19841231 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 19.17

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapātākā Swami Mahārāja on December 31, 1984. The class begins with a reading from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter 19, Verse 17.

Jayapatākā Swami: Now reading the continuation on “The Lord Instructs Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī”, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā, chapter 19, text 17.

 

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpāṁ tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī-caitanya-īśvaram

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

 

CC Madhya 19.17

bhaṭṭācārya paṇḍita biśa triśa lañā

bhāgavata vicāra karena sabhāte vasiyā

 

Translation by His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda: Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī used to discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in an assembly of twenty or thirty learned brāhmaṇa scholars. 

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following commentary on the words bhāgavata vicāra. As confirmed in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.1.4-5), there are two kinds of educational systems: 

dve vidye veditavya iti,

ha sma yad brahma-vido vadanti — parā caivāparā ca.

tatrāparā ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāma-vedo ’tharva-vedaḥ śikṣā kalpo vyākaraṇaṁ niruktaṁ chando jyotiṣam iti.

atha parā yayā tad akṣaram adhigamyate.

 

“There are two kinds of educational systems. One deals with transcendental knowledge [parā vidyā] and the other with material knowledge [aparā vidyā]. All the Vedas — the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda and Atharva Veda, along with their corollaries, known as śikṣā, kalpa, vyākaraṇa, nirukta, chanda and jyotiṣa — belong to the inferior system of material knowledge [aparā vidyā]. By parā vidyā one can understand the akṣara — Brahman or the Absolute Truth.”

As far as the Vedic literature is concerned, the Vedānta-sūtra is accepted as the parā vidyā. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is an explanation of that parā vidyā. Those who aspire for liberation (mukti or mokṣa) and introduce themselves as vaidāntika are also equal to those groups aspiring to improve religion (dharma), economic development (artha) and sense gratification (kāma). Dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa are called catur-varga. They are all within the system of inferior, material knowledge. Any literature giving information about the spiritual world, spiritual life, spiritual identity and the spirit soul is called parā vidyā. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam does not have anything to do with the materialistic way of life; it gives transcendental information to educate people in the superior system of parā vidyā. Sanātana Gosvāmī was engaged in discussing the bhāgavata-vidyā, which means he discussed transcendental superior knowledge. Those who are karmīs, jñānīs or yogīs are not actually fit to discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Only Vaiṣṇavas, or pure devotees, are fit to discuss that literature. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam itself (12.13.18):

śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ

yasmin pāramahaṁsyam ekam amalaṁ jñānaṁ paraṁ gīyate

yatra jñāna-virāga-bhakti-sahitaṁ naiṣkarmyam āviṣkṛtaṁ

tac chṛṇvan supaṭhan vicāraṇa-paro bhaktyā vimucyen naraḥ

 

Although Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is counted among the Purāṇas, it is called the spotless Purāṇa. Because it does not discuss anything material, it is liked by transcendental Vaiṣṇava devotees. The subject matter found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for paramahaṁsas. As it is said, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vedyam. A paramahaṁsa is one who does not live in the material world and who does not envy others. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, devotional service is discussed to arouse the living entity to the transcendental position of jñāna (knowledge) and vairāgya(renunciation). As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.12): 

tac chraddadhānāḥ munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā

paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

 

“That absolute knowledge is realized by the seriously inquisitive student or a sage, who is well equipped with knowledge and who has become detached by rendering devotional service and hearing the Vedānta-śruti.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Glories of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are explained here. Sometimes people ask the question that in the original four Vedas, although Kṛṣṇa is mentioned and although this transcendental science is mentioned, but it’s not the main point of discussion. Here it is explained why that the original four Vedas are first giving knowledge about the material world or the apara-vidyā. Then those are further explained and finally the combination of Vedic works is the Vedānta-sūtra which deals purely with the transcendental science.

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary of the Vedānta-sūtra. So, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is especially relishable for the paramahaṁsas. The paramahaṁsas who are simply interested in the transcendental subject matter. They are not concerned about those affairs which are of the temporary material world. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam therefore is considered to be the grantha-rāja or the king of all books because it gives us the pure nectar. It has been described as the ripened fruit of the Vedic literature which has got no skin, no pit. It’s simply pure nectar.

