Living Outside The Temple — New York City, 1972

Subtitles

[00:15]: Prabhupada, you’ve said in past lecture that for one who wants to take up ‘bhakti,’
[00:25]: the work that you’re engaged in is not stopped.
[00:27]: This has been a source of confusion for myself and maybe other people.
[00:32]: Could you sort of delineate what is meant by that?
[00:49]: No, ‘Bhakti,“ that’s what we are defining…Definition of ‘bhakti’ means:
[00:59]: [“Devotional service should be devoid of material motivation”]
[01:06]: That is ‘bhakti.’ Try to understand what is ‘bhakti.’ You are following me? Now you come sit.
[01:12]: You come forward. Try to understand what is ‘bhakti.’
[01:20]: ‘Bhakti’ means, we have no other desire than to satisfy Krishna. That is ‘bhakti.’
[01:33]: Just like Arjuna. Arjuna satisfied Krishna by fighting. And he became a pure devotee.
[01:47]: On the battlefield, Arjuna was hesitating. “What is the use of killing my own men?
[01:58]: My family men, my brothers, my nephews, my grandfathers, all on the other side.”
[02:05]: And you have to fight with them. Fight with them and to kill them. So he was hesitating.
[02:13]: He was a warrior, very great warrior, he knew, “When I fight I shall kill them.
[02:18]: Although they have come to fight with me, they do not know. But I know.
[02:23]: They are my men. So why shall I fight with them? Let them enjoy. I don’t want…”
[02:31]: That was [his] confused feeling. But after understanding Bhagavad Gita,
[02:43]: when he came to the understanding that it is his duty to satisfy Krishna,
[02:52]: so he sacrificed his own conviction that he would not kill his men.
[03:03]: He satisfied Krishna. By the same art, he was warrior.
[03:11]: So he did not change his position.
[03:15]: After reading Bhagavad Gita, he did not become a Vedantist or went away to Himalaya for yoga practice
[03:26]: and give up the fight in battlefield. No. He did not change.
[03:32]: But he changed his consciousness. That is ‘bhakti.’
[03:38]: At the present moment our consciousness is that we are working for our own sense gratification.
[03:48]: When this consciousness will be changed, that we have to work for satisfying Krishna,
[03:57]: then our lives will be complete. You haven’t got to change your work or position.
[04:03]: But when you understand that you have to work, not for your personal sense gratification,
[04:11]: but for satisfaction of Krishna, that is Krishna Consciousness.
[04:16]: So there is no question of changing your position. Changing your consciousness, that is the question.
[04:25]: Can I ask another question?
[04:30]: First of all, is this clear?
[04:32]: This is very clear.
[04:33]: ‘Bhakta’ does not mean that you have to change everything. No. He hasn’t go to change.
[04:40]: Simply he has to change his consciousness. This is ‘bhakti.’
[04:48]: Change his consciousness in favor of Krishna. How I am acting now, I would like this, to do.
[05:00]: This is our preoccupation. I’d like. I’d like to eat like this. I’d like to sleep like this.
[05:07]: So present material position means: “My like.” And spiritual position means: “Krishna’s liking.”
[05:19]: That’s all. How you’re doing, you think Krishna has liked?
[05:25]: Material position means “I simply want to satisfy my likes.”
[05:30]: Therefore, Krishna Consciousness means to change this mentality.
[05:39]: My like. But to accept the principle of satisfying Krishna.
[06:09]: So ‘bhakti’ means to act according to Krishna’s likes. Is it clear?
[06:18]: It does not mean change of place, change of occupation. Change of mentality. That’s ‘bhakti.’
[06:31]: Prabhupada, what if you’re engaged in some occupation that Krishna does not like?
[06:46]: That you have to learn from Krishna’s representative. What He likes, what He does not like.
[06:54]: And we should accordingly, give it up immediately?
[06:57]: Therefore you have to accept spiritual master.
[07:03]: If the spiritual master is pleased, then you know Krishna is pleased.
[07:08]: If spiritual master is displeased, then you know, that Krishna is displeased.
[07:14]: You cannot be in contact with Krishna at the present moment.
[07:19]: In the beginning therefore you require the help of Krishna’s representative.
[07:25]: To learn whether Krishna is pleased or Krishna is not pleased. But your business is to please Krishna.
[07:40]: I’m not living in a temple. I’m working and I’m married. So what should my activities be like?
[07:51]: You should make your home a temple. What is the difference between temple and home?
[08:00]: This is a temple. The next house is a house.
[08:06]: This is also made of brick and stone. That is also made of Brick and stone.
