Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.2

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat]

Prabhupāda: Then? Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satām.

Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse]

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satāṁ vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate 'tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṅāt [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.]

Prabhupāda: All right. So what is the purport? Go on. "In the lower stage..." Read.

Pradyumna: "In the lower stages of human civilization there is always competition to lord it over the material nature or, in other words, there is a continuous rivalry to satisfy the senses."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So this rivalry, it is, of course, found... This rivalry for colonization, that is the special feature of the European countries. Rivalry. In India we have got experience. In America also, they have got experience, Canada. The Hollanders, the French people, the Spanish, Portugal and England. There was regularly rivalry how to occupy.

Within the past two hundred years there was rivalry. So according to Vedic civilization, there should not be rivalry. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ [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.]

You be satisfied what is allotted to you. Don't try to encroach upon others' property. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. That is Vedic civilization. One is satisfied...

In 1942 there was a famine, man-made famine, and in India so many people practically died of starvation. Not died, but they died by eating. There was scarcity of foodstuff, but when public began to give them food, so they ate so much that they fell sick and died, so many people.

Not by starvation, by eating. By starvation, nobody dies; by overeating, one dies. That is a statistic. The next death rate is for over-eating. In America is it not? Who said me the other...? The first death rate is from...

Pradyumna: From heart.

Prabhupāda: Heart trouble. And the next death rate is by overeating. So there cannot be any rivalry. Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Person, nityo nityānām... We are all persons. Just like you consider me, I am the head of your society, similarly, there are so many heads, another head. Brahmā is head. There are so many Brahmās. Then, above them, there is Mahā-Viṣṅu, head. In this way, if you analyze, you'll go to Kṛṣṅa, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [Bs 5.1], the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

So He has provided everyone's food. There is no problem. It is mistake to accept it that "Because there is overpopulation in the world, there is problem." Just now like we were walking on the St. James Park, the swan, ducks, they are producing one dozen children at a time. And that is also twice, thrice in a year. So they have no problem. Where is the problem of overpopulation? They are not starving. Unless you go and capture them and kill them, they are not dying. You see from the birds, animals—nobody dies of starvation.

Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. Kṛṣṅa is there. He is supplying food for everyone. So where...? There is no question of starvation. Then why rivalry? Rivalry means "I want to enjoy more sense gratification." That is rivalry. Otherwise, there is no question of rivalry. Everything is there, complete. Pūrṅam adaḥ pūrṅam idaṁ pūrṅāt pūrṅam udacyate [Īśo Invocation].

[The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.]

God's creation is perfect. There cannot be any imperfectness. Even there is overpopulation, God will supply food. Don't bother.

But because we have no faith in God, because we have forgotten God, we do not know what is God, therefore we have created the economic problem. Otherwise there is no problem. You can see how they are jolly, they are walking. So by nature's study we have to learn. If we don't go to the Vedic knowledge, we can see that "Where is the problem in the lower animals?" There is no problem. They are confident. The problems for lower animal is there when they are in the city, but if they live natural life, there is no problem.

Therefore śāstra says,

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ [SB 1.5.18]

In these different species of life we are wandering in different planets. So trying to solve the economic problem, so many leaders came to solve the economic problem and they went away. The problems remained where it was there. But they are coming and going. Koto caturānana, mari mari jāota [Śrīla Vidyāpati Ṭhākura]. The so-called leaders are coming and going, but because there is no God consciousness, the problems are there.

In our country, big leaders like Gandhi and others, they came and went away. They thought, "If the Britishers go away, then our problems will be solved," but actually there is no solution of problem. There is Pakistan problem, this problem, that problem—so many problems. So in this way we cannot solve our problems. The problems can be solved if we endeavor for developing our Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Then problems will be solved. Otherwise there is no problem. Read next line.

Pradyumna: "Driven by such consciousness, man turns to religion. He thus performs pious activities or religious functions in order to gain something material."

Prabhupāda: Now, formerly—now also—those who are not atheists, when there are problems, they turn to God, who are theists. Those who are atheists, they will not. That is, two classes of men there are: atheists and theists. The theist, who believes in God, whenever he is distressed, whenever he is facing some problem, he turns towards God: "God, save us." That is nice, very nice. They are called pious.

When there are problems, when they look towards God, such person is called pious. It is described in Bhagavad-gītā, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna [Bg 7.16].

[O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.]

Sukṛtina means pious. Su means good, and kṛtina means activities. And similarly, the opposite number, that is called duṣkṛtina. Du means... Duṣ means bad, and kṛtina means activities.

