Lecture in Malada (2004)

by Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Srila Sripada (T. D. Singh, Ph.D)

Srila Sripad: So it is true that we come to this material world and if you take a little time out to meditate what you experience, you’ll find that even the happiest person in this planet will have some moments of anxiety.  The best medical doctor also has to die.  He cannot save anybody’s life when the time comes.  In this ups and downs, in this life – in this material world, always swaying, sometimes a moment of happiness, the next moment he becomes [inaudible word] sad.   Experience like this is a good thing..

Translator: Good thing?

Srila Sripad: Ya. Once we experience like that, we have to find out the ways and means how to overcome the difficult…. Unless we find difficulty, then we’ll be always be wandering in this material life, in this world (?thinking it’s a wonderful place).

Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakur is narrating briefly what the experiences are. He says,

janani jathare, chilama jakhona

bisama bandhana pase

eka-bara prabhu!  dekha diya more

vancile e dina dase

He says , when I was in the womb of my mother… The womb of the mother is small like this and in fact in the mother’s womb, we are staying there, so its very tremendous   pain and difficulty. Then he says, eka bara prabhu! dekha diya more vancile e dina dase He says, my dear Lord, I had a glimpse of you , by your mercy I saw you when I was in that situation. To this very useless servant, you gave me your blessings by being visible infront of me.

tokhon bhavinu, janama paiya

koribo bhajana tava

At that time, I thought tokhon bhavinu, janama paiya – as soon as I’m born, as soon as I come out of the womb of my  mother koribo bhajana tava, I will definitely engage in your devotional service, I will serve you , this was what I thought. [inaudible word]

janama bhavinu, janama paiya

koribo bhajana tava

janama hoilo, padi maya-jale

na hoilo jnana-lava

So now I’m born , janama hoilo, now I’m born. I come out of the womb of my mother but now I am entangled in the network of maya. Maya means the external energy of the Lord. By that, this worldly illusion has robbed me of all good sense, I have lost my sense of judgement.

Then he says,

adarera chele, sva janera kole

hasiya katanu kala

janaka janani-snehete bhuliya

samsara lagilo bhalo

Then he says as a [?vulnerable] son  in the lap of my relatives, I passed my time crying and laughing. Janaka janani, janaka means father, janani means mother . So by janaka janani snehete bhuliya, by the affection of my father and the mother, then I had forgotten the very painful situation in the womb of my mother. Then he says, samsara lagilo bhalo, this place-this material place is a wonderful place, it is a very good place to stay, so I thought like that. I have forgotten [inaudible word]. Janaka janani-snehete bhuliya, samsara lagilo bhalo, I had forgotten all the pain and I thought this place- this material world is a wonderful place.

Then he says,

Krame-krame  dina dina, balaka hoiya

bhelinu balaka-saha

ara kichu dine, jana upajilo

patha podi ahar-ahah

Then he says, day by day, I grew and began playing with other boys. And totally my powers of understanding emerged and I tried to gather knowledge, so I read and I studied my lessons very carefully.

vidyara gaurave, bhrami dese dese

dhana uparjana kori

sva-jana palana, kori eka-mane

bhuliya tomare, hari!

Travelling from place to place, I was very proud of my education and I gathered lot of laxmi and became wealthy , rich and I tried to maintain my family, I tried to make them happy. So in doing that, my Lord Hari, I have forgotten you. So this is the situation, we are very wealthy and become rich, materially  opulent, then we have a tendency to forget.

Now, Bhaktivinoda says,

bardhakye ekhon, bhakativinoda,

kandiya katara ati

na bhajiya tore, dina brtha gelo

ekhona ki have gati?

He says, now I am becoming old, my hair is becoming white and gray (laughs). So he says I’m very sad. And so he weeps, he cries. He says I failed to worship You, and O Lord, and instead I passed my life in vain. I wasted my life. So now I have come to You, so please tell me what should I do.

(sings namo maha vadanyaya…and the bhajan)

(end of bhajan)

So I’ll tell you very briefly, the development in the world today, about the relationship between science and religion. This age, called the age of Kali, Kali means the age of science and technology (laughter).  This is the modern interpretation of Kali yuga. The scientists made the [inaudible word] bomb to destroy people, they made weapons, and-and others misuse it. So there is a conflict, there is a lot of problems. So this age of science and technology, it is called scientific culture, we are supposed to be very happy, the advanced human being. Now there are so many, lets see, marvels of science, like Information Technology, medical technology.

