oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
First Canto, Chapter 5, Text 11.
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin
prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api nāmāny anantasya
yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ
Translation:
On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupād:
It is a qualification of the great thinkers to pick up the best even from the worst. It is said that the intelligent man should pick up nectar from a stock of poison, should accept gold even from a filthy place, should accept a good and qualified wife even from an obscure family and should accept a good lesson even from a man or from a teacher who comes from the untouchables. These are some of the ethical instructions for everyone in every place without exception. But a saint is far above the level of an ordinary man. He is always absorbed in glorifying the Supreme Lord because by broadcasting the holy name and fame of the Supreme Lord, the polluted atmosphere of the world will change, and as a result of propagating the transcendental literatures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, people will become sane in their transactions. While preparing this commentation on this particular stanza of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we have a crisis before us. Our neighboring friend China has attacked the border of India with a militaristic spirit. We have practically no business in the political field, yet we see that previously there were both China and India, and they both lived peacefully for centuries without ill feeling. The reason is that they lived those days in an atmosphere of God consciousness, and every country, over the surface of the world, was God-fearing, pure-hearted and simple, and there was no question of political diplomacy. There is no cause of quarrel between the two countries China and India over land which is not very suitable for habitation, and certainly there is no cause for fighting on this issue. But due to the age of quarrel, Kali, which we have discussed, there is always a chance of quarrel on slight provocation. This is due not to the issue in question, but to the polluted atmosphere of this age: systematically there is propaganda by a section of people to stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, there is a great need for disseminating the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world. It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world. Because India has failed in her duty by neglecting this responsible work, there is so much quarrel and trouble all over the world. We are confident that if the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is received only by the leading men of the world, certainly there will be a change of heart, and naturally the people in general will follow them. The mass of people in general are tools in the hands of the modern politicians and leaders of the people. If there is a change of heart of the leaders only, certainly there will be a radical change in the atmosphere of the world. We know that our honest attempt to present this great literature conveying transcendental messages for reviving the God consciousness of the people in general and respiritualizing the world atmosphere is fraught with many difficulties. Our presenting this matter in adequate language, especially a foreign language, will certainly fail, and there will be so many literary discrepancies despite our honest attempt to present it in the proper way. But we are sure that with all our faults in this connection the seriousness of the subject matter will be taken into consideration, and the leaders of society will still accept this due to its being an honest attempt to glorify the Almighty God. When there is fire in a house, the inmates of the house go out to get help from the neighbors who may be foreigners, and yet without knowing the language the victims of the fire express themselves, and the neighbors understand the need, even though not expressed in the same language. The same spirit of cooperation is needed to broadcast this transcendental message of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the polluted atmosphere of the world. After all, it is a technical science of spiritual values, and thus we are concerned with the techniques and not with the language. If the techniques of this great literature are understood by the people of the world, there will be success.
When there are too many materialistic activities by the people in general all over the world, there is no wonder that a person or a nation attacks another person or nation on slight provocation. That is the rule of this age of Kali or quarrel. The atmosphere is already polluted with corruption of all description, and everyone knows it well. There are so many unwanted literatures full of materialistic ideas of sense gratification. In many countries there are bodies appointed by the state to detect and censor obscene literature. This means that neither the government nor the responsible leaders of the public want such literature, yet it is in the marketplace because the people want it for sense gratification. The people in general want to read (that is a natural instinct), but because their minds are polluted they want such literatures. Under the circumstances, transcendental literature like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will not only diminish the activities of the corrupt mind of the people in general, but also it will supply food for their hankering after reading some interesting literature. In the beginning they may not like it because one suffering from jaundice is reluctant to take sugar candy, but we should know that sugar candy is the only remedy for jaundice. Similarly, let there be systematic propaganda for popularizing reading of the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which will act like sugar candy for the jaundicelike condition of sense gratification. When men have a taste for this literature, the other literatures, which are catering poison to society, will then automatically cease.
We are sure, therefore, that everyone in human society will welcome Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, even though it is now presented with so many faults, for it is recommended by Śrī Nārada, who has very kindly appeared in this chapter.
So, this is a very important verse. It is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is such a śāstra; it is kṛṣṇa-kathā.
śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām
(Bhāg. 1.2.17)
This is puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Yes. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is kṛṣṇa-kathā. It is all-auspicious,
hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām
it cleanses the heart of all material contaminations. This glorification of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda Mahārāja, our grand-guru, said, “If all the books from all the libraries of the world would be destroyed, there would be no loss at all, if only Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is here.” Why is it said so? Because it contains such things; Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of all Vedas, all Upaniṣads,
sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi
śrī-bhāgavatam iṣyate
tad-rasāmṛta-tṛptasya
nānyatra syād ratiḥ kvacit
(Bhāg. 12.13.15)
It is sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi, it is the essence of all Vedas, all Vedāntas, all Upaniṣads. If someone develops taste for it, he’ll never aspire for any other śāstra.
sabe puruṣārtha 'bhakti' bhāgavate haya
'premarūpa bhāgavata' cārivede kaya
cāri veda-dadhi bhāgavata navanīta
mathilenn śuke-khāilenu parikṣita
Caitanya-bhāgavata (M. 22.15-16), Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura says, this premarūpa bhāgavata cārivede kaya, the four Vedas say, Bhāgavata is the embodiment of prema, kṛṣṇa-prema.
premān pumartho mahān
śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idaṁ
Caitanya Mahāprabhu also gives this opinion, premān pumartho mahān. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the embodiment of prema, kṛṣṇa-prema. Prema-bhakti-tattva has been said here, sabe puruṣārtha 'bhakti' bhāgavate haya, one can very easily develop all puruṣārthas, and supreme puruṣārtha, kṛṣṇa-prema-bhakti, if he hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the bona fide source, right source, bhakta-bhāgavata, vaiṣṇava.
cāri veda-dadhi bhāgavata navanīta
mathilenn śuke-khāilenu parikṣita
The four Vedas; the four Vedas are dadhi; dadhi – yogurt. If you churn yogurt the navanīta, butter will come out. So, Śukadeva Gosvāmī churned this dadhi, this butter, the navanīta in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam came out, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja ate it.
