Questions and Answers Prabhupada: Chanting Hare Krsna. This is the price. That’s all. Yes? Guest: You mentioned these miracles. The only miracle (indistinct) who has gone beyond the material encagement. That is what the yogi is trying, is striving to do, trying to go beyond the material nature. When one mentions miracles, it is surely a proof that he has actually transcended this material nature. Prabhupada: Yes. Guest: But why, why are they trying to transcend material, transcend material nature? Who is doing these miracles? Or why try to do (indistinct) Why should human beings try to do (indistinct)? Prabhupada: No. The yoga practice is like that. It is very good, that “Why we should bother ourself with such things?” That is the opinion of the devotees. The devotees, they do not want any such miracles to perform or to make some jugglery to the people. They are satisfied with the service of the Lord. So that is the position of the devotee. But generally, the yogis, they want such things. There are many instances of great yogis in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, just like Durvasa Muni. He wanted to show his power to Ambarisa Maharaja. That’s a very nice story. I shall narrate next meeting. The yogis, everyone, yogis… Yoga practice is, therefore… It is more or less material activity. Because when they are powerful to show some miracles and people become captivated, “Oh, he is performing such miracle thing.” In Benares in India there was a yogi. His business was anyone who will go there, he immediately produced two or four rasagullas and offer him. And many hundreds and thousands of educated men became his disciple simply for the matter, rasagulla, which is only four annas worth. So people want to see this jugglery. And those who want following some or some material achievement, they want to show… Actually it is a fact. Suppose if I could manufacture rasagullas by some mantra, Hare Krsna mantra, oh, thousands of people will come immediately. You see? People want to see me, and those persons who want to have a cheap following, they want to show such jugglery. But a devotee sees… [break] …is not of that mentality. They will simply, humble servant. They are satisfied by serving the Lord. That is devotee’s position. So your statement, that “Why one should bother with these things?” That’s a very nice proposal. Why? There is no necessity. Suppose if I can manufacture some rasagulla, what is the worth of this rasagulla? Oh, we can, if we spend ten cents, we can make it. So why shall I waste my energy for manufacturing rasagulla in the yoga system? Actually, therefore, Krsna says that the perfection of, real perfection of yoga, the first- class yogi is he who is always thinking of Krsna. That is first-class. He is recommended. yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah [Bg. 6.47] “The first-class yogi is he who is always…” He never says that first- class yogi is he who can show this jugglery. No. That is not recommended. Actually, and the yoga practice begins, samadhi. Real yoga practice is, after controlling the senses, the next stage is samadhi, concentrate the mind, focus the mind on Visnu always. Always thinking of Visnu, always seeing Visnu within himself. That is yoga practice. But by such practice, automatically one gains such powerful things, and when one gains such powerful powers, they want to exhibit to get following for material achievements. But that is not the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ultimately reach in His kingdom. That is the real purpose of yoga. [break] Yes? Devotee: When they perform these miracles, (indistinct) that is with their material body? Their material body (indistinct)? Prabhupada: Yes. Yes? Devotee: Why do you say that Jesus Christ performed so many miracles when he (indistinct), and you never said that Krsna performed any miracles. When Krsna lifted up Govardhana Hill, nobody said that was a miracle. But when Jesus Christ made so many things, they say it’s a miracle. How is that? Prabhupada: The difference is that in Vrndavana they are pure devotees. They knew that “Oh, this is not a miracle for Krsna. Krsna can do anything and everything.” So they were not surprised. If I lift one mountain, you will be surprised because you know that “Swamiji is man. How he is lifting?” But they know that Krsna is all-powerful. So there was no surprise. It is just like natural work. They were so much affectionate to Krsna that… He was not only lifting. Every day He was doing so much great performances, and His boyfriends, they would come home, and they would narrate the story to their mothers, “Oh, mother, today Krsna performed like this. There was a great demon, and He killed him immediately.” And the mother will say, “Oh, Krsna did that? He is very nice boy, very nice.” (laughter) Because they were so affectionate to Krsna, they always think, “Everything is possible for Krsna. Krsna is so nice. Krsna is so great.” That is their idea. So (indistinct) that is not miracle. That is ordinary thing for Him. Just like Yasoda. Krsna’s friends complained, “Mother Yasoda, Krsna has eaten earth. You gave Him sweetmeat, but He was not eating sweetmeat.” You know. The boys, they complain each other and again make friends. So Yasoda was…, “Oh, Krsna, I gave You sweetmeats. You are eating earth?” “No, mother. I have not eaten. They are telling false.” And they were still, “Yes. We have seen, mother, He has eaten.” Then mother asked Him, “Oh, show Your face. Open Your mouth. I want to see.” So He opened His mouth, and she saw all the universe within His mouth, not only earth, the whole planets, sun and moon, and everything, within His mouth. Then she thought, “Oh, what I have seen? All right. Don’t do it.” That’s all. (laughter) She is not at all surprised. She thought that “I saw something. Maybe I wrong or right. All right. Don’t do it.” That’s all. So they were so much affectionate to Krsna that Krsna’s this jugglery could not enchant them. (chuckles) You see? Therefore Krsna said to the gopis that “Your love is so pure that it is not possible for Me to repay.” Krsna is declaring insolvent to pay their debt. “You be satisfied with your love only. I cannot repay.” That is the