681201 - Lecture Initiation and Ten Offenses - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

681201IN-LOS ANGELES - December 01, 1968 - 139:42 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . worship prevents snake biting. That is a village worship. So in every demigod worship there are drum beaters. So a party of drum beaters was engaged, and when the fees, bill, of the drum beaters was to be paid, the demigod mansa was sold. They could not pay the bills. Similarly, we may print our books, but the binding charges are so high, then it will cost more than getting it from Japan. (chuckles)

Jayānanda looks like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (laughter) Yes. He was tall and stout and strong, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (laughing) Yes. Very good. And in Vṛndāvana, when Kīrtanānanda was given sannyāsa, he was looking so nice with this dress and daṇḍa, oh, practically all the devotees of Vṛndāvana came to offer him respect. Yes.

On Janmāṣṭamī day I offered him sannyāsa. So, many devotees came to see in the temple. So there was a big crowd. He was looking very nice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also very fair-complexioned. So with this dress, persons with fair complexion looks very nice, very attractive.

So people are not attracted with this dress in kīrtana party? (laughs) This bare head with tilaka and this dress, they will know that they are coming from . . . directly from the kingdom of God. (laughs) (laughter) Actually it is so. They have forgotten God; otherwise they would have received these brahmacārīs so nicely. In India, oh, you'll be received just like gods with this dress. Hundreds and thousands of people will come to receive you. Yes.

(aside) That is sufficient.

(kīrtana) (prema-dhvani) Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances)

So how Bīrabhadra is feeling? He has got pains in the body?

Viṣṇujana: He's all right.

Prabhupāda: All right. Eating all right? Eating? (Bīrabhadra answers; Prabhupāda can't hear) Hmm? Chanting all right? All right. Thanks. (chuckles) I was just searching you, missing you. You are here. (chuckles) Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)

(begins fire sacrifice)

Do like that. As I have done. Yes. Take water. Yes. Little, little. Yes. Once more. Three times. Yes. Yes. Take water. Take water little, wash hands, throw it here. That's all. Like that. Now you do like that. Little, little. Keep it there.

(chants with devotees responding)

namaḥ apavitraḥ pavitra vā

sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā

yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ

sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

(Garuḍa Purāṇa)

śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu

Now do it again like that. (japa)

Keep there.

namaḥ apavitraḥ pavitra vā

sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā

yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ

sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu, śrī viṣṇu

Do it again. (japa)

Now the purport of this mantra I have several times explained, again explaining. Namaḥ. Namaḥ means surrender. Namaḥ oṁ namaḥ, this is the way of chanting Vedic mantra. Oṁ means addressing the Absolute, and namaḥ means "I am surrendering."

Every Vedic mantra is begun oṁ namaḥ. Oṁ means addressing. So this mantra is chanted with surrender, namaḥ. Nothing can be done without surrender, because our this conditional life is rebellious life. We have rebelled against the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. That is conditioned life.

There are so many theses to support this rebellious condition. Somebody is thinking that "I am one with God"; somebody is thinking, "God is dead"—somebody is thinking, "There is no God"—somebody is thinking, "Why you are searching God? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." So in this way many theses are there.

All of them are different symptoms of rebellious condition. The sum and substance . . . just like atheists, they are boldly saying, "Oh, there is no God." Now . . . but the impersonalists saying: "There may be God, but He has no head, He has no tail. That's all." So in this way our condition is rebellious condition.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā instructs that "You surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So without surrender, there is no question of making any spiritual progress. Just like a person who has rebelled against the government—the first condition is to surrender, otherwise there is no question of mercy from the government. Similarly anyone, the living entity, any one of us who has rebelled against the supremacy of the Lord, the beginning of spiritual life is surrender.

So this mantra, initiation, namaḥ. Namaḥ means surrender. And who can surrender? Surrender . . . one who has understood the Lord, he can surrender, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19): After many, many births of cultivation of knowledge, when one is perfectly wise, at that time he surrenders. Perfection of acquiring knowledge, or wisdom, is to surrender. So, namaḥ. Namaḥ means "I surrender." And what is your condition? Never mind what is that condition. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Apavitraḥ means contaminated, and pavitra means liberated.

