There is A Story by Sarvasakshi Das

There is Story A

grantha-dvara vaisnava-janer krpa pai vaisnava-krpay krsna-labha hoy bhai “If all the devotees thus appreciate this book, then I will receive the causeless mercy that they will shower upon me. Oh brothers! And by the mercy of all these Vaisnavas, I will attain devotion to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.” (From Sri Sri Kalyana Kalpa-taru by Çréla Saccidänanda Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura)

kathälaya volume one

M or e t h a n 10 0 s t or ie s t ol d by Sr il a P r a bh u pa da

There is Story A Compiled from the Books, Lectures and Conversations of

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda Founder-Äcärya of The International Society For Krishna Consciousness

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Compiled & Published Sarvasakshi Dasa ISKCON, Sri Sri Radha Govind Mandir, Gita Bhawan, Ashoka Enclave-II, Sec-37, Faridabad Mobile: +91-9311197714 sarvasakshi.gkg@gmail.com First Printing: 2016

Nandgopäl Jivan Däsa Mobile: +91-8506805060 E-mail: ngjd.gkg@gmail.com Web: www.goldenagemedia.org Copyright ©2016 by Golden Age Media All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Breach of this condition will result in appropriate legal action. Golden Age Media expresses its gratitude to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (B.B.T), for the use of the verses, quotes, purports, pictures and letters from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's works. All such verses, quotes, purports and letters are © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Dedication

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swämi Prabhupäda Founder-Äcärya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

on t en ts 005 / Again Become A Mouse

008 / Alexander — The Great Thief 009 / Real Remedy 011 / Faith in Krishna, not Blind Belief 014 / Dr. Frog Philosophy 016 / Plan, Don't Imagine 018 / Intelligence is Power 021 / True Colors 023 / Krishna is Conquered by His Devotee 025 / Krishna Delivers Personally 028 / Bilvamangala Thakura 032 / Chant Chant Chant, Can’t Can’t Can’t 034 / Fooling the Fools 036 / Gift of a True Friend 040 / Don’t Live, Don’t Die 042 / God Has Arrangement 044 / Krishna's Protection 046 / Its Propaganda !!

048 / Affection Controls Krishna 049 / Mahabharata for the Nawab 051 / Negative Affirmation 053 / Absorption is Required 055 / Bhakta-vatsala Krishna 059 / Krishna The Supreme Enjoyer 060 / Anything for Krishna’s Pleasure 062 / What to Pray For? 063 / Liquid Beauty 065 / Krishna is the Only Purusha 066 / Don’t Imitate 069 / A Devotee Has Equal Vision 072 / Significance of Ratha-Yatra 074 / Krishna Bears Witness 079/ Transcendental Competition to Serve 082 / Real Progress 086 / Author Knows the Best 089 / Creating Our Misfortune 091 / Understand Krishna Don't Imitate Him 093 / Nobody will Survive 094 / Power of Chastity

096 / Eagerness to See Krishna 098 / Krishna Fulfils Desires of His Devotees 100 / No Loss in Spiritual Course 103 / Krishna Considers Devotion 105 / Wasted Endeavor 107 / Simply Wonderful 109 / We See Things As We Are 110 / Krishna Consciousness - The Ultimate Purifier 113 / Temperature of Material Enjoyment 115 / Chewing the Chewed 116 / Sour Grapes 118 / This is Dog's Philosophy 121 / Real Civilization 124 / Imperfect Knowledge 126 / Confidence in Krishna 129 / Scrap of Paper 131 / Decorating Sense Gratification 135 / Waste of Time 138 / Little Knowledge is Dangerous 140 / Yamaraja’s Judgement 142 / Beyond Patram, Pushpam...

144 / The Problem is This Body 146 / Suffering in the Material World 149 / Here is a Rascal Number One 151 / Inquisitiveness Implies Intelligence 153 / Honesty, a Thing of the Past 156 / Hovering Over the Mental Plane 159 / Perverted Enjoyment 161 / Stubborn Fool 162 / Fraternal Quarrel 164 / Misguided Education 166 / Envy 167 / Don't Bite, but do not Forget to Expand your Hood 169 / Give The Dog A Bad Name And Hang It 171 / Bravery is Their Rascaldom 173 / Death Means Forgeting Past Life 175 / Intelligence Has Strength 177 / Anchor of Attachment 182 / Serving The Greatest Person 184 / No Loss in Krishna Consciousness 185 / Don’t Give Them Your Heart 187 / Chaste Woman

190 / Attraction for Sex 192 / A Sparrows Determination 194 / Morality means Krishna's Satisfaction 198 / Foodstuff to The Stomach 200 / Satisfy Krishna to Satisfy Everyone 202 / False Affection 204 / Power of Association 207 / Futile Speculation 209 / The Story of Dhruva 212 / Live Only For The Benefit of the Guru 214 / Self-satisfaction 216 / Conquering Death is the Real Problem 218 / Peace Formula 220 / Banishing God & Canvassing God 221 / Whatever it Takes 223 / God Gives Facility to Everyone 225 / Futile Endeavor 227 / Virtue of Satisfaction 229 / More Loss, Little Gain 230 / It is two Paise Worth

ntroduction

e love stories. We have grown up listening to stories. Stories guide our lives. In short, stories help us understand ourselves, others and the life itself. Storytelling has always been one of the most powerful and delectable ways to convey the truths of life and the medium through which we can communicate meaningfully with each other. Also it is the oldest form of communication. The first thing people often do upon meeting each other is to begin telling stories. Like emotional glue, stories connect the audience to the message. They also reshape knowledge into something meaningful. We all have a natural affinity for stories therefore we are drawn towards novels, movies, gossip magazines, etc. Stories have always been recognized as a useful medium for conveying philosophical points and lessons. Therefore Çréla Vyäsadeva compiled the Mahäbhärata and the Rämäyaëa for the fallen people of Kali-yuga who are not inclined hear philosophy for a long period of time.

A great sage, Närada Muni, instructed his disciple King Präcénabarhi using allegory. These allegorical stories or histories capture the mind, and help us to understand the actual facts of life. Çréla Prabhupäda emphasized the importance of stories in his purport to Bhagavad-gétä 17.16: “Satisfaction of the mind can be obtained only by taking the mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment... the best course is to divert the mind to the Vedic literature, which is full of satisfying stories, as in the Puräëas and the Mahäbhärata.”

Çréla Prabhupäda is the true äcärya who very convincingly presented the truth of Vedic scriptures in simple and understandable way for the benefit of the fallen people in the age of Kali. He often used stories to get the message of the scriptures across to the audience in a more simple and lucid way. This book is a compilation of stories told by Çréla Prabhupäda through his books, lectures and conversations. We are presenting them here as they are very useful in understanding, practicing and preaching Kåñëa consciousness. I am thankful to Amala-caraëa däsa, Nandagopälajévana däsa, Gopishwara däsa and Sétäräëé devé däsé for their valuable service in bringing this book in the

hand of the readers. I am grateful to Naveen Sippy for designing the beautiful cover. I would also like to thank Anüttama Hari däsa for arranging the layout. May they be blessed with the Supreme gift of loving devotional service to Kåñëa. I humbly ask for your forgiveness and request you to please overlook the errors which I have committed while publishing this work. Sarvasäkñé Däsa Çrédhäma Mäyäpura, West Bengal. 10 March 2016.

Chapter 1 Again Become A Mouse Lord Nåsiàhadeva’s Appearance Day Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.22-34, Los Angeles, May 27, 1972

arkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God, but God-realization is meant for human being. The human being, if he does not realize God, he’s simply engaged in animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating—then nature will call, “All right, sir, again become animal.” Punar müñiko bhava: “Again become a mouse.” You know this story? Punar müñiko bhava. There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat, mouse, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing, you see. Real blessing they don’t want. Some material blessing. Real blessing, Kåñëa, they don’t want. 5

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

If you give him some blessing that “You become very rich man and...” These... they’ll be very much pleased. are all very well, this. So this mouse also came and begged the saintly person, “Sir, I am in difficulty. If you give me some blessing?” “What is that?” “The cat chases after me always. I’m very unhappy.” “So what do you want?” “Now, if you make me a cat, then I can get relief from this.” “All right, you become cat.” So he became cat. So after few days, again he comes. “Sir, again I am in trouble.” “What is that?” “The dog is chasing me.” (laughter) Don’t laugh, hear seriously. “Dog is chasing me.” “All right, then, what do you want?” “Now, make me a tiger.” “All right, you become a tiger.” So when he became a tiger he was staring on the saintly person like this. 6

Again Become a Mouse

So he asked, “Why you are staring upon me? You want to eat me?” “Yes.” So he again curses, punar müñiko bhava: “Again you become mouse. Again you become mouse.” So that is our position. We are advanced in civilization. Now we want to kill God. So we are again going to be uncivilized, to remain in the forest and to remain naked. Actually, they are practicing that: nature’s life. So again they are going to be aborigines. And that is being practiced. They are going to the forest, they remain naked. So actually, punar müñiko bhava: “Again become mouse.”

Chapter 2 Alexander — The Great Thief (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.16.17—Los Angeles, January 12, 1974)

ou know the story of Alexander the Great and the thief. Alexander the Great arrested one thief, and he was going to punish him. The thief pleaded, “Sir, you are going to punish me, but what is the difference between you and me? I am a small thief, you are a great thief. That’s all. [laughter] You are by force occupying other’s kingdom, and you have no right. But because you are strong, or some way or other, you have got the opportunity, and you are conquering country after country, country after... So I am also doing the same thing. So what is the difference between you and me?” So Alexander considered that “Yes, I am nothing but a big thief, that’s all.” So he released him, “Yes, I am no better than you.”

Chapter 3 The real REMEDY (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.19—Mäyäpur, February 26, 1976)

ust like animal. Animal, in the slaughterhouse, one animal is being killed, and the other animal is eating grass. He’s thinking that “I am safe.” He does not know that “Next moment I’ll be killed.” This is animal life. The human life means if somebody is being killed, so he should be immediately warned, taking warning, “Oh, my turn is coming. Let me go away.” There is one story in this connection. Not story; these are facts. A hunter spread his net. So some little birds, they fell down in the net and they are crying. They are crying. So the father, mother, when they came, they saw that their children are in danger: “It is caught by the net 9

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

of the hunter.” So mother immediately jumped over it to save the children, and she was also captured. Then the father saw, “Now if I go to save them, I’ll be captured. Let me go away. Let me take sannyäsa. That’s all.” (laughter) That is intelligence. (laughter) You cannot give protection to your family, to your society. To your... No, you cannot give. That is not possible. They must die. They must be captured by the network of mäyä. You cannot save them. If you want to save them, then make them Kåñëa conscious. That is the only remedy. Unless you are expert in saving your children by giving them Kåñëa consciousness, then you are not, you should not become father and mother. That is real contraceptive method, that “I shall... We are married, undoubtedly, husband and wife, but unless we are competent to give protection to my children—no more death—we should not beget children.” This is real contraceptive.

Chapter 4 Faith in krishna, NOT BLIND BELIEF (Räja-Vidyä: The King of Knowledge)

n this regard, there is a story of Närada Muni, who was once asked by a brähmaëa: “Oh, you are going to meet the Lord? Will you please ask Him when I’m going to get my salvation?” “All right,” Närada agreed. “I shall ask Him.” As Närada proceeded, he met a cobbler who was sitting under a tree mending shoes, and the cobbler similarly asked Närada, “Oh, you are going to see God? Will you please inquire of Him when my salvation will come?” When Närada Muni went to the Vaikuëöha planets, he fulfilled their request and asked Näräyaëa (God) 11

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

about the salvation of the brähmaëa and the cobbler, and Näräyaëa replied, “After leaving this body, the cobbler shall come here to me.” “What about the brähmaëa?” Närada asked. “He will have to remain there for a number of births. I do not know when he is coming.” Närada Muni was astonished, and he finally said, “I can’t understand the mystery of this.” “That you will see,” Näräyaëa said. “When they ask you what I am doing in My abode, tell them that I am threading the eye of a needle with an elephant.” When Närada returned to earth and approached the brähmaëa, the brähmaëa said, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? What was He doing?” “He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Närada answered. “I don’t believe such nonsense,” the brähmaëa replied. Närada could immediately understand that the man had no faith and that he was simply a reader of books. Närada then left and went on to the cobbler, who asked him, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? Tell me, what was He doing?”

F a i t h i n k r is h n a , n o t B l i n d B e l i e f

“He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Närada replied. The cobbler began to weep, “Oh, my Lord is so wonderful, He can do anything.” “Do you really believe that the Lord can push an elephant through the hole of a needle?” Närada asked. “Why not?” the cobbler said, “Of course I believe it.” “How is that?” “You can see that I am sitting under this banyan tree,” the cobbler answered, “and you can see that so many fruits are falling daily, and in each seed there is a banyan tree like this one. If, within a small seed there can be a big tree like this, is it difficult to accept that the Lord is pushing an elephant through the eye of a needle?” So this is called faith. It is not a question of blindly believing. There is reason behind the belief. If Kåñëa can put a large tree within so many little seeds, is it so astounding that He is keeping all the planetary systems floating in space through His energy?

Chapter 5 Dr. Frog Philosophy (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.30-31—Mombassa, September 12, 1971)

r. Frog, that the story of Dr. Frog. Dr. Frog is trying to understand Atlantic Ocean comparing with his three-feet well, that’s all. When he is informed that there is Atlantic Ocean, he’s simply comparing with his limited space. It may be four feet, or it may be five feet, it may be ten feet, because he is within the three feet. His friend informed, “Oh, I have seen a reservoir of water, vast water.” So that vastness, he is just conjecturing, “How much the vastness may be? My well is three feet, it may be four feet, five feet,” now he is going on. But he may go on millions of millions of feet it is still it is greater. That is another thing. Therefore, atheistic persons, demons, they think in their own way that God,

Dr. Frog Philosophy

Kåñëa may be like this, Kåñëa may be like this, Kåñëa may be like this. Generally they think that Kåñëa are I. How they say? Kåñëa is not great. They do not believe that God is great. He thinks that God is as good as I am, I am also God. This is demonic.

Chapter 6 PLAN, DON'T IMAGINE (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.15—Våndävana, November 3, 1976)

nergy should be utilized for that purpose, not waste energy simply for a false hope that “I shall become happy. I shall do this. I shall do that. I shall make money like this. I...”

The story of the potter The potter is planning. He has got few pots and he is planning, “Now I have got these four pots and I will sell. I will make some profit. Then there will be ten pots. Then I’ll sell ten pots, I’ll make some profit. I’ll get twenty pots and then thirty pots, forty pots. In this way I shall become millionaire. And at that time I shall marry, and I shall control my wife in this way and that way. And if she is disobedient, then I shall kick her like this.” So 16

P l an, don't Im agine

when he kicked, he kicked the pots and all the pots broke. (laughter) So then his dream is gone. You see? Similarly, we are simply dreaming. With few pots we are simply dreaming that “These pots will be increased into so many pots, so many pots, so many pots,” then finished. Don’t make imagination, make plan. That is... The guru, the spiritual master and the government should be careful that “These rascals may not make plan. This rascal may not make plan to be happy.” Na yojayet karmasu karma-müòhän. This is karma-jagat, this world. This material world is that. They are already inclined, so what is the use? Loke vyayäyämiña-madya-sevä nityästu jantuù. Just like sex life. Sex life is natural. It does not require any university education how to enjoy sex. They will enjoy it. Nobody... “Nobody is taught how to cry or how to laugh or how to enjoy sex life.” There is a Bengali saying. That is natural. You don’t require any education for this karma. Now they are making big, big plans to educate people how to work hard. This is waste of time. Educational institution should be for teaching people how to become Kåñëa conscious, not to become this or that. That is waste of time, because that program will never be successful.

Chapter 7 Intelligence is Power (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.44—Los Angeles, June 10, 1976)

t is mentioned that the spiritual world is just manifestation of cit-çakti, and this material world is creation of material energy or karma-saìgä, where everyone has to work. Without work, it is said, na hi suptasya siàhasya praviçanti mukhe mågäù. That is very nice example. In the forest the lion is supposed to be the mightiest animal, and he is sometimes called the king of the animals, paçu-räja. So in one place it is said that even the lion, who is the king of the forest, if he sleeps and he thinks that animals will come and enter in his mouth, that is not possible. He has to also find out how to eat. Na hi suptasya siàhasya praviçanti mukhe mågäù. The lion is so powerful, but he cannot also dictate.

I n t e l l i g e n c e is P o w e r

So there is another story, buddhir yasya balaà tasya nirbuddhes tu kuto balam paçya siàho madonmataù çaçakena nipätitaù

There is a story that a lion was killed by a rabbit. Çaçakena nipätitaù. Why? Now, buddhir yasya balaà tasya: “One who has got intelligence, he has got power.” A lion is very mighty, ferocious animal, and a çaçaka, a ordinary rabbit, he killed a lion. How? Now the lion was disturbing all animals, so all the animals held a meeting and called the lion: “Sir, you do not try to kill us all, hunting after everyone. We shall go voluntarily every day, one of us. So you don’t create disturbance. Let us become peaceful.” So lion agreed, “All right, if you voluntarily come, I will sleep, and if you enter in my mouth...” So this was the agreement. There was the turn of one rabbit. So he planned something. So he went to the lion a little late. So lion was very angry that “Why you have come late? I am very hungry, and you did not come.” (laughter) So the rabbit said, “Sir, there was a danger in the way.” “What is that?” “There is another lion, and he wanted to kill me and eat, so I protested, ‘No, sir, you cannot kill me. (laughter) I am destined to be killed by such and such lion, so you cannot do it.’ “ So he was very much pleased: “Where is 19

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

that lion?” “Please come. I will show you.” So he took him near one well. So he... The rabbit said, “He is living within this.” (laughter) The lion immediately... “Come on. Make a how!’ “ So there was vibration, still higher sound, and he saw his photo, yes, shadow. So he thought it, “Yes, there is lion.” He immediately jumped over him. (devotees laugh) Finished. So how the lion was killed by the rabbit? Now, buddhir yasya balaà tasya: “One who has got intelligence, he has got power.”

Chapter 8 True Colors The Fifth Morning Walk: May 3, 1973

ecorded on May 3, 1973, On the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Near Los Angeles)

Çréla Prabhupäda: In Bengal there is a story called jaìgal-kä räjä, concerning a jackal who became king of the forest. Jackals are known for their cunning. One day this jackal came into a village and fell into a tub of blue dye. He fled to the forest, but he had become blue. So all the animals said, «What is this? What is this? Who is this animal?» Even the lion was surprised: «We have never seen you before, sir. So who are you?» The jackal replied, «I have been sent by God.» So they began to worship him as God. But then one night some other 21

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

jackals began to cry: «Wa, wa, wa!» And since jackals cannot restrain themselves from returning the call of their own kind, this blue jackal also began to cry, «Wa, wa, wa!» And thus he exposed himself before all the other animals as being nothing more than a jackal. Many jackals have been arrested and have resigned from your government. Brahmänanda Swami: The Watergate affair. It is called the Watergate scandal. Çréla Prabhupäda: Practically speaking, at the present moment no honest man can become a government official. This is true everywhere. Unless one is a rogue, a dishonest person, one cannot maintain his governmental position. Therefore no noble man goes into the government. But what can you do? Dr. Singh: Politicians are the greatest cheaters. Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, they are scoundrels. One philosopher said that politics is the last resort of scoundrels.

Chapter 9 krishna is Conquered By His Devotee Lord Nåsiàhadeva’s Appearance Day (The Nectar of Devotion—Calcutta, January 30, 1973)

or a devotee, Kåñëa is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito ‘py asau. Although Kåñëa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position. Just like He willingly placed Himself to be conquered by Mother Yaçodä, to be conquered by Rädhäräëé, to be conquered by His friends. Kåñëa became defeated and He has to take His friend on the shoulder. Practically sometimes we see that a king keeps a joker amongst his associates, and sometimes the joker insults the king, and the king enjoys. The joker sometimes... Just like there is a famous joker, Gopäla Bon, in Bengal. So one day the king asked him, “Gopäla, what is the difference between you and an ass?” So he immediately 23

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

measured the distance from the king. He said, “It is three feet only, sir. The difference is only three feet.” So everyone began to laugh. And the king enjoyed that insult. Because sometimes it is required. So Kåñëa also... Everyone praises Him in exalted position. Everyone. That is Kåñëa’s position—the Supreme Lord. In Vaikuëöha, there is only praising. There is no such thing. But in Våndävana Kåñëa is free to accept insult from His devotee. The people do not know that, what is Våndävana life. So devotees are so exalted. Rädhäräëé orders, “Don’t allow Kåñëa to come here.” Kåñëa cannot come in. He flatters the other gopés: “Please allow Me to go there.” “No, no. There is no order. You cannot go.” So Kåñëa likes that.

Chapter 10 Krishna Delivers Personally (Bhagavad-gétä 9.20-22—New York, December 6, 1966)

ow this Arjunäcärya...that’s a very nice story. When he was writing commentaries, oh, he thought, “How is that Lord will come Himself and deliver the goods? Oh, it is not possible. He might be sending through some agents.” So he wanted to cut vahämy aham, “I bear the burden and deliver.” He wrote in a way that “I send some agent who delivers.” So that Arjunäcärya went to take bath, and in the meantime two boys, very beautiful boys, they brought some very nice foodstuff in large quantity. And in India there is a process to taking two sides burden on the bamboo. Just like a scale it is balanced. So these two boys brought some very highly valuable foodstuff and grains and ghee, and his wife was 25

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

there. And the boys said, “My dear mother, Arjunäcärya has sent these goods to you. Please take delivery.” “Oh, you are so nice boy, you are so beautiful boys, and he has given. And Äcärya is not so cruel. How is that? He has given so much burden to you, and he is not kind...?” “Oh, I was not taking, just see, he has beaten me. Here is cane mark. Oh, see.” His wife became very much astonished, that “Äcärya is not so cruel. How he has become so cruel?” So she was thinking in that way. Then “All right, my dear boys. You come on.” And gave him shelter. And, “No. I shall go because Arjunäcärya again comes. He will chastise us.” “No, no. You sit down, take foodstuff.” He (she) prepared foodstuff, and then they went away. And when Arjunäcärya came back, then he saw that his wife is eating. Because it is the system of Indian families that after the husband has taken the food, the wife will take. So they don’t take together. After the family members—the boys and the husband is sumptuously fed—then the housewife takes. So Arjunäcärya, “Oh, you are taking food? What is that?” No. He did not. I am mistaken. Sorry. He said that “You are...” So the wife said, “Äcärya, you have become so much cruel nowadays?” “Oh, what is that?” “Two boys, very nice boys, they have brought so many foodstuff. You loaded on their head, and they denied to take it, and you have 26

K r is h n a D e l i v e r s P e r s o n a l l y

beaten them, chastised?” He said, “No. I have never done this. Why shall I do it?” Then she described, “Oh, such a nice beautiful boy.” Then Arjunäcärya understood that “Because I wanted that God does not deliver, so He has delivered these goods, and because I cut these alphabets that He does not give personally, so He has shown that beating mark.” There is an incident in southern India of Yämunäcärya. That story is there. Of course, you may believe or not believe. That’s a different thing. But here the Lord says that “I personally deliver.” So those who are in Kåñëa consciousness, those who are actually busy in the matter of discharging their duties as a Kåñëa conscious person, they may be assured that so far their living condition is concerned or their comforts of life is concerned, that is assured by the Lord. There will be no hampering.

