There are other mountains beautifully arranged around the foot of Mount Meru like the filaments around the whorl of a lotus flower. Their names are Kurańga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikańka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Patańga, Rucaka, Niṣadha, Sinīvāsa, Kapila, Śańkha, Vaidūrya, Jārudhi, Haḿsa, Ṛṣabha, Nāga, Kālañjara and Nārada.

On the eastern side of Sumeru Mountain are two mountains named Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa, which extend to the north and south for 18,000 yojanas [144,000 miles]. Similarly, on the western side of Sumeru are two mountains named Pavana and Pāriyātra, which also extend north and south for the same distance. On the southern side of Sumeru are two mountains named Kailāsa and Karavīra, which extend east and west for 18,000 yojanas, and on the northern side of Sumeru, extending for the same distance east and west, are two mountains named Triśṛńga and Makara. The width and height of all these mountains is 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles]. Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold shining as brilliantly as fire, is surrounded by these eight mountains.

In the middle of the summit of Meru is the township of Lord Brahmā. Each of its four sides is calculated to extend for ten million yojanas [eighty million miles]. It is made entirely of gold, and therefore learned scholars and sages call it Śātakaumbhī.

Surrounding Brahmapurī in all directions are the residences of the eight principal governors of the planetary systems, beginning with King Indra. These abodes are similar to Brahmapurī but are one fourth the size.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura confirms that the townships of Lord Brahmā and the eight subordinate governors of the planetary systems, beginning with Indra, are mentioned in other Purāṇas.

Brahmā's township is known as Manovatī, and those of his assistants such as Indra and Agni are known as Amarāvatī, Tejovatī, Saḿyamanī, Kṛṣṇāńganā, Śraddhāvatī, Gandhavatī, Mahodayā and Yaśovatī. Brahmapurī is situated in the middle, and the other eight purīs surround it in all directions.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Sixteenth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled, "A Description of Jambūdvīpa."

Sukadev Goswami is here in giving description of Jambudvipa. Specifically in these verses, the great mount Sumeru, a mountain pure gold, which is so immense that Brahma's abode or as Prabhupad says his township is on the summit of mount Sumeru and the demigods, there are many millions of Demi Gods, but the eight principle demigods have their abodes are in eight directions around Brahma Loka, just as an eight petal lotus flower it resembles. When we hear the unbelievable dimensions of these places it very wonderfully smashes the pieces our limited conditioned conceptions of reality and that is just what Sukadev Goswami wants to do. Because as it is said, you cannot keep Krishna in your fist according to your own plan. Krishna is unlimited. And one of the beautiful leelas of Lord Krishna in regard to material pralay, creation, is to fluster all of our limited conceptions of who He is or what He could do. It has been described many times that for an insignificant human being, to conceive of the universe, is like a tiny insignificant ant to try to fathom the earth planet. Is that possible? How far an ant travel in its life? Even if an ant goes on an yatra from its childhood if it just walks until its old age, it would probably get stepped down before it reaches that point. But how far it can walk? Could even cover the length and breadth of Bombay? Yes? Hardly even this neighbor hood of Bombay. So when you try to explain to ant about the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, even if the ant is in the ocean, it can never, it can never fathom the distance. It’s just beyond its comprehension. So, human beings are so tiny and our experience of the world is so limited. We have this, what do we have to fathom the extent of creation? We have this little brain. How big is the brain? It only weighs a couple of pounds. Yes. Its only about a foot in diameter at the most? How much is that little brain is going to understand? Krishna, what a creator He is? In that little tiny brain, how much technology he has created? Yes? Little tiny brain, like a portable computer, that can do millions of times more than any computer can do? Within these little cells, the consciousness of the soul can manifest. The current, the current of the soul’s energies can manifest such amazing things with this little brain. So many ideas, arts, cities, philosophy, poetry, whatever humanity knows in this regard is coming from the little brains of, of little individuals. So yes Krishna has, Krishna is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. And what He could do? The potency he can create even in the smallest particle is unfathomable. How do these atomic bombs and nuclear bombs are releasing the energies of of the particles that you can't even see? They are so small. Such energy. But humans are so limited and the human life is specifically meant for self realization and realization of God is not something that we can ever figure out. Because God is beyond our capacity. Krishna concludes the Gita...

