720420 - Lecture - Tokyo

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720420LE-TOKYO - April 20, 1972 - 21:31 Minutes

(kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: (prema-dhvanī) Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Haribol. Prabhupāda ki jaya! (obeisances)

So:

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

(Śrī Vaiṣṇava Praṇāma)

Vaiṣṇava, devotees of the Lord, they are just like desire tree, vāñchā-kalpataru. Desire tree, of course, we have no experience, but there is description, in the spiritual world there are desire trees. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). It is called kalpa-vṛkṣa. So:

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

(Śrī Vaiṣṇava Praṇāma)

Vaiṣṇava, devotee of Lord, can give you everything, whatever you desire, fulfilled, because a Vaiṣṇava can deliver Kṛṣṇa. So when Kṛṣṇa is achieved, so there is no more any desire.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja: he underwent severe austerities, penances, meditation. His purpose was that, "When I shall see God, Nārāyaṇa, I shall take benediction that I must have a kingdom better than my father or my grandfather achieved." That was his determination. Because he was a child, so his stepmother refused to allow him to sit on the lap of his father.

He became insulted, so he decided that, "I shall take from Kṛṣṇa such a kingdom which even my father or grandfather could not imagine." It is childish determination, but it was a determination. He was a kṣatriya. His determination . . . and Kṛṣṇa fulfilled it. But from his part, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "My dear Lord, I don't want anything. I have got You now." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42).

Actually, when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious . . . Kṛṣṇa consciousness means one can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Kṛṣṇa, they always see Kṛṣṇa. They do not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. That is described by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). He is drinking water but seeing Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, this taste of water is Kṛṣṇa." He is eating prasādam: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He has given me so nice prasādam." So actually Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that he always sees Kṛṣṇa in every activity. He has no other vision. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said:

sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti

sarvatra sphuraya tāra iṣṭa-deva mūrti

(CC Madhya 8.274)

A devotee is seeing the tree, but he is not seeing the tree. He will see how Kṛṣṇa's energy is working that, "Here is a tree, and it is so nice." He sees everything, everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandha. Everything. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is eulogized that vāñchā-kalpataru. He . . . because he can give Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, kṛṣṇa se tomāra kṛṣṇa dite pāro (from Śaraṇāgati). He is begging Vaiṣṇava, "Sir, Kṛṣṇa is yours. You can deliver Kṛṣṇa." Dhai tava pāche pāche: "Therefore I am after you, because you can deliver Kṛṣṇa."

And in the Brahmā-saṁhitā also it is said, vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). If you want to achieve Kṛṣṇa by studying all the Vedas, it is very difficult. But if you approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can deliver you Kṛṣṇa, "Take it immediately." Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. Therefore Vaiṣṇava is vāñchā-kalpataru. He can fulfill all the desires of our life because he can deliver Kṛṣṇa.

So in our paramparā system we are trying to create some Vaiṣṇavas in the world. There are many industrialists, many scientists, many philosophers, many politician, diplomats and leaders—so many things. They are trying also to solve the problems of the world in different ways, but they cannot do anything. It is impossible. They cannot. They are themselves blind. They do not know actually what is the objective of life. So what they can give you? They can simply create problems. That's all. Ugra-karma. By engaging you in pungent, karmī activities, life becomes most miserable. So this verse:

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo . . .

So Vaiṣṇava is the patitānāṁ pāvana. Fallen. Fallen means . . . fallen means when one falls down from his actual position. That is called fallen. So every conditioned soul is fallen because he has fallen down from his actual position. What is his actual position? The position is that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is the constitutional position of living entity. But he has fallen means he has given up the service of Kṛṣṇa and he has taken the service of māyā, means so many things.

Somebody is serving country, society, friendship, love, and so many things they have created service. At last dog service, cat service. But because they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa's service, therefore they are called fallen. These fallen conditioned soul are claimed by the Vaiṣṇavas. Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. That is Vaiṣṇava's duty.

