Chant Hare Krishna

Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 8.26

‘eka’ krishna-name kare sarva-papa nasa
premera karana bhakti karena prakasa

SYNONYMS

eka -- one; krishna-name -- by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna; kare -- makes; sarva -- all; papa -- sinful life; nasa -- exhausted; premera -- of love of Godhead; karana -- cause; bhakti -- devotional service; karena -- becomes; prakasa --manifest.

TRANSLATION

Simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offenses vanquishes all sinful activities. Thus pure devotional service, which is the cause of love of Godhead, becomes manifest.

PURPORT

One cannot be situated in the devotional service of the Lord unless one is free from sinful life. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28):

yesham tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam dridha-vratah

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the duality of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.” A person who is already cleansed of all tinges of sinful life engages without deviation or duality of purpose in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this age, although people are greatly sinful, simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra can relieve them from the reactions of their sins. Eka krishna-name: only by chanting Krishna's name is this possible. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51): kirtanad eva krishnasya mukta-sangah. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also taught us this. While passing on the road, He used to chant:

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna he

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna he

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna raksha mam

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna pahi mam

rama raghava rama raghava rama raghava raksha mam

krishna kesava krishna kesava krishna kesava pahi mam

If one always chants the holy name of Krishna, gradually one is freed from all reactions of sinful life, provided he chants offenselessly and does not commit more sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. In this way one is purified, and his devotional service causes the arousal of his dormant love of God. If one simply chants the Hare Krishna mantra and does not commit sinful activities and offenses, one's life is purified, and thus one comes to the fifth stage of perfection, or engagement in the loving service of the Lord (prema pum-artho mahan).

Transalation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Appearance Day Lecture

His Divine Grace Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura (1838-1914)

"The pioneer of the program for benedicting the entire world with Krishna consciousness by the instructions of Lord Chaitanya."

______________________________

A lecture by

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

(September 23, 1969, London, England)

_______________________________



So today is a very auspicious day, Thakura Bhaktivinoda’s birthday. Here is the picture of Thakura Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda. He was one of the acaryas of this disciplic succession from Krishna. We have got a succession table from Krishna, genealogical table. There are two kinds of genealogical tables, one by the semina -- father, his son, his son, like that. That is material genealogical table. And there is one spiritual genealogical table, disciplic succession. Just like Krishna. Krishna, the original father, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahma, Lord Brahma. He spoke to Narada. Narada spoke to Vyasa. Vyasa spoke to Madhvacarya. So in this disciplic succession, Lord Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvamis, and similarly, coming down, down, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja, then my spiritual master, then we are next generation, my disciples.

So there is a disciplic succession. And the acaryas, they’re authorities. Our process of knowledge is very simple. We take it from the authority. We don’t speculate. Speculation will not help us to come to the real knowledge. Just like when we are in difficulty, in legal implication, we go to some authority, lawyer. When we are diseased we go to a physician, the authority. There is no use, speculation. Suppose I am in difficulty in some legal implication. I simply speculate, “I shall be free in this way and that way.” That will not help. We have to go to the lawyer who knows things, and he gives us instruction that “You do not do this, then you’ll be free.” Similarly, when we are diseased, if I speculate at home that “My disease will be cured in this way and that way,” no. That is useless. You go to an authorized physician, and he will give you a nice prescription, and you’ll be cured. That is the process of knowledge. But in the modern age people think that “I am free, I am independent, and I can make my own solution.” That is rascaldom. That’s not good. So Arjuna, when he was talking with Krishna as friend, but when he saw that there was no solution talking like this, he surrendered to Krishna. He said, sisyas te ’ham, aham: “Myself, I surrender unto You as Your disciple.” Sisyas te' ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam. Prapannam means surrender. So that is the Vedic injunction, that if you want to know transcendental knowledge or science. Transcendental means beyond the scope of your direct perception.

