Pradyumna: (reading:) "Foolishly, people who are enamored of the glimmer of modern materialistic advancement are thinking that the Krsna consciousness movement is for less intelligent men. 'I am better off being busy with my material comforts-maintaining a nice apartment, family and sex life.' These people do not know that at any moment they can be kicked out of their material situation. Due to ignorance, they do not know that real life is eternal. The temporary comforts of the body are not the goal of life, and it is due only to darkest ignorance that people become enamored of the glimmering advancement of material comforts. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has therefore said that the advancement of material knowledge renders a person more foolish because it causes one to forget his real identification by its glimmer. This is doom for..."
Prabhupada: Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he sings, jada-vidya saba mayara vaibhava. This advancement of material education means advancement of the snares of the illusory energy of Krsna. Mayara vaibhava. Because we are already enamored by the glimmer of this material world. Just like the insects are attracted by the fire. They, with great force, enter into the fire without knowing that he's going to die. His forceful entrance into the fire means his sure death. Actually, we are seeing, especially in the Western countries, this motorcar civilization, when we run on on the motorcar, especially with high speed, it is always we think that any moment danger can take place. (aside:) You remember, you were driving your father's car, eighty miles. So I asked you, "Don't go so fast." So the materialistic way of life is that. We create some so-called comforts of life for temporary enjoyment, but at the same time, we take the risk of so many dangerous condition. In the sastra it is said that this place is padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. In every step there is danger. Although we are trying to mitigate all kinds of discomforts, it is simply changing the burden from head to the shoulder. Just like a coolie carrying some burden, when he feels uncomfortable, he changes the burden from head to the shoulder, but actually, that is not mitigating the pains of burden. Similarly, we are trying to get material comforts by manufacturing or adventing so many scientific discoveries, but that is not actually getting happiness. It is simply changing the position. Exactly, we just consider that in your country, especially, you have got many motorcars, but riding on motorcars, how much dangerous conditions you accept. Everyone accept.
So this kind of changing the course of discomfort... Actually, it is a place for discomfort. You cannot expect real comfort within this material world. It is a place... Because Krsna Himself certifies this place duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is a place for miserable condition of life. Now, how you can make it a happy place? That is not possible. So our attempt to make us happy, the example is given, just like to take the heavy burden from head to the shoulder. That's all. Changing the place. Now we are creating so many problems, you know. You have got many cars, many roads, but still, you have to construct highways or flyways, one road after another, one road after another. Still, there is congestion. Still, there is accident. So in this way we cannot be comfortable. This is a vain endeavor. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. They are unnecessarily, hopelessly trying to become happy within this material world. And people, the so-called scientists, so-called advancement of material education means... Now, the scientist says that they have finished their business; they have no more to discover. But the discomforts of life still is there. As it was two hundred years ago, still, I think it is more acute now than two hundred years ago. So in this way, we cannot... The another example is that just like we dream. We dream something dangerous, a tiger is coming, a snake is coming; sometimes we want to change to another sort of dream. Those who have got practical experience... Dreaming another dream in dream. Similarly, our attempt, so-called attempt to become comfortable in this material world, and manufacturing some ways of comforts, it is simply useless endeavor, because such kind of artificial endeavoring will not make us happy. Real happiness is, as we are trying to manufacture so many things, as Krsna says, real happiness is there, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam: [Bg. 18.66] to take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. That is required. We have to take shelter of Mukunda, Murari, Krsna. Then we'll be happy. Go on.
Pradyumna: "This is doom for him because this human form of life is meant for getting out of the material contamination. By the advancement of material knowledge, people are becoming more and more entangled in material existence. They have no hope of being liberated from this catastrophe. In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya it is stated that Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee of the Lord, prayed to Nrsimhadeva (the half-lion, half-man incarnation), as follows: 'My dear Lord, I repeatedly pray unto Your lotus feet that I may simply be stronger in devotional service. I simply pray that my Krsna consciousness may be more strong and steady, because happiness derived out of Krsna consciousness and devotional service is so powerful that with it one can have all the other perfections of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and even the attainment of liberation from material existence.' Actually, a pure devotee does not aspire after any of these perfections because the happiness derived from devotional service in Krsna consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can be compared with it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Krsna consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation."
