721220 - Lecture Manipuri Dancing Group - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

721220LE-BOMBAY - December 20, 1972 - 11:51 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . chief devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu he said, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir (CC Adi 1.5), the loving affairs of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, hlādinī-śaktir asmād. Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead has got immense potentiality as it is confirmed in the Vedas,

parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śruyate

svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca

(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8)

So Kṛṣṇa the absolute person has got immense potencies, so these potencies are is also emanating from Kṛṣṇa. Just like in the Vedānta-sutra the first sutra is, janmādy asya yataḥ—everything is emanating from Kṛṣṇa or the absolute person. So the arts, music, anything there are 12 kinds of rasas—mellows. So there are ghastly mellows also, fearful mellows also and this melodic music that is also mellow.

So everything is there in Kṛṣṇa, akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu, all rasas are there. Raso vai saḥ He is the reservoir of all rasas so this display of art and music that is also from Kṛṣṇa, therefore art and music should be employed in the service of the Lord, that is the perfection. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiṁ labhate param, in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.46) it is said that, "whatever your occupational duty may be it doesn't matter if you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa then that is perfection." In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is stated:

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

(SB 1.2.13)

When there was a great meeting of the saintly persons in Naimiṣāraṇya, Sūta Gosvāmī explained to all the great learned brahmins present there, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā, dvija-śreṣṭhā—the best of the brahmins who are present there. They were informed that, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Our Vedic civilisation is based on the varṇāśrama-dharma, brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśyas, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ (BG 4.13), so everyone has got different profession, for livelihood, that doesn't matter. But the Bhāgavata injunction is svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, you may be whatever you may be, you may be artist, you may be dancer, you may be engineer, you may be doctor, you may be professional man or businessman but whatever you may be it does not matter. There are divisions in the human society there are so many divisions of labour but, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, dharma means natural characteristics.

If you have got artistic character, if you can dance, alright dance, if you can sing you sing. If you can fight you fight, that is all right but you take the svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir, how your profession has been perfected. That perfection, the standard of perfection is saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Try to satisfy Hari the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your art, culture, profession, characteristics. So that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we do not stop anything, we stop only committing sinful activities—that we stop. Otherwise we do not stop anything—we simply stop, striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ (SB 1.17.38). The sinful activities we stop.

What are those sinful activities? Illicit connection with women, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling, we stop these. Otherwise you can go on with your profession don't commit these sinful activities and try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa your life is successful. This is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you remain in your profession, sthāne sthitāḥśruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir (SB 10.14.3). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended that you stay in your position don't try to change your position but you try to hear of the Supreme Lord, sthāne sthitāḥśruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. You try to hear about the Supreme Lord and . . . (indistinct)

That is the example in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa gave an oral reception to the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, eh.. Arjuna, Arjuna gave his oral reception to the teachings of Kṛṣṇa and he remained in his position as a fighter he did not change. Rather in the beginning he was hesitating whether he should fight or not but as a kṣatriya it was his duty to fight. But he was hesitating after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he confirmed, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73)—my dear Kṛṣṇa now I am convinced that this is my duty to fight.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is like that, sthāne sthitāḥśruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir, you remain in your position but try to hear from Kṛṣṇa. You can hear from Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā is there, you can hear, don't misinterpret simply try to hear Bhagavad-gītā as it is, your life will be perfect. Sthāne sthitāḥśruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir, so this art and music, the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārānī they are not ordinary things you should not take it as something material. Materially when you take it, it is perverted, actually it is spiritual-culture of the soul's original consciousness. The whole Bhāgavata, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2).

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the narration which is to be understood param nirmatsaranam satām, paramahaṁsas they will understand. So I don't wish to take much of your time but our proposition is that everything can be employed in the service of Kṛṣṇa, anything. Anything there are 12 kinds of rasas and in any rasa, or any mellow, or any humour you can engage yourself in the service of the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Full Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). That is the statement given by Lord Caitanya, if we want to realise self you do not require to undergo much austerities or penances. If you simply understand these things as it is spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). "All the living entities they are My parts and parcels," the part and parcels of Kṛṣṇa's body or the part and parcel of a machine is to render service to the supreme, to the whole. The part and parcel is meant for rendering service to the whole, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy.

So unless you come to that point, therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the real life to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa and whatever we know whatever characteristics are our special profession or duty we have got we should render for satisfying Kṛṣṇa, hari-toṣaṇam, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not reject anything we can accept art, music, industry or even fighting just like Arjuna did. Everything can be employed under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa or his representative. Just like Kṛṣṇa says:

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

We have to learn this art from the tattva-darśī, who knows that everything is order, adjust everything for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa then your profession, your occupation will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Audience: (applause) (end)