So whatever we are seeing in this material world, the origin is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted. That is the only difference. Just like a tree. The original tree is standing erect. But when you see the perverted reflection of the tree, everything is topsy-turvied. The upside has gone downside. You have seen the reflection of the tree. So the upside, downside. When the upside of the tree becomes downside, that is called perverted reflection. So this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. It is false in this sense because it is reflection. Otherwise, exactly the same things are there in the spiritual world. Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam (BG 15.1). There is. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find in the Fifteenth Chapter. Ūrdhva-mūlam. Here, this material world, the origin—mūlam means root—is upside, upside. Because it is reflection. This tree is erect, and this is reflection. So the root has gone upside. So here is the problem.
Topsy-turvy (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
There is no happiness actually, expanding selfishness. Just like a national leader like Mahatma Gandhi in our country. He planned that "Let the Britishers go away. My countrymen will be happy. My countrymen will be happy." But when the Britishers went away, giving the responsibility of Indian empire to the Indian people, Gandhi was thinking in the morning, "Oh, I am so unhappy. Now only death will please me." And the next, the same evening, he was killed. He was so unhappy. Because everything was topsy-turvied. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. Now the country was divided. The Muslims became separated. The whole program was changed. There were so many things. He wanted that the government should be very simplified. But he saw that his disciples, his followers, were after office, simply for office. So nimittāni. He saw that "I shall be happy, my countrymen will be happy," but at the end he saw viparītāni, all opposite. Everyone will experience that. So long he will be materially attached, he will find viparītāni. "I wanted to be..." Sukhera lāgiyā, e ghara bandhinu, aguṇe puriyā gelā (?): "I constructed this nice house for living happily, but there was fire and everything finished." This is the way. You construct everything for happiness, but there will be something which will put you into the most miserable condition. This is called material world.
So at the present moment, because these purificatory processes are not accepted, even in India... Accepted, they're unable. Everything has topsy-turvied. Therefore the śāstra says that: "Accept everyone as śūdra." Kalau śūdraḥ sambhava. There is no more brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya. All śūdras. We have to accept. Because no Vedic culture, no Garbhādhāna saṁskāra. They are born like cats and dogs. So where is this division? There cannot be. Therefore, accept them as śūdra. Varṇa-saṅkara is less than śūdra. So at least, śūdra they should be. So there is no Vaidic dīkṣā. For śūdra, there is no dīkṣā, there is no initiation. Initiation is meant for the persons who are born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, or vaiśya family. The śūdra has no initiation. So in India there are professional gurus. They initiate śūdras, but do not eat foodstuff touched by the disciple. So there are so many things, that if he's initiated, how he can remain śūdra? But they keep him śūdra; at the same time, they become guru. Sanātana Gosvāmī gives direction in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that: tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. If properly initiated, he becomes immediately brāhmaṇa.
So these are the principles. This is called human society. Varnāśramācaravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). In human society, viṣṇur ārādhyate, the Lord is worshiped. But ne te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuḥ. At the present moment, these rascals, they do not know. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. And the so-called leaders, they are blind, themselves, and they are trying to lead other blind men. This is the social position. Therefore there is no more hope of reviving the Vedic culture. But by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ceto darpanaṁ mārjanam... The Vedic culture means to cleanse the heart and make him perfect. Brahma-bhūtaḥ, perfectly spiritualized. That is Vedic culture. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). To know the Supreme Lord. That is Vedic culture. Now everything is topsy-turvied. Therefore, by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has simply recommended: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (Cc. Ādi 17.21). Only chant. Then the result will be: ceto-darpana-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The same result as the Vedic culture introduced will purify the heart to understand one's position. By the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the same position will come. It is so nice. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Therefore there is no question of being depressed that: "We do not belong to this, do not belong to that." Never mind. Whatever it is. Simply chant and you'll become purified. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So jāti-dharma. Jāti, nowadays it has been taken as "national." But here, jāti-dharma means...Just like one is born in brāhmaṇa jāti, kṣatriya jāti, vaiśya jāti, śūdra jāti. So each jāti, they have got different types of responsibilities. So when the unwanted children, irresponsible children, they do not follow any more the tradition, the family tradition, or jāti-dharma, so they create a class of population in the varṇa-saṅkara. So everything becomes topsy-turvy, hellish condition. And actually it has so happened. Now there is no more jāti-dharma. Everyone is engaged somehow or other to fill up the belly. Formerly, formerly there was stricture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, these three higher castes, there were certain restrictions. The brāhmaṇa would not do this or the brāhmaṇa must do this. So that is called jāti-dharma. A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity... By education, by culture, he's a śūdra, although falsely he's claiming that he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. So his jāti-dharma, family tradition, family rituals, everything is lost due to this unwanted children. Unwanted children make everything topsy-turvy. So Arjuna is visualizing all the future calamities. But there is one remedy. It is a fact that jāti-dharma we have lost. No more we can be called strictly following the jāti-dharma. No more can one present himself strictly as a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. Everything is lost now, by the influence of Kali-yuga. And varṇa-saṅkara.
