I am a devotee and was reading an article about Yoga when i found that it says there are different types of yoga like Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga and Astanga Yoga .These yoga halps us to attain God which is present in our Body .But I didn't Understand what these Yoga are and how these works .So please someone explain Me .
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Excerpt
Young man (2): What do you think of kundalini or raja-yoga?
Prabhupada: We are practicing the emperor yoga. Therefore raja-yoga is included there. The Bhagavad-gita says that,
yoginam api sarvesham
mad-gatenantaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate mam yo
sa yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]
Anyone who is always thinking of Krishna within himself, he is the topmost yogi. Therefore a person who is in Krishna consciousness on the authority of Vedic literature, he is supposed to passed all kinds of yogic principles. What is your understanding of kundalini yoga? Do you know?
Young man (2): It's very dangerous.
Prabhupada: So why do you accept such dangerous thing?
Young man (2): No, I just wanted to know what you thought of it.
Prabhupada: There is no need of... It is not possible to practice that yoga. Yoga practice... That kundalini process of yoga is not possible in this age. It is a very difficult process. So we should recommend not to waste your valuable time following something which is not possible to be done by you. That is our recommendation. But if you have got some hobby, that is a different thing. But it will never be successful. It is very difficult to perform. At the present age, as it is recommended and it is followed, practiced, and experienced, this bhakti-yoga is the only possible way for self-realization. It is made very simple: simply chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama... Anyone can do it. Any part of the world can people practice it, of any age, it doesn't matter, either old, young, or child. We have got many children of our devotees, they are also chanting Hare Krishna. And many old men like me, they are also chanting Hare Krishna. And these young boys and girls, they are also chanting Hare Krishna. So it is universal. And all these boys and girls, they are neither Hindus nor Indians, nor they have any knowledge of Sanskrit. But they easily pick up this Hare Krishna and chant and getting the result. So this is the easiest, universal method of self-realization in the present age. Any other practice of yoga system will never be successful. It will be simply waste of time.
Young man (3): May I ask this, Swami, as you said after. Have you yourself reached the superconscious state, or the Christ consciousness state?
Prabhupada: Why don't you come and sit down here. Yes. What is your question?
Young man (3): I asked, Swami, that you have yourself reached this Christ consciousness or superconscious state and then talked with the Divine.
Prabhupada: It is not very difficult. You can also do that. It is the easiest process. What Christ consciousness? What did Christ say? That you surrender unto God. Did he say anything more than this?
Young man (3): No, the understanding I had of Christ consciousness was when one's mind reaches the state where he is within all atoms and all the flowers...
Prabhupada: That we have already explained, that Krishna is within yourself, within your heart, within my heart, within the atoms, everywhere. So if Christ thinks also like that, then there is no difference between Christ consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Krishna is also, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. Nothing can move, nothing can act without spiritual touch. That is a fact. So this world, or anything, that is moving, jagat... The Sanskrit name of the world is jagat, "which is moving, making progress." That movement is not possible without the spiritual touch. Just like my body, your body is moving because there is spiritual spark within you, within me. So if you can understand this simple fact, that nothing can move without spiritual power, touch... Just like this watch. This watch is moving. You can say it is machine, but not machine. If I wind, then it will move. Therefore there is spiritual touch. If I don't wind, if I keep it in my box, it will not move. So this simple truth, that without spiritual touch nothing can move, and spirit is God. Therefore you can have immediately God consciousness or Krishna consciousness.
Young man (3): Isn't there a difference between... When I say Christ consciousness, to get your mind on the same level as the atoms, and on a higher level, beyond the atoms as pure spirit—are these two levels of consciousness in the atoms and...
Prabhupada: Actually, there is no two levels. There is only one level. Just like there is one sky, but when the sky is overcast with cloud, you divide the sky: "This is friendly sky, and this is nonfriendly sky." Just like the airlines, they advertise, "Fly in friendly sky." Wherefrom this "friendly sky" comes? The sky is one. But the part of the sky which is covered with cloud, that is unfriendly sky. Similarly, sarvam khalv idam brahma. There is... Without exception, everything is spirit. But the portion of spirit which is covered by ignorance, the cloud of ignorance, that is matter. Just like what is material civilization? All activities minus God. This is material. And as soon as all activities plus God, it is spiritual. So all activities minus God means trouble, and all activities plus God is wholesome, is pleasing. So Krishna consciousness means all activities plus God. That's all. We are also doing the same thing. The candle is burned here, you also have candles at your home. You have got your apartment; this is also apartment. What is the difference between this apartment, your apartment? Because here is relationship of Krishna. So you make everything in relationship with Krishna, it is spiritual. That is the technique you have to learn in Krishna consciousness. Actually, there is nothing but Krishna consciousness, but artificially we have covered Krishna consciousness with something else, which is called maya. So you have to get out of this maya consciousness and stand in your original Krishna consciousness. Then your life is perfect. That is being taught. There is nothing artificial, neither extraordinary, neither a very difficult thing. It is very plain and simple.
