In this segment of a Moscow lecture (11 Sep 2004), Gopal Krishna Goswami explains verses 33‑35 of Canto 11, Chapter 19 of the Śrīmad‑Bhāgavatam, where Lord Kṛṣṇa instructs his cousin‑disciple Uddhava on the essential conduct for spiritual aspirants. He outlines twelve primary disciplinary principles (e.g., ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, etc.) and twelve secondary regulative duties, emphasizing that these are especially relevant for the Russian devotees present. Goswami stresses the importance of asking sincere questions to qualified teachers, drawing parallels with the Bhagavad‑Gītā (Arjuna‑Krishna dialogue) and other scriptural traditions such as the Caitanya‑caritāmṛta. The lecture interleaves chanting of the Sanskrit verses by participants (Speakers B and C) with English exposition, providing both the original terms and their practical meanings. The overall purpose is to convey the “perfection of spiritual knowledge” by presenting these principles as a concrete, actionable framework for devotional life.
Chapters
As we are now reading the, I have 11 canto with me. So I have just selected a verse, 2 or 3 verses that describe the primary and secondary disciplinary principles. This is Kṛṣṇa speaking to Uddhava, his cousin. In this he has listed primary disciplinary principles and secondary disciplinary principles. But the Lord has listed 24 points that he wants all of us to cultivate, especially the Russian devotees. So you want to hear them? We only discuss it provided you agree to try and cultivate them. Okay, okay, we don't have a dasca, we don't have a board. It reminds you of the 26 qualities of a devotee, isn't it? This verse. Okay, so we won't do the Sanskrit of all three. We'll just do the Sanskrit of the first verse. Okay?
Ochin Karso. There's no voice on the board still in it so nicely? On the first line you got 100% mark.
More.
Because that was Śrī Bhāgavānavaḍhā. On the second whole line it was about 90%. And on the fifth line it came down to about 50%. Okay, Ishwaras. Śrī Bhāgavānavaḍhā.
Hastikamāmācāryam ca, hastikamāmācāryam ca, onam seryam śrīmābhvāyaṁ, moryam seryam śrīmābhvāno vācāyaṁ, nisā satyam asteyaḥ, nisā satyam asteyaḥ, sango 'hiya saṃcayaḥ, sango 'hiya saṃcayaḥ, hastikamāmācāryam ca, hastikamāmācāryam ca, Om Namah Shivaya.
Om Namah Shivaya.
Om Agam Tumiranda Siyam.
Ramanjanah Shalatiyam. Shakshur Prithamiyam.
Dasmai Shri Guraveenamaha. Sinithi Randiyam Manobhrastam. Saklamigam Om Nalgeyam. Says, we said Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is instructing Sri Uddhava about essential principles of spiritual life. This chapter is called the perfection of spiritual knowledge. In other words, these instructions that we are going to discuss today constitute the perfection of spiritual knowledge. We see in the scriptures the different devotees are asking questions and obtaining clarification and guidance. Just like over here, Uddhava is asking question. Uddhava said, please describe, my dear Lord, how many types of disciplinary regulations there are. He says, please tell me what is real self-control, tolerance, equilibrium of mind? What is charity, heroism? What is renunciation? What is knowledge? So Uddhava is asking questions to which the Lord is replying. Just like in the Bhagavad Gita we see that Arjuna is asking questions and the Lord is clarifying and replying. Answering the Bhagavatam, you see, Parikṣit Mahārāja inquiring and Śrī Kula Gosvāmī replying. The sages questioning Śrī Śrīla Gosvāmī and Śrīla Gosvāmī replying. So to ask questions is not something embarrassing, but we need to ask questions from the right source to get the right answers. Just like suppose you have to do some medical surgery. You just don't catch hold of any man and tell him to do the surgery. You want to make sure you have the best qualified doctor to do the surgery. Similarly, we need to get information and clarification from the right source. So as I said earlier, Krishna in this, in these three verses explains first 12 essential disciplinary principles that we should all cultivate. Then He describes 12 additional regular prescribed duties. So try and understand, Kṛṣṇa on the one hand is explaining 12 disciplinary principles and further He is explaining 12 regulative duties that everyone pursuing spiritual life must have. So this is very interesting because Kṛṣṇa is giving us disciplinary principles plus duties that we must execute. Actually, this discussion is taking place in the 19th chapter, 11th canto. Of course, the points mentioned in this verse have been covered in other verses of the Bhāgavatam and the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Since the Caitanya-caritāmṛta was compiled 500 years ago, many verses or many philosophical points from the Bhāgavatam, from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, are based on points from the Bhāgavatam. In fact, In fact, in many places in the CC, the Bhagavad-gītā verses are directly quoted. So when it comes to 12 primary disciplinary principles, Kṛṣṇa mentions the following 12. The reason I selected this verse, these 2 verses, is because the subject matter of these verses is also subject matter for an ishta-koshti with devotees. So the first thing he says is ahimsa. So what does ahimsa mean?
