You just heard from head and now will hear the tale of the tale thank you devamrita swami maharaj for your wonderful enlighten presentations. I was just remembering some years ago Saturday night in the maha satsang program for the public in a very massive part in borivali. Beautiful stage Prasad for thousands and thousands, but there was serious organization of fla it was in the night of a cricket match. About 2000 people who came 98% were ladies. Few man carrying babies were in the corner. I asked were all your husbands lady said they are watching the cricket match on television. I told them that my conclusion is that ladies are more advance spiritually than man any ways here was a sannyasi giving a class to 2000 women. And then leading a kirtan 2000 woman dancing. And then all of us said my heart in what’s going on and I turned to brahamachari what’s happening. said I don’t know then we got the news that India won the cricket match within minutes about 3 or 4000 man came running to the part dancing in ecstasy. This cricket is very serious matter in India.
I have been observing over the years in fact I was told one brahmachari he was planning to join radhagopinath brahamachari ashram in 1987 but he delay his coming for 7 month because in that year was world cup. And he was very doubtful if he could watch it on television in the Brahmachari ashram so he watch the world cup but by Krishnas grace India lose the beginning matches. He was disappointed he turned television and joined the ashram you may know this brahmachari his name is govind prabhu. He never turned back to cricket after that day. According to bhagavat gita there are four types of people they come to Krishna consciousness. The most liking is one who is in distress so spiritual point of view very happy what ever happen yesterday. From nationalistic point of view I have no comments. But I must tell you from my heart its very embarrassing what’s happen in India. Devamrita swami maharaj and myself we are from America we don’t know anything about what is cricket. For us when we see people playing cricket it just look like what are they doing they are doing balls and running around what is it many competitors. But it’s a sport the purpose of sport as maharaj was saying is to give exercise and to give happiness. But when we take sport to serious from the point of winning and losing.
Then it doesn’t bring happiness it brings miseries because even if your team wins then next year if they lose you are going to happy about the winning the year before could India lose to sri lanka. Oh we are happy to tell you that the people in srilanka are blissful today para dukha dukhi a devotee is happy to other people happy. So any sporty event one team must win and all those fans are going to be happy and one team must lose and all those fans must going to be miserable. And if its tie everyone miserable. So where is the happiness. It just a matter of perception just think of all the happiness in srilanka and make you blissful. We become so code up its unbelievable. I remember actually why are people so code up its not simply because of the sport it’s because of manipulation it taken away around that sports. To exploit people for the purpose of that sport otherwise it wouldn’t be such a grace. People want to make money from anything and everything they can. Sports just to be use for fun for association for company for some healthy competition. We want become business it becomes toll of kali to exploit money. More you create frenzy people the more you exploit them. That is a principle people have an inclination for sex. So advertising in cinema television also in media try to exploit people by making frenzy around sex so that they can make money. Come and see this more people see this the more we get money from advertisers.
Yes more people Eger to see it the more we can exploit it by taking those legendary heroes. And selling their products by their faces with their recommendations. Not by billion dollar inustries all over the world. Among the media, television newspaper, magazine, radio, advertising when there are just sensational eye sing on a particular sports the goal able innocent people become crazy after it. I will give you one example in America this competition not much about country but about cities yes. In colleges they fight each others. So when I was giving lectures in colleges in America in early 1980. we have one centre in the university of west Virginia now year after year they were abusing team in football. Should I told this story and they arrival enemy similarly India and Pakistan was the university of Pittsburg Pittsburg very year decades and decades and decades they defeated west vergina university. The pride of the college was crushed and one year they had a best team ever they were undefeted and at the very end of the seasons they were playing the university of Pittsburg and they were doing very well in that year. They were convinced finally after decades and decades we are going to defeat arrival they played the football at the very beginning within the first few minutes. West Virginia scored and again there was a hipe there was a frenzy we going to win we are going to win. In the last one second of the match they lost. they were winning up and till the last one second that’s the way football is and then lost. At that time I happen to be in the Pittsburg. As we have to send there too.
People in Pittsburg they were happy in anything and for me we have settled Pittsburg West Virginia is taking pick. So I got a call from the president this is the president of our centre in west Virginia university. Who happen to be from California. And he calls insist of what did happened I said very good. I said west Virginia university lost that’s very good its good for our preaching . people would be looking for shelter. Otherwise they if they want to the next weekend but all just drinking and having parties and enjoying and nobody would come for our program now so many people come to our program. This is very good. I couldn’t believe this response would you like to hear. Hari bole he said maharaj how could you say that it is aparadh it is an offense. He was serious he was screaming on him he said prabhu what you talking about he said it is an offense who could you say that about our team. He is from California. What do you care about west Virginia university. That I realize that I just being in the environment of that frenzy he became completely caught up and he fought about it and a few minutes Said actually your right I m nothing to do with any of this stuff why should I been care. He receives big money he is gambling. With his gambling with mafia. Murderess people are evolved. Where is the Pittsburg. we are nothing against sports or cricket as maharaj said but I conscened is that people should understand that they should become attached to once benifishal for themself and Benifishal for the society. That is human society. How embarrassing it is? I personally love India more than anyone else in the world have been coming here through the past 47 yrs and accepted it is my place. My home because of the great nourishment I have receive from the people.
