# June 15 ## Spoken on June 15 *Lectures from this day: 20 recordings* --- **[1968: Engagement Lecture](spoken/1968/680615le.mon)** > So the benefit will be that gradually you shall understand what you are. The whole civilization, modern civilization, is going on under a wrong impression that "I am this body." In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* it is said that "One who goes on with the concept of the body, he is no better than an ass or cow." *Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke...* It is a very long verse. But actually we are not this body. So if we chant this *mantra,* Hare Kṛṣṇa, then I can understand what I am. And as soon as I understand that I am not this body, then my activities become different. > This *Bhagavad-gītā* is the science of God. Just like in your Christian Bible or any other scriptures, Muhammadan or Christian or Jews or Buddhist... So *ahaṁ brahmāsmi* means that "I am spirit soul," this realization. As soon as this realization is there, then the other things immediately follow. What is that? *Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā*. Immediately one becomes cheerful. So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety. --- **[1972: Room Conversation about Science](spoken/1972/720615r1.la)** > "There are many different kinds of living entities—human beings, demigods, animals, etc.—and each and every one of them is under the influence of material nature, and all of them have forgotten the transcendent Personality of Godhead. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, and even those who are in the mode of goodness, cannot go beyond the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth. They are bewildered before the Lord in His personal feature, which possesses all beauty, opulence, knowledge, strength, fame and renunciation. When even those who are in goodness cannot understand, what hope is there for those in passion and ignorance? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to all these three modes of material nature, and those who are truly established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are actually liberated." > "However, these designations are not permanent. I may either be a *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya* or whatever—in any case, this life is temporary. But although life is temporary and we do not know what we are going to be in the next life, still, by the spell of this illusory energy, we consider ourselves in the light of this bodily conception of life, and we thus think that we are American, Indian, Russian or *brāhmaṇa*, Hindu, Muslim, etc. And if we become entangled with the modes of material nature, then we forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is behind all these modes. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that men, deluded by these three modes of nature, do not understand that behind the material background is the Supreme Godhead. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.19](spoken/1972/720615sb.la)** > So actually there cannot be any peace in material life. That is not possible. *Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam*. We have to take, therefore, shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. If we want to be happy, if we want to be peaceful, then this is the only way. And the... *Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara*... And in the previous verse, *kiṁ grāme paśavo 'pare, na khādanti na mehanti*. This eating, sleeping, mating, so it is criticized: "Do the cats and dogs and the camels, they do not eat?" They also eat. They enjoy. As the camel is enjoying thorny twigs, his enjoyment, that is his enjoyment. > So if, after reading *Bhagavad-gītā, anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayam* [*Brahmā-vaivarta Purāṇa*], who is neglecting... He is neglecting means that *teṣām ātmābhimānināṁ varākāṇām. Varāka* means fools or childish. We are thinking that "I am this body." Such fools cannot understand how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, *tad apy aphalatāṁ jātaḥ teṣām ātmābhimāninām, varākāṇām anāśritya,* without taking shelter, *govinda-caraṇa-dvayam,* the lotus feet of Govinda. So *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante*. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.9.49](spoken/1973/730615sb.may)** > So it is the king's duty to see that his citizens are becoming God conscious. That is king's duty. First of all father's duty, spiritual master's duty, ultimately, king's duty. King's, king's duty. Therefore it is said, *dharmeṇa, cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa. Dharmeṇa* means "by religious principles." What is that religious principle? Religious principle means to guide everyone to become God conscious. This is religious principle. *Dharmeṇa.* Therefore *varṇāśrama-dharma.* In the Vedic culture the *varṇas* and *āśrama,* they are accepted as *dharma. Dharma* means duty which you must execute. That is called *dharma.* Compulsory. If you don't do it, then you will suffer. *Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam*. > So it is the king's duty to observe his *dharma, kṣatriya. Kṣatriya's* duty is to give protection to the citizens, security of life and property, and guide them gradually to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is *kṣatriya's* duty. *Brāhmaṇa's* duty is to guide the *kṣatriyas* whether he is actually executing his duty according to *śāstra.