730419 - Lecture SB 01.08.27 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

730419SB-LOS ANGELES - April 19, 1973 - 38:57 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (leads singing of Jaya rādhā-mādhava)

(Audio - 05:07)

(prema-dhvāṇī prayers) Thank you very much. (break)

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

namo 'kiñcana vittāya

nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye

ātmārāmāya śāntāya

kaivalya-pataye namaḥ

(SB 1.8.27)

Prabhupāda: Now ladies. Ladies. (ladies chant) That's all right. Now, word meaning.

Pradyumna: namaḥ—all obeisances unto You; akiñcana-vittāya—unto the property of the materially impoverished; nivṛtta—completely transcendental to the actions of the material modes; guṇa—material modes; vṛttaye—affection; ātma-ārāmāya—one who is self-satisfied; śāntāya—the most gentle; kaivalya-pataye—unto the master of the monists; namaḥ—bowing down.

Translation: "My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You are the most gentle and are master of the monists."

Prabhupāda: So, namaḥ akiñcana-vitta. Materially impoverished. This is the first qualification of a devotee. One who does not possess anything of this material world, he simply possess Kṛṣṇa, that is akiñcana-vitta. Akiñcana means one who has lost everything of material possession. Because if you have got a . . . a small tinge of idea that, "I want to become happy materially in this way," so long you have to accept a body. The nature is so kind that in whichever way you want to enjoy this material world, she will give you a suitable body under the direction of the Lord.

The Lord is situated everyone's heart. So He knows everything, that you still want something material. He will give you, "Yes, you take it." Kṛṣṇa wants that you get full experience that by material gain, you'll never be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa's business, this full freedom. Although we have got minute quantity of freedom, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa has got full freedom—but the freedom quality is there in me because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. The chemical composition. The drop of seawater has got a drop of salt also. Although it is not comparable with the salt containing in the seawater, but the salt chemical is there. This is our understanding. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever we have got in minute quantity, the same thing in fullness is there in Kṛṣṇa. In fullness.

Just like Kṛṣṇa says: mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Now we have got a propensity to take other's thing. You can say it is stealing. We have got that propensity. Why? Now, Kṛṣṇa has got. Kṛṣṇa is known as the butter-thief. The beginning, thieving, stealing. So unless that stealing propensity is there, how I can get? But Kṛṣṇa's stealing and my stealing is different. Because I am materially contaminated, therefore my stealing is abominable, whereas the same stealing in the spiritual absolute platform is so nice that enjoyable: Mother Yaśodā enjoying the activities of stealing by Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference, material and spiritual. Any activity spiritual, that is all good, and any activity material, that is all bad. This is the difference. Here, the so-called morality, goodness, they're all bad. And in the spiritual world, so-called immorality is also good. That you have to understand.

Just like to dance with others' wives at dead of night, this is immoral. Everyone knows. At least in the Vedic civilization, it is not allowed. A young woman is going to another young man at dead of night to dance with him, this will never be allowed in India. Still it is prohibited. But we find that all the gopīs, as soon as they heard the flute, immediately they came. So from material conception it is immoral, but from the spiritual concept, it is the greatest morality. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā (Caitanya-manjusa): "Oh, there is no better mode of worship than what was conceived by the vraja-vadhūs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana."

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very strict about women. In His family life also, He never played any joke with women. He was very joking, but all, all with men. He never played any joke with women. No. Perhaps only once He played joke with His wife, Viṣṇu-priya. When Śacīmātā was searching after something, she . . . He simply played a joking word, "Maybe your daughter-in-law has taken it." That is the only joking we find in His whole life. Otherwise, He was very strict. No woman could come, when He was sannyāsī, could come near Him to offer obeisances. They would offer obeisances from a distant place. But He says, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. He says that there is no conception of worshiping better than what was conceived by the vraja-vadhūs. And what was the vraja-vadhūs' conception? That they wanted to love Kṛṣṇa, at any risk. So this is not immoral. That we have to understand. Anything in relationship . . .

