Participants:
PrabhupādaAfrican man (6)BrahmānandaCyavanaDevoteeDevotee (1)Devotee (10)Devotee (2)Devotee (5)Devotee (7)Devotee (8)Devotee (9)HarikeśaIndian lady (3)Indian man (4)Indian man (6)Jñāna
Prabhupāda: ...brain.
Brahmānanda: That's an accident. That's an accident.
Prabhupāda: Accident. All accidents make symmetrically so beautiful.
Harikeśa: Well, in the beginning only it was an accident. Then it became regular, after that first accident.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So in the beginning let us kick. [laughter] Then things will be all right.
[break] ...Bhagavad-gītā says in the beginning? Hmm? What is the beginning?
Brahmānanda: Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4].
Prabhupāda: Ah. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg. 7.10], very good. Thank you very much. All these plants begins from the seed. That seed... Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the seed." So how it is accident? Every plant has got a particular type of seed. You cannot change it. You take two seeds: it will grow as it is; it will grow as it is. Not that by accident it will grow like this and it will grow like this. No. Rose seed will grow rose tree, and mango seed will grow mangoes. Where is accident? The seed is there. Simply rascals.
Harikeśa: It's an accident where the seed falls.
Prabhupāda: Then you are great scientist. Let me kick on your face. [laughter]
Devotee (1): What about cross-breeding, when they change the...? Cross-breeding. It appears as if...
Prabhupāda: That is not accident, cross-breeding. You arrange for that.
Devotee (1): But they change the original seed.
Prabhupāda: Then what is that? That is not accident. You are doing that. How you say it is accident? Why do you put this rascal question? As you are doing otherwise, it is coming otherwise. How you can say it is accident? Accident means nobody interferes, it comes. That is accident.
Harikeśa: Well, it may not be an accident, but it proves how we're becoming superior to the nature. We can control it. More and more, every day we're controlling.
Prabhupāda: How you can become superior? Nature has already given you, and then you are able to act. Where is your superiority? Huh?
Devotee (2): That is a good point. [break]
Prabhupāda: ...given by God. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanam [Bg. 15.15]. You have no intelligence even, so that is given by God. [Hindi with lady] Let them become devotees. Why these old men, they are not coming? They are still after money? Amara ajñaya guru hana tara ei deśa [Madhya 7.128], Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. So you have come to this country. Do something good for these Africans. Let them become devotee. Where is that attempt? The white men, they also came to exploit them, and you have also come to exploit them. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "No—para upakara." Upakara kara. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... They are not so advanced; make them advanced. That is real cooperation. [Hindi with lady] [break] Just like every one of them is attached to remain in Africa, continuing to... But they are being forcefully driven away: "Go away." Attachment must be there. The Englishmen, they have got attachment, but they were forcefully driven away. Similarly, this conditioned soul, he has got attachment. And śāstra and śastra... These people were driven away by śastra, by weapon, knife. That is śastra. And śāstra is the same thing, but it is books. Therefore it is called śāstra. The original word is coming from śas. Śas means ruling, śas-dhātu. Śāstra, śastra, śāsana, śisya. Śisya. Śisya means voluntarily accepting ruling. That is called śisya. The word is the same, śas. From śas, śisya. From śas, śāstra. From śas, śastra. From śas, śāsana. These are. So sometimes by force, sometimes by voluntarily... So just like guru-śisya. The guru, he gives enlightenment, and śisya voluntarily accepts. That is guru-śisya. Similarly śastra means weapon: "If you don't follow, then I shall cut your throat." Similarly śāstra.
So śāstra says that "Now you must leave your family life." That is called vānaprastha. So that is not being carried out, although the śāstra injunction is there. Brahmacari, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So brahmacārī is the beginning of life, how to become controlled life. Then he is allowed the concession for sense gratification. This is gṛhastha. Then śāstra says, "Now you have done up to fifty years. Now get out." But nobody is following. They are not prepared to get out unless death forces to get out. That Kṛṣṇa does. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg. 10.34]. He is not willing. He has got attachment. He doesn't want. Then, at last, Kṛṣṇa comes as death: "Now get out." Kick out. "Oh, I have got so many things. I have got my sons, daughters, and this, that." "Get out. No question." And whatever you have accumulated, that is forfeit. That's all. The same process, just Africa government: "Get out." And what you have attained? [indistinct] All taken away. The same śāstra, śis, śas-dhātu.
Indian lady (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am very surprised. I'm not born in India but I born in Africa. But why this culture I had in my heart from the start even? Forty-five years, that time was my... Forty years. And I only see my husband also. So I will give you service in this for fifty years. As you'll need any service from me, you take from me. Only...
Prabhupāda: That means in your previous life you were in these activities. That comes. That dictates, "Now do it." So even though you became woman, still, that instinct was there. You had it done in your previous life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
Brahmānanda: Yoga-bhraṣṭo.
Indian lady (3): I was waiting to decide, but I thinking, "How I go to see Kṛṣṇa?"
Prabhupāda: Śucinām śrīmatāṁ gehe [Bg. 6.41]. What is that?
Indian lady (3): So you come in my life. Before that time I was only forty-eight years.
Prabhupāda: So now the older section of the Indians, they should give up their family life and live in this temple, cultivate this spiritual life and preach. You see? There will be very nice relationship.
Indian lady (3): Everyone, every state, this is true. Sometimes I go to preaching. I not looking "Asian" or such and such. Anyone I go to also preach—African [indistinct].
Prabhupāda: We are all part and parcel of God. The outward dress only makes difference that "I am African," "I am Indian," "I am this." Paṇḍitaḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg. 5.18]. Therefore one who is learned, he does not make that difference. That is accidental, that by... You can say acci... That is also not accidental, but some way or other, it has become so. The dress is different. But our movement is not with the dress but with the living being who has the dress. This is movement. Our, this is completely spiritual movement.
Indian man (4): Many intelligent people in Africa, they are taking it very seriously. We have one professor, Entenjania Danisanjunibristi. He's a very young boy. So he bought your Bhagavad-gītā, and Bhāgavat dāsa was there. So he took all the picture out, all the picture, and he framed. I have seen in the room. He put all the pictures in his room. Then he was writing me from a long time. He became our patron Life Member, and now he chants sixteen rounds. He has gone to London for a course. He said, "After finishing this course I will take initiation from His Divine Grace. Then I will dedicate my whole life to preach in the Dar es Salaam, in the university."
