19901220 Initiation Lecture

The following is the lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on 20th December 1990 in Muscat. The class begins with the reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3^rd canto chapter 5 verse 11.

Purport: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is so powerful that simply by entering into a person’s ear it can at once give deliverance from the bondage of family affection. Family affection is an illusory manifestation of the external energy, and it is the only impetus for all mundane activities. As long as there is mundane activity and the mind is absorbed in such engagement, one has to undergo the repetition of birth and death in the current material nescience. People are most influenced by the mode of ignorance, and some are influenced by the passionate mode of material nature, and under the spell of these two modes a living being is actuated by the material conception of life. The mundane qualities do not allow a living entity to understand his real position. The qualities of both ignorance and passion strongly bind one to the illusory bodily conception of the self. The best among the fools who are thus deluded are those who engage in altruistic activities under the spell of the material mode of passion. Bhagavad-gītā, which is direct kṛṣṇa-kathā, gives humanity the elementary lesson that the body is perishable and that the consciousness which is spread throughout the body is imperishable. The conscious being, the imperishable self, is eternally existent and cannot be killed under any circumstances, even after the dissolution of the body. Anyone who misunderstands this perishable body to be the self and who works for it in the name of sociology, politics, philanthropy, altruism, nationalism or internationalism, under the false plea of the bodily conception of life, is certainly a fool and does not know the implications of reality and unreality. Some of them are above the modes of ignorance and passion and are situated in the mode of goodness, but mundane goodness is always contaminated by tinges of passion and ignorance. Mundane goodness can enlighten one that the body and the self are different, and one in goodness is concerned with the self and not the body. But due to being contaminated, those mundane.. those in mundane goodness cannot understand the real nature of the self as a person. Their impersonal conception lies as distinct from the body keeps them in the mode of goodness within material nature, and unless they are attracted by kṛṣṇa-kathā, they will never be liberated from the bondage of material existence. Kṛṣṇa-kathā is the only remedy for all people of the world because it can situate one in pure consciousness of the self and liberate one from material bondage. To preach kṛṣṇa-kathā all over the world, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, is the greatest missionary activity, and all sensible men and women of the world may join in this great movement started by Lord Caitanya.

Thus, end the Bhaktivedanta Swami translation and purport to Text 11-chapter 5 Canto 3, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam

Translation again: Who in human society can be satisfied without hearing sufficient talk of the Lord, whose lotus feet are the sum total of all places of pilgrimage and who is worshiped by great sages and devotees? Such topics can cut off one’s bondage to family affection simply by entering the holes of one’s ears.

This Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when the Sanskrit word geha hati is mentioned, what this signifies, is that if someone misunderstands this perishable body to be the self. And works for it in the name of sociology, politics, philanthropy, altruism, nationalism or internationalism, under the false plea of the bodily conception of life. Prabhupāda explains that such a person is certainly a fool and does not know the implications of reality and unreality.

Today we have internationalism, very much common in all over the world. United Nations is stronger it seems than ever before. Countries are uniting generally to deal with common enemies for the moment. But in spite of all this so-called unity and cooperation, still we find that through-out the world there is lot of war going on.  For last year the South Magazine published that there’s about 42 declared and undeclared wars going on today in the world, at that time of the world, may be now more or less 5 or 10, give or take. And that more people have died since forming the United Nations in the second world war. In fact, we don’t even know if United nations was sponsoring or that way it is not going to solve, the United Nations, is not going to keep peace as such. They may keep up particular boundary, … someone … self-declare that (Not clear 6.04) whatever it may be.

The real problem that we find in many places, like in India, there’s a because of communal tensions and regional tensions. Someone is thinking that I am born in a Muslim family, I am a Muslim. Someone is thinking, I am born in a Hindu family, I am a Hindu. Someone is thinking I am born in Kashmir and I am a Kashmiri. Someone thinks that I am born in Nagaland and I am a Nagalandi or a Naga. Someone thinks I am born in a communist family; I am a communist.

So, like this, everyone because it is all starting from a false identification with the body. With the false identification of the body then comes that this is my family, this is my country, this is my nation, this is my international, I am a Human Being, its alright.

