Lecture Engagement [Intro by the Governor and Mayor]

Devotee: [Loud kīrtana in background] engagement, November 28, evening [break] November 29, evening [break] Vṛndāvana.

Governor: Vṛndāvana is the place of Rādhārānī and Lord Kṛṣṅa. Rādhārānī and Lord Kṛṣṅa whenever they are pleased upon someone they call them to this holy place. Otherwise one has no right to come to this place. Yesterday Swamiji [indistinct] how he went to America and he said that when he went there he had only 40 rupees [indistinct] but he had one thing more, you perhaps know? And in India we call it a precious stone it is called pāragaś[?]. Pāragaś is a stone which turns iron into gold.

That pāragaś he had with him that pāragaś is the nama-saṅkīrtana of Lord Kṛṣṅa. This he had with him but you may just put the question is pāragaś always acting? No. Pāragaś is not always acting because from 1922 to 1965 he had to wait for that, where is pāragaś acting? Pāragaś is acting illusionary while Rādhārānī is free from sambandha. While Rādhārānī was free from [indistinct] that pāragaś became effective and that pāragaś has collected you all in its fold. You, you may say even when Rādhārānī is pleased, is there some way to approach Rādhārānī?

There is. You can't go directly to Rādhārānī as in courts of law you go through a bhakti[?], in the same way if you want to approach Rādhārānī you have to take help of sambandha. Who is that prabhu from whom you can take help? He is the gurudeva. If gurudeva can take you to Rādhārānī, Rādhārānī will accept you. And please keep in mind that it's by the grace of Rādhārānī and Lord Kṛṣṅa and by the kindness of your gurudeva you have come to see Rādhārānī. Take it for granted that Rādhārānī is actually pleased for you. You. He comes from Japan, he comes from Africa and.

Devotee: America.

Governor: Friend here comes from America and German. Do you think you could come here without the kindness of Rādhārānī? Or without the kindness of Kṛṣṅa? If you have come and if you have just received the elevations of bhakti[?] [indistinct] of this holy dhāma it is due to the kindness of your gurudeva. We, we are all very thankful to him for bringing you all here and on behalf of the people of this place, on behalf of our young mayor on behalf of the authority of the municipality of Vṛndāvana we all welcome you and we wish that you become so offered[?] to this place, this holy place of Lord Kṛṣṅa and Kulaśekhara[?] and dāsānu-dāsa dāsa [indistinct]

Audience: [applause]

Devotee: This is the mayor of Vṛndāvana speaking.

Mayor: [indistinct] to Svāmī Mahārāja. Appreciating the services he has done for the cause of Vaiṣṅava dharma, for the cause of nāma-saṅkīrtana, for the cause of [indistinct]. [Hindi] [break] [Hindi] Lord Kṛṣṅa is the only way [indistinct] of the earth. [indistinct] bhakti-bhāva is very important [break]

[04:58]

Prabhupāda: [indistinct] My disciples there are gṛhasthas and sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs, like that. We are establishing daiva-varṅāśrama-dharma as Lord Kṛṣṅa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā;

cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13]

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

So, these eight divisions, four social orders and four spiritual orders, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So these eight divisions are called varṅāśrama-dharma and Indian or Vedic civilisation is based on this varṅāśrama. So Viṣṅu Purāṅa it is said;

Varṅāśramācāravatā puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān viṣṅur ārādhyate [panthā] nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṅam [Cc Madhya 8.58]

[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṅu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṅa and āśrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varṅas and āśramas.’]

The human civilisation must be based on varṅāśrama-dharma. Well in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṅa says;

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3]

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

So when Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya is explaining manuṣyā he says, śāstra adhikāra yajña. Unless one is conversant with the teachings of the lessons of śāstra, he is not to be considered as a human being. Actually that is so, unless one comes to the principles of dharma and āśrama, one is not to be considered as a human. So this institution the International Society for Kṛṣṅa Consciousness is trying to establish this daiva-varṅāśrama.

Daiva-varṅāśrama as Kṛṣṅa says that, cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ, what is created by Kṛṣṅa the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be applicable universally. So this varṅāśrama-dharma is not limited in India or to the community who are known as Hindus. Because Kṛṣṅa claimed that, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ [Bg 14.4]

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

All species of forms, there are 8,400,000 species of life and Kṛṣṅa claims, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.

