Devotee:

krṣṇaya vasudevaya
devaki-nandanaya ca
nanda-gopa-kumaraya
govindaya namo namaḥ;
[SB 1.8.21]

"Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana, and the enlivener of the cows and senses."

Prabhupada: So in the beginning Kuntidevi said that namasye puruṣaṁ tvadyam isvaraṁ prakrteḥ; param: [SB 1.8.18] "I offer my obeisances unto the person, puruṣam, who is prakrteḥ; param, who is beyond this material manifestation." Krṣṇa is complete spirit soul, Supersoul. He has no material body. So in the beginning Kuntidevi gave us this understanding that God, the supreme puruṣa... Puruṣa means person. He's not imperson. Puruṣa. But He's not a puruṣa of this material world, not a personality of this material creation. That is to be understood. The impersonalists cannot accommodate in their poor fund of knowledge how the Supreme Absolute Truth can become a person, because whenever they think of person they think of a person of this material world. That is their defect. So they have poor fund of knowledge. Why God should be a person of this material world? So that was cleared in the beginning. Prakrteḥ; param, beyond this material creation, but He is a person.

So now that personality, although alakṣyam, invisible, now, by the grace of Kunti, we can understand that although the Supreme Person is invisible, now He has appeared to be visible, Krṣṇa. Therefore she says: krṣṇaya vasudevaya [SB 1.8.21]. Vasudeva conception. Sometimes the impersonalists, they have vasudeva conception, means all-pervading. So Kuntidevi is pointing out, "That Vasudeva is Krṣṇa, all-pervading." Krṣṇa, by His Vasudeva feature, He is all-pervading. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. This feature of Krṣṇa... Krṣṇa, the original person, has got three features: as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; as all-pervading Paramatma, Supersoul; and impersonal Brahman effulgence. So those who are interested in bhakti-yoga, they have no business with the impersonal Brahman effulgence. That is for common men. Common men. Just like you can try to understand: those who are inhabitants of the sun planet, what they have got to do with the sunshine? That is a most insignificant thing for them, sunshine. Similarly, those who are advanced in spiritual life, they are interested in the person, puruṣam, Vasudeva. Puruṣam. That realization takes place, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, after many, many births. Bahunaṁ janmanam ante: [Bg. 7.19] at the end of many, many births. These impersonalists who are very much attached to the Brahman effulgence, such persons, they are called jñanis. They are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of their knowledge, but they do not know that their knowledge is very imperfect and limited. And Krṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, is unlimited. You cannot approach the unlimited by your limited knowledge. That is not possible. So, by the grace of devotees like Kuntidevi, we can understand that here is Vasudeva. The all-pervading Absolute Truth, Paramatma, Vasudeva, is here. Krṣṇaya vasudevaya [SB 1.8.21]. So this vasudeva realization is possible by the impersonalists after many, many births. Not very easily.

bahunaṁ janmanam ante
jñanavan maṁ prapadyate
vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ;
[Bg. 7.19]

Sudurlabhaḥ;, "very rare," mahatma, "broad-minded." But one who cannot understand Krṣṇa, they are cripple-minded. They are not broad-minded. If one becomes broad-minded, then, by the grace of Krṣṇa, he can understand Krṣṇa.

Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Brs. 1.2.234]. The process is sevonmukha, service. Service, beginning with the tongue, vasudeva realization is possible. The service, the first service is sravaṇaṁ kirtanam [SB 7.5.23]. Chant Hare Krṣṇa mantra and hear repeatedly and take prasada. These are two business of the tongue. So you'll realize. Very simple method. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam... Krṣṇa will reveal, not that by your endeavor you can understand Krṣṇa, but your endeavor in the loving service, that will make you qualified. Krṣṇa will reveal. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ;. Krṣṇa is very much anxious to take you back home, back to Godhead. But we are stubborn. We do not wish. So He's always finding out the opportunity how you can be taken back home, back to Godhead. Just like affectionate father. Rascal son left his father, loitering in the street and have no shelter, no food, suffering so much. The father is more anxious to take the boy home. Similarly, Krṣṇa is the supreme father. All these living entities within this material world, they're exactly like the misled child of a big, rich man, loitering in the street. Therefore the greatest benefit to the human society is to give him Krṣṇa consciousness. Greatest... You cannot give any benefit; any kind of material profit will not satisfy the living entity. If he's given this Krṣṇa consciousness... Just like the same process. A bewildered boy is loitering in the street. If he's reminded, "My dear boy, why you are suffering so much? You are the son of such and such very rich man. Your father has got so much property. Why you are loitering in the street?" And if he comes to his consciousness: "Yes, I am the son of such and such big man. Why shall I loiter in the street?" He goes back home. Yad gatva na nivartante [Bg. 15.6].

