KKS – Lecture Srimad Bhagavatam 7.11.

8 – 12 amsterdam7/4/08

For the sake of Krsna

satyam daya tapah saucam
titikseksa samo damah
ahimsa brahmacaryam ca
tyagah svadhyaya arjavam

“These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: truthfulness,
mercy, austerity, observing fast on certain days of the month, bathing twice a day,
tolerance, discrimination between right and wrong, control of the mind, control of the
senses, non-violence, celibacy, charity, reading of scripture, simplicity, satisfaction,
rendering service to saintly persons, gradually taking leave of unnecessary
arrangements, observing the futility of unnecessary activities of human society,
remaining silent and grave and avoiding unnecessary talk, considering whether one is
the body or the soul, distributing food equally to all living entities (both man and
animals)seeing every soul- especially the human form- as a part of the Supreme Lord,
hearing about the activities and the instructions given by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the shelter of the saintly persons, chanting about these activities and
instructions, always remembering these activities and instructions, trying to render
service, performing worship, offering obeisances, becoming a servant, becoming a
friend and surrendering one’s whole self. O Kind Yudhisthira, these 30 qualifications
must be acquired in the human form of life. Simply by acquiring these qualifications,
one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (7.11.8-12)
So we’ll read the purport little by relative truth then we will find that,
little rather than all at once, since we in terms of knowledge, we will be
don’t have so much of time. So this poorly supplied and also our ability
is the kind of list that we can print to retain knowledge will diminish.
out and hang on our wall as an
ongoing meditation. I mean, 30
different points that should be part of
life basically. Just this verse alone is
a major regulation of our life. It is
said that there are viddhi and niseda-
there are instructions that are
favorable for developing God
consciousness and then there are
niseda’s- prohibitions, thing that
must be avoided or else we cannot
become Krsna conscious.

So in other words, when we are not

truthful we become covered over.
The reason why I said that, ‘of
course truthfulness in general may
mean to just speak the truth’ but in
context- in service to the Absolute
Truth. Not when the soldiers come
and ask, “Where are the devotees?”
and they’re all hiding in the closets
and say, “They’re hiding in the
closets…” and the soldiers take them
and shoot them! That kind of
truthfulness is not beneficial.

So both viddhi and niseda are there

to regulate our life. Here it is said,
“truthfulness;” truthfulness is
ultimately goes even…of course
truthfulness may include not lying
but a higher understanding of So it must be truthfulness that is
truthfulness is to be completely beneficial for the service of the Lord.
faithful to the Absolute Truth and to If it’s not beneficial for the service of
not pursue any relative truth. Srila the Lord, then we can also speak a
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura lie- we should at that time.
says that if we are trying to pursue a
Mercy: in the scriptures there is a says, what Krsna desires and
description given of jivahimsa, of applying it with our own intelligence
being violent towards living beings. and understanding it properly and
It is also said, utvega nadiba, one then sharing all that with others, in
should not cause any anxiety to any that way we can be merciful;
living entity. So jivahimsa, non- Somehow or other connecting people
violence, is not passive non-violence, to Krsna. That is what mercy is all
it means active non-violence; it about.
means one has to do something. The
example given…it’s not good
enough when a man is drowning to
just say, “Well okay, I won’t
interfere…” no, one has to interfere,
one has to save him.

