The Nectar of Devotion

—
Vṛndāvana, October 19, 1972
Pradyumna: (reading) "...happiness immediately terminates with his
body as long as his life, as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore
taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The
devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the
atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This point we have discussed last night that everyone
can see God. To see God is not very difficult job. There are so many
points described in the Bhagavad-gītā. For the devotees, those who are
serious about seeing God, they can see God. God is present everywhere.
And God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, is describing, raso
'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg. 7.8]. So everyone
drinks water. Now Kṛṣṇa says, "The taste of the water, I am." So who
has not tasted the water? Everyone drinks water at least four times, five
times. So as soon as you drink water, the taste of the water
is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this." Kṛṣṇa has described Himself in so
many ways. "Amongst the trees, I am this. Amongst the aquatics, I am
this. Amongst the nonmovable, I am this." So why not see God in that
way? The atheist class of men, they say, "Can you show me God?" So
why don't you see God? Why you close your eyes? If you have got eyes
to see, you can see God everywhere.
Those who are saintly devotees, they are seeing God, Kṛṣṇa, in every
moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-
vilocanena santaḥsadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. If you
become saintly person by your austerities, penances, then you can see
God in every step. Otherwise, if you think that "I cannot become saintly
person," yes, nobody can become saintly immediately. It requires time.
But so long you are material person you can see God also in the water.
You drink water. You can see God. You can see sunshine. God is
there. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. So who has not seen the sunshine?
Who has not seen the moonshine? So therefore if you have seen
moonshine, if you have seen sunshine, you have seen God.
But especially those who are impersonalists, they can see God in that
way. Śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. There are descriptions in the Seventh
Chapter, how you can see God in your common dealings. Still, if you do
not see God, then you can see, you must see one day God at the time of
your death. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg. 10.34]. Death is God. So
the atheist class men, just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who always challenges
God, in spite of so many things wherein we can see God, they deny to
see God; therefore God comes before them as death. So everyone has to
meet death. So God is there. And you are seeing. But because we are
atheist class of men, we are denying, "There is not God." So Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu says that, "After all, you have to meet with God at the
time of death. So before death, why don't you see God in so many
ways?" That is Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. The science of devotional
service which is giving you indication how to see God always and
everywhere. Go on reading.
Pradyumna: "Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for
the atheist class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by
devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in
the shape of death. At death everything is finished, and one has to
begin a new chapter of life in a new situation, perhaps higher or lower
than the last one. In any field of activity, political, social, national or
international, the results of our actions will be finished with the end of
life. That is sure. Bhakti-rasa,however, the mellow relished in the
transcendental loving service of the Lord, does not finish with the end
of life. It continues perpetually and is therefore called amṛta, that
which does not die, but exists eternally."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rasa. Rasa means mellow. Everything we have, there
is a rasa. Without rasa, we do not deal in anything. So this
material rasa or mellow, which we relish in our daily dealings...
Suppose our dealings with wife, children, friends or others, enemy also.
There is a rasa. When we kill our enemy, there is also some
pleasure rasa. When we see something ghastly... In European and
Western countries, they want to see some ghastly things in the
television. So they enjoy rasa. There is some rasa, relishment.
Otherwise, how they are all day, practically, they are sitting before the
television and seeing?
So there are twelve kinds of rasas. Five kinds of rasa, we generally
experience. The dealings between servants and master, dealings
between friend and friend, dealings between mother and the child,
dealings between lover and the beloved, dealings between the enemy
and enemies. So many ways, there are, on the whole, twelve kinds
of rasa. And the, all the rasas are there in Kṛṣṇa. Akhila-
rasāmṛta. Akhila-rasa. He's the reservoir of all pleasure. Even in ghastly
behavior, a man is killing another man, there is some enjoyment by
killing. Just like Bhīma. When he killed Duryodhana, he immediately
sucked the blood of Duryodhana's heart. So there was some pleasure.
Because Duryodhana insulted them so many ways. And they were,
especially Bhīma was finding out the opportunity when he'll, he would
enjoy the rasa by killing Duryodhana. So all, in all our dealings, directly
or indirectly, there is some rasa.
