Uttisthatā jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata: "Oh, you human being, you are sleeping under material spell, under illusion. Oh, no, no. Don't do this. Get up! Get up! Just act, and have your share of happiness. You are son of God. You are son of the Supreme. Why you should suffer? Just search out." This is the instruction of Vedas. Very nicely it is given. The Vedas instruct that you should not toil so much hard for simple existence. You are the son of the Supreme. And what is that Supreme? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
Here we claim, "Oh, he is my father. He has got ten million dollars in his bank." But if you understand that you have got another father, who is real father, who has unlimited wealth, which is cannot finish by spending like anything . . . huh? And actually it is so. We are . . . nobody is here father and son. This is simply dress, just like in a theatrical performance. I think this word agitated one of our devotee and left this meeting.But actually this is the fact. That means he wants to keep this dress and at the same time become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Your see?
So actually, this material stage-acting—"my father," "my son," "my family," "my country" and so many—aham mameti. Aham, "I am," and "mine." This is the disease of this material world. "I am something, lord, and everything mine." So this is simply stage play. And soon as the body is finished, this play is also finished. Just like in theatrical performances, as soon as the time is over, the (indistinct) is there, and you have to give up your dress and become Mr. Such-and-such. No more king, no more nothing. And while playing in the stage, "Oh, I am king," "I am queen," "I am this, and so many things I was doing." And as soon as the play is over, I am neither king, neither queen; I am ordinary Mr. John or Mr . . . that's all.
So why should we play in that way? We are actually king's son, the Supreme, Parameśvara, the Supreme Father. He is not only Supreme by name, but He is aiśvaryasya: He is the proprietor of all wealth. Samagrasya. All wealth. Samagrasya means all . . . aiśvaryasya samagrasya, vīryasya. Here my father may be weak. Oh, he cannot give me protection. When death is drawing me, dragging me, oh, my father cannot give me protection. But if you actually approach the Supreme Father, there is no death. Death cannot touch you, you have got such a father. Just approach him. Aisvrayasaya samagraya viryas . . . He is so powerful. Even in this world, why you? You are conscious of your father, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Your father gives you all protection, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31).
It is stated in the Bhāgavata. Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna you declare it to the world that my devotee will never be vanquished." So we have got such a relationship, we have got such a father. So Lord Caitanya says:
- sarvajñera vākye kare dhanera uddeśe
- aiche veda-purāṇa jīve 'kṛṣṇa' upadeśe
- (CC Madhya 20.129)
The, all the scriptures they are advising you to search out your real father. To search out your real father then you will be happy. Don't try to be happy by this false dress and false father, false platform. No. The scriptural instruction nobody, no scripture in the world instructs you that you will become happy here. No. Take Bible, take Koran or take Bhagavad-gītā or any scripture. Even, I mean to say, Buddhist scripture. Lord Buddha was a King's son why did he give up everything? He become a mendicant and placed himself in meditation in Gaya underneath a tree. So that philosophy also does not say that you enjoy this material world. Nobody will say: "And be happy here." No scripture will say like that. Every scripture will say that you find out your real father. Come back, back to Godhead that is the real.
The modern foolish creatures they may find out something that here we have to adjust things. Here we shall make the heavenly kingdom. No, Bhagavad-gītā does not say that, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).
This place is full of miseries. So unless one comes to this understanding that this place is full of misery. Oh there is no chance of a spiritual progress. If he thinks that this place is very nice, here we have got nice food, nice sleeping accommodation, nice girlfriend or boyfriend. And so if he says: "This is nice," then he is not progressing spiritually. This should be condemned, it is not pessimistic it is the real understanding. That there is no happiness here. Unless one understands fully he cannot make any spiritual progress. That's a fact. Then being because there . . . actually there is no happiness and if we think there is happiness that means I am still under illusion. Still under illusion.
- sarvajñera vākye mūla-dhana anubandha
- sarva-śāstre upadeśe, 'śrī-kṛṣṇa'-sambandha
- (CC Madhya 20.130)
Now if you accept directly Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord as your ultimate goal of life and shelter. Then you need not search out, you have got the thing. Therefore you have to follow, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). These are very valuable instruction.
Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ, if you want to find out the absolute truth by your philosophical research you'll never find it. Because your philosophical research may be different from me. Maybe it is always, no philosopher exists. Why there are so many cults and philosophical thesis? Because no: nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. One cannot be a philosopher he does not put another against view on the other philosopher's view. He's not a philosopher.
A philosopher means, suppose you are philosopher and I am philosopher. I must cut your arguments, I say: "Oh this is right." And this is going on everyone is thinking this, "Your theory is not good, my theory is good. I can create, I am the cause." These things are going on, so this is called tarkaḥ. So, by . . . if you go on, on this argumentative philosophical speculation to find out the Supreme Truth it will be useless labor only.
Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā (CC Madhya 17.186): if you stick to particular type of scripture, "Oh I am Christian, oh I cannot go beyond my Bible. Oh, I am Hindu, oh I cannot go beyond my Vedas, Purāṇas, Mahābhārata. Oh, I am Moslem, I cannot go beyond my Koran." But you will find because we are all foolish we will find that there is difference between Koran, difference between Bible. And actually there is no difference. Each scripture is all right but according to circumstances, according to country, according to the people they have been differently advised. But the ultimate is God. So, anyone who knows he says, "Well these differences," I mean to say: "Material only according to circumstances."
Deśa, kāla, pātra. Deśa means place, kāla means time and just like Lord Buddha. He said: "There is no God. There is no soul." Because at that time, to that class of people that sort of instruction was needed. Lord Buddha we accept him as incarnation of God. He cannot say that there is no God . But the people amongst whom he preached they could not understand what is God. Therefore simply moral principles, that just don't kill animals, that's all. That so much expert in killing animals, that, that was there ultimate philosophy. Stop that nonsense and what they will understand about God? So therefore he did not say anything more.
So actually, his intention was if these foolish people stop this animal killing they will be at least virtuous so that in future they may understand what is God. Eh? Because foolish non-virtuous person, always sinful acting. You see Bhagavad-gītā; na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are always engaged in miscreant, doing mischief only they cannot approach God. Not possible. Therefore, to such people this preaching is required that you stop this foolish nonsense. If they can stop then they one day there will be opportunity to understand God.
So śrutayo vibhinnā, therefore ephemerally, superficially we find that there is difference between Bible and Koran or Koran and Bhagavad-gītā. But if we take the sum total, well Koran is preaching also God, Bible is teaching also God and Bhagavad-gītā is also teaching God. So superficially we may find, therefore you cannot understand what is the way. So, neither you can approach the supreme truth by this philosophical argumental speculation nor by reading our self the scripture by our self, understanding. No, it is not possible.
Nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, if we go to some, I mean to say leaders. Then he will say: "Oh this is right," he will say: "this is right." Everyone say against the other, nāsāv munir yasya. Then how I shall find out? What is the way? That I can find out the Absolute Truth. Therefore, Bhāgavata gives you instruction; mahājano yena dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyā (CC Madhya 17.186). The Absolute Truth, the . . . it is very confidential therefore you take up the way just try to follow the footprints of great saints and sages and spiritual master, that's all.
Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. You'll have to find out a bona-fide mahā-janaḥ or mahātmā who are always engaged in the service of the Lord and just try to follow. That will do you good. If you search out in your own way, then it is not possible. You have to adopt a line; which line is perfect and by following that line the performer has achieved success. So sarva-śāstre, in every scripture there is the aim, ultimate goal is God or Kṛṣṇa.