Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Cooking With Smoke 3 Miles Away�

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Hare Krsna,All Members,Please accept my Obiesances!

Your Servant,Jayakesava

Dasa

" Cooking With Smoke 3 Miles Away "

July 1, 1974

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Prabhupada: That is sense. Otherwise nonsense, that's all. It is up to us

to take up the sense or nonsense. The direction is there. What Arjuna said?

Satsvarupa:

 

arjuna uvaca

 

nasto mohah smrtir labdha

 

tvat-prasadan mayacyuta

 

sthito 'smi gata-sandehah

 

karisye vacanam tava

 

[bg. 18.73]

 

" Arjuna said, My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I

have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and

am prepared to act according to Your instructions. "

 

Prabhupada: This is sense.

 

Bhurijana: Prabhupada, I think my illusion is not yet dispelled.

 

Prabhupada: Then unfortunate.

 

Bhurijana: Yes.

 

Prabhupada: Continue. (laughter) Who can check?

 

Bhurijana: I want to understand in this sense though, exactly how far your

instructions are because I know I want to do it, what you say, but I am not

exactly...

 

Prabhupada: You are old student.

 

Bhurijana: Yeah.

 

Prabhupada: If you still cannot understand what is my instruction, then

how can I help you? New students may say like that. You are intelligent,

educated, old student. If you say... (long, silent pause) Our movement is that

beginning of spiritual life is to surrender. If there is no surrendering, then

it is no advance. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66].

This is the beginning. If that thing is lacking, there is no beginning even,

what to speak of advancement. That is discussed already. Na siddhim sa avapnoti

na sukham na param gatih. This is the beginning of spiritual life. The word is

called disciple. Disciple means who accept discipline. If there is no

discipline, where is disciple? And " disciplic succession. " We have used this

word. Not that discipline is finished by one man, no. It will continue to go by

succession. That is perfect.

 

evam parampara-praptam

 

imam rajarsayo viduh

 

sa kaleneha (mahata)

 

yogo nastah parantapa

 

[bg. 4.2]

 

Find out this verse. As soon as the disciplic succession is missing, then

everything is lost.

 

Satsvarupa:

 

evam parampara-praptam

 

imam rajarsayo viduh

 

sa kaleneha mahata

 

yogo nastah parantapa

 

[bg. 4.2]

 

Prabhupada: Nasta, this word is used.

 

Satsvarupa: " 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. "

 

Prabhupada: That's it. As soon as the discipline broken, then everything

is lost. Now you can dance like a dog. That will not affect. Nobody can do that

unless there is spiritual strength. Now, last night Madhudvisa Maharaja was

singing, and so many men became enthused to dance. So unless there is spiritual

strength, it cannot be done. Others cannot ask and dance. No, that is not

possible. That is not possible. Unless there is spiritual strength, you cannot

enthuse others. So we should have to acquire spiritual strength by following the

regulative principle. Sanatana Gosvami has therefore forbidden.

Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam puta-hari-kathamrtam sravanam kartavyam: " Those who are

not following Vaisnava principles, one should not hear from him. " Why? It is

Krsna-katha, Krsna's. Now sarpocchista-payo yatha: " Milk is very good, but as

soon as it is touched by a serpent, it is no more good. It is harmful. " So one

must be Vaisnava. Unless one is Vaisnava, there is injunction, " Don't hear from

him. It will be poisonous. " So one who is not following Vaisnava principle, he

cannot speak about Vaisnava principle. It is harmful. That is forbidden by

acaryas, Sanatana Gosvami. If somebody says, " What is the harm? He is chanting

Hare Krsna... " He cannot chant. That is a show-bottle chant. That is not

effective. But even taking that " Anyone who is chanting, let me hear, " no,

Sanatana Gosvami says, " No, don't hear. " It will be harmful more than... In

other words, if you are not following the Vaisnava principle, you don't chant.

It will not be effective. Did you not see the difference last night? There were

many others. They could not join in the dancing. So far gathering men, if you do

not gather intelligent men, then what is the use of gathering men? Ekas candras

tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah: " If there is one moon, that is sufficient.

What is the use of millions of stars? " If one is perfect Vaisnava, that is

sufficient. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is... There are so many... Such a

big instruction book. It is not that, whimsical. But still, we recommend that

" Go on chanting. " This will help you anywhere. That is also good. It is exactly

like that: if you ignite wood for fire, if the wood is dry, the fire takes place

immediately, and if it is moist, then it takes time. Only smoke will come. So

smoke is not required. The blazing fire required. Then if from the wood, if

simply smoke comes you cannot (chuckles) take any work out of it. There is

traces of fire. As soon as there is smoke, there is fire, but it is not useful.

It is useful for troubling your eyes only. What is smoke? Smoke means also fire.

But you require blazing fire, not smoke fire. So blazing fire takes place if the

wood is dry, immediately takes place. Otherwise, you go on enjoying the smoke.

Be satisfied. " When there is smoke, there is fire. " But it will not be useful.

