19800513 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.3.3

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatāka Swami Maharaja on May 13, 1980 in St Louis. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 3, Chapter 3, Text 3.

Translation by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda kī!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapatāka Swami: Attracted by the beauty and fortune of Rukmiṇī, the daughter of King Bhīṣmaka, many great princes and kings assembled to marry her. But Lord Kṛṣṇa, stepping over the other hopeful candidates, carried her away as His own share, as Garuḍa carried away nectar.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Princess Rukmiṇī, the daughter of King Bhīṣmaka, was actually as attractive as fortune itself because she was as valuable as gold both in color and in value. Since the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is the property of the Supreme Lord, Rukmiṇī was actually meant for Lord Kṛṣṇa. But Śiśupāla was selected as her bridegroom by Rukmiṇī’s elder brother, although King Bhīṣmaka wanted his daughter to be married to Kṛṣṇa. Rukmiṇī invited Kṛṣṇa to take her away from the clutches of Śiśupāla, so when the bridegroom, Śiśupāla, came there with his party with the desire to marry Rukmiṇī, Kṛṣṇa all of a sudden swept her from the scene, stepping over the heads of all the princes there, just as Garuḍa carried away nectar from the hands of the demons. This incident will be clearly explained in the Tenth Canto.

Thus end the Purport by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Jayapataka Swami: So, here are the brief pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa that He performed outside of Vṛndāvana. We see that the demons… the demons and materialists, they want Lakṣmī. They want to enjoy Lakṣmī but they are not the rightful enjoyer of Lakṣmī. The actual husband of Lakṣmī is Kṛṣṇa. So, when they are trying to enjoy Lakṣmī in the form of Rukmiṇī, Kṛṣṇa came, and He stole all of her away from all of them... from all of them. And Kṛṣṇa taking Rukmiṇī, His rightful queen back to His own dhāma in Dvārakā, showed them actually what is their position. They are insignificant compared to Kṛṣṇa. In this way, Kṛṣṇa in other avatāras, He also showed, just like in Rāma avatāra.

At that place, Rāvaṇa he also stole Lakṣmī in the form of Sītā Devī and his idea was he was going to enjoy Sītā. But Sītā is only to be enjoyed by Rāmacandra Prabhu. No one else is a fit person to be her master. So, Rāvaṇa was cursed that if he were to dare touch a woman unwillingly, then his head would explode. His ten heads would explode. So, he would have to seduce the women he would abduct until they willingly agreed to accept him. But Sītā never agreed to accept Rāvaṇa. Even he tried mystic power. He took a false head of Rāma, threw it at her feet and said, “Just see I have killed Rāma. Now you should accept me.” And she spit and said, “You are a dog.” and so many words. “You are a crow compared to my Rāmacandra. This is all some trick.”

So, therefore it is said that of all the chaste wives, even of the king of heaven Indra, no one compare with the chastity of Lakṣmī. Of course, compared to the chastity of Lakṣmī, actually she is doing tapasya to be elevated to the position of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana and of them of course, the queen is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So, the materialists, they are always trying to enjoy the Lord’s energy. Therefore, their mentality is the mentality of demons. And therefore, although they try to enjoy continuously, it’s being taken away. They are not able to maintain that status. And it’s being taken away by māyā, by the cruel hand of death.

The devotees, they are like representatives of Hanumān. They are also trying to take the Lakṣmī away from the demons and return the Lakṣmī back into Nārāyaṇa’s service. Just like Hanumān. Hanumān went all the way to Śrī Laṅkā and he was captured in the garden giving a message from Rāmacandra to Sītā.

Hanumān is a monkey, devotee of Rāmacandra - very powerful. He is this god, the son of the wind god Vāyu, so he is able to fly. He also had many mystic powers. So, when they bound him up by ropes, then Rāvaṇa said, “Now you light this tail on fire-wheel. Incinerate him.” How do you say that? “Exhume him”. So, they tied to his tail a rag of oil and set it on fire. And then Hanumān, he reduced his size. Reducing his size, all the ropes came loose; he got out then he expanded his size to a huge size and then he flew throughout the whole city of Laṅkā and set every house on fire. And he left the city of Laṅkā on fire and he jumped back to Rāmacandra across the ocean. So, devotees, they are not afraid of the demons and whatever the risks, they are determined to save Lakṣmī from the hands of the demons.

