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Fate of Gandhiji

Posted by Chirag Sharma on July 26, 2014 at 8:18pm in Soul

 We hear that Gandhiji took holy name at the time of his departure.

What can be said about his afterlife.  Did he go BHBTG?   Did he get a Second Chance?  Where were Vishnu-dutas?

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  • Tanishq Saini September 9, 2014 at 10:39pm

    hare krishna

    dandavats to all!

    please refer to the founder acharya's discretion on this topic...

    letter to mahatma gandhi..

    http://prabhupadabooks.com/letters

    the letter of 1947 correspondence..

    lecture on bhagwad gita chapter 1 verse 30..
    na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ
    bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
    nimittāni ca paśyāmi
    viparītāni keśava
    [Bg. 1.30]

    Translation: "I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, my mind is reeling. I foresee only evil, O killer of the Keśi demon."

    Prabhupāda: So viparītāni. Nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava. Viparītāni means "just the opposite." "I have come here to fight to regain my kingdom. That is the cause for which I have come here to fight, but actually I am seeing it is just the opposite. My fighting will be useless. I came here to fight for some useful purpose, but now I see that viparītāni, just opposite. It will be useless." Why useless? Because one tries to become rich man, opulent—this is material nature—just to show to his relatives, to his friends, to his family members, "Just see how I have become rich, opulent." This is the psychology. A man works very hard day and night to become rich just to make a show that "My dear friends, my dear relatives, you see that how I have become now rich." This is the only purpose. Nobody is working hard for serving Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means, the same hardship we shall take, but take for Kṛṣṇa. Just like our Mrs. Sharma. She was working in the family, but now she has come to work for Kṛṣṇa. And this is salvation. This is mukti. Not that we have to stop our working capacity. Simply we have to change the position. In the family life we work uselessly for so-called relatives, but the same labor, when we employ for the service of Kṛṣṇa, every inch of it is utilized.

    There is song by Govinda dāsa, śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa e dina jāminī jāgi re, biphale sevinu kṛpaṇa durajana, capala sukha-laba lāgi re. He says that śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa: "I have worked without caring for scorching heat and severe cold." Actually people work so hard. He has to go to office. Suppose there is snowfall. So he cannot stop. He has to go. Or there is scorching heat. You have no experience in your country, scorching heat. But India, 122 degrees. Just imagine, this year. Still they have to go to work. So somewhere it is severe cold and somewhere it is severe scorching heat. This is nature's law. You have to suffer. While you are in cold country, you think that "India is very warm. They are very happy." (laughs) And in India they are thinking, "In England they are very happy." This is the way. This is illusion. Nobody thinks that there is no happiness within these three worlds, beginning from Brahmaloka down to the Pātālaloka. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. There is no happiness, even if you go to the Brahmaloka and get the opportunity of living like Brahmā, millions of years, and thousand times better standard of life. Still it is not happiness. They do not know it. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg. 13.9]. Therefore mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. Therefore our aim should be only how to go back to home back to Godhead. That should be.

    So nimittāni viparītāni. This viparītāni, when we are materially conscious, we see that "Without happiness of myself, my family, my society, my country, my community..." They think happiness in terms of expanded selfishness. "First of all, my happiness, personal." Just like a child. It does not think of anyone's happiness. Whatever he takes, he wants to eat. So you, as we grow, we expand our happiness little more: "My happiness, my brother's happiness, my family's happiness, my community's happiness, or my nation's happiness." So you can go on expanding the scope of happiness, but there is no happiness. There is no happiness. These foolish persons, they do not know. So Arjuna also is playing like an ordinary foolish person. Nimittāni viparītāni. "Where is my happiness? I came here to fight, to get happiness, and I have to kill my own kinsmen. Then where is my happiness? I cannot enjoy the property or the kingdom alone. There must be relatives, brothers. I will be very proud: 'Just see how I have become king.' So if they are dying, then who, whom I shall show my opulence?" This is the psychology. Nimittāni ca viparītāni paśyāmi. Just the opposite. This is illusion. This is illusion.

    There is no happiness actually, expanding selfishness. Just like a national leader like Mahatma Gandhi in our country. He planned that "Let the Britishers go away. My countrymen will be happy. My countrymen will be happy." But when the Britishers went away, giving the responsibility of Indian empire to the Indian people, Gandhi was thinking in the morning, "Oh, I am so unhappy. Now only death will please me." And the next, the same evening, he was killed. He was so unhappy. Because everything was topsy-turvied. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. Now the country was divided. The Muslims became separated. The whole program was changed. There were so many things. He wanted that the government should be very simplified. But he saw that his disciples, his followers, were after office, simply for office. So nimittāni. He saw that "I shall be happy, my countrymen will be happy," but at the end he saw viparītāni, all opposite. Everyone will experience that. So long he will be materially attached, he will find viparītāni. "I wanted to be..." Sukhera lāgiyā, e ghara bandhinu, aguṇe puriyā gelā (?): "I constructed this nice house for living happily, but there was fire and everything finished." This is the way. You construct everything for happiness, but there will be something which will put you into the most miserable condition. This is called material world. They do not know. Therefore one who is intelligent, he thinks that "If I have to work so hard for so-called happiness, and here is Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, asking me, that 'You work for Me,' so why not work for Kṛṣṇa? Here I see viparītāni, everything is opposite. There is no happiness." So that is intelligence. "I have to work hard. Kṛṣṇa says, 'Just surrender unto Me.' " Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So Kṛṣṇa is asking to work for Him, giving up everything. That is clear, everyone knows. "Here also I am working very hard, but here I am working hard to be happy, but the viparītāni, I am becoming unhappy. So why not work for Kṛṣṇa?" This is intelligence. I have to work after all. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇera dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Constitutionally, every living entity is a servant. He's serving eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. If he does not serve Kṛṣṇa, then he will have to become servant of māyā. That's all. His servitude, servantship, will not go. Ḍheṅki svarga gele sva-dharmān. (?) Ḍheṅki. Just like a ḍheṅki, you do not understand. The husking machine. Say, a typewriter. So if you send the typewriter to the heaven, what does it mean? It is to be worked as typewriter. Does it mean because it has gone to heaven, the work has changed? No. The work will continue. Either in this hell or heaven, typewriter will kat, kat, kat, kat. That's all. Similarly, our position is servant. If you don't become servant of Kṛṣṇa, then you serve, you become servant of your wife, your children, your relative, your country, your nation, your dog. At last, if you have no family, then you become servant of your dog. You know in your country it is very usual. If he has nobody, then he keeps a dog, and takes it on the street. His dog passes stool, and he is standing, waiting: "Yes, sir. You pass your stool, I am waiting." Just see. It is practical. If you don't become servant of Kṛṣṇa, then you have to become servant of the dog. This is nature's way. Therefore intelligent person will take lesson from it, that "I have to become servant. Why not become Kṛṣṇa's servant? Then I will be happy. There are so many Kṛṣṇa's servants. They are so happy. Why shall I remain the servant of the māyā?" Kāmādīnāṁ katidhā.