Actually in India, there are mangoes which practically have no pit and have very delicate skin and they are very juicy. There is one called the Kohinoor which is very rare. It is not sold normally in the market. We hear that when they take the mango down, they have to have people climb up in the tree and from the top they very carefully take it off, give it to the next person and like this will be a type of bucket brigade, mango brigade. One after another they very carefully, they have to hand that mango from one hand to the next. And then finally they put it on a cotton swab, big cotton so that if you just put it on the hard surface of a table, it will bruise. It is so delicate. Those are exceptionally sweet and juicy.

So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also not to be understood by the rough crude understanding of the karmīs or jñānīs. It has to be understood under the guidance and in the association of Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. Therefore we daily study the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with the devotees. Sometimes the Māyāvādīs they are trying to discuss all the dry impersonal philosophy and philosophical points and it is not really interesting to the public, so nobody would come.

So therefore they have to also tell about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. In India, it is very common that the Māyāvādī preacher would also start to tell people about Kṛṣṇa. But their talking about Kṛṣṇa is not the same. They don’t actually have pure devotion for Kṛṣṇa. But rather their discussions about Kṛṣṇa are polluted by this impersonalist philosophy.

One time, Śrīla Prabhupāda was doing a program at the āśrama of Vinoda Bhave, one of the great assistants of Gandhijī. He just passed away a few years ago, fasting because they wouldn’t stop cow slaughtering in India. Well Prabhupāda was invited in 1975 or 76 to attend a world conference on the Bhagavad-gītā at the āśrama of Vinoda Bhave. So there were many eminent scholars or rather ācāryas who came.

Prabhupāda was elected the president of that assembly. But there was Vinoda Bhave had his āśramites chant the Bhagavad-gītā. I believe it was the second chapter by heart. They just, pretty beautifully they recited it. One of the Māyāvādī so-called gurus who was present, he became a bit envious of the presence of the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees who had performed earlier beautiful kīrtana and had attracted the minds of all the people present there with their beautiful kīrtana. So he started, he said that “This chanting mantra is the way in this age is,” and he started a kīrtana, and he was chanting, clapping his hand and he was, “Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Sacidānanda Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Sacidānandam” [singing] and he was chanting some mantra like that.

They were trying but it was like a Pauṇḍraka trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa, wasn’t the real thing. So nobody was very inspired by his chanting. He had a few of his followers were chanting too but it… Prabhupāda knew that he was only doing this, he’s trying to say, “We also worship but actually you see.” He had said so many things which were impersonal. And just because he had failed to attract the people by that then he tried, “Let me attract them also, I can do a kīrtana.” But even his kīrtana was so dry, that no one was being attracted.

Prabhupāda, he motioned to the devotees to start a big kīrtana. As soon as he finished, he just packed everything. Prabhupāda had him finished. He is going to cut him off. With mṛdaṅgas and karatālas there was a huge kīrtana and everyone became very enlivened by the kīrtana. Prabhupāda explained that there is difference between the chanting also of a devotee. When a pure devotee chants then immediately one feels the spiritual enthusiasm, and when these jñānīs orkarmīs chant well then it doesn’t have the same potency. Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda considered all his followers to be pure devotees, purely trying to serve Kṛṣṇa for the satisfaction of Guru and Gaurāṅga.

So here we are reading today how Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we shall understand that this studying is far different than the ordinary study of material subject matter. This is the actual priority in life to have parā-vidyā. Someone asked last night, “We should have parā-vidyā and apara-vidyā.” Both are required, but they should be going on side by side so that we know what is parā-vidyā or transcendental knowledge.

Normally the people they spend their whole life in studying the apara-vidyā or materialistic knowledge. And then when it is time, when they need transcendental knowledge that time it is too late to accumulate so much information to understand the subject matter, or that time they are in such bad habit that they are not able to suddenly change and take up to parā-vidyā or spiritual knowledge. So, kaumāra ācaret prājño, right from the early age even from 5 years of age this habit of studying parā-vidyā — spiritual knowledge should be promoted in the human society.

