The Krishnaite Mission

“We are Krsna-ites. What Krsna said, we have to do.” Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.17, Honolulu, May 17, 1976

All Krishnaites are part of the larger category of seekers of God. They have chosen to worship and follow Krishna because of the all-encompassing nature of His presentation in Vaishnava and Vedic scripture as presented to humanity by His pure representatives, the topmost mahatma gurus coming in disciplic succession from Him. Real gurus like Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada never add or subtract anything from the philosophy or teachings that they have received from their spiritual master. True Krishnaites will follow the example of these acaryas, or teachers that live by these instructions. One simply has to read Srila Prabhupada’s translations of Bhagavad-gita As-It-Is (The Song of God) and Srimad Bhagavatam (The Beautiful Story of the Supreme Personality of Godhead) to realize the extraordinary pastimes and knowledge that Lord Krishna displayed and delivered 5,000 years ago.

na tv evāhaḿ jātu nāsaḿ
na tvaḿ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param
“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” Bhagavad-gita 2.12

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraḿ yauvanaḿ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” Bhagavad-gita 2.13

Srila Prabhupada said that spiritual life begins when one understands they are not the material body.

Krishnaites are engaged in hearing from the spiritual master and scriptures to become purified to the point that they can realize God or Krishna. They also chant at least 16 rounds of 108 Hare Krishna maha-mantras daily with this aim, as proscribed by Srila Prabhupada. Mantra means to deliver the mind. Krishnaite devotees also refrain from illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling so that their consciousness will more easily grasp spiritual truths.

Mrs. Sahani: Chanting Krsna’s name is very essential.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is the easiest way. By chanting Krsna, you are associating with Krsna. Because Krsna is absolute, so Krsna and Krsna’s name, no difference. Krsna, Krsna’s name, Krsna’s form, Krsna’s quality, everything, absolute. So chanting of Krsna’s name means you are associating with Krsna. So if you are associating with Krsna, then gradually you become Krsna-ite.
Mrs. Sahani: Creates the desire to get knowledge.
Prabhupada: Yes. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam, ceto-darpana-marjanam. Just like if you remain in touch with the fire, certainly you become warm. So if you remain always in touch with Krsna, then you become Krsnized. Very easy. You haven’t gone to the forest or Himalaya or meditate. Simply chant Hare Krsna. That is recommended in the sastra: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva [Cc. Adi 17.21]. You cannot perform any severe austerities, penance. Wherever you remain, you chant Hare Krsna. And you become perfect. If not in one day… But you will become, if you continue chanting. And where is the difficulty? – Evening Darsan — August 10, 1976, Tehran

Devotees understand that life is temporary, and that our ability to improve our fate is very limited. The power of nature over us is far greater. This existential dilemma is what causes us to look to a higher power, or the ultimate controller, for a complete solution. One of Krishna’s names is Mukunda or the giver of liberation. The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is a process of calling out to God and His energy to come and pick us up from this temporary world of birth and death and situate us in our eternal consciousness of love and service to Krishna.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

The modern chanting of the ancient Hare Krishna maha-mantra was popularized over 500 years ago by the originator of the Hare Krishna movement, the incarnation of Krishna, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It is the essence and essential process of Krishna consciousness. Krishna, being the absolute Truth, is non-different from His name, form, qualities and activities, etc. Chanting therefore means associating with God, and full Krishna consciousness means to have this revealed completely, to become perfectly Krishnaite. The branch of general Vaishnavism (worship of Vishnu or Krishna) founded by Lord Chaitanya is called Gaudiya Vaishnavism, after the area in India where He appeared.

Another name for Krishna consciousness is bhakti yoga or devotional service. Krishnaites are engaged by the spiritual master in service pleasing to the Lord. This beginning of “practice” service, while still largely in material consciousness, ultimately leads to cleaning the heart of all material desire and our pure eternal bhakti service on the spiritual plane. As described by Srila Prabhupada, that is real bhakti. To this end he always urged his followers to preach Krishna consciousness to the world, and that was how Hare Krishna became a household word 40 years ago. Krishna confirms that Krishnaites should preach in the Bhagavad-gita:

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ
mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati
bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā
mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ
“For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.” Bhagavad-gita 18.68

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu
kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ
bhavitā na ca me tasmād
anyaḥ priyataro bhuvi
“There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” Bhagavad-gita 18.69

Embodying these verses, Srila Prabhupada wanted to make the world Krishna conscious. This is the Krishnaite mission.