Chapter 11 BilvamaNgala ThAkur a (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 20.142— New York, November 30, 1966)

here is a nice verse of Bilvamaìgala Öhäkura. He lived for seven hundred years in Våndävana, and he was, became a great devotee of Kåñëa. In the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life. He was a South Indian brähmaëa, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute, prostitute. So he was so much, I mean to say, devoted to the prostitute that he was performing his father’s death ceremony and he was asking the priest, “Please, haste. Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go.” Means prostitute’s house. So he was very rich man. Priestly, anyway, he finished that business. Then there was ceremony. He took very nice foodstuff in a bag, and

B i lva m a n g a l a T h a k u r a

he was going to that prostitute’s house. But when he came out of his home, oh, it was raining torrently. You see? So he never cared for that raining. He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that “How can I go to the other side?” He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, “Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come.” So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, “Oh, the door is blocked,” and it was raining still. “So how can I go?” So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: “Well, Bilvamaìgala”—his name was Bilvamaìgala—”how do you dare to come here like this?” Oh, he described, “Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this.” Oh, the prostitute was astonished. Her name was Cintämaëi. So the prostitute said, “My dear Bilvamaìgala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Kåñëa, how would have been, your life, sublime.” Oh, that struck him: “Yes.” He at once left and went away: “Yes, you are right.” Then he was (going to) Våndävana. He saw another beautiful woman because he was practiced to that habit. So 29

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

he was going behind. Although he determined, “Now I am going to Våndävana,” on the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed that woman. That woman belonged to a respectable family. So he came, and the woman said to her husband, “Oh, this man is following me. Please ask, ‘What is the idea?’ “ So the husband asked, “My dear sir, you appear to be very nice gentleman, and you belong to very aristocratic family. From your appearances I understand. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?” He said, “Yes, I am following wife because I want to embrace her.” “Oh, you want to embrace? Come on. Embrace. Come on. You are welcome. Come on.” So the wife also... She (he) ordered, “Oh, here is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that he may enjoy.” So the wife also followed the instruction of the husband because wife’s duty is to follow the instruction. And when Bilvamaìgala came inside before the woman, he said, “My dear mother, will you kindly give your hairpins?” “Yes. Why?” “I have got some business.” Then he took the hairpin and at once pierced his eyes: “Oh, this eye is my enemy.” And he became blind. He became blind. Then all of them... “That’s all right. Now no more I shall be disturbed.” So in that blindness he was penancing, austerity in Våndävana. So by the grace of Kåñëa, Kåñëa came like a 30

B i lva m a n g a l a T h a k u r a

boy. “Oh, my dear sir, why you are starving? Why don’t you take some milk?” “Oh, who are You, my dear boy?” “Oh, I am a boy of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk.” “All right.” So Kåñëa supplied him milk. So there was friendship. And he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktiù mukulitäïjali sevate asmän: “Mukti, mukti is nothing for me.” So this is his verse, muktiù mukulitäïjali sevate asmän: “So we have no desire for mukti. When Kåñëa comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?” You see? That’s a great soul, Bilvamaìgala Öhäkura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred hears he lived in Våndävana, and he has written a nice book which is Kåñëa-karëämåta. That is a very authoritative book, Kåñëa-karëämåta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Kåñëa-karëämåta book.

Chapter 12 Chant Chant Chant, Can’t Can’t Can’t (Bhagavad-gétä 9.10—Calcutta, June 29, 1973)

veryone can chant. What is the difficulty? Everyone can chant Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare, Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare... Where is the difficulty? But they’ll not chant. They’ll not chant. They’ll talk so many rubbish things, but as soon as you ask him to chant Hare Kåñëa, he’ll be silent. That we have experienced. But still our thankless task is to induce everyone: “Chant Hare Kåñëa.”

There is a cartoon picture in New York. One old man and his wife, sitting together. The wife is requesting the husband, old husband, “Chant, chant, chant,” and the husband is replying: “Can’t, can’t, can’t.” This cartoon we 32

Ch ant Ch ant Ch ant Can’t Can’t Can’t

have seen. So this is the... He will say three times: “Can’t, can’t, can’t.” But not “Kåñëa, Kåñëa, Kåñëa.” That is not possible. A similar story is there in the Bengal. One old mother was dying, and the sons requested the mother: “Mother, now you say ‘Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa’ “. So after requesting two, three times, mother became disgusted: atha katha nivalta nare.(?) So atha katha vibol ta parane(?) she could say. Not Hare Kåñëa. Not Hare Kåñëa. This is the position.

Chapter 13 Fooling the Fools (Bhagavad-gétä 9.18-19—New York, December 4, 1966)

ust like there is a very nice story. A monkey... Monkeys, they are very busy. Do you know? But their business is to simply destroy. You will find monkey always busy, very active. So in the village there was a carpenter who was bifurcating one big beam by saw. So at the end of his work, half of the beam was cut into two, so he put one block between the two pieces and he went away. And then one monkey came, and he pulled out the block, and his tail was captured in that, between the two, and it was cut. So he went to his society, and he said that “This is the fashion. This is the fashion.” Langulim segar(?). He advertised, “To cut one’s tail, this is the latest fashion.” Similarly, I saw one cinema in my childhood, a

Fooling the Fool s

similar story. One Mr. Maxlin or something like that, he played that. He was sitting in park, and some naughty boy nailed his tail, that tail coat, when ball dancing. So when he got up that half part of that tail was taken away. So when he was dancing in the ball, everyone is looking to his back side: “What is this? His tail is cut.” So he saw in the mirror that “My tail is cut.” So he began to dance more nicely, and everyone asked him, “What is...?” “Oh, this is the latest fashion. This is the latest fashion.” So everyone began to cut his tail. You see? (chuckles) So this is... Life is going on. “I have become befooled, so I don’t want that my son will be intelligent. Let him become befooled. Let him become befooled.” This is called punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm [SB 7.5.30], repeatedly chewing the chewed.

Chapter 14 Gift of a True Friend (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.38—Bombay, December 7, 1974)

here is a little story, very interesting. So one poor boy, he was student in a school, and the teacher’s annual ceremony of father’s death would be held. So he requested all his student, “What you will give me, contribution?” Formerly the teacher was not taking any salary. But whatever he wanted, the students will bring either from parents’ house or by begging. That was the system. The teacher would not charge anything. A brähmaëa cannot be..., charge anything. Generally, the brähmaëas were teachers. That is one of the profession of the brähmaëa. Everyone must have livelihood. So brähmaëa livelihood is paöhana päöhana. He must become a learned scholar, and he will make others also learned scholar. That

G if t o f a T r u e F r i e n d

is brähmaëa’s business. Paöhana päöhana yajana yäjana däna pratigrahaù. Ñaö-karma. Six kinds of profession for the brähmaëas. And kñatriya’s profession is to give protection to the citizen and levy some tax, twenty-five percent, not more than that. Whatever is income your, give twenty-five percent to the kñatriya king. That’s all. That includes sales tax, this tax, that tax, so many tax, income tax. All finished. You give twenty-five percent. And if you have no income, no tax. Not like that even you have no income, “No, last year you gave so much tax. You must give it. Otherwise your property will be sold.” Not like that. So that is kñatriya’s income. Similarly, vaiçya’s income, kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyam [Bg. 18.44], agriculture, cow protection, and if there is excess foodstuff, then he can sell, make trade. And çüdras, they will simply help. So this teacher, the original story, the teacher asked the student for... Somebody said, “I will contribute this cloth,” somebody said, “I’ll rice,” somebody said something, something, something. There was one poor student, he had no means. He was very poor. So when he was asked, so he replied that “I cannot say anything without asking my mother.” “All right, you ask your mother and tell me tomorrow.” So he asked, “My dear mother, all my class friend has promised the teacher to contribute this, that, this, that. So my turn is there. What shall I promise?” The 37

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

mother said, “My dear son, we are so poor, we cannot give anything. But if Kåñëa gives, He is déna-bandhu, the friend of the poor. So if He gives something to you, you can promise.” “Oh, where is Kåñëa? What is His name?” “Now, His name is Dénabandhu, friend of the poor.” “Where He is?” “I understand that He is in the forest.” So he went to the forest and called, “Dénabandhu brother, Dénabandhu brother, where You?” He began to cry. So Kåñëa came. When a devotee is very much eager to see Him, Kåñëa comes. He very is kind. So “Why you are asking?” “My mother... You are Dénabandhu?” “Yes.” “So this is my condition, sir. What can I promise?” So He said that “You promise that you will supply yogurt, dahi. You will supply dahi.” So he was very much satisfied. And he came to the teacher that “My Dénabandhu brother, dädä, He will supply dahi, or yogurt, for whatever you require.” “Oh, that’s nice. Very good.” So on the day of ceremony, so he went to the forest again and called Dénabandhu dädä, and He gave him a small pot of dahi, yogurt, a small pot. Oh, he was a child. He did not know. And the..., he brought it to the teacher, “Now, this is my contribution. My Dénabandhu brother has given. So you take.” “The hundreds and thousands of people will be given foodstuff and this much dahi?” He became very angry. He became angry, he did not care, 38

G if t o f a T r u e F r i e n d

and the pot fell down, and the yogurt also fell down. But after some time, when he came, he saw that although the yogurt has fallen down, the pot is full. Then he again dropped it; again it is full. He dropped it; again it is full. Then he could understand it is spiritual. Pürëasya pürëam ädäya pürëam eva avaçiñyate [Éço Invocation]. You take the whole thing; still, the whole thing is there. That is Kåñëa. Not that because you have taken something, one minus one equal to zero. No. In the spiritual world, one minus one equal to one. And one plus one equal to one. That is called advaya-jïäna. There is no duality. Plus and minus, they are two things. But in the spiritual world, either plus or minus, the same. That is to be understood. That is called Absolute, advaya-jïäna.

Chapter 15 Don’t Live, Don’t Die

(Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Disappearance Day, Lecture — Los Angeles, December 9, 1968)

o today is the disappearance day of my Guru Mahäräja. As I told you that sädhavo jéva vä mara vä. There was a nice story the other day I told you that a sage is giving different kinds of blessings to different types of persons. So to a king’s son, a prince, he blessed, räja-putra ciraà jéva: “You are a king’s son, a prince. You live forever.” And muni-putra, the son of a saintly person, he blessed him, mä jéva mä jéva: “You don’t live.” Räja-putra ciraà muni-putra mä jéva. And sädhu, devotees, he blessed him, jéva vä mara vä: “Either you live or you die, as you like.” And there was a butcher, he blessed him, mä jéva mä mara: “You don’t die, don’t live.” So these words are very significant. That I have already explained, still I am explaining. A prince, he’s enjoying sense, that’s all. He has got enough facility for sense enjoyment. So his next life is hellish.

Don’t Liv e, Don’t Die

Because if you indulge in sex life, then Kåñëa will give you facility to have sex life three times in an hour, just like the pigeons, the monkeys, the sparrows, they are very sexually strong. You have seen it. So the facility is given. So princely order, they are after sense enjoyment. So he’s blessed that “Better you live forever, because after your death, you do not know what is going to happen to you. You are going to get a hellish life. Better you live for some time. Go on with your enjoyment.” And muni-putra mä jéva. Brahmacäré, working under the guidance under strict disciplinary guidance, of a spiritual master, he is blessed, mä jéva, “You better die. Because you are so trained to enter into the kingdom of God, so why should you take so much trouble? Better you die and go back to Godhead.” Ma jéva. And a devotee he blessed, jéva va maro va: “My dear devotee, either you live or die, the same thing.” And the butcher, he blessed him, ma jéva ma mara: “You don’t live, don’t die.” What he’s to do? His living condition is so abominable. From the morning, he has to slaughter so many animals, see the bloodstain, the ghastly scene. That is his livelihood. So what a horrible life this is. So “Don’t live. And don’t die also.” Because after death, oh, he is going to be in so much hellish condition, nobody can describe. So both lives, living condition and death, after death, his condition is very horrible. Anyway, apart from others, the devotee, for him, appearance and disappearance the same thing. 41

Chapter 16 God Has Arr angement (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.6.1—San Francisco, March 3, 1967)

n the western countries also fair takes place, some in county, some village place. So in India there are weekly bazaar which is called haööa. So at that time the salesmen with their goods, commodities, they assemble and many purchase are..., just like in market place. So there was a market, weekly market, and thousands of people assembled there. So one old lady of that village, she began to cry. Then her elderly son inquired, “Mother, why you are crying?” “No, where shall I accommodate all these people to lie down in the, at night? There are so many people in this village, and how I shall accommodate?” The son began to laugh. “My dear mother, you don’t bother. It will be all arranged.” “No, my dear son, I

God h as Arr angement

am very much perplexed.” So she began to cry. So in the evening the son called the mother, “Mother, now you see in the marketplace.” She saw, “Oh, where are all those people gone? Huh?” So there is arrangement. All those thousands of people assembled in the market, they have got their sleeping place. They have got their eating place. So by arrangement. There is arrangement. Similarly, there may be millions and millions of living entities; God has arrangement.

Chapter 17 krishna's Protection (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.7.13-14—Våndävana, September 12, 1976)

veryone was determined, “I must kill.” Duryodhana was determined to kill Bhéma, and Bhéma was determined to kill. So when they did not listen to the instruction of Baladeva, then Baladeva left the place. He went to Dvärakä, back. Of course, Kåñëa was there, because Kåñëa was to give hint to Bhéma how to kill Duryodhana. So Duryodhana, by the blessings of his mother, his whole body became iron-like solid. So by beating by the Bhéma, it was not easy. So the story is that Gändhäré, the mother of Duryodhana, she was great chaste woman. Because her husband was blind, she used to remain as blind woman covering the eyes. But she had some power. Chaste woman, anyone who sticks to the regulative principles, he gets a power, spiritual or

K r is h n a ' s P r o t e c t i o n

material. He gets power. A brahmacäré gets power if he follows brahmacarya. Everyone, if we follow the prescribed rules and regulations, automatically you become powerful. So Gändhäré had some power. So her eldest son, Duryodhana, was advised to see the mother naked. She advised, “My dear son, tomorrow morning when you come to offer your obeisances to me, you come naked. I shall see you and you will be solidified just like iron.” So he was going naked and Kåñëa saw. So He asked him, “Where you are going?” “I am going to see my mother.” “How is that? You are going naked? At least you have some langota(?). This is not good.” So he took the instruction of Kåñëa and covered the private part with a langota. And when Gändhäré saw, she saw that he was not fully naked, so she regretted, “O my dear son, I asked you to come before me naked. Why you have got this...?” “No, Kåñëa advised.” Then she began to smile, that “My attempt is failure.” So Kåñëa knew it, that part which was covered, that was not turned iron. The other parts turned into iron on account of seeing by Gändhäré. So in this fight Kåñëa hinted Bhéma that “You strike here. That part is not ironized.” Although it is against the regulative principle to strike the opponent party below this waist, Kåñëa advised that “Unless you transgress this law, you cannot kill him.” So he was stroken below the waist, and he was not killed, but his waist was broken. Therefore it is said våkodaräviddha-gadäbhimarça. Then he died. 45

Chapter 18 Its pROPAGANDA !! (Conversation with Devotees — April 14, 1975, Hyderabad)

rabhupäda: Propaganda, it is propaganda. That’s all. Propaganda, you can do any false thing (indistinct) say. This is called, propaganda is called in Bengali däsa cakre bhagavän butha (?). Däsa cakre bhagavän butha. Bhagavän, one gentleman’s name was Bhagavän and he spread, conspired that let us, make us some joke that she has become ghost. So wherever he was going, the friend: “Oh, oh, a ghost, ghost, ghost, ghost!” (everyone laughs) “No, no, I am not...” (indistinct) ...this man has become crazy, why he (indistinct) Then he goes another friend, then he also says like that, “Oh, here is a ghost, here is a ghost, here is a ghost!” (everyone laughs) Then third friend, everyone, because they have conspired.

It s P r o pa g a n d a

Then he began to think, “I must have become ghost.” (laughter) So certainly I’m... (indistinct) all friends have calling me, “Ghost, ghost.” That’s däsa cakre bhagavän... If you make propaganda, if he’s not ghost, you can make him ghost. This is propaganda. This is called propaganda. By propaganda you can establish a false thing as real. That’s all. This is going on. They know how to do it. They’re expert because they’re cheaters. They know how to do it.

Chapter 19 Affection Controls krishna (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.52—Detroit, August 5, 1975)

o approach a guru means just to beg from him Kåñëa. Kåñëa sei tomära. Because Kåñëa is devotee’s Kåñëa. Kåñëa is the master, but who can control Kåñëa? His devotee. Kåñëa is the supreme controller, but He is controlled by devotee. That is, Kåñëa is bhakti-vatsala. Just like a big father, a high-court judge and There is a story that the Prime Minister Gladstone, somebody came to see him. And the Mr. Gladstone informed that “Wait. I am busy.” So he was waiting for hours, then he became inquisitive: “What this gentleman is doing?” So he wanted to see within that He had become a horse, and taking his child on the backside. That business he was doing. You see? The prime minister, he is controlling the British Empire, but he is controlled by a child out of affection. This is called affection.

Chapter 20 MahAbhAr ata for the Nawab (Morning Walk—June 4, 1976, Los Angeles)

rabhupäda: Yes, there is a nice story in this connection. There was one Gopal Ban. So he was very cunning fellow. In the Muhammadan period in Bengal. So the Mohammedan Nawab asked him, “Gopal Ban, can you prepare a Mahäbhärata in my name?” “Oh, yes!” So, “I’ll engage so many paëòitas, and they will make a Mahäbhärata, your activities, your glories, everything. So give me one hundred thousand rupees, just begin.” He was taking money, taking money, “Yes, it is going on, going on.” “Then when it will be published?” “Yes, just last few days more. Now, sir, everything is prepared. So the one thing is, you have to give me information how many husbands you have got, your wife, huh? How many husbands your wife has got?” That is very insulting. “What, you nonsense, 49

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

you take.” “No, that is the main feature of Mahäbhärata. Draupadé had five husbands, so how many husbands your wife has got? Tell me that.” Then, “No, no, I don’t want that. I am the only husband.” “Then how can you write Mahäbhärata?” (laughter) “I don’t want.” “All right. If you want Mahäbhärata you must tell how many your wife has got husbands.” That he cannot say. So Mahäbhärata finished.

Chapter 21 Negative Affirmation (Room Conversation — August 11, 1973, Paris)

rabhupäda: His name was Gopal Bän. Gopal Bän...And there was a king, Kåñëacandra. So the kings would relax by joking words by the jokers. That was system formerly. So Gopal Bän was constructing a house. So the king advised another friend that: “If you go to his new house and evacuate...” Because the house is not yet opened, not yet established, “Then I’ll give you one thousand rupees.” So this man said: “Yes, I’ll go and do it.” So he was, he came to Gopal Bän’s house and began to say: “ Gopal Bän! Oh! I am called by nature. Kindly show me where is your privy. I have to pass.” So he could understand that: “Why this man has come here to evacuate?” So he: “Yes, yes. Come in, come in, come in.” So he opened the 51

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

new lavatory and brought a big stick. So he said: “Why you have brought the stick?” So he said: “Yes, you can pass, you can pass stool, but if you urine one drop, I’ll kill you.” So “How it is possible?” “If it is not possible, I cannot allow.” So these, these foolish scientific men, “You can speak, but if you use microphone, then I’ll kill you.” Yes. The Gopal Bän’s policy. They would not say: “Not allow.” But in a different way.

Chapter 22 Absorption is Required (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.26 — Bombay, November 26, 1974)

will recite one story in this connection, that one brähmaëa in South India, in Raìganätha temple, he was reading Bhagavad-gétä. And he was illiterate. He did not know neither Sanskrit nor any letter, illiterate. So the people, neighborhood, they knew that “This man is illiterate, and he is reading Bhagavadgétä.” He is opening the Bhagavad-gétä, “Uh, uh,” like that he was. So somebody was joking, “Well, brähmaëa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gétä?” He could understand that “This man is joking because I am illiterate.” So in this way, Caitanya Mahäprabhu also happened to be that day in the Raìganätha temple, and He could understand that “Here is a devotee.” So He approached him and He 53

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

asked, “My dear brähmaëa, what you are reading?” So he could also understand that “This man is not joking.” So he said, “Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gétä. I am trying to read Bhagavad-gétä, but I am illiterate. So my Guru Mahäräja said that ‘You must read eighteen chapters daily.’ So I have no knowledge. I cannot read. Still, Guru Mahäräja said, so I am just trying to carry out his order and opening the pages, and that’s all. I do not know how to read it.” Caitanya Mahäprabhu said that “You are crying sometimes, I see.” Then, “Yes, I am crying.” “How you are crying if you cannot read?” “No, because when I take this Bhagavad-gétä book, I see one picture, that Kåñëa is so kind that He has taken the chariot driver, särathi, of Arjuna. He is His devotee. So Çré Kåñëa is so kind that He can accept the position of a servant because Arjuna was ordering, ‘Keep my chariot here,’ and Kåñëa was serving him. So Kåñëa is so kind. So when I see this picture within my mind, I am crying.” So Caitanya Mahäprabhu immediately embraced him, that “You are reading Bhagavad-gétä. Without any education, you are reading Bhagavad-gétä.” He embraced him. So this is... How he was seeing the picture? Because he was a lover of Kåñëa, it doesn’t matter, he could read these çlokas or not. But he was absorbed in love of Kåñëa and he was seeing, Kåñëa was sitting there, and He was driving the chariot of Arjuna. This is required, not that education. 54

Chapter 23 Bhakta-vatsala KRISHNA (Bhagavad-gétä 9.29-32 — New York, December 20, 1966)

aunteya pratijänéhi. Pratijänéhi: “My dear Arjuna, you can declare this to the world. You declare.” Why Kåñëa is not declaring? Kåñëa is declaring through His devotee because Kåñëa has a promise that “I shall protect My devotee.” If a promise is there by the devotee, that cannot be violated. Kåñëa can... Because He is God, He can violate His own promise because He is supreme. But He wants to protect His devotee; therefore He is trying to give the declaration through His devotee that “It will be protected.”

