# October 17 *Lectures from this day: 8 recordings* --- **[[spoken/721017nd.vrn|The Nectar of Devotion — October 17, 1972, Vṛndāvana]]** **Pradyumna:** [reading] "...devotional service. Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it. Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family and a nationalist for the cause of his country and countrymen. That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called *rasa,* or..." **Prabhupāda:** So *bhakti* is explained, *bhakti* is some active service. It is not a sentiment. And service means work. Not like the *karmīs. Karmī,* or anyone who is working, he is working with some taste. Just like the example is given here: a householder is working day and night. Unless he has got some taste... Suppose one has got wife and children. So to maintain them he has to work very hard. But there is some pleasure in serving the wife and children. This is crude example. Similarly, *bhakti* means service with some taste. *Svādu svādu pade pade* [[sb/1/1/19|[SB. 1.1.19] ]]. In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* it is said, *svādu svādu pade pade.* The more you serve, the more you relish taste. Without relishing taste, nobody can render devotional service. It is practical. *Svādu svādu pade pade.* In every step... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He was minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. So materially, he was getting honor, money, and therefore he was attached. This is also crude example. So he resigned from the government post and he joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So unless he tasted something better, how could he give up his government service? There must be some taste. So that is being explained here. --- **[[spoken/721017sb.vrn|SB 1.2.6 — October 17, 1972, Vṛndāvana]]** **Prabhupāda:** > sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo > yato bhaktir adhokṣaje > ahaituky apratihatā > yayātmā suprasīdati > [[sb/1/2/6|[SB. 1.2.6] ]] "The supreme occupation, dharma, for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendental Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self." This has been proved divertedly edited. Actually, devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord not for my satisfaction; but rendering devotional service to the Lord, the self is automatically satisfied. If I make a motive that "I shall render service to the Lord so that I will be very much satisfied..." No. No. That, that becomes motivated, that "I will be satisfied," that is the first consideration. There should be no motive at all. I may be satisfied, not sati..., that is not my business. But still, I'll have to serve the Lord. --- **[[spoken/751017bg.joh|Bg 2.1-11 — October 17, 1975, Johannesburg]]** **Prabhupāda:** I shall speak some verses from *Bhagavad-gītā*, Second Chapter, in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, instructed. The beginning of instruction is the Second Chapter of *Bhagavad-gītā*. So Arjuna, representing ourself, conditioned soul, covered with the material body and thinking in bodily conception of life... He was to fight with his brothers, nephews, grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva, also teacher the military science, Droṇācārya. In this way the business was not very palatable. Although he was forced to fight, but the opposite party who were very near, thick and thin people, and he had to kill them, so it was not very satisfactory to him. Therefore he flatly denied to fight: "Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight." He left his weapon, and then Kṛṣṇa was surprised that "My friend, Arjuna, he is denying to fight in My presence." So Sañjaya, the private secretary of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, he was relaying the message which was going on in the battle of Kurukṣetra by higher process. Nowadays we have got experience of the television, but the another process, *antar-dṛṣṭi* [internal vision], that is also television. You can see the reflection of external activities within your heart, and you can explain. So Sañjaya, the private secretary of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, he explained that Arjuna was denying to fight. So, --- **[[spoken/751017mw.joh|Morning Walk — October 17, 1975, Johannesburg]]** **Prabhupāda:** Yes. *Brahma-bhūtāḥ prasannātmā* [[bg/18/54|[Bg. 18.54] ]]. That is stated in *Bhagavad-gītā.* Who can become a... Smiling means he is satisfied in every respect. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. *Smeran bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ*. [*Cc Ādi*5.224] Kṛṣṇa is always smiling and standing in curved position. That is jubilant. [about microphone] Why so near? [break] ...shows that people are prosperous. They are not cheap buildings like America. Termite, always attacked by termite. They have no taste for good building. --- **[[../../spoken/1975/751017r1.joh.md|Room Conversation — October 17, 1975, Johannesburg]]** *[Lecture file not found]* --- **[[spoken/761017le.cha|Address to Rotary Club — October 17, 1976, Chandigarh]]** **Prabhupāda:** Ladies and Gentlemen, the President, I am very much thankful to you that you are eager to hear about what Kṛṣṇa wants to speak. Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All *ācāryas*—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, and latest, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and before that, other *ācāryas* like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, and before that, the original *ācārya,* Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva—everyone accepted Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are searching after whether there is God or there is no God. If there is God, what is the nature? What is the form? Whether He is person or imperson? There are so many questions. And to solve all these questions, the God Himself descends and speaks about Himself, and that speaking is this *Bhagavad-gītā.* God is speaking about Himself personally, personally present. So you can know Him, you can see Him, what He is, what is His function. Just to mitigate all our doubts, God is present here. And Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning of the Seventh Chapter of the *Bhagavad-gītā* how you can understand God without any doubt and in complete. That is spoken by God Himself. "My dear Pārtha, Arjuna, in order to know Me, God, *asaṁśayam,* without any doubt, and *samagram,*" mean in completeness, "as you can know Me, I am personally speaking to you." That means if you want to know God, you can know Him when He explains Himself. Otherwise, you cannot speculate. God is unlimited, and your speculative power is limited. --- **[[spoken/771017r1.vrn|Room Conversation Visit from Dr. G. Ghosh and Dr. Gopal — October 17, 1977, Vṛndāvana]]** 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? With whom should I discuss? Do you approve it? If you approve, then we can go on.] Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Spirituality must be there. In our term it says 'psycho and soma'. You are developing psycho or soul consciousness and along with that the soma or body] ...should be taken care of, 'cause this is God's temple. This has to be done. --- **[[spoken/771017r2.vrn|Room Conversation — October 17, 1977, Vṛndāvana]]** **Acyutānanda:** I was in Calcutta during the Māyāpur affairs. Then I went to South India. Now I'm going to America. My stay in India may be terminated. And I received American passport. I'm able to travel now. Rāmeśvara Prabhu is sending me a ticket. **Acyutānanda:** Oh, yes. It was very successful. One scientist has actually been touched. His heart is changed, Dr. Ramaya. He, in fact, defended our one point with one other scientist. **Tamāla Kṛṣṇa:** [indistinct aside with **Hari-śauri**] You are ready for bathing, Śrīla Prabhupāda? --- ## Letters - [[../../letters/1967/671017_mahapurusa.md|Letter to Mahapurusa, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1967/671017_pradyumna.md|Letter to Pradyumna, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1967/671017_sivananda.md|Letter to Sivananda, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1968/681017_hansadutta.md|Letter to Hansadutta, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/681017_rayarama.md|Letter to Rayarama, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1971/711017_nara-narayana.md|Letter to Nara-Narayana, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/711017_yamuna_gurudasa.md|Letter to Yamuna Gurudasa, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1972/721017_tamala_krsna.md|Letter to Tamala Krsna, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1973/731017_karandhara.md|Letter to Karandhara, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1973/731017_tejiyas.md|Letter to Tejiyas, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_danavir.md|Letter to Danavir, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_giriraj_prabhu.md|Letter to Giriraj Prabhu, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_giriraja.md|Letter to Giriraja, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_gurukrpa.md|Letter to Gurukrpa, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_mr._setti.md|Letter to Mr. Setti, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741017_sri_kanungo.md|Letter to Sri Kanungo, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1975/751017_all_temple_presidents_g.b.c._and_sannyasis.md|Letter to All Temple Presidents G.B.C. And Sannyasis, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751017_cyavana.md|Letter to Cyavana, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751017_gopijanavallabha.md|Letter to Gopijanavallabha, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751017_ramesvara.md|Letter to Ramesvara, 1975]]