710729 - Lecture Arrival - Gainesville

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

710729AR-GAINESVILLE - July 29, 1971 - 42:59 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . see you chanting the mahā-mantra. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu predicted that in every village, town, country on the surface of the globe this saṅkīrtana movement will be spreading. So we are very much obliged to you that in this remote place, which is thousands and thousands miles away from Lord Caitanya's birthplace, Navadvīpa, and you are carrying out, to fulfill His desire, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu—the picture is there—assisted by four others, Pañca-tattva. Kṛṣṇa appeared in five principles. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, and Nityānanda Prabhu is His immediate expansion, and Advaita Prabhu is incarnation. Gadādhara Prabhu is internal potency, and śrīvāsādi, Śrīvāsa is the . . . heading the list of His devotees. Śrīvāsa represents the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa.

So śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda means Kṛṣṇa complete. Just like when we speak of a king, "king" does not mean king is alone. If somebody says: "The king is coming here," it is to be understood that king with his associates coming. King does not come alone. Whenever a . . . the king goes, he goes with his secretary, minister, commander, so many other people. King is never alone. There must be queen also, and queen's associates. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme King, how He can be alone? He's not alone. He's always with His associates.

Therefore you see Kṛṣṇa's picture, Vṛndāvana picture, He's with His associates: a cowherds boy, cowherds girl, Kṛṣṇa's father Nanda Mahārāja, Mother Yaśodā. But Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Supreme . . . any person, he cannot be alone. Just like we are here, we are not alone. We are so many friends, so many associates. So person does not mean alone. Person means with associates. This śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, worshiping Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to worship Him with His associates, Pañca-tattva. Pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇa bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam.

Kṛṣṇa has appeared as a devotee. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, ordered that, "You give up all engagements. Just surrender unto Me and I'll give you protection." But people sometimes misunderstood Him. There are many so-called commentators on the Bhagavad-gītā, they mislead people by giving some wrong commentation on Kṛṣṇa.

One big scholar in India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he gives comments on a verse where is direct order of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65) that, "You become My devotee, always think of Me, offer your obeisances unto Me." But Rādhā . . . Radhakrishnan comments in a different way, "This obeisances is not to the person Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Such a big scholar, he is misinterpreting, "Not to the person Kṛṣṇa." So in this way, Bhagavad-gītā, although widely read all over the world, in all countries, they are being mislead by improper commentary.

So we are therefore trying to present Bhagavad-gītā, or Kṛṣṇa, as He is. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it is coming out successful. For thousands of years Bhagavad-gītā was being read in foreign countries by big, big scholars, philosophers, but there was not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But we have started this movement, not even five years old, we have got sixty branches, and there are thousands and thousands of devotees. Why? The secret is that we have not cheated people; we have not adulterated.

If you put something for sale in the market which is very pure, automatically you'll get many customers—automatic—because the thing is pure. If you sell pure milk, just from the farm, there will be many hundreds of customers immediately, and if you sell adulterated, homogenized, water-mixed milk, the milk will be sold, but not very many customers ordinarily.

So anything pure will attract. That is natural. Pure love, pure foodstuff, anything pure. Pure gold. In economics also. It is said: "Bad money drives away good money." If you put bad money, just like nowadays the currency is some papers, paper currency, so drives away good money. Good money means gold coins. They are not to be seen. That is economic law: as soon as you put bad money, the good money will vanish.

So try to present Kṛṣṇa as is. People will be attracted. Because everyone has got Kṛṣṇa's intimate relationship. We are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁso jīva bhūta (BG 15.7), all living entities, not only human being, other than human being, everyone, all living entities. They have got different bodies only, according to their different desires and inclinations. Otherwise, every living entity from . . . beginning from Brahmā down to an insect, a small ant, they are all living entities, and they are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God.

We are all part and parcel of God. Therefore, just like you are part and parcel of your parent, so there is some intimate relationship with your parents. It cannot be broken, even if you are absent from home for many years. Still, when you go home, meet your parents, the old relationship—affectionate father, mother and son—immediately you'll revive. It does not take much time—because the son was long, long away from father, and he has come back, he takes another hundred years to establish the relation. No. As soon as the father and the son is together, the natural relationship immediately revives.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the original father, God is the original father. We are all His sons. Some way or other we have left home. We have tried to enjoy material sense gratification. Kṛṣṇa has given us full facility. But we are not happy. That is not possible. Because we are separated from our original position, therefore we cannot be happy.