(chuckling) It will be useful, gradually the wood will dry. It takes long time.

Just try to understand this example. You require the flame, not the smoke. But

if you are satisfied with the smoke, that is your business. If you simply be

satisfied -- " The smoke is also fire. Unless there is fire, why the smoke

comes? " -- that's a good argument, but smoke will not help you. You require the

flame. That flame cannot be produced if the wood is wet. Wet means materially

contaminated. Is that example all right?

 

Satsvarupa: Yes, that's true.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. So pure devotional service is flame. All other things are

smoke. You must get the flame. Otherwise, your business will not get done. So

naturally we fan when there is smoke, " Phat, phat, phat. " As soon as flame

comes, there is no smoke. So again fan it. Let the flame come. Then everything

will be all right. Otherwise be satisfied with the smoke. You are cooking with

smoke for three hundred years. (laughter) There is a very humorous story that

one man... He was a yogi. So he approached. It is not story, it is fact.

Approached one big man that... As people are very inquisitive to see some yogic

magic, so the rich man asked the yogi, " What you have learned about yogic

perfection? " " No, I can in the severe winter season, I can dip myself in the

water up to this and practice yoga. " " So, how long can you remain? At night? "

" Yes. No, I can remain the whole night or as long as you... " " All right, if you

remain within severe cold, within water, overnight, then I shall give you such

and such presentation. " So he agreed, and he did it. And in the morning, when

the man came, so he said, " Oh, you are successful. " Then he did not... Either he

had no money or he did not want to give. So he had his one advisor, " So what

shall I do? " " No, no sir, you cannot give money. " " Why? " " Now, there was heat. "

" So how there was heat? " You know, in India they give akasa-pradipa? During

Karttika month they... This is our Vaisnava principle, I think. The lamp is

there on the head of the roof. On the roof there is a bamboo, and in the top of

the bamboo there is light. So this man was in the lake. And his advisor said,

" You have seen that the lamp was there, and heat was coming. " (laughing) That

lamp was three miles away and still, he advised, " Yes, there was heat. Therefore

he could tolerate. " So what can be said? He is poor man. So there was another

servant of that big man. So he appealed to him that " See, I took so much trouble

and he did not pay me anything. " " So don't worry. I shall see that you are

paid. " What is that? Some presentation?

 

Paramahamsa: Yes. First of all, I will pay my obeisances.

 

Prabhupada: Then that servant, while he was employed, there was an urgent

business. The rich man said that " Tomorrow I am going. You must come and go with

me. " So suppose he was to go at ten o'clock. Then at nine o'clock a messenger

came: " You are ready? " " No, just I am cooking. Then I shall finish my cooking,

take my meals and then we shall go. " So he was very angrily inquired, " So why

you did not...? " " No, I am cooking. " " Where you are cooking? " Now, he has three

bamboos, and on the top there was a pot, rice pot, and he was giving fire here.

So that rich man came and saw. " What kind of cooking this is? " " No, there is

heat. It is going on. " (laughter) " So how you do this, such a nonsense. " " No, if

the temperature from the lamp on the roof of the sky could protect that man, why

not it will be cooking? " Then he could understand this is the reply. So that man

was paid. So this kind of progress, cooking, three miles above, a pot, a little

fire, it will not act. There must be proper adjustment of cooking. Then you can

cook food and eat. A little smoke or little fire and three miles away the

cooking pot, in this way, cooking is useless attempt. One must be serious to

cook. There is method how to cook. If you don't adopt that method and if you

cook in your whimsical way, you will never be able to eat. If you say, " I shall

cook in my way, " and if you adopt that process, will it help? Na siddhim sa

avapnoti na sukham na param... So what are these things? [break] ...on the

floor. But this instruction was for you, that you are keeping. I never keep my

Bhagavata on the floor. I keep always my head. So better you take it. (laughter)

I keep my Bhagavata either on this table or on the head and never on the floor.

So that is for you. (laughter) Yes. Then next? (laughter) Yes. It is good, nice.

 

Paramahamsa: This was knitted by a devotee who came from Sydney. A scarf

for you to wear in the cold.

 

Prabhupada: Hm. That's nice.

 

Paramahamsa: And I also brought one from me.

 

Prabhupada: That's nice.

 

Paramahamsa: And some mangoes.

 

Prabhupada: Oh, that is good.

 

Paramahamsa: From Queensland, very nice mangoes. They are very difficult

to get.

 

Prabhupada: Very good. The mango I like very much. Mango is the king of

all fruit. Do you accept it or not?

 

Paramahamsa: Yes.

 

Prabhupada: It is the king of fruits. Rose is the king of flowers. There

is a statement in the Caitanya-ca... Two fruits. One fruit is the nim tree

fruit. You have seen nim tree? In not your country. Nim tree you have seen in

India, and their fruits...

