Bhagavad-gītā 7.1

Prabhupāda:

...pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]

[Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.]

Mr. Justice [indistinct] Swami, Ladies and Gentlemen, first of all, I thank you very much for kindly coming here and participating in this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. As I have already explained last night, that originally we are all Kṛṣṅa conscious. Just like each of..., each of every one of us is conscious of our father. Everyone knows, "I am the son of such-and-such gentleman.''

Similarly, originally we were all Kṛṣṅa conscious, originally, because Kṛṣṅa said that mamaivāṁso jīva bhūta [Bg 15.7]: "All the living entities, they are My part and parcel.'' In another place Kṛṣṅa said, aham bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya [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 the forms of living entity that are manifest, they are all sons of the supreme father, Kṛṣṅa. In other religion, just like Christian religion, they accept the supreme father: "O Father, give us our daily bread,'' they pray in the church. But they do not know the name of the father. That is the difficulty.

But one who is Kṛṣṅa conscious, he knows what is the name of his original father, what does He do, where He lives, what is His personal feature, what is His pastime—everything. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says here, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]. Everyone is anxious to know, at least intelligent men, what is God, what is our relationship with Him, how He looks, where He lives. These are naturally inquisitiveness of any sane man. So here in the Bhagavad-gītā the Personality of Godhead Himself speaks about Himself. We have to simply accept it, that's all. You haven't got to make any research where is God, what is God, where does He live, what does He do. Here is everything.

So unfortunately, God is canvassing Himself personally, and still we are unaware of Him. Why? Because there is one verse which you will see in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Caitanya-caritāmṛta... Here, two honorable Justices are present, and I can recite that verse. It is in Bengali. It is said there caitanya-dayā katha karaha vicāra [Cc Ādi 8.15]. The author is placing the quality of mercy as given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to the judgment of the public. Caitanya-dayā katha karaha vicāra. It is not something we have accepted blindly, as faith. No. It is a fact. It is a science. It is an authority. Therefore we place before the Justices for judgment,

caitanya-dayā katha karaha vicāra vicāra karite citte pābe camatkāra [Cc Ādi 8.15]

If you wait for the judgment, then when you hear the judgment you will find, "Ah," a great ecstasy you will enjoy. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. If you kindly try to understand the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement with cool head, I mean, I mean to say right judgment, you will find ecstasy. Otherwise Kṛṣṅa..., to understand Kṛṣṅa is very difficult. Kṛṣṅa says Himself,

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti 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.]

To understand Kṛṣṅa is not very easy task. Kṛṣṅa says, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu: "Out of millions and millions persons, kaścid, someone may try to make his life successful, human life.'' Kaścid yatati siddhaye.

This human form of life is especially meant for God realization, not for any other business. But people do not try for it. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1],

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

that we should not, especially this human form of body... There are 8,400,000 forms of body—cats, dogs, trees, plants, insects—so many. So this form of life, human form of life, it is warned that nāyaṁ dehaḥ, nṛ-loke, which means you are born in the human society.

Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1]. Kaṣṭān means we have to satisfy the necessities of our body. That is a fact. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca [Hitopadeśa 25],

[Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.]

these are the necessities of the body. So we have to satisfy them, that is a fact, but not with great difficulty, kaṣṭān kāmān. Kaṣṭān kāmān means... Kāmān means the demands of the body. But we should not take up a civilization which teaches to fulfill the necessities of our life with great labor, kaṣṭān kāmān. Because that kind of civilization is existing amongst the hogs and dogs. They are working whole day and night.

So perfection of human life is not increase our industrial enterprise or economic development or so many things we are now planning. The perfection of human life is to understand Kṛṣṅa, to understand God. If you have got any objection to speak "Kṛṣṅa'' as the name of God—you may have—but actually, if there can be any name of God, that is "Kṛṣṅa.'' "Kṛṣṅa" means all-attractive. All-attractive. That is defined in the śāstra. So Kṛṣṅa, when He was present as a historical person...

Kṛṣṅa is also a historical person, because five thousand years ago He appeared on this planet and He took His birth in Mathurā, and He was raised as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, then He went to Dvārakā. In this way His life is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, comes here, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati [Bg 4.7]. That is a fact. He comes in one day of Brahmā after millions of years. These have been described in the śāstra.

But unfortunately, although Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, explains Himself, we unfortunate creature, we take Him as ordinary person. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam [Bg 9.11].

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

That we should know. That is taught by Kṛṣṅa Himself in the form of Lord Caitanya. He has given such a nice program that although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṅa, as Kṛṣṅa says Himself,

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti 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.]