Actually, Rāvaṇa was considered to be a great devotee of demigods. He was considered to have so many great qualities but because ultimately, he is envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is considered to be a demon. But he was very powerful. He was very handsome. He had so many good qualities. He used to always give charity to the brāhmaṇas. He showed so many good qualities, but ultimately, he was envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ultimately he was envious of everyone. When the whole Laṅkā was set on fire, his brother Vibhīṣaṇa went to him and said, “My dear elder brother Rāvaṇa, Lakṣmī has gone away from your temple. Now all Laṅkā is set on fire. Give back Sītā. Give her back. You are causing the ruin of Śrī Laṅkā, our happy kingdom!” And Rāvaṇa, he thought, “Oh you rascal, you are telling me what to do?” and drove Vibhīṣaṇa out of his kingdom. So Vibhīṣaṇa went and joined Rāmacandra to fight against Rāvaṇa. This is the system. Good counselling given to a demon - he will never accept.

Those who are down head demons even the greatest counsel is given, he thinks that “Oh this person is envious of me.” So, one has to be very careful that this demoniac mentality doesn’t enter. It’s so dangerous. Vibhīṣaṇa, when he went to see Śrī Rāmacandra, they saw, here’s this big asura, flying, they... immediately Lakṣmaṇa says “Kill him!” and Rāmacandra said “No.”

He said, I identify himself, “I am your devotee”. So, then Rāmacandra tested him and accepted. So, the battle, of course is amazing because by the power of Kṛṣṇa and His energy:

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni 
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ 
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā 
kartāham iti manyate
(Bg 3.27)

Everyone thinks that the doer. And all the followers of Rāvaṇa, they were so dedicated to Rāvaṇa because he had given them sense gratification. Simply on a purely demoniac level but they were so dedicated. They were willing to give their lives for Rāvaṇa.

One by one, when Rāmacandra attacked with His hordes of monkeys, he sent out his great warriors. He sent out Indrajit. He sent out so many of his warriors. One by one, they were defeated. They will say, “How we can fight with these monkeys? They are taking the tops of mountains and throwing them on our head. How you can fight against the mountain that’s flying and smashing at you? Alright if they took ordinary weapons, how you can fight against mountains flying at you? They pick up mountains and throw it on you.” He said, “You are afraid?” “No, I am demon”. “Get out and fight!” One by one they were all being killed.

When they would leave the (uh), the fortress of Śrī Laṅkā, because what happened was they wouldn’t go out and fight against monkeys. They’d say this is beneath our honor to fight against them. But then they’d siege, put in siege the whole of Śrī Laṅkā city so eventually it was becoming so difficult, they had to go out and fight. When they go out, there was such auspicious(inauspicious) omens on Rāvaṇa’s forces. As the, they would the, the general would leave then hyenas would vomit blood on their horses and vultures would fly over and pass right on their head. And there’s just so many. From the sky, blood and puss would rain on them. This was auspicious (inauspicious) omens when they were leaving. There’d be a big fanfare. All the queens and everyone would blow conch shells as they leave, try to make some auspicious signs. You know hit kettle drums. And then they go out and the vultures would, you know, pass stool on their head and then blood and puss would rain from the sky. Their flag would fall down off their chariot without any cause. They would… horses would trip.

Every inauspicious possible sign would be there. Still, they went out and fought and they were killed one by one. So, it is amazing to see how the demons, they are also going out and fighting with extreme valor. And the devotees, all the monkeys, all the associates of Rāma they are fighting, and everyone is filled with courage. But one is rightly situated, and one is in illusion. This is the amazing thing. The demons they think I am rightly situated. They don’t have the sense to see.

So, we see in this world today that there are few demons and most of the people are innocent, and they are being misled by these demons. And because the demons are showing such a determination, they are thinking, “Oh yes they are right”. But if someone just looks and sees what is the basis of their statement, they see that it is all simply sense gratification. There is not a bit of Absolute Truth in their statements. They are all wanting to exploit Lakṣmī for their sense gratification. Not giving any tribute to the real owner of the Goddess of fortune, the Supreme Lord. This is a very unfortunate situation. So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He recommended everyone should study śāstras very carefully. Don’t be lazy when it comes to reading the scriptures. If everyone studies the śāstras then they can just start to see what is the actual situation.