In this, you know, very advanced age of science we are also threatened by science itself. When we travel too much around the world, we’ll find that especially in the Western countries, especially to go to  United States, that every airport is… very much…lets see, they are frightened with security, that they check so much that traveling is not very pleasant nowadays.  There is no discrimination whether you are gentlemen or you are a rascal (laughs). No difference between a gentleman and criminal. Everyone is taken as a criminal. So they check your shoes, they check your pocket, and they check your beadbag, what is inside, if there is any bomb inside (laughter). In this way it is very very unpleasant, nowadays traveling.  In the middle of all this development, there is one very interesting, lets see now,  symptom  emerging in the human society.

Scientists are Searching God

The scientists are becoming interested in searching God. Because the whole world is controlled actually by scientists and engineers. But now the scientists are becoming interested to find out God from a scientific religion point of argument. So this is a very new development. And Prabhupada was extremely interested, Guru Maharaja, so he said “that time when the scientists like medical doctors, engineers and all these important people think about the science of God, there will be paradise on earth.” So now it seems like this is happening. Many important scientists around the world are studying the scientific study about the existence of God, so they are so ambitious. This is a very good development. This happened only within the last 5-6 years. So this is the latest news I am broadcasting (laughs).

Devotees: Jay!

Srila Sripada:  In the month of June, there was a conference in Philadelphia called science and religion. Many scientists came together from around the world to study God from a scientific argument. I’ve got the materials here. If somebody is interested I can show you tomorrow. There is one scientist called Stephen Unwin from the United States. So he is very well-known theoretical physicist.  He has made a calculation about the existence of God from mathematics. There is a theory called probability, theory of probability. He considered all the points that [inaudible words]. All the scientists say that there is a 67% probability about the existence of God [laughter]. So people are happy that the God number is increasing [laughter]. Many important scientists are commenting on the mathematical argument, calculation about God. This book is available, a small book is out on the probability of God’s existence. So this is a very interesting development – a important development. Scientists are very eager to discuss about God today, they don’t think it is not an important topic, but they think it is important.

In Barcelona, in the forum just recently, last month, there was a parliament of religions, there was a session of science and religion. We had a panel in this, so I was also one of the members, speakers in the panel on science and religion.  We have Christians, we have [inaudible word] and Buddhists, five members in the panel. And so there were about very close to three hundred people in the audience. This is the parliament; they were many programs going on simultaneously. So in a religious gathering of many many religious groups, now this science is becoming an important part.  Prabhupada, our Guru Maharaja, was extremely set, in actually presenting Krishna consciousness, its called Bhagavat Dharma, in a scientific way.

scientific study of forgiveness

And now many people around the world, are studying, as I was just mentioning  this morning, that scientific study of forgiveness, how to forgive. How to forgive when somebody makes some kind of mistake. Then how to forgive, what is the scientific reasoning to forgive.  Ksamate, in Sanskrit its called, to forgive, is a very important quality of a Vaisnava. But how do you analyse it from a scientific point of view .

Anger Management

How to control, how to control your anger scientifically. Because all these wars, all these things is nothing but anger right? Because of anger, people fight each other. But our Krishna consciousness says that we must be free , its called akrodha , akrodha means free from anger. In Bhagavad Gita, sixteenth chapter, Krishna says that one of the qualities of the divine property, quality, is called akrodha. Akrodha means free from anger. Many medical doctors and many scientists are studying scientifically how to control anger. So this is a very important development.

scientific study of humility

Similarly, there is another topic. That topic is called, “How to – how to, how to become very humble” (laughs). The scientific study of humility. We all think that I am the best, I am at the top.Things like that. But how to become humble. And a scientific study, so this is going on in many parts of the world. So maybe can set up one- one here also in Malada. Gather together-

Translator: We’ll open one office here.

Srila Sripada : Ya, gather together and take the grant .  A lot of grant..

Translator: For what?

Srila Sripada: Unlimited lakshmi [inaudible word]. (laughter). Ya, this is actually going on around the world. Many funding agencies in the United States may provide funding [inaudible words]. So in this way, these things are very related with Krishna consciousness, with our philosophy, with our practice of Krishna consciousness.

If we can forgive, just for example in 9/11,  when that terrorists, when they attacked those towers in the United States. In America, the question was raised, how to forgive those people. Its not very easy. But how to scientifically justify it- forget. But if you apply Krishna consciousness, then it is possible to forget. So, how to, lets see, scientifically analyse, how to justify it. That has become a  very important study, about the application of spiritual knowledge in solving problems in society. In the song we just sang that bholiya tomara samsara achiya. Bhaktivinoda Thakur is saying, so many problems  that we have. But if we develop the essence of spiritual knowledge, spiritual culture, then it is possible to transform ourselves. So, this is called as change of heart. We have to transform this heart. Because in the heart, Paramatma is also sitting. So if we meditate very carefully, if we contemplate very seriously, then it is possible to transform ourselves.

scientific study of spiritual transformation

This is another area called, spiritual transformation, scientific study of spiritual transformation. So this is briefly the scientific application of Krishna consciousness, spiritual consciousness. Therefore you see, in our own lives, at one time we might be something else, doing many bad things. But all of a sudden, that, you met someone or something happened in your life that you changed completely. Just like many of our members, in the beginning before coming to Krishna consciousness, this Hare Krishna mission, they might be having very different lifestyle.

