# May 31 ## Spoken on May 31 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.14–15](spoken/1972/720531sb.la)** > So a great commander can also become *bhāgavata,* a great merchant can become also *bhāgavata,* and a great *brāhmaṇa,* learned scholar, he can also become *bhāgavata.* There is no restriction. Not that simply one who is Vedāntist, who is very learned scholar, he can become *bhāgavata.* No. The social system was so nice that everyone could become *bhāgavata.* The *brāhmaṇa* could become *bhāgavata,* a *kṣatriya* could become *bhāgavata,* a *vaiśya* could become *bhāgavata,* or a *śūdra* could also become a *bhāgavata. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ.* Kṛṣṇa says personally, "Never mind whether he's woman or a *śūdra* or a *vaiśya,*" *te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim,* "all of them can go back to home, back to Godhead." How? *Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ*. > So we have got our center in Dallas. All children should go, and the advanced girls, they should go there and take care. Just produce a new generation, just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Produce a new generation, *bāla-krīḍanakaiḥ,* from the very childhood thinking of Kṛṣṇa, playing of Kṛṣṇa, eating of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa... Then he cannot become otherwise. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was child, five-years-old child, he was teaching his class fellows. So they refused, that "Prahlāda, why you are bothering with this? When we shall get old, we shall think of this Kṛṣṇa." "No," he insisted. "No." *Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma... . "You cannot get again such opportunity. So you immediately begin. Immediately you try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious." All right, *kīrtana.* --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg](spoken/1974/740531bg.gen)** > The idea is that we should not be disturbed by these material miseries, which come and go like this change of season. It is not permanent. At the present moment, the whole human civilization is simply disturbed by the change of this cold and heat. Our all activities are there—how to stop this miserable condition of the body, which is impossible to stop. So if we simply become affected by the miserable condition... The miserable condition in the material world must be there. You cannot stop this miserable condition of material existence. It will come and go away. It will simply disturb you. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ*: one has to be detached from this coming and going, miserable condition of material existence. And how it is possible? That is also said, *man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ:* "One has to be absorbed in My thought and has to take My shelter." The *jñāna* means knowledge. Knowledge means one must know that "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, I have been entangled in this material body." > This is a verse in Sanskrit spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Fourth Chapter, verse number ten. *Vīta-rāga* means "freed from attachment." *Bhaya* means fearfulness, and *krodha* means anger. So being freed from these material qualities. In the material existence, at the present moment, we are very much attached to the material enjoyment. That is called *rāga.* And if we cannot fulfill our desires, then there is *krodha,* anger. And accompanied by *krodha* and attachment, there is always a tendency of fearfulness. So Kṛṣṇa says... "Kṛṣṇa" means... When I speak Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. So *man-mayā,* when one becomes attached to God, giving up the attachment of this material sense pleasure, when one becomes... Attachment must be there, either this way or that way. If we do not become attached to the Supreme Being, then we must be attached to this material enjoyment. Therefore it is said *vīta-rāga,* "Giving up the attachment of this material world, when you transfer your attachment to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Being," *man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ... Upāśrita* means "taking shelter of Me." Unless you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His representative, there is no possibility of being detached from this material enjoyment. *Bahavaḥ. Bahavaḥ* means many. *Jñāna-tapasā:* by knowledge and austerities. *Bahavo jñāna-tapasā.* --- **[1974: Room Conversation with Monsieur Roost, Haṭha-yogī](spoken/1974/740531r1.gen)** > It is confirmed by the greatest authority, and if we practice... This practice can be done in the association of devotees. And that is perfection of life. There are some conditions about self-control: no meat-eating, no fish, no eggs, no illicit sex life and no intoxication, even smoking, drinking tea, and no gambling. And chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* and thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Very easy. And everyone can perform it without undergoing the bodily exercises, which is sometimes difficult for a common man. So one can adopt this *bhakti-yoga* process and become perfect. And this is confirmed in the *Bhagavad-gītā: yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram*. If one becomes accustomed to this habit and at the time of death he thinks of Kṛṣṇa, then his life is perfect. *Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran?* > Our process is *jñāne prayāsam udapāsya.* I know something, or I can know the Supreme, by my knowledge. "I am something, I am very important," our process is to forget this first of all. This is called humbleness, submissive. Generally, the *jñānīs, yogīs,* they are thinking that they can do something by their own endeavor. Our process is different, that "I am limited. My endeavor is limited. My knowledge is limited. So I cannot realize the Unlimited by these limited resources." This is our first submission, *jñāne prayāsam udapāsya,* that "I am limited; I am not unlimited." That's a fact. So how can I know the Unlimited by my limited activities? This is our first step, submissiveness. Just like in the Vedic literature it is stated that Mahā-Viṣṇu, the plenary expansion of Govinda, from His breathing innumerable universes are coming and going. *Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ* [Bs. 5.48]. --- **[1974: Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N.](spoken/1974/740531r2.gen)** > You simply enjoy what is allotted to you. Don't encroach upon others' property. This is God's arrangement. You enjoy. As human being, you enjoy life. You have got food grains, fruits, flowers, milk. Enjoy life. Offer to Kṛṣṇa. Enjoy life. Why should you kill animal? That is God's... *Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā.* He says, *patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam*. Why do you go to kill animals? That is not enjoyment. That means you will suffer; that is your suffering. You are creating suffering. So this man is at least informed that they have no brain. > Enamored by these big, big buildings, that's all. "Oh, they are so advanced." And naturally, the common man comes to a European or American city, he says, "Oh, Americans are so rich." "Rich" means they have piled up stones and bricks, that's all. This is their richness. What is there in the richness here? But people are common men. They think that this piling of bricks and stone is like real civilization. What do you think? Is that real civilization? --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.6](spoken/1974/740531sb.gen)** > Therefore *Bhāgavata* says, *naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ*. Apagama. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim.* They... To get out of this *māyā's* problem, one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, *mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te*. It is easy process. If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately you get out of all these problems. So that is not being taken. It is declared, but people have not taken. Therefore *Bhāgavata* says that why they have not taken? *Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim.* They are not accepting this proposal of Kṛṣṇa, that "You surrender." *Anartha.* Immediately *anartha* will be vanquished, but they will not take it. How? Why not? Now, they have to surrender to His devotee. *Niṣkiñcanānāṁ... Niṣkiñcanānāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekam. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat*. They cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless they bow down to the dust of His devotee, to the dust of the lotus feet of... *Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekam. Pāda-rajaḥ. Pāda-rajaḥ* means the dust at the lotus feet of *mahīyasām,* the exalted devotee, *niṣkiñcanānām,* who has nothing to do with the material world. *Niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat.* So long one does not take the dust of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa's devotee, he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Therefore it is the duty of the devotees to go from place to place and just give the chance to the people to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then their all problems will be solved. > So for all these *anarthas,* the only means is *bhakti-yoga. Śravaṇam. Bhakti-yoga* means *śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam*.* Let everyone, all over the world, give chance to the people of this *śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.* All the problems of the world will be solved. That's a fact. *Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt.* Directly you'll have. And you can realize from your own life how many..., how much *anarthas* were accompanying with you. Now they are all subsided. *Sākṣāt.* What is the means? This chanting. Now you enjoyed chanting, dancing. But people will not take to it. This is the only means. Because you have been attracted by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* and dancing, you are no more interested. This morning time, in every house, you can go: either they are sleeping or they are drinking bed tea, or without washing mouth, and all the germs are going within the tea, and they are being infected within the intestines, and they are getting so many diseases. But they will not understand. But here... And the *bhakti-yogam,* everyone rises early in the morning and then washes himself, takes bath, becomes cleansed, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra,* read book. This is *bhakti-yoga.* Automatically everything will be... Hygienic principle, health question, economic question, and social, political—everything will be solved. It is not joking. *Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje.* Why the *anartha* is created? How? That is explained in the previous verse. --- **[1975: Morning Walk on Waikiki Beach](spoken/1975/750531mw.hon)** > If we remember always Kṛṣṇa, then all our inauspicity is driven away, and prosperity increases. *Sākaṁ pramodaḥ.* [break] ... You know a little Sanskrit, they will see the composition of *Bhāgavatam* so fine. It is not possible to be composed now. --- **[1976: Morning Walk [Partially Recorded](spoken/1976/760531mw.hon)** > Śukadeva*:* It says that... [break]...possibility of an object staying in motion unless there is a person to move it. So therefore the conclusion is that these planets cannot stay in motion unless there is a supreme mover. > Śukadeva*:*...the fact that there's no need to worship God, the fact that there's a need to worship man, because man is actually the center of the universe instead of God as the center of the universe. --- **[1976: Philosophy Discussion with Hayagrīva](spoken/1976/760531r1.hon)** > **Govinda dāsī:** > I'm planning to go standby on your flight, because I can't get reservations. And if I don't get on your flight, I'm going on the same one with Hayagrīva—the one after that. But I'm hoping to go with... > Govinda dāsī: It..., it should be shiny, but it's not even old. She doesn't...Ah, but it's not shiny, but the other side's not smooth. It could be colored in different ways, and this is a quick experiment. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.32](spoken/1976/760531sb.hon)** > So we should be very careful. This is... This human form of life is a chance to make your choice, whether you are to go on being punished like this in different forms of life or whether you shall go back to home, back to Godhead. Here is the chance. *Manuṣyānāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye*. Out of many millions and millions of persons, one is intelligent enough, he can inquire that "Why I am suffering?" Everyone is suffering. That's a fact. Only the rascals, they think, "We're enjoying." Everyone is suffering. This is a place for suffering. *Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam*, Kṛṣṇa says, who has created this place. > So immediately things are recorded and, at the time of death, just as in the previous verse, we already studied, *vikarṣato 'ntar hṛdayād*. *Antar hṛdayād,* in the core of the heart the individual soul and the Supersoul is there, and Yamarāja will take, his order carriers will take the..., not the heart, but the soul. The heart or the body, that is made of this material element; that will lie down here. But the soul will be taken; there is arrangement. This is very, very subtle arrangement, and these rascals, they do not know how things are going on. They are imagining, "I think it is like this and that." There is no value of this "I believe," "I think," "I conjecture." You can do that, but things are going on. The government is very, very strong. Little deviation from the law, you will be punished. Little deviation. Nature's law, they are so systematically set up that automatically... Just like the same example I've given: you infect some disease, automatically you have to suffer from the disease. Not that somebody's come to ask you that "You have infected this disease. Now you have to suffer from this." No. The machine is so perfect that as you have infected this disease... This is practically we know. So all of a sudden one gets cholera. So the doctor says that there is valorous of cholera germs. So nature's law is so perfect. *Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā*. You cannot escape. Suppose you can eat two ounce, and if you eat four ounce, then you'll have to starve three days. This is the law. "There's some very palatable dishes. Now eat..., let me eat it to my satisfaction," and you'll overeat. Then nature's law is that you have to starve for three days. Next eating will be after three days. --- ## Letters on May 31 *Letters from this day: 15* --- **[1968: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1968/680531_gargamuni)** > I am so pleased for your valuable loving sentiments upon me and this will keep you advanced in Krishna Consciousness, rest assured. Next time when I come back to San Francisco, some of the boys who have regularly chanted 16 rounds at least for one year shall be initiated for the second time, and offered sacred thread to recognize them as complete Brahmins. --- **[1969: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1969/690531_brahmananda)** > Regarding the manuscripts of the First Canto, Hayagriva will send you a few chapters immediately, so you may do the needful with the MacMillan company. --- **[1969: Letter to Patita Uddharana](letters/1969/690531_patita_uddharana)** > I am pleased to note that through your influence your family is gradually taking to this sublime process of Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1969: Letter to Raktaka](letters/1969/690531_raktaka)** > I thank you very much for your letter of May 26, 1969, sent along with your beads. I have duly chanted upon these beads and have initiated you as my disciple. Your spiritual name is Raktaka das Brahmacari. --- **[1969: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1969/690531_satsvarupa)** > Regarding Jadurani, if she does not improve in a month or two, then she will come back and live with you, chanting Hare Krishna and depending on Krishna. I don't think that she is very dangerously ill because her face indication was not bad. --- **[1970: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1970/700531_madhudvisa)** > Jariwala's letter is not very encouraging. He is prepared to some silver Murtis; Murtis we have already got. Therefore we should not take him for the present very seriously. --- **[1972: Letter to Vasudeva](letters/1972/720531_vasudeva)** > I am very much engladdened to hear from you that all the programs there in Berlin center are going on very nicely under your expert guidance. --- **[1974: Letter to Acyutananda](letters/1974/740531_acyutananda)** > I am glad to hear the Hyderabad temple is so enthusiastic for preaching. Please keep me informed. --- **[1974: Letter to Radhavallabha](letters/1974/740531_radhavallabha)** > As for introduction, you may use the Introduction I have already written and printed in Teachings of Lord Caitanya' I think it will also be suitable for Caitanya-caritamrta. "Presented to my friends and devotees who like to read my books and approached to request me to render the great Caitanya-caritamrta into English.". --- **[1974: Letter to Sukadeva](letters/1974/740531_sukadeva)** > I am glad to accept the devotees recommended by you for first initiation, and their new spiritual names are as follows: Now take good care of these devotees so that they they remain always enthusiastically engaged in chanting, hearing, reading our books and following the regulative principles. --- **[1975: Letter to Babhru](letters/1975/750531_babhru)** > Please continue to follow very strictly the rules and regulations, chant 16 rounds and read my books well. --- **[1975: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1975/750531_hansadutta)** > I approve your ideas. Yes, London is a city where we can open many centers. If possible, do it. --- **[1975: Letter to Kalacanda](letters/1975/750531_kalacanda)** > Regarding your sarod playing, I shall hear you play when I come to Los Angeles next. --- **[1975: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1975/750531_kirtanananda)** > Regarding my coming to New Vrndavana, yes, I can stay there for the month of August. --- **[1975: Letter to Prabhakar](letters/1975/750531_prabhakar)** > I am so pleased that you are ready to help me in spreading Krishna Consciousness in India. So, kindly decide it finally and immediately upon my return to India, maybe by the end of August, you meet me anywhere I am (of which I shall inform you duly). ---