The Nectar of Devotion

Pradyumna: [reading] 21.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Pradyumna: "In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, by Kṛṣṅadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kṛṣṅa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here it is stated, "It is..., it is a fortunate person." Not the unfortunate. "It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master." This question we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master.

So that is not very difficult. Just like in our ordinary business life, we accept somebody as representative of the firm who is actually come, canvassing for the benefit of the firm. He's representative. Suppose he's representing some book-seller, publisher, so he should canvass for selling the books published by his firm, not for anything else. Suppose he has taken the advantage of becoming representative of a business firm but he's doing his own business, he's not bona fide. He's not bona fide.

So real guru is Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa... Aham eva āsam agre [SB 2.9.33]. Kṛṣṅa existed before the creation. Then He made His representative, Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. He instructed the original guru, Brahmā. Because there was no other living creature, except Brahmā, in the beginning of creation, and He instructed Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. There are other versions in the Vedas, that He instructed Brahmā. So therefore, the original guru is Kṛṣṅa.

The same guru, Kṛṣṅa, is instructing Arjuna also. Kṛṣṅa became guru of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Him guru: śiṣyas te 'ham [Bg 2.7].

[Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.]

Arjuna said, "Now I am not talking with You as friend, but I accept You as my guru." Therefore, by śāstric conclusion, Kṛṣṅa is the original guru. Who can deny it? Kṛṣṅa is jagat-guru. He's guru of everyone, because everyone [is] accepting the authority of guru, er, Kṛṣṅa. Anyone is accepting the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he's accepting, imperceptibly, Kṛṣṅa as guru. Therefore, bona fide spiritual master means who is representing Kṛṣṅa. Who can deny it?

So to find out a bona fide spiritual master is not very difficult job, because if one is representing guru, Kṛṣṅa, then he must speak of Kṛṣṅa, canvass for Kṛṣṅa. What do you think, Visanjī?

Indian man: Jaya, Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: So that is bona fide guru. Where is the difficulty to find out a bona fide guru? Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṅa upadeśa [Cc Madhya 7.128].

[Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.]

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You preach the words of Kṛṣṅa." Therefore He's bona fide. Similarly, anyone who is representing Kṛṣṅa and canvassing for Kṛṣṅa, he's bona fide guru. Where is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? Anyone can understand that if Kṛṣṅa is the original guru, and if somebody's canvassing for Kṛṣṅa, he's bona fide guru. If somebody canvassing for himself, he's not bona fide guru.

So there is no difficulty to find out a bona fide guru, provided I am serious to find out a bona fide guru. But if I want something else... Because hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṅi [SB 1.2.17].

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

If in my heart there is something else, then I must be cheated by some..., somebody else who is not a bona fide guru. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg 4.11].

[All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.]

So to find out a bona fide guru, spiritual master, is not very difficult. It is very easy. Kṛṣṅa says explicitly, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2]. This knowledge, Vedic knowledge, is received by paramparā system. Just like Kṛṣṅa said to sun-god,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt [Bg 4.1]

[The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.]

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2]

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

Kṛṣṅa said that "This yoga system, first of all I explained to the sun-god, and he explained to his son, Manu, and Manu explained to his son, Iṣkvāku. In this way, by the paramparā system, by the disciplic succession, the knowledge is coming." Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. But as soon as it began to be explained by others, without being in the disciplic succession, in the chain of disciplic succession, speaking the same truth, it becomes broken. Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ. Yoga naṣṭaḥ. It is spoiled.

If one does not come in the disciplic succession, he'll spoil the teaching. That is being done. So-called commentator, teacher of Bhagavad-gītā, he does not come in the disciplic succession, he is self-made guru. Therefore he's not guru. Self-made guru cannot be guru. He must be authorized by the bona fide guru. Then he's guru. This is the fact. Here... Nobody can be self-made anything. A medical practitioner, he cannot become self-made, that "I have studied all the medical books in my home." No. "Have you ever gone to the medical college and taken instruction from the bona fide teachers?" Then, if you have got the certificate, then you are medical practitioner.

Similarly, bona fide guru means he must be authorized by the superior guru. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. He must receive the order from the superior. And the superior must be bona fide. Then he's bona fide, not self-made. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21].

[Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.]

The direction is that one must go to a guru. But who is guru? Śābde ca pare ca niṣṅātaṁ brahmaṅy upaśamāśrayam. These are the description.