    So we remain servant of māyā on account of my sense gratification. That's all. I remain servant of my wife because I want to satisfy my senses. I want to remain servant of my husband because I want sense gratification. Here is the disease. Everyone. Even the servant of the servant or servant of the dog [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Because I like it, a pet dog. So actually, instead of becoming master, we become servant. This is the fact. And servant of whom? Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. Servant of lust, servants of greediness. Kāma, krodha, moha, mātsarya. Servant of all these senses. Therefore one who is intelligent... There was a brāhmaṇa. He said like this: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am now servant. I have served so much." Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā durnideśāḥ. "I have served them so nicely that I had to execute something which is abominable." If you become servant of somebody, if he says that "You have to do it," your conscience does not allow you to do it. Still, you have to do it. Still, you have to do it. A man is stealing for family. He does not like to steal. Still, he is in need of money; he has to steal. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. This is study, study the psychological condition. When I become servant of māyā, even I do not wish to do something which is not very good, still I am obliged to do it. But the result is that nobody is satisfied. The same example. Just like Gandhi served his country so much, so nicely, so voluntarily. Still, the result was he was killed by his countryman. Just see. Result was, the reward was that he served his country so much. It is undoubtedly, nobody can serve so sincerely. Everybody knows. But the result was even a person like Mahatma Gandhi was killed by his countrymen. Just this morning Mrs. Sharma was telling that she has worked so much for the family, but still, the sons and daughters, they want, "No, no, you cannot go. You serve us, serve us. We are not satisfied yet." They will never be satisfied. You serve māyā. The māyā will never be satisfied. Teṣāṁ na karuṇā jāta na trapā nopaśānti. (?)

    The intelligent man is speaking, "My dear Lord, I have served my senses, lust, anger, greediness, so much so. Still, they are not kind upon me. They are still dictating, still dictating, 'Do this, do this, do this.' Therefore," samprataṁ labdha buddhi (?), " now I have got intelligence by Your grace." Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. "By the grace of my spiritual master, by the grace of yourself, I have got this intelligence. Now I have come to You, to serve. Kindly engage me." This is surrender. "I have served my senses, lust, greediness, and other things so faithfully. They are not satisfied. They still want me to serve. They are not going to give me pension. They want still, 'Oh what you have done? You have to do so many things.' So now I am disgusted." This is called vairāgya. Vairāgya. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā [SB 1.2.12]. This is required. In human life, this is, this intelligence required, vairāgya, not to serve this material world, but to serve Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they simply stop these material activities. Just like Buddha philosophy, nirvāṇa. He simply advises to stop this. But after stopping, what is, sir? "No, zero. Zero." That cannot be. That is not possible. This is their mistake. But the people to whom Buddha philosophy was preached, they are not so intelligent that there can be better service after giving up this service. Therefore Lord Buddha said, "You stop this service. You become happy because ultimately everything is zero." Śūnyavādī. Nirviśeṣavādī.

    The Māyāvādīs, there are two kinds of Māyāvādīs: the impersonalists and the voidists. They are all Māyāvādī. So their philosophy is good so far, because a foolish man cannot understand more than this. A foolish man, if he is informed that there is better life in the spiritual world, to become servant of God, Kṛṣṇa, they think, "I became servant of this material world. I have suffered so much. Again servant of Kṛṣṇa? Oh..." They shudder, "Oh, no, no. This is not good. This is not good." As soon as they hear of service, they think of this service, this nonsense service. They cannot think of that there is service, but there is simply ānanda. One is still more eager to serve Him, Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual world. That they cannot understand. So these nirviśeṣavādī, impersonalists, they think like that. Just like a diseased man lying on the bed, and if he is informed that "When you will be cured, you will be able to eat nicely, you will be able to walk," he thinks that "Again walking? Again eating?" Because he is accustomed to eat bitter medicine and sāgudānā, not very palatable, and so many things, passing stool and urine, activities on the bed. So as soon as they inform that "After being cured there is also passing of stool and urine and eating, but that is very palatable," he cannot understand. He says, "It is something like this."

    So the Māyāvādī impersonalists, they cannot understand that serving Kṛṣṇa is simply pleasure and blissful. They cannot understand. Therefore they become impersonalists: "No. The Absolute Truth cannot be person." That is another side of the Buddha philosophy. Impersonal means zero. That is also zero. So Buddhist philosophy, they also make the ultimate goal zero, and these Māyāvādīs, they also make the ultimate goal... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not understand that there is life, blissful life, by serving Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, here Arjuna is playing just like ordinary man. So he says to Kṛṣṇa, "You wanted me to fight, to become happy, to get the kingdom, but by killing my own men? Oh, nimittāni viparītāni. You are misleading me." Nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni. "I'll not be happy by killing my own men. That is not possible. How You are inducing me?" So he said, nimittāni ca viparītāni paśyāmi. "No, no." Na ca śaknomy avasthātum: "I cannot stand here. Let me go back. Take my chariot back. I'll not stay here." Na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ [Bg. 1.30]. "I am becoming bewildered. I am puzzled now."

    So this is the position, material world. We are always in problem, puzzle, and when something better is proposed to the materialistic person, that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll be happy," he sees nimittāni viparītāni, just opposite. "What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness I shall happy? My family is in trouble or I have got so many problems. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help me?" Nimittāni ca viparītāni. This is material condition of life. Therefore it requires time, little time to understand. That is Bhagavad-gītā. The same Arjuna, he is now finding, nimittāni ca viparītāni. When he will understand Bhagavad-gītā, he will say, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, what You are saying, it is right. It is right." Because after instructing Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa will ask him, "Now what you want to do?" Because Kṛṣṇa does not force. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." He does not force, that "You must surrender. I am God. You are My part and parcel." No, He'll never say that. Because He has given you little independence, He will not touch it. Otherwise what is the difference between a stone and a living entity? A living entity must have independence, although it is very little, minute. That Kṛṣṇa does not touch. He'll never touch. You'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, I shall surrender unto You. Yes. That is for my benefit." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You must voluntarily agree, not hackneyed, mechanical. "Spiritual master says like this right. All right let me do it." No. You have to understand very nicely. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg. 10.10]. Prīti, with love. When you work, when you work for Kṛṣṇa with love and enthusiasm, that is your Kṛṣṇa conscious life. If you think that "It is hackneyed, it is troublesome, but what can I do? These people ask me to do it. I have to do it," that is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to do it voluntarily and with great pleasure. Then you know. Utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥ sādhu-saṅge ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. You will find in our Upadeśāmṛta (3). Always you should be enthusiastic, utsāhāt. Dhairyāt, with patience. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, niścayāt. Niścayāt means with confidence. "When I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business, Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa will surely take me back to home, back to..." Niścayāt. And Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. "I will take you back." It is stated. Kṛṣṇa is not a liar so we have to work with enthusiasm. Just... Not viparītāni. That will be accepted by Arjuna at the end. Kṛṣṇa will ask him, "My dear Arjuna, what is your now decision?" Arjuna will say, "Yes." Tvat prasādāt keśava naṣṭa-mohaḥ: "My all illusion is now gone by Your mercy." Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: [Bg. 18.73] "Now I shall fight. Yes, I shall kill all my kinsmen."

