Prahlāda Mahārāja said that children should be taught about religious principle, especially Bhāgavata dharma. What is dharma and Bhāgavata dharma? Bhāgavata dharma means the dharma of the soul, and ordinary dharma means the dharma of this body. Generally we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā śṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras, brahmacārī, gṛhasta, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So actually this is our..., Vedic principle is varṇāśrama-dharma. So this varṇāśrama-dharma is in relationship with this body. But we are not this body. Dehāntaraṁ prāp..., we are changing our body. So sometimes we may become a śūdra, sometimes we may become brāhmaṇa—that is change. But when you come to the platform of the soul, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), that dharma, when it begins, the dharma of the soul, that is called bhāgavata-dharma, because when one is, uh... I mean, in the platform, on the platform of understanding soul, that is called brahma-jñāna, ātmā-jñāna.
Vanaprastha (Lectures, SB)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
That is called vairāgya. For vairāgya, this process of renunciation, sannyāsa, is advised, according to the Vedic system. First of all, he's trained up as a brahmacārī just to know the relationship, perfect education. Then he's allowed to become a gṛhastha. Then he's to accept vānaprastha, then accept renunciation. This is gradual steps. The real purpose is renunciation, give up your attachment for this material world. Because that is my bondage. So long I shall try to enjoy maybe a fractional percentage, still, I'll have to accept this material body. It may be a small ant's body, but because the desire is that "I shall eat one grain of sugar," he has to take the body. Therefore one should be anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), completely no desire for material desire, or material enjoyment. Then we can enter. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).
He also becomes satisfied. So that is called paro dharmaḥ. Paro dharmaḥ means... Paraḥ means superior, and dharmaḥ means occupational duty. Everyone has got occupational duty. It doesn't matter, either you are a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Everyone has got occupational duty. That is human society. Human society means when the society is divided into these eight divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Varṇāśrama-dharma. That is Vedic civilization.
Actually there is no such word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. It is a concocted word given by the Muhammadans. Real Vedic system of religion is varṇa and āśrama. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So one has to execute... The brāhmaṇa must execute his system of life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). A brāhmaṇa must execute all these principles of life. Similarly, kṣatriya, he should be very brave, not to go away from fighting. He must have a ruling capacity. He must be charitable. In this way, kṣatriya must execute his system of life. Similarly vaiśya, he must also execute his system of life: kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). Agriculture, cow protection.
So there must be dharma, characteristic. This is the characteristics of brāhmaṇa. This is the characteristics of kṣatriya. This is the characteristic of vaiśya. This is character of śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This must be systematically organized. That is called dharma. Because the real purpose is, dharmasya hy āpavargyasya: just to nullify this miserable condition of material life, not... Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthaḥ arthāya upakalpate.
Na arthasya dharma ekāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. Not for sense gratification. You require some money. So by your profession, either as a brāhmaṇa or as kṣatriya or as a vaiśya or as a śūdra... A brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, that is for spiritual advancement. And for material—this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So you require some money. Because without money, without source of income, how you can live? But that is not meant for sense gratification. Therefore it is said, na arthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ.
Mahāprabhu gave His identification in this way: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, neither I am a king, neither I am a vaiśya, neither I am a sannyāsī. I am nothing of this." Because this material designation, varṇa-āśrama. Four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So anybody must be within these eight categories. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "I don't belong to any of these categories." Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na ca yatir vā. Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, gopī-bhartuḥ, and the master of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, pada-kamalayoḥ, lotus feet—I am His servant, dāsa, and his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, in this way servants' servant."
They may have two hands, two legs, but they are simply animals, that's all, no better than animals.
So actually human civilization begins when there is varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, four varṇas and four āśramas. Here is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Unless human society is scientifically divided in this varṇāśrama system, it is animal society. It is not man's society. Therefore he is stressing varṇāśrama. Not others who are not within the category of varṇāśrama, they are animals. So when the human society comes to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, then they can think about God. Otherwise it is not possible. Animal, how they can think about God? Because you are all first-class boys and girls, therefore you have come to hear about God.
Ataḥ pumbhir-dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa and āśrama. This varṇāśrama is very important thing in the human society. Unless one accepts these principles of varṇa and āśrama, they're animal society. That is not human society. Four varṇas—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra, four divisions of the society; and āśrama, spiritual order—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is Vedic culture, varṇa and āśrama. Any society which is devoid of this vedic culture varna and asrama. That is not accepted as human society.
The whole aim of varṇāśrama-dharma... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, the śūdras, the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī—this is called varṇāśrama. This is the form of human civilization. Unless one comes to this point of executing the varṇāśrama-dharma, he's animal. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. This is dharma, to execute varṇāśrama-dharma. That is dharma. So if anyone is not executing this varṇāśrama-dharma, he's animal. Paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. That is not accepted as human civilization.
He instructed that human society should be dhīra, self-controlled. That is ideal human society. That is Vedic civilization.
Here it is also stated, sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam. Āśrama. Sarva-āśrama. Āśrama. I have several times described that the brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. Sarvāśrama, all orders of life. Varṇāśrama. The Vedic civilization is based on four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So Lord Ṛṣabhadeva planned in such a way to teach His sons—He had one hundred sons—that it will be honored by all the āśramas. Out of His one hundred sons, nine became sannyāsī. Nava Yogendra, very highly elevated spiritually, nine sons. And eighty-one sons... Out of hundred, nine gone, ninety-one sons?
Therefore it is specially mentioned dhīrāṇām. Vartma. The path which He showed, that is meant for the dhīra, not for the adhīra. Dhīrāṇām. And it is so nice that sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam. All āśramas will appreciate and offer obeisances. All āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So dealing with woman... Especially instruction are given to men. All literatures, all Vedic literatures, they are especially meant for instruction to the men. Woman is to follow the husband. That's all. The husband will give instruction to the wife. There is no such thing as the girl should go to school to take brahmacārī-āśrama or go to spiritual master to take instruction. That is not Vedic system. Vedic system is a man is fully instructed, and woman, girl, must be married to a man. Even the man may have many wives, polygamy, still, every woman should be married. And she would get instruction from the husband. This is Vedic system. Woman is not allowed to go to school, college, or to the spiritual master. But husband and wife, they can be initiated.
This is civilization. This is Vedic civilization. And not that go on killing animals like anything and hunt upon the woman, topless woman, make business. This is not civilization. This is not human civilization.
Therefore it is called dhīrāṇām. Those who are sober, for them. Those who are rascals, not for them. The brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha sarvāśrama, āśrama, this is meant for the gentle class, not for the rascals. First of all, training period as brahmacārī. This brahmacārī, he is taught. He is taught to address all women as "mother." The brahmacārī goes to collect alms from door to door. Small boys. So how do they address? "Mother, kindly give us some alms." So immediately the household wife should come and give them. They will collect like that, for spiritual master. So if a boy is taught... Just like our these children are being taught chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are chanting. They cannot forget throughout life.
"I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha," everything, all the eight varṇāśramas, He denied. "I don't belong to any group." Then what You are? "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant—one hundred times down the servant." Of who? "The maintainer of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa." A pure devotee does not belong to any group, and he wants to become the lowest servant, not the first-grade servant. That is pure devotion.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja, a pure devotee, he did not like to make any exchange. Then again he was offered a chance, "You can at least, whatever you have desire within your mind, you can ask from Me." So again Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My dear Lord, in this material world, who could be more powerful than my father?