To understand Kṛṣṅa as a historical person, that He took His birth in the family of Yadu-vaṁśa, Yadu dynasty, and then He was carried to His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja, and He was raised there—this is also one understanding. But the understanding of Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very difficult. It is very difficult.

So by the grace of Lord Caitanya, who is not different from Kṛṣṅa... So Rūpa Gosvāmī detected this fact. When Rūpa Goswāmī first met Lord Caitanya at Prayāg, he offered his obeisances in this way:

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya- nāmine gaura-tviṣe namaḥ [Cc Madhya 19.53]

[O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṅa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṅa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.]

He detected, "My dear Lord, You are Kṛṣṅa Himself. Now You have taken the form in the disguise of Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya. You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Your mission is to distribute kṛṣṅa-prema." Kṛṣṅa-prema. Kṛṣṅa..., Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission was to distribute Kṛṣṅa-prema. Premā pum-artho mahān [Caitanya-mañjusā].

[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopīs of Vṛndāvaṅa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless authority on everything, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.]

He distributed love of God, how to love God. That is the highest perfection.

What is said here in the Bhagavad-gītā, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahareṣu kaścit yatati siddhaye... Siddhaye. Siddhaye means how to obtain the perfection of life. The perfection of life is not dharma artha kāma mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90].

[Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.]

That is described in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: dharmaḥ projjhita-atra kaitavaḥ [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.]

Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra paramaḥ nirmatsarāṅāṁ.

In the beginning, introduction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the author, Vyāsadeva, says that all kinds of kaitavaḥ... Kaitavaḥ. Śrīdhara Swami has commented upon it, kalaḥ niṣandi rūpa. Any religion which is seeking after some result of action... Generally we perform religion, dharma-artha, we perform religion for getting some economic benefit, artha. And why artha is required? For kāma, dharma artha kāma.

For, for satisfying our sense gratification we require money, and generally we perform religious rites, ritualistic ceremony, yajña, dharma, for getting some economic development. Dharma artha kāma. Artha is required; money is required for fulfilling our sense gratification, and when we are baffled in gratifying our senses... Because here the whole struggle is going on. Everyone is trying to be the "lord of all I survey."

So there is baffle, there is confusion sometimes, and at that time they want mokṣa, relief for all these struggle for existence. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam these four things are rejected: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Śrīdhara Swami has commented that mokṣa-vañcapa yajñaṁ nirastam. Then what it is for? It is for simply developing your lost consciousness, Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because originally we are Kṛṣṅa conscious.

Because we are all sons of Kṛṣṅa or part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa; therefore Kṛṣṅa and our relationship cannot be, I mean, eliminated. It is eternal. But that, at the present moment, we have forgotten. That is our present position, māyā. By the pressure of māyā we have forgotten our relationship. That is also explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha 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.]

When we forget, when you become other than Kṛṣṅa conscious, at that time māyā captures. That is māyā. When they put off Kṛṣṅa means māyā—forgetting Kṛṣṅa and trying to become here a big businessman or big minister, big this, that, or so many things... Ultimately I am trying to become God. When I fail with all these things, then I try to become God. So all these things are māyā.

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

And Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that actual constitutional position of living entity is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṅa dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109], that living entity is eternally servant of Kṛṣṅa, part and parcel. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body. What is the business of this finger? It is to serve this, serve this body always. I want, "Mr. Finger, please come here,'' "Oh, yes.'' He will do[?]. And everything, part and parcel means to serve the whole.

That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the brāhmaṅa is the facial part of the universal form of the Lord, the kṣatriya is the arms of the universal form, the vaiśyas are the belly of the universal form of the Lord, and the śūdras, they are the legs of the universal form of the Lord. So the leg..., the head may be very important part of the body, but you cannot neglect the legs.

If you want to keep the body in fitness, then the brain must work nicely, the hand must work nicely, the belly must work nicely, and the legs also must. Catur 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 actually classless society means when these brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they work for Kṛṣṅa. That is classless. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. The idea of classless society can be achieved when people become Kṛṣṅa conscious. It is so important movement.

Therefore I am speaking that the matter is placed before the Justices. Just try to understand. And for the benefits of the society, for the human society, for the human being, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement must be very seriously taken up and introduced. That is my point. Kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga. Here, either you become this party or that party, the real purpose of forming party is to enjoy, and they bluff the people that "I shall give you this thing, that thing.''

But actually I want somehow or other the post, and I, bhoga vañcha... Either you become Communist, Socialist or Capitalist or this "ist'' or that "ist,'' the real disease is bhoga-vañcha, "How I shall enjoy this world.'' That is the real disease.