Young man (4): Is there a regression at all in your system of reincarnation? Can we... What I mean to say is, can a man regress to, if you call it a regression, I don't know... Can a man become, after his body dies, I mean, say, an animal or an insect of some sort?
Prabhupada: Yes. There are 8,400,000 species of different kinds of life. So, so far my condition is concerned, I am not this body; I am spirit soul. Just I am changing my body even at the present moment. Just like when you were born from your mother's womb, your body was very small. Now it has grown. You were a boy; now you are young. Now you will become old man like me also. That means the changing body. It is simple fact. You are changing. From your childhood body, this body is different. Either you take it that it has grown or either you take it that the body has changed, the same thing. But actually it has changed. So the changing of body is accepted. Therefore it is concluded that when you change this body, you may get another body.
Young man (4): What is it that you take with you? What is the...
Prabhupada: Just like... I will explain. Now, how this change of body is being done? That change of body is being done according to your mentality. Just like here you have got different dresses, different features, different modes of life, all these boys and girls and ladies and gentlemen who are sitting. Why? Due to different modes of mind. Somebody likes to keep hair, somebody like to cleanse hair. Why? This difference. Difference due to mind. So according to your mind at the time of your death, the position, the status of your mind will give you a next body. So if your mind is God conscious, then you get your body next like God. And if your mind is dog conscious, then you get your body, next body, a dog. So it is a question of training your mind so that at the point of death if you keep yourself Krishna conscious mind, then you get as good a body like Krishna. This is the whole philosophy. And Krishna's body is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], full of bliss, full of knowledge, eternal. So we are hankering after eternal body, blissful body, and full of knowledge. That should be the destination. That is our aim. So to fulfill that aim, this Krishna consciousness is very nice thing.
Young man (5): When we get the next body does our mind retain much of what is learned in the life before? At least the general principles? Or does it start all over again and live within that body and gain its knowledge through that body?
Prabhupada: No. Death means forgetfulness. Death... Just like when you sleep you forget your day's activities. So sleep is partial death. In sleep also, you sometimes think that you have got a different body, you are floating on the air, or you have gone somewhere which you never seen. So that means the mind is forgetful of the day's activities. It has taken a different activity. Similarly, as soon as the body's changed, the mind is also changed. Mind function is thinking, feeling, and willing. So we feel, think, and will according to circumstances. Just like now you have got an American body, you are thinking like American. I have got an Indian body, I am thinking like Indian. Similarly, a dog has got a dog body, he's thinking like a dog. So mind changes also according to the position of the body.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7th Canto
—
Calcutta, March 7, 1972
Prabhupada: We are talking of Prahlada Maharaja's prayer. He was thinking himself unfit for offering prayers to the Lord. But still, because he was requested by the great demigods headed by Lord Brahma and others, he thought that material qualification, namely high parentage, riches, beauty, bodily strength, yogic power, all of them are not qualification for becoming a devotee or qualified to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-
tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusha-buddhi-yogah
These things I have already explained. Dhana means riches; abhijana means aristocratic family; bala means bodily strength; buddhi, intelligence; paurusha, power in endeavor, industrious. These are material qualification. And the yoga, ashta-siddhi-yoga, that is also material. By exercising the body to concentrate the mind, that is also material. Because mind is material, subtle form of matter. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4]. Mind, intelligence, ego, ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakritir ashtadha. So they are subtle form of matter. So yogic exercise means to control the mind, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa. In order to make the mind controlled and fully fixed up on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is required in yoga meditation. Dhyanavasthita, one remains in meditation. What for? Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, just in order to make the mind completely, completely absorbed in Krishna. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti. By concentrating the mind upon Krishna, generally Lord Vishnu, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. They are also material endeavor. They are not spiritual. Because spiritual life begins when one understands fully that he is not this body. That is the beginning of instruction in the Bhagavad-gita. When Krishna saw that Arjuna was talking on the platform of bodily concept of life, He was not talking seriously. Arjuna could understand that, that Krishna was just talking as friend, not very seriously. Therefore, he submitted himself as a student. Sishyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. So... And He chastised him, that "You have no spiritual knowledge, still you are talking just like a great scholar." Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhashase [Bg. 2.11]. "You are talking just like a very learned man." That means one who... [break]
...that is animal life. There is no beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life begins when one understands that he is not this body. Brahma-bhutah, brahma-bhuth. So long one identifies with the body, he is jiva-bhutah. Jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. And when one realizes aham brahmasmi, "I am Brahman..." But unfortunately Mayavadi philosophers, they take it aham brahmasmi means "I am the Supreme Brahman." No. Brahmasmi means "I am spirit soul." Spirit soul is Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman is different. Supreme Brahman, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12], that is Krishna, Vishnu-tattva. So unfortunately these Mayavadi philosophers, they accept brahmasmi means "I am the Supreme." We are not the Supreme. We are subordinate. So long this knowledge lacks, one is not completely in knowledge. Krishna says, therefore, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. Amongst the persons who are realized themselves as Brahman, as spirit soul, they also, after trying many, many births, that means they are not muktas, that is still baddha, conditioned. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. Not ordinary person; those who are wise. Wise means those who are in the spiritual platform to understand his position as spirit soul, not this body, such persons, after many, many births surrenders to Krishna. That is the ultimate knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate, vasudevah [Bg. 7.19]—to make it clear more—vasudevah sarvam iti. Vasudeva, Krishna, is the Supreme. He is everything.
