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Rsabhadeva (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"Rsabha" |"Rsabhadeva"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

That is the Vedic version. So Kurukṣetra is always... Still people go for pilgrimage in Kurukṣetra, and the station is there, Kurukṣetra, and the place is there. People go there. Kurukṣetra. Why one should interpret that kuru-kṣetra means this body and Pāṇḍavas means these pañca-indriyas, so many things? There is no question of interpretation. And this Mahābhārata... Mahābhārata means "The History of Greater India." That is Mahābhārata. History, it is history. It is not a fiction. It is history. Mahābhārata. This planet was formerly known as Bhārata-varṣa. This planet. The whole planet. Not that the piece of land, as we are calling now, Bhārata-varṣa. No. Before that, this planet was known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa. And after the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, the son of Ṛṣabhadeva, this planet became Bhārata-varṣa. So Bhārata-varṣa means the whole planet. But we have lost... Just like we have lost portion of the present Bhārata-varṣa as Pakistan. Everyone knows, twenty years before there was no such thing as Pakistan. But circumstantially we have lost. So..., so the whole Bhārata-varṣa has been partitioned as this portion is called America, this portion is called Europe, this portion is called Asia. These are modern names. Actually, the whole planet was Bhārata-varṣa. And the whole planet was being controlled by Vedic culture. So as we have lost our Vedic culture, as we could not control the others, other people in other part of the world, by our culture, by our political maneuver, we have lost. Even up to the day of Battlefield of Kurukṣetra... Why Kurukṣetra? Up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the whole world was being controlled by one king in New Delhi, Hastināpura. There was no other kingdom. And when the battlefield was..., the battle was there, all people from all parts of body, all parts of the world, they joined, either this party or that party. That was the battlefield.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

Then the husband and wife takes leave, not leaving for good, but vānaprastha, traveling in pilgrimages like Vṛndāvana, Prayāga. That was the system. And after two months, again he comes back and remains home for another two months. Again goes out. In this way, the whole process is how to give up attachment from this family life, from this world. And when he's trained up fully, he takes sannyāsa. That is our Vedic system.

So the attachment of this material world is very strong. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Ṛṣabhadeva: Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etami (SB 5.5.8). This whole material world is an attachment of male and female. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam, sex impulse, attachment. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. And when they are married, when they are united, then it becomes a hard knot in the heart. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mamet. Then gradually, after being united, one becomes attached to gṛha, home, apartment, kṣetra,... Formerly there was no industry. So everyone must have some land to produce food. Gṛha-kṣetra, suta, then children; āpta, friends; vitta, then money, because without money, nothing can be maintained. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya mohaḥ. He becomes more and more illusioned. And ahaṁ mameti: (SB 5.5.8) "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my house. This is my children." So on, so on. Mama. "Mine." And "I am this person. I am this body." This is illusion.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

Not only working, dishonestly working. How to get money, how to get money, the black market, white market, this, that, only for these three things: āmiṣa-mada-sevā. Meat-eating, intoxication. (break) Why? Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. Simply for this sex, meat-eating and drinking. Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. In the Vedic literature, they have studied analytically, not now, since very, very long time. You see? This is natural inclination. The creation is not new. There were many, many creations.

So all the records are there. So it is not new thing. Therefore, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). This is the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva to His sons. "My dear sons, don't be misled. These rascal fools, they have become mad after these things, meat-eating, intoxication and sex life." Na sādhu manye, "It is not good at all." Na sādhu manye. "I don't allow, I don't say it is very good. It is not at all good." Na sādhu manye. "Why it is not good? We are enjoying life." Yes, you are enjoying now, but yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). So long you will continue with these things, you'll have to accept body, and when you accept body, there must be birth, there must be death, there must be disease, and there must be, what is called, old age. You'll suffer. You'll suffer. But your actual position is na jāyate. You do not take birth, but you have conditioned yourself to take birth. Actually, your position is no birth, eternal life. As Kṛṣṇa is eternal, similarly, every one of us we are eternal because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—the same quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), He is form, transcendental form, eternal form, full of knowledge, full of bliss, similarly we are also, although particle, the same quality. Therefore it is said, na jāyate. This problem, this rascal civilization, they cannot understand that I am eternal, I am put into this condition of birth and death. No rascal understands. So-called philosophers, scientists, all of them, therefore rascals, fools.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Suppose a cat and dog goes this side and that side, yow, yow, yow, and he goes some motorcars. What is the difference? There is no difference because the aim of the life is the same. Therefore they are mad. That is explained. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ, pramattaḥ means mad. Prakṛṣṭa rūpeṇa mata, sufficiently mad. And why? Kurute vikarma. They're acting which they should not act. They're acting in a way in which they should not have done. So what is the aim of their acting? Indriya-prītaya, simply for sense gratification. That's all.

So Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye, "This is not good." Na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ. These madmen do not know that this is the cause of getting this miserable material body. The sufferings of humanity is due to this material body and the cause of vikarma, acting for sense gratification. So this life is meant for acting for liberation, but they are acting for sense gratification. Therefore they are mad. They do not know the aim of life. Life after life, they are working. The cat's life, the dog's life, the horse life, the man's life or even demigod's life, simply for sense gratification. And so long he will continue these activities of sense gratification, he will have to accept some sort of material body in the 8,400,000 of species either as demigod or as dog. So this is going on. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). They are encircling or circumambulating in this cycle of birth and death. Out of many, many millions of such persons, if one is fortunate, he comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa's representative, and by which he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, and his life becomes sublime. So this is madness. Simply for sense gratification. They have no other business. This is madness. What do you think? This is not madness?

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Unfortunately there is no education that "Why? I do not want death, but why death is compulsory? I do not want old age; why old age is compulsory? I do not want to take birth; why birth is compulsory?" These are the actual questions or problems of life. And our whole Vedic literature is meant for solving this problem. That is whole purpose. Vedic literature, Vedic civilization, is not meant for working day and night like animals only for maintaining the foodstuff and sense gratification. It is not civilization. According to our Vedic civilization, this is not civilization. This is another form of animal life.

Because Ṛṣabhadeva says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). That is the aim. Śuddhyet sattvam. Sattva, our existence, is now polluted, infected. Therefore we have to accept birth, death, old age and disease. The cats and dogs, they cannot get this opportunity how to purify the existence, how to become free from these four principles of material unhappiness. They cannot understand; they cannot study Vedic literatures; they cannot take instruction of Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So if we do not take advantage of our Vedic knowledge which is found in India, then we are spoiling our life.

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung a very nice song, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My Lord Hari, Kṛṣṇa, I have simply wasted my time." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa na bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu: "I got this human form of life, but I did not take the advantage offered in this life to understand Kṛṣṇa; therefore I have taken poison knowingly. I have taken poison knowingly."

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Calcutta, September 23, 1974:

So it is our duty therefore... That is the duty of human life, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is stated here. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ, bahavaḥ (BG 4.10). It is not that one or two. Many. Jñāna-tapasā. Jñāna. That is required, knowledge and tapasya. That is human life. If, if we remain just like cats and dogs, eat, sleep and have sex life, beget children and die someday, this is cats' and dogs' life. This is not human life. Human life is different. Man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā. To become purified by knowledge and tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). That is the statement of Ṛṣabhadeva. Everywhere. We have to purify our existence, and get out of this repetition of birth and death. That is success of life.

So we shall pray to Rādhārāṇī... What is Rādhārāṇī? Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. Pleasure potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Lord has many potencies. Na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Therefore He has nothing to do. He has got so many potencies. Just like big man, a rich man. He's sitting. But his energies, his potencies, are working. Big, big factory. And he knows everything. Similarly, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. He has got many multi-potencies. One of them is this pleasure potency. Pleasure potency...

He also wants pleasure. So when Kṛṣṇa wants... Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything material. He has to create the source of enjoyment by His own spiritual potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. So Rādhārāṇī is described in the śāstra: rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād (CC Adi 1.5). That is Kṛṣṇa's hlādinī-śakti. She gives pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. So She is very kind. And today is Rādhāṣṭamī. If we pray to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī... Therefore in Vṛndāvana you'll see. They are first of all glorifying, "Jaya Rādhe!" Everywhere you'll hear. "Jaya Rādhe."

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

They don't care for anything. They want simply sense enjoyment. But it is said that you can get some immediate profit by worshiping different demigods. That is all right. But that is not your permanent benefit. Because karmaṇā, you are creating... Karmaṇāṁ siddhim. You are getting some profit by your karma, fruitive karma, but you are creating another life, another life. To enjoy the fruitive result of this karma you'll have to wait for next life. So next life means another material body. So another material body means another term of suffering, another chapter of suffering. That they do not understand.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva advising that "This is not good. Don't be engaged in karma, fruitive activities." If you be engaged in fruitive activities, karma, then you'll have to accept another material body. That may be a cat's body or dog's body or demigod's body or... Body you'll have to... But as soon as you have a material body, then you'll suffer. The... One who does not understand this philosophy, he's called alpa-medhasa, poor fund of knowledge. Poor fund of knowledge.

Real problem is, as Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9), that I am implicated with this process of repetition of birth and death, and after birth, there is suffering, old age, disease. He does not consider it. He thinks, "This is natural." No, it is unnatural. One who does not understand this, he's alpa-medhasa, poor, poor fund of knowledge. So Bhāgavatam says, therefore, "All right, if you have got desire also to enjoy this material world, then..."

