Lecture on Chaitanya Charitamrita - Adi Lila (08.28-30) by Dina Bandhu Prabhu on 04 May 2014 at ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor
(Dina Bandhu Prabhu is settled in braja. Although from a foreign country, he looks exaclty like one of the local brijawasis. He speaks the local braja language & nicely interacts with the locals.)
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Class (10.41.02-05) by HH Bhakti Marga Swami on 01 May 2014 at ISKCON Alachua
(Bhakti Marga Swami was born on October 5, 1952. His first major encounter with devotees was in Toronto, at the college campus where he studied fine arts. He invited them to his apartment for an overnight stay, and without delay he gave up bad habits, went to the temple, and never left. He was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1973.)
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Lecture on Make Krishna Popular by HG Radhe Shyam Prabhu on 25 Feb 2014
(President of the Pune branch of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) that has over 600 centres worldwide Director of Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture & Education (VOICE) Holds an M.Tech from IIT-Bombay)
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Lecture on Supreme Goal of Human Life by HH Romapada Swami in 10 May 2014 at Chicago
(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969. The lecturer was His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following year, Romapada Swami joined the movement in Boston and was initiated in 1971.)
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Lecture on Beyond Egoism by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 04 April 2012 at Salem
(His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON's founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
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Lecture on You can get intimate with Krishna by Bir Krishna Goswami on 20 April 2014 at ISKCON Sydney
(Bir Krishna Goswami became a member of the Krishna conscious community in Gainesville, Florida in 1971. Shortly thereafter, he was initiated as Srila Prabhupada’s disciple.)
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Read more about Sri Ramananda Raya on www.gaudiyahistory.com
Listen Bhajans by Sri Ramananda Raya on www.vaishnavsongs.com
11 May 2018 - Apara Ekadashi
(Break fast time on 12 May 2018 - 06.06 am to 10.25 am)
for more details please download following app - http://harekrishnacalendar.com/vaishnava-reminder ;
Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, "Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Jyeshtha (May-June)?
I wish to hear from You the glories of this sacred day of Hari.
Please narrate everything to me"
Tulsi Books is coming with a new offer for this summer. Purchase of 5 books at a discount of 20%.
The test of a theory is in its implementation. While one can spend a lot of time analyzing the process of bhakti, faith readily comes when one sees the theory in action. Jayananda Prabhu is such a devotee who exemplified in an almost classical manner the process of bhakti from inception to completion. When he left his body on May 1, 1977, Srila Prabhupada instructed that his disappearance day should be celebrated as that of a great Vaisnava. Observing the pastimes of such devotees greatly reaffirms one's faith in the process of bhakti.
The background
Jim Kohr was the all-American boy. Handsome, strong, intelligent born in an upper middle-class family. A good student, he took a degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. However despite his outward trappings of success, he was often unhappy, empty and dissatisfied with the material conception of life. Jim did not fit into the upper class crowd, so it was not very surprising that he ended up driving cabs in San Francisco. Though an introspective person, he was not really religious. His depression was almost suicidal when in 1967 he happened to read a small article in the San Francisco paper about an Indian Swami who had come to the Bay area to propagate the chanting of the names of God. For some reason the article ignited a ray of hope within him. He resolved to attend the lecture of the Indian Swami.
In the Bhagavad Gita (7.16), Krishna says, 'four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me -- the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.' Jim was searching for answers from the material miseries, and in such a mood took his first step towards his destiny.
The beginnings
Jim was instantly attracted to the Indian Swami, who was none other than Srila Prabhupada, the founder acarya of ISKCON. He had been in the U.S.A for only a year and was in the process of establishing his mission of bringing Krishna consciousness to the Western world. Jim began to regularly attend the morning Bhagvatam lectures of Srila Prabhupada. On some occasions Jim would be the only guest listening to the morning lecture. Soon he became very attached to Srila Prabhupada and his teachings. Prabhupada lovingly reciprocated and would sometimes personally cook prasadam for Jim and serve him. Soon thereafter Srila Prabhupada accepted Jim as his disciple and initiated him with the spiritual name Jayananda.
In Cc Madhya 19.151 Caitnaya Mahaprabhu says that '. out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.' In this way Jayananda received the seed of devotion, out of the causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada. From the instructions and teaching presented by Srila Prabhupada, he understood his special relationship with Krishna, with Guru, and that there is an authorized process to establish this relationship.
Attraction to Krishna consciousness
Jayananda was completely enamored by Krishna consciousness. He would rise every day morning before four, do a little arati, chant his rounds of japa, read and cook prasad. Then he would go for his 'incense run' (selling incense sticks). He never deviated from this, he was completely happy as long as he was practicing Krishna consciousness.
Jayananda worshipped prasadam. When a little prasadam spilled on the floor he would lick it up. He loved to cook, eat, offer and distribute prasadam in a big way. He even said 'prasadam' with so much love and devotion that it made one immediately want to take some.
Another example of his attachment to Krishna consciousness was his love for the holy name. He was always seen chanting and dancing enthusiastically during kirtans. One day after working hard for ten hours straight, when all the other devotees were looking forward to some rest, Jayananda enthusiastically bounced into the temple room for kirtan. His japa was very intense, very focussed, as he strove to personally associate with each and every syllable of the mahamantra.
In Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswami mentions that the process of sadhna bhakti begins with a little faith (sraddha). This faith then blossoms into a desire for devotee association (sadhu-sanga) and then into bhajan-kriya (devotional service).
Similarly, Jayananda, after receiving the association of Srila Prabhupada and other devotees at the temple began to execute devotional service as per the instructions he received from his spiritual master. As he executed his sadhna sincerely, he became purified of the material impediments to devotional service(anartha-nivrttih) and began to manifest the all- attractive qualities of a pure devotee.
Humility
Humility was certainly Jayananda's most prominent quality. He treated everyone as his superior, even new devotees. Although his service was glorious, he never wanted any glory. He avoided praise like the plague. Devotees got to know that if they wanted to keep Jayananda's association they would better not praise him. His humility was very natural and he always found something other than himself that was praiseworthy. Even though he was a senior devotee, older than most of the people around him and eminently qualified, he was happy to simply serve.
Once a new boy at the temple wanted to do some service and was asked to help with the trash. The weekly trash run was done by Jayananda, who cheerfully took the little help the boy gave. Later when the boy became a devotee, he remembered thinking, 'If the garbage men at this temple can be so blissful, just imagine what the rest of the devotees are like!'
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the third verse of Siksastakam lays down the qualification for offenseless chanting. 'One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.' Jayananda exemplified this verse. He was so humble that just being in his association would make one feel ashamed of one's pride. He was very special, yet no one paid any special attention to him. That was just the way he liked things.
Service attitude
Jayananda was an expert at everything: cooking, preaching, Deity worship, public relations, sankirtan, selling incense, construction, and anything that it took to spread Krishna consciousness. He was a tireless worker, first to rise in the morning and last to sleep at night. He was always running out to get flowers, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen or taking out the trash. Whatever service he was given, he would make sure that it was done, no matter how busy he was or how much personal hardships he had to endure for it. No matter how hard he was working, he would never stop for a nap during the day. He seemed inexhaustible.
