# February 19 ## Spoken on February 19 *Lectures from this day: 15 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā Introduction [Gītopaniṣad](spoken/1966/660219bg.ny.md)** > The Lord says that even a human being in the lowest status of life, lowest status of life, or even a fallen woman or a mercantile man or a laborer class of man... The mercantile class of men, the laborer class of men and the woman class, they are counted in the same category, because their intelligence is not so developed. But the Lord says they also, or even lower than them, *māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ*—not only they or lower than them, or anyone, it does not matter who is he, or who she is—anyone who accepts this principle of *bhakti-yoga* and accepts the Supreme Lord as the *summum bonum* of life, the highest target, highest goal of life, *māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ*, *te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim*, that *parāṁ gatim* in the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual sky, everyone can approach. Simply one has to practice the system. That system is hinted in the *Bhagavad-gītā* very nicely, and one can adopt it and make his life perfect and make a permanent solution of life. That is the sum and substance of the whole *Bhagavad-gītā*. > Now, the purport is that *Bhagavad-gītā* is a treatise which is specially meant for the devotee of the Lord. There are three classes of transcendentalists, namely the *jñānī*, the *yogī* and the *bhakta,* or the impersonalist or the meditator or the devotees. So here it is clearly mentioned, the Lord says to Arjuna that "I am speaking, or I am making you the first man of the *paramparā*. Because the old *paramparā,* or disciplic succession, is now broken, therefore I wish to establish again another *paramparā* in the same line of thought as it was coming down from the sun-god to others. So you, you take it and you distribute it." Or "The system, the *yoga* system of *Bhagavad-gītā,* may now be distributed through you. You become the authority of understanding *Bhagavad-gītā*." --- **[1969: Bhagavad-gītā 6.30–34 [Sāṅkhya Yoga System](spoken/1969/690219bg.la)** > So therefore Lord Caitanya has said that this is the only system in this age: *harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam* [*Cc Ādi* 7.76]. Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, *kalau,* in this Age of Kali, *kalau nāsty eva, nāsty eva, nāsty eva:* there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. If you adopt this system, this *bhakti-yoga* system, very simple, simply chanting, you'll find immediately result. *Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam*. > But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he sees, "Oh, here is a cow. Here is a dog. He's a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. By some way or other he has got a different body than me. That does not mean he's not my brother. So how can I kill my brother?" That is Kṛṣṇa's love, due to Kṛṣṇa's love. So Kṛṣṇa love is so nice. All perfection. If there is no Kṛṣṇa love, there is no question love; it is all nonsense. There cannot be any love without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. --- **[1971: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.154–155 [Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana](spoken/1971/710219cc.gor)** > So we should try to appreciate the energy of God. When Kṛṣṇa says, *mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam:* "I am all-pervading..." *Sarvam. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma* [*Chāndogya Upaniṣad* 3.14.1], the same thing, as it is Vedic injunction, similarly Kṛṣṇa says, *mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā:* "The all-pervading nature, the expansion of my energy, is the impersonal Brahman." That is impersonal. *Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ*. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Everything is resting in Him. That means in His energy. *Śakti. Śakti-śaktimator abhedaḥ.* His energy is not different from Him. > Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, *avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam* : "Those who are foolish person, poor fund of knowledge, such person thinks that I assume a body with the help of material energy." Kṛṣṇa says Himself that *sambhavamy ātma-māyayā* —*His own energy. --- **[1972: Speech at Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Maṭha](spoken/1972/720219ad.vis)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. All these *prakṛtis,* different wives of Kṛṣṇa or energy, they are struggling, unnecessarily they are struggling to become predominator. In this material world, everyone is trying to be predominator. One nation is trying to become predominator of other nations. One man is trying to be predominator of other men. One brother is trying to be predominator of other brother. This is *māyā*. So everyone should give up the spirit of predominating. They should be willingly surrendered for becoming predominated by the Supreme Lord. That will be in peace[?]