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ANNOUNCER: The following is an
Initiation lecture, given by His
Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupāda, recorded on
the 30th of June 1972, in San
Diego, California.

NANDA-KUMĀRA: oṁ namo
bhagavate vāsudevāya, oṁ namo
bhagavate vāsudevāya, oṁ namo
bhagavate vāsudevāya.

śrī bhagavān uvāca mayy āsakta-
manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan
mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ
samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi
tac chṛṇu [Bg. 7.1]

Translation: “Now hear, O son of
Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing
yoga in full consciousness of Me,
with mind attached to Me, you
can know Me in full, free from
doubt.”

PRABHUPĀDA: So this yoga
system is very simple and the
sublime. You have to simply
engage your mind only on Kṛṣṇa,
on the form of Kṛṣṇa, meditation.
Simply you think of Kṛṣṇa. And
how? Āsakti, with attachment.
Just like if you love somebody,
you want to see him, and
attachment is so strong that
without seeing him, you become
restless. That is called āsakti. We
have got āsakti, attachment, for
so many material things. So we
need not explain what is meant
by āsakti or attachment. So
different people have different
attachments, but attachment is
there. Somebody may be
attached to a dog, and somebody
may be attached to God, but the
attachment is there. Rūpa
Gosvāmī has explained this
attachment, very simple. He
says, “My dear Lord, as a young
man awakens his attachment
immediately by seeing a young
girl, or a young girl increases her
attachment immediately seeing a
young boy…” This is natural.
Nobody wants to learn in the
university how to love a young
man or young girl. That is
natural. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says
that “When my attachment unto
You will becomes such naturally
and simultaneous?”

This is very nice explanation.
Simply by seeing, “Oh, here is a
nice, beautiful girl,” “Oh, here is
a nice, beautiful boy,” similarly,
“Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, here is
Kṛṣṇa’s kathā, here is Kṛṣṇa’s
topics, oh, here is Kṛṣṇa’s
temple.” Just like, another
example is given. Just like the
waves of the river. It goes down.
We have seen that little river…
What is that? Varta? Always
going down. In Japan also, I
have seen that little river, with
sound, going down, going down.
So similarly, as the river is going
after the sea spontaneously,
without any artificial attempt, so
such spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa,
or God, that is the perfection of
yoga. This is yoga. Yoga means
connection. In the beginning we
may revive that connection
artificially, but when the
connection will be spontaneous,
without any check, just like the
river water is going down
incessantly… Nobody can check
it. Ahaituky apratihatā. And why
the river is going there? There is
no cause. It is going there.
Similarly, when our love for Kṛṣṇa
will be gliding down like that,
without any cause… Without any
cause… Generally… The same
example again, that spontaneous
love does not depend on any
cause without. Cause is there.
Cause is there, love. There is no
other cause. So it is called
ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaitukī
means without any cause. Just
like we generally go to the
temple, to the church, with a
cause. Just like in Christian
church they go. There is cause:
“God, give us our daily bread.”
The cause is bread. “Therefore I
have come to church.” But when
you go to church without any
cause, that is real love. “God will
give me bread; therefore, let me
go to church,” this is also nice,
but this motivated faith may be
lost. If we approach God for
some material benefit, for
personal sense gratification, that
may break at any time. So that is
not real love. Real love is without
cause. And apratihatā. Apratihatā
means which cannot be checked.
My love for God cannot be
checked by any material
condition. Nobody can say that
“Because I am poor man, I have
to work so hard, I cannot love
God now.” People say like that.
“We shall wait. When I get
millions of dollars in my bank
balance, then I shall take to
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now let me
earn money.” You see? This is
not bhakti or attachment. Mayy
āsakta. Mayy āsakta manāḥ
pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-
āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means
“under My protection.” Kṛṣṇa
says. So taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa
or His representative… Mat
means “My man” also. Mad-
āśrayaḥ, take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or
His representative, and try to
practice the yoga by which you
will have spontaneous love for
Kṛṣṇa.

