16 March 1976 — Initiation & Sannyāsa Ceremony Lecture

Prabhupāda: The mantra,

namaḥ apavitraḥ pavitro vā

sarvāvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā

yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ

sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

(Garuḍa Purāṇa)

So this purificatory process . . . according to Vedic system, there is purificatory process. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: “By birth everyone is born a śūdra.” A śūdra means without any knowledge and simply full of lamentation. Śocati. So the Vedic process is that from the low-grade position, to bring the human society to the highest, topmost position. Generally it is . . . the first, topmost position is to become a brāhmaṇa in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Four divisions of the social system are there, according to quality and work. That is very natural in this world. Everyone is accepted on quality and work. If you have got the qualification of a good lawyer and if you have done very nicely your activities, then you are selected as the high-court judge. The high-court judge is selected amongst the lawyers in the court. It is not appointed from outside. The . . . a lawyer who has done his legal profession very nicely, the government offers him the post, that “You become a high-court judge.”

So this quality and work is estimated everywhere and in all circumstances. Bhagavad-gītā recommends—Kṛṣṇa says personally, the Supreme Personality of Godhead—cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So that process is applicable at all times. And Nārada Muni, he also gave description to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja while they were talking about the varṇāśrama. So Nārada Muni gave different symptoms of different varṇa: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Then, at the conclusion, he said,

yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ

varṇābhivyañjakam

yady anyatrāpi dṛśyeta

tat tenaiva vinirdiśet

(SB 7.11.35)

He said that “I have already explained the different symptoms of different varṇas—brāhmaṇa will be like that; kṣatriya will be like that; vaiśyas will be like that; śūdras will be like that—so,” he says, “if these symptoms are found,” anyatra . . . suppose one is not born in the brāhmaṇa family—he might have taken birth in a lower family—but he has acquired . . . if he has acquired the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa. This is the process. Or if one is born in a brāhmaṇa family but he has not attained the qualities, neither he is working as a brāhmaṇa, then he should be accepted either kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra.

So this is the system. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also wanted to introduce this system.

kibā śūdra kibā vipra nyāsī kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya

(CC Madhya 8.128)

He never accepted this, that by birth. No. Either he is a brāhmaṇa or he is a śūdra, by caste or by birth, kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya; either he’s a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī, it doesn’t matter. He can become a guru. How? Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. One who knows the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one who understands Kṛṣṇa, he can become a guru. So guru is the post given to the sannyāsīs, to the brāhmaṇas. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become a sannyāsī, and sannyāsī is supposed to be the guru of both all the āśramas and all the varṇas.

So the preaching work . . . we require so many sannyāsīs. People are suffering all over the world for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that there is no scarcity, this is false propaganda. The only scarcity is that there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the difficulty. Actually that is the fact. Take some practical example—I have traveled all over the world many times. I have seen America from village to village, Africa, Australia. There is so much land vacant that if we properly utilize them, we can produce so much food grains that we can feed ten times as many population as it is now. That’s a fact. We do not utilize the land properly. And Kṛṣṇa has given us the formula, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14): “You produce anna.” Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Then the animals and the human being will be well fed and they will be happy. If anyone, either animal or man, has his belly filled up with sufficient food, he’ll never be dissatisfied. That is the nature. So unfortunately we are not following the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. If we follow the whole social system, political system, economic system of the whole world will be very, very nice, and everyone will live very peacefully and there will be no fight, no “ism,” no schism. Everything will be all right. That is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don’t think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a matter of sentiment. No, it is practical.

The . . . just like in America, they produce huge amount of grains. Sometimes they throw it in the sea on account of overproduction. Why overproduction should be given on the sea? It should be utilized. There are so many people starving. But this political situation is there that everyone is thinking, “This is my country. This is my home. This is my land.” This is called māyā. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho ‘yam ahaṁ mameti. Everyone is under this impression, “I am this body, and anything belonging to this body, that is mine,” or “my nation.” This conception should be given up. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

The śānti . . . everyone is trying to have peace—peace of the mind, peace of the society, peace of the nation. Very good. But you do not know how to get this peace. That is described in every Vedic literature.

