# November 7 ## Spoken on November 7 *Lectures from this day: 14 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 8.22–27](spoken/1966/661107bg.ny.md)** > So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that if you want to become one of the associates in that spiritual planet, then you have to become a pure devotee. *Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ. Bhaktyā labhyaḥ* means you can attain that perfection by devotional service. And *ananyayā. Ananyayā* means "without any deviation." *Ananyayā.* What is that deviation? The deviation is that we are sometimes inclined to become a devotee for some material benefits. So here it is said that *ananyayā, ananya-bhakti,* without any deviation, without any material profit, you have to become a pure devotee. Then you can attain that spiritual planet. > But for the devotee, there is no such chance. He, I mean, is surely. He is surely. Because devotee... *Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ*. A devotee is always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there is no question of chance. He does not give any chance to think otherwise. Therefore he is guaranteed. But for others, there are some chances like that, that in particular moment if he dies, if he leaves this body, then he can enter into the spiritual kingdom. --- **[1970: Room Conversation](spoken/1970/701107r1.bom)** > **Prabhupāda: [Transl. Let them eat zero. Actually that is happening now. And here we have removed zero and worshiping Kṛṣṇa. They have become happy. All zeros have been removed. *Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra.* Without accepting the real *dharma* whatever other *dharmas* are passing on as *dharma,* they are all cheating. And in his commentary on this verse Śrīdhara Svami has said, *atra mokṣa-vāñchā api nirasta.* [break] [Transl. *Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo'tra,* desire for liberation is also cheating. I will become liberated, I will become one with God–this mentality has been kicked out. And *bhakti* is *jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam.* [Cc Madhya 19.167/ Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11] *Jñāna* and *Karma* have no jurisdiction on *bhakti.* It is pure.] > Prabhupāda:* [Transl. All three are one. All are one, but different stages. So the first stage is *Brahma-jñāna, Brahma-bhūta. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā*. He is embarrassed by the sufferings of this material world. But when he realises I am brahma-spirit soul he becomes happy. *Brahma-bhūta prasannātmā*, the living entity becomes joyful. *Ahaṁ brahmāsmi*. Then he becomes liberated.] --- **[1972: The Nectar of Devotion](spoken/1972/721107nd.vrn)** > Therefore *Bhāgavata* says through Śukadeva Gosvāmī that *prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam*. Simply official *prāyaścitta* will not help a man ceasing from sinful activities. Official. In Christian religion also, they accept, confess their sinful activities, and again they commit the same sinful activities. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommends that *prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam.* Unless one understands his constitutional position, unless he's convinced that why should he commit sinful activities simply for this body, which does not belong to him... It is a foreign. Actually, he has no connection with the body. *Vimarśanam* means cultivation of knowledge. So one has to cultivate knowledge. Then he can be stopped from sinful activities. > People, generally, they identify this body as self, and for bodily interest he commits so many sinful activities, simply for satisfaction of the senses. But if he's cultured, if he's given proper knowledge that "Bodily concept of life is not your interest. You are spirit soul," *ahaṁ brahmāsmi,* in this way, if he cultivates knowledge... That is very easily possible simply by engaging oneself in the service of the Lord. *Kevalayā bhaktyā. Simply by devotional service one can raise himself to the position of perfect knowledge, and thus he can renounce all sinful activities. --- **[1972: Room Conversation](spoken/1972/721107r1.vrn)** > [Sounds like a tape playing]. As soon as one becomes [indistinct] no material possessions [indistinct] unless one is free from all material attachments one cannot [indistinct] *niṣkiñcana* [indistinct] material [indistinct] Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says [indistinct] *niṣkiñcana* [indistinct] Anyone who accepts only Kṛṣṇa as the supreme proprietor and enjoyer [indistinct] the material world is such that everyone is thinking that I am the enjoyer. So there is competition. --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.27](spoken/1972/721107sb.vrn)** > So ultimate end of knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. So *Vedānta* means the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know Kṛṣṇa. That is *Vedānta. Vedānta* does not mean anything else. Because Kṛṣṇa says, *vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ*. That is *Vedānta.