Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.36

[faulty recording]

Prabhupāda: [break] ...somebody is chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, that is all right, but why the necessity of initiation? Initiation means [break] that the disciples agree to accept the instruction of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṅa accepts the disciple immediately to give him a spiritual body. This is the process. Otherwise, there is no need of initiation. One is chanting, one can chant... [break] ...it is the factual connection. And this connection means he gets immediately a spiritual body. In this body, his spiritual... His material body is transformed into... [break] But if there is any reservation... [break] ...it will take time. [break] ...our spiritual body. [break] ...means existence.

So the process is how to purify this existence. [break] ...defect of this existence...

[break] ...bhagavat-śikṣayā... [break] ...or asakṛt. [break] ...means "constantly," and sakṛt means "once." [break] By once chanting "Kṛṣṅa" without any offense, one can get freed from many, many thousand times of sinful activities. So much so that he is unable... Pāpī haya tata pāpa kare nāhi[?]. Although he's a sinful, he cannot execute so much sinful activities. [break]

Last night... [break] I described about the ten offenses... [break] Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu [SB 1.2.18].

[By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.]

Completely to become offenseless chanter of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra means, like Caitanya Mahāprabhu...

[break] ...become mad in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṅa. Completely, if we can chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra without any offense, then there is premoda. That is the result. And almost offenselessly, not completely, then you become mukta, liberated. Mukta. That is stated in another place of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu [SB 1.2.18]. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu means almost finished. Not completely finished. It is very difficult to finish the dirty things which have accumulated within our heart birth after birth. It is being accumulated. So many things, so many impression. All of a sudden you remember, which has no connection with your present activities, but all of a sudden you remember something which was in context with, say, many, many years ago. That means the dirty things are stocked within our heart. Just like in the water, in a pond sometimes you will find all of a sudden one bubble comes from within. Phat! That means the dirty things are within, stocked. [break] ...all of a sudden it comes. [break]

[indistinct] Kṛṣṅasya... Mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. [break] This is the advantage of this age, Kali-yuga. We have got many disadvantages. [break] People are implicated in sinful activities, more and more trouble. And it will be exhibited there will be no food grains, no milk, no sugar. These things will be completely absent. Now you are getting. In the later age it will be not possible to get them. And there will be scarcity of food, scarcity of rain. Anāvṛṣṭi durbhikṣa. And other side, taxation, heavy taxation. So we should be very alert in the matter of preparing ourself back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise, if we take birth again and again, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19], then we have to suffer some things.

This material body means suffering. We have repeatedly said. People do not understand it. And there are different kinds of suffering, different types of body. But if we follow this process, as it is stated, kṛṣṅasya anusmaranti... Kṛṣṅa. While acting, doing something, at the same time, we can remember Kṛṣṅa. Anusmaranti. Anusmaranti. Anu means follow. You cannot remember, memorize Kṛṣṅa by your whims. No. Therefore this word is used, anusmaranti. Anusmaranti bhagavac-chikṣayā. As Kṛṣṅa has personally taught. Just like Kṛṣṅa says that... What is that? Aps... The water, taste? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

So Kṛṣṅa is teaching that "You try to understand Me in this way." Not whimsically, "I am meditating something." No. You meditate, but according to the will of Kṛṣṅa, bhagavac-chikṣayā, as He has taught. He says that you can meditate. This is very good subject matter of meditation: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Very easy. Everyone is drinking water, and as soon as you get water and drink, if you meditate little what Kṛṣṅa has said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "I am the taste of the water," where is the difficulty? Bhagavac-chikṣayā. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as you see light, sunlight, moonlight, immediately you can remember Kṛṣṅa: "This light is Kṛṣṅa."

So you can utter "Kṛṣṅa," and you can remember Kṛṣṅa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṅa, then you become the topmost yogī. As soon as you remember Kṛṣṅa within your heart, you become the topmost yogī, immediately. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān... [Bg 6.47].

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

[break] This practice is required.

[break] ...your work. Because without working you cannot live. This is the work. Śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṅaḥ [Bg 3.8].

[Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. A man cannot even maintain his physical body without work.]

Śarīra-yātrā, we have to keep this body fit; therefore we have to work. Kṛṣṅa does not say, never said to Arjuna, that "I am your friend, Kṛṣṅa. I'll do everything. You can sleep. You don't require to fight." Kṛṣṅa never said. "You have to fight. But you have to fight, at the same time, yudhyasva mām anusmara [Bg 8.7]."

[Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṅa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.]

This is our duty. We have to, for existence, struggle for existence... There is, according to cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13], there is prescription of duties according to guṅa we have acquired.

[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.]

And let us work, but at the same time... Kurvāṅā yatra karmāṅi, bhagavan..., bhagavac-chikṣayā, or by the will of Kṛṣṅa we are put under certain condition of life. Never mind. Kṛṣṅa has made me, say, a śūdra, not a brāhmaṅa. A śūdra also has got work to do. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.44].

[Farming, cow protection and business are the qualities of work for the vaiśyas, and for the śūdras there is labor and service to others.]

So if we simply remember that "Kṛṣṅa has put me in this condition of life, I am a śūdra," that is very nice. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṅo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam [SB 10.14.8]. A devotee is satisfied always. He does not grudge that "I am put into this condition. Why I'm not put into the condition of a king or a learned brāhmaṅa?" No. "Whatever condition Kṛṣṅa has given me, that is all right." Tat te anukampām: "It is His grace. By His grace I have got this position."