Almost all devotee websites and preaching are aimed at bringing Krishna consciousness to people who previously had little knowledge of Krishna. If this website has any distinction it is a focus on not being misled in spiritual life. Articles have been written and material from Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas chosen with this in mind. In this fallen age of quarrel and hypocrisy, Kali yuga, there is never a dearth of people seeking to exploit those interested in spirituality. So-called spiritualists embody the adage, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Sadly this is also done in the name of Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada and the scriptures (sastras) warn aspirants about choosing a hypocrite as a spiritual teacher:

“One cannot deny the order of a spiritual master. Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whose order, carrying, you’ll not commit a mistake. You see? Now, suppose if you accept a wrong person as spiritual master, and if you, if he guides you wrongly, then your whole life is spoiled. So one has to accept a spiritual master whose guidance will make his life perfect. That is the relation between spiritual master and disciple. It is not a formality. It is a great responsibility both for the disciple and for the spiritual master.” Bhagavad-Gita Lecture 2.7-11, New York, March 2, 1966

ekadasat-prasangan nikrta-matir vyudaka-srotah-skhalanavad ubhayato ’pi duhkhadam pakhanḍam abhiyati
“Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sadhus and svamis who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future.” Srimad Bhagavatam 5.14.13

So as the Bhagavatam verse makes clear, one may understand the miseries of temporary life, but if they surrender to a pretender whose hypocrisy later becomes apparent, they will become frustrated and disappointed at that time. This is how ones life becomes “spoiled.” As the popular saying puts it, “once burned, twice shy” – anyone who has been cheated will be that much more skeptical if the real guru comes along and, therefore, far less inclined to take up the process that will really save them.

In other words, one should choose who they hear from in Krishna consciousness very deliberately. To do so, this website aims to provide material to help aspirants recognize who is a genuine devotee and who is a pretender. This way one makes very little commitment and can go at a comfortable pace without jeopardizing their initial enthusiasm and innocence in spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada gave much advice in this regard:

Reporter: When you say that lots of people want to be cheated, do you mean that lots of people want to carry on with their worldly pleasures and at the same time, by chanting a mantra or by holding a flower, achieve spiritual life as well? Is this what you mean by wanting to be cheated?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, this is like a patient thinking, “I shall continue with my disease, and at the same time I shall become healthy.” It is contradictory. The first requirement is that one become educated in spiritual life. Spiritual life is not something one can understand by a few minutes’ talk. There are many philosophy and theology books, but people are not interested in them. That is the difficulty. For instance, the Srimad-Bhagavatam is a very long work, and if you try to read this book, it may take many days just to understand one line of it. The Bhagavatam describes God, the Absolute Truth, but people are not interested. And if, by chance, someone becomes a little interested in spiritual life, he wants something immediate and cheap. Therefore, he is cheated. (emphasis added) – Science of Self Realization, Ch. 2, “Choosing a Spiritual Master-Saints & Swindlers”

Srila Prabhupada also said that everything was in his books. So even though he is no longer physically manifest, anyone truly interested in not being misled and actually serious about coming to the final goal of love of Krishna can consult his many books, lectures, recordings, etc. to “become educated in spiritual life.” We wish everyone all good fortune in the great adventure of genuine spiritual life and aspire to serve in whatever way we can.

 

In regard to his use of the term to describe him and other devotees, Srila Prabhupada reportedly used the term Krishnaite for his religion when he signed the guest book at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Some other Krishnaite quotes by Srila Prabhupada are:

“Brahma, however, adopted the aroha-pantha. He wanted to understand Krsna’s mystic power by his own limited, conceivable power, and therefore he himself was mystified. Everyone wants to take pleasure in his own knowledge, thinking, ‘I know something.’ But in the presence of Krsna this conception cannot stand, for one cannot bring Krsna within the limitations of prakrti. One must submit. There is no alternative. Na tams tarkena yojayet. This submission marks the difference between Krsna-ites and Mayavadis.” Purport, Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.57

“Who is guru? Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. Guru’s qualification is that he’s srotriyam: he has heard from his guru perfectly. That is guru. Srotriyam. And brahma-nistham: and firmly fixed up at the lotus feet of Krsna. These are two qualifications. You cannot move from that firmness. You cannot move. And he has heard about Krsna from the authorities of guru. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. That is guru. So that is recommended. If you want to know Krsna, then tad-vijnanartham. In order to understand that science, then you must approach guru. Adau gurvasrayam. That is Rupa Gosvami’s… Adau gurvasrayam. Adau sraddha.

