710201 - Lecture at Pedagogical Institute - Allahabad

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710201L1.ALLAHABAD - February 1, 1971 - 11:33 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

. . . karuṇā-sindho

dīna-bandho 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.")

Ladies and Gentlemen, we know Kṛṣṇa as Kṛpā-sindhu, the ocean of mercy: he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho. Dīna-bandho, and He is the friend of all submissive spiritual souls. Dīna-bandho. Dīna—this very word is used because we are in this material existence. We are very much puffed up—svalpa-jalā mātrena sapari phora-phorayate. Just like a small fish in the corner of the lake flaps, similarly, we do not know what is our position.

Our position is very insignificant in this material world. This material world is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, er, Bhagavad-gītā: ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). This material world is only an insignificant portion of the whole creation. There are innumerable universes; that we get information—yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe. So there are . . . koṭi means innumerable.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu stated that this universe is just like a mustard seed in the bag of a mustard. Just you cannot count how many mustard seeds are there in a big bag, and this is one of the mustard seeds. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40), and each universe is impregnated with innumerable planets. So just imagine this world is out of such innumerable planets in one universe. There are innumerable universes, and all together all these universes is considered the material world. There are many description in the śāstras.

So out of the innumerable universes, this universe is only an insignificant part, and within this universe there are innumerable planets, out of which this earthly planet is an insignificant portion. And within this earthly planet there are so many countries. So our India is only a portion. And in India there are so many provinces and cities and countries.

Out of this, Allahabad is very insignificant, and we, what to speak of our position, we are very, very insignificant in the creation of the Lord. But we are puffed up—"I am God" We are so much puffed up, our position is so insignificant, but we are puffed up; we speak of that "I am God" That is called māyā. That is called māyā: which is not actually fact.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa, although He is suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ . . . Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

(BG 5.29)

He is friend of everyone. Because He is God, He is friend of everyone, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29). But He is especially inclined to the devotee, ye tu māṁ bhajanti. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Bhaktavatsala. And He is Dīna-bandhu. Bhakta means He is very humble. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says:

tṛṇād api su-nīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā māna-dena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

He has advised that one should become humbler than the grass—because we trample over the grass; it does not protest. So humbler than the grass, and tolerant than the tree.

tṛṇād api su-nīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā māna-dena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā

(CC Adi 17.31)

We should not be puffed up. If we want to make success of our life, then we must revive our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we actually want to be happy, there is no happiness, there is no peace, there is no prosperity without Kṛṣṇa. We must know it.

So Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta'. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no other desire than to serve Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is peaceful.

kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta'

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali ‘aśānta'

(CC Madhya 19.149)

Bhukti means the materialist; they want to enjoy this material world to the fullest extent. That is called bhukti. They are after money and all that. That's all. That is called bhukti. They are elevating themselves; they are doing pious activities, yajñas, performing yajñas, pious activities—why? They will be elevated to the heavenly planets; they will enjoy more comfortable life, more beautiful wife, more beautiful association. This is karmic. Bhukti—simply for material enjoyment.

But they forget, as Śrīmān, my disciple, Devānanda, was speaking, that the problems of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), that cannot be solved even if you go to the Brahmaloka. Kṛṣṇa also confirms this: ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16), kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21).

So anywhere you go, in any planet, either moon planet, sun planet or Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka—there are innumerable planets, and there are thousands and thousands times better comfortable life if you are elevated to such planets—but you cannot avoid these four principles: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Even if you are born as Brahmā in the Brahmaloka you will have to die. What is Brahmā? That his life is also calculated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

sahasra-yuga-paryantam

ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ

(BG 8.17)

Our yuga multiplied by one thousand, so that is only twelve hours in Brahmā's life. In that way you make twenty-four hours, you make months, you make years, and such hundred years he lives—but he has to die.

So there are many instances, many informations of the Vedic literature you have to learn. But we do not learn. That is our misfortune. In India we have got so many valuable scriptures and Vedic information, but we have neglected. That is our education. We do not know what is our own culture. We are now going to beg from other countries. Our government men, ministers go, "Give me rice. Give me wheat. Give me money. Give me soldiers. Give me. Give me." But you haven't got anything to give to them?

This is Kṛṣṇa culture. If you want to give them, not to be beggar, then take up this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement seriously and give to the whole world. They will receive it with great . . . (indistinct) . . . and you see the examples how these boys, these frustrated boys. Everyone in the younger generation is frustrated. You see the example, in Calcutta I have talked with so many nationalized boys, similarly nice, educated boys, but they are frustrated; they are desperate.

So our university education, our so-called education, is producing only confused, frustrated, desperate generation. So if you want to save yourself, you must take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. It is a science, it is authorized, and it is India's gift to the whole world. So I think you shall seriously consider this movement. We are giving as far as possible in these books all the information, and be benefited by this movement.

Thank you very much. (applause)

Devotee: Prabhupāda has just spoken at the Government Central, Pedagogical Institute, Allahabad, on the first of January 1971. (end)