Spiritually, emotionally on every level. But when People of the world see how fanatical India is country about cricket it could shame on your nation. It doest happen anywhere in the west. I have seen American and western European people Australian people they have seen thousands and thousand and thousand of peoples of teams losing never the effigy of the players being burnt in public and beaten by shoes their lives threaten, their houses destroyed and hold up you know how absolutely barbaric that sounds to on ordinary person. Why this people are playing they are trying their bests. They are giving their lives to do it and have a bad day they lose. And the same people that are glorifying you and putting pictures on hording and buying a products for you, and churring for you, and spending so much money on the basis of you but as soon as you have a bad day they burn your effigy with your shoes and your face in the face of your effigies they flatten your life. I never heard such a thing unbelievable and people like devamrima swami’s mother and all the other people in the west. What is that country all about the only time I ever heard anyone involved in sports getting a different wasn’t even a player he was a fan. Should I told you the story there was I m from Chicago and we have baseball team called the Chicago cubs. Almost all the teams were land after another’s. So very logical reasons the bears, the lions, cubs some times egos the marlins. so anyways the cubs had not gone to the world series which is like the world cup in base ball. Have not gone to world series since 1945 that’s sixty years and they lost finally after those years they had team that was the best team in the whole baseball leagues and there were in the play off and they just win the just one last game they make it to the world series and will winning by so many runs.I don’t know how many of you know base ball works but I will try to make out simple. They were wining they were playing great.
It was for sure businessman seeing the game and already making hundreds and thousand of t-shirts. Saying that the cubs with the national league champions because that was a sure win. And then the other team hit a ball cubs player it was where the people in the audience if he caught it. We were practically win the game we were so close but what happen he reached out and the ball was inches from him catching it when one of the fan out some how or other empowered by Maya. Stuck his hand and knock the ball away. Some once to you because you don’t know base ball. But to the people in America after that the whole team felt apart totally and easy place game and then they just kept dropping them. And they lost and they were out finished. That person who knock the ball out he got one differed. Hare Krishna one death rate not after and nothing happen to you. Now can I tell you the superstitious people get about sports because of attachments Do you know why people blame that happening. It was all in the newspapers and television. through out the country why that happened the cubs lost in such a horrible way when they were just about to lose because of the curse of the goat hare Krishna.
How many of you know about the curse of the goat raise your hand please. In 1945 the cubs were in to lose the series that’s the final championships and they were wining and one series cubs fan his name was Billy he was from Greece but he lived in Chicago all of his life. He came to the one of the games with his goats. and he had written all over his goats all the slogans praising the cubs. And he went in the field before the game to show everybody how his goat was praising the cubs and everyone clapping very nicely and actually he brought a ticket for the goat. He bought two tickets one for himself and one for his goat. It was set down and they were most of the game and the cubs were winning. But some other people around that sit complained to the security the goat states. So the security came and told to Billy you have to get your goat out of this stings and he argue like anything and was a big big pebble of words and finally they fours’ him to bring the goat out. And as he was living that’s were the curse of Billy goat established. He said because you have offended my goat I curse because that in this wiggly field where you are playing there will never again be a world series. That was 1945 to this day there has not been world series there. He was so angry he left Chicago and went back to Greece for the occasions. And he wrote letter and then cubs lost the World Series. And he wrote a letter back to the owner of the cubs. And he said you said my goat stings but now see how the cubs stings. Now I m not saying that’s the reason. But people are so superspicious about sports that over the years every time the cubs they are wining the championship but something crazy happen like this. It happen again and again and its all over the media. It all over the country. People of Chicago so many believe it’s the curse of the Billy goat. In fact I told you about that ball that was not caught at that persons hand one cubs fan and brought that ball for one hundred and thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars just to blow it up. To one sin for all to destroy the curse of a Billy goat. Very serious hundred and thirteen thousand dollars. And he had an academy of award winning special effects person make a whole way of blowing up that ball little base ball. And on nation on tv.