So spiritual knowledge is beyond the scope of our sense speculation. Beyond the scope. Just like when a soul, a spiritual spark only, leaves this body, you cannot see. Therefore, atheistic class of men, they speculate, “There may be a soul, there may not be soul.” Or, “The bodily function was going like this, now it stopped. The blood corpuscles now cease. It is no more red, it is white, therefore life.” These are speculation. This is not actual knowledge. Actual knowledge you get from the authority, Krishna. He says, tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati. Just like the soul is passing through different stages. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe. Deha, deha means this body. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is dehi. Dehi means who is the owner of this body. That is soul. That is passing through childhood, boyhood, babyhood, youthhood, old age. Everyone, you can perceive that you were a child, you were a baby, you were a boy. Now you are young or old man. So you are there. So as you are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati. There is no question of becoming astonished, how transmigration of the self, soul, takes place. The vivid example is there. Simply you require little intelligence. That intelligence is developed through the instruction of acarya. Therefore, Vedic injunction is not to acquire knowledge by speculation. That is useless. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvayam janati tattva prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, na canya eko ’pi ciram vicinvan. Ciram vicinvan. Ciram means for thousands of years you can speculate; you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. But if you receive knowledge from the devotee, he can deliver you. Therefore Vedic injunction is that tad-vijnana... In order to understand tad-vijnana... Vijnana means science. If you want to know the transcendental science, then you must approach a guru. Tad-vijnartham. In order to, if you are at all interested to understand the spiritual science. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet. You must approach guru. Guru means this disciplic succession, as I have explained.

So Bhaktivinoda Thaura is an ideal guru. He was not a sannyasi. He was grhastha, householder, living with family, wife, children. Still, he was guru. So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyasi can become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was talking with Ramananda Raya... Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a sannyasi, very highly born in brahmana family, very learned scholar. So He was talking with Ramananda Raya, a grhastha, governor of Madras. And He was questioning, and Ramananda Raya was answering. That means he was taking the part of guru, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was taking the part of a disciple. So he was hesitating, Ramananda Raya. He thought himself that “I am a grhastha. I’m not even a brahmana. Besides that, I am dealing in material affairs. I am governor, politics. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu is a sannyasi, born of a high-class brahmana family. So it does not look well that I shall teach Him.” So he was hesitating. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Oh, why you are hesitating?” He said, kiba vipra, kiba sudra, nyasi kene naya,

yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya. He said, “Don’t hesitate. Either one may become a brahmana or one may become a sudra.” Kiba vipra, kiba sudra. Vipra means brahmana, and sudra. Sudra is the fourth-grade human being. Brahmanas the first-grade. So kiba vipra, kiba sudra. He may be a first-grade human being or the lowest grade human being, or he may become a sannyasi or a grhastha. It does not matter. Anyone who knows the science of Krishna, he can become a guru. This is the verdict. Because spiritual science does not belong to the bodily platform, it is on the spiritual platform. It is very nice. Just like when you go to a lawyer or to an engineer or to a physician. You do not inquire whether he’s a brahmana or sudra. Simply you have to know whether he’s a lawyer. That’s all. Whether he’s a physician actually. If he knows the medical science, he may be a brahmana, he may be a sudra, he may be a sannyasi, he may be a householder. It doesn’t matter. Your business is with a physician, with a lawyer. Similarly, your business is to understand Krishna. So anyone who knows Krishna perfectly, you have to go there. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. It is Vedic injunction. It is not that you have to approach a sannyasi or a grhastha or an Indian or American. No. Gurum. And guru means who knows the science of Krishna.

