Just like in jaundice disease that if you . . . because the doctors, the medical practitioners, they give sugar candy. The physician gives sugar candy. The sugar candy, to the person suffering from jaundice, tastes bitter, "Oh, it is bitter." But actually sugar candy is not bitter. Similarly, to the sinful man the kṛṣṇa-kathā, discussion about Kṛṣṇa, does not appear to be very palatable. They do not like to hear. They think it is waste of time. But that, as the sugar candy is the only medicine for jaundice disease, similarly, the hari-kathā, or kṛṣṇa-kathā, is the only medicine for our material disease. If we take it . . . just like the jaundiced patient: if he takes sugar candy, then gradually he becomes free from the diseased condition, and at that time, the same sugar candy which he tasted in the beginning as bitter, it appears to be very, very sweet. Then he cannot live without. This is the process.
So we are in material disease at the present moment. We have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and struggling for existence, we are trying to be happy by manufacturing so many plans. But this will not help us. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this process. What is that?
- jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
- san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
- sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
- ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām
- (SB 10.14.3)
There was discussion between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Rāmānanda Rāya began from varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected. Rejected not wholly: eho bāhya āge kaha āra (CC Madhya 8.59), "Yes, this is not bad, but it is not so important." Eho bāhya āge kaha āra: "If you know something more . . ." In this way, gradually, step by step, Rāmānanda Rāya said the ultimate goal of life is this, is that, is that. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said all of them as external. At least in this age, it is very difficult. Just like in the beginning, Rāmānanda Rāya said that varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). He gave stress on the institution of varṇa and āśrama, to observe the rules and regulation of varṇas, four varṇas—to become brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha . . . but Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, bāhya: "Yes, it is good, but it is not so, mean, important. Not so important."
Because He knew, in this age, Kali-yuga, who is going to observe this varṇāśrama-dharma? Everyone is śūdra. A śūdra cannot understand this, neither it is possible to bring them back again. Although we are trying, but it is very difficult. Once one has become debauch, to reform him is very difficult. But still there is way. And that way is suggested when . . . Rāmānanda Rāya suggested that . . . it is the words of Lord Brahmā, that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: "One should not very much endeavor to speculate, speculating process." Just like these theosophist, the philosophers, the scientist, they, instead of having direct knowledge from the superior, they, more or less, speculate. So one has to give up this speculating habit. If one thinks that, "I know. I am very educated. I am very advanced. I can discover what is God," that is not possible. That is not possible. Athāpi te deva-padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). You cannot understand God by your speculative method.