Nobody can say “I have no anxiety”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.27--
New York, March 6, 1975 [Excerpt...]

Nitai: “Now I am attracted to those instructions imparted to me by the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, because they are impregnated with instructions for relieving the burning heart in all circumstances of time and space.”

Prabhupada:desa-kalartha-yuktanihrt-tapopasamani caharanti smaratas cittamgovindabhihitani me
So this word hrt-tapa upasamani... Hrt means heart, and tapa means miseries or burning, heat. Tapa means burning heat. If there is fire and there is heat, sometimes it is intolerable. So hrt-tapa means the burning fire blazing within the heart.

So that is always. Anyone who is in this material world, he has got this disease, burning fire within the heart, anyone. That means severe anxiety, everyone. Even a small bird, he is also full of anxiety. You give him some grains. It will come. It will eat. At the same time, it will look this way, that way, this way, full of anxiety. Although there is food, he is eating, still, there is anxiety, “Somebody may come, kill me.”

So everyone is full of anxiety. That is the material nature. Nobody can say “I have no anxiety.” That is not possible. If he says like that, he is a liar. That is not possible. Is anyone here who can say that he or she has no anxiety? Of course, when you take to Krsna consciousness, there is no anxiety. That is the distinction. Anxiety there is, but to relieve this anxiety one has to take to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise not. You cannot get relief. (child says, “Prabhupada”) Yes. (laughter)

So you may say that “Sometimes we have got anxiety, and sometimes we are very nice.” So even accepting that, Arjuna says, desa-kala-artha-yuktani. Desa, kala, the time and space within this material world, and artha means purpose, everything, any time... Arjuna does not say that “sometimes.” At any time, if we are materially attached, then this hrt-tapa must be. Hrt-tapa means burning fire, blazing fire within the heart. It will continue.Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale. This means anyone who is engaged in these material affairs, Visaya... Visaya means material necessities. Everyone has got material necessities: ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, how to eat, how to sleep, where to sleep, where to get apartment, where to secure money to get food, and how to secure sex pleasure, where it is available, man or woman, and how to defend. “I have got so much bank balance. It may not be taken away. I have got this property.”

In this way everyone is suffering. That’s a fact. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale: “The heart is burning.” The same word. It is in simple Bengali, and this is in Sanskrit. Visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale, juraite na koinu upay. So if a man simply goes on suffering like this, then he is not a human being. Human being means if there is suffering, he must try to alleviate it, to mitigate the suffering. That is human being.That is... Nature gives us this human form of body, intelligence, that if there is danger, if there is anxiety, he tries to get out of it. The animals also do, but they cannot do very nicely. Just like animals are slaughtered. So they know when they are put into one, what is called, pound and they know that they will be slaughtered, but they have no means to get out of it. So the human being can do that. If I foresee, “There is some danger, I can make some way to get out of it.” That is human intelligence.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that “Although I had the intelligence to get out of these material anxieties, the blazing fire within the heart, but I did not take it.” And what is that? Now, hari-nama prema-dhana...Devotees: Golokera...Prabhupada: Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. This is the remedy. Golokera prema-dhana, this hari-nama-sankirtana, chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, this sound vibration, it is not material. Suppose if I would have advised my disciples that “You chant ‘Mr. John, Mr. John, Mr. John,’ ” this movement would not have spread. (laughter) How long one can chant this “Mr. John, Mr. John”?

Therefore it is the proof, that all over the world, we have got about hundred centers. Everywhere, hundred, two hundred, three hundred disciples are there. They’re chanting, dancing, with Hare Krsna mantra. Why? Because it is not material sound vibration. This is the proof. Don’t think that Hare Krsna chanting and chanting the name of Mr. John is the same, no. This is the proof. You can go on chanting twenty-four hours, Still, you will not feel tired. This is the golokera... This is the proof, that this hari-nama-sankirtana, golokera prema-dhana, it is the property for loving. It is the thing which will lead you how to love God, prema-dhana. You will gradually develop your propensity to love Krsna. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: “All glories to the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra.”