So we have two conditions. Either . . . just like either we are healthy or we are diseased. There is no third condition. Crude example. Similarly, the living entities, they have two conditions. One condition is liberation, another condition is contaminated.

Therefore living entity is called marginal, in between contamination and liberation. Either a living entity can be contaminated or liberated. There is no third condition. Therefore this mantra says, apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Either contaminated or liberated, it doesn't matter.

Namo apavitraḥ pavitro, sarvāvasthām. Sarva means all, avasthām means condition. In any condition. Sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. In whatever condition you may be. Because two condition there are. For the living entities . . . the living entity is in the marginal position.

Either he can be in material nature or in the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature means liberation, and material nature means contamination. So in this mantra it is said in either of the condition, never mind, either you are in material condition or spiritual condition.

Sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. Vā means either; yaḥ, anyone; smaret, smaret means remembers; puṇḍarīkākṣam. Puṇḍarīkākṣam means whose eyes are just like lotus petal. That means Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahya . . . bahya means externally. Externally, this body. Abhyantaram. Abhyantaram means internally. Internally I am spirit. Just like internally, within this dress, I am internally.

Externally I am this dress. Similarly, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. Either he is in the bodily concept of life or he is in the spiritual concept of life, either he is contaminated or he is liberated—in any condition, one who remembers Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, bahyābhyantaram, he immediately becomes purified internally and externally. This is the substance of this mantra.

And at the last we are chanting śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. Because it may not be misunderstood that in this verse it is said that yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam, "anyone who remembers the lotus-eyed." So somebody may think, "My such-and-such lover is lotus-eyed," or in that way, lotus-eyed. There may be so many lotus-eyed. Therefore at last it is specifically said, śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. "Lotus-eyed" means Viṣṇu, not anybody else. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. This is the basic principle of devotional life.

In Nārada Pañcarātra it is recommended . . . we are explaining these things in Devotional . . . Nectar of Devotion. The basic principle of purification is smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇuḥ, always one has to remember Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu the same. When you speak Kṛṣṇa, it includes Viṣṇu. So smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇu vismartavyaḥ na jātucit.

We shall not forget Viṣṇu even for a moment. This is the basic principle of devotional life. Some way or other, we have to remember always Kṛṣṇa. Then whatever condition we may be, we are pure. Sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. This chanting helps us always remembering Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, hear, immediately we remember.

So, so long I remember, I am śuciḥ, I am pure, no material contamination. Therefore if I continue my life in that pure stage, then I am eligible for going back to Godhead. Because nobody can enter in the kingdom of God without being completely pure. Completely pure means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11), no material desire. Here in the material world, we manufacture so many plans to be happy, material desires. Somebody's thinking, "I shall be happy in this way." Somebody's thinking . . . "There is no question of happiness here". The place is contaminated. In a contaminated . . . just like in an infected place you cannot be happy. The medical officer will ask you to leave that place that, "This quarter has been infected by the disease. Better you leave, you go somewhere else." That is the treatment. Infected place must be left immediately.

So similarly, this world, this material world of three modes of different qualities, you have to keep yourself always antiseptic, pure, by remembering Kṛṣṇa. That is the process. As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa, immediately the infection, māyā, immediately affects you. Kṛṣṇa bhūliya jīva bhoga-vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta). What is that māyā? Māyā means to plan how to become materially happy. This is māyā. All the people of the world, they are simply making plan how they will be happy within this material world. That's all. This is māyā.

The history of the whole world studied, it is experience that the Roman Empire planned, the British Empire planned, the . . . so many empires, they flourish sometimes, all fail. The Britishers, they were, two hundred years ago, they were planning to rule over this vast land of America. George Washington declared independence; their plan failed. Similarly, in India they were planning to exploit.

