not understood God, we have traveled in the lower planets and the upper planets, sometimes went to heavenly planets and sometimes to hellish planets, we searched everywhere and came back. Now that you have got the human form of life, try to reach for God and you will get Him. And for happiness and distress whatever is there in your destiny you will get, no need to put in an extra effort. (verse).) You have got that?

Pradyumna: Na tat-prayāsaḥ kartavyam.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Harikeśa: Some mahā-prasādam.

Prabhupāda: For me?

Harikeśa: They are offering it to you.

Prabhupāda: Na tat-prayāsaḥ kartavyam. (aside) He can go. You can go. You have . . . (indistinct) . . . now. Ye mahine ke aakhir me, is mahine ke aakhir me Septmeber. (At the end of this month, at the end of this month, September.) He . . . her son—he is the father and mother—he's an Indian, in Detroit, very good boy, getting very nice. He, living in the temple, husband and wife, child we have. Bachā, ek bachā? (Children, one child?) He's getting very happy, very nice boy. Hamara ye sanstha me Indian koi join karta hai to udhar se hi karta hai, idhar se nahi karta hai. (In this organization if some Indian joins, then it's only from that part, they don't join from this part.) Just like their son, he's educated very nicely. Educated boys are joining from foreign countries, and not from here. Iska kya karan hai boliye. (Tell me what should we do for this.) . . . (indistinct) . . .

Ye jo Gopāla Kṛṣṇa hain ye bhi udhar se hi join hue the, he was sales manager in Coca-Cola. Usko 15000 dollar milta hai yearly, 15000 dollar kitna hota hai? 1200 mil sakta hai, 12000 milna koi sadharan baat nahi hai. Aisa aur ek beta hai, wo bhi engineer hai, Yashomatinandan, gujrati, uska maa-baap hai. To do-char jo Indians padhe-likhe hain wo udhar se hi join hote hain. (Gopāla Kṛṣṇa had also joined from there, he was sales manager in Coca-Cola. He gets 15,000 dollars annually. How much is 15,000 dollars. He can get 1,200, is it such a small thing to get 12,000.There is one more son like this,he is also an engineer, Yasomatinandana, Gujarati, he has parents. So 2 to 4 educated Indians have all joined from there.) . . . (indistinct) . . . you have got that book? Ah . . . Stillson Judah's?

Pradyumna: No. It's in Bombay. We may have a copy in Vṛndāvana also.

Prabhupāda: One professor, Stillson Judah, he has written one book. After studying our movement five years he has written one Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture.

Surendra Kumar Saigal: Counterculture.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture. To bahut scientific research hai . . .Wo opinion diya hai . . . (So a lot of scientific research is there . . . they have given the opinion . . .)

Pradyumna: Doesn't have a copy here. It's published by Princeton University Press. In their religion . . . in their set of volumes on different religions.

Indian woman: . . . (indistinct) . . . prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Aiiye, aiiye, aiiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa, bahut kripa hai, prasad do. (Please come. Hare Kṛṣṇa, we are fortunate, give them prasad.) (new guest arrives) Accha nahi hai tabiyat bahut hi kharab hai. (Health is not good, very poor condition.) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

Mr. Patnaik (Defense Minister): How are you, sir?

Prabhupāda: Idhar aaye koi kaam tha? (You came here, any work?) You came here for some . . .

Mr. Patnaik: Yes, then I thought I would go to your old place. The . . . (indistinct) . . . this was here . . . (indistinct) . . . the old place, I didn't get any response. There was nobody there now. But when you shifted from there? There is nobody there now.

Prabhupāda: No.

Mr. Patnaik: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: And this place is better than that.

Mr. Patnaik: Very much. Oh, yes. How long you will stay?

Prabhupāda: I am going tomorrow, Vṛndāvana.

Mr. Patnaik: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: I'll be three weeks there.

Mr. Patnaik: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Still, it is Vṛndāvana. Still, it is Vṛndāvana.

Mr. Patnaik: Of course.

Prabhupāda: Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. Ye to bhagvan aradya vastu hai, brajnandan Hari. (This is a worshipable God, Brajanandana Hari.) As He is worshipable, similarly, Vṛndāvana dhāma is also worshipable. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam ramya kācid upāsana vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā va kalpitā. Upāsana, vraja-vadhū, the vraja, damsels of vrajabhūmi, the gopīs, as they worship the Lord, there is no comparison to that process of worship. Vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvana.

Mr. Patnaik: I think we are going there after Parliament session closes tomorrow . . . (indistinct Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Where? Vṛndāvana.

Mr. Patnaik: Vṛndāvana . . . (indistinct) . . . then I was told that Mathurā and . . . (indistinct) . . . full.

