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Arrival Lecture , Melbourne , 1976-04-19

Prabhupāda:

ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

[Mangalācaraṇa]

Now the time is too late. I wish to take my bath. I'll not speak very much now. When the time is fixed up for...?

Devotee (1): This evening.

Prabhupāda: Evening.

Gurukṛpa: Seven.

Prabhupāda: At that time we shall speak, but this much I must express my obligation that you are worshiping the Deity so nicely. That is my great happiness, and that is your happiness also. The more gloriously you worship the Deity, decorate the Deity as gorgeously as possible, the more gorgeous you will be. That is the secret. The materialists, they are trying to dress themselves very gorgeously, and gradually their dress is being taken away by māyā, and voluntarily they are becoming hippies. Because they did not try to dress Kṛṣṇa, therefore māyā is taking their dresses. So the secret of success is that if you give nice... Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have to collect them and offer for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi tapasyasi yat yad aśnāsi, kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam [Bg. 9.27]. This is the secret of success, that whatever you do... It doesn't matter what you are doing. You are businessman, you are a lawyer, you are engineer or... Something must be done for earning one's livelihood. That is a fact. Without karma, without working, you cannot keep your body and soul together. That's a fact. So in the human form of life the motto should be that "Whatever I do, whatever I earn, it must be given to Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. [microphone feedback] Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi tapasyasi yat... [Bg. 9.27]. Everyone is doing something. [aside:] It is not working?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is working.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is doing something. Everyone is eating something. Everyone is undergoing some austerities for success of his endeavor. So that should be converted to Kṛṣṇa only. Then it is success. This is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

This is the resolution passed in the Naimiṣāraṇya big meeting, that... Everyone is working according to his capacity. Of course, in the Vedic conception a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa---this is the division. So in the meeting in the Naimiṣāraṇya the conclusion was that ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā. The president addressed all the learned scholars and brāhmaṇas assembled... Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for very first class men, not for the loafer class. In the Bhagavad-gītā this is clearly said, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. Not for the loafer class. But a loafer-class man can become rājarṣi by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the secret. As the rājarṣi becoming... By materialistic way of life, a rājarṣi becoming as a loafer class. Just like you see, so many kingdoms were there, Moghul Empire, British Empire, Roman Empire, and so many empires were there. Where are those empires? Finished, all. That will finish. It will not stay. Now the so-called kings, the emperors, they are now practically beggars. So if we do not decorate Kṛṣṇa, if we simply decorate our personal body, then gradually it will be finished. You'll be forced to become naked, what to speak of decoration? This is the way of nature. But if you try to decorate Kṛṣṇa, then without decoration you'll be worshiped; you'll be beloved. And this is the secret = just opposite. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi [Bg. 9.27].

So try to understand. Of course, I have given a glimpse of idea in the Western countries of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Now you are able young boys, young girls. You are intelligent. You have got so many credits behind you for material civilization. Now you take it. Just convert it. Material civilization means to endeavor for one's personal benefit. Just the opposite. The same thing should be done, but for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa does not want any benefit from you. He is quite competent. He does not want. But if you do for Kṛṣṇa, then you are benefited. This is the secret. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26] = "If you give Me little flower, little..." What Kṛṣṇa...? Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by... Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam [Bs. 5.29]. What? What does He want from you? What He'll gain by your patraṁ puṣpam? But He wants from you something. That you have forgotten. This is rascaldom. We have forgotten to offer to Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means it is the beginning of offering everything to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. Try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

This is the secret. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter, but try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. And for this purpose you have to satisfy your spiritual master, because he'll give direction. He knows.

So yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. The things are very easy. Simply we have to adopt. Everything is mentioned there in the śāstras. Simply you have to follow the śāstra and guru and sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Sādhu, those who are devotees, we have to follow the devotees, the śāstra and guru. Then everything successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! [end]