Lecture

The Nectar of Devotion

Prabhupāda: ...stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya [Hari-bhakti-vilāsa]

The Kṛṣṅa consciousness is a fact in everyone's heart. It is already there. Otherwise, how these Europeans and Americans, they're taking to Kṛṣṅa consciousness very seriously? So it is to be understood that Kṛṣṅa consciousness was there already. By the process of hearing, śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte, process of hearing...

As Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended: ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ 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.]

Śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam is so auspicious that the chanting of this mantra awakens the dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. The more you hear Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, the more your heart becomes cleansed. These are the statements given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

There cannot be any defect. My statement may be defective, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement cannot be defective, because He is in the transcendental platform. He is transcendence Himself. Kṛṣṅa-caitanya-nāmne. Kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya-nāmine [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's Kṛṣṅa Himself, but He has appeared in the form of Kṛṣṅa Caitanya. Therefore, whatever He says, that is fact. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. The more we hear the vibration, the transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, without any offense... Even with, mixed with offense...

There are three stages of chanting this vibration: offensive chanting and almost offenseless chanting and offenseless chanting. Offensive chanting may give you material pains and pleasure, and almost offenseless will give you liberation, will place you in the transcendental platform. And when it is offenseless, then immediately you'll invoke love of God, kṛṣṅa-prema. So even in offensive stage, if you go on chanting and try to be..., try to become safe from offensive condition... Daśa-vidhā-nāma, ten kinds of offenses, if we avoid, that is the process of auspicity.

But even we are not in the platform of offenseless chanting, still, we must go on chanting. It will gradually make our heart cleansed and we'll be offenseless. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅam [Cc Antya 20.12].

So the Kṛṣṅa consciousness, awakening of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, is required. That is called ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam.

So here, Rūpa Gosvāmī says auspicity means that which spreads for everyone, in all parts of the world. That is auspicity. Not partial. In politics or sociology or humanitarian activities, there is partiality for a certain section of human being, or certain section of living being. But this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, awakening Kṛṣṅa consc..., dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness, is meant for all living entities. Even birds, beasts, insects, they can also awaken.

This is the recommendation of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that if we chant loudly, the trees will hear, the birds will hear, the insect will hear, and they will be liberated. That is the statement of Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Therefore chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra and awakening of dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness is the auspicious activities, welfare activities, for every living entity all over the world.

Read.

Acyutānanda: "At the present moment, groups of people are engaged in welfare activities in terms of society, community or nation. There is even an attempt in the form of the United Nations for world-help activity. But due to the shortcomings of limited national activities, such a general mass welfare program for the whole world is not practically possible. The Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, however, is so nice that it can render the highest benefit to the entire human race. Everyone can be attracted by this movement, and everyone can feel the result."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now the human welfare activities are now developed in the form of United Nation. They are tackling various subject matter, but still, it is not possible. They are trying for the last twenty years, but still, even the nations have not become united, what to speak of other welfare activities.

It is just a comparison, a little comparison, but this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement was started, practically, from 1967. I went there in 1965, and for one year I could not do anything. In 1966 this movement was registered in New York, and from 1966 it is spreading. So within four or five years it has spread all over the world. We have got branches in every part of the globe. And at least, these people know there is a movement, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and we are welcome everywhere as Kṛṣṅa conscious people, "Hare Kṛṣṅa People." Our name is "Hare Kṛṣṅa People."

So people may take note of it that within a short period, it has spread so widely. In comparison to United Nations, what we are? We have no money. We have no means. We have no influence. We have no government support. Nothing of the sort. But still, it is spreading.

So yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha lokas tad anuvartate, tat tat eva itaraḥ janaḥ [Bg 3.21].

[Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.]

According to this formula, if the leaders of the society takes this movement little seriously... They should take, because this is the only movement which can bring in peace and prosperity and happiness to the whole human society. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ 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.]

People are after śānti. This is the formula of śānti. We have to accept Kṛṣṅa as the supreme enjoyer. Not we are enjoyer. At the present moment, all our activities are going on, self-centered: "I am enjoyer. I am leader. I am bhokta." No. This is wrong. Kṛṣṅa is bhokta. Kṛṣṅa is leader. Kṛṣṅa is the friend. Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This news, this idea, should be spread all over the world. Then automatically, very easily, all the nations will be united.

