Lecture

The Nectar of Devotion

Pradyumna: [reading] "Impersonalists are very fond of merging into the Supreme, like rivers that come down and merge into the ocean. The ocean can be compared with liberation, and the rivers with all the different paths of liberation. The impersonalists are dwelling in the river water, which eventually comes to mix with the ocean. They have no information, however, that within the ocean, as within the river, there are innumerable aquatic living entities. The sharks who dwell in the ocean do not care for the rivers which are gliding down into it. The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers."

Prabhupāda: This comparison that the rivers..., it does not matter from which way it is coming down to the sea; when they mix together, they become one. But if this comparison is taken, that the rivers merging into the sea, and when it mixes there is no separate existence of the river, but they do not see analogy. Analogy, according to law of analogy, the points of similarities must be one. Analogy is perfect when the points of similarities are there. Just like we say, "Your face is as beautiful as moon." That means the face, beauty of the face, is as attractive as the moon is attractive. The points of similarity is there. We cannot say an ugly face, "Your face is like moon." That cannot be. That is not analogy because there is no points of similarity. That is the law of analogy.

So similarly, if you make analogy that as the different rivers are..., the water is coming down and mixing with the sea, then it becomes one, but there are other points. This is superficial vision. There is other points. The same water again becomes evaporated and again thrown on the ground, and they again glide down as rivers. There is..., this is a fact. But if you go deep into the water, just like the shark fish—the comparison is given there—the shark fish is never evaporated. The shark fish is within the water of the sea, and there is no question of evaporation. The water may be evaporated.

So our point is, from śāstra we can understand,

ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ 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.]

The point is that simply mixing with the sea water is not final salvation. Because the same example: the water is evaporated, again turns into cloud, then again falls, the same water again falls on the ground, then again glides down. So that is not very safe position. But if you take shelter of the ocean as a fish, then there is no question of evaporation. Just try to understand this analogy.

Similarly, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

The Absolute Truth is realized in three different features: Brahman, impersonal Brahman, brahmeti; localized Paramātmā, the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, localized Paramātmā; and Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Māyāvādī philosophy is that because God is everything, therefore there is no separate existence of God. This is Māyāvādī philosophy. God is everything, that's all right, but that's not..., that does not mean God loses His existence. This is material conception. The material conception is that you take anything... Suppose you take a piece of paper and you make it into small pieces and throw it, then the original paper has no existence. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they are thinking like that. If God is everything—that's a fact; God is everything—but that does not mean that God is lost of His own existence. That is material.

Pūrṅasya pūrṅam ādāya pūrṅam eva avaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation].

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

This is the Vedic information. You take... Here we have got experience, one minus one equal to zero. But we get the Vedic information that one minus one equal to one, one plus one equal to one. Pūrṅasya pūrṅam ādāya pūrṅam evāvaśiṣyate. You take whole thing, but still, advaita acyuta. Acyuta. Advaita. God may expand Himself and so, eko bahu śyām, He has expanded Himself as svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Svāṁśa means viṣṅu-tattva, just like Kṛṣṅa, Balarāma, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṅa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Nārāyaṅa, Viṣṅu, Mahā-Viṣṅu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu, so many.

Ananta. Advaita acyuta ananta-rūpa. So ananta-rūpam, that does not mean the original, kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28], He is lost.

[All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.]

No. He is not lost. He is there, although He has expanded Himself. We are also expansion of Kṛṣṅa. We are vibhinnāṁśa. We are small particles, not with the full power. The Viṣṅu expansion, They're with full power. We, living entities, we are also expansion, eko bahu śyām. That one God has become many. As viṣṅu-tattva, as Viṣṅu energy, as Viṣṅu svāṁśa, as Viṣṅu vibhinnāṁśa, so many He has expanded.

Just like the sun, you can understand. What is this material world? It is the expansion of sun's heat and light, that's all. Any scientist knows. But there are so many varieties of expansion. It is due to the sunshine that the trees are growing in different foliage, different color. There are so many fruits and flowers, they're growing, and as soon as there is no sunshine, everything becomes desert. There are seven colors in the sunshine. From material point of view, you can understand how much potency is God, Kṛṣṅa.

Parasya brahmaṅaḥ śaktis sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat [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.]

