710320 - Lecture SB 07.07.25-29 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710320SB-BOMBAY - March 20, 1971 - 56:24 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Buddher—intelligence. By exercise, by proper use of intelligence one who can understand the different status or different positions. Just like awakening and dreaming or sleeping and almost unconscious. In all these stages the person who is living, that is soul, or that is God. Not the soul is God, but God and soul is of the same quality. God is managing the gigantic body, the universal body and a soul is managing a small body. The function and the qualities are the same. The Māyāvāda philosophy, the Māyāvādī philosophers they, they understand. Any intelligent man can understand, but they persist on this point, that God and the individual living being, there is no difference. In māyā he is thinking that he is different but when he is liberated he becomes one.

Actually the position of the Māyāvādī philosopher is they want sāyujya-mukti. Sāyujya-mukti, to merge into the existence of the Supreme. Sāyujya-mukti is there, according to śāstra. Sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sāmīpya, sārṣṭi. But Vaiṣṇavas they do not prefer such liberation, to merge into the existence. Merging into the existence of the Supreme means merging into the impersonal Brahma effulgence as a, as a particle of spirit. He remains a particle, it is not homogeneous, he remains. Just like the sunshine, they are all combination of molecular particles of shining elements, but you can not distinguish. Just like any matter is combination of small atoms. They are different in constitution.

Similarly Brahma effulgence means combination of innumerable living entities appearing to be homogeneous, impersonal. But that sāyujya-mukti is not very safe. Safe means not at all safe. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32)

That is the version we get from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That these persons, after severe penance and austerities, they rise up to the impersonal paraṁ padaṁ. Paraṁ padaṁ means the ultimate goal. Ultimate goal: Brahma, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So that is also paraṁ padaṁ, to merge into the Brahma, impersonal Brahma, that is also paraṁ padaṁ. To realize Paramātmā, that is also paraṁ padaṁ and to realize the Supreme Person, that is also paraṁ padaṁ but each one of these status is more clear than the other. If one approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead automatically he realizes all other paraṁ padaṁ.

So the Māyāvādī philosophers, being unaware of the, or they may be aware. Aware, they are aware but they don't like. They were aware that Personality of Godhead, there is, but they don't want to serve. The same mentality, material mentality. Just like in this material world nobody wants to be subservient of another person. Even sometimes accepting the spiritual master, he does not want to be subservient, he wants to pose himself. That is the nature. Nature means. This, this, this can not be remedied? Always gaus! gaus! There is no remedy for this? What is that?

Devotee: We can put a door stop on the bottom.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: A door stop we can put on the bottom of the door . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: It is going on always.

Devotee (2): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Where is this going on? In our . . . close or down?

Devotee: No, in our rooms . . . (indistinct) . . . devotees they don't . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: That devotees are all, all irresponsible, they have no brains. What is the difficulty if the, the door is closed? And then they will not do it. What can be done? Twenty-four hours it is going on. (pause)

So description of ātmā is already given, what is that? Ātmā nityo 'vyayaḥśuddha ekaḥ kṣetra-jña (SB 7.7.19).

There is twelve, characteristics of ātmā. Śuddha , as Kṛṣṇa is always śuddha, pavitram.

Pavitram means śuddha—pure. Similarly ātmā is also pure. That pure consciousness, when ātmā is pure, consciousness is always there, pure or impure, because living force, there is consciousness. So originally every ātmā or soul is pure and therefore his consciousness is also pure and that pure consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That pure consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So one has to illuminate that pure consciousness, buddhi, by exercising intelligence.

(aside) Subala Mahārāja.

Subala: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You did not sleep much?

Subala: Oh I'm not sleeping.

Prabhupāda: Meditating? Don't meditate. Meditation also not closing the eyes completely. Meditation means half. Closing, Meditation means sleeping. If you don't like to sleep, sleep will come by closing the eyes. Therefore it is recommended that those who are meditators they should close eyes half, not full. I have seen many meditators in that Dr. Miṣra's āśrama, snoring. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Regularly snoring.

