# February 12 ## Spoken on February 12 *Lectures from this day: 15 recordings* --- **[1969: Bhagavad-gītā 5.26–29](spoken/1969/690212bg.la)** > So by force you cannot control the senses. That is not... This is... There are many instances. Even great *yogīs,* they have failed. This is artificial way of controlling the senses. The real sense control is that you purify your sense in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real sense control. *Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate*. Hṛṣīka* means senses and *hṛṣīkeśa* means Kṛṣṇa. When you apply your senses for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, then it is called *bhakti.* And when your senses are engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa it cannot be engaged otherwise. Otherwise the sense will be engaged in the sense objects. > Therefore in *Bhagavad-gītā* you will find, *paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ*. One who is learned, he does not see the small body or big body. He sees the particle of soul, spirit soul; therefore *sama-darśinaḥ.* He knows that the small particle of spirit is there in the ant and in the elephant. Therefore he sees the elephant and the ant on the same level, on spiritual vision, not on this external vision. This is called self-realization. --- **[1969: Radio Interview](spoken/1969/690212iv.la)** > Our process is... Just like Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, we chant it in melodious song. So mind is attracted, and we try to hear the sound. That means my mind and my ear is compact in that thought. Therefore it is practical meditation. > And if you sometimes attend our class, you can see practically how the boys and girls, they become ecstatic and chant and dance. So after chanting and dancing for a few minutes, say, fifteen to twenty minutes, then we speak something from *Bhagavad-gītā* and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* about theology and philosophy, ethics, morality. Then again we chant and pray to God and then close our class. --- **[1971: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.149–50](spoken/1971/710212cc.gor)** > One has to hear. Therefore *śravaṇa* and *kīrtana,* hearing and chanting, is very important. *Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ,* especially hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa. *Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet*.* Simply by discussing and hearing and reciting *Bhagavad-gītā* purely, not by interpreting wrongly... As it is. As Kṛṣṇa says, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām*, you have to accept that. You cannot change that. You cannot say, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa; it is the Kṛṣṇa's self and this and that." > It is not that Kṛṣṇa accepts a material body. No. Kṛṣṇa has no such distinction, material [indistinct]. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam* : "Because I present Myself, descend Myself as a human being, the *mūḍhas,* or the rascals, they think of Me or deride at Me." --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.18–19 at Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana](spoken/1971/710212sb.gor)** > So *rakṣanti bhakti, tad-bhaktimataḥ parebhyo mattaś ca*. Now, Yamarāja says *mattaś ca.* Not only from the enemies, but *mattaḥ,* means "my men," the Yamadūtas. Because they were surprised. The Yamadūtas were surprised: "How is that? Some four-handed, very good looking persons came and checked our duty." So therefore Yamarāja said that "The devotees are protected from the Yamadūtas, by the men of Yamarāja." *Mattaś ca, martyān atha sarvataś ca.* Therefore a devotee has nothing to fear. He is protected from the attack of enemies, from the attack of Yamadūtas. How is that? There are many hundreds and thousands of instances—Prahlāda Mahārāja, Haridāsa Ṭhākura... > Then he says... Then who knows the secret of religion? He describes: *svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ*. Just like there are entrusted bodies in every department, in every state, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has got also several very faithful or confidential, confidential authorities who can speak about religion. Therefore *paramparā* system is so necessary, disciplic succession. Kṛṣṇa has got direct confidential servants. They know what is religion. Therefore it is said, *mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ*. --- **[1972: Room Conversation with C. Rajagopalachari [Rajaji](spoken/1972/720212r1.mad)** > Rajaji:...if you prematurely take *sannyāsa.