Prabhupāda: They spend so much money for the roadways; still it is not good.

Mr. Patnaik: Draining the different levels, question arises, the water, the excessive in quantity, and the natural drains are not efficient enough to take it out . . . (indistinct) . . . I was told that . . .

Prabhupāda: There is no sufficient outlet.

Mr. Patnaik: Yes. But some of those āśrama, Mathurā, it's very deep, that four feet water in the āśramas. Three, four feet water.

Prabhupāda: Within the āśramas?

Mr. Patnaik: And temple. You haven't recives any message from Vṛndāvana?

Pradyumna: Our temple is all right. Raman Reti is not flooded where we are. It's almost up to Fogel Ashram in the back, Yamunā, but it has not come to our Raman Reti.

Mr. Patnaik: And now you will remain here in India for some time?

Prabhupāda: That I do not know. I, actually, now it is little troublesome for me to travel all the year.

Mr. Patnaik: You are just gone from . . . (indistinct) . . . so when the guests arrive . . .

Prabhupāda: Rest, if I rest then there may be . . . because I am dealing with all neophytes. If I don't keep them alive by personal presence . . . still, they are doing nice. I have appointed twenty secretaries all over the world. I am training them. They are managing. Managing nicely. I have been in New York and Los Angeles and Hawaii, all big, big centers. London, Paris.

Mr. Patnaik: Oh, it's a very great. Your program for Kurukṣetra and etcetera and the . . .

Prabhupāda: Program was that they promised to give me a land.

Mr. Patnaik: Who?

Prabhupāda: That Chief Minister.

Mr. Patnaik: Have they done so?

Prabhupāda: Not yet.

Mr. Patnaik: I heard about two acres was available recently, except that it . . . (indistinct) . . . I wrote you that the manner in which approach was made upset those people. And the Minister, I later learned . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: We are trying for another big scheme in Bengal. We have applied to the government to acquire land, 350 acres, a big planetarium. Planetarium. We have described the planetarium in our Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In that planetarium it is said that the moon is above the sun planet, by one million six hundred thousand miles.

Mr. Patnaik: What does astronomy say? The modern astronomy.

Prabhupāda: They say the moon planet is nearer to earth planet, and they have gone there.

Mr. Patnaik: Have you given up any idea about Kurukṣetra?

Prabhupāda: No, no, not . . .

Mr. Patnaik: No, because if you have the idea, the land is the least part of it, because so much is to be done . . . (indistinct) . . . if the idea is that something should be done. I learned that gentleman, Mr. . . . (indistinct) . . . and he has said that he will do something. I was not there at the time of the . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: (aside) You bring one little plate prasādam from there, from that . . .

Mr. Patnaik: And you will be in Vṛndāvana for some . . .

Prabhupāda: Three weeks.

Mr. Patnaik: After that you don't know. After that where you go, you don't know.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Patnaik: Well, this is God's work, Lord Kṛṣṇa's work. I am trying . . . (indistinct) . . . to cooperate with you, because nobody can do.

Prabhupāda: No, you have done tremendous work.

Mr. Patnaik: No, but which is very little considering the situation, the condition, problem in the country. I am at a lower level than your level than your work . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: The one encouraging thing in this movement is that our books are being very much appreciated. In all universities, foreign and Indian, libraries, professors, learned scholars.

Mr. Patnaik: Yes, they'll branch out and then . . . it's a great service.

Prabhupāda: We are selling books to the extent of sixty thousand dollars daily.

Mr. Patnaik: I see.

Prabhupāda: That is our only hope, that we shall not be financially in difficulty. People are taking our books very nicely. People are accepting our literature.

Mr. Patnaik: It is not that difficulties were not there also . . . (indistinct) . . . I don't have the support, but I feel . . . (indistinct) . . . find that several places the demand for this, for the acceptance also . . . (indistinct) . . . coming forward, but not in the manner in which I had wanted . . . (indistinct) . . . lakhs of people stand against the forces which want to . . . (indistinct) . . . religion and moral side. There should be a linking up of all those who want religion to remain and morality to also be there. Those forces have to be met by also organized force from the right kind of people, religious people . . . (indistinct) . . . I hope they are not coming in your way.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Mr. Patnaik: I remember that you had written yourself that there is something we could do together. Possibly this question, building and all that, whenever it comes there. It is good to have that building and that land, but even before that, there is work to be done at the Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: My point is that Kurukṣetra is the place where Bhagavad-gītā was spoken. So if we take the words of Bhagavad-gita as it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, then people will be benefitted.

Mr. Patnaik: That is basic, of course. The foundation.

Prabhupāda: But if we do not take the words of Bhagavad-gītā, then moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). That I believe. (aside) Find out this verse. Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo.