* And He also confirms, *vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham:* "I am the compiler of *Vedānta* philosophy, and therefore I know perfectly well what is *Vedānta.*" > Not He... He doesn't want even *mukti.* Otherwise, if one is liberated, then according to *Bhagavad-gītā* and every Vedic *śāstra, punar janma naiti, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti*. That is *mukti.* The *mukti* means to go out of this ignorance of the darkness of this material world. But Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He says, *mama janmani janmani.* He doesn't want to stop even *punar janma.* Kṛṣṇa says *mukti* means no more birth, no more accepting this material body, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, *janmani janmani,* "life after life." --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.4](spoken/1973/731107sb.del)** > So therefore we have to take shelter not of this family, not of this nation, not of this community or children or friends. No. They cannot give us. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām:* "I am the only friend." *Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām*. "These rascals, they come as my friend, these blind leaders, who cannot give protection himself. He becomes friend. He gives me advices about nationalism and this 'ism' and that 'ism.' But he cannot give even himself any protection. How he can give me protection?" This is intelligence. This is intelligence. > Therefore the advice is, *tasmād bhārata sarvātmā harir īśvaraḥ.* They do not know that *sarvātmā...* Although Kṛṣṇa says that "I am *sarvātmā...*" Kṛṣṇa says, *kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata*, in the chapter, *kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram.* This body is *kṣetra,* field of activities, and one who knows... I know, you know, everyone know that "This is my body. I am not this body." If we think deeply, if we see our finger, "my finger," "my head." It is not "I head." But they are thinking that "I head," "I body." Not "I body," "*my* body." This is knowledge. So everything is clearly said, and the preliminary knowledge of spiritual life, *Bhagavad-gītā... Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi.* There are two *kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra-jña* means the proprietor who knows about this. *Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram.* And one who knows this, he is *kṣetra-jña.* --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.7](spoken/1974/741107sb.bom)** > So our business is also like that. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and we should give, render, we should render service to the best of capacity. That is our real, constitutional position. But here Devahūti says that *bhūmann asad-indriya-tarṣaṇāt. Asad-indriya-tarṣaṇāt.* At the present moment in this material world, we are busy to enjoy these material senses. This is our position. Everyone is satisfying. *Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhiḥ...*. In this way, you go, and when you go beyond the range of *buddhi,* that is soul. That is spiritual platform. > And what is that *tapasya*? *Tapasyā* for realization of God. And then we shall be purified. What is meaning of purify, purification? Purification means we are eternal, and if we become purified from this material contamination, then we get back our eternal life, back to home, back to Godhead. That is required. That is... For that we have to accept little *tapasya.* Not to become sense gratifier like the dogs and hogs. That is not civilization. *Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye*. This human life should be regulated in such a way that he hasn't got to satisfy the senses after taking so much hard labor. The modern civilization is like that. Everyone is engaged in hard labor simply for satisfaction of the senses. So they have become mad. *Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vi...* And they are acting without any consideration of the effect. They do not consider whether it is sinful or not. They do not believe in the next life. They do not discriminate what is sinful, what is pious—nothing. Exactly like animals. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751107mw.bom)** > ...is occupying very exalted post, even in this material world, he is favored by Kṛṣṇa. Sanātana Gosvāmī, when the Nawab said that "I shall arrest you," then he replied that "You are representative of God, so if you arrest me I have no objection." He said that. He was Muhammadan, and he was a Hindu *brāhmaṇa.* He never felt that "How the Muhammadan can arrest me?" No. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.19](spoken/1976/761107sb.vrn)** > So the soul is so subtle, you cannot see. You cannot see sky, and still finer is the mind, still finer is intelligence, and still finer, the soul. So how can you see? With your gross eyes it is not possible. Therefore they are bewildered, how the soul is being transferred from one body to another. They see the gross body. Kṛṣṇa says, *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*, tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ*. But doctors, medical men, scientists, they cannot see that where is the soul, how the soul is transmigrating. These are all *durvibhāvya,* inconceivable. > So God has form, but He is *sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha.* He is not... When it is said, the *nirākāra,* "no form," that does not mean that He has no *ākāra.* The *ākāra,* or the form which we understand, He hasn't got that form. He is *sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ* [Bs. 5.1].* Otherwise how He can accept your offerings? Kṛṣṇa says that *patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi*.* He says, "I eat." So if He has no mouth, how He can eat? And therefore the Vedic literature informs us that *paśyati acakṣuḥ:* "He sees, but He has no eyes." When the Vedic literature says that He has no eyes, that means He has no eyes like us. But He has got eyes; otherwise how He sees? *Paśyati acakṣuḥ śṛṇoti akarṇaḥ.* [*Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad* 3.19] He can hear; otherwise what is the use of offering prayer? Yes, He hears, but *akarṇa,* not that He has got ears like you. He is in the Vaikuṇṭha, many, many millions' and trillions' miles away, but still, you are offering here, *"Govindam ādi puruṣam."* He is hearing. He is here. *Sarvatra pāṇi pādas tat.* This thing should be understood. --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/771107r1.vrn)** > Dāmodara Mahārāja, he comes around once in a while. I haven't seem him the last couple of weeks, but he's also helping in his way. Yesterday, from the Central Government, one I.B. officer, Inspection Bank officer, came. He said that he received telegraphic information that regarding my citizenship, the government was having second thoughts, that maybe they would give it after all, and they requested him to find out my background information and give a recommendation. --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/771107r3.vrn)** --- **[1977: Room Conversation](spoken/1977/771107r5.vrn)** > Then we asked him... He said that it is better you don't sit up, 'cause it puts strain on the heart. He said it's better you don't sit up for the next four days or so. Better that you lay down all the time. And that for feeding you, that we can feed you while you're laying down. He said it's not necessary that you should take anything solid unless you want it. Liquids are good, he said, for now. Because the whole point is that he has to treat you very, very slowly. There's no question of rushing anything, because you're too weak. He said, if you want solids, that things should not be cooked in *ghee.* There should be no *dahī.* He gave some restrictions—not so many, but some. He said just like *mālpura* would not be good because it's cooked with *ghee.* I asked him frankly what he thought was your chances. He said that he felt your chances were quite good. He said the whole point is that... He said of course it depends on Kṛṣṇa. He said, "But the chances are very good." He said, "But it will be slow." I said, "But even if Prabhupāda recovers, what does that mean, 'recover'?" He said, "Recover means to be fit." I said, "Well what about like walking?" He said, "Fit means walking, talking, eating, everything." He said, "If this medicine works, then he should live for at least ten more years." He said that the treatment will take at least three or four months. It's a very slow treatment. And he felt fairly confident. He feels there's a very good... He says that he treated one patient who had twenty ulcers, and every single physician said that the man had to die within a week to two weeks. And he made this man take 34 kilos of buttermilk per day, and the man survived. He got rid of all the ulcers and survived. He said so he's seen... He said he takes your case as very, very serious, though. It's most..., at the final point. I said, "Well, Prabhupāda says that he's dead. Now he says he even feels practically dead." The *kavirāja* said, "He's not dead. I have seen worse cases even than this, and they could survive." He said, "But I have to work very, very carefully. And Prabhupāda should keep good spirits," he said. --- ## Letters on November 7 *Letters from this day: 23* --- **[1968: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1968/681107_rayarama)** > If it is possible, maybe you can make an editorial column, with letters to the editor or to our various centers, and use it in that way. --- **[1969: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1969/691107_brahmananda)** > If you decide to go to Columbus, that is all right. Please find a copy of this letter enclosed. --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/691107_hayagriva)** > As you write that you cannot find suitable work in Boston, you stick to Columbus and give sufficient time to your editing work. They are our future hopes, and the adolescent age is the most dangerous age. --- **[1969: Letter to Krsna Dasa](letters/1969/691107_krsna_dasa)** > Regarding my going there, the first thing is that if I speak, one has to translate into German. --- **[1970: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1970/701107_gurudasa)** > Please see Atma Ram & Sons book distributers on Kashmere Gate, New Delhi (Isha