# July 1 ## Spoken on July 1 *Lectures from this day: 21 recordings* --- **[1968: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.8](spoken/1968/680701sb.mon)** > So *hitvātmā-ghāṭam andha-kūpaṁ.* This material world is just like that blind well. If somebody falls down in it, it is very difficult to get out of it. Therefore it is *ātmā-ghāṭam. Ātma-ghāṭam* means killing the soul. How we are killing the soul? We forget that "I am spirit soul." Therefore almost every one of us is forgetful that "I am spirit soul. I am identifying with this body." And Prahlāda Mahārāja says because we have identified with this body, therefore we are always anxious, full of anxieties. And that is the fact. > Therefore the whole process of knowledge is... I think some of my student, she is present here. She asked me, "What is knowledge?" The knowledge is that "I am not this body." This is knowledge. Knowledge does not mean that how you can manufacture nuclear weapon. That is not knowledge. That is illusion. Real knowledge is to know the simple fact that "I am not this body." That's all. But that knowledge is very rare. And to acquire that knowledge, there are so many systems. That system is called self-realization. --- **[1970: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.1 [The First Step in God-Realization](spoken/1970/700701sb.la)** > One big poet, he composed some songs when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was at Purī. And many people used to come and see Him. Because in those days there were many scholars, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also a very great scholar, so they used to compose and come to see Him, and they would get some applause. But before seeing Him, the rule was that it must be passed through His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara. Svarūpa Dāmodara was Lord Caitanya's personal secretary, so unless something is passed through Svarūpa Dāmodara, nobody can directly approach Caitanya Mahāprabhu. > The impersonalists, they do not know this, this addressing first of all Kṛṣṇa's energy. We Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, we don't worship Kṛṣṇa alone, *ekala-vāsudeva.* No. We must worship Kṛṣṇa along with His energy. Just like Kṛṣṇārjuna, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is also energy, living entity, and Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, His internal energy and marginal energy. --- **[1971: Room Conversation with Govinda dāsī and Gaurasundara](spoken/1971/710701r1.la)** > Govinda dāsī: But Their arms are perfectly bilateral, you know, just like..., and the face and hands are together with the thumbs like this, and Their feet are standing straight, with the feet just together, like this. > Govinda dāsī: [laughs] They sit down and they will eat as long as they have the time. And we have so many that they are rotting. It's a shame; we cannot even eat them all. --- **[1971: Room Conversation on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.7.42](spoken/1971/710701r2.la)** > "The materialist is always busy working for the welfare of the material body, not only of his own but also that of his children, kinsmen, countrymen, community men, etc. There are many branches of philanthropy and altruistic activities from the political, national and international angle of vision, but none of the fieldwork can go beyond the jurisdiction of the misconception of identifying the material body with the spirit soul. Unless, therefore, one is saved from the wrong conception of the body and the soul, there is no knowledge of Godhead, and unless there is knowledge of God, all advancement of material civilization, however dazzling, should be considered to be a failure." > [reading from purport:] "The unalloyed devotees of the Lord know the glories of the Lord in the sense that they can understand how great the Lord is and how great is His expansion of diverse energy. Those who are attached to the perishable body can hardly enter into the realm of science of Godhead. The whole materialistic world based on the conception of the material body as the self is ignorant of the science of God. --- **[1972: Hare Krishna Festival Address At Balboa Park Bowl](spoken/1972/720701ad.sd)** > Here, the real problem is we want to get out of this material conditional life. We are spirit soul. We are not matter. But in order to enjoy this material world we have come here. Every one of us who is existing within this material world has a desire to lord it over the material nature. It is said when a living entity, a part and parcel of God, he desires independently to enjoy or to lord it over the material nature, he comes down from the spiritual world to this material world. That is the cause of his falldown. > You can have sex life once in a month. That is prescribed. Because the woman has once in a month menstrual period. So sex life is meant for simply