681219 - Lecture Initiation - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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681219IN-LOS ANGELES - December 19, 1968 - 51:04 Minutes

Prabhupāda: I am not criticizing, but it is, I mean to say, a human consideration. Suppose if you have committed some wrong thing within our jurisdiction and you come to me, "Swāmījī, I have committed this." So I say: "All right. Don't do it again. Excused." Now, second day you come again, you say: "I have committed this." All right. Second day I can also excuse. The third day also, I can excuse, but fourth day I'll not excuse. Don't make it official business.

Just like go to the church every week and confess and . . . confessing your sinful activities before Lord Jesus Christ or his representative, surely your sinful activities are squared up. But does it mean, very nice, that every week, the whole week you shall commit sinful activities, and at the end of the week you shall go and confess? Does it look very well?

You are not ashamed that, "Every week I commit these sinful activities, and on the seventh day I confess"? This process should not be adopted, that because God's name, God's remembrance actually squares up all of our sinful activities . . . that's a fact. But how it is that we shall go on committing sinful activities and square it up by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and by confessing? No. This is the particular point. One should carefully note.

Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were the greatest sinful men during Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time. So when they surrendered to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu with confession, "My Lord, we have committed so many sinful activities. Please save us," that Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked them that, "Yes, I will accept you and I'll save you, provided you promise that no more you shall commit such sinful activities." So they agreed, "Yes. Whatever we have done, that's all. No more we are going to do it." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted them and they became great devotee, and their life was successful.

The same process is here also. This initiation means that you should . . . everyone should remember that whatever sinful activities one might have done in his past life, that is now account closed. Debit and credit closed. Now, from this day, no more sinful activities. What are those sinful activities? That is simple. We have mentioned, you should take it note: No illicit sex life. Beyond marriage, there is no sex life. No intoxication. Even drinking tea, coffee, they are also intoxication; cigarette smoking. No intoxication.

No meat-eating. Simple. Only kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Whatever . . . if you remain in the temple you will get kṛṣṇa-prasādam, and if not, outside you prepare your cāpāṭi, ḍāl, offer to Kṛṣṇa and take. Don't take anything except kṛṣṇa-prasādam. The third . . . and no gambling or unnecessary sporting. People are wasting time. So many sportings they have invented—sporting balls, this ball, that ball. You see?

Human life is very short. We do not know when we shall die. Before that, we must prepare ourself for the next life. Next life means directly going back to Kṛṣṇa, highest perfection. As you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). There are innumerable varieties of planet. The higher planetary system, they are resided by demigods, very powerful. They are also human being, but they are very beautiful, they are very powerful. So you can go there. The moon planet, sun planet—that is clearly stated—if you act accordingly, as they are prescribed that, "If you want to go to the moon planet, you have to do like this," then after leaving this body, you can go there. Similarly, you can go any planet. Similarly, you can go to the planet of Kṛṣṇa also.

So those who are intelligent, they are not concerned with . . . any more with any planet within this material world. Because wherever you go, the four principles of material miseries, namely birth, death, old age and disease, will follow. Either you go to the moon planet or sun planet or Venus planet or any planet. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). But that planet where going no more comes back in the material world, that is the most sublime planet.

So we are . . . Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we are preparing living entities directly going back to Kṛṣṇa planet. The highest perfection. So this is opportunity. You have got human form of life. Now you have got our association. You have got all information from the Bhagavad-gītā. So the opportunity is there. Now if you don't utilize it, then you can commit your suicide. Nobody can check you. Otherwise, you can utilize all these facilities and go directly to Kṛṣṇa.

So this is the process. Initiation means beginning of that perfection. One has to utilize it properly, then there is no doubt. It is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa assures if you believe in Kṛṣṇa, if you believe in His Personality of Godhead, then there cannot be any doubt. And let us execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness and follow the rules and regulation, and then life is sure to be successful.

Now chant mantra.

