760715 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.108-109 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

760715CC-NEW YORK - July 15, 1976 - 30.21 Minutes

Pradyumna: Translation: "It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy."

Prabhupāda:

jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa

kṛṣṇera 'taṭasthā-śakti', bhedābheda-prakāśa

sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa yaiche agni-jvālā-caya

svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra 'śakti' haya

(CC Madhya 20.108-109)

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins his instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī because he's the appropriate person to understand. In the previous verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has asserted,

yogya-pātra hao tumi bhakti pravartāite

krame saba tattva śuna, kahiye tomāte

(CC Madhya 20.107)

So the philosophy is very simple, but unless one is fit or appropriate person, he cannot understand. No. So in the material world we are materially diseased; therefore it is very difficult for us to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy. Otherwise, it is very simple thing. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . jīvera 'svarūpa' haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa. Very simple thing. Everyone, even a child can understand that we are, our svarūpa, our constitutional position, is that we are servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. But the material world is so bewildering that everyone is thinking that "I am master of everyone." This is the disease. "I am the monarch of all I survey," there is an English poetry. Everyone is thinking. Why this is so much struggle in this New York City? Because now there is Presidential election, so everyone is thinking, "If I could become the president." That is everyone's desire. But those who are not so fit, they do not stand for election, but those who are little fit, so they stand, make competition, "I am the president." If you are president, so why you require election? The simple truth. If you are actually president, then why do you depend on others' vote? You become president. No. Artificial. Simply by votes he is president. Actually he is not; he is the servant of the voters, but he's thinking, "I am president." This is called māyā. Everyone is servant of Kṛṣṇa. He's servant. Every one of us, we are servant. So take this example. Actually the president means the servant of the voters, and as soon as the voters do not like him . . . just like Nixon is drawn back.

So nobody can be master. That is not possible. You'll find in this instruction, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Only Kṛṣṇa is the master, and everyone is servant. This is our position, actual. But artificially we are trying to become master. That is struggle for existence. We are trying for something which we are not. We know this word, "struggle for existence," "survival of the fittest." So this is struggle. We are not master; still, we are trying to become master. The Māyāvāda philosophy, they also undergo severe type of austerities, penances, but what is the idea? The idea is that "I shall become one with God." Same mistake. Same mistake. He's not God, but he is trying to become God. Even though he has performed so much severe austerities, vairāgya, renunciation, everything . . . sometimes they give up everything of material enjoyment, go to the forest, undergo severe type of penances. What is the idea? "I shall become one with God." The same mistake.

So māyā is very strong, that these mistakes continue even one is very advanced so-called spiritually. No. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu touches the main point immediately with His instruction. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy. When Kṛṣṇa says the last word, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja . . . (BG 18.66), He is talking on the position, He is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is asking, demanding, "You rascal, give up everything. Just surrender to Me. Then you'll be happy." This is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same Kṛṣṇa but acting as devotee of Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is speaking the same thing. Kṛṣṇa said, "You surrender," and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Every living entity is the servant of Kṛṣṇa." That means he must surrender. Servant's business is to surrender, not to argue with the master or to claim that "I am equal with you." These are all fanatic, mad proposal.

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya

māyā-grasta jīvera se dāsa upajaya

(Prema-vivarta)

A servant cannot become master. That is not possible. But as soon as . . . as long as we shall persist on this wrong conception of life, that "I am not master; I am servant," er, "I am not servant; I am master," then he will suffer. The māyā will give him suffering. Daivī hy eṣā (BG 7.14). Just like outlaws, rogues and thieves, they defy government order: "I don't care for government." But that means he voluntarily accepts suffering. He has to take care of government law. If he does not ordinarily take care, outlaw, then he'll be put into the prison house and by force, by beating, by punishment, he has to accept: "Yes, yes, I accept."

So this is māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayi mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We are under the rulings of māyā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Why? Because we are declaring master. Servant is declaring to become master; therefore suffering. And as soon as we accept that "I am not master; I am servant," then there is no suffering. Very simple philosophy. That is mukti. Mukti means just come to the right platform. That is mukti. Mukti is defined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means to give up this nonsense business, anyathā. He is servant, but he's thinking master. That is anyathā, just the opposite. So when he gives up this opposite conception of life that he is master, then he is mukti; he's liberated immediately. Mukti does not take so much time that you have to undergo so much severe austerities and go to the jungle and go to the Himalaya and meditate and press your nose and so many things. It doesn't require so many things. Simply you understand plain thing, that "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa"—you are mukta immediately. That is the definition of mukti given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. Just like even a criminal in the prison house, if he becomes submissive, that "Henceforward I shall be law-abiding. I shall obey the government laws very obediently," then sometimes he is released prematurely on account of giving a declaration.

