# July 25 ## Spoken on July 25 *Lectures from this day: 12 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 4.11–12](spoken/1966/660725bg.ny.md)** > So perfect man or a very intelligent man, he should try to have the highest benefit of this life, and that is surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa. That is surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa. If we do that, then we are both materially and spiritually benefited. You will find in the later *śloka* that *teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam*.* The exact word, I forget now. It is said that "Those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," Kṛṣṇa says, "I supply them all that he needs. He hasn't got to ask anybody." He, Kṛṣṇa knows. > So we have to attain to that state. Now, that is the real aim of life, and Lord Kṛṣṇa personally is teaching in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* Why should we not take advantage of this? We should not refuse. If we refuse... We can refuse, because we are individual souls with independence. If you like, you can refuse. But we should not refuse. Here Kṛṣṇa says that "Those who does not come to My leadership, but he goes indirectly to other leaders..." We worship leadership—why? Because we want something from that leadership. Just like in our India during the, I mean the, Independence movement, so many people took part in the Congress movement, and later on, they became all ministers and high official, although they had no position in India's past life. --- **[1971: Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.32](spoken/1971/710725bs.ny)** > In, in..., of course, it will not be very palatable to hear, but actually we are all thieves. We have stolen God's property. That is material life. Anyone who has got anything without sense of God, it is to be understood that he has stolen the property. If you very cool-headed think over this matter, that you are... If we do not understand God, if we do not understand whose property we are using, and if you come to the real knowledge: without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever we possess, that is stolen property, stolen property... *Stena eva saḥ ucyate*. It is clearly said in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* If one does not expend his money for *yajña,* then he is to be understood... > So people who deny existence of God, they say that "Can you show me God?" You are seeing God. Why you are denying? God says that "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." And who has not seen the sunshine and moonshine? Everyone has seen. As soon as there is morning, there is sunshine. So if sunshine is God, then you have seen God. Why do you deny? You cannot deny. Kṛṣṇa says, *raso 'ham apsu kaunteya* : "I am the taste of the water." So who has not tasted water? We are drinking, daily, gallons of water. We are thirsty, and the good taste which quench our thirst, that is Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.11](spoken/1971/710725sb.ny)** > But you have to fix up your mind in something which you cannot reject. That is only the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then your mind cannot go elsewhere. You practice it and you'll see it. *Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ*. Therefore Ambarīṣa Mahārāja fixed up his mind always... Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are teaching our student how to fix up the mind always in Kṛṣṇa, some way or other. That is the first-class *yoga* system. And Kṛṣṇa also advise... > Then how *brahmacarya* can be executed? That is also given here: *tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena*. Śamena* means controlling the mind. The *yoga* system, *aṣṭāṅga-yoga* system, practicing the *āsana,* sitting posture, breathing exercise, controlling the senses from outside engagement, *pratyāhāra,* these are..., this *yoga* system is meant for controlling the mind and controlling the sense. If there is no control of mind and no control of senses, the so-called *yoga* practice is bogus. It has no meaning. *Yoga indriya saṁyama. Yoga* means to control the senses. That is the real meaning of *yoga.* --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/720725r1.par)** > Anyone who has accepted the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya as everything—all the riches and all wealth—immediately he enters in the kingdom of devotional service. He tastes without taste... Now so many of our European and American boys and girls, they are sticking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Unless they are tasting something blissful, how they can stick to these principles? Our... [break]...person like Lord Zetland... [break]...no gambling, no meat-eating and no intoxication. He... [break] [indistinct] > The Australia is one of their colony, but there is no satisfaction. We have seen—we got our temple in London—not that people are very happy. Even in London we have seen that Bedford Park, I was going every day for morning walk, but there also men were sleeping on the bench, without sufficient cover. So I used to show my students, "Why this man belong to British nation, who has got the British Empire background, why he is unhappy?" --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 1.32–35](spoken/1973/730725bg.lon)** > So we have got two kinds of bodies, gross and subtle, and within that, I am living, you are living, soul. *Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā*. Asmin dehe,* within this body, there is the *dehī,* the proprietor of the body. So people do not understand that this finishing of this gross body is not actually death or annihilation of the soul. *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. Even annihilation of the subtle body does not mean death of the soul. *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.