Hazrat Muhammad - the servant of God and we have all respect for him

"Hazrat Muhammad, the inaugurator of the Islam religion, I accept him as an empowered servant of God because he preached God-consciousness in those parts of the world and induced them to accept the authority of God. He is accepted as the servant of God and we have all respect for him." ( Letter, 2-4-1976)

"So therefore, by that symptom, we accept Lord Jesus Christ as Saktyaves avatara, or Hazrat Muhammad, he's also. Because these two religious leaders of the world, they preached about the glorification of the Supreme Lord. And they sacrificed everything for preaching the glories of the Lord. Therefore... And their influence and their followers, there are... These are the symptoms by which we can understand that Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad was, were Saktyaves avataras.
( CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84)

"Vedas means the books of transcendental knowledge. Not only the Bhagavad Gita, even the Bible or the Quran, they are also." (lecture 29-7-68)

Srila Prabhupada: No, no. Christianity is Vaisnavism.

Dr. Patel: Vaisnavism? Absolutely Vaisnavism.

Srila Prabhupada: Islam is also Vaisnavism.
Dr. Patel: Mohammedanism is not Vaisnavism.

Srila Prabhupada: No, no. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had talked with the Pathanas.

He proved that "Your religion is Vaisnavism." (February 17, 1974, Bombay)

"Chaitanya Mahaprabhu proved devotional service from the Quran. So, it requires a devotee who can explain God from any Godly literature" ( Morning Walk, June 6, 1974, Geneva)

"Then Islam is Vaishnava dharma in a crude form like christianty."(room conversation, Tehran 14-3-75)

"They accept God. They are also our brothers because they accept God. They are not atheist. Atheist don't accept God. "there is no God" say the atheist. But here they are theists. They accept God. They want to please God. They go to the church, go to mosques, offer prayers. Prayers is also bhakti, devotional service. The Christian way or the Muslim way is to offer prayer. The Muslims offer obeisences & offer prayer. So that is also Bhakti (devotion). The Christians also do that, so that is also bhakti. And they accept God; We accept God. So there is no difference. But the only point is who is that God." ( room conversation, Tehran 14-3-75)

"Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do" Bhagavad Gita 18-63.

"My mission is not turn any one from the affiliation of a particular religion but I want to let them know more knowledge about God and devotion." 6-11-1965, (letters)

"Actually, we are not teaching a particular type of faith. We are teaching the post graduate studies of all religions:we are teaching people how to love God and who is the man that will deny this principle?" 5-12-68

QUOTES COMPILED BY NARARATNA DAS

Modern Avancement of Civilization Means, “Exploit others and you become happy”

Prabhupada: This is philosophy. Not that “Because I am friend, I will do, and you will sleep and get dysentery.” No. You have to work. Everything is already arranged, but you must work. That is wanted. Otherwise, why Arjuna was induced to fight. Krsna has already arranged. And Arjuna also: “Yes.” Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. “Whatever you say...” This is Krsna consciousness. [break] ...politician, Balavanta? He’s not here.

So let him preach that “We shall, if you take our Krsna consciousness movement, there will be no unemployment.” He can at least give this manifesto to the..., “There will be no more unemployment.” People will be very nice, very glad to hear. Now this machine, this machine nonsense means unemployment. One machine will work for hundred men. So hundred men becomes unemployed, and one technician, he gets all the salaries. To work on the computer, com...

Devotee: Computer, yes.

Prabhupada: Machine. And he’s very expert. He’ll take three thousand dollars. And others will be unemployed. This is going on. And they are thinking: “Advancement of civilization.” Advancement of civilization means “Exploit others and you become happy.” This is advancement of civilization. “Others may die for such, out of starvation, and one man takes all the money and spends it for wine and women and motor car.” That’s all. This is advancement of civilization. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is Vedic civilization. “Let everyone be happy.” That is Vedic civilization. And the demonic civilization, they’re: “Let everyone suffer; I become happy. That’s all.” And Vaisnava is thinking, “For my salvation it is already guaranteed.” But he is thinking, “How these poor people will be saved?”

So, ce tato vimukha-cetasa maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. Prahlada Maharaja. This is Vaisnava’s position. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. He’s unhappy by seeing others unhappy. For himself, he has no unhappiness. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. Krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye. This is Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava shall work hard, undergo all tribulation, for others. He has no problem.

A Vaisnava has no problem. Because he has taken shelter of Krsna, he has no problem. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. Krsna also gives guarantee, “Anyone who has taken shelter of My..., he is saved. I will give him protection.” Krsna says, aham tvam moksayisyami sarva... Everything is there. For Vaisnava there is no suffering, personally. But he is very much anxious: “How these rascals will be happy?” That is his business. “These rascals are misled. They are going astray, unhappy. So how they should be happy?” So that is Vaisnava’s business.