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaḿ śaraṇaḿ vraja

ahaḿ tvāḿ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Just abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender to me.

bahūnāḿ janmanām ante

jñānavān māḿ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

After many many births in this human form of life of cultivating knowledge, one who finally comes to the point of actual knowledge, surrenders to me.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāḿ taranti te

This material nature, very difficult to overcome because these three modes are way beyond any of us. What is the little jivatma in the conditioned state of material existence? What is our power to overcome the mode of passion or the mode of ignorance? These gunas, these modes of nature are controlling the whole universal creation. They are like ropes and they are factually, these three modes of nature Krishna explains are controlling the entire cosmic manifestation. And we cannot even control our own minds. What is our power to control the modes of nature when they strike? What is our abilities? What is our capacity? Not possible. Vishwamitra Muni, he was so powerful. Just by chanting mantras, he could create the planet. We have an never seen anyone who could do this. But Yes, with the little breeze of mode of passion he was gone. He was the victim, finished. all his tapasya, all his powers. So Krishna explains these three modes of material nature, very very difficult to overcome. But if you surrender to me, if you take shelter of me, then only can you be delivered. So this is the conclusion. That we cannot know God, nor can we know in truth the extent of any thing God has done. We can only know to the extent the God reveals to us. Because factually whatever we see is very much by the time it comes to our consciousness, its filtered through our contaminated mind and our bewildered ego. So what really can we know in truth? This is the condition soul.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahańkāra

That bewildered soul thinks himself or herself to be the doer of the activities but actually we are always been controlled by nature. Essentially the living entity within material existence has 2 choices. To be the puppet of Maya on the strings of the three modes of nature or to be the puppet of Krishna on the strings of His love, His compassion.

nityo nityanam chetanas chetananam eko bahunam yo vidadhati Kaman

We are always controlled. We are never controlling. We have freewill, we have choice. But really what is that choice? The choice is what we are going to be controlled by and who are going to be controlled by. In forgetfulness of Krishna, we choose which of the modes of nature we want to be controlled by and how. That’s the freedom. Nations are very proud of their independence. I believe, Aug-15th is Independence Day in India. So like wise in America, its a big celebrations. The day of our independence. Srila Prabhupad, he didn't take this seriously. What is the independence? Independent of the British, that some thing both India and America have in common. We fought against the British in different ways and somehow got independence. So what so great about the British? What so great about the independence of the British? Just one little island. Yes! Just one little island. It just sent send their troops and send their scholars and send their politicians and conquer places, economically, militariously, they conquered a lot. Its a great thing. Independence. What big deal? Independent of one little island? But we independent of Maya, that is the great thing. Because you may be independent of a little nations but what’s happening with? What's the after effect? Same thing. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The things that the things that they do in India now and the things we do before independence from the British is the same. Its just you know, according to some people, a few more freedoms for some, less freedom for others and a lot less organization. Yes? Srila Prabhupad explains, when the British is running India and, and Prabhupad was speaking very neutral, because before meeting Bhakti Siddhanta Sarvasthi thakur, he was a very strong follower of Mohan Das Gandhi. He was a traditional <.19:32:01.> that represented Gandhijis movement and he even presented Gandhi's idea to Bhakti Siddhhanta Saravathi very nicely. He actually on behalf of Gandhi, he was debating with Bhakti Siddhanta Sarvasthi thakur, taking Gandhi's logic, Gandhi’s arguments. What is the use I mean who will take us seriously, all our spirituality if we are sill in the inferior position of the dependent nation ruled over by another? Prabhupad, even so many decades later would probably tell us, I was very happy to be defeated by my Guru Maharaj. But Prabhupad did not have sympathy for the British reign. He explain many of the atrocities to us. Of how they could create artificial famine, they would raised the price, or buy out the rice so that people would be starving and they would give rice to a family they had a child in the military ah..so much explolitation, Bristish military but still Srila Prabhupad explained when India was under the British rule, Culcutta was such a beautiful clean city. How many you have been to Calcutta? So I, no need for any further explanation. Prabhupad said Indian government ruined it. No organization, no proper systems, this is the mess. It was a, it was a , it was a very well organized city, everything was clean, beautiful parks, every thing very nice. But now, since that time, there is that story of the during communism one Russian diplomat came to Calcutta and by the time he left that city, he said we know, we are communists and we are officially atheists but unofficially I must say that for this city to exist as disorganized as it is, there must be a God. So we are very proud of our independence.

