A Transcendental Diary: Travels with His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Volume Five: October 1976 - December 1976

By Hari Sauri Dasa

This is the fifth of five volumes, covering the period from October 1976 - December 1976. It deeply describes Srila Prabhupada's visits to Aligarh, New Delhi, and Chandigarh, as well as extended repose at ISKCON's Krishna-Balarama Mandir in Sri Vrindavan-dhama. Hari Sauri Prabhu was a personal servant of Srila Prabhupada for a period of sixteen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lotus Imprints
• Release date: Nov 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9788196561550

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Preface

After a layoff of almost seven years, I am pleased to present this fifth volume of A Transcendental Diary. This current tome covers Śrīla Prabhupāda’s visits to Aligarh, New Delhi, and Chandigarh; and an extended repose at ISKCON’s Krishna-Balarama Mandir in Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma.

In Aligarh he discoursed for two nights to some of that city’s wealthy elite and scholarly class. In Chandigarh he held a highly successful five-day pandala, speaking nightly to thousands and meeting with government ministers, high court judges and news reporters during the day. His evening lectures were powerful exhortations to the Indian public to take up their forgotten culture and worship the Supreme Lord in His personal aspect. The photos and lectures from that visit presented herein have never been published previously.

But it was during his stay in Vṛndāvana that one of the greatest challenges to the legitimacy of his preaching arose. News came from America of a concerted legal attack on the basic right of its citizens, our devotees, to adopt the religion of their choice. A collusion of disgruntled parents, misguided lawmakers and demonic ‘deprogrammers’ threw down the gauntlet in the first real legal challenge to the existence of ISKCON. And Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted it with alacrity. Rather than being depressed at being the center of a national controversy, Śrīla Prabhupāda delighted in it. It was an affirmation of the authenticity of his movement. Along with his leaders in America and India, he eagerly entered into the fray, determined to use the opportunity to firmly establish the credentials of his spiritual Society. He personally canvassed and won the support of the spiritual and traditional leaders of Vṛndāvana while exhorting his disciples to do the same in the West—The fight is now!

At the same time he continued to deal with managerial headaches and physical ones. His on-going struggle to establish a good standard of management in his first big temple in India was in tandem with trying to cope with his failing health. High blood pressure was a major problem along with poor digestion. Yet Śrīla Prabhupāda continued to push himself in the service of his spiritual master and the Supreme Lord. He set the example how to perfectly use one’s life in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Thus when he received letters from seriously debilitated disciples abroad, and when he met with a terminally-ill teenager, he was able to give them the practical advice they needed to keep themselves on course for a spiritual solution to all their problems: tolerate the temporary bodily pains—pleasure is a misconception—and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

In Vṛndāvana His Divine Grace, as regulated as ever, daily delivered a series of notable classes on the teachings of Lord Ṛśabhadeva, covering the entire fifth chapter of the Fifth Canto, imparting many valuable instructions for living in the dhāma and attaining the goal.

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words and actions inspired us all, and by hearing about them there is no doubt the reader will receive the same benedictions and realizations as those who were personally present. It is with this conviction that this volume of A Transcendental Diary is humbly offered to the community of Vaiṣṇavas.

Chapter One

New Delhi and Aligarh

October 9th, 1976

In the early morning we set off in two cars supplied by our hosts on the one-hour drive to Aligarh. Śrīla Prabhupāda has been invited by Mr. Surendra Kumar Saigal to hold programs at his house, Saket, on Marris Road, for the next two days. Surendra Kumar owns the Tiger Lock company, and his home is in one of the wealthier areas of Aligarh. He and his wife have great affection and admiration for Śrīla Prabhupāda, and they are very respectful to the devotees. Mrs. Saigal worships a thirty-six-inch white marble Deity of Lord Kṛṣṇa in her home, so Prabhupāda is encouraging them as much as possible. He is grateful for their hospitality and encouraging them to help him spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to the wealthier sections of society.

About twenty-five devotees from Hansadūta and Yaśodānandana Swamis' bus parties and the Krishna-Balaram Mandir SKP, along with a sizable gathering of Surendra Kumar's relatives and friends, gave a warm reception to His Divine Grace on his arrival at the Saigals' large colonial-style residence. Śrīla Prabhupāda motored along the sweeping driveway amidst the exuberant chanting of the devotees. Emerging, he was draped in flower garlands and led into the large, inner lounge room. As Śrīla Prabhupāda sat comfortably on an armchair, Surendra Kumar and his wife stepped forward to bathe his feet with rose water and milk, then offer him ārati as their relatives sang the traditional Hindu ārati song.

These formalities completed, Śrīla Prabhupāda sat back for the next hour, relaxed and smiling broadly at his hosts, dispensing warmth and light in the form of complimentary remarks and sound philosophy: "I am very glad to see you again. So this saṅkīrtana is all glorious. That is the blessings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Paraṁ vijayate śrī kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtanam [Śikṣāṣṭaka 1]. This is His blessing: simply by saṅkīrtana in this age, it is confirmed in the Vedic literature, in Vedānta sūtra, śabdād anāvṛtti. Anāvṛtti, liberation. Our present position is bondage. We may foolishly declare independence, but actually we are bound up by the laws of nature. Those who are fools, vimudhātmā, under false prestige, such person thinks that he is independent. No. This misunderstanding has to be cleaned. That is the aim of life. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā mantra, then the first installment of benefit is ceto darpaṇa mārjanam. Because misunderstanding means within the heart. If the heart is clear, consciousness is clear, then there is no misunderstanding. So this consciousness has to be cleansed. And that is the first installment of the result of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Explaining how everyone has to change their bodies, Prabhupāda declared that those in the misconception of thinking I am American, I am Indian, "I am a brāhmaṇa" are all abodha jāto—sunk in ignorance. Just as one becomes infected by disease, similarly we contact the modes of material nature, and this infection means we have to change our body.

This is a rascal civilization, he declared. "They're kept into the darkness, that is how things are going on. Their so called education, university . . . So whatever they are doing, they are all being defeated. Parābhavas tāvad abodha jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma tattvam [SB 5.5.5]. Ātma tattvam—unless one is inquisitive to understand 'What I am?' whatever he is doing, he's being defeated. You have to change your body, that's all. Parābhavaḥ.

