Changing the dress does not mean the man who is putting on the dress, he is killed. No. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The living entity is not destroyed or annihilated after the destruction of this body. He changes, another body. That change takes place because we want it. Future. Our future life is also there. Therefore this life is the opportunity. This human form of life is the opportunity that you may accept next life a sac-cid-ānanda body. Just like God has. That is our original body. It is now covered. So we should attempt in such a way. We should utilize our energy in such a way that after giving up this body we get our original sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1) body just like God has got, and then again we enter into the Kingdom of God and be happy eternally there. That is bhāgavata culture. Thank you very much.
Attempt (Lectures, SB)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Saṁsāra-dāvānala **. The dāvānala is used because this material world is always blazing, always problem. Nobody can deny it. Simply problem. Just like fire. Fire is a problem. And especially in America we see in every city, every ten minutes or fifteen minutes there is a fire brigade: dung dung dung dung dung dung dung dung. Why? The fire is blazing always. So as we practically see that there is always fire, and the fire brigade is ready... Nobody goes to set fire. But by accident, by manipulation, fire takes place. The comparison is therefore with the forest fire. Forest fire takes place without anyone's attempt. Simply by collision of two dry wood, there is friction, electricity is produced, and the dry leaf immediately catch hold of the electricity and it becomes fire. So this material world, everyone is trying to be peaceful, happy, tranquil. No. There must be fire. Exactly like that. The fire brigade is always ready because they know that at any moment there will be fire.
They do not know that there is escape. They think this is all. This is their education. They have no knowledge. Although they are suffering in every step, they are making plan in their own way within this material world. Just like the UNESCO and so many others, all nation attempts are there. They are planning within this... That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as carvita-carvaṇānām. Carvita means chewing the chewed. They see that our previous leaders, they also did like this; it was not successful. Still they are going on in different way. That is not the way. Actually, if you are really anxious to become free from the conditional life, then you have to take to adhyātma-śāstra. You have to take knowledge from spiritual sources. Go on.
This is the Brahmā's realization when he met Kṛṣṇa. So he said this verse, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. People who are endeavoring to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of his puffed-up knowledge, they will never be able to. They will never be able. Jñāne prayāsam. One has to give up this illegitimate attempt to understand the Absolute Truth by his personal knowledge. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap thing that by exercising your brain you can manufacture a way to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "I am not exposed to everyone. I am covered by yogamāyā. People will not be able to understand Me." "So many jñānīs, yogis, karmīs, they cannot understand?" No. Then? Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service." Devotional service means submission, surrender. First of all surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You cannot understand Me by your so-called karma, jñāna, or yoga, dhyāna. No, it is not possible." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhaktyā means to surrender.
Then again he summarized in the Vedānta-sūtra. The whole Vedānta knowledge was codified, codes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), athāto brahma jijñāsā. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). There are so many codes. So again these codes were explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is the business(?). "Vedānta-sūtra, or the Brahma-sūtra, were compiled by Vyāsadeva with the view to presenting just the cream of Vedic knowledge. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary on the cream. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a thoroughly realized master of Vedānta-sūtra, and consequently, he also personally realized the commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And just to show his boundless mercy," karuṇayā, "boundless mercy upon bewildered materialistic man who want to cross completely over the nescience, he recited for the first time this confidential knowledge."
So it is meant for not ordinary men. It is very difficult. Because they are not fit to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is especially meant for persons who are eager to go out of this darkness, especially. Not only that person. But still, everyone is in darkness. We are trying. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt... (break) (end)
So this is Nityānanda. Nityānanda-vaṁśa means one who takes the risk of preaching work, he can claim Nityānanda-vaṁśa. Not that easy-going. The preaching work is not easy-going. There are so many difficulties. All the big, big preachers... Śrī Rāmānujācārya. His life was attempted to be killed. Why Rāmānujācārya? My Guru Mahārāja was attempted to be killed. Twenty-five thousand rupees were raised fund for bribing the police officer. He told me personally. The Navadvīpa, Navadvīpa Gosāis, they wanted to kill him. So preaching work is always risky. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. So kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ. If you want to make the whole world peaceful, yenātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati. Prasīdati means to become satisfied, and su means super, extra satisfied. Then people should be educated to inquire about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Simply. This very word. Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ. Make such propaganda in a way that everyone becomes inquisitive, "What is this nonsense, Kṛṣṇa, they are speaking?" At least...
Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi, when they... In the beginning, they were very much adverse to saṅkīrtana, hari-saṅkīrtana, but one day, the Mādhāi was telling to Jagāi, "My dear brother, Jagāi, after all, these rascals sing very nicely, (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. They sing ver..." "Oh, you are going to be Vaiṣṇava?" "No, no. I am not going to be Vaiṣṇava. (laughter) I'm just appreciating. They sing very nicely." So you go like that. They will arrest you. You have got good experience. In London, they were arrested. You were in London. How many times you were arrested?
So to select the path of hell and to select the path of back to home, back to Godhead, depends upon us. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ, yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam, tamo-dvāram, tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes, vimuktes. People, the modern educated society, they do not know what is vimukti. They do not know. They know, but they do not know what is the ultimate vimukti. Just like scientists, they are trying to give us so many facilities by machine, by different processes. That is means, that is also vimukti. We are in some inconvenience, just like we are in inconvenience for transport, oh, scientist gives us some horseless carriage. That is also vimukti. We feel inconvenienced for working so the scientist has given us the car. So every attempt is being made for vimukti, for getting out of some inconvenient position. But they do not know ultimate vimukti. What is the ultimate vimukti? Ultimate vimukti is to get freedom from birth, death, old age, and disease. That is ultimate goal. The modern scientists, they are giving us so many facilities to get out of some material difficulties but that is temporary. That is not actually vimukti. Actual vimukti is to get freedom from birth, death, old age, and disease. That vimukti can be achieved from Kṛṣṇa, hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti.
So to attempt vāsudeva-bhakti means perfection of life. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If we execute pure devotional service into the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then jñānam, janayaty āśu vairāgyam. This is the test of bhakti. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. A man is tested how much he has advanced in bhakti-yoga by his detachment from material enjoyment. If you, if one is attached to sense enjoyment, at the same time, he poses himself as a great devotee, that cannot work. Just like if you are eating something, then there will be no hunger. A man is hungry so long he does not eat something. So if, if he, if you say, "Yes, I have eaten so much, and still, I am feeling hungry," that cannot be. Actually if you have eaten, then you must not feel hungry. Similarly, if you have actually tasted bhakti-yoga, then there will be no more material attachment. This is the test. Not that artificially keeping a big tilaka on forehead and thinking within always "How to get money, how to get woman?" That kind of is not... They, there..., there will be no more hunger for these material things, especially woman and money. That is the test of bhakti.
So those who are under the karma, under the principles of nature's law—that is karma, nature's law—they are different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). Those who are ordinary living entities, they are being carried away by pull, they are being pulled by the ear by nature's law. But those who are devotees, their position is different. They are under the special attention of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He therefore declares: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world that anyone who is My pure devotee, he'll never be vanquished. I shall take care." Why He is asking Arjuna to declare? Because a devotee's attempt is never baffled. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Even His own declaration may be sometimes false, but if a devotee declares, Kṛṣṇa will see, it must be done. It must be done.
Therefore these are the tests to understand. A politician may pose himself that he is very advanced in spiritual life, but when we see that he is more interested in politics than in Kṛṣṇa, then we can understand what is his position. These are the tests. Or politics or sociology or anything, a pure devotee is always interested how Kṛṣṇa would be satisfied. Just like Arjuna. Of course, when one is interested in that way, all other things, subordinate things, they come within. Just like Arjuna was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but at the same time he was a politician also. So, but the first interest is to become Kṛṣṇized, how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not that "For political purpose I love Kṛṣṇa." No. You love Kṛṣṇa, and your all problems, political, social and other things, will be solved. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You don't require to attempt for political reason and make Kṛṣṇa consciousness secondary. Therefore we say that if people, not all, if some percentage of the whole population of the world become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all the problems of the world will be solved. We don't expect that cent percent people will be Kṛṣṇa conscious, but simply a few percent, say five per cent. If the people of the whole population, they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then the face of the world will change-īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1)—because if the leaders, they understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness and act accordingly, the others will follow. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). Itaraḥ janaḥ, common men, follows the leaders.
If you want, nature will give you facility. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Prakṛti means nature. He's giving, by nature. Just like, if you infect, if you become infected with some disease, so you'll get that disease. It is nature's way. If you touch fire, your finger will be burned. Not that nature has to make a particular arrangement. By nature it is there. Similarly, if you remain like cats and dogs, then by nature you'll get the body of cats and dogs. There is no necessity of making separate attempt, "How shall I become a dog? How shall I become cat?" Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. Prakṛti, nature, will give you. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. How nature is helping? Nature, this material nature is matter. How it is being done, how matter is working? That is, answer is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "He's acting under My direction." God is giving direction. How he's giving direction? Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61)—God is situated within your heart. When He sees that you are very much anxious to become a cat, a dog, He knows. He asks nature that "Just give him a body of dog. He wants to become a dog. He wants to become a hog; give him a body of hog. He wants the body of a tree, he wants the body of god; give him the body of god." Anything, you can take. You can have the body of a dog, or you can have the body of a god, as you want.
So this is perfect civilization. One must know his own business. Everyone should not attempt to understand Vedic literature, remaining himself in the rajo and tamo-guṇa. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. There are many so-called sannyāsīs who went to your country. He was in fully in rajo and tamo-guṇa. He wanted to preach Vedānta. Therefore it was failure. Nobody can do so. So it is very clearly stated: tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam. One must come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. Therefore we have got so many restrictions, just to keep him fit in the sattva-guṇa: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling. If one indulges in these affairs, he cannot come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, neither the things will be revealed to him. He'll remain in the darkness. Simply by academic scholarship, it is impossible to understand what is Vedas, what is Bhāgavata, what is Bhagavad-gītā.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Pradyumna: "The Personality of Godhead, Śrī Rāma, assumed the form of a human being and appeared on the earth for the purpose of doing some pleasing work for the demigods, or the administrative personalities to maintain the order of the universe. Sometimes great demons and atheists like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu and many others become very famous due to advancing material civilization by the help of material science and other activities with a spirit of challenging the established order of the Lord. For example, the attempt to fly to other planets by material means is a challenge to the established order. The conditions of each and every plane are different, and different classes of human beings are accommodated there for particular purposes mentioned in the codes of the Lord. But puffed up by tiny success in material advancement, sometimes the godless materialist challenges the existence of God. Rāvaṇa was one of them, and he wanted to deport ordinary men to the planets of Indra, or heaven, by material means, without consideration of the necessary qualifications. He wanted a staircase..."
Prabhupāda: Just now they are planning that everyone will go to the moon planet without any qualification. That is their plan. It is Rāvaṇa's plan. Rāvaṇa said that "Why you are undergoing so much severe austerities to go to heaven? I shall make a staircase, and you go directly, without having performed any austerities." So to go to the moon planet, according to the Vedic description, it requires a qualification. The moon planet, that is one of the heavenly planets, and if anyone can go there, he gets ten thousands of years span of life. And the standard of living is very higher than this planet. These are the description in the Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If you want to be promoted to a heavenly planets, then you just perform the duties to please the particular demigod, you'll be... So these materialist scientists, they are thinking that they can go anywhere by the force of their so-called scientific advancement. But it has not proved successful till now. But still, they will say, "Yes, in future we shall go." All right, in future. "Trust no future, however pleasant." That's all.
So this is the principle. Ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet. One should give first protection to the ātmā. What is that protection? Protection from the onslaught of māyā, or material nature. That is protection. At the present moment, I am under the influence of māyā, under the influence of the three qualities of māyā. So when I get the opportunity of this human form of life, my first business is how to protect this ātmā, soul. The soul is transmigrating from one body to another. How foolish they have become! We are enjoying this nice body, human body or American body or very beautiful body. But next moment I do not know what body I am going to get. But those who are in the knowledge how transmigration takes place, they can say what kind of body you are going to take next by your activities. We are preparing our body in our present life. Just like we have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our attempt is to prepare for having a spiritual body. That is the whole attempt. And those who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in material consciousness, they'll have also a body, but this material body means full of miseries. Any body you take, either you take the body of king or you take the body of a dog, the body is miserable. It does not mean that when there is disease, only the dog's body suffers, not the king's body. Everyone has to suffer.
If there is a change of heart of the leaders only, certainly there will be a radical change in the atmosphere of the world. We know that our honest attempt to present this great literature conveying transcendental messages for reviving the God consciousness of the people in general and respiritualizing the world atmosphere is fraught with many difficulties. Our presenting this matter in adequate language, especially a foreign language, will certainly fail, and there will be so many literary discrepancies despite our honest attempt to present it in the proper way. But we are sure that with all our faults in this connection the seriousness of the subject matter will be taken into consideration, and the leaders of society will still accept this due to its being an honest attempt to glorify the Almighty God. When there is fire in a house, the inmates of the house go out to get help from the neighbors who may be foreigners, and yet without knowing the language the victims of the fire express themselves, and the neighbors understand the need, even though not expressed in the same language. The same spirit of cooperation is needed to broadcast this transcendental message of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the polluted atmosphere of the world. After all, it is a technical science of spiritual values, and thus we are concerned with the techniques and not with the language. If the techniques of this great literature are understood by the people of the world, there will be success.
So we are trying our bit, almost single-handed, although the important literatures are there, Vedic literatures, four Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra, eighteen Purāṇas, hundred and eight Upaniṣads, then Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, so many, full of knowledge, transcendental knowledge. They can be distributed all over the world. But there was no organized attempt. We are just begun from 1966, this movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, distributing this literature. Through literature, of course, we are very hopeful. Our literatures are selling. In London also, they sell at least $200, er, pounds, in the street. Similarly, in New York, in Los Angeles, every city we are selling about thirty-to forty thousand rupees' worth books daily. People are appreciating. But if the publishers and the book sellers also help us in this movement, then people will be very much benefited. That is our request. We have come to this, I mean to say, bookseller's office to request... Of course, we have no means to advertise very much, but our advertisement is the saṅkīrtana movement. We go from city to city, street to street, to invoke, invoke the spiritual consciousness of that. There is already there.