* There are two kinds of bodies. So when the gross body is annihilated, the subtle body carries me to another gross body, just like the air carries the flavor of a certain place. If the air is passing over rose garden, it carries the flavor. Although we cannot see, but we can smell. We can understand the breeze is so fragrant, means it is coming over a rose garden. Similarly, filthy place, a bad smell, the air carries. > So he is preparing the ground for teaching *Bhagavad-gītā.* We are so much attached to our bodily conception of life, and expansion of bodily conception of life. He is thinking in terms of bodily conception of life. *Śyālāḥ bandhuḥ pitaraḥ pitāmahāḥ.* Because somebody happens to be... Just like there are many thousands of women. One woman with whom I have got my bodily connection, I take, "She is my wife. I have to give protection." This is all based on bodily connection. So long there was no bodily connection with that woman, you didn't care for her. But as soon as there is bodily connection, immediately the attachment is there. *Tayor... Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ*. Generally, everyone has got attraction for woman. Woman has got attraction for man. That is general. But when they are united by marriage, the attraction becomes very acute, *hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Hṛdaya-granthi* means very hard knot. *Hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ.* So this is called family attraction. Then I get my attraction for my children, for my society, for my home. --- **[1974: Departure Address](spoken/1974/740725dp.ny)** > "*It is my duty. I have to do it." Husband should give all comforts to the wife; she may not be uncomfortable in any way. They want food, cloth, little ornaments. Yes. In so many ways, the husband must give to keep the woman satisfied. [indistinct] In India you will find that the poor man, they will get—what is called—lead bangles. They cannot provide silver or gold, but bangle must be there. If not lead, then glass. She will be satisfied with good *sārī,* good bangle, good foods and some children. Thats all. [break] *Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya*. > So, New York temple is very nice, very [indistinct]. Don't be disturbed by outward elements. Fix up your understanding. Then *māyā* will not be able to touch. Our this flourishing condition, there are so many envious persons, they want to destroy this organization. Because the whole world is full of envious persons. Material world means envious. So they know, so many enemies are... Kṛṣṇa will already protect; otherwise so many counteracting things are going on, especially in India. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu had to face so many. Kṛṣṇa had to kill so many demons from the beginning. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.44](spoken/1975/750725sb.la)** > Prāpañcika* means material, artificial abnegation or renouncement. The Māyāvādīs, they say, "No, no, it is material." The other day we saw that Sushil Muni. Sushil Muni, they are Jains. According to Jain philosophy, they should..., they do not use any vehicle from going this place to another place. They will go by walking. That is their principle. But we are not following that principle. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Suppose if I have to come to your country, and if I say, "I will go by walking," [laughter] then my life will be finished [laughter] before preaching. We are intelligent. Now we have got this aeroplane. Take advantage of the aeroplane and go in three hours to America, speedy. That is our policy. Therefore sometimes people criticize us that we are accepting all material things, still, we are condemning material civilization. They accuse us. But they do not know that we do not distinguish matter and spirit. Anything which is used for Kṛṣṇa, that is spirit. This house, if you use for making a club, dancing club, that is material. And if this house is used for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* and dancing, that is spiritual. That is the difference. Because actually everything is emanation from the supreme spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, *bhūmir āpo 'nalaḥ vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca*, apareyam.