NOI Notes

(1)

―Hare Kṛṣṇa‖

All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda

Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder Ācārya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Special Thanks to H.G. Gaurānga Prabhu (RNS) and numerous devotees of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnāth Mandīr, Chowpatty, Mumbai

Based on the commentary by Śrīla Prabhupāda and Study Material Prepared by Anjana Suta Academy (www.jayarama.us), Vrindavana Institute of Higher Education (www.vihe.org), Vaiṣṇava Training & Education, UK, Mayapur Institute (www.mayapurinstitute.org) and by Bhakti Sastri Team of ISKCON Chowpatty (www.bhakticourses.com)

―We must cultivate philosophical knowledge in order to have a proper understanding by which we can proceed without being bewildered by the temptations of the world. To learn

(2)

simply for the sake of accumulating knowledge is one of the greatest obstacles to spiritual advancement.‖

(3)

Preface – The goal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness

and the means to attain it

What does a preface contains? The purpose of the book

The Circumstances under which it is being produced. The qualification of the author

Those expected of the reader

The preface of NOI contains both preface and introduction to book. What does it introduce? It introduces the content of Text One, we must control the senses.

HPS: Let's have a birthday party for NoI on this day, Visvarupa-mahotsava. Read the entire

book. Sing songs. Fast until death. It's also the day of Śrīla Prabhupāda's Sannyasa. We feel this NoI is the perfect Parivrajaka-acharya-sannyasa scripture because it is so portable. Re-read this Preface eternally. Memorize it. Use each instruction. Progressively learn and study the Siksastakam, other songs, bio-graphies.

Summary of Preface

(1) To Reach perfection in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness (by teaching science of Kṛṣṇa) (2) one must follow the instructions of the six goswamis of Vrindavana (3) by controlling the mind and senses (4) as instructed by Śrīla Rupa Goswami in the Upadeśāmrita

Goal of studying NOI Means

We want to study so we can become pure Vaiṣṇavas and help Mahāprabhu in teaching world the science of Kṛṣṇa.

One must very seriously follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs and disciplic succession by controlling mind and senses as instructed in Upadeśāmrita.

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

(5)

 BACE: Spiritual Credentials of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement:

o Is this movement new? No, it is conducted under supervision of Śrīla Rupa Goswami.

o Prabhupāda is extremely humble here giving all credit of movement to Rupa Goswami.

o Once when Lord Caitanya came out of an ecstatic mood after dancing during the night on the beach at Puri, He called the devotees together and said that He would explain the essence of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. That was the Upadeśāmrita.

o Śrīla Rupa Goswami‘s hand writing was like rose petals. He wrote the prayers and stuck the palm leaf on roof. He went for bath, Lord Caitanya saw that. How can he understand My mind? How has he become so intimate and understood the core of my heart? Svarupa Das Goswami: You bestowed Your mercy upon him. Lord Caitanya: Yes, at prayaga.

o Similarly Śrīla Prabhupāda understood mind of his spiritual master. He said everything that I wanted to give I gave in first two cantos. They were composed in Rādhā Damodara Mandir in front of Samadhi of Śrīla Rupa Goswami. He would daily get mercy of Śrīla Rupa Goswami.

(6)

o Why Prabhupāda went to USA? Because Rupa Goswami came in his dream and told him to do so.

rūpa-raghunātha-pade ha-ibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti

"When I am eager to understand the literature given by the Gosvāmīs, then I shall be able to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rādhā and Krishna." (Narottam Das Thakura)

Caitanya Carana Prabhu (CCP): Lotus feet of devotees manifest through their instructions.

(1) (goal of study-we learn to teach) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in order to

bestow upon human society the benediction of the science of Krishna.

(2) To understand the mission of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and follow in His

footsteps, (means to reach the goal) one must very seriously follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs.

a. (Śrīla Prabhupāda glorifies Upadeśāmrita by putting it on the same level as the Siksastakam) To guide our activities he gave us this Upadeśāmrita to follow.

As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left behind Him the eight verses known as Śikshāshtaka, (again the goal of study in mentioned) Rūpa Gosvāmī gave us Upadeśāmrita so that we may become pure Vaiṣṇavas.

b. (Hanumatpreksa Swami (HPS): memorize text 1 and 3 of siksastaka. In a professional survey in England in 1987 the experts concluded that NOI was the best book we have for introducing KC and making devotee.)

c. (CCP: How do we know science of Kṛṣṇa? By looking at lives of greatest devotees. Who are greatest devotees – the Gopīs and mañjarīs are their associates. Goswamis were mañjarīs, so they know the science of Kṛṣṇa). d. (HPS: How shall we learn? Śrīla Prabhupāda Mentions a disciplic succession.

He mentions Lord Kṛṣṇa, Srimati Rādhārani, Lord Caitanya, Rupa Goswami, Six Goswamis, Narottam Das Thakura, Gaudiya Vaiṣṇavas, Us.)

e. BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda: You cannot become a pure devotee by your own effort; you can become a pure devotee only when you are guided by another pure devotee.

f. HPS: NOD is the Complete Science of Bhakti-yoga, and NOI is its summary? LM and VMadhava constitute the demonstrations of the Science? Rupa Goswami Prabhupāda begins NOD citing, sarvopadi vinir muktam... hrsikena hrsikesa sevanam... Here we find in Text One Rupa Goswami is starting with the same thing: Bhakti-yoga means to occupy the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Also, in his commentary on Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda mentions that this first Text is also in the Hansa-giti of the Mahabharata.

(3) (Śrīla Prabhupāda starts to introduce the contents of NOI) In all spiritual affairs, one‘s first duty is to control senses. (amazing statement, BG10.10 says the same thing) One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna, by following the instructions of Rūpa Gosvāmī, and then everything concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.

(7)

a. BACE: Example of plane coming to runway. Runway is like mode of goodness. We have to use this body to launch to Goloka. So this mode of goodness has to be cultivated.

