16 + 4 = Krsnaloka?

Answer by Danavir Goswami

Yes, yes  16 + 4 = B T G

 

1. Here are some pertinent references from Srila Prabhupada.

 

If you continue in this way, and strictly follow the four regulative principles, making sure to chant at least sixteen rounds on the beads, daily, it is without a doubt that at the end of this lifetime, you can go back home, back to Godhead. (Letter to: Amogha — Bombay 26 December, 1972)

 

Indian: [break] …initiated devotee, and he follows those four regulative principles and chants sixteen rounds, will he go back to Godhead?

Prabhupäda: Oh, yes. Mäm evaiçyasi asaàçaya. Kåñëa says. Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru mäm evaiçyasi asaàçaya [Bg. 18.65]. Asaàçaya, without any doubt.

Indian: But by taking initiation, will that speed up the process?

Prabhupäda: Yes. [break] (Morning Walk — June 18, 1976, Toronto)

 

Now you must agree to very rigidly follow the rules and regulations, i.e. chanting sixteen rounds of beads daily, rising early and attending Mangala Arati, observing the four principles, attending the classes, eating only bhagavata prasadam as well as working under the instruction of my representatives, such as your GBC representative and Temple President, and if you follow this procedure very strictly then your life will be glorious and you will go back to Home, back to Godhead, this I can guarantee. (Letter to: Ghanasyama — Sydney 16 February, 1973)

 

Now you must all carefully follow these four regulative principles (1) No meat eating, (2) No illicit sex life, (3) No intoxication, (4) No gambling.  Always be sure to chant minimum sixteen rounds daily.  Study my books carefully, go for sankirtana and engage in Deity worship in the temple.  You are all very sincere boys and girls and now I request you to make your life successful for going back to home, back to Godhead. (Letter to: Sons and daughters, Los Angeles 8 May, 1973)

 

Please always follow the four regulative principles and chant minimum sixteen rounds per day. Study my books very carefully and prepare yourself fully for going back to home, back to Godhead. (Letter to: Arjuna — Dallas 20 May, 1973)

 

Thus it is the duty of the äcärya to publish books that will help future candidates take up the method of service and become eligible to return home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of the Lord. In our Kåñëa consciousness movement, this same path is being prescribed and followed. Thus the devotees have been advised to refrain from four sinful activities—illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling—and to chant sixteen rounds a day. These are bona fide instructions. Because in the Western countries constant chanting is not possible, one should not artificially imitate Haridäsa Öhäkura, but should follow this method. Kåñëa will accept a devotee who strictly follows the regulative principles and the method prescribed in the various books and literatures published by the authorities. The äcärya gives the suitable method for crossing the ocean of nescience by accepting the boat of the Lord’s lotus feet, and if this method is strictly followed, the followers will ultimately reach the destination, by the grace of the Lord. This method is called äcärya-sampradäya. (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31 Purport)

 

God wants you to come back home and live peacefully. If you do not do that, then you will have to undergo the severe punishments of transmigrating from one body to another. And there are 8,400,000 bodies in which you will have to suffer. And you can see that they are suffering. So don’t misuse this human form of life; don’t give way to the sense gratification. Have a little tapasya. Not severe tapasya, not like Nara-näräyaëa. They went to the Himalayas and underwent severe, very severe, just like Dhruva Mahäräja. In this age it is not possible; therefore Caitanya Mahäprabhu has given you a concession. You take these sixteen words, Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare. Chant these sixteen rounds. If you can increase, all right, or these sixteen rounds. And observe these four principles—no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication. Is it very difficult?

But we are not even prepared to undergo such a little tapasya, penance. What is that difficulty? We don’t eat meat, and instead we get nice other food. So what is the difficulty? If we don’t become hogs and enjoy senses like hogs without discrimination of mother, sister and daughter, if we become attached to one wife and enjoy life, what is the difficulty? No, although I have got my wife, I am implicated with others’ wives; I have got husband, I am implicated with others’ husbands. No tapasya. They are not prepared for any kind of tapasya. They want cats’ and dogs’ lives. Therefore their next life is waiting, cats and dogs.

So this is the position. Nara-näräyaëa, They underwent severe penances just like Dhruva Mahäräja. But in this age it is not possible. But at least observe these short penances, little penances, and chant Hare Kåñëa, and make your life successful. What is the difficulty? But we are not still prepared. And still we do not take it very seriously, because our past life is so sinful that even coming to Kåñëa consciousness we are being disturbed. Our sinful activities are so strong that even coming to the point of Kåñëa consciousness we are falling down, again falling down. So be careful, be cautious, and execute your duty as Kåñëa conscious people. You will be happy. (Lecture: Srimad-Bhägavatam 1.3.9 — Los Angeles, September 15, 1972)

 

Keep this, I mean to say, situation, atmosphere, always, and follow the regulative principles, chant sixteen rounds. You’ll remain always happy, because although we are in Los Angeles, we have nothing to do with the material atmosphere of Los Angeles. Therefore a devotee who lives with Kåñëa or in Kåñëa consciousness, he does not live in the material world. He always live in the spiritual world. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä. Mäà cävyabhicäriëi-bhakti-yogena yaù sevate: “Anyone who is engaged in bhakti-yoga with Kåñëa,” sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26], “such person is always above these material modes of nature.” Our difficulty or miserable condition of life is due to being under the material laws of nature. So it is very simple method, and you are all intelligent boys and girls in the Western country, and I am very, happy that you have taken it seriously. And continue this. You’ll never be unhappy. And not only here but also, as Kåñëa said, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], if you simply practice these four principle—always think of Kåñëa, man-manä, or become Kåñëa’s devotees and offer Kåñëa obeisances and worship Kåñëa—these four… We are teaching these four principle in the temple, how to worship Kåñëa how to serve Kåñëa, how to become Kåñëa’s devotee, and how to think of Kåñëa twenty-four hours. And if we do this, there is guarantee. Kåñëa says, mäm eva eñyasi asaàçaya: “Without any doubt, you will come to Me. You will go back to home, back to Godhead.” (Arrival Address — Los Angeles, July 8, 1974)