So the Vaisnava, therefore, will have no politics. Politics means planning for one’s own happiness. That is politics. So in our society there should be no diplomacy, no politics. Everyone should be eager how to do good to others. That is Vaisnava. If he’s planning something, that “I shall be leader,” “I shall be doing something,” that is not Vaisnavism. That politics is not good.

Devotee: It seems that people are so attached to sense gratification, if we tell them we want to stop all these facilities for drinking, cinema, women, like that, they become angry.

Prabhupada: So that, that is natural. If you give good instruction to a rascal, he’ll be angry. Murkhayopadeso hi prakopayati na samayati (?). Murkha, a rascal, if you give him good instruction... But give him practical. “Come here. Sit down. Take prasadam. Chant Hare Krsna. And help me by doing this.”

In this way you have to... Just like a child. Child does not want to go to school, but some, by... Find out some means so that he’ll be induced. That is intelligence. He’ll be angry, naturally. He’s a rascal. He’ll be angry. That is not unnatural. Murkhayopadeso hi prakopayati na samayati (?). Just like a snake. You feed the snake with milk. It will increase the poison. That’s all. Practically attract. Practically attract. That is the Hare Krsna movement will practically attract the people.

If the world affairs are adjusted according to our Krsna conscious plan, there will be no difficulty for all the nations, all the countries. They will be happy. So we have to educate people gradually. And by our example, living example, we’ll have to attract. (pause)

Local people: (calling out in distance) Harilalji! Harilalji!

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Jaya. At least they are remembering Harilalji by seeing us. So much benefit was in that. Eh?

The first duty of the government...

That is the duty of the government. It may be monarchy or democracy. The first duty of the government is to see that all the citizens, they are feeling happy. That is the duty of the government. Not simply collecting taxes and: “All the citizens may go to hell. It doesn’t matter.” This is not good government. Good government is to see there are... It may be secular government. The secular government does not mean that the whole citizens should be less religious, godless. Secular government should see that even there are many religious sects, just like Hindus or Muslim and Christians, so secular government does not mean that they should neglect. They should see that the Hindus are strictly following the principles of Hindu religion, the Mohammedans are strictly following the principles of Mohammedan religion or... That is government’s duty. Nobody should remain unemployed. That is government’s duty. There are so many things. They are all described in connection with Maharaja Prthu, one noble king.So in Bhagavata you’ll find everything. Politics, sociology, religion, culture, philosophy—everything you will find. Vidya bhagavata vadnih.(?) All kinds of cultural and educational instruction are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
[Excerpt,...Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.2-6--Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972]

The Subtle Laws Of The Universe

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.26
--Vrndavana, September 2, 1976


Pradyumna:
kim idam svit kuto vetideva-deva na vedmy ahamsarvato mukham ayatitejah parama-darunam
“O Lord of lords, how is it that this dangerous effulgence is spreading all around? Where does it come from? I do not understand it.”

Prabhupada:kim idam svit kuto vetideva-deva na vedmy ahamsarvato mukham ayatitejah parama-darunam. So Asvatthama’s brahmastra... We have discussed about brahmastra. It is almost similar to the modern nuclear weapon or bomb. But it is made with chemicals, but this brahmastra is made of mantra. That is the subtle way.

Modern science has not reached to that point of subtle existence. Therefore they cannot understand how transmigration of the soul takes place. The modern science has no knowledge. Imperfect knowledge. They see the gross body, but they have no knowledge about the subtle body. But the subtle body is there. Just like we do not see your mind, but I know that you have got mind. You do not see my mind, but you know that I have got mind. Mind, intelligence and ego. My conception, identity, “I am,” that conception is there. That is ego. And my intelligence and my mind, you cannot see. Neither I can see. Therefore how the mind, intelligence, and personal identity or egotism carries the soul to other body, they do not see it. They cannot see it.

They see the gross body is stopped, everything is stopped. The gross body is burned into ashes. Therefore they think everything is finished. Bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya kutah punar agamano bhaved The atheist class, they’ll think like that. With poor fund of knowledge, they think that “I see the body is now burnt into ashes. Then where is the soul?” So “There is no soul, there is no God, it is all imagination.” But that is not the fact, not that is the fact.