(4) (means to reach the goal) Advancement in Krishna consciousness depends on the attitude of the follower. To achieve the highest success in life by becoming a Gosvāmī (master of senses) and then a pure devotee of the Lord, one must follow the instructions known as Upadeśāmrita, which have been given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Upadeśāmrita constitutes the first instructions for neophyte devotees. One should follow these instructions very strictly. Then it will be easier to make one's life successful.

a. SB: Lord is conquered by the love of those who have conquered their senses. b. CCP: Easier means otherwise it is very difficult.

c. HPS: Love is beyond the law. The four principles are for you baby devotees. We advanced devotees smoke marijuana and enjoy rasa-lila with lusty young maidens because we are enjoying the higher rasas.' Someone actually told me this. My mind tries to tell me this on odd occasions. So here is the exact quotation to fight it.

d. HPS: The airplane has pitch, roll and yawl. These three make the 'attitude' of the airplane, or its orientation to the environment. This is 'buddhi', not 'manasa' nor 'indriya', gross action. Buddhi means the perspective or attitude on which we think, feel and will (Manas). You can read the NoI with your lips, you can read it with your mind, you can understand it rationally or speculatively, as we are doing here, you can contemplate your understanding of what you have read, and you can love it. We must go up the ladder of karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, jnana-dhyana-yoga, buddhi-yoga to come to bhakti-yoga. This Yoga-ladder will come up again and again. There is a lot more that needs to be said but here Prabhupāda is making it obvious that we have to have the proper attitude to advance. In the BG Kṛṣṇa says: 'jitatmana prasantasya paramatma saṁhitā, Once the Mind, Atma, is conquered the Supersoul is reached/

e. HPS: Also, we have seen that so many problems in ISKCON are resolved just from NoI. This would indicate that ISKCON is largely an organization of neophytes. Well, why not? ISKCON is a preaching movement. Let it be filled with many neophytes, but progressive

Lesson One (Preface)

1. Who is Śrīla Rupa Goswami?

2. Which are the most exalted of Krishna's pastimes? How can we understand them?

3. The Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of __________ ______________.

4. To understand the mission of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and follow in His footsteps, one must very seriously _____________ __ ____ __________________ __ ___ ____

5. One must promote himself to the platform of ________________ by following the instructions of Rupa Goswami, and then everything concerning how to make further progress ____ ___ ____________________________.

(8)

6. Advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness depends on the _________________ ___ ____ _________________.

7. What date was the NOI completed? Where?

8. What is Lord Caitanya's mission? How can we understand the mission of Lord Caitanya and follow in his footsteps?

9. Just as Lord Caitanya left us the eight verses known as ____________, Rupa Goswami has left us Upadeśāmrita.

10. List the names of the six Goswamis

11. In all spiritual affairs what is one's first duty?

Miscellaneous Notes

HG Narayani Mataji says that Prabhupāda dictated the NOI purports in 1973 to HG Hrsikesananda Das and she typed them.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Distribute NOI like BG. Devotees: But this is for devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda: It is must because it teaches how to control mind and senses.

CCP: Śrīla Prabhupāda: Lord Caitanya gave four orders to the goswamis. New Temple and

new books are signs of success. Whenever a book is published, I feel like winning an empire. Third sign is number of people joining.

CCP: Vrindavana devotees gave philosophical books and Bengali associates of Lord

Caitanya gave His pastimes books (Caitanya Bhāgavata, Caitanya Mangala, etc.). The two heritages were synthesized into Caitanya Caritamrta. SKDKG grew up in company of Bengali Vaiṣṇavas and later was systematically trained by the Goswamis of Vrindavana. When Goswamis would write pastimes too, they will write from the point of view of explaining the siddhanta. E.g. Brihad Bhagavatamrita.

From Śraddhā to Prema in 11 Verses

Text 1-7 vaidhī sadhana bhakti

Text 1-3 śraddhā Text 4-6 sādhu-saṇgaḥ

Text 7 bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛttiḥ, niṣṭhā and ruciḥ Text 8 raganuga-sadhana / āsaktiḥ

(9)

Key themes in the Nectar of Instructions

1. Mind & sense control

2. Attitude

3. ISKCON‘s Purpose 4. Guru and Disciple 5. Sadhu-sanga

6. Devotees (Kinds, Behavior & qualifications) 7. Bhakti (Stages & Development)

(10)

(11)

(12)

Verses to Remember

1, 2, 3, 4

Text 1-7 Vaidhī Sādhana Bhakti

Text 1-3 Śraddhā / Control Your Senses

Text 1 says that we must control the senses by engaging them in the service of the master of the sense, Kṛṣṇa, Hrisikesa.

Text 2-3 give six things that will make it hard and six things that will make it easy to practice what is instructed in text 1.

Text 1: Controlling The Six Urges

vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

Overview

Para 1 to 2 - What is the use of atonement without sense control? Para 3 - Real Atonement

Para 4 - Vaco-vegam Para 5 - mano-vega Para 6 - krodha vega Para 7 - jihvā uddar-vega Para 8 - upastha

Para 9 - Conclusion: Saḥ śiṣyāt Para 10-18 – Anurvtti

Para 10 – Three kinds of urges Para 11-12 Vaco-vegam Para 13 Mana-vegam

Para 14-18 - Jihvā, uddar, upastha vegam Para 19 - Conclusion: sah śiṣyāt

(13)

 CCP: Vega – urge. It is urgent. Difference between urge and desire. Desire can wait, but urge cannot.

 CCP: Why guru is mentioned first? (1) Because for starting spiritual advancement a seeker has to find a guru. So qualities of guru are mentioned first. (2) It is expected that a seeker will become a seer. So he is told what qualifications he has to develop. It shows the direction in which Śrīla Rupa Goswami will lead us to. First he describes negative thing – control. Later positive things.

 This verse elaborates on the prerequisites for spiritual life described in the third main point of the Preface — the necessity of controlling the mind and senses.

(14)

 HPS: Also, in his commentary on Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda mentions that this first Text is also in the Hansa-giti of the Mahabharata. Varutthapa Prabhu found this citation: The Mahabharata, Book 12: Santi Parva: Mokshadharma Parva: Section CCC. Also see CC 3.4.103

 (para 1) Mahārāja Parīkṣit: ―Why do people undergo atonement if they cannot control their senses?‖ Four examples follow:

o Three types of people: Analogy: Thief

 Intelligent: Gathers experience by hearing. Hears stealing is not good and refrains.

 Less Intelligent: Gathers experience by seeing. Has to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop stealing.

 Foolish: May have the experience of both hearing and seeing and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal. If punishment in jail is considered atonement, what is the benefit of such atonement?

o (para 2) Analogy: This is like elephant‘s bathing.

o Nāmno balād yasya hi papa-buddhiḥ: Committing sinful activities on the

strength of chanting the Hare-Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Many people do this. o Analogy Christian confessionevery Saturday get relieved from weekly sins.

Maharaja Parīkṣit condemns this kind of atonement. Śukadeva Gosvāmī confirms his statement.