Therefore Vedic knowledge is so important. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Lord is the leader. He’s also a living being like us. He’s not a dead stone. He is . . . just like Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He lives like us, just like human being. So similarly the . . . not similarly. Kṛṣṇa is a living being like us. He has got also two hands, two legs, one head, as you have got. But what is the difference between you and Him? The difference is that eka, that singular number living being. Vidadhāti kāmān bahūnām, He maintains everyone, and we are maintained. That is the difference. We plural number living entities, we are maintained, and He, the Supreme Lord, being, Supreme Being . . . in the dictionary, English dictionary, God means Supreme Being. So Supreme Being, He’s also living being. He’s not a dead stone. The difference is that He is the maintainer, and we are maintained. He is the ruler; we are ruled. This difference we have to understand. And He is the proprietor, we are servants. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s philosophy is this. That is a fact. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108).

So this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is being spread all over the world for the peace of the world, for the peace of the mind, for the peace of the society. So take it very seriously. It is very authorized. It is not a concocted speculation; it is fact. And it is happening so. Now these American boys and girls who have come, spending thousands of rupees here . . . and they have no such distinction that “Here is Indian. He is African. He is brāhmaṇa. He’s kṣatriya.” Why? Because they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this movement is so important that everyone from every part of the world, they should take part in this movement, and there will be peace in the world. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission is this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s birthday is today. In this land, in this very spot we are sitting now, He appeared for this mission. And He said that,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haile yāra

janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

And that is being done. And the people from all parts of the world, they are responding. There is very, very good scope for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and learned circle, important men in all parts of the society and world, they are appreciating this mission. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya . . . it was Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s desire that especially those who are born in India, and especially in Bengal, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this land of Bengal. So it is the duty to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But unfortunately they are not coming forward. Anyway, it doesn’t matter whether he is Bengali or Hindu or Muslim. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And there is great necessity, great necessity. And the preaching work is meant for the sannyāsīs.

So we have got some sannyāsīs who are doing very nicely, so today we shall make a number of sannyāsīs more to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. And those who are going to take sannyāsa, they should remember how much responsibility they have got. So live like a very strict sannyāsī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu took Himself sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years. So it is not that in old age one has to take sannyāsa. That is not in the śāstra. From brahmacārī āśrama one can enter into the gṛhastha-āśrama or vānaprastha-āśrama or sannyāsa-āśrama as he thinks fit. There is no such rules and regulation that only the old man without any energy, he’ll take sannyāsa. (laughter) No. Rather, the young men.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu did personally. He was twenty-four years old. He had beautiful wife, young wife, sixteen years old, at home; very, very affectionate mother; and His position was very great. Not as a brāhmaṇa, but still, as young man He could collect 100,000’s of men by His order only, to make civil disobedience movement upon the Kazi in this land. So the civil disobedience movement was started by Caitanya Mahāprabhu for a good cause. So there are so many things. I especially appeal to the native of this land to take part in this movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the benefit of the world. And we are trying to construct a very attractive temple here. Let them cooperate. It doesn’t matter whether he is Hindu, Muslim. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is for everyone. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura as His chief disciple. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a Muhammadan family, and his mission was to introduce this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva . . . (CC Adi 17.21)

Devotees: . . . nāsty eva gatir anyathā.

Prabhupāda: And He made Haridāsa Ṭhākura Namācārya, the ācārya to introduce Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting three lakhs, counting daily. That means the whole day and night. So, so nice movement, everyone should take part in it and dedicate to the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And it is not at all difficult. It is very easy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

āmāra ajñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Anywhere, either you are in this district or that district, it doesn’t matter. Either you are at home or outside home, it doesn’t matter—you become a guru, everyone. “How shall I become guru? I have no qualification.” Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: “You don’t require any qualification. You simply require one qualification: that you repeat the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. That’s all.” Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That’s all. You become a guru. Don’t adulterate kṛṣṇa-upadeśa like a rascal or nonsense. Present it as it is, Bhagavad-gītā. Then you become a guru. You can become guru in your family. You can guru your society, your nation, wherever you are. And if it is possible, you go outside and preach this mission of Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore our movement’s name is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, you accept and preach, you become guru.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: You know what are the regulative principles?

