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Srila Prabhupada
sa vai bhagavato raja
pandaveyo maha-rathah
bala-kridanakaih kridan
krsna-kridam ya adade
Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of the Pandavas, was from his very childhood a great devotee of
the Lord. Even while playing with dolls, he used to worship Lord Krsna by imitating the worship of the family
Deity."
Prabhupada: Krsna-kridam. Bala-kridanakaih kridan krsna-kridam ya adade. This is the facility of taking birth in a
Vaisnava family. Children, simply by playing with Krsna, they become Krsna conscious. Some way or other, if
somebody comes in contact with Krsna, then his life becomes successful. So this krsna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, can
be practiced even by a child without interfering with his natural propensities. A child naturally wants to play, so
he can play with Krsna Deity. We had the opportunity of doing that. My father was worshiping Krsna Deity. So I
wanted to imitate him, and he gave me small Deity. That Deity is still worshiped. My sister and myself, whatever
we were eating, we were offering exactly the same arcana. And father used to encourage. This Ratha-yatra and
Radha-Go.(?) Krsna temple which we are propagating, it was, from the very beginning of our life, was initiated
by our parents. So anyone can initiate his child to this Krsna consciousness understanding from the very
beginning.
Without any education, without any knowledge. There is no need of high-grade knowledge or education to
understand Krsna consciousness. It is already there in everyone's heart. As it is stated in the
Caitanya-caritamrta, krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha. It is eternally a fact. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha.
Nitya means eternally, and siddha... It is not to be realized, it is already there. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya
kabhu naya. It is not that one has to learn it artificially by some gymnastic. No. Natural. Just like the children
here, they are also dancing with their parents. They are offering flower, trying to imitate how to chant. Naturally.
And they are very much pleased. So similarly, in our Dallas school, if these things are introduced, krsna-krida ... I
have already suggested how they can be engaged in krsna-krida. So some way or other, they should be
engaged in krsna-krida. It doesn't matter whether one understands it or not understands it.
It is just like touchstone or infection. You know or do not know, it will act. Because krsna-bhakti, love for Krsna,
is there in everyone's heart. If it is not so, how you all young boys and girls are taking very seriously? It is a
question of two, three years, or less than that, our students are joining, but they are becoming first-class
krsna-bhaktas, devotees. Even in India, they also are surprised that how these Europeans and Americans are
coming to such nice Krsna consciousness. Not only Europeans, Americans, but Africans also. This is the proof
that love for Krsna is there in everyone's heart. That is stated by Caitanya-caritamrta karaca, Krsnadasa
Kaviraja. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Eternally, it is a fact. Simply it has to be awakened. Just like attraction for
the opposite sex. A girl or a boy. That is natural. It is not unnatural. It has... Nobody goes to a school and
colleges how to love, how to be attracted by young man. No. It doesn't require any education.
The natural instinct is already there. When the boy and the girl are grown up, naturally the attraction is there,
spontaneous. Similarly, he has to be, they have to be brought up in the proper situation. In India, therefore,
early marriage is recommended, according to sastra. According to Vedic civilization, a girl, before attaining
puberty, must be married. There are so many injunctions about that. And the responsibility is of the father, or, in
the absence of father, the elderly members or brothers. It is called kanya-daya. Kanya-daya means it is the
obligation. You cannot avoid it. You can avoid the marriage of your son, but you cannot avoid the marriage of
your daughter. That is Vedic injunction. Of course, when the marriage of daughter is there, there must be one
boy. That is understood. But special care is taken for daughter's marriage, some way or other. If he has no
money, he begs from friends and gets his daughter married. This is system. Because there is time.
It will be hankering. There will be hankering for sex. So if there is ready husband, then the girl is sent. That is
the psychology. So our point is that as this hankering after sex or the opposite sex is natural, it doesn't require
to be educated, similarly, krsna-bhakti is also natural. It is not that because we have established this temple
and people are here... Of course, there is practice, but that practice is also very simple. Simply you have to hear.
That's all. It doesn't require any gymnastic. Just like in other yogic process, hatha-yoga, you have to learn so
many things: yama, niyama, dhyana, dharana, asana, pranayama, so many things. But here there is no need.