Translator: Having what?

Srila Sripada: Our devotees, before they come to the movement, they have different lifestyles. Then after taking mahaprasadam like Gauranga potatoes and halvah and chanting everyday in the morning, then they get transformed. So in this way, they voluntarily give up all bad habits and become very  pure- very clean. Something like that is called spiritual transformation.

So this transformation, now people are studying scientifically, make some measurement see what is happening in your brain, what happened to your mind – study. So in this way scientists are becoming very very interested in studying the spiritual  changes  happening in the life of a person. So two categories of knowledge which are most important in the human form of life are number one, number one is to (?decide) what is life? The scientists are studying what is life, and religious people, we are also trying to know what is life. So this is the most fundamental platform of knowledge. And another point, another principle of knowledge is very important – about the universe, what is the universe, what is this cosmology. In cosmology we have to ask why this creation is taking place, why this universe is there. This is the second most important field of knowledge. For  both science as well as for spiritual life, these two are [inaudible word]  similar. That means we want to know what is life, we want to know why this universe exists.

So when we chant 16 rounds by Prabhupada’s blessing, 16 rounds on the mala, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama  Rama Rama Hare Hare.  This chanting means we want to know what is the ultimate duty of the individual. So by doing that, then Krishna, Lord Krishna will enlighten and give the knowledge. Krishna says

tesam satate yuktanam

bhajatam priti purvakam

dadami buddhi yogam tam

yena mam upayanti te

Krishna says dadami buddhi yogam tam, so Krishna is sitting within the heart , right? So Krishna says, He gives the knowledge, dadami means ‘I give the knowledge’, Krishna gives knowledge, but the purpose of giving this knowledge, dadami buddhi yogam tam, yena mam upa yanti te, so that the individual will surrender, will do the devotional service.

So this knowledge – of but what we have is a glimpse of what is the nature of life, then we can seriously come to devotional service, the engagement of devotional service. So  ultimately to come, lets say, attached to Krishna, called prema bhakti – develop love of Godhead, love of the Supreme Lord, that is the ultimate goal. But in order to reach to that platform, to realize that , I must [?proceed], I must seriously practice this devotional science. In order to do that, we need to have a glimpse of  what is life, what is the nature of life. So this is a new field of preaching [indistinct word] and taken among the among the devotees. So in this way, when you are convinced that the human form of life is very important, then automatically you’ll give up all the bad habits.

Translator: Whats that?

Srila Sripada: All the bad habits of the – not that somebody is saying that don’t smoke. But one day you don’t smoke, but the next day because you are not convinced,  then you [?commit again]. But if you are convinced that this is not good for me because you know if I take this, then all my brain will be  polluted by nicotine. Then why you want to take drug. Its said while  my son is  obedient, he goes in the mountain, hides there and takes some special, in the pocket something there and then spend the night there (laughs). Ya, but once you have a glimpse of that knowledge that this is not good for me, this is actually very harmful for my health, for my body, automatically, spontaneously .  In this way, it has come like that, you have to be convinced yourself why you are not doing it. So this is called scientific study. [?Scientific validation], you realize, and since you realize …than somebody says you do it for five days, but then all of a sudden come back. So the point [inaudible word], in order to have a lasting realization, lets say understanding, practice. In this way scientific understanding of these things are very essential to become stable in our work including Krishna consciousness. So therefore Prabhupada gave so much emphasis on scientific preaching of Krishna consciousness.

And today its very interesting that many youngsters come from all colleges and universities, they have become very serious about studying Krishna consciousness. Throughout the world, many young students become very much interested in this search for [?knowledge].  This is a new, lets say,  this is the beginning of the century, we are in 21^st century right? So 21^st century is very promising, like in Malada, there are many people going to be devotees [inaudible word]  (laughter). Not only Malada, all over the world. Ya, and Malada is a very nice place. So in this century, 21^st century, our devotees are going to increase in numbers, in large numbers, the younger generation are, you know taking very seriously.

Translator: Whats that?