I give you one example. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body or my body, your body. If this finger is separated from this body, it has no value, but if it is attached with this body, it has value. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, if we're detached from God, then we cannot be happy. That is a fact. There are many examples. Just like a baby, the part and parcel of the mother, crying, so many people trying to pacify the baby, taking on the lap, but still it is crying. But as soon as the baby is on the breast of the mother, immediately happy. Naturally. The baby knows, "Now I have come to the right place." Although it cannot speak, it cannot express, but the natural position, as soon as realized.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, brahma-bhutaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). As soon as you become brahma-bhuta . . . (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhuta means you are brahma. Now your position is jīva-bhūtaḥ, materially attached. That is called jīva-bhūta. Materially dressed. Brahma, spirit soul, materially dressed. That is called jīva-bhūta. Jīva-bhūta means struggle for existence. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Prakṛti-sthani, in the material nature they are struggling hard for existence, because that is artificial life. The same jīva, when comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is called brahma-bhūta, Brahman realization, self-realization: "I am Kṛṣṇas." That is self-realization.

Just like the same child, crying. "I am now on the lap of my mother," it is happy. Similarly, when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you can become happy. Otherwise, go on crying for millions of years on different laps or different bodies. You cannot be happy.

So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, means making people directly in contact with the Supreme. Therefore immediately they're happy. I have got thousands of letters from my disciples. They're feeling so much obliged that, "We have got our life. We were hopeless." Actually, that is the position. Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are all hopeless, confused. So I am very happy to see so many nice boys and girls assembled here.

So take to this process. We have got sufficient literature—books, magazines. And the simple method is, even if you do not read—suppose you are not educated, illiterate, you cannot read—still you can reach Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti, devotional service, is not dependent on any material condition. Because one man is very rich, he can get Kṛṣṇa? No. Because one man is very poor, he cannot get Kṛṣṇa? No. That's not right.

Because one is Hindu or Indian, he can get Kṛṣṇa, not others? No. That is also not. Kṛṣṇa is unconditionally for everyone. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sarva yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Otherwise, how He can be God? If He is a Hindu God, just like they describe in the dictionary that Kṛṣṇa, a Hindu God—that is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa does not say that, "I am a Hindu God." But these rascals say Kṛṣṇa is Hindu God. This is going on.

You see in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, sarva yoniṣu kaunteya: "In all species of life," sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ. There are as many different forms of life. Tāsāṁ mahad yoni brahma: "Their mother is this material nature, and I am their seed-giving father." Kṛṣṇa says that. So how can Kṛṣṇa can be Indian or Hindu or this or that? No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. And the proof is that five years ago in the Western countries nobody knew what is Kṛṣṇa. How they're taking Kṛṣṇa in so loving attitude? This is the proof that Kṛṣṇa is for everyone, and everyone is for Kṛṣṇa.

Try to understand this philosophy. Don't be mislead. It is not a sectarian religion. It is the fact. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya (CC Madhya 22.107). The author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, he says, nitya siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, our love for Kṛṣṇa, is eternal fact. Everyone has got love for Kṛṣṇa. Now, some way or other, it is covered. So that has to be awakened. Just like covered fire. Sometimes fire is covered by the ashes, and if you fan over the fire and put some new charcoal, again the fire becomes very bright.

So similarly, somehow or other our love for Kṛṣṇa is covered by these material designation, "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that." These are all ashes. The fire is the spirit soul. So if you rightly fan it over, and you'll see very soon, the fire will come out again. So how fanning? Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. If you kindly hear about Kṛṣṇa, śuddha-citta, without any embarrassment, without being biased to something else . . . śuddha-citte. If you . . . then Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or love for Kṛṣṇa, will automatically awaken, simply by hearing.

That is happening. What we are doing? We are chanting everywhere "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and people are coming by hearing. We're not bribing them, that, "You take some money and become a member of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." Rather, they are paying. So how it is happening, unless that Kṛṣṇa consciousness (is) within him? Try to understand that. Everyone, it doesn't matter where he is born, what he is, what profession he is now—whatever he may be—simply if he hears about Kṛṣṇa.

Just like after very, very long time, if you hear something which was very intimately known to you, you immediately become attracted, "Oh, that sound is again coming." You see? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is our original father. As soon as we hear about Kṛṣṇa, naturally we shall be inclined to hear about Him more and more. So the more you hear, the more you become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and more our life becomes successful. Then you go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.