Therefore this is the best service, to inform him that "You are part and parcel of Krṣṇa. You are son of Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa is opulent, six kind of opulence. Why you are traveling, why you are rotting in this material world?" This is the greatest service, Krṣṇa consciousness. But maya is very strong. Still, it is the duty of every krṣṇa-bhakta to try to enlighten everyone to Krṣṇa consciousness. Just like Kuntidevi is pointing out. First of all she said, alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhutanam antar bahir avasthi... [SB 1.8.18]. Although Krṣṇa, the Supreme Person, is without and within, still, to the rascals and fools, He is invisible. Therefore she is pointing out: "Here is the Lord, krṣṇaya vasudevaya [SB 1.8.21]." He is the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He's very much pleased to become the son of Devaki. Devaki-nandanaya. Devaki-nandanaya is mentioned in Atharva-Veda also. Krṣṇa comes as Devaki-nandana, and His foster father is Nanda-gopa, Nanda Maharaja.

So Krṣṇa likes to be related with His devotee as father and mother. Here, in this material world, we try to make our relationship with the Supreme as father, but Krṣṇa wants to become the son. Therefore nanda-gopa-kumaraya [SB 1.8.21]. He takes pleasure to become a devotee's son. Ordinary men, they want God as father, but that is not very pleasing to Krṣṇa. Father means... To become father means always botheration: "Give me this, give me this, give me this." You see. Of course, Krṣṇa has got immense potencies to supply. Eko yo bahunaṁ vidadhati kaman. He can supply everyone as much he wants. He's supplying food to the elephant. He's supplying food to the ant. Why not to the human being? But these rascals, they do not know. They're working day and night like ass to find out bread. And if he goes to church, there also: "Give me bread." They are only bread problem. That's all. Although the living entity is the son of the richest opulent person, but he has created his bread problem. This is called ignorance. He thinks that "If I do not solve my bread problem, if I do not drive my trucks day and night..."Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. whoosh. Such a nonsense civilization. You see. Bread problem. Where is bread problem? Krṣṇa can supply. If He can supply food to the elephant in Africa... There are millions and millions of African elephants, you know, and they are supplied food.

The Bhagavata says don't waste your time for this bread problem. Don't waste your time. Tasyaiva hetoḥ; prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhaḥ; [SB 1.5.18]. Don't waste your time how to solve your economic problems. This is nonsense. Of course, it is very revolutionary. People will hate me. "What Swamiji's speaking?" But actually this is the fact. This is another madness. Suppose you have got your rich father, enough food. Where is your economic problem? This is madness. There is no economic problem. If you are, if you know that "My father is the richest man of the city," then where is my economic problem? Actually, that is the position. We have no economic problem. Everything is there, complete. Purṇam adaḥ; purṇam idaṁ purṇat purṇam udacyate [Isopaniṣad, Invocation]. Everything is complete there. You want water. Just see: there are oceans of water. You want purified water. You cannot. Although the ocean water's so much, when there is scarcity of water, you have take help of Krṣṇa. He'll evaporate the water, He'll make it cloud. Then when it falls down, then it becomes sweet. Otherwise you cannot touch. Everything under control. Everything is full-water, light, heat. Everything is complete. Purṇat purṇam udacyate, purṇasya purṇam adaya purṇam evavasiṣyate [Iso Invocation]. His stock is never finished. Simply you become obedient and the supply is there. You can understand.

