19740615 Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 3.90-97.

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on June 15, 1974 – in Dāmodaradeśa. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 3.90-97.

They lose the whole point. So Lord Chaitami had to face a lot of these type of mental concoctions or very rigid viewpoints. But he boldly preached the philosophy of the Vedas and organized the mass movement. Let everyone chant the names of Kṛṣṇa. He was never disrespectful to the system of our Ashram. Rather he rigidly enforced it. But not in a very mundane sense. Not in an artificial sense, but in a higher. Those who are Grihasta, they should maintain their family. Even Lord Chaitanya would sometimes name the children of his Vihasta disciples. Those who are Brahmacharis or Sanyasis. They should be very strict in dealing with opposite sex. They should be very sincere about their actions. So for different persons and different ways of life. He would apply the standards according to their own Ashram, according to their own circumstances.

Similarly, Prabhupāda has to disseminate this message all over the world. In Western countries, even here, this is still eastern. But in the Western countries the women are completely free from the protection of their parents after they grow up. After the age of 18, the parent sends the daughter out and says, you find the husband. It’s a very different culture. So these many girls would come to the movement and request that we want to be devoted. And there’s even laws in America saying that you cannot restrict anyone on basis of sex, creed, so forth. So many laws are there. So Prabhupāda allowed certain women to join the movement. And he kept separate women’s quarters. And later he instituted Vedic marriage. Had the American, the European, the Japanese married by Vedic home Yajna.

Changing garlands before the deity, all the ceremonies to bring them into the standard. Sometimes india people were criticized why you are letting women join the movement. And Prabhupāda said their spirit souls. They have to also be able to go back to God. And you don’t know what the situation is in the west. How you can criticize. So there are many people who have never seen outside India. They don’t understand what is the circumstance. The Lord Chaitanya predicted that Prativite, Achi, Jato Nagar, Ādi Gram, Sarvatya, Pacharite, Vaibi, Morna. In every town, in Dalitz, Job, the entire world, these names will be sung. The Sankirtan movement will reach. So that means that it has to be practically applied according to the time, place and circumstance by very expert doctors, Acharyas, gurus. Keeping the original principle but not losing the essence.

Keeping the essence, but adapting to the external situation to the extent Beneficial. So these principles given in this verse in Bhagavad Gītā, if we’re doing everything for the purpose of pleasing Kṛṣṇa, and if that’s guided by the higher principles of Shasta, we can apply it. So even everyone, no matter what they’re doing, whatever their occupation, whatever their way, there’s a way they can practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There will be a way. If they have a desire, they consult with the bona fide devotees. They can get a solution how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, as it says here. In conclusion, the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is devoid of all kinds of Sanskritificatory propensities. It is to be understood that he has burned up the reactions of his work by perfect knowledge of his constant institutional position as the eternal servitor of the supreme personality of Godhood.

He has actually learned who has attained to such perfection of knowledge. Development of this knowledge of the eternal servitorship of the Lord is compared to fire. Such a fire once kindled and burn out the reactions to all kinds of words. If we understand we’re the servant of Kṛṣṇa, we are engaging in the service to the Lord. Whether we’re man, woman, whether we’re young, old, whether we’re Brāhmaṇa or whatever sutra, whatever you might be in the previous version. Even if a person is known as a sinful person, he can still one of the verses, he can still achieve all perfection. So this movement is meant for uplifting everyone, giving them the perfection of life.

We thank you for practicing and hope that you also be able to encourage others to save themselves and to take advantage of this valuable opportunity of human life to achieve full knowledge, full transcendental knowledge and thus transcend all the reactions to our previous karmas and to return back to the spiritual world, back to our eternal place and the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa Hare. Any questions? Now the families in the west who are married in Kṛṣṇa conscious now they’re having grown up daughters. Now they’re protecting like Indian family, thinking how to get a good husband, how to so that coming around to that any question. Those whose nature is demonian cannot grow Kṛṣṇa at any time. But he cannot hide himself from his pure devotees.

People who develop the nature of Asuras like Raoana and Hiranyakashipu can never call Kṛṣṇa the personality of Godhead by challenging the authority of Godhead. But Śrī Kṛṣṇa cannot hide himself from his devotees. He was very proud of his material power. He thought that he was all powerful and anything he wanted, he could have it. So he decided he wanted to take the place of Ramchandra was the husband of Sītā. She already had her husband. But Ravana wanted to become husband of Sītā. That means he wanted to take the position of God and enjoy regardless of fortune. So because of his false ego, what Ravana got for his offensive mentality is he was destroyed. In this material world, we have to be very careful about the false ego which makes us falsely proud. Even the demigods, sometimes they also get falsely proud.