So there are two classes of men: one class of men who are pious... Pious means those who are regularly following the religious principles. It does not matter what religion you follow. If you follow the religious principles in whichever religion you accept, then you are pious. If you do not follow the religious principles, then you are impious, duṣkṛtina. So at the present moment, practically all over the world they are no longer interested with God and religion.

Just like in your city, London, there are so many churches for sale. Why? Because people have become duṣkṛtina. They are no more interested in religion and God. Just see. Otherwise, why the churches should be sold? People are not interested. In India also, the temples, many temples, they are uncared for. They are not for sale—so maybe some of them are also for sale—but I have seen many temples uncared for. At night, one dog is entering and living within the temple.

So people have become disinterested in religion and God at the present moment. So therefore according to Bhagavad-gītā such persons are duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means miscreants or always engaged in sinful activities. If you are not religious, then you must act sinfully.

So people are becoming duṣkṛtina. Instead of becoming sukṛtina, they are becoming duṣkṛtina. And as a result of that, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [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.]

They are becoming rascals and lowest of the mankind. And whatever their university degrees are there, that knowledge is useless. And they are not going to surrender to God. This is the present position. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Those who are coming to God, they are called sukṛtina, pious. But generally common men, even though he is pious, he goes to God to get some material profit. That is being discussed.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "But if such material gains are obtainable in other ways, then so-called religion is neglected. This is the situation in modern civilization."

Prabhupāda: Yes. For the leaders... They are seeing this poor man is going to church or to temple for asking God, "God, give us our daily bread," they are taking the opportunity to spread atheism. They say, "Well, you have prayed for your bread in the temple or in the church. Have you got the bread?" They say, "No. Not yet." "All right. Come to me. You ask me bread." "Yes."

They are innocent. "Yes, Mr. Such-and-such, give me bread," and he gives bread: "Take this bread." Then they are convinced, "Oh, God cannot give us bread. Our political leader can give bread." This is..., propaganda is going on. You see? "God cannot give us bread, but our political leader can give us bread."

But they are innocent. They do not know that this rascal politician, wherefrom he has brought the bread? Has he manufactured in the factory wheat, rice, grains? Then unless God has given you grain, wheat, rice and other grains, how you can make bread? So far they cannot go. Actually, God gives us bread. If there is famine, if there is no production of grains, where is the politician, father, who will able to give you bread?

This requires little intelligence, that "Actually God is giving us bread, not this politician." But people have no such intelligence, and there is regular propaganda against God; so people are becoming godless. The whole civilization is now godless, and therefore there are so many sufferings.

Hmm. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Man is thriving economically, so at present he is not very interested in religion."

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are instructing, "If you want economic development, why you are going to church and temple? Just start industry. You'll get money." That is propaganda is going on. At least in our country, in India, it is going on. "Forget now God and temples. Just try to imitate America. Overnight become industrialist."

But they are not teaching them that America or Western countries, after industrialization, now they are producing hippies. That they do not see. They are seeing one side, that "America and Western countries, they have become so prosperous by industrialization. Let us imitate them. We must have."

Actually, India, after independence, should have distributed this spiritual knowledge. Why we should compete with industrialization? They have got also demand for the spiritual knowledge. So India should have given the spiritual knowledge to the Western countries instead of competing with industry. And that is a fact.

Now I alone started this movement. There is so much response because they are hankering after this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu hinted therefore:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra [Cc Ādi 9.41]

[One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.]

"Those who have taken birth as human being in Indian, on the land of Bhārata-varṣa, they should learn their spiritual assets and distribute it throughout the world for real welfare activity." This was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's indication. That was my Guru Mahārāja's indication. With that indication I tried, and somehow or other, it is coming to be successful.

Now it is in your hand, you European and American young boys and girls. You take it seriously. From India they are coming, but I am very sorry to inform, they are not giving the real..., not delivering the real culture. So we do not want to discuss that point.

But now you are intelligent boys and girls. You have taken this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Try to understand more philosophically and distribute all over the world. That is my request. Otherwise the world is doomed. Without this spiritual knowledge, without God consciousness, the whole world is doomed.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "Churches, mosques or temples are now practically vacant. Men are more interested in factories, shops and cinemas than in religious places which were erected by their forefathers. This practically proves that religion is performed for some economic gain. Economic gains are needed for sense gratification. Often when one is baffled in the pursuit of sense gratification he takes to salvation and tries to become one with the Supreme Lord. Consequently, all these states are simply different types of sense gratification.

