760706 - Lecture Tenth Anniversary - Washington D.C.

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

760706AD-WASHINGTON DC - July 06, 1976 - 56.17 Minutes

Rūpānuga: In July 1966, Śrīla Prabhupāda in New York City formed the International Society for Krishna Consciousness - incorporated it. And as Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned this morning he was asked to call it the "International Society for God Consciousness," but he did not take that advice. He stuck to the principles of his Guru Mahārāja and called our Society an International Society for Krishna Consciousness. At that time His Divine Grace outlined the purposes for the Society. We want to read them tonight to show that actually they have all come true. And on this tenth anniversary, all the purposes of our Society actually are being fulfilled or already have been.

The first one was to systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large, to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life, and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.

Second, to propagate a consciousness of Kṛṣṇa as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

The third, to bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Kṛṣṇa, the prime entity, and thus to develop the idea within the members and humanity at large that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Fourth, to teach and encourage the saṅkīrtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God, and to reveal the teachings of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Fifth, to erect for the members and for the Society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the Personality of Godhead.

The sixth, to bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.

Last, with a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.

So we can see that actually Śrīla Prabhupāda has now almost a hundred centers and āśramas throughout the world. This has been established in less than ten years. One gentleman recently, a respectable gentleman was saying, "I do not see how this Society is understood all over the world." He was doubtful. And I explained to him what we have done already was done in ten years . . . (indistinct) . . . he was thinking it had been done in twenty, thirty, or forty years, like that. He was so surprised to see that actually in ten years only all this has been accomplished.

And about revealing Kṛṣṇa's, consciousness of Kṛṣṇa as revealed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda's books are now printed in almost fifteen languages around the world and distributed in millions every year. The United States and Europe and South America and in Africa, the Mediterranean, every country in the world is now benedicted by Śrīla Prabhupāda's translations. So that purpose he has kept.

"To bring the members of the Society closer together" - he has always taught us that our whole society is based on love and trust. It was sometimes hindered by our past bad activities and bad habits. We have actually come more and more to that conclusion ourselves as we have banded together to help Śrīla Prabhupāda push this movement. We've had to base our relationships with each other on love and trust; otherwise this would never happen. I've seen personally that so many people gathered together under one roof who would never speak to each other in the material world, who would never even see each other, who would never cross each others path. But in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all these things are forgotten because there's a common denominator, Kṛṣṇa, and everyone's banded together in love and trust.

"To teach and encourage saṅkīrtana." There's hardly a person who travels anywhere who hasn't seen saṅkīrtana in every major city in the Western world. And now they're in India, now in Africa. People see us everywhere. One time a boy said to me . . . I asked him, "How many devotees do you think, full-time devotees, do you think we have in this movement?" This was Washington several years ago. And the boy said, "Well I don't know." "Come on take a guess." "All right. Two million?" (laughter) I didn’t want to tell him there was barely a few thousand at that time, who had initiated the progress, but because of their energy, because Śrīla Prabhupāda's energy is pushing all of his disciples, it appears that there are millions. Because people see us all over the world. Actually we are simply distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda's books. So he has kept that promise, that purpose has been kept.

And to the rest of the members of the society in general, holy places of pilgrimage, that has been accomplished. We are seeing tremendous structures of temples growing up in India almost overnight in Vrindavana, the land of Kṛṣṇa, in Mayapur, the land of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and now so many projects including farm projects. This is his promise. This purpose has been kept. It reminds of so many so called gurus who come and they make promises, they take money and then they are gone - in a few years they are gone. They are found to be smuggling things in their suitcase or they are found to be telling lies, to their promises and their purposes. We find that Srila Prabhupada has kept his promises and purposes in the ten years . . . (indistinct)

“To bring the members closer together to teach them a simpler, more natural way of life” has also been accomplished, because Srila Prabhupada has now established a number of farm projects throughout the world . . . (indistinct) . . . 1500 acres, āśrama, with over 150 members has been flourishing for six to seven years already. So that, that purpose has been accomplished.