So, this Bhaktivinoda Thakura was grhastha, very responsible officer, magistrate. And he was so exalted that he would come from his office generally at five o’clock, then take his supper and immediately go to bed. Immediately. Say at seven o’clock in the evening he goes to bed, and he wakes up at twelve o’clock. So suppose he goes to bed at seven o’clock in the evening and wakes up at twelve o’clock at night. It is sufficient sleep, five hours. One should not sleep more than five to six hours. Minimize as far as possible. The Gosvamis used to sleep not more than one and a half hour, or two hours. Sleeping is not very important thing. Even big politicians, they used to sleep for two hours. So especially in spiritual line, they should minimize as far as possible eating, sleeping, mating, defending. Minimize. Gradually it comes to nil. Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, he was eating only a little piece of butter every alternate days, not daily. So this Bhaktivinoda Thakura, regularly he was coming from his office, and after taking his supper immediately he goes to bed, and wake up at twelve o’clock, and he used to write books. He wrote. He left behind him about one hundred books. And he excavated the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, organized how to develop that birth site, Mayapur. He had so many business. He used to go to preach about Caitanya’s philosophy. He used to sell books to foreign countries. In 1896 he attempted to sell Life and Precepts of Caitanya in the McGill University in Montreal. So he was busy, acarya. So one has to adjust things. Not that “Because I am grhastha, householder, I cannot become a preacher. “It is the business of the sannyasi or brahmacari.” No. It is the business of everyone. The whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. The present civilization is animal civilization. They do not know anything beyond eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. This is animal civilization. Animal does not know beyond these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. No. Human life is meant for something else: “What I am? What is God? What is my relation with God? What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?” So many things one has to learn. Athato brahma-jijnasa. This is human life. Not that eat and sleep and have sex life and die someday like cats and dogs. Therefore, there is need of acaryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Krishna consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, although he was a grhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was acarya. So from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn’t matter what he is.


When he was magistrate in Jagannatha Puri. The system is, Jagannatha temple is a very big establishment. In the temple fifty-six times daily, bhoga is offered. And you’ll find in the temple always at least five hundred to one thousand people gathered. And they come from outside, and prasada is ready. If you go and ask in the Jagannatha temple that “We are one hundred men come from outside. We want prasada,” yes, immediately ready. So it is a huge temple. This is one temple, but there are many other thousands of temple in India where prasada is distributed. Now it is minimized by our present government. They think that it is unnecessary expenditure. They are minimizing. But not unnecessary expenditure. They do not understand. Formerly, in India there was no necessity of hotel. Anyone goes anywhere, even in a village, he goes to a temple, prasada is ready. There is no need of going to a hotel. You pay or don’t pay. If you say that “I want little prasada,” “Yes, take it.” That is the system still. There is the Nathadvara temple in Rajasthan. You pay two annas only. Two annas means one cent. You get sumptuous prasada for two mens, all very nice prasada, still. So prasada distribution in temple is longstanding usage. So Bhaktivinoda Thakura... The Jagannatha temple is managed by a body, and it is the custom that the local magistrate of the district, he becomes the president, or manager.

The Krishna consciousness, or God consciousness, is there already. It is developed in human form of life. But it is now covered because due to our association with this material world for unlimited years background. We are coming through different species of life. Millions and millions of years passed away. Suppose I was a tree sometimes. I was standing up for ten thousand years in one place. We have passed through. That’s a fact. That is evolution. Now we have the opportunity of light. If you don’t use this opportune moment and again go back to the cycle of evolutionary process, jalaja nava-laksani sthavara. So this is a great science. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for the people to study this science in school, colleges, or universities. They are simply teaching people that “You work hard and gratify your senses.” That’s all. Therefore a section, younger section, they have been disgusted. They have refused to cooperate with this society on account of this disappointing education. And it will increase. Because this sort of education cannot give peace or prosperity to the people. Problems are increasing. Therefore, our request is that if you want to decrease or completely finish all the problems of life, take to Krishna consciousness in the process of disciplic succession and you’ll be all happy.

Srila Prabhupada Quote of the Day

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder~Acharya of the Krsna Consciousness Movement

September 19, 1969
Tittenhurst
Letter to Sacisuta


" I have seen what you have written about your protection by my humble self, but that is inevitable when a Spiritual Master accepts somebody as disciple.

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that He takes charge of a surrendered soul; so much so that Lord Krishna protects His devotee from all his sinful activities in the past. Similarly, the Spiritual Master, when He accepts a disciple and the disciple surrenders unto Him, He has got the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of His disciples life. This is a great responsibility of the Spiritual Master. We should therefore be very careful not to overburden our Spiritual Master by further repetition of sinful activities.

