# December 24 ## Spoken on December 24 *Lectures from this day: 10 recordings* --- **[1966: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.330–335](spoken/1966/661224cc.ny.md)** > Now, *śukla-mūrti,* that white incarnation of God, He will teach the people... The incarnation of God, why does He come? That is explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati*. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham.* The incarnation of God comes... When there is discrepancy all over the world about religious principle, the incarnation comes. So Lord Caitanya says that in the Satya-yuga this incarnation of God in white color, He preached meditation, *dhyāna.* Therefore meditation is for the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when cent per cent people are pure. That is called Satya-yuga. And Tretā-yuga means seventy-five percent are pure, twenty-five percent impure. And Dvāpara-yuga means fifty percent, fifty percent pure and fifty percent... And Kali-yuga means seventy-five percent impure and twenty-five percent may be pure. [laughter] > So in the Satya-yuga this meditation is possible, not in this age. Therefore those who are imitating the process of the Satya-yuga, they are simply wasting time. That's all. That is not recommended. Nobody can meditate in this age. *Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ*. --- **[1969: Discussion with BTG Staff](spoken/1969/691224dc.bos)** > Then, when he is actually in love of Godhead, then he can understand the higher status of loving exchange between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and the Vṛndāvana. This is third, third stage, yes. And the fourth stage is *paramahaṁsa* stage, who is always enjoying. *Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti* [Brahma-saṁhitā* 5.38]. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti...* When one is completely merged in the ocean of love of Godhead, he will relish in any condition of life Kṛṣṇa, present. "Kṛṣṇa present" means, "Kṛṣṇa present," His name present, His form present, His *līlā* present, His paraphernalia present. Everything. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. We are not impersonalist. As soon as we say "Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa means which His name, fame, opulence, entourage, pastime, etc. > So *Back to Godhead* generally deal in two stages of understanding: the..., to awaken the relationship and to train them. Although our aim is... That is our aim, to come to the highest platform of loving exchange. But generally, we are dealing with the mass of people. Therefore our propaganda should be how to, by reasoning, by philosophy, by science, by argument, how to convince him that he is in illusory stage. --- **[1970: Lecture at MPV College](spoken/1970/701224le.sur)** > The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to understand one's real, constitutional position, not to give away oneself with the whims of this material nature, and changing one body to another, another body to another, perpetually. This human form of body is a chance to get out of the cycle of birth and death. We have read in the *Bhagavad-gītā* actually the living entity has no birth, no death—*na jāyate na mriyate vā*. It has neither death nor birth. This birth and death are due to this body, which you have accepted and we have temporary identified. This is called *upādhi.* > That is our position. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to canvass this philosophy. Kṛṣṇa says that *mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. We are teaching, "Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious"—the same thing. There is no difference. And because we are saying exactly the same words as Kṛṣṇa says, therefore we are representative of Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand our position. Kṛṣṇa says that, --- **[1970: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.42–43](spoken/1970/701224sb.sur)** > Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca* : "Through Me the living entity forgets." That is a qualification of the conditioned soul. That is the difference between God and the living entity. God does not forget; the living entity forgets. That is the difference, how the difference is understood. > So forgetfulness is a qualification or disqualification, whatever Kṛṣṇa says, of the living entity. And at the present moment we have also all forgotten that we are part and parcel of God. We have intimate relationship with Him, and somehow or other we have fallen in this material world—we don't remember. Because we do not remember, therefore Kṛṣṇa mercifully gives you all these *Vedas*—because you do not remember. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.46](spoken/1973/731224sb.la)** > So *satyam, śaucam, kṣamā, dayā, āyuḥ,* duration of life, bodily strength and memory. These eight kinds of things will reduce, reduce, reduce, reduce.When you will see these symptoms, you will find, "Now the Age of Kali is making his progress very nicely." This is progress. Then another symptom is *vittam eva kalau nṝṇāṁ janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ*. Formerly, according to spiritual understanding, one man's position was calculated. Just like *brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa* was honored because he knew Brahman. He was aware of the supreme spirit. So now in Kali-yuga, actually there is no *brāhmaṇa.