710117 - Lecture Hindi - Allahabad

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710117LE.ALLAHABAD - January 17, 1971 - 50:05 Minutes

(kīrtana) (prema-dhvani) (break)

Prabhupāda:

. . . śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandhu jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

(O my dear Kṛṣṇa, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṇī. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.)

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi

rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi

praṇamāmi hari-priye

(I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa.)

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Gentlemen and mothers, this girl gave you lecture in English, I know that there is no need of speaking English here but in western countries the way preaching is going on, in that these foreigners; American, Canadian, French, German young boys, young women . . . all of them are preaching about our Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

One who has taken birth in the land of India as a human being, for them Caitanya Mahāprabhu is telling, not to the animals. One who has got human birth can make his life successful by serving others. The civilization of India is not to plunder others but the civilization of India is to work for the benefit of others. You all take this into consideration. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is saying janma sārthaka kari . . . to make human birth successful. The culture, knowledge, education required is only there in India and nowhere else.

I have traveled all over the world and have observed very closely that our glories, our culture, social, transcendental and spiritual goals has been divided by big big sages. There is nothing higher than this in this entire world, I have understood this very well. But the disappointing factor is that the people of this country Bharatvarsa (India) are not putting any efforts to expand this Vedic civilization.

The people there are very much eager to accept this, they want it . . . try to remember those days of Independence in Bharat-varsa. Those days in western countries there was some hope, Indian people went there, could have preached about the real glories of India but no effort has been taken from Indian government or Indian public on this subject matter.

My Guru Maharaja - Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. In his life time he made many efforts to expand Kṛṣṇa consciousness -the treasure of India. And fortunately he had also ordered me something like this . . . that; "You go to the Western country and spread the message of Caitanya Mahāprabhu". This matter is not recent but very old, 1922. Therefore, I didn't know that I will have to go to Western countries in order to follow my spiritual master's order. But by His blessings I went there, many years later . . . 50 years later. The vow that he had taken, took 50 years to materialize.

So in 1965, I went to America and I just had 40 Indian rupees which could be spent in an hour. Somehow or other by the mercy of Lord, by the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu . . . after loitering here and there for one whole year, I opened a center in New York, 26th 2nd Avenue. Slowly, slowly the young boys and girls mostly around 20 to 30 years age are my disciples. You can see that they are not more than 25 to 26 years old.

So I taught them . . . I mean to say that somebody who is from India must spread these glories to Western countries and an Indian should do it. I am also an Indian but alone I preached to them and I sent them all over the world to preach. I sent some of them to London, some to Australia. They bore all expenses and the expenses are too high there.

Srimati Yamuna devi, one who is dancing in front of you and her husband, Guru, like this six Grihasta families I sent to London. After one year of struggle now we have a temple in London also. If you come to London, then 7 Bury Place . . . near to British Museum, we have our ISKCON London temple. Like this in America, mostly in all big big city there are temples. Especially in Los Angeles we have our very big temple and at least 50 devotees have been appointed permanently and this is going on very nicely.

We got these Western devotees here to show all these Indian young generation that your own Vedic civilization you have rejected but how nicely these foreigners - American, European young boys and girls have accepted it. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message is: janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41).

In India (Bharat-bhumi) we have something that everyone can make their life successful. Why? Like the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the first book of the transcendental kingdom. Like we learn “abcd”. Like that, Bhagavad-gītā is "abcd" of transcendental knowledge. Why this is the first book of transcendental knowledge? What is the first knowledge given in Bhagavad-gītā? That you are not this body. This bodily concept, does it work in this material world? Bodily concept, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

This bag made of 3 elements kapha, pitta and vayu, this I identify as me. To clear out this illusion, Lord Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna in the very beginning that you are talking to me like a great learned scholar but you are certainly the greatest fool.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ

prajñā-vādāṁś că bhāṣase

gatāsūn agatāsūṁś că

nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

(BG 2.11)

This bodily concept of life to think that I am this body. For all the struggle related to this body in this material world, either man to man, nation to nation, religion to religion . . . the only reason is that the conditioned soul, one who has taken this material body, his misconception is that I am this body. Unless we are freed from this illusion, human beings in this human society will never be able to achieve blissful life. Bhagavad-gītā states: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

rahma-bhūtaḥ . . . unless one realizes the Supreme Brahman, that I am not this body. "Aham brahmasmi . . ." unless one realizes I am a spirit soul, he can never be happy. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement . . . kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ (CC Madhya 8.70).

