# January 7 ## Spoken on January 7 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1967: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 22.5](spoken/1967/670107cc.ny)** > This is called forgetful. This is called spell of *māyā. Māyā* will dictate, "Oh, you are going to serve Kṛṣṇa? How you'll maintain yourself, you foolish? Don't go there. Don't go to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness Society. It is cheating." No, it is not cheating, it is actual fact. Yes. It is not cheating. But if you want to gratify your senses, oh, there is no scope. Then go to hell. Then go to hell. But if you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, there is every arrangement for you. There is every arrangement for you. If you want to cheat Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will also cheat you. *Dyūtaṁ chalayatām asmi*. > Now that sage, a great sage, he is giving his conclusion that *śrutir mātā pṛṣṭā diśati bhavad-ārādhana-vidhi:* "I have inquired so many Vedic literature. Now I am in conclusion that worshiping the Supreme Lord, that is the injunction of the..., nothing more. Nothing more." The whole idea is... And that is confirmed by *Bhagavad-gītā* also. Kṛṣṇa says—in the Fifteenth Chapter you will find—*vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam*. --- **[1969: Bhajan & Purport to Bhajahū Re Mana](spoken/1969/690107pu.la)** > Therefore Govinda dāsa Ṭhākura, he is addressing his mind. The *yogīs* try to control the mind by different gymnastic process. That is also approved. But it takes a long time, and sometimes there are failure. In most cases they are failures. Even a big *yogī* like Viśvāmitra, he also failed, what to speak of these teeny and nonsensical *yogīs*. > "Oh, I have got to enjoy so many things. How can I fix up my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa?'' Then Govinda dāsa advises, "No, no.'' *Durlabha mānava-janma:* "You don't waste your life in that way. This human form of life is very rare. Out of many, many thousands and millions of birth, you have got this opportunity.'' *Durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge.* "Therefore don't go anywhere. You just associate with pure devotees.'' *Taraha ei bhava-sindhu re:* ''Then you shall be able to cross over the ocean of nescience.'' --- **[1973: The Nectar of Devotion](spoken/1973/730107nd.bom)** > So in this way, we are being misled. Take it, Kṛṣṇa, as He is. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Accept it, Supreme. Actually He's supreme. Who can be bet..., more supreme than Kṛṣṇa? Prove it by *śāstra,* by history, by incidences, by action—everything. By votes also. If there are so many rascal Gods, but if you take vote, still in this age, the votes for Kṛṣṇa will be greater. Still. Although we are so fallen. So how we can escape Kṛṣṇa? And *śāstra* says, confirm, *kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayamSB *1.3.28]. > Na māṁ prapadyante.* As soon as we see a person who is not a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, or God, then what he is? He is *duṣkṛtinaḥ,* full of sinful activities. Anyone who does not surrender to God, or Kṛṣṇa, he is... What he is? He must be either of these groups: *duṣkṛtinaḥ,* always sinful; *mūḍha,* rascal, asses; *na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ narādhamāḥ*, lowest of the mankind; and *māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.* If you say, "There are so many educated person. They're not surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, or God. They're godless. So they have no value?" No, no value, actually, because their actual knowledge has been taken away. *Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.* Why? *Āsurī-bhāvam āśritāḥ.* Because they're following the philosophy of atheism. That's all. This is the root cause. --- **[1974: Morning Walk [Partially Recorded](spoken/1974/740107mw.la)** > Yes, what is the difference that you say the animals...? How do you say? What is the symptoms of possessing soul? The symptoms of possessing soul is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā: yena sarvam idaṁ tatam* [[bg/2/17|[Bg. 2.17] ]]. The consciousness. The animals have no consciousness? How foolish they are. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.10](spoken/1974/740107sb.la)** > The rascals, they do not know that his personal interest is Kṛṣṇa. That he does not know. Therefore he is rascal. And Kṛṣṇa says. It is not that we have manufactured this word. Kṛṣṇa says, *na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ*. Kṛṣṇa is asking everyone, "Please surrender unto Me. Give up all this nonsense engagement." That is his interest, the living entity's interest. You surrender or not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa gains or loses? He has got many servants. He can create His servants. He doesn't require your service. But if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and render service unto Him, that is your interest. That is your interest. They do not know this. > So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was not that kind of government. It is the duty of the government or the king to see that the citizens are properly raised to the spiritual platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the duty of the government. Therefore the social division is *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.30](spoken/1975/750107sb.bom)** > This is beginning of successful life. *Ādau śraddhā,* this *śraddhā,* or this *niścayātmikā buddhi,* or *vyavasāyātmikā buddhi,* is the beginning of spiritual life. If one has no faith in the words of the authorities, then he has no hope. *Saṁśayātmā vinaśyati. Vinaśyati* means he does not get any chance to enter into spiritual life. We are in the material world. We are... *Vinaśyatsu.