All this consciousness is based upon bodily identification. If you analyze every single imbalance in the world today, it stems only from this. Internationally, now people are doing a big hue and cry because of ecology.

They say the whole world is about to get the greenhouse effect. There is going to be destruction all over the world because the effect that the industries and present way of doing things is affecting the balance in the world that’s going to create a tremendous destruction in the future. Glaciers floods is going to happen. so many things (Not clear 7.40-752) why because human is thinking this is my work. The animals don’t count (come?). I have no greater responsibility but to seek through human’s own interest.

It is only when we come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness what they don’t see only the family, only the nation, only the human being, they see entire universe. They see the whole world, they see everything as the property of Kṛṣṇa. We are all eternal spiritual parts and we are all a part of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa’s energy. So, Kṛṣṇa, He is the protector, He is the controller and he is also the owner.

bhoktāraḿ yajña-tapasāḿ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaḿ sarva-bhūtānāḿ
jñātvā māḿ śāntim ṛcchati

This is the peace formula.

Prabhupāda has given in this verse, when we understand that one proprietor is there, Krsna God, then we know who is the well-wisher and friend of everyone.  He is the proprietor of all sacrifices whether someone is doing sacrifice in masjid, mandira, temple, church, there is only God and everyone is serving Him, but in different languages.  He may be known as Allah, God, Jehovah, Arulai, as Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Govinda, Īśvara. Now in the Life Magazine, this issue, they had a title, who is God? I don’t know if you saw it?

In India they give all the so many names of God in different languages all over starting from Bhagavān Chinese & so many languages. That’s because we come to this understanding that there is only one God and we work considering the world to be His property and then we are also His parts, then where is the question of  another?

If I think God is only my property, then it is the property of Muslims or Christian or Hindu or some other religion, Parsi or whatever it may be. Then I think that I have the right to ask other people to follow my religion.

Actually, that means that they don’t come up to the actual reality. So, people when they become are all saying that religion is creating all the problem, but it is not the religion but the incomplete understanding of the truth. Incomplete understanding of everything, in a particular religion that particular religion talks about but people don’t know, there you should not see in isolation, have to see the whole picture Then you can see that all religions are the same. We had a big congress in Bombay couple of years ago 1986. Since it is science and religion, religious leaders from all communities came and all scientists came. They came to the conclusion that in every religion, in basic, their teachings are non-different. Some rituals are different.

Someone might say do namaz 5 times a day and you find in the pañcarātrika system you do maṅgala-ārati before sun rise do an ārati, then after sun rise do ārati, and again midday do an ārati. Afternoon you do aarti sun set you do sandhya ārati then evening śayana-ārati, like that it is the same but timings are different for namaz and pañca-rātrika pūjā.

Everyone is worshipping the same God. Actually, in the Sanātana-dharma, Vedic culture, this concept is promoted as one God. Unfortunately, the other communities they have also developed their love of God.

Everyone comes to the ultimate understanding that there is only one Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is very easy thing to achieve. But by politics you won’t get peace. By all these false understanding of Who Am I will end.

That starts of course even from the family. We think this is my family and therefore we only think about our family. So once consciousness gradually expands, then my family to my community, my race, my country, then my species and then we come to the point where we all identify with Kṛṣṇa as His eternal servitor.

mamaivaṁśo jīva loke jīva bhūta sanātana

Then we actually can have real peace. We can achieve perfection This does not mean that we don’t like family. So, someone even in a family, we also know him may be in the family. But doesn’t mean that he going to maintain his family but he has to give up enviousness.

In material family what happens, somebody thinks that my family has this much, other family next door has something more than I do and envy is very prominent. In fact, they call this in America, better than the Georges, something like that. The Gorges is like a generic name, like in Gujarati Patel, or like in Bengali Boses and ghoshes, this is like a really common name. Being better than Georges means that next door, whatever he has, I also should have. Then the wife will tell husband why we don’t have a new car.

