Upadeśāmṛta NOI 3: Ways to Increase Devotional Service | Rus-Split | 10.5.90 | Gopal Krishna Goswami

PRASAD RAVAL. Now that you have the background of the 6 factors which can destroy devotional service, we will appreciate the 6 points that Rūpa Gosvāmī mentions in this verse. Prabhupāda says that devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Prabhupāda says that bhakti is a sort of cultivation. In other words, bhakti has to be practically executed. So Pralāda Mahārāja has explained bhakti to consist of ninefold processes that we discussed day before yesterday on Lord Nārṣimhadeva's birthday. śrīvannām kīrtanam viśnu-smārnaṁ pāda-sevanām ārcam vandhyam dasyam sākyaṁ ātmānivedaṁ. So the point is that, the point that Prabhupāda is making is this, that bhakti is not some idle speculative process., but it is a practical cultivation. Since bhakti means practically executing certain activities, how those activities should be executed are being described in this verse by Rūpa Gosvāmī. So in the few— in the human form of life, we have the opportunity to go back to Godhead. So we should accept this opportunity to go back to Godhead very enthusiastically, just like a hungry man. He's enthusiastic to find food, or a thirsty man is enthusiastic for water, or a greedy man is enthusiastic to make money, or a lusty man is enthusiastic for female association. Similarly, a devotee should be enthusiastic to execute devotional service. So enthusiasm means action. Our enthusiasm for Kṛṣṇa cannot be just some cheap talk, but it should be practical enthusiasm. Just like sometimes in our preaching we meet Hindus or people who may be very enthusiastic about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but when it comes to doing some practical service or seva to Kṛṣṇa, it is zero. So we are not talking about that enthusiasm. We are talking about real enthusiasm which should be demonstrated in our actions. So enthusiasm has to be demonstrated in our dealings. And Prabhupāda explains how the materialist also has to be enthusiastic. So devotee should also be enthusiastic. So Rūpa Gosvāmī has said that enthusiasm is one of our most important qualities. So whatever a devotee has to do, he should do it enthusiastically. He, if, what, if it's, whatever, if his service is book distribution, daily worship, cooking, cleaning, whatever, if he's enthusiastic in executing that service, then he will be successful. So Rupa Gosvāmī is talking about enthusiasm for advancement and devotional service. He is not talking about enthusiasm for building up a bank balance. Everybody loves to be next to an enthusiastic devotee. If some devotee is very enthusiastic, everybody likes to be with him, isn't it? And if you're not enthusiastic, then nobody likes to be next to you. So by enthusiasm, not only do you make advancement, But by enthusiasm, you also inspire others to make advancement. For example, if some devotee is going out for book distribution and is enthusiastic every day, then when some new devotee goes out in book distribution, he will also be enthusiastic by seeing. See how enthusiastic the materialists are. Even in old age, they are hoping against hope that they will get some happiness. Just like the materialists are enthusiastic, the spiritualists must also be enthusiastic. So endeavour executed with intelligence will result in enthusiasm. The devotee finds out the correct means by which everything can be used in service to Kṛṣṇa. Nirbandha-kṛṣṇa-samandhi-yukta-virāgyam ucyate. That is, everything's perfection becomes, is realized when it is used in service to Kṛṣṇa. Prabhupāda used to give the example of the Dictaphone that he used to use. This Dictaphone was discovered not for making the Bhagavad-gītā recordings come true, but for mundane purposes. But now the devotees are using it for Kṛṣṇa. So everything, if it is used in service to Kṛṣṇa, in service for Kṛṣṇa, then that is enthusiasm. If one, if the devotee wants to use everything in service to Kṛṣṇa enthusiastically, then he'll make advancement. Another quality mentioned here is nescāyat, Nisdayat means determination. So Prabhupāda gives a very nice example in the Bhāgavad-gītā to prove this point. Prabhupāda says that once the, the bird, she had all her eggs stolen by the ocean. So the mother went to the ocean and the mother said, "Please ocean, bring my eggs back." The ocean said, "I will not bring your eggs back. I will not return your eggs." Then the bird said, "If you don't return my eggs, I will dry you up." Anyway, the bird went to the ocean and said, "If you do not return my eggs, I will dry you up with my beak, with my mouth, with my small mouth." The ocean says, "Ha ha ha." So the ocean, so the bird, she started drying up the ocean. She would take her water and then put it on the earth. So she started doing it. Slowly, slowly the word got around that the small bird is trying to dry out the vast ocean. And slowly, slowly the information reached the Garuda. So Garuda, because they're all from the same family, Garuda is also bird carrier of Vishnu. So Garuda then came to help his younger sister. So Garuda came and told the ocean, "You must return the eggs, otherwise I'm going to dry you up." And then the ocean got scared and said, "Okay, okay, okay, take the eggs back." So Prabhupāda uses this example to show that for executing devotional service we should all be determined. If you are not determined for the devotional service, then how can you succeed? Sometimes we find that devotees come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the moment there is little agitation they say, "Oh, now I'm going home. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness I don't like." So if you are so weak, then you will never succeed, because there will always be some difficulties. We don't tell people that if you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will have to face no difficulties. We tell everyone that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the purest process of loving God, but you have to make the effort in order to succeed. Rūpa Gosvāmī has said, "Kṛṣṇa-bhaktirāsa-bhāvitā-māti-kṛyata-myādhī-kṛṭopī-lābhaté." Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "My dear friend, whatever price you may have to pay to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, please pay the price. Don't bargain." So don't be determined to pay the price, don't hassle for the price. So we should be determined to succeed on the spiritual path, doesn't matter what happens. Look at Prabhupāda's determination. Prabhupāda was ordered by his spiritual master to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the Western countries, but Prabhupāda had to struggle For virtually 25 years he had no money, no place to stay. Once Prabhupāda had translated the Bhāgavad-gītā, but then after Prabhupāda had translated, he had no money to print. And Prabhupāda had translated the whole manuscript by hand. After ISKCON was started, Prabhupāda was using modern facilities for translating. Like Prabhupāda would translate on a Dictaphone. Then wherever Prabhupāda was, because Prabhupāda was always traveling all over the world, then the tape would be sent to BBT headquarters in Los Angeles. Then Prabhupāda disciples, they would transcribe it. Then again it would come back to Prabhupāda. In other words, Prabhupāda was translating, but he was using modern facilities. But when Prabhupāda was in India, kori, in the early 1940s, he did not have any secretary. No typewriter, no facility. He translated the whole Gītā by hand. So after Prabhupāda translated the Gītā, he discovered he didn't have any money for printing. So Prabhupāda was meeting people, asking them for money for printing the book. Finally he found a man who may be interested in printing the book. But then Prabhupāda went back to his house in Calcutta to bring the manuscript, and he discovered that his, the manuscript was sold by his servant. In India, even old newspapers are sold. So the man had sold it in the form of old newspapers. So then Prabhupāda sat down and translated the whole Gītā all again. So just see how determined Prabhupāda was. So many difficulties he had to undergo before he could go to the West and establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So similarly, we must be determined, we must make up our mind That whatever adjustment I have to make in my life, I will make, but I will achieve the goal of life, which is Kṛṣṇa-prema. Sometimes we find the devotee's determination is very weak. Just like we tell everyone they must chant 16 rounds every day, but because the determination is weak, every day 16 rounds are not done. And the excuse given is, "Oh, I had too much work." That is māyā's test of you. So if you are determined, that come what may, I will first do my rounds, then that is good example. So just like Hridayaśṭhākura, Hridayaśṭhākura would not even talk till he would finish his 3 lakh japa-malas every day. So in order to succeed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we need determination and we also need patience. Prabhupāda gives an example that just like somebody may get married, it doesn't mean that the child will be born tomorrow. One has to wait for 9 months for the child to be born. So similarly, Prabhupāda says one must be patient in executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Prabhupāda says for the successful execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you need both patience and determination. Because you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, now Kṛṣṇa will be your order supplier and He will take away all the quota of suffering that is entitled to you. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharma-praritaja mām ekaṁ caṇaṁ rāja-ām tvāṁ sarva-pāpi-vayo mokṣāmi māso caḥ. "Give up all varieties of religious systems, just surrender unto Me and I will protect you from all sinful reaction." So no doubt that when you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, your punishment quota is minimized. Just like, for example, Prabhupāda used to give an example: The high court may give you a sentence of, let's say, 10 years in jail, and then you appeal to the Supreme Court, and they may reduce the sentence to, let's say, 1 month in jail. So the punishment is still there, but the punishment has been reduced. So similarly, based on our past karma, we are entitled to a quota of happiness and distress, but by coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this suffering is minimized. So a devotee does not expect service from Kṛṣṇa in exchange for his sacrifices. Just like in the story I gave you yesterday, Rupa Gosvāmī, when he heard that Sanatana Gosvāmī had taken service from Rādhārāṇī, he was furious, he was angry. So another point is tat tat karma pravartanāt. Pravartanāt means acting according to regulative principles. So we can advance in devotional service if we strictly follow the rules and regulations given by the guru and the parampara. So we must follow these rules and regulations in a very enthusiastically, just like we follow the process of vaidhī-bhakti. Vaidhī-bhakti means the process of rules and regulations. So we must follow the process of vaidhī-bhakti with full faith. There are 4 prohibitions, yamas, like no meat, fish, and eggs, no intoxication, no illicit sex life, no gambling. So these 4 yamas we must avoid. And then, then there are positive regulative principles. Ñāma, rules and regulations. Say, if we avoid the four types of