bhāgavata, tulāsī gaṅgāya, bhaktajane
caturdhā vigraha kṛṣṇa ei cāri sane
There are four manifestations of Kṛṣṇa in this material world – the Bhāgavata, Tulasī, Gaṅgā, and bhakti.
premamaya bhāgavata kṛṣṇera śrī aṅga
tāhāte kahena yata gopya kṛṣṇeraṅga
(Cb A. 3.516)
This is prema-maya; this is filled with kṛṣṇa-prema, the embodiment of prema; this is the body of Kṛṣṇa; all transcendental and confidential līlās of Kṛṣṇa are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
dui sthāne bhāgavata nāma śuni mātra
grantha-bhāgavata, āra kṛṣṇa-kṛpā-pātra
(Cb. Antya. 3.532)
eka bhāgavata baḍa bhāgavata-śāstra
āra bhāgavata bhakta bhakti-rasa-pātra
(Cc. Ādi 1.99)
dui bhāgavata dvārā diyā bhakti-rasa
tāohāra hṛdaye tāore preme haya vaśa
(Cc. Ādi 1.100)
In two places we hear this word, name, Bhāgavata. One is book Bhāgavata, grantha-bhāgavata, another is bhakta-bhāgavata, devotee Bhāgavata who is the container of kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. Kṛṣṇa gives this bhakti-rasa, the mellow of bhakti through two bhāgavatas, the grantha-bhāgavata, book Bhāgavata, and bhakta-bhāgavata. And He Himself becomes bound up with that prema-bhakta.
bhāgavate acintya īśvara-buddhi yāora
se jānaye bhāgavata-artha bhakti-sāra
(Cb. Madhya 22.25)
Because it is not a mere book. It is kṛṣṇa-tulya-bhāgavata, it is as good as Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa is understood and approached through bhakti, similarly the Bhāgavata is also understood and approached through bhakti. One who has developed this intelligence, that it is non-different from Kṛṣṇa, it is as good as Kṛṣṇa, so through bhakti, whoever approaches Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he knows that Bhāgavata is the essence of all bhakti-tattva.
So, this verse says, in Bhāgavatam “the descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.” (Translation 1.5.11.)
Here, in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says, “But a saint is far above the level of an ordinary man. He is always absorbed in glorifying the Supreme Lord because by broadcasting the holy name and fame of the Supreme Lord, the polluted atmosphere of the world will change, and as a result of propagating the transcendental literatures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, people will become sane in their transactions.”
So, “by broadcasting the holy name and fame of the Supreme Lord, the polluted atmosphere of the world will change.” So, this is a saintly person, sādhu-vaiṣṇava, who knows,
yasmin vijñāte sarvam
evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3)
Veda says like that.
yasmin vijñāte sarvam
evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3)
Veda says like that.
yasmin vijñāte sarvam
evaṃ vijñātaṃ bhavati
Knowing whom, everything is known. Knowing whom, means what? Knowing Kṛṣṇa. One who knows Kṛṣṇa, he knows everything because Kṛṣṇa is sat-cit-ānanda, He is full of eternality, full of knowledge, and full of blissfulness. Mātā smṛti jñānam apānam ca. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, from Him comes all sorts of knowledge, all sorts of jñāna. He is the source of all knowledge, and transcendental knowledge. Therefore, sat-cit-ānanda.
yasmin vijñāte sarvam
evaṃ vijñātaṃ bhavati
Knowing whom, everything is known. One who knows Kṛṣṇa, he knows everything. He knows why, what is the cause of this polluted atmosphere, why the atmosphere has been polluted. Because there is no kṛṣṇa-kathā. All materialistic topics are discussed. Therefore the whole atmosphere is polluted. A saintly person... here, Śrīla Prabhupāda Mahārāja says, “always absorbed in glorifying the Supreme Lord because by broadcasting the holy name and fame of the Supreme Lord, the polluted atmosphere of the world will change, and as a result of propagating the transcendental literatures like Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, people will become sane in their transactions.”
This is the highest good done to human society. Sādhu knows this thing therefore he goes out, he travels throughout the world and does ūcā saṅkīrtana, loud saṅkīrtana, and he speaks Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇa-kathā because,
saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhanā-udgama
kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
kṛṣṇa-prāpti, premāmṛta-samudre majjana
This is the symptom. saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana, if you are engaged in kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana and engage others – your friends, your neighbors, those who are interested in saṅkīrtana, then all sinful reactions of the world will be destroyed, sarva-bhakti citta-śuddhi.
citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhanā-udgama,
in the heart, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, the heart will be cleansed of all material contaminations from many, many lives. From lakhs, lakhs of past lives so much filth has accumulated there in the heart like a Himalayan mountain. How can you clean it? Is there any means?
Can any scientist give such means to cleanse the heart? They can clean the intestines by giving some douche, but... clean the heart? No, they don’t know. And sādhu knows, and Bhāgavata says, śāstra says,
saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhanā-udgama
The saṅkīrtana, kṛṣṇa-kathā-kīrtana, kṛṣṇa-nāma-kīrtana. This is saṅkīrtana, ...? many devotees congregate together and do saṅkīrtana, kathā-kīrtana, nāma-kīrtana, then all sinful reactions will be destroyed, the whole atmosphere will be purified and heart, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, the heart will be cleansed. The heart of the human being will be cleansed of all dirt, all material contamination, sarva-bhakti-sādhanā-udgama, in bhakti hṛdaya(??). Not only that, something, the highest attainment is there:
kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
kṛṣṇa-prāpti, premāmṛta-samudre majjana
Only by hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām
Tenth canto Bhāgavatam (10.14.3) says, brahmā-vākya, Lord Brahmā has said. In whatever position one may be, no need of changing position. If one is in brahmacārī position, let him be there. If one is in gṛhastha position, let him be there. If one is in vānaprastha position, let him be there. If one is in sannyāsa position, let him be there. No need of changing position. Only one thing,
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ
tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
Hear, come and hear daily Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, nectarean kṛṣṇa-kathā. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ, the most ripened, sweetest, nectarean juicy fruit of the Vedic tree, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Relish this mellow daily. Thereby you’ll develop such kṛṣṇa-prema-bhakti. You’ll be able to conquer the unconquerable. The unconquerable ajita is Kṛṣṇa. You’ll be able to develop such prema-bhakti you’ll be able to conquer that ajita, that Kṛṣṇa. That means Kṛṣṇa becomes conquered, bhakti alabhyatam bhakti ajita – through prema-bhakti Kṛṣṇa becomes conquered, jita. And by hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from the right source, bhakta-bhāgavata, you’ll be able to develop such prema-bhakti. You’ll be able to conquer the unconquerable. That means you’ll be able to bind up Kṛṣṇa with the rope of love. You’ll develop such kṛṣṇa-prema and relish that premāmṛta, the nectarean, loving nectar and kṛṣṇa-prāpti, premāmṛta-samudre majjana, you’ll get Kṛṣṇa and you’ll drown in that ocean of prema. This is the result of hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from the right source.
