# May 2 ## Spoken on May 2 *Lectures from this day: 11 recordings* --- **[1969: Lecture at International Student Association Cambridge [near Boston](spoken/1969/690502le.bos)** > That central point is there, Kṛṣṇa is saying, that *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān*.Jñānavan* means who has actually acquired knowledge. *Jñānavān.Jñāna* means knowledge, and *vān* means one who possesses. So one who possesses actual knowledge, after... We are cultivating knowledge. If we are actually cultivating knowledge, spiritual knowledge, not in one life but many, many lives, then when we actually become on the highest platform of knowledge, *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān,* then Kṛṣṇa says, *mam prapadyate:* "He comes and surrenders unto Me, Kṛṣṇa," or God. > It is not natural. Natural means up to the animal life it is natural. Then come to the human form of life. Then it is discretion. As you like, you make your choice. If you like Kṛṣṇa, you can go to Kṛṣṇa. If you like something else, you can go there. That is your discretion. Everyone has got independence, little independence. Kṛṣṇa says at the end of *Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* "Just you surrender unto Me, giving up everything." If it is natural, then why should He say, "You should do this"? It is not natural. One has to learn it. Therefore he requires a spiritual master like Kṛṣṇa or His representative. But he has got the potency to accept it. And because he has got little independence, he can reject it. --- **[1970: Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Mantra 1](spoken/1970/700502ip.la)** > So this covering of the sunshine is temporary. Actually, sunshine cannot be covered. The whole sunshine cannot be covered. That is not possible. An insignificant portion of the sunshine may be covered, or is covered sometimes by the cloud. Similarly, this material world is an insignificant portion of the spiritual world, covered by this material energy. That's all. And what is the position of material energy? The material energy is also another form of the spiritual energy. That means absence of spiritual activity, that is material. That's all. > Therefore less intelligent class of men, they cannot understand how this material energy is being controlled by the Supreme Lord. The godless men, those who are of opinions that this material energy is working automatically, they are fools. That is the explanation of *Īśopaniṣad. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam* [Īśo*mantra* 1]. Everything is being controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And therefore, because He is the supreme controller, therefore He is the supreme proprietor. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.6–14](spoken/1972/720502sb.tok)** > Therefore one should take little risk in order to enter into the eternal life, blissful life. One should take a little risk. That is advised by Nārada. And the same instruction, while he was giving, that... First of all he said, "All this nonsense, that *jugupsitam,* they are abominable. Because you are writing books, *dharma artha kāma mokṣa,* so later on, you are authority, Vyāsadeva, people will stick to this. And if even Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam*, 'You give up all this nonsense, you simply surrender,' they will not hear, because you are writing so many nonsense books." > Why? Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate*.* At least it is guaranteed that you get next life a human form of life, and in a very well-to-do condition, either in rich family or in the family of a very high class *brāhmaṇa* or Vaiṣṇava. So therefore he is not losing anything. And the other man, who is sticking to his own occupational duty and does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is losing everything, because after this body nobody knows where he is going. Either going to be a cat or dog or tree or where, he does not know. --- **[1973: Morning Walk "The Origin of Life"](spoken/1973/730502mw.la)** > You and Dr. Rao just make a combination, world-touring. I shall give you all expenditure. And go to the universities, scientists, and talk with them. Our *kīrtana* party also will go. We challenge all scientists, "Come on." We shall pay all expenditure. Ask Dr. Rao to come and join. Just like in Calcutta University, all the students... No, one leader student, he came. He talked about economic development, and he said that "Our students did not derive any speach[?] by your theological statement." So I told them that "Because you are all rascals, therefore you could not." I told them freely. > It is the question of feeling. Matter, matter means where there is absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In other things there is also consciousness. Because there is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is material. And so far we are concerned, we have got the same consciousness, but Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore we are superior, spiritual. So this material world means this part, and spiritual world means this part. This is the difference. Here you have got feeling. So that means the conclusion is when you have feeling in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is spiritual, that is superior. When you have no feeling of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is inferior. The same thing can be turned into superior and inferior by the change of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.40](spoken/1973/730502sb.la)** > Just