The fact is that the gross body is finished, but the subtle body is there. Mano buddhir ahankarah. Bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. So the action and reaction of the subtle thing, subtle matter... Mind is also matter, but subtle matter, very fine. Just like sky, ether. Ether is also matter, but it is very subtle, fine. And finer than the ether is the mind, and the—finer than the mind is the intelligence. And finer than the intelligence is my egotism: “I am,” this conception.So they have no knowledge. Therefore they can manufacture weapon or bomb with the gross things. Bhumir apo ’nalo—the chemicals, that is gross. But this brahmastra is not gross. This is also material, but it is made of subtle things: mind, intelligence, and ego.

Therefore Arjuna is asking Krsna, “I do not know wherefrom it is coming, wherefrom this such high temperature is coming.” It is stated here, tejah parama-darunam. The temperature is so high, intolerable. So we should ask the authority. Krsna is the best authority. So Arjuna is asking from Him, kim idam svit kuto veti: “My dear Krsna, wherefrom this temperature is coming?” Kim idam. Deva-deva. Why he’s asking to Krsna? Because Krsna is the deva-deva. Here we have got many millions of different varieties of life, 8,400,000 varieties of life. Out of them, we human form of life, and above this, the demigods in the higher planetary system, their standard of living, their duration of life is many, many times higher, superior than ours.

Just like our standard of life, we are human being, it is better than the uncivilized man. And the uncivilized man’s standard of life is better than the animal life. Phalguni tatra mahatam jivo jivasya jivanam. The uncivilized man, they cannot produce food; therefore they kill animal. In the forest they live, and they kill some animals and eat. They cannot... They have no such knowledge that the forest can be cleared and we can till the ground and we can get very nice foodstuff, foodgrains, vegetables, so many things. Krsi, agriculture. So the land is there, but this uncivilized man does not know how to get the necessities of life from land. They do not know. Otherwise, in the land everything is there. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, sarva-dugha mahi. Sarva-dugha. No. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Kama, kama means the necessities. We can get all the necessities of our life from the land. The land is so important. But the uncivilized man, they do not know how to utilize the land. Therefore they commit sinful activities for their existence. Instead of utilizing land for the necessities of life, unnecessarily...

Although they are civilized—they should not have done so—they are killing animals.The animal killing is for the uncivilized man, one who cannot get the necessities of life by intelligence. Just like modern civilized man, they are getting, suppose, so many machines, say, motorcar, a very useful vehicle. But wherefrom it is obtained? From the land. What is the motorcar ingredients? It is a combination of matter: earth, water, air, fire. You get iron, put into the fire and melt it, and then get the wheel. Similarly so many things. Tejo-vari-mrdam vinimayah. Material civilization means tejo-vari-mrdam vinimayah—exchange of fire, water, and earth—that’s all. It is just like you see nice doll. What is this nice doll? Tejo-vari-mrdam vinimayah. There is earth, water, fire. You mix the earth with water, and make it a nice doll, and put it into the fire and then color it. It will appear just like a very, very beautiful girl. But it is not the fact. Similarly the whole material world is nothing but an imitation of the spiritual world by intermixture of earth, water, and fire—and nothing else.But because we are not beyond this material existence, we are in the material..., I am identifying with this body, therefore I am thinking that after the finish of this body everything is finished. This is rascaldom, atheism. No.

But Krsna gives information, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is right information. Krsna, the supreme authority, gives you the information that don’t think that this body is finished, therefore everything is finished. No. Not everything finished. The soul is being carried by the subtle body.” The example is given just like when the air passes through the rose garden and you smell very nice fragrance. You cannot see what is that fragrance, but you experience that there is some fragrance. Wherefrom?

Sometimes we inquire “Wherefrom this fragrance coming?” You cannot see. Similarly, the soul is very, very small, a small particle of the same ingredient as Krsna. Mamaivamsa. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. Jiva is very small particle of the same ingredient as Krsna’s body. Sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. So we have got our vigraha, very small. That is also stated in the sastra. Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca: [Cc. Madya 19.140] one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. We cannot even imagine what is the length and breadth of the hair, but the soul is one ten-thousandth part. So how you can see the soul?

That small particle is being carried by the subtle body—mind, intelligence, and ego. And it is pushed through the semina of the father into the womb of the mother, and another body is manufactured in due course of time, and it comes out and works. This is called transmigration of the soul—from one body to another. That body is given by superior examination, Yamaraja. Yamaraja fixes up what kind of body this soul will get. Karmana daiva-netrena. Just like in the court, there is case, and the magistrate decides what kind of punishment this criminal should be awarded. So similarly, here in this material world, we are simply engaged in sinful activities.

