January 29, 1967- The Mantra-Rock Dance

Mantra-Rock Dance was a counterculture music event held on January 29, 1967, at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. It was organized by followers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as an opportunity for its founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, to address a wider public, and as a promotional and fundraising effort for their first center on the West Coast of the United States.
The Mantra-Rock Dance featured some of the most prominent Californian rock groups of the time, such as the Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin, as well as the then relatively unknown Moby Grape. The bands agreed to appear with Prabhupada and to perform for free; the proceeds were donated to the local Hare Krishna temple. The participation of countercultural leaders considerably boosted the event's popularity; among them were the poet Allen Ginsberg, who led the singing of the Hare Krishna mantra onstage along with Prabhupada, and LSD promoters Timothy Leary and Augustus Owsley Stanley III.
The Mantra-Rock Dance concert was later called "the ultimate high" and "the major spiritual event of the San Francisco hippie era." It led to favorable media exposures for Prabhupada and his followers, and brought the Hare Krishna movement to the wider attention of the American public. The 40th anniversary of the Mantra-Rock Dance was commemorated in 2007 in Berkeley, California.

  

Background

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (also referred to as "Bhaktivedanta Swami" or "Prabhupada"), a Gaudiya Vaishnava sannyasi and teacher, arrived in New York City from his native India in 1965 and "caught the powerful rising tide" of a counterculture that was fascinated with his homeland and open to new forms of "consciousness-expanding spirituality." After establishing his first American temple in New York City at 26 Second Avenue, Prabhupada requested his early follower Mukunda Das and his wife Janaki Dasi to open a similar ISKCON center on the West Coast of the United States. 
Mukunda and Janaki met up with friends from college, who would later come to be known as Shyamasundar Das, Gurudas, Malati Dasi, and Yamuna Dasi. Teaming up with them, Mukunda rented a storefront in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, which at that time was turning into the hub of the hippie counterculture, and stayed to take care of the developing new center. 

Preparation and promotion

Allen Ginsberg greeting Prabhupada at the San Francisco Airport, January 17, 1967

To raise funds, gain supporters for the new temple, and to popularize Prabhupada's teachings among the hippie and countercultural audience of the Haight-Ashbury scene, the team decided to hold a charitable rock concert and invited Prabhupada to attend.  Despite his position as a Vaishnava sannyasi and some of his New York followers objecting to what they saw as an inappropriate invitation of their guru to a place full of "amplified guitars, pounding drums, wild light shows, and hundreds of drugged hippies,"  Prabhupada agreed to travel from New York to San Francisco and take part in the event.  Using their acquaintance with Rock Scully, manager of the Grateful Dead, and Sam Andrew, founding member and guitarist of the Big Brother and the Holding Company – who were among the most prominent rock bands in California at the time.  Shyamasundar and Gurudas secured their consent to perform for charity at the concert, charging only the "musicians' union minimum" of $250. Malati Dasi happened to hear Moby Grape, a relatively unknown group at the time, and she convinced the other team members to invite the band to play at the concert as well. 
Another leading countercultural figure, the beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg, was a supporter of Prabhupada. He had met the swami earlier in New York  and assisted him in extending his United States visa.  Despite disagreeing with many of Prabhupada's required prohibitions, especially the ones pertaining to drugs and promiscuity, Ginsberg often publicly sang the Hare Krishna mantra, which he had learned in India. He made the mantra part of his philosophy  and declared that it "brings a state of ecstasy."  He was glad that Prabhupada, an authentic swami from India, was now trying to spread the chanting in America. Along with other countercultural ideologues like Timothy Leary, Gary Snyder, and Alan Watts, Ginsberg hoped to incorporate Prabhupada and the chanting of Hare Krishna into the hippie movement.  Ginsberg agreed to take part in the Mantra-Rock Dance concert and to introduce the swami to the Haight-Ashbury hippie community. 

 

As for the choice of venue, the team considered both the Fillmore Auditorium and the Avalon Ballroom, finally settling on the latter as its impresario, Chet Helms, appeared to be "more sympathetic to the spirit of the concert"  and agreed to let it be used for a charity event. Artist Harvey Cohen, one of the first ISKCON followers, designed a Stanley Mouse-inspired promotional poster with a picture of Prabhupada, details of the event, and a request to "bring cushions, drums, bells, cymbals."  To generate interest among members of the countercultural community of Haight-Ashbury, Mukunda published an article entitled "The New Science" in the San Francisco Oracle, a local underground newspaper specializing in alternative spiritual and psychedelic topics.  He wrote:

The Haight-Ashbury district is soon to be honored by the presence of His Holiness, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who will conduct daily classes in the Bhagavad Gita, discussions, chanting, playing instruments, and devotional dancing in a small temple in the neighborhood. ... Swamiji's use of the Hare Krishna Mantra is already known throughout the United States. Swamiji's chanting and dancing is more effective than Hatha or Raja Yoga or listening to Ali Akbar Khan on acid or going to a mixed media rock dance. 

Ginsberg helped plan and organize a reception for Prabhupada, who was scheduled to arrive from New York on January 17, 1967. When the swami arrived at the San Francisco Airport, 50 to 100 hippies chanting "Hare Krishna" greeted him in the airport lounge with flowers.  A few days later the San Francisco Chronicle published an article entitled "Swami in the Hippie Land" in which Prabhupada answered the question, "Do you accept hippies in your temple?" by saying, "Hippies or anyone – I make no distinctions. Everyone is welcome." 

Event

The Mantra-Rock Dance listing in the San Francisco Oracle, January 1967

The Mantra-Rock Dance was scheduled on Sunday evening, January 29, 1967 – a day of the week that Chet Helms deemed odd and unlikely to generate substantial attendance.  Admission was fixed at $2.50  and limited to door sales. Despite the apprehensions of the organizers, by the beginning of the concert at 8 PM an audience of nearly 3,000 had gathered at the Avalon Ballroom,  filling the hall to its capacity.  Latecomers had to wait outside for vacancies in order to enter. Participants were treated on prasad (sanctified food) consisting of orange slices  and, regardless of the prohibition on drugs, many in the crowd were smoking marijuana and taking other intoxicants.  However, the atmosphere in the hall was peaceful. Strobe lights and a psychedelic liquid light show, along with pictures of Krishna and the words of the Hare Krishna mantra, were projected onto the walls.  A few Hells Angels were positioned in the back of the stage as the event's security guards.  Prabhupada's biographer Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami thus describes the Mantra-Rock Dance audience:

Almost everyone who came wore bright or unusual costumes: tribal robes, Mexican ponchos, Indian kurtas, "God's-eyes," feathers, and beads. Some hippies brought their own flutes, lutes, gourds, drums, rattles, horns, and guitars. The Hell's Angels, dirty-haired, wearing jeans, boots, and denim jackets and accompanied by their women, made their entrance, carrying chains, smoking cigarettes, and displaying their regalia of German helmets, emblazoned emblems, and so on – everything but their motorcycles, which they had parked outside. 

