670101 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.385-395 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1967

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

670101CC-NEW YORK - January 01, 1967 - 28:59 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

nitya-līlā' kṛṣṇera sarva-śāstre kaya

bujhite nā pāre līlā kemane 'nitya' haya

(CC Madhya 20.385)

Nitya means eternal. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, appearance and dis . . . disappearance, is continuous and eternal. There is no stoppage. Lord Caitanya says, bujhite nā pāre līlā kemane 'nitya' haya. Ordinary persons, common men, cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance, can be eternal. Generally, we think that Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years before; now He's no longer. So either He's dead or gone. Just like ordinary man takes his birth and stay here for some time, and then he goes away—no more, no trace of that particular man's activities. He's lost in the whirlpool of this material ocean.

Neither exactly in a similar body that particular living entity will again come back. Once. This form which you have got, material form, it is just like a bubble in the ocean. It is formed somehow or other according to our past actions and reactions, and it will stay for hundred years at most. Then it will disappear. And there will be no trace where that particular individual soul has gone.

Of course, there is account in the books of Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He says, "I know everything." And He's always constant companion. As Supersoul of the individual soul, He knows. But we, the persons of a particular person's relatives, father, mother, brother, all these things—who knows? Nobody can give information.

But Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance is not like that, because He's not different from His body. We are, in our conditioned stage, we are different from our body. But Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body is the same thing. This is to be understood. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1).

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigraha. His form is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. This material body is not like that. Therefore we cannot understand how kṛṣṇa-līlā is eternal, continuous eternal. That is being instructed by Lord Caitanya:

dṛṣṭānta diyā kahi tabe loka yadi jāne

kṛṣṇa-līlā—nitya, jyotiścakra-pramāṇe

(CC Madhya 20.386)

Jyotiścakra-pramāṇe. Jyotiścakra means orbit of the planets. That the . . . a planet is moving in its orbit continually. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-līlā is also just like an orbit. He's giving very nice example: orbit of the earth, orbit of the moon, orbit of the sun. The sun is also not fixed up. According to Vedic astronomy, the sun is also moving. We have got information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vedic literature, Brahma-saṁhitā.

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām (Bs. 5.52). The sun is considered to be the eyes of the Supreme Lord, and the sun is the king of all other planets. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means the sun. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā . . . rājā means king. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa tejāḥ. Sura-mūrtiḥ. Every planet is dominated by a particular demigod.

There is a . . . a principal living entity, who is differently named. Just like this moon planet is called Candraloka because the predominating deity there is called Candra; the sun planet is called Sūryaloka because the predominating deity is called Sūrya. Sūrya, Candra—these are official names, just like "governor." But a particular name is also there. Governor is a particular person. Just like "president." President is a general name, but he has got his particular personal name.

Similarly, all these predominating deities of Candraloka and Sūryaloka, they are . . . these are official names. Anybody who's predominating over the sun planet, he's called Sūrya, but he has got his personal name. That name is Vivasvān. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Who is that Vivasvān? Vivasvān is the present predominating deity in the sun planet. The sun planet, according to your modern science, it is fixed. But we cannot understand why sun should be fixed. Every planet has its orbit. So sun must be moving in the orbit.

That is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā: yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā—he's the king of all planets—rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa tejāḥ (Bs. 5.52). Aśeṣa tejāḥ means inexhaustible temperature. The sun planet has got inexhaustible heat and temperature. That we can experience.

Nobody can say what is there that the sun planet is diffusing unlimited temperature and heat for millions and trillions of years, but still, it is not exhausted. So this is called aśeṣa. Aśeṣa. There is no end. Just like you are in the fire. Unless you put some fuel, fuel, it is not possible to continue the temperature. But there, the supply is so sufficient that there is no end of temperature.