So to find out a bona fide guru is not difficult, provided one is bona fide to search out a guru. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151].

[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]

By the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṅa... Because by the mercy of Kṛṣṅa one gets a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of bona fide guru, one gets Kṛṣṅa. This is the process.

When I am actually serious to have connection with Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa is sitting in everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61], so Kṛṣṅa can understand.

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

We cannot hide anything from Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Because Kṛṣṅa is sitting side by side, just like two birds, sitting side by side. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree; another bird is the witness. That is the Vedic version. So as soon as I become serious to know about Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa can understand, "Now My friend is very serious." So He will find out a bona fide guru for him.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151]. By the..., by the double mercy..., Kṛṣṅa's mercy and guru's mercy. If one is serious, Kṛṣṅa is satisfied: "Now he's serious about finding out, about knowing Me," then Kṛṣṅa gives him direction that "Here is guru, My representative. You take shelter of him and you will get Me." This is the way.

That is explained in this..., that by the grace of Kṛṣṅa, that it is a fortunate person. Fortunate person means he must be sincere, serious to know about Kṛṣṅa. That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare [Prema-vivarta].

[When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion.]

When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Kṛṣṅa, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Kṛṣṅa, that is the beginning of my misfortune.

So in order to be..., in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṅa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṅa māyā..., ataeva māyā tāre galila baddhiya [Cc Madhya 20.117].

[Forgetting Kṛṣṅa, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [māyā] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.]

Some way or other, we forgot Kṛṣṅa. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṅa, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: "Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?" This is misfortune.

Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

But we are presenting, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" This is our misfortune. Why? Kṛṣṅa says, mām ekam. Why shall I try to put another alternative? Why? What is the reason? That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṅa is offering the fortune: sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja. This is fortune. But I'll not take that. Kṛṣṅa says, "Get up... Give up all other engagements. Simply take shelter of Me. I shall give you all protection." But I don't believe Kṛṣṅa; therefore it is my misfortune.

This fortune, to become fortunate and misfortunate... Just like in English word, "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Is it not? "Man is the architect of his own fortune." But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Kṛṣṅa's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: "Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate." So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Kṛṣṅa consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Kṛṣṅa's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate.

So this is the process. By the grace of Kṛṣṅa, if we are sincere and serious, then Kṛṣṅa becomes kind upon us and gives direction: buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. "I give them buddhi-yogam." Buddhi means intelligence. So here, everyone has got intelligence. At least, he thinks that he is very intelligent. Everyone thinks. Although he's fool number one, he thinks himself as very intelligent. Because intelligence is there. But when the intelligence is used for material fortune, that is unfortune. When intelligence used for developing Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that is fortune.

So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune. The fortune means that we must be serious after hearing about Kṛṣṅa. One must be serious. Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

So if we are intelligent, we should seriously think over this proposal. Why Kṛṣṅa says, "Give up everything and surrender unto Me"? There is sufficient reason. If one has seriously studied Bhagavad-gītā, there is sufficient reason to surrender unto God, unto Kṛṣṅa. Everywhere.

That... Those who are karmīs, Kṛṣṅa says unto them, yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṅam [Bg 9.27]. Karmaṅy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. This is for the karmīs. And for the jñānīs, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg 7.19].

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

After many, many births, the so-called jñānīs, when he surrenders unto Kṛṣṅa, that is success. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ.

Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. By culture of knowledge, by philosophical speculation, if one comes to this point, conclusion, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg 7.19], Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa, is everything, then he's jñānavān, real jñānavān. That is real... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva [SB 10.14.3].

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.]

He must be submissive. That submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Kṛṣṅa, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jñāna. That is jñāna. Otherwise, ajñāna.

But they are accepting ajñāna as jñāna. To accept ajñāna as jñāna is the most unfortunate position. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is how to surrender to Kṛṣṅa. So this is jñāna. For yogī, this instruction also is there. Karmī, jñānī, yogī and bhakta. There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's..., that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification.

This classification is ended when one comes to know Kṛṣṅa. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evam vijñātaṁ bhavanti [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3].

[If one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of all controllers, one can understand everything else.]

If one understands Kṛṣṅa, then Paramātmā and Brahman becomes automatically known. Sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Just like if you have got one hundred thousand dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it.

So in the Bhagavad-gītā everything is discussed there—jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66], ultimately.

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas—karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga—all yogas are included. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ [Bg 6.47].