Therefore it is addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "O the best of the dvijas, twice-born." Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for the brāhmaṇa, one who is brāhmaṇa, for him, the four āśramas are recommended. One... First of all he must become brahmacārī, a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a gṛhastha. Not should, but if he likes. Then... Otherwise, sometimes you will find naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Never... Just like my Guru Mahārāja was. He never married. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī.
That is called vānaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vānaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyāsa. This is brāhmaṇa's..., four āśrama. And for the kṣatriya, up to vānaprastha. Up to vānaprastha. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and all the brothers, they left home, but the wife was there. That is called vānaprastha. They did not take sannyāsa. Kṣatriya. Up to vānaprastha. Vaiśyas. No vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. Up to gṛhastha. Brahmacārī... Brahmacārī is compulsory for the dvija. Because there is the training. And for the śūdra there is no brahmacārī. Only gṛhastha, married. Otherwise, life will be very irregular. So in this way varṇāśrama. So there are duties.
Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Somehow or other you were all engaged in some business. That is called sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means one has selected some business. That is his sva-dharma. Generally, if it is systematic, then sva-dharma means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is systematic, sva-dharma. Otherwise, everyone must have some engagement. Suppose a thief, he has taken the occupation or profession of stealing. That is also sva-dharma. But that is not systematic; that is whimsical. So anyone must have some engagement. That engagement is called sva-dharma, his own business occupation. Sva-karma or sva-dharma.
And so on, so on, so on, so on. All designation of this body. This is false ahaṅkāra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us how to become free from the false ahaṅkāra. He said that nāhaṁ vipro na yatir vā: "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a gṛhastha. I am not a vānaprastha. I am not this. I am not that." All material designations He refused, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "I am not this, I am not this, I am not this." Even if I am very much proud of becoming a brāhmaṇa or I become very much proud of becoming a sannyāsī... That is the highest stage of human status, to become a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī. Sannyāsī is supposed to be the guru of everyone. There are four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāh... (break) ...and kṣatriya. And in the spiritual order, the sannyāsī is guru of all, even of the brāhmaṇa. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am neither brāhmaṇa nor sannyāsī." He refused. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. Yati means sannyāsī. So He refused.
Kṛṣṇa does not become visible, because He is visible only to the paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means the supreme position of a human being. That is called paramahaṁsa. There are... You know, according to Vedic system, there are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The eight stages. The sannyāsī is to be supposed the first-class stage. So amongst the sannyāsa stage also, there are four stages: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Not that all sannyāsīs on the equal status. The first status is kuṭīcaka. Sannyāsa means one has to give up the relationship with family. So in the beginning of stage, because he is newly entered in the sannyāsa life, it is not possible for him to give up immediately his village or... Of course, when there was systematic sannyāsa system, then that anyone had to take sannyāsa at a certain stage.
That is a great sacrifice. So by karma-yoga, also, you can satisfy...
Because the main business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇāśrama. There are four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. So these are the scientific divisions of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. So... So according to Vedic civilization, every department, division, has got a particular duty.
Simply trouble. Therefore Vedic civilization is to train these small boys to remain brahmacārī, not to take trouble. But if one is unable, he's allowed. So on being trained up in the beginning as brahmacārī, he does not stay for many years in the family life. He retires very soon and becomes vānaprastha, then sannyāsa. That is the training.
So here it is said, kliśyamānānām. They are... Everyone is suffering—birds, beasts, animals and trees, plants, and even Brahmā, even Indra. Indra is also not safe. He is always anxious: "Nobody, competitor, may come." So here in this material world everyone is kliśyamāna, suffering, at least with anxiety. Sadā samudvigna, asad-grahāt. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Everyone in this material world—always anxiety. Kliśyamānānām.
If you can, you avoid all this nonsense. That is brahmacārī. Try to avoid, better. If not, enter. Then after sometimes, vānaprastha: "Now I have enjoyed so much the..., to this attachment. Now leave the home." That is called vānaprastha. At that time, the wife goes as assistant, and the man travels all over the pilgrimages to become detached. Then after two months, three months, he again comes home, sees the children are doing nice, again go away. This is called beginning of detachment. When the detachment is complete, then the man asks his wife, "Now you go, live with your children. I am, I am taking sannyāsa." This is final detachment.
Therefore the Vedic civilization is that the affection is to be cut off compulsory at a certain age, not that the affection should continue. If the affection continues, then there is no chance of my becoming free from this material world. There is no chance. Therefore vānaprastha. Because the wife's..., affection with the wife, is very, very strong. So vānaprastha means the husband and wife, they give up the affection. Not give up, go away from home, and they travel in the holy places just to purify, and again, when the affection draws, they come to the family. Again remain for one or two months, then again go away. So the wife, there is no sex connection, but wife remains as assistant to the man to be accustomed how to remain aloof from the family.
"They are meant for becoming brāhmaṇas. They are meant for kṣatriyas." Or for coming from kṣatriya family, or the brāhmaṇa family... So first of all, these varṇas, then āśrama. The brāhmaṇa, one who is qualified as a brāhmaṇa, he has to observe the four āśramas, a brāhmaṇa: the brahmacārī-āśrama, the gṛhastha-āśrama, the vānaprastha-āśrama and sannyāsa-āśrama. The kṣatriya, they'll have to observe three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha and vānaprastha. And the vaiśyas, two āśramas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And śūdra, only one āśrama, only gṛhastha. A śūdra is never offered sannyāsa. A... Only the brāhmaṇa is offered.
These are the processes. He is not practiced to beg from door to door. Therefore in the beginning he makes a cottage outside the village, and the foodstuff comes from his home. But he has no connection because by vānaprastha he has already left home, and by sannyāsa, completely... But takes prasādam from home. That is called kuṭīcaka. Then when he's practiced, he goes from door to door, and that is called bahūdaka. And then, when he's still more practiced, he becomes a preacher, parivrājakācārya, goes from country to country, state to state, for preaching. And after preaching, when the preaching is advanced to some extent, then he sits down in a place as paramahaṁsa. That is called paramahaṁsa. Different stages.
Just like in the beginning Rāmānanda Rāya said that varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). He gave stress on the institution of varṇa and āśrama, to observe the rules and regulation of varṇas, four varṇas—to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, bāhya: "Yes, it is good, but it is not so, mean, important, not so important."
Because He knew, in this age, Kali Yuga, who is going to observe this varṇāśrama-dharma? Everyone is śūdra. A śūdra cannot understand this, neither it is possible to bring them back again. Although we are trying, but it is very difficult. Once one has become debauch, to reform him is very difficult.
That is called dharma. Dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not dharma. Just like we say, varṇāśrama-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī. This combination of eight makes dharma, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not dharma; it is sentiment. But that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if dharma is accepted on the principles of this varṇāśrama-dharma, that is... For material purpose. That is not for spiritual purpose. Although there is hint of spiritual life, still, they are prākṛta.
That's it. Everything is cycle. If you execute your prescribed duties as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, or as a śūdra, as a brahmacārī, as a gṛhastha, as a vānaprastha, or as a sannyāsī... Divisions are there. Division must be there. Just like government. For executing nicely the governmental business, there are so many departments. Not that one department, only king, queen. Then government... Why the government is spending so much money, maintaining so many building? Simply queen's palace, that Buckingham, that is sufficient? No. There must be departments. So these are departments, this brāhmaṇa, this kṣatriya, the vaiśyas, the śūdras. Just like in your body there are departments.