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Therefore Bhāgavatam says, idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā, sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ (SB 1.5.22)—charity, intelligence.

So anyone who has got all these assets, so how it should be utilized? Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ, infallible decision has been made. What is that? Yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam: "Just try to glorify the Supreme Lord." With your money, with your intelligence, with your power, with your influence, whatever you have got. Education, departmental knowledge. Try to glorify the Supreme Lord. Then it is perfect.

And if you spoil it or simply sense gratification, the Bhāgavata, Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye: "Oh, this is not good. This is not good." "Why it is not good? I am enjoying life. Why it is not good?" No, he says, na sādhu manye yata ātmanaḥ ayam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ: (SB 5.5.4) "If you be engaged in these fruitive activities to enjoy this material world, then you'll have to accept another material body." Karmaṇāṁ siddhim. Another material body. And if you accept another material body, then you'll have to accept again death, again old age, again disease. So what is the benefit? That is not benefit.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Therefore we require good citizens, good father and mother, good system of government, and pious, virtuous, cooperation between God and nature. Everything will be helpful for my spiritual realization, for my self-realization. If I am full of anxiety, how can I make progress in spiritual realization? It is not possible. Therefore it is the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher, duty of the spiritual master to give chance to the small children to develop in such a way that he becomes fully realized spiritual soul at the end and so that his miserable life in the material existence is over. That is the responsibility.

In Bhāgavata you will see that Ṛṣabhadeva says that "One should not become the spiritual master, one should not become the father, one should not become the mother, one should not become the husband—who cannot give relief from these miseries of material existence". It is the husband's duty also. Because the wife is under the protection of the husband, he has got so much responsibility.

Woman class and children class, they are taken in the same category. They require protection. They require protection. That is the Manu-saṁhitā. Na striyaṁ svatantratām arhati. Women should be under the protection. They should be given all protection. So the system of taking... Just like the Hindu system is... Just like a girl. Before attaining the age of puberty, she is handed over to a suitable boy to take charge before she gets youthful energy.

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

Because we must have the aim of life. At the present moment there is no aim of life. The aim of life is sense gratification. That's all. Indriya-tṛpti. That is forbidden in the śāstras. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Kiṁ karmeti kiṁ vikarmeti will be described. So karma and vikarma, prescribed duties according to qualification, position, occupation, that is called karma. And just opposite, it is called vikarma. Karma akarma vikarma. That Kṛṣṇa will explain.

So at the present moment... Not at the present moment. It is the tendency of materialistic life to act vikarma, forbidden karma. That is explained by Ṛṣabhadeva in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). That is visible in the present moment in the Kali-yuga all over the world. Vikarmeti. All kinds of sinful activities, they are performing. That is called vikarma. The vikarma we have specified especially: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication up to drinking tea, coffee and smoking. These are all vikarma. So they do not know. But they are going on. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva, many, many years ago he warned his sons, "My dear boys, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma." Pramattaḥ. Pra means sufficiently or extraordinarily. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa. Mattaḥ. Mattaḥ means mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: (SB 5.5.4) "All people, being mad, they are committing all sinful activities." They do not know what is sinful activity. They think everything is all right. No. Nature will take account of everything and he will give you a next body.

The same example. If you infect some disease and the after result, you must suffer from that disease. This is nature's law. Similarly, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Why one gets low grade life and why one gets high grade life? What is the reason?

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

Even learned men, they become bewildered. Tat te karma pravakṣyāmi.

So in this bewildered condition, baffled condition of the society, we should consult Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you advice, as He was ready five thousand years ago to give advice to Arjuna. That instruction is still current. It is not that it is finished with the Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, no. You can take also the same advice from Kṛṣṇa and mold your life. That is wanted.

So kurute vikarma, we are trained up simply to act, opposite direction. Instead of doing good work, we are educated to do bad work, just the opposite. And that is not good. That is the advice of Ṛṣabhadeva. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. What is that bad work? Bad work means sense gratification. That's all. Anything you do for the satisfaction of your sense, that is bad work. And anything you do for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is good work. This is the division of bad work and good work. The same thing, if you do for your personal satisfaction, it is bad work. And the same thing, if you do for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is good work. We must first of all learn this.