Because a king is supposed to be representative of God, nara-deva. King is addressed as nara-deva. Even in 500 years ago when Sanātana Gosvāmī was minister of Nawab Hussein Shah... Sanātana Gosvāmī wanted to resign. He wanted to join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So when the Nawab understood that Sanātana Gosvāmī... His name was Dabir Khas. He changed his name. So he said, "No, you cannot resign. Then my whole kingdom will be topsy-turvied. I completely depend, dependent on you." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My, Your Majesty, I am no more able to serve you. Kindly excuse me." Then the Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I am Nawab. I am king." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "Yes, you can punish me because you are representative of God." He never protested "Oh, you are Mohammedan, I am this, Hindu or..." No. He accepted him, that "You can punish me." So the idea is that formerly the monarch, the king, was actually representative of God. They used to rule in such a nice way that nobody was unhappy. During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's ruling, reign, you will find in the Bhāgavatam that people were so happy that they had no anxiety. Not only they were free from all anxieties, but they had not to bear even scorching heat or shivering cold. No. So they were so happy.
In this Kali-yuga, everyone is a śūdra. You hardly find a real brāhmaṇa or real kṣatriya or vaiśya. Because they are after service. In the śāstra it is said that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in difficulty, he may take the profession of a kṣatriya or up to a vaiśya, but never take the business of a śūdra like a dog. That is prohibited. And nowadays we are claiming to become brāhmaṇa and going here and there with application, "If there is any vacancy, sir?"
So these things are topsy-turvied. Simply it has become a farce. Actually if we want to establish Vedic civilization, then we must follow strictly the principles of Vedas as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. And if it is practiced, then daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. That is required. Daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. There must be the four divisions. Just like we have got four divisions in our body: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. The leg division is the śūdra, the belly division is the vaiśya, and the arm division is the kṣatriya, and the head division is the brāhmaṇa. So these divisions are now lost.
Inspecting, yes. Inspecting. "Your touring means inspection whether the varṇāśrama, whether the brāhmaṇa is doing actually as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya is doing actually as kṣatriya." That is king's touring. King's touring not a pleasure touring at the expense of the state go somewhere and come back. No. He was... Sometimes in disguise the king used to see whether this varṇāśrama-dharma is being maintained, properly being observed, whether somebody is simply wasting time like hippies. No, that cannot be done. That cannot be done. Now in your government there is some inspection that nobody is employed, but unemployed. But so many things are not practically inspected. But it is the duty of the government to see everything. Varnāśramācaravatā, everything is practicing as brāhmaṇa. Simply by falsely becoming brāhmaṇa, falsely becoming kṣatriya—no. You must. So this was the king's duty, government's duty. Now everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is no more practical value. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, kalau...,
- harer nāma harer nāma
- harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva
- gatir anyathā
- (Cc. Ādi 17.21)
It is very difficult to take us back to the original process of civilization.
So this is natural, natural division of the society. Unless human being comes to the natural division... There is, but sometimes it happens that a śūdra is taking the place of the brāhmaṇa or the brāhmaṇa is obliged to act as a śūdra. Then there is anomaly. There is some chaos in the society. So at the present moment the education department does not distinguish who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya or a śūdra. And because the things have topsy-turvied, there is chaos all over the world, not only here or there, because the division of labor or the division of working has been overlapped. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for creating some brāhmaṇas, or the most intelligent class of men. There is no hindrance. Anyone can become brāhmaṇa. Just like in education anyone can become engineer, anyone can become medical practitioner or anyone can become lawyer if he takes such education from the very beginning, similarly, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, there are natural division of the society. But at the present moment there is scarcity of brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means who has got very nice intellectual brain, who can understand the Absolute Truth. He is called brāhmaṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create some good brains so that he can understand, one can understand what is the Absolute Truth. This is the movement.