Here the so-called pious and impious, that is simply imagination. Really, if I am actually pious, I should not get this material body. Just like to remain in the prison house means criminal. You may be a first-class prisoner, it doesn’t matter, but you are a prisoner. You are a criminal. Sometimes the big, big politicians, they are put into the jail and they’re given all comforts. But that does not mean he’s not a criminal. He’s a criminal. Either he may be Gandhi or anyone, because he’s put into the jail he’s a criminal. Similarly, anyone who is enwrapped with this material body, he’s a criminal. He’s a criminal. Either he may be in the heavenly planet or in this earthly planet or in the cats’ and dogs’ life or insect or aquatics. There are varieties of life. Every one of us, as long as we are put into this material body, it is to be understood that we are all criminal.

Therefore Krsna said,yesam tv anta-gatam papamjananam punya-karmanamte dvandva-moha-nirmuktabhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28]The krsna-bhajana is not so easy thing. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam. One who is completely free from the reaction of papa, he cannot (can) take to Krsna consciousness. But in the ordinary way, karma... According to karma... Just like you are working to earn some money, businessman, karma. So ordinary way you have to work very hard day and night to get some money. Suppose if you want one lakh of rupees or one crore of rupees, you have to work for it. But there is another way. Suppose one rich man gives you, that “You haven’t got to work. Take this one lakh of rupees or one crore of rupees. You take it.” That is another way.

Ordinary way to accumulate crores of rupees, it may not be possible in your life. But if some friend or some rich man becomes kind upon you and delivers you, “Take it,” you can get it immediately, without any hard labor. Similarly, Krsna, the supreme rich man, supreme rich being, is offering you, sarva-dharman parityajya mam... [Bg. 18.66]. “You haven’t got to do anything. Come on. You surrender unto Me, and I give you immediately liberation.” Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. There is no anxiety.So that is Krsna. He can give you immediately liberation. Simply you have to surrender. Therefore He’s deva-deva. Sometimes we go to this demigod, to that demigod for some material perfection or ultimate liberation. But Krsna can give you liberation within a second. That is Krsna. Within a second. Otherwise, it is not very easy. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32].

The jnanis, they are trying for liberation and undergoing very severe type of austerity and penances. Krcchrena. Krcchrena means very severe type of austerities they undergo. But still they fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. One who does not understand Krsna, then his knowledge, his so-called jnana... Maybe to some extent it is perfect, but it is not completely perfect. Completely perfect will be possible when you understand Krsna.So if you go on the ordinary way, from the karma platform to jnana platform, from jnana platform to yoga platform, but ultimately you have to come to the bhakti platform. If you do not come to the bhakti platform, then there is no question of liberation. That is not possible.

You can get better position by karma, jnana, yoga. Suppose a yogi, he can achieve many wonderful things. Suppose we can fly in the sky by airplane. Many hundreds of miles we can. But a yogi, within a second he can reach even the sun planet. That yogic perfection is there. Prapti-siddhi. It is called prapti-siddhi. A perfect yogi, simply by catching the beam of sunlight, he can go to the sun planet. He can go to the moon planet. Within a second. That is called yoga-siddhi. But even if you go to the sun planet or moon planet by yoga-siddhi or material science, what is the profit? There is no profit. Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna: [Bg. 8.16] “Even if you approach the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, you have to come back again.” Again come back, again become grass and again be eaten by cows, and again somebody drinks milk, and he gets the semina, again gives you birth in the womb of woman.

These subtle laws they do not know, how things are happening in the subtle ways.Therefore Arjuna knows, but for our education he’s asking Krsna that “Wherefrom this high temperature is coming?” Kim idam svit kuto veti deva-deva na vedmi. We cannot understand. It is not possible. So many things are there even in this material world we cannot understand. We cannot get full information. But if we take Krsna’s instruction... He’s giving personally the instruction in the Bhagavad-gita. If we take care of them, then we can understand everything very easily. Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that simply by understanding Krsna, you can understand everything. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. So this is the all-perfect knowledge, perfect culture, perfect advancement of civilization. So everyone should take to it and all questions should be, is answered by Krsna. You take it and become a perfect man.Thank you very much. (end)