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So you have to use our intelligence. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to analyze things nicely and come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not very easy job but it is possible by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has given us such a nice thing:

Because this prescription is delivered by Kṛṣṇa Himself, Lord Caitanya. Which we follow the process then it is possible to liberate the ātmā from this material entanglement. That is being advocated by Prahlāda Mahārāja.

So one should understand that ātmā is pure. The different positions. When ātmā is pure the consciousness is also pure. So that pure consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now that Kṛṣṇa consciousness has become . . . (indistinct) . . . or polluted, contaminated. How? Tri-varṇaiḥ. Varṇa means color, varṇa means color. The caste system is called also varṇa. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ (BG 4.13).

The caste system: Brāhmin, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, Śūdra, they are also called varṇa. Varṇa means color. Actually the soul by being contaminated with this material world under the influence of three material modes. Some of them are śukla-varṇa, śukla-varṇa—white. This varṇa; Brāhmins are called śukla—white and Kṣatriyas are called rakta, rakta-varṇa. Rakta-varṇa means the Kṣatriyas and the Vaiśyas are called pīta-varṇa, yellow and the Śūdras are called kṛṣṇa-varṇa or black. As we are seeing within this material world there are divisions of varṇas, colors: white, reddish and yellowish and blackish. Trivarna, especially there are three colors, means three qualities. Three qualities: sattva guṇa, rajo guṇa, tamo guṇa.

Ebhis tri-varṇaiḥ paryastair, when the soul becomes overcome by these three modes of material nature at that time buddhi-bhedaiḥ kriyodbhavaiḥ, buddhi-bhedaiḥ. Immediately his consciousness also becomes polluted. Therefore you find people are engaged in different activities, not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. On account of being polluted by the three modes of material nature the consciousness is also polluted. So this our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means purifying, purifying material state. Purifying the colorful ingredients, color. So even one is in black color, even one is in yellow color or even one is any color. The white color, it does not mean that the white European color. Śukla means clean. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a purifying process.

Paryastair buddhi-bhedaiḥ kriyodbhavaiḥ svarūpam ātmano budhyed. Ātmā is pure, in the original state, Kṛṣṇa conscious. But on account of being contaminated by different colors or different material qualities, their intelligence are also different. Their mode of activities are also different. Therefore they contradict. A Śūdra do not agree with the Brāhmin, Brāhmin do not agree with the Kṣatriya, Kṣatriya do not agree. Like that, buddhi-bhedaiḥand kriyā-vat, kriyodbhavaiḥ. And they create their activities also according to their different colors. Therefore we find so many activities, so many liking. So many tastes. All these are due to this colors.

And saṁsāra, material existence is due to this contamination, this colorful process. Etad dvāro hi saṁsāraḥ. So if you give up these colorful activities, bandha activities. Kṛṣṇa activities, then naturally you become liberated. Because our bondage, conditional life, is due to our contamination which this colorful existence of material world. Just try to understand. So instead of trying to become purified by, there are so many processes. Brahmacarya, veda-dhyāna, so many processes recommended, but in this age, Kali-yuga, none of the processes are practical. None of the processes are practical. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu—patita-pāvana, because He is the liberator of the fallen souls of this age, He has given us very nice easy process: kṛṣṇas, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam.

Simply by saṅkīrtana method, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, avoiding the offenses, little endeavor. He's made all people liberated. Little endeavor. That we are practically experiencing. All of our students, they have never gone to the jungle or undergone severe austerities and penances. As you know the great sages they are, even Dhruva Mahārāja, they had to undergo severe penances and austerities before realizing, before coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But it is a special favor for the fallen souls of this age: kṛṣṇa, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ (SB 12.3.51).

He becomes immediately freed from the colorful existence of material qualities.

etad dvāro hi saṁsāro

guṇa-karma-nibandhanaḥ

ajñāna-mūlo 'pārtho 'pi

puṁsaḥ svapna ivārpyate

(SB 7.7.27)

So it is just like dream. All our material existence is a dream. There is no act. Therefore they are temporary. Just like dream is temporary, say for few minutes, or a few hours. Not few hours. Not no dream is for few hours. Because he change while he's in dreaming condition. We change also dreaming features. They also a part dreaming. Similarly the whole material existence is dreaming. Yoga-nidrā. The whole material existence is also generated from the yoga-nidrā of Mahā-viṣṇu. Yoga-nidrā. So we have to consider it that the creation, this material creation is only a dream of the Supreme Lord. Therefore it is not eternal, it is temporary.