Of course, one who has entered into Krishna Consciousness cannot act deliberately anything sinful. Still, we should always be on guard against such activities. Sometimes we hear that people are going to church to confess their sinful actions for being excused, but as soon as he comes out of the church, he begins the same drama again. This is like the bathing of the elephant, who immediately throws dirt again on his body. We should not follow such examples. Lord Caitanya accepted Jagai and Madhai on condition they would not commit further sinful activities. So all our students should be careful in the matter of violating the four principles and at the same time must carry on the chanting process rigidly."

Submitted by Nityananda Rama dasa

Srila Jiva Goswami Appearance

Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu (1511-1596) was the nephew of Srila Rupa Goswami, the son of his brother Sri Vallabha (Anupama). In his infancy he had the great fortune of seeing Sri Caitanya and Mahaprabhu placed His lotus feet upon the child's head exclaiming that the boy would grow up to be a great preceptor in the Gaudiya sampradaya.

In his studies the young Jiva excelled in all subjects, especially Sanskrit grammar, poetry and rhetoric.

When he learned that his two uncles had taken to the path of renunciation and that his father had passed away, Sri Jiva journeyed to Navadvipa in order to get the mercy of Lord Nityananda. When he arrived in Navadvipa Lord Nityanananda introduced Jiva to all the associates of Mahaprabhu including Saci-devi and Srivasa Thakura and proceeded to take him on parikrama of Navadvipa-dhama. On the order of Nityananda, Sri Jiva went on to Varanasi to study Vedanta from Madhusudana Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya who had heard from his guru the divine explanations of Srimad Bhagavatam that he had received from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jiva mastered the same conclusions and then set out for Vrndavana to join his uncles Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana.

Sri Jiva took diksa from Srila Rupa Goswami and remained under his shelter and guidance until Rupa Goswami entered into samadhi in 1564. Srila Jiva Goswami was proclaimed as the leader of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. He established the 'Visva Vaisnava Rajya Sabha' and taught Sanskrit and Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy to eminent devotees such as Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, Srila Syamananda Pandita and Srila Srinivasa Acarya. By his vast erudition, he attracted scholars throughout India to study in Vraja. Thus, Vrndavana became the headquarters of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradya.

Some of the books that he has written are the Sat-sandarbhas, Harinamarta-vyakharana, Sri Madhava-mahotsava, Brahma-samhita Tika, Goplala-campu, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu Tika, Ujjvala-nilamani Tika, Laghu-vaisnava Tosani, Srimad Bhagavata Tika, Sarva-samvadina Tika, Gopala-tapani Tika, Gayatri-vyakhya Vivrtti, Padma Puranastha-yogasara-stotra Tika, Radha-Krsna Arcana-candrika, Dhatu-samgraha, Govinda-virudhavali, Sankalpa-kalpadhruma, Bhavarthasucaka-campu and Sri Radha-Krsna karapada.

radhadamodarmandir.com

One Good Quality in Kali-Yuga

Prabhupada:

dvapare bhagavan syamah
pita-vasa nijayudhah
sri-vatsadibhir ankais ca
laksanair upalaksitah

namas te vasudevaya
namah sankarsanaya ca
pradyumnayaniruddhaya
tubhyam bhagavate namah

These are some of the mantras for offering respect to Krsna. This mantra, you may particularly note down:

namas te vasudevaya
namah sankarsanaya ca
pradyumnayaniruddhaya
tubhyam bhagavate namah
ei mantre dvapare kare krsnarcana
'krsna-nama-sankirtana'-kali-yugera dharma

So in the Dvapara-yuga, this was the process, krsnarcana, worshiping Krsna, and in the Kali-yuga, this pita, this yellowish-colored incarnation of Krsna, Lord Caitanya, He's to be worshiped by this sankirtana movement. Sankirtanair yajnair. This is also called sacrifice, this sankirtana yajna. There are different kinds of yajna. This is called nama-yajna, sacrifice of the holy name of the Supreme Lord.

dharma pravartana kare vrajendra-nandana
preme gaya nace loka kare sankirtana

The process is that the Lord chants and He dances Himself, and people follows similarly. Just like we are painting the picture: the Lord is dancing and everyone is following. And that following can be continued even up to date. God is always there. It is not that Caitanya is not present here. He's always present, and, whenever there is sankirtana, there is this kirtana by the devotees, sincere devotees, it is said that Lord Caitanya is there, present. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Suddha-bhakta, those who are pure devotees. Pure devotees means without any material desire. Those who are pure devotees, those who are determined to go back to Godhead, to Krsna, they are called pure devotees. They have lost all interest for any material enjoyment. They are now determined. They are called pure devotees. So this sankirtana movement creates pure devotees, who gradually loses all interest in the material enjoyment.

