Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.25

[noise of fireworks in background]

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṅa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ taj-joṣaṅād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati [SB 3.25.25]

[In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.]

[Prabhupāda corrects pronunciation of saṁvido]

[break] [02:31]

"In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and therefore he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin."

Prabhupāda:

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṅa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ taj-joṣaṅād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati [SB 3.25.25]

So here it is recommended, satāṁ prasaṅgāt, talks between devotees. Satām means devotee, not ordinary person; those who are devotees, sat. Sat and asat. There are two things. Sat means which exists, and asat mean which does not exist—temporary. That is called asat. This material world is asat. Therefore Vedic injunction is, asato mā sad gama: "Don't keep yourself within this material world."

[child talking] [aside:] That child... Asato mā.

So people who are interested in materialistic life, they are called asat. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by a devotee that "What is the behavior of a Vaiṣṅava, of devotee?" Vaiṣṅava means devotee.

[aside:] Who is this? Who is making noise?

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being inquired, "What is the duty of a devotee?"

[aside:] ...what is the sound?

Brahmānanda: They're doing it purposely.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all right. That's all right. Never mind. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṅava-ācāra [Cc Madhya 22.87]. Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṅava-ācāra. He, in one line, He said that "First of all, Vaiṣṅava, his business is to avoid the company of asat." Asat means those who are materialistic interested. Asataḥ. Asato mā sad gama. This is very important thing. We have established this Kṛṣṅa consciousness society—means that to avoid the asat-saṅga, to avoid the... Of course, we are preaching Kṛṣṅa consciousness amongst the people who are interested in material subject matter. But we are not associating with them. We are associating with Kṛṣṅa, because we don't talk anything except Kṛṣṅa. We are not interested with their business. Everyone is interested with his own business. Similarly, we are interested with our own business, Kṛṣṅa consciousness business. Even if we go to a materialistic person, we canvass, "Kindly become our member. Kindly read this book. Purchase this book." So we are not going to take their activities. We are trying to bring them in our activities.

So asat-saṅga-tyāga, vaiṣṅava-ācāra. The Vaiṣṅava, he should be always careful not to intermingle, means not to take up their ideas and thoughts. No. That is vaiṣṅava-ācāra. Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṅava. And why they should be avoided? Asat eka strī-saṅgī, kṛṣṅa-abhakta. Who is asat? Asat means those who are very much attached to sense gratification. Sense... The culmination of sense gratification is sex life. So those who are too much attached to sex life, strī-saṅgī, and kṛṣṅa-abhakta, and not devotee of Kṛṣṅa, they are asat. So those who are actually serious to make advance in spiritual life, they should avoid the asat.

asat-saṅga-tyāga-ei vaiṣṅava-ācāra asat... 'strī-saṅgī' 'kṛṣṅābhakta' āra [Cc Madhya 22.87]

So if we discriminate like this, then we shall be advancing. Apavarga-vartmani. Taj-joṣaṅād āśu apavarga-vartmani śraddhā bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Just like if we are diseased, there is infectious disease, epidemic, so we should be careful not to be infected by the infectious disease. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī said in Bhakti..., I mean to say, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa... He has written one book, "The Behavior of the Vaiṣṅava," Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. So in that book he has recommended, avaiṣṅava-mukhodgīrṅaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṅaṁ naiva kartavyam [Padma Purāṅa]. He has said that "One who is not Vaiṣṅava by his behavior, by his action, by his mode of life, if he speaks something from śāstra, especially hari-kathā..." Hari-kathā means Bhagavad-gītā, the Purāṅas, out of which the Bhāgavata, Mahāpurāṅa. So we should not hear from a professional reader, or avaiṣṅava, or Māyāvādī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa [Cc Madhya 6.169]. If we hear Bhagavad-gītā—that is kṛṣṅa-kathā, hari-kathā—we should not hear from the Māyāvādīs or avaiṣṅava. Then it will not be effective.

