661208 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.142-144 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

661208CC.NY - December 08, 1966

Prabhupāda:

dāridrya-nāśa, bhava-kṣaya—premera 'phala' naya

prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya

So by devotional service one should not expect, "My miserable material condition may be improved" or "I may be liberated from this material entanglement." That is also a kind of sense gratification. If I want that "Let me be free from this entanglement . . ." Just like the yogīs and the jñānīs, they try. They try to be free from this material entanglement.

But in the devotional service there is no such desire. In the devo . . . because it is pure love. There is no expectation that "I shall be profited in this way." No. It is not a profitable, commercial business, that "Unless I get in return something, oh, I shall not practice this devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." There is no question of profit. Lord Caitanya prays to the Lord like this:

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye

mama janmani janmanīśvare

bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(CC Antya 20.29)

"Oh," He says: "My dear Lord, Jagadīśa . . ." Jagadīśa means the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Jagat, jagat means this world, material world or spiritual world, all worlds. Jagat. Jagat gacchati iti jagat: which is progressing, that is called jagat. So Jagat-īśa, the supreme master of this jagat, going concern. "Jagadīśa, O the supreme master of this jagat, I pray unto You that I do not want . . ." na dhanam, "I do not want any wealth," na janam, "I do not want any number of followers . . ." Na janaṁ na dhanaṁ na kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye. Kavitām means very nice wife, poetical. "I do not want."

"Then what do You want?" Mama janmani janmanīśvare. Janmani janmani means "birth after birth." So He does not want liberation also. Because when we speak of liberation, there is no birth. Mad-gatvā punar janma na vidyate: "One who reaches the kingdom of God, he hasn't got to come back again to take birth here." So here Lord Caitanya says, mama janmani janmani: "birth after birth." That means "I do not want liberation also." Mama janmani janmani.

"Then what do You want?" Na, Īśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī: "My dear Lord, I may be put in any condition of My life, but please bestow this benediction, that I may not forget. That's all." "I may not forget. Because due to My forgetfulness I am suffering so much. So if I can remember You, I don't mind in whatever condition I am." He has to give the factual fact. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābham (BG 6.22).

In the Bhagavad-gītā in the Ninth . . . Sixth Chapter we find in the yoga system, yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ: "When one achieves that perfectional yoga," yaṁ labdhvā, "by gaining that perfection," yaṁ labdhvā na cāparaṁ lābham, "then he has no other desire to achieve."

Just like we achieve something in this material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want further ten millions of dollars. And when I get further ten millions of dollars, then I desire for further hundred millions of dollars. There is no cessation.

So here is a thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness: one who is perfect in that system, bhakti-yoga system, the Bhagavad-gītā says, yam labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ na manyate nādhikaṁ. Adhikam means "greater than this." We want, we desire something which is greater than what I possess now. Therefore I desire. I have got hundred million dollar, and I want million millions of dollars, because that amount is greater than what I possess now. But one who possesses this devotional service, he does not think anything there is in the world which is more valuable than this. So why should he enquire? Why should he desire? He has got the sublime thing. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābham.

Lābham means gain. Manyate na: "He does not think." Na. What is that? Adhikam. Adhikam means greater. If I have got two dollars' possession and if you offer me ten dollars, I think, "Oh, it is better." So he possesses such a thing that nothing is greater than, because he possesses devotional service. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not different from Kṛṣṇa. So therefore he possesses Kṛṣṇa, and what thing can be greater than Kṛṣṇa? Therefore he is fully satisfied.

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ

manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ

yasmin sthito guruṇāpi

duḥkhena na vicālyate

(BG 6.22)

"And one who is situated in that condition, then," guruṇāpi duḥkhena, "the severest type of miseries, offered to him, he is not shaken." He is steady. He is steady. Just like a five-year-old boy, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and his father, atheist: "Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God's name? Who is God? I am God. Why don't you chant my name? If you don't do that, then I shall throw you in the fire." Oh, he is steady. He said: "Father, I cannot do that," this little boy. "You nonsense, you cannot do that? How do you dare to speak before me like this? Even the demigods, they are afraid of me." "Oh, yes, father. By the mercy of whom you are speaking so nicely, so by the mercy of Him I am speaking also like that." "Oh, I have no . . . I don't, I don't care for anyone's mercy."

