# July 27 ## Spoken on July 27 *Lectures from this day: 14 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 4.12–13](spoken/1966/660727bg.ny.md)** > So these things, these four principles, preliminary, if we actually want to be a *brāhmaṇa,* then we have to take care of these four principles of life just to become a *brāhmaṇa.* Yes. Then everyone can become a *brāhmaṇa.* There is no bar. And whoever becomes a *brāhmaṇa,* he knows what is Brahman. And Kṛṣṇa is Parambrahman. Parambrahman. You'll find in the Tenth Chapter, He is addressed by Arjuna, *paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān* : By studying *Bhagavad-gītā* I now understand that Kṛṣṇa, You are Parambrahman." *Paraṁ dhāma:* "You are the shelter of everyone." So He is Parambrahman. > Ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya kalpita, śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam:* "As *Śrīmad-Bhāgavata* is the spotless Vedic literature." Because *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness only. That's all. Just like this *Bhagavad-gītā* is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the preliminary study of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* The last word of the *Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā* is that *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* : "You give up everything. You just surrender unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. One who accepts this philosophy—"I accept Kṛṣṇa as *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ"* —*then for him *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is the postgraduate study. --- **[1968: Lecture [Partially Recorded](spoken/1968/680727le.mon)** > So therefore so much stress is given for cow protection. Amongst the division of society, the *brāhmaṇas,* the *kṣatriyas* and the *vaiśyas* and the *śūdra... Śūdras* means non-Āryan. And Āryans, they are divided into three higher castes. Caste means according to profession and quality. That is caste. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is stated, *cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. > So these are not money. Actually money means... Either you say livestock or grain stock, that is money. So in Sanskrit literature we find *dhānyena dhanavān.* One who has got large quantity of paddy, rice, he is rich man. Still in India, in villages, when a daughter is to be offered to a particular house, it is inquired, "How much stock of grains that family has got?" --- **[1968: Conversation with Religious Group [Partially Recorded](spoken/1968/680727r1.mon)** > No. Don't laugh. Suppose you are here. You have to go to London. If you have purchased the ticket for London and if you are sure that you have got an aeroplane, so even you have not gone to reach London, but you are sure that you are going to London. --- **[1971: Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.33 Initiations and Trivikrama Sannyas](spoken/1971/710727bs.ny)** > In the chapter 12 entitled, "Devotional Service." Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa, he enquires, "Of those who are properly engaged in Your devotional service and those who are engaged by the impersonal Brahman—the unmanifested which is considered to be more perfect?" The Supreme Personality of Godhead answered that, "One who has fixed his mind upon My personal form always engaged in devotional service with great and transcendental faith is considered by Me to be most perfect." And a little later on in that same chapter, in the ninth verse Kṛṣṇa says, "If you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation then engage yourself in the practice of *bhakti*-*yoga* principles. In that way you will develop a desire to attain to Me." > So essentially this renunciation involves controlling the mind, purifying the mind and senses. The mind is simply accepting or rejecting we have to dovetail that process, "Oh I accept whatever is good for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I reject that which is not good for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So this way we will dovetail and purify our mind and we will think and we will accept and reject the relationship to Kṛṣṇa because the mind according to the *Bhagavad-gītā* can be a source of bondage or liberation depending on how we use that mind. And the minds ego must be purified because the mind's ego is thinking that I am this body and by chanting we realised that I am a devotee, I am servant of Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am servant of Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13–14](spoken/1971/710727sb.ny)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *dadāsi yat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam*. Dāna,* this *tyāga,* "You renounces this world for Me. You renounce your wealth, your property for Me." The same thing. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. He's not a beggar. But He's patting the child, "Oh, you are very good boy. Kindly give it to Me." That is the way. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Because... The same example: the child does not know how to utilize that hundred dollars note. He'll simply spoil it. The best thing is to give it over, hand it over to the father. He knows how to use it. It is his property. > Satyaṁ śamam.