740629 - Lecture BG 07.01 - Melbourne

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740629BG-MELBOURNE - June 29, 1974 - 36:35 Minutes

Prabhupāda: So here it is said that asaṁśayam. Asaṁśayam means without doubt. Without doubt. And samagram, samagram means in complete. Those who are philosophers, speculating what is God, what is the Absolute Truth, they cannot know. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ . . .

na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

One who is, I mean to say, has gotten, who has gotten a little favor of Kṛṣṇa, God, he can understand. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda, one who has got little mercy of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśa, little mercy, jānāti tattvam, he can understand what is God. Little favor; not all favor, a little. Others, ciraṁ vicinvan, they may go on speculating, imagining what is God, "God may be like this," "God may be like that," "God may be like that." So in that way, ciraṁ vicinvan, for many, many millions of years, if one thinks like that, he cannot understand.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, and He manifests His pastimes in Vṛndāvana as cowherd boy—how He is playing with His friends, how He is dealing with Rādhārāṇī, how He is dealing with His parents. Everything is manifested practically just like ordinary human being. But at the same time, whenever there is need, big, big demons, beginning from Pūtanā, when He was only a few months old, He is maintaining His position as God, but dealing with His devotees. This father and mother and friends, lover, all in Vṛndāvana, who are they? They are expansion of Kṛṣṇa. That story we have got in the Kṛṣṇa book, that Brahmā stolen all the cows and calves and cowherd boys. Stolen, and Kṛṣṇa immediately created another set. Then Brahmā understood that "Here is the Supreme Lord, my master." So these Kṛṣṇa's associates, they are all also Kṛṣṇa, expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). We are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. We living entities, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhāgavata, mamaivāṁśo, part and parcel.

So samagram, one has to understand actually what is Kṛṣṇa in complete. If you want to that, know that, then this is the process, mayi, mayi āsakta-manaḥ, mayy āsakta-manaḥ (BG 7.1), the mind has to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa, first thing is. Mind. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in this Deity form. The Deity is Kṛṣṇa Himself. But we cannot concentrate Kṛṣṇa which is not visible. Kṛṣṇa is not visible to the ordinary eyes. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). God is not perceptible with our this material eyes, our material senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na . . . even material ears. You are chanting. If you are not spiritually advanced, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra also will not appeal. It will be happening mechanically. But by chanting you will gradually advance, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, then you will understand that this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is not different from Kṛṣṇa. The mantra, the sound vibration, is also Kṛṣṇa.

So we have to, I mean to say, repose our mind to the form of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says mayi, "Unto Me, Kṛṣṇa." We cannot see now Kṛṣṇa personally. Personally He is here, but we want to see anything physically. Physically He is also there. Here, Kṛṣṇa mūrti is physical, but because you are differently educated, you do not know what is this world of physics. We think that this is different from Kṛṣṇa. That will be explained. Therefore it is said, tac chṛṇu. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. "You just hear from Me, as you can understand Me in complete, without any doubt." So Kṛṣṇa is instructing Himself, about Himself. So why there should be any doubt? There cannot be any doubt. God is explaining Himself about Him, then why there should be doubt? This is the . . . this is called bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha.

