PRABHUPĀDA:
na sādhayati māṁ yogaḥ na
sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava na
svādhyāyas tapas tyāgaḥ yathā
bhaktir mamorjitā
So if you want God, Kṛṣṇa, then
there is no other way except this
devotional service. Neither yoga,
neither philosophical speculation,
neither ritualistic performances,
nor study in the Vedic literature,
neither penance, austerities… All
these formulas which are
recommended for transcendental
realization, they may help us to
advance to a certain extent, but
if you want personal touch with
the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, then you have to adopt
this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. There is no other
way.
So Lord Caitanya, giving evidence
from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam… He is
giving:
bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ
śraddhayātmā priyaḥ sataṁ
bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā śva-
pākān api sambhavāt
There is another verse in the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord
says… The same chapter in which
Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Uddhava…
Uddhava was also one of His
cousin-brothers in the family. He
was a great devotee, Uddhava.
He was more advanced than
Arjuna. There are different
grades of devotees. The first-
class devotees were the gopīs,
the damsels of Vṛndāvana.
Nobody could be compared with
their devotional service. So next
were Uddhava, then Arjuna.
There are different grades of
devotees also. So Uddhava was
also a great devotee of (the)
Lord, and he was also instructed
similarly, just like Arjuna was
instructed. So the Lord says to
Uddhava, bhaktyā aham ekayā
grāhyaḥ. Ekayā: simply by
devotional service, one, this one
method… God is one, and to
achieve Him, the process is also
one. Just like in your body there
are many holes, nine holes, nine
holes: these two nostrils, two
ear, two eyes, one mouth, and
genital and evacuation, these
nine holes. So if you want to
supply foodstuff within your
body, that is the one way: this is
the mouth. There is no other
way. You cannot push the
foodstuff through ears or eyes or
genital. No. That is not possible.
Therefore, similarly, if you want
God, then the one way, bhaktyā
aham ekayā… Ekayā. The foolish
person says that “Whatever path
you may adopt, you will go to
God.” There are certain rascals.
They say like that. But this is
misleading, completely
misleading. You cannot, I mean
to say, reach God by any other
means except this means, this
bhaktyā aham ekayā. It is clearly
stated, ekayā. Ekayā means “only
one.” There is no second process.
And the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is
stated—you will find in the
Eighteenth Chapter—bhaktyā
mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi
tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvataḥ.
Tattvataḥ means in fact.
So you… Impersonal conception
of Godhead, localized conception
of Godhead or universal form of
Godhead, pantheism, monism—
they are not perfect. If you want
to know perfectly, then bhakti…
It is stated in everywhere, in all
Vedic literatures, evidentially in
Bhagavad-gītā, which is present
before us, in Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-
caritāmṛta. Everywhere you will
find this only way, that devotional
service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg.
18.55]. Tattvataḥ means “in
fact.” Partially you can know, but
in complete… Of course, God
cannot be known in complete,
but the highest point a human
being or a living entity can
reach… That, the only process,
through bhakti… Bhaktyāham
ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā
priyaḥ satām. Śraddhā ātmā
priyaḥ satām. That bhakti, that
process of devotional service, is
very dear to the actual
transcendentalist, very dear.
Bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā. Man-
niṣṭhā. To know simply “I believe
in God,” that is not sufficient. The
ultimate goal is to attain very
intimate relationship or love of
Godhead. That is required. Of
course, to know, to believe in
God, to accept God, that is all
right. It is better than the atheist.
But that is not end. You must
develop yourself. You must… You
should not simply make God as
your order-supplier, but you
should be order-supplier. When I
become order-supplier to God,
that is my perfection. And so long
I keep God as my order-supplier,
that is not bhakti. Generally,
people keep God as his order-
supplier: “O God, give us our
daily bread,” “O God, I am in
distress, “O God, I am in
difficulty, “O God, I am…” God
supplies them. God is supplying.
Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.
But that is not ultimate goal. The
ultimate goal is that you should
supply God. God will be
dependent on you. That is bhakti.
Just like Yaśodāmayī.
Yaśodāmayī, he (she) was so
advanced in devotion that God
became dependent on her. God
appeared as his (her) child. As
the child always remains
dependent on the mercy of the
mother, similarly Kṛṣṇa before His
foster mother Yaśodāmayī just
remained just like dependent.
