19821130 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.7

(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 November 30, 1982 – in Bengaluru, India. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.7.

Like the sun, your goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds. And like the air, you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all pervasive super soul. Please therefore find out the deficiency in me despite my being absorbed in transcendence. Under disciplinary regulations and vows purport by Śrīla Prabhupda transcendental realization, pious activities, worshipping the deities, charity, mercifulness, non violence, and studying the scriptures under strict disciplinary regulations are always helpful. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta. Purport to text 7, chapter 5, canto 1 in the mantra of Nārada’s instructions on Seema Bhāgavata. This is the prayer of Vyasadeva. 2. The Rādhā Muni his guru, where he’s asking that why? In spite of writing so many Vedic literatures, in spite of compiling Vedas, Upanishadas, Purāṇas, Mahabharata, still Vyasadeva was feeling dissatisfied.

So he was asking Nārada what was the deficiency in him. Actually, as I was discussing last night, that pure devotional service means that one becomes completely satisfied simply by rendering pure, unalloyed devotional service. So if someone is not feeling satisfied, we can take from the example of Vyāsa Dev, that means that there must be some defect, some deficiency in the person’s devotional service. So then the thing to do is to ask for the spiritual master, Senior Vaishnava, then why one is not feeling satisfied in one’s devotional service. This is exactly what Vyasadeva has done. He’s asking Nārada Muni to explain to him what is the solution to his problem, what is the defect? Where is the deficiency? Actually, Rla Prabhupda he would often come to Māyāpur and then he would blast us sometimes for some deficiencies.

And at that time, then later he may call us also in the room and say that this is a thankless task to be a spiritual master. Because spiritual master has to simply find out the defects in the disciple. One part of devotional service is not to be a fault finder, but the guru’s duty is to find fault. Nobody wants to have false fault and nobody even wants to be a fault finder. But the guru’s duty is that he has to find the faults in the disciples. Prabhupāda is saying. Sometimes he’d say, you’re so tolerant. I don’t know how you tolerate me. I am always finding your fault. Then he would say, of course, this is the duty of the Guru. So we can see that Prabhupāda was perfectly manifesting the responsibilities of the Paramparā. Even Vyasadev is approaching his guru, what is my defect?

What is my deficiency? Because Vyasadev was in Avatar Shaktavesh for writing all these literatures of Veda Nārada Muni, even though formally his guru might be hesitating to say that what is a deficiency? So Nārada Muni is specifically being asked by Vyaztev, you tell me, what’s my deficiency? This is your duty, you know, you’re the guru. You travel all over the world, all over the three worlds by your mystic transom opulences. So you can tell me, where’s my defect? I mean, sometimes even an advanced devotee may be absorbed in a particular aspect of service to such a subjective extent that the overall picture gets lost. So in that sense, one may not even see where the defects are.

Just like if you’re living every day in a temple, just a little practical example, I am sure any temple manager would know you’re living every day in the temple. Pretty soon you start to just take things for granted in the temple. That this gumshow will be lying in that corner and that this mark is on the wall, you don’t see it anymore. Then you go out for a couple of weeks to some festival, so you come back, you say, oh, where did all this dirt come from? It was there before, but just due to a habit, you don’t see it. Then you can’t awaken. Behold, what’s this? What’s that? So Vyasadeva is writing all the Vedas one after another. Still, after he finished everything, he’s feeling that something is missing.

But being so much absorbed in writing down all the different, every possible angle and every possible, that he didn’t know exactly what he left out anymore. Possibly he thought he’d already covered everything, but wasn’t sure what he didn’t cover. So then his Guru Naad came and told him, next Loka is the answer. What’s really missing? Of course, in a nutshell, you will know tomorrow the exact. In a nutshell, he told him that he should glorify Kṛṣṇa more explained devotional service purely without any mixture of karma Gana. You see, just like here in the south, people are worshipping Kṛṣṇa. In the Hanuman temple that we used to have, there’s one Kaliya Kṛṣṇa deity. So I asked, what is the worship? When the Nagapatnis were there.

So they mentioned that all the wives are coming like the Nagapatni and praying to Kaliya Kṛṣṇa that just like Kaliya, my husband’s a demon. He doesn’t do anything. He’s breaking all principles. He’s all sinful person. But just like you forgave Kalia, we’re praying on his behalf. You forgive my husband. This is what someone told me, I don’t know. Of course this is the mood. Like the Naga Patmis are praying for their husband. Their wives are going to pray for the husband from Kṛṣṇa that my husband is just the Asur like Kaliyah, you give him protection though, because this you’re all merciful. So of course they’re all going to Kṛṣṇa. In south there are so many Vishnu temples, Shiva temples, Kṛṣṇa temples, different kind of temples. But devotional service, that offering.

