TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “[All purposes
that] are served by the small
pond can at once be served by
the great reservoirs of water.
Similarly, all the purposes of the
Vedas can be served to one who
knows the purpose behind
them.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Now try to
understand this. The long-
standing system in India in the
villages… India is originally village
life. City life very few. Perhaps
there was only big city, New
Delhi now. In those days
Hastināpura, and next to that was
Dvārakā. So very big city, they
were only two or three. Mostly
people used to live in villages.
Still ninety percent population of
India is in the village. So in the
village, the system is they have
different kinds of wells. One well
is meant for taking bath, one well
is meant for washing clothes, one
well is meant for taking drinking
water, one well is meant for
washing dishes. So in this way, in
the villages there shall be half a
dozen wells. So here the example
is given, just like one can take
service from a particular type of
well for a particular purpose, but
if he goes to the river, ever-
flowing river, then he can take his
bath there, he can wash clothes,
he can wash dishes, he can
everything. All water purposes
will be served in one river.
Because the water is flowing
there. There is no contamination.
Any water which is always
flowing, there cannot be any
contamination. A stagnant water
which is not flowing, there may
be contamination. Therefore the
restriction is that you should take
bath in this well, you wash your
clothings in this well. So small
wells, they are restricted for a
certain purpose, but in the river,
there is no restriction. Everything
can be done there.
So Bhagavad-gītā… You’ll find in
the Fifteenth Chapter. The Lord
says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva
vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. The purpose
of all scriptures and Vedas is to
know Kṛṣṇa or God. And the
Upaniṣad says, kasmin tu
bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ
vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you simply
understand the Supreme
Absolute, then you understand
everything. So this Kṛṣṇa
consciousness means it includes
everything. The karmīs’ activities,
fruitive actions, the jñānīs’,
philosophers’ speculation, the
yogis’ mystic power, and
bhaktas’, devotees’ worship of
the Lord—everything is included.
Just like if you have got a millions
of dollar, then ten dollar is there,
five dollar is there, twenty dollar
is there, everything is there. So if
you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
then you take all kinds of… All
the well, all the purpose of
different type of well is served in
the river of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
That example is said. It includes
everything. Just like Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, we are… Take
practical example. We are Kṛṣṇa
conscious. Now take any religion
and take their highest
conclusion—it is there in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Take for example
Buddhism. They say nonviolence.
Oh, we are nonviolent.
Christianism, love of God. Oh, we
are simply meant for loving God.
Mohammedan, servant of God,
to render service to the Lord. Oh,
we are twenty-four hours
engaged in the service of the
Lord. Yogis—samādhi, always in
samādhi, absorbed in the
thought of the Supreme. We are
always absorbed in the thought
of Kṛṣṇa. So take any religion,
any process, any well. This river,
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will
overflood everyone. There cannot
be any comparison. What is
there? How much water is there
in the well? In the river,
unlimited. Thousands of wells can
be merged into the river. This
example is given. Kasmin tu
bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ
vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you know
Kṛṣṇa, you know everything. You
know science, you know
mathematics, you know
philosophy, you know
geography, everything. There is
no dirth of knowledge. Don’t
think that a Kṛṣṇa conscious
person actually, he can be a
foolish man. No. That is given
guarantee in the Bhagavad-gītā,
teṣām evānukampārtham aham
ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ nāśayāmy
ātma-bhāva-stho jñāna-dīpena
bhāsvatā [Bg. 10.11]
A devotee who is always in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, for him there is
nothing unknown. He knows
everything. Just like we can give
information of the whole
creation. Not only of this material
world, of the spiritual world.
Clear conception. Where is
where, what is what, everything.
That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The
more you make progress, then
you fully, I mean to say,
conversant with all departmental
knowledge. Everything is
completed.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 47: “You have a
right to perform your prescribed
duty, but you are not entitled to
the fruits of action. Neither
consider yourself the cause of
action, nor should you be
attached to inaction.” Purport:
“There are three considerations
here: prescribed duties,
capricious work, and inaction.
Prescribed duties means activities
in terms of one’s position in the
modes of material nature.
Capricious work means actions
without the sanction of authority;
and inaction means not
performing one’s prescribed
duty. The Lord advised that
Arjuna not be inactive, but that
he be active in his duty without
being attached to the result. One
who is attached to the result of
his work is also the cause of the
action. Thus he is the enjoyer or
sufferer of the result of such
action. As far as prescribed duties
are concerned, they can be fitted
into three subdivisions: routine
work, emergency work, and
desired activities. Routine work in
terms of the scriptural injunctions
is done without desire for results.