* Therefore try and compromise the principles of *sannyāsa*, that is to say of renunciation, with worldly action, and, I mean, performance of duty, by performing the duties without caring for the results. That is the renunciation He has preached, I have understood. > Rajaji: True. Still, I am not presumptuous enough to comment on one who has actually taken up the work. That is the difference between thinking and doing. Thinking is easy. Doing requires inspiration, and you have taken it up. --- **[1973: Arrival Talk](spoken/1973/730212ar.syd)** > So all the Vaiṣṇavas here, it is not that "Here is an American Vaiṣṇava, here is an African Vaiṣṇava, an Indian Vaiṣṇava." Vaiṣṇava is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is transcendental. Although he may be appearing in different dress, but he is servant of Kṛṣṇa. This visionshould be enlightened. Then he will remain fixed up in devotional service, and certainly he shall remain successful of life in this very life. That should be our aim, that in this very life we shall make our devotional service so perfect, and we shall try to know Kṛṣṇa as far as possible, so that Kṛṣṇa says, > The same example I have given several times, that the post office gives you a letterbox in front of your house. But that little box is not a letter..., an ordinary box; it is post office. It is post office actually. If you imitate a box like that, and if you put your letter, that will not go. But in that authorized box if you put your letters, it will go any part of the world. So that box, do not consider that it is ordinary box. It is the whole post office, whole postal department. But for your convenience the postal department has come before you like a small box. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 4.4](spoken/1974/740212bg.vrn)** > These things are there. So here Arjuna says, *aparaṁ bhavato janma*. Arjuna is taking the part of a foolish man, like us; he is..., as if he does not know Kṛṣṇa. He knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly, and Kṛṣṇa also knows him, because Kṛṣṇa has already said, *bhakto 'si me*. So if Arjuna is *bhakta* and Kṛṣṇa is accepting him as "My dear devotee, My friend," so it is not that Arjuna does not know, but because as Kṛṣṇa has said, that "This philosophy I spoke to the sun-god," foolish persons like me will not believe. These are all stated. Kṛṣṇa says, *avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā*, because we are all *mūḍhās*. So it is our business to neglect Kṛṣṇa. So in order to clarify the position of Kṛṣṇa, the talk between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa means to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. One inquiry by Arjuna, and the answer by Kṛṣṇa makes the whole thing clear, to understand the position of Kṛṣṇa, so that we may be out of this ignorance that Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person, or ordinary human being. In this way, > It is not possible to proceed according to the ways of sacrifices, *yajña*, or mental speculations, *yogic siddhis*. Nobody can perform perfectly. And even one performs perfectly, that is not ways to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti*. That is the only way; there is no other way. They say there are many ways, and any way you accept that will lead you to Absolute Truth. But that is not a fact. To understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept the absolute path. That is *bhakti-yoga*. And Kṛṣṇa says, --- **[1974: Lecture [Partially Recorded](spoken/1974/740212le.vrn)** > It is not possible to proceed according to the ways of sacrifices—*yajña—*or mental speculation or yogic *siddhis*. Nobody can perform perfectly. And even one performs very perfectly, that is not the way to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti*. > Kṛṣṇa also asked Arjuna to surrender fully, so he has already surrendered. When Arjuna saw that there were so many perplexities, and this cannot be solved except by Kṛṣṇa, so he surrendered: *śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam*. So in this way if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa through His representative... Representative means one who says exactly what Kṛṣṇa says; he does not change anything. Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*, and His representative says that "You give up everything and surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." The same thing. And there is no difficulty. One hasn't got to manufacture some idea, some philosophy. No. Everything is there, and if you preach what Kṛṣṇa has said, then you are spiritual master. It is not a very big job. Simply you have to become sincere to Kṛṣṇa, and you learn Kṛṣṇa through His representative, you become sincere to the representative of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa, *yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau* [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23], then you are spiritual master. It is not very difficult. And become, every one of you, become spiritual master and preach this gospel of *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is, then the world will be saved. Otherwise they are already in trouble, and they will go more and more into the depths of the trouble, dangerous position, and they will never become happy. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important movement for saving the human civilization, the human society. --- **[1975: Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Devotees](spoken/1975/750212r1.mex)** > No, *dharma* is duty, *varṇāśrama-dharma.