Of course devotional service is only offered to Vishnu, you see, because no other demigod can offer anything outside of the material universe. They can offer only benediction in the universe. In the three worlds, only Kṛṣṇa can offer moksha, can offer. Even Lord Shiva confirms this that only Vishnu is able to offer moksha. And five types of moksha are there. Beyond that there’s also higher relationships with Kṛṣṇa in the liberated state. So all of these things can only be offered by Kṛṣṇa. They’re not able to be offered by any demigod. Whether Shiva or Brahma or Kartikeya or Durkha or Ayyappa, whoever it may be, they can give material benediction.

So the very definition of devotional service is Anya, Bila, Sītā, Sunya, Jñāna, Karma, Ana Britam, to not have any other desire, neither Karma or Jñāna, simply the desire Anukulayna, Kṛṣṇa, Bhakti, Uttama to simply give unmotivated, pure favorable service to Kṛṣṇa. So that can only be given by Kṛṣṇa. So although different devotion and different things were mentioned in the in different parts of the Vedas, but to exclusively deal with the actual topic of pure devotional service that is still remaining. So of course that nad will explain later. But today we’re dealing mainly with the point that what we should do if we are feeling some kind of dissatisfaction. I remember that there was a devotee silver devotees serving in Lake Huntington. His name is Vaikuṇṭha. And he. His particular nature was that he would always go from one temple to the next.

And every temple he went to, after some time he would write Prabhupāda and say, this temple is no good. The temple president is no good. The temple devotees are no good. I am not feeling satisfied here. I think I should go to another temple. So one day he showed me a letter. He also did the same thing here india. Prabhupāda wrote him back a big three page letter. The whole three page I couldn’t repeat. It was a real mercy letter where he said that if a person is always feeling difficulty in this place and that place, sometimes you should see that whether the difficulty is actually in the place or whether the difficulty is really within yourself, whether the restlessness or dissatisfaction is coming from some lack of proper attitude in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

I think he dealt on that point for three pages that we should actually be a little introspective, go into ourselves. Even a neophyte new person just beginning chanting. He may think I am chanting for two months, I am not getting as much happiness as I expected. Or something like that. Also you should see am I chanting seriously? Am I actually listening to the chanting? Am I avoiding other distractions and sinful activities, breaking principles? Am I actually putting my heart and soul into the chanting and giving it a good trial? Even a neophyte should consider that way. Not that half heartedly. You do something and then you get a half hearted result and you think oh, that this thing is not what I was looking for. When you won’t get the proper understanding. You see now we have our Asian Games so can’t help.

It’s all over the paper. Sometimes you just read and then that way a lot of things. India is losing some. So then all the time the coaches say that actually we’re only losing because we’re not able to practice enough. If we practice more, if we got more, practice more this, more that, then we could say whether we would win or not. It’s not that our athletes are less, it’s just due to this and that other reasons. So this is a natural thing. You make some excuse. This in there is not, but in a sense it’s correct. You will never know whether or not the athletes will be as good if they don’t have the same facility, if they don’t have the same practice, etc. But of course what’s the use? There’s no use in saying that because then you just have to do it.

You should no use in saying we don’t have it and then don’t do it. In any case, I am using this as an example that in devotional service a person really can’t say that. Well, I am not succeeding and take that as any real kind of factor. Unless all the stones have been unturned or Unless every attempt has been made, all the proper attempts have been made to actually work, actually surrender, actually chant properly or do one service and a proper attitude. If one sincerely tries and is finding that success is not coming, proper satisfaction, proper results are not coming. Then of course one can introspect, look into oneself. What’s the problem? One can go to the spiritual master, go to some senior Vaishnavas, study the shastras. These are the various recourses available.

Then after taking the proper conclusion, just like I was a temple president of Toronto Temple and there was some. I was. I sent one Brahmachari from Montreal. I was the president of Montreal. He went and opened up, he found a house. As soon as he found the house, Prabhupāda said, in those days real management means you train up someone to take over your position. You put him in the position, you go do something else. That is real management. Not that you just sit one thing your whole life. But you should always try to be expanding your service. So in that case I said, well, that was one devotee. Śrīpatti was my secretary, vice president. So I put him alright to be the president. He had the whole temple, it was all running well, money, everything, lot of devotees.