The Avalon Ballroom (pictured) served as the Mantra-Rock Dance venue. Photo: March 2011

The evening opened with Prabhupada's followers – men in "Merlin gowns" and women in saris – chanting Hare Krishna to an Indian tune, followed by Moby Grape.  When the swami himself arrived at 10 PM, the crowd of hippies rose to their feet to greet him respectfully with applause and cheers.  Gurudas, one of the event's organizers, describes the effect that Prabhupada's arrival had on the audience, "Then Swami Bhaktivedanta entered. He looked like a Vedic sage, exalted and otherworldly. As he advanced towards the stage, the crowd parted and made way for him, like the surfer riding a wave. He glided onto the stage, sat down and began playing the kartals." 
Ginsberg welcomed Prabhupada onto the stage and spoke of his own experiences chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. He translated the meaning of the Sanskrit term mantra as "mind deliverance" and recommended the early-morning kirtans at the local Radha-Krishna temple "for those coming down from LSD who want to stabilize their consciousness upon reentry," calling the temple's activity an "important community service." He introduced Prabhupada and thanked him for leaving his peaceful life in India to bring the mantra to New York's Lower East Side, "where it was probably most needed." 
After a short address by Prabhupada, Ginsberg sang "Hare Krishna" to the accompaniment of sitar, tambura, and drums, requesting the audience to "[j]ust sink into the sound vibration, and think of peace."  Then Prabhupada stood up and led the audience in dancing and singing, as the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Moby Grape joined the chanting and accompanied the mantra with their musical instruments  The audience eagerly responded, playing their own instruments and dancing in circles. The group chanting continued for almost two hours, and concluded with the swami's prayers in Sanskrit while the audience bowed down on the floor. After Prabhupada left, Janis Joplin took the stage, backed by Big Brother and the Holding Company, and continued the event with the songs "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Ball 'n' Chain" late into the night. 

Reaction and effect

Prabhupada chanting in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, with an icon of the deity of Jagannath to his right. February 1967

The LSD pioneer Timothy Leary, who made an appearance at the Mantra-Rock Dance along with Augustus Owsley Stanley III and even paid the entrance fee,  pronounced the event a "beautiful night". Later Ginsberg called the Mantra-Rock Dance "the height of Haight-Ashbury spiritual enthusiasm, the first time that there had been a music scene in San Francisco where everybody could be part of it and participate,"  while historians referred to it as "the ultimate high" and "the major spiritual event of the San Francisco hippy era." 
Moby Grape's performance at the Mantra-Rock Dance catapulted the band onto the professional stage. They subsequently had gigs with The Doors at the Avalon Ballroom and at the "First Love Circus" at the Winterland Arena, and were soon signed to a contract with Columbia Records. 

The Mantra-Rock Dance's 40th anniversary commemoration poster. August 2007

The Mantra-Rock Dance helped raise around $2,000 for the temple and resulted in a massive influx of visitors at the temple's early morning services. Prabhupada's appearance at the Mantra-Rock Dance made such a deep impact on the Haight-Ashbury community that he became a cult hero to most of its groups and members, regardless of their attitudes towards his philosophy or the life restrictions that he taught.  The Hare Krishna mantra and dancing became adopted in some ways by all levels of the counterculture, including the Hells Angels,  and provided it with a "loose commonality" and reconciliation,  as well as with a viable alternative to drugs. As the Hare Krishna movement's popularity with the Haight-Ashbury community continued to increase, Prabhupada and followers chanting and distributing prasad became a customary sight at important events in the locale. 
At the same time, as the core group of his followers continued to expand and become more serious about the spiritual discipline, Prabhupada conducted new Vaishnava initiations and named the San Francisco temple "New Jagannatha Puri" after introducing the worship of Jagannath deities of Krishna there.  Small replicas of these deities immediately became a "psychedelic hit" worn by many hippies on strings around their necks.
Since the Mantra-Rock Dance brought the Hare Krishna movement to the wider attention of the American public, Prabhupada's increased popularity attracted the interest of the mainstream media. Most notably, he was interviewed on ABC's The Les Crane Show and lectured on the philosophy of Krishna consciousness on a KPFK radio station program hosted by Peter Bergman. Prabhupada's followers also spoke about their activities on the San Francisco radio station KFRC.
On August 18, 2007, a free commemorative event dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Mantra-Rock Dance was held at the People's Park in Berkeley, California.  -from Wikipedia

Bhakta Michael

In 1999 Satya devi dasi, of Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn, New York, twice catered prasadam for the late Michael Jackson at private dinners for two with a man we know in New York City.

When she offered the singer a copy of theBhagavad-gita he said he already had the book. The host then asked if the book Jackson had was Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is; Jackson confirmed that it was. When presented with a first-edition Krishna Art book, he looked through the illustrations and said he liked the paintings. He took that Krishna Art book home.

He was one of the fortunate persons in this world to honor Sri Sri Radha Govindadeva's Maha-prasdam, enjoying Radha Govinda Temple's world famous Burfi and other Mangal-arati sweets. He got Satya's gourmet prasadam cooking for dinner on two consecutive evenings, discussing reincarnation and karma at the dinner table with the host.

Satya reported that Jackson was very nice, soft-spoken and friendly. At that time he was staying in a luxury suite at the Waldorf Astoria with his daughter Paris Katherine and first son Prince Michael; his third child was not yet born. Jackson had been in New York to receive the Bollywood Outstanding Humanitarian Award.  -from chakra.org; by Ramabhadra das

Gita 9.2 (SP1,2)

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.

Gita 2.11 (SP2)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.

Krishna and Jesus Christ

Many people often wonder what is the view of Lord Jesus Christ in the Krishna consciousness movement.
Srila Prabhupada, the foremost exponent of the Krishna
consciousness movement explains that Jesus is Krishna's representative, son of God, and spiritual master.
Below are excerpts from Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, and conversations about Jesus Christ and his
relationship with Krsna.
"If one loves Krishna, he must love Lord Jesus also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus he must love Krishna too. If he says, "Why shall I love Krishna? I shall love Jesus," then he has no knowledge. And if one says, "Why shall I love Jesus? I shall love Krishna", then he has no knowledge either. If one understands Krishna, then he will understand Jesus. If one understands Jesus, you'll understand Krishna too" (Srila Prabhupada - Room conversation with Allen Ginsberg, May 12, 1969 / Columbus - Ohio)
As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, "My God, forgive them. They know not what they do." This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic way of thinking. In this Krsna consciousness movement, there is no question of hating anyone. Everyone is welcomed to come and chant Hare Krsna, take krsna-prasada, listen to the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, and try to rectify material, conditioned life. This is the essential program of Krsna consciousness. (Path of Perfection Chapter 3: Learning How to See God)