One of my relatives, they have been favorably materially, relatives in previous āśrama. They have been impressed by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and then they came and asked some of the children of other relatives that “When you go to sleep at night you should pray to God.” And they said, “Who is God?” 3 years, 5 years old, they don’t know. In the modern society, the level of God consciousness is going down perpetually nil. The God, that you have to be embarrassed to say God. It’s like a dirty word practically.

Why do you want to talk about that for? So in the children they are not receiving any knowledge in the schools and in the home the young parents, they are not also very attuned to spiritual understanding. So in this way, they are growing up in a type of a spiritual vacuum. This is going to create a chaotic situation in society, more and more. The people who have been more impious than before and become more difficult to control to keep peace in society. What to speak of having a progressive spiritual society.

So actually Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when it was brought here by Śrīla Prabhupāda, its presence in this country and in the world has created a type of spiritual environment or a type of spiritual catalyst which is already starting to act and many people are realizing how godless the society is.

Of course on the other side many people are going out on the path of a type of apara-vidyā or materialistic education. So Prabhupāda said that of course our work is not yet finished. He established Kṛṣṇa conscious centers, but now the next thing is that these things should be brought to society at large through a type of varṇāśrama propagation. Then the people would actually be able to understand what is the real purpose of life and be able to solve their problems. So spiritual understanding is step by step process. Doesn’t happen in every case overnight.

If someone had been previously a devotee, they are born somewhere to assist the movement of Lord Caitanya they may join very quickly. Others may be there who are having less spiritual assets, for them it may take more association and more time even to make them understand basic things. Because in their childhood they had no information, they had no education on spiritual subject matter. They may also have no inclination. So gradually they have to be brought around by various plans and programs.

That was the movement of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that He would devise various schemes to attract people through the process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. We should have that sincere faith that if someone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, they will get a change of heart:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ

sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

 

By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa their heart will be cleansed. To taste the nectar of Kṛṣṇa consciousness we should have that conviction. Actually we have seen it, you may be surprised, I was surprised. I go round this you know requesting everyone to chant “Hare Kṛṣṇa”. Sometimes it is considered to be quite normal amongst devotees because that’s not often done nowadays. But I find that this is the central point that people should read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat prasāda and that is the special medicine which can cure their disease.

So one place in India where I was going and I requested people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa 108 times per day. When I went back there 6 months later, one man came up to me and he said that “I am chanting now 16 rounds, and I want to thank you for saving my life. Because 6 months ago you gave me one of those cards—saṁskāra-patra and since then I have been chanting. You know normally everyone says things like that you saved my life. But then I noticed that something was unusual about this person. That he didn’t have any fingers. He just had stubs like this.

And then he said that “I had leprosy and they said that it was very difficult, I tried so many medicines, I couldn’t get rid of it. When I started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa 108 times per day, now they said my leprosy is negative. It’s completely gone.”

I thought anyway this is a coincidence you know. It’s not. Maybe it is a coincidence. It’s the mercy of Kṛṣṇa no doubt. But well this thing could happen. Then the next day another person came visiting from another city in Orissa and he also said that “Thank you very much. About a year ago you gave me this chanting and I have been chanting.”

When he went up to the temple, he took his shoes off. I saw he didn’t have any toes. Said, “What happened to you?” 

He said, “I was a leper. But since I have started chanting, now it’s gone away.” Hn.. (exclaims) Haribol! Nitāi-Gaura premanande Hari Haribol!

So we don’t, of course, do big healing sessions and (laughs) faith healing because we don’t want to kind of propose and everyone starts coming in. We want people who are interested in this parā-vidyā—transcendental knowledge. But the effect of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa it actually says in the scripture, it can cure one from both internal and external impurities. So disease is also impurity so it cured those of that disease. Because especially that type of disease is considered to be the result of some very bad karma.

And we know that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one is uplifted from the effects of previous karmas. You see sometimes life token is given for the devotee so that it is an impetus for their purification. But the effect of devotional service we shouldn’t lose sight. That the devotional service is all we need to achieve perfection in life. We don’t have to avail any other process.