Because Kṛṣṅa consciousness acceptance means ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [Cc Antya 20.12].

The difficulty is the members in the United Nations, they assemble together, but their heart is not clean. They meet together with unclean heart; therefore there is no solution. Whereas Kṛṣṅa consciousness means those who are meeting on the platform of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, they are meeting in cleansed heart. That is the difference. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. Therefore that unity is very solid and sound. And with unclean heart if we meet, officially, there is no possibility of unity. United Nation it may be, in the name, but in fact, in fact it cannot be established.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī and other learned scholars agree that a broad propaganda program for the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement of devotional service all over the world is the highest humanitarian welfare activity."

Prabhupāda: Rūpa Gosvāmī has recommended:

yena tena prakāreṅa manaḥ kṛṣṅe niveśayet sarve vidhi-niṣedhā syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

His mission is, somehow or other, try to people..., try to engage people in Kṛṣṅa consciousness—they may think of Kṛṣṅa, some way or other. Then regulate them after that. Actually, our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement has attained little success on this principle. When we began this movement we never asked people that "You have to do this; you have to do that." No. "Please come and hear Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra." This was our policy. "Never mind what you are. You may be Christian. You may be Jews. You may be Muhammadan or Hindu, Muslim. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come and join with us, the Hare Kṛṣṅa chanting."

Actually, that has become successful. In the Tompkinson Square, I was sitting underneath a tree and chanting this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra alone. And these young men, they used to assemble and dance also in the tune, for three hours—from two to five. In this way, we got our followers, associates. And gradually it developed into organization.

So in the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulation. There is no rules and regulation. First thing required: ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [Cc Antya 20.12].

Unless one's heart is cleansed, he cannot accept rules and regulation. That is not possible. Cora nasane dharme khaiḥ[?]. If, if a man is thief, and if you give him moral instruction, that "Stealing is very sinful; do not do it," he would not care for it. A butcher, if you advise him that "Animal killing is very bad. It is sinful," he'll not accept it. That is not possible. His heart should be cleansed. Prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the, the process of prāyaścitta, atonement, is discussed, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended that this process of prāyaścitta, ritualistic ceremony... After committing some sinful activities to counteract it, there are, in every śāstra there is some counteracting formulas. The people generally follow that. In Christian religion also, there is confession, atonement. A sinful man goes to the church and confesses.

Similarly, in every religion there is such atonement process, but Parīkṣit Mahārāja refused to accept this atonement process. He protested that a man commits sinful activities and executes some atonement process—again he commits the same thing. Then what is the use of this atonement?

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī understood it because he was a serious student. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī was also a serious teacher. So he then said, "No. Atonement process cannot rectify one. Only prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam. One must be thoughtful. One must be in knowledge. Then he can give up sinful activities." So he recommended the process of knowledge. Tapasā brahmacaryeṅa tyāgena yamena niyamena [SB 6.1.13]. These are the processes.

So in this age, especially Kali-yuga, even we cannot perform this tapasya, brahmacarya, tyāga, yama, śama, dama... It is not possible. It is possible; not for everyone. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given a short-cut formula, this

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.]

And that is being effective practically. We see, all over the world, because it is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's blessings:

ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra kali-kāle nāma vinu gati nāhi āra [Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya 23.78]

[By doing so, everyone will attain all perfection. Always chant, there is no other prescription.]

So that is recommended by Śukadeva Gosvāmī also:

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṅaḥ 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 Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra one becomes liberated from the resultant action of sinful life, and at length he is promoted, paraṁ vrajet..." 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.]

This is the process. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, Hare Kṛṣṅa movement, should be spread. And that is actually auspicity for all people, all over the world.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "How the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement can attract the attention of the whole world and how each and every man can feel the pleasure of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness is stated in the Padma Purāṅa as follows: 'A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Kṛṣṅa consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is statement in the Padma Purāṅa. And many other Purāṅas, Vedic literatures, the same thing is confirmed. But simply by taking shelter of Mukunda, one can be free from all types of obligation. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṅāṁ pitṝnām [SB 11.5.41].