So here, Śrīla Prabhupāda, while he was writing this stanza, there was a quarrel between China and India. “Our neighboring friend China had attacked the border of India with militaristic spirit. We have practically no business in the political field, yet we see that previously there were both China and India, and they both lived peacefully for centuries without ill feeling. The reason is that they lived those days in an atmosphere of God consciousness, so there was peace. But now there is no cause of quarrel between the two countries, China and India, over land which is not very suitable for habitation.”
But why did such a thing take place? Because it is the age of quarrel, Kali. It is Kali-yuga. Kali means quarrel, hypocrisy, quarrel and hypocrisy, fighting. Two men are quarrelling, two groups are quarrelling, two groups are quarrelling, two countries are quarrelling and fighting. Dambha. Dambha means pride. Pride is the measuring rod in Kali-yuga. Everybody, every person wants to show off his pride, that he is great. “I am great. Yes.” Dambha. This dambha is māpa-kaṭī, the measuring rod in Kali-yuga. Therefore, there is quarrelling and fighting due to this Kali-yuga—polluted atmosphere of this age.
There is quarrel at the slightest provocation. Due to the age of quarrel, Kali, which we have discussed, there is always a chance of quarrel at the slightest provocation. Yes. “But due to the age of quarrel, Kali, which we have discussed, there is always a chance of quarrel on slight provocation. This is due not to the issue in question, but to the polluted atmosphere of this age: systematically, there is propaganda by a section of people to stop the glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, there is a great need for disseminating the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world. It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world.” Prabhupāda says.
Age of quarrel and hypocrisy. Bhāgavata śravaṇa is required. It is the responsibility... Indians should do. Therefore, Mahāprabhu said (CC Ādi 9.41):
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
Therefore, Mahāprabhu says, one who is born as a human being in Bhāratabhūmi, he must first make his life perfect, then do para-upakāra, do good to others. What is that? It is important, and it has a very deep purport. To make life perfect means what? Develop complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is to elevate your consciousness to the highest level of consciousness. That is, pūrṇa-vikacita-cetana, completely blossoming consciousness, that is complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati
(BG 6.30)
In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa has said what is complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. “One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me. He is not lost to Me. I am not lost to him.” This is complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the perfection of human life.
janma sārthaka kari’
kara para-upakāra
He is a responsible Indian. Therefore, Prabhupāda said, “It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world.” Yes. Then he’ll bring about desired peace. Otherwise, in Kali-yuga there is quarrel and hypocrisy, the most degraded age, sinful age. Consciously or unconsciously, all are engaged in sinful activity, so consciousness is very, very polluted consciousness, degraded consciousness. How can they think of Kṛṣṇa? How can they get peace and bliss? This is Kali-yuga.
The four pillars of sinful activity, Kali attacks there. Parīkṣit Mahārāja gave a place:
dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ śūnā
yatrādharmac catur-vidhaḥ
(SB 1.17.38)
Kali asked for the place. Parīkṣit Mahārāja gave these four places, yatra adharma, wherever there are these four pāpa, sinful activities; adharma means pāpa—there you can stay.
dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ śūnā
Dyūta means gambling; pāna means intoxication; striya, illicit sex; śūnā, animal killing. These are the four pillars of sinful activity, and these are Kali’s places. And this is rampant throughout the world in the age of Kali. All are engaged in these sinful activities. Unless one becomes free from the influence of Kali, how can he purify his consciousness? How can he elevate his level of consciousness? How can he understand the Supreme Lord? It is quite impossible. Therefore, the propagation of the holy name and the propagation of this message of the Lord, in the form of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is absolutely necessary.
In the 12th canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.3.43), everything has been said about Kali-yuga. Śukadeva Goswāmī has said. There it is mentioned:
kalau na rājān jagatāṁ paraṁ guruṁ
tri-loka-nāthānata-pāda-paṅkajaṁ
prāyeṇa martyā bhagavantam acyutam
yakṣyanti pāṣaṇḍa-vibhinna-cetasaḥ
Śukadeva Goswāmī says, in Kali-yuga people are pāṣaṇḍīs. What do you say in English, pāṣaṇḍīs?
Devotee: Atheists.
Gour Govinda Swami: Atheists, pāṣaṇḍīs. Most are engaged in abominable activities. They are pāṣaṇḍas.
prāyeṇa martyā bhagavantam acyutam
yakṣyanti pāṣaṇḍa-vibhinna-cetasaḥ
They are all pāṣaṇḍas. This is a very important verse in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 12th canto, 3rd chapter, verse 43.
Then, if someone can understand the purport of this verse, then he can understand the cause of suffering.