Non-violence.
Okay, everyone knows that. So devotee is supposed to be non-violent. Non-violence means that he doesn't want to harm any living entity, even an ant. Just like you read in the first Bhagavad-gītā, how Jatabharaṇa would not even keep his feet on the ground till he saw that little lady is for the next 3 feet There was no living entity on the ground. Now this is one aspect of non-violence, not wanting to hurt any living entity. Now in the Isha Upanishad it is said that if one is not birthing spiritual life, he becomes his own enemy or killer of the soul. You can never kill this, you can never kill the soul since the soul is eternal. But atma-hana means one who fails to understand the real goal of life, that's becoming his own enemy. So when we deviate from the spiritual path, We become our own enemy. You don't have to look for enemy very far. We become our own enemy when we don't act for our spiritual goal. So one of the disciplinary principles is to avoid violence. Then he, the Lord, says satyam. What does satyam mean? Truthful. Truthfulness. Truthfulness is one of the essential. Disciplinarian principles. In the Bhagavad-gītā, 17th chapter, Kṛṣṇa describes the austerity of the body, tongue, and mind. And in describing the austerity of the tongue, Kṛṣṇa explains to be truthful. So to be truthful is described by Kṛṣṇa to be one of the austerities of the tongue. Why? Well, the truth is so— the tongue is so used to lying That when you have to speak the truth, it's an austerity. We're so used to lying that Kṛṣṇa says the austerity of the tongue is to be truthful. So truthfulness is one of the four essential ingredients of religion also. What are the other ingredients of religion? Austerity. Austerity. And? Mercy. And? Adīṣādhana. Cleanness. Cleanness. So truthfulness is one of the four legs of religion. So an important element of spiritual life is to be truthful. The beginning of truthfulness is in being truthful to the instructions of Lord as they're coming down through the disciplic succession. Then extension is being truthful to the spiritual path, at least in dealing with questioners once we are awakened. So truthfulness may hurt, may sometimes be difficult, We should be truthful. At least when it comes to dealing with maestrovas and on spiritual principles. Prabhupada in the Gītā says, any businessman says, "From you I make no profit. I'm giving you a special deal." Na? Tawaak. So that is not untruthfulness. But untruthfulness is deviating from the instructions and deviating from the spiritual path What are the truthful in dealing with Vaishnavas? Not converting or stealing the properties of others. Asteya. Asteya means not to be, not to be stealing other people's property. Why do people steal properties? Do they steal things in your country? It's everywhere people steal, he says. They're not satisfied. In the Bhagavatam, first canto, You also have Vīsmadeva's instructions. And Vīsmadeva, in listing 10 points, he also included this point as a guideline to humanity. So not stealing, ah, or, ah, others' property is also an essential principle. Often we see in mature life, you see that when somebody else has something which you don't have, you become envious and you begin to aspire for that. That, na? But Śrīla Kṛṣṇa has given us very good advice on this point. He says, "Deal with others the way you want others to deal with you." We want everyone to deal with us nicely. So He said, "You deal with others nicely." Then, "Look upon every other woman except your, except your wife as your mother." Then, "Look upon one. Everyone else's property is garbage. So if you look upon others' property as garbage, then even if it is an attractive property, you're not going to get vipulat. So, ah, if you look, you don't get attracted to garbage, do you? Then detachment. Asanvāsan means detachment. Now our principle is detachment from what is negative and attachment to what is positive. The Māyāvādīs also believe in detachment, but in the name of detachment they renounce everything saying everything