The Six Principles of Bhakti

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt... (Nectar of Inst. txt 3)

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam [SB 7.5.23]—hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.

PURPORT

Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11), has defined devotional service as follows:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
[Madhya 19.167]

“Uttamā bhakti, or unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is favorable to the Lord. This devotional service should be free from any extraneous motive and devoid of fruitive karma, impersonal jñāna and all other selfish desires.”

Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we say “cultivation,” we must refer to activity. Cultivation of spirituality does not mean sitting down idly for meditation, as some pseudo-yogīs teach. Such idle meditation may be good for those who have no information of devotional service, and for this reason it is sometimes recommended as a way to check distracting materialistic activities. Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activities, at least for the time being. Devotional service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities, but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities. Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

The nine processes of devotional service are as follows:

1. hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
2. chanting His glories
3. remembering the Lord
4. serving the Lord’s feet
5. worshiping the Deity
6. offering obeisances unto the Lord
7. acting as the Lord’s servant
8. making friends with the Lord
9. surrendering oneself fully to the Lord

Śravaṇam, or hearing, is the first step in acquiring transcendental knowledge. One should not give aural reception to unauthorized persons, but should approach the proper person, as recommended in Bhagavad-gītā (4.34):

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”

It is further recommended in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] “To understand that transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master.” Thus this method of submissively receiving transcendental confidential knowledge is not merely based on mental speculation. In this regard, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Rūpa Gosvāmī:

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

“In the course of traversing the universal creation of Brahmā, some fortunate soul may receive the seed of bhakti-latā, the creeper of devotional service. This is all by the grace of guru and Kṛṣṇa.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151)

The material world is a place of confinement for the living entities who are by nature ānandamaya, pleasure-seeking. They actually want to be free from the confinement of this world of conditional happiness, but not knowing the process of liberation, they are bound to transmigrate from one species of life to another and from one planet to another. In this way the living entities are wandering throughout the material universe. When by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service. Such an opportunity is offered to a person who is sincere. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is giving such a chance to humanity at large. If by fortune one takes advantage of this opportunity to engage in devotional service, the path of liberation immediately opens.

One should accept this opportunity to return home, back to Godhead, very enthusiastically. Without enthusiasm, one cannot be successful. Even in the material world one has to be very enthusiastic in his particular field of activity in order to become successful. A student, businessman, artist or anyone else who wants success in his line must be enthusiastic. Similarly, one has to be very enthusiastic in devotional service. Enthusiasm means action, but action for whom? The answer is that one should always act for Kṛṣṇa—kṛṣṇārthākhila-ceṣṭā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu).

In all phases of life one has to perform devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga. It is not that one has to confine or narrow one’s activities. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Therefore nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa Himself states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4):

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā-
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.” Under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, one has to make everything favorable for Kṛṣṇa’s service. For example, at present we are using a dictaphone. The materialist who invented this machine intended it for businessmen or writers of mundane subject matters. He certainly never thought of using the dictaphone in God’s service, but we are using this dictaphone to write Kṛṣṇa conscious literature. Of course, the manufacture of the dictaphone is wholly within the energy of Kṛṣṇa. All the parts of the instrument, including the electronic functions, are made from different combinations and interactions of the five basic types of material energy—namely, bhūmi, jala, agni, vāyu and ākāśa. The inventor used his brain to make this complicated machine, and his brain, as well as the ingredients, were supplied by Kṛṣṇa. According to the statement of Kṛṣṇa, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: “Everything is depending on My energy.” Thus the devotee can understand that since nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, everything should be dovetailed in His service.

Endeavor executed with intelligence in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called utsāha, or enthusiasm. The devotees find the correct means by which everything can be utilized in the service of the Lord (nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate). The execution of devotional service is not a matter of idle meditation but practical action in the foreground of spiritual life.

These activities must be executed with patience. One should not be impatient in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Indeed, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and in the beginning there was no response, but because we continued to execute our devotional activities with patience, people gradually began to understand the importance of this movement, and now they are eagerly participating. One should not be impatient in discharging devotional service, but should take instructions from the spiritual master and execute them with patience, depending on the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. The successful execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities requires both patience and confidence. A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. The devotee thinks, avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa: “Kṛṣṇa will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service.” This is called confidence.

As already explained, one should not be idle but should be very enthusiastic about executing the regulative principles—tat-tat-karma-pravartana. Neglect of the regulative principles will destroy devotional service. In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there are four basic regulative principles, forbidding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. A devotee must be very enthusiastic about following these principles. If he becomes slack in following any of them, his progress will certainly be checked. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore recommends, tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt: “One must strictly follow the regulative principles of vaidhī bhakti.” In addition to these four prohibitions (yama), there are positive regulative principles (niyama), such as the daily chanting of sixteen rounds on japa-mālā beads. These regulative activities must be faithfully performed with enthusiasm. This is called tat-tat-karma-pravartana, or varied engagement in devotional service.

Furthermore, in order to be successful in devotional service one must give up the association of undesirable people. This includes karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs and other nondevotees. Once Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by one of His householder devotees about the general principles of Vaiṣṇavism, as well as the general routine activities of the Vaiṣṇava, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, asat-saṅga-tyāga,—ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra: “Characteristically, a Vaiṣṇava is one who gives up the association of worldly people, or nondevotees.” Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has therefore recommended, tāṅdera caraṇa sevi bhakta-sane vāsa: one has to live in the company of pure devotees and execute the regulative principles laid down by the previous ācāryas, the six Gosvāmīs (namely, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī). If one lives in the association of devotees, there is little chance of associating with nondevotees. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is opening many centers just to invite people to live in the company of devotees and practice the regulative principles of spiritual life.

Devotional service means transcendental activities. On the transcendental platform there is no contamination by the three modes of material nature. This is called viśuddha-sat-tva, the platform of pure goodness, or goodness free from contamination by the qualities of passion and ignorance. In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we require everyone to rise early in the morning, by four A.M.,and attend maṅgala-ārati, or morning worship, then read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, perform kīrtana, and so forth. Thus we hold continuous activities in devotional service twenty-four hours daily. This is called sato vṛtti, or following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas who expertly filled every moment of time with Kṛṣṇa conscious activities.

If one strictly follows the advice given in this verse by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī—namely, being enthusiastic, being confident, being patient, giving up the association of unwanted persons, following the regulative principles and remaining in the association of devotees—one is sure to advance in devotional service. In this regard Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks that the cultivation of knowledge by philosophical speculation, the collection of mundane opulence by the advancement of fruitive activities, and the desire for yoga-siddhis, material perfections, are all contrary to the principles of devotional service. One has to become thoroughly callous to such nonpermanent activities and turn his intention instead to the regulative principles of devotional service. According to Bhagavad-gītā (2.69):

yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ
tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī
yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni
sā niśā paśyato muneḥ

“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.”

Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord is the life and soul of the living entity. It is the desired goal and supreme perfection of human life. One has to become confident about this, and one also has to be confident that all activities other than devotional service—such as mental speculation, fruitive work or mystic endeavor—will never yield any enduring benefit. Complete confidence in the path of devotional service will enable one to attain his desired goal, but attempting to follow other paths will only succeed in making one restless. In the Seventh Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated: “One must be calmly convinced that those who have given up devotional service to engage in severe austerities for other purposes are not purified in their minds, despite their advanced austerities, because they have no information of the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”

It is further stated in the Seventh Canto: “Although mental speculators and fruitive actors may perform great austerities and penances, they still fall down because they do not have information about the lotus feet of the Lord.” The devotees of the Lord, however, never fall down. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.31), the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures Arjuna, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: “O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.”