You see, we come to this path, accept a guru from a bona fide sampradāya, engage in chanting under the guidance of the guru, and also hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam daily. This program we have—Bhāgavata pāṭha pravacana (reading, hearing, chanting)—still, our consciousness is not pure. We cannot develop pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We cannot develop pure devotion, yes. Why? We accepted a guru, we’ve been initiated, still we cannot. What is the reason? What is the reason? Because of this kalau.
kalau na rājān jagatāṁ paraṁ guruṁ
tri-loka-nāthānata-pāda-paṅkajaṁ
Because this is the activity of Kali. Kali is the cause of all sorts of disturbances. Kali creates all sorts of disturbances in this age.
kali-kukkura-kadana jadi cāo he
kali-yuga-pāvana, kali-bhoya-nāśana,
śrī-śacī-nandana gāo he
If you want to kill this Kali-dog, nasty dog, if you want to kill, then,
kali-yuga-pāvana, kali-bhoya-nāśana,
śrī-śacī-nandana gāo he
Glorify Śacīnandana, the son of Śacīmātā, Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, who is kali-bhoya-nāśana, kali-yuga-pāvana, the deliverer and purifier of Kali-yuga, and the destroyer of Kali-yuga.
So, Parīkṣit Mahārāja gave these four places: dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ śūnā. Therefore, we have these four regulative principles: no intoxication, no gambling, no illicit sex, and no fish-eating or meat-eating. Very strictly follow the four regulative principles. Don’t deviate. Very strictly follow, then there will be no question of Kali at all because there will be no place for Kali. If you follow these four regulative principles very strictly and chant offenselessly, as I was saying last evening, the holy name, you’ll never be influenced by Kali. You won’t be in Kali-yuga. You’ll be in Satya-yuga. Then the chief result of chanting the holy name: kṛṣṇa-prema,
mukhya pathe jīva pāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-dhana
The chief result of chanting the holy name is kṛṣṇa-prema. Definitely, you’ll get it. But if you don’t follow strictly, if you deviate, if you don’t follow these regulative principles and don’t chant offenselessly, then how can you get kṛṣṇa-prema? You must be influenced by Kali. You must be disturbed by Kali. That’s a fact.
Here it says,
präyeṇa martyā bhagavantam acyutaṁ
yakṣyanti pāṣaṇḍa-vibhinna-cetasaḥ
Most of the people of Kali-yuga are pāṣaṇḍas, atheists, because they are influenced by Kali. Therefore, they have completely forgotten their own identity—that they are kṛṣṇa-nitya-dāsa, “I am the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master. I am His eternal servant.” They have completely forgotten, being influenced by Kali, and have taken up this pāṣaṇḍa-mata. Yes. So, it is very difficult on their part to take up this process of nāma-saṅkīrtana.
Pāṣaṇḍa-mata, the opinion of the pāṣaṇḍas, is predominating, yes, it must be. All people are influenced by that, pāṣaṇḍa-mata. They don’t accept this bhāgavata-mata because this is the influence of Kali. Many people I have seen come to this path, but they have no faith.
“Oh, so many years I have been chanting but I cannot get any tangible result. I cannot control my senses,” so they go to yogīs, those who do āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi, and they smoke gañjā, drink liquor. They drink liquor, smoke gañjā, and they do āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi. So such persons go there.
“How have you controlled your senses? For so many years I am chanting the holy name, following the principles of bhakti, but I cannot control my senses.” Then they say, these are pāṣaṇḍas. Those who are pāṣaṇḍas undergo dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi, and do this sādhanā. It is a great obstacle in the path of bhakti, antarāya.
You cannot practice bhakti if you take to that path of āsana-prāṇāyāma. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says it is a great obstacle. It is detrimental to bhakti. You’ll never surrender unto Krishna.
Such people also, they go there. Even the devotees go there, yes. I have seen and I have heard also. “Oh, I cannot control my senses, so that yogī said, ‘You do this āsana, do this for a time. You smoke gañjā, then you’ll be able to…’ Oh, very good. I’ll do it.”
Why are you doing it? Bhāgavata doesn’t say so. This antarāya, it is detrimental to bhakti, a great obstacle to bhakti. Why? What is the reason? Because the pāṣaṇḍa-mata is so predominant. And these people, they never follow strictly the regulative principles, and their chanting is not pure. Therefore, they are influenced by Kali. So, they go.
Devotee: Pāṣaṇḍa-mata…
Gour Govinda Swami: Some hypocrites are also there. When Kali saw that Mahāprabhu was going to kill me, then there would be no existence, I cannot exist. Where will I exist? Mahāprabhu is going to kill me. He bolted all the doors very tightly. So, Kali thought, “Alright, I must become Vaiṣṇava. I could join that movement, Mahāprabhu’s movement. I’ll join there, otherwise I cannot exist.” So, he shaved his head, put śikhā, put on tilaka, wore a mālī, put hāta mei jhula, chanting beads, hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa.
Ohe Vaiṣṇava! Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says,
eo to’ eka kalir celā
māthā meḍā kapni parā,
tilak nāke, galāy mālā
galāy mālā hāta mei jhula
eo to’ eka kalir celā
(Bāul Saṅgīt)
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, he is Kali’s celā, a follower of Kali. Shaved head, śikhā, tilaka, neck beads, galāy mālā, hāta mei jhula, hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa... chanting beads, he joined. But he didn’t follow these regulative principles, yes, he deviated, broke all, they break all—the sahajiyās, Āul, Bāul, Kauls, Gaurāṅga-nāgarī, Sakhī-bhekī, Karttā-bhajā. Thirteen apa-sampradāyas. They go on in the name of Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya, but they are all Kali-celās, yes.
They say, “Oh, you are following the principles of sādhanā-bhakti, sādhanā-mārga. We are rāga-mārga, we are... we are superior, rāga-mārga. We can do anything. We can smoke gañjā, we can chew pān, we can take tea, we can also... ‘Yes, I am Vaiṣṇava. Oh, she is a Vaiṣṇavi. We can live together and do bhajana.’” That means illicit sex. “We are rāga-mārga, we are superior. You are vidhi-mārga, vidhi-mārge, following these vidhis. We are above. So, no vidhis for us.” This is a Kali-celā. So many are there in Kali-yuga. Yes, and people are influenced, how can they develop kṛṣṇa-prema? How can they develop taste for Bhāgavata-kathā?