Now, in our material dealings, the rasas are temporary. They'll be
finished. As soon as this body is finished, the rasa is also finished. Just
like we love somebody, any way, either as friend or as child or as
husband or as lover, friend, so many ways. But these rasa will be
finished as soon as this body's finished. I have got some affectionate
dealings with my sons. But as soon as the son dies, or I die, the rasa is
finished. But if you deal in the same way with Kṛṣṇa, who is the
reservoir of all rasas, it will continue. If you love Kṛṣṇa as a friend in
this life, if you develop your consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as
friend of Kṛṣṇa's,
then tyaktvā dehaṁpunar janma naiti mām eti [Bg. 4.9], when you go
to Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā deham, giving up this body, then you go there as
Kṛṣṇa's friend.
Just like Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī's described in the Bhagavad-gītā,
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: itthaṁ brahma-
sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena, māyāśritānāṁ nara-
dārakeṇa kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ [SB 10.12.11]. The boys who were playing
with Kṛṣṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that after many, many births
accumulation of pious activities... Because you cannot develop
devotional service without pious life. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. If you
want to become associate with Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot act as a sinful
man. Just like a criminal is not allowed to come out of the jail. He has
no freedom. Similarly, if we act sinfully in this life, then we'll have to
remain within this material world, one body after another. So we, we
have to give up sinful activities. Therefore we forbid our students, no
illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. Because these
are the pillars of sinful life. So we have to give up these things to
accelerate our promotion to devotional service. We cannot go on doing
this and that at the same time. It is something like that, you ignite fire
and pour water. It will be useless attempt. If you want to burn the fire
blazing, don't put water on it. Keep it dry. Similarly, if you want to
advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you cannot indulge in sinful
activities. And when you are proved that you are no more
sinful, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam, one who has become freed from the
reaction of sinful life, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-
karmāṇi...
You have to do something. So if you engage yourself twenty-four
hours in pious activities, pious activities in goodness, that is also
tainted. But when you actually engage yourself in the devotional service
of Vāsudeva, as we were discussing this morning, the
verse, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ,
janayaty āśu vairāgyam... [SB 1.2.7]. So even if we are accustomed to
sinful activities on account of bad habits, still, we can engage ourself in
devotional service of Vāsudeva. So those who are sincerely devotee
of Vāsudeva, sometimes due to their past habits, may commit
something sinful, not knowingly, but habituated; that is excused
by Kṛṣṇa. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. But not
wilfully. Wilfully, if we commit some sinful activities, that can be
excused once, twice, but not thrice. then you'll be punished. Therefore a
devotee should not commit wilfully any sinful activities in order to keep
himself always fit in devotional service. He should try to keep himself
steady, without committing any sinful actions. The primary sinful
activities are described, and we try to follow. And if we chant sixteen
rounds and keep ourself always aloof from the sinful activities, then it
is certain, niścayāt, utsāhān dhairyāt, niścayāt tat-tat-karma-
pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥsādhu-saṅge ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati.
If you want to advance in devotional service, then you should be
enthusiastic, utsāhān, dhairyāt, with patience, and niścayāt, you should
be assured that "Because I'm following strictly the direction of my
spiritual master and śāstras, certainly I shall meet Kṛṣṇa." Tat-tat-
karma-pravartanāt. By following the rules and
regulations, sato vṛtteḥ, always trying to be honest and sādhu-
saṅga... [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. The sādhu-saṅga is very important.
Therefore we have created this internal society, International Society so
that actually it is happening. People are coming to our society, in our
centers, and after one week, automatically he takes a bag and beads
and shaves himself. Automatically. Sādhu-saṅga is very... Association
of sādhu. Solitary bhajana, executing devotional service in a solitary
place, is not possible for the neophyte devotees. It is meant for the
advanced devotees. If, from the very beginning, without executing the
regulative principles, if one wants to execute devotional service in a
solitary place, it will be simply disturbing, and he must fall down. There
are so many examples, even in this Vṛndāvana. So we should not
imitate. We must, vidhi-mārga. The regulative principles must be
followed. Then when you are mature, then we can sit down in a solitary
place. Otherwise it is not possible. Then. You read.
Pradyumna: "This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. The Bhagavad-
gītā says that a little advancement in bhakti-rasa can save the devotee
from the greatest danger, that of missing the opportunity for, of
human, for human life."