Again in Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) Kṛṣṇa says:

nehābhikrama-nāśo ’sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
svalpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”

Devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success. Sometimes a person will give up his ordinary material engagements and out of sentiment take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and thus begin the preliminary execution of devotional service. Even if such an immature devotee falls down, there is no loss on his part. On the other hand, what is the gain of one who executes the prescribed duties according to his varṇa and āśrama but does not take to devotional service? Although a fallen devotee may take his next birth in a low family, his devotional service will nonetheless resume from where it left off. Devotional service is ahaituky apratihatā; it is not the effect of any mundane cause, nor can it be terminated by any mundane cause or permanently curtailed by any material interruption. Therefore a devotee should be confident about his engagement and should not be very interested in the activities of the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs.

There are certainly many good qualities among fruitive actors, philosophical speculators and mystic yogīs, but all good qualities automatically develop in the character of a devotee. No extraneous endeavor is needed. As confirmed by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12), all the good qualities of the demigods manifest progressively in one who has developed pure devotional service. Because a devotee is not interested in any material activity, he does not become materially contaminated. He is immediately situated on the platform of transcendental life. However, one who engages in mundane activity—be he a so-called jñānī, yogī, karmī, philanthropist, nationalist, or whatever—cannot attain the higher stage of mahātmā. He remains a durātmā, or cripple-minded person. According to Bhagavad-gītā (9.13):

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmī, jñānī or yogī. This is called utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.

[From The Nectar of Instruction, Chapter 3, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founder Acarya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness]

Lord Buddha - The emblem of Theism

Transcendental Poet Shree Joydev Acharya worshipped Lord Buddha in his prayer song of the ten incarnations of the Personality of Godhead Keshava (Sree Krishna). He sang like this.

(In Devanāgarī:)

"nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ
sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam
keśava dhṛta-buddha-ṣarīra jaya jagadīśa hare"

Wordings

Nindashi, Yajna, Bedhe, Aharaha, Shruti, Jatam, Sadya, Hridaya, Darshita, Pashughatam, Keshava, Dhrita, Buddha, Shareera, Jaya, Jagadisha, Hare.

Synonyms

Nindashi=Speak ill of it, Yajna=Sacrifice, Bedhe=In the matter of, Aharaha=Constantly, Shruti=Vedic literatures (The science of hearing), Jatam=In pursuance of, Sadaya=Compassioned, Hridaya=Heart, Darshita=Having observed, Pashughatam=Slaughter of animals, Keshava=The destroyer of demon of the name Keshi, Dhrita=Having accepted, Buddha=Empowered incarnation of the name (The knower of everything), Shareera=In the Personality of, Jaya=All glory for, Jagadisha=The Almighty Lord, Hare=Oh Hari the Godhead!

Translation

Oh my Lord the Personality of Godhead Keshava! all glory unto you; because you have accepted the Body of Lord Buddha-who spoke ill constantly of the animal sacrifices in pursuance of the rites of the Vedic literatures.

Purport

The Vedas are transcendental literatures learnt by the process of aural reception from the right source. The Vedas are therefore called "Srutis" i.e., the science that is learnt by the process of hearing. In that Vedic literatures, sacrifices of animals are sometimes recommended under religious rites.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had some arguments with Maulana Chand Kazi Saheb, the then city magistrate of Nabadwip (W. Bengal). When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Kazi Saheb why do the Mohamedans sacrifice cows, the Kazi Saheb who was also very learned replied that cow sacrifice is also recommended in the Vedas. On this Lord Chaitanya said cow sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas not for killing it but to give it new span of life. In the Vedas the sacrifice of animals are recommended by perfect rituals and as the result of such sacrificial rites, the animal sacrificed would again be renewed to a new life with perfect health. This sacrifice was done in order to exhibit the powerful Vedic mantras which properly chanted can perform wonders of life. An old bull was therefore selected for such sacrificial purpose and after sacrificing it on the altar of 'yajna' the animal was again resurrected by new span of life. Unless therefore one is able to give a renewed life to the animal, no such animal sacrifice should be attempted. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu thus quoted a verse from some authoritative scriptures in which it is said that in the age of Kali (iron age), sacrifice of horse and cow, adopting the renounced life of a Sannyasi, propitiating forefathers offering meats in the "Sradh' ceremony, and begetting of a son by one's husband's younger brother-these five items must be avoided. The reason explained by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in favour of restricting cow sacrifice in the Kali Yuga was that there was no expert ritualistic Brahman in this age who could help resurrection the life of an animal so sacrificed.

Exactly that is the purpose of animal sacrifice recommended in the Vedas. Another explanation of meat-eating by sacrifice is given in the Bhagwat Purana. It is said there that sexual intercourse with woman, meat-eating or indulgence in intoxication, recommended in the Vedas, are not for encouraging such habits of animal nature. By natural instincts such desires in the animal are already existing. Therefore there was no need of recommending it under the garb of religious rites. The idea is different. Recommendation in the Shastras for such concessions was meant for restricting the animal habit by allowing meat-eating by sacrificial rites, allowing sexual intercourse by legalised marriage etc. in order to bring in regulation of the extravagant sense-gratifying instincts. The regulative principles are so designed in due course the animal propensities may be subdued completely with the progress of reviving the divine nature.

Prior to the advent of Lord Buddha the animal sacrificial portions of the Vedic literatures were grossly misused and instead of subduing the animal propensities of man they were indulged in an unrestricted extravagance. As stated in the Bhagwat Geeta, the Personality of Godhead appears Himself as incarnation, it was necessary to put things in the right order and Lord Buddha as incarnation of Keshava (Sree Krishna) appeared as the emblem of Theism. In the Bhagwat

Puranam, the incarnation of Buddha is stated as follows:

(In Devanāgarī:)

Tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte sammohāya sura-dviṣām
buddho nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati

Wordings

Tatah, Kalou, Samprabritte, Sanmohaya, Suradbisham, Buddha, Namna, Anjanasuta, Kikatesha, Bhabishyati.

Synonyms

Tatah=After that, Kalou=In the age of Kali (Iron age), Samprabritte=Just in beginning of, Sanmohaya=In order to bewilder, Suradbhisham=The demons who are envious of the devotees, Buddha=Lord Buddha (Power incarnation of Godhead), Namna=Of the Name, Anjanasuta=As the son of Anjana, Kikatesha=In the province Gaya (Bihar), Bhabishyati=Will appear.

Translation

After that just in the beginning of the age of Kali, Lord Buddha the son of Anjana will appear in the province of Gaya in order to bewilder the demons who are always envious of the devotees of the Lord.

Purport

Bhagwat Puran was compiled almost 3000 years B.C. Under the circumstances the word 'Bhabishyati' is significant. Revealed scriptures of India are all corollaries of the Vedic literatures. They are production of transcendental mode of thinking as against the scientific mode of thinking. As we have already discussed to some extent the basic defect of scientific mode of thinking, any literature which is not derived from the authentic sources of Vedic literature is considered as ordinary country news with no effect of actual knowledge. Such literatures are full of mistakes, irrelevancy, cheating and imperfectness. They are so because they are compiled by persons who are by contact of materialism imperfect in respect of thinking, calculating, dealing, and sense perception.

The Vedic literatures are revealed literatures and they are received through an authoritative chain of disciplic succession called the Parampara system which is the most important and the perfect system of receiving knowledge in an unadulterated form. Sreemad Bhagwat Purana is therefore revealed scripture and it is quite possible for it to foretell many things like the advent of Lord Buddha even 500 years before His appearance. Not only of Lord Buddha, the appearance date and place of Kalki, the 10th incarnation of Godhead, who is still to appear at the end of this Kaliyuga-is also stated in the Bhagwat Purana. Lord Kalki is stated to make His appearance at the end of Kali Yuga i.e. at the end of about 400,000 (four lacs of years) henceforward in the province of Sambalpur (M.P.) as the son of Shri Vishu Joshi a fortunate Brahmin.

