Lecture

The Nectar of Devotion

Pradyumna: [reading:] "So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service. In our conditional state, our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Kṛṣṅa, it is called bhakti."

Prabhupāda: Hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate [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.]

Bhakti, it is very simple thing. Our relationship with Kṛṣṅa is natural. Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśa jīva-bhūtaḥ [Bg 15.7]. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa; therefore our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is natural. There is no question about it. Part and parcel means helping the whole. As we have several times explained that this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so it is the duty of the finger always serve the body, whole body. It has no other occupation. As soon as I desire, "Finger, you come to this place," immediately it comes. "Finger, you come to this place," immediately it comes.

So we can study. What is the meaning of part and parcel? Part and parcel means to serve the whole. Kṛṣṅa is the Absolute Truth. We are relative truth. Therefore it is our duty to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is our natural position. But at the present moment, we are engaging our senses, ourself, in designation. I am thinking, "I am American," I am thinking, "I am Hindu," I am thinking, "I am brāhmaṅa" or "I am sannyāsī." So many designation.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented Himself how to become designationless, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170]. He said, "I am not a brāhmaṅa. I am not a śūdra. I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a brahmacārī." He denied. At last He said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayoḥ dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ [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.’]

This is our position. We are not Indian; we are not American; we are not Hindu; we are not Muslim. These are all designation.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to make people free from designation. Just like actually you see: Here are American, European boys and girls. They have forgotten that they are American or European or they come from Christian group or Jewish group. Similarly, we should also forget that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," or "I am brāhmaṅa," "I am śūdra," "I am kṣatriya." No. This is the only platform, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, where we can unite on spiritual platform. We cannot be united by resolutions. Just like the United Nation: they are trying for the last thirty years to become united—but simply it is illusion. On that platform we cannot be united. On political platform or social platform, that is not possible, because the designations are there.

When we are free from designation, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, when we are purified, then we can unite in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṅa. That is real unity. Hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam... [Cc Madhya 19.170].

That is Vaikuṅṭha platform. Just like in Vaikuṅṭha the Vaikuṅṭheśvara, Nārāyaṅa, or Kṛṣṅa, He's the central point of service. Just like in Vṛndāvana. The Vṛndāvana... The animals, the birds, the beasts, the water, the trees, the flowers, the cowherds boy—everyone—center is Kṛṣṅa. That is Vṛndāvana. They did not know that Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they loved Kṛṣṅa with their heart and soul. That is Vṛndāvana.

So if we come to this point of Kṛṣṅa consciousness and simply learn how to love Kṛṣṅa, then we can create the whole world as Vṛndāvana. Unfortunately, even in the Vṛndāvana at the present moment, because our desires have been something else other than serving Kṛṣṅa, there are so many factions. The center is missing.

So Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means to purify our senses from the designation and engage the senses in the service of the Lord. Hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate [Cc Madhya 19.170]. That is described here. That is wanted. It is called bhakti. "In our conditional state our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Kṛṣṅa, it is called bhakti." This is bhakti.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna served Kṛṣṅa by his talent. He was a soldier; he knew how to fight. So by..., for his personal consideration, he was thinking not to fight, not to kill the other side, because the other side happened to be his kinsmen, his grandfather, his brother, his nephews. So he was thinking in terms of his own sense gratification, because "The other side, if they are killed, I'll be unhappy." That was his consideration. Therefore he was not willing to fight. And to induce him to become Kṛṣṅa conscious, the whole Bhagavad-gītā was explained. And at the end Kṛṣṅa asked Arjuna, "What is your decision?" Yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg 18.63]: "You can do whatever you like. I have given you instruction, full instruction. Now whatever you like, you can do."

This means every living entity has got a little independence. Kṛṣṅa, or God, does not interfere with that independence. Yathecchasi tathā kuru. At the last, also, Kṛṣṅa says, 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.]

"You do it." Kṛṣṅa can instruct us, "You do it." If I don't do it, that is my option. That option is always there. Kṛṣṅa does not oblige me. Otherwise, what is the difference between me and the stone? The stone has no independence, but I am living entity; I have got my independence.