[O King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even one's forefathers who have passed away. Since all such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord's service has no need to serve such persons separately.]

There are so many obligations.

We have obligation to perform to satisfy the demigod; the great sages; general human society; pitṝnām, the pitṛs, forefathers. So many obligation. But one who takes shelter of Mukunda, he has no other..., no more obligation. Nāyam ṛṅī na kiṅkara rājan. Simply by... Just like watering the root of the tree, you can satisfy the trunks, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything, similarly, sarvārhaṅam acyutejyā. Simply by executing devotional service, you can execute all other obligation without any deviation.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: " 'In addition to human society, he is pleasing even the trees and animals, because they also become attracted by such a movement.' A practical example of this was shown by Lord Caitanya when He was traveling through the forests of Jhārikhaṅḍa in central India for spreading His saṅkīrtana movement. The tigers, the elephants, the deer and all other wild animals joined Him and were participating, in their own ways, by dancing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Caitanya Mahāprabhu practically exhibited that hari-nāma saṅkīrtana, kṛṣṅa-kīrtana, can attract even animals—tigers, elephants. They also join with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Of course, His power, our power is not the same. But there is potency. The potency... The potency, as we become powerful gradually by chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has shown that one can come to the stage of enchanting the forest animals also.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Furthermore, a person engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, acting in devotional service, can develop all the good qualities that are generally found in the demigods. It is said by Śukadeva Gosvāmī in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Eighteenth Chapter, twelfth verse [SB 5.18.12],

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

'My dear King, persons who have unflinching faith in Kṛṣṅa and are without any duplicity can develop all the good qualities of the demigods.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. A devotee can develop all the good qualities of the demigods—immediately. Because ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [Cc Antya 20.12].

As soon as the heart is cleansed... Because the soul, as he is, he's pure. Asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ. The spirit soul is not contaminated or does not associate with the material modes of nature. It is simply an illusion, misidentification. Just like water and oil does not mix, but it appears that oil is fallen in the water.

Similarly, although we are in this material world, in the material consciousness, our identity is not actually in material consciousness. It is simply just like dreaming. The example is dreaming. Just like in dream I see so many hallucination. Actually, dream is false. I am separate from the dream. But while dreaming, I think I am actually enjoying or suffering.

Similarly, by the association of the modes of material nature, we are thinking like that. Otherwise, we are free from the contamination of the material nature. Simply by changing the consciousness, immediately we can transfer ourself to the spiritual platform. So the more we become advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, our original characteristics, which are very pure, they become manifest. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ.

The factual example is here, these European and American boys. They were addicted to so many nonsense habit, but since they have taken to Kṛṣṅa consciousness they have given up all these nonsense habit immediately, without any very great endeavor. So this is the fact. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra. Pure character, pure qualities will be manifest.

Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā [SB 5.18.12].

Similarly, just the opposite: if one is not a devotee of Kṛṣṅa, he cannot have any good quality, however he may be educated academically. That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā. Therefore, at the present moment, although the leaders are all very educated academically, but still, they cannot bring in peace in the society, because they're godless. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā [SB 5.18.12]. Great, great leaders, on account of their godlessness, they cannot lead the people nicely. Therefore there is no peace and prosperity in the society.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Furthermore, a person engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, acting in devotional service..." Oh. "It is said by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, 'On account of a devotee's high grade of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, even the demigods like to live with him, and therefore it can be understood that the qualities of the demigods have developed within his body.' On the other hand, a person who is not in Kṛṣṅa consciousness has no good qualities. He may be highly educated from the academic point of view, but in the actual field of his activities he can be seen to be baser than the animals."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We see sometimes one man is very educated, highly, university educated, but practical life, baser than animal. Because he, he has no Kṛṣṅa consciousness. He's not a devotee of Kṛṣṅa. A devotee of Kṛṣṅa cannot be like that.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Even though a person is highly educated academically, if he cannot go beyond the sphere of mental activities, then he is sure to perform only material activities and thus remain impure."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our so-called advancement of education means to live on the mental platform. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā manorathena [SB 5.18.12].