"This is intelligence. When Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he was minister, very big man, but he understood that 'What I am doing is not to my interest, because I do not know what I am.' He submitted to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that grāmya vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita satya kari māni [Cc Madhya 20.100]. 'In my relationship with my neighbors, they call "paṇḍitjī."' He was a brāhmaṇa. 'So I accept it, "Yes, I am paṇḍita."' So what is the wrong? 'The wrong is that I am such a paṇḍita that I do not know what I am.' "

Śrīla Prabhupāda chuckled and glanced affectionately over at Dr. V. N. Sukla, a well-known scholar and Vaiṣṇava from the local university, who has favorably reviewed his books. "So ask anybody. Our Dr. Sukla is also . . . So ask any doctor, 'What you are?' 'Huh? I am Indian,' 'I am brāhmaṇa.' This answer you'll get. 'I'm American.' Nobody will say ahaṁbrahmāsmi."

Dr. Sukla enjoyed the attention and laughed along as Śrīla Prabhupāda proceeded to describe the role of his movement in society. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to save the people from this defeating position. We are trying . . . So far I have tried single handed. And now a little pressure is felt even by some American politicians. Recently one American politician has remarked that 'This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is just like epidemic.' Again he laughed. 'And if we do not take any step then within ten years, they'll take our government.' So the Communists in India, they are trying to defeat us in so many ways.

Surendra Saigal nodded. We have seen the articles in Blitz.

Prabhupāda tipped his head in acknowledgment. Because they are also afraid. Because the Communist movement means godlessness. And our movement is 'Here is God.' There is no blind faith. 'Here is God, Kṛṣṇa! You take His name, you take His address—everything.' Practical. So that is a great cause of fear for these Communists. So they are against us.

Glancing at Mr. Saigal and Dr. Sukla, Prabhupāda appealed directly to them. So now I shall request the śreṣṭhas, those who are leading persons in India, they should join this movement, take it seriously. It is not a bogus movement. It is a scientific movement. And we have so many books. Now, at the present moment, we have eighty four books. So that is my request, that people should come forward and take seriously this movement. And we have got our places. In Bombay we have got big place. In Vṛndāvana we have got big place. In Nadia we have got big place. At least elderly gentlemen like you . . . Now you should retire from family life and leave in charge of the grown up boys. You should take seriously for India's interest, for everyone's interest.

He said that the foolish and falsely proud position of declaring oneself to be independent must be stopped in order to make people really happy. Otherwise, he said, if they are kept into ignorance and things go on like this, then the future picture is very gloomy. It has already become gloomy, and future is very, very gloomy. So everyone should come forward, take this movement seriously . . . Civilization means tamasi mā jyotir gama. Come to the light. Don't keep yourself in darkness. That is not civilization. This civilization is keeping people in darkness. That is very risky. So we should take it very seriously and push this movement very scientifically, soberly, and people will be benefited.

Finishing his talk, Prabhupāda asked for questions.

Mr. Saigal's son asked what the Prime Minister's view of the movement was.

Śrīla Prabhupāda told him that as far as he was aware, Mrs. Gandhi liked it. But she is also not independent, he added. Recently one of my students met the Home Minister. He said, 'Yes, this movement should be spread all over the world.' They are appreciating. But there are different parties, different circumstances. Prabhupāda saw some hopeful signs. Our four items—no illicit sex, no meat eating, no intoxication, no gambling—so I think they are taking some steps on this ground. They are trying to stop cow killing, and they are going to take steps for intoxication.

Mr. Saigal confirmed this and observed that this would build up the character of the nation.

Prabhupāda agreed and gave the spiritual perspective: We are already intoxicated in material existence, and if more intoxication is there then . . . So this civilization, this education is simply misleading. Simply misleading. There is no enlightenment of this question, 'What I am?' No. No answer.

There was a lot of laughter when Mr. Saigal introduced his eldest grandson as the one who brought Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his house. The boy's father was the first in the family to become a life member of ISKCON.

Oh, very intelligent, Prabhupāda said.

Dr. Sukla grinned and said, His name is Subodh, which means . . .

Prabhupāda laughed. . . . Very intelligent! And he extended the humor, linking it up with his lecture. "I was talking of a-bodh. Yes, abodha jāto."

Dr. Sukla loved the play on words. "Yes, abodha jāto. He is already subodha!"

Amidst the joviality of the Saigal family, Prabhupāda, while sharing their laughter, kept his focus on the sober side of things. "He is subodha. One who is abodha, he is parābhava, defeated. And one who is subodha, he is victory. So human life is meant for becoming subhodha, not abodha. But they are keeping abodha. This is difficulty. Everyone is abodha."

Prabhupāda asked the boy if he knew what was God.

The young fellow, shy and embarrassed at suddenly becoming the center of everyone's attention, replied that he wanted to know.

Like a wise grandfather, Śrīla Prabhupāda gently told the boy that unless he knew what it was he was looking for, then he would be cheated. Suppose you go to purchase something, 'Give me gold,' and if he gives you iron, then what you'll do? You do not know what is God, gold. You must know first of all what is God. Then you ask. If you do not know, then you'll be cheated. That is going on.

The boy's father chimed in, Mahārāja, but there must be somebody to say that 'this is gold and this is iron.'

Yes, Prabhupāda agreed. That means requires a superior education. Yes. The father, mother should be responsible.

The younger Saigal could think of no one better than Śrīla Prabhupāda to impart that knowledge. So who can be greater than your Divine Grace?

But Prabhupāda smilingly put the responsibility back on him. "No, no. The father . . . The first thing is that why do you send your sons to the school? It is duty that he should know. So if the father is a rascal, then how the son can be subodha?" Everyone laughed at his play on words, and Prabhupāda went on, quoting from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: "Therefore the śāstra says that unless you can train your son to overcome this process of birth, death, old age, you don't become a father; you remain a rascal. Don't beget children. This is contraception. Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta mṛtyum [SB 5.5.18]. The real problem is mṛtyu. But they have taken it that 'It is ordinary.' But nobody wants to die. The education is na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. There is no inquiry that 'If I'm not born, why I am born in this body?' This is question—athāto brahma jijñāsā. 'If I am not subjected to death, then why I am dying?' This question does not arise at all. Therefore nobody is subodha; everyone is abodha. The problem is there, but he does not inquire."