Austerity in the same way; there is

no need to perform any separate
austerity because austerity in itself is
not a limb of bhakti. Bhakti has 64
limbs. That means that if there are 64
types of activities which give us
bhakti and austerity is not amongst
them. Austerity though, is glorified
So people are drowning in the ocean in the scripture: yajno danam tapas
of nescience, therefore it is violent to caiva pavanami manisinam, that by
let them drown. So to be just performing sacrifice, by giving in
peaceful is not enough; one has to charity and by engaging in austerity,
become active to save the condition even saintly men are being purified.
souls, to actually really be non So in that sense, austerity is certainly
violent. Therefore mercy is active. held in high esteem in the scripture.
We must be active in somehow or It is also said, nayam deho deha-
other delivering the condition souls bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate
from the cycle of birth and death. Of vid-bhujam ye tapo divyam putraka
course we have no personal yena sattvam suddhyed yasmad
qualification. We cannot do anything brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
for anyone unless we are the (5.5.1). This is from the 5th Canto,
messenger of the Supreme Lord. It is and Maharaja Rsabhadeva is
Krsna, dharmatusaksad bhagavat speaking to his 100 sons and
pranitam, it is Krsna who is instructing them about spiritual life.
establishing the original religious And he says that this human form of
principle. No human being can do so. life is not meant for sense
So therefore by repeating what Krsna
gratification, which is available even a transcendental process but we
to hogs and dogs that eat stool; ourselves are not transcendental. We
are therefore trying to fix ourselves
in the mode of goodness. This is the
interim stage of devotional service.
Then, as we get more and more
advanced, eventually we’ll come to a
transcendental stage. That is the
stage of transcendental bliss and
where one gets absorbed in bhava. At
that stage one is completely,
this human form of life is meant for ecstatically performing devotional
penances and austerities so that one service. Then in the mode of
may reach the state- the goodness, we are performing our
transcendental state- of happiness, devotional service out of duty. So
which is beyond the three modes of this is vaidhi bhakti- devotional
material nature. service based on rules and
regulations. And then there is
devotional service- spontaneous
devotionals service- based on
spontaneous attraction to Krsna.

So there’s a big difference between

the two because in the first one
So like that, austerity is glorified in where spiritual life is performed out
the scripture. But austerity only of duty, it may be all austerity. You
creates the preliminarilies; it is the know, sixteen rounds of austerity!
austerity that gives us the strength to Mangal Aratik of austerity! Ekadasi-
practice bhakti. But in itself austerity shoo! Austerity! Just everything
is not spiritual. But a lack of austerity, austerity; so much service-
austerity may make us weak and may austerity. Clean the kitchen-
hollow out our determination. austerity, lots of austerity! So this is
So a certain amount of austerity is all part of vaidhi bhakti. But in
required as a preliminarily activity to raganuga it becomes completely
get a certain amount of basic different; it becomes more ecstatic
determination because, in the initial and we think, “Wonderful! Can’t
stages in devotional service we are wait! Oh mangal aratik! I wouldn’t
acting in the mode of goodness. We miss it for anything in the world. Oh,
are not yet transcendental; we are in my rounds! Yes, wonderful! Again
I’m allowed to chant…” So there’s a in service to Him that we would have
very different perception. Austerity otherwise never done- never!
of course, will remain in the course
of serving the Lord. For the pleasure
of the Lord we have to struggle with
the material energy and in that
struggle with the material energy, yes
it is not so easy to serve Krsna. Many
of us sort of, when we decide that, “I
want to join the Hare Krsna
movement” have a feeling of
wanting to give up everything,
wanting to give up our house,
wanting to give up our job, wanting
to give up all the complications of
material life, and then just simplify
our lives and just be a happy Hare
Krsna!

There was one devotee in India, he

lived a long time in India, and he was
in the Vrndavan temple, and he was a
natural book distributor- a natural
one! Before he was a devotee, he use
to sell encyclopedias door to door;
you know- the foot in the door, the
hands in the door, the head in the
door, body in the door, the book in
the house, the encyclopedia in the
hand and just…So when he joined
the Hare Krsna Movement and found
out that book distribution was the
program…ah! That was ecstasy for
him!

But of course, we have to again deal

with the material energy for Krsna
like anything! And there we have to
overcome things that we don’t like.
For yourself you may have certain
limits and say, “Well, this is the
limit…” but for Krsna, for His
service we sometimes have to
expand that limit and then do things
that we would have never done. That
is the case.
For Krsna, therefore, we have to
perform the austerity of doing things
He even joined before; he joined in Many things take on a different
the magazine days. So he was very perspective for Krsna. For Krsna, we
happy about book distribution. So, can do all kinds of things we would
his name was Vishal. And last year I have never done and what can we
was in Mayapur and I met a devotee say, everyone has to in this,
in Mayapur and he had just bought overcome some things that one really
some books from another devotee. hates. Like me for example- I hate
This other devotee was distributing making phone calls, God do I hate
books and the books were Bengali making phone calls!
books! So he couldn’t read them and
he had bought them! And then he
said that, “Yes…” I said, “Why did
you buy them?” He said, “This
devotee said that ‘don’t worry if you
cant read them; you just distribute
them!’” and then he bought them and
I knew Vishal was there! I just knew!
I knew Vishal was in Mayapur and
sure enough, later that day I saw
Vishal! And I knew it you know- it
had his signature all over! I really hate it, it’s just…my whole life
So like that, he’s a natural; he would I just didn’t do it! I was temple
distribute books to his own mother! president in Vrndavana even, I would
And nothing would stop him from never take the phone- I wouldn’t answer
distributing books to anyone. the phone! I had a vice president and he
was the official phone man; I appointed
him to be in charge of the phone so that
I didn’t have to answer the phone! I
wouldn’t deal with the phone! And the
only one I would speak with sometimes
on the phone was him! But not to
anybody else because I hated phones!

