# December 10 ## Spoken on December 10 *Lectures from this day: 12 recordings* --- **[1966: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.146, 149–51](spoken/1966/661210cc.ny.md)** > So this impersonal idea of God is for the less intelligent person, not for the intelligent person. Those who are, I mean to say, favored with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot conceive about the Personality of Godhead. Therefore we have to approach authorities just like Lord Caitanya. He is putting something before us. Even in *Bhagavad-gītā* Lord Kṛṣṇa also says that "I am person." "I am person." *Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya*.* And it is confirmed by Arjuna. What is that? *Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān.*. > Now, Lord Caitanya says, Vaikuṇṭha. Just like this universe is a *jagad-aṇḍa,* is a big round ball, *aṇḍa. Aṇḍa* means egglike, just like egg is round. Therefore it is called *brahmāṇḍa.Brahmāṇḍa.* It is a round ball. Every planet is round, and the universe is also round, and the Vaikuṇṭhas are also round. All round. *Vaikuṇṭha, brahmāṇḍa-gaṇa-śakti-kārya haya.* So all these universes, the universe which you experience... There are innumerable universes that we cannot see. We can see only one universe, and in one universe there are innumerable planets. Similarly, there are innumerable universes, and in each universe there are innumerable planets. --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.84.13](spoken/1971/711210sb.del)** > And that is actually happening. You have got a different body from before [indistinct]. But everyone, you, taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa says, "It doesn't matter what kind of body you have got—low-born or high-born or this born or that born. I have no such conception. If you want Me, you can get Me." *Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim*. *Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ* : "You are all My parts and parcels. Every one of you are equally important to Me.'' > Similarly, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa also sees. He does not see the outward cover. He sees that "Every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So he is now forgetful of his real position. So let us help him that he may come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become successful.'' This is our position. There is no question of bodily barrier. *Ahaituky apratihatā*. *Bhakti* line is so nice that there is no cause and effect. --- **[1972: Bhagavad-gītā 18.67](spoken/1972/721210bg.ahm)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that *ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna* : "My dear Arjuna, even if you are promoted to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, that is not happiness." In the Brahmaloka, the duration of life is so long that you cannot calculate even one day. That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ*. > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. This is the mission of *Bhagavad-gītā.* The best chance. And Kṛṣṇa comes here to give you the idea what is the function of the Kṛṣṇa-loka. That He displays in Vṛndāvana here. *Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī.* That is His business, simple life, village life. --- **[1973: Initiations](spoken/1973/731210in.la)** > That message becomes very pleasing to the ear and the heart. *Taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani*. And if one practically applies in his life, then *śraddhā bhaktir ratir anukramiṣyati*, then he makes progress in spiritual life. --- **[1973: Morning Walk](spoken/1973/731210mw.la)** > Upadek..., upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.* Therefore *Bhagavad-gītā* recommends, *tad-vijñānārtham...* Now... What is that? *Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā*. You must go to a person, surrendering, not with your naughty behavior, "Why this? Why that?" First thing is surrender. You must approach a person... Surrender. The first thing is *praṇipātena.* Then you question. Unless you have surrendered, you have no right to question. What is the meaning of such question? Simply waste of time. If you surrender to a person, and whatever answer you get from him, you'll accept, that is called surrender. So find out such person, first of all, that you can surrender there and you'll accept whatever he says. That is *guru. Tad viddhi praṇipātena.* First thing is *praṇipāta,* surrender. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender." > He's staying within the atom, within your heart and everywhere. But still, He's one. That is God. *Advaitam acyutam. Advaita* means without any duality. Not that because He's living within your heart and within my heart, these two personalities are different. No. They are one. Therefore *Bhagavad-gītā, yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra*. One who can see that although God is everywhere, even within the atom, but still, He's one—that is vision of God. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.32](spoken/1973/731210sb.la)** > In another place Kṛṣṇa says, *tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya* : "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna," *tyaktvā deham,* "after giving up this body," *punar janma naiti,* "no more coming into the womb of material mother." Then where does he go? *Mām eti.