"This is the end of life." Gṛhamedhi. Just "Now I am married. It is my duty to stick to the gṛha and enjoy senses, that's all." Gṛhamedhi. Sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa, brahmacārī, sannyāsī... Sannyāsīs have become rogues. And there is no brahmacārī nor vānaprastha. Therefore it is very difficult to get Indian workers. They have no... Your qualification is—I told in the beginning—that you have got a renouncing spirit. That is a great qualification. Tyāga. Renunciation is opulence also. Kṛṣṇa, six opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya. Vairāgya means renunciation. You have enough of this material enjoyment. You have enjoyed. Or you have seen that there is no actually profit. Therefore you are in a spirit... That is natural. That is natural. If one has enjoyed very much, the next stage will be renunciation. This is natural.
"We are all sons of God; this outward dress is māyā. I am not American, I am not Indian." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. He said like that, that... He is taking the varṇāśrama-dharma: brāhmaṇa kṣatriya vaiśya śūdra brahmacārī gṛhastha vānaprastha... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied all these: "No, I am a not brāhmaṇa, nor I am a śūdra, nor am I gṛhastha, nor I am kṣatriya." "Then what You are?" Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, who provides the gopīs." This is our real identities.
So long you are, you must try your best to do things according to the prescription, according to the injunction. But it is also your duty to retire from family life. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja... It is not that he has to work up the end point of his life. No. The life is divided... That is Vedic civilization: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So at the end of life, one must retire from family life. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja decided, "Now things are deteriorating." But that was taken care of, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, his next descendant. That is king's duty. But so far Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is concerned, he did not like to bother any more, because he has his personal duty also. That is retirement, completely engage himself to the service of the Lord.
Still he would not give up. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru, he was paralyzed. Unless he was dead, he could not give up.
So this is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is that at a certain age, you must retire. Never mind. The age is divided into four parts: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So Vedic civilization means varṇāśrama-dharma, accepting the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. Social and spiritual order. For social order there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and for spiritual order, there must be brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the system. So unless you accept this institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, you are not considered as civilized man, Ārya, Āryan.
Āryan means who are making progress under the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma.
The scientific system of varṇāśrama-dharma divides the human life in four divisions of occupation and four orders of life. The four orders of life as brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, are to be followed by all, irrespective of the occupational division. Modern politicians do not wish to retire from active life even if they are old enough, but Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, as an ideal king, voluntarily retired from active administrative life..."
That is husband and wife. And when the wife is in danger, the husband's duty is to give protection, at any cost. That is husband-wife relationship.
But when one is going to retire, that is another thing. Because life is divided into four parts: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So woman has got three positions. They require protection. Women is never allowed to become renounced order of life. No. They are supposed to be under the care of somebody. So early age under the care of father, young age under the care of husband, and old age under the care of grown-up children, sons. This is woman's position. They remain always under the care of. So Draupadī was being taken care of their husband, but when the husbands were going for renounced order of life, anapekṣatām, without caring, she could understand, "Now I will be uncared for. No more... My husbands are no more in duty bound to give me protection."
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. Just like these children. When I distribute these cookies, it does not require... Immediately spreads the hand and immediately in the mouth. (laughter) So for eating, there is no necessity of training. Everyone knows.
One word is gṛhastha, and one word is gṛhamedhī. What is the significance of these two words? Gṛhastha means one... Not only gṛhastha. It is called gṛhastha-āśrama. Whenever we speak of āśrama, it has got spiritual relationship. So all these four divisions of social orders-brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama... Āśrama. Āśrama means... Whenever... Āśrama, this word, has become little popular in your country also. Āśrama means situation for spiritual cultivation. Generally, we mean that. And here also, there are so many yoga-āśrama. I have seen in New York so many āśramas. "New York Yoga Āśrama," "Yoga Society," like that. Āśrama means it has got a spiritual connection. It doesn't matter whether a man... Gṛhastha means living with family, wife and children.
Himavatī: Vyāsadeva, you say, lived with his wife and children in a cottage, and people would come and bring them foodstuff from the village. Now, the four divisions of brahma cārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and so on, I thought that the gṛhasthas' duties in the āśrama, varṇāśrama-dharma, was to supply the other three.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Himavatī: How is this...? How is this connected with Vyāsadeva and his situation?
Prabhupāda: Vāsudeva?
Devotees: Vyāsadeva.
Prabhupāda: Vyāsadeva? Vyāsadeva was a gṛhastha. He was a householder man. He was brāhmaṇa.
Because they are engaged in a different subject matter, they have no time to earn their livelihood, and therefore, those who are gṛhasthas, they take charge of him. This is the Vedic system. But they should live also on the bare necessities of life. They should not be luxurious. A brahmacārī cannot be luxurious. A sannyāsī cannot be luxurious. A vānaprastha cannot be luxurious. Luxury is allowed only to the householder because they are earning their own money. Others are dependent. So one cannot be luxurious at the expense of others. That is not allowed.
He was within the womb of his mother for sixteen years. So he was in favor of renounced order of life, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. There was no question of him following the other āśramas. Generally, for ordinary man, there are four āśramas..., eight āśramas. For social upkeep there are four āśramas, namely brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for spiritual. And called social, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is social division. And there is spiritual division also, because we are combination of matter and spirit. I am the soul. I am living within this material body. This is actual position. I am not this body. This is the beginning of spiritual education, that "I am not this body." One who understands fully well that he's not this body, then the spiritual education begins. And so long we are in the bodily concept of life, there's no question of spirituality. Spiritual education for whom? For the human being. Also very advanced human being, not ordinary human being. At least the civilized human being.
So in the Vedic literature... This Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are Vedic literature. So there is injunction for observing the rules and regulations of varṇa and āśrama, four classes and four āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual cultivation is practiced. That is called āśrama. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Cātur-varṇa and cātur-āśrama, material and spiritual. So sannyāsī is supposed to be on the topmost of the human society. Cātur-varṇa, four classes then, among the varṇas, there are four classes: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Sannyāsa is the topmost order of human society.
Sannyāsī's the topmost. Above... Within the sannyāsī the paramahaṁsa is the topmost. Sannyāsīs are also, they are called kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka means after accepting sannyāsa order... One has to accept the sannyāsa order. After gṛhastha there is vānaprastha and then sannyāsa; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. In the beginning we, especially the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas, two classes, higher classes, they have to take sannyāsa. If not, at least the brāhmaṇas must take sannyāsa. The brāhmaṇas have got four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The kṣatriya have got three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. And the vaiśya two āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha. Neither vānaprastha or sannyāsa. And the śūdras, they are simply one, gṛhastha, that's all. This is the Vedic order.
Then after brahmacārī system, if one cannot remain brahmacārī, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī, then the spiritual master allows him to marry. That is gṛhastha-āśrama. So when one is complete, fit for sex life, he begets children, male children, and after twenty-five years, the child becomes grown up, so he retires. In this way, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The whole aim is Viṣṇu, how to go back to home, back to Godhead.
Not like, living like this, animals. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. Not to live. That is not human life. Śva means dependent. "Unless somebody gives me food, I cannot live." That is the life of a dog. A street dog is never happy. One dog who has got master, he is happy. That is śva. Viḍ-varāha means eating everything, anything nonsense eatable. Varāha, viḍ-varāha. Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra. Uṣṭra means chewing or drinking his own blood, and he thinks it is very tasteful. And similarly ass.
So our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same mission as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This kṛṣṇa-upadeśa I have translated into "Kṛṣṇa conscious," how to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is our mission. On this principle, either gṛhastha or vānaprastha or sannyāsī, everyone can take part. Ye kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya. He was gṛhastha, not even brāhmaṇa. So he was hesitating, that "Caitanya Mahāprabhu is coming from a very exalted brāhmaṇa family, and sannyāsa," and Rāmānanda Rāya was gṛhastha, not even brāhmaṇa. How he could teach Him or give Him instruction? He was hesitating. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in order to favor him, He said, "It doesn't matter. Don't hesitate."