Surendra's daughter asked Prabhupāda whether he thought Indian philosophy and religion should be taught in schools. In the schools run by missionaries they used to have scripture class, she said, so why not do the same now, but teach our own religion instead of someone else's?

Prabhupāda immediately corrected her misconception. He told her that to know that we change bodies from a child to a youth to an old man, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, is not the teaching of a particular religion; it is a fact. He condemned the understanding that the Gītā is simply some particular religious viewpoint and said it applied to everyone—Hindus, Muslims, Christians et al. It is science, he stated. "Religion is a kind of faith. That they describe. But religion is also not a blind faith. Religion means the order of God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like law means the order of the state. Similarly, religion means the order of God. If you have no conception of God, if you do not know what is God, what is order, then where is religion? It is all bogus."

Her brother told Prabhupāda that the point she was trying to make was that most parents are not aware of what to teach their children.

Prabhupāda agreed with that and offered a remedy. "Yes. Therefore I'm starting that gurukula in Vṛndāvana. So you come, take the ideas, and make your children . . . Whatever mistake is done is done. Now why the mistake should continue? Rectify it."

The younger Saigal told him that the problem was that the secular policy of the government prevented any kind of religious instruction in schools.

Prabhupāda responded with a square-on repudiation. "Then kick out secularism. Science, it is science. When a child becomes a boy, there is no question of secularism. It is science. It is fact. Can you by secularism stop a child growing to become a boy? When I was explaining in South Africa these things, one Arya samaji friend, he criticized me that 'Why you are bringing Hindu ideas?' So I said, 'Is it Hindu ideas? A child grows to become a boy. It is Hindu idea? Why you are so fool you're calling Hindu idea?' Because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, they take it 'Hindu idea.' This is nonsense."

The younger Saigal responded that they were in control of several schools and wanted ideas how to introduce the teachings of the Gītā without it being seen as Hindu.

Prabhupāda invited them to simply take advantage of his own labors. That is my program. I am writing all books just only on this point; therefore they are coming. Otherwise, what is the use? They were Christians and Jews. What is the use of becoming Hindus? So anyone wants to understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they can understand easily if he joins Hare Kṛṣṇa, chant. That is all right. If he wants to understand scientifically, there are eighty four books. 'Come on; which way you want?'

Accepting the point, Mr. Saigal said that still, they were looking for a very simple, elementary curriculum.

But Prabhupāda explained that what he had said about the changes of the body was simple. And just to give another example of how this wisdom could be simplified for the young, he glanced over at young Subodh again and said, Just like this child, this boy inquired, 'What is God?' So he can be instructed that 'God is the Supreme Controller, just like your father is your controller.' He'll accept this. He addressed the young fellow directly. Can you go against your father's will? The boy shook his head. He says no. He'll say naturally. Just like at home you are controlled by your parents. Is it not? You like to obey them?

The boy's hesitancy made his parents laugh, and Prabhupāda went on to complete the example. "Similarly, you take the whole world as a big family. So there must be somebody, father and controller. Otherwise, how it is being conducted? That is God, the Supreme Controller. Just like in your family the father is the controller, similarly, you take it in wide scale, broader scale, there must be somebody who is father. Therefore the Christians, they take it, 'O Father, give us our daily bread.' And in the Bhagavad-gītā [14.4] it is also confirmed, ahaṁ bīja pradaḥ pitā."

With this, Śrīla Prabhupāda brought the gathering to an end, graciously thanking the Saigals for hosting him and his disciples. For their part, the Saigal family were all fully satisfied and visibly gladdened by His Divine Grace's wisdom and concern, and by his appearance in their midst.

* * *

The reception broke up and everyone dispersed to do their respective duties in preparation for the evening's event. Prabhupāda is occupying the same room that he had stayed in last March—to the right of the front veranda as one enters the house—and we servants are at the veranda's opposite end.

Surendra Saigal came in to Prabhupāda's room to find out what he wanted for breakfast. Prabhupāda mentioned apples and milk. Since Mr. Saigal had made some suggestions to Śrīla Prabhupāda for helping with his health, I asked him if he could get some ghrita-kumari, aloe vera. Arjuna and Tamopahā prabhus suggested it last week as a good remedy for high blood pressure and for cleaning the arteries. Mr. Saigal happily informed us that he had it growing in his garden. His wife takes it regularly, stuffed in chapatis or parathas, and finds it quite efficacious for relieving pains in her knees. Mr. Saigal though, suggested that garlic was the best for relieving high blood pressure.

Prabhupāda wrinkled his nose and grimaced slightly. Garlic.

Mr. Saigal smiled at his reaction. Garlic. You don't want it, and they laughed together.

Garlic, onions, prohibited, Prabhupāda told him.

So it was settled that his wife would cook aloe vera chapatis for breakfast. Prabhupāda asked Gaurasundara prabhu if he knew of it, and he confirmed they had it in Hawaii. He added that it can be used externally for skin diseases, burns, and cuts.

As Mr. Saigal left the room to prepare for breakfast, Prabhupāda concluded, Body is simply troublesome.

Śrīla Prabhupāda also called for Pālikā. She is staying with some other women in a room at the back of the house. Prabhupāda told her that since Mrs. Saigal was eager to cook for him he would allow her, but that Pālikā should supervise her closely. Generally when he is traveling he doesn't like to accept foodstuffs from others, because his digestive system is so delicate. But Indian culture is such that if you don't accept this hospitality, it is considered a snub, so Prabhupāda wants Pālikā there to ensure that everything is prepared in such a way that he can eat without discomfort. Pālikā had actually asked Akṣayānanda Swami to write to the Saigals about ten days ago with a request that a small kitchen be made available for her use, equipped with a double gas burner, shil and batta (grinding stone), urad, mung and tuar dahls, good atta (flour), basmati rice, and pure cow's ghee and milk, and they have complied. It was stressed that all ingredients be of the finest quality and that buffalo products be strictly prohibited because these are dangerous for Prabhupāda's health. As an added measure, Mahakṣa prabhu, an English devotee stationed in Vṛndāvana, was sent ahead with the list to make sure that the Saigals understood what was required.