I put him in charge and I went off with two men only and we opened up the center in Toronto. So then Jagadish, who is now Jagadeesh Goswami, one of our GBCs and the Minister of Education. That time he was a Grihasta. After about two, three months or so he came up. We already were doing Sankirta and doing different preaching. Center was getting pretty well established. He came up and joined us from Buffalo in New York. We were in Toronto, Canada. So that time this other secretary I had sent down to find the house he became a little envious that you were the president in Montreal. Now again you’re the president here. This is not fair. Give me a chance. Let me be the president. But he wanted a very serious person to be the president. But he was really on my case.

So in some kind of mood of natural humility I thought, well, why should I just hold on to that thing? But this person is definitely not qualified. Jagadish seems to be much more qualified. He’s equally as qualified as I am, at least if not more so. Then I said, all right, Jagadish should be the president. I will be the treasurer, you can be the secretary. This way we will jointly do it. And that just shut him up because he was mainly on my case. So what happened though is that I was a treasurer doing that. But I found that when I was president, I had a lot of responsibility. A lot of things were on my head. And when that pressure was removed for the first time. Because after four months being in the movement, even I was just initiated.

After five months, first initiation, then I was the sixth month I was made president. So then after being president for two years, different temples, suddenly I was a treasurer. All you do is take the money, keep the account, give it out. I didn’t find any engagement. I was getting really bored. So then I wrote Śrīla Prabhupāda, what should I do? Because I wasn’t feeling satisfied. I mean, I was doing my service. I was in fact doing a lot of Sankirtan and taking out a Sankirtan party off, you know, stay engaged. But that pressure a little bit was reduced. So somehow I wasn’t feeling sad. I wasn’t feeling that I was taking enough responsibility for Prabhupāda that actually now the temple, I started it, I have a new president there. I was actually could go on now and do something else if Prabhupāda wanted.

So I wrote it. What should I do? If you want me to stay here, I will stay here. Want me to go something else? I could do it. Because actually the temple is running all right now. In those days there was a big drive for opening new temples. Temples. Prabhupāda wrote me back to go to India, which was a big surprise. No one ever went to India knows. That was like the only Achutananda Swami was here and that was it. In one Rishi case who had actually had some difficulty. So in that sense, I was feeling disheaded. I went to Prabhupāda. I was prepared. If he told me to stay there at that position, I would stay there, whatever was needed. At the same time I wasn’t feeling satisfied. I thought maybe I can take more responsibility.

If so, that Thai Prabhupāda was like the GBC for everyone. There was only about a couple dozen temples maximum. So he gave me that instruction. That’s actually how I came here to India. So in the same way, even now, whenever I am feeling that maybe there’s some way I could expand my service, I like to discuss it with my godbrothers. We’re very fortunate that we have senior godbrothers here in iskcon that we work together. Prabhupāda said that how he felt unfortunate in many ways that he had to only alone go and preach The Kṛṣṇa kind movement all over the world that he couldn’t get help from any of his godbrothers. But that Kṛṣṇa was so kind.

His guru was so kind that his guru sent him so many able disciples to help him that in this way he felt relief that the movement of Lord Caitander could go on. And is going on by Prabhupāda’s mercy, Bhakti Siddhānta Sahaji Thakur’s mercy. This is a natural thing, is that a devotee in his devotional service may sometimes be slightly in the wrong devotional service for him. In some cases people were put as president. It was the wrong. They couldn’t take that particular type of pressure. But they could do wonderful writing or they could do wonderful pūjā, or they could do wonderful cooking for the deity, or they could do wonderful traveling. Sankirtan. But if they had to just stay in one particular place, sometimes they didn’t find it to be exactly suitable. Sometimes they would accommodate because of necessity.

Sometimes they would grow into it. Sometimes they would better situated in something else. There’s so many cases because every individual is the case in himself. The basic idea is that we have to engage our mind, our intelligence, our words, everything in the service of Kṛṣṇa Nam in a favorable way. We’re not doing a devotional service out of anger to show someone something or out of some desire to elevate ourselves in some material position, nor to get even moksha. We want to serve Kṛṣṇa Guru specifically that we can satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that we can develop fully in our bhakti, which brings all the other successes necessary. Yoga, Ksemam, Bahamyaham. Kṛṣṇa says, I give whatever you lack, I preserve whatever you have.

So in this regard, Prabhupāda said in Vrindavan in 1977, when he was sick or his body was sick, then he advised us that we should give some recognition to other devotees who are expert in learning, expert in pūjā, expert in cooking. That there could be some kind of titles or something given. Not like they should become puffed up or something. But to encourage the other different facets of devotional service that sometimes too much concentration is given on administration. That’s just one aspect. Handling devotees, handling money, handling the management, administration. It’s not that only administrator is going back to Godhead. Anyone who can fully engage thought, word and deed in the service of Kṛṣṇa, whether it’s through pūjā or whether it’s in cooking or through teaching Gurukul or through whatever service it may be, writing literature, distributing literature, Sankir.

