Haṁsadūta: The following lecture was recorded on the morning of February 20th, 1971, at Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana, Gorakhpur, U.P.
Prabhupāda: [prema-dhvani]
te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā
ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ
tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān
naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe
[SB 6.3.27]
[break] So devotees, they are so exalted that as Kṛṣṇa's activities, pastimes, are transcendentally relishable, similarly, devotees' dealings with the Personality of Godhead is also relishable. Sometimes we find the gopīs, they accuse Kṛṣṇa, "Ungrateful cheater," and so many things. Very strong words sometimes gopīs use.
When Uddhava came, that they immediately accused Uddhava, "Oh, you are coming from Kṛṣṇa? We know your Kṛṣṇa, how cheater He is. So you must be another cheater." You see? But these strong words used by the gopīs in connection with Kṛṣṇa, that is, it is stated here, te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā.
When these words are discussed even in the society of the demigods and the siddhas... Siddha means... There is a Siddhaloka. The inhabitants of that planet, they are automatically yoga-siddhi. All the perfection of yogic principles are there, yoga siddha. There are different planets of different vibhūtis. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam [Bs. 5.40].
Every planet is differently exalted. And the more you go in the upper planetary system, thousands and thousands of times better comfortable life than on this planet. I have several times explained. Vibhūti-bhinnam. All of them are differently situated. Not that all planets are of the same type. So there is a Siddhaloka. In that Siddhaloka, if anyone wants to go to another planet, he does not require any airplane or sputnik. He can go immediately. That is called Siddhaloka.
So ye sādhavaḥ. Te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā. Pavitra-gāthā, varṇita pavitra-kathā. If they are discussed as Kṛṣṇa's pastimes... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. As Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's activities, are puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ... If somebody hears and chants, if he does not understand even a farthing of it, still, he becomes pious. There is no need of understanding. Simply that holy sound will make his heart pure. Pavitra-gāthā.
This sound... Just like when kīrtana is going on, an animal is standing. He does not understand what is the meaning of that kīrtana, but that sound will purify him. There are many insects within this room, many small creatures, ants, mosquitoes, flies. Simply by hearing this holy name, transcendental vibration, they will be purified. Pavitra-gāthā. As soon as you discuss dealings of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs... Because Kṛṣṇa's pastimes means there must be the other party. And what is that other party? That is devotee. Dealings.
There is a proverb like that. Some foolish persons were speaking that "This year I have seen many boys were married." What does it mean? Many boys are married means there must be many girls also. Otherwise, how he's married? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes means there must be devotee; otherwise, with whom Kṛṣṇa will play? Kṛṣṇa does not play with any other one unless they are devotees. Sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyam. As a devotee is always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always absorbed in thought of His devotee.
The gopīs... Kṛṣṇa became absent from Vṛndāvana, so their mind was always absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present in Vṛndāvana, that time also. When Kṛṣṇa used to go the forest, the gopīs were thinking of Kṛṣṇa always: "Oh, how Kṛṣṇa is walking on the rough field. There are so many stone chips. Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft. How He is feeling?" And feeling this, they were crying. That was their business, gopīs.
So therefore, as Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's thought, they are absolute, there is no difference... Therefore it is said Kṛṣṇa never goes a step forward from Vṛndāvana because gopīs have captured them. Kṛṣṇa cannot go out of Vṛndāvana on account of gopīs always thinking of Him. The gopīs will never cease to think of Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is not possible for Kṛṣṇa to go out of Vṛndāvana, although physically He may not be present.
He has no difference between physical or mental, or subtle or gross. He has no such difference. Kṛṣṇa is absolute any way. Similarly, if you also think of Kṛṣṇa, if you are also pure devotee, then Kṛṣṇa is always with you. That is the advantage. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatena [Bg. 6.47]? The topmost yogī: those who are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Pavitra-gāthā.
Te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ. Bhagavat-prapannāḥ sādhavaḥ. Sādhus, sādhavaḥ, bahuvacana, plural number. So only the bhagavat-prapannāḥ sādhus, not others. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. Api cet sudurācāraḥ. Sādhu, there is a word, sādhu, means pious man. So pious man is he who is surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, bhagavat-prapannāḥ. They are sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Ajāta-śatravaḥ...
Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ [SB 3.25.21]. These are the symptoms of sādhavaḥ, sādhus. The first symptom is titikṣavaḥ, very tolerant. In any condition they'll go on thinking of Kṛṣṇa, never mind what is happening externally. There may be so many dangerous things coming and going, but they cannot give up thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Titikṣavaḥ. And kāruṇikāḥ. Kāruṇikāḥ means very compassionate. Just like Gosvāmīs. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau [Śrī Ṣaḍ Gosvāmy Aṣṭaka 3].