Therefore acceptance of the incarnations of Godhead must be in accordance with the authoritative statements of revealed scriptures and not by mental concoction. At the present moment many mushroom institutions have sprung up by the grace of Kali and they have presented their own manufactured incarnations of Godhead without any reference to the revealed scriptures. Such presentation of cheap incarnations of Godhead by unscrupulous persons have misled the common to know the right things and as a result of this willful adulterations, the people in general, mental speculators, and unauthorised religionists have sprung up on large scale. The general public is thus bewildered as to what to do and what not to do.

Lord Buddha is said to be the incarnation of power of the Supreme Lord. He is something like a representative with power of attorney.

For each and every incarnation of Godhead the descriptions in the scriptures are given about His features and programme of work. As such the description of Lord Buddha's appearance is given as He would be the son of Anjana in the province of Gaya and the description of His programme of work is stated to be bewildering the atheistic public. Lord Buddha is said to be the son of Ajina somewhere or He is Himself the Ajina and there is almost the same philosophy of Ahinsa (non-violence) both in Buddhism and Jainism. Lord Mahabir is the originator of Jainism and His appearance date is almost the same as that of Lord Buddha. So there is almost a great proximity between these two system of faiths.

In the Bhagwat Purana, the activity of Lord Buddha is stated to be bewildering the atheists. The atheists do not believe in the existence of the Supreme Lord and to bewilder such persons the power incarnation of Godhead appeared as the religious reformer. His cult of Ahinsa is the most important panacea for curing the incurable disease of atheism. Those who will not accept the authority of the Supreme Lord, the Lord sent a powerful leader who would gradually lead them to the path of the Supreme Lord.

Killing of animals before the advent of Lord Buddha was the most prominent features of all the then society under the shadow of Vedic sacrifices. When Vedas are not accepted through the authoritative disciplic chain of succession, the casual readers of the Vedas are misled by the flowery language of this system of knowledge. In the Bhagwat Geeta a comment has been made on such foolish Vedic scholars. The foolish scholars of the Vedic literatures who do not care to receive the transcendental message through the traditional and realised sources of disciplic succession is sure to be bewildered and such bewildered souls have been described as (In Devanāgarī:) avipaścitaḥ or the foolish scholars. To such foolish scholars of Vedas, the ritualistic ceremonies are considered to be all in all without any deep penetration in the depth of the knowledge. (In Devanāgarī:) (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam) that is the version of Bhagwat Geeta. The whole system of the Vedas is to lead one gradually to the path of the Supreme Lord. The whole theme of the Vedic literature is made to know the Supreme Lord, the individual soul, the cosmic situation and the relations between all these items. When the relation is known the relative function begins and as a result of such functions the ultimate goal of life or going back to Godhead takes place in the easiest manner. Unfortunately unauthorised scholars of the Vedas became captivated by the purificatory ceremonies only and the natural progress is checked thereby to achieve the ultimate goal.

To such bewildered persons of atheistic propensity, Lord Buddha is the emblem of theism. He therefore first of all wanted to check the habit of animal killing. The animal killers are the dangerous elements on the path of going back to Godhead. There are two types of animal killers. The soul is also sometimes called the animal or the living being. Therefore both the slaughterer of animals as well as those who have lost their identity of the soul, both are animal killer.

Maharaj Parikshit said that only the animal killer alone cannot relish the transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be educated to the path of Godhead they must be taught first and foremost to stop the process of animal killing bothwise as above mentioned. It is practically nonsensical who says that animal killing has nothing to do with spiritual realisation. By this dangerous theory many so-called Sannyasins(?) have sprung up by the grace of Kaliyuga who preach animal killing under the garb of the Vedas. This subject matter is already discussed above in the way of arguments between Lord Chaitanya and the Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The purpose of animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is different from the unrestricted animal killing in the slaughterhouse. Because the Ashuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic literatures would put forward the evidence of animal killing in the Vedas, Lord Buddha superficially denied the authority of the Vedas. This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was adopted by Him in order to save people from the vice of animal killing as well as to save the poor animal from the slaughtering process by its big brothers who clamour for universal brotherhood, peace, justice, and equity. There is [no] justice when there is animal killing in the slaughterhouse. Lord Buddha wanted to stop it completely and therefore His cult of Ahinsa was propagated not only in India but also outside the country.

Technically Lord Buddha's philosophy is called atheistic philosophy because there is no acceptance of the Supreme Lord and because the system of philosophy denied the authority of the Vedas. But that is an act of camouflage by the Lord. He is the incarnation of Godhead. As such He is the propounder of the Vedic knowledge originally. He therefore cannot reject the Vedic philosophy. But He rejected it outwardly because the Suradbishu or the demons who are always envious of the devotees of Godhead would try to put forward the evidence of cow killing or animal killing from the pages of the Vedas as it is being done by the modernised Sannyasins(?)-Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas altogether. This is simply technical and had it not been so He would not have been accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Neither He would have been worshipped in the transcendental song of Poet Jayadeva. He preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a manner suitable for the time being and so also did Acharya Sankaracharya to establish the authority of the Vedas. Therefore Lord Buddha and Acharya Sankara both of them paved the path of Theism and the Vaishnava Acharyas specifically Lord Sree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu led the people on the path rightly towards a realisation of Back to Godhead.

We are glad that people are taking interest in the non-violent movement of Lord Buddha. But will they take the matter very seriously and close the animal slaughterhouse altogether? If not there is no meaning in such caricature [TEXT MISSING].

[By His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya for ISKCON: FROM Back To Godhead Magizine Volume 3, Part 5, May 5, 1956]

Scholars Deluded

In the Srimad Bhagbatam description of the Supreme Truth is given as follows:-

"Janmadyasya yato'nvayaditara. . ."
(Bhag. 1.1.1)

This realisation of the Supreme Truth was achieved by Shri Vyasdeva by the initiation of Shri Narada when Shri Vyasdeva was unable to achieve perfect satisfaction even after His compilation of many many scriptures like the Vedas, Puranas, Vedanta histories like the Mahabharata etc. When He was not so satisfied, Shri Narada, who was His spiritual master, advised Him to narrate the transcendental Absolute Personality of Godhead, His Name, Fame, Qualities, and Pastimes, which are identical with the Absolute Truth.

As such Shrila Vyasdeva then sat on His sanctified seat at Shamyapras near Vadrikashram on the Himalyas and saw in meditation by His spiritualised vision the Supreme Lord and His illusory energy called by the name of Maya who keeps all conditioned living beings captivated by her three qualities. By such transcendental realisation only Vyasdeva compiled 'Srimad Bhagbatam' and in the beginning of that transcendental narration, He offers His obeisances to the Supreme Truth Who is the Parama or the transcendence. The Supreme Lord is described as the Swarat or the complete in Himself. He is not like so many mundane lords who are all dependant on one another and are conditioned by the laws of Nature. He is realised by one who has achieved success in the Gayatri Mantra chanted by the intelligent class of men (the Brahmins). The word Dheemahi is particularly used here for this purpose.

The Supreme Truth is described here as sentient person. His cognition, emotions and volitions are pre-existent prior to the creation of cosmos because he initiated the primeval teacher 'Brahma' who was enlightened by Him only prior to the cosmic creation. The Supreme Lord's knowledge is therefore different from that of the mundane scholars and the technical name of this transcendental knowledge is called Sambid, energy described in the Vishnu Puranam. Sambid, Sandhini and Ahladini are three different manifestation of the internal potency which is described in the Bhagwat Geeta as Atma Maya or the internal potency. This Atma Maya is different from the Gunamoyee Maya or the external potency of three modes. Atma Maya is also called the Para Prakriti which is distinct from the Apara Prakriti or the inert matter.