So, a verse is also there in the 12th Canto, 3rd Chapter, 44th verse:
yan-nāmādheyaṁ mriyāmāṇa-āturaḥ
patan skhalan vā vivaśo gṛṇan pumān
vimukta-karmār-gala uttamāṁ gatiṁ
prāpnoti yakṣyanti na taṁ kalau janāḥ
That means, this holy name, the name of the Lord is so potent. If someone is put into danger and if he chants hare kṛṣṇa, he can be protected. The holy name will give you protection. One who is very degraded, very fallen, if he takes to the chanting of the holy name, he will very easily be elevated because the holy name is so potent.
vimukta-karmār-gala uttamāṁ gatiṁ
prāpnoti yakṣyanti na taṁ kalau janāḥ
Though, if someone achieves nāmābhāsa stage, his prārabdha-karma is also destroyed. Yes. Prārabdha-karma is destroyed if someone achieves the nāmābhāsa stage. There will be no karma-bandhana at all. But, alas!
prāpnoti yakṣyanti na taṁ kalau janāḥ
But in this age of Kali, people cannot take to this path of chanting. The influence of Kali is so great that people cannot take it. Also,
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(SB 12.3.51)
Though in Kali-yuga there is ocean-like evil, doṣa, evil, ocean-like, still, one very good quality is there:
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
If you do kṛṣṇa-kīrtana very easily, you’ll be delivered, you’ll get liberation. Not only that, you’ll develop parā-bhakti, supreme devotion, mukhya pathe jīva pāya Krishna-prema dhana, the chief result of chanting the holy name is kṛṣṇa-prema. This Kali-yuga is such a degraded age that it doesn’t allow people to take to this path of saṅkīrtana, adharma-bandhu. Kali is called adharma-bandhu, the friend of irreligiosity, whose path is an enemy. Therefore Kali doesn’t allow the jīvas to take part in this nirmala-dharma, spotless dharma, saṅkīrtana-dharma. This verse (SB 12.3.44) says:
prāpnoti yakṣyanti
na taṁ kalau janāḥ
Though,
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
You find two contradictory things. Though Kali-yuga is an ocean of ills, there is one good quality, kīrtanād eva Krishnasya. But,
prāpnoti yakṣyanti
na taṁ kalau janāḥ
Kali doesn’t allow. This Kali, adharma-bandhu, the friend of irreligion, pāpa, sinful activity, it is jīva-śhatru, it is the enemy of the jīva. It doesn’t allow the jīvas to take part in saṅkīrtana-dharma, though this good quality is there. We find two contradictory things. What is that? What is the reason? What śāstra says, giving up all varieties of dharma just:
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
Śāstra says, "No other way, no other way, no other way in Kali-yuga, harer nāmaiva kevalam, only take shelter of hari-nāma." Śāstra says. That is on the one hand. On the other hand, it says that Kali doesn’t allow the jīvas to take part in nāma-saṅkīrtana. What is that? What is the reason? This stupid mind. The reason is the stupid mind.
Mana tumi baḍa duṣṭa, O mind, you are very stupid, very stupid, stupid mind. Saṅkalpa-vikalpa-ātmakā bandhu, the activity of the mind is acceptance and rejection. The stupid mind, though he hears śāstra says, Krishna says, sādhus they say so, he hears, and in the pages of Bhāgavatam it is written there, still he cannot stop this bad habit. All know there is no other way, no other way, no other way in Kali-yuga, harer nāmaiva kevalam, they know it, but why can’t they take to this process of chanting? Because in their mind this saṅkalpa pralāpa mana, the acceptance of the stupid mind deliberates on this thing, accept something that is very good for him and rejects that thing, very bad for him. Mīmāṁsaka, those who are mīmāṁsaka, what do you say?
Devotee: Jaimini followers?
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, Jaimini followers, karma-mīmāṁsā and bhakti-mīmāṁsaka also, followers of the path of bhakti, they say:
svalpāpi rucir eva syād
bhakti-tattvāvabodhikā
yuktis tu kevalā naiva
yad asyā apratiṣṭhatā
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Purva 1.45)
Rūpa Goswāmī says this thing, that if somebody is very fortunate he develops some taste in chanting the holy name, he’ll develop bhakti, he’ll develop some taste in chanting the holy name. He’ll develop bhakti. But it is not a fact that by yukti, by your material argument or logic, you’ll come to this path. Mahābhārata, in dharma-vākya, he asked that question to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, kā panthāḥ? Which is the path? What answer did Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja give?
tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
nāśāv ṛṣiḥ yasya mataṁ na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ
(Vana-parva 313.117)
You cannot establish the conclusion drawn in Veda through your material logic and arguments, tarko 'pratiṣṭha. If you raise some argument and logic on Vedic conclusion, you cannot establish it. Those who take to this path, the path of tarko, yukti, logic, and argument, they create new philosophies – Jaimini, Kanāda, Yājñavalkya, Patañjali, Gautama... there are six... many philosophies, all their philosophies are based on this material logic and arguments. They are all material philosophers.
tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ
śrutayo vibhinnā
They have become different, different, different, different. Therefore they say, jata mata tata patha, many philosophers are there, many philosophies, so they have shown many paths, so, jata mata tata patha, many opinions and many paths. So what is very good for me I may accept that path. The stupid mind thinks like this. It is the activity of the stupid mind.
Those who are influenced by Kali, they have fallen prey to their stupid mind, their stupid mind thinks, says.
So śāstra says, mahājanas say:
tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
nāśāv ṛṣiḥ yasya mataṁ na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ
But those sādhu-mahājanas, pure vaiṣṇavas, they know this dharma-tattva. It is there in their hearts. Follow their path. Follow the footprints of the mahājanas. Don’t add any of your logic and material argument to it. Don’t add any of your deliberation to it. Just follow. Just follow. Otherwise, you fall prey to your stupid mind, then your stupid mind will put forth, will present so many arguments, so many logics.
Though big, big paṇḍits, they know, still they cannot accept because they are completely influenced by Kali. Such persons you see, they know, these big paṇḍits they know these things, but their stupid mind is so strong, and they put forth such logic.