So our attempt is... We are opening so many branches. The idea is that people should get chance of hearing about the Supreme Lord, either by chanting this mahā-mantra or... This is also chanting. What I am speaking before you from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, that is also chanting. This is also kīrtana. Kīrtana means describing. So you can describe the glories of the Lord either by musical instruments or by chant, singing, or you can describe the glories of the Lord by reading from authoritative scripture. Both of them are called kīrtana. This, this Bhāgavata reading is also described as kīrtana by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Kīrtane. It is called kīrtana. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). The process is śravaṇa and kīrtana, hearing and chanting. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he attained salvation and perfection simply by hearing. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained salvation and perfection simply by chanting. This chanting means describing the glories of the Lord from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
This is the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. As many towns and villages are there all over the world, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be spread. So there is no credit for me, but it is only a teeny attempt, and humble attempt. So if one man could do, if you say, some success, why not all of us? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given power of attorney to all Indians. Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). He's speaking to the manuṣya, not to the cats and dogs. So manuṣya-janma yāra janma sārthaka kari'. First of all, try to understand what is the purpose of life. That is called janma sārthaka. Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra. Go. Everywhere there is very good demand for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So Gāndhārī had some power. So her eldest son, Duryodhana, was advised to see the mother naked. She advised, "My dear son, tomorrow morning when you come to offer your obeisances to me, you come naked. I shall see you and you will be solidified just like iron." So he was going naked and Kṛṣṇa saw. So He asked him, "Where you are going?" "I am going to see my mother." "How is that? You are going naked? At least you have some langota(?). This is not good." So he took the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and covered the private part with a langota. And when Gāndhārī saw, she saw that he was not fully naked, so she regretted, "O my dear son, I asked you to come before me naked. Why you have got this...?" "No, Kṛṣṇa advised." Then she began to smile, that "My attempt is failure." So Kṛṣṇa knew it, that part which was covered, that was not turned iron. The other parts turned into iron on account of seeing by Gāndhārī. So in this fight Kṛṣṇa hinted Bhīma that "You strike here. That part is not ironized." Although it is against the regulative principle to strike the opponent party below this waist, Kṛṣṇa advised that "Unless you transgress this law, you cannot kill him." So he was stroken below the waist, and he was not killed, but his waist was broken. Therefore it is said vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa. Then he died. This is mentioned here.
So here is one reference that Lord Brahmā was pursued by Lord Śiva when Brahmā was running after his beautiful daughter. So similarly, here, Aśvatthāmā, he knew that Arjuna is coming to kill him, so he was running very swiftly. Āpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt. From distant place, when he saw that Arjuna was coming... So dehātma-buddhi. This is the distinction between person in bodily concept of life and person who is liberated from the bodily concept of life. So when Durvāsā Muni cursed or wanted to kill... What is the king? Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. So Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a devotee. Unnecessarily he was harassed by Durvāsā Muni, but because Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a pure devotee, advanced, he was not afraid of being killed. He was not afraid. There are many instances. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was attempted to be killed by his father so many times, but he was never afraid. Although he was five-years-old boy, but he was not afraid.
In the Upaniṣads it is said that two birds... The one bird is Paramātmā. Kṛṣṇa has become Paramātmā. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that kṣetra-kṣetrajña. There are two things. One is this kṣetra, this body. Kṣetra, just the field. Just like we are tilling the field. And the tiller, the kṛṣāṇa. Similarly, we are, we have got this field, and we are growing our own, harvesting our own grains. Just like you are doing. So according to our labor, according to our attempt, we are getting food grains. Similarly, we have got this body, and I am, the spirit soul is the tiller. So according to my karma, I am getting the result. So similarly... Not only I am there, but Kṛṣṇa is also there. He's seeing what you are doing, what you are doing, what you want more. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Why? "Just to give him the facilities. This rascal living being has come to the material world to till the field to get some result. All right. Let him do that." Just like children play on the beach, do all nonsense, and the father sees, "All right, you have finished your business? Come on." So Kṛṣṇa is like that. He is simply seeing. We are acting so nonsensically, and Kṛṣṇa is giving us... The same way, a dog passing stool and urine, the master is attending. Or the father is seeing. The children are playing on the beach. They're making big, big house on the sand, and it has nothing, no value, but Kṛṣ..., the father is giving the opportunity, "All right, do it."
Such kind of literature is revolutionary. Revolutionary. Viplavaḥ. Viplava means revolution. What kind of viplava? Just like in the revolution one political party gains victory over another political party, or one kind of... We understand revolution means political revolution. One kind of political thoughts are overpowered by another kind of political thoughts. That is called revolution. So the English word is revolution, and the Sanskrit word is viplava. So tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. If such literatures are presented... Just like we are presenting. We are not very big scholar. Our... We have no such qualification that we can compose very nice literature. There may be so many mistakes or... Whatever it may be. But it is revolutionary. That is a fact. It is revolutionary. Otherwise, why big, big scholars, professors, university authorities, librarians, they are taking? They are thinking they know that this literature will revolutionize the whole world. Because there is, in the Western world, there is no such thought. They agree. So why it is revolutionary? Because there is an attempt to glorify Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nothing more. There is no literary career.
So far killing or destroying is concerned, that Durgā power, Kṛṣṇa's power, that is sufficient. That is sufficient. He doesn't require to come to kill the demons. She is engaged. You have seen that Durgā is killing the demon, that asura. You have seen the Durgā's picture? The asura is there and the lion is there, and she has taken a bunch of hair of the asura, and the trident is pushed on his chest, and the lion has captured him. So he is overpowered. So the asura is overpowered, but if the asura makes more attempt to save himself, then there are, only two hands are engaged of Durgā to kill the asura, one catching his hair and one the trident. Only two hands are engaged. But if he shows more power, then there are eight hands more, reserved with different types of weapons. So you cannot overcome the ruling, or the control, of the material nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So asura, to kill the asuras, however powerful they may be... We have seen. There were so many asuras in this world. There were Lenin, there were Stalin, there were Hitler, there were Hiraṇyakaśipu. So many. But they could not survive. It is not possible. They'll be finished.
So this is surrender, no reservation, fully surrender, akiñcana. Therefore Kṛṣṇa..., a devotee is called akiñcana. Akiñcana. Kiñcana means something, something reserved for me. Of course, actually that should be position, but still... In the material world one should not imitate, but as Rūpa Gosvāmī has shown the path, that whatever possession you have got, 50% for Kṛṣṇa, 25% for the relatives—they also expect something—and 25% for personal emergency. This example is shown by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Before his retirement he did it. But actually that everything was spent. When Sanātana Gosvāmī was arrested, it was spent. So this is full surrender. When Draupadī fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa without trying herself to save her, then unlimited yards of cloth was supplied, and she could not be made naked. But because the attempt was made in an assembly of crude, rude men, therefore it is said, asat-sabhāyāḥ.
So attempt was being made how to kill these boys. The first attempt was to administer poison. They... Dhṛtarāṣṭra constructed a house of shellac. So they were transferred: "My dear boys, for some days you can live in that house. That is very nice." So Vidura gave him hint, so, that "You are being sent there. Be careful for being killed. The house will be set fire." So Vidura was very favorable to the Pāṇḍavas. So they made a subway in that house, and when the house was set fire, they escaped through the subway. In this way, it is said, viṣān mahāgneḥ, set fire in shellac house... Just like nowadays this, what is called, plastic. It gets set fire very soon. Then puruṣāda, they took shelter in a house where there was a rākṣasa, cannibal. He was disturbing the whole village. So the settlement was that every day one family should hand over one man to him for eating, then he will not create disturbance. So the Pāṇḍavas were taking shelter in a house after escaping from the fire, and the... One day the turn came to that family that they would have to hand over one member of the family to that cannibal. So the Pāṇḍavas were present.
Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja indirectly inquired from Kṛṣṇa that: "We are completely dependent on you, and still we are suffering materially so much, that our kingdom is taken away, our wife is insulted, we were attempted to be burned in a house." So Kṛṣṇa said: "Yes that is My first business." Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. "If I specially favor anybody, then I take away all his sources of income." Very dangerous. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. It is a fact. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that: "You go and preach." But I thought: "First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work."
So Lord Kṛṣṇa is addressed here as kṛṣṇa-sakha. Although Arjuna is Kuntī's son, subordinate, but she knows that Kṛṣṇa is more intimately related with Arjuna than herself. She knows that. Another kṛṣṇa-sakha means Kṛṣṇā. Kṛṣṇā is the name of Draupadī. So Kṛṣṇa saved Draupadī from insult. She was attempted to be naked by Duryodhana and Karṇa, but Kṛṣṇa saved her. So in that sense also Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-sakha. Vṛṣṇy-ṛṣabha. Ṛṣabha, the chief. The best man is called ṛṣabha. So in the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, Kṛṣṇa is the chief. Because Kṛṣṇa appeared in the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, therefore the dynasty became famous. That is already discussed previously. Malaya-candana. Just like sandalwood. Because sandal is produced in the Malaya, Malaysia now, the name, therefore it is called malaya-candana. Or sometimes it is produced in the Malaya Hills. There is hill, another.
That is the difficulty. Because they have no mercy of Kṛṣṇa upon them, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. But they are not bhaktas. Tilak, he has described Bhagavad-gītā as a karmī, never said that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You'll find like that, so many, what to speak of others? There are about six hundred commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā, all misleading. Therefore we have presented Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any misinterpretation. And it is acting. These six hundred editions of Bhagavad-gītā was being advertised in the Western countries, and so many scholars and swamis went there—not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not a single for the last two hundred, three hundred years. Before that, there was no such attempt, but for the last at least hundred years, or more than that, many Indians went to the Western countries to preach our philosophy, and they referred to Bhagavad-gītā and so on, but unfortunately not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not a single person. But as we presented Bhagavad-gītā as it is, within five years, thousands and thousands have become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. One can compare this.
So it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to see that people are gradually educated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So perhaps it would be better if we can..., we also capture political power. As there are many parties, Communist party, Congress party, this party, that party, so there must be one Kṛṣṇa's party. Why not? Then people will be happy, if Kṛṣṇa's party comes to the governmental post. Immediately there will be peace. In India, in India there are so many slaughterhouses. There are... It is said that ten thousand cows are being killed everyday, in the land were one cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Who are you?" In that land, now ten thousand cows are being killed every day. So you expect peace? You expect prosperity This is not possible. Therefore if some day Kṛṣṇa's representative takes the governmental power, then he will immediately stop all these slaughterhouses, all these brothels, all these liquor houses. Then there will be peace and prosperity. Bhūta-bhāvana, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, "Here is My representative."
So Abhimanyu was Kṛṣṇa's (Arjuna's) son from the womb of Subhadrā. So he was married. Only sixteen years. Almost the same age. Fortunately Uttarā became pregnant. So Abhimanyu went to fight in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and never returned. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was posthumous child. He took his birth after the death of his father. He did not see. Not only father, many. Because it was after the battle. He was the only survivor of the whole Kuru dynasty. So he was also attempted to be killed by Aśvatthāmā by brahmāstra. Kṛṣṇa saved. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was born after the death of his father. The grandfathers took care of him, and as soon as the child was grown up, all the grandfathers, Pāṇḍavas, entrusted the kingdom to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, and they left home.
If I would have possessed all these things, I would have been...," then immediately fall down. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu strictly prohibits that if you have become niṣkiñcana, renounced order, with a idea of going forward, bhava-sāgarasya, on the other side of the ocean, then aspiring after money and women is lower than dying, committing suicide. Hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu. If you take poison, that is criminal. Similarly, He says, "A man in renounced order of life, if he's thinking of woman and money, then he's committing suicide more than ordinary suicide." Viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu. Viṣa-bhakṣaṇa. If you drink poison, then you are criminal. If you survive, by law you'll be punished. Perhaps you know it. Anyone attempting to commit suicide, if he survives, by law he'll be punished: "Why you attempted suicide? This is criminal." Similarly, to see, to aspire after women and money, by the renounced order people, is lower than committing suicide. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version.
So Kṛṣṇa is the friend, most intimate friend of the Pāṇḍavas. Therefore he says, naḥ. Naḥ means "our." Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ, this word, "always thinking of others' good." That is called suhṛdaḥ. The heart is not contaminated. Hṛdaḥ means "heart," and su means "very good." So Kṛṣṇa says also that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). And here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja confirms, naḥ suhṛdaḥ. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt. Suhṛt means well-wisher. As the father is the well-wisher of the sons or intimate friend, well-wisher... Here in the material world, although I may be your well-wisher, you may be well-wisher, but there is some interest. Unless there is some interest for my personal benefit, I cannot become your suhṛt. This is material suhṛt. But spiritual suhṛt is different. Spiritual suhṛt means everyone is suffering for want of spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore attempt should be made so that everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is spiritual suhṛt.
That is called āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, to live with wife and children, but the business is how to developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is gṛhastha-āśrama, as we recommend. And where there is no such attempt how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply living like cats and dogs... They have also sex life. They also produce children. They also eat. They also work. Such kind of life, household life, working day and night simply for sense pleasure, and at night they have got sense pleasure... That is also described in the Bhāgavata: divā cārthehayā rājan. At night either sleep or enjoy sex life, and in daytime, simply work hard, "Where to get money?" And as you get money, spend it for maintaining your family. Nidrayā hriyate naktam. Nidrā means sleeping. Hriyate, that night is passed. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ (SB 2.1.3). Or one who has got facility to enjoy sex, so night is passed. One who has no... Everyone has practically, but... Two things: sleep or sex. And then, at daytime, cārthehayā. Artha. Artha means money. Īhayā means trying for to get it. Divā cārthehayā rājan. All right, they are getting money. Then? Then kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā, spending for kuṭumba, for the dependents. That's all. So finished. Then where is the time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is called gṛhamedhi.
So when they were living incognito... Nobody could know where the Pāṇḍavas were at, they attempted to gain Draupadī in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Draupadī's father made a bet, that "This is the condition of my daughter being given to a boy." The condition was that on a ceiling a fish was hanging, and the boy who will be victorious in piercing the eyes of the fish by arrow... Not directly looking, but there was a waterpot, the reflection. He has to fix up his point by seeing the reflection down, and then he has to pierce the eye. Then Draupadī will accept. All the noted princes in those times, they kept such bet. Even Kṛṣṇa had to marry Satyabhāmā... Satyabhāmā's father also made a bet the, he kept five very strong bulls. So condition was that "Any boy who will be able to control these bulls, then I will offer my daughter to him." So all the princes who came to control the bulls, they got their hands and legs fractured by the pushing of the bull. Nobody could... Then Kṛṣṇa came. And Kṛṣṇa controlled the five bulls, expanding Himself into five strong boy, and He was offered Satyabhāmā.