    That's all. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

    British man: ...made of a very inferior metal, in fact, in lead. But we couldn't think anything better than having this badge made for you in solid gold, twenty-four carat, and hereby we present it on behalf of the members of the guild to you, our most beloved leader.

    Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. (devotees all shouting Haribol!) So, how it is to be used?

    British man: Just like this, m'Lord. Has a pin on it.

    Prabhupāda: Oh, I see. Thank you. Hm. Betiye, saheb. Idara chair ne. (Hindi) This is Part One? Betiye. (end)
    • Shubham > Tanishq Saini September 17, 2014 at 6:27pm

      jai Srila Prabhupada!

      Hare Krsna

      Pranams!!

      Why so much speculation when Srila Prabhupada answered it?

      Room Conversation-- September 2, 1973, London

      Excerpt

      Guest (1): What does the government of India say about that, any comment?
      Prabhupäda: That I do not know.
      Guest (1): Are they going to worship there? (laughter)
      Prabhupäda: Well, they do not believe in astrology. Therefore they cannot take any step. They do not believe in next life, so they cannot take any step. And whether it is a fact or not, because they do not believe in next life, so what is the use of taking step? Is it as good as to say that Jawaharlal Nehru has become Indra. If somebody says like that, so they'll have to discard this thing also, and they have to discard that thing also. Because they do not believe in the next life. Simply by presenting Bhagavad-gétä as it is, we can defy all these rascals. Everything is there. Bhagavad-gétä was not presented as it is. That is the defect. The first thing is: tathä dehäntara-präptiù [Bg. 2.13]. Nobody understands. And they are students of Bhagavad-gétä. Even Gandhi, he did not understand, dehäntara-präptiù. All these political leaders, they do not understand what is dehäntara-präptiù. What do you think, Bhadra Kåñëa? The dehäntara-präptiù, do they understand?
      Bhadra Kåñëa: It's not something known.
      Prabhupäda: Yes. They do not understand.
      Guest (1): (Bengali) Gandhiji, he was politician, he was actually not devotee, and he could not understand Bhagavad-gétä. But how the name of Räma has come when he died? The name of Räma, Hare Räma, has come from his last word. How it has come. It is, it is...
      Prabhupäda: Practice, practice. Raghupati räghava räjä räma.
      Guest (1): So that came at the last word.
      Prabhupäda: Yes.
      Guest (1): It is due to his pious or practice.
      Prabhupäda: Practice. That will act, that will act, that will act.
      Guest (1): So this was my question about how, he was not acting, but...,
      Prabhupäda: No. He did not know. But because he was chanting raghupati räghava räjä räma, that has given him this effect, yes. On account of chanting. But he really did not understand. Just like the same example, the Mohammedan. He said "hä räma." He wanted to speak "häräma," but it become "hä räma." That is the... He did not know anything about Räma, but the name Räma is so powerful that although he said, "häräma," it effected. Yes. But Gandhi may not know the purpose of Bhagavad-gétä, but as he chanted "hä räma," that has been effective.
      Pearl: I wondered what "Räma" meant when we say the mantra, Hare Räma, you see.
      Prabhupäda: Räma means...
      Guest (3): So it was not due to his pious activities, but only he was practicing.
      Prabhupäda: No, that is pious activity, that is pious activity.
      Guest (1): That is why at the time of death he spoke Räma, raghupati räghava räjä räma.
      Prabhupäda: He was a pious man.
      Guest (1): He was pious man.
      Prabhupäda: Undoubtedly.
      Guest (1): So he chanted "Räma" in practice.
      Prabhupäda: Daily he was chanting raghupati räghava räjä räma. So...,
      Guest (3): (indistinct)
      Prabhupäda: Yes. Where this chanting effect will go? Yes. The chanting... Hare Kåñëa. But I mean to say that he could not teach what Räma.
      Guest (1): (laughs) No.
      Prabhupäda: That is his misfortune. But in spite of his misfortune, because he was practiced to chant the name of Räma, he was pious. Although he was ignorant. He was absorbed in thought of politics. He should have, if he would have understood that Räma is a fact, Kåñëa is a fact... That he did not understand. Then he would have preached the glories of Räma, glories of Kåñëa. He took the chanting of Räma for his political purposes. He utilized for political purpose. Just like... That is näma-aparädha. Samaù çubha-kriyä mati pramäëaù (?). He was trying to get some material profit by chanting the holy name of Räma. That he got, material profit. He was the most famous politician, all over the world.
      Guest (1): But he did not accept any post, you know that? At the same time...,
      Prabhupäda: But he also accepted "Mahatma" although what...
      Guest (1): But not political post.
      Prabhupäda: That is another trick, it may be. Or he did not like. It may be. Because he was so great, what is the presidency? Presidency elected post for five years. But he was recognized all over the world as a great leader. That is greater than any president's post or prime minister's post. So that is not much. But the thing is that if he was actually aware of the importance of Räma, that he did not. He took it, "Räma" as some means for his political purpose. But still it effected. At the time of death he said, "Räma." So...
