# March 24 ## Spoken on March 24 *Lectures from this day: 9 recordings* --- **[1968: Initiation Ceremony of Viṣṇujana](spoken/1968/680324in.sf)** > The brahminical qualifications is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā: satyam śauca śama dama titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam*. Those who are actually *brāhmaṇas,* they must be truthful, always clean, inside and outside. Truthful, clean, and controlling the senses, *śama dama,* controlling the mind, controlling the senses, controlling the mind; *śama dama titikṣa,* tolerance, *titikṣa,* tolerance; *ārjavam,* simplicity; and *jñānam,* must be profoundly wise; *vijñānam,* practical application in life; *jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam,* full faith in scriptures and in God, or Kṛṣṇa, *āstikyam. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam:* "These are natural duties, or work, of a *brāhmaṇa.*" > Brāhmaṇas* means those who are interested in spiritual life, they are called *brāhmaṇas,* intelligent class. They are called intelligent class, because unless one is intelligent, he will simply consider that this body is he, identification of the body. That is foolishness. *Brāhmaṇas* means *brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ.* One who knows that "I am *ahaṁ brahmāsmi,*" and he has actually realized that "I am not this body; I am pure spirit self..." It is not the question of Hindu, Muslim. Anyone. Anyone who knows this knowledge that "I am the self," and acts in that way, he is a *brāhmaṇa.* --- **[1969: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.11–13](spoken/1969/690324sb.haw)** > So our business is how Kṛṣṇa will accept our service. This verse we have already discussed, that *naivātmanaḥ prabhur ayaṁ nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ*. He does not require any ser..., anyone's service, because He's complete. There is no want. Unless He's perfect, how He can be the Supreme? The perfect means... We have got so many wants, because we are imperfect. Especially in this material condition, we have got so many demands, wants, because we are living in an atmosphere which is imperfect. But Kṛṣṇa is perfect, *pūrṇam. Pūrṇa-brahma. Pūrṇa-brahma.* Another name of the Absolute Truth is *pūrṇa-brahma.* Brahman means the greatest, the great and the greatest. And *pūrṇa, pūrṇa* means complete. Greatest. > Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja begins his prayer, according to his capacity. So he first of all begins, *brahmādayo vayam iva īśa na, na ca udvijantaḥ*. He says, "My dear Lord, here all the demigods, headed by Brahma, they are very nice people. They are not disturbing elements like us. Because we..., I am born of the demon family." The demons are always disturbing. Their business is to nullify the existence of God. Therefore they're always disturbing. If there is a certain class of citizens, if they are simply after agitation that "This government is useless," that means they are disturbing. --- **[1971: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.137–146](spoken/1971/710324cc.bom)** > This form is explained in the *Brahma-saṁhitā: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam* [Bs. 5.33]. Acyuta.* And He does not fall down. *Acyuta* means thing which does not fall down. So just like we are, we are living entities, we fall down in the clutches of *māyā.* But Kṛṣṇa does not fall down. The Māyāvādī philosophers mistake that. They think that as we come to this material world with a material body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa also comes with a material body. No. That is not the fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā manuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ*. > Simply by devotional service one becomes purified, even he is born in the family of the dog-eaters. That is the Vedic version. Caitanya Mahāprabhu quotes from *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ataeva bhakti kṛṣṇa prāptyera*. Therefore He concludes that "If you want at all Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa... We should, everyone should want Kṛṣṇa. Because as soon as we get Kṛṣṇa... *Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ*. If actually we get Kṛṣṇa, then we shall not consider any other profit more valuable than Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.43 [Partially Recorded](spoken/1972/720324sb.bom)** > So you have to rectify your faulty senses—eyes, hands, everything. Then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is stated here: *kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām*. In this age, *kalau*... This is called Kali, Age of Kali—fighting. Quarrel means disagreement and fight, *kalau. Kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ*. This *Purāna*, this *Bhagavata*-*Purāna*, is just like sunshine, or sun: *adhunoditaḥ*. So we should take advantage of this sunshine, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's..., what is called, *śabdha* incarnation. This *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*... Kṛṣṇa has many incarnations. Just like here, we are worshiping the Deity, this is called *arcā-avatāra.