“So this is the process. You cannot understand Krsna, sitting in your parlor and speculating on your so-called educational qualification. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must surrender. You must surrender. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam… [Bg. 18.66]. You must give up all these idea that ‘I am Hindu,’ ‘I am Muslim,’ ‘I am Christian,’ ‘I’m Indian,’ ‘I am American,’ ‘I am white,’ ‘I am black.’ These designations, you have to give up. First qualification: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Upadhi, these are all designations. So you have to give up these designations. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to become Krsna-ite and pure. Tat-paratvena nirmalam, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Then, when you are purified, not designated, not covered by your material designation, at that time, the senses are purified. When you engage your senses to the service of the Lord, that is called bhakti.” Class on Bhagavad-gita 7.3, Bombay, February 18, 1974

Syamasundara: Just like, aren’t the planets in this universe the sun’s energy, a product of the sun’s energy?
Prabhupada: Yes. But who produced the sun? That is Krsna’s energy. Because it is heat, and Krsna says, bhumir apo ‘nalo vayuh [Bg. 7.4]. Analah, analah, heating. “That is My energy.” The sun is representation of the heating energy of Krsna. It is not your energy. You cannot say that “The sun is made by me.” But somebody must have made. And Krsna says. So we believe therefore Krsna. Therefore we are Krsna-ites.
Bob: Krsnites.
Prabhupada: Yes. Our knowledge is perfect. You cannot say… If I say that “Heat is energy of Krsna,” you cannot defy it. Because it is not your energy. Just like in your body there is some certain extent of heat. Similarly… Heat is somebody’s body’s energy. And who is that body? That is Krsna. Krsna says, “Yes, it is My energy.” So my knowledge is perfect. Therefore I am the greatest scientist. Because I take the version of the greatest scientist, therefore I am greatest scientist. I may be fool personally, but because I take the knowledge from the greatest scientist, I am greatest scientist. I have no difficulty. – Talk with Bob Cohen, also found in Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura

“A saintly person is friend to everyone. ‘Why unnecessarily an animal should be killed?’ That is his feeling. You can eat animals because by nature this is the arrangement, that ahastani sa-hastanam. Even we eat vegetable, that is also killing. But because I have to kill somebody to eat, that does not mean that I can kill my child also. That is also going on. There is discrimination. Similarly, our principle is that we are kind, merciful, to everyone. But we have to eat, so we eat Krsna prasadam. Because after all, Krsna is the Supreme Lord. So if He eats something, the responsibility is His. But we are not advocate of vegetarianism or nonvegetarianism. No. That is not our business. We are Krsna-ites. What Krsna said, we have to do. Therefore sadhu, suhrt. Suhrdah sarva-bhutanam. Sadhu is not enemy. Ajata-satrava.” Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.17, Honolulu, May 17, 1976

“sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170] Bhakti means to be free from all sorts of material designation. ‘I am American,’ ‘I am Indian,’ ‘I am Italian,’ — these are all designations of the body. So we have to become free from these designations. And that is called nirmalam, purification. And when we are nirmalam, without any contamination, then we can engage the senses in the service of the master of the senses. Master of the senses is Krsna, or God. Actually, He is master of the senses. Just like I am feeling comfort by using this sense, touch sense, hand, in this way, but I am not master because at any moment this hand can be paralyzed. So I am not the master. The master is Krsna. So if it is engaged in the service of the master, then it is in its normal condition. And then we are liberated. And this purification you can take very easily by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Hare Krsna maha-mantra, Krsna, Hare Krsna — that means immediately associate with Krsna. Krsna’s name and Krsna, nondifferent. So as, if we associate with fire it becomes warm, the quality of the fire comes; as it is materially possible, spiritually it is possible in perfect order. Process is the same. You associate with Krsna, and you become Krsnaite, as pure as Krsna. Krsna is therefore advising, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65].” Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O’Grady, May 23, 1974, Rome