Kumar-proprietor). You can show him all our books and if he is interested, he may become the sole selling agent in India for my books and he will get a 40% discount, but he must order at least 200 copies of each book. --- **[1972: Letter to Krsnadasa](letters/1972/721107_krsnadasa)** > that He knows everything, and "*vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham* bg/15/15," that Krishna is non-different from Vedas, then these questions do not arise. But because you have asked me, I am your spiritual master, I must try to answer to your satisfaction. --- **[1972: Letter to Sri Krishna Pandit](letters/1972/721107_sri_krishna_pandit)** > I am expected to go to Delhi by 20th March, 1973, for holding our pandal programme, as we have done last year, coming there from Mayapur. So I shall look forward eagerly to seeing you again at that time.* Meanwhile, I am hoping that this meets you in the very best of health. --- **[1972: Letter to Tamala Krsna Giriraja Manusvi](letters/1972/721107_tamala_krsna_giriraja_manusvi)** > What have you done regarding the permission from Charity Commissioner? Bhavananda has not yet sent the tickets for train or plane-fare, neither anything definite has been informed us. --- **[1973: Letter to Karandhara](letters/1973/731107_karandhara)** > So far yourself is concerned, whatever is done is done. Now go on with your duty and do it nicely. You are an intelligent devotee. You can understand. --- **[1973: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1973/731107_tamala_krsna)** > So why Mrs. Nair has not given the tax certificate. What is the cause for delay? What answer does her lawyer give you? --- **[1973: Letter to Tusta Krsna](letters/1973/731107_tusta_krsna)** > I am at present in New Delhi awaiting for our festival here, so your telegram has been redirected from Bombay. I am so much pleased to read it because I know that all of you, Siddha Svarupa Maharaja, Sudama Vipra Maharaja, and yourself, are all good souls, and so I also know that Gaurasundara is also of this same level, but I do not know why this disruption has taken place. --- **[1974: Letter to Harikesa](letters/1974/741107_harikesa)** > I have already written you one letter of thanks for your taking care of the Vrindaban temple. I note that you are reducing the expenses, but why did the Treasurer leave? --- **[1974: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1974/741107_rupanuga)** > But, I have not yet received the report of the inquiry commission investigating the charges against Bali Mardan. (Later on heard something by telephone message to Brahmananda) --- **[1974: Letter to Sriji](letters/1974/741107_sriji)** > I am in due receipt of your Vyasa Puja offering dated August 22, 1974, received just now and I am very glad to receive it; better late than never. Satisfaction of the spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his sincere disciple. --- **[1975: Letter to Guru Datta Sharma](letters/1975/751107_guru_datta_sharma)** > I cannot understand from your letter if your son is in India or abroad, but if he is in India then he may come immediately here to Bombay to see me personally. --- **[1975: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1975/751107_jayapataka)** > So let us begin the construction on the temple here in Bombay first, then we shall see for coming there to Mayapur to stay with you. --- **[1975: Letter to Karunasindhu Kirtiraja](letters/1975/751107_karunasindhu_kirtiraja)** > you should immediately write one letter to Purusottam das in Vrindaban saying that you are not interested in his work nor do you require his help; and whatever books he has got of ours in his... --- **[1975: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1975/751107_madhudvisa)** > My point is that even if somebody does not go in one line with the rest of the godbrothers, he can remain separately, but it does not mean that he may disobey the principles that I have laid down. So long as one follows the principles, he continues to be my disciple. --- **[1975: Letter to Nitai](letters/1975/751107_nitai)** > Regarding the matter with Purusottama dasa, you immediately go and take back whatever books of ours that he has in his possession. --- **[1975: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1975/751107_ramesvara)** > This is very funny thinking in our society that you want to spend for this boat, and that Tulsi das wants to take sannyasa because he is feeling sex agitation. --- **[1975: Letter to Revatinandana](letters/1975/751107_revatinandana)** > You are happy because you are chanting, dancing, reading Srimad-Bhagavatam and all the books. --- **[1976: Letter to Bhagavan](letters/1976/761107_bhagavan)** > I have received the books you have sent. May Krsna bless you that you always remain fully engaged in His service. Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept the following devotees for initiation (first) as well as those you have recommended for second initiation. --- **[1976: Letter to Ramesvara](letters/1976/761107_ramesvara)** > Please find enclosed two letters which have just reached me here in Vrindaban after being forwarded several times, and my reply to them. ---