# November 18 ## Spoken on November 18 *Lectures from this day: 9 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 9.4–7](spoken/1966/661118bg.ny.md)** > *Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena* [Bs. 5.38]. That creation, spiritualization of the senses, is possible by devotional service and love. *Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti* [Bs. 5.38]. Therefore, as the Lord says, that *mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam jagad avyakta-mūrtinā:* the Lord is all-pervading all over the universe. Therefore He is within the stone, He is within the earth, He is within the water, He is within the air—everywhere. Therefore, if we make an image of God from anything, either of water, either of stone, either of anything, oh, that is not doll; that is also God. If we have got sufficient devotion, that image also will speak with me, because God is everywhere. "I am spread all over, impersonal." > So that, that impersonal feature of the Lord is His energy. But the Lord Himself is a person. *Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām* [*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 2.2.13]. Just, just like we are person, so He is also person. But He is the Supreme Person. We are all dependent person. That is the difference. He's the Supreme Person. The Lord says again that *na ca mat-sthāni..., na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram*. --- **[1968: Six Gosvāmīs Lecture, Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka](spoken/1968/681118le.la)** > So *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate.* What is that *mām*? If Kṛṣṇa says, "unto Me," so "unto Me," Kṛṣṇa is everything. Because He is the Supreme Lord, therefore He is everything. But what sort of? Vāsudeva. That form of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. That means the Kṛṣṇa of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* who appeared Himself as the son of Vasudeva, Vāsudeva. Son of Vasudeva is known as Vāsudeva. *Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti*. And Vāsudeva is all-pervasive. Whatever we see, whatever we experience, that is expansion of Vāsudeva's energy. > That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate*. This is the definition how consciousness reaches its perfection. *Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante.* That perfection is reached after many, many births. Just like aquatics, plants, trees, reptiles, birds, beasts, then uncivilized human form of body, then civilized form of body, and especially the Vedic style of body. That is considered to be the highest perfectional body. And Vedic perfectional stage also achieves the highest goal when it is Kṛṣṇa conscious. --- **[1972: Bhagavad-gītā 2.13](spoken/1972/721118bg.hyd)** > Now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is... It is not manufactured by us. We get it from *Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all these nonsense desires. You surrender unto Me." That is the whole purpose of *Bhagavad-gītā*. We are dictated by different types of desires, which is dictated by *māyā,* and we want to become master falsely. This is called illusion. This is called *māyā*. Actually, you are not master. How we can become master? > In the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* it is said, *ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ*. They are thinking that they have become liberated, become Nārāyaṇa, or God. *Māninaḥ.* They are thinking like that. Actually, they are not, because they're subjected to the rules of the material nature. They cannot get out of these clutches. Who can get out of these clutches? *Mām eva ye prapadyante.* Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who surrenders unto Me..." --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.12](spoken/1973/731118sb.del)** > So you are also form. Because you are part and parcel of the form, therefore you have got a form. The form may be different in the material world. Kṛṣṇa therefore claims all forms, *sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ. Sarva-yoniṣu.* There are different, 8,400,000's forms of living entities, and Kṛṣṇa claims, *sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ,* "As many forms are there," *tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā,* Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the seed-giving father." > So Kṛṣṇa is father for all living entities. They are simply struggling here in this material world under different desires, and therefore they are getting transmigrating from one body to another, and in this way they are wandering within this material world. That is their real disadvantageous position. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says the real problem is, *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam.* This is the real problem. Whole spiritual process should be executed to get out of this entanglement of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is real problem. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.18](spoken/1974/741118sb.bom)** > To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, that is not very easy task. That is very, very difficult task. Even the *muktas* cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. *Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye . Siddhi* means *mukti,* liberation. *Kaścid yatati.* Who is trying for liberation? Nobody's trying. But still, there are somebodies who are trying for liberation. So Kṛṣṇa says, *yatatām api siddhānām.* After being liberated, those who are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa, some of them can understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, *tattvataḥ.