like the so-called scientists. Because they're trying to understand by exercising their this imperfect senses, they always remain imperfect. Just like our Svarūpa Dāmodara inquired, that "If I give you the ingredients to produce life, will you be able to produce life?" He questioned one scientist. He said, "That I do not know." The imperfect knowledge. If you do not know, then your knowledge is imperfect. Why you have become teacher? That is cheating. When you have got imperfect knowledge, why you take the position of the teacher? That should..., you should not have done that. Therefore our position, to become perfect, is to take lesson from the perfect. Kṛṣṇa is the perfect. Kṛṣṇa says, *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. So we take the knowledge from the perfect. Therefore this understanding, that soul is eternal, that is perfect. > This is birth. Not that the living entity is taking birth. Because that is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate vā* : the living entity does not take birth, neither he dies. Anything which does not take birth does not die also. Death is for such thing which is created. Which is not created, it has no death. *Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. Kadācit,* "at any time." Kṛṣṇa says *kadācit.* It is not that now it is not taking birth; formerly it took birth. No. *Na kadācit.* "Oh, I see this is, this is child is now born." No, it is not born. *Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ purāṇaḥ:* that living entity is eternal; *śāśvataḥ,* always existing; *purāṇaḥ,* very, very old. Very, very old. Then? *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. Don't think that when this body will be destroyed that living entity will be destroyed. No, it will continue. --- **[1974: Morning Walk](spoken/1974/740502mw.bom)** > The viṣera bhāṇḍa, amṛta baliyā yebā khāya [*Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura]. If one mistakes that this is the pot of nectarean, ambrosia, then what is the result? "He remains within the cycle of birth and death." *Nānā yoni brahman kare, kadarya bhakṣaṇa kare.* And if he gets the body of a hog and dog, then he eats all the abominable things. *Nānā yoni..., tāra janma adhah-pāte yāya.* So he condemns his human form of body in this way. Spoils. So one should not be attached to *karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam* [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*1.1.11]. > They do not know Me." *Yatatām api siddhānām*. Eh? Yatatām api siddhānām.* They were *siddhas,* but they do not know Kṛṣṇa. Yes. --- **[1976: Śrī Śrī Kāliya Kṛṣṇa Cornerstone Installation](spoken/1976/760502di.fij)** > Guru's* first business is to deliver the suffering humanity from the forest fire of this material existence. This material existence is compared with forest fire. You know there is fire in the forest. Big forest, nobody goes there to set fire, but automatically there is fire. Therefore this material existence has been compared with the forest fire. Here everyone wants to become happy, but there is fire. Even if we do not want, there is fire, miseries, because this place, this material world, is place for suffering. It is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the *Bhagavad-gītā, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam*. > This place is for suffering. But under the spell of *māyā,* sufferings we have taken as happiness or enjoying. This is called *māyā.* Actually there is no enjoyment here. Where is enjoyment? When we have to die, then where is the question of enjoyment? Does anyone want to die? No. Nobody wants to die. If there is some danger immediately, immediately we shall flee away. That is... Nobody wants to die. Therefore, in the *Bhagavad-gītā* the four principles of unhappiness is described by the Supreme Lord, *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam .* Those who are intelligent, they will see four principles of major suffering. What is that? *Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi:* to take birth, to die, and to suffer from disease and to become old. So, so long you have got this material body, you have to suffer. Now, under the spell of *māyā* you can accept suffering as enjoyment. That is your business. But it is suffering. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760502r1.fij)** > That one moon is taken into account. Who takes account of millions of stars? *Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārāḥ sahasraśaḥ* [*Cāṇakya Paṇḍita*]. Quality. So we should be quality devotee, not quantity devotee. [drinking] Hmm. I have taken two glasses. Just see how nice water is, tap water. Here so many *ḍābs* are available, and this rascal is manufacturing RC* [Royal Crown cola], and he is going as to be..., as business. And for hearing *Bhagavad-gītā* they have no time, and they are trying to go to Vṛndāvana. Quantity, not quality. So civilization should be quality civilization, not quantity civilization. > That kind of staunch faith is not very easy. It is for the great personality. Immediately accepts. Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya*. Immediately accepts: "Yes." Then *sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.* That is not very easily done. That means *yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām*. He is completely free from all reaction of sinful life. *Puṇya-karmaṇām*—he is only engaged in pious activities. *Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānām, te dvandva-moha...