# August 24 ## Spoken on August 24 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 5.3–7](spoken/1966/660824bg.ny.md)** > Because Kṛṣṇa, when He appeared, when He spoke *Bhagavad-gītā* and He said, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* : "You give up all engagements; just become under My shelter. I give you protection," *ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi,* some people misunderstood. Even in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book, you'll find, he says, "Oh, not to Kṛṣṇa." You see? Even great scholars make mistake. The clear indication is that *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam...*. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says that "Just surrender unto Me," and the scholar says, "Oh, this surrender is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see. So the surrender to Kṛṣṇa and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfectional stage of life. Highest perfectional stage of... One who has tasted it, oh, he cannot be, I mean to say, thinking of anything else. > So *sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ*. So any, any type of spiritual realization, they are different forms. "You are..., you are Hindu? Oh, I am, I am Christian." "Oh, you are Christian? I am Muhammadan." So these conception, that "I am different from you," that is not for the learned. The learned one is hankering after the Supreme Truth. Never mind, either you go through Bible, or go through *Bhagavad-gītā,* or go through this Koran, that doesn't matter. What is the aim of your life? If your aim of life is to understand the Absolute Truth, then there is no difference. But if your aim is something else, then you'll find some difference from *Bhagavad-gītā* to Bible, Bible to Koran, Koran to something else. So Kṛṣṇa says that *sāṅkhya-yoga*. Either you take *sāṅkhya-yoga* or *sāṅkhya* or this *karma-yoga*, anything, there is no difference. Because the..., everything is trying to give you the ultimate Absolute Truth. --- **[1968: Bhagavad-gītā 4.1](spoken/1968/680824bg.mon)** > So these *rājarṣis,* they were great personalities. They were, although on the royal throne, they were not for luxury and tax collecting. No. They were just exactly like real father, always thinking of the happiness of the *prajās.* It was actual democracy. There was committee of the *brāhmaṇas* who guided the king, and the king was, I mean to say, control over the citizens by the guidance of the *brāhmaṇas.* This was the system. So here it is said, *evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ*. This system for understanding *Bhagavad-gītā* was current. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna. Now He says also, *sa kālena iha mahatā yogaḥ...* > Therefore these senses, when they will be purified, then we can understand. Just like a man cannot see due to some cataract complication, but if the cataract portion is surgically operated, he can see all. Treatment. Similarly, it is said in the *śāstras* that *ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ*. Our senses are very imperfect. That we can understand. For example, we are daily seeing the sun globe, but our experience is just like a disc, because my eyes cannot see things placed in long distance, neither can see which is very near. Just like the eyelid is just attached to the eye, but I cannot see. This is imperfect. Neither we can see very close, neither we can see very long distance, neither we can see in darkness. --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.3](spoken/1971/710824sb.lon)** > So he's offering respect to Śukadeva Gosvāmī because he has assimilated the whole Vedic knowledge. *Śruti-sāra*. What is that *sāra*? *Sāra* means essence. What is the ultimate goal of knowledge, essence of knowledge? This is also explained in *Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ*. The real purpose of Vedic knowledge is to search out where is Kṛṣṇa. > So what Śukadeva Gosvāmī did, that after assimilating the whole Vedic literature, he distributed it. That is another instinct. If you really have learned the essence of Vedic knowledge, automatically you'll be inclined to preach it. Ś*ravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇam* means to hear, to receive the knowledge. And next, *kīrtanam,* means to distribute or describe the knowledge. *Yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam adhyātma-dīpam*. Dīpam* means lamp. So this *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* is just like the lamp in the darkness to see Kṛṣṇa, or God. *Adhyātma-dīpam.* --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.21 and Initiations](spoken/1972/720824sb.la)** > Just like if you are..., just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja wanted the kingdom of his father, but actually when he saw Lord Viṣṇu before him, he said, "Sir, I do not want anything." *Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce .* "My dear Lord, I have no more any aspiration of this kingdom or that kingdom, that kingdom." This position comes. It is just like that... > Nature is very clever. Just to make you attached to stool, she gives you certain body, type of body, hog. You become very pleased: "Oh, I am so happy. I am living in heaven." Sometimes actually Indra, the king of heaven, he was cursed to become a hog, and he was..., he became hog. He had so many kiddies, wife, and living in filthy place, eating stool. So Brahmā came that for his absence, the management in the heavenly kingdom is not going nice. So he came: "Indra, now please come with me." "Where shall I go to, sir?" "Heaven." "What is that? I cannot go. I have got responsibility. I have got my wife, my children, and I am happy here. I do not know what is heaven." --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 2.18](spoken/1973/730824bg.lon)** > Therefore in the *Vedānta-sūtra* it is said that you want to see or perceive directly anything... Just like so many rascals come, they challenge, "Can you show me God?" So yes, we can show you God, provided you have got the eyes. God can be seen by different type of eyes, not these eyes. That is stated in the *śāstra: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ*. Indriya* means these senses, these material senses. With these material senses, you cannot experience directly what is the form of the Lord, what is His quality, what does He do. > Everyone's year is calculated. This is called... This is accepted by the modern science, relative truth, or the law of relativity. A small ant, he has got also hundred years' age, but the ant's hundred years and our hundred years different. This is called relative. According to your size of body, everything in relationship. Our hundred years and Brahmā's hundred years, that is different. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said calculate like this: *sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ*. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750824mw.del)** > Bhasmī-bhutasya dehasya kutaḥ punar-āgamano bhavet [*Cārvāka Muni]: "When the body is finished, burning into ashes, who is coming and who is responsible?" This is atheistic civilization. [break]...*artha-maninaḥ. External energy, that is everything. Within the body there is the soul—they deny it. There is no soul, body is everything, and enjoy bodily enjoyment. That's all. And our philosophy immediately condemns, that "Anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is *sa eva go-kharaḥ; he is animal." So this is a park? --- **[1976: Morning Walk [Partially Recorded](spoken/1976/760824mw.hyd)** > Rāma Śraddhā*:* There's Muslims who go to the mosque in the morning just here. There's a mosque here, very big mosque. They go to the mosque for the five o'clock prayer and they come and have a wash and... --- **[1976: Meeting with Mr. K. Purushotamma Naidu, Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh](spoken/1976/760824r1.hyd)** > You cannot say, "We are *karma-yogīs.*" *Karma-yogī* means the third class. He's *karmī,* and little mixed up with *bhakti.* Adulterated. *Jñāna-yogī,* he's not a *bhakta.* He's *jñānī,* but just to bring him gradually, a little *bhakti.* You see? And real *bhakti* is *anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam* [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*1.1.11]. When it will be tintless of any *karma* and *jñāna,* then it is pure *bhakti.* That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. *Sarva-dharmān parityajya*. Not mixed up with *jñāna, karma, yoga.* Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa says, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti*? He could have said, "Any way," as these rascals say, "Any way go, you will get Kṛṣṇa." That Kṛṣṇa does not say. Kṛṣṇa says, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ*. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ*. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. > So by this cooperation they have... When I was in India I published three parts of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* with great difficulty. And now, since I have gone there, I am publishing every month a book. So on account of their cooperation we are able to publish so many books and organize the sale all over the world. But it is true that this culture is very much welcome all over the world. That is happening. That is real execution of the mission of Kṛṣṇa. Not to keep Kṛṣṇa within the boundaries of certain areas. *Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya*. He's the father of all living entities. They should know it. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/760824r2.hyd)** > [Transl. *The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself has revealed all these truths in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. If we spend our lives by realising all these things then, *tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, we will no longer accept any more material bodies. *Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so kaunteya.* That is *sanātana*. We will have eternal life. That is liberation. *Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ.* Thank you very much.Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda*. Indian man: Svāmijī Mahārāja ki jaya. [break] Mahāṁsa: > They will not part with even one thousand rupees. They're exactly what you described. And also these were the people who are with Śaṅkarācārya who came the first time when you had come here. They were with Śaṅkarācārya. And Hariprasad and some Marwaris were with our movement, and these people were on the other side. So there was some conflict at that time. And Śaṅkarācārya came and you... > [Transl. That is liberation. This present condition is not our constitutional position. We have to give up this body. *Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate.* We give up one body and accept another body. *Tathā dehāntara-prāptir.* We are in this condition at present. Therefore the mission of the Supreme Lord is *yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata*.... > * [Transl. When the spirit soul becomes attached to this material body, and so long he will remain attached to this body he will have to accept another material body. *Karmānu bandha*: conditioned by karma. To become attached to the body means *karmānubandha*. That I will work hard to earn money and be happy here is called *karmānubandha*. And till that you have to go on accepting bodies. Therefore it is stated in the *Śrīmad Bhāgavatam nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma*. **[1976: Room Conversation with Tirupati Paṇḍita and Government Minister](spoken/1976/760824r3.hyd)** > Prabhupāda: Yes.Pandita:...of Rāmānuja school?Prabhupāda: Yes. > That is, our..., this Rāmānuja school has been fortified by his works, so many works on Vedānta, like *Tattvamuktakalapam, Nyāya-siddhāñjanam, Nyāya-pariṣuddhi, Śatadūṣanī, Tattva-tīkā*. These are all the major Vedānta works he has composed. All these works I have sat before a guru and studied for eight years at Śrī Raṅgam. My *ācārya* has been a great scholar in Vedānta and *tarka* who was lecturer in...Prabhupāda: > I know, Rāmānuja *sampradāya,* they are very learned scholars. I know that. > This is the very easiest method. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra.* Sit down as much time as you can devote. The Lord is at your home. It is a great fortune. So do this, both, all family together. Yes. And I have seen, you are fortunate enough that you have got good wife and good children. That is a great fortune. Nobody is against you. Everyone is favorable. Oh, that's a great opportunity. In some family the wife goes another way, the children goes another way. That is very disturbing. But you are so fortunate that everyone is just obedient to the head of the family. So utilize, whole family, this simple method. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra.* Sit down before Bālajī. You are fortunate Bālajī is there. Do this. Then we shall talk further. --- ## Letters on August 24 *Letters from this day: 19* --- **[1967: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1967/670824_gurudasa)** > I am so much pleased to receive your letter of 8/16/67, and it has given me much encouragement for your being advanced in K.C. Sincere souls who are engaged in the service of Lord Krishna are benedicted by the Lord by revelation. --- **[1968: Letter to Aniruddha](letters/1968/680824_aniruddha)** > In the Bhagavad-gita, it is said that even a very small attempt in the path of Krishna Consciousness can save one from the greatest danger. Krishna Consciousness is spiritual consciousness, and whatever is achieved in the matter of realization of this spiritual progress, will never go in vain. --- **[1968: Letter to Dayananda Nandarani](letters/1968/680824_dayananda_nandarani)** > I received your letter dated July 18, after the mail strike as well as Nandarani's letter, along with it. --- **[1968: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1968/680824_gargamuni)** > I hope yesterday Gaurasundara talked with you, in telephone, and whatever I had to say, you have been informed. --- **[1968: Letter to Nandarani](letters/1968/680824_nandarani)** > I received your letter dated July 11, 1968, very late on account of the postal strike and it was included with your husband's letter, and I've read it carefully. --- **[1968: Letter to Sivananda](letters/1968/680824_sivananda)** > I have seen also the description of your little activities in Amsterdam, but I could not understand the language. --- **[1971: Letter to Danavir](letters/1971/710824_danavir)** > I am very much pleased to learn that you have got a nice house for organizing our center there. Of course to organize a temple in our society is not so difficult. --- **[1971: Letter to Dr. Bali](letters/1971/710824_dr._bali)** > So far going to Madras is concerned, the first thing is that we are now short of man power. Whatever men we have got in India are engaged in Calcutta, Bombay and Delhi. Still I am willing to go to South India provided you arrange for Azmaidan meeting. --- **[1971: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1971/710824_gargamuni)** > I can understand that you are in the midst of unfavorable circumstances as much as you were when you were in Pakistan. --- **[1971: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1971/710824_hansadutta)** > You are always saved and I am always pleased with your work but it is my duty to point out if there is any discrepancies. --- **[1971: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1971/710824_jayapataka)** > There will be many discrepancies in the trial balance if books are not kept properly. --- **[1971: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1971/710824_madhudvisa)** > You should not close any deal about the house of Dr. --- **[1971: Letter to Vamanadeva](letters/1971/710824_vamanadeva)** > The beads enclosed have been chanted and are enclosed herewith along with one letter for Sravaniya Devi Dasi. --- **[1972: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1972/720824_gargamuni)** > You may know that I am no longer in London but I am in Los Angeles and New Vrndavana for the month of September. --- **[1972: Letter to Madhudvisa Amogha](letters/1972/720824_madhudvisa_amogha)** > I am very glad to hear that Amogha is returning to Djakarta along with others for continuing our preaching work there. Krsna is always prepared to give special favor to His devotees who take special risk to spread His name in the far away places and who do not care very much for the comfortable surroundings. --- **[1972: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1972/720824_satsvarupa)** > Regarding my coming there, yes, I shall be very glad to attend the Dallas Gurukula immediately departing Pittsburgh I can go there for about 3 days on my way to Los Angeles. --- **[1972: Letter to Tusta Krsna](letters/1972/720824_tusta_krsna)** > Yes, Karandhara said that Sriman Siddha Svarupa Ananda is not up to the point of our preaching work, especially when the "Sai Speaks" booklet was distributed there was some discrepancy from our standard. --- **[1973: Letter to Guru-Gauranga Paris Devotees](letters/1973/730824_guru-gauranga_paris_devotees)** > I was very much pleased to come there and visit. Work with great enthusiasm and make Krishna more prominent than Napoleon and Eiffel tower. --- **[1975: Letter to Miss Wanda Bonner](letters/1975/750824_miss_wanda_bonner)** > You can discuss further your problems with Gunagrahi das Adhikari, the President of our San Diego center. ---