Mayapur | Prahladananda Swami

Lecture – SB 4.30.11 Unite Everyone For Krishna 3/6/2013 Video & Transcription

SB 04.30.11 Unite Everyone For Krishna 2013-03-06

Watch full video here. (click on Prahladananda Swami)

[Kindly transcribed by Sheela Mataji, Singapore]

From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: March 6 2013, Verse: ?r?mad Bh?gavatam 4.30.11 Speaker: HH Prahladananda Swami

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yad yuyam pitur adesam agrahishta mudanvitah

atho va usati kirtir lokan anu bhavishyati

Because you have with pleasure accepted within your hearts the orders of your father and have executed those orders very faithfully, your attractive qualities will be celebrated all over the world.

PURPORT: Since every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has small independence. Sometimes unintelligent men ask why one is put into a miserable condition, even though everyone is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of his minute independence, the living entity can obey or disobey the orders of the Supreme Lord. If he obeys the Supreme Lord’s orders, he becomes happy. If he does not, he becomes unhappy. Therefore the living entity creates his own happiness or unhappiness. The Supreme Lord does not enforce these on anyone. The Supreme Lord praised the Pracetas because they all faithfully obeyed the orders of their father. The Lord therefore blessed the sons of King Pracinabarhisat because they obeyed their father’s orders. (end)

HH Prahladananda Swami: I am very happy to be here and have the opportunity to say something as an aspiring servant of Srila Prabhupada so that perhaps I myself and others may more deeply appreciate Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, and the goal of life to become fully Krishna conscious.

We hear such things such as orders of the father. Lord Rshabhdeva has also talked about orders of the father and many other orders. He has said,

gurur na sa syat sva-jano na sa syat

pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat

daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan

na mocayed yah samupeta-mrityum (SB 5.5.18)

That one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a guru, one should not become a husband, one should not become a worshipable demigod and one should not become a father and mother unless one is prepared to deliver one’s disciples or followers from the path of repeated birth and death.

The whole goal of everything we are doing or the whole goal of whatever responsibilities we have is to help our dependents understand that they are dasa dasa anudasa, that all of us should be the servants of the servants of the servants of the servant of Krishna. That mood has been fully manifested in this world in this dark age of Kali by His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. And for that reason he has tried to inspire by his example by his instructions that same desire within all of us to simply convince people that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Those who have not followed that path although they may be mother, for instance Bharat Maharaj his mother tried to dissuade him or tried to encourage him to take over the position of Lord Ramachandra. But he rejected his mother because of that. Sukracarya he was acting as the spiritual master but he was not encouraging Bali Maharaj to surrender to Krishna to Lord Vamanadeva and therefore Lord Vamanadeva did not obey him. Similarly we have those who have been fathers, mothers, demigods, worshipable spiritual masters, husbands, but unless they try to instruct their followers, their disciples, their dependents, on how to surrender to Krishna then it is not very fruitful to follow their instructions. And what are those instructions ultimately meant for?

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te (BG 10.10)

As it says here this very verse priti purvakam not only to follow the instructions but to follow them with great pleasure and enthusiasm. What is the definition of enthusiasm? Endeavors executed with intelligence in Krishna consciousness is called enthusiasm. And what is that endeavor? That actually everything in this material world is meant for the service of Krishna, everything is meant for Krishna’s pleasure. That is actually the sankirtana movement. And what is that pleasure? Krishna says

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah (BG 10.8)

How can you possibly conceive of who is actually Krishna? How can you imagine someone with unlimited beauty, unlimited strength, unlimited fame, unlimited wealth, unlimited renunciation? But we can hear about Him. We can hear about the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and understand something about the Supreme Lord’s unlimited renunciation. You can hear Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavana how the lakes, the trees, the cows the deer the Gopis everyone and everything was attracted to Krishna. We can hear Bhagavad-gita and learn about Krishna’s unlimited knowledge.

mac-citta mad-gata-prana bodhayantah parasparam kathayantas ca mam nityam tushyanti ca ramanti ca (BG 10.9)

So from the very beginning to the very perfectional level it is the same process. What is that process? Simply try understand about Krishna. Try to accept that He actually is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the goal of life is to hear from Krishna and from His representatives.

Srila Prabhupada has given us a big, big mission, that’s called the sankirtana movement. Krishna is not present here but He came five hundred years ago as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So five hundred years ago Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed us how to manifest the rasa dance in this world, how to manifest, practically speaking, Krishna’s pastimes in this world of Kaliyuga.

