This example is very nice, that you cannot extinguish by your plans the blazing fire of this material existence. That is not possible. This is foolishness. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The so-called rascal leaders, they are making plan, lifelong. The United Nations making plan to stop war, fighting. They cannot do it. It is not possible. You have to take mercy from Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to extinguish. We have to seek mercy. But the demons, they don't care for Kṛṣṇa, or God. They think that "We shall do. I am God. I shall do it." Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Because they are narādhama, lowest of the mankind. Why it is called? Kṛṣṇa says. We are not manufacturing this word. Kṛṣṇa says, "lowest of the mankind." Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ.
Making plans (Lectures, SB)
Expressions researched:
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|"makes nice plans"
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Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Pradyumna: "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary on this cream. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a thoroughly realized master of the Vedānta-sūtra, and consequently he also personally realized the commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And just to show his boundless mercy upon bewildered materialistic men who want to cross completely over nescience, he recited for the first time this confidential knowledge. There is no point in arguing that a materialistic man can be happy. No materialistic creature, be he the great Brahmā or an insignificant ant, can be happy. Everyone tries to make a permanent plan for happiness, but everyone is baffled by the laws of material nature. Therefore the materialistic world is called the darkest region of God's creation. Yet the unhappy materialists can get out of it simply by desiring to get out. Unfortunately they are so foolish that they do not want to escape."
Prabhupāda: 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.
Pradyumna: If the head of the country, the commander-in-chief of the army, and the school books, and the person who dispenses justice are all devotees, they can clearly make a plan or arrangement of government so that people are informed what their real welfare is.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Pradyumna: So that people are informed what their real welfare is. What the real goal...
Prabhupāda: What is that real welfare?
Pradyumna: ...in relationship to and to see that everything in the country is used in Kṛṣṇa's service. If the government does that, then it becomes a Kṛṣṇa conscious government.
Prabhupāda: So, is it all right?
Revatī-nandana: Also, if the leaders become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then they can stop the institutions of vice, which prevent the people from understanding God, and they can shut down the slaughterhouses. (break) ...more Kṛṣṇa conscious.
He is crying, everybody is trying to pacify him, but the child is going on, crying, crying. But as soon as you put him on the lap of his mother and the mother takes on his (her) breast, the child is immediately happy. Similarly, we are all children of God. We are making so many plans to become happy independently, without God. That is not possible. That is not possible. Therefore there is great necessity of understanding God at the present moment. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started.
So everything is there. Fortunately in India we have got everything, but our modern leaders, they are neglecting their own thing. They are begging technology from other countries. That is their misfortune. But actually... Just like I am, singlehanded, trying to present the original Vedic culture. People are accepting all over the world very happily. India should have tried. The government should have known this. Unfortunately, they are all bereft of this knowledge, their own culture. There is a Bengali verse written by one poet, āpanār dhana vilaya-diye bhikṣā-māge parera dvāre.(?)
You can have very nice skyscraper building, but have you made any insurance that you will be allowed to enjoy this house? "No, sir, there is no such insurance." At any moment the nature will call, "Please get out, immediately." "No, I have got to do some business." "No more, sir. Please get out immediately." Can you stop that? Then why you are making plan? Your real plan is not there. Whether you will be allowed to stay here? There is no insurance. And why you are taking so much trouble? Therefore, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4), the whole day, night, they are working like ass, but there is no assurance whether the happiness for which he is laboring so hard will be allowed to be enjoyed. There is no certainty.
Because our main business is sense gratification. So we cannot enjoy all these senses fully in one kind of body. There is some defect. Just like we are trying to gratify our senses by flying to another planet, moon planet. This is another sense gratification. We are meant for this planet. We are bound up by conditions. Artificially we are trying to go there. And making plans, so many plans: "There will be intermediate station, and the petrol will be carried from here," and this and that. So many things. Simply spending money. Just like childish. The child, they spoil their time and energy in certain playing. Similarly, this is going on. Because it is a sense gratification. That's all. Simply mere sense gratification: "Let us go, how it is, moon planet." You have no business there. You cannot do there anything. You cannot live there, but still, "Let us go, let us go. And spend all the money, taxpayers' money, spend like water." This is going on.
Pradyumna: "He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet. He also wanted to perform other acts against the established rule of the Lord. He even challenged the authority of Śrī Rāma, the Personality of Godhead, and kidnapped His wife, Sītā. Of course, Lord Rāma came to chastise the atheists, answering the prayer and desire of the demigods. He therefore took up the challenge of Rāvaṇa, and the complete activity is the subject matter of the Rāmāyaṇa. Because Lord Rāmacandra was the Personality of Godhead, He exhibited superhuman activities which no human being, including the materially advanced Rāvaṇa, could perform. Lord Rāmacandra prepared a royal road on the Indian ocean with stones that floated on the water. The modern scientists have done research in the area of weightlessness, but it is not possible to bring in weightlessness anywhere and everywhere. But because weightlessness is the creation of the Lord by which He can make the gigantic planets fly and float in the air, He made the stones even within this earth to be weightless, and prepared a stone bridge on the sea without any supporting pillar. That is the display of the power of God."
Prabhupāda: So incarnation, in the śāstras... Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, some of the incarnations are described. But all incarnations are described in the śāstra. We should not be blind to accept any rascal and rogue as incarnation of God. Incarnation of God is not so cheap. That we should understand.
"The more I earn, I will be able to enjoy more." But when this impression is given that "More we earn, it will be taken by government, and I will not be able to enjoy it," naturally he will not work.
So there are so many difficulties. But these difficulties will increase. It will not decrease. They are making so many plans to minimize the difficulties. But actually, because they are fools and rogues, they cannot make anything improvement. They have become involved in more difficulties. That Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. We do not consult the śāstra or the unmistakable way of improvement. We manufacture our own concoction. And therefore we are becoming more and more entangled. We do not take right direction. That is our folly in this age. We do not accept authority.
They never never recognized, recognized. Because what they have got to do with these political affairs? Just like... They know, this is the business of the crows. The crows will take interest in such meeting. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). What these politicians will do? They'll simply make plan. That's all. Hitler will make one plan, Mussolini will make one plan, Churchill will make another plan. Your Roosevelt will make another plan, Gandhi will make another. Simply planmaking business. They will never be able to bring any peace and prosperity in the world. That is not possible. Because it is under the grip of māyā. They do not know. The peace and prosperity means surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then you become out of the clutches of māyā. That secret they do not know. They're simply making plans. That's all. So planmaking, will always be frustrated. So simply agitation; it has no meaning.
Then what to speak of the karmīs? Their whole life is abhadra. Abhadra means abominable. Just like when earning money, I want to earn, say, millions of dollars. So I have to make plan. I have to go to black market, this and that, so many things. Then if I earn money, then how to invest it to make it double? Then how to keep it? Which bank I shall keep it so that my money will be safe? How I shall distribute it? So abhadra. Abhadra means the whole procedure is simply abominable, beginning to the end. (break) ...karmīs, simply full of anxiety: "How to earn money? How to distribute it? How to keep it? How to spend it? How to utilize it?" Therefore, it is advised that saintly persons, they should avoid money. As soon as... Money is great māyā. As soon it comes in my possession, then the same thing will come: "How to utilize it? How to do this? How to do that? How to do that?"
