# December 25 *Lectures from this day: 11 recordings* --- **[[spoken/661225cc.ny|Cc. Madhya 20.337-353 — December 25, 1966, New York]]** **Prabhupāda:** > satya-yuge dharma-dhyāna karāya 'śukla'-mūrti dhari' > kardamake vara dilā yeṅho kṛpā kari' > [[cc/madhya/20/334|[Cc. Madhya 20.334] ]] So in the Satya-yuga, the age of goodness, in that age the meditation was possible. *Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ* [[sb/12/3/52|[SB. 12.3.52] ]]. According to injunction of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* meditation is possible in the age of goodness, when cent per cent people were all in the modes of goodness. There are three modes of nature: modes of goodness, modes of passion and modes of ignorance. Similarly, the ages are also conducted by the three modes of material nature. Just like there are seasonal changes—in our experience in one year sometimes it is summer, sometimes it is winter, sometimes it is spring—similarly, in course of nature's way there are different *yugas,* millennium. --- **[[spoken/681225pu.la|Purport to Prayers by King Kulaśekhara — December 25, 1968, Los Angeles]]** **Prabhupāda:** > ...tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam > adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ > prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ > kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te ...verse was sung by King Kulaśekhara, a great king and, at the same time, a great devotee of the Lord. His songs are recorded in the book known as *Mukunda-mālā-stotra.* That is very famous book. It is sung by many devotees. So it does not matter whether a man is king or a poor mendicant, everyone has the facility to become the greatest devotee of the Lord. So he's praying, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your feet is lotus.'' Generally we say "lotus feet." But where the lotus flower is there, the white swans, they come to the lotus flower and try to play with the stem. They sport, going down the water, and be entangled with the stem of that lotus flower. That is their sporting. So King Kulaśekhara is praying that "Let the swan of my mind be immediately entered into the network of the stem of Your lotus feet.'' --- **[[spoken/681225we.la|Wedding Lecture — December 25, 1968, Los Angeles]]** **Govinda dāsī:** There's more, if you want to give more. I didn't know what you had in mind, so I made two, three of each. --- **[[spoken/731225in.la|Initiation Ceremony — December 25, 1973, Los Angeles]]** **Karandhara:**You want to give the names to the new devotees before the *kīrtana,* and after the *kīrtana* go on the walk? **Prabhupāda:** Oh. Yes. We can give. So come on. No, no, *mantra,* one *mantra.* That *mantra.* Chant *mantra,* then I will give the name. **Prabhupāda:** Vīrahā. Vīrahā dāsa. I am not asking individually about the four principle. I suppose you know this. But just I was explaining *sat* and *asat.* These two things are side by side. Just like there is darkness and there is light, you can see merging in the sunlight. You'll see, one side is light, and one side is dark. Similarly, *sat* and *asat,* they are existing side by side. If you don't remain this side, then you come to this side. So it is my choice. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa is the bright side, and the other things, material activities and sinful activities—meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex—the dark side. So it is your choice. If you remain the bright side, then your progress is certain, and if you fall down again on the dark side, that is your misfortune. You should always remember that. Come on. --- **[[spoken/731225sb.la|SB 1.15.47-48 — December 25, 1973, Los Angeles]]** **Pradyumna:Translation:** "Thus by pure consciousness due to constant devotional remembrance, they attained the spiritual sky, which is ruled over by the Supreme Nārāyaṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is attained only by those who meditate upon the one Supreme Lord without deviation. This abode of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, cannot be attained by persons who are absorbed in the material conception of life. But the Pāṇḍavas, being completely washed of all material contamination, attained that abode in their very same bodies."* [[sb/1/15/47-48|[SB. 1.15.47-48] ]] **Prabhupāda:** *Tad-dhyāna udriktayā. Dhyāna* means meditation. So the Pāṇḍavas, always they were thinking of Kṛṣṇa. While they were eating, they were sitting, they were sleeping, they were talking, they were fighting—Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When Arjuna was fighting, so there was also Kṛṣṇa. When they were dealing in politics with Duryodhana, there was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is his friend, always talking with him, staying with him, sleeping with him, eating with him. So anyone can do that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. If in our ordinary life we deal with Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna did and the Pāṇḍavas did, so where is the difficulty for us? There is no difficulty. Simply we have to practice it. And that practice is *bhaktyā.