I will give you one example how Kåñëa sometimes breaks His promise. It is very nice story. Kåñëa, when 55

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

He joined Arjuna, He promised from His own side that “Because the fight is between your brothers, so it is not My duty... Because both of you are My relatives, so it is not My duty to join one party and not to join another. But because I have divided Myself—Myself, one side, and other side, My soldiers—but Duryodhana has decided to take My soldiers, not Me, so I shall join you. But I shall not fight. I shall not fight. I may take some work which may assist you.” So Arjuna offered, “Whatever work You like, You can take.” So He said, “All right. I shall drive your chariot.” So Kåñëa’s promise was that He will not fight. But at a time when Arjuna was perplexed by fighting with Bhéñma... Bhéñma was the greatest fighter, although he was very old man. Duryodhana incited him that “Because the other side are your very pet grandsons, you are not fighting fully.” That was the complaint of Duryodhana. So in order to encourage him, Bhéñma said to Duryodhana, “All right, tomorrow I shall finish all these five brothers. Tomorrow I shall finish. And I have got now special arrows for killing these five chivalrous brothers.” So Duryodhana was very intelligent. He told, “All right, please keep these five arrows with me for the night. I shall deliver you tomorrow in the morning.” “All right, you take it.” And Kåñëa understood. Kåñëa is, everything knows, past, present and future. Kåñëa knew it that “Bhéñma has 56

B h a k t a - va t s a l a K r is h n a

now promised. He will kill.” So He asked Arjuna—this is also politics—that “You go to Duryodhana. Do you remember that Duryodhana”—Duryodhana is elderly than Arjuna—”that he would keep some promise which was offered to you?” Duryodhana told him, “Arjuna, whenever you want something, I shall give you.” “Now this is the time. You can go.” “And what is that?” “Now, he has got five arrows for killing you. You should take and come to Me.” So after fight, they were friends. So Arjuna went to the camp of Duryodhana, and he was well received. “Well Arjuna, come on. What do you want? Come on. Sit down. Do you want anything from me? If you want, I can stop this fight. I can return you this...” Arjuna said, “No. I have not come to you for begging my kingdom. Fighting will go on. But I want... You promised something.” “Yes. I know. I offer you. What do you want?” “Now, I want those five arrows.” At once he delivered. And this information was carried to, I mean to say, Bhéñma. Bhéñma knew that “Kåñëa is very cunning also. He will save His devotee. So He has done this. All right, in spite of Kåñëa... He has broken my promise, and tomorrow I shall see. If Kåñëa does not break His promise, then His friend will be killed. I will fight in such a way.” So he was fighting in such a way that Arjuna became almost dead. Then at that time, Kåñëa... The chariot was torn 57

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

into pieces, and Arjuna fell down. And then Kåñëa took up one of the wheel of the chariot and came before: “Now, Bhéñma, you stop this fighting; otherwise I will kill you.” Bhéñma at once gave up his arrow, and he offered, “All right. Kill me.” So thing is that because Bhéñma promised that “I shall kill Arjuna tomorrow,” and Kåñëa also promised not to fight, just to save these two devotees, Arjuna and Bhéñma—Bhéñma also was a great devotee— just to show him that “I am breaking My promise. Please stop...” He wanted that “Either I shall break My promise or you shall kill Arjuna. So better see that I have broken My promise.” So in this way, sometimes, for devotee, He sometimes breaks His own promise.

Chapter 24 krishna The Supreme Enjoyer (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.12 — Montreal, August 18, 1968)

ou’ll be interested to know that one European gentleman, he went to Calcutta, and he visited several temples in Calcutta. And he visited our temple also. Our temple is Rädhä-Kåñëa. Just the picture, Rädhä-Kåñëa. So he went to the temple of Goddess Kälé. He saw the Goddess Kälé’s very ferocious feature, and he (she) has got one, what is called, chopper in her hand, and it is, she’s chopping the heads of the demons, and she has the garland of the heads of the demons, and engaged in fighting. So he’s supposed to be intelligent man. He said that “I find in this temple there is God.” “Why? Why you conclude like that?” “That in every temple I saw, that the god, deity, is doing something. But here I see the God is enjoying. He has nothing to do.” Very nice conclusion. This is Vedic conclusion. 59

Chapter 25 Anything for Krishna’s Pleasure (The Nectar of Devotion — Bombay, December 26, 1972

o the point is that superficially it may appear sometimes against the social and religious rules and regulations, but if it is done for Kåñëa, änukülyena... Bhakti means änukülyena kåñëänu-çélanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Kåñëa should be satisfied. That is... It doesn’t matter. Kåñëa should be satisfied. Just like Kåñëa pretended that He was sick, and many physicians came. He said, “No physician cured Me. If some devotee gives Me the dust of his feet on My head, then I can be cured.” So all devotees were asked, and nobody... “Oh! How can I give? My dust on the head of Kåñëa? How it is possible?” Nobody prepared. Then Kåñëa asked that “Go to Våndävana. Just ask the gopés if they can give. They are My best friends.

A n y t h i n g f o r K r is h n a ’ s P l e a s u r e

If they are prepared? Oh, I am very much suffering from headache.” So nobody was prepared to go... As soon as gopés were approached: “Oh, Kåñëa is sick. They want, oh, dust of...?” Immediately: “Please take. Please take.” She did not care that “We are going to hell by offering our dust of feet on the head of Kåñëa. Never mind. We shall go. Kåñëa will be happy. That’s all. Kåñëa will be happy.” This is gopé. It doesn’t matter the whole world is going to hell, but if Kåñëa is satisfied, a devotee’s prepared to do that. That is, that is called uttama bhakti. Änukülyena kåñëänu-çélanaà bhaktir uttamä [Cc. Madhya 19.167].

Chapter 26 What to Pr ay For?

(Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.32—Bombay, December 2, 1974)

here is a story, that one old woman in the forest... I think it is in Aesop’s Fable or somewhere. So she was carrying a big bundle of dry wood, and somehow or other, the bundle fell down. It was very heavy. So the old woman became very much disturbed, “Who will help me to get this bundle on my head?” So she began to call God, “God, help me.” And God came, “What you want?” “Kindly help me to get this bundle on my head.” (laughter) Just see. God came to giving benediction, and she wanted to “Give this bundle again on my head.”

Chapter 27 Liquid Beauty (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4. 26. 23 Purport)

n effeminate husband, simply being attracted by the external beauty of his wife, tries to become her most obedient servant. Çrépäda Çaìkaräcärya has therefore advised that we not become attracted by a lump of flesh and blood. The story is told that at one time a man, very much attracted to a beautiful woman, wooed the woman in such a way that she devised a plan to show him the ingredients of her beauty. The woman made a date to see him, and before seeing him she took a purgative, and that whole day and night she simply passed stool, and she preserved that stool in a pot. The next night, when the man came to see her, she appeared very ugly and emaciated. When the man inquired from her about the woman 63

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

with whom he had an engagement, she replied, “I am that very woman.” The man refused to believe her, not knowing that she had lost all her beauty due to the violent purgative that caused her to pass stool day and night. When the man began to argue with her, the woman said that she was not looking beautiful because she was separated from the ingredients of her beauty. When the man asked how she could be so separated, the woman said, “Come on, and I will show you.” She then showed him the pot filled with liquid stool and vomit. Thus the man became aware that a beautiful woman is simply a lump of matter composed of blood, stool, urine and similar other disgusting ingredients. This is the actual fact, but in a state of illusion, man becomes attracted by illusory beauty and becomes a victim of mäyä.

Chapter 28 krishna is the Only Purusha

(Bhagavad-gétä Lecture — Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972)

he real puruña is Kåñëa. And there is a nice example. When Rüpa Gosvämé was there in Våndävana in his bhajana, Mirabhai went to see him. And Rüpa Gosvämé’s message was that he does not see any woman. They were very strict. At least, the story is like... So Mira challenged that “I came to Våndävana. I know that only Kåñëa is puruña here, and everyone is woman. So how does it mean that Rüpa Gosvämé’s declined to see another woman?” So Rüpa Gosvämé agreed, “Yes, I am mistaken. Yes, Kåñëa is the only puruña.” So puruña means the enjoyer, and prakåti means the instrument of enjoyment. 65

Chapter 29 Don’t Imitate (Room Conversation — July 16, 1968, Montreal)

xpert means whatever he is doing, he must do it very nicely That’s all. Suppose you are sweeping this room. You can do it very nicely, to your best knowledge. That is expert. The people will say, “Oh, you have very nicely done.” Any work you do, do it very nicely. That is expert. Don’t do it haphazardly. To your best talent, to your best capacity, try to finish it very nicely, whatever it may be. You are entrusted with some work. Do it nicely. That is expert. If you think that you are unable to do that work, then whatever work you can do, you take. But do it nicely. That is expert. Don’t imitate. “Oh, I have no capacity to work in that way, but I want to imitate. Oh, he is doing that. I shall do that.”

D on ’t I m itat e

Don’t do that. That is not expert. You take up what you can do very nicely and do it nicely. We have so many works. Kåñëa is not that He is static. He is dynamic force. Just like Arjuna, he was not a Vedantist, he was not a brähmaëa, he was not a sannyäsé. He was householder. He was military man. But he knew his business, how to do it nicely. So you do your business nicely. That is expert. And when it is dovetailed in Kåñëa, there is no gradation that this business is better and that business is lower because everything is for Kåñëa. So that business becomes Kåñëa. Do it nicely and Kåñëa is satisfied. And that is your success. Avyäpare suvyaparam yo naraù kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate ‘khila pärthiva vänaraù. (?) Expert. There is a very nice story in Sanskrit. A monkey. A monkey... You might have some experience, that sawmen, who cut wood? Sawmen. So a sawman was cutting wood by the saw. So at the end of business it was half cut so he pulled down a, I mean to say, a plug so that next day he will come and he’ll again begin sawing. So went away. So one monkey came. So monkey sat down there and began to pull on the plug because monkey’s business is simply mischievous. So he did not know that his plough (?) and some portion of his thigh was within the hole and when he took out this plug it was, (claps) I mean to say, clipped, and he could not get out and died. So the instruction is that... ‘Khila pärthiva vänaraù, 67

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

vyäpare suvyaparam. Avyäpara means a occupation, an occupation which is not fit for you. That is avyäpara. Avyäpara-suvyaparam. And one occupation which is not exactly fitting you, you do not know how to do it, so avyäpare suvyaparam yo kartu... If one wants to act in a business in which he is unable to do, then he is killed just like this fool monkey. Avyäpare suvyaparam yo naraù kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate. That foolish person is killed just like this monkey. The monkey’s business was not to imitate the sawman, but he wanted to imitate. The result was that he was killed. So that is not expertness. Expertness is you just try to do which is easily performed by you. You don’t accept anything heavy task because Kåñëa does not want that you have to do this heavy task. Whatever you know, you just apply it. You dovetail it in Kåñëa consciousness. Kåñëa does not say that you have to become like this, like that, like that, then you can serve Him. Does not say. Just like this cow. Just see. What does it know? He’s an animal. You see? But the calf knows to brush his head and tongue like this, in love. It is doing and Kåñëa accepting, “Yes.” That is expert. First of all find out what is easily done by you. Don’t take anything which is not easily done by you. You find out what is your occupation, what you can very nicely and easily perform, and do it for Kåñëa.

Chapter 30 A Devotee Has Equal Vision (Bhagavad-gétä 18.41 — Stockholm, September 7, 1973)

hen you take the animal to the slaughterhouse for killing, he cries. Why? Because he’s feeling pain. He knows that “I’m going to be killed.” So there is soul. Soul is there. You don’t think that soul is not there: soul is there. Therefore, a Kåñëa conscious person who has realized God, he is samaù sarveñu bhüteñu, he’s equal to all living entities. He’ll feel pain even for cutting a tree. He’ll feel pain, he’ll feel pain even he traverses over an ant. There is a story that one hunter, he was killing in the forest all kinds of animals and he was killing them half. So they were suffering too much severe pain. So Närada Muni was going in that way. He saw that these animals have been half killed, and they are so much suffering. Who 69

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

is doing that? So he searched out the hunter. He requested, “Sir you are killing the animals, why don’t you kill them all at a time? Why you are killing half? They are suffering. You’ll have to suffer in that way.” The hunter did not know that killing animals is sinful and he has to suffer again. So he said, “Sir, I am trained like this by my father. This is my profession. I do not know what is sin, but this is the first time I am hearing from you that killing this animal, especially in this way, is very much sinful.” So because he saw a saintly person, he got his sense. He asked him that “How I can get rid of this sinful life?” So Närada Muni suggested, that “I shall give you the way how you can become free from this sinful life.” So he made him a disciple and asked him to chant this Hare Kåñëa mantra and sit down on the bank of the Ganges, and the hunter said, “Sir where shall I get my food?” Närada Muni said, “I’ll send you, don’t bother. I’ll send you food.” So the village people, when they understood that the hunter has become a saintly person, so everyone used to come and see him. Somebody was bringing some rice, somebody wheat, somebody some sweets, some fruits, some flower. So huge quantity of foodstuff was coming. So in this way, he became a perfect saintly Vaiñëava. Later on, when Närada Muni came to see him, he was coming to receive the spiritual master jumping over the 70

A D e v o t e e h a s E q u a l V isi o n

road. So when the hunter, now he becomes Vaiñëava, so Närada Muni and his friend, Parvata Muni asked “Why you are jumping?” He said, “Sir, there are so many ants, so I was trying to save their life.” The same hunter who was killing animals one time half-dead and was enjoying, is no more interested to kill even an ant. This is called saintly life. Samaù sarveñu bhüteñu. Samaù, equal to all living entities. Not that simply protection should be given to the human being.

Chapter 31 Significance of Ratha-YAtr A

(Guëòicä Märjanam Cleansing of the Guëòicä Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yäträ) — San Francisco, July 4, 1970)

åñëa went to His father’s house, and He came to Kurukñetra in the chariot. This is Ratha-yäträ. And Rädhäräëé and the inhabitants of Våndävana, their only business was... After Kåñëa departed from Våndävana to Mathurä and He never returned... Once He returned. So mother Yaçodä, the cowherd boys and the gopés, they lost their life and vital force. So they were simply crying and weeping. That was their business. So Kåñëa sent sometimes Uddhava to pacify them, that “I am coming very soon after finishing My business.” So when they got this opportunity that “Kåñëa has come to Kurukñetra with His brother, sister, father. So let us go and see...” So they went to Kurukñetra to see Kåñëa. Whenever they got some opportunity, they wanted to see. Just like these cowherds boys, when there

S i g n ifi c a n c e o f R a t h a -Y a t r a

was Battle of Kurukñetra near Delhi... Våndävana is not far away from Delhi. It is about ninety miles. So they went to see Kåñëa in the charioteer fighting dress. They were astonished. They thought that “Kåñëa is our friend, cowherd boy. How is that, He is in the chariot fighting?” So they became astonished. So this is the pastimes of Våndävana. So similarly, when the inhabitants of Våndävana went to see Lord Kåñëa, Jagannätha... Kåñëa means Jagannätha. Jagat. Jagat means this world, and nätha means master, or proprietor. So Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä, bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäà sarva-loka-maheçvaram: [Bg. 5.29] “I am the proprietor of all the planets.” Therefore He is Jagannätha. Jagannätha means the proprietor of all the world, all the planets. So the Våndävana inhabitants went to see Kåñëa because their life was Kåñëa. They did not know anything except Kåñëa. So that was the opportunity. So it was the request of Rädhäräëé to Kåñëa, “My dear Kåñëa, You are the same Kåñëa; I am the same Rädhäräëé. We are meeting, but We are not meeting in the same place. Here You are, just like a royal king with chariots, with soldiers, with Your ministers, secretaries. And there in Våndävana You were a cowherd boy, and We used to meet in the jungles, in the bushes. So I want to take You there. Then I will be happy.” So that sentiment was expressed by Lord Caitanya, because Lord Caitanya’s worship was in the mood of Rädhäräëé. 73

Chapter 32 krishna Bears Witness (Bhagavad-gétä 9.4-7 — New York, November 24, 1966)

’ll cite one story. It is very interesting story. If you go to India, you’ll find one nice temple in Orissa. It is called the temple of “Witness-Gopäla,” SäkñéGopäla, Witness-Gopäla. This Gopäla was situated in a temple at Våndävana. Now, two brähmaëas, one young and one old, they went to visit Våndävana, the place of pilgrimage, and the old man... Because at that time there was no railway, the journey was very hardship. The old man felt very obliged, and he began to say to the young man, “My dear boy, you have done so much nice service to me. I am obliged to you. So I must return that service. I must give you some reward.” So the young man said, “Oh, my dear sir, you are old man. You are just like my father. So it is my

K r is h n a B e a r s W i t n e ss

duty to serve you, to give you all comforts. I don’t require any reward.” Formerly, the boys were so gentle. And still, there are many boys like that. So the old man also thought that “No, I am obliged to you. I must reward you.” So he promised that “I shall get you married with my youngest daughter.” Now, the old man was very rich man, and the young man was not rich. He was poor. Although he was brähmaëa, learned. So he said that “You are promising. You don’t promise this because your kinsmen, your family men will not agree. I am poor man, and you are rich man. You are aristocratic. So it will be not. This marriage will not take place. Don’t promise in that way before the Deity. It is not good because Deity is there.” But he was firm faith that “Kåñëa is hearing,” because the talks were going on in the temple. “So it will not be fulfilled.” “No.” The old man became still more persistent. “No, my daughter I shall offer you. Who can forbid me?” So in this way, when they came back, one day the old man proposed to his eldest son that “Your youngest sister should be married with that boy. That I have promised.” Oh, the eldest son of that old man become very angry: “Oh, how you have selected that boy to be husband of my sister? He’s unfit. He’s poor man. He’s not so educated. Oh, this cannot take place.” He did not agree. Then the mother of the girl, he(she) came to the old man: “Oh, if you get 75

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

my daughter married with that boy, then I shall commit suicide.” Now the old man is perplexed. Then, one day, the boy was anxious that “The old man promised before the Deity. Now he is not coming.” So he... One day he came to his house: “Well, my dear sir, you promised before the Lord, Kåñëa, and you are not fulfilling your promise? How is that?” The old man was silent because he was praying to Kåñëa that “I am now perplexed. If I persist in offering this daughter to this boy, now there will be great trouble in my family.” So he was silent. So, in the meantime, the eldest son came out and he began to quarrel with: “Oh, you, you plundered my father in the place of pilgrimage. You gave him some LSD or something, (laughter) intoxication. You took all the money from my father. Now you say that he has promised to offer you my youngest sister. You fool!” He began to say like that. Then all the neighboring gentlemen, they: “Oh, what is the trouble? Here there is so much howling.” “This is the... Do you think, sir, that this boy is fit for my sister? We are aristocratic family and this and that...,” so on. So the young man said... Young man could understand the old man is still agreeable, but these, his sons and family members, as he suggested, they are not agreeable. So he explained the whole thing before all the gentlemen who came, that “This is the fact. Now, he promised. Now, for the sake of his son 76

K r is h n a B e a r s W i t n e ss

and wife, he cannot fulfill his promise. This was a promise before the Lord.” In the meantime, the old man’s eldest son... He was atheist. He voluntarily says, “Well, if your God comes and gives witness, then I shall offer my sister to you.” But he was confident that God will come. He said, “Yes. I shall ask God. I shall ask Kåñëa to come and give witness.” So... Now, before all gentlemen this was done. Then the young man said, “All right, let us now come to agreement that I shall call Kåñëa from Våndävana to give witness in this matter, and when He comes, you’ll have to.” All the other gentlemen, they also persisted. So there was some agreement. So this boy went again to Våndävana to his Gopäla, and he prayed that “Sir, You have to go with me.” He was so staunch devotee, just like talking with friend. He did not think that He’s a statue; it is image. He knew God. That was his conviction. So God said, “How do you think that a statue can go with you? I am a statue. I cannot go.” Then this boy replied, “Well, if a statue can speak, He can go also.” (laughter) Then Kåñëa said, “All right, I shall go with you.” Then there was some arrangement that “You will not see Me, but I will go with you. I’ll go with you, and you hear, you’ll hear the sound of My nüpura.” A nüpura is an instrument which is fixed up in the leg of Kåñëa. It sounds like “Ching, ching, ching, ching,” just like that. So He was going with him, and daily he was offering some foodstuff, taking alms from the village. In this way he was 77

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

coming, but when he came in the precincts of the village, of his own village, he could not hear the sound of the nüpura. So he saw back: “Oh, where is Kåñëa?” He saw that statue there, the statue standing. So he informed all the villagers that Lord has come to be witness, and... It is about some thousands years before this thing happened. People were convincing: “Yes. There was no... Such a big statue, this boy could not bring.” So they believed, and there was a temple constructed by the king of that country. And still that temple is there, and it is named, the Lord is named, as Säkñé-Gopäla. Säkñé-Gopäla. Gopäla means... Gopäla is the name of Kåñëa’s boyhood. So because He came to give witness in that controversy, so that temple is still there. So the whole idea is the statue, statue... Because God is everywhere. So He’s also in statue. God is everywhere. How can you say that He’s not in statue? He’s also in statue. So it is my devotion, it is my qualification, that I can induce that statue to speak with me. Just like the same way—if I am electrician, then I can fit any electrical instrument or machine or light from the electric energy which is all over—similarly, God’s energy, He is present everywhere...