And in America, when we were in the school, we learnt about all the great patriots.

Neken Heil was a school teacher who was working against the British and they were, they were going and he was going to be hanged for trison, put a rope around his neck and hang him and this is one of the most famous statements ever said in America, that we learned. I learnt it when I about 7yrs old and I still remember. That’s how deep this conditioning goes in. So they were about to hang him. It was a tradition - Do you have any last words? And his last words - he said I have one regret that I only have one life to give for my country. Now according to Bhagavad Gita, (laugher...) he was in Maya (Maharaj Chuckles) because definitely, he was going to be born American again after that. But this is power .<23:48:2> went down the streets, Britishers are coming. Just one ride down the street and still he is so famous, hundreds of years later because that’s how sacred independence is to a nation. Whoever helps in our independence, they become legends forever in that country. They become the heroes, the statues, statues made after them and cities named after them and then all the test books, all the kids are brain washed to, to hear about and o honor. On a material plane it is a great thing. But Srila Prabhupad on a basis of the shastras, on the basis of reality, he told us that none of us are independent. This is the basis of Bhakti Siddhanta Sarvasvathi thatkur's argument. This is what convinced Srila Prabhupad. Bhakti Siddhanta Sarvasvathi thakur said, that this political independence based on sovereignty is on, it’s not very relevant or important to us. These things come and go. What is important is the eternal truth. Because in this world, there is always these fights, there is always these battles, it’s happening, again and again and again. One nation conquers another, an another gets independence from another but the things basically are the same. Slight differences. The real problem is everyone is controlled by their minds and senses and because people are controlled by their minds and senses, they are forced to take birth in this material world again and again and again and what is the nature of this world?

Krishna tells in Gita -

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ

punar āvartino 'rjuna

mām upetya tu kaunteya

punar janma na vidyate

From the highest planet of Brahma loka, which is on the summit of the mount Sumeru, down to the lowest, the patala region, they are all places of misery. They are places you have to grow old, you have to get diseased and you have to die and you have to take birth again and go through the whole system again and again and again.

janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-

duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam

dukhalayam ashshvatam'