He is father of all, we should not consider that Kṛṣṅa is Hindu or Indian. Kṛṣṅa is for all, these foreigners they have taken to Kṛṣṅa consciousness by understanding that Kṛṣṅa is for all. They have not accepted a form of religious principles like Hindus or Muslims or Christians. These are designated religions, if I am calling myself a Hindu, this is not my religion this is my designation. Because I happen to take birth in a Hindu family therefore I call myself a Hindu. Or because I take birth in a particular land, I call myself Indian or American. But our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is not for such designative personalities.

This Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170],

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

When one becomes freed from all designations he can take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So long one is Hindu, so long one is Muslim, so long one is Christian, there is no question of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Because Kṛṣṅa he says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ [Bg 18.66]

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

that is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Only Kṛṣṅa really, Kṛṣṅa is my Lord and I am his eternal servant, this consciousness is called Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

If I keep myself as Hindu or as Muslim or Christian then I cannot take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This is not a statement manufactured by me, it is a statement by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, "I am not a brāhmaṅa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya, I am not a śūdra, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha, I am not a sannyāsī. He declares all these designations, then what was He? That He explains himself, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānu-dāsa [Cc Madhya 13.80].

[I am not a brāhmaṅa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’]

Devotee: [chuckles]

Prabhupāda: So that is our real position, gopī-bhartuḥ Kṛṣṅa and the servant of Kṛṣṅa who is always engaged 24 hours in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa. If we accept such devotee as my master, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānu-dāsa. So that is our real position, so these boys and girls or ladies and gentlemen who have joined they have given up their designations. They are no more Americans or Canadians or Australians they are thinking as eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānu-dāsa.

So without this consciousness there is no question of liberation from the material contamination but so long there is the material contamination we have to divide the social order and spiritual orders according to śāstra. As brāhmaṅas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. These are all material designations, so long we are not spiritually advanced, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. So long we are not nirmalam, nirmalam means without contamination of the three modes of material nature. That is called nirmalam or mukta.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is for the nirmalam who are transcendental to these material designations. So these boys, these foreigners, they are being taught in that life but so long this body is there for gradual evolution—of course anyone who takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness immediately he becomes liberated. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā;

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

So according to śāstric viddhi, if anyone takes to bhakti-mārga, devotional service, avyabhicāreṅa bhakti then at once he becomes transcendental to all these modes of material nature, sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. Still Vyāsadeva[?] situated them on the spiritual platform of sattva-guṅa we are accepting them as brāhmaṅas after being duly qualified. It is confirmed by Nārada Muni while he was instructing Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, yasya hi yal lakṣaṅaṁ syād.

Indian man: Yasya hi yal lakṣaṅaṁ proktaṁ..

Prabhupāda: Aw.

Indian man: varṅābhivyañjakam.

Prabhupāda: Yasya hi yal lakṣaṅaṁ syād varṅābhivyañjakam.

Indian man: Hm.

Prabhupāda:

yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet [SB 7.11.35]

[If one shows the symptoms of being a brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.]

So we are selecting according to that is considered to be the real[?]. In the Kali-yuga there is no scope for viddhic initiation because according to śāstra viddhic initiation is especially meant for the higher castes, brāhmaṅas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas. But because in this age there is no garbhādhāna-saṁskāra therefore according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Nārada Muni instruction, if this saṁskāra, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed in the higher caste families then immediately he falls down to the category of śūdras. And as such according to śāstra at the present moment everyone has to be accepted, kalau śūdra sambhava.

Devotee: Hm.

Prabhupāda: Therefore the viddhic dīkṣā is not possible because śūdra cannot be initiated according to viddhic dīkṣā. But pāñcarātrikīviddhi dīkṣā is allowed in our Vaiṣṅava community, especially in our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṅava samāja. So this pāñcarātrikīviddhi means that if anyone has a little instinct for serving the Lord he should be picked up and he should be trained up to become a qualified brāhmaṅa and then he should be initiated as Vaiṣṅava.

Devotee: Nāma-bhāṣya[?]