Prabhupāda: He is Indian or African?
Indian man (4): No, no, African. He's a professor. Oh, yes. [aside:] You have seen the letters, I think, to me. So when I was in Dar es Salaam, then I was in Mandena's room. He said, "No, you stay with me. Don't stay with the Asians." So I was in the [indistinct] university, you know. He said Asian can take this philosophy and not be so serious. Now he has gone to London. He may see you when you will be there, for a year. And he chants sixteen rounds. He has nobody, no picture else in his room. There was one picture of the president there. He took it down and he put a Kṛṣṇa picture there. So it's very serious. And he said, "I don't know. Since I have read the Bhagavad-gītā I go to my class to give a class to the students and I don't speak anything else about the scriptures."
Prabhupāda: That is the sign.
Indian man (4): And he's a very strong, Prabhupāda, also. Very strong.
Prabhupāda: That is said about Prahlāda Mahārāja when he was boy. So he has been described as kṛṣṇa-graha-praptaḥ. Just like under the influence of planet one becomes, what is called, ghostly haunted, like that. So devotee means when he becomes Kṛṣṇa haunted. That is wanted. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. He does not think anything else except Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa-graha-praptaḥ.
Indian lady (3): [indistinct] absolutely thing. A few days before I been here for the flowers [indistinct] my family complained me, "Mom, you don't know. Yesterday was very big day. [indistinct] day. Oh, you forget." [indistinct] Kṛṣṇa's wedding ceremony [indistinct]. Myself I forget everything. They start to complain I go there, sit together, I have not anything. They start to talk with me business, this and that. So still, immediately I will give, answer immediately because I always saying [indistinct]. Sometimes guest there are I start to preach [indistinct] say something. "It's okay. Then you like talking your matter." Then I will talk [indistinct].
Prabhupāda: [aside:] Don't spoil your nail.
Indian lady (3): It is automatic change.
Brahmānanda: When someone takes so spontaneously, like this African, without any preaching, but just spontaneously take...
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are not yet so advanced.
Brahmānanda: But it means in past life there must have been some connection if he immediately takes it so wholeheartedly, without any previous connection.
Indian man (4): The Indian peoples, when they see the Africans in the temple, singing and all that, they criticize, you know. They criticize us. They say, "Oh, you..." That boy, he told me. He read your Nectar of Devotion. Then he came to the conclusion... He read the story also of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. So he used to go to the Hindu temple to clean the floor early in the morning before going to university. He told me that he went for one week and they never said anything. When he was going daily the temple, they told him, "Don't come here. Don't clean here. We don't want the African to come." So then he told me that "What should I do? I want to follow the Prabhupāda instruction. So what should I do? Prabhupāda has said in his books that if one cannot do anything, simply he should go to the temple and clean the room." He was so serious. So then I told the pūjārī that "Why you are doing like that? He wants to serve the Lord. Why don't you let him serve? You want that to keep out the inside the temple and throw the pots and the cigarette in the temple?" So they criticize like that sometimes. [indistinct] They're simply imitating us.
Brahmānanda: There was a man yesterday at Dabji's house who was the brāhmaṇa who was officiating. He is a very much caste-conscious brāhmaṇa, and although he and Shah were the first ones to meet you at the Nairobi airport when you arrived in Nairobi, as soon as he heard your philosophy, he has never come. He came the first day only, when you first arrived, and since that day he has never come. And yesterday I think he must have just come because Shah has forced him. But he does not at all like our philosophy that brāhmaṇa by qualification. He is very staunch—"Brāhmaṇa by birth."
Devotee (5): They always say the Africans could never become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Prabhupāda: How they are becoming?
Devotee (5): They don't believe.
Prabhupāda: Believe? You do not see even?
Devotee (5): But they say that "Oh, he will do it, and then, after one year, he will stop."
Prabhupāda: Well, that is another criticism. Somebody is eating nice yogurt. Everyone will say, "Oh, it is very nice. It is very nice, very nice." Another man says, "Yes, it is nice, but after three days it will be sour." [laughter] You rascal, you consider for the present. What "after three days"? Means he's a bad critic, so he could not find out any fault. Everyone says it is good. So "After three days it will be bad." This sort of criticism. So you have already become bad. You were doing service to others. What does he do, that priest?
Brahmānanda: Well, he's a businessman.
Prabhupāda: Business. "So is that...? The business is the occupation of brāhmaṇa? You are already fallen." How he can criticize others?
Indian lady (3): That is all, brāhmaṇas, all brāhmaṇas, there is no big knowledge. That is Śiva. Śiva is the head.
Prabhupāda: That's all. Śiva is the head, but whether you are brāhmaṇa? That is the question.
Indian lady (3): They don't know, understand.
Prabhupāda: Brāhmaṇa's qualification is there—śama, dama, titikṣa, ārjavam and jñānam, vijñānam, āstikyam, brahma-karma... [Bg. 18.42]. Everything is there, the symptoms. So you are doing business, the occupation of the vaiśyas or śūdras, and how you are claiming to become brāhmaṇa? The... Who is a brāhmaṇa, that symptoms is there in the śāstra. And not only the symptoms. Nārada Muni has said, "If these symptoms are found elsewhere, then he should be accepted according to the symptom." There is no question of birth.
yasya hi yaû lakṣanām proktaṁ
varṇābhivyanjakaṁ
yad anyātrāpi dṛṣyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
[Bhāg. 7.11.35]
varṇābhivyanjakaṁ
yad anyātrāpi dṛṣyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
[Bhāg. 7.11.35]
This is Nārada's version. So it is the symptom. Just like a doctor, medical man. He diagnoses according to the symptom. He finds out the cause. So symptom is required, not that a man has become diseased or healthy by birth. No. By birth he is born. Then again, when he develops certain types of symptom, so one has to take him in that way. That is śāstra. We are accepting, or giving them sacred thread, brāhmaṇa, after seeing that they are actually acting as a brāhmaṇa, not superficially. Therefore we take some time to see whether he can develop brahminical symptom. That is our process. Not that anyone comes, and we give him a sacred thread and he becomes immediately brāhmaṇa. We don't do this. First of all give him chance. Let him chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follows the rules and regulations. Then let us see. If he is actually serious, he has developed the symptom, then... This is the proper way. Even one comes from the brāhmaṇa family—he wants initiation—we don't give immediately, even if he is coming from a brāhmaṇa... That is a good facility, that he is born in a brāhmaṇa family, but the symptom is the first necessity. Either you are born in a brāhmaṇa family or śūdra family, it doesn't matter.