Because everyone is not employed, they have discovered machine, and the machine is working hundred men's work. So actually, a hundred men are unemployed. So the machine has not improved the situation. It has improved the pocket of the capitalist. But it has not improved the condition of the mass of people. No. They are unemployed. Therefore, in the Western countries, because the machine and industry, therefore, now they are producing from the university hippies. Unemployed. Thousands and thousands of young boys and girls. Girls are not meant for working outside. Girls are meant for working inside.
So, the whole thing has topsy-turvied. Why? Because there is no good king. This is the cause. So the whole Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was arranged by Kṛṣṇa so that these irresponsible rogues, dressed as kings, should be all killed. That was the plan of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Duryodhana. Duryodhana, in the dress of a king, he was a rogue. He cheated the Pāṇḍavas by gambling. "You bet your wife, you bet your kingdom." In this way, they were devotees, simple, cheated them. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to see that these cheaters and rogues must be killed. That was His plan.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 67: "As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even so, one of the senses in which the mind becomes fixed can carry away a man's intelligence."
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you... Suppose on the Pacific Ocean you are on a boat or on a nice seat, but if you have no controlling capacity, one wave of that Pacific Ocean can immediately bring you to the bottom of the sea. So this is required. We are in the midst of the Pacific Ocean of this māyika world. Saṁsāra-samudra. It is called samudra. So at any moment our boat can be topsy-turvied if we have no controlling power.
Now, although we are two classes, impersonalist and personalist, we take Veda as the medium of knowledge. We may give different interpretations. That is another thing. But either party of Śaṅkarācārya or the party of Vaiṣṇava and ācāryas, they take the Vedānta-sūtra, the Vedānta philosophy, as the medium.
But Lord Buddha, although we accept him as the incarnation of God and he was born in India and he propagated his philosophy from India, but because he denied to accept the Vedic principle, therefore he is known as atheist, because he, Buddha, did not accept the Vedic principles. He denied. And there was reason why he did not. That is a secret thing. That secret—because his whole philosophy was to stop animal killing, animal killing. Now, in the Vedic scripture, you will find, animal sacrifice is recommended. So he wanted to preach, "Stop animal killing." Now, if there is evidence from the Vedas that animal can be killed under certain circumstances, then his whole preaching becomes topsy-turvied. So he was obliged to deny the authority of the Vedas. And because he did not accept the authority of the Vedas, the Vedantists and the followers of Vedas, they called the Buddhist philosophy as atheism. This is the explanation.
You have got tendency for sex life—make it regulated by marriage ceremony. This is Vedic civilization, not that like cats and dogs you meet together and have sex life. No. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā. Dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmaḥ, which is not against religious principles, that kind of sex life, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life." So nothing is denied. Nothing is denied, but everything should be regulated. That is human form of life. And that regulative principle begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma, four kinds of varṇas and four kinds of āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. These are varṇas. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This is.... This program is chalked out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You cannot neglect it. Then the karmas will topsy-turvy.
Therefore here it is said, karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet. If we regulate this system—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then although they are engaged as a śūdra or as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya or as a vaiśya, still, they are not becoming entangled in such karma. That is called akarmaṇi ca karma. Karmaṇi. Karmaṇi means there must be result, but you have to make it akarma, no result, no result. And that is bhakti-yoga.
That paramparā should be followed. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If we want to understand really Vedic literature, then we must follow the paramparā system. There are four sampradāyas, paramparā: the Rāmanuja Sampradāya, Madhvācārya Sampradāya, Viṣṇu Svāmī Sampradāya, Nimbārka Sampradāya. So we belong to the Madhvācārya Sampradāya. Fortunately, all these ācāryas, even Śaṅkarācārya, they appeared from South India. This sampradāya, ācārya-sampradāya, is going on all over India. So every sampradāya has got his commentary on the Brahma-sūtra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, brahma sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). Unless a sampradāya, the four sampradāyas, they do not comment on the Brahma-sūtra, he'll not..., that sampradāya is not accepted. And if you do not accept the sampradāya..., sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ.