So in this movement, no such consideration, who is who. Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is first class, that's all. So our principle should be how to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious. Then our mission will be successful. Either as gṛhastha, as a vānaprastha, as sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. Philosophy, the truth, should be preached. Everyone will be happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So anyway, this human life is not meant for imitating the hog's life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is Vedic civilization, tapasya, the state, different grades of tapasya—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—give them chance—gṛhastha, vānaprastha, brahmacārī. They are all meant for inducing people to come to this perfectional stage of understanding God. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Real purpose of this is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Why?
That is called yajña. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varṇas and āśramas. Varṇa means four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. They have got their respective duties. So unless the human society is divided into these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there cannot be any peace in the world. That is called varṇāśrama.
Hearing is sufficient. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthāne sthitāḥ.
Sthāne sthitāḥ means the varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization. That is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthāne sthitāḥ means to remain in these regulative principles of varṇāśrama. That is called sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your position.
Actually, you won't find this word Hindu in any Vedic literature. The Vedic literature you'll find: varṇāśrama-dharma. Civilized human being means who are following strictly the varṇāśrama institution, four varṇas and four āśramas. So four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for brāhmaṇas, the four āśramas should be followed. Brāhmaṇa should become a child born in brāhmaṇa family and trained up nicely as brahmacārī. Then he becomes a gṛhastha. Then he gives up the home. That is called vānaprastha. And after that he takes sannyāsa.
"Because the rice is so costly, how can I give?" That is called durbhikṣa. Durbhikṣa means when you do not get even bhikṣā. This is the most lowest profession. It is highest also. The sannyāsīs, they go door to door, bhikṣā. Brahmacārī go to door to door. Our Vedic civilization is that in the society there are four divisions: the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī. Suppose there are hundred men in a village or in a place. The society is divided into four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... So... This is material calculation. Suppose if there are hundred men, seventy-five men are to be considered brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī. So these seventy-five men will live at the cost of the twenty-five men, gṛhastha. Gṛhastha has to give alms to the brahmacārī, to the vānaprastha, and to the sannyāsa.
Because He was Hindu and Vedic, followers of Vedic... But actually, He was not Hindu, because He's describing Himself, nāham. Nāham means "I am not, I am not." He's declining. What He's declining? "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not kṣatriya, I am not vaiśya, I am not śūdra, I am not brahmacārī, I am not gṛhastha, I am not vānaprastha, I am not sannyāsī." The Vedic system of human life is divided into eight departmental activities, and that is going on under the name of Hinduism. It is now broken and degraded and so many things have happened. But actually, what is called Vedic system, that Vedic system is not meant for a particular class of men, but it is meant for the human society. Actually, human activities actually begins when they observe these eight principles of social divisions.
That is restriction, brahmacārī. Only gṛhasthas, householders, they are allowed to mix freely with woman married. So brahmacārī is not allowed, that is spiritual training. In this way there are four department of spiritual training, namely brahmacārī; gṛhastha, or householder; vānaprastha, retired man; and sann... (end)
A brāhmaṇa means having a two-paisa worth of thread. That's all. Thread. Simply to possess one thread, one becomes brāhmaṇa. Simply by changing the dress from white to saffron color, one becomes sannyāsī. No. There are duties of sannyāsīs or the brāhmaṇa or the gṛhastha, vānaprastha. There are duties.
So in this way Kali-yuga is polluted. Everything is contaminated, polluted. So it is called the ocean of faults. Because the life is meant for liberation. If one is not interested in liberation, simply for sense gratification, that is conditional life. They do not know it. But here it is stated that cetaḥ khalu asya bandhāya muktaye cātmano matam. The consciousness is the main principle, either for conditional life or for liberation. Consciousness. We are proposing Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means liberation. Liberation. What liberation?
The Vedic principle is that you remain family life for some time, not for all the days. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. As soon as you're fifty years old, you must give up family life. Compulsory. Therefore we have got... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So for brāhmaṇa, the four āśramas are compulsory. He must become a brahmacārī. Then from brahmacārī he becomes gṛhastha. Then from gṛhastha he must become vānaprastha. Then he must become a sannyāsī. But when he becomes a sannyāsī, that is the... Tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. Tyakta-karmāṇaḥ. So long we are in this material world we have to work. Karma. Karma means to gain some profit. Karma, akarma, vikarma.
Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Pumbhiḥ, by person. Everyone is engaged in some occupational duty. Formerly it was the varṇāśrama: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī. Everyone has got some particular duty according to his position. Now, the different occupational duties have expanded. It doesn't matter. If you are engineer, if you are medical man, if you are something else, it doesn't matter. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). But try to serve Kṛṣṇa by the result of your work. That is bhakti. That we have to learn. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not mean that we are going to stop all activities. No, this is not our mission. You be engaged in your activities, but don't forget Kṛṣṇa. This is our mission. Be always Kṛṣṇa conscious.
This is sādhu, no more designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American"—these devotees, they have got no such conception. They are... Every one of them is thinking, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. These are upādhi. Even this varṇāśrama, that is also... "I am sannyāsī," "I am gṛhastha," "I am vānaprastha." Caitanya Mahāprabhu has rejected all these things. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ: "I am neither brāhmaṇa, nor kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra." Then what You are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "This is My position." This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), no more designation.
So if we become no more designation, then immediately the whole world becomes Vaikuṇṭha. We are fighting—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German."
Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi (SB 1.5.17). If one takes to devotional service, tyaktvā sva-dharmam, giving up his routine duty... Sva-dharma means the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got the all..., or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. They have got their particular duties. But nobody is following any duty. They are creating their own duty. So anyway, somehow or other, if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and practices for some time regularly, then again, due to bad association or by something, he falls down, so śāstra says that "What is the loss? There is no loss. On the other hand, if a person is executing his occupational duties very nicely, but he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then what is the gain? There is no gain." No gain. Even if you become very pious by acting as a strict brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī, but if you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then there is no gain. It is simply waste of time.
And ordinary cities and towns, they are called rajo-guṇa. And forest... Therefore formerly those who were aspiring after spiritual under..., they left either city or these things, everything. They went to the forest. That is called vānaprastha. Vānaprastha. Vana means forest. Before taking sannyāsī, one leaves his family connection and goes to the forest. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. Vanam, vanaṁ gato harim āśrayeta. Then why they used to go to the forest? To take shelter of Hari. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. So that is sāttvika. And above all these thing—to live in the temple—that is nirguṇa, above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Therefore those who are inhabitants of the temple, they are in Vaikuṇṭha.
The Kapiladeva, the son of Devahūti, explained to His mother. The mother wanted to know from the son. His father left home, and the mother was kept by the, at the care of his son, grown-up son. That is Vedic system, that when the son is grown up, the mother should be left at the care of the grown-up son, and the father should leave. He should become vānaprastha or sannyāsa, no more connection with wife. This is Vedic system. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, he left home, and he kept his wife under the care of Kapiladeva, and He is propounding this Sāṅkhya philosophy. And today's verse is na anyatra mad bhagavataḥ: "Without Him, without taking shelter of bhagavataḥ, Bhagavān..."
Therefore, real ātma-darśana, real liberation, real consciousness is separation from this material attachment. Voluntarily, forcefully, or by knowledge, that is required.