Devotee: No meat, fish or egg, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So what is his name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So your name is Kavirāja dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya! Hare Kṛṣṇa! (devotees offer obeisances)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (calls devotee) John Andrew. No, no—Peter, Peter. Peter West.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Guḍākeśa. Guḍākeśa.

Prabhupāda: You know what are the regulative principles?

Peter West: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. Hmm. And how many times you’ll chant?

Peter West: Sixteen rounds.

Prabhupāda: Minimum. Thank you. Guḍākeśa. Your name is Guḍākeśa dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Harvey. Haridāsa Ṭhākura dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These boys are in Gargamuni’s party.

Prabhupāda: Hmm . . . (indistinct) . . . (devotees offer obeisances) Hmm. What are the regulative principles?

Harvey: No illicit sex life, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: What is his name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Haridāsa Ṭhākura dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Haridāsa dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ken. Śambhu.

Ken: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Hmm. What are the rules?

Ken: No meat, fish or eggs, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So your name is Śambhu dāsa. Śambhu was one of the sons of Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Haribol!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John Andrew.

Śambhu: Śambhu?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Śambhu

Hrdayananda: Pay obeisances. John Andrew . . .

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Gaurasundara.

John Andrew: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: You know the rules and regulations?

John Andrew: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling.

Prabhupāda: And what is “yes”?

John Andrew: Chant sixteen rounds.

Prabhupāda: At least.

John Andrew: At least.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Gaurasundara.

Prabhupāda: Oh, your name is very . . . Gaurasundara dāsa.

Devotees: Haribol! Haribol!

Subuddhi: (offers obeisances)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Obeisances . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These are all Gargamuni’s men.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Where is Gargamuni? (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct) . . . Subuddhi Rāya.

Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?

Subuddhi: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: So your name is Subuddhi dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ian Butler.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Brian Butler.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Brian Butler.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rāgānuga.

Brian Butler: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: What are the rules?

Brian Butler: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rāgānuga.

Hrdayananda: Rāgānuga.

Prabhupāda: Your name is Rāgānuga dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Rāgānuga: Thank you very much.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Amulia Paul.

Devotee: Who?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dharma-parāyaṇa.

Amulia Paul: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: He is a nice boy, he is working nicely. He is working nicely. Hmm. Ki niyam? Jano? Bolo. (What are the rules? Do you know? Tell me.)

Amulia Paul: Kono non-veg kichu cholbe na . . . (indistinct) Ar bhor belay uthte hobe. (Any non-vegetarian item is not allowed . . . (indistinct) . . . and rise early in the morning.)

Prabhupāda: O to achei. Nishedh je guli ache. (That is okay but what about the prohibitions.)

Amulia Paul: Oh. Nishedh. Stri-shongo. (Oh. Prohibitions. Association of women.)

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Aboidho stri-shongo. (Illicit relationship with women.)

Amulia Paul: Aboidho mane . . . shongo. Tar pore kono nesha . . . (Illicit relation, then any form of intoxication . . .)

Prabhupāda: Bas. (That’s it.) What is his name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dharma-parāyaṇa.

Prabhupāda: Tomar naam . . . (Your name . . .) Dharma-parāyaṇa dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Motilal Pa.. Paluktur.

Prabhupāda: What is his name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kamala-nayana.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Verse. (Prabhupāda briefly, softly hums) Ki niyom amader? (What are the rules?)

Kamala-nayana: . . . gurur sheba kora (. . . serving the spiritual master.)

Prabhupāda: Ha eta to hoye. Bishesh kore ki ki baron ache amader. Aboidho stri-shongo eshob . . . (That is okay. But the things which are specifically prohibited like illicit sex . . .)

Kamala-nayana: Mach, mansho . . . (indistinct) . . . cha kichu . . . (indistinct) . . sheba kora. (Meat, fish . . . (indistinct) . . . tea . . . (indistinct) . . . rendering service.)

Prabhupāda: What is?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kamala-nayana.