begetting nice children, not for sense gratification. Therefore, because the woman is..., gets the menstrual period once in a month, therefore the man can have sex life just after the menstrual period over, after five days, he can sex life, have sex life with his wife under *garbhādhāna-saṁskāra,* responsibility. Otherwise he becomes implicated in sinful activities. That is Vedic injunction. --- **[1972: Morning Walk](spoken/1972/720701mw.sd)** > Ātreya Ṛṣi: Like Bombay. Such an idea, it would be very nice here for all the rich—artists, intelligent people, everybody—to come and rest and learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness. > Ātreya Ṛṣi: Mass killing. That is... They have factories where they can produce thousands of animals very quickly. Quickly they inject certain vitamins and so on in the animal, so that they become fat very fast for mass killing. --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/720701r1.sd)** > So everything you can perceive the hands of God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you perceive the hands of God, presence of God, presence of the energy of God, then you become happy. That is the way of happiness. In every step of life you feel the hands of God. We are teaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means how to perceive, realize, presence of God in everything. So there will be no disappointment. > Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam* [Īśo*mantra* 1]. Everything there is. Actually that is a fact. People are so foolish. They are not trained up to understand the presence of God in everything. So we are training that status of life, to perceive presence of God in everything. In everything. [pause] This is called peach? --- **[1974: Initiation Ceremony](spoken/1974/740701in.mel)** > So, so long we are in this material encagement we are supposed to be impurified. Because we are not purified, therefore we have to accept birth, death, old age and disease. Just like diseased condition is impurified. It requires to be purified by medical treatment to get out of the disease. So we living entities, we are part and parcel of God. Our original position is purified, but at the present moment we are contaminated. So by chanting the holy name of the Lord we become purified. The holy name of the Lord and the Lord, identical. By association with the Supreme Lord directly, by chanting the holy name, we become purified. *Oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam* [Garuḍa Purāṇa]. Kṛṣṇa, His name is Puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ*. Puṇḍarīka* means lotus flower; *akṣam* means eyes—whose eyes are just like the lotus flower. Lord Visnu, or Kṛṣṇa, is identified with lotus flower in so many places. His navel is like lotus flower, His eyes are like lotus flower, His feet, lotus feet. So lotus is the comparison of the beauty of different limbs or parts of the body, transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. > So we will explain the ten kinds of offenses, and the initiated members should avoid the ten kinds of offenses. [aside:] You have got the ten kinds of offenses? So first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in glorifying the Lord within this material world. And, *śruti-śāstra-nindanam,* and to decry the Vedic literature. And third, to interpret the holy name in different way according to our own whims. This is also offense. And the most dangerous offense is *namnaḥ balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir* [*Padma Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa* 25.15-18]. Anyone who thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra,* so I am becoming free from contamination of sinful life; therefore let me commit sinful life and counteract it by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa," this is the greatest offense. We should not commit offenses on the strength of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra.* And then considering the different names of the demigods, they are independent—no. The Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Viṣṇu's name, is supreme; it cannot be equalized with other names. And, in spite of chanting the holy name, if one is attached to material enjoyment, that is also offense. And to instruct about the glories of the name to a person who is out of the jurisdiction of devotional service... Of course, sometimes we have to do this, but that is for preaching sake. But generally we should not do that. I think these ten kinds of offenses are there. Anything more? --- **[1974: La Trobe University Lecture](spoken/1974/740701le.mel)** > So this education can be given through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. On the basis of *Śrī Bhagavad-gītā,* everything is explained very vividly. The soul is eternal. The soul is transferred from one gross body to another gross body, just