In the Atma Maya which is distinct from the material Nature, there is no scope for illusion. In the material nature there is illusion like the mirage in the desert. There is the illusion of accepting a rope for the snake or water as the glass and vice versa. The creation of the Atma Maya is the Absolute world where nothing is different from nothing or everything is nondifferent from everything. In that region the rope and snake are the same thing and therefore there is no illusion at all.

The Absolute world is the source of the material world or the relative world and as such the relative world is a perverted reflection of the Absolute world. In the perverted reflection of the material world, everything is created, maintained and lastly destroyed in the long run but in the Absolute world nothing is created or destroyed but everything is unborn, beginningless and eternally existent. The Supreme Truth has therefore three different energies primarily namely (1) the internal potency, (2) marginal potency and (3) the external potency.

Where there is no illusion of the rope and the snake is the place of the internal potency. And where there is such illusion of that of the mirage of the desert is the creation of the external potency. And the living entities who are either controlled by the internal or the external potency of the Lord is called the marginal potency. All these potencies are different energies of the Supreme Lord as light and heat is to the fire. These potencies are therefore emanations from the Absolute Truth who is the person controller or master of all mystic powers displayed under different headings of energies. The Personality of Godhead is therefore called as Swarat and Parama or the self-sufficient Supreme. When the supreme personality therefore descends by His Atma Maya, He does not become as one of the so many conditioned persons, neither He is different from His Personal Form as it is in the case with the living entities. It is wrong therefore to compare the Personality of Godhead with ordinary living beings or artificially elevate a living being to the level of the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person's being non-affected by external potential different modes is described as follows:- (Bhag. 11.38).

Etad Ishanam Ishasyaprakritishthopi Tadguni
Na Yuyyate Sadatmasthair Yatha Buddhitadashrya.

Specially of the Personality of Godhead is that He is never under the condition of the material nature. And in the same way a living entity who is spiritually enlightened by the grace of the Lord is also never attracted by the modes of nature although such living being is within the jurisdiction of the material energy.

But it happens so that a neophyte spiritually inclined person is sometimes deluded by the external energy and considers the Personality of Godhead as one of the conditioned souls who are embodied by the conditions of the material nature.

One mendicant Shri Madan Mohan Brahmachary met Dr. S. Radhakrishnan the great Indian Philosopher and Vice President of India. He was very kind to make a presentation of his book 'The Bhagwat Gita' to the above Brahmachary. The Brahmachary read the above book but he was not satisfied by it because, although the book is very scholarly edited, there are so many incongruencies for lack of transcendental realisation which definitely proves the statement of Srimad Bhagbatam as even the gods are bewildered in the Supreme Person. Gods like Brahma, Shiva, Indra etc. are also deluded sometimes by the Supreme Illusory Potency.

The Brahmachary, however, who met Dr. Radhakrishnan was sorry to find out such delusion of a scholar like Dr. Radhakrishnan, especially when he read on page 254 of the book (the Bhagwat Gita of Dr. Radhakrishnan) a deluded explanation of the sloka No. 34 Ch. ix Bg.

The exact words mentioned therein are as follows:-

"It is not the personal Krishna to whom we have to give ourselves up utterly but the unborn, beginningless, eternal who speaks through (Krishna)." (To be continued)

[Scholars Deluded from BTG Magazine, originally printed Oct. 20th 1958 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founder Acarya for ISKCON]

Everything is growing on account of Krishna

The abode of Lord Sri Krsna is described in the Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter, sixth verse:

na tad bhasayate suryo na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama

“That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. And anyone who reaches it never comes back to this material world.” (Bg. 15.6)

This verse gives a description of that eternal sky. Of course we have a material conception of the sky, and we think of it in relationship to the sun, moon, stars and so on, but in this verse the Lord states that in the eternal sky there is no need for the sun nor for the moon nor fire of any kind because the spiritual sky is already illuminated by the brahmajyoti, the rays emanating from the Supreme Lord.

We are trying with difficulty to reach other planets, but it is not difficult to understand the abode of the Supreme Lord. This abode is referred to as Goloka. In the Brahma-samhita it is beautifully described: Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah. The Lord resides eternally in His abode Goloka, yet He can be approached from this world, and to this end the Lord comes to manifest His real form, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. When He manifests this form, there is no need for our imagining what He looks like. To discourage such imaginative speculation, He descends and exhibits Himself as He is, as Syamasundara. Unfortunately, the less intelligent deride Him because He comes as one of us and plays with us as a human being. But because of this we should not consider that the Lord is one of us. It is by His potency that He presents Himself in His real form before us and displays His pastimes, which are prototypes of those pastimes found in His abode.
-Bhagavad-gita Introduction


Room Conversation
--
September 1, 1973, London

Prabhupada: . . . that there is no brain behind this creation. How foolish they are. There is no brain in this artistic work. And how wonderfully, . . .because it is automatically coming, artist. Anything, you take flower. So, without brain how this thing can happen? But these rascals they do not understand. They say nature. What is this nature? Nature is an instrument, but the brain is God. Just like you paint a flower with the brush. The brush is not the creator of that painting, you are creating. Similarly, it appears that it is happening naturally. Nature is only brush, but the brain is God.
Guest: Yet no two are the same, are they?
Prabhupada: Eh.
Guest: They are not the same.
Prabhupada: Yes. Varieties. Everything is variety. Everything is variety, full of varieties. We find the same species of rose. Still, you’ll find varieties. In human, twin brothers you will find still varieties.
Guest: And in Goloka Vrndavana, are there still varieties? Are there still varieties in Vrndavana?
Prabhupada: Vrndavana?
Srutakirti: Goloka Vrndavana, are there still varieties he said.
Prabhupada: Oh yes. There are varieties. Ananda, ananda, pleasure means varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. Without varieties, just like we prepare from grains, sugar, ghee, hundreds of varieties. If you simply give grain, ghee and sugar, it will not be enjoyable. But the same thing, you prepare in varieties and give you a plate, oh, you’ll say, “Oh, so nice thing.” The ingredients are the same. Grains, ghee and sugar, that’s all. Similarly, this material world, the ingredients are the same. Namely five gross elements and three subtle elements, finer. Earth, water, air, fire, sky. These are gross elements. And mind, intelligence, ego these are finer elements. Combined together this material world has come. The brain behind is a living entity. Just like we are using these ingredients, these five elements: earth, water, air, fire, sky, making this building, making this table, making this chair, vase, so many things, harmonium, pictures, book. So the ingredients are the same, but my brain is working in different varieties. My brain or your brain. Human brain. Similarly this material cosmic manifestation is full of varieties. The brain behind it is Krsna. That is stated, you have read our Bhagavad-gita?
Guest: I’ve taken a look.
Prabhupada: There is a verse. Find out:

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]
Srutakirti:
mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]

