BG 8.7

Giriraj Swami: 

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Reading from Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Chapter Eight “Attaining the Supreme.”

TEXT 7

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
mām anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ

TRANSLATION

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This instruction to Arjuna is very important for all men engaged in material activities. The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them and at the same time think of Kṛṣṇa by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This will free one from material contamination and engage the mind and intelligence in Kṛṣṇa. By chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names, one will be transferred to the supreme planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, without a doubt.

COMMENT

So, in the previous verse, Lord Krishna has stated:

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.”

So, in the previous verse, Krishna has given the general principle that our thoughts at the time of death determine our next birth. And here, Krishna specifically tells Arjuna to fight and at the same time remember Krishna. Because we do not know when we will die. Arjuna was in the midst of the battle; he could die at any moment. And therefore, he did not afford to forget Krishna anytime.

Maharaja Parīkṣit was cursed to die within seven days. So he went to the banks of the Ganges and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But we don’t know whether we will live even for seven days or whether we will live for seven hours. So we should not forget Krishna at any time because death may come at any time. Therefore, Rupa Gosvami has quoted one verse in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna. There are many rules and regulations, but the basic rule and regulation is to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. So the verse says that always remembers Krishna and never forgets Krishna. And all other positive injunctions and all other negative prohibitions are servants of the basic injunction and prohibition to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. So, this is the basic principle of vaidhi-bhakti to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. And whatever other rules and regulations we follow are meant to serve the main rules and regulations. We’ll always remember Krishna and never forget Him.

Rupa Gosvami has also described niyamāgrahaḥ niyaṁ means rules, agrahaḥ, āgrahaḥ both can be applied. agrahaḥ means to follow the rules and regulations fanatically without understanding the purpose. That is one niyamāgrahaḥ. And the other niyamāgrahaḥ is to neglect the rules and regulations and to act whimsically or independently. So both should be avoided. Rupa Gosvami further explains kṛti-sādhyā bhavet sādhya-bhāvā that the purpose of sādhana-bhakti or actually the definition of sadhana, are those practices by which bhāva-bhakti can be attained. There are three divisions in bhakti—sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti and prema-bhakti. Sādhana-bhakti means devotional service in practice. We use the body, the mind, and the words in practical devotional service. But the purpose is to develop love for Krishna, and bhāva-bhakti is considered the first ray of the sun of prema.

The ultimate goal is prema—premā pumartho mahān so when we come to bhāva-bhakti by sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti is the first ray of the sun of prema. Just like in the morning, the first rays of the sun become visible, although the sun globe is not visible. But the rays of the sun are visible. But when the rays come, we know that the globe will also follow very soon. So similarly, when the rays of bhāva-bhakti come, we know that the sun of prema-bhakti will follow very soon.

So, the purpose of sādhana-bhakti is to awaken bhāva-bhakti. And in the stage of bhāva-bhakti, one’s remembrance of Krishna is continuous. We know that we should always remember Krishna and never forget Him, and we may try also, but we cannot succeed. Why? Because we have anarthas: means unwanted desires, unwanted emotions, unwanted thoughts, unwanted habits. So although we know that we should always remember Krishna, never forget Krishna, and although we want to do it, but we cannot do it.

Even though we vow that I will increase my rounds, I will be more regular in my reading, and I will deal nicely with people. I won’t lose my temper and become angry, or I will not waste any time in idle talks. I will only talk about Krishna consciousness or essential things. Although we want to improve, we cannot. I mean, we do gradually, but we cannot improve ourselves as we want because of the presence of anarthas.

Now, even in sādhana-bhakti, there are seven stages. First is faith- ādau śraddhā. We must have some preliminary faith in the bhakti-shastras. We should have some preliminary faith in bhakti-yoga, and that is the opening ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo then when we have some preliminary faith, we will associate with devotees because we will want to learn more, we will want to practice more. Then we will invite the devotees to our house, or we will visit the devotees in their temple. And somehow or other associate with them more. ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo’tha bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means that after associating with devotees and hearing about the science of Krishna consciousness, one becomes convinced, and he decides, “I must take to the practice of Krishna.” So that is bhajana-kriyā. And in the practice of Krishna consciousness, there are three important preliminary items- Ado guru-padasraya first, one must take shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master. Then one should take instructions from him, and one should render service to him. So these are the three preliminary processes, and all the other items follow.