They forget where they’re getting their power from. Generally they know that their power is coming from Kṛṣṇa. However, sometimes they also get intoxicated by their success. One time there was a big war between the Asuras and between the devils. From this time, the day was defeated, the Asura when they came back from the battlefield everyone was glorifying their power, their great fighting ability. So they were feeling very proud. But they had forgotten where their power was coming from. Instead of being humble and remembering that our power is coming from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the source of the power we have. They were accepting the phrase against I am really strong, I am great. I have all these powers. In this way their false ego has taken the benefit of them. So the Lord, he knows, yeah, they are suffering this Māyā.

So he decided to give them a lesson. So in disguise he came as a sadhu. And he sat at a distance on the path. By the path on the side where the devil suhamed. So they could see that this was some very powerful sage. We didn’t know who he was to the extent. Agni, you go find out who that is. So then Agni went and the sage asked Agni, who are you? This is an ugly day. What power you have? Another power. I can burn up anything. I can burn up the whole universe turning into action. Do you have that power? So he took one blade of grass and put it down. He said, you will burn that. So then he put all his power. He tried to burn it. He couldn’t burn it. He went back. The devas asked, who is that?

I don’t know. I couldn’t find out. He also did. I said, what happened? I said point. They said, bayou De. Find out who he is. So Bayude went again. That sage was actually the Lord in disguise. He asked, who are you? I am Bayou Dev. What power you have? I can blow everything. You can bring anything. Just power I have. Say, put down the blade of your mass. If you blow that and bring it to you. So using his power, he tries to blow it and bring it. But no matter what, he couldn’t move that Blade of gas. Not even a milliker. It began on size. He left. The devil asked, who is that? I don’t know. I couldn’t figure it out. So then they decided to send Indra, the king of the Devas.

They were asked they find out Indra was going before Indra. To get there, this angel disappeared. He became visible instead. Urbakti, the famous beautiful heavenly maiden. He appeared. And Indra asked where did the saints go? Who was that saint? Gurus. He says you didn’t recognize this was the supreme Lord Vishnu in disguise. Where from? You are getting all your power, your strength, your intelligence, all of your power is coming from him. If he. You are like the machine and he is the machine. If he wants to take away any of your power, you become powerless. He doesn’t give you the power. That Lord, he was living here. So these Ravanas and the Asuras, they never accept where their power is coming from. They think that they are the only cause for their own power. And this foul Christ causes their destruction.

The Devas, those who are godly, they can easily understand. But sometimes they need to be reminded that their power is coming from the higher authority, the pure devotees. They never forget where their power is coming from. Only their pure devotees can know Kṛṣṇa and Savage. There’s a verse in the Padma Quran. There are two classes of men in the created world. One consists of the devanyak and the other of the godly. The devotees are of Lord Vishnu are the godly, whereas those who are just the opposite are called demons. This is a verse in the Padma Purāṇa. Vishnu Bhaktas or devotees and Kṛṣṇa consciousness are known as Devas Demigods. Atheists who do not believe in God or who declare themselves God are Asuras. Demons. Asuras always engage in atheistic material activities, exploring ways to utilize the resources of matter to enjoy sense gratification.

The Vishnu bhaktas, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees are also active, but their objective is are also active, but their objective is to satisfy the supreme personality of Godhead by devotional service. Superficially, both classes may appear to work in the same way, but their purposes are completely opposite because of a difference in consciousness. Asuras work for personal sense gratification whereas devotees work for the satisfaction of the supreme Lord. Those work conscientiously, but their motives are different. Kṛṣṇa path is known as Mother. Movement is meant for Devas or devotees. Demons cannot take part in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. Nor can devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness take part in demoniac activities or work like cats and dogs simply for sense gratification. Such activity does not appeal to those in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Devotees accept only the bare necessities of life to keep themselves fit to act in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

The balance of their energy is used for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness through which one can be transferred to the abode of Kṛṣṇa by always thinking of him even as the point of death. That end must be done. Tony report. There’s 91. So two classes of men are in the created world, the demoniac and the godly. The difference isn’t their purpose. The Devanya do not want to follow the laws of God. Today in the world, the Mahara culture has become very prominent. According to the Vedas, this whole world, the whole refugee should be seen as energy of Kṛṣṇa. In Vedic culture, even Mother Earth, nature, all these things are respected once in a year. The Ambu Bhakti also is observed on Mother Earth where even the in our place, all farmers from all different sects and creeds, they desist from plowing the earth.

