The Liberated Soul
Srila Prabhupäda: Our point is that if you do not get knowledge from liberated person, that knowledge is useless. That is cheating. [break] It is very easy. Just like a child. If he takes your direction, he liberated, and if he acts according to his childish nature, then he's conditioned. If you take Kåñëa's instruction, then you are liberated. If you manufacture your own idea, then you are conditioned. Two things. Child is not actually liberated. He is child. But because he takes blindly the direction of the father, he's liberated. That is mäm eva ye prapadyante. Anyone who has surrendered to Kåñëa and strictly follows what Kåñëa says, then he is liberated. Otherwise not. If he manufactures idea, then he's conditioned.
Dr. Patel: It is what? Sarva-dharmän parityajya [Bg. 18.66]?
Prabhupäda: Yes, and it is very easy: "Henceforward I shall simply follow what Kåñëa says." That's all. You become liberated immediately. It is one minute's task, simply to decide that "No more my concoction, my imagination." Then he is liberated.
Dr. Patel: But this decision, all these things is done by the mind which has got all the vartmas of the past births.
Prabhupäda: Mind may be, but if I ask the mind that "You cannot do anything except what Kåñëa says," then you are liberated. Very easy. You see? We are doing the same thing. We are not liberated. I am not liberated. But I am presenting Bhagavad-gétä as it is. That's all. That's my doing.
Dr. Patel: You mean sve sve karmaëy abhirataù saàsiddhià labhate naraù. That is your duty you have. That is what ...
Prabhupäda: So that verse is very important. That mäm eva ye prapadyante mäyäm etäà taranti te. As soon as you become fully surrendered to Kåñëa, you are liberated, not that liberated means one has to grow four hands and eight legs. No. Simply you have to change the consciousness, that "Henceforward I shall act only as directed by Kåñëa." That's all. You are liberated. It is one minute....
Dr. Patel: How do you get that direction moment by moment, hour by hour?
Prabhupäda: By His representative, by His words, they are present. Where is the difficulty to get His direction? Tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena [Bg. 4.34]. One who has seen, one who has understood Kåñëa, take direction from him. "He's my representative." Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **. If you get right guru, then you are liberated. If you follow the direction, if you want to please him, yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **, then you are liberated. Otherwise, what is the meaning of this? Mäm eva ye prapadyante. There is no need of waiting for liberation. "As soon as one surrenders to Me, he is immediately above the platform of mäyä." Ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi [Bg. 18.66]. Hare Kåñëa. So what was the Vinoda Bhave's statement published in the paper?
Giriräja: That he's not going to give any more public lectures and he's not going to give any more advice to any institutions.
Prabhupäda: But, now he's thinking that it is useless. Otherwise why he would say like that? And mokña? He's going to try for mokña?
Giriräja: Yes. He's saying that by reducing these activities he wants to get mokña.
Prabhupäda: So, our point is that if he was not on the platform of mokña, liberation, why did he waste his time by spoiling himself and for spoiling others? Now he has come to his senses, it is good, but it is to be understood that he simply spoiled his time and spoiled others' career by misleading them. Thus, without being liberated, nobody can guide anyone. That is useless. That is andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäù [SB 7.5.31]. If you have no eyes, then how can you lead others? If you are blind and they are blind, then what is the use of becoming their leaders? Actually all the so-called leaders and scholars, they are blind themselves and they have become big, big leader. That is the misfortune of the present life. And, therefore, our proposition is you take direction from Kåñëa and His representative. That's all. That will help you. Try to understand this point. Our system, paramparä system, is that I am just like disciple of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté. I don't say that I am liberated. I am conditioned. But because I am following the instruction of Bhaktisiddhänta, I'm liberated. This is the distinction between conditioned and liberated. When one is under the direction of a liberated person... The same thing: Electricity. The copper is not electricity, but when it is charged with electricity, if it is touched, that is electricity. And, similarly, this paramparä system, the electricity is going. If you cut the paramparä system, then there is no electricity. Therefore it is stressed so much. Sa käleneha mahatä yogo nañöaù parantapa. The electricity is lost. These people, they do not know.
Comments
Prabhupäda: So that verse is very important. That mäm eva ye prapadyante mäyäm etäà taranti te. As soon as you become fully surrendered to Kåñëa, you are liberated, not that liberated means one has to grow four hands and eight legs. No. Simply you have to change the consciousness, that "Henceforward I shall act only as directed by Kåñëa." That's all. You are liberated. It is one minute..
Our system, paramparä system, is that I am just like disciple of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté. I don't say that I am liberated. I am conditioned. But because I am following the instruction of Bhaktisiddhänta, I'm liberated. This is the distinction between conditioned and liberated. When one is under the direction of a liberated person... The same thing: Electricity. The copper is not electricity, but when it is charged with electricity, if it is touched, that is electricity. And, similarly, this paramparä system, the electricity is going. If you cut the paramparä system, then there is no electricity. Therefore it is stressed so much. Sa käleneha mahatä yogo nañöaù parantapa. The electricity is lost. These people, they do not know.