"In the Vedas, the above-mentioned four activities are prescribed in the regulative way so that there will not be any undue competition for sense gratification. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is transcendental to all these sense gratificatory activities. It is purely transcendental literature, which can be understood only by the pure devotees of the Lord who are transcendental to competitive sense gratification. In the material world there is keen competition between animal and animal, man and man, community and community, nation and nation.

"But the devotees of the Lord rise above such competition. They do not compete with the materialists, because they are on the path back to Godhead, where life is eternal and blissful. Such transcendentalists are nonenvious and pure in heart. In the material world everyone is envious of everyone else, and therefore there is competition. But the transcendental devotees of the Lord are not only free from material envy..."

Prabhupāda: Therefore this bhāgavata-dharma, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness, is meant for persons who are not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṅām [SB 1.1.2].

Nirmatsara. Matsaratā. Matsaratā means to become intolerant when his neighbor is prosperous. That is called matsara. Everyone is envious. If his neighbor, if his brother, if his friend becomes more prosperous than himself, he becomes envious. This is material nature. Similarly, in our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, if we become envious, "Oh, my Godbrother, oh, he has become so popular. He is making so much progress. So put some impediments towards his progressive path," this is also material.

The Vaikuṅṭha consciousness is that if your neighbor, if your brother is prosperous or progressive, then one should think, "Oh, he's so nice that he has served God so nicely. God is so pleased upon him that he is making so nice progress." That is Vaikuṅṭha consciousness. And material consciousness is that "Oh, he has advanced so much. Oh, let me check him." This is material. That is going on. The whole world, enviousness.

I remember in..., long ago, about sometimes in 1936, my eldest son in Bombay—he was in school—he stood first. So his class friends became envious, that "Here is a boy, he is coming from Bengal, and he has stood first." They wanted to fight with him. My son came and complained to me that "This is the position." Just see. Children even, envious. You see. That means this is the nature of this world. If you prosper, then your brothers and your neighbors, your friends, will be envious.

So this bhāgavata-dharma is not for such envious persons. Therefore it is stated here, paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satām [SB 1.1.2].

Not for the envious persons. The envious persons—that means materialists—they will not be able to understand what is spoken in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate [SB 1.1.2]. So our process is, because we are envious by nature, therefore we have to cleanse our heart. Therefore we have to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra very rigidly, regularly. Then our this enviousness, the dirty things, will be over, and we shall be able to understand what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the graduate study. Those who are interested in God, for them, this is graduate study. The entrance study is Bhagavad-gītā. Just like you pass your entrance examination, matriculation examination, then you are entered into college, then you become graduate; similarly, after reading Bhagavad-gītā, you are allowed to enter into the understanding of God.

Because in the Bhagavad-gītā the ultimate instruction is 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.]

There are discussion of the yoga, karma, jñāna, bhakti... Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. But ultimately the last instruction is that "This is the secret of success, My dear Arjuna," guhyatamam. "You simply surrender unto Me, and I shall give you all protection." Mā śucaḥ, "Don't bother." This is required. This is the beginning of God consciousness. So unless we have finished nicely the study of Bhagavad-gītā or unless we have accepted this proposition of God that "You surrender," there is no entrance in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means one who has at least understood what is God. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins His teaching where Kṛṣṅa ended. Kṛṣṅa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same Personality of Godhead. As Kṛṣṅa, He demanded... Because God can demand like that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]: "You just surrender unto Me."

What God can say? God cannot say that "You jump over My head." God can say like that, "You surrender." That is God's word. God cannot allow you that you jump over His head. You can jump over His head, but that requires great advancement of love for God. That is another thing.

Just like the cowherd boys, they are jumping over Kṛṣṅa. That position... You can also have, but after kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. After amassing many lives' simply pious activities, you can have that post. Just like it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṅa sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ [SB 10.12.11]

[All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds' shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks.

Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes.

In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Kṛṣṅa, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jñānīs desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?]

Vyāsadeva is describing the cowherds boy: "Oh, these cowherds boy, they are kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. They accumulated many millions of births' pious activities, and now they are allowed to play with Kṛṣṅa as His friend." Kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. Itthaṁ dāsyaṁ gatānām.

So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore begins... People misunderstood Kṛṣṅa. There are rascal scholars, they misunderstood. Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅam [Bg 18.66]:

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

"Give up everything. Simply surrender unto Me alone." Mām ekam. He doesn't say even to Nārāyaṅa or Viṣṅu. Because we are so fool, as soon as Kṛṣṅa will say, "I am Viṣṅu, I am all," then "Everything is one. Everything is one." That's all. Therefore He says particularly, mām ekam: "Only unto Me alone." Because if one understands Kṛṣṅa, then gradually he understands other things.