* That will be also described, how a *brāhmaṇa* is. So *janma ācāra,* birthright. Birthright was there, but according to the behavior. If a man is born in a *brāhmaṇa* family or *kṣatriya* family or *vai...,* he must behave like that. That was the king's duty, to see that "This man is not falsely representing himself." Just like in England there is lord family. So to maintain their aristocracy, the family had to deposit some money with the government so that they may not deteriorate in their aristocratic behavior. Still, it is going on. But now things are finished. > So if you discuss these things... Long affairs, shortly. Then again it says, *dāmpatye abhirucir hetur māyaiva vyāvahārike*. Dāmpatye. Dāmpatye,* husband and wife relation, will depend on *abhiruciḥ. Abhiruciḥ* means liking. A girl likes boy, and a boy likes girl. "That's all right. Now let the marriage take place." They do not see what will be future of this girl and the boy. Never. Therefore everyone is unhappy. Six months after marriage, divorce. Because the marriage took place simply on superficial liking, no deep understanding. So things are taking place like that. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.15](spoken/1974/741224sb.bom)** > We require a leader. Any field of activities, we require a leader. Suppose for getting independence we had to follow one leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore for guidance we require a leader. And the supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow Kṛṣṇa, the supreme leader, then our life is successful. And if we do not follow... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "You rascal, you fool, *mūḍha,* you just follow Me." *Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja*. This is the whole story of spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. He is also a living being, He is also person like you and me, but He is *ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa.* Therefore He is called Bhagavān. We cannot be called Bhagavān because our power is very limited, not *pūrṇa.* Therefore we become *saguṇa.* Kṛṣṇa does not become *saguṇa.* The Māyāvāda theory, that God, when He incarnates, He becomes *saguṇa,* that is wrong theory. > That is the aim of life. We are also Brahman. We are part and parcel of Brahman, Supreme Brahman; therefore we are also Brahman. Brahman realization is not very difficult thing, provided we want to realize. And how we want? You take instruction from the *Bhagavad-gītā,* and if you accept it, then immediately your Brahman realization is there. Kṛṣṇa says that "These *jīvas,* they are My part and parcel." So if Kṛṣṇa is Brahman, Para-brahman, then we are Brahman. If we accept this... We have to accept, because that is the constitutional position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. --- **[1975: Lecture in Hindi](spoken/1975/751224le.san)** > If you chant these names then what will you lose? You will know the benefits later on but there is no loss now and to chant the Lord's name and glories there is not much effort required. So this is our request. Stay anywhere, in any situation, stay anywhere in this material world. See these Americans and Europeans they are neither Hindu nor are they from India. They have taken birth in so many different places. Why do they chant? Is it difficult to chant the names? No! It is not difficult nor is there any loss. But if you chant the names all the dirt that has accumulated in your heart, will be cleansed. *ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam*. And our difficulty in this material world, we do not understand the real difficulty at all. > There is use of weapons, diseases and many other things. Your friend becomes your enemy, even your son becomes your enemy. This is the law of nature, this is called *bhava-mahādāvāgni.* You don't want to set it on fire but it will still catch fire. So when the heart is cleanses and we understand that, "I am not matter." That is called cleansing the heart. "I am not this material body." Nowadays this material civilization is all based on the bodily concept of life. I think I am Indian, I am *brāhmaṇa*, I am Bengali, Gujarati and so many other things. Others think I am American, I am this, I am that. All this, we are none of these. These are all entanglements. That is why Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, *ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam*. We are mistakenly thinking ourselves to be this or that, this is the dirt accumulation. That has to be cleansed. All these entanglements will be cleansed. At that time you are on the *brahma-bhūta* stage. --- **[1975: Morning Walk](spoken/1975/751224mw.bom)** > So long one will be too much absorbed in this material enjoyment, he cannot be perfectly devotee. Therefore sometimes Kṛṣṇa, when He sees, "Someone is serious to get Me," and at the same time she wants material enjoyment, so indirectly or directly He finishes the material enjoyment. That is a special favor. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1 in Hindi [Translated](spoken/1976/761224sb.bom)** > Just like we are sitting here, we haven't picked only the *dhiras* to sit here, many *adhiras* are also sitting here. No problem. *Kṛṣṇa-kirtan* is such that all combinedly *dhiras*, *adhiras*, foolish, learned, rich, poor, *brāhmaṇas*, *śūdras*, everyone can participate. But one must undergo austerity. Tapo divyam. Austerity. This is Indian culture. Big, big kings, especially the *brāhmaṇas* and *kṣatriyas* at some point of life must take retirement. Just to undergo austerity. *Tapo divyam*. It must be done. If one refuses to undergo austerity then as the Lord says, *māṁ aprāpya*, the connection with the Lord, though it can never be broken, but will be forgotten. By austerity the relationship between the Supreme Lord and the living entities can be revived. And if you do not perform austerity then, *nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.