So according (to) our Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult, the Bhāgavata should be studied from the person bhāgavata, not from the professional reciters. No. Therefore Svarūpa Gosvāmī... One... Because when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was present at Jagannātha Purī, many people used to come, present so many literatures, so many commentaries, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu will not hear them unless it is passed by His secretary Svarūpa Dāmodara. First of all Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī will see whether it is written properly, according to siddhānta. Then he will allow. That was the business. So one brāhmaṇa came. So there was many discrepancies in his writing. So Svarūpa Dāmodara chastised him that "You do not know how to write. Why you have attempted this?" So he said, bhāgavata paḍā giyā bhāgavata sthāne(?): "If you want to know about Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then you study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a person bhāgavatam, whose life is Bhāgavatam. From such person, if you read, if you understand Bhāgavata, then you will benefit." It is not a scholarship. Because you know, "ungwang,"(?) that is not the qualification. Bhāgavata should be studied from the person whose life is Bhāgavata. This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal secretary.
So only Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the womb of his mother, and that was also attempted to be killed by brahmāstra. Brahmāstra is almost similar to the atomic weapon. And the brahmāstra, the specific function of brahmāstra is that when this weapon is released, it will kill the particular men wherever he is; it will go there and kill him. It doesn't matter whether he is in front or in somewhere. The weapon is so powerful that simply by mantra, you release it, and it will kill your enemy, wherever he is. So one brahmāstra was released to kill this child, baby within the womb, embryo, to kill. And at that time Uttarā felt that her pregnancy is going to be, what is called, discharged. So immediately she approached Kṛṣṇa, that "I am feeling like that, miscarrying. Please save me." So at that time Kṛṣṇa entered the womb of Uttarā and saved the child from the brahmāstra. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit is such a devotee that he was protected from the embryo by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī addressed, mahā-paurika(?): "You are great personality." So this Mahārāja Parīkṣit was again cursed by a brāhmaṇa. He could retaliate that, but he did not do so, just to offer respect to the brāhmaṇas. He considered himself offender. That is last stage. And because he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa at the last stage of his life, seven days, he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore we have got this book. This is the story.
So because it is now Kali age, just like winter season, everywhere is cold, chillest, so similarly because this is the age of Kali therefore even in India... This king, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, was in India. He wanted to chastise this rascal in the dress of a king and attempting (to) kill cows. So this was in India. Maybe in other place also, because the king was touring. So not only in India, all over the world the Vedic civilization was there. Five thousand years ago, everywhere the... All people used to follow the Vedic principles. That is the proof. Because the king was following the Vedic principles. So this cow-killing by the Kali, it is said it was done on the border of India, somewhere near Sindhu Pradesh, Afghanistan, like that. So anyway, it was on this planet and he wanted to prohibit. But India is the center. This king, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, his headquarters also was Hastināpura, near New Delhi at the present moment. Hastināpura. There is a place still, Hastināpura. There is one broken fort also. They say this fort belonged to the Pāṇḍavas. People go there to see. Anyway, now the king was so strict that even outside India some cow was being attempted to be killed, he immediately took his sword to punish him. Now in India they are killing ten thousand cows daily. This is Kali-yuga. That... Still, they have got some sentiment about cow-killing. There was about say five or six years ago, there was good agitation. But who cares for that? Because the government is śūdra: nṛpa-liṅga. They have taken the position of government, but they are all full of śūdras. Now in India not only killing cows... We had never seen... In Bombay this time I saw in our Juhu-big, big signboards: Beef shop. Beef shop. So Hindus are there also now taking. I asked one lady, she was meat-eater. So I asked her, "Do you eat cow's meat, cow's flesh?" "Yes, sometimes." So this is Kali-yuga.
So if we can see by our practical experience, there are living entities in the water, so why not living entities in the fire? And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that living entity, this spiritual spark, is not affected by material influence. In the Vedas also it is..., asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. It has nothing to do with this material condition. Adāhya. This special word is used that it cannot burned by the fire. Aśoṣya, it cannot be dried up by air. Acchedya, it cannot be cut into pieces. These things are there. So we are firmly convinced that in the sun planet there is also living entity, and the king or the president there is called Vivasvān, his name is Vivasvān. And our gāyatrī-mantra is worshiping the sun planet. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. So this is the Vedic conception. Every planet there is king, and the king's duty is to see that everyone is executing his professional occupational duty.
So Mahārāja Parīkṣit also, he used to go for examining. Therefore it is said, digvijaye kvacit. Not that at a particular time he went out to, for touring. But he was going, say, yearly, or six-monthly. And one of his tour he found that a person dressed like a king was attempting to kill cows, and he punished him. So this is the statement.
It is not forbidden to eating. But you must eat as much as you can digest very nicely, not more than that. This is against bhakti principle. Eating too much or collecting too much. Atyāhāra. And prayāsa. Prayāsa means do something with extraordinary endeavor. So, of course, we have to do sometime, but it is the general principle. We shall accept... Suppose you are constructing a temple. If it is..., suppose two millions of dollars required, or, say, five millions of dollars. If we cannot do that, we shall not attempt. That is prayāsa, unnecessarily endeavor. Which is within your control, you should act. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ. And prajalpa. Prajalpa means talking all nonsense. Suppose politics. "What Mr. Nixon did yesterday, or what did he say?" So what interest we have got in Mr. Nixon? We shall not waste our time talking this politics, that politics, this sociology, this cinema, this affair, no. We have nothing to do with that. That is called prajalpa, unnecessary talking. Talking means decreasing your duration of life. Talking. So why should you decrease your life unnecessarily? Every moment you have to utilize, "Whether it is used for Kṛṣṇa?" This is sādhana. This is sādhana, practice. Unnecessary talking, unnecessary making enemies. Unnecessarily, "You are my subordinate; I am your master." Who is master? Everyone is subordinate to Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is master. Why you talk unnecessarily?
So there was argument, and their attempt was foiled by these Nārāyaṇa-dūta. So when they came to their master Yamarāja, that "This is our first experience, that somebody else took away from our hand the person who was to be brought here. So is there any greater personality like you, er, more than you?" So he explained, "Yes, I am servant of Nārāyaṇa." So in that time Yamarāja advised that "To a devotee, you shall never go. It is not your jurisdiction." Just like the police jurisdiction is for the criminals, not for the gentlemen, similarly, Yamarāja's duty and his servant's duty, to take away to the Yamarāja only these sinful men. And those who are devotees, they are supposed to be not sinful. Naturally, they should be sinless. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Without becoming sinless, one cannot completely devote himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Here we see Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as soon as he saw that a cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately he took his sword..., "What are you, nonsense? You are killing my citizen." This is good government. This is good government. Why the cow is not national? He's also, she's also born in the land; so she's as important a national as you are. Kṛṣṇa has given her the grass to eat. She's not interfere, interfering with your food. Why? What right you have got to kill? You have got your own food. The cow has got the grass for her food. You have got food grains. You have got... Cow is giving you milk, just to give her protection, that "You take my blood, turn into milk. Please do not kill me." So why these things are happening? Because there is rascal government. Kalinā upasṛṣṭān. Rascal government. So one should lament that this, "We are under this rascal government, under the rascal guru, rascal father. But who are meant for giving protection, they are all rascals. This is our position." This is called Kali-yuga. This is Kali-yuga.
Similarly, kṣatriyas, whether he is powerful, he is brave, he has got forwardness to fight. When there is fight he does not go back, and whether he is making charity. The kṣatriya qualifications also there. And similarly, the vaiśya qualification. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). Whether one who is professing to become vaiśya, whether he is making agricultural attempt, giving protection to the cows and making trade. And śūdra-karma, paricaryātmakam. Śūdra's business is to serve these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra cannot live independently. That is śūdra. Nowadays the education is that nobody can live independently. Higher education means if he does not get a suitable service, then it is useless. Nobody. The education means nobody can live independently. So one takes titles in education degrees, "agriculturist." But he does not go to the field actually to act as agriculturist, kṛṣāṇa, no. He is finding some job in some school, college, how to teach agriculture. Nobody goes to the land practical, how to plow the land, how to produce foodgrains. Simply theoretical knowledge. "I am teaching you; you are teaching," that's all. This is going on. No independence.
But unfortunately, on account of Kali-yuga, the heart being full of dirty things, they cannot think of the aim of life, how to achieve it. That is called Kali-yuga. Therefore so much fallen socially, politically, economically, culturally, everything, religiously, we are so fallen and down-trodden that the only method, as recommended in the Vāyu Purāṇa and other Purāṇas: kalau nāsty eva... Kalau means "in this age of Kali," nāsty eva, "there is no other alternative." And factually by spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are seeing practical result. The most wretched, most rotten, they are coming to life, they are understanding the value of life, the aim of life, and they are trying to be elevated more and more. Of course, it is an attempt. Not that anyone will be successful. But if everyone follows the simple rules and regulation, he will be successful. There is no doubt about it. There is no doubt about it. The four simple regulative principle: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and chant sixteen rounds. Very simple method.
Budhāḥ, those who are not rascals. Budha means intelligent. Budha. Budha means intelligent. So those who are intelligent, they know that everything is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. So why not depend on Kṛṣṇa only? Why so many other attempts? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,
- vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
- ekeha kuru-nandana
- bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
- buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām
- (BG 2.41)
Vyavasāyī means one who knows business particularly. Vyavasāya. Or one who knows confidently, "It is... This is the cause, this is the effect." So those who know that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, so they are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha. One. Just depend on Kṛṣṇa. One who does not this, they depend on so many things. Buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām.
So as somebody, anything, they require four legs... Just like this platform, it has got four legs. Animal stands on four legs. Anything, it requires four pillars. So to remain steadily on the platform of dharma, these four legs required: dharma, artha, kāma... If I simply remain engaged in religious principles and nobody is engaged where to get food... Because food also is required. So therefore not only religious principle, there must be economic development attempt also. But not one-man show. We should divide our society in such a way that somebody, some group of men is engaged in studying the dharma principle and spreading it. Just like we have taken the principle, generally, to spread what is meant by real dharma. That is the business of the brāhmaṇa. And similarly, some group of men should be kṣatriya for ruling over. Unless there is discipline, ruling, everything will be chaos. The government must be there. The principle of directors must be there. So dharma, artha, kāma. And we must live peacefully. Our senses should not disturb us. Because we have got senses, they want satisfaction. So we must give food them also, senses. Dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. But ultimate goal is how to get out of this material existence. This is four principles: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. And mokṣa, by the impersonalists, their mokṣa and real mokṣa... Real mokṣa... Mokṣa means liberation. Liberation means to get out of this material existence.
So here it is said, caturbhir vartase yena pādair loka-sukhāvahaiḥ. Sukhāvahaiḥ. Sukha means happiness. If you want to increase happiness... Everyone wants to become happy. That is the highest principle. Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. The whole struggle is going on to minimize our miseries and to increase our happiness. That is our attempt. Everyone is working for that. Ātyantika-duḥkha, nivṛtti. Duḥkha means unhappiness, and ātyantika means ultimate. So people do not understand that what is that ultimate happiness. Ultimate happiness is there. No, there is no duḥkha, there is no unhappiness. That is ultimate happiness. If you study whatever happiness we are trying to establish, there is unhappiness also. It is not unmixed. It is mixed. The economic development... Just like modern age, if you, if any man wants to become rich man, he has to first of all accept unhappiness, to work very hard, day and night. Then he can get some money. Then, engaging that money for increasing further money, increasing further money... Then one day he may be millionaire. So that millionaire, to become, that is also not undisturbed happiness. "How to keep the money?" "How to invest it?"
Formerly, the society was not so much degraded. They, as soon s you give evidence from the Vedic literature, they would accept. So these Gosvāmīs therefore were making research from the Vedic literature, from the Purāṇas, from the Vedas, from the Vedānta-sūtra, and Upaniṣads, like that, Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Sāma Veda, Ṛg Veda. You'll find in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu evidences... Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. What is the, what was the purpose? The purpose was to establish real religious principles. If actually Gosvāmī principles were followed strictly and real gosvāmīs would preach, then there would not have continued the so-called religious systems, or increase the so-called... Because any religious system which... That is the verdict of Bhāgavata. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Religion means by following the system one will become a great lover of God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is religion. Then why this system of religion is going on, maintaining slaughterhouse? That means the..., there was no attempt to preach sad-dharma, real dharma. Therefore, in the name of religion, they are maintaining thousands of slaughterhouse. You see? It is asad-dharma. Asad-dharma. But the..., they studied. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu... They wrote so many books just to establish what is real religion. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. They were simply doing welfare activities for the people in general, lokānām. For everything.
Puppies. And the mother is helping the puppies by giving breast milk. So family you'll find everywhere. Even the birds, they have family, two birds, always together, the husband and wife. They have got a nest, and some eggs also. And they are also trying to, I mean to say, manufacture some nest. As soon as the lady bird is pregnant, they, immediately their attempt will be to find out some straw and make a nest. You have seen it perhaps, studied it. You see? So long the lady bird is not pregnant, there is no question of nest. This is natural. You'll find everywhere. Even the ants and the birds, beasts, everywhere. So this kuṭumba-bharaṇam is a duty of living entity. It doesn't matter whether he's a human being or a dog or a bird or a cat. That is natural. That is not very great credit. But the present yuga, Kali-yuga, if one can maintain his family and maintain an apartment, he's to be understood as a very great, successful man. He does not see that this success is there even in the ants and the birds and the beasts. What is this success? And he's happy. And he's happy.
Impersonalists, they do not know what is love. Because he's one. Their philosophy is oneness. So how there can be love, one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience? Love means one? No. Love means two. There must be two, the lover and the beloved. So lover... Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He's so lover of you that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." Any way, as we are related, He's after us.
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
He's situated within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). Just see how much He loves you. He's trying always to get you back to home. And He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are engaged in such nasty things, material life? You come to Me. You'll be happy. I shall give you all protection." "No, Sir, I am not going. I shall become a hog, and I shall eat stool. That, that is my advancement of material civilization." You see. Hog means he has no discrimination of food. That is hog. You have seen, a hog can eat up to the stool. So anyone who has no human brain, has no discrimination of food, anything he can eat, he's a hog. "Anything, anyone, never mind, mother, sister or anyone, let us have sex life"—that is hog's life. You'll find the hog's life is practical like that, to eat anything and have sex life with anyone. That is hog's life. Is it not? What is the hog? You have seen hog? They have no discrimination of sex and no discrimination of food. That is hog's life.