“This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.”
Prabhupada: Purport?
Srutakirti: It is clearly stated here that the Supreme Lord, although aloof from all the activities of the material world, remains the supreme director. The Supreme Lord is the supreme will and the background of this material manifestation, but the management is being conducted by material nature. Krsna also states in Bhagavad-gita that of all the living entities in different forms and species, “I am the Father.” The father gives seeds to the womb of the mother for the child, and similarly the Supreme Lord by His mere glance injects all the living entities into the womb of material nature, and they come out in their different forms and species, according to their last desires and activities. All these living entities, although born under the glance of the Supreme Lord, still take their different bodies according to their past deeds and desires. So the Lord is not directly attached to this material creation. He simply glances over material nature; material nature is thus activated, and everything is created immediately. Because He glances over material nature, there is undoubtedly activity on the part of the Supreme Lord, but He has nothing to do with the manifestation of the material world directly. This example is given in the smrti: when there is a fragrant flower before someone, the fragrance is touched by the smelling power of the person, yet the smelling and the flower are detached from one another. There is a similar connection between the material world and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; actually He has nothing to do with this material world, but He creates by His glance and ordains. In summary, material nature, without the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot do anything. Yet the Supreme Personality is detached from all material activities.
Guest: Is modern science materialism, Prabhupada? Is it materialism?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: All, all materialism?
Prabhupada: Just dealing with earth, water, air, fire, sky. That’s all.
Guest: And in this time, modern science, you know, physics, chemistry, mathematics; is this all materialism?
Prabhupada: All materialism.
Guest: All materialism.
Prabhupada: They do not know what is spiritual.
Guest: And inside these people doing this work, is it Krsna? Or what is it makes them do the work?
Prabhupada: No. The soul is a living being. So nature is supplying material and he’s molding in different forms. Just like earth is not man’s creation. Earth is God’s creation, or it is product of God’s energy. But we are using this earth and molding in different forms, different pots, different dolls. So ingredients are supplied by God. Nature means God’s energy. We simply handle them. We cannot produce anything, we transform only. Just like this iron, we cannot produce iron. It is gotten from the mine, iron bar. Now we have transformed into different forms. Because we have got creative energy like God, not very great, in very minute quantity. So as God has created by His intelligence, the whole universe—we are creating this table, this pillow, this harmonium—that’s all. What you are finding?
Srutakirti: I was just looking at that verse again.
Prabhupada: Which verse?
Srutakirti: Mayadhyaksena...
Prabhupada: Oh.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]

The Bhagavad-gita is the perfect information of everything. One has to study carefully, that’s all. It is perfect information. And you can accept it with your good logic. Not that blindly you accept. Now just like Krsna says: “The material elements are My energy.” Now you can consider, you can argue, you can make argument, you’ll come to the conclusion. Just like material elements, water, the vast water. The ocean, Atlantic Ocean, vast water. So it is created by God’s energy. How can you explain with your argument? Because it is said there, Krsna says, that “This is My energy.” Now, if you accept it, it is all right. But if you have got hesitation, what is your reason?
Guest: Because one man says one thing and one man says another thing. So many people have different things to say.
Prabhupada: No, personally. Suppose I ask you. What is your, you want to ask me?
Hamsaduta: You have, that letter has a return address from Mandalibhadra?
Prabhupada: Yes, it is here. Now the water... Just like from your body, water is produced, is it not?
Guest: Transformed?
Prabhupada: Transformed or whatever, but you see urine is coming, perspiration is coming. So these different waters are produced by your energy within the body. So why not from God’s energy the vast water?
Guest: Yes, truly.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: But why should he give us...
Prabhupada: Because God is unlimited, He has got unlimited energy. have got limited energy. I can pass urine, say one pound, I can have perspiration say, one ounce but if God likes He can produce unlimited water. Why this one Atlantic Ocean? Many millions of Atlantic Oceans He can produce. Water produced from His body. So where is the difficulty to understand? When Krsna says that the elements... Other matters are growing. Just like the hair. Now, today, I have shaved. Three days after, again it will grow. So I have got my energy within by which I’m constantly growing. But, hair is a material thing. So anything you take, it grows from the Supreme. It is very easy to understand.
Guest: Hmm. And ah, this inside, it grows because of Krsna does it?
Prabhupada: Everything is growing on account of Krsna. Your body, inside or outside, it is made of these five elements: earth, water, air, fire, like that. lt is nothing but combination of these five elements.
Guest: Is the water inside the same as the water in the ocean?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: It’s the same water.
Prabhupada: Yes. You... Have you tasted ever perspiration?
Guest: Hmm?
Prabhupada: Perspiration, have you tasted?
Guest: Tasted it, yes, salt.
Prabhupada: Salt, yes.
Guest: Ocean, yes.
Prabhupada: It has got.
Guest: But one ocean is not the same as another eh? My business is mathematics. It’s not very transcendental.
Prabhupada: You are teacher?
Guest: No, not anymore. It’s not very transcendental.
Srutakirti: He’s asking if his business is transcendental.
Prabhupada: No, if it is used for Krsna, then it is transcendental. If it is used for your sense gratification, then it is material. That is the difference.
Guest: Yes. And how do you know whether you’re using it for Krsna or not?
Prabhupada: Yes. That requires training from the Krsna’s representative, guru. Just like these boys are being trained up in Krsna consciousness. So it requires little training. Just like you are mathematician. To make another student mathematician, you have to train him. You have to teach him how to calculate two plus two equal to four. It will never be five. If somebody says, “No, my calculation is two plus two equal to five.” Will it be accepted?
Guest: I’m afraid sometimes it can be true. (laughs)
Prabhupada: How it can be true?
Guest: One plus one can equal three.
Prabhupada: Huh?
Guest: One plus one can equal three sometimes.
Prabhupada: Is there mathematical calculation?
Guest: I know that it’s ah... I mean things reproduce. Life is not so fixed, not so rigid. But one does have to be trained, it’s true. Training is, some people can understand and some people cannot understand.
Prabhupada: That is difference of understanding.
Guest: Yes.
Prabhupada: The fact is true. But if I cannot understand, that is my misfortune.
Guest: Yes. And if I can’t understand what this is the end of the... So yes, it’s the same. I think this is right.
Prabhupada: God is fact. But if somebody cannot understand, it is his misfortune.
Guest: Yes. And another time, another place.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: As you say, there are many oceans. The Christians say, “In my father’s house are many mansions.” A Chair. (indistinct) Good enough?
Prabhupada: No, you can sit down.
Guest: This has come a long way from the Barrier Reef, the Pacific. These shells. The shells.
Prabhupada: Oh yes.
Guest: From the Pacific. From the Barrier Reef, Australia. You know the Barrier Reef?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: Yes, that’s where they come from, the Barrier Reef.
Prabhupada: I have seen the reef.
Guest: You have?
Prabhupada: In Australia.
Guest: Oh, yes. I would like to see that. The sea is wonderful, isn’t it? You like the sea they tell me.
Prabhupada: Oh yes. Very green, clear.
Guest: Always a different color though. Always a little different isn’t it?
Prabhupada: Well, reef I have seen. It is about, not less than two hundred feet.
Guest: Really? They say under the water is beautiful, the light, and the color.
Prabhupada: They go under the water?
Guest: They go, yes, under the water, in skin-diving. The coral, coral? Grows coral doesn’t it? They say it’s all, very beautiful. Jaya. Well, thank you, Prabhupada, jaya.
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Give him prasada. Thank you.
Srutakirti: Take a little sweet.
Prabhupada: What is your name?
Guest: Peter.
Prabhupada: Peter, oh yes.
Guest: Thank you very much.
Prabhupada: Jaya. (end)

Everyone Is Trying To Become The Supreme, So There Will Be Volence

"...tasmad yudhyasva bharata"[Bg. 2.18]

Yuddha, fighting, Arjuna was ksatriya. It is his duty. Because here, in this material world, violence is also required. Violence. Because everyone is competitor, everyone is trying to become the Supreme, so there will be violence. Just like in your state, at the present moment, there is violence because one party is trying to become Supreme than the other. That is going on everywhere, all over the world, the struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become supreme than the other.

So there must be violence. So expecting that there will be violence, the ksatriya class required. Just like in the state, expecting that there will be violence, therefore the police department is maintained, the military department is maintained. So you cannot avoid violence from this material world. It is useless proposal.

