Prabhupada: (leads word-for-word chanting)

"...kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan
nanavataram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu
krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ; puman yo
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

ramante yogino 'nante
satyanande cid-atmani
iti rama-padenasau
paraṁ brahmabhidhiyate
[Cc. Madhya 9.29]

Ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan [Bs. 5.39]." Rama, Nrsiṁha, Varaha, Vamana, Parasurama, Balarama, Buddha—there are innumerable incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ramadi, of whom Lord Ramacandra is the chief. So ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan [Bs. 5.39]. Krṣṇa simultaneously existing with His innumerable incarnation like Rama, Nrsiṁha, Varaha, ity adi. Ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan nanavataram akarot [Bs. 5.39]. So Krṣṇa accepted so many innumerable incarnations, but the Supreme Personality, parama-puruṣa, is Krṣṇa. Ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan nanavataram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu, krṣṇaḥ; svayam, krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat [Bs. 5.39]. In spite of His coming in different multi-incarnations, He personally also descends. Krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ; puman yo [Bs. 5.39]. The Supreme Personality. Govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami **. This is the prayer offered by Lord Brahma.

Then again, in the Satvata Puraṇa the explanation of Rama is given. Rama, the word comes from the ram-dhatu, ramante. Ramante means fulfilling desires. So ramante yogino 'nante. Those who are yogis.... Karmi, jñani and yogi. And amongst the yogis, the bhakti-yogi is the topmost.

yoginam api sarveṣaṁ
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo maṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ;
[Bg. 6.47]

So yogis, they are not interested with material enjoyment because material enjoyment is temporary. So ramante yogino 'nante. Everyone is seeking after happiness, blissful life. But those who are less intelligent, muḍha, they are satisfied with temporary so-called happiness of material existence. But yogis are not like that. Yogis are interested in the permanent happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante, not ante.

Antavanta ime dehaḥ;. Anta means this body. Antavanta ime deha nityasyoktaḥ; saririṇaḥ;: [2.18] "But within the body, the proprietor of the body is nitya." So nityo nityanam. If I am nitya, eternal, then I should be interested in eternal happiness. But the eternal happiness is not possible to enjoy by this body. Therefore it is said, ramante yoginaḥ; anante. So ananta-ramaṇa, that is the description of Rama. Rama means ananta-ananda, unlimited happiness. Iti rama-padenasau paraṁ brahmabhidhiyate [Cc. Madhya 9.29]. Rama is paraṁ brahma, and Krṣṇa is also paraṁ brahma. Krṣṇa is recognized by Arjuna after understanding Bhagavad-gita, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhama pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. So there is no different between Rama and Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa is also paraṁ brahma and Rama is also paraṁ brahma. [break] ...day of Lord Ramacandra. So we Vaiṣṇava, we have equal faith and obeisances to all viṣṇu-murtis, ramadi-murtiṣu, Rama, Nrsiṁha, Varaha, Narayaṇa, Mahaviṣṇu.... There are advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. But we Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇava or Madhva-Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇava, we are worshiper of Lord Krṣṇa murti. Lord Ramacandra's murti and Krṣṇa's murti, there is no difference. But as I have already explained, Krṣṇa paraṁ brahma full-fledged, and Lord Ramacandra is also paraṁ brahma, but He did not exhibit His full-fledged opulence. So these are very confidential things, but still, on the birthday of Lord Ramacandra we offer our respectful obeisances at His lotus feet so that He may be merciful upon us to bestow His bhakti, devotional service.

We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the sastra, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ; [Brs. 1.2.234]. So although there is no difference between Sri Rama and Sri Krṣṇa, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Krṣṇa disappeared from the rasa dance and the gopis were very much eager to find out Krṣṇa again. So when they were too much eager to see Krṣṇa, where He is, Krṣṇa appeared as Narayaṇa, four-handed Narayaṇa. The gopis saw narayaṇa-murti but did not become attracted by Him. All the gopis said, "Oh, He is Narayaṇa. Let us offer our respect," and they went away. Actually there is no difference between Krṣṇa and Narayaṇa. (aside:) What is that? But gopis were not very much interested with Narayaṇa. They wanted Krṣṇa, although there is no difference between Narayaṇa and Krṣṇa. Similarly, although there is no difference between Rama and Krṣṇa, some devotees are attracted with rama-murti and some devotees are attracted with krṣṇa-murti. But factually there is no difference.