* You will have to go back again to the cycle of birth and death. You will have to take birth as a human being, as a tree, as an ass, as a demigod and so on so on. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed, > Therefore we, who follow the Vedic conclusion, accept the name "Kṛṣṇa" as the Supreme. If you think that Kṛṣṇa is the name of a Hindu God then you may chant any other name of the Supreme Lord which you know. The main subject of our preaching is *harer namaiva kevalam*. [*Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa* 38.126] Simply chant the holy name of the Lord. There is no restriction. If you have got some other name of the Supreme Lord...But the problem is nowadays in the world neither people know who God is, nor what God's name is. They have no acquaintance with the Supreme Lord so how will they know His name? This is the difficulty. Otherwise any name of the Lord you chant you will get benefit. *nāmnāmakāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis*, The holy name of the Lord is invested with all energies of the Lord. Just like the Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses all energies, almighty, in the same way the Lord's name possesses all potencies. Absolute. There is no difference between the name and the person-the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise why do we chant His name? Because, He is Bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we chant the Lord's name all the time, as the Lord Himself says, *man-mana bhava mad bhakto*, if you simply chant the Lord's name you become a devotee. There is no difficulty. Simply chant the Supreme Lord's name. Whatever name you prefer provided it should the Supreme Lord's name. But if you ascertain Him as formless then where is the question of the poor fellow's name? He is finished then and there. So here Ṛṣbhadeva, the Lord's incarnation, is imparting some instructions to His sons. Retire. Previously big, big kings used to retire. Nowadays there is no question of retirement until one is shot dead by bullets. They don't even think about retirement. There should be retirement. The principle of Vedic *varṇāśrama* is highly scientific. For some years one should remain brahmacārī-student, for some years one should remain *gṛhastha*, it is not that one remain *gṛhastha* for whole life. That is not Vedic civilization. Remaining some years...Twenty-five to fifty years, when the senses are most strong. The gṛhastha life is a concession-licence to enjoy sense gratification. Actually there is no need for it. But people cannot follow it, therefore gradually try to abstain. First student life—*brahmacārī*. He is taught what is the value of life. *brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam*. He is taught about peacefulness, self control and so on. From the very beginning he is taught *mātṛvat para-dāreṣu*, or treat all women as mother. Go to each and every house and beg "Oh mother, give me some alms." That way he learns to address all women as mother. All women are mother. That is also Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's instruction. --- ## Letters on December 24 *Letters from this day: 10* --- **[1967: Letter to Nandakisora](letters/1967/671224_nandakisora)** > Krishna consciousness is the life of eternity and I am glad you are interested in it. So I am sending you beads chanted by me and your name is Nandakisora Brahmacari. --- **[1968: Letter to Cidananda](letters/1968/681224_cidananda)** > Regarding chanting in the street chased by the police is not good at all. The best thing is to invite people in our temple, and chant peacefully. --- **[1968: Letter to Gurudasa](letters/1968/681224_gurudasa)** > I am sure that Krishna is helping you all around for your honest and sincere endeavors. Just previous to your letter I received one very encouraging letter from Syamasundara, reporting of his meeting with George Harrison who I understand has promised to give us a 5-story building in one of the busiest quarters of London. --- **[1968: Letter to Malati](letters/1968/681224_malati)** > I thank you for your letter of December 17, 1968, I am always so glad to be hearing from you. I am very pleased that you are serving your husband nicely and helping him so that he may advance his Krishna Consciousness. --- **[1968: Letter to Yamuna](letters/1968/681224_yamuna)** > So far as the mistake on the certificates, I think that only on the certificates to be given to brahmacarinis is it necessary to change the spelling, because on the brahmacari's certificate this word Srimate will be crossed out. --- **[1973: Letter to Tamala Krsna](letters/1973/731224_tamala_krsna)** > Regarding Vrindaban construction, we are trying to make an arrangement with one gentleman here in the U.S.A. for giving him dollars and taking rupees in India at the rate of 22 1/2 rupees per dollar. --- **[1976: Letter to Citsukhananda](letters/1976/761224_citsukhananda)** > I approve your plan to combine together with Kesava to lead a party of Spanish speaking devotees with nama-sankirtana to every town and village in Spain. --- **[1976: Letter to Gaura Govinda](letters/1976/761224_gaura_govinda)** > I am prepared to come to Bhuvaneśvara immediately to begin construction on the following conditions. --- **[1976: Letter to Upendra](letters/1976/761224_upendra)** > If you want to stay with Satsvarupa, I have no objection, but what about your wife and children? They cannot travel. If without wife and children you can travel that will be alright. --- **[1976: Letter to Vrikodara](letters/1976/761224_vrikodara)** > Upon your recommendation I will accept these boys for second initiation. Let them hear the tape of me chanting Gayatri mantra in their right ears. ---