Lecture

The Nectar of Devotion

Pradyumna: [reading] "...propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Kṛṣṅa. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society even by such great attempts as the United Nations because we do not know the right method."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. The example is just like there is air vibration, water vibration, the radio message. In one place the vibration is made, and it goes like waves. It expands. Very quickly, within a second, it expands seven times the earth, so far we have heard. Or if you throw one stone on the lake, they'll become a circle, circle, and the circle expands, unless it goes to the limit. So our loving propensity is there, and it should expand. Ultimately, it should reach the lotus feet of the Lord. Then it will be perfect. So this is being explained.

So nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti. Our love for Kṛṣṅa is there already, but it is being choked up by material condition. I want to love, but some blind leader, he comes, he says that "You love your this country, your society, humanity." And you love your society, but you cut throat of another society. This is going on.

Because it is imperfect, one side they're teaching, "Love your nation," and cut the throat of another nation. So this kind of love, or this kind of loving propensity will not be ever satisfied. We shall always remain unsatisfied, because this is artificial. The same example: If you want to love, then you have to pour water on the root of the tree. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, if you manufacture so many ways of love, then certainly you'll be confused and frustrated.

[aside:] Why don't you sit down here? Come on. Yes.

[aside:] Go on.

Pradyumna: "The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Kṛṣṅa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously..."

Prabhupāda: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said,

kṛṣṅe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya śraddhā-śabde-viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya [Cc Madhya 22.62]

To be elevated to the transcendental platform of loving service of the Supreme Lord, there is a process. The process is that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is the process. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṅa. This yoga system you have to adopt, how to increase your love for Kṛṣṅa. That is not very difficult. Just like this arcana, śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23].

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

So these are the different processes how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṅa. The attachment of Kṛṣṅa is there, but by śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya [Cc Madhya 22.107]

[Pure love for Kṛṣṅa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]

Everyone has got love for Kṛṣṅa. It is not artificial thing. Everyone has got. Otherwise how these Europeans and American boys and girls taking to this principle? Why they are mad after Kṛṣṅa? Because it was there. It is not... Artificially, you cannot make such thing. It is not possible. Artificially you cannot make a staunch devotee of Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Artificially, one day, two days, three days—then goes away. Just like it has become in our country. Our love is now for material happiness. Poverty for the last two thousand years or one..., little above, one thousand years, India was foreign-subjugated. So they are now thinking that "Some way or other, if we can become like Americans, skyscraper buildings, our life will be successful."

So they have... Artificially, now. They're killing their own culture and trying to imitate. This is artificial. But this artificial way, one cannot be happy. They'll be frustrated. Just the Americans have become frustrated. They have got enough. What is the skyscraper buildings in Bombay? They have got hundred times skyscraper buildings in New York. Hundred times. And what is this skyscraper? Say, twenty stories? There are hundred and four, -five stories. When I first went to New York I saw one building, Empire, Empire State?

Devotees: State.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It was hundred and two stories. Now the others, they have increased to hundred and four, -five. So... But why these American boys are frustrated? Their father, their grandfather have got enough money, enough skyscraper building, but they are not satisfied. They don't want to work like their father and grandfather. They've left. I have got many students, my disciples, their father, very rich man, industrialist, lawyers. But they don't like.

So this kind, this kind of so-called happiness will never satisfy us. The real happiness which is within—our love, loving propensity for Kṛṣṅa—that has to be revived. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for..., to love Kṛṣṅa is there in everyone's heart. So our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Kṛṣṅa. That is our business. And how it is possible? The śāstra, the Śrīmad..., śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte. Śravaṅādi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṅa. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come, sit down and hear.

But in the hearing process there is so many impediments, māyā. Just like people are coming here to hear, but there has been impediment: "Oh, sir, our lift if being too much used. The electric supply will cut off." Māyā is always there. They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways—that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is māyā. Māyā is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the māyā, then we come to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That fighting determination must be there. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

One must be determined. So māyā may check my progress in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, but I must fight māyā. This determination wanted. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That is wanted. "All right, let me do. All right, not. That's all right. Let me do my business." No, no. One must be very serious, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and firmly convinced. These things are required to revive your Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Otherwise it is very easy.

Śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when there was discussion about śraddhā and sādhana—what is the aim of life and what is the process of achieving that aim of life—this discussion was made between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was questioning, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying. So the first reply was given by Rāmānanda Rāya when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "What is the goal of life?" and "What is the process to reach that goal of life?" Very nice question. So Rāmānanda Rāya replied,

varṅāśramācāravatā puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān viṣṅur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṅam [Cc Madhya 8.58]

[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṅu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṅa and āśrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varṅas and āśramas.’]

He immediately replied that a human being must, first of all, come to the standard of varṅāśrama-dharma. Four varṅas and four āśramas: brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Unless they come systematically, life on these principles, they're animals. They're not human being. They're... That was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being done. So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They..., there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, because this is right thing.

So varṅāśramācāravatā puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān [Cc Madhya 8.58]. This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Ihā bāhya. Bāhya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varṅāśrama-dharma in the beginning, that "You become brāhmaṅa, you become gṛhastha, you become sannyāsī..." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are not prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu...

It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu; it is the sanction in the śāstras: śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23].

This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brāhmaṅa. Now they are becoming more than brāhmaṅas. Here, in India, the brāhmaṅas, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brāhmaṅa. But here, these European brāhmaṅas, American brāhmaṅas, they're real brāhmaṅas, because they have given up all sinful activities. The brāhmaṅa's life is first of all truthful. Truthful. Satya śama dama titikṣa. Controlling the senses, controlling the mind, forbearance and simplicity, full knowledge, application of knowledge, belief in the Vedas—these are the symptoms of brāhmaṅa. Satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.42].

[Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṅas work.]

So if we take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, these brahminical qualification automatically come. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ [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?]

This is the test. A devotee shall be qualified with all the godly qualities. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said if you induce people... Because His mission is to propagate this Vedic culture all over the world. He's not confined within some limited area. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma [CB Antya-khaṅḍa 4.126].

[In every town and village of the world, the chanting of My name will be heard.]

As many villages and towns are there in the world, His mission is to be preached there. So, so if we, in the beginning we say, "You have to become a brāhmaṅa first of all," so who's going to become a brāhmaṅa? Our people are not becoming brāhmaṅa. They'll say, "It is all nonsense. Let us become śūdra." So that is not possible. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Bāhya.

Then Rāmānanda Rāya suggested karma-miśra-bhakti, then jñāna-miśra-bhakti—bhakti with jñāna, mixed with jñāna, process of jñāna, speculative philosophy; and bhakti mixed with karma, karma-kāṅḍīya, karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra. But real bhakti is jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

[When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṅa favorably, as Kṛṣṅa desires.]

It must be untouched by the process of jñāna and karma. It should be spontaneous. Spontaneous. That is bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṅa [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.]

Spontaneous means when we shall rise to the platform that "Here is a service for Kṛṣṅa. Let me do it immediately. Let me do it." Just like Yudhiṣṭhira was advised by Kṛṣṅa that "You just go to Dronācārya and speak him lie that his son is dead." Yudhiṣṭhira hesitated: "Oh, how can I speak lie? I never done it in my life." This is karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra. This is karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra. He is..., he is looking after his own benefit.

Karma-kāṅḍa vicāra means I do something and I profit and I enjoy it. I do some sacrifices, I become elevated to the heavenly planet, and I enjoy life. This is karma-kāṅḍa. And jñāna-kāṅḍa means that this world is false: brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā; therefore let me merge into the Brahman effulgence. Nirbheda brahmānusandhana. This is jñāna-kāṅḍa. Nirbheda brahmānusandhana. But bhakti means jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

One must be free from this karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra and jñāna-kāṅḍa vicāra. Must be pure devotee. What is that? Ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu-śīlanam. Simply to carry out.

So it was the duty of Yudhiṣṭhira to immediately, what Kṛṣṅa said, immediately to execute it. But because he was on the karma-kāṅḍīya... Of course, they were all devotees, but just to show us... The karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra, they hesitated. Just like the brāhmaṅas who were..., yajñic brāhmaṅa who was performing sacrifices, and Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's friends became hungry. So they asked Kṛṣṅa, "Kṛṣṅa we are hungry. Give me... Please arrange for some food." Kṛṣṅa said, "Yes, you go immediately there. The brāhmaṅas are performing yajñas, and ask them for some food."