* Therefore you have to understand Kṛṣṇa *tattvataḥ,* what is Kṛṣṇa. > So when we realize this, that "I am not God, but I am godly. I have got the quality of God..." I have given the example also: just like the sea and the drop of water of the sea. So chemically, the drop of water of the sea is the same quality. There is no change of taste or other chemical composition. Similarly, we should understand fully that we are simply qualitatively one with God, but quantitatively, God is great and we are very minute particle. This is self-realization. Therefore part and parcel. *Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ.* The all living entities, Kṛṣṇa says, "They are My part and parcel." --- **[1975: Sannyāsa Initiation](spoken/1975/751118in.bom)** > Benefit of Kṛṣṇa means benefit of the whole world. Kṛṣṇa wants *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. A *sannyāsī* should go door to door. *Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ grhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām*. A *sannyāsī* is called *mahātmā.* Why he is *mahātmā?* Because his *ātmā* is now broader. *Gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahad-vicalanaṁ. Mahātmā* travels or wanders country to country, door to door—*mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇām*—especially for the householders, *dīna-cetasām,* whose consciousness or mind is very crippled. They are *dīna-cetasām.* All these materialistic person, they are simply interested how to enjoy senses; therefore they are called *dīna-cetasām,* cripple-minded. They have no other idea. So to enlighten them it is the duty of the *sannyāsī* to go from door to door, country to country, just to teach them about the aim of life. That is still going on in India. Still, if a *sannyāsī* goes in a village, people will come to invite him, try to hear from him. > So you are taking this pledge for serving in front of Kṛṣṇa, Vaiṣṇava, *guru* and fire. So you shall be very much cautious not to forget your duty. You have got good opportunity. You are going to Africa to deliver these persons. Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, *kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā*. These groups of men are considered very fallen, *kirāta,* the black men. They are called *niṣāda.* Niṣāda was born of Vena, King Vena. So they are habituated to steal; therefore they have been given a separate place, African jungles. That is there in the *Bhāgavatam.* So..., but everyone can be delivered. *Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā.* These are known as sinful life. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "There may be others which is not mentioned here." *Ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ:* "If they take shelter of a Vaiṣṇava," *śudhyanti,* "they become purified." --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751118mw.bom)** > This is beginning of knowledge. Everyone is thinking that he is independent. But completely under the control of _prakṛti._ > You are a medical man. If somebody is doing wrongly, you must say it is a rascaldom. Yes. You cannot accept, "Oh, you are all right. You are all right. You are doing in your own way." [laughter] He's another rascal. --- **[1976: Room Conversation](spoken/1976/761118r1.vrn)** > That means here they are feeling the weight. You see? These protests, this combination, this endeavor to collapse our..., that means they are feeling more weight. And what is this movement, Transcendent...? They never formed against any case, anything, Transcendental... They know that is farce. There are so many other groups: Yogi Bhajan, Transcendental Meditation and... What is he? Gurubābā...? --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.31](spoken/1976/761118sb.vrn)** > This is the description. He is the oldest person because... Kṛṣṇa says, *aham ādir hi devānām.* Even Brahma, Lord Śiva, they also are born of Him. *Prapitāmaha.* Brahmā is called *Pitā-maha,* and Kṛṣṇa is described, *Prapitāmahi.* So He is the father of Brahma; still, *advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam*—the oldest. Because Brahmā is the first living being within this material world... First Brahmā was created in the lotus flower from Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu, so Brahmā is the first creature, living creature, but he also is born of Viṣṇu. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, *aham ādir hi devānām.* Then Brahma, Lord Śiva was born, Rudra. In this way, Viṣṇu or *Viṣṇu-tattva,* that is original. *Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrti..., ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.* > Destiny means that so long we are under the laws of nature, that is to happen. You cannot change it. That is not possible. Only... Such law can be changed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi*. You cannot. That is not possible. Nobody can do it. If you have done something wrong, sinful, you must suffer. There is no escape. But He can do that. Just like if you are condemned by the law court to be hanged, nobody can change it. Even the judge who has given you the punishment, even if you appeal to him, "Sir, excuse me," no, he cannot excuse you by law. But if you file petition to the president or the king—that is called king's mercy—he can change. Similarly, whatever we are doing, we must enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment. When there is birth, death, old age and disease, where is enjoyment? There is no enjoyment. *Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam*. This is a world of suffering. Kṛṣṇa says, *duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.