They’re all anyone who can just fully remain in devotional service chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That person is Kṛṣṇa’s dear most person. You know the story how Hanuman was throwing in the big rocks to cross for Rāma to cross over to Śrī Lanka. And at that time the. What was it? A spider, little spider or squirrel? I heard you. I heard two different versions, you know. Anyway, whether a spider or squirrel, some small animal, some small creature was throwing in little specks of dust into the ocean. And Hanuman told him, you know, get out of the way, get out. What are you doing here? And then Ram told him, no, why you’re doing that? You think that because you’re throwing the big rock, you’re a bigger devotee than he’s throwing a little pebble.

I am taking the devotional service that everybody is just as sincere and good a devotee as you. Don’t get puffed up. So that way different people may engage in services according to their propensity. Just like someone on the farm was a clerk, accountant, and working in some company like that. Now he’s being engaged in cutting the rice in the field. How it asked him, what is he saying? I am doing this service, but it’s a bit hard for me. And I said, you know, we have an accountant here. Why don’t we use him to keep the accounts? So anyway, these things happen. It’s good to take a humble attitude and do whatever service comes. No doubt it’s good training.

But in the long run, if we engage people, Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākura Prabhupāda recommended that if we engage people in the beginning, especially in the propensity they already are accustomed to, that come naturally, then it’s easier for them to perform devotional service. Of course, in the more advanced stage, then a person can do anything. Not that if someone isn’t doing everything is not advanced. It may not be necessary. But in some emergencies, even a devotee can do almost anything as necessary. At least he will try to do whatever is necessary for Kṛṣṇa. I remember Prabhupda one time he told Pancha Devita Maharaj that you should go out and plow the fields. He already Sanyasi Pancha Devita Swami. And he was told, you have to go out and plow the field with bulaq. So it must have been some test of his sincerity or faith.

So he says, Hare Kṛṣṇa, all right. And he was out there every day plowing. Just Prabhupāda gave the order, all right, he’s plowing and about for Some weeks he was plowing. We don’t know why. Not that we needed anyone to plow or that there wasn’t. But Prabhupāda said, you plow the field. All right, he was plowing. We heard one Leela, I think Mahā Śrīnger was reading out to me that. Yeah, you were just. We were riding in the car somewhere, I think it was. You were reading out the Leela, how from South America. Something Prabhupāda said, oh, that’s a very nice twig on the tree. And then said, can I have that twig? And so then devotees built a human pyramid. Four on the bottom, then three on their back, then two, then one.

And one was standing on the top, trying to reach up to the twig and then trying to get. And then the whole pyramid collapsed. It was a human scramble. Then again, they built the pyramid. Hridayananda Maharaj was pushing. Come on. Prabhupāda wants that twig. Go on, come on. And they’re all laughing and very enjoying. But they’re trying now very seriously to get up again a little higher. They build up one more like five, four, three, two, way up, going up. And then the whole thing collapsed again like this. Finally, after several tries, they get it up. They finally got the twig. They came it down, gave it to rla Prabhupda. He looked at it, everyone, Hariwo, Hari, roll. They were all very happy. Prabhupāda, he looked at it, said, oh, and threw it away.

Actually, of course, we have a real mission to try to bring people Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And naturally, we become attached to the results because we are anxious to see people become spiritually aware, spiritually awakened, Kṛṣṇa conscious. So therefore, we focus on building temples and making communities and especially distributing books, performing festivals, preaching. Because naturally, we have a specific objective to try to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

(Side B of the Cassette)

Of course, simultaneously each one of us is developing our own attitude of devotional service. And this attitude, of course, it’s nice that we have this whole cooperation and muda of devotional service, of spreading Lord Chaitanya’s movement, you see, to give us a funnel, to give us a very specific means or performing devotional service before, like here in South India, devotional service, they’re doing the pūjā, they’re doing archana, they’re doing sacrifices, home yagyas, or they’re doing Dhyana, Pranayama, this type of devotion they’re doing. So Lord Caitanya has introduced a whole new aspect of devotion preaching. You see, this propagation or Sankirtanam, of glorifying God to all these souls, which is especially effective in Kali Yuga because Kali Yuga, everyone forgets God, how he can do Saṅkīrtana so effectively. In Satya Yuga, when everybody knows Kṛṣṇa, Satya Yuga, they all know they’re meditating.