There are three divisions of our activities. Generally we say karmīs, ordinary men, who are working hard to earn some money and enjoy. Actually, they are not karmīs. They are vikarmīs. Real karmīs... Just like a thief. A thief is stealing. That is also certain kind of activity. It is not inactivity. So we cannot say that this is bona fide activity. He's also planning. He's also making plan, how to steal, how to go upstairs of the house and then come down. So there is activity. But such kind of activity is not bona fide activity. Therefore, according to śāstra, it is called vikarma. Vikarma means it is counteractivity. Activity means you have to work legally. That is activity. If you say that "I am very much active in stealing," then that is not excused. Then you'll... Government will say, "Please stop your activity. You come into the prison." Yes.
So anyone who has got this desire that "I shall enjoy in this material world," he's a sinful man. That is sinful. Because suppose something your, something belongs to you, and if I desire, "How I shall take this, possession of this thing?" is not that criminal? Something belongs to somebody, and if you make a plan to possess that thing, is it not criminal? So actually, Kṛṣṇa is the bhoktā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor, sarva-loka. Not a single plot of land belongs to you. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Actually Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, He is the enjoyer of everything. Then why I shall desire to enjoy and own the property? This is criminal. This is criminal. That may be in small portion. That is going on. The ant is also struggling for existence to possess a grain of sugar, and somebody is trying to possess some state, and somebody is trying to possess the whole universe. But the status of mentality is the same.
We are trying to adjust things according to the dictation of māyā, that we shall be able to stop our struggle for existence in this way and that way. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If you make some plan... You can make plan, but that plan will never be successful. This is the... By false understanding we may make hundreds and thousands of plan to be happy in this material world. That is not possible. This is therefore called sammohito, bewildered. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. Ātmānam, himself, he is thinking that he is a material product. Tri-guṇa. Sattva, rajas, tamo-guṇa. Somebody is thinking, "I am very good man. I am very honest man. I am very qualified man." That is also false identification. And somebody is thinking, "I can do this. I can do that. I am so powerful. Who is equal to me?" Passion. That is also māyā's dictation. And somebody is lazy, sleeping, does not understand anything—tamo-guṇa. That is also tri-guṇātmakam, within this tri-dhāma.
The gain is great. Simply if you think of Kṛṣṇa: man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Where is the difficulty?
But we are so rascal that we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, we manufacture our own ways, the suffering goes on. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is māyā. He's thinking that he'll make his own plan and be happy. That will never be possible. The only plan you have to accept—what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That is the only plan. You have to get yourself relieved from all other engagements. Simply engage yourself... Not immediately. First of all, you must ready: "Kṛṣṇa, from this day, I am now ready. Whatever You'll say, I'll do." That's... Immediately you become liberated. Liberated. How liberated? Liberation is achieved after so many years tapasya? No. Immediately. As soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
So it is the duty of the representative of Kṛṣṇa to reform these condemned persons to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is their duty. Kṛṣṇa wants that "These rascals, these condemned persons, who are suffering in this material world, and they cannot understand that 'We are suffering...' They are making plan. No plan will be successful." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You can make your plan, but it will never be successful. The only plan will be successful. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). That is the only plan. There is no other plan. But these rascals, they are being put into severe penalties. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). More and mo... The more they are forgetting God, they are put in, they are put into more and more miserable condition. Practically we see, with the advancement Kali-yuga, people are forgetting his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and the price of commodity and the food grains, the price is increasing. They cannot eat sufficiently. So many people are dying of starvation. If they cannot eat, how they will live?
Who will say? This is practical. So they do not... Just like we see here that, that they do not grow food grains. They are growing jute because they will get some money, more money. But the rascal does not know that "I will get more money, and it will be taken away next by the food grain seller." So similarly, we are interested in industry, in plan-making, this, that, so many things. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You open slaughterhouse and industries and brothels and cinema." No. Kṛṣṇa does not say. Kṛṣṇa says, "Grow more food, rascal! You'll eat and become strong." And nobody is obeying Kṛṣṇa. Is it not? Practically try to understand Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Not by sentiment. And preach this philosophy all over the world.
You may be very expert swimmer, but that does not mean that you are happy. You can go on struggling, swimming, very expert swimming, but that does not mean happiness. Similarly, here, in the ocean of nescience, all these rascals are swimming. They are making plans to become happy, but they are not happy. That's a fact. They can try to become happy. That is natural. Everyone unhappy, he wants to become happy. That is called struggle for existence. But they do not know except this. The Darwin's theory, because he's a rascal, he thinks that the struggle is the only business. His only observation is that the struggle is the only business: "Survival of the fittest." But he does not know how to become fit. He does not know. That is mentioned here, apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). That is fitness, no more struggling, struggling stopped. So that process is not known.
Of course he did not like to kill him, but the firing was there. So just see. For sense gratification the thief taking the risk of his life... The working... Not only working hard. Those who are not thief, they are working very hard to get some money, honestly or dishonestly, and those who are not very honest, to steal they make so many plans, so many devices to steal at the risk of life.
So the life in this material world is not very easy-going. Therefore this very word is used, bhave 'smin, bhave 'smin kliśyamānānām. Everyone is working very, very hard. But they do not know what is the aim. Why they are working so hard, that they do not know. Generally, as I have already explained, that a man works very hard to get some money, some good bank balance, so that in old age he can live very peacefully, without any disturbance.
So durāśayā ye... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Then why people are leading in that way, the so many political leaders, social leaders? Nobody speaks of Kṛṣṇa. They are simply making plan... This party, the Communist Party, is making one plan. The other party is making plan; another party... But the world is suffering. So therefore they have been described in the śāstra: andha. Andha means blind, rascal They do not know. Actually they have no knowledge that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness the human society can be happy. That is not possible. They do not know this. But by Kṛṣṇa's grace, by our guru-paramparā's grace, we understand, we people who are conducting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, nobody will be happy. Therefore our struggle is different.
I have told you many times, that Professor Kotovsky in Russia, he said, "Swamiji, after this body's finished, everything's finished." Just see. He's a big professor. He's saying like that. Our scientists also... They have no knowledge. Still they're passing as scientists, philosophers, and misleading persons. This is our greatest grief. Therefore I am requesting you all: just make a plan to face these rascals and defeat them. They are misleading the whole human society. Now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should take this turn. They may not think that these boys and girls, so-called Kṛṣṇas, they are sentimentalists, chanting and dancing. That is, of course, the ultimate goal. But they do not understand. They think that we are simply sentimental. We are the greatest scientist. We are the greatest philosopher. We are the greatest humanitarian. They should know that. (aside:) Who is standing there? Hmmm.
So Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa has got two businesses, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Two business.
We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So our only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then it is perfect life. That we have forgotten. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes and says, "You rascal, you fool, you just surrender unto Me. You'll be happy. Why you are planning so many things, rascal planning? That will not make you happy." Sarva-dharmān pari... "You have planned so many rascaldom. You give up all this. Simply make, take this planning: surrender unto Me." Śaraṇāgati. Śaraṇāgati. That is the beginning of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpa.
So the political head, executive head, of course, he should be intelligent to understand diplomacy and politics, but his only business is to see how people in general are in happiness. That is his business. Nowadays political parties, they are simply engaged how to keep up their position. All the political parties—I have seen personally—simply they are making plan how to keep their position in the government so they may not be dethroned, other party may not come. The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?" That is the duty of the government first. But nobody is caring. Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.