 CCP: Some people asks advance confession because he is going to commit the sin next week too. This makes complete mockery of the process.

o A sinful activity cannot be counteracted by a pious activity. (HPS: Devotional service destroys sins even in their seed stage-NOD).

o BACE: What is the use of punishment if one will break rules again and again? Park vehicle in no parking, get towed and fined and then again park there only. o BACE: Same question by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa. ―I don‘t want to commit sinful activities, but still by some force I‘m forced only, why?‖ Kṛṣṇa ―It is lust

(15)

only‖, the propensity to enjoy separate from Kṛṣṇa and what will we enjoy-senses. We control senses because if we serve senses we cannot serve Kṛṣṇa. o BACE: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said I can tolerate everything except hypocrisy.

Showing ourselves to be very religious but having ulterior motives. We can be forgiven for fall down due to previous conditioning if we are not committing sin purposefully. If Kṛṣṇa doesn‘t forgive, at least Rādhārani will forgive. The purity of intention in heart is more important.

 (Para 3): Real prāyaścitta, atonement, is the awakening of our dormant Krishna consciousness. Real atonement involves coming to real knowledge, and for this there is a standard process.

o Analogy: When one follows a regulated hygienic process, he does not fall sick.

 BACE: Doctors go about in hospital wards and do not catch diseases. Because they keep themselves very hygienic. These temples are like hospitals. Prabhupāda: If you have no determination it means you are animal. Anyone who criticizes Vaiṣṇavas, his heart becomes contaminated.

o A human being is meant to be trained according to certain principles to revive his original knowledge. Such a methodical life is described as tapasya.

o Standard way of tapasyā: (1) Austerity and celibacy (2) controlling the mind (saman) (3) by controlling the senses (daman) (4) by giving charity (5) by being truthful (6) by keeping clean and (7) by practicing yoga-āsanas. (Slow

process). (Remember Yoga ladder – step by step and elevator)

 CCP: Mind control is better because if mind is controlled senses will not be agitated. Room and thief analogy. In room there is jewel of Kṛṣṇa and outside is thief of māyā. Keep the door shut (i.e. control the mind) so thief is not come inside. But if door is kept opened, the thief will come inside and we will have to fight. But it will be difficult. Similarly mind can be agitated, but we can fight the sinful desires so senses are not affected.

 CCP: They are helpful in bhakti, but in itself they are not spiritual. Brahmacārī doesn‘t simply mean celibate, but one who if trying to dwell in Brahman.

o (fast process) If one is fortunate enough to get the association of pure devotee, he can easily surpass all the practices for controlling the mind by the mystic yoga process simply by following the four regulative principles of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master. This easy process is being recommended by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. (Even SB 6.2.11 recommends this process).

 BP (Bhurijana Prabhu): One is immediately brought to step of bhajana kriya by association.

 BACE: Pancaratrika vidhi automatically includes above slow processes, but is easier.

 Austerity: Serving under guru‘s guidance. Waking early in morning. Devotee: Why do you criticize Christians?

(16)

Prabhupāda: It is six o clock and they are sleeping. Prabhupāda: ―Anyone who takes cold water bath for 14 years, whatever he speaks will be perfect.‖ Don‘t sleep after bath, attend morning program. Morning program contains 48 of 64 items of devotional service. How much to sleep – 5 to 7 hrs. And wake up in brahma muhurta. Same activity in temple gives six times multiplied. Prabhupāda: Our austerity is feasting and dancing.

 (para 4) Vaco-vegam o 1st

problem: If we do not speak about Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, we speak about

all sorts of nonsense.

o Analogy: toad in field invites snake by croaking. Comparable to talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Māyāvādīs who always speak nonsense and invite death.

 BACE: Camus, French philosopher, said ―Don‘t try to teach me, I may not follow you. Don‘t try to follow me, I may not be able to lead you.‖ Big books. Nonsense.

 CCP: Time‘s flow is different when we do prajalpa.

 Miscellaneous: One of the differences between frog and toad – frog lives mostly in water, toad mostly on land. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses perfect word. Ref http://www.diffen.com/difference/Frog_vs_Toad o 2nd

problem: Does not mean we have to remain silent. Helpful for some time,

but ultimately it proves a failure.

 BACE: E.g. Mauni baba – after 1 yr. ―bed bumpy.‖ 2nd

yr. –―nasty mosquitoes.‖ 3rd

(17)

o Solution: Real controlled speech is the positive process of kṛṣṇa-kathā – glorifying name, form, qualities and pastimes of Lord.

o Significance: The preacher of kṛṣṇa-kathā is always beyond the clutches of death.

o Miscellaneous: HPS: Study shows that the average men produces 2000 words per day, and the average women produces 7000 words per day.

 (para 5) mano-vega o 1st

Problem: Restlessness or fickleness of the mind

o Solution: Controlled when one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa--sūrya-sama…….adhikāra. If one always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and how to serve Kṛṣṇa best, one‘s mind will naturally be controlled.

o (BP: Think of Kṛṣṇa favourably, not unfavourably, e.g. Kamsa Sisupala. Gopīs were not envious of Rādhārani because nature of envy is desiring harm of other. Gopīs didn‘t desired harm of Rādhārani. Anger is there is spiritual world, not envy.)

o CCP: It is not mechanical process, we have to fill the mind with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. How to do that?

 Each one of is unique, we ourselves have to find. Some might like to read philosophy, some deity worship, some talking to devotees, etc.  Ultimately my spiritual advancement is my responsibility, not of

Kṛṣṇa, spiritual master or counsellor. Yes spiritual master gives instructions, but it our duty to follow the instructions. Spiritual master only gives all facility for that.

 Take our spiritual inventory and find what attracts us. o 2nd

Problem: Wrong Understanding: To try to create a vacuum in the mind

is artificial. The vacuum will not remain.  (para 6) krodha vega

o Problem: Cannot stop anger altogether.

o Solution: Controlled when we become angry with those who blaspheme the Lord or the devotees of the Lord. E.g. Hanuman in Lanka, Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu with Jagai and Madhai and Arjuna.

o One should be ready to tolerate all insults to one‘s own self, but when Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee is blasphemed, a genuine devotee becomes angry and acts like fire against the offender.

o CCP:

 The only anartha which everyone agrees is wrong – even materialist. In all devotional literature there are very few examples of using anger in Kṛṣṇa‘s service, so better focus on controlling it. There is very thin line between us using anger for Kṛṣṇa‘s service or anger using us in maya‘s service. Even Hanuman Ji was repentant for his anger.

 Mostly our motivations in getting angry are not pure and even if our intention may be pure, other person may not be able to take the anger.  Sometimes we have to speak assertively so that people take us

seriously. Show fang, don‘t bite. When we are firm, we are in control, but when we are angry, anger is in control.

(18)

 For sadhakas, experiencing spiritual anger is very difficult, it will only be material anger.