If you do not take your initiation mantra from the sampradāya, then it is useless. Now, there are so many apasampradāya. They do not come in disciplic succession, but becomes guru, teacher. Therefore everything is topsy-turvied. Nobody has got fixed idea what is God. Everyone has created his own philosophy. The whole thing is now confused.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Everyone wants peaceful, calm life. Even those who are struggling so hard, big business magnate. Still, at the weekend, they find out some secluded place, nice place, without trouble. That is the nature.
That human nature should be like that, that "Why should we work so hard, simply for eating, sleeping, mating?" This is a wrong type of civilization. But at the modern age, the human society is so made that one has to work like ass, whole day and night, simply for satisfying these four necessities of life. That is also not guaranteed. We thought that in your country... When I was in India, I was contemplating coming to your country. I thought that America is very rich. "There is no problem for eating, sleeping, mating." Actually, there is nil. There is no problem. But the civilization is so made that there is no shelter. They are lying down on the park, on the street. Why? There was no necessity, but they have created such civilization, that a certain section of people are voluntarily, or being obliged, lying down on the street, on the park, no dress, no food, no fixed..., fixed-up sex life. Everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is topsy-turvied. But this is not civilization, this is not civilization. Then how they can understand God? Their mind is always disturbed and full of anxiety.
Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). You have... You know. Just like a tree, standing on the shore of a reservoir of water. You'll find the reflection of the tree downward. Everything is topsy-turvied. The trunk, the root is on the up, and the foliage, which is on the up, that has come down. Similarly, this material world is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter: ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham. Generally, we see tree downwards, root, but in the reflection you will find the roots upward. Therefore ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham means these material varieties are simply an imitation of the original variety.
So this point is that if the population of the world becomes sinful, demonic, then nature will not supply you sufficient food. She will diminish. We have got experience. In India we have seen, some years there is overproduction of mango. People... Very cheap. Everyone can purchase. And sometimes there is no supply, some year. Similarly, foodgrains also. Some year there is oversupply of foodgrain and sometimes there is scanty supply. Now, this supply of foodgrains, fruits, and everything, even milk... In our New Vrindaban, because the cows feel very safe, they give us sufficient milk. That is our experience. So you keep things in order according to the Vedic injunction, you get sufficient food. There is no question of scarcity. But if you become sinful, demons, then the nature's food supply will be ultimately stopped. You can produce your food in the factory... You cannot do that. You can produce motorcars to consume all the petroleum within the earth, and then you become no petrol. Then throw all these motorcars. Unless you find out some other energy That you can do. You can make things topsy-turvied. But by your so-called scientific advancement, you cannot increase or, I mean to say, stop nonproduction. That you cannot.
Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. He was minister, a very big post, government minister, chief man. Not only minister-Nawab Hussain Shah entrusted the whole kingdom in his hand: "You manage, whatever you like." Because he knew that "Here is a trustworthy man. He'll do very nicely." And he was a Muhammadan Nawab, so he was engaged in hunting and dancing with girls. But he was confident that "Sanātana is there." His name was changed, Sākara Mallika... Dabira Khāsa. His name was Dabira Khāsa, and his brother Rūpa Gosvāmī's name was Sākara Mallika. They almost became Muhammadan. Very responsible officer. When they wanted to resign, oh, Nawab Hussain Shah became topsy-turvied: "Oh, what do you say? I am depending on you. The whole thing is depending on you. And you want to resign? Oh, you have gone crazy. I cannot allow you." So actually... But he was thinking... Since he met Lord Caitanya, he was thinking that "I am diseased. What is the value of my this education and this post? I am diseased."
We have got so many duties. So long we are not fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa... It is not that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give shelter to some irresponsible man who does not carry the responsibilities of family life or brahmacārī life. But that is now forgotten. Everything is topsy-turvied. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, may be offered even to the caṇḍāla. Caṇḍāla means the lowest of the human society, the dog-eaters. Caṇḍāla. This is the, mean, the benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can be accepted by anyone, and it can be bestowed to anyone, without any discrimination, without any discrimination. And that is happening. We have no discrimination that "This movement is meant for such-and-such class of men or such-and-such nation or such-and-such country." No. It is meant for everyone. And anyone who takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is happy.