* This *śamam,* controlling the mind. *Damam,* controlling the senses. *Satyaṁ samo damaḥ śaucam,* cleanliness. *Ārjavam,* simplicity. No duplicity; simplicity. *Ārjavam āstikyam.* Faith in *Vedas,* that is called *āstikyam.* Just like *Bhagavad-gītā,* part of *Vedas.* Here Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme Lord." So you have to accept Him by faith. This is called *āstikyam. Āstikyam, jñānam.* Not foolishly, but with knowledge, full knowledge. And *vijñānam,* practical application in life. *Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam.* This is the natural symptoms of a *brāhmaṇa.* --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 1.37–39](spoken/1973/730727bg.lon)** > Kṛṣṇa says that "Those who are worshipers of other demigods..." Actually worshipful is the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Others, they should be shown respect. But worship means for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is worshipful. *Śaraṇyam.* He is to be taken shelter of; He is to be worshiped. That is being taught. That is religion. *Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru*. > So we are indebted. *Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇām*. And *pitṝṇām,* these *pitṛ, kula-kṣaya,* forefathers, I have got this body... From my grandfather, my father has got this body; from my father, I have got this body. I am also indebted. Because this body, human body, is a chance for understanding, for my position. I can get out of the clutches of this *māyā* of transmigrating from one body to another. So this opportunity I have got by the grace of my forefathers. These are feelings of obligation. And there is duty. Therefore Arjuna is considering so many things, because he is devotee. --- **[1973: Conversation with Sir Alister Hardy [Second Conversation](spoken/1973/730727r1.lon)** > Therefore all our endeavors should be engaged how to understand God scientifically. We do not say that you accept somebody as God blindly. No. That is not our... Try to understand. There is a verse—what is that? No, I forget. That... *Idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥśrutasya vā* : by austerity, by education, by scientific advancement of knowledge, by everything, try to understand God. If you are scientist, you try to understand scientifically; if you are a philosopher, try to understand God philosophically. Because ultimate goal is God. That is the real problem. > So therefore my request to exalted personalities like you—because you are engaged in religious experience, research—so the research you may do, but real, we are giving the result of the research work: *harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā*. Everything is there in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. Unless there is God consciousness, all such research work will not give us any relief. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750727mw.sd)** > [*japa*] [break] This park is very nice. [break] *...śunīcena.* Lower. [*Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka* 3] We are all trampling; there is no protest. [break] Our man? --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.46](spoken/1975/750727sb.sd)** > Then the most authentic evidence is *śruti;* out of three evidences, the *śruti,* hearing from the authority. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, *imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam*. So Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa is the authority, best authority, supreme authority. So we can understand from His speech that in the sun planet there is a king whose name is Vaivasva..., Vivasvata. And Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke to Vivasvān." So Vivasvān... Now, nobody can say when the sun planet was created. But we can calculate, as it is said, *vivasvān manave prāhuḥ,* that Vivasvān, he explained to Manu. So Manu's age we can calculate. Manu's age... There are seventy-two Manus in one day of Brahmā. And the one day of Brahmā means forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand and divided by seventy-two. Then we can immediately calculate what is Manu's age. So by Manu's age we can calculate that forty millions of years ago Kṛṣṇa spoke to the sun-god about this philosophy. This is called *śruti.* The exact calculation, by *śruti* you can make. So *śruti-pramāṇa.* [Vedic evidence.] > So here it is said that it is *anumīyate.* As here we find varieties, similarly, in other planet or in next life there are varieties. This is intelligence, human intelligence. Why you should say there is no next life or there is no life in other planet? Therefore we have to refer to the *śāstras, śāstra-vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma...*. If you unnecessarily becomes too much intelligent and theorize, then he is never successful, he is never *sukhi. Na sukhaṁ na... Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim.* Such a rascal, who does not consult the *śāstras* and thinks whimsically according to his mad conception, such person, *na siddhim avāpnoti.