It was just completely natural- all

the time! But not all of us are like
this. For some it was an austerity, for
some it was an adjustment and some
might have never done such a thing!
They might have never imagined that
they would have gone out on the
street and speak to strangers and say,
“Excuse me…” stop them, and try
and sell them a book- “Forget it you
know, that’s too much”- but
somehow or other, for Krsna, these
things take on a different perspective.
Because people call you and they just It’s like not so easy if you’re from
give you something to do as if you… America so it was getting a bit much.
and you’re already busy like anything! But Prabhupada had sent him there. So
And then someone comes in the middle after some time he wrote to Prabhupada
and just comes up with, “Can you do…” that, “Prabhupada, it’s really very
and they need an answer, “We need this difficult. I’m just alone, I really can’t do
now…” and this is too much, I was this…” and Prabhupada said, “All right,
already busy now I’m double busy. So I I’ll send you a wife!” and she arrived
hate phones! And just today I have to after a few weeks! She landed and said,
make all kinds of calls ah, that I hate to “Please to meet you; I’m your wife…”
make! But somehow or other they and that’s how it went and they’re still
settled me up with it. And now I have a married for…I don’t know how many
phone in my pocket, and I hate the years! More than 30 years I think. So
thing! But I have it because it’s for it’s quite amazing; Prabhupada
Krsna’s service, otherwise I’ll throw it somehow or other expected such
in the water! Gosh! surrender that people will just give up
So like this we have to, for the sake of their whole life and their whole ideas
pleasing Krsna and doing Krsna’s work, about what they wanted to do with that
we have to give up our own preferences life, and just…Prabhupada took those
and our own idea sometimes. lives and took them as his property and
began to just use people’s lives as he
saw fit and sent them to different
countries all over the world. So that
was…of course, Prabhupada
simultaneously had this inconceivable,
transcendental nature which impressed
people so much that it instilled that
sense of surrender in them and that it
instilled that sense of sacrifice.