Everyone’s more or less God conscious, little. But here in Kali Yuga, Sankirtanam is very much necessary because everyone is forgetting Kṛṣṇa day by day. Of course, even in the spiritual world, they’re doing Saṅkīrtana. There’s no lack of need for glorifying. And Naramuni always is doing Saṅkīrtana. But especially in Kali Yuga, it’s essential because without Sakirtana, without a very intense glorification of God, people forget right away. Their mind is so weak, their fortune is so bad, their preoccupation is so sinful that if they don’t always hear about Kṛṣṇa in a very positive glorification, they forget. In no time India, before even 50 years, Prabhupāda said every village was having big festivals. All the dramas were only Ram Leela, Kṛṣṇa Leela, different leelas are going on. And now already this is being replaced by social drama, by political drama, by so many other type of drama.

Of course, still it has its place, no doubt. But comparatively it’s much reduced. Most of the cinemas, if they show anything about sadhus, usually it’s some insulting, some bogus yogī and they just insult him. They don’t offer any positive alternative. So in this way, the people more or less are gradually being distracted by sports or by politics or by so many other type of isms, vaads, that they’re forgetting about Kṛṣṇa. So Sankirtanam is essential to keep the human society on the right track in going in the right direction. Back to home, back to Godhead. So we’re very fortunate to have this opportunity to perform Sankirtaan Yagya. Otherwise there would be other devotional service. But the Sankirtaan Yagya is so wonderful that it’s something very special. Special mercy of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nithyananda.

But whatever the service may be, in whatever age, each devotee has to individually also work on their consciousness, their attitude, try to focus it. The service is a medium. Of course it’s a medium which is all intertwined. It’s all non different. It’s connected. It’s not something that’s completely abstract. It’s definitely connected. But it may be one service or another service. Whatever the service may be, still one has to apply one’s mind, intelligence, words, deeds, everything has to be put there if one wants to advance in devotional service. The actual detail of the service is not the only factor. You see the consciousness and the act of actually engaging the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Just like when Nārada Muni gives definition of Bhakti. He says free from all the material designation.

Not that a person is doing service that I am Hindu, Muslim, Christian or that I am Catholic or whatever. Not that I am white, black, yellow or that I am very rich or I am very this, no all type of material designation Upadi Muktam. Simply he thinks I am the Bhakta. I am devotee of God. Just as Lord Caitanya was asked what is the real Jīva identity? What is the meaning of spirit, soul? Who are we? He said Jeevra Saru Pai Nityu Kṛṣṇa Das. That the Saroopa or the real identity of the living entity is to be always, eternally the servant of Kṛṣṇa. So the first definition of devotion means to be free from all the external designation. Even Lord Caitanya said I am not Sannyāsī, I am not Grihasta, I am not Brahman, I am not Śūdra. I am Gopī Bharta Patakamalayora Dasa nu Dasa.

I am the servant of the servant of the Master of the Gopīs Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So of course we do Varnasra. We don’t want to disturb Varnashra. But that is also another medium. Another method means to allow us to organize our devotional service. But the devotional service itself, that’s our real identity. We are the servant of Kṛṣṇa. When we’re living in society, when we’re living with others, we have to act in a certain way. Therefore married man, he has different duty than an unmarried person. Otherwise there will be no proper example for society and there will be some kind of disturbance. But the pure devotee understands this is not my real eternal position. To be married or unmarried, or to be young or old, or to be white or black or this or that.

My eternal position is to be the servant of Kṛṣṇa in this body or in another body, or whatever body it may be. So sarvupadi, vinin, muktanpatt, paratvayana, nirmalam. And the consciousness is pure, near mullah. I mean no other type of contamination or mode of passion, ignorance, goodness, the pure mind cleansed from all mullah, all dirt, Sudha, sattva, pure goodness, transcendental consciousness, Rishikena, rishikesha, savanam. And rishikena means the senses. We have so many senses. Tongue, eye, ear, nose, touch. Then we have our working senses. Hands, feet, also tongue, genital, I believe. Is that all the working senses? Anus. Huh? Yeah. We will talk, voice. So all the senses are used in the service of the master of the senses, Rishikesh Kṛṣṇa, so that he doesn’t say exactly what service it will be, whatever that service may be, according to time, place, circumstance.

You see, in Russia, they can’t go on the street and do harinam with a Kolkata shaved head and dhoti. If they do that, the KGB will be clamping down on them in one second and they will be in Siberia mining salt. So they have to do it in their own way in different country and different places. Some there is difficulty whether in some places a person may do it differently. Doesn’t give the main thing all the senses, including the mind, they should be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. If a person cannot engage all the senses and the mind in that particular service, he’s in trouble. Because then the mind is going to be agītāted. Then the senses are going to be agītāted, they’re going to be hankering then for some engagement. And without Kṛṣṇa. Engagement, there’s definitely going to be my engagement.