* Similarly, this *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is sound *avatāra*. Kṛṣṇa can appear as *avatāra* in anything, because this sound means from sky, and this *arcā* is from stone. > Kṛṣṇa claims, *bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ khaṁ buddhir*. *Khaṁ* means *ākāśāḥ*. From the *ākāśāḥ*, from the sky, there is *śabdha,* sound vibration. That is the symptom that existence of *ākāśāḥ*. And this *arcā-mūrti*, that is also made of stone, but Kṛṣṇa..., the stone is nothing but energy of Kṛṣṇa; the sound is energy of Kṛṣṇa. So as the sunshine is energy of the sun... When there is sunshine, the energy of the sun, you can understand the sun is there. Similarly, from anything, if you have got realization, you can understand Kṛṣṇa—energy. So this is, this *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* is sound vibration incarnation of Kṛṣṇa: *apurna, purāṇārko adhunoditaḥ*. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 4.4](spoken/1974/740324bg.bom)** > Arjuna knew it perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa, his friend, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But to clarify the matter for others... Because those who are not devotee, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa or *Bhagavad-gītā.* That we have explained in the previous verse. Kṛṣṇa says that "The subject matter of *Bhagavad-gītā* is a great mystery, *rahasyam,* but because you are My devotee and because you are My friend, therefore, I am again speaking to you the same *yoga* system which was long, long millions of years ago I spoke to the sun-god." *Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam*. > And Kṛṣṇa says also that *sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā* : "I appear and disappear by My own energy." We are forced by the other energy. Just like I have got human body now. Now I shall have to change my body after my death. That change of body is not in my hand. Factually, it is in my hand, because according to *karma,* if I work nicely, then you get good body. And if you do not work nicely, then we get bad body. That is we can understand from the *śāstra. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ*. --- **[1974: Morning Walk](spoken/1974/740324mw.bom)** > These boys, these cowherds boys, they have accumulated *kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ,* heaps of pious activities; therefore they are now allowed to play with Kṛṣṇa. *Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ.* Not ordinary thing. So the impersonalists, they cannot understand, "What is this, playing with Kṛṣṇa, cowherds boy?" But here it is said, *kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ.* This is not ordinary thing. *Itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. Satām.* Those who are trying to appreciate *brahma-sukha,* for them, here is the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa. And *dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena.* And those who have accepted to become the servant of the Lord, for them here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And *māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. Mūḍha. Māyāśritānām.* They are thinking, "Oh, He is Kṛṣṇa, ordinary boy. What is this?" But they are playing. These boys are playing with Him. Why? *Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ.* Of many lives pious activities, they have come to this position, *kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa.* [aside:] Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break]...to understand Kṛṣṇa and to engage himself in the service of the Lord, it requires a qualification, that completely... *Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ...* > We have engaged our senses for different purposes, but when we engage our senses for the service of the master of the senses, that is called *bhakti. Bhakti* is also service, but it is not service to the senses, but it is service to the master of the senses. This is *bhakti.* So constitutionally I am servant. I cannot become master. I have to serve. So if I don't serve the master of the senses, then I will have to serve the senses. This is our position. --- **[1976: Talk at Rādhā-Govinda Mandir](spoken/1976/760324r1.cal)** > Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād* [Cc Ādi *1.5*]. Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, the same Absolute Truth. Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and when Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy, He expands His pleasure potency in the form of Rādhārāṇī. And when He wants to spread the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, He takes the form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and very kindly He gives the love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has offered Him obeisances, *namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te*. > So although I was not belonging to this family... Or perhaps originally we belonged to this family, because they are also De, we are De, but practically I was born in this family, and *śucīnāṁ śrīmatām.