As one has to do it, obligatory
work is action in the modes of
goodness. Work with results
becomes the cause of bondage,
and so such work is not
auspicious. Everyone has his
proprietary right in regard to his
duties, but should act without
attachment to the result. Thus
such disinterested obligatory
duties helps to lead one to the
path of liberation. Arjuna was
advised by the Lord to fight as a
matter of duty without
attachment to the result. His
nonparticipation in the battle is
another side of attachment. Such
attachment never leads one to
the path of salvation. Any
attachment, positive or negative,
is cause for bondage. Inaction is
sinful. Therefore fighting as a
matter of duty was the only
auspicious path to salvation for
Arjuna.” 48: “Be steadfast in your
duty, O Arjuna, and abandon all
attachment to success or failure.
Such evenness of mind is called
yoga.”
PRABHUPĀDA: This is the
explanation of yoga, evenness of
mind. Yoga-samatvam ucyate. If
you work for Kṛṣṇa, then there is
no cause of lamentation or
jubilation. Jubilation is there
because you are working for
Kṛṣṇa, but there is no cause of
lamentation. Yoga-sthaḥ kuru
karmāṇi, yogaḥ karmasu
kauśalam. That is the secret of
activities, how you can very
diligently work at the same time
you are not entangled with the
actions. That is the secret. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 49: “O
Dhanañjaya, rid yourself of all
fruitive activities by devotional
service and surrender fully to that
consciousness. Those who want
to enjoy the fruits of their work
are misers.” 50: “A man engaged
in devotional service rids himself
of both good and bad actions.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Now here it is…
One significant word is there.
One who wants to enjoy the
result of his work, he is miser. He
is miser. What is the opposite
word of miser? Huh? What is the
opposite word?
VIṢṆUJANA: PHILANTHROPIC?
PRABHUPĀDA: Liberal, is it not?
So those who are in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, they are liberal.
And those who are acting for his
own benefit, they are miser. They
are mahātmās who are working
for Kṛṣṇa. That is also stated in
the Bhagavad-gītā, mahātmā.
Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg. 9.13].
Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā
sudurlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19]
After many, many births when a
person is actually wise, jñānavān,
perfectly in knowledge… What is
that symptom of perfect
knowledge? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam
iti. Kṛṣṇa is everything. That is
perfection of knowledge.
Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19],
prapadyate mām. If I find out
somebody supreme, then it is my
duty to surrender unto him. Yes.
But as soon as I surrender, I
become mahātmā, liberal, not
miser. Miser is thinking on his
own account, “How much I’ll get?
How much in my share?” And
liberal means he has no more
share, everything Kṛṣṇa’s. This is
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sa
mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That sort
of mahātmā, liberal person, is
very rare. So Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, a person in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, you cannot find
many, it is not possible. Everyone
is miser. He’s always thinking,
“How much share is mine? How
much I can collect for my
personal?” And Kṛṣṇa conscious
person is simply trying: how
much he is giving to Kṛṣṇa. This
way. One this way, and one this
way. This is miser and liberal.
Everyone, in all principle, they go
to God for asking something.
That is also described in the
Bhagavad-gītā, ārtaḥ arthārthī
jñānī jijñāsu. Four kinds of people
go to God: those who are
distressed… Of course, they are
pious. Anyone who goes to God,
never mind even for asking daily
bread, they are pious. But those
who are not going to God, they
are impious, miscreant. One who
is thinking, “Oh, why shall I go to
God for asking bread? I can
produce my bread.” So that man
who is very proud of producing
his bread is a nonsense
miscreant. And a man who is
going to the church, praying,
“God give my daily bread,” he is
pious, but he’s not a pure
devotee. But there is chance of
his becoming pure devotee in
future. So ārtaḥ arthārthī jijñāsu.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is
nothing to ask from Kṛṣṇa. “Oh,
Kṛṣṇa, give us our daily bread.”
No. It is far, far higher. Because
he knows that “Kṛṣṇa, I ask or I
do not ask, Kṛṣṇa is supplying me
bread. He’s supplying bread to
the beast, birds and animals,
insects, and I have sacrificed my
life for Kṛṣṇa, and He’ll not
supply me bread?” Is it very
intelligent? No. He knows
perfectly well that “Kṛṣṇa is
taking care of me. Now it is my
duty how much service I can
render to Kṛṣṇa. That is my
business.” That is Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is not miser.