* That is *brāhmaṇa's* duty. *Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.* Similarly, *vaiśya's* duty is to see economic development of the state, and the *śūdra's* duty—because *śūdra* means fourth-class men; they have no intelligence—therefore their duty is to serve the three higher classes, *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya.* This is the system. *Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. According to quality and work—*brāhmaṇa's* quality and *brāhmaṇa's* work; *kṣatriya's* quality and *kṣatriya's* work; *vaiśya's* quality and *vaiśya's* work. --- **[1974: Room Conversation about Twelfth Canto, Kali-yuga](spoken/1974/740615r1.par)** > And when you study what is the nature of the original source, it is said, *abhijñaḥ,* cognizant. He knows everything. Just like I am the owner of this body, I, the soul, but still, I do not know how the body is working. I am eating, but I do not know how my eatables transformed into secretion, then goes to the heart, then... Of course, they have discovered something, but not fully. So I do not know what is going in within my body. I do not know how many hairs are there. But God knows everything, nook and corner of the whole universe. But if we compare ourself with God, that is impossible, because naturally we get knowledge from others, we may question, "Wherefrom God got knowledge?" Therefore it is stated there, *svarāṭ.* He hasn't got to take knowledge from anyone else. He's independently full of knowledge. > And as practical result, although they are very young, still, they have realized God, Kṛṣṇa, far advanced than anyone else. They have forgotten all material things: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling. They are simply devoted in the service of Kṛṣṇa. So because they have engaged their tongue in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra,* they have forgotten all kinds of intoxication, meat-eating. The American government spent millions of dollar to stop their LSD habit. They could not stop even one man. But as soon as they come to Kṛṣṇa conscious, they immediately give up. --- **[1974: Room Conversation with Mr. Tran-Van-Kha, former Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States and President & Members of the Society of Buddhists in France] > [French translation] "As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." > [French translation] "As a person put on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.7](spoken/1974/740615sb.par)** > On the whole, we are always mixed up with the *sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.* That is our material position. Therefore sometimes we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness when we are in *sattva-guṇa,* again sometimes fall down when *tamo-guṇa* attacks, *rajo-guṇa* attacks. So we have to become above these *guṇas. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna*. Arjuna advised... Kṛṣṇa advised him that "You become above these three *guṇas.*" So how it can be done? It can be done simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is *naistraiguṇyo-sthā ramante sma guṇānukathane hareḥ.* If you simply engage yourself only hearing about Kṛṣṇa, then you are *nistraiguṇya.* This is the process, simple, no other business. > Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhu-guṇānukathane. *These Gosvāmīs, they were always writing books. *Guṇānukathane. Guṇa.* What is the writing books? When we write these books, what is that? They are simply describing the different activities and attributes of Kṛṣṇa. *Anukathane. Anu* means not whimsically; following the superior authorities. You cannot write anything which is not approved by the superior authorities. Therefore, we have to give examples, quotations from the *śāstra,* that "What I am speaking, it is supported by the *śāstra*." Not that "I have inventive power. I have..., I can do, I can write anything I like." That is nonsense. *Anukathane. Anukathane* means you must hear from the authority perfectly. Then try to write. Not that you write whimsically, whatever you like. That is not allowed. And that will not be accepted. Therefore, in the beginning, in this chapter, we learned this word, that *varīyān eṣa rājan..., varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa ātmavit-sammataḥ*. *Ātmavit-sammataḥ:* "It is approved by the realized souls." Not that whimsically I do something or you question something. No. It must be... The question must be approved by *ātmavit,* self-realized person, and the answer should be given by the self-realized person, *ātmavit-sammataḥ.* This is wanted. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750615mw.hon)** > ...in *Bhāgavata* also, that after passing one hundred life of first-class *karmī* one can become Brahmā. And after becoming Brahmā, he goes directly back to home, back to Godhead. [break] ...this dissolution, Brahmā hasn't got to die. By the same body he goes. [break] All the inhabitants of Brahmaloka, they also go with Brahmā. [break] --- **[1975: Room Conversation](spoken/1975/750615r2.hon)** > Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one can become free from all his contamination and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the special advantage of Kali-yuga. This advantage is not... So if one has taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, chanting, then he is saved. Not only saved; he goes back to home, back to Godhead. Not only saved, but he is dispatched in another place, where there is no