What is the dharma of humanity?

Morning Walk at Stow Lake

—
March 27, 1968, San Francisco
Prabhupāda: Chant.
Devotee (1) (girl) (sings): Śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You learn this song.
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara
śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Chant this when dancing.(?)
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara
śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
[I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda,
Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of
devotion.]
Manifestation of Kṛṣṇa in five expansions. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself.
Not only Kṛṣṇa, even a perfect yogi he can also expand. Not as many
as Kṛṣṇa. But a perfect yogi, from the scriptures we can understand
that a perfect yogi can expand himself up to eight, up to nine forms.
There was one Saubhari Muni. The Saubhari Muni he used to
perform yoga practice within water. There were many sages who
used to practice. Somebody within water. Somebody surrounding
fire and in the midst. That means voluntarily putting the body into
trouble, and at the same time executing yoga practice. They were so
much advanced that in spite of all material trouble they would be
able to execute spiritual duties. Saubhari Muni was sexually agitated
within the water by the fishes. So he came out of the water, and the
neighboring king, I forgot the name, he went there and demanded
the king that "I want to marry your daughter. So give me your
daughter." The king thought... (laughs) He was so ugly because he
was within the water. So all body was, what is called?
Syamasundara: Distorted?
Devotee (1): Water-logged, yeah. The skin gets water-logged?
Prabhupāda: No, not that. There are some kind of weeds within
the water.
Devotee (1): Oh. Algae?
Prabhupāda: Maybe.
Devotee (2) (boy): Seaweed.
Prabhupāda: Seaweeds, yes. So they... All over the body there was
some seaweeds. Not exactly... He was very unclean and odd-looking,
and beard and ugly. So he thought that "He's a great yogi. If I refuse,
'No, I'm not going to hand over my daughter to you,' then he may be
angry and create some catastrophe." So he said, just to avoid him,
that "I have got eight daughters, and it is the desire of my daughters
that they should be given over to one husband." No, that "they
should be married all at once. So unless I find other husbands for my
daughters you have to wait." So immediately, "Yes, I shall myself
become eight then." And he expanded himself, eight expansions. So
at that time what could he say? He said, "You know, my dear sir, that
they are princesses after all. They may not like such ugly husband."
Oh, he at once became very youthful and beautiful. Then he married.
So in the history you can find that a perfect yogi can expand himself.
So similarly, Kardama Muni also expanded into nine. He
married Devahūti on condition that unless his wife has got sufficient
children, he'll not leave her, and he must leave her. So he expanded
himself nine and begotten nine daughters. So we can find from
history, the Purāṇas... Purāṇas all means history, Purāṇas. Old
history. Purāṇa means old. So even a perfect yogi can expand, what
to speak of Kṛṣṇa. He is called Yogeśvara, the supreme yogi. In
the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this word
about Kṛṣṇa, yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. Yogeśvara. He's perfect in all
practices of mystic power. So these five expansions, śrī-kṛṣṇa-
caitanya prabhu nityānanda-śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-
gaura... Kṛṣṇa appeared in five expansions. Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya,
Lord Caitanya, is Kṛṣṇa Himself. And Prabhu Nityānanda, His
immediate expansion. Just like Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
And Advaita is incarnation. And Gadādhara is internal potency. And
Śrīvāsa, marginal potency. And there is another potency, external
potency. The external potency is not there. External potency means
by which this material world is manifested.
Devotee (2): What is the difference between an expansion and an
incarnation?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Devotee (2): What is the difference between an expansion and an
incarnation?
 Prabhupāda: Expansion is direct, and incarnation is indirect.
When expansion of expansion is accepted, that is
called kāla, incarnation, avatāra, kāla. So Advaita is not direct. The
example is given in Brahma-saṁhitā. Just like you get one candle
kindled from the first candle, another from the second, another from
the third. So similarly, either expansion or incarnation, they are all
candles. The original candle is Kṛṣṇa. It is not that expansion of
expansion is less powerful. The candle power is the same either
origin or expansion or expansion of the expansion. It is not
that Nityānanda is less powerful than Caitanya, or Advaita is less
powerful than... No. Any incarnation or expansion has the same
potency, Viṣṇu-tattva. The manifestation of potency is different. Just
like Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Rāma is
also the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But one is
original. Kṛṣṇa is original, and Rāma is an expansion. Why?