So this practice, according to
Vedic instruction… Because we
have no attachment. So for
making attachment, there are
some regulative principles by
which you can increase the
attachment. Just like we say, “No
illicit sex.” Illicit sex means those
who are too much attached to
sex; otherwise, there is no
question of illicit sex. According
to Vedic system one is married,
and married means the girl has
got a husband, and the boy has
got a wife. So living on religious
principles, they can satisfy their
sex life for begetting nice
children. So there is no
prohibition. That is allowed. But
illicit sex means your attachment
for sex is increased, not for
Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is forbidden.
No meat-eating. Meat-eating or
fish-eating or egg-eating,
nonvegetarian diet, it is simply
attachment of the tongue.
Nobody dies without meat-
eating. That’s not a fact. When
we were children, we were
babies, we were depending on
milk, either mother’s breast milk
or cow’s milk. Therefore cow is
also our mother. Just like we
drink breast milk from my
mother, similarly, we drink milk
from mother cow. Therefore
meat-eating is prohibited. You
cannot kill your mother. That is a
great sin. You cannot. But people
have become so sinful that they
have no consideration that “I am
going to kill my mother. I am so
ungrateful that the mother who
supplied her blood to feed me, to
keep me living, now I am grown-
up, I am going to kill my
mother.” This is my advancement
of education, that “I have
learned how to kill my mother.”
Therefore, in every religion the
killing is prohibited or very much
restricted. So in your Christian
religion, the first item is, “Thou
shalt not kill.” But everyone is
violating this first commandment.
Then where is your claim to
become a Christian? If you
violate the injunction given by
Lord Jesus Christ, then where,
how you become a Christian?
That is our question. Either
Christian or this or that, killing is
most sinful. This should be
avoided.

Therefore in the beginning, to
increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa…
Because my business is to
increase my spontaneous
attachment for God. That is the
business of human life. This is a
chance. Because in the human
form of life you can do that. And
as soon as you increase your
attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then your
life is successful. Successful
means that you haven’t got to
accept any more this material
body. You will get a spiritual
body and go to Kṛṣṇa, or go to
home, go back to Godhead. So if
you increase your attachment for
Kṛṣṇa, the benefit is that you
make a solution for all the
problems of life. It is scientific.
Mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha. So in
the beginning, in order to
increase your attachment for
Kṛṣṇa, you have to follow the
regulative principles, “Don’t do
this.” Just like a doctor gives you
prescription, “Don’t eat this.
Don’t do this,” similarly, there are
so many “don’t”s and so many
“do”s. So we have to accept the
“do”s, not the “don’t”s.
Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam
[Madhya 19.167] This is called
favorably cultivating Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. We have to
accept the “do”s, not the
“don’t”s. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpa,
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. We
have to accept the favorable
things. So if illicit sex life is
unfavorable for my advancement
in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I must
accept it. You cannot argue. That
will not help you. Similarly,
intoxication. Similarly, meat-
eating. Similarly, gambling.
Because these are the four pillars
of sinful life: illicit sex, meat-
eating, intoxication and
gambling. The roof of sinful life is
held by these four pillars.