 Even in dealing with atheists, we have to be very careful. E.g. Daksa Yajña got ruined due to curses and counter curses. We have to counter by defeating their arguments. Each devotional principle is integrated with other devotional principles. Principle rule – always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Kṛṣṇa and help others come close to Kṛṣṇa. All rules are subservient to it. Our response to blasphemy should be according to this rule. We should refute them vehemently. This way atheists may not change, but those affected by those atheists will appreciate us.

o BP: What if devotees criticize another devotee? If devotee is blaspheming, it should be treated same way, but mostly devotees don‘t hate each other so badly and hence their harsh words don‘t hurt the same way. While preaching and managing criticism is inevitable, but one should not allow envy to enter heart.

 (para 7) jihvā uddar-vega

o Problem: Urge of the tongue and belly to eat.

o Not allow the tongue to eat according to its choice. Do not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat shops.

o Solution: Controlled by supplying prasāda at scheduled times.

o BP: Being a vegetarian is not enough. One should offer nice dishes for Kṛṣṇa‘s pleasure because you are offering to Kṛṣṇa with love.

o BACE: We should not eat prasāda, we should honour prasāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda would take prasāda slowly tasting it in a secluded place. He would take about 45 minutes. What is full satisfaction? Satisfaction of stomach.  (para 8) upastha

o Problem: The sex impulse.

o Solution: Genital should be used to beget a Kṛṣṇa conscious child, otherwise they should not be used. Marriage not for satisfaction of genitals but for begetting of Kṛṣṇa conscious children.

o BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda married 3 couples before making 1st

sannyasa.  Conclusion: Saḥ śiṣyāt (para 9) When one is fully practiced in the methods of Kṛṣṇa

(19)

Anuvrtti: Almost, if not all, of the second half of the Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s purports seem to

be a summary of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura Prabhupāda‘s commentary on the Upadeśāmrita, the Anuvrtti.

 (para 10) Material identification creates three kinds of urges – the urge of speak, the urge of mind and the demands of the body.

o When a living entity falls victim to these three types of urges, his life becomes inauspicious.

o One who practices resisting these urges is called tapasvī.

o By such tapasyā one can overcome victimization by the material energy. o HPS: A gosvāmī serves Kṛṣṇa with his words, mind and body.

 (para 11-12) Vaco-vegam

o Useless talking, such as that of Mayavadi philosophers, karma kandis or materialistic people.

 Volumes of such books, all useless.  Pilgrimage place for crows.

o To counteract this tendency, we have to divert our talking to the subject of Kṛṣṇa.

 Ṣastric support: SB 1.5.10-11.

 Even if imperfectly done, still wonderful.

 Use speaking power only to realize Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. o BACE: SB 1.5.11 predicts Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s appearance. o CCD:

(20)

 One social commentator said that news is old things happening to new people. Devotees should not be oblivious, but aware of basic things happening outside, which are essential for sustenance.

 Never before in history has been information diversed from function. Point is not to condemn GK, but to connect information to function.  Same case with devotees. Many people scriptures only for getting

information.

 Scriptures don‘t have just information value, its purpose is to transform. At the end of BG, Arjuna said Kṛṣṇa I would do what you say.

 (para 13) Mana-vegam o Of two types:

o Avirodha-prīti or unrestricted attachment

 Adherence to the philosophy of Māyāvādīs,  Belief in the fruitive results of karma-vādīs  Belief in plans based on materialistic desires

 BACE: Q. ―Why a devotee falls down? Śrīla Prabhupāda replied in 3 words, ―I like it.‖

 BACE: many plans to be happy – insurance, etc. When they are baffled, anger arises.

o Virodha-yukta-krodha or anger arising from frustration  Frustration of material desires produces anger.

 HPS: Mechanical tricks for stopping anger won‘t work. Give up attachment for the object.

 BACE: Even Śrīla Prabhupāda would get angry on disciples. If I do not chastise them, they would develop bad character. E.g. temple installation ceremony - an ingredient missing – angry – hippy said chant Hare Kṛṣṇa – Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted the instruction because he was not angry for himself, but for Kṛṣṇa – he thought Kṛṣṇa spoke through this person.

 BACE: Anger is called younger brother of lust – kamanuja. Viswamitra was first lusty with Menaka and when 2nd apsara came he was angry. Nara Narayana was not affected by anything. Lord Siva was not affected by lust, but was affected by anger.

 (para 14-18) Jihvā, uddar, upastha vegam

o Tongue, belly and genital are in a straight line. o Bodily demands begin with tongue.

o If one can restrain the demands of the tongue by limiting its activities to the eating of prasāda, the urges of the belly and the genital can automatically be controlled. Then it is possible to get free from maya‘s victimization.

 CCD: Control variety, quantity and frequency of food you take. o Sarira avidya-jala……kathina samsara……daka Caitanya Nitai.

 CCD: Thanking God just that He provided food is thanking at animal level.

 CCD: The whole point of these prayers is to thank Kṛṣṇa that how mercifully He has appeared in form of prasāda.

(21)

o There are six kinds of rasas (tastes), and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes controlled by the urges of the tongue.

 Urge to eat things produced by semina and blood and eaten in form of dead bodies – meat, fish, eggs, etc.(tamo)

 Urge to eat spices like chilly or tamarind (rajo)

 Urge to eat vegetables, creepers, spinach or milk products (sattva)

 BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda said we are not vegetarians, we are Krishantarians. Even monkeys are vegetarians.

 Urge to eat intoxications like pan, haritaki, betel nuts, various spices used in pan making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea. (mahā tamo)

 BACE: People do fasting, but drinking tea on same day. Prabhupāda asked a person, ―What do you do in morning?‖ Ans ―I wake up, read newspaper and drink tea.‖ Prabhupāda - ―Even dogs do not do that.‖

 Urge to eat palatable prasāda. Don‘t offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food. (Prasāda)

 BACE: Prabhupāda doesn‘t leave even devotees too who eat only prasāda. There are pitfalls in eating prasāda too.

 BACE: Prasad should always be palatable, but should not be with intention of we want to eat palatable food.

 BACE: proper diet – half fill with full, one fourth with water and one fourth with air. Choice between to eat or to not eat – don‘t eat.

o CCD: How do we know what is 50%? Different for each person, each one learns by his/her experience.

 CCD: Making a habit of eating opulent prasāda is wrong. On feasting days on festivals it is ok.

 Urge to accept invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food. (Prāsād – mansion)

 Prasāda is transcendental, but our consciousness is passionate. Prasāda is transcendental, but we are not. Pizza prasāda – culture shock for Indians. Prasāda is not a cultural commodity, but a spiritual principle. The cultural translation of spiritual principle will depend on time and place. Prasāda should not be seen as rajasic or tamasic or Indian, Italian, Chinese, etc. (except for functional purposes.)

o What to offer to Lord? Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water. o CC Antya 6.227 and 6.236.

o When we desire to overeat we automatically create many inconveniences in life.