Either you sit down as a yogī and you just stay in meditation and doing dhyan, which is hardly possible in this Kali Yuga. And keep out of trouble. Like Buddha said, just sit down, meditate, don’t worry about anything else. But they can’t do it. They become a monk for three months, they get agītāted, they go again back into the sangsa, back into bhoga, tyag. So that’s very difficult, just to sit and stop everything and do meditation, like the Ashtanga yogis Even to sit. They do Hatha yoga for so many years just to learn how to sit. So devotional service, why it’s so perfect, you engage the senses immediately in the service of Kṛṣṇa. If your senses mine are fully engaged, you feel satisfied. Then you’re completely on the spiritual platform Brahma Bhu aya Kalpate on the Brahma platform above the Gunas Gunatheet.

Simply when you are engaged in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. So one has to say that whether I am really giving, especially for us followers of Prabhupāda, whether we’re giving our service to the spiritual master, all the senses, the mind, the activities, our thoughts, whether they’re really being focused to please Prabhupāda, if we’re always doing everything which will be the most pleasing to Prabhupāda, whether it may be the hundred percent exact thing that we’re accustomed to or not, Prabhupāda gave just a very nice, simple thing. As soon as we desire sense gratification in any form, we become dissatisfied. As soon as we desire something outside of Kṛṣṇa, something not purely in devotional, we become dissatisfied. We become in anxiety. Of course, devotee, we become in anxiety.

Especially he said, of course devotee may have some one form of dissatisfaction that I want to give more service to Kṛṣṇa. I want to engage my senses more, I want to do more service. I want to that type of dissatisfaction, someone may say, oh, the devotee is also dissatisfied. But the devotee in that particular attitude of anxiousness to serve Kṛṣṇa more is satisfied. Actually that particular mood doesn’t create some idea that let me go outside of devotion doesn’t lose the enthusiasm. Rather it fires the enthusiasm. You see, when you love because it’s pushed by love. When you want to do something for someone out of love, that dissatisfaction let me do something more for the person I love that doesn’t distract one that actually focuses the attention more intensely. So this is the wonderful thing about devotional service.

As one starts to advance and becomes more and more in love with Kṛṣṇa, becomes more situated in spontaneous devotion to Kṛṣṇa, then naturally that energy is focused or funneled in a very intense and wonderful way. So therefore, the devotee Mahāprabhu Chaitanya Mahāprabhu described that he’s actually Niskam altoivshanto. He’s peaceful. He’s actually without desire, although he’s always desiring. How to make more devotees, how to distribute more books, how to get our temple, how to do. You can say, oh, he has so many desires. How is he Lord Chet is saying Akam. Even Lord Chetanya said, when will all these Javanas chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? So but he is saying Kṛṣṇa Bhakta Akam. Not only he says, Vedas are saying Muktanam API Siddhanam, Nārāyaṇa Parayana, Sudhullavam, Prasanta tma, Kotiswapya Mahamune.

That out of Siddhanams, all the Siddhis, all the great many Siddhas, the great mystic yogis who have achieved mystical perfection, Muktanam. Out of all the liberated souls, even those who have achieved Mukti Moksha, Nārāyaṇa Prayana, the deputy devotee of Nārāyaṇa of Kṛṣṇa, he is considered to be Sudhullavam, the most rare Prasant Ātmā, the most peaceful minded, fully self satisfied person, Koti Swapiya Mahavi. Not out of one, but out of millions and millions of liberated souls and mystically perfected yogis. So not only Lord Chaitanya is independently saying, he’s actually of course Kṛṣṇa. And he repeats himself in a simple language. He’s repeating himself whatever he said before as Vyazadev, as Kṛṣṇa, it’s the same person in different leelas. So the day same version is coming out, nothing different. He’s saying Kṛṣṇa Bhaktan is Kamatai Shanta.

That a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is without desire and is peaceful. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any desire. So many desire to serve Kṛṣṇa but no material desire. So the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa doesn’t produce any Karma. Therefore it is Niskaramo Niskam. It is all transcendental. Hanuman wanted to free Sītā Devī from Ravan. This is not Karma. This is a pure Bhakti. This is a completely bona fide feeling to save Lakshmi from the hands of the demons. But other persons, the Karmis, the Gyanis, the yogis who are desiring to get material perfection, beauty, longevity, health, who are desiring to have just like by traveling all over the world and preaching every Ayurvedic doctor, Western doctor, everyone who tell you simply get sick. Each Hanukkah said, by extensive traveling you lose your longevity.