So do... Kṛṣṅa does not interfere with my independence. Voluntarily, if we surrender to Kṛṣṅa, voluntarily if we serve Him, then our life is successful. Voluntarily. Hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṅa 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.]

We can become immediately liberated if we give up our designated post. If we simply come to the platform of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then immediately we become liberated. So many sages and saintly persons are trying to become liberated, mukta, to merge into the existence of impersonal Brahman. But because they have no information of Kṛṣṅa, or they do not like to surrender to Kṛṣṅa, they fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ [SB 10.2.32].

[[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.]

So we must stick to Kṛṣṅa consciousness without any designative ideas. We must stand on the transcendental platform. 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.]

Transcendental platform means above the three modes of material nature, which is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. So this position, brahma-bhūtaḥ's position... Without being in brahma-bhūtaḥ position, liberated stage, nobody can be engaged in devotional service.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg 18.54]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

Bhakti begins when is..., one is actually liberated from the influence of the modes of material nature. That is real bhakti. Otherwise, when you are..., we are in training, that is called prakṛta-bhakta.

Actually, we are in the material state, but we are being trained up, the Deity worship. This is, following the rules and regulations under the instruction of spiritual master, or Vedic injunction, this is training period. But even in the training period, if one is sincere and serious, he's liberated. He's liberated. It is so nice. Kṛṣṅa consciousness is so nice that even in the training period, although he's not mature, and even one falls immature stage, there is no loss.

That is also confirmed by Nārada Muni: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi apakva... [SB 1.5.17].

[One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.]

There is a verse like this—I don't exactly remember—that if one is engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness and, without being mature, somehow or other if he falls down, there is no loss, whereas other persons, who are sticking to their sva-dharma but has no idea of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, he does not gain anything. These are the statement of Nārada. Therefore our position should be, our real active life begins when we begin to serve Kṛṣṅa with our senses without being designated, without being situated in designation. This is transcendental state.

Therefore a bhakta, Vaiṣṅava, Vaiṣṅava should not be considered that he's coming from European group or this group or that group. No. Vaiṣṅave jāti-buddhiḥ [Padma Purāṅa]. Vaiṣṅava should not be considered belonging to any jāti. Vaiṣṅave, arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-mati [Padma Purāṅa]. Just like we worship Deity. Everyone knows that Deity is made of stone, but do we worship the stone? Do we construct so big, big temples for worshiping a piece of stone? No. Unless one has got this conception that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sākṣād brajendra-nandana..." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Jagannātha temple and immediately fainted. He saw sākṣād brajendra-nandana hari, Kṛṣṅa, immediately.

So we have to learn how to see Vaiṣṅava and Viṣṅu. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. That means we have to purify our senses. Then we can see Kṛṣṅa always.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yam śyāmasundaram acintya-guṅa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.38]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

One has to smear the eyes with the ointment of love, how to love Kṛṣṅa. Then one can see Kṛṣṅa always within his heart. And one who has learned this art, how to see Kṛṣṅa within himself, within his heart always, Kṛṣṅa certifies, "he's the topmost yogī."

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata antarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ [Bg 6.47]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

These are clear things. There is no hazy idea. Everything is clear. We have to become designationless, free from designation. We shall forget. Not that "Here are some foreigners. Pick up some quarrel with them and try to drive them away. Why they have come?" So many nonsense things are going on for want of actual spiritual education. This is not good, at least, for Vṛndāvana. This is not good.

People have not been educated properly with the Vṛndāvana spirit. Therefore things are happening like that. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170]: how to engage the senses, being freed from designation, in the service of the Lord, that is Vṛndāvana life; that is Vṛndāvana atmosphere. If there is any other purpose than this, then it is very difficult to utilize the opportunity, the fortune of living in Vṛndāvana. One has to be designationless.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "As long as one identifies himself as belonging to a certain family, a certain society or a certain person, he is said to covered with designations. When one is fully aware that he does not belong to any family, society or country, but is eternally related to Kṛṣṅa, he then realizes that his energy should be employed not in the interests of so-called family, society or country, but in the interests of Kṛṣṅa. This..., this is purity of purpose and the platform of pure devotional service in Kṛṣṅa consciousness."