These Krṣṇa consciousness persons, they have no problem, economic problem. Everything is sufficiently supplied by Krṣṇa. In Los Angeles, the neighbors, they are very envious, that "You do not work. You have no anxiety. You have got four cars. You are eating so nicely. How is that?" They inquire from our devotees. That is the actually the fact. We are spending so much money, we have got so many centers. The calculation is about $70,000 we are spending. Who is supplying? Somehow or other, we are getting. So there is no problem. You simply become sincere servant of Krṣṇa. Everything is there. This is the test. They are envious of us that we do not work. Still, we have got so much. "So why don't you come and join us?" That they will not do. "You come with us, chant Hare Krṣṇa." "No, no, no. That I cannot do." All right, then work with your trucks: whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. They have made their own position dangerous and others' position also. They say... At any moment, there may be accident. This is the civilization. Nonsense. This is not civilization. Civilization means calmness, peace, prosperity, santi. In peace and prosperity one should be Krṣṇa conscious always. Tasyaiva hetoḥ; prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhaḥ; [SB 1.5.18]. In the animal life, or other than human life, we had worked so much only for morsel of food, day and night, working. But still the food is there. Simply avidya-karma-saṁjñanya trtiya saktir iṣyate. Avidya. This material world is full of ignorance. So therefore our endeavor should be how to come out of this ignorance. Tasyaiva hetoḥ;. For that reason, we should work only. How to come out of this ignorance, that "I am this material body. I have to work day and night, and then I shall get my food, and I shall live." This is ignorance. Tasyaiva hetoḥ; pra...

So this ignorance, this life of ignorance we have passed in the, I mean to say, the forms other than the human being. Animal life, bird's life, beast's life. Now this life should be peaceful, calm and quiet. And jivasya tattva-jijñasa, simply for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. That should be the business. Simply. Jivasya tattva-jijñasa. Athato brahma jijñasa. Simply sit down. Just like we are sit down. We are sitting down and inquiring about Krṣṇa. This is life. And what is this life? Working day and night like the ass? No. That is not life. Therefore Bhagavata says your life should be engaged for this purpose: tasyaiva hetoḥ; prayateta kovidaḥ;. Kovida means intelligent. Then: "How my economic problem will be solved?" The answer is: tal labhyate duḥ;khavad anyataḥ; sukham. You are after happiness. Are you after distress? "No, sir." Why distress comes upon you? You are not anxious for distress, calamities. Why do they come upon you? Similarly, so far your happiness is also concerned, that will also come upon you. Because your life, according to your karma, is mixed up with some portion of happiness, some portion of distress. If the distress comes without any invitation, the happiness also will come without invitation. Without any invitation. Because you are destined already that so much happiness, so much distress you will have. Destined.

So you cannot change it. Try to change your lord, this material condition of life. That is your only business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ; prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhaḥ;...Bhramatam upary adhaḥ;. You have tried. bhramatam upary adh... Upari means higher planetary systems. Sometimes we get our birth in higher planetary system as demigods, and sometimes, adhaḥ;, as animals, as cats and dogs, germ of the stool. This is going on. This is going on according to our karma. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: ei rupe brahmaṇḍa bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Only fortunate living entity gets this opportunity of association of Krṣṇa and Krṣṇa's devotee. Then his life becomes sublime.

ei rupe brahmaṇḍa bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krṣṇa-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

This bhakti-lata-bija, the seed of devotional service, chanting Hare Krṣṇa mantra.

So Kuntidevi is pointed that "Who is the person, alakṣya, invisible?" Here, Krṣṇa. "Krṣṇa? There are so many Krṣṇas." Vasudevaya, the son of Vasudeva. "There are many Vasudevas." No, nanda-gopa-kumaraya [SB 1.8.21], nanda-gopa-kumaraya, the foster son of Maharaja Nanda. Three times she's pointing: "Here is Krṣṇa." Krṣṇa who officially takes His birth as son of Devaki and Vasudeva, but He enjoys the company of mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja—the childhood company. This is Krṣṇa's pastime.

So ananda-lilamaya-vigraha. Ananda-lila, Krṣṇa's lila, pastimes are all jubilant. Ananda-lilamaya. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). He is by nature anandamaya. Krṣṇa, you'll never find Krṣṇa is very unhappy. Krṣṇa is never unhappy. Krṣṇa is always happy. Therefore nanda-gopa-kumaraya govindaya [SB 1.8.21]. He is happy, and whoever, whoever associates with Him, he's also happy. Govindaya. We are after sense gratification. Go means senses. So if you associate with Krṣṇa, you enjoy your senses affluently. Just like the gopis are dancing with Krṣṇa. So there is no scarcity of sense gratification also. But that is not this sense gra..., gross sense gratification. That is spiritual sense. That is spiritual sense. Ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya [Bs. 5.32]. We chant every day. That sense, you get, sense gratification is ananda-cinmaya, cinmaya, in the spiritual world. Not this third-class ananda with these bodily senses. This is not ananda. This is an illusion. This is illusion. We are thinking that "I'm enjoying," but that is not ananda. This ananda is not fact, because we cannot enjoy this material sense pleasure for long. Everyone has got experience. It is finished. It is finished. But spiritual enjoyment does not finish. It increases. That is the difference. Ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya govindam adi-puruṣam [Bs. 5.32].