* And my father was a very pure Vaiṣṇava. So these opportunities we got; now it is developed in a wider scale. It is all Kṛṣṇa's arrangement, maybe from my previous life. But you are cooperating, you American and European, so we are spreading the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this mission, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa mission it is practically. *Śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya [*Śrī Guru-paramparā,*text 6]. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is combination of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/770324r1.bom)** > "The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, if not bowed down before the Personality of Godhead, who can award *mukti,* or freedom, is a heavy burden only. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles, if not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, are like those of a dead man." > Nava yogendra: Should I read now Śrīla Prabhupāda? "*Oṁ gurave namaḥ.* Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. *Jaya* Śrīla Prabhupāda...* [Transl. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda all the time. My worshipable spiritual master Śrīla Prabhupādajī."] [break] --- **[1977: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.20](spoken/1977/770324sb.bom)** > So this is going on, *bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate*. Therefore we should understand that we are tiny spiritual sparks. As it is said in the *Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatāṁśa-sadṛśātmakaḥ* : our real constitution is that we are minute spiritual sparks, one ten-thousandth of the tip of a hair, *keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatāda.* So we are by nature servants; we are part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit, Kṛṣṇa. We can never become independent. Just like the finger is part and parcel of the body, so that finger can never be independent. The finger has no independent existence outside of the body. If the finger is cut off from the body and falls down on the ground, then it is useless; it has no value. While the finger is attached to the body, we may pay millions of rupees, *crores* of rupees, to save our finger, but once it is cut off, then we kick it away; it is useless. So in the same way we are by nature infinitesimal, we are tiny spiritual sparks, part of God, and if we break that connection with the Supreme Lord, our existence has no meaning; it is useless existence. Just like the spark of the fire, so long it remains in the fire it is fiery, it has heat and light, but as soon as that spiritual spark falls out of the fire, it is immediately extinguished. In the same way, as soon as we lose our connection with Kṛṣṇa, our existence, our spiritual life, eternal life of bliss and knowledge, becomes extinguished by the material atmosphere. But just as that spark, extinguished spark, can again be placed inside the fire and his real fiery nature can be revived, in the same way, as soon as we again establish our lost relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, at that time we can again enjoy our eternal life of bliss and knowledge. And that connection is called *yoga,* and Kṛṣṇa says, > So we can analyze, in this human form of life, that that body which I have accepted, that is *asat*, temporary. As Prahlāda Mahārāja says, *asat-grahām*, we have accepted the *asat,* and we have forgotten that which is *sat*, or eternal. Therefore it is said, *durlabha mānuṣa janama sat-saṅge*: now, in this *mānuṣa-janama*, which is so difficult to obtain, we should take the opportunity and associate with that which is eternal. Otherwise, if we cannot take this opportunity to find out what is eternal, or Brahman, whatever we are doing at the present time, that is useless, because by the subtle power of time it will be finished, whatever it may be. As Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* [10.34], *mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham*: "I will come as death and take everything away." --- ## Letters on March 24 *Letters from this day: 21* --- **[1969: Letter to Aniruddha](letters/1969/690324_aniruddha)** > Mahapurusa Brahmacari is prepared to go with me on the 31st instant, if you can send his passage fare of $75, and he will do the cooking and upkeep of my apartment while I am in San Francisco. I shall be happy to greet you on Monday next, and we shall discuss all things further; in the meantime, I hope you are feeling well and happy there,. --- **[1969: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1969/690324_brahmananda)** > I have already written to Purusottama about TLC consignment and probably you might have received letter from him by now. --- **[1969: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1969/690324_kirtanananda)** > So far the cucumber pickles: As far as possible we should not offer to the Deity things which are prepared by nondevotees. We can accept from them raw fruits, grains or similar raw things. --- **[1969: Letter to Prabhavati](letters/1969/690324_prabhavati)** > Your