# August 16 ## Spoken on August 16 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.2](spoken/1971/710816sb.lon)** > So this is called illusion. I am accepting this body as self. I am accepting my father or my son... "Here is my son." What is that? "This body." Now when the son is dead, he is crying, "My son is gone. My son is gone. Oh, my son, where you have gone?" Well, why you are crying? Here is your son. Here is your son, lying on the floor. Why you are crying that "My son is gone, gone, gone"? "No, no, no. My son is gone." > So every sense... We are gathering knowledge by the imperfect senses. We are seeing every day, morning, the sun, which is bigger than this earth by fourteen thousand..., fourteen hundred thousand times, and we are seeing just like a plate. If he's not informed by an authority when he goes to school... The teacher of geography, when he informs, "My dear boy, the sun is very, very big," then he can understand. --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 2.10](spoken/1973/730816bg.lon)** > As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa, even for a moment, immediately *māyā* is there: "Please, my dear friend, come here." Therefore we have to become very cautious. We cannot forget Kṛṣṇa even for a moment. Therefore the chanting process, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma... Always remember Kṛṣṇa. Then *māyā* will not be able to touch you. *Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti*. *Māyā* cannot touch. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was engaged in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa. Māyā came in full-fledged strength. Still, she was defeated; Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not defeated. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa as Hṛṣīkeśa. > So Kṛṣṇa, seeing Arjuna *viṣīdantam,* very much affected, lamenting, that he is not prepared to do his duty, therefore in the next verse He begins that *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase : "My dear Arjuna, you are My friend. Never mind *māyā* is very strong. Despite your being My friend, personal, you are so much overwhelmed with false compassion. So just hear Me." Therefore He said, *aśocyān:* "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not at all good." *Aśocya. Śocya* means lamentation, and *aśocya* means one should not lament. *Aśocya.* So *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase.* "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 7.10](spoken/1974/740816bg.vrn)** > So we are *sanātanam*. We cannot understand that "Why we should be subjected to the rules and regulation of *asanātana*, not *sanātana*?" Actually, although we are... Kṛṣṇa says in many places. *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. *Nityaḥśāśvato 'yaṁ*. Again He says *sanātanam*. Another place Kṛṣṇa says, *mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke sanātanaḥ*. So we have lost our intelligence. That several places the living entity is described as *sanātanam*, eternally, then "Why I am under the tribulation of so many rules and regulation of this material nature?" This is the question. This is called *brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma-jijñāsā*. This is intelligence. Unless one is promoted to this intellectual platform, that "I am *sanātana*"... In so many places it is described. *Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām,* in *Kaṭha Upaniṣad.* [*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 2.2.13]. > Again He says, *ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā*. Just like father gives the *bījaṁ*, *yathā-yoni yathā-bījaṁ*. The mother is the *yoni,* and the father is the *bījaṁ*. So without father there cannot be any life, because the father gives the *bījaṁ*, the seed. Many places in the Vedic literature it is stated that life does not come from matter, but life comes from the supreme life, Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. *Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ*. *Viddhi*: you should understand. Don't be misled that life comes from matter. It is not fact. Therefore He says, *viddhi*, *sanātanam*. Not that nowadays it has become like that, that life is coming from life; formerly life was coming from matter. So, *viddhi māṁ sanātanam*. The *sanātanam* means "eternally." Eternally. The *sanātana* word is used in so many places. In another place, Kṛṣṇa says, --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.35](spoken/1974/740816sb.vrn)** > So *hari-toṣaṇam* or *bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam* can be possible when we actually know what is God. Otherwise there is no question. So, so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees, we know who is God. Therefore this business is possible by us, not by others. We know what is God. We have no vague idea. We know who is God, where does He live, what does He do, His name, address, His father's name—everything we know. Therefore we can satisfy. We are competent to satisfy because we know exactly who is God. That is Kṛṣṇa. *Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam*. > So this is the process, *bhagavat-toṣaṇam* or *hari-toṣaṇam.