710317 - Lecture TLC - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

710317LE-BOMBAY - March 17, 1971 - 35:17 Minutes

Prabhupāda: There are many sat-saṅga society, but in Europe and America, Western countries, this is the only, and they have very kindly joined us. So to serve them is our first business.

So, we are talking of teachings of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was one of the very responsible minister in the . . . (indistinct) . . . government of Bengal. And as minister, he was a learned scholar both in Sanskrit and Arabic. So he resigned his post as minister and wanted to join Lord Caitanya in His saṅkīrtana movement.

He had some difficulties to get out of the responsible position. The Nawab, Hussain Shah, was very much counting upon his assistance. Generally, the Muhammadan kings, they were dependent on Hindu ministers. I have heard that in your this Bombay city, Aga Khan, his establishment for management were all Hindu officers. I do not know whether it is a fact. Is it a fact?

Guest: It's a fact.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They know that the Hindus can manage very intelligently. They're not extravagant.

So Sanātana Gosvāmī was favored by Lord Caitanya by instructing him for two months. He created two, three lieutenants for preaching His cult. One of them was Rūpa Gosvāmī, one of them was Sanātana Gosvāmī, the chief of the Gosvāmīs. And He talked with also Rāmānanda Raya, another stalwart.

He was also statesman; he was governor of Madras on behalf of the then king of Orissa, Mahārāja Pratāparudra. He was very powerful king. The Muhammadans, the Pathans, they practically conquered all over India, but they could not enter Orissa. He was very strong king, and in those days Madras was under the Orissa government. So another responsible officer . . .

(aside) Stop this. How it is happening? You can close these doors.

So he was another big officer, governor, he also joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And these two brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were ministers in the government of Hussain Shah, they also joined. And Raghunātha dasa Gosvāmī, he was also a big zamindar, landlord, so he also joined. And a big scholar, he also from Madras side, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. And Jīva Gosvāmī, he was also a very big scholar. He happened to be from Bengal.

In this way six Gosvāmīs, they were immediate disciples of Lord Caitanya, and Lord Caitanya's instruction to them . . . directly gave instruction to Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rāmānanda Raya. So one of the Gosvāmīs, Sanātana Gosvāmī, the Caitanya Mahāprabhu is instructing at Benares. So his proposition was that "Some people, my neighborhood people or my dependents, government officers, they call me as a learned scholar, paṇḍita."

Of course, it is a system in India that a brāhmin is addressed as a paṇḍita, because he is supposed to become a learned scholar. Brāhmins business is to study Vedic literatures and teach others also: paṭhan pāṭhan. He must be scholar and he must make others also scholar. Not that he is simply remains a scholar. No. That is bad. Brāhmin is so liberal that he wants to make others also scholar.

Paṭhana pāṭhana, yajana yājana. Yajan means worshiping the Lord, and yājan means helping others. Priest, you know, priestly business. Priest means he helps the householders how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Purohita. Purohita means one who does welfare activities for the householders. Purohita.

Yajana yājana, paṭhana pāṭhana, and dāna pratigraha. Brāhmin business is to take charity from his disciples, followers, and again spend it for Kṛṣṇa's service. So these six kinds of business is for the brāhmaṇas, and they are suppose to be very learned, paṇḍitajī. Brāhmaṇa's position is paṇḍita.

So he was called paṇḍita, and he was actually paṇḍita, but he presented himself as a fool, although he was learned. He presented himself, "My dear Lord, people say that I am very learned, but actually I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, why I am suffering."

First of all, we do not know that we are suffering in every step. Why we are using this fan? Because we are suffering. Because the excessive heat we cannot tolerate—suffering. Similarly, in the winter season this wind will be another suffering. We have closed the doors tightly so that air may not come. Now the air is counteracting suffering, and in another season the same air will be suffering itself. So the air is the cause of suffering and it is the so-called cause of happiness also. Actually we are simply suffering. That we do not know.

But we get information from Lord Kṛṣṇa that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is a place for miseries. You cannot expect any happiness. That is our foolishness. That is our foolishness. We are trying to adjust things to become happy, but we are so foolish that we do not know there cannot be any happiness. This is called ignorance. This is called ignorance.

Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāta (SB 5.5.5). Abodha-jāta, every one of us born foolish. And we are acting in different ways to become happy, but we do not know that in every step we are being defeated. We are fighting with the stringent laws of nature, struggle, but we are happy by some complacent thoughts that, "We have become happy. We are advanced. We are happy. We are becoming educated. We are advanced in science." But Bhāgavata says: "No, you are not advancing—you are simply being defeated, because you do not know how to get happiness. You are not trying for real happiness."

So this ignorance is dissipated by the knowledge of the Vedas. Lord Caitanya therefore has said—that Kṛṣṇa, He will say—that because we are so foolish we have forgotten how to become happy; therefore Kṛṣṇa has made so many Vedic literatures. Ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa korila (CC Madhya 20.117). So we should take advantage of these Vedas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says—we have already talked now—He says, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya (CC Madhya 20.120). This is Bengali—I think you will understand—I will explain in English also.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's proposal is: by the mercy of sādhu, holy man, or saintly person, or devotee . . . who is a sādhu? We know this term sādhu. Sādhu means saintly person. But actually there are different kinds of sādhus. Generally people accept a sādhu when he is dressed with the saffron garment, but there are different types of sādhus, mahātmā. Some of them may be jñānīs who wants to merge into the Brahman effulgence.

