# October 1 ## Spoken on October 1 *Lectures from this day: 8 recordings* --- **[1969: Initiations & Wedding](spoken/1969/691001in.lon)** > This is bodily concept of life and those who are a little more advanced they are living on the mental platform, philosophy, speculation and poetry. Literature, like that. That is mental platform. Somebody is actually having sense gratification directly and somebody is reading about sense gratification and enjoying. So one is directly enjoying sense gratification, body to body, they are grosser and those who are enjoying on the mental platform they are subtler, that's all. But the field of activities are the same. > From mind we come to the gross platform, actually our this body develops on the mind, the situation of the mind. We prepare our next life, next body on the situation of the mind. At the time of death the mental condition will carry me to a different type of body. The example is given, just like air carries the flavor or odor, bad smell or good smell. According to the place the air is passing. If it is passing on a filthy place then it will carry some air which is obnoxious. I will say, "oh it is a bad smell." --- **[1972: Morning Walk](spoken/1972/721001mw.la)** > And we are claiming civilized. We are dealing with science to improve conditions; the rascals, they are becoming more and more degraded. They have no science, they have no laboratory, they have no university. How they are living peacefully? So it is... If this life is better or this life of cheating and imperfectness, full of anxieties, this life is better? Which life is better? > [pause] Therefore we teach our students to address "*prabhu.*" "I am your servant, you are my master, *prabhu.*" That is the meaning of *prabhu. Prabhu* means master. And *Prabhupāda* means supreme master. That is the meaning. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.26](spoken/1972/721001sb.la)** > But from the *guru's* side, a disciple may respect—may respect; must respect: it is not "may"—must respect *guru* as God. But *guru* should not say that "Now I have become God." Then he is immediately fallen. If *guru* says, "I am incarnation of God, so you simply worship me..." So many things are going on, Māyāvāda philosophy, "There is no difference between God..." But a real *guru* says that "I am servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of God." *Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ*. Real *guru* will never claim, although he is given the honor of God, but he does not claim, never claims that he is God. He always claims that "I am the most fallen servant of God." This is the position. > Dhyāyaṁ stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyam.* Therefore this *Gurvaṣṭaka, saṁsāra-dāvānala,* we have to sing. So God's incarnation, here it is said, "There are many incarnation." So *guru* is also incarnation of God, mercy incarnation of God. *Guru* means that... God is within you, *caitya-guru*, the *guru*, or the spiritual master, within your heart. *Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati*. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.21](spoken/1974/741001sb.may)** > *Karma-yoga... Yoga* means connection with Kṛṣṇa, or God, but when there is the word *karma-yoga,* it is adulterated. It is not pure *yoga. Karma-yoga* means, *yat karoṣi yad juhoṣi yaj aśnāsi tapasyasi yat kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam*. *That is *karma-yoga.* Whatever you doing... In the beginning, one cannot take to pure *bhakti-yoga.* Therefore *karma-yoga* is recommended: "Never mind whatever you doing. In that position you can become a devotee." *Karma-yoga,* that is. People are interested with different types of work. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *yat karoṣi.* "Never mind whatever you are doing." So how it becomes *karma-yoga?* Now, *kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam:* "You give it to Me." Suppose you are doing business, and you are earning lots of money. So Kṛṣṇa says, "All right, go on. You are attached to business. You go on doing that. But the money earned out of your business, you give it to Me." This is *karma-yoga.* Not that you earn money and spend for your sense gratification. That is not *karma-yoga.* The rascals, they are saying this is *karma-yoga.* For sense gratification they are using, and that is *karma-yoga.* No. That is not *karma-yoga.* Here is *karma-yoga:* "It doesn't matter, whatever you are doing, but the ultimate result, you give it to Me." > So by *karma-yoga* also, you can satisfy... Because the main business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. *Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ*. Varṇāśrama.* There are four *varṇas* and four *āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha* and *sannyāsī.* So these are the scientific division of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. --- **[1975: Lecture](spoken/1975/751001a2.mau)** > Gowtam Teelock: And, of course, as you know, we have... By now we know that it is a worldwide movement, and we are pleased that it has reached Mauritius at long last. And we hope that there will be scope for this movement, and with your blessing. --- **[1975: Arrival Address](spoken/1975/751001ar.mau)** > Then the next question is that "What is our duty?" Our duty is to feel obliged to God and try to serve Him. That is our duty. Just like a child, when he is unable to move or to work, the parents, the father, supplies everything. But when the child is grown up, if he thinks as a young man that "Father has given us so much service. Now we shall give service," oh, that is perfection. That is wanted. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. At the present moment we are taking so much supplies from God, but we are not eager to serve Him. This is our position. *Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.* He is supplying us everything. We require light; there is the sunlight. We require water; there are oceans of water. Who has created this? We require these things, and God has created. He has given us enough. *Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate* [Īśo* Invocation].* Everything is complete. *Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam* [Īśo *mantra* 1*]. > So these things are very nicely explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. If we simply read *Bhagavad-gītā* carefully, under proper guidance, then everything will be clear, without any difficulty, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul. My business is different than this bodily concept of life. I shall never be happy taking..., accepting this body as self. That is a wrong foundation of knowledge." In this way, if we make progress, then we shall understand, *ahaṁ brahmāsmi:* "I am spirit soul." Then "Wherefrom I have come?" Everything is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, that the spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa says, the Lord says, *mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ* : "These living entities, they are My part and parcel, fragment, or minute sparks." As the big fire and the small fire, both of them are fire, but big fire and small fire. So far the fire quality is concerned, God and we are the same. --- **[1975: Bhagavad-gītā 2.11](spoken/1975/751001bg.mau)** > So anyway, for ordinary man this does not happen. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You are lamenting for the body. Oh, it is very astonishing. And you are talking like a very learned man." Everyone you will find talking, very learned man. He knows something, but ask him, "What you are?" "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Mr. Such-and-such," "I am father of such and such." This is bodily. However great he may be, he is identified with the body. And according to *śāstra,* so long we shall identify with this body, we are no better than the cats and dogs, because they also identify with the body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase*. "Why? I am wrong?" Yes. Because *gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca.* The body, whether with the soul or without the soul, it is material. > So in the *Brahma-saṁhitā* it is said, *yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām *[Bs. 5.52]. The sun is the eye of all the planets. We have got eyes, but unless there is sunrise, what is the value of our eyes? We cannot see. We are very much proud of our eyes; we want to see everything. But we do not calculate the value of our eyes. Unless there is sunshine, we cannot see. At night, unless there is electricity or moonlight or some lamp, we cannot see. And still, we are very much proud of seeing. This is called illusion. We have no power. We are put under certain condition, then we work. Otherwise we cannot work. *Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni*. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.40](spoken/1976/761001sb.vrn)** > Every corner of this temple should be considered, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Then Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be here. Not that "Only in the temple Kṛṣṇa is there, not in the gate. Let it be open, and thief may come and steal." No. Very, very careful. The idea is that devotee must be expert in understanding things very clearly. Just like Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is requesting him. Therefore it is said, *evaṁ parīkṣatā.* Kṛṣṇa is trying to see how Arjuna is Kṛṣṇa conscious. "I am requesting you, 'Kill him.' " And what does he decide? Kṛṣṇa knew everything. *Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca*. > I think I have told you one story about Shah Jahan, the emperor of India. A, one great drama writer, Mr. P. L. Raya, he wrote one book by the name, title, *Shah Jahan.* But the activities of the whole book was the nefarious actions of Aurangzeb. He was killing his brothers, arresting father and so many. So one friend of Mr. Roy asked him that "Your book, the *Shah Jahan,* is the activities..., the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have named *Shah Jahan*?" So he replied that although Shah Jahan is silent, but the effect is going to him. When Aurangzeb killed his elder brother, Dārā, then the effect was suffered by Shah Jahan. So all the activities, nefarious activities, of Aurangzeb was suffered by Shah Jahan. Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Aśvatthāmā—it is right; I should kill him—but the effect would go to his mother. His mother, she is innocent, and in the absence of her husband, our *guru,* it is our duty to look after her comforts. Now, if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then she will suffer in old age." Therefore *na aicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam.* He did not... Although Kṛṣṇa advised him to kill him, he did not like it. *Guru-sutam.* This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see that what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind. *Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ*. Bhagavad-bhakta* means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is *bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ.* --- ## Letters on October 1 *Letters from this day: 14* --- **[1968: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1968/681001_hansadutta)** > I have not heard anything from you since last few days; hope everything is going on well. --- **[1968: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1968/681001_mukunda)** > I am glad to receive your letter dated Sept. The same International Society for Krishna Consciousness as we have branches in different places in USA, a similar branch may be opened in London or in Germany. The basic principle of our preaching work, methods and management must be the same. --- **[1968: Letter to Syamasundara](letters/1968/681001_syamasundara)** > I am so pleased to learn about your slow but sure progress in the matter of your most glorious London yatra. I am sure Krishna will help you fully and do it seriously. --- **[1969: Letter to Gopala Krsna](letters/1969/691001_gopala_krsna)** > I am sorry to learn that Dayala Nitai has temporarily left our association, and if in his absence you can take charge of printing French edition of *Back To Godhead,* that is nice. --- **[1969: Letter to Mukunda](letters/1969/691001_mukunda)** > Sometimes back I sent you one letter addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, but I have not heard anything from you. Please persuade George to see the archbishop as early as possible. --- **[1969: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1969/691001_tamala_krsna)** > Regarding your plan for the house in Beverly Hills, it is all right, but how can you expect $25 per week from all the centers? --- **[1974: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1974/741001_giriraja)** > Regarding the tax exemption for research, we are doing actual research of the Vedic literatures. In this connection you can give the quotations from the many professors in America regarding how they are receiving my books which are heretofore unknown and unavailable to Western readers. --- **[1974: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1974/741001_hansadutta)** > Regarding the election at Bhaktivedanta Manor, as you have suggested an election of all members present should be held to make a final selection. --- **[1974: Letter to Jagannatha-Suta](letters/1974/741001_jagannatha-suta)** > A human being must put the question of why am I suffering. Animals also suffer but they have no sense to put the question of why. --- **[1974: Letter to Madhavananda](letters/1974/741001_madhavananda)** > Regarding the Parikrama in the village if they object, then don't agitate them unnecessarily. You say that the houses are being put up for sale, but where is the money to buy them? --- **[1974: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1974/741001_ramesvara)** > 55,000/- is now in Calcutta and they are planning to purchase the grains necessary. The balance of the money was spent on the Vrindaban Janmastami Festival as a loan, of which Rs. --- **[1974: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1974/741001_rupanuga)** > We do not allow divorce, but in your country it is a common thing. Although we do not like it, according to the country, what can be done? --- **[1976: Letter to Dr. Dave](letters/1976/761001_dr._dave)** > "Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (Bhagavad-gita, 3.21). --- **[1976: Letter to Guptaji](letters/1976/761001_guptaji)** > Please come immediately and please bring one nice English to Bengali dictionary, prepared either by Subala Mitra or Ashutosh Deva. The price may be taken from the Temple to purchase it. ---