So therefore if anyone becomes interested, he's very intelligent. He's intelligent because he wants to stop this repetition of birth and death. This is the problem. This problem, the so-called scientists, philosophers, educationists, politician, they have set aside this question. The real problem is to solve the question of birth and death. They do not touch it. They are making plan for economic development and other things. Economic development... Suppose you become rich man for twenty years or fifty years, utmost, at the present moment. Then you become a cat and dog in next life. Then what is your economic development? But they do not know that there is life after death. We have to prepare for the next life. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Then according to my karma, by superior inspection, I'll get next birth. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is plainly spoken: janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, "Simply try to understand My janma. I take birth." Ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā. He's aja. Every one of us aja. Na jāyate na mriyate. We don't take birth, don't die, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa must be aja.
Still, he is thinking, "I am obliged to this washerman. Because he is supplying me grass, therefore I must have three tons of cloth on my back." This is ass. This is ass. He has no interest. Not a single cloth belongs to him, and he is carrying, oh, three tons of cloth. Therefore the ass. Ass means one who does not do know his interest, and he works unnecessarily and wastes his time.
So everyone in this material world, he does not know what is the aim of life. Unnecessarily he is making plan, this plan, that plan, this plan, that plan. And all plan is being frustrated by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Every plan will fail. And those who are plan-making persons, they are all rascals. They do not know that what kind of plan should be made. The plan should be made that everyone should be God conscious. Then every plan will be successful. Otherwise all, everything will fail.
Actually, I am spirit soul. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Just like I am developing my ideas, youthful ideas. I am getting youthful body. I am developing childish ideas, getting childhood body. So as you develop, Kṛṣṇa, or God, has given you full freedom. You have come to this material world to enjoy. Now you make your plan of your enjoyment. God will give you a particular type of body and you enjoy. Just like the hog, he is enjoying. He is enjoying. What he is enjoying? Enjoying stool. It is very good for him enjoyment. But it is not for enjoyment for you. You'll..., that, "Oh, what a nasty animal it is. It is eating stool." But he is enjoying.
So this is the business of God, thankless task. Everyone wants to enjoy life in a different way, and he has to find out a particular type of body. In the human form of body you cannot eat stool. Your mouth, your hands, your legs are differently made.
And they will give up their homely life and will go to the forest, to the hills. Just like every year you hear. Now it is going on. Just like in Vietnam. The poor people, they are sometimes evacuating this place and evacuating... vacating this place, vacating that place. They are troubled. The politicians, they are making their own plan, and the poor people ... We have seen. When partition was made in India, all poor Hindus and Muslims, they were in trouble. And the leaders, they were in happy mood in their apartment, ordering and eating very nicely, butter and bread. That's all. This is going on. Therefore the only opportunity of becoming happy is that you preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement amongst the people, so if the people become educated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if they decide that "We shall vote for Kṛṣṇa conscious leader," then there will be happiness.
Prabhupāda: That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Neither do they know what is living entity, what are the senses, what is the goal of life. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are simply making plans for driving car and flyways and so on. Plan is going on, one after another, one after another. But the problems are increasing. Therefore, Parīkṣit Mahārāja's example is very nice. As soon as he understood from his spiritual master that "Kṛṣṇa is the goal of life" and he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he immediately, oh, the mamatāṁ jahau, virūḍhāṁ mamatāṁ jahau. This is required. Read the purport.
Pradyumna: "To become liberated means to become free from dehātma-buddhi, the illusory attachment for personal bodily coverings and everything connected with the body, namely wife, children, and all other entanglements. One selects a wife for bodily comforts, and the result is children. For wife and children one requires a dwelling place, and as such a residential house is also necessary.
That we do not understand. But we are placed in a miserable condition all round. That is material life. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). But we have got attachment for this material happiness, even it is duḥkhālayam, it is very much painful, miserable, and we are making plans how to become happy here. This is called struggle for existence. It is going on perpetually. We are making some plan to be happy, and it is dismantled by the laws of nature. You study the whole history of the world: it is simply struggling. We are making some plan to be out of miserable condition, but it is causing another miserable condition. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is māyā. We are simply planning to overcome some problem, some difficulties, but it is becoming more difficult. This is the fact.
That is called mukti. Renounce this material association and come to the spiritual platform. Because we are spirit soul, our real place is spiritual platform. Our activities should be on the spiritual platform. Then we will be happy. The same example, as I have given many times, that we are animals of the land, so if we are put into the water, then however expert swimmer I may be or you may be, it is simply struggle for existence. There cannot be any happiness in the water. But if you are taken out of the water and put again into the land, then you get relief. So that is the position. We have come to this material world for sense gratification. The more expertly we make plan for our sense gratification, it will never be successful. So we have to come out of these material activities and act on the platform of spiritual life. That will make us.
Therefore it is said, etāvān eva loka 'smin puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasa udayaḥ. Udayaḥ means rising. Just like sūryodayaḥ. In the darkness... At night, we are in the darkness. In the morning there will be sūryodayaḥ, and then there will be light.
That is the difficulty. But actually it is the process of awakening: "Get up, get up, get up, get up." Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. If we hear this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then the mistaken ideas... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) cleansing the mirror of the heart.
Everything, whatever we are thinking, doing, imagining, making plan, etcetera, the heart is so nice, it keeps a stock, photographic stock. Sometimes we have got experience: all of a sudden a thought comes which has no connection with my present activities. Still, all of a sudden comes. 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.
That is not possible. Anyway, these are the field of activities of the karmīs, those who want to become happy by their active execution. "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this way, and make my plan like that." These are karmīs. They are making simply plans to become happy, but they forget that this is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This material world is the place for suffering. They forget that. The scientists, the physists, they are all trying to make this life very comfortable. They are called durāśayā. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum... (SB 7.5.31). What is that? Durāśayā. They are thinking that "By material adjustment, we can be happy." Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. These karmīs, they have got a hope which will never be fulfilled. That is called durāśā. Āśā means hope, and durāśā means which will never be successful.
Śānta means sober, serene. Persons who are in the modes of goodness, for them, this material world is manifest in the matter of its constituency. And those who are in modes of goodness, they can see things as they are. And the ghora, those who are in the modes of passion, they are unnecessarily going on, making plan and full of activities without any aim of life. And mūḍhatvam, that is like animal, do not know what is the aim of life, what for he is working, what is the value of life, nothing of the sort.
So this false ego, "I am this material body. I belong to this material world, I belong to this community, sect, or nation," so many, they are all based on ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). Actually, every one of us who are in this material world, they are, we are all under the full control of this illusory energy and working differently according to the influence of the different modes of material nature. I am not real kartā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27).
Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am simply anxious, perplexed only for these persons who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I am thinking of them." This man is mahātmā. He is thinking of all living entities who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and making plan how to again take them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Because this is the cause of all unhappiness, they are suffering, and they are making plan. Māyā-sukhāya. Māyā-sukhāya means the happiness which has no standing, false, illusory. For this purpose, bharam udvahato vimūḍhān, big, big adventure, big, big things, they are contemplating, planning. That is called ghora, ghora-rūpa. Here it is called ghora. Śānta-ghora. If you go to some industrial place in a factory, iron factory like Tata's, you will see how they are engaged in ghora activities, horrible activities—after all, you have to eat something—but they have planned a ghora activity, very fierceful, ugra-karma. By nature's way, Kṛṣṇa has given us everything. You can simply work little. You get food grains. Kṛṣṇa says like 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.