Many times when Jayananda went to Berkley to distribute leftover prasadam, he would first organize a crew to clean the kitchen, working twice as hard as anybody else, then he would transfer the prasadam, load it into the van, drive it to Berkley, organize the distribution there and have kirtan while all this was going on. Many years later he readily accepted the position of the driver for the Radha Damodar travelling sankirtan party, working side by side with brahmacharis scarcely half his age. In spite of his advanced position and seniority he never asked for anything special and readily accepted menial position under new devotees.
In the Vishnu purana, Sri Krishna informs Arjuna that 'one who claims to be My devotee is actually not My devotee. One who claims to be the devotee of my devotees is in actuality My devotee'. Jayananda completely manifested this quality. He was always striving to be the 'dasanudasa', the servant-of- the-servant. But there was no artificial humility in him. Material humility is relative, it is predicated on the qualifications of the recipients. Jayananda had spiritual humility, it was absolute, without any consideration of the status or qualities of the recipient. He served every one and expected no one to serve him.
The process of remembering, discussing or enumerating the qualities and pastimes of the Lord and His devotees is very purifying. This week we continue the discussion of the qualities of Jayananda Prabhu, who in the relatively short time he was associated with Krishna consciousness, perfected his devotional service and left us many instructions by example.
Freedom from fault finding
Perhaps the most defining characteristic of Jayananda was that he never criticized anyone. Even if a devotee did something that warranted criticism, he would usually not say anything, or else make the mistake appear as something perfectly natural. He never spoke harsh words or chastised anybody. Sometimes devotees would come to him with expansive ideas of how to spread Krishna consciousness. Jayananda would encourage these ideas, however extraordinary. At the same time he was not a fool. He could always pick up the right man for the job.
In the Nectar of Instruction (Verse 5), Srila Rupa Goswami says, 'one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.' Jayananda could not even bear to hear the criticism of another devotee. If such a thing were happening he would simply leave the room. These are the characteristics of an uttama-adhikari, one who has reached the highest level of perfection in his sadhana bhakti.
Dear to everyone
Like the six Goswamis, Jayananda was dear to both the gentle and the ruffians. He was as much at home with the Italians at the produce market as he was with the Brahmacharis at the temple. Once a devotee was approached by a staggering drunk in San Francisco, who looked at his robes and asked, 'Hey, where is my old friend Jayananda?'
Many devotees who took over Jayananda's old territory would meet people who would say things like, 'Where is Johnny Ananda?' or 'That man - he's the nicest and most pure man I've met' or 'I don't know much about your philosophy, but if Jayananda is into it, it must be all right.'
One woman public official on the San Francisco board was famous for giving the devotees a hard time during Ratha-yatra. One year when the devotees approached her, she asked, 'where is Jayananda?' On hearing that he had passed away she broke down and began to cry. The purity in Jayananda's heart would touch the even most cynical.
In BG 5.7, Sri Krishna says that 'One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.' Every one loved Jayananda, since he had completely transcended the bodily conception. He would approach a drunk, a hippie or a devotee with the same compassion and enthusiasm. He spoke to the Supersoul in everyone, and everyone responded accordingly. Like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Jayananda's enemy was never born.
Expert at engaging everyone
It is said that though Krishna has nothing to do with non-devotees, His devotees are even more compassionate than Him and will try and engage them in the Lord's service. Jayananda was eager to see everyone engaged in Krishna's service. Whenever a new bhakta would come. Jayananda made him feel he was engaged in important work. He was older, bigger and stronger than just about anyone in the temple, and everyone was glad to be working under him.
His preaching style was very simple and direct. He would speak from the heart to the heart. Once he was preaching to a couple of hippies, while crawled under an automobile. All that was visible of him was a pair of legs, yet the two hippies stood there, transfixed by his message. During Ratha-yatra time he would organize a crew of cynics, hippies, bloopers, uncooperative personalities and non-devotees off the street to help build the carts. He would get them to work for ten to fourteen hours a day, always glorifying them.
The Cc Antya 7.11 it is stated, 'The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Krishna. Unless empowered by Krishna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement.' Because of the genuine compassion in Jayananda, Krishna gave Him the unique ability to make people want to render devotional service, directly or indirectly.
Materially renounced
Jayananda had almost no possessions, even during his years as a householder. What ever he had, he used for the service of the temple and Srila Prabhupada. When he was gifted five thousand dollars, he promptly donated that to Srila Prabhupada. In the introduction of the Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada acknowledges this contribution. For many years he was almost single handedly supporting the temple by driving his cab for 12-14 hours a day. When he was in his last days of his life, he used the money given to him for his treatment to support the Ratha-yatra in Los Angeles.
He was extremely careful with what he considered to be Srila Prabhupada's money. When selling incense, he would sleep on park benches in bitter cold rather than spend money on a motel. He used his considerable charm to get people to donate almost every thing that was needed. What he could no get for free, he made sure that he received a good value for the money spent.
His final lesson in material detachment came when it was discovered that he was suffering from cancer of the lymph and blood. Jayananda continued as if nothing had changed. When his body became frail and weak, he continued preaching, inspiring and organizing from his bed in the hospital. For him the body was simply a means to render devotional service to the Lord.
In Cc. Madhya 6.254 Caitanya Mahaprabhu summarizes in the phrase 'vairagya- vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga', which means 'renunciation through the wisdom that comes from practicing devotional service.' Jayananda was a true sannyasi, as one who did not just renounce material objects but actually renounced the desire for these material objects. He was always eager to use everything for the service of Krishna, however he had no personal desire for anything material.
Jayananda: king of the Ratha-yatra
Jayananda was the backbone of the Bay area Ratha-yatra for several years. Behind the scene he would do everything for the preparation of the festival. He would beg food, flowers, funds - buy materials and build the carts. He would arrange for the permits, organize the cooking and serving of prasad. Although things always went right down the wire, he would consistently succeed in fulfilling all this plans every year. After the festival he would cook a cake or a pie for each and every person who had some how helped in the festival. Because of his efforts the Bay area devotees to this day enjoy an amazingly harmonious relationship with the city officials.
In his last days Jayananda was busy organizing the Ratha-yatra from the hospital bed. He would talk to people on the phone, send his associates to meet various persons and things began to miraculously materialize. Every moment of his life was preciously used in the service of Krishna.
Mystic opulence
It is said that pure devotional service brings about much opulence. Thought the devotees never seek them out, once they are there, they are used for the service of Krishna.
Jayananda apparently could function with very little or even no sleep. Towards the last few days of the Ratha-yatra he would sleep less than three hours a day, yet he was the most energetic and enlivened member of the crew. His propensity to consume prasad was astounding. He could consume buckets of halva, plates of samosas and potatoes without any side effect. When he was in his last days, he was put on an intravenous diet, yet he would often ask devotees to sneak in huge quantities of samosas and cheese- potatoes for him, which he would happily consume without any apparent distress. He would some times sleep in the Bhagavatam classes, since he was very tired, yet later on he could perfectly quote from the class or have a deep discussion about its contents.