So yoga, yoga, this bodily practice, that if I am not body, then what shall I get by bodily exercise? Bodily exercises can help me little, but that is not spiritual platform. The (indistinct), kundalini, these are to the bodily concept of life. Actually, to tell the truth, those who are too much bodily absorbed, that "I am this body," for them this yoga practice is recommended. Not for the intelligent man. Because one who identifies himself with this body, he is not very intelligent. But because such persons are not very intelligent, for them this bodily exercise of yoga, ashtanga-yoga, is recommended. Not for the intelligent person. Intelligent person, they take immediately to the devotional service, immediate. Just like Krishna..., Lord Caitanya begins immediately spiritual life, and He instructs Sanatana Gosvami, jivera svarupa haya nitya krishna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. This is spiritual life. You... From the very beginning, you take it for granted that "I am eternal servant of Krishna. I am not this body. Neither I have anything to do in relationship with this body." Because as soon as I identify with my body, then the family relation, the society relation, the national relation, the country relation, so many things in relationship with the body we accept as truth. But that is not truth. As soon as the body finishes, everything finishes. Therefore, Prahlada Maharaja says, yoga is also not helpful for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusha-buddhi-yogah.
This is plural number, yogah, all these kind including. Naradhanaya hi bhavanti. They are not qualification for worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na aradhanaya hi bhavanti. Naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumsah. Parasya. Parasya pumsah. Pumsah means enjoyer. Purusha. The Lord is purusha, the male. The Lord, the Supreme Truth, absolute cannot be female. Just like so many others, Mayavadi philosophers, they think that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be female. No. He can be female, but the real form is pumsah. Just like Arjuna accepts the Absolute, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusham sasvatam [Bg. 10.12]. The Lord is purusha, He is not female. Here also pumsah. Another meaning of purusha means "enjoyer." Just like we have got experience that the male is considered to be the enjoyer and the female is considered to be the enjoyed; although in this material world everyone is under illusion, everyone is thinking that he is the enjoyer or she is the enjoyer. So long we have got this false identification that "I am enjoyer," that is maya. We are not enjoyer. We are enjoyed. That is real philosophy. Therefore, it is said parasya pumsah, predominated. We are not predominator. That is liberation.
Everything is prakriti. The jivas, they have been described as prakriti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakritim param. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says that these material elements—earth, water, air, fire, mind, intelligence, ego—they are bhinna me prakriti ashtadha [Bg. 7.4]. Prakrti. He is purusha. Prakriti means female. So they are also energy, energy. Just like here, try to understand, the karmis, unless they have got a wife, they cannot work, they are not very enthusiastic. Therefore, according to the karmis, when the boy is developed, immediately the parents get him wife for him. Otherwise he will be dull, he cannot work. Energy, sakti. If one has got good wife, then he gets energy to work. Therefore, prakriti, she is called prakriti, energy. Similarly, this is a fact. Krishna has got also energy, the original purusha—Radharani, energy, prakriti. Krishna is engladdened in the presence of Radharani. That is nature. Similarly, a man, he becomes energized if he has got a good wife or good mother. This is the history of the whole world. Any great man in this world, you will find that behind him he has got a good wife or good mother. Prakriti, energy. That energizes. In our country how we have seen many persons. Just like Sad Guru Das Bannerjee, (indistinct), they had very good mothers, and they became very great men. Similarly, we saw one Englishman, Lord Wellington, he had a very intelligent wife and he became great man. So this prakriti is energy. By the energy of one woman, one becomes very great. That is the material arrangement. Not only material, in the spiritual world also the same thing. Just like Krishna is energized in the presence of Radharani, in the presence of Radharani. Krishna is called Madana-mohana and Radharani is called Madana-mohana-mohini. So the law is the same. But here in this material world, everything is perverted. Perverted. Therefore, we do not get the real energy. There is frustration, there is confusion. So we have to come to the real platform. Disease, diseased person... A diseased person, there are nice eatable things, enjoyable things, but he cannot eat, he cannot taste it, diseased person. Liver function is not working; therefore, he cannot taste it.