A brahmacārī should live under the guidance of the spiritual master as menial servant, and whatever he collects, he would give to the spiritual master. If the spiritual master says, "Now you can eat," then he will eat; otherwise he will starve. He will not take the things of spiritual master by his own hand. First of all... No. This is the austerity of brahmacārī. And no meeting with young girls. Even the wife of the spiritual master is young, the brahmacārī is not allowed to go there. There are so many. These are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa.
But these things are not now possible. Everything is topsy-turvied. There is no regular training of the human being. They are being trained up like cats' and dogs' life. Cats and dogs, they don't require training. Because what is the modern civilization? Eating, sleeping, sex life, and dying. It does not require any education.
- kiṁ kṣatra-bandhūn kalinopasṛṣṭān
- rāṣṭrāṇi vā tair avaropitāni
- itas tato vāśana-pāna-vāsaḥ-
- snāna-vyavāyonmukha-jīva-lokam
In this Kali-yuga everything is topsy-turvied. The Vedic way of life... For living condition, we require to eat, we require to take bath, we require to sleep, we require to have sex also. Everything must be in regulative principle. Because human life means regulative principles. Unfortunately, the human life has become irregulated than the animals. This aśana, pāna, vāsaḥ, and snāna, and sexual intercourse, there is, at the present moment, there is no regulative principle. The Vedic principle is early in the morning one must take bathing, then worship the Deity, read Vedic literature, mantra, then offer foodstuff to the Deity, then take prasādam. Everything is regulative principle. And it is the duty of the government to see that these regulative principles are being observed by the citizens. This is government. The Vedic system, these brāhmaṇa, the topmost class of the human society, their business is to study the Vedas, paṭhana pāṭhana, yajana yājana, dāna pratigraha. Ideal character, very learned. Still in India... Now it is formality. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍitajī. Paṇḍita means very learned. Without being very learned scholar, one cannot become brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is farther above the brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is the preliminary qualification for becoming a Vaiṣṇava later on.
Long, long ago some swami came here. He returned with three woman, and we do not wish to discuss. Many more. You see. The sex life is very strong in this material, in this age. But sex life should be regulated. Not that anywhere and everywhere, or any time. Therefore the population is unwanted population. One irregular sex life produced the Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu's mother became very sexually agitated, and she wanted to sex, with her husband (have) intercourse. And just in the evening. Kaśyapa Muni, he said, "No, no, this is not the time, proper time." But she was insistent. So the result was two demons were born.
So everything should be regulated. But in this age there is no regulation, there is no knowledge. Less than animals also. They have sex life at a certain period of the year, not always. But human being has become so low-graded that... And that is due to Kali-yuga. Therefore it is very lamentable. Everything is topsy-turvied. It's no regular. It is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy that we are reforming the whole society very simple way-chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You see.
Therefore real civilization is to teach the children from the very beginning of life how to control senses. That is called brahmacārī. That is called brahmacārī life. To learn how to control the senses.
So everything is topsy-turvy and five thousand years ago or more than that, these things were being discussed, and people were very sorry that very bad days were to come. And still we can predict. There is no... It does not require very much advanced knowledge. In the śāstra it is stated what will be the later ages of Kali-yuga. That is also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The beginning is already there.
This is Kali-yuga, very abominable condition, precarious condition. You cannot get justice, you cannot get nice food, you cannot get nice treatment, your age is diminished, your power is diminished, everything is topsy-turvied. The best thing is to prepare yourself very quickly to go back to home, back to Godhead, and there you become one of them, like these Vaikuṇṭha persons. These are the description already there. So many ornaments. We do not see what is... If you ask somebody... They may have some plastic utensils, but if you ask somebody that "Have you seen pearl, sapphire, or coral, or diamond?" everyone will say, "I have never seen in my life." And still they are proud: "Oh, we are now advanced." What advanced? Simply plastic and paper. I see in Japan, all paper, simply papers. All big, big buildings packed up with papers. I was observing from the train all the big, big... What is the contents? Contents means paper. That's it. The house is made of paper. And Japan is considered to be very advanced, and industrialist. Simply outward dress. Actually nobody has got any wealth. The money is also paper. No pearl, no gold, no silver, nothing. But they are satisfied with papers. That's all. Paper house, paper money, paper book, paper everything. Plastic, paper.
