Following the footprints of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as enunciated by the six Gosvamis,
sri-rupa sanatana bhatta-raghunatha
sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasa-raghunatha
So we have to follow the authorities. We cannot manufacture. There is no need of research work. Simply if we follow the chalked-out path given by the great authorities, that will help us. Yes, go on.
Pradyumna: "Here is a general description of devotional service given by Sri Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Previously it has been stated that devotional service can be divided into three categories -- namely, devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy, and devotional service in pure love of God. Now Sri Rupa Gosvami proposes to describe devotional service in practice. Practice means employing our senses in some particular type of work. Therefore devotional service is practice means utilizing our different sensory organs in service to Krsna. Some of the senses are meant for acquiring knowledge, and some are meant for executing the conclusions of our thinking, feeling and willing. So practice means employing both the mind and the senses in practical devotional service. This practice is not for developing something artificial. For example, a child learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural. The walking capacity is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice he walks very nicely. Similarly..."
Prabhupada: Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. Not that by practicing something external, not natural, we become accustomed. That is also sometimes there. But this devotional service, Krsna consciousness, is not that type of practice. It is there already. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabu naya. Not actually by artificial prac... It is there. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. It is to be awakened. Exactly just like the, the child, by nature, he can walk, but still, if some help is offered to the child, he walks very nicely. So this practice, vidhi-marga, devotional service, is simply to awaken the dormant Krsna consciousness within the human being. Just like it is happening in our preaching work in the Western countries. These European, American boys, they never heard the name of Krsna four years ago, but they have taken to Krsna consciousness seriously because it was already dormant in them. It has been simply awakened. By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, this pure vibration of transcendental sound has enlivened them, and they are awakened to Krsna consciousness. It is not that artificially they have taken. It is sure. Anyone can test how much they have advanced in Krsna consciousness, how they are firmly convinced in Krsna consciousness. Because it has been awakened. The nature, which was dormant, that has been awakened by...
That is the propaganda work of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He wanted that in every town and every village of the world, on the surface of the globe, His name, the preaching of sankirtana movement, inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, should be preached. The purpose was the dormant Krsna consciousness is there everywhere. That we are experiencing. Now in Africa also, who are supposed to be not very advanced in civilization, they're also very nicely taking part in this Krsna consciousness movement. European, Americans, they are advanced, civilized people, but even in Africa we are having very good success. They are becoming Vaisnavas. So... And it is, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah [SB 2.4.18]. So these kiratas are the Africans. So they are also becoming interested, huna, andhra and others who are considered to be low-born according to Vedic civilization. But still, the Vedic civilization does not prohibit anyone to come to Krsna consciousness. By our karma, we may be high born or low born. That does not matter. Ahaituky apratihata. Krsna consciousness cannot be checked by any material impediment. That is not possible. Ahaituky apratihata. It is natural. And Krsna says, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. He says that even though some people are considered to be papa-yoni, low-born, it doesn't matter, but he can accept the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. Prabhavisnave namah. Prabhavisnave namah. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah, ye 'nye ca papa. Still more low-born than these people, sudhyanti, they can be purified if they actually take shelter of a pure devotee. They can be purified. That is the injunction of the sastras, Sukadeva Gosvami. Sudhyanti. People may argue how such low-born people can be purified. That reply is: prabhavisnave namah. It is the supreme power of Lord Visnu. It is possible.
Krsna says... Now, Krsna says that everyone can be delivered simply by the process of Krsna consciousness. So whose duty is to enlighten them to Krsna consciousness? I was just talking with Gosvamiji, Harijana Gosvamiji. Whose duty it is to enliven people to Krsna consciousness? It is the duty of guru. We came to this conclusion. And who is guru? Srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. That means perfectly learned in Vedic literature and firmly convinced in Brahman realization. That means first-class brahmana. So if the first-class brahmanas do not take care of these papa-yoni, then who will deliver them? We are the... Some agitation is going on that this movement, Krsna consciousness movement, is killing Hindu religion. You see. Just see the poor fund of knowledge. It is the duty of the first-class brahmana to enlighten these papa-yoni. Otherwise who will enlighten them? Guru will enlighten. And who is guru? Srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. Brahma-nistham means he must be brahmana. So if the so-called brahmanas, they do not take care of them, and if they remain brahmanas, limited, within some limited areas, do not go outside, then who will deliver them? So these are not very sound arguments. It is very, what is called, crippled ideas. The brahmana means udara. The opposite word of brahmana is krpana, who is very miserly. A brahmana cannot be miser. Even a hundred years ago the brahmana would give chance to anyone to become brahmana. I have got so many instances. That is the duty of brahmana. Pathana pathana. The brahmana should be learned, and a brahmana should make others learned, other brahmana, not that be simply satisfied that he's brahmana and nobody should become brahmana. No. He should make others brahmana. Just like a big lawyer, he makes his assistants lawyer. A professor, learned professor, he makes others professor. Otherwise, it is called jnana-khala, miser. The knowledge should be distributed. Any scientist discovering, they distribute it. Similarly, brahmana should be udara. Not only he should personally know what is Brahman, but he should distribute the knowledge. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,
bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara paropakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]
It is the duty of the brahmana. Paropakara. And without being human being, how he can become a brahmana? Cats and dogs cannot become brahmana. The perfect human being means brahmana, the first-class, perfect being. That is brahmana. And brahmana's duty is for paropakara. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah, avaisnava-gurur na sa syat. A... One who is Vaisnava... Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He becomes guru because He's udara. Vaisnava means para-duhkha-duhkhi.
vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca
krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo...
[I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.]
Vaisnava is patitanam pavana. He can deliver all the fallen souls.
So we have become crippled. Therefore we are talking this, that "This Krsna consciousness movement is killing our Hindu principles." No. It is really, actually Vedic principle that one should be learned, and he should distribute the knowledge for paropakara. That is brahminism. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. Krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. Lokanam hita-karinau. These are the statements in the sastra. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau lokanam hita-karinau. These Gosvamis, they compiled this... Rupa Gosvami compiled this Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu not for the study, a few selected persons. Lokanam hita-karinau: for the benefit of the whole human society. And actually that is happening. We have translated this Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu in English, and we have got the greatest sale of this book. Everyone is picking up. It is a study book in the Temple University of United States. They like it. So it is required. We have got so much treasure-house of knowledge. They should be, each and every book should be..., at least, Vaisnava literature, Bhagavata literature, should be translated into English and distributed all over the world. That is lokanam hita-karinau, to benefit the whole human society. Not to remain crippled within a boundary. That is not brahminism, that is not Vaisnavism.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972
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