Bhīṣmadeva who was (the brother of Pāṇḍu) Pāṇḍu’s father. He is actually lifelong brahmacārī. His father wanted to marry a very young girl although he was quite old. And the (king) father of the young girl said, “No you can’t marry her because if you marry her, what is the use? Your own son is already full grown and he will marry and his son will be the king. So why should I marry my daughter to you when you are already in middle age and your son won’t be the king because you are... by her, because you are already... grown son is there”.

So, then Bhīṣmadeva is seeing the situation, his father was very anxious to get married again. So, he said, “No, don’t worry for me. I will never get married”. Just to satisfy his father, he was so austere. He accepted a lifelong brahmacarya. “I won’t get married. Are you satisfied?” He said, “Alright”. Then he gave his daughter in marriage to the king, the father of Bhīṣmadeva. So Bhīṣmadeva had taken an oath in front of fire that he would never marry.

So, his guru in military science was Paraśurāma and Paraśurāma told him at one point, “You should get married you know Bhīṣmadeva. I think it would be good for you to get a wife.” And when he said this Bhīṣmadeva was so astonished. He said, “On what basis can you say this? This is fully against the scripture. I made an oath to Kṛṣṇa that I will never take a wife and you are advising me, yes, you should get married. This is my order”. Then he said: “tyaja tyaja janata guru tyājyaṁ vidiyate - Even a guru, who doesn’t know what to do and not to do, I give him up. You are no longer guru. You are not representing Kṛṣṇa. I renounce you.”

And then there was a huge battle. Paraśurāma attacked him immediately and then Bhīṣmadeva... They fought for days and days they were fighting just out of complete... to the last straw type of fight, after renounced the Paraśurāma. Finally, Paraśurāma He satisfied, said, “Alright”. He was very satisfied with the fight. “You alright, you don’t have to get married.” (laughter).

So Bhīṣmadeva of course, he stayed brahmacārī his whole life. He got a blessing that he could die at his own free will. Unless he desires, he won’t have to leave his body. No one could force him to die. Even they peppered him, filled with arrows from top to bottom, he was lying exactly like a pin cushion filled with arrows, he wouldn’t leave his body. He was waiting for the exact opportune moment. That was the special boon he had. And then of course, Kṛṣṇa personally stood before him and glancing upon Kṛṣṇa with full darśana at that moment as the sun was in the northern side, then he left his body.

That is the point. These people who went out to fight, trying to steal Lakṣmī, they died. They all had to die at the hands of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, they got liberation. But it’s not recommended we should go out and fight Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa in that way, as our enemy. Rather we should, always look to Kṛṣṇa in a very humble and serving attitude. Carrying out His order even the odds appear to be unlimited. What are the odds of an army of monkeys fighting against the highly powerful asuras who had mystic power, who are great warriors, who have all (uh), special types of weapons, yet they defeated them. The monkeys defeated these demons because they were empowered by Rāmacandra.

The demons are always trying to keep Lakṣmī for their own enjoyment and the devotees are trying to save Lakṣmī, and engage Lakṣmī in the service of the Kṛṣṇa. Save the goddess of fortune from the hands of the demons and to engage in service of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Lord Caitanya, He tried to change the demoniac mentality of people so that they will use Lakṣmī in Kṛṣṇa’s service. They will all, of their own accord offer Lakṣmī to Kṛṣṇa. That is a very transcendental potency that Lord Caitanya gives that He can induce even the demons to become devotees and to engage Lakṣmī in Kṛṣṇa’s service. This is the special qualification of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

But here we see that Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa stolen away Rukmiṇī from the hands of the non-devotees. Kṛṣṇa can steal anyone away. He can steal away the pure soul even in the midst of the demoniac mentality. That is why one of His name is Hari. Hari means who can steal away. Because Rukmiṇī was desirous, “I want to go with Kṛṣṇa”. In spite of so many obstacles He came and easily took her away. Simply if we desire, “I want to serve Kṛṣṇa” even if we have so many disqualifications, even so many obstacles are there, Kṛṣṇa easily can come and take us away. Take out the pure soul and leave all the garbage behind. But we have to cultivate the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa. If we don’t have desire, we may put on so much show “I am a great devotee. I am a great soul”. But if we don’t have the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, we are all bluff. Inside it’ll be dry, like a dry twig. There’ll be no juice and even if there some obstacles, even if there some defect; if we cultivate the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to manifest, to fulfil His desire, then everything becomes juicy. And Kṛṣṇa easily takes away that pure spirit soul and all the (uh) demons are destroyed.