Destroying the curse of one that Billy goat. But still they haven’t won. But compare to India this is something very very small and gentle if people are really concerned about national pride they all embrace the nation of the whole world in this ways. The national pride were not grow by your team winning your national pride grow when the people of this nation live with integrity. Srila prabhupad one man from India who had such deep belief in Krishna he felt so strongly that the greatest treasure in all this creation the srimad bhagavatam and the bhagavat gita. This is the greatness of India this is what how India could help the entire world by discriminating this massage. He went to the where only with 40 rupees New York city yes struggle the lot in newyork and he did something very great within just a few years tens and thousand of devotees. The largest quantity of Vedic literatures ever distributed of humanity. Our prabhupads books centre all over the world. And even beautiful beautiful projects in India and in Russia, America Australia, and Africa in south America every where. he understood the glory of India. Srila prabhupad said one Indian like me and old man in seventy can do this how much if the youth of India actually take the Krishna consciousness very seriously. If we really want national pride the treasure of nation to be given to the world. We shouldn’t show the world dark side. Yes in sports the team wins they happy and team lose they suffer. Its so simple but what is the actually benefit of our life. What we actually uplift the life of others. This is what intelligence used in India should be meditating on. But you are happy about cricket match unhappy about cricket match that’s not so important but the focus your time and energy on the real purpose of life to chant the holy name to purify our hearts, to study the holy scriptures and purify your intelligence, to associate with saintly people and purify our lives and to join together to do the highest welfare work for humanity uplifting them spiritually.
Devotees work tirelessly. Mid day meals eighty thousands students a day 750 students in Bombay they are chanting 16 rounds these are all small things. If they lose of India become enthusiastic to actually do something wonderful. For themselves for their family for their country and for the world. There would be hare Krishna explosion sanatan dharma explosion. Why life after life wasted and diluted so much. And take these sports so seriously. Why that at the time of death you are not going to be saved by the cricket stores if India wins the world cup the way you die not going to help you but what’s going to help you is you have learned in your life how to love god and chant his holy names hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare hare ram hare ram ram ram hare hare…everything has its origin in god in the spiritual world there is eternally sports taking place. We read in srimad bhagavatam competitive sports that one time the gopas the cowherd boys so Krishna on a hill and one cowherd boy said I will touch Krishna first another boy said no I will touch Krishna first and soon all the boys were running as fastest they can to reach Krishna it was a race. Yes the origin of all races. They were running and running as fastest they can I will touch Krishna first no and one would get up early other and they all started touching Krishna. But it wasn’t that the person one who touch Krishna first who’s envy by one who touch Krishna second, third hundred or eight. The point was everyone was doing to please Krishna. To show their love for Krishna. Krishna pleasure was the centre in that sport. And therefore no one was the looser. Everyone was winner because everyone was trying to please Krishna. That is winning from the spiritual prospective. Sam sidhir hari toshanam if you please Krishna you win. If you don’t please Krishna you loose. No matter what the world anyone says. The sports in the spiritual world everyone is the winner every once win the world cup can you imagine.
This world every nation simultaneously win the world cup. Everyone wins why because everyone is trying to please Krishna. That is the victory when Krishna in the center everything is beautiful there is no envy there is no sorrow. But in this as soon as we put I and mine in the center I am this body, this city is mine, this nation is mine, this race is mine, this religion is mine, this caste is mine as soon as we put I and mine in the center there is going to be envy and there is going to be sorrow, there is going to be winning and there is going to be loosing. In teams for one team to win and everyone has to loose. In the World Series one team wins dozen loose. In the world cup one team wins dozens and dozens loose. So how many are happy and how many are sad. What are the ratios in material world the ratio of peoples suffering is very higher. Than the ratio of people happy. Why because everyone is thinking in the terms of I and mine. When we put god or Krishna in the center in our sports, in our education, in our occupations, in our spiritual relationships, in our family everything If Krishna is in the center everyone wins And there is no envy but there is happiness for everyone. And that is what bhagavat gita is teaching us. How to put Krishna in the center. And that’s what the sentiment. Putting Krishna in the center means how we utilize every movement in a way that we please Krishna in that way he will be the most beneficial for my life. And the life of all the people rouning. Bharat bhumi te hoila manusha janama jai, lord chaitanya said that the people in India have the greatest responsibility than anyone in this world. Because highest knowledge is been given. And therefore this responsibility to accept this knowledge to understand it to live by it and to share it with others. Thank you very much hare Krishna.
Question And Answers
Question : Hare Krishna prabhuji we have come to prerna the festival of inspiration but my question is who take care of the conversion of inspiration. Tell you the fact we come here because we love ourselves most of us are not devotees we don’t come here because we love Krishna and for myself its very hard taking to see iskcon has so much to give to India but I don’t know why its holding back. They have so much to give for India and this world but it like we ourselves don’t realize we may be in this movement we ourselves don’t realize the important of this. We have an agenda, we have a plans in that between we put Krishna some were in between we may chant but that is not what Krishna conscious all about there is more to it that is what I feel.