Therefore you will find, India, Vedic civilization is meant for this unknotting, the hṛdaya-granthi. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory. Vānaprastha is compulsory. If you really follow Vedic principle you become student, brahmacārī, you learn everything. What is this life, what is this world, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, what is your relationship with Him. These studies, that is complete study. But still, if you want to be knotted by hṛdaya-granthi, gṛhastha, a concession, all right. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithuna. Mithuna, that concession is for sex life. Gṛhastha life is a concession given for enjoying sex life. Otherwise, there is no need of gṛhastha life. Therefore there were many brahmacārīs, akhanda-brahmacārī, never married in life, many.
Duty means according to this cātur-varṇyaṁ, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is called dharma, sādharma. The brāhmaṇa must execute his brahminical duties, a kṣatriya must execute his kṣatriya duties, similarly vaiśya, a śūdra, a brahmacārī, a gṛhastha, a vānaprastha, sannyāsī. That is called dharma. This is material dharma, this is not spiritual dharma. Material dharma means so long we are under the concept of this body, there are certain duties. That is called material dharma. Just like we eat, this is also one of the duty, because if I don't eat, then I shall die. But what kind of food I shall eat, that is described in the śāstra, that sattvic, rajasic, tamasic bhojana. So if we follow the instruction of the śāstra, dharma-śāstra ... They are called dharma-śāstra, the regulative principles. There are twenty kinds of dharma-śāstra, just to regulate because every one of us come to enjoy this world. Just like government rules and regulation.
And when the husband is completely free from all family attachment, he takes sannyāsa. This is the process. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So this Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva, before retirement it is the duty of the father to give instructions how to look after family affairs, their personal affair, their spiritual advancement, everything, so here Ṛṣabhadeva is instructing, "My dear sons, do not think that this particular body, human body, is equal to the body of the cats and dogs and hogs. Don't consider like that." He has particularly mentioned viḍ-bhujām. Viḍ-bhujām means the stool-eater. As in the human society, the dog-eater human being is considered the lowest of the human society, similarly, in the animal society, the animal which eats stool is considered the lowest.
This is civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This is creation of God, cātur-varṇyaṁ: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇa, and as spiritual cultivation, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So our civilization, Vedic civilization, means varṇāśrama-dharma, following the four principles of varṇas and four principles of āśrama. The ultimate goal is God realization. That is the human civilization. If there is no God realization, simply working hard day and night for sense gratification, it is accepted as hog civilization, dog civilization. That is stated here: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1).
That is the mistake of this present civilization. Time should not be, I mean to say, wasted simply for sense gratification. So far the problem of sense gratification is there, it should be minimized. It should not be increased. Minimized.
Just like according to Vedic system there are brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—four divisions of the society. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha. Brahmacārī means student life, vānaprastha means retired life, and sannyāsa means renounced life. For them the minimum necessities of life is prescribed. And they should be automatically minimum because they are ordered to beg from door to door and live. The brahmacārī is meant for begging. Now, no beggar can live very luxuriantly. That is not possible. It is not possible.
"Sex which is not against the regulative principle of religious life, that I am." God never says that "Stop sex." Otherwise, why there is gṛhastha āśrama? Āśrama means that there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we say, "Here is an āśrama," we understand that there is consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. So brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama, make it āśrama and follow the rules and regulations of āśrama. Then it is all right. Otherwise you are bound up by the laws of nature.
That is described here. Mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye.
Then the next verse it is said... This is, this sādhu, this mahātmā, generally those who are in the renounced order of life. There are four grades of life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The description already given, it is meant for mendicant who have nothing to do with material affairs or household life, renounced order, sannyāsī. It, that is applicable to them. But another mahātmā also is recommended here:
So long we shall try, because people are after this gṛha apartment or home, kṣetra land, gṛha, kṣetra, suta children, āpta friends, vitta wealth, riches, the basic principle is that, maithunyam, agāram ajñaḥ vindati tāpān. This is very important point. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, one is trained up how to give up this ideas, concoction. That is brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, ultimately sannyāsa. No more. And ultimately, sannyāsa also is not the perfectional stage. Sannyāsa is also practice, how to come to the perfectional stage. The perfectional stage is to be engaged practically, not theoretically, engaged in the service of the Lord, according to his capacity. Not that everyone will be able to do everything, that is not required.
Brahmacārī should offer yajña, gṛhastha should give in charity, and sannyāsī, vānaprastha, should undergo tapasya. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma. We should not give up this, these things. "Because I have become sannyāsī—I have given up my family—therefore I give up also all other regulative principles." No. That you cannot. The sannyāsī means... Sannyāsī, they have got also rules and regulation. Caitanya Mahāprabhu very rigidly followed. He did not lie down even on a quilt, only one naked cloth. He did not use... And no woman should come to offer Him obeisances very near. They must do it from a distant place. He was so strict. One of His personal associates, Haridāsa, Junior Haridāsa, he simply glanced over a young woman with lusty desire. He immediately rejected him: "Ask Haridāsa not to come anymore." So He never excused him very strictly.
That is perfect civilization: no sex life. Therefore in the Vedic civilization you'll find the human society is divided into four orders and four spiritual or..., material and spiritual, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. (end)
Everyone is executing his occupational duty. I give this meaning, "Dharma means occupational duty." It is not a sentiment, faith. Occupational duty. That is called dharma. Brahmācāri's dharma, gṛhastha's dharma, vānaprastha's dharma, occupational duty. So by discharging one's occupational duties very nicely—not as a machine regulation, no—the result will be dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viśvaksena kathāsu yaḥ: (SB 1.2.8) he will gradually be interested to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That is Vedic study. Not that after studying Vedas he becomes nirviśeṣavādī, impersonalist, or śūnyavādī. Then useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Vedas means knowledge, and Vedānta... Anta means last status or the end, end of. Everything has got some end, that "This is final, end." End means final.
So here he was attached to the family. Lālayānasya tat-sutān. Atha gṛhas kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair. Material bondage is that family affection. It is not that one has to give up this procedure. No. That is not. The Vedic civilization is so nice that you accept the platform which is suitable. The brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa... The spiritual... These are called āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual culture is practiced. That is called āśrama. Perhaps you know this āśrama word. Āśrama means it is not a place for sense gratification; it is a place for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama.
So there are four āśramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Gṛhastha is also āśrama, family. That is also āśrama. If the gṛhastha life is meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is all right.
That is āśrama.
So there are four āśramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Gṛhastha is also āśrama, family. That is also āśrama. If the gṛhastha life is meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is all right. This is āśrama. Gṛhastha-āśrama. Then retired life, vānaprastha. Although gṛhastha-āśrama is allowed, but not the for all the time that up to the death. No. That is not allowed after fiftieth year. Twenty-five years, to fifty year, fiftieth year the young man's spirit is there, the sex power is strong, so this gṛhastha-āśrama is a concession for satisfying sex, that's all. But not more than fifty years. Then you must give up. That is the Vedic civilization. We accept gṛhastha-āśrama. Up to twenty-fifth year you remain a brahmacārī, learn from guru how to become brahmacārī, gurukula. Brahmācāri gurukule vasan dānta: how to practice self control, sense control.
Then He understood, "He is a hypocrite. Reject him." And Śivānanda Sena, he was gṛhastha, gṛhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes. My remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right. You marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu opinion. Parāṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava... Niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya parāṁ param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa.
Lālayānasya tat-sutān. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra sutāpta vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). Material bondage is that family affection. It is not that one has to give up this procedure. No, that is not.