Mr. Patnaik: That's true. I also believe that there must be a direct . . .

Prabhupāda: No, why not direct?

Mr. Patnaik: Putting in your interpretation, that is wrong. It should be direct. That doesn't mean only those people who have accepted this can come together.

Prabhupāda: And why the others will not accept?

Mr. Patnaik: No, we have made, you must have seen our literature, Gītā as a text, but still people may not judge . . .

Prabhupāda: No, no, we should not depend on the people's acceptance only. We have to present Gītā as it is. Now everything is not accepted by everyone. Even if you make change, there is no guarantee that they will . . .

Mr. Patnaik: No, no.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I am not speaking to you. Anyone.

Mr. Patnaik: I am not trying to make a show. I believe a direct interpretation is important thing more than the other kinds of ideas and conceptions.

Pradyumna:

moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo

mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ

rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva

prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śrītāḥ

(BG 9.12)

"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demoniac and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities and their culture of knowledge are all defeated."

Prabhupāda: Go on. Go on. I have given any purport?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "There are many devotees who assume themselves to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service but at heart do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as the Absolute Truth. For them, the fruit of devotional service—going back to Godhead—will never be tasted. Similarly, those who are engaged in fruitive, pious activities and who are ultimately hoping to be liberated from this material entanglement will never be successful either, because they deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. In other words, persons who mock Kṛṣṇa are to be understood to be demoniac or atheistic. As described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, such demoniac miscreants never surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore their mental speculations to arrive at the Absolute Truth bring them to the false conclusion that the ordinary living entity and Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. With such a false conviction, they think that the body of any human being is now simply covered by material nature and that as soon as one is liberated from this material body there is no difference between God and himself. This attempt to become one with Kṛṣṇa will be baffled because of delusion. Such atheistic and demoniac cultivation of spiritual knowledge is always futile. That is the indication of this verse. For such persons, cultivation of the knowledge in the Vedic literature, like the Vedānta-sūtra and the Upaniṣads, is always baffled."

"It is a great offense, therefore, to consider Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be an ordinary man. Those who do so are certainly deluded, because they cannot understand the eternal form of Kṛṣṇa. In the Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava mantra it is clearly stated that one who considers the body of Kṛṣṇa to be material should be driven out from all rituals and activities of the śruti. And if one by chance sees his face, he should at once take bath in the Ganges to rid himself of infection. People jeer at Kṛṣṇa because they are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their destiny is certainly to take birth after birth in the species of atheistic and demoniac life. Perpetually, their real knowledge will remain under delusion, and gradually they will regress to the darkest region of creation."

Mr. Patnaik: (indistinct) . . . I was reading this yesterday, the Eleventh Chapter.

Prabhupāda: Eleventh Chapter?

Mr. Patnaik: Eleventh Chapter, yes. There are twelve, twelve chapters. There, Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān has a dialogue with Uddhava.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Pradyumna: He's referring to Ekādaśa-skandha of the Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Uddhava.

Mr. Patnaik: And there I felt . . . I thought that maybe whenever we meet I'll bring up this question with you. 'Cause the way in which it has been translated in Hindi which I read it does create a little question as to what Bhagavān Himself said about the status of the soul, the individual soul, and relationship . . . (indistinct) . . . because although I think I should have got it, they don't give it to the Life Members . . . (indistinct)

Pradyumna: Yes, Bhāgavatam, we're up to the Seventh Canto now in the printing.

Mr. Patnaik: So this canto has come.

Pradyumna: Yes, the canto has come out. So Saptama-skandha, pādyokta. We're up to that.

Mr. Patnaik: Now, well then if it is, if the member is . . . (indistinct) . . . now in the Eleventh there is . . .

Prabhupāda: Eleventh Canto, yes. Then you will remember the verse?

Mr. Patnaik: No, no, number . . . (indistinct) . . . again and again I had gone to that, and as to that, ultimately there is no difference. As soon as this . . . (indistinct) . . . when it comes. I would like this because I belong to the sect of our country, middle sect, from Swami Narayana. He's based on Rāmānujācārya philosophy, which says that all the souls are there, they are the body of the creator Bhagavān, just as the human ātmā has this body. This means there is the difference also identity. Identity is one, and yet they have their own place. That have been the faith which I have been . . . (indistinct) . . . now in many places this sometimes this differentiation remains, sometimes there is things said which wipe it out. I thought you would be the best person to give me some guidance . . .

Prabhupāda: As you say that Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gita, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). We living entities, we are part and parcel of God.

Mr. Patnaik: Aṁśa.

Prabhupāda: Aṁśa. So any common man can understand what is the . . . (break) (end)