African man (6): [indistinct]
Brahmānanda: What is that? The brāhmaṇas who come over from...?
Indian man (6): From ISKCON center. We have a tendency [indistinct]. And these are the overall effect, you know.
Brahmānanda: Yes. So what is your question?
African man (6): So don't you think that the blame should not be..., usually be laid on the Africans but on the whole...?
Brahmānanda: He's saying that the brāhmaṇas who comes from our overseas temples here, it's their responsibility to see that the Africans follow properly, because the Africans will follow their example.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is for that purpose they have come. That is the purpose, missionary purpose, here. We come here not to earn some money but to see that this culture is spread. So what is his question?
Brahmānanda: So it's the responsibility, then, of those who are coming as the missionaries to set the proper example.
Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly.
Brahmānanda: Because then the Africans will follow that proper example.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes, he is right.
Brahmānanda: If they set a bad example, then they will follow bad example, then the justifi..., then the criticism of the Indians will be justified.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That's it. So those who cannot follow, they should not come here. And ask from the origin that "Those who cannot strictly follow the rules and regulation, they should not come at all. It will set a bad example." They should be forbidden to come here. That I was speaking, that instead of filling with bad cows, better keep the cowshed vacant. That I was speaking. Those who cannot strictly follow our principles, they should not come here. It is bad example. By mistake if somebody does, he should be regretful and he should rectify. That is another thing. But not willingly he should neglect. Then such person is not required at all.
Devotee (7): Prabhupāda, in the movement there is sometimes difficulty, and...
Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? You chant sixteen rounds and follow the regulative... Where is the difficulty?
Devotee (7): If they will not accept instruction, then...
Cyavana: Then what is your instruction? If they won't accept your instruction, then what is your instruction? Must be bogus. Huh? If your instruction is pure, then they'll accept. If your instruction is not pure, who will accept? I will not accept.
Prabhupāda: No, "Example is better than precept." If you actually follow strictly the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, why they'll not follow? They'll follow. If you are not attending class, if you are not attending maṅgala ārati, if you are not finishing sixteen rounds, then that is bad example.
Brahmānanda: This boy didn't attend maṅgala ārati.
Prabhupāda: Don't set bad example. That is detrimental.
Devotee (7): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it right for the advanced devotees to chastise?
Prabhupāda: Nobody is advanced. Everyone is student. He must follow. There is no question of advanced.
Devotee (7): I mean, they call śūdras [indistinct].
Prabhupāda: Śūdras? Śūdra, how he can be devotee? Śūdras are never devotee.
Indian man (4): No, he says sometimes the devotees, they call the other devotee that "You are śūdra."
Prabhupāda: That is jokingly. [laughter]
Indian man (4): Prabhupāda, sometimes you have said that this Gāyatrī was first spoken by the Lord, and this is a sound vibration of the Kṛṣṇa's flute, and it was heard by Brahmā. Right? And these brāhmaṇas, so-called brāhmaṇas, they are...
Prabhupāda: There is no question of "so-called." We want real brāhmaṇa. That's all. It was heard by the real brāhmaṇa, Brahmā. Brahmā, Brahmā.
Indian man (4): So they worship Gāyatrī. They say it like as a...
Prabhupāda: They... Whatever they say, you forget that. You do your own duty. You follow the rules and regulation and do the needful. Why you...?
Indian man (4): But we have to make them understand very clearly.
Prabhupāda: But they will never understand. You don't waste your time. Go on with your duty. When they will see that you are actually acting as brāhmaṇa, they will appreciate.
Indian lady (3): Time will come. They will notice.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that they will appreciate. But if you don't follow strictly, then it is useless to criticize them also. You are also victim; they are also victim.
Devotee (8): When chanting our sixteen rounds, we are not sure if these rounds are sincere...
Prabhupāda: You should be sure.
Devotee (8): How can we be sure?
Prabhupāda: There is beads.
Brahmānanda: No, he's saying that when we chant our rounds, how can we be sure that when we chant the round that the round is a perfect, attentive round, sincere?
Prabhupāda: Therefore it is śāstra: "You must." There is no question of understanding.
Brahmānanda: The quality of the chanting he's asking. How can we make the quality the best?
Prabhupāda: Quality, you'll understand first of all come to the quality. Without having quality, how he'll understand the quality? You follow the instruction of your spiritual master, of the śāstra. That is your duty. Quality, no quality—it is not your position to understand. When the quality comes, there is no force. You will have a taste for chanting. You will desire at that time, "Why sixteen round? Why not sixteen thousand rounds?" That is quality. That is quality. It is by force. You'll not do it; therefore at least sixteen rounds. But when you come to the quality, you will feel yourself, "Why sixteen? Why not sixteen thousand?" That is quality, automatically. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was doing. He was not forced to do. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He requested, "Now you are old enough. You can reduce." So he refused, "No. Up to the end of my life I shall go on." That is quality. Have you got such tendency that you will go on chanting and nothing to do? That is quality. Now you are forced to do. Where is the question of quality? That is given a chance so that one day you may come to the quality, not that you have come to the quality.
Quality is different. Athāśaktiḥ. Aśakti, attachment. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "How shall I chant with one tongue? And how shall I hear, two ears? Had it been millions of tongue and trillions of ear, then I could enjoy it." This is quality. Quality is not so cheap. Maybe after many births. For the time being you go on following the rules and regulations. It is being done by force. Where is the quality? So you wanted to understand quality. This is the quality. You'll not be forced, but automatically you'll desire. That is quality. I am writing books. I am not being forced by anyone. Everyone can do that. Why one does not do it? Why I get up at night, one o'clock, and do this job? Because I cannot do without it. How one will do it artificially? This is quality. Therefore they like my purports. That quality is shown by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śunyayitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda virahena me [Śikṣāṣṭaka 7]: "Oh, I do not see Govinda. The whole world is vacant." Śunyayitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda virahena me. This is quality. Just like we have got practical example: one man's beloved has died, and he is seeing the whole universe vacant. Is it vacant? So that is quality of love.
