710629 - Lecture Arrival - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

710629AR-LOS_ANGELES - June 29, 1971 - 14:10 Minutes

Prabhupāda: So I am very happy to see you again after eight month, or nine month. Hmm. Ānandambudhi vardhanam (CC Antya 20.12). This movement is not hackney. Increasing the ocean of happiness. We have no experience of the ocean increasing. If the ocean increases, then the whole planet will be again over-flooded. But this is the ocean of happiness. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Lord Caitanya says, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Ambudhi. Ambudhi means ocean, and ānanda means bliss. If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, as soon as our heart is cleansed . . .

That is the first benediction of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that our heart becomes cleansed. If your heart is not cleansed, how we are participating together? Somebody is Indian, somebody is American, somebody is Canadian, somebody is African. Because on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform the heart becomes cleansed. There are no more such consciousness that, "I am this," "I am that." The only consciousness is that, "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is cleanliness of heart, as soon as we come to this platform that, "I am Kṛṣṇa's."

Just like the gopīs. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they were thinking, "We are all Kṛṣṇa's." Central point is Kṛṣṇa. That is the beauty of Vṛndāvana. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana—the elderly cowherd men, the boys, the girls, the trees, the river, the birds, the beasts, everyone—they are simply thinking, "I am Kṛṣṇa's." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And as soon as we think otherwise—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," that is material consciousness.

Try to understand the simple fact, that as soon as we identify with our designated body, which I am not . . . I am not this body, so why shall I identify myself with American or Indian? Accidentally I have got this body in America or India or Africa or in hell or heaven. That is accidental. Or by my karma. But actually, I am not this body. And if I am not this body . . .

Generally, everything we are accepting in this material world (is) on the bodily concept of life. Because I have got bodily relationship with some man or woman, I am thinking . . . there are thousands of men and women, but I am thinking, "This woman is mine," "This man is mine." This is a crude example. And similarly, children. Gṛha-kṣetra. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This bodily concept of life increases our delusion, and we become enwrapped, entangled in material world, and we get a different type of body.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for releasing all these conditioned soul from this misconception of life. Anyone, any intelligent man can understand that as soon as we identify our activities with the body, then we are fool number one. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is identifying himself with this body . . . sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu: "And family members, wife, children, they are as our own men. All others are enemies." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ: "And the land in which we have taken birth, that is worshipable."

People are sacrificing their life in so many ways. The leader are infusing them, "Oh, you are national of this, national of that." Falsely they are working so hard. This is the basic principle, mistake, of the modern civilization—identifying oneself with this body, which he's not.

So by kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, this bodily concept of life is . . . in the beginning it becomes vanquished. A tacit example: you are all boys. You have forgotten that this body is Indian or American. You are Kṛṣṇa's. This is the first installment. Ānanda . . . ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If this bodily concept of life is removed, immediately all the problems of the world solved. Immediately.

All these great writers, thoughtful men, philosophers, politicians, diplomats, and the United Nation, they are trying to solve the problems of the world, but they are increasing the problem. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). How they can mitigate? It is not possible, because the basic principal mistake is there.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. Bhava, bhava means this material world. Bhava means to become. Bhava and abhava. You take some, accept some body, that is bhava: "I become." And keep myself in this body for some years, utmost hundred years. Then again abhava. Abhava means another change of body.

So this is very botheration, the changing of body. But one who comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no more change of body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, after giving up this body, he does not accept any more material body. Then what happens to him? Kṛṣṇa says, mām eti. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti: "He comes to Me."

So why don't you take this simple formula? Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. How nice it is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are living in . . . not heaven. Heaven is nothing for us. We are living in Vaikuṇṭha in this temple. Anyone can practically see how they came from hellish life; now they are living in Vaikuṇṭha. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice and so simple. Why people are so foolish they do not take it? What is their complaint?

We are living so nicely that sometimes people are envious, that "These people have no business, no occupation, and they are living in nice house, eating nice kṛṣṇa-prasādam (laughter), and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and dancing!" They're envious. But when we say: "Why don't you come here?" they will deny: "No, sir. I cannot go." (laughter)

Why you are envious? You come and participate and live like us, happily. "No." That he will not. (laughter) And this is the māyā. You see? Māyā will say: "Oh, why you are going there? (laughter) You just come here in the Bowery Street, and as soon as you get some money, you purchase one bottle and lie down." That is life.

So this is the position. But still, as living representative of Kṛṣṇa, our duty is to save these fallen conditioned souls. That is our duty. One may agree to come or not come. It doesn't matter. You try your best to bring him to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness position. Then Kṛṣṇa will be happy: "Oh, this person is trying." Because it is Kṛṣṇa's business. Kṛṣṇa comes. He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And we are saying the same thing that, "You just surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Therefore we are living representative of Kṛṣṇa. We are saying nothing else. Our only business is to repeat the Kṛṣṇa's word. Therefore we are representative.

So anyone can become representative of Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult. Simply one has to go door to door, "Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Is it very difficult job? Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā (SB 10.22.35). We can serve Kṛṣṇa in four ways. First of all, try to dedicate your life for Kṛṣṇa. That is first class. If not, then spare some of your money for Kṛṣṇa. If not, then give some words for Kṛṣṇa. Or give some intelligence. You can give. "Sir, if for organizing your this movement we know that you require money, but I have no money. So I have got a friend. He is rich. If you come, he will help you." This is intelligence.

You can serve Kṛṣṇa by intelligence. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by your money. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by your life. And at last, you can serve Kṛṣṇa by your words. Simply go door to door and request everyone, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There will be no loss on your part. The gain you will see within one week. The gain you will see within one week if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But you are not losing." What is the difficulty? So our business is like that. We should go door to door and request them, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll be happy."

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (cut) (end)