And another sādhu may be yogīs, those who are trying to—the same ambition—to merge into the Supreme by finding out in the heart. Yoginaḥ, paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ. Dhyānāvasthita-manasā, by meditation, meditative mind, dhyānāvasthita-manasā dhiyāṁ paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, they are trying to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditative mind. That is yogī, and he is also sādhu.

And bhaktas. Just like we have taken the path of devotional service to serve Kṛṣṇa at any cost. We don't think anything greater than the service of the Lord. That is the bhakta's position. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167), that is bhakti: simply to serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, Kṛṣṇa conscious, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how He will be satisfied. Not thinking of Kṛṣṇa how I shall kill Him. That is Kaṁsa's Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, but his business was to make plan how to kill Kṛṣṇa. Not that sort of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is ānukūlyena, favorable, how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. Although Kaṁsa's Kṛṣṇa consciousness helped him—he got liberation . . . Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious unfavorably, still you get the immediate profit, being liberated, for which the jñānīs and yogīs, they are trying hundreds of years. Kṛṣṇa is so nice that if you simply think that, "I shall kill Kṛṣṇa, I shall kill Kṛṣṇa . . ."

There is a story in the Bhaktamarg grantha that one paṇḍita was reciting Bhāgavata, and he was describing Śyāmasundara. Mother Yaśodā was decorating with all jewels very nicely to go with His cowherd boy friends, with the calves and cows, Śyāmasundara, and in the forest of Vṛndāvana. So, one thief was also hearing that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So he thought it wise, "Why not go to Vṛndāvana and get all these ornaments from these boys? (laughter) They are all boys, so either I can kill them or somehow or other cheat them, get these ornaments." So that's a long story—I am short, I'll show it.

So with that spirit he went to Vṛndāvana to find out Śyāmasundara to exploit Him, to take all the ornaments from Him. When he actually went to Vṛndāvana, he was finding out, "Where is Śyāmasundara? Where is Śyāmasundara?" Śyāmasundara came and "Here I am." So, first of all he was . . . (indistinct) . . . "My dear boy, You give me all these ornaments I will give You nice thing." He said: "No, I cannot give you. My mother will be angry. No." (laughter) In this way then he decided that "I shall take forcibly." In this way simply by association of Śyāmasundara he became a devotee. That is the fact.

Dhruva Mahārāja also went to worship Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa, to get the kingdom of his father. He was insulted by his stepmother that, "You cannot sit down on the throne, or on the lap of your father, because you are not born from my womb." So he took it very seriously. He went to his mother, "My stepmother insulted me like this." So his mother said: "My dear boy, yes, it is a fact because you are not born from my . . ." What it is called co-wives?

Devotee: Co-wife.

Prabhupāda: ". . . in the womb. I'm unfortunate, you are born of my womb. So, so you cannot." Then, "I must have." The boy was very insistent, kṣatriya boy. "Then Kṛṣṇa helps you, then you can. Otherwise how, you cannot." Then he went to search out Kṛṣṇa in the jungle, and he searched out. When he saw Kṛṣṇa he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), "No more I want it. No more I want it." This is the process.

So pure bhakti is without any desire, but even if you are filled up with desires, you go to Kṛṣṇa. Don't go to other demigods.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa kāma udāra dhīḥ

tivreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta paramam puruṣa

(SB 2.3.10)

Even if you have desires, not that anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), without any material desires . . . generally we go to temple, to God, for some . . . for fulfilling some material desires. So śāstra says even if you have got material desires, even if you are not śuddha bhakta . . . what to speak of śuddha bhakta, even if you are an enemy of Kṛṣṇa, some way or other go to Kṛṣṇa. Go to the fire and you'll get warm. That is our propaganda. The Gosvāmīs recommend, therefore, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet: somehow or other you just try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then everything will be successful. That is our propaganda.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, sādhu śāstra kṛpāya. A sādhu means devotee. That I was going to explain. A sādhu, there are different kinds of sādhus, but only the devotee, he is sādhu. It is explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself: api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He is sādhu.

Even if you find some defects in him due to his former habits, but he is simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, unflinching devotion, he is sādhu. He is sādhu, in spite of some defects. We must admit, even in fire there are some defects. Fire is so pure that anything impure you put into the fire, it becomes pure. Perhaps you know in our Hindu system if a one utensil becomes impure some time, you put it in the fire and it becomes pure. Is it not? Is it not?

Lady guest: Yes.

Prabhupāda: In Bengal this is the system.

Lady guest: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So fire is considered to be pure. Therefore any ceremony is done before fire god. So Kṛṣṇa says that even fire is so pure, still there are some defect, there is smoke. So if you want to find out defect, you'll find out in fire also. But that doesn't matter; fire is fire. Similarly, a devotee, an unflinching devotee, without any other desires, who is dedicated to the service of the Lord, he is sādhu. So we have to take shelter of such a sādhu. Ādau gurv-āśrayam.