like we change our apartment from one apartment to another. But I exist. If I vacate one apartment and I go to another apartment, it does not mean I am finished. I may leave the apartment. Similarly, if we are leaving this body and we are going to another body, that means I am not finished. I am existing. *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. Na hanyate:* "The soul is never annihilated, even after the destruction of this body." Therefore the question is that "If I am eternal, why I am put into this condition of changing, of transmigrating from one body to another? Is there any possibility of not changing the body, to keep eternality?" Yes. That is possible. > So our formula is explained in the *Śrīmad Bhāgavatam—*we have got the copies there—*sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje* : "That is first-class religious system by which the followers become a lover of God." This is the..., our formula. Either you go through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism. If you understand what is God and if you know what is your relationship with God—in this way your goal of life how to learn to love God, that is achieved—then it doesn't matter through which religion you achieve that perfection. But if you can achieve that perfection, that system is perfect. This is our formula. --- **[1974: Room Conversation with Bhūrijana and Other Devotees](spoken/1974/740701r1.mel)** > This is the beginning. If that thing is lacking, there is no beginning even, what to speak of advancement. That is discussed already. *Na siddhim sa avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatih*. This is the beginning of spiritual life. The word is called *disciple*. Disciple means who accept discipline. If there is no discipline, where is disciple? And "disciplic succession." We have used this word. Not that discipline is finished by one man. No. It will continue to go by succession. That is perfect. > Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇam pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam śravanām kartavyam* [P*adma* Purāṇa*]: "Those who are not following Vaiṣṇava principles, one should not hear from him." Why? It is *kṛṣṇa-kathā,* Kṛṣṇa's. Now, *sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā:* "Milk is very good, but as soon as it is touched by a serpent, it is no more good; it is harmful." So one must be Vaiṣṇava. Unless one is Vaiṣṇava, it is..., there is injunction, "Don't hear from him. It will be poisonous." So one who is not following Vaiṣṇava principle, he cannot speak about Vaiṣṇavism. It is harmful. That is forbidden by *ācāryas,* Sanātana Gosvāmī. If somebody says, "What is the harm? He is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa..." He cannot chant. That is a show-bottle chant. That is not effective. But even taking that "Anyone who is chanting, let me hear," no. Sanātana Gosvāmī says, "No, don't hear." It will be harmful more than... In other words, if you are not following the Vaiṣṇava principle, you don't chant. It will not be effective. Did you not see the difference last night? There were many other, they could not join in the dancing. So far gathering men, if you do not gather intelligent men, then what is the use of gathering men? *Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārāḥ sahasraśaḥ:* "If there is one moon, that is sufficient. What is the use of millions of stars?" If one is perfect Vaiṣṇava, that is sufficient. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750701mw.den)** > Anyone who has fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he is no more debtor to anyone. And Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me, and I shall keep you protected from all kinds of..." Because if you don't pay your..., repay your debts, then you become sinful. But Kṛṣṇa says, "I shall protect for all kinds of sin." So if anyone has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he is no more debtor to anyone. He is immune from all obligation. His only obligation is to Kṛṣṇa. [break]...has eaten up this? > > devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṛṇāṁ > > nāyam ṛṇī na ca kiṅkaro rājan > > sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ saraṇyaṁ > > gato mukunda parihṛtya... > > [1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.18](spoken/1975/750701sb.den)** > And we are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our position is the same, maybe in small scale. The position is the same, *ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt* [*Vedānta-sūtra* 1.1.12]*. Ānandamaya.