danger. *Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām*. > So it is not a fashion; it is compulsory. If one does not take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then he is doomed. Now let him consider whether to take to it or not. That is his business. Kṛṣṇa is still giving the opportunity, and He has come personally, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to distribute. That, Rūpa Gosvāmī understood. --- **[1975: Room Conversation](spoken/1975/750615r4.hon)** > And Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "No, no. It is not to the person Kṛṣṇa." Just see. He says, "Unto Me," a person, and this rascal says, "Not to the person." In this way the whole world has been misled. Therefore my humble duty is to present *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is, not by interpretation of rascals. That will not be beneficial. Present as it is, then it will be beneficial. If you benefited, then those who will hear, they will be. Don't mislead. You are misled—kick out the rascal. Don't try to mislead others by some concoction. That is very sinful. There is no question of interpretation on *Bhagavad-gītā.* Everything is clear. Interpretation required when you cannot understand. The thing is that I say, "Just give me a glass of water," so where is the question of interpretation? If somebody interprets, like Dr Radhakrishnan, "No, no. This glass of water should not be given to Prabhupāda but somebody else," what is this interpretation? So he is doing that. Kṛṣṇa says, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto*, "Just always think of Me," and he says, "Not to Kṛṣṇa. Not to the person Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Where he got it? In this way they are misleading the whole world. As soon as you get a good position, you get some respect and you mislead. If in some crossing some unknown man comes to you: "Sir, I want to go to Honolulu. Which side shall I go?" and if I say instead of this side, which is real, I say, "Go this side," is that very good business? He does not know which side to go, Honolulu, and I mislead him just to the other side. The whole business is Kṛṣṇa is trying everyone to surrender to Him. He said, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto*: "Just always think of Me," and this man misleads, "No, no. It is not of Kṛṣṇa. It is something else." Just see. And that is going on: "Oh! He is a scholar. He is a big man." > For learning, *gurum eva,* therefore *guru* is authority. Unless you accept somebody as *guru,* then how can you learn from them? So actually the principle is *guru* speaks not to the outsiders but to the followers. Others may not understand. But if others, outsiders, come and also hear, then they will be profited. That advantage is given to them. But if they come and if they do not understand... Of course, sometimes we give them chance, but if he does not come to this position as Arjuna has come, then it is failure. But sometimes we give them the chance, outsiders: "All right you can take." But unless you come to this position, *kariṣye vacanaṁ tava*, "Yes, I shall act only according to Your order," then it will be successful. That means he has not understood everything. He remains the same fool. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.7](spoken/1975/750615sb.hon)** > Ninety-nine point nine percent, they do not understand this philosophy, especially in the modern age. *Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo*.* They are very, very dull rascals. This is the challenge. *Mandāḥ. Mandāḥ* means dull, no intelligence. A simple truth, Kṛṣṇa is explaining to Arjuna. It is authoritative statement because Kṛṣṇa says, and Kṛṣṇa says not unreasonably, very reasonably, "I am giving very common example that *asmin dehe,* within this body, the proprietor of the body, or the spirit soul, is there. And on account of this," *dehino 'smin yathā dehe,* "because the living entity is within this body, therefore the bodily changes are taking place." What is that changing? *Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā:* "The body is sometimes child and sometimes boy, sometimes young man, sometimes old man. So the body is changing." Who cannot understand this? The child, the small child, is dancing. Now, that child will get the body of a young man like you. Everyone knows it. This body will change. Where is the difficulty? And Kṛṣṇa is giving this common example, *tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ*. As you are experiencing this change of body, similarly, you take it that this body also will change. An old man like me, the next body is there. Either farther old man or, after death, another body. This is to be understood. *Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ* means to get another body. > So in the Fifth Chapter, at the end of the Fifth Chapter, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has described the different sufferings, body, in the hellish condition. We are, according to change of body, we are not only going through the evolutionary process of different types of body, as we have got experience here—the aquatics, the trees, the plants, the insect, the birds, the beast, then a human being. Similarly, after human being, if we do not work properly with our advanced consciousness, then we go down again in the hellish planet that are down this universe. And if we act piously, then you go to the upper planetary system. This moon planet is also one of the upper planetary system. But you cannot go by sputnik. That