* That is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. He will never get success. He will simply speculate. There is no definite knowledge. *Na sukham,* and he is not happy. And what to speak of going back to home, back to Godhead? He is a rascal. There is no hope. So do not conclude in your foolish way anything. Just refer to the *śāstra,* authority, *śruti.* Therefore it is called *śruti.* We cannot imagine that there is possibility of living entity in the sun planet or moon planet, but *śruti...* Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke to sun-god." So by hearing this *śruti,* we understand that there is also life and there is also system, the government, the chief executive. Everything is there. And that is by *śruti anumīyate. Anumīyate* means you can imagine; it is a fact. --- **[1976: Radio Interview with Mike Robinson from London Broadcasting Company](spoken/1976/760727iv.lon)** > "There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as *śravanaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ smaranam* —hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous *acaryas.* These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service." > Shall I explain the program? We do a religious program for two and a half hours on a Sunday which covers all different religions, and what we'd like is, people in London have seen, you know, many members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement on Oxford Street. And if you would explain more about the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, how it was formed, what you believe, this sort of idea, so that people would have a better understanding of the movement. And I'll just set up a tape recorder first. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760727r1.lon)** > So this art... And among the theatrical, Girish Chandra Ghosh could not get a single response from any respectable family. Then he had to seek some young girls from the prostitute class. They became later on famous artists, Kusumkumari Dasi, this Dasi... Nowadays it has become a fashion that aristocratic family should join this cinema and spoil their character. Otherwise it was meant for the..., no respectable man. You will find the *Bhāgavata* description, especially for these professional who would come. They'll take their reward. --- **[1976: Room Conversation in Hindi [Translated](spoken/1976/760727r2.lon)** > Prabhupāda:* [Transl. The goal of our preaching is *kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam*. But nobody accepts it. They say it is sectarean. What do you say? Their argument is why Kṛṣṇa is God? I am God, you are God, he is God. Everyone is God. We cannot accept that. *kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam*. They don't agree with this.] > We are foolish therefore we simply accept this statement. We are not very learned in the *śāstra*. What the Supreme Lord says we just accept. Business is finished. And it is being successful. When the Supreme Lord is declaring, *mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat*....] --- ## Letters on July 27 *Letters from this day: 9* --- **[1970: Letter to Satsvarupa Uddhava](letters/1970/700727_satsvarupa_uddhava)** > You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other Godbrothers in India. --- **[1971: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1971/710727_mukunda)** > I was a little shocked when I understood that you left the London temple for taking care of your wife. --- **[1971: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1971/710727_satsvarupa)** > Enclosed herewith, some poems and articles for publication in BTG upon your approval. So far my writing is concerned, yes I want to settle down somewhere and write my books. --- **[1971: Letter to Shyama Dasi](letters/1971/710727_shyama_dasi)** > You have expressed such nice sentiments and I can see that you are making nice advancement in Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1971: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1971/710727_tamala_krsna)** > Enclosed please find a copy of a letter sent to the Manager, Central Bank of India, Camac Street Branch. --- **[1973: Letter to Karandhara](letters/1973/730727_karandhara)** > Take for example *Padma Purāṇa,* there it is said there are 8,400,000 species of life: two million trees, one million insects, four hundred thousand humans. Nowhere do we find about so and so many, but exactly the number is given. --- **[1973: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1973/730727_kirtanananda)** > Go on acquiring the surrounding lands and in this way we will establish a local self governing village and show all the world a practical example of spiritual life as Krishna Himself exhibited in Vrindaban. Agriculture and protecting the cow, this is the main business of the residents of Vrindaban, and above all simply loving Krishna. --- **[1973: Letter to Spiritual Sons And Daughters](letters/1973/730727_spiritual_sons_and_daughters)** > Human life begins when there is systematic education in the science of God consciousness. Just some days ago I was discussing with Professor Alister Hardy—Head of Religious Experimental research unit Oxford, it was his opinion that the problems of human life are over-population, environmental pollution etc.. --- **[1973: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1973/730727_tamala_krsna)** > It is very encouraging to note that the work on our BTG and other Books is going on. ---