 Solution: If we observe fating days like Ekādaśī and Janmaṣṭamī, we can restrain the demands of the belly.

 CCD: Kulashekhara Maharaja: If while fasting if we are not remembering Kṛṣṇa, then it is simply a fat reducing activity. We should not fast and remember food. Don‘t become proud of

(22)

your fasting (see how others are eating, see what can I do) – else body is fasting and ego is feasting. Purpose of fast is to fix our thoughts on Kṛṣṇa. Parīkṣit Maharaja was not troubled by hunger and thirst; he was so much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa Katha. Nirjala fasting is not recommended by Ayurveda due to health reasons.  water fasting  juice fasting fruit fasting taking raw foods  eating once  eating twice  eating thrice. We have to restrict quantity and frequency of diet. o CCD: Greek proverb: The one third of what you eat maintains you and

balance two third maintains your physician.

o CCD: Controlling tongue today is very difficult because marketing of sold food taking place is unprecedented.

o CCD: Torturous situation – people want both – eat food and look thin to look good. Most material desires are insatiable (can‘t win the game) and irresistible (can‘t quit the game). Problem for both devotees and non-devotees.

o CCD: Śrīla Prabhupāda didn‘t gave just philosophy, but gave culture – dress, cuisine, songs, etc. But by that bridge cultural items from other parts are coming to India – e.g. Chowmin Prasāda. We have to see what suits us most to remember Kṛṣṇa.

o Urges of genitals – proper and improper, or legal and illicit sex.

 Definition of legal sex: A mature man can marry according to rules and regulations of śāstras and use his genitals for begetting nice children.

 Definition of illicit sex: One indulges in illicit sex life, as defined by the śāstras, either by (1) thinking, (2) planning, (3) talking about (4) actually having sexual intercourse or (5) by satisfying the genitals by artificial means. By doing so he is caught in the clutches of māyā.  Jagadannanda Pandita recommends

 Not to listen to talks about ordinary worldly things

 Not to talk about worldly things while meeting others

 Not to think of women even in dreams

 Do not associate with women

 Always remember the incident of Chhota Haridasa

 Not dressing nicely

 Nor eating nicely

 Always remain humble and

 Serve Their Lordship Sri Sri Rādhā-Krishna in the core of hearts

 CCD: Vedic culture doesn‘t says sex to be so bad, it considers it so sacred that it is used only for getting new life. It gives us opportunity to become co-creator with God. Modern civilization trivializes something so important to something just for physical release. The point is not on deprive (no, no), the point is to retrieve (this activity has purpose, who for that only)

(23)

o One who can control these six items – speech, mind, tongue, belly and genitals-is to be called a svāmī or Gosvāmī.

o Swami is not a political post.

o You can serve only one master –Kṛṣṇa (Goswami) or senses (godāsa or

adānta-go, which refers to one whose senses are not controlled. He cannot become a servant of Kṛṣṇa.)

o Ṣastric Support: SB 7.5.30

o HPS: Men may take the formal title and ashrama of sannyasa but ladies, children, everyone must become a Gosvāmī in fact.

o CCD: This verse should make us sober, not afraid.

Lesson Two (Text One)

1. What is Maharaja Pariksit's question to Śukadeva Goswami? 2. What types of persons are compared to croaking toads? 3. Who is qualified to make disciples all over the world?

Ans. A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind¡¦s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

4. What are the six urges?

Ans. The six urges are as follows: - Urge to speak

- Urge of the mind (demands of the mind) - Urge of anger (actions of anger)

- Urge of tongue - Urge of belly - Urge of genitals

5. How many types of intelligence are there? Explain giving example of the thief. Ans. Three types of intelligence are there:

First class: learns from law books and scriptures and from other‘s experience Second class: learns from his own experience

Third class: does not learn either from law books, other‘s experience or his own experience The example of thief (i) one who possess first class intelligence when hears from law books and hears from others that a thief was caught and punished, he refrains from theft. (ii) one who have second class intelligence (or less intelligence) may first have to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop stealing (iii) one who has third class intelligence (rascal and fool) even after being arrested and punished repeatedly still continues to steal he does not learn.

(24)

Ans. Real atonement (prāyaścitta) is the awakening of our dormant Krishna consciousness. It involves coming to real knowledge and for this there is a standard process.

7. What are the two methods recommended for awakening dormant Krishna consciousness? Explain.

Ans. Two methods (i) Vedic method and (ii) Vaishnava method. Vedic Method

Real knowledge or Krishna consciousness can be awakened by practicing austerity and celibacy (brahmacarya) which is possible by controlling mind and by controlling senses. Senses can be controlled by giving up one‘s possession in charity, by being avowedly truthful, by keeping clean and by practicing yoga-āsanas.

Vaishnava method

By following regulative principles viz. refraining from illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling and by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord under the direction of the bona-fide spiritual master.

8. What is tapasya (austerity)?

Ans. Tapasya or austerity is such methodical life by which one can gradually become elevated to the standard of real knowledge or Krishna consciousness.

9. Who is a tapasvī according to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī?

Ans. One who practices resisting the demands of mind, body and speech is called a tapasvī according to Anuvrtti explanation of NOI by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī.

10. How the urges of different senses can be controlled?

Ans. Urge of speech can be controlled by speaking subjects/glories of Lord Krishna Urge of mind can be controlled by fixing the mind on the lotus feet of Krishna

Urge of anger can be controlled by becoming angry with those who blaspheme the Lord and devotees such as mayavadis, atheists

Urge of belly and tongue can be controlled by honouring Krishna prasāda

Urge of genitals cab be when not used unnecessarily other than for begetting Krishna conscious children

11. What are the three kinds of urges created by material identification? What are its effects? Ans. Material identification creates three kinds of urges - the urge to speak, the urge or demands of the mind and the demands of the body. When one fall victim to these three types of urges, his life becomes inauspicious.

12. What are the two divisions of the flickering mind? Explain. Ans. The flickering mind has two divisions

(25)

(i) Avirodha-prīti or unrestricted attachment - adherence to the philosophy of the Mayavadis, belief in the fruitive results of karma-vādīs and belief in plans based on materialistic desires are called Avirodha-prīti.

(ii) Virodha yukta krodha or anger arising from frustration - Jnanis, karmīs and materialistic plan makers generally attract the attention of conditioned soul, but when the materialists cannot fulfil their plans and when their devices are frustrated, they become angry. This is called virodha yukta krodha. Frustration of material desires produces anger.