Our Mahatma Gandhi tried to stop violence. He started the nonviolence movement, but factually he had to die by violence. So ksatriya, they are trained up violent to become violent to stop violence. That is required. Therefore Krsna advises that “Don’t try to become nonviolent because...” Tasmad yudhyasva bharata. “Don’t think that by killing the body, your grandfather, or your nephews and your brother on the other side, they will be finished. No. They’ll live. The body may be destroyed.” Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20].

But actual soul, he’ll transmigrate. According to Vedic philosophy, if a ksatriya dies in proper fighting, then he is immediately transferred to the heavenly planet, the heavenly planet. Because he sacrifices his body for right cause. Formerly, the fight was not a very trifle thing. After much consideration, then fighting or war was declared. Just like the fighting between the Kurus and the Pandavas; first of all, there was great endeavor to stop the fight. Krsna Himself became the messenger and was going from this party to another. Because Krsna... Both the parties were Krsna’s family relatives.

So He wanted to stop and mitigate the misunderstanding by mutual settlement. But it was not possible. The Duryodhana’s party said that “We are not prepared to spare even a small piece of land which can hold the tip of the needle.” Sucagra-bhumi. Then it was decided there must be fight. That fighting was meant for the ksatriyas. Formerly, there was no democracy. The so-called democracy. Democracy means that there was one king only; now there are hundreds of kings. One king and few ministers. Now one governor, one, I mean to say, three dozen secretaries, and three dozen... So many things... It is overburdened. The tax, tax is overburdened because there are so many officers. They have to be sumptuously paid. So tax is required.

So in this age, Kali-yuga, by, I mean to say, finishing the monarchical system, people have accepted the democratic system, but it is not very much improvement. Because the state expenditure has very much increased and people are very much overburdened with taxes. So Krsna advises that tasmad yudhyasva. Tasmad yudhyasva bharata. “Don’t think that your grandfather, or the other party, relatives, they’ll be destroyed by fighting. It is not the fact, that, by destruction of the body, the soul is destroyed.” Real purpose is... Bhagavad-gita. That we should understand that the soul is always existing, even... Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20].

ya enam vetti hantaram
yas cainam manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijanito
nayam hanti na hanyate
[Bg. 2.19]

There is another example. Krsna says... Because the soul is immortal, eternal, so if somebody kills somebody, the body is destroyed, but the soul is not destroyed. So if one thinks that “I have killed him, he’s finished,” he’s also foolish. And one who thinks that “If I have died in the fight, then I will be finished.” No. Ubhau tau na vijanitah. Both of them are ignorant. Ubhau tau na vijanito nayam hanti na hanyate.

The living soul is never killed, neither he can kill others. For duty’s sake... Of course, when there is fight... That is called dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha, by the order of the Supreme. Just like Arjuna was fighting by the order of the Supreme. That is dharma-yuddha. If there is no sanction by the dharma, there is sastra injunction, “In this case fighting should be there, in case, in this case, there should be no fighting...” So one who follows the principles of regulation in the Vedas, that is called dharma-yuddha.

Even there is fight, there is religion, there is piety. Even by killing and being killed. Two ksatriyas are fighting. Either he kills or he is being killed, in both ways they are profited. That will be explained. Just like Arjuna was advised that “My dear Arjuna, why you are hesitating to fight? Both ways you’ll be benefited. If you can kill your enemies, then you get the kingdom, you enjoy. And if you are killed, then you are promoted to the heavenly planets. So where is your loss? Where is your loss?” This is the instruction given. A ksatriya who is fighting for the real cause, as sanctioned by the dharma-sastras, when both ways he’s profited. If he becomes victorious, he’s profited, but if he’s killed in the battle, he’s also profited. Both ways.

ya enam vetti hantaram
yas cainam manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijanito
nayam hanti na hanyate
[Bg. 2.19]

Then the next verse He clearly explains:

na jayate mriyate va kadacin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah sasvato ’yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire
[Bg. 2.20]

This soul... “Do not think that soul is born.” No. As God is ever-existing, the soul is ever-existing. It is not... There is no question of birth. And when there is no question of birth, there is no question of death. Because we experience, anything, anybody, who has taken birth, he dies. Nobody will live here.

So if the soul has no birth, there is no question of death. And as Krsna, God, God is eternal, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam Purana [Bs. 5.33]. Purana means old. Because Krsna is the original person, therefore He must be Purana, the oldest, older than Brahma. Because Brahma is given birth by Krsna. Therefore Krsna has been addressed in the Bhagavad-gita as prapitamaha [Bg. 11.39]. Brahma is called pitamaha, the grandfather, and prapitamaha means “the father of the grandfather.” So Krsna has been addressed as prapitamaha, “father of Brahma.”

Therefore He’s adi-purusa. Actually, within this creation, Lord Brahma is the original person, because he was firstborn. There was no other person before him. But he’s given birth by Narayana, from the abdomen of Narayana in the lotus flower. Therefore He’s the father of Brahma. Prapitamaha [Bg. 11.39]. So Krsna here says, because that Mayavadi philosophy’s also nullified here. Because here it is said, na jayate, na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah. Mayavada philosophy says that the living entity has become separated on account of illusion. Not becomes separated. He is... There is no separation. But it is illusion; he’s thinking, “I am different from God.” But Krsna says, mamaivamso jiva-bhutah jiva-loke sanatanah [Bg. 15.7].

That amsa, part and parcel of God, he’s sanatana. Not that, being covered by illusion, he’s thinking “I am separated.” He’s separated always, sanatana. That is the statement of the Vedas. Separated. Although separated, quality one, but that separation, that fragments of Krsna, that is sanatana. It is not that by maya we are fragmental separated; when we are liberated, we merge into the body or the effulgence of God. We are separated in..., perpetually. Although we are eternal, but we are perpetually... vibhinnamsa. In the Varaha Purana it is said, vibhinnamsa, “separated part and parcel.” So we should understand very clearly that, although we are eternal, part and parcel, but we are separated. Separated in this sense that we are, everyone of us, are individual, not merge into the existence. Everything is existing. In the Bhagavad-gita, you’ll find: mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah. Everything is existing in Him, Krsna. But still, Krsna is not the living entity.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

[from the Prabhupada Folio Vedabase Lecture "Bhagavad-gita 2.12 Hyderabad, November 17, 1972"]

Space Travel

A living being, especially civilized man, has a natural desire to live forever in happiness. This is quite natural because, in his original state, the living being is both eternal and joyful. However, in the present conditioned state of life, he is engaged in a struggle against recurring birth and death. Therefore he has attained neither happiness nor immortality.

The latest desire man has developed is the desire to travel to other planets. This is also quite natural, because he has the constitutional right to go to any part of the material or spiritual skies. Such travel is very tempting and exciting because these skies are full of unlimited globes of varying qualities, and they are occupied by all types of living entities.

The desire to travel there can be fulfilled by the process of yoga, which serves as a means by which one can transfer himself to whatever planet he likes—possibly to planets where life is not only eternal and blissful, but where there are multiple varieties of enjoyable energies. Anyone who can attain the freedom of the spiritual planets need never return to this miserable land of birth, old age, disease and death.

One can attain this stage of perfection very easily by his individual effort. He can simply follow, in his own home, the prescribed method of bhakti-yoga. This method, under proper guidance, is simple and enjoyable. An attempt is made herein to give information to the people in general, and to philosophers and religionists in particular, as to how one can transfer oneself to other planets by this process of bhakti-yoga—the highest of all yogic processes.