He is supplying millions and
millions of living entities bread.
So what is the use of asking Him?
Without asking Him… The birds,
the beasts, they have no church
and pray to God, “Oh, give us our
daily bread,” but nobody is
starving. Nobody is starving. Eko
bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That
one Supreme is supplying
everyone’s necessities. Either you
go to church or don’t go to
church, Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He’s
supplying food everyone.
Therefore one who is in the
highest standard of
consciousness, he will think only
that “Kṛṣṇa is supplying so much
for us; what I am doing for
Kṛṣṇa?” That is Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa…
That is intelligence. That is
mahātmā. That is liberal. He
begins to become a liberal. So
long one is not in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, he’s miser, simply
thinking, “How much bread I
have got? How much…?”
Miser means, another sense of
miser is one who cannot utilize
money properly. Suppose one
has got one million dollars from
his father, but he is simply
thinking that “I shall see the
money and I shall not utilize it. If
I go to utilize, I may lose it. Better
I will see every day in my treasury
box.” He’s also miser. Similarly,
this human form of life, simply
used for the sense gratification, is
miser. He cannot utilize this form
of body for increasing the asset
of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Therefore he is miser. And one
who is properly utilizing this
valuable life for understanding
Kṛṣṇa, he is brāhmaṇa. Brahma
jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa
means one who knows the
Supreme Absolute Truth. He is
called brāhmaṇa. The sacred
thread is offered to a person who
knows Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not
awarded. This is a symbolic
representation. This man has got
sacred thread, that means he
knows Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Supreme
Brahman. Just like Arjuna, paraṁ
brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ
paramaṁ bhavān [Bg. 10.12] In
the Tenth Chapter you’ll find.
Arjuna says that “You are paraṁ
brahma. Kṛṣṇa, You are paraṁ
brahma.” Similarly, if anyone
knows Brahman, Parabrahman,
Kṛṣṇa, he is brāhmaṇa. Brahma
jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. One who
knows the Supreme Brahman,
Kṛṣṇa, he is brāhmaṇa. Not a
person who is born in the family
of a brāhmaṇa. He may be a
caṇḍāla by his mentality.
So Bhāgavata says, yasya yal
lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso
varṇābhivyañjakam. There are
symptoms. You’ll find all these in
Bhagavad-gītā, who is brāhmaṇa,
who is kṣatriya, who is vaiśya,
who is śūdra. By symptoms, by
characteristics, you’ll know.
Similarly, if you find a man knows
Kṛṣṇa, you must accept him: “He
is a brāhmaṇa.” He’s a brāhmaṇa.
Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. So
the miser, the opposite word is
liberal or brāhmaṇa. Miser knows
his self-interest, “How much nice
foodstuff I have got to eat daily.”
That’s all. And liberal, “How much
Kṛṣṇa prasāda I am distributing
to the world.” Liberal. A miser is
thinking, “How much nice dishes
I have eaten today. How much I
have satisfied my tongue. Never
mind I go to hell. Let me eat this,
that, so many nice things. Let me
satisfy my tongue.” “Oh, for your
tongue so many animals are
being sacrificed, killed?” “Never
mind. I want to satisfy my
tongue.” Miser. But Kṛṣṇa
conscious person, he does not
satisfy tongue. He wants to
satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and whatever
remnants, foodstuff, is there, he
eats. That’s all. He’s liberal. These
are the distinction between miser
and liberal. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 50: “A man
engaged in devotional service
rids himself of both good and
bad actions even in this life.
Therefore strive for this yoga, O
Arjuna, which is the art of all
work.” 51: “The wise, engaged in
devotional service, take refuge in
the Lord and free themselves
from the cycle of birth and death
by renouncing the fruits of action
in the material world.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. There is
purport?
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: No. There’s a
little more to that śloka.
PRABHUPĀDA: All right. Finish.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “In this way
they can attain that state beyond
all miseries.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Read it again.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “The wise,
engaged in devotional service,
take refuge in the Lord and free
themselves from the cycle of
birth and death by renouncing
the fruits of action in the material
world. In this way they can attain
that state beyond all miseries.”
PRABHUPĀDA: How easy it is.
You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
you overcome the cycle of birth
and death. And as soon as you
overcome the cycle of birth and
death, you overcome all miseries.
Because birth and death means
this material body. The living
entity, spirit soul, has no birth
and death. And anyone who
possesses this material body has
to undergo the threefold
miseries of the material world. A
similar passage is there in the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The other
day, as I was speaking to you,
nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
[Bhāg. 5.5.4]. All these people,
they are acting in a way which
they ought not to have done.
Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. But they are
acting as madmen. Why? Yad
indriya-prītaya, for satisfaction of
the senses. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ
kurute vikarma yad indriya-
prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye
[Bhāg. 5.5.4]. This is not good.
Because he does not know that
he has achieved this material
body by working in that way in
his previous life. Again he is
working in that way. So he’ll have
to accept again this material
body, therefore he’s miser. He’s
not properly utilizing. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 52: “When your
intelligence has passed out of the
dense forest of delusion, you will
become indifferent to all that has
been heard and all that is to be
heard.” Purport: “There are many
good examples in the lives of the
great devotees of the Lord, of
those who became indifferent to
the rituals of the Vedas simply by
devotional service to the Lord.
When a person factually
understands Kṛṣṇa and one’s
relationship with Kṛṣṇa, one
naturally becomes completely
indifferent to the rituals of
fruitive activities even though he
may be an experienced
brāhmaṇa. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī,
a great devotee and ācārya in the
line of devotees, says, ‘O Lord, in
my prayers three times a day, all
glories to You. Bathing, I offer my
obeisances unto You. O
demigods, O forefathers, please
excuse me for my inability to
offer you my respects. Now
wherever I sit I am able to
remember the great descendant
of the Yadu dynasty, Kṛṣṇa, the
enemy of Kaṁsa, and therefore I
can get myself free from all sinful
bondage. I think this is sufficient
for me.’ ”
PRABHUPĀDA: This is a prayer by
Mādhavendra Purī. (chuckling)
He says that “I am not going to
do anything except serving
Kṛṣṇa.” This Mādhavendra Purī
was the grand-spiritual master of
Lord Caitanya. Mādhavendra
Purī’s disciple Īśvara Purī, and
Īśvara Purī was accepted as
spiritual master of Lord Caitanya.
Nobody can become a spiritual
master of the Supreme Lord, but
in order to teach us that even the
Lord, He also accepted a spiritual
master. That is the system.
Mahājano yena gataḥ sa
panthāḥ. Unless He shows us the
way, people will say, “Oh, Lord
Caitanya did not accept any
spiritual master.” They can give
example. But therefore Kṛṣṇa also
accepted spiritual master. This is
the system. One has to. Tad
vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum
evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. One
must accept a spiritual master if
he at all wants to know the
spiritual science. Without that, it
is not possible. Kṛṣṇa science,
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, cannot be
developed without the assistance
of a bona fide representative of
Kṛṣṇa. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad
urukramāṅghrim. There are very,
very, many, many instances. What
is that? Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “The Vedic rites
and rituals are imperative for the
beginning of human life.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Dharmeṇa
hīna paśubhiḥ samāna. Vedic
rituals, every human society has
got some scriptures and some
ritualistic activities. Never mind
whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian,
Jews, they have. That is the
symptom of human civilization. If
you have no religion, if you have
no standing, then you are animal.
Never mind you accept this
religion or that religion, it doesn’t
matter. But you must have a
religion. Otherwise a man is
animal. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA:
“Comprehending all kinds of
prayer three times a day, taking a
bath early in the morning,
offering respects to the
forefathers, etc. But when one is
fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and
is engaged in His transcendental
loving service, one becomes
indifferent to all these regulative
principles because he has already
attained perfection of life. If one
can reach the platform of
understanding by service to the
Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, he has no
longer the duty to execute the
different types of penances and
sacrifices recommended in the
revealed scriptures.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, when He started
this movement, He preached that
simply by chanting you’ll get all
perfection, and the brāhmaṇas of
Navadvīpa, they rebelled against
Him, that “This boy…” He was
boy of twenty years or less than
that. This boy is preaching
something against the Vedic
religious system. So in other
words, they were afraid of their
priestly profession. Because if
everyone takes to simply
chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and forgets
all ritualistic activities, then how
they will live? They were priestly
class, they were getting some
money by their followers. But
Caitanya Mahāprabhu had no
such desire. He simplified the
whole thing. Harer nāma eva
kevalam [Adi 17.21]. Simply chant
Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become
elevated to the highest platform.
Actually it is so. You can see from
the behavior of our students.
They simply took this chanting,
now see their behavior, see their
character. It will automatically.
That is the result. Ihā haite sarva-
siddhi haibe tomāra. Lord
Caitanya said, every kind of, all
kinds of perfection will follow.