* So why we should be morose? Why we should be unhappy? Because we are now at the present moment covered with the sinful reaction of our life. So if we purify ourself... *Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa*, we have already discussed, or that will be discussed later. The human life is meant for that. Purify. Don't keep yourself unclean. Purify. Then you regain your original, spiritual life. That is the only business. > So there are different varieties of religious system, but if you execute your particular type of religious system very perfectly, but the result—if you do not become attached to Kṛṣṇa, your love for Kṛṣṇa is not awakened—then simply by performing such ritualistic ceremony or rules and regulation of your religious system, if you do not become..., develop yourself to love God, then it is all useless waste of time. It has no meaning. That is the test, how to become..., how to advance in loving service of the Lord. That is the... Then you are religious, you are philosopher, you are great man, you are everything. Otherwise, if you do not awaken your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, then all such labor is useless. *Śrama eva hi kevalam. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi*. By performing religious ceremonies or following the religious principle, the test is how one has become advanced in the loving service of the Lord. This is required. And his example is very strong, that *surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ. Surā-kumbha,* the pot which contained liquor, it cannot be purified. Therefore it is so strictly prohibited about liquor. So, --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760701r1.nv)** > He is very strict. He is a stubborn enemy of Śaṅkarācārya. All the Vaiṣṇava *ācāryas.* Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, declare it: *māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa* [[cc/madhya/6/169|[Cc. --- **[1977: Room Conversation with Devotees](spoken/1977/770701r1.vrn)** > We believe in this. Therefore I said twenty years before. That is the difference. We take the words of *śāstra,* words of Kṛṣṇa, ultimate. That's all. So we have no difficulty. They do not believe in *śāstra.* They do not believe in Kṛṣṇa. So they were bluffed. That is the difference. We have... I started this movement. It is not manufactured by me. Take the words of authority and spread. There is no adulteration. There is no alteration. That is... [audio fades out] *Mahājano yena gataḥ...* [break] [end] --- **[1977: Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane](spoken/1977/770701r2.vrn)** > The word *kāma-cārataḥ*is very significant. A person who knowingly violates the rules acts in lust. He knows that this is forbidden; still he acts. This is called acting whimsically. He knows that this should be done, but still he does not do it; therefore he is called whimsical. Such persons are destined to be condemned by the Supreme Lord. Such persons cannot have the perfection which is meant for the human life. The human life is especially meant for purifying one's existence, and one who does not follow the rules and regulations cannot purify himself, nor can he attain the real stage of happiness." --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/770701r3.vrn)** > Yaśodāmāyi was always thinking of Him, "Here is my son. How to give protection? How to give Him food? How to..." She did not that He is God, but she knew... *Gopī* knows... He did not know what is Kṛṣṇa. They know "There is God." That's all. That God is in front of them, that they did not know. They thought, "Our beloved child, beloved friend, dear master..." That's all, absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. That is the..., their purpose. --- **[1977: Conversation about Old Days in Calcutta](spoken/1977/770701r5.vrn)** --- ## Letters on July 1 *Letters from this day: 25* --- **[1969: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1969/690701_brahmananda)** > The circular you have sent to the presidents and members of ISKCON is very nicely drawn, and please follow the principles. --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/690701_hayagriva)** > So far as the Sanskrit transliterations are concerned, I have done it, and am returning it herewith. --- **[1969: Letter to Manager Of The Punjab National Bank](letters/1969/690701_manager_of_the_punjab_national_bank)** > I beg to inform you that on August 5th, 1967 you received American Exchange for Rupees 33,705. --- **[1969: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1969/690701_mukunda)** > I have seen your letter to Dinesh, dated 26th June, 1969, and I am little bit disturbed in my mind. --- **[1970: Letter to Citsukhananda](letters/1970/700701_citsukhananda)** > I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. --- **[1970: Letter to Damodaraa](letters/1970/700701_damodaraa)** > I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. --- **[1970: Letter to Damodarab](letters/1970/700701_damodarab)** > What has happened to Dinesh's letter to the Embassy? Please see that this permission is granted. It is very important business. --- **[1970: Letter to