* We are in an atmosphere of being finished. That everyone, we know. This body... I am concerned with this body, and the body is to be finished. But the soul is not finished. Therefore our *bhakti-mārga...* How one can make progress in *bhakti-mārga*? If we have got faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*, if we apply our intelligence, *niścayātmikā,* then our spiritual life begins. *Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ*. These are the different methods to make advance in spiritual life, especially in *bhakti-yoga,* devotional life. > There is spiritual world. Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that *paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ* : "There is another *bhāva,* nature." What is the nature? *Sarveṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati:* "When the material world, this cosmic manifestation, the phenomenal world, will be finished, that will stay. That will not be finished." There are many example. Just like mirage in the desert: sometimes you see there is vast mass of water in the desert. The animal runs after the water, being thirsty, but there is no water. Therefore the animal dies. But human being should not be like the animal. They should raise their standard. They have got special consciousness. They can raise their standard of understanding by these literatures, Vedic literatures given by God. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, so he has given us the Vedic literature. Therefore his name is Vedavyāsa, incarnation of God, Vedavyāsa. *Mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā paraiḥ *. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760107r1.nel)** > Otherwise it is not possible to give up. *Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate*. I am eating something not very superior, but if I get the chance of eating something superior, then I give up this inferior. So there is no question of making it vacant or void. To fill up the place with better things. So when you think of Kṛṣṇa, then you forget *māyā.* Otherwise you are entrapped with *māyā.* Why Kṛṣṇa says, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto*? Mām eva ye prapadyante*. This is wanted. As soon as you become *anyābhilāṣī,* then it becomes difficult. Where is that knife? Give me one *āmrud* [guava]. Cut into pieces and get... --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.9](spoken/1976/760107sb.nel)** > After the resultant action of pious activity is finished, you are again dragged within this lower planetary system. Therefore, unless you take to the devotional path, *bhakti,* because Kṛṣṇa says, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ*, if you want to understand God, Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the only path, *bhaktyā, bhakti,* or devotional service. > In every religious system there is a process of atonement. In Christian religion there is a process of atonement called confession. The Parīkṣit Mahārāja is practical politician. He said that... He had also experience that a criminal is punished and again he commits the criminal act. Nowadays we practically see also that government has enacted so many laws against criminality, but criminality is going on without any stoppage. We have got practical experience, as we have explained last night, that in the airport the security checking is going on for everyone, which means that after so much education, every one of us, we are dishonest. This answer is there in the *śāstra: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ* This means that if one is turned to be a pure devotee, then all the good qualities automatically become manifest in him. *Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ*. Whereas a nondevotee, he has no good qualification because he is acting on the mental platform, as such he will be always attracted by material things. --- **[1977: Evening Darśana](spoken/1977/770107ed.bom)** > So the idea is that after losing our own culture, we have become set of fools. This is the real conclusion. *Mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ*. We have become so lowest of mankind and *mūḍha* and full of sinful activities that we cannot understand what Kṛṣṇa says. This is real position. > Then his knowledge will be perfect. Just like a small child, he is defective, but he receives the knowledge from the father: "This is called pencil." A child does not know what it is, but the father says, "My dear child, it is pencil." And if he says, "It is pencil," then it is correct, although he's a child, because he has received the knowledge from the person who knows it. Similarly, our principle is—that is Vedic principle—*evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ*. The knowledge has to be taken from the superior, liberated person. Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad-gītā* that --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/770107r1.bom)** > If by serving humanity you cannot raise him to the standard of understanding he's part and parcel of God, and his main business is to serve Kṛṣṇa, then it is useless. *Śrama eva hi kevalam*. So our service to the humanity should be... He is in forgetfulness. He does not know what is his position. If you can raise him to the position that he is part and parcel of God... Unless he comes to the position of serving God, his material condition will continue. *Mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani*. So, *dharmasyāsya janma, paran-tapa. Aśraddadhānāḥ*... Like that. Then that service is useless. If he continues, *punar api janma, punar,* then his service to the humanity useless. Therefore our service to the humanity should be aimed how to awaken his original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real service. > If one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he doesn't require husband. He does not require. He... She knows that "Kṛṣṇa is my protector. Why shall I artificially seek after father or...?" And what protection, for a few days, either the father or the son or the husband may give? Real protection is Kṛṣṇa. This is temporary. But because we have got this material body we require some. In this way... And this kind of hypocrisy—they have taken *sannyāsa* and mixing with woman—this is not to be allowed. If you want woman, you get yourself married, live respectfully. We have no objection. But this hypocrisy should be stopped. There have been so many fallen down. First of all there will be no *sannyāsī* anymore. I have got very bad experience. And at least we are not going to create new *sannyāsīs.* And those who have fallen down, let them marry, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. --- ## Letters on January 7 *Letters from this day: 10* --- **[1974: Letter to Dayananda](letters/1974/740107_dayananda)** > On your recommendation, I am glad to accept the following devotees as my disciples, and their spiritual names are as follows: --- **[1974: Letter to Kirtananandaa](letters/1974/740107_kirtananandaa)** > Upon your recommendation I am glad to accept the disciples for first initiation, and their spiritual names are as follows: You may chant on their beads and instruct them seriously to always chant at least 16 rounds daily and obey the regulative principles. --- **[1974: Letter to Kirtananandab](letters/1974/740107_kirtananandab)** > I was very pleased to hear your report of our cow protection program, and I had part of your letter read aloud to a group of devotees how you have one cow who will be giving 70-80 pounds a day. The cow is so wonderful and valuable in society. But you should also use the bulls by engaging them in tilling the ground. --- **[1974: Letter to Malati](letters/1974/740107_malati)** > You write that things are in a crises in England, with oil shortage and IRA bombing. Therefore, we have to take shelter of Krsna. If Krsna wants to kill us that is not wrong, if it is His desire. --- **[1975: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1975/750107_brahmananda)** > Enclosed is one letter from Ajita das who is the Stockholm temple president. He is expressing the typical type of anxiety and confusion which arises from this record selling business. --- **[1976: Letter to Bhakta Ralph](letters/1976/760107_bhakta_ralph)** > There is no reason why you cannot associate with any of my disciples, providing that they adhere to our principles. --- **[1976: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1976/760107_brahmananda)** > As you report that things have deteriorated in Africa, you can stay there if necessary. Your decision to send Dinanatha to join Tamala is a good idea. Tamala is here now. --- **[1976: Letter to Brisakapi](letters/1976/760107_brisakapi)** > I am very pleased that we have now got such a wonderful property in the nation's capitol, Washington, D. --- **[1976: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1976/760107_madhudvisa)** > If any of the trustees are to be dropped, this has to be discussed between the trustees themselves. These are all important men and we should be careful lest they become offended. --- **[1976: Letter to Upendra](letters/1976/760107_upendra)** > Sri Deoji Punja came to see me in Bombay and he explained the whole situation, of how you missed him. Now you may write him and he has promised me that he will do the needful. Be determined and Krishna will surely help. ---