730129 - Lecture at University - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730129LE-CALCUTTA - January 29, 1973 - 25:54 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Śrī Gosvāmīpāda, Mr. Motilal, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly inviting me in this meeting to serve you to some extent according to my capacity.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a new movement, started by me, but this movement was started by Kṛṣṇa Himself, five thousand years ago. I need not explain about this movement. Kṛṣṇa, in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, instructed Arjuna the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The . . . in the Ninth Chapter it is said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. "Always think of Kṛṣṇa," man-manā. Bhava mad-bhakto: "Just to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." And māṁ namaskuru: "Offer obeisances unto Me." Kṛṣṇa instructed, mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Kṛṣṇa instructed that He's the Supreme Personality. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa instructed to surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this instruction of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī said:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

When people understood Kṛṣṇa wrongly . . . sometimes big scholars say, sophistry that, "Kṛṣṇa wants full surrender." Others, they say, "Why you should fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa? We have got our own gods." Therefore Kṛṣṇa again came. As Gosvāmī Prabhupāda said: rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya vikṛtir, śrī caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam avyayam. Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, combined together, advented as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to distribute kṛṣṇa-prema. Because the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to teach people how to develop love for Kṛṣṇa. As it is quoted by Gosvāmī Prabhupāda from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yenātmā samprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

Actually that is first-class religion. We do not say that Vedic religion is first class or Christian religion is last class. We do not say that. We say that religious system is first class which teaches the follower how to become lover of God. That is first-class. Ahaituky apratihatā—without any cause, and without being impeded. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is like that, which is explained by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura: premā pumartho mahān ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. So we are preaching this philosophy to the Western countries and by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He desired:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe more nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

That is His prediction. It is nothing wonderful that we are doing. Simply we are trying to fulfill the prediction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But another order is there by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that:

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

So that is lamentable. Now Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is being spread all over the world, but our Indian brothers are not joining, although it is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra. He requested to the humankind who has taken birth in this land, in this puṇya-bhūmi, Bhārata-varṣa. Not to the cats and dogs, but to the human being. That time has come now. If you want to prove that you are actually human being in this land, then you must take seriously the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and spread all over the world. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And it is not very difficult. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says:

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra sarva deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

To become guru, or spiritual master, is not very difficult task. Simply you have to follow the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as He said. He accepted Kṛṣṇa: the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa tanayoḥ. We have to simply preach that "You are searching after God, you great scientist, theologist, theosophist, mental speculators. You are searching after God, the Absolute Truth. Here is God: Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

So our task is very easy. Everything is there. Our Vedic literature is so full, so treasure of knowledge, great treasure of knowledge, we haven't got to make research, search out where is the truth. Truth is there and is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Why don't you take it? The whole world is suffering for want of this knowledge. Before me, many svāmīs went in the Western country, but they did not give the actual pure Vedic culture. They invented their own ways. Therefore it was not very fruitive. It was not very satisfactory. People did not accept. Still there are so many yogīs, the so-called yogīs are going there, exploiting the people and coming back.

But our Kṛṣṇa philosophy is taken very seriously in the Western countries. We have got now hundred and two branches all over the world. Only in America we have got fifty branches. And other countries they have got about fifty-two branches—in America, in Canada, in England, in France, in Germany, in Switzerland, in Japan, in Australia, in New Zealand. All over the world. So now we want some of the young men to come forward to become really brāhmin, Vaiṣṇava.

Our Vedic culture is divided into four varṇas: brāhmin kṣatriya vaiśya śūdra. Unfortunately, we are simply manufacturing śūdras, not brāhmins. That is the defect of modern education. Śūdra, śūdra means paricaryātmakam kāryaṁ śūdra karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). After education, everyone is hankering after a service. That is śūdra karma svabhāva-jam. This is not perfect education. There must be brāhmins, who are independent. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, whose name is still, still celebrated, he was prime minister of Mahārāja Candragupta, but he was not accepting a single paisa as salary.

That was the . . . formerly, although there was monarchy, still there was a council of learned brahmins and sages. They used to advise the king. The brāhmins did not take part in politics, but they gave advice, instruction to the kings, rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ. The rājarṣi used to understand what is the values of life under the instruction of brāhmins, and they execute the order of the brāhmins, the people are happy. And because at the present moment such system is lost, people are confused and they are in frustration.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all-embracing. It can solve all the problems of the world—political, social, economical, religious, everything. It is all-embracing. So my request is that I am working now with my American disciples and European disciples. Why not Indians? I think in this meeting there are many young men, educated, learned scholars. Join this movement and, according to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is the time to do welfare activities for the whole world. They are merged into confusion, everywhere. You know that in the Western countries, the hippie movements. What are the hippies? They're also educated, coming from very rich family also, but they do not like the ways of envelopment as their fathers and grandfathers liked. They have rejected.

So this is the golden opportunity to preach the Kṛṣṇa cult all over the world. You are lamenting because a few yards of land has been taken away from your country as Pakistan, but if you spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the whole world will become Hindustan. There is such potency, I give you my direct perception. People are hankering after it. So long I am in India, practically I am wasting my time. Outside India, this reception is taken so seriously that every part of my moment is properly utilized.