So you can change from one party to another, but the real disease is there. The real disease can be cured here by Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasaṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati [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.]

Actually if the world want peace and prosperity, tranquillity, you must have to take this Kṛṣṅa consciousness; otherwise there is no possibility. Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Lord, He is actually the proprietor. No land belongs to me or you. It is artificially. Just like I say to my American student, two hundred years ago the American land was there. Somebody was claiming, "America is ours.'' Now immigration from Europe, now they have captured. They are thinking, "It is our country.''

But actually no land belongs to me or you. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa, or God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid [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.]

Everything is God's property. We have got right to use the God's property because we are sons, but tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: whatever He allows you, you can take that. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Don't encroach upon others' property. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness philosophy, that you should always understand that Kṛṣṅa is the real bhoktā, or enjoyer.

Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor of all the lokas. Kṛṣṅa is the real friend of everyone. We are seeking friendship from so many persons to improve our material condition, but you do not know the real friend is within everyone. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

The real friend is living in everyone's heart—Kṛṣṅa—and if you take shelter of Him... "Shelter of Him'' means simply hear about Him.

śṛṅvataṁ 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.]

If you simply hear about Kṛṣṅa, just like you are kindly hearing now, then gradually the dirty things within your heart will be cleansed.

That..., this thing has been offered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. That is not whimsically; that is according to śāstra. In the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṅa it is said,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

If anyone wants God realization, then they..., he must take to this process of chanting, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā [Cc Ādi 17.31].

[One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.]

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is said by Śukadeva Goswāmī when he was teaching it, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, about the symptoms of this Kali-yuga. There are many symptom, just like you know how in the Twelfth Canto, Second, Third Chapter [SB 12.2.3], the different types of faulty condition of this yuga are mentioned there. For example, there is statement, svīkāra eva ca udvāhe: "In this Kali-yuga, simply by agreement the marriage ceremony will be performed.''

That is actually happening, especially in European country. Then, lāvaṅyaṁ keśa-dhāraṅam. In the Kali-yuga... Just see how five thousand years they predicted that are happening now. Lāvaṅyaṁ keśa-dhāraṅam: "If one keeps long hair, then he thinks that 'I have become very beautiful.' '' So these things have been ensured, as practically these are being, European and American countries, the boys are keeping long hair. They have [indistinct] hair. Lāvaṅyaṁ keśa-dhāraṅam.

So there are so many symptoms, everything. Now we have to wait for the last symptom, when there will be no milk, no sugar and no grains. That day, we shall have it. The Kali-yuga is so serious. But Sri Śukadeva Goswāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṅaḥ: "My dear King, although I have described so many faulty things in this age, there is one great benefit.'' Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṅaḥ. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṅasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet [SB 12.3.51].

[My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.]

Simply by chanting "Kṛṣṅa,'' kīrtanād eva kṛṣṅasya. Especially it is mentioned, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṅasya nāma. Not that, as you say something, any nāma you can do. No. Kṛṣṅasya. In another place also it is stated, śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ.

śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam sakhyam ātma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

These are the nine different kinds of executing devotional service. So kṛṣṅasya, viṣṅoḥ. The Ṛg Veda also says, oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ [Ṛg Veda 1.22.20].

[The lotus feet of Lord Viṣṅu are the supreme objective of all the demigods. These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky.]

So the chanting means not that any name I select, I can chant. No. Chanting means kīrtanād eva kṛṣṅasya. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanam viṣṅoḥ. Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So this prescription has been given by Lord Caitanya. He has described, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam.

ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṅaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṅāmṛtāsvādanaṁ [sarvātmā-snapanaṁ] paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam [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.]

So my appeal is to you, and especially the two Justices, please try to understand, serious vicāra, not that whimsically to accept by sentiment. No. Vicāra. Vicāra means śāstra-vicāra. We have to accept the Vedic authorities, what the Vedic injunction is there. The Vedic injunction is,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

So that is Vedic injunction. Just like from law book when you give evidence before the Justice, it is accepted, law. That is in the law. Similarly, whenever there is reference in the Vedic literature, we have to accept. And practically we have seen people did not know the name of Kṛṣṅa three, four years ago, they are mad after Kṛṣṅa, the European, American. This is the practical fact.

Therefore through the grace of Lord Caitanya, through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we approach Kṛṣṅa it becomes very easy. That was the..., detected by Rūpa Goswāmī: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te [Cc Madhya 19.53].

[O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṅa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṅa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.]

Kṛṣṅa-prema. To attain Kṛṣṅa, to understand Kṛṣṅa is very difficult. Kṛṣṅa Himself says so.