So then bhajana-kriyā, another anartha-nivṛtti when we engage in devotional service, we become free from unwanted habits and unwanted thoughts and unwanted emotions. And when we become free from anarthas, when we pass anartha-nivṛtti, then we come to niṣṭhā, a very strong faith. It cannot be shaken. Then, when one practices bhakti with niṣṭhā, then comes ruci; ruci means taste. We have some taste, little taste, even now, but still, although we have some little taste for Krishna, but when there is any opportunity to hear some gossip about some friends or enemies, we become very eager to hear. We forget all about our krishna-bhakti and everything else, and we just want to hear the scandal or hear the calamity or hear the faults of others. But when we have ruci, when we have real taste, then we won’t be interested in anything else. We’ll only want to chant.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

And hear kṛṣṇa-kathā. We won’t even care what is our stage. We will be so immersed in bliss just to chant and hear about Krishna. We won’t even care what is our state. We will get our happiness from Krishna consciousness. Then one will actually become attached to Krishna that is called āsakti when we are very attached to Krishna and we desire very intensely to serve Krishna directly. Then, by the mercy of Krishna and the associates of Krishna, some mercy descends upon the heart of the living entity. And by the mercy which descends from Krishna or the direct associates of Krishna, one gets bhāva-bhakti. And in bhāva-bhakti, Krishna begins to reveal Himself. We may hear the sound of the tinkling of Krishna’s ankle belt, or we may hear the sound of the voice of Krishna, or we may hear the sound of the flute of Krishna. We may get some fleeting glimpse of Krishna, and so on.

So revelation, actual revelation, begins in bhāva-bhakti. And when one comes to prema-bhakti, then Krishna reveals Himself fully to the devotee. Not only Himself, but with His associates and His abode also. And then the devotee can actually enter into the kingdom of God. You can enter into the pastimes of Krishna, which is the goal. So we have to develop love for Krishna. By force, we can try to remember Krishna, but we will also forget Krishna. When we actually have love for Krishna, then we will not be able to forget Krishna, even if we try. Just like the gopīs of Vrindavan had so much love for Krishna that when Krishna left Vrindavan and went to Mathura, they simply cried day and night. They had no other business except crying. They wouldn’t eat, they couldn’t sleep, they wouldn’t dress themselves or do anything. Simply weeping.

So, Lord Krishna, knowing of the ecstatic love of the residents of Vrindavan, especially of the gopīs there, He sent His most trusted and expert advisor and friend Uddhava. And when Uddhava reached Vrindavan and saw the condition of the residents of Vrindavan, he was astonished. He knew something of love of Krishna from himself or from other residents of Dvaraka, but when he saw the condition of the residents of Vrindavan, he understood that here is real love for Krishna. I could not imagine what is real love for Krishna before, and in the end, he prayed that he may take birth as a blade of grass in Vrindavan, so that the dust of the lotus feet of the gopīs may come upon him, blessed.

So when he went to Vrindavan, he saw the gopīs were in an ecstatic mood called mahā-bhāva and one particular manifestation of mahā-bhāva in separation. They were in the mood of separation from Krishna because He had gone to Mathura. So they were saying to each other that if Krishna can live without us, we can also live without Krishna. If Krishna can forget us, we can also forget. Of course, we should not mistake the gopīs’ feelings for ordinary mundane feelings. They are on the most exalted platform of mahā-bhāva. But Uddhava observed that they were always talking about Krishna. So Uddhava told them that you are always saying that Krishna is this and Krishna is that, and Krishna has left you, and if Krishna can live without you, you can also live without Krishna. But if Krishna is the soul, then why is it that you are always talking about Krishna? You have no other activity except talking about Krishna and weeping. So the gopīs replied, “That is the problem. That we can live without Krishna; we cannot live without talking about Krishna.”