You cannot stop desire. That is not possible. The kāma-sambhavaḥ... Saṅkalpa-vikalpābhyāṁ vartate kāma-sambhavaḥ. This is the mind's position. I am desiring something, and if it is not very palatable, then I reject it. I accept another desire. This is. You cannot keep the mind vacant even for a single moment. Nobody has got this experience, that mind is vacant. If, by force, you are trying to do that, it is simply laboring. It is not possible. Just like to concentrate one's mind in the vacant... Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Kleśaḥ, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām. Impersonal and void. If you want to engage your mind in the impersonality or voidness of variegatedness, it is simply very, very difficult.
Impersonal and void. If you want to engage your mind in the impersonality or voidness of variegatedness, it is simply very, very difficult. The best, easy way of controlling the mind... Because Kṛṣṇa has said that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47), antar-ātmanā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām. This is the way. Anyone who is making plan, the plan-making... Kāma-sambhavaḥ means plan-making. You see the whole world, the big, big politicians. In our government, central government, there is a planning commission. Perhaps every one of you know it, planning commission. From, for the last twenty years they are making simply plans, and no plan has become successful. Every plan (chuckling) is unsuccessful, and the result is eight rupees kilo rice, your staple food. The plan has come successfully to bring rice eight rupees per kilo. That is not possible. So long the, you are materially affected and making plan how to get out of it, the material nature is so strong that it will baffle all your plans, and therefore you will have to remain perpetually restless.
One plan you make, and it is baffled by the material nature, stringent laws of nature. And at last, making plan, making plan, making plan—one day the time comes and immediately orders, "Please vacate your presidency, your prime ministership." Although I am trying to make plan, successful plans, up to the point of death... Pralayānta, pralayānta, asuric plan, up to the end of life... And then he entrusts. He says, "My dear son, my dear daughter, I could not fulfill this plan, so you do it. Now I hand it over to you." And the son also going on, making plan, plan, plan. It will never be fulfilled.
That is the verdict of the śāstra. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Durāśayā. It is impossible. Therefore this saṅkalpa-vikalpa, accepting some plan and rejecting again, this is going on perpetually. It is never fulfilled; neither it will be fulfilled at any time. And for making this plan, saṅkalpa-vikalpa, perpetually I am giving up one kind of body; I am accepting another body. I am giving up the residence of one planet. I am going to the heavenly planet:
- ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā
- madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ
- jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā
- adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ
- (BG 14.18)
Plan in the modes of goodness and passion, in ignorance. So different plans, different kinds of body, different residential quarter in different planets, different... You see? We have got experience even in Bombay. If one body is living here in Bombay for fifty years, how many plans he has had made and how many apartments he has changed and still, the plan-making business is going on. Everyone has got this experience. It is not very difficult.
So as it is going on in this life, in this span of life, similarly, it is going on life after life, this plan-making business. So the intelligent persons, they should understand that how to stop this unlimited plan-making business. Still there is no solution. That is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is life, athāto brahma-jijñāsā, when one is inquisitive to know the broader plan, Brahman plan. Brahman means the biggest, bṛhatva, the biggest. The biggest plan, if anyone wants to understand, becomes inquisitive, then his life, real life, begins. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So wherefrom brahma-jijñāsā? Brahma-jijñāsā... This ordinary jijñāsā, inquiry, "What is the price of rice today?" or "What is the situation of strike? What is the situation of this, that?" that you can ask from the newspaper or from anyone, friend. But so far brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry of Brahman, then where shall you inquire? Will you go to the exchange market or in the other market? No. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Sa gurum evābhigacchet. That is the injunction of the Vedas, that you must find out guru. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Guru means brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham. That is the guru's qualification. And śrotriyam, one who has heard from the disciplic succession, he is guru, not anyone, magician, no. Guru, as Kṛṣṇa said...
Where is that scientist who are trying to solve this problem?
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."
He knows past, present and future. So it is not that because there is overpopulation there is scarcity of food. No. That is not the cause. The cause is that as soon as people will become godless, the supply will be stopped. That time is coming. That time is coming. It is predicted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that anāvṛṣṭi and kara-pīḍitāḥ. People gradually being godless, they will be suffering from these three principles. There will be no more rainfall. Therefore last time when I was in Europe—I do not know what has happened now—there was scarcity of rain, and England was making plan to import water. So this is scientist's program. There is enough water in the sea, but they cannot use it. So that is hand of God. Unless God helps, Kṛṣṇa helps, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram... (BG 9.10). The vast ocean, although the water is there, you cannot use one drop. You are so controlled.
What is that sound? Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This daytime, or nighttime, we work so hard, but what is the aim. Aim is to satisfy senses. Ask these people all over the world, especially in the western country. They are making so many plans. Yesterday, when we were coming by the plane, the whole two hours one man was working, making some calculation. So everybody is busy, very, very busy, but if you ask him, "Why you are working so hard? What is the aim?" The aim, he has nothing to say except sense gratification, that's all. He has no more aim. He may think that "I have got a big family, I have to maintain them," or "I have got so much responsibility." But what is that? That is simply sense gratification. Even we manufacture so many "isms", philanthropism, humanitarianism, nationalism, socialism, so many. But what are these "isms"? That is also sense gratification. I satisfy my senses. I want to see that the senses of my brothers, senses of my sisters, senses of my friends, or senses of my society people, or my nation, countrymen, they are satisfied. The business is sense gratification. Just like in our country we got Mahātmā Gandhi. So he started, he is supposed to be father of the nation. There are many leaders in different countries.
That he says: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kāmān means the necessities of life. You can get your necessities of life very easily. By tilling the field, you get grains. And if there is cow, you get milk. That's all. That is sufficient. But the leaders are making plan, that if they are satisfied with their farming work, little grains and milk, then who will work in the factory? Therefore they are taxing so that you cannot live even simple life—this is the position—even if you desire. The modern leaders will not allow you. They force you to work like dogs and hogs and asses. This is the position.
But still, we have to refrain from such unnecessary hard labor. It may be that government may take action against me because I'm speaking something revolutionary. Yes. But that is the fact. Why you should work?
Just like Kamsa. He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa: "Whether Kṛṣṇa is born? I have to kill Him. Whether this or that..." He was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. But pratikūlyena, not ānukūlyena. One Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always making plan how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another Kṛṣṇa cons..., how to kill Kṛṣṇa.
So that to... Kṛṣṇa consciousness to kill Kṛṣṇa, that is not bhakti. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to spread Kṛṣṇa's glories all over the world, how to make the people Kṛṣṇa conscious, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is ānukūla. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇa..., cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge, that is required. And when one is fully situated in that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean "Now I've got two hands; I will have four hands," like that. No. Mukti means change of consciousness. At this time, the present moment, every one of us, we are thinking that "I am this body. This family is my kinsmen," yasyātma buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke svā-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). "This is my country.
Tattva-jijñāsa. Brahma-jijñāsa. This is life. Otherwise abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ.
So this abodha-jātaḥ, this rascal civilization, whatever they are planning, whatever they are doing, that is simply defeat. He does not know what is the aim of life. They are being defeated. So this time, this life I have become prime minister, making so many plans and so many things and so many things. Next life I become a dog. That you cannot check. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). The God's law or nature's law, will not take account of your premiership, prime ministership. What you are actually—that is nature's law. Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart. Outwardly you become a very big man—minister, president and so on—and God is seeing within what you are. Within. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Within you are a dog, and outside if you are a president, that will not help you. That will not help you. Abodha-jātaḥ. Therefore whatever plan they are making, that's all defeat. Plan-making is already there. Kṛṣṇa has given plan gradually. The last plan is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real plan. This is Kṛṣṇa has given so many plans: karma-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, this yogi, that.
