# July 4 ## Spoken on July 4 *Lectures from this day: 17 recordings* --- **[1968: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.9](spoken/1968/680704sb.mon)** > It is not an artificial thing. Simply you have to develop it. It is not taught actually. Just like a young boy or young girl—there is no educational department how to love a young girl or young boy. It is already there. It is not taught. Similarly, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not the subject matter of being taught. Please try to note this. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a thing as you are taught technology or mathematics or like that. It is already there. Simply we have to revive it. Simply we have to revive it. *Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti*. > That is the *Bhāgavata* recommendation. *Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje* : "That is the first-class type of religious principle by which one can develop his dormant love of God." That's all. If you are not developing your love of Godhead, simply following the rituals, the *Bhāgavata* says, *śrama eva hi kevalam* Simply laboring, simply wasting your valuable time. That's all. Don't waste your time. You have got very precious life in this human form of existence. Don't waste your time. Just try to increase your love of Godhead. That is the perfection of your life. --- **[1970: Guṇḍicā Mārjanam Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple [Gurvaṣṭakam](spoken/1970/700704le.sf)** > So try to understand Kṛṣṇa philosophy very nicely, what is God. There are so many fictitious rogues, rascals, they are presenting themselves God. Try to understand what is God. Don't be misled. *Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam*. There is no other God except Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, mām ekam* > The modern civilization is defective. They do not know how to maintain society. There is therefore no peace. Especially there is want of brain. Crazy. Just like throughout the whole body, the head is the most important part of the body. If you cut your hands, you can live, but if you cut your head, you cannot live. Then whole thing is gone. Similarly, at the present moment the society is headless, a dead body, or head cracked, crazy. There is head, nonsense head. Nonsense head. What is the use of nonsense head? Therefore there is a great necessity of creating a class who will act as brain and head. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. --- **[1971: Lecture](spoken/1971/710704le.la)** > Just imagine that *Vedānta* study requires many, many births—not only one birth; many, many births. After *bahūnāṁ janmanā... Bahū* means "many"; *janmanām* means "births." After many, many births, *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, jñānavān*, one who is actually wise, or one who has actually attained knowledge, *māṁ prapadyate*, he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "He surrenders unto Me," because that is the ultimate goal of knowledge: Kṛṣṇa. In the *Vedānta-sūtra* also it is said*, janmādy asya yataḥ*: "The supreme goal, or the Absolute Truth, is that from where everything emanates." > Every *śāstra,* this injunction is there, that you have to find out somebody where you can submit, p*raṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā*, where you can surrender yourself. Then you get spiritual knowledge. So the example is set by Arjuna. He also submitted to Kṛṣṇa*, śiṣyas te 'haṁśādhi māṁ prapannam* : "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we are talking like friends, but I think this friendly talk will not help us. Therefore I am submitting unto You. I accept You as my spiritual master. You accept me as Your *śiṣya*."*Śiṣya* means disciple. *Śiṣyas te 'haṁśādhi:* "Just instruct me." This is the beginning of relationship between spiritual master and the disciple: submission. So when Arjuna submitted Kṛṣṇa... --- **[1971: Room Conversation](spoken/1971/710704r1.la)** > Later on, in our school, college days, by bad association there was some impersonalist tendency. But when I heard from Guru Mahārāja that Kṛṣṇa is person, the Supreme, oh, I became so much [indistinct]. Yes. Then it was fixed up. I have written that "Impersonal calamities thou hast moved." There was a current, when I was little, thinking that Lord is impersonal; that was not appealing. And when it was confirmed, I became very much glad. Any other questions? > Govinda dāsī: You see, I don't have to completely remake it. I have the mold already. I won't have to... Three figures I won't have to remake. Three figures are made. I just make one more. This figure. --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/720704r1.ny)** > Devotee (6): That many, many devotees have, have since I have arrived here, have asked me questions about how..., how to treat the children, how to..., how to teach the children, and they have, you know, there are many children in other temples besides Gurukula who are either are not, not of age yet, or who have not been sent yet... > Ātreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda, what are your instructions to the parent..., to the teachers as to how they treat parents? I have