So there is no formula of quality. It is to be understood by himself. Just like if after eating something you feel refreshed and get strength, that is quality. You haven't got to take certificate: "Will you give me a certificate that I have eaten?" You'll understand whether you eaten or not. That is quality. When you will feel so much ecstasy in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is quality. Not artificially—"Chant. Chant. Otherwise get out." This is not quality. This is in expectation that someday you may come to quality. That requires time. That requires sincerity. But quality is there. Śravanādi śuddha citte karaye... [Madhya 22.107] It will be awakened. Not by force. Just like love between two person, it cannot be forced: "You must love him. You must love her." Oh, that is no love. That is not love. When they automatically love one another, that is quality. Dora vede[?] prema.
And therefore formerly, at least in the Indian society, the..., at an early age they were married. There is no quality in that quality. But gradually, remaining together, the quality of love increases. Then the wife takes care of the husband, and the husband takes care... They become bound up, united in love. That is quality. In the beginning, what the child knows about love? No. But they are allowed to remain as husband and wife. They are thinking that "I have got my husband," "I have got my wife," and as the age increases, the dealings becomes intimate. Then they become affectionate. That is quality. Not in the beginning there is any quality. It is by the parents' arrangement. That's all. In our day, the marriage was performed when the girl is ten years, twelve years, nine years. Twelve years is very late marriage. My second sister, she became twelve years old. So my mother became so disturbed that "This girl is not being married. Shall I commit suicide?" Yes. You see? My eldest sister, she was nine years old, older than me, and she was married before my birth. And my mother-in-law was married at the age of seven years, and my father-in-law was eleven years. I was married... My wife was eleven years.
So in this age there is no question of love. It is not that the husband and wife lives together. No. Unless the girl is grown up, she is not going to the husband. She remains with the father and mother. Sometimes they meet, and the wife is taught, giving some sweetmeat to the husband—official. Official. The parents of the girl: "Just go up to your husband and offer this." So she comes as obedient servant. But gradually they get the connection. In this way the love develops, and when they are fifteen, sixteen years old, they are allowed to live together. Because both of them have already developed that "She is my wife," "He is my husband," psychologically. And there was no question of divorce. The love is so strong, they cannot dream even that "I have to leave my wife," "I have to leave my husband." They cannot dream it. They may fight. The husband and wife fighting, that is not unusual. Therefore Canakya Paṇḍita says, "Fight between the husband, wife, never take it seriously." Daṁpatye kalahe caiva baṁbhāraṁbhe laghu-kriya: "They'll make all arambha, but it is not very important. Don't take." [Nīti Śāstra] Next moment they will again live peacefully. So according to Indian culture, there is no divorce. There is no question of divorce. Both the husband and wife, they cannot dream of divorce, the love was so strong. Even Gandhi's life, he fought with his wife and pushed her out of the house: "Get out. I don't want you." And Kasturabhai, she began to cry on the street, "Where shall I go? You have driven me away." Then Gandhi said, "Come on." Finished. [laughter] He has written in his life. [pause]
Devotee: I'm curious about the destination of a neophyte devotee. If a neophyte devotee is with determination endeavoring for purification but he were to meet with death as he is still influenced by the lower modes, although he is seriously trying, then does he take another birth, or does he go to Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: No, he has to take another birth. If he is not completely purified, he has to suffer another birth. Nobody is allowed to enter into the spiritual unless he is cent percent pure. No allowance. Then he has to... Therefore it is said, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjāyate [Bg. 6.41]. He is given chance, another chance, to take birth in a very pure brāhmaṇa family or rich family so that he may take again the chance. Not in..., he is allowed to enter. He is given a good chance again. That is his benefit. Even if you are failure, still, your next birth as a very first class human being is guaranteed. Not for others. It is only for the yogīs. If he is... Therefore it is said that "What is the loss even if he is failure?" Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva va abhadram abhūd amuṣya kim [Bhāg. 1.5.17]. This verse is very important. Even by sentiment one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and discharges the regulative duties, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, his next life is guaranteed as a human being. Even he does it for some time—he is not perfect—still, his next life is guaranteed. But others, there is no such guarantee. Even if he discharges his so-called duties, material duties, there is no guarantee that he'll become a human being.
Harikeśa: Is that why Ajāmila had to go to Hṛṣīkeśa and perform devotional service?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Harikeśa: Ajamila, after he chanted "Nārāyaṇa," they let him stay in that body, and then he went to Hṛṣīkeśa and performed devotional service and then became perfect.
Prabhupāda: No, he was already perfect, but to increase his desire—"How shall I go Vaikuṇṭha?"—another time he had to go. He was a perfect; otherwise how he was saved from the Yamadūtas?
Harikeśa: So if a devotee dies and remembers Kṛṣṇa, although he is not perfect...
Prabhupāda: Unless he is perfect, he cannot remember Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. That is theory only. He must be perfect. Somehow or other, he fallen, so Kṛṣṇa gives him the chance. That is a special concession for devotee. Some way or other, you become devotee. Even if you cannot finish the whole job, if you fall down, still, there is guarantee that you get your birth in a very good society. That is the prerogative.
Jñāna: What about like Mahārāja Bharata?
Prabhupāda: That was also. If Mahārāja Bharata... It was punishment and reward also. Mahārāja Bharata, although he became a deer, he remembered that he was such-and-such exalted position but "I became attached to the deer and I forgot my regular duties." Mahārāja Bharata, he became so much attached to the deer, he forgot his regular duties. Therefore he was punished. But he remembered that "I was in such exalted position. On account of my attachment to the deer I have fallen." Therefore he rectified himself so that in his next life he became completely silent so that "I may not fall down," Jaḍa Bharata. This association, material association, is so dangerous, so he remained just like a dull madman, that's all. He was talking with nobody; he was not mixing with anybody. Whatever one would do, he did not protest. But his knowledge was full.
Devotee (7): Is there any difference in [indistinct] when somebody is chanting japa under the tree and someone who is chanting japa in the temple?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Brahmānanda: I think sometimes we recommend the devotees to chant their rounds in the temple rather than to walk in other places.
Prabhupāda: Why one should walk other places? Who has said that you go out, walk other places? Never said.
Devotee (7): It may not really be necessary.
Prabhupāda: No. You should chant in the temple. Why should you go to other place?
Devotee (7): So there is no difference, someone chanting out of the temple or in the temple.