Prabhupāda: Ah, Kamala-nayana dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Caitan . . .

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vinay Chandra? Obeisances.

Devotees: Daṇḍavats. Daṇḍavats.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Vinay Chandra: (offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct)

Vinay Chandra: (offers obeisances)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Name is Vijaya dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Ki niyom? (What are the rules?)

Vinay Chandra: Yes, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, no . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm, all right. Vijaya dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Raj Kumar.

Prabhupāda: He’s from Gujarat?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇadāsa baidya.

Prabhupāda: Baidya?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Baidya.

Prabhupāda: (corrects pronunciation) Vaidya.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vaidya.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So, what are the rules and . . .? Eh?

Raj Kumar: . . . nahi janta hu. (. . . I don’t know.)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doesn’t speak English.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he’s Bengali.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have to speak Hindi.

Raj Kumar: U.P. Hindi.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Hindi. Kya niyam hai batao? (What are the rules, tell me?)

Raj Kumar: Avaidh stri sambandh . . . (Illicit sex . . .)

Prabhupāda: So, Kṛṣṇadāsa Vaidya dāsa.

Devotee: Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇadāsa Vaidya dāsa.

Devotee: Haribol.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ian? Dhīrabhadra.

Prabhupāda: Dhīrabhadrā?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dhīrabhadra.

Prabhupāda: Oh, all right. What are the rules and regulations?

Ian: Ah, no meat-eating, no illicit sex life, no intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: So your name is Vīrabhadra dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Bhadra?

Prabhupāda: Vīrabhadra.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vīrabhadra. Joe Davis.

Prabhupāda: He was the son of Nityānanda Prabhu.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said that he will shave up, shortly.

Prabhupāda: All right. Gargamuni’s family? (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah, I think so. I’m not sure.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dṛḍha-vrata, Dṛḍha-vrata.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So you know the rules and regulations? So your name is Dṛḍha-vrata dāsa.

Devotee (3): Dhīra-vrata?

Devotee (4): Dṛḍha-vrata.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dṛḍha-vrata.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Durata!

Prabhupāda: (briefly softly hums) What is his name then?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vāṇīnātha.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. What is his language? Is he Indian?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He is from Māyāpura. He stays here in Māyāpur.

Devotee (3): He’s Bengali.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Bengali.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Ki niyom shob? (What are the rules?)

Vāṇinātha: Mach, mansho khawa nishedh, meyeder shathe mela nishedh, dhumpan nishedh. (Eating meat, fish etc. is prohibited, meeting with girls is prohibited, smoking is not allowed.)

Prabhupāda: Ar paan? (And betel leaf?)

Vāṇinātha: Paan, gutkha. (Betel leaf, tobacco.)

Prabhupāda: Paan khawa chole? Tomar dant to . . . mone hocche paan-taan khao. Khao? To khao jodi to chere debe. Paan khawa cholbe na. (Is eating betel leaves allowed? Your teeth . . . it seems that you consume betel leaves. Do you? If you eat betel leaves then give it up. Eating betel leaves is not allowed.) Hmm, what is his name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vāṇinātha.

Prabhupāda: Eh, Vāṇinātha dāsa tomar naam. (Vāṇinātha dāsa is your name.)

Devotees: Haribol!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Motilal.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Okay. What is his name?

Devotee (3): (devotees exclaiming in background) That’s his great-grandpa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Tomar naam . . . (Your name is . . .) Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Naam mone thakbe to Akiñcana . . . (Will you be able to remember your name Akiñcana . . .)

Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa: Akiñcana . . .

Prabhupāda: . . . Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa: . . . Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ananta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Daṇḍavats.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Daṇḍavats. Daṇḍavats. (background laughter) Ananta.

Prabhupāda: Ki niyom ki? (What are the rules?)

Ananta: Aboidho stri shongo, baje kono nesha . . . (Illicit relations with women, any intoxication . . .)

Prabhupāda: Ar mach mansho khawa, jua khela eshob tyag. (And eating meat or fish, gambling has to be given up.)

Ananta: Je kono nesha parityag kora. (Any sort of addiction has to be given up.)