Prabhupāda: Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Just
like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, when he was young, he was executing devotional
service just like a pure brāhmaṇa under the direction of his father, but
when he was young, he was captivated by prostitute and fell down,
became a thief, drunkard, and cheater. So many ways his life became
sinful. But at the end of his life, when he was just going to die, he
simply chanted "Nārāyaṇa". His youngest son's name was Nārāyaṇa. So
when the Yamadūtas, the messengers of Yamarāja... [break] ...carrying
him. So he thought that his youngest son, because he was beloved,
would save him. So he chanted, not chanted, he called his youngest
son, Nārāyaṇa. Immediately he remembered Nārāyaṇa. Because in the
beginning he was a devotee of Nārāyaṇa. So immediately, because he
remembered Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa immediately sent His messengers to
take him back to Vaikuṇṭha. So therefore this is the
instance. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Go on.
Pradyumna: "The rasas derived from our feelings in social life, in family
life or the greater family of altruism, philanthropism, nationalism,
socialism, communism, etc., do not guarantee that one's next life will
be as a human being."
Prabhupāda: Yes. They do not know that. The so... There are so many
welfare workers. But they do not know even that there is next life. This
is the position of the present civilization. Because I may be a great
philanthropist, but my next life will be according to my karma. Just like
by becoming philanthropist I may do so many sinful activities. Because
when one is mad after something... Kāmais tais tair hṛta-
jñānāḥ [Bg. 7.20]. When, then his knowledge becomes bewildered.
They do not care to do anything, either sinful... Generally, they act
sinfully. But according to our acts, karmaṇā daiva-
netreṇa [SB 3.31.1], the superior authority will examine
your karma. Not so-called philanthropism. Actually philanthropism has
no meaning because, according to the law of karma...
Suppose you are suffering with some disease. So because you are
being supplied first-class medicine, there is no guarantee that your
disease will be cured. We have seen many cases. Similarly, according to
Vedic conclusion, the happiness and distress, they're destined.
Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham
[SB 1.5.18].
Duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ labhyate. Just like nobody tries to
become distressed. Everyone tries to become happy. So why distress
comes? I try for happiness. Suppose happiness comes. But I do not try
for distress. Why distress comes? We cannot explain why distress
comes. You take care of all possibilities. Still, there is distress. Why?
Now, this is the destiny. If you have to suffer some distress, you must
suffer. That is called distress. So Bhāgavata says therefore that as you
don't try for distress and it overcomes you, similarly if you don't try for
happiness, if you have got some happiness, it will overcome you. It will
come automatically. Therefore we should not try either for happiness
or for distress. We should simply try to develop
our Kṛṣṇaconsciousness. That is our
business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. A learned man should try
for that only. That means this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ na labhyate yad bhramatām upary
adhaḥ. We are wandering upary-adaḥ. Upary-adhaḥ. Upary means
sometimes we are going in the higher planetary systems, Brahmaloka,
Janaloka, Satyaloka, sometimes going downward, Tala, Atala,
Vitala, Pātāla, Rasātala. Or sometimes higher species of life, sometimes
lower species of life. In this way, we are wandering according to
our karma. This is material existence. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore
says,
ei rūpe bhramāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]
A living entity is wandering in this way, sometimes on the higher level,
sometimes on the lower level, but he's changing one chapter, another,
one chapter, another. That is not very good, to repetition of birth and
death. So a living entity if he's very fortunately, fortunately he meets
some good association, good devotees, then his life changes.
ei rūpe bhramāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]
So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is a process to give
chance everyone. Just like we are holding this meeting. It is a chance
given to everyone to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to learn about devotional service.
And if it attracts him, if he says, "Yes, it is nice," then it is
called śraddhā. So śraddhā, by repeated
hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-
sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. If we hear repeatedly, then we develop our
dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In everybody there is
dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So that is also stated in the Caitanya-
caritāmṛta: nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-
bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. Kṛṣṇa bhakti is there. It is not artificially we
acquire it. It is already there. But we are in the forgotten stage. Therefore,
by repeated hearing, it is awakened. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-
citte karaye udaya. If we
hear Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/Hare Rāma Hare
Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, then śuddha-citta. Ceto-darpaṇa-
mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The, the heart, the mirror of the heart, will
be cleansed. And as soon as it is cleansed, we awaken, we remember,
"Oh, I am
eternal." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-
109].This remembrance comes, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa."
And when he understands that he's eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa and he
engages himself in that service, then immediately he becomes liberated.