So this spiritual life means to come to the original position where everything will be tasty, everything will be tasty. Radha krishna-pranaya-vikritir hladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api deha-bhedam gatau tau [Cc. Adi 1.5]. Then we can understand what is spiritual life, what is spiritual love. So... But the material things cannot help us. That is the statement of..., naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso. Parasya pumsah. Not this material person—parasya. He is transcendental purusha, not purusha like us. Today this life I have got a dress of a purusha, next life I can get a dress of a female. Because here all are living entities, they are prakriti. Actually they are prakriti, but they are falsely dressed as purusha. Falsely dressed. Jiva-bhutam maha-baho [Bg. 7.5]. They are superior, superior energy, superior prakriti, but they are not purusha. So the Mayavadi theory that by salvation means he becomes one with the Supreme. One with the Supreme, how it is possible? The Supreme is purusha and I am prakriti. There must be difference between purusha and prakriti. The prakriti cannot..., a female cannot artificially become a male. That is not possible. And because we are trying artificially to become the supreme male, therefore, that is maya. That is maya. Maya means which is not fact. Ma-ya, it is false. So falsely we are trying to be purusha, enjoyer. This whole world is struggling to become purusha, enjoyer, everyone. Nation-wide, society-wide, they are trying to be purusha.
So, therefore, these material qualities will not help us to become..., to approach the Supreme Brahman. How? Bhaktya tutosha bhagavan gaja-yutha-paya. Gaja-yutha-paya, the Gajendra, he was in danger. But although it was animal, but by simple devotional service, he satisfied the Supreme Lord and he was saved. And another thing is that we should not think that opposite, as it is said, dhana jana, dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-sruta. Now Prahlada Maharaja says that material wealth is not sufficient qualification to become a devotee to approach the Lord. Does it mean if we become poor then we can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead? No. That is also not a qualification. In material sense, this dhana..., dhana, riches, it is relative. A poor man has got, say, ten rupees, he is thinking, "Oh, I am very rich man." And a rich man to our consideration, another man, he has got ten lakhs of rupees, he is thinking, "I am poor man because I have no ten crores of rupees." So it is not the money which makes one rich. Because it is a status of mental concoction. The poor man, he hasn't..., he gets one paise, two paise, he sometimes he gets ten rupees, he thinks, "I am very rich man." And another man, he earns one lakh, two lakhs at a time. So unless he comes to ten crores of rupees, he does not think himself rich man. So which one is rich and which one is poor? It is very difficult to ascertain.
So the fact is that bhakti does not depend on such poverty or richness. That is to be understood. It is not that the poverty-stricken man will be a great devotee. No. That is also not a qualification. And it is also not a qualification that a very rich man can become devotee. No. Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu suggests... Not the suggestion of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Sthane sthitah. You remain in your place, it doesn't matter. In your consideration whether you are rich or poor, it doesn't matter. You remain in your position. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam. You simply give your oral reception. What is that oral reception? San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. San-mukharitam: those who are devotees, from their mouth you try to understand the glories of the Lord. This is the first-class qualification. Not that to become rich or poor. Richness or poverty is no hampering. Because spiritual life is so great, so sublime, that is this ahaituki hata. No material thing can check your spiritual progress. The only qualification you require, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted when he was talking with Ramananda Raya, he was prescribing one after another different processes. Karma, jnana, yoga, dhyanavista, bhakti, so many things, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was denying one after another, eho bahya age kaha, "This is not. This is external." He began from the varnasrama-dharma, because that is the beginning of civilization.
varnasramacaravata
purushena parah puman
vishnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosha-karanam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
Because unless one comes to the institute of varnasrama-dharma—brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, vanaprastha, and sannyasa, grihastha—they are not considered as civilized. So he began from this, Ramananda Raya. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said eho bahya age kaha, "This is external. If you know something more, you can explain." Then he recommended karma-tyaga. That is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya, "It is external." In this way, when Ramananda quoted one verse from Brahma's prayer in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. Jnane prayasam. Brahma recommended that one should not endeavor by his individual effort to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's business should be that he may not change his position. Means he may remain a grihastha, he may remain a brahmana or sudra or a sannyasi, it doesn't matter. In whatever position he is, he is all right. The only business is that you should not be proud of mental speculation, jnana-tyaga. You have to give up this practice of mental speculation, but you try to understand the Supreme Lord by hearing from a realized soul. San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. Then the result will be gradually, although the Supreme Lord is never conquerable, still He will be conquered. Ajito 'py jito 'py asi. Ajita, nobody can conquer. But simply by hearing about Him, you go on hearing, hearing about Him, one day you will find that the Supreme Lord has been conquered by you, you have become victorious. That conquered means you have understood the whole science of Krishna, whole special science. This is recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and this Krishna consciousness movement follows this principle. We are trying to give opportunity, every man, to hear about Krishna. There is no need of practicing in the beginning. If you can practice, it is all right. But there is no need. Simply you hear about Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita... To hear about Krishna means the Bhagavad-gita is spoken by Krishna, you can hear. The Srimad-Bhagavatam you can hear. And you remain in your position. We don't want to disturb your position. Whatever you are, you remain. But you hear about Krishna. Then gradually Krishna will be conquered by you. Ajita Allah(?) Krishna.