Prabhupāda: Why you should go outside? Who has allowed him to go outside? Unless he has got some important business for the temple, why one should go to outside? There is no need. That is the chance of falling down. Why you should go outside? We are arranging for the temple, for the food. Why? Because everyone should stick to the temple and the principles. Why you should go to outside? That should be stopped. You cannot go outside.
Devotee (7): May we go to the shop to buy something?
Prabhupāda: That is another thing. That is for temple's benefit or business. That is another thing. Somebody goes to sell books, somebody goes to make some Life Members, that is another thing. Otherwise one is not allowed at all. Not whimsically "I am going out." Why you are spoiling your men?
Devotee (9): Prabhupāda, sometimes I've seen devotees say that they did not like to chant in the temple room with the opposite sex.
Prabhupāda: Then that is a rascal. He is not a devotee. He is a rascal, when a devotee says... How you become devotee? If he does not like the temple and he thinks to be happy outside, what is he? What kind of devotee he is? He is not a devotee.
Devotee (9): What I meant to say is he does not want to chant with women in the temple room. I have seen this before. He says, "I do not want to chant in a room with women. I would rather be away from the women."
Prabhupāda: That means he has got distinction between men and women. He is not yet paṇḍit. Paṇḍitaḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg. 5.18]. He is a fool, that's all. He is a fool. So what is the value of his words? He is a fool.
Indian man (4): So he'll go first to make...
Prabhupāda: He should always consider, "There is woman, that's all. She is my mother." That's all. Matṛvāt para-dareṣu. Then what is the...? Suppose you sit down with your mother and chant. What is the wrong? But he is not so strong, then he should go to the forest. Why he should live in the Nairobi city? On the street there are so many women. He will walk on the street closing the eyes? [laughter] This is all rascaldom. They are rascals. They are not devotees; simply rascals.
Indian man (4): Some of our devotee goes to the other temple like Swami Nārāyaṇa, you know, and they want to see the ladies there, so then they are taking these instruction from them.
Prabhupāda: Our devotees go to Swami Nārāyaṇa?
Indian man (4): Yes, they go. Here our devotees, they went to Mombassa for [indistinct] of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When I was not there, all of them went to Swami...
Prabhupāda: These things should be stopped. They leave their own temple and go to Swami Nārāyaṇa temple? Stop.
Indian man (4): They likes their lunch. They go for lunch. Yes, that's true. All of them went without asking me. About five, six devotees, immediately from here went to Swami Nārāyaṇa.
Prabhupāda: So this should be rectified.
Indian man (4): And their theory is that... I asked Pramukha Swami that "Why you have put this? Why you say to your disciple that we should not see the face of the woman?" He said that "We should avoid." But I said, "Well, okay, when you are walking on the road automatically you will see the ladies." He said, "We turn our face to one side." I said, "First you have seen the woman. Then you are turning. [laughter] You will look further. You have not seen the women. You have no sense, you know."
Prabhupāda: These are all bogus things. One should train himself that matravāt para-dareṣu: all women, "my mother." Then it will be possible to live... Therefore the etiquette is to address every woman, "Ma." Ma, mother. That is the etiquette.
Brahmānanda: You say like "Mother Rukmiṇī"? There's a devotee named Rukmiṇī. You say, "Mother Rukmiṇī"? How do you address a woman? Do you say "Mother," and then the name of the devotee?
Prabhupāda: No. "Mother," simply.
Brahmānanda: Just "Mother."
Prabhupāda: Yes. They should be addressed "Mother." That will train.
Indian man (4): In our Indian culture they don't call the name of the mother never, children don't.
Prabhupāda: No. "Mother," simply "mother," that's all. And if the woman treats man as son, then it is all right. It is safe.
Indian lady (3): We got a very sweet sound. Everything we use "ji." "Matāji," "pitaji," "brataji," "bahinji."
Prabhupāda: Or... And the woman says "beta." That's all right.
Devotee (5): The only trouble is in the West we're accustomed to not like our mothers.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Devotee (5): In the West we don't like our mothers.
Prabhupāda: So you should forget your "West" or "East." [break]
Brahmānanda: Similarly, wife should not be called "Mother."
Prabhupāda: No. Therefore it is said, "other's wife," not your wife. But Ramakrishnan, he was saying his wife "mother," and he became famous by this foolishness.
Indian man (4): Ramakrishnan, there are many like Shyāma mother. Her husband, he calls her "mother."
Prabhupāda: Just see. In the Brahma-samāj they call the wife as "sister," and the wife calls the husband "brother," address like that.
African man (6): Śrīla Prabhupāda, since there is no distinction between man and woman—these are both designations—is it possible for a woman to become a brāhmaṇa?
Brahmānanda: Is it possible for a woman to become a brāhmaṇa?
Prabhupāda: He is... Woman is a brāhmaṇa's wife. Then she is automatically a brāhmaṇa.
African man (6): Suppose she doesn't want to get married for the rest of her life, just wants to serve the Lord?
Prabhupāda: So in his spiritual position everyone is a brāhmaṇa.
Brahmānanda: But you give brahminical initiation to unmarried women.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But on spiritual point she is brāhmaṇa. On the spiritual platform there is no such distinction.
Devotee (7): Oh, it's not possible for a woman to become a sannyāsī.
Prabhupāda: No.
Devotee (2): What is the position of the woman in a..., late in life, the wife of a devotee?
Prabhupāda: What is that position?
Brahmānanda: After the husband takes sannyāsa?
Devotee (2): Yes.
Brahmānanda: What is the duties of the woman after the husband takes sannyāsa?
Prabhupāda: So remain a devotee, widow. She is not allowed to marry.