      Guest (1): So you think he has gone to heaven or some, what is his position?Prabhupäda: No... But because he did not understand Räma, therefore he cannot go to the kingdom of God. But he'll get very high position.Guest (1): High position.Prabhupäda: Oh, yes. He may go to the heavenly planetGuest (1): Still in the material world.Çrutakérti: He said he's still in the material world. Heavenly planets is still the material world.Prabhupäda: Heaven is in the material world. Heaven is in the material world. You can get greater standard of life, greater duration of life, that's all. Higher standard of life. Just like Brahmä. Brahmä's one day you cannot calculate. He's so powerful, how he's created this universe. But he is in the material world. He's also a living entity like us, but very exalted. So he cannot get the post of Brahmä. But he can get life in higher planetary system. That is certain. That is explained in the, find out that verse. That is explained in the...um. That verse, yoga-bhrañöo 'bhijäyate çucénäà çrématäà gehe [Bg. 6.41]. But he did not understand Bhagavad-gétä, that's a fact.Guest (1): But what about this position of Välméki or Rämäyaëa?
      Prabhupäda: They went to the kingdom of God. They knew what is Räma.
      Guest (1): They knew.
      Prabhupäda: Yes. They are not in vague understanding.
      Guest (1): They wouldn't be able to write Rämäyaëa if he didn't understand Lord Rämacandra?
      Prabhupäda: Yes. He had meditated for sixty thousands of years.
      Guest (1): But I think it was Gandhi who said that Kurukñetra is this body, five Päëòavas is the five senses and this is all interpretation concoction.
      Prabhupäda: (laughs) He did not understand, that's a fact. But even this child, he does not understand, but if he chants Hare Kåñëa, that will be effective. If he understands or not understand. It doesn't matter.
      Guest (1): The name is so powerful.
      Prabhupäda: Yes. What is that?
      Pradyumna: Präpya puëya-kåtäà lokän.
      Prabhupäda: Ah, präpya puëya-kåtäà lokän. This is the... So puëya-kåtäà lokän means heavenly planet. Präpya puëya-kåtäà lokän. You cannot go to the heavenly planet unless you are very pious. So he's promoted in heavenly planet where the duration of life is very long, standard of living is very nice. But there is no Kåñëa consciousness. What is that, präpya puëya-kåtäà lokän?
      Pradyumna: Uñitvä çäçvatéù samäù [Bg. 6.41].
      Prabhupäda: Uñitvä çäçvatéù samäù. For a very long time. Because to get life in the heavenly planets means at least ten thousands of years. In their calculation. Their one day is equal to six months. In that way ten thousand years. Uñitvä çäçvatéù samäù. What is it? Uñitvä çäçvatéù samäù?
      Pradyumna: Uñitvä çäçvatéù samäù, çucénäà çrématäà gehe yoga-bhrañöo 'bhijäyate [Bg. 6.41].
      Prabhupäda: Then, again they come down to this material world and he takes birth either in a very exalted brähmaëa family, çucénäm, or very rich, vaiçya family. After enjoying there, again he's given chance to become Kåñëa conscious. And if he misses, then again he goes down. Therefore Narottama däsa Öhäkura says these are all false elevation. If I have to come again back, again I have to accept another lower grade life, then what is the profit? Kåñëa gives His straight understanding, tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti: [Bg. 4.9] You become Kåñëa conscious. After the giving up this body, no more material body either in the heavenly planet or in the lower hellish planet. "You come direct to Me." That is perfection. You should not be attracted by somebody has gone to heavenly planet for ten thousands of years living. We should not be attracted by these things. Therefore Prabodhänanda Sarasvaté says, kaivalyaà narakäyate tridaça-pur äkäça-puñpäyate. Tridaça-pur means the heavenly planets. Äkäça, it is just like will of the wisp. Something, just like, what do you say Hindi? There are many proverbs, which has no existence. Just like in Bengali we say ghoòä-òima. Ghoòa-òima. Òima means egg. The horse never lays down egg. But the word is running on: "the egg of horse." So it has no existence but the word is there. Similarly, what do you say in Hindi? Something which has no existence but it is current. I think there is.
      Guest (1): Hawaikila (?).
      Prabhupäda: Hawaikila, yes. Hawaikila means in the air there is a fort. It is something like, the Vaiñëava considers the heavenly planets, that hawaikila. That's all.
      Guest (1): This rich birth is important for self-realization?
      Prabhupäda: Next birth?
      Devotees: Rich birth, to be born in a rich family.
      Prabhupäda: No, no, no. But there is facility. Because people are harassed for getting food and shelter. Everyone is working so hard where to get nice food, where to get nice shelter. Rich man means he has already got. So if he's sane, if he's good, has got good association, direction, then he can think, that "I have no anxiety for my food, shelter and other necessities of life. So how I shall utilize my time?" And if he gets good guru, then he can utilize very nicely, chanting Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness. That is a chance. He hasn't got to work. Because people are very much perplexed how to get shelter, how to get food. But he has got the chance. He hasn't got to endeavor for food and shelter and other necessities of the body. Ample he has got. He can save time for spiritual advancement. That is an advantage. It is not necessary. It is almost disadvantage. But actually it is advantage. Unfortunately, those who are born in rich family, they take advantage of it that "I have got so much money, let me enjoy sense gratification." Mäyä dictates, "Oh, you have got so much money. Utilize for wine-woman." That's all.