Now this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, as I've already explained to you, that is also cited here:

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
[SB 11.5.32]

That Personality, incarnation of God, who is yellowish color and is accompanied by His associates, confidential associates, He is worshiped by this process of sankirtana in this age of Kali.

ara tin-yuge dhyanadite yei phala haya
kali-yuge krsna-name sei phala paya

Ara tina-yuge means this is Kali-yuga, and there are, there were other three yugas: the Satya-yuga, the Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga. There are different processes of realizing God. So Lord Caitanya says, "In other three yugas, what was achieved by meditation, by sacrifice, by temple worship, now that can be achieved in this age by sankirtana. Kalau..."

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
mukta-bandhah param vrajet
[SB 12.3.51]

This is a sloka, verse, from Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with conversation with Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Maharaja Pariksit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate: "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."

So, when he was so sorry, so Sukadeva Gosvami encouraged him, "Maharaja, don't be sorry. There is very nice process in the Kali-yuga. In the midst of so many difficulties of this age, there is one boon, and that boon is one can become liberated from this material entanglement altogether simply by chanting this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama..." Kirtanad eva krsnasya. It was especially mentioned, kirtanad eva krsnasya [SB 12.3.51], simply by chanting Hare Krsna, one can become... This is the greatest boon in this age. Although there are so many difficulties, full of miseries, increase in the greatest volume... The world is, material world is miserable. Just like cold season, this winter season, today we are feeling most inconvenienced. Similarly, this material world is always miserable. But still, in this age it is most miserable, in this age of Kali. But the boon is, the first-class boon is that even there are so many miserable conditions, in the midst of all those disadvantages, one can become free from all contamination simply by krsna..., kirtanad eva krsnasya. Simply by this.

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
[SB 12.3.52]

What was achieved in the Satya-yuga by meditation, what was achieved by offering sacrifices in Treta-yuga, and what was achieved in the Dvapara-yuga by worship, that can be achieved in this age by sankirtana yajna.

dhyayan krte yajan yajnais
tretayam dvapare 'rcayan
yad apnoti tad apnoti
kalau sankirtya kesavam

A similar passage... The two above passages, they are quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Another passage is quoted from Padma Purana. Padma Purana, there are eighteen puranas, puranam. Six puranas are in the modes of goodness, and six puranas are in the modes of passion, and six puranas are in the modes of ignorance -- for different people. Just like in a best institution, there are different classes, different kinds of books of learning, gradual process. Similarly, this Vedic culture is so nice, they don't give one class of literature for all. No. There are so many different literatures because there are so many varieties of people. How can you convince you, convince all classes of people by one literature? No. That is not possible. Now the people are here in your country, they are losing interest in religion because the Bible was given to a certain class of people long, long years before. So people are far advanced in scientific knowledge. So that does not appeal. So they're all... We should always remember that there are always different classes of men, and for different classes... The aim is all the same that, see, "Two plus two equal to four." Nothing. But different classes of men there are. So different class of arithmetic, higher mathematics, middle mathematics, lower mathematics. The mathematical, mathematical principle is the same, "Two plus two...," "One to three to nine." There is no other figure.

So similarly, there are eighteen puranas. Those who are in the modes of passion, those who are in the modes of ignorance, they should also have some chance. For them, oh, "You go and you worship this demigod." Because we are, every one of us, hankering for material acquisition. The disease is that we are simply thinking of... Idam adya maya labdham. "Today I have got so much material possession, and next day I shall have so much, and next day I shall have so much. And next day and next day...," and when next day I shall go away -- that's all. Finish. This is material disease. They're always hankering after. So there are different hankerings, there are different persons. So, the demigods, "All right, you worship. You want this thing, you want a beautiful wife? All right, you worship Uma. You want to be very learned man? All right, you worship this Devi-Sarasvati. Oh, you want to be, get out of your disease? All right, you worship the sun-god." So in this way, there are recommendations.