* That is also given up. That means the only duty becomes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He said, *sarva-dharmān parityajya.* In the beginning He said that *dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya* [[bg/4/8|[Bg. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.5](spoken/1976/760212sb.may)** > So, *sva-pāda-mule patitaṁ.* Lord Brahmā, as soon as asked Prahlāda Mahārāja to pacify the Lord, he immediately fell down at His lotus feet, *sva-pāda-mule patitaṁ tam arbhakaṁ.* Just like we are sometime extraordinarily happy, pleased, when a small child offers his obedience. So naturally, when Prahlāda Mahārāja, a small boy, five years old, and he fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, He became very much pleased. So not only for Prahlāda Mahārāja; anyone in this material world who offers his obeisances before the Deity, don't think it is useless. It is taken into account. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises, if you cannot do anything, you do four things: *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru*. > Real purpose of *yoga* is to control the senses. Very, very difficult. Even five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was being instructed on the *yoga* system, concentrating the mind, fixing up the mind on Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, the same thing, so Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is very difficult." *Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham*. "It is not possible, for me at least." Yes, those who are busy, *kṣatriyas, vaiśyas. Brāhmaṇa* may be able. Not nowadays *brāhmaṇa;* those who are actually *brāhmaṇa,* because they practice *samaḥ, damaḥ, satyam, śaucam,* controlling the mind, controlling the senses, *brahmacārī.* They can do that. But the *kṣatriyas* and the *vaiśyas,* they cannot, because they have not practiced *samaḥ, damaḥ.* But at the present moment in this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is *śūdra,* nobody is *brāhmaṇa,* by the caste system or by birthright. *Śudra. Kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ.* So in this age, how to concentrate the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, this practice: chanting. --- **[1977: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.2](spoken/1977/770212sb.may)** > This is *Ṛg mantra. Viṣṇoḥ padaṁ paramaṁ padam.* Bhagavān is addressed by Arjuna, *paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān*. Paramaṁ bhavān.* So this *pāṣaṇḍī* imagination will kill one's advancement in spiritual life. *Māyāvāda*. *Māyāvāda*. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly forbidden to associate with *Māyāvādī*. *Māyāvādī bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-naśa* : "Anyone who has associated with the *Māyāvādī*, his spiritual life is finished." > So anyway, wherever there is Śrī, there is Nārāyaṇa, and wherever there is Nārāyaṇa, there is Śrī. Therefore Nārāyaṇa and Śrī. Nṛsiṁhadeva is Nārāyaṇa, and Lakṣmī, They are constantly assoc... Therefore the *devas,* the demigods, when they saw that Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva, was very, very angry. Nobody can pacify Him, so they thought that "Lakṣmījī is personal associate, constantly with Nārāyaṇa, so let her go and pacify." That is stated here. *Sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣitā devair.* The *devas,* Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and others, they requested, "Mother, you try to pacify your husband. It is not possible by us." But she also became afraid. She also became afraid. *Sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣita devair dṛṣṭvā taṁ mahad adbhutam.* She knows that "My husband has appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva," but because that wonderful feature of the Lord was so fearful, she did not dare to come before Him. Why? Now, *adṛṣṭaśruta-pūrvatvāt:* since she also never knew that the her husband can assume the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Nṛsiṁhadeva feature was specifically adopted for Hiraṇyakaśipu. This is all-powerful. Hiraṇyakaśipu took benediction from Lord Brahmā that no god, demigod, can kill him; no man can kill him; no animal can kill him; and so on, so on, so on. Indirectly he made a plan that nobody could kill him. And because first of all he wanted to become immortal, so Lord Brahmā said that "I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of becoming...? That is not possible." So these *rākṣasas,* demons, they are very intelligent, *duṣkṛtina,* intelligent—but for sinful activities. That is the feature of the *rākṣasa.