Srila Sripaada: Our younger generation throughout the world. So this is just a little news that I am providing. And so tomorrow we’ll discuss some Bhagavad Gita.  Tomorrow what time is the program?

Translator: Morning time.

Srila Sripada: Morning? Accha, Accha, Sunday, tomorrow is Sunday ah..

Translator: We used to have Bhagavatam class in the morning and Sunday program

Srila Sripada: For the public?

Translator: 8’o clock…no, 7 o’clock.

Srila Sripada: Very nice in the evening, its cooldown. Very nice, so please come tomorrow morning and evening and we’ll have….. so you have any questions?

Translator: He wants to know what is your opinion of Hawkins?

Srila Sripada: Hawkins is a very well-known scientist. He’s from Cambridge University. Now he holds the position as Newton was holding. But he is not so much spiritually inclined. But on the other hand, the other person called Roger Penrose. Penrose, is from Oxford University. Penrose is older and he is regarded as number one scientist of the world today. And Stephen Hawkins is regarded as number two.  And Penrose is slightly spiritually inclined. So I had a dialogue with Penrose last month. I didn’t bring any of, our magazines, but it will feature in the next month, sorry in the next ..before November, it will be out. And we had a very nice discussion about science and spirituality. He is a very nice person. But Stephen Hawkins, I have met him once, he came in India, about some years ago.  At that time he was not very famous. But since then, [indistinct words],he is  disabled, but at the same time he is regarded as a genius. But he is not at the moment spiritually very inclined. He is a famous cosmologist. But I heard that he is changing slowly, slowly. So hopefully, very soon, he will be interested in spiritual life.

Question : [indistinct words] The Government is giving some money, is there a reason or something like that?

Srila Sripada: Ya, it is possible. Now  already many scientists , many prominent scientists are working themselves without the help of the Government because they know that something important is there . So it is very possible that we’ll see very soon in our lifetime, in the next few years that some breakthrough is going to come and many scientists are becoming interested in spiritual life. So when the scientists are becoming devotees of Hare Krishna, then everyone will follow (laughter).

Question: If we explain Krishna consciousness from the scientific point of view, but simultaneously it should be something from the heart, from the consciousness.

Srila Sripada: Ya, one has to be interested. See, some people are, their minds are very analytical, they want to study things, they need some kind of reasoning.[indistinct words]. So they have to get some kind of understanding that their doubts are cleared up by scientific reasoning. So just like say,  people may ask “Why you ask me not to smoke?” . So you have to explain scientifically. So the scientist will say that “ by smoking, my dear child, you will get cancer.” And how does this cancer take place? The scientist will explain, “My dear child, you see this body is made of protein molecule right? So when you inhale this smoke, all are protein molecules, so this nicotine from the smoke [indistinct words] poison. Nicotine reacts with protein molecules. Then when inhaled in smoke, goes to the lungs right? The lungs have lung cancer. So in this way the lungs stop functioning properly and after some time, then [indistinct], ‘oh, this fellow has lung cancer.’ And he dies.  [indistinct word] Or, otherwise, “oh, you got heart attack.” In this way, one can have some reasoning, scientific reasoning. Those who are intelligent, those who are disciplined they can [indistinct]. So in this way, there is some scientific reasoning , argument to quit smoking.

scientific study of God

Therefore today scientists are interested in understanding why God exists, about the scientific study of God. Many scientists are writing about God these days. But they are writing without any spiritual master (laughs), on their own. But once they recognize they have to accept a spiritual master, then there will be tremendous progress. But nonetheless, it is  making progress. About thirty years ago, in Prabhupada’s time, in the nineteen, lets see, early seventies, it was very difficult to discuss about God to the scientists. But today, they are very happy. They welcome you. This is a new development. We have some magazine [indistinct words]  can show you tomorrow. And in the internet, if you go to the internet, everybody is talking about God (laughs). Scientists are talking about God. That is very interesting, important development. So we should work hard and we should go deeper into this knowledge.  You have a question?

Devotee: Yes

Srila Sripada: What is your name?

Devotee: Jiva Tattva

Srila Sripada: Jiva Tattva . Bholiya Jiva Tattva.

Translator : Huh?

Srila Sripada: I’m speaking Hindi. (laughs)

Translator: Bholiye Jiva Tattva

How To Get A Good Son?

Devotee:  One of the highlights of the scientists is about sexual relationship. They are teaching people about this subject matter saying that sex is very good for health [indistinct words].

