# October 17 ## Spoken on October 17 *Lectures from this day: 7 recordings* --- **[1972: The Nectar of Devotion "You just become My devotee"](spoken/1972/721017nd.vrn)** > This is Vedic followers: no interpretation. When it is stated in the *Vedas,* it is true, fact, perfect, without any defect. That is called Vedic knowledge. Not that interpreting to my convenience, I am..., I become a Vedāntist. No. That is not. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching that you accept what Kṛṣṇa says. *Sarva-dharmān parityajya*. You have manufactured so many things for the peace and prosperity of the people, but you have failed. Take Kṛṣṇa's word and you'll be happy. > So the more you be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa says, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru* : "Always think of Me," *man-manā. Mad-bhakto:* "You just become My devotee." It is very simple thing. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious is possible by everyone. And actually, it is happening. We are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. So these boys, they're coming from different religions, different countries, different nationality, different faiths. But actually, because they're accepting Kṛṣṇa, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*, they're happy. There is no difficulty. And people are accepting it, as if just they were ready to accept this cult. This is our experience. Any of our students can be questioned why he has accepted this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he will explain. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6](spoken/1972/721017sb.vrn)** > The real purpose is renunciation, give up your attachment for this material world. Because that is my bondage. So long I shall try to enjoy maybe a fractional percentage, still, I'll have to accept this material body. It may be a small ant's body, but because the desire is that "I shall eat one grain of sugar," he has to take this body. Therefore one should be *anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*1.1.11], completely no desire for material desire, or material enjoyment. Then we can enter. *Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam*. > Kṛṣṇa says, "This is My *upadeśa,* this is My instruction: 'You surrender unto Me.' " And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." So if we follow both the Kṛṣṇas, that is the best service. You simply go... *Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa*. Simply preach this *Bhagavad-gītā,* instruction of *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is, without any nonsense commentary. *Bhagavad-gītā* says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. You say that "Give up all nonsense engagement. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is the best service. And nobody can check you. *Ahaituky apratihatā.* You have no desire. Your business is to serve Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says that "You do this." So you do it. --- **[1975: Bhagavad-gītā 2.1–11](spoken/1975/751017bg.joh)** > Yantra:* it is a machine. This machine has been given by Kṛṣṇa to me because I desired that "If I get a machine like a human body, then I can enjoy like this." So Kṛṣṇa fulfills your desire: "All right." And if I think, "If I get a machine in which I can directly suck blood of other animal," "All right," Kṛṣṇa says, "you take the machine of a tiger's body and use it." So this is going on. Therefore His name is Hṛṣīkeśa. And when we understand properly that "I am not the proprietor of this body. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of the body. I wanted a certain type of body to use it for my sense gratification. He has given it, and I am not happy; therefore I shall learn how to use this machine for the proprietor," this is called *bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate*. > So we are not lamenting at the present moment, because it is moving. And as soon as the movement is stopped, I say, "Oh, my father has gone," "My son has gone," and we lament. So actually the body is the same. The same body is lying here as dead body, whom we are lamenting, "my father," but you have never seen your father. You have seen only the coats and pants and the body. That is your education. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Arjuna, you are thinking on terms of this coats and pants and bones and muscles and urine and stool. Therefore you are rascal number one." This is the first instruction, *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā... . "Do any gentlemen lament for this torn-up cloth, bones and skins and urine and stool? Does any sane man lament?" This is the first instruction. So *aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase:* "You are talking just like a very learned man to argue with Me, but you are fool number one because"—*agatāsūṁś..., gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ*—"this is not the business of the *paṇḍita.