Indian man (4): I know, Prabhupāda, one of your Godsisters in Vṛndāvana. She is very old. She is staying in Tīrtha Mahārāja's maṭha. So she told me she took her initiation when she was about sixteen year old, and still she stays in the temple and she... [break]
Devotee (10): ...see you're the most pious person on this planet.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee (10): [indistinct] [end]
Prabhupāda: I do not have much practice in speaking in Hindi and I am from Calcutta and Hindi is not my mother tongue. I cannot speak Gujarati, though I can understand a bit like Damjibhai spoke in Gujarati and I understood everything. But I cannot speak Gujarati. So whatever possible I will speak in Hindi. Mr. Damji spoke about my disciple Mr. Alfred Ford. I have given him the name Ambarisa Maharaja. Ambarisa Maharaj was the emperor of the whole world. But his work was to chant the Lord’s name.
sa vai manak
vacâsi vaiku
vacâsi vaiku
Ambarisa Maharaj despite being engaged in the affairs of his kingdom, always kept his mind engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord. Sa vai manah, if one can keep his mind engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord the he will be benefited by this alone. So Ambarisa Maharaj used to keep his mind engaged always at the lotus feet of the Lord. And
vacâvaiku
When he would talk he would discuss only about the glories of the Lord. Since he was the King he did not need to talk much as his ministers and secretaries did all that for him. But if anyone came to talk to him especially then, vaiku Vaikuntha means Bhagavan. And there is Vaikuntha lok where the Lord resides. Vaikuntha means where there is no kuntha, anxiety. In this material world everyone is afflicted with anxiety all the time, whether man, demigod, animal, bird, everyone is anxious all the time as to what will happen in the future. This is inside everyone. So Vaikuntha means where there is no anxiety, no ‘kuntha’. Everyone is in bliss.
brahma-bhûtaprasannâtmâ
na úocati na kâṣk
na úocati na kâṣk
That is Vaikunthaloka.
mad-bhaktilabhate parâm
So Ambarisa Maharaj when he would talk it would be about the glories of Vaikuntha. And when he was moving around it was to go to the temple. And when he would see something, it was the form of the Lord. And he would smell the tulsi leaves offered at the feet of the Lord. And he would taste the prasad with his tongue. That is all his sense organs, eyes, ears, tongue, hands, legs- all these. Ambarisa Maharaj knew how to engage all these sense organs at the service of the Lord. This is called bhakti.
hh
sevana bhaktir ucyate
sevana bhaktir ucyate
What does bhakti mean?
sarvapadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam.
We have to purify our senses, they are not pure now. Like we think this body belongs to us, but this is not pure knowledge. Pure knowledge is that, this body has been given to us by the Lord. Just like you give sanyasis like us a place to stay, similarly this body has been given to us by the Lord. Just like the landlord has given us a room to stay. It is does not mean that the room has become our property. No! The property belongs to the landlord. But we have been allowed to stay in that. Similarly this body, sense organs belong to God. They are to be used in the service of the Lord. And we have been allowed to stay in this body. If I use this body to do as the Lord desires that is called bhakti or devotional service. Nothing else! The work you are doing. The Lord says,
sva-karmana tam abhyarcya samsiddhih labhate narah
The work you are doing you continue to do it, nothing wrong with that. Even if there is something wrong with the work do not leave it. This is God.
sa-doapi na tyajet
Do any work in this material world, it will be contaminated with some faults. The Lord himself has said, like fire is pure but it has one fault, it has smoke. So in this material world there cannot be anything completely pure. But any work done if it is done in the service of the Lord then it is called bhakti. tat-paratvena nirmalam, that is pure. Because it is done for the Lord, it is pure. That is why the Lord himself has said,
api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
[Bg. 9.30]
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
[Bg. 9.30]
If a person has started devotional service but is not yet advanced, there are some faults in his practice. What does the Lord say for these people? api cet su-duracaro.
If a person is engaged in devotional service but has a number of faults in him. The Lord says even if such a person is not pious but sinful, api cet su-duracaro, if he has just one quality of knowing nothing else but the Lord as his shelter. ananya-bhak. He knows only Krishna, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. If one has this quality, even if his work seems to have some faults, then sadhur eva sa mantavyah- he is still a sadhu (pious man). This Mr. Damji was just explaining the greatness of a sadhu, in reality the sadhu is praise worth person. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,
'sâdhu-saṣga', 'sâdhu-saṣga' —sarva-úâstre kaya
lava-mâtra sâdhu-saṣge sarva-siddhi haya
lava-mâtra sâdhu-saṣge sarva-siddhi haya
All scriptures recommend the association of saintly persons.
tato duhsangam utsrjya satsu sajjeta buddhiman
So a intelligent person gives up the association of sinful people and associates with the saintly persons. Association of saintly people is of prime importance for engaging in devotional service. Association of saintly persons!
âdau úraddhâ tatasâdhu-
saṣgo 'tha bhajana-kriyâ
tato 'nartha-nivsyât
tato nirucis tata
athâsaktis tato bhâvas
tatapremâbhyudaṣcati
sâdhakânâm ayaprem
prâdurbhâve bhavet krama
saṣgo 'tha bhajana-kriyâ
tato 'nartha-nivsyât
tato nirucis tata
athâsaktis tato bhâvas
tatapremâbhyudaṣcati
sâdhakânâm ayaprem
prâdurbhâve bhavet krama
The sole aim of human life is to attain love of Godhead. We are entangled in the love of this material world. We need to take leave from this love for the material world- love will remain but for God! Love is present inside everyone, animals have love inside them, even the dog looks after its puppies, and the tiger looks after its cubs. When the cubs fall on the huge tiger playfully, the tiger finds it very soothing and enjoyable. This is love! Love exists inside everyone. Every living entity! But if we place this love on this material world it is called Maya and if we place that love on God then it is called devotional service. That is why the scriptures say,
sarvapadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nimalam.
hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir uchyate
hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir uchyate
One of God’s name is ‘Hrishikesha’. Hrishi means sense organs. When the senses are purified, tat-paratvena nimalam and are applied in the service of the Lord, that is called devotional service. So this book that I have is ‘Caitanya Caritamrita’. We have translated this into English. We have 17 volumes of this book that you see with me. This has been accepted with much reverence all over the world. Caitanya Caritamrita! I will read a shloka from this book today for all of you. it is about Sanatana Goswami. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had six principle disciples, the six Goswamis- Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunath, Sri Jiva, Gopal Bhatta, Dasa Raghunath. They lived in Vrindavana and spread the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We are following in the disciplic succession of Sri Caitanya Mahaprahu and the six Goswami’s for preaching their message and spreading their mission. We have left all other scriptures and are translating these books into the English, German, French, Spanish languages. These books sell very well. You will be surprised to know that we are selling around Rs. 25 to 30 lakh worth of these books every month. We meet our expenses through this and this young man Mr. Alfred Ford has donated at least Rs.1.5 crores to us. (everyone claps). This is how we meet our expenses. Our monthly expenditure is at least Rs 20 lakhs per month. We have 100 centres and they are all running because of the mercy of the Lord and we have one centre in Nairobi. Please cooperate nicely there and read our books and understand what our preaching mission is all about. This is not religion specific. Actually this is what is dharma (prescribed duties). What is dharma? This has been explained by Yamaraja, who is ‘dharma raja’, one who deliberates on dharma. When his associates asked him about Ajamila who was to be brought to him on account of his being sinful but the Visnudutta’s came to his rescue and did not allow them to bring him in. So what is dharama and adharama? At that time Dharma raja said,
Dharmam tu saksat bhagavat-pranitam [Bhāg. 6.3.19]
Dharma means the codes of laws given by God. Rest everything is adharma. That is why it is mentioned in the Bhagavat,
dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra
atra srimad bhagavate projjhita-kaitavo dharmah
atra srimad bhagavate projjhita-kaitavo dharmah
projjhita means ‘ prakrishta rupene urjjhita’ (?)