So this is kṛṣṇa-kathā. And one who is always engaged in chanting and hearing about Krishna, that naturally, women will always remember Krishna, like the gopīs. Even if they tried to forget Krishna, they could not. They did try, and they could not. So Uddhava sent his message – I mean, Krishna sent His message through Uddhava to the gopīs that they should meditate on Him. And the gopīs replied, “What type of advice he is giving us? Yogis meditate on the Lord so that they can always remember him, but we are trying to forget him, and we cannot forget.” So what kind of instructions are you giving us that you should meditate? Yogis meditate so that Krishna will manifest in their hearts, but Krishna was already manifest in the hearts of the gopīs and not only in their hearts but outside also. They were seeing him, speaking with him, dancing with him, and everything. So they could not accept Krishna’s advice to them that they should meditate, because they were already far more advanced than any yogi.

So we should follow in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan, follow in the footsteps of the gopīs, and always remember Krishna. Even if we are engaged in household duties, still, we should remember Krishna. Lord Chaitanya has given one nice example. That is a housewife who has a lover, and she doesn’t want her husband to know. So she will engage in her household duties as usual. In fact, she may do her household duties even better because she doesn’t want anyone to suspect that she has a relationship with a paramour. So she will be doing her duties as usual, or better than usual, but within her mind, she will be thinking of her lover, that in the middle of the night, I will leave the house and meet him. So Lord Chaitanya gave the example or gave the analogy to Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, because Rupa and Sanatana were the most responsible ministers in the whole government of Nawab Hussein Shah. Sanatana Gosvami was the prime minister, and Rupa Gosvami was the finance minister. They had so much responsible service, but they were always thinking of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. “When will we meet him? When will we escape from our service and join him?”

So we should learn to follow the example of the gopīs or follow the example of the Gosvamis. Outwardly, they performed their duties very nicely, but inwardly, they were always thinking of Radha and Krishna and their associates. So we should not prematurely try to renounce. If we try to renounce prematurely, we will fail. Therefore, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has advised us sthāne sthitāḥ that you should remain in your position, whatever your position is, even if you are a grihastha, you can remain in your position. But you should hear the discussions of the Personality of Godhead from the lips of pure devotees.

Lord Chaitanya quoted one verse: jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva he says “First, you should give up the bad habit of speculation because we cannot understand God or know God by mental speculation. Because God is spirit, He’s beyond the mind. The mind is also matter; it is subtle matter, but it is also matter. So we cannot approach spirit through matter, and we cannot approach the Personality of Godhead through the mind, through mental speculation.” So first, he says jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, “Give up the bad habit of speculation namanta eva and just become submissive. If we want knowledge of Krishna, we have to become submissive. We cannot get knowledge of Krishna by arguing or challenging.” jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām and live in such a place or in such a way that you can always hear the discussions of the Personality of Godhead from the mouths of pure devotees.

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva,jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām sthāne sthitāḥ—remain in your position, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

But hear the messages of Godhead and serve the messengers of Godhead with body, mind, and words. And if one can do so, then the Supreme Lord, who is unconquerable in the three worlds, will be conquered by you, by your love. Just like Krishna, He was conquered by the love of the residents of Vrindavan. In Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says ye yathā māṁ prapadyante that if you surrender to Krishna, Krishna will reciprocate accordingly. But when Krishna came before the gopīs, He says na pāraye ‘haṁ that “I can never repay my debt to you, even with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma.” Although in Bhagavad-gītā, He has said that He will reciprocate with the love of His devotees, but in front of the gopīs, He could not fulfill His promise. He could not reciprocate.

If suppose Krishna said, “You have left everything for me and given everything to me. You take from me whatever benediction you like,” then what would the gopīs have asked? They would have asked, “We want your service only, we want your service.” And then Krishna’s debt to them would have increased more. So anything that Krishna could do to liquidate His debt would only place Him further and further into more debt. And therefore, He admitted His inability, “My dear gopīs, I cannot repay you.”