Now in the west people have come to realize that the modern cultures and the modern religions which have gone to the west have actually the way they have been presented. They have made the people callous to the ecology. The demonic mentality let us exploit nature to the hills. How what may is actually ruining the earth Ozone layer is being destroyed. The greenhouse effect is increasing. The actual balance that this world has in terms of oxygen or in terms of various necessary things is being totally disturbed because of the demonic insensitive outlook. So now the intelligent people in the west they are appreciating the Vedic understanding as beings that is done to preserve the world. Vaasudeva the whole world is one great family under Vasudeva that this unrestricted exploitation is having unknown and vast consequences. So people are becoming the worried.

The scientists are telling everyone be careful. But people do not listen because they’re being over. They’re overtaken by demoniac Idaho this way. So much advertisement is given on every package of cigarettes. On every advertisement of cigarettes. This is harmful for your health. This causes cancer, this causes harm to pregnancies. So many different warnings are given. But people think this is my body. If I want to die, if I want to kill my body, if I want to destroy it, I can do it. It’s a divania. They are envious of their own self. They’re envious of Kṛṣṇa. So they’re thinking a way that envy against even their own bodies, the devotee and consciousness. That this body is given by Kṛṣṇa, it’s his property. And Kṛṣṇa has given me the right to Work to enjoy certain happiness in this world according to his instruction.

If I go beyond that, then I have to take the bad karma. I have to suffer. So the devotee, not out of fear, but rather out of desire to please the Kṛṣṇa, to please the Lord. He acts in a proper way in the service of Kṛṣṇa. This is a special feature of the devotees. Actually the devortee is in harmony with nature, in harmony with God. He’s working for the welfare of everyone, for the demoniac. He’s destroying his own body, destroying nature, destroying the world, creating a big difficulty. So before Chaitanya Mahprabhu came, Advaita Acharya was seeing that this demonic influence was increasing more and more the future would get out of hand. So he wanted the Lord to come and to establish Dharma. To counteract this divine influence is an incarnation of the Lord as a devotee.

His loud calling was the cause for Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation. Whatever Śrī Kṛṣṇa desires to manifest his incarnation on earth first he creates the incarnation of his respectable predecessors. Thus, respectable personalities such as his father, mother and spiritual master all take birth on earth. First is the Guru. Guru of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, Ishar Purī Gohan, Chaitanya’s guru, Simati Sachimata, his mother and Śrīla Jagannath Miśra, his father. All appear with Rida purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Whenever the supreme Personality of Godhead descends in his human form, he extends the hand of his devotees who act as his father, teacher and associates in many roles. Such personalities appear before the descent of the supreme personality of Got Him.

Before the appearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, there appeared his devotees like Śrī Madhavendrapuri, his spiritual master, Shri Sarpuri, his mother Śrīmadi Sachi Devī, his father Śrī Jagannathisha and Śrī Advaita Acharya. Having appeared, he found the whole world devoid of devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Because the people were engrossed in material affairs. Everyone was engaged in material enjoyment, whether sinfully or virtuously. No one was interested in the transcendental service of the Lord which can give total relief from the repetition of birth and death. For fourth, the entire world to be engaged in activities of material piety and impiety without a trace of devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness anywhere. The fact is that in this material world there is no scarcity of anything except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Material necessities are supplied by the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

We sometimes feel scarcity because of our mismanagement but the real problem is that the people are out of touch with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone is engaged in material sense gratification. But people have no plan for making an ultimate solution to their real problems. Namely birth, disease, old age and death. These foreign material miseries are called bhava roga or material diseases. They can be cured only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the greatest benediction for human society. So there’s sinfulness and piousness. And above that there’s devotional service many times. And you are going to face this when you go back to India and you want to tell people chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Someone will be Shivite, some will be Ayyapam. Someone will be Sivaishnavas. Some of the Madhwas, this one, that one. The pious people. They will say we’re already religious. We are doing religious things.