* * *

After settling in, taking his breakfast, an hour's rest, his massage, and bath, Prabhupāda had lunch prepared by Mrs. Saigal with Pālikā supervising. Then, after his nap, he went out onto the spacious grounds to enjoy the fresh air and pleasant vista of several acres of well-kept gardens. Accompanied by Surendra Saigal and soon joined by a small group of eager devotees, Prabhupāda relaxed on the manicured lawns and entered into discussion prior to his scheduled late-afternoon lecture.

Surendra has a strong humanitarian side, and he solicited Śrīla Prabhupāda's opinion about M. K. Gandhi's attempt to elevate the so-called untouchables. Gandhi had tried to give them respectability in Indian society by renaming them "harijanas, literally associates of Hari, God. But Prabhupāda was not impressed. Although he approved of the sentiments behind it, he said that in practicality, Gandhi did not know how to elevate the lower classes. He gave the example of a man who, having obtained a blind son, named him Padma-locana, lotus-eyed." The name was wishful thinking and did not reflect the reality.

Similarly, Prabhupāda told us, "this harijana movement is a farce because they remain the chamar and bhangis, and still they are called harijana. The same thing. No locana, but 'padma locana.' Everyone has got right; you can become the most advanced devotee. There is no hindrance. But they must be trained up as harijana. Not that artificially you simply rubber-stamp harijana. Therefore that movement is failure."

Advantages in life, he told us—wealth, beauty, learning—were obtained by higher permission, granted according to one's pious deeds. It is not accidental that someone is born in a lower position and someone else in a higher. Just as a person gains promotion in his job according to his work record, similarly everyone gets a birth according to their past deeds.

As far as our movement is concerned though, he said that we deal only on the premise that everyone is a soul, distinct from the body. Just like a gentleman is gentleman. One may have a different type of dress. Not that everyone is expected of the same dress. But within the dress, a gentleman is gentleman. Similarly, although there are so many varieties of bodies, within the body the soul is pure part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So the spiritual movement means to take up the spirit soul within the body and to elevate him from the conditioned life. That is spiritual movement.

The principle of the Bhāgavatam, he said, was ahaituky apratihatā [SB 1.2.6]; there is no material impediment to the soul being raised by this process. Kṛṣṇa says that even the pāpa-yoni, the fallen, can be raised by simply taking shelter of Him. "We have to take lessons from the śāstras. So anyone can be raised to the highest platform. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija śreṣṭho hari bhakti parāyaṇaḥ [SB 4.31.10 pur.]. Even one is born as caṇḍāla . . . means less than the śūdras. The dog eaters, Caṇḍālas. They are called śva-paca. Śva means dog and paca means cooker. There are still so many. In Korea, in China, in Hong Kong. They eat dogs."

Surendra chuckled and told Prabhupāda a story about a German priest who stayed with him last year. The man visited Hong Kong. He was telling me that he had wonderful soup. And when he found out what was the soup, he said, 'Well, didn't you see the puppy that was going about this morning? It is soup of the same puppy.'

Prabhupāda grinned. He had heard similar stories before. "Yes. In Hong Kong you won't find street dogs. They'll eat them. So in India also there are dog eaters. In Assam you'll find. They make kukur pitha. Kukur pitha means that first of all the dog is given to eat some rice preparation with gur [Indian brown sugar]. And pushing, pushing. When he dies, then it is roasted. Then that is very good food!"

Laughing along with his audience, Prabhupāda returned to his point. "So everyone can be raised to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no difficulty. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So from early in the morning He is teaching. Udilo aruṇa pūrava bhāge dwija maṇi gorā amani jāge [When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened]. He was not lazy. He was very busy. From early in the morning. So if we at least pretend to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we cannot sleep. We must rise early in the morning. One must get up at least one and a half hours before the sunrise. That is maṅgala ārati. Maṅgala ārati means to get up early in the morning, take your bath, and be prepared for the maṅgala ārati. Then begin your chanting, prayer. This is activity."

He told us about an exchange he had in the 1940s with a man who had challenged him that Vaiṣṇavas were lazy fellows. He chuckled as he recounted the conversation. "So I said, 'You have never seen a Vaiṣṇava.'

"'No, I have seen these Vaiṣṇavas. They do not do anything and taking mālā and pretending to be very highly elevated and sleep and snore.'

"'But you have not seen. You might have seen these pseudo Vaiṣṇavas, but real Vaiṣṇava you have not seen.'

"'What is that real Vaiṣṇava?'

"And I said that in India there were two big wars. One war was the Rāma Rāvaṇa, and another war Kurukṣetra. So in these two wars, the hero is Vaiṣṇava. One is Hanumān and another is Arjuna. Have you seen them? Have you heard about them? Are they lazy fellows? Hanumān is Vaiṣṇava. He could raise one mountain and jump over the sea and set fire in the very beautiful state of Rāvaṇa. This is Vaiṣṇava. And Arjuna, he was in the beginning hesitating that 'My cousin brothers, the other side . . .' Then he decided, 'Yes, I shall fight.' Kṛṣṇa inquired from him, 'Now I have instructed you. Now, whatever you like you can do. And what is your decision?' Then he clearly said, 'Yes, my decision is there. I'll fight.' Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava [Bg 18.73]. 'As You advise, I understand that You want this fighting.' So Vaiṣṇava means for the sake of Kṛṣṇa he can do anything. Not that he is lazy fellow, showing, 'I have become very big Vaiṣṇava. Let me sleep under the name of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa . . .' Faithful servant means always alert. And that is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu śīlanam bhaktir uttama [Cc Madhya 19.167]. Simply one has to execute, ānukūlyena, how Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. This is bhakti."