      • Shubham > Shubham September 17, 2014 at 6:38pm

        Morning Walk-- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles

        Excerpt

        Devotee: And Mahatma Gandhi, Prabhupäda, he said Räma, Räma, Räma three times before he died.
        Prabhupäda: Yes. So he'll get birth as human being.
        Svarüpa Dämodara: Çréla Prabhupäda, are these astrologers, ah, are, can we believe in them, what they say? Called pseudo-science.
        Prabhupäda: No. Astrology is a science. [break] ...that I shall go to the foreign countries and throughout the whole world I will establish so many temples, so many things... this...
        Svarüpa Dämodara: So they have some intelligence to tell that...
        Prabhupäda: No, no. That is calculation, calculation. This astrologer, this astrologer was a very big astrologer and when I was in service, Dr. Bose's laboratory, so Dr. Bose was treating one patient. He was vomiting blood. So he was treating as tuberculosis. Then he could not cure him after giving all medicine. Then he asked the astrologer, this astrologer who made my horoscope, "What is the matter? Panditji, can you tell?" So he calculated. He said, "You are making wrong treatment. He has got some sore in the throat. It is not heart." And he treated, he was cured.
        Yaçomaténandana: Vedic science is so perfect.
        Prabhupäda: Yes. He knew it.

        Evening Darsana-- July 11, 1976, New York

        Excerpt

        Prabhupäda: (Hindi) And they talk of Bhagavad-gétä and keeping Kåñëa background? Somebody says?
        Bali-mardana: Yes. Mostly they don't even talk of Bhagavad-gétä, they talk about social things, but Kåñëa they keep to the back. They have named the place Gétä Mandira. Gétä Temple. But they do not discuss Gétä, just for show.
        Prabhupäda: That is the disease. Even Mahatma Gandhi, he was talking of Kåñëa, Bhagavad-gétä, but throughout his whole life he never established a temple of Kåñëa, although his photograph you'll find with Bhagavad-gétä. This is the calamity.
        Indian man (1): In the last days Mahatma Gandhi kept saying räma räma, räma-näma is the only way chanting... One of his article he says there is no other cure but to chant the name of the Lord.
        Prabhupäda: Mahatma Gandhi would have preached Bhagavad-gétä, the world would have taken very seriously, because he was respectable.
        Bali-mardana: You wrote him to preach Bhagavad-gétä.
        Prabhupäda: Yes. (Hindi) The four things Kåñëa wants, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. He charges four thing: to think of Kåñëa, to become His devotee, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yäjé... Find out this verse. Here is Bhagavad-gétä. Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65].
        Hari-çauri:
        man-manä bhava mad-bhakto
        mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru
        mäm evaiñyasi yuktvaivam
        ätmänaà mat-paräyaëaù
        [Bg. 9.34]
        "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me."
        Prabhupäda: Charges four things, He wants: to always think of Him, become His devotee, worship Him, mad-yäjé, and offer obeisances unto Him. Therefore this temple is there. These four things can be done even by the child. So why don't you do it? And the guarantee is that if anyone does like that, he goes back to home, back to Godhead. Every one of you should come to the temple, always think of the Deity, and if possible chant His holy name and offer Him some worship and obeisances. That will make you perfect. New York is such a big city, there are so many Indians, they should come. Where is the difficulty, to become a thinker of Kåñëa, always thinking, man-manä? The Deity is there. As soon as you come, you get some impression of the Deity. So if you think of the Deity, where is the difficulty? (Hindi) Can anyone say that there is difficulty in thinking of Kåñëa? And as soon as you think of Kåñëa, you become a devotee, immediately. And as soon as you become a devotee, you'll offer something for worship. And at the end of worship, you offer your obeisances. There is no need of education or Vedänta knowledge. Vedänta knowledge means this, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Four things. Anyone can do. And practically see. These foreigners, ten years, five years ago they did not know what is Kåñëa, and because they are following this man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù, they are now advanced devotees. So why Indians are lacking? Hmm? What is the objection?
        Guest (1): Simply our hearts are caked with dust.
        Prabhupäda: Therefore we shall keep it dusty. If our heart is full of dust, cleanse it. That is intelligence. What is this, "My heart is dirty, let it be kept as dirty"? No, if it is dirty, cleanse it. It is the duty of every Indian to understand Kåñëa and preach Kåñëa consciousness movement to others. That is real Indian business. That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu's mission, that every one of you become Kåñëa conscious and preach this Kåñëa consciousness to others who are unaware of Kåñëa. That is the injunction; that is Caitanya Mahäprabhu's mission. He said bhärata-bhümite manuñya-janma haila yära [Cc. Ädi 9.41]. Anyone who has taken birth in India as a human being—not as dogs manuñya, manuñya means human—his duty is to become Kåñëa conscious and preach to the other people for welfare activities. Bhärata-bhümite manuñya-janma haila yära [Cc. Ädi 9.41]. We should mark this point, manuñya-janma. He's not requesting the cats and dogs. So in other words, that those who are not taking, Indians... Bhagavad-gétä is known to everyone, every Indian knows. But if he does not preach this Kåñëa consciousness, then he is not to be counted as human being. Because He says manuñya-janma haila yära. If we claim to be human being, born in India, it is our duty to understand the value of life from Bhagavad-gétä and preach this cult to others to do real welfare activities. This is the duty of every Indian. Why Indians are lacking in their duty? They do not understand Kåñëa and they do not understand how to do good to others. Now whatever is done is done. It is time, now that Kåñëa consciousness movement is here, the temple is here, you come, you understand the whole philosophy and distribute. That is your duty. In New York City we can open many temples, provided you come.

        760822rc.hyd

        Excerpt

        Commissioner: Who questions the Gétä and the Upaniñads?
        Prabhupäda: It is very difficult. Very difficult. You see. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they are supposed to be preaching Bhagavad-gétä. They take their photograph in front of Bhagavad-gétä, but without Kåñëa. They'll never talk of Kåñëa any time. Banish Kåñëa. Even Gandhi has said, "My imagination of Kåñëa is different." Perhaps you have read in his Gétä-Press edition.(?) Kåñëa is speaking... Radhakrishnan said when Kåñëa says man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù, he says "It is not to the Kåñëa person." Kåñëa says man-manä bhava mad bhaktaù, and he says it is not to the Kåñëa person. Just see how misleading it is. And if a person like Dr. Radhakrishnan, Gandhi, misleads, then who will hear me? What I am? There is one big person in Bombay, he said that he has set aside ten lakhs of rupees for Gétä-pracära. But when I proposed Gétä-pracära means Kåñëa pracära, so he said, "No, I want Gétä without Kåñëa." Everyone...
        Commissioner: Then who is the Gétä-pracära? Gétä-pracära.
        Prabhupäda: They are doing that. You can see from this big, big person. Gandhi used to say that he believes in Gétä and Gétä gives him solace in difficult times and so on, so on. But has he ever preached about Kåñëa? Tilok has ever preached about Kåñëa? Radhakrishnan has ever preached Kåñëa? Nobody. Their policy is take Sétä and kill Räma. Rävaëa's policy. Take away Sétä. Take away Gétä and kill Kåñëa. So Rävaëa's policy will never be successful. Rävaëa's policy means he will be destroyed. You cannot do any harm to Räma, but he will be destroyed. This policy, that take Sétä and kill Räma, means he will destroy himself. So this is going on. Take Gétä and kill Kåñëa. This will destroy the whole thing. This Rävaëa's policy. And Hanumän's policy is somehow or other rescue Sétä and get her seated by the side of Räma. Therefore he's worshiped, Vajräìgajé. That is the difference between Rävaëa's policy. Sétä is the via media. But one is trying to bring back Sétä and seat her by the side of Räma, and another is trying to take away Sétä and kill Räma. This wrong policy will not take. We have to accept the instruction of Gétä and accept Kåñëa as the Supreme Lord. Then everything will be all right. Prasäda? So thank you very much for your coming. So, kindly if you will agree to take the instruction of Gétä, I am always at your service. I'll give you such guidance, our men, our everything. But you have to decide this. You cannot take up this policy, take Gétä and banish Kåñëa. That is wanted.(?) (end)

        730707BG.LON

        Excerpt

        ...leader to Bhagavad-gétä and became a sädhu, mahätmä, but when they found that a mahätmä is leader and he is a great student of Bhagavad-gétä, and by the way all people gathered round him. Although he was a politician, he has nothing to do with Bhagavad-gétä or mahätmä, no. (laughter) Because the definition of mahätmä is given in the Bhagavad-gétä. The definition of mahätmä is there: mahätmänas tu mäà pärtha daivéà prakåtim äçritäù, bhajanty ananya manaso [Bg. 9.13]. This is mahätmä. Mahätmä means he has taken shelter of Kåñëa cent percent, and his only business is to worship and glorify Kåñëa. That is mahätmä. So Gandhi never believed that there was Kåñëa, but he became mahätmä by popular vote. That's all. That kind of mahätmä is not accepted by the çästra. Mahätmä is, first symptom of mahätmä is that he must be a great devotee of Kåñëa. That is mahätmä. That is.... Mahätmänas tu mäà pärtha daivéà prakåtim äçritäù [Bg. 9.13]. And he is not under any material world. He is in the spiritual world. Daivéà prakåtim äçritäù. And what is the symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manaso. Ananya-manaso, without any diversion, he's simply devoted to Kåñëa. This is mahätmä. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gétä, therefore I request you to study Bhagavad-gétä thoroughly as it is. Then you become perfectly powerful, spiritual. Now chant Hare Kåñëa. (end)

