Speech to Mahārāja and Mahārāṅī

Haṁsadūta: [introducing recording] The following speech was delivered by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda at the Lal Bhag Palace before Their Highnesses Mahārāja Tukoji Rao Holkar and Mahārāṅī Sarmistha Bhai Holkar, on December 11th, 1970, at 5 p.m., in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. [break]

Prabhupāda: ...jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te. Your Highness, Her Highness, and Ladies and Gentlemen, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement has a very intimate relationship with the kṣatriya family. Lord Kṛṣṅa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam [Bg 4.1].

[The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.]

Long, long years ago, He was speaking in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra that about many, many thousands of millions of years ago He spoke the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān, the predominating deity of the sun globe.

And from Vivasvān the sūrya-vaṁśa kṣatriyas are coming. From Vivasvān, Vaivasvata Manu, because Manu is the son of Vivasvān the sun-god. And from Manu, Mahārāja Ikṣvāku descended, and he is the original king in the Raghu-vaṁśa dynasty, wherein Lord Rāmacandra took His birth. Similarly, in the Candra-vaṁśa Lord Kṛṣṅa appeared.

So from historical reference we see that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears on this earth, in this universe, He takes pleasure to appear in some kṣatriya family. And both Rāmacandra and Bhagavān Lord Kṛṣṅa appeared in kṣatriya families, and they acted as kṣatriya.

Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]

[Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.]

Kṣatriya king has got two functions. One function is to give protection and happiness to the good citizens, and another function is to kill the demons or the disturbing elements in the society. Lord Kṛṣṅa, the original form of Viṣṅu... Viṣṅu has got four hands. In two hands He has got the symbol of conchshell and lotus flower, and the other two hands He carries club and the cakra, sudarśana-cakra. So He wanted that a kṣatriya king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira should rule over the world. That is the practically basic idea of the whole Mahābhārata and Bhagavad-gītā.

So we are very much concerned to preach the message of Lord Kṛṣṅa, Bhagavad-gītā. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. We cannot interpret on the words of God. Because religion means the words of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19].

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

The principles of religion cannot be made by any human being, as much as law cannot be made by the citizens. Law is made by the government. That law is accepted. That is obligatory.

Similarly, religion means the words of God. Man-made religion has no value. The Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra [SB 1.1.2]

[Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṅa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.]

"Such cheating process, or pseudo religion process, is completely eradicated from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." Religion means obedience to the Supreme Lord. And the ruler and the king, or the chief of the government, is also accepted as representative of Nārāyaṅa.

There is a very nice incidence in this connection. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then governor of Bengal, Pathan government. So when Sanātana Gosvāmī met Lord Caitanya, he decided to resign the government responsible post and take to this preaching of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. The Nawab, his most confidential representative was Hussain Shah.

He was known as Sākara Mallika. Formerly the brāhmaṅa community was very strict. Because Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he was born in a Sārasvata brāhmaṅa family, he accepted the service of a Muhammadan king, he was rejected from the brāhmaṅa society, so practically he became Muhammadan. His name was Sākara Mallika; name was also changed. But this Sākara Mallika later on decided that he would propagate the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya.

So when he wanted to resign, the Nawab was very much sorry, because he was right-hand man. He frankly said that "I am engaged with sporting and so many other proclivities, and you are my only representative to rule over the country. If you resign, then I shall be in great danger. I cannot accept your resignation."

Then he said, "Your majesty, I am sorry. I cannot proceed any more. I shall retire from the service." Then Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I shall immediately arrest you. I cannot let you go." The answer of Sanātana Gosvāmī was that "You are king, representative of Nārāyaṅa, so whatever punishment you give, I shall accept."

So that was the Hindu culture, that in spite of being punished by the king, he accepts the king as the representative of Nārāyaṅa. And actually, the..., Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Lord, He is the proprietor of everything. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

He is the proprietor of... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1].

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

Therefore, to govern a planet there is representative of Kṛṣṅa. In the heavenly planets there is Indra. In the sun planet there is Vivasvān. In the Brahmaloka there is Lord Brahmā. Similarly, there are different planets and different representative of Kṛṣṅa.

So the Vedic civilization accepts the king or the ruler as representative of God, and he is given the... Not only in India; in other countries also, so far we know, in England also the royal family, the king and the queen, is given respect as good as to the God. In every country, in Japan also. That was the system all over the world, the relationship between the citizen and the king.

Gradually, with the progress of the Kali-yuga, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was the last kṣatriya king to give protection all over the world. And when he was cursed by a brāhmaṅa boy, his father regretted, that "My dear boy, you have brought a scar amongst the brāhmaṅa society by cursing a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit."

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was protected by Kṛṣṅa. He could counteract it, but still, he tolerated that punishment, or the curse given by a brāhmaṅa boy. He immediately resigned from his royal throne, handing over the charge to his son, and he retired on the bank of the Ganges, although he had only seven days' time to live. And during those seven days the whole Bhāgavata was recited.