The devotee's business is he's always thinking of how to do good to the people in general, how they will accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply twenty-four hours thinking, making plan. Therefore kāruṇikāḥ. Although personally they are in so many inconveniences—tolerating. But that planning, Kṛṣṇa planning, is going on, kāruṇikāḥ: how the people of the world will be happy. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. Why they are planning like...? Suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānāṁ. They are not selfish, "Now I have become Kṛṣṇa devotee, that's all right. Let others go to hell." No. They want to see that everyone becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are real friend. That is, he is real friend.
Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. The Gosvāmīs, ideal. They left their comfortable position as ministers, went to Vṛndāvana and became a mendicant. Kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Because they were ministers, their associates, their friends, their companions were all rich men, aristocratic. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati.
Maṇḍala-pati means great leaders of aristocratic family. He gave up. Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they gave up this association of big aristocratic families. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Tucchavat means "There is no necessity. It is most insignificant. We don't want it." Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa...
[aside:] Why you are standing? Huh?
Haṁsadūta: This just came off the wall.
Prabhupāda: Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Just like you have got a piece of scrap paper, you throw it away, similarly, they gave up the association of aristocratic family just like: "Oh, what is this? No need. Throw it away." Tucchavat.
tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat
bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau
Being compassionate with the poor souls. Poor souls... Who are poor souls? Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a poor soul. He may be outwardly very rich, but he's a poor soul. Dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau.
Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau, gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau sadāḥ. And how they were living? Always thinking of the pastimes of the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa. That was their life substance: how Kṛṣṇa..., gopī-jana-vallabha. They are thinking of Kṛṣṇa as gopī-jana-vallabha. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Rādhā-mādhava gopī-jana-vallabha. So how gopī-jana-vallabha was dealing, they were always thinking. In that ecstasy they were getting life.
Otherwise, they had no comforts of the body. They gave up everything, living underneath a tree, and became a mendi... Kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Kaupīna means simply the two pieces of underwear, that's all. No gorgeous clothing, nothing of the sort. But they were rich in understanding the gopī-jana-vallabha.
They understood what is gopī-jana-vallabha. Gopī-bhāva-rasa. That is just like ocean. Rasāmṛtābdhi. There is a rasa, mellow, which they were tasting twenty-four hours, and therefore they didn't care whether they were living underneath a tree or there was no cloth, no food. That doesn't matter. Gopī-jana-vallabha.
So sādhavaḥ, they are... Apparently, it appears that they are living in a very..., in a poor condition. But they are very rich. Sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. These are the symptoms of sādhu.
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
[SB 3.25.21]
The first thing is they are very tolerant, titikṣavaḥ; kāruṇikāḥ, compassionate; and suhṛdaḥ, friend of all living entities. They are not like that... Just like politicians, they are friends only to the countrymen or to the party. But still, they are so much eulogized: "Oh, he is our leader."
But this sort of leader cannot be compared with a sādhu, because a sādhu is leader for all living entities. They are thinking of the ant also, how it will be helped. Not only human society or own society, family members. There cannot be broader-minded than a sādhu.
That is real sādhu. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Friend of all living entities. Never mind whether it is an ant or whether he is Brahmā—he's friend of everyone. Ajāta-śatravaḥ. And because a sādhu is friend of everyone, there cannot be any conceivable enemy. But still, there are enemies. That is the nature of the world.
So here it is said, ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśaḥ. Samadṛśaḥ. Samadṛśaḥ means equally, equipoised. Not that "I shall simply serve this, my brothers or my community or my society or my nation or the human society." Nowadays there is a hobby. Just like Vivekananda: "daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā," the human society, the poor men. And chāga-nārāyaṇa, the goat nārāyaṇa, they must be killed for this daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. This kind of discrimination of not for the sādhu. He's not a sādhu. Sādhu is equally disposed to all living entities—not only human society; animal society.
In the material atmosphere... Because the material atmosphere is envious one another. I am envious to you, you are envious to me. That is the position of the material world. So these so-called philanthropists or altruists, they take a section only, do good to them, but neglect others. Neglect others. Or others are enemies. But a sādhu is equipoised. He takes compassion for all kinds of living entities. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ.
Ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ. So without being surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, bhagavat-prapannāḥ, there cannot be any sādhu and there cannot be any man equipoised to everyone. [short Hindi conversation with a woman] But these are the description of sādhu. Bhagavat-prapannāḥ. Each and every word is so nice, perfect, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, describing ye sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means those who are pious men. Who is a pious man? Samadṛśaḥ. Samadṛśaḥ, equipoised. And bhagavat-prapannāḥ.