If you ask them, “All right, you know, this illicit sex, to go to a prostitute is a very sinful activity. And drinking liquor, most sinful activity, a place of Kali. So why are you doing like this?” If you ask such a person, he’ll put forth such logic, he’ll say in such a way that, “Oh, a little liquor, a little meat I take because, otherwise I will become weak. I cannot go out. I cannot work. I cannot labor so hard. How can I serve Krishna? How can I earn so much money? I have to earn so much money to do this thing and that thing. If I become weak, my body will become weak, what can I do? So a little liquor, some little illicit sex, it is a biological need. Doctor says it is a biological need. If you won’t do, you’ll become crazy. Oh, I’ll become crazy. So to save myself from this craziness I do a little.”
He says in such a nice way and puts forth such logic, you see. Kali is so tricky. Kali has tricked him. Yes, he has tricked him.
Such karmīs are there, and they have framed a duplicitous path. What is that?
Krishnapāna māstu. They have framed a very duplicitous path. “All right, I’ll go and eat. I offer it to Krishna, ‘Krishnapāna māstu.’” Very duplicitous path. He was asking that day. This āropa-siddhā-bhakti. Such persons, sinful persons, karmīs, fruitive workers, they have framed this formula, this Krishnapāna māstu, “All right, I offer it to Krishna. I do this thing. I take a little liquor, a little meat, a little prostitute or little illicit sex. All right, ‘Krishnapāna māstu.’ I’ll do it for Krishna, offer it.” It is kapaṭa-pāntha, this is all the activity of Kali.
These are all the activities of Kali, kapaṭa-pāntha, duplicitous path. Every day in this age of Kali it is going on, and Kali is the root cause of all these disturbances. Unless one frees himself completely from the influence of Kali, he cannot become a pure vaiṣṇava.
So here, Prabhupāda has said, “This is due not to the issue in question, but to the polluted atmosphere of this age: systematically there is propaganda by a section of people to stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord.” They say, stop it, stop it. Because there will be quarrelling, there will be fighting. You are Hindus, they are Muslims, they are Christians. The other sects are there. If you speak this Hindu dharma so they will protest, they will raise complaints. “Stop this! Stop this!” They say. Yes. He says, stop glorification of the name, fame of the Supreme Lord and, what do you say, dharma nirapekṣa rājya? Secular country. Our country is a secular country. Yes, dharma nirapekṣa rājya, secular. These are all the activities of Kali.
We are a secular country. Many sects are there. Hindus are there, Muslims are there, Christians are there, Jains, Buddhists, so many. So, we are a secular country. If you go to some institution, Agabar, we have come here to do some hari-saṅkīrtana, speak Bhāgavatam. “No, no, no, no, no, no. You are not allowed. This is a secular country. Don’t speak about dharma, no. stop this.” They say. “Stop the glorification of name, fame of the Supreme Lord.” They will raise a complaint, so there will be quarrelling, there will be fighting, bloodshed. Don’t speak about dharma. No! That means follow the path of adharma, irreligion. What is this nonsense?
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ
— Mahābhārata, Vana-pārva (313.117)
You don’t know what is the real dharma-tattva. You are such a fool that you have seen a glow worm. Understand my point? Language? You have seen a glow worm. There is some light, so you picked up that worm, glow worm, light, touched. “Oh, there is no burning sensation here. Yes, this light is there, but no burning sensation so you draw the conclusion, where there is light, there is no burning sensation. That conclusion you draw. That means you have been cheated seeing a glow worm. You don’t know the real light and you draw such a conclusion that where there is light there is no burning sensation at all. It cannot burn. Is it not? So what is this nonsense? This is the influence of Kali.
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also writes that thing. Once he went to Midnapore to a high school to speak hare-kathā. Then he begged permission from the headmaster of the school. The headmaster said no, you are not allowed. Our country is a secular country, dharma nirapekṣa rāṣhṭra. We won’t speak any dharma. No dharma. So he could not. Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said, “What is that? You are such a fool, you don’t know what is real dharma? You don’t know the real dharma. You see, there are some differences of opinion regarding dharma, therefore there is some quarrelling, some fighting, so you are stopping, no, two bajais(?). “Stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord!” Why? This is the activity of Kali.
You are walking in the desert, there is no water, but you see a mirage. It looks like water, very sparkling, nice water. You are so thirsty. Your throat is parched. “Oh! very nice water there.” So, you run, you run, you run, and the mirage is running, running, running. You cannot get water. You have been cheated seeing the mirage. So then you’ll say, “Oh, there is no water.” What is that? You have been cheated seeing the mirage, so there is no water, and one should not search for water? You have seen a glow worm and therefore you draw this conclusion, where there is light, there is no fire, no burning sensation.
What is this foolishness? Why such thoughts come to you? Because you are influenced by Kali. This is the whole activity of Kali and therefore this thing goes on.
Therefore Prabhupāda writes: “Systematically there is propaganda by a section of people to stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord.” Stop. Don’t say! Don’t say! This is a secular country. Yes. . . . .? In the name of dharma fighting is going on. Yes. Quarrelling, fighting. The Ayodhya issue, so many issues, so much bloodshed it creates in the name of dharma because they are fools, they don’t know the real dharma-tattva. They are all influenced by Kali. These are all activities of Kali.
Here, Prabhupāda says, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. “Therefore, there is a great need for disseminating the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world. It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world.” How can one get peace? Most important question. How can you get peace? What is the peace formula?
Devotee: bhoktāram yajña-tapasām sarva-loka-maheśvaram?
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
bhoktāram yajña-tapasām
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām
jñātvā mām śāntim ṛcchati
Krishna says in Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 5.29) I am bhoktāram, I am the only enjoyer. I am sarva-loka-maheśvara, I am the proprietor of both the worlds, spiritual world and material world; suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām, I am the only well-wishing friend of all the living entities. One who knows this thing, he gets peace. That means one who knows Krishna, he gets peace. One who cannot understand Krishna, one who doesn’t know Krishna, how can he get peace? All want peace, peace, peace, peace. So many organizations are also, what do you say?