So, I mean to say, the royal family has got very intimate relationship with Kṛṣṅa consciousness. And as soon as that was broken—because sometimes it breaks—the religious process declined and the royal power also declined. That is the whole history of the world.

Now, at the present moment, we have started this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement from the Western world so that people may become again happy and come to their original consciousness. And that is being accepted by the Western world. I have got within four years forty-two branches all over the world. In America especially, practically in every principal city I have got a branch. Especially in Los Angeles and New York we have got the biggest temple. And in England also, London, we have got our temple, 7 Bury Place.

When your Highnesses may visit London or New York or Los Angeles—most probably you visit London occasionally—I invite you to our temple at 7 Bury Place near the British Museum. It is very prominent place. And this girl in front of you, Śrīmatī Yamunā devī, she and her husband, Gurudāsa, is in charge of the temple. But because I have come to India, they are assisting me. She has seen the Prime Minister also, Indira Gandhi. She is very much impressed with the saṅkīrtana movement.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness and patronization by the royal family is very old relationship. So I came especially in Indore to see Your Holinesses..., er, Highnesses, that if you give us some shelter we can immediately open a branch of Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. I have brought with me forty American, European, Canadian students, and they will be exemplary teachers. You can see from their faces how they are advanced in spiritual consciousness, how they have accepted these principles of Vaiṣṅavism.

They are no longer meat-eaters. They don't touch meat, egg or fish, nothing of the sort. They have given up drinking habit or any kind of intoxications. They do not accept even tea, coffee and cigarette, and they do not take part in gambling, neither they have any illicit sex life. And they are observing Ekādaśī days and other Vaiṣṅava festivals like Janmāṣṭamī, Śrī Rāma-navamī, and every temple, they are following the same principles. And gradually we are increasing the number. The Western boys and girls, my students, are all between twenty and thirty years old. You will find none of them more than twenty-five, twenty-six years old. So they are... In Japan also. Here is a Japanese boy also.

So the world is taking very serious situation. All over the world they are appreciating. Your Highnesses will be pleased to see how many books we have published. Perhaps you have seen one of them, Kṛṣṅa. That is published in two parts. We have got our magazine, Back to Godhead, in five languages: English, French, German and Japanese, Hindi and Bengali. Of course, Bengali is going to be out. Hindi is already out.

So we are doing these activities, and we have a mind that we may open a center in a nice city like Indore under your patronization. Although I know that at the present moment the time is different; still, if you like, you can help us in so many ways. In our Indian parable it is said that "A dead elephant is also one lakh of rupees." Elephant, living or dead, still, it is valuable. Mara hati laksa.

So this movement, from very old days, beginning from that sun-god, and again five thousand years ago between Lord Kṛṣṅa and the Pāṅḍavas, the pious kings... So this movement has got very intimate relationship with the kṣatriya kings. So I would request Your Highness..., both, you are sitting, if you kindly give us a little place here in Indore, we can immediately start a nice center.

And this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is essential. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that,

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā mano-rathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ [SB 5.18.12]

[All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?]

That "If anyone has got devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he develops all the good qualities." Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Because he was a devotee, he did not distinguish the king, whether he was Muhammadan or Hindu. He immediately accepted that "You are representative of Kṛṣṅa." That is the version.

Arjuna, because he was a devotee, although he was in the battlefield, he was insulted, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, still, he said, "Better not to fight and kill my kinsmen." That goodness was not found on the other side, Duryodhana. Because Arjuna was a devotee, he was compassionate with his brothers, not to kill them. But Kṛṣṅa wanted that this fighting must go on because He wanted to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the pious king, on the throne.

So therefore Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement and the support of the royal family is very old relationship. And at the present moment people need this Kṛṣṅa consciousness very badly. Without Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the whole world is going to hell. And you can practically see how they are changing..., how this movement is changing character and mentality of the population. So I have come here. I wish that both of you will be kindly enough to patronize this movement to your best capacity.

Thanking you, Your Highnesses. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [break]

Vande rūpa-sanātanau-raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau [Śrī Ṣaḍ Gosvāmy Aṣṭaka].

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are always engaged in loudly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṅa and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.]

This movement is pleasing both to the dhīra and adhīra. There are two classes of men. Dhīra means those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and adhīra means those who are advancing in the process of sense gratification.

So these two classes of men... Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is so nice that we can please both classes of men, the dhīras and the adhīras. Anyone we invite. I have spread this movement not restricting them, that "You can enter in my class after being qualified."

No. Whatever you are, come. Dhīrādhīra. You come, chant, have musical instruments, plays, enjoy, dance, take prasādam and go home. And if you like, you read literatures, if you are intelligent. So everything was given to them. And they are American boys and girls. They are intelligent, qualified. So they are coming. [end]