# February 20 ## Spoken on February 20 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1969: Bhagavad-gītā 6.35–45 [Sāṅkhya Yoga System](spoken/1969/690220bg.la)** > In the beginning Kṛṣṇa says that "Out of millions of people, one may understand Me actually, factually." And that same "factually" word is used in the Eighteenth Chapter, that "If one wants to know Me," Kṛṣṇa, or God, "then he has to go through the process of *bhakti-yoga*." *Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ*. > Therefore our present duty is how to make the consciousness divine. That should be our business. If you want divine life, if you want spiritual elevation back to Godhead, back to home—that means eternal life, blissful life full of knowledge—then we have to train ourselves in divine consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you can very easily do by association. *Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ*. If you keep divine association, then your consciousness is made divine. And if you keep hellish association, demonic association, then your consciousness is trained up in that way. --- **[1970: Initiation Lecture](spoken/1970/700220in.la)** > So in this way those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa business, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, they are already free from the sinful reaction of life. They are not ordinary person; otherwise how they are restraining themselves from these four principles of sinful life? They are not ordinary persons. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that one can be engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities when he is completely freed from all sinful activities. *Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pāpam* means sinful life, or sinful activities, or reaction. > So this initiation process means purification. It will make you perfectly purified, so that you can also associate with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone has got the chance. Kṛṣṇa is not partial, He is available to somebody, not available to somebody. No. Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.27–28](spoken/1971/710220sb.gor)** > Now, Yamarāja is a *mahājana.* We have to take his statement how devotees are stated. Kṛṣṇa says summarily that "I'll give you protection." And how they are protected you have to learn from the *mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ*. Then next question will be: "Then what is our business? Where to go? Suppose they're all devotee?" Sometimes a rascal question is there, that "If everyone becomes devotee, how this world will go on?" That is their concern. If everyone becomes honest, how the prison house will go on? What is the use of prison house? If it is closed, that is good. Similarly, if the whole world becomes devotee and the business of the material world is closed for good, that is very good. But that will not happen. That is not possible. > Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. *Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ*.* They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." And actually it is so. By a little inconvenience, immediately he's rectified. --- **[1972: Lecture Partially Recorded At Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Maṭh BV Purī Mahārāja] ] > This is called *anartha-nivṛttiḥ* when there is *anartha-nivṛttiḥ* then there is *niṣṭhā*, firm faith beginning with the faith. Then after *anartha-nivṛttiḥ* then one becomes firmly faithful to Kṛṣṇa. *Tato niṣṭhā tato ruci*, they have no other taste for anything material except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are no more interested in going to the cinema or any public political meeting or newspaper. They are useless for a person who is trying to advance his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These material things are useless, *bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt*, this is the taste of *bhakti*. > This *āsakti*, the first thing is *ādau śraddhā* little faith. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very nice let us go to the temple and hear about it. This is called *śraddhā*, this is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if one is serious then he can make association with the devotees who are actually practising Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is called *sādhu-saṅga, sādhu* means those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, *sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ, bhajate mām ananya-bhāk*. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.5 [At Ladies Club](spoken/1972/720220sb.vis)** > At that time, when Kṛṣṇa was accepted by Arjuna as his spiritual master, He first of all chastised him. He said, *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase*.* Because Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna was talking as a family man, so therefore He first of all chastised him, that "You are talking from a low-grade platform, but you are talking just like learned man. You are not learned." *Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ.* "You are not talking like a learned man." That means Kṛṣṇa indirectly said that "You are a fool. You do not know what is your identification." > So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly giving this *bhakti* platform, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, in the form of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is distributing Kṛṣṇa immediately, because in this age people are so fallen, *mandaḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ*. Alpayu:* they're living for a short time; and *mandaḥ, mandaḥ* means very slow or inferior quality of human being. Not superior. Inferior quality means in this age there is practically no *brāhmaṇa;* all *śūdras. Kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ.* Actually also it is so, because people in this age, if he gets one nice service, master, he is satisfied. One wife, one service, then his life is *dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba bharaṇam*. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 7.5](spoken/1974/740220bg.bom)** > This is proper utilization of energy. When the energy of Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual energy of Kṛṣṇa or the living entity, works for Kṛṣṇa, that is healthy condition. Just like part and parcel of my body, this finger: when this finger works for me... I want the finger: "Come here. Work some here." But if the finger is not in healthy condition—it is painful, it cannot work—that is not normal condition. The normal condition is the finger is to work for my body. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, when we are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is our normal condition, our healthy life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "These foolish creatures, *mūḍhāḥ,* who are thinking that 'We shall work for sense gratification,' they are *mūḍhas.*" *Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ*. > So this is *karma, karma-vāda,* that I want to possess a certain type of machine, or body, and Kṛṣṇa, Īśvara, is within everyone's heart. He understands, "He's persistent to get this machine. All right, you get this machine." This is called *janmada[?]... Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. In this way, we are desiring something in this life, and the next life is being prepared. And that next life or this life, it is just like machine. It is made by the material nature under the order... --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.1 [with Spanish translator](spoken/1975/750220sb.car)** > So in this way of material research, one will come to the conclusion, if he is really a research scholar that *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti*. But those who are more purified, instead of making research, he immediately accepts that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. So just to understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* So if one is fortunate, if one is intelligent, if he accepts Kṛṣṇa's version—Kṛṣṇa says at last, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* —*he accepts it. So one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme source, Absolute Truth, for them, this *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is there. > Kṛṣṇa says, God directly says, that "I am the origin of everything." *Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate.* "Everything emanates from Me." *Iti matvā,* "When one understands this," *budha,* "a learned person," *bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ,* "he engages himself fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, but it takes little time, according to the position of the man, to understand it. This is a fact, that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. But the intelligent man can understand it very easily; therefore he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And those who are not intelligent, he tries to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything; therefore it takes some time. Therefore persons who are making research what is the origin of everything, they are also learned scholars, but because they are doing in their own way, therefore it takes many, many births to understand that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.13](spoken/1976/760220sb.may)** > So Prahlāda Mahārāja, trying to pacify the Lord, that "This, Your incarnation, is for the benefit of Your servants, *vidhi-karāḥ.*" *Vidhi-karāḥ* means servant. *Vidhi-kṛt. Vidhi* means law and order, and one who executes the law and order, they are called *vidhi-karā.* So all the demigods, they are appointed by the Supreme Lord to execute the law and order. Because this material world is a chaotic condition, therefore there is necessity of law and order. In the spiritual world there is no such thing. In spiritual world everyone knows that "The Lord is our master, and we are all servants." That is spiritual world. And material world means that "Why there should be one master? We are all master. Why you are searching after one God? Don't you see? All we are gods, loitering in the street, especially the poor god, *daridra-nārāyaṇa.*" This is all material conception. Lord is one, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, declares, in the *Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya* : "There is no more superior authority than Me." In many places... *Asamordhva.* [*Cc Ādi* 4.242] nobody can be equal with God, neither anybody can be higher than Him. That is God. So God is one. There cannot be two Gods. Then there is no meaning of God. Now they manufacture God. In every street, every lane, there is a God. > So *sarve hy amī vidhi-karāḥ.* These *vidhi-karāḥ,* they are not *svāṁśa;* they are *vibhinnāṁśa.* Brahmā and other demigods and we, we are of the same category. Not that because one has become Brahmā, so he is equal to the Supreme Lord. No. That is not possible. *Śiva-viriñci-nutam* : "The Supreme Lord is worshiped even by Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva." Nobody can be equal. This Māyāvāda philosophy that in whichever form you worship the Lord, they are all the same—no, they are not same. Therefore here it is said, *vidhi-karāḥ, brahmādaya,* "They are all your servants, *vidhi-karāḥ.*" *Vidhi-karāḥ* means who executes the order of the Supreme Lord. That is *devatā.* And one who wants to become one or equal with the Supreme Lord, they are *asuras.