Prabhupāda: So our purpose... The Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is started with this summary idea, that nobody should think himself as belonging to certain family or sect or religion or country or nation. All these designation have created havoc in the world, these false designation. When I think that "This country is mine," it is a false designation. Country is not mine; I am a guest here.

If I stay in a country, in a place, for, say, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, does it..., does it mean that it belongs to me? Because they have no Kṛṣṅa conscious idea, they are misled in thinking in that way. Some group of men are thinking that "This is our country": "We are American," "We are Indian," "We are German." This is the false... Illusion.

Actually, everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

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

He's the proprietor. But because people are not educated in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, they are thinking, "I am the proprietor." Ahaṁ mameti janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. This ahaṁ mama, increasing the ahaṁ mama, is illusion, is māyā. And that is going on.

Therefore there is great need of spreading Kṛṣṅa consciousness in the human society. Those who are actually welfare workers, they should come forward and join this movement to spread it. Actually, it is being accepted very nicely. Although not nicely, they have begun to accept it all over the world. This is our experience. And if we present the philosophy in correct viewpoint, people will accept it. And people will accept it, and people from all parts of the world will come to Vṛndāvana. Because they are hearing about Vṛndāvana, about Kṛṣṅa, naturally they are very much anxious to visit.

But if we do not receive them nicely, if we remain sectarian, oh, it will be an unfortunate thing. That is my request. Those who are inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they should be prepared to receive these foreigners who are being educated in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. They should come here to visit; so they should be received, they should be welcomed. That is my request.

Yes. Next.

Pradyumna: " 'The Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service.' In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, 10th verse [SB 3.29.10], Śrīla Kapiladeva, while instructing His mother, has given the following characteristics of pure devotional service: 'My dear mother, those who are My pure devotees, and who have no desire for material benefit or philosophical speculation, have their minds so much engaged in My service that they are never interested in asking Me for anything—except to be engaged in that service. They do not even beg to live in My abode with Me.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is pure devotional purpose. Natural. "Here is a Kṛṣṅa devotee." How much one should be glad to see a Kṛṣṅa devotee. Naturally, his love for a Kṛṣṅa devotee should enhance. That is pure devotion. Just like in foreign country, when one Indian meets another Indian, naturally he has got some tendency: "Oh, wherefrom you are coming? How long you are here?" This conversation go on.

Similarly, natural flow of Kṛṣṅa consciousness is that as soon as one sees a person in Vaiṣṅava symptoms, he should be eager to welcome him. He should be very much anxious to talk with him about Kṛṣṅa, kṛṣṅa-kathā. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca [Bg 10.9].

[The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and conversing about Me.]

Kṛṣṅa conscious people should be so nice that as soon as they meet together, they talk about Kṛṣṅa, they try to understand about Kṛṣṅa, and they feel pleasure in that way. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness society.

We are trying to make a Kṛṣṅa consciousness society to give this opportunity to these people, how one should be engladdened by seeing one devotee and talk with them, one another, about Kṛṣṅa, forgetting their designations. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "There are five kinds of liberation, namely, to become one with the Lord, to live with the Supreme Lord on the same planet, to have the same features as the Lord, to enjoy the same opulences as the Lord and to live as a companion of the Lord. A devotee, not to speak of rejecting material sense gratification, does not even want any of the five kinds of liberation. He is satisfied simply by discharging loving service to the Lord. That is the characteristic of pure devotion."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is instructed by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He rejects: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4].

[O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.]

The karmīs, they want all these things. Na... Dhanam: great riches, and beautiful wife, great followers. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is rejecting these, and He's rejecting also liberation. Dhiyamanaṁ na ghṛnanti[?]. A pure devotee is not interested even in liberation. That is pure devotee.

That... Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he says, kīṭa janma ha-u yathā tuyā dāsa, bahir mukha brahma janme nāhi mora āśā [Mānasa Deha Geha 5].

