Lecture

[Gaura-Govinda translates into Oriya throughout]

Prabhupāda: Just like a student is admitted in the school for learning A-B-C-D, and if he follows the rules and regulations and continues his studies regularly, then one day he would be able to pass M.A. examination, so from the very beginning we have to execute these processes. Because our life is impure at the present moment, and we have to purify this life.

tapasā brahmacaryeṅa śamena damena vā tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ yamena niyamena vā [SB 6.1.13]

[To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and not fall down. One must undergo the austerity of voluntarily giving up sense enjoyment. One must then control the mind and senses, give charity, be truthful, clean and nonviolent, follow the regulative principles and regularly chant the holy name of the Lord. Thus a sober and faithful person who knows the religious principles is temporarily purified of all sins performed with his body, words and mind. These sins are like the dried leaves of creepers beneath a bamboo tree, which may be burned by fire although their roots remain to grow again at the first opportunity.]

These things are there in the śāstra. We have to execute tapasya, austerity, to purify. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

So it is not a formality. It is a process to become free from this material bondage and go back home, back to Godhead. 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.]

We should be very serious, not that to take initiation as a matter of fashion, but it should be very carefully and seriously done. [break] Human life is meant for this purpose: athāto brahma jijñāsā. If we do not inquire about Brahman, if we simply inquire, "Where is food? Where is sense gratification...?" The whole world is going like that. Anywhere you go, the inquiry is, "Where is sense gratification?" "Where is sex?" "Where is safety?" and "Where is eating?" This is the inquiry generally. The cats, dogs, birds, beast—everyone is inquiring like that. In the morning you'll find the birds are chirping: "Now it is morning. Where we have to go to have our necessities of life?" This is the inquiry of this material body. But when you get this human form of body, the inquiry should be different.

[aside:] Explain this. [Gaura-Govinda translates] [break]

So Narottama das Ṭhākura sings,

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu [from Prārthanā]

[O Lord Hari, I have wasted my life. Although I have taken this rare human birth, like a miser, I have not served Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, and thus I have knowingly drunk poison.]

So we should always remember this song of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He is ācārya. He's guru. Ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya upāsanā is one of the process of making progress. So this song is very important.

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu

[aside:] Explain.

[break] In the material world everyone is suffering. There is no exception, either rich man or poor man, learned or fool—everyone. This is the place for suffering. And if we take this place of suffering as comfortable, that is our ignorance. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings,

biṣāya biṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jwale taribare nā koinu upāy golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma saṅkīrtana rati nā jaṅmilo kene tāy

[aside:] Explain.

[break] So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that we should take advantage of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's and Nityānanda Prabhu's presence. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo harināme uddhārilo tāra śākṣī jagāi and mādhāi, brajendra-nandana jei śacī-suta hoilo sei balarāma hoilo nitāi, that "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṅa. Formerly He was Brajendra-nandana." Brajendra-nandana. Brajendra is Mahārāja..., Nanda Mahārāja. And He accepted father—Nanda Mahārāja. Nanda-nandana. "Same Nanda-nandana has now become Śacī-nandana." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mother's name is Śacīdevī. So brajendra-nandana jei śacī-suta hoilo sei: "Who was formerly Brajendra-nandana, He has now become Śacī-nandana. And formerly who was Balarāma, He has become Nitāi." Brajendra-nandana hei śacī-suta hoilo sei balarāma hoilo nitāi. So why They have come again? Now, pāpī tāpī yata chilo harināme uddhārilo: "They have come to deliver all kinds of sinful men, suffering humanity, just allowing to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra." Pāpī tāpī jata chilo, harināme uddhārilo. So what is the evidence how pāpī tāpī were delivered? Tāra śākṣī jagāi and mādhāi.

So there is no hopelessness. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu is there. If we take shelter of Their lotus feet, there is no hopelessness. But we should not commit any more sinful activities. Then They will deliver us from these clutches of... [end]