They went, but the brāhmaṅas refused: "Oh, the yajña is not yet performed. How we can give you? No, no. Don't talk." So they came back. Then Kṛṣṅa said, "Go to their wives, the yajñic brāhmaṅa patnī. Go to their wives." And as soon as they went to the wives, they heard Kṛṣṅa's name, they were very much beloved to Kṛṣṅa. Immediately, whatever was there for the yajña, immediately they brought to Kṛṣṅa. This is bhakti. And the yajñic brāhmaṅas were in the karma-kāṅḍīya platform, but they were devotees. But when actually it was performed... What is that verse? Dik janma...?

Indian man: Dik janma tri veda vidvān. Dik janma aha. Tri vid vidvān means Vedas...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes.

Indian man: What all these Vedas...? Because useless. Dig janma..., got worldly, great family, is also useless. Tri vid vidvān..., bahut jñānam...

Prabhupāda: Bahut jñānam.

Indian man: ...dik kulam [indistinct].

Prabhupāda: Brāhmaṅa, born in brāhmaṅa family. Yes.

Indian man: ...dik kriyā.

Prabhupāda: So this is bhakti. And bhakti means spontaneously responding to Kṛṣṅa. That is bhakti. There is no... Therefore it is transcendental platform. It is not on this material. Material platform, karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa. But bhakti is above.

māṁ ca avyabhicāriṅi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate 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.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that this karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra, that is also nice, those who are in the too much bodily concept of life. But it is very difficult to raise the people to the karma-kāṅḍīya, jñāna-kāṅḍīya vicāra. In this age especially, they have become so fallen that it is not possible for them to raise them, either karma-kāṅḍīya, jñāna-kāṅḍīya or yogic process. This is not possible. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. If you follow karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra, jñāna-kāṅḍīya vicāra or yogic process, it is very difficult. Therefore the only process is,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva 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 Narottama, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa, sakali visera bandha amrta baliya yeba khaya.

So suppose karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra, you, you get elevated to the heavenly planet—that's all right—by karma-kāṅḍīya vicāra. But what Kṛṣṅa says about this elevation? Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām [Bg 7.23].

[Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.]

These results derived out of karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa, they are temporary. Of course, we do..., we do not know what kind of temporary. But temporary means even if you live for many millions of years, that is also temporary, because you are eternal.

So somebody's living for one year, somebody's living for one minute, and somebody's living for one millions or more than that. Just like Brahma's life: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṅo viduḥ [Bg 8.17].

[By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahmā's one day. And such also is the duration of his night.]

That is also temporary. Our problem is to get our eternal life again. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ pa... [Bg 15.6].

[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]

This is the process. One should go to such a place that he'll not have to come back again to this temporary world. So karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa means you can be elevated to the heavenly planet by karma-kāṅḍīya process, or even to the Brahmā planet, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka. But what Kṛṣṅa says? 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 that will not give us the ultimate benefit. The ultimate benefit is,

mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gataḥ [Bg 8.15]

[After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.]

That is wanted. One has to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the perfection of life. This human life should be utilized for going back to home, back to... But they have no idea. They do not know what is God, where is back to home, back to Godhead—nothing, no education, although the knowledge is there in the Bhagavad-gītā and other śāstras. Everything is there, but we have become so fool that we take Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way so that people may not understand. He does not understand himself, and how he'll explain? Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ [Bg 7.25].

[I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yoga-māyā]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible.]

Because without becoming a devotee, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. That's a fact.

So they..., one may be very good scholar, A-B-C-D, but the A-B-C-D knowledge is not sufficient to understand. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam [Bg 4.3].

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

Simply by erudite scholarship you cannot understand. Then Kṛṣṅa would have selected somebody else who is scholarly advanced. But He was selecting Arjuna, although he was a soldier. He was not a Vedāntist, he was not a brāhmaṅa, but he was ordinary soldier. Maybe royal family. Gṛhastha. But He selected him. Why? Bhakto 'si: because he was devotee. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood by devotee from the very beginning.

So one has to become devotee of Kṛṣṅa. Then we can understand the teachings of the Vedas. Vedas means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg 15.15].

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

Any way you go, either you... Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedic literature. Bhāgavata is also Vedic literature. So either you take directly Vedas, Īśopaniṣad, other Upaniṣad, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṅa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is trying to give Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa se tomāra, kṛṣṅa dite pāra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that vaiṣṅava ṭhākura, tomāra kukkura baliyā jānaha more. He's presenting himself, "My dear sir, Vaiṣṅava, kindly accept me as your dog." Davita... What is that song? You have forgotten?

Śyāmasundara: I don't know.

Indian man: [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: No. Vai...

Indian man: Kṛṣṅa se tomāra...