Just like you clean the nicely and remove all the dirt and filth in it. So similarly what is not dharma has been swept and thrown out.
dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra
paramo nirmat-saranam
paramo nirmat-saranam
And this supreme dharma is for whom? It for the “nirmat sar” those who are non-violent, ‘matsarata’. This word has been explained by Sridhar Swami as
matsarata para utkarsah asahanam
To be envious of someone who is doing better than you, that is called matsarata. para utkarsah asahanam, the other person is advancing, this is the way of this world that if your brother is advancing even then you are envious. Forget about others. Person to person or between individuals, enviousness is there anyways; in society, between nations, between faiths like Hindus, Muslims, then national, party- this is only enviousness. Only enviousness! Therefore this Bhagavata dharma is for one who has given up enviousness. Parama nirmat-saranam. This is not a false substance but in reality, dharmah projjhita- this is reality. Just like the Lord says
dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]
“I incarnate in different yugas to establish religion!” and what is that religion that the Lord is talking about? What dharma does He come to establish? That is
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
All these religions that have been created in this world are not the real religions! These are all ‘kaitavo’ dharma or cheating religions. The real dharma is to surrender unto the Lord. ‘Oh Lord! I had forgotten you for such a long time and have been traveling all over the cosmic manifestation through the 840000 species of life, without any knowledge of you! But now by Your mercy.” tat prasada madhusudana. Just like Arjuna says, “Out of Your causeless mercy, nasto moha, my attachment has been destroyed.” And what is the result of destroying this attachment? Karisye vacanam tava- “I will act according to Your instruction.” This is called moha nasto. I will not act whimsically. I will do whatever you instruct me to do. This is what the Lord also says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, surrender unto Me. So what does surrender mean? Follow what the Lord says! This is called devotional service. Not whimsical. To do what the Lord asks us to do, that is called devotional service. And that is called religion. Those who surrender unto the Lord and follow his instructions are called devotees and if one is a devotee then he is liberated. At that same time he is liberated because the Lord says that if you surrender unto Him then,
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayisyami
mokshayisyami
And if the Lord is absolving the devotee from all his sins then what else is needed for liberation? A man suffers because of his sinful activities. And the Lord is saying,
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayisyami
mokshayisyami
So for one who surrenders unto the Lord, he has no more sinful reactions. All his sins are destroyed as long as he does not commit any further sins. Then he is absolved and is liberated. In this regard the Lord has said
mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
One who engages himself unfailingly at the service of the Lord. Unfailing devotional service means one who follows the instructions of the Lord as described in the pastimes of the Lord, as explained by the saintly persons and scriptures- that is called unfailing devotional service. Vidhi bhakti- like the great saintly persons have indicated the ‘vidhi’ or the process. All the processes have been given by the Lord, forget anyone else. Acharya is one who follows the instructions of the Lord. So when the Lord says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, “Surrender unto Me. There is no need to follow any other religion.” This is called pure devotional service. The scriptures talk about worshipping the various demigods. For whom is that instruction? For those who are lusty! For those who want to enjoy in this material world! For them! kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah. Those who worship the demigods who are they? kamais tais tair hrta-jnana, they are devoid of knowledge due to their lusty desires. That is why they worship the other demigods. Whatever they ask these other demigods, cannot the Lord give them that? Who are these demigods? They are the servants of the Lord! So what is it that the master cannot give? If you have any material desires and you pray to the Lord, can’t the Lord fulfill your desires? So the scriptures say,
akama sarva kama va moksa kama udaradhih
tivrena bhakti yogena yajeta paramam purusam
tivrena bhakti yogena yajeta paramam purusam
Who is the ‘parama purusam’ (supreme person)? Krishna! Just like Arjuna understood,
param brahma param dhama
pavitram paramam bhavan
purusam sasvatam adyam
pavitram paramam bhavan
purusam sasvatam adyam
This is Lord Krishna, adi purusa, Govinda!
There are three kinds of people in this world. One is Akami, those who have no desires at all. For one who has found God, he has no desires.
svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace
Just like Dhruva Maharaj, was a five year old boy was insulted by his step-mother. So he vowed that he would acquire a kingdom that was bigger than that of his father. So he prayed to the Lord and when he saw the Lord, because he was purified by the devotional process, he had no desires at all. So when the Lord appeared before Him and asked him what he wanted? You are a small child and you are performing such austerities. Ask what you want! So at that time Dhruva Maharaj says,
kacam vicinvann api divya-ratnam
“I came in search of glass pieces and I have found a diamond! So what more could I want?” svamin krtartho, that’s all I want, nothing else! I have seen you, what more could I want? svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. This is the advantage of devotional service. If you get devotional service then you get everything else along with it. Just study the business point of view, I started this Hare Krishna movement with forty rupees. Now we have forty crores of rupees. And that too in ten years! Get me a business man ( who can do this)! Laughter! Get me a businessman and we have 102 centers! How many branches can a businessman open? So this is true that,
Yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah..
Once you get this then there is no question of any more profit. Everything is profited! It is such a thing devotional service. We should try to practice devotional service in our human form of life. Devotional service means love for God. We should be ready to do anything for God. Just like the Gopi’s, Krishna plays the flute in the middle of the night and the Gopi’s run to Him. Some of them were looking after their children, some boiling milk, some doing household chores- they all left that. Their father, father in law, husbands were enquiring, “where are you going?” but they never listened! That is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that the way the Gopi’s chanted the Lord’s name- for the sake of the Lord, they would give up their life, wealth, mind, material world, family- they gave up everything! There is no greater service than this according to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita
There is no better mode of worship than that which was conceived by the vraja-vadhus, the damsels of Vrindavana. And the most elevated Gopi amongst them is Radharani. Anayaradhitah iti radha..