But in the beginning if it is said... Similarly, in Bible also I have seen that "Through me." Because they were so fool, if they are allowed to go elsewhere, they will commit mistake. Therefore that was nice. To the foolish person such stress required to be given. Mām ekam. But still, the foolish person misunderstood Kṛṣṅa, misinterpreted Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Māyāvādīs. Therefore same Kṛṣṅa came as Lord Caitanya, as devotee. This time not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead but as devotee, to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṅa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore begins His teaching where Kṛṣṅa ended. When Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Him, Sanātana śikṣā... You have learned it from Caitanya..., Teachings of Lord Caitanya. So He begins from that point where Kṛṣṅa ended. Where Kṛṣṅa ended? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins from there. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109]. When Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Him, "What I am?" so He replied that "You are eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa."

This is the beginning of bhāgavata-dharma. Unless we understand that we are eternal servants of Kṛṣṅa, there is no beginning of spiritual life. It is still material life. That conviction must be there.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "They are well-wishers to everyone, and they strive to establish a competitionless society, with God in the center. The contemporary socialist conception of a competitionless society is artificial, because in the socialist state there is competition for the post of dictator. From the point of view of the Vedas, or from the point of view of common human activity, sense gratification is the basis of material life.

"There are three paths mentioned in the Vedas. One involves fruitive activities to gain promotion to better planets, another involves worshiping different demigods for promotion to the planets of the demigods, and another involves realizing the Absolute Truth in His impersonal feature and becoming one with Him. The impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth is not the highest. Above the impersonal feature is the Paramātmā feature, and above this, there is the personal feature of the Absolute Truth, or Bhagavān.

"Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives information about the Absolute Truth in His personal feature. It is higher than impersonalist literatures and higher than the jñāna-kāṅḍa division of the Vedas. It is even higher than the karma-kāṅḍa division, and even higher than the upāsanā-kāṅḍa division, because it recommends the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa. In the karma-kāṅḍa, there is competition to reach heavenly planets for better sense gratification, and there is similar competition in the jñāna-kāṅḍa and the upāsanā-kāṅḍa.

"The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is superior to all of these because it aims at the Supreme Truth, which is the substance or the root of all categories. From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one can come to know the substance as well as the categories. The substance of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord and all emanations, are relative forms of energy."

Prabhupāda: It is said, vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam. There is vastu. Vastu means summum bonum, original, and the vāstava. Just like Kṛṣṅa and His different energies. The different energies are called vāstava, "in relationship with vastu," and Kṛṣṅa is vastu. So here it is said that vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu. Vāstava, you can understand Kṛṣṅa in all His features. And if you understand, then śivadam, it is auspicious. Tāpa-trayonmūlanam.

As soon as you understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because it is auspicious, then all the tāpa-traya, three kinds of miserable condition of material existence pertaining to the body, mind, pertaining to the infliction offered by others, adhibhautika, adhidaivika or adhyātmika... So these are, three kinds of tribulations are always going on. So when we understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the vastu, the substance, and the categories, then immediately it becomes auspicious and we become free from these threefold miseries of material life.

All right. [devotees offer obeisances] [break]

Guest (1): ...successions of pure devotees of Lord Kṛṣṅa all over the universe or only on the middle planet, Earth?

Prabhupāda: Where is Revatīnandana? What does he say? What is his question?

Revatīnandana: The question is that are there lines of disciplic succession on planets all over the universe, or only on these middle planets, like Earth?

Prabhupāda: All over the universe. Nārada is moving all over the universe and creating disciples.

Guest (2): Kṛṣṅa has exhibited His pastimes on every planet in the [indistinct] universe?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is lord of universe. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29]: "I am the master of all universes."

[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.]

Revatīnandana: But His pastimes in His original form... He asked if Lord Kṛṣṅa's pastimes are displayed on planets all over the universe. So far the original form of Kṛṣṅa, that is only on one planet in one day of Brahmā. Is that correct? In one universe? I think I read somewhere, that the Lord appears in His original form only once during the day of Brahmā in each universe, and that was on this planet just five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana.

Revatīnandana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is so purified. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam [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.]

As Kṛṣṅa is worshipable, similarly, that Vṛndāvana is also. It is nondifferent from Kṛṣṅa. You have been in Vṛndāvana?

Revatīnandana: No. Calcutta, Bombay. Vṛndāvana always remains like that, even there is..., on the surface people are doing nonsense there? Just like...