There is absolutely no difference between the rasa dance and the sankirtana movement. When the devotees who are chanting and dancing in ecstasy they are actually engaged in the rasa dance with Krishna. When they are distributing books to the conditioned souls they are actually acting in the same mood as the Gopis trying to bring other Krishna’s servants to please Krishna. When the devotees are taking prasadam it is equally good as if we were in Vrindavana, as if our consciousness it there with Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Vrindavana.

It is equally as good depending upon our consciousness so therefore in the beginning although we may be engaged in these activities still there is tusyanti there is satisfaction, we are doing the right thing. We are actually engaged in Krishna’s pastimes we are actually with Krishna and His devotees and then as we actually gradually accept this process, as we gradually accept that we are not only Krishna’s servant but we are actually the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna.

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krishna-upadesa amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ei desa (CC Madhya 7.128)

That Krishna He wants every one of us to go back to the spiritual world to be with Him. And He wants each one of us to become an instrument in that service in that mission. We may have a book distributor who goes out not very much sure exactly what they are doing, people are telling them to get a job, go home. Like Narada Muni told Dhruva Maharaj ‘Go home.’ Dhruva Maharaj did not listen. If the book distributor goes out stays there with determination, suffers

tat te ‘nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam (BG 10.14.8)

Why do we suffer? We are only suffering because we don’t know understand that everyone is Krishna’s eternal servant. Not a blade of grass is moving in this world without Krishna’s desire. So here is a question. We are there on book distribution, we are there preaching, we are there doing service; why do we find ourselves in so much difficulties at times? What is the ultimate difficulty?

Prahlada Maharaja says that there is no actually enemy in this world except for the uncontrolled mind. “For those who can see Me everywhere and can see everything in Me I am never lost to him nor is he ever lost to Me.” So why don’t we see Krishna everywhere? Why do we not see everything in Krishna? Why are we forgetful? So Krishna says is it My fault? Many people blame Krishna.

One devotee approached Prabhupada and said “Prabhupada, everyone is criticizing me.” Prabhupada said, “Well they criticized Caitanya Mahaprabhu also.” The devotee said, “You don’t understand they are criticizing me.” Prabhupada said, “No they also criticized Caitanya Mahaprabu.” He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and still they are criticizing Him. God comes and many people all they do is criticize Him calling Him a thief, calling Him a debauchee, calling Him a killer, murderer.

As I said last year He was born in a jail, His parents were criminals, He fled, He grew up and because of that criminal tendency His nurse (Putana) came and He killed her. (laughter) A long list of the problems He caused to the other living entities. He became a thief at an early age and collected a mafia in Vrindavana. (laughter) Finally the king called Him trying to bring justice to the kingdom but He continued His line of killing. An elephant was sent to greet Him, killing wrestlers and then killing the king himself and then whole list of things. One can criticize Krsna book if you have that attitude. But Krishna says

nadatte kasyacit papam na caiva sukrtam vibhuh (BG 5.15)

I am actually not responsible. I am simply fulfilling whatever desires the conditioned soul has. I am sitting there, yes, I am watching it but I am sitting there in the heart watching everything that’s going on but I am sitting as a neutral.

Now what is actually our problem. Due to the fact that since time immemorial we have tried to imitate Krishna therefore so many desires have been accumulated and they are passing through our minds and along with those desires as they cover our consciousness, they cover our intelligence also. Therefore we don’t see things properly, we don’t understand things properly, we don’t feel things properly and therefore we don’t do things properly.

And on top of that we think we are perfect, powerful, happy. “I have so many assets, I have so many things going for me and anyone who criticizes me that’s because they are envious. And I never reveal my glories to the envious. (laughter) They are covered by my enviousness (?) or Krishna covers them because it is a partnership between me and Him.”

No, in the beginning we have to understand what are the desires. What are the desires in Krishna consciousness and what are the other desires, spiritual desires, the desires coming from Krishna, the desires coming from Krishna through His line of disciplic succession. If we can understand those desires and if we can understand the other desires then we can actually orient ourselves properly.

And what is the symptoms of proper orientation? That automatically causes knowledge, and detachment will develop. And what is that knowledge? In the beginning it is the realization “why do I have to force my will on this world? Yes I see things in a certain way, yes I have a certain conviction, yes I have certain feelings but am I really the Absolute who actually knows everything perfectly? Should I actually take the Supersoul’s place because He is asleep? I see exactly what should go on, I know within my heart I am good person and I really have the best interest of everyone but the problem is they don’t listen to me. They don’t recognize me, if they’d only follow my instructions everything would be perfect.”

Are we really on that platform that our will should become supreme, that we should impose our will on other people or even other devotees? Or are we also subjected to the modes of material nature and although we may understand something about Krishna consciousness, although we may have some realizations that we want to share with others, although we may have some desire to help the the conditioned souls can come back to the spiritual world, but can we do that independently? Can we do that with full conviction, that I am better than everyone else? Or do we have to work cooperatively in the sankirtana movement?