Therefore unless the gross materialists or the worshipers of the temporary demigods come in contact with a transcendentalist like the pure devotee of the Lord, their attempts are simply a waste of energy. Only by the grace of the divine personalities, the pure devotees of the Lord, can one achieve pure devotion, which is the highest perfection of human life. Only a pure devotee of the Lord can show one the right way of progressive life. Otherwise both the materialistic way of life, without any information of God or the demigods, and the life engaged in the worship of demigods, in pursuit of temporary material enjoyments, are different phases of phantasmagoria. They are nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā also, but the Bhagavad-gītā can be understood in the association of pure devotees only, and not by the interpretations of politicians or dry philosophical speculators.
As soon as somehow or other one begins to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Either by his natural inclination or by chance or any way, he comes to hear about Kṛṣṇa, attempts hearing about Kṛṣṇa, then... Kṛṣṇa is within everyone's heart, Paramātmā. So Kṛṣṇa helps him immediately. Kṛṣṇa helps both ways. If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help you with that, so that you will be able to forget Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, if you want to revive your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa again, Kṛṣṇa will help you.
So our little attempt is... We are not manufacturing anything. We are not manufacturer of religious system, neither it is possible to manufacture. Just like you cannot manufacture law. Law is given by the state. Similarly, dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the law given by God. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture. Who cares for your manufactured system? Just like nobody cares for if you make some law, that "I have made some law," and go to the court, "Sir, I have made this law. Please accept." "He's lunatic. Drive him away." That is not possible. This is dharma, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Don't manufacture dharma. (break) Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). What is that glāni? Discrepancy. So glāni is disobedience to the order of God. That is glāni. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. So the whole world is denying, śūnyavādi, nirviśeṣa-vādi, nirākāra-vādi: "No God. God is dead."
Yes. This is the secret. We have got the ears, and we have got the sound also. Just like we are reading this book. So if we don't fill up our ears with this transcendental sound, then it will be filled up with some rubbish things. It cannot remain empty. Either you fill up with transcendental message, or you fill up with rubbish nonsense. Two ways. So if you take care that your earholes are always filled up with the transcendental message of Kṛṣṇa, so there is no scope for rubbish things to enter into it. So therefore our attempt should be twenty-four hours hearing. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Twenty-four hours. As soon as you get time, read books, discuss amongst yourselves, partial closing.(?) Don't fill up the ears with rubbish things. Then advance will be choked up.
So māyā is there always, and... Because unless there is darkness, you cannot appreciate the quality of brightness; therefore Kṛṣṇa has created darkness, māyā also, so that you can appreciate what is brightness. Two things are required. Without brightness, the darkness cannot be appreciated, and darkness... Without darkness, the brightness cannot be appreciated. The two things are there, side by side. Just like there is sunlight, and here is shadow, side by side. You can remain within the shadow; you can remain within the sunshine. That is your choice. If we remain in the darkness, then our life is miserable, and if we remain in the light, brightness... Therefore Vedic literature instructs us, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in the dark." Jyotir gama: "Go to the light." So this attempt, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is an attempt to bring people from darkness to the light. So don't misuse this opportunity. Some way or other, you have come in contact with this movement. Properly utilize it. Don't go to the darkness. Always remain in bright light.
I have given understanding already in my book. That I am explaining. Why these books are being written? Just to explain things very nicely. They are already there. You try to understand. If you cannot understand, then you... (break) ...make the thing clear. But you are unable to understand. So in that case you have to cleanse yourself. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Both things. You must be able to understand and the instructor should be able to make you understand, both of them... Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Parīkṣit Mahārāja, Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. One answer, and he's answered, but the answer is not understandable by us. But Arjuna is understanding. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is understanding. Just like this is a question, attempt?
So they cannot come and live here, and we cannot go there and live there. This is called conditioned life. You must live under condition. You are not free. Otherwise they are attempting so much to go to the moon planet. But we are doubtful whether they are actually going. But no benefit has been derived by this excur... Simply you have spoiled your energy, time and money. That is..., means conditioned, that you cannot violate the conditions of the nature. That is not possible. But they are thinking they are free. They can do whatever they like. That is called ignorance, mūḍha, rascal. They are living under condition, but they are falsely thinking that "We are free." Is it not? Where is that freedom? Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). This rascal civilization do not admit this. They are so fool that they are conditioned in every step, and still they are thinking they are free. This is called illusion.
We are wandering in this way, up and down, brahmāṇḍa bhramite. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva. If one is fortunate, he can get the information of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. He gets this information. So this assembly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is an attempt to make people fortunate. From the unfortunate position, to become fortunate. Everyone is unfortunate, at least in this age. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Now see everyone. Everywhere, there is simply problems. There is simply problem. One problem in one country, another problem in another country. There is strife, there is government... There is... Even the president, and he is also, has to meet so many problems. At the end he has to be dragged down. Now he's going to die in the hospital. What to speak of others. The problem, only problem. Therefore everyone is unfortunate. This is the conclusion. You may think that "I am very fortunate." President Nixon was thinking, "I am very fortunate. I have become the President of United States." But now he's realizing, "I am the most unfortunate."
That is being attempted. Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, it is his duty to make his life successful by taking advantage of this Vedic literature. But we are not taking advantage of Vedic literature. We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is śilpa-karma. Just like an artistic man. That is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is education. So this education, this transcendental education, is to enlighten people how to become relieved from this entanglement of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.
So if you want to go, you must qualify yourself. Otherwise it is not so easy. Just like if you want to go to America, you must have qualification. You must have your visa, you must have your passport, you must have the... So many things—if you want to be immigration or if you want to go as a visitor. Similarly, the other conn... If there are so many processes you have to undergo from this country to that country, is it possible that you want to go to another planet without such qualification? This is futile attempt. It is not possible. Therefore you are conditioned. It is called conditioned. We cannot go, we cannot move freely, without being sanctioned by the superior authority. So we generally say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." Similarly, we cannot do anything. Daivī hy eṣā. God does not take as the supervision personally. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate—in the Vedas, Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad. He hasn't got to do personally, but He has got so many agents to do. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. He has got so ma... They will do. You are not free even to twinkle with your eyelids. That is also being controlled. That information... You are moving this hand very freely. It can be immediately paralyzed. I am claiming that "I... It is my hand." What is your hand? It can be stopped immediately. Your eyes, it can be stopped.
So why they are attempting this process, which will meet with frustration? That is also said: adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Because they cannot control their senses, adānta... Adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means indriya, senses, and adānta means uncontrolled. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). So in this way we are being baffled in so many ways. The only rescue is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, ananya-bhāvena, mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām. That is wanted. Dṛḍha-vrata. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find parallel passages, the same thing. Because Kṛṣṇa, or God, cannot say anything contradictory. Whatever He has said... Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of spiritual life. If you can understand Bhagavad-gītā, then you can begin Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If you have not understood Bhagavad-gītā, it is useless. You cannot understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Now, just like we want to beco..., to hold very big post. So when we are baffled, then we want to become one with the Supreme, Nārāyaṇa. That means "Nārāyaṇa is the husband of Lakṣmī, so I shall become the husband of Lakṣmī. Now, in this material world, I am hankering after Lakṣmī, but I could not get it. Now let me become the husband of..." This is their theory. They want to become Nārāyaṇa. Such a foolish theory. Nārāyaṇa is the Lakṣmī-pati. Can anyone attempt to enjoy Lakṣmījī? Because they are not bhaktas, they think like that, this rascaldom. How I can be Nārāyaṇa? That is not possible.
So they... Here, the santas, they come. They have to suffer so much trouble by the demons. Therefore we have already discussed that verse that, what is that? Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ (SB 3.25.21). A santa means he has to suffer. Just see in the Western countries the Lord Jesus Christ. He was preaching about God, God consciousness. That was the only fault, and he was crucified. Just see. He was crucified. The state ordered him to be crucified because he is talking. Similarly, Hiraṇyakaśipu, his five-years-old body, he was talking only of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So therefore his father became enemy. He was trying in so many ways to kill him. This is the very old story, that if you become a devotee, you must be prepared to be put into miserable condition by the demons. That is their business. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). Asuras... Just like even Kṛṣṇa, even God Himself, He was attempted to be killed by Kaṁsa. Not only that, He engaged so many demons, Pūtanā, Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Mahīśāsura, so many asuras. But Kṛṣṇa is always Kṛṣṇa. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). He is able to finish these duṣkṛtas or the asuras by His omnipotency. That He can do. But the asuras are always... Their only business is to give trouble to God and His devotee.
So in the heart there are so many stocks of different lives because I am passing through different lives. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). So stock is there. It comes like bubble. Just like we will find in some reservoir of water, big, all of a sudden some bubble comes. Similarly, the heart is the stock of so many dirty things. Dirty things means this experience of this material world. That is called dirty things. Because we are covered. We are spirit soul; we are now covered by these material dirty things. So it can be removed. Sva-tejasā. There is such potency of the spirit soul that it can come out. Simply the attempt should be made, assisted by or guided by a superior person. That is called spiritual master. He can guide, and we can come out of this slumber, sleeping in ignorance.
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us a very easy process, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
There is no other method for our spiritual progress. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. And there is no loss on our part. And if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there is no loss. You can chant, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ: "There is no hard and fast rule for chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Everyone can attempt. Even the children, they are also chanting. There is no loss, but gain is very much. That is the greatest gain, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. Ceto-dar... That requires. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Just like in the mirror, if it is covered with dust, you cannot see your face, but if you cleanse the mirror very nicely, then you can see your actual face. Similarly, when our this heart is cleansed... And within the heart, Kṛṣṇa is there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). If we try to cleanse our heart, then—Kṛṣṇa is already there—He will help immediately.
So everyone is very, working very hard, struggling for existence, but they do not know how they can actually become happy. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That they do not know. So it is our humble attempt only, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. At least, we inform people that "This is the way of happiness." Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tat (BG 6.21). "Don't be carried away by temporary so-called happiness. That is not happiness. This is called māyā." Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha, and Prahlāda Mahārāja says, vimūḍhān—not only mūḍha, but again added with word vi, viśiṣṭa. Viśiṣṭa-prakāreṇa mūḍha. Vi, therefore vimūḍha.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). That is the thankless task of the devotees, to turn these vimūḍhān from this māyā-sukha to real sukha. This is the business of the devotees. They have no other business. Their business is not for making money. Money, they have got enough, and Kṛṣṇa supplies all their money. So there is no such problem for a devotee of how to secure money. Their only problem is how to turn these rascals to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all rascals, vimūḍhān.
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura... Here it is said that kāma-sambhavaḥ. Kāma, kāma means desire. So mind is restless, always desiring something, desiring something. So the best policy to control the mind is to desire how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the best. Kāmaḥ kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇe. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said that you cannot be free from desire. That is not possible. This is useless attempt. They say that "You become desireless." No, that is not possible. How can I...? If I become desireless, I become dead. So long I am living entity, I must desire. I cannot check it. Therefore kāma means desire. So at the present moment, we are desiring how to become happy in this material world, how to acquire so much money, how to acquire this, how to acquire this, how to get this, how to get that. This is kāma. So this brain taxation, if you engage in Kṛṣṇa's service—how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to convince people about Kṛṣṇa, how to take them to the Kṛṣṇa's desire, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)—and in this way, if you go on making plan for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your mind is controlled.
So dharma... generally, people think that "Becoming religious, we shall be economically developed." Dharma artha. "We shall get artha. We shall be..." That is... Automatically it comes. If you are actually following the religious principle, artha will come. There is no doubt. And... But we do not know what is dharma. That is the difficulty. That you have to learn from Kṛṣṇa, athāto brahma jijñāsā, from the guru. And what guru says, Kṛṣṇa says? sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Anything else, that is all cheating. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. Kaitava. Kaitava means cheating. And Śrīdhara Svāmī says, "This mokṣa is also another cheating." Mokṣa is another... "I shall make me void. I shall finish my existence, individual existence. I shall merge into the existence of the Absolute," this conception, mokṣa, mukti, is also commented by Śrīdhara Svāmī, "This is another cheating, another cheating." Because there cannot be mokṣa. You cannot become one with the Supreme. How you can be? As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Sanātanaḥ. You are part and parcel of the Supreme. How you can become one? So this kind of attempt is also cheating. You cannot become one. Because eternally, sanātana, eternally, you are different. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Myself, My dear Arjuna, yourself, and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled in this battlefield, they were the same individual in the past, and they are individual now, and they will continue to remain individual." So where there is oneness? In the past, present, future the individuality is there.
There are so many religious system—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—but they are all material conception of religion. Material conception means that we are in this material world, and through a process or system we are trying to understand what is God. That is called religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). The attempt to understand God and His laws, that is religion. So it doesn't matter whether it is executed through a system called Hindu religion or a system called Muslim religion or a system called Christian religion. If the objective is the same, Adhokṣaja, then that process is first-class religion. If we simply stick to a system without making any progress towards the goal of understanding the Adhokṣaja, then it is śrama eva hi kevalam.
So from the very beginning of our life we should try to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love Kṛṣṇa. Then automatically it becomes manifest. That is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Kaumāra. Kaumāra means up to tenth year, five to tenth year. According to somebody, even up to fifteenth year. Anyway, during this period of life one should learn how to develop this devotional cult, dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma means the laws and the instruction given by God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And when that is actually executed directly between, transaction between God and the devotee, that is real dharma. Dharmān bhāgavatān. They have different types of dharmas, but real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, what we learn from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to deal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. That is called bhāgavatān. So children should be instructed from the very beginning of their life this bhāgavata-dharma. We are attempting to do that in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got an institution, Gurukula, at Dallas, Texas, and they are learning very nicely. Just like this child. From the very beginning he is learning bhāgavata-dharma. He is offering obeisances, he is chanting, he is dancing, he is offering a flower to the spiritual master, and he is offering to the Vaiṣṇavas. In his childish way, while playing, he is becoming accustomed to dharmān bhāgavatān. This is really, really human civilization, from the very beginning of life. Because if we want, we can learn like cats and dog, jumping and eating and sleeping and mating. No. That is not the business of the human life.