Why you want to introduce something new? Why you want to do all these things? We are already praying in the morning. We are doing our pūjā, isn’t it? They are going to stay like that. Maybe even they are staying here. But this is a very esoteric, you see Chaitanya Charizard postgraduate studies. This is very esoteric understanding. There’s religiousness and irreligiousness. Above those two there is devotional service or bhakti. Bhakti is the power of religiousness that we should understand. If you do pious activity, you do punya subakarma. You get what you get good material benefit. You get a good birth, good husband, good wife, good education. In the next life, good body, all these type of things, good wealth, good luck. It gives you a good material birth. Your next life you will get a nice birth.

But you have to again take another birth to enjoy that nice birth. And if you’re born in this world, it’s not hundred percent. Even if you get a good body, still problems will be there. There’s always suffering in this world. It’s like if you are a good prisoner in your prison, they make you trusty. That means you don’t have to stay behind bars. You can serve the meals to the other prisoners. You can bring them their towels and their sheets. You can walk around semi free. But you are still in the prison. So the devas, they are also prisoners in this universe. They cannot leave. But then the truth. They can move around and they can supply the towels, the water, the air to the other prisoners. So they are respected because they’re.

You want to get those things so you respect even the prisoners. They tell their guys, please give me better towels. Ali Baba, give me my sheep. Give me a pack of cigarettes. Give me candy bar. They’re asking all the savers. Please sir, give me one. So like that they’re getting some respect. But what they are they after all they’re also prisoners. Then they give somebody choose candy bar and someone get no candy bar. So the devas they give some place more water and some place less water. They have to also act according to KA’s rules. Generally speaking they are not completely independent. They also are in a much higher position. They also within this whole material karma from Indra down to the Indra Gopal Bhag, everyone is subject to lots of karma. The Vedas say how Intra actually was the Brāhmaṇa.

He has to suffer the karma. So then he made some trade off with different people to get rid of that karma. Anyway it’s another point. So these are the two different points. Punya and Pa. Religion activity brings good prosperity and simple life. Doing things against the Shastra. They produce suffering future birth. To be crippled, blind, diseased, without proper intelligence. Not very handsome or beautiful, not a very good family. These type of bad karmas may be there. But what is bhakti as beyond is Punya and Taap. Bhakti means you are directly serving Kṛṣṇa. This thing Adoita Acharya Sahib is lacking in the world. Some people are doing religious work, some are doing irreligious work. But nobody is doing exact same. Hati to come Kṛṣṇa to Vishnu who is giving everything. Everyone is what? Everyone is focusing on the fruit. There’s no love for God.

Love for the fruit. Just like people want money in this world, some people are honest workers. They follow the laws of the country. They do their job, they pay their tax, they get their income. And others are black market here. They smuggle, they rob, they have black money. They are doing some illegal work. But both are wanting what money. But one is doing it legally and one is doing illegally. They’re both on a material platform. On one hand if they get caught, they will be put in jail. The black market peers. And the other they honest citizen. The government was supposed to protect them. So in this world it’s like that Punya and pop. But objective is for the fruit. Not that people are working out of fear of the government, not out of love for the government. Sadhu. Fear of God.

People are following these rules and regulations that if I don’t follow, I will get punished. But Bhakti is the reverse. It’s out of love. I am serving Kṛṣṇa, not because I am Afraid that I don’t, you know, I am serving because I love him, because I appreciate what he’s doing for me. I want to give something in return. Sometimes you may be naughty child. The parent has to say, if you do wrong, I am going to feed you. So the child is more or less obeyed. But if a child actually is very competitive, comes to the parent, I want to help you, I want to serve you. Can I help you at the cooking? Can I help you with the cleaning? Parent will be very happy or very good. Parents attitude is very rare. Especially nowadays in Western culture.

Especially you see that children are not even respectful to their parents. They yell at their parents. They don’t have their upbringing. So we find in Beijing culture this principle of gratitude that my parents have done for much to bring me up, to give me education, to take care of me. I should be grateful for that. Similarly, if we are grateful to our parents, what about the Supreme Father? What about the Supreme Lord who is giving us everything? We should be grateful through him. May gratitude mean we should reciprocate, we should try to do something for him. That is the beginning of devotion. But in demonic based society, there’s no character, there’s no appreciation. So it’s very like jungle, very difficult for the place to live in. And the people are suffering like anything now. Advaita Goswami, he was saying that this was going on.