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing, and his father is being killed. Is it moral? Would you like to see your father being killed in your presence, and you stand, you don't protest. Is that moral? Nobody will approve it, that this is moral. No. But actually it so happened that Hiraṇyakaśipu was being killed . . . the picture is here. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to garland the killer. "My dear Lord, killer, You take this garland. You are killing my father. You are very good boy." (laughter) You see. This is, this is spiritual understanding. Nobody will sanction that you . . . if you cannot protect your father, you must protest, you must cry that, "Here is my father is being killed. Come on, come on, come on. Help . . ." No. He's prepared with the garland. And when he was killed, he said to Nṛsiṁha-deva: "My dear Lord, now my father is killed, so everyone is happy. You now wind up Your angry mood."

Nobody is unhappy. He said this very word. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Modeta sādhur api. A sādhu, a saintly person, never approves that one should be killed. Never. Even an animal, a sādhu does not approve. Why animal should be killed? That is sādhu's business. But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, modeta sādhur api. A sādhu, a saintly person, is also pleased. When? When a scorpion or a snake is killed. They're also living entity. A sādhu is never satisfied seeing another living entity being killed, but Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Even a sādhu is pleased when a snake is killed or a scorpion is killed. So my father is just like snake and scorpion. So he's killed; therefore everyone is happy." Everyone was . . . such demon, who simply troubles the devotees, such demon, a very dangerous demon, so when such demon is killed, even saintly persons are satisfied, although saintly persons, they do not want anyone should be killed.

So Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-vitta. One who has lost everything materially, for him, Kṛṣṇa is the only solace. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that if anyone wants material prosperity and, at the same time, wants to become a devotee . . . that is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that "Somebody wants Me, at the same time, he wants material prosperity, he's a fool. He's a fool." Therefore people are very much afraid, coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—"Oh, my material prosperity will be finished." Because they want . . . don't, do not want that. They want to stick to . . . generally, they go to church, go to temple for material prosperity: "God, give us our daily bread." This is material prosperity. Or "Give me this, give me that." But they're also considered as pious, because they have approached God.

The atheist class, they do not approach. They say: "Why shall I approach God? I shall create my wealth. By advancement of science I shall be happy." They are duṣkṛtinaḥ, most sinful, one who says like that, that "For my prosperity, I shall depend on my own strength, my own knowledge." They are duṣkṛtinaḥ. But one who thinks that "My prosperity depends on the mercy of God," they're pious. They're pious. Because, after all, without sanction of God, nothing can be achieved. That's a fact. Tāvad tanur idaṁ tanūpekṣitānām. That is also statement of . . . that we have discovered so many counteracting methods for diminishing our distressed condition, but if it is not sanctioned by God, these counteracting proposition will fail.

The example is . . . just like you have discovered nice medicine, very qualified physician. That's all right. But when a man is sick, ask the physician, "Can you guarantee the life of this patient?" He will never say: "No, I can do so." "I cannot do that. I try my best, that's all." That means the sanction is in the hand of God. "I am simply instrument. If God does not like that you should live, then all my medicines, all my scientific knowledge, medical knowledge, will fail." The ultimate sanction is Kṛṣṇa's. That, the foolish person, they do not know. They are . . . they are, therefore, they are called mūḍha, rascals. That whatever you are doing, that is very good, but, ultimately, if it is not sanctioned by God, by Kṛṣṇa, this will be all failure. They do not know that. Therefore they are mūḍhas. And a devotee knows that "Whatever intelligence I have got—I may try to become happy—if Kṛṣṇa does not sanction, I will never be happy." This is the distinction between devotee and nondevotee.

So Kṛṣṇa says that, "Anyone who is trying to approach Me to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time he wants to become materially happy, he's not very intelligent." That means he's wasting his time. Our main business is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the main business of human life. But if we waste our time for material improvement and forget chanting, then that is loss, great loss. So such mentality, Kṛṣṇa says, āmi vijña tare kene viṣaya diba (CC Madhya 22.39). "So this rascal is asking some material prosperity from Me by discharging devotional service. Why shall I give him material prosperity? Rather, whatever he has got, I shall take it away." Yes. (laughter) It is not laughing. When it is taken away, we become very morose. But that is the test.