Christian, Muhammadan, Hindu-it doesn't matter. If he is simply speaking on behalf of God, he is a guru. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance. He canvassed people, saying, "Just try to love God." Anyone-it doesn't matter who-be he Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, is a guru if he convinces people to love God. That is the test. The guru never says, "I am God," or "I will make you God." The real guru says, "I am a servant of God, and I will make you a servant of God also." It doesn't matter how the guru is dressed. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Whoever can impart knowledge about Krsna is a spiritual master." A genuine spiritual master simply tries to get people to become devotees of Krsna, or God. He has no other business. (Science of Self Realization Chapter 2: Choosing a Spiritual Master)
So Lord Jesus Christ said, "My Lord, hallowed be Thy name." He wants to glorify the name of the Lord. And some people says that there is no name of God. How? If Lord Jesus Christ says "Hallowed by Thy name," there must be name. The name is there, but he did not pronounce it because the people at that time will not be able to understand or maybe some reason, but he says there is name. So we are making this propaganda, Krsna consciousness movement, the "Hallowed by Thy name. My Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, let Your holy name be glorified." This is our movement. It is not a sectarian...(Lecture: Bhagavad Gita 3.27 Melbourne June 27, 1974)
Sometimes Sri Krsna descends Himself, and sometimes He sends His representative. The major religions of the world-Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Moslem-believe in some supreme authority or personality coming down from the kingdom of God. In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ claimed to be the son of God and to be coming from the kingdom of God to reclaim conditioned souls. As followers of Bhagavad-gita, we admit this claim to be true. So basically there is no difference of opinion. In details there may be differences due to differences in culture, climate and people, but the basic principle remains the same-that is, God or His representatives come to reclaim conditioned souls.
(Raja Vidya Chapter 6 :Knowledge of Krsna's Appearance and Activities)
Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He was so badly treated and still he was thinking, "Father, they do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." This is suhrdah. He is praying to God This is sadhu, mahatma. Suhrdah prasanta. Not that... In India there are examples like Haridasa Thakura, Prahlada Maharaja. And the Western countries also, Lord Jesus Christ, he is saktyavesa-avatara, God's son. And he tolerated so much. These are the examples of mahatma. Don't misunderstand that we are preaching that mahatmas are only in India. No. By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there are mahatmas even amongst the birds, even amongst the beasts, even amongst the lower than animals. Because this Krsna consciousness movement is going on in different places, in different circumstances.(Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.3 --vrndavana Oct 25, 1976)

Conversation with Father Emmanuel - In 1974, near ISKCON's center in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany, Srila Prabhupada and several of his disciples took a morning walk with father Emmanuel Jungclaussen, a Benedictine monk from Niederalteich Monastery. Noticing that Srila Prabhupada was carrying meditation beads similar to the rosary, Father Emmanuel explained that he also chanted a constant prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, be merciful unto us." The following conversation ensued.

Conversation with Cardinal Danielou - "Thou Shalt Not Kill" or "Thou Shalt Not Murder"?
At a monastic retreat near Paris, in July of 1973, Srila Prabhupada talked with Cardinal Jean Danielou: "... the Bible does not simply say, `Do not kill the human being.' It says broadly, `Thou shalt not kill.'... why do you interpret this to suit your own convenience?"
From Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers - Discussions between Peace Corps Worker Bob Cohen and His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Jesus Christ Was a Guru - The spiritual leader of the Hare Krsna movement here recognizes Lord Jesus Christ as "the son of God, the representative of God... our guru... our spiritual master," yet he has some sharp words for those who currently claim to be Christ's followers...

A devotee of Krsna is friendly to everyone. Therefore it is said here that he has no enemy (nirvairah). How is this? A devotee situated in Krsna consciousness knows that only devotional service to Krsna can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Krsna consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord who risked their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the nondevotees, but he sacrificed his life for spreading God consciousness. Of course, it would be superficial to understand that he was killed. Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Thakura Haridasa and Prahlada Maharaja. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Krsna consciousness, and it is difficult. A Krsna conscious person knows that if a man is suffering it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krsna. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is relieving one's neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. Now, we can imagine how merciful Krsna is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore it is certain that such persons must reach the supreme planet after leaving the body.
(Chapter 11 Bhagavad gita text 55 purport)          -from harekrishnatemple.com               

Gita 3.41 (SP1)

tasmat tvam indriyany adau
niyamya bharatarsabha
papmanam prajahi hy enam
jnana-vijnana-nasanam

SYNONYMS

tasmat--therefore; tvam--you; indriyani--senses; adau--in the beginning; niyamya--by regulating; bharata-rsabha--O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; papmanam--the great symbol of sin; prajahi--curb; hi--certainly; enam--this; jnana--knowledge; vijnana--scientific knowledge of the pure soul; nasanam--the destroyer.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.

PURPORT

The Lord advised Arjuna to regulate the senses from the very beginning so that he could curb the greatest sinful enemy, lust, which destroys the urge for self-realization, and specifically, knowledge of the self. Jnanam refers to knowledge of self as distinguished from non-self, or, in other words, knowledge that the spirit soul is not the body. Vijnanam refers to specific knowledge of the spirit soul and knowledge of one's constitutional position and his relationship to the Supreme Soul. It is explained thus in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: jnanam parama-guhyam me yad vijnana-samanvitam/sa-rahasyam tad-angam ca grhana gaditam maya: "The knowledge of the self and the Supreme Self is very confidential and mysterious, being veiled by maya, but such knowledge and specific realization can be understood if it is explained by the Lord Himself." Bhagavad-gita gives us that knowledge, specifically knowledge of the self. The living entities are parts and parcels of the Lord, and therefore they are simply meant to serve the Lord. This consciousness is called Krsna consciousness. So, from the very beginning of life one has to learn this Krsna consciousness, and thereby one may become fully Krsna conscious and act accordingly.
Lust is only the perverted reflection of the love of God which is natural for every living entity. But if one is educated in Krsna consciousness from the very beginning, that natural love of God cannot deteriorate into lust. When love of God deteriorates into lust, it is very difficult to return to the normal condition. Nonetheless, Krsna consciousness is so powerful that even a late beginner can become a lover of God by following the regulative principles of devotional service. So, from any stage of life, or from the time of understanding its urgency, one can begin regulating the senses in Krsna consciousness, devotional service of the Lord, and turn the lust into love of Godhead--the highest perfectional stage of human life.

Bhagavatam 5.18.8 (SP1)

  

 

oṁ namo bhagavate narasiṁhāya namas tejas-tejase āvir-āvirbhava vajra-nakha vajra-daṁṣṭra karmāśayān randhaya randhaya tamo grasa grasa oṁ svāhā; abhayam abhayam ātmani bhūyiṣṭhā oṁ kṣraum.

SYNONYMS

om—O Lord; namaḥ—my respectful obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nara-siṁhāya—known as Lord Nṛsiṁha; namaḥ—obeisances; tejaḥ-tejase—the power of all power; āviḥ-āvirbhava—please be fully manifest; vajra-nakha—O You who possess nails like thunderbolts; vajra-daṁṣṭra—O You who possess teeth like thunderbolts; karma-āśayān—demoniac desires to be happy by material activities; randhaya randhaya—kindly vanquish; tamaḥ—ignorance in the material world; grasa—kindly drive away; grasa—kindly drive away; om—O my Lord; svāhā—respectful oblations; abhayam—fearlessness; abhayam—fearlessness; ātmani—in my mind; bhūyiṣṭhāḥ—may You appear; om—O Lord; kṣraum—the bīja, or seed, of mantras offering prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁha.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.

PURPORT

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.22.39) Sanat-kumāra speaks the following words to Mahārāja Pṛthu:

yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā
karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ’pi ruddha-
srotogaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam

“Devotees always engaged in the service of the toes of the Lord’s lotus feet can very easily become free from hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees—the jñānīs and yogīs—cannot stop the waves of sense gratification, although they try to do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva.”