Simply sit down and hear about Krsna. That's all. But that hearing must be from a person who is realized. Then it
will act. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha sadhya kabhu naya, sravanadi-suddha-citte. By hearing, the more your heart
will be cleansed of all material infection, you will understand what is Krsna.
In dirty heart you cannot. Therefore to cleanse the heart it is required that you regularly hear. Therefore we are
holding this class, chanting Hare Krsna or about Krsna. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu said that we must hear about Krsna twenty-four hours. Not that a particular time I hear and then
stop. Don't stop. Mold your life in such a way that you... Just like Pariksit Maharaja. From the very beginning of
life, taught krsna-kridam. Read purport.
Pradyumna: "In the Bhagavad-gita (6.41) it is stated that even a person who has failed in the proper discharge
of yoga practice is given a chance to take birth in the house of devout brahmanas or in the houses of rich men
like ksatriya kings or rich merchants. But Maharaja Pariksit was more than that because he was a great devotee
of the Lord since his previous birth, and as such he took his birth in an imperial family of the Kurus, and
especially that of the Pandavas. So from the very beginning of his childhood he had the chance of knowing
intimately the devotional service of Lord Krsna in his own family. The Pandavas, all being devotees of the Lord,
certainly venerated family Deities in the royal palace for worship. Children who appear in such families
fortunately..."
Prabhupada: People still, in India, those who are rich men, they have got their family temple Deities. One temple
is there in Kanpur. The family members, they are very rich. The rule is that if the family members do not come in
the temple to offer obeisances to the Deity, they'll be fined. The mother, the head of the family... Mother is still
living. She has imposed this law, that "Any of my children or grandchildren, if he or she does not visit the temple,
then according to this rule, this fine should be realized from them." So if somebody misses to go in the temple
one day, the priest presents the bill: "Sir, you have been fined five rupees." (Laughter) So they pay. Yes. So we
should also enforce that rule. Anyone who is not attending mangala-arati should be fined. (laughter) And the
fine should be that he must sell one Krsna book. (laughter) Is that all right?
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities,
even in the way..."
Prabhupada: Children's nature is to imitate, because they have to learn. So nature has given them the
propensity to imitate. So the first imitation begins from the parents. So if the parent is nice Krsna devotee,
naturally the children become devotees. That is the opportunity of taking birth in a Vaisnava family. So you are
all Vaisnavas. If your children do not become Vaisnava in the future, then it is a great, I meant to say, fault on
your part. So you should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually
Krsna conscious. That means you have to imitate, er, you have to be devotee, and they will imitate. By imitation,
imitation, imitation, they will come to Krsna consciousness. Then they will never give it up. Go on.
Pradyumna: "By the grace of Lord Sri Krsna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our
childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krsna by imitating our father, and our father encouraged us in all
respects to observe all functions such as Ratha-yatra and Dola-yatra ceremonies, and he used to spend money
liberally for distributing prasada to us children and our friends. Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a
Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father Thakura Bhaktivinoda. That is the way of all
lucky Vaisnava families. The celebrated Mira Bhai was a staunch devotee of Lord Krsna as the great lifter of
Govardhana Hill. The life history of many such devotees is almost the same because there is always symmetry
between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord. According to Jiva Gosvami, Maharaja Pariksit must have
heard about the childhood pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrndavana, for he used to imitate the pastimes with his
young playmates.
According to Sridhara Svami, Maharaja Pariksit used to imitate the worship of the family Deity by elderly
members. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti also confirms the viewpoint of Jiva Gosvami. So accepting either of them,
Maharaja Pariksit was naturally inclined to Lord Krsna from his very childhood, and he might have imitated either
of the above-mentioned procedures, and all of them established his great devotion from his very childhood, a
symptom of a maha-bhagavata. Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, or souls liberated from birth.
But there are also others who may not be liberated from birth but who develop a tendency for devotional
service by association, and they are called sadhana-siddhas. There is no difference between the two in the
ultimate issue, and so the conclusion is that everyone can become a sadhana-siddha, a devotee of the Lord,
simply by association with the pure devotees. The concrete example is our great spiritual master Sri Narada
Muni. In his previous life he was simply a boy of a maidservant, but through association with great devotees he
became a devotee of the Lord in his own standard, unique in the history of devotional service."