Now Gandhi's movement made it fail. So this is bigger plan. Similarly smaller plan also. There are many . . . individually, we make so many plans that, "I shall be happy in this way, in that way, in that way." So this plan-making business is māyā, because that will never be successful. Trace out the history of the whole world. Nobody has become happy. Hitler made a plan, so great a plan. You see? He was frustrated.

So the sane man, intelligent man . . . therefore Bhagavad-gītā says that a person who is actually intelligent, wise . . . how a man becomes wise? After being baffled or frustrated many, many times, he can understand this is not the process. And the Vedānta-sūtra also places the first, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

When one is frustrated in all plan-making business, for him, the Vedānta-sūtra gives him the opportunity, "Now your all plans have failed. Come here." Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now try to understand what is Brahman." This is the first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra. "Just try to understand Brahman."

So in this way . . . this initiation also. Initiation means the first beginning, how to become purified. This is initiation. Because this devotional service means the process of purification. Now every one of you, individually you can understand how you are becoming purified from your past life. That is practical. Yes.

How you are becoming purified. So this initiation means the beginning of purificatory process. And the purificatory process, what is that? This mantra, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. Anyone who always remembers, or whenever he remembers, if not always, as soon as he remembers, puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ, he becomes immediately purified internally and externally.

So those who are going to be initiated today, they should remember that . . . not only they, all of us should remember. It is not that we have passed all examination. No. Māyā is very strong. Any moment she can catch up. (chuckles) As soon as . . . just like a virulent type of disease, as soon as there is little negligence, there is relapse immediately, typhoid.

So the doctors take very much precautionary steps in the, what is called, convalescent stage of cure, because there is chance of relapse. Similarly, we are trying to be purified. This initiation means, do accept the path of purification. Now we have to continue that path of purification, and then, if you are strong enough, then we can very easily make progress to achieve the ultimate result. There is no doubt about it.

So bhakti-mārga, this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means to remember always Kṛṣṇa. Smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇuḥ vismartavyaḥ na jātucit. This is the basic principle, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should always remember Kṛṣṇa and we shall never forget. And the very simple method, that we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has given us tongue, so we can utilize it, and this is the beginning of spiritual life. This is the beginning of understanding God, or Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise we cannot understand what is God.

Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Nāmadi, God has name. People say: "Why there should be name of God? He has no name." The impersonalist says "nameless." Why? The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ, "Everything is generated from Him." So if there is name, you have got name, I have got name, anything . . . this tape recorder has got name, this plate has got name, the place has got name, the carpet has got name, and simply God has no name? Why? (laughs) Just see the fallacy. The fountainhead of all names is God, and He has no name. You see? He is zero. These are the arguments. But we don't accept.

The thing is, they do not know the name, because their senses are not purified. You cannot understand God by imperfect senses. Therefore Bhāgavata says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi. Nāmadi. Nāma means name; adi, because name is the beginning of everything. Just like if I want to make friendship with you, I ask you, "What is your name?" That is the beginning. If you go to the court, before beginning the judgment, "What is your name? What is your father's name?" You submit any application, "What is your name?" So nāmadi.

So if we want to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, we should begin from the name, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, the name, the holy name. But we cannot understand whether this is the name of God, due to our imperfect senses. Therefore the formula is, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, somebody is taking pleasure in hearing the name of Kṛṣṇa. Somebody may say, "What is this nonsense? They are disturbing," because he has no knowledge of the name.

But this name . . . not only name. Nāmadi, beginning from name. First of all name, then quality, then form, then pastimes, then entourage. In this way God has everything. When we say: "king," "king" means his kingdom, his palace, his secretary, his queen, so many, his government, his . . . go on expanding, so many things, simply by one word, "king." "King" does not mean simply one person. Similarly, when we say "God" or "Kṛṣṇa," immediately it is to be understood that He has so many things behind Him. So many. The whole world is behind Him.