 

Paramahamsa: A little bitter.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, very bitter. So the cuckoo, they try to eat the mango

fruit flower when small, and the crow they eat that nim tree fruit. So amongst

the birds also, there is discrimination according to the quality. Cuckoo sings

very nicely. He is fond of mango fruit. And the crow is fond of this nim tree

fruit. The white swan, they live in a very nice garden. There is lake, flower.

And the crows, they live in the city. Of course, here in your country the

garbage is not open. In India there is thrown anywhere and the crows... You have

seen it?

 

Devotees: Yes.

 

Prabhupada: They enjoy that. Tad-vayasam-tirtham. It is mentioned in the

Bhagavata. Tad vayasam-tirtham. Find out this. No, it is in the

Srimad-Bhagavatam. Na tad-vacas citra-padam harer yaso pragrnita karhicit tad

vayasam-tirtham usanti manasah.

 

Jagattarini: Srila Prabhupada, my friends have to leave now.

 

Prabhupada: [break] ...understanding of spiritual platform. It is

impossible. Therefore, a human being, if he does not come on the spiritual

platform, he remains animal. That is the difference. Therefore, Bhagavad-gita,

you will find the first beginning of teaching-dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram

yauvanam jara. Find out.

 

Satsvarupa:

 

dehino 'smin yatha dehe

 

kaumaram yauvanam jara

 

tatha dehantara-praptir

 

dhiras tatra na muhyati

 

[bg. 2.13]

 

" As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to

youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The

self-realized soul in not bewildered by such a change. "

 

Prabhupada: This is the beginning of spiritual life, to distinguish

between the soul and the body. One who does not understand that there is soul,

there is no spiritual education because he is animal. The animal does not know

that there is soul. A dog thinks, " I am this body. " So this is the beginning of

spiritual education. Therefore Krsna instructs first this thing. Everyone is

acting on the conception of body as self. She has also gone, your wife?

 

Bhurijana: No, she will come back.

 

Prabhupada: We... Our work is on that platform, dehino 'smin yatha dehe

kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantaram [bg. 2.13], dehina, not the deha, dehi.

We are not working on deha. Deha means body. And dehi means the owner of the

body. So our this Krsna consciousness is about the activities of the owner of

the body, not the body. But the whole world is going on on acting on the body.

That is the difference. Therefore it takes very, very, long time to understand.

Those who are thinking, " I am this body... " One who knows that " I am not this

body; I am soul, spirit soul, " then his spiritual education... They do not know

what is spiritual education. What do they mean generally, spiritual education?

 

Satsvarupa: Some religion, knowledge about one of the religions or

nowadays meditation, like that.

 

Prabhupada: Meditation? What is the ultimate goal? That means no perfect

knowledge. The so-called meditation is very popular, but what meditation? What

is subject matter of meditation? You can close. It is closed?

 

Satsvarupa: Close the blinds? There's a draft coming in, but the windows

are closed.

 

Prabhupada: Not closed. Yes, now it is closed. Just make it point three.

It is on two. That's it. (long pause) [break]

 

Satsvarupa: ...have to strain the juice from this mango?

 

Prabhupada: And did you do it?

 

Satsvarupa: No. I've seen Palika do it with a cloth and then mix it with a

little milk. [break]

 

Prabhupada: ...human being. It is not meant for the beast. God has given

different food for different person, different. You will find even food grains,

rice-first quality rice, second quality rice. Why nature has produced? Because

there are persons who cannot eat third quality rice. So God has given: " Oh, here

is first-class quality. " They will eat little. And in India there are classes,

they will eat so much. So for them that red rice is good. They do not like this

fine basmati. I have got practical experience. Sometime we used to give even the

servants the same rice. So this man came. He complained, " Bahu. " " Bahu " means

master. " This rice is not suitable for us. " That fine basmati rice. He did not

like it. Then the next day that red, big, big. Have seen that? Japanese rice or

some, Burmese rice. It is reddish and big and little hard, and he likes: " Very

nice. " So there are classes of men, classes of animals. I have got practical

experience of all this. The big animals... [break] ...living entities. That He

is providing everyone. Nobody is hungry. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman.

 

Devotee: So therefore it must be impossible to have a classless society

such as the Communists are trying for.

 

Prabhupada: No, classless society is Krsna consciousness. " Eat

Krsna-prasadam. " Everyone will like. That is classless: " Everyone chant Hare

Krsna, everyone eat Krsna-prasadam. " Life is successful. Classless society on

the spiritual platform, not on the material platform. That is not possible.

Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati, samah sarvesu bhutesu [bg. 18.54]. At that

stage, samata, equality, when one is brahma-bhuta [sB 4.30.20], spiritualized...

Otherwise not possible. So Dipaka is not here? No, he has gone.

 

Madhudvisa: He's at the temple. He will be coming tonight, though. He

usually comes to prepare you something before you take rest. I can send for him.

 

Prabhupada: All right, no, no. No, no, let him come. I am not in a hurry.

What is the time now?

 

Satsvarupa: Ten to eight. (end)

 

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Bhurijana dasa and Disciples

-- July 1, 1974, Melbourne

 

 

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