So these things, people think that these riches or yogic power or bodily strength or influence, these are qualification. They are not actually qualification, neither they are disqualification if provided. But the difficulty is, one who is rich, one who is very powerful, one who is very influential, he thinks, "What shall I do by hearing about Krishna? I have got everything, I am so powerful, I am so rich." That is the disqualification. If he simply agrees to hear about Krishna, then it is all right. We, according to Gosvamis, we don't say that riches, wealth, is a disqualification. But it must be engaged in the service of the Lord. Nirbandhe krishna sambandhe yukta vairagyam ucyate. Just like Ramananda Raya, he was very rich man, he was governor, but he always engaged himself in Krishna's service. He was one of the most confidential servants and devotee of Lord Caitanya. So the conclusion is that richness or aristocracy, they are not qualification and they are not disqualification also, provided we agree to hear about Krishna from the right source. This is the conclusion.
Then he says, viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha-padaravinda-vimukhat svapacam varishtham. Viprad, brahmana, dvi-shad-guna, a brahmana not by birth but with quality. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. That is sastra. Sastra means, Lord Krishna says, catur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. A brahmana or a kshatriya or a vaisya or a sudra or a brahmacari or a grihastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi, they are divided according to the quality. According to the quality. Never says janma. Quality. So here also it is said viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad. Dvi means double, twice, and shad means six, then means twelve. Twelve kinds of qualities a brahmana meets. The twelve kinds of qualities are also mentioned here. (reads from Sridhara Swami commentary:) Evam bhaktyeva kevalaya hari (indistinct) sambhavati tukta idanim bhaktim vina na kincit tosha (indistinct) dvishat (indistinct) guna (indistinct) varishtham manye. Even a brahmana, unless one is qualified by the twelve prescribed qualities in the sastra, he cannot be accept..., he cannot be accepted as brahmana. Sridhara Swami says that even though one is qualified with all those good qualities which indicates that one is brahmana... Prahlada Maharaja also says that, viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad. Even though he is qualified, but he is not a devotee. Generally, those who are very highly qualified brahmana, they are very proud, and they do not become a devotee, generally. "Oh, devotion, this is for poor man. This is for those who are not highly educated, for them. They are chanting, dancing." They criticize like that. But actually that is not the fact. Jiva Gosvami was the most learned scholar. Rupa Gosvami was most learned scholar. All the... Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, the most learned scholars. His one description of the Bhagavata sloka. What is that sloka? Atmaramas ca munayo. He explained in sixty-four ways to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very proud of his knowledge. He was a great scholar, Brihaspati. He is considered to be incarnation of Brihaspati, the learned scholar of heaven. And still, when he argued with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu about Vedanta-sutra, he was defeated. He was defeated and then he became His disciple. Similarly, Caitanya Mahaprabhu had talks with Prakasananda Sarasvati, another Mayavadi sannyasi scholar. So He also explained Vedanta-sutra.
So it is not that this devotional line, disciplic succession, they are necessarily very poor in knowledge. They are full in knowledge. One many not be personally very learned, but because we follow the disciplic succession, the conclusion given by the learned scholars like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Rupa Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, therefore, we follow the conclusion, therefore we are also learned. Because we do not follow any other path, we follow mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186], we follow Jiva Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami. Therefore, we are called Rupanuga Vaishnava. Vaishnava, who are followers strictly. My Guru Maharaja is described, rupanuga-viruddha-apasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine. Rupanuga-viruddha. There are certain principles given by Srila Rupa Gosvami. Just like Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, he is giving the definition of bhakti.
anyabhilashita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavritam
anukulyena krishnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[Brs. 1.1.11]
He is giving. This is bhakti. Anyabhilashita-sunyam, without any material desires. Material desires, bhakti, that is not suddha-bhakti. So these are the direction of the Gosvamis. Narottama dasa Thakura says that ei chay gosai yara tara mui dasa, "I am servant of such person who follows strictly the principles of Gosvamis.
So the Gosvamis have given their principles, especially for general public in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu. We have translated this book into Nectar of Devotion. So our business is everything is there, we have to follow. And my Guru Maharaja is described as rupanuga-viruddha-apasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine. He was strictly to follow the rupanuga principle. Rupanuga principle, Srila Rupa Gosvami directs in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, "You somehow or other engage people in Krishna consciousness." Yena tena prakarena manah krishne nivesayet, sarve vidhi-nishedha syur etayor eva kinkara. Just like in Europe and America, some of our friends criticize that "Swami Maharaja, he is not doing this, not doing that." We are doing everything, but our main business is just to induce them to Krishna consciousness. That is the secret. You have to induce them. Then even there is some discrepancies in the rules and regulation, it does not matter. Rupa Gosvami says, sarve vidhi-nishedha syur etayor eva kinkara. First of all, we must be Krishna conscious somehow or other. We must find out. It can be changed according to country, climate, and circumstances. But the result, we have to see by the result whether one has become Krishna conscious. That is wanted. That is wanted. Then we say that this is the rule: you don't do this, we don't do this. In the beginning we have many difficulties. Because their behavior, their culture, everything just opposite. Just opposite. How you can expect everything to the right point? That is not possible. So we have to find out means how he becomes Krishna conscious. That is my first business. So that is the secret.