Jagadisa](letters/1970/700701_jagadisa)** > I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. --- **[1970: Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu](letters/1970/700701_jagannatham_prabhu)** > Your son is here, so I think with your daughter-in-law you can also come in this country. So far I understand there is some difficulty in getting visa for your daughter-in-law, but as far as I know the immigration laws, if your son is an immigrant he can bring in his wife immediately and without any difficulty. --- **[1970: Letter to Shyama Dasi](letters/1970/700701_shyama_dasi)** > I was thinking of you since a long time because I have not received any letter from you. --- **[1970: Letter to Tulsi](letters/1970/700701_tulsi)** > I am very glad to know that your sales of our literature and books are very good and improving more. --- **[1971: Letter to Bhavananda](letters/1971/710701_bhavananda)** > Last time Karandhara arranged for five tickets: Tamala Krishna, Madhudvisa Maharaja, Kirtanananda Maharaja, Kartikeya Maharaja and Devananda Maharaja, as well as myself. So keep the date open and when the day has been fixed up, I will let you know. --- **[1971: Letter to Cidananda](letters/1971/710701_cidananda)** > I'm very sorry that you are separated from the temple for the time being. So go on chanting Hare Krishna at all costs and never mind these tribulations of maya. --- **[1971: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1971/710701_satsvarupa)** > Enclosed please find tape no. 2 from L.A., 4th Canto, 8th chapter. Kindly acknowledge date of receipt. --- **[1971: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1971/710701_tamala_krsna)** > So I am very much anxious to know about the arrangements being made for laying the corner stone in Mayapur. My desire is that it be done on the 15th August, 1971 or round about that day. --- **[1972: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1972/720701_rupanuga)** > Therefore, I am especially appealing to the GBC men to take this mission of Krishna Consciousness movement very, very soberly and without any inebrieties for advancing the knowledge of how to inject Krishna Consciousness into the dead body of material nature. And I am especially convinced that your government of your country must come forward to assist us. --- **[1972: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1972/720701_satsvarupa)** > Similarly I have received such nice letters from Rupanuga and Hrdayananda, and I am very much satisfied that you are all feeling the serious nature of this Sannyasi mission. --- **[1974: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1974/740701_gurudasa)** > I am spending my last two days in Australia and after this I shall go to the U.S.A. In the meantime, I wish to give you some instructions regarding our Janmastami installation in Vrindaban. --- **[1975: Letter to Acarya Prabhakar Mishra](letters/1975/750701_acarya_prabhakar_mishra)** > I wrote you one letter on May 31, 1975, but I have not received any reply from you. Did you see Nandaji in this connection? --- **[1975: Letter to Bhagavata](letters/1975/750701_bhagavata)** > Enclosed please find a copy of a letter addressed to the Central Bank of India, Camac Street Branch dated June 2, 1975. --- **[1975: Letter to Hrdayananda](letters/1975/750701_hrdayananda)** > With regard to your letter dated June 9, 1975, upon your request I am accepting the following as my initiated disciples: Joca—Yajni dasa; Claudio—Caturmurti das; Bosco—Bhamaka dasa; Lucio—Lokasaksi... --- **[1975: Letter to Jai Prakash Narayan](letters/1975/750701_jai_prakash_narayan)** > Perhaps it is known to you that I am leading the Hare Krishna Movement all over the world. I am glad to inform you that the movement is appreciated by the thoughtful educated circles in the western countries. They are seriously reading my English translations of the Vedic instructions, and I think that if this movement is pushed forward, the whole world will be happy and it will glorify the prestige of India, which is considered to be the most holy place in the universe. --- **[1975: Letter to Mr. Morris Lapidus](letters/1975/750701_mr._morris_lapidus)** > You should regard your main business as trying to become Krsna conscious through reading my books and associating with the devotees in the Sankirtana movement there in Brooklyn temple. You are an older man, 68 years old, so I appreciate it if you can help my disciples in New York in cooperation with the President, Gopijanavallabha. --- **[1975: Letter to Nityananda](letters/1975/750701_nityananda)** > Upon your recommendation I accept Paul Warren Menard as my initiated disciple. Please see that he maintains the Vaisnava standards and chants always 16 rounds minimum. --- **[1975: Letter to Sat Krita](letters/1975/750701_sat_krita)** > I have organized the GBC for the purpose of spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world. ---