# September 20 ## Spoken on September 20 *Lectures from this day: 4 recordings* --- **[1972: Morning Walk](spoken/1972/720920mw.la)** > Svarūpa Dāmodara: So thirteen fourteen fifteen four days. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday, Saturday is full moon. [break] twelve actually twelve Dvādaśī. > [*japa*]. You have created this motor car but it is dependent on petrol that was not created by you. The conclusion is that therefore we are not independent. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.15](spoken/1972/720920sb.la)** > So Vedic laws are not like that. You cannot change. Five thousand years ago Kṛṣṇa said, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* : "You give up all other religious principles. Simply surrender unto Me." We are preaching the same thing. No change. No change. There is no possibility of change. Then how Kṛṣṇa is authority? So change means imperfect knowledge. This very change. And perfect knowledge... > Now here it is said Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu. There are different *manus.* Just like first of all it is said Cākṣuṣa Manu. Similarly, next it is said Vaivasvata Manu. So this Vaivasvata Manu is the son of sun-god. There are two kinds of *kṣatriya* families within this planet: one coming from the moon and the other is coming from the sun. The first person, I mean to say, first father of this *kṣatriya* family from sun, his first son is *manu.* And his name is Vaivasvata Manu. Because he is the son of Vivasvān, therefore his father's name is also added. --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.17](spoken/1975/750920sb.vrn)** > So there is prescription in the *śāstras* that "If you are sinful, you do this *prāyaścitta,* atonement." *Tapo-dāna-vratādibhiḥ. Tapo, tapasya, dāna,* and observing some *vratās,* vows, ritualistic ceremonies, recommended. But here the Viṣṇudutas says that actually, by these processes, *tapasya, dāna... Na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat*. Kṛṣṇa also says that... What is that verse? I just forget. That *tapasya, dāna, vrata*... Just like one has taken *sannyāsa. Sannyāsa* means he has given up all these obligatory ceremonies. But Kṛṣṇa says that "Even if you have taken *sannyāsa,* you cannot give up these processes." What is that? "*Tapasyā, dāna* and *vrata.*" It is *pāvanāni manīṣiṇām.* Even if you have become *manīṣi,* very exalted great sage, still, you should continue this *tapasya.* And *tapasya* means voluntarily accepting some miserable condition. That is called *tapasya.* Just like they used to perform austerity in winter season, to go deep into the water. When one tries to avoid water, *tapasya* means one goes... You have seen many persons, they are standing within the water and chanting Gāyatrī *mantra*. This is *tapasya.* And in summer season they ignite fire all around and sit down. > It was questioned by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa that "How one man is forced to commit sinful activities?" So Kṛṣṇa replied, *kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavam*. There are three modes of material nature: *sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.* So those who are in *tamo-guṇa* and *rajo-guṇa,* they are forced to commit sinful activities, forced. There is no alternative. Therefore we have to come. Just like we go to school, college for education. What is the purpose? That "We are ignorant. We are illiterate, uneducated. Therefore I must go to school to learn, to become enlightened." Similarly, from the lower animal status we are coming by evolution, and in the human form of life, especially in the civilized human form of life, the enlightenment is that one should come from this *tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa* to *sattva-guṇa.* That is required. Therefore the brahminical culture is so much adored in India to make one from the lower status of life to the higher status of life. And that is very easily done simply by devotional service. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.23](spoken/1976/760920sb.vrn)** > Our this material sufferings, why? Due to our sinful activities. Sinful activities mean anything you do without any purpose to serve to Kṛṣṇa, that is sinful. That is sinful. Not that "In the material calculation this is very good work, the opening of hospital or this or that, very good work. And Deity worship and going to the temple is bogus." You may think like that. But that, your opening of hospital, is sinful. That is going on nowadays. One becomes very great philanthropist, rejecting... They say, "What is the use of this temple worship?" The *daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā.* Nārāyaṇa has now become *daridra.* Formerly Nārāyaṇa was husband of the goddess of fortune, and now He has become *daridra.* So serve this Nārāyaṇa. This, they're manufacturing, concoction. This is not... That means sinful activities. Because he has manufactured something, that is sinful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says plainly that "You rascal, you give up any other engagement, even if you think it is very pious activity, very philanthropic. You give up." *Sarva-dharmān. Sarva* means whatever you think pious and whatever you think impious, both of them should be given up. Because there are two kinds of activities: pious or impious. And *sarva* includes pious and impious. > So where is the difficulty to understand God, *īśvara,* or the *puruṣa*? There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa personally says that *mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya*. *Aham ādir hi devānām*. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ*.* So many things. *Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te*. Everything is explained *sākṣāt,* directly. Where is the difficulty to find out God? They are searching after God, making research, all nonsense speculation. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "Why you are searching?" You say, "Can you show me God?" Why don't you see, "Here is God"? Why, just like the owl, you have closed your eyes, not to see the sun? Sun is there. See. Open your eyes and see it. The whole world is going on that "There is no God" or "God is dead" or "Can you show me God?" And "I am God by meditation," by this way, that way. This is going on. Whole world, especially at the present moment, it is a great disastrous condition, godless civilization. They won't accept the real God, and they'll create some artificial God and become God, "Everyone is God," like that. No. --- ## Letters on September 20 *Letters from this day: 9* --- **[1967: Letter to Dayananda Nandarani Uddhava](letters/1967/670920_dayananda_nandarani_uddhava)** > I was very much anxious to get the new address of our new center in Los Angeles and now I am pleased that our desire is fulfilled by the Grace of Lord Krishna. --- **[1968: Letter to Ananda](letters/1968/680920_ananda)** > I am coming to Seattle by tomorrow evening and if you can see me at Seattle it will be very nice. Windisch that I am going to Seattle by tomorrow, and they can correspond with me for my visiting Vancouver and attending lectures, so that I can make my program there and come to Vancouver for a few days. --- **[1968: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1968/680920_satsvarupa)** > In your letter of the 17th instant, you have very frankly inquired from me about householder life, especially in the matter of sex relationship. A sannyasi is not supposed to be asked about anything sexual. --- **[1968: Letter to Upendra Dasa](letters/1968/680920_upendra_dasa)** > While thanking you for your letter dated 20th September, 1968 I beg to inform you that our spiritual master Om Viṣnupāda Bhaktivedānta Svāmi Mahārāja is not preaching a type of faith which you have described as *yasya kasyapi dharmasya protsāhanaṁ*. As a great Sanskṛt scholar you must have come across the following famous Sanskṛt passages like *sa vai pumsām paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, dharman tu sākṣāt bhagavat praṇitaṁ dharmena hīna pasubhiḥ samānāḥ* sb/1/2/6. --- **[1969: Letter to Gaurasundara](letters/1969/690920_gaurasundara)** > It has been some time now since I have heard from you, so I am anxious to receive your letter. --- **[1974: Letter to Jayatirtha](letters/1974/740920_jayatirtha)** > Regarding the collections of Gurukrpa Swami I have instructed to Ramesvara that the entire amount should be transferred to the Bombay American Express account. --- **[1974: Letter to Syamasundara](letters/1974/740920_syamasundara)** > Enclosed find a copy of a letter received from Swiss Credit Bank which will speak for itself, but it is not at all desirable. --- **[1976: Letter to Acyuta](letters/1976/760920_acyuta)** > The article looks very nice and the pictures are very positively descriptive. Continue your nice preaching work there with great enthusiasm. --- **[1976: Letter to Pancadravida](letters/1976/760920_pancadravida)** > On your recommendation I am accepting the following as my duly initiated disciples. ---