So therefore Krishna came, He displayed His pastimes in this world, He wants His pastimes to be all over the world not only in Vrindavana. He wants Vrindavana everywhere. And therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu came five hundred years ago to show how to bring Vrindavana everywhere. Although He did not travel outside of India but Sri Advaita Acarya said, “My dear Caitanya Mahaprabhu wherever You are that’s Vrindavana.” So our business is to bring Caitanya Mahaprabhu everywhere.

But who actually brought Caitanya Mahabrabhu everwhere? That’s Srila Prabhupada! Our Srila Prabhupada! He went all over the world and he brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu everywhere. So if we want to follow Krishna’s orders and if we want to follow Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s orders, then we have to follow Prabhupada’s example through Prabhupada’s orders how to spread Krishna consciousness everywhere.

And what is that method he gave us and what is he trying to achieve? He is trying to simply convince people that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that Krishna is the owner of everything. Krishna, whether you say Krishna or God or Jehovah or Allah, Krishna is the owner of everything in this world and everything is meant for His pleasure. And He is actually the well-wisher and friend of everyone.

So what are the weapons that Prabhupada gave us? First of all Prabhupada formed a society- The International Society of Krishna Consciousness. And he promised that he will be in the society for at least as long as there are as followers. Prabhupada said ‘I will live in my books and my followers will live with me.’

He will live in his instructions and those who follow his instructions will live with Prabhupada. But Prabhupada is not alone just like a king is not alone. He is with all his confidential servants and associates. So Prabhupada is not living alone, he is also living with his confidential servants ands associates. If we want to serve Srila Prabhupada then we will also have to please them. Even we may think they are not elevated, as elevated as Srila Prabhupada, but Prabhupada used to say “you love me you love my dog”. Not that his servants arei anyhow we’d love to become Prabhupada’s dog. Even Krishna has a dog in Goloka Vrindavana.

So we have to become servant and what is the mission? How to convince people that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What did Prabhupada stress above everything else? Not only chanting Hare Krishna as part of our sadhana. That he wanted us to do as a basic principle and then become qualified to participate in the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And what is that mission? Prabhupada said it is a cultural revolution. It’s a cultural revolution, a crusade. What kind of crusade? Of dioramas, drama or music or concerts, everything and everyone utilizing their talents in the service of Krishna. See every opportunity to utilize all his energy to dovetail it in the sankirtana movement, in the chanting the Holy names.

So when we are chanting Hare Krishna it is not an ordinary chanting of Hare Krishna. We are not only eventually going to remember Krishna and Srimati Radharani when we are chanting Hare Krishna, but we are also going to remember Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His pastimes. And not only are we going to remember Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His pastimes but eventually we are also going to remember Srila Prabhupada and his pastimes.

We are calling out to Lord Krishna to engage us in His loving service, we are calling out to Srimati Radharani to engage us in Her loving service, but that loving service is the sankirtana movement as brought to us by Srila Prabhupada. That is the ISKCON movement, that we are calling out to Krishna and Srimati Radharani to not only engage in the society but engage in a loving way, in a loving reciprocation with our Godbrothers, Godsisters, Godnephews, with everyone in this movement, to engage in our loving service to Srila Prabhupada and engage in a loving way with all the devotees who are in different levels of spiritual attainment.

To learn that knowledge as to how to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions so that we learn how to cooperate in a unified way, appreciate the qualities of the devotees. Develop love for them and appreciation, cooperation so we get the strength, the determination, the conviction, and the vision how to convince the others who are innocent that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Utilize everyone’s talent whoever they may be to join people together within the society first with love and devotion and then the innocent.

In that way not only unite our society with love and affection all the members, to learn the art of loving exchanges within our society but then to extend it to all the Gaudiyas to unite them together all with this focus that Krishna is God. We can put aside our differences but we must conquer the world for Krishna. That’s the vision that Srila Prabhuapda had. Forget about all these other things but conquer the world for Krishna then you can fight afterwards if you want to.

Now why just unite the Gaudiyas, unite all the Hindus together, unite anyone who believes in Krishna. Let them join the revolution, the cultural conquest. And why just the Hindus, anyone who is religious, let them be convinced that there is a God and we should utilize our energies to please Him to glorify Him. So we can unite together in that principle then it is much easier to put aside our differences. Then Srila Prabhupada will be pleased. He will reveal to us all our great acaryas and their mission. Our great acaryas will introduce us to the six Goswamis. The six Goswamis will introduce us to the Panca tattva. The Panca tattva will introduce us specifically to Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is feeling separation from Radha and Krishna in Vrindavana.