The Vedic civilization is so nice that you accept the platform which is suitable for you, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The spiritual... These are called āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual culture is practiced. That is called āśrama. Perhaps you know this āśrama word. Āśrama means... It is not a place for sense gratification. It is a place for advancing in Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is āśrama. So there are four āśramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Gṛhastha is also āśrama, family. That is also āśrama. If the gṛhastha life is meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is all right. This is āśrama. Gṛhastha āśrama, then retired life, vānaprastha. Although gṛhastha āśrama is allowed, but not for all the time, that up to the death, no. That is not allowed.
And Śivānanda Sena, he was a gṛhastha. Gṛhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes, my remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.
So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right, you marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's opinion. Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava..., niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya, pāraṁ param...
Therefore this word is used particularly, tasya pravayasaḥ. He was old enough; still, he was begetting child. But one who is brāhmaṇa, he would not stay in family life more than fiftieth year. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One must go to the forest. Forest means vana, and therefore, one who goes to the forest, from the word vana, it is vāna, vānaprastha. Prastha mean one who has gone. This is regulative life. One has to take leave from this family life and accept the vānaprastha. Vānaprastha means prior to accepting the renounced order of life. The husband and wife goes out of home and travels in many holy places to associate with holy man and take his instruction just to prepare for sannyāsa.
So when one is fully equipped in knowledge, then he asks his wife to go to home to be taken care of by the elderly children, and he becomes a sannyāsī. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. This is real purpose of life. Four varṇas, four classes of men, up to fourth class, not up to tenth class. And then spiritual life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This institution is called varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśrama. So when one is educated or trained up by this varṇāśrama institution, then his human life begins. Otherwise he is animal. One who does not take to this varṇāśrama-dharma, he remains in the animal life. That is the Vedic system. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Rāmānanda Rāya, "What is the aim of life?"
"Just hear the message of God." "From whom?" San-mukharitām: "through the mouth of the devotees." Not professional, not gramophone—through the mouth of, through the lips of real devotee. "So then? Next? I will have to become sannyāsa or gṛhastha or what?" "No." Sthāne sthitāḥ: "You remain wherever you are. Either you are a gṛhastha or a vānaprastha, or apart from that, either you are a medical man or engineer or politician or businessman or shopkeeper—something your position is there—so you remain in that." Sthāne sthitāḥ: "You remain in your position. Simply you have to hear the message of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, through the realized saintly person." This recommendation. If you go on speculating, you will never be able to understand. Therefore give up this practice. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. "Be submissive."
That is civilization according to Vedic culture. Therefore the training from the very beginning, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī is instructed in such a way that he'll remain brahmacārī throughout the whole life. A brahmacārī is open to accept either a gṛhastha āśrama or vānaprastha āśrama or sannyāsa āśrama, but the guru advises, "Better remain all through brahmacārī. No botheration." So he's trained properly, but still if he has desire, then he's allowed to become a gṛhastha. That is also for a limited time. The whole plan is how to stop, because as soon as here, that Ajāmila, he was not properly married, he became the husband of a prostitute. But there are ten children, but he's entangled with the family, with children, and now he's engaged bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ, one after another. First of all sex desire, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8).
And the human society means to understand this, that what is the basic principle of material life. If we understand it is sex, therefore we have to cut down the sex desire gradually by becoming brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is the process. Otherwise, if I do not know what is the cause of my material bondage, then how we can take remedy? This is the cause, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. The desire is there. As soon as one is grown up, reaching youthful time, the sex desire is very strong, very strong. So they unite, a man..., a boy finds out a girl, a girl finds out a boy. They unite, and there is sex, and as soon as there is sex then there is bondage. Immediately. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitha. As soon as they unite, then the relation becomes very tight, very strong. Then, as soon as one is married, or unmarried—generally speaking married—then he wants apartment.
So when he enters life, although he accepts wife and children, he cannot forget Kṛṣṇa. Therefore his household life also continues Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Naturally, at the age of fifty he leaves the family connection and accepts the vānaprastha. And then, when he is fully trained, he accepts sannyāsa.
This is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma—four kinds of varṇas and four kinds of āśrama. It is very scientific. The whole idea of human civilization should be how to fix one to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to Viṣṇu. Because they do not know na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). The real interest is to approach Viṣṇu, to go back to home, go back to Godhead. That he does not know. He is entangled with these material affairs. Anartha. They are called anartha.
That is the only method in this age. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one's... The reservoir of understanding will be cleared. And then you, he can receive, he can receive the spiritual knowledge. Without cleansing the heart it is very difficult to understand and receive spiritual knowledge. All these reformatory measures—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha—they are simply the cleansing method. And bhakti is also a cleansing method, vidhi-bhakti. But by engaging oneself in this Deity worship, he also becomes cleansed. Tat-paratve... Sarvopādhi... As he becomes enlightened or advanced in understanding that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes purified. He becomes purified. Sarvopādhi means he doesn't... Sarvopādhi. He tries to eliminate his upādhi, his designation, that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." So in this way, when you become fully eliminated of this bodily concept of life, then nirmalam.
Naimiṣāraṇya, wherefrom Bhāgavata was given to the public. So in that meeting Sūta Gosvāmī said, dvija-śreṣṭhā: "You are all selected first-class brāhmaṇa in this meeting." So, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇa and āśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Now, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, everything has got varieties of duties. Brāhmaṇas have got varieties of duties. Kṣatriya has got varieties. Just like brāhmaṇa: sattva śamo-damas-titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). There must be a class of men, brāhmaṇa. Otherwise, society will go to hell. Who will guide? Just like in this body there must be the head. Otherwise, what is the use of these hands and legs? There is no use. Who will give direction? They are now trying to make classless society. Therefore they are bringing the whole human society into ruination. It cannot be done.
They live as friend. That is śūdra. There is no legal marriage. Śūdra and śūdrāṇī. Just like he was living with the śūdrāṇī—he was not married—as friend. So even śūdra's marriage there is. For the śūdra there is one āśrama—that is gṛhastha āśrama. And for the brāhmaṇas, four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. For the kṣatriya: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. For the vaiśyas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And for the śūdras: no brahmacārī, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a śūdra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the śāstra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe, it is stated. Simply agree: "Yes, you become my bedfellow; I become your bedfellow."
These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Viṣṇu, and we have to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore there is varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśramas. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varṇāśrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varṇāśrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varṇāśrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu.
You are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... Varnāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.
But what is the aim of life? Aim of life is to satisfy the Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. But they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). At least at the present moment, nobody knows that he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is the aim of life. He does not know. He does not know even what is God. Just like animal. The animal does not know what is God. They are making research what is God, the theosophists, the theologists, making research. God is canvassing, "Here I am." Kṛṣṇa, He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmi (BG 4.7).
The human race, they are also 400,000..., 400,000 types. Out of them, those who are civilized, they are called Aryans. Aryan means civilized. Aryan means those who are making progress. They are called Aryans.
So amongst the Aryans there is the division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. The Aryans, they do follow it, these Vedic principles, varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). What is the purpose of varṇāśrama? Now, viṣṇu ārādhana. Why Viṣṇu ārādhana? There are so many other demigods. That is also answered by Lord Śiva. When he was asked by Pārvatī, "What is the best form of worship?" he recommended, ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣām: "There are many different types of worship." Sarveṣam. Viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param. He never said, Lord Śiva, that "My ārādhana is..." Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, but no other demigod has ever said. No. You'll never find. Here Lord Śiva says, viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param.
So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in any Vedic literature, "Hindu." It is a foreign word. Real word is varṇāśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa parā pumān. That is Vedic civilization, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa.
So long we shall think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This teaching we have got from the greatest authority, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am not a kṣatriya; I am not a vaiśya; I am not a śūdra; neither I am a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. I am simply servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80)." Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. So the more we advance in the matter of becoming designationless, no designation... Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we have got upādhis, designations, there are many desires, material desires. But we have to become zero about these material desires. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material desires. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī-sakali 'aśānta'.