So I'm very glad that you are so many boys and girls taking interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So please come here. You have got a very nice place. Discuss about Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa through philosophy, through science, through your intelligence—not that blindly—and you will be surely understanding what is Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. You'll become happy in this life, and if you execute properly Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then next life you'll go immediately to Kṛṣṇa for eternal, blissful life of knowledge, sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ: "Anyone who knows Me in fact, in truth, the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That person, after giving up this body, he never comes again to this material world." This material world, so long we have got desire to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will give you different bodies, as you like. You can have your body in America, you can have your body in China, you can have your body in Russia, or in the moon planet—wherever you like. You simply desire, and it will be fulfilled in your next life. Desire means if you strongly desire till the point of your death, then next life you are going to get. That is nature's arrangement.

So why should we desire for any other life? We should desire to go back to Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9), then you'll not get any material body. Then punar janma naiti, he does not get this material body; then what happens to him? Mām eti: "He comes to Me." Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā. And as soon as you go there, you become associate of Kṛṣṇa in so many loving relationship.

You can serve Kṛṣṇa passively, as Vṛndāvana land, as tree, as water, so many, as flowers, as fruits. This is called śānta rasa. And next you can serve Kṛṣṇa. If you like to serve Kṛṣṇa, you can serve Him as servant. Next, you can become friend of Kṛṣṇa, as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Next, you can become father or mother of Kṛṣṇa, just (like) Yaśodā and Nanda, Nanda Mahārāja, they're serving Kṛṣṇa, accepting Kṛṣṇa as their son. Because the son is served. Son takes service from the parents. So devotees, they do not like to accept Kṛṣṇa as father. They would like to have Kṛṣṇa as their son. Father means to exact, "Father, give me this. I want. Mother, give me this"—to take service. And to accept God as son means give service.

So devotees, they want to give service only. They do not want in exchange from Kṛṣṇa anything. That is pure love. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was teaching like that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4): "My dear Lord, I do not want from You any amount of riches, dhanam; janam, any number of followers." Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitād, "not very nice, beautiful, attractive wife. I do not want all these things."

Because materially we want all these things. All these people are struggling very hard. What for? For riches. "Money, money. Where is money? Where is money?" And then as soon as he has got some money, then he wants to be minister or president or governor. Janam, followers, there will be so many followers. Na dhanam, na janam. And very beautiful wife or husband for sense gratification. These things are wanted for materially ambitious people.

But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: "I don't want all these things." He's teaching, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye. Then what You want? Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4): "I simply want that I may take my birth anywhere, it doesn't matter, but let me become Your servant. Let me become Your devotee." That is the aspiration of pure devotee.

So as soon as we shall require any material things, the Kṛṣṇa will give us opportunity. But that is not very good proposal. In the material life, either you are very rich man or demigod, or in the higher planetary system, or as insect or any royal person, anywhere, the threefold miseries of material existence there must be. Therefore intelligent man should be aspiring for Kṛṣṇa only and should be satisfied as Kṛṣṇa likes him to do. That's all. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You try to understand. Take to it. You'll be happy. That is our propaganda.

So if anyone has got some question, you can ask.

Devotee (1): Anyone have any questions?

Woman: It seems that most of the devotees are young people, are persons under thirty, under twenty-five. Why is this so? Why hasn't the movement spread? Is this a deliberate thing, or why do you feel it hasn't spread to parents or to older people?

Prabhupāda: Why the young people go to the university?

Woman: I'm sorry?

Prabhupāda: Why in the university you'll find all the students are young boys and girls? Why?

Woman: Because that's the age of education.

Prabhupāda: That's the age of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (laughter) Old fools, they cannot change their opinion. (laughter)

Woman: Why just in the last five years?

Prabhupāda: Because they have got now. Before this there was no such thing. Now they have got it, they're coming.

Woman: Were you trying before then?

Prabhupāda: No. Before there was no such movement in your country.

Woman: I know, I know. But why did you just now . . .

Prabhupāda: So now they have got the thing. They are wanting it. As they have got it, they are coming.

Devotee (2): How do you develop a service attitude in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Devotee (1): (repeats) How do you develop a service attitude?

Prabhupāda: By service. In the material world, if you give service you become tired. But transcendental world if you give service, you more become enthusiastic. Yes. More service. That is happening. I do not pay these boys. Rather, they pay me, and they engage the service. They pay and serve. In the material world, as soon as you stop payment there is no service. Why? Because they, by serving Kṛṣṇa, they get transcendental pleasure.

So the more you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, the more you become enthusiastic. There is no question of becoming tired. Just like I am old man. I have come from India. My age is seventy-six years. So still I am enthusiastic. Still I am going everywhere, all over the world. Why? Kṛṣṇa's service is so nice. Even old man like me, he gets energy to work. And that's also without any salary. So Kṛṣṇa's service is so nice that you try to engage yourself more and more. Then you'll get more and more Kṛṣṇa conscious, more enthusiasm.