Nanu tarhi (Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, 7.7.27). Here it has been, nice example has been given: budhyed gandhair vāyum ivānvayāt (SB 7.7.26) Our contamination of the material world, how it is just like the air passing in different conditions. The air passing through a filthy place, the air becomes filthy smelling. He immediately, "Uhk, some filthy smell is coming. Wherefrom it is coming?" It is due to the air passing through a filthy place it is bearing that filthy smell.

Similarly the air passing through a rose garden, it will carry the flavor of the rose. So if you carry your mind, intelligence and ego through the activities of Kṛṣṇa then your consciousness will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Your consciousness will change. What is the difficulty to understand how—what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Is there any difficulty? If you always remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa's activities, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23).

Hearing, chanting, remembering and worshiping, pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ, offering prayers. When you feel meditative—better chant Hare Kṛṣṇa—loudly. That will save you.

So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ, these nine kinds of devotional activities. According to time and circumstances you'll engage in one of them and you'll be made Kṛṣṇa conscious. You try to avoid yourself passing on filthy place. Material activities means filthy place, then you will carry a bad smell. But if you carry through, I mean to say, good smell, good flavor of the rose, Kṛṣṇa is good, all-good. God is all-good. So if you remain always in association with the all-good then your Kṛṣṇa consciousness is secure, you are also all-good.

Ajñāna, actually this our condition is ajñāna-mūḍha. Ajñāna-mūḍha means we are trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa to become enjoyer. That is material life. Everyone is trying to become enjoyer. How first-class enjoyer I may be? How I can become the Prime Minister? How I can become Birla? How I can become God? Ultimately failing to become Birla and minister he speaks things to bluff some foolish persons and declare that, "I am god." Eh? That is very cheap. So people. Actual. That is the mūla, that is the root cause of our suffering in the material world. That I want to imitate Kṛṣṇa and enjoy. And to try to become god means the greatest enjoyer. God is the enjoyer of goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī.

So this Māyāvāda philosophy, Māyāvādī philosophers they address themselves, self-complement. "Sir you are Nārāyaṇa, I am Nārāyaṇa." That's all. Very easy, you see? They therefore address amongst themselves, "Nārāyaṇa", Oh he is very much pleased, "I have become Nārāyaṇa." And Vivekananda brings such Nārāyaṇa—daridra-nārāyaṇa. So in this way it is going on. Nārāyaṇa is the enjoyer, so we are trying to imitate. That is material disease, "I want to become Nārāyaṇa." Just like Rāvaṇa. Sītā is Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, he wanted to become Nārāyaṇa. So that kind of nārāyaṇa becoming business is not very good. Then one has to be killed with all other nārāyaṇas. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: You see? Don't try to do that. You see? That is ajñāna. Ajñāna. Our beginning of material life is ajñāna. Therefore jñāna means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān.

So long one does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa he is in ajñāna, try to understand. He may be advertised as very erudite scholar, very nice lecturing, but if the ultimate goal is that, "I am Nārāyaṇa"—that is also ajñāna. Ajñāna.

ajñāna-mūlo 'pārtho 'pi

puṁsaḥ svapna ivārpyate

(SB 7.7.27)

This is the ajñāna. All these material activities are dreams only. That's all. These karmīs who are working so hard, that is also dreaming. Exactly the same way. It is gross dreaming, and at night that is subtle dreaming. Everything has two features: gross and subtle. The subtle dreaming is at night and gross dreaming is at daytime. The karmīs are engrossed in it.

(aside) Don't sit in that way.

