# December 25 ## Spoken on December 25 *Lectures from this day: 12 recordings* --- **[1966: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.334–341](spoken/1966/661225cc.ny.md)** > Therefore majority population of this age, they cannot perform meditation or great sacrifices or temple worship. They cannot. Therefore Lord Caitanya has, by His causeless mercy... Of course, it is according to the Vedic injunction. *Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum*. The same achievement which was obtained in the age of goodness by meditation was achieved in the next age by sacrifices and the next age by temple worship. At the present age it is recommended to achieve that success, that perfection, spiritual perfection, by *hari-kīrtanāt,* by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. > Now, in this age the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, His color is, the complexion of the body, is described as yellow. And what does He do? *Prema-bhakti dilā loke lañā bhakta-gaṇa.* His mission is to give directly the love of God. That's all. His method is so nice that one who follows His method, he very quickly, instantly, he develops love of God. And when one develops love of God, he becomes perfect. *Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ*. We are hankering after love. We want to love somebody. That is the nature of living entity. But that love is frustrated in every step. --- **[1968: Purport to Prayers by King Kulaśekhara](spoken/1968/681225pu.la)** >...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 that means he wants to engage his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord immediately. There is no question of delaying. He says that "Now I am in sound mind. If I think that I shall think of Your lotus feet at the time of death, there is no certainty. Because at the time of death, the whole body becomes dislocated. The whole function becomes dismantled." --- **[1968: Wedding of Śyāma Dāsī and Hayagrīva Dāsa](spoken/1968/681225we.la)** > So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is particularly to go back to Godhead, giving up this material world, which is full of miserable life. It is actually full of miseries, but those who are thinking that "I am happy," or "We are happy," they are under illusion, *māyā.* That is called *māyā.* Actually, there is no happiness, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead says it is a place of misery. How you can make it comfortable place? So this is one side. > "Anyone who comes back to Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "anyone who goes back to Godhead, then he does not require to come back again to this place, which is full of miseries." *Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. Duḥkhālayam* means it is a place of misery, this material world. And *aśāśvatam. Aśāśvatam* means temporary. Even if I agree, "All right, it is a miserable place. --- **[1970: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.44](spoken/1970/701225sb.sur)** > There are three kinds of energies of God: *viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā*. Actually, the Lord's energy is spiritual, spiritual energy. *Viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā*. And these living entities, they are also *parā. Kṣetra-jñākhyā tathā parā*—there is another *śakti, kṣetrajña.* The *kṣetrajña-śakti* means we living entities, we are also energy of Kṛṣṇa, of God. We are known as *kṣetrajña-śakti*. *Kṣetrajña-śakti* means I know about my body; the pains and pleasure of my body I can understand. Therefore I am living..., living entity. > So in order to be elevated to this position there are different stages. The first stage is *karma. Tṛtīya karma-saṅga anya tṛtīya śaktir iṣyate*. The material energy..., those who are in the modes of ignorance, just like animals, they have no other information, neither they can understand what he is. There is no possibility in the animal life of understanding what I am. That is not possible. Therefore we should utilize this human form of life to understand what I am. --- **[1973: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.47–48](spoken/1973/731225sb.la)** > We are therefore discussing so many... We have written so many books simply about Kṛṣṇa. Not all books published—we have published about twenty books—but we have to finish it. It cannot be finished, but at least, to some extent, it will be finished by sixty books. And what is that subject matter? Kṛṣṇa. That's all. People cannot imagine that about God, sixty books can be written. There is no, I mean to say, system of religion where you can find... Not only... Sixty is the minimum. So minimum sixty books of four hundred pages can be written simply on God. So there is possible... If we divert our attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can chant Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. *Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya*.* We can read about Kṛṣṇa whole life, such big literature. Whole life. If you read twenty-four hours daily—that you cannot—still, you have to devote your whole life to finish this literature. > So spiritual realization is difficult for person *asadbhiḥ.* Why it is difficult? *Viṣayātmabhiḥ.* Because they are simply attracted by the four principles of material life: eating, sleeping, sex life and, one day, death. They cannot. One must be above this interest. One must be very sane man, that "These kinds of interests are there in the animals. So if I am also interested in only these things, then where is the difference between this dog and me?" Something more. That information is given in the *Bhagavad-gītā: avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam*. --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.16](spoken/1974/741225sb.bom)** > Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death, and My business is to take away everything." *Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham.* So time factor will take away everything, what we create with these twenty-four elements. So time is very strong, *kāla.* However we may defy the existence of God, the time factor is there. We have to accept it. And it is said, *kālam eke yato bhayam.* And because we are under the control of the time at the present moment in material existence, therefore there is *bhayam. Bhayam* means ultimately death. *Bhayam.* > Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati*. This is the symptom of *abhayam.* Therefore Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet are described, *abhaya-caraṇāravinda re. Bhajahuṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāravinda re.* If we take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, which is called *abhaya-caraṇa,* no more *bhayam... Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ.* When, so long we think that "I am something of this material existence," there will be *bhayam.* And when we realize that "This material existence is superficial. I have nothing to do with it," *asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ,* "I have no connection with it," then there is no *bhaya,* no fearfulness. --- **[1975: Bhagavad-gītā 7.1 [with Translator](spoken/1975/751225bg.san)** > So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being conducted or was started by single-handed, myself. If all the Indian sages and saintly person, they take *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is and preach all over the world, there is great, great demand for it. Unfortunately, so many persons go there. One big *svāmī,* he said that "*Kṛṣṇa* means 'black,' and 'black' means unknown." Of course, nobody cares for his speech. Kṛṣṇa is going on, forward. Everyone is accepting Kṛṣṇa. But this is the most unfortunate thing, that our men go there to deprecate Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should very carefully try to understand *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is presented by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, *mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya*.* > This should be preached, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme, ultimate. *Ahaṁ saravsya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate.* Even Brahman, Paramātmā, has also come from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ultimate. He says, *aham ādir hi devānām*. He is the supreme of all the demigods. There is no need of worshiping any other demigod. Kṛṣṇa says, *kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanty anya-devatāḥ*. Hṛta-jñāna. Hṛta-jñāna* means who has lost his intelligence. How he has lost his intelligence? Because they get from these demigods some temporary benefit. *Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām*.* So our real problem is that we... Every one of us, we are the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are struggling for existence within this material world. So *manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati*,* struggle for existence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Your real problem is *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam .*" --- **[1976: Morning Walk](spoken/1976/761225mw.bom)** > *Asato mā sad gamaya.* But people are so accustomed to materialistic way of life that they are reluctant. That is *māyā,* very strong. *Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā*. *It is very, very difficult. Māyā tries to punish every conditioned soul, and as soon as there is some attempt to get out of the clutches of māyā, she becomes still strong: "Where you shall go, my dear son? You remain with me." Ya devī sarva-bhūteṣu nidrā-rūpeṇa saṁsthitā, in the* [Saptaśatī] Caṇḍī. That devī, she is situated, keeping the conditioned souls in dream. He is simply dreaming, "I'll be happy in this way; I'll be happy in that way." And that is mental concoction. He'll be never be happy. Kṛṣṇa said, moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ, āsurīṁ bhāvam āśri...*. Because he has not recognized the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all his hopes and endeavors will be baffled. So even a person like Mahatma Gandhi, he became baffled. > So you make one test: whether he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. If he has not done, then he is in these four categories. What are they? *Duṣkṛtina,* great sinful; *mūdhā,* rascal; *narādhamā,* lowest of the mankind. And if you say, "Oh, these are so big, big learned scholar," now *māyayāpahṛta-jñāna.* Why? *Āsuraṁ bhāvam. Asura. Asura's* business is to deny Kṛṣṇa and to kill Kṛṣṇa. So all these people, they are reading *Bhagavad-gītā,* and they are trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. [*kīrtana* in background] Is it not a fact? All these big, big leaders, they'll speak on *Bhagavad-gītā,* and they will never say that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You surrender to Him." --- **[1976: Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe M.L.A.](spoken/1976/761225r1.bom)** > So Indians, they can make their life perfect by following this Vedic literature, and they can lead the whole world. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. First of all you become perfect by taking lessons from the Vedic literature. And then you do good to others. But without making yourself perfect, if you try to do good to others, that is chaos. Then again comes, *andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ*. Some blind men following another blind man, what will be the result? The present Indians, we have lost our own culture. We have rejected our own culture. Still we are leading people. There is chaotic condition. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to correct this mistake. So leaders like you should cooperate. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1](spoken/1976/761225sb.bom)** > Now in the bodily conception of life we are so much contaminated that our existence is now polluted. Actually it is polluted, because Kṛṣṇa says, *na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*. This is our position. Our position is we never take birth. We are not subjected to take birth because we are part and parcel of God, spirit soul. And *na jāyate na mriyate vā:* we do not die. How we are seeing... Every day we are dying. My father die, my brother die, my neighbor die. How is that? *Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.* This is our position. We do not die, even the body is destroyed. So where is that knowledge throughout the whole world? There is no such knowledge. There is no university, no school, no college to impart this knowledge, that *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre*, this simple word. This is fact. > 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*. 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 on December 25 *Letters from this day: 16* --- **[1955: Letter to Sirs](letters/1947-1965/551225_sirs)** > With reference to the inaugural meeting of the Delhi section of the League on 22/12/55 the gentlemen named above have been selected to be the executive members. --- **[1968: Letter to Jadurani](letters/1968/681225_jadurani)** > Purusottama says that this is a particular specialty of your letters that you write without any date. --- **[1969: Letter to Govardhana](letters/1969/691225_govardhana)** > I have duly chanted upon these beads and thereby have accepted you as an initiated disciple. --- **[1969: Letter to Hayagriva](letters/1969/691225_hayagriva)** > Our main function in New Vrindaban is to give protection to the cows. But in spite of all difficulties, when we have started we have to go on improving it as far as possible. New Vrindaban is already established; it cannot be closed. --- **[1969: Letter to Jananivasa](letters/1969/691225_jananivasa)** > I was very happy to learn that you are very serious about writing an essay entitled "Krsna Consciousness is the Absolute Necessity for Mankind in this Age". --- **[1969: Letter to Jayagovinda](letters/1969/691225_jayagovinda)** > I am so glad to receive your letter dated December 17, 1969, and I can understand from the spirit of your letter that Krishna is fixing you in a particular type of duty which you may welcome for your benefit, for the movement's benefit, and for the benefit of the people in general. Simply we have to render service. --- **[1969: Letter to Krsna Dasa](letters/1969/691225_krsna_dasa)** > You have signed your name as Krishna das naradhama, but actually, one who is Krishna das is Narottama. --- **[1971: Letter to Amogha](letters/1971/711225_amogha)** > That is the sign of the first-class devotee, that he is always willing to sacrifice everything to please Krishna by preaching His glories, even under all sorts of difficult conditions. --- **[1971: Letter to Gargamuni](letters/1971/711225_gargamuni)** > I have replied your letter this morning; perhaps you have received it already. Now in the meantime we have received an important letter form Cox and Kings and a copy is sent herewith. --- **[1972: Letter to Kisora](letters/1972/721225_kisora)** > Actually, I liked that place Scotland very much when I was there last time, and especially I saw that the Scotsmen were very much inclined toward our preaching, but the weather was for me unbearable. --- **[1972: Letter to Sri Govinda](letters/1972/721225_sri_govinda)** > Regarding your other question, should we become detached from the results of our activities, or should we become simply attached to the Lotus Feet of Krishna, the answer is that both of these philosophies are right. But, if one is attached in order to please his Spiritual Master, then it is all right. --- **[1973: Letter to Gurukrpa Yasodanandana](letters/1973/731225_gurukrpa_yasodanandana)** > Karandhara has received a letter from Tamala Krsna Goswami and he is expressing some hesitation about your returning to India. --- **[1974: Letter to Malati](letters/1974/741225_malati)** > Concerning that remark by Himavati about your being guilty because you are the wife of Syamasundara who has done horrible things, therefore you must suffer, that is not a fact. Maybe he has made mistake but he has not done anything horrible. --- **[1974: Letter to Yadubara](letters/1974/741225_yadubara)** > We can collect a lot of money with this film, for ISKCON Food-relief program. But not a single farthing of that money should be used for any other thing. --- **[1976: Letter to Dr. Wolf](letters/1976/761225_dr._wolf)** > I'm glad to hear that you are coming to India in the near future. Yes, Krsna wants you, don't try to avoid Him. You are a sincere devotee. --- **[1976: Letter to Jnana Lilavati](letters/1976/761225_jnana_lilavati)** > My blessings to Dinesh, Nitin, Kamlesh, Rekha, Minaxi, Raksha, Shila, Hitesh, Malti, Mradula, Sumir, Dipak, Sangeeta, Vijay, Ketan, Raj Kumar, Renu, Shilpa, Niraj, Samir, Rakesh, Sanjay, Dipak, Hiten and Prupdarsana. ---