So I have come to this university with a hope that some of you become really brāhmin. The Sanskrit department is meant for brāhmin. Paṭhan pāṭhan yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. A brāhmin is called paṇḍita. Why? Because a brāhmin must be learned. brāhmin is not called a fool. So this department, Sanskrit department, is meant for the brāhmins. So I wish that some of you must join this movement, go to the foreign countries, preach this sublime cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126). There is great need. We have, of course, established so many temples, but still we require to establish temples, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's temple, in every village, every town of the world.

Now from each and every of our centers, we are sending devotees in buses. They are going interior, into the villages of Europe and America, and they are very much well received. England especially, they are going village to village. They are very much well received. This cult is so nice. Even Christian priests, they are surprised. They are surprised. One of the priest in Boston, he issued pamphlet that, "These boys, they're our boys, from Christian and Jews. Before this movement, they did not care to come to the churches even. Now they are mad after God." They are admitting.

The Christian priestly class, they are not against us. Those who are saner class, they're admitting that, "Swāmījī is giving something tangible." Their fathers and forefathers come to me. They bow down. They say, "Swāmījī, it is a great fortune for us that you have come to our country." So I am alone working, and the movement is being appreciated. And if persons, scholars from this university come forward and teaches this movement, it is meant for that. brāhmins business is that, preaching. Brahmā jānāti. One must know Brahman and distribute the knowledge of brahma-jñāna. That is the business of brāhmins.

So I wanted to recite some stanzas from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but there is no very much time. Long, long years ago, the father of Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa, so he instructed: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Here is the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: "This human form of life," ayam deha . . . ayam deha nṛloke: "In the human society." This is not meant for working very hard like the dogs and hogs. Kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. Simply by working hard day and night for sense gratification, this is done by the dogs and hogs. This is not meant for the human society.

But, but at the present moment, people are being instructed in such a way . . . I've seen so many—especially in Calcutta—so many educated boys and girls, they are hankering after service. Day and night they are working. This is not the effect of education. The effect of education should be peaceful mind, peaceful living. That is the duty of the parents, of the guardians, of the government. When there is monarchical government . . . we see from the reign of Prthu Mahārāja, he was seeing that every brāhmin is engaged in his occupational duty, every kṣatriya is employed, is engaged in his occupational duty. Similarly vaiśya. There was no question of unemployment.

That is the first duty of the government to see. Neither there is division of the brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, although it is made by Kṛṣṇa Himself: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There have been so many anomalies in the society for want of this Vedic culture. Now here is the opportunity. People are accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very nicely. You can introduce this Vedic culture throughout the whole world. They're receiving.

So the human form of life is especially meant for tapasya. Tapo divyam. Here it is said: tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). We are hankering after happiness, but happiness cannot be enjoyed so long our existence is not purified. So for purification of our existence we have to undergo tapasya. So we are introducing this tapasya in nutshell. We are asking our students four principles, four regulative principles: No illicit sex life. Beyond marriage life, there is no sex. No intoxication, up to smoking and drinking tea. No meat-eating. No eggs, no fish. And no gambling. We are . . . and chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. These five principles we are teaching.

These four regulative principles, refraining from sinful activities . . . these are the basic pillars of sinful activities: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful life. That is . . . we get from the śāstra. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he enunciated that Kali-yuga . . . he was . . . he ordered Kali-yuga, Kali, to live in these places. When he was ordered to go out of his kingdom, he said, "My dear Lord, everywhere is your kingdom. Where shall I live?" So he ordered him that, "You live in these places: striyaḥ sūnā pānaṁ dyūtaṁ yatra pāpaś catur-vidhaḥ."

So if we want to elevate the social condition, we shall teach people to become purified. Without being purified, simply so-called performance of religious system will not help. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). We should teach people how to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the injunction given by Sūta Gosvāmī in Naimiṣāraṇya, the assembly of great brahmins, learned brahmins.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

This is the philosophy.

So we are teaching this philosophy all over the world. They are being accepted. But I am doing it single-handed. But if some of you come and join us, it will be increased, and people will be very, very happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

(break)

That is my reply. Otherwise, I have not come to teach you something invented by me. I have come to teach you about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you must be amongst these four classes of men: duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. This is my first reply.

So far economic condition is concerned, then I may say, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God supplies you everything. God is supplying food to the elephants, who is eating at a time forty kilos of food, and He's supplying to the ants also. So your anxiety for food, that is not humanly. Even the cats and dogs, they are not anxious for their food. Even the birds, they rise early in the morning, they are not also anxious for the food. God has arranged for food, everyone.

Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham (SB 1.5.18). As you do not try for getting distress, it comes upon you according to your karma, similarly the so-called happiness also will come upon you without any endeavor. But because you have no faith in God, you are thinking that you will die out of hunger. That is not the position.

Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido (SB 1.5.18). Our only business is how to become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other problem in human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the human life. But you have been deviated from that high standard of life. They are now questioning in this way. That is my regret.

Thank you very much. (end)