letter is very nice and I am very much encouraged to hear of more young American boys and girls who are searching after God. --- **[1969: Letter to Satyabhama](letters/1969/690324_satyabhama)** > I am happy to hear that you and your good husband are living peacefully at New Vrindaban and executing Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1969: Letter to Syama](letters/1969/690324_syama)** > I an in due receipt of your nice letter, and I thank you very much for your kind sentiments. --- **[1969: Letter to Upendra](letters/1969/690324_upendra)** > Regarding your Draft Board questions: We are trying at the moment to get our society recognized by them as a bona fide religious institution, and if this is successful, rest assured that there will be no trouble for you. Kartikeya has been classified in 4D ministerial status, because the officer who came to inquire about him was satisfied, but his instance is not generally recognized. --- **[1970: Letter to Damodara](letters/1970/700324_damodara)** > Do not feel inferior complexity. When Krsna will give you chance, you will do more than others are doing. But whatever you do, do it nicely in Krsna's service, and Krsna will bless you. --- **[1970: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1970/700324_mukunda)** > It is a good addition to my missionary activities, and I thank you very much. In the London streets, introduction of Rathayatra procession, as well as Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony procession, and in the most important part of the city, a Radha Krsna Temple—all these things are great achievement of your London Yatra party, and personally I feel a great credit for me because by such activities my Guru Maharaja is certainly very pleased upon us. So whatever progress we are making by the grace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, we must stick to them and make further progress. --- **[1971: Letter to Bhagavan](letters/1971/710324_bhagavan)** > I am very glad you are getting many private home kirtana engagements. The more one understands about God, the more he becomes wise and ultimately he achieves the goal of his life. --- **[1971: Letter to Bhavananda](letters/1971/710324_bhavananda)** > The enclosed letter may be handed over to Mr. J. Mukherjee which speaks for itself. In any case we are not able to help him with passage money for returning to India. --- **[1971: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1971/710324_jayapataka)** > Since I have come back from Calcutta to Bombay, I have not received any letter from you, so I am very much anxious to hear from you. --- **[1971: Letter to John Milner](letters/1971/710324_john_milner)** > I am so glad to hear how both yourself and Harold Kanter have been working so nicely under the guidance of Gargamuni Maharaja, to push on Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Sankirtana Movement there in Tallahassee, Florida. --- **[1971: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1971/710324_satsvarupa)** > It is very encouraging news to hear that we have one new center in Amherst, Mass. --- **[1973: Letter to Bali-Mardana](letters/1973/730324_bali-mardana)** > We are negotiating the purchase of the Bombay property for a lump sum cash payment of about 10 lakhs, which at the official rate amounts to about $130,000. --- **[1973: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1973/730324_giriraja)** > Last time you attempted to take loan from the bank, but this was not fruitful because Srimati Morarji would not stand as guarantor. So, if you agree to return back the money with interest ($130,000) to our Mayapur construction work, then I shall arrange the money from USA. --- **[1974: Letter to Bhagavan](letters/1974/740324_bhagavan)** > You may chant on their beads and hold a fire yajna in the temple. As GBC you must see that they and all the devotees in the temples are first of all chanting at least 16 rounds on beads. --- **[1974: Letter to Dayananda](letters/1974/740324_dayananda)** > I have accepted the devotees named by you as my disciples and their spiritual names are as follows --- **[1976: Letter to Devotees](letters/1976/760324_devotees)** > With reference to our meeting on March 20, 1976 at Haridaspore, I beg to propose that immediately we require at least Rs. --- **[1976: Letter to Sri Kashinath Mullick](letters/1976/760324_sri_kashinath_mullick)** > I do not know how many devotees are staying there for taking prasadam, but I want at least 25 devotees to stay there regularly for taking prasadam, occasionally holding festivals also for distributing prasadam to anyone who visits the temple. I am thinking in this line. I am hoping that you can give me your considerate opinion as to how it can be done. --- **[1976: Letter to Sri S.R. Acarya](letters/1976/760324_sri_s.r._acarya)** > Acarya, Sripally Palta District 24-Parganas W. You can come to our Vrindaban Temple. If you are in difficulty then by showing this letter you can take a railroad ticket from our Abhirama das Adhikari, the president of our Calcutta temple located at 3 Albert Road, Calcutta-17, near Camac Street and, Theater Road. ---