In BG 4.26, Sri Krishna declares that, 'One who is engaged in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.' In the Närada-pancaratra, devotional service to the Lord is likened unto a queen attended by her maidservants in the form of material opulences, liberation and mysticism. Jayananda never had any hankering for these, but when they came, he simply used them in the service of Krishna.
Special relationship with Srila Prabhupada
Jayananda has complete faith in Srila Prabhupada. He perfected his devotion by making the instructions of Srila Prabhupada the very core of his life. He was advanced enough to realize that real association was through following the instructions of the spiritual master. Unlike most of the other devotees, who would go out of their way to get some personal association of Srila Prabhupada, Jayananda was contend to work in the background, carrying out his instructions. He exemplified the superiority of association by vani (instructions) over vapu (personal association). Srila Prabhupada would invariably call of Jayananda when he was in the temple. Jayananda would resist saying, 'No, I cannot go. I am too dirty. I am too fallen,' such were the transcendental exchanges between the spiritual master and his dear disciple.
In Cc. Madhya 19.151, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that, 'Among all the living entities wandering throughout the universe, one who is most fortunate comes in contact with a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets the opportunity to execute devotional service.' Jayananda was one of these fortunate souls who came in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord and under his guidance was able to perfect his devotional life.
Conclusion
Jayananda passed away on May 1, 1977. He joined the Krishna consciousness movement in 1967, just when it is in its beginning, and left the planet a few months before Srila Prabhupada. In the scriptures it is said that when the pure devotees of the Lord appear to execute His will, their associates invariably accompany them. One cannot help but speculate that Jayananda had only come to serve his eternal spiritual master. The fact that Srila Prabhupada was on this planet at the time of his passing away is also significant. It let Srila Prabhupada affirm that 'every one should follow the example of Jayananda.'
We offer our most humble obeisances to Sri Srimad Jayananda Prabhu, the exemplary teacher of devotional service in Krishna consciousness. (by hg jaya tirtha carana prabhu)
Quotes From Srila Prabhupada - About Jayananda Prabhu's disappearance-
From the Preface of The Nectar of Devotion, dated April 13, 1970
The Nectar of Devotion is specifically presented for persons who are now engaged in the Krishna consciousness movement. I beg to offer my sincere thanks to all my friends and disciples who are helping me to push forward the Krishna consciousness movement in the Western countries, and I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution made by my beloved disciple Sriman Jayananda Brahmachari. My thanks are due as well to the directors of ISKCON Press, who have taken so much care in publishing this great literature. Hare Krishna.
Lecture LA 12-09-69
Prabhupada: Hare Krishna. Come on. I was thinking of “Where is Jayananda?” now immediately he has come. (someone brings some kind of offering and Srila Prabhupada says to give it to his Guru Maharaja) Take care it may not fall down. (pause) All right.
So today is the disappearance day of my Guru Maharaja...
Initiation LA 12-11-68
Prabhupada: (chuckles) Jayananda looks like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. (laughter) Yes. He was tall and stout and strong, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. (laughing) Yes. Very good. And in Vrndavana, when Kirtanananda was given sannyasa, he was looking so nice with this dress and danda, oh, practically all the devotees of Vrndavana came to offer him respect. Yes. On Janmastami day I offered him sannyasa. So many devotees came to see in the temple. So there was a big crowd. He was looking very nice. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was also very fair-complexioned. So with this dress, persons with fair complexion looks very nice, very attractive. People are not attracted with this dress in kirtan party? (laughs) This bare head with tilak and this dress, they will know that they are coming from, directly from the kingdom of God. (laughs) Actually it is so. They have forgotten God; otherwise they would have received these brahmacharis so nicely. In India, oh, you'll be received just like gods with this dress. Hundreds and thousands of people will come to receive you. Yes. That is sufficient...
Letters From Srila Prabhupada
Jayananda goes back to Godhead-Letter to Jayananda 77-05-05
My Dear Jayananda,
Please accept my blessings.
I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krishna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5,000) for printing my Bhagavad- Gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krishna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krishna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krishna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogi's or a brahmana's or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krishna Consciousness. But as you were hearing Krishna-kirtan, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krishna-loka.
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti man eti so' rjuna
Krishna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
note- in this regards, Gauridasa Pandit Dasa was there when Srila Prabhupada first heard the news that Jayananda left his body, and heard Prabhupada say that Jayananda went back to Godhead -
"Srila Prabhupada loved Jayananda with all of his heart because of his selfless devotion and great Vaishnava qualities. Jayananda Prabhu is called the first ISKCON Saint. I was in Srila Prabhupada's room when he heard that Jayananda Prabhu had left his body. Srila Prabhupada showed his great affection for Jayananda Prabhu and glorified him with tears in his eyes. He prayed to Krishna for him and told us that he went back to Godhead. I think he left the planet just in time to meet Srila Prabhupada in Krishna-loka a short time later." – from Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
Letter to Rameshvara 77-05-11
Jayananda's death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda's picture should be hung in the Ratha of Lord Jagannath, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas...
Letter to Jayananda 77-02-26
My dear Jayananda,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 21st, 1977, and I thank you for the check as well as the nice sentiments you have expressed. In the beginning you also gave me $5,000 and now again you have sent.
This body is today or tomorrow finished. We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years but that does not mean a successful life. A successful life is one of Krishna consciousness. By the grace of Krishna from the very beginning you are a devotee and that is the real profit of your life.
I thank you for your check, but I would prefer that you may require the money for your treatment. So if you like I can return it. But I hear that you have some income. I pray to Krishna for your more advanced Krishna conscious life.
About a sadhu it is said, “jiva va mara va,” a sadhu may live or die, it doesn't matter. While living he is engaged in Krishna Conscious business and when dying he goes back home back to Godhead.
Hoping this finds you improving in your health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Lecture on Nothing happens without Lord's will by HG Radhe Shyam Prabhu on 10 Oct 2012
(President of the Pune branch of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) that has over 600 centres worldwide Director of Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture & Education (VOICE) Holds an M.Tech from IIT-Bombay)
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Lecture on Narsimha Katha by HG Mahatma Prabhu on 12 May 2014 at ISKCON Mayapur
(HG Mahatma Prabhu joined ISKCON in 1969 and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1970. He travels widely facilitating workshops and retreats on such important practices as japa, forgiveness, humility, vows and sexual purity.)
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Disappearance Day of Jayananda Prabhu by His Holiness Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami on 12 May 2014 at Punjabi Bagh
(His Holiness Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami was initiated by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in October 1968, about two months before HH Jayapataka Swami, awarding him the name “Makhanlal das”.)
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Lecture on The Yoga Ladder by HH Romapada Swami in 09 May 2014 at Naperville
(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969. The lecturer was His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following year, Romapada Swami joined the movement in Boston and was initiated in 1971.)
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Srimad Bhagavatam Class (05.05.10-13) by Mahavishnu Goswami at ISKCON Vrindavan on 03 April 2014
(His Holiness Mahavishnu Swami appeared in this world on 10 February 1945, in Birmingham, UK. He entered the Bath Academy of Art at age 19, and graduated with honours in Fine Arts.)