Every living being within this material world has a strong desire to enjoy matter to his fullest satisfaction. For this purpose, the conditioned soul must accept one body after another, and thus his strongly fixed fruitive desires continue. One cannot stop the repetition of birth and death without being completely desireless. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes pure bhakti (devotional service) as follows:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
[Madhya 19.167]

“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, who killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the personification of material desire. Hiraṇya means “gold,” and kaśipu means “a soft cushion or bed.” Materialistic persons always desire to make the body comfortable, and for this they require huge amounts of gold. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu was the perfect representative of materialistic life. He was therefore the cause of great disturbance to the topmost devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja, until Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva killed him. Any devotee aspiring to be free of material desires should offer his respectful prayers to Nṛsiṁhadeva as Prahlāda Mahārāja did in this verse.

 

Gita 4.22 (SNM 1)

He who is satisfied with objects that come of their
own accord, and who tolerates dualities such as heat
and cold or happiness and distress, is free from envy
and remains equipoised in success and failure. Although 
he performs karma, he does not become bound.

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja- Badger, California: June 8, 2000

Sriman Mahaprabhu is giving His mercy to Srila Rupa Gosvami by instructing him from beginning to end about the bhakti creeper. This teaching is the highest aim and object for a devotee; there is nothing beyond this. If a person has even a little taste for this – not even taste, even nistha¬ (strong faith) – his life will be changed. This is the fruit of high-class association.

If you are beginning this bhakti process, the symptoms will be klesa-aghni (destruction of all miseries) and subhada, (the manifestation of all good qualities), and worldly desires will go. You can judge for yourself, keeping your hands on your heart, and check your own pulse, to see whether or not, after repeated hearing, your material desires have lessened or gone. We still desire to taste the objects of sense gratification.

Is the wish coming to be like this?

bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir
anyatra caisa trika eka-kalah
prapadyamanasya yathasnatah syus
tustih pustih ksud-apayo 'nu-ghasam

[“Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things – these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment, and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.2.42)”]

I have explained many times that there are three things: bhakti (devotion), paresanubhavo (realization), and viraktir (detachment from the world) that happen simultaneously. If you are regularly hearing all these bhakti topics, practicing bhakti in accordance with what you have heard and chanting harinama, but experiencing no detachment from worldly things, it means you have no care. You don’t like the practices, and therefore so many desires remain. Bhakti-devi is very powerful, like Krsna Himself, but she cannot do anything. Try to understand this; if bhakti is actually present, then detachment, some taste, and some satisfaction is there, and the soul will be always happy.

If this is not taking place, it means that there are some loopholes in your practice. You will have to discover what they are, and gradually give them all up. This is called nistha, or strong faith – understanding these things and behaving according to your intelligence for your future benefit. It may be that you have some defects, but you may still have attained nistha. “Problems may come, but I will increase my faith and perform bhakti, by chanting and engaging in all the other processes, gradually giving up all worldly desires.” This is nistha.

This is where we should begin – hearing again and again. Don’t try to increase your worldly affairs. If you are increasing your worldly affairs, then you are not following. Gradually go up. I am not saying that you should give up your family life, but try to be like the associates of Mahaprabhu and the associates of Krsna.

Mahaprabhu instructed,
eita parama-phala ‘parama-purusartha’
yanra age trna-tulya cari purusartha

[“To taste the fruit of devotional service in Goloka Vrndavana is the highest perfection of life, and in the presence of such perfection, the four material perfections—religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation—are very insignificant achievements.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 19:164).]

Trnatulya means ‘dry straw.

‘suddha-bhakti’ haite haya ‘prema’ utpanna
ataeva suddha-bhaktira kahiye ‘laksana’

[“When one is situated in pure devotional service, he develops love of Godhead; therefore let me describe some of the symptoms of pure devotional service. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 19:166). ]

Only suddha-bhakti, pure bhakti, can give prema. The other types of bhakti that we have nowadays, such asaropa-siddha bhakti, karma-misra bhakti, jnana-misra bhakti, and yoga-misra bhakti, that is, doing bhakti with the desire for opulence, wealth, a beautiful wife and children, and so on will not attract prema to come. You will have to give up these other desires forever. Then you can think of achieving this prema, otherwise not.

I will explain more about suddha-bhakti:

anyabhilasita sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga 1.1.11)

[“The cultivation of activities which are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words, the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expressions of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service.”]

Always remember this sloka, and wear it as a necklace. This necklace is very precious. In the three worlds there is no necklace more valuable than this sloka; so try to remember it, and always follow it. Rupa Goswami composed this verse in a poetic manner on the inspiration of Mahaprabhu.

Put your hands on your heart and judge yourself whether or not you are performing uttama-bhakti (first-class bhakti), or even second-class, or even third-class bhakti. You can judge for yourself, and if it is okay, very good. If there is any defect, try to repair, to reform, and do more. This is the way; there is no other way.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has taught us to first take the association of pure devotees, sadhu-sanga, and then guru-padasraya (taking shelter of a bona fide guru). He explains that there are sixty-four kinds of bhakti, and the first is sadhu-sanga. By sadhu sanga, a desire may come to serve Krsna. Then that aspiring devotee will search, “Where should I buy that seed of bhakti?” Then, by the help of the guru from whom he is hearing (sravana guru), he will know who is the best devotee – that personality who knows his heart and can help him. He will meet that guru who knows his heart. The guru’s innermost heart and mood is similar to the mood of the aspiring disciple’s own soul. That aspiring devotee will feel, “That guru is far more advanced than I, but somehow our inner hearts are similar – I have something in my soul that is similar.” That guru will be more advanced than oneself, he will be a liberated soul, and he will be kind to devotees. You will have to surrender to him and follow him. Then you will receive initiation.

There was once a devotee who wanted to receive initiation from a bona fide guru. The guru read his face and immediately knew everything about his heart. The guru told him, “You should come to me tomorrow after taking bath, and I will initiate you.” The next day, in the early morning, that devotee went to the Ganges, took bath, and was then coming to the guru. In the meantime, Gurudeva told a good sweeper, “You should take some dry leaves and dust. Don’t throw it on his head or anywhere on his body. Throw it from a little far away, but close enough for some dust to touch him. But be very careful. He may run towards you and give you a slap. So be very careful. As soon as you throw the dust, you should run from there.”

Meanwhile, the devotee was on his way to take initiation, thinking, “Oh, I am now pure. I have taken bath and put on tilaka.” While he was on his way, the sweeper was nearby.That sweeper emptied his basket, and some dust touched the aspiring devotee and he became angry. He picked up a stick and chased the sweeper. But the sweeper ran away and he could not catch him.

Then he came to Gurudeva and said, “Gurudeva, I am going to take bath again and return. Please give me initiation.” Gurudeva replied, “Oh, you should wait one more year and learn to control your anger.”

At the time of initiation, Gurudeva tells you to keep your index finger out of your bead bag. Why? Because this denotes anger: “I will punish you!” “I will shoot you!” “I will break your legs! Do you know who I am?!” Anger is our enemy; we should try to realize this.