So you have to associate with Govinda. Here is, also, it is said, govindaya namo namaḥ;: "I offer my respectful obeisances to Govinda." So this Krṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice—you become directly in contact with Govinda. This Deity worship is also directly in contact with Govinda. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srṅgara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. This vigraha, the Deity of Krṣṇa, that is also Krṣṇa's mercy. Because Krṣṇa is alakṣya, invisible, He has become visible for your facility, as you can see. Still... It is not that Krṣṇa is stone or Krṣṇa is wood or Krṣṇa is metal. Krṣṇa is always Krṣṇa. But He appears... Because you cannot see except wood, stone and metal, He appears like that, wood, stone or metal. But He's not wood, stone or metal. You'll get the same facility as Krṣṇa personally if you associate, when you associate. You will associate with Krṣṇa. But at the present moment, because Krṣṇa is invisible, therefore He has very kindly taken a form which is visible by you. This is Krṣṇa's mercy. Do not think, "Oh, here is Krṣṇa, stone Krṣṇa." Krṣṇa is everything. Krṣṇa is everything. So Krṣṇa is stone also, but He's not that stone that cannot act. Krṣṇa can act also in the stone form also. Krṣṇa act also in metal form also. And you will perceive that. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ;. The so-called stone also speaks with you. There are many instances like that.

So we should take to this Krṣṇa consciousness movement according to the sastra. Sri... I am very pleased that you are doing nicely, dressing the Deity very nicely. More and more, in this way offer Krṣṇa nice prasadam, nice foodstuff, nice dress. Keep the temple very clean. Sri-mandira-marjanadiṣu. Marjana means cleansing. Either you dress Krṣṇa or cleanse the temple, the effect is the same. Don't think that "I am a cleanser and he is a dresser." No. The dresser and the cleanser are the same. Krṣṇa is Absolute. In any way, be engaged in Krṣṇa's service. Your life will be successful. This is Krṣṇa consciousness movement.

So by the grace of Kuntidevi we can understand that Krṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Vasudeva... Another meaning of vasudeva is that when you come to the platform of vasudeva. Sattvaṁ visuddhaṁ vasudeva-sabditam. Sattvam. Sattva, goodness. First of all, we have to come to the platform of goodness. But here, in the material world, the goodness is also sometimes contaminated by other low qualities, ignorance and passion. So by hearing about Krṣṇa, srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;.. [SB 1.2.17]. Just like you are hearing about Krṣṇa. Similarly, try to hear about Krṣṇa always, twenty-four hours chant about Krṣṇa. In this way, the dirty things will be cleansed. Naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam means always. Not that bhagavata-saptaha, official. No, not like that. That is another exploitation. In the Bhagavata it is said, nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam means daily, twenty-four hours. Either you read Srimad-Bhagavatam or carry out the order of your spiritual master. This is also order. Bhagavata is spiritual master. Vaiṣṇava, he's also bhagavata. Acaryas, bhagavata. Grantha-bhagavata and person, person bhagavata. So person bhagavata or book bhagavata, you always serve. Nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhiki. Then you will be fixed up. Naiṣṭhiki. Nobody can move you. Bhagavaty uttama-sloke, unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So in this way, Krṣṇa consciousness movement should be realized by you by the process prescribed and try to give to the people. This is the greatest welfare activities in the world, to awaken Krṣṇa consciousness, the dormant Krṣṇa consciousness. It is, of course, practically, you can see, four or five years ago, none of you were in Krṣṇa consciousness, but it has been awakened. Now you are Krṣṇa conscious. So others can be awakened also. There is no difficulty. The process is the same. So by following the footprints of devotees like Kunti, we shall be able to understand as she's pointing out: krṣṇaya vasudevaya devaki-nandanaya ca, nanda-gopa-kumaraya [SB 1.8.21]. This is Krṣṇa's identification. Just like we take identification of a person: "What is your father's name?" So here we're giving, presenting God with His father's name, with His mother's name, with His address. We are not impersonalists, vague idea. No. Everything complete. Perfect. The identification. If you take advantage of this propagation of Krṣṇa consciousness, then you are certainly benefited.

Thank you very much. (end)

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