# November 28 ## Spoken on November 28 *Lectures from this day: 7 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15](spoken/1966/661128bg.ny.md)** > Yesterday when our function was going on initiations, I have described the purposeful *kīrtana*, Hare Kṛṣṇa is offense. If you want to serve some purpose by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa that is an offense. That offense should be avoided. So, they have no purpose the *mahātmā* who are offering this respectful obeisances unto the Lord. They have no purpose *bhaktyā nitya-yuktā upāsate.* Their process is to worship the Lord out of love so that is not broken at any stage. The Māyāvādī they break, that at a certain stage they think that by *kīrtana* by performance of *kīrtana* when I reach to the highest stage then I become one with the Supreme there is no necessity of *kīrtana*. Stop *kīrtana*. No. The *mahātmā* those who are really *mahātmā* they do not do that. Their *kīrtana* will continue even after liberation. *Nitya, nitya* means eternal. You are eternal every living entity is eternal. So as after getting out of this body you also continue to exist, *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. > Anyway, they are also *mahātmās* because they are trying for transcendental realization. So, their method is *jñāna-yajñena*. *Jñāna-yajñena* means they are trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by philosophical speculation, *jñāna-yoga*. Just in the fourth chapter we have learned it that there are four kinds of persons who begin devotional service. *Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ, sukṛtino 'rjuna*. There are four kinds of persons who have got some background of pious life. They only—not others. Those who are miscreants they cannot approach God. --- **[1966: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.97–99](spoken/1966/661128cc.ny.md)** > In the *Bhagavad-gītā* also, the Lord says that *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, tattvataḥ, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ*. In another place the Lord says that "To understand Me, actually what I am, is very difficult." *Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye :* "Out of many millions of human being, somebody tries to make a perfection of his life." Otherwise they are all working like cats and dogs, that's all, simply *āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca* [*Hitopadeśa*25]. > Siddhānām* means those who are already achieved perfection. Out of them—not these imperfect fools—those who are actually attained perfection, they can understand what Kṛṣṇa is actually, *tattvataḥ.* And that actual position can be understood... In another place in *Bhagavad-gītā* it says, *bhaktyā mām abhijānāti* : "What He is actually, that can be understood by this devotional service, no other process." No other process will help to understand Kṛṣṇa. You can... By other processes you can achieve some other things, but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to understand through your devotional service. *Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ*: "As I am." --- **[1971: Parikramā on the Way to Gokula](spoken/1971/711128pk.vrn)** > Vrajavāsī:* [Transl. Go forward. Go more forward. Śrī Rādhe! This Deity with big turban is Nandabābā. And this big one is Yaśodāmaiya. And in the middle of Them the two brothers Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. The younger brother Kṛṣṇa is next to Yaśodāmaiya, and the elder brother Balarāma is next to Nandabābā. And in this corner is Rādhārāṇī. And in that corner are Bhagavān's two friends Dhansukha and Mansukha. Nandabābā, Yaśodāmaiya, and the two brothers Kṛṣṇa-Baladeva.] > Paṇḍitjī: [explaining the paintings] [Transl.This is childhood pastime. This is *Kāliya-damana* pastimes when Bhagavān chastised Kāliyā. That is *udūkhala* pastimes when Kṛṣṇa was bound to a wooden grinding mortar. This is when Bhagavān lifted the Govardhana hill. And this *mahātma* lives here and does *bhajana*. Great saint.] --- **[1972: Bhagavad-gītā 2.24](spoken/1972/721128bg.hyd)** > Therefore *śāstra* says, *andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ*. The *andha*—means blind, blind leaders—they are giving us false hope that we shall make here permanent settlement. Therefore they are called *andhas.* They have no sense. You cannot make it *sanātana*. But the whole attempt is going on to make everything *sanātana*. This is called illusion. Illusion means you are accepting something which is not possible. But they do not know. *Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ*. Durāśā,* this is a hope which is never to be fulfilled. *Durāśayā. Āśā* means hope. > Now, under the influence of nature I am thinking, "I am the servant of my wife," "I am servant of the society," "I am servant of my nation," "I am servant of my cat," "I am servant of my dog." And we are doing that, actually. Everyone is working under this impression. *Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti*. This is illusion. You have to come to the platform of *sanātana*. What is that eternal? "I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is *sanātana-dharma*. I am not servant of this or that or that. No. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.28](spoken/1974/741128sb.bom)** > This is universal movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because it is concerned with the soul, consciousness. Therefore you have named the word "consciousness." Consciousness belongs to the soul. That is the symptom of presence of soul. At the present moment, because the soul is in the body, if I pinch your body then you feel—consciousness—feel pains or pleasure. But as soon as the soul is gone out of the body, if I chop off your body with a dagger, you will not protest. The consciousness is gone. *Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam*, Kṛṣṇa says. *Sarvam idam,* this body. This body, wherever you pinch, you feel pain. Why? Because the consciousness is there. So Kṛṣṇa advises that consciousness is eternal, not this body. *Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.* So the consciousness eternal. Therefore we have to purify our consciousness, then our life is successful. > So *guru* is there, Kṛṣṇa, and His instruction is there in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* Why you are not taking advantage? You have become so foolish. The instruction is there. *Guru* is there. Somebody says that "Arjuna had the opportunity, good opportunity, to talk with Kṛṣṇa face to face, but we haven't got that." But what is that talk? The talk is already there. You hear it from His representative, the same instruction. Where is the difficulty? But they will not do that. They will take *Bhagavad-gītā* and misinterpret in a foolish way, in rascaldom, and spoil his career and others' career. That's all. Otherwise everything is there. Where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa says that there is the owner of the body within the body, and He has explained in so many ways—*acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam*, distinguishing the quality that the soul is never to be cut into pieces, *acchedyo 'yam.* It cannot be burned into the fire. It cannot be moistened by water. That means everything matter, there is interruption. Any matter will be interrupted by another matter, but the soul is not anything of this material world. In the material world, any hard thing—the iron, the stone—can be cut into pieces if you have got the instrument. But Kṛṣṇa says the soul is *acchedyo 'yam,* it cannot be cut into pieces. So it is above all material action and reaction. *Adāhyo 'yam.* In material, even the iron can be melted, even a stone can be melted nowadays. But *adāhyo 'yam, aśoṣyaḥ 'yam,* in so many ways. That means it is different from this material thing, the soul. Therefore, *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.* --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1](spoken/1975/751128sb.del)** > So actually nothing belongs to us. We also do not belong independently. We are not independent. Kṛṣṇa says, *jīva-bhūtaḥ,* or *mamaivāṁśo*. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, so the finger has no separate existence. If this finger is cut off from my hand and it has a separate existence, it will fall down on the street, and it has no value. Others are trampling down; still nobody cares for it, although it is the same finger but cut off from this body. But so long this small finger is attached to this body it has value. If there is some disease or pain, I can spend thousands of dollars for curing it. And when it is cut off from my body it has no value. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, when we are forgetful or cut off... It cannot be cut off, but still, when we forget God, then we have no value. The same example: When I ask my finger to come here and give me some itching sensation, then the finger is in normal condition. And if the finger cannot give me any service, that is useless. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, our business is to give service to God. That is our normal condition. And if we do not give service to the Lord—if we keep separately—then we have no value. > So tomorrow not; say hundred years after, you will have to die. You cannot escape this. *Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam.* So therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You are very scientifically advanced. There is no doubt about it. But what about your death? Why you shall accept death? You are eternal." *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.* "You do not die after the destruction of this body." *Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. These informations are there, but you are not considering that. We are going on to establish ourself very tightly in this material world, but Kṛṣṇa says that you will not be allowed to live. These things are to be considered. Therefore they have been described as *pramattaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti*. They are acting sinfully or they are committing so many sinful activities, and they are becoming entangled for another's body, who is the resultant action of our sinful activities. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says that *na sādhu manye:* "This is not good that you are wasting your time simply for sense gratification and you do not know that you have got a next life." --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.6.6](spoken/1976/761128sb.vrn)** > Because we accepted the jurisdiction of *māyā,* they are *asad-grahāt. Asato mā sad gamaḥ.* Therefore the Vedic instruction is, "Don't remain in this *asat.*" *Oṁ tat sat.* "Go to the real life." *Jyotir gama.* "Don't remain in the darkness." This is Vedic instruction. So anyone who has accepted this material world as very comfortable... It is not comfortable; it is simply suffering. Kṛṣṇa says, *duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam*. And still, if we want to be happy in this material world, *bahir-artha-māninaḥ...