# August 22 *Lectures from this day: 12 recordings* --- **[[../../spoken/1968/680822sb.mon.md|SB 7.9.13-14 — August 22, 1968, Montreal]]** *[Lecture file not found]* --- **[[spoken/710822in.lon|Initiation Lecture — August 22, 1971, London]]** **Prabhupāda:**[*prema-dhvani*] [Background conversations and japa] [chants, with devotees responding] The purpose of this *mantra, apavitraḥ pavitro vā... Apavitraḥ* means contaminated, infected, and *pavitra* means purified. So the *mantras* says, "Either one is in contaminated stage or purified stage..." *Apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthām. Sarva* means all; *avastha* means circumstances. "In all circumstances, in whatever circumstances one may be, either in contaminated stage or purified stage," *yaḥ smaret,* "anyone who remembers Puṇḍarīkākṣam..." --- **[[../../spoken/1971/710822sb.lon.md|SB 1.1.4 — August 22, 1971, London]]** *[Lecture file not found]* --- **[[spoken/720822sb.la|SB 1.2.19 — August 22, 1972, Los Angeles]]** **[*Govindam* prayers playing] [Prabhup**ā**da sings along] Devotees:** All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. **Devotees:** All glories to Śrī Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. **[devotees offer obeisances] Pradyumna: *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [**Prabhupāda and **devotees repeat] --- **[[spoken/730822bg.lon|Bg 2.16 — August 22, 1973, London]]** **Translation:** **"Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both." **Prabhupāda:** **There are two things: *sat* and *asat. Sat* means which exists, and *asat* means which does not exist; temporary. It appears and again disappears. That is *asat.* The example is just like the sky and the cloud. Cloud appears, exists for some time, again disappears. But the sky remains always. This is the distinction between *sat* and *asat.* --- **[[spoken/730822le.lon|Lecture, “What is a Guru?” — August 22, 1973, London]]** **Speaker:** Ladies and gentlemen, I know for most of you this is your first appearance here at Bhaktivedanta Manor. I'd like to extend this welcome to you. Thank you for coming, and please, the door is always open, and our service is about seven o'clock every evening. Thank you very much. **Prabhupāda:** So, *guru,* there are many description. Subject matter is the same, but different way, *guru* has been described by different *ācāryas*. Their aim is the same, but language or presentation may be little different. --- **[[spoken/730822vp.lon|Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā Lecture — August 22, 1973, London]]** **Prabhupāda:** So my dear sons and daughters, I am so much obliged to you that you have become so enthusiastic for offering Vyāsa-pūjā. Now try to understand. Several times we have explained why this function is called Vyāsa-pūjā. I have already explained in the morning: this offering worshiping, one may think that "This man is teaching his disciples man-worshiping, anthropomorphism." But it is not man-worshiping. One should not misunderstand. Vyāsadeva is the original spiritual master. Original spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā was initiated, Lord Brahma. *Tene brahma hṛdāya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ.* It is stated in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* that when Brahmā was created, it was all darkness within the universe. He could not understand what is the purpose of his becoming there. Then he engaged himself in *tapasya,* and he was initiated from within. Kṛṣṇa is within everyone. *Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati* [[bg/18/61|[Bg. 18.61] ]]. So He is called *caitya-guru,* means *guru* within the heart. And when Kṛṣṇa understands... Because Kṛṣṇa knows everything, whatever we are willing, whatever we are doing. He is the Paramātmā; He's sitting within our hearts as a witness. *Anumanta upadṛṣṭā. Upadṛṣṭā* means simply observing what we are doing and what we are desiring. So as we desire, Kṛṣṇa is very kind, He gives us facility. We have many times explained. Therefore, we have got varieties of bodies to enjoy this material world. So when Kṛṣṇa sees... --- **[[spoken/760822bg.hyd|Bg 7.1 — August 22, 1976, Hyderabad]]** **Prabhupāda:** > śrī bhagavān uvāca > mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha > yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ > asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ > yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu > [[bg/7/1|[Bg. 7.1] ]] *Śrī bhagavān uvāca.* Vyāsadeva could have written *śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca,* but purposefully he's writing *śrī bhagavān uvāca.* Because *avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam* [[bg/9/11|[Bg. 9.11] ]]. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He descends as human being, *mūḍhās*, those who are rascals, they consider Him just like one of us, human beings. *Avajānanti.* Therefore, to avoid the offense on the part of the *mūḍhās*, he writes *bhagavān uvāca.* Direct claim. *Bhagavān* means full with six opulences. --- **[[spoken/760822in.hyd|Initiation Lecture — August 22, 1976, Hyderabad]]** **Prabhupāda:** [*prema-dhvani* prayers] ...*Śrī advaita-gadādhara-śrīvāsādi gaura bhakta vṛnda ki jaya. Śrī Śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa gopa gopīnātha śyāma-kuṇḍa rādhā-kuṇḍa giri-govardhana ki jaya. Vṛndāvana dhāma ki jaya. Rādha-madana-mohana ki jaya, samaveta bhaktavṛnda ki jaya*. All glories to the assembled devotees. All glories to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.] **Prabhupāda:** So this morning we are having initiation ceremony for some devotees. The initiation means beginning. The Sanskrit name is *dīkṣā. Dīkṣā, divya-jñānaṁ kṣapayati iti dīkṣā.