        740306mw.may

        Excerpt

        Jayapatäkä: Human life is no special advantage. Only if you come, the spiritual master comes, then it can be some advantage.
        Prabhupäda: Yes. Therefore Vedic injunction is gurum eva abhigacchet: "You must go to a bona fide spiritual master if you want to make your life perfect." There is no question whether I shall go or not. "You must!" That is the beginning of human life. Otherwise animal life. He has no spiritual master. He's not going to obey anyone. He's working in his own whims. That is animal life. Real life here begins.
        tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eva abhigacchet
        samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham
         [MU 1.2.12]
        This is the Vedic injunction. You cannot do anything without abiding the orders of spiritual master. That is surrender. How nice water it is. [break] And there are many thousands, you'll find. And we are thinking, "Oh, if I go away, who will feed my son? Who will feed my daughter?" He'll never think that "If so many animals are fed by the Supreme," eko yo bahünäà vidadhäti kämän, "He's supplying all the necessity why not for me or for my other children?" It is mäyä that one thinks that "Without me...," Just like Gandhi was thinking. Unless he was killed... He was always thinking, "Without me, India will be spoiled." India will be spoiled. It was spoiled. Therefore you wanted sva-räjya... And after his death, it is also spoiled. So India's karma will have to suffer, either Gandhi's there or not there. Prakåteù kriya... Prakåteù: Everything is being done by the material nature. Prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù, by, dictated by different modes of nature. Ahaìkära-vimüòhätmä kartäham iti manyate: [Bg. 3.27] The rascal, being bewildered by, he's thinking, "Without me, everything will be spoiled. I am the director. I am the director!" So I requested Gandhi, "Now you come out of this turmoil, politics. Just preach Bhagavad-gétä." No. He'll be killed. That's all. This is the way. Going on. Even a Gandhi commits mistake, what to speak of others. What is the effect of this sva-räjya. The effect of sva-räjya is that people are starving. That's all. At least, British government would not allow like this. That's a fact.
        Devotee: (Bengali)
        Prabhupäda: (Bengali)
        Devotee: They're self-interested. They're making money and forgetting the public.
        Prabhupäda: That's all. Godless. They must be like that. Gandhi was a student of Bhagavad-gétä—never taught about Kåñëa. This is his knowledge of Bhagavad-gétä, Bhagavad-gétä without Kåñëa.
        Devotee: They want the material after killing the source. After killing the cows, they want milk. After...
        Prabhupäda: Gandhi was approached by the Hindus that "You are doing so much for the Mohammedans. The Mohammedans are obedient. So why don't you stop this cow killing?" "How can I interfere with their religious?" Just see.
        Devotee: This is...
        Prabhupäda: "Cow killing is religion." And he was such a fool that if somebody said that "Cutting the throat of others is my religion," he would allow, "Yes, you can do that."
        Jayapatäkä: Go this way, Çréla Prabhupäda? [break]
        Devotee: ...proof that the cause of cancer is beef-eating.
        Prabhupäda: Yes.
        Devotee: I have...
        Prabhupäda: Leprosy. Leprosy is also due to beef-eating. Get it folded.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: The third greatest cause of accidental death in, in the world...
        Prabhupäda: Is intoxication.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: It is...
        Prabhupäda: Yes, this drunkard. Especially the drunkard, they collide.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: I think that's the second.
        Prabhupäda: Oh.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: But the, this one is the choking on meat at dinner table and dying, suffocating. It's very wide-spread. And in restaurants, while they're eating meat, they get so into eating, they want to swallow to eat the next piece. So they, before chewing enough, they have a big lump of meat in the mouth, and they swallow and they choke. They get caught. So in many big restaurants, they have these fancy forks like this that if somebody's choking, they go to the table, a very nice waiter, and he sticks the thing down the throat and pulls out the meat. Then the person can continue eating. But it is a very high cause of death in the world. They choke on meat.
        Prabhupäda: Just like dog. Dog, if you give...
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: Because the teeth are not made...
        Prabhupäda: ...meat. (makes sound) Like dog. Yes.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: But the dog doesn't choke so much. Well, sometimes they choke, though.
        Prabhupäda: Dog is a natural animal.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: He has teeth for meat.
        Prabhupäda: Yes.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: The human beings, they don't have so much teeth for meat. So they're trying to eat, and then they choke.
        Prabhupäda: [break] ...sness movement is all-embracing, all problems. People should carefully study and take it. Then they will be happy. Otherwise all plans are nonsense, the scientists, the philosophers, the... All rascals. Mäyayä apahåta-jïänäù. They appear to be very learned, but mäyä has killed them already. They have no knowledge. Mäyayä apahåta-jïänäù. Just see. Why? Äsuraà bhävam äçritäù [Bg. 7.15]. Life is created by God. They'll not accept. "Life is created from dirt." That's all. Mäyayä apahåta-jïänäù. Where is the instance that you create life by chemicals? "That we shall see in the future." Kick him immediately on his face with boot. Rascal. Will you accept any check, "It will be paid in future?" Will you accept? So why shall I accept this rascal's theory? If somebody gives me check, one million dollar, payable three hundred years after, shall I be inclined to accept such check? So why these fools accepting this post-dated check?
        Viñëujana: Prabhupäda, they say they've already done so much. The scientists will say...
        Prabhupäda: What they have done? What they have done? Why people are starving? What you have done?
        Viñëujana: But they'll say we have created so much machineries and gone to the moon.
        Prabhupäda: You cannot eat machine. You produce. You produce rice, wheat in the machine. What you have done? You have simply misled the people that instead of tilling the ground, they have come to machine, and there is no food.
        Siddha-svarüpänanda: Yes, yes.
        Prabhupäda: You have done this. You have, on the false plea that "We'll give you five hundred rupees salary. You come in the city and be engaged." Oh, he saw, "Oh, I am simply producing my food. If I get five hundred rupees, then I'll go to cinema, I'll have a good dress." Now there is no food even. You have done this. That's all. What is the benefit of this machine. Machine benefit is that we were purchasing, when there was no so much machine, in our childhood, three rupees, four annas per mound, first-class rice. Now we are purchasing one Kg.
        Devotee: Ten rupees Kg. For one rupee (indistinct) first-class wheat.
        Prabhupäda: Just see. So if one is rascal, they will be misled by this. Otherwise, any sane man will not accept. They say that, "We have done so much." What you have done? You have done this. At least in India, the effect of machine and factories: that there is no rice, no food.
        Devotee: With the machines they're mixing stones in the rice.
        Prabhupäda: Eh?
        Devotee: With machine help, they're mixing stone in the rice.
        Prabhupäda: That's it. That's it, that you cannot get. Oh, you have done so much. But India is not meant for machine. These rascals, they do not know. India is, India's culture is plain living, high thinking. You require some food. Produce food, and take it, and chant Hare Kåñëa. But they'll not accept, "Oh, this is primitive. Nowadays we have got... We must have the motor car, motor tire."
        Devotee: Farmer sees that a job of three hundred rupees and runs away to city. He will not work in the field. Then there will be no food.
        Prabhupäda: Yes. Because they require. They require. The cow is being killed, and that's all. That is sufficient food for them." And let the farmers work for me, for bolts and nuts and motor tire. We make huge profit." You see. You are making profit, but other...
        Devotee: What is the use of that profit, Prabhupäda Mahäräja, when don't get even for eating, no clothing, no eating? Only profit... What profit will be beneficial?
        Prabhupäda: No, but they don't care for others. But they're having wine and women with their black market money. That's all. They're satisfied. They do not know... (end)