So these four pillars, in the
beginning of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, when you are
actually going to take Kṛṣṇa
consciousness seriously… Just
like some souls will be initiated
today. This means that he is
going to take Kṛṣṇa
consciousness very serious. So
one who is serious to take Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, his first business
is to break these four pillars of
sinful life so there will be no
chance of sin. Kṛṣṇa says in the
Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣāṁ tv anta-
gataṁ pāpam: “One who is freed
from all sinful reaction of life…”
Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām.
Puṇya-karmaṇām, pious activity.
“Those who are acting in pious
life, simply executing pious
activities…” Pious activities
means yajña-dāna-tapa-kriyā.
Pious activities means yajña,
performing yajña. Just like there
will be fire sacrifice. Dāna,
charity, giving charity for Kṛṣṇa’s
propaganda. The Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement is
making propaganda, so they
require money. Money is Kṛṣṇa’s
money. Everyone is holding
Kṛṣṇa’s money. So the sooner
they spare that money… Because
if I am holding your money, if I
give it to you, then I become
released from my criminal
activities. Suppose I have stolen
something from your pocket and
I become conscious, “Oh, this
stealing is not good,” so as soon
as I return unto you, “Please take
this money; I was mistaken,” so
thing is settled up. But if you
hold it, then you are criminal.
You will be punished. Similarly,
everyone who is holding Kṛṣṇa’s
money, not returning to Kṛṣṇa,
he is a criminal. He will be
punished. How they are
punished? That you have seen.
In India, everywhere, the same
thing is going on. There was war
between Pakistan and India. So
all the rich men had to contribute
fifty lakhs, fifty hundred
thousand, according to
everyone’s capacity. Many
millions of rupees were collected,
and it was put into the gun
powder, “Svāhā!” (laughter) So if
you don’t execute this svāhā,
then you will have to execute
that svāhā. (laughter) The
Vietnam is going on—svāhā! So
many young men—svāhā! So
much money—svāhā! You have
to do that. Therefore better learn
how to make svāhā for Kṛṣṇa.
Otherwise you will have to make
svāhā for māyā. That’s all. The
sooner you give up… Yajña-dāna.
This is called yajña and dāna,
and tapas, tapasya. Tapasya
means this following, voluntarily
accepting all restrictive principles.
Because we are addicted to all
this nonsense. So unless you stop
all these nonsense activities, you
cannot understand Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-
gatam… If you want to be
serious… That is stated in the
Bhagavad-gītā.

So in this way we have to
increase our attachment for
Kṛṣṇa, and if we increase our
attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy
āsakta manāḥ pārtha yogam…
This yoga system… This yoga
system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is
the topmost yoga system. Why it
is topmost? Because it teaches
how to increase your attachment
for Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is topmost.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-
gītā. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ [Bg.
6.47]. There are different kinds
of yogis. “Of all the yogis…”
Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. Sarveṣām
means “of all.” Mad-gata
āntarātmanā: “One who is always
thinking of Me.” You can think of
one if you are attached to him;
otherwise, artificially you cannot
do. That’s not possible. If you
love somebody, then you will
always see his picture, his form,
always. These are simple yoga.
As it is said in the Vedic
literature, premāñjana-cchurita-
bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva
hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38].
We have to create our eyes or
purify our eyes to see God. And
that purification is possible when
you apply the ointment of love of
God, daily. How to love Kṛṣṇa?
Take it as ointment. As we apply
some ointment to increase the
sight of our eyes… Doctor gives
some prescription. We use it also.
So similarly, how to see God. You
will see God with these eyes
when it is clarified. Premāñjana-
cchurita, by the ointment of love
of Godhead. So these are the
function, how to love. One has to
rise early in the morning. He
doesn’t like, but, “No. I will have
to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.” This is the
beginning. “Oh, I have to chant
sixteen rounds.” He is lazy. He
doesn’t want to do it. But if he
loves Kṛṣṇa, he must do it. He
must do it. So in the beginning
we have to learn how to love, but
when you come to the state, oh,
there is no question of… You may
follow the regulative principle or
not, because love is there. But
don’t imitate. Just like in our
ordinary love affairs, if I want to
love some girl, I bring some
flower, I bring some
presentation. In this way she
thinks, “Oh, it is very nice boy.
He has brought me this, that.” In
this way there are six principles
of love. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. You
have to give and you have to
take. I love somebody. I give him
something: “My dear, you take
this.” And when he offers also, if
he also loves you, he also return
you. Not exactly for returning. It
is love to give and take. Dadāti
pratigṛhṇāti guhyam ākhyāti
pṛcchati ca. Opening mind. “My
dear lover, I like this.” And the
other party also opens his mind.
Guhyam ākhyāti… Guhyam
means very confidential things.
Ākhyāti, disclosed, exchanged.
Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. And
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. And
giving the lover to eat something
and accept from him some
eatable. These are the six ways
of increasing love. If you act in
that way with Kṛṣṇa…