Similarly, if we serve Kṛṣṇa, if we abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, and satisfy Him, as He says, Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that is the perfection of life. If we work otherwise, forgetting Kṛṣṇa... Here it is said, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. If we forget Kṛṣṇa, if we make our own plan to satisfy myself, community, society, nation, this is forgetfulness and the result will be, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. You get simply trouble. That is being done, actually. The whole world is forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa, forgetfulness, and they are making so many plans to become happy but the result is vindati tāpān, simply suffering, simply suffering. It will never be successful.
The same example, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14), the process is that you have to pour water at the root of the tree, then the tree will luxuriantly grow. But if you do not know the process, if you begin watering leaf to leaf, branch to branch, twig to twig, it will be simply waste of time.
So the aim of life is how to stop this suffering. The guru or the government should rule over the dependents with this point, with this aim in view. Mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ. These two things required: how to get the pleasure or the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to go back home, back to Godhead. This is the aim, not that we are making plan to be happy. Unless we go back home, back to Godhead, there is no question of peace or happiness. This place... We are trying to be happy within this material world by material adjustment. That is not possible. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino 'rjuna. These things they do not... They say it is brainwash, brainwash. We are enforcing something by controlling the mind, some ideas, "There is God, and we have to go to back home, back to Godhead." They are accusing us of brainwash, "mental control." But this is the fact.
So itthaṁ vimanyur anuśiṣyād ataj-jñān. But they are foolish. Ataj-jñān. There is no knowledge. So simply see. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān. They have natural tendency to work and get the benefit and make a plan, "How I shall become very rich man. How I shall own so many houses and so many properties, so many lands, so many, and..." Therefore why these people are so busy? Karma-mūḍhān, day and night. Ataj-jñān. They do not know that such persons cannot improve their economic position simply by working hard. That is not possible. Then everyone would have been rich man. In big, big cities like Calcutta, Bombay, London, New York, everyone is working very hard. Not that in big cities one can get their food easily. No. Everyone has to work. And everyone is working hard. Do you think that everyone is on the same level of position? No. That is not possible. Destiny. Destiny. One man is working hard day and night, twenty-four hours; simply he is getting two capātīs, that's all. We have seen in Bombay.
And if she is disobedient, then I shall kick her like this." So when he kicked, he kicked the pots and all the pots broke. (laughter) So then his dream is gone. You see? Similarly, we are simply dreaming. With few pots we are simply dreaming that "These pots will be increased into so many pots, so many pots, so many pots," then finished. Don't make imagination, make plan. That is... The guru, the spiritual master and the government should be careful that "These rascals may not make plan. This rascal may not make plan to be happy." Na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān. This is karma-jagat, this world. This material world is that. They are already inclined, so what is the use? Loke vyayāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityāstu jantuḥ. Just like sex life. Sex life is natural. It does not require any university education how to enjoy sex. They will enjoy it. Nobody... "Nobody is taught how to cry or how to laugh or how to enjoy sex life." There is a Bengali saying. That is natural. You don't require any education for this karma. Now they are making big, big plans to educate people how to work hard. This is waste of time. Educational institution should be for teaching people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not to become this or that. That is waste of time, because that program will never be successful. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. The nature's law is working Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Whatever...
You are not meant for birth and death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. You are not meant for that. Then you are undergoing birth and death and do not know what kind of life you are going to get next life. You have no information. Today you may be very big man and tomorrow you may be a dog. These things going on. They do not know. They simply working hard, making plan to be happy. That is not possible. Therefore it is forbidden. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān. Engage them how to acquire Kṛṣṇa's favor. Kṛṣṇa's favor, mad-anugrahārthaḥ. Teach them like that, how. So Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased if you simply... Kṛṣṇa says... Here it is said that mal-loka-kāmaḥ. How one can go to Kṛṣṇaloka or Vaikuṇṭhaloka? Very easy. Very easy. Kṛṣṇa personally says. It is not our manufactured word. Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Do these four things: "Always think of Me." That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Manmanā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ:
Why do they not accept this proposal of Kṛṣṇa? It is not our manufacture. We are not washing brain. It is Kṛṣṇa's word, that simply by doing four things, manmanā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68), without any doubt. That is required. Kṛṣṇa will be pleased.
So don't waste your time making material plan, big, big plan. "Big, big monkey, big, big belly, Ceylon jumping, melancholy." One European gentleman, he translated this Bengali proverb. Baro baro badare, baro baro pet, lanka dingake mata kare het.(?) There are many monkeys. The one monkey, he jumped over the Indian Ocean, went to the other side. So there were other monkeys also. They were asked, "Can you do it?" And mata kare het:(?) "He simply bowed down." So this plan is meant for how to, by chanting "Jaya Rāma," I'll jump over the other part of the material world. That is required. Not to work hard to improve your material condition. That will never be possible. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). You cannot get happiness within this material world. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upary adhaḥ means, upari, in the higher planetary system, and down, lower planetary system. We are wandering like this, sometimes in the Svargaloka, sometimes in the Patalaloka, sometimes in naraka, sometimes in heaven.
Wherever he is standing, he will move his arm, everything. But people know that "Here is a monkey." He may appear to be very busy, but people will immediately take a stick: "Go away! Go away! Go away!"
So our business is like that. We are making big, big plans to be happy like the monkeys. Therefore here it is said that arthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ. So it is the duty of everyone to do something for his welfare. But here the beginning is lokaḥ svayaṁ śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ: "These rascals, they are blind to their real interest." Śreyas means real interest, and preyas means immediate profit. So nikāma-kāmaḥ, sense gratification, is very nice immediately. "I enjoy sex life. This is very nice. Why shall I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Let me enjoy sex." Śreyasi. And preyasi: "This is pleasure." And it is not pleasure; therefore naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He does not know that this sense pleasure is not his actual pleasure. It is creating different types of miserable conditions. Naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He has no eyes. Arthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ.
They were in Vṛndāvana, but they were always thinking how to do good to the people, to this material world. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa. Sādhu's concern is to think of the misled materialistic persons. They are always thinking, making plan how to elevate them, they are suffering. This is sādhu. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, sādhu, not that "I have changed my dress in such a way, and people out of sentiment will give me roti, and I shall eat and sleep." That is not sādhu. Sādhu... Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, says who is sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). That is sādhu. Who has fully dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa, he is sādhu. Even he has got some bad habits... Bad habits? A sādhu cannot have bad habits because if one is sādhu, if in the beginning he has got some bad habit, that will be rectified. Śaṣvad bhavati dharmātmā. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. If he's actually sādhu, his bad habits will be rectified very soon, very soon, not that he's continuing his bad habits and also a sādhu. That cannot be. That is not sādhu.
