The Nectar of Devotion

—
Våndävana, October 16, 1972

Pradyumna (reading): "The Nectar of Devotion is a summary

study of Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, which was written in Sanskrit
by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda. He was the chief of the six
Gosvämés who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya
Mahäprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé Prabhupäda was engaged as a minister in the
Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother
Sanätana were then named Säkara Mallika and Dabira Khäsa
respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of
Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the
Hindu society was very rigid and if a member of the brähmaëa
caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at
once rejected from brähmaëa society. That was the position of
the two brothers, Dabira Khäsa and Säkara Mallika. They
belonged to the highly situated särasvata-brähmaëa..."
Prabhupäda: These two brothers, at that time their name was
Säkara Mallika and Dabira Khäsa. So they were ostracized from
the brähmaëa community. That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu's
special grace, that He accepted two rejected gentlemen from the
brähmaëa society and made them gosvämés. That is the special

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significance of Caitanya Mahäprabhu's movement. He accepted
Haridäsa Öhäkura from born in Muhammadan community and
He made him the äcärya, namäcärya. The, practically Caitanya
Mahäprabhu appeared to glorify the significance of the holy
name. He is actually the äcärya, namäcärya, but He transferred
His namäcärya-ship to Haridäsa Öhäkura. So Caitanya
Mahäprabhu's movement, kibä vipra kibä çüdra nyäsé kene naya.
It doesn't matter whether he's a brähmaëa or a çüdra or anyone,
if he's kåñëa-tattva-vettä, if he knows the science of Kåñëa, then
he can be made the spiritual master. Yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä sei
guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu's
movement's significance.
So following His footsteps, we are preaching Caitanya
Mahäprabhu's cult and giving sannyäsa for preaching. That is
not unauthorized. One who criticizes this action, he does not
know the principle of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Caitanya
Mahäprabhu's principle is anyone who knows the science of
Kåñëa, he can become spiritual master. This is the principle. So
from the very beginning, these two Gosvämés... They were not in
the beginning Gosvämés. They were Säkara Mallika, Dabira
Khäsa. But they were made Gosvämés. And Haridäsa Öhäkura
was made namäcärya. Then go on. This is the new edition of
Nectar of Devotion.
Pradyumna: "They belonged to the highly situated
särasvata-brähmaëa community, but they were ostracized due to
their acceptance of ministerial posts in the government of

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Hussain Shah. It is the grace of Lord Caitanya that He accepted
these two exalted personalities as His disciples..."
Prabhupäda: The brähmaëa community was so strong that
because acceptance of service is the business of the çüdra... The
brähmaëas, they would not accept anyone's service. The
kñatriyas, they would not accept anyone's service. And the
vaiçyas also. They should live independently. Brähmaëas, by
culture of Vedic knowledge. Kñatriyas by exacting taxes from the
citizens. And vaiçyas by trade, agriculture. They should live. To
serve one is the business of the dog. That is mentioned in
Bhägavata. So if there is dire necessity, a brähmaëa can accept
the profession of a kñatriya or the, even the profession of a
vaiçya, but not the profession of a çüdra. But at the present
moment, because everyone accepts the profession of çüdra,
therefore çästra says: kalau çüdra-sambhavaù. Here is the
example, that Säkara Mallika, he was brähmaëa, särasvata
brähmaëa. But because he accepted... They were learned
brähmaëas, not fools. Very good scholar in Sanskrit and Arabian
language, still because they accepted service in the
Muhammadan government, they were rejected. Immediately.
No. Punishment. That is punishment. In Hindi it is called
hookah panibhyam. In the society, in villages still, if one is
ostracized, nobody will smoke with him. Hookah. Hookah means
smoking. And pani means not to accept his water. Hookah
panibhyam. So that is ostracization. That was taken against
Sanätana Gosvämé. They were not gosvämé at that time.

