# Lecture at Town Hall — May 7, 1971, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia <audio controls preload="metadata" src="https://media.prabhupada.io/audio/1971/710507LE-KUALA LUMPUR.mp3"></audio> **Prabhupāda:** [break] Minister Tun, **Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to thank you very much for your taking part in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is going on progressively all over the world. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was practically started millions of years ago, and Kṛṣṇa says in the Fourth Chapter of the *Bhagavad-gītā,* > imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ > proktavān aham avyayam > [[bg/4/1|[Bg. 4.1] ]] So this *bhakti-yoga* system as it is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā* it was spoken first to the sun-god millions of years ago. > vivasvān manave prāha > manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt > [[bg/4/1|[Bg. 4.1] ]] > evaṁ paramparā-prāptam > imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ > [[bg/4/2|[Bg. 4.2] ]] So it is coming down from sun-god to his son Manu, then Manu to Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the first king in the dynasty wherein Lord Rāmacandra appeared. It is very old movement but the *paramparā* system, disciplic succession, was broken. That is stated by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself: > sa kāleneha [mahatā] > yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa > [[bg/4/2|[Bg. 4.2] ]] Therefore the *Bhagavad-gītā* *yoga* or *bhakti-yoga* was originally spoken to Arjuna. So at least from the historical point of view this movement is not less than five thousand years old. So not that we have concocted a religious process and distributing it. No. We cannot manufacture religion. That is not possible, because *dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam.* [[sb/6/3/19|[SB. 6.3.19] ]] *Dharma* means the codes given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like law means the codes given by the government. You cannot manufacture laws in your home. That is not acceptable. Similarly this *dharma,* or *bhāgavata-dharma..*. *Dharma* means *bhāgavata-dharma*, because the rules and regulations given by Lord Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is *dharma*. It is clearly stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, *sarva-dharmān parityajya* [[bg/18/66|[Bg. 18.66] ]]. First of all Kṛṣṇa said, > dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya > sambhavāmi yuge yuge > [[bg/4/8|[Bg. 4.8] ]] He came to re-establish the principles of religion. Then at the last moment He said, > sarva-dharmān parityajya > mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja > [[bg/18/66|[Bg. 18.66] ]] This means the concocted religion made by man, man-made religion, is not religion. Kṛṣṇa has distinctly forbidden: don't accept such religion, *sarva-dharmān parityajya,* because they are all concocted. Real religion is *mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. This is real religion. In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* also this statement of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is confirmed: *dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra* [[sb/1/1/2|[SB. 1.1.2] ]]. In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, *kaitavaḥ* means cheating. Religious principles which are cheating public, that is completely eradicated. *Dharmaḥ projjhita*. *Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavam vedyaṁ atra* [[sb/1/1/2|[SB. 1.1.2] ]]: it is to be understood by the *paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ*. *Nirmatsarāṇāṁ parotkarṣāsahanaṁ matsaraḥ.* This is the comment by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Śrīdhara Svāmī comments on this point that *mokṣābhisandhir api nirastaḥ.* People are after religion—*dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa*. Generally people go to the churches, to the temple, for religious principles, but actually it is meant for solving economic problems. Just like the Christians, they pray, "O God, give us our daily bread." Similarly, you also go to the temple, you also worship many, many demigods also, go to the temple of Goddess Kālī or Durgā or Lord Śiva: *dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpavatī-bhāryāṁ dehi, dehi dehi,* to ask from them. Therefore the modern politicians, they have become very much disgusted with this kind of *dharma*. They say that if you want *dhanam,* *dhanam dehi*, that's all right. Why don't you produce *dhanam* as others are producing it, by economic development? Why waste your time at the temple? Of course, those who go to temple, they are recognized, even if they are asking something, because they have approached God. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is stated, *catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janaḥ sukṛtino* [[bg/7/16|[Bg. 7.16] ]]. They are *su-kṛtinaḥ*. Anyone who goes to the temple or church for asking God for economic solution, bread, bread solution, they are better than the atheist class, because they are at least going to God. The atheist class of men, they are described in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, *duṣkṛtinaḥ*. *Duṣkṛtinaḥ* means miscreants, sinful. *Kṛti* means meritorious, but their merit is being misused in wasting time of the very valuable human life. > na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ > prapadyante narādhamāḥ > [[bg/7/15|[Bg. 7.15] ]] And they have been described as *mūḍha. Mūḍha* means the ass. The ass works very hard day and night, but it has no means for [indistinct]. So this human life is meant for getting release from the cycle of birth and death and enquiring about Brahman. That is the instruction we get from *Vedānta* philosophy: *athāto brahma-jijñāsā*. This is the actual inclination of human life. *Atha,* now you have come through evolutionary process, through various types of species of life. *Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati* [*Padma Purāṇa*], like that. Now this is the point, human form of life: when we can completely get release from the repetition of birth and death. That is real problem. Not that economic problem. Economic problem is already settled up. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, > sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā > deha-yogena dehinām > [[sb/7/6/3|[SB. 7.6.3] ]] He addressed his demonic friends that "My dear friends, this sense gratification program is already settled up by the type of body you have got." *Deha-yogena dehinām*. Everyone is getting a certain type of body according to his *karma.* As it is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that you carry a certain type of body with you at the time of your death. If you..., just like this air carries the flavor of rose flower or a filthy place, similarly, in our present life if we make our life like a rose flower, then I carry the flavor of the rose by my subtle body—mind, intelligence and ego—to form another body. *Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deho* [[sb/3/31/1|[SB. 3.31.1] ]]. So that facility is given to us by the Supreme, *daiva-netreṇa*, by the superior manager. Just like a clerk working in a office, there is a record, service record, and according to the service record he is given promotion or degradation as the authorities like. Similarly, there is a big service record in the superior hand, or in the superior government, and that is counted, and according to our *karma* we get a type of body next life. This is going on. This is a fact. So this life, this human form of life, is to get out of this *karma-bandhanaḥ*. As it is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, *yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra, karma-bandhanaḥ* [[bg/3/9|[Bg. 3.9] ]]. *Yajña* means Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, or Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have to work only for satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is stated in the *Viṣṇu Purāṇa*, that *varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, ārādhyate viṣṇuḥ,* *nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam* [*Viṣṇu Purāṇa* 3.8.9, quoted *Cc.* *Madhya* 8.58]. By acting according to the *varṇāśrama* system, Vedic system... That system is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa says, > cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ > guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ > [[bg/4/13|[Bg. 4.13] ]] So according to *varṇāśrama-dharma* everyone has got a particular type of duty. But that duty is made in order to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not to satisfy your senses. The *Bhāgavata* also confirms the same way: > ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā > varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ > svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya > saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam > [[sb/1/2/13|[SB. 1.2.13] ]] You can act according to your position. It doesn't matter, either you are a *brāhmaṇa* or a *kṣatriya,* a *vaiśya, śūdra,* a *sannyāsī,* a *brahmacarya, vānaprastha* or *gṛhastha*. These are eight different orders of social system according to *daivika*. So everyone has got a particular type of duty. Now by discharging that duty we have to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like in a factory there are many departmental work, and everyone is working, but the real purpose is to satisfy the proprietor of the factory, because the supreme enjoyer, or beneficiary, is the proprietor. Similarly, whatever we do, it is meant for satisfying the supreme proprietor. And who is the supreme proprietor? Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad-gītā,* > bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ > sarva-loka-maheśvaram > suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ > jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati > [[bg/5/29|[Bg. 5.29] ]] If anyone wants peace and prosperity, then he should know these three things: that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer, beneficiary, of everything. *Yajña*-*tapasā.* Whatever *yajña* or *tapasya* you are discharging, the result should go for enjoyment of Kṛṣṇa. *Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka*. And He is the proprietor, *sarva-loka*. Not only on this *loka,* this planet, but there are innumerable planets all over the universe, and there are innumerable universes also. The supreme proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. *Sarva-loka-maheśvaram.* And *suhṛdaṁsarva-bhūtānām:* and He is actually the well-thinking friend of everyone. Kṛṣṇa is so nice friend that, as it is stated in the *Upaniṣad,* that He is sitting with the *jivātmā* as a friend. Two birds are sitting as friends in one tree. One is *jivātmā,* who is enjoying the fruit of the tree, and the other is simply watching, witness, *anumantā upadraṣṭā*. That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. So Kṛṣṇa is always trying to give you good advice, *suhṛt*, so that you may come again back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's wish. So Kṛṣṇa came, *dharma*-*saṁsthāpanārthāya,* as you all know. But what is that *dharma*? That *dharma* is surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa. *Sarva-dharmān parityajya*. Clearly you haven't got to discharge any other kind of *dharma.