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 one does not understand what is Kṛṣṅa, then what to speak of loving Kṛṣṅa? If you don't understand somebody, how you will love him? But through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we accept, it becomes so easy that even mlecchas and yavanas, who never heard of Kṛṣṅa, they are dancing in ecstasy for kṛṣṅa-prema. So if we actually want that siddhi, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3], that perfection of life, we must take to this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, which teaches how to surrender unto Kṛṣṅa. If we surrender to dog, forgetting Kṛṣṅa, we are under the clutches of māyā.

Now if we surrender, Kṛṣṅa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66]

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

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.]

These are the statement. 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.]

You have been captured by māyā. You have forgotten Kṛṣṅa. Just try to surrender unto Him. This is the teachings of Lord Caitanya. And they are accepting, these Western outsiders, because they have no hodgepodge in their mind, you see. They have cleansed. So I have said that kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28], that, and they are getting the result.

[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.]

And chant Kṛṣṅa's name. Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa's name, nondifferent. [indistinct] nāma nāmāni. There is no difference. Kṛṣṅa is the Absolute. Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's name, Kṛṣṅa's quality, Kṛṣṅa's form, Kṛṣṅa's entourage, they are all the same. Anything in relationship with Kṛṣṅa is Kṛṣṅa. That is absolute knowledge.

So it has become easier for them, because they are accepting as they are stated in the śāstra. If we neglect the śāstra-vidhi, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim sa va [Bg 16.23].

[But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.]

So the defect at the present moment: that we are manufacturing our own concoctions. This should be stopped. You take as it is stated in the śāstra. Kṛṣṅa says that "I am the Supreme,'' mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg 7.7].

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

We accept Kṛṣṅa as the Supreme. 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.]

"I am the origin of everything.'' The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. So why don't you accept? Why you comment in different way? No. Why you comment like this? When Kṛṣṅa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī [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.]

"Oh, it is not to Kṛṣṅa, it is something within Kṛṣṅa.'' Kṛṣṅa is not divided in that way—"something within and something without.'' He is absolute. We are divided within our soul, outside of this material body, but not Kṛṣṅa.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says one who thinks Him as ordinary human being, he is a mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum... [Bg 9.11].

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

"Because I appeared as a human being, mūḍhās, those who are rascals, they think Me as ordinary human being.'' No. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto. He does not know what is the immense power behind. That Kṛṣṅa showed. Kṛṣṅa, when He was present, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. We have to accept that, not that we make some comment upon it, because we think Kṛṣṅa is ordinary boy, "How seven-years-old boy can lift?'' But we forget that He is Kṛṣṅa. If Kṛṣṅa can throw so many innumerable planets in the sky, floating just like cotton swab, is it very difficult for Kṛṣṅa to lift a mountain?

But they do not accept Kṛṣṅa as God. That is the difficulty. You do not accept Kṛṣṅa as God, but you accept Kṛṣṅa as ordinary human being; therefore you are mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam [Bg 9.11].

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāh. Again the same thing, mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He has used very strong word to tell you, because He is the father, and the father can chastise the son using very strong word. Similarly, He is the original father; therefore He is trying to chastise you,

na mām duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ [Bg 7.15]

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

Because they have taken to the āsuraṁ bhāva... Āsuraṁ bhāva means, Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya has explained, that āsuraṁ bhāva means disobedience to the order of God. That is āsurīm. And devānām means obedience to the order of God. There are two kinds of men: daiva āsura eva. Viṣṅu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ [Padma Purāṅa].

[There are two classes of men in the created world. One consists of the demoniac and the other of the godly. The devotees of Lord Viṣṅu are the godly, whereas those who are just the opposite are called demons.]

Simply one who carries out the order of Kṛṣṅa, he is devatāḥ, and who does not carry out the orders of Kṛṣṅa, he is āsura. These things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely.

So I am only requesting that Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, that originally we are all Kṛṣṅa conscious, just like the water when it falls down on the ground it is distilled, clear water, but as soon as it touches the earth it becomes muddy. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, we are all as pure as Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā by the statement of Arjuna: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg 10.12].

[Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.]

Kṛṣṅa is paraṁ pavitra, pure, the purest, apāpa-viddha. So we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, we are also paraṁ pavitra, but due to the material contact of these three modes of nature we have become polluted. The exact, in the same way, as we are part.

So how we have fallen down, why you have come to this material world, how we can revive our again Kṛṣṅa consciousness, these are the subject matter of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. We appeal to you: try to understand this movement. Enjoy with full heart, and do some welfare activity to the human society.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa. [applause] [end]