They have no information of the spiritual platform. They... After bodily concept of life, the next platform is mental and intellectual concept of life. But spiritual life is beyond mental and intellectual concept of life. So unless one comes to the spiritual platform, even on mental and intellectual platform he cannot do anything good to the society. Hmm.

Acyutānanda: "There are so many persons in the modern world who have been highly educated in the materialistic universities, but it is seen that they cannot take up the movement of Kṛṣṅa consciousness and develop the high qualities of the demigods."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Go on.

Acyutānanda: "For example, a Kṛṣṅa conscious boy, even if he is not very well educated by the university standard, can immediately give up all illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication, whereas those who are not in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, although very highly educated, are often drunkards, meat-eaters, sex-mongers and gamblers."

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is... There is a practical example in this connection: Lord Zetland. He was a great philosopher, and he was governor of Bengal, and many good posts he held. But some times one of our Godbrothers went in London to preach, and this Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland, he asked the Gosvāmī that whether he could make him a brāhmaṅa. So he said yes, he could be made a brāhmaṅa, provided he can give up these habits: illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication. The Honorable Lord replied: "It is impossible. It is impossible."

So actually, unless one is trained into Kṛṣṅa consciousness, it is not very easy thing to give up all these bad habits. But practically we see, because these boys, these European, American boys, they have taken to Kṛṣṅa consciousness very seriously, without any external endeavor they have been able to give up all these bad habits.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "These are practical proofs of how a Kṛṣṅa conscious person becomes highly developed in good qualities, whereas a person who is not in Kṛṣṅa consciousness cannot do so. We experience that even a young boy in Kṛṣṅa consciousness is unattached to cinemas, nightclubs, naked dance shows, restaurants, liquor shops, etc. He becomes completely freed. He saves his valuable time from being extravagantly spent in the way of smoking, drinking and attending the theater and dancing. One who is not in Kṛṣṅa consciousness usually cannot sit silently for even half an hour."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is also another symptom: restlessness. A Kṛṣṅa conscious person can sit down in one place. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, sitting one place, day and night. There is not a single example in the world that one can sit down, I mean to say, ordinary person. They cannot. They must be restless. But Kṛṣṅa consciousness is so nice that one can sit down in one place—of course, it is not to be imitated; it is to be attained—anywhere. Just like Gosvāmīs. They used to live underneath a tree one night. So these things are possible when one is advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "The yoga system teaches that if you become silent, you will realize that you are God. This system may be all right for materialistic persons, but how long will they be able to keep themselves silent? Artificially, they may sit down for so-called meditation, but immediately after their yogic performance, they will engage themselves again in such activities as illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and many other nonsensical things. But a Kṛṣṅa conscious person gradually elevates himself without endeavoring for this so-called silent meditation."

Prabhupāda: Actually, yoga practice means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. The whole yogic process, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, is meant for controlling the senses. Durdanta indriya-kāla-paṭalī [Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī]. Indriya, the senses, are just like snakes. As it is very difficult to enchant the snakes, similarly, it is very difficult to control the senses. And the yoga system [is] especially meant for controlling the senses, controlling the mind, and then concentrate on the form of Viṣṅu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]. This is yoga process.

[Sūta Gosvāmī said: Unto that personality whom Brahmā, Varuṅa, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upaniṣads, to whom the chanters of the Sāma Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogīs see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and becoming fully absorbed in thoughts of Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon—unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances.]

But practically we see the so-called yogīs, or student of yoga class, I have seen in Western countries, they are habituated to all these nonsense habits—illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating. Still, they're passing on as yogīs. So that kind of yoga will not help.

Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Simply because he is engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, he automatically gives up all this nonsense and develops a high character. One develops the highest character by becoming a pure devotee of Kṛṣṅa. The conclusion is that no one can truly have any good qualities if he is lacking Kṛṣṅa consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṅā [SB 5.18.12].

