View source for Because the people of this age are not very strong, spiritually inclined, therefore for this particular age of Kali the tapasya has been, I mean to say, decreased

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{{terms|"because the people of this age are not very strong, spiritually inclined, therefore for this particular age of Kali the tapasya has been, I mean to say, decreased"}}
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[[Category:Because]]
[[Category:People]]
[[Category:In This Age]]
[[Category:Are Not]]
[[Category:Not Very]]
[[Category:Very Strong]]
[[Category:Spiritually Strong]]
[[Category:Inclination]]
[[Category:Therefore]]
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[[Category:Age of Kali]]
[[Category:Tapasya]]
[[Category:I Mean to Say (Prabhupada)]]
[[Category:Decrease]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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Those who are strong, they are overloaded. Similarly, because the people of this age are not very strong, spiritually inclined, therefore for this particular age of Kali the tapasya has been, I mean to say, decreased. Just like these boys and girls. The tapasya means they have simply given up some bad habits: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. That's all.
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[[Vanisource:710408 - Lecture BG 16.2-7 - Bombay|710408 - Lecture BG 16.2-7 - Bombay]]
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There are different features of the Absolute Truth: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and Personality of Godhead. So those who are attached to impersonal Brahman . . . Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa is brahma-sukhānubhūtyā, the origin of brahma-sukha. It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā: "The Brahman, the impersonal Brahman, is situated on Me." Because Brahman is the bodily effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "These boys, they are not ordinary boys. They are playing with the Supreme Brahman." Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā.

And dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. And those who are devotees, those who have taken their position as eternal servant of God, dāsyaṁ gatānām, for them, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For the impersonalists, He is the Supreme Brahman. And for the personalists, devotees, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the influence of the illusory energy, māyā, for them, this Kṛṣṇa is ordinary boy. Māyāśritānām. They cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]]). Those who are mūḍhas, not sufficient knowledge, poor fund of knowledge, they accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person.

So therefore . . . Bhāgavata also says māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa: "Those who are under the protection of māyā, illusory energy, for them Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person or human being." But these boys are playing, kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.12.7-11|SB 10.12.11]]). Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Puñjāḥ means stock, huge stock of pious activities. Therefore they have come to the position, directly playing with Kṛṣṇa. They have become associates. So that is possible. Anyone can become direct associates of Kṛṣṇa. That is called sāmīpya-mukti: always with Kṛṣṇa. Whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, they also appear.

So there are two kinds of muktis also. So far sāyujya-mukti is concerned, that is not very sure. (aside:) What is this sound?

Sāyujya-mukti, one who takes liberation of merging into the existence of the Supreme Absolute Truth, that is not very secure position, because they may fall down again to the material world.

That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]). These impersonalists, after undergoing severe austerities . . . to come to the Brahman platform, impersonal Brahman platform, that is also not very easy. One has to undergo severe austerities, tapasya. Nothing can be achieved with(out) tapasya. Any kind of liberation cannot be achieved without tapasya. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature. You cannot make it very easily accessible, but for this age it is easily accessible. Because these people are not so advanced, therefore śāstra gives them a little concession.

Just like in the race, the horse which is weak, it gives . . . some concession is given. And those who are strong, they are overloaded. Similarly, because the people of this age are not very strong, spiritually inclined, therefore for this particular age of Kali the tapasya has been, I mean to say, decreased. Just like these boys and girls. The tapasya means they have simply given up some bad habits: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. That's all. Very easy. Now, you can see this is tapasya. And chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. This is the tapasya for Kali-yuga. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva.

Any other means of meditation, offering sacrifices, or worshiping the Deity in the temple, these are difficult task, especially in this age. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt ([[Vanisource:SB 12.3.52|SB 12.3.52]]). In this age, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, one can very easily make advance in spiritual life.
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