Prabhupāda: Nesha bolte alada, jua khela alada. Jai hok. (Addiction is a different thing, gambling is different. Okay, whatever.)

Ananta: Jua khela, paan, cigarette, bidi. (Gambling, betel leaves, cigarettes, tobacco.)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sarva-jña.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Sarvadya dāsa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sarvajña dāsa.

Devotee (4): Sarvajña.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: John Connelly, Donnelly.

John Donnelly: (offers obeisances)

Devotee (4): Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Hmm. What are the rules and regulations?

John Donnelly: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sāttvika.

Prabhupāda: Sāttvika dāsa.

Sāttvika: Śakti?

Prabhupāda: Sāttvika.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sāttvika.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sāttvika.

Prabhupāda: “Goodness.”

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dro Midha. Jala-tala-devī dāsī

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jala-tala-devī dāsī.

Prabhupāda: Jala-tala? . . . ja . . . jala-tala?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jala-tala.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Ki shob niyom? (What are the rules?)

Dro Midha: No illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Jala-tala dāsī tomar naam. (Jala-tala dāsī is your name.) Hmm.

Devotee: Jaya.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rita? Rāsamaṇḍala-sevya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (background chatter with other devotees)

Prabhupāda: What is name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rāsamaṇḍala-sevi.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. You know the rules and regulations?

Rita: Only eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam, no illicit sex life, no intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: And your son?

Rita: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: See, he is very fond of prasādam. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: You want prasāda? Take him. Rāsamaṇḍalī dāsī.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Alurani? (background murmuring)

Prabhupāda: (coughs) Hmm, is there water?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Water. Alu . . . alurani?

Prabhupāda: (coughs) Hmm, name?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kulīna.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Kulīna dāsī tomar naam. Shob niyom jano to? (Kulīna dāsī is your name. Do you know all the rules?)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Little Kṛṣṇa Rani? Kṛṣṇa-candra-priya.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-priya dāsī.

Devotees: Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Big Kṛṣṇa Rani? Kiśora-vallabha.

Prabhupāda: Niyom shob jano to? (Do you know all the rules?)

Kṛṣṇa Rani: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Nao . . . (Take . . .) Kiśora-vallabha dāsī.

Devotee: Jaya!

Devotee (4): Kiśora-vallabha.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Manjurani? This is the last one, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rāseśvarī.

Prabhupāda: Rāseśvarī dāsī tomar naam. (Rāseśvarī dāsī is your name.) Hmm. Then?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sannyāsīs.

Prabhupāda: Sannyāsīs, that’s all. Where is the daṇḍa?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Where is the daṇḍa for the . . .

Prabhupāda: So somebody explain. You can chant the mantra conjointly. Etām sa āsthāya . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Etām . . . you want me to chant, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they should repeat it?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they should repeat.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (chants mantra, with devotees repeating each word)

etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām

adhyāsitāṁ pūrvatamair maharṣibhiḥ

ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ

tamo mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva

(SB 11.23.57)

Prabhupāda: You can explain? Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This . . .

Prabhupāda: Stand up and explain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This . . . this mantra was chanted by brāhmaṇas from Avantīpura. And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after taking sannyāsa, He also chanted this mantra. The meaning of the mantra is that “I shall cross over the ocean of material nescience by following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas and take shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation.” Do you want me to explain it, or is that . . .?

Prabhupāda: (coughs) Yes, explain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this material world is very dangerous.

Prabhupāda: You can hear?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At every single point one can become entangled and remain embedded in material life. In fact it is to be understood that we have been in this material world for millions and millions of lifetimes. By nature, we are pure. We are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, but due to the minuteness of the soul sometimes we have misused our small degree of independence, and so we have been forced to fall down into this material world. Having fallen into this material world we are encountering so many different kinds of sufferings and miseries. Our nature is to be eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. But instead we find ourselves having to change body lifetime after lifetime, full of ignorance and full of suffering.