Every planet is self-sufficient. That is described in the Īśopaniṣad. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcit jagatyāṁ jagat (Īśo mantra 1). No. Pūrṇam idam, pūrṇam adaḥ, pūrṇaṁ pūrṇāt udacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). The Supreme Lord is pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. And whatever He creates, that is also complete. The actions and reactions of sun planet to diffuse heat all over the universe is complete, by Lord's grace, by Lord's creative power, energy. That is also inferior energy. This is not superior energy. This is inferior energy. So still it is complete.

So . . . so He is giving example as the planets, sun planet, moon planet and other planets, are moving in their orbits, similarly, kṛṣṇa-līlā has got a orbit, and the līlā is going on. As the sun is moving or the planet . . . the earth planet is moving exactly at the same time. Just after twenty-four hours it will be meridian, and at twelve o'clock, just twenty-four hours. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, exactly after certain millions of years, it will be seen in this planet. Similarly, there are innumerable universes, and it is moving from this, that, this, that, this.

Now, just like kṛṣṇa-līlā, just Kṛṣṇa born at, at the prison house of Kaṁsa . . . Vasudeva, father, and Devakī, mother. Immediately, as soon as the child is born, the next . . . the next universe, there is birth. So same very thing. Just like now it is quarter to eight according to sun calculation. Immediately, you will find some other place quarter to eight. Immediately you'll find quarter to eight in other place. Immediately . . .

So quarter to eight you cannot change. Quarter to eight will exist within this movement of the sun planet or earthly planet. Anywhere, somebody, somewhere must be there quarter to eight. At any time. Even at 12 o'clock at night you inquire, "Where is quarter to eight of the sun planet?" you'll have. Is it not a fact? This is called nitya-līlā. How nicely Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described.

So kṛṣṇa-līlā is always going on like that. Kṛṣṇa's birth, Janmāṣṭamī . . . we observe Janmāṣṭamī. But that Janmāṣṭamī is going on every moment. Janmāṣṭamī is going on . . . (indistinct) . . . kṛṣṇa's nitya-līlā. Kṛṣṇa-līlā—nitya, jyotiścakra-pramāṇe, jyotiścakre sūrya yena phire rātri-dine (CC Madhya 20.386-87). Now here it is also, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said that here sūrya is also on the orbit. Sapta-dvīpāmbudhi laṅghi' phire krame krame (CC Madhya 20.387). Sapta-dvīpa.

Now, according to Vedic calculation, this earth has seven, I mean to say, islands. Just like crossing the sea, we have come to your country from India. The crossing the sea means there are different islands. Now you can calculate the Asia, Europe, America, and . . . and, how many?

Devotee: Seven.

Prabhupāda: Seven, there are?

Devotee: Six.

Prabhupāda: Seven? So that is calculated in Vedic also. Sapta-dvīpa. Sapta means seven. As the sun is coming in the orbit and crossing all the seven islands, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also coming in this universe, that universe, that universe, that universe. When He comes into this universe, He, He is seen in that tract of land which is called Vṛndāvana. Therefore that tract of land is so sacred.

Lord Caitanya describes by His mission, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad dhāma vṛndāvanam (Caitanya-mañjusā). Ārādhya, the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, is worshipable Deity, and His dhāma, and His headquarter—and His dhāma means headquarter—Vṛndāvana. Therefore Vṛndāvana is so important. When Kṛṣṇa comes . . . just like when the sun appears in your country there is a particular city or place . . . where it is where the sun first seen? Where it is?

Devotee: Greenwich, Maine.

Prabhupāda: Greenwich.

Devotee: Uh-huh.

Prabhupāda: In your country, America?

Devotee: What is that?

Prabhupāda: Where the sun is first seen?

Devotee: In America. Anybody know?

Prabhupāda: Oh, you cannot say?

Students: Maine.

Prabhupāda: Maine? Just like Maine is the first place where is seen sun, similarly, Vṛndāvana is the place where Kṛṣṇa is seen first. The example is very nice. Sapta-dvīpāmbudhi laṅghi' phire krame krame.

rātri-dine haya ṣaṣṭi-daṇḍa-parimāṇa

tina-sahasra chaya-śata 'pala' tāra māna

(CC Madhya 20.388)

Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is submitting His knowledge in astronomy. Astronomy. And He's dividing the whole day and night into sixty daṇḍas. According to Vedic calculation of time, the whole day and night . . . just like, according to Western system, the whole day and night is divided into twenty-four hours, they have divided into still further, sixty daṇḍas. They are called daṇḍas.