Because my only business is to remember Kṛṣṅa. That we can do any stage of life. It does not require that you have to become a brāhmaṅa, an Indian, and so on, so on, great learned scholar in Vedic scripture. No. You may be in the far-away country, in Europe, America, or you may not be in brāhmaṅa family. It doesn't matter. But you can remember Kṛṣṅa. We are teaching this art through Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that you may remain in whichever position Kṛṣṅa has put you—it doesn't matter—but try to understand Kṛṣṅa. "How can I understand?" Well, you are drinking water. You can understand Kṛṣṅa. Where is the difficulty? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

Kṛṣṅa says that "I am the taste of water." Then where there is a person who does not drink water? Is there any land where people do not drink water? Is there any land? So where is the difficulty of Kṛṣṅa consciousness? If you simply drink water... [break]

And it is stated that bhagavac-chikṣayā. [break] Kṛṣṅa teaches that raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ... [break] Is there any land within this universe where there is no moonshine, sunshine? Everywhere. So where is the difficulty to become Kṛṣṅa conscious? [break] You are practicing meditation. Why not this simple meditation: "Here is Kṛṣṅa. Here is light, here is Kṛṣṅa. Oh, here is Vedic study. Oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padam"? Or oṁkāra. Oṁkāra sarva-vedeṣu. [break] If you, as soon as you get a nice flower, you smell it, Kṛṣṅa says, "That fragrance I am." You can remember Kṛṣṅa. So any part of the world, anywhere. You may be whatever you are.

Another point is as soon as you try to become Kṛṣṅa conscious, then your purification begins immediately. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

If you simply remember or say that "I have heard it from my spiritual master or from a saintly person that while drinking water, that taste is Kṛṣṅa. So you accept it," this is preaching. This is preaching. You are preaching. Or one who hears from you, śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ, if you simply carry this work. Just try to understand the importance of preaching. Sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ: you are remembering and you are preaching. So you are preaching means somebody else is hearing you. So he is also being purified. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. Even he does not know what is Kṛṣṅa, but he simply hears from you, then he becomes purified.

Actually, we are experiencing how in European and American countries, our boys going in buses, village to village, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, and they are collecting devotees. [break] How many devotees collected you told me, France? Eh? How many?

Devotee: Ten.

Prabhupāda: Ten. Where? You sent your saṅkīrtana party there?

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: Ah. It is happening. Our saṅkīrtana movement is increasing in every country, Europe, America, even in Africa, Canada, everywhere. Why? Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was traveling in South India, He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. So somebody heard Him chanting this mantra, he became purified, and he went back to his village, he also began to chant. So another person who heard him become purified. It is such a nice thing. [break]

Simply be hearing... If we understand the... [break] The process is there, śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ [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.]

Not others. [break] ...the whole world can be purified. But the secret is that one who is chanting, he must be very pure. [break] So far I have studied, in the Western countries... [break] They have got so many hodgepodge ideas that they are not pure. It is very difficult. [break] I say that "Here is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṅa," they accept it. [break] Here... If I say, "Here is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṅa," he'll bring dozens of other Bhagavāns. Or more than that—hundreds. "Why Kṛṣṅa is God?" [break] They are being deviated. So many...

Therefore we are student of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the beginning it is said that dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra. All types of cheating religious system is thrown away from this. And Śrīdhara Svāmī gives his comments on this, that kevala bhagavad-upāsanā. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra 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 param. Kiṁ vā paraiḥ. Mahā-muni-kṛte. Mahāmuni Vyāsadeva has given us. What is the use of studying any other book? Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṅam. It is the spotless Purāṅa. Spotless Purāṅa means that which gives you spiritual knowledge without any adulteration. Simple. Without any adulteration. As 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.]

This is without any adulteration.

So when one understands what is dharma without any adulteration, then he becomes fit candidate for studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṅam. Nārada Muni gives...

[break] Kṛṣṅa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva śānta [Cc Madhya 19.149].

[Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṅa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful.]

Kṛṣṅa-bhakta, he doesn't require for bhukti, mukti, siddhi. They simply want... Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa-janma hao yathā tuwā dāsa, bahirmukha brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa. He is desiring, "My Lord, let me..." Janmāobi yadi... "If I have to get birth again, my Lord, this is my prayer, that let me have my next birth in the house of a devotee, even as a small worm." To take birth in the house of a devotee is not so easy thing. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate [Bg 6.41].

[The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.]

It is not so easy thing. But Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "I am not fit. But if You kindly give me a birth of an ant in the house of a devotee, I shall prefer that more than to become Brahmā and forget You." Brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa. These are the process.

So we have to work according to our capacity; at the same time chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Kṛṣṅa has given you the tongue, and there is no difficulty. Kurvāṅā yatra karmāṅi. And always think of Kṛṣṅa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "How I can think of Kṛṣṅa constantly? It becomes hackneyed." No. The varieties. Kṛṣṅa says that you think of Kṛṣṅa while drinking water, you think of Kṛṣṅa when you see the sunshine, think of Kṛṣṅa when you see the moonshine, day and night. So at daytime there is sunshine, at night there is moonshine. So day and night you can think of Kṛṣṅa. So, so many ways... Kṛṣṅa-śikṣayā, bhagavac-chikṣayā, as is taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, you think of always Kṛṣṅa, then your life is successful. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

So therefore bhakti-yoga means vairāgya-vidyā [Cc Madhya 6.254]. You have to stop thinking of this material bhukti, mukti, siddhi. Simply you have to think of Kṛṣṅa. That is spiritual platform. That is instructed here. Try to follow, and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]