So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami followed strictly the Rupa Gosvami. Just like Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami introduced that a sannyasi should go for begging alms in motorcar. In motorcar. They should live in palatial buildings. Now if in this age if we follow that rupanuga... Srila Rupa Gosvami used to live underneath a tree, and if we say now we shall also imitate..., just like there are many babajis in Vrindavana, they are imitating, a small loincloth but doing all nonsense. So imitation is not required. Real thing is required. How, what is the purpose of Gosvami? They say that yena tena prakarena manah krishne. Somehow or other first of all engage him in Krishna consciousness. That is my Guru Maharaja's gift. He first of all started that there is no need of going to Vrindavana and imitate the Gosvamis. Live in big, big cities, in big, big palatial houses, but preach Krishna consciousness. People may understand. Give chance to the people how they will understand Krishna consciousness. He opened many centers. Similarly, in big, big cities. So we are doing that. And because we are following strictly the principles of Rupa Gosvami, rupanuga, therefore it is somehow or other coming out very successful. The Krishna consciousness movement should be pushed according to the rupanuga principle.
So here it is said, manye... Here it is said, viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha-padaravinda-vimukhat svapacam varishtham. Prahlada Maharaja recommends. Svapacam, sva means dog. Dog..., pacati, those who eat dog's flesh, they are considered very low born. There are different kinds of flesh eaters. In the Ayurveda-sastra, they are called, those who are eating the flesh of dog, they are called svapaca. Those who are eating the flesh of cows, they are go-kaga(?), mamsaga(?), these are so many. But in the Manu-samhita it is said that if one eats the flesh of cow, he is called go-kaga(?), if one eats the flesh of dog, he is called svapaca, if one eats the flesh of this..., he is given description. But one who eats fish, he eats all the fleshes. matsaga-sarva-mamsaga(?). If anyone eats fish, he eats all kinds of fleshes.
Devotee (1): Fish?
Prabhupada: Fish, yes. Fish is abominable according to Manu-samhita. matsaga-sarva-mamsaga, tasmat matsa vivarjet(?). Therefore, even you can eat the flesh of cow, but don't eat fish. That is the stricture in the Manu-samhita. Because if you are eating dog's flesh, then you are sinful in the matter of dog's flesh only. But if you eat fish, then you become sinful of eating all kinds of flesh. Matsaga-sarva-mamsaga(?). These are the strictures. Of course, we have nothing to do with these dog-eaters or fish-eaters or cow-eaters. We are concerned with Krishna prasadam. We are interested in eating Krishna's prasada. If Krishna says that "Give Me dog or give Me cow flesh," we shall give and eat. But not before that. So we have no quarrel with these fish-eaters or cow-eaters. We are concerned that Krishna says patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If He likes, He can eat everything. Because when Yasoda-mayi suspected that Krishna has eaten earth and the boys, His playmates, were accusing Him, "Mother Yasoda, your son has eaten earth." And Krishna denied, "No, mother, I have not eaten." She did not believe. "All right, open Your mouth, I want to see." So when Krishna opened, she saw all the universes within. So, therefore, what is the question of this flesh or that flesh? Everything is there. Krishna, because He is all powerful, if He likes He can... But He does not, He does not. So He says, patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Krishna is giving. Krishna is all powerful, He can do everything. He has no restriction. If He is restricted, then He is not God. He can do anything, but He does not do so because He is teaching us. You cannot say that Krishna can eat this, therefore we can give everything. No. Krishna says, patram pushpam phalam toyam. You can give vegetable, flowers, grains, milk, and we take that. So we have no quarrel with that.