* Also this way. And to receive the knowledge from Bhagavān, that is also *paramparā* system. The *paramparā* system must be maintained, and if it is done nicely, then as it is stated here, *yad atra kriyate*, whatever you do, that is for your perfection. If you keep this *paramparā* system and if you try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then whatever you do, that is perfection. It doesn't matter. The test is whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, whether your spiritual master is satisfied. Then you are perfect. --- **[1976: Evening Darśana, on night of arrival](spoken/1976/760816ar.hyd)** > Mahāṁsa*:* It was a touch-and-go thing. Because it was going to be finished just enough for the opening, and afterwards the work could go on for another one month, finishing work. It is coming out very, very beautiful. Everyone who comes in, they like the whole... The hall is very big and massive, it's very ornamental, and it will be very, very popular. Oh, yes, already people all over Andhra Pradesh know about it. We have done some good publicity. The press has given us some good covering. Tomorrow is a press conference at about... Their press conference starts at five. We are going to have a film show for them and *prasādam* and all that before Your Grace goes there. And then afterwards there is a program at Muthilal Rao's house. We had a program there before in his garden, if you remember. > Mahāṁsa*:* He has seen our temples in Europe and Africa, and he was very, very impressed. So when I told him that Prabhupāda is coming for the inauguration, he said, "You must give me the privilege again to have a program." So tomorrow evening there will be a program there, and then on the 18th morning at ten o'clock, between ten and ten-thirty is the *prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā.* The chief minister is coming there as the chief guest, and it will stay till about twelve o'clock. I wanted to have a feast for all the people as we did in Vṛndāvana, but it's not possible here because there's no space. The area around the temple is very little. So we have made these kinds of packages with different items, just like a little *prasādam* feast, small. So we'll be giving everyone who comes—about ten thousand packages we are preparing. We'll be distributing *prasādam* like that. And then in the evening there's a program again, Janmāṣṭamī program. This is for public. The morning program we have restricted only to invitees, because it will be so crowded otherwise. This is one problem which I am trying to figure out, how to face of the managing the crowd, because the space around the temple is very small, so we cannot have very big, huge assembly. We have to figure out something about that. I'm still trying to think what to do. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760816r1.bom)** > Vairāgya* is to be practiced, but *bhakti* is so strong, *kecit kevalayā bhaktyā,* simply by *bhakti, vāsudeva-parāyaṇa. Vairāgya* immediately comes. *Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ.* If actually one is pure *bhakta,* then everything material, finished. That is real *bhakta.* Now I have got some *bhakti* and some material desire also, that is not *bhakti.* That is *markaṭa-vairāgya.* That does not mean that I shall stop *bhakti.* No. You take *bhakti* to the principle, to the regulative principle, then automatically *vairāgya* will come. The *vairāgya* is not coming, that means you have not been a pure *bhakta.* That is adulteration. *Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam* [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*1.1.11]. That is *bhakti.* And because there is not *anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam*, it is adulterated. > He was circumambulating Rādhā-kuṇḍa, falling down, making a mark. That is Rādhā-kuṇḍa *vāsī. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ.* Not only counted holy names, but offering obeisances so many hundred times in succession. That is Rādhā-kuṇḍa. He, so much *vairāgya* he showed. He can take bath in the Rādhā-kuṇḍa. First of all, do this like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. *Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau.* --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760816r1.hyd)** > [Transl. A sannyāsī is not suppose to eat luxuriously, but what can be done? The body also needs to be maintained. At night we can experience how God has created so many small, tiny aeroplanes.] With pilot. Very small. Minute. Just like construction like aeroplane. With pilot to stay. [Transl. Can they create?] Ask any scientist. --- **[1976: Speech at Fire Yajña with South Indian Brāhmaṇas [Partially Recorded](spoken/1976/760816sp.hyd)** > So my request is that India, especially South India... South India is the place for all the *ācāryas.* South India is the place of Rāmānujācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī. And we Gauḍīya, Mādhva-Gauḍīya *sampradāya...* Caitanya Mahāprabhu belongs to the Mādhavendra Purī *sampradāya.* Mādhavendra Purī belonged to the Madhva *sampradāya;* therefore our *sampradāya* is known as Brahma Mādhva-Gauḍīya *sampradāya.* So the purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to establish this brahminical culture. *Namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca.* It is lost, but we are trying to revive it. There is good sign. Not only good sign; there is prediction by the authorities, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has predicted that all over the world, *pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma* [*CB Antya-khaṇḍa* 4.126]: as many villages and towns are there on the surface of the globe, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement would be spread. > So my request is that let us join together, not only in India but all over the world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order is, *kṛṣṇa bhajanete nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra.* In the matter of executing devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, there is no such distinction wherefrom this man is coming, wherefrom this man is coming. *Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ*. Even they are coming from the *pāpa-yoni,* it doesn't matter if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—*te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.* This philosophy should be followed. I especially request the *ācāryas,* the *brāhmaṇas* of South India, to take up this cause very seriously. It is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please do not make any distinction between European Vaiṣṇava, American Vaiṣṇava and Indian Vaiṣṇava. That is my request. And let us combine together and spread this auspicious movement. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire. --- ## Letters on August 16 *Letters from this day: 23* --- **[1969: Letter to Damodara](letters/1969/690816_damodara)** > I am very much thankful to you for your letter dated August 14th, 1969, and it is very encouraging. --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/690816_hayagriva)** > Enclosed please find the Conversation With Allen Ginsberg Part 2 and An Ancient Science for Modern America, along with the corrected Sanskrit verses duly typed. --- **[1969: Letter to Pradyumna](letters/1969/690816_pradyumna)** > Regarding the church on 16th Avenue, if it is possible to take this on rental, it is very nice place, and you can organize a similar temple as the one in Los Angeles. Yes, as suggested by you the householders should take charge of the maintenance of the temple. --- **[1969: Letter to Upendra](letters/1969/690816_upendra)** > Regarding the persons who have been "throwing the I-Ching," this cannot go on in our temples of Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1970: Letter to Bali-Mardana](letters/1970/700816_bali-mardana)** > Perhaps you know that you have been nominated as one of the Governing Body Commissioners. I very much appreciate your forward service spirit and gradually Krsna is helping you in the matter of your Australian Yatra, and I am so glad to learn that you are going to open another branch in Melbourne. --- **[1970: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1970/700816_hansadutta)** > Now I am staying in our Japan center looking after the publication of books, dealing with Dai Nippon Printing Co. --- **[1970: Letter to P. Gangulee](letters/1970/700816_p._gangulee)** > In this connection I may inform you that although there is no law by which the Temples can bar anyone's entry in India, still sometimes practically I have felt the difficulty in respect of my American and European disciples. Last time when I was in India one of my students, Harivilasa Brahmacari, felt the same difficulty when he was in the Temple of Jagannatha Puri. Similarly one disciple was refused entry in the Ranganatha Temple in Vrndavana. --- **[1970: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1970/700816_satsvarupa)** > It is very nice program. If you simply follow this program, then the spell of Maya will not be able to enter into your constitution. All Questions and answers are practically given in our books. --- **[1970: Letter to Uddhava](letters/1970/700816_uddhava)** > However until today there has been no arrival of the Hindi BTG, so I am still waiting for it. --- **[1972: Letter to Jayadeva](letters/1972/720816_jayadeva)** > Go on in this way, reading, chanting, worshiping the deity, and offering the fruits of your labor to Krishna, and attend Mangala Arati at the temple and classes as much as possible, and very soon you will feel yourself becoming perfectly happy. --- **[1972: Letter to Nityananda](letters/1972/720816_nityananda)** > I am very pleased to hear that all of the programs there in New Orleans center are improving more and more under your capable supervision. --- **[1972: Letter to Sukadeva](letters/1972/720816_sukadeva)** > Yes, the program of increasing book distribution is very much appreciated by me, and especially if you can preach very widely to the university students nearby to your place, that is the best program. --- **[1972: Letter to Tejiyas Gurudasa](letters/1972/720816_tejiyas_gurudasa)** > Regarding the questions by Tejiyas, unless there are local men in Delhi who are interested and who will do the work, then it is all right to attempt to expand there by renting building, etc. --- **[1972: Letter to Turya](letters/1972/720816_turya)** > Yes, I shall be very glad to hear that you have installed the Deity of Lord Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Balarama, provided you and your wife are going to stick there in Mexico City and you will not go away. --- **[1972: Letter to Upendra Citralekha](letters/1972/720816_upendra_citralekha)** > The hat is very nice and it is now cold in London it also had some immediate use. --- **[1974: Letter to Abhirama](letters/1974/740816_abhirama)** > I have accepted the students upon your recommendation as my initiated disciples. Their spiritual names are as follows: --- **[1974: Letter to Batu Gopala](letters/1974/740816_batu_gopala)** > Regarding the art of management, constant changing is not good. Even if there is some fault in management it should be corrected, not changed. --- **[1974: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1974/740816_giriraja)** > I was very glad to learn that you had such a nice Janmastami celebration and that even our Mr. --- **[1974: Letter to Jayatirtha](letters/1974/740816_jayatirtha)** > With regard to the collections of Gurukrpa Swami that he pays to DNP henceforth, the equivalent amount should be transferred to India as follows: 50% to Mayapur Project in care of American Express... --- **[1974: Letter to Madhavananda](letters/1974/740816_madhavananda)** > I am in due receipt of your telegram dated August 14, 1974 and am very glad to learn that you had a very successful Janmastami celebration. This is Krishna's special mercy upon you. Wherever you go, you are successful in your devotional service. --- **[1974: Letter to Mahamsa](letters/1974/740816_mahamsa)** > Regarding the initiations I have accepted them as my disciples and their spiritual names are as follows: --- **[1975: Letter to Gunagrahi](letters/1975/750816_gunagrahi)** > Your letter to the newspaper is nice. Upon your recommendation I accept for second initiation Sona puri devi dasi. --- **[1975: Letter to Sama Priya](letters/1975/750816_sama_priya)** > If you do this maya will never touch you. You simply have to keep yourself always in the fire of Krishna consciousness. ---