The Sanskrit translation, the Hindi translation of this is "kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ . . ." This translation is not done by us, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu who is the main associate of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . He translated this, rather actually this is quoted by Him. The word I am using here "Kṛṣṇa consciousness" translation exactly means "kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ . . ." Here Rupa Goswami is saying:

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ

krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate

(CC Madhya 8.70)

If someone can purchase the taste of Kṛṣṇa bhakti (devotion to Krsna) or get it somewhere, one must purchase it for sure without delay.

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ

krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate

tatra . . .

(CC Madhya 8.70)

To purchase something you have to pay a certain price . . . therefore, it is said tatra laulyam ekalam api mūlyam . . . to purchase the nectar of Kṛṣṇa bhakti the only price one can pay is, intense greed that i want Lord Kṛṣṇa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching us:

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam

śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me

(Śikṣāṣṭaka 7)

This mood of feeling separation from Govinda that I am feeling all empty in this world in your absence. This mood is the key to make your human life successful. Premā pum-artho mahān. Dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa are the four principles of religion that pertain to the material world is not the goal of life. The real goal of life is love of Godhead. Achieving love of Godhead is not for everyone, it is not an easy thing. Bhagwat-prem . . . love is surely there inside everybody but it is there for material sense gratification. That is why we consider human life unsuccessful, always full of anxiety . . . Bhāgavatam states: samudvigna-dhiyām . . . sadā samudvigna-dhiyām (SB 7.5.5). Animals, birds, humans one who have accepted a temporary material body are always full of anxiety, what would happen next, what will happen next. Anyone who has accepted this material body is always full of anxiety.

Therefore . . . if any human being wants real happiness of life then somehow accept this kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ (CC Madhya 8.70). And the best-easy way to take this process is provided (facilitated) in this Kali-yuga:

kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

(SB 12.3.51)

One special feature about Kali-yuga is narrated by Sukdev Goswami to Pariksit Mahārāja- first about so many faults of Kali-yuga. You must have already heard this in Bhāgavatam, Kali-yuga is the ocean of faults. Then Sukdeva Goswami told Pariksit Mahārāja, My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults still there is one big advantage about this millennium and what is that? And this facility is only for Kali-yuga not for any other millennium. He is saying:

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann

asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

(SB 12.3.51)

One very good quality, that is why devotees give preference to Kali-yuga because it has a great quality and what is that? "Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya . . ." Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet . . . one can be freed from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom of God. It is so easy. Kali-yuga is so fallen, so sinful, so for them God made it so simple and easy. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51).

I felt very happy to see your kirtan community but little . . . like if you take some medicine, side by side you need to take proper diet. Medicine and diet, therefore medicine is holy name. Bhavausadhi srotramano bhirama . . . just like this girl was saying, its like somebody fell in the ocean even though he could be an expert swimmer, he is not very happy because he has to struggle hard for his existence; same as this material ocean. Therefore to cross over this ocean of material existence, especially in this fallen age of kali . . . kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann (SB 12.3.51), there is one great quality. What is this best quality?

kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

(SB 12.3.51)

To chant the holy name of the Lord Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare/ Caitanya Mahāprabhu had also instructed the same thing:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

(CC Antya 20.12)

Therefore the point is, like you are all doing kirtan (chanting), this is the medicine . . . simultaneously, diet is also required then the result will be faster doctor is present here, he knows, doctors gives medicine and also say don't do this, don't eat this, eat this, stay like this.