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana cannot be polluted. Just like within the heart of a hog there is Kṛṣṅa. It does not mean Kṛṣṅa's staying in polluted place. The sunshine may be in the filthy place, but sun is not polluted. But the filthy place is purified.

Guest (3): [indistinct] Śrīla Prabhupāda. The human society is degrading so fast. You can notice it the last twenty years. Is it... Is it the Age of Kali, or is it the...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Due to Age of Kali. Yes. Due to the Age of Kali, it is degrading. So only we can save by Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. If not all, some of them can be saved.

Guest (3): It can be changed, the Age of Kali, by presence of the devotees of Kṛṣṅa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? It will change in the Satya-yuga. Just like our body is changed, season is changed, similarly, this will also change.

Revatīnandana: There'll be temporary changes due to Lord Caitanya's appearance. Right? Sometimes this question comes up, with the devotees especially, that it says the devotee makes advancement when the spiritual master is pleased. Right?

So sometimes the spiritual master is far, far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg temple. He thinks, "How will the spiritual master be pleased?"

Prabhupāda: Just follow his order. Spiritual master is along with you by his words. Just like my spiritual master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words.

Revatīnandana: And Kṛṣṅa knows that; therefore we make advancement. He is sitting in our heart. He knows what we're doing. So He sees, "He's serving My pure devotee," immediately there is advancement.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritual master..., Kṛṣṅa is not limited. It is not material. You can associate with Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master in any circumstance, provided you want two things. Just like we can associate with Kṛṣṅa immediately if we take Bhagavad-gītā as it is.

He is not different from Bhagavad-gītā. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṅa-avatāra [Cc Ādi 17.22]. Kṛṣṅa is incarnated in His name in this age. You associate with Kṛṣṅa's name, immediately associate with Kṛṣṅa.

Dhanañjaya: And his devotees.

Prabhupāda: Yes. [break]

Guest (1): I'd like to ask: Does Kṛṣṅa desire we get a spiritual name?

Revatīnandana: The question is he's asking, "Is it Kṛṣṅa's desire that we get a spiritual name from you?" [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: If the spiritual master gives it, then it is Kṛṣṅa's desire.

Guest (1): [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: You can answer his question.

Revatīnandana: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda explained to me one time that every devotee has got his unique relation with Kṛṣṅa already fixed up. It's already fixed. The relationship is there. Alright [indistinct] that relationship may be with Kṛṣṅa in His original form; sometimes it may be with a different form of the different Vaikuṅṭha planets.

So it's only that we're devotees of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. Therefore also our names all have to do with Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, and they are names of Kṛṣṅa. So we call Vidhānacandra dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Dāsa is always there.

Revatīnandana: But by saying Vidhānacandra dāsa means I am also saying the name of Kṛṣṅa. So our names serve this purpose, always reminding us of Kṛṣṅa. But our ultimate position, our destination, it may be anywhere in the spiritual kingdom with some form of Kṛṣṅa. It's not necessarily identical with the name.

Prabhupāda: No, he is not identical. But the name is identical. But we are dāsa.

Revatīnandana: That's right. Just like my name is Revatīnandana dāsa. So that is a name of Balarāma.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Revatīnandana is identical with Kṛṣṅa. We are Revatīnandana dāsa.

Revatīnandana: Oh, yes. That is clear. His question is, "Does that mean that when I'm in the spiritual sky I'm going to be a servant of Balarāma directly?"

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's it.

Revatīnandana: But once you told me that... I asked you if we were all devotees of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. You said, "Well, we might also be devotees of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṅa, or Sītā-Rāma..."

Prabhupāda: None of them are different from Kṛṣṅa. Revatīnandana is also Kṛṣṅa.

Revatīnandana: Yes. But does that mean that definitely my spirit soul, if I do become Kṛṣṅa conscious, it will go to Kṛṣṅaloka and be associated with Balarāma?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Revatīnandana: It won't be to some Vaikuṅṭha planet? It wouldn't be to some Vaikuṅṭha planet?

Prabhupāda: Balarāma's expansion is Vaikuṅṭha planet.

Guest (1): Yes.

Revatīnandana: So Their expansions also may be.

Sucandra: What does the name Vaiṣṅavī mean?

Prabhupāda: Vaiṣṅavī?

Sucandra: Yes. You gave my daughter the name Vaiṣṅavī.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Hamsadutta: [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Associated with Vaiṣṅava."

Sucandra: I saw in Kṛṣṅa book Two you explained that Vaiṣṅavī is another name of Yogamāyā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You do not like? [laughter] Yes. So let your daughter become a Durgā. Why you are afraid of? So now no more talking. [end]

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.2

Referenced verses