[08:13]: But it is called temple, because here the business is Krishna.
[08:21]: And that is called house, because there is no Krishna business.
[08:29]: So if you make your house Krishna business, then that is also temple.
[08:36]: You do the same thing has the members here are doing in you apartment.
[08:50]: In you house, with your wife and children.
[08:52]: You work independently, spend independently, but do it for Krishna. Then you house is temple.
[09:01]: That we want. Here, the temple means, we are simply giving example how to live.
[09:11]: So this example can be followed everywhere. Every house can be turned into a temple.
[09:18]: Here, everything is Krishna centered.
[09:24]: Similarly, if in your home you make Krishna center, not you center, then your home is also temple.
[09:48]: Srila Prabhupada, I understand Krishna to be the Supreme Controller over all activities that happen in this material world.
[10:07]: So how can Krishna allow such slaughter and other such “maya’s” [illusory] activities to take place under His control?
[10:22]: Krishna does not allows animal slaughter and such things.
[10:27]: Krishna says that, “I am the Father of every living entity.” Just like father. He has got ten sons.
[10:39]: Some of them are like animals. But those who are advanced in knowledge,
[10:47]: if such sons request the father that, “My other brothers are useless. Let us kill them and eat!”
[11:00]: Will the father agree? Will the father say, “Yes. My…These sons are useless. You kill them and eat.”
[11:10]: Will the father say? So Krishna has no sanction for animal killing.
[11:15]: We are doing, violating the laws of Krishna.
[11:19]: Therefore we are becoming entangled in sinful activities. We are doing. Krishna does not sanction.
[11:28]: Krishna says, “Ahimsa…[non-violence].” These are the qualities to be developed.
[11:38]: You cannot be violent. You cannot break anything. This is violation of God’s law.
[11:46]: Just like in the Bible it is stated: “Thou shalt not kill!”
[11:51]: So those who are killing, they are violating the laws of God, and become, I mean to say,
[11:58]: liable to be punished. Criminals. So Krishna doesn’t…The government does not say that
[12:08]: you kill your fellow. If you kill, then you will be hanged. Government says this.
[12:14]: But when you kill your fellow man, it is your responsibility. It is not the government’s responsibility.
[12:23]: Similarly, when you kill another fellow living being that is your responsibility.
[12:29]: It is not Krishna’s responsibility.
[12:41]: Prabhupada, I’ve heard different procedures for acquiring remaining Krishna conscious.
[12:53]: What is the procedure now? Has it been changed?
[13:00]: Our procedure is we are asking everybody to chant Hare Krishna Mantra.
[13:06]: That simple thing will help you in every respect. Chant Hare Krishna.
[13:16]: Then gradually, you will be enlightened. No other recipe. And you’ll do it yourself.
[13:26]: Make association with devotees. Chant Hare Krishna. This is our procedure.
[13:39]: In your books, you’ve explained that within the “Kali-yuga” age.
[13:44]: Is “Kali-yuga” age coming to a close now?
[13:47]: No. It will continue for another 427 thousands of years.
[13:57]: The age of Kali-yuga is 432 thousands of years. Out of that, we have passed only five thousand years.
[14:11]: The balance is 427 thousands of years. And it will become…Condition of society, world, will be worse.
[14:25]: Not better, but worse. In the last leg of Kali-yuga, there will be no food grains, no milk, no fruits…
[14:42]: A very horrible time. People will kill their own children and eat, just like animals.
[14:53]: So the last stage of Kali-yuga will be like hell. So before coming to that stage,
[15:02]: better to take Krishna Consciousness and go back to Krishna. That is our philosophy.
[15:10]: Don’t…Foolish to wait for the worst thing. The worst things are already happening.
[15:21]: It will be still more worse. Instead of waiting up to that time, better, be perfect by chanting Hare Krishna,
[15:33]: and go back home, back to Godhead. That is our philosophy. Yes.
[15:46]: As a devotee now who’s in the temple, is it good consciousness for me to think that Krishna
[15:51]: will be presenting me many opportunities to serve, but I would prefer to do a particular thing
[15:57]: that I like best, rather than consulting the authorities as to what should be done?
[16:01]: Yes. But we have to wait to see the fruits.
[16:05]: What should be done?
[16:09]: Other than that, we are practically doing.
[16:12]: You do accept, yes… We’re talking of Krishna, from so many books. We’re thinking of Krishna.
[16:26]: We’re chanting of Krishna. We’re eating Krishna’s Prasad.
[16:29]: Our whole day and night is engaged in Krishna’s business. This is devotee.