Simply you begin chanting Hare
Kṛṣṇa sincerely. Yes. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “And similarly, if
one has not understood that the
purpose of the Vedas is to reach
Kṛṣṇa and simply engages in the
rituals, then he is uselessly
wasting time in such
engagements. Persons in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness transcend the limit
of śabda-brahma.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Śabda-brahma,
sound vibration. Sound-brahma,
Brahman in sound. Just like
Brahman means all-pervading.
All-pervading. So the sound is
all-pervading. You’ll find sound…
Beginning from the sky to the
earth, you’ll find sound, all-
pervading. In the sky, there is
sound. You have got experience.
In the fire there is sound, in the
air there is sound, in the earth
there is sound, every metal,
wood. You take everything, there
is sound. So Brahman means all-
pervading. But this
transcendental sound… Just like
your radio message, television
sound, they cannot go beyond
this earthly planet, at most. But
there is sound which can
penetrate the whole universe and
go to the spiritual world. Sound
is all-pervading, that is a fact,
scientific fact. If that sound is
potent, then it can penetrate
even this material sky and go to
the spiritual sky and go to Kṛṣṇa
directly. That sound is Hare
Kṛṣṇa. Golokera prema-dhana,
hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā
janmilo kene tāya. I’ve given that.
He has translated very nice,
Hayagrīva. Golokera prema-
dhana. This is descended from
the spiritual platform, Goloka
Vṛndāvana, hari-nāma-
saṅkīrtana, this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Rati
nā janmilo kene tāya. “I have no
attachment for these things.” I
have got attachment for radio
sound, or television sound, so
many sound, but I have no
attachment for the supreme
sound which is coming down
from the Goloka Vṛndāvana.
Golokera prema-dhana, hari-
nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo
kene… saṁsāra-biṣānale, dibā-
niśi hiyā jwale. “In this material
world, I am, my heart is always
burning on account of so many
miseries.” Juṛāite nā koinu upāya.
“But I could not find out the way
how to get out of it. This sound
vibration will get you out from
the blazing fire of this material
condition. This sound, harer
nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva
kevalam [Adi 17.21]. Chant
always, everything will be
perfectly done.” Yes. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 53. Oh, I’ll finish
this sentence. “Persons in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness transcend the limit
of śabda-brahma or the range of
the Vedas and Upaniṣads.” 53:
“When your mind is no longer
disturbed by the flowery
language of the Vedas and when
it remains fixed in the trance of
self-realization, then you will
have attained the divine
consciousness.” 54: “Arjuna said,
‘What are the symptoms of one
whose consciousness is thus
merged in transcendence? How
does he speak and what is his
language? How does he sit and
how does he walk?’ ”
PRABHUPĀDA: This is very
important thing. The symptoms,
the characteristics, of Kṛṣṇa
conscious persons, they are
described there, item by item.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “The Blessed
Lord said, ‘O Pārtha, when a man
gives up…’ ”
PRABHUPĀDA: This is the result
of talks between Arjuna and
Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna is putting in such a
way, and Kṛṣṇa is answering. That
means it is meant for all
conditioned souls. Unless Arjuna
would have asked all these
questions, how we could have
received such transcendental
message? Therefore it was
necessary that Arjuna would play
the part of an ordinary
conditioned soul. Actually he was
not. He’s simply playing the part
in order to eschew
transcendental message. Because
Kṛṣṇa has spoken, everyone will
take it as authorized. So Kṛṣṇa is
now speaking. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “The Blessed
Lord said, ‘O Pārtha, when a man
gives up all varieties of sense
desire which arise of invention,
and when his mind finds
satisfaction in the self alone, then
he is said to be in pure
transcendental consciousness.’ ”
PRABHUPĀDA: Now if one comes
to the understanding,
enlightenment, this is the
beginning of enlightenment—
self-understanding, that “I am
part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I do not
belong to this material world. I
am not part and parcel of this
country, this world, or this
material atmosphere, but I am
part and parcel of the Supreme.”
This is enlightenment. Read it
again.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “The Blessed
Lord said, ‘O Pārtha, when a man
gives up all varieties of sense
enjoyment…’ ”
PRABHUPĀDA: Now if you are
interested with so many varieties,
material varieties… Suppose I
belong to this country, then I
have got so much duty, so many
duties. If I belong to this world, if
I belong to the human society, if I
belong to this and that. But if you
simply belong to Kṛṣṇa, that is
enlightenment. Yes, go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “…and when his
mind finds satisfaction in the self
alone, then he is said to be in
pure transcendental
consciousness.” 56: “One who is
not disturbed in spite of the
threefold miseries, who is not
elated when there is happiness
and who is free from attachment,
fear and anger, is called a sage of
steady mind.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Now, if I do not
identify myself with this body, if
this knowledge is fixed up, then…
The miserable condition of this
material world is due to this
body, but if I don’t identify with
this body, then what relationship
I have got with all this miseries?