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

That we have to understand. We have to become fortunate to understand this philosophy. Kṛṣṅe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62]. This, this philosophy... If, if one surrenders to Kṛṣṅa, if one becomes Kṛṣṅa conscious, then his karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī, haṭha-yogī, everything. Everything is included there.

He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Everything is there. The haṭha-yogīs, they can display many wonderful things, but kṛṣṅa-bhakta, without endeavoring for all these things, Kṛṣṅa can show many magic on his behalf. Why should he take trouble himself, to play the magic himself? Kṛṣṅa will show how magical things are performed by the devotees. Kṛṣṅa will show.

Just like small child, he doesn't require to earn money for spending. If he's rich man's son, his father will take care of him. Similarly, a devotee does not endeavor to become expert in jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, this yoga. He depends on Kṛṣṅa. And when some yogic mystic power has to be shown, Kṛṣṅa will show that. That is the process, bhakti-yoga. You take to Kṛṣṅa, and everything will be done, Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66]:

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

"Don't worry. I shall take care of you."

So therefore the conclusion is that one who is fortunate, he can take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness cent per cent, without any deviation. That is wanted.

Go on.

Pradyumna: "...then by the grace of the spiritual master, one becomes advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Kṛṣṅa consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy—Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. When we speak of Kṛṣṅa, we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with His many expansions."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṅa is not alone. Just like when we speak of the king, although it is singular number, "king" means there are so many others. There is the queen, there is the minister, there is the secretary, there is the commander-in-chief, there is bodyguards, there are so many other things. Similarly, when we speak of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa means His expansions.

He has got different types of expansion—svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Svāṁśa expansion is viṣṅu-tattva. Kṛṣṅa is the original person. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

All others... Just like Viṣṅu, Nārāyaṅa or demigods, all others, they are all expansions of Kṛṣṅa. We are also expansion of Kṛṣṅa; we living entities, we are vibhinnāṁśa. Mamaivāṁśa. Kṛṣṅa says mamaivāṁśa. Jīva-loka. Jīva-loke: "The all these living entities, they are My part and parcel." We are also expansion of Kṛṣṅa, or the demigods, they're also expansion of Kṛṣṅa. The viṣṅu-tattva, They're also expansions of Kṛṣṅa—everyone.

So Kṛṣṅa means including His expansion, including His energies, including His personal paraphernalia, including His dhāma—everything. That is Kṛṣṅa. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan [Bs 5.39].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṅa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.]

Tiṣṭhan means continuing to exist. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena—with His expansion, svāṁśa expansion, vibhinnāṁśa expansion.

So Kṛṣṅa is not alone. Kṛṣṅa is not nirākāra. Kṛṣṅa is not impersonal, because He has got so many personal associates. Nityo nityānām. All these personal associates, they're individual person. We are all person. You are person; I am person. We are all individual. I have got my individual opinion; you have got your individual opinion. Oneness means when these individual opinions are coincided in the matter of surrendering to Kṛṣṅa; that is oneness.

Oneness does not mean that all these individuals become one, homogeneous. No. They keep their individuality, but they become one in the service of Kṛṣṅa. That is oneness. Now everyone is working for his sense gratification, personal. When everyone becomes agreed that "We shall satisfy Kṛṣṅa," that is oneness. That is oneness. One nation. We can understand: one family. One family means they're individual persons, but they're working for the interest of the family—all of them combinedly, conjointly, working. Similarly, they're working conjointly for the society or they're working conjointly for the community or conjointly working for the nation. That is oneness.

When we speak, "We are Indian nation, oneness," that oneness does not mean that every individual Indian has become homogeneous with other Indians. No. Every Indian is an individual person, but he has sacrificed his individuality and engaged himself for the service of the country. That is national consciousness. Similarly, Kṛṣṅa consciousness. As there is national consciousness, community consciousness, family consciousness, so many other consciousness, similarly, Kṛṣṅa consciousness means all persons agree to work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is oneness.

Oneness does not mean we lose our individuality. Sometimes, individually we fight. Just like in the legislative assembly, our representative, M.P.'s, they go and fight. There is a deliberation. But the purpose is to serve the country. Therefore, instead of the different of opinions, they agree to work in this way. That is legislative assembly.