But in the sastras it is said that if you chant the name of Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu-sahasra-nama, by chanting one thousand times Lord Viṣṇu's name is equal to one name of Rama. And by chanting three times the name of Lord Rama it is equal to one name of Krṣṇa. This is the verdict of the sastra. So when we chant Hare Krṣṇa, Rama is there already, three times. It is not that because we are chanting Hare Krṣṇa we are neglecting Rama, no. With each Krṣṇa name there are three times Rama name. That is the verdict of the sastra.

Besides that, we are chanting also Hare Rama. Hare Rama and Sita-Rama the same thing. Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa or Hare Rama Hare Rama, there is no difference. This is also rama-nama, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. In the sastras it is recommended, Agni Puraṇa, Brahmaṇḍa Puraṇa, Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad, the

Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

Besides that, when we chant Krṣṇa's name, we chant also Lord Rama's name. Just like in the prayer offered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa
krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa he
krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa
krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa he

krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa
krṣṇa krṣṇa rakṣa mam
krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa krṣṇa
krṣṇa krṣṇa pahi mam

rama raghava rama raghava
rama raghava rakṣa mam
krṣṇa kesava krṣṇa kesava
krṣṇa kesava pahi mam

So devotees, they always chant together Krṣṇa's name and Rama's name. So when there is question of rama-nama, there is Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. That is rama-nama.

So there is no partiality, that "These people are simply after Krṣṇa." Of course, we are little more attached to Krṣṇa, but that does not mean we do not know who is Lord Ramacandra. We know that He is also Krṣṇa Himself in His different feature of pastime.

ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan
nanavataram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu
krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ; puman yo
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

Now let us begin our regular class. (begins chanting Jaya Radha-Madhava) [break]

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vasudevaya (twice—devotees respond). (leads chanting of verse, Bg. 4.12, with devotees responding)

kaṅkṣantaḥ; karmaṇaṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devataḥ;
kṣipraṁ hi manuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-ja

[break] "...world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world."

Prabhupada:

kaṅkṣantaḥ; karmaṇaṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devataḥ;
kṣipraṁ hi manuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-ja

So last night we were discussing,

ye yatha maṁ prapadyante
taṁs tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manuṣyaḥ; partha sarvasaḥ;
[Bg. 4.11]

Everyone is seeking the Absolute Truth in different way. So the worship of the demigods, that is also, in one way, searching after the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore in the Vedas, the demigod worship is also recommended. Upasana-kaṇḍa.

The Vedas are divided into three kaṇḍas, or division: karma-kaṇḍa, jñana-kaṇḍa, upasana-kaṇḍa. Therefore the other name of Veda is trayi. Trayi na sruti-gocara. Stri-sudra-dvijabandhunaṁ trayi na sruti-gocara [SB 1.4.25]. That is stated in the Vedic literature. Stri, sudra and dvija-bandhu.... Dvija-bandhu means born in brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya family, especially brahmaṇa family, but he is not possessing the qualities of brahmaṇa or kṣatriya, as now it is going on. Everyone is presenting himself as a brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya, but he hasn't got the necessary qualification. A brahmaṇa's qualification is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, satyaṁ saucaṁ samo damas titikṣa arjavaṁ jñanaṁ vijñanam astikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. Similarly, kṣatriya. Sauryaṁ viryaṁ tejo yuddhe capy apalayanam, isvara-bhavas ca. In this way there are kṣatriya's qualification.

Similarly, krṣi-go-rakṣya-vaṇijyaṁ vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. The vaisyas are described to be engaged in agricultural work, giving protection to the cows, and excess grains to trade, where there is necessity to carry there and take something in exchange.

Similarly, sudra: paricaryatmakaṁ karma sudra-karma svabhava-jam. Sudra means he is satisfied by serving somebody. Just like a dog. He is satisfied having a nice master, that's all. Sometimes it is compared, the sudras, like the dogs. So kaṅkṣantaḥ; karmaṇaṁ siddhim. This guṇa-karma-vibhagasaḥ; [Bg. 4.13]—brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya that will be explained in the next verse.