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Lecture on Long Life is not appreciated but quality life is appreciated by HG Radhe Shyam Prabhu on 13 Jan 2014
(President of the Pune branch of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) that has over 600 centres worldwide Director of Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture & Education (VOICE) Holds an M.Tech from IIT-Bombay)
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Class (10.41.02-05) by HG Tamohara Dasa on 01 May 2014 at ISKCON Alachua
(His Grace Tamohara Dasa has been involved in ISKCON leadership for many years. In addition to services of temple president, BBT manager and director of two gurukulas, he served as the director of the ISKCON Child Protection Office,He has been a GBC member since 2006 and currently serves on the executive committee of the international GBC.)
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Once the lived Hiranyakasipu, the king of the demons. His brother, another demon who had been creating a disturbance, had been killed by Varaha, an incarnation of Lord Visnu. Hiranyakasipu also was creating a disturbance by harassing the sages and the demigods. Hiranyakasipu wanted to get revenge upon Lord Visnu for the killing of his brother so he performed severe austerities:
"Seeing Hiranyakasipu engaged in this austerity, the demigods returned to their respective homes, but while Hiranyakasipu was thus engaged, a kind of fire began blazing from his head, disturbing the entire universe and its inhabitants, including the birds, beasts and demigods. When all the higher and lower planets became too hot to live on, the demigods, being disturbed, left their abodes in the higher planets and went to see Lord Brahma, praying to him that he curtail this unnecessary heat. The demigods disclosed to Lord Brahma Hiranyakasipu's ambition to become immortal, overcoming his short duration of life, and to be the master of all the planetary systems, even Dhruvaloka." (Bhag. 7.3.intro)
Finally, Lord Brahma appeared before Hiranyakasipu but could not give him the boon of immortality for even Lord Brahma is not immortal. Therefore, Hiranyakasipu tried to ask for benedictions that would make him almost as good as immortal. Hiranyakasipu asked that he not meet death in any of the following conditions:
(a) by any living entity created by Lord Brahma
(b) within any residence or outside any residence
(c) during the daytime or at night
(d) on the ground or in the sky
(e) by any weapon, human being, or any animal
(h) by anything living or nonliving
etc.
Once having attained the powers from Lord Brahma, Hiranyakasipu began to harass all the living entities within the universe:
"All the demigods but Lord Visnu, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva came under his control and began serving him, but despite all his material power he was dissatisfied because he was always puffed up, proud of transgressing the Vedic regulations. All the brahmanas were dissatisfied with him, and they cursed him with determination. Eventually, all the living entities withinthe universe, represented by the demigods and sages, prayed to the Supreme Lord for relief from Hiranyakasipu's rule. Lord Visnu informed the demigods that they and the other living entities would be saved from the fearful conditions created by Hiranyakasipu. Since Hiranyakasipu was the oppressor of all the demigods, the followers of the Vedas, the cows, the brahmanas and the religious, saintly persons, and since he was envious of the Supreme Lord, he would naturally be killed very soon. Hiranyakasipu's last exploit would be to torment his own son Prahlada, who was a maha-bhagavata, an exalted Vaisnava. Then his life would end." (Bhag. 7.4.intro)
Prahlada Maharaja, the son of Hiranyakasipu, was a great devotee and he received initiation while within the womb of his mother:
"This transcendental knowledge is devotional service, and Prahlada Maharaja, while living in the womb of his mother, received instructions indevotional service from Narada Muni. Any person engaged in the service of the Lord through the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master is immediately liberated, and being free from the clutches of maya, he is relieved of all ignorance and material desires." (Bhag. 7.7.intro)
This point we have stressed throughout our newsletters that surrender to the order of the spiritual master is the only means of success in spiritual life. Devotional service is not dependent on material results or conditions; it can be practiced under any conditions as we can see from the example of Prahlada Maharaja:
"Regardless of the material condition in which one is situated, one can achieve this perfection. Devotional service is not dependent on the material activities of austerity, penance, mystic yoga or piety. EVEN WITHOUT SUCH ASSETS, one can achieve devotional service through the mercy of a pure devotee." (Bhag. 7.7.intro)
Sometimes we find so-called devotees wasting their valuable time complaining and finding faults with others instead of sticking to their own devotional service. They should take the instruction that devotional service is not dependent on the material conditions:
"Progress in spiritual life cannot be obstructed by any material condition. This is called ahaituky apratihata." (Bhag. 7.7.1)
Just see how Prahlada stayed fixed in his service despite the impediments, which were much heavier than the impediments of today:
"The assistants of Hiranyakasipu struck Prahlada with sharp weapons, threw him under the feet of elephants, subjected him to hellish conditions, threw him from the peak of a mountain and tried to kill him in thousands of other ways, but they were unsuccessful. Hiranyakasipu therefore became increasingly afraid of his son Prahlada Maharaja and arrested him. The sons of Hiranyakasipu's spiritual master, Sukracarya, began teaching Prahlada in their own way, but Prahlada Maharaja did not accept their instructions.While the teachers were absent from the classroom, Prahlada Maharaja began to preach Krsna consciousness in the school, and by his instructions all his class friends, the sons of the demons, became devotees like him." (Bhag. 7.5.intro)
The teachers of Prahlada, Sanda and Amarka, became afraid that the students would become more and more devoted to the Lord so they informed Hiranyakasipu about Prahlada's preaching. So Hiranyakasipu decided to kill his son himself. Prahlada tried to instruct him:
"Prahlada Maharaja continued: My dear father, please give up your demoniac mentality. Do not discriminate in your heart between enemies and friends; make your mind equipoised toward everyone. Except for the uncontrolled and misguided mind, there is no enemy within this world. When one sees everyone on the platform of equality, one then comes to the position of worshipping the Lord perfectly." (Bhag. 7.8.9)
Controlling the mind is essential in spiritual life and is easily accomplished by becoming fixed in one's devotional service:
"The only bona fide process for controlling the mind is to fix the mind by service to the Lord." (Bhag. 7.8.9)
Although Prahlada tried to instruct Hiranyakasipu, he was not about take the bona fide instructions because he was not interested in devotional service:
"Hiranyakasipu replied: You rascal, you are trying to minimize my value, as if you were better than me at controlling the senses. This is over-intelligent. I can therefore understand that you desire to die at my hands, for this kind of nonsensical talk is indulged in by those about to die." (Bhag. 7.8.11)
Hiranyakasipu: "WHERE IS YOUR GOD?"
Prahlada replied that He is everywhere.
Hiranyakasipu: "IS HE IN THIS PILLAR, PRAHLADA???"
Prahlada: "Yes, he's everywhere."
Hiranyakasipu struck the pillar with his fists not believing Prahlada's statement; however Lord Nrsimhadeva, half-man and half-lion incarnation of the Supreme Lord, appeared with A ROAR!
A great fight ensued and Lord Nrsimhadeva killed Hiranyakasipu with his nails.