So . . . this is a process. If you are sick or you are diseased and you only take medicine and neglect the rest then the medicine won't work. You should also improve your diet. How to improve your diet? What is the secret behind? As we are all trapped in this material world, what is the real reason behind it? The reason is sin. More or less everybody is sinful.

Starting from Lord Brahma to an ant, whoever accepted this material body, is suffering their karma. Karmic reaction is pious and impious activities. The reaction of pious activities is also one kind of suffering. This subject matter is very heavy. Therefore, we must go beyond pious and impious activities; beyond karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa.

Therefore, devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no trace of karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa . . . ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ . . .

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(NOD 1.1.11)

If you want pure devotional service then anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, anyābhilāṣ means to reject this kind of mood that I am chanting to achieve some kind of material profit. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam states one must be devoid of all kinds of knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. This materialistic, sinful life has four main pillars. And what is that? . . . sastra says:

striyaḥ sūnā pānaṁ . . .

yatrādharmaś catur-vidhaḥ

(SB 1.17.38)

Four types of sinful activities, what is that? Illicit relationship between men and women. Apart from our marital relationship, women should not associate with any man and men should not associate with any woman. This is most sinful. Stay away from this ". . . striyaḥ sūnā" and unnecessary animal slaughtering; eating meat, fish, eggs etc. This human being becomes a heavy weight to mother earth.

Sastra has some rules and regulations when number of intoxication and meat eating people increase, then mother earth suffers the heavy weight. Sastras says that we must reject these kinds of sinful activities. Do not maintain illicit relationships with women and don't eat meat, fish, eggs etc. and do not gamble and don't take intoxicants. Intoxication also includes betel leaf, cigarettes, tea etc.

So if you want to advance in spiritual life by chanting, strictly reject all these sinful activities.

All these American, European boys and girls, young men and women . . . first i taught them these four regulative principles. These people are accustomed to eating meat and drinking alcohol, tea, coffee their whole lives, they are now totally bereft of all these kinds of sinful activities. That's why they are brāhmaṇas. The symptoms of brāhmaṇas are honesty, kindness, austere, cleanliness, truthfulness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind and cleanliness. You all know its all mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore chanting of Holy name is surely effective, you will surely get purified, there is no doubt about it, but if you willingly . . .

Just like . . . if the wood is not fully dry it takes time to burn, it gives lots of smoke, slowly it will burn but it will consume lots of time but the dry wood will burn faster. Bhagavad-gītā is stating the same thing, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ one whose sinful actions are completely eradicated. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām (BG 7.28).

That's why we recommend pious activities. When we act piously, we are freed from all kinds of sinful reactions and its stopped . . . you can do only one thing at a time. If you are engaged in one thing you can not simultaneously do another thing. So Bhagavad-gītā states:

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Persons whose sinful actions are completely eradicated, they can engage themselves in transcendental loving service with determination. We should try hard to reject all four kinds of sinful activities. Pānaṁ striyaḥ sūnā yatrādharmaś catur-vidhaḥ (SB 1.17.38).

We must get rid of that. This is the subject matter of our preaching and everywhere we are preaching this. The community you have can continue chanting along with this also stop these sinful activities and spread this message. Then you will achieve perfection quickly and this very life you will go back to Godhead. You don't have to wait for another life. But it is not so easy to get unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

(BG 7.19)

After many births doing austerity and following rules and regulations. If I can go back to Godhead in this very life then, why wait for another lifetime? If in this life we can attain the Lord then why not? Who knows if I will get human birth next life. May not get because of our . . .

karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa

jantur dehopapattaye

(SB 3.31.1)

Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his Karma, we get our bodies but one who understands transcendent nature of Kṛṣṇa he doesn't get this material body again. He gets spiritual body and goes back to Godhead.

That is why . . . my request and topic of this discussion is krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. The intention is to save everybody from engaging in sinful activities internationally and the diet and medicine is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Therefore you all follow this and you, you will get quick result and will get mercy of Kṛṣṇa this very life to go back to Godhead.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)