Prabhupāda: So these boys and girls who are present here they are first of all admitted as ordinary human being. When I started my propaganda in New York, Second Avenue, 26 Second Avenue. At that time, only half a dozen boys were coming and hearing. That hearing means, I was singing, chanting this Hare Krishna mantra and reading some verses from the Bhagavad-gītā and they were patiently hearing because I will know if somebody patiently hears the holy name of Kṛṣṅa or about his pastimes.

śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṅi vidhunoti suhṛt satām [SB 1.2.17]

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

Simply by hearing Kṛṣṅa's message, then Kṛṣṅa helps him to be purified within and Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says that, ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [Cc Antya 20.12].

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

This chanting of Hare Krishna mantra means cleansing the dirty things accumulated in our hearts, due to the contamination of material nature. So actually it so happens, these boys and girls, I'm speaking boys and girls because in the western countries there is no distinction between boys and girls. They are given equal liberties, in our country still there is discrimination, I mean to say, grown-up boys and girls are not allowed to mix together although it is going now. But in European and American countries, western countries, there is no such restriction.

So there is no possibility of making any distinction between the boys and the girls. So both of them are attending. So by hearing the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra, I was chanting in the Park, Tomkinson's Square and these boys and girls used to surround me and dance and chant with the Hare Krishna mantra. In this way when some of them become a little advanced, purified they came forward, "Swamiji, please accept me as your disciple."

So my condition was that anyone who wants to become my disciple must be free from the four kinds of sinful activities. Illegitimate connection with women, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. In this way on these conditions these boys and girls were are accepted as my disciples. And according to the pāñcarātrikīviddhi when they are fairly advanced they are given the sacred thread, upanayana-saṁskāra. Following the path and instruction of my guru mahārāja His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī GosvāmīPrabhu.

So actually according to śāstra they should not be considered as coming from families of mlecchas and yavanas. We should not consider like that because they are now purified. How they have become purified? That is also mentioned by Śukadeva Gosvāmī in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you know of;

kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti [tasmai] prabhaviṣṅave namaḥ [SB 2.4.18]

How to become purified? By taking shelter of a bona-fide spiritual master. That is to be answered that, prabhaviṣṅave. That is the extraordinary power of Lord Viṣṅu nobody can check it. So they are all purified according to the pāñcarātrikīviddhi. And, many of them have got the sacred thread, they are doubly initiated. The first initiation is given chanting Hare Krishna mantra, they are given the beads and they must chant a number, saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ [Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 6].

[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 were engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord and bowing down in a scheduled measurement. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and in executing these devotional activities they conquered over eating and sleeping and were always meek and humble enchanted by remembering the transcendental qualities of the Lord.]

As the Gosvāmīs used to perform a fixed up number of chanting.

So I have not allowed them to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura who happened to take his birth in a Mohammedan family but he was chanting 300,000 holy names of the Lord. And He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu appointed him nāmācārya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to put significance on the chanting of the holy name but he appointed his special representative to chant Hare Krishna mantra, Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Although he happened to take his birth in the Mohammedan family.

Similarly Rūpa-Sanātana Gosvāmī, you know all their names sad-gosvāmī, vande śrī rūpa-sanātanam raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So these Rūpa-Sanātana although they were born in brāhmaṅa families, sārasvata brāhmaṅa families. Because they accepted service of a Mohammedan King they were rejected from the brāhmaṅa community.

And they changed their names, Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa. And by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu they became the leaders of this viddhi, Vṛndāvana dhāma. And they were appointed the first gosvāmīs. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement and Kṛṣṅa's instruction is not limited in India or in some particular community or country or climate or surroundings. It is universal, Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is universal and Kṛṣṅa's desire was there, that;

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśyās tathāśūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim [Bg 9.32]

[O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.]

So the other day one young boy was asking, why this discrimination for the woman? But that is not discrimination, in the material world the such discrimination must be there because we are being ruled by the three modes of material nature, sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ [Bg 3.27]

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

We are under the clutches of prakṛti, the three modes of material nature. So there must be distinction sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. But not distinction by birth, that distinction should be according to guṅa and karma. Just like Cait. Lord Kṛṣṅa said personally, guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13],

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ and Nārada Muni confirms it.

yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet [SB 7.11.35]

[If one shows the symptoms of being a brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.]

And Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented on this point that birth is not important, the quality is important. Therefore our, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is a propagation to bring back the human society on its real consciousness. Real consciousness is Kṛṣṅa consciousness because every living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa. So when it comes to this understanding that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa that is his mukti, that is his transcendental liberated stage.

As soon as he likes. So long he thinks otherwise, that I am Indian, I am American, I am brāhmaṅa, I am śūdra, I am this I am that. That means he is still contaminated. Even if he thinks that "I am brāhmaṅa," even if he thinks that "I am sannyāsī," he is contaminated. He is simply free from all contamination when he thinks that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa," jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

[It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṅa has three varieties of energy.]

That is mukti—the Bhāgavata says;

muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṅa vyavasthitiḥ [SB 2.10.6]

[The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Mahā-Viṣṅu is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies.]

What is that svarūpa? That svarūpa is described by Lord Caitanya, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa. This is svarūpa, so as soon as you come to this understanding that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa, that is liberation. That ahaṁ brahmāsmi, so 'ham they are all included, so 'ham means I am qualitatively one with Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is sac-cid-ānanda vigraha, I am also sac-cid-ānanda vigraha. But the difference is Kṛṣṅa is prabhu, vibhu and I am anu. That is the difference, that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

[It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord.]

Simultaneously one and different.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is being propagated all over the world to make people understand that he is eternal servant God, Kṛṣṅa. When we say Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa means God and when we say God, God means Kṛṣṅa, kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28].

[All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.]

So all these boys they are convinced to this philosophy of life that I am eternal Kṛṣṅa's servant. And this realisation not very easily attained. Kṛṣṅa says personally;

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

So to understand Kṛṣṅa is not very easy task but by Lord Caitanya's grace it has become easy. Otherwise Kṛṣṅa says that "to understand Me is not very easy," yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. But this chanting of Hare Krishna mantra is so powerful that it cleanses the heart, the dirty things, of all the dirty things accumulated since our contamination of this material nature and how we contaminated this material nature that is also described by one Vaiṣṅava kavi and Kṛṣṅa himself, icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa [Bg 7.27]. And the same verse is translated into Bengali in a nice way;

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [Prema-vivarta]

[When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion.]

As soon as we forget Kṛṣṅa as our master, the supreme master, the Lord. Immediately the māyā captures you. Another place;

kṛṣṅa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra [Cc Madhya 22.31]

[Kṛṣṅa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.]

So Kṛṣṅa is so nice as soon as one becomes Kṛṣṅa conscious, immediately he becomes liberated. Immediately he becomes liberated and, ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ [Cc Antya 20.12].

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

Then all anxieties, this material existence means full of anxieties, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

Prahlāda Mahārāja told because we have accepted something which is temporary asat, we don't say false. We don't see this world as false as the Māyāvādī philosopher says, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā.

No, why jagan mithyā? Jagat is also a fact because Kṛṣṅa is the origin of this jagat, janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1] Kṛṣṅa says ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

So why anything emanating from Kṛṣṅa should be false? It cannot be. So therefore we don't accept this world as false, we accept it as reality but it becomes false when we try to enjoy it. Just like if I take away some other's property and want to enjoy it. That is, the thing is reality but my spirit of enjoyment is false. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says,

anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ nirbandhe kṛṣṅa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255]

[When one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts anything in relation to Kṛṣṅa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness.]

So our philosophy is that we don't accept this world as false but we accept it, that it is not enjoyable by us. Then it is enjoyable by Kṛṣṅa, therefore whatever there is never mind, when it is employed in Kṛṣṅa's service that is yukta-vairāgya. On the other hand as the Māyāvādī philosopher says this world is false, that is also stated by the gosvāmī's.

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo phalgu-vairāgya kathyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.256]

[On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kṛṣṅa is not as complete in his renunciation.]

Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā that "this is material" or "this is not working, I cannot touch money, my hands become polluted by touching money." No. Why? Money is Lakṣmī, Lakṣmī is to be enjoyed by Nārāyaṅa so therefore Lakṣmī should be, I mean to say, placed for the service of Nārāyaṅa.

prāṅair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṅaṁ sadā [SB 10.22.35]

Therefore our [indistinct] philosophy, just like in the western countries we are very luxuriously situated there. My disciples they have given me my residential quarters which even the governor cannot imagine.