* He has no more, I mean, doubt. *Dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ.* He has no doubt: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person." That's it. That's all. If you take by argument, reason, you may waste your time. But if you are intelligent, you can take it on the evidence of *mahājano yena gataḥ,* all the *mahājanas.* --- **[1977: Conversation with Shriman Narayan [Former Governor of Gujarat](spoken/1977/770502r1.bom)** > Śrīmān Nārāyaṇa: [Transl. Therefore I think whoever is in-charge of your Delhi or Bombay center, I will be in Delhi from 25th to 30th May, I will be there for one week, so if he can provide me all the details as you have just explained about visa problem, every three months they have to renew, any inquiry they have made etc, so that I can talk to him.] > Śrīmān Nārāyaṇa: [Transl. One of you keep in touch with Brahmacarijī, about where and what is the difficulty, and I will also speak to Rāmakṛṣṇajī. I am really very sad to hear all this. I didn't know anything about all this.] --- ## Letters on May 2 *Letters from this day: 15* --- **[1969: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1969/690502_rayarama)** > Regarding the boy, Birbhadra, I am glad to learn that you are taking proper care. The boy is very intelligent, but you should not only be kind upon him, that is understood because we should always be kind, but at the same time you should be very strict on disciplinary method. --- **[1972: Letter to Bhakta Dasa](letters/1972/720502_bhakta_dasa)** > I am very much happy that you are convinced of this Krishna Consciousness movement and philosophy, and that you are sincere to manage everything in a spiritual manner just pleasing to Lord Krishna. --- **[1972: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1972/720502_giriraja)** > These are very, very important program, so let it go on nicely, even if Madhudvisa leaves there. I have heard that some men have come from USA, so if Gurudasa needs some help, some can go there to help him. --- **[1972: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1972/720502_hansadutta)** > I do not know about these things, but I think a double-decker bus may not pass all the road obstacles such as bridges and tunnels between Germany and India, so I think a single-decker bus may be more practical for driving there. --- **[1972: Letter to Jagadisa](letters/1972/720502_jagadisa)** > Let us forget past incidents and let us look forward to rectify our defects. So far you are concerned, I am very much convinced of your sincere service. Simply become more concerned with increasing the spiritual content of our lives, and in this way all other problems like management will be easily solved, not that they can be solved by making some legal formula and having big big meetings and talks. --- **[1972: Letter to Karandhara](letters/1972/720502_karandhara)** > I am just now in receipt of your special-delivery letters dated April 29, 1972, and I am very much encouraged by the contents. --- **[1972: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1972/720502_kirtanananda)** > I have been dreaming for a long time that you ___ send something but I didn't get. --- **[1972: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1972/720502_satsvarupa)** > It is better to forget past incidents, whatever is done is done. So far you are concerned, I am very much convinced of your sincere service. That is our real work, to educate people in spiritual life by giving them the practical example, so I wanted that the GBC would be a chosen body of men for that purpose, to see how the students are learning and reporting to me as my secretaries. --- **[1973: Letter to Jadurani](letters/1973/730502_jadurani)** > Regarding the drawing for the TLC, you can do it in the same lines as it was done previously. --- **[1974: Letter to Iskcon Artists](letters/1974/740502_iskcon_artists)** > Still in this country of sandalwood pulp and rice grains are used to put on the forehead in different blessings. Saci should wear a nice sari and nice ornaments, wearing vermillion on the part of her hair. --- **[1974: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1974/740502_mukunda)** > I was in Hyderabad and on my return to Bombay I received your letter of April 15, 1974. --- **[1974: Letter to Pancaratna](letters/1974/740502_pancaratna)** > Your list of achievements by college course, Yoga club and programs in general is very impressive, particularly that you have a regular four credit college course at Fordham University wherein the students are required to read some of my books. The idea of employing an interested professor and making him the co-teacher seems to be a major break-through in our attempts to teach at the colleges. I am very happy about this. --- **[1975: Letter to Kartikeya Mahadevia](letters/1975/750502_kartikeya_mahadevia)** > The enclosure of the Gujarati paper clipping was received but I could not read the Gujarati language. --- **[1975: Letter to Mahamsa](letters/1975/750502_mahamsa)** > At the present moment, I am in New Delhi. If Hari Prasad Badruka donates the land as stipulated, then I wish to make him one of the trustees of Hare Krishna Land, Bombay. I am going to make a trust board for the Bombay Hare Krishna Land in which I wish to include Sri Panalala Pithi, Hari Prasad Badruka, as well as yourself as members of the trustee board. --- **[1975: Letter to Panalalaji](letters/1975/750502_panalalaji)** > Now I have decided to make a trustee board for Hare Krishna Land, Bombay. Out of them seven will be Indian and five will be foreigners. ---