And “with a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.” Srila Prabhupada has published so many things from "Easy Journey to Other planets" . . . (indistinct) . . . Prabhupada, so many of his books are continually being published after ten years, ever fresh, ever new. They are being passed out now in small towns and villages, every year . . . (indistinct)

So every one of these purposes that Srila Prabhupada . . . when he pro . . . When he made the statement in . . . (indistinct) . . . manifesto to the government, that “this is the purpose I have come to your country, so this high ideal, with this great ideal, and this is my promise.” So Srila Prabhupada has made a promise to the American people, and actually he has kept his promise. And now it is upon our shoulders to somehow or another, somehow or another try to repay this tremendous debt. Actually it can never be paid - the obligation to the spiritual master can never be paid. Most . . . the majority of people don’t know the obligation that they have to Srila Prabhupada. But those of us who think, who have some understanding, we must somehow or another repay Srila Prabhupada for what he has done. So that is now our promise. We promise that we will carry out his desires for the rest of our lives. We promise that these purposes that he . . . (indistinct) . . . International Society of Krishna Consciousness, he . . . (indistinct) . . . almost single handedly. He was telling us how when he first arrived in the boat. Before even Srila Prabhupada got off the boat he distributed his first Bhagavatam, to the boat captain.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol.

Rūpānuga: Srila Prabhupada was saying that . . . He was thinking "I have these forty rupees. I cannot . . . (indistinct) . . . with rupees in this country, so I must sell some books and get some American money. So he asked the ship's captain for sixteen dollars, for these books, first set of Bhagavatam. And the captain gave him twenty."

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Rūpānuga: That way Srila Prabhupada set an example . . . to follow the example . . . (indistinct)

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

(Devotees offer obeisances to Srila Prabhupada)

Prabhupāda: (8:45) Anyone else speaking? Anybody else?

Devotee: . . . (indistinct) . . . Srila Viswanath Cakravarti Thakura . . . (indistinct) . . . that the spiritual master is not elected by popularity vote. There are so many . . . (indistinct) . . . in the world . . . (indistinct) . . . so by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa . . . (indistinct)

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

Throughout 8400000 different species of life the living entity is forced to transmigrate, in all these abominable conditions of life - and finally by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one comes in contact with a bona fide guru, bona fide representative of God - and then there is opportunity. By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one gets guru and by the mercy of guru one can get the seed of devotional service. So this opportunity is now present before the whole world. Prabhupada has planned not for himself but for our benefit. Practically we can see it that Srila Prabhupada, his movement is simply to benefit us, how we can go back to Godhead, back to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should sacrifice everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This is the highest perfection of life.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed yadi ratiṁ

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

The highest perfection of life is not to become sannyasi, is not to become renounced, is not to be come king, is not to become anything of this material world. All of these different conditions, they are just like bubbles, they are bound to pop at any moment . . . (indistinct) . . . bubbles, at any moment they pop. The highest perfection of life is saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam, to please Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā in the eighteenth chapter that "there is no one more dear to Me in this world than someone who is teaching the devotees how to surrender unto Me." So obviously there is no one more dear in the entire world, in the entire universe, to Kṛṣṇa than Srila Prabhupada. And speaking from my own experience I know factually, although I may not be qualified as a disciple, or very elevated in spiritual life, but this much I can know from the association with Srila Prabhupada - that Srila Prabhupada is indeed directly the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore if you take his instruction as our life and soul, it is non different from Kṛṣṇa’s instructions.

Therefore it is stated, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo (Gurvastaka 8), that if you can get the mercy of the spiritual master . . . yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi—without the mercy of the spiritual master you make no progress. Just like if you disregard Kṛṣṇa instructions so how can you associate with Him. Similarly if you disregard the instructions of Srila Prabhupada it is impossible to associate with him, his instructions are non different. But Prabhupada is so kind, he is teaching us repeatedly, day after day, driving into our very dull brain because of so much sinful activities. But nonetheless Prabhupada like a loving father he is guiding us gently, always encouraging us that "Come on!" Just like this morning . . . (indistinct) . . . "Come on, everyone, come on, come back to Godhead, take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is your eternal life. By doing this you will be happy, and everyone will be happy." . . . (indistinct) . . . so . . . (indistinct) . . . on behalf of everybody also, thank Srila Prabhupada for this, very golden opportunity . . . (indistinct) . . . we pray that, by your mercy and by the mercy of Lord Nityananda, we will be able to strongly remain attached to the lotus feet . . . (indistinct)

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada! All glories to the ten years of the movement. (kīrtan) (break)

Prabhupāda: (14:50)

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

This movement is śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He appeared on this earth five hundred years ago in Bengal, Navadvīpa, to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, although this movement is not new. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Apparently, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra five thousand years ago, and He says that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement I spoke to the sun-god long, long years ago." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). This is avyaya. Avyaya means which is never diminished or destroyed. Vyaya means which is destroyed, and Kṛṣṇa says this yoga system . . . this is yoga system: bhakti-yoga. Yoga means to connect, to add, yoga. So at the present moment we are almost disconnected. Not exactly disconnected; forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God.