People are religious, irreligious, but no one is having bhakti. He saw even the religion is becoming superficial. Some people are doing deva pūjā to Devī, to Shivas, to various devas to get their material desire fulfilled. Then some are also doing speculating of dharma just to get name and fame that he’s a very religious person. They’re doing some big pūjā. They’re making some calls of Shiva and Durga and then marrying together Shiva and Pārvatī by big wedding ceremony. Then someone is marrying their daughter, spending lots of money to put a big show to sign very someone else has no more daughter to marry. So then he decides that I have to do something bigger than the other person. So he decides to marry one male and female cat. Biral di rally and Gustavi, changing the garland, the whole ceremony doing for the other people.

He was very concerned that his own image being presented very big. He called me the honored guest. You put my name in a big letter. He gave colored photo. You put my color photo in my newspaper. So people are very preoccupied that other people should think I am a religious man, I am a highest man. I am a public figure. They want name same. Actually devotion means we want to please Kṛṣṇa. Those are the truly great people. They automatically get name and fame. We are still talking about Khalad Maharaj Bali Maharaj. Although they were born in a Suryag family, they became the greatest Bhaktas Mali Maharaj. He doesn’t have to advertise, but he is famous everywhere. Because he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and he became the pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. A Vishwana. That is the real thing.

When Loy Chaitani and Ramananda I were discussing voichaitani asked who is the most famous person. And Ramananda Rai explained who is the pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Raha Kṛṣṇa. That person is the most famous in all the sea world. The artificially don’t have to go for fame. Because one is truly famous, truly recognized. Because the real quality is there. If we are devoted to Kṛṣṇa then we become blessed by Kṛṣṇa. He gives us all the power to do his service. So therefore real power and real potency is there. You tapped directly into the storehouse of all the in order to get pure devotion, we also require to have a bona fide guru. Without a bona fide guru, how will we know what is pure Bhakti? What is material Dharma? Mano Dharma? What is Adharma?

People are taking shelter of the boast Ashad gurus for not giving this pure principle of bhakti. You see one. There’s an example. One time there was a blind man. He was dressed very nicely. With his neat clothes and everything. He was going to meet his father in law. What do you call him? Malayalam Father in law. Sasur. He wanted to meet his Amalan. So he met one coward boy on the way. And he said, I want to meet my Amalan with. will you please take me to his house? The cow earth boy said, I got so many cows here. If I take you to his house, then what’s going to happen? All the cows will run away. They will be scattered. So I won’t be able to go. But the man said, I want to see my Amalan very much. I know I am blind.

It’s very hard for me to find out those here. Listen, I. I have here one cow who is very trustworthy. 1. And this cow is cow of your good farm. So we will go to his house. You just hang on to the tail and eventually you will get to the house. It’s a danger very much so held on to grab the tail of the cow. The cow is saying to me. What’s going on? Someone’s grabbing on my tail. So first the cow gives him a few good kicks. So what happened? He’s screaming, you know, as he’s screaming, he’s full with his blind holding. He pulls the tail. Now the cow become very angry at his Rajah. And he’s bait behind the cow. The cow goes right into the bushes. And all the thorns are there. The thorns are ripping his clothes. Ripping. His body is cut.

All the clothes are ripped out. Sound. Himra is going through the rock to the cork. He’s being dragged everywhere, completely bruised. And all clothes are ripped. Finally going like this the whole afternoon through the bushes. The fire is. Then finally the cow gets to the Amalan’s house. There that Cocoa sees that. Who’s this guy hanging on to my cow? My master’s cow. He takes the stick that you are. Cow thief. He starts to beat him, fight him, kick him. He’s scaling. Then finally Amalan come out. No, no. This is my son in law completely. This is example. If someone takes shelter of Ashad Guru. It’s like holding out the tail of a cow. When you are blind. You don’t know how to get to Kṛṣṇa. You don’t know how to get. You have to take shelter of someone.

Then you have to take shelter of the proper person. If some fool tells you, no, you just hang on the back of this cow or donkey or something. You say, okay, that’s a good idea. Then what happens? You’re going to suffer like an Indian. You’re going to get caught, bruised, beat, kicked. So one needs to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Who knows what is the destination. Take you the proper way. If someone thinks, I will take a shortcut, hang on to the back or the tail of the cow. Then you can expect to be drained in thorn. To be kicked and suffered from all these problems. He was the real guru. He was the real Acharyar. He was practicing, he was preaching, he was living.