Śrīla Prabhupāda stressed that neither Hanumān, a monkey, nor Arjuna, a warrior, were told by the Lord to give up their occupational duties to sleep and snore and become a great devotee.

"No. He never says. He says that 'You are attached to this kind of work. All right, do it, but the result you give Me'; that is bhakti. 'Arjuna, you are a military man. All right, I ask you to fight. You become a fighter and become My devotee.' Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me. Just see. What is that? He was not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: 'You are very dear friend and My devotee.' "

Prabhupāda made it clear that he wasn't speaking against sitting down and chanting. But one has to be qualified to do that. "Of course, ultimate is to always be absorbed in glorifying the Lord, but not in the beginning. In the beginning you must work very hard; you come to the stage of pure devotional platform. Then you can fully engage yourself meditation or chanting. Not in the beginning. In the beginning you should be very expert and active. That is wanted. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . Udilo, from early in the morning, active. 'Come on, chant. Come with Me so that others will see. If we make a party chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so in the beginning they may be disturbed because they have been accustomed to sleep up to nine o'clock, but as they will hear, gradually they'll become purified. They'll receive it.' "

He pointed out that Lord Caitanya could have remained at home as a big devotee but didn't. He went out all over India to spread the holy names, and He instructed His followers to spread it all over the world. Prabhupāda spoke strongly against the mood of many of the bābājīs in Vṛndāvana that one should never leave the place. And as he spoke I couldn't help but be reminded of Nitaī dāsa's recent criticisms of ISKCON and Prabhupāda's refutation of them.

"Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma [Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya 4.126]. 'All over the world, as many towns and villages are there, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be . . .' Not that 'We are big, big gosvāmīs and bābājīs. We do not go out of Vṛndāvana.' Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. And they have become very big Vaiṣṇava: 'No, I don't go beyond the limits of Vṛndāvana.' What is this nonsense? Did Caitanya Mahāprabhu say like that, that 'You do not go beyond the limits?' A devotee, wherever he is, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana tīrtha. A pure devotee can make any hell a tīrtha, a holy place. That is devotee. Tīrthī kurvanti tīrthāni [SB 1.13.10]. That was Bhagīratha. Gaṅgā was hesitating that 'I shall go to the material world. All sinful men will take bathing, and I'll be overloaded with sin. Then how I shall get out of this accumulation of sins?' So Bhagīratha said, 'My mother, don't hesitate. When a holy man will take bath in your water, then all the sins he will assimilate.' Then she agreed. So if we become holy man, actually, then immune. There is no difference. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

"These are bogus, that 'I do not go out of Vṛndāvana.' They are making Vṛndāvana limited. Vṛndāvana is not limited. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is a Rādhā Kṛṣṇa temple, that is Vṛndāvana. Caitanya Mahā-prabhu, once only He went to Vṛndāvana. Does it mean He was not in Vṛndāvana? So this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, that preaching must go on in hell and heaven. We should be very much expert and follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the simple instructions. Mukunda mādhava yādava hari bolena bolo re vadana bori. Simply chant the holy names of Lord, mukunda mādhava yādava. This is Caitanya. Rise early in the morning. You go and preach, and work hard, day and night, and that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . This song indicates."

Prabhupāda sat back and with a sideways tip of his head brought the short darśana to close. Thank you.

As the devotees dispersed, Surendra hung back to express his appreciation of Prabhupāda's comments. "As you rightly said that these Vaiṣṇavas, they want to become maṭha deśas, they want to become like kings. They don't want to leave their empire and go out, working hard like you and spreading the message of Lord Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda was happy that he had caught his mood. Yes. That is our mission.

That is the right attitude, Surendra continued. "Even if there is one bhakta, that is Vṛndāvana."

Telling him that a bhakta creates Vṛndāvana, Prabhupāda concluded, "Kṛṣṇa says, 'I do not stay in Vaikuṇṭha.' Nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe yogināṁ hṛdayeṣu [Padma Purāṇa]—'Neither I stay at the core of the heart of the yogis.' Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad bhaktāḥ—'When My pure devotee chants the glories of My . . . I immediately stay there. I immediately stay.' It's not that He is packed up in some place. He's all pervading. Therefore His name is Vāsudeva. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. He's everywhere. Electricity is everywhere. Only one who knows how to take the electricity . . . So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching and teaching, their effect you have to follow. Then our life will be successful. We don't manufacture ideas. That is not wanted."

He said that some Hindus had manufactured the idea that if one goes over the sea, he becomes fallen. He shook his head in consternation because it was just the opposite of what the Lord had said. "Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma.  [CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126] Foolish theories. Just see—as soon as you cross over the Bay of Bengal or Indian Ocean, you become immediately fallen. Citing the history of one politician who was invited to attend a conference overseas, he contrasted that with his own endeavors. He took so much Ganges earth. He was mixing that Ganges earth with water. He's going for political purposes, and showing a . . . What is called? Hobby. This is not that. Now this movement is there, and unless we do it very sincerely and vigorously, it cannot be pushed on."

* * *

The day's main program was held on the circular lawn at the front of the house at 7 P.M. and was attended by a fairly select group of about eighty businessmen, scholars, and local dignitaries and their wives. Prabhupāda chose to lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verses 1.2.5-6, speaking cogently on the meaning of real religion, its practice and the result.

"So it was kṛṣṇa sampraśno, question about Kṛṣṇa. And the question was that religious principle, where did it rest? Because religion means the law of God. Not that you can manufacture law in your home or in your office or in a big conference by the public. No. Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, 'a sect of faith.' And people have interpreted in a different way, that 'I can manufacture my own way of religion.' It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat—as many ways there are, they are all perfect; that somebody said that to cut throat is my religion, that is also accepted. But that is not religion. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat praṇītam. What is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead or what is ordained by the supreme authority, that is dharma. Therefore in the next verse it is explained: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje/ ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati

"If you want actual peace, ātmā, suprasīdati, then you have to accept paro dharma. Para means supreme or superior. There are two kinds of dharmas, parā and aparā. Aparā means this material world. There are two natures, one spiritual nature and one material nature. People do not understand what is spiritual nature."