* If you are actually interested in becoming dharmic, then this is the process: surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many millions of years, and I was wandering in different species of life. Now I've come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; I'm just surrendering unto You." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are teaching this simple truth. There is no complication. But this surrendering method is very difficult also. Difficult for whom? Those who are against Kṛṣṇa. For them, it is very difficult. > na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ > prapadyante narādhamāḥ > [[bg/7/15|[Bg. 7.15] ]] That is also stated. *Na māṁ prapadyante*. Those who are miscreants, those who are sinful, those who are rascals... These language are used by Kṛṣṇa; not that I am interpreting. *Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍhāḥ* means rascal, and *duṣkṛtinaḥ* means always sinful. *Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ*. *Narādhamāḥ*. *Narādhamāḥ* means lowest of the mankind. Because this life is meant for sacrificing to Kṛṣṇa, or God, and we are misusing. Therefore *narādhamāḥ*. A*dhamāḥ* means lowest. "Oh, but there are many educated persons in that group who are not surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa." *Māyayāpahṛta jñānā:* their intelligence has no value. No value. The essence of knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy of God. Because the real essence of knowledge is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. That is stated also by Kṛṣṇa, *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante.* > bahūnāṁ janmanām ante > jñānavān māṁ prapadyate > [[bg/7/19|[Bg. 7.19] ]] Actually those who are searching after the Absolute Truth, *athāto brahma-jijñāsā,* by such speculative process, after many, many, births they have to come to this point of surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. Because that is the ultimate goal. So those who are taking to the process other than which is recommended by Kṛṣṇa, they will have to undergo many, many births to come to this conclusion, > vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti > sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ > [[bg/7/19|[Bg. 7.19] ]] He has to come to this conclusion. But such kind of *mahātmā*, great soul, is very rare. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very difficult also. But it is easy also. The most sublime and very easy. Simultaneous. Most sublime because many, many philosophers, theologists, they come to the conclusion of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa for many, many births. Therefore it is very sublime. But at the same time, because it is natural... Kṛṣṇa and we are related very intimately as part and parcel. Just like my finger is a part and parcel of my body, so there cannot be any separation. If I have got this body, then I have got this finger, I have got this nail, I have got this hair. They are all my part and parcel of the body. Similarly, either the demigods or the great sages or the greatest in the human society, anyone, they are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. But how it is separated? It is separated when we, part and parcel, does not give service to Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is meant for giving service. I want finger to stand like this, immediately it stands. But when it cannot, it means it is in diseased condition. This finger, if just on my command cannot stand up, that means there is some pain and there is some disease. So because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, any one of us who is not giving service to Kṛṣṇa, he is in diseased condition. That is called illusion, *māyā*. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving relief to the diseased condition living entity, those who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Diseased condition means one who has suffering from many, many years in diseased condition, one forgets what is the healthy condition. But we should know this is the criterion to understand whether I am *mukta* or *baddha,* whether I am liberated or conditioned. Liberated means to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, and conditioned means otherwise. That is also confirmed in the *Srīmad-Bhāgavatam*, > mukti hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ > svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ > [[sb/2/10/6|[SB. 2.10.6] ]] *Mukti* means when one gives up his situation otherwise, and becomes situated in his own position, constitutional position. That is *mukti*. *Mukti* does not mean something very wonderful. Simply this position, as Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja,* if you do it immediately. You can get yourself free within a second, provided you agree. But the difficulty is you do not agree. That is the disease; that is *māyā*. But if we agree, immediately liberation, *svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ.* *Svarūpa,* my *svarūpa*, my real constitutional position, is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa and abide by His order. That is my position. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was thinking independently. When he was talking with Kṛṣṇa as friend, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, there is no necessity of my fighting, because I have to kill my brother, my grandfather and so on, so on. It is better not to fight," so he was thinking in his own way. That is the disease. And therefore Kṛṣṇa taught him the *Bhagavad-gītā*, the science of *bhakti-yoga*, and he enquired from Arjuna, "Now what you have decided? Are you going to fight or not to fight?" He said, *kariṣye vacanaṁ tava,* "Yes." *Naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā* [[bg/18/73|[Bg. 18.73] ]]: "Now I am in my real position. I have got my memory back, and I shall act according to You." And he fought. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that we have to give up our own concocted ways of salvation or *mukti* or so many things, or becoming prosperous, happy. At least we have to simply abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa as a human being, then that is right, because that is my constitutional position. So this position is attained after many, many births, who are actually wise. > bahūnāṁ janmanām ante > jñānavān māṁ prapadyate > vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti > [[bg/7/19|[Bg. 7.19] ]] How one surrenders? Because he understands by scrutinizingly studying all the *Vedas* that Kṛṣṇa... *Vedas* means..., knowledge means... [break] [end] Significant events during visits to Australia and New ZealandVB25 Significant events during visits to Australia and New Zealand Compiled by His Grace Kūrma Dāsa 1971 9 May 1971 First arrived in Australia. Sydney temple at Oxford St, Paddington. 10 May 1971 Installed Deities of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha. Initiated first Australian disciples. 12 May 1971 Completed preface to unabridged Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Spoke at Sydney Grammar School and Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross. 1972 31 March 1972 Arrived Sydney. Temple at Hereford St, Glebe. 3 April 1972 Addressed students at Sydney University. 4 April 1972 Interviewed on ATN 7 Today Show. Spoke on ATN 7 Bob Rogers Show. 5 April 1972 First arrived in Melbourne. Temple at Burnett St, St. Kilda. 6 April 1972 Installed Deities of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Initiated first Melbourne disciples. Awarded sannyāsa to Hanuman Goswami. Addressed monks at Tarrawarra Abbey, Cistercian Monastery in Yarra Glen. Spoke with the Abbot, Dom Kevin O'Farrell. 7 April 1972 Spoke to capacity crowd at Melbourne Town Hall. 8 April 1972 Returned to Sydney. 9 April 1972 Initiated disciples in back garden of Glebe temple. 14 April 1972 First arrived in New Zealand. Auckland temple at Landscape road, Mt. Eden. Spoke at Auckland Town Hall. 15 April 1972 Spoke at Gandhi Hall. 16 April 1972 Lectured at Barry Lett Art Gallery. 17 April 1972 Addressed students at University of Auckland. 18 April 1972 Installed Deities of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Śrī Rādhā Giridhārī. Initiated first New Zealand disciples. 1973 8 Feb 1973 Arrived Melbourne. Spoke at the Hare Kṛṣṇa Shop in Little Lonsdale St. 9 Feb 1973 Gave evening lecture at Palais Theatre, St. Kilda. 10 Feb 1973 Installed Deities of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Śrī Rādhā Vallabha. Initiated disciples. 12 Feb 1973 Arrived Sydney. 15 Feb 1973 Appearance Day of Lord Nityānanda. Installed Deities of Śrī Śrī Gaura Nitai. 16 Feb 1973 Spoke at Paddington Town Hall. 17 Feb 1973 Spoke at Sydney Town Hall. 18 Feb 1973 Initiation ceremony in back garden of Glebe Temple. 19 Feb 1973 Arrived Auckland. Temple at Gribblehirst Rd, Mt. Albert. 23 Feb 1973 Spoke at Auckland's Intercontinental Hotel. 1974 25 June 1974 Arrived Melbourne. 27 June 1974 Lectured at Melbourne Town Hall. 28 June 1974 Addressed monks, trainee priests and Yarra Theological Union Students at St. Paschal's Franciscan Seminary, Box Hill. Spoke with the Reverend Gordon Powell, head of Scots' Church in Melbourne, and the Right Reverend J.A. Kelly, Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Church in Melbourne. 29 June 1974 Presided over Melbourne's third annual Ratha-yātrā festival. 30 June 1974 Initiated disciples. Spoke at Ormond Hall, Prahran. 1 July 1974 Addressed rowdy students at Melbourne's La Trobe University. 2 July 1974 Spoke with officers-in-charge from the Dairy Research Laboratories at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). 1975 6 May 1975 First arrived in Perth, Western Australia. Stayed in house at City Beach. 14 May 1975 Spoke with Justin Murphy, Scientific Services Officer from CSIRO. 16 May 1975 Spoke with doctors and staff members from the Western Australian Alcohol and Drug Authority. 17 May 1975 Arrived Melbourne. Temple at Danks St, Albert Park. 18 May 1975 Inaugurated ISKCON's Australian headquarters. Installed Deities of Śrī Śrī Gaura Nitai. 19 May 1975 Spoke with Father Frank Wallace, Acting Provincial of the Australian Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). 20 May 1975 Initiated disciples. Spoke with Professor Don Ferrel from La Trobe University's Department of Modern Indian History. 21 May 1975 Spoke with Mr. Moore, director of research of the Department of Social Welfare. 22 May 1975 Spoke with Raymond Lopez, prominent Melbourne criminal barrister and Wally Strauss, solicitor. 1976 19 April 1976 Arrived Melbourne. 20 April 1976 Spoke with interviewers Mike Barron and Carol Jarvis from Melbourne TV networks. 23 April 1976 Initiated disciples. Spoke with Brian Dixon, State Minister for Sport and Recreation. 24 April 1976 Spoke with Professor Ian Watson from Department of Philosophy at La Trobe University. 25 April 1976 Met with Australian devotees for the last time. 26 April 1976 Arrived Auckland, New Zealand. 27 April 1976 Initiated disciples. 28 April 1976 Installed Deities of Śrī Śrī Gaura Nitai, Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā. 1977 1 May 1977 Approved of name "New Govardhana" for Australia's first Kṛṣṇa conscious farming community.