Tina-sahasra . . . rātri-dine haya ṣaṣṭi-daṇḍa-parimāṇa (CC Madhya 20.388). The whole day and night is divided into sixty parts. Tina-sahasra chaya-śata 'pala' tāra māna. And these daṇḍas are again subdivided into three hundred and sixty palas. They are called pala. Daṇḍa and pala. Sūryodaya haite ṣaṣṭi-pala-kramodaya (CC Madhya 20.389). And the sun rises in every sixty pala. We can . . . we can see sun is rising, but not all of a sudden we can see. But gradually. That gradual, I mean to . . . elevation of the sun planet is . . . takes sixty pala time. Sei eka daṇḍa, aṣṭa daṇḍe 'prahara' haya. Prahara means three hours, and that is aṣṭa daṇḍa.

eka-dui-tina-cāri prahare asta haya

cāri-prahara rātri gele punaḥ sūryodaya

(CC Madhya 20.390)

The whole day is divided into four praharas. So at the end of the day, of the four praharas, the Sūrya, this sun planet, sets. Cāri prahara rātri gele . . . and similarly, four praharas, when passed at night, again the sun planet is seen.

aiche kṛṣṇera līlā-maṇḍala caudda-manvantare

brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍala vyāpi' krame krame phire

(CC Madhya 20.391)

Caudda-manvantare. There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā. So kṛṣṇera līlā-maṇḍala caudda manvantare. So in the fourteen maṇḍalas, the . . . the I mean to . . . the orbit of Kṛṣṇa-līlā is, I mean to say, circumambulating. So He is . . . He is seen in the Manu's life, in the fourteen Manu's life. There are fourteen Manus.

In each Manu's life, there are seventy-one catur-yugas, of . . . in each Manu's life. In the twenty-eighth catur-yuga, Kṛṣṇa, in the Dvāpara-yuga, appears. There is mathematical calculation when Kṛṣṇa appears. It is not accidental. Actual astronomical, mathematical calculation. Soayāśata vatsara kṛṣṇera prakaṭa-prakāśa (CC Madhya 20.392). And when He is in this universe, He remains here for 124 year . . . 125 years. When Kṛṣṇa was here, He was for 125 years. And when He was in the battlefield, His age was about 100 years, almost 100 years. Because, just after finishing the battlefield, He went to Dvārakā, and, after some days He disappeared. So I think it was more than hundred years when He was fighting as charioteer of Kṛṣṇa. Just imagine, a hundred-years-old man, how many children and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, might have.

In those days, the boys were married . . . still, in India, boys are married in early age. The boys and girls were married just after sixteen years, especially in the kṣatriya families. They are very developed, because they can eat very nicely, they live very nicely, so their body development is very nice. They can beget children even at fifteen years old—in those days, especially. So Kṛṣṇa had, at that time, great-grandchildren when He was fighting in the Kurukṣetra. He was . . . He came just to help His friend Arjuna. He did not take part in the fighting, He was charioteer.

Now you have seen the Kṛṣṇa's picture. He looks like a twenty-years boy. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). Nava-yauvanam—just a fresh youth. Youthful luster. He's very nice, beautiful. So He is seen like that, kiśora. Kiśora. Just sixteen-years-old boy. So:

tāhā yaiche vraja-pure karilā vilāsa

saoyāśata vatsara kṛṣṇera prakaṭa-prakāśa

tāhā yaiche vraja-pure karilā vilāsa.