Chapter 33 Tr anscendental Competition to Serve (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 20.118-119 — New York, November 23, 1966)

here is a nice story about Sanätana Gosvämé, of whom we are now studying. Sanätana Gosvämé and Rüpa Gosvämé, two brothers, they went to Våndävana for devotional service. So their all business was... Rüpa Gosvämé, especially, he was always engaged in writing books. And when he was hungry, he went to some householder: “Give me a piece of bread.” And everyone at Våndävana... They were leaders. All the Våndävana inhabitants, they took... Even their household quarrels, they used to represent, “Swamijé, this is our position. Please settle up.” So whatever decision he would give to the villagers, they will accept. Their court was Swamijé, Rüpa Gosvämé. So he was so lovable. So one day Rüpa 79

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Gosvämé was thinking that “If I could get some, I mean to say, commodities for cooking, then I would have invited Sanätana Gosvämé to take some prasädam.” He thought like that. And, and after, say, one hour, one young girl came with sufficient quantity of rice, flour, ghee, and vegetables, so many things: “Bäbäjé...” They were called... They call in the India, especially in Våndävana quarters, they call all these transcendentalist swamis “Bäbäjé.” “Bäbäjé, please accept these commodities. There is some ceremony at our house. So My mother has sent you all these things.” “Oh, very good.” He was thinking that “If I could get some commodity and I could prepare something and invite Sanätana Gosvämé.” So the things were there. So Rüpa Gosvämé inquired, “Where do You live? Oh, You are very nice girl. Where do You live?” “Oh, I live in this village. You do not know?” “No, I have never seen You. All right. Thank You very much.” Then She went away. And invited Sanätana Gosvämé, “My dear brother, please come and take your prasädam here. I have got some food.” “All right.” So Sanätana Gosvämé came during prasädam time, and Rüpa Gosvämé has prepared so many nice dishes. They were also expert in cooking, expert. You know, all devotees, they are expert. That is his qualification. So then Sanätana Gosvämé was inquiring, “Where did you get all these things, so nice things, you have prepared in this jungle? How did you get?” So he narrated the story, “Yes, in 80

Tr a n s c e n d e n t a l C o m p e t i t i o n t o S e r v e

the morning I thought that ‘If somebody sends me something...’ So by Kåñëa’s grace, somebody, a nice girl, a very beautiful girl, and She brought all these things.” “Who?” He began to state about the girl’s beauty. Then Sanätana Gosvämé said, “Oh, I have never seen such beautiful girl. How...?” “Yes, I have also never seen.” “Ohhh. Then She must be Rädhäräëé. She must be Rädhä. You have taken service from Rädhäräëé? Ohhh. You have murdered me. We don’t want to take any service from Kåñëa, and He has taken the opportunity, sent us... We want to simply give our service, not any exchange. Oh, you have done a great mistake. Rädhäräëé has taken this opportunity.” So he began to cry that “We have taken service from Kåñëa. We have given Her trouble.” This is pure devotee. They were very sorry that “Kåñëa was troubled to send me all these goods.” So this is the process. Kåñëa is also finding always opportunity, “How to serve My pure devotee?” And pure devotee’s so clever that he won’t accept any service from Kåñëa.

Chapter 34 Real Progress (Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) — Boston, May 5, 1968)

irst of all technology of the senses, and then, next higher technology is of the mind, which is known as psychology. Thinking, feeling, willing. They are trying to understand how they are working. And above this mind, mental science, there is the science of intelligence. And above the science of intelligence, the background is the soul. Unfortunately, we have got technology for the bodily senses, we have got technology for psychology, but we have neither any technology for intelligence nor for any technology in the science of the soul. The Kåñëa consciousness movement is the technology of the science of soul.

R e a l P r o g r e ss

There is a nice story. You’ll appreciate it. In India, especially in Bengal, there are many rivers. The land is full of rivers. Because it is on the bank of the Bay of Bengal, all rivers are falling. Therefore Bengal, the land of, especially the east Bengal, is full of rivers. One student of technology was going home, and he was on the boat. So the student was asking the boatman, “Do you know what are the stars?” The boatman said, “Sir, we are ordinary boatman. What do we know about these stars?” “Oh. Then your fifty percent of life is wasted, useless.” Then he was asking, “Do you know what are these trees? Do you know any science of botany?” He said, “Sir, we are ordinary laborer. What do we know about botany?” “Oh. Then seventy-five percent of your life is useless.” In this way the student of technology was asking the boatman, “Do you know this? Do you know that?” And he said that “I am ordinary man. What do I know all these things?” Then all of a sudden there was a black cloud, and there was storm, and the river began to be inflated, and the boatman said, “My dear sir, do you know swimming?” “Oh,” he said, “no.” Then he said, “Then your cent percent knowledge is spoiled. Now you have to go down to the river. Your life is finished.” In this way they dropped in the river, and the technological student, because he did not know how to swim, so the storm and the waves grabbed him.

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

The idea is that we are making progress, certainly, in technology, in economics, in so many other departments of human necessities. But Bhagavad-gétä says that real problem of this world, or real problem of our life, it is said in the Bhagavad-gétä, janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi-duùkhadoñänudarçanam [Bg. 13.9]. If you are intelligent enough, then you should see the real problem is birth, death, old age and disease. Janma means birth, and måtyu means death. Janma-måtyu-jarä. Jarä means old age, and vyädhi means disease. So actual material problem is this, janma-måtyujarä-vyädhi. We have forgotten that “In the abdomen of my mother, how precarious condition I was living in.” Of course, we can know from the description of medical science or any other science how the child is packed up there and how much suffering is there. The worms bite the child and he cannot express; he suffers the suffering. Similarly, the mother eats something and the pungent taste also gives him suffering. So these descriptions are there in the çästras, in the scriptures and authentic Vedic literature, how the child suffers within the abdomen of mother. So these are the sufferings of birth. At least, one child has to remain in that air-packed condition at least for ten months. Now just imagine if you are put into that air-packed condition for three minutes now, you will immediately die. But actually, we had that experience to remain in the mother’s womb in that air-packed condition 84

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for ten months. So suffering was there, but because the child was incapable of expressing, therefore... Or his consciousness was not so elevated. He could not cry, but the suffering was there. Similarly, at the time of death there is suffering. Similarly, old man. Just like us, we have got so many complaints, bodily complaints. Because now everything, the anatomical or physiological condition, is deteriorating. The stomach is not digesting foodstuff so nicely as when I was young I could digest. So the sufferings are there. Similarly, disease. Who wants disease? So modern technology, they have advanced undoubtedly, but there is no remedy for, I mean to say, to stop birth, death, old age and disease. This is real problem. But because these problems cannot be solved by the modern scientific advancement of knowledge, they have practically set aside or neglected because they cannot solve it.

Chapter 35 Author Knows The Best (Sunday Feast Lecture — Los Angeles, May 21, 1972)

edänta-sütra was compiled by Vyäsadeva. He is incarnation of Kåñëa, Dvaipäyana Vyäsa. So therefore, it is compiled by His incarnation, so it is compiled by Him. Because His incarnation, He is the same. So vedanta-kåt means Veda..., compiler of the Vedänta, and the compiler of the compiler of the Vedänta is vedanta-vit, one who knows Vedänta. Because I have written some book, so I know what is the purpose of writing my book. You cannot know. My purpose you cannot know. There is a small instructive story in this—not story, fact—in this connection. In Calcutta there was a great

Author Knows the Best

dramatist. He was very well known, government officer. He wrote one book, Shah Jahan. That is very famous book for theatrical play. So in that Shah Jahan, means the king emperor Shah Jahan, the... Practically, the name which is given on the book, the hero title, he’s the hero. So one of the friends of Mr. D. L. Raya, he inquired from Mr. Raya that “In your book Shah Jahan, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have given the title Shah Jahan?” He could not understand it. So I’m just trying to explain that the purpose of the book must be known to the author, not others. So the author replied, “My dear friend, the actual hero is Shah Jahan, not Aurangzeb.” Although the Shah Jahan book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb, the fact is that Shah Jahan was the emperor. He had many, four or five sons, and his wife died, Mumtaz, at an early age. You have seen, those who have gone to India, you have seen the Taj Mahal building. That building was constructed in the memory of that Mumtaz by Shah Jahan. He spent all his money for constructing that building. So it is one of the seven wonders of the world. So that Shah Jahan lost his wife at an early age. She (he) was very fond of his wife. And because, affectionate father, he did not very much chastise his sons, and he spent all his money in constructing the memory of his wife, so when the sons grew up, the third son, Aurangzeb, came out very crooked. And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed 87

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that “Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan.” Then he explained why. “Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb’s activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero.” So this is an example. The author of a book knows very well what is the purpose of that book. That is my statement. Similarly, this Vedänta-sütra was compiled by Vyäsadeva, or Kåñëa’s incarnation, or Kåñëa Himself. So He knows what is Vedänta-sütra. So if you want to understand Vedänta-sütra, then you must understand Kåñëa.

Chapter 36 Creating Our Misfortune (Evening Darçan—August 10, 1976, Tehran)

rabhupäda: You can do it immediately, but unfortunately you’ll not do it. What can be done? There is a story, I may narrate it. One poor man was begging on the street, and Lord Çiva and Pärvaté was passing as ordinary man. So Pärvaté requested Lord Çiva that this poor man, he’s asking, he’s begging, so requested him, “Why don’t you give him something?” And Lord Çiva replied, “Even if I give, he’ll not be able to enjoy it. He’s so unfortunate.” “Oh, that we shall see. Why don’t you give?” So Lord Çiva, in a watermelon, gave him, say, one thousand dollars. “You take this watermelon.” So he thanked him, and after that he thought “What I shall do with this watermelon?” So another man came, “Sir, if you 89

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take this watermelon and give me one anna.” So he gave one anna and he took it. Because he had no good fortune to take that money within the watermelon. Our fortune is like that. Kåñëa is giving us the final benefit, but we are not taking care of. This is our misfortune.

Chapter 37 Understand Krishna Don't Imitate Him (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.9 — Mäyäpur, February 16, 1976)

ou know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king’s daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumäsura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Kåñëa that “We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us.” So Kåñëa came to rescue them, and the Bhaumäsura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Kåñëa asked them, “Now you can go home to your father.” They said that “We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married.” In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He’s (She’s) considered to be spoiled. This is still 91

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the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Kåñëa that “We’ll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry.” Then Kåñëa understood that “Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere.” Then Kåñëa... He’s so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, “What you want?” That... They said that “You accept me, otherwise we have no other means to stay.” Kåñëa immediately: “Yes, come on.” This is Kåñëa. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces. Because He has accepted as wife, he (she) must be maintained as His wife, as His queen, not that “Because they have no other means, they have come to My shelter. I can keep them any way.” No. Most respectfully as queen, as Kåñëa’s queen. And again He thought that “The sixteen thousand wives... So if I remain alone, one figure, then My wives cannot meet Me. Everyone has to wait for sixteen thousand days to see the husband. No.” He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand Kåñëa. This is Kåñëa. The rascals, they accuse Kåñëa as woman-hunter. It is not like you. You cannot maintain even one wife, but He maintained sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces and in sixteen thousand expansion of form. Everyone was pleased. This is Kåñëa. We have to understand what is Kåñëa. Don’t try to imitate Kåñëa. First of all try to understand Kåñëa. 92

Chapter 38 Nobody Will Survive (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.23 — Honolulu, May 23, 1976)

rakåteù kriyamäëäni [Bg. 3.27]. Nature is so strong that you must die. “I am very strong.” You may be very strong, that’s all right. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought how to avoid death—Hiraëyakaçipu. So he thought that the Yamaräja is the superintendent of death, he comes to take. So I shall make such policy that he may not come to me. What is that policy? “Bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell he will not come.” So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they will survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Kåñëa conscious. hank you very much. T Devotees: Jaya Çréla Prabhupäda! 93

Chapter 39 Power of Chastity (Bhagavad-gétä 6.40-42 — New York, September 16, 1966)

o at least to have a guarantee that our next life is going to be human life, everyone should take to Kåñëa consciousness. From mundane profit point of view. There is a story, Sävitré-Satyavän. Sävitré-Satyavän, it is not a story. It is historical fact that one gentleman, he was a king’s son, prince. His name was Satyavän. But he was to die at a certain age his horoscope said. But one girl Sävitré, she fell in love with that boy. Now she wanted to marry. Her father told her, “He’ll die at certain age. You don’t marry.” But she was bent. She married. In course of time the boy died, say after four or five years, and the girl became widow. So she was so staunch lover that she won’t let the dead body go away. And the

Pow er of Ch a st it y

Yamaräja, the, what is English I do not know, who takes away the body or the soul after death, so he came to take the soul away. So this chaste girl would not allow the husband’s body to go away. Then Yamaräja told, “It is my duty that I should take. You give it up. Otherwise, you’ll be also punished.” So she gave and she was following Yamaräja. So Yamaräja became compassionate. So Yamaräja became compassionate, he benedicted her, “My dear girl, you go home. I give you benediction you will have a son. Don’t cry for your husband.” Then she was again following and when Yamaräja said, “Why you are following me?” “Now you are taking my husband. How can I have my son?” Oh, then he was in dilemma. He returned her husband. So similarly, this is a technique. If you take to Kåñëa consciousness, then your husband or this human form of life is guaranteed.

Chapter 40 Eagerness to See krishna (Journey of Self-Discovery)

ne must first of all be faithful (çraddadhäna). One must actually be very much eager to see God. Not that one takes it as a frivolous thing—”Can you show me God?”—or as some magic. They think God is magic. No. One must be very serious and think, “Yes, I have been informed about God. So if there is a God, I must see Him.”

There is a story in this connection. It is very instructive, so try to hear. One professional reciter was publicly reciting the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and he was describing that Kåñëa is very highly decorated with all kinds of jewels when He goes to tend the cows in the forest. So, there was

E a g e r n e ss t o S e e K r is h n a

a thief in that meeting, and he thought, “Why not go to Våndävana and plunder this boy? He’s in the forest with so many valuable jewels. I can go there and catch the child and take all the jewels.” This was his intention. So he was serious. “I must find that boy,” he thought. “Then in one night I shall become a millionaire.” The thief’s qualification was his feeling: “I must see Kåñëa! I must see Kåñëa!” That anxiety, that eagerness, made it possible for him to actually see Kåñëa in Våndävana. He saw Kåñëa in just the same way as the Bhägavatam reader had described. Then the thief said, “Oh, You are such a nice boy, Kåñëa.” He began to flatter Him; he thought that by flattering Him he would easily take all the jewels. Then he proposed his real business: “May I take some of these ornaments? You are so rich.” “No, no, no,” said Kåñëa. “My mother will be angry! I cannot give them away.” Kåñëa was playing just like a child. So the thief became more and more eager for Kåñëa to give Him the jewels, but by Kåñëa’s association he was becoming purified. Then at last Kåñëa said, “All right, you can take them.” Then the thief became a devotee immediately, because by Kåñëa’s association he had been completely purified. So somehow or other you should come in contact with Kåñëa. Then you’ll be purified.

Chapter 41 krishna Fulfils Desires of His Devotees (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.26 — Honolulu, May 26, 1976)

here is no question of that “We shall live together; we shall satisfy Kåñëa by being trained up how to satisfy Kåñëa.” That is Kåñëa consciousness movement. Don’t do anything for your personal sense gratification. Do everything for Kåñëa’s sense gratification.

Just like the gopés, they used to go to Kåñëa. These gopés, they were married, because in India twelve years, thirteen years girls are married still. I’ve told many incidences. So from childhood they are friends, small children, but the girls are married early, so they go to their husband’s place, thirteen, fourteen years. But because they had, they prayed to Kätyäyané when they’re not married, they prayed 98

K r is h n a F u l fi l s D e si r e s o f H is D e v o t e e s

to Kätyäyané that “Kåñëa is so beautiful. Please give me Kåñëa as my husband.” Kåñëa is all-attractive, so Kåñëa fulfilled their desire, and that is vasträëäm. Of course, these things are not to be publicly discussed, but still you are little interested in Kåñëa. So all the gopés, girls, before their marriage, they prayed to Kätyäyané that “You give me Kåñëa as my husband.” So Kåñëa..., it is not possible socially, but Kåñëa makes such a plan that He accepted every one of them as His wife. That is vastrana-lélä. Vastrana-lélä, the girls were taking bath in the Yamunä, keeping their clothing, garments, on the shore. Still in India, especially in Punjab, the practice is that where the women take bath, strictly no man can go there because they put their clothings on the shore and they dip into the water naked. So this was being done, and Kåñëa took their clothings and got up on the tree. So they begged Kåñëa, their friend, “Kåñëa, this is very bad. Why You have taken away our...” “No, you beg the clothes with folded hands, then I shall give you.” (laughter) So you have read this story, you do not require, but the idea is that “You wanted Me, all of you, as your husband. Now I’m fulfilling your desire. I’m seeing you naked.” Because a woman can be naked only before the husband. No one else. This is chastity. A woman cannot be naked anywhere, just like in the club, naked dance. This is most abominable.

Chapter 42 No Loss in Spiritual Course (Bhagavad-gétä 6.40-43 — New York, September 18, 1966)

ow, there is a story. There are many stories. One of them I am citing. It is very interesting. Viçvämitra Muni. Viçvämitra Muni, he was a great king, kñatriya, but his priest, Vasiñöha Muni, he had great spiritual power. So he renounced his kingdom. He wanted to advance. He was kingly, royal order, but still, he wanted to advance in the spiritual orders. So he adopted yoga process, meditation. That time it was possible for adopting this process, yoga process. So he was meditating in such a way that the Indra, who was the king of heaven, he thought that “This man is trying to occupy my post.” As there is competition... This is also... Heaven means that is also material world. So this competition—no businessman

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wants an another businessman go ahead. He wants to cut down. Competition of price, quality. Similarly, that Indra, he thought that “This man is so strongly meditating, it may be that I may be deposed and he come to my seat.” Then he arranged one of his society girls, Menakä, to go there and allure this muni. So when Menakä approached that åñi, Viçvämitra Åñi, he was meditating. And simply by the sound of her bangles, he could understand, “There is some woman.” And as soon as he saw there was heavenly, celestial beauty, he was captivated. Then there was a result, that a great... Çakuntalä. Perhaps some of you may know. There is a book made by Kälidäsa, Çakuntalä. This Çakuntalä is supposed to be the most beautiful girl in the world, and she was born by this combination of Viçvämitra Muni and Menakä. So when this girl was born, then Viçvämitra thought, “Oh, I was advancing in my spiritual culture, and again I have been entrapped.” So he was going out. At the same time his wife Menakä brought this girl before her, and little child is always attractive. She showed that “Oh, you have got such a nice girl, such beautiful girl, and you are going away? No, no. You should take care.” So there is a picture, very nice. That is a very famous picture. That Menakä is showing Viçvämitra Muni the girl, and the muni is like that, “No more show me.” Yes. There is a picture. That is... 101

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Then he went away. So there are chances of failure. There are chances of failure. Just like a great sage like Viçvämitra Muni, he also failed, failed for the time being. But Kåñëa says that this failure is not, I mean to say, unsuccessful. As we have sometimes the proverb, that “Failure is the pillar of success,” so especially in the spiritual life, this failure is not discouraging. This failure is not discouraging. So Kåñëa says that “Even one fails in completing his spiritual course, still, there is no loss on his part.”

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Chapter 43 krishna Considers Devotion

(Bhagavad-gétä 4.28 — Bombay, April 17, 1974)

t is described there that one brähmaëa—he was a great devotee—he wanted to offer very brilliant service, arcanä, in the temple worship. But he had no money. But some day he was sitting in a Bhägavata class and he heard that Kåñëa can be worshiped even within the mind. So he took this opportunity because he was thinking since a long time how to worship Kåñëa very gorgeously, but he had no money. So he, when he got this point, that one can worship Kåñëa within the mind, so after taking bath in the Godävaré River, he was sitting underneath a tree and within his mind he was constructing very gorgeous 103

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

siàhäsana, throne, bedecked with jewels and keeping the Deity on the throne, he was bathing the Deity with water of Ganges, Yamunä, Godävaré, Narmadä, Käveré. Then he was dressing the Deity very nicely, then offering worship with flower, garland. Then he was cooking very nicely, and he was cooking paramänna, sweet rice. So he wanted to taste it, whether it was very hot. Because paramänna is taken cold. Paramänna is not taken very hot. So he put his finger on the paramänna and his finger burned down. Then his meditation broken, because there was nothing. Simply within his mind he was doing everything. So... But he saw that his finger is burned. So he was astonished. In this way, Näräyaëa from Vaikuëöha, He was smiling. Lakñméjé asked, “Why you are smiling?” “One of My devotee is worshiping like this. So send My men to bring him immediately to Vaikuëöha.” So the bhakti-yoga is so nice that even if you have no means to offer the Deity gorgeous worship, you can do it within the mind. That is also possible.

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Chapter 44 Wasted Endeavor (Initiations — Los Angeles, January 10, 1969)

s I told you, one story, it is very..., not amusing. One boy, he went out of home and mixed with yogis for several years. Then, after some time, he came to his village, and all the friends and relatives gathered: “Oh, you have been so many years with yogis. What you have learned?” Actually yogis can do wonderful things. One yogi used to come to our house. He was my father’s... My father used to respect him. So he told us that within a few minutes they will go several hundreds of miles. Simply he will touch his Guru Mahäräja and sit down, and he will see in another place within few seconds some thousands of miles away. The yogis can perform this. So one yogi, he came to his village, and all the people, relatives, 105

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surrounded him: “What you have learned, please?” He said that “I have learned this mystic power; I can walk on the water.” This is called laghimä-siddhi, to become so light that one can fly in the air or one can walk on the water. So everyone became inquisitive. “Oh, please show me. Please show us one day.” So he agreed, “All right. I shall show on that day.” Then one old man said, “My dear friend, you have been so long with the yogis, but you have learned only two-cent-worth power.” “What is that?” “Now you will walk over the water, and I shall pay two cent to the boatman. He will take me to the other side. (laughter) So what you have gained? You have so much labored, but you have gained only two-cent-worth thing.” You see? So these yogis are after two cent. (laughter) Even they are perfection. There is no... If they are perfect... Without being perfect, they are nothing, simply rascals. But even they are perfect, that is two-cent worth. You see? But here is a yoga system—we are going to Kåñëa. Just always remember this.