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Caitanya Mahäprabhu accepted them. That is Caitanya
Mahäprabhu's special grace. What is that word? Come on. Go
on. What happened?
Pradyumna: "It is the grace of Lord Caitanya that He accepted
these two exalted personalities as His disciples and raised them
to the position of gosvämés, the highest position of brahminical
culture. Similarly Lord Caitanya accepted Haridäsa Öhäkura as
His disciple although he happened to be born of a Muhammadan
family. And Lord Caitanya later on made him the äcärya,..."
Prabhupäda: (indistinct)
Pradyumna: "...later on made him..."
Prabhupäda: (Hindi)
Pradyumna: "...and Lord Caitanya later on made him the äcärya
of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kåñëa Hare
Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare/ Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma
Räma Hare Hare.
Lord Caitanya's principle is universal. Anyone who knows
the science of Kåñëa and is engaged in the service of the Lord is
accepted as being in a higher position than a person born in the
family of a brähmaëa. That is the original principle accepted by
all Vedic literatures, especially by the Bhagavad-gétä and the
Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The principle of Lord Caitanya's movement
in educating and elevating everyone to the exalted post of a
gosvämé is taught in the Nectar of Devotion.
Lord Caitanya met the two brothers, Dabira Khäsa and

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Säkara Mallika in a village known as Rämakeli in the district
known as Maldah, and after that meeting the brothers decided
to retire from government service and join Lord Caitanya.
Sakara Mallika, who was later to become Rüpa Gosvämé, retired
from his post and collected all the money he had accumulated
during his service. It is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta that
his accumulated savings in gold coins equaled millions of dollars
and filled a large boat. He divided the money in a very
exemplary manner, which should be followed by devotees in
particular and by humanity in general. Fifty percent of his
accumulated wealth was distributed to the Kåñëa conscious
persons, namely the brähmaëas and the Vaiñëavas. Twenty-five
percent was distributed to relatives. And twenty-five percent
was kept against emergency expenditures and personal
difficulties. Later on when Dabira Khäsa also proposed to retire,
the Nawab was very much agitated and put him into jail. But
Dabira Khäsa who was later to become..."
Prabhupäda: In this connection, we may inform that our
disciples in Kåñëa consciousness movement, those who are
gåhasthas, they contribute at least fifty percent of their income.
Yes. Most of them, they are full-time engaged. But if one cannot
be whole time engaged... Just like we, we have got our disciple,
Professor Howard Wheeler. He gives more than fifty percent of
his income for developing our New Vrindaban scheme. So we try
to follow these principles laid down by Rüpa Gosvämé, that fifty
percent for Kåñëa or Kåñëa's devotees, twenty-five percent for
personal emergencies and twenty-five percent for the dependent

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relatives.
There are many couples here. They are married. I got them
married. Sometimes I am criticized by my godbrothers. But they
do not know why I got them married. Here is a couple, Gurudäsa
and his wife, Yamunä, and where is Mälaté? Mälaté's not here?
Eh? Mälaté and her husband, Çyämasundara. And another
couple, Jänaké and Mukunda. I sent them first, missionary to
London to start the temple. And for one year, they struggled
very hard and they called me that "I started the temple." So my
Guru Mahäräja wanted to start a temple in London. He sent two
sannyäsés but it was not possible. But these gåhasthas, they
started. So we want to see that the mission is fulfilled. It doesn't
matter whether he's a gåhastha or sannyäsé. Kibä vipra kibä çüdra
nyäsé kene naya. So by getting them married, I am benefited.
They have helped me.
Guest (Indian man): There is nothing against marriage.
Prabhupäda: But sometimes my godbrother criticizes that I am
sannyäsé, I am taking part in marriage. So I have got very good
difficulties. Here, when I come to India, they say that I am
spoiling Hindu system of religion. And when I go there, the
Christian says that "You are the greatest enemy." (laughter) This
is my position. You see. If I go ahead, then... And if I go behind,
then... So what can be done? I have to execute my duty. I am not
encouraged by the government, by my godbrothers, and still I
have to do this duty. What can be done? So, so far I am
concerned I know by getting them married I am benefited. They