So we can become immediately liberated from this prison house of material existence if we accept this teaching of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). So therefore so many arrangement. We are having Kṛṣṇa Deity here, and every one of us, we are engaged as servant. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṇgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau. Somebody is engaged in cleansing the temple. All servant, we are. Somebody is engaged in dressing the Deity. Somebody is engaged in preparing nice foodstuff for Deity. Somebody is making flower garlands. Somebody is going to distribute literature to make people understand the glories of Kṛṣṇa. So in this way Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means everyone is engaged cent percent to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. So those who are sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord, they are all liberated. They are all liberated. The Māyāvādīs who are trying to become liberated in so many ways—mystic yoga practice and austere penances, and so on, so on, so on—you can get that liberty immediately, simply by engaging yourself in some service of Kṛṣṇa. Immediately. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Even little service you give, it is your permanent asset. Even if you fall down from that service platform, still, whatever you have done, it will never go in vain. As soon as there is opportunity, again you shall begin from that point where you left off.

Therefore everyone . . . tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). There is a verse spoken by Nārada Muni, that even by sentiment, not understanding properly the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even by sentiment—"All right, let me also dance and chant like these people, the saffron-colored, shaved-head people are doing. Let me do that"—so once dancing with them will never go in vain. It will immediately be accounted, "Ah, he has danced." It is so nice. It will never go in vain. Then these children are dancing. Don't think it is spoiling time. Everything is recorded. This you will find in the . . . our Nectar of Devotion. You'll find it, Rūpa Gosvāmī. It will never go in vain. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also sings, keno māyār bośe, yāccho bhese', khāccha hābuḍubhu bhāi, jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, ei viśvās, korle to' ār duḥkha nāi. Everyone is being washed away by the big waves of the ocean of nescience, but if he simply accepts, "No, I am kṛṣṇa-dāsa. I am not master. I am not God. I am simply a servant . . ." And the more you become servant of the servant, more you are perfect. Not directly servant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is perfection. Don't try to become directly kṛṣṇa-dāsa. Kṛṣṇa's servant, his servant, his servant, his servants—you come down to the hundredth point of servant; then you are perfection.

tāndera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vās

janame janame mora ei abhilās

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, "Let me become the servant of the servant and live with devotees. That is my desire."

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that let us live amongst devotees. Why we are struggling to get so many centers open? Because devotees will live there, follow the regulative principles according to the instruction of the śāstra and spiritual master, guided by, and people will get chance. As soon as one comes in this society of devotee, he'll get some opportunity. And svalpam apy asya . . . that is meant. Even by sentiment one comes . . . tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). Nārada Muni said, "Even by sentiments one gives up his occupational duty, so-called occupational duty, and surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, even not understanding fully . . ." So śāstra says, "What is the loss there?" And if one is performing his material duties very perfectly, then what is gain there? He's simply wasting time. And a devotee, even by sentiment or whimsically comes in this center and gives some service, that is permanent record. And these karmīs, although they are acting very sincerely, but there is no guarantee what is the next life. He may become a dog. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and tyaktvā deham (BG 4.19) . . . then he has to accept another body. So if we do not work according to the rules and regulation of nature, then we have to accept another body, and we do not know what kind of body you are going to accept. But it will be a gift by nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Eh? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).

So they do not know these things, the rascal civilization. Just like dancing like dog, that's all. This is rascal civilization. They have no responsibility of life, and dancing like dog. No. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific movement. Everyone should try to understand. If he wants to understand through science, through philosophy, through logic—in any way—through religion, through culture—any way he wants to understand, we have got volumes of books. Try to understand. It is not a bluff. It is all scientific. So either you accept as Kṛṣṇa . . . as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa . . . if you immediately accept the words of, accept the words of Kṛṣṇa—sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66)—that is very good. But if you are very learned philosopher, scientist, then read books. Both ways we have prepared to convince you.