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Chapter 45 Simply Wonderful (Lecture — Los Angeles, July 20, 1971)

fter all, we have to accept authority. So why not best authority, Kåñëa? Then your life becomes successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kåñëa. Any question? Nanda-Kiçora: What happens to a person if we just give him out on the street one Simply Wonderful or some prasädam, one piece of prasädam? Prabhupäda: That is wonderful, simply wonderful. (laughter) He has not tasted such wonderful sweet in his life. Therefore you give him wonderful, and because he’s eating that wonderful sweet, one day he’ll come to your temple and become wonderful. 107

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Devotees: Jaya! Prabhupäda: Therefore it is simply wonderful. So go on distributing this Simply Wonderful. Your philosophy is simply wonderful. Your prasädam is simply wonderful. You are simply wonderful. And your Kåñëa is simply wonderful. The whole process of simply wonderful. And He acts wonderfully, and it is acting wonderfully. Who can deny it? Devotee: Prabhupäda is simply wonderful. Prabhupäda: That’s all right. You can become... Everyone. All right, have kértana. (end)

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Chapter 46 We See Things As We Are (Bhagavad-gétä 3.27 — Melbourne, June 27, 1974)

veryone thinks others like him. That is the nature. Ätmavat manyate jagat. There is a story. You will hear it. That one gentleman, he was hard of hearing, hard of hearing. So he is calling his wife Mrs. Such-and-such, Mrs. Such. She is replying, “Yes, I am coming.” But he is hard of hearing. He is thinking that my wife is hard of hearing. She is replying, “Yes, I am coming.” But this rascal is hard of hearing, so he is thinking my wife, that is my wife’s fault, she is hard of hearing. He cannot hear and he is thinking that my wife is hard of hearing. This is the example. A man thinks others like himself.

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Chapter 47 krishna consciousness The Ultimate Purifier (Bhagavad-gétä 4.7-9 — New York, July 22, 1966)

here is a story how habit is the second nature. There was a thief, and he went to pilgrimage with some other friends. So at night, when other friends were sleeping... Because his habit was to steal at night, he, so he got up at night and he was taking one body’s baggage and tried to pickpocket or take something. But he was thinking, “Oh, I have come to this holy place of pilgrimage. Still, shall I do that, committing theft, my habit? No, no. I shall not do it.” So he was taking the bag of one person and was keeping in another place. So in the whole night the poor fellow did like that. But due to his conscience that, “I have come to this holy place. At least, during my stay here I shall not do this stealing business.”

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So in the morning, when all other friends got up, everyone said, “Oh, where is my bag? I don’t see!” Another man says, “I don’t see my bag.” Then somebody says, “Oh, here is your bag!” So there was some row. So they, they thought, “What is the matter? How it so happened?” Then the thief rose up and told all friends, “My dear gentlemen, I am a thief by occupation, but because I have that habit to steal at night, so I wanted to steal something from your bag, but I thought that ‘I have come to this holy place. I shall not do it.’ So I placed, I might have placed one man’s bag in another man’s place. So excuse me.” So this is the habit. This is the habit. He does not want. He does not want to commit theft. But he has got the habit of doing that. So similarly, here he has decided not to commit theft anymore, but because he’s habituated, sometimes he does. So therefore Kåñëa says, “In that condition, one who has decided to stop all bad or immoral habits and just to make his progress in Kåñëa consciousness, even by chance, if he does something which is immoral in the face of the society, that should not be taken account of.” Of course, that is by chance. And in the next verse, you’ll find, kñipraà bhavati dharmätmä: “Because he has dovetailed himself in Kåñëa consciousness, it is sure that he will become a saintly, I mean to say, a pure saint very soon. Very soon.” The example is... Just like the electric fan is going on, 111

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and if you put off the switch, you’ll see the fan is still going on. But that going on will stop because the switch is already off. Similarly, if one dovetails himself in Kåñëa consciousness, then automatically he’ll become a saintly person, automatically. Because his switch is made off. Just like the fan, when the switch is made off, the current supply is stopped. Now... There was a force of running. You may see that it is running for few minutes. But it will stop. Similarly, anyone, it doesn’t matter what he is, if he puts himself, dovetails himself in Kåñëa consciousness, then he, all his material contamination will be washed off, washed off.

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Chapter 48 Temper ature of Material Enjoyment (Bhagavad-gétä 5.22-29 — New York, August 31, 1966)

ñéëa-kalmañäù means those who are trying to reduce the reaction of sinful activities. How? By practicing that sense control. Sense control. Practicing sense control. Just like a diseased person. By controlling... By controlling according to the prescription of the doctor, by controlling himself he becomes reduced in the sufferings of the disease. The fever diminishes from 105 degrees to 102, then 100, then 99, then 98—he is cured. Similarly, we have to reduce the temperature. We haven’t got to increase the temperature. We are just like in the matter of increasing our temperature. We are thinking that by increasing the temperature we shall be happy. We do not know that by increasing temperature we shall never 113

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

be happy. We have to decrease the temperature. There is a very nice story. Perhaps I have many times told you, that there was a householder, a very rich man. His wife was sick and the maidservant was also sick. So the gentleman called for a doctor, and the doctor treated both the patients, and the doctor said that “Your wife has got 98 temperature, nothing serious. But your maidservant, she has got 104 temperature, so she should be taken care of.” Now, the housewife, she became angry. She told the doctor, “Oh, I am the head of the family. I have got only 98 temperature? And my maidservant has got 104? So you are not a doctor!” So that is going on. From 104 we want to increase. 107 degrees and death will come. So the modern civilization is increasing the temperature. So we have come to the point of 107 degree-atom bomb. So we are prepared for killing ourselves. So this degree, this increasing of temperature of material enjoyment will never make us happy. We have to decrease the temperature. We have to come to the point of 97, not to the 107.

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Chapter 49 Chewing the Chewed (Bhagavad-gétä 6.21-27 — New York, September 9, 1966)

ne who does not know what is real happiness, they are seeking happiness in this material world.

There is a nice story. A man, a friend, was advised by his friend that “If you chew sugar cane, oh, it is very nice, sweet.” The friend who was advised to chew sugar cane, he had no experience what is sugar cane. So he asked his friend, “Oh, what is the sugar cane?” The friend suggested, “It is just like a bamboo log.” So the foolish man began to chew all kinds of bamboo logs. So how he can get the sweetness of the sugar cane? Similarly, we are trying to have happiness and pleasure, but we are trying to derive happiness, pleasure, eschewing enjoying this material body. 115

Chapter 50 Sour Gr apes (Bhagavad-gétä 13.20—Bombay, October 14, 1973)

hese are païca, five kinds of rasas, çänta, däsya, säkhya, vätsalya, mädhurya. So you can select any one of them, because there must be varieties. Because we are living entities, everyone, we want to enjoy. Therefore variety is the mother of enjoyment. You cannot make everything impersonal, no. There is varieties. Even in the spiritual world there is varieties. That varieties are reflected in this material world. Therefore here also, we love somebody as friend; we love somebody as wife; we love somebody as father; we love somebody as mother, like that. The same thing is pervertedly reflected. And because it is illusion, therefore you are not satisfied.

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If you want real love, real position, then you have to transfer your, these loving propensities in five different kinds of mellows to Kåñëa. Then it will be permanent, and you’ll be happy. Don’t reject this as, because you could not capture the grapes, then the grapes and the jackals. The jackal... You know that story. The jackal went to steal some grapes in the orchard, and it was very high. He jumped over several times. He could not get it. Then he rejected, “Oh, this is sour. I don’t want it.” Similarly, this Mäyävädé philosophy is like that. First of all he wants to become very big man, very big businessman, minister, this, that, to enjoy, simply enjoy, competition of enjoyment. But when he’s baffled, when he did not enjoy, simply suffered—he comes to his knowledge that “I could not enjoy; I simply suffered”—then “It is mithyä. Grapes are sour.” That philosophy will not do. You must know that this prakåti, this material world, you are not enjoyer. The enjoyer is Kåñëa. Sarva-loka-maheçvaram

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Chapter 51 This is dog’s philosophy (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.4—Rome, May 28, 1974)

ä’ra madhye jihvä ati lobhamoy sudurmati tä’ke jetä kaöhina saàsäre. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says, “Amongst the senses, the most powerful sense is the tongue.” Most powerful sense. You see? They are smoking, chain smoker, going on, going on. What is this? There is some sensation. And if we smoke cigarette or drink, it is simply the tongue. The tongue is dictating, “Do this, do that. Take this, take coffee, take tea, smoke, take flesh, take chicken, take this, take this, take...” That means that out of the all senses, the tongue is most formidable. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says, tä’ra madhye jihvä ati lobhamoy sudurmati tä’ke jetä kaöhina saàsäre. It is very difficult to conquer over the tongue. And if you

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can conquer over the tongue, then you can conquer over the belly, and then you can conquer over the genital. The straight line, one after another. Tä’ra madhye jihvä ati. So you know the story, that one dog was crossing over a small rivulet, and he saw the picture of another dog in the water. And actually, there was no dog. He was carrying some food in his mouth, and he saw another dog within the water. So he thought, “Let me take his foodstuff from the mouth,” and as he opened the mouth, he wanted to take the other dog’s foodstuff, so whatever he had, gone. You see? This is dog philosophy, “Take away.” Take other’s meal; he loses his own. This is called illusion, mäyä. You did not read this, Aesop’s Fable story? It is very instructive story. This is dog’s philosophy. This is dog’s philosophy. All these so-called empire... This Roman Empire was expanded. The British Empire was expanded. Now they have lost everything. Finished. Finished. The dog’s business was finished. So this kind of expansion, unnecessarily... Therefore our philosophy is “Be satisfied whatever God has given you.” Tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam [Éço mantra 1]. You be satisfied whatever is given to you by God, allotted to you. Don’t try to encroach upon other’s property. This is civilization. But man is transgressing this law, nature. They are not satisfied to become localized. 119

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

They want to expand. If you want to expand, but expand something which will be beneficial to the human society. Just like we are expanding Kåñëa consciousness. That is required to be expanded. Because the cats and dog civilization will be controlled. But to expand the cats and dog civilization to compete with another dog is the same story, Aesop’s Fable story, to capture the other dog and take his foodstuff, and then lose everything. This is very instructive.

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Chapter 52 Real Civilization (Journey of Self-Discovery)

réla Prabhupäda: Yes. If you have a garden and somebody says, «I want to eat some fruit,» you›ll say, «Yes, come on. Take as much fruit as you like.» But he should not gather up more than he can eat and take it away. Any number of men can come and eat to their satisfaction. The farmers do not even prohibit the monkeys—»All right, let them come in. After all, it is God›s property.» This is the Kåñëa conscious system: If an animal, say a monkey, comes to your garden to eat, don›t prohibit him. He is also part and parcel of Kåñëa. If you prohibit him, where will he eat?

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Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

I have another story; this one was told by my father. My father’s elder brother was running a cloth shop. Before closing the shop my uncle would put out a basin filled with rice. Of course, as in any village, there were rats. But the rats would take the rice and not cut even a single cloth. Cloth is very costly. If even one cloth had been cut by a rat, then it would have been a great loss. So with a few pennies’ worth of rice, he saved many dollars’ worth of cloth. This Kåñëa culture is practical. “They are also part and parcel of God. Give them food. They’ll not create any disturbance. Give them food.” Everyone has an obligation to feed whoever is hungry— even if it is a tiger. Once a certain spiritual teacher was living in the jungle. His disciples knew, “The tigers will never come and disturb us, because our teacher keeps some milk a little distance from the äçrama, and the tigers come and drink and go away.” The teacher would call, “You! Tiger! You can come and take your milk here!” [Laughter.] And they would come and take the milk and go away. And they would never attack any members of the äçrama. The teacher would say, “They are my men—don’t harm them.” I remember seeing at the World’s Fair that a man had trained a lion. And the man was playing with that lion just like one plays with a dog. These animals can understand, 122

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“This man loves me. He gives me food; he is my friend.” They also appreciate. When Haridäsa Öhäkura was living in a cave and chanting Hare Kåñëa, a big snake who also lived there decided to go away. The snake knew—”He’s a saintly person. He should not be disturbed. Let me go away.” And from Bhagavad-gétä we understand, éçvaraù sarvabhütänäà håd-deçe [Bg. 18.61]—Kåñëa is in every—one’s heart, and He is dictating. So Kåñëa can dictate peace and harmony to the animals, to the serpent, to everyone. [Çréla Prabhupäda pauses reflectively.] The Vedic culture offers so many nice, delicious foods, and mostly they are made with milk products. But these so-called civilized people—they do not know. They kill the cows and throw the milk away to the hogs, and they are proud of their civilization—like jackals and vultures. Actually, this Kåñëa consciousness movement will transform the uncivilized people and bring the whole world to real civilization.

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Chapter 53 Imperfect Knowledge (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.10—Bombay, December 28, 1972)

o those who are anxious to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of imperfect knowledge, this is right conclusion. If your senses are imperfect, whatever your knowledge may be, that is imperfect, because you are gathering knowledge from..., by imperfect senses. You know the story of studying..., blind man studying an elephant. So blind man is going, somebody is catching the leg. So they, “Oh, elephant is just like a pillar, a column.” And somebody is studying the tail, somebody is studying the trunk. So different knowledge, because they have no eyes. And one who sees the elephant as it is, he can understand that elephant is neither column, nor a trunk, nor this; he is a complete

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body. Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of blind knowledge, they come to the understanding of impersonal Brahman, brahmeti. That is also truth, just like you touch the elephant, a blind man touching the elephant, but because he hasn’t got eyes he is concluding that elephant is like, just like a column. But he has touched. Similarly, either the impersonalist or the yogi or the bhakta, they have come to the Absolute Truth; therefore it is called advaya-jïäna. There is no difference between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramätmä and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference, but still there is difference. This is called acintya-bhedäbheda-tattva: inconceivable one and simultaneously different. The same example can be given, that when the sunshine enters into your room, it means that sun has entered, but at the same time the sun is far, far away from you. Similarly, to understand Brahman means the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù, éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù sac-cid-änanda vigrahaù [Bs. 5.1]. If you simply try to understand impersonal Brahman, then you simply understand sat aàça, the eternity; paramätmä, citaàça; and änandäàça is Kåñëa.

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Chapter 54 Confidence in krishna (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.5.22— Våndävana, August 3, 1974)

rahmänanda: Brähmaëa is not to accept any employment.

Prabhupäda: No. He’ll die of starvation. He’ll not accept any employment. That is brähmaëa. Kñatriya also that, and vaiçya also. Only çüdra. A vaiçya will find out some business. He’ll find out some business. So there is a practical story. One Mr. Nandi, long, long ago, in the Calcutta, he went to some friend that, “If you can give me a little capital, I can start some business.” So he said, “You are vaiçya? Mercantile?” “Yes.” “Oh, you are asking money from me? Money’s on the street. You can find out.” So he said, “I don’t find.” “You don’t find? What is that?” “That, that is a dead mouse.” “That is your capital.” Just see.

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So in those days plague in Calcutta, plague was going on. So municipal declaration was any dead mouse brought to the municipal office, he’ll be paid two annas. So he took that dead body of the mouse and took to the municipal office. He was paid two annas. So he purchased some rotten betel nuts with two annas, and washed it and sold it at four annas, or five annas. In this way, again, again, again, that man became so rich man. One of their family members was our Godbrother. Nandi family. That Nandi family still, they have got four hundred, five hundred men to eat daily. A big, aristocratic family. And their family’s regulation is as soon as one son or daughter is born, five thousand rupees deposited in the bank, and at the time of his marriage, that five thousand rupees with interest, he can take it. Otherwise there is no more share in the capital. And everyone who lives in the family, he gets eating and shelter. This is their... But the original, I mean to say, establisher of this family, Nandi, he started his business with a red, a dead rat, or mouse. That is actually fact, actually fact, that if one wants to live independently... In Calcutta I have seen. Even poor class vaiçyas, and in the morning they’ll take some òäl, bag of òäl, and go door to door. Òäl is required everywhere. So in morning he makes òäl business, and in evening he takes one canister of kerosene oil. So in the evening everyone 127

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

will require. Still you’ll find in India, they... Nobody was seeking for employment. A little, whatever he has got, selling some ground nuts or that peanuts. Something he’s doing. After all, Kåñëa is giving maintenance to everyone. It is a mistake to think that “This man is giving me maintenance.” No. Çästra says, eko yo bahünäà vidadhäti kämän. It is confidence in Kåñëa, that “Kåñëa has given me life, Kåñëa has sent me here. So He’ll give me my maintenance. So according to my capacity, let me do something, and through that source, Kåñëa’s maintenance will come.” Just like we are maintaining so many people in the Kåñëa consciousness movement. So what business we are doing? But we are confident that Kåñëa will send us our maintenance. That confidence required. A çüdra means he becomes disturbed. He becomes disturbed. “Oh, I have no employment. How shall I eat? Where shall I go? Where shall I live?” He has no faith in Kåñëa. The brähmaëa has got full faith. The kñatriya has got little less faith, the vaiçya, little less faith, and the çüdra has no faith. This is the difference.

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Chapter 55 Scr ap of Paper (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.14-15—Los Angeles, May 31, 1972)

e are discussing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, hari-kathä. So kathä, hari-kathä, udarkäù satäà syuù sadasi dhruvam. If it is discussed among devotees, then one can understand. This book, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, has value amongst the devotees. And to others, they may purchase. They see that “What is this? Sanskrit verse, something written. Scrap of paper.” You see. Just like this newspaper, for us, is scrap of paper. We don’t care for it. But they keep it very carefully on their chest, “Oh, it is so nice.” Newspaper in the Western countries is so popular. One gentleman told me a story that one Christian priest went to preach Christian religion in Sheffield. 129

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Sheffield, where is it? In England? So the workers, laborers, he was preaching amongst them that “Lord Jesus Christ will save you. If you don’t take shelter of Lord Jesus Christ, then you’ll go to hell.” So first of all he, “Who is Jesus Christ? What is his number?” That means he, they thought, “Jesus Christ must be one of the workers, and every worker has a number, so what is his number?” So “No, Jesus Christ, he’s son of God. So he has no number. He’s not worker.” Then “What is hell?” Then described, “Hell is very damp, very dark,” and so on, so on. So they were silent. Because they are working in the mines. It is always dark and damp. (laughter) (Prabhupäda laughs) So what is the difference between hell and this, what is called, mine? They were silent. But when the priest said, “There is no newspaper,” “Oh, horrible!” (laughter) There is no newspaper. Therefore, in your country, so many big, big, I mean to say, bunch of newspapers, they are distributed.

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Chapter 56 Decor ating Sense Gr atification (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.1-2—London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969)

ake for example the most aborigines, the most uncivilized nation somewhere in Africa or any other part of the world. Are they not sense gratifying? The dogs and hogs, they are not sense gratifying? So if the ultimate aim of life is simply sense gratification, then why should we take so much trouble? There is a very nice story—these are very instructive story from Bhägavata. There was a very nice prostitute. Her fee was, if anyone wants to visit that prostitute, she was charging one hundred thousands of, what is called, diamond pieces. Diamonds you can understand. One diamond piece is at least five hundred dollars. So she used 131

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

to charge, “If somebody wants to visit my house, then he must pay one hundred thousand pieces of diamond.” So there were rich men. For sense gratification she was being paid. But one poor man and diseased man, so he had his very faithful wife. Although he was very poor and diseased, his wife was serving him very nicely. The husband could not work because he was diseased, and the wife was working, and, I mean to say, maintaining her husband, herself. Fortunately she had no children. But the husband was always morose. Now the wife is asking, “My dear husband, I am trying to satisfy you in so many ways, working myself and cooking for you, giving you foodstuff, and I am getting you bathed and everything. Why you are so morose?” So he was hesitating to disclose his mind. When she insisted that “You disclose. Why you are so sorry? Then I shall try to satisfy you...” (aside:) Come on. ...so he disclosed his mind. What is that? “I want to visit that prostitute.” Just see. He is poor man and (chuckling) he is diseased. Just see how much this lust and sense gratification is strong. He was thinking of going to that prostitute, and he disclosed his mind to his wife. Wife was very faithful. She wanted to satisfy her husband. So she promised, “My dear husband, I shall try my best to take you to that prostitute.” “Oh, where you’ll get one hundred 132

D e c o r a t i n g S e n s e G r a t ifi c a t i o n

thousand pieces of diamond?” “All right. I shall see to it.” Then she went to the prostitute’s house, and without her permission she was washing her dishes, her clothes, and, I mean to say, sweeping the rooms and everything. The prostitute asked, “Who are you? You are coming. You are not charging anything. You are not asking anything. What do you want?” “I shall tell you.” So in this way, when she was daily asking that “What is your mind. You tell me. You are very nice woman. You are, for nothing you are working for me. I must something do for you.” Then she disclosed her mind: “My dear lady, I am very poor woman, but my husband, he is diseased and he has no money, but he wants to visit you.” So the woman could understand. She said, “Yes. You can bring your husband on such and such date.” So she was very glad and told her husband that “I have fixed up, appointed a date. You shall be able to go.” Oh, he was very glad. Now when the man visited the prostitute’s house, she received the man. In India it is system that when you receive a gentleman or lady you must give him sumptuously to eat. So there was many palatable dishes served to the man, and each vegetable and each preparation was put in two pots—one in iron pots and one in golden pots. So he was eating. Now this man asked the prostitute, “Well, you have given me the same preparation in two pots: one 133

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

in gold pot and one in iron pot. Why? What is the idea?” So she said that “First of all taste it. Then I shall disclose what is the idea.” So he was tasting, eating. Then the prostitute asked him, “How do you like?” “Oh, it is very nice.” “Then, is there any different taste in the golden pot?” “No. Same taste.” “And the iron pot?” “Oh, the same taste.” So she replied at that time that “You are so rascal that you want to gratify your senses, but you do not know that sense gratification in poor wife or rich wife is the same. There is no difference of taste, so why you are after a woman by paying this one hundred thousands of jewels?” The idea is... This story is very instructive, and it is mentioned in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The idea is the same thing... [break] ...sense gratification is the ultimate aim of life, then why so much hard trouble for decorating the process of sense gratification? Why wasting so much time for decorating?