* You cannot... There is no question of enjoyment. But because we are in *māyā,* suffering we are accepting as enjoyment. Suffering is accepted as enjoyment. This is called *māyā.* --- ## Letters on November 18 *Letters from this day: 27* --- **[1967: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1967/671118_brahmananda)** > Regarding BTG, it is understood that Rayarama is in some difficulty financially. The recent editions of BTG is very much encouraging to me. --- **[1967: Letter to Rayarama](letters/1967/671118_rayarama)** > Please be always strongly fixed up in the Lotus Feet of Krishna, just as the bees are fixed up in the honeycomb. This staunch affection for Krishna will save us from all kinds of dangers created by Maya. --- **[1968: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1968/681118_hayagriva)** > The whole modern city of Vrindaban was established originally with these temples, started by different Gosvamis. And later on, many kings and princes started their own temples and thus the present Vrindaban is now full with small and big 5000 temples. We have to make such scheme in our New Vrindaban, gradually expanding to an area of one mile long and one mile broad. --- **[1968: Letter to Kirtanananda](letters/1968/681118_kirtanananda)** > I am so glad to receive your note because I was a little restless for not receiving your letters since a few days. I have written already to Hayagriva about New Vrndavana how I am thinking of this place. And let us jointly endeavor for fulfilling this purpose. --- **[1968: Letter to Pradyumna](letters/1968/681118_pradyumna)** > Now you are in good opportunity to do the transliteration work and in cooperation with your professors and Hayagriva, make the Srimad-Bhagavatam revised edition in such a nice way that it may be accepted in any scholarly society. --- **[1968: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1968/681118_satsvarupa)** > Your question, "Is it to be understood that once the yogi sees the Narayana Form, his desires for travel and material perfections cease? (as did the desires of Dhruva Maharaja) Or do the yogis still persist in desiring to do wonders even after seeing Narayana Form? --- **[1968: Letter to Upendra](letters/1968/681118_upendra)** > You will be glad to know that we lost our Hollywood temple, but by Grace of Krishna we have got a better place at a cheaper rent already on the Melrose avenue. And we are going to occupy the same within a day or two if all goes as planned. --- **[1969: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1969/691118_hansadutta)** > Whenever there is difficulty in understanding you are at liberty to question me, and it is my duty to give you the right reply as far as possible. --- **[1969: Letter to Sudama](letters/1969/691118_sudama)** > Sriman Tamala Krishna das Brahmacari is staying now in London, and I have already handed him your letter for necessary action in the matter of sending more men there. --- **[1969: Letter to Umapati](letters/1969/691118_umapati)** > The sooner you find out a center of our own, the better it will be. Anyway, pull on as you are doing your best, and Krishna will help you in due course. --- **[1970: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1970/701118_gurudasa)** > I am glad that you are enthusiastic about prospects in Delhi, and if you like to work there, do it. We have initiated a system for making life members, that daily three members must be made in Bombay, daily two in Calcutta, and daily one in Delhi. --- **[1970: Letter to Yamuna](letters/1970/701118_yamuna)** > Regarding the Gaudiya Math, our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men. My Guru Maharaja once told this story; one friend informed another that one man has become the High-Court Judge. "Oh no," he replied, "No. That cannot be right." "Yes, he is now a Judge," said the first friend. "I have seen him sitting on the bench." The second man replied, "Maybe. But I don't think he is getting any salary." Such envious men will find out some fault anywhere. There is no fault, actually, but they will manufacture some fault. That is their business. So many persons were envious of my Guru Maharaja, but He was preaching and did not care for them. --- **[1971: Letter to Badarinarayana](letters/1971/711118_badarinarayana)** > Regarding your proposal to accommodate more indoor engagements for Sankirtana, and thus to avoid the severe cold of wintertime, is a nice proposal, and I am encouraged to hear that you are always thinking of how to improve the program of your St. --- **[1971: Letter to Paramananda](letters/1971/711118_paramananda)** > This project of opening a school for young children may be expanded to include inviting children of respectable families for some tuition fee to come there for an ideal education including the basic requirements of reading and writing, but giving them also real spiritual knowledge of how to live perfectly—what other school of learning can offer such wonderful educational opportunity? --- **[1972: Letter to Bali-Mardana](letters/1972/721118_bali-mardana)** > We are not so much after big, big buildings, we are interested to preach only. But if such building will enhance our preaching work and not distract us from the main business, then it is nice. But you must determine if it will be easy task to raise so much money, not that we shall have to labour so much just to get money and after for maintaining, so much so that our spiritual life becomes neglected, no. Real business is to spread the message of Lord Caitanya throughout the world. --- **[1972: Letter to Bhanutanya](letters/1972/721118_bhanutanya)** > One thing is, I am very much sad to learn that you have left the company of the devotees over this incident at Gurukula school. Now you are living by yourself because