Murāri means who can kill the demons. The killer of the demon... Murāri… Murā. So just like Kṛṣṇa killed so many demons, He can kill the demons in our mind that are causing us to desire sense gratification, prestige, distinction, adoration. He can easily kill all these demons.

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is giving pure, pure science of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. There are so many scriptures in the world, even Vedic scriptures, and it is being described that those literatures which do not glorify the pastimes and pure devotion of Kṛṣṇa they are compared to as pilgrimage of the crows, vayasaṁ tīrtham uśanti manasā na yatra haṁsa (ŚB 1.5.10)

Just like the pilgrimage of the crows where no swan like personality will go. No pure spirit soul will visit such a place. They won’t indulge in such literatures. So, this Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is meant to distribute literatures which are meant to revolutionize, to create a revolution in the sinful minds of the fallen souls. janatāgha-samplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api (ŚB 12.12.52). To create a revolution in the mind of the sinful people, every śloka is filled with transcendental descriptions - yaśo ’ṅkitāni yat śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ (ŚB 12.12.52), which are heard, remembered and sung by those who are perfectly honest. One who is completely honest, he can accept, he can hear, and he can glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

So, this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is meant to find out where are those honest people, somebody who has a spark of sincerity; and to fan that spark, to fan it and to make it into a bonfire, to make it into a blaze. In fact, even if a person doesn’t hardly have the spark but at least little dry, doesn’t have a lot of garbage and pus and things in the heart; little bit, just a little fertile ground, then the devotee ignites that wood. Ignites it and creates a little spark, and then gradually fans the spark and gradually that spark increases in its combustibility until finally it becomes a full fire and then it becomes completely (uh), transcendentally situated.

The opportunity to represent Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is given to only the most fortunate people. Those who are the most intelligent, they are going to accept Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But out of their magnanimity they are trying to and give everyone the chance, to make everyone fortunate.

I remember that one time a devotee asked Śrīla Prabhupāda that, “Śrīla Prabhupāda, according to the scriptures it says that one who has (uh) performed so many pious activities in the previous lives they are able to become situated in devotional service, but I understand from my previous life before becoming a devotee that I’ve committed so many sinful activities. How is it possible that I’ve had any pious activities in my life? I cannot understand that how by my own fortune I came to this status.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda replied, “Yes, I made your good fortune. I have brought you your good fortune”. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he brought the good fortune of Mahāprabhu over even people did not have any previous advantage. Prabhupāda had the power to give that good fortune. Anyone who is purely representing Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he can be empowered to deliver that mercy, to make a person fortunate who is spiritually bankrupt. That is the special advantage of this Kali-yuga that Lord Caitanya’s devotees are here giving out the mercy. Otherwise, there’d be no hope at all, and because of the devotees of Lord Caitanya there is a very great hope.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was touring India, simply by hearing His chanting a devotee will become filled with love of Godhead would go back to his village and tell the villagers about the chanting, induce them to chant, they will become filled up love of Godhead. Another person go to another village and like this, anyone who came in contact with Lord Caitanya, His devotee or the devotee or the person that came in contact with His devotee, they all became empowered. Someone who is thus imbibed with the potency of Lord Caitanya, he can deliver the whole three worlds, all the planetary systems.

What is holding us back? Simply sinful life. The sinful life can be easily destroyed by Lord Caitanya. So, one name of Kṛṣṇa chanted without offence can destroy more sins than one can commit. Even if you try hard as you can to commit for one lifetime of Brahmā only sinful activities that still you can’t commit enough sin that one Harināma can’t destroy. Nobody should try however to test that by committing lot of sin. That is not the instruction. The instruction is to chant the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, chant - Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

And even no matter how fallen a person may be, if he sticks very strict with chanting and hearing, trying to avoid all the offences, then there is nothing that can stand in his progress. The Ganges is flowing down to the sea. What can stop the Ganges from reaching the sea? The water flows, it finally reaches the sea, nothing can stop it. Even if they can build a dam which can stop a river but there is no dam that can stop the flow of pure devotion to the ocean of Krishna consciousness.

A pure devotee, a person who wants to be a pure devotee, there is hardly any difference. Nothing can stop the flow of his devotion. There may be obstacles. There may be impediments. These are smashed away. Only danger is if one gives up the pure devotional mentality. If he starts to relate with other impetuses: fame, distinction, adoration, sense gratification, karma, jñāna, empirical knowledge, speculative knowledge, fruitive activities, mystic powers. These are like weeds.