Devotee: United Nations.
Yes, United Nations. So many organizations are there, they are trying also to establish peace but they fail. They don’t know the real peace formula, how to get peace. You should understand what is temporary, what is material, they are not peaceful. They are without peace.
So if you are cultivating all this material knowledge, and you are handling all these material, temporary objects and you are, in other words, constantly attached to all these temporary material objects, so how can you get peace? What is eternal, that is peaceful. What is material, that is not peaceful. As for example, this material body, it is a material body constituted of kṣitir ap teja marut vyoma, five gross material elements. And this material world is all aśānta vastu. It is jaḍa vastu because it is all material, so, aśānta, there is no peace. If you want to get peace, then you have to hear from sādhus and mahājanas, those who are seers of the truth, tattva-dṛṣṭā; tattva-jñātā, knowers of the truth, seers of the truth. You have to hear from them.
And what do they say, those sādhus? Those sādhus say, satyaṁ śivam sundaram. That means, sat, truth, supreme truth, supreme auspiciousness, supremely beautiful, He is the Supreme Lord, Krishna, satyaṁ śivam sundaram. He is all peaceful. Krishna says, one who knows me like this, he gets peace. Śānta-vastu Krishna Bhagavān, He is śānta-vastu. Bhagavān is supreme truth, Bhagavān is supremely auspicious, Bhagavān is supremely blissful, ānanda-maya-vastu. He is the object of love for every living entity. If you constantly establish yourself at the lotus feet of such Bhagavān, Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna, establish your perfect, eternal, loving relationship with Krishna, then you’ll get peace, otherwise, you cannot get peace. Bhagavān is śānta-vastu, His fragmental part and parcel, ātma, soul, is also śānta-vastu, is peaceful. Ātma, soul, is eternal, and the object of love is Krishna Bhagavān. He is supreme eternal. He is the object of love. He is supremely peaceful, so the soul is peaceful, whereas your body, your mind, your intelligence, these are all material, they are not peaceful. You should understand this thing.
So, this is how you can get peace. And also, Veda says, Upaniṣad says:
Ātmābha āre drāṣṭabhya sautabhya
mantabhya nirdiḍhyā sitabhya
That means, if you want to get constant peace, constant blissfulness, then you have to see the soul, you have to hear about the soul, you have to meditate on the soul. Veda says. Upaniṣad says.
Ātmābha ā're drāṣṭabhya sautabhya
mantabhya nirdiḍhyā sitabhya
So, how can you see the ātma, soul? It is so minute. How can one see? You have to see the soul, you have to hear about the soul, you have to meditate on the soul. Upaniṣad says. But, if you want constant peace, constant blissfulness, then you have to do it. Then how can one see the soul? And how will it be seen? This example, the fire is there in wood. If you see a log of wood, can you see the fire? But if you rub together two pieces of wood, fire will be generated. So you can understand, if this body is material, yes, material body has become conscious? How has it become conscious? Because the conscious soul is inside. The ātma, soul, śuddha vastu, yes, there is soul because the material body has become conscious. The soul, when it gets out, this is a clump of dead matter. No consciousness. This is a question of consciousness, therefore Krishna consciousness.
And opportunity has been available to you with this rarely achieved human birth, human body, to develop your consciousness to the highest level of consciousness, that is complete Krishna consciousness. This opportunity has been given. But in other species, birds, beasts, creepers, mountains, animals, they cannot cultivate Krishna consciousness because their consciousness is very low, degraded consciousness, avṛta-cetana, saṅkucita-cetana, covered consciousness and shrunken consciousness. But you have been given this opportunity in this rarely achieved birth. Human birth is to cultivate Krishna consciousness and develop complete Krishna consciousness. Then, when you develop complete Krishna consciousness, establish yourself in this platform of complete Krishna consciousness, you’ll get real peace. Otherwise, there is no question of peace at all.
To nourish your soul, you should pay attention to how to nourish your soul. You have paid attention to how you can nourish your material body that is temporary and may finish at any moment, so you have not paid attention to nourishing your soul. So how can you get peace? So, how to nourish the soul? What is the food for the soul? You know the food for the body, but what is the food for the soul? You have not paid attention to nourish your soul, only you have paid attention to nourish your body, therefore you cannot get peace. You should understand this thing about the food for the soul. Food for the soul is Kṛṣṇa-kathā, Bhagavān-kathā, Bhāgavata-kathā. These are food for the soul. They give nourishment to the soul. If you give regular nourishment to the soul, as you are giving regular food to the body, similarly you should give regular food to the soul. Yes. Then you’ll get real peace.
The so-called leaders of the world, they don’t know it. They know this body and they are making all arrangements, making all plans, all projects for the bodily pleasure, bodily comforts, bodily enjoyment. They don’t know about the soul. They don’t know what is the food for the soul, how the soul will be nourished. They don’t know it, so how can they establish peace?
Therefore Prabhupāda says, “Therefore, there is a great need for disseminating the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world. It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world.”
Yes. If you propagate Bhāgavata-kathā, then you’ll establish peace. This is food for the soul. You are giving nourishment to the soul. The so-called leaders, they don’t know.
“We are confident that if the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is received only by the leading men of the world, certainly there will be a change of heart, and naturally the people in general will follow them.”
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
Gītā (3.21) says.
Those who are leaders, masters, gurus, spiritual masters, those who lead, if they can understand this thing, they’ll take to this path of Bhāgavata-dharma, they’ll receive this message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Certainly, there will be a change of heart, and naturally, the people in general will follow. Yes, because whatever the leaders do, their followers will follow. This is the downward infiltration theory. This is a theory – downward infiltration theory. From top to bottom. The persons in the topmost position, the leaders, if they take to this, then others will follow. This is called downward infiltration theory. Yes. That he says. “We are confident that if the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is received only by the leading men of the world, certainly there will be a change of heart, and naturally, the people in general will follow them. The mass of people in general are tools in the hands of the modern politicians and leaders of the people. If there is a change of heart of the leaders only, certainly there will be a radical change in the atmosphere of the world.” Yes, then there will be peace and blissfulness.
