# March 13 ## Spoken on March 13 *Lectures from this day: 11 recordings* --- **[1967: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.7.25–28](spoken/1967/670313sb.sf)** > So you have to train yourself to become *svāmī,* master of your senses. Then everything is all right. Don't be servant of your senses. Servant you are. Just change your servitorship. Instead of becoming servant of senses, just become the servant of the master of the senses. The master of senses is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called Hṛṣīkeśa. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means *hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate*. > So sometimes, when we are disgusted with this material life, we want to forget, forget all the things. Sometimes a man takes to drinking: "Oh, business anxiety, so many worries, cannot solve. Let me drink. Ahh." So sometimes we take to LSD or other intoxicants, *gañja, pān.* So this is... There is a tendency for *suṣuptiḥ,* going to the stage of *suṣuptiḥ.* Sometimes they take injection to sleep soundly. Now there are sleeping pills also, so many things. So actually, as pure spirit soul, I want to forget, but because I do not accept the real path, how to get out of this material existence, therefore we have to accept something concocted means. That will not save us. That will not save us. --- **[1968: Talk in Śrīla Prabhupāda's house Brahma-saṁhitā Prayers](spoken/1968/680313ta.sf)** > > cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- > > lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam > > lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ > > govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi > > [Bs. 5.29] > > veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam- > > barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam > > kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ > > govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi > > [Bs. 5.30] --- **[1974: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.91–2](spoken/1974/740313cc.vrn)** > Because *bhakti* does not depend on any material qualification. *Bhakti* is different subject matter. *Aprakṛta. Adhokṣaja. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje*. *So that is being taught, that... Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained His position to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that "My Guru Mahārāja, studying My character, he found Me a great fool. Therefore he advised Me to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra.*" The idea is that by studying *Vedānta-sūtra,* by becoming a very great scholar, to achieve transcendental position of devotional service is very, very difficult nowadays. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. But whatever you may be, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* offenselessly, then everything is achieved, without any difficulty. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, *ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra* [*Caitanya*-*bhāgavata Madhya* 23.78]. > So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a great scholar. There is no doubt of it. But in spite of His becoming a great scholar, He is presenting Himself as a great fool. He says, "My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a great..." Even one is very great scholar, he has to abide by the decision of his spiritual master. Even one is very great scholar, and if his spiritual master says that "You are a great fool," he should accept it. This is called full surrender. For example, I'll give you a practical... My Guru Mahārāja was very great scholar, and his Guru Mahārāja, from literary point of view, he could not even sign his name, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura asked Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to accept Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja as his..., as his spiritual master, that "You go and take your initiation from Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja." So he thought that "I am a great scholar, and I am son of a magistrate, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and great Vaiṣṇava. He'll be very much pleased to accept me." Of course, he was very much pleased. But in the beginning he refused. He refused. Because... Of course, that is only show—he was not proud—just to teach us. Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī explained that "I was little proud. So I was thrice refused by Guru Mahārāja," although he was the only disciple. --- **[1974: Morning Walk](spoken/1974/740313mw.vrn)** > They're all perfect, but it appears *śravaṇa,* hearing, is different from *kīrtana,* or *kīrtana* is different from *smaraṇam* or *pāda-sevanam* or *arcanam.* But they're all perfect. So one should be engaged either in *śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam*—as he's fit. This is the way. Suppose I cannot speak, *kīrtanam,* but I can hear. That is as perfect. Huh? *Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.* So one may argue that "Speaking is better than hearing." No. Both the ways, either hearing or speaking, they're the same thing, because it is for Kṛṣṇa. *Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.* In our Society every work is transcendental: for preaching. Every work. But one must be engaged with some work. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750313mw.teh)** > Rājarṣayaḥ,* it means the saintly kings. These... *Bhagavad-gītā* it is said, in the Fourth Chapter, it is meant for the saintly kings, because if the king is saintly, and if he understands the philosophy of life, then he can turn the whole picture, you see. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the palace? That is the palace? > Ātreya Ṛṣ > Saudia Arabia. But we have gas, natural gas, the richest. It's so easy to take out this oil and gas. So easy, like..., easier than gold. --- **[1975: Room Conversation with James George, Canadian Ambassador to Iran](spoken/1975/750313r1.teh)** > Therefore we should be desireless. Desireless means material desires. That material desire begins with the designation. That... The child, he has got a childish body, and he plays like a child. The same child, when he will get a youthful body, he will do like that. The soul is the same. But on account of different type of body he is acting differently. That is practical. A small child, in the childhood he will talk like nonsense. People will enjoy it. But the same child, when he is grown up and he talks like nonsense, people will call him nonsense, rascal. Why? The body has changed. The circumstance has changed. This is the real education, that we are changing body, and according to our bodily situation we are acting differently. That they do not understand. There is no school, college or education about the soul and the soul's changing different position of different body, and in this way he remains materially entangled. And the real relief is to get him out of this bodily concept of life and advance in spiritual concept of... > Kṛṣṇa said that "I am in everyone's heart." *Sarvasya. Sarvasya ca aham hṛdi. Hṛdi* means the heart. *Sanniviṣṭaḥ:* "I am there." So He is witnessing everything. So Britishers would have been... They were accepted by the Indian very nicely. People liked, because after the Muhammadan period, when the Britishers came, they did something which was very, very nice for the Indians, and the Indians, they liked them very much. Later on, they became too much greedy. For their own men they wanted to sacrifice everything Indian. So that Jallianwala-bagh. Then the Gandhi came and took this vow, that "The Britishers must go, quit India." So Britishers got a very good opportunity for world unity under British Empire. But their only policy was that to exploit others and enrich London. That was their bad policy. Yes. They should have ruled for the benefit of the people. Then British rule was very nice. --- **[1975: Room Conversation with Indian Guests](spoken/1975/750313r2.teh)** > So this risky civilization is going on. They don't want to know what is God, neither they want to satisfy Him. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just the opposite, that "Here is God. You satisfy Him." That's all. "Never mind what you are, but by your occupational duty you satisfy Him. That is perfection." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and this is taught in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* Kṛṣṇa ultimately said this: *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. In the beginning He said, *yat karoṣi yat juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tad mad arpaṇam* : "Do it for Me." *Yat karoṣi.* It doesn't matter what you are doing. And very good work or bad work or anything, when He says *yat karoṣi,* means "Whatever you are doing, do it, but the result give Me." *Kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam.* This is His desire. And at last again He said that *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.* This is the instruction of *Bhagavad-gītā,* and if somebody would say that "Simply I have to satisfy You? Then I have to satisfy others also. If I do not do, then I will be sinful?" that, Kṛṣṇa says, *ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ* : "Don't worry. If there is any reaction, not doing other duty, simply to surrender to Me, and if there is sinful reaction, then I'll give you protection. Don't worry." This is the conclusion. > The *jñānavān,* the so-called *jñānavān,* they do not care for the Deity—puffed up. But Kṛṣṇa says this class of *jñānavān,* after many, many births, when he'll be actually *jñānavān,* he will offer obeisance. *Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ*. It is so difficult and easy. A *jñānavān,* after many, many births, come to this conclusion, "Here is *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti.* I offer my obeisances." And the same obeisances can be offered by a child without being *jñānavān,* but the result is the same. If you touch fire after studying the physics and chemistry, and without studying physics and chemistry if you touch fire, the result is the same. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.10.3-4](spoken/1975/750313sb.teh)** > Then because he was so perfect king, then, a representative of Kṛṣṇa, therefore, *kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ*. Parjanyaḥ* means rainfall. So rainfall is the basic principle of supply of all necessities of life, rainfall. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ*. If you want to make people happy, both man and animal... There are animals also. They are... These rascal state executive, sometimes they make a show of benefit for the men, but no benefit for the animal. Why? Why this injustice? They are also born in this land. They are also living entity. They may be animal; they have no intelligence. They have intelligence—not as good as of man—but does it mean that regular slaughterhouse should be constructed for killing them? Is that justice? And not only that, but anyone, if he comes to the state, the king should give him shelter. Why distinction? Anyone takes shelter, "Sir, I want to live in your state," so he must be given all facilities. Why this "No, no, you cannot come. You are American. You are Indian. You are this"? No. There are so many thing. > If actually they follow the principle, the Vedic principles, then the ideal king will be a good leader. These are... And nature will help. Therefore it is said that during the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, *kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī*. Mahī,* the earth. You get all your necessities from the earth. It does not fall from the sky. Yes, it falls from the sky in the form of rain, but they do not know the science, that how things are coming from earth by the different arrangement. Under certain condition the rain falls, and astral influence. Then so many things are produced—the valuable stones, the pearls. They do not know how these things are coming. So therefore, if the king is pious, to help him the nature also cooperates. And the king... If the government is impious, then nature will not cooperate. That we have also information in the Fourth Canto, I think. King...? What is that? Pṛthu. Pṛthu Mahārāja, yes. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.35](spoken/1976/760313sb.may)** > Here it is, *tu ātmani īśa bhuvi.* So what was the realization of Brahmā after *tapasya*? Now, *gandham iva atisūkṣmaṁ bhūtendriya.* Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca* : "I am the smell within the earth." So everyone knows there is smell within the earth, there is color within the earth. Everything is there within the earth; otherwise how in a particular plant the color and the smell, the flavor and everything is..., beauty, everything is coming? You daily see. So ordinarily you see heaps of dirt, but everything is there. Similarly, ordinarily we see this universe, but in every atom there is Kṛṣṇa. That was realized by Brahmā. Then he became the great personality to teach us. *Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye*. In this way He instructed *ādi-kavi,* the first learned man—*kavi* means learned man—Brahmā, Vedic knowledge. So there was no other teacher. Kṛṣṇa taught him. Therefore we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Kṛṣṇa instructed Brahmā. Brahmā instructed Nārada. Nārada instructed Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva instructed Śukadeva. In this way our *guru-paramparā* system. Therefore we worship the* guru *as Vyāsa-pūjā because representative of Vyāsa. And who is Vyāsa? Representative of Nārada. What is Nārada? Representative of Brahmā. What is Brahmā? Representative of Kṛṣṇa. This is called *paramparā* system. > So one has to learn this. But they cannot learn, because they do not undergo austerity. That is the defect. No education is there how to perform austerity. Therefore Vedic civilization is how to teach small children austerities. That is *brahmacārī.* So we want to start this *brahmacārī āśrama,* or *gurukula,* to learn austerity from the beginning of life. Then their life will be successful; they'll understand. Not to become a grammarian. That is not our... So we should take lesson from Brahmājī, our grandfather, that *pariśuddha-bhāvāḥ tīvra-tapasā.* This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, mercy, that we haven't got to undergo *tīvra-tapasā.* But we are thinking, "This is also very difficult." What is that? No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. But they are taking it very, very severe. What is the severity? We don't say "No sex," but "No illicit sex." This much *tapasya,* austerity, you cannot follow? *Tapasyā* must be there. Unless you undergo *tapasya,* there is no rescue. Even Brahmā had to perform *tapasya,* what to speak of us. You cannot avoid it. *Tapasā brahmacaryena*. Tapasyā* begins from *brahmacarya:* no illicit sex, no sex. But that is not possible, at least stop illicit sex. *Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa.* This is very important thing. --- ## Letters on March 13 *Letters from this day: 11* --- **[1968: Letter to Aniruddha](letters/1968/680313_aniruddha)** > I am so obliged to you for your hospitality with which you served me so long I was in Los Angeles; I was so much comfortably situated in spite of my not very good health. --- **[1969: Letter to Yamuna](letters/1969/690313_yamuna)** > I am happy to hear from you, but I am unhappy because I hear that for the last three months you are not keeping your good health. --- **[1970: Letter to Bali Mardan](letters/1970/700313_bali_mardan)** > I am so much obliged to you for the fine sentiment you have expressed in connection with my humble service; but this is not very extraordinary—every human being, for his own interest, should accept a Spiritual Master and abide by His order. --- **[1970: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1970/700313_satsvarupa)** > Although there are some minor mistakes in spelling of the proper names, that is not a problem. In my next letter I will point them out and give the correct spelling. --- **[1970: Letter to Sriman Bankaji](letters/1970/700313_sriman_bankaji)** > I left London sometime by the end of December, and since then I am staying here which is my headquarters. --- **[1970: Letter to Sudama](letters/1970/700313_sudama)** > The tape is already dispatched to you by air mail. Please acknowledge receipt. The typed copy of the lecture also you will find along with the record. --- **[1971: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1971/710313_satsvarupa)** > I have also received the newspaper clipping showing Hrdayananda's wedding and it is very nice. --- **[1975: Letter to Dr. R.F. Rao](letters/1975/750313_dr._r.f._rao)** > I had not received any letter from you until now, Svarupa Damodara das is in our Atlanta temple. --- **[1975: Letter to Manasvi](letters/1975/750313_manasvi)** > I have accepted the persons whom you have recommended for 1st initiation. Their names are: Linda—Lilasravana, Kathryn—Kamini, Cynthia—sita, Joe—Yasodala, Ronald—Ranganatha. --- **[1977: Letter to Bhagavat Asraya](letters/1977/770313_bhagavat_asraya)** > On your recommendation, I accept Sriman Rabindranatha Dasa, Sriman Mahabhuj Dasa, and Matachandra Libha for second initiation. --- **[1977: Letter to Srila Prabhupada](letters/1977/770313_srila_prabhupada)** > Let me first offer my fallen head under the petal-soft soles of your lotus feet, where I hope it will eternally remain. ---