Next year the aspiring disciple took bath in the Ganges and was on his was to receive initiation from his Gurudeva. In the meantime, Gurudeva instructed the same sweeper, “This time you should put more leaves and dust in your basket, and when he comes, throw them a little closer to him so that they touch his body. But be careful; he may attack you.” So, while the devotee was on his way to Gurudeva, after taking bath, the sweeper emptied his basket and some leaves and dust touched his body more so than the previous year.

That aspiring disciple became very furious, with red eyes, but he did not chase the sweeper with a stick. Instead, he simply considered within his mind, “You are the problem. You are the wall between my guru and I.” He took bath again, and then returned to Gurudeva. But Gurudeva told him again, “Come back in one more year.”

Then, in the third year, he took bath in the Ganges and made his way to see his Gurudeva. Gurudeva instructed the same sweeper to throw the entire basket on the devotee’s head when he would pass by, and told him, “But be careful. There is no poison now, but his ‘hoods’ will come (as a serpent who raises his hoods but does not bite). Be careful.

As the aspiring devotee went by, the sweeper threw the whole basket on his head. This time he did not become very angry. He further thought, and then fell at the lotus feet of the sweeper and told him, “You are refining me. Now I realize this is the management of my Gurudeva, as a trick, to reform me. You are my first guru. Now I will go to my Gurudeva.” He turned to take bath again, but his Gurudeva said, “Come now. I will initiate you. You are not impure now.”

So, even if you take one hundred baths, apply tilaka, and so on, but you have not removed your lust, anger, and worldly desires, then millions of baths will do nothing. The fish are always living in the water, but if they touch you, there will be some bad smell on your body. You will be impure. A bath alone will not do.

Try to remove all lust: “Oh, I’m married, but I’m not satisfied. Oh, I should leave this lady. This lady is not so helpful.” Next, next, next. Ten times. Twenty times. And ladies are also like that. This lust, anger, and so many worldly desires – these things are not pure. Try to give up all these things, at which time bhakti will come. Bhakti will know, “I am seeing this type of person – with so many lustful desires.” I can see. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja used to see, but still he wanted to help everyone. But bhakti-devi – more than anyone, more than Krsna, because Krsna has invested all His power in her. She will decide whether or not Krsna will enter someone’s heart or not. You cannot deceive Bhakti-devi. You cannot cheat her. You can never cheat Her. So try to be as I have requested.

Rupa Gosvami is teaching:

anya-vancha, anya-puja chadi’ ‘jnana’, ‘karma’
anukulye sarvendriye krsnanusilana

[“A pure devotee must not cherish any desire other than to serve Krsna. He should not offer worship to the demigods or to mundane personalities. He should not cultivate artificial knowledge, which is devoid of Krsna consciousness, and he should not engage himself in anything other than Krsna conscious activities. One must engage all one’s purified senses in the service of the Lord. This is the favorable execution of Krsna conscious activities. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 19.168)

There should be only one desire: how to serve Radha-Krsna, and Their associates. Anya-vancha means that any desire which is not related to pleasing Krsna should be given up. I may ask any devotee who has gone to the bathroom to taken bath, “Why are you taking bath?” What is the fact?”

We should take bath for Krsna. How? “I’ve gone to the bathroom and then I have taken bath, I will be fresh. I will serve Krsna. I will chant “Krsna.” It is really done to please Krsna.

This mood to please Krsna should be there, rather than simply thinking, “I will be pure by merely taking a bath.” By taking bath alone, you will not be pure even in thousands upon thousands of births.

But you can be purified very soon in high-class association. You should depend on this, and on chanting and remembering. Anya vancha, anya puja. Who are you worshipping? What to speak of worshiping demigods like Indra, and Varuna, or others like Ganesh or Sankara, I have seen so many very beautiful golden Ganesh’s in devotees’ houses on the altar of Krsna. Why? They are thinking, “Oh. He will give wealth and then I will serve Krsna.” Why do you want all this? This is anya vancha, desires other than to please Krsna. Try to give up all material desires. I know that not all of you can take this idea. Only those who are very fortunate can do so.

Prem-prayojana dasa: Is worship of Dvarakadhisa included in anya puja?

Srila Gurudeva: Yes, Dvarakadhisa, and even Narayana. But this does not apply to worship of Nanda Baba’s Narayana. Nanda Baba would pray, “O Narayana. Please give me some wealth with which I can serve Krsna. O Giriraja Govardhana, please give me many things to satisfy [my son] Krsna.” His worship is pure. For pure devotees, even if they are worshipping a blade of grass, their worship is helpful for krsna-bhakti. They have no desire at all, except to serve Krsna, to please Krsna, and to please the devotees of Krsna.

All of you should all try to be like this. If you have any self-interest, bhakti will not come. She will send her duplicate with a very cheating mood, who will say, “Here is karma-misra-bhakti, jnana-misra-bhakti, and all sorts of mixed bhakti. They will satisfy you. These other types of bhakti will satisfy you by giving you so much wealth and reputation.” You will become involved in those things, and bhakti will go away forever. Try to realize this. Be very, very careful. Some devotees think, “I’m chanting and remembering; this is enough. Why should I bother to do anything more? Why accept a high-class guru? I’m reading books and I’ve heard so many topics. I can worship Krsna myself. I can chant Krsna myself. No need to offer myself at the lotus feet of any guru. Oh, I’ve seen so many gurus who have fallen down, so I will no longer trust any guru.”

Then what will happen? It is an offense to think that in the entire world there isn’t even one pure devotee. There must be one. This world cannot be without a pure devotee; it would go to hell. You can pray to Krsna for that.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has instructed first to accept a bona-fide guru, and then follow his instructions on how to develop in bhakti. Our relationship will develop and gradually offenses will go. Then you can serve your gurudeva like a friend, sad-bandhu. Sad-bandhu means ‘bosom friend.’ In this world, an elevated devotee can serve his guru like a bosom friend. Otherwise, if one is no so advanced, he may do something wrong and commit offenses.

At our stage we have to serve our guru in opulence, with great awe and reverence, not neglecting or disobeying his order. Suppose guru says, “You should chant sixteen rounds per day; and remember all the mantras I have given, and you must follow the process I have given.” If his disciples are not following, this is an offense, which will decrease his bhakti to the point that he will give up.

So always be careful. If one is not accepting guru due to his fear that so many gurus are falling down, that person is chanting and remembering, having belief in Krsna, and he is not committing any offenses, something is still lacking. He should be careful. He should pray to Krsna, “Please send me a guru in the category that Rupa Gosvami has instructed us about, “He will take birth in the home of a devotee, and have a chance to have a guru. He will have to come into this process, whether he is completing the process in this one birth, in hundreds of thousands of births, or in millions of births. He will have to enter this process one day.

So why not follow and begin from now? Why lose all this time?
-From Harikatha Newsletter

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Bhagavatam 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974

 

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

na kascin mriyate tavad
yavad asta ihantakah
etad-artham hi bhagavan
ahutah paramarsibhih
aho nr-loke piyeta
hari-lilamrtam vacah

"As long as Yamaraja, who causes everyone's death, is present here, no one shall meet with death. The great sages have invited the controller of death, Yamaraja, who is the representative of the Lord. Living beings who are under his grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord."