Everything is being done by the laws of nature. You cannot change it. There is a plan, God's plan. It will go on. You don't have to bother yourself, that without you, everything will be topsy-turvied. No. You cannot do anything. You are falsely thinking that your leadership is very much needed. No. I was thinking. When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Mahārāja that I should give up family life and become a sannyāsī and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In several way there was hints from my spiritual master, but still, I was not willing. I was thinking, "If I go away, then my family, my sons, my daughters, they will suffer." But actually, I have left my family connection in 1950. Actually '54, but introductory in '50. For the last twenty years. But they are living; I am living. They are not dying in my absence, and I am not suffering without being in my family. On the other hand, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, I have got better family members. I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children.
So if by coming to the platform of brahminical culture, one is sure, that is not possible. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sometimes sattva-guṇa is overpowered by rajo-guṇa or rajo-guṇa is overpowered by tamo-guṇa or sattva-guṇa is overpowered by tamo-guṇa. In this way, topsy-turvy it is going on. That is material world. But if you want to become above the material platform, then you have to take to the platform of devotional service. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- māṁ ca avyabhicārena
- bhakti-yogena sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
If you take to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we can overcome the jurisdiction of the guṇas. That is also advised by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna: traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This whole world is being conducted by the three guṇas, and if you want to go above the three guṇas, then you have to take to this platform, nistraiguṇya. Nirguṇa. Is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa does not mean no quality. No. Nirguṇa means nirastaḥ yatra, material qualities. Do not think, as some philosophers think like that, that after being brahma-bhūtaḥ, as it is stated, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, then business is finished. No. Business is not finished.
"You give up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Kṛṣṇa, personally." But nobody surrendered; only a few persons of the Pāṇḍavas, Arjuna, Bhīma, or the gopīs in Vṛndāvana. But at that time there were others. And later age, people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Kṛṣṇa also came to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa, but He actually could not induce people to this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by this saṅkīrtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called namo mahā-vadānyāya: "My dear Lord, You are the most magnificent, munificent personality, incarnation, because," kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53), "You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, the most important thing, the goal of life." And that was the mission of Lord Caitanya. He said, kalau, in this age, when everything has become topsy-turvied, there is no more chance for systematizing the whole human society. It is lost. The regulating processes are lost now, and neither it is possible to reintroduce it. It is not possible. People have become so much degraded that it is not possible. Therefore direct method. Direct method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will revive your old consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore in India we see so many vagabonds: no employment, no caretaker, loitering in the street, playing at noontime, no engagement. This is the defect because we have lost our own culture. Although this culture—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—is Indian culture, unfortunately we have given up. Varnāśrama-dharma, varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas, they're simply giving up. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriyas, no more vaiśyas, no more śūdras. They are less than śūdras. Pañcama. Less then śūdra means caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. There are so many divisions of caṇḍālas. Pañcama. They are called pañcama. So the whole thing is topsy-turvied. We have given up our own culture and imitating the foreigners and the Western country. That also we cannot do very properly because we are meant for different purpose in India. In India, one who has taken birth in India, it is understood that in his previous birth he tried to cultivate spiritual culture; therefore he has been given the opportunity to take birth in India. India is so fortunate. But as soon as he takes birth, the rascal leader spoils him, the rascal father spoils him, the rascal teacher spoils him. So what can they do, the poor younger generation? They are being taught that "The spiritual culture is useless. Because we are so much spiritually inclined, the foreigners came and they ruled over us. Now give up all this nonsense. Become technologist." This is going on.