So how to understand? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi. His name, His quality, His form, His entourage, His expansion. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. These indriya, these senses, materially contaminated, cannot understand, cannot grasp what is the name of Kṛṣṇa, what is the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the quality of Kṛṣṇa. Then? "Why you are taking so much trouble? If by these senses we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use of wasting time?" No.

The next line is, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: you cannot understand by exercising your senses, but He reveals. To whom? Who is in the service attitude, jihvādau, beginning from the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Of all the senses, the tongue is considered to be the principal sense. So tongue, if the tongue is trained, or the tongue is spiritualized, then naturally all the senses become spiritualized. So jihvādau.

So our training is the tongue training. Train it chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and let it taste kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Then what will be? The all other senses . . . there are five senses for acquiring knowledge, five senses for acting. Everything will be controlled. And devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). By contacting relationship with Kṛṣṇa, the senses become purified. And what is the symptom of purification? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam, to become uncontaminated by the designative material identification. There are so many things.

So the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is purification of the senses, and the purification of senses begins by training the tongue with service spirit. So those who are going to be initiated, they should, especial . . . everyone should note it, that we should train our tongue not to talk nonsense things. You see? Simply talk of Kṛṣṇa.

We have got so many subject matter. We have got Bhagavad-gītā, we have got Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we have got Teachings of Lord Caitanya—so many books, hundreds and thousands, Upaniṣads, Veda, Vedānta, any one you select—talk. Just like Ambarīṣa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he set a very nice example, that he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and when he was speaking, he was talking about Kṛṣṇa.

So just try to utilize your tongue. It doesn't matter whether it is contaminated or purified, but the process is purificatory. You just train your tongue nicely, engage in Kṛṣṇa. So if you can talk, you go, preach, talk of Kṛṣṇa, talk of Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, lecture anywhere. Then you'll be doing the best service to the people and to yourself. If you think that you are unable to give speeches, then you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat prasādam. So there is no difficulty. So train the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234). Beginning from the tongue, you shall be able to purify all your senses. And as soon as your senses are purified, you'll see Kṛṣṇa, you'll understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is His name, what is His form, what is His kingdom—everything will be.

Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. You haven't got to endeavor. As soon as your senses are purified, Kṛṣṇa is present, just like as soon as the night is over, the sun is present. You cannot search out sun in the darkness. You simply wait for the morning and the sun is at your door. Similarly, try to drive away the darkness, and Kṛṣṇa you'll see. You'll see, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is not dead. He's so nice."

So this initiation means beginning of purificatory process of the senses, and that beginning with the tongue. Very simple method. We are not asking you to show some gymnastic feats, or . . . no. Simply try to control your tongue. It is in your hand. And what is the means of controlling? Just engage chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Some others will supply you nice prasādam. You see? It is very easy.

Don't take anything which is not Kṛṣṇa prasādam and don't talk anything which is not Kṛṣṇa. Then you become liberated. Your path of liberation is open. Two things—don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa, don't eat anything except Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Is it very difficult? (laughter) Hmm. All right.

Now give me your beads. Yes. Beginning from here. Somebody tie his small beads. Chant, you. (japa) (Prabhupāda chants on beads) Bow down. Bow down here.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

So you'll begin from one side like this, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Come to this side. You will ask your Godbrothers. They'll let you know how they are doing. And your spiritual name is Aravinda. Aravinda. A-r-a-v-i-n-d-a. Aravinda. Aravindākṣa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Aravindākṣa. Aravinda means lotus flower.

Devotees: Oh!

Prabhupāda: Yes. So Kṛṣṇa's eyes are just like lotus petal and His feet is lotus feet. His abdomen, from abdomen lotus grows. So therefore in one word He is lotus, full lotus.

(aside) He's in painful condition?

Viṣṇujana: He has to rest. He has to rest now. (boy crying in background)

Prabhupāda: Just catch him. Oh. Aravindākṣa is Kṛṣṇa's name. So Aravinda dāsa, your name. Aravinda dāsa brahmacārī. Now we have forgotten to chant the preliminary mantras.