Just like Arjuna was thinking in the beginning that "Fighting and killing is not good, especially fighting with the family members and killing them. No, no, I cannot do that." Bad work. He was thinking it was bad. But same thing he did. When he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he did not do anything else, because he was a fighter, he was a warrior. In the beginning he was refusing because he was trying to satisfy his senses. "Oh, it is very good. I think it is... I think..." What you are? You are always misguided if you think like that. But the same Arjuna, when understood Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa inquired from him, "Now what is your decision?" Now, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). "Yes, now I have decided." So what is that vacanaṁ tava? Kṛṣṇa asked him to fight. So same fighting, how he became good now? Because Kṛṣṇa wanted it. A good work.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

Now it has become a culture. And what is that dancing? Sense gratification. Boys and girls, dancing ball dance, sense gratification. That is vikarma. But here, the same dancing before the Deity is bhakti. The same dancing. You dance in a theatrical performance, in a platform. That is also dancing. And here, in this stage, before the Deity, if you are dancing with Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then you are making bhakti, progress. And that dancing means you are becoming entangled in your karma. Because that dancing is sense gratification, vikarmaṇaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4).

So Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye: "This is not good." Yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ. Asann api, this body is not permanent. Still, asann api, although it is not permanent, for a few years only, it (is) kleśada, simply full of miserable conditions. Because you have committed, executed vikarma, therefore you have got this body.

It doesn't matter whether it is rich body or poor body. Everyone has to undergo the threefold miserable condition of life. When typhoid is there, it does not discriminate that "Here is a rich body. I shall give him less pain." No. When the typhoid is there, either your body is rich body or poor body, you have to suffer the same pain. When you are within the womb of your mother, you have to suffer the same pain, either you become in the queen's womb or in the cobbler's wife's womb. That packed up situation... But they do not know. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā. There are so many sufferings. In the process of birth. There are so many sufferings in the process of birth and death and old age. A rich man or poor man, when we are old, we have to suffer so many invalidity.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

They do not know whether mother, sister or daughter, they are..., not matter. You will see it. Therefore it is specifically said, nāyaṁ deha, kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The.... Still the hog you will see loitering in the streets whole day and night, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool? Whole day and night. At night also you'll see. Those who have got experience to pass stool in the villages, you go at dead of night and the hog will immediately come standing. As soon as you leave the place, immediately, "Phas, phas, phas," They will go eat.

So this kind of hard labor simply for satisfying the tongue and the genital, that is hog civilization. That is warned by Ṛṣabhadeva, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate (SB 5.5.1). Why? Kāmān means eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. These are kāmān, bodily necessities of life. As soon as you will get this material body, you will have to eat. In the spiritual body there is no eating. Eating means to sustain this material body. You will find many saintly persons. Practically, they do not eat.

Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was eating at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, every two.... After two, three days after, he was eating little butter, just to satisfy. Practically no eating. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was a very rich man's son. His father's income was twelve lakhs of rupees in those days. So he adopted this austerity at Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

So actually that is the fact, that in the spiritual life there is no eating, no sleeping, no sex life, no defense. These are all material necessities. So material necessities, we have day and night for sense gratification, material satisfaction, then where is the difference between hogs and dogs and human beings? And this is going on. We are accepting this civilization as advanced. The more you have got facility for sense gratification, it is to be understood that you are advanced. So that advancement means to give satisfaction to the body.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

So according to Vedic civilization, this training was given, student life, complete abstinence from sex life, then vānaprastha life, complete abstinence, and sannyāsa life, complete abstinence. The whole training was to abstain, to cure. Because... The same example: In diseased condition we cannot enjoy the foodstuff which we take. When we are healthy, we can enjoy the taste of the foodstuff. So we have to cure. We have to cure. And how to cure? To be situated in the transcendental position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the cure. So Kṛṣṇa advises here anyone who is able to tolerate the urge of sense pleasure. But we have to mold our life in such a way that we should be able to tolerate. Tolerate. That will give us our advancement in spiritual life, and when we are situated in spiritual life, that enjoyment is unending, unlimited. There is no end. Exactly similar verse is there in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ṛṣabhadeva is advising his sons that

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke
kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam
(SB 5.5.1)

It is very nice verse. He says, "My dear boys, this human form of life..." Na ayaṁ deha. Ayaṁ deha means "this body." Na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Everyone has got body. The cats, dogs, hogs, and birds, beasts, man, human being demigod—everyone has got this body, material body.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

So these things are natural. But when we try to stop these material instincts, that is called tapasya, tapasya.

So human life is not to be carried away by the so-called natural instinct. Natural instinct, material life... There are two kinds of natural instinct. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are different natural instincts, and when we come to the platform of spiritual understanding, that natural instinct is different. That is real natural instinct. So that natural instinct, spiritual natural instinct, can be attained by tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. Now, people may say that "Why we should undergo this tapasya, austerities? If we want to enjoy life, why we shall voluntarily give up this and undergo austerities?" No, there is reason. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). It is very reasonable. You have to undergo tapasya, voluntarily restraint. That is called tapasya. So why? Yena śuddhyet sattvam. Your existence will be purified. "What is the wrong in my existence?" That we cannot understand; that is called illusion. There are so many wrong things. Always we are in miserable condition. The summary miserable condition is, as described in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is intelligence, that "I am now put under... Although I have solved all my problems..." But Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "You have solved all your problems by your so-called scientific advancement; that is all right. But where is your solution of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease? Where is your solution?"