*" --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751017mw.joh)** >...by chanting *mantra* and herb. But a crooked man cannot be controlled any way. Therefore he is more dangerous than the snake. *Sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ* [Cāṇakya Paṇḍita]. >shows that people are prosperous. They are not cheap buildings like America. Termite, always attacked by termite. They have no taste for good building. --- **[1976: Address to Rotary Club](spoken/1976/761017le.cha)** > "Arjuna, you are talking with Me—of course, you are My friend, on equal level. You are talking just like a very learned man." You have read in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* he submitted his proposition, that "How can I kill my..., the other side? They are my brothers, and if the brothers are dead, my sister-in-laws will be widow, and they will be polluted, and there will be *varṇa-saṅkara.* And so..." These things are facts, but Kṛṣṇa says that "You are simply taking calculation of the body. Body. You have no spiritual calculation. The life is meant for spiritual understanding, athāto brahma-jijñāsā. But you have no such understanding. You have no such knowledge, and still you are speaking." *Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase : "You are talking like a very learned man, but My dear friend, you are not learned." He said in a different way. *Agatāsūn. Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ.* "Because this body... You are thinking in terms of bodily relationship, but a *paṇḍita,* a learned scholar... Actually he is learned scholar when he does not lament for this body, either alive or dead." This is the first instruction. This body is already dead. It is matter, dead matter. But you should try to understand the living spirit within this body. The next verse He said that, > This is knowledge, beginning of knowledge. Try to understand about the soul, the part of Para-brahman, the spark of Para-brahman, the spirit soul. That is within this body. So "You are lamenting on this body, but you have no information of the active principle within the body." So *nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ:* "So this is not the statement of a *paṇḍita.*" In other way He... He is friend. Or as *śiṣya...,* that "This kind of things never happens in the case of a *paṇḍita.*" That means, "My dear friend, you are *apaṇḍita.* You are not *paṇḍita.*" One who does not know about the spirit soul, he is not a *paṇḍita. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.* This transmigration of the soul... Just like you condole one Rotarian who has died. But Kṛṣṇa says, *dhīras tatra na muhyati:* "Yes, he's not dead. He has transmigrated to another body. He's not dead." That is the... *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. This is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that "Don't think that because the body is annihilated, therefore the person is annihilated. No." "That soul never takes birth, never dies." *Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam, na hanyate hanyamāne*. This is the first instruction of *Bhagavad-gītā.* --- **[1977: Room Conversation Visit from Dr. G. Ghosh and Dr. Gopal](spoken/1977/771017r1.vrn)** > Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. So what type of, I have brought a scheme that is available nowadays like there will be a health section which we will slowly develop. There will be] regular lecture about health and disease in popular language with demonstrations by charts, models, projectors and cinematography. [Transl. It will be something like this. Then there will be a Maintaining health cards for children. Every six months their height, weight... And their progressive health will be noted down. After that in that] Building a health science museum. [Transl. will be set up in which different models etc, will be displayed. So many visitors come. They will see all this and become interested and attracted. We will have a health museum called 'Health science museum' in which different models, different charts, and various parts of the body will be displayed.] for propagating health science amongst the inmates of *gurukula* and the public. [Transl. It will look very attractive. Then for the young *gurukula* boys we will have a]...gymnasium for health.* [Transl. a mini Gymnasium. Then there will be]...simple *yoga* lessons for children...* [Transl. and along with that Indian sports and international sports will be included.] > Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Discuss. Okay let me talk to Dr. Sharma. This facility is needed. It will be an interesting side for them with modern equipments. They should know these things.] Our people are steeped in ignorance about the laws of health. [Transl. That is] In the most impressionable age... [Transl. Old people cannot be taught]...young, the most impressionable age... [Transl. They should be encouraged. Then only the country can make some progress. This is a very good center. So many people are coming, so many visitors are coming. Periodically, suppose there is some Epidemic or whenever they come, your literatures in Hindi with ISKCON placket can be distributed to them. For prevention, a card of Do's and Dont's should be given to them. That will enhance ISKCON's prestige. This will be a great service to humanity.] --- ## Letters