. > So this *jīva-tattva* is accepted as *prakṛti*, not *puruṣa*. [break] There are two kinds of *prakṛtis,* or energies, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One is called inferior energy, *bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ*, this material elements, earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. They are inferior energies of the Supreme Lord. And the *jīva-bhūta*, that superior energy world... Because the superior energy tries to lord it over the material energy. Just like we are *jīvas*. Every one of us trying to utilize the material resources of the material nature. We are simply trying. Actually we are not *bhoktā*. *Bhoktā* is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. --- **[1972: Lecture at Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Maṭha](spoken/1972/720219le.vis)** > And anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa scientifically, then he, Kṛṣṇa says, *janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ.* Not the foolish man; the intelligent man, who knows Kṛṣṇa actually, then the result is *tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti*. Immediately he becomes liberated. So after giving up this body, he never, no more comes back to accept another this material body. He goes back to home, back to Godhead. [break] > So one who is in *sattva-guṇa,* brahminical qualification, actually, *cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. One who has got the brahminical qualities by work and actually in life, *satya, śama, dama, titikṣa, ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam*, so he can understand. *Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ,* he can understand so how..., what is my relationship with the Supreme Lord. So similarly, one who is in the *rajo-guṇa,* the example is given: There is a spark. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 7.4](spoken/1974/740219bg.bom)** > Therefore, whatever we speak, we do not speak anything which Kṛṣṇa does not speak. That is our quality. I have several times, I was eulogized by many persons, "Swāmījī, you have done wonderful." So I say that I am not a wonderful man. I simply follow Kṛṣṇa. What Kṛṣṇa says, I repeat, like parrot. That's all. I have no knowledge. But Kṛṣṇa says that "This is this"; I accept it. And then that will be... That we shall be benefited. Just like a child: If he accepts the instruction of the parents, he gets knowledge. Parent will not cheat. If a child does not know a small watch, he asks, "Father, what is this?" Father can explain, "My dear child, this is called watch. You can see time, what is the time now." That is perfect knowledge. So that knowledge is perfect. Therefore in the beginning of this chapter and in the Fourth Chapter we see, *evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ*. > So, so this is the process. This *bhūmir āpaḥ,* this material, it is not a fact. People are so much attached to this material world. That is called ignorance. *Mūḍha.* They are called *mūḍha. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ*. Their knowledge has been taken away. These things will be explained in the later verses, that do not try to take knowledge from imperfect person; take knowledge from the perfect person, perfect Supreme Personality. Who is perfect? God is perfect. And who carries the word of God, he is perfect. This is the definition of perfection. So Kṛṣṇa says, *bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ.* Matter is produced by Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not automatically produced. Just like I have given the example that this body, this material gross body, is produced out of the soul which is put into the womb of the mother by the semina of the father. These are... These description are there in the Third Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* very nicely, you consult. --- **[1974: Morning Walk](spoken/1974/740219mw.bom)** > So to know God, it is not very easy job. And the *Vedas* also, it is stated, *nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena* [*Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad* 3.2.3]. --- **[1975: Room Conversation with Professors](spoken/1975/750219r1.car)** > So there may be vast advancement of medical science, but if the medical science cannot check birth, death, old age and disease, then what is the use of it? It may have some temporary use, but actually it is not science. Nobody wants to die. Is there medical science which can stop death? So that knowledge may be temporary, beneficial, but ultimately, it is not the knowledge. I am anxious for not dying. Nobody wants to die. This is my anxiety. And where is that science, medical science? So we are satisfied with some temporary knowledge. We have no ultimate knowledge. And because it is very difficult subject matter, we have avoided it very carefully. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.12](spoken/1976/760219sb.may)** > So Prahlāda Mahārāja's conclusion is that "I shall offer my prayers, glorifying the Lord according to my capacity." *Yathā manīṣam.* Everyone is not of the same intellect. You may be more intelligent than me; another may be more intelligent than you. But that varieties of intelligence does not mean missing the real point. The real point is the same. Just like Kṛṣṇa has got so many queens, or He, in Vṛndāvana, He was associated with so many *gopī* friends or cowherd boy friends. So everyone was Kṛṣṇa's devotee, everyone loved Kṛṣṇa, but there were varieties, varieties, *vaicitra.* It is called *vaicitra.* Kṛṣṇa is not without variety. Just see in the flower. Kṛṣṇa says, *puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca *. > So the real process is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and act according to your best... Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence. First of all we have to become sincere, heart and soul. *Sarvātmanā. Sarva* means "all," or *ātmā* means "body," *ātmā* means "mind," *ātmā* means "soul." Three meanings of *ātmā.* So *sarvātmanā.* Your body, the other day I explained, *karmaṇā manasā vācā:* "By your working capacity, by your mind, by your words..." This is called *tri-daṇḍa.* We Vaiṣṇava *sannyāsī,* we take three *daṇḍa.* This is three, *karmaṇā manasā vācā:* by activities, by mind and by words. The preaching is word; therefore word is the last: thinking, feeling, willing and then action. So mind should be settled up, that "I shall sincerely serve Kṛṣṇa, and because I am not expert, therefore to understand how to serve..." *Ādau gurvāśrayam.* [*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* 1.1.74] One has to accept *guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta*. The *śāstra* says, "In order to take direction, one must surrender to *guru.*" Kṛṣṇa says, *tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā*. That is the whole Vedic injunction. --- **[1977: Evening Darśana](spoken/1977/770219ed.may)** > Golam Mistry: [Transl. I am Golam Mistry, I constructed your gates, boundaries in this same building you live. Ground and first floor. Then for some reason me and my wife were removed from the work. Therefore I request you to again give us a chance at your lotus feet...] > Golam Mistry: [Transl. Yes. According to my realization we all are overwhelmed by your impartial behavior. In your society there is no consideration of caste, religion...] --- **[1977: Room Conversation with Ādi-keśava Swami](spoken/1977/770219r2.may)** > "This is real suffering. Why the eternal soul should be subjected to birth, death, old age and disease? We are seeing to this. You are thinking that 'If I can place myself in a very high skyscraper building and motorcar,' your business is finished. We are not so fool. We know that 'Any moment, I shall be kicked out of the skyscraper building and motorcar by the laws of nature.' " That's a fact. But fools cannot understand. They think, "This is my permanent..." That is not permanent, but you are permanent. "Where is my permanent situation?"—we are seeking after that. So we are not so fools. We are taking that "I am permanent. Why I should be encapped or entangled in this nonpermanent?" This is our philosophy. > Although I am sitting here, I have forgotten it, and I am working, thinking myself that I am in New York. Similarly, in dream my body is on the bed; I am thinking I am on the Himalayan top. So as it is possible even in this body, similarly, I get another body, gross body, then I forget this body. This is transmigration. I have explained it. This is the factual. Everyone can experience. I have got a period of remaining in this body. So as soon as this period is finished I get..., I create another body and enter it. And because the period is not finished, although in dream I am getting another body and going to the Himalaya top, or I'm going to my New York apartment, still, I have to come back, because period is not finished. Simple thing. This is transmigration. Why I shall be put into this condition, because my original position is eternal? *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. That we are teaching to the whole world: "Why you are suffering with this body? Get out of the body." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the best welfare activity to the human society, but because they are so dull, they cannot understand. *Mūrkhāṇām upadeṣo hi prako...