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's example. He is teaching everything by His personal example. His purpose was that in this Kali-yuga the distinction between brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra will be almost finished. Then who will instruct? Because the instructor's position is brāhmaṇa. One must be brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa's business is paṭhan pāṭhan yajan yājan dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa should be personally very highly learned scholar. Therefore brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita. Even in India, still a brāhmaṇa is addressed, "paṇḍitji." He may be a fool number one, but he is addressed like that, "Paṇḍitji." So because without becoming a learned scholar nobody can become a brāhmaṇa... We are also giving our student position as brāhmaṇa, but if he remains a fool number one, then we are misusing our attempt. He should be very learned scholar. That should be the aim. And there is no difficulty to become a learned scholar because we have got so many books. You simply read and digest what we are speaking. Not that we are simply meant for selling books. We are reading. We must read. Then our position as brāhmaṇa will be fulfilled. Because brāhmaṇas are teacher. Anyone who can teach, he is brāhmaṇa. So unless you read thoroughly what you are going to speak to the world, how you can become a brāhmaṇa and paṇḍita? You should carefully note this.
And Kṛṣṇa put this problem before us: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. They are making plans for so many things, but where is that plan to stop janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha? That is not so easy. Therefore they have avoided it. They do not touch this point. They are making arrangement for temporary so-called happiness. That attempt is done even by cats and dogs. That is not successful life. I have several times told you... This is Vedic civilization. When Visvamitra came to see Mahārāja Daśaratha... It is etiquette. Suppose a friend comes, we ask, "How are you, my friend? How things are going on?" So similarly, when Daśaratha Mahārāja inquired Viśvāmitra, "How are you?" that "How are you" was not ordinary question. He inquired, aihiṣṭaṁ yat punar janma jayāya. The great great saintly persons, sages, they are engaged in devotional service. What is the purpose? The purpose is not for some material gain. The purpose is different. That was inquired by Dāsaratha Mahārāja: aihiṣṭaṁ yat punar janma jayāya. "You are undergoing tapasya, austerities, for conquering over rebirth."
Guest (2): Swami, I'm going to work to formulate this question. I don't know if I can speak it clearly. Now it's true that a soul must evolve through perhaps many lifetimes in order to reach the point at which he is ready to attempt renunciation. Right?
Prabhupāda: No. Renunciation, that depends on your understanding. If you understand that "This thing is not good," you can renounce it immediately.
Guest (2): Then in order to reach the level at which you can understand that...
Prabhupāda: No, no. There is no question. It is no question of understanding. If you understand in a minute... That depends on the student to understand. Something, "This is bad; this is good." Now if you understand it properly, that "This is not good, bad," so you can renounce it immediately. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). So that depends on your capacity to understand what is good, what is bad. If you think that this material existence, repeated birth and death and changing this body, is not good, then you can immediately renounce and you can prepare yourself for spiritual life. But if you think that "Oh, it doesn't matter I am repeating my birth and death. It is good," then you cannot renounce.
So therefore, again he says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. These rascals, they do not know that for want of knowledge of the soul, ātma-tattvam, on the bodily concept of life, whatever they are doing, that is defeat. They are thinking, "Now, by scientific advancement, we are able to go to the moon planet." Of course, I do not know whether they can go. Till now they are not successful. Or at least attempting. So this is our achievement. But Ṛṣabhadeva says, "That is not your achievement. That is your defeat. It is your defeat." Why defeat? Because you cannot come to the moon planet or sun planet or any other planet like that. You are simply wasting your time. Just try to understand. Suppose you want to go to some foreign country, and if you think that by force... Just like in England some Indians, they come by some what is called? Smuggling method.
Ah. So that is not allowed. You cannot go. The moon planet, from the śāstra we understand that nobody can go there unless he is fit. Not only the moon planet, any other planet. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). These are higher planetary systems. The demigods live there. So unless you are fit to live with the demigods, you cannot go there. Just like Kṛṣṇaloka. Unless you make yourself fit to enter into the Kṛṣṇaloka, you cannot go by force. That is not possible. Just like to enter into some foreign country, you have to take visa, you have to take passport, immigration. Then you will be allowed. So such attempt to go there. And even if you go there, you will be driven away. So what is the use of such attempt?
Therefore this so-called, what is called, excursion, to attempt to go to some planet, you cannot stay there, neither you'll be allowed to enter. So this endeavor to go there by so-called scientific advancement is simply defeat, because you will not be allowed, neither you can go there. And actually it is happening. What they have achieved so far? Nothing. No tangible action made. But they have spent millions of dollars, Russia and America, to go to the moon planet. And even you go there, but after all, you will have to die, you have to give up this body, and after death, you do not know where you'll be placed. That is under the nature's hand. You cannot dictate that "After death, I shall go to that planet or this planet." No. You are completely under the nature's control. Prakṛteḥ kriyāmāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Unless you are qualified... Everyone is ambitious, but does it mean by becoming ambitious, one can become very rich man or very respectable man? That is not possible. One must qualify himself. So these are futile attempts. You have to act according to the... But they do not believe that there is higher authority, there is judgment and everything. They think that it is blind: "Whatever we like, we can do." That is not good. Parābhavaḥ. This is called defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata.
So when one comes to understand that "This is my business, this my goodness, everything, it is all useless. Unless I become attached, I am a devotee of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, all these attempts are simply futile attempts," that is enlightenment. When one understands, "Yes, my only business is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, to love Kṛṣṇa," then he is to be understood, he is enlightened, educated. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān (CC Madhya 19.151). That is fortune. Yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehāṁ svārthe pramattaḥ. He does not know his interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that "My svārtha, my interest, my goal of life, is to love, to find out God and to love Him. That is my real interest." So, so long one is not enlightened to that standard of life, then he is defeated. Then how he is defeated? Gata-smṛtir, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān āsādya maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ. He remains a ajñaḥ, foolish. And what is his happiness? His happiness is sex life. That's all. That is his happiness. Maithunyam agāram. He is in the prison house of this material nature, but he does not know that "I am in prison." He is simply enjoying the three things. Udāram varitha.(?) Udāram varitha: the tongue, the belly and the genital. That is stated here. Gata-smṛtir vindati. And to enjoy this material, he has to undergo so much tribulation. Tāpān vindati.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt to bring the human society into the proper platform of civilization. It is a very scientific movement. How it is done? Here it is said, prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve. Prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. This is the problem. So by gradual process, to bring one to the platform of vāsudeve prītir, that is bhakti. Prītir means love, how to love Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. That is civilization—to bring one to the platform of loving Kṛṣṇa, prītir to Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva sarvam iti. Just like if you love somebody, the intense love is that your lover or beloved is everything. That is love. Just like a mother loves her child. So she is always anxious to take care of the child. Whole attention is on the child. These are examples. These are not actually love, but a perverted reflection of love. We can understand what is love. This love does not stand, but nature dictates that you love your child like this, you love your husband like this, your wife like this, your country like this, your society like this. There are different grades of loving demonstration. That loving demonstration, when it will be concentrated on Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, that is the highest perfection of life.
So therefore it is our little attempt that to train some boys to become first-class character. Śamo damo titikṣa. That is required in the society. Simply all fourth-class, fifth-class men, how the society will improve? That is not possible. And therefore, kas taṁ svayaṁ tad-abhijño vipaścid avidyāyām antare vartamānam. And one who is actually educated in the Vedic knowledge, how he can say that "You are all right"? He cannot say. He gives chance for being trained to be free from the avidyā. Avidyāyām antare. Śarīra avidyā-jāl. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, śarīra avidyā-jāl. This material body is a network of avidyā, ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, jaḍendriya tāhe kāl. On account of this body of avidyā, ignorance, the blunt senses are simply... They have been described sometimes as kāla-sarpa. Kāla-sarpa indriya-paṭalī durdānta-indriya-kāla-sarpa paṭalī. So therefore yoga system is recommended to control this kāla-sarpa, the indriyas. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Real yoga, ordinary yoga Nobody is getting that yoga-siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi. Generally the so-called yogis, they show some āsana, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, praṇāyāma, but that is meant for controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Without sense control nobody can make any progress in human life. Tapasya. That is called tapasya. The yoga is also another tapasya. Tapo. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13).
Therefore our movement is being checked in the Western countries that this is a brainwash movement. Brainwash movement, that we are injecting some ideas by psychology, mental control, and our people they are taking to it, and it is spreading like epidemic. How to check it? Therefore they are now taking action how to stop this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in Europe and America. They are trying. Of course, we are not afraid of this attempt. They will never be successful, rest assured, because we are pushing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa was attempted to be killed from the very beginning of His life. That is the nature of this material world, "How to kill God," "God is dead." This is their attempt. So from the life of Kṛṣṇa we can understand that so many attempts were made by the demons and the rākṣasas to kill Kṛṣṇa, but actually Kṛṣṇa killed them all. So if you are sincere, if you follow the principles and push on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, nobody can kill you. You'll go forward, rest assured. We are not going to be killed. That they are perceiving, that this movement is spreading like epidemic, and the young men of Europe and America, they're taking seriously. Professor Stillson Judah already has given his conclusion that "This movement is not going to stop. It will go on." That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa cannot be killed, neither His movement cannot be killed. Rather, those who are attempting to kill, they will be killed. But we must be very sincere, serious, follow the regulative principle and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra as you have been taught. Follow this principle boldly, and there is no fear.
Unfortunately, there is no kṣatriya, there is no brāhmaṇa, there is no control of the caṇḍālas, and the whole world is in chaotic condition. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt. Because the caṇḍālas are majority and we are very minority. But still little portion of good thing is still good, and large amount of bad thing, that is bad. That is not good.
So it is not possible to go there by the so-called jets plane. No. It is far, far away. It is sixteen hundred thousand miles away from the sun. The modern scientist calculation is ninety-three million miles, the sun is situated, and above that, sixteen hundred thousand miles up, there is moon planet. So by the Vedic calculation it is not possible to go there by the method we are attempting. That is not possible. And the proof is that why, if they are going to the moon planet, why they cannot stay there? Now, the argument is that "There is no vegetation. The atmosphere is different, where living being cannot stay." They say like that. But from the Vedic information we understand that moon planet influence the vegetation in all other planets. So if the moon planet helps vegetation in all other planets, how it is that there is no vegetation? So there are many thing, contradiction, and practically we see, they are going to the moon planet, but they cannot stay, uselessly going and coming. So let them do that, but we have got our other inform..., other sources of information, that we cannot go to the moon planet. It is not possible.
Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Find out this verse. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: "Out of many millions of men." The human life is meant for understanding God. Then... He can understand, but the attempt is not there. They are after sense gratification. Nobody is interested to understand God. Everybody is interested in cats' and dogs' business, sense gratification. Therefore out of many millions of men, one can understand that "My life is meant for other purpose." That is called siddhi, perfection, "How I shall make my life perfect?" This desire arises in one man out of millions. And they are simply engaged, how to satisfy senses perfectly. But that will never be done. A sane man thinks that "I have done it so many lives. I have not been satisfied. I have not become perfection. Then where is perfection?" That inquisitiveness makes him eligible.
So these people may be very big men, very big animal, but their intelligence is lacking. The intelligence is that "Why I am put into miserable condition of life?" That is intelligence. That intelligence was found in the life of Sanātana Gosvāmī. When he first met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his spiritual master, the first question was that "I am considered as very learned scholar and very good administrator." Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita, satya kori māni. "And some, my ignorant friends, they call me I am very big man, very learned man." But āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "Unfortunately, I do not know how to get out of this material condition of life. I do not know." So that is the position, everyone. We are big, big scientist, big, big philosophers, big, big statesmen, politician, but I do not know why I am forced to die. Big, big scientists, they are discovering so many things, but he cannot discover something which will stop his death. That is not possible. So punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). We may attempt so many things, but if we do not know how to stop the mental activities which is prone to commit sinful activities That is our first business.
So, as I was explaining yesterday, that if you keep people fourth-class man, then that is not advancement of civilization. Attempt should be made how a fourth-class man can be raised to the first-class position by culture and education. So this Ajāmila, he was trained up by his parents to be a qualified brāhmaṇa. What is that qualified brāhmaṇa? You have heard many times: śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam ārjavaṁ titikṣā, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These qualities should be developed. First of all, śama. Śama means equilibrium in the mental position. Mind is never disturbed. There are so many causes of the mind being disturbed. When the mind is not disturbed, that is called samaḥ. Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. That is perfection of yoga.
This is training. Mind is very flickering. Even five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "You make your restless mind fixed up," he frankly said, "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "I see my mind is always very much agitated, and to control the mind is exactly an attempt to stop the wind. So it is not possible." But actually his mind was fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. So those who mind have been fixed up at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have conquered. Their mind is fixed up. That is wanted. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). These are the qualifications of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. He was very responsible emperor, but his mind was fixed up at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.
Suppose you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa. That is not finish, that "Now I am initiated. I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No. You must act as a brāhmaṇa. Then you are brāhmaṇa. You always remember that. They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brāhmaṇa's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism. If there are so many foreign brāhmaṇas in India and I am making brāhmaṇa in the Western countries, if they are still fallen, then what is this attempt? My attempt is futile. So kindly be responsible, those who are second initiated. If you fall down, then the whole movement becomes false. That is happening. So kindly rectify if that is happening, that guṇa-karma. You must acquire the qualities and must act accordingly. That is practical. Suppose one man is educated as medical man, but after taking his degrees he is playing football. So will anybody call him a medical man? He might have the qualification, medical qualification, but because he is not practicing as medical man he is useless. That is the śāstra injunction. Yady anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). If one has acquired some quality but he practices differently, then he should be called by the name of that practice. A medical man, after passing medical examination—I am giving you crude example—if he is, he becomes a football player, then he will be called a football player, not a medical man. These are the sastric injunction.
So does it mean that you are all fools? You have come to see a brass idol is being worshiped here? So anyone who considers the Deity as arcye śilā-dhīḥ, made of stone, made of brass, made of wood, that is nārakī-buddhiḥ. Arcye śilā-dhīḥ. Śilā. Śilā means stone. So those who are unaware of the Vedic knowledge, they consider that this is idol worship. It is not idol worship. It is directly worshiping the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord has, by His mercy, descended to accept your service. If you want to dress the Supreme Lord, if you take His virāḍ-rūpa, universal form, where is your cloth and how you can dress? Eh? You haven't got so much cloth. In spite of having so many mills, you cannot dress the virāṭ form. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, by His omnipotency, He becomes a smaller just to be handled by you. That is His mercy. Not that... Just like Kṛṣṇa became a small child of Yaśodā. That does not mean Kṛṣṇa has diminished in His power. He immediately showed. When there was attempt to kill Him by the Pūtanā, immediately He showed His Godly power. So we have to study like that, that God in any circumstances is God. God is never made. Any circumstances, God is God. God... Not that by meditation, pressing your nose, you become God. No. That is not God. God is God.