Parasya brahmaṅaḥ śaktis. Our philosophy is that God..., everything is God. That is śakti pariṅāmavāda. He is everything by His potency. Not that He is finished. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. "In my impersonal feature I am spread all over the universe, all over the world."

ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtina mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ [Bg 9.4]

[By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.]

"Everything is resting on me, but it is not that I am there." So this philosophy.

So devotional service is not only mixing, but to remain steady, engaged. The same example. The rivers, that is superficial. You..., we are seeing the ocean superficially. There is no varieties—simply water, simply water, simply water. But if you go deep into the water, there are so many varieties. So many varieties. Similarly, simply entering, merge into the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyoti, that is not secure position. The secure position is within the brahma-jyoti... That is explained in the Īśopaniṣad. Within the brahma-jyoti there are planets, Vaikuṅṭha planets. So you have to take shelter in one of the planets. Just like the fish, the comparison of the fish, the shark fish, he has taken shelter of the ocean. Therefore the..., for him there is no evaporation. The water, although it is also sea water, that, that is subjected to be evaporated. So simply by entering into the Brahman effulgence is not safe. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho [SB 10.2.32].

So our Bhakti-rasāmṛta teaches just..., just become a shark fish, or even small fish. Actually there are many types of fishes, even a small fish, that also not become evaporated. That remains in this water, because it has taken shelter completely of the ocean. Similarly, if you take shelter of Kṛṣṅa, of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, there is no chance of falling down. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ [SB 10.2.32]. Those who are not taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is chance of falling down. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they take shelter of Brahman and reject this world, material world as mithyā. But unless they take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, he cannot stay there. He has to again come back. That is the position.

Therefore bhakti-yoga is secure. Secure mukti. Mukti means to be engaged in the service of the Lord. We are serving in this material world. Everyone is serving. But this is not mukti. This is our anyathā rūpa. We are serving, just like I am serving my country. I, Indian, I am very much feeling compassion for my Indian brothers. Similarly, Americans are feeling, Chinese are feeling, in different, that we have made compartment. No. If you feel as Kṛṣṅa conscious, that feeling is perfect. Otherwise, these feeling, temporary āruhya, patanty adhaḥ. This is a fact. Now I have got Indian body, suppose; but next life there is no guarantee in human body. Next life, even if I get Indian body, if I become a cow or goat, then I'll be sent to the slaughterhouse.

So this, these are not guarantees. This is anyathā rūpa. Our this change of body, that is our anyathā rūpa. We must be fixed up in our own rūpa, svarūpa. Svarūpa-siddhi. It is called svarūpa-siddhi. Svarūpa-siddhi means to be engaged in the service of Lord. That is real mukti, mukti hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṅa vyavasthitiḥ. Purification. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [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.]

One has to become free from all designation. We are designated now. I am working as American, I am working as family man, I am working as this, that. These are all designation. When I shall work as eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa, that is real mukti. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

[aside:] Go on.

Pradyumna: "The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers."

Prabhupāda: Just like the shark fish, they do not come into the river. That means those who are nitya-mukta, eternally liberated, they do not come into this material world. They do not come. There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-mukta and nitya baddha. Nitya-baddha, we are. Those who are in this material world, we are eternally conditioned. Eternally conditioned in this way, because I am changing my body, one after another. As I am desiring, I am getting my next body. This body I am creating my next body; again when I shall get next body, I shall create another body. So this is going on.

And because it is going on, when it has begun and when it is going to end, that you do not know. Therefore it is called nitya, eternal. Actually it is not eternal, but we do not know when I have begun my material existence. At least we can think that since this material..., this term of material creation was there, I began my life. But no, that is not actual fact. The actual fact is, when there was no creation, I was submerged into the body of Nārāyaṅa, Mahā-Viṣṅu. And when there is again creation, I come out. So when I was submerged into the body of Mahā-Viṣṅu, before that, my activities began in this material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19].

So we are given chance. When there is creation, another cosmic manifestation, we are given chance. Now, you take another chance. Come back home, back..., go back to home, back to Godhead. But we misuse this chance. On account of our ignorance, we misuse this chance, especially this human form of body. Here is a chance. We can go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore the śāstras are there. The Vedas are there. The Upaniṣads are there. Why? To give us information. To awaken us. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibhodata [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14].

[Please wake up and try to understand the boon that you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor's edge. That is the opinion of learned transcendental scholars.]