Prabhupada: Just like in our society, we have got Americans, we have got Africans, Canadians, Indians, Christians, Jews, Mohammedans. But they are no longer Mohammedan, American, Christian or African. They are all servants of Krsna. And that is Brahman realization.
O’Grady: But that’s giving it a name also.
Prabhupada: Yes, name, must be there. But name… Just like you are feeling as Irishman, but your name may be different from another Irishman. How do you feel that “We are all Irishmen”? The name may be different. That doesn’t matter. But the quality can be one. That is required. So when acquires that quality, Krsnaite quality, that in spite of different names… That is called so ‘ham. One feels… The same example: In a nation, in a group, the names may be different, but because they feel nationally or religiously one, so that is one. Varieties. Varieties may be different, but the object being one, that is oneness. What is that, brahma-bhutah prasannatma?
Nitai:
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]
“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. Purport.” – Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O’Grady, May 23, 1974, Rome

“Despite the advancement of our civilization, if we cannot bring Krsna and Krsna consciousness into the center of everything, our civilization will never become beautiful. Those who have joined the Krsna consciousness movement were beautiful before they joined, but now that they have become Krsna conscious they look especially beautiful. Therefore the newspapers often describe the devotees as ‘bright-faced.’ Their countrymen remark, ‘How joyful and beautiful these boys and girls have become.’ At the present time in America, many of the younger generation are confused and hopeless, and therefore they appear morose and black-faced. Why? Because they are missing the point; they have no aim in life. But the devotees, the Krsnaites, look very beautiful because of the presence of Krsna.
“Therefore, what was a fact five thousand years ago, during the time of the Pandavas, is still a fact now. With Krsna in the center, everything becomes beautiful, and Krsna can become the center at any time. Krsna is always present, and we simply have to invite Him, ‘My Lord, please come and be in the center.’ That’s all. To give the same example I have given before, zero has no value, but if we bring the number one and place it by the side of zero, the zero becomes ten. So one need not stop whatever one is doing. We never say, ‘Stop everything material.’ One simply has to add Krsna.” Teachings of Queen Kunti ch 22: Beauty in Krsna’s Presence

Prabhupada: No, you are rascal, you have rascal’s history. We are not rascal; we have got another history. Why shall I accept your history? You are rascal. You be satisfied with the history that your great grandfather and his father used to live in the cave. But we don’t accept. Our forefather used to live in palace. Sixteen thousand palaces, Krsna. (laughter) So you rascal, you live with your own history. Why you force your rascaldom history upon us? We are not going to accept. We get history from five thousand years ago. You have no history beyond three thousand years. But we give the shortest history, five thousand years ago, Krsna. And how much intelligent from historical point of view Krsna was. We can understand from His instruction, Bhagavad-gita. It is not that because we are Krsnaites we are canvassing. The whole world is reading Bhagavad-gita. Why, unless there is intelligence? All scholars, all religionists, all philosophers, they are giving attention to Bhagavad-gita. So how you can say Krsna was living in the cave? Your forefather might be living in a cave, but our forefather did not live in a cave but palaces. Your forefather is a monkey, according to that history.
Svarupa Damodara: So people completely lack the real knowledge.
Prabhupada: Hm? – Morning Walk Conversation, September 28, 1972, Los Angeles

“Now, I, when we were talking, I asked him one question, that ‘Professor Kotofsky, you are communist, I am Krsnite. So where is the difference of philosophy? Because you have to accept one authority, leader. So you have accepted Lenin as leader; we have accepted Krsna as leader. So where is the difference on the principle?’ So he could not answer. But he very much appreciated this, that ‘Where is the difference between these two principles.’ But now we have to consider whether the leadership of Lenin is good, or the leadership of Krsna is good. That is another thing. But you have to accept one leader. You cannot do without leader. That is not possible.” Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson, September 5, 1973, Stockholm

