# December 31 *Lectures from this day: 9 recordings* --- **[[spoken/661231cc.ny|Cc. Madhya 20.367-84 — December 31, 1966, New York]]** **Prabhupāda:** > śaktyāveśāvatāra kṛṣṇera asaṅkhya gaṇana > dig-daraśana kari mukhya mukhya jana > [[cc/madhya/20/367|[Cc. Madhya 20.367] ]] Lord Caitanya says that incarnation of opulence... *Śaktyāveśa avatāra* means incarnation of opulence. We have analyzed the opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So *śaktyāveśa avatāra...* An incarnation who represents a particular opulence of the Supreme Lord, he is called *śaktyāveśa avatāra.* So Lord Caitanya says that there are innumerable incarnations like that, of whom only the principal, I mean to say, principal incarnations, they are mentioned herein. And who are they? --- **[[spoken/681231pu.la|Spelling of Ārati Song — December 31, 1968, Los Angeles]]** **Prabhupāda:** Attractive. This means, "The *ārātrika* ceremony which is going on on the bank of the Ganges to receive Lord Caitanya is so beautiful that it is attractive to the people of the world, all people of the world." *Jaga-jana-mana-lobhā. Mana...* "Attractive to the mind of all people of the world." **Prabhupāda:** *Ārati* means the *arati,* reception; *koren,* doing; *brahmā,* Lord Brahmā; *ādi,* headed by; *deva-gaṇe,* all the demigods. That means, "To offer *ārati* reception to Lord Caitanya, all the demigods have come down, headed by Lord Brahmā." *Ārati koren brahmā-ādi deva-gaṇe.* **Prabhupāda:** *Bāme,* on the left side. This is Nityānanda on the right side, and that is Gadādhara on the left side. --- **[[spoken/721231bg.bom|Bg 13.2-4 — December 31, 1972, Bombay]]** **Pradyumna**: "I am also the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and its owner is called knowledge. That is my opinion." [[bg/13/3|[Bg. 13.3] ]] **Prabhupāda:** So everyone, everyone gives his opinion. Kṛṣṇa also says opinion. So whose opinion we shall accept? If we take votes, whose opinion we shall accept? Kṛṣṇa says, *mataṁ mama*: "This is My opinion." Knowledge means to understand the owner of the body and the body. The body and the owner-body—not the same thing. Just like the owner of the house and the house, they're not the same thing. And knowledge means one should know what is this house and who is the owner. That is knowledge. But they're mixing. In the modern age they are mixing the owner of the house and the house. Mixing together. And this is ignorance. They're identifying this body as self. The self is the owner of the body, and the body is different. Body is made of matter: earth, water, air, fire, ether, mind, intelligence, ego. This is the combination of the body. And the soul is different. The soul is governing the body, utilizing the body, working on the body. Therefore it is, in the beginning, it is said, --- **[[spoken/731231mw.la|Morning Walk — December 31, 1973, Los Angeles]]** **Prajāpati:** Actually, I was concerned this morning about inflation. The government and the newspapers, they say the biggest problem today is inflation. From our Kṛṣṇa conscious standpoint, how can we cure this problem of inflation? **Prabhupāda:** It is very simple. Don't accept paper currency. It must be gold or some metal worth. Just like one dollar, it must be worth one dollar metal. Then it is solved. But they want to cheat. How it can be solved? Because if I pay you one dollar, I must pay you value for one dollar. But it is the cheating process is going on, "I pay you one dollar, a piece of paper." That's all. So you accept cheating, and I also cheat. Government allows. So how the problem can be solved? It is cheating. But the government allows it as law. And you accept, I accept. Then how they can be solved, solution? This is the solution. **Prajāpati:** In the economy itself there isn't actually enough money to..., that's even in the banks... --- **[[spoken/731231sb.la|SB 1.16.3 — December 31, 1973, Los Angeles]]** **Pradyumna:** *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [leads chanting of verse] [**Prabhupāda and **devotees repeat] **Pradyumna:** *ājahāra*—performed; *aśva-medhān*—horse sacrifices; *trīn*—three; *gaṅgāyām*—on the bank of the Ganges; *bhūri*—sufficiently; *dakṣiṇān*—rewards; *śāradvatam*—unto Kṛpācārya; *gurum*—spiritual master; *kṛtvā*—having selected; *devāḥ*—the demigods; *yatra*—wherein; *akṣi*—eyes; *gocarāḥ*—within the purview. [break] --- **[[spoken/741231sb.bom|SB 3.26.22 — December 31, 1974, Bombay]]** **Nitāi:** *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [**Prabhupāda and **devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] "After the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, these features appear simultaneously. As water in its natural state, before coming in contact with earth, is clear, sweet and unruffled, so the characteristic traits of pure consciousness are complete serenity, clarity and freedom from distraction." --- **[[spoken/761231iv.bom|Press Interview — December 31, 1976, Bombay]]** **Prabhupāda:** Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the merciful incarnation for all people. How we can question upon this idea? **Prabhupāda:** Yes. Ignorance. Stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti.* You take *Bhagavad-gītā* as it is. *Mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ [**Bg* 7.13]. [aside:] Oh, that is given to that doctor. [Transl. Actually the knowledge is in India. Nowhere else there is knowledge. There is no knowledge.] --- **[[spoken/761231r1.bom|Room Conversation — December 31, 1976, Bombay]]** **Prabhupāda:** ...so glorious. Glorious. He's glorious. That's all right. But *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī* will imitate his behavior, but he is not fixed up. Therefore it is not good for him. He is forbidden. This is... **Prabhupāda:** Yes. They will commit so many mistakes, and they'll take it for granted. Just like this "*nitāi-gaura-rādhe-śyāma*." That is avoided for *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.* There are so many mistakes, *rasābhāsa.* So two things are there always, two sides: one for the *mahā-bhāgavata,* one for the ordinary *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī.* So in the temple it is to be supposed generally for the *madhyama-adhikārī* and *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī* especially. So in the temple we should not... **Hari-śauri:** I remember once before, a few years ago, you sent a letter out saying that no one should try to compose songs or... --- **[[spoken/761231r2.bom|Room Conversation — December 31, 1976, Bombay]]** **Prabhupāda:**[laughs] So similarly, if one is giving very important service, then even there is some faulty thing, excuse. Service is so important. So in the Western countries the woman can give very good service. *Api cet sudarācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ* [[bg/9/30|[Bg. 9.30] ]]. This book distribution is the most important task in our Society. Therefore I am giving so much stress and I am working so hard on this. Because this is my life and soul according to the order of my Guru Mahārāja. And by his grace it is to some extent successful. And I took it seriously. I take it seriously still now. That is my life and soul. I never tried in India to construct big temples, or even in your country we didn't. I never tried. But I was selling personally books. That is the history. Sometimes they are criticizing, "What kind of *sannyāsī?* He is doing book business." [laughs] The other day that..., what is his name? Bachu Bhai came. Bachu Bhai Dresswalla. **Prabhupāda:** Maybe their father. In the beginning I had no place, so I was staying with..., what is that? Prem Niketan? --- ## Letters - [[../../letters/1967/671231_rayarama.md|Letter to Rayarama, 1967]] - [[../../letters/1968/681231_brahmananda.md|Letter to Brahmananda, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/681231_satsvarupa.md|Letter to Satsvarupa, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/681231_sivananda.md|Letter to Sivananda, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/681231_uttama_sloka.md|Letter to Uttama Sloka, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1970/701231_mukunda.md|Letter to Mukunda, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1970/701231_murari.md|Letter to Murari, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1971/711231_bali-mardana.md|Letter to Bali-Mardana, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1971/711231_jadurani.md|Letter to Jadurani, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1972/721231_bali-mardana.md|Letter to Bali-Mardana, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/721231_dhananjaya.md|Letter to Dhananjaya, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/721231_gurudasa_yamuna.md|Letter to Gurudasa Yamuna, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/721231_revatinandana.md|Letter to Revatinandana, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1972/721231_sankarsana.md|Letter to Sankarsana, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1973/731231_tamala_krsna.md|Letter to Tamala Krsna, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_bali-mardana.md|Letter to Bali-Mardana, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_gopala_krsna.md|Letter to Gopala Krsna, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_gurudasa.md|Letter to Gurudasa, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_gurukrpa.md|Letter to Gurukrpa, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_hansadutta.md|Letter to Hansadutta, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_nara-narayana.md|Letter to Nara-Narayana, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1974/741231_pancadravida.md|Letter to Pancadravida, 1974]] - [[../../letters/1975/751231_kirtiraja.md|Letter to Kirtiraja, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751231_madhudvisa.md|Letter to Madhudvisa, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751231_mahavisnu.md|Letter to Mahavisnu, 1975]] - [[../../letters/1975/751231_yuvraj_thakura_sahib.md|Letter to Yuvraj Thakura Sahib, 1975]]