Realizing the Importance of Time

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaja, our most merciful saviour and master in all aspects of life, was blessing us with his visit to London from 3/6-2008 till 12/6-2008. As always, Maharaja gave everyone the most wonderful association, showing us the practical way of real Krishna consciousness by his own example of nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Here is the first part of my notes from Maharaja's instructions during this visit, from a class on Srimad Bhagavatam 4.11.19, July 5, 2008.

so 'nanto 'nta-karah kaalo
'naadir aadi-krd avyayah
janam janena janayan
maarayan mrtyunaantakam

"My dear Dhruva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is ever existing, but in the form of time, He is the killer of everything. He has no beginning, although He is the beginning of everything, nor is He ever exhaustible, although everything is exhausted in due course of time. The living entities are created through the agency of the father and killed through the agency of death, but He is perpetually free of birth and death."

(H. G. Devakinandana Prabhu informed us that the Sanskrit of this verse is exactly the same as SB 3.29.45, so we also read that translation, below.)

"The eternal time factor has no beginning and no end. It is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the maker of the criminal world. It brings about the end of the phenomenal world, it carries on the work of creation by bringing one individual into existence from another, and likewise it dissolves the universe by destroying even the lord of death, Yamaraja."

After this, Maharaja mentioned that there are so many verses about 'time' and that we should make a separate booklet about it. From Maharaja's class I collected 10 points to meditate on in order not to waste time.

1: CAREFUL CONTINUOUS DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
It is our duty not to waste time (kalakshepa). We should be very careful. Continuous devotional service should go on. The main symptom of devotional service is to feel concern for the living entities, "How can they go back to Godhead".

2: GINGER AND FRESH FOOD – NATURALLY HEALTHY
For good working condition of the body, only ginger is needed. Sickness is the result of the toxins created in our body. Food should be fresh. Now refrigerator is there. "If fresh is not available, refrigerated is available!" What can stop us from all these artificial necessities?

3: COPYING KRISHNA ONLY COMPLICATES
So many big arrangements, just to copy Krishna. Once they even tried to copy the brain; whole house in size – and Krishna is only 6 inches in the heart! We have big airplane, which needs big airport. But the mosquito, it doesn't need any airport to take off. See the simplicity of Krishna's arrangement. If the mosquito needed airport, the whole creation would be mosquito-airport!

4: GOSVAMIS S.A.T. TO UNDERSTAND THE HOLY NAME
See the Gosvamis (of Vrndavana) – except Harinama there was nothing! If we understand the power of the holy name, naamnaam akaari bahudhaa nija-sarva-shaktis, there is no need to go anywhere. S-A-T, the Supreme Absolute Truth – all the sages, they SAT!

5: REAL EDUCATION
Why schools and hospitals? Real education is:

maatrvat para-daaresu
para-dravyesu lostravat
aatmavat sarva-bhutesu
yah pasyati sa panditah

"One who considers another's wife as his mother, another's possessions as a lump of dirt and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be an educated man."

This modern education is a great waste of energy. Because after 10-15 years of education, no work is available for them. The real need today is farming. "We want to eat three times a day." So produce.

6: LESS TRAVELLING - MORE MOVEMENT AT HOME
Everybody's got millions of engagements – but no time to chant. Why so many go to a far-away temple for mangala-arati, travelling so long, wasting so much time and petrol – it is complete waste. People should be trained to perform mangala-arati at their own homes instead! Movement means pleasing attitude. Temple should have this pleasing mood.

7: LESS MEETINGS – MORE CHANTING
All other activities except chanting, is a great waste of time. Prabhupada was upset with the GBC meetings, going on for so long time. There is no need of so much talking. "Why don't you come down and chant?"

8: DON'T WASTE TIME WITH THE FASHIONS OF THE WORLD
"We will not do that (real devotional activities). It's out of date". What is in-date then? "Let some models dance there." (Maharaja chuckles) Please, we should recognize this importance of time and not waste it.

9: BE SELF-SATISFIED WITH SERIOUS DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
We don't understand because we don't study at all. Instead we're going to Soho Street for a lump of sugar. "It's maha-prasadam." (Maharaja chuckles) Completely waste of time. Why can't we be atmarama (self-satisfied) in devotional service?

10: SHORT PUJA – USE TIME FOR SERIOUS STUDYING AND CHANTING
So, please, get out of all these committees and do some solid things: serious studying and preaching. Instead of going to bhumi-puja. We may have short puja, that's ok, but don't emphasize the puja. Our emphasis is on chanting the holy name.

Maharaja told us to please meditate on these things, and insist on this everywhere also. Because we are bankrupt and we are under the illusion that we are doing devotional service.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.