# December 9 ## Spoken on December 9 *Lectures from this day: 12 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 9.22–23](spoken/1966/661209bg.ny.md)** > Therefore, in every way, if you make analytical study of *Bhagavad-gītā,* then you have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. *Bhagavad-gītā* is being preached all over the world in so many languages. But I am sorry they are not in the right way. Therefore we are very serious to preach this mission of *Bhagavad-gītā* all over the world so that people may become happy and people may take advantage of it. That is our mission, and we invite everyone, every gentleman, every sane man, to come and cooperate with us. This is a nice mission. We shall be glad to cooperate for the good of all people of the world. *Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama*. The Lord says that if you transfer yourself in the kingdom of God, then you will have no more to come in this world of miseries, full of miseries. > The... So long you have this material body, you have got life, you have got birth, you have got death, you have got diseases and you have got old age, besides other miseries. This is a permanent thing. Now, your human form of life is meant for curing for good all these inconveniences. You should not be satisfied by curing disease and again falling diseased. No. That is not your business. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says, *antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām*: "Those who are worshiping other demigods for some immediate result, their result is *antavat.* It is to be ended at a certain point. It has got end." --- **[1966: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.144–146](spoken/1966/661209cc.ny.md)** > "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is everything," *sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ:* "That great soul is very rare." So similarly, as Kṛṣṇa says, this is called disciplic succession. Lord Caitanya, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He has accepted the disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa. I have given you the process of disciplic succession: from Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā; from Brahmā, Nārada; from Nārada, Vyāsa; from Vyāsa, Madhva; from Madhva, Mādhavendra Purī; from Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya. So *evaṁ paramparā.* > "Those who are mad after material sense gratification, they go and worship other demigods to have some immediate reward." And they get it. But how they get it? That is also stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, mayaiva vihitān hi tān* : "They cannot have that reward without My sanction." Because the demigods, they are also subordinate servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the demigods, although they can give you the reward which you want, but with the permission of the Supreme Lord. Because they are not fools. If somebody, some of you, somebody comes, outsider, and asks from this institution, our Society, that "Please give me this," so you can deliver it, but you will take permission from me. That is a common custom. Similarly, the demigods also, they cannot offer their reward without sanction of Viṣṇu. *Mayaiva vihitān hi tān. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām*.* --- **[1968: His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda's Disappearance Day](spoken/1968/681209da.la)** > This place is full of miseries, and if you study analytically, you'll find simply miserable condition. Therefore the whole problem is that we should give up our material conditional life, and in Kṛṣṇa consciousness we should try to elevate ourself to the spiritual platform and thereby be promoted to the kingdom of Godhead, *yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ paramaṁ mama*. Where going, nobody comes back to this miserable world. And that is the supreme abode of the Lord. > So this is such a nice movement. *Ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ*. The *Bhagavad-gītā* says, the Lord says, people's sufferings are due to his sinful activities. Ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of sinful activity. Just like a man does not know... Suppose a foreigner like me comes in America, and he does not know... Because in India... --- **[1972: Bhagavad-gītā 18.67–69](spoken/1972/721209bg.ahm)** > He is actually the *Vedānta,* compiler of *Vedānta, Vedānta-sūtra,* the most important philosophical theses—not theses, but actually. So Kṛṣṇa knows what is *Vedānta.* And what He says, that is *Vedānta. Veda, Veda* means knowledge. *Anta, anta* means the last word. So what is the last word of *Vedānta?* Last word is to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ.* Not only *Vedānta-sūtra,* but also all the *Vedas. Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛk,* the ultimate objective is Kṛṣṇa, to know Kṛṣṇa. *Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ*, Kṛṣṇa says. > Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ*. If you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you'll see that "Every living entity—not only human society, but the animal society, the bird society, tree society, the aquatic society—all living entities, they're all sons of Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I kill a fish or a cow or a goat? He's also son of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you are doing humanitarian work and sending so many animals, thousands of animals, to the slaughterhouse. --- **[1973: Chanting Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 7th Chapter](spoken/1973/731209ch.la)** > "I firmly believe in these words of My spiritual master, and therefore I always chant the holy name of the Lord, alone and in the association of devotees. That holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes causes Me to chant and dance, and therefore I chant and dance. Please do not think that I intentionally do it. I do it automatically. > "The Supreme Lord, who is greater than the greatest, becomes submissive to even a very insignificant devotee because of his devotional service. It is the beautiful and exalted nature of devotional service that the infinite Lord becomes submissive to the infinitesimal living entity because of it. In reciprocal devotional activities with the Lord, the devotee actually enjoys the transcendental mellow quality of devotional service. --- **[1973: Morning Walk](spoken/1973/731209mw.la)** > Then activities begins. Then he will act according to the order of Kṛṣṇa. When he has surrendered, he'll do as Kṛṣṇa says, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru*. Just like our students are doing. They have surrendered unto me. I am dictating, "You do this. You worship like this," they are doing. This is surrender. They are doing. "You chant like this. You live like this. You worship like this." This is surrender. So, without any consideration, whether this chanting... Of course, there must be consideration. Otherwise, how they are doing? But this obedience is there. That is called surrender. *Mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā.* Where to go? > In Vedic literature it is *Bhū-gola, jagad-aṇḍa.* These words are there. We can see also it is round, *jagad-aṇḍa.* The universe is round. And Goloka, or *Bhū-gola. Bhū-gola,* the earth is round. So the Vedic literatures... Therefore their knowledge is also imperfect, because they do not refer to the Vedic literatures. It is already there. *Bhū-gola. Bhū* means the earth; *gola* means round. It is already there. And the geography's called, according to Sanskrit, it is called *Bhū-gola.* Long, long ago, before Galileo. --- **[1973: Room Conversation with British Professor](spoken/1973/731209r1.la)** > There are three stages. First stages of understanding is direct perception, by senses. *Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ*, in the *Bhagavad-gītā* you'll find. Here, from the material platform, our source of knowledge is direct perception. That is crude, *pratyakṣa.* It is called *pratyakṣa.* That is crude knowledge, direct perception. Just like I am seeing the sun. I am getting some idea of the sun, but that is not the perfect idea, although I am seeing it daily. I am seeing just like a disc, but it is very, very big. > In one hour twenty-five minutes, he went round the earth, twice or thrice, like that. So time is different. So the point is... Just like the sunshine is impersonal, the sun is localized, and the president of the sun globe is a person; similarly, the Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: *brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate*. The first realization is impersonal, then localized, and then personal. So ultimately, God is person. And that is Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.31](spoken/1973/731209sb.la)** > Real position is that we are being carried by the waves. We have no independence. That is... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, *māyār bose jāccho bhese', khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi:* "You are being carried away by the waves of material nature. You are sometimes you are becoming drowned, sometimes you're floating. In this way your life is going on." You have no fixity. You have no fixity. The fixity is when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. *Jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa e viśvāsa korle to' ār duḥkho nāi.* When he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and develops this cult, then he becomes perfect one day. Then *tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti*, he comes back. Kṛṣṇa gives guarantee, "After giving up this body, he comes to Me." That is perfection. > This is our charge against this so-called advancement of life. And they are forgetting real thing. They do not understand what is soul. They do not understand. They do not understand that the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. Soul is immortal. Soul is eternal. These things are described in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* In the beginning, this is the beginning lesson: *dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram*. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.41](spoken/1974/741209sb.bom)** > This is actual fact. We have forgotten. Therefore we are not afraid of. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that your real trouble is *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam*. You have to accept your birth within the womb of your mother in a packed-up condition, body developing. The germs, the worms within the urine, stool, biting very delicate skin. You cannot make any adjustment, simply moving. And if one is little pious, he can pray to God, "Please get me relief from this condition. Now I shall worship You." This is stated in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* this consciousness. There is consciousness. After seven months, there is consciousness. Then, some way or other, you get out of the womb of your mother. Then there are so many troubles—crying. The child is crying, crying, almost dependent on mother's mercy. The mother sometime cannot understand what the child wants. Some ant is biting, and mother is thinking that she is hungry. But actually it is not hungry, but it cannot say that "One ant is biting on my back," and he is crying. There are worms, there are mosquitoes and there are bugs, and lying in the stool, in urine. Cannot say. > "I explained this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness many, many millions of years ago to the sun-god." When He says, *imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam...*, Vivasvān, the name of the sun-god... At the present moment his name is Vivasvān. People do not know what is the sun planet, but we know the president of the sun planet, his name is Vivasvān. "How do you know?" We understand from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our knowledge is perfect. You can say, "Have you gone to the sun planet?" No, there is no need of going there. Here is the authority. Kṛṣṇa says, so we accept it, that's all. Our business is finished. Kṛṣṇa is perfect. Whatever He says, it is perfect. Therefore... I am not perfect; that's a fact. But because I am speaking of the words coming from the perfect, therefore it is perfect. It is not speculation. It is very easy for us—because we accept the words of the perfect. Therefore whatever we say, it is perfect. You may challenge, "Are you perfect?" I am not perfect. Because I am not speaking my words, I am speaking the words of the perfect; therefore, whatever I speak, it is perfect. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751209mw.vrn)** > Hmm. [break] ...parrot. [loud squawking of birds] [break] --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.7](spoken/1975/751209sb.vrn)** > He is advising to the sons of the demons because the demons, they cannot understand. But it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to preach, although Kṛṣṇa advises that "You don't preach the truth of *Bhagavad-gītā* to the demons." He said, "Those who have not undergone austerities, those who are not very serious, don't speak about these lessons of *Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya*." Means they'll not understand. But still, the devotees, they take the risk that "All right, let me try to convince this person that 'Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' " Even Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't try, because they will not be able to understand," still, they try. That is a devotee. Therefore devotee is more merciful than Kṛṣṇa. Devotee is more merciful. Even there is no hope to understand, still, he goes door to door: "Please take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please take to Kṛṣṇa, and you'll be happy." It is not always... Just like you are trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness with so much endeavor. It's not that cent per cent people of the world will take. That is not possible. *Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva*. > So fifty years out of one hundred years, fifty years wasted by sleeping. And then balance fifty years, twenty years in childhood and youthhood, sporting, playing; another twenty years in old age... *Jarayā grasta. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi .* These are inevitable. As birth is inevitable, death is inevitable, similarly, old age is inevitable. So in this way our time is wasted, because we do not know how valuable this human form of life is. There is no such education. They think human life is as cheap as dog's life, but factually it is not. *Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante*. --- ## Letters on December 9 *Letters from this day: 16* --- **[1968: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1968/681209_gurudasa)** > I have seen how you have planned the board meeting to be held and it is all very nice. --- **[1968: Letter to Janaki](letters/1968/681209_janaki)** > With the greatest satisfaction I have just now read over your nicely composed and hand-written letter of December 12, 1968 and I thank you so much for the kind sentiments you have expressed therein. --- **[1968: Letter to Upendra](letters/1968/681209_upendra)** > In your letter you have made it clear that you are finding some difficulty with sex desire and have asked guidance from me to instruct you how to handle this problem of the material body. --- **[1968: Letter to Yamuna](letters/1968/681209_yamuna)** > So far as the certificates are concerned, they are very beautiful and nicely done. But I have noticed that there is one small spelling mistake which you may be able to correct. --- **[1969: Letter to Govinda](letters/1969/691209_govinda)** > I have already acknowledged receipt of your very nice cloak, and yes, everything fits nicely. --- **[1969: Letter to Hit Sharanji](letters/1969/691209_hit_sharanji)** > Please hand it over to him conveniently. In case this letter has not safely arrived there, I am sending herewith a copy. --- **[1969: Letter to Manager Of First National City Bank](letters/1969/691209_manager_of_first_national_city_bank)** > Kindly transfer $1,400 to the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, account #04489579 and debit my above account. Kindly send me the debit note and oblige. --- **[1970: Letter to Tamala Krsna Syamasundara](letters/1970/701209_tamala_krsna_syamasundara)** > Gorakhpur has already sent us money for going there, therefore we should give first preference to going to Gorakhpur and them from Gorakhpur we shall make further program. I am arranging to go to Gorakhpur by the 17th December and if you have no important program in Bombay, then all of you may come to Gorakhpur. --- **[1971: Letter to Jayatirtha](letters/1971/711209_jayatirtha)** > I am very very pleased by your diligent and careful management of our Spiritual Sky business. --- **[1971: Letter to Sankara](letters/1971/711209_sankara)** > If you can do it very nicely, then I shall entrust the whole matter to you. if you have desire to begin immediately translating one book, then you may request Jayapataka or Revatinandana or any of my disciples at Calcutta branch to hand over to you whatever book you shall require for beginning translating. --- **[1973: Letter to Babhru](letters/1973/731209_babhru)** > It is a fact that at this time I do not want to open any further Centers. We have initiated so many projects and Centers and practically we are short handed all over the world, so it is better at this time if we work to maintain and develop whatever we have. --- **[1974: Letter to Sama](letters/1974/741209_sama)** > I am very glad to know that you are preaching there in Baltimore, and there is no question of bigness or smallness of the center so far pleasing me is concerned. --- **[1975: Letter to Dr. W.H. Wolf-Rottkay](letters/1975/751209_dr._w.h._wolf-rottkay)** > Because your letter to Nairobi was a long letter I sent it to Svarupa Damodara, he is also one of my trusted disciples. I do not know why he has not replied it yet, and since I do not have a copy with me I am also unable to reply it. --- **[1975: Letter to Mahamsa](letters/1975/751209_mahamsa)** > So Gaura Govinda Maharaja has to go to Orissa to get that land in Bhunesvara, so I have given him the documents for necessary action. --- **[1975: Letter to Ramesvara Prabhu](letters/1975/751209_ramesvara_prabhu)** > Regarding sending money, you have promised to send 50,000 per month to Bombay. So now the project is underway, so you have to keep sending. --- **[1975: Letter to Sri Tikandas J. Batra](letters/1975/751209_sri_tikandas_j._batra)** > In the beginning of publishing Back to Godhead I was printing with Sarasvati Press in Calcutta, but the others I cannot remember. ---