dukhalayam ashshvatam, this material world is place of suffering. Krishna begins this verse from Brahma loka and no body ever conquers Brahma loka. It’s a place of suffering where people live long long lives. In Brahma loka there is no <27:36:0>alphimers disease or Parkinson’s disease or cancer. In Brahma loka, there is no hepatitis, in Brahma loka there is no malaria or typhoid. In Brahma loka there is not even a common cold. There is not even a slight soar throat. There is no indigestion or acidity or asma or any of these things. Very nice place and there is no pollution, no pollution what so ever, there is no traffic jams. You don’t have to wait in line to to get on a train to go some where what to speak of an aero plane and all kinds of delays because of fog in Delhi and all of that stuff. Brahma loka you just chant a mantra, you can just fly anywhere you want within seconds and one of the nice things about Brahma loka is Brahma is always, the king. There is no question of election, every four years there will be a new Brahma and there is campaigning and people are just ,all the different candidates are just blaspheming each other like any thing, poor people of the, are just frustrated by all these mudsling. Yes? Nothing like that. And there is no, there is no history of any demon ever approaching Brahma loka. Ravana wanted to make a stair case to go Indra loka , to go to Brahma loka, but he couldn't its not possible. And even demons like Ravana , he was begging Brahma to give him boons, Hiranyakasipu worshipping Brahma as the supreme lord to get boons and Brahma is a Mahajan. He is a great personality, can you imagine having Lord Brahma as your Prime Minister or your President? What a wonderful world it would be? Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world? Brahma? He would be chanting mantras and he would be ruling everybody without any ulterior motives. He wouldn’t be any, he wouldn’t have to make policies that were against religious principles just to pacify the masses, so he could be re-elected? Ah..!very nice? Wouldn't it be nice? No..! Krishna said it would be miserable. Even in Brahma loka where all that exists. Brahma, Brahma's term is not four years or two years. Brahma's term is 311 trillion years. Hare Krishna! And he rules everything in the mode of goodness practically no mode of passion and practically no mode of ignorance in that abode. No body you can't live there if there is even the slightest too much passion or ignorance in you. Some little tinge may be, but people are so predominately in the mode of goodness otherwise you cannot live. And the size of Brahma loka is unfathomable by our, by our conceptions and yet for them it's not a big place, because their brains and the power of comprehension is millions and millions of times greater than ours. We have a hard enough time just managing the Brahmachari ashram. Grhastas have a difficult enough time just managing their little house and their family. The demigods, they are managing the affairs of the universe. They were very powerful persons. And Brahma Samhita explains, every one from Indra Gopa, smallest little insect all the way upto Lord Brahma, subjected to birth, old age, subjected to birth and death. They cannot understand Krishna. Brahma himself, when he met Krishna in Vrndavan after trying to show his own powers, Brahma wanted to show his powers before Krishna. He stole the calves, he stole the cowherd boys. For one moment of his time is one year of earth's time. But when he saw, they were all still there, he was bewildered. And when he saw every calf, how many calves were there? Asankhya. They were quadrillions of calves that day out Krishna (Maharaj chuckles). That may sound unbelievable, because it is unbelievable but the fact is Krishna is unbelievable. So if you understand Krishna to be unbelievable then anything he does is believable. But if you want Krishna to be believable, then anything he does is unbelievable. That makes sense (Maharaj chuckles)? Krishna is unbelievable if you don’t understand, if you want Him to be believable whatever He does is unbelievable. But if you believe He is unbelievable then anything He does is believable.

achinta shakti..! He has inconceivable potencies. So here is Lord Brahma. What a personality he is? And he thinks this little cowherd boy with handful of yogurt and fruit who just very innocently walking around, looking for His friends and Brahma comes down and puts his four crowns on little, at little Gopals lotus feet and the most wonderful thing is Gopal just ignores him. He is looking for His friends.

He doesn't care for this insignificant little Brahma. Yet further humble Brahma, ignoring not even acknowledging my existence. Yes! Hiranyakasipu did thousands of celestial years of tapasya for a darshan of Brahma. Wherever Brahma goes with a very aa...its a very orchestrated event. And wherever Brahma goes there is bands playing and Brahmans chanting mantras and how they receive him? Yes! It like, when Bill Clinton came to India when he was President, you remember what kind of reception he had. They closed all the roads from the airport all the way to South Bombay, they gave him an entire floor of the best hotel, they had hundreds and thousands of people lining the streets just waving flags and welcoming him. It is what a reception! Everybody knew he is going to be kicked out of office within a very short time because eight years is the maximum and he had previously done all kinds of things that people were aa.. they considered it as unbelievable that a president could do this. But for a devotee, it’s quite believable (everyone laughs) and for the whole world it’s quite believable actually. But still what a reception for a little guy like that? Can you imagine the types of receptions Lord Brahma gets where he goes? If Brahma goes to Indra loka, it’s a big event. Practically the whole planet is there to greet him. So here he comes and Gopal just ignores him. Totally insignificant. Now that is really humbling. When a person praises you, there is a sense of recognition, when a person criticizes you, that's also a sense of recognition, when a person doesn't even acknowledge the existence that hurts. Yes? Yes its like one very very very famous actress from Hollywood. He said, I don't, I don't mind if people praise me or people speak ill against me. What I can't tolerate is when they don't talk about me at all.

Yes? Usually if some body is whenever some body does something good, it will be praised by some and blamed by others. But actually that blame is a type of praise. If you were doing something significant, that persons mind they wouldn't waste time saying any thing about you. Yes? So this is how Krishna treated Lord Brahma. Krishna is more concerned with the dust on the ground and He was with Brahma laying before Him. Hare Krishna! And then when Krishna who is the, who knows everyone heart in full understood, that Brahma is quite purified and quite humble by the experience, then Krishna spoke to him. And Brahma offered his prayers. He realized he is insignificant before God. So if we want to understand God in truth, we must understand the greatness of the Lord. This is preliminary in understanding the madurya leela of the lord. If we try to go directly into the ideas of Krishna’s just my friend, my my colleague who is going to play with me and all of these things, that is intimate. We must, it has to be balanced at least in the beginning stages of Bhakti with the greatness of God. It’s a science of knowing Krishna.