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

nama om viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya

bhūtale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye

kṛṣṇa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhaktida-

śrī-gaura-karuṇā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te

namas te gaura-vāṇī-śrī-mūrtaye dīna-tāriṇe

rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe

namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye

vipralambha-rasāmbhodhe pādāmbujāya te namaḥ

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine

gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ

vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaḥ śrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvenebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

jayatāṁ, suratau, paṅgor, mama, manda, mater, gate

mat, sarvasva, padām, bhojau, rādhā, madana, mohanau

(Sambandhādhideva Praṇāma)

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

dīvyad, vṛnda, araṇya, kalpa, drumādhaḥ

śrīmad, ratna, agāra, siṁha, asana-sthau

śrī śrī, rādhā, śrīla, govinda, devau

preṣṭhā, devī, sevya, mānau, smarāmi

(Abhidheyādhideva Praṇāma)

śrīmad, rāsa, rasa, arambhī, vaṁśī, vaṭa, taṭa, sthitaḥ

karṣan, veṇu, svanair, gopīr, gopī, nāthaḥ, śriye, astu, naḥ

(Prayojanādhideva Praṇāma)

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṇamāmi hari-priye

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)

(break) . . . bead. In this way you come to this side. Again begin from here, come to this side. In this way sixteen rounds. If you feel difficulty you ask your Godbrothers. They'll give instruction. And your spiritual name is Kamalāsana dāsa.

Kamalāsana: Kamalāsana dāsa?

Prabhupāda: K-a-m-a-l-a, Kamala, s-a-n-a, āsana. Kamalāsana dāsa. Kamalāsana. Kamalāsana means Viṣṇu or Brahmā. Brahmā is also seated on the lotus sitting place. Āsana means sitting place, and kamala means lotus.

You have seen Brahmā is sitting on kamala? Similarly, Viṣṇu is also sitting on kamala. So Kamalāsana dāsa means you are Viṣṇu dāsa. That is the meaning. Kamalāsana means Viṣṇu. This Viṣṇu picture, you see? This is Viṣṇu. So now we shall perform . . . chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Yes. Chant.

Govinda dāsī: Prabhupāda? Could you spell it so that I can . . .

Prabhupāda: K-a-m-a-l-a-s-a-n-a. Kamalāsana.

Govinda dāsī: K-a-m-a-l-a-s-a-n-a. Kamalāsana.

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa . . . (indistinct) . . . why so much? Least. Give me least. Not so much required. All right.

When I shall say svāhā you'll take all, little, little.

oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā

sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā

yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ

sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye

kṛṣṇa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhaktida-

śrī-gaura-karuṇā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te

namas te gaura-vāṇī-śrī-mūrtaye dīna-tāriṇe

rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye

vipralambha-rasāmbhodhe pādāmbujāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine

gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ

vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaḥ śrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvenebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam

bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

jayatāṁ, suratau, paṅgor, mama, manda, mater, gate

mat, sarvasva, padām, bhojau, rādhā, madana, mohanau

(Sambandhādhideva Praṇāma)

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

dīvyad, vṛnda, araṇya, kalpa, drumādhaḥ

śrīmad, ratna, agāra, siṁha, asana-sthau

śrī śrī, rādhā, śrīla, govinda, devau

preṣṭhā, devī, sevya, mānau, smarāmi

(Abhidheyādhideva Praṇāma)

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

śrīmad, rāsa, rasa, arambhī, vaṁśī, vaṭa, taṭa, sthitaḥ

karṣan, veṇu, svanair, gopīr, gopī, nāthaḥ, śriye, astu, naḥ

(Prayojanādhideva Praṇāma)

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṇamāmi hari-priye

Now take this . . . (indistinct) . . . and stand up. Put this, yes.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Now bow down.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

(kīrtana) (break) (kīrtana) Thank you very much. (prema-dhvani)

So in the morning, evening, the ārātrika should be performed, and this should be parikramā, circumambulating within this hall three times at least. This processes should be followed. Kṛṣṇa has given you nice place. You utilize it properly. So there are many other processes. Gradually it will be introduced. All of a sudden, you cannot assimilate. (laughter)

So this kīrtana, evening ārātrika and circumambulating . . . if possible, you can circumambulate around the temple so that others may see also what they're doing. Yes. If not, within the temple you can circumambulate. Now you can distribute prasādam. Today's function is finished. Where is some . . . no fruits? You have not arranged any fruits?

Devotee: I made some bread, too Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupāda: Fruits. Bread not required. That's all.