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have done so much... He's also married, this boy. He's always...
He has got his wife, he has got children, but he doesn't care for
his wife and children. He remains with me and he helps me in
editing the Sanskrit portion of my books. He has studied
Sanskrit. He was not a Sanskrit scholar, but by his endeavor he
has studied Sanskrit. So all my books, Sanskrit editing work, is
done by...
Guest: I see.
Prabhupäda: Yes. He worked very hard. Now he understands
Sanskrit. He can read Sanskrit. So if I get facility for pushing on
my missionary work, there is no harm in getting married.
Because in Europe, America these boys and girls, they live like
friends. So I said that "You cannot live as friends. You must get
yourself married" and that is, that has proved... Here is a girl.
Where is that Çäradéyä, Çäradéyä there?
Devotee: Here she comes.
Prabhupäda: Eh. When she was young, fifteen years, she very
frankly told me that "I want this boy to marry, Vaikuëöha."
(laughter) So I told Vaikuëöha that "You, you are reserved for
her. As soon as she's over sixteen years, you have to marry her."
Another girl, she is now at Manila. She's Australian. She was a
famous actress. So she came to Los Angeles and surrendered to
me. And I asked her that "You go to Tokyo. I have got a disciple.
And get yourself married with him."
Guest: Oh, wonderful!

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Prabhupäda: Yes. She never saw him. So in European countries...
Guest: That's impossible.
Prabhupäda: It is impossible. But she went and married him and
they're living peacefully. Now they are married. So I have to see
the interest of my missionary work. Never mind. Of course it is a
novel thing, that sannyäsé is taking part in marriage. But what
can be done? I have to execute my mission. Go on. I think it is
now...
Pradyumna: "But Dabira Khäsa who was later to become Çréla
Sanätana Gosvämé took advantage of his brother's personal
money..."
Prabhupäda: You can arrange a light here. Yes.
Pradyumna: "...which had been deposited with a village banker
and escaped from the prison of Hussain Shah. In this way, both
brothers joined Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Rüpa Gosvämé first met Lord Caitanya at Prayäga
(Allahabad, India) on the Daçäçvamedha bathing ghäöa of that
holy city and on the Daçäçvamedha bathing ghäöa of that holy
city the Lord instructed him continually for ten days. The Lord
particularly instructed Rüpa Gosvämé on the science of Kåñëa
consciousness. These teachings of Lord Caitanya to Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé Prabhupäda are narrated in our book Teachings of Lord
Caitanya.
Later Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda elaborated the
teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed

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scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic
literatures. Çréla Çréniväsa Äcärya describes in his prayers to the
Six Gosvämés that they were all highly learned scholars, not only
in Sanskrit, but also in foreign languages such as Persian and
Arabian. They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic
literatures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahäprabhu
on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge. The present
Kåñëa consciousness movement is also based on the authority of
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda. We are therefore generally
known as rüpänugas, or followers in the footsteps of Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé Prabhupäda. It is only for our guidance that Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé prepared his book Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, which is
now presented in the form of the Nectar of Devotion. Persons
engaged in the Kåñëa consciousness movement may take
advantage of this great literature and be very solidly situated in
Kåñëa consciousness.
Bhakti means devotional service. Every service..."
Prabhupäda: My Guru Mahäräja, Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
Gosvämé Mahäräja, he used to advise us to read
Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu. Everyone, after initiation. At least, he
advised me. So this Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu is very important as
study book for the Vaiñëavas. It is the science of devotional
service. And people are, in Western countries, taking interest. In
the Temple University, it has become a textbook in the religious
class. There are sixty students who are regularly studying the
Bhakti, Nectar of Devotion published by us. And gradually it is
being introduced in other colleges and schools. I think you are

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straining.
Gurudäsa: The candle is coming.
Prabhupäda: Coming. Hm. So we can stop. Acyutänanda, you
can have kértana. (end)

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