So gross dreaming and subtle dreaming.

yathā kusumopādhiko ’pi vāyor gandho viveka-jñānena nivartate evam ātmanaḥ saṁsāro na nivartata ity āśaṅkyāha,

etad dvāro buddhi-dvārakas tad avasthā-dvārako vā saṁsāro na svataḥ hi yasmād buddher ye guṇāḥ karāṇi ca tair nibadhyata iti

tathā sa cājñāna-mūlo ’to ’pārtho ’pi mithyā-bhūto ’pi svapnavartnātha

(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, 7.7.27)

So this ajñāna-mūla, all our activities except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because they are on the basis of ajñāna, ignorance, therefore they are compared as dreaming. That dream has no value similarly anything done in ajñāna, sleeping is also ajñāna. Sleeping is ajñāna, that is understood by everyone. When you are sleeping if somebody is coming to kill you. You do not know because you are in ajñāna. And when you are awake if somebody is coming to kill you. You can take precautionary steps because that is not ajñāna. But here in this material world either you are asleep or you are awakened, because the basic principles of life is ajñāna—ignorance. It is both of them are sleeping.

Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna (CC Antya 4.176).

Our creation in this material world, "This is good, this is bad," they're all the same because it is material, temporary. So temporary good, what is the use of such goodness? But people are very much anxious, even temporary, they want to enjoy senses. Sense enjoyment is enjoyment but that is temporary. Real enjoyment is not temporary. Satyānande ramante yogino 'nante (CC Madhya 9.29). That is not temporary. That is brahmānanda. That brahmānanda, spiritual bliss, can be obtained when you are purified, when you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But because you are ignorant we accept this temporary so-called happiness as happiness. Dvaite bhadrābhadra 'ei bhāla, ei manda', saba manodharma. Mental concoction. Yasmād . . .

kiṁ tat yogaḥ kathaṁ-bhūtaḥ dhiyaḥ pravāhaṁ

jāgradādi-rūpam uparamayatīti

(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, 7.7.28)

tasmād bhavadbhiḥ kartavyaṁ

karmaṇāṁ tri-guṇātmanām

bīja-nirharaṇaṁ yogaḥ

pravāhoparamo dhiyaḥ

(SB 7.7.28)

Thus Prahlāda Mahārāja is concluding: "My dear demon friends," therefore: tasmād bhavadbhiḥ kartavyaṁ—it is your duty. It is your duty. Kartavyaṁ karmaṇāṁ tri-guṇātmanām bīja-nirharaṇaṁ. So our activities, there is some cause of activities. Whatever we do, there is a cause. So that cause is called a seed. What is that English word? Scientific word? Putting?

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . activate.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Any activity, any action there is a scientific. That the action is put. What is called?

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: The original pushing.

Devotee: Impulse.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Impulse is all . . . there is a technical scientific. Just like a ball is rolling. Somebody has kicked. Somebody has kicked. Physical law.

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Impetus? No there is a technical word. You try to find. So that kicking of the football is the beginning of the ball's rolling.

Devotee: Inertia?

Prabhupāda: What? Anyway never mind. So here it is said that: tasmād bhavadbhiḥ kartavyaṁ, karmaṇāṁ tri-guṇātmanām, bīja-nirharaṇaṁ yogaḥ. You practice such yoga by which the original impetus of this force by which you are now entangled in this material activities, so you accept that yoga. And Prahlāda Mahārāja recommending that you accept the bhakti-yoga. No, no other yoga.

In Europe, America this yoga method has become very popular and therefore these so-called yogīs, they go and exploit your country. Here also Prahlāda Mahārāja recommending yoga but what is that yoga? Bīja-nirharaṇaṁ. Bīja, the original impetus can be vanquished, that sort of yoga, bīja-nirharaṇaṁ. Just like you take a seed, you put it into water and it will sprout some, what is called?

Devotees: (indistinct) . . . leaves?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: Leaves?

Prabhupāda: You put some grain, just like chick-pea in the water and gradually it will sprout comes, twig? What is that called?

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Shoot. Yes. But the same, same seed, chick-pea, you fry it and put it in the water, it will not come out. That is bīja-nirharaṇaṁ. Now are finishing the sprouting potency. Sprouting potency. Bīja-nirharaṇaṁyogaḥ pravāhoparamo dhiyaḥ. If you accept, if you engage yourself in that sort of yoga so that there will be no more impetus for material activities then you will be saved from this material entanglement and that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This yoga system will no more create karma bandhana. The sprouting, it will grow to another plant and from the plant there will be many chick-peas, green. And from that many chick-peas there will be many sprouting and many plants. It will go on, go on, go on, go on. But if you fry the chick-peas then there will be no more sprouting process. So that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthāt karma 'nyatra karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9).