The Vedas says, "Now you wake up, take advantage."

Prāpya varān. "You have got this book. You fulfill your mission. Don't rot in this material world." Kṛṣṅa Himself comes, He..., to recall us. 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.]

But still we cannot understand Him. We say Kṛṣṅa is dark, Kṛṣṅa is unknown. Why Kṛṣṅa is unknown? Kṛṣṅa, He is giving His own identification, and I am authority of explaining Bhagavad-gītā, I say Kṛṣṅa is unknown. Just see the fuss. I am writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā for misleading others, and personally when I'm asked, "What you know?" "That Kṛṣṅa is unknown to me." This is going on.

Kṛṣṅa is declaring Himself,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ [Bg 10.8]

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

"I am the origin of all creation," ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate, "Everything emanates from Me." Aham ādir hi devānām [Bg 10.2], Kṛṣṅa says. Devānām, from Brahmā. Devānām means beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṅu, Maheśvara, then other devas, Indra, Candra. So Kṛṣṅa says, aham ādir hi devānām. "I am the ṛṣīnām, all the ṛṣis, then prakṛti." Mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg 9.10]:

[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.]

"Under My superintendence this material world is working."

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.]

Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg 7.7].

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakta mad-yājī māṁ nama... Everything Kṛṣṅa is declaring, and the rascals say Kṛṣṅa is unknown. Just see the fun. And he's explaining Bhagavad-gītā. He should have explained that Kṛṣṅa is the origin of everything, Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, instead of his posing that "Kṛṣṅa is unknown. He is black, dark."

Our philosophy is, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

kṛṣṅa-sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra [Cc Madhya 22.31]

[Kṛṣṅa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.]

Kṛṣṅa is just like sun, sūrya-sama. Māyā is andhakāra, not Kṛṣṅa is andhakāra. Because Kṛṣṅa, this Kṛṣṅa word sometimes means darkness, so Kṛṣṅa has become dark. He becomes unknown. Actually, wherever there is Kṛṣṅa, there is no more darkness, there is no more ignorance.

kṛṣṅa-sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

So actually, such persons, they do not know what is Kṛṣṅa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṅa can be explained who knows about Kṛṣṅa. And who knows Kṛṣṅa? Only the devotee knows. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. "I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense." He says. Kṛṣṅa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg 18.55]. "Actually what I am," tattvataḥ, "in truth, that can be understood through devotion," through love of Kṛṣṅa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [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.]

Everything is there, clear. If you are not bhakta, if you are philosopher, that's all right, remain philosopher; why you try to touch Kṛṣṅa? That is not your subject matter. Don't poke your nose in that subject matter. Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell, that is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu [Bg 16.19], Kṛṣṅa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṅa. They know, Kṛṣṅa is describing Himself like this, still he says, "Kṛṣṅa is unknown." This is cruel, hiṁsā.

So in this way you cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. We must understand Kṛṣṅa by the mercy of Kṛṣṅa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

The..., Kṛṣṅa cannot be understood by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

When one becomes purified after being freed from all kinds of designation, that is the beginning.

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.]

There begins bhakti.

evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya-jāyate [SB 1.2.20]

[Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.]

Only the muktas. Those who are conditioned, they cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. They will say, "Kṛṣṅa—a dark," "Kṛṣṅa is unknown," "Kṛṣṅa is black." That's all. Because he is seeing with his eyes. Kṛṣṅa is not unknown. Kṛṣṅa known only to the devotees.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya- prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam [SB 10.14.29].

[My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.]

Athāpi te deva. "My dear Lord, by Your mercy, one who has got a little, fragmental portion of Your mercy," prasāda leśa... Prasāda means mercy, and leśa means very small portion. "Anyone who has got a little portion of Your mercy, he can know You." Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam. He can understand. Na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan. Others, they can go on speculating on their philosophy for millions of years; still they will not be able to understand. They will not be able to understand—simply futile, simply futile. They cannot.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says that "Surrender unto Me. If you don't surrender unto Me, you do not become My devotee, I'll not be exposed to you. I am not so cheap." Kṛṣṅa is not so cheap, but He's cheap to the devotees. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Vedeṣu durlabham. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṅa by the strength of your Vedic study, so-called Vedic study... Because that is foolish study. He does not know. That is the test. If he..., one does not understand Kṛṣṅa, his Vedic study is simply waste of time. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. The test will be whether he has understood Kṛṣṅa. If one has studies Vedas, the test will be whether he understands Kṛṣṅa. 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.]