So therefore the conclusion is the same thing as we repeat several times: without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, nobody can be a good man. That's all. We should not hate, that "Oh, he's not a good man; therefore we have to hate." No. That is not our business. No. But this is the conclusion. And because the world is full of no good men, therefore we have to preach.
So we cannot hate, even he's not a good man. But this is a fact. One who is not a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he's not a good man. But our duty is preach. Because the world is full of no-good men, therefore we have to preach. Otherwise what is the use of preaching? Therefore we should not be envious, although a man is not good man. That is the time. Samadṛśaḥ.
Just like Gosvāmīs. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. Dhīra. Dhīra means sober, and adhīra means rascals. So dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. They were priya, dear, both the rascals and good men, because they were distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just you saw in Benares. Not that all the men who joined the procession, they were all good men, from materialist's point of view. But this Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind, thousand of men joined Caitanya and they danced. Dhīrādhīra. Not that in the crowd only selected devotees were there. No. Most of them, ninety-nine percent, all nondevotees. Similarly, in your country you have seen. That Caitanya Mahāprabhu statue attracted so many people in Berkeley.
Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His servant, they are dear both to the sober and rascals. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. Because in their mind there is no such discrimination that "Here is a rascal. I shall not talk to him," or "Here is only good man. I shall talk to him." No. Nityānanda Prabhu, He first of all selected, "Oh, here is Jagāi-Mādhāi. All right, first..., My first business is with them," and delivered them. These are the examples. Sādhu.
What is sādhu? Sādhu is not with a tilaka and in a secluded place chanting and not coming out and very..., imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura. And as soon as the throat is dry, "Oh, bīḍī. Give me bīḍī." You see? These imitations are going on. You see? Showing just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but chanting, chanting, the throat becomes dry, and immediately assistance of cigarette or bīḍī is required, or a gāñjā, [laughter] still more.
What do you think, Muktānanda? Is it not? Did you practice this?
Muktānanda: No, I have not... [laughter]
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Therefore you have come to us. Because... So sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ tān nopasīdata [SB 6.3.27]. These are the signs of sādhu. "Don't approach there." Yamarāja says, "Don't approach there. Be careful. You have no business to go there." Nopasīdata. "Don't approach." Why nopasīdata? Harer gadayābhiguptān. You know, Viṣṇu has got club?
Immediately that club will be used. Just like the Viṣṇudūta acted in case of Ajāmila as soon as they approached. Therefore warning, "Don't do this again. One who's a devotee, don't do, don't go there. Otherwise... They are protected by the club of Viṣṇu, cakra. Immediately that will be used." Just see, everything is clearly said.
So simply become Kṛṣṇa devotee, your life is successful. That's all. You are well protected and you are very recognized. Your qualities, your everything becomes all transcendental, immediately. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām [Bg. 18.66]: "I'll give you." That is... These are things are stated.
Tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān
naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe
[SB 6.3.27].
"They are not our candidates, and neither we have got any power to punish them. Even he's in wrong, that is not our jurisdiction. That is Kṛṣṇa's jurisdiction. Kṛṣṇa will see to it what to do, even if he's wrong." That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment, not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours."
Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ [SB 10.14.8]. They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." And actually it is so. By a little inconvenience, immediately he's rectified.
So Yamarāja says, naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe. Atas tān nopasīdata samipan api na gacchata.[?] Śrīdhara Svāmī says, "Do not try to go their vicinity even, what to speak of going directly before them. Where they are sitting, don't go hundreds of thousands of years away's time." Vayaḥ kālo 'pi na prabhavati. Then the Yamadūta can say that "We may not go, but the time factor will act on them." So that is also, "No. There is no question of time factor for them." Such are the facilities.
Now, Yamarāja is a mahājana. We have to take his statement how devotees are stated. Kṛṣṇa says summarily that "I'll give you protection." And how they are protected you have to learn from the mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186].
Then next question will be: "Then what is our business? Where to go? Suppose they're all devotee?" Sometimes a rascal question is there, that "If everyone becomes devotee, how this world will go on?" That is their concern. If everyone becomes honest, how the prison house will go on? What is the use of prison house? If it is closed, that is good. Similarly, if the whole world becomes devotee and the business of the material world is closed for good, that is very good. But that will not happen. That is not possible.
So Yamarāja says, tān ānayadhvam. Tān ānayadhvam asato vimukhān mukunda-pādāravinda-makaranda-rasād ajasram [SB 6.3.28]: "You simply approach to persons who are averse to the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa. One who does not relish the honey in the lotus feet..." Because in the lotus there is honey. So devotees, they take the honey in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. One who is averse to this nice honey at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but how...? What they are tasting?