Because Kṛṣṇa exhibited the qualities of God fully. Rāma exhibited
qualities of God partially. Take for example, Rāma was manifesting
Himself as an ideal king. He was not manifesting Himself as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore as ideal king He was
limiting Himself with the moral principles of this world. And Kṛṣṇa,
being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He exhibited that He's
above any principle of the material world. He's free to act any way
He likes. Otherwise what is the meaning... Means full-fledged
manifestation of God. Lord Rāma, He married only one, Sītā. And
when Sītā was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, He never married again. Or
when Sītā was sent to the forest for public opinion, He never married
again. He remained a sticked to, stuck to only one wife because He
was setting example, moral principle, to the world. Kṛṣṇa married
16,108. Not religious. Religious, He married only eight wife. But
these 16,100 girls were kidnapped by one demon, and they were
concentrated in a camp. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa to save
them. Kṛṣṇa is kind to everyone. So Kṛṣṇa came to their rescue, and
He killed that demon. He rescued all the girls. But the girls
requested Kṛṣṇa that "Because we were kidnapped and we are
concentrated under his custody, so if we go back to our father, it will
be difficult for him to get us married to a suitable prince. So our
request is that You marry us." (Prabhupāda laughs) Kṛṣṇa agreed,
"All right." He married wholesale, 16,100. (laughter) And that can be
possible. Why 16,100? He can marry 16 million at a time. Otherwise
how He's God? Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises his classfellows
that "Don't be bothering yourself for solution of economic question."
That is already provided. Just like all these animals, these birds, they
have no question how to live, how to eat, how to mate, how to
defend. This is already there. They're eating, they're sleeping, they're
mating, and they're defending as far as required. Just see the birds,
as soon as they see us they go away, take defense. (laughs) So the
defending propensity is there. How you can say the man is greater
intelligence? There is intelligence. They were here, and as soon as
they saw, "Here are come all the men. They can eat us. Let us fly
there." The man cannot come in the water. So don't you see the
defensive propensity is here? You may, according to your
intelligence, you may discover defensive weapons, nuclear weapons,
and aeroplanes, and bombs, and so many things. Because you have
got higher intelligence. That the... But the ultimate conclusion: that
the defensive propensity is there in you also. There is no difference
in the material existentional propensities. So whatever does he find?
[break] ...from history point?
Mālatī: That man is...
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Mālatī: I think I understood you to say that man's intelligence is
higher in purpose and it's not manual service(?), taking advantage of
it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, his higher intelligence is utilized for
purification. That is the teaching.
Devotee (1): You were talking about Prahlada.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Prahlada Maharaja said. Yes. About this body. It
is arrangement, according to different body. Now, these swans, they
have left this, defending, they're going away. This is defending only.
Yes. And as soon as they're on the water, they think, "Oh, we are safe
because these rascals cannot come in the water." (laughter) They are
thinking about us "rascals." As we are thinking about them that they
are lower animals, so they are also thinking, "These are rascals." Just
like some father rebukes a son, the son also thinks of the father as
rascal, "Unnecessarily he's chastising me." There is a proverb that as
the child grows... [break] ...also thinks that "This boy is a fool; he'll
do wrong by..." This is stated. And the child is stated in a different
way. Just like sometimes our audience also. When we speak they
think, "What nonsense he's speaking. Oh, Kṛṣṇa, what is this Kṛṣṇa?
Let us enjoy." They are not purified. So this Prahlada Mahārāja says
that according to the body, the specific facilities of eating, sleeping,
mating, and defending is already arranged. It is already arranged. So
one hasn't got to learn. Just like for mating. There is no college or
school where in the classroom dis..., that "This is way you have
to mate." Everyone knows automatically. Everyone knows how
to mate automatically. Nobody is taught how to laugh. Oh, when
laughing comes, it, automatically one laughs. Nobody's taught how
to cry. Everyone cries when there is some distress. So these things,
what is wanted as the necessity of my body, so arrangement is there.
But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, you think that "We can do
something." Therefore we take advantage of our high intelligence to
defend ourselves more nicely, to have mating more nicely, or eating
more nicely. And a devotee should be satisfied that
whatever Kṛṣṇa arranged, that's all right. That Kṛṣṇa prasādam we
will take. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has kindly sent, let me be satisfied with
this. They do not want more than that. Similarly, "Kṛṣṇa has sent me
this woman as my wife, oh, let me be satisfied with that." That
is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that He's pleased to send me such foodstuff,
He's pleased to send me such wife, He's pleased to give me strength
for so much defense." So the whole question is solved there. But
because we have got high intelligence, we are going to surpass the
intelligence of Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has given me this wife? Why not
search out another nice wife?" That means I am going to surpass the
intelligence of Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has sent this prasādam. Oh, this is
all vegetables. Why not take some animal food and
liquor?" Kṛṣṇa does not send you liquor. You have
manufactured. Kṛṣṇa has sent you this fruit, He has sent you the
grains, Kṛṣṇa has sent you the milk. You should be satisfied. Why
should you manufacture liquor? Why should you manufacture
slaughterhouse? We don't eat meat. Are we dying ninety percent of
Indian population, they don't eat meat. They're simply vegetarian.