Just as the seed of devotion is planted in the heart, as we are watering that devotional plant, at the same time around it other weeds can go up. Have you ever seen a rice paddy? You’ve seen? Sura dāsa? (laughter) You know that when you water the rice paddy and throw the fertilizer and the manure then alongside grows Śyāma grass. Did you know that? (laughter). Śyāma grass and rice they don’t look at all different. Exactly looks the same to a novice. Exactly the same.

Just see when you plant one rice plant, from the root come out about ten tillers and it makes a big bunch. Similarly, the Śyāma grass you plant it, the one seed is there in the soil and from the root comes out so many and it becomes a bunch. When you transplant rice; you just put two plants in one place. After fifteen days, it will be 25 plants there. This is Kṛṣṇa’s wonder. Otherwise, how by one seed, how can you get so many seeds? Each one seed makes ten plants, each plant makes two hundred seeds. From one seed you get 2,000 seeds.

So, when you plant the rice, if we don’t weed the rice plant, even you weed, you’ll find that after 60-days when finally the rice grains come out from the inside of the plant; the seeds come out, then you see that there amidst the rice there is a Śyāma grass. And one sort of rice coming out comes out some grass seeds and if you don’t pull the grass seeds, then they flower first and then they drop more seeds and then your whole field eventually becomes filled with Śyāma grass. And the rice gets smothered, and you get real bad crop or even the rice may die. The Śyāma grass can take all the nourishment, very powerful.

So, one has to be expert in distinguishing, “What is rice? What is paddy? And what is Śyāma grass? What is the weed?” Then pull out the weed even if it looks similar. One has to be so expert. This is not rice. These are few fine distinguishing marks. Śyāma grass has hairs on the bottom of the leaf and rice doesn’t. Like that there a few... you have to be very careful to see, “Oh this rascal Śyāma, throw him out.”

Just like that a devotee, he may be seen chanting and serving but inside along with his pure devotional plant,the bhakti-latā, there can be growing so many weeds: prajalpa, gossip, unnecessary criticism, laziness, whatever, so many little things can start coming up. Fame, distinction, adoration and this may appear to be a (uh), same thing as devotional service because it may even give an impetus to serve.

Just like there was one very nice singer singing in kīrtana and all devotees were appreciating. But Prabhupāda could understand his mood and said, “What is this rākṣasa singing? He is singing for himself. Just to hear his own voice.” You see, Prabhupāda could understand. Of course, we couldn’t see so clearly. When he pointed it out then we all said, “Yes, there is a rākṣasa”. (Devotees laugh) But Prabhupāda was very expert. When one sings, must be careful I am singing for Kṛṣṇa, singing for the Spiritual Master. Even something like that you can go, “I am very good.” The danger is there. So, what can a devotee do? He has to discipline his mind. When he sees his mind assuming different things, he has to cut it out. “No, simply singing for Śrīla Prabhupāda, simply singing for my Spiritual Master, simply singing for the pleasure of Lord Śrī Śrī Nitāi-Gaura.”

In so many ways, māyā will try to entice us, you see. It describes that just like dacoits, armed robbers, sometimes māyā forces come in, we are sitting and we are discussing things not related to our service and like dacoits Kṛṣṇa’s agents, māyā’s agents (uh) comes and steal away the jewel of devotional service.

Our desire for sense gratification, just like a ferocious tiger comes and devours and pulls out our heart off devotion. In this way there are so many dangers in the jungle. So, we have to be very careful. Once we get this precious jewel of devotional service that no one usurps it, no one steals it, no one devours it. But we don’t allow the tree of devotional service to be smothered by the weeds.

It’s amazing if one doesn’t weed his rice crop, then he will get not even one half. He will get 10%. Even material life, he only gets 10% of his rice. So, grass is able, weed is able to grow much faster than the cultivated crop. But if one keeps his, his paddy field clean, then it grows, you see, very quickly.

When one harvests his rice, then if you find that one didn’t properly tend his rice crop, what happens is instead of getting rice you get what is known as chiṭṭa. Do you know chiṭṭa? That is chaff - rice seed that has no grain inside. So that you can have a huge pile of rice husks and inside there is nothing – just a little fried grain, that has no substance. So, sometimes people mistake that, “oh this is rice”. But it’s actually only chaff, only empty holes.