Prabhupada: So this is the difference between sadhana-siddha and nitya-siddha. Gaurangera sangi-gane,
nitya-siddha kari' mane, se yaya vrajendra-suta-pasa. Gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jane cintamani, tara haya
vrajabhume vasa. So nitya-siddha means he has no chance to forget Krsna. That is called nitya-siddha. And
sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles, the rules and regulations, one revives his Krsna
consciousness. Both things are siddha because you cannot revive Krsna consciousness without being Krsna
conscious. It may be covered. So nitya-siddha means he does not get covered by the influence of material
nature about his natural devotional tendency to serve Krsna. He never becomes covered. This is difference.
Krsna gives him chance to get birth in such a family. Just like Pariksit Maharaja, that he never gets the chance of
forgetting Krsna. So one who does not get the chance of forgetting Krsna is called nitya-siddha. This is the
difference.
And sadhana-siddha means one has forgotten Krsna. That is the position of all materialistic men. Every one of
us forgotten. But even though forgotten, the thing is there. It has to be awakened only. And the awakening
process is hearing. Just like you are out of your family touch for many years. Practically, you have forgotten.
Now, if somebody comes to you, some friend, "Do you remember your child, when he came out, he was such
little, and now he is grown-up? Now he's this, that, so on." If for some days this topics of the family is... then
again he becomes attracted: "Let me go and see." It is natural. Similarly, anyone who has forgotten Krsna
somehow or other -- the cause may be so many -- but if he is given chance to hear about Krsna... Srnvatam
sva-kathah krsnah.
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]
As soon as somehow or other one begins to hear about Krsna. Either by his natural inclination or by chance or
any way, he comes to hear about Krsna, attempts hearing about Krsna, then... Krsna is within everyone's heart,
Paramatma. So Krsna helps him immediately. Krsna helps both ways. If you want to forget Krsna, Krsna will help
you with that, so that you will be able to forget Krsna. Similarly, if you want to revive your lost relationship with
Krsna again, Krsna will help you.
These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam
priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. One who is engaged twenty-four hours in rendering service to the Lord with faith
and devotion, bhajatam ... Bhajatam, this word is used. Bhaja, seva, service. Bhaja sevaya. Every verbal root
has got particular meaning. When this bhajatam, bhajana ... Just we call bhajana. Bhajana means serving the
Lord. So bhajatam, one who is engaged always. Tesam nitya, satata-yuktanam. Twenty-four hours he's
engaged. In that stage, Krsna is become, Krsna is very pleased upon you: "No, now he has taken to My service.
He's engaged twenty-four hours. All right, let Me give some instruction."
So Krsna (is) within you. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. One profit is, by
hearing about Krsna, he becomes gradually sinless, simply by hearing. Unless we are sinful, we don't come into
the material world. So we have to become sinless before going back to home, back to Godhead. Because
kingdom of God ... God is pure, the kingdom is pure. No impure living entity can enter there. So one has to
become pure. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam anta-gatam papam. "One who has completely
been freed from all sinful reaction of his life," yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, "and
always engaged in pious activities, no more sinful activities..." So this Krsna consciousness movement is that
once he's given chance to erase all the sinful activities and keeping himself intact: no illicit sex, no intoxication,
no meat-eating, no gambling. If we follow these regulations, then after initiation, all my sins are washed off. And
if I keep myself in that washed-off position, then where is the question of becoming sinful again?
But once washed off... You take your bath and again take the dust and throw on your body -- that process will
not help. If you say, "I take again wash and again throw," then what is the use of washing? Wash off. Once
washed off, now keep yourself in that washed-off condition. That is required. So that will be possible if you keep
yourself constantly in touch with Krsna by hearing about Him. That's all. You have to remain uncontaminated.
And that is punya-sravana-kirtanah. If you hear about Krsna, then punya, you will be always in pious position.
Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Either you chant or... Therefore our recommendation is always chant Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So we should be careful about
our slipping down again into the sinful activity. Everyone should be careful and keep oneself in the chanting
process. Then he's all right. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. And gradually,
as you go on hearing about Krsna, the all the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed.