God means Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa means God. So in the human society there are many different types of yoga system just to reconnect our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā they are explained differently: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect, or to link up, with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now suppose he is in the topmost platform. So everyone is trying to go there. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.23). Kṛṣṇa says, "Everyone is trying to come to Me, but . . ." Just like the person who's on the top floor. So the staircase is one. Somebody has crossed ten steps; somebody has taken, crossed twenty steps; somebody has crossed hundred steps; but one has to go, to fulfill, say, one thousand steps. So there are different yoga systems. Everyone is trying to go to the topmost platform, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. This is a fact.

So in the Kali-yuga especially, to come to the highest platform of yoga perfection step by step, it is little difficult. Actually, to practice yoga, one has to undergo so many austerities, penances, rules, regulations. That is all described in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, how yoga should be practiced. It is recommended that yogīs should sit down in a secluded place, sacred place. So in India, still, those who are actually yogīs, at least those who are trying to follow the yoga system . . . real yoga system means dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, those who are yogīs, they sit down in a secluded place, alone. This yoga practice is not possible in a fashionable city. That is not possible. It is to be executed alone. Still you'll find in India, many places—Haridwar—there are many yogīs, they are sitting alone. They have nothing to do with this material world, and dhyānāvasthita, and not only for one, two, three years, but for many hundred years. Still many yogīs come during Kumbha-melā. Their age is three hundred years, four hundred years, five hundred years old. It is possible. It is possible by exercising the breathing, one can prolong his life. That is called samādhi. If you can stop your breathing, then you enhance your duration of life. That is possible. Therefore you'll find the picture of the yogīs, they are controlling the breathing. Because everyone has got a destined breathing period by superior arrangement, so if you don't spend your breathing, then you'll prolong your life. This is the system. If you can remain in samādhi, don't breathe, then . . . just like if you have got a bank balance, one thousand dollars. If you don't spend it, then the one thousand dollar is there. Or out of one thousand dollars, you spend one; still you have nine hundred ninety-nine. So the yoga practice is to control the breathing period. And this breathing can be controlled if you can control your sense pleasure. Otherwise it will not be possible. Especially sex. Everyone has got experience. While sex life one enjoys, the breathing is very heavy. Very, very heavy. So he loses the balance of his breathing period. Therefore the first practice of yoga is yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ, to control the senses. That is all described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sixth Chapter.

So this yoga system was possible in the Satya-yuga, I mean to say, possible for the mass of people. If one or two person practices yoga, the practice is there, the system is there, but it is not possible for the general public. It is not possible. So in the śāstra we find, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuḥ (SB 12.3.52). Real yoga system, I've already explained, that yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ, or by meditation to see the Supreme Lord always within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). In trance, you'll find yogī picture, their trance, they are in meditation, completely silent, stop breathing and seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, within the heart. This is actual yoga system. But it was possible to be executed in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. That was possible. Just like Vālmīki Muni. He executed yoga system for sixty thousand years. Because he was to live for one hundred thousands of years, so it was not very difficult to engage oneself in sixty thousands of years. But that is not possible in this age. Therefore śāstra says,

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

(SB 12.3.52)

Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, when people are very, very fallen . . . mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very unfortunate also, and manda-bhāgyā, and although unfortunate, they are disturbed by so many external factors. So it is very difficult to execute yoga system or yajña system, sacrifice. It is very costly affair. Or even arcana, temple worship, it is also very difficult, because people are not very much interested even, worshiping the Deity in the temple. In India there are thousands and thousands of temples, temple or mosque or church, at the same time, for offering prayers, obeisances to the Lord. People are losing interest in that arcana-mārga. There are many temples I have seen, there is no caretaker. People are losing interest. Many temples. They are open; a dog is living within the temple and passing stool. I have seen it.