So it is a fort like. You cannot go from here and there. You are trying so much to go from this planet to moon. You cannot do. Just like in the prison house, no prisoner can leave this place to go to another unless he is ordered to do so; similarly, we are conditioned. It is not possible, "Because we have manufactured some machine, by force I can go anywhere." No. That is not possible. That is not possible. You may do it for perpetually, but śāstra says if you practice piously, then you can be elevated to the higher planetary system. It is very easy, but we are so fool, we cannot understand that... Suppose in coming, either from India to America or America to..., we have to make so many arrangements: visa, passport, medical certificate, this, that. No country will allow you without all these things. So how you can go to the other planets without being equipped? This is foolishness. This is not possible. We are conditioned means we cannot go from here to there. There is rule and regulation. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So this is futile attempt. Therefore the Vaiṣṇavas recommend that "Why you are foolishly attempting so many things? Just utilize this life for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Kṛṣṇa is within everyone. If we simply hear the words and the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā—full of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's instruction. So if we hear this, especially these two books, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ, then you become pious. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. There is no need of separate attempt. If we simply hear every moment or as many times as possible, then we become purified. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. One who is speaking, he is also becoming pious, and one who is hearing, he is also becoming pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ.
So any variety of life within this material world is not good, either you are demigod or tree or this or that. That is education. That is education. So one should understand that any varieties of life, either as demigod or dog, here the life is troublesome. The demigods even, they are put into so many dangers. Many times they approach God. So here you will be always in danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). It is futile to attempt to make this material world dangerless. That is not possible. As there are varieties of bodies, varieties of dangers, calamities, so one after another, you will have to... So best thing is, therefore, stop this business, material. That is Vedic civilization. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this idea, that "Stop this nonsense business, repetition of birth, death, old age." Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. What knowledge, this technical knowledge, this knowledge? You cannot stop these things. Therefore main business is how to stop it. And because they are foolish people, they think that "These things cannot be stopped. Let us go on with this repetition of birth and death, and in each life let us struggle for existence." This is material civilization, ignorance, no knowledge.
So, generally we can understand from the śāstra that according to guṇa—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa—those who are in sattva-guṇa, they are going higher planetary system; rajo-guṇa, in the same platform; tamo-guṇa, going down. So the human endeavor should be how to increase the sattva-guṇa quality of the man. That is the duty of all guardians. State, king, government, everyone should. If you do not make such attempt to elevate your dependent towards the sattva-guṇa platform, simply lamenting, what will do good to you? "Our position is this, now it is uncontrollable, the things are going bad, there are problems." Yes, problem must be there. Because the aim of life should be known. They do not know. The modern civilization, they do not know what is the aim of life, how life is going on, eternally, how it is implicated, how to entangle. So many things are there, it is a great science.
So the time is very, very, bad, and even there is attempt to deliver them, they are so rigid and so stubborn, dog obstinacy, they want to remain in the doggish condition of life. It is very, very difficult. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind. Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy thing. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu After many, many millions of persons, one tries to become siddha. Siddha means to understand what he is, jñāna. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). And yatatām api siddhānām... (BG 7.3). Just like there are two classes of transcendentalists: the Māyāvādī and the Vaiṣṇava. That is all over the world. So Māyāvādī, they are supposed to be siddhas. They are not siddha, but they are trying to become siddha, to understand the spiritual position. Neti neti: "I am not this; I am not this; I am not this." But they are not siddhas.
The charge of Viṣṇudūtas for the Yamadūta was that they did not know whom to arrest and whom not to arrest. Therefore he was criticizing. Yamarāja is meant for arresting the criminals, sinful persons. But these Yamadūtas came to arrest Ajāmila, who was already relieved from all sinful actions simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa." That was not known to them. So in order to criticize them, that "You do not know where to go and where not to go," they described in so many ways. Now they are positively saying that ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveśo janma-koṭy-aṁhasām api: "Even though he committed sinful activity for millions of years, he is now free." Ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveśaḥ: "He has completely counteracted all those sinful activities." How? Yad vyājahāra vivaśo nāma svasty-ayanaṁ hareḥ. So vivaśaḥ: "Somehow or other, he has chanted the holy name of Hari." Asya pāpena daṇḍe kim artham akrośa kriyate tatrāhur ayaṁ hriyate:(?) (commentary) "Why you are attempting to arrest this person as criminal?" Yamadūta, yad yada vivaśi 'pi harer nāma vyājahāra uccaritavan:(?) "There was no intention of chanting the holy name of Hari, but even though consciously or unconsciously he has chanted the holy name of Hari, therefore he is now free."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends this. He recommends, not that He has manufactured. He recommends the shastric injunction: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So the harer nāma or viṣṇu-nāma or devotional service to Viṣṇu... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You should always remember this, because sometimes rascals mislead that "Any name." In Bengal it is very popular. There is a party, they chant kālī-kīrtana. "Kālī, Kālī, Kālī," imitation. Or there are so many so-called avatāras. There was another rascal, he added his wife's name. Yes. And the rascal, foolish scholars also accepted. Yes. "Haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro," like that. The rascal's name was Haro, and his wife's name was Kusuma, so he made a mantra, "haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro haro." (laughter) And the rascal followers also accepted that this is... So this is going on. A Māyāvādī philosophers, they are so dangerous that they mislead their followers to the hell. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore strongly warned, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa: (CC Madhya 6.169) "If you attempt to hear some Māyāvādī philosopher, then your life will be spoiled. Your path to devotional service will be blocked, so don't try to hear a Māyāvādī." This is the recommendation by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So we should always remember, when there is question of chanting the holy name, that means Viṣṇu, not any other's name. Vyāharaṇaṁ viṣṇor yatas tad-viṣayā matiḥ.
They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we shall think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This teaching we have got from the greatest authority, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am not a kṣatriya; I am not a vaiśya; I am not a śūdra; neither I am a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. I am simply servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80)." Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. So the more we advance in the matter of becoming designationless, no designation... Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we have got upādhis, designations, there are many desires, material desires. But we have to become zero about these material desires. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material desires. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī-sakali 'aśānta'. Because they are in the material world. The karmīs, they are in the material world. The jñānīs, they are simply trying to get out of the material world, but their attempt will be failure because they do not catch up the real spiritual work. Real spiritual work is Kṛṣṇa. And yogis, they are after demonstrating magic and get cheap popularity. So they are also in the material world—karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis. Only pure devotees, they are in the spiritual world. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170).
So I see in your this Mauritius land, you have got enough land to produce food grains. You produce food grain. I understand that instead of growing food grains, you are growing sugar cane for exporting. Why? And you are dependent on food grains, on rice, wheat, dahl. Why? Why this attempt? You first of all grow your own eatables. And if there is time and if your population has got sufficient food grains, then you can try to grow other fruits and vegetables for exporting. The first necessity is that you should be self-sufficient. That is God's arrangement. Everywhere there is sufficient land to produce food grains, not only in your country. I have traveled all over the world—Africa, Australia, and other, in America also. There are so much land vacant that if we produce food grains, then we can feed ten times as much population as at the present moment. There is no question of scarcity. The whole creation is so made by Kṛṣṇa that everything is pūrṇam, complete. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). If we don't produce food grain—you require it—and put unnecessarily men into scarcity, that is sinful. That is sinful.
Therefore in every section of human society there is attempt to reestablish our relationship with God. But at the present moment there is systematic propaganda to forget whatever little relationship we have got. We do not understand what is the science of God, but still, people know that there is something like God. So we are just trying. This is the symptom of this Kali-yuga. They will manufacture objects of worship, but not worship God. They will present so many false god, but they will not worship the real God. One has to worship something. Because it is my nature. I worship. Somebody worships God and somebody worships dog. Because I cannot remain without worshiping. Worshiping means loving. Without love there is no worship, there is no question.
Somebody may say that "Let me enjoy this life. I shall try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness next life, or after enjoying life in my youthhood, then we shall try." So Prahlāda Mahārāja answers, "No, don't remain confident that you shall live long or remain confident that you are getting next life also human form of life." No. Adhruvam. There is no certainty. But if you begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life and try to achieve the result to some extent, even one percent, two percent, your life, next life is guaranteed a human form of life. It is such a nice thing. Because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). One who cannot fulfill the entire course of understanding the science of God, but because he has begun to understand it, never mind he has understood it one percent, two percent, ten percent Not ten percent. Unless one understands the science cent percent, he does not get liberation. But even one percent. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this stanza, that even little percentage of God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is attempted, then you can be saved from the greatest danger.
If you have to learn Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to learn Bhagavad-gītā as Kṛṣṇa speaks or as Arjuna understands. Just like if you take a medicine bottle. The direction, as it is stated in the bottle, you have to take medicine in that way. You cannot make your own direction, interpretation. (break) Nonsense. We don't accept. (break) We are publishing one book, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It has been taken by one great publisher, Macmillan Company, and we'll have it by the month of October. Don't interpret. We explain things as they are. That should be the attitude. Why? Why interpretation? By interpretation, there are 664 editions of Bhagavad-gītā. Simply by... One medical man he has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is a physician and Arjuna is a patient. And he has tried to explain through Bhagavad-gītā all anatomic physiology, not this. Gandhi, he wanted to prove nonviolence from Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is being spoken in the battlefield, full of violence, and he is trying to prove that the Bhagavad-gītā is nonviolent. These are all artificial attempts. These explanations will never give you the real light from Bhagavad-gītā. You try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is.
So anyway, it is our attempt to give you the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. This is our attempt. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just distributing the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. So Vedic knowledge, the ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to know God. Not only Vedic, any scripture, any book of knowledge. So the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know God. If you do not... Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. That is explained here by Prahlāda Mahārāja: kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was a small boy, five years old. Somehow or other, he was enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and at the age of five years old, he was going to school and he was trying to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the school. I'm especially reading these verses because it is university, a school for teaching to the students. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that this teaching of this learning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should begin from very childhood. Kaumāram. Kaumāra means the age between ten years and fifteen years. That is called kaumāra. Kaumāra ācaret prājño. Prājño means one who is intelligent. So from just one child is ten years old, from the age of ten years up to fifteen years, this period must be used especially for understanding Bhāgavata-dharma, for understanding what is God. That is Bhāgavata-dharma.
Guest (1): Well, when I... Serving my senses...
Prabhupāda: Then you are conditioned.
Guest (1): ...attempting to satisfy them. Right?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is for satisfaction. But if you, sense... If you falsely satisfy your senses... Just like suppose you are a diseased man, if you have got fever and you want to eat some delicious food. The doctor has forbidden you, "Don't accept such and such food," but your senses demand that "If I could eat such and such thing," then you become more diseased. So first of all we should understand that because I have got this body, it is my diseased condition, because I am spirit soul. I have developed this particular type of body for this gratification of false material senses. You cannot satisfy your senses because this is false satisfaction. Because actually this body, you are not this body. Therefore even you try to satisfy your senses, that is flickering and that is temporary. But actual sense enjoyment is spiritual sense enjoyment that has no end, that has no limit. Brahma-saukhyaṁ tad anantam, unlimited. Just like a diseased man, if you give a nice foodstuff, he cannot eat much. After tasting, "All right, that's all." Finished. Because he is diseased. And give to a healthy man, oh, he will take so much. This is a crude example. Similarly, when you are spiritually purified, then actually you can make your sense enjoyment. When you are materially contaminated, that is false, temporary, increasing your material disease.
Just the other day I told you about the version of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita: āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa vidhvāṁsi kalpānta-sthāyino guṇaḥ. The Paṇḍita, the Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that this āyuḥ, the duration of life, we do not know when we shall end. It is assure it will end. But kalpānta-sthāyino guṇaḥ, but if you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your that spiritual qualification will continue to eternity. There are many instructions in Vedic literature. So here also the same thing is repeated. Tat-prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param: you should not try to spoil your life, spoil your valuable life for something which is not very much beneficial for you. And what is that thing beneficial? Self-realization. Self-realization, "What I am." This is the product of meditation. If you want to meditate, meditation means to attempt to understand oneself, "What I am." That is real meditation. Meditation does not mean that... Of course, this voidness, meditation in voidness, is another negative attempt that "This body is nothing." But actually, I am not void. I am spirit soul. And because I have no information of the spirit soul, therefore I simply try to think of the negative side of this bodily existence. That is called voidness. Simply negative... Now, "I am not this body. I am not this body." "I am not this body," that's all right.
So our little humble attempt is to give them relief from this rascaldom civilization. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to give little relief or little knowledge to the people in general, especially to the human being. Like Prahlāda Mahārāja is... Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. In the human life one can understand. We are speaking all these instruction from śāstra by Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees. Why? Just to give a little relief. They may understand how to live. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. "Before the next death let me finish my Kṛṣṇa consciousness life." That is required. That is intelligence. Otherwise as soon as the life is finished, there is no guarantee that I am going to take again a human form of life. It is not possible. But there is little guarantee for the devotee. For the devotee, if he has rendered little service to Kṛṣṇa even for a moment, the life of human life next is guaranteed. Guaranteed in this way, that if he unknowingly commits some mistake, then it is guaranteed. And if he knowingly commits mistake, then he is going to be cats and dogs. This is the facility. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvaḥ (SB 1.5.17). One has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but on account of immature Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he falls down, falls down like that, then he gets... Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate śucīnāṁ. But if one purposefully commits mistake and sinful life, "Now I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. I can do all sinful life.
So the Bhāgavata says, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He's so mad that he knows that "These things will be finished. Nobody will be able to give me protection," still he... Pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means mad. So these attempts will not give me protection. And as soon as this body's finished, another body's waiting. That you do not know what kind of body you are going to get. That you have to know by your work. Urdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). Now if this time, this life I may become a prime minister and big, big man. But when I come in politics I have to deal with so many people in so many nefarious ways and lives that out of my karma, I'll get the next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). You'll get the next body according to your karma. Now if I've acted just like menial animal, then next life animal. If I become a dog... This life I am minister, prime minister, and next life I become a dog, then what is my profit? But that is nature's law. There is no consideration that "You are a prime minister then you, oh, you respectable post." No. Daiva-netreṇa. The superior management will see in which way you have acted—either as a dog or as a god. That will be taken into consideration. Not your position.