* Initiation, beginning of spiritual life. This is the Vedic function. Every human being must be initiated in Vedic culture, to make his life fulfilled, successful, because we are born animals. Animal means one who does not know except four things: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. These are animal life. So a dog is interested in eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, and if the man also remains in the same platform—eating, sleeping, sex life and defense—then he is no better than dog. Human beings, from this dog platform, can be raised to God platform. That is possible. And human life is meant for that purpose. Therefore in the *Vedānta-sūtra* it is said, **athāto brahma-jijñāsā. Human life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, the Absolute Truth. So this *brahma-jijñāsā,* if one is actually interested in *brahma-jijñāsā,* then he requires a *guru.Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet* [Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad* 1.2.12].* If one is actually interested. *Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam* [[sb/11/3/21|[SB. 11.3.21] ]]. So *guru* is required for one who is actually interested in the highest status of life. Those who are like cats and dogs, they do not require *guru.* A dog does not require. He knows very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. That does not require any *guru.* By nature all animals know it. So the human life has got special knowledge, special advancement of consciousness. He can understand. So if he is refused or if he is kept in darkness, as it is being done by the modern civilization... Everyone is being kept on the platform of eating, sleeping, sex and defending. That's all. This is going on in the name of humanity, nationality and so on. But the business is the same. The business is the same: eating, sleeping, mating and defending, as the cats and dogs are doing, in a different way only. The dogs, they enjoy sex life on the street without any shame, and if a human being arranges for the same purpose, nice apartment, sixth-floor building and all..., but the purpose is the same. Eating is the same. No. Beyond this one has to go. Therefore the Vedic injunction is, *tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham* [Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad* 1.2.12].* --- **[[spoken/760822r1.hyd|Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh — August 22, 1976, Hyderabad]]** **Prabhupāda:** [Transl. Please come. Come. Sit down.] Hare Kṛṣṇa. So at four o'clock you are coming there? No. At Mr. Raju's house? **Prabhupāda:** They are holding some meeting? Today we have got very good article in the *Sunday Chronicle.* **Prabhupāda:** Everyone is reporting about us very nice, and still there are some envious persons, they are creating doubts about us. --- **[[spoken/760822r2.hyd|Room Conversation — August 22, 1976, Hyderabad]]** **Prabhāv**iṣṇu*:* Everywhere we go, the professors are very enthusiastic about the publications, and they say, "We will take immediately all the books." All over India. **Mahāṁsa:** *Sunday Chronicle. Deccan Chronicle.* The biggest distributed English paper in this area. **Hari-śauri:** It says underneath, "*Ratha-yātrā* in foreign lands." That's the caption underneath the picture. --- **[[spoken/760822r3.hyd|Conversation with Seven Ministers of Andhra Pradesh — August 22, 1976, Hyderabad]]** [Ministers for Endowments, Social Services, Revenue, Public Works Department, Minor Irrigation, Rehabilitation and Fisheries] **Prabhupāda:** Our subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that systematize... The progress of human society should be systematized according to *śāstra.* Just like your government, it is conducted under certain rules and regulations. You have to refer to the government regulative principles, and expert government officers, they are selected. Formerly it was ICS, now it is IAS. That means reference to the authorities. Similarly, there are authorities which are called *śāstra. Śās-dhātu* verb means to rule. From *śas-dhātu, śāstra* and *śastra. Śastra* means weapon. If you do not act according to the *śāstra* then there is *śastra.* *Śastra* means weapon, government. If you violate the rules of the government then there is police department, there is military department which will force you to accept the government regulation. And from the same *śas-dhātu* is *śiṣya,* one who voluntarily accepts the discipline. --- ## Letters - [[../../letters/1967/670822_brahmananda.md|Letter to Brahmananda, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1967/670822_jadurani.md|Letter to Jadurani, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1967/670822_rayarama.md|Letter to Rayarama, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1968/680822_brahmananda.md|Letter to Brahmananda, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680822_daniel.md|Letter to Daniel, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680822_jayananda.md|Letter to Jayananda, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680822_mr._david_exley.md|Letter to Mr. David Exley, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680822_vinode_patel.md|Letter to Vinode Patel, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1970/700822_karandhara.md|Letter to Karandhara, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1971/710822_amogha_hanuman_others.md|Letter to Amogha Hanuman Others, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/710822_kirtanananda.md|Letter to Kirtanananda, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/710822_nayanabhirama.md|Letter to Nayanabhirama, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/710822_satsvarupa.md|Letter to Satsvarupa, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1972/720822_batu_gopala.md|Letter to Batu Gopala, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/720822_gaura_sakti.md|Letter to Gaura Sakti, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/720822_gurudasa.md|Letter to Gurudasa, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/720822_madhudvisa.md|Letter to Madhudvisa, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1976/760822_dr._channa_reddy.md|Letter to Dr. Channa Reddy, 1976]]