The dirty things are that "I am a material body; I am American; I am Indian; I am Hindu; I am Muslim; I am this; I
am that." These are all different types of covering of the soul. The uncovered soul is fully conscious that "I am
eternal servant of God." That's all. One has no other identification. That is called mukti. When one comes to the
understanding that "I am eternal servant of Krsna, God, and my only business is to serve Him," that is called
mukti. Mukti does not mean that you will have another two hands, another two legs. No. The same thing, simply
it is cleansed. Just like a man is suffering from fever. The symptoms are so many, but as soon as the fever is not
there, then all the symptoms gone. So our, this fever in this material world is sense gratification. Sense
gratification. This is the fever. So when we become engaged in Krsna consciousness, this sense gratification
business ceases. That is the difference. That is the test how you are becoming advanced in Krsna consciousness.
Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. That is the test. So because this disease is called
bhava-roga... Bhava-roga means again and again taking birth, bhava-roga. But if we take the medicine,
bhavausadhi. Everything is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhava-roga, the disease of repeated birth and
death in the material world, and the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is bhavausadhi, the medicine to cure this
bhava-roga. Bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat virajyeta puman vina
pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. There are very nice verses in Bhagavatam. Nivrtta-tarsair
upagiyamanat. This chanting of the holy name of Krsna, or God, is possible by a person who is disgusted with all
these material activities. They can actually chant. That means mukta-purusa, liberated soul. It is ... The chanting
of Hare Krsna mantra is the business of liberated soul, not for the conditioned soul. But even in our conditioned
life, we chant, we become gradually purified.
Therefore it is recommended that everyone should chant. Never mind. Nama om apavitrah pavitro va yah smaret
pundarikaksam. Anyone who remembers the Pundarikaksa. By chanting, you'll remember. So nivrtta-tarsair
upagiyamanad bhavausadhat [SB 10.1.4]. It is the medicine for our, this bhava-roga, repeated birth and ... Such
a nice thing. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat. Not only it is medicine ...
Medicine is always bitter. But it is not bitter. Mano 'bhiramat. It is very pleasing to the mind, to the senses.
Otherwise, how we become ecstatic in chanting unless it is pleasing? It is medicine, but pleasing medicine. Other
medicines, they are very bitter. If you practice yoga, oh, you have to take so much labor. And that, you do not
know whether you'll be successful or not, hatha-yoga. And if you take to jnana, that also requires much
education, much understanding of philosophy. So they actually, although they are medicine, but they are bitter
medicine.
Not very palatable. Neither everyone can take it. A child cannot become a jnani. A child cannot become a yogi.
But a child can become a bhakta. Therefore this is the easiest process. Pleasing. Everyone is pleased to execute
this process. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Mano-'bhiramat.
Even for ordinary men who wants to hear about conjugal love... They read therefore so many novels, fiction,
dramas. What is that? The love affairs between one young man, one young girl. But that is also there, Krsna,
Radha-Krsna. In that sense also, it is pleasing.
Even to the ordinary man. So, mano 'bhiramat, it is very pleasing. Nivrtta-tarsaih... For philosophers it is also
pleasing. We are talking all of philosophy in Bhagavata. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac
chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat. Uttamasloka is Krsna, who is worshiped by
offering nice, selected slokas, authorized. Just like we offer prayer, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa...
[Bs. 5.29]. Each line is full of poetry, poetic and literary character, grammar. Anything you take, they're all full. All
Bhagavata, all Srimad-Bhagavatam. You cannot produce such literature in this day. Such meaningful. Because
Vyasadeva was incarnation, he could produce. Therefore it is uttamasloka: by the best selected verses, Krsna is
described.
So who can be away from such activities, to hear about Uttamasloka through nice verses, philosophy? Who can
be bereft? Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Only the animal-hunter or the animal-killer. The animal-killer cannot
understand. Therefore it is prohibited, no meat-eating, no flesh-eating. This is the greatest disqualification for
understanding. One cannot understand. The animal-killer cannot understand. Therefore it has to (be) stopped.
Vina pasughnat. Pasughnat means... Ghna means "killer," and pasu means "animal." And another meaning is,
pasu means oneself, living entity-ghna. So either one is killing himself or killing animals, such person cannot
understand about the glories of the Lord. It is not possible. Pariksit Maharaja said that, ka
uttamasloka-gunanuvadat puman virajyeta vina pasughnat. Only the animal-killers.