If he is missing Kṛṣṅa—Kṛṣṅa is unknown—then all his study is useless waste of time. Useless waste of time. This is the verdict of the śāstra.

So those..., one who does not understand Kṛṣṅa, he, his knowledge is not at all advanced, what to speak of perfection. There is no question of perfection. Perfection of knowledge is surrendering unto Kṛṣṅa.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19]

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

So this is the position. So one who does not understand Kṛṣṅa, if they speak to the public about Kṛṣṅa, about Bhagavad-gītā, they are nonsense, simply misleading people. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

They are themselves blind, and they are other blind men there also, therefore they do not get any profit out of it. So many Gītār jñāna, Gītār version is going on, but still they are in the same darkness. Same darkness. Not a single [indistinct] is follower. Why? Well, that is not the way of understanding Kṛṣṅa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12].

[To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.]

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.]

Such, you have to approach a jñānī who has seen the truth. And how the truth can be seen? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

The tattva-darśinaḥ and tattva. It is through the devotional side. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa... There are so many versions about this thing:

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136]

Kṛṣṅa reveals. You cannot order Kṛṣṅa, "Please come here, I'll see You." No, that is not possible. Kṛṣṅa is not your order-supplier. Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Lord. You have to surrender. Then Kṛṣṅa will reveal unto you. Being pleased by your service, He will reveal. Not that because you are very nice scholar, you know much A-B-C-D, Kṛṣṅa will come to you. No. Kṛṣṅa is not subjected to such order-supplying agency.

[aside:] Yes, go on.

Pradyumna: "Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prays to his spiritual master, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, for the protection of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 'The Ocean of the Pure Nectar of Devotional Service,' from the argumentative logicians who unnecessarily meddle in the science of service to the Lord."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Logicians, nyāya, what is called?

Devotee: Mīmāṁsā.

Prabhupāda: Mīmāṁsā. Mīmāṁsā. Mīmāṁsā [indistinct]. So Kṛṣṅa is not subjected to this logic, mīmāṁsā, grammar. No. Kṛṣṅa is transcendental. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said,

bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate prāpte sannihite maraṅe na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṅe

Ḍukṛn, du-prata, kṛñ-prata, these are grammatical jugglery. So these Māyāvādīs, they coin words by grammatical jugglery: "This word may be meant, may be meaning like this." They're all grammatical jugglery. Then nyāya jugglery. So they take advantage of this jugglery. Kṛṣṅa is not subjected to this jugglery of words. Kṛṣṅa keeps always His independence, and if you fulfill the condition, if you surrender unto Him, then He will be revealed unto you. Not by your jugglery of words. That is not possible.

Pradyumna: "He compares their arguments and logic to volcanic eruptions in the midst of the ocean."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sometimes they create havoc. Because these Māyāvādīs, Kṛṣṅa gives them intelligence. Because he wants to, he puts forward his logic to kill Kṛṣṅa or to forget Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa also gives his intelligence, "Yes, you talk like this so that you will forget forever." Yes. [laughter] "You talk like this." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca, Kṛṣṅa says. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg 15.15].

Kṛṣṅa can give you.

If you actually want Kṛṣṅa, He'll give you intelligence. Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Kṛṣṅa is very cunning also: "This man is trying to forget Me, to mislead others." Not [indistinct]; he is misleading himself. Others cannot be misled for the time being, but he is misled for good. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu [Bg 16.19].

These asuras, on account of their enviousness upon Kṛṣṅa, to prove that there is no Kṛṣṅa, there is no God, so these people are put into andhā yoni. Andhā yoni means in such..., just like animals. They cannot understand about Kṛṣṅa. Kṣipāmy andhā yoniṣu. So that is Kṛṣṅa's punishment, that "He wants to forget Me, he wants to kill Me. All right, he..., let him be put into such birth that he may not know what is Kṛṣṅa for many, many births."

[aside:] Yes, go on.

Pradyumna: "In the midst of the ocean, such volcanic eruptions can do very little harm, and similarly, those who are against devotional service to the Lord and who put forward many philosophical theses about the ultimate transcendental realization cannot disturb this great ocean of devotional service."