Yes. And you can see how they are healthy. They cannot get
sufficient food, that is different thing. That is
maladministration. Kṛṣṇa has given sufficient food for all the people
of the world. Somewhere the foodstuff is being thrown in the sea,
and somewhere people are starving. This is want
of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If a man becomes, if the president
becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious president, then he'll think "This foodstuff
is Kṛṣṇa's. It is not our result. So Kṛṣṇa claims all living entities as His
sons. So we are sons of God, and the Indians or other poverty-
stricken countries, they are also sons of God. So if we have got
enough, why not send there?" Why you are putting the foodstuff,
which no human being can produce, you are throwing it in the water.
This is lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness
education is greatly needed for human society. Do you
follow, Guru dāsa?
Guru dāsa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So you have to convince people like that, that it is not
a sentimental institution. We are teaching the thing which is very
absolutely needed for the human society. As soon as one
becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, his personal questions and problems are
solved. And if others adopt the same principle, then social-political
questions are also solved. So we have to teach. They will say it is not
practical. Why not practical? No, anything is not, not practical.
There are so many scientific... You discovered. Just like this tape
recorder. This is advantageous to the human society. But it is not
practical that everyone will have a nice tape recorder. That is not
practical. But when you go to manufacture, say the discoverer, "Oh,
that it is not practical; therefore it should not be manufactured."
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness may not be practical for all, but that
does not mean it should not be preached. The customer will take.
Just like this tape recorder, one has got money, you have purchased,
taking advantage. Similarly, there are many pious persons who can
take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like you have taken. You are not
ordinary common men. There must have been some pious activities
in your past lives. Therefore you have taken to
this Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously. Bhagavad-
gītā says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ. [Bg. 7.28] A sinful person
cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is said, yeṣāṁ tv anta-
gataṁ pāpaṁ. One who has completely vanquished all sorts of sinful
reactions. Now, the question may be that whether one can finish all
sorts of sinful reactions within this material world. No, that is not
possible. But it is possible also. What is that? That is also answered
in the Bhagavad-gītā that "You give up everything. Surrender unto
Me. I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." So I may be
sinful and there are so many reactions awaiting me for giving me
trouble, but as soon as Kṛṣṇa takes charge of me, then everything is
finished. How it can be finished? Because He is all-powerful, He's
the supreme. Just like if the president says... One man is ordered to
be hanged. If the president says, "No, he should not be hanged,"
then immediately all others sanction. Because he's the supreme.
Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, in spite of a huge stock of sinful
reactions awaiting me, simply for the purpose of my surrendering
to Kṛṣṇa they're all set aside by Kṛṣṇa. He'll see to it. Simply
surrender. And that surrender, as soon as it is done, then the other
word says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ... [Bg. 7.28]. One who has
finished all kinds of reactions of sinful activities, janānāṁ puṇya-
karmaṇām, persons executing pious activities... And the most pious
activity is devotional service. "How is that? There are so many other
kinds of activities. What is this? This man has made so much charity,
he has made so many hospitals, he has ...(unclear)... in such things.
And this man is simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Do you mean to say he
is more pious than that man who has made so much charity?"
The śāstra says, "Yes. Yes." Why? That is also explained in
the Bhāgavata. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato
bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. That activity is considered to be the
highest pious activity. The Bhāgavata does not say what kind of
activity. "That activity which leads one to be a devotee of the Lord."
That activity is not limited. Any activity that makes one progressing
for realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is higher, the highest
pious activity. That is the description. Just as military art is not a
very pious activity, killing art. But because the killing art exhibited
by Arjuna was leading him to this platform of satisfying Kṛṣṇa, so
that became the highest pious activity. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro... We
have to see whether by his activity he's gaining strength
in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it is highest. It doesn't matter whether
it is photography or business or painting or cooking. It doesn't
matter. Whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied by his activities? Just like
you are engaged in different activities. But as soon as you bring your
money and engage in the Society's cause, oh, I am very gratified. I do
not inquire... Of course, we do not encourage impious activity. That
is not the meaning. But phalena paricīyate. Because you offer the
result of your activities to Kṛṣṇa, that becomes
pious. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato
bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. So that is the standard of pious
activity. Now, this is also pious activity, heeding before teacher. That
if by satisfying the poor teachers one becomes pious, how much
pious he is who is trying to satisfy the supreme teacher, Kṛṣṇa. He's
also a living creature. He's also individual person. Nityo nityānāṁ
cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). (pause) So have we
finished our walking? Not yet?
Devotee (2): Excuse me?
Prabhupāda: All right, one round more.
Devotee (1): ...(unclear)... flower?
Prabhupāda: Oh, no flavor?
Devotee (1): No, they bloom in the springtime.
Prabhupāda: It is just like a beautiful man without any
qualification.
Devotee (1): Ah! No scent.
Prabhupāda: No scent.