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Chapter 57 Waste of Time (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 25.31-38— San Francisco, January 22, 1967)

rabhupäda: ...Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu the disciple of Prakäçänanda Sarasvaté is quoting one verse from Çrémad-Bhägavatam in which it is said that simply for understanding, if you waste your time, but if you do not practically apply yourself, then it is simply a waste of time. There is a very nice story. In our college days in logic class of Professor Purnachandra Sen, he cited a very nice example, that a student approached his teacher and the contract was that he wanted to become a law student, lawyer, and the contracts were that when the student will appear in the court after being duly qualified as lawyer, then he will pay the remuneration of the teacher. This was the contract between the... So that the teacher 135

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

may very quickly make him qualified. So teacher agreed, “Yes. I shall make you qualified within one year. So you have to pay me five million dollars,” like that, something. So when he was qualified, passed his law examination, he said, “Now you come. You practice in the court.” So he said, “No. I am not going to practice.” “Then pay me.” “How can I pay? If I practice, then I’ll pay, but I am not going to practice.” So this kind of law student, that he has learned all laws and he has become lawyer officially by his degree, but he’s not going to practice... So similarly, if we simply know what is Brahman and what is not Brahman, but do not practice, it is just like that. It is useless waste of time. If you become a medical man, but if you don’t practice as a medical man, then why should you take so much trouble? Similarly, those jïänis and yogis, they do not take to the devotional service, or Kåñëa consciousness, which is practical. If you... So far, we are trying to be practically employed in Kåñëa’s service. That is our business. We may not be haöha-yogi or dhyäna-yogi or this yogi or that yogi or a very learned scholar, that we can distinguish and interpret that “Not to Kåñëa but to myself.” In this way I can waste my time. But if I do not apply myself (to) the purpose, then what is the use of? That is stated:

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ye ‘nye ‘ravindäkña vimukta-mäninas tvayy asta-bhäväd aviçuddha-buddhayaù äruhya kåcchreëa paraà padaà tataù anädåta-yuñmad... [SB 10.2.32]

Such class of men simply trying to understand what is Brahman, what is not Brahman, but practically, he will simply be engaged in material sense enjoyment. He’ll not give up anything, even not smoking. Anything will not give up. Everything he’ll keep in contact, but he’ll discuss very scholarly, “This is not Brahman, this is Brahman.” This is simply waste of time. Teñäà kleçala eva çiñyate. Therefore such persons who are simply wasting their time in that way, if they think that “I have become liberated.” So Bhägavata says that their intelligence is not purified. They are less intelligent still, because the result of his being qualified is not being utilized. He’s not engaged in Kåñëa consciousness.

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Chapter 58 Little Knowledge is Dangerous

(Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 7.1—Mäyäpur, March 1, 1974)

rabhupäda: Lord Caitanya, from different quotations of Vedas, He establishes that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person. He’s not imperson. And so far Çaìkaräcärya is concerned, he was ordered to preach Mäyäväda philosophy by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the time being. It is not that this is the only process for realizing the Absolute Truth. There is a very nice story in this connection. There was a physician and his servant. So one day the physician was called by some person to treat his horse. So when the physician came, he asked, “What is the matter?” He says that “The horse has suddenly swollen his throat. So please

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treat.” Then the physician took a hammer and strongly struck the swollen portion, and it was at once cured. The servant saw, “So this is the process of curing swollen parts of the body.” So on that very day, he resigned his service and he thought that “Now I have learned how to cure swollen parts of the body,” and whenever he was called to treat such disease, he used to hammer over that swollen part and the patient died. So when he came to his former master, “Sir, you cured that horse, the swollen part, by beating hammer, but when I treat, it dies, the patient dies. What is the matter?” So he explained, “You nonsense, the swollen is not cured by beating. That was a special case. The horse took a squash while he was in the garden, and he could not swallow it up. Therefore it was swollen. So I struck therefore, and it was broken, and the same thing, his swollenness, cured. But you foolish, you are simply striking on swollen parts?”

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Chapter 59 Yamar aja’s Judgement (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.48—Dallas, July 30, 1975)

ust like the judge. He is hearing the case. That is everyone. Anyone who is hearing something, so he makes a conclusion, “This should be done like that.” The judgment... There was one story. It is not story; it is fact, that two pleaders were talking about the activities of a criminal, and the judge was dozing. So his clerk said, “Sir, you are dozing. The two big lawyers, they are arguing, and what they will say?” That means he warned. The judge said, “I have already made my judgment. Let them go on talking.” So actually, it is done. A very important judge, he, by hearing the preliminary points of the case, he makes his

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judgment. But because the two lawyers want to fight, because they are paid for that, so they go on fighting. But the judge, he has already concluded what judgment should be given. Similarly, Yamaräja is judge. He has got everything recorded in his mind of a sinful man’s activities in the past. So immediately he decides that “This soul should be given such and such body.” So we are getting body.

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Chapter 60 Beyond Patr am, pUSHPAM... (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.11—Montreal, August 17, 1968)

henever Kåñëa wants some service from you or begs something from you, it does not mean that He is in need of it. He is not in need of it. But He is in need of your love because you have forgotten how to love God, how to love Kåñëa. That he is practiced(?). There is a story that some sannyäsé went to a householder, because a sannyäsé goes to householder for begging. They are begging also like that. They are not beggars, but they introduce as beggar so that the householder may receive and take some advantage of his knowledge. He is not beggar. So one beggar went to a householder, and the housewife said, “Oh, this beggar has come from door to

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B e y o n d Pa t r a m , P u s h p a m . . .

door. Give him some ashes.” So the sannyäsé replied, “All right. Give me some ashes. Just begin your charity.” Just begin your charity. So similarly, Kåñëa, when He wants, “Give Me a little flower, a little fruit, a little water,” it does not mean that He is begging. He is just inducing me to the practice of offering everything which belongs to Kåñëa.

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Chapter 61 The Problem Is This Body (Initiation Lecture and Bhagavän däsa’s Marriage Ceremony— New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969)

o the scientist, the philosopher, they are not studying what is the cause. Everyone is trying to get out of all sorts of miserable problems, but they do not know what is that problem. The problem is this body. But they have no knowledge what is this body, how it is working, what is the soul, how it is transmigrating. They are all rascals, fools. They have no knowledge. And they are trying to make a solution of the problem. There is a story... Not... Yes, take it for story, that sosera bhetare bujugheche (?). If somebody is haunted by a ghost, there was some expert, I mean to say, chanter, who can drive away that ghost by mantra. And they usually use the mustard seed. They chant the mantra and they throw the

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T h e P r o b l e m is t h is B o d y

mustard seed on the person who is ghost-haunted, and the ghost is driven away. So there is a story that the ghost entered the mustard. He is throwing the mustard, but the ghost has already entered the mustard. Similarly, we are trying to solve the problems, but the problem is this body. The ghost is within this body. So our Kåñëa consciousness movement... Of course, we daily discuss these things, that “I am not this body,” and what are the problems. The sum and substance of our Kåñëa consciousness movement is that we want to go back to Kåñëa.

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Chapter 62 Suffering in the Material World (Morning Walk—July 3, 1975, Denver)

rabhupäda: Yes. There is a Indian proverb that “Disease and unwanted guest, if you don’t give food, they will go away.” If some guest has come whom you do not want, don’t give him food. Then he will go away. (laughter) Similarly, disease, if you fast, it will go away. [break] ...another story: prahareëa dhanaïjaya. One gentleman had eight or nine daughters and son-in-law. So when they came, he was giving them good food and shelter, everything. So then they saw, “We are very comfortably living at father-in-law’s expense.” So they did not want to go. The father-in-law saw, “It is very dangerous that all the son-in-laws are not going.” Then he began to... First day he did not supply salt. So one son-in-law say, “Oh,

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they are now disrespecful, they have not given salt.” So one went away. And next day, something else, something else, something else, shortened, shortened. So those who were intelligent, they went away. The last one, he was not going. Then his brother-in-laws thought that “Give him good beating.” Then he went away. Prahareëa dhanaïjaya. Others, those who were intelligent, they, when they thought that “Now there is disrespectful dealing, they are not giving everything,” so they gradually... The last one, he was a rascal. He was beaten severely; then he went away. Yadubara: So if we’re beaten by this material nature, then we’ll go away. Prabhupäda: No, no. Yes. No, material nature’s business is beating and kicking. That’s his only business. But we are so fool, we are taking, “Oh, very nice kicking.” That is the disease. We accept the kicking as very nice. That is foolishness. We are suffering always by three kinds of..., ädhyätmika, ädhibhautika, ädhidaivika disturbances. There is disturbance in the body, in the mind, disturbance by other living entities, so many, disturbed by climate, disturbed by famine. Always disturbance. Still, we are thinking, «It is very nice place.» This is foolishness. Still, we are trying to improve it. That is foolishness. He does not think that «What is the meaning of improvement? The disturbing is always continuing.» That does not 147

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

come to his brain. They are making improvement. [break] ...improvement, they can say, «This is improvement.» But how long this improvement will go? If there is no rainfall, what this improvement will help? So that is not in your hand. That is ädhidaivika. It depends on the demigods. If they want, they can stop completely, no rainfall. Then what this improvement will do?

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Chapter 63 Here is a r ascal number one (Morning Walk—December 7, 1973, Los Angeles)

rabhupäda: Therefore they are rascals. Rascal means that however kick him on his face, still, he’ll insist. That is rascal. Rascal means that. They’ll never take good lesson. That is rascal. And sensible means he takes good lesson. Na mäà duñkåtino müòhäù [Bg. 7.15]. And why they remain rascal? Because they are duñkåtinaù, very, very sinful. Very, very sinful. Don’t you see? They are maintaining slaughterhouse. They are maintaining brothel. They are ruining everyone’s life by sense gratification. These are all sinful activities. Therefore they remain rascal forever. They cannot improve. Because they are so sinful, they have to suffer, go to the darkest region. They’ll have to become worms of the stool. That is awaiting 149

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

them. But they do not know how things are going on. They are thinking, “We are now safe. We are safe.” That is foolishness. That is rascaldom. So you are now feeling all right? Paramahaàsa: Jaya Çréla Prabhupäda. Thank you very much. Prabhupäda: Thank you very much. Hare Kåñëa. Rascal means that... You know the story, that Kälidäsa, a great poet, he was a great rascal. So... It is a long story. So he was sitting on the branch of a tree and cutting. So some gentleman: “Why you are cutting? You’ll fall down.” “No, no, I’ll not fall down.” But when he fell down, then he went to that gentleman, “How did you know, sir, that I shall fall down?” Then they concluded, “Here is a rascal number one.” (laughter) “Here is a rascal number one.” They do not know that they are going to hell. That is rascaldom. By their so-called scientific advancement, philosophy, education, they are going to hell. That they do not know. Therefore they are rascals. Therefore they are rascals. This is the definition of rascaldom: one who does not know where he is going. If somebody goes in this way straight, and you say “Don’t go!” “No! Why shall I not go?” He’s rascal. (laughter) He’s rascal. And the another rascal, “Yes, yes, you can go, it is all right.” Yata mata tata patha. “As many ways you manufacture, it is all right. You can go this way.” He’s another rascal. This is going on. 150

Chapter 64 Inquisitiveness Implies Intelligence (Morning Walk—May 8, 1975, Perth)

rabhupäda: That’s alright, but if you are intelligent enough, if you are a rascal fool, you cannot see, but if you are intelligent, then you’ll be eager to: “Who is operating? Let me see?” That is the difference of intelligence. Dull, just like we read one story. One little boy he was beating on a drum. So, he became inquisitive, “Wherefrom the sound is coming? Somebody must be within it.” He took a knife and cut it. This is intelligence. Wherefrom the sound is coming? He was beating-dum, dum, dum—he became inquisitive. That is intelligence. A dull student-coming, that’s all. And intelligent, he tries to (find out), that is intelligence. Inquisitive. Intelligent boy will always enquire, “What is this, father? What is 151

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

this father? Wherefrom the sound is coming?” That is intelligence. So, if one is very dull—just like cats and dogs, they cannot enquire. What is this machine? What is this behind? It is the human form of life—these enquiries should come. Otherwise he remains a cat and dog.

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Chapter 65 Honesty, a thing of the past (Discussions with Syämasundara däsa)

rabhupäda: So we have seen in our childhood, they’re also. No voucher or receipt. I’ll tell you one little story. My father was dealing in cloth. So supposing he has come, my customer, he wants so many things. So I haven’t got stock all of these things, but I wrote down his order, that you are market broker, I say just get these things immediately from the market. You go to the particular person who has got the stock and you order him to my shop, “Such and such you send me.” So you have ordered for say twenty, fifty men. So their men are coming with a load of cloth, and he’ll simply ask the firm’s name: “This is Rajaram (indistinct)?” And someone declares, “Yes, yes, yes.” But no voucher. He simply asks 153

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

whether this firm is Rajaram (indistinct), and somebody nods, “Yes, yes.” So he drops the bundle of cloth. It may be five hundred, or thousand rupees’ worth or more than that. So similarly, many porters drop, because I require so many things. Now, you are my broker, you come, you see the stack of cloth, you ask my clerk, “Just credit this from such and such firm.” But firm has sent without any voucher, without any (indistinct), and the porter simply asks whether this is the same firm, and somebody nods and we (makes noise like stamping something), that’s all. Then you come, you pick up so many bundles, “Just note down, ‘This has come from such and such firm.’ “ You note down. Then my clerk notes it. This is transaction. And out of many such bundles, you find that you did not order this, “Wherefrom it came? It is not mine.” So we set aside. Three days after, one (indistinct) comes, “Sir, on such and such date I dropped a bundle here which did not belong to you, so please give me this back.” “Oh, you will see there are so many. What is yours you can take back.” And he picks up, “Sir, this is my bundle,” “All right, take it.” He’s unknown, but simply he comes and says that “I dropped one bundle here which does not belong to you. By mistake I dropped it,” and I say, “Yes. So many bundles there are, you can take whatever is yours.” This was the transaction. Then on the due payment day, those who supplied the cloths, they come to take payment and they say, “Sir, on such and such day, such and 154

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such cloth was supplied to you.” No voucher, nothing. I open my book: “Yes, yes. That’s all right.” So he says that “This is the price and so much money is due payment.” So he calculates, “Yes.” So he pays the money and then, when taking money, he puts a stamp and he signs on the book. Now in the meantime, so many transactions we’ll see, how much faithfully it was going on. So how much we have now became degraded: we supply something to somebody, we take three copies of voucher; one he takes, one we keep on book, one he gives (indistinct); then also he will try also, cheat, again. So much morally we have improved. I am speaking, say within, when I am child’s age, now I am seventy-six. I may be fourteen, fifteen years old, like that. Fifty years ago these things were going on. Fifty or sixty. Sixty years ago the business dealings was so easy and plain.

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Chapter 66 Hovering Over the Mental Plane (Morning Walk—January 2, 1976, Madras)

ndian man (2): ...political things. Two and two will always be four. But we people don’t agree so far.

Prabhupäda: Yes. You want five. Indian man (2): (laughter) We want five, correct. Four to make it five. Prabhupäda: There is a story that a grocer’s son was doing business, and when he was given a five-rupees’ note, so he was giving four rupees. So the customer said, “Why you are giving me four rupees?” “No, I do not know what is the exchange.” “No, it is six rupees.” So “No, father will 156

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be angry.” (laughter) Means he knows perfectly well what is five rupees, but he is innocent when he was giving four rupees. And when the customer wanted six rupees, he, “No, my father will be angry.” [break] ...created a havoc by misinterpreting Bhagavad-gétä, all people. According to their wish, “Five-rupees note means four rupees,” by imagination. They have created havoc all over the world. Otherwise everything is there. Avajänanti mäà müòhäù [Bg. 9.11]. If we take Kåñëa’s instruction, then whole world becomes immediately happy. But they will not take it. They will manufacture their own, two plus two equal to five or three, not exactly the four. Indian man (3): So all anxiety and duùkha have been created by the man himself. Prabhupäda: Yes. They have created. Indian man (3): Nobody else is doing for him, but he created himself. Prabhupäda: Yes. Indian man (3): And then he said, “I am in misery. I am in trouble.” Trouble is created by you. Nobody has created. Prabhupäda: So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä, that mind is the enemy and mind is the friend. So we created our mind, enemy or friend, and we suffer for that. 157

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Indian man (3): Mind is very, very powerful. How to make use of that? Actually mind is using the man; man is not using his mind. Prabhupäda: In the Bhägavata it is said, yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcana sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù. In another line... Harikeça: Haräv abhakta? Prabhupäda: Eh? Haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëä mano-rathenäsato dhävato bahiù [SB 5.18.12]. One who is Kåñëa conscious, he has got all the good qualities. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcana sarvair guëaiù: “All good qualities can be manifest.” And haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëäù: “And one who is not devotee, he has no good qualities.” “Why? He is so educated.” No, manorathena: “He is hovering over the mind.” Asäto dhävato bahiù: “He will stick to this asat.” But the Vedic injunction is asato mä sad gamaya. He cannot go to the real platform of life. Asato bahiù. They do not understand that this godless civilization is the root cause of all calamities in the world. (Hindi) Kértanéyaù sadä hariù. The Caitanya Mahäprabhu said that kértanéyaù sadä hariù. Twenty-four hours you have to do that. But where is twenty-four hours? You will not twenty-four minutes.

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Chapter 67 Perverted Enjoyment (Morning Walk—January 21, 1976, Mäyäpura)

rabhupäda: Yes. He had very good wife, young wife, and he became a victim to a prostitute and lost all brahminical culture. So if you create prostitute in the society, where is the hope of brahminical culture? There is a story that a gentleman... Not gentleman, a rascal. He was rich, and he was going to the prostitute. So the wife inquired that “What is wanting in me that you are going to the prostitute?” You know that story? “No, I go there because she dances, sings.” So she learned dancing. So in this way, one after another, drinking, dancing, this, that. Still, he was going. The wife learned everything. Then when she said, “Now I have learned whatever you wanted. Still why you are...?” “No, one thing. I cannot 159

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

express that.” “What is that?” “You do not abuse my father and mother. That you cannot do.” These prostitutes, they abuse the father and mother. In Bengal it is known, rakta kedara vega.(?) They address like that. Then she said, “All right. Stop. I am no more your wife. I cannot abuse your father and mother. That is not possible. I have learned everything for your satisfaction, but I cannot learn this thing.” The prostitute will not only abuse the paramour but his father, mother, family, everything, culture. Tamäla Kåñëa: And he enjoys it. Prabhupäda: And he enjoys: “Oh, so kindly she is abusing. It is love.”

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Chapter 68 Stubborn Fool (Morning Walk—March 17, 1976, Mäyäpura)

rabhupäda: There is a story that two friends talking that, on the point that “How this was cut, separated?” So one friend said, “It is by knife.” And the other friend said, “No, it was by scissor.” So they went on.... One said, “No! It is knife.” He said, “No! It is scissor.” So the knife man was very strong. So he took him to the water, that “You say it is knife. Otherwise I shall drown you.” (laughter) So he said, “I’ll never say.” Then he said.... When he was drowning, he was doing like this, (Prabhupäda gesticulates) (laughter) “Scissor, scissor.” When he was actually drowned and he had no other means to say, then he was doing like this: “It is scissor. It is scissor.” This is their argument. However punished they may be, they’ll do this. (laughter)

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Chapter 69 Fr aternal Quarrel (Letter to: Rayarama—Los Angeles 20 February, 1969)

o far as your fraternal quarrel is concerned, I may recite in this connection one story: An old father required massaging so all the children wanted to serve the father. The father divided the right and left portion of his body to be served by the children. Later along with the service, there was some quarrel between the children, and they were competing by hitting the parts of the father which was assigned to the opposing party. So the father said that you are hitting my different parts due to your opposition to one another, but I am therefore dying. Similarly, either this department or that department, if you quarrel amongst yourselves it will be detrimental to my missionary ambition. Please therefore stop

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this unnecessary strain. If there is any misunderstanding, it will be solved when I am present there in April. In the meantime, please live peacefully, and things may go on as it is going on.

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Chapter 70 Misguided Education (Room Conversation—November 3, 1976, Våndävana)

rabhupäda: When the animal enjoy sex, they know which part of the body has to be used. Hari-çauri: They don’t have to be taught.

Prabhupäda: There is no need of education. He knows it. And these rascals, they are presenting Freud’s philosophy, sex. Just see how they are wasting time. Hari-çauri: They have so many books now on so-called sex education, so many of them. Prabhupäda: Simply wasting time. There is a story about this. One man was canvassing, hawking. Hawker? Hari-çauri: Yes, hawker. 164

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Prabhupäda: So he was, “Here is a book of cow protection, cow protection.” He has written one book to take care of the cows. So one old man called him, “What you are selling?” Now, “I am selling this book.” “What is that book?” “Maintaining the cow.” So, “Why you are selling? First of all give this book to your mother because you are no better than cow, so she will learn how to give you protection.” That means he wanted to impress upon him that “Cow protection doesn’t require any education. You have written a book? So you are such a rascal, cow intelligence. Better give this book to your mother. She will maintain you. Don’t sell it. Everyone knows how to give cow protection.” So similarly, this sex literature, there is no need of sex literature. Sex literature is there in Sanskrit also. That is how to restrict sex. For what purpose one should indulge in sex, that is called Käma-çästra. I have seen this Freud philosophy became so prominent that sometimes in the year... 1940’s maybe. So one young woman was traveling, and another young man was traveling. So they began to discuss about sex very openly. And both of them unknown. Still, they engaged themselves in discussing the sex literature, without any shame.