Mother said, “My dear child, if
You become more naughty, then
I shall chastise You.” And God is
crying. You see? These are the
relationship between God and the
devotee. You see? One who
chastises the whole universe,
whole creation, He is afraid of His
mother. He becomes dependent
as He likes. It is said in the śāstra
that “When My devotee thinks Me
dependent on him, oh, I like that.
I like that.” People always
worship God as the sublime, but
the devotee, they do not
worship. They want to serve God
as dependent. Just like mother
serves the child as dependent.
There is no purpose. The mother
is satisfied simply by keeping the
child in perfect order. Yes. There
is no purpose. Similarly, when we
shall be inclined to see that He is
always satisfied, that is devotion.
Then you can have God in your
grip. You see? God is so kind,
Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that He
becomes just… Ajito ’pi. Nobody
can conquer Him, but He
becomes conquered by this kind
of devotional service. You see?
Ajito ’pi jito ’py asi. He becomes
conquered. This is the process of
conquering. What is the use of
becoming one with God? You can
conquer Him. You can have Him
within your grips. Such is the
process, devotional service. It is
stated here. Ataeva. Therefore,
Lord Caitanya concludes, ataeva
‘bhakti’—kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya.
Therefore, if you want Kṛṣṇa,
then bhakti, the devotional
service, is the only way.
ataeva ‘bhakti’—kṛṣṇa-prāptyera
upāya ‘abhidheya bali’ tāre sarva-
śāstre gāya
Abhidheya means that is the
transaction.
So in this life, while we are in the
material world, so we have our
material body. So this devotional
service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
doing everything in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, this is just like,
what is called, apprenticeship to
reach that highest stage. The
same thing will be there in your
liberated stage in the spiritual
kingdom. But here, by the order
of the śāstra, by the guidance of
the spiritual master, you are
being trained up as apprentice.
This is called abhidheya,
abhidheya, practice, practice. But
even in practice you will feel that
“I am making progress.” It is
such a thing. ‘Abhidheya’ bali’
tāre sarva-śāstre gāya. And,
dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga
phala pāya sukha-bhoga haite
duḥkha āpani palāya
taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema
upajaya prema kṛṣṇāsvāda haile
bhava nāśa pāya
Very important passage. Just
note it carefully. Now, by
apprenticeship, by practice, if one
sincerely follows this practice,
then what is the result? Dhana
pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala
pāya. Just like a poor man, if he
gets sufficient money, then at
once his all distress is over, at
once, immediately.
Simultaneously, as soon as the
sun is in the sky, at once the
darkness is gone. Just in the
morning, a little, not sun directly,
but even there is sunshine far
away, immediately the darkness
goes away. I am in distress; I am
in poverty-stricken. Suppose I get
immediately some large amount
of money. Immediately my
distress gone. So exactly like
that, dhana pāile yaiche sukha-
bhoga phala pāya, then
automatically he becomes happy,
a poor man when he gets money.
Similarly, as soon as we have
little taste of this devotional
service, at once all our miserable
life becomes happy at once. Yes.
Sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani
palāya. And if there is happiness,
where is the question of misery?
If there is light, where there is
question of darkness?
So a person in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, he cannot be in
distress of material miseries. It
goes automatically, automatically.
Taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema
upajaya. Similarly, by execution
of this devotional service,
gradually you develop love of
God, love of God. And preme
kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa…
And as soon as you get a taste
for Kṛṣṇa, you at once lose all
this nonsense taste, culminating
into sex life. The material taste
means we want to gratify senses
in so many ways, and the
supermost point is sex life. So as
soon as you get into touch with
Kṛṣṇa and you develop Kṛṣṇa
love, all this nonsense finished.
Then you are liberated. And so
long you are attached even to a
pinch of material taste, there is
no question of liberation from
material miseries; you have to
continue this transmigration from
one body to another, and body
means material miseries. The
material body means material
misery. You may get the body of
a king or you may get the body
of Brahmā or Indra, Candra or
the ant or the insignificant
animal. Any body, any material
body, that is meant for miseries,
miseries, tāpa-traya, threefold,
threefold material miseries, and,
besides that threefold miseries,
ultimately birth, death, old age
and diseases.
So to develop love of Kṛṣṇa
means that is real liberation. And
that love of Kṛṣṇa begins after
many, many births of cultural life.
Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante,
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa
mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ [Bg.
7.19]. When one surrenders unto
Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of his
real life. And as he makes
progress, then he realizes—I
have several times discussed this
point—ādau śraddhā. First thing
is that “I must get myself out of
this material contamination.”