But in the Bhagavata, after all these recommendations, the Bhagavata concludes,

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta paramam purusa
[SB 2.3.10]

If you have got any desire, still, you go to Krsna. You worship. Krsna recommends. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtino 'rjuna. Even if you go to Krsna for asking something material profit, still it is better. Don't go to other demigods. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya devatah [Bg. 7.20]. The foolish persons, they do not know that the demigods, they cannot offer any benediction. They cannot offer. They are not fool. Just like here in this institution, although you are free, you very kindly ask me, "Swamiji, can I take this fruit?" Why? This is etiquette. Similarly, the demigods, they are not fools. Suppose one man worships a demigod and asks some benefit. Oh, demigod will ask the Lord, Supreme Lord. Or, in another sense, the demigods also do not know, because they are also living entities like us. But isvarah sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is so kind that this person, this particular man, is wanting something, "All right, give him. Give him." Krsna is... This is freedom. There is no argument, "Oh, why Krsna has arranged like this?" He arranges out of His causeless mercy. He can say, He can stop asking the individual soul. But He does not do that. Why He shall do? Then there is no meaning of independence. "All right, you want it? I have arranged it. Take it. Take." So He asks the demigod, "All right, he's asking from you? Give him. Give." So this is going on.

So therefore there are different kinds of literature because there are different kinds of people. But the ultimate literature is, the substance of all Vedic literature is the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krsne sva-dhama upagate dharma-jnanadibhih saha. It is..., there is a verse in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. When Krsna was present He personally gave this Bhagavad-gita and all knowledge. So many people took knowledge. There is another gita, Uddhava-gita. That was spoken to Uddhava. That is in Bhagavata; this is in Mahabharata, Bhagavad-gita. So there is a question by the Saunaka Rsi that, after departure of Krsna, wherefrom knowledge should be searched? So they recommended this Srimad-Bhagavatam. So in the Padma Purana also there is similar passages. In Bhagavatam also, there are similar passages. In all Vedic literature, the same thing is there. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. The last target and the last goal, ultimate goal, is Krsna. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Bhagavata says, akamah sarva-kamo va [SB 2.3.10]. Even if you are this materially desiring, still, you should go to Krsna. And Krsna also confirms, bhajate mam ananya bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Api cet su-duracaro. One should not ask God. But still, if one asks, he's accepted, because he has come to the point, Krsna. That is his good qualification. He's in Krsna consciousness. So all faults there may be, but when one becomes Krsna conscious, everything is nice. Just like there are so mu..., so much snowfall. As soon as there is rise of sun, everything finished. Everything finished. Krsna surya sama. Only we have to wait when the sunrise will be there. Then all these disturbances will be at once cleared.

So we have to take to krsna-surya and everything will be cleared.

kalim sabhajayanty arya
guna-jnah sara-bhaginah
yatra sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate

Sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate. There are nice verse. You see? Here it is said, yatra sankirtanenaiva. This Kali-yuga, this age of Kali, we are condemning so much. But even the demigods, they, I mean to say, highly eulogize this Kali-yuga. Why? Why? Oh, here is a great opportunity. Simply by chanting Hare Krsna, yatra sankirtanena. Yatra means in this Kali-yuga, simply by this sankirtana movement, simply by chanting, sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate, all interest is served. Your material interest, your spiritual interest -- every interest will be served. Lord Caitanya also said, iha haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomara. Just... Even if you are materially desiring something, that also will be fulfilled by simply chanting Hare Krsna. It is such a nice thing. This is... Therefore we call maha-mantra. All...

purvavat likhi yabe gunavatara-gana
asankhya sankhya tanra, na haya ganana
cari-yugavatare ei ta' ganana
suni' bhangi kari' tanre puche sanatana

Now here is a very trick. Sanatana Gosvami, he was politician. He was minister. Now when Lord Caitanya was describing about the incarnations, especially of the incarnation of the Kali-yuga, now he's asking, Sanatana Gosvami is asking to Lord Caitanya,

raja-mantri-sanatana-buddhye brhaspati
prabhura krpate puche asankoca-mati

He's asking very frankly because he's very intelligent. He was minister.