Why did Sukadev Goswami immediately begin Srimad Bhagavatam with Krishna’s Brndavan Leela? Before you really can understand Brndavan leela, you have to get through these chapters like what we are speaking today about Jambudvipa and mount Sumeru and Lord Brahma's planets resting on the top where his township resting on the top of the mount Sumeru and that inconceivable sizes of these places.

What does it say here...”the middle of the summit of Meru is the township of Lord Brahmā. Each of its four sides is calculated to extend eighty million miles. Hare Krishna! and has made of solid gold. It costs enough just to put some less than paper and leaves on our altar, took us twenty years to afford it (laughter) and didn't even cost that much really good discount, really wasn't much at all. Can u imagine a mountain? a mountain of gold of this size? It’s amazing. Eighty million miles. So these this type of information about the greatness of God which begins with the greatness of how he creates this world is very important for us to understand to really appreciate Krishna. When we hear about the descriptions of the universal creations and then we see little Krishna with yogurt and fruit salad in his hand just innocently looking for His cowherd boys. We cry an ecstatic love. What a personality? I could be His friend forever and play with Him forever. What greater, what greater aspiration could we have? People like to know important people. Yes? So you go to some people's houses and they have their photo with some shaking hands with some important man. Yes! Have you seen? People are very proud that they know some one great. Give some little satisfaction. Our hero would, now would you be proud if your father had a, shaking hands with Albert Einstein. uh? Probably show all your God Brothers and God sisters and every thing. uh! And when I was a little boy my father took a photo of me with a famous baseball player. Baseball is like cricket. Baseball is actually a perverted reflection of cricket (laughter) for an Indian. But for an American, cricket is a perverted reflection of baseball. It’s just a matter of our relative conditioning and where we happen to take birth. But for me they are both perverted reflections (laughter) of Krishna and the cowherd boys throwing Amalaki fruits (Maharaj laughs). But there is a photo of me with this baseball player. I just a, I am just a little boy. His arms around me and this was in the 1950s. And my father had in his office and some one my God brothers came to his office and they saw that and they were practically touching my feet. They wanted copies of it. True! One of my God brothers, his brother owns a famous restaurant in California and he and there and his brother, all these famous people come to the restaurant, so every famous want…shaking hands like this and he got that picture. He took a copy of me with that baseball player. Anyways people are impressed when you know big people. And when you know big people, it gives some feeling. So when we read Srimad Bhagavatam and when we hear about Maha Visnu's breathing and what comes out of his breathing. What we are talking about today is just one insignificant infinitesimal little part of a universe out of unlimited universes. Yes? What’s the extent of material creation? Krishna creates material creation in such an unbelievable way that through our telescopes or through our microscopes, what can we understand? We will still see through this little eyes? We have to see through hearing. We understand the universe from the scriptures, the creator of the universe who sees from his perspective is given us the description and here it is and we don’t believe it because it doesn't make senses to our Indra Gopa mentality, our insignificant, limited conditioned mentality. We are thinking it’s impossible because it’s not what, what I have seen. It’s just too big, nothing could be so big. But is there, space is infinite. Yes? I mean, it’s really very difficult for the mind to fathom. We can say but can we really fathom it? Where is the end of anything? Even if we don’t believe in God, what's beyond is just sky unlimited, its just goes on forever? You may say that but even the scientist, I mean some thing must be beyond and some thing is forever with no end. But it’s really impossible for us to grasp that there could be no end. Because everything within our conditioning has an end. Yes? Every thing has a limit. Unlimited, is it’s impossible for a condition soul to fathom any thing it’s unlimited. We may say it but when we really think about it, unbelievable. Yes. So what can we now, in this fathomless unlimited creation of the absolute truth? What’s the difference between 6 inches and 84 million miles? It’s totally believable if we just put a little, apply a little logic, according to acaryas to what is spoken in the scriptures. When we understand all this about creation we get a tiny tiny hint of how great God is? And then God comes in His original form from His eternal abode as a little cowherd boy and invites you to come and play with Him forever. It’s wonderful. And it is with this reason that we will accept whatever is favorable to devotional service and reject whatever is unfavorable for devotional service and in this age of Kali, to know God, to love God, to enter into the leela of the God, has been made very accessible by the lord himself, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by simply chanting the holy names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna,

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,

Hare Rama Hare Rama,

Rama Rama Hare Hare.