Liberation, mukti,... Mukti means to be situated in his own
constitutional position. That is mukti. So our constitutional position is
eternal servitorship of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has
said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-
109].So if we can simply understand that "I am eternal servant
of Kṛṣṇa. Let me again engage, be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service," and if
he's actually engaged, then immediately he's liberated. So devotees are
already liberated. Those who are actually
serious. Muktisvarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ [SB 2.10.6]. Hitvā anyathā rūpa
ṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. This is the definition
of mukti. Mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpam. We are acting at the
present moment anyathā. Anyathā means somebody's thinking that "I
am the maintainer of this family. I am the minister of this state. I am
this. I am that." So many. Upādhis. So when we give up these
designations, then that is mukti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-
paratvena-nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. And so long we are
designated, we don't care for Kṛṣṇa, we care for society, friendship,
love, country, philanthropism, this "ism," that "ism," that is our
bondage.
If you serve Kṛṣṇa, then naturally you serve
everything. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-
bhujopaśākhāḥ [SB 4.31.14]. If you serve Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa gives you
opportunity to serve everyone. That is... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja,
he served Kṛṣṇa. Even his atheist father was delivered. Because he
happened to be the father of a Vaiṣṇava. So to serve Kṛṣṇa is the best
service to the nation, to the family, to self, to everybody. This is the
secret of success. Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. If you
simply serve Kṛṣṇa, then all other duties are very well performed. You
are no longer debtor to any other obligation. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-
nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇām [SB 11.5.41]. We have got so many obligations: to the
demigods, to the sages, to the forefathers, to the ordinary human
beings, living entities. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Here we
get immunity from all the
obligations. Sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parih
ṛtya kartam. These are the śāstric injunctions. So simply by discharging
devotional service, loving devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa, you become
free from all obligations, there is no more obligations. Otherwise
why Kṛṣṇa says,
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi...
[Bg. 18.66]
If you take to Kṛṣṇa seriously, if you surrender, then He gives you
protection from the reaction of so many obligations. Go on.
Pradyumna: "We prepare our next life by our actual activities in this
present life. A living entity is offered a particular type of body as a
result of his action in the present body."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Karmaṇā daiva-
netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. Our next life means
according to the karma,activities, in this life. They're judged at the
point of death. The, our activities are judged and then we are given
opportunity by the laws of nature to be carried in another mother's
womb to get another gross body. We have got two kinds of bodies, the
gross body and the subtle body. When this gross body is stopped
working, the subtle body works. We have got experience every night.
When you are lying down on bed, you are dreaming. You have gone
somewhere else from your room and you are acting. That means the
subtle body is acting. Similarly, when this body's stopped, nobody
works, no more working, or the machine is broken, then, at that time,
the subtle body carries you to another machine. This body is
machine. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā [Bg. 18.61]. This is stated in
the Bhagavad-gītā. This is yantra. So just like your car, you are driving
one car, the car is stopped for some reason. It is no more working. Then
what do you do? You get down. You get another car. Similarly, when
this body's not working, then you give up this body; you take another
body.
Now, taking another car means as you are paying for it. If you are
paying very lump sum, you can a better car. But if you cannot pay, then
you have to accept a low grade car. Similarly, the price means according
to your karma, you are offered a
car. Prakṛteḥkriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. Prakṛti.
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmāyān sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
[Bg. 18.61]
Māyā creates a car for you, a carrying conveyance, this body. So that
conveyance is according to karma. So if you act piously in this life, then
next life you get good body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-
sthā [Bg. 14.18]. Sattva-sthā. If you are in goodness, then, in the modes
of goodness, then you are promoted to higher standard of
life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ.And if
you are in passion, then you remain here.
And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And if you are ignorant, then you go to
animal life or lower grade of life. This is the law of karma. But instead of
improving your karma, karma-kāṇḍīya-vicāra, fruitive activities, if you
take to devotional service and simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa,
then you are no longer within the influence of this good work or bad
work. You are transcendental. Immediately after
death, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], you are no more
subjected to this gross body... [break]
...understand Kṛṣṇa. You can understand Kṛṣṇa simply by
chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau [Brs.
1.2.234].Simply by your service attitude, to serve Kṛṣṇa, beginning with
the tongue. It is very wonderful. But utilizing your tongue, you can
achieve Kṛṣṇa very easily. By the tongue. By the tongue, if you simply
chant, without any offense, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and by the tongue, if
you simply taste Kṛṣṇa prasādam, and by the tongue, if you speak
about Kṛṣṇa, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128], y
ou understand Kṛṣṇa. The three business of the tongue. Tasting
the prasādam, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and preaching
about Kṛṣṇa. By these three things you understand Kṛṣṇa, and as you
understand Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janmanaiti mām eti [Bg. 4.9],
you are transferred to the spiritual kingdom.
Thank you very much. (end)