So, this propagation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is absolutely necessary, and thereby you will do the utmost good. Yes. Push forward! Push forward! Run! Calo, go! If you really want peace and blissfulness. Yes. Speak fearlessly. Don’t fear. Don’t fear, speak fearlessly. Yes. Certainly, there will be a change. Yes. This is the duty of the vaiṣṇavas; they should do. Yes. Unchecked, apratihatā, don’t fear. Unchecked, this is unchecked. Yes, yes, yenātmā suprasīdati, because the soul will get pleasure, the soul will be nourished.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda has said, my Guru Mahārāja said, speak fearlessly! nirvighna-bhave guru-gaurāṅgera kathā-pracāra, fearlessly preach the message of guru and Gaurāṅga. Yes. Bring about real peace and blissfulness in the world. The utmost good. Yes.
Devotee: Questions?
Gour Govinda Swami: Too late.
Devotees:
Srimad Bhagavatam ki Jay!
Srila Prabhupada ki Jay!
Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja ki Jay!
Gour Govinda Swami: Samaveta Bhakta Vrinda Ki Jay! Gour Premanande hari haribol. If you follow the instructions of Śrī Sacinandana, Kali cannot touch you. You are not following, as-it-is. You are deviating, you are twisting, you are deliberating, adding some of your own deliberation to it, therefore you are influenced by Kali, Kali's celā, you become kali-celā. You have become kali-celā, yes. As you are saying, “Mahārāja, Oh, big business. That to do, that to do.” What is the value? You become kali-celā. Therefore quarrelling, he said, quarrelling, quarrelling, quarrelling. Becoming crazy... Kali, …
Devotee: When you speak like that in such a strong, uncompromising way...
Gour Govinda Swami: No compromise! My Guru Mahārāja said, “No compromise.”
Devotee: Some devotees become afraid. “Oh, someone is going to come and disturb our peaceful Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that you said, it will create a revolution, tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo, this verse says. Create a revolution. Yes! Revolution there, then it is effective. That is the test. No revolution, not effective. Yes. Yes. This verse says.
Devotee: You told me this two years ago. When you came back from Australia, I was saying you will make a revolution. Yes. You quoted that verse. That verse? This verse?
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
Gour Govinda Swami: Famous verse. Often-quoted verse, it is often-quoted verse.
Devotee: You gave it a very subtle ...?
Gour Govinda Swami: If they can’t understand, what can I do?
Devotee: Tendency is to hide behind so-called loyalty to Prabhupāda.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
Devotee: To remind... some kind of Kṛṣṇa consciousness of sorts. They say, “Oh, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we have not heard such strong statements, therefore we will not accept. Prabhupāda has not told us like that, therefore…”
Gour Govinda Swami: Therefore no compromise, Prabhupāda said... Yes, Prabhupāda said... peace formula. If my... grow up stronger this will come...
Disciple talking
Gour Govinda Swami: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is such, what it says:
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ pramāṇaṁ amalaṁ premā pum-ārtho mahān
śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idaṁ tatrādarāḥ na paraḥ
It is spotless proof, yes, it is spotless proof, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī said, if all books from all libraries of the world were destroyed, there is no loss at all if only Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is there. Then? What have they said, the mahājanas? You should understand it, to do real benefit to the soul, to all living entities, the whole world, if you propagate this message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Devotee: How can one help someone who, due to fear or false ego or envy, is hesitant because he says, “Oh, this is going too fast, this is too strong a dose?”
Gour Govinda Swami: He doesn’t want his real, own benefit.
Devotee: How to help him?
Gour Govinda Swami: He’s not accepting help, what shall I do? You are sick, medicine is given to you, and you say, “phaaa-phaaa-phaaa!” Bābā! You are sick. You don’t want to be cured of your ills. What shall I do? Bolo! If you are really serious, yes, I want to be cured of my ills, then take the medicine, why are you spitting out, “phaaa! Phaaä!”
Devotee: If my disease is very subtle, I don’t know that I am sick. I think I am healthy because it is apparently I’m all right.
Yes, you are such a fool, you are thinking in a fool’s paradise. I am happy, I’m happy, I’m happy. You are sick. A fool’s paradise. Hopeless case, hopeless. Carelessness. This is carelessness. If you are not careless, if you are conscious, yes, I am ill. Then you become a hopeful case. Yes. A hopeless case, yes.
Devotee: Unless one, out of his own understanding...
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, out of his own understanding, that really I am in danger, really I am suffering, really I am ill. I need a cure. Then he is a hopeful case.
Devotee: So, if a devotee doesn’t feel the need for help...
Gour Govinda Swami: He is hopeless. He is hopeless. It is carelessness, hopeless. What shall we do? He is a hopeless case. He is digging his own grave. He is putting an axe on his own leg. What shall you do?
Devotee: In the name of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Yes. It is very unpalatable. It is very unpalatable. Unpalatable truth. Yes.
Thank you, thank you...
Devotees: Jaya!
Gour Govinda Swami: If your head is burning, but you are so careless you don’t know your head is burning. There is one story there, competition of laziness. One king declared, “All right, there will be a competition of all lazy persons. Who is the most lazy will be awarded, getting a good award.” All lazy persons came. Then the king put them in a big barnyard. “All right, nice carpet is there, lie down there.” Then all doors were closed and the barn was set on fire. Now the whole barn is burning. “Oh, burning, burning.” Some ran out. Some jumped over the wall. Two persons remained. “We’ll get the award.” Two persons remained. They were burning. This portion is already burnt, one friend said, “This portion is burnt.”
“Oh, just turn over to the side, let the other portion burn.” He was such a lazy person. Yes, they will get the award. Understand? Your head is burning, “Oh yes, let it burn, let it burn. Very good. I’ll get the award. Award of Kali, award of Kali.” Your head is burning, “Oh yes, let it burn, let it burn, very good, I’ll get the award. Award of Kali, award of Kali.” You’ll get the award of Kali. Not the award of the Lord. Such laziness. Turn over to the side, you see, and turn to the other side. If this side is burned up, turn the other side, get the award.