And if we fully engage our energies with as it says here with great pleasure and with great faith, with great determination, with great steadiness, the more we do that then the more we can enter Vrindavana with the ecstatic feelings of separation as given to us by Caitanya Mahaprabhu His exalted followers such as Srila Prabhupada and His faithful followers too.

Thank you very much! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Are there any questions?

Devotee: . . . good qualities of the Practeas how exalted they were, gentle and they followed the order of their father. But coming out of the water the first thing they did was they destroyed all the trees growing out there. They seemed to be very angry, their frustration, their mystic power of some kind. So much so that.. stop. So I am always confused about the praising of their good qualities and this destruction of the trees. Is that a manifestation of some kind of good quality, I don’t understand why the anger and burning of trees.

Maharaj: As far as I can remember the trees were interfering with the ability of the residents to get proper nourishment. So it became a question of priority – to protect the citizens or to protect the trees. The Pracetas as far as I remember they decided to protect the citizens. So sometimes someone has to make priority. It’s not that the Pracetas came out of the water and thought well now we have got we wanted after so many years. .. it was there duty. And they performed it. We don’t know, it is not explained their consciousness but we understand they are pure devotees and therefore their consciousness was not out of envy or . . . but was their duty if not out of service.

Devotee: You mentioned the example of Dhruva Maharaja who rejected the order of the spiritual master to go home? Yet even he did and even though his motivation was wrong to be bigger than Brahma he attained ultimate spiritual perfection. Can you comment please?

Maharaj: I didn’t mention Dhruva Maharaj. I mentioned only Bharat Maharaj and Bali Maharaj. Dhruva Maharaj is a little different. Narada Muni appeared there and Dhruva Maharaj said you know I want a kingdom greater than my great grandfather.

And Narada Muni to test him said why don’t you go home? You are too young. When you get older you can come back and then you can actually take up self realization, but Dhruva Maharaj said no I am going to stay here, if anyone wants to go home you go home, I’ll stay here. But that was just testing his disciple.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaj: if you can reconcile. I just came from Kenya from interfaith conferences and lead marches for chanting Hare Krishnaiwe were telling people they should get along and we asked them to forgive each other. Why do we sometimes have a hard time forgiving factions of devoteesinothing even close to that.

Maharaj: Devotional service is a gradual process. I remember when I first joined we had two brothers in the movement they used to fight quite a bit. And I used to go, at that time they were living in 61 Second Avenue. I was wondering about that till Prabhupada said one day that they are just like two pups in the same litter fighting with each other. So our fighting is a little different. Even in fourth canto, I think Bhaktivaibhava Maharaj read that verse in his class, it says that our fighting is not ordinary fighting sometimes if the basis is to please Krishna. There may be disagreements at times. We may disagree how to please Krishna but because Krishna is the basis, the center, therefore it is not ordinary fighting, it is actually spiritual. If we are fighting out of envy then Krishna will help us or maya will help us. But these are not ordinary, devotees activities.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaj: what should be our attitude when we are the object of criticism?

Maharaj: Who are ‘we’? Well if you know who you are and the person is so elevated that he can actually criticize you, who you really are, then it will be quite blissful. Now if you take off your shirt and everyone who walks by says Bad shirt! Bad shirt! Will you fell offended?

So when people criticize us who are they actually criticizing? Do they actually know who we are? Do we know who we are? So then if they actually, they are criticizing our shirt or our dress whatever we have on why should we take it seriously? And if we take it seriously that’s what is serious, that’s the problem. Otherwise there is no problem, so then we should understand we have a problem. ?? And they are very kind to us because they are pointing out so if we can tolerate that, we can understand that properly, then they are helping us overcome birth and death. Because at the time of death when maya comes and drags this body, drag us out of the body, we are going to have to have a lot of tolerance to remember Krishna at that time.

So these people are being merciful to me they are showing me what I have to work on and if I work on that sincerely they become my guru. They have taught me how to overcome birth and death. Who is going to say oh! Such a good body I have, look at my blood and skin and whatever else I have, how can I possibly not love it? If I peel the skin that one inch then you will appreciate it.

What we are disturbed about is not that they are attacking our body not that they are attacking our appearance, not that they are attacking our feelings, but they are attacking our false ego, they are attacking my idea that I am something special that everyone should love me.

Once we feel that then it becomes intolerable. We want to be loved and appreciated Maybe we should learn from them, maybe because after all we dasa dasa anudasa. Especially if it is a devotee maybe it is something we can correct so that they will actually develop some love and appreciation from us. And we will be able to serve them better.