TOP
sa vai bhagavato raja
pandaveyo maha-rathah
bala-kridanakaih kridan
krsna-kridam ya adade
Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, the grandson of the Pandavas, was from his very childhood a great devotee of
the Lord. Even while playing with dolls, he used to worship Lord Krsna by imitating the worship of the family
Deity."
Prabhupada: Krsna-kridam. Bala-kridanakaih kridan krsna-kridam ya adade. This is the facility of taking birth in a
Vaisnava family. Children, simply by playing with Krsna, they become Krsna conscious. Some way or other, if
somebody comes in contact with Krsna, then his life becomes successful. So this krsna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, can
be practiced even by a child without interfering with his natural propensities. A child naturally wants to play, so
he can play with Krsna Deity. We had the opportunity of doing that. My father was worshiping Krsna Deity. So I
wanted to imitate him, and he gave me small Deity. That Deity is still worshiped. My sister and myself, whatever
we were eating, we were offering exactly the same arcana. And father used to encourage. This Ratha-yatra and
Radha-Go.(?) Krsna temple which we are propagating, it was, from the very beginning of our life, was initiated
by our parents. So anyone can initiate his child to this Krsna consciousness understanding from the very
beginning.
Without any education, without any knowledge. There is no need of high-grade knowledge or education to
understand Krsna consciousness. It is already there in everyone's heart. As it is stated in the
Caitanya-caritamrta, krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha. It is eternally a fact. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha.
Nitya means eternally, and siddha... It is not to be realized, it is already there. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya
kabhu naya. It is not that one has to learn it artificially by some gymnastic. No. Natural. Just like the children
here, they are also dancing with their parents. They are offering flower, trying to imitate how to chant. Naturally.
And they are very much pleased. So similarly, in our Dallas school, if these things are introduced, krsna-krida ... I
have already suggested how they can be engaged in krsna-krida. So some way or other, they should be
engaged in krsna-krida. It doesn't matter whether one understands it or not understands it.
It is just like touchstone or infection. You know or do not know, it will act. Because krsna-bhakti, love for Krsna,
is there in everyone's heart. If it is not so, how you all young boys and girls are taking very seriously? It is a
question of two, three years, or less than that, our students are joining, but they are becoming first-class
krsna-bhaktas, devotees. Even in India, they also are surprised that how these Europeans and Americans are
coming to such nice Krsna consciousness. Not only Europeans, Americans, but Africans also. This is the proof
that love for Krsna is there in everyone's heart. That is stated by Caitanya-caritamrta karaca, Krsnadasa
Kaviraja. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha. Eternally, it is a fact. Simply it has to be awakened. Just like attraction for
the opposite sex. A girl or a boy. That is natural. It is not unnatural. It has... Nobody goes to a school and
colleges how to love, how to be attracted by young man. No. It doesn't require any education.
The natural instinct is already there. When the boy and the girl are grown up, naturally the attraction is there,
spontaneous. Similarly, he has to be, they have to be brought up in the proper situation. In India, therefore,
early marriage is recommended, according to sastra. According to Vedic civilization, a girl, before attaining
puberty, must be married. There are so many injunctions about that. And the responsibility is of the father, or, in
the absence of father, the elderly members or brothers. It is called kanya-daya. Kanya-daya means it is the
obligation. You cannot avoid it. You can avoid the marriage of your son, but you cannot avoid the marriage of
your daughter. That is Vedic injunction. Of course, when the marriage of daughter is there, there must be one
boy. That is understood. But special care is taken for daughter's marriage, some way or other. If he has no
money, he begs from friends and gets his daughter married. This is system. Because there is time.
It will be hankering. There will be hankering for sex. So if there is ready husband, then the girl is sent. That is
the psychology. So our point is that as this hankering after sex or the opposite sex is natural, it doesn't require
to be educated, similarly, krsna-bhakti is also natural. It is not that because we have established this temple
and people are here... Of course, there is practice, but that practice is also very simple. Simply you have to hear.
That's all. It doesn't require any gymnastic. Just like in other yogic process, hatha-yoga, you have to learn so
many things: yama, niyama, dhyana, dharana, asana, pranayama, so many things. But here there is no need.
