721009 - Arrival Lecture BG 02.44 - Honolulu

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

721009AR-HONOLULU - October 09, 1972 - 24:42 Minutes

(kīrtana)

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

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (devotees offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: So I'm very glad to see you again.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: And I am still more glad to see that the deities are so nicely dressed and decorated.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: The more we keep the deities nicely dressed and decorated, the more your heart will be decorated. This is the science. If you neglect the decoration of the deity, then your heart will be gradually blackened. Therefore on account of neglect of the deity worship so many dirty-hearted persons have left. They had to leave. Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not want them to stay. This is the formula.

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

(BG 2.44)

That is . . . (indistinct) . . . unfortunately, we do not read. What can I do? This is a verse from the Bhagavad-gītā, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ. Is there a Bhagavad-gītā here? Find out this verse.

(aside) He'll find out.

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . bhogaiś . . .

Prabhupāda:

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ

samādhau na vidhīyate

(BG 2.44)

This material world means sense gratification. This is the meaning of material world. So in the material world there are 8,400,000 forms of life, we know very well. And from aquatics, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati (Padma Purāṇa); from aquatics to different life-forms and fishes. From water, trees are coming. Water, big water, trees are coming out, and then gradually it is becoming land, like that.

So just see how perfect the Vedic description for . . . throughout the whole planet. Not only whole planet; half of the universe was merged into water, then gradually the planets came out, and we can see on this earthly planet three-fourths now. Formerly it was covered with water, now three-fourths water, one-fourth land. How land comes out? That I have seen this time. There are many islands, more than 300 islands, small ones. They have come out of the sea. And big.

So how scientifically it is described: jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. First, because there is water for aquatics, then as land comes out, the trees come out. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvarā means these trees and plants, they cannot move. These trees and plants, they have to stand up on this; they are called sthāvarā. Those who can move, they are called jaṅgama, sthāvara-jaṅgama. That is very scientifically. Eh?

So why they have, the living entities, part and parcel of God, why there are varieties of life? The reason is that varieties of desires, to enjoy. Varieties of sense gratification. Just like you, in your Western countries, so many assets. Huh? Nowadays I find, asset has increased. There are different degrees, that's all. You will not find any standard. Formerly, in our childhood, you used to see European family man, there is one dress.

And nowadays you see so many varieties of dress. Anyway . . . as it is practical, because we have got varieties of desires, we dress ourselves in different fashionable clothes. So this varieties of life mean they have different desires, and Kṛṣṇa is fulfilling their desires. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11).

Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He has given us little independence; thus people interpret fully independent. But according to our proportionate existence we have to use that independence. The same example: the drop of water, seawater, it contains the same amount of chemicals . . . not the same amount, proportionate to the volume. So the drop, it does not . . . minimum quantity, proportionate like that, the ingredients, as the ocean.

As the ocean is big, therefore the quantity of salt is also big; and the drop of ocean water, because it is small, therefore it is small grain, proportionation. So we can fulfill our desire also in proportion. Not that I am a small quantity of seawater, and I possess million tons of salt. That is not possible. This is most unscientific. You can possess according to the proportion of your existence of the . . . (indistinct)

Because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we are also have got the same chemicals, but not proportionally the same quantity. That is the difference. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy: acintya bheda bheda, simultaneously one and different. One, because containing the same, er, chemically. One, the same drop of seawater—but not one, because sea is very large, and small drop is small. So we have got the desire.

So our desires, the large quantity of desires. A drop of water, if it remains in the sea, then it has the facility to possess the same quantity. And if you remain aside, then the quantity will to . . . those . . . bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Those who are . . . position is very small but wants to enjoy like Kṛṣṇa, they are rascals. Position is very small proportionately, but want to enjoy like Kṛṣṇa, they are fools.

Therefore those who are very much attached to this material nature, they are unfortunate; they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. Therefore according to our proportion, we are to minimize. Then you do. So our Society, therefore, minimizes. Not stops—minimizes. Just like we say no illicit sex. We don't say no sex. That we don't say, because life is . . . so long the life is there, the sex must be there.

So long life is there, eating must be there. So long the life is there, sleeping must be there. But not that sleeping twenty, twenty-five hours, and sex as much as they like, and eating voraciously. And defense—there is no limit how to do it. Now they have come to atomic defense, and still . . . (indistinct) . . . in this way if we keep our civilization, it will never be happy. Never be. It is simply will 'o the wisp, that's all.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific movement, for the peaceful situation of the whole human civilization. Try to understand the philosophy and the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't be misled by sense gratification. Then you will . . . grow . . . and if you understand the philosophy and the science, then you will be able to do good to the whole humanity. Otherwise it will . . . (indistinct) . . . Kṛṣṇa will not allow the rascals.