Prabhupada: So Yamaraja, Yamaraja is the representative of the Lord. Just like the police chief. The... What is called, the police chief? The superintendent or what? Commissioner. Commissioner of police. He is representative of government. So the police department is fearful department for the criminals, not for the law-abiding persons. Similarly, Yamaraja, who is the superintendent of death... Death is certainly cruel. At any moment death can stop all our activities. Nobody can protest. That is not possible. So... And nobody wants death also. That is also fact. But nobody can stop death also. The so-called scientific advancement, they cannot stop death. You can talk all kinds of nonsense of advancement of life, but after all, you have to die. Big, big scientists, professors, they talk so many things, but when death came, it could not save him by his scientific process. Because death is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Who can check? Therefore the Lord's name is Ajita, Ajita. Ajita means one who is never conquered by any other means. Sva-rat, self-independent. These are the words used. Sva-rat. Sva-rat means fully independent. Nobody can make him dependent. That is Krsna. That is God. Every one is dependent, but Krsna is not dependent. Therefore He is called sva-rat.

So Maharaja, the Yamaraja... Yamaraja is representative. There are twelve recognized representative of God. We have many times cited this verse. Svayambhu, Brahma. Lord Brahma is representative. And Narada, great sage Narada, he is representative. Sambhu, Lord Siva, he is representative. Kapila, Kapiladeva, he is also representative. Kumara, the four Kumaras, Sanaka, Sanat-kumara. And Manu, Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. Manu received the transcendental knowledge from his father, Vivasvan, the sun-god. So... And Prahlada. Prahlada Maharaja is also representative of God. Prahlada, Janaka. King Janaka, father of Sitadevi or father-in-law of Lord Ramacandra. He is also representative. Grhastha. This Janaka-raja is grhastha, householder, and Narada is brahmacari. Lord Brahma is also grhastha. Lord Siva is also grhastha; Kumara, brahmacari; Kapila, brahmacari. So there are many. Yamaraja is also grhastha. Sukadeva Gosvami is brahmacari. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacari or householder or a sannyasi. He must try to become confidential servant of the Lord. Then he becomes the representative, representative of God, Krsna.

So Yamaraja is a great devotee Vaisnava. We should not be afraid of Yamaraja. Those who are devotees, they are... Yamaraja says that "I offer them respect, my obeisances." He advised his messengers that "Don't go to my devotees. They are to be offered respect by me. You go to persons who are reluctant to chant Hare Krsna mantra. You go there and bring them here for judgment." The Christian also believe, "the day of judgment." The judgment is given by Yamaraja. But who goes to his court for judgment? The criminals, those who are not devotees, those who are not Krsna conscious, they go to the court of Yamaraja.

So in other words, it is the duty of the Yamaraja to see that everyone is becoming Krsna conscious. That is his duty, just as the police department's duty is to see that everyone is law-abiding, acting according to the law of the state. Police is not anyone's enemy. He is enemy to the criminals, not to the law-abiding citizens. I have seen it, personal experience. In one of my friend's house there was burglary. The police inquiry was there. So we were going in another's house, the policemen and we also. So we saw in distant place a few men were fleeing. They were going away, hastily running away. So I inquired the police, "Why these people are running away?" So he answered, "You do not know Babaji, that they are criminals. Because we are passing, they are thinking, ‘Now the police is coming to arrest us,' although there is no purpose. How one can arrest? But they are..." What is called, this? Culprit mind is always suspicious. Because they are culprit, criminals, as soon as they saw, "The policeman is coming," they began to go away, run away.

So Yamaraja is not to be afraid by the devotees. This is the purpose. And it is the Yamaraja's duty to see that these rascals who have forgotten Krsna, or God, and come here to enjoy material sense gratification, they must be punished. Because material sense gratification is always sinful. We may create so many artificial laws, "This is good, and this is bad." Just like in your country, drinking is good. And in some other country, drinking is bad. In your country, meat-eating is no offense. But in the Vedic civilization, meat-eating is one of the foremost sinful activities. So here the so-called "good" and "bad," they are all mental creation. Otherwise, everything is bad, nothing good. Here, only goodness is to become Krsna conscious. Otherwise, everything is bad. So-called ethics, morality and law, good and bad, they are all rascaldom. It has no meaning. Because they are punishable. They can avoid the punishment of the law of the state. Just like in the government in every state, there is some punishment if one kills another living entity. Another man, not living entity. There is punishment. The law punishes. If you kill someone, if you commit murder, then you will be punished. This is punishable. But because it is man-made law, therefore it is defective. A man is a living entity, and a cow is also a living entity. Why this discrimination, that if a man is murdered or killed, that murderer must be punished? But that law is not permissible in God's law. In God's law, either you kill a man or you kill an ant, you are punishable. You are punishable. You cannot avoid this. Because in the eyes of God, the Brahma, Lord Brahma, and a small ant, they are all sons of God.

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
 [Bg. 14.4]

Krsna says like this, "I am their father." To whom? Sarva-yonisu: "In all species of life, beginning from Brahma down to the ant." So if you kill your brother, say, who is not important, will your father approve, "Oh, you have done nice. You are very nice son. You are earning millions of dollars, and this man is useless, this, this boy. So you have killed. It is very nice"? No, father will never tolerate. To the father, the useless son and the earning son, both are equal in affection.

So therefore it is the duty of the elderly son, those who are advanced, not to kill the insufficient son, but to give them education of Krsna consciousness. This is the duty. It is not that "Because this living entity is useless, then kill him." So you can kill, but you will be implicated. Therefore Yamaraja is there. Yamaraja's business is to see how much sinful this living entity is, and he is offered a similar body. Karmana daiva-netrena. You will be judged after your death, every one of us. Of course, if he takes Krsna consciousness seriously, then the path is automatic. Automatically you go back to home, back to Godhead. There is no question of judgment. Judgment is for the criminals, the rascals who are not Krsna conscious. But if you become Krsna conscious, even if you cannot finish the job in this life, even if you fall, still, you will be given another chance of human body, to begin where you ended, to begin from the point where you fell down. That is...

Therefore svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If you have taken to Krsna consciousness, try to execute it very seriously, means to follow the rules and regulation and chant Hare Krsna. That's all. Five things. No illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating... We don't prohibit sex, but illicit sex is most sinful. Most sinful. Unfortunately, they are so rascals, one sex to another, another sex to another, another sex... That is maya's illusion, influence. But if you stick to Krsna... Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. If you catch up Krsna's lotus feet very tightly, then you will not fall down. But if you make a show of so-called brahmacari, so-called grhastha, or so-called sannyasi, then you will fall down. We are experiencing that. Then you must fall down. Krsna will not tolerate a defaulter, a pseudo devotee. Maya is very strong. Immediately capture him: "Come on. Why you are here? Why you are in this society? Get out." That is Yamaraja's duty. But if you remain in Krsna consciousness, Yamaraja will not touch you. Your death is stopped from the point where you begin Krsna consciousness. Your death is stopped. Nobody is prepared to die. That is a fact. You may say, I may say, "No, I am not afraid of death." That is another rascaldom. Everyone is afraid of death, and nobody wants to die. That is a fact. But if you are serious about that thing, that "I shall stop my process of death, dying process," then it is Krsna consciousness.