you have been hurt by seeing that the children are sometimes mistreated, and because no one has taken your good advice in this connection. --- **[1972: Letter to Jagadisa](letters/1972/721118_jagadisa)** > Your question about travelling SKP parties in other zones I have answered several times before, so you may see the letters to Dhananjaya in London and others. The thing is, our main business is to distribute books, either here or there it doesn't matter. So if there is transcendental competition for increasing sale of books, that is good. If he buys one book his life may be turned, that is best preaching work. But everything must be done in the spirit of cooperation, without any irritation. --- **[1972: Letter to Jayadvaita](letters/1972/721118_jayadvaita)** > I am so glad to know that you and the others at ISKCON Press are doing so wonderfully service in this way. These books and magazines are doing so wonderfully service in this way. These books and magazines are our most important propaganda weapons to defeat the ignorance of maya's army, and the more we produce such literature and sell them profusely all over the world, the more we shall deliver the world from the suicide course. So your work is the most important preaching work, may Krishna bless you more and more. Thank you for helping me in this way. --- **[1972: Letter to Madhumangala](letters/1972/721118_madhumangala)** > So far your question is concerned, should the Jagannatha deity be bathed with water, that is not necessary. They should be washed once in a year, that is sufficient, 15 days before Rathayatra. That is called "sananyatra" ceremony. Otherwise if you bathe, that will damage the wood. --- **[1972: Letter to Rupa Vilasa](letters/1972/721118_rupa_vilasa)** > I am very glad to learn that the children at Gurukula school are making good progress in their Krishna Consciousness education, that is very good news. Yes, if we simply train them properly they will come out just to the highest standard of Vaisnava devotee. And what is that training? Simply they should be engaged in such a way that they are somehow or other remembering Krishna at every moment, that's all. It is not something mechanical process, if we force in such a way they will come out like this, no. --- **[1972: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1972/721118_rupanuga)** > It will be a very bad example. He has acknowledged that Air-India is advertising Krishna all over the world and attracting tourists in that way. Now we have seen that many foreign visitors are coming to India to see the sacred places like Vrindaban, and the KLM Airlines has requested us to guide their tourists in some scheme, so if the Ambassador may give us any assistance in this connection, so that we may not have difficulty entering the temples or we may have all government cooperation to be the excellent hosts for such tourism, that he can do quite easily. --- **[1975: Letter to Bharadraja](letters/1975/751118_bharadraja)** > Regarding the Nrsimhadeva Deity, yes, that can be done, however to worship Nrsimhadeva requires a separate temple structure, not that Lord Nrsimhadeva can be worshiped in the same temple as Radha-Krsna. Regarding your question about offering aroti to the form of Damodara, no, the Deity worship that you are now doing is sufficient during the Damodara-vrata. --- **[1975: Letter to Govardhana](letters/1975/751118_govardhana)** > It is a very good achievement that you have gotten this new building in Detroit. It is very aristocratic and prestigious. Do everything very nicely there now. You now have very good facility for broadcasting our Krsna consciousness propaganda. Just do everything very carefully and soberly. As soon as everything is set up, I will go there. You can call the new Detroit temple Devasadhan, meaning celestial. --- **[1975: Letter to Madhudvisa](letters/1975/751118_madhudvisa)** > Regarding China preaching, so far as I know Chinese people, although communists, they are not devoid of God consciousness. If they are sincere communists, they will accept our philosophy. Our philosophy is that every living being is the son of the Supreme Being and whatever we see within our vision—either living beings on the land, on the water—everything belongs to the Supreme Being. Every living being has a right to enjoy the Supreme Father's property. So everyone means not only the human being, but also other living entities, those living in the sky, water, trees, plants, creepers, ants, beasts, birds—all living beings, they are sons of the Supreme Being in different forms. --- **[1975: Letter to Mr. Mohan Majundar](letters/1975/751118_mr._mohan_majundar)** > I can be seen during the Lord Caitanya birthday celebration in Sridhama Mayapur. That will be in March of 1976. We cannot invest any money in any film industry. I am very glad to learn that you will soon be freed from all family responsibility and join our movement. --- **[1976: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1976/761118_gurudasa)** > I am a little hopeful that if we preach in the communist countries, they will like it. According to our Vaisnava philosophy even a snake or lizard is in the house shall not go without eating, what to speak of other living entities. The communists have an idea for feeding human society, but our idea is expanding. We want to see even a snake not fasting. --- **[1976: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1976/761118_satsvarupa)** > Your report on the library party is very encouraging, especially regarding the use of *Bhagavad-gita* as a text for College courses. So far the professors helping us, take affidavits from them. If necessary we may ask them to go to court, but as far as possible avoid this if it is unnecessary. ---