This is very intelligent question. Kṛṣṇa says therefore that "You have solved all the problems of miserable condition of life. That is all right. But you should always keep in front these problems, prominently:

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

Therefore in Vedic literature we find that ramante yoginaḥ anante: (CC Madhya 9.29) "Those who are yogis, those who are transcendentalists..." They also... Every one of us are seeking after pleasure, ānanda, but the yogis, either these jñāna-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, or karma-yogi, or bhakta-yogi... There are different kinds of yogis, but the yogi means the person who wants to connect himself with the eternal happiness. That is called yogi, one who is not satisfied with this temporary, material happiness. Just like Śaṅkarācārya. He also says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "You are trying to derive pleasure from this material world, but it is false." He also says. If you want real pleasure, then brahma-saukhyam—you have to seek pleasure in the Brahman. Similarly, we find in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. He says... He's instructing His sons, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). He's advising His sons. "His sons" means everyone, He's advising. What is that? Na ayaṁ dehaḥ deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati yad viḍ-bhujām ye: "My dear sons, this human form of body is not meant for continuously hard labor simply for sex enjoyment, simply for sex enjoyment."

Because in this material world, the enjoyment, the highest enjoyment one can perceive, that is sex. Therefore in the material world those who are materialists, they are trying to exact happiness simply by that sex life. You'll find so many pictures, naked pictures, this picture, that picture. Why? Because they have no other information of happiness. That is the happiness. They have no other information. In many places this sex enjoyment is duplicated. In another place it is stated, yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). The gṛhamedhi, the so-called family men, they are working hard and so hard. Why? Because they have got that point of happiness, sex happiness.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

Now, those who are working, oh, they have no consideration that there is snowfall or there is scorching heat. Śīta ātapa, bāta, severe cold, and bariṣaṇa means heavy torrents of rain. Oh, he has to go to the office and work. Śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, ei dina jāminī jāgi' re. Night duty. These are severe type of laboring. And the poet says, śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, ei dina jāminī jāgi re. Why? Now, biphale sevinu, kṛpaṇa durajana, capala sukha labha lāgi' re. For that momentary happiness I am working so hard.

So everywhere in the Vedic literature this life, this materialistic way of life is condemned, is condemned. So Ṛṣabhadeva says that "This life is meant for tapasya." Tapaḥ. Tapaḥ divyaṁ putrakā: "My dear sons, you are so... If you think that this human form of life is meant for, oh, sex happiness and working day and night so hard, oh, this life is not meant for that purpose. That is visible in the cats' and dogs' and hogs' life. They are also laboring the whole day and satisfied by sex life. So your life is not meant for that." Then what it is meant for? He says, tapaḥ: "It is meant for tapasya, austerity, penance." "Oh, you are... We are taking so much pains also." Don't you think these materialists, they are earning, they are making so improvement without any labor, without any tapasya? No. They are also laboring. They are undergoing, I mean, severe austerity. That's nice. But here it is said, tapaḥ divyam: "You have undergo austerities and penance for God realization." Divyam. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). Why? Why not this material world? Why God realization?

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

This is, especially at the present moment this is human civilization. They are always busy in sense gratification and getting money for that purpose. That's all. So that is not siddhi. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that mostly, 99.9 percent, they are busy in these things: "How to get money for sense gratification? And when we get money, then spend it for sense gratification." Divā cārthehayā. That is not siddhi. That thing is going on amongst the hogs. Hogs are also busy in that way. Then where is the difference between human life and hog life?

Therefore śāstra says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This was the instruction given by King Ṛṣabhadeva, whose son's name was Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name this land, this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. This planet's original name is Bhāratavarṣa. Now it has come to India, gradually cut down, cut down. So He instructed His sons, "My dear sons, don't spoil your life simply working hard for sense gratification like the hogs. Because the hog is also working day and night, but what is the aim? The aim is sense gratification. At night sleep or have sex life, and at daytime collect money and spend it for family maintenance or some sense gratification. This is not meant for human life." Now, this morning one gentleman was asking us that we are not working. We are not working. They think... He is a lawyer. He thinks that unless one works very hard for sense gratification, he is not human being or he is not doing his duty perfectly. That is his idea. But actual life is to become perfect, from the platform of animal life come to the perfection of life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Everyone is thinking that "Work very hard like the hogs and dogs, and find out your means of sense enjoyment, and then enjoy it."