Let me just finish this purport here. Śrīla Prabhupāda says (continues with the purport),

Purport (CC Madhya 19.17): “This is not sentiment. Knowledge and renunciation can be obtained through devotional service (bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā), that is, by arousing one’s dormant devotional consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When Kṛṣṇa consciousness is aroused, it relieves one from fruitive activity, activity for economic improvement and material enjoyment. This relief is technically called naiṣkarmya, and when one is relieved, he is no longer interested in working hard for sense gratification. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Śrīla Vyāsadeva’s last, mature contribution, and one should read and hear it in an assembly of realized souls while engaging in devotional service. At such a time one can be liberated from all material bondage. This was the course taken by Sanātana Gosvāmī, who retired from government service to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with learned scholars. Thus end the purport of text 17.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, actually it is said that those two persons, their faith was established by chanting so they have taken up devotional service as very seriously. But here we find that like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he didn’t have to see some type of miracle. He was faithful just by hearing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the assembly of realized souls. So that is considered to be a higher type of faith, a faith where you don’t have to show miracles, don’t have to show some kind of special activity.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we try to avoid showing these external displays either of mystic powers or of spiritual ecstasies and by the practice of devotional service and by the philosophy of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we inspire the people. That inspiration is more sublime because it is not dependent upon external phenomenon which could be artificially produced by unscrupulous persons. But if one’s realization is based upon transcendental knowledge and realization through the practice of devotional service, then that realization is something which cannot be taken away from you. So we should try to realize devotional service by practicing it personally as Sanātana Gosvāmī did.

So we go on 

CC Madhya 19.18

āra dina gauḍeśvara, saṅge eka-jana

ācambite gosāñi-sabhāte kaila āgamana

 

Translation: While Sanātana Gosvāmī was studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the assembly of learned brāhmaṇas, one day the Nawab of Bengal and another person suddenly appeared.

Purport: The full name of the Nawab of Bengal (Hussain Shah) was Ālāuddīna Saiyada Husena Sāha Seripha Makkā, and he ruled Bengal for twenty-three years, from 1420 to 1443 Śakābda Era (A.D. 1498 to 1521). Sanātana Gosvāmī was studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with the scholars in the year 1424 (A.D. 1502).

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this Gauḍa, Gauḍa means the land of Bengal, left part of Northern India and is a title which is used both by Hindus and Muslims. He was known as Gauḍeśvara, the Nawab or the King of Bengal.

I was suggesting to the Government that in Bengal, now they are still calling their state as West Bengal because originally in India there was west and east Bengal. East Bengal has since been subdivided, first as Pakistan, now it is called Bangladesh. So there is no longer an East Bengal within the country of India.

So therefore I said, what’s the use of continuing the English name West Bengal? Instead of calling West Bengal, give it a more Indian name. As they had renamed the Mysore state to the name of Karnataka or Bombay state to Mahārāṣṭra, different Sanskrit names. It is better to call it Gauḍa Bangla or the land of Bengal which is Gauḍa.

We got thousands of people to sign a petition but as yet the communist government in Bengal hasn’t had a soft heart for this appeal, but we are hopeful. We may be able to get them to change the name of the state to something more Vedic. Because I tell them it is accepted even by the Mohammedan rulers of the previous times. So why shouldn’t it be acceptable to all the communities in Bengal? Muslim, Hindu — it is not a sectarian name. But Gauḍa shows the ancient history–historical cultural heritage of Bengal which almost must have? Well, it is a step in the right direction.

Anyway here we see that, this Ālāuddīna Saiyada Hussain Sāha Seripha Makkā, he was also known as Gauḍeśvara. So that’s the point in favor of that appeal.

CC Madhya 19.19

pātsāha dekhiyā sabe sambhrame uṭhilā

sambhrame āsana diyā rājāre vasāilā

 

Translation: As soon as all the brāhmaṇas and Sanātana Gosvāmī saw the Nawab appear, they all stood up and respectfully gave him a sitting place to honor him.