Prabhupada: Dharmartha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41]. There are, people are generally after four principles of happiness: being religious, being economically developed, being very good candidate for satisfying senses, and when one is frustrated to derive any happiness from these three principles, he wants liberation, nirbheda-brahmanu-sandhana. That is also not actual happiness, because, as I was explaining this morning, that even one merges into the Brahman effulgence after severe penances and austerity, there is chance of falling down. There is chance. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanti [SB 10.2.32]. Param pada is to merge into the Brahman effulgence existence. But from there also, one falls down, as I was giving the example of many big sannyasis in the modern age. They are very learned scholar. They took to sannyasa, giving up this world as false, but again, after some time, they come to politics, sociology. That means that is their falldown. Because they could not actually taste the Brahman, brahmananda, for which they sacrificed everything... So brahmananda is not such a thing that one will come again to this false platform which they rejected as brahma satyam jagan mithya. If jagat is mithya, then why such exalted persons, who gave up everything for brahmananda... That means they could not taste brahmananda. Therefore they fell down. Go on.
Pradyumna: "There was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya known as Kholaveca Sridhara, who was a very poor man. He was doing a small business selling cups made from the leaves of plantain trees, and his income was almost nothing. Still, he was spending fifty percent of his small income on the worship of the Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he was somehow living. Lord Caitanya once revealed Himself to this confidential devotee, Kholaveca Sridhara, and offered any opulence that he liked..."
Prabhupada: Yes, Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered this Kholaveca Sridhara, wanted to benedict him with any kinds of benediction he wanted. But he said, "I am quite happy." Go on reading.
Pradyumna: "Sridhara informed the Lord that he did not want any material opulence. He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. That is the position of the pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service, they do not want anything else, not even the happiness of liberation or of becoming one with the Supreme. In the Narada-pancaratra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn't care a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification, or the five kinds of liberation."
Prabhupada: Hmm. Dharmartha-kama, kama-moksah samaya-pratiksah muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman. For a devotee, mukti is not a thing aspirable, because, as it is stated by Bilvamangala Thakura, mukti is trying to serve the devotee with folded hands. Because a devotee is already liberated. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. A pure devotee, who is constantly engaged in devotional service, maya cannot touch him. He's already liberated. So what he has got to ask from the liberty? He hasn't got to ask. Anywhere a devotee lives, he's liberated. That is the statement of Srila Rupa Gosvami, iha yasya harer dasye karmana-manasa vaca: "Anyone who is simply engaged in the devotional service of the Lord by his activities, karmana, by his mind, and by his words, such person is always liberated in any condition of life." Iha yasya harer dasye. Simply we have to engage ourself in the devotional service of the Lord, then mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. One who has surpassed the boundaries of maya, he's liberated. He's liberated. He's already liberated. Why he should aspire after liberation? He's already liberated. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter into the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly, the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Krsna, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee's asking."
Prabhupada: Yes. Generally, a devotee is anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. He's simply engaged to serve the Lord as He desires, just like Arjuna did. Other things follow. Just like a child who takes shelter of the father without any demand, the father sees to his necessities of life. Yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Krsna, one who is fully surrendered unto Krsna, and he's engaged in His devotional service, He would see what is the necessity of his life, what does he require. Yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. This is the process. Go on.
Pradyumna: " 'Rareness of Pure Devotional Service.' In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful because Krsna does not award devotional service to merely anyone. Krsna can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His devotional service."
Prabhupada: This is very confidential. To attain Krsna's service, that is not so easy. You can get liberation -- if you want from Krsna, Krsna can give very easily -- or any material opulence. But to give engagement in devotional service, that requires very sincerity. As it is stated by Rupa Gosvami, anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. People, generally, go to temple and churches for mitigating some material wants. Arto artharthi. Jijnasi jnani arto artharthi. Generally, people go to Krsna to mitigate some material distresses, arto, or one who is in need of money. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. He went to Krsna, he went to worship Krsna under the instruction of his mother in the forest with a desire to achieve the kingdom of his father or better, better kingdom than his father. That was his aspiration. But later on, when he actually met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he said, "My dear Lord, I have no other aspiration. I am completely satisfied." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. So this is the advantage of worshiping Krsna. Even one has got some material desire, that material desires will be fulfilled. At the same time, he shall become a pure devotee, just like Dhruva Maharaja became. He went to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fulfillment, for fulfilling his material desires, but because he engaged himself in severe austerity and penances for having darsana, or seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when he saw Him actually he forgot all his material desires. That is the advantage. We need not go to any other demigod for fulfilling our material desires.
akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta paramam purusa
[SB 2.3.10]
Even if you have material desires, still, you take shelter of Krsna, Krsna will fulfill your material desires and at the end will give shelter at His lotus feet. This is the advantage of devotional service. Whereas if you worship other demigods, you may get some temporary benefit, but at the end, the benefit will be finished, you'll be finished, and the demigod who has given you the benediction, he will be also finished. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam [Bg. 7.23]. Therefore the conclusion is, even if we have got material desires... Generally, a devotee has no material desires, a pure devotee. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. But even one has got some material desires to be fulfilled, if he worships Krsna, that desires will be fulfilled. At the same time, he'll get shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord. This is the advantage
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972
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