position of Krsna. Krsna and the residents of Vrndavana so affectionately connected, that there is no such conception that “Krsna is God, Krsna can play wonderful things.” They simply love Krsna. And out of love they forget everything. “All right. That’s all right. That’s all right.” So that ecstasy of love is only possible in Vrndavana. [break] Pradyumna: Is there a difference in the quality of service between a person who is, just accepts outright Krsna, service to Krsna, and one who wants to scrutinize and inquire more and more about it, between someone who just accepts, “That’s it, this and this,” and someone who inquires more and more? Prabhupada: One who loves Krsna without inquiry, that is nice position. To inquire about Krsna is knowledge. And pure devotion is transcendental to knowledge. Love does not depend on the greatness. If a boy loves a girl or the girl loves a boy, even in this material field, it does not depend on the greatness of the boy. Of course, here everything is on material consideration. But actual love is without any consideration, what He is or what He isn’t. That is real love. That is the perfectional stage of love, without inquiring how great He is or what He is. But for the neophytes it is necessary to know about Krsna. Because we have no love, so if we understand that Krsna is so great, then gradually we can love. Our position is different because when… Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta, it is said that siddhanta boliya citte na kara alasa: “Try to understand about Krsna.” Just like Krsna is explaining in Bhagavad-gita that “I am this amongst the trees. I am this. I am this planet. Amongst this, I am this. I am this.” So just to impress upon the neophyte devotees about the greatness… And those who are advanced devotees, they do not want to see whether Krsna is great or small. They simply love Him. That’s all. That is pure love. In Vrndavana, at least these gopis, they never saw Krsna’s any jugglery or any greatness. But they still love, pure love. Pure love means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu silanam bhaktir uttama [BRS 1.1.11] Without any cultivation of knowledge, without any activities of fruitive action, without any desire, simply to love Krsna in order to please Him—that is the highest perfectional stage of devotion. There is no consideration “Whether Krsna is God or not, whether we are getting benefit or not.” “Simply we love Krsna.” That is the perfectional stage. [break] Candanacarya: …to know something about Krsna. (indistinct) I think you have to know something about Krsna before you know Him to love Him. Prabhupada: Yes. That I explained. For ordinary neophyte devotees… This is the highest stage. The stage of the gopis or the cowherd boys playing with Krsna, oh, they are krta-punya-punjah. Many, many lives they have undergone many types of sacrifices, austerities, penances, and then they have come to that stage. That stage is not ordinary stage. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam Sukadeva Gosvami says, ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-daivatena, mayasritanam nara-darakena sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah [Bhag. 10.12.11] He is describing when Krsna was playing with His cowherds boy. So he is describing that “These cowherds boy—who are they? They are living entities who have amassed volumes and volumes of pious activities.” Krta-punya-punjah. “After many, many lives Just like bank balance increases, similarly, one who has increased the balance of pious activities for many, many thousands of lives, oh, such persons are now playing with Krsna. They have taken the body of His cowherds boy, transcendental spiritual body, and just they are playing with Krsna. And who is Krsna?” Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya: “The great saints and sages who are trying to understand the Supreme Brahman, here is Krsna. That Supreme Brahman is here, playing.” Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-daivatena: “The impersonalist Brahman is… Because Krsna’s effulgence is impersonal Brahman, so here is He.” And dasyam gatanam: “Those who are devotees, those who have accepted Krsna as the master, for them here is Krsna.” And mayasritanam nara-darakena: “And those who are materialistic—they simply think Krsna is ordinary boy or man—He is also there. But who are these boys? They are playing with the same person who is Brahman, who is Bhagavan, or who is ordinary man, according to different calculation. But these boys who are playing with Him, they have accumulated many, many lives’ heaps of pious activities.” They are not ordinary men. So all these gopis, all the cowherds boy in Vrndavana, they are not ordinary living entities. They have approached that stage after many, many pious activities. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam. After brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. Their position is different. Therefore they have reached that unalloyed stage: without any consideration, simply loving Krsna. That stage they have passed already. There is no such consideration. Pure love. That is pure love. Pure love means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [BRS 1.1.11]. There is no question of knowledge. What these gopis…? They were damsels, cowherds girls. They had no study of Vedanta or anything knowledge. Simply ordinary village girls. How they attained such love for Krsna? That is not ordinary thing. So it is not a thing that one should attain the transcendental loving platform of Krsna by studying. No. vina mahat-pada-rajo ’b sadhu sanga sadhu sanga sarva sastra kaya lavamatra sadhu sange sarva siddhi haya So this association is required. If you can make your Krsna consciousness society perfectly Krsna conscious, wherever you will go, they will become Krsna conscious, simply by your presence. So you have to become perfect in Krsna consciousness. There should be no adulteration. That adulteration means that knowledge and fruitive activities and material desires. If Krsna consciousness is freed from these three kinds of contamination, then that is pure. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
September 6, 1968, New York