Therefore it is advised, aho nr-loke piyeta hari-lilamrtam vacah. "O the human society, you have got this body. Just go on drinking the nectarine of krsna-katha." It is advised here. Aho nr-loke. Especially it has been advised in the nr-loke, the human society. It is not addressed to the dog-loke or cat-loke. They cannot. They have no capacity. Therefore it has been: nr-loke. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke. Another verse in the Fifth Canto: nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. These are the Bhagavata. There is no comparison. There is no literature throughout the universe like Srimad-Bhagavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of the human society. Every word, each and every word. Therefore we stress so much in the book distribution. Somehow or other, if the book goes in one hand, he will be benefited. At least he will see, "Oh, they have taken so much price. Let me see what is there." If he reads one sloka, his life will be successful. If one sloka, one word. This is such nice things. Therefore we are stressing so much, "Please distribute book, distribute book, distribute book." A greater mrdanga. We are chanting, playing our mrdanga. It is heard within this room or little more. But this mrdanga will go home to home, country to country, community to community, this mrdanga.

So it is advised that nr-loke. Nr-loke means the human form of body, in the human society. We don't discard that "This is American society" or "This is European society," "This is Indian society..." No, all human being. All human being. It doesn't matter what he is. All human being. What to speak of civilized men, even uncivilized, anarya. They are also described in the Bhagavatam. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. These names are there. Kirata. Kirata means the black, the Africans. They are called kirata. Kirata-huna andhra. Huna, the nation or the community on the North Pole, above Russian, German, they are called huna. There are so many we do not know. Khasadayah, the Mongolians. Khasadayah means who does not grow sufficiently mustaches and beard, this Mongolian group. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. Yavana, the mlecchas, yavanas, means those who are Muhammadans and others. So they are also included. Nr-loke. Because it is nr-loka. Every human being. Superficially, externally, there may be, this nation is better than that nation. That is fact. The Aryans and non-Aryans. There are divisions: civilized, noncivilized; educated, noneducated; cultured, noncultured; black, white; this and that. There are... Externally these divisions... But that distinction is of the body.

But spirit soul is not this body. He is spirit. That quality is one. There is no such distinction, "This is better," "This is lower," "This is black," "This is white," "This is civilized." In the spirit soul platform, everyone is one, one. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Samah. Samata. Samata means equality. Where? Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When one is self-realized, aham brahmasmi... "I am not this body. I am not Christian, I am not Hindu, I am not black, I am not white, I am not fat, I am not thin. I am Brahman." Brahmasmi. That is called Brahman. "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. My only business is to serve God, because I am part and parcel of God." Just like I have given several times: the part and parcel of my body is this finger. What is the duty? To serve the whole body. I ask the finger, "Come here immediately. Do this." "Yes." Natural. If I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. That's all. I have no other duty.

So that is brahma-bhutah. It is very simple thing. Not that by becoming brahma-bhutah, one gets four legs and one dozen hands. No. The hand is there, the leg is there, the mouth is there, everything is there. When it is purified, that "These hands, legs, are meant for serving Krsna," that is called brahma-bhutah. That is brahma-bhutah. Not that brahma-bhutah means I become nirakara, no form. The Mayavadi philosophers, they think like that, something different. Because this is not Brahman. This is asat. Brahma satyam jagan mithya. "This world is false. Therefore Brahman realization means that something opposite must be there. In the maya, everything is variety. So Brahman must be without variety." This is also material conception, because he is thinking like that. But my thinking, if I am in maya, so whatever I am thinking, that is also maya. But these rascals they do not understand that. They do not understand that. I am thinking that "Brahman must be opposite of this variety. Therefore Brahman must be impersonal." But what is their conclusion? The conclusion... He is thinking. He is thinking like that. But real Brahman, Parabrahman, Krsna, is not impersonal. He does not say that "I am impersonal." But these rascals say that "God is impersonal." So this kind of thinking by the person who is in maya, that is also maya. Therefore they are called Mayavadi. Mayavadi means all their philosophy is also maya. It has no meaning. Therefore they are Mayavadi. They are handling something in the maya. Therefore they are called Mayavadi.

So here it is said that nr-loke. Nr-loke, in this human form of body... Here advising, aho nr-loke piyeta hari-lilamrtam vacah. This is advised. Those who are born in the human society, they should join this Krsna consciousness movement where simply hari-lilamrtam vacah, there is no other business. What is our business here? Constantly, twenty-four hours, we are engaged in hari-lilamrtam vacah. That's all. And so long you are engaged in hari-lilamrtam vacah, there is no question of death. There is no question of death. Then if you say, "We are seeing that devotees are dying," "Yes, but death has been stopped. "Then still, why he is dying?" "He is not dying. He is going back to home, back to Godhead." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Tyaktva deham. He has given up this body, but he is not going to accept anymore a body like this. Then? Mam eva: "He is coming to Me." What is that mam eva? Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. If you go somehow or other to Krsna, you will never come back.

So mrtyu, death, is stopped as soon as you take Krsna consciousness very seriously, immediately, from that moment, as soon as you are initiated. You promise before the spiritual master, "Yes, I am initiated, I shall act like this," and if you follow, then your death is stopped from that point. No more death. No more death. Simply an official business, just like you sleep and again you awake, similarly, a devotee's death is like that. It is like sleeping, and next moment in the spiritual kingdom, immediately. Immediately. When he will rise, he will see that "I am with Krsna."

Devotees: Jaya! Prabhupada!

Prabhupada: This is the fact. So don't fall down. Don't be childish, that "Yes, I have promised before spiritual master, before Krsna, before fire. All right, that's all right. Let me break." No, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't lose this opportunity. You are now on the point of deathlessness, but if you again commit... Bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi. There is chance. If your execution of devotional service is not going perfectly, so there is chance of falldown.

So devotional service so nice, that even if you fall down, there is not very great loss. Great loss means you get human body, not an animal body. That is stated in the Bhag... Yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrastah. One who has fallen down from the bhakti-yoga, where does he go? Sucinam srimatam gehe: in the house of very rich man and in the house of nice, Vaisnava brahmana. This is the opportunity. This is first-class opportunity. If you take your birth in the house of Vaisnava brahmana, just like these children are taking birth, father and mother Vaisnava... They are very fortunate. They are not ordinary children. Otherwise they would not have gotten this chance of chanting and dancing before Deity and Vaisnava. They are not ordinary children. The parent must take care, very good care, that they may not fall down. They have got the chance. Now train them to complete this Krsna consciousness. That is the duty of father and mother. "Now this child has come under my care." If both the father and mother think like that... Not contraceptive. Oh, rascaldom. "Oh, here is a child who has taken shelter of me as mother, who has taken shelter of me as father. Oh, it is my duty to train him in such a way that no more birth, no more death." Therefore Bhagavata says, pita na sa syat...na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum: "One should not become mother, one should not become father, if he cannot release his children from the clutches of death." And how one can be saved from the clutches of death? This is the process, hari-lilamrtam vacah. If he is trained up... Therefore we have got this school from the Dallas. From the beginning, hari-lilamrtam vacah. They are being trained up in hari-lilamrtam vacah.