So this is . . . and so much wrath of his severe father, oh, he is not . . . steady. Steady. So that is the characteristic of a pure devotee. Even in the greatest difficulty, even in the greatest danger, he is not shaken; he is steady. Yaṁ labdhvā. This is . . . this is the perfection of yoga. When one is steady in every circumstances, that is the perfection of yoga. That can be achieved easily by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ

manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ

yasmin sthito guruṇāpi

duḥkhena na vicālyate

(BG 6.22)

So here also we should not be aspiring after improving our material condition or liberation or anything. These are all desire. Desires. They say that "desireless," but desire cannot be completely absent, because I am living entity. So my desire should be not to forget Kṛṣṇa. That's all, that one desire. That is real desire. And all other desires, they are foolish.

So we cannot be desireless, but we should desire only bona fide. Just like I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is my natural position. That is desirelessness. If you . . . suppose in this material condition, if you desire to eat, oh, that is natural. So long you have got this body, you have to eat. If somebody says: "Oh, you are desiring eating?" Nobody says like that. Similarly, what is natural desire, that is permitted. And what is not natural, that is called "become desireless." Don't desire like this, unnatural.

So desirelessness means not to desire unnatural thing. But to desire Kṛṣṇa's remembrance, that is natural. Because I am part and parcel, how can I forget? This forgetfulness is the cause of my so many desires. And as soon as I desire Kṛṣṇa, then there, there will be no other desire. That is desirelessness.

So, prema-sukha-bhoga-mukhya prayojana haya. Prema-sukha. The the happiness in the matter of our reciprocation as the whole and the part and parcel, that sense is the highest pleasure. That we should aspire after, not that by becoming Kṛṣṇa consciousness we may desire some material profit. That is not.

veda-śāstre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana

kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, prema—tina mahā-dhana

(CC Madhya 20.143)

Now, we are aspiring after possessing something, possessiveness. What we should possess? The possession is Kṛṣṇa, and desire is reciprocation between Kṛṣṇa and myself, and the ultimate end is love. That's all. Just like we have got perverted reflection of that love here between the two lovers. They don't want anything. He wants she, and she wants he. That's all. That is desire, and their reciprocation of loving affairs and the ultimate end, that they are peaceful in love.

This is only perverted reflection of the real love, which is reciprocated with Kṛṣṇa. Here there is no possibility of love; this is all lust. But we call it love because it is just the reflection. Just a real . . . that is real, and this is unreal. Just like shadow and reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and reality. So whatever love we see in this world, that love is only a perverted reflection of the real love with Kṛṣṇa.

vedādi sakala śāstre kṛṣṇa-mukhya sambandha

tāṅra jñāne ānuṣaṅge yāya māyā-bandha

(CC Madhya 20.144)

So a devotee is not anxious for liberation, because his intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa means he is liberated. One cannot be in intimate touch with Kṛṣṇa unless one is liberated. So liberation and intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa, the same thing.

yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Yeṣām . . .

(aside) Have you got Bhagavad-gītā here? Yes. Just try to find out this śloka. I don't remember where it is. I think in the Eighth Chapter.

yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Yeṣām. Yeṣām means those who are anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pāpam means sinful reaction, one who has surpassed all sinful reactions. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānām. Such persons, puṇya-karmāṇam, who has have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, puṇya-karmāṇam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa.

(aside) Have you got it? What is that?

Devotee: "But those men of virtuous deeds . . ."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities. Yes.

Devotee: ". . . worship Me, steadfastly avowed."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So to worship Kṛṣṇa steadfast means he is liberated from delusion. That is mukti. One who has got still some doubt—"Why shall I worship Kṛṣṇa?"—that means he still in delusion, and still the reaction of his sinful life is not finished. A slight doubt means there is slight tinge still. And one who is dvandva-moha-nirmuktā (BG 7.28), duality . . . duality means "Whether I shall do it or not? Whether I shall stick up to this process of Kṛṣṇa conscious or not?" This is called duality. So one who is free from all these sinful reactions, he has no more duality. He has firm faith, "Yes! Kṛṣṇa worship is the final."

So Kṛṣṇa worship means he is liberated already. Just like the same example: If a man is sitting on the high-court bench, it is to be understood that he has passed all educational qualification, and he is a good lawyer—therefore . . . there is no more necessity to ask, "Whether you have passed M.A. examination or law examination?" This is foolishness. Similarly, if one is, I mean to say, strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is to be understood that he is liberated.

Liberation, the definition of liberation, is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mukti . . . svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Hitvā ānyathā . . . muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6).

Mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpam. Now we are now represented in different kinds of formalities. You have got a different kinds of idea; I have got different kinds of idea; another man has different from others. There are difference; therefore we are clashing each other. This is the sign of bondage. And mukti means when we are liberated from these different kinds of ideas, and svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, when we are situated in our constitutional position, that is called mukti, liberation.

And what is our constitutional position? "Oh, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa." Then what is my duty? Duty, part's duty, is to serve the whole. That's all. Just like your hand, the part of your body. What is the duty of hand? To serve the body. It is very easy thing. If you are part and parcel of the Supreme, then where is your duty? Your duty is to serve Him. You have no other duty.

So one who understands this firmly and convincingly, he is liberated. He is liberated. Oh, how can I say liberated? "He is also now going to the office. He is dressing like ordinary man. What do you mean?" Mukti means he will dress like something else or he will have four hands or eight legs? No. Simply change of consciousness, that's all.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means change of your consciousness. I am thinking, "I am this matter. I have got so many duties with this material world." So when you change this consciousness: "No, I belong to Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore whole energy should be for Kṛṣṇa": this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now I am applying all my energy to this material conception of life. When you apply your energy, your transcendental energy, to Kṛṣṇa, then you are liberated.

Therefore a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they are not hankering after Kṛṣṇa . . . mukti. They say, muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107); "Oh, the mukti lady is standing with folded hands, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " And devotee doesn't care. "Oh, what can I (you) do for me? I don't want your help." There . . . there is a nice verse of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. He lived for seven hundred years in Vṛndāvana, and he was . . . became a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Former . . . in the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life.

He was a South Indian brahmin, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute. Prostitute. So he was so much, I mean to say, devoted to the prostitute that he was performing his father's, I mean to say, death ceremony and he was asking the priest, "Please, haste. Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go." . . . (indistinct) . . . prostitute's house. So he was very rich man. Priestly, anyway, he finished that business. Then there was ceremony. He took very nice foodstuff in a bag, and he was going to that prostitute's house.

But when he came out of his home, oh, it was raining torrently. You see? So he never . . . never cared for that raining. He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that "How can I go the other side?" He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, "Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come." So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, "Oh, the door is blocked," and it was raining still. "So how can I go?"

So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: "Well, Bilvamaṅgala"—his name was Bilvamaṅgala—"how do you dare to come here like this?" Oh, he described, "Yes. I do this, I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this." Oh, the prostitute was astonished. His name was . . . her name was Cintāmaṇi. So the prostitute said: "My dear Bilvamaṅgala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Kṛṣṇa, how would have been, your life, sublime." Oh, that struck him: "Yes." He at once left and went away: "Yes, you are right."

Then he was (going to) Vṛndāvana. But he saw another beautiful woman, because he was practiced to that habit. So he was going behind. Although he determined, "Now I am going to Vṛndāvana," on the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed that woman. That . . . that woman belonged to a respectable family. So he came, and the woman said to his . . . to her husband, "Oh, this man is following me. Please ask, 'What is the idea?' "

So the husband asked, "My dear sir, you appear to be very nice gentleman, and you belong to very aristocratic family. From your appearances I understand. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?" He said: "Yes, I am following your wife because I want to embrace her." "Oh, you want to embrace? Come on. Embrace. Come on. You are welcome. Come on." So the wife also . . . She (he) ordered, "Oh, here is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that he may enjoy."

So the wife also followed the instruction of the husband, because wife's duty is to follow the instruction. And when Bilvamaṅgala came inside before the woman, he said: "My dear mother, will you kindly give your hairpin?" "Yes. Why?" "I have got some business." Then he took the hairpin and at once pierced his eyes, "Oh, this eye is my enemy." And he became blind. He became blind. Then all of them . . . "That's all right. Now no more I shall be disturbed."

So in that blindness he was penetrate . . . I mean, penancing, austerity in Vṛndāvana. So by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa came like a boy, "Oh, My dear sir, why you are starving? Why don't you take some milk?" "Oh, who are You, my dear boy?" "Oh, I am a boy and this . . . of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk." "All right. Very good." So Kṛṣṇa was suppling him milk. So there was friendship.

And he, he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān; "Mukti, mukti is nothing for me." So this is his verse, muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān: "So we have no desire for mukti. When Kṛṣṇa comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?" You see? That's a great soul, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred years he lived in Vṛndāvana, and he has written a nice book which is called Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. That is a very authoritative book, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta book.

Thank you very much.

Kīrtanānanda: Do you have it?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Kīrtanānanda: Do you have it here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kīrtanānanda: Is it in English? (end)