is false, mithyā. Rūpa Gosvāmī gave us the perfect principle of detachment known as the principle of yuktevraja. What does yuktevraja mean? Genuine renunciation. And what is genuine renunciation? Using things in the service of the Lord. So detachment means you give up drop what is detrimental for spiritual attachment, for spiritual advancement, but maintain what is necessary for spiritual advancement. Just like to facilitate Krishna consciousness, Prabhupada accepted so many things for the first time. Bhakti said, Tākura Bhaktīrāna Abhāsaṣṭhāna, he was the fourth gīrācārya who ever sat in a car. Before that, no one would even sit in a car. Where would we have been if our ācāryas had not started sitting on cars? The old Bhakti, you know, Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu was the first Ācārya who sat in a car and Tāpa Prabhupāda was the first Ācārya who flew by plane. So yukti-vairāgya is a principle where you detach yourself, but you detach from what is negative and get attached to what is positive. We don't detach ourselves from something that is positive. If something can be used in service of Kṛṣṇa, just saying this is material, false. Us, we don't give it up. So genuine detachment is using everything in service of the Lord. Then humility is another important principle. We've heard of humility many times, almost every day in the class you hear about the importance of humility. Lord Caitanya described 6 principles of shanagati to Sanatana Gosvami. What does shanagati mean? To teach shantih. Krishna. So the, in the 6 principles of surrender, first is to accept everything favorable for spiritual advancement. Next is to give up what is unfavorable. Next is to understand that Krishna is your protector. No one except Krishna can be your protector. To have faith that Krishna and no one else can protect you is the fourth. Fifth thing is to make our desires consistent with the desires of the Lord. And the sixth is, is humility. So here again, humility is being mentioned. He mentions humility as one of the primary disciplinary principles. So humility has also been emphasized by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, which is that famous verse of Sikṣāsṭaka. Humility is emphasized. And what does Kṛṣṇa das Kavirāja say we should do with this verse? Wear it next to your neck bead, tied right now around your neck, so you don't forget the importance. There's a nice story that one of Prabhupāda's godbrothers told us on this point. The story is related to Prabhupāda. So Prabhupāda had one time manufactured a drug tonic. And he told his godbrother, "I have developed this new formula for a health tonic." Prabhupāda's godbrother said, "Abhi bābu, this is not what I want. I want a tonic to develop love of God." So Prabhupāda very humbly said, "I know the formula, but the medicine is not ready yet." See here, the formula to develop love of God. God. So he got with him and says, "Okay, tell me the formula." Prabhupada very humbly said, "I know the formula, but the medicine is not ready as yet." So he insisted, and then Prabhupada gave the formula, which was, "Jinārī-sūritī." So humility is an essential principle of spiritual life, and an important aspect of humility is to offer respect to others without expecting anything in return. Prasad RAVAL. So many times devotees want to know, how can I develop humility? How can I develop determination? This can all be developed by attentive execution of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The attentive chanting of the holy name is capable of helping, helping you develop all these spiritual qualities. So for all of us, this humility and tolerance should be important qualities to cultivate. Just like Kṛṣṇa describes tolerance to be, He describes tolerance to be happily enduring even unhappiness. Even when there's some unhappiness in life, one is tolerant, he happily endures it. Kīlakandī in the Pāñḍava had to go through so many difficulties. But she happily underwent these difficulties. So, humility and tolerance go together.