is not possible. It is all foolishness. The moon planet is situated above the sun planet. They are not going to the moon planet; therefore they have stopped their propaganda. So above that moon planet there is Venus, there is Jupiter, there is Mars, and so many others. So in the *śāstra* it is said, *ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ*. --- **[1976: Bhagavad-gītā reading 2.1](spoken/1976/760615bg.det)** > "The same Vedic truth given to Arjuna is given to all persons in the world who pose themselves as very learned but factually have but a poor fund of knowledge. The Lord says clearly that He Himself, Arjuna and all the kings who are assembled on the battlefield are eternally individual beings and that the Lord is eternally the maintainer of the individual living entities both in their conditioned as well as in their liberated situations. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme individual person, and Arjuna, the Lord's eternal associate, and all the kings assembled there are individual eternal persons. It is not that they did not exist as individuals in the past, and it is not that they will not remain eternal persons. Their individuality existed in the past, and their individuality will continue in the future without interruption. Therefore, there is no cause for lamentation for anyone. > "The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding by the knower of the Absolute Truth, and all of them are identical. Such phases of the Absolute Truth are expressed as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān." [*Bhāg.* 1.2.11] These three divine aspects can be explained by the example of the sun, which also has three different aspects, namely the sunshine, the sun's surface and the sun planet itself. One who studies the sunshine only is the preliminary student. One who understands the sun's surface is further advanced. And one who can enter into the sun planet is the highest. Ordinary students who are satisfied by simply understanding the sunshine—its universal pervasiveness and the glaring effulgence of its impersonal nature—may be compared to those who can realize only the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth. The student who has advanced still further can know the sun disc, which is compared to knowledge of the Paramātmā feature of the Absolute Truth. And the student who can enter into the heart of the sun planet is compared to those who realize the personal features of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Therefore, the *bhaktas,* or the transcendentalists who have realized the Bhagavān feature of the Absolute Truth, are the topmost transcendentalists, although all students who are engaged in the study of the Absolute Truth are engaged in the same subject matter. The sunshine, the sun disc and the inner affairs of the sun planet cannot be separated from one another, and yet the students of the three different phases are not in the same category. --- **[1976: Initiations](spoken/1976/760615in.det)** > > veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam- > > barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam > > kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ > > govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi > > [Bs. 5.30] > > ālola-candraka-lasad-vanamālya-vaṁśī- > > ratnāṅgadaṁ praṇaya-keli-kalā-vilāsam > > śyāmaṁ tri-bhaṅga-lalitaṁ niyata-prakāśaṁ > > govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi > > [Bs. 5.31] --- **[1976: Morning Walk](spoken/1976/760615mw.det)** > Sun planet, moon planet, Mars, Jupiter, like this; last, Saturn. So if this is systematic, then this calculation also means sun planet first. Why Sunday first? --- **[1976: Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University](spoken/1976/760615r1.det)** > One who studies the subject matter of the field of activity and the knower of the field very minutely, in terms of this *Bhagavad-gītā,* can attain to knowledge. The Lord says, 'I am the knower of the field of activities in every individual body.' The individual may be the knower of his own body, but he is not in knowledge of other bodies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present as the Supersoul in all bodies, knows everything about all bodies. He knows all the different bodies of all the various species of life. A citizen may know everything about his patch of land, but the king knows not only his palace but all the properties possessed by the individual citizens. Similarly, one may be the proprietor of the body individually, but the Supreme Lord is the proprietor of all bodies. The king is the original proprietor of the kingdom, and the citizen is the secondary proprietor. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the supreme proprietor of all bodies. > The body consists of the senses. The Supreme Lord is Hṛṣīkeśa, which means controller of the senses. He is the original controller of the senses, just as the king is the original controller of all activities within the state, and the citizens are secondary controllers. The Lord also says, 'I am also the knower.' This means that He is the superknower; the individual soul knows only his particular body. In Vedic literature, it is also stated..." --- **[1976: Conversation with Clergymen](spoken/1976/760615r3.det)** > Those who are addicted to sinful life, they cannot understand God. So therefore we have to stop sinful activities. If you keep them in sinful activities, and if you expect that God will be revealed to them, it is not possible. > They will accept. We don't speak Eastern-Western. We speak for everyone. Or Christian or Hindu. We never speak like that. I think I never said like that, that "Our Eastern people think like that, Hindus think..." I never said. Why shall I say? It is for everyone. If you do not become peaceful, that is your business. But when I say "You become peaceful," that is meant for everyone. All right. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.49](spoken/1976/760615sb.det)** > Everything is being done by the laws of nature. So human body, when we are civilized, we should know that "Why I am suffering?" although under the spell of *māyā* we take suffering as enjoyment. That is called *māyā. Māyā* means what is not. We are thinking we are enjoying, but actually we are suffering. In this material body we have to suffer. *Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ*. This example is given by Kṛṣṇa in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* that suffering means on account of this body. There is pinching cold, scorching heat. We feel these things on account of this body. At a certain circumstances, we feel pain; at a certain circumstance we feel happy. But actually, this so-called happiness and distress is due to the body. > Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister of the then Muhammadan government. So he presented himself to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that *ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya *. This is the intelligence, that "I am undergoing constantly some sort of distresses due to this body, due to this mind, due to distresses inflicted by other living entities, and due to natural disturbances. A combination of distresses. But I don't want all these distresses." Everyone is aware. He doesn't want distresses, but it is enforced. This should be the question, to... When one accepts the spiritual master... Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is by his practical example, he said that one should go and enquire from the spiritual master that "Why I am in this condition of life, always suffering?" *Tri-tāpa yantraṇā*. --- ## Letters on June 15 *Letters from this day: 13* --- **[1969: Letter to Krsna Devi](letters/1969/690615_krsna_devi)** > I am so pleased to note that you are chanting nicely and that Krishna is encouraging you in so many ways. --- **[1969: Letter to Sivananda](letters/1969/690615_sivananda)** > I am so much encouraged to learn that one very nice German boy has come to live in your temple. --- **[1970: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1970/700615_rupanuga)** > Since you met with the motor accident, although I am getting your news time to time, still I was very much anxious to write you directly, but I did not know your address. --- **[1970: Letter to Tulasi](letters/1970/700615_tulasi)** > May Krsna bless you on and on in your progressive march for advancing Krsna Consciousness. Personally I cannot give you anything, but I can sincerely pray to Krsna for your improvement on and on. --- **[1971: Letter to Citralekha](letters/1971/710615_citralekha)** > Yes, the bumblebee is very much favored by Krishna and Radharani. Sometimes the bumblebee is taken as a messenger by Radharani and she rebukes the bumblebee because the bumblebee is blackish and Krishna is also blackish. --- **[1971: Letter to Rupanuga Bhagavan Satsvarupa](letters/1971/710615_rupanuga_bhagavan_satsvarupa)** > The preface to the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is was sent to you long ago, from Australia. --- **[1971: Letter to Svarupa](letters/1971/710615_svarupa)** > Our acharya Bhaktivinode Thakura was the perfect householder and we should take his example. How nice a householder he was and how nice children he produced; one of them is my Guru Maharaja. --- **[1972: Letter to Himavati](letters/1972/720615_himavati)** > I don't know who has given you this idea of shaving your head and wearing white garments. --- **[1972: Letter to Siddha Svarupananda](letters/1972/720615_siddha_svarupananda)** > Just now I am in receipt of some pamphlets and one booklet entitled "Sai Speaks", so I see so many discrepancies from our line of action in devotional service. --- **[1975: Letter to Pusta Krsna](letters/1975/750615_pusta_krsna)** > I am prepared to come to South Africa by the middle of July. We shall need at least one visa for Wayne Gunderson (Upendra) and if possible, one for Robert Campagnola (Harikesa). --- **[1976: Letter to Bhavabhuti](letters/1976/760615_bhavabhuti)** > Before we can begin any construction in Madras we first of all must complete any temple construction that we are presently doing. They are also in want of money. I understand that the Hyderabad Temple is also in want of money to complete the construction, Gopala Krsna knows it. --- **[1976: Letter to Gopala Krsna](letters/1976/760615_gopala_krsna)** > Concerning the idea of exchanging our books for Russian books, unless we find sellers in India for Russian books (in English language), what will be the value of getting their books. --- **[1976: Letter to Riddha](letters/1976/760615_riddha)** > In that newspaper, The Leader, it is very good indication of our acceptance by the South African community. They are clearly rejecting all these bogus rascals like Sai Baba and in the same issue they are glorifying our Rathayatra festival. So this is good sign that they welcome Jagannatha and so you can arrange to have Jagannatha Deities and Rathayatra festival in Durban. ---