Simply for Kṛṣṇa you work. Otherwise your karma will produce another karma and that karma will produce another karma, another karma, another karma. So:

bīja-nirharaṇaṁ yogaḥ

pravāhoparamo dhiyaḥ

(SB 7.7.28)

tatropāya-sahasrāṇām

ayaṁ bhagavatoditaḥ

yad īśvare bhagavati

yathā yair añjasā ratiḥ

(SB 7.7.29)

So that uparamaḥ, that completely ceasing the impetus, there may be many other processes but Prahlāda Mahārāja says ayaṁ bhagavatoditaḥ. The process recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is that process? The Supreme Personality He is giving you a process. "Just surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the perfect process.

Bhagavatoditaḥ yad īśvare bhagavati

yathā yair añjasā ratiḥ.

bhagavatoktaḥ tathā ca gītā-

sūktam "yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi"

(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, 7.7.29)

Śrīdhara Svāmī, giving the same formula, that you have to act something. You can not remain silent for a moment. It is said, "I, I will see," that is making surrender. No. You'll not see, you'll dream. So you can not make yourself, I mean to say, without activities for a moment either mind, body may be stopped acting but the mind will go on acting. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that yat karoṣi (BG 9.27), just, "Whatever you do—do it for Me."

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We therefore say that whatever talents you have got, just engage in Kṛṣṇa's service. You are a painter, alright.

This article has come out in our Back to Godhead. That I encourage the printers, always go on printing, go on printing. Now they are becoming successful and the pictures are being appreciate, although never in their lives they have painted such pictures.

So yat karoṣi, you have got these talents, alright, you do it for Kṛṣṇa. You can typewrite, all right. You do it for Kṛṣṇa. You are carpenter—all right do it for Kṛṣṇa. Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi. Because you have to work and you have to eat. So you offer whatever you are eating. Don't be afraid, Kṛṣṇa will take it away. It will remain. They're afraid, "Oh if I offer to Kṛṣṇa He may, may eat it. Then why? I shall starve."

Devotees: (laughter)

Prabhupāda: The rascal does not know that Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, I am hungry, He is not hungry. He is so perfect: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśopaniṣad Invocation).

He will take everything because you offer with faith and devotion, He will take, but again it will remain as prasāda.

So yat karosi, you ask . . . the people will not understand this. Kṛṣṇa says . . . He gives such a formula how to become free. Yat karosi yad aśnāsi. All of them can do it, what we are doing. They can do also. Now we are also riding motor car, we are also going in planes. We are coming from this country that country but they are also doing that but not for Kṛṣṇa. We are doing for Kṛṣṇa that is the difference. We are also preparing advertisements, they are also preparing advertisements. So what is the difference? The difference is, it is for Kṛṣṇa; and they are not for Kṛṣṇa. That's all, that is the difference.

So in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 9.27): yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi, dadāsi yat. Juhoṣi, juhoṣi means offering sacrifice, performing sacrifice. Tons of ghee in sacrifices for being elevated in the heavenly planets, they perform yajñas. So that yajña also you can do for Kṛṣṇa. "But I have no money. Where to purchase ghee?" All right therefore for Kali-yuja: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ (SB 11.5.32).

You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is the yajña recommended in this age. You haven't got to purchase ghee. Yaj juhoṣi, dadāsi yat, everyone wants to give in charity. That is in every religion, charity is recommended.

You know in Jain religion they're, make charity very cheap. You know in Bombay you'll find many Jains, they give some grains. In your country also, bird feeding, what is it called? Cheap charity. Say ten shillings, grains, you throw in the street, so many birds will come. That is also charity. That is also charity. So Vivekananda's daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā can be done in various ways. If you pass stool there will be many worms. That is also charity. Your stool will be eaten up by many worms. So why you should exert energy for that purpose? Kṛṣṇa says: "Give Me", that is real charity, parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam (SB 3.29.10).