Modern scientists and philosophers, Prabhupāda said, are engaged in studying the inferior material nature, which includes the mind and intelligence. People think this mental speculation, poetry, philosophy, that is spiritual. No. So long the subject matter is material, the concoction of the mind, speculation of the mind, the so called philosophy, is also material.

He explained what he meant by spiritual nature. "The spiritual world is called Vaikuṇṭha. There is no kuṇṭha, anxiety. That is spiritual world. When you become spiritualized, brahma bhutaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54]. There is no more kuṇṭha. This is the sign of becoming brahma bhūtaḥ. At the present moment our struggle for existence is with the mind and the six senses. When your existence is spiritualized, then you have no more anxieties. That is the sign."

He informed his audience that people are anxious to establish universal brotherhood, but from the material platform it was not possible. It can only be realized on the spiritual platform, and that is described in Bhagavad-gītā.

"So considering from all these points of view, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He's teaching us that paro dharmaḥ. We have distinguished parā and aparā. Apareyam. The material elements, mind, intelligence, and ego, they are all material. Aparā. So we have to come to that spiritual platform, brahma bhūtaḥ platform. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. That is wanted. That kind of religious system is explained in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Paro dharmo.

"Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura, a great Vaiṣṇava ācārya, he has said, pṛthivīte yahā kichu dharma nāme cale, bhāgavata kahe taha pari purṇa chole. Bhāgavata kahe [according to the Bhāgavatam]. He doesn't say, 'In my opinion.' Nowadays it has become a very good fashion: 'I think.' 'In my opinion.' An authorized person in the line of disciplic succession, he does not speak by his own authority. Immediately he'll quote from Vedic literature to support his proposition.

"So how is that Bhāgavata says? In the introductory portion, Vyāsadeva says, dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Cheating type of religion is completely kicked out. Here it is said. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddha or Jaini or so on, so on. There are so many, hundreds. But the test is yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, whether you have developed your love for God. If there is no conception of God, if one does not know what is God and what is the order of God, then that type of religion is cheating religion and that kind of religion is completely thrown out from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam."

Perhaps thinking back to the speech given by Member of Parliament Muthyal Rao in Hyderabad during his August visit, Prabhupāda used the popular example of deśa-dharma, nationalism, as an example of the false notions of religious duty adopted by the less informed. He pointed out that everyone has to accept another birth after giving up this body. That may not be as an Indian. It could be as a demigod or as an animal. Everyone has to move on, and there are different destinations. Real dharma should take us to the highest destination.

"If you like you can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. So therefore the intelligent persons, they must know, 'If I go to the devaloka, what is the result of going there. If I go to the Pitṛloka, what is the result. If I remain here, what is the result. And if I go back to home, back to God, what is the result.' The ultimate result is that if you can go back to home, back to Godhead, then Kṛṣṇa says tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9], that you don't get birth again in this material world. That is the highest gain. So if you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. You have to adopt this means, bhakti."

Saying that his Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was educating people how to become advanced in devotional service and how to go back home, back to Godhead, he told his mainly elderly audience that it was not a very difficult task. If it was not easy, he asked them, then how was it the Europeans and Americans were now taking it seriously? He said that before coming in contact with his movement, they had no interest in going to the church or finding out about God but now, they are mad after God.

"Why? Why have they become so? Because they have taken to the process. The process is important. Bhakti is not theoretical. It is practical. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If you want to take to the bhakti process, it is not speculation. You must actually engage yourself in the process."

He said that the process was not just one, but nine, and of these, śravaṇaṁ was especially important. "Simply hear. And that hearing process is also made very easy. This chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā mantra, you chant and hear. Anywhere you can do it. You sit down in your home or in your office, in your factory, underneath a tree, or anywhere, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And you can hear. This process will make you advanced in everything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His benediction, ihā haite sarva siddhi hoibe tomāra. Simply by this chanting and hearing of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, all perfection you'll get. It's very easy.

"There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa name and the Kṛṣṇa person. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Advaya tattva. Advaya jñāna. So He has descended in this age, kali yuge nāma rūpe kṛṣṇa avatāra [Cc Ādi 17.22]. This nāma, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is the sound incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Don't think it is ordinary sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, golokera prema dhana hari nāma saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. This sound vibration is transcendental sound. It is coming from Goloka Vṛndāvana. It is not this mundane sound."

Declaring the chanting of the holy names to be the essence of his movement, he invited his audience to adopt the chanting as their dharma. "So the ladies and gentlemen who are present here, kindly take this instruction of the śāstra. Then you become situated in the transcendental, first class system of religion. Ahaituki. But don't chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā mantra with any motive. That is not good. Even if you chant with motive, that will take little time to become pure devotee, but better without any motive.

"As a matter of duty, you chant regularly. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then there will be no hindrances. You'll make progress without any hindrances. And then you'll be pleased—yenātmā samprasīdati. Then you'll be feeling transcendental bliss. Ceto darpaṇa mārjanaṁ bhava mahā dāvāgni. All the blazing fire of this material world will be extinguished. Here, in this material world, it is compared with dāvāgni. Dāvāgni means the forest fire. Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place. Similarly, however cautious you may be, you cannot make this material world without dāvāgni. That is not possible. Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura has sung that the material world is such that it is just like a blazing fire. Viṣaya viṣānale divā niśi. Here, everyone, even the Prime Minister, even the President, very opulently situated, but always full of anxieties. Very, too much anxieties.

"So if you want to be yayātmā samprasīdati, then you must take to this process, this bhakti yogam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. There are so many different items. And the most important item is śravaṇam. We can sit down, family members, and we can read from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, and hear and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Very easy thing. That we want to introduce, every home. That is our only request, that in whichever position you are, it doesn't matter. You simply begin this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and reading of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is."

Cautioning them not to speculate on the meaning of Kṛṣṇa's instruction, Prabhupāda encouraged them to step forward and take a leading role in enlightening others. "Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa' upadeśa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa. Ei deśa. Just like Surendra is here. So I'll request. Dr. Sukla is here. It doesn't matter that you have to go out. You are in Aligarh, you become a guru. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . 'How shall I become guru? I am gṛhastha, I'm engaged this . . .' No. You haven't got to learn very much, to be puffed up. You simply decide what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. Then you become guru. If you want to manufacture something and show some magic, then you do not become guru."