Pusta Krsna: So can all people have an equal interest in religion despite their different classifications?
Prabhupada: Yes. That I have already explained, that any human civilized man, he has got some religion. So religion, basic principle of religion is with reference to God. So here is God, What God says, if you take that system, then it will be perfect, not only for the Hindus, for Christian, for Mohammedans, for everyone. And that is being practically done in our Krsna consciousness movement. We have got devotees from all groups of human society and they are taking to it. It is practical. There is no difficulty. So Hindus, Muslims, Christian, everyone take to this Krsna religion, Krsnite. Krsnian. (laughter) Not Christian, but Krsnian. The word christo is also a Greek word. From this christo the Christ has come. So instead of c-h-r-i, k-r-i, the same thing. Christian or Krsnian, or Christian. Krishta is also another broken, I mean, another spelling of Krsna. In India, if one’s name is Krsna, we say Krishta. My younger brother, his name was Krsna. So we were calling him Krishta. So Krishta, Christian. So actually, if we take the root meaning, Christian means Krishnian or Krishtian. So that is a controversial point, but everyone can take to Krsna. Then everything will be settled up. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam… [Bg. 18.66]. Make everything clear. Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan’s Journal, June 28, 1976, Vrndavana

“His Divine Grace was asked why he went abroad to preach Caitanya’s message of Nama-sankirtana, chanting of the holy name: Hare Krsna, Hare Rama. He immediately replied, ‘Because you accept everything foreign. If it is made in England you think, “Oh! It is very good.” I thought that since everyone is following the Americans, if I can convince some American boys and girls about the importance of this movement then the whole world will follow and you will take it. And it is working. This is why you have come to see me — because I have brought so many foreign-made disciples.’ Everyone laughed, but it is a fact. Hundreds and thousands of people flock to see His Divine Grace and his disciples wherever they go. Srila Prabhupada calls his devotees ‘Krsnites,’ and he is personally leading his party of foreign devotees all over the world just to show how this process of chanting the holy names and dancing is universally practical.” Hamsaduta dasa adhikari, Back To Godhead 73, Press Conference in Surat

“Yes, so do it now. Join with us and do it. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. He advises,
bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]
‘Anyone who has taken birth in India as a human being, he must first of all know the success of life and preach the cult to others, para-upakara.’ This is the duty of every Indian, that you should learn Bhagavad-gita perfectly well and preach it. That is your duty, all Indians. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. Bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. They do not know it. They know that Christ is son of God. They have heard it. Now convince them that ‘Yes, there is no fighting between Christian or Krsna-ite. One is worshiping the father; one is worshiping the son. So there is no difference.’ But isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Krsna… He says that,
sarva-yonisu kaunteya
sambhavanti murtayah yah
tasam mahad yonir brahma
aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]
He is the father. That’s all right. He identifies Himself as being the father, and Christ identifying himself as the son, then where is the difference? There is no difference. Either you learn from the son or from the father, the teaching will be the same. Only a minority is Christian only.” Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.9, Detroit, August 3, 1975,  University Lecture

Prabhupada: We have got sufficient strength to prove, any materialistic man, to prove that he is a rascal. That is possible. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate: “If one is practically a devotee of Lord, he doesn’t care even personalities like Vidhi.” Vidhi means Lord Brahma. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate. Kitayate means such great personalities are taken by perfect devotee as ordinary insect. As ordinary insect has no value, similarly, anyone, however great he may be in this material world, if he is not God conscious, he is no better than the insect. Because it has no value. Because he does not know that he is going to become a dog next life. He loved a dog very much, and he bequeathed his all property to the dog, but he is going to become himself a dog. Therefore he’s a rascal. What is his intelligence? He got some money. There are many instances in (your) country. They bequeath the whole wealth to the dog. Is it not?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupada: So how much rascal he is, that? And if you go that “Give us some money for advancing Krsna consciousness,” “No, no, we are not interested in religion. I am interested in dog.” So how much rascal he is, that. Just imagine. So everyone is a rascal. Everyone is rascal. How we so boldly say that everyone is? Because Krsna says. We are Krsna-ite. We have to follow. Just like a small child follows the talkings of his father and mother, so similarly, we learn from Krsna. Krsna says,
na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah [Bg. 7.15]
Krsna says. So we have learned from Krsna. So we test. What is the test? Na mam prapadyante. He does not surrender to Krsna. So such person, what he is? Now, duskrtina, sinful. Meritorious sinful, that when merit is applied for sinful activities, you can do it very nicely than the ordinary man. A scientist discovers some method of stealing, how to break the treasury of the bank. So that does not mean… Because he is doing scientifically, stealing, that does not mean he is not a thief. He is a thief. How you can say, “Oh, he has done it very scientifically”? (laughing) The law will say, “You are rascal. You are thief. You must be punished.” So these so-called educated scientists, philosophers, what they are doing? They are simply doing mischief. Therefore they are duskrtina. Duskrtina. Mudha. Mudha means rascal. Ass. Because nobody knows what is the aim of life. They’re exactly like the ass. He does not know what is his interest. – Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3, Los Angeles, December 31, 1973