So karma, to get success in one's particular type of occupational duties sometimes they worship the demigods. That is described here. Demigods, they are also living entities, and all living entities are part and parcel of Krṣṇa. Mamaivaṁso jiva-bhutaḥ; jiva-loke sanatanaḥ; [Bg. 15.7]. So demigods, they are also part and parcel. We are also part and parcel. There is no difference. But they are more fortunate to get the post of Candra, Surya, Indra, Brahma. Brahma is also a living entity. Therefore, to get success in our material welfare activities, sometimes, not sometimes, always, we worship demigods.

So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, that demigod worship is also My worship, but that is avidhi-purvakam. That is not the vidhi. Vidhi is to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But sometimes, just like we give some reward to the doorman to enter into the room of a great officer, similarly, demigod worship means to get the result very quickly. And we may ask any type of benefits and reward from the demigods. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. That will be explained in the Seventh Chapter.

So demigod worship may be bring quickly the resultant action, desired result, but antavat tu phalaṁ teṣam [Bg. 7.23]. The result is antavat; it is limited. But bhakti is not limited. Bhakti is unlimited. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. But people.... Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Those who are less intelligent, instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they worship the demigods. Kaṅkṣantaḥ; karmaṇaṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devataḥ;. Therefore people are more interested in worshiping demigods than Krṣṇa. The demigods.... In India especially we will find. There are many devotees of the demigods. Not devotees. Devotion is only applied in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigod worship, they are not devotee, but they are interested to get the reward from the demigod. Otherwise they are not interested.

But bhakti is not like that. The bhaktas, they are not after any reward from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is difference between bhakti and other demigod worship. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is teaching us bhakti. He says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitaṁ va jagad-isa kamaye: "My Lord, I do not wish to ask from You opulence, riches, nice wife or many followers." These are material opulences. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "I do not want all these things."

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ
kavitaṁ va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
[Cc. Antya 20.29, Sikṣaṣṭaka 4]

That is the desire of devotee. He doesn't want even liberation. Janmani janmani. He wants to serve the lotus feet of the Lord birth after birth. That is his aspiration.

So kṣipraṁ hi manuṣe loke siddhir bhavati karma-ja. So karma-kaṇḍiya, those who are on the platform of fruitive activities, generally they are attracted by the demigod worship. But vita-raga-bhaya-krodhaḥ; [Bg. 2.56], those who are detached from material happiness, they becomes attached to Krṣṇa. Man-maya mam upasritaḥ;. That is already explained. Now we have to make our choice whether for temporary benefit we shall worship demigods or for permanent benefit we shall worship Krṣṇa. That is our choice. But people generally make their choice: kṣipraṁ hi manuṣe loke siddhir bhavati, immediate result. Immediate result. That will be explained that immediate result, it may be very palatable in the beginning, but it is.... It will produce bitter result at the end. But that we do not consider. We want immediate.

The immediate result and remote result is described in Sanskrit word, sreyas and preyas. Preyas means immediate benefit and sreyas means ultimate benefit. So those who are interested in the ultimate benefit go back to home, back to Godhead. For them, worshiping the Supreme Lord is most beneficial. And those who are interested in the matter of temporary benefit, dhanaṁ dehi, rupaṁ dehi, yaso dehi. Just like by worshiping goddess Durga we want all these things. But we forget that whatever we get, material benefit, with the end of this material body, everything is lost. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that "At the end, I, as death, I take away all your material possession." Sarva-haro mrtyuḥ;.

So that is not good. We, because we are eternal—nityo nityanaṁ cetanas cetananam (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)—we should be after eternal happiness, eternal benefit. That should be our business. Therefore we should not be karma-ja, not karmi. Neither we should become jñanis. We should become yogi. And what kind of yogi? Bhakti-yogi. Because there are different types of yoga practices. Out of that, bhakti-yoga is the topmost. Because Krṣṇa says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvataḥ; [Bg. 18.55]. Without being in the bhakti-yoga, neither you can be happy, nor you can understand what is Krṣṇa and what is your relationship with Krṣṇa. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ; [SB 1.2.20]. If you want to be happy, then bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ;, it can be possible. Nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya. That is stated, naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18].