So, we have to know what is the actual rice, what is the real substance and accept that. And we have to (uh) separate what is the useless chaff and throw it away. So, this continual process of separation, of refining, becoming more and more grave and serious in our devotional service, this is essential. Because the more that we can be fixed up in pure devotional service, the more that nothing can impede our progress and the impetus is how much we desire.

If we desire that, “Yes, I want to obtain the ultimate truth. I want to obtain the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. I want to actually be happy. I don’t want to cheat myself.” then we make quick progress. And if we are not true to ourselves, that, “What do I want?”, then you see, we cheat. Who do we cheat? We ultimately cheat ourselves. In this way there is so many cheaters ready to (uh) to satisfy the will of the people who want to cheat themselves.

Isn’t Tretā-yuga there was mediation… in the… excuse me... In the Satya-yuga there was meditation. In Tretā-yuga, there was sacrificial fire. In the Dvāpara-yuga there was worship in the temple. Satya-yuga means the golden age which was millions of years ago. After that came the silver age then the bronze age. Now we are in the iron age, iron age of Kali. In the iron age of Kali, the other systems, they don’t work. Doesn’t mean that they are not bona fide systems.

Just like if you go to the drugstore and ask the druggist, “Please give me some medicine. Please give me a drug.” “Then what drug do you want?” “Give me a good drug.” “No, all my drugs are good.” “No, no I want a drug. Some medicine.” “What’s wrong with you kid?!” “So the mind, I just want something to take, medicine.” You just throw out the guy on his ear. A nut! In this way people are giving yoga. When yoga is practiced a million years ago, sitting down and meditating, they think, oh now you practice yoga and for fifteen minutes someone who practice meditation and think that, “Now I am become a great yogī.”

Or some will read some books and practice jñāna-mārga. This is simply enticing them. Those who actually, if you read Bhagavad-gītā, will practice system mediation, they have to go into the forest, sit on... sit wearing some bark from a tree, on a deer skin, facing to the north on some kuśa grass, eating some dry leaves and fallen fruit from the forest and sitting down meditating all day; just getting up to take a bath and again sitting down until finally won by prāṇāyama he stops all eating, all sleeping at simply absorbed meditation. It’s very easy to do... previously they... any yogī could do it after a hundred years or two. They would. Even there were some that after twelve years it is said that they were able to get a little success. But generally speaking it takes about a hundred, two hundred or a thousand, even up to a sixty thousand years it has taken some. And nowadays even the great haṭha-yogīs they can’t sit still for more than a few hours or a few days; what to speak of year, day after day, month after month, year after year. And even who gets the ultimate ability to control his eating and sleeping, there still is no guarantee he reaches Kṛṣṇa. Now, where is the time? In the previous ages one didn’t have to eat. He could maintain just by breathing. The air was so healthy. Now if you breathe you die. You fly over the big cities, on the land, all you see is yellow haze of smog. So, in this very terrible age of iron, it is recommended one should simply chant:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare 
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam 
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva/ nāsty eva gatir anyathā

The holy name Hare Kṛṣṇa, the holy name Hare Kṛṣṇa, the holy name Hare Kṛṣṇa - harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma. Nāmaiva kevalam– is the only way. Kevalam... Kevalam means the only ultimate way. Nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā- anyathā means other way. Nāsty eva means no other, no other, no other alternative in this age of Kali. Kalau means age of Kali.

So, we are not saying that other processes aren’t bona fide. They may bona fide medicine. But if I have got a belly ache and I take a… a… (uh), I take some skin ointment for ringworm, it’s not going to solve the problem. People who are giving medicine which is for altogether different time and different disease. Naturally it’s going to have little or no effect. A friend of mine, he was a professional faith healer, (uh), set-up man. Whenever the faith healers would have their big meetings; he would be paid 20 bucks to walk up the front and pull off his hearing aid. In this way he made his living. Some days he will take off his hearing aid, some days he will throw his (clutches)… crutches. It’s a big business.

So, all different kinds of people are trying to get (uh)... the followers. Even they may be little sincere. Even someone may sincerely be selling (uh), you see, (uh) ringworm ointment to cure belly ache, but the guy is not going to cure anybody’s stomach. Even someone may sincerely believe that yes, doing meditational force, doing meditation is the best thing. But ultimately Kali-yuga we have such an intense desire for enjoyment that it doesn’t replace that desire, the desire stays there.