Bīrabhadra: Swamiji, I would like to know if it is all right to play the Battle of Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bīrabhadra: Like, is it all right to pretend you're Bhīṣma and pretend . . .

Prabhupāda: What does he say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants to know if it's all right to make believe he's in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Sometimes we are playing that he is Bhīṣma and one of us might be Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No. No. You should not ever think that "I am Bhīṣma. I am Arjuna." No. Never think like that. You should always think that "I am the servant of Bhīṣma," "Servant of Arjuna," "Servant of Kṛṣṇa," "Servant of His servant."

Never think . . . that is Māyāvāda. If I think I am Kṛṣṇa or if I think I am Bhīṣma, if I think I am Prahlāda, this is Māyāvāda. This monism, this is offense. Never think like that. You should always think that, "I am servant of such devotee or Kṛṣṇa." Never think that "I am that." No.

Viṣṇujana: What he wants to know is that . . . he has a little kṣatriya blood in him. He likes to play. He likes to express his energy a lot, run around.

Prabhupāda: That is different thing. Just like you have got the blood of your father. That does not mean you are father. That is different thing. Everything is one: Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between the philosophy of Māyāvāda and Vaiṣṇava. They simply take the One, but we take One, but there is diversity. That they do not understand.

Actually, unity . . . diversity in unity. Monism means they do not accept the diversity. They simply take that oneness. Oneness is certainly—there is nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "I am everywhere spread." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "Everything, whatever you see, that is I am, but I am not there." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4).

They are existing. Everything existing in Kṛṣṇa. But that does not mean . . . just like this table. The table is also Kṛṣṇa in one sense, because it is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore this is not different from Kṛṣṇa. But if you think that, "Instead of worshiping Kṛṣṇa, let me worship this table," that is wrong, nonsense. This is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

The Māyāvāda philosophy says that even if I worship the table, it is all right. But Kṛṣṇa does not say. It is Māyāvāda philosophers said. Kṛṣṇa says: "Yes, table is existing in Me. I am also table. But I am not there." You see in the Bhagavad-gītā. So never think like that, that "I am Bhīṣma" or "I am Prahlāda" or "I am . . ." No. You are always servant of such devotee. That's all.

Bīrabhadra: If we pretend we're the servant of . . . if we pretend we're the servant of Bhīṣma and . . .

Prabhupāda: Servant of his servant.

Bīrabhadra: Servant of the servant of Bhīṣma . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all.

Bīrabhadra: Is it all right to play the Battle of Kurukṣetra if you're the servant of the servant of Bhīṣma?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Viṣṇujana: Is it all right to play like he's fighting the battle as servant of the servant of Bhīṣma? He likes to play like he's in the battle. He likes to run and play. It makes him think of the Lord.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you are playing in the battle? No, you should not manufacture anything. You should be directed by the spiritual master. Don't manufacture anything. That is not good. You'll manufacture today something, next day you'll manufacture something, then you'll go astray. Don't do that.

To be under disciplinary activities means to be directed by the authorities. Don't manufacture anything. There are so many activities. Why should we manufacture some other thing? Manufacturing means Māyāvāda, mental concoction. That is not the process of bhakti. Yes.

Jaya-gopāla: If he plays . . .

Prabhupāda: Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You have to simply follow the footprints. Yes.

Jaya-gopāla: If we were in plays and we are playing such great personalities, how should we be thinking?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jaya-gopāla: In plays if we would be . . .

Prabhupāda: Play is play. Suppose you are playing the part of Cromwell. Are you Cromwell? So similarly, why do you think like that you have become Cromwell?

Jaya-gopāla: No. How should we think, though?

Prabhupāda: You think yourself that you are servant of him. Suppose you are playing the part of George Washington in a drama. Are you George Washington? But while playing, you may feel like that—otherwise the play will not be successful. That is different thing.

(pause) So Govinda dāsī, so long you are here, morning, evening, you should see that the ārati is performed. In the morning, evening and lunchtime. Yes.

Jaya-gopāla: When one is fully engaged in transcendental loving service, how is freedom of choice playing a part in your . . . in choice of service?

(break) Does one have a choice? Like when Kṛṣṇa completely takes over one's life.

Prabhupāda: I do not follow what you say. (break) (end)