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 oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

śrī, vārṣa, bhānavī, devī, dayi, tāya, kṛpa, hare

kṛṣṇa, sambandha, vijñāna, dāyine, prabhave, namaḥ

mādhurya, ujjvala, premāḍhya, śrī, rūpānuga, bhaktida

śrī, gaura, karuṇā, śakti, vigra, hāya, namaḥ, astu te

namaste, gaura, vāṇī, śrī, mūrtaye, dīna, tāriṇe

rūpa, anuga, viruddha, apa, siddhānta, dhvānta, hāriṇe.

(Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Praṇati)

nama, oṁ, viṣṇu, pādāya, gaura, kiśorāya, vipra,

lambha, rasām, bhode, pādām, bujāya, te, namaḥ

(Śrīla Gaurakiśora Praṇati)

nama oṁ, bhakti, vinodāya, sac-cida, ananda, nāmine

gaura, śakti, svarū, pāya, rūpa, anuga, varāya, te

(Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Praṇati)

gaura, vir, bhāva, bhūmes, tvaṁ, nirdeṣṭā, saj-jana, priyaḥ

vaiṣṇava, sārva, bhaumaḥ, ṣrī, jagat, nāthāya, te, namaḥ

(Śrīla Jagannātha Praṇati)

vāñchā, kalpa, taru, bhyaś ca, kṛpā, sindhu, bhya, eva ca

pati, tānāṁ, pāva, nebhyo, vaiṣṇa, vebhyo, namo, namaḥ

(Śrī Vaiṣṇava Praṇāma)

nama oṁ, mahā, vadānyāya, kṛṣṇa, prema, pradāya, te

kṛṣṇāya, kṛṣṇa, caitanya, nāmne, gaura, tviṣe, namaḥ

(Śrī Gaurāṅga Praṇāma)

pañca, tattva, atmakaṁ, kṛṣṇaṁ, bhakta, rūpa, svarū, pakam

bhaktākhyaṁ, bhakta, avatāraṁ, namāmi, bhakta, śaktikam

(Śrī Pañca-Tattva Praṇāma)

he, kṛṣṇa, karuṇā, sindho

dīna, bandho, jagat, pate

gopeśa, gopikā, kānta

rādhā, kānta, namaḥ, astu te

(Śrī Kṛṣṇa Praṇāma)

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

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

(Sambandhādhideva Praṇāma)

dīvyad, vṛnda, araṇya, kalpa, drumādhaḥ

śrīmad, ratna, agāra, siṁha, asana-sthau

śrī śrī, rādhā, śrīla, govinda, devau

preṣṭhā, devī, sevya, mānau, smarāmi

(Abhidheyādhideva Praṇāma)

śrīmān, 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

Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)

(Prabhupāda chants on devotee's beads)

Bow down.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

Śrīvāsa . . . now, you are finished. Take it. Your name is Gajendra.

Gajendra: Gajendra?

Prabhupāda: Yes. G-a-j-e-n-d-r-a. Gajendra. Gaja means elephant, and indra means king. King of the elephants.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Prabhupāda: So there was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa who was king of the elephants. So you shall bring some elephants for us for preaching work. Come on.

(aside) You have got printed ten kinds of offenses? They should be . . . to avoid the offenses.

Devotee: Right here.

Devotee (2): In the back room.

Revatīnandana: Where in the back room?

Prabhupāda: Now, give me.

Revatīnandana: Here it is, Prabhupāda. Should I read, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The ten offenses to avoid in chanting the mahā-mantra. The first is blaspheming the Lord's devotee." Just read them?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: "Second, considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupāda: This is very important point, blaspheming the devotees. The Lord's devotee, in many countries, many places . . . just like Lord Jesus Christ, he's also devotee of Lord. Muhammad, he's also devotee of Lord. So it is not that because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, we shall unnecessarily decry any other parts, any other devotee.