So Krishna becomes conquered by the pure love of pure devotees. This is not the inferiority of Krishna, but this is the superiority of kṛṣṇa-prema. That when Krishna gives kṛṣṇa-prema to any devotee, He becomes so attracted to the devotees that He comes under the control of the devotee. Like Arjuna also, Arjuna was conquered, Krishna was conquered by the love of Arjuna, and He assumed the position of chariot driver, just like a menial servant to Arjuna. And Arjuna would order Krishna, “Take my chariot between the two armies,” and Krishna would do so. And in the evening, Krishna would attend to the horses, take off the bridles and everything, serve them, water them, and everything for the sake of Arjuna. He became a menial servant for the sake of Arjuna. So this is kṛṣṇa-prema, by kṛṣṇa-prema, Krishna becomes conquered.

So we have to practice. We are in the state of sadhana, so we have to practice to always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna. But actually, we have to make advancement, and when we make advancement to bhāva-bhakti and finally prema-bhakti, then we will never forget Krishna even for one moment. There is one verse that a pure devotee of Lord Krishna cannot forget Krishna for one moment, even in exchange for sovereignty over the whole world, for the whole universe. So someone may ask, “If he forgets Krishna for one moment, he can get the whole universe and then offer the whole universe to Krishna. Why doesn’t he do so?” But the answer is that he is incapable of forgetting Krishna even for one moment because wherever he looks, he sees Krishna. He sees the energy of Krishna, and ultimately, he sees Krishna. So he can’t forget Krishna. It is impossible.

So we are in the stage of practice. We have to mold our life in such a way that we always remember Krishna and never forget Him and here Srila Prabhupada has given advice that of all of the instructions of the spiritual master, the instruction to chant sixteen rounds daily is most essential. That if we chant sixteen rounds daily, there is a chance that we can always remember Krishna and never forget. But if we don’t chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then we will not be able to remember Krishna. We may remember for some time, but then we will forget. So, chanting Hare Krishna is the best method to remember Krishna, and especially if we chant sixteen rounds every day and follow the regulated principle, we will be able to remember Krishna and make advancements and do our duties at the same time, and remember Krishna at the time of death.

So, are there any questions or comments?

Devotee 1: [Unintelligible 00:40:42]

Giriraj Swami: It is not for the benefit of Arjuna; it is for our benefit because there are impersonalists, Mayavadi. They are impersonalist. So when Krishna says to think of Krishna, or to remember Krishna, or to work for Krishna, they give some interpretation that Krishna doesn’t mean Krishna’s but Krishna means the unknown, unknowable who is speaking through Krishna. So here, Srila Prabhupada does not want to take any chance that the reader will forget the fact that Krishna, the person, is speaking to Arjuna and not become diverted by some impersonal interpretation. By hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā from devotees.

Well, we have to begin even if we are not submissive at first. But with our intelligence, we should understand the necessity of Krishna consciousness. We should understand the process of Krishna consciousness and follow it. Just like in the early days of ISKCON in America, one young man came, and he also wanted to join. And he saw that after kirtan, or at certain times, the devotees would bow down to Srila Prabhupada. So he told Srila Prabhupada that “I see that the devotees are bowing down to you, but actually in my heart, I don’t feel any desire about it. Should I do it anyway, or what should I do?” Srila Prabhupada replied that you should do it anyway, and by bowing down, the feeling will come.

So in vaidhi-bhakti, we may not have so much feeling, but by following the rules and regulations, the feeling will come. The feeling is there within the heart, but means the feeling of love for Krishna. But the feeling has to be awakened. Srila Prabhupada gives the example that the child has an innate capacity to walk, but still, he has to practice. First, he has to practice standing up, then he passes. This is taking one step, then he may fall down, and he gets up. He practices, takes two steps or four steps, then he falls down again. So he has to practice. But the dormant capacity for walking is there, and when the dormant capacity for walking is evoked, then there is no more practice. He can walk. He doesn’t even think about it. In the beginning, he had to think about it so much, but after the dormant capacity to walk as you go, he doesn’t even think about it. He can walk, he can run, he can jump and do so many things and he doesn’t even think about it.