So it is very difficult at the present moment to introduce all these principles because the days are different. If we become very strict, so then... Ordinarily they are not coming. There is no such strict principle, and we are constructing very nice palatial building with attached bathroom and everything complete. Still, people are not coming. This is different days. So it is very difficult to introduce the original way of brahmacarya, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, and gṛhastha. Everything has topsy-turvied. But there is only one way. That is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "Although this age is full of faults..." Kalau doṣa-nidhe rājan. The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "My dear King, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, I have described so many faults of this age, and you must be perplexed. It is just like the ocean of faults. But there is one benefit. That is specially for this age." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "If simply this system is introduced, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra..." Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. This Hare Kṛṣṇa... Sometimes they come to fight with us that "Why you say 'Hare Kṛṣṇa'? Why you do not say 'Hare Rāma'?" Perhaps you have got experience. But śāstra says, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. It does not mean that we do not accept Rāma as the Supreme Per... That does not mean. Śāstra said, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. And it is said in the śāstra that if you chant Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma, after chanting thousand times Viṣṇu's name, it is equal to one Rāma nāma. And after chanting thrice Rāma nāma, it is equal to one Kṛṣṇa nāma.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
The Vedas, they are called mother. Veda-mātā. These books, Vedic knowledge, this is the mother. From mother you can take information that there is father. And here is father. Who is father? Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1). And the father comes personally and He informs, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Then where is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? But because we are rascals, will not believe mother, will not believe father. We, with our tiny brain, we shall make research and make things topsy-turvy and pass on as great scientist doctor. This is our position. Therefore śāstra says that "You rascals, do not waste your time in that way." Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet.
So Lord Caitanya says that sambandha means we have to revive, we have to reestablish our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is civilization. The relationship is there already because I am born. The supreme cause is Kṛṣṇa, or God. But I have, some way or other, I have forgotten that. Therefore these scriptures—Vedas, this Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā—these scriptures are reminding me. They're made for reminding me that "Your relationship with Kṛṣṇa is eternal. Why you have forgotten? Therefore you are suffering." We have discussed the śloka, verse, that bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyaya-smṛtiḥ. Vipa... Because we have taken a, a reverse position for, for, forgetting the Supreme, therefore we are put into anxiety. Because we have taken a reverse position. "Who is God?" Viparyaya-smṛtiḥ. This very word is used. Viparyaya means topsy-turvied. "Your memory has become topsy-turvied. Therefore you are suffering." But he will not agree. "No, we shall adjust. We shall make laws. We shall make agitation. We shall form party and go on defying God, and we shall be happy in this way." So this godless civilization is now generating the Communist party. So the dangerous position, we are coming.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
This young boy and young girl trying to unite for happiness is the natural inclination of the living entity. It is there in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything that we see in this material world is there in the spiritual world. Janmādy asya yataḥ. Wherefrom everything is coming? The original source, the original source of this love, is there in the Absolute. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ. It is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the thing as it is originally is perfect, but here, the same thing is only perverted reflection. Here, the boys and the girls meeting, because it is simply a reflection... Just like a reflection of the tree on the river, it is just topsy-turvied, similarly, that reflection, reality, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa love, is topsy-turvied here.
Cornerstone Ceremonies
There is no question of interpretation in the Bhagavad-gītā. Interpretation is allowed when you cannot understand. When the things are clearly understood... If I say, "This is microphone," everyone understands this is microphone. Where is the necessity of interpreting it? There is no necessity. This is foolishness, misleading. There cannot be any interpretation in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is... Everything is clear to the point. Just like Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You all become sannyāsī and give up your occupational duty." No. Kṛṣṇa says, sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiḥ labhate naraḥ (BG 18.46). You remain in your business. You remain your occupation. There is no need of changing. But still, you can become Kṛṣṇa conscious and make your life successful. This is the message of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is not going to make any topsy-turvy of the social order or spiritual order. No. It should be standardized according to the authority. And the best authority is Kṛṣṇa.
General Lectures
According to quality and work, there are four divisions of men: The brāhmaṇa, the intelligent class of men; the kṣatriyas, the administrative class of men, the martial class of men; and the vaiśyas, the productive class of men; and the śūdras, the worker class of men. That is still existing in a different name, but the difficulty is, the classification is not made according to quality and work. That was the actual position of classification. Nowadays, a śūdra is on the government. A person who is a nonsense number one, he has no knowledge, he is on the head of the government. The things have been topsy-turvied. A person on religious category, he's advocating something, oh, it is not to be uttered. Homosex. You see? He's advocating homosex. Just see. These has been topsy-turvied. The four classes of men are there, still. But the third-class, fourth-class man is taking the place of first class. And the first-class man is kicked out, "Go out. Don't talk of God." This is the position at the present moment. The classes are there. That is natural. There must be some first-class men, there must be some second-class men, there must be some third-class men, there must be some fourth-class men. But the difficulty is that the fourth-class man is taking the position of first-class man, and the first-class man is being kicked out. Therefore there are so many problems in the society. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. First-class man must be acting first class. But he's acting as last class, but he is posed in first class. Things have been topsy-turvied. So it is the duty of the government to find out the first-class man and employ him for first-class business, first-class activities. And what is that first-class activity? The first-class activity is athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is first-class activity.
