Small Books by

His Divine Grace

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Srila Prabhupada
 03.
Kåñëa
Consciousness,
The Matchless
Gift
We have been continuously committing sinful activities since time
immemorial, and we do not know when this began, but this life is meant for
rectification of all the mistakes that we have committed. If one sets fire to
unwanted grass and creepers in a field, they will all be burned. Similarly, by
the process of austerity and penance, one can liquidate all sinful activities
and become purified. But Çukadeva Gosvämé suggests an alternate process:
kecit kevalayä bhaktyä väsudeva-paräyaëäù/ aghaà dhunvanti kärtsnyena
néhäram iva bhäskaraù [SB 6.1.15]. Generally, if one leads an austere and
pious life of celibacy, equanimity, charity, etc., people will say that he is a
very pious man, but simply by becoming Kåñëa conscious, one can kill all
the resultant actions of his past sinful life. A fog disappears as soon as the
sun rises, and Kåñëa rises with the brilliance of thousands of suns. This
process is accepted only by someone who is very fortunate. Caitanya
Mahäprabhu therefore said: brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva/ guru-
kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja: [Cc. Madhya 19.151] " By the grace of
Kåñëa and the spiritual master, a fortunate person, after wandering
throughout the universe in different species of life, receives the seed of pure
devotional service." Kåñëa consciousness is meant for the very fortunate, for
simply by accepting this one process a person can surpass all the duties of
austerity, renunciation, celibacy, etc. Çukadeva Gosvämé declares:
…kecit kevalayä bhaktyä: [SB 6.1.15] "One who is extremely fortunate takes
to the process of pure devotional service." Kevala bhakti refers to pure
unalloyed devotional service in which there is no desire but to please Kåñëa.
One should not render devotional service just to increase his income. We
want money to become happy, but if we take to Kåñëa consciousness,
automatically we will become so happy that we will neglect money. Money
will automatically come. Happiness will come. There is no need to endeavor
for these things separately. It was Dhruva Mahäräja who lamented, "How
foolish I was that I took to devotional service with a desire for material
profit." Ordinarily for material profit one goes to his boss or some rich man
or demigod, but a devotee does not go anywhere but to Kåñëa, even if he has
material desires. If one goes to Kåñëa even for material advantages, the day
will come when he forgets material desires, just like Dhruva Mahäräja. He
was repentant, and said, "I came to Kåñëa and asked for something material,
just like one who has pleased a very rich man and who asks him for a few
grains of rice." If a rich man agrees to give us whatever we want, but we ask
him only for a few grains of rice, is that very intelligent? Asking Kåñëa for
material benefit is exactly like this. One need not ask Kåñëa extraneously for
material happiness, for material happiness will automatically roll before his
very feet, pleading, "Please take me, please take me."
Two things cannot go. Our attachment . . . just like a woman, if she is
attached to two men—one husband, another paramour—so two
things cannot go. The attachment increases for the paramour;
otherwise why she accepts a paramour? These are examples there.
Although she's working at the husband's place very nicely, but the
mind is there to the paramour. Because "When I shall meet him at
night, this and that," you see? So if we increase our attachment for
Kṛṣṇa, then the detachment or renouncement of this material world
will automatically come. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt
(SB 11.2.42). If we increase our attachment, then that, Kuntīdevī is
praying. That is also Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You cannot increase your
attachment for Kṛṣṇa without Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You cannot become
devotee . . . therefore we have to simply serve Kṛṣṇa, sevonmukhe. By
service Kṛṣṇa is very satisfied. Kṛṣṇa does not require anyone's service;
He's perfect Himself. But if you give Him service wholeheartedly,
sincerely, then by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, you'll make advancement.
Mahaprabhu has practically taught us. He is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat — No one is superior to him.
All are subordinate (Bhagavad-gītā 7.7). Yet, how did he act?
Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was a professor, a teacher of Vedanta. He
said, “Oh Sri Krishna Chaitanya, you have taken sannyāsa at a young
age. Sannyāsa is very difficult in Kali-yuga. How can you maintain it?
A sannyāsī’s dharma is to hear vedānta, but you are chanting ‘Hare
Krishna’ and dancing! You should hear Vedanta from me.” He had so
much pride because he was thinking, “I am the great professor of
Vedanta.” He wanted to teach Vedanta to he from whom Vedanta has
emanated from his breathing. Mahaprabhu said, “Yes, yes. I am an
ignorant fool. I don’t know anything. I must hear from you.” He was
so humble! He heard from Sarvabhauma for seven continuous days
without saying anything. Finally, Sarvabhauma asked, “Sri Krishna
Chaitanya, did you understand what I said? You are not asking any
questions.” Only then, when he was asked, did Mahaprabhu open his
mouth. He said, “I understand the sūtras very well, but your
explanation is very difficult to understand.”
Common people cannot understand the sūtras, therefore an
explanation is required. But Mahaprabhu said, “Your explanation is
very difficult to understand.” This is because Sarvabhauma was not
presenting the correct explanation. His words were all imaginative. He
was presenting Shankaracharya’s commentary, the Śārīraka-bhāṣya.
Then in a nice, pleasing way, Mahaprabhu defeated him.