Prabhupada 1022 - First Thing is That We Have to Learn How to Love. That is First-class Religion



730408 - Lecture SB 01.14.44 - New York

So first thing is that we have to learn how to love. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion. Religious system you follow, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If you know how to love Adhokṣaja... Then when there is question of love, then the next question will be, "Whom shall I love?" Therefore, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means "beyond your sense perception." Here we love something which is within the category, or within the jurisdiction, of my sense perception. I love a girl or a boy, or somebody, my country, my society, my dog—everything. But that is within the jurisdiction of your sense perception. But God is beyond your sense perception. But still you have to love, and that is religion. God is beyond sense perception, but if you love, although it is…, He is beyond your sense perception, then you will realize God. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphurat adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Just like we are worshiping here Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Those who are not lover of Kṛṣṇa, they will think that "These foolish persons, they have brought a doll made of marble, and they are simply wasting their time." Because he has no love. He has no love; therefore he cannot appreciate this worship of Kṛṣṇa, for want of love. And one who is lover of Kṛṣṇa, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as He entered the temple of Jagannātha: "Here is My Lord," He immediately fainted.

So what is the difference between the… There is the difference: a lover of God, he can see everywhere God is present.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
(Bs. 5.38)

If you have actually (indistinct) lover of God, then you will see God in every step. Every step. Then, just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was being attacked by his father, he was looking over the column, pillar, and the father thought that his God might be there in the pillar, so he immediately, "Your God in this pillar?" "Yes, my father." "Oh." Immediately broke. To keep the words of His devotee, God came out.

So appearance and disappearance of God is for the devotee.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
(BG 4.8)