# October 25 ## Spoken on October 25 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1968: Bhagavad-gītā 13.6–7 [Distorted audio](spoken/1968/681025bg.mon)** > Therefore the first condition of acquiring knowledge is *adambhitvam. Amānitvam adambhitvam,* first of all to deny that "I am not matter. I am..." Then "If I am not matter, then I am God." Oh, then Kṛṣṇa says, "No. That is your false pride. You are not God." *Adambhitvam. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā .* > If one continues, follows these principle, then one day he will find that God, who is *ajita,* who cannot be conquered by anyone, who cannot be known by anyone, God realization..." Because God realization is not an ordinary job. It is very difficult. *Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu .* In the *Bhagavad-gītā* you'll find that "Out of many, many thousands of men, one may be interested how to make perfect this human form of life. And out of many, many thousands of perfect persons, one may know actually what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa." --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/721025r1.vrn)** > Pañca-draviḍa: The last situation I had heard was that everybody was agreeable, that Nair himself was agreeable and that everything was proceeding, but it was in the hands of the Municipality, and that was going so slow, and that Nair himself, he is saying so many dubious things on the outside, but in complete agreement once you step into a room with him. So we are not so much sure. It's more or less in the hands of the Municipality, but who knows what is going on behind the table. Something like that. [break] > Pañca-draviḍa: They will... Girirāja and Bhavānanda and them, they will probably be in the third shift, depending on how the land deal goes, whether it is settled by then. --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/721025r2.vrn)** > So what is the use of these schools and colleges? That [indistinct] school, college is not very good. And there are so many schools and colleges. That is not very extraordinary thing. > Their parents will be very glad that our students have gone to foreign countries for studying. We shall have very, very good sympathies. Our only policy will be the students should be taught very nice English for understanding our books. Yes. --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/721025r3.vrn)** > So he got down, he personally showed me, "Instead of taking taxi waiting, please go in this way when you go to your hotel." He showed me shortcut. People are walking, and they are running for the bus. It is not at all a rich country. A poor country. And if you see the shops, you will find old, shabby, just like antique shop. Because you cannot purchase generally; everything you have to purchase from government store, and in queue. It is botheration. And actually in India it is going to happen like this. Everything you have to purchase in queue. Here? > Pañca-draviḍa:...nicely in the *Kṛṣṇa* book about the sacrifices of Vasudeva. Where Lord Kṛṣṇa speaks and says to the assembled sages and ascetics that "Seeing you is the perfection of these eyes and perfection of life," and that "Those persons who go to the holy places only to take bath there or to see the Deities in the temple, they are no better than animals like the ass." --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 13.26](spoken/1973/731025bg.bom)** > They may know something. But Kṛṣṇa says, *kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ yaj jñānaṁ tad mataṁ mama*. Unless you know the *kṣetra* and *kṣetra-jña* both, then your knowledge is imperfect. The medical man, very experienced medical man, attending a man on the deathbed, oxygen gas, injection, everything is supplied, but the man dies. And when he dies, the medical man says, "We cannot say what has happened. We have tried our best with the modern medical appliances, but we do not know what has happened." Therefore their knowledge is imperfect. They cannot say. They do not know that there is the soul, *kṣetra-jña,* who has now left this body; therefore it is nothing but a lump of matter. > Mānuṣam. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy arthadam.* In this human form of life, you can make the solution of the problems of this *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi .* Therefore Kṛṣṇa says *te 'pi. Te 'pi* means those who are sincere and seriously hearing about this Kṛṣṇa consciousness message. *Te 'pi.* Simply by sitting down. You haven't got to study Sanskrit. To become..., by becoming a Sanskrit scholar, that is good, but it is not necessary also. Simply you have to hear the message. *Te 'pi ca atitaranti,* transcend; *ca,* they also. Simply by hearing. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.45](spoken/1974/741025sb.may)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ . Siddha... Jñānīs* are *siddhas. Yogīs* are *siddhas.* Although they are trying their best to become perfect, but still, they are missing Kṛṣṇa on account of *aviśuddha-buddhi.