Why these Veda, Purāṇas are there? Especially in India, we have got so many Vedic literatures. First of all, the four Vedas—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. Then their gist philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. Then Vedānta explanation, the Purāṇas. Purāṇa means supplementary. Ordinary person, they cannot understand the Vedic language. Therefore from historical references these Vedic principles are taught. That is called Purāṇas. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-purāṇa. It is spotless Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in other Purāṇas there are material activities, but in this Mahā-purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply spiritual activities. That is wanted. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written by Vyāsadeva under the instruction of Nārada. Mahā-purāṇa. So we have to take advantage of this. So many valuable literatures. The human life is meant for that. Why you are neglecting? Our attempt is, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to spread this knowledge of the Vedas and the Purāṇas so that the human being can take advantage of it and make his life successful. Otherwise, if he simply labors hard, day and night, like the hog... The hog is day and night working very hard to find out "Where is stool? Where is stool?" And after eating stool, as soon as they get little fat... The pigs are fatty therefore because stool contains all the essence of food. According to medical science, the stool is full of hydrophosphates. So hydrophosphate is good tonic. So one may try if they like. (laughter) But actually this is the fact. The pig becomes very fatty because it is stool.
And those who are trying for going to the heavenly planet for enjoying life more and more, increasing happiness, they are also wasting time. And the whole system of dharma is like that, increasing happiness and decreasing distress. So Kṛṣṇa says both these processes, increasing happiness or decreasing distress, this is sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Avoid these two ways of life. Simply surrender unto Me." Then shall I go on suffering? Due... "When there is happiness, it is all right. Then I shall go on suffering without any attempt to minimize it?" "Yes. Yes." That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Taṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "My dear Arjuna, even if you think there is some distress, still, you should tolerate.
When we come to the spiritual platform, then actual love begins. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. That love begins... If we can love Kṛṣṇa, then, through Kṛṣṇa's love, we can expand our love for everyone. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like watering the root of the tree, the energy is expanded to the limbs, to the flowers, to the branches, similarly, if we want to love... Everyone... Just like we are coming, some patriot. Nobody loves nobody; that is all professional business. If we actually love Kṛṣṇa, then we can expand our love: patriotism, socialism, this "ism," that... Just like we are trying to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world because on account of love. Someway or other, we have come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. We are understanding that these people are in māyā or in ignorance, they do not know how to become happy. So our little attempt is "Let them become Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is out of love. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Everyone is suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore we are taking so much trouble. This is at least one side, that Kṛṣṇa wants them to deliver, and if we work on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, that is also love. We love Kṛṣṇa.
So he's explaining in different ways. Kuṭumba-poṣāya viyan nijāyur na budhyate 'rthaṁ vihataṁ pramattaḥ. So without fulfillment of our life's mission, generally we become involved in maintaining the family, and all of a sudden death appears, then finished all our attempts. According to karma, we have to accept another body, maybe human body or not human body. In this way we become entrapped, and sarvatra tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā. Tāpa-traya, traya means three and tāpa means tribulation, suffering. So tāpa-traya, three kinds of tribulations: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Pertaining to the body, we feel so many troubles due to the body, due to the mind. Then adhibhautika, troubles offered by other living entities, and adhidaivika, troubles offered by nature or the demigods. In this way, sarvatra. It is not that in India there is tāpa-traya and in America there is no tāpa-traya. No, in America there is tāpa-traya. "All right, I shall go to the heavenly planets." No, there is also tāpa-traya. Anywhere you go within this material world, as soon as you get this material body, then tāpa-traya will be there.
Prabhupāda: Purport.
Pradyumna: In human society there are attempts to educate the human being, but for animal society there is no such system, nor are animals able to be educated. Therefore animals and unintelligent men are called vimūḍha, or ignorant, bewildered, whereas an educated person is called vidvān. The real vidvān is one who tries to understand his own position within this material world. For example, when Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his first question was 'ke āmi', 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya'. In other words, he wanted to know his constitutional position and why he was suffering from the threefold miseries of material existence. This is the process of education. If one does not ask, "Who am I? What is the goal of my life?" but instead follows the same animal propensities as cats and dogs, what is the use of his education? As discussed in the previous verse, a living being is entrapped by his fruitive activities, exactly like a silkworm trapped in its own cocoon. Foolish persons are generally encaged by their fruitive actions (karma) because of a strong desire to enjoy this material world. Such attracted persons become involved in society, community and nation and waste their time, not having profited from having obtained human forms. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, great leaders, politicians, philosophers and scientists are all engaged in foolish activities, thinking, "This is mine, and this is yours." The scientists invent nuclear weapons and collaborate with the big leaders to protect the interests of their own nation or society. In this verse, however, it is clearly stated that despite their so-called advanced knowledge, they actually have the same mentality as cats and dogs. As cats, dogs and other animals, not knowing their true interest in life, become increasingly involved in ignorance, the so-called educated person who does not know his own self-interest or the true goal of life becomes increasingly involved in materialism. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises everyone to follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma. Specifically, at a certain point one must give up family life and take to the renounced order of life to cultivate spiritual knowledge and thus become liberated. This is further discussed in the following verses.
Prabhupāda: You can explain, somebody else, you can explain.
Prabhupāda: Read the purport also.
Pradyumna: One may ask, "One is certainly very attached to family life, but if one gives up family life to be attached to the service of the Lord, one must undergo the same endeavor and trouble. Therefore, what is the benefit of taking the trouble to engage in the service of the Lord?" This is not a valid objection. The Lord asserts in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):
- sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
- mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
- tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
- ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivāṁśo. .. jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Nārāyaṇa and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Nārāyaṇa is always ready to save one from the greatest danger. The definite example is Ajāmila. Ajāmila separated himself from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by performing many sinful activities and was condemned by Yamarāja to be very severely punished, but because at the time of death he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, although he was calling not for the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa but for his son named Nārāyaṇa, he was saved from the hands of Yamarāja. Therefore, pleasing Nārāyaṇa does not require as much endeavor as pleasing one's family, community and nation. We have seen important political leaders killed for a slight discrepancy in their behavior. Therefore pleasing one's society, family, community and nation is extremely difficult. Pleasing Nārāyaṇa, however, is not at all difficult; it is very easy.
One's duty is to revive one's relationship with Nārāyaṇa. A slight endeavor in this direction will make the attempt successful, whereas one will never be successful in pleasing his so-called family, society and nation, even if one endeavors to sacrifice his life. The simple endeavor involved in the devotional service of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), hearing and chanting the holy name of the Lord, can make one successful in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore bestowed His blessings by saying, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam: "All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana!" If one wants to derive the actual benefit from this human form, he must take to the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Prabhupāda:
- na hy acyutaṁ prīṇayato
- bahv-āyāso 'surātmajāḥ
- ātmatvāt sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- siddhatvād iha sarvataḥ
- (SB 7.6.19)
To become a devotee of the Supreme Lord is not unnatural. It is very easy, natural thing. By nature, we are attached to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Somehow or other, circumstantially, we are separated. Not separated, because here it is stated ātmatvāt: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is, although we are thinking we are different from Him, He is within our hearts. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna: (BG 18.61) He is so friendly that although we are averse, we do not like even the word of God, God is so kind that He is sitting within my heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām, He's simply looking forward for the opportunity when I, the living entity, shall look towards Him. He's always anxious.
So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanam (SB 1.2.17). Even if we do not understand what is being spoken about Kṛṣṇa, still, simply by hearing, one becomes pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana. Kirtana, one is speaking or chanting, another is hearing. Both of them are benefited, becomes pious. In this way, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa unless we are sinless. So there is no need of separate attempt to become sinless. If we simply hear, then we... Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtana. Puṇya means piety. Simply by hearing, you become pious. Then you become interested, naturally. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Somehow or other, if one becomes a little fit for: "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What they are doing, let me see," that is called śraddhā. And this śraddhā is little increased, then one will like to associate with the devotees. Adau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-sangaḥ. In this way, when he is accustomed, then he will like to become one of the devotees, offers himself to be initiated.
Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. These are one after another. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgaḥ atha bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā, the beginning is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is bhajana-kriyā. And if it is done properly, then anartha-nivṛtti syāt. Then he becomes free from all unwanted things. Anartha, there is no need... Just like intoxication. There is no need, but if the bhajana-kriyā, Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra chanting, goes on, naturally it will be stopped. Then niṣṭha. Tato niṣṭha tato ruci tataḥ asaktiḥ, asaktiḥ, attachment. In this way we can make advanced. The beginning is śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇa. As soon as Kṛṣṇa sees, ātmatvāt sarva bhūtānām, little attempt is there, immediately He helps. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te: Kṛṣṇa helps, "Yes, you come here, sit down, you do this." In this way, yena mām upayānti te. Kṛṣṇa helps the direction as he can achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
So this is the position. What is destined, it must happen. Nobody can help us. That's a fact. Therefore our real business is: do not be bothered about things which are destined. Let us take ad vantage of this human form of life, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido (SB 1.5.18), to endeavor for making Kṛṣṇa consciousness fulfilled. And that is not very difficult, Prahlāda Mahārāja (says) this is natural, simply little attempt. First of all surrender. Kāmādīnāṁ katidhā kati na pālitā durṇideśa. We are servants of our kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, kāmādīnā. Kāma means lusty desires. We are now servant of our senses. Although we are declaring, "I am master," nobody is master. He is servant. Constitutionally, we are servants. So instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa we have become servant of our senses. Kāmādīnāṁ katidhā kati na pālitā durṇideśa. And our senses ordering to do something which is not to be done at all. But still we have to do. Lusty desires are so strong, I do not want to do it but it is forcing. In this way, we are being forced to serve the senses.
So sakṣat śrī. She is always associated. If anyone tries to separate Śrī from Nārāyaṇa, then he will be vanquished. The example is Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa wanted to separate Lakṣmī from Rāma. This attempt is so dangerous that Rāvaṇa, instead of becoming happy... He was so-called happy, materially opulent. But as soon as he separated Lakṣmī from Nārāyaṇa, he became vanquished with all his friend. So don't try to do that, to separate Lakṣmī from Nārāyaṇa. She cannot be separated. But if anyone attempts like that, he'll be ruined. He'll be ruined. The example is Rāvaṇa. So at the present moment people are very much fond of śrī, money. Śrī-aiśvaryā. Śrī-aiśvaryā. Śrī-aiśvaryā prajepsavaḥ. General people, they want śrī, money, or beauty, beautiful woman. Śrī-aiśvaryā, money, riches. Śrī aiśvaryā prajepsavaḥ. Prajā. Prajā means family, society, money. They want. So Śrī is always hankered after, searched after. But do not try to keep Śrī alone. Then you'll be ruined. This is the instruction. You do not try to keep Śrī alone. Keep always with Nārāyaṇa. Then you'll be happy. Keep Nārāyaṇa.
So if you want to conquer over this unconquerable Kṛṣṇa, then, according to the prayer of Brahmā and appreciated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ: "You remain in your place, it doesn't matter, but you become very humble. Don't be puffed up." Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. You should not think yourself that you are very advanced, "By my speculative knowledge I can understand God." That is mistake. That is not possible. You have to give up first of all this attempt, that "I am very learned," "I am very rich,"or "I am very this and that. Therefore for me to understand God, it is nothing." They think like that. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). Those who are very much proud, they do not take Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. They think, "These poor fellow who had no money, no foodstuff, they have come in the name of Kṛṣṇa for begging. So it is for them. It is not for us. I am very rich. I am very opulent. I am very educated. I am very aristocratic. So for me there is no need of." The Indians say like that in your country. "Now we have known this Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. We have... Now it is not needed. Now it is technology."
Prabhupāda: You can derive (divide?) the syllables. Sa tat-kara-sparśa-dhuta-akhila-aśubhaḥ. You cannot pronounce combinedly, just divide. Sa tat-kara-sparśa-dhuta-akhila-aśubhaḥ, like that. Anyway, chant. (Pradyumna chants again, devotees chant slowly) There is no board writing. Why? So many men could not write the board? They cannot see. Go on. (devotees attempt to chant) That's all right. Difficult.
Pradyumna: "Translation: By the touch of Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva's hand on Prahlāda Mahārāja's head, Prahlāda was completely freed of all material contaminations and desires, as if he had been thoroughly cleansed. Therefore he at once became transcendentally situated, and all the symptoms of ecstasy became manifest in his body. His heart filled with love, and his eyes with tears, and thus he was able to completely capture the lotus feet of the Lord within the core of his heart."
Prabhupāda:
- sa tat-kara-sparśa-dhutākhilāśubhaḥ
- sapady abhivyakta-parātma-darśanaḥ
- tat-pāda-padmaṁ hṛdi nivṛto dadhau
- hṛṣyat-tanuḥ klinna-hṛd-aśru-locanaḥ
- (SB 7.9.6)
So Prahlāda Mahārāja, tat-kara-sparśa, "touch of the lotus palm of Nṛsiṁha-deva," the same palm where there is nail. Tava kara kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-sṛṅgam. The same palm with nakha adbhuta... Dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam. Immediately, with the nails only... The Lord did not require any weapon to kill this gigantic demon, simply nails. Tava kara-kamala. The example is very nice, kamala. Kamala means lotus. The Lord's palm is just like lotus flower.
So Kṛṣṇa gives information in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam: "These elements, even up to mind, intelligence, ego, bhinnā, they are My separated energy, separated energy. And," apareyam, "this is inferior. And there is another, superior nature." Apareyam itas tv viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā. Parā means superior. Now, they may be asking, "What is that? We know these elements only. What is that another superior energy?" Jīva bhūtaḥ mahā-bāho, clearly said: "That is living..." And they are thinking that there is no other superior energy except these eight material elements or five elements. Therefore they are in ignorance. It is for the first time they are getting some knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and from that they can know that there is another, superior energy who is jīva-bhūtaḥ. The living entity which is moving the body, that is superior energy. So they have no information, neither there is an attempt to understand that superior energy in their universities or institution. Therefore they are mūḍha, mūḍhas. They may be very much puffed up of their so-called knowledge, but according to Vedic knowledge they are mūḍhas. And if one cannot understand the superior energy, prakṛti, nature, then how one can understand God? That is not possible. Then again, dealings between God and the superior energy, that is bhakti. It is very difficult. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). That siddhaye means to understand that superior energy. That is siddhi. And after that, one can understand Kṛṣṇa.
And tejaḥ, ojasā. Ojasā means strength. Just like kṣatriya, they are tejaḥ. A kṣatriya cannot tolerate that a man is being tortured before him. No, he'll take immediately. Why man? Even animal. Even animal. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed. Immediately he took his sword. And in the modern civilization, even in a city like New York, if a man is killed before one man, nobody will take care. Nobody will take care. Is it not? "Let him be killed. I am going in my own way." So this is not civilization. There is no brāhmaṇa. There is no kṣatriya. There is no vaiśya. Simply all śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. So you cannot be happy under the government of the śūdras. That is not possible. Must be tejaḥ. Government must be very, very powerful. Even, say, not more than hundred years ago, the Kashmir king was so powerful that there was no stealing in the state, on the whole state. There was no stealing. There was no thief. That is government. In the, at night I have to become concerned that thief may come, a burglar may come, so... That is not the government.