So once one becomes situated in hari-lilamrtam vacah, that means he has stopped his process of death. So this dying again of this body... Of course, this body is material. It must make a show that this material body... But he is a spiritual body. He is going back to home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it. Therefore Yamaraja's duty... Yamaraja is Vaisnava. He wants to see that you do not die again. He wants to see that you continue your deathlessness. Now you are engaged in krsna-kathamrtam vacah. So that is the point of... Just like a diseased man. A diseased man, as soon as goes to the physician and he gives the right medicine, and he takes it, that means his diseaselessness condition has already begun. It will take little time. So in the meantime, in that treatment time, diseaselessness condition, if you make another infection, that is your fault. Otherwise, deathlessness begins from the day of initiation. Adau gurvasrayam. As soon as you take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, your point of deathlessness begins immediately. Immediately. And if you continue the advice and instruction of the spiritual master, or the sastra, then you become deathless. No more death. And Yamaraja wants to see that actually you are continuing your deathlessness process. This is... Krsna consciousness is so nice. Therefore it is advised.

Now if somebody argues that "Here is... A devotee is also dying." A devotee is also dying. How can I say that it is deathlessness? No, he does not know. Devotee is not dying. There is very good example. Just like a cat. He catches the rat and he catches his cub also. But these two kinds of catching is different. When the cat catches a rat, that rat means his, "Chi chi chi," means dying, actually dying. And the cab (cub), he is feeling very comfortable: "Meow, meow, meow." Because the same cat, catching, process is the same, but the feeling is different. So a devotee seemingly dying, he is not dying. He is going back to Krsna. He is very pleased, "Now my labor is finished. I am going to Krsna." That is his feeling. And others, they are crying, "Oh, this is my estate. This is my family. This is my, this is my, this is my... I am leaving. I do not want to leave it. What will happen to that?" He is crying. That is death. And this is not death.

So it appears like death, but it is actually not death. Just like the electric fan, if you make the switch off, it has stopped running, but if you say, "Still running," that is not running. That is a show of running. Actually, the running is stopped. Similarly, as soon as you surrender to God, through His representative, your death is stopped unless you make it nullified by accepting anything which is against the bhakti principle. Otherwise your deathlessness is guaranteed. That is stated here. Na kascin mriyate tavad yavad asta ihantakah. If you simply know that "Yamaraja is there; he is supervising that I may not fall down," then you will not die. You will not die. It is not impractical. It is practical. Try to perceive the truth that since you have begun Krsna consciousness, to become Krsna conscious, your death has been stopped. But don't fall down and again capture death. That is the instruction.

Thank you very much. (end)

LAST DAY OF KARTIK

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja- Govardhana, India

[Dear Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja gave this end of Kartik lecture in Govardhana, India on November 5, 2006. Here is also a link to a video of another years lecture on the last day of Kartik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1gNgtOAM0]

By the causeless mercy of my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, my Gurupada-padma (siksa-gurus) and Gandharvika-Giridhari Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda-bihari, our Vraja-Mandala parikrama is very successful in all respects.

 

In this very month Sri Krsna was bound by the rope of the vatsalya-rasa (relationship in parental affection) of His mother Mother Yasoda. Actually, He was not bound by a rope, but by vatsalya-rasa. The Supreme Lord Krsna had never been bound before, and I think He will not be bound again. He can only be bound by Mother Yasoda. He has accepted this fact: "I am bound by vatsalya-rasa," and it is for this reason that this month is called Damodara.

Also, the gopis tied the veil of Srimati Radhika to Sri Krsna's yellow chadar in Ganthuli, and Krsna therefore became known as “Radha-Damodara”. This pastime took place in this month.

Especially, the crown jewel of all pastimes, the supreme pastime, rasa-lila, took place in this month. All of Krsna’s unlimited pastimes, such as His boat pastimes at Manasi-Ganga *[See endnote 1] and the stealing of His flute, are building up to this rasa-lila.

In this month, Akrura went to Nandagaon and told Krsna and His family members about Kamsa’s torturing Vasudeva and Devaki. Hearing this, Krsna and Balarama became like fire. Extremely angry, They told Nanda Baba that They must go to Mathura. They went to Mathura, and there they killed Canura and Mustika, and all of Kamsa’s brothers and other associates.

Sri Krsna held Giriraja Govardhana on His pinky finger for 7 days, without Giriraja Govardhana shaking at all. At that time all the Vrajavasis, especially the purva-raga gopis,* [See endnote 2] came very near, and those gopis held up Giriraja Govardhana by their eyesight. Aksaya navami *[See Endnote 3] also comes in this month.

Therefore, this month is very, very auspicious.

I invite you all to come next year, along with more of your friends. I know that our boarding arrangements could not make you happy, compared to the happiness you get by the way you live in your houses – palaces – in your countries. There is not so much facility here. Although we tried, it was not sufficient for you. You are like kings with many palaces.

We can only give hari-katha. The topics we have discussed in this month are very important – what we discussed here in the temple and at the holy places we visited. The places we visited are very powerful – such as Rasa-sthali, Vamsi-vata, Bhandira-vat and many other pastime places.

Try to keep all this hari-katha in your “heart-pocket” and be very strong. I think this hari-katha inspired you all, and I am inviting you all to come next year as well.

All 64 limbs (practices) of bhakti are performed in this month very easily. Also, I have full confidence in the boon of Narada Muni, given in the form of a request to Sri Krsna: "Please give krsna-prema to anyone who hears all Your sweet pastimes and goes to the places of those sweet pastimes." I think that Sri Krsna will fulfill Narada's desire, so please try to come each year.

Also, Navadvipa parikrama is coming, and I am inviting you all to come to Navadvipa. [Please see www.purebhakti.com for details]

If you have experienced any distress during this parikrama, try to forget it – for Krsna –and excuse me if I have spoken any unpleasant words.

[*Endnote 1:  Sri Krsna would play the part of a boatman and perform boating-pastimes (nauka-vilasa) and other lilas while ferrying the gopis across Bhagavati Manasi Ganga. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given a very touching description of this nauka-vilasa-lila in his prayer Sri Govardhanastakam (text 7): yatraiva gangam anu navi radhamarohya madhye tu nimagna-naukahkrisno hi radhanugalo babhau sa, govardhano me disatam abhistam”

"In the middle of Manasi Ganga, Srimati Radhika was sitting in Krsna’s boat. Krsna dressed like the boatman, tried to sink the boat, and the terrified Radhika caught Sri Krsna in Her embrace. May that Sri Govardhana fulfill all my desires.”]

[*Endnote 2: In this Bhauma-vrndavana, all gopis – including Srimati Radhika – experience purva raga, i.e. they feel they have never met with Krsna before in an intimate way, although they had so much strong desire to do so.]

[*Endnote 3: This particular day in Kartika month signifies that any undertaking on this day will be imperishable. Aksaya-trtiya is in January-February, and has a similar meaning.] -From Harikatha Newsletter