Maharaj : I am not clear about your question what you expect iskcon to give to India.
Question : There must be more conversion of prerna than just attending the lectures we must even take care of activity we as young people must do and not just attend lectures?
Maharaj : What else would you like to do.
Question : I am already involved in starting activities on my own I would like if iskcon could join
Maharaj : What are your activities?
Question : Right now I am planning to save the farmers in vidarbha along with giving them spirituality but that is just the beginning I want to achieve much more than this this I have to start from some where. So I have chosen vidarbha as the stepping stone.
Maharaj : As far as I could see the devotees of iskcon as I know they are stretching themselves limits. To reach out and give bhakti to others. Starching themselves beyond limits. And my humble request is for those who really believe that the greatest need of society is to water the route of the tree. To give people spiritual enlightment were there is spiritual enlightment, morality, effects, integrity honesty charity everything is automatically naturally included the person who spiritually enlighten. The members of iskcon are specially striving and striving struggling to do that. And srila prabhupad our beloved guru maharaj he specially wants to invite the youth of India to participate. The more people who take this massage seriously the greater the overall welfare of the entire world will be you like to say something more?
D.Maharaj : Very reflective I thought deeply about the point that this young man raised. I sense his sincerity and desire to do something that would actually help people. Now I have traveled every corner of the world. For allover accord of the country. I have seen suffering, poverty, greed extraordinary lust, exploitation of every corner of the world. I have been coming to Europe in soviet days I have been coming to this chainer during the times wing. Things were much more savior there than they are now. Naturally I upload anyonce desire to reach out and help but I must say that if we truly want to help others, To love others to care for others we must become qualified. To love to care to help is not a ordinary thing. Just like to become doctor I was speaking about this side of college few days ago here in Mumbai. Know all of you I studied in Mumbai. Know all of you I studied in medicine may be a few year. If you see a sick person some one who has had an accident you feel the need to love to care to reach out and help but the fact is unless you know the best way to help that person your efforts want be successful. Therefore although this Krishna consciousness iskcon does help people on all levels. For example is not that the Brahmachari here neglect their body they don’t engage in the world organized sports they do one hours yoga everyday so that they will be strong so that they can help others. So iskcon does have a place for the aspects of the human beings but we must recognized that the soul is the most important when the soul is the most important when soul leaves the body body is useless therefore as his holiness radhanath swami maharaj was saying we must learn how to water the tree at the root. In his knowledge we have to love, care and help that the word so desperately need. Other wise I must say because I have been in every corner of the world extensively I can tell you quite honestly that the world is full of persons you want to care reach out and help. But they are not so effective because they don’t have such qualification and knowledge how to love, care and reach out. If tou want to directly care you must have training and knowledge. Suppose you come to me this young man comes to me ohh I have something wrong inside me it seems I have a pendrisytis, may be I am having heart attack I want to help I want to help you! But if I don’t know what to do I will not be able to properly translate my hearts concerns and cares into effective actions. Its very wonderful that we want to care and help others but we must understand how to water the tree at the root. What is the most effective way to help suffering people ither people of body or the spirit soul. Yes we have to take care of the body. As maharaj explains how meals mid day meals have been distributed everyday 80000. off course this is not an ordinary food food offer to Krishna sanctified yes we nurish the body but whether the eater know or not most importantly soul will be nourished. That we are taking that which has been offer to supreme personality of god head. So there is room for all kinds of contributions. I remember my one of my god brother is holiness giriraj maharaj telling me about encounter that holiness radhanath maharaj had at the airport. Maharaj mate I think the chief minister of environment for India at the airport. And she was explaining about the pollution in the rivers and the pollution in the cities. How so concerned about that and so maharaj not discount her effort. Could offer concerns he says let us work together let us combine the spiritual with material concern and make a total package but that take knowledge all skill that also take mind and sense control. And where you learn those days. Infact what goes on in society today whether it is in cricket world or baseball world. The Indian world, the American world, the Australian world what goes on not education but how to control your mind and senses. But education how to have uncontrolled the mind and senses how destroy yourselves. So we must recognize but the prime need is there are so many need is the prime need the most dramatic the most crucial need after all setting done there is no doubt Krishna consciousness sanatan dharma is the greatest need. So therefore anyone truly want to help others, love others, care for others there must be qualification, education training. The doors are open here for anyone who wants to participate. Become a qualified doctor so that you can take care of all aspects of the human being specially the spirit soul that is the greatest need of the world.