There are so many Māyāvādīs and avaiṣṅava, they practically do not accept Kṛṣṅa even the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they dare to speak on Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the fun. He does not accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and he wants to comment and give his ṭīkā. So you'll never derive any benefit. Therefore here it is said, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. You should hear Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the devotees, not from a third-class man. No. Third class means those who are materialistic. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned that māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. If you happen to hear from a Māyāvādī, impersonalist, who does not accept Kṛṣṅa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or does not know what is Kṛṣṅa, if such person reads Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will never derive any benefit. You can go on hearing them for hundreds of years; still, you will never understand what is Kṛṣṅa. That is forbidden. Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden, that avaiṣṅava-mukhodgīrṅaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, talks, discussion on Hari, or Kṛṣṅa, that is amṛta. Amṛta means nectarine. If one hears, then he gets his amṛta. Amṛtatvam.

So amṛtatvāya kalpate. Amṛta means no more birth and death. Mṛta means birth and death, mṛtyu, but amṛta means to stop birth and death. The whole spiritual life means to stop this birth, death, old age and disease; to get amṛta, no more birth, no more death. That is the real aim of spiritual life. Of course, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the spiritual life begins if one is pious. If one is pious. Ārto arthārthī jijñāsuḥ. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Kṛṣṅa said, "Four classes of men..." Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna. Sukṛti. Sukṛti means pious. One who has got background, pious life, not impious life, sinful life, such pious men, out of them, four classes of men, catur-vidhāḥ, they come to devotional life, begins. Who are they? Ārtaḥ, those who are distress; ārtaḥ arthārthī, those who want some money; jijñāsuḥ, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī. So ārto arthārthī, they are in the lower grade. And jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are in the higher grade. But still, they are not pure devotee, because they want something. Ārtaḥ, the distressed, he comes to Kṛṣṅa in the temple or in the church to beg something, material profit. That is also good, because he has come to Kṛṣṅa. "Kṛṣṅa, I am distressed. Kindly save me from this distressed condition." "Kṛṣṅa, I require some money. Kindly, if You give me some money, I can live very peacefully." Generally.

So because they have come to Kṛṣṅa, therefore they are called sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ means pious. And there are others, who are duṣkṛtina, impious, sinful. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15].

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

They are not even human being who do not accept the authority of the Supreme Lord. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And they have been described as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal, foolish. Real meaning of mūḍha is ass. So those who are like that, duṣkṛtinaḥ, and full of impious activities, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, na māṁ prapadyante, they do not accept Kṛṣṅa the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So in order to become a devotee of Kṛṣṅa we must associate with devotee. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. Then, by reciprocation with devotees, if one is... One comes to devotee also if one is pious. If something is there on the background, piety, then he comes to a devotee. So by mixing with devotee, by associating with devotee, our knowledge for salvation or getting out of the clutches of this māyā, repetition of birth and death, increases. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. The discussion on kṛṣṅa-kathā is vīryavān. Just like when there is sex life, if the man is vīryavān, there will be pregnancy. Similarly, if we hear from devotee, then immediate action will be there, some inclination that "Why not become Kṛṣṅa conscious?" That is vīryavān. "Why not become Kṛṣṅa conscious?" That is called śraddhā. Śraddhā bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Taj-joṣaṅād āśu apavarga-vartmani śraddhā. This is called śraddhā. If, by hearing from the devotees or in the association of devotees, one is inclined, "Now, why not become Kṛṣṅa conscious?" that is very nice, sukṛtinaḥ, immediately the effect of pious activities. Ādau śraddhā. That is the beginning of spiritual life. And if you want to develop your spiritual life more and more, then satāṁ prasaṅgāt, then you have to associate with devotees. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc Madhya 23.14-15].

[In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sādhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.]

And sādhu we have described already in three, four verses. The summary—a sādhu means a devotee. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk [Bg 9.30].

[Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.]

Ananya-bhāvena, without any deviation, unflinching, staunch devotee, they are called sādhu. So we have to associate with sādhu. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. When you discuss about Kṛṣṅa with sādhu or devotees, it becomes very pleasing. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṅa-rasāyanāḥ [SB 3.25.25].

[In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.]

Rasāyanāḥ means there is some taste. Just like you eat something, there is some taste. That is called rasa, or mellow. Then... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṅa says, 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.]

Rasa. Rasa means when you are thirsty, when you drink water, you taste something very nice to quench your thirst. So Kṛṣṅa has instructed that "To begin with, you can think of Me, aham, while you drink water." It is not difficult. Everyone can practice it, so easy thing. Everyone can practice it. Everyone drinks water, and the rasa, the taste, the nice taste, when you are thirsty, how it is palatable by drinking water. Without water, sometimes we die; and by getting little sip of water, we live. Water is so important. So water we drink, everyone, and there is rasa, that taste. That taste, if we simply think, "Here is Kṛṣṅa," very easy thing... Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as you see the sunlight in the morning, you can think. Kṛṣṅa says. Why do you say, "Can you show me God?" God is showing you Himself. Why don't you see it? If you close your eyes, how you can see God? He says, "I am this." According to our position...

Just like here it is said, śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Anukrama means gradually: not that all of a sudden you can expect to see God, but you become qualified to see God. This is the way. Śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Ādau śraddhā. Just like with śraddhā. Somebody is thinking, "This hari-kīrtana is nuisance." They are amongst those, duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. Those [who] are thinking that this hari-kīrtana, hari-kathā, which we are trying to spread all over the world, and they are accepting all over the world... And in India, especially here in Bombay, they are sending complaints to the police that we are creating nuisance. Just see the fun. Where Kṛṣṅa is born and kṛṣṅa-kathā is there, Bhagavad-gītā—we have not imported this book from elsewhere—now we are so fallen that we are thinking that "This kṛṣṅa-kathā, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa, is creating nuisance." Just see how much we have advanced after getting independence. They are complaining that we are creating nuisance. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 9.14].

[Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]

Kīrtana is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā satatam, always, twenty-four hours. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ. And worshiping the Deity with attention, with care. These things are going on here, and people are complaining we are creating nuisance. Just see. Asat is so dangerous. Therefore we have to create a society of sat. Then the world will be saved. Otherwise, they are going to the hellish condition of life.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [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.]

matir na kṛṣṅe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām [SB 7.5.30]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṅa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.]

So if we want to save ourself... We do not know how to save. Gaḍurikā-pravāha. Gaḍurikā-pravāha-nyāya. There is a logic of gaḍurikā-pravāha. One man is doing something, and another man is following. Of course, if you follow a saj-jana, a devotee, that is very nice. But if you follow a rascal, then you also become rascal. But at the present moment the whole world is full of rascals, mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtinaḥ, narādhamāḥ. "Why do you call mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtinaḥ narādhamāḥ? There is so much advancement of education. There are so many universities, so many degrees." But Kṛṣṅa says, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ [Bg 7.15]:

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

"Their so-called knowledge has no value because the essence of knowledge is taken away by the illusion." "Now why you say? They are educated." "No, their knowledge has been taken away." "Why? What is the reason?" The reason is āśuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ: "They have taken to the nonsense philosophy of godlessness." That's it. For this reason their so-called education, university education, degrees, are simply illusion of māyā.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one song, jaḍa-vidyā sa, māyāra vaibhava. This material education without God consciousness is expansion of the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā sa, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are simply impediments in the matter of advancing Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. Anitya saṁsāre. And why? Now, result of godless material education means that anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. We are already illusioned. Anyone who has come to this material world, he is illusioned. But advancement of so-called material education means the increasing of the same illusory propaganda. Jaḍa-vidyā sa, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. They are trying to become happy in this temporary material life. He has forgotten that he is eternal. Even if we become very happy, temporary life in this life, that is also illusion, because we will not be allowed to stay and enjoy the status. But they do not understand.