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

If he acts criminally, simply sinful activities, and by such, he is punished to get another body which is sinful, pāpa-yoni, then what is, how his money will save him? No, that cannot save. Just like if you have become criminal and you are arrested by the state. Suppose you are millionaires. Your money will save you? No. That will not save. But they... For money they are doing all sorts of sinful activities. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad... (SB 5.5.4). Why they are doing? Yad indriya-prīta... Simply for sense gratification, that's all. Only benefit is sense gratification. Yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva, na sādhu manye: "Don't do this. Oh, it is not good." Why not good? Na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam asann api. You have got this material body, suffering, although it is temporary, but you have got this. So don't do this. Don't do anything that you get another material body. That is perfection of life. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

Ṛṣabhadeva said that "These rascals," pramattaḥ, pramattaḥ, "has become mad." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: "Always engaged in mischievous activities." These rascals, these materialistic persons. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. "They have become mad, and their business is..." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma, akarma and vikarma. Vikarma means activities which are forbidden in the śāstra. Just like according to Vedic principles, at least a brāhmaṇa, a leader, a king should avoid these four principles of sinful activities. What is that? Meat-eating, illicit sex life, gambling and intoxication. At least, these four men, who is leading the public or who is a brāhmaṇa or who is a king, he must be very much cautious about... But just see what is the... Everyone, practically, they are addicted to these sinful activities. So therefore they are mad, pramattaḥ. Vikarma. These are forbidden in the śāstras, and they are doing that. Why? Because they are mad. Why they are so mad? Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Now, yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti: "Simply for sense gratification." That's all. Simply for sense gratification. Not for any big but to satisfy the senses. "Oh, oh, my tongue is asking for a cigarette, asking for wine. All right, give the tongue wine." Why? Without cigarette, without wine, you shall die? "No, I want to satisfy my tongue." Indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti. "So why it is sinful?" It is sinful in this way, that... Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti, na sādhu manye (SB 5.5.4). "Oh, it is not good."

Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

"These problems are satisfied in any form of life." Why in human form? They have developed consciousness. They have got better business. Why they should be engaged only for these four principles of life? Huh? Their problem is to inquire, "What is the source of all these manifestations?"

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra informs, "Now you should inquire. You have got this developed consciousness of life, human form of life, very intelligent, and you are simply wasting your time simply for this eating, sleeping and mating? Oh, this is not your business. This is not your business." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām means stool-eaters, hogs. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, nāyaṁ deha, this body, is very valuable body. Every living entity has got a body, but this human form of body, especially the civilized form of body, oh, this is very important. And how to utilize it? Simply for eating, sleeping? No. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. In the human society this form of body is not meant for simply toiling hard only for gaining these four principles of life. Because these necessities are supplied even to the hogs, the stool-eater. The stool-eater is considered to be the lowest of the animals, the hog. Still, he has got mating facility, he has got eating facility, he has got sleeping facility, and he has got defending facility. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says that "This form of life, this human form of life, don't waste in that way." Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ... You will have it. Even if you don't try for it, you will have it.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:

Even this human form of life is also sinful unless we come to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform. We come to the... Animal life means sinful life. If I act as sinful, like hogs and dogs... Just like if I don't discriminate of eating. Just like the hogs, they have no discrimination. They accept even stool. "Come on. I shall eat." You get the body of hogs or dogs.

And if you utilize this body according to the śāstra to purify it... Because human body is meant for purification. Yasmāt śuddhyet sattvam. That is the given, instruction given by Ṛṣabhadeva. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yasmāt śuddhyet sattvaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). He advised instructed his sons: "My dear sons, don't use this body like the hogs and dogs. Whole day and night searching after stool. Eating, for eating. don't use this." And, after eating, as soon as there is the sex is strong, then sex life. That is hogs life. We have seen. These are the examples. Nature's. They are very stout and strong, fatty, eating stool. And as soon as fatty, immediately sex life, without any discrimination, mother, sister, or anyone. That is hogs. You see from nature's example. Dogs and hogs. The dog has no, I mean to say, courtesy or shame. At, in the street, they're having sex life.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

This is the instruction given by Ṛṣabhadeva to his sons. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. All these living entities, they have become mad, mad. We can see very easily. Whole world, wherever we... Big, big cities. They are working just like madmen. So many cars, so many flyways, so many under-subways and always busy. But kurute vikarma. They are not working very nicely. Vikarma. Karma vikarma akarma.

These things are to be understood. Karma does not mean that anything you like, it becomes karma. Just like monkey. Monkey, whatever he does, it is simply mischievous. Therefore sometimes we accuse: "You are an ass. You are monkey." There is activity, but there is no meaning. There is no meaning, jumping. Monkey wherever he'll sit, (makes noise:) katak katak katak. So this kind of activities are not karma. Foolishly, rascaldomly. That is not karma.