So it’s an opportunity to hear from them to learn from them how we can act in a way that we can serve them better. And if we can serve them better and they love and appreciate us more then we’ll actually be doing our duty to them. Not us, Nimitta matra bhava sabhysachin, that we can act as instruments, surrender more that they will love and appreciate Krishna more. Because if we become an instrument of Krishna what they will actually see, what they will actually love, what they will actually appreciate, is not ourselves, its actually Krishna.

Thank you very much! Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Gaura Premanande Hari Hari Bol!

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Lecture – SB 3.13.1-3 Jay Jay The Body

SB 03.13.01-3 Jay Jay The Body 2008-02-27

Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.13.1-3 Jay Jay The Body 2008-02-27 Mayapur

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Lecture & Transcription – SB 3.13.9 The First Quality Is Submission

Date: March 2nd, 2009

Download: SB 03.13.09 The First Quality Is Submission 2008-03-02
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.13.9
brahmovaca
pritas tubhyam aham tata svasti stad vam ksitisvara
yan nirvyalikena hrda sadhi mety atmanarpitam

TRANSLATION: Lord Brahma said: My dear son, O lord of the world, I am very pleased with you, and I desire all blessings for both you and your wife. You have without reservation surrendered yourself unto me with your heart for my instructions.

PURPORT: The relationship between the father and the son is always sublime. The father is naturally disposed with good will towards the son, and he is always ready to help the son in his progress in life. But in spite of the father’s good will, the son is sometimes misguided because of his misuse of personal independence. Every living entity, however small or big he may be, has the choice of independence. If the son is unreservedly willing to be guided by the father, the father is ten times more eager to instruct and guide him by all means. The father and son relationship as exhibited here in the dealings of Brahma and Manu is excellent. Both the father and the son are well qualified, and their example should be followed by all humankind. Manu, the son, unreservedly asked the father, Brahma, to instruct him, and the father, who was full of Vedic wisdom, was very glad to instruct. The example of the father of mankind may be rigidly followed by mankind, and that will advance the cause of the relationship of fathers and sons.

Prahladananda Swami: Here is an example of a proper relationship between a father and a son, that a relationship between a father and son is not meant for sense gratification. All relationships are ultimately meant to develop our relationship with the original father, Lord Krsna, who says in Bhagavad-gita:

sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita

It should be understood that all living take birth in this world and that I am the original father. In other words, it appears to us that we have relationships with many living entities, but while we are relating with any living entity, behind every relationship; is our relationship with Lord Krsna. We cannot avoid a relationship with Lord Krsna. That relationship is eternal, as Krsna says:

mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah manah-sasthanindriyani prakati-sthani karsati

The living entities in this material world are mamivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah, they are all my parts and parcels eternally, although presently we are all struggling with material existence, namely with this material body. Therefore, in relation to this body, we form so many other relationships. Those relationships are not false, they are in relation to this body, but unless we understand properly our relationship with this body, unless we understand properly our relationship with the Supreme Lord, who is within the body, then we don’t actually understand properly our relationships with everyone else who are in relation with the body.

As I have mentioned before, but it is always worthwhile to mention again for those who have not heard it, it is not that at any point that we ourselves as souls cease to become devotees. We are eternally devotees it is only a question of who or what we want to devote our energies to. It is only a question of who or what we want to give our love to. In the material concept of life, we take this body as our most beloved deity.

As I have said before many times, we wake up in the morning, we look in the mirror, and immediately we become curious after seeing the image within the mirror. We ask the image within the mirror “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the greatest of them all?” [Laughter] And at once, without any doubt or hesitation, we receive the message coming in our heart from the mirror on the wall that by good fortune and pious activities of many, many lifetimes, you have achieved the ultimate goal of life, having darshan of the supreme deity in the mirror. [Laughter]

Being convinced, being enthused by the message received within our heart, we vow to render unalloyed, uninterrupted service, twenty-five hours a day to the deity within our heart and the mirror. Fulfilling our vows, we perform abhiseka to our deity as part of our sadhana. Namely, we take a shower if we are a little pious. [Laughter] We decorate the deity, we clothe the deity, we make the deity smell nicely for other worshipers so that they can appreciate the deity. [Laughter] We offer all kinds of nice food to the deity, as much as within our means to serve the deity. We pray to the deity, the fire of digestion within the heart, its expansion, to please accept our offering and distribute it throughout the body, the other parts and parcels of the deity. And then we go out into the world, on sankirtan, to spread the glories of the deity all over the world. [Laughter]