heard several parents sometimes complain that..., that they don't get enough news about their children from the teachers. Should teacher let the parents know about the children? --- **[1972: Room Conversation with Yadurāṇī](spoken/1972/720704r2.ny)** > People may not take it as something imagination. That argument will be there. Just like here there is a picture, Dakṣa is with a goat's head. But they may not take it as imagination. That is possible. It is fact. > Devotee (5): Śrīla Prabhupāda? You said you want to present more philosophy in *Back to Godhead* magazine. Does that mean that we should make it more and more sophisticated? Or does that mean that we should try to present the philosophy in the easiest way? --- **[1972: Room Conversation with Bob Cohen and his fiancee](spoken/1972/720704r4.ny)** > You cannot be without being controlled. That is not possible. Therefore one who is intelligent, he puts himself under the control of God directly. That is intelligence. And that is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate* : "After many births of struggling, or speculation, one surrenders unto Me." *Vāsudevaḥ sarva...,* "Kṛṣṇa, You are everything. So I am... Accept me. I am now fully surrendered unto You, and You control me." > So naturally we cannot violate the destiny, but if we do it, then we suffer. But our destiny can be changed by Kṛṣṇa when we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. That we do not do, but Kṛṣṇa will do. Kṛṣṇa says, *ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi* : "I shall give you protection." So that change takes place for my protection by Kṛṣṇa. There are two stages: nondevotee and devotee. --- **[1974: Interview with Envious Reporter](spoken/1974/740704iv.chi)** > Reporter (1):...Krsna consciousness people among the hippies, because they had already given up material possessions, and so they were prepared for...? > "A spiritual master should be honored as good as God." That is the injunction of the scripture. And people who are aware of this thing, they honor. [break] --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.18](spoken/1974/740704sb.chi)** > "You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature." You cannot. This is our struggle for existence. Material nature is offering some difficulty, and we are trying to overcome them. This is called struggle for existence, and this is going on life after life. Any life, either human form of life or animal form of life, the struggle is there. There must be always anxiety, *sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt*, because we have accepted this material body, or this material world. > To accept this material world means to accept different types of material body, and so long you have got this material body—either you have got the body of a human being or an animal or of a demigod—that always there must be fearfulness, anxiety, because we have accepted something foreign. This material world is foreign to the living entities. The living entity is spiritual, so his actual residency is in the spiritual world. But somehow or other he has come in contact with this material world; therefore he is suffering threefold miseries—*ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika*. He must suffer. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to get the living entity relieved from this material miserable condition of life and take him back to home, back to Godhead. That is also Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa also came to impress that "This is not your place." *Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.* "You are creating so many plans to live here very peacefully, but that is not possible. Therefore you give up all this nonsense plan; just come to Me, surrender to Me, and I shall give you protection." Because He is the father, father wants that the nonsense sons, they want to live independently, but he has no such means, therefore father comes to invite, "Come back." *Sarva-dharmān*..., *vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ*. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750704mw.chi)** >seen, so imperfect you are, that what are the machine there? And you are proud of seeing, nonsense. See the machine, where it is there, how the mosquito is flying. > And others also, just like Christians, they also believe God created. But who has seen God is creating? Who has seen? Simply hear from God. He says, "I have created." That's all. But if you challenge, "I have not seen that You have created; neither I have seen You," then how can you believe? God says, "I have created," so those who are God believers, they will accept that. So what is the use of seeing again, observatory? We trust in God, but don't trust in His word. This is going on. You write in America, "We trust in God," but don't trust in His word. [laughs] Just see. If God you trust, then whatever God says, you believe. "No, that we cannot do." This is delusion. [break] --- **[1975: Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston](spoken/1975/750704r1.chi)** > So now you should take up very seriously how you can create some first-class men. First class, second class, third class also. If you simply remain in the fourth grade, technology... Technology means he has to serve under somebody. This industry, that is also the same thing. Hundreds and thousands of men are working. They are fourth-class men—and *śūdra.