Karma means prescribed duties. Prescribed duties. Janma-karma. Guṇa-karma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa-karma. Cātur-varṇyam, According to Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of karma. Because there are three qualities of the material nature. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So when we come to certain type of activities or accept certain type of body, Kṛṣṇa is giving us opportunity. I wanted certain type of body. Kṛṣṇa is giving. Kṛṣṇa is giving through the agency of material nature. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

So I told them: "it is simply waste of time and money." Now, now it is happening. Long, long ago, I said this. This is not possible.

Although there are innumerable planets, but even if you go to the moon planet, your problem is not solved. What is the benefit? If you... Suppose if you go to moon planet. How your problem is solved? The real problem is that I am forced to accept different types of body. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). And as soon as I accept body, I have to be under the tribulation of material nature.

That was advised by Ṛṣabhadeva: nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). All these foolish rascals, being mad, they're acting against the laws of nature. Vikarma. Vikarma means against the laws of nature. That is vikarma. Karma means prescribed duties. And akarma means doing something which will have no effect. Three things are there. Karma, vikarma, akarma. Karma means prescribed duties. If you want... Just like you want to do business, you must do according to the rules and regulations, license of the government. Then you make profit, be happy. That's another thing. But if you act vikarma, against the rules and regulations of the state, you commit theft or this or that, then you'll suffer. Vikarma.

And akarma means you act in such a way that you become liberated. Akarma. You are not bound up. That akarma is yajña, yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If you act for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, then you are not, I mean to say, liable of the responsibilities of karma. Because you are doing everything for Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna did. Arjuna was thinking that "If I kill my grandfather, the other side, then I shall be merged into the sinful activities. He's my superior. He's my guru. And he's my..." In this way, he was thinking. Actually it was so. So he was declining to fight. Because that was karma. But when he decided to fight on the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is not karma. That if there is any sin, that is... It may be transferred to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

So, the mind is within, the intelligence is within, the soul is within, and outside your body... So this body made of five elements, they are also Kṛṣṇa's energy, and within, the mind, intelligence and the soul, that is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Two kinds of energies: supreme, er, inferior and superior. Therefore He is outside and inside both. Bahir antaś ca bhūtānām. Every living entity, Kṛṣṇa is existing outside and inside. Therefore we have to purify both outside and inside. That is our human life. Human life means to become purified. Because we are not purified, therefore we have to accept birth, death, old age and disease. This is the problem. Because we are not purified...

That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Ṛṣabhadeva advised his sons, "My dear sons," tapo divyam, "just undergo austerities." This life, human life is for austerities, penance. Therefore you'll find in the Vedic civilization, big big saintly persons, big, big brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, rājarṣis, they are engaged. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha was the prince, royal family, but still he left everything and underwent meditation to understand himself. There are many others. Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name this country is called Bhāratavarṣa, at the twenty-fourth years of his age, he left his kingdom, his wife, little children, and went for austerity, penance. This is meant for.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hyderabad, December 13, 1976:

One class of men is called daiva, devatā, or the demigod, and the other class āsura. Sura means civilized, and āsura means not civilized. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). These are amongst the noncivilized men.

Formerly the kings of Bhāratavarṣa, India, they used to kill these uncivilized men. Bad example. They did not follow the Vedic civilization, so the king's order was that they should be killed. If they are too much prominent... Just like they are hunting in the forest. So these... There is history among, about King Bharata, King Bharata, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. No, not that Bharata. There are three Bharatas. One Bharata is the son of Ṛṣabhadeva. Another Bharata is the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta. Another Bharata is the younger brother of Lord Rāmacandra. Out of these three Bharatas, the son of Ṛṣabhadeva is the person after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. So another Bharata was the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta. He was very powerful, supposed to be or partial incarnation of God. So in his life he would not allow the uncivilized men to exist. He was king. He used to kill them. Why uncivilized men? Even the kṣatriyas, if they are not ruling properly according to the kṣatriyas... Kṣatriyas are supposed to be the ruler of the world. But if they are deviating from their duties, Paraśurāma, the brāhmaṇa, would kill them. On the whole, in the Vedic civilization everyone should be in order. That was the set-up.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 14, 1976:

So we should not follow the life of a snake, pravṛtti-mārga. Human life is meant for nivṛtti-mārga. We have got so many bad habits. To give up these bad habits, that is human life. If we cannot do that, then we are not making any spiritual progress of life. Spiritual progress... So long you will have a little desire for committing sinful life for your sense gratification, you will have to accept a next body. And as soon as you accept a material body, then you will suffer. Yena.