This class is held for the benefit of the human society. And this is the process of nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ; [SB 1.2.17]. If you regularly hear about Krṣṇa.... Why regularly? Constantly. If we practice in such a way that we shall hear about Krṣṇa, talk about Krṣṇa, chant about Krṣṇa, eat about Krṣṇa, work about Krṣṇa, sleep about Krṣṇa, walk about Krṣṇa, that is Krṣṇa consciousness movement. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. Anything we do in relationship with Krṣṇa is pious. Puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. Nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairagyam ucyate. This is the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami. Dovetail everything with Krṣṇa activities, Krṣṇa consciousness. That is the recommendation. Then our life will be successful.

And Krṣṇa is sitting within your heart. When He sees you, that you are very serious about Krṣṇa, then He helps you.

srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;
hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Krṣṇaḥ; abhadraṇi vidhunoti. We have got many dirty things within our heart, but as soon as we begin to hear about Krṣṇa.... Just like we are hearing about Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa is speaking about Himself. Krṣṇa is speaking about the situation of this material world. He'll speak about the spiritual world. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita. So if you regularly hear, that is the beginning of success of life, hearing.

The Vedas are called hearing, sruti. One has to hear Vedas from the right person. That is the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitaḥ; sruti-gataṁ tanu-vaṅ-manobhiḥ;. To achieve success in self-realization or God realization, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends, sthane sthitaḥ;: "You just remain in your present position. You remain as a grhastha or as a brahmaṇa or as a sannyasi, as a businessman, professional man. It doesn't matter." Sthane sthitaḥ;: "You remain as a brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya, sudra. It doesn't matter. But..." Sruti-gataṁ tanu-vaṅ-manobhiḥ;: "Just try to hear about Krṣṇa," sruti-gatam, aural reception. Sruti-gatam means aural reception. Tanu-vaṅ-manobhiḥ;. "And try to employ your body, words," tanu-vak, and manaḥ;, "mind, engaged in Krṣṇa's service." Tanu-vaṅ-manobhiḥ;. Sthane sthitaḥ; sruti-gataṁ tanu-vaṅ-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi.

Krṣṇa's another name is Ajita: He is never conquered. But any person who hears about Krṣṇa, jñane prayasam udapasya namanta eva san-mukharitaṁ bhavadiya-vartam, simply mental speculation, giving up this bad habit, jñane prayasam udapasya, leaving aside, namanta eva, very humbly and meekly, if one hears from the realized soul about Krṣṇa, then in any position, sthane sthitaḥ;, because he is hearing from the realized soul, then one day it will be possible to conquer the unconquerable. Prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam.

So this Krṣṇa consciousness movement is to give chance to everyone to hear about Krṣṇa. This is the first process, sravaṇam. And when one has heard very nicely about Krṣṇa, they can, then he can speak about Krṣṇa. And he must speak. You cannot remain without speaking. That is the result of sravaṇam. Sravaṇaṁ kirtanam. One who has heard nicely, he must speak or preach. And preaching and hearing about whom? Sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ;. Viṣṇu and Krṣṇa, the same thing.

sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ;
smaraṇaṁ pada-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dasyaṁ
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

These nine different process of Krṣṇa consciousness movement is being pushed on by the members of Krṣṇa conscious society all over the world. And we have opened also here in Bombay, the most important city of India. So we request you all to come every day and try to understand this philosophy of Krṣṇa consciousness based on Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vedanta-sutra, Ramayaṇa, Mahabharata, all authentic scriptures.

There is no concoction, there is no manufacturing, malinterpretation. We are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is, without any deviation. So if we take advantage of this process of understanding, srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ; [SB 1.2.17], then gradually we shall be bereft of all sinful activities, resultant action of sinful activities. Hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi. Abhadraṇi means inauspicious things accumulated within our heart. By this Krṣṇa kirtana, as recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], the heart is cleansed. It is just like mirror. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam. So as soon as our heart is cleansed, then we can understand immediately what is Krṣṇa, what I am, what is my relationship with Krṣṇa and how I should act in relation to Krṣṇa. This is perfection of life. (aside about microphone) What had happened? Thank you very much, Hare Krṣṇa. (end)

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