Stories about Krishna remain the same, whereas new stories about fictional heroes keep coming up – how then are Krishna stories ever-new?

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So Krishna’s pastimes more or less stay the same whereas if we have some fictional characters they keep coming up with new books, new stories so they seem more new there are two different things over here there is newness which is experienced at the physical or the sensual level and there is newness which is experienced at the spiritual level so when we talk about newness at the material level it’s not just stories, there is so much that appears to be new there are new fashions, new cars new phones, that newness is if you are looking at it at the physical sensual level at the material level it is far far more than at the spiritual level but then our scriptures tell us that newness is simply a cover, it is basically there is one social critic he said what is news? News is basically old things happening to new people ok here there was a disaster here there was a storm, here there was an attack here there was a disease, epidemic so basically if we go beyond the surface the newness eventually is not actually new it’s just the same old thing it leads to staleness, that’s why it’s not just people who want new stories people want stories of more intensity like say when people watch watch some sports, in India cricket was very popular so earlier 50 years ago cricket was like a 5 day event and now they have 1 day cricket now they have 20 hours cricket now they have 20 hours cricket with many other teams all teams coming together basically they want to increase the excitement level why? because the same level of excitement doesn’t satisfy even if it is a new match but the same level of excitement doesn’t satisfy they want more and more so this material entertainment is like a painkiller if I have a disease and I take a painkiller it does give me relief, but it’s temporary and next time I not only need a painkiller again but because the disease has worsened so I need a painkiller of a greater usage that’s why we see the entertainment, the action that is in today’s entertainment it is far far more intense, far far more graphic than what it was in the past because the disease of the emptiness within that is far more, so we need greater painkillers on the other hand, when I take a medicine the medicine sometimes may not offer me immediate relief the same way that the painkiller offers but when the medicine acts on me and cures me then I am healed, then I can be naturally happy so basically we hear Krishna Katha there is some entertainment over there but essentially Prabhupada, I quote this verse in the first 10th canto, first chapter in the Krishna book it says, for us, this is an option it is a medicine, and as we become purified as our love for Krishna develops then with that love for Krishna developing we will start relishing, because say if we love someone, a mother loves a child and a mother takes the child’s babyhood photos she can see it again and again, because there is love over there so when a devotee has love for Krishna that love itself brings newer and newer joy but it is not just love over there along with that, Krishna himself also is unlimited Krishna has many many qualities and a devotee relishes Krishna more and more appreciates his qualities more and more as one comes to the spiritual level so it’s not just our love that makes Krishna attractive but our love reveals Krishna’s unlimited attractiveness from the point of view of, this is a medicine so even if it doesn’t taste that enjoyable I hear it as a medicine, that’s one perspective from the seeker, but another perspective also important that from those who are seeking Krishna Katha it is also their responsibility and they should try to present it in an attractive way we shouldn’t just say that this is here for your purification Prabhupada’s realization means to speak things in a way that are interesting for the audience so it is the responsibility of the speakers of Krishna Katha to present it in a way that people can relate with that can attract people, that people can relish so it’s not just tell the people this is for your purification and just hear it when we do it, we can use better language better cultural presentations, more attractive technology whatever it is, it is our responsibility to present Krishna’s all attractiveness as attractively as possible just like we are the deities Krishna is all attractive, yes he is but then when we decorate the deities we dress the deities, say why do we need to dress Krishna is already all attractive but people who come, they can’t perceive Krishna’s future all attractiveness so just as we dress the deities as attractively as possible similarly when we give classes it’s not just here for your purification we have to try to make our presentation as attractive as possible just as we would decorate the deities as attractively as possible so to the extent we as preachers do that to that extent, people even who are at the material level they will be able to perceive Krishna’s attractiveness and as we keep hearing, then they will rise to the spiritual level and spiritually relish Krishna’s all attractiveness so thank you very much Shri Prabhupadaji Siddhi Manipur, you had a comment?