sinful activities and follow the rules and regulations, then we'll make spiritual advancement. So we should be enthusiastic in following the process of vaidhī-bhakti. Another point is saṅgatyāge. Saṅgatyāge means giving up the association of non-devotees. Prabhupāda explains in the purport, saṅgatyāge just doesn't mean gross materialist. But it also includes jñānis and the yogis and the speculators. So once Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by one of His householder devotees, "What is the standard for a Vaiṣṇava?" And Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, asāt-saṅgatyāga evaiṣṇava-ācāra, that a Vaiṣṇava, in order to advance spiritually, gives up the association of non-devotees. Narottama das Thakura has said, tande rācārṇa-sevi bhakti-sāni-vaṣa. One should live in the association of pure devotees and take their association to execute devotional practices. So the point is this, that by taking advantage of pure devotees' association, our devotional creeper becomes strengthened. So these points of advice are very valuable. Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu has said in his commentary, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī ṭhākura wrote a commentary on the Udayaśrama Iti and he has stressed this point that if we execute these rules and regulations with patience and determination and enthusiasm, then you will definitely succeed in the goal of life. So we must have complete confidence that it is only the path of devotional service that can satisfy me. Pralāda Mahārāja said, nāmate vidham svartakātim hivaiṣṇu-dvurāsa-yebhair-artham anīna. Āndhāya tan-dheru pāñyā mā-nāt. The Lal Mahārāja says the materialists do not know which path will give them happiness. So the point is devotee must have full faith that this path of devotional service will give me full satisfaction. So we give up the association of non-devotees except when we have to associate with them for preaching. When we preach to non-devotees, we convince them about Kṛṣṇa's philosophy. Not that we become convinced by them about their nonsense philosophy. Not that you're trying to distribute a book, you're telling him about Kṛṣṇa, and the other person tells you, "How you're a fool, you're brainwashed, that you're just going out like a dummy and distributing these books." And you begin to think, "Oh, maybe what this person is saying is right." So we give up the association of non-devotees and we keep the association of good devotees. We deal with non-devotees only to the extent necessary for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sato vraite, sato vraite, sadvir-bhaktir-prasadati. That is following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. We do not concoct the process of self-realization. We just follow in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. We don't say, "Oh, Prabhupāda said this." But now times are different, so instead of 16 rounds you can chant 8 rounds a day. Instead of 4 rules you can follow 3 regulative principles. The disciple doesn't think that he knows more than his spiritual master. You know, in all the purports that Prabhupāda has written, I'll tell you something which you will, which will shock all of you. In the Bhāgavad-gītā purport that Prabhupāda has written and the Bhāgavatam purport and even the Nectar of Instruction purport, Prabhupāda before writing the purport, He first would read the commentary of Baladeva Vidyābhusana for Gītā and all Bhaktisiddhānta Ji, Śrīla Rādhā Swāmī, all the great ācāryas for Bhāgavatam. And he would see their commentary, note their points, and then add some more points. But he would always stick to what the previous ācāryas have said. So the path of spiritual success is based upon the path of following the previous ācāryas. And if you follow the previous ācāryas, Then karuṣo, then it's okay. Otherwise it will be spoiled. We had one sannyāsi in our movement. That sannyāsi was saying, "Oh, now in the West, in America, to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, we must introduce Western style." So he said, "Oh, they can wear Western robes. Instead of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in Sanskrit, they can chant English version of Hare Kṛṣṇa." No, this is not the way for spiritual advancement. Prabhupāda did not change a word of the instruction that Kṛṣṇa gave and His guru Mahārāja gave. Only thing he reduced was Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu had his disciples chant 64 rounds a day, and Prabhupāda told us to chant 16 rounds a day. If Prabhupāda would have told us to do 64 rounds a day, you would have had no book distribution. And if you would have had no book distribution, the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement would not have spread so much all over the world. So whatever adjustments had to be made have been made by Prabhupāda. Now that is the standard that we have to follow, and we have to follow that standard for the next 10,000 years. And if we follow that standard, then spiritual success is guaranteed. Just like if you have a 100-rupee note, you know that if you go to some store and you want to buy some commodity with that 100-rupee note, Then you can buy it. Or if you have an Aeroflot ticket to India or somewhere, and if you have the visa, you know that they can go on the plane with that ticket then. So similarly, you must have full faith that by taking to the process of devotional service, following these 6 guidelines which Rūpa Gosvāmī has given us, you will definitely succeed on the spiritual path. So with this, we end our discussion on today's verse, on the 3rd verse of the Śrī Upadeśamitra. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Which of the 6 principles is the most important?