So people are gradually losing interest in temple worship even, what to speak of yoga or offering sacrifices. Everything is now finished. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. This is recommended in the śāstra. That system was introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, because other system will not be successful in this age. May be successful in one or two cases, but not for the general mass of people. Therefore śāstra recommends . . . there are different incarnation of God, but one incarnation is there, it is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other places also, in Upaniṣad and Mahābhārata. These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedānta system, Brahma-sūtra, everything done by Vyāsadeva. And in order to protect the sanctity of Vedānta . . . because there are so many foolish persons, they are distorting the purpose of Vedānta-sūtra; therefore Vyāsadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master Nārada, he personally wrote a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced these two things—saṅkīrtana and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means the expansion of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, at the last stage, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also begins from that point. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives introduction, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system kicked out, projjhita. Projjhita means just like you sweep over the floor, and all the dust, you throw it away. That is called projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita.

So this two system . . . one system, to accept the real principles of religion. That is, Kṛṣṇa also explained. It is explained by Kṛṣṇa that Kṛṣṇa came, appeared. Why? What is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's appearing? Sometimes they argue, atheist class of men, that God cannot come. So why God cannot come? God is your father's servant, that He cannot come? You are ordering? If He cannot come, how He is God? God can do everything. Why you say that God cannot come? He is not under your rules and regulations. Then He is not God. God can come. God says, "Yes, I come!"

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

yuge yuge sambhavāmi

(BG 4.8)

So why God cannot come? So when God says, "Yes, I come for this purpose. This is My mission . . ." yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, what is that glānir? Glānir means discrepancies. Not . . . the principles of religious . . . when it is not executed properly, that is called glānir. So what is dharma? A simple definition is given: dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt-bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the law given by God, that's all—three words: God and His words. So if we do not know who is God, if we do not know what is His order, then we are lost. If we do not know God and if we . . . just like if we do not know what is the government and if we do not know what is the order of government, then where is our position? We'll commit every step some mistake, and we shall suffer. So we must know what is dharma and . . . a cat, dog cannot understand dharma, but a human being is supposed to understand dharma. Lawbooks are made for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. "Keep to the left" or "Keep to the right," the signboard is there in the street. Or the red light is there, blue light is there—for whom? For the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs may disobey; there is no criminality on their part because they are cats and dogs. So there is law of God; there is God. If human being does not know what is God and what is the law of God, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. He must know. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam.

So that law is being instructed by the God Himself. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. So Kṛṣṇa did not come to establish some sectarian religious system. That is not God's system. God is for everyone. God is not for the Hindus, for the Muslims, for the Christians or anyone. God is for everyone. He is for animals, trees, plants, aquatics, insects—everyone. Because He claims, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

Kṛṣṇa is claiming. Actually, that is the fact. If you study only this verse, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ . . . there are so many forms of life, beginning from grass. That is also life. The grass is coming from the earth, the trees are coming from the earth, the animals, four-legged animals, they are eating grass, they are forming semina, they are discharging the semina, and the animal species of life are coming. We are eating, either eating the animal or the vegetable. We are also begetting children. The origin is from the earth. Tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma. Mahat-tattva. So we can see practically that these things are there, so many different varieties of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). They are all living entities. Aquatics, nine hundred thousand forms of life within the water, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. Everything accurate. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati: the trees, plants, they are standing, sthavara. That is very great punishment. Those who are very, very sinful, they have to take birth as trees and plants and stand up for thousands of years, material nature's punishment. A small ant, it can move, but a big tree cannot move. That is punishment. Just like in our childhood we were being punished by the teachers, "Stand up on the bench." So it is like that.

So in this way Kṛṣṇa, or God . . . if you simply study this line, that so many living entities are coming out of the earth, either water or land or air or anything. They are coming out. So they are offspring, and material nature is the mother. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ, tāsāṁ mahad yonir (BG 14.4)—mahat-tattva. Yoni, mother. So where is the father? The children are there, the mother is there, the next inquiry should be, "Where is the father?" That is natural. Without father, the mother is sitting with the child, nobody can say the child has no father. If somebody says that "I do not see the father. How I can believe?" that is foolishness. You believe or not believe, you see or not see, there must be father. This is the conclusion. This is theory, that this world is going on, everything is coming out of the mother earth, then there must be father. And that father is present, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4): "I am the father."

