Verse: Srila Prabhupada's Unique Position
Date: December 12th, 2012
Place: MAYAPURA, INDIA
Transcription: Ranga Radhika dasi
Editing: Ranga Radhika Dasi
So in this way Srila Prabhupada actually brought about a wonderful revolution in this world; the revolution of Krishna consciousness. The world that became so materialistic in its way, Srila Prabhupada turned this materialistic world and spiritualized it. So this is the most amazing contribution of Srila Prabhupada to this world.
Srila Prabhupada knew that he did not have much time. He had only a few years. He went at the age of seventy, started the movement at the age of seventy, so how much time he could count on having? Therefore, Srila Prabhupada, in order to secure the movement for the future, he, at the very beginning of his establishing the movement, he established an institution. And that institution is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, so that even after his disappearance this mission would continue unhindered. And he wrote books. As I was mentioning the other day, Prabhupada stayed up practically the whole night. From eleven thirty, twelve o'clock until five o'clock, six o'clock Prabhupada would just translate every night and give his Bhaktivedanta purports. Within a short span of ten years time you can consider how many books Srila Prabhupada wrote: well over a hundred books, big and small. So this is how Srila Prabhupada secured this movement for the future, so that there cannot be any concoction, any undesirable introduction, concocted ideas penetrating this movement. His books are the basis. Everything is given in his books. And his mission is there. Even after him, even after his physical disappearance from this planet this movement can continue. That is how Srila Prabhupada secured this movement for the future.
And we are seeing how things are happening. Like when Srila Prabhupada, amazingly though, established hundred and eight temples all over the world, today the number of our temples are more than five hundred. And how many more temples will come up in the future? How many more devotees will join this movement? When we joined this movement was practically non-existent in India. We had very few Indians in the movement those days and sometimes Prabhupada used to lament, "Indians are not coming. Everyone is coming, but the Indians are not coming." But today it is all Indians. This movement has vast Indian participation. So this is how this movement is growing.
And you all are coming forward. You all are accepting Krishna consciousness, intelligent young boys. So take this movement very seriously because this movement, the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is the only solution to the problems of this world. It is the only solution of the problems of this world. We are seeing different political leaders are coming and giving so much promise that, "We will do it. We will change the society. We will convert this world into paradise. We'll make India into something wonderful." But at the end of the day what do we find? All they have done has got a big account in the Swiss bank. They have done nothing practically for the country. We get to hear so many amazing statements that the Indian political leaders have enough money in Switzerland that can feed the entire India for twenty years to come. So this is what our political leaders are doing. Do you think that they are going to do anything for this country? The only thing that can solve the problems of this world or at least the problems of this world is by the Krishna consciousness movement. Why? The simple consideration is did the quality of your life change after you became involved in Krishna consciousness? How many of you think that it did? Did your life become better? Did the problems get solved? Do you think that you have become a better person? Now consider, if everybody accepts this path then what will be condition of India? You can well imagine, right? If individually it solves your problem, when we apply it collectively will it solve all the collective problems? Yes. If individually it makes you a better person then if everybody accepts it will everybody become a better person? So isn't that the solution to the problems?
What are the problems of this world? The main problem of this world is intense materialism, the insatiable greed of people, right? But when you become Krishna conscious then what happens? You get the higher taste of spiritual life and you see that how disgusting the materialistic way of life is. When you see that how this is enriching you, this Krishna consciousness is satisfying your heart and enriching you internally, then you'll naturally become disgusted with materialistic things or materialistic accumulation. So greed disappears. A devotee is naturally honest. Why? Because he doesn't need for anything material to unnecessarily acquire. So in this way this is the solution to this world. Not only in India, wherever this will be applied, the condition will improve.