This is also one conception of life, but it is not a complete conception of life. Unfortunately, in modern society, we don’t have the proper training, generally speaking, from our biological parents, what is this body, what are their bodies, what is everyone in this material world, how to see things properly. Without understanding the root, where everything is coming from, without understanding the purpose behind everything, it is very difficult to understand how to relate to the rest of the, well, in this example:

yatha taror mala-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah

That just like if one waters the root of the tree, naturally the water goes to all the leaves and branches. Or by supplying food to the stomach, naturally the food goes to all the different parts of the body. In the same way, by serving the root of the creation, namely Krsna, we have a relationship as son and father. By engaging in that relationship, then naturally we understand how to properly relate ourselves to all other living entities. If we do not understand our relationship with the father, how is it possible to understand our relationship with our brothers and sisters? If we don’t know who our father is, how do we know who our brothers and sisters are? If we don’t know who the original father is, how will we know that in reality, every living entity is our brother and sister.

Therefore the spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, that is his message, that all living entities are part and parcel of Krsna and we have to learn how to serve Krsna while simultaneously serving all living entities within this material existence. Therefore it is said:

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah

The first quality is submission. Anyone who is taking the goal of life to become more and more powerful in the material world, they cannot be submissive to one who is surrendered to Krsna. It is said:

dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajano yena gatah sa panthah

That if we want to understand reality:

tarko ‘pratisthah srutayo vibhinna

It is very difficult simply by arguing. Kali-yuga is the yuga everyone is trained up how to become expert at arguing. Ultimately the essence of the argument is, “I say I’m the best and you say I’m not. There’s something wrong with you, but I forgive you because I’m a devotee. [Laughter] I simply have to educate you somehow or other what is reality. If you don’t understand who I am, then how will you understand everything else? But I am very patient. I will try many different ways. I will try not to get angry. Even if I get angry at you for not understanding reality, don’t worry, it is simply mercy.” [Laughter]

That is the essence of the argument: “I am the Lord, but I try to be benevolent to all my creation. Everyone has come to the material world to acquire this mood of being the lord of material creation, and in this way, learning how to be happy here in the material world. Unfortunately, there are some living entities who have not realized the truth. And my mission is to help them life after life until they finally realize who is the supreme, namely, me.”

Therefore everyone thinks, “Everyone should humbly approach me and when people humbly approach me, I feel good to them. My job is to help others realize that they should humbly approach me, but I should not degrade myself by coming to the platform of becoming too humble in relation to others.”

Therefore with such a mentality, it is very hard to become submissive. And what to speak of someone who is giving the message that ultimately I am not God. If someone is giving the message, “My dear sir, it is hard to see through your effulgence, I realize that, but somehow or other, I have realized that behind the effulgence, I am seeing God, therefore let me offer my respects to you, O Supreme. I realize that you are God, but I am trying to help you realize that you are God. For a small price, I can help you realize that you are God, fifty dollars in three months.”

But if someone comes with the message, “My dear sir, you are one-ten thousandth the tip of a hair in size and you are not getting any bigger. [Laughter] There is no health food that I have. There is no mantra that I can give you. There is nothing that I can give you. The only thing I can do is help you realize that you are one-ten thousandth the tip of a hair in size.”

As you’ve probably heard the story before, one time, our eternal father within this movement, Srila Prabhupada, was telling one of his sons in Los Angeles. This particular devotee was a Temple Commander in one of the biggest temples we had in the movement at that time, 1968. There were at least twenty devotees in the temple. It was a maha big temple. [Laughter] He said, “My dear son, in the spiritual world there is one planet called Goloka Vrindavan. It is infinite. It is so infinite that all the other infinite planets known as Vaikuntha planets, they can all fit into that infinite Goloka Vrindavan.

“And in that infinite spiritual world, sometimes there is a cloud that forms. It is so small that no one even thinks that it is going to rain. They hardly even notice it. And in that cloud that forms, the Supreme Lord in the form of Karanodakasayi Visnu expands himself . He rests there in the Karana Ocean, the Causal Ocean, and from his body unlimited universes emanate, more universes than there are grains of sand on the beach.

“And in one universe out of all those practically unlimited universes, the Supreme Lord has expanded himself as Garbhodakasayi Visnu as he has expanded himself in all the universes. He is lying down in the Garbhodaka Ocean. From his navel sprouts a lotus flower and the smallest Brahma of all the universes is born with four heads. In that lotus flower, there are unlimited planets that he creates. One of those planets, which is floating like a little speck of dust in the air, one of those little planets is called the Earth planet. On the Earth planet there are so many continents, one of which is North America. In North America, there is one state called California, in which there is one city called Los Angeles. In Los Angeles there is one street called La Cienaga Boulevard. On that street is one house. In that house is temple. In that temple there is one devotee. He is the Temple Commander and he thinks he is controlling everything.” [Laughter]