So,

jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa

kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda-prakāśa

(CC Madhya 20.108)

Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Bheda means "different," and abheda means "one." Two philosophies are going on. The Māyāvādīs, they say, "We are the same." So 'ham: "I am the same." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am the Supreme Brahman." But the Vedic literature says, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but Kṛṣṇa, or God, is Param Brahman. In the Vedas there is no such thing as ahaṁ paraṁ brahmāsmi. (laughter) No. They are misusing. The . . . instead of understanding . . . Brahman, every one of us, we are Brahman. There is no doubt about it. But unfortunately, by mistake, by illusion, I am thinking, "I am this body." So spiritual education means first of all one has to understand that ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman. I am not this body." That is the beginning of spiritual education.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

One has to become first of all . . . not become; just to understand one has to come to the platform of Brahman. Then spiritual education begins.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

naśocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

So bhakti is not very ordinary thing. It begins after one is liberated. The Māyāvādī says that "By bhakti one can become one with God." No. That is not bhakti. That is Māyāvāda. That is mistake. Bhakti means to understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This conviction is possible when one is brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Brahma-bhūta means "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa," as it is said, sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa, yaiche agni-jvālā-caya, svābhāvika kṛṣṇera (CC Madhya 20.109) . . . or, when one understands this, that "I am . . . my position is eternal servant," that is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Then undoubtedly he becomes immediately jubilant, that "Now I have got my real master to serve. I am serving so many, I mean, items, in the family, in the society, in the community, in the nation. But I could not be satisfied. Neither I am . . . persons to whom I have given my service, they are also not satisfied." This is wrong service. Nobody is satisfied. The so-called master is not satisfied, and the so-called servant is not satisfied. The so-called servant means that "Unless you pay me, I am not going to serve you." Strike. "I am your master. You pay me, then I shall serve you." So nobody is servant actually. Everyone wants to become master, either collectively or individually. That is māyā. This is material world. And when one understands that he is not a master, he is servant, and the real master is Kṛṣṇa, that is liberation.

So bhedābheda-prakāśa (CC Madhya 20.108). So the living entity is simultaneously one and different. The two philosophies are going on. One philosophy, Māyāvāda—ahaṁ brahmāsmi, miscalculation, so 'ham—this is to become one. And another philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy—that we are different. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that both are true. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. A living entity is one with God and is as different from God. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. One? How one? Because Kṛṣṇa says that "Living entities are My part and parcel." Just like this hand, this finger, is part and parcel of my body, so therefore it is one. But the finger is not the whole body. Different. It is very simple thing. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Anyone can understand. The finger . . . the tree . . . just like the leaf, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits, they are all tree, but at the same time, it is not tree: it is leaf, it is branch, it is twig, it is flower. It is very simple philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained, taṭasthā-śakti, marginal. Marginal means the living entity has to become servant. That is his position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). But when the servant wants to become master, he is under the clutches of māyā. And when he understands that "I am not master; I am servant," he is under Kṛṣṇa. That is taṭasthā. Taṭasthā means marginal. That taṭa, taṭa means the beach. Sometimes the beach is covered with water and sometimes it is land. That is called taṭasthā: sometimes land, sometimes water.

So when we accept Kṛṣṇa as our master, then we are in the Vaikuṇṭha planet. And when we do not accept . . . that propensity we have got, sometimes by forgetfulness or sometimes by willingly. By forgetfulness if we think that "I am master," that is also mistake. And willingly, if we reply, "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? Let me become Kṛṣṇa," this Māyāvāda philosophy, "Let me become God . . ." So all these things are māyā. Real position is to become—not become; we are—but to become sane. Now, in madness, we are talking all this nonsense that "I am one with God. I am God." We have to be treated. This treatment is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By hearing, by chanting—ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)—all the mistakes within our the core of our heart is dispel . . . then we come to the understanding. Then,

sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa, yaiche agni-jvālā-caya

svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra śakti haya

(CC Madhya 20.109)

Now we are grouped under the taṭasthā-śakti, and there are other two potencies, or energies. That is called spiritual energy and material energy; that is spiritual world and material world. We have got experience of the material world—not completely. We do not know even what are going on in the whole material world. We see the universe. We see at night so many stars and planets, but we have no idea. So we do not know even what is this material world perfectly, and what to speak of spiritual world. But the spiritual world is there, as there is this material world, and the living entity belongs to the spiritual world. Actually he belongs to the spiritual world. By chance or some way he has come to the material world. So when he goes back again to the spiritual world, then he gets his normal condition of life. Unfortunately, in the modern education there is no information of the spiritual world, the spiritual identity, God, our relationship with God—nothing. Simply they are working like cats and dogs under the influence of māyā and the suffering. To stop this suffering, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understand the position of his life and be perfect.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)