Lord Nrsimhadeva killed Hiranyakasipu without violating any of the boons Hiranyakasipu had received from Lord Brahma:
(a) Hiranyakasipu was killed by Lord Nrsimhadeva who is not a living entity created by Lord Brahma nor anyone else for He is eternal and unborn.
(b) Hiranyakasipu was killed in the doorway which is neither within any residence nor outside any residence.
(c) Hiranyakasipu was killed in the evening which is neither daytime nor night.
(d) Hiranyakasipu was killed on the lap of Lord Nrsimhadeva which is neither on the ground nor in the sky.
(e) Hiranyakasipu was killed by a half-man and half-lion which is neither a human nor an animal.
(h) Hiranyakasipu was killed by the nails which are neither living nor dead nor count as weapons. etc.
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Lord Nrisimhadeva's Appearance Day Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34.
Los Angeles, May 27, 1972, 720527SB.LA
Prabhupada: So today, appearance day of Lord Nrisimhadeva. Lord Nrisimhadeva appeared on this N?simha Caturdasi on account of His devotee, Prahlada. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, abhyutthanam adharmasya [Bg. 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam, sambhavami yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]. The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritranaya sadhunam: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vinasaya ca duakrtam. So Prahlada Maharaja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was K??sa conscious. He was devotee of Krishna. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old. He could not excuse, "Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Krishna." No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you'll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Krishna consciousness. So the demons are always against this Krishna consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that's all. This society is so cruel. So Prahlada Maharaja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods, I think you will find as you will see in today's picture, how Prahlada Maharaja was tortured. So one day, Hiranyakasipu... After all, he was his son. Affection was there. So one day, Hiranyakasipu asked the boy,
prahradanucyatam tata
svadhitam kincid uttamam
kalenaitavatayusman
yad asiksad guror bhavan
[SB 7.5.22]
So he asked his son, "My dear son, what you have learned? The best thing, what you have learned from your teachers, so you kindly let me know." So Prahlada Maharaja informed that "I have learned like this." What is that?
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau
bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
tan manye dhitam uttamam
[SB 7.5.23-24]
Tan manye dhitam uttamam: one who is engaged in the matter of hearing about Visnu, sravanam kirtanamvisnoh. We are engaged in hearing and talking and chanting about so many things non-Visnu. Just like you'll find thousands of, millions of different types of magazines sold in your country, in all countries. Some of the magazines are sex literature, some cinema literature, some this literature, that... So many different types. There is one paper I have seen, "Diabetes Literature." There are many patients of diabetes, so they have formed a society, "Diabetic Society." I have seen it. (laughter) And there are many diabetic patients, they are being hoaxed, that "You pay two dollars per year, and you get all information how to protect yourself from diabetes disease." So in America two dollars is nothing, but it is collecting millions and millions of dollars, Diabetic Society. Diabetic magazine. So that sort of hearing and chanting is not needed. We are not interested in all these magazines, because we are followers of Prahlada Maharaja. He's our acarya. He's guru. Prahlada Maharaja's guru is Narada, and N?rada is also our guru. Narada is guru of Vyasadeva. So we are a branch, but the original guru is Narada, Brahma-samprad?ya. So Prahlada Maharaja is also a disciple of Narada Muni. So he teaches that sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. We have to hear and talk and chant about Visnu. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smarana pada-sevanam. To remember Him always, to worship His lotus feet, pada-sevanam. Arcanam, temple worship, to keep the Deity nicely worshiped, offer foodstuff, arati, this is called arcanaà. Vandanam, offering prayers. Just like we offer prayer, govindam adi-purusà tam aham bhajami **. These are prayers. There are so many prayers. Kesava-dhrta buddha-sarira, kesava-dhrta narahari-rupa. These are all prayers. This is also part of devotional service.
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyaà
sakhyam...
[SB 7.5.23]
Arcanam vandanam dasyam. To be always in service of the Lord, dasyam; sakhyam, to make friendship with Him, to consider Krishna as your friend. He says... Even if I do not say that He's my friend, He says, "I am friend of everyone." Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. He's friend of everyone. We don't want His friendship, but He wants our friendship. He wants us to go back to home, Godhead; we don't want. So He is more anxious to take us, exactly like the father is more affectionate than the son. That's a fact. So He's the supreme father. So He wants that we may be happy, and therefore He comes to show us. He sends His representative, son. He leaves behind Him books so that we may go back to home, back to Godhead. So, sakhyam. He's always sitting with me, within my heart. I am in the heart, and Paramatma is also within the heart as friend to give me advice that "Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home, back to Me." This is going on. Sakhyam atma-nivedanam. Atma-nivedanam means fully surrendered. So there are examples of devotees who, sarvatma-nivedanam. Just like Bali Maharaja. He gave everything to Krishna, even his body, everything, whatever, his kingdom, money, everything.
So Prahlada Maharaja says, iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-lak?ana. All these items means hearing. Hearing about Visnu, chanting about Krishna, giving everything to Visnu, offering prayers to Visnu, offering arcana, temple worship, Visnu. In this way Prahlada Maharaja summarizes that "Anyone who is doing like this, everything about Visnu..." iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana, "this nine kinds of different devotional services," kriyeta bhagavatay addha, "directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead," tan manye dhitam uttamam, "I think he is the best learned man in the world. He is the most learned." Tan manye dhitam. "He has studied everything very nicely." Actually, that is the fact. Jnana, knowledge Knowledge means to know Krishna, God, and the Vedic injunction is, yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. If you understand the Supreme Lord, then you understand everything. You haven't got to study differently different subject matters. Just like we sometimes talk of science, of astronomy, economics, politics. We talk sometimes. But we are not going to, or we didn't study all the subject matter separately. But in course of our studying Krishna consciousness, we know something of everything. So Prahlada Maharaja says, tan manye adhitam uttamam: "One who is engaged in these nine kinds of devotional services directly..." So Prahlada Maharaja recommends,
kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye dhitam uttamam.
nisamyaitat suta-vaco
Hiranyakasipus tada
guru-putram cedam rusa
prasphuritadharah
As soon as he heard, "Oh, what this nonsense boy is speaking?" he became so angry that sphuritadharah. When one becomes angry, his lips vi..., I mean to say, jumps. What is called? Quiver, yes. So he became so angry that it is said, sphuritadharah. (He) immediately called his teacher. He's king... Because he thought, "The rascal teachers, they have taught him like this. I have entrusted the boy to the teachers, to brahmanas, and they have taught this Krishna consciousness. So call him. Otherwise, how is that this small boy, five years old only, he's talking just like a great saint? So call his teacher!"