So Nārada Muni says even if... Of course, this specific duty is in reference with the system of varṇa and āśrama. Just like somebody is brāhmaṇa, executing the duties of abrāhmaṇa, somebody is executing the duty of a kṣatriya, somebody is executing the duty of avaiśya, or a śūdra, or a brahmacārī, or a sannyāsī, vānaprastha. There are eight divisions. So Nārada Muni says that if one gives up his occupational duty, specific duty either as a brahmacārī or sannyāsī or gṛhastha or brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, he gives up. Why he gives up? Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). By sentiment or by association, he becomes encouraged that "I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I shall give up everything." So Nārada Muni says, "Oh, it is a very good thing. Even if he's sentimental."Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). And because one comes by sentiment to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness he cannot stick. So bhajann apakvo 'tha.
Actually our real position is followers of the varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas. This is the stepping stone for civilized life, varṇāśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This system of social order, I mean to say, spiritual and material, it is so systematically done that one who follows this system, automatically he becomes at the end Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the highest objective. Unfortunately they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are enchanted by the glaring materialistic, material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to our Vedic system, four classes, varṇāśrama, social and spiritual division, the social division is brāhmaṇa first, then kṣatriya, then vaiśya, then śūdra. This is social division, and there is a spiritual division: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is compulsory regulation for becoming human being. Without varṇāśrama institution there is no recognition of human being. Without being trained up in the varṇāśrama system there is no question of becoming human being. So actually it is not by birth as human being but by culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the twelve mahājanas. So he is speaking to his class friends. He was only five years old boy and he took the opportunity of preaching bhāgavata-dharma whenever he got some opportunity.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Incarnation means somebody's incarnation. So who is that somebody? That is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you do not know it, you understand now.
Acyutānanda: One more question, last question. Is it necessary that a person should pass through the three āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, before coming to sannyāsa?
Prabhupāda: That is the normal rules and regulation, that especially brāhmaṇa, he must go through the four āśramas, first of all become brahmacārī, then gṛhastha, then vānaprastha, then take sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. And for the kṣatriyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. And for the vaiśyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha. And for the śūdras, only gṛhastha. This is the process. This is normal process. But either one is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vai\ zya and śūdra, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness he becomes above these rules and regulations.
Below that position they are all pāpa-yoni. In the Aryan civilization there is a system of four divisions of social order and four division of spiritual order. Social order is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Therefore what is going on at the present moment as Hindu... This word you won't find in the Vedic literature. Varnāśrama. This is real Vedic system, varṇāśrama. And human life begins when one observes the varṇāśrama regulations. Varnāśrama. Human life means to elevate oneself to spiritual consciousness or God consciousness. That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim... (break)
And after retirement of life, vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Prahlāda Mahārāja also said to his father, hitvātmā-ghāṭaṁ gṛha-andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad harim āśrayeta. Formerly big, big kings, everyone—compulsory retirement, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Vanam means go to the forest. One who goes to the forest, he is called vānaprastha. From vana, the word vana, has come vānaprastha. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, that "After fifty years of age one must go to the forest for meditation, for tapasya, austerity." And when he is perfectly trained up... This training is given from brahmacārī life, gṛhastha life also, but people are not taking training. They are not kuśalam. Actually they do not know what is the aim of life.
I have got this." "No, no." Vrajet, "compulsory." This verb is used, vidhiliṅ, where there is no argument; you must. Just like when natures calls you, you must do it, similarly... This is Vedic civilization. Not that unless you are killed or being shot down by somebody else, you are not leaving the gṛham andha-kūpam. This is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is that brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. You must be prepared, especially the higher castes, especially the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas must observe the four adhyātmika principle: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... Brāhmaṇa, they do not go even to the gṛhastha life. Remain brahmacārī. But even he goes, only for twenty-five years. It is said, puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyuḥ.
So divide this varṣa-śatam, hundred years: twenty-five years, brahmacārī; twenty-five years, gṛhastha; twenty-five years, vānaprastha; and last twenty-five years, sannyāsa. That is real civilization, not that no brahmacārī, no vānaprastha, no sannyāsa, simply gṛhastha. They are not gṛhastha. They are called gṛhamedhi. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). There are two words, gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means that is only for twenty-five years, not more than that. That is gṛhastha. And those who are gṛhastha up to the point of death, or unless he is killed, that is gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means he has made his center the wife and family. Just like one cow is, I mean, tied with the rope and with a fixed up wood, and he is going round this way, and he is thinking that he is going round the world. Yes.
There is no hope for liberation from this material bondage except chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Other things, it is not possible. If you want to revive the old Vedic civilization, brahmacārī and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya... These are all spoiled. Everything is spoiled. Then what is the position? Kalau śūdra samabhavaḥ. In this age simply they are śūdras. "So how the śūdras will be delivered? By your Kṛṣṇa conscious..." Yes. They'll be. Not only śūdras, those who are less than śūdras. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Not only śūdras, the less than the pañcamas, the fifth-grade, sixth-grade, seventh-grade, tenth-grade, all rascals and all sinful men, they will be all delivered simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo. Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and your life will be saved.
Four divisions of society, for spiritual advancement and for material advancement both. For spiritual advancement, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa.
So first twenty years, twenty-five years, or twenty years, because education begins from five years... Up to five years the child is given full liberty—whatever he likes, he may do. Lālayet pañca-varṣāṇi. It is said that you can give liberty to the child only for five years. And tadayet daśa-varṣāṇi. And as soon as he is on the fifth year, you must be very strict on the child, on the boy, so that he may not be spoiled. Very strict. Simply engage him in proper education. Tāḍayet daśa varṣāṇi. And prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varse. And as soon as he is on the sixteenth year...
The gentleman, when the boy is grown up, he may get his boy married and get out of home. The wife may remain with him as friend, but there is no sex life. That is called vānaprastha. Vānaprastha means retired life. And that is also another training. First training is brahmacārī so that when he becomes householder, he lives very restrained and regulated life. And then, after satisfying his senses, when he is grown up to fiftieth year, he is advised to get out: "No more sense gratification. Now you prepare yourself for the remaining days of your life for spiritual culture." That is called vānaprastha. So vānaprastha means retired life and training for completely renouncing this worldly life. And when he is prepared, the wife is asked to go back home.
That is the injunction of Manu-saṁhitā. They should be always given protection. The child, woman, brāhmaṇa, the cow, and the old man—they should be given proper protection. That is the injunction.
Anyway, the vānaprastha, when the gentleman is completely educated for renouncing this world, then he sends back the wife to grown-up boys and he takes sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa dress. This is preparing, not... Preparing is finished. Sannyāsa means he should distribute spiritual knowledge from door to door. That is his business. He has no family attraction, he has nothing to think for his maintenance, because the society is advised to take care of brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Just see.
We have divided the society into four divisions: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Only the gṛhasthas are allowed to make money, to earn money. But the brahmacārī and the vānaprastha and sannyāsī is to live at the cost the gṛhasthas. Brahmacaris shall go from door to door and beg alms and bring it for the spiritual master. The spiritual master is a sannyāsī. So whatever the brahmacārīs bring, they cook and they eat and they cultivate spiritual Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the system. That means it is the duty of the gṛhasthas, or the householder, to maintain the other three section of the people. And that is varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.
Now, in another place you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the perfection of varṇāśrama, these four divisions as we have stated...