So to get free from this repeated cycle of birth and death is actually the purpose of human life. The animals, the plants, the trees, the aquatics, all other kinds of living entities, they do not have the ability to break free from this repeated cycle of birth and death. But in the human form of life the chance is given that one can once again reawaken his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. This love for Kṛṣṇa, when it is a awakened, enables one to cross over this ocean of material nescience. What is the process? The process is to follow in the footsteps of the previous great ācāryas. It is described that by the mercy of the ācāryas this vast ocean of material suffering is reduced simply to the amount of water that is contained within the hoofprint of a calf. So it is by the mercy of guru and by the mercy of all of the ācāryas that one is actually able to break free from this miserable cycle of suffering.

Prabhupāda: . . . names of Rāmānuja, Madhvācārya, all the big sannyāsīs . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: . . . and last, Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. This order of sannyāsa is not simply a modern-day creation. It is understood from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that sannyāsa has been existing . . . tridaṇḍi sannyāsa has been existing for a very long time. And recently, in the previous thousand years, the great ācāryas, all the great ācāryas of the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, they all took the sannyāsa order of life. Śrī Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya and Nimbārka Svāmī, Viṣṇu Svāmī, and also even in the, ah, in the Māyāvādī sampradāya the sannyāsa order is also there, but it is different . . . it is ekadaṇḍi sannyāsi. But Śaṅkarācārya of course also took sannyāsa at a very young age. But this sannyāsa order recently was taken by Caitanya Mahāprabhu in our sampradāya.

So it is the bona fide process for breaking free from all kinds of material attachments. When one has firmly resolved that his only business shall be to take the order of the guru as his life and soul and to give up all kinds of considerations for bodily comforts, and for any kind of material arrangement, then it is allowed that a person may take sannyāsa. The sannyāsī has to be very strict in following the principles of strict avoidance of any kind of entanglement with women. This entanglement with woman is described by Śrīdhara Svāmī to come in eight different varieties, beginning simply with remembering, then going on to speaking about any kind of relationship, and seeing a woman with lustful eyes, and meeting in a secluded place, and discussing and making arrangement for a relationship, and making firm resolution, and eventually having some kind of relationship of sex life. The sannyāsī must be very strict to avoid any kind of association of this nature, because such association can very quickly cause falldown.

So it is a very strict order, but the sannyāsī is empowered by all the previous ācāryas that by their mercy he will be able to go throughout the world and deliver all of the fallen souls. So it is by the mercy of ācārya that one crosses over the difficult ocean of material life and finally comes to the platform of taking shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Mukunda, the giver of liberation.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . so daṇḍas, you can take them one after another.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: First is Haṁsadūta.

Prabhupāda: Haṁsadūta

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is his name, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Well, Haṁsadūta Swami.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Rāmeśvara?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Haṁsadūta Swami.

Devotees: Jaya! Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: (laughs) That is nice. Very good.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Next is Ādi-keśava.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, if you can give him the name of some Swami or Goswami?

Prabhupāda: Swami.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: These are all svāmīs.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Daṇḍavats.

Prabhupāda: This is sāṣṭāṅga daṇḍavats, and which means pañcama, sāṣṭāṅga. Both of them are. Hmm.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Go and preach all over the world.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!

Prabhupāda: We are sending our mission to China and Russia immediately.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Pay daṇḍavats.

Devotee: Daṇḍavats, daṇḍavats.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: . . . South American . . .

Prabhupāda: Ah, that is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He’s nice devotee.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good, strong.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Take. Preach.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Hmm. He is Chinese mission. Is Chinese mission ready?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Come on.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: What is your name?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dhṛṣṭadyumna.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Dhṛṣṭadyumna.

Prabhupāda: So our new Swāmījī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Swami, is going to China to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śatadhanya.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya!

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This is Jagat-guru.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Africa.

Prabhupāda: South Africa? No?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he was with me in South Africa, and Nairobi.

Prabhupāda: Our Jagat-guru Swami is going to South Africa to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: That’s all? Hmm.

Devotee: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Perform begin, I can sit down, there is no other . . .

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No others.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (announces) The brāhmaṇa initiates can see Śrīla Prabhupāda later this afternoon. Personally.

Devotees: (background chatter) The same name.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: . . . do you recommend anyone . . . (break) (end)