One person puts a swimming pool in his backyard all the houses will need to have the swimming pool. If they don’t have the swimming pool then the life is not perfect. How that person has more than we do.  Then everyone has that envy. Maybe in a simple sense, someone says why that girl has newer saree than I do. Better saree [Not Clear – 00:13.20] so some enviousness will come into the consciousness because they are thinking that my family has to be better than the other family.  My country has to be better than the other countries. We are all trying to compete.

We are all trying to actually see that not in spiritual life, my family be more dedicated to the Lord. Let us please the Lord more than other family. If we think in that way, there is no problem. Let my country be more dedicated to the service of God and help all the others to come up to that level. Not that we want to stop the others.

In material life, when we are having competition then it is actually very dangerous. There are many documentaries, how when you consider very peaceful sports like bicycling, they push the other guy off the road. That’s why they have to do bicycling in groups of 4 or 5.

Because if you go alone, others will get you alone, they will push you off the road. Then you will break your legs, they don’t care. They just want to win. They say cutthroat. So, they have to go and  top guy is protected by 2, 3 others, being smashed off in a lonely place. This way, so many sports are like that. So, when you are alone, say in football or soccer, which is supposed be so much violence. But there is so much violence there which is supposed to be nonviolent, they purposely follow. They get a yellow card, alright. But they don’t get a red card. All have to follow the rules. Like this competition, they want to harm the other person.

But in spiritual life, competition means let’s help the other person. Since we are all working for the one Lord, we want to please Him. So, if I help the other person, He would be more pleased. There is no contradiction. Not that I have to monopolies. I cannot monopolies. When Kṛṣṇa was there in rāsa-līlā, He was there with all the gopīs. He was with everyone simultaneously. When He was in Dvārakā, He was with all His queens. 

Actually Kṛṣṇa, He is known as Lakṣmīpati. Because Lakṣmī is always with Nārāyaṇa. Everybody wants Lakṣmī. You find so many people doing Lakṣmī Puja.  So, they all want Lakṣmī but they don’t another name for Lakṣmī is Cancalā, she is very restless. She doesn’t stay fixed at one place for very long. But wherever Nārāyaṇa is, where Kṛṣṇa is, there Lakṣmī resides. Always by his side.

When Kṛṣṇa plays his flute Lakṣmī would be there dancing. So, we always keep Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, to have Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa together. So, this way, all the good fortune is there. But if you decide to keep Lakṣmī Herself, she won’t stay. She would stay for some time and then go away. But if you keep Kṛṣṇa with Lakṣmī, then She will stay fixed. But people they just want the Lakṣmī, without the Lord, so they cannot keep Her.

If they want good fortune for life time then should have this understanding. This way there is always tension. My country and not the other country and this is basically what we face all over the world. So, all from the very smallest point to the biggest point, this is all coming from the bodily identification. And basically, Bhāgavatam is very clear.

If you are a human being, you should have enough basic intelligence to analyze what is the difference between body and the soul. Otherwise, even the animal can say, the cat thinks that I am a cat. So, the cat and the dog are fighting. We are just living in a multistoried building, and like cat and dogs, we are just fighting with each other. We have no better consciousness than the animals in the street in reality because we are doing the same bodily identification.

Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he openly challenged all the journalists and the leaders in the world, do you think this is such a great society, having multistory building, 100 storeys in your hand. Even is going 6 feet is measured by the body how high it is. You are said to go very high, vultures fly high in the sky, you go high, but you use your car’s four wheels you run around like the dog is using its four legs just to go to disco that, to go to club and all these things, without any higher purpose of life. What is the use? What is the big development that is done? In fact, we call the western society no better than the white aborigines. Let’s say, just living with no higher may be the aborigines are better. If we doesn’t have higher purpose then we not have higher development of society.

By force of science, people are coming somewhat to the mode of goodness. I mentioned last night. They are coming somewhat to the mode of goodness.

But even hear Prabhupāda clarifies that simply being in the material mode of goodness in itself would be insufficient. Because always going to be activity. They may come up with one conclusion. But some things should be there ignorance and passion.  They need to have a true picture.

What is the reality? If they can see, oh, this is the material body, this is subtle mind, this is the ātmā. The subtle body, that is the soul, the real existence is the soul which is a nonperishable entity. And the soul is the part of the personal God who has been declared in all religion and scriptures across the world as beautiful and so on.  Again, here we get the total picture so that every individual, every community, every family they can all act properly in their relationship with the Lord. Then you can feel. Without having that relationship, eventually you are going to face problem.