We may live in countries where we

would have never lived, where would
we have never gone! Like Bhurijana
was sent to Hong Kong, all by himself.
Shoo, only Chinese! That’s intense! So now we may not have that,
therefore now we may not have the
same strength to perform the same
level of surrender as those devotees
did in the presence of Prabhupada.
That may be, but still we need to be
prepared to perform austerity and
that means we need to be prepared to
make sacrifice for Krsna- to sacrifice
our own idea for Krsna, that is what
it means. It is one of the most
difficult things to serve the devotees. chapatti’s or whatever form they
To serve Krsna in a way is easy want! That’s not so easy.
because Krsna is, at least in the
beginning, generally not talking to
us. So that makes it already a lot
easy. Krsna on His own doesn’t just
say, “And now I don’t want these
bangles, I want…”and then He
mentions something that is like, “I
want mangostine!” and we go,
“What in the world is mangostine?”
and then you have to go some exotic
fruit shop and find mangostine- But ultimately that is the
whatever that is! It’s not mango that requirement because even in the
I’m telling, it’s some exotic fruit. I spiritual world, one must be the
don’t know why it’s called servant of a servant.
mangostine because it doesn’t taste
like mango at all! But anyway just to
use that as an example. So if the
Deity might speak, He might tell us
something that is difficult. So now
we can get in a devotional mood and
serve the Deity the way we want to
serve, of course it is the scripture that
binds us and that is austere. But
within it we have some leeway. But In the spiritual world one is also not
if we were able to here the Deity serving Krsna directly; one is serving
speak it would be more difficult. Krsna through a devotee. So actually
here, we are practicing. I think that
everyone has some difficulty in
associating with devotees- everyone- in
surrendering to the devotees- everyone
has some difficulty. But it is really that
we are meant to practice here and come
to that point to improve our sense of,
“All right, I’m just your servant…” and
gradually allow our life to be controlled
by the needs of others. This is our
austerity; not just observing fasts on
Therefore serving the vaisnavas is ekadasi’s or on special tithi’s, that’s not
difficult because the vaisnavas, they the only austerity. Austerity is really to
tell you what they want and that’s serve the vaisnavas. Of course,
tough because it may be different eventually that becomes ecstasy; when
from what we want! So it is a very we come to the advanced stage then all
great step to become like chapatti the austerity disappears, then it is all
dough in the hands of a vaisnava! ecstasy.
And to allow that vaisnava just to Bathing twice a day, it says here, is a
knead us and pound us and shape us minimum actually. Prabhupada writes
and flatten us and roll us out in that the advanced devotees, they take
bath three times a day. So cleanliness is
a very important feature, that we stay
very fixed in the mode of goodness. Of
course that doesn’t mean if you take
bath three times a day that you’re
advanced! That happens sometimes, “I
take bath 5 times a day!” We had one
devotee named Ragunatha Bhatta and
we use to call him Ragunatha
Bathroom! Because he would never
come out of the bathroom!
You know that anything can happen,
anytime and don’t be surprised! So
there’s nothing in the world that can
surprise you anymore after 25 years in a
Hare Krsna temple! And in this way, I
here, have gone through it before, seen
it before, dealt with it before and what
can you do! It’s part of life! So therefore
we do not need to practice separately-
“How do I become tolerant?” Just stay
in the Hare Krsna Movement and it will
happen automatically!

And he was permanently pink from the

hot showers, you know; whenever he
was not in the bathroom he was pink
because from so much hot showers! And
otherwise, most of the time he was just
hours in the bathroom- hours! Just an
hour under the hot shower- no problem-
Ragunatha Bathroom! So it’s an
interesting movement; we’ve got
characters! We sure do! It will happen automatically! It’s
The next quality mentioned here is perfectly designed in that way- to make
tolerance. Tolerance, tolerance, you very tolerant! So just fix your mind,
tolerance; so this tolerance has to be no matter what happens- “I will never
stretched, this is the nature. We are not leave!” and then it will happen! You bet
so tolerant, that is obvious. So tolerance it will! It will all happen and that of
has to be stretched; little by little we course will bring you gradually to the
have to expand our tolerance levels in point that nothing can shock you
Krsna consciousness. In the beginning anymore; it’s all right. Gradually your
our tolerance is quite limited naturally tolerance will expand.
and we have to become more and more Discrimination between right and
tolerant. Of course, you know, just live wrong: natevidusvat…it is said that
25 years in a Hare Krsna temple and discrimination between right and
you can tolerate a lot, automatically! If wrong…most people, it says, don’t
you’ve survived 25 years, nothing can know what is the goal of life
shock you- nothing! (natevidhusvartagatim), they don’t
know what is the real benefit, what is In this way, we understand very clearly
their real self interest. People don’t what is right and wrong.
know and they’re following- svarta- sva Control of the mind: well, it is said by
means ‘self’ and arta means ‘benefit’, Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita that the
therefore- ‘self interest’. svartagatim- mind is more difficult to control than the
gatim means the ‘ultimate goal’ so they wind. And it says sometimes a man even
don’t know what is the ultimate goal of against his will is swept away like a
self interest. That of course is Krsna. boat in a storm by the wind.

Andayetandariyamanam- the blind are

simply following the blind, andaya….
pada, and in this way they bind
So what to do! It is also said that the
themselves up more and more in the
mind is not our friend; only in the
three modes of material nature.
liberated state is the mind becoming our
Therefore, discrimination between right
friend. So what to do when the mind is
and wrong is very simple because it is
just not our friend? And the mind is
simply relating everything to what it is
spoilt like a spoilt child; it’s like living
anakula and what is pratikula, this is the
with a spoilt child. This child is all the
thing. Simply what is anakula, what is
time is nagging and nagging and
pratikula- anakulyasyasankalpa
nagging!
pratikulyayasyavarjanam- whatever is
anakula must be accepted and whatever
is pratikula must be rejected; whatever
is favourable for the service of Krsna is
accepted, whatever is unfavourable for
the service of Krsna is rejected.