* And therefore *āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ*. Although by austerities they come to that platform of *brahma-anubhāva,* Brahman realization, still, they fall down, *anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ,* on account of neglecting to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they cannot understand Him. *Kaścit.* Kṛṣṇa says, *kaścit vetti māṁ tattvataḥ.* Not that everyone, *jñānī,* will understand. Even one is *jñānī,* then he'll take many births to understand Kṛṣṇa. *Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate*. > Koṭi karmī madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. *Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that "Out of many, many *karmīs,* one who is *jñānī...*" *Jñānī* means one who knows that "I am not this body. I am spirit." But still, there is some mistake. They think that "I am the Supreme Spirit." *So 'ham. Māyā* is so strong. Even after so much austerities, coming practically on the verge of perfection, they are misled by *māyā,* this *so 'ham. So 'ham* means "I am the same." But "I am the same" does not mean "I am the same Supreme." "I am the same in quality." *So 'ham* does not mean that "I am as good as the Supreme Brahman." It does not mean. Part is never equal to the whole. We are part of the Supreme Brahman, *mamaivāṁśaḥ.* So in quality, just like a small particle of gold is also gold—quality is the same. A small drop of seawater is the same quality—salty. But that does not mean the drop of seawater becomes the sea. The *māyā* is so strong. Therefore *Bhāgavata* says, "The impersonalist, Māyāvādīs, although they think that they have become one with the Supreme, but their intelligence is not yet complete." *Ye 'nye..., ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ*. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.3](spoken/1976/761025sb.vrn)** > Here is nationalism, that *īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam* [Īśo*mantra* 1*]: everything belongs to God. And Kṛṣṇa says, *bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram*.* He's the proprietor. He's the proprietor; everyone is His subject. Everyone requires protection. That is nationalism. Not that crippled ideas: "I am good, my brother is good, and everyone is bad." That is not nationalism. This is going on. "My nation," a few people, Russia is thinking, "A few people in this area, they are our men." And America is thinking like that. India is thinking like that. But what is this nonsense nationalism? Because it is not perfect. Simply taking care of some human being. Otherwise there is no question of nationalism. Even according to their definition of nationalism, there are so many discrimination. Nowadays in your country, now the white and the black have been given the equal rights. But formerly, although the blacks were born, they were treated like animals. But one of your president has given them right. But there are so many defects, unless you become *mahātmā.* So unless you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this so-called nationalism, philanthropism, altruism, this "ism"—that is all rascaldom. It has no value. Real value is here: *mahātmā, vimanyavaḥ, sādhavaḥ, suhṛdaḥ.* > So everything, in Kali-yuga, everything is being misused. But *śāstra* has given us direction who is *brāhmaṇa,* who is *mahātmā.* So here one type of *mahātmā* is given: *mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ.* They are equal. *Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā*. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu.* That is *mahātmā.* He has realized, Brahman realized, so he has no discrimination, either man to man or man to animal. Even a... --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/771025r1.vrn)** > "On taking such a birth... Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists, who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world." > "On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru." --- **[1977: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Dictation](spoken/1977/771025sb.vrn)** > You cannot search out Kṛṣṇa by Vedic knowledge or by this realization. *Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau.* But when you become devotee, you will realize everything. Above all, become devotee. In the beginning he was proud of becoming Brahmā, the lord of the universe, and now he understood the real Lord of the universe, and simply as an insignificant agent, so: *govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi*, the *Brahmā-saṁhitā*. > Everyone, when they want to serve Kṛṣṇa, he becomes qualified in all respects. And without Kṛṣṇa consciousness there cannot be any qualification. *Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad.*... The so-called qualified men in the material world are useless. The only qualification is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Hmm. --- ## Letters on October 25 *Letters from this day: 19* --- **[1969: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1969/691025_tamala_krsna)** > The letters were very long; I have read them once and shall read them again carefully. --- **[1970: Letter to Tamala Krsna Syamasundara](letters/1970/701025_tamala_krsna_syamasundara)** > The letter addressed to Ksirodakasayi has been approved by me and sent by airmail to London. I'm very glad that you are organizing the temple worship at Chembur. It will be a great opportunity to show your capacity how to worship the deity in the temple. --- **[1974: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1974/741025_kirtanananda)** > I want to know if you can supply ghee by exporting it from USA. In India ghee is needed in our temples. --- **[1974: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1974/741025_madhudvisa)** > In India ghee is required for our temples. I want to now if you can supply 200 lbs. per month in exchange for books. --- **[1974: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1974/741025_ramesvara)** > The reason book distribution is greater than chanting is because the effect is wider. A purchased book goes into a person's home and will be read by others, whereas street kirtana only benefits those in the vicinity who hear. --- **[1974: Letter to Saurabha](letters/1974/741025_saurabha)** > I have received from the Punjab National Bank, Vrindaban a copy of their letter dated 14/10/74 to the Secretary of ISKCON Vrindaban regarding the opening of a new current account No. --- **[1975: Letter to Amrita Patrika Newspaper](letters/1975/751025_amrita_patrika_newspaper)** > "Amrita Patrika" Newspaper Calcutta, India Attn: Advertising Dept. If you can kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. --- **[1975: Letter to Hindu Newspaper](letters/1975/751025_hindu_newspaper)** > "Hindu" Newspaper Madras, India Attn: Advertising Dept. If you can kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. --- **[1975: Letter to The Statesman](letters/1975/751025_the_statesman)** > "The Statesman," Calcutta—1, India Attn: Advertising Dept. If you can kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. --- **[1975: Letter to The Times Of India](letters/1975/751025_the_times_of_india)** > "The Times of India" New Delhi, India Attn: Advertising Dept. If you can kindly send me the respective contract rates of advertising, at the same time our society being a charitable religious concern to propagate God-consciousness all over the world, if there is any special concession for us. --- **[1976: Letter to Advaitacarya](letters/1976/761025_advaitacarya)** > Keep yourself in Krsna consciousness by strictly observing the regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. --- **[1976: Letter to Barbara Eady](letters/1976/761025_barbara_eady)** > I am very glad to hear that you are very serious about Krsna Consciousness and are chanting 16 rounds, following the regulative principles and trying to distribute my books in New Zealand. --- **[1976: Letter to Bhadravardhana Hrdayagovinda](letters/1976/761025_bhadravardhana_hrdayagovinda)** > Please perform your service of training up the new men very carefully. They must learn to strictly follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds minimum every day, avoiding the 10 offenses. --- **[1976: Letter to Chittrakara](letters/1976/761025_chittrakara)** > If you can collect money there as you have suggested and send it for Nitai Gaura TWSKP activities in India that will be good. There is no restriction for preachers, they may travel everywhere all over the world. Nitai-Gaura means world wide preaching, because Lord Caitanya appeared to spread this movement to every town and village of the world, and by the grace of good souls like yourself the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is being fulfilled in the modern age. --- **[1976: Letter to Harivilasa](letters/1976/761025_harivilasa)** > Let this couple first of all legally marry. After that we bless them by observing a fire ceremony. It is not necessary to burden me with these matters. Please consult with the local GBC. --- **[1976: Letter to Krsna Vilasini](letters/1976/761025_krsna_vilasini)** > As long as the body will be there, there will only be pain. Pleasure is only a misconception. Do not be sorry if you are in an "unfortunate" situation. --- **[1976: Letter to Svarupa](letters/1976/761025_svarupa)** > As soon as everything is complete in the matter of registration of the "deed of gift" and the land is in the name of ISKCON, we shall begin immediately. --- **[1976: Letter to Tribhangananda](letters/1976/761025_tribhangananda)** > Please offer my thanks to Mr. Pankhania for his kind assistance to our movement. --- **[1976: Letter to Vidya](letters/1976/761025_vidya)** > If it is not possible for Tulasi to survive the winters when planted in the ground, then a suitable house should be provided for her. Even in the Canadian temples which are in a much colder climate are keeping Tulasi nicely. Why should there be so much difficulty in Los Angeles, which has such a nice climate. ---