Very severe punishment they are undergoing. People cannot see. They have no eyes to see, you see? They suffer in great calamities, and still they cannot see that "I am suffering." Just like when you pass through the streets of Australia, we go daily, morning walk, big, big skyscraper buildings have been constructed, and people are making plans, designs, working very, very hard, lifting so many heavy things. These are very heavy tasks, but they are thinking, "It is very happiness." (laughter) They are thinking, "We are making progress, we are making progress. We are bringing stones and irons on head and putting together, and it is progress. We are very happy." (laughter) This is going on. This is called varāta māninaḥ(?). They are enamored by the external energy of the Personality of Godhead. These material things are products of the external energy of the Lord. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Bhūmi, the earth, the iron, stone, wood, they are nothing but transformations of earth. Similarly, apo, water.
So simply, somehow or other, let them bow down before Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Very simple method. As soon as you bow down before Kṛṣṇa with faith: "My Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I was forgetful of Yourself so long, so many lives. Now I have come to consciousness. Please accept me." That's all. If people simply learn this technique and sincerely surrenders himself to the Lord, his path is immediately open.
So these are the Vaiṣṇava philosophical thought, how they are thinking for the conditioned souls, fallen souls, how they can be delivered. They are making plan in that way. They are, they always they busy in that business, how to deliver. Just like Gosvāmīs, about the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, Lord Caitanya's direct disciples, what was their business?
"Yes, I have already described the different types of hellish condition, and there are very severe, painful life. But one has to counteract it—how? They are... These kinds of sinful activities are committed in various ways." He says that kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. We can commit sinful activities by mind. If I think of something, committing, "I shall kill that man," if I make plan... So even if do not kill that man, simply because I am thinking of killing that man, that is also sinful. Ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Thinking, mind... Thinking, feeling, willing—then there is action. So here it is said, mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Just like the, the other day I was reading in some book that if you are passing on road, if other's dog barks, then that is an, that is an offense on the part of the dog-owner, according to law. So why one should be scared by dog barking? One should take care of the dog. I have read it. This is a law in your country. So it is simply barking, but it is sinful. It is sinful not because he... It is animal, but the owner of the animal, who has made the dog as a best friend, he's responsible by law. (laughter) He's responsible. That is your law in the country I am speaking.
That's all. If you want to be cheated, then do whatever you like and prolong your this term of repetition of birth and death. And if you want to stop it, then here, the tapasā brahmacaryeṇa ṣamena ca damena ca tyāgena (SB 6.1.13). Tyāgena. This is also one of the tapasya. Don't keep with you anything, even... Then you will make plan: "Let me have illicit sex. Let me have intoxication." As soon as you have got money. Best thing is, as soon as you get money, immediately you spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Tyāgena, charity. Charity. Tyāgena means charity. Not that you starve. No. That kind of starvation... You keep yourself fit to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but don't keep much money. Immediately give in charity to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can take your charity as much as you can give.
Some way or other born in... You are American. Accidentally somebody takes birth in the Hindu family; he becomes Hindu. Accidentally he takes birth in the Christian family; he becomes Christian. These are all designation. So when we give up this designation, that is desirelessness. Designation. Everyone is acting. They are fighting. They are making so many plans. Why? "We are Indian" or "We are American," "We are Russian, and the Russian must exceed the Americans," "Americans must exceed..." This is going on on the platform of designation. When we change the platform and we simply desire how to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is desirelessness. Otherwise not that desirelessness means I become zero. That is not possible. Because I am a living being, I am living soul. How can I be desire... (break) ...want to be designationless, then come to the association of such persons who are suśīlāḥ sādhava yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ, persons who are simply interested in serving Nārāyaṇa.
Please give me Kṛṣṇa as my husband." Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, so Kṛṣṇa fulfilled their desire, and that is vastrāṇām. Of course, these things are not to be publicly discussed, but still you are little interested in Kṛṣṇa. So all the gopīs, girls, before their marriage, they prayed to Kātyāyanī that "You give me Kṛṣṇa as my husband." So Kṛṣṇa..., it is not possible socially, but Kṛṣṇa makes such a plan that He accepted every one of them as His wife. That is vastrana-līlā. Vastrana-līlā, the girls were taking bath in the Yamunā, keeping their clothing, garments, on the shore. Still in India, especially in Punjab, the practice is that where the women take bath, strictly no man can go there because they put their clothings on the shore and they dip into the water naked. So this was being done, and Kṛṣṇa took their clothings and got up on the tree. So they begged Kṛṣṇa, their friend, "Kṛṣṇa, this is very bad. Why You have taken away our..." "No, you beg the clothes with folded hands, then I shall give you." (laughter) So you have read this story, you do not require, but the idea is that "You wanted Me, all of you, as your husband. Now I'm fulfilling your desire. I'm seeing you naked." Because a woman can be naked only before the husband. No one else. This is chastity. A woman cannot be naked anywhere, just like in the club, naked dance. This is most abominable. Woman can be naked only before the husband. (break)
We different living entities, we are planning differently. Just like children. Somebody is playing with the motorcar toy, somebody is something, somebody is..., a doll, and the parents are supplying, "All right, you take this doll. You take this. You take this. You take this." So we are playing like that, making plan. So God is supplying all the... But He wants that "My dear child, you are now grown up. You have got this human form of body. You don't play like this and waste your time. You take education and know things as they are." That is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra: "Now you have got human form of life. You try to understand what is God." That is the main business. Unfortunately, we are misled by blind leaders. We have been engaged in studying the body, that's all.
So here it is said, niśamya mriyamāṇasya mukhato hari-kīrtanam. So God very much appreciates when we use our tongue and mouth in glorifying or chanting the holy name. He very much appreciates. Because the name of God and God is not different, so immediately he becomes in touch with God. As soon you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately we are in touch. So He very much appreciated. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17).
At heart, dirty things are so much hugely accumulated by millions of years' contamination of this material world. It is very difficult to get out of this roguism. And to become a Vaiṣṇava, he has to become a brāhmaṇa. And brāhmaṇa means... One of the qualification, brāhmaṇa, is, ṣaḍ-laksa (?), ārjava, simplicity. The rogues cannot be simple. Always intriguing, making plan, plotting—these are roguisms. But a Vaiṣṇava requires very simple life. Satya-śama-dama-titikṣa-ārjava (BG 18.42). (someone sneezing) Ārjavam means simplicity. (aside:) He is very forward, without any covering. Now he is sneezing.
Nature's law is so subtle. Uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Bhāgavata says, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Just like a man is tied up tightly, hands and legs, by the laws of nature we are tied up in that way. Every part of our body is being controlled by some controller. We cannot violate a very insignificant portion of nature's law. Kṛṣṇa is perfect.
His real business is he should know, one should know, that "I am eternal. I have taken this temporary body and subjected to the laws of nature, birth, death and old age. So my real problem is how to become again eternal, not accepting any more birth, death, old age. That is my real business." But because I am infected with the material modes of nature, we are making different plans. Everyone is busy. Everyone is busy in different plans, forgetting his real business. This is called māyā. Māyā means..., ma means not; ya means this. Therefore māyā means when you understand, "This is not my business," then you are out of māyā. "This is not," mā-yā.
So here the Yamadūtas are analyzing whether Ajāmila is pious or impious. The Viṣṇudūtas asked them to explain what is dharma and what is adharma. "You have come here to arrest this person, to take away with to the yama... So you are servant of Dharmarāja. Now explain what is dharma and adharma." Dharma means which will bring me again to my original, constitutional position, and adharma means which will take me down and down from my original, constitutional position.