“So God’s creation is like that. You cannot by force enter into any atmosphere unless you become fit to live there. That is God’s creation. By force you cannot live within water. By force the fish cannot live on the land. You’ll die. Similarly, by force you cannot enter into the moon planet. Therefore they are frustrated. It is not possible. Similarly, without being Krsnized, you cannot understand what is Krsna, you cannot associate with Him. That is the process of Krsna consciousness, to become perfectly Krsna-ite, as good as Krsna. That is purification process. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam. Nirmalam means purification. Now we are sa-malam. We have got so many dirty things with us. So one has to become nirmalam. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. First business is to become free from the designation. If you think yourself that ‘I am American,’ ‘I am Christian,’ ‘I am Hindu,’ ‘I am Indian,’ ‘I am black,’ ‘I am white,’ these are all designation. So sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam, when you become transcendental to all designation, when you come to the platform to understand that “I am not this body; I am spirit soul,” brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54], then you become happy.
“So long we are with designations, we are not happy. To become designationless means feeling complete happiness. That is the test. If you simply artificially say that “I am not identifying with this body,” that is fact. But real identification with…, identification with the body will be realized when you don’t feel pains and pleasure. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, hrsikena. When your senses will be purified in that way, without any designation, then you can begin devotional service.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]
“Hrsika. Hrsika means the senses. Hrsikesa. Hrsikena hrsikesa. Hrsika means the senses, and hrsikesa. Hrsika isa. One who knows Sanskrit, the sandhi, hrsikesa. Because Krsna is the master of the senses, so when our senses will be… Krsna is purified, the most purified, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam [Bg. 10.12], transcendental, completely purified. So unless you are also completely purified, how you can touch Krsna? This is common sense reasoning. Therefore Krsna realization is not so easy.” Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.16, Los Angeles, January 11, 1974

Prabhupada: Unless he surrenders, how he can say others to surrender? Unless one has fully surrendered, if he says to others, “You surrender,” that has no meaning. He must have surrendered. Then he can say to others, “You surrender.” Unless he has surrendered, how he can take up this business, go door to door and say, “You surrender to Krsna, you surrender to Krsna”? That means he has surrendered. He has no other business. And what I am doing? I am doing the same thing. I have not given any bribe to these Europeans, Americans, or the anyone. No bribe, no show of gold manufacture. I simply say this, “You just become devotee of Krsna.” That’s all.
Mrs. Sahani: Chanting Krsna’s name is very essential.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is the easiest way. By chanting Krsna, you are associating with Krsna. Because Krsna is absolute, so Krsna and Krsna’s name, no difference. Krsna, Krsna’s name, Krsna’s form, Krsna’s quality, everything, absolute. So chanting of Krsna’s name means you are associating with Krsna. So if you are associating with Krsna, then gradually you become Krsna-ite.
Mrs. Sahani: Creates the desire to get knowledge.
Prabhupada: Yes. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam, ceto-darpana-marjanam. Just like if you remain in touch with the fire, certainly you become warm. So if you remain always in touch with Krsna, then you become Krsnized. Very easy. You haven’t gone to the forest or Himalaya or meditate. Simply chant Hare Krsna. That is recommended in the sastra: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva [Cc. Adi 17.21]. You cannot perform any severe austerities, penance. Wherever you remain, you chant Hare Krsna. And you become perfect. If not in one day… But you will become, if you continue chanting. And where is the difficulty? Where is the loss? And if there is some gain, why don’t you try it? That is intelligence. I am not losing anything by chanting Hare Krsna. If there is any gain, why not chant? Huh? Why is the argument not to chant? There is no loss, but if there is any profit, why don’t you try to take it. Sastra recommends. Krsna recommends, satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. Find out this verse. Satatam kirtayanto mam.
Pradyumna:
satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate [Bg. 9.14] – Evening Darsan, August 10, 1976, Tehran

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