The mind is just like crying, the mind is

just totally obnoxious. So what to do
with such a spoilt child? Well, people
send such kids to boarding school or
something like that. “Spoilt child, okay, wanting, is the business of the mind. So,
send him to the boarding school!” My basically the senses are reflected in the
parents always threatened me with the mind and we are therefore working for
boarding school! I don’t know if your the senses it is said. But the senses are
parents did it to you but mine did it to ungrateful- ungrateful! The senses are
me all the time! “And if you don’t ungrateful; we are just working hard for
behave properly, we’ll send you to the senses, give them everything they
boarding school…” that was the want with all our energy and then, what
ultimate nightmare- boarding school. I they say: “Is that all?
could just imagine what it was…I didn’t
like school already, what to speak of
living in a school! My God! So it
worked to some extent I must admit- the
boarding school threat. So yes, it is a
fact that one cannot just be soft with the
mind, (sweet voice) “Oh my mind, how
are you today? Are you feeling all
right?”
(mind) “No!”
(sweet voice) “Oh, what is wrong?”
(mind) “I’m unhappy!”
(sweet voice) “Oh, why?”
(mind) “I want all these things!”
(sweet voice) “Oh, I see…”
(mind) “I want them NOW!”

Is that all you could bring? Bring

more!” and then, “But oh, I am tired.”
(mind) “Bring! NOW!”
(us) “But I’m exhausted…”
(mind) “NOW! More!”
…And the senses drive us again! In
this way we are pushed and pushed
by the senses and the mind. And of
course, what would you do if a
boss…if you had a job like that? You
work really hard, you give it
everything you have and then, all
they say is, “Is that all you can do?”
well, one day you’re going to quit!
One day you’re going to tell the
boss, “Boss, you see that lake? Why
kamali tatu…karunapatra…there are the don’t you jump in it!” Jump in the
six senses, including the mind. The lake or something like that, in Dutch-
senses are all connected to the mind. *- and some other varieties like that,
And there the senses accept impulses one might say; we would not
from the sense objects and send signals suurender. This is the fact. But to the
to the mind. And the mind wants and the senses and the mind, we are very
mind- thinking, feeling and willing-
surrendered. So we have to fight with ruthlessly and this crocodile just bit
our mind, this is spiritual life, it is a itself at the leg of Gajendra.
requirement. Gajendra was in great agony but he
was powerful. So he fought, he
fought with that crocodile!

But somehow or other, although

initially he was obviously doing well
This is the austerities of the mind; because he was much stronger than
the austerities of the mind are to be this crocodile- much stronger- but
formed and one is to cut off dwelling because the crocodile was in it’s
on material thoufghts of senses element, the crocodile sometimes in-
gratifiaction right away, to not allow between (this fight went on for very
the mind to dwell on them. So as long) and the crocodile was in the
soon as a sinful thought occurs in the water and sometimes, somehow or
mind- CUT! Dont meditate- other, ate something it says and how
immediately cut. Because if we exactly he did that while he had the
continue, jayato visnampumsam leg in his mouth -I guess in the
sanga...jayate, if we continue to corner of his mouth! Or may be let
meditate then attachments develop. go of the leg for a moment, quickly
And when attachments develop took a bite and then grabbed it again!
then…we get deeply entangled, more - that is a little obscure in the story,
and more and more. So we must be that detail. But at the end of the
very careful. So therefore, control of story, the elephant had become very
the mind means there is an element weak because of fasting and fighting
of personal fight involved. in the water, and the crocodile was
So it is said that one must at least winning! And it’s said at that stage,
situate himself somewhere where Gajendra surrendered to the Lord and
one is comfortable. There was prayed to the Lord, and the Lord
Gajendra, the elephant, who played appeared while the crocodile was
in heavenly lakes along with his still hanging on the leg of the
wives and was spraying water on elephant. So then of course, the Lord
their bodies and enjoying. And just saved him. Anyway, then in the
then, in the midst of his enjoyment, a purports to this narration, Srila
crocodile came and attacked him Prabhupada explains that even
although Gajendra was so powerful, deal with control of the mind and the
he lost because he was outside of his senses. Then it will be done. But
element. control of the mind and the senses is
not just a matter of, “I shall do it! I
will do it!”
I’d like to offer the difference
between the determination of the
ksatriya and the determination of the
brahmana. The Ksatriya, there is the
example of Karna. Karna, his birth
was obscure because he was Kunti’s
son but she got him by mantra from
the Sun God before she was married.
So one must be situated, Srila
Prabhupada explained, in a proper
asrama, in a proper condition of life
where one can function. If one is not
situated in a proper condition of life
from where one can function, then
one becomes weak. So therefore one
must be situated in a situation,
asrama or place, country, time, place,
circumstance where one feels
naturally all right. If you put
someone from Holland in the
Rajasthan desert, it will be very hard-
very hard!