Suggestion is already I have given, that utilize this land for cultivation. I have seen so much land vacant. In Austria, Australia. Eh? Yes, Australia, and special... In U.S.A. also, there are so much land vacant. They're not utilizing... Whatever production, they... Sometimes they throw it in the water. And, I, I have heard in this Geneva, that there was excess of milk production. Therefore they want to kill twenty-thousand cows to reduce the milk production. This is their brain. Actually, there is no brain. So they, for brain, they should come to these śāstras. They should take guidance. Produce. Produce, utilize. But they'll not utilize. Rather, the limited number of people... At least in India, all the villagers, they have been drawn in the city for producing bolts and nuts. Now eat bolts and nuts. So, so Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's program was that, village organization. And our big Pandit topsy-turvied everything. So Gandhi's program was very nice, to organize a... (break) ...and produce your own food. If you work only three months, you get the whole year's provision. Whole year's provision. The balance time, you save. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. And be spiritually advanced. Be human being. Otherwise, it is risky.
Prabhupāda: They may be own, your father. Just like Prahlāda's father was Hiraṇyakaśipu, a demon. So what can be done? Prahlāda was a devotee, and his father was a demon.
Guest (3): Yes. He has to be destroyed.
Prabhupāda: So he was destroyed. He'll be destroyed. They are being destroyed. These demonic leaders will not stay. They'll be destroyed. But everything takes some time. Just like I told you that Gandhi, he understood the pulse of the country. He wanted to reorganize the villages, but our big Paṇḍitajī topsy-turvied everything.
Guest (3): Yeah, and we killed him.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (3): That was the first thing.
Prabhupāda: And we killed him, Gandhi. Yes. So this is... Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If a mūrkha is advised to do something, he becomes angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ visa-vardhanam. So at the present moment, our Indian leaders are not very good. Blind. They have no knowledge, and they are leading. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They have killed our original Vedic culture, and they cannot give anything. Gandhi wanted to give something, but he was also killed. What can be done?
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He says that God is an absolute necessity because we cannot conceive not-God. But man, individual men, are relative truths because they are not absolutely necessary. Because I can conceive that I am not here, that I may die. So he says that we are conditioned, that men are conditioned. They are governed by the principle of sufficient (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: That we can see. There are so many politicians, they are very busy. They think that "If I do not remain in the state, everything will collapse." But when he dies, everything goes on nicely without him. That is māyā. So many politicians work so hard, up to the last point of his death he is thinking that "Without me, everything will be topsy-turvy." But he dies in spite of his not willing to die. He dies, but things go on without depending on him. Therefore God's will is working, the Supreme Will. You may think so many ways—that is a different thing. Actually God's will is working.
Purports to Songs
The body's supposed to be conducted by three elements, kapha pitta vāyu, cold, and bile, and air. So when these three elements work simultaneously, there is no disease in the body, but, as soon as there is overlapping disruption of these three elements, the body becomes diseased. And when it is not possible to bring them again in their regulative principle, a man dies. That is the verdict of Āyurveda śāstra. So death takes place when these three elements become overlapped with one another. And the symptom is that there is a sound on the throat which is called: garhh, garhh. That means the patient cannot speak. The throat is choked up and he becomes suffocated and dies. So this is the last stage, symptom of his body.
So King Kulaśekhara says that "I cannot wait up to that time when everything will be topsy-turvied. Now my mind is sound. Let me enter immediately in the stem of your lotus feet." That means he's praying: "Let me die in the sound condition of my life so that I can think of your lotus feet." In other words, he's giving us lessons that if we do not practice to engage our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa when our mind is sound, how it is possible to think of Him at the time of death?
| Page Title: | Topsy-turvy (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Serene |
| Created: | 01 of Aug, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=38, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 38 |