Devotee 2: [Unintelligible 00:45:45]

Giriraj Swami: Lord Chaitanya specially came to give vraja-bhakti, love of Krishna in the mood of the residents of Vrindavan. So most should be in the mood of Vrindavan, there may be some exceptional cases, like even amongst the devotees of Lord Chaitanya, there is Murari Gupta, who is devotee of Ramachandra, and Krishna is only in Vrindavan. Some expansion of Krishna goes to Mathura, goes to Dvaraka, but the original Krishna always remains in Vrindavan.

Devotee3: When Krishna descends to this planet still another form is there, and all the associate of Lord like Vasudeva comes?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.  When Krishna descends his eternal associates also descends means Nanda, Yasoda, Subala, Sridhama, Srimati Radharani, Lalita, Visakha they all accompany Krishna but it doesn’t mean that because they are here, but they are not there, they are in both places.

Devotee 4: [Unintelligible 00:47:28]

Giriraj Swami: That something else.

Devotee 4: Even the associates don’t have the material body?

Giriraj Swami: No, no, they all have spiritual forms like Krishna.

Devotee 4: After the conditioned soul get attracted to Krishna they also become eternal associate of Krishna?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, one can become an eternal associate of Krishna, when you develop prema-bhakti you will become one of Krishna’s associates.

Devotee 4: How does one surrender to a pure devotee instead of surrender to Krishna?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, a pure devotee is Krishna’s representative. So surrendering to the pure devotee means surrendering to Krishna. What is the meaning of surrender? Yes, in other words, yes, if you surrender to someone, then you will do whatever he tells you to do.

Devotee 5: You mention to remember Krishna in all circumstances, so spiritual master is there, Vaishnava is there, what if we remember them instead of Krishna?

Giriraj Swami: We should remember them with Krishna the devotees are with Krishna and Krishna’s with the devotees. Yes, so we should want to see Krishna with His devotees and see His devotees with Krishna. But Rupa Gosvami talks about Krishna, or Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu talks about krishna-bhakti, there Krishna includes Krishna and all of His expansions and all of His pure devotees also. They are not separate from Krishna. When we say Krishna, they are also included. We may not mention them separately, but they are included with Krishna.

Devotee 6: [Unintelligible 00:50:55]

Giriraj Swami: So Rupa Gosvami comments that all of the sixty-four items of bhakti which is mentioned in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu can also to be applied to the devotees, the same services which can be offered to Krishna, of the same services can also be offered to Krishna’s devotees.

Devotee 7: [Unintelligible 00:51:30]

Giriraj Swami: What is a devotee? Can you say what is a devotee?

He has a connection with Krishna. So when we remember him, we should remember his connection with Krishna also.

Devotee 8: [Unintelligible 00:52:00]

Giriraj Swami: I don’t know why you came. I think you made a mistake. Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if someone is drowning in the ocean and someone comes to save him on a boat to save him, then come on the boat, be saved. So you should not ask that before I get on the boat, I want to know how I got here in the ocean. You are struggling in the ocean, you are drowning in the ocean, and if someone is coming to save you, you should get yourself saved. Don’t worry, that you will know when you get out. When you are conditioned, you cannot understand clearly the process by which you become conditioned, but when you become liberated, then you can understand the process by which you became conditioned.

Devotee 9: When you completely get detached and get connected to Krishna consciousness movement. Devotion become may be like sādhana-bhakti, but we people who are in material attachment we think of Krishna material, oh with Krishna we can finally get this done, this is the way we think rather than looking at kind of sādhana-bhakti.

Giriraj Swami: You see, the goal is pure, but pure bhakti is without any other desire except to serve Krishna and please Krishna’s anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ- there should be no other desire jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam – and bhakti should not be covered by karma, jnana, or anything

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu śīlanaṁ—And one should constantly engage in the cultivation of devotional service favorably, as Krishna wants, not as we speculate or imagine, as Krishna wants; bhaktir uttamā – that is uttamā bhakti. So if we approach Krishna to fulfill some material desires, that is not pure devotion service. That is mixed devotional service. There may be some bhakti, but it is mixed with karma or jnana. But we can only get Krishna by pure devotional service. By mixed devotional service, we can get some material benefits, karma-misra-bhakti, and jnana-misra-bhakti. We can even get mukti for some time we can get mukti, but we cannot get Krishna. We can only get Krishna by bhakti, especially prema-bhakti.