[Let me be born again even as a worm, as long as I may remain Your devotee. I have no desire to be born as a Brahmā averse to You.]

A devotee does not pray that "Give me this, give me that, give me that." No. He prays that "Whatever You like, if You like me to take birth as an insect, that's all right. But my only request is that I may become an insect in the house of a devotee, so that I may get the chance of prosecuting my devotional service, I may eat the remnants of foodstuff eaten by the devotee."

Just like Bhārata Mahārāja, he became a deer, but he was associating with saintly persons. He understood that "I was formerly King Bhārata. By chance, my mind being absorbed in the thinking of a deer, I have become a deer. All right. Doesn't matter." So he was associating with devotees.

Similarly, a devotee is not interested to become liberated, go back to home, back to Godhead. Of course, even if he's not interested, Kṛṣṅa takes him. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

That is natural. But that is not our... We don't pray to Kṛṣṅa for anything of sense gratification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said, mama janmani janmani īśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. Ahaitukī apratihatā. Our simply..., simple desire is how to be engaged in the service of the Lord. Janmani janmani.

When, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu speaks janmani janmani, that means He rejects liberation also. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na...., kavitāṁ vā yāce. This is the karmī's, jñānī's... And even liberation; He rejects liberation. Mama janmani. If one is liberated, then why is the question of janmani janmani? So liberation is also not aspired by a devotee. These are the characteristics of pure devotion.

This chapter is "Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service." Pure devotional service should be without any desire, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

They..., others, they are trying to make Kṛṣṅa śūnyam, śūnyavādi; our attempt should be to make our desires śūnyam. Simply we be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is pure devotion.

Go on, one paragraph more. What is the time now?

Pradyumna: "In the above statement by Kapiladeva from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the actual position of a pure devotee is described, and the primary characteristics of devotional service are also defined. Further characteristics of devotional service are described by Rūpa Gosvāmī with evidences from different scriptures. He states that there are six characteristics of pure devotional service, which are as follows: (1) Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. (2) Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness."

Prabhupāda: Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has described,

viśvaṁ pūrṅa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate yat-kāruṅya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ gauram eva stumaḥ [Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5]

When actually one comes in the platform of devotional service, for him, there is no problem. The whole world is disturbed, agitated with so many problems, but for a devotee, there is no problem. Viśvaṁ pūrṅa-sukhāyate. And they are trying..., the whole world is trying to become very big man. Somebody's trying to be very big merchant or big industrialist or minister, or this or that, and others, they are trying to occupy the post of Indra, Candra, devata. That is competition, going on. As soon as there is some competition, even persons, demigods like Indra, Candra, they become disturbed, and they try to stop it.

But a devotee has no such concern. He's not disturbed. Because he's engaged in the service of the Lord, he feels so much happy that he has no disturbance. Viśvaṁ pūrṅa-sukhāyate. Neither he is anxious to occupy any very big post. Because for a devotee, vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate [Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5]. He knows that "What is this position? Say, for some years, ten years, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, millions years." It is limited. As soon as the limited span of life is finished, either in this world, either in this planet, or in other planets...

Suppose I go to the heavenly planet, I occupy the post of Indra. What is that? It is also limited. Kṣīne puṅye martya-lokaṁ viśanti [Bg 9.21].

[When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.]

So long you have got assets of pious activities, you can occupy such post; then again come down. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

So in this way we are wandering from up, down, down, up. In this way. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said,

ei rūpe brahmāṅḍe kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151]

[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]

We are wandering, life after life, in different species of life, different forms of life, in different planetary system. And that is going on. This is not progress. Where is progress? You are conditioned within this universe. Where is your progress? Suppose you... Just like if I jump with a limited space, where is my progress?

Real progress is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

If we actually want to make progress, then we must take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness so that after leaving this body there is no more coming down to accept a material body. That is real progress. Otherwise, there is no progress. It is simply wandering with a limited space. That is not progress at all. But because we are in illusion, we are thinking it is progress. It is not progress.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]