You are taking so many things
from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving you
everything. Eko bahūnāṁ
vidadhāti kāmān. Whatever our
necessities of life, that is being
supplied by Kṛṣṇa. We are taking
these fruits, flowers, grains. It is
not possible to manufacture
these in your factory. It is Kṛṣṇa
sending, Kṛṣṇa giving you. So we
are living at the cost of Kṛṣṇa,
and after cooking these fruits,
flowers or grains, if we do not
offer to Kṛṣṇa, is that very good
gentlemanliness? I take so much
from you and simply, nicely, and
very cleanly cooking the
foodstuff, if we offer to Kṛṣṇa,
then what is the wrong there?
The rascals, they say, “Oh, they
are heathens. They are
worshiping some stone.” Just
see. So these are all less
intelligent person. God eats.
Kṛṣṇa says, tad aham aśnāmi. “I
eat.”

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo
me bhaktyā prayacchati tad
aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam

Kṛṣṇa says that “My devotee,
when he brings something within
the categories of vegetables,
grains and fruits, because he has
brought with devotion and love, I
eat them.” So when the devotee
offers with devotion and love,
“Kṛṣṇa, You have given us so
many nice things. So I have
cooked it. Kindly You take first,”
oh, how it is nice. Just like your
father has given you so many
things and you are obliged, “Oh,
our father is maintaining us.” And
if you cook something and give it
to the father first, “My dear
father, I have cooked this. It is
very nice.” “Oh, it is very nice? All
right, give me.” The father will be
so much pleased. “Oh, here is my
dear son.” It is father’s property.
You cannot give anything to the
father. Similarly, you have
nothing to offer to Kṛṣṇa. Simply
you have to become little
intelligent. That’s all. Not rascal.
If you remain rascal, then your
human life is spoiled. If you
become little intelligent, then
your human life is successful.
This is intelligence, God is giving
us daily bread. Why not offer to
God first?” That is intelligence.
And simply, “God is giving me
bread. I shall eat. That’s all…” I
am meant for eating only? And
why not offering? God will not
eat. Simply you feel gratitude:
“Oh, God has given me this
bread. Let me offer it to God first
of all. Then I take.” What is the
wrong there? What is loss there?
But these narādhama, lowest of
the mankind, they even do not
recognize this. Lowest of… They
have been described in
Bhagavad…, narādhama. Na
māṁ duṣkṛtina mūḍhāḥ
prapadyante narādhamāḥ,
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. His
intelligence, his knowledge, has
been taken away by māyā. He
has not this knowledge even,
that “God has given me to eat.
Why not offer first of all to God?”
This intelligence has been taken
away by māyā. Therefore they
are narādhama. Na māṁ
duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante
narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. So those
who are narādhama, lowest of
the mankind… Just like here,
something being offered to
Kṛṣṇa, to God, He will eat it, but
He will leave everything for you
as prasādam. How? Pūrṇāt
pūrṇam udacyate. Pūrṇasya
pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva
avaśiṣyate. This is God’s power.
He will eat everything, but He will
keep everything for you as
prasādam. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam
ādāya. Taking everything, but
still, it is there.

So this is the process, how to
increase your attachment for
Kṛṣṇa. We do not say that “You
Christian, you are good. I am
Hindu, I am bad.” Or “You are
bad, I am good.” We don’t say
that. We simply say that “It is
your right now, this human form
of body, how to love God.” That’s
all. “You have loved dog so long.
Now you try to love God.” That is
our propaganda. So we don’t
criticize anyone. Simply we want
to see whether he or she has
developed his love of God. That’s
all. So you can do it either as
Christian or as Hindu, as
Muhammadan. We don’t care for
that. But we want to see you that
you are actually lover of God. If
you are not, then we tell you,
“You try to love God in this way.”
What is that? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ
viṣṇoḥ. Simply hear about Kṛṣṇa.
Simply chant about Kṛṣṇa. Is that
very difficult? If you have not yet
learned how to love God, take
this process, and you will learn
how to love God. This is our
propaganda. It is not difficult.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam [SB
7.5.23]

These are the nine different
processes. So you can execute all
the nine processes or eight,
seven, six, five, four. But at least,
take to one. You will be perfect.
If you simply come here in this
temple, without doing anything,
simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, your life
will be perfect.

Thank you very much.