These verses are not so easy to give classes. Is there any questions?

Yes Prabhu?

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaj. Thank you for very unbelievable class. Maharaj? A question.

Maharaj: Nobody believes you.

Devotee: Devotee laughs and continues...

This question that aa...when we hear about the unlimited expansions of universe and so many universes, sometimes question comes in the mind that in the spiritual world. again we have spiritual world is only, this material world is only 1/4th of the entire creation and spiritual world is 3/4th. So how do we understand that Krishna expands himself so unlimitedly in so many ways and still there is a personal relationship with each and everyone. How do we understand this unlimited conception?

Maharaj: How to understand? By Chanting Hare Krishna in the spirit of being more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, offering all respects to others, expect none in return. That is the only way to understand. Yes.

Devotee: Maharaj, you were mentioning about the, the freedom fighters, the British, American and Indian freedom fighters

Maharaj: I am sorry if I offended you. [Devotees laugh...] Govinda prabhu was a political activist before before he became a humble sadhu. In fact when was in Amritsar, he want to a place where the British General Gaya where he shot so many Indians and it was one of the stepping stones to the non- participation revolt and British independence. Govinda prabhu, took the dust of that place [Devotees Laugh..] Just few days ago, Yes? say say Yes

Devotee:Yes Yes! [Devotees Laugh...]

Maharaj: Yes freedom fighters. What is it?

Devotee: Maharaj, we hear everything, we understand the philosophy, but these conditionings, many conditionings, one of these one of the conditioning of when we understand but still we have a, when I went there I had a natural respect for them and almost I had tears in my eyes but remembering their sacrifice. Even though I know it was a bodily concept of life. So how do we deal with this?

Maharaj: How do we what?

Devotee: How do we deal with this? these conditionings?

Maharaj: Deal with it?

Devotee: Yeah

Maharaj: As you are. No, we can appreciate what people do on this platform also. We are not in anyway speaking against freedom fighters who fight for the good cause for the freedom for their nation. We are not speaking against it. We are speaking beyond it. uh...! We are speaking beyond it. They have given us a certain type, they have fought for a certain type of freedom and independence. And that is given in certain cases, it has given facilities. Even facilities to be Krishna Conscious. So we can be grateful but we don't we understand its not independence. Its very limited type of independence that doesn’t, doesn't bring real happiness. During communist regime, devotees were being tortured just for chanting hare Krishna, devotees were being killed just for chanting Hare Krishna. That was the comm communist government. Now there was a revolt, there wasn't a so much of a army revolt. But there was a, there was a revolt by many people. Through various ways they were spreading propaganda against communism and ultimately communism fell and it gave a certain amount of freedom where hundreds and thousands of people can practice Krishna Consciousness openly. Yes? Certainly those persons who help that freedom we should be grateful to them but at the same time, such a limited insignificant type of freedom. Its not that America is a blissful place because we have such a nice flag, boasting our independence. it' s not that India is in ecstasy because of its freedom. We are suffering every where. The real problems according to Gita are old age, disease, death and re-birth. The real problems was were under the subjugation of the three modes of nature that causing us suffering. Real freedom is to become Krishna's puppet. Ultimately we are never free. In harsh terms or in latin terms, we are always slaves. We have the freewill to be a slave of Maya or a slave of Krishna.