From the book Easy Journey to Other Planets
by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

krishna.org

Never Think 'I Have Become Big'

Hrdayananda: Oh. "Thereafter Lord Brahma requested Prahlada Maharaja, who was standing very nearby, and asked Prahlada Maharaja to go forward and said, 'My dear son, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very angry upon your demonic father, and you can go forward and appease Him, the Lord.' "

Prabhupada:

prahradam presayam asa
brahmavasthitam antike
tata prasamayopehi
sva-pitre kupitam prabhum
[SB 7.9.3]

So all of them, all the demigods, they wanted to pacify. The Lord was very angry, but they failed. Then, at last, they requested Laksmiji to pacify the Lord. She could not dare to approach Him; what is the speaking of pacifying? Then, at last, they decided that "This five-years-old boy, the Lord may be compassionate upon him. And for him He has appeared, so let him be engaged in pacifying the Lord." So Brahma, the head of all the demigods presented there, he decided, prahladam presayam asa. He pushed him forward: "My dear Prahlada, my dear son, better you go forward and pacify." It is something like to push a little child in the cage of the lion. It is something like that. Nobody dared. So Prahlada Maharaja, he knew very well that "However ferocious He may be, I am not afraid. He is my Lord. I am not afraid." He was jolly, innocent, pure devotee. He had no fear. So he was sent: "My dear Prahlada, you try."

So brahma avasthitam antike. He was very near sitting, but he had no fear. Just on the lotus feet, near the lotus feet of the Lord, he was sitting. Others were contemplating. He was free, that "I am under the shelter of the Lord." Svapada-mule, mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. "He is Murari, and everything is under His feet." This is the conclusion when one is advanced in Krsna consciousness. Prahlada Maharaja, although he was a boy of five years old, it did not matter. He was first-class devotee, maha-bhagavata. That is possible. The devotional service is nothing material. It is spiritual. So there is nothing impossible, impossible. That is real appreciation of spiritual life. If one thinks that "Prahlada Maharaja was only five years old. How he could offer such nice verses in glorifying the Lord?" that is possible. Bhakti does not depend on the age. Bhakti depends on sincerity of service. It is not that because one man is older than me, therefore he will be greater devotee. No. Ahaituky apratihata. First of all, bhakti must be without any motive, without any motive of personal sense gratification. That is real bhakti. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. We have to make all our desires zero. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam. People are trying to understand the whole creation by knowledge, but bhakti does not depend on knowledge. Jnana-karma... Or karma. Karma means fruitive action. Not that because you are a very big businessman, you are very successful, therefore it will be easy for you to understand Krsna. No. That is not possible. Or if you think one is very poor in knowledge, lowborn, no education, still he can understand bhakti and Lord, provided he is pure devotee.

So material conditions, they are not practically applicable to spiritual life. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, He said, eho bahya age kaha ara. Whatever Ramananda Raya was proposing, "This is the beginning of bhakti..." He suggested varnasrama-dharma, karma-tyaga, karma-sannyasa, even full surrender, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. All, everything, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya age kaha: "These are external formality. If you know something better than this, please explain." So Ramananda Raya, when, I mean to say, quoted a verse from Brahma's prayer, sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih prayena ajita api jito... Krsna is ajita. Nobody can conquer Him. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. Nobody is greater in every respect. Not that "Krsna is shorter at least in this respect." He is shorter in one respect, that He could not repay back the obligation He received from the gopis. He was only shorter to the gopis. That is His grace. He said that "I cannot repay you. It is impossible. Please be satisfied with your own service." That is the gopis. So He was shorter always, especially before Radharani. He felt Himself shorter. Otherwise He is the Supreme. He is always the Supreme. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So if you want to conquer over this unconquerable Krsna, then, according to the prayer of Brahma and appreciated by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih: "You remain in your place, it doesn't matter, but you become very humble. Don't be puffed up." Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. You should not think yourself that you are very advanced, "By my speculative knowledge I can understand God." That is mistake. That is not possible. You have to give up first of all this attempt, that "I am very learned," "I am very rich,"or "I am very this and that. Therefore for me to understand God, it is nothing." They think like that. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhih [SB 1.8.26]. Those who are very much proud, they do not take Krsna consciousness very seriously. They think, "These poor fellow who had no money, no foodstuff, they have come in the name of Krsna for begging. So it is for them. It is not for us. I am very rich. I am very opulent. I am very educated. I am very aristocratic. So for me there is no need of." The Indians say like that in your country. "Now we have known this Krsna, Hare Krsna. We have... Now it is not needed. Now it is technology."

So these puffed-up persons cannot understand Krsna. One has to become very humble. Christ also says, "The kingdom of God is for the humble and the meek." That is actually... And Krsna also says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the beginning of humbleness: "Yes, I have nothing, insignificant." Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam [Bg. 7.19]. This is real knowledge, to remain always insignificant before guru -- Krsna. Then it is profit. If somebody thinks that "I have become more than my guru, more than Krsna," then he is finished. So one should become very humble and meek. It doesn't matter where he is situated, either this institutionally, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. Even one has taken sannyasa, he should remain always humble. So never we should think that "I have become very big personality." That was the instruction of my Guru Maharaja, that bada vaisnava -- "I am very big Vaisnava. Everyone should come and obey my orders" -- this is condemned position. The real position is one should be very humble and meek. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Namanta means humble. One should be prepared to learn from... Namanta eva san-mukhari... Those who are pure devotee. From them one should be very much anxious to hear. That, the same thing, anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Who has no other desire in the material world except to serve Krsna, he is pure devotee. So one should be anxious in humbleness to hear from such personality. Sthane... It doesn't require to change. There are so many questions sometimes: whether it is necessary to take sannyasa and It is... By the routine work, it is necessary. But if one is serious, so for him it is not necessary -- ahaituky apratihata -- because for a serious student of devotion, Krsna is in his hand. So anyway, even if you are a sannyasi or grhastha or vanaprastha, it doesn't matter. You should remain very humble. That is required. Sthane sthitah. And you should hear from the realized soul in humbleness. Then the Krsna, the great, He will be conquered by you.

So Prahlada Maharaja was that type of maha-bhagavatam. He was not... As a child, he had... He did not know the sophistry or formality to become unnecessarily very prestigious. He was by nature a small boy. Just like here, these boys. If you insult, he doesn't care for it because he is child. Or if you praise him, he does not think himself very much puffed up. This is child's nature. So Prahlada Maharaja was in that position. He didn't care. His father wanted to chastise him in so many ways. He didn't care. He (was) always thinking, "He is my father. He is joking. That's all." This is simplicity. This is simplicity. This simplicity is very valuable. So Prahlada Maharaja was in that position. Therefore Brahma selected him, that "My dear Prahlada, my dear child, please approach the Lord. You can try to pacify Him." Prahradam presayam asa brahmavasthitam antike, tata: "My dear child, my dear boy," tata prasamayo upehi, "please go forward and try to pacify Him." Sva-pitre kupitam prabhum: "Our Lord, Prabhu, He has become very, very angry." Nobody can excess in His anger. Just like nobody can excel the Supreme Personality of Godhead in anything, similarly, when He is angry, nobody can excel Him. He becomes so angry. So He is always... "God is great" means great in everything. When He is angry, nobody can excel Him in His anger. And when He is very peaceful, nobody can excel Him. This is God. Asamaurdha. God means nobody is equal; nobody is greater. So when the Lord was angry, nobody can show His anger equally and nobody can become greatly anger or more greatly angry than Krsna. He is always topmost. This is... So such anger was exhibited. Why? Now, it is said, sva-pitre kupitam. He's inducing, Brahma inducing, that "We never seen the Lord so angry, but it is on account of your father, so it is your duty. You go there." (chuckles) The child will accept, "Yes. My father committed so many offenses. Therefore it is my duty to pacify the Lord." Therefore he is reminding because he was a child, "My dear child, it is for your father He has become so angry, so it is your duty. Go and pacify Him." So every word in Bhagavata, there is meaning. Sva-pitre kupitam prabhum: "Don't think that it is our duty; it is your duty. Although we are Brahma, Laksmi, all right. So real duty is yours." This is little joking.