Srila Sripada: Thats because of ignorance.. because they have not done much scientific study on that  (laughter). But then they have to learn how to [indistinct word] get a good son, a good child, according to our Vedic science, that one has to observe Garbadhana samskara. But the scientists want to do it by cloning. But this cloning although the body may look similar, lets say with post[indistinct word] copy of Einstein. So it is possible in principle that you have a person who looks like Einstein….. by bioengineering. But such an individual will have no intelligence like Einstein. In other words, the self, the atma or the life particle cannot be cloned. The  body can be cloned, but the life cannot be cloned.  The best example is like this: that, when somebody has identical twins.  Many identical twins look exactly the same right? Except for the mother, it is very difficult to identify who is who. So one son becomes a poet and one become a scientist. So in other words they are different people, but the same genetic material. They are different individuals. So similarly when the scientist wants to have a good son, by cloning it is not possible. But this process of Garbadhana samskara, when parents, the father and the mother, when they follow the nice principle of this Krishna conscious way of getting a child, it is possible that a good son or a good daughter. So this is an area of scientific study. We can study very nicely and present it to the world that a [?disciplined] and very scientific process of getting good son, it is possible.

Devotee: Maharaja I would like to hear more about the subject about forgiveness that you were saying yesterday and would like to request if you could give a deeper study about this tomorrow.

Srila Sripada: ok, ya., I heard there was a conference last year in Atlanta, Georgia. This forgiveness study is a very important study. Some people are spending millions of dollars, scientific study. I can give you [indistinct words]. It is also very connected with Krishna consciousness. But people are studying Krishna consciousness without practicing. So this is…automatically they are do it themselves [indistinct word]. These scientists are practicing Krishna consciousness without knowing that they are doing it, in a small lets say, some level. So this a very important development. And next year-every this meeting goes on. I became part of this. By Prabhupada’s mercy, I’m involved with this. Therefore I am saying all these things, because I’m involved.

Translator: This devotee is asking something.

Devotee: Can I ask tomorrow.

Srila Sripada: You want to come tomorrow (laughter) Er, ya..

Devotee: We’ll stop here.  It is getting late..

Srila Sripada: So we’ll end here for the discussion. Its ten o’clock. In the evening we’ll have program. In the morning I may not be able to come. So please come in [indistinct] Bring all your wisdom. We meditate tonight, bring all your wisdom and tomorrow we’ll discuss the process of discovering God.

Transcriber(s): Rupachandra Das

Editor(s): Bhakta Kannan and Rupachandra Das

<anantha_bsds@yahoo.com>

Mumbai, India.
His Holiness Sripada Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami disappeared from this world on the holy day Vijaya Dasami, October 2, 2006. Srila Sripada has been  known as a very dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada whose presence always made Srila Prabhupada happy.
Mumbai disciples of Srila Sripada celebrated his auspicious tirobhava tithi on September 28, 2009 (Dussera day) at Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Mandir, Juhu. During mangala-arati Sriman Devakinandan Das announced the day’s Tirobhava festival program, and, on behalf of the disciples of Srila Sripada, invited all the devotees to participate in the same.
At 10.30 am the garlanded photo of His Holiness was brought from Srila Prabhupada’s Quarters accompanied by singing and dancing disciples and followers. Srila Sripada took darshan of Srila Prabhupada and of Sri Sri Gaura Nitaiji, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji and Sri Sri Sitaram-Laxman-Hanumanji in the temple. Thereafter Srila Sripada’s picture was placed on the Vyasasan in the Vrindavan Hall of “Heaven on Earth” complex while devotees performed sweet kirtan with mrdangas and kartalas.
After the initial bhajans, a lecture on the Srimad Bhagavatam by Srila Sripada at Imphal temple was screened. Then, a videos of ecstatic kirtans sung by Srila Sripada in  Bhubaneshwar temple and of Srila Sripada singing his favorite, much popular Hare Krsna dhun in a Zurich nagar-sankirtan were shown.
108 items of prasada were offered to Srila Sripada about this time.
At 12.30 Sripada Maharaja was offered pushpanjali by the gathering devotees. Pushpanjali was followed by Guru puja, arati and a lively kirtan led by Radha Krishna Das. A sumptuous prasadam feast which included Manipuri salads and dishes was served out to all the participating devotees to complete the festival.
The world’s largest science and spirituality organization, Metanexus Institute considered Dr. Thoudam Damodara Singh (His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami) one of the world’s leading thinkers in the filed of science and religion. A set of books authored by the scientist-saint was on display for all to see in the Vrindavan Hall during the proceedings.
Among senior vaishnavas who graced the day’s function by their presence were Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Bada Hari Das, Devakinandan Das, Radha Krishna Das, Krishna Murari Das, Dhanvantari Das, Prabhu Das, Ananda Mohan Das and Rajahansa Das.

Jaya Srila Sripada! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

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