Svapaca. Svapaca means the dog-eaters. The dog-eaters, they are considered to be the most abominable. The dog-eaters are there still. We have received report from our Hong Kong center that there is regular dog-eaters, and I am going there in Hong Kong. (laughter) But we are not concerned with the dog-eaters. But here Prahlada Maharaja says... Dog-eaters were there (indistinct) millions of years ago. All kinds of people are there always. It is not that now somebody has developed. No. Everything is perpetually existing. We don't believe in Darwin's theory, evolution. Everything is... But sometimes the dog-eaters are very less, and sometimes the dog-eaters are very great. Sometimes the cow-eaters are very great, and sometimes... But everything is there. First-class, second-class, third-class men, asura and devata, they are all existing, always existing. Otherwise how Prahlada Maharaja mentions svapacam varishtham? Svapaca means dog-eaters, that during his time, millions and millions of years ago, there were dog-eaters. Otherwise how he says? So all classes of men are existing always, and everyone has got chance to become a devotee. Otherwise how Prahlada Maharaja says svapacam varishtham? The dog-eater is better than the brahmana with twelve qualifications. Viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad. Vipra means real vipra, qualified, not the so-called birthright vipra. But he said dvi-shad-guna-yutad, a brahmana who is actually qualified with the twelve gunas. These gunas are mentioned here, Sridhara Swami. He says, (reading from commentary:) dharmasya sattvam ca damas (indistinct) titiksha anasuya yajnasya danam ca dhriti sutam ca vratani dvadasa brahmanas. He is quoting from sastra, this is brahminical twelve qualifications. What is that? He must be religious; he must be truthful; he must be controlling the senses; he must be controlling the mind; he should not be envious; he must be very intelligent; he must be very tolerant, titiksha; anasuya—he is not envious; yajnasya, he must engage himself always in sacrificing, yajnasya; danam ca—he must be charitable; and dhriti, he must be very powerful memory he must have; and then srutasya, very learned scholar; sutam ca, vratani he must be endowed with vows, "I must do it," vratani; dvadasa brahmana. These are the twelve qualities of brahmana.
So here Prahlada Maharaja says viprad dvi-shad-guna-yutad: that brahmana who is qualified with these twelve kinds of high qualities, this is guna-yutad. But if he is not a devotee, aravinda-nabha-vimukhat, he does not like to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as worshipable, better than this kind of brahmana is a svapaca Vaishnava. Why? The reason is given there that padaravinda-vimukhat svapacam varishtham manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitartha-pranam punati sa kulam na tu bhurimanah. This svapaca, if he becomes a devotee, he is qualified to deliver his whole family. But not the brahmana who is so proud, he cannot deliver himself, what to speak of his family, because he is proud with these qualification. But a Vaishnava... Just like it was in case of Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja did not ask anything for his personal benefit, but he was so kind, he asked some benediction from the Lord for his father. This is Vaishnava. He was so much tortured by his father, but still he remembered that "After all, he is my father. So I pray something for my father." He did not ask anything for himself. He prayed at last, "My dear Lord, my father was a great offender at Your lotus feet. If You will kindly excuse him." So Nrisimhadeva said, "My dear Prahlada, not only your father, your father's father, his father, his father, all are delivered because you are in the family." So that is the quality of a devotee. He can deliver all the members of the family, sa kulam. Sa kulam means with all the members. Pranam punati sa kulam na tu bhurimanah. And the proud brahmana who is qualified with all these qualities, he cannot deliver himself. But a svapaca, a dog-eater, if he is a devotee, he can deliver all his family. These are the Vaishnava qualifications. So if one becomes Vaishnava in a family, he is giving the best service to the family. Unfortunately, if somebody comes within our society, the father, mother become disturbed, "Oh, he is going to be a Vaishnava. Let him become a Naxalite, that's all right. But why he should become a Vaishnava?" Immediately disturbed. We have got experience, you see. But he does not know that any boy who becomes a Vaishnava, who is strictly following the Vaishnava principles, he is doing the..., he is giving the best service to his family. Here Prahlada Maharaja says, and it is confirmed by Lord Nrisimhadeva.
So these are the advantage of become Krishna conscious and Vaishnava. So, therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that we may remain in different position of social and other status of life, but if we give our submissive oral reception to the teachings of Krishna, krishna-katha, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, then our life is successful. Thank you very much. [break]
Devotee (1): ...come to the varnasrama-dharma system that he cannot be considered civilized. But Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I am not brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, sudra."
Prabhupada: But that is Lord Caitanya. Ordinary person is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is liberated. He is talking from the liberated platform. But not everyone is on the standard of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore, first of all, one has to come to the standard of varnasrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's position can be obtained by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by this sankirtana movement. He is giving that. That means we have to come to that position when we don't identify with this body. This varnasrama-dharma is identification with this body: "I am a brahmana." "I am a brahmana," what does it mean? This is bodily qualification, but I have got little more knowledge than others. I know what is Brahman. But still, I am not a Vaishnava. Unless I become a Vaishnava, I come to the position of a brahmana and then I engage himself in the Brahman's service, that is Vaishnava. That is required. Simply... But in order to raise oneself to the highest standard of life, these principles of varnasrama-dharma should be followed. You cannot become M.A. without becoming a student in the school and college. But if there is any special service... Just like Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, he was given doctor title from the Oxford University. (break—end)
730821BG.LON
excerpt
People do not know that there can, we can become immortal. Immortal we are, but we have been embodied in this material body. Therefore we have to accept mortality, birth and death. These things stated in the Bhagavad-gita, this is the beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. They come to ask me, "Sir, do you know some spiritual magic? Kundalini, yoga? This? That?" All for material benefit. Spiritualist means something magic so that you can get some material benefit. If by stretching your hand you can get some little quantity of gold, then you are spiritualist: "Oh, here is a man, wonderful spiritualist. He can create gold. He can cure disease by simply..." What is called? Fooing.(?) Like that. They want to see magic only for material benefit. What is called? Miracles. That is spiritualist. (aside:) Not in that way; let him sit backside this. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. Amritatvaya. So 'mritatvaya kalpate. Krishna has explained,
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitoshna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titikshasva bharata
[Bg. 2.14]
Tams titikshasva. Don't be disturbed by the sensuous disturbance of the body. Become dhira. Dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. Become dhira.