So how you can engage your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead if you do not know the form? Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes in His original form. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). When people forget or become engaged otherwise, rascaldom, duṣkṛtinaḥ, at that time He comes. He comes Himself or sends His representative to make this rascal know that, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. In the form of name, in the form of Deity, in the form of picture, in the . . . so many ways. If you think of Kṛṣṇa within yourself, that "Kṛṣṇa is like this, Kṛṣṇa's leg is like this, Kṛṣṇa's flute is like this, Kṛṣṇa's hand is like this, mouth is like this, He is dressed like this," this meditation is perfect meditation—not imagination—so that your mind will be gradually absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa comes, therefore, personally and exhibits this Kṛṣṇa mūrti. Just like here is the picture of your spiritual master. So you worship this picture. You know that, "This is my spiritual master's picture." Similarly, if somebody disregards this picture, you will not tolerate. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's Deity and Kṛṣṇa not different. I was explaining this morning, Kṛṣṇa has come, kindly, to accept your service as you can deal with Him. If Kṛṣṇa comes in His gigantic form—Kṛṣṇa has got gigantic form also, as it was shown to Arjuna—you will not be able to capture Him, neither you have any means to dress Him. Suppose the universal form of Kṛṣṇa is there, and you have to dress Him, (laughter) so the whole cloth factory will be finished. (laughter) Is it not? How you can dress? You have no capacity to dress. But Kṛṣṇa has kindly accepted a form, the Deity. You can purchase cloth according to your means, and with your great devotion, you can dress. Similarly, the gigantic virāṭ-rūpa, universal form, the whole, it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā that He is eating, the whole humanity is going on in His mouth. Then where you will get such food? (laughter) The whole humanity, the whole universal living entities can be devoured by Kṛṣṇa. But because you are not able to offer such gigantic food to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says: "All right, give Me patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Give Me a little flower, give Me a little fruit, give Me a little water, I shall accept it." This is called arcana-viddhi. Kṛṣṇa has agreed to accept your service as you can afford to do. It is not idol worship. It is actually worshiping Kṛṣṇa.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, that simply you have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti-yoga. We have got attachment for so many things. Our attachment is now disbursed in so many ways. You have to concentrate that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then your business will be successful, bhakti-yoga, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Mine." Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor. Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting about Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, writing about Kṛṣṇa, selling the books about Kṛṣṇa, eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way you become Kṛṣṇa-ized. All-around Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Kṛṣṇa atmosphere. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, this is yoga; mad-āśrayaḥ, not . . . mad-āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of Me." So, "taking shelter of Me" through beginning teaching. Understanding of Kṛṣṇa, taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). By Kṛṣṇa's mercy one gets guru, and guru's mercy one gets Kṛṣṇa.

So if one is sincere, he will take advantage of guru's mercy and Kṛṣṇa's mercy, and then he will be perfect. This is called bhakti-yoga. Not that "I am now very much advanced. I don't require any help from my guru," as somebody are doing. This is rascaldom. You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by overcoming guru. That is not possible. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya. We should always remember that by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa we get guru, and by the mercy of guru we get Kṛṣṇa. So we have to seek mercies of both of them.

So, mayy āsakta, mad . . . mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means, mat-āśrayaḥ, one . . . guru means . . . who has taken full shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. A . . . a guru does not mean that he has taken shelter of somebody else and he has become guru. That is not. Guru means one who has taken full shelter, complete surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. Or he speaks only what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Just like we are speaking in this Bhagavad-gītā, as it is. There is no malinterpretation. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66); the guru will teach his disciple that, "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is God, He is saying: "Surrender to Me," and guru is saying: "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore the statement is the same. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), so guru will say the same thing that, "You always think of Kṛṣṇa, you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you offer worship to Kṛṣṇa, you offer your obeisances." This is guru's business. Not that because in the śāstra it is said that guru should be honored as Kṛṣṇa, as Bhagavān, therefore guru will think, "I have become Bhagavān." No. That is Māyāvāda. The disciple will offer as respect . . . as much respect he offers to Kṛṣṇa, to guru. That is the śāstric injunction. For that reason the real guru will not think that, "I have become Kṛṣṇa." Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. By the mercy of guru, you get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. If . . . if guru approves, that "Here is a nice devotee," then Kṛṣṇa accepts, "Yes, here is a nice devotee."

So therefore yasya prasādād, our business is to please guru. If he is satisfied, then Kṛṣṇa immediately becomes satisfied, because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in office. Your immediate boss, the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, then the managing director sees the report, "Yes, this man is working nice." That he will accept. He has never seen him. But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa also seeing you.

So this is called mad-āśritāḥ. Yuñjan . . . mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ (BG 7.1). You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa . . . because you have no direct touch of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then this yuñjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yātrā, so this dress, Jagannātha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. And this, the beginning is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti. Āsakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then other things does not come.