* > In other place it is said, *karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa* : "As we are acting auspicious or inauspicious, by higher supervision, higher consideration, judgment, we are getting different body." Otherwise why there are so many varieties of body? This is the cause. One is getting auspicious body, one is getting inauspicious body, but there is one opportunity that... If you want to change materially your auspicious or inauspicious position, that cannot be done. It is fixed up. It cannot be done otherwise. Suppose a man has got a nice body; a dog has got inferior body. You cannot change the... Bodily, you cannot make a man dog or a dog man. That is not possible. But spiritually you can do. Spiritually, a bad man or bad dog even can be elevated to the highest perfection. --- **[1976: Engagement at the House of Kṣīrodakaśāyī dāsa](spoken/1976/760725l1.lon)** > If you actually want to be not to be controlled by the laws of material nature, that you can do. That is possible. And that is possible simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa. So we are presenting this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not a manufactured thing. We are quoting from *Bhagavad-gītā* the same thing. We are not presenting something manufactured. There is no need, because things in perfection is already there in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* There is no need of manufacturing by fools and rascals. There is no need. Everything is there in perfection. Simply we have to accept it and apply it in practical life. Then our life will be successful. Simply we have to understand it. Kṛṣṇa says that *janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ*. > This is framework house. Hare Kṛṣṇa. If some of the *svāmīs* may have said, they say that "Why you call us rascal and so many things?" So you say that "We are not calling you; Kṛṣṇa says. So we are pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have to repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's it. We cannot help it. Kṛṣṇa says, *na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ*. So you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious; therefore you must be *mūḍha.*" --- **[1976: Sunday Feast Lecture](spoken/1976/760725l2.lon)** > So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activities for the human society to save them from a dangerous type of life. It is a very scientific movement. The fools and rascals, they do not know that there is next life and one has to accept a type of body given by nature. *Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti*. According to *karma,* the nature... Just like if you infect some disease without any knowledge, so that disease, infection, will develop. If you have infected the smallpox germ, then it will develop. You may believe or not believe, or you may know or not know, it doesn't matter. Nature's way is like that. Similarly, we are contaminating within this material world different infection of the modes of material nature—*sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.* So that is also described in the *Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad yoni janmasu.* One is getting higher type of birth, one is getting lower type of birth, why? *Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅgo 'sya : the cause is different contamination of the material modes of nature. Therefore in human form of life we should not be irresponsible animals. The animals, they do not know what he is contaminating, what he is going to take birth next. That is nature's way. But when you come to the human form of life, you have got your discrimination. You have to make your choice whether you are going to hell or you are going back to home, back to Godhead. That you have to make your choice. > So people should be very careful, take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not a blind, sentimental religious faith. It is a great science, *vijñānam. Jñānaṁ me parama-guhyaṁ yad vijñāna-samanvitam*. *Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ pravakṣyāmi yad vijñāna-samanvitam.* These are the words. It is *vijñāna,* a great science. Don't think that "These people are sentimentally chanting and dancing." That is the process, very easy made for this age. But if you think yourself that you are a great scientist, great philosopher, then we have got eighty-four books of four hundred pages. If you have got actually learning, you can study them. We can convince you. And people are becoming convinced. We are selling books all over the world, daily, sixty thousand dollars' worth. People are receiving, and they are appreciating. We have got big, big learned scholars' opinion. --- **[1976: Lecture at 7 Bury Place [Partially Recorded](spoken/1976/760725l3.lon)** > So Kṛṣṇa conscious persons are no more interested. Why not interested? They are disgusted. Why disgusted? No, because it is full of danger. *Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām*.* Here everything appears to be very nice, but every step there is danger. So the Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows it, that although it is decorated very nicely. The New York is a big city. Twenty-four hours, "*dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung, gug-gug-gug-gug-gug-gug*"—fire, always fire. Every minute there is a fire case. *Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka.* Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's description of this material world as blazing fire... We see big, big cities in America, always in blazing fire. Still, they like this kind of life. But one who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are no more interested, no more interested. They are interested back home, back to Godhead. Back to Godhead. Therefore our magazine is *Back to Godhead.* They are no more interested in front. They are going back. [laughter] Therefore this name was given, *Back to Godhead.* They are trying: "No more we are so foolish. To go forward, material civilization..." And where you'll go? You are packed up within this universal atmosphere. Just like they are running for the moon planet, for the Mars planet. And where the rascals running, they'll come back. > So still, we have to do our business. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised that "Be humbler than the grass." The grass, we are trampling over the grass; there is no protest—"All right, go on." And *tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣ...* And trees, very tolerant. You cut the trees, it will not protest. So you take fruits, flowers from the tree. Take all advantages, and again cut. Just like they are taking last drop of milk from the cow, and after exacting everything, then send to the slaughterhouse. So the whole world is engaged in sinful activities. You cannot expect from them any concession for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. Therefore we have to become humbler, tolerant, because real Kṛṣṇa consciousness means goodbye to this material world. We are no more interested with your these big, big street, big, big buses or anything, whatever you think that is improvement, advancement. --- ## Letters on July 25 *Letters from this day: 15* --- **[1968: Letter to Harivilasa](letters/1968/680725_harivilasa)** > In your letter under reply, I find that you are now anxious to return to the USA. I do not think that you will be more serviceable in the USA than in India; I think if you try to remain in India in fixed up mind, you can do greater service to Krishna. --- **[1970: Letter to Ekayani](letters/1970/700725_ekayani)** > I am so glad that you are now happily combined with Sriman Gopala Krsna, and I think this match is just suitable for you both. You were wanting a very nice responsible devotee husband and now Krsna has so blessed you, please utilize this opportunity nicely and advance mutually in Krsna's transcendental loving service and be happy. --- **[1970: Letter to Krsna Dasa](letters/1970/700725_krsna_dasa)** > I am very much encouraged that you have seriously taken up the matter opening our center in Berlin city and it is a great opportunity for us, I have also received the beads and I have chanted them duly. --- **[1971: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1971/710725_giriraja)** > So far the Mayapur program is concerned, I received one telegram from Tamala Krishna that the date for the program has been postponed and I replied by cable that it is all right, but still this is a little disappointing. --- **[1971: Letter to Nayanabhirama](letters/1971/710725_nayanabhirama)** > I was very glad to see both you and your good wife Daivisakti here in N.Y. And please offer my blessings to all the other boys and girls there in Philadelphia. --- **[1972: Letter to Prahladananda](letters/1972/720725_prahladananda)** > I am so glad to hear that the things in Austin center are going on very nicely, never mind there are not many devotees there. --- **[1972: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1972/720725_satsvarupa)** > I am very happy to hear that the things are going on very nicely, especially at Gurukula. --- **[1972: Letter to Sri Joshiji](letters/1972/720725_sri_joshiji)** > From London now I am staying in Paris, and from here I shall go to Amsterdam and then to Edinburgh, again to London, and from there I shall go to Nairobi for installing Radha-Krishna deities in our own temple there. --- **[1973: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1973/730725_gurudasa)** > I am pleased to hear how you are completely absorbed in the project of our Vrindaban temple and taxing your brain how it can be carried out. I am also always praying to Krsna that He may give you intelligence to carry it out rightly. --- **[1975: Letter to Batu Gopala](letters/1975/750725_batu_gopala)** > Upon your recommendation, I am hereby accepting the following as my initiated disciples: --- **[1975: Letter to Madhavananda](letters/1975/750725_madhavananda)** > Upon your recommendation I am accepting the following as my initiated disciples: --- **[1975: Letter to Satcitananda](letters/1975/750725_satcitananda)** > Regarding your going to Malaysia, at the present moment we are not going to open a temple there. We first want to see that the Vrindaban temple is going on very solidly. --- **[1975: Letter to Saurabha](letters/1975/750725_saurabha)** > Which land did he show you? What is the area of the land? Is it suitable for Gurukula? --- **[1975: Letter to Urvasi](letters/1975/750725_urvasi)** > I am glad to learn that you are taking up Krsna Consciousness under the guidance of Shaktimati prabhu. --- **[1976: Letter to Pusta Krsna](letters/1976/760725_pusta_krsna)** > I am very pleased that you are preaching for preaching is our main line. Harikesa Swami was also doing preaching work and now you are also. Preaching is the most important business. ---