720219 - Lecture at Gaudiya Math - Visakhapatnam

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

720219AD-VISAKHAPATNAM - February 19, 1972 - 16:00 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . His Holiness Śrīpāda Puri Mahārāja. we are very much thankful to the authorities of this temple for giving us shelter and associating with this holy function.

(aside) You will translate? (Yaśomatīnandana translates throughout)

(break) Today's function is installing a different important incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (break) In the Brahma-saṁhitā, about the incarnation of the Supreme Lord, Govinda is mentioned primarily, beginning with Rāma. (break)

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavad paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.39)

(break) Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. Kṛṣṇa says Himself, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7): "There is no more superior authority than Me." (break)

There is no difference between Lord Rāma, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Nrsiṁha, Varāha. They are all the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (break) That is the explanation that a candle, the original candle, and you can lit up another candle, you can lit up another candle. Although the original candle you can say number one candle, but all the candles are equally powerful. There is no question. Because the second candle is enlightened from the first candle, it does not mean that the second candle is less powerful than the original candle.

(break) The one Supreme Lord, He expands Himself. Just like we can get one example: you can have your photograph and you can, by photograph, you can expand yourself. Or you stand before hundreds and millions of mirrors, your body will be reflected, your bodily feature will be reflected. But the thing is, in this material world, that reflection of the body is not as good as the original body, because it is dual world. But in the absolute world, such reflection, such expansion, they are as good as the original (break).

Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as we have sung just now, rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī, He lives in His place, Goloka.

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis-

tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ

goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.37)

Although He is always situated in Goloka Vṛndāvana for satisfaction of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana . . . gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead, is very busy to satisfy the gopī-jana, the gopīs and the cowherd boys. He does not go out of Vṛndāvana. But still, because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can expand Himself in such a way. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (break).

Kṛṣṇa expands Himself, eko bahu syāma. According to Vedic description, the first is viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. The viṣṇu-tattva is called svāṁśa. There is no difference between one viṣṇu-tattva to another. Just like viṣṇu, Rāmacandra, He is viṣṇu-tattva. Nārāyaṇa, viṣṇu-tattva. Balarāma, viṣṇu-tattva. So there is no difference in power. They are called svāṁśa, svāṁśa-vistāra. And there are other vistāra. That is called vibhinnāṁśa vistāra, separated part and parcel.

We are, we the jīvas, we are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. But we are a small, separated part and parcel, whereas viṣṇu-tattva expansion, They are full in power. (break) The viṣṇu-tattvas are known as puruṣa-tattva, whereas the jīva-tattva is known as śakti-tattva. (break) Jīva-tattva, as the Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that jīva-tattva can be God or jīva can become God, that is a false theory. It has no value according to Vedic scripture. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that:

apareyam itas (tv anyāṁ)

tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām

jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho

yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

(BG 7.5)

So this jīva-tattva is accepted as prakṛti, not puruṣa. (break) There are two kinds of prakṛtis, or energies, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One is called inferior energy, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ (BG 7.4), this material elements, earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. They are inferior energies of the Supreme Lord. And the jīva-bhūta, that superior energy world . . . because the superior energy tries to lord it over the material energy. Just like we are jīvas. Every one of us trying to utilize the material resources of the material nature. We are simply trying. Actually we are not bhoktā. Bhoktā is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(break) . . . natural endeavor of the jīvas, living entities, to have control over this material world is false. Therefore, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is propagated to make them understand that their endeavor to lord it over the material nature will always be frustrated (break). An example can be given, one gentleman has got more than one wife. So if the wives quarrel between themselves that one wife will enjoy the another or predominate over the other wives, that is not possible. Similarly, prakṛti, we are prakṛti, we cannot control over the other prakṛti. It may be I am superior prakṛti but the other is inferior prakṛti, but that does not mean one prakṛti can enjoy the other prakṛti.

Therefore, this enjoying spirit should be given up. This enjoying spirit is māyā. Māyā means illusion. The same example: one woman cannot enjoy other woman. The all women is enjoyable by the man. That is the nature. Similarly, we are prakṛti, jīva, and the material world is also prakṛti. So one prakṛti cannot enjoy prakṛti. The best thing is, best adjustment is that all the prakṛtis should be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). All these prakṛtis, different wives of Kṛṣṇa or energy, they are struggling, unnecessarily they are struggling to become predominator. In this material world, everyone is trying to be predominator. One nation is trying to become predominator of other nations. One man is trying to be predominator of other men. One brother is trying to be predominator of other brother. This is māyā. So everyone should give up the spirit of predominating. They should be willingly surrendered for becoming predominated by the Supreme Lord. That will be in peace.

The whole world is suffering on this false predominating position. The human form different parties, this party and that party. But if you have got the same disease . . . same disease means spirit of predominating. At the present moment, it is going on. Take for example the Communist Party or Jana Sangha Party or this party or that party. They have formed different parties, but the disease is there that, "I shall predominate." So this party forming with the diseased condition that, "I shall be enjoyer," there cannot be any peace. (break) Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said:

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānas

te 'pīṣa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

The different parties, different mentalities, they are trying to predominate over other. They are blind themselves, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānas. One blind man is trying to lead other blind men. There cannot be any benefit. They should know the ultimate goal of life is Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we shall all surrender unto Him. Then there can be peace and prosperity.

Thank you very much. (break)

Śyāmasundara: (to tape) Speech delivered in the Gauḍīya Math, Visakhapatnam, February 19th, 1972. (break)

(kirtana) (Śrīla Prabhupāda leads) (end)