Purport: Although Nawab Hussain Shah was a mleccha-yavana, he was nonetheless the governor of the country, and the learned scholars and Sanātana Gosvāmī offered him all the respect due to a king or a governor. When a person occupies an exalted executive post, one should consider that he has acquired the grace of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.41) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā

tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam

 

“Know that all beautiful glorious and mighty creations spring but from a spark of My splendor.”

Whenever we see something exalted, we must consider it part of the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A powerful man (vibhūtimat sattvam) is one who has obtained the grace of the Lord or has derived some power from Him. In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.10) Kṛṣṇa says, tejas tejasvinām aham: “I am the power of the powerful.” The learned brāhmaṇascholars showed respect to Nawab Hussain Shah because he represented a fraction of Kṛṣṇa’s power.

So, thus ends Śrīla Prabhupāda’s purport.

Jayapatākā Swami: In our practical Kṛṣṇa consciousness sometimes if someone asks, “Well if some important government official will come to the temple, how should we treat with him? He is a karmī, he is a materialist.” But here we see that the proper way of dealing with someone who is in a powerful position is you should treat him with respect, offer him a place of honor.

Not because particularly that person may be very otherwise glorious but if he is a powerful, famous, otherwise distinguished person, that whatever power, fame, glory, good quality he has, it is a representation of Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited power. So in that sense there’s a type of indirect representative of Kṛṣṇa we offer respect. Even the demigods are accepted as the representatives of Kṛṣṇa’s power. So we also don’t disrespect them.

So even though the Nawab Hussain Shah was a mleccha-yavana, he was a meat-eating uncultured person in terms of higher spiritual values, but he was nonetheless the emperor. Therefore he was given respect by holding an exalted executive post.

It said that “Kṛṣṇa is the supreme protector of all the universes.”

So a king or a ruler or a big government official, his duty is actually to protect the citizens. Of course sometimes they don’t, but they have the power to protect the citizens. So therefore they are in one sense a type of partial representative of Kṛṣṇa, at least Kṛṣṇa’s protecting potency. Like a judge, Kṛṣṇa is also the Supreme judge of our material activities. So a judge is also a type of representative of Kṛṣṇa’s judicial characteristic and so on.

Someone who may be a great runner or very beautiful, so they are representing Kṛṣṇa’s prowess or His beauty. So we can respect such people. Not seeing them as independent of Kṛṣṇa but seeing well whatever beauty, power, it is a fraction of Kṛṣṇa’s. So we offer them respect in that way. It’s more like a social custom, you can take it. It is not that we think that they are like the spiritual master or something. But we offer them social etiquette, we offer them respect. And give them the treatment that someone in a representative position of Kṛṣṇa, powerful position should get.

So by doing that, like Lord Caitanya said:

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror iva sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

 

Thinking oneself more insignificant than a straw in the street, and being more tolerant than a tree, ready to offer respect to others and not desiring any respect for oneself, in this humble state of mind one can constantly chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

So that type of politeness, if it’s offered to people, it charms them. They can appreciate that. In fact the same sūtra given by Lord Caitanya, the same code is not different than what any professional public affairs behavioral course would teach you. They are going to give — how to make friends and influence people. It’s just more or less the same thing.

You should tell people words — encouraging words, praise them. Try to find out their good quality. That will make them feel good, receptive. The same formula. We offer people respect. But it requires some tolerance, patience, because sometimes people act in such a way that you don’t want to deal with them in a respectful way. The tendency is mainly to flare up, to become impatient, to become sharp and bite back at people.

But instead if one is tolerant, humble, treat people with respect, he doesn’t expect to get any special respect back. And then in this way one can preach to them the message of Kṛṣṇa.

I remember one time I walked into a businessmen’s office in India and he just started to blast me, “What are you people doing?” Then he just started shouting at me. “Why should I do anything to help you people? You are walking around here just simply collecting money. You are not doing anything productive.” This, that. Started to chastise me. So I was just sitting there very humbly.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

I said, “Very glad to come in a nice gentlemen’s office like yours.”

Very humbly trying to present this Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy and said a few words. Again he gave another tirade.

Then again I coolly tried to answer. Then he looked at me, “So what do you want?”