We have to taste nectar right away. Prabhupāda gave a nice explanation that when you have a big feast, all the chic kids, they all want to have the dessert first. They can’t wait, wait till, you know, the main courses. They want to take first of all the dessert. The Kali-yuga is like that. First of all, yena tena prakarena. By any means you get them to taste the nectar of Kṛṣṇa. After they have tasted the nectar of Kṛṣṇa then gradually you introduce following rules and regulations so that they can maintain that taste.

So, Lord Caitanya, first He gives the nectar. He gives the nectar flood and then automatically people they lose their desire for material taste. The other systems so much (uhh) difficult practice. If one doesn’t ultimately lose his taste for material enjoyment, there is no progress in yoga. Yoga means to get a higher taste. So, this Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement gives immediately the highest taste.

So that’s why the devotees, they are taking the mood of Lord Caitanya. He wants to give this mercy out. He wants to distribute the nectar. Therefore, the devotees they take all kinds of difficulties to go out, to deliver the message of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and to engage Lakṣmī in Nārāyaṇa service.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jai!

Jayapatākā Swami: Are there any questions?

Jayapatākā Swami: For a particular age, there is a particular path which is going to be able to take one all the way. Because the basic intelligence is... the basic defects of any given age are the same. So, what could take one to the ultimate perfection in one age cannot get one even up to the first floor in another age.

Anyway, if someone tries that at least he is making an attempt but he can’t reach the ultimate goal. In this particular age, people have an intense desire to enjoy. They are very agitated. They are very impatient. And still there are some very intelligent people and they can understand that ultimately, they have to become happy and that happiness has to come from within. That externally, the happiness we perceive never satisfies us. So Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is actually meant for this age.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(ŚB 12.3.51)

There is a whole volume of a… of a.book dedicated simply to describing all the defects of this present age. They say that people will grow long hair and think themselves beautiful by the length of their hair. It says that people will gradually lose their quality of mercy and not only kill animals but eventually they will become cannibals.

It gives so many descriptions, then how the members of the family, they will live separately. Families will break up. Marriages won’t last. Eventually there will be no formal marriage before God but simply by agreement people will live together. These things were unheard of when these literatures were written and of course now they are daily happenings. Even in New York City, I understand they are selling human flesh in a black market.

So, after this whole description is given, how gradually people become reduced in their lifespan, it says, what’s the use of saying all these defects? kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann - it’s an ocean of defects. asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ - there is one good quality. kirtanād eva kṛtsnasya, Kṛṣṇa kīrtana - chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet - one becomes liberated from attachment to this material world and he reaches the supreme destination.

In every age there is a door to get out of this material life and ultimately all the paths are leading to the same path. Actually, meditation and different paths that are there, they are considered to be on a much less difficult platform (uhh) in the way of dedication. One can meditate, doesn’t require so much of a commitment emotionally and intellectually. It means a physical commitment of sitting down and simply just sitting there and (uhh), being very austere for a long time. So, in the Kali-yuga these external systems are not powerful enough to work.

So externally it’s very easy. One doesn’t have to control his diet except to eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda. You can eat very nice Kṛṣṇa prasāda. He can sleep. He can do everything is there but it simply has to be a little regulated so it doesn’t become too disturbing. Externally there is not so many (uhh), restrictions although maybe by Western standards it is considered to be a restriction but considering the other yoga practices, if it’s actually to be followed there is not so many restrictions.

One can be married, can have children and still become a perfect yogī. Because the process is on the more subtle platform. It is on the internal platform. While internally he accepts the desire, “I actually want to become absolutely pure. I want to actually surrender to Kṛṣṇa. I want Kṛṣṇa to take me out of this material world.”

So yes, the other processes are there but those processes cannot take one to the goal in this age. They are not powerful enough. They don’t go deep enough. And nobody practices them practically the way they are supposed to be practiced anyway. And even… even if they try we don’t see, 99.9% they don’t practice very properly. Especially, there is no way you can practice it in America in the middle of a city, any of these other systems.

All the other systems mean you have to first of all, (uhh) there is no other system of yoga except bhakti-yoga where actually you can be married and do it. If you see all the people who have become liberated by that process, they were all sannyāsīs who completely gave up all connection with family life, who gave up all connection with social life; yet their so-called followers are trying to popularize it amongst the western people, that you can do anything and still become a perfect yogī by doing haṭha-yoga. It’s not a fact. Doesn’t go deep enough.