So these things are to be understood in the association of devotees. A devotee knows everything. Tattva-darśinaḥ.

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.]

Tattva-darśī means who has actually seen the truth, oṁ tat sat. One who has seen the Supreme Truth. That Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṅa. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says that "You are searching after the truth. You are studying the Vedic literature, Vedānta-darśana. That is very good. But what is the goal of Vedānta-darśana?" Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end, Vedānta, the ultimate knowledge. What is that? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [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.]

Kṛṣṅa says that "If you are actually studying Vedānta, then ultimately you have to understand Me." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd vedānta-vid cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I understand..., I am the knower of Vedānta." So if you hear from Kṛṣṅa what is Kṛṣṅa, that is actually understanding Vedānta. If you do not understand Kṛṣṅa and if you simply advertise yourself vedāntī, or vedantī, that will not help you.

Therefore, without this knowledge, there is... They have been called in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti, mohitam [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.]

tribhir guṅamayair bhāvair mohitaṁ... mūḍhāḥ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam [Bg 7.13]

[Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible.]

The mūḍhas, they do not know it. So anyone who is in this material world, more or less, we are all mūḍhas. This morning I was talking while walking on the beach: more or less, we are all mūḍhas. Without being mūḍhaḥ, nobody comes here in this material world. Beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, we are all mūḍhas of different degrees. So in order to become really learned, not to remain mūḍha, we have to associate with devotee. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. Then it will be relishable. Relishable. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. When it is relishable... Actually, when you take some foodstuff, if it is relishable, it gives you contentment, "Oh, very nice food." So bhavanti hṛt: "It is pleasing to the heart." "Oh, such a nice food." And pleasing to the tongue. Similarly, when kṛṣṅa-kathā is discussed amongst the devotees, it is pleasing to the heart and pleasing to the ear. Unless you taste, relish something through the ear and through the heart, how you can steadily follow kṛṣṅa-kathā? So that requires little training. And that training is given by the devotees, by their practical life, by their daily behavior, their routine work. If we follow, taj-joṣaṅāt... Joṣaṅāt means to practice, is it not? [aside:] What is given, joṣaṅāt? Cultivation, yes. Cultivation means practice. Practice.

So the ācāryas and the devotee, big, big devotees, they have given the routine work for cultivation. Just like we have got this Nectar of Devotion, how to cultivate devotional life. It is being very well received in European, American universities. In some of the universities they have made our Nectar of Devotion as textbook, "The Science of Bhakti." So there is everything. If we want to cultivate bhakti, it is not sentiment. Sentiment, of course, that may remain for some time. But it is a great science. We have to learn it scientifically. That is The Nectar of Devotion, the science of devotional life. So those who are interested, they may kindly read this book, Nectar of Devotion, cultivation. Taj-joṣaṅāt. And practical cultivation—if you live with the devotees, in the association, then there will be practical cultivation: to rise early in the morning, to offer maṅgala-ārātrika to the Deity, then study some Vedic literature, then take prasādam, then do this, do that; they go for preaching. Actually, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, practically showing how to cultivate the devotional life, taj-joṣaṅāt. And if we do so, then āśu. Āśu means very soon, without delay, even in this life. Even in this life, not that we have to wait for another life. If we practice devotional service in this life, even for few days, still, it will be a permanent asset.

Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [SB 1.5.17].

[One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.]