So Prahlada Maharaja is prepared, "All right," either for his father or for everyone. That is Vaisnava. Vaisnava does not consider that "I have to pray to Krsna for my father, for my mother." No. Vaisnava is ready to offer prayer... Para-duhkha-duhkhi. He is always unhappy, seeing these fallen conditioned souls unhappy. Other... Vaisnava personally, he has no unhappiness. Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyah. That will be explained. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah, soce tato vimukha-cetasa, indriyartha-maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. So Vaisnava is always sorry for the rascals in the world. Otherwise he has nothing to be unhappy. He can sit down anywhere; he can sleep anywhere; he can eat anything. He doesn't require anyone's help. He... As Krsna is self-sufficient, similarly, Krsna, not exactly like that, but a Vaisnava is also self-sufficient, depending only on Krsna. That is Vaisnava. So he has nothing to lament or nothing to regret. He is always pleased in the service of the Lord, but he is always sorry for the conditioned souls who are for suffering the material pangs on account of ignorance.

Thank you very much. (end)

listen

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976

Krsna - The Original Person

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam

adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[BrahamaSamhita 5.33]

So advaita. Advaita means without duality. Advaita acyuta, Krsna and Krsna’s expansion. Krsna’s expansion: Baladeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Then Narayana, then Maha-Visnu, Karanodakasayi Visnu—innumerable expansions. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Each and every form, Krsna’s, they are without any duality. Just like I and my photograph, that is my expansion, but it is not one; it is dual. What service you can take from me, you cannot take the service from the photograph. Therefore it is not advaita; it is dvaita, duality. You may have millions of photographs, but each one of them, they’re different. But Krsna, He has got millions of forms, they’re one. That is the difference. Advaitam acyutam.

Acyutam means one who does not fall down. Because he has expanded in so many forms, it does not mean the potency of Krsna has decreased. The same thing you chant in the Isopanisad: purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate. Krsna is so full, purna. Purna means complete. If you take complete Krsna from Krsna, still, He is Krsna. That you cannot understand in the materialistic condition, because if I have got one rupee or one dollar, if I take that one dollar, then it becomes zero. But Krsna is so complete you go on taking Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, still, Krsna is complete. Advaita acyuta. Acyuta means does not diminish or does not fall.

Advaitam acyutam anadi. Anadi means which has no beginning. Because we have got this material body we have got a beginning. You may ask somebody, “What is your birthday?” That means beginning. Anything material, it has got a beginning and end. Anything which has got beginning has got end also, and change also. So Krsna has no beginning, there is no end, and there is no change. Try to understand. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Ananta means unlimited. Unlimited forms, Krsna. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam. He’s the original, oldest person. Because adyam, original.

Just like if you find out in your family who is the original man, so as far as you can count, you go a hundred years, two hundred years back, find out who is the origin of your family members, so that man must be Purana. Purana means very old. Krsna, being the original person, adi-purusam... Govindam adi-purusam. Adi means original. So you do not think that he might have become very, very old. Because our material conception... Sometimes we paint picture: “God is the original person. Then He must be very old. He must have grown so much white, gray hairs.” No. The Vedic knowledge says, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam [Bs. 5.33]. The oldest man, but nava-yauvanam ca, always just like a young man, sixteen to twenty years old. That is called nava-yauvana.

When a man or woman comes to sixteen years, that is the beginning of youthful life. So sixteen to twenty years, this is very nice—in full energy. And that is the time for growth, intelligence. Unfortunately, we spoil this period, so we become less intelligent, life becomes shorter. If we spoil this period, then our life will be shortened. And if we keep this period complete celibacy, brahmacari, then you can live up to hundred years. So this period is very nice. It is called nava-yauvana, just new youthful life. So Krsna you’ll find all new, always new youthful. You’ll never find Krsna’s picture as old. Nava-yauvanam ca.

Then again, it is said, vedesu durlabha. (aside:) What is that sound? Vedesu durlabham. Vede means in the Vedic literature, if you make research work how Krsna is, then it will be very difficult. Then you come to the impersonal only. Vedesu durlabham. You have to go beyond the Vedas. What is that? Vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. Krsna is available through His confidential devotee. Not that if anyone has studied very nicely all Vedic literatures he’ll understand Krsna. No. Maybe, but it is very difficult. Krsna can be delivered by His devotee, atma-bhaktau. Therefore you have to take shelter of Krsna’s devotee. That is parampara system.

If you want to understand Krsna, if you want to have Krsna... Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung a very nice song. He’s praying to a Vaisnava, vaisnava thakura tomara kukkura bhuliya janaha more: “Sir, Vaisnava, you are Thakura. You are as good as Krsna, or God. Kindly accept me as your dog.” Vaisnava thakura tomara kukkura bhuliya jana... Kukkura means dog. Just like dog follows the master very faithfully. We have to learn something from the dog. The dog also is a teacher: how to become faithful to the master. That teaching we can have even from the dog. He is very satisfied. Whatever food you give, he’ll not protest. Still, he’ll remain faithful. There are so many good qualifications of a dog. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, vaisnava thakura tomara kukkura bhuliya janaha more: “Kindly accept me as your dog. I shall serve you faithfully.” Why?

Krsna se tomara krsna dite para: “Because Krsna is yours, you can deliver Krsna.” Very nice song. “Krsna is yours. By your devotional service, you have made Krsna your property; so you can deliver Krsna to me. Therefore I want to follow you as faithfully as a dog.” Vedesu durlabham. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita: vedesu durlabha. If you study independently all the Vedas... Veda is the source of knowledge. So vedesu durlabha, it will be difficult. But if we approach Krsna’s devotee, then it will be very easy. Vedesu durlabham

adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33].
advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvenam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.33]

This is the next sloka. The record is angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti [Bs 5.32]. Next sloka is this, advaitam acyutam anadim. You can repeat. Advaita. I say, you say. (devotees repeat:)

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.33]
(sings:)
advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.33]

Thank you very much. (end)

[Lecture by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya for ISKCON, on "Sri Brahma-samhita", Verse 33, New York, July 19, 1971]

What is an Avatāra?

In the Chaitanya-caritamrta of Krishnadasa Kaviraj, the following verses summarize these principles of incarnation:

"sṛṣṭi-hetu yei mūrti prapañce avatare..."

"The avatāra, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation, or avatāra. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatāra."

There are various kinds of avatāras, such as puruṣāvatāras, guṇāvatāras, līlāvatāras, śaktyāveśa avatāras, manvantara-avatāras and yugāvatāras-all appearing on schedule all over the universe. But Lord Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord, the fountainhead of all avatāras. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends for the specific purposes of mitigating the anxieties of the pure devotees, who are very anxious to see Him in His original Vṛndāvana pastimes. Therefore, the prime purpose of the Kṛṣṇa avatāra is to satisfy His unalloyed devotees.

The Lord says that He incarnates Himself in every millennium. This indicates that He incarnates also in the age of Kali. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the incarnation in the age of Kali is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who spread the worship of Kṛṣṇa by the saṅkīrtana movement (congregational chanting of the holy names), and spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout India.

He predicted that this culture of saṅkīrtana would be broadcast all over the world, from town to town and village to village. Lord Caitanya as the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is described secretly but not directly in the confidential parts of the revealed scriptures, such as the Upaniṣads, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavatam, etc. The devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are much attracted by the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya. This avatāra of the Lord does not kill the miscreants, but delivers them by the causeless mercy of the Lord.

[From The Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 4.8, purport, by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder Acarya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness]

Hare Krishna Mantra

Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And the process is recommended by authorities for this age.

By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum. When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of

Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare

is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower states of consciousness--namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.