This is the conclusion, that if one is not Kṛṣṅa conscious, we do not accept him as highly qualified. That is the statement of Kṛṣṅa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā:

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuri-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.]

So we take this formula. If... We test whether he has surrendered to Kṛṣṅa. If not, then he comes to the four groups: duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayā apahṛta-jñānā. We take it, immediately. He must be one of them, either duṣkṛtina or mūḍha or all, narādhama, māyayā apahṛta.

He may be... Māyayā apahṛta-jñāna means he might be highly educated academically, but māyā has taken away his knowledge. Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because he has taken to the principle of atheism, all these educational qualification, or sharp brain... Kṛtinaḥ... Duṣkṛtina means... Kṛtina means one who has got very sharp brain, sharp memory; he's called kṛti. But on account of association with māyā, his brain is utilized for doing something harmful to the human society. They..., they cannot do anything good to the human society. That is not possible.

Then?

Acyutānanda: " 'Happiness In Kṛṣṅa Consciousness.' Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has analyzed the different sources of happiness. He has divided happiness into three categories, which are 1) happiness derived from material enjoyment, 2) happiness derived by identifying oneself with the Supreme Brahman, and 3) happiness derived from Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

"In the Tantra-śāstra, Lord Śiva speaks to his wife, Satī, in this way: 'My dear wife, a person who has surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Govinda and who has thus developed pure Kṛṣṅa consciousness can be very easily awarded all the perfections desired by the impersonalists; and beyond this, he can enjoy the happiness achieved by the pure devotees.' "

Prabhupāda: Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest, because it is eternal, but the happiness derived from material perfection or understanding oneself to be Brahman is inferior, because it is temporary. There is no preventing one's falling down from material happiness, and there is even every chance of falling down from the spiritual happiness derived from identifying oneself with the impersonal Brahman."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Happiness... It is our experience that happiness derived from material enjoyment, that is not permanent. That we can understand. But happiness of identifying oneself with Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, nirbheda-brahmānusandhana, that happiness is also not permanent. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ [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.]

Āruhya kṛcchreṅ... By great austerity, auspici..., and penance, one may rise up to the platform of Brahman realization, paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ patanty adhaḥ. Again he falls down.

We have seen many big, big sannyāsī, they give up this world as brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, false. But after some times, when they cannot actually realize Brahman, they again come to this jagat for humanitarian work, for welfare activities. If jagat is mithyā, then why do they come again to this welfare activities? So jagat, not mithyā, but it is temporary. We do not say mithyā. Vaiṣṅava philosophers, they do not accept jagat as mithyā. Why? If it is emanation from the Absolute Truth, it must be true. It is not mithyā, but we accept it as temporary. We do not accept as permanent.

The permanent jagat is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ [Bg 8.20]. There is another, spiritual world; that is sanātana, that is permanent. This world is not permanent. So even though it is not permanent, it can be utilized for the service of the Lord. Nirbandhe kṛṣṅa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. That is our philosophy. We don't take the jagat as mithyā; we take it as fact, because it is emanation from the supreme fact. So just like gold earring is also gold—that is not iron—similarly, the, this material world is made of the external energy of Kṛṣṅa.

Therefore we do not find anything here wrong. We try to dovetail everything in the service of Kṛṣṅa, because it is Kṛṣṅa's. Just like one's property must be enjoyed by the proprietor. Kṛṣṅa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

He's the proprietor of this world; therefore everything dovetailed in His service for His satisfaction, that is devotional service. That is the professional stage of serving Kṛṣṅa. So we don't take the world as mithyā.

Therefore those who are impersonalists, they think that they have become liberated. Actually, they are not liberated. The Bhāgavata says, vimukta-māninaḥ. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa..., ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking like that. Actually, their intelligence is not yet completely purified. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ [SB 10.2.32].

So even Brahmā-sukha, the happiness derived from realization of Brahman, is not perfect. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

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.]

That brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is a preliminary qualification to enter into devotional service. But if one does not enter into devotional service, anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ [SB 10.2.32], neglects the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, then patanty adhaḥ. These are the statements, authoritative statements.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]