But bhakti-yoga means that because you are developing internally a higher taste that superficially you can simply regulate things and that’s enough because you are getting a higher taste. Their promise is that there is not the higher taste until you become completely pure so you have to stop all external and anything short of that is simply a compromise on your part; it’s simply cheating to get cheap followers.

So, the answer yes, that other processes, but those mentalities actually people don’t possess. The mentality people do possess in this age is suitable for bhakti-yoga. And anyway, anyone who is intelligent enough that he wants, or she wants to actually become perfect in this life, they can understand that this is the system which goes deep to the actual root cause of the problem. So yes, one who is very intelligent, it is said, yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ - sumedhā – medhā means intelligent. Sumedhā means very intelligent. Someone who is very intelligent, he will accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, we don’t expect everyone is going to fully accept. Only those who are the most intelligent. Those who want to be successful and actually get the goal of yoga, not just practice it just for the sake of doing something, like a hobby. Don’t you want to get the ultimate goal?

So then, you should see what will take you to the goal. What will work in this age? What will cause a change of heart? What will give the higher taste? That we desire. (break) We want that you should taste nectar. You want to taste nectar? You know meaning of nectar?

Nectar means that which is transcendental and gives eternal life. That is nectar. So, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one tastes nectar. We are in the nectar business. We are simply giving out nectar and people say that... In New York, Harikeśa Maharaja was saying that someone sat down to him in the subway and said, “You know my daughter is in college and I’m having trouble at the house. I’m thinking about getting a little bit in the spiritual life. So, I was thinking about going down to the meditation class but they charge 135 bucks so then I thought well maybe I should get in the Hare Kṛṣṇa because it’s free. But why is it free? Is it free because it’s just you know free, or is it actually kind of...you know, it’s not worth anything?”

And this is the way people were thinking. Of course, this is what happens. Because it’s being given out free people think... If you go again someone, “Here is a diamond. I’m giving you a diamond.” Just like there used to be a television show (uhh) something about a guy walk up and give a person a million-dollar cheque. First reaction was it must be a rip off. Someone’s kidding me. You come up and give someone a diamond. He thinks - What is this?... Joke? If you come up and give someone, “Here’s a piece of glass” “Oh, beautiful!”

Or if you come up and… Here in our restaurant, we were saying that free prasādam, no one would come. If we put a buck fifty, at least packed up every day. (Laughter). Because it’s free. Free means it’s not worth anything you know, must be useless. But if you charge something then people think of it a value. This is the mentality. But we can’t, it’s against our principles. We can’t charge for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you want to give something, ask another thing. But the system is that nobody can take any material benefit. We can...whatever, we have to pay for books, beads that’s another thing. But actually, the Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy, no one can... if you make a business out of it, then it is not proper. It’s forbidden. So, people think well, this is, they charge so much to get a yoga lessons and they come to the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple, they don’t even charge me anything. It must not be worth anything. So therefore, it takes a more intelligent person to understand, “Oh, this is the real thing.”

So, we are just simply requesting everyone, read our books, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You don’t have to chant here only. You can chant here, you can chant in your house, and you can chant in your train, you can chant on the bus, you can chant on the plane, and you can lock yourself in the closet and chant. If you’re… you can go out in woods, sit down and chant. Then you realize, “Yes, I am. aham brahmāsmi, I am spirit soul. I am eternal. I am Kṛṣṇa dāsadāsānudāsa, and that there is ultimately a Supreme Spirit, a Supreme Living Being and I have a relationship with that Supreme Being and that is of deep intense love. And all these days, all these births, birth after birth after birth, I have forgotten Him and therefore I have been suffering because my real friend, I have neglected.” And Kṛṣṇa is simply waiting, “When will this soul look to me? When will he give up this forgetful mood?” So, all this comes spontaneously simply by chanting. One feels Kṛṣṇa. We can speak here till we turn blue in the face. But ultimately if someone simply chants and simply renders some service then he can taste one drop of that ocean of nectar and understand, “Yes, Kṛṣṇa is there.” Kṛṣṇa… [break] He can understand that Kṛṣṇa is very kind and that the spiritual nectar of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness makes everything else look bland and vacuum.

Do you have any other question?

Devotee: Śrīla Ācāryapāda, kī!

Devotees: Jaya!

Devotee: Śrīla Ācāryapāda, kī,

Devotees: Jaya!