* These fools, they are trying to be happy within this material world. Material means external energy, *bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā*. This is *durāśayā,* the hope which will never be fulfilled. But this we do not... *Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān*. So unless there is *vairāgya,* there is no question of happiness. But we cannot attain *vairāgya* immediately; therefore the *vidhi-mārga, vidhi-mārga-bhakti:* to rise early in the morning, to attend *maṅgala-ārati,* to offer Deity flowers, fruits, and in this way we shall be engaged twenty-four hours. Then *vairāgya-vidyā* will gradually develop. *Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje*.* Then the *anartha...* This material life is simply *anartha,* has no meaning, because we are creating another life. Without any spiritual knowledge, if we simply give ourself to the action and reaction of material nature, then we are making progress on the path of *mṛtyu-saṁsāra vartmani*. And if we attain Kṛṣṇa, then *mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, nāpnuvanti*. The two ways. > So opulence, even Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Kṛṣṇa appeared in a *kṣatriya* family, very opulented. Lord Rāmacandra appeared in a *kṣatriya* family, kingdom, opulence. He also accepted *vairāgya-vidyā.* Father requested, "My dear son, Your mother likes that You should go to the forest." Immediately accept, "Yes." This *śloka* is applicable to Lord Rāmacandra. *Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm*. He was going to be coronated next day king, but immediately, by the order of His father, He left everything. *Vairāgya... Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rāj...* Is there any instance throughout the history of the whole world that a prince was going to be king tomorrow, and on the order of father he left everything? This is *vairāgya-vidyā.* This is called *vairāgya-vidyā. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam. Ārya-vacasā.* Elderly person is called *ārya.* Respectful person is called. *Ārya* means one who is advanced. *Ārya* does not mean meat-eaters, Āryan family. No. Āryan means one who is advanced in civilization, they are called Āryan, not these fool and rascals, Āryan. No. *Ārya-vacasā.* By a superior person—His father, Mahārāja Dāsaratha, said—immediately. Similarly, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also... --- ## Letters on November 28 *Letters from this day: 13* --- **[1967: Letter to Nandarani](letters/1967/671128_nandarani)** > I am so glad to receive your letter dated Nov. The spiritual master is offered respects as they are offered to the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately if the spiritual master thinks that he has become the Supreme Lord then he is doomed. --- **[1968: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1968/681128_hansadutta)** > So far Janardana is concerned, I am anxiously awaiting to hear something from him. I consider him as one of the pillars of our society, so please request him to write to me and to inform me of the active interest he is taking in our society. --- **[1970: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1970/701128_gargamuni)** > Wherever we may be, if we are engaged in Krishna's service, that is our success. Bhaktivinode Thakura sung, praying to the Lord, that he would prefer to take His birth as an ant in the house of a devotee than to take birth as powerful as Brahma without any devotional service. The conclusion is that in any condition of life we can become happy if we are engaged in devotional service. --- **[1970: Letter to Jagadisa](letters/1970/701128_jagadisa)** > Actually these two books, KRSNA book and Nectar of Devotion, are revolutionary to your country. --- **[1970: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1970/701128_satsvarupa)** > You write to say that you have asked Karandhara to send some money received for the bookfund to pay for paper. That is alright provided that Karandhara can also continue making payments to Dai Nippon. The problem is that book money isn't being properly collected. --- **[1974: Letter to Ajita](letters/1974/741128_ajita)** > Upon your recommendation I accept Dvarakesa das Brahmacari for second initiation as twice born brahmana. --- **[1974: Letter to Gopala Krsna](letters/1974/741128_gopala_krsna)** > I have read your letter dated November 21, 1974 addressed to Brahmananda Swami with enclosed picture from "Back to Godhead. --- **[1974: Letter to Jagannatha](letters/1974/741128_jagannatha)** > Regarding your joining the travelling party for Sanskrit work, I have no objection, but these things have to be decided amongst yourselves. --- **[1974: Letter to Jayapataka](letters/1974/741128_jayapataka)** > Enclosed please find the copy of the letter to Gaura Govindas das asking him to come to Bombay. Why he has not yet come? --- **[1974: Letter to Jayatirtha](letters/1974/741128_jayatirtha)** > The Punjab National Bank is taking too long to credit the transfers. You have sent on November 7th and they have credited on November 20th, so we have lost interest for 13 days. --- **[1974: Letter to Satsvarupa](letters/1974/741128_satsvarupa)** > I am very glad to hear of the continued success of the Library distribution program. --- **[1976: Letter to Sridhara](letters/1976/761128_sridhara)** > I fully approve your plan to come to India for Kumba Mela and to work mainly in India after that, visiting America every six months to see that everything is going on properly with the life membership program. --- **[1976: Letter to Yasomatinandana](letters/1976/761128_yasomatinandana)** > I am very encouraged by your book distribution report as also your enthusiasm to publish my books in Gujarati. One thing, what is the reason no local men are joining? This is wanted. ---