* In his *Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta* Sanātana Gosvāmī has stated that if you become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then immediately after death you will be sent where Kṛṣṇa is having His pastimes within this material world. In the material world, just like the sun rotates, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is going on. That is another feature of His activities. Because He wants to reclaim the fallen souls, and there are millions and trillions, unlimited fallen souls within this material world, so He goes everywhere. *Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham*. As soon as there is discrepancies in the understanding of eternal life, He appears. He teaches. > If you go to the topmost planet, which is known as Brahmaloka..." Now, the Brahmaloka, the duration of life, you cannot calculate even their one day's time. That we were discussing this morning. That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā.*. Their twelve hours, our twelve hours and their twelve hours, different. Their twelve hours you cannot calculate: forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand. Now see how many years. That is their twelve hours. So live hundred years, they also. So even if you go there, *ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ,* or any planet, or any place, there must be death. Death you must have. But I am eternal. Why shall I accept death? That is intelligence. That information is given in *Bhagavad-gītā, mad-dhāma gatvā, punar janma na vidyate* : "If you come to My place, My planet, then you will have no more to come back again to this mortal world." *Mad-dhāma gatvā. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama :* where going, nobody returns. That is, actually, we want. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.42](spoken/1974/741210sb.bom)** > Everything is... Just like here it is said... Now we have got experience in the beach, there is always big, big waves. That water is also dull matter, and the air pushing the dull matter, water, and there is big, big waves, and it is dashing on the earth. These things are going on. So they say it is nature's work. But nature is not independent. We get this information from authoritative *śāstra.* Here Kapiladeva says that... There is high wind. That is due to the command, *mad-bhayāt vāti vātaḥ.* High wind is there. Sometimes there is breezy, very nice, sometimes very high wind. So there is direction. You cannot say that it is automatically happening. No. There is direction. Kṛṣṇa says that *mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram* : "Under My superintendence, *prakṛti,* nature..." The scientists, they say nature is working wonderfully, but after all, nature is not under your control. That you have to accept. You may defy Kṛṣṇa, or God, but you cannot defy the natural..., nature's activities. You are subordinate. But because we do not know the background of nature, therefore we think that "Nature is working. There is no God." > So Kṛṣṇa says that you don't require to perform different *yajñas.* That is not possible in this age especially. It requires large amount of wealth to perform such *yajñas.* Nowadays people are suffering for want of sufficient food grains, and in the *yajña* tons and thousands of mounds of food grains are offered in the fire. That is good. But there is no food grains; there is no *ghee.* That is not possible in this age. Therefore *yajña* is not possible. The... You can perform very easily the *saṅkīrtana-yajña.* Then everything will be performed. *Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ*. Those who are intelligent person, they can perform *yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña.* This is recommended in this age. Other *yajñas* is not possible. *Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ*. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751210mw.vrn)** > "The rascals, they think of Me as ordinary human being." To such rascals, He is playing like: "Yes, you see I am ordinary human being. Just see. I am dying." This is... To keep them life after life in darkness. If it is so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is dying—"*Ācchā,* I have read it. I have seen. He has died"—then what is the use of saying, *manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānām*? Out of many millions of persons one can understand Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the use of saying this? If it is so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is doing, what for He is doing, then everyone could understand Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the use of saying *manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu?* This requires intelligence. > The *moha* is there. *Moha* means these desires are illusion, like dreaming. In dream we see so many things. They are all false. In dreaming I am seeing that somebody is coming to kill me, but there is nobody; but still, I am dreaming. This is called *moha.* So when one is free from *moha,* then he's Kṛṣṇa conscious. The whole material world is going on under such illusion. Therefore it is called *māyā.