Simply sit down and hear about Krsna. That's all. But that hearing must be from a person who is realized. Then it
will act. Krsna-bhakti nitya-siddha sadhya kabhu naya, sravanadi-suddha-citte. By hearing, the more your heart
will be cleansed of all material infection, you will understand what is Krsna.
In dirty heart you cannot. Therefore to cleanse the heart it is required that you regularly hear. Therefore we are
holding this class, chanting Hare Krsna or about Krsna. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu said that we must hear about Krsna twenty-four hours. Not that a particular time I hear and then
stop. Don't stop. Mold your life in such a way that you... Just like Pariksit Maharaja. From the very beginning of
life, taught krsna-kridam. Read purport.
Pradyumna: "In the Bhagavad-gita (6.41) it is stated that even a person who has failed in the proper discharge
of yoga practice is given a chance to take birth in the house of devout brahmanas or in the houses of rich men
like ksatriya kings or rich merchants. But Maharaja Pariksit was more than that because he was a great devotee
of the Lord since his previous birth, and as such he took his birth in an imperial family of the Kurus, and
especially that of the Pandavas. So from the very beginning of his childhood he had the chance of knowing
intimately the devotional service of Lord Krsna in his own family. The Pandavas, all being devotees of the Lord,
certainly venerated family Deities in the royal palace for worship. Children who appear in such families
fortunately..."
Prabhupada: People still, in India, those who are rich men, they have got their family temple Deities. One temple
is there in Kanpur. The family members, they are very rich. The rule is that if the family members do not come in
the temple to offer obeisances to the Deity, they'll be fined. The mother, the head of the family... Mother is still
living. She has imposed this law, that "Any of my children or grandchildren, if he or she does not visit the temple,
then according to this rule, this fine should be realized from them." So if somebody misses to go in the temple
one day, the priest presents the bill: "Sir, you have been fined five rupees." (Laughter) So they pay. Yes. So we
should also enforce that rule. Anyone who is not attending mangala-arati should be fined. (laughter) And the
fine should be that he must sell one Krsna book. (laughter) Is that all right?
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.
Pradyumna: "Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities,
even in the way..."
Prabhupada: Children's nature is to imitate, because they have to learn. So nature has given them the
propensity to imitate. So the first imitation begins from the parents. So if the parent is nice Krsna devotee,
naturally the children become devotees. That is the opportunity of taking birth in a Vaisnava family. So you are
all Vaisnavas. If your children do not become Vaisnava in the future, then it is a great, I meant to say, fault on
your part. So you should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually
Krsna conscious. That means you have to imitate, er, you have to be devotee, and they will imitate. By imitation,
imitation, imitation, they will come to Krsna consciousness. Then they will never give it up. Go on.
Pradyumna: "By the grace of Lord Sri Krsna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our
childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krsna by imitating our father, and our father encouraged us in all
respects to observe all functions such as Ratha-yatra and Dola-yatra ceremonies, and he used to spend money
liberally for distributing prasada to us children and our friends. Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a
Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father Thakura Bhaktivinoda. That is the way of all
lucky Vaisnava families. The celebrated Mira Bhai was a staunch devotee of Lord Krsna as the great lifter of
Govardhana Hill. The life history of many such devotees is almost the same because there is always symmetry
between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord. According to Jiva Gosvami, Maharaja Pariksit must have
heard about the childhood pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrndavana, for he used to imitate the pastimes with his
young playmates.
According to Sridhara Svami, Maharaja Pariksit used to imitate the worship of the family Deity by elderly
members. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti also confirms the viewpoint of Jiva Gosvami. So accepting either of them,
Maharaja Pariksit was naturally inclined to Lord Krsna from his very childhood, and he might have imitated either
of the above-mentioned procedures, and all of them established his great devotion from his very childhood, a
symptom of a maha-bhagavata. Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, or souls liberated from birth.
But there are also others who may not be liberated from birth but who develop a tendency for devotional
service by association, and they are called sadhana-siddhas. There is no difference between the two in the
ultimate issue, and so the conclusion is that everyone can become a sadhana-siddha, a devotee of the Lord,
simply by association with the pure devotees. The concrete example is our great spiritual master Sri Narada
Muni. In his previous life he was simply a boy of a maidservant, but through association with great devotees he
became a devotee of the Lord in his own standard, unique in the history of devotional service."