That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja: yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja indirectly inquired from Kṛṣṇa that "We are completely dependent on You, and still we are suffering materially so much that our kingdom is taken away, our wife is insulted, we were attempted to be burned in a house." So Kṛṣṇa said: "Yes, that is My first business." Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ, "If I specially favor anybody, then I take away all his sources of income." Very dangerous. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. (laughs) It is a fact.

My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that, "You go and preach." But I thought, "First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work." So that's a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that, "You should have become like Birla." So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful. But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Mahārāja.

Devotees: Jaya. Haribol.

Prabhupāda: Akiñcana-vittāya. When everything was finished, then I took Kṛṣṇa that, "You are the only . . ." Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes finished of all his material opulences . . . and now I am realizing that I have not lost; I've gained. I've gained. That's a fact. So to lose material opulences for Kṛṣṇa's sake is not loss. It is the greatest gain. Therefore it is said, akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes akiñcana, nothing to possess, everything finished, then Kṛṣṇa becomes the only riches for such person. Because he's devotee. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:

hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta

karuṇā karaha ei-bāra

narottama-dāsa koy, nā ṭheliha rāṅgā pāy

tomā bine ke āche āmāra

(Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura)

This position that, "Kṛṣṇa, except Yourself, I have nothing to claim. I have nothing, no possession. So don't neglect me, because You are my only possession." This position is very nice. When we do not depend on anything material, simply depend on Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is addressed: akiñcana-vittāya, "When one becomes impoverished materially, You are the only wealth."

Akiñcana-vittāya. Namaḥ akiñcana-vitta . . . nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye, "The result is that when one takes You as the only possession, immediately he becomes free from the activities of this material nature." That means immediately he's posted on the transcendental position of the Absolute. Akiñcana-vittāya nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye, ātmārāmāya (SB 1.8.27). "At that time, he becomes happy with You, as You are, Kṛṣṇa, You are happy with Yourself."

Because Kṛṣṇa has no difference between body and self. He's simply self, spirit soul. So we have got now this body and self. I am self, but I possess this body. Then when actually we become dependent on Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa is self-satisfied, similarly we can be also self-satisfied with Kṛṣṇa. Kaivalya, kaivalya-pataye namaḥ. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they, monist, they want to become one with the Supreme. As Supreme is self-satisfied, they also want to be self-satisfied by becoming one with the Supreme. Our philosophy is also the same: kaivalya. But we depend on Kṛṣṇa. We do not become one with . . . one with Kṛṣṇa. That is oneness. If we simply agree to abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa—there is no disagreement—that is oneness.

These Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that, "Why shall I keep my individual, separate existence? I shall become merged into . . ." That is not possible. Because we are created, or not created, from the very beginning. We are separated part and parcel. We are separated parts and parcel. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "My dear Arjuna, you, Me and all these persons who have assembled in this battlefield, we were in the past individuals, we are, at present, individuals, and in the future, we shall continue to remain as individuals. We are all individual." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's the Supreme nitya, Supreme Living Force amongst many, innumerable living forces. We are jīva, innumerable, ananta. There is no counting how many we are. Sa anantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). So this ananta, innumerable living entities, and Kṛṣṇa is also a living entity, but He's the chief. That is the difference. Nityo nityānā . . .

Just like there is a leader. Leader is one, and followers, there are many. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Living Entity, and we are subordinate, dependent living entities. That is the difference. Dependent, we can understand: if Kṛṣṇa does not supply us food, we starve. That's a fact. We cannot produce anything. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

So Kṛṣṇa is maintaining, and we are being maintained. Therefore Kṛṣṇa shall be the predominator, and we shall be predominated. That is our natural constitutional position. Therefore if we want to become predominator falsely in this material world, that is illusion. That we must give up. That we must give up. We shall always try to become predominated by Kṛṣṇa. That is successful life.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol. (Audio end) all glories to Prabhupāda! (obeisances) (Video - 26:30) (kīrtana) (end)