13. What are the different demands of the body? How to control them?

Ans. Demand of the body can be divided into three categories (i) demand of the tongue (ii) demand of the belly and (iii) demand of the genitals. By controlling the demand of the tongue demands of the belly and genitals are automatically controlled. Demand of the tongue can be controlled by limiting its activities to the eating of prasāda.

14. What are the different urges of the tongue?

Ans. (i) Urge to eat product of semina and blood like meat, fish, crabs, eggs etc. (ii) Urge to eat vegetables, creepers, and spinach and milk products.

(iii)Urge to eat pan, haritaki, betel nuts, various spices used in pan making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea.

(iv) Urge to eat more than necessary for gratification of tongue.

(v) Urge to offer palatable dishes to Deity with the intention of eating nice food. (vi) Urge to accept invitation of rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food. 15. How one becomes controlled by the urges of the tongue? What is the effect?

Ans. There are six kinds of rasas (tastes) and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes controlled by the urge of the tongue. The person who is controlled by the demands of the tongue keeps running here and there seeking to gratify his palate and always attached to the desires of his tongue, belly and genitals. He can never attain Krishna.

16. What is the solution to uncontrolled tongue?

Ans. The ultimate solution to the uncontrolled tongue is that one should practice only to accept the remnants of food offered to Krishna and eat as per necessity. Observe fasting on days like Ekādaśī and Janmaṣṭamī.

17. What is proper or legal sex?

Ans. Proper or legal or religious sex is that when a man is properly mature, he gets married in accordance with the rules and regulations of the scriptures and uses his genital for begetting nice Krishna conscious children.

18. What is improper or illicit sex? List different types and effects?

Ans. Engaging in sex life by defying the law of scripture and outside marriage is improper or illicit sex. Thinking, planning, talking about, actually having sexual intercourse, satisfying

(26)

genitals by artificial means are different types of illicit sex. Person indulging in these different illicit sexual activities becomes caught in the clutches of māyā.

19. What are the different instructions/suggestions given by Sri Jagadannanda Pandita to the people in the renounced order of life?

Ans. In his book Prema Vivarta, Chapter VII, Sri Jagadannanda Pandita gives the following instructions/suggestions to the people in the renounced order of life:

(i) not to listen to talks about ordinary worldly things (ii) not to talk about worldly things while meeting others (iii) not to think of women even in dreams

(iv) if desire to associate CM, must always remember the incident of Chhota Haridasa and how he was rejected by the Lord.

(v) Not to eat luxurious dishes or dress in fine garments

(vi) always remain humble and serve Their Lordship Sri Sri Rādhā-Krishna in the core of hearts

20. Who is a Gosvāmī?

Ans. One who can control the six items (urges) - speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals is called a svāmī or Gosvāmī - the master of senses.

21. Who is godāsa or adānta-go? What is his fate?

Ans. Those whose senses are not in their control and those who are engaged in the service of their senses or the material world are called godāsa or adānta-go.

People with uncontrolled senses can never become servant of Krishna. Rather they will be dragged by the unbridled senses in to the darkest region of the ignorance and thus they madly engage in what is called ―chewing the chewed‖.

22. The talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Mayavadi philosophers may be compared to ____ _____________________ ____ ____________.

23. Controlled speech means to engage exclusively in ____________-______________. 24. Kṛṣṇa is just like ____ _______, and māyā is just like _____________.

25. If one thinks of Kṛṣṇa and how to serve Kṛṣṇa best, one‘s ________ will naturally be _____________.

26. One who resists the three kinds of urges is called a ____________.

27. Krodha, anger, cannot be stopped, but it can be applied rightly. Give an example: _________ is a good example of setting fire to __________ _____-________.

28. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement encourages marriage only for ___________.

29. Write out the Sanskrit and the English translation of Text 1 of the Nectar of Instruction, beginning with ―vaco vegam.‖

(27)

30. Discuss the importance of controlling the 6 urges as described in Sri Upadesamrita Text 1. What practical steps are you taking to control these 6 urges? Give appropriate reference to Sri Upadesamrita Text 1, verse and purport, in your response. (Open book)

Text 2: Obstacles to Devotional Service

atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca

ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati

―One's devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over-endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.‖

Connection to 1st verse:

 VTE: Text Two describes the implications of not controlling the mind and senses.  HPS: Now we will see six things that will make it difficult to perform Text One,

engage the senses in the service of the Master of the Senses, Hrsikesa.

Overview

 Para 1 –Human life is meant for plain living and high thinking.

 Para 2 and 3 - mahātmā refers to those who are broadminded, not cripple-minded  Para 4 – Threefold miseries

 Para 5, 6, 14, 15, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 22 – atyāhāra  Para 7 – Prayasa

 Para 12 - prajalpa – unnecessary talking  Para 13, 17 - Jana-sanga

 Para 16 - niyama-āgraha  Para 18 - greed (laulyaṁ)  Para 23 – Conclusion

 Para 24 – Purpose of ISKCON

(28)

 HPS: Of the six faults, we see that Śrīla Prabhupāda focuses again and again on atyāhāra, over-collecting or over eating.

 VTE: By his own choice, the conditioned soul has fallen under the jurisdiction of the material energy of the Lord. Under its influence, he has to meet the demands of the body, which is a product of this energy. Text Two further explains how to meet these basic demands in a way that fosters spiritual progress rather than material entanglement.

 BACE: In material world, maintaining body, making some effort, speaking, following some rules, associating with people and wanting some achievements is inevitable. So we have to know where we are.

 HPS: In general, this NOI Text Two is G-R-E-A-T for teaching in economics classes and so forth. We really have fundamental content and direction to offer even Nobel Laureates in economics. Our perspective is that economically this world is complete and everyone has a quota -- Invocation and Text One of the Isopanisad.

 BP: All these problems mainly begin from Jana-sangha.

 Para 1 –Human life is meant for plain living and high thinking.

o HPS - Śrīla Prabhupāda starts with a very universal statement of the purpose of human life, high thinking and simple living. He declares this again later in the Text. We should use this essential slogan again and again.

o CCD: Simple living saves us from being entangled in bahiranga Shakti and high thinking gets us to antaranga Shakti.

o CCD: 6 things in this verse tell us how to implement simple living and high thinking.

(29)

 Since all conditioned living beings are under the control of the Lord's third energy, this material world is designed so that one is obliged to work. Being subordinate as eternal servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the jīvātmās, or atomic living entities, must remain under the control of either the internal or external potency. When they are under the control of the internal potency, they display their natural, constitutional activity — namely, constant engagement in the devotional service of the Lord.

mahātmānas tu mām pārtha daivīm prakritim āśritāh bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

o HPS: He goes back to Vegam, we are all pushed to work, but how? There is a detailed scientific answer in Paragraphs One to Four by explaining the

bahir-anga-shakti.