Prabhupāda closed his talk with this earnest request and a final emphasis: "The Bhagavad-gītā explains everything very nicely, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, how to worship Kṛṣṇa, how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Everything is explained there very lucidly. So take it very seriously. That is our propaganda. We don't manufacture anything, any jugglery of words, any magic or any new ideas of God. These nonsense things we do not do. We simply carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and we simply repeat 'kṛṣṇa' upadeśa. That's all. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You can take it and also you can do it. You can also become guru. That we want. Thank you very much."

After a couple of questions the gathering broke up, the devotees distributed prasādam, and Śrīla Prabhupāda retired to his room, pleased with the response and the genuine interest shown by the respectable citizens of Aligarh.

* * *

Just before giving Śrīla Prabhupāda his evening massage, I began to feel a little weak. I went into Prabhupāda's room and His Divine Grace took rest. I climbed up by his side on the bed and began to gently massage his legs. Inexplicably, my temperature suddenly began to soar, and within two or three minutes I became so feeble and incapacitated that I could not continue. I had to ask Śrīla Prabhupāda if I could stop and bring in Akṣaya prabhu, who was sitting outside the door on guard duty, to finish.

Śrīla Prabhupāda agreed and I brought him in. Since Akṣaya had never massaged Śrīla Prabhupāda before, I stayed by his side to instruct him how to do it. Akṣaya was willing, but as soon as he clasped Prabhupāda's lotus feet and began pressing his soles, Prabhupāda exclaimed to me, Oh, his hands are wet.

I asked Akṣaya and he agreed that it was so. He was nervous and his palms were sweaty. So that was it. I had to send him back out to resume his guard duty—an opportunity lost for him, a dilemma for me, and an inconvenience for Śrīla Prabhupāda. I couldn't think what to do. It was nearly 11 o'clock and there were no other devotees around. Then Prabhupāda told me, Why not bring Gaurasundara? He also used to massage me before. Gaurasundara was Prabhupāda's personal servant in 1967. He was asleep, and I wasn't sure how he would react, since he hasn't been intimately connected with ISKCON for many years. But as soon as I woke him up, he readily agreed, and within a minute or two he was back in his old position at Śrīla Prabhupāda's lotus feet. Sick as I was, I went back in with him, not because I thought he might need some help or instruction, but because I didn't want to miss the nectar of his reunion with Prabhupāda.

As Gaurasundara rendered the massage, Prabhupāda happily reminisced about the early days when Gaurasundara and his wife, Govinda dāsī, used to serve him as his servant and secretary. Govinda dāsī was cooking and transcribing his tapes, Gaurasundara was giving him his massages, and they were both painting and drawing for his books. Prabhupāda happily and appreciatively remembered the drawings that were used in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. They both began to laugh as he recalled how Govinda dāsī had also wanted to massage him and how she had cried when he refused because he was a sannyāsī.

Prabhupāda never forgets someone who has rendered service to him, and he is always eager to re-engage them, no matter what they may have done since. Gaura-sundara himself seems a polite, quietly-spoken fellow, clean shaven with short hair, and he appears to me a little brighter in his countenance than when we saw him in Hawaii in May. This is no doubt due to his regularly chanting sixteen rounds again; devotional service restores the brightness to the spirit soul.

It was a blissful twenty-minute exchange, and then Prabhupāda sent us back to our room to retire for the night while he resumed his most important work of the day—his translation and commentating on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

October 10th, 1976

I couldn't sleep during the night due to a fever, and today I am feeling very weak. But it is coming and going; I am sometimes good and sometimes bad.

* * *

Śrīla Prabhupāda presided over a short morning program in the main central lounge. The devotees and the Saigals had a kīrtana and offered pūjā to a large framed picture of Gaura-Nitāi, and then Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a class, speaking in Hindi for the benefit of the members of the Saigal family. The whole family was there, from the very young to the very old, all eager to participate in the chanting and hearing. Prabhupāda was pleased to see their eagerness, and he encouraged them to focus their attention on Lord Kṛṣṇa, Who is their family deity.

He told them that there are two types of people, the alpa-medhasa and the su-medhasa, the less-intelligent and the intelligent. Citing the widespread worship of goddess Durga, he explained that those who worship the demigods aspire for temporary material benefits like wealth, fame, and beautiful women, and thus they are classified among the aḷpa-medhasa. He used a simple example to show why.

"Suppose that I have come to your house. You have welcomed me very nicely; before going you are giving me Rps. 5,000. But an agreement is made that before leaving the house, I have to leave the money. If I accept the money then I am alpa-medhasa, aren't I? It is foolish or not? The money was given and agreement was given that I must give it up. So what is the use of taking it? An intelligent man will think 'What is the use of taking this money?' "

In this way, he told them, we enter this body and receive so many benefits in the form of wealth, sons, beauty, etc. "But Kṛṣṇa says, 'antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa medhasām [Bg 7.23].' All these fruits are antavat; they will have an end along with the body. You cannot take anything with you. Therefore alpa-medhasa is used for he who is hankering for these things."

In contrast, he described the goal of those who are really intelligent. "What does a su-medhasa do? He is making a relationship with Bhagavān, understanding Bhagavān, engaged in serving Bhagavān, and making his life successful. Upon leaving his body, he gets great benefit. What is that benefit? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9]—having left the body, he will not accept another material body. So what happens? Mām eti, he will go to Bhagavān. For going to Bhagavān one receives a body like Bhagavān's. Therefore in all the śāstra it is stated that the ultimate goal of life is Viṣṇu, Bhagavān."

Śrīla Prabhupāda told them that the Lord appears in different yugas, with different recommended ways to approach Him. In this Kali-yuga the method is chanting His names. Those who do this are to be considered su-medhasa. "Kṛṣṇa varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra pārṣadam [SB 11.5.32]; this is Bhagavān's form. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana prāyair yajanti hi su medhasaḥ; this is Bhagavān's avatāra. Whoever is medhasam person, whoever's brain is good, whose brain substance functions, he will serve through the saṅkīrtana-yajña."