Prabhupāda: Ah. Kṛṣṅa se tomāra, kṛṣṅa dite pāra, tomāra śakati āche [Śaraṅāgati]. This is a fact. If you want Kṛṣṅa, then you have to approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṅa. He can give you, deliver you. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. If one is Kṛṣṅa devotee, he can deliver Kṛṣṅa: "Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṅa." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Kṛṣṅa... Kṛṣṅa is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin [Bg 11.33]. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting; actually He was doing this victory also, war.

So in this way, kṛṣṅa-bhakti..., nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti, if we simply invoke our kṛṣṅa-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says that yena tena prakāreṅa manaḥ kṛṣṅe niveśayet. Somehow or other, just be absorbed within your mind about Kṛṣṅa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor [SB 9.4.18].

[Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṅa or about Kṛṣṅa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's temples and Kṛṣṅa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.]

Some way or other. It doesn't matter which way. And another place Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṅa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. "Purchase this kṛṣṅa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, if it is available somewhere." Tatra laulyam eka mūlyam, na janma koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ labhyate.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is very rare thing, but, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is being distributed all over the world freely. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace. Mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te [Cc Madhya 19.53]. If we adopt the method of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then we can distribute what Kṛṣṅa..., kṛṣṅa-prema, love of Kṛṣṅa. Knowledge of Kṛṣṅa may be distributed. The scholars and the paṅḍitas, they can understand, but love of Kṛṣṅa is different thing. That is a different thing. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing love of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te.

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

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

So if we follow through the path chalked out by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then Kṛṣṅa also, although He..., it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṅa... Manuṣyāṅāṁ sahareṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām [Bg 7.3].

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

But through the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu... And to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to follow the six Gosvāmīs, because these six Gosvāmīs were directly instructed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to spread this movement. He instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī continually for ten days in Prayāga, Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa. He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī for two months in Benares. And they have given us this invaluable literature. There are so many other literatures, of which the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu we have translated into English: Nectar of Devotion. So try to follow this book.

Rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing,

rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba śrī yugala-pīriti [Gaurāṅga Bolite Habe]

[When will my mind become free from all material desires and anxieties? Only in that purified state will I be able to understand Vṛndāvana and the conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. Then my spiritual life will be successful.]

The sahajiyās, they immediately try to understand the love affairs of Kṛṣṅa and Rādhārāṅī. That is sahajiyā-ism. Here we have to take instruction from Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. First of all we have to take the mercy of Rūpa-Raghunātha, Gosvāmī. Then if there is..., our luck is good, then we can understand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa prema. You..., it is not a thing to be understood by the common man in the bazaar, Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa. Therefore, in spite of hearing Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa līlā for many, many years, they remain in the same position, not a single step forward, what to..., to understand Kṛṣṅa.

Because they do not try to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa through the channel chalked out by Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Gosvāmīs. We must know. Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa is not ordinary. Rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śakti. This is the manifestation of the ahlādinī śakti of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa does not enjoy any material thing. The gopīs and Rādhārāṅī, they are not these ordinary girls. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ [Bs 5.37].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.]

So this is the process. We don't, therefore, advise people that immediately come to understand rāsa-līlā. No. We never do so. First of all, understand Kṛṣṅa by the channel, by the proper method. Then gradually, when you are actually purified, they you'll understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa.

rūpa-raghunātha-padeha-ibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba śrī-yugala-pīriti [Gaurāṅga Bolite Habe]

They don't become sahajiyā, to understand Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa just like ordinary... They're understanding Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, and they're inclined to so many nonsense things. If one understands Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, his impulse for sex life, vīta rāga kāma, immediately will be finished. He'll never think of... As Yamunā, Yamunācārya says, yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor. You know the verse?

Indian man: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Cite it. Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor. Yamunācārya.

Indian man: Oh, ahh... [recites another Sanskrit verse]

Prabhupāda: No. This verse:

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor nava-nava-[rasa-]dhāmany [udyataṁ] rantum āsīt tad-avadhi mama bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca [Yāmunācārya]

So this is the test. If actually one understands Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa līlā, then they'll forget forever this sex life of the material world. This is the test. So our request is that don't try to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa. Just worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa according to the arcana-vidhi. Then gradually Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa will be pleased, Caitanya Mahāprabhu will be pleased, and svayam eva sphuraty adhaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234].

[No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṅa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.]

When They are pleased by your sevā, then They will reveal. Don't try to jump over to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa. That will not help us.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]