        660530BG.NY

        Excerpt

        Prabhupäda: Mercury. Yes. (chuckles) Yes. Mercury. They eat mercury. They eat mercury, and after, the next morning, they pass urine, and in that urine they put some copper coins, just like you have got, cents. And when it is heated, the copper coins becomes gold. And it is a chemical, theoretical truth that the mercury, molecules of mercury, the molecules of gold are almost similar. Only one molecule is different. So mercury can be turned into gold. That is a chemical fact. And we have got information from Vedic scripture that formerly gun metal, gun metal mixed with mercury, could be transformed into gold. So these are some of the chemical process, physical process, which is being done by scientific advancement of knowledge. There are many yogis who can do by yogic power. Just like by physical process...
        Now people are trying to travel in the space, but the yogis can travel in the space very swiftly, more swifter than any sputnik. Just like the other day I narrated, the Durväsä Muni traveled all over the space in the universe and outside the universe, and he came back within one year. So therefore Kåñëa's another name is Yogeçvara. Yogeçvara. There are many yogis and many yogic principle, but Kåñëa is the master of all yoga. So if ordinary yogis, they can display some wonders, so why not Kåñëa? He is the Yogeçvara; He is the lord of all yogis. So by performance of this yoga-prakriya(?), or the yogic mystic powers, one cannot become God. God is different from all of them. So Kåñëa was that God. So His manifestations, His work...
        Now, here He says which I was going to explain from Vedic scripture. So Kåñëa says, na me pärthästi kartavyam: "I have nothing to do." He has nothing to do; still, He is so powerful? Yes. That is confirmed in the Vedic scripture, that Brahman, the nature of Brahman, is described like this, na tasya käryam karaëaà ca vidyate: "The nature of Brahman is that He has nothing to do." He has nothing to do. That is the difference between God and ourself. We have to do everything to achieve a certain aim, but God has nothing to do. Na tasya käryaà karaëaà ca vidyate na tat-samaç cäbhyadhikaç ca dåçyate: "And nobody is found who is equal to Him and or greater than Him." Nobody is found. These are the definition in the Vedic literature, that "God has nothing to do. Nobody is equal to Him, and nobody is greater than Him."
        That means everyone is below Him. Everyone is below Him. Nobody can be equal with God. Even such great demigods like Çiva and Brahmä... They are considered to be the highest demigods. Still, in the scriptures it is said that nobody should place all these demigods, even Çiva and Brahmä, on equal footing with Viñëu, Viñëu the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Kåñëa. So Kåñëa has nothing to do. God, who is actually God, He has nothing to do. He has nothing to do. He is God from the very beginning. And He is all-powerful with all opulences. That is the God. So Kåñëa says, "I have nothing to do," triñu lokeñu kiïcana, "not only in this earth, but in the three worlds, anywhere, anywhere I can go, anywhere I can work, anywhere I can see. But still, I have nothing to do."
        Na anaväptam aväptavyam: "It is not that I am deficient in My possession." We work because we find deficient ourself. In any power, in any, either spiritual power or material power, we have to work because we are deficient. So Kåñëa is not deficient so that He has to fill up the deficiency. No. Na anaväptam. So still, varta eva ca karmaëi. Now, He says that "Arjuna, you see that still, I have engaged Myself in the worldly duties." Why? Just to become the ideal man. Although He was not man, He was God, because He was playing the part of a man, therefore He was...
        Why He was taking part in the battlefield? He had nothing to gain out of it personally, but why He was taking part in the battlefield? Just for the right cause. So He wanted to establish that for right cause there must be fighting. You cannot abolish violence from the world. This is the instruction of Kåñëa in Bhagavad-gétä. If required, violence will be taken. And Kåñëa induced Arjuna to be violent. Arjuna wanted to be nonviolent, but He wanted that "You should. You must fight. This fight is arranged by Me." So these examples.
        These are the examples. Nothing is bad... Nothing is good if it is not purposeful. That is the whole purpose of teaching Bhagavad-gétä. Nothing is good; nothing is bad. Everything is good, everything is bad, in this material world, but we have to see. Just like the common phrase goes, "The end justifies the means. The end justifies the means." So that is Kåñëa teaching here that He has nothing to gain. He is full in Himself. But just to set examples in the world He was taking part in the fighting because He wanted to establish it that fighting for good cause should not be avoided. That was His mission.
        Then further He says,
        yadi hy ahaà na varteyaà
        jätu karmaëy atandritaù
        mama vartmänuvartante
        manuñyäù pärtha sarvaçaù
         [Bg. 3.23]
        Manuñyäù. Now just see. Here it is said. Manuñyäù means all men. All men. So Kåñëa is not for a particular society or particular religious community or particular country or particular time. No. Kåñëa is the leader of all men for all the time in all the countries in all the worlds and all the universes. So He is not a sectarian Personality of Godhead. We should know. Manuñyäù. Manuñyäù, it is plural number: "All men." All men. So He said, "If I do not set example by My practical work, then because I am the leader of all men, all living entities, they will be wrongly directed." Wrongly directed.
        Now, actually we see also. At least in India we have got this experience. Now, this Bhagavad-gétä... The Bhagavad-gétä, we always... We must always remember that it is being taught in the actual battlefield. Now, a great personality like Mahätmä Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gétä nonviolence. He was... He was in favor of the doctrine of nonviolence. Now, you have seen Mahatma Gandhi's picture that he is always standing with Bhagavad-gétä like this. So Bhagavad-gétä  was his life and soul practically. And in the morning he was having Bhagavad-gétä class; in the evening he was having Bhagavad-gétä class. So that was his life and soul. But unfortunately he interpreted Bhagavad-gétä in his own way. Although he took Bhagavad-gétä as his life and soul, so, but he interpreted it in his own way. That is not the way of understanding Bhagavad-gétä. Therefore such a great man and such a good man... He was not only a great man; he was very good man in the worldly estimation. His character, his behavior, his dealing—everything was good. He was ideal personality. But just see. He was killed by violence. He could not stop violence.
        Rüpänuga: He was killed by violence?
        Prabhupäda: Yes. He was killed by violence. And his idea... He wanted to make Hindu-Muslim unity in India. The British government fabricated the Hindu-Muslim riots, and lastly, at last also, their purpose was fulfilled by partition of India, Pakistan and India. Now, Mahatma Gandhi worked throughout his whole life just to make a unification of the Hindus and Muslims. Unfortunately, at last, he had to see that the Hindus and Muslims of India were divided into Pakistan and India. And his nonviolence also failed.
        So, because if we do not follow the right person, mahäjana—mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù [Cc. Madhya 17.186]—then however I may be great in the estimation of the innocent public, that is wrong path. That is wrong path. Therefore the right thing is to follow the succession. Now, we have to follow the principle which Kåñëa sets. Kåñëa is not advocating, I mean to say, nonviolence. You cannot eradicate violence from this world. That is not possible because Kåñëa Himself is on the battlefield and He is trying to induce Arjuna. Arjuna is declining and He is inducing, "No, you must fight." Yad yad äcarati çreñöhaù [Bg. 3.21]. So we have to follow the footprints of great personalities. Dharmasya tattvaà nihitaà guhäyäm. Mahäjana. In the Çrémad-Bhägavatam you will find that it has been advised that religious principles should be followed by taking the life examples of great personalities. Religious principles...
        It has been described in the Bhägavata that tarko 'pratiñöhaù. If you want to establish religious truth, you cannot establish it by your logic and argument. It is not possible because I may be a very perfect religious man, but I may not be a very good arguer; another strong man who can argue very strongly, who knows logic very nicely, he can defeat me. He can make my all conclusion null and void. So therefore, simply by argument or logical conclusion one cannot reach to the truth, to the religious truth. It is not possible. Tarko 'pratiñöhaù çrutayo vibhinnäù. Çrutayaù means revealed scriptures. Revealed scriptures. Just like in the world there are many revealed scriptures. There are Vedas, Puräëas, the Bible, the Koran, and there are so many religious scriptures also. And if you go on reading them, although the aim is one, still, you will find some discrepancy from one to another. Çrutayo vibhinnäù. Vibhinnäù means they are diverse. They are diverse. Çrutayo vibhinnä näsäv åñir yasya mataà na bhinnam. And so far philosophers are concerned, one philosopher tries to defeat another philosopher. That is the philosophical way. So näsäv åñir yasya mataà na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaà nihitaà guhäyäm. Therefore this truth of religion is very confidential. Nihitaà guhäyäm. Guhäyäm means it is very confidential.
        Now, how to know it? Now, mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù: [Cc. Madhya 17.186] "You just try to find out great men, great men of religious life, and you just try to follow." Now, you may have in your own ideal some great men. No. They are also checked. In the Çrémad-Bhägavatam twelve different personalities have been described that "These persons are great men." So we have to follow their principle and, or their, in the principle in their disciplic succession. Then we can fulfill. The same thing is here also described. Yad yad äcarati çresthas lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21]. And Çré Kåñëa Himself... Undoubtedly Çré Kåñëa is the greatest personality in those days and still now also. Still, in all, not only in India, in all parts of the world, Çré Kåñëa is accepted as the greatest leader of philosophical presentation of this Bhagavad-gétä. Every nation, every country reads it very minutely. So undoubtedly He is a great leader. Now, if we follow Kåñëa, not only we are chanting
        Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare
        Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare
        But we have to follow the principles laid down in the Bhagavad-gétä. That will make our life successful. Practically we have to apply this, have to apply the principle. Otherwise the whole attempt will be failure.