The original father comes to teach us that he is:

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah

That he is the source of everything. Everything is flowing from him. The wise who know that worship him with all their hearts. And what happens after that?

mac-citta mad-gata-prana bodhayantah parasparam kathayantas ca mam nityam tusyanti ca ramanti ca

The devotees who discuss that science of how to love Krsna, how to love everyone and everything in relation to Krsna, they learn not only to become more humble, seeing how great Krsna is, but more transcendentally, discrimination how to please Krsna, how to love Krsna in all his different forms. It is not that we are fanning Krsna with one hand and stepping on Krsna’s foot with the other. We have to love Krsna in the form of his Deity, in the form of his books, in the form of his devotees, even in the form of the Supersoul who is residing in the hearts of all living entities, in the form of his energies.

The spiritual master teaches us how to recognize Krsna within everything and how to properly act in such a way as to advance, especially in this world, love of Krsna, awareness of Krsna within the hearts of all living entities. How to become nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin, not to think ourselves to be the Lord, but to always feel ourselves to be the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. And that representative of Krsna who teaches us how to become the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna is known as the spiritual master. He imparts the Vedic knowledge to us. The ultimate Vedic knowledge is how to see Krsna, how to love Krsna, how to serve Krsna, how to glorify Krsna. Krsna will reciprocate with us according to how we serve his devotees coming in that succession. What is the proof? What is the criteria by which Krsna reciprocates with us?

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

Just like one time I was sitting, Srila Prabhupada talking to another devotee and myself in Buffalo, it was 1969, for hours. I was at the University of Buffalo in New York. I had the good fortune, I had classes in the afternoon, I would come sometimes and sit with Srila Prabhupada while he was preaching to guests or devotees or myself for sometimes two or three hours a day. One day I was getting a little bored. Srila Prabhupada was preaching and he mentioned many, many things out how we should deal with devotees, how to become Krsna consciousness. For instance, every ten minutes or twenty minutes, Prabhupada would stop and pick up his beadbag. He told us, “If you have any extra time, then pick up your beadbag and chant:

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Then my mind was wandering a little bit, or a lot, and because before I came to the movement I was practicing hatha yoga sometimes up to eight hours a day, I was sitting there, I had read some books, I was trying to figure out how to dissolve clouds in the sky, etc. So while I was sitting there, Prabhupada was talking to me and another devotee, I thought, “Let me see what Prabhupada’s aura looks like.” I started to meditate on Prabhupada’s aura, and immediately, Prabhupada looked at me and said, “Our process is not mystic yoga, [laughter] our process is bhakti.”

“Oh, OK.”

bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah tato mam tattvato jnatva visate tad-anantaram

If one wants to enter into Krsna consciousness, whatever discrimination we have, we have to learn from the devotee how to infuse bhakti, love, service, with that discrimination. Nor should we simply love the devotees and not know how to properly serve them, how to have proper discrimination. That depends up on relying on the Supersoul within our heart. That knowledge of how to rely on the Supersoul within the heart, that sadhana, that knowledge is given to us by the devotee coming in disciplic succession.

Srila Prabhupada has given us so many techniques, especially the five important techniques how to love Krsna, how to serve Krsna, to worship the Deities, to serve the devotees, to chant the holy name, to read Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, to live in a holy place, and to make the world into a holy place. Unless we are engaged in those activities, unless we are engaged in the activities of yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. Unless we’re engaged in the activity to spread Krsna consciousness, our awareness of Krsna, our love for Krsna, our Krsna consciousness will always remain incomplete.

One time Srila Prabhupada wrote to me, as I’ve said before, I was trying to find out different realms of transcendental awareness, how to understand and how to come to higher levels of bhakti, ruci, prema, etc. Srila Prabhupada wrote to me and in the letter he tried to inspire me to go out on Harinam. This was in 1969. We were just starting Harinam, a little Bhagavad-gita book distribution on the streets. At the end of the letter he wrote to me, “The boys and girls in your country are generally good souls. That is why they have taken birth in such a nice country, that in New York in just two weeks they distributed three thousand Back to Godheads. I have heard that in Buffalo also you are distributing Back to Godhead very nicely.” Then he also mentioned, “In San Francisco we have just had Ratha-yatra and ten thousand boys and girls were chanting and dancing in full ecstasy. Please continue in this way and as Krsna sees that you are seriously trying to help bring his other children back to the spiritual kingdom, then he will bestow all his blessings upon you. Krsna is never ungrateful for our efforts to serve him, rest assured.”