brahma-bandho kim etat
te vipaksam srayatasata
asaram grahito balo
mam anadrtya durmate
Hiranyakasipu became bitterest enemy of Visnu because his brother Hiranyaksa, he was killed by Visnu taking the shape of Varaha. You know the story. Since then, Hiranyakasipu was bitterest enemy. "Oh, He has, Visnu has killed my brother. So He is my greatest enemy." So he won't hear anything about Visnu. Any Visnu devotee, he will punish him, even his own son. That was his policy. So he immediately called him, the teachers, and addressed him,
brahma-bandho kim etat te
vipaksam srayatasata
asaram grahito balo
mam anadrtya durmate
So here... Teachers are generally brahmanas. Not generally. To become teacher is the business of the brahmanas. Brahmana means they have got six kinds of... Everyone must have livelihood. This material world is that you must work; otherwise you cannot get your livelihood. That is the law, whatever you may be. So the brahmanas' means of livelihood, six things: pa?hana pa?hana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Pa?hana means he must be a very learned scholar, study the Vedic literature, and must teach others also. That is brahmana's business. And in that way, whatever the disciples bring, that is his income. No salary, no contract, that "If you pay me hundred dollars or five hundred dollars weekly, then I can teach you." No. There is no such contract. Teaching is free. It is the business of a brahmana to give free education to everyone. Now, it is the... Just like in our institution, I am your teacher, but there is no such contract that you have to pay me. But you pay me more than anything. So pa?hana pa?hana, that is the means of livelihood of brahmana. And ksatriya, they are kings. They can levy tax of the citizens because they are giving protection from being hurt by others. Ksatriya means one who gives protection (to) a man being hurt by others. That is the real root meaning. Ksatriya. And vaisya means they should, krsi-goraksya-vanijyam, they should engage themselves in producing foodstuff, foodgrains, krsi, protect cows. Especially goraksya. As the king is meant for giving protection to the man, similarly, a vaisya is supposed to give protection to the cows, or they keep cows and produce milk products. They are vaisya. And sudra, simply service. So these are the different types of employment of different kinds of social order. And a king, the king has to see that everyone is employed. Not that hundreds of people are unemployed, and government has to give welfare, subsidy. Not like that. The king's duty is that everyone is independently earning his livelihood. That is king's duty.
So here the teachers are addressed here brahma-bandho. Brahma-bandho means a person who is born by a brahmana father but is not acting as a brahmana. He's called brahma-bandho, dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu, one who is born of a, actually born of a brahmana father, but he's not acting as a brahmana. So Hiranyakasipu addressed the teachers brahma-bandho, not brahmana. "Because you are untrustworthy. I gave you, I entrusted you with my son to be taught, and you have taught him this Krishna consciousness. So against my will..." He says practically, brahma-bandho kim etat te vipaksam srayatasata: "I entrusted my child for being educated by you, and you have instigated him to speak in favor of my enemy, Visnu? Visnu is my enemy. How is that?" Asaram grahito balo mam anadrtya durmate. "This rascal boy, he does not care for me, and he has learned this Krishna consciousness, and you have taught him. How is that?"
santi hy asadhavo loke
durmaitras chadma-vesinah
tesam udety agham kale
rogah patakinam iva
"So I think these demigods who are followers of Visnu, they are coming in disguise and poisoning my son by teaching Krishna consciousness, and you did not take care of him. So what is this?" Then the teachers replied,
na mat-pranitam na para-pranitam
suto vadaty esa tavendra-satro
naisargikiyam matir asya rajan
niyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma nah
They said, "My dear King, don't think we have taught him like this. It is not... I know, it is not our duty to teach him against your will. But his Krishna consciousness is not due to our teaching; neither somebody is coming in disguise and teaching him." Na mat-pranitam na para-pranitam. "He is neither taught by us, nor by anyone else." Suto vadaty esa tavendra-satro. Indra-satro. The enemy... The Hiranyakasipu is the enemy of the demigods; therefore he is addressed as Indra-satro. As he addressed the brahmana, brahma-bandho, so they retaliated also, that "You are enemy of the demigods." Naisargikiyam, "By nature he is doing that. We try to forbid him. We try to stop him chanting Hare Krishna, but still he's doing." Matir asya rajan niyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma. "You don't be angry upon us. We never did it." So... "He is, by his own nature he chants, he preaches, he's doing all this."
gurunaivam pratiprokto
bhuya ahasurah sutam
na ced guru-mukhiyam te
kuto bhadrasati matih
Then he again asked his son, "Now I understand that your teacher has not taught you all these things. You rascal, where you have learned all this Krishna consciousness?" (laughter) Abhadra. Kuto abhadrasati matih: "Wherefrom you got this rascal wisdom? Tell me." So this is the position, you see. Even father becomes enemy. Now, Prahlada Maharaja is replying. Prahlada Maharaja is replying,
matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram
punah punas carvita-carvananam
[SB 7.5.30]
"My dear father, don't be afraid. It is not a thing to be taught." Matir na krsne. "Nobody can become Krishna conscious," matir na krsne parato, "being taught by others," matir na krsne paratah svato va, "or by mental speculation or thinking oneself," mitho bhipadyeta, "or by making conference meeting, religious meeting, conference." No. Three things. One thing is to learn Krishna consciousness by speculative method, self-realization. Just like so many people are very much interested that "Why shall I go to a guru? I can realize myself. I shall meditate." So that is called svatah. And paratah means by others' instruction. And mitho, mitho means by assembly. So who? Now, grha-vratanam. If one is grha-vrata... There are two things: grhastha and grha-vrata, or grhamedhi. "So those who are grha-vrata..." because he is pointing out his father's position, that he's grha-vrata. He has no other business. He simply wants to get money, hiranya. Hiranya means gold, and kasipu, a nice apartment. That's all. So he says that grha-vratanam, "If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life, for him, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting, he'll never develop Krishna consciousness." Grha-vratanam. Then what is their position? Now, adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram: "They are unable to control their senses, and as such, they are entering into the darkest region of material existence." Punah punas carvita-carvananam: [SB 7.5.30] "Their only business is chewing the chewed." They have no other ways. Grha-vratanam, those who want to be happy materially, actually they are chewing the chewed. Material happiness means sex life, ultimate, utmost, topmost happiness. So people are simply trying to, how to utilize this sex life in so many ways, in pictures and in... I do not wish to discuss. In dancing, in club, in so many ways. Because they cannot control the senses. The same thing, same thing, the same sex life in different way. Sometimes a naked dance, sometimes in this way, sometimes in that way. Therefore it is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. I have heard that some people go to Florida and they spend fifty thousand dollars per week for organizing naked dance. So naked woman he has seen so many times, but still he spends more money to see it in a different way. That is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], "chewing the chewed."
So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification, and they have made it their conclusion that "We shall be happy within our family life or this social life..." Vidyapati sings, tatala saikate vari-bindu sama suto-mita-ramani-samaj(?). Our society means... Society, friendship, and love. There must be woman, must be children, suto-mita-ramani-samaje. So there is some pleasure, undoubtedly. Otherwise, why people are working so hard to stick to this position? Vidyapati sings that tatala saikate vari-bindu sama suto-mita-ramani-samaj(?). There is undoubtedly some pleasure, but that pleasure is so insignificant that it can be compared: a drop of water on the desert. Desert, if you want to utilize desert to make it a garden or productive field, you have to pour water. The whole ocean water you have to pour there. Now, if somebody says, "All right, you want water. Now take this one drop water," then what it will do? Similarly, our heart is hankering after so many things. We are hankering... Actually we are hankering after Krishna, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material life. Actually we are hankering after Krishna. Just like a small child, it is crying. It cannot express, but it is wanting the mother's breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly, actually we love Krishna. That is a fact. Because we love Krishna... Therefore you, who did not hear even the name of Krishna, say, four or five years ago, why you after so much Krishna? This is the proof, that actually we are after Krishna. This Krishna consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us, we love Krishna. But it is now covered by maya. We have to simply take out the covering, maya; then we are Krishna conscious.