But Prabhupāda tells us that you have to your sannyāsa, you have to travel and preach. If you don’t travel and preach, then who’s going to push on the movement of Lord Chaitanya? That means only we’re writing our death warrant early. What do we care? We have to do our duty for Kṛṣṇa. If we live five years longer or less in this body, that we can only do what has to be done. We’re not going to sit now the fanatics are there in America. Health fanatic. They also become vegetarian. It’s healthy. They only eat certain food. They chew so many times. They watch how many calories, how many vitamin. Vitamin this, that and everything they eat. They won’t eat sugar, they won’t eat this, they won’t eat that. They’re practically completely food conscious. Just so they can keep good health.

So that way they may live two or three years longer. So this is the thing that they may be somewhat in the mode of goodness. Mixed with some passion like that. At least they are living some simpler life. But that’s not the real perfection. They’re also completely in anxiety. Is the food good or not? We offer to Kṛṣṇa, we get as good thing we can. We offer to Kṛṣṇa, we know as Prasad. We don’t worry. We worry before offering, try to get the best thing. You see. But we’re not fanatical. This, that, whatever is Kali Yuga, nothing is. We give the best we can get available at that time. Pure thing, as pure as it can be without going to some fanatical exchange utility. We offer to Kṛṣṇa, we take Prashant, we don’t worry. Even they are doing all those things.

Still by eating, they’re getting karma. So in this way, Bhukti, Mukti, Siddhi, Kami, Sokhali, Ashanto, all. Whether they’re desiring material happiness, health, education, material whatever it may be, material even going to swarth, there’s also Bhukti kami. They’re dissatisfied. Then Moksha Kamni, they were they fed up with the material world. Let me get out of this hellish place. They’re not positively thinking let me serve Kṛṣṇa, they thinking, get me out of here. They sometimes also come to devotion. But until they become pure devotees, until they actually develop by proper association of pure devotee, the mood of surrender and service to Kṛṣṇa for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. When their primal drive is not to get out of material misery but primal drive is to actually serve Guru and Kṛṣṇa. Then they become devotees. Before that they’re devoting mixed Gyani.

That means they want Moksa out of their bhakti. They’re not pure devotees. So that means they’re also dissatisfied. They’re not feeling happy in their position. They are feeling anxious to get out of the material world. Those who want mystic yogī, they want Siddhi. They want to Anima, Prapti, these different siddhis, they’re also dissatisfied. The devotee in his devotional service is so well situated that doesn’t look anywhere else outside of bhakti. So therefore, when Vyazadeva asked, what is the deficiency in me? Then the Raja said, you have described everything in the whole. But the one thing you didn’t describe, devotional service that he will reveal tomorrow. In any case, this was what Vyas Dev is asking around.

What is the deficiency in me that we should also seek out if we’re feeling any dissatisfaction, if we’re feeling any uncomfortableness in the material world or in our spiritual practice that we should see and try to refine more and more that our devotional service becomes purer and purer. Because when we achieve pure devotion, we will be completely situated, fixed in that devotion and we will be completely self satisfied. We won’t be looking outside or we won’t be feeling any influence of the modes in our devotional service. But we will be feeling a natural enthusiasm and a natural determination and faith, patience. All the qualities those who simply be manifesting by our natural desire to increase our service and purify our service to Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Any questions? Naturally, because people are becoming their body conscious and they’re concentrating on science.

So science means that, well, truth, whatever is true, we should accept it. So then all the habits that they’re doing for a gross sense gratification, then upon ample research they find out it’s harmful for health. They’re attached to their body. Just like now there’s so many venereal diseases in America. People are having second thoughts about the free love revolution. Even some big debauchees have written that maybe there is God because he’s getting us where it hurts. Then there’s this tobacco. They’re finding out all these things are bad. So those who are a little bit concerned about their body, little intelligent, that all right, we have the body, if it’s going bad, then we shouldn’t destroy it. So they become concerned.

The real thing that’s missing is it’s alright to be concerned about one’s body, but unfortunately they’re not concerned about the real essence of the body, which is the consciousness, which is the soul. So although they’re putting so much attention in the body is going to cave in sooner or later. You see. At least that’s good. They’re becoming a little more in the mode of goodness. But the preoccupation unfortunately is with something which is not enduring. So therefore the Vedas are saying Atatur, Brahmacha, Gyasa, you have a human body. Human body is especially adapted for higher thought, intellectual understanding, for inquiry into the truth. So use the human body to ask about that which is not temporary, that which is enduring, that which is eternal, that which is Brahma. So that non temporary substance is called Brahma or the spirit.