So you are doing your best to do this service, Vaiṣṇava, in this remote village. Our Sudāmā Prabhu is trying to give service to Kṛṣṇa. Our position is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. We can give service from anywhere, from any position. It doesn't matter where we are. Because everything is Kṛṣṇa's property, everywhere Kṛṣṇa is there, so wherever we get possibility of rendering our service . . . so the literature distribution . . .

So kindly stick to this service attitude. Never be misled by the alluration . . . allurement of māyā. Engage. Remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service wherever you are. Kṛṣṇa will see. We don't want any recognition from anyone else. We want recognition by Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. That's all. If they are satisfied, then our success, life success.

So this place, you all a little distant from the city, but we are not concerned with the city. We are concerned for distributing this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I have learned that there is a train service from here, it takes only forty-five minutes, forty-three minutes. So this place is very nice. It is . . . and expenditure according to our means. That is all right. When Kṛṣṇa will give us better place . . . this is also. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is at, that is better. That is best.

So my point is that you are all Vaiṣṇavas, and try to do something good to the people, because they are all suffering. All suffering. For want of, lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness they do not know what is the aim of life, what is to be achieved. Simply they are working hard like hogs and dogs for sense gratification. They have no other ambition. They do not believe in the next life, although it is a fact there is next life. And they do not know. They are not educated there is next life; how much irresponsibly we are working.

Nature's law is very stringent. If you work irresponsibly, then you can, you have to accept . . . sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). If you become attached to this material enjoyment, then you will have to accept a body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. You have to accept. But this education is not there, whole world. So simply these Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are trying to educate people on this point. So it is sometimes very distressing. But never mind. Nothing is be distressed. When you serve Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of distress. Simply do your best, and people will surely be benefited wherever you go. A Vaiṣṇava, wherever he goes, he makes the place sanctified. Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca.

And kṛpā-sindhu. What these materialistic men can do mercy to the others? They cannot do anything. Here is the real mercy: to awaken a person to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real mercy. Because for want of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness he is suffering millions and millions of years. Sometimes he is becoming tree, like that. Suppose here is a tree; it is standing for thousands of years. So in this way they're simply suffering. This transmigration of the soul, the soul is suffering. Vaiṣṇava is giving you information that "Why you are suffering? You just accept your original position, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, you become happy." This is Vaiṣṇava. Why you are suffering?

So māyā is there. Māyā does not want to lead the culprits. Because one who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a culprit, so māyā wants to give such person more and more trouble. But Vaiṣṇava risks his life to snatch him from the hands of māyā. So māyā, of course, when he (she) sees that, "This man, this living entity, is now corrected; he is now taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness," then she will not disturb.

daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

Māyā etāṁ . . . māyā, she is the most sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. She wants to chastise. Just like police. Police want to chastise a person unless he comes to his consciousness that he must abide by the laws of the state. That is police business. Otherwise police is not enemy. Similarly, māyā is not our enemy, but she has got a thankless task with that trident. So Kṛṣṇa is giving us the knowledge that "You surrender unto Me, and māyā will not trouble you." Māyām etāṁ taranti te.

So we are giving this information that, "You rascal, you are trying to be happy by your material plan. You will never be happy. Don't be fooled. You have been befooled so many lifetimes. Now just make an experiment in this life. Take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and see whether you are becoming happy or not. Why not make . . .?" This is our method. That's all. It is very simple thing. You have tasted your life for so many years. Now why not taste this also? In this way, peacefully we have to execute our devotional service. And the more you do, more you become strong, more Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you.

So our business is very nice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are happy. We are para-upakārī. We are doing good to others. That is puṇya-karma, pious activities. So keep yourself in this attitude. Never mind where you are situated. We are not concerned with a particular place or country or society. We are concerned with Kṛṣṇa. And everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, wherever we go. We are here.

We are not in Japan, we are in Vaikuṇṭha, this temple. We are in Vaikuṇṭha. And we are doing the service of Kṛṣṇa, that Vaikuṇṭha service. So in this way, with this attitude, go on preaching. I am very pleased that you are doing your best. That I want.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)