So bhogaiśvarya. Kṛṣṇa says, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ (BG 2.44). What is this verse? Now this, read. Yes.

Devotee: Read? "In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is my request: that we have got this body, and the bodily demands are there. The bodily demands means eating, sleeping, sex and defense. That is required. We don't stop it, but minimize it. Don't increase it. To increase it is called pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means increasing the propensity of sense enjoyment. That is called pravṛtti-mārga. And there is another way, nivṛtti-mārga: decreasing the propensity for sense gratification.

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not pravṛtti-mārga—nivṛtti-mārga. Because if we go to the pravṛtti-mārga, increasing the propensity of sense gratification, then that is very dangerous. Dangerous means, suppose you are now American; you have got all facilities for sense gratification. But you have to change your body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). That you cannot stop. If a young man says: "No, I shall not change my body. I shall not become old man," will he be accepted by the nature? Nature kicks out your proposition: "You must become old man." Why I must thinking so independent?

So the change of body, as you have to accept, you are not independent to say how I shall continue to remain young man and enjoy life. No. You must. Similarly, tathā dehān . . . Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. As you have to change in this life from one body to another by the nature's law, ah . . .

(aside) Sit down, that child.

You cannot violate the nature's law. That is not possible. You are a rascal, you are fool, you are thinking independently, but you are completely under the control of nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Under the . . . completely under the grip of material nature, the rascals, they are thinking, "I am independent. There is no God, there is no control; I can do whatever I like." That is not the fact. The fact is that we are fools and rascals. We have come to enjoy this material world, but under the control of material nature.

(disturbance from children)

(aside) You must hold him.

So if we go in the pravṛtti-mārga, increase our sense gratification propensity, then we shall be entangled, and in this way . . . as human beings you have got advanced stage. The nature brings you from the aquatics, I was just stating, from the fish life, to plant life, to vegetable life, to . . . in this way 2,000,000's forms, gradually. This is called evolution—one after another, one after another. So long you are not human being, you are coming through the laws of nature automatically. Now, when you come to the form of human being, and bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), after many, many births, after many, many millions of years, you come; nature brings you.

Now, because we have got little independence, nature . . . of course, we have not become dependent willingly, but Kṛṣṇa does not touch your independence. Therefore He has given you advanced consciousness in human form of life, so that you now decide which way you shall go.

This pravṛtti-mārga—unlimitedly. Pravṛtti-mārga means if you want to enjoy the senses whimsically, as much as you like, that is called pravṛtti-mārga. And the other mārga, way is the crossing, the nivṛtti-mārga: no more sense gratification. That is called nivṛtti-mārga.

So to bring these fools and rascals from the pravṛtti-mārga to nivṛtti-mārga, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore we have got . . . (indistinct) . . . sense gratification. Then we cannot imitate. That is the whole Vedic process. Just like those who are meat-eaters, the Vedic process is, it doesn't say imitate it. No. Stop eating, we say, because our process is a little advanced than ordinary Vedic process. This is also Vedic process. Because where is the time? Where is the time? So the Vedic process says: "All right, if you cannot stop meat-eating, just offer some small animal before Goddess Kali." The worship of Goddess Kali means it is a concession to the meat-eaters. It is not required. It is tamasic.

So pravṛtti-mārga or nivṛtti-mārga, so we have to become fixed about these things. We cannot be deviant. If somebody cannot tolerate to sit down, then you don't mind for them. We want one moon, not millions of stars. We don't want. What is the use of the moon (stars)? Useless. If you have one moon, it will light the whole sky, full moon. So we are trying to make one moon, not million stars. This is our policy.

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that, "After propagating this missionary activities, if I see one man has understood this philosophy, I will take my mission as a success. I don't want many . . . (indistinct) . . ." That policy we are also following. We don't want millions of stars; we want one moon. That will save you. You always remember: try to become moon, not to become star. Useless. Nobody cares for the stars, but everyone is waiting for the full moon. That is wanted. Now try to make full moon, not stars. So this is our policy. So therefore somebody may disagree. We don't mind. Still we want there must be moon, not the stars.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! Prabhupāda! (obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hmm very good. (obeisances) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So? . . . (indistinct)

(kīrtana) (break) (end)