This is theoretical knowledge, of
course, but one has to practice.
But this is a fact. Just like for the
time being, if there is any pain in
the body… I feel pain because I
am absorbed in this bodily
concept of life, but actually, I am
not this body. That is a fact. It is
due to my absorption of bodily
concept of life; therefore I feel.
The more I become enlightened,
the more I shall not be affected
by all these miseries. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: Purport: “The
word muni means one who can
agitate his mind in various ways
for mental speculation without
coming to a factual conclusion.”
PRABHUPĀDA: Mental
speculators are called muni.
There are so many munis. Go on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “It is said that
every muni has a different angle
of vision, and unless one muni is
different in view from another, he
cannot be called a muni in the
strict sense of the term. But a
sthita-dhīr muni, the kind
mentioned herein by the Lord is
different from an ordinary muni.
The sthita-dhīr muni is always in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness for he has
finished all his business with
creative speculation. He is called
praśānta-niḥśeṣa-mano-
rathāntara, or one who has
surpassed the stage of mental
speculation and has come to the
conclusion that Lord Sir Kṛṣṇa,
Vāsudeva, is everything. He is
called a muni fixed in mind. Such
a fully Kṛṣṇa conscious person is
not at all disturbed by the
onslaughts of the threefold
miseries, those due to nature, to
other beings, and to the frailties
of one’s own body. Such a muni
accepts all misery as the mercy of
the Lord, thinking himself only
worthy of more trouble due to
his past misdeeds, and sees that
his miseries, by the grace of the
Lord, are minimized to the
lowest. Similarly, when he is
happy, he gives credit to the
Lord, thinking himself unworthy
of that happiness. He realizes
that it is due only to the Lord’s
grace that he is in such a
comfortable condition and thus
able to render better service to
the Lord. And for the service of
the Lord…”
PRABHUPĀDA: You mark this.
When there is miseries, a Kṛṣṇa
conscious person takes the
responsibility himself, and when
there is happiness, it is due to
Kṛṣṇa. But the materialistic
person is just the opposite. When
he is in miseries, he’ll say, “Oh,
God has put me into such
miseries.” And when he’s
happiness, his friend says, “Oh,
you are now well-to-do.” “Yes,
you do not know how much I
have worked hard.” When he’s
happiness, he takes the credit for
himself, and when he’s in
distress, he gives the discredit to
Kṛṣṇa. “Oh, Kṛṣṇa has put me into
such miserable…” But a Kṛṣṇa
conscious person, when he’s in
distress, he’ll say, “Yes, due to my
misdeeds I should have suffered
a hundred times more than this
distress, but Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He
has given me little. That’s all.”
And when he’s happiness, “Oh, it
is all given by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore all
the opulence should be utilized
for Kṛṣṇa’s service.” This is the
difference. He’s asking, Arjuna is
asking, what are the symptoms of
Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Sthita-
prajña. Sthita-prajña means
steadfast in intelligence. So these
are the difference. I have read
one speech, Chicago speech by
late Vivekananda Swami. He’s
talking to the audience that “You
work so hard, why you give credit
to God?” You see? If you find his
Chicago speech, you’ll see. Go
on.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: “And for the
service of the Lord he is always
daring and active and is not
influenced by attachment or
detachment. Attachment means
accepting things for one’s own
sense gratification, and
detachment is the absence of
such sensual attachment. But one
fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has
neither attachment or
detachment because his life is
dedicated in the service of the
Lord. Consequently he is not at
all angry even when his attempts
are unsuccessful. A Kṛṣṇa
conscious person is always
steady in his determination.” 57:
“He who is without affection
either for good or evil is firmly
fixed in perfect knowledge.”