It may be, according to time, place and country, the method may be different, but anyone who is preaching devotion to God, he's a devotee of God. So he should never be blasphemed. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "Two. Considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupāda: Yes. One should not put the Supreme Personality of Godhead . . . just like the Māyāvādī says: "The demigods and God, they are all the same." Because according to them, God has no form, so any form you accept, imagine, as the form of God, it is as good. But that is not the fact. There are demigods and the Supreme God also. So we should not place . . . just like demigod, Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva, Indra, Candra, they are demigods. So we should not place . . .

In one sense, there is nothing except God, because everything expansion of God. But that does not mean I am equal to God. I am also expansion of God. That's a fact. Just like father and the son. Son is the expansion of father, still, the son is not the father. Don't mistake that. There is no difference between father and son, because the same body is expanded as son, but still, the son is not the father. Father is father, son is son. This, I mean to say, variety, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not understand. Then?

Revatīnandana: ". . . or assuming that there are many Gods."

Prabhupāda: God is one. There cannot be many Gods. If God is not one, there is no meaning of God. God means, according to Vedic definition, asamordhva. Asama means one who has no equal. Nobody is equal to God. And urdhva means nobody is greater than God. God is great. Nobody can be greater than God. Therefore God is one. Nobody is greater, nobody is equal. That means everyone is lower. Then?

Revatīnandana: "Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is one offense. These are offenses. When we accept spiritual master, it is understood that you cannot deny his order. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna was talking as friends, but when Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master, he was simply hearing, and whenever there was difficulty to understand, he was questioning. Not that he was equally arguing with Kṛṣṇa. Before accepting Him, he was arguing.

So this is the position. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that, "My spiritual master found Me a great fool." Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not a fool, but it is the good qualification of a disciple to remain a fool before the spiritual master. Therefore he'll never . . . I mean to say, dare to argue or disobey. That is offense.

Now, go on. That does not mean that when you cannot understand, you cannot question. Question must be there. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gītā, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Our relationship is to know from a spiritual master everything, but you should know that with three things. What is that? First of all you should surrender. You must accept the spiritual master as greater than you. Otherwise what is the use of accepting one spiritual master? Praṇipāt.

Praṇipāt means surrendering; and paripraśna, and questioning; and sevā, and service. There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The fourth offense is minimizing the authority of the Vedas."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Scriptures, authority of Vedas, they must be accepted. Just like the other day I was explaining, the Veda says the conchshell is pure, although it is a bone of an animal. In other places Veda gives you the injunction that bone of an animal is impure. But it says the conchshell is pure. It can be placed before the Deity, it can be used in the Deity room in His service.

Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now, if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there.

Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Bibilical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation.

Just like Bhagavad-gītā is Veda. Why Veda? The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally speaking; therefore it is Veda. There is no mistake. One should accept—no interpretation—as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Yes. Go on.

Revatīnandana: "The fifth offense is interpreting the holy names of God."

Prabhupāda: Yes. No interpretation in the holy . . . just like Kṛṣṇa, the Māyāvādī philosophers may . . . just like Gandhi has written, "Pāṇḍava means the senses—Kurukṣetra means this body, Kṛṣṇa means the mind." No such nonsense interpretation. Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa.

Yes. Go on.

Revatīnandana: "The sixth offense is committing sin on the strength of chanting."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now we have explained the mantra that as soon as one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately, bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ, he becomes purified. Now if one takes advantage of this holy name, "Let me commit sins . . ." Just like sometimes in the Christian church, they take advantages that by confessing sin one becomes free from sinful reaction.

So go to church and confess, and again come out and do all sorts of sins, and again confess. This sort of (laughs) minimizing is a nonsense. It is fact. When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right. But if you commit again, then next confession will not be accepted.

They do not know this. You cannot . . . suppose a child has committed some mistake. Father says: "All right, don't do this." If he again does it, oh, there is no excuse. They do not know that. They think, "We shall commit sin and go to church and confess and finish. So let us do this balancing business." Yes.