  • Veeral Gandhi September 5, 2014 at 9:26pm

    Dear Chirag Prabhuji,

    All who take holy name of Lord don't go immediately to Golokdham. Only those whose 'vishay vasna' or material desires have been eradicated and have pure devotional service unto Krishna get a place in the Golok dham. If a devotee's insignificant desires remain, one gets a higher human birth or attains a celestial form as per his/her desires. Such a person is called as a 'Yog Bhrashta atma' as he was doing Bhakti Yoga and has fallen from the path of Bhakti Yoga due to insignificant desires.

    Further, the Vishnu dutas are seen only to the departing person. Chanting of Lord name only saves us from the hell. However, for attaining the Golokdham, we need to become desireless and perform pure devotional services unto Krishna. 

    Since, Gandhi's mind was disturbed at the time of death (he was worried about the partition issue) he must have taken birth in India itself. 

    "Ante ya matihi sa gatihi" (our final destination depends upon the state of mind we have at the time of death)

    Your servant,

    Veeral Gandhi

  • Sairajesh Parameswaran August 6, 2014 at 7:39pm

    Mahatma for Vidura is apt. mahatma for Gandhi is the title given to him by Karmis. I agree with Zolaji

    • umang > Sairajesh Parameswaran August 6, 2014 at 9:06pm

      obviously we cannot comment where he would be now..............only krishna knows as he is the dearest well-wisher of evryone

  • Sairajesh Parameswaran August 6, 2014 at 7:38pm

    Although uttering the holyname at the time of death is most auspicious it is difficult to go BHBTG. Its a question of consciousness. One has to be completely awakened at the time of passing away like Sant Tukaram. Only when one has realized the Supreme Lord through sustained sadhana and mercy of the Supreme Lord one can be awakened; in such a state one will transcend material consciousness and go BHBTG. Uttering the lord's name at the time of death ensures an elevated consciousness fit for a better after life that can elevate you to the purest spiritual platform. Going BHBTG is an intense process which requires undivided focus on the Supreme Lord and nothing else. Gandhiji had a different agenda and we cannot really comment where he would have gone!!!

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    • Veeral Gandhi September 5, 2014 at 9:14pm

      MK Gandhi never called himself a Mahatma. The title 'Mahatma' was affectionately given to him by people of India. 

      'Mahatma' means a great soul or a great man. MK Gandhi was indeed a great man. He had great love for Vedic culture. By playing an instrumental role in ousting the tyrant British rulers from India, he did a yeoman service to the Vedic culture. What have we done for preservation of vedic culture ? Hence, we have no right to speak ill of MK Gandhi. 

    • umang August 5, 2014 at 1:18pm

      he tried to do good for nation and society and even did a lot,but he had some mistakes may be deliberate or forced............but he was a vaishnava by birtha and by karma...............only god knows where he might would be there

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