* --- **[1975: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.8](spoken/1975/751210sb.vrn)** > So if one is serious about spiritual advancement, then he should not... First of all he must know, "What is my position? How I am packed up with all these twenty-four elements?" Of course, due to our habits we are sometimes subjected to these pains and pleasure. Still, Kṛṣṇa says, "You do not become disturbed by these so-called artificial pains and pleasures. Don't be disturbed." *Śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. Āgamāpāyino 'nityas tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya, śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ*. Just like we are covering because it is cold, but actually, as spirit soul I am not affected. *Asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣa.* [*Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad* 4.3.16]. In the *Vedas* it is said that the soul is unaffected with this material condition. Several times we have given this example, that a person has got a good car, and it is somehow or other broken, and he becomes upset, because his car... Although he knows that "I am not this car," but his thoughts being absorbed by the attraction of the car, when the car is broken someway or other, he becomes almost unconscious. > This is called *durāpūreṇa.* It is never fulfilled. This attraction of man and women in family life continues. The other day one devotee came to me, and he was almost crying, that "My wife is suffering, and she may not live. So kindly give me some blessings." Before the death of his wife—because there was nothing serious—the wife has said, "My dear husband, I may not live very long with you," and he is so disturbed that he is thinking, "My wife may die at any moment." So this is the position. This is not very extraordinary thing. This attraction of man and women, this is material bondage. Therefore it is said, *durāpūreṇa kāmena* : these lusty desires is never fulfilled, even up to the point of death. And what is this nature of these lusty desires? *Moha,* illusion. It is not fact—it has no substance—but it is there, that's a fact. The example is given just like in dream, somebody is cutting my head and I'm crying. Actually there is no man cutting my head—my head is there—still, I am suffering by such thoughts. This is called *moha.* Actually there is no fact, but on account of being entangled in three stages of pollution... The pollution is that intelligence. The intelligence is polluted in three ways: *jāgriti, svapna* and *suṣupti. Jāgriti* means just like we are now awakened; we are not sleeping. This is one stage. And another stage, at night when you go to sleep, and you sleep with dream, that is another stage. And another stage is *suṣupti,* so deeply, just like if a man is intoxicated or chloroform during surgical operation, he does not understand that "Surgical instruments are being applied on my body." He remains silent. This is another stage. So these three stages are there for polluting our intelligence. --- **[1976: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Disappearance Day Lecture](spoken/1976/761210db.hyd)** > So by that process, lower animals, and then the chronological order is there. First of all aquatics, *jalajāḥ. Jalajāḥ* means aquatic. Then *sthāvarāḥ:* trees, plants. Then flies, then birds, then beasts, then human being. In this way, *bahu sambhavante,* after many, many millions of years we get this opportunity of human life to realize God. And this civilization is denying, refusing the opportunity to the human society to understand God—such a soul-killing civilization. It is a fact. They are denying: "What is God? There is no God. Everything is science," although they cannot explain science. They cannot do anything; simply talking like nonsense. Last night some girls came, so they are students of botany. So I asked them, "Can you manufacture a seed which can give birth to a big banyan tree?" "No, sir, it is not possible." Then what kind of botany you are studying? Actually what is their science? They talk simply something which is going on in the middle portion. Where is the beginning and where is the end of knowledge, that they do not know. They are theorizing only in the middle. They do not know *janmādy asya yataḥ*, where is the beginning of this science. That is... Beginning is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, *ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo*. > So these people, they have made the United Nation, unnecessarily fighting like dogs. So this will not solve the problems. The problem will be solved if they pass a resolution that the whole world, not only this world... Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-loka maheśvaram*. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, so why not accept? Actually He is the proprietor. Who has created this planet? We have created or our father created? No. Kṛṣṇa has created. But we are claiming, "This portion is American, this portion is Indian, this portion is Pakistani." Unnecessary. What is the value of this claim? We may claim it for fifty or sixty or a hundred years, and after that, one kick: "Get out." Where is your claim? But they do not understand this philosophy. They are fighting, that's all, that "This is mine. This is my land," "This is my land." They do not know. Kṛṣṇa said, *tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ*. --- **[1976: Room Conversation on Farm Management](spoken/1976/761210r1.hyd)** > *Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān* [*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 2.2.13]. Kṛṣṇa does not want to see that we are starving for want of food. That He does not want to see. But because you have come to the material world, you have to work hard. Then you'll get your food. That is the material world. *Śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ*, Kṛṣṇa says. Very... If you do not work, then you cannot get food. Simply work together. *Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī*. And you get from the land. You have got land. You get anything from the land. The land must be moist, then you get everything. That we want to show. Hmm? What do you think? Land is... > Kṛṣṇa is taking with great pleasure. That *prasādam* you have to distribute. Not that dog is rejecting and you have to distribute that *prasādam.* Why do you think like that? This *prasādam,* this so-called, rubbish thing which is rejected by dog, and you are offering to the human being. You do it. If you have no money I shall pay. There is no question of scarcity of money. Don't spoil money, but spend for real purpose, that's all. And you arrange for huge agricultural. Whatever is required, water, we shall arrange for that. Labor, everything. And if you perform *yajña,* there will be rain. Anyway, I asked you the other day to fill up the tank. What is the difficulty? --- ## Letters on December 10 *Letters from this day: 15* --- **[1966: Letter to Janis](letters/1966/661210_janis)** > I am so glad to receive your kind letter, dated November 30, 1966, with enclosure of $50. --- **[1968: Letter to Gaurasundara](letters/1968/681210_gaurasundara)** > Regarding my plans for January I can not as yet give a definite answer because I have recently been invited to visit the South American country, Guyana at the beginning of the new year. So this too is undefinite and I will have to see whether they provide for our visit or whether will not before I can decide if I may go to Hawaii in January. --- **[1969: Letter to Brahmananda](letters/1969/691210_brahmananda)** > So far as transferring $1,400 to the account of ISKCON, I have done it immediately. --- **[1971: Letter to Bhagavan](letters/1971/711210_bhagavan)** > I am very glad to accept these students as my duly initiated disciples and their names shall be as follows; --- **[1971: Letter to Guru-Gauranga](letters/1971/711210_guru-gauranga)** > Upon the recommendation of Locanananda I have gladly consented to accept you as my duly initiated disciple. --- **[1971: Letter to Rupanuga](letters/1971/711210_rupanuga)** > Practically speaking, it appears my work in America and the Western countries has been now successful and everything is now going on very nicely there. --- **[1971: Letter to Sousilya Gadagraja Dayala Candra](letters/1971/711210_sousilya_gadagraja_dayala_candra)** > Upon the recommendation of Brihaspati I have gladly consented to accept all of you as my duly initiated disciples. --- **[1972: Letter to Hansadutta](letters/1972/721210_hansadutta)** > I shall be very glad indeed to see that book printed by you, and that will be your greatest credit. --- **[1972: Letter to Revatinandana](letters/1972/721210_revatinandana)** > So far I am concerned, we have just completed our pandal programme in Hyderabad and it was very, very successful. In that portion there was no rain for two years, but due to our Sankirtana yagna the rain came and everyone was happy that we came to make it rain, and besides that they gave us some nice land in the most central marketplace of the city and we are raising up a gorgeous temple with the help of the local devotees. --- **[1973: Letter to Sudama](letters/1973/731210_sudama)** > Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha? --- **[1974: Letter to Aksayananda](letters/1974/741210_aksayananda)** > Now hold a fire sacrifice, and let him hear the mantra through the right ear, and impress upon him that he is taking vows before Radha and Krishna, the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas. --- **[1974: Letter to Navayogendra](letters/1974/741210_navayogendra)** > So I have received reports that you are doing nicely there in Nairobi, making Life Members daily. --- **[1974: Letter to Radhavallabha](letters/1974/741210_radhavallabha)** > The balance of 4 tapes is with Srutakirti and he will hand them over to you in Hawaii, via Ramesvara. Prabhupada suggested that Hayagriva could edit the lectures into the purports for making this book. --- **[1976: Letter to Jayatirtha Bhagavan](letters/1976/761210_jayatirtha_bhagavan)** > I am very satisfied with the work Harikesa Swami is doing there in Germany and Eastern Europe, therefore in order to encourage him and give him facility to rectify the situation in Germany, I have... --- **[1976: Letter to Vicitravirya](letters/1976/761210_vicitravirya)** > Upon your recommendation I am pleased to accept the devotees; Tirthakara das, Mahavidya das, Jagatam dasi, Jagannathaisvare dasi, for second initiation. Now, hold a fire yajna for devotees only. Let the new brahmanas hear the tape of me chanting Gayatri in their right ears, and teach them to chant on their finger divisions. ---