So this āsakti attachment has to be practiced. That āsakti, there is rules and regulation, or the method how you can develop, increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. So the first thing is ādau śraddhā, faith that, "If I become Kṛṣṇa conscious, I will be happy. That is my goal of life." This is called śraddhā. If you have no śraddhā that, "By loving Kṛṣṇa, by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, my life will be perfect, that is perfection of life," then there is no beginning of bhakti-yoga. So first thing is this. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So, "You give up all other engagement, just surrender to Me." So if you have got faith actually, then you can devote yourself fully, cent percent, in the service of, that is the beginning, ādau śraddhā: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that by surrendering to Him I shall be free from all sinful reaction." If you have got faith, then you surrender, and actually you will be free from all sinful reaction. Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa is not making any bogus propaganda. He said, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall get you released from all reaction of sinful life." We are suffering because there is reaction of sinful life, but if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your all reaction of sinful life is immediately nullified, squared up.

So this is the process of bhakti-yoga. You surrender and, in the past, whatever sinful activities you have done, that is squared up, now account closed. Now you begin a new life, devotional life, and if you stick to the principle as it is instructed, that do not have illicit sex life, do not have intoxicants, do not eat meat, do not play gambling, speculate, you promise before Kṛṣṇa and before the spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇavas, so many witnesses, and if you violate, then you can understand what you are doing. You promise with . . . before the Deity. Kṛṣṇa is not different, so when the initiation takes place we promise so many things. But if we do not follow, if we do not keep our promise, that is a great fault. If you, by chance, by mistake, you violate the regulative principle, that is excused, but if willingly, if you go on committing sinful life—so just like in the churches they go to confess and again begin—that kind of business will not help you. That kind of business will not help you. "Now I have confessed, now I begin new chapter of sinful life. Again I shall confess." Kṛṣṇa is not so fool that you can cheat Him by this process. No, that is not possible. You can be executing the process of your advancement; unwillingly if you commit some mistake, that will be excused.

That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Sometimes we take shelter of this verse, that api cet su-durācāro: "However sinful you might . . . may be," bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, "if he is fully engaged in My service . . ." But this word is very important. One cannot be fully engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa unless he is purified. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām (BG 7.28). One who is completely free from reaction of sinful life and is always engaged in pious activities, such person can be Kṛṣṇa conscious. So it is . . . it is not that one is a debauch, at the same time a Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is a contradictory. It cannot be. If he is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is . . . cannot be debauch. And if he is debauch, then he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. Two things cannot go parallel.

So we are . . . if we are fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa takes our all sinful, because continually we are suffering. What is that? Because, just like the same example, a infection. I have infected, say, two, three kinds of disease, so I am suffering from one infection, again another infection. They come. They take time. Just like if you sow a seed, it not that immediately becomes a big tree and fruits. No. It takes some time. Similarly, our pāpa-bījam, the seed of sinful activities, we take it, but in the . . . immediately we may not see that it is fructified, but it will, in due course of time. It will. Same way that one man has infected cholera bacteria, so not that immediately he is attacked with cholera; say after a few days. Therefore the injection is given, and that time is allowed in the medical treatment, so that if the infection has actually working, the disease will come. So immediately we may not see that we are infected with some certain type of sinful activities, but it will come into notice. That is going on. Therefore we shall be careful not to infect.

And how to become careful? If you always engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa's service . . . therefore the Deity worship in the temple is there to keep us always engaged. Not only Deity worship. The class, reading, hearing, kīrtana—in so many ways. There are nine different kinds of ways:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma . . .

(SB 7.5.23)

Any way, if you keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa's business, then you are immune. You will not be infected. This is the process. Keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, you will always remain immune. Sa-gunān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya (BG 14.26). And willfully, we shall not do anything which against the bhakti process, willfully. But because I am habituated . . . suppose a smoker, he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least has promised that, "I shall not smoke, I shall . . ." but all of a chance, sudden, suppose his friend induces him, "Oh, what is that? Smoke today," doing that. So sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not willfully, "Now nobody is seeing. Kṛṣṇa is not here. Let me smoke now." Not that. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Kṛṣṇa's eyes.