I said, “I wanted you to become a life member patron.”

Then he opened his desk up, wrote a check on hand, “I was just testing you.” [laughs]

Strange character! Ha ha! Nice member, life member. So Kṛṣṇa also tests. Sometimes He sends someone to test our patience, and they may or may not become a life member in the end, what not? But we should be determined to try to always present the better side of Kṛṣṇa consciousness forward. Of course, it is depending on Kṛṣṇa or His devotees we can. It is also our humility to try to protect them with whatever means we have. But in normal circumstance we deal with others as politely as possible. They should always have a good impression that the devotees are very polite, humble, good type of people. This is the quality of a Vaiṣṇava.

If we act in such a way that people are generally agitated, that they are not pleased with the way we are acting, that would be a disservice to the guru-paramparā. Even though the emperor came in very angry, but immediately they stood up, offered him a seat, gave him all respect. So this is the same way we should deal with people.

I just, I remember one devotee who was visiting America from England, and he was driving in England and some of these other countries. Like in He was just  Germany actually. In Germany there is no speed limit. You can go 250 km an hour, there is no limit at all.

So he was going about 85 on the Triumph bike when one of the state troopers pulled him over and said you know, started screaming at him you know, “What the (unmentionable things) do you think you are doing? 85! You are going 30 miles over 55 miles speed limit?”

So then the devotee with an accent very humbly replied, “Now how do I get somewhere? Sorry, Sir. In our country there is no speed limit. There wasn’t a notice that I was going overspeed.” And then they said, “Oh, you are a tourist. Alright, don’t do it again.”

Some time just by dealing in a peaceful manner — not that every time it will work. Some time you get someone who is very angry, they don’t care. But in general this is the most effective means of dealing. For a devotee especially it is totally out of context to, especially if you are acting as a brāhmaṇa, as a preacher. If you are acting as a kṣatriya, might be something else. It is out of their nature, out of their personality to act in an another way.

People expect that religious people will act in a controlled, peaceful manner. But sometimes they say something offensive against Kṛṣṇa — we just can’t tolerate, then we say something. But for our own, people may criticize a devotee personally — well, they just tolerate that. We take fame and infamy with equal strive.

Prabhupāda taught us in India that we should try to treat our guests as if Kṛṣṇa Himself had come. In fact it is a Vedic aphorism that says atithi-nārāyaṇa. That an unexpected guest should be treated like Nārāyaṇa. That even if an enemy comes to your house, he should be so well treated that he thinks, “I am in the house of friends.” This is the Vedic system.

So when we invite people here to our temple, we should try to receive them and greet them and treat them with all warmth, friendship, hospitality. So that they have very good impression about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And that is the actual Vedic system. In traveling in India you experience — sometimes I mentioned many times — I am just, my heart has been won over by the hospitality. Of course in the South, we hear about southern hospitality.

So of course India is also considered South although it is a different continent — it is South Asia. This is southern United States. But there when you go to someone’s house they always offer you a seat, offer you something to drink. It is like a ritual. You have to. Even you don’t take it, but they insist you. Even if you don’t drink it, but they insist you on giving something. It is like an obligation.

So Prabhupāda also wanted that when anyone comes to our temple, we should be able to provide them in a moment’s notice some prasāda. At one time even personally he had a letter send out that in the morning there should be a pūrīdough made and there should be some sabjī vegetable made or at least it is ready to be made, and if anyone comes — any respectable gentleman — during the day, gentleman or gentlewomen, immediately we should be able to provide them hot pūrīs and sabjī right on the spot. I don’t know if any temple is able to do that. If they were then all glories to them.

That was the type of hospitality Prabhupāda wanted to offer. You can imagine, somebody comes in and immediately you are able to provide hot pūrīs and sabjī, and a sandesh or something. If some Indian gentleman comes for darśana and suddenly you offer them that, they will be won over forever. ha ha! They do that on microwave [laughs]. Modern technology dovetails. So see, Kṛṣṇa has provided. There must be some reason why He made microwave. [laughs] The 20th century — we can give hot prasāda in a moment’s notice.