Devotee: [chuckles]

Prabhupāda: How the luxurious apartments there because I remember sometimes back one night I was guest in the Lucknow Governor's house. At that time Biswanath Das was the governor. He was personally known to me, he came also here in Vṛndāvana. So I remember that this kind of luxurious apartment I enjoy, or I have the opportunity to lie down in such apartment one night. But they are giving me all it. So we cannot reject that because that is the standard of living there. If I say, "no I shall not lie down in this nice apartment, I shall lie down on the street, I'm a sannyāsī." Then nobody will care for me, there the standard of living is like that.

Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, that you should not be attached to that room but for the service of Kṛṣṅa, if you are. If you have to use such room you should use it.

That was my guru mahārāja's philosophy and that is the real philosophy because bhoga and tyāga these conception of life is false. Bhoga, if the karmīs, they are trying to enjoy this material world and jñānīs after being fed up or being defeated in the matter of enjoying this material world they give it up as false. Just like the jackal in the orchard of grapes, he tried to get it by jumping, jumping, jumping and when he could not get—he leaves the garden, "the grapes are sour." That kind of philosophical movement, why this world is nityā? It is also satya, if Kṛṣṅa is satya his creation is satya but this satya should be engaged for the satya's service, not for the māyā's service.

People are engaged in the service of māyā but we want to engage everything in the service of the Lord. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, so we are using aeroplanes, we are using dictaphones, we are using typewriters, machines, electric machines so many things we are using. Even for cleansing our clothes we are using machines, so that is the system there. In each and every centre we have got four motor cars. We cannot do without, in Europe, in America practically no gentleman walks on the street. That is the system there, so we have to use it but we should not be attached to it. Our attachment should be only to Kṛṣṅa and for Kṛṣṅa's service we can accept anything.

That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement it is not a sectarian religious movement even religious parties in European and American countries they are appreciating our movement. They are appreciating, they are not against, just like in this country some of our national, some of our countrymen they protest against Christian religion being spread here. But so far I am concerned I have never received any protest or any resistance by the Christian community. Rather they are appreciating, they are. It is I mean to say.mh.

Devotee: Quote?

Prabhupāda: Quoted in the newspaper that "these people are very nice people."

Devotee: Hm.

Prabhupāda: "We want more of them," that is said. One Christian priest he issued one pamphlet in which he said frankly that "these boys these young boys they are so much after God that they are dancing on the street chanting and after being instructed by Swamiji but we could not give them." Rather they are admitting they never attended church, all these boys and girls, they never attended.

Now gradually churches are being sold. So Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is so nice that if it is presented nicely all over the world, it will be accepted. Now in your Abhayananda Patra you have mentioned in the paramparā, Vivekananda. So we may differ in that sense because Vivekananda's principles and our principles is different. Our paramparā is Kṛṣṅa;

evaṁparamparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2]

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

That paramparā, Kṛṣṅa says that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead," ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14]

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65]

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

We are preaching this paramparā, not that everyone is God. Not that God is loitering in the street, we don't say. That is not our paramparā, our paramparā is Kṛṣṅa as He says, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Not with false commentary, no we don't do that. We are presenting. Our business is very easy because Kṛṣṅa says that;

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

We also said, give up everything surrender to Kṛṣṅa. So we have no difficulty, we are simply repeating the words of Kṛṣṅa. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed that; āmāra ājñāya guru hañā, tāra’ ei, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ’kṛṣṅa’. So our business is very easy we don't require to undergo very deep philosophy. The simple philosophy is that Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender to Kṛṣṅa and these boys and girls because they are blank slates, simple hearted they accepted it and therefore they are making progress. But in our country it is very difficult, if I say Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

There will be many protests, of course I don't expect that protest in Vṛndāvana but in other places.

They will say "No, we have got our god's why Kṛṣṅa should be alone God?" Therefore they are not making progress. They want to be cheated, they want to take false things, therefore there is no progress, spiritual progress. They are lacking behind [indistinct] but they had no false thoughts in their mind or hodgepodge in their head. I told them Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead they accepted it and it is going on.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Krishna. [applause and cheering] [end]