# September 15 ## Spoken on September 15 *Lectures from this day: 7 recordings* --- **[1969: Conway Hall Lecture](spoken/1969/690915le.lon)** > "You give up all nonsense religion"; *mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*, "just surrender unto Me." To surrender unto the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is real religion, and all other things are simply ritualistic or to lead one to that point. Real religion is when you surrender unto the Supreme Lord. That is your religion, real religion. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate* : after many, many births, when he is actually intelligent, he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā*. > So this is our position. We are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. There are many examples I can give you. Just like a machine part, a screw. If it is fallen down from the machine, it has no value. But if the machine is in trouble for want of that screw, you'll purchase that screw to set in and spend many dollars. Similarly, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. If we remain attached with the Supreme Lord, then we have got value. Otherwise we have no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* "You just be attached to Me. Then your all problems are solved." --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7th Canto](spoken/1971/710915sb.mom)** > Yogī* means who are trying to control the senses. That is by practice, by mechanical practice, that's all. But here there is no mechanical practice. Here it is factual activity how to control the senses. *Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate*. *Hṛṣīka* means the senses. The senses are engaged in the service of the Lord. If one thing is already engaged, it cannot be..., especially when one is engaged in the service of the Lord, he cannot be dragged to the service of *māyā*. Therefore, that is sense control. > This Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... As soon as we hear this sound, immediately we remember the form of Kṛṣṇa. Immediately we concentrate on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This chanting is perfect. But I am chanting and I am thinking of and planning something else, that is *aparādha*. But that does not mean we shall stop. But we should try, *abhyāsa-yoga*, we should try to make it our habit, by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*, we should immediately remember the form, quality, pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1972: Morning Walk](spoken/1972/720915mw.la)** > That is called *ātma-tattvam, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam*. That is actual science. The science of spirit, the science of spirit soul. This is knowledge, *ātma-tattvam*. They do not see, they do not, they have no idea what is spirit, what is the nature of the spirit. How he is happy, how he can become happy, these things they do not know. They are taking care of the bird. Therefore they have been called as *go-kharaḥ*, cows and asses, animals. > Vaikuṇṭha means no problems, that is real. Everyone is without any problems. Even if they have got motor cars and nice apartments and everything where is the problem solved? The death problem? The disease problem? How it is solved? They cannot solve problems, simply [indistinct] --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/750915mw.vrn)** > Everything is expansion of the energy of the Supreme Brahman. Kṛṣṇa confirms it, *mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam.* Without Kṛṣṇa, there is no existence. But that does not mean anything existentional is Kṛṣṇa. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.13](spoken/1975/750915sb.vrn)** > Here it is said, *yad asau bhagavan-nāma mriyamāṇaḥ samagrahīt. Sama* means *samak,* "perfectly." "Now he is quite fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. So you do not touch him. He is completely free." So if we are serious about our life, the method is very easy. The prescription is *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru*. Where is the difficulty? We are now serious. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then mind is fixed up. *Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ*. > Therefore it is said, *sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyam.* If somebody jokes... Sometimes they do that. "Hare Kṛṣṇa" means he is not seriously chanting, but he is trying to joke the other party who is engaged in chanting. And that is also good, *pārihāsya.* During Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time, the Muslims, they used to joke the Hindus, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the practice made them chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And the police officer was informed by the constables that "These Hindus are chanting 'Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.' " The police officer asked him, "Then why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" By imitating, they became practiced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so nice. Even joking, symbolic, *sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyaṁ stobham.* Or *prema. Helanam eva vā.* Without any care, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," any way if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then *vaikuṇṭha-nāma grahaṇam aśeṣa agha-haram. Agha. A*gha* means sinful activities. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.18](spoken/1976/760915sb.vrn)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa presents, *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyadhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam .* One who is intelligent enough, he should always keep before him the sufferings of birth, death, old age and disease in front. [aside:] You can..., side. Birth, death, old age and..., they are very suffering condition, but if one is advanced devotee, he's not afraid of. *Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati*. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ,* he's never afraid of. Death is coming, that's all right. What is the wrong there, provided he knows that "After giving up this body, I am going to Kṛṣṇa"? *Dhīras tatra na muhyati.* He's *dhīra.* One who is *dhīra,* he's not afraid of. > So Aśvatthāmā became very much disturbed. *Tam āpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt kumāra-hā. Hā,* from *hananam,* killing. So he is described here not as Aśvatthāmā; *kumāra-hā,* one who killed the five boys of Draupadī, *kumāras,* boys. Boys are called *kumāra.* Prahlāda Mahārāja has said *kaumāra. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha*.* So from the childhood... Because here, *kumāra-hā.* They were innocent boys, they were killed. So we do not know, whether I am a *kumāra* or I'm old man, there is no certainty of death. Any moment death can take place. Not that "I am now *kumāra,* I can play. When I shall become old man, I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is not a very good policy. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "No. Immediately." *Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha.* Therefore the children, those who are actually *dhīra,* Vaiṣṇava, they should give education to the children. What education? Not this so-called technical education or smoking education, drinking education and so many rascal education. This is not education. Education means *bhāgavata* education: to understand God. That is wanted. Athāto brahma-jijñāsā. Education should be given in such a way that the student should be very, very inquisitive. Inquisitive what about? Inquisitive about Brahman, not about this body. The body is matter, and the spirit soul is Brahman. Athāto brahma-jijñāsā. This is human life. One should be inquisitive to know about spiritual life, what is spirit soul. That is the first education. --- ## Letters on September 15 *Letters from this day: 26* --- **[1967: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1967/670915_brahmananda)** > On arrival in Delhi I received a letter and I request you to take proper care of Gargamuni. --- **[1967: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1967/670915_gargamuni)** > I was very much anxious about your illness, but I've received news from Brahmananda that you are improving. --- **[1967: Letter to Jayagovinda](letters/1967/670915_jayagovinda)** > It is also disturbing to me, but we have no other recourse than Krishna. Do your best to serve Krishna and he will give you required intelligence to cope with disturbing situations. --- **[1968: Letter to Acyutananda](letters/1968/680915_acyutananda)** > The Bengali which you've written are simply nonsense. And each and every word is misspelled. --- **[1968: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1968/680915_brahmananda)** > Wade's promise to Gaurasundara, to pay $225-$250, they must keep their promise. Otherwise, it will be not possible to do business with them, if they change their word of honor. --- **[1968: Letter to Jaya Govinda](letters/1968/680915_jaya_govinda)** > You will be pleased to learn that Sivananda from Montreal has gone to Berlin for opening center there. Mukunda has gone along with Gurudasa and Syamasundara and their wives to London, to open a center there. --- **[1968: Letter to Parvat Maharaja](letters/1968/680915_parvat_maharaja)** > If you can help him without any condition, it will be a great favor to me. Sometime back, I wrote you one letter but I did not receive any reply. --- **[1968: Letter to Sivananda](letters/1968/680915_sivananda)** > Please do not be very serious with Swami Omkarananda because they are impersonalists. You can keep good friendship with different yoga teachers, but practically our mode of Krishna Consciousness is different from theirs. --- **[1969: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1969/690915_gurudasa)** > You all 3 couples are expert in the matter of preaching Krishna Consciousness, and your last effort in the matter of performing Ratha Yatra festival was so successful. I am so pleased to learn about your staunch faith in Krishna and your Spiritual Master. May Krishna bless you more and more in the matter of advancement of Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1969: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1969/690915_kirtanananda)** > Hayagriva is here with me in England, and things are progressing nicely so far as Krishna Consciousness propagation is concerned. --- **[1969: Letter to Upendra](letters/1969/690915_upendra)** > I was very pleased to learn of the elaborate way in which you celebrated the Janmastami Day and Vyasa Puja Day ceremonies. --- **[1969: Letter to Yasodanandana](letters/1969/690915_yasodanandana)** > I am pleased that the Montreal center is doing nicely, and please offer my blessings to all of the devotees there. --- **[1971: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1971/710915_madhudvisa)** > Regarding Dr. Bali's letter, I have already replied it and sent you one copy of the reply which you should have received by now. The program you are arranging for Madras sounds very nice so do it combinedly. --- **[1972: Letter to Aksojananda](letters/1972/720915_aksojananda)** > Enclosed herewith please find one copy of Gayatri mantra and also one sacred thread, duly chanted by me. --- **[1972: Letter to Cyavana](letters/1972/720915_cyavana)** > I am glad to note that you are by good diplomacy maintaining our good relationships with all the men who have helped us there in Nairobi. --- **[1972: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1972/720915_gargamuni)** > Yes, you wait there for me and be engaged as you are doing, chanting, reading, etc. --- **[1972: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1972/720915_gurudasa)** > King should donate to *brahmanas.* We are a society of *brahmanas,* therefore the king should donate us those temples and we shall keep them in his name, and we shall renovate them and make them very gorgeous for the foreign tourists. And they will appreciate the contribution of the king of Bharatapur and will perpetuate his memory. --- **[1972: Letter to Sudevi](letters/1972/720915_sudevi)** > Regarding Siddhasvarupananda, these things which you have heard are simply rumor and there is no substance. Siddhasvarupa does not want to take disciples, neither he should have disciples while I am alive. --- **[1974: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1974/740915_ramesvara)** > Regarding the Macmillan contract, if there is no mention in the contract of price increase, how they can do it? --- **[1974: Letter to Taittiriya](letters/1974/740915_taittiriya)** > So from your letter it appears that the negotiations for the Park Avenue place are almost nearing completion. --- **[1975: Letter to Ambarisa](letters/1975/750915_ambarisa)** > The land at Kuruksetra is now available to us. So you can come and join me. If you meet me in Nairobi at about the third week of October, then we can come to India together. --- **[1975: Letter to Dinnath N. Misra](letters/1975/750915_dinnath_n._misra)** > So I am here in Vrindaban at least up to September 25th or longer, as I am leaving for South Africa in the first week of October. --- **[1975: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1975/750915_giriraja)** > Religion is described in the English dictionary as a kind of faith. Of course when we accept Krishna's instructions perfectly we become automatically perfectly religious person. --- **[1975: Letter to Kirtiraja](letters/1975/750915_kirtiraja)** > Regarding your preaching in Poland, you go there immediately. I want that our preaching be pushed in the Eastern European countries. --- **[1975: Letter to Paramahamsa](letters/1975/750915_paramahamsa)** > Thank you very much for repaying this money. --- **[1975: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1975/750915_ramesvara)** > Nitai has sent additional chapters of Sixth Canto with Tamala Krishna. You have written: "The BBT is capable of keeping up with Prabhupada's pace at this time and we humbly request all devotees to respect Prabhupada's desire to fulfill his dreams of publishing and distributing thousands and millions of volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam in Twelve Cantos all over the world by not disturbing him at this time with problems and decisions that can be made by his direct representatives, the GBC Secretaries." Yes, this is wanted. ---