If one takes to devotional service, tyaktvā sva-dharmam, giving up his routine duty... Sva-dharma means the brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got the all..., or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, they have got their particular duties. But nobody is following any duty. They are creating their own duty. So anyway, somehow or other, if one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and practices for some time regularly, then again, due to bad association or by something he falls down, so śāstra says that "What is the loss? There is no loss." On the other hand, if a person is executing his occupational duties very nicely, but he does not know what is Kṛṣṅa conscious, then what is the gain? There is no gain. No gain. Even if you become very pious by acting as a strict brāhmaṅa or a sannyāsī, but if you do not understand what is Kṛṣṅa, then there is no gain. It is simply waste of time.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

This is the verdict of Vyāsadeva. Śrama eva hi kevalam. You are very nice, executing your occupational duties, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitaḥ. You are brāhmaṅa. That's nice. You are executing the brāhmaṅa's duties very nicely, or a kṣatriya, or a vaiśya, or a medical man, engineer, whatever you may be. That's all right. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. But if, by executing your professional or occupational duties, you do not develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness... That is the main business of human life, Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So then dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathā... Viṣvaksena-kathā means kṛṣṅa-kathā. Notpādayed yadi ratim. If you do not become inclined, śraddhā, this śraddhā of kṛṣṅa-kathā, then whatever you are doing—simply wasting your time, and it is a labor of love only, that's all. Śrama eva hi kevalam. And a devotee, even if he falls down by chance... There is every possibility of falling down, because māyā is very strong. And it is a fight against māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [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.]

Duratyayā. Māyā is very strong. We are getting experience, some of them are falling down. But still, whatever he has done sincerely, that is a permanent credit of his account.

That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, that yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Bhraṣṭa means fall down, fallen down. So he has got the asset. Therefore he's not going to the other species of life. He's getting again a human form of life. That is a great profit. Because we have to change our body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

And that... We do not know. Kṛṣṅa does not say what kind of body, but there are so many, 8,400,000. Any one of them can happen. But a devotee who has fallen down, he is guaranteed again human life. And what kind of human life? 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.]

He'll get a life, human being, in a very rich family or in a very pious family. Those who are more advanced, they will get their next birth in a pious brāhmaṅa family, very pure brāhmaṅa family or Vaiṣṅava family. That is called śucīnām. And śrīmatām. Śrī means wealth or beauty. Very rich family, beautiful body he will get. So those who have got their birth in high-class brāhmaṅa Vaiṣṅava family and those who have got their birth in rich, very aristocratic family, they should consider that "This advantage is given to me by Kṛṣṅa. Because in my last life I could not finish my business of bhakti-yoga, now I have got it." Therefore I said to the Americans that "You have got wealth; you have got education; you have got beauty. This is the asset of your pious life. Now you utilize it for Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Then your life is perfect." So not only in America; everywhere, it is not easy that one man is born immediately very rich and one man is born in very poor family or very ugly family. There is distinction. There is some superior authority. It is not accident. Karmaṅā daiva-netreṅa jantur dehopapatti [SB 3.31.1].

[The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.]

A living entity gets his body by superior administration, by nature's quality. There is big science. So if you become Kṛṣṅa conscious, then your life is secure, guaranteed. If you make complete the Kṛṣṅa conscious life in this life, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

That is wanted. But don't be neglectful. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, they should be very serious. Why should you take another chance of getting birth in a very rich family or brāhmaṅa family? That is also risky, because it is no guarantee. Because generally, those who are rich, they don't care for Kṛṣṅa consciousness: "Oh, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness is meant for the poor fellow." Or if somebody is born in a brāhmaṅa family, he is also puffed up. He is thinking, "Oh, these are mlecchas, yavanas, Americans. Oh, I am brāhmaṅa. I am born in a very high family." Like that. That is a cause of falldown, yes, proud, pride, unnecessary pride. A Vaiṣṅava is very humble. Tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā amāninā mānadena [Cc Ādi 17.31, Śikṣāṣṭaka 3].

[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.]

We have already discussed. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām [SB 3.25.21].

[The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.]

So these are the chance, human being, and there is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, there is Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa is advising personally—so many opportunities offered by this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Why don't you take it? If you don't take it, then you are committing suicide.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Jaya, haribol. [end]