 (Para 2) mahātmā refers to those who are broadminded, not cripple-minded.

o Cripple-minded persons, always engaged in satisfying their senses, sometimes expand their activities in order to do good for others through some "ism" like nationalism, humanitarianism or altruism.

 They may reject personal sense gratification for the sense gratification of others, like the members of their family, community or society — either national or international. Actually all this is extended sense gratification, from personal to communal to social.

 This may all be very good from the material point of view, but such activities have no spiritual value.

 The basis of such activity is sense gratification, either personal or extended.

 Only when a person gratifies the senses of the Supreme Lord can he be called a

mahātmā, or broadminded person.

o (Para 3) daivīm prakritim refer to the control of the internal potency, or pleasure potency, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

o This pleasure potency is manifested as Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, or Her expansion Lakshmī, the goddess of fortune.

o When the individual jīva souls are under the control of the internal energy, their only engagement is the satisfaction of Krishna, or Vishnu. This is the position of a mahātmā.

 If one is not a mahātmā, he is a durātmā, or a cripple-minded person. Such mentally crippled durātmās are put under the control of the Lord's external potency, mahāmāyā. o Para 4 – HPS - After diverting to a more detailed definition of external

energy Prabhupāda returns to his first statement.

o All living entities within this material world are under the control of mahāmāyā, whose business is to subject them to the influence of threefold

miseries:

 adhidaivika-kleśa (sufferings caused by the demigods, such as droughts, earthquakes and storms),

 adhibhautika-kleśa (sufferings caused by other living entities like insects or enemies), and

 adhyātmika-kleśa (sufferings caused by one's own body and mind, such as mental and physical infirmities).

 Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavah: the conditioned souls, subjected to these three miseries by the control of the external energy, suffer various difficulties.

(30)

o Para 5 HPS: the main Klesa, Vegam or push. What is it? Birth, death, disease and old-age. Fear of these pushes us to work. The same things explained in more detail in Nectar of Devotion (NOD). It‘s a science.

o The main problem confronting the conditioned souls is the repetition of birth, old age, disease and death.

 BACE: from this situation we have to become mahatma.

 (atyāhāra) In the material world one has to work for the maintenance of the body and soul, but how can one perform such work in a way that is favorable for the execution of Krishna consciousness?

o BP: This body must be doomed. So putting all your effort in maintaining it is foolish. You have to endeavor but not over-endeavor.

o Everyone requires possessions such as food grains, clothing, money and other things necessary for the maintenance of the body, but one should not collect more than necessary for his actual basic needs. If this natural principle is followed, there will be no difficulty in maintaining the body.

o (para 6) According to nature's arrangement, living entities lower on the evolutionary scale do not eat or collect more than necessary. Consequently in the animal kingdom there is generally no economic problem or scarcity of necessities.

 Analogy: If a bag of rice is placed in a public place, birds will come to eat a few grains and go away. A human being, however, will take away the whole bag. He will eat all his stomach can hold and then try to keep the rest in storage.

 According to scriptures, this collecting of more than necessary (atyāhāra) is prohibited. Now the entire world is suffering because of it.

o (para 14) Philosophy: Too much endeavor to acquire knowledge on the part of mental speculators or dry philosophers falls within the category of atyāhāra (collecting more than needed).

 The endeavor of philosophical speculators to write volumes of books on dry philosophy devoid of Krishna consciousness is entirely futile.  The work of karmīs who write volumes of books on economic

development also falls within the category of atyāhāra.

 Those who have no desire for Krishna consciousness and who are simply interested in possessing more and more material things — either in the shape of scientific knowledge or monetary gain — are all included under the control of atyāhāra.

 BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda discouraged his disciples reading books of other devotees other than him. Gita Govinda, books of his god brothers. That was also atyāhāra.

 (para 15) Karmīs labor to accumulate more and more money for future generations only because they do not know their future position. Interested only in getting more and more money for their sons and grandsons, such foolish persons do not even know what their position is going to be in the next life.

 Once a great karmī accumulated a vast fortune for his sons and grandsons, but later, according to his karma, he took his birth in a cobbler's house located near the building which in his previous life he had constructed for his children. It so happened

(31)

that when this very cobbler came to his former house, his former sons and grandsons beat him with shoes.

 Unless the karmīs and jñānīs become interested in Krishna consciousness, they will simply continue to waste their life in fruitless activities.

 BACE: Another story – story of Kailash. A former PM of India became dog in Scandinavia.

 BP:

o Prabhupāda saw a big tree in Australia covering a building. He saw this tree and said this tree was owner of this building in last life.

o In Japan Prabhupāda stayed in apartment of an Indian man. Prabhupāda asked him one of the apartments to be used as temple. He refused. After leaving Prabhupāda said that this man will become a rat in this house.

 (para 8) Human life is meant for God realization, and the human being is given higher intelligence for this purpose. Those who believe that this higher intelligence is meant to attain a higher state should follow the instructions of the Vedic literatures. By taking such instructions from higher authorities, one can actually become situated in perfect knowledge and give real meaning to life.

 BACE:

 One devotee wanted to read Hari Bhakti Vilasa and Śrīla Prabhupāda said ―you will to hell. There are so many rules that practically you will not come out of bathroom and then you will judge devotees.‖

 Simple for simple – E.g. Ratnaranjini Mataji and Kunti Devi Dasi of New Vrindavana.

 Rādhānath Swami Maharaja - if you read 1 hour of some other author‘s book, read Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s books 4 times.

o Religion: (para 9) In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.9) Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī describes the proper human dharma in this way:

dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate nārthasya dharmaikāntasya

kāmo lābhāya hi smritah

"All occupational engagements [dharma] are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service [dharma] should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification."

 (para 10) The first step in human civilization consists of occupational engagements performed according to the scriptural injunctions.

 The higher intelligence of a human being should be trained to understand basic dharma.

 In human society there are various religious conceptions characterized as Hindu, Christian, Hebrew, Mohammedan, Buddhist and so on, for without religion, human society is no better than animal society.

 (para 11) Religion is meant for attaining emancipation, not for

(32)

 Sometimes human society manufactures a system of so-called religion aimed at material advancement, but that is far from the purpose of true dharma. Religion entails understanding the laws of God because the proper execution of these laws ultimately leads one out of material entanglement. That is the true purpose of religion.

 Unfortunately people accept religion for material prosperity because of atyāhāra, or an excessive desire for such prosperity.

 True religion, however, instructs people to be satisfied with the bare necessities of life while cultivating Krishna consciousness.