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Chapter 71 Envy (Letter to: Yamuna—Bombay 18 November, 1970, 70-11-18)

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egarding the envious people our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men. My Guru Maharaja once told this story; one friend informed another that one man has become the High-Court Judge. “Oh no,’’ he replied, “No. That cannot be right.’’ “Yes, he is now a Judge,’’ said the first friend. “I have seen him sitting on the bench.’’ The second man replied, “Maybe. But I don’t think he is getting any salary.’’ Such envious men will find out some fault anywhere. There is no fault, actually, but they will manufacture some fault. That is their business. So many persons were envious of my Guru Maharaja, but He was preaching and did not care for them.

Chapter 72 Don’t bite, but do not forget to expand your hood (Srimad Bhagvatam 4.11.31 Purport)

here is a short story in this connection about a snake who became a devotee upon instruction by Närada, who instructed him not to bite anymore. Since ordinarily a snake’s business is to fatally bite other living entities, as a devotee he was forbidden to do so. Unfortunately, people took advantage of this nonviolence on the part of the snake, especially the children, who began to throw stones at him. He did not bite anyone, however, because it was the instruction of his spiritual master. After a while, when the snake met his spiritual master, Närada, he complained, “I have given up the bad habit of biting innocent living entities, but they are mistreating me by throwing stones at me.” Upon hearing this, Närada 167

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Muni instructed him, “Don’t bite, but do not forget to expand your hood as if you were going to bite. Then they will go away.” Similarly, a devotee is always nonviolent; he is qualified with all good characteristics. But, in the common world, when there is mischief made by others, he should not forget to become angry, at least for the time being, in order to drive away the miscreants.

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Chapter 73 Give The Dog A Bad Name And Hang It (Room Conversation—August 10, 1976, Tehran)

rabhupäda: Human qualification there is no, otherwise how they are killing? Killing means they have no human qualification, animal qualification. I want you to eat, huh? You know that Aesop’s fable story? Ätreya Åñi: Funny story?

Prabhupäda: There was a lake. So one small lamb was drinking water on the other side, and this side another tiger. The tiger challenged that, “Why you are muddying the water.” So he said, “Sir, I am here, long away, I am not muddying.” So anyway, he picked up some quarrel and killed him. So the idea was to kill him, but he picked up 169

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

some, find out some fault. So anyone finding out. This man who wants to kill somebody else, he’s not man, he’s animal. Give the dog a bad name and hang it. That English proverb? You try to discuss on this point, how people can refuse the proprietorship of God. That is a very good point for preaching. Éçäväsyam idaà sarvam [Éço mantra 1]. Éçäväsyam idaà sarvam. Everything belongs to God. That’s a fact. Sleeping? Meditating? Either sleeping or meditating, what is the real fact?

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Chapter 74 Br avery Is Their Rascaldom (The Fifteenth Morning Walk: December 7, 1973 Recorded on December 7, 1973, On the shores of the Pacific Ocean Near Los Angeles)

tudent: Çréla Prabhupäda, one could say that that is bravery.

Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, you can say that, but that bravery is their rascaldom. They are bravely going to hell, that’s all. Once, one man was chasing another man, and the man who was chasing asked, “Why are you fleeing? Are you afraid of me?” The other man replied, “I am not afraid of you. Why should I not run? Why should I stop?” In the same way, the gross materialist is bravely going to hell. “Why should I stop with my sinful activities?” he says. “I will Bravely face any reaction.”

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Dr. Singh: They are crazy. Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, crazy. The Vedas say that once a man becomes crazy, or haunted by ghosts, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. Similarly, anyone under the influence of the material energy is crazy. Therefore he talks only nonsense, that›s all. Though scientists are not expert in science, they are expert in bluffing others and juggling words.

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Chapter 75 Death Means forgetting Past Life (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.9-10—Delhi, November 14, 1973)

e are very much proud of our body. “I am American,” “I am Indian,” “I am prime minister,” “I am this,” “I am that.” The dog is also very much proud. “I am greyhound,” “I am this bulldog,” “I am this.” Yes. Everyone is proud, however nasty body he may live. The hog is also very proud. Although he is eating stool and living in a very filthy place, but if you want to drag him from that place, he will, “Che che che, no, no, I don’t want... I am very happy here.” There is a story in the Bhägavata that once Brahmä was cursed and he become a hog in this world. No, Indra. Because Indra was very offending, so he was cursed. He became a hog. So Brahmä thought that “In the absence of Indra the kingdom of heaven is not managed 173

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

very nicely, so let me go an bring him again, excuse.” So when he came, he asked the hog that “Come with me.” “Where?” “To the heaven.” “Oh, I cannot go. I have got my responsibility. I gave got my responsibility. I cannot go.” So this is the position. Everyone is very happy. This is called mäyä’s influence. Unless a hog feels happy, how he can live in this abominable life? This is called prakñepätmika-çakti, covering. If one man knows or..., that “I was king in my previous life. Now I have become a poor cobbler” or something like..., then he will become mad. So therefore he forgets. Death means forget. Because the living entity does not die. Na hanyate hanyamäne çarére [Bg. 2.20]. There is no death. Death means forgetting everything of my past life. That’s all. Just like we forget. At night, when we dream, we accept another body, and we forget this body. And in the daytime we forget the night dream body and accept this body. We have got daily experience. So death means forgetting the past life. Otherwise, there was past life. That’s a fact. But as we forget daily night body in the daytime and day body at nighttime, so similarly, we are changing our body according to the infection of the quality or material nature, and we are entangled in this material world. Although we are part an parcel of Kåñëa, God, or we ar sons of God, but unfortunately, we have come in contact of this material modes of nature. This is going on. 174

Chapter 76 Intelligence Has Strength (Journey of Self-Discovery)

here is a story about a king and his prime minister. Once the king’s salaried workers complained, “We are actually working, and this minister is doing nothing, yet you are paying him such a large salary. Why is that?” The king then called his minister in and also had someone bring in an elephant. “Please take this elephant and weigh it,” the king said to his workers. The workers took the elephant to all the markets, but they could not find a scale large enough to weigh the animal. When they returned to the palace the king asked, “What happened?” One of the workers answered, “Sir, we could not find a scale large enough to weigh the elephant.” Then the king addressed his prime minister, “Will you please weigh this 175

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

elephant?” “Yes, sir,” said the prime minister, and he took the elephant away. He returned within a few minutes and said, “It weighs 11,650 pounds.” All the workers were astonished. “How did you weigh the elephant so quickly?” one of them asked. “Did you find some very large scale?” The minister replied, “No. It is impossible to weigh an elephant on a scale. I went to the river, took the elephant on a boat, and noted the watermark. After taking the elephant off the boat, I put weights in the boat until the same watermark was reached. Then I had the elephant’s weight.” The king said to his workers, “Now do you see the difference?” One who has intelligence has strength, not the fools and the rascals. Marx and his followers are simply fools and rascals. We don’t take advice from them; we take advice from Kåñëa or His representative.

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Chapter 77 Anchor of Material Attachment (Elevation to Kåñëa Consciousness)

n the Vedas it is stated that the learned advanced people, the demigods of the creation, simply look to the lotus feet of Kåñëa. The aim should be the same with human civilization. Without looking to Kåñëa’s lotus feet, all religious, social or political endeavors will fail. It is not possible to make progress as long as our desires are anchored in the material world. In this regard, there is a story of a bridegroom’s party who had to go to the bride’s house down the river. It was settled that they would start at night by boat and reach the destination early in the morning. Therefore at night, after supper, the jubilant party got aboard a boat, made themselves comfortable and instructed the boatmen to start. Since all the members 177

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

of the party were seated comfortably, and since the river breeze was very pleasant, they slept soundly that night. In the morning they all got up early, but to their astonishment they saw that the boat had not moved an inch toward the destination, even though the boatmen had rowed vigorously all night long. Finally, after inquiring, they found that despite the boatmen’s rowing, the boat had not moved because they had failed to raise the anchor. The marriage ceremony was thus spoiled because of a foolish mistake. Our present civilization is therefore a mistaken civilization because the mistaken leaders have forgotten to raise the anchor of attachment. Instead, the anchor is being more and more firmly fixed because they have structured the social order on the basis of sense gratification. This sense gratifying social and political set-up, maintained by various plans and schemes, has been described in Bhagavad-gétä as follows: kämam äçritya duñpüraà dam bha-mäna-madänvitäù mohäd gåhétväsad-grähän pravartante ‘çuci-vratäù cintäm aparimeyäà ca pralayäntäm upäçritäù kämopabhoga-paramä etävad iti niçcitäù 178

A nc hor of M at e r i a l At tac h m e n t

“The demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride, and false prestige, and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent. Their belief is that to gratify the senses unto the end of life is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus, there is no measurement for their anxiety.” (Bg. 16.10-11) The leaders, like the boatmen, are all illusioned. They mislead us into taking some temporary benefit, but how long can their plans and schemes go on? If they persist until they die of heart failure or are killed by assassins, then another just like them takes their place. Even the so-called philosophers of modern society are captivated by material name and fame, and so they do not lead the general populace in the proper direction. Thus the anchor of life remains deeply fixed in the waters of nescience for the purpose of sense gratification, and thus our so-called civilization rots in a stagnant pool. Because we are not moving, we are always in the same port of problematic life. All schemes are only useless scraps of paper in the face of war, famine, earthquakes and other disasters. All these disasters are warnings from Mother Durgä, and by them she confirms her eternal superiority over the illusioned planmakers. The different weights on the anchor which keep us grounded in material life are our attachments to the material body due to our ignorance of 179

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spiritual facts, our attachment to kinsmen due to bodily relations, our attachment to our land of birth and our material possessions, our attachment to material science and our attachment to religious forms and rituals without knowing their true purpose—all these anchor the boat of the human body in the material universe. Çré Kåñëa, using the example of a strongly rooted banyan tree, advises us in Bhagavad-gétä how to get rid of this attachment once and for all: na rüpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nänto na cädir na ca sampratiñöhä açvattham enaà suvirüòha-mülam asaìga-çastreëa dåòhena chittvä tataù padaà tat parimärgitavyaà yasmin gatä na nivartanti bhüyaù tam eva cädyaà puruñaà prapadye yataù pravåttiù prasåtä puräëé

“The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. This banyan tree must be cut out with determination, by the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that situation from which, having gone, one never comes back. One must surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and is extending since time 180

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immemorial.” (Bg. 15.3,4) The Personality of Godhead, who is fully cognizant of everything in His creation, informs us in our best interest that we must desire to get rid of this material existence. We must detach ourselves from everything material. To make the best use of a bad bargain, our material existence should be 100% spiritualized by constant association with Kåñëa’s message, His devotees and His names. Therefore everyone who ordinarily engages in material affairs can derive the highest benefit from this Kåñëa consciousness movement. All kinds of spiritual endeavors are more or less tinged with material contamination. However, pure devotional service is transcendental to all pollution. We need not artificially adopt principles of materialism; we need only fix our minds on the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa.

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Chapter 78 Serving The Greatest Person (Mukunda-mälä-stotra 17 Purport)

n this connection, Çréla Prabhupäda tells the story of a man whose burning desire was to serve the greatest person. The man was born into a small village, where he became attracted to serving the village chief. He was very happy in this capacity and tried to please the chief in many ways. But one day a district governor visited the village, and the servant came to understand that his local chief was also a servant—of the governor. He then asked to be transferred to the service of the greater master. The governor accepted him into his service, and the man was again satisfied trying to please his new master. But then he saw that the governor was paying taxes and offering obeisances to the king. The man who

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wanted to serve the greatest managed to transfer himself into the king’s direct service. Now he was completely satisfied, and the king treated him as a favorite servant. But one day the man saw that the king went off alone into the woods to worship and serve an ascetic. The king’s servant later approached that guru and addressed him, “You must be the greatest person of all, because even the king serves you. Please let me be your servant.” The ascetic replied that he himself was the lowly servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa. The perpetual servant then asked where he could find Kåñëa, and the guru directed him to the nearest Kåñëa temple. With an ardent desire the servant went to the temple and received a direct indication from the Deity that he was indeed accepted as His servant. Finally, the aspiring servant of the greatest reached his goal, a position as the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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Chapter 79 No Loss in krishna consciousness (Bhagavad-gétä 2.40-London, September 13, 1973)

rabhupäda: So we have explained yesterday, buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means bhakti-yoga. So, svalpam apy asya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät. Bhakti-yoga, begun, some way or other, it has got great effect. There is story that in the Deity room, a lamp was burning. You know oil lamp has to be watched. Sometimes the wick has to be pushed. So the lamp was almost going to be extinguished. In the meantime a rat came there. He thought that it is something eatable. So he touched with mouth, the wick, and it became pushed. Simply by that action he got salvation. Just try to understand. Because he gave some service to the Deity. So there are many instances. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät. Kåñëa consciousness business is so nice that whatever you do sincerely, it will never be lost.

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Chapter 80 Don’t Give Them Your Heart (Närada-bhakti-sütra 45 purport)

réla Prabhupäda sometimes told the following story to illustrate how one may mix with nondevotees and yet keep one›s devotional integrity:

Once a crocodile invited a monkey in a tree to come and ride on his back. The foolish monkey jumped down from the tree and soon found himself clinging to the crocodile’s back in the middle of the river. The monkey asked the crocodile, “Where are we going?” The crocodile replied, “I’m going to take you home, where my wife will cut out your heart and we will eat you for lunch!” The monkey replied, “But I left my heart back on shore in the tree. Will you please let me get it?” 185

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

The crocodile thought this was a good proposal and allowed the monkey to touch shore. But the monkey jumped into his tree and refused to accept further invitations from the crocodile. The moral of this story: You may associate with the nondevotee, but don’t give him your heart.

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Chapter 81 Chaste Woman (Bhagavad-gétä 1.40—London, July 28, 1973)

here are many stories of chaste woman. Many stories. There was one disciple of Rämänujäcärya, a very poor. So Rämänujäcärya came in that poor disciple’s house and he saw there was no one in the house. So he thought: “What is this? This is my disciple’s house. He’s family man. Why there is none?” That means he could understand that the door is not locked. Door was closed only. Then he could understand that within the door his wife is there. Therefore he knocked the door, and there was response also, knocking, but she could not come out. That means she, she was so poor that she had no garment. She was keeping herself within the room, naked. So Rämänujäcärya could understand that “There is his wife. 187

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Maybe she has no sufficient clothing.” So immediately, his own cloth he gave her, within the room, and the woman came out, putting on that... And then offered obeisances. So he could understand the position. They were very, very poor. Even no clothing. So after putting on the cloth, she went to the grocer’s shop. Because Rämänujäcärya is there. She must receive. Grocer shop. The grocer knew that this woman is very woman, uh, very poor, so his business was to entice her. But she never agreed, although she was young. Now this woman went to the grocer’s shop that: “You know that I am very poor. I require immediately some grains, ghee, and other things. My Guru Mahäräja has come at home. I must receive. So tonight I agree with your proposal. Please give me. Even at the sacrifice of my chastity I want this.” So the grocer was very glad. “Oh, this woman, I have canvassed her, I have tried to induce her. She never agreed. And now she’s agreeing.” So: “All right, you take, whatever you like. Take.” So she was given all kinds of food grains, as much as she wanted. And she cooked and gave to the spiritual master and his associates, his servants. Everything was very nice. In the meantime, the husband came, working whole day. And he saw that everything was nicely done. “Guru Mahäräja is fed, and his associates, they’re fed.” So he asked his wife: “How did you get all these things?” Then she narrated the whole story. Then husband also said: “Yes, you have promised. 188

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All right. Take some prasädam and go to him. Because you have promised to meet him this evening. So go.” Then the grocer heard the whole story and his mind became changed. “Oh, such a chaste woman. Such a faithful... You are my mother. You take more ingredients, grains, as much as you like, you shall...”

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Chapter 82 Attr action For Sex (The Nectar of Devotion—Våndävana, October 21, 1972)

here are many stories. We have got practical experience that Akbar Shah inquired from his, one of his very confidential ministers that “How long a man is sexually inclined?” So the minister replied that “Up to the point of death.” He replied. The Akbar did not believe it. But the minister sometimes took him to a man who was goi..., just going to die, and the minister requested Akbar Shah to get with him his young daughter. So when the Akbar Shah and his daughter was entering, the man on the death bed, he was looking to the young girl, not to the Akbar. So he pointed out, “Just see.” And he was convinced, “Yes.” So the sex life is so strong that you cannot be satisfied. If you re..., remain in material existence, then this

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sex desire will never be satisfied. But it can be satisfied only when you come to Kåñëa consciousness. This Yamunäcärya has said, yad-avadhi mama cetaù kåñëa-padäravindayoù nava-nava-(rasa)-dhämany (udyataà) rantum äsét tad-avadhi bata näri-saìgame smaryamäne bhavati mukha-vikäraù suñöhu niñöhévanaà ca

Çré Yamunäcärya says, «Since I have been engaged in serving the lotus feet of Kåñëa, from that time I do not any more have any desire for sex life. Even if I do remember of sex life, I want to spite on it.» So this is the result. Kåñëa is Madana-Mohana. Madana-Mohana. Madana, Cupid, he agitates everyone for sex life. But if we actually be attached to see the beauty of Kåñëa then we shall never be enamored by the arrows of Cupid. Paraà dåñövä nivartate [Bg. 9.59].

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Chapter 83 A Sparrow's Determination (Bhagavad-gétä 6.24 Purport)

s for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for

her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuòa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viñëu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small 192

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sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuòa was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuòa at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuòa. Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Kåñëa consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.

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Chapter 84 Mor ality means krishna's Satisfaction (Bhagavad-gétä 2.26-27—London, August 29, 1973)

n the beginning of your life, you are immoral. You are disobeying the greatest authority. There is another example, a story, that a gang of thieves, they stolen some property from different houses, then out of the village they are dividing amongst themselves the booties. So one thief is saying, “Please divide it morally so that one may not be cheated.” Now just imagine, the property is stolen. Where is the morality there? But when dividing, they are thinking of morality. The basic principle is immoral. Where you can have morality? Similarly, according to Vedic injunction, éçäväsyam idaà sarvam [Éço mantra 1]. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is His property. So the whole planet is

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God’s property, whole universe is God’s property. But when we are claiming that this is my property, then where is morality? If you claim other’s property as your property, then where is the morality? So in this material world, such kind of morality, honesty, is going on. But our morality is if Kåñëa is satisfied, then it is honesty, morality, everything. There are many examples. Just like Prahläda Mahäräja. Prahläda Mahäräja is standing and his father is being killed by Nåsiàhadeva in his presence. So do you think it is morality that one’s father is being killed in the presence of his son, and the son without protest is seeing, with a garland, that “As soon as my father is killed, I shall offer this garland to Nåsiàhadeva”? Is it morality? From material point of view? We are worshiping... Prahläda Mahäräja has become mahäjana, the greatest authority in devotional service, but if we study his morality that he did not protest the killing of his father, rather he was waiting with a garland, that “As soon as the killing business is finished I’ll reward this.” You see? Where is material morality, there is no morality. The gopés, they were young girls, wife of somebody, sister of somebody, daughter of somebody, but when Kåñëa was playing on His flute at dead of night, they gave up all their engagement and began to run, “Where Kåñëa is present?” So from Vedic standard of view, this is immorality. They 195

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

are going to another young boy and leaving family. Even somebody, some of the gopés, they left their sons also, and went to Kåñëa. From material point of view this is immoral. So you’ll find in such a way that what is from material point of view immoral, it is the most magnificent morality in relationship with Kåñëa. And similarly, from material point of view, what is moral, that is most, I mean to say, abominable from the point of view... Just like Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja. Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja became very moral. Kåñëa advised him, “Just go and tell Droëäcärya that ‘Your son is dead,’ “ although his son was not dead. Because Droëäcärya will not die unless he hears the news of the death of his son. He’ll not die. So he would not believe anyone, but Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja is famous, very moral. So Kåñëa asked him that “You go, otherwise he’ll not believe anyone.” So Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja hesitated, “How can I say lies?” So for this he had to see hell. He became immoral. Man-nimitte kåtaà päpaà puëyäya eva kalpate. So our standard of morality and immorality is to see whether Kåñëa is satisfied. If Kåñëa is satisfied, then it is morality. If Kåñëa is dissatisfied, then it is immoral. And Kåñëa’s representative also. Therefore, it is said yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo yasyäprasädän na gatiù kuto ‘pi **. Our morality is to satisfy Kåñëa or His representative, guru. Yasya prasäda. If he’s satisfied, then it is moral. If he’s 196

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not satisfied, then it is immoral. Na gatiù kuto ‘pi. So this karma-väda, that you act nicely and you’ll get nice result, that is all right, but there may be some mistakes. There are so many instances. One very great charitable king, he was giving in charity so many cows to the brähmaëas. So there was some mistake, and for that purpose, although he was all throughout his whole life he was giving in charity, a little mistake, he became a big lizard in the well. Therefore the conclusion is that this material morality has no value. Spiritual morality. Spiritual morality means to abide by the order of Kåñëa. That is morality. Whatever Kåñëa says, if we accept, saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam.

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Chapter 85 Foodstuff to The Stomach (Bhagavad-gétä 3.16-17 — New York, May 25, 1966)

ust like you supply foodstuff to the stomach. That will be distributed. Suppose I have got very good cake. Now, the fingers holding the cake. Now, if the fingers think, “All right, it is a good cake. Why shall I supply to the stomach? Let us eat it.” Oh, the fingers cannot eat. That is improper. There is a story in Sanskrit, udarendriyäëäm. Udarendriyäëäm. There was a meeting of all the parts of the senses, that, “We are working, and the stomach is sitting idly, and he is simply eating. So let us get into strike. We shall not work.” Just like there is strike system now. Now, all the hands and legs and all parts of the body they, “No, no more we are going to work for the stomach.” Now, what happened? Gradually the hand

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become weak, the fingers become, the eye could not see, the ear... Oh, they thought that “What is happening this? We are becoming weaker, weaker, weaker.” Then they decided, “It was a mistake not to supply foodstuff to the stomach. It was good for us.” Similarly, by establishing a godless civilization we are not happy. We are not happy, just like the same way, not supplying foodstuff to the stomach, we are thinking of becoming happy. No, that cannot be. If the senses of the body, parts of the body want to become happy, then he, the senses and the parts of the body, they have to supply foodstuff to the stomach. Similarly, if you want to be happy in this world, there is no alternative without, I mean to say, performing sacrifices. That is recommended here. Evaà pravartitaà cakram. The circle is... The circle is described in the previous verses, that annäd bhavanti bhütäni [Bg. 3.14].