That is called śraddhā. “In this
very life I shall realize.” So this
śraddhā, this belief and this
determination, as you make more
and more perfect, you make
advance. You make advance. Not
as official, not as makeshow, but
really… Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-
saṅgaḥ. Then, as you are
determined, so your taste for
associating with devotees… Just
like we are now associating with
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s, Lord Caitanya’s,
teaching. He is a great devotee.
This is called sādhu-saṅga. Ādau
śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga tathā
bhajana-kriyā. Then bhajana-
kriyā, how to execute. Now
Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching.
You will gradually know what is
the bhajana-kriyā, how to
execute devotional service. That
we shall come later on. Tato
anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. And as soon
as your devotional service,
prescribed duties, are discharged,
you become free from all material
contamination. That is the test.
Tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato
niṣṭhā. Then you become firmly
convinced. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruci.
Then taste. Athāsakti: then you
cannot give it up, at any
circumstances cannot give it up.
Athāsaktis tato bhāvas: then you
become fully in samādhi, in
trance. Sādhakānām ayaṁ
premṇaḥ prādur… These are the
steps of attaining love of God.
Love of God is not that you can
immediately go and purchase
from the market in the store. You
have to practice it. The love is
there within you. It is not
artificial, neither an imposition by
some person or… No. It is
already there. If you kindly
become submissively hearing
this, by hearing only, and if you
practice, it will be very nice and
quickly we shall develop.
So hearing and practicing.
Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Kirtana,
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ jihvādau.
Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. The
tongue especially meant, tongue.
Tongue should be engaged,
jihvā. How? Tongue should be
engaged in glorifying. That is one
business. And tongue should be
engaged for eating kṛṣṇa-
prasāda. These two things,
chanting and eating.
Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. As soon
as you submissively engage your
tongue… Just see the technique:
no other body, no other part.
Tongue has been especially
mentioned. And what is the
business of tongue? I am
speaking with the help of tongue.
If there was no tongue, I could
not talk with you. And another, I
taste. So engage your tasting
capacity of the tongue in kṛṣṇa-
prasāda and engage your tongue
in talking of Kṛṣṇa. Then this is
the process. Sevonmukhe hi
jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty
adaḥ. And as you engage them in
this process, God will reveal to
you. You cannot order God,
“Please come and be stand up. I
shall see You.” He is not your
servant. You have to please Him
by your service attitude. Then He
will reveal to you what He is. And
that is bhakti. That is bhakti:
taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema
upajaya. If you execute the
devotional service, then you
develop that love. And as soon as
kṛṣṇa-prema āsvāda haile, bhava
nāśa pāya… And as soon as you
develop, the more the
proportionate way of, you
develop love of Kṛṣṇa, love of
God, proportionately, you are
free from this material
contamination. When you are
perfectly in Kṛṣṇa love, you are
perfectly free from material
contamination. This is the way of
liberation.
dāridrya-nāśa, bhava-kṣaya,—
premera ‘phala’ naya prema-
sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana
haya
So one should not think that
“Now I am materially happy. My
all distress, my all poverty, has
gone by Kṛṣṇa, by devotional
service of Kṛṣṇa,” or “I have
become liberated.” No. These are
by-products. To become liberated
and to become materially happy
by prosecution of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness is a by-product.
You have to attempt further
thing. And what is that? Prema-
sukha-bhoga: you shall be
absorbed in love of Kṛṣṇa. That is
the… That is here recorded that
that should be your ultimate goal
of life. So we should not stop:
“Oh, now I am very happy. Now I
have no material miseries,” or “I
am liberated. Now this material
contamination does not affect
me.” No. When you will be so
much absorbed in love of God,
just like Lord Caitanya showed…
Cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam śūnyāyitaṁ
jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa
me, govinda-viraheṇa me: “Oh, I
am crying. Just My tears coming,
just torrents of rain from My
eyes.” Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam:
“I am seeing everything vacant.”
Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me: “In
separation of Govinda.” That is
highest stage of life. Govinda-
viraheṇa me. Just like in this
material world, if you love
somebody and if he is dead and
passed and gone, you see
everything vacant. That is a test
of that govinda viraha. But we
are foolish. We know that
everything will be finished here.
Why should I give so much
attachment to this nonsense?
Give your attachment to Kṛṣṇa.
He will never be finished. So that
is love of Kṛṣṇa. We have to
attain that stage. Yes. That is the
perfection of life.
Thank you.