Guru dāsa: Is that a qualification, is that part of the age of Kali-
yuga? Flowers with no scent?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Trees will have no fruits. The fruit will have no
juice. That is mentioned. Just like in a mango there is a seed. In
many fruits there is seed. In Kali-yuga you'll find simply the skin and
seed, no pulp. And cloud without rain. These are mentioned.
(laughs) What can you do? If the cloud becomes without rain, if the
fruit become without pulp, if the paddy becomes without grain, then
what you have to eat? You have to eat the grass, the husk, the skin,
and the seed. Or kill another man and eat. Just like in Africa, still,
they are doing. Cannibals. Killing the grandfather, that is a great
ceremony. Do you know that?
Guru dāsa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They kill the grandfather and have a feast, the
cannibals. Yes. That is a great sport, that the grandsons will kill the
grandfather and have a feast on his body by toasting.(?) Yes. The
same idea is being preached by the communists. They want that all
old man of the society, they should be killed. That is one of the
theories put forward by the communists. Because they are not
producing anything. So just imagine, these things will come
gradually. So better to leave this place as soon as possible. Not to
come again. That should be our serious attention. The other day the
radio man was asking, "Swamiji, how to adjust?" "And there is no
adjustment. You have to go out of the scene. There is no
adjustment." So he was not very happy. If I would have bluffed him,
"Oh, you do this, you do that, you do this humanitarian work, you
spread(?) education and give foodstuff." No! There is no adjustment.
The only adjustment is quit this place. That is the function of this
human form of life. You can get out of this show
by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa says that this is the abode of miseries
and that also temporary. Because you can accept any miserable life.
That is the spell of māyā. Just like this dog life. If somebody asked
me, "Would you like to be a dog? I can make you," shall I agree?
Why not? Because I know that's miserable life. But the dog is
satisfied. By becoming a purchased slave, very much satisfied. He
has no independence, always chained and always servant, eternal
servant of a particular man. He can do any harmful thing by the
order of the master, he's so faithful. But still, his life is miserable
because he's dog. But he is satisfied. He thinks that "Oh, it is a very
nice life." This is called covering power of māyā, illusion. Anyone in
the most miserable condition of life he'll think, "Oh, I am very
happy." Ask him, "How are you?" "Oh, very nice. Very nice." So there
is no adjustment. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should... He knows that
here only adjustment is to live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the
only... If he's materially conscious... What is the difference between
materially conscious man and Kṛṣṇa conscious man? Materially
conscious person is thinking everything as his property or enjoyable
thing. And Kṛṣṇa conscious person is seeing the same thing as
Kṛṣṇa's. A materially conscious person is satisfied, you get him a nice
aromatic flower for his personal enjoyment, and Kṛṣṇa conscious
person he at once thinks, "It is very nice flower, it should be offered
to Kṛṣṇa." The flower is there, he is there, the consciousness is
changed, that's all. He's thinking everything in relationship
with Kṛṣṇa. Here the man, distributing food to the animals and fish,
he's thinking that "I am doing some pious activities and I shall enjoy
the fruit of it." And that's a fact. But if we
distribute Kṛṣṇa prasādam, we think that "This man is being
supplied Kṛṣṇa prasādam, one day he may become Kṛṣṇa conscious."
There is no personal question. And the principle of
distributing Kṛṣṇa prasādam is there. Therefore even they don't say
any charge, if you distribute the prasādam, if you are able, you are
doing some service. Because by eating only, he shall one day
become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So whole program is for Kṛṣṇa. And that
is Kṛṣṇa karma.(?) You are preparing, you are earning money, you
are distributing prasādam. Why? For Kṛṣṇa's sake. Otherwise, why
should you work so hard? But we have voluntarily accepted,
"Oh, Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied." This
is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. Everyone may act
in his own duty. It doesn't matter what kind of duty he has got. But
he has to see whether by execution of that duty Kṛṣṇa is satisfied.
Then he's successful. That is the version in the Srimad-
Bhāgavatam:
ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
[SB 1.2.13]
Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, everyone has got a specific duty. So one
has to see that by his specific duty, entrusted with or discharging
that duty, whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied. That's all. Therefore one
has to accept a bona fide spiritual master to know whether Kṛṣṇa is
being satisfied by his work. Who will certify? You cannot concoct,
"Oh, I am doing for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa." No, that is not possible. It
must be accepted by the representative of Kṛṣṇa, "Yes, by your
work, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied." Then it is all right. So...
[break] Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. In everything, Bhagavad-
gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, just stick to these two books very
nicely. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, saṁsiddhir hari-
toṣaṇam [SB 1.2.13]. It is a great science and very intricate also. But
one has to learn also very diligently. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for
the fools. It is not for the fools. Highly intelligent class of man, he
can understand the philosophical aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But
the thing is so attractive that even a child, even a fool is attracted.
Yes. That is the beauty. Although it is very difficult to understand
this philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced the system
that anyone can take it. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (gets in car) (end)