These are some thoughts on devotional service. And according to Srimad Bhagavatam,
Srimad-bhagavatam amalam puranam
This is a great Purana and we follow the great acharyas in our disciplic succession and by the Lord’s mercy we are seeing the results also.
There is not enough time left but I will talk about a couple of things.
The six Goswamis who gave their life and soul for the preaching of this message of devotional service, one of them was Sanatana Goswami. Who was Sanatana Goswami? In those days the Muslim Pathan rulers of Bangladesh, Nawab Hussain Shah was the king of Bangladesh. He was the finance minister of that king. When he met Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he left his official duties and went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It was not easy as the King was not letting him go because he was the Prime Minister and all the work was done by him while the Muslim king enjoyed. The official duties were carried out by these two brothers, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. So the Muslim king was badly hit by the resignations of these two brothers. Sanatana Goswmai was sent to prison so as to not allow him to leave. But he somehow managed to get away. He left Bangladesh and met Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Kashi Varanasi where he was then preaching. He was initiated and given the sanyas attire and for two months he was taught on the topics of devotional service. So when Sanatana Goswami met Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the first time, his question was,
kripa kori yadi more koriache uddhar, apana kripa te kaho kartavya amar.
“By Your mercy I have been brought to your lotus feet after giving up my ministership. By your mercy I have been brought out of that hell, please tell me what is my duty”? This is what it means to approach a spiritual master. Spritual master is not something official that once you accept him, he stays in his house and you in yours. Sanatana Goswami is teaching us that after accepting a spiritual master what is our duty! Our job is to learn from him what is our duty in this world?
These are the injunctions. Sad dharma prchha.. We must accept a spiritual master and ask him what is ‘sad dharma’, how should we shape our life?
tasmâd guruprapadyeta
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
Who needs a spiritual master? One who is inquisitive about the highest good. Spiritual master is not a fashion, that I have also accepted one! No!! Such a person needs a spiritual master who,
tasmâd guruprapadyeta
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
sreyam means well-being, so everyone wants to do well for himself. So to find out what is the highest good- that is why we need a spiritual master.
tasmâd guruprapadyeta
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
jijṣâsuúreya uttamam
So the spiritual master should be one who can reveal to us the highest good.
úâbde pare ca ni
brahmaupaúamâúrayam
brahmaupaúamâúrayam
This is the quality of a spiritual master. úâbde pare ca ni just like we take bath in water by completely immersing ourselves in that water and are purified, similarly when a person has immersed himself in Brahman, úâbde pare ca niand as a result of this, brahma?y upaúamâúrayam he gives up all his material affairs and is fixed firmly in the Absolute Truth, this is the quality of a spiritual master.
So Sanatana Goswami approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu and asked, what is my duty? By Your mercy I have given up the ministership and now please tell me what is my duty? .
Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya, apani kaha prabhu kiser hita haya
Sanatana Goswami says that now I have come to You, please tell me- Who am i? Am I a minister? Am I Sanatana Goswami? Am I something else? I do not know! I became whatever I was made to become and worked accordingly but who am I in reality, please tell me? This should be our question to our spiritual master. Self-realization! Every person has a bodily concept of life, dehatma buddhih. I am Hindu, I am a Muslim, I am a Gujarati, I am a Marathi, I am an American, I am an Indian and accord so many such designations to myself but who am I in reality? This we need to ask! Who am I? Neither am I a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Gujarati, Bengali, white,black—who am I? This he is asking. This you should ask the spiritual master- Self-realization! Atma jnana!
úrotavyâdîni râjendra
nsanti sahasraúa?
apaúyatâm âtma-tattva
nsanti sahasraúa?
apaúyatâm âtma-tattva
Those who do not understand the Absolute Truth, they remain foolish. So that is why Santana Goswami is asking;
Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya
This devotional service, he first explained to himself
Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya
Who am I and why do I have undergo suffering on account of these three kinds of worldly miseries? I don’t want to! Who wants to die but everyone does- this he wants to ask! I do not want to die, I do not want to become old, I want to remain youthful always. So why am I being forced to become old? This should be our question.
Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya
We have these spiritual gatherings and in India we have the writings of so many saintly persons especially Bhagavad Gita which is spoken by the Lord himself. So it is appropriate on our part to take the instructions as given in Bhagavad Gita and enrich your life. And we have opened this center and this is our mission, nothing else. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. What is His mission? This is His mission, He has said three times,
bhârata-bhûmite haila manujanma yâra
janma sârthaka kari' kara para-upakâra
janma sârthaka kari' kara para-upakâra
Those who are born in the land of India is not an ordinary person. Even the demigods pray to God to be allowed to be born in this land of India. Being born in India is such! Till today even though so much atheism has spread here, Kumbha Mela is held and it attracts crores of people to it and if people like us organize some celebrations then everyday 20000 to 30000 people come to attend and hear. This is India! That is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu has especially said about India,
bhârata-bhûmite haila manujanma yâra
janma sârthaka kari' kara para-upakâra
janma sârthaka kari' kara para-upakâra
So you are all Indians, born in India but have come here now because of business reasons or any other reasons. That is all right but Caitanya Mahaprabhu says
amara agya guru hoiya tara ei desh
With My permission all of you Indians become Guru (spiritual masters).
amara agya guru hoiya tara ei desh
You have come to Africa so do welfare for the people of Africa. This is your duty. Not to earn money alone. Earn money but spend it on the welfare. This is the duty of an Indian and this is what Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says. And how to do this? Become a spiritual master. How to do so? We are not qualified and we do not know anything! No! It is not necessary to be learned. Then how to become a a spiritual master?
yare dekho tare kaho krishna upadesha
That’s all, you can become a guru. No need to cheat or make gold. Just repeat whatever Krishna has said. Then you become a spiritual master. This is our request to you. You are Indian so please do welfare for these people. See how these African people are chanting and dancing. We are getting people from abroad to make them dance, can’t you do this? Why? This is our request. You make them dance, you are here. We get these poor Americans and Europeans here to make them dance! This is our request to you. This is our request, accept it and work accordingly. The center is there, build it up nicely, work as per the injunctions of the scriptures, become spiritual masters and do welfare.
Thank you very much! Hare Krishna! [end]