* So he planned something, that "Indirectly I shall take benediction from Lord Brahmā in such a way that I'll remain immortal." --- ## Letters on February 12 *Letters from this day: 19* --- **[1968: Letter to Bhaktijana](letters/1968/680212_bhaktijana)** > I am so glad to receive your letter dated Feb. The strong hand of Maya is insurmountable as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. But if one sticks to Krishna Consciousness with firmness, then he can easily surmount. --- **[1968: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1968/680212_gargamuni)** > The matter is little more risky in the sense that the rent is $400 per month, but you have assurance from friends and your own resources of $250, so balance is $150 which I think you can collect from the meetings very easily. So far I am concerned I always take risk for Krishna. So to take risk for Krishna is very good. --- **[1968: Letter to Mahapurusa](letters/1968/680212_mahapurusa)** > To stick to the principles advised by the Spiritual Master and serve Krishna under the direction of the Spiritual Master is the only hope of our advancing in Krishna Consciousness. You have to make your progress on these two parallel lines, you cannot avoid one in preference of the other. --- **[1968: Letter to Sivananda](letters/1968/680212_sivananda)** > The idea for Japan is very nice, but who will bear the expenses, that is the problem. And who will take charge of the pavilion, that is the problem. --- **[1969: Letter to Charles Mccollough](letters/1969/690212_charles_mccollough)** > Regarding your question about closing the temple for a few hours during the day, the best thing is if this can be avoided, but since you are all working in the afternoon then what else can be done? --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/690212_hayagriva)** > I understand that in New Vrindaban you have got electricity, and I shall be glad to know what is the condition of the atmosphere there. The other day, I saw in the paper that there was very strong snow-storms in New York and the airport service had stopped there completely. --- **[1969: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1969/690212_satsvarupa)** > Regarding Jadurani's diet, let her take fruits, vegetables, milk, capatis, and also when she is hungry she may take a little rice and some thin mung dahl. Please keep me informed of her progress. --- **[1970: Letter to Vamanadeva](letters/1970/700212_vamanadeva)** > I may inform you that by the grace of Krsna this mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness is being enthusiastically pushed on for the benefit of the whole world by the assistance of all my disciples, good souls like your self and your good wife. --- **[1971: Letter to Gunagrahi](letters/1971/710212_gunagrahi)** > I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Gunagrahi Das Brahmacari. Gunagrahi means one who picks up or acquires all good qualifications or qualities. --- **[1972: Letter to Govinda](letters/1972/720212_govinda)** > I am very sorry to hear about your demoniac neighbor cutting down many tulasi plants, but do not worry, he shall get his due punishment in time, rest assured. --- **[1974: Letter to Ravendra Gupta](letters/1974/740212_ravendra_gupta)** > I have only recently received your letter of February 6, 1974, due to travelling. --- **[1975: Letter to Hanuman](letters/1975/750212_hanuman)** > Regarding your engagement, I strongly recommend and encourage you to travel extensively and preach our philosophy everywhere you go. --- **[1975: Letter to Manager Central Bank Of India](letters/1975/750212_manager_central_bank_of_india)** > Please transfer ONE LAC rupees from the "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" account #16066 to the "International Society for Krishna Consciousness" account #16840 without delay. --- **[1976: Letter to Caru Gupta](letters/1976/760212_caru_gupta)** > Regarding the restaurant, I would like to know how it is running on? Please send a description. How many people are responding? --- **[1976: Letter to Dixit](letters/1976/760212_dixit)** > Regarding your desire to preach in Hindi and English, that is very nice. My suggestion is that you purchase one or two rooms in our Vrindaban centre. The price is Rs. --- **[1976: Letter to Gaura Govinda](letters/1976/760212_gaura_govinda)** > It is very good that you have completed one cottage. We are trying to send one man, but in the meantime just think that Krishna is with you and there is no need of disappointment. --- **[1976: Letter to Prthu Putra](letters/1976/760212_prthu_putra)** > Regarding the engagements in Kanpur on the 14th and 15th of February, you certainly have my blessings. Please hold a nice program there and invite all the audience to our Vrndavana temple. --- **[1976: Letter to Saurabha](letters/1976/760212_saurabha)** > I am in receipt of one letter from Gaura Govinda Swami in Puri. In his letter he states that he is ready to submit plans to the municipal authorities. --- **[1976: Letter to Sri Ajita Kumar Chatterjee](letters/1976/760212_sri_ajita_kumar_chatterjee)** > The message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was to give the same message as Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita: "surrender to Krishna". The pastimes of Radha-Krishna relationship are confidential and are not for the distribution to the ordinary public. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to discuss with Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Ray, Sikhi Mahiti, but not publicly. ---