And then this movement is actually giving the perfect social order. The perfect social order in the sense, what is the perfect social order? There are four types of people in every society: intellectuals, administrators, traders and workers, isn't it? Every society has these four classes of people. Chatur-varnyam maya sristam guna-karma-vibhagasah. [Bg 4.13] Krishna said that, "I have created these four varnas or four classes of people according to guna and karma, according to the modes of material nature and one's natural propensity." So now if the society is divided in these four orders, will you get a perfect society? In that society won't everybody be perfectly satisfied? And the wonderful thing is, in that society there won't be any unemployment because everyone will have his employment, engagement. A thinker loves to think, he'll have plenty of time to think or write or teach. That is what a thinker likes to do. He likes to read. He likes to write. He likes to teach, right? Then the administrators, the warriors, they like to fight, the kshatriyas. You don't have to go and take up a job. You go and administrate, rule, but you establish your authority with your power. That is a kshatriya. Then a trader. He sees what does the society need and where it can be acquired very easily. Like, in this society there is a need of rice. In that society they are growing rice. So bring the rice from there to here, right? And in the process you make your profit, trading. Or you grow the rice yourself through cultivating the land. Or you get the foodstuff that the society needs through this cultivation and cow protection, cow's milk and cow's milk products. So that is the occupation of a Vaishya. And the Sudras, who do not know what to do, they will be guided by others and engaged in their service.
Now do you think in this society there will be unemployment? But in today's society what is the biggest problem? Why are you all so keen, why you all have struggled so much to get admission in your engineering college? IIT, NIT, MIT, whatever. Why did you do that? Because you know that by doing that you will get a good job, isn't it? For the sake of getting a good job. It is not that because you love this occupation that you got admitted in the engineering college, but because it will give you the maximum amount of material facilities so to say. Now this has been created artificially by the society. Why there is so much demand for engineers? Because there are so many factories or so many construction, such demand for artificial intelligence or information technology. Therefore these jobs are created, but if there is no job then what will happen? As it is happening! Like if there are five thousand students coming out of the college and there is opportunity only for three thousand, what will happen to the remaining two thousand people, those who are fully qualified, what will happen? They won't have any job. See how limited the scopes have become. Whereas in the varnashrama, if everybody is allowed to do whatever he wants to do, will there be any possibility of unemployment? No!
You know what is the situation of the world today? In many of the European countries, like France, Italy, Spain, fifty percent of the youth are unemployed. There is fifty percent youth unemployment. In UK it is not that bad, but it is twenty five percent of the youth, youth unemployment. By the mercy of America India is not so bad today. India is not facing such a difficult situation but soon India will also follow them suit. Then what will happen? Okay, if that happens, you can come to us. We have employment for everyone! We have employment for everyone - why? Because everybody has something to contribute to the society, especially when it comes to spreading the glory of the Lord and serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no dearth of service. For everybody there is service because everybody is a part and parcel of Krishna.
Anyway, so Srila Prabhupada has created this amazing arrangement for the world. The future world will see what Srila Prabhupada has done. Srila Prabhupada actually is the real savior of this world. Today's world is not recognizing because today's world is completely enamored and enchanted by the glamour of their material success. But you can see this materialistic success is gradually collapsing. It is collapsing in Europe, soon it is going to collapse in America. It has already collapsed in America but they are just propping it up somehow or the other. It is only a matter of time. Then what will happen. The whole world will be in chaos, but when there is such chaos in this world then the world will recognize Srila Prabhupada's teachings, that this is the only solution to this world.
Anyway, we are very happy that you all are coming forward and as I always tell you, your involvement should not give you the excuse to neglect your studies. Your involvement in Krishna consciousness should not become an excuse to neglect your studies. Study carefully, study properly. Because a devotee, since he does it for Krishna, whatever he does, he does it in the best possible way. You all are becoming devotees of Krishna, so whatever you do, do it in the best possible way because the devotees are the best, because they are doing it for Krishna. So make your studies also for Krishna. And it is happening, like, how are your results after you became involved in Krishna consciousness. Did the result improve? Or how many of you feel that your results have improved? Wonderful! Thank you very much! Wonderful! That's what we want. And everybody will say that when somebody becomes a Hare Krishna, when somebody becomes a devotee of Krishna he improves like anything. He becomes the best.