And sādhu will instruct you—not by whims, but through śāstra. He is sādhu. Sādhu will never speak to you anything which is not in the śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra and guru. And guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya.

Narottama dasa Ṭhākura says that you have to act by accommodating the instruction of sādhu, instruction of śāstra. And you have to distribute. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that these ignorant people who are being defeated repeatedly, such persons, they are being entangled in this materialistic way of life, in this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva. He said: kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha (CC Madhya 20.117). Anyone who has forgotten Kṛṣṇa, he is anādi bahir mukha: he is enamored by this external energy, material world.

Just like in Bombay city everyone is working hard, very hard. Their mission is, "How I shall be able to construct a skyscraper building?" That's all. Why they are working so hard? Their mission is that, "I must have a skyscraper house and good apartment and nice wife, nice children and bank balance, then happy." (chuckles) But he does not know how long these things will continue. Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, then finished. Your skyscraper building, your nice wife, your apartment, your friends, everything that you have made, you do not know where you are going. That you do not know. There is risk.

Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty (BG 8.6). At the time of death everything will be examined. What are you going to be next? You have to accept another body. So that body will be created in this life, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi, and that bodily structure will be formed at the time of your death. Just like if you leave this apartment, you'll have to go another apartment. So you have to select another apartment, good or bad.

That will depend on your capacity, how much rent you are able to pay. Then you leave this apartment. Similarly, at the time of death, by the superior arrangement, another apartment will be given to you, and immediately that is settled up, you leave this body and enter into that body. Daiva-netreṇa, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). That will be considered by your work.

If your work so nice . . . that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām

(BG 9.25)

So if you have prepared your life for going to the higher planetary system, in the moon planet or sun planet or . . . there are so many hundreds and thousands and millions of planets up, and similarly down, and similarly in the middle. Catur . . . (indistinct) . . . fourteen worlds. So, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18): if you have developed sattva-guṇa, then you will be allowed to go to the upper planets.

ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā

madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ

jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā

adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ

(BG 14.18)

So we have to see from the śāstras, therefore śāstras. So this is the position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explains that sometimes you are elevated to the svarga-loka, sometimes you are going to the naraka-loka. In this way it is going on. But this is not our good business.

Now, suppose I am in this good apartment, say for six months, and next if I cannot pay the rent, I have no means, then I go, what is called? Jhopri (slum)? Eh? There are jhopris also in Bombay. So, not that because one is in Bombay, he is always in the skyscraper. He may be in jhopri also. So everyone wants. So this is going on . . . (indistinct) . . . narake: sometimes in the heavenly planet, sometimes in the hellish planet, this is going on. But this business is not good. Na sādhu manye. Even if you get the body of the heavenly planet, what you get? There is also janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). You have to die there. Even Brahmā dies. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

So this is the process going on. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha. Our only business is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. How to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That can be done simply by the mercy of sādhu. Therefore sādhus' business is go from door to door and enlighten them. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṟṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām (SB 10.8.4). The sādhu's business is that he goes from door to door and tries to invoke Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In everyone's heart there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is in a sleeping state. Just like these European and American boys, unless there was Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant, how it could be invoked? It is not sentiment. It was there. Our business was to . . . just to arouse. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citta koro ei udaya.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sadhu kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citta karaye udaya

(CC Madhya 22.107)

This is the statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already there, but by hearing and purifying yourself, that consciousness comes. Just like water. Water is very clean. When it drops from the clouds it is very clean, but as soon as it drops on the ground it becomes muddy. So that that muddiness has to be cleansed, then water will come out again clean. Similarly, our consciousness is clean, Kṛṣṇa conscious, actually, originally, but because it is contaminated with the muddy things of the material nature, it is cloudy.

So this process—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare—is the cleaning, clarifying process of the consciousness. Clarifying process. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam (CC Antya 20.12). If you take to this clarifying process, then it will be just like as clear as mirror, and you will be able to see your face nicely, what I am. Then you'll understand that "I do not belong to this material world; I belong to the spiritual world, ahaṁ brahmāsmi." And when you realize that, then if you can act yourself as Brahman, then your life is successful.

brahma-bhutaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

That is beginning of devotional service.

So Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya sei jīva nistare (CC Madhya 20.120). Nistare means he becomes delivered. If somehow or other he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of a sādhu, and by understanding the śāstra, if somehow or other he becomes lean to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is eligible for being delivered from this miserable condition of material life. Māyā tāhāre chāḍaya. Then this illusion, māyā, releases our light here now. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etaṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

This simple process, that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and māyā immediately gives you release, "Oh, no more. That's all right."

Yes, any question?

(pause) So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized and practical, and very simple. You all take to this and be happy. That is our program. If you have got any question, you can ask.

(pause) We shall hold class here in the morning at about half past five, six, and in the evening at seven, half past seven.

(pause) Any questions? Then have kīrtana. (cut) (end)