So this is due to our sinful life. Nature is punishing. Adhidaivika. You cannot control. Nature will punish. Why nature is punishing? Because we are godless. That is nature's business. The more we become godless, the more we'll be punished by the laws of nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surpass. You make many scientific plans to overcome—it is not possible. Then how it is possible? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa That is your business.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa openly says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The Ajamila, he was brāhmaṇa, undoubtedly, but he fell a victim to māyā. But you know the story of Haridāsa. He was young man at that time, and one man instigated a prostitute, young prostitute, to deviate him, but she was unable. On the other hand, the prostitute became a Vaiṣṇavī.
If the father is rich man, all-powerful, he does not like to see that his sons are loitering in the street without any food, without any shelter. He doesn't like. Father entreats, "My dear son, why you are rotting in this way? Come home. You'll be comfortable. You'll be happy." But these rascal sons will not go. They are thinking, "We shall make plan here and live peacefully." That is going on. And God is coming, Kṛṣṇa is coming, canvassing, that "Come back to home, back to Godhead," and we are not interested. We are making plan here. This is our misfortune. But this plan will be frustrated. That is the nature's law. Daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Whatever plan you make, it will be frustrated. It will never be successful. Therefore śāstra says, bahir-artha-maninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Where is the destination of life, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ. These rascals, those who have come to this material world, they do not know where is the goal of life because they are rascals, mūḍha, narādhama. Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that "Give up all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Nobody will hear. He will manufacture his own way. This is the disease. Why? Because under the spell of māyā.
He will manufacture his own way. This is the disease. Why? Because under the spell of māyā.
So to forget Kṛṣṇa and to become subjected to the condition of material nature, that is called material life. Material life means to give up the idea of going back to home, back to Godhead, but making plan here to be happy. This is called māyā, or material life. So here it is said that,
- gurūṇāṁ ca laghūnāṁ ca
- gurūṇi ca laghūni ca
- prāyaścittāni pāpānāṁ
- jñātvoktāni maharṣibhiḥ
Maharṣibhi. Great learned scholars, realized soul, liberated soul, they have given us Vedic literature. There are different types of explanation, just like main is the Manu-saṁhitā. In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that if a man kills, then he should be also killed. No excuse. From Manu-saṁhitā the hanging or killing of a murderer, that is enjoined. That is there. Maharṣibhiḥ. A killer of other animals or other living entities, he must be killed. This is Manu-saṁhitā. This is showing the mercy.
So the Viṣṇudūta... We have to become Viṣṇudūtas. Our preachers are Viṣṇudūtas, just to give protection to any person who is slightly inclined to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is pañcarātra-vidhi. We shall give all help, all assistance, to such persons. That is our business. It is not sleeping business, it is not lazying business. We should be always active. We shall always make plan, think how to protect this miserable condition of the material... They cannot understand. They are fools. They are rascals. So you have to give them knowledge. You have to give them help. That is missionary activity. Missionary activity is not laziness or sleeping. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that prāṇa āche yāra sei hetu pracāra, that "I have got some dozens of disciples, and I have got a temple, and people are contributing. Now I have got good arrangement for eating and sleeping. Now I am perfect. Because I am getting some food without any work, and honor, then I am perfect." This is not the mentality. Prāṇa āche yāra. You must be engaged continually for these missionary activity. The Gauḍīya Mission has failed in preaching work because they adopted this principle.
The devotee's business is he's always thinking of how to do good to the people in general, how they will accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply twenty-four hours thinking, making plan. Therefore kāruṇikāḥ. Although personally they are in so many inconveniences—tolerating. But that planning, Kṛṣṇa planning, is going on. Kāruṇikāḥ: how the people of the world will be happy. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. Why they are planning like...? Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. They are not selfish, "Now I have become Kṛṣṇa devotee. That's all right. Let others go to hell." No. They want to see that everyone becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are real friend. That is, he is real friend. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau.
Therefore we are creating plans of service. That is called mental concoction. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). A struggle, it is a struggle.
So we are making different plans but it will not be successful. That much I explained last night, that we are thinking independent and we are planning so many things independently to become happy. It is not possible. That is not possible. That is māyā's illusory play. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surpass. Then what is the ultimate solution? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then we revive our original position. That is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means instead of keeping so many things in consciousness... They are all polluted consciousness. The real... We have got consciousness, that is a fact, but our consciousness is polluted. So we have to purify the consciousness.
In this material world we are making so many plans for permanent settlement, but unfortunately, we are meeting with just the opposite result. That is in our experience. There is very nice song sung by a Vaiṣṇava poet. He says, sukhere lagiya e baro bhaginu anale puria ghare (?). "I constructed this house for living happily. Unfortunately, it was set in fire, so everything is finished." That is going on. In the material world we are making so many plans for living very comfortably, peacefully, eternally. But that is not possible. People do not understand it. They are seeing, experiencing from śāstra, from scripture we are getting instruction, that nothing is imperishable. Everything is perishable in the material world, and we are actually seeing also that perishable agents are always ready. Just like the fire. In New York City, at least, within twenty-four hours, there are at least ten or fifteen places where fire is going on. And your fire brigade is running on just trying to protect you from fire. The house regulation is all for fire, "How we are protected from fire." Then it will be allowed, certificate of occupation, "You can live." In other words, that fire is always ready to vanish everything, but artificially, somehow or other, we are trying to protect ourself from fire.
And your fire brigade is running on just trying to protect you from fire. The house regulation is all for fire, "How we are protected from fire." Then it will be allowed, certificate of occupation, "You can live." In other words, that fire is always ready to vanish everything, but artificially, somehow or other, we are trying to protect ourself from fire. But we do not take it for granted that this material nature is so made that it will set in fire everything, however we may be strong in protecting ourself. That is the nature. So however we may make plans to live very happily, the nature's law is that it will destroy.
Now everything we are planning, sukhāya, for matter of happiness, and duḥkha-mokṣāya, and to get rid of all miseries. This is our plan. Sukhāya duḥkha-mokṣāya saṅkalpaḥ, our determination; iha, in this world; karmiṇaḥ, those who are working. That determination is to make life happy and avoid distress. That is the plan. Sadāpnotīhayā. But that is simply plan-making within our mind. Actually, it is never achieved. It is never achieved.
There are many patients who are being treated by first-class medical assistants and physician, but he is dying. Similarly, there are various means invented by modern science to give protection to people. But they become useless without the attention of the Supreme Lord. For example, in our country, in India, we thought that by independence we shall be very, very happy. But actually, when we have got independence, our position has become more precarious.
So we may make various plans to become happy in this material world, but without God's grace we can never be happy. Therefore the Bhāgavata says that the best kind of plan or best kind of occupational duties is that which leads one to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord.
That is not possible. You have seen the whole world, especially in the modern days. So many big, big nations, they are assembled together in the United Nations. Nonsense, where is unity? Simply disunity. For the last twenty or thirty years they are struggling. Before that, they convened another, League of Nation. So they are making simply plans. And it continues for some time. Then, after fifteen or twenty years, again conflagration of war, especially in the Europe. They're all demons. How the demons can bring in peace by so-called United Nation or League of Nation? That is not possible. They have to give up the demonic activities. They have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will be saved.
So we are just trying to introduce the real civilization. Actually there is no civilization at the present moment. They are simply cats and dogs and fighting one another. There is no civilization. This is not civilization. Atheists, demons, they are predominating. And because they have got big, big skyscraper building and many motorcars, India has become victimized: "Oh, without this motorcar and without this skyscraper building, we are condemned." So they are trying to imitate.