So she put him in the basket down the

river, and this that (which seemed to be
a fashion in those days). Anyway, he
then was found by a chariot driver. So
the chariot driver was not a ksatriya. So
I mean, we cannot stay there very therefore Karna was brought up by this
long- it’s too austere; it gets 50 chariot driver and therefore his caste
degrees and more! 60 degrees was unclear and he was considered to be
sometimes! You just can’t function of the cast of his foster parents. But
anymore. So we couldn’t live there, Karna was such a ksatriya; he couldn’t
it would be very hard to live there. help himself of being ksatriya. So
But locals, they use to…they were therefore he went to Dronacarya for an
born there, for them they can mange education and Dronacarya would not
it, it’s home, it’s natural. So, in this train him due to unclear caste. So then,
way, one must be situated in a place he went to Parasurama; Parasurama was
which works; in a culture where one the most powerful warrior but
can function; in an asrama that works Parasurama had sworn that he would
and then from that strong position, never teach a ksatriya. So everyone was
saying that Karna was not a ksatriya, so but you will forget whatever you have
he thought, “Okay, if I’m not a ksatriya learned at the time that you will need it
then I will learn from Parasurama.” the most!” That was the curse. Then of
So in this way, Parasurama questioned course, in this way, Karna got defeated
him to ask if he was a ksatriya, and he in a fight with Arjuna later in the battle
said, “No, I am the son of a sudra, a of Kuruksetra. But let’s look for a
chariot driver.” So in this way he moment at the situation…
learned. Parasurama was very happy What Karna could tolerate, no one else
with his disciples, then one day the guru could tolerate; a brahmana could not
was resting with his head on the legs of tolerate. So in one sense the tolerance of
the disciple. the ksatriya is greater than that of a
brahmana in the sense that the ksatriya
can do it on determination- he can
tolerate anything!

Then, an insect came. And this insect

stung, stung Karna in the leg in such a
way that his leg started bleeding and
Karna never moved! He didn’t move an But in the long term, the tolerance of
inch! He just didn’t even flex his the brahmana is greater because the
muscles! Thus, his spiritual master did brahmana is not tolerating on
not wake up and that was Karna’s idea. determination, a brahmana is tolerating
So he had such control of the mind and on knowledge. He knows it’s better and
the senses that he was able to do that. So therefore there’s no alternative to
when Parasurama woke up and he saw tolerate- what can he do! No, there’s no
the blood, he said, “What is this?” when alternative. Whereas a ksatriya may not
Karna told the story about the insect… necessarily understand all the reasons
(sniffs) Parasurama smelt a ksatriya! why it’s better but he just grits his teeth
And said, “You! You are a ksatriya!” and, “It must be done! It will be done!”

So, if we think that controlling the mind

and he cursed him! He said, “You have and the senses is a matter of just
cheated me; you have learned from me determination, then we get into the
ksatriya mode. But we should do it… exactly a desirable thing to do…! So no
controlling the mind and senses, not just one in his right mind would do that. But
because it says here but because we someone in ignorance of what
understand that if we don’t, we’ll get in Amsterdam canals are like, on a hot day
the biggest, biggest trouble. might just feel like taking a swim.