* Therefore it is said, *tad-dhyāna udriktayā bhaktyā:* this is only possible through devotional service. Kṛṣṇa was so near to the Pāṇḍavas on account of their devotion. Nārada Muni eulogized the Pāṇḍavas, that "*Jñānīs* and *yogīs,* they cannot reach even, but by your devotion, He is living with you as friend. Not only as friend, but sometimes as your order-carrier." Pāṇḍavas sometimes, during their negotiation with Duryodhana, sometimes asked Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, You take this letter and deliver to Duryodhana." Agreed, "Yes, I will go." So ordinary peon. Then ordinary chariot driver, Pārtha-sārathi. --- **[[spoken/741225sb.bom|SB 3.26.16 — December 25, 1974, Bombay]]** **Nitāi:** *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [**Prabhupāda and **devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] "The influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is felt in the time factor, which causes fear of death due to the false ego of the deluded soul who has contacted material nature." **Prabhupāda:** > prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ > kālam eke yato bhayam > ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya > kartuḥ prakṛtim īyuṣaḥ > [[sb/3/26/16|[SB. 3.26.16] ]] --- **[[spoken/751225bg.san|Bg 7.1 [with Translator] — December 25, 1975, Sanand]]** So if you have to translate, why not translate from English? That will be easier for me, and they will also understand. Huh? *Thik hai?* If he has to translate, then why not let me speak in English so that they will also understand? Huh? **Prabhupāda:** So Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: *brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate* [[sb/1/2/11|[SB. 1.2.11] ]]. Absolute Truth can be realized in the beginning as impersonal Brahman, which is the objective of the *jñānīs,* and next, Paramātmā, which is the objective of the *yogīs*, and at last, the last word in the absolute understanding is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The ultimate issue is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like we understand that in the sun globe there is the Supreme Person or the *sūrya-nārāyaṇa,* or the chief person within the sun planet. His name is also given in the *Bhagavad-gītā—*Vivasvān. The Lord says in the Fourth Chapter, *imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam* [[bg/4/1|[Bg. 4.1] ]]: "I first of all explained this science, this *yoga* system of *Bhagavad-gītā,* to Vivasvān, the sun-god." *Vivasvān manave prāhur manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt.* And Vivasvān, the sun-god, he explained to Manu, and Manu explained to his son. In this way, by the disciplic succession the knowledge has come down. So when we speak of *jñāna,* knowledge, it must be learned from a person. So Bhagavān, the last word in the understanding of Absolute Truth, He says in this *Bhagavad-gītā.* --- **[[spoken/751225mw.san|Morning Walk — December 25, 1975, Sanand]]** **Prabhupāda:** No, they have already become. That is already advanced, to become naked. That rascal... What is his name? **Prabhupāda:** Lennon. Yes. He has kept a very big photo, naked, near his fireplace. [chuckles] I was talking with him in his house and saw the photograph. And he is not at all ashamed. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. [chuckles] She is great philosopher. She was talking with me like a great philosopher. [break] ...**head of the Beatles? --- **[[spoken/761225mw.bom|Morning Walk — December 25, 1976, Bombay]]** **Guest (2)* [Indian man]:* Freedom from mind, how would you explain it, or how would you detail it? [break] **Prabhupāda:** ...mind means polluted mind. We are part and parcel of God. *Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ* [[bg/15/7|[Bg. 15.7] ]]. Jīva* is as pure as God, and on account of this mind, he is suffering in this material world. You can see. You can see. Here is a living being, this tree. It is also a living being, but he's standing before me for fifty years or more than that. He cannot move an inch, and we are moving. So why this condition? He is also living being; I am also living being. I have got little freedom to move; he hasn't got. Why this difference of position? Due to the mind. So here in this material world there are 8,400,000 different forms of life. They're all due to the mental concoction. So if we want our original life as good as God, at least in quality, that is freedom of mind. And then we cease to become one of the covered living beings within this material world. **Guest (1):** Sir, I read in one of your lectures at London, before the British Office [indistinct], and you gave the example of Mahatma, Mahatma Gandhi and Kennedy. In particular, Mahatma Gandhi you said that four types of defaulted mind and this condition and those condition. --- **[[spoken/761225r1.bom|Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe M.L.A. — December 25, 1976, Bombay]]** **Prabhupāda:** That is also answered in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* by very strong word. *Bhāgavata* says, *śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ* [[sb/2/3/19|[SB. 2.3.19] ]]. If the public is like dogs, camel, hogs and asses, so what is the value of their election? He'll elect another big dog or camel. So there is chaos. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. Good leadership means you must learn how to lead people. *Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ* [[bg/3/21|[Bg. 3.21] ]]. If the *śreṣṭha,* the leader, is ideal, then others will follow. But if the leader is not ideal, if he is not in the awareness of things, then people will be misguided. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. You have to take lessons from the biggest leader, Kṛṣṇa. *Aham ādir hi devānām* [[bg/10/2|[Bg. 10.2] ]]. He's the leader of the demigods also. We have to take lesson from. That lesson is there, *Bhagavad-gītā.* But we do not take it. We manufacture our leadership. That is the defect. What Kṛṣṇa says... Everyone is proud of reading *Bhagavad-gītā,* but the purpose of *Bhagavad-gītā* is how to kill Kṛṣṇa, that's all. That is their... All these. What can I say? These misleaders, they are doing that. Leadership is already there—Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna is learning from Kṛṣṇa. So if you learn from Kṛṣṇa you become perfect leader. But we do not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. We manufacture our own ideas. That is failure. Otherwise in our country so many learned sages, especially Kṛṣṇa is there, and their books are there, their instructions are there. We do not take them. Still we become leader. So what kind of leading? He's imperfect, so he cannot lead. Then there will be some mistake and chaos. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said... He said, *bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra* [*Cc* Ādi 9.41]. You understand little Bengali? --- **[[spoken/761225sb.bom|SB 5.5.1 — December 25, 1976, Bombay]]** **Prabhupāda:** > nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke > kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye > tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ > śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam > [[sb/5/5/1|[SB. 5.5.1] ]] This verse we were discussing yesterday. Portion of the verse was explained, and portion of the verse we shall try to explain this night. *Tapo divyam.* Ṛṣabhadeva says, "My dear sons, this body, human body, *āyaṁ deha,* this body is not for wasting life, dogs and hogs." They are not wasting. They are in the gradual evolution process. *Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati* [*Padma Purāṇa*]. They are coming to the human form of body gradually, by nature's law. *Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ* [[bg/3/27|[Bg. 3.27] ]]. So long we are in the lower species of life, we are conducted by complete laws of nature, *prakṛteḥ kriya..., guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ,* according to the different *guṇas.* There are three *guṇas;* therefore the material nature is called *guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā* [[bg/7/14|[Bg. 7.14] ]]. Kṛṣṇa says that this material energy... There are three different energies of the Supreme Lord. He has got multi-energies, *parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate* *[Cc Madhya* 13.65*, purport].* --- ## Letters - [[../../letters/pre-1966/551225_sirs.md|Letter to Sirs, 1955]] - [[../../letters/pre-1966/561225_sri_biswambhar_goswami.md|Letter to Sri Biswambhar Goswami, 1956]] - [[../../letters/1968/681225_jadurani.md|Letter to Jadurani, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1969/691225_govardhana.md|Letter to Govardhana, 1969]] - [[../../letters/1969/691225_hayagriva.md|Letter to Hayagriva, 1969]] - [[../../letters/1969/691225_jananivasa.md|Letter to Jananivasa, 1969]] - [[../../letters/1969/691225_jayagovinda.md|Letter to Jayagovinda, 1969]] - [[../../letters/1969/691225_krsna_dasa.md|Letter to Krsna Dasa, 1969]] - [[../../letters/1971/711225_amogha.md|Letter to Amogha, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/711225_gargamuni.md|Letter to Gargamuni, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1972/721225_kisora.md|Letter to Kisora, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/721225_sri_govinda.md|Letter to Sri Govinda, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1973/731225_gurukrpa_yasodanandana.md|Letter to Gurukrpa Yasodanandana, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1974/741225_malati.md|Letter to Malati, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741225_yadubara.md|Letter to Yadubara, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1976/761225_dr._wolf.md|Letter to Dr. Wolf, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/761225_jnana_lilavati.md|Letter to Jnana Lilavati, 1976]]