'ati ksudra jiva muni nica, nicacara
kemane janiba kalite kon avatara?'

"My dear Sir, Lord Caitanya, I am the lowest of the lowest. I am very fool number one. So I may inquire from You that how can I understand that this is the incarnation of this age, Kali-yuga?"

prabhu kahe -- anyavatara sastra-dvare jani
kalite avatara taiche sastra-vakye mani

"Oh, why you are in confusion? As other incarnation are to be understood from the indication of the sastras, similarly, we have to understand from the indication of the sastra who is incarnation." Sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana'.

Now sastra, the scripture, is the most first-class evidence, sarvajna munira va..., sarvajna... Because sastras are written not by ordinary person. Not by Rabindranath Tagore, a sex play. (?) No. (laughs) Sastras are written by liberated persons. Therefore sastra, scripture, have got so many advantages and so much respect. So therefore Lord said: sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana'. Sastra paramana. Just like (we) see in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, four hundred thousands of years after there will be avatara, Kalki, and His father's name, His birthplace, is already mentioned there. This is called sastra. Five thousand years before Bhagavata was written, and there is indication that in such and such age, in such and such province, in such and such family, Lord Buddha will appear. That is written there. And five thousand years before, ago, the, the symptoms of Kali-yuga is already written there. And we are experiencing.

In the Bhagavata you'll find, svikara eva hy udhvahe: "In the Kali-yuga, marriage will be performed simply by agreement." Just see. Another... Lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "People will think by keeping long hairs they will be very beautiful." It is stated in Bhagavata. They'll look very beautiful. Lavanyam kesa-dharanam. It is written there if you see. It is not story. Svikara eva hy udvahe. Dampatye ratim eva hi: "And husband and wife relation means sex. That's all." If the husband has got sex power, then there will be no divorce. These are all written there. Simply sex life, husband and wife relationship. Simply sex life. Vipratve sutram eva hi: "And one will be considered a brahmana simply by this thread." These are all written there. A two-cent-worth thread, you get it..., "Oh, you have got thread. Oh, you are a brahmana." That's all. This is going on in India. Two-paisa-worth brahmana. He has all the qualification of less than a candala, but, because he has got this nonsense thread, he's considered a brahmana. So these things are all mentioned. And we have to believe it also that, in the last stage of the Kali-yuga, nobody will understand what is God, what is religion. And there will be no supply of these grains. Now we are getting all these grains. But, as you are, as you are thinking grain is not meant for human being, they are meant for animals, all right, God will stop completely. Then you'll have to live only on the seeds and animal flesh. That is also mentioned. There will be no milk. There will be no sugar. There will be no grain. These things are mentioned. Therefore sastra, it is called sastra. Sarvajna. Sarvajna means the sastra is written by persons who know, who knows the, I mean to say, past, present and future. Everything is clear. Therefore we have got so much respect for scripture. The foolish people say, "Oh, it is also written by man. Why shall I...?" Yes, it is written by man. That's all right. But he's not a man like you. He's liberated man. There are different kinds of men. So don't think all men are like you, all men are like you fools.

So here it is said, sarvajna munira vakya-sastra-'paramana.' Therefore... Tasmat sastra pramana ante. In the Bhagavad-gita also, that everything should act, should be acted in terms of the sastra. Just like when you go to post something, you are, you are directed by the postal guide. Sastra pramana only. So Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as Krsna has given stress upon the evidence, on the scripture, similarly, Lord Caitanya also is giving stress. The question is very interesting. The question is how one should accept a person or a body as incarnation. Lord Caitanya says that through sastra, by the evidence of sastra. So many fools, they are presenting themselves as incarnation. An intelligent person should see whether this fool is mentioned in the sastra. He's presenting himself as incarnation. Whether his activities are, his characteristics is mentioned in the sastra? Then accept. Otherwise, don't accept. This will be discussed more.

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.337-353
New York, December 25, 1966