That also allowed only for a few years. Not few years. Formerly, as we have calculated that people used to live for hundred years, so twenty-four years, twenty-five years, brahmacārī; twenty-five years, gṛhastha; twenty-five years, vānaprastha; and last twenty-five years, sannyāsa. Ultimately sannyāsī, training. So in these four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, in three āśramas, there is no sex life. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Only gṛhastha allowed sex life. That is also restricted only for begetting children. So in the Vedic civilization sex life is actually denied. Only in gṛhastha life with the restriction. Not that whenever I like. No. That is bondage. So long we'll be attached to sex life, then we'll have to accept this material body. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45).
Repeatedly, tāpa-traya, na nirvidyate sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. Especially those who are family men, it is very difficult. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, after fiftieth year, one should give up the family responsibility, vānaprastha. From vana, vana means forest. And from vana the word vana has come. Prastha means "who has gone." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Vanaṁ vrajet means to free from all family responsibility and prepare for going back to home, back to Godhead. But those who are too much attached to family life, na nirvidyate, being repeatedly frustrated, repeatedly they are put into trouble. Still. But if one wants regular advancement of spiritual life, he must retire at the age of fifty. That is Vedic civilization. Not that unless one is killed, he's not going to retire. Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, he was seventy-eight years, and still he would not retire from this...
So there is no logic, there is no argument. But people do so. Anyāyenartha-sañcayan. Anyāyena, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that is demonic principle. So a gṛhastha, of course, required to accumulate some money because he's living with family, but so far brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī is concerned, they should not keep any money. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so strict that his personal servant, one day he was taking after eating a little, what is called, myrobalum (indistinct), haritaki. So one day he was giving myrobalum (indistinct) and Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Where you got this myrobalum (indistinct)?" So he said, "I kept it from yesterday." "Oh, you are stocking?" He immediately criticized him. "You are stocking? This is not good." So this principle... Of course, even if we do not stock, don't think that we'll starve. Kṛṣṇa has provided. But we should be depending on Kṛṣṇa. There is no anxiety. Actually, there is no anxiety. We have experienced this. I was alone for many years, but not a single day I was starving. No. There was food.
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended that, that "Do not be anxious." That verse, now I forget, it is in the Second Canto... I forget that verse, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that "Don't stock, don't beg. Kṛṣṇa will provide everything, everyone." So except gṛhastha, the brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī, they should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa. Prahlāda Mahārāja has already explained it in many ways, that there is no need of endeavoring for so-called economic development. Our energy should be only utilized how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to increase our love for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life.
"Because I have kept a pet spiritual master, so officially I have to..." No. With faith and devotion. And sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca. The brahmacārī system means he should live with the spiritual master and collect fund. Of course, in India still, the system is there that in the four kinds of social orders, the brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa... There are four divisions in the social order. First the righteous, pious students-students with purified life and a spiritual education. That is called brahmacārī. Then gṛhastha, family life, living with wife and children. Then vānaprastha, retired life. Then sannyāsa, renounced life. So these gṛhasthas are meant for maintaining three other āśramas.
A gṛhastha, a householder, because he's given the license for sense enjoyment, therefore he has to compensate his sensual gratification by giving charities to other three āśramas. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So the system is any brahmacārī or any sannyāsī goes to a householder, "Mother, give me some alms. I am brahmacārī," (s)he will at once give. At once give. So this is the system.
So... So brahmacārī, brahmacārī's business is that he will collect, he'll earn everything, but it is for his spiritual master. Everything given. "Sir, I have given you." He doesn't possess anything. This is brahmacārī. Even there is injunction that even if the spiritual master forgets to call the brahmacārī—"My dear boy, come and take prasādam,"—oḥ, he'll not touch by his own accord. Because Guru Mahārāja has forgotten to call him, oh, he'll fast on that day. There are so many restrictions. Of course, in the Vedic scripture...
So one should become very humble and meek. It doesn't matter where he is situated, either this institutionally, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Even one has taken sannyāsa, he should remain always humble. So never we should think that "I have become very big personality." That was the instruction of my Guru Mahārāja, that baḍa vaiṣṇava—"I am very big Vaiṣṇava. Everyone should come and obey my orders"—this is condemned position. The real position is one should be very humble and meek. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta means humble. One should be prepared to learn from... Namanta eva san-mukhari... Those who are pure devotee. From them one should be very much anxious to hear.
So anyway, even if you are a sannyāsī or gṛhastha or vānaprastha, it doesn't matter. You should remain very humble. That is required. Sthāne sthitāḥ. And you should hear from the realized soul in humbleness. Then the Kṛṣṇa, the great, He will be conquered by you.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja was that type of mahā-bhāgavatam. He was not... As a child, he had... He did not know the sophistry or formality to become unnecessarily very prestigious. He was by nature a small boy. Just like here, these boys. If you insult, he doesn't care for it because he is child. Or if you praise him, he does not think himself very much puffed up. This is child's nature. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was in that position. He didn't care. His father wanted to chastise him in so many ways. He didn't care.
And where is the question of charity? The gṛhastha must give in charity. Yajña, dāna and tapaḥ. And those who are vānaprastha and sannyāsī, they should practice tapasya, austerities. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. Because you have taken sannyāsa, you cannot give up these things, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. It must continue. You cannot say, "We have given up everything. We have given up these things also." No. Kṛṣṇa therefore said, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā pavanāni manīṣiṇām. Even if you think that you have become very great saintly person, still, you cannot give up this yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. So, tapaḥ. And śruta. Śruta means education.
So to come to this platform of confidence or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-mārga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles. So this whole varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, the different caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—they are very scientifically designed to elevate one gradually to the standard of "no fear," "fearfulnessless," no more fear, confident. So vipra means just the previous stage of becoming completely a brāhmaṇa. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth everyone is born a śūdra." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: "When he goes to the spiritual master and the spiritual master initiates him, at that time his second birth is there, dvija." Dvija. The birds are called also dvija because they get twice birth. Once they come as egg, the form of birth in the egg, and then, when they come out from the egg and the shell, break the shell and come out, that is real life. Similarly, we are in the egg, within the shell of ignorance.
It is the word given by the Muslims. The other side of the Sindu, the Muslim countries begin. So the Muslim used to call this part, the other side of the river Sindu, "Hindu." So our real, this Bhāratavarṣa, real dharma, is varṇāśrama-dharma. Here it is not said, "Hindu dharma." Brahmacārī. Four āśramas-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So the beginning of life is brahmacārī, how to remain a celibate. It is very scientific. People have neglected this culture and they are suffering. It is so essen... Because they do not know what is the aim of life, so in the Bhagavad-gītā all these people have been described as mūḍha, rascals. They do not know what is the aim of life.
He is vagabond. If one does not take shelter of ācārya, then he is a vagabond. 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.
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 is life. Not that extravagant life is life. That is the present position of India, that we have lost our own culture. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—this is compulsory. Every child should be trained up as brahmacārī. Then, when he is completely trained up, if he still likes to get into married life or householder life, which is a concession for sex life... It is not required. According to Vedic civilization it is not required. You'll find, therefore, many naiṣṭika-brahmacārīs. Naiṣṭika means never any connection with woman. That is called naiṣṭika-brahmacārī. And upakurvaṇa-brahmacārīs. Upakurvaṇa-brahmacārī means he is married, but not for enjoying. He is married and to beget nice children under the order of his spiritual master.
Because unless one comes to the institute of varṇāśrama-dharma—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa, gṛhastha—they are not considered as civilized. So he began from this, Rāmānanda Rāya. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said eho bāhya āge kaha, "This is external. If you know something more, you can explain." Then he recommended karma-tyāga. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, "It is external." In this