 Even though we require economic development, true religion allows it only for supplying the bare necessities of material existence.

 If our endeavor (prayāsa) is not to inquire about the Absolute Truth, we will simply increase our endeavor to satisfy our artificial needs. o Welfare Work: (para 19) Modern warfare waged between capitalists and

communists is due to their avoiding the advice of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī regarding atyāhāra.

 BP: Communism was due to envy of labourers towards capitalists. In communism all profit is given to state for distributing it equally to all, but thee clever politicians keep it all themselves. While common men lived in abject poverty, the communist dictator lived in palaces.

 Nothing can be solved by placing wealth in the hands of the communists or the capitalists.

 Analogy: If a hundred-dollar bill is lying on the street, someone may pick it up and put it in his pocket. Such a man is not honest. Another man may see the money and decide to let it remain there, thinking that he should not touch another's property. Although this second man does not steal the money for his own purposes, he is unaware of its proper use. The third man who sees the hundred-dollar bill may pick it up, find the man who lost it and deliver it to him. This man does not steal the money to spend for himself, nor does he neglect it and let it lie in the street. By taking it and delivering it to the man who has lost it, this man is both honest and wise.

 (para 20) Simply transferring wealth from capitalists to communists cannot solve the problem of modern politics, for it has been demonstrated that when a communist gets money, he uses it for his own sense gratification.

 The wealth of the world actually belongs to Krishna, and every living entity, man and animal, has the birthright to use God's property for his maintenance. When one takes more than his maintenance requires — be he a capitalist or a communist — he is a thief, and as such he is liable to be punished by the laws of nature.

 (para 21) The wealth of the world should be used for the welfare of all living entities, for that is the plan of Mother Nature. Everyone has the right to live by utilizing the wealth of the Lord. When people learn the art of scientifically utilizing the Lord's property, they will no longer encroach upon one another's rights. Then an ideal society can be formed.

īśāvāsyam idam sarvam yat kiñca jagatyām jagat

(33)

tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā

mā gridhah kasya svid dhanam

 (para 22) Krishna conscious devotees know very well that this material world is designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfil all the necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to encroach upon the life or rights of one another. This complete arrangement affords the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs, and thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain living and high thinking.

 Unfortunately, materialists who have neither faith in the plan of God nor any aspiration for higher spiritual development misuse their God-given intelligence only to augment their material possessions. They devise many systems — such as capitalism and materialistic communism — to advance their material position. They are not interested in the laws of God or in a higher goal. Always anxious to fulfil their unlimited desires for sense gratification, they are conspicuous by their ability to exploit their fellow living beings.

 BACE: E.g. of a person who went to a sadhu to learn about bhoga and tyaga. He stayed for 3 days. 1 day he ate the offering (bhoga), 2nd day he threw it away (artificial tyaga) and 3rd day he kept some and gave balance back (yukta vairagya).

 (Para 7) prayāsa: Collecting and eating more than necessary also causes prayāsa, or unnecessary endeavor.

o Anyone in any part of the world can live very peacefully if he has some land and a milk cow. There is no need for man to move from one place to another to earn a livelihood, for one can produce food grains locally and get milk from cows. That can solve all economic problems.

o (Then what to do with our intelligence?) Fortunately, man has been given higher intelligence for the cultivation of Krishna consciousness, or the understanding of God, one's relationship with Him, and the ultimate goal of life, love of God (Sambandha, abhideya, prayojana).

o Unfortunately, so-called civilized man, not caring for God realization, utilizes his intelligence to get more than necessary and simply eat to satisfy the tongue.

 By God's arrangement there is sufficient scope for the production of milk and grains for human beings all over the world, but instead of using his higher intelligence to cultivate God consciousness, so-called intelligent men misuse their intelligence to produce many unnecessary and unwanted things.

 Thus factories, slaughterhouses, brothels and liquor shops are opened (CCP: over-endeavor requires relief, so these things are opened. This is so because their life is so imbalanced).

 If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life. Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position.

o BACE: Prayāsa in life of devotee, e.g. I‘ll study hard to settle in USA and this way my bhakti will be peaceful. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that the worst

(34)

kind of prayāsa for a devotee is prayāsa for fame. Solution: Worship Lord with humility and simplicity. By that you‘ll get mercy of Lord, and then no prayāsa is required. E.g. Srivasa Thakura. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take care for your socio-economic condition.

 (para 12) prajalpa – unnecessary talking

o CCD: Vaco Vegam and Prajalpa may be similar, but they are presented in different frame of analysis. 1st is presented at bodily level and as a general analysis applicable to all, but 2nd is presented more specifically for devotees.

 Bhisma talks to Yudhisthira about speech. How should a person speak? He gives a hierarchy – Lord, pleasing speeches, truthful speeches, useless speeches and blasphemous speeches. Last 2 are prajalpa.  BG – austerity of speech is ―that truthful, pleasing and beneficial.‖ For

devotees useless speech is blasphemous (doesn‘t matter if they are true or false) and rumour based speeches. Every devotee has challenges and difficulties.

 Imagine a warrior going war and is wounded, he should be sent to hospital. But if he is sent to jail, are we being compassionate.

 Very less devotees come with an intention of being hypocritical. If we can help devotees, it is good, else we should not speak. We can at best try to learn from it. Don‘t gossip about people.

 Internet has made rumour mongering very easy. –ve things stay longer in mind. One sannyasi fell and sent his danda to Prabhupāda. His secretary spread news all over. Prabhupāda was angrier with him than the sannyasi.

 We have come to this movement to become conscious of Kṛṣṇa, not to become conscious of faults of people.

 ISKCON is like desire tree, you will get you want – pride, money, controversy, but then purpose of coming to this society will be lost.  Fall down is not new – ―Don‘t be surprised who leaves, be surprised

who stays.‖ Advaita Acharya‘s sons became Mayavadis.

 Disease metaphor – in a hospital a new compounder and a top doctor both can become infected by germs if they do not take precaution. Of course in this metaphor he is victim, while for fall down we are morally responsible.

 We are being Kṛṣṇa Unconscious if we gossip about how others fell down.

 For educational purpose, a responsible senior devotee might talk maturely.

 If a person falls, it doesn‘t mean the process is wrong.  Don‘t discuss with uninformed people.

o If we must talk, we should talk about the Krishna consciousness movement. o Those outside of the Krishna consciousness movement are interested in

reading heaps of newspapers, magazines and novels, solving crossword puzzles and doing many other nonsensical things. In this fashion people simply waste their valuable time and energy.

 BP: NOI was completed in 1974 and published in 1975. By now Prabhupāda has complete grasp of western culture – how they waste their time. Crossword puzzle is simply filling gaps between birth and death.