All are important. This devotee was definitely a pujari in his last life. Okay. All 6 are important. But if you follow the first one, if you are enthusiastic, then you will follow all.

Sometimes When one devotee doing something with energy, you know, with enthusiasm, another devotee came and say, "You are in raja, in rajas." And the question is, what is the difference between the real enthusiasm and the rajas?

Passion. Yeah. You mean passion.

Yeah.

So the question is,: When is enthusiasm considered passion and when is it considered enthusiasm? So passion means you are not applying your intelligence in doing that job. Actually, enthusiasm means you are doing your service enthusiastically with intelligence. So of course, there is no one-line answer that I can give you which will say, okay, now this is passion and this is enthusiasm. That by experience, some experienced doctor can identify.

Why 16 rounds?

Why 16 rounds? Yeah. First of all, 16 rounds was the quota given by Prabhupāda. Secondly, when you are sick, you go to the doctor. The doctor tells you, you must take this medicine 4 times a day. Why? Because by taking the medicine 4 times a day, you will be able to kill the germs of your body. So similarly, by chanting 16 rounds, which takes about 2 hours a day, you will be able to fight Maya for 22 hours. You chant 16 rounds, so don't you find there's some benefit in chanting 16 rounds every day? And when you don't chant your rounds, don't you feel miserable?

He feels some changes in himself.

You see, if we chant for 2 hours a day then the germs of Maya that are all over your body, they will be kept in control for the next 22 hours. Why do you take medicine 4 times a day? Doctor tells you take medicine every 6 hours. Because by taking medicine every 6 hours, the germs of your body will be killed and you'll be healthy.

And if we will chant, for example, 200 rounds every day, what will be the result?

Very good. You will always be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa-prema. You will not have Maya-prema. Presently we have too much of Maya-prema. We are too much in love with Maya. Then you will have Kṛṣṇa-prema. So you are doing 200 rounds a day? Per day? 300 rounds. So 300 multiplied by 108. How can you do 300 rounds a day? How long was your one round taking?

In the Kali-yuga, changing of the Holy Name is the only way.

Liberation.

But there are many people who cannot speak or hear.

So what you do for them?

Yeah, because—

So I have one devotee in India, he's deaf and dumb. He cannot speak, he cannot hear, but still he chants. He has one way of chanting, and he's going to all the deaf and dumb schools in India and making people chant. Anyway, if they cannot chant and this, then let them write down Hare Kṛṣṇa and let them see Kṛṣṇa's picture with their eyes and let them have Kṛṣṇa prasāda. And if somebody doesn't have any eyes, doesn't have any ears, doesn't have any tongue, then let him just eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda.