Purport: “There is always some
upheaval in the material world
which may be good or evil. One
who is not agitated by such
material upheavals, who is
without affection for the good or
evil, is to be understood as fixed
in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As long
as one is in the material world,
there is always the possibility of
good and evil because this world
is full of duality. But one who is
fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is
not affected by good and evil
because he is simply concerned
with Kṛṣṇa, who is all-good
absolute. Such consciousness in
Kṛṣṇa situates one in the perfect
transcendental position called,
technically, samādhi.” 58: “One
who is able to withdraw his
senses from sense objects as the
tortoise draws his limbs within
the shell is to be understood as
truly situated in knowledge.” 59:
“The embodied soul may be
restricted from sense enjoyment
though the taste for sense
objects remains, but ceasing such
engagements by experiencing a
higher taste, he is fixed in
consciousness.” 60: “The senses
are so strong and impetuous, O
Arjuna, that they forcibly carry
away the mind even of the man
of discrimination who is
endeavoring to control them.”
61: “One who restrains his senses
and fixes his consciousness upon
Me is known as a man of steady
intelligence.”
PRABHUPĀDA: This is the
conclusion of all symptoms.
There are others also?
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: One more.
PRABHUPĀDA: Oh, yes. Read it.
TAMĀLA KṚṢṆA: 62: “While
contemplating the objects of the
senses, a person develops
attachment for them, and from
such attachment lust develops,
and from lust anger arises.” Oh, a
new (indistinct). There’s a
purport.
PRABHUPĀDA: Stop there. So if
there is any question you can
discuss.
VĪRABHADRA: If some of these
questions might be very stupid,
and if any of them are, then just
say they’re stupid. Then I can ask
Viṣṇujana. The first one is, if you
said, “Give me lots of money for
Kṛṣṇa,” are you a miser? Is that a
stupid question? Is that a stupid
question?
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. You first of
all know who is miser and who is
liberal. Do you know that?
VĪRABHADRA: Miser is the one
who wants all the money for
himself and none of the money
for Kṛṣṇa.
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. If you want
money for Kṛṣṇa then you are not
miser. Just like you are working
for this temple, and you ask
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, “Tamāla Kṛṣṇa
Prabhu, please give me hundred
dollars. I have to spend for this
purpose.” Is that bad? (laughter)
VĪRABHADRA: If it’s for Kṛṣṇa it’s
all right.
PRABHUPĀDA: YES.
VĪRABHADRA: Then my second
question was: When Kṛṣṇa came
here, did He take a spiritual
master too?
PRABHUPĀDA: YES.
VĪRABHADRA: He did?
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. He not only
took, accepted spiritual master,
but He took all the risk to go into
the jungle to bring wood for the
spiritual master. Fuel wood. One
day it so happened the whole
day they were in the forest, and
Sudāmā Vipra and He, they both
of them were entrapped. There
was heavy rain, they could not
come out, and the whole night
they remained within the forest.
So not that because He was
Kṛṣṇa, He did not accept any
spiritual master or work for him.
He took so much risk. He went to
the forest. Otherwise who will
accept spiritual master if He does
not show us the way? He comes
to teach us. Yadā yadā hi
dharmasya glānir bhavati [Bg.
4.7]. “When there is discrepancies
in the discharge of Vedic rules
and, abhyutthānam adharmasya,
and irreligious principles are too
much rampant, then I appear.”
That is stated. So He teaches us
how to acquire knowledge, how
to behave. That is Kṛṣṇa, the
purpose of His mission. He does
not act any way which will be
followed by somebody and he’ll
go to hell. No.
VĪRABHADRA: My third question
is when you had that heart
attack, did you feel the pain?
PRABHUPĀDA: YES.
VĪRABHADRA: You felt the pain?
PRABHUPĀDA: YES. WHY SHALL I
NOT?
VĪRABHADRA: Well, because
you’re a pure devotee. I mean
you’re pure, so you don’t feel
pain.
PRABHUPĀDA: HUH?
VĪRABHADRA: I thought you said
in Bhagavad-gītā a pure devotee
wouldn’t feel pain because he’s
always chanting and Kṛṣṇa will
always protect him.
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Pain was
there, but it was not too much.
The boys, the disciples, were
chanting and I was chanting, so
there was not so much. It was not
so much painful. That is already
explained. When there is distress,
the devotee takes it that “I am
suffering for my past deeds, but I
should have died at this moment,
but Kṛṣṇa is simply giving me a
little pain, that’s all.” Actually,
that was the thing. That day I
should have… The heart attack
was very severe. I should have
died. Nobody survives such heart
attack. But Kṛṣṇa saved me.
That’s all.
VĪRABHADRA: And my fourth
and last question is, are you in
this world?
PRABHUPĀDA: HM? (LAUGHTER)
VĪRABHADRA: Are you in this
world?
PRABHUPĀDA: I AM?