That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta,
nitya-siddha Krishna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
That Krishna consciousness is not an artificial thing, that we are making some propaganda on Krishna consciousness, publishing some books, magazines, and our preachers are going place to place. No, there are so many propaganda is going on. But they are not so effective. And our, what means we have got to make propaganda? We simply make this propaganda, "Please chant Hare Krishna." That's all. Of course, we do sincerely. So if we propagate sincerely and seriously, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu has ordered, yare dekha, tare kaha Krishna upadesa... [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. We must be sincere. Then, if we canvass, "Please chant Hare Krishna," it will be effective. It will be effective. The business is not very serious or very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'Krishna'... "Anyone you meet, you simply request him about hearing about Krishna." So... But if one is so much covered by materialistic enjoyment, it takes little time. It takes little time. Otherwise, automatically there is love for Krishna, and sravanadi-suddha-citte...
Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says, sravanam. If we hear about Krishna constantly, through realized souls, not professional-if we hear, satam prasangan mama virya-samvido [SB 3.25.25]-then automatically, our dormant Krishna consciousness come out. So Prahlada Maharaja says, therefore, that "Those who are determined to become happy within this material world, they cannot be raised to Krishna consciousness either by personal teaching or by making conference or by mental speculation." That is not possible, because he is determined. So our duty is that we should know that in the materialistic way of life we shall never be happy. This is called knowledge. And vairagya. So this vairagya and knowledge is not so easy. Prahlada Maharaja says, adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram: it is not possible. That means he assures his father, "Don't be worried. You will never be Krishna conscious. (laughter) Because your only aim is to stick to home and money and women. Therefore rest assured, you'll not be ... It is not that a person like you will be raised to Krishna consciousness." Then? How you have done? The next question should be: Why they are sticking to this materialistic way of life?
That is answered by Prahlada, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. "These persons, those who are so much materially attached, they do not know the ultimate goal of life is Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu." That is actually the ultimate goal of life. We are here in this material world, forgetting Krishna, to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. Everyone is trying to become the lord, master of material... That is struggle. Nobody can become lord or master of this material world. But that struggle to become master, they are taking it happiness. They are taking it happiness. That is the nature of persons who are influenced by the modes of passion. They'll work hard, and that will, they will take it is very good, pleasing. Because they do not know that the... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are hoping against hope to become happy within this material world. That is the whole history. Take the history, any history, modern history. There are so many empires: the Roman Empire, the Carthaginian Empire, the Greek Empire, the British Empire recently, Hitler's Nazism, and so many. For some time they become very powerful. Just like Hiranyakasipu, he's now very powerful. He's thinking, "Nobody can..." Now today he'll be killed. Kesava-dhrta narahari rupa is coming. So this demonic civilization will never be successful. That's a fact. But they are so fool, they do not see even historical evidences. So many empires failed. The Roman Empire failed, the British Empire failed. Still, somebody is trying to create another empire, another, different empire. Just like your President Nixon, he's trying to influence all other nations under his control. Why? Of course, I should not speak all these things. There may be criticism. But that is the way, going on. That is the way. We can understand. We can understand politics, economics, everything, but we do not bother about. But our aim is that this way of life, to increase materially happiness, it will never be successful. That is our conclusion. We are not fools that we have given up everything for advance in Krishna consciousness. Because we know that this, this way we shall never be happy. It is not possible. That is explained by Prahlada Maharaja. These rascal people who are so much materially attached... Krishna also says in the Bhagavad-gita,
bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam
tayapahrta-cetasam
vyavasayatmika buddhih
samadhau na nigacchati
[Bg. 2.44]
Those who are too much attached, bhoga, material enjoyment, aisvarya, material opulence ... Bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam tayapahrta-cetasam. Persons whose heart has been misled by this kind of civilization, they cannot take to Krishna consciousness. Therefore to become too much materially opulent is a disqualification for attaining Krishna consciousness. It is a disqualification. Because they don't care. Just like in our temple, not very rich men, they are coming, because they (say,) "What is this nonsense, Krishna consciousness? We have got everything. These boys, they haven't got to eat anything; therefore they are chanting Hare Krishna on the street. That's all." They think like that. "They're needy. All right, they are needy. Give them some money." That's all. They don't like to take anything from us because the same business, matir na krsne paratah svato va. They'll never understand, because their aim is grha-vratanam. They want to be happy... Although they are seeing there is no happiness, they never can be happy, still... This is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], chewing the chewed. One, the sugarcane, is chewed by somebody. It is thrown away. And if somebody else comes and chew it again, what juice he will have it? So punah punas carvita... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Durasaya ye durasaya visaya vasi (reads Sanskrit commentary) tantraya karanam te hi visnum na viduh. Tatra hetu svasminn eva arthe purusartha yesam tesam gatim gramyam. Na tu te 'pi guru pati syat visnu jnasyasi tatra bhak bahir visaye bahavo yesam te bahir arthas tann eva guru tena mantra silam yesam te.
So one who is fixed up in this conclusion, that "We shall become happy with this materialistic way of life," they cannot take to Krishna consciousness. And they do not know also that our ultimate goal of life is Krishna, Visnu. Then why it is so? Now, andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. They have become blind. They are blind themselves, and they are also led by blind leaders. The leaders, at the present moment, leaders, they say that "Why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? If you want your bread..." Just like in Christian religion you go to church, "O God, give us our daily bread." But the atheist class, they are propagating, "For bread, why you are going to church? You make industry, you make business, and you get bread." But actually... We were just talking that there are so many unemployment. Our Karandhara prabhu was... No. Who was talking? Syamasundara. Syamasundara said that the computer... What is called, computer? It can do thousands of men's business. So they have discovered this machine. That means thousands of men will be unemployed. That is actually happening in your country due to so many machines. Now, take for example, formerly... You have seen the picture, Krishna, Vrndavana picture, Krishna's father transferring Krishna. They were going on bullock carts, no motorcar. You have seen the picture. So formerly, transport was bullock carts. The cows and the bulls, the bulls were employed for agricultural purpose, for drawing the carts. So there was no necessity of motorcar. Now you have got motor, motor-tractor. You don't want the bullocks. Therefore kill them. How you can utilize them? Therefore you must have slaughterhouse to kill them. And as soon as you kill them, then you have to eat them. So this is the, I mean to say, entanglement. If you kill, then you become responsible for being killed. The subtle laws... Therefore, without knowing our ultimate goal of life is Visnu, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum... [SB 7.5.31]. That is our interest. The human form of life is offered by nature after so much evolutionary process. Just to understand Visnu, God, this is the only business. But instead of attending our real business, we are trying to be happy in other ways. Then you can say that "If we are engaged in real business, then how the economic question will be solved? We have to work." That's all right, you work. But work simple. Why you have invented so much botheration? Work is there. If you have cows and if you have got land, then you till the land, get grains, and there is milk, there is fruit, there is flower. Anywhere, you can live peacefully. Whole economic question is solved. And because we have forgotten, we have missed the real point, that our life is meant for God-realization. We are simply increasing botheration. Punah punas carvita. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. The leaders are blind; we are also blind. So they are advising that "If you want to solve your economic problem, why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? Come here, increase business, industry. Take loan and start business." That's all. This is going on. But actually, the more we are trying to mislead this people... Because they are thinking it is all right. They are... That the social condition is becoming more and more grave. That's a fact. We are trying to solve one problem, but many other problems are coming because we do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Because we are missing the real point.
Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they are thinking that by so-called economic development, by exploiting material resources, we shall be happy. That is not possible. The best example your country has given. You have exploited the material resources, and other countries are also following, but where is the happiness? Instead of happiness, there is "hippyness." (laughter) So still, they have no eyes to see that "Where we are going?" Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Because we cannot control our senses, we are driving, we are being pushed towards the darkest region of material existence, very hard to leave. Darkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God, but God-realization is meant for human being. The human being, if he does not realize God, he's simply engaged in animalistic way of life-eating, sleeping, mating-then nature will call, "All right, sir, again become animal." Punar musiko bhava: "Again become a mouse." You know this story? Punar musiko bhava. There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat, mouse, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing, you see. Real blessing they don't want. Some material blessing. Real blessing, Krishna, they don't want. If you give him some blessing that "You become very rich man and..." These are all very well, this. So this mouse also came and begged the saintly person, "Sir, I am in difficulty. If you give me some blessing?" "What is that?"
"The cat chases after me always. I'm very unhappy."
"So what do you want?"
"Now, if you make me a cat, then I can get relief from this thing."
"All right, you become cat." So he became cat.
So after few days, again he comes. "Sir, again I am in trouble."
"What is that?"
"The dog is chasing me." (laughter) Don't laugh, hear seriously.
"Dog is chasing me."
"All right, then, what do you want?"
"Now, make me a tiger."
"All right, you become a tiger."
So when he became a tiger he was staring on the saintly person like this. So he asked, "Why you are staring upon me? You want to eat me?"
"Yes."
So he again curses, punar musiko bhava: "Again you become mouse. Again you become mouse."
So that is our position. We are advanced in civilization. Now we want to kill God. So we are again going to be uncivilized, to remain in the forest and to remain naked. Actually, they are practicing that: nature's way. So again they are going to be aborigines. And that is being practiced. They are going to the forest, they remain naked. So actually, punar musiko bhava: "Again become mouse." Civilized human being means God conscious, happy life, no trouble, no enviousness, everything happy, no hard labor. Why hard labor? Everything is there. You just employ your little intelligence, you get sufficient food by grains, by fruits, by flowers, milk. There is no difficulty if we remain in our own way. So that is the difficulty, that we do not know that our ultimate goal of life is God-realization. Then God has got all arrangement. You cannot produce fruits and grains in factory. They are given by God. Why? That "You eat them and be Krishna conscious, chant Hare Krishna." But we don't want that. We want slaughterhouse, unnecessarily. Actually, if you go to the store... There are so many stores. How many stores are selling only meat? It is not possible. Ninety-nine percent fruits, vegetables, grains you are taking, and maybe a little percentage of meat. So why you cannot give up this little percentage? If you think that meat is very palatable, why don't you live on meat? Russia is also trying like that. That has become the fashion. In Moscow, it was very difficult to find out nice grains. With great difficulty Syamasundara used to spend two hours daily to secure these things. So this is the problem. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durassaya ye bahir-artha maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are trying to be happy by the arrangement of these material activities. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te pisa-tantryam. They do not know that the material nature is so strong that you cannot get out of it unless you are prepared to suffer more and more. If you take to natural life and live peacefully and take to Krishna consciousness, that is your real life. And if you simply increase botheration and problems, then you'll have to suffer. That is the position of modern civilization. Actually, superficially we see that material advancement of material science, people have got so many machines, so many facilities. But actually, they are in trouble. Just like I gave you one example: the computer machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your country, they are taking advantage of this machine because the salary is If you want to pay to the worker, a big, big salary. So they want to save. They are taking machine, and they think they will save money, so many workers. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That's all. (laughter.) Government will not give money, welfare, from government's pocket. The government will increase your taxation. So you are..., you stop payment by importing some machine, now you have to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This is a crude example. I don't say that you stop all this business, but the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead of solving, you'll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up.
na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum
durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah
andha yathandhair upaniyamanas
te pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah
[SB 7.5.31]
They do not know that you cannot go an inch beyond the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible. Then the next question is that how... People are not interested in Krishna consciousness, and then, they are misled by blind leaders. So how, what is the solution? That is Prahlada Maharaja saying,
naisam matis tavad urukrama?ghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
Therefore one has to take shelter of a pure devotee. That is the only solution. He says, naisam matis tavad urukrama?grhim. The beginning was that "They are not interested in Krishna consciousness." Then how to become Krishna conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahlada Maharaja says, naisam matis tavad: "So long one does not approach a pure devotee," mahiyasam niskincananam, "great personalities, who has no more any material interest," niskincana, "and takes the dust of his lotus feet on the head..." Naisam matis tavad urukrama?ghrim: "So long one does not approach such personality, there is no possibility of becoming Krishna conscious." Naisam matis tavad urukrama?ghrim. As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamah, he'll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he'll forget this idea that "Materially we can advance." This is the process. So we have to approach a niskincana, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Krishna. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet, then he can understand. Mahiyasam pada-rajo-bhisekam niskincananam na vrnita yavat. (aside:) Our time is over? All right.
So in this way Prahlada Maharaja talked with his father, and the father became more angry. Instead of taking the lesson ... Murkhaya upadesa hi prakopaya na santaye. If you teach lesson to a foolish person, he'll be simply angry. He'll not take your lesson. How it is so? Payah-panam bhuja?ganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. If you keep a snake and if you want to make friendly behavior with him, that, "My dear snake, don't bite any more. I'll give you milk and banana. You eat here and stay here nicely," he'll not... His poison will increase, and one day he will... There is a story in the Hitopadesa: one day, one... The same thing. So payah-panam bhuja?ganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. So these are lessons, stories. So his father, Hiranyakasipu, became more and more angry. So one day... Because after all, son and father... The son was simple boy. So one day he said, "Prahlada, I shall now kill you. I shall see how your Krishna saves you." So immediately, Prahlada was seeing to the pillars of the hall. He was king. So Hiranyakasipu asked him, "Is your God, Krishna, in the pillar?" He said, "Yes, sir. Yes, my father, He is there." So immediately, with anger he broke the pillar and Nrisimhadeva came out.
Now we can honor Him. (end)
(Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34. Los Angeles, May 27, 1972. )
Lecture on Pastimes of Sita Mata by His Holiness Prabodhananda Sarasvati Swami at ISKCON Juhu on 08th may 2014
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