This is spiritual. This is spiritual. Ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). This service cannot be checked by any material condition. That I have already explained. Other service, material service, will be checked by material conditions. But transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa will never be checked by any material condition. That is the test.

Woman: Does the Kṛṣṇa movement recognize other types of service to human beings, like the social workers? Teaching . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is best service to human being, to make them Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Woman: Is there room in the movement for other persons, who are indirectly serving Kṛṣṇa rather than chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa all day?

Prabhupāda: No, the process is, just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, the water is distributed to the leaf, branches, twigs, and they remain fresh. But if you water on the leaf only, the leaf will also dry and the tree will be also dry. If you put your foodstuff on the stomach, then the energy will be distributed to your finger, to your hairs, to your nails and everywhere. And if you take foodstuff in the hand and do not put in the stomach, it will be useless waste.

So all this humanitarian service are being wasted, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They're trying in so many ways to serve the human society, but they're all being frustrated and useless attempt, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if people are trained to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then automatically everyone will be happy. Anyone who will join, one, anyone who will hear, anyone who will cooperate—everyone will be happy.

So our process is natural process. You love God, and if you (are) actually expert in loving God, naturally you love everyone. Just like Kṛṣṇa conscious person, because he loves God, he loves the animals also. He loves birds, beasts, everyone. But so-called humanitarian love means they're loving some human being, but the animals are being killed. Why they do not love the animals? Because imperfect.

But the Kṛṣṇa conscious person will never kill an animal or give trouble to animal even. That is universal love. If you love only your brother and sister, that is not universal love. Universal love means you love everyone. That universal love can be developed by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not by otherwise.

Woman: I know that some of the devotees have had to sever relationships, so to speak, with their material-world parents, and it gives them some degree of grief, because their parents don't understand. Now, what do you tell them to kind of make this easier?

Prabhupāda: Well, a boy who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is giving the best service to his parents, families, countrymen, society. Without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, what service they are giving to their parents? Mostly they are separated. But as Prahlāda Mahārāja was a great devotee, and his father was a great nondevotee, so much so that his father was killed by Nṛsiṁha-deva, but Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was ordered by the Lord to take some benediction, he said that "I am not a merchant, Sir, that by giving You some service I'll take some return. Please excuse me." Nṛsiṁha-deva was very much satisfied: "Here is a pure devotee."

But the same pure devotee requested the Lord, "My Lord, my father was atheist, and he has committed so many offenses, so I beg that my father may be liberated." And Nṛsiṁha-deva said: "Your father is already liberated because you are the . . . his son. In spite of all his offenses, he is liberated, because you are his son. Not only your father, but your father's father, his father up to seven generation, they are all liberated."

So if Vaiṣṇava appears in a family, he liberates not only his father, but his father, his father, his father, in that way. So that is the best service to the family, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Actually, it has happened. One of my student, Kārttikeya, his mother was so much fond of society that usually when he wanted to see his mother, mother says: "Sit down. I am going to the dancing party." That was the relationship. Still, because he . . . this boy, is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he was talking of Kṛṣṇa to his mother many times. So at the time of death the mother asked the son, "Where is your Kṛṣṇa? He is here?" And she, immediately, she died. That means at the time of death she remembered Kṛṣṇa, and immediately she was delivered.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6): at the time of death if one remembers Kṛṣṇa, then life is successful. So this mother, on account of the son, Kṛṣṇa consciousness son, she got liberated, without actually coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is the benefit.

Woman: What about the children of new devotees now? The devotees will soon be having children in the next . . .

Prabhupāda: They will be also Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are maintaining, raising all these children. There are so many children in our Society. We have got . . . there is school. We are preparing special school-study books for them. We are taking care of them nicely.

Woman: I wondered, are you sending them, or do you advocate sending them, to secular schools, or have you made arrangements . . .?

Prabhupāda: No, no. We admit without application. There is no need of application. You'll please come and stay with us, that's all. Our door is open. We are rather appealing to the person, "Please come." In ordinary institution you have to put your application. When it is sanctioned, then you are admitted. We are canvassing, "Please come, please come, please come." Still they are not coming.

Woman: That isn't exactly what I meant. I just wondered if you'd made arrangements with the government so that . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, we're trying for that.

Woman: It's still under way now?

Prabhupāda: To get our institution in New Vrindaban, the government has said that, "You make such-and-such building." So we have no money, but still we are trying. As soon as the government conditions are fulfilled, we'll get government cooperation also.

Woman: Thank you.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (end)