* [Nīti Śāstra, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita]. --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/770219r3.may)** --- ## Letters on February 19 *Letters from this day: 19* --- **[1968: Letter to Balai](letters/1968/680219_balai)** > Please continue sending the notes from the meetings; I am very pleased to read how my students are relishing the discussions of Krishna and His Associates. --- **[1969: Letter to Prabhas Babu](letters/1969/690219_prabhas_babu)** > Regarding the packages you have received from Vrindaban, #1 item pack may be sent to Los Angeles, and #3 item package may be sent here also if there is inconvenience to dispatch it to Hawaii. You can book them by any steamline which is quicker. Similarly, you can dispatch the package for Hamburg by any quicker steamline until further advised. --- **[1970: Letter to Linda](letters/1970/700219_linda)** > Regarding your questions about the difference between the picture of Krsna and the Deity, Krsna is equally there in both these forms. Krsna is so kind that he agrees to appear, for the benefit of the conditioned soul, in eight different kinds of forms. --- **[1970: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1970/700219_satsvarupa)** > Please do not be disturbed by second-hand information. Just continue your editing as you have been doing nicely. --- **[1970: Letter to Sucandra](letters/1970/700219_sucandra)** > It is most important that our activities be regular or, in other words, on a schedule. Everyone should chant his beads sixteen rounds daily without fail and follow the regulative principles strictly. These basic Krsna Conscious duties are essential to be performed regularly, and they will give you the necessary strength of spirit to keep always fixed up in devotional service. --- **[1971: Letter to Gerald](letters/1971/710219_gerald)** > I am travelling all over India just now on preaching tour and Samkirtan, so sometimes my mail is delayed. --- **[1971: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1971/710219_rupanuga)** > At present we are staying at Gorakhpur, one of the important cities in Northern India and we are for the present guests of Gita Press authorities. --- **[1972: Letter to Sudama](letters/1972/720219_sudama)** > Otherwise they are either unobtainable or very costly here in India, so it is a very nice service. --- **[1972: Letter to Upananda](letters/1972/720219_upananda)** > If Mohanananda is advising, that's nice for the time being because Bali Mardan is in New York with ISKCON Press. I have asked the GBC to settle this matter of a replacement for Bali Mardan. --- **[1972: Letter to Upendra](letters/1972/720219_upendra)** > (2) As for your question about Santa Rasa and the opinions of Rupa Goswami and Sridhara Swami, I don't remember. --- **[1973: Letter to Kirtika](letters/1973/730219_kirtika)** > The proper method of dressing Jagannatha is as a Ksatriya king and there is no limit to the opulence you can give Him. I am here in Australia, and will be returning to India by March 2nd., after travelling through New Zealand and Indonesia. --- **[1973: Letter to Sankarsana](letters/1973/730219_sankarsana)** > All of your programs sound very pleasing to me and I request that you write and consult with Visnu Jana Maharaja and the local GBC men, in order to bring about the realization of this proposal. --- **[1975: Letter to Dr. Wolf](letters/1975/750219_dr._wolf)** > I am very soon going to London and I shall meet with Hansadutta and other secretaries there. --- **[1975: Letter to Govinda Datta](letters/1975/750219_govinda_datta)** > I am very glad that you are eager to see our foreign temples and that you wanted my advice in this connection. --- **[1975: Letter to Gunagrahi](letters/1975/750219_gunagrahi)** > I have accepted upon your recommendation Dan for first initiation. His beads may be chanted upon by Kirtanananda Svami or Satsvarupa Maharaja. Let them hear the tape of myself chanting gayatri mantra (through the right ear). --- **[1976: Letter to Manager Central Bank Of India](letters/1976/760219_manager_central_bank_of_india)** > Please enchash these two drafts and make a fixed deposit for one year at eight percent (8%) interest in the name of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. I gave got a Bhaktivedanta Trust account in your Gowalia Tank Branch in Bombay and the account number is 16066. --- **[1976: Letter to Sri D. C. Cakravarti](letters/1976/760219_sri_d._c._cakravarti)** > Please kindly come to see me here. I can provide all accommodations for you and your good wife, Uma and any others you wish to bring. --- **[1976: Letter to Sridhara](letters/1976/760219_sridhara)** > Please hand over the key as I instructed you and take the letters signed by him. Herewith Vrindaban is going to you. --- **[1977: Letter to Pusta Krsna](letters/1977/770219_pusta_krsna)** > Regarding your intention to study Sanskrit and Hindi at the university, that is not good. You have to give service with whatever you already have, not that you have to learn anything extra. ---