(CC Madhya 20.392)

So within these 125 years, all the pastimes that Kṛṣṇa displayed during His presence, all those things are going on in each and every universe, just like the sun planet is moving from one place to another. This is the idea of kṛṣṇa-līlā.

alāta-cakra-prāya sei līlā-cakra phire

saba līlā saba brahmāṇḍe krame udaya kare

(CC Madhya 20.393)

So saba līlā. And all the activities, they are manifested in either of the so many brahmāṇḍas. So at every second you just divide that 125 years into seconds, and all . . . less than second, what it is? Of course, I do not know. But if you divide in that way, then you can calculate how many universes are there. How many seconds are there in one hour?

Devotee: Three thousand?

Prabhupāda: Three thousand?

Devotee: Three thousand, six hundred.

Prabhupāda: Three thousand, six hundred seconds in one hour. Then what are the twenty-four hour? (laughs) Just see.

Devotee: If we had a pencil and a paper . . .

Prabhupāda: No. No. Just imagine that 360 seconds in one hour, so in one day we have got twenty-four hours. So 360 into twenty-four, that becomes the seconds in one day. Then you multiply it into thirty. That means in one month. Then you multiply it by twelve. Then it comes to one year. Such 125. So you can calculate. At least you can imagine how many universes are there, by that calculation of second, and if you go further detail . . .

So God's creation is wonderful. Nobody can . . . everything is unlimited. He's unlimited. His creation is unlimited. His pastimes are unlimited. His forms are unlimited. Everything unlimited. Everything. His incarnations are unlimited. Everything. Just like see, even in your own body, can you count how many hairs are on your body and head?

They are unlimited. I am claiming, "This is my body," but I do not know how many hairs are there. But you ask Kṛṣṇa, He'll tell you. Especially Howard cannot say how many hairs are there (laughs) Who can say? Howard cannot say.

So this is Kṛṣṇa's creative energy. You see? And He is aloof. All things, all these wonderful things are going on, but He's aloof. He's aloof. Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

(BG 9.4)

These are the inconceivable energy. And foolish rascals, they claim that "I am God." You see? God is not so cheap. One must know the science of God, how great is God. We cannot calculate. Those who cheaply take God, "God might be like me, you," just frog philosophy. The same frog philosophy. The frog is calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean, keeping itself in the well. You see? So similarly, these rascals, they are frogs in the well, and they are calculating the estimation of the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean and claiming themselves as God.

janma, bālya, paugaṇḍa, kaiśora prakāśa

pūtanā-vadhadi kari' mauṣalānta vilāsa

(CC Madhya 20.394)

kona brahmāṇḍe kona līlāra haya avasthāna

tāte līlā 'nitya' kahe āgama-purāṇa

(CC Madhya 20.395)

So Lord Caitanya says: "Just like the time calculation of the sun is always present in the orbit of this earthly planet, similarly, in the orbit of kṛṣṇa-līlā, everything is happening in some universe." That is called nitya-līlā, eternal. Because it is happening eternally and continually, in either of innumerable planets, which we cannot calculate, therefore His pastime, appearance and disappearance are all eternal.

We are not worshiper of a dead thing. Just like if a foolish person say at night, "Oh, the sun is finished." How? "I cannot see. Because I don't see in the sky sun, it is finished," similarly, the foolish person thinks, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is . . . I cannot see, therefore He's finished." This is foolish calculation.

Now, from the description of Caitanya Mahāprabhu we can understand that Kṛṣṇa is not dead and gone. He's present always and every time, everywhere. And if we are sincerely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that Kṛṣṇa is always with us, He gives His protection, His mercy is there. Everything is there. With this conviction, we should continue Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

It is not a manufactured, false identification, but it is fact, and we have to follow great personalities like Lord Caitanya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who actually established the science of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇāya . . . as Rūpa Gosvāmī, he, he prayed Lord Caitanya:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

"Oh, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, because You are so magnanimous that You are distributing the love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted, when He . . . when He was present, that 'You love Me, surrender unto Me.' Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Now people misunderstood. But Your process of preaching Kṛṣṇa philosophy is so nice, by the saṅkīrtana movement, that everyone can understand the Kṛṣṇa philosophy very easily. Therefore You are the most magnanimous incarnation, and I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."

Thank you very much. (end)