How should we consider our sickness?

What to do?

What is our sickness? Is it Simply due to our previous karma, or it is arranged by Kṛṣṇa, because there are some demigods appears in the form of doctors to save us.

Well, the present-day doctors are definitely no— are definitely not demigods. Don't be under that illusion. The demigods have a higher standard than Kali-yuga doctors. Now your question is, why do you fall sick? Yes, it is due to our previous karma. I was once giving a lecture in Vancouver, Canada, and one lady, one man asked me, my child was born, and the child was born with so many defects. Now the child did not even have the opportunity to commit sins, so how was he born with all these diseases? Sometimes you see, One child is born blind or deaf. Why is it? The person hasn't even done wrong karma in this life, so how did he have this punishment? So obviously it is the karma of the previous life. The law of karma is very cruel. Law of karma doesn't spare anybody. Only if you are— if you become a devotee is your suffering minimized. Just like sometimes a child will be born in a family And the parents will get attached to the child, and the child will die at a young age. So this is again due to karma. The parents must have done something to give trouble to the child in a previous life. So now the child has taken birth as a child in that family and is giving trouble to the parents. So karma, you can't expect that now I've come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Oh, my karma is over. I'll tell you a real story. So once in 1968, I first met Prabhupada in June '68. So once in June '68, we had gone to a school engagement in Montreal, Canada. It was a Christian school. So after the questions, like I am now asking you any questions after the lecture. So after the lecture, Prabhupada said, any questions? So in that audience there was one Indian man, one Bengali man by the name of Mr. Mukherjee. So then Mr. Mukherjee, he instead of asking Prabhupada the question, he started insulting Prabhupada. He started saying, why are you coming and telling in these Christian countries to chant Hare Krishna? Why they cannot chant the name of Jesus Christ? He insulted Prabhupada very badly. So 3 months later In August of 1968, when Prabhupāda was leaving Montreal to go to New York or Seattle, somewhere, he called me and he said, "Gopalakṛṣṇa, go and call that Mr. Mukherjee." So I told Prabhupāda, "Why do You want to call Mr. Mukherjee? He insulted You so badly in front of everyone. Why do You want to see him?" So Prabhupāda said, "I must have done something to Mr. Mukherjee in my previous life." for which he took revenge. So please call him. Prabhupada forced me to call him, and I called him, and then Prabhupada blessed him before he left Montreal. Of course, Prabhupada had no karma. I mean, I'm just telling, but I just told you the story to show that, one, how Prabhupada was forgiving, and two, how Prabhupada himself said, oh, I must have done something in my previous life for which he took revenge.

Can you speak something about the children of Śrīla Prabhupāda?

The children of Prabhupāda? We are the children of Prabhupāda. You mean Prabhupāda's children in his former life, or Prabhupāda's children— we are all his children and you all are his grandchildren. What does he mean? He means his children from former life, huh? Yes, none of them took to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

What is the destination of the orthodox Christian? He asked. Because we— Often associate with them, and sometimes they ask maybe.

What is the destination of Russian Orthodox Christians?

Yeah, not only Russian.

Frankly, the so-called religious people today, they are hardly religious. They just go to the church as a formality. So the point is that they will make marginal advancement, but if they are going to the church every Sunday and then coming back and eating beef every day on their dining table, Then how can they be saved? Just going to the church and saying, "God, give us our daily bread. God, please forgive me for my mistakes," is not going to save them.

Today when he was preaching on the streets, some people gave him such deities. What does it mean?

I don't know what it means, but you worship Kṛṣṇa. I can't figure it out and I don't want to speculate.

Some devotees in Kyiv have a small murti of Gopalakrishna. And can they worship?

Is she from Kiev?

Yeah.

From Kiev? I'm going there tomorrow. Yes, you must worship Gopalakrishna. I am Gopalakrishna Das. When Prabhupāda initiated me, I was initiated by Prabhupāda by mail. So Prabhupāda wrote to me and said, since your name is already Gopalakrishna, I will not change it, but I will just add the word Das next to it. So you are Gopalakrishna Das, the servant of Krishna. So you must worship the real Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. We are all His dāsas. So you may worship that Deity of Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. If you think of the real Gopāla Kṛṣṇa all the time, you will never have any problems.