Thank you very much! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!
Does anybody have any question? Yes?
Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja, for a wonderful class and for the glories of Srila Prabhupada. My question is that Srila Prabhupada established four principles in ISKCON: utility is the principle, preaching is the essence, purity is the force and books are the basis. So what is exactly the meaning of books are the basis, like Srila Prabhupada has written all the books, so that book will lead to a society only or in some due course of time...
BCS: Okay, in simple words I will say that this Krishna consciousness movement stands for what? For the pure spiritual culture. This movement is distributing pure spiritual culture. Now when you present a pure spiritual culture, on what basis do you do that? This movement is meant to give Krishna consciousness all over the world. Now Srila Prabhupada's books are the basis on which Krishna consciousness will be distributed all over the world. So that is the meaning of books are the basis. It is founded on Srila Prabhupada's teachings. ISKCON institution is standing on Srila Prabhupada's teachings and Srila Prabhupada's teachings are presented in his books, alright?
Devotee: All said, Srila Prabhupada had said that will last for ten thousand years. That means that the same books that Prabhupada has written that will last for ten thousand years?
BCS: Yes, the books will be continued to be printed for ten thousand years, distributed for ten thousand years and read by people all over the world for ten thousand years. So that is the difference, you see. Say for example, you know that Jesus Christ is there. Christianity has been established on Jesus' teachings, but does anybody know what Jesus' real teachings are? It is only what the apostles have presented, but they are not Jesus' direct disciples. So whatever they heard, whatever they understood they wrote it down. That's why you can see like there is so much confusion in Christianity, right? Now consider, if Jesus wrote all his instructions in a book, if Jesus himself wrote the Bible, could there be any such possibility then? And consider, Srila Prabhupada didn't write one book, Srila Prabhupada wrote volumes of books. And those books are also not Srila Prabhupada's mental concoctions. Those books are the presentation or elaboration of the most authentic scriptures; Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Charitamrita. So there is no room for any undesirable introduction into these teachings.
Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. You just told that we should focus on our studies, but somewhere I heard that Srila Prabhupada said that it is really not necessary to focus on this material education. So is it true that he
focused on that?
BCS: You see, my experience is that those who were studying, Srila Prabhupada encouraged them to finish their studies. Prabhupada didn't tell anybody to drop out and give up his studies. Prabhupada didn't encourage, Prabhupada rather encouraged them to complete their studies.
Devotee: Didn't he like advise that only Sanskrit, scriptures and all sort of...
BCS: That is when somebody became a full-time devotee, then Prabhupada instructed them to just focus on studying his books. That means don't waste your time reading some other books. Now that you have decided to become a full-time devotee just commit yourself to reading the scriptures.
Devotee: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Thank you very much for the lecture. Guru Maharaja, after hearing the glories of Srila Prabhupada we also want to please Prabhupada. So please tell us some tips or some things that Srila Prabhupada liked very much or that pleases Srila Prabhupada, and also one of your favorite incidents with Srila Prabhupada.
BCS: Okay, good point. You see, I'll just narrate one of my personal experiences. After I met Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada straight away allowed me to stay with him, be close to him. Then one day Srila Prabhupada told me, "Just offer this life to Krishna." And he told me that, "Look, you have been trying to enjoy for so many lifetimes and you can see that you are still not satisfied. So just offer this life to Krishna." And then finally Prabhupada told me that, "Just offer this life to Krishna and see what happens. If nothing happens what's the loss? It is just one lifetime. It is just one life out of so many. So what's the loss?" And soon after that Srila Prabhupada gave me sannyasa and in this way Srila Prabhupada closed the door behind me. So, yeah, the ultimate goal of life is to commit ourselves completely to Krishna's service, but at the same time it should not be done in a hasty way or whimsical way. It should be done systematically and that will please Srila Prabhupada. I could see Prabhupada just wanted me to offer this life and I can see how Prabhupada saved me, because as I said, Prabhupada closed the door behind me, I had no other place to go but to keep moving forward in Krishna consciousness. But first I'll say you finish your studies. And as I tell the devotees, the students, finish your studies, work for about two years. Why? Because just in case that at some point you have to take up a job, then at least you have some credential, alright? But eventually just offer this life to Krishna.
Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Maharaja, I saw a video of Tamala Krishna Maharajaji and various tapes, please tell us about them something.
BCS: huh?
Devotee: Tamala Krishna Maharaja, their video on demigods and gods.
BCS: Okay, Gods, Demigods and...
Devotee: A video I saw about that. Please tell about
BCS: Tell what?
Devotee: About Maharaja's lifetime.
BCS: Today it is almost finished, the class is almost finished. Some other time, wait, some day, because it will take a long time. He was a wonderful devotee. He was one of the early devotees who had assisted Srila Prabhupada very wonderfully and gave so many years of very, very dedicated service and when Prabhupada became quite sick in 1977 Tamala Krishna Maharaja relinquished all his responsibilities as GBC and leader of ISKCON and came to serve Srila Prabhupada. And he served Srila Prabhupada till Srila Prabhupada's last days personally and I had the good fortune of being with him for ten months together. We used to stay in the same room wherever Prabhupada went. He was a wonderful devotee. You saw how brilliant he is though that Gods, Demigods and...Okay, Hare Krishna. But someday I will speak more elaborately.
Hare Krishna! You have a question?
Devotee: Is there any difference between the two chambers?
BCS: Between?
Devotee: Two chambers.
BCS: Two chambers. Yeah, one chamber, Vrindavana, where Krishna is enjoying His loving exchange with His most intimate devotees and in the other chamber Krishna is distributing that love. What He is experiencing, He is distributing it to everybody.
Devotee: Which chamber He go?
BCS: One is Vrindavana, the other is Navadvipa. In Vrindavana He is enjoying, in Navadvipa He is distributing. Here He is distributing. Did you get it? Take as much as you can! [laughs]
So I'll just take some of the questions that came from the internet. So one is Aishvarya Radhika: Guru Maharaja, please tell us that as an ISKCON devotee what is our most important responsibility? As an ISKCON devotee our most important responsibility is to assist Srila Prabhupada in spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. And if you can't distribute it all over the world, at least distribute it to the people those who are around you. But everybody should assist Srila Prabhupada in this way so that the Krishna consciousness movement spreads all over the world.
The next one is from Chandrakanta from the UK: Guru Maharaja, can you please tell us what are the best qualities and best achievements of ISKCON and their devotees? The best qualities of the devotees is that they are surrendered to Krishna and the best achievement is that they are successfully spreading Sri Chaitanya's sankirtana movement all over the world.
Any other, okay, yes, give her the mike.
Devotee: Hare Krishna. Thank you so much for these pastimes of Prabhupada. Can we say Prabhupada's pastimes is part of Lord Chaitanya's lila? If it's like this, it means can we think of Srila Prabhupada's pastimes also repeatedly? Like when Lord Chaitanya came?
BCS: Yeah. You see, it is said that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes are still going on. And now Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes, the sankirtana movement, is going on all over the world by Srila Prabhupada's divine
arrangement. So this is non-different from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes.
Devotees: It means that when Lord Chaitanya comes it also means Prabhupada is also
BCS: Okay, yeah. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu comes once in a day of Brahma, He establishes Krishna consciousness movement, sankirtana movement, then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that this movement will spread all over the world in every town and village and then Srila Prabhupada comes and makes it happen. Thank you!
Okay, so I'll stop now. Thank you all very much!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!