* Just like formerly in Indian village... Still there are. They are self-supported. Suppose there is a blacksmith. If you require some black iron instrument, you go there and he will prepare immediately—say, an oil crusher, extracting oil. So weaver, self-supported. Now these things have been taken in larger scale. That is called industry. But actually these things are meant for the *śūdras,* fourth-class men. So the problem is that if we keep men fourth class or increase only fourth-class men, so these things are automatic, the resultant action. Therefore, in the Western countries especially, everywhere, all over the world, the attempt should be how to create first class, second class. At least these two classes required: good politicians, administrators, and good advisors. > Then he is, if he can remain without wife or without opposite sex, then he continues to remain as *brahmacārī.* He is encouraged. This process encourages to remain *brahmacārī,* that "Don't take to sex life. It is entailed with so many difficulties. Practice to remain a *brahmacārī.* You'll save so much trouble." But if he is unable—the teacher sees—then he is allowed to marry, marriage. If he is trained up *brahmacārī,* when he marries, he lives with wife under rules and regulation, not like cats and dogs. And then, because he had previous training, at a certain age he gives up family life. That is called *vānaprastha. Pañcaśordhvam vanam vrajet.* The *vānaprastha* life is accepted, generally, after fiftieth year, not earlier. Then the husband and wife travels all over, I mean to say, spiritual sanctified places. In India there are so many places. So in this way, there is no sex in the *vānaprastha.* Simply the wife remains as assistant. And she also practices austerities. And then the husband, when he is fully mature, he sends wife back to his elderly children to take care of her, and he takes *sannyāsa.* So this is spiritual advancement, and in *sannyāsa* life, one is absolutely dedicated for the service of God. So in this way his life becomes perfect. And according to his perfection, he gets next birth in higher planetary system. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.20](spoken/1975/750704sb.chi)** > So everything in the *śāstra* we should follow. This is called brahminical culture. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means brahminical culture—the cultural exhibition of the first-class men. First-class men. The *brāhmaṇa* is to be understood as the first-class man within the human society. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. Itihāsa,* history, history means to understand the activities of the first-class man. That is history. They pick up the most important incidences. Therefore the example is given here that *udāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam.* Because it is a first-class incidence... Otherwise, if you record the history of the whole period, then where..., who will read that, and who will appreciate that, and where you will keep that? Daily so many things are happening. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the only important incidences are recorded in the history. Therefore it is called *Purāṇa. Purāṇa* means old history. *Purātanam. Purātanam* means very, very old that are recorded. So this *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the collection of very old history, historical incidence. *Itihāsa purāṇānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtam. Sāram* means essence. Not that all nonsense records have to be taken. No. *Sāraṁ sāram,* only the important, essence, that are to be recorded. This is called Indian history. *Mahābhārata... Mahā* means Greater India. Greater India, there were so many incidences were there, but the most important incidence, the Battle of Kurukṣetra, is there. Not that all the battles should be recorded. > So *Mahābhārata,* the Battle of Kurukṣetra was executed by two section of brothers of the same family. It was the one empire, one king, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his younger brother... They were two brothers. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra, being blind, he was not qualified to occupy the throne, so his younger brother, Pāṇḍu, he was given the throne. And Pāṇḍu died untimely, keeping his children, these five brothers, Pāṇḍavas. Because they were son of Pāṇḍu, they were known as Pāṇḍavas. So Pāṇḍu also belonged to the Kuru family, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son also belonged to the Kuru family. Actually they are Kauravas. But when there was fight between the two brothers' son, one party was known as Kaurava, and the other party was known as Pāṇḍava. Therefore Dhṛtarāṣṭra says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* beginning, *māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva*. --- **[1976: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.98–99](spoken/1976/760704cc.wdc)** > > tabe sanātana prabhura caraṇe dhariyā > dainya vinati kare dante tṛṇa lañā > nīca jāti, nīca-saṅgī, patita adhama > kuviṣaya-kūpe paḍi' goṅāinu janama > [Cc Madhya-līlā 20.98-99] This is Bengali language. [child talking] [aside:] Children must stop talking. Sanātana Gosvāmī approaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760704r1.wdc)** --- ## Letters on July 4 *Letters from this day: 19* --- **[1968: Letter to Balai](letters/1968/680704_balai)** > I want to see all my disciples to live such peacefully and execute such Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1968: Letter to Upendra](letters/1968/680704_upendra)** > In the meantime, Gargamuni has come here and I have heard from him the details of your procession and it is so much engladdening to my heart. I thank you all very much for making the Rathayatra festival so successful. --- **[1969: Letter to Jayagovinda](letters/1969/690704_jayagovinda)** > Regarding my going to Hamburg, I am writing to Krishna Das separately, and you will understand the situation. Regarding New Vrindaban, I think we shall have many advantages here that are not in Vrindaban in Mathura. The Vrindaban in Mathura is now congested with so many worldly men. --- **[1969: Letter to Krsna Dasa](letters/1969/690704_krsna_dasa)** > But now I am staying at Los Angeles, so naturally you have to purchase my ticket from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Luxembourg. --- **[1969: Letter to Pradyumna](letters/1969/690704_pradyumna)** > Regarding Baroda Bank, although I have got money, if the goods are dispatched through customs, then we will have to send the money from here. Vora either brings them personally or delivers it to Sumati Morarji as a free gift, then there will be no customs botheration. --- **[1970: Letter to Acyutananda](letters/1970/700704_acyutananda)** > I hope by this time you have occupied the apartment and now conjointly you can work nicer. Both of you combined together can do some real service to the cause of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya. --- **[1970: Letter to Himavati](letters/1970/700704_himavati)** > I have come to San Francisco on account of Rathayatra festival and shall be returning by next Tuesday. --- **[1971: Letter to Nayanabhirama](letters/1971/710704_nayanabhirama)** > So far your leaving Philadelphia center, that is not advisable at the present moment. Better to wait until Philadelphia temple is very firmly established and then if you wish you can go to Morocco to open a center. --- **[1971: Letter to Sri Govinda Srilekha Bob Leon Will Woody Mike](letters/1971/710704_sri_govinda_srilekha_bob_leon_will_woody_mike)** > I am doing the work of my Guru Maharaja and similarly you also help me and we will be all benefited in Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1971: Letter to Tribhuvanatha](letters/1971/710704_tribhuvanatha)** > From there, you will be glad to know, I will be going directly to London. things are going on very nicely and just this week 40 new devotees were initiated. --- **[1973: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1973/730704_gurudasa)** > Your letter is very welcome news, that all obstacles are cleared in the way of our building our temple at Vrindaban. Similarly in Bombay we have just been victorious over the party who had torn down our temple and the temple has been completely reconstructed in addition to our gaining overwhelming new popular support there. --- **[1975: Letter to Dr. Ram S. Verma Mrs. Ram S. Verma](letters/1975/750704_dr._ram_s._verma_mrs._ram_s._verma)** > You have a good position by the grace of Krishna, and I request you to continue on in this spirit of service to the Lord. --- **[1975: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1975/750704_giriraja)** > Regarding the money you are taking for the rooms, this must be carefully done. As soon as you take money and allow a person to stay in your place, then the money can be considered by him as rent. --- **[1975: Letter to Gurukrpa](letters/1975/750704_gurukrpa)** > I may inform you that we have received the permission for constructing our Juhu temple. I want that your collection should be sent there so that the buildings may be completed as soon as possible. --- **[1975: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1975/750704_jayapataka)** > We now require so many khols for expanding our Sankirtana movement. They must be prepared to stay with us for at least one year. --- **[1975: Letter to Manindra](letters/1975/750704_manindra)** > It is simply by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that we have now got a feeling for service to Krishna. --- **[1975: Letter to Paramahamsa Srutakirti](letters/1975/750704_paramahamsa_srutakirti)** > Now we have a plan for expanding our Sankirtana and we will be needing so many hundreds of mrdangas. --- **[1975: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1975/750704_ramesvara)** > I may inform you that in Bombay they have received the sanction for constructing the temple in Juhu. --- **[1977: Letter to Postmaster](letters/1977/770704_postmaster)** > I authorize the Postmaster of Vrndavana to deliver registered insured articles, parcels and money orders addressed to me to my messenger, Sri Tamal Krsna Gosvami, whose signature appears below, and... ---