Yes. We are always slaves. Nice philosophy. Isn't? We are always subordinate. It’s our constitutional position. But to be subordinate to be all loving, all attractive supreme object of of compassion, Krishna, supreme object of love is all compassionate, that's the ultimate bliss to be subordinate of Krishna and it’s the cause of all, it’s the cause of all pain to forget that. The fact is we are always subordinate to Krishna either through his internal energy or external energy. So real independence means independence from all the causes of suffering. Bhakti Siddhhanta Saraswathi thakur told Srila Prabhupada, who is in charge of this state, is pretty irrelevant. Even when the communists were in charge, even if the devotees were in prison, the devotees I know they were in prison, many of them say I was more Krishna Conscious than now when every thing is free [Maharaja laughs...] so they were independent. The famous story of Socrates. It is said with him when they, when they gave him that poison hemlock to drink to end his life, he sense his death then he smiled. He is <59:14:58>non chalant. You have to find me before you kill me. Yes. He is in a prison. Can't get out but giving him the poison, you have to find me before you could kill me. He was Brahman realize. Prabhupad explains. He understood he is not his body. They could not do anything to him. He can't do anything to to the most frustrated thing from materialistic person, a big materialistic person, is when you can’t control some body. Because people who are very materialistic want to control and a person who is self satisfied cant be controlled. Yes? He is transcendental. Very frustrating. If a person is detached what can you do to him? [Maharaj laughs...]

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was praised by these words by Sarvabouma Bhattacharya. He has come to give vyragya. Total detachment from material false ego. This is the state of the liberation. All suffering is due to attachment to Maya. We only suffer because we are attached. Viaragya means no attachment. Vidya-knowledge which is the basis of that detachment. We are all eternal soul, part of Krishna. I am not his body and bhakti yoga which is culmination of all knowledge in detachment. Loving devotional service to Krishna. That is what Lord Caitanya has given. That is the real independence. So Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi thakur, he wasn't against the Gandhians. Let them do what they are doing. But there is some thing much higher to do. Don’t be diverted or distracted by all these things. There are already millions of people doing these things.

manuṣyāṇāḿ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāḿ

Out of many thousands and thousands of people one even endeavors for Krishna for perfection. Yes? So yes there are people who are doing philanthropy. We are not against philanthropy. It's good. There are people who are fighting against greedy, evil dictators. They are fighting for the freedom of the people. We are not against that. It could do good for the world on a certain level but Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi thakur was telling Srila Prabhupad that the real problem, this is the real problem that we have forgotten Krishna and the real solution is Krishna Consciousness. uh...And how many people are pursing the solution to the real problem? One out of millions. Yes? So such a rare soul. Why should we be diverted to trying to solve the problems of so many people, so many people trying to solve. It doesn’t really solve. Subhash Chandra Bose appraoched Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi thakur, you are making the best men sadhus, what about my army? We need them? You are recruiting man to become sadhus, I am recruiting man to be freedom fighters. Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi, he didn’t say you are in maya. He said these man are very skinny and small, what can they do for you? Let them take little prasad and preach. Yes (Maharaj laughs) so fill.. Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi thakur had some thousands of disciples but how many people under the British army? Yes? How many people are Indian, what is the name? Nationalist army of India? How many people? May be some hundreds and thousands. They were fighting for their cause. So we can respect that. But ultimately, at the time of death, you know whether you are buried in Pakistan, whether your ashes are in Amritsar, death is...

anta-kale ca mam eva

smaran muktva kalevaram

If you remember Krishna at the time of death, we are free forever. That’s the purpose of life. Human life is not meant for a particular type of nationality. Human life is meant for liberation. That is the purpose of the human being. And therefore though to to dedicate our lives for that highest purpose, for that highest freedom is the highest offering to God and the highest offering to, to the world. Is that pacify your wounded heart? [Devotees Laugh] Hari Hari! We also have our conditionings. Yes. When India is playing against Pakistan in Cricket, even though we heard so many of my talks about cricket, still, I would assume that almost everyone in our congregation probably even everyone in our Brahmachari ashram, even though it may not affect our lives, still you feel certain sadness if they lose and certain happiness if they win. If that is true say Haribol!

Devotees says Haribol!

Because we have our conditionings. That’s all right. Be happy, be sad it doesn’t matter. That’s human nature. What's important is it doesn’t distract us from our devotional service.

Srila Prabhupad ki Jay!

And to be honest with you, I have a confession. Even I feel happy when India wins, due to your association.

H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki Jay!!