Lecture Manipuri Dancing Group, The Zaveri Sisters

Prabhupāda: …chief devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu he said, rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir [Ādi 1.5],

[The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī although He is Kṛṣṅa Himself.]

the hlādinī, the affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, hlādinī-śaktir asmād. Kṛṣṅa the Supreme Personality of Godhead has got immense potentiality as it is confirmed in the Vedas,

parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śruyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8]

[The Supreme Lord has nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels, which are all simultaneously differently situated by His unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power and pastimes.]

So Kṛṣṅa the absolute person has got immense potencies, so these potencies are is also emanating from Kṛṣṅa. Just like in the Vedānta-sutra the first sutra is, janmādy asya yataḥ—everything is emanating from Kṛṣṅa or the absolute person. So the arts, music, anything there are 12 kinds of rasas—mellows. So there are ghastly mellows also, fearful mellows also and this melodic music that is also mellow.

So everything is there in Kṛṣṅa, akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu, all rasas are there. Raso vai saḥ He is the reservoir of all rasas so this display of art and music that is also from Kṛṣṅa, therefore art and music should be employed in the service of the Lord, that is the perfection. Svakarmaṅā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiṁ labhate param, in the Bhagavad-gītā [18.46]

[By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection.]

it is said that, “whatever your occupational duty may be it doesn’t matter if you try to satisfy Kṛṣṅa then that is perfection.” In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is stated,

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ [SB 1.2.13]

[O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.]

When there was a great meeting of the saintly persons in Naimiṣāraṅya, Sūta Gosvāmī explained to all the great learned brāhmaṅas present there, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā, dvija-śreṣṭhā—the best of the brāhmaṅas who are present there. They were informed that, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Our Vedic civilisation is based on the varṅāśrama-dharma, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśyas, śūdra. Cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ [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 everyone has got different profession, for livelihood, that doesn’t matter. But the Bhāgavata injunction is svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, you may be whatever you may be, you may be artist, you may be dancer, you may be engineer, you may be doctor, you may be professional man or businessman but whatever you may be it does not matter. There are divisions in the human society there are so many divisions of labour but, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, dharma means natural characteristics.

If you have got artistic character, if you can dance, alright dance, if you can sing you sing. If you can fight you fight, that is all right but you take the svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir, how your profession has been perfected. That perfection, the standard of perfection is saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam. Try to satisfy Hari the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your art, culture, profession, characteristics. So that is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement we do not stop anything, we stop only committing sinful activities—that we stop. Otherwise we do not stop anything—we simply stop, striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ [SB 1.17.38].

[Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed.]

The sinful activities we stop. What are those sinful activities? Illicit connection with women, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling, we stop these. Otherwise you can go on with your profession don’t commit these sinful activities and try to satisfy Kṛṣṅa your life is successful. This is the program of Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, you remain in your profession, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir [SB 10.14.3].

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.]

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended that you stay in your position don’t try to change your position but you try to hear of the Supreme Lord, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. You try to hear about the Supreme Lord and [indistinct].

That is the example in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṅa gave an oral reception to the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṅa, eh.. Arjuna, Arjuna gave his oral reception to the teachings of Kṛṣṅa and he remained in his position as a fighter he did not change. Rather in the beginning he was hesitating whether he should fight or not but as a kṣatriya it was his duty to fight. But he was hesitating after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he confirmed, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava [Bg 18.73]

[Arjuna said, My dear Kṛṣṅa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.]

—my dear Kṛṣṅa now I am convinced that this is my duty to fight.

So Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is like that, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir, you remain in your position but try to hear from Kṛṣṅa. You can hear from Kṛṣṅa Bhagavad-gītā is there, you can hear, don’t misinterpret simply try to hear Bhagavad-gītā as it is, your life will be perfect. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir, so this art and music, the loving affairs of Kṛṣṅa and Rādhārānī they are not ordinary things you should not take it as something material. Materially when you take it, it is perverted, actually it is spiritual-culture of the soul’s original consciousness. The whole Bhāgavata, paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra [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.]

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the narration which is to be understood param nirmatsaranam satām, paramahaṁsas they will understand. So I don’t wish to take up much of your time but our proposition is that everything can be employed in the service of Kṛṣṅa, anything. Anything there are 12 kinds of rasas and in any rasa, or any mellow, or any humour you can engage yourself in the service of the Lord in full Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Full Kṛṣṅa consciousness means that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṅera dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

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

That is the statement given by Lord Caitanya, if we want to realise self you do not require to undergo much austerities or penances. If you simply understand these things as it is spoken by Lord Kṛṣṅa Himself, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta [Bg 15.7].

[The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.]

“All the living entities they are My parts and parcels,” the part and parcels of Kṛṣṅa’s body or the part and parcel of a machine is to render service to the supreme, to the whole. The part and parcel is meant for rendering service to the whole, that is Kṛṣṅa consciousness philosophy.

So unless you come to that point, therefore Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, 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.]

That is the real life to surrender unto Kṛṣṅa and whatever we know whatever characteristics are our special profession or duty we have got we should render for satisfying Kṛṣṅa, hari-toṣaṅam, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam. So our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement does not reject anything we can accept art, music, industry or even fighting just like Arjuna did. Everything can be employed under the guidance of Kṛṣṅa or his representative. Just like Kṛṣṅa says,

tad viddhi praṅipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ [Bg 4.34]

[Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.]

We have to learn this art from the tattva-darśī, who knows that everything is order, adjust everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṅa then your profession, your occupation will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Audience: [applause] [end]