Glancing over at the picture of Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi, Prabhupāda told the family, "This is Bhagavān's form Nitāi-Gaura. Keep these forms and just as we have done kīrtana through this yajña, doing this pūjā, doing this service, one accomplishes Kṛṣṇa's service. It is that easy. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Pañca-tattva—and as many members as are in the house, perform kīrtana in your home. Not too much trouble, absolutely no trouble, very easy. Bhagavān's seva. No need to make elaborate arrangement's, whether you can build a temple or not. If you have money, use it for Kṛṣṇa's service, but for whoever has nothing, what is the problem for him? Keep a picture of Lord Caitanya, get everyone in the house to sit down, do Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. What is the harm? Just by doing this one can obtain Bhagavān in this Kali-yuga easily."

He said that the Lord Himself does not require our offerings but that for our own benefit we should offer Him service. Whether we are rich or poor, He will accept anything if it is offered with love. "A rich man can give a lot of things, but whoever has nothing, the poorest of the poor, to him Bhagavān says it doesn't matter, take a leaf—there's lots of leaves, take a flower—you can find those, take water. So for the poorest of the poor, he can collect. If some poor man comes to your garden and asks for a flower, 'What for?' 'For Bhagavān.' 'Take, take.' Everyone will say yes. No fool would say no—there are many people like that in America and Europe. In their gardens there are many trees and flowers—they are all falling and rotting—that's alright; if someone goes to ask for them he will say, 'No, these are meant to fall and rot and become dry.'

"Get everyone together. Keep a picture of Gaura-Nitāi from somewhere; whoever he may be, no education is required. Hare Kṛṣṇa is chanted throughout the whole world. Even if he doesn't know the ABC, he can chant just by hearing. Just now the children were clapping. Whoever is intelligent knows that through the saṅkīrtana-yajña Kṛṣṇa's avatāra, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya seva is performed. Everyone can do this in every house. Where is the problem? Doing service, there is no offense. Serving Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, offenses are considered, but Lord Jagannātha and Caitanya Mahāprabhu do not take any offense. As much bhakti you perform, that much benefit you get."

Bringing his brief address to a close, he had the devotees perform another kīrtana for ten minutes before retiring to his room.

* * *

Śrīla Prabhupāda had a doctor called for me, but he came when the fever was down and I was feeling fairly normal. His diagnosis was the flu, but after he left I again became very ill. Śrīla Prabhupāda called me in and asked what the doctor prescribed for. When I told him the flu, he shook his head with dissatisfaction. It is malaria, he said, and actually this turned out to be the case. He told me to take Chloroquinine, which I did, and I rested the whole day. Gaurasundara prabhu has taken over all my duties, virtually acting as full-time servant. So quite unexpectedly, by Kṛṣṇa's and Śrīla Prabhupāda's mercy, he is being fully engaged in Prabhupāda's personal service once again.

* * *

Prabhupāda lectured on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6 again this evening. Once more, seventy or eighty of the leading citizens of Aligarh gathered respectfully on the circular front lawn to hear him expound the meaning of real dharma and the purpose of life.

Śrīla Prabhupāda quoted the verse and began to elaborately explain the intricacies of dharma. He told his listeners that real dharma is whatever God, Bhagavān says. Citing Yamarāja's conversation with his dūtas, he explained that even the biggest ṛṣis do not know dharma, but the devotees of the Lord do.

"The truth of dharma, that, Bhagavān's representative he knows. Therefore the śāstra says, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihi-taṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117]. The mahājana who have accepted religion, whatever they say, that is dharma."

Even though it is difficult to understand, once it is understood, he asked, what is the benefit?

"Whoever understands actual dharma just as stated here, guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ, the meaning of viśuddha, it is not a material thing. Whatever is material is impure. Because it is impure, it will be destroyed. And viśuddha's meaning is that it will not be destroyed—ātmā. Na hanyate hanya-māne śarīre; that is pure. The body is not pure; in order to make the body pure, it is necessary to behave according to dharma.

"Therefore, there are different dharmas. For example, varṇāśrama dharma; this is called dharma-brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. Because we are all now in an impure state, in order to regulate things, to reach a pure state, these categories are essential. Abandoning this, one will remain impure, not pure. Therefore, in our Vedic civilization, which is varṇāśramadharma, accepting this is the primary duty of the living being, and who does not understand varṇāśrama dharma, for him who does not make an effort, he will remain impure birth after birth, accepting a body, then leaving that body, then waking for a few days, then dying. This coming and going is the cycle of birth and death. This is impurity.

"Therefore in the śāstras it is stated, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁśuddhyed [SB 5.5.1]: human form of life, this is to become completely pure. This is not for sometimes taking a demigod body, sometimes a monkey, jumping here and there, dying and then taking another body. This is not human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā—what is brahman? The human form of life is meant to understand this."

He contrasted the instructions of a great king of India, Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva, with those of the present government. "In human society, for those who have a human body, nāyaṁ deho deha bhājāṁ nṛ loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ bhujāṁ ye, it is not meant for taking trouble and difficulty, only for sense gratification. The modern civilization, which is advertising through the government 'hard labor,' which is going on today, isn't it, on the signboard?"

One of his visitors agreed, Yes.

Prabhupāda nodded. "Just see—a human pushing a hand cart, they have started pulling rickshaws and he must work hard! So pulling a cart, pulling a rickshaw, is this work for a human being? This is donkey's job or animal's job. Humans have fallen so low that they even say 'do more hard work.' Just see what a civilization . . . sa eva go kharaḥ. This is a donkey, pig civilization. The śāstra states, this is a pig civilization. What is pig civilization? Hard labor all day and eat stool. Working hard all day and when obtaining stool eating a lot and becoming very strong and then sex. Therefore it is prohibited to do too much hard work and gratify the senses. This is not the purpose of the human body. This is a pig civilization, not a human civilization. Human civilization is to purify, dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ [SB 6.3.21]. It is a problem to understand. Only to purify the body is sole business. Then he will get the benefit of eternal nectar. That is dharma."

Telling his audience