So one who has practiced to become dhira, not to become disturbed by the sensuous or bodily sensations, he's supposed to be kalpate, he's supposed to be, to become immortal at the end. And the Bhagavata says also that you do not become a spiritual master, you do not become a father, you do not become a mother, you do not become a friend, a relative, in this way, if you cannot make your subordinate immortal. Pita na sa syat, gurur na sa syat, gurur na sa syat, janani na sa syat pita na sa syat. In this way, there is a list. You become father of hundreds of children. That's all right. No restriction. You beget children. But you must make your children immortal. That is the injunction. You have become guru. That's all right, Guruji Maharaja. That's all right. But make your disciples immortal. Otherwise, don't, don't cheat others. Cheaters. Illicit father, illicit mother. As we say, illicit sex. Similarly illicit father, illicit mother. Who is illicit father, illicit mother? Who cannot make his children immortal. That is the aim of human life. How to become immortal. How... Not to become, we are immortal. Just like a person, he's diseased, attacked by fever. Fever is not his natural condition, but somehow or other, he has got fever. Similarly, we are immortal. That will be explained. Na jayate na mriyate va. The living entity never takes birth, never dies. Therefore immortal. Immortal means no birth, no death. That is immortal. Whenever there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. That is immortality.
681202BG.LA
Excerpt
Vishnujana: There are so many stories of Lord Caitanya converting so many rascals. By just His presence, they would chant Hare Krishna. How can we get His mercy so that we can help the people around us to chant Hare Krishna?
Prabhupada: If you chant sincerely this mantra, everything will be clear. It is the clearing process. Even if you have got some rascal ideas, rascal association, it doesn't matter. Simply if you chant... You know practically, everyone, that this chanting process is the only method that will make people advanced. So this is the method, chanting and hearing. Hear the lectures from Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, try to understand, and chant, and follow the rules and regulation. So rules and regulation later on. First of all, you try to hear and chant. Srinvatam sva-kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. Punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Anyone who hears Hare Krishna, he becomes pious simply by hearing. He becomes purified. So at a stage, he will accept. But people think that "What is this Hare Krishna chanting?" You see? If you give them some bluff, kundalini-yoga and all these humbugs, they'll be very much pleased. You see? So they want to be cheated. And some cheaters come, "Yes, you take this mantra, give me thirty-five dollars, and within six months you'll become God, you'll have four hands." (laughter)
So we want to be cheated. That is, cheating process is one of the items of conditional life. There are four defects of conditional life. One defect is that we commit mistake, and another defect is that we accept something which is not that. Just like commit mistake, that is not to be very difficult to understand. Every one of us know how we commit mistake, blunder. Even great men, they also commit blunder, you see. Just like there are so many instances amongst the politicians, a little mistake or a blunder, great blunder... So mistake, "To err is human," mistake is there. Similarly, accepting something as fact which is not fact. How it is? Just like everyone in the conditioned life, they think that "This body is my self." But I'm not this. I'm not this body. So this is called illusion, pramada. The best example is to accept a rope as a snake. Suppose in the darkness there is a rope like this, and you are..., "Oh, here is a snake." This is the best example of illusion. Accepting something which is not that.
So this defect is there in conditioned life. And to make error and mistake, that defect is there. And the third defect is that we want to cheat and we want to be cheated. We are also very expert. We are always thinking how I shall cheat somebody. And naturally, he's also thinking to cheat me. So the whole conditional life is the association of cheaters and cheated, that's all. So this is another defect. And the fourth defect is that our senses are imperfect. Therefore all knowledge that we receive, that is imperfect knowledge. A man may speculate, but he may speculate with his mind. That's all. But his mind is imperfect. However he may speculate, he'll produce something nonsense, that's all. Because his mind is imperfect. It doesn't matter that if you add thousands of zeros, it makes one. No. It is still zero. So this speculation process, to understand the Supreme, is nothing but zero. Therefore with all these defects of our conditional life, it is not possible to come to the real life. Therefore we have to take it from personalities like Krishna and His bona fide representative. That is real knowledge. Then you'll get perfection.