If you look at it, it can look attractive-

Then we logically wouldn’t do it. Just as nice water, swim, swim, swim…no way
you’re not just going to put your hand in hozay!
fire because you know you’re going to So like that, knowledge changes the
burn. whole perspective. So this is the
essence. Therefore, our mind control,
our sense control must be based on
knowledge, understanding that it’s
better to control the mind and senses.
Same way the four regulative principles;
we must know that the four regulative
principles are better. We must really see
how they are better, how they improve
our life. Then we can do it. You cannot
just say, “Okay, this is what Srila
You’re not just going to go for a swim Prabhupada wanted and therefore I must
in the canals in Amsterdam, even on a do it, therefore I shall do it, I will do it,
hot day when you feel like a swim, I’m going to do it, for my whole life!
because you know those canals- you I’ll take initiation now…I’m ready!”
might dissolve if you go in there! Or
God knows what lives in there! There
might be crocodiles for as far as I know,
or piranha’s- anything can be there!

It’s something else! Or you might No, you’re not ready. You have to do it
wound up with a certain piece of on the strength of knowledge,
something brown on your head as you understand why it’s better- really
are swimming! In other words it’s not thoroughly understand why it’s better,
100’s of reasons- then you’ll do it, then
you’ll do it for a lifetime. Because, the
strongest man who can carry the biggest
burden will become weak with time and
then even the biggest weight lifter, with
time, cannot even lift one kilo anymore!

So knowledge, if we apply it, will give

us that happiness. Therefore this
combination of the knowledge and the
happiness is the key. Okay, now any
questions, any comments? because I’m
Time wears out all of us and this is the leaving in five minutes…
big thing in austerity, in sense control, in Question: You said that in the
mind control, is time and this is what spiritual world we have to serve in
we’re facing. How are we going to last the (?) and the (?) is serving Krsna
for a lifetime? That is the question. Only directly…
on the strength of higher knowledge and Maharaja: Radharani is…yes, some
realisation, on the strength of of the gopi’s are or some of the
knowledge and on the strength of residents of Vrndavana are serving
happiness that we’re going to be able to Krsna directly; Nanda and Yasoda-
last a long time. they are serving directly. So those
devotees who are serving directly,
they are the eternal associates of
Krsna and they are known as
ragatmika bhakta’s.

And we must be raganuga.

Ragatmika means…raga is deep,
devotional attachment; atmika means
their very being, their very self. either in the conjugal, parental,
Atma means the soul; atmika- the friendship, servitorship or neutral.
self. So they are the embodiment of Neutral is not very much desired by
deep emotional attachment to Krsna. devotees. So anyway, then we will
follow in the footsteps of such a
devotee. That is the way it works. So
yes we’re always the servant of the
servant of the servant of the
servant…and our acaryas are the
servants of the servants of the
servants;

And then we should become

raganuga- anuga means the
followers- so we should become the
followers of those that have the deep
attachment. That is the process. So
therefore at one stage in one’s
spiritual life, one may begin to
develop a preference for a particular
rasa- serve Krsna in a particular
mood-

they’re serving the servants of the

gopi’s of Vrndavana or the residents
of Vrndavana. That is the process. So
we practice already- we serve the drivers license! But I also had my
temple devotees and eventually one own drivers license still and I
must serve a spiritual master and thought if I ever make an accident,
then just really become the property I’ll just show my own license! …
of the spiritual master. But anyway sometimes we…maybe
that’s an extreme example I’m giving
but I just give the example to add a
little colour to my statement. But the
principle is there; that one must
surrender to a spiritual master-
whatever he wants.

So as we serve the vaisnavas it’s like

we try, but when it comes to serving
the spiritual master, you have to! The
order of the spiritual master is
absolute. One has to accept whatever
the spiritual master says. And it’s
really…like if he would say, “Sell
your house!” you know what I mean,
then sell your house!

Sanatana Goswami had big sores on

his body- very bad- and he was really
thinking to give up his body. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew his mind
and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu one
He’ll say, “Marry this one!” then day told him, He said, “No! This
you marry…and in the past we did body…you have surrendered to Me
many things like that. Like my already. So your body is My
spiritual master in those days once property!” So that’s as far as it
told me to stay illegal in Australia, goes…So we must become the
which is something I don’t like- servant of somebody.
really don’t like stuff like that, you I have to go…
know, and I had false papers!
Something I really don’t like! But I
did and I had a false drivers license!
And then I had a medi-care and
everything in that name! But because
the drivers license in those days in
Australia, in one state, there was a
drivers the license without picture, so
therefore I used somebody else’s