So it is our misfortune that we do not recognize the father. So it may be, "How can I recognize my father?" Ask you mother. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). All Vedic literature will say, "Here is father." 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 we'll find in every Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father. When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, he addressed Kṛṣṇa, in the Tenth Chapter you will find, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). And he also confirmed that "I am accepting You like this, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma. So people may be in doubt because I am Your friend. So they may say, 'Out of friendship, regard or affection, out of sentiment, he is speaking like that, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme person, paraṁ brahma.' " But Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, they are also affirming." Vyāsadeva is authority. Veda-vyāsa, he is the giver of Vedic knowledge. So he is accepting. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he is writing, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He has given description of the incarnation of God, then he concludes that "All these incarnations, they are part and parcel or plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the name which I have mentioned as Kṛṣṇa, that Godhead, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, He is the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead." That is Vyāsadeva's . . . so we have to accept. And Arjuna also says, svayaṁ ca bravīṣi me, "You are also personally speaking that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), 'There is no more superior authority than Me.' " So this is confirmed.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to find out the supreme father. Supreme father. That is the sum and substance of this movement. If we do not know who is our father, that is not a very good position. At least, in India, it is a custom, if somebody cannot say his father's name, he is not very respectable. And it is the system in the court that you write your name, you must write your father's name. That is Indian, Vedic system, and the name, his own name, his father's name and his village name, these three combined together. I think this system may be prevalent in other countries, but India, this is the system. The first name his own name, the second name his father's name, and the third name is the village or the country where he is born. This is system. So father's . . . we must know the father. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If we remain forgetful of our father, that is not a very good position. And what kind of father? Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). The richest. Not the poor father who cannot feed his children. It is not that father. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That father is so rich that He alone is feeding billions and millions and trillions of living entities. In Africa there are hundreds and millions of elephants. He is feeding them. And within the room there is a hole, there may be millions of ants, He is also feeding them. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). These are the Vedic information.

So human life, this is meant for understanding who is father, what is His law, who is God, what is our relationship with Him. This is Vedānta. Vedānta does not mean talk some nonsense and no relationship with the father. Śrama eva hi kevalam. If you do not know who is your father . . .

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

This is not wanted. And Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So you become Vedāntist, that's very nice. In the beginning of Vedānta it is said that the Absolute Truth is that from whom everything comes, athāto brahma jijñāsā (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.1). This is beginning. Now the human life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth, jijñāsā. One should inquire what is the Absolute. That is human life, to find out the Absolute Truth. So the next sūtra immediately says the Absolute Truth is that who is the source of everything. And what is that everything? Two things we find: animate and inanimate. Practical experience. Some of them are animate and some of them are inanimate. Two things. Now we can expand the varieties. That is another thing. But two things are there. So these two things . . . we see there is a controller above these two things, the animate and inanimate. So we have to inquire now whether the source of two things, animate and inanimate, what is the position.

The position is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is explained. The original source of everything is abhijñaḥ. How? Anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu. If I have created something, I know everything, all details, anvayād, directly or indirectly, I know. If I manufacture something . . . suppose if I know some special cooking, then I know all the details how to do it. That is the origin. So that origin is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26): "I know everything—past, present and future." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). According to creation theory . . . not theory; fact. Brahmā viṣṇu maheśvara. So these are the principle devatās. So Viṣṇu is the original: aham ādir hi devānām. The creation, first Mahā-Viṣṇu; then from Mahā-Viṣṇu there is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, expansion of Viṣṇu, and from Him, Brahmā comes. Brahmā is born out of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu on the lotus flower, then he gives birth to Rudra. This is the explanation of creation. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. He's also origin of Viṣṇu because, from the śāstra He says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), the original Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. And the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa is Baladeva. Then from Him this, I mean, Catur-vyūha, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, like that. Then Nārāyaṇa. From Nārāyaṇa, the second Catur-vyūha, and from the second Catur-vyūha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu. In this way you have to learn the śāstras. You'll find that actually, as it is said in the śāstra, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. And Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). And Arjuna accepts, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So we have to accept śāstra. Śāstra-cakṣuṣāt: you have to see through the śāstra. And if you learn śāstra, then you'll find kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to present to the human society the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So we started this movement in 1966, registering it. Our Rūpānuga Prabhu has already explained. So take this movement very seriously. The same: Kṛṣṇa started within the historical, five thousand years ago. And He started this movement with Arjuna as His disciple. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He revived again the same movement. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. And that is going on. Don't think that this is a manufactured movement. No. It is the authorized movement and confirmed by the authorities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). There are mahājanas mentioned in the śāstra. So be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many literatures, authorized literatures. And make your life success.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)