VĪRABHADRA: Are you in this
world? I mean you, are you…?
PRABHUPĀDA: I’m not in this
world, yes.
VĪRABHADRA: You’re not in this
world.
PRABHUPĀDA: NO.
JAYA-GOPĀLA: I thought I heard
it said that you are in this world
without being a part of it. You
are in the world without being a
part of it, being a part of it, like
the lotus flower which floats on
the water.
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, that is the
way. That is the way of
understanding. Just like I am in
America. It is very easy to
understand. I am not adopting
any ways of life as the Americans
do. So I am not in America. Not
only myself, all my disciples who
are following me, they are also
not Americans. They’re different
from American behavior,
American ways of life. In that
sense I’m not in America. I am in
Vṛndāvana because wherever I
go in my apartment or in my
temple I live with Kṛṣṇa and
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I don’t
accept any consciousness of
America. And I teach my disciples
also to take to that
consciousness. So one who takes
to that consciousness, he is also
not in America, not in this world.
It is… I have given this example
many times. Just like a king and a
bug is sitting on the same throne.
The bug is biting and the king is
ruling. It is not that because the
bug is there on the throne, he is
king, or the king is sitting with
the bug, he is bug. Why this
difference? Difference of
consciousness. The king knows
his duty. He is working in his
duty; therefore he’s king. And the
bug knows his business, to bite;
therefore he’s bug. But sitting on
the same place. But because due
to different consciousness, one is
bug, one is king. So if you take to
Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if you
remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
you don’t belong to this world.
You are no more bug, you are
king. Change this consciousness.
Even apparently you may seem
to remain with the bug, you are
no more bug. Is it clear?
VĪRABHADRA: Yes. What’s the
difference? I’ve heard terms like
incarnation, expansion, and
plenary expansion, like Kṛṣṇa
incarnates Himself, expands
Himself…
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Just as a
person is in family, he is father, in
office, he is boss, and in some
other place, he’s something else.
But the same man. But because
we are materially conditioned,
when I am in the office, I’m not in
my home. While I am acting as
boss in my office, I cannot act as
father with children at home. I
am absent. This is due to my
material condition. But Kṛṣṇa,
being full spiritual, He can remain
in His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana,
at the same time, He can remain
everywhere. That is expansion.
Just like Kṛṣṇa is living within
your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-
bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
[Bg. 18.61] The Supreme Lord is
staying in everyone’s heart. In the
Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated,
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-
bhūtaḥ [Bs. 5.37] This is spiritual
position, that even though He is
in His abode permanently, He
can remain in everyone’s heart,
all over the creation. Not only in
the heart, but within every atom
also. This is His expansion,
plenary expansion. He expands…
We are also His expansion. We
living entities, we are also His
expansion. Nothing exists
without being Kṛṣṇa. That is
explained in the Ninth Chapter.
Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. “I have
expanded in all different
atmosphere.” Sarvam. Mat-sthāni
sarva-bhūtāni. “Everything
existing in Me.” Nāhaṁ teṣu
avasthitaḥ. “But I am not there. I
am not there.” You are existing in
Kṛṣṇa, but unless you have Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is not in
you. But you are existing in Kṛṣṇa.
You cannot exist without Kṛṣṇa.
So therefore Kṛṣṇa is everywhere,
Kṛṣṇa is in everything. We have
to develop that consciousness.
That will make me happy. Yes?
JAYA-GOPĀLA: I’ve often been
told that when you become dvija
then we would not incur any
more karmic reactions by our
actions, but also…
PRABHUPĀDA: When you
become dvija, twice-born. Twice-
born means you come to the
point of understanding Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. When you take
your birth from your parents,
your consciousness is different.
Just like the child. His
consciousness is different, but
when he’s grown-up, if he takes
to knowledge, if he tries to
understand Kṛṣṇa, his
consciousness is different. So
when one takes to Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, that is the
beginning of his second birth,
dvija.
JAYA-GOPĀLA: Well, I’ve been
told then that we can have no
more karmic reactions from our
actions.
PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. If you take to
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there
is no more reaction of your
karma.
JAYA-GOPĀLA: I’ve also been
told that if we are serving
someone, we can cause them to
return to render us some service.
PRABHUPĀDA: Well, you must be
in service somebody if it is in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot
create your service
independently. Then your service
has no reaction. Yajñārthāt
karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ
karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9].
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you
have no more any personal
activity. Because your person is
also related to Kṛṣṇa. How you
can act personally? You have to
simply act in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. That is dedication,
that is surrender.