Prabhupada: So this is the difference between sadhana-siddha and nitya-siddha. Gaurangera sangi-gane,
nitya-siddha kari' mane, se yaya vrajendra-suta-pasa. Gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jane cintamani, tara haya
vrajabhume vasa. So nitya-siddha means he has no chance to forget Krsna. That is called nitya-siddha. And
sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles, the rules and regulations, one revives his Krsna
consciousness. Both things are siddha because you cannot revive Krsna consciousness without being Krsna
conscious. It may be covered. So nitya-siddha means he does not get covered by the influence of material
nature about his natural devotional tendency to serve Krsna. He never becomes covered. This is difference.
Krsna gives him chance to get birth in such a family. Just like Pariksit Maharaja, that he never gets the chance of
forgetting Krsna. So one who does not get the chance of forgetting Krsna is called nitya-siddha. This is the
difference.
And sadhana-siddha means one has forgotten Krsna. That is the position of all materialistic men. Every one of
us forgotten. But even though forgotten, the thing is there. It has to be awakened only. And the awakening
process is hearing. Just like you are out of your family touch for many years. Practically, you have forgotten.
Now, if somebody comes to you, some friend, "Do you remember your child, when he came out, he was such
little, and now he is grown-up? Now he's this, that, so on." If for some days this topics of the family is... then
again he becomes attracted: "Let me go and see." It is natural. Similarly, anyone who has forgotten Krsna
somehow or other -- the cause may be so many -- but if he is given chance to hear about Krsna... Srnvatam
sva-kathah krsnah.
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]
As soon as somehow or other one begins to hear about Krsna. Either by his natural inclination or by chance or
any way, he comes to hear about Krsna, attempts hearing about Krsna, then... Krsna is within everyone's heart,
Paramatma. So Krsna helps him immediately. Krsna helps both ways. If you want to forget Krsna, Krsna will help
you with that, so that you will be able to forget Krsna. Similarly, if you want to revive your lost relationship with
Krsna again, Krsna will help you.
These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam
priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. One who is engaged twenty-four hours in rendering service to the Lord with faith
and devotion, bhajatam ... Bhajatam, this word is used. Bhaja, seva, service. Bhaja sevaya. Every verbal root
has got particular meaning. When this bhajatam, bhajana ... Just we call bhajana. Bhajana means serving the
Lord. So bhajatam, one who is engaged always. Tesam nitya, satata-yuktanam. Twenty-four hours he's
engaged. In that stage, Krsna is become, Krsna is very pleased upon you: "No, now he has taken to My service.
He's engaged twenty-four hours. All right, let Me give some instruction."
So Krsna (is) within you. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. One profit is, by
hearing about Krsna, he becomes gradually sinless, simply by hearing. Unless we are sinful, we don't come into
the material world. So we have to become sinless before going back to home, back to Godhead. Because
kingdom of God ... God is pure, the kingdom is pure. No impure living entity can enter there. So one has to
become pure. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam anta-gatam papam. "One who has completely
been freed from all sinful reaction of his life," yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, "and
always engaged in pious activities, no more sinful activities..." So this Krsna consciousness movement is that
once he's given chance to erase all the sinful activities and keeping himself intact: no illicit sex, no intoxication,
no meat-eating, no gambling. If we follow these regulations, then after initiation, all my sins are washed off. And
if I keep myself in that washed-off position, then where is the question of becoming sinful again?
But once washed off... You take your bath and again take the dust and throw on your body -- that process will
not help. If you say, "I take again wash and again throw," then what is the use of washing? Wash off. Once
washed off, now keep yourself in that washed-off condition. That is required. So that will be possible if you keep
yourself constantly in touch with Krsna by hearing about Him. That's all. You have to remain uncontaminated.
And that is punya-sravana-kirtanah. If you hear about Krsna, then punya, you will be always in pious position.
Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Either you chant or... Therefore our recommendation is always chant Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So we should be careful about
our slipping down again into the sinful activity. Everyone should be careful and keep oneself in the chanting
process. Then he's all right. So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. And gradually,
as you go on hearing about Krsna, the all the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed.