This does not mean that only we should go outside and preach. This means especially we should go outside and preach to the innocent, but we should also act in such, as to the best of our ability, in relation to the devotees, we become their servant. We learn how to see the devotees as servants of Krsna, the higher devotees, those who have more realization of Krsna than ourselves, those who are equal, and those who are less advanced than we are, how to see them as our masters, as our prabhu, not as our das, how to pray to Krsna for the intelligence how to act, how to speak in such a way that we are appropriately servants of all the devotees, higher, equal or lower. In such a way that Krsna and the previous acaryas become pleased with us and therefore we are able to attain their mercy, the intelligence to understand things properly, and the love to feel things in Krsna consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada once explained that even the topmost devotee who sees everything clearly, how does he see things, even when he’s taking the position of a spiritual teacher or a spiritual mater. In one lecture in Vrindavan in 1972, Srila Prabhupada is explaining how a devotee sees other devotees. He said a devotee, even the spiritual master, he understands that whatever knowledge about Krsna he has, it is coming by the mercy of his spiritual master and Krsna. He has no independent knowledge of Krsna other than that received by the mercy of his spiritual master and Krsna.

When he gives instructions to those who are his disciples, he understands, “I am simply an instrument, that knowledge is coming down in the disciplic succession.” When he sees his disciples following out those instructions, he learns from them how to become a better servant of his spiritual master. In that way he takes his disciples as his teacher.

In other words, we have to study Srila Prabhupada’s books. We have to hear from those who have more realization about Krsna consciousness than us, learn how to hear from everyone, especially the devotees, in such way that we become more and more humble. We realize that we are actually dealing with Krsna. We are not simply dealing with our material conceptions, whatever our material conception may be.

There we see superiors and we pray to them to help us advance to become a superior. We see our equals and we compete with them to become a superior. We see our inferiors and we try to push them down so they do not become competitors to us in our struggle to ultimately become divine incarnations of something. Instead we see every opportunity, a spiritual master like Srila Prabhupada or others who follow in their footsteps teach us how to see every opportunity as an opportunity to become more and more humble, to see more and more clearly that we are dealing with Krsna.

When Srila Prabhupada was installing Rukmini-Dvarakadisa in Los Angeles, he mentioned that Sanatana Goswami was talking to his Deity, Madan-mohan. Madan-mohan, before he had come to live with Sanatana Goswami, he was living in a very nice brahmana’s house getting very nice prasadam every day, but before he had come to live with Sanatana Goswami, Sanatana Goswami had given a disclaimer to Madan-mohan. He told Madan-mohan,” I am very poor. I do not have a nice house. I cannot give you nice food. If you want to come, it is up to you.

Madan-mohan more or less said, “All right, I will take my chances.” Lo and behold, he came to live with Sanatana Goswami and much to his surprise, his house was now on a branch of a tree. He thought, “All right, at least the prasadam should be all right.” Unfortunately, Sanatana Goswami would go beg every day and he would bring back one or two pieces of bread, rotis. He was offering these pieces of bread to Madan-mohan. One day, Madan-mohan, he more or less had it. Or as they say in English, he cracked. [Laughter] He said, “Sanatana Goswami, I came to live with you. I’m on a tree, my God, a tree. [Laughter] I said I’d accept whatever you gave me, but please, couldn’t you give me a little salt with the piece of bread?”

Sanatana Goswami more or less said, “Now you are asking for salt, next you will ask for sweets. [Laughter] What can I do? I am a poor man. I can hardly move. Please, out of love I am offering you whatever I have. Kindly accept it.” Srila Prabhupada said that Madan-mohan had to accept it because it was offered with so much love and devotion. He had no choice He was overwhelmed with Sanatana Goswami’s devotion.

Then Srila Prabhupada said, “But what is your qualification? What is the qualification of the things you have?” He said, “It’s nothing. The real thing is bhakti. ‘Krsna kindly accept. I have no devotion. I am rotten and I am fallen, but I am offering you these things’.” Then Srila Prabhupada started to cry. He said, “That will do. Don’t be puffed up. Always remember that you are dealing with Krsna. That is my advice to you. Thank you.”

So whether it is the Deity, or the Ddeity in everyone’s heart, we have been trained up by such an exalted personality as Srila Prabhupada and by those that follow Srila Prabhupada how to see the Deity in everyone’s heart, how to see the Deity in the books, how to see the Deity on the altar, how to see the Deity in the holy places, how to see the Deity in the association of the devotees so that we don’t become puffed up. We always learn how to love Krsna, and in that way, become empowered to spread Krsna consciousness as Srila Prabhupada desires.

Thank you. [Applause] There’s no time for questions, unfortunately.

Hare Krsna. Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Grantha-raja Srimad-Bhagavatam ki jai! Gaura premanande. . . haribol!

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