Otherwise all these charitable institutions is as good as the Jains that take cheap methods. They take one paise worth flour, sweet flour, and one paise worth of sugar and mix together and put it in the holes of the ants. So thousands and millions of ants, they are giving charity in one paise. That is also charity. But this kind of charity will not help you. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam: "If you have anything to give in charity give it to Me. When you are eating, you give it to Me. When you are working, work for Me." That will benefit you. Not otherwise. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Stop it here.

Devotee: Hari bol. (break)

Prabhupāda: Seventh Chapter.

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . liberation.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you have to surrender to the spiritual master. He will guide you. We have got so many bad habits, that's alright, but under the guidance of a bona-fide spiritual master you will be trained up.

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: Surrender is willing. If you don't like to surrender who can make you obliged to surrender? Surrender is voluntary. "Yes I surrender." Determination, "Yes I surrender." Who can make you obliged to surrender? Nobody can make. Even Kṛṣṇa can not work. This is a false pretence, "Please be merciful up`on me so that I may surrender." But if you do not surrender, who, what my mercy do? Be merciful so that I can, I can serve you.

You know that incident? A man has fallen in the well, he is crying, "Please get me up, get me up." Another man drops a rope, "Please catch it." I'll take it. Oh. Then if he says: "Be merciful so that I can catch." Is that a very good arrangement? Eh? "When you'll be merciful I'll be able to catch." Is that argument? You catch. Then he'll help you to get it out. And if you don't catch, how he will help you? What is the use of speaking, "Be merciful, be merciful"? He is already merciful, giving you the rope. Why don't you take it?

So these are all false pleadings. If you want to surrender you can surrender yourself. If you don't want to surrender then there will, so many. "Please, Sir be merciful so that I can surrender unto you." Surrender is in your hands. If you like you can. If you don't like, don't surrender. There is no question of being merciful. Mercy is already there.

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

Kṛpā, the mercy is already there. Kṛṣṇa is coming, Kṛṣṇa is sending His representative. Kṛṣṇa is giving you advice in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you don't take advantage of it then who, who can deliver you? Kṛṣṇa is personally coming. Kṛṣṇa is sending you His representative, Kṛṣṇa has left Bhagavad-gītā, then what else you want? But if you are determined not to surrender how Kṛṣṇa, and śāstra and guru can help you? Nobody can help you. Then you are hopeless. That is up to you, to surrender or not to surrender. And because they do not surrender they are suffering. Willful negligence. Is that? There is an English word like this, willful negligence. If you become willful negli, neglect, full, negligent then who can help you? Nobody can help you. Nobody can help you. Neither Kṛṣṇa nor śāstra nor guru.

(indistinct) . . . instead of willful negligence, there must be willful cooperation, then it will be successful. These are all pleas, so that will not do. The sahajiyās they will show, "Oh, Sir you are so, and be merciful and," But when he say something you do not do it, "That I cannot accept Sir." So (laughs) how it will help? Eh? "I am very much obedient to you but I shall not care any one of your words. I am so obedient." So how is that Kṛṣṇa or guru or śāstra can help him? Nobody can help. You must be willing cooperator. Then it will be possible otherwise not possible. Then one is doomed. Hm. Take it.

(break) . . . the steel. But when he was manufacturing he did not deliver. He thought that, "I have saved the steel. I have saved this steel. I did not deliver to the blacksmith so my steel is saved." So my steel is saved, my new feature is this. His chopper will not be sharpened eh? So similarly if we become neglectful, disobedient, then that steel selling process. Your chopper will be blunt it will not cut. Do you follow what I say?

Devotee: Yes, follow.

Prabhupāda: That steel means it is called: a steel saving logic. "Oh I've saved this steel, I've saved so much time." You see, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa and spiritual master I've saved so much time by sleeping twelve hours. It is not service! It is spoiling! You must know that. One should mold his life in such a way that twenty-four hours he must be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Even in dreaming he should serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa Conscious. So if we follow the policy of steel saving from the blacksmith then we are cheating, the blacksmith is not cheated, he is doing his business, that's all. (end)