It is said that nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). These rascals, they are mad. They are committing sinful life simply for sense gratification. There is no need of committing sinful life but for sense gratification they are doing that. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "It is not good because for sense gratification you have got already this body, and you know, experiencing, that you are suffering threefold miseries, and again you are committing something which will oblige you to accept another body. This is not good. No, this is not good." We should do in such a way that we may not accept again this material body. That will save us from all suffering.

Material body means it is given to you for your suffering. But that they do not know. They think, "I am enjoying." Eating, sleeping, mating—in any body you will have these facilities. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Even you become a dog or you become a hog or you become a man or you become a demigod, these four facilities you will get everywhere, eating facility, sleeping facility, sex facilities and defense facility. You will get. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. And the human form of life, these facilities should be minimized, denied. Not only minimized, no meat-eating, no illicit sex. That is nivṛtti-mārga. But the asuras, they do not know. Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttim. That this life is meant for nivṛtti-mārga, they do not know. When you say, "Don't do this," they think otherwise.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

I have already explained that our real occupational duty is to become servant. So instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, we are now servant of our senses. This is our material life. So if you, instead of becoming servant of the senses, if you become master of the senses, then you are a brāhmaṇa. Then you are a brāhmaṇa. Not that you remain a servant of the senses and because you are born in a brāhmaṇa family you remain a brāhmaṇa. This is miscalculation. This is not allowed.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, śamo damas tapaḥ. This śamo damaḥ, how it can be practiced without tapasya? It is so easy thing that you can control your mind and senses? But with tapasya. You must agree. That is human life. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Ṛṣabhadeva was advising his sons, "My dear boys, this human form of life is meant for tapasya, tapaḥ." What for tapasya? Divyam, to realize the Supreme, deva. Why it is required? Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam: "Your existence will be purified if you practice tapasya." "Now what is my existence? Am I impure?" Yes. Therefore you are dying. Otherwise you are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). You, eternal, but you are dying. You are subject to death because your existence is impure.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

We must be ready because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because I want to move it, similarly, we are all, all living entities, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore, our duty is simply to move according to the will of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Therefore this philosophy cannot be understood by ordinary person. Therefore He said, na atapaskāya. Tapasya. This life is meant for tapasya, not to lead a life like hogs and dogs. This human... That is not human life. That is hogs' and dogs' life. That is a state..., the statement of Ṛṣabhadeva:

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke
kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam
(SB 5.5.1)

We are all hankering after happiness. But we do not know how to get happiness. That is advised by Ṛṣabhadeva, father of Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. This planet, not this country. Bhārata-varṣa. Formerly it was known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa. So after the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, Emperor Bharata, this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. But because we have lost our culture now, we are now a small piece of land. Just like Pakistan went. We could not maintain our culture. Formerly, the kings were maintaining the culture and controlling the whole world. So it is warning that those who have not undergone austerities, as Ṛṣabhadeva says, that this human form of body...

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Viḍ-bhujām. Viḍ-bhujām means hogs, the stool-eater. The stool-eater, you'll find the stool-eater, the whole day and night searching after stool: "Where is stool? Where is stool?" At night also, you'll find engaged. Day also, engaged. These are the examples by nature. What for? What is the business? Now, eating stool. And then, as soon as he gets some strength, then sex. Never mind, mother, sister, or anything. This is hog civilization. "Eat whatever you like, no discrimination even up to stool, and then have sexual intercourse. That's all."

So this is the warning of Ṛṣabhadeva, that this human life is not meant for this purpose, like hogs and dogs. Then what it is? Tapa. That is state..., stated here also: nātapaskāya. One who has not undergone austerities and penances according to the Vedic system, what he can understand Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedas? Therefore He has warned. And what is the result of tapasya? To become bhakta, devotee. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who has actually undergone austerities, penances, then the result will be that he will surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakta. So after tapasya, one becomes bhakta. And as soon as one becomes bhakta, he enjoys life. He enjoys life. Natural stage. That is mukti. Hitvā anyathā-rūpam. Muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpam. Anyathā-rūpam means defying the authority of God. That is anyathā-rūpam. Because we are a part and parcel of God, therefore our business is to abide by the orders of God. But as soon as we defy God, that is anyathā-rūpam. So mukti means hitvā anyathā-rūpam. That is mukti. Mukti means hitvā anyathā-rūpam, giving up this nonsense practice, defying God. Anyathā-rūpam. Sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, to be situated in his own constitutional position. What is the constitutional position? The constitutional position is to serve. Just like part and parcel of my body, this finger, is to serve the body. This is constitutional position. If the finger denies, "No, I am God. Why shall I serve you?" that is anyathā-rūpam.

Page Title:Rsabhadeva (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:18 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=30, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:30