Actually we are part of that same substance. Aham Brahmasmi. We are not that we are of this material world, but of course so that these, they should be inquiring what is beyond the body. If they knew that they’re not this body, that they’re the spirit, then they could just adjust their priorities that obviously we have to take care of our body, but not at the expense of the eternal self. Nobody is going to put all their energy into polishing the car, taking care of the car. If he knows that he can just, you know, at a certain point he’s going to get another car, then you’re going to worry more about the driver.

If you got one car and it’s the only car you’re ever going to get, and you think that as long as I can keep this car running, I am going to be on the road and as soon as this car caves in, I am finished, then you’re naturally going to be putting all your energy into keeping your car going, getting any little breakdown this, that you want to keep it going. But when you naturally know that all right, this car sooner or later is going to cave in, but I am going to get another car. But what car I get, the next car I get. That will depend on certain factors. So then you’re also not going to only be thinking how to keep this car repaired.

You’re going to also be putting money in the bank or this or that, whatever, so that when this one breaks down, you don’t get some junk heap in the next as your next car, you get a better car, good car, whatever. So that’s naturally the consciousness even in all the Buddhist countries, Indian countries who believe in reincarnation and karma, that this body, after it’s finished, you get another body. So they’re not only thinking about this life, but also about the next life, that the next life should not be complete, bomb out, shouldn’t be back in animal kingdom or in some hellish condition. So then within that there are different objectives, those once they understand about reincarnation, some want AIT to be a good human being again, some want to have a higher birth in the material world.

Then some great philosophers, they know that well beyond this material world, which anyway we have to always be born, die, born, die to get out of this birth and death cycle, to achieve some freedom from this repetition, this constant temporary suffering enjoying situation. That’s a higher consciousness. Like the Buddhist saint Nirvana or the Gyanis Vedantis. They want to go beyond Nirvana to Brahmanirvana, to the spiritual impersonal liberation. And then. But once you’re liberated, then what do you do? What’s the positive understanding of liberation? So the great Vaishnava Acharya, like Ramanuja Madhva, they have revealed from the Vedas that the real, that different type of liberation and that compared to this impersonal merging liberation, there are liberation where one gets a spiritual form. And in a spiritual existence without any death, just the internal continuing existence, there are various type of spiritual activities.

And those spiritual activities are not material activities. They’re not. There’s no duality. Just like in the body. We may be feeling hot in one part and cold in another, and so on and so forth. So many dualities are there. Even we may be eating something which tastes good, but our mind may be really filled with fear or agītātion due to some other problem. So in this way there’s always different kind of dualities going on. So there’s no difference between mind, body and soul. There’s no mind and body anymore. There’s intelligence and a spiritual form. And in this way one is going out with spiritual mind, spiritual everything. So then what the activity is of the pure soul, that is called devotional service or bhakti, and that’s described by our great acharyas. And especially how to practice bhakti.

Even in this day and age of gross materialism, that was revealed by C. Caitanya Mahāprabhu that the easiest process is by singing his names, by chanting Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa and how to chant, especially in the 20th century Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, he has explained that in all of his literatures. So step by step now some people are focusing on the body, some are a little bit advanced and knowing about the soul. And there are all these different levels. When we come up to the level of understanding the soul, the super soul, the real activity of the soul, and how to engage in these spiritual activities. You see, then everything takes its proper perspective. Not that the body is neglected, not that anything is neglected, but everything has its property, proper perspective.

And then actually then people can start to love each other as real relatives, as having real connection, because they’re all connected with the same truth. Nothing just sentimental, artificial. But In a real sense, the whole world can be brought into an actual feeling of real spiritual consciousness. So. So of course, we’re trying to create that in our own microcosm, in our own ashrams, in our own society. But being a little island surrounded by the material world, taking in always new people. There are always some defects that come. There are some imperfections that are still left to be purified from the devotees who are practicing. But we can. Anyone who is a little sincere can that. Actually, the mood of devotion and the actual concern of the devotees to help others in their spiritual life. Is so pure and sincere.

That you don’t find that kind of atmosphere or that type of association anywhere in the material world. So some people are coming for the association. Some people are coming for the good food. Some people are coming for so many different reasons. But somehow another. Once they get into the devotional service and they start to make advancement. Then all these anxieties that we laugh at in a certain way, they transcend it. But they’re a little mature. So they’re not just laughing at it or feeling sorry in some sentimental, abstract way. But they actually want to do something about it. And try to really help the people, which is a more mature outlook. So this is basically what our purpose of this mission is. Is to simultaneously help each individual. And to develop the individual to this state or of consciousness.

Where he can actually be capable of helping others. And feel the natural compassion and natural mood of trying to help others. Whoever wants to help. Not that we try to force it down anybody’s throat. But if anybody is a little interested in help, interested in getting out of that anxiety, then that such souls will be there to help them.