Similarly, don't do this balancing business that, "Because chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa will wash off all my accounts of sinful activities, so in the morning, from morning to night, let me do all kinds of sinful activities, and at night, at bedtime, let me chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then finish." No. (laughs) Don't do that. Don't do that. That is the greatest offense. Yes. You'll never be forgiven.

Those who purposely do like that—"I have got very nice instrument for washing off my sinful activities. So whole day let me do all sinful activities, and at night let me chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Let me meditate. That's all. Finish." No. You should note that the name, the holy name, has got the power. Now, from this date, you are free from all sinful activities, reaction. But don't do it. That is the greatest offense. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The seventh offense is instructing the Lord's name to the unfaithful."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Those who do not believe in God, atheists, what is the use of . . .? But not to bother him, but give him the chance of hearing. That will make him competent to come forward. Therefore we are distributing this holy name. Not that everyone will be immediately turned to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but we are giving chance.

If they hear . . . you have got practical experience, somebody's hearing, he's reforming. So we should give chance. But if one is staunch atheist, we should not talk very much with him about Kṛṣṇa. He may say something against, offensive. Yes.

Then?

Revatīnandana: "The eighth offense is comparing the holy name to material piety."

Prabhupāda: Yes. And another thing, just like we are holding this ceremony, initiation ceremony. It should not be accepted just we are functioning some ritualistic ceremony. No. It is different from ritualistic ceremony. Although it appears like ritualistic, it is transcendental. Ritualistic ceremony, they are meant for giving you advantage of become pious, from impious life.

It also gives that, but this is not the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim is to give you love of God, which is far, far transcendental to the pious and impious activities. That is a different thing that belongs to the spiritual world—love of God.

It is not that it is a function to nullify your sinful activities. That is automatically done. Just like if you get one million dollars, the purpose of ten dollars automatically solved. Similarly, this acceptance of holy name of God will automatically wash off all your sinful reaction. That's a fact.

But it is not meant for that purpose. It is meant for higher purpose, to attain to this platform of loving God, rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. That is the aim. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The ninth offense is inattentive while chanting the holy name."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is ninth offense. While you chant, you hear also. You don't turn your attention to anything else—mechanically chanting and thinking of something. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa is all right, but if I think something which is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . best thing is that I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and each word I shall hear, then it will be very much effective. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The tenth offense is attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting."

Prabhupāda: That I explained, ahaṁ . . . this is the disease, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). The material disease means I am thinking this body, "I am," and everything belonging to this body or in relationship with the body, "mine." This is material disease. So we shall see. By chanting we shall see how much we are making progress, how much I am free from these two concept of life that, "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine."

This is the test, how we are becoming free from these two concept of life. If there is still the concept that, "I am this body and anything belonging to this body is mine," then you have to chant very cautiously to make progress. Yes. That's all. These ten kinds of offenses you should be guard against.

(japa) (break) (japa)

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

Come on. Your new name, Anurādhā. A-n-u-r-a-d-h-a. Anurādhā. Anu. Anu means one who follows, and Rādhā, Rādhārāṇī you know. So one who follows Rādhārāṇī. Wherever Rādhārāṇī goes, she follows.

Devotees: Oh!

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anurādhā. So . . .

(japa)

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

No, no. Everyone take little, little. (continues mantras) Very little, little take, everyone. (continues mantras) Let him come. You come also. You take. Your yajña is not . . . You can take.

(continues mantras) Svāhā. Offer. Svāhā. Three times. I shall say svāhā three times; you'll offer. Why don't you . . . svāhā. Offer . . . why you are sitting? Take and offer. You keep in hand and three times in three division you'll offer. Everyone take.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

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

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

śrīmān, 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

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Now take each one banana. Stand up.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

Now put this banana slowly like this. Put, everyone. That's all right.

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lady devotee: I just want to get a close-up . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hmm? No, I'll not chant, they'll chant.

Chant. No, you can go on. Chant.

(kīrtana) (prema-dhvanī) Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances) That's all . . . (end)