So we should try to worship Krishna in the mood of bhakti, not in the mood of getting something from him. But still, Bhāgavatam (2.3.10) says,

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

Akama means if someone has no desire, sarva-kama someone is full of desires, and moksha-kama or someone desires moksha. udāra-dhīḥ, if he is intelligent, if he is broad-minded, and if he is intelligent, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena he should engage very intensely in bhakti-yoga. So ultimately, we want to give up the other desires, but in the beginning, if we have the other desires, still we can do bhakti, and by bhakti, we will become free from the other desires. How? Because we will, we will develop a higher taste. And when we experience the higher taste of Krishna consciousness, we’ll give up attachment to inferior materials things. It is not a question of artificial renunciation; it is a question of spiritual advancement.

Devotee 10: [Unintelligible 00:58:20]

Giriraj Swami: He should consult; he shouldn’t try to decide himself. With the mature devotees. Like first, when Raghunatha dasa wanted to join Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu sent him back. He sat down to be a mad fellow. You stay at home, but don’t be attached. You stay at home and outwardly do your duties at home, but inwardly think of Krishna. Still, he wanted to leave home and join Chaitanya. Then after some time, when the time was right, then Nityananda Prabhu gave him mercy that he could leave family life and join Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Devotee 11: [Unintelligible 00:59:56]

Giriraj Swami: If one is executing the process properly, he should not lose his enthusiasm. His enthusiasm should increase. So if one has some enthusiasm at first and loses it, then he should associate with more advanced devotees who themselves are enthusiastic and whose enthusiasm he can also acquire.

Have you read Nectar of Instruction? You should read the most important, very small book, only 11 verses of Rupa Gosvami, everything is there. The whole process of bhakti, in brief.

So, he says that there are six things that make one’s bhakti successful, and first is utsāhā, enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, patience, confidence of success, following the regulated principles, following the previous acharyas, and avoiding the association of non-devotees. These six things will make one’s devotional service a complete success. So, Srila Prabhupada comments that without enthusiasm, one cannot be successful, even in the material world. If you don’t have enthusiasm, you can’t be successful.

Devotee 12: [Unintelligible 01:02:30]

Giriraj Swami: We have to increase gradually by doing whatever practices we are able. We have to increase our taste for spiritual activity and decrease our taste for material things. It doesn’t mean that we won’t do our duty. We will do our duty, but we have so much time. And when our taste for krishna-bhakti increases, then we will use our time more for krishna-bhakti, and we will waste less time.

For example, we finish our rounds and our class in Bhagavad-gītā between, and many other things also, between 4:30 and 8:30. So we can do our duties also, but even if you have to begin before 8:30, for example. But if you get up early enough, you can do some sadhana from 4:30 to 7:30. So the time is there, but we don’t use the time fully. But as our taste for bhakti increases, then we will become more eager to utilize our time in bhakti. And then Krishna Himself will help us to become free of some unwanted habits or unwanted association, so that we can concentrate whatever free time we have for Krishna. So we should just increase. Suppose now I’m chanting one mala, so I should increase it to two. Then after some time, I should increase it to three. The time is there.

Krishna consciousness is so designed that whatever little beginning you make, it will ultimately carry you to ultimate success by the mercy of the Lord. And we should also pray. It is not that by our own practices we will do everything. We need the mercy of Krishna also. So we should do both: pray for the mercy of Krishna and practice, do our work.

Devotee 13: [Unintelligible 01:06:35]

Giriraj Swami: Well, we should associate with them. If we associate with them we pass the test. We will chant one round. So, the more the senses are engaged in chanting, the easier for the mind to be engaged. The chanting on beads engages the sense of touch, and if we chant on tulasi beads, there is more purification by touching tulasi beads.