Prabhupāda: That sometimes, everyone knows, there is volcanic eruption in the ocean. What does it harm to the ocean? It throws out some lava, and some little island may come out, but what is the harm to the ocean? Similarly, these rascal may go on with their philosophy for killing Kṛṣṅa. That does not hurt Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. It will go on. This ocean will never be disturbed by these so-called philosophies. This will never be disturbed. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The author of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Kṛṣṅa consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Every Vaiṣṅava, that is Vaiṣṅava's sadācāra, humbleness. Tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā [Cc Ādi 17.31].

[One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.]

Although Vaiṣṅava knows everything, still he presents himself very humble, lower that the straw, humbler than the tree. Tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā, amāninā: they don't..., the devotee does not claim any so-called popular respect, false respect. They go on with their Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā, amāninā: if anyone wants some honor, he gives everyone honor. For him, he does not want any honor. What honor he'll take, this material honor?

Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was offered benediction by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, "You take any kind of benediction," so Prahlāda Mahārāja replied, "My dear Lord, I am born of a father, passionate, and I am always greedy about material opulence, naturally, because my father was like that. So You are offering benediction. I can ask from You any kind of material opulence. I know that. But what I shall do all these material opulences? I've seen my father was so strong materially that when he was angry even the demigods trembled. He was so powerful. Now everything is finished within a second by You. So what is the value of this material opulence? Why shall I ask You all these nonsense? Kindly engage me, kindly engage me in the service of Your servant. That I want." This is devotion. They don't want anything. "Kindly engage me nijunkaman ātmā dāse." That is the prayer.

So the devotees, they do not want anything material. They are not captivated by so-called followers. No. Na dhanaṁ na janam—janam means followers—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.]

What is this false power? Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārāḥ sahasraśaḥ. If one disciple is enlivened with Kṛṣṅa consciousness, he can work as the moon. Otherwise, so many foolish followers, what they'll do? Just like stars. Thousands and millions of stars, they cannot do anything. One moon is sufficient. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārāḥ sahasraśaḥ [Cāṅakya Paṅḍita]. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, it is not required that everyone will be follower. That is not possible, because it is very difficult. But still, if one follower, sincere follower, is there, it will go on. It will go on. Nobody can stop it.

[aside:] Go on.

Pradyumna: "That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas."

Prabhupāda: Yes, we should not be very much proud that "I have created wonderful." Why? What wonderful? What? I am not a magician that I can create wonderful. Sometimes people, they give me so much honor: "Swāmījī, you have created wonderful." I do not feel that I have created wonderful. What I have done? I say that I, I do..., I'm not a magician. I do not know how to create wonderful. I have simply Bhagavad-gītā, presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all. If there is any credit, this is only credit.

Anyone can do that. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and anyone can present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So it will act wonderful. I am not a magician. I do not know the tricks of magics and the yoga-siddhi, I am creating [makes gesture] like this. [laughter] I have no such power. Neither I do it. So I..., my only credit is, I do not want to mix with this pure Bhagavad-gītā teaching any rascaldom, that's all. That is my credit. And whatever little miracle has been done, only on this principle. That's all.

[aside:] Go on.

Pradyumna: "...and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit..."

Prabhupāda: Yes, the same thing. Our purpose should be to satisfy our predecessors.

tādera caraṅa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa janame janame more ei abhilāsa [Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7]

We cannot deviate from the path of the previous ācāryas. We must strictly follow. That is the qualification. We must follow their instruction. Therefore I repeatedly say to my students that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra sixteen rounds and follow the regulative principles. Your strength is there." If we... Just like Himalayan mountain, nobody can push it. Very simple thing. It is so powerful. Yaha hoite sarva-siddhi haya. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's request. Don't deviate from the instruction. Then you will stand as strong as the Himalayan mountain. Very simple thing. Anyone can do.

We are asking, following the footsteps of predecessor, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction to Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpānuga. Therefore we are called rūpānuga. Anuga. Anuga means following. Going, following the footsteps of Rūpa. So as the, Rūpa Gosvāmī is following his predecessor, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so we have to follow our predecessor. Then we will be successful. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can do any harm.

Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

If you stick to the principle of following the footsteps of previous predecessor, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg 4.2],

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

don't add anything, don't subtract anything, present as it is and keep your spiritual strength intact—then the preaching will go on. Nobody can disturb you.

That's all. Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]