So in this way, this verse says that, "Increase your attachment upon Me." That attachment can be . . . the process is this, that first of all you must have full faith in Kṛṣṇa, or full faith in the words of spiritual master. That is the beginning. If you have no faith, there is no question of advancing. The advance, there is no question. Finished. Then everything is finished. First thing is faith. Then, then we have to associate with persons who have faith, sādhu-saṅgaḥ. This, this is . . . our opening of different center means we are giving chance. So those who are inmates of the temple, they should be also such nice devotees that anyone who will come in the association of devotees, he will immediately develop a sense of devotion. That is the duty, those who are managing this temple. By his character, by his behavior, he will be influenced. This, this is next step. First of all faith, the next step is to associate with devotees. But devotees must be also sincere devotee, otherwise what will be the effect of such asociation? Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo. Then, gradually he will be inclined to become one of the devotees. He will request the president, "Sir, you recommend me for being initiated. I am interested." That is called bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. Then bhajana-kriyā, he is initiated, the activities begins officially. Then as he make advance in this bhajana-kriyā, or activities in devotional service, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, then all the unwanted things—the so-called illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking, gambling, even up to smoking and drinking tea—finished. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then you become pure.

When you are pure, then your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, athāsaktis. That is called āsaktiḥ, attachment. Then tato niṣṭhā, then firm faith; tato ruciḥ, taste; tataḥ saktiḥ, then attachment; tato bhāvaḥ: in this way you will come to the platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is perfect. This verse explains that: how you can increase your devotional life, how you can become pefect, how you can know God perfectly, samagram; asaṁśayam, without any doubt. This is the process.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No question?

Devotee (1): Yes, right here, Prabhupāda.

Devotee (2): What gives a man the right to take the renounced order of life, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee (2): What . . . what gives a man the right to accept the renounced order of life?

Devotee (1): What . . . who gives?

Devotee (2): What qualifications?

Devotee (1): What qualifications should the man have to take sannyāsa?

Prabhupāda: Sannyāsa?

Devotee (1): What qualifications.

Prabhupāda: For sannyāsī?

Devotee (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Who has got no more material desires. Then he is fit for taking sannyāsa. Sarvopādhi. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ. Śūnyam means zero. All material desires made into zero. Then sannyāsa.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(CC Madhya 19.167)

Sannyāsa. Anāsakta. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī . . . (BG 6.1). Who is a sannyāsī? Anāsakta. Anāsakta means he is working day and night, but no attachment for the result. Karmīs . . . what is the difference between karmī and sannyāsa? Karmī is working so hard, day and night; he is expecting that "I shall get some money out of it and I shall enjoy." That is karmī. And sannyāsī, he is working in the same way, day and night, but he is not expecting the profit for his personal use. For Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Where is the difference? There is no . . . in the activities there is no difference, but the one is accepting the result for his personal benefit, and one is creating good result but not for his personal benefit, but Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the definition of sannyāsa. Anāsakta . . . anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam: he is doing as my duty. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant, I have to do it. If I do not do it, then it is my misbehavior. Anāsakta . . . anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma ka . . . sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. Such person is yogī, such person is sannyāsī, na niragnir na cākriyaḥ (BG 6.1). Not that artificially I have taken the dress of a sannyāsī and talking nonsense. He is not sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means one who has completely devoted his life for Kṛṣṇa. He is sannyāsī, sa sannyāsī, and he is yogī.

Devotee (1): Yes.

Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, how . . . how is one able to draw the distinction between working very hard for Kṛṣṇa and over-endeavoring?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. What is that—phalena paricīyate. By the result you can understand. By service Kṛṣṇa, he will understand more about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will be clear to him. That is the test. Because it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam (CC Madhya 17.136). Kṛṣṇa cannot be realized by so-called speculation, but if you render service to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you. Revelation. So he, how much service he is giving, that will be tested how much he has, I mean to say, realized Kṛṣṇa. This is the test. If Kṛṣṇa is still vague idea to him, then he has not advanced. This is the test. Just like if you have eaten something, then you will feel satisfaction. You are hungry, you have been given some food, but you cannot say that, "I am eating, also I am not satisfied in my hunger." That cannot be. If you are actually serving Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you. You will know what is Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām, without any doubt, and fullness. Here is the test. If somebody comes, "What is Kṛṣṇa?" You say: "Yes, I am serving Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know what is Kṛṣṇa," what is his service? He must know, because here it is said, asaṁśayaṁ samagram (BG 7.1), without any doubt . . . (break) (end)