We are making our plan that "I shall be happy in this way. I have got this body, so let me make this body very strong, go in the beach and run on the beach to make the body very strong." There are so many other methods to keep the body very strong. Deha, apatya. Maintain the children very nicely. Dehāpatya-kalatra, wife. Decorate the wife very nicely. "In this way I shall be happy. Let me keep my body fit, let my children grow very nicely, wife be decorated with ornaments, with sari, and I will see and will be happy." No. You cannot remain. Even if you arrange like that, you cannot remain. Kṛṣṇa says, "One day I shall come as death, and not only I shall take you out of the scene, but I shall take away all your possessions." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34).
We are struggling here. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Because we are fools and rascals, we are trying to make some adjustment here. That is not possible. It is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is māyā. We are trying to be happy in this material... It will never be possible. But these fools and rascals, they do not know. They are making big, big plans how to become happy, how to become, "In our country, in our home, in our society, in our family," and so on, so on, so on. This means we are simply becoming entangled. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam, ahaṁ moha (SB 5.5.8), illusion. It will never be possible. Therefore, the conclusion is, we should fully surrender, cent percent to Kṛṣṇa, and then we become happy. Saṁsevayā surataror iva te prasādaḥ.
The example is: just like the desire tree, kalpa-vṛkṣa. It can fulfill any desire, any desire. We have got so many desires. Kṛṣṇa can fulfill all the desires. Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.
The ānandamaya-vigraha, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Still, we are searching after ānanda, blissfulness. This is our struggle for existence. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). We are in this prakṛti, in this material nature, prakṛti-sthāni, and, being dictated by the mind, making plans to become happy, but that is not possible. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni. This is... Due to our forgetfulness, we are struggling for existence to get happiness, but because we do not know what is the source of happiness, it is called struggle for existence. This is going on.
So this is going on not only in this life, before this life also, anādi, anādi. So once we get the chance to understand what is the problem of life, and this human life is given a chance. By evolution, by nature's way, 8,400,000 species of life we are coming through. Then the nature has given one chance, this human form of life.
He is hungry, he's going to a place for some food, and instead of food, he's getting a stroke by the stick. He barks very... He's disappointed that "I wanted food, but I got the stick." (laughter) "I wanted bread; I got stone." This is going on. This is going on. And therefore, in the human society also, they are also struggling and making plans for economic development so that instead of stone, they can get bread. But the struggle is going on. There is no settlement. That is not possible. That is not possible. Either you go to this country or that country, you accept this "ism" or that "ism," unless you come to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of peace. That is stated, very simple words, in the Bhagavad-gītā, that how to stop this struggle for existence.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "O the best of great personalities, I am not at all afraid of this material existence because wherever I stay, I am fully absorbed in the thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making big, big plans for material happiness, who maintain family, society, and so-called love to country. I am simply concerned for them."
Prabhupāda:
- naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
- tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ
- śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
- māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān
- (SB 7.9.43)
This is very important verse for the Vaiṣṇava. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am lamenting," śoce. "I am very much aggrieved." Śoce means "I am very much lamenting." "Why? Why you are lamenting? I have given you all protection, and your father was giving you so much trouble, and I am always after your protection. Why there is lamenting?" "Lamenting is not for myself. I am quite all right. I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet, and I am engaged in glorifying Your Lordship's activities, so I have no problem. I can sit down anywhere underneath a tree and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and read Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata. I am quite happy. So I have no problem." "Then? Why śoce?" "Śoce for these rascals who are making big, big plans to be happy in this material world." This is Vaiṣṇava's... Vaiṣṇava can tolerate all distresses. He is happy in every condition. He has no problem.
First of all the public is also vimūḍha, rascal, and their so-called leaders, political, social, religious, and so on, so on, so on, so many leaders, misguiding them. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantrya uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Everyone knows that "I am completely under the stringent laws of material nature," and still, they are making plan to become independent. This is their vimūḍha, vimūḍhaka. This is their stupidity. Stupidity. They are seeing,
- ahany ahani lokāni
- gacchantīha yama-mandiram
- śeṣāḥ sthitam icchanti kim
- āścaryam ataḥ param
The Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja asked by Dharmaraja that "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" he said, "This is the most wonderful thing." What is that? Ahany ahani lokāni gacchantīha yama... "Every moment people are dying." Lokani, every planet. Not that in this planet there is death; in other planet there is no death. No. Within this material world every planet, either Brahmā or the small, insignificant ant, must die. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).
Why? Māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvat, that "If I do not deliver these fallen souls entrapped in māyā, then who will do it?" So that is for this purpose, Kṛṣṇa comes. For this purpose, Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes, the same purpose, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, śoce tato vimukha-cetasa vimūḍhān. "These rascals, they have forgotten You and making plan to be happy." So everyone. Kṛṣṇa also comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). This is dharmasya glāniḥ. When people forget God, that is dharmasya glāniḥ. Just like when the people forget the government, do not care for the government, there is chaos, there is chaos; similarly, when people forget God, Kṛṣṇa, there is chaos. That is the position now all over the world, chaotic condition, because they have purposefully avoided God. Purposefully. In your country it is said, "We trust in God." On the bills it is stated there, "We trust in God." But ask any of the scientists, philosopher, president, that "What is that God?
So this is conclusion of Nārada Muni, that this boy, although born in asura family... Asura means those who are too much materially... Not too much, only materially interested, they are called asuras. Different types of material enjoyment. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material enjoyment. Karma, karmīs, generally we see everywhere. They are working so very hard, making plans how to improve material enjoyment. So they are called karmīs. And jñānīs, their demand is also very great, to become one with the Supreme, to become God. These are material desires. And then yoga, to display, demonstrate magic: "I can prepare gold. I can travel in the sky. I can walk on the water. I can eat broken glasses." Yes. People will gather. "I can remain without any breathing underneath the ground." These things are demonstrated. So people like it, something wonderful. And he says, "I am Bhagavān," and the rascals accept. These things are loka-pralobhanaiḥ. Loka-pralo...
So, somebody should dedicate his life, somebody should dedicate his wealth, somebody should dedicate his intelligence, and somebody should dedicate his words. So, suppose one cannot dedicate his life or he has no money, he can give us some intelligence that "If you go to such-and-such person, or if you do like this, if you make your plan like this for pushing your Kṛṣṇa consciousness," that is also service. Intelligence. And if he has no money, no intelligence, and cannot dedicate his life, then he can give his words. What is that? That word is, that Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "So I have come to you, sir, to tell you that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Words, there is no expenditure. But you can say... Or you can say, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." I think it is very easy. There is no expenditure, there is no loss. So, śāstra gives us indication that prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā. So I am so obliged to you that you are trying your best to push this movement, and at the same time I must say that this movement is very, very important. This is the life-giving movement to the human society.
Parāṁ gatim. Parāṁ gatim means to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our real home, the spiritual world. And live there eternally, blissfully, with full knowledge. That is our real position. So here we have come in this material world for material enjoyment. And the more we are making plan for material enjoyment, the more we are becoming entangled. That we do not know. They are thinking that material sense enjoyment is the aim of life. No, that is not the aim of life. That is the way to become more and more entangled. For sense enjoyment I have got this now body, Indian body, you have got this Australian or American or European body. But you have to change this body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are eternal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. The soul does not take birth; neither it dies. We simply change body.
| Page Title: | Making plans (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 30 of May, 2013 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=82, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 82 |