Even in a family, where there is difference between parents and children, then eventually may be for some time you can keep this, eventually some difficulty will come. Depending on how much is there some passion, say… how quickly or how severe It depends how much goodness lies there. But some disturbance is going to be there. If you see to the root cause, we can easily solve it.

Prabhupāda gave a very simple example when you have blood disease you have some infection in the blood, it will come out as boil, it will come out as infections from the skin. Time being put some get rid of the infection, but it will come out in another way. Because I am not dealing with the basic thing. Therefore, we need to actually deal with root cause.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu cured the blood of all boils and infections go away. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He came to actually give us this special mercy. And in his pastimes, He revealed this magnanimity of bringing everyone in.

In fact, every one, whatever their background was, He was accepting them into the saṅkīrtana movement. One time during the saṅkīrtana, there was some commotion in the house of Śrīvāsa went in to the house when the kīrtana was going outside in the evening. Lord Caitanya and his devotees, they were gathered together to chant and every one was seeing what was happening. They found that his son Gopāla has died.

When he found that his son has died, he told his wife and other ladies in the house to stop crying. How can be stop crying, Our son has died. You better stop crying or I would jump into the Ganges and commit suicide. You are disturbing Lord Caitanya’s kīrtana and you would be a widow without a son.

So, she kept quiet and he went out and joined the kirtan. When the kīrtana was nearing the end, Lord Caitanya asked what was all the commotion in the house. Then Śrīvāsa said “My son died”, What are you saying, your son died? Why didn’t you tell earlier? I did not want to disturb your kīrtana. What kind of devotee is that? Unheard of. Your son died. You tell us. What is the problem? Is that ordinary thing? No No, I didn’t want to disturb you.

Arrey, there is no other devotee in the world has shown so much concern about disturbing the Lord. Anyway, you bring me Gopāla right away. So, they brought out the son and the men and the ladies were concerned and they were crying like anything.

So, Lord Caitanya, when they brought out the child, He looked at the boy and said “Stand up” you come back Gopāla.

All of a sudden, the dead body came back to life and started to become normal again, stood up.

Lord Caitanya said Gopāla why you have gone?

Then he started to speak. His body, he opened his eyes but it was from a spiritual platform.

He said, My Lord, why you called me and why you are asking why I’m gone.

I am not the main controller, my staying or going. I was called by higher authority. I left.

Now I’m called back, I came back. What about your parents? Then he spoke, which parent?

This life I have one parent, now I can see, every life I have mother and father. Now you are calling me back to the spiritual world. I am going to my eternal life. So which parent, you mean the parents of the last life or the life before that? Which parents?

So Śrīvāsa and his wife and others were completely shocked. How the boy is speaking? It is a long discussion. 40 minutes, they were discussing all these points, why you left and all that.

After that everyone could see that, actually that I think he is my son but he is also eternal soul. The soul has come in my family. Externally he is my son. But actually the soul cannot be killed. Soul is coming from God. The child is in my family. I am responsible to take care of this body and to bring up the consciousness to a pure spiritual level.

But is actually that the soul is belonging to Kṛṣṇa. And then it is very peaceful to know that the soul is going back to Godhead. Because he died in the kīrtana, naturally he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. So why should we bring him back from liberation? The soul has attained its perfection. So, everyone became very peaceful.

Then Gopāla asked permission if he could go and then he lied down and the soul was gone. Everyone was like quiet. They couldn’t speak. They just started to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Brought the body to the ghāṭa. They did the final rites, they took the bath in the Ganges and everyone was actually crying, not because of this grief but they had a higher sublime realization of the reality of life.

Lord Caitanya, in his pastimes, He revealed the reality of life. This is what you need to know today. In spite of so much technological advancement, if you don’t come to the point of realizing the reality, we are always going to face the problems. When we realize the reality, then we are going to have peace.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Second Level Proofer: Karuṇāpati Keśava das
Second Level Proofed on: 06-Jan-2021