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Chapter 86 Satisfy krishna to Satisfy Everyone (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.13—Våndävana, October 24, 1972)

nce Duryodhana satisfied Durväsä Muni very nicely, and Durväsä Muni wanted to give him some benediction, “Now you take some benediction, whatever you like.” So Duryodhana was very cunning. His only aim was how to cheat the Päëòavas. So he said, “My dear sir, I shall ask you some day. Not now.” So “All right.” So when the Päëòavas were in the forest and Duryodhana’s plan was how to tease them. So he approached Durväsä Muni, “My dear sir, you wanted to give me some benediction. I have come for it.” “Yes” “Now, you go to the Päëòavas with your all disciples, sixty-thousand disciples, and you go when Draupadé has taken her food.” So Durväsä Muni one day... Because he wanted to give that benediction, he approached

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the Päëòavas in the forest. And it is the duty of the kñatriya to receive the brähmaëas. So they were, they were, they had finished their lunch, and Durväsä Muni came. So how they can deny? They are kñatriyas. “Yes, my lord. You can, you are welcomed. Just take your bath, and we are making arrangement...” What arrangement they will make? In the forest? So they were perplexed. So Kåñëa, kaunteya pratijänéhi na me bhaktaù praëaçyati... [Bg. 9.31]. Kåñëa’s vow is that He will see always His devotees are protected. So when they were perplexed, Kåñëa came. Kåñëa came that “What is the problem?” They explained, “This is the problem.” Then asked Draupadé that “You have already finished...” Because Draupadé had an, a benediction that so long she does not take his (her) lunch, any number of men come, she, she will be able to feed. That was his (her)... But she had finished her lunch. then Kåñëa said, “Just go, find out some foodstuff, any little in the kitchen.” They said, “No, everything is finished. There is no food.” “No, just try to see.” Then, in one pot, they saw a little çäk, a vegetable, was stuck up. So they brought it and Kåñëa took it, immediately. So as soon as Kåñëa took, all the Durväsä Muni and company, they, they felt that their belly is filled up. Tasmin tuñöo jagat tuñöaù. So they were feeling ashamed that “How we shall go? We cannot take any food?” So they fled away from the Ganges. 201

Chapter 87 False Affection (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.8.47—Mäyäpura, October 27, 1974)

here is another story—it may be fact—that a boy was raised by his aunt very liberally. Then, gradually, the boy became, in bad association, a thief. And the aunt was encouraging, “Oh, it is a very good business. You are bringing so many things without any labor.” So... Or out of affection he (she) did not chastise the boy when he was stealing. Then he, at the end, became a murderer. So he committed a murder. Then when he was to be hanged, so the government men inquired, “What is your last wish?” “Now, I want to speak with my aunt through the ear.” Then he was allowed. And the aunt was generally crying that “My nephew is going to be hanged.” She was... So he caught up her ear with the teeth and cut it. So he said, “My dear aunt, if you would have chastised me in the beginning, then today, this position, that you are crying and

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I am going to be hanged, this would not have happened. But you did not do that. Therefore you are uselessly crying now, and this is your punishment: I cut off your ear with the teeth.” A very good instruction. So the so-called sneha, if it is not properly done... Nature’s regulation is so strict that you cannot avoid the consequence. That is not possible. These are practical. I have seen another practical... In front of our residence there was another neighbor. So the old man had his daughter-in-law. So she was beating her one child. So I inquired through my servant, “Why this young woman is beating her child?” Now, then the servant brought me the news that this boy gave paraöä to his elder brother who is suffering from typhoid. The typhoid... In typhoid fever, solid food is forbidden strictly, but the boy did not know. He asked his younger brother that “If you steal one paraöä and if you give me, I am very much hungry.” So he became very sympathetic to his brother, and he gave the paraöä. And the boy was ill; he aggravated the illness. So as soon as the mother heard that he gave a paraöä to him, he (she) began to beat: “Why did you give?” Now, it was charity, it was affection and sympathetic, but the result was beating with shoes. So if we do not know where charity should be given, then, where affection should be there, then we are under the laws of nature; we shall be punished if it is not properly done. There is punishment. 203

Chapter 88 Power of Association (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.15.34—Los Angeles, December 12, 1973)

ormerly there was politics. They were called viñakanyä, “poison girl.” The politicians used to keep. I do not know whether nowadays the politicians keep. But we find from Vedic literature, viña-kanyä. Viñakanyä means a girl, from the childhood, is injected poison, little by little, little, little, little, little. So when she is grown up, she, whole body is poisonous. So the politician used to engage such girl to kill his opponent politician. Very nice, beautiful girl, and (s)he will go, and as soon as the kissing will be there, he will die. Just like poisonous. Yes, it is fact. It is not story. I read in medical journal. There was one... Not medical journal. In logic class. It is called some “Typhoid Mary.” “Typhoid Mary.” A girl whose name was

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Mary, wherever she would go, all the people associating with her will be attacked with typhoid. Then the medical board examined her blood, that she is full of typhoid germs. So therefore wherever she goes, people become infected. These are medical facts. So therefore association is so important. Saìgät saïjäyate kämaù. According to association we infect different qualities. That they do not know. But nature’s law is so particular, as soon as you infect by association a particular type of quality, you have to suffer for that. Therefore Caitanya Mahäprabhu, He was asked by one devotee, gåhastha devotee, householder, “Sir, what is the duty of a gåhastha devotee, Vaiñëava?” Devotee means Vaiñëava. So He immediately informed him, asat-saìgatyäga ei vaiñëava-äcära: [Cc. Madhya 22.87] “A Vaiñëava’s behavior should be that he should give up the company of asat, nondevotee.” That is his first business. He should give up the company of nondevotee. This is first business. Because he will be infected. Therefore we insist our students that “Don’t go out.” Even you are discomfortable, you should tolerate, but you should not go out of the society. Then you will surely fall down, surely fall down. So if there is inconvenience, little... That is advised in Bhagavad-gétä, mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya çétoñëa-sukhaduùkha-däù [Bg. 2.14]. These, just like extreme cold or 205

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

extreme heat, they are troublesome to the body, mäträsparçäù. On account of this material body, we feel extreme cold, extreme heat. But Kåñëa says, “They come and go.” It is not that winter season will remain forever or the summer season also remain. They will come and go. If it is intolerable, please tolerate, please tolerate. Then it will be all right. I have repeatedly said... Narottama däsa Öhäkura, täìdera caraëa-sevi-bhakta-sane väsa. Why we have opened this society? I could have initiated, and let him remain at his home. No. The society required. So by association we become good or bad. If you associate with goodness, then you acquire goodness quality, and if you associate with bad, passionate, ignorant, then you get that quality. So according to that quality...

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Chapter 89 Futile Speculation (Teachings of Lord Kapila the son of Devahuti)

t is impossible for people to understand the great opulence of Çré Kåñëa. Therefore Caitanya Mahäprabhu tells us to abandon speculating about God. There is a story of a frog in a well being approached by a friend who says, “My dear frog, I have just seen a huge body of water.” “What is that water?” the frog asks. “The Atlantic Ocean,” the friend replies. “Oh, the Atlantic Ocean! Is it bigger than this well? Is it four feet? Ten feet?” Our attempt to speculate about God is very much like this. If we want to understand God, we have to try to understand from God Himself. We may have a neighbor 207

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

who is very wealthy, influential, wise, strong and beautiful, and we may speculate about his opulence, but if we make friends with him, we can understand his position by listening to him speak about himself. God cannot be subjected to our imagination. Our imagination is limited, and our senses are imperfect. The process of bhaktimärga is the process of submission. There is no question of subjecting God to our imagination. We simply have to become very humble and submissive and pray to Kåñëa sincerely, “Kåñëa, it is not possible for me to know You. Kindly explain how it is I can know You, and then it will be possible.” This is the way Arjuna approached Kåñëa in the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gétä.

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Chapter 90 The Story of Dhruva (On the Way to Krishna)

n this connection there is a story of a little boy, about five years old, named Dhruva, who belonged to a royal family. In the course of time his father, the king, tired of his mother and deposed her as his queen. He then took another woman as queen, and she became stepmother to the boy. She was very envious of him, and one day, as Dhruva was sitting on the father’s knee, she insulted him. “Oh you cannot sit on the lap of your father,” she said, “because you are not born of me.” She dragged Dhruva from his father’s lap and the boy became very angry. He was the son of a kñatriya, and kñatriyas are notorious for their quick tempers. Dhruva took this to be a great insult, and he went to his mother 209

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who had been deposed. “Dear Mother,” he said, “my stepmother has insulted me by dragging me from my father’s lap.” “Dear son,” the mother replied, “what can I do? I am helpless, and your father no longer cares for me. “Well, how can I take revenge?” the boy asked. “My dear boy, you are helpless. Only if God helps you can you take revenge.” “Oh, where is God?” Dhruva asked enthusiastically. “I understand so many sages go to the jungle and forest to see God,” the mother replied. “They undergo great penances and austerities in order to find God there.” At once Dhruva went to the forest and began asking the tiger and the elephant, “Oh, are you God? Are you God?” In this way he was questioning all the animals. Seeing that Dhruva was very much inquisitive, Çré Kåñëa sent Närada Muni to see about the situation. Närada quickly went to the forest and found Dhruva. “My dear boy,” Närada said, “you belong to the royal family. You cannot suffer all this penance and austerity. Please return to your home. Your mother and father are very much anxious for you.”

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T h e S t o r y o f D h r u va

“Please don’t try to divert me in that way,” the boy said. “If you know something about God, or if you know how I can see God, please tell me. Otherwise go away and don’t disturb me.” When Närada saw that Dhruva was so determined, he initiated him as a disciple and gave him the mantra, oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. Dhruva chanted this mantra and became perfect, and God came before him. “My dear Dhruva, what do you want? You can take from Me whatever you want.” “My dear Lord,” the boy replied, “I was undergoing such severe penances simply for my father’s kingdom and land, but now I have seen You. Even the great sages and saints cannot see You. What is my profit? I left my home to find merely some scraps of glass and rubbish, and instead I have found a very valuable diamond. Now I am satisfied. I have no need to ask anything of You.” Thus even though one may be poverty-stricken or in distress, if he goes to God with the same determination as Dhruva, intent on seeing God and taking His benediction, and if he happens to see God, he will no longer want anything material. He comes to understand the foolishness of material possessions, and he puts the illusion aside for the real thing. When one becomes situated in Kåñëa consciousness, like Dhruva Mahäräja, he becomes fully satisfied and doesn’t want anything. 211

Chapter 91 Live Only For The Benefit Of the Guru (Journey of Self Discovery)

réla Prabhupäda: The practical example is here. These European and American boys are coming from well-to-do families. Why are they serving me? I am Indian, coming from a poor country. I cannot pay them. When I came to the West, I had no money. I brought only forty rupees. That was only an hour’s expenditure in America. So their soul is to carry out my instruction. And therefore they are making progress. Praëipätena paripraçnena—they are asking questions. I am trying to reply to them, and they have all got full faith. They are serving like menial servants. This is the process. If the spiritual master is bona fide and the disciple is very sincere, then the knowledge will be there. This is the

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L i v e O n l y F o r T h e B e n e fi t o f t h e G u r u

secret. Yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau [ÇU 6.23]—Vedic knowledge is revealed unto those who have faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master. Therefore in Vedic society, the students are automatically sent to the gurukula [the place of the spiritual master], regardless of whether one is a king’s son or from some other background. Even Kåñëa had to go to gurukula. There is a story that once Kåñëa went with a classmate to the forest to collect dry wood for His spiritual master. Suddenly there was a heavy rainstorm, and they could not get out of the forest. The whole night they remained in the forest with great difficulty. The next morning, the guru, their teacher, along with other students, came to the forest and found them. So even Kåñëa, whom we accept as the Supreme Lord, had to go to gurukula and serve the spiritual master as a menial servant. So all of the students at the gurukula learn how to be very submissive and how to live only for the benefit of the guru. They are trained from the very beginning to be firstclass submissive students. Then the guru, out of affection and with an open heart, teaches the boys all he knows. There is no question of money. It is all done on the basis of love and education.

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Chapter 92 Self-satisfaction (Bhagavad-gétä 3.17-20 — New York, May 27, 1966)

o a madman and a ätma-rati person, self-satisfied man, outwardly, you will find there is no difference, but inwardly, oh, there is vast difference. There is a story of Jaòa Bharata. Jaòa Bharata, a brähmaëa boy whose name was Jaòa Bharata. He was formerly the emperor of this world. His name was Mahäräja Bharata. And by his name now India is called Bhäratavarña. Formerly this whole planet was named as Bhäratavarña. Before that, this planet was named as Ilävåtavarña, long, long years, millions of years before. But Jaòa Bharata, he also lived ätma-rati, self-satisfied. In the beginning of his spiritual life he left this world, a very young age. When he

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S e l f - s a t isf a c t i o n

was only twenty-four years old he left his wife, children, and kingdom. It is not joke. An emperor with beautiful young wife, small children, and palace—he left everything. There are many instances like that.

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Chapter 93 Conquering Death is the Real Problem

(Bhagavad-gétä 5.14-22 — New York, August 28, 1966)

he whole position is that we want to stop rebirth, rebirth in this material world. Now, there is a story in the Rämäyaëa. In the Rämäyaëa there is a story. When Mahäräja Daçaratha... Daçaratha was the father of Lord Räma. When Räma was a boy, say about ten years, twelve years old, or about fifteen or sixteen years old... He was simply a boy. Now, one sage, his name is... He’s very famous sage. He came to Mahäräja Daçaratha, asking the help of Rämacandra for killing one demon in the forest. Because the sages used to remain in forest, they were... That demon was creating some disturbance, so he approached the king. King is the lord of both the city and the forest. So he prayed that “Please send your son and

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C o n q u e r i n g D e a t h is t h e R e a l P r o b l e m

help me.” Now, at that time this king inquired from that sage, aihisthaà yat taà punar-janma-jayäya.(?) Now, just like in our worldly affairs we, for gentleman’s etiquette we ask, “How are you? How things are going on?” now, here the king was asking the sage, aihisthaà yat taà punarjanma-jayäya: “You are... You have... You have become mendicant. You have become sage just to conquer over death, conquer over death.” Aihisthaà yat taà punarjanma-jayäya.(?) So that is this highest knowledge. Highest knowledge is to conquer over the death. This sort of idea... Of course, now it has become a story, but to conquer over the death, that was the main problem in, at least in the former Vedic civilization days. Everyone, any highest, I mean to say, highly situated person in knowledge, his main business was how to conquer death. Now, at the present moment that question has become subordinate thing only, how to conquer death. “Let death there be. So long death does not come, let me enjoy and have sense gratification.” That has become the standard of civilization at the present moment. But real problem is how to conquer death.

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Chapter 94 Peace Formula (Lecture Excerpt — Boston, May 5, 1969)

ou have to make yourself fully satisfied. Then there will be no more want. You see? Just like there is a story, “Alexander and the Cynic.” Perhaps most of you know. There was a cynic. He was saintly person. He was sitting in a solitary place, almost naked body. Alexander the Great went there and asked him, “If I can do something for you? You are a great man.” He said, “Oh, please don’t obstruct sunshine. Please be aside, That’s all. (laughter) You may do this. Don’t obstruct the sunshine. I am quite pleased. You please set aside.” Because he was fully satisfied, why this Alexander Great will, can do him?

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P e ace For m u l a

yam labdhvä cäparaà läbhaà manyate nädhikaà tataù yasmin sthito guruëäpi duùkhena na vicälyate

[Bg. 6.20-23] In Bhagavad-gétä you will find. If you are situated in that transcendental position, then there is no more demand. And if you are situated in that position, the greatest difficult position, you don’t care for it. Yasmin sthito guruëäpi duùkhena. Guru means heaviest type of difficulty. If you are put in, you don’t care for it. This is life. Any condition, in any position, you are satisfied. You are not disturbed. That is required. That is called peace. That can be achieved by Kåñëa consciousness, not by any other method.

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Chapter 95 Banishing God and canvassing God (Morning Walk — June 19, 1974, Germany)

here is a story that a boy went for examination. So when he came back, his father asked, “My dear boy, how you have written your question paper?” “Yes, very nice.” “How?” “No, those questions which were very difficult, I could not answer. And the easier questions, what is to write? I know everything. (laughter) Easier questions, there is no need of writing. I know everything.” Both ways he has not written anything. So these rascals, both ways they will not follow anything. And still, they will credit... Not only Christians, everywhere these people want to banish God. Simply we are canvassing “God, God, God.” Otherwise nobody cares.

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Chapter 96 Whatever it Takes (Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique — August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm))

rabhupäda: That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s mission, påthivéte äche yata nagarädi gräma sarvatra pracära haibe mora näma

He has to preach in every village and every town on the surface of the globe about this Kåñëa consciousness. So our business is... Just this example I have given, that there is fire. I do not know the language. Still, I have to call and take help. So I am doing like that. There is a story. In Calcutta when the Britishers were establishing themselves, so one clerk was working in the office and some monkey 221

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

came and scattered the office files and everything. So his boss came, he asked him, “What is this, why you?” So he cannot explain, so he began to jump like monkey, that on account of the monkey coming within the room. So when the language is unknown we have to jump and show that the monkey came.

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Chapter 97 God gives facility to everyone (Evening Darçana — August 11, 1976, Tehran)

ithout God’s sanction you cannot do anything, that’s a fact. But what kind of sanction it is, that you have to understand. God is creator, God is giving sanction, everything is God. Otherwise how He is God? But He has to do. There is a story like that, that the thief is praying to God, “My Lord, give me the chance I can make some stealing in that house.” And the householder also praying to God, “My Lord, please save my house, my things may not be stolen.” Now God has to adjust, God has to please the thief and the householder. And both of them are prayers. So God has so intelligence, He can do that. He can give the sanction to the thief and He can give protection to the householder. That is God’s position. Because 223

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

both of them prayers, praying, “Give me the facility.” And éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe ‘rjuna tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]. And He is situated in everyone’s heart and there are so many petitions, and He has to deal with them. That is God. Hare Kåñëa.

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Chapter 98 Futile Endeavor (Morning Walk — August 12, 1976, Tehran)

ava-yauvana: Their reason, they say, is because we have to work so hard all day, then we have to try to forget, watch the television.

Prabhupäda: Why should you work? If you have to forget, why should you take such nonsense things that you have to forget again? Why not chant Hare Kåñëa? Even the child does not forget. He’s chanting. Take such things that you’ll enjoy. The more you do not forget, you more enjoy. Why should you take up something that you have to forget? This is rascal. Nava-yauvana: Karmés cannot understand.

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Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

Prabhupäda: There is a story like this. A man is sitting. His friend came, “Why you are sitting idly?” “What shall I do?” “Work.” “Why shall I work?” “You’ll get money.” “What shall I do with the money?” “Then you’ll be able to sit peacefully and eat.” “I’m doing that. I’m already doing that.” I’m peacefully sitting and eating. Why shall I go and work? If that is the ultimate end, that I shall peacefully sit down and eat, I am doing that. Why shall I go and work?

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Chapter 99 Virtue of Satisfaction (Room Conversation — September 9, 1976, Våndävana)

rabhupäda: It is a question of culture. Culture. She was king’s daughter, royal, and married her with a muni, old, rotten. Older than me. All the skin has become slackened. But still she was serving him just like worshipable lord. The age difference is great-grandfather and great-granddaughter. You’ll find in Bhägavatam. Lord Çiva, he could not construct even a house. He was living underneath a tree. And his wife, Durgä, såñöi-sthiti-pralaya-sädhana-çaktir ekä [Bs. 5.44]. She can create a new world, so powerful, Durgä. She’s living with her husband underneath a tree. Never claims, “My dear husband, if you cannot, I can make one.” There is a story about that. That, “People criticize us. All right, 227

Th e r e i s a s t o r y. . .

let us have some house.” So Lord Çiva, Durgä, both of them capable to do anything. So they constructed a very nice gold house. “Now we shall live.” So there is new house entering ceremony. So one Gargamuni was invited as brähmaëa. Many other brähmaëas. So they began to eat so much... That story I’m now forgetting. Then whatever stock they have finished, when, after eating, when they wanted, “Give us dakñiëä.” Because after eating there is... So Lord Çiva, where shall I get everything? I have finished.” Then they became puzzled what to do. So Lord Çiva said, “All right, you take this house.” Again they became underneath a tree. (laughs) “All right, as dakñiëä you take this house. Don’t bother.” Their house entrance ceremony was there. As a result of that ceremony they became again underneath a tree.

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Chapter 100 More Loss, Little Gain (Letter to: Hamsaduta — London 7 December, 1969)

child sometimes commits mistakes, and the father says “Don’t do like this.’’ So there is no question of being very seriously bereaved. There is a story that one man was very hungry, and he went to an unknown friend and asked him to give him some food. The man supplied him a little foodstuff, but he was not satisfied. His hunger was still there. So he asked the man for more food, and the man said there wasn’t any. Then the hungry man inquired from the other man, “Which caste do you belong to?’’ The other man said, “I am Mohammedan.’’ Then the hungry man said, “Oh, I have lost my caste, and still my belly is not satisfied.’’ The idea is that if we have to accept some service, there must be proper remuneration. Otherwise, our free service is open in the temple. Anyone can come and take advantage.

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Chapter 101 it is two paise worth (Morning Walk — December 9, 1973, Los Angeles)

t is a fact, not story. One man, he went out of his village, and after ten years, he came back, advertised himself that "I have become successful in yoga practice." So naturally villagers surrounded him. "Oh, you have...? What yoga practice you have learned?" "I can walk on the water." "Oh?" Actually, even at the present moment, if somebody comes and says, "I can walk...," many people will come, thousands of men. So when everything, arrangement was that he'll cross the river, walking on the water, one old man came. He said, "Sir, it is very wonderful, but it is two paise worth. Two paise worth." "Why?" "Now, you will walk and go the other side; I'll take a boat, pay him two paise. I'll do the same thing. So what is your credit?"

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