on October 17 *Letters from this day: 20* --- **[1967: Letter to Mahapurusa](letters/1967/671017_mahapurusa)** > Brown rice generally is doubly boiled, therefore it cannot be used for Krishna prasadam. --- **[1967: Letter to Pradyumna](letters/1967/671017_pradyumna)** > Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself—even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master & talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy—maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense. --- **[1967: Letter to Sivananda](letters/1967/671017_sivananda)** > I am trying to go back to your country as soon as possible. --- **[1968: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1968/681017_hansadutta)** > Enclosed please find one copy of the letter which I have sent yesterday to the Consulate General of the United States of America, at Montreal, sent by special delivery air mail, so that they may keep... --- **[1968: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1968/681017_rayarama)** > The first thing I may inform you that I am going to Montreal by the 23 or the 24 of October, because I have got an appointment engagement with the Consulate General of United States in the matter of my permanent visa on the 25 of Oct. --- **[1971: Letter to Nara-Narayana](letters/1971/711017_nara-narayana)** > First of all you finish the model work nicely. Finish it nicely and when I go to Calcutta on the 24th we shall take up the matter of engineering work, consulting with others. --- **[1971: Letter to Yamuna Gurudasa](letters/1971/711017_yamuna_gurudasa)** > I am so glad to know that you are seeing all the MPs and officials in the government service and if you can make each of them a member of our society it will be a great service. --- **[1972: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1972/721017_tamala_krsna)** > I have duly received two express delivery letters jointly signed by you. Fortunately, yesterday evening the chief minister of Assam, Sriman Mahendra Mohan, came to see me and I have requested him to write a letter to Mr. --- **[1973: Letter to Karandhara](letters/1973/731017_karandhara)** > I have also received the enclosed duplicate deposit slip for $125.89. Also find herewith checks Nos. _ for deposit. --- **[1973: Letter to Tejiyas](letters/1973/731017_tejiyas)** > Regarding your new place, yes, if many more devotees actually remain there, it is a good scheme, but as we have got four or five branches in India I do not wish to increase more centers. --- **[1974: Letter to Danavir](letters/1974/741017_danavir)** > I wanted that you Americans use your talents in spreading this cult, and I can see that you are doing that. --- **[1974: Letter to Giriraj Prabhu](letters/1974/741017_giriraj_prabhu)** > Srila Prabhupad had also given to you for deposit into his personal account in CBI Gowlia Tank Branch Dollars 2,000.00; Dollars 1,000 from Tejiyas and Dollars 1,000 from himself; so please report on this. Let me know if it is necessary for a document form form Geeta Devi Saraf. --- **[1974: Letter to Giriraja](letters/1974/741017_giriraja)** > I have received the report of Bombay from Gargamuni Swami that things are being mismanaged. --- **[1974: Letter to Gurukrpa](letters/1974/741017_gurukrpa)** > N.B. After consultation with the Trustees of the Mayapur-Vrindaban Trust, it has been decided to appoint you as a Trustee. --- **[1974: Letter to Mr. Setti](letters/1974/741017_mr._setti)** > I am sending Brahmananda and Gargamuni there to sve the situation, and shall be very thankful to you if you help them in every way to stop this road making. --- **[1974: Letter to Sri Kanungo](letters/1974/741017_sri_kanungo)** > I therefore want to see you personally, and it will be a great pleasure for me if you both husband and wife come here. It is a very nice place, and you will like to remain here for one or two days. I hope you can come here, accompanied by one of our men from Calcutta. --- **[1975: Letter to All Temple Presidents G.B.C. And Sannyasis](letters/1975/751017_all_temple_presidents_g.b.c._and_sannyasis)** > Under the circumstances, we shall *fully* non-cooperate with this Swami Bon and neither we shall form any kind of association with any person whose aim it is to blaspheme the Lord or his pure devotee. --- **[1975: Letter to Cyavana](letters/1975/751017_cyavana)** > It is not a good idea for him to bring Lilavati's daughter to Kilifi as he has described the living conditions as very poor and now she is at least nicely situated in Gurukula. Also, he speaks of going to America, and who will supply him the money for this? --- **[1975: Letter to Gopijanavallabha](letters/1975/751017_gopijanavallabha)** > I have made some alterations to your plan however and if possible you can implement then when you are designing the rooms. New York is very special to me because I started there without anything except faith in my spiritual master and Lord Krishna. --- **[1975: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1975/751017_ramesvara)** > If Dr. Wolf has become envious then we must simply avoid him. What is his complaint? The idea of the nursery school is very good idea. ---