* They always create disturbance. At the present moment there are so many *asuras.* Everyone is defying the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. Everyone is trying to become God. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. If we want to adjust this chaotic condition, then we require the incarnation of God. That is already there. *Nāma-rūpe kali kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra* [*Cc* Ādi 17.22]. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of name. There is no difference. The *saṅkīrtana* movement which was inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So *abhinnatvād nāma-nāminoḥ*. --- ## Letters on February 20 *Letters from this day: 17* --- **[1968: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1968/680220_brahmananda)** > Regarding printing of the Teachings of Lord Caitanya: Dai Nippon is a very big concern. In my last letter I requested you to refer to their past correspondence and in which you will find they quoted $5,400 for 5000 copies of 400 pages. --- **[1968: Letter to Krsna Devi](letters/1968/680220_krsna_devi)** > He does not let go anyone who might have done a little bit of service. You may be dragged by Maya for the time being but by Krishna's Grace that will have only temporary reaction; I am very glad that you are doing so much for decorating Krishna's temple. --- **[1968: Letter to Robert](letters/1968/680220_robert)** > So far school is concerned, we know that modern education in schools and colleges is not very much helpful in advancement of Krishna Consciousness, but still we have to take advantage of such institutions in absence of any other good organization. But I shall advise you that by leaving your school, you have got immense books and literatures for studying, so you should form the habit of studying and understanding the philosophy very nicely and when there is difficulty in understanding, Brahmananda or Rayarama, or myself, will help you in all respects. --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/690220_hayagriva)** > And I've also received the letter from Uddhava. I heard about the house indicated by you from Kirtanananda Maharaja, so if it is approved by you all as a suitable place then purchase. --- **[1969: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1969/690220_kirtanananda)** > I thank you very much for your inviting me to New Vrindaban, but, considering the local climate as presented by you I think I shall postpone it until the end of April. --- **[1969: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1969/690220_mukunda)** > Rather I amy be going to Hawaii soon as you can peacefully arrange for the temple, and there is no hurry. --- **[1969: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1969/690220_rayarama)** > The letterhead is very impressive with the picture of Lord Caitanya dancing, and just below His Lotus Feet is the word, *Back To Godhead. --- **[1969: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1969/690220_satsvarupa)** > I'm also glad to learn that Boston center is improving and people are taking interest more and more. --- **[1969: Letter to Yamuna Malati Janaki](letters/1969/690220_yamuna_malati_janaki)** > I lost my mother when I was only 14 years old. But in my old age, Krishna has given me so many young mothers to take care of me. --- **[1970: Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu](letters/1970/700220_jagannatham_prabhu)** > So far your son is concerned, last year when I was in Los Angeles I invited your son to come and see me; and if he comes to me, surely I shall try my best to bring him into our line of devotional service. I am sure if he sees me it will not be difficult to convince him about this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all he is your son. --- **[1970: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1970/700220_tamala_krsna)** > All other points in your letter are completely agreed upon by me, and please execute the program accordingly. We can go anywhere to perform the Sankirtana, but the process in which we execute the performances should be strictly followed; namely first of all we chant and dance, then we deliver a short lecture on our philosophy, try to advertise our books and magazines and sell them, then at last we again chant and dance and conclude the meeting by distributing Prasadum. --- **[1972: Letter to Mangalamaya Madhupuri](letters/1972/720220_mangalamaya_madhupuri)** > I am glad to hear that along with your incense business you are also finding opportunity to preach. Without preaching, and if we only do business, there is certain fall-down. --- **[1972: Letter to Mr. Gerald J. Gross](letters/1972/720220_mr._gerald_j._gross)** > In the meantime I am very much pleased to inform you that there is very good demand in India for the small edition of my *Bhagavad-gita* published by you. I understand that you have got your appointed agents here in india, namely "India Book House." They have got their office in Warden Road, a few blocks from our Temple in Bombay on the same road. --- **[1972: Letter to Rudra Radhika](letters/1972/720220_rudra_radhika)** > Now develop it very nicely, and especially make certain that the daily routine program is held nicely and to the regular highest ISKCON standard, that is, you should see that our rising early,... --- **[1972: Letter to Satadhanya](letters/1972/720220_satadhanya)** > Thank you very much for your sincere endeavor and faith in your Spiritual Master. --- **[1972: Letter to Tosana](letters/1972/720220_tosana)** > I am glad to hear that you are always keeping engaged in Krishna's service and chanting Hare Krishna. --- **[1975: Letter to Manasvi](letters/1975/750220_manasvi)** > This will save you from the attack of Maya. ---