# May 17 ## Spoken on May 17 *Lectures from this day: 9 recordings* --- **[1970: Śrī Īśopaniṣad mantra 11](spoken/1970/700517ip.la)** > We are eternal by nature. As God is eternal, we are also eternal living entities. That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, second chapter *na jāyate mriyate vā*. These living entities, actually they do not take birth or do not die. The birth and death is just like changing of this dress. Just like I am now in this dress, next moment I will take out all these dresses—I become naked body. > The child in the womb of the mother sleeps, unconscious, and when the body is made up, he has got his hands, legs, eyes, everything manufactured; then consciousness comes back, and that time the child moves and desires to come out, prays. One who is advanced in his previous life, he understands, "Oh, I am again put into this condition. I did not utilize my life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore I am again put into this condition." It is very risky. Don't try to go again into the womb of the mother. It is very, I mean to say, distressful, packed-up. --- **[1973: Morning Walk at Cheviot Hills Golf Course](spoken/1973/730517mw.la)** > This example is given in the *Bhāgavata. Nīhāra.* This is called *nīhāra.* Just like *nīhāra* is immediately dissipated by *bhāskara,* by the sun, similarly, if one can awaken his dormant devotion, then all finished, all his reaction of sinful activities, finished. *Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ.* You just create... You calculate sun is composition of this chemical, that chemical. Just create one sun and throw it. Simply theoretical future, bluff and juggling of words, that's not good. > He wanted nonviolence. He died out of violence. Therefore all his philosophy failed. And Indian independence was achieved not by Gandhi's nonviolence method but Subhas Bose's violence method. And he wanted to explain nonviolence from *Bhagavad-gītā.* Just see, another foolishness. *Bhagavad-gītā* is spoken in the battlefield, and he was screwing some meaning to prove his nonviolence. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.9.3](spoken/1973/730517sb.la)** > That is the difference between a perfect Kṛṣṇa conscious person and a perfect, I mean to say, mundane person. The difference is that a Kṛṣṇa conscious, a devotee, is no more under the influence of the three modes of material nature. But ordinarily, everyone should be..., is—"he should be," not; is—under the control. Therefore they are called *dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ,* the best of the *brāhmaṇas.* Even a *brāhmaṇa* is also under the control of material nature. But the same *brāhmaṇa,* when he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, he becomes the best of the *brāhmaṇas. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ*. Or he becomes *ṛṣi. Viprarṣe.* > And so Kṛṣṇa said, "No, My wife wants it. I must." That is Kṛṣṇa. [laughter] How He is complete, just like a hen-pecked husband [laughter] to satisfy the wife in every respect. When He plays the part of a child before Mother Yaśodā, He plays everything perfectly. When He plays the husband... He doesn't require any wife or mother. He is Supreme. But when He plays the part of a husband, He plays it perfectly. The wife may think that "How much my husband is attached to me!" So she remains very much satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is not attached to anyone, but that is Kṛṣṇa's superexcellence, that although He had to satisfy 16,800..., 108 wives, everyone was satisfied and everyone is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is very much attached to me than His others wife..., other wives." This is Kṛṣṇa's play. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750517mw.per)** >problem. As he sees it, the biggest problem is that the industrial civilization, the big companies and consumer society, are taking the natural resources at such a pace that they are causing pollution and they are causing in the future a great scarcity of certain products, and, in other words, he thinks they're ruining the earth. > [in car] [*Core core māstuta bhāi,* a thief and a thief are cousin-brothers—Bengali proverb.] "You have to do your business and same I have to do my business. Let us support one another." In all other fields, they are inimical, and the scientific field they are friends. That means that if a scientist, another scientist, exposes me, then my attempt will be futile, so let us don't do it. --- **[1975: Room Conversation](spoken/1975/750517r1.per)** > That is first class. They are snatching a motorcar mechanic as first class. Because he knows some mechanical arrangement how to do it, he is first class. Such things are being done by the demons. Machine or wonderful building, these things are done by the demons. Now to begin? Time is up? --- **[1976: Lecture about Māyāvāda Philosophy](spoken/1976/760517le.hon)** > So this Gayā city is still existent. The temple is existent, and people go there. So Lord Buddha flourished in this Gayā Province. *Kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati*. In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* it is predicted where the list of the incarnation of Godhead is given in the Fourth Chapter, I think. In that list, Lord Buddha's name is mentioned. Not only his name, but his mother's name: *añjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati*. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* was compiled by Vyāsadeva five thousand years ago, and Lord Buddha was to appear in between from this date, about 2,600 years ago he appeared. Therefore the word is given there *bhaviṣyati*, "future." Five thousand years ago it was future tense; therefore *bhaviṣyata*. So *śāstra* is like that: *bhūta*, *bhaviṣyata*, *vartamān*. *Bhūta* means "past," and *bhaviṣyata* means "future," and *vartamān* means "present." > But there is supreme religion. These are all temporary religion—Hinduism, Buddha-ism, Christianism and Muhammadanism. There are so many "isms." They are all temporary; temporary in this sense: that because one is born in Hindu family or in Christian family, he is automatically Christian. Even if he does not accept the principles of Christian or Hindu, because he is born in the family of a Hindu or Christian or Muhammadan, he is accepted as Hindu, Muslim. But that is due to this body. The body is also temporary; therefore that sort of religion is also temporary. As soon as the body is changed, now the religion is changed. Everything is changed with the change of body. Not only in human society, but if the body is changed... Suppose today I am a human being; tomorrow I may become a tree. That is also plant society. So tree is standing for thousand of years—he is very happy—but if you are asked to stand for three hours, you will die practically. So why? Because due to the change of body the toleration is there. All sense enjoyment is offered by the laws of nature according to the change of body. *Deha-yogena dehinām*. *Deha-yogena*. This philosophy practically is unknown to the world, that the body changes and our sense gratification, material enjoyment, is offered according to the body. Just like a hog: hog's sense enjoyment is stool-eating. He enjoys life by eating stool. Why? Because he has got a particular type of body. *Deha-yogena dehinām*. According to this body, we enjoy our senses. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.17](spoken/1976/760517sb.hon)** > Desire is so strong. So how to make it zero? That is not possible. To make it zero means no more material desire. That is to make zero material desires. *Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam*. That is more lucidly explained in the *Nārada-bhakti-sūtra.* Desire means we should give up the desire of this body of designation: "I am Indian; you are American," "I am Hindu; you are Christian." These are all designation of the body. I... Accidentally I am born in India; therefore I call myself Indian. You are accidentally... Not accidentally; some way or other born in... You are American. Accidentally somebody takes birth in the Hindu family; he becomes Hindu. Accidentally he takes birth in the Christian family; he becomes Christian. These are all designation. So when we give up this designation, that is desirelessness. Designation. > So Kṛṣṇa taught him *Bhagavad-gītā.* Then, still, He gave him the freedom, *yathecchasi tathā kuru* : "Now Arjuna, I have instructed you everything. Now you decide what to do." It is not force. Reply was that now, *naṣṭo moho smṛtir labdhā:* "My illusion is now over. I have got... I am now remembering what I am." That remembering means "I am not belonging to this family." *Tvat prasādād madhusūdana. Smṛtir labdhā. Smṛtir.* This is... In the material world we have lost our memory that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and my duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa." This is our position. This is called illusion. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of this finger? To abide by the order of the body. I want, "Finger, you stand like this"; the finger is standing. "You come here," "Yes." That is part and parcel. That is part and parcel. So if we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. There is no other duty. But we have created so many duties, and that is designation. --- **[1977: Conversations](spoken/1977/770517r1.vrn)** > Mr. Bose: Yes. As I am engrossed in this way. It is only through his grace I got extricated. It was impossible. I have got all ameneties. Still, the world has entrapped me in such a way that several times I promised to him; I could not extricate myself. But this time, I realized it and I last only... That strictness I found. Without him nobody can do it. > Mr. Bose: Kavi. In the mission only he is to poet, no other *sannyāsīs* and nobody, even not Prabhupāda, any *sannyāsī.* But he realized it. He always used to address him. How much love he saw, Prabhupāda. Yesterday I spoke, yesterday night. The greatest living export that has been brought down by God, it is what Bhaktivedanta Prabhupāda. He is the living export, Indian culture...* [Transl. the message which he propogated there first]...in the world. --- ## Letters on May 17 *Letters from this day: 16* --- **[1968: Letter to Gosainji](letters/1968/680517_gosainji)** > I hope this will find you in good health, with my good wishes for Ma Gosain Panchu, and other members of your family. --- **[1968: Letter to Sirs](letters/1968/680517_sirs)** > With reference to our conversation of the 27th November, 1971, I beg to inform you that when I visited India in 1967, our account was settled up until the month of August, 1967. --- **[1969: Letter to Krsna Dasa](letters/1969/690517_krsna_dasa)** > I am very much encouraged to receive your letter of May 12, 1969, along with the German articles published in two different papers with pictures. --- **[1969: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1969/690517_rayarama)** > My advice to you under the circumstances is that at least for one hour you must all go to have Sankirtana outside on the streets or in the park. --- **[1969: Letter to Rsi Kumara](letters/1969/690517_rsi_kumara)** > I can understand that you are very interested in Sankirtana Party, so you may be in charge of this activity in the New York temple. --- **[1969: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1969/690517_rupanuga)** > I think that if there is a chance for opening a center in Toronto, then Jagadisa and Kanupriya may go there as soon as possible. --- **[1970: Letter to Yamuna](letters/1970/700517_yamuna)** > Thank you for your determination. For the way in which I am trying to expand I require so many sincere assistants. --- **[1971: Letter to Advaita](letters/1971/710517_advaita)** > I have also received Pradyumna's letter, but I cannot understand what he is asking. In the meantime get busy with the printing of Bhagavad-gita and that will encourage me to come there sooner. --- **[1971: Letter to Atreya Rsi](letters/1971/710517_atreya_rsi)** > I have just recently received one letter from Bhavananda Prabhu highly requesting that you be initiated and I am glad to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. --- **[1971: Letter to Karandhara](letters/1971/710517_karandhara)** > Now Dai Nippon has agreed to keep my book fund deposit separate and they admit that they never intended to intermingle the two accounts, so you can resume sending to them. --- **[1971: Letter to Professor G. G. Kotovsky](letters/1971/710517_professor_g._g._kotovsky)** > I beg to inform you that a letter received from you in my Bombay address was redirected here some four or five days ago, but I have not received it as of yet. --- **[1972: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1972/720517_jayapataka)** > Yes, we shall personally supervise everything there at Mayapur, instead of giving everything to contractor. --- **[1972: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1972/720517_satsvarupa)** > So now he has come to Los Angeles so I am sending you their threads and two copies of gayatri mantra enclosed. You may hold a fire yagna and give them both gayatri mantra. you know well how to do it. --- **[1974: Letter to Jayatirtha](letters/1974/740517_jayatirtha)** > This touring program has been postponed. So for now do not bother about this capital. --- **[1974: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1974/740517_madhudvisa)** > I have also received a previous telegram in which you said you sent us tickets Air India, London-Melbourne round trip. --- **[1974: Letter to Paramesvari](letters/1974/740517_paramesvari)** > I understand that for over two months since Brahmananda Swami has been away from Africa, you have been in charge of the Nairobi center. ---