The dirty things are that "I am a material body; I am American; I am Indian; I am Hindu; I am Muslim; I am this; I
am that." These are all different types of covering of the soul. The uncovered soul is fully conscious that "I am
eternal servant of God." That's all. One has no other identification. That is called mukti. When one comes to the
understanding that "I am eternal servant of Krsna, God, and my only business is to serve Him," that is called
mukti. Mukti does not mean that you will have another two hands, another two legs. No. The same thing, simply
it is cleansed. Just like a man is suffering from fever. The symptoms are so many, but as soon as the fever is not
there, then all the symptoms gone. So our, this fever in this material world is sense gratification. Sense
gratification. This is the fever. So when we become engaged in Krsna consciousness, this sense gratification
business ceases. That is the difference. That is the test how you are becoming advanced in Krsna consciousness.
Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. That is the test. So because this disease is called
bhava-roga... Bhava-roga means again and again taking birth, bhava-roga. But if we take the medicine,
bhavausadhi. Everything is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhava-roga, the disease of repeated birth and
death in the material world, and the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is bhavausadhi, the medicine to cure this
bhava-roga. Bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat virajyeta puman vina
pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. There are very nice verses in Bhagavatam. Nivrtta-tarsair
upagiyamanat. This chanting of the holy name of Krsna, or God, is possible by a person who is disgusted with all
these material activities. They can actually chant. That means mukta-purusa, liberated soul. It is ... The chanting
of Hare Krsna mantra is the business of liberated soul, not for the conditioned soul. But even in our conditioned
life, we chant, we become gradually purified.
Therefore it is recommended that everyone should chant. Never mind. Nama om apavitrah pavitro va yah smaret
pundarikaksam. Anyone who remembers the Pundarikaksa. By chanting, you'll remember. So nivrtta-tarsair
upagiyamanad bhavausadhat [SB 10.1.4]. It is the medicine for our, this bhava-roga, repeated birth and ... Such
a nice thing. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat. Not only it is medicine ...
Medicine is always bitter. But it is not bitter. Mano 'bhiramat. It is very pleasing to the mind, to the senses.
Otherwise, how we become ecstatic in chanting unless it is pleasing? It is medicine, but pleasing medicine. Other
medicines, they are very bitter. If you practice yoga, oh, you have to take so much labor. And that, you do not
know whether you'll be successful or not, hatha-yoga. And if you take to jnana, that also requires much
education, much understanding of philosophy. So they actually, although they are medicine, but they are bitter
medicine.
Not very palatable. Neither everyone can take it. A child cannot become a jnani. A child cannot become a yogi.
But a child can become a bhakta. Therefore this is the easiest process. Pleasing. Everyone is pleased to execute
this process. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Mano-'bhiramat.
Even for ordinary men who wants to hear about conjugal love... They read therefore so many novels, fiction,
dramas. What is that? The love affairs between one young man, one young girl. But that is also there, Krsna,
Radha-Krsna. In that sense also, it is pleasing.
Even to the ordinary man. So, mano 'bhiramat, it is very pleasing. Nivrtta-tarsaih... For philosophers it is also
pleasing. We are talking all of philosophy in Bhagavata. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac
chrotra-mano-'bhiramat [SB 10.1.4]. Ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat. Uttamasloka is Krsna, who is worshiped by
offering nice, selected slokas, authorized. Just like we offer prayer, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa...
[Bs. 5.29]. Each line is full of poetry, poetic and literary character, grammar. Anything you take, they're all full. All
Bhagavata, all Srimad-Bhagavatam. You cannot produce such literature in this day. Such meaningful. Because
Vyasadeva was incarnation, he could produce. Therefore it is uttamasloka: by the best selected verses, Krsna is
described.
So who can be away from such activities, to hear about Uttamasloka through nice verses, philosophy? Who can
be bereft? Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Only the animal-hunter or the animal-killer. The animal-killer cannot
understand. Therefore it is prohibited, no meat-eating, no flesh-eating. This is the greatest disqualification for
understanding. One cannot understand. The animal-killer cannot understand. Therefore it has to (be) stopped.
Vina pasughnat. Pasughnat means... Ghna means "killer," and pasu means "animal." And another meaning is,
pasu means oneself, living entity-ghna. So either one is killing himself or killing animals, such person cannot
understand about the glories of the Lord. It is not possible. Pariksit Maharaja said that, ka
uttamasloka-gunanuvadat puman virajyeta vina pasughnat. Only the animal-killers.
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