I have understood. I have understood. Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean that you falsely make some attempt. The... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna understood the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, and it does not mean that he became a naked fakir and went away from the fighting place, and without any clothing he began to travel. Is it that? No. The only thing is that he changed the account. The account was on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. So you haven't got to make such renunciation that you have to live underneath a tree or give up your dress, become naked. No. That is not... You have misunderstood. You should dress himself properly, you should eat properly, you should work properly, but not on your account, but Kṛṣṇa's account. That is the thing. That's all. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgya ucyate. That is the difference between Vaiṣṇava philosophy and Māyāvādī philosophy. The Māyāvāda philosophy says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false and Brahman is truth. So let me become renounced of all this worldly relationship and try to be one with the Brahman." That is Māyāvāda philosophy. We don't say that. We say that because Brahman is satya, truth, and because the world is created by Brahman, so this is also truth. This is also truth. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). That is the version of Upaniṣad. The thing is, difference between Māyāvādī and Vaiṣṇava, they do not know the proprietorship.
So fortunately, one of our students, he has taken a very large tract of land in West Virginia to develop a society like that, that simple life, eat simple things, grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and save your time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't be implicated in the ugra-karma. Modern civilization is implicated in ugra-karma—vast machinery, everything complicated. The government complicated, the society complicated, economics rule complicated, foreign exchange complicated. Everything has become complicated. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung very nice song. Satsaṅga chāri kainu asatye vilās, ei kāraṇe lāgila more karma bandha-phāṅsa. Because we have given up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore we have been entangled in the different varieties of material activities. Now we have to simplify it. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to simplify, to save the valuable life, to save the time of valuable life. This human form of life is very valuable. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births we have got this important life. So we have to save our time to utilize it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should... So far we have got this material body, we want to maintain it. The body and souls live together. That is all right. For that, Kṛṣṇa has given every chance. Anywhere you sit down, you have got land and cow. You produce something and cow's milk. That is sufficient for maintenance. So let us try to make an attempt to organize a New Vrindaban scheme, and I shall request all my students to develop this idea and show a good example to this Western part of the world where people are always engaged in ugra-karma, asuric-karma. Things are becoming very implicated, complicated.
So whatever you do for the advancement of material civilization, you are one side increasing more danger. If you did not discover these aeroplane and motorcar, then death would not have been so easier. You could live at least for some days. But because you have discovered some facilities, your death is also very become near. So this is prakṛti. You are trying to solve the problem in one way, and the problem is becoming more dangerous and difficult by the laws of nature. That these rascals cannot find even. They continually working. There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, paśyann api na paśyati. They are so big rascals that paśyann api na paśyati: even they are seeing every moment that "All our endeavors are being baffled," still, they'll try for it. They'll try for it, again and again. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). These things are... Punaḥ punaḥ, again and again, chewing the chewed, this is their business. Therefore they are called mūḍhas. The mūḍhas, they do not find that "All our attempt..."
Therefore the śāstra advises, "You simply make one attempt, how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise you are not..." Only one thing. That chance you cannot get in other form of life, that a cat, dog, you do not get this. And what is that? Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). By the laws of nature you are getting different types of body in different planets, in different situation and so on, so on, eight million, four hun... You are loitering in this way, but you could not get Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now here is the chance, human form of life, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. Take it seriously. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovidaḥ. If you are actually intelligent—kovido means very intelligent—then you take. You must. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura: "Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's first-class intelligent person." All other: fools, rascals. You can call them. There is no harm. They are actually fools and rascal, who has not taken. And it is not our manufactured word. Kṛṣṇa said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Anyone who is not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is rascal, he's sinful, he's lowest of the mankind, he has no knowledge, he's gone to hell. This is our conclusion. Sometimes they come to fight us tlat "Sir, you said such a great man, 'rascal.' " But we must say, "Yes, he is a rascal. Where is his greatness?" Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot be a great man. This is our conclusion. There is no question. Immediately, as soon as you see he's against Kṛṣṇa, or he does not know Kṛṣṇa, then he's a rascal, That's all.
So in order to know all this transcendental subject matter, it is recommended, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "One must approach to the proper guru to understand this subject matter." And that is success of human life. Otherwise, to live like cats and dogs—sa eva go-kharaḥ: (SB 10.84.13) cows and asses, animal life—this is not civilization. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt, however small it may be, to bring back the human society to real civilization. It is not ordinary movement. They are not civilized. Mūḍha. This is a civilization of rascals and fools. But to bring them back to knowledge, that is civilization. That civilization is spiritual life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life is meant for spiritual life, not for material life like cats and dogs. This is not required. This is Vedānta philosophy, athāto brahma jijñāsā. One must try to learn what is the ultimate source of everything, not that theorizing or, what is called, imagining something. Take knowledge from the right source, brahma-vidyā, the Vedic knowledge, and try to understand the situation, what is Brahman, what you are. We are also Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. These things are to be known. And when we neglect to understand these things, that means we are going to the wrong way of life.
So we can try to counteract. Just like in this material world there are so many attempts to mitigate. Just like the United Nation. They have formed the United Nation formula to mitigate—no more fighting, no more war, no more enmity. This is an attempt. Enmity is there; otherwise why there is proposal of United Nations? Because we are disunited, therefore the counterproposal is "Let us become united." So he says, "To organize such thing is also very difficult and troublesome." "Although it is remedial measure, let us settle our misunderstanding"—it is very good proposal. But to settle up this misunderstanding is more troublesome. You have got experience. When you make some agreement with other party, he proposes something, you propose something. So although the agreement is a remedial measure, but come to the agreement is very, very difficult. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says this remedial measure, auṣadha, is still more troublesome. When there was enmity, that is troublesome. Just like when there is some disease, something—you have got a boil in your body—it is painful, but when you take the remedial measure, surgical operation, it is still more painful, still more. You have to take anesthetic, chloroform, because it is more painful. So anywhere there is fight, there is enmity, and if you want to settle up, it is more troublesome. So duḥkhauṣadhaṁ tad api duḥkham. The remedial measure is more troublesome than the disease, than the painful condition.
So in this verse two words are very important. One is viriñca-gīta. Viriñca means Lord Brahmā and the followers. Just like we, Gauḍīya-sampradāya, means we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Our sampradāya begins from Lord Brahmā. There are similarly other sampradāyas, just like Rudra-sampradāya, then Kumāra-sampradāya, and there is Lakṣmī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya. So there are four sampradāyas. Brahma-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya and Lakṣmī-sampradāya. And if we do not take either of these sampradāyas in disciplic succession, then our attempt to advance in spiritual life will be failure. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ. You cannot manufacture your own prayers unless you follow the footprints of mahājanas. They are mahājanas. This Brahmā, mahājana; Lord Śiva, mahājana; Kumāra, mahājana. Lakṣmīdevī is the potency, spiritual potency of Lord Viṣṇu, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa's potency, and she's always engaged in massaging the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa. You have seen the picture. Śrī-sampradāya. Śrī. She is known as Śrī. Śrī means opulence, fortune, beauty. So she is the reservoir of all these things. So she has got... It is called Śrī-sampradāya. The Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they are called Śrī-sampradāya. They worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Everyone worships the Lord and His potency, spiritual potency. Just like we worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, similarly, the Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Sītā-Rāma. So we should follow the sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ.
This is intelligence. The karmīs, they are trying to enjoy life by increasing the duration of life. The modern scientists, they are trying that there will be no more death. They think like that foolishly, that by scientific methods, the duration of life will be increased. Everyone is trying that. Nobody wants to become old. If you ask any old man, "What is your age?" he'll decrease it. He'll say... He is eighty years old, he'll say, "I am sixty years" or "sixty-five." That means he wants to live for long duration of life. That is the intention. Nobody wants to die. But still... They cannot do anything. Still, they are trying. One Marwari gentleman, at the age of seventy or eighty years old, he went to somewhere in Germany for undergoing surgical operation of the gland so that he can continue his sex life. Many monkeys are exported from India to Western countries for taking away the sexual glands, they know, hormone or something like, and replace it to man so that in old age they can enjoy sex. Perhaps you know all these things. So this attempt is going on, how to keep young and how to enjoy life. But nature will not allow. You may try your best. Nature's law is there. They forget that. And nature will not allow us to live here or to remain as young for all the years of life. It is not possible. But they're trying for that.
So human life is meant for understanding the Supreme, our connection with the Supreme Being. That is real human life. Therefore the Vedas are there. So as soon as Brahmā was born... Because he is in charge of this universe... There are innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmās also. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). So Brahmā is jagad-aṇḍa-nātha. He's the chief person within this material world, in this universe. So he is in charge; therefore he was given the Vedic knowledge. And he got the Vedic knowledge, but at the same time, two demons known as Madhu-Kaiṭabha, they wanted to snatch away, take away the Vedic mantras from Brahmā. This is the attempt from the very beginning. The devotees following the disciplic succession of Brahmā... Just like we are. We belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Several times I have explained. So our original guru is Brahmā, Svayambhū. Therefore he is one of the great personality, svayambhūr nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kapilaḥ kaumāro manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). These are twelve mahājanas, men of authority. So Brahmā is man of authority, the demigod, the supreme demigod, the best of the demigods. So these Madhu-Kaiṭabha, Madhu-kaiṭabha, they took away. Rajas-tamaḥ. Why? They were full of rajas-tamas, and Brahmā is sattva-guṇa.
So we got this human form of life, we could..., we are advanced in consciousness, and if we increase this consciousness to the ultimate goal, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our life is successful. And if we could not do it—we remain in the same cats and dogs consciousness, kāmāturam... Just like a dog is lusty dog, one dog, one female dog, and dozen of dogs is after her... You have seen nature's instruction. So that is kṛpaṇa life. We should not spoil our life by becoming a kṛpaṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to raise the standard of the human society to become brāhmaṇa from the position of kṛpaṇa. This is the attempt. It may be a tiny attempt, humble attempt, but our aim is how these dogs and cats will become brāhmaṇa. This is our aim. We do not want to keep them in the position of cats and dogs and pigs. This is our attempt. So we may be successful or not successful, but our endeavor is very, very great. We should always remember that.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Lord, the infallible one, my high position is just like a person having more than one wife, the co-wives trying to attract the husband in their own different ways. For example, the tongue is being attracted to palatable dishes. The genital wants to have sex with an attractive woman. The touch sensation is trying to contact soft things. The belly, although fulfilled, still wants to eat more. And generally the ear, without attempting to hear about You, is attracted for cinema songs. The smelling sensation is still another side; restless eyes to see sense gratificatory sense scenes; and the active senses attracting on another side. In this way I am embarrassed."
Prabhupāda:
- jihvā ekato acyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā
- śiśno 'nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaścit
- ghrāṇo anyataś capala-dṛk kva ca karma-śaktir
- bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti
- (SB 7.9.40)
It is a very good example. In the previous verse Prahlāda Mahārāja explained, naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram. So Kṛṣṇa-kathā is not palatable. This is māyā's influence. So we cannot engage our senses for Kṛṣṇa. This is the disturbing condition of material world. Senses are there, I am there, and how the senses should be utilized, the subject matter is also there, but it is misled. This is called māyā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So what is the business of the servant? The business of the servant is to carry out the order of the master.
The whole Vedic civilization is an attempt to create peaceful condition of the mind so that "I can fix up my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." This is Vedic civilization. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). This is... To control the senses... The mind is the central figure of the senses. So first of all you engage your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is first business. So, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. And you talk only of Kṛṣṇa. Vikuṇṭha-nātha, vaikuṇṭha-guṇanuvarṇane. Here it is said, naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha. So if we engage your talking capacity in the reading of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, tava-kathā, "Your words..." That we have got, sufficient subject matter for talking. If we do that instead of talking nonsense, "phish phish," if we talk simply of Kṛṣṇa, take Bhagavad-gītā and together... It doesn't matter, man or woman. Together, we simply... Just like we are doing now, if you simply talk of Kṛṣṇa, that is the measure, the real remedial measure to control the jihvā. Because Prahlāda Mahārāja is mentioning first of all, in the beginning, jihvā. So if you can control the jihvā, then you can control other senses very easily.
My mercy is not meant for you." But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura reminds, patita-pāvana-hetu, tava avatāra: "Sir, I am the most fallen. There is no doubt about it. But You have specially come to deliver persons like us." Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu dayā koro more, tomā vinā ke dayalu, jagata saṁsāre. Actually we are hankering after favor of some big man and small man. That is going on. That is material world. But if we seek favor from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so that is very nice. Instead of going here and there, if we... We want favor. There is no doubt. But others cannot favor us. That is the point. They have started so many humanitarian institutes to favor the suffering humanity, but it is not possible. They cannot. They cannot do it. It is false attempt because... There are so many instances. Suppose the father and mother, they are always ready to show favor to their children. There is no doubt about it. But does it mean if one has got very good and rich and able father and mother one can be happy, the children can be happy? No. That is not so. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. That is also Prahlāda Mahārāja's statement, that "Simply because there is kind father and mother, therefore the children will be happy? No. That is not possible." So actually, if the child is destined to suffer, the good father-mother cannot give him shelter. That is not possible. Suppose one is condemned by the court to be punished, capital punishment, to be hanged. The father-mother may be very big man or rich man. If he pleads in the court, "Sir, whatever you want, I'll give. Kindly do not condemn my son to be hanged," that cannot be checked. This is not possible. Nobody can show favor against the will of the Supreme.
Later on, with the progress of Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the dark age or the sinful age or the age for argument, unnecessary talks and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. That is going on. Since the last five thousand years, the Kali-yuga has begun, and the beginning of Kali-yuga was cow-slaughtering. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw this and immediately... The cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means that... Kṣat means injury, and trāyate—it is called kṣatriya. There are persons who want to do harm to others. It has increased now. But during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time, it was not allowed. The king is responsible. The government is responsible that any one of his subject, either animal or man, he is not disturbed, he feels secure of his property, of his person. And it is the duty of kṣatriya to save him, to protect. This was the system of government. So that's a long story.
| Page Title: | Attempt (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 25 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=130, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 130 |