Similarly, individuality there must be always, but when we find out a one means to satisfy Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, to satisfy Kṛṣṅa, that is oneness. Ekatvam anupaśyataḥ [Īśo mantra 7]. Eka. That is ekatvam. Why a... In other words, ekatvam... This is the version of the Īśopaniṣad, ekatvam anupaśyataḥ. Ekatvam anupaśyataḥ. Ekatvam, at the same time, anupaśyataḥ. That means we are all spirit souls. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. That is anupaśyataḥ. And on this basis, when we find ekatvam, oneness, that is the platform of peace, that "We are all servant of Kṛṣṅa."

Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised this. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṅa dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109]. When we feel that "Eternally I am servant of Kṛṣṅa, you are servant of Kṛṣṅa," that is ekatvam. Not that we become a lump of thing. No. Impersonality cannot be... Personality cannot be changed. Jīva-loke. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ [Bg 15.7]. This individuality is sanātana, eternal. But when we disagree to serve Kṛṣṅa, that is asanātana, not sanātana. That is artificial.

So here in this material world, we have disagreed to serve Kṛṣṅa. Therefore the whole proposal is again agree to serve Kṛṣṅa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

This is real philosophy. We disagreed; therefore we came into this material world, and we are fighting with one another. Now again the proposal is the agree to this oneness, ekam. Then there will be peace. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchanti. These things are there.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati [Bg 5.29]

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

We are becoming leaders, the friend of the people. But we are not friend of the people. Kṛṣṅa is the friend of... Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. If we simply say that "I am your friend in this sense, that I deliver the message to you that 'Kṛṣṅa is your best friend.' I do not... I am friend so far I am giving you this information. But actual friend is Kṛṣṅa," suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.

So this is friendship. If one preaches Kṛṣṅa consciousness and teaches everyone that "Kṛṣṅa is your best friend..." He does not say, "I am your best friend." "I am your best friend in this sense, that I am giving you this information." Actually, Kṛṣṅa is your best friend. What can I do? I am a teeny living entity. What can I do for you? I be..., may become your friend, but when you are in danger, I cannot give you any protection; Kṛṣṅa can give you protection.

This is real friendship. He does not take himself. He always carries the message only. Ya idaṁ..., mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati [Bg 18.68]. Simply our business is to carry the message of Kṛṣṅa. Then we are friend. Otherwise we are not friend. We may pose to become friend, but we are not friend, because we do not know how to benefit the friend. Sometimes we mislead him.

Therefore our business is to point out that "Kṛṣṅa is your friend." Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

"He's the proprietor. Don't claim your proprietorship. You are not proprietor. You are falsely claiming, because what you are claiming as your property, it will be taken away by Kṛṣṅa at the time of your death. Everything will be finished." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham [Bg 10.34],

[I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.]

Kṛṣṅa says. Mṛtyu... Kṛṣṅa says, "I am death when I take away everything from the person—his life, property, body and everything."

Actually, we claim, "This is my property." This is moha. Ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Lokasya janasya moho 'yam. This is friendship, to educate people that "You are not proprietor. Kṛṣṅa is proprietor. You are not enjoyer. Kṛṣṅa is enjoyer. You are seeking out friends to give you protection. Kṛṣṅa is the supreme friend who will give you protection." If we spread this message all over the world, then I am friend of Kṛṣṅa and friend of the person. Otherwise, I am not friend.

Because I cannot become friend. I can simply carry... Just like post peon gives you five thousand rupees, delivers. He does not deliver; somebody else is delivering. He's simply carrying. That's all. Similarly, if we simply carry the message of Kṛṣṅa as it is, we become perfect. It is not very difficult. If I simply carry the message of Kṛṣṅa, where is the difficulty? Everything is there. Kṛṣṅa has said everything. Kṛṣṅa says, man-manā mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

We carry this message. Just always think of Kṛṣṅa, always offer obeisances to Kṛṣṅa, become a devotee of Kṛṣṅa. Man-manā, think of Kṛṣṅa always. We have to carry this message. Where is the difficulty?

So to become a bona fide spiritual master there is no difficulty, simply if we carry the message of Kṛṣṅa as it is, without any adulteration. So we must find out a person who is actually bona fide spiritual master by this test, that he's not, I mean to say, adulterating Kṛṣṅa's message. He's not playing havoc with the message of Kṛṣṅa in order to introduce himself, his person. He's simply presenting the message of Kṛṣṅa as it is. Then he's spiritual master. Nobody else.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. [end]