They are tasting: niṣkiñcanaiḥ paramahaṁsa-kulair asaṅgair juṣṭād gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān. Those who are not associating with pure devotees, niṣkiñcanaiḥ, one who has no other business than to taste the honey at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa... The persons who are not associating, that means those who are not becoming Life Members of Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, [chuckles] Yamarāja is advising, "Go there." [laughter] "Go there."
Why? Why? Now, juṣṭād gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān. They are staying at home, which is the path to hell, and they are absorbed in unlimited desires. Gṛhe. Gṛhe. Gṛhe means staying at home, not going out for canvassing for Kṛṣṇa. Gṛhe niraya-vartmani. What is this gṛhe? Niraya means hell, and vartmani means path. Gṛhe means "the path of going to hell."
That was also advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Gṛham andha-kūpam [SB 7.5.5]. Tyaktvā gṛham andha-kūpam. Andha-kūpam, this blind well. I saw one blind well in Ascot when I was at... What is his name?
Haṁsadūta: John Lennon.
Prabhupāda: John Lennon's house. There was a blind pit, and it was covered with grass, and somebody fell. So this gṛham andha-kūpam, this family life is sometimes... Unless there is Kṛṣṇa, the family life... Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, family life is just like a blind well covered with grass. As soon as you go, and fall down. Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended that one should give up this blind well and go to the open forest.
So here also it is said, gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān. And why they are staying in that blind well? Baddha-tṛṣṇān: conditioned by material desires. Just see. Thinking that "I am in family. My..., they are friends, they are my countrymen, they are my children, and they'll give me protection. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will give us protection? They have no money. They are begging. So how they can?" No. That is their idea, that "This my family affairs, a nice situation, that will give me protection." But that is wrong.
Teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati.
dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣv [asatsv api]
teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ
paśyann api na paśyati
[SB 2.1.4]
They think that "This atmosphere will give me protection," without seeing that they'll be all destroyed by the laws of nature. So Yamarāja says, "Those who are under this conception, that 'This secure home life will give me protection...,' " but that is not the fact. Such security means security for gliding down to hell. That's all. Juṣṭād gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān.
[reads commentary:] Ke tarhi daṇḍārtham anaya tat praha tan iti darbhyam asataḥ.[?] Asataḥ, duṣṭān. Asat means duṣṭān, rogues. Asato duṣṭān tan eva aha mukunda pādāravindayoḥ.[?] How one can distinguish that he's a rogue? That's what I say, that rogue you can understand immediately: who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. He's a rogue. So tān evāha mukunda-pādāravindayo makaranda-rūpa-rasaṁ tasmād vimukhān.
Those who are averse to taste the honey in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are rogues. They are rogues. And the Yamarāja is advising, "Go there. Bring them here, and I shall chastise them nicely." That is Yamarāja's... Duṣṭān tān eva āha mukunda-pādāravindayo yo makaranda-rūpa tasmād vimukhān. Kathām bhūtat? Niṣkiñcinair ajasram juṣṭād tesam jñāpakam aha niraya-vartmani sva-dharma-sunye gṛhe baddha trsnad ye tan.[?]
So what is their symptoms? Their symptoms we shall describe tomorrow.
[break] ...the advantages of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yes. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Yamarāja personally explains. He is mahājana. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a candidate for Yamarāja.
[aside] You replay it.
Hamsadutta: Replay?
[break] ...incarnations are as unlimited as there are waves in the sea. As there is no limit how many waves are there, similarly there is no limit of Kṛṣṇa's incarnation. But some of the prominent incarnations connected with this world, they have been mentioned.
Now this boy is advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by this method. So Kauśalyā has transferred Kṛṣṇa consciousness to him?
Devotee: She's leaving today.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he's also leaving today. That means he has to transfer it to someone else. [break]
Prabhupāda: ...ādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. We should not transfer our service to somebody. The more we serve, the more we understand Kṛṣṇa. We should follow this principle. Sevonmukhe hi... The only means of understanding Kṛṣṇa is service. There is no other means. [break]
Devotee: Some day one person will do the floor, and the next day another person? Is that all right?
Prabhupāda: If one man can continue, that's nice. Why should we try for another man?
Devotee: I was thinking that everybody could have an opportunity that way.
Prabhupāda: Well, that is very doubtful. [chuckles] The opportunity is neglected. That attitude, it is accepted that "Here is an opportunity," that is very nice. But sometimes we try to transfer the opportunity, being compassionate with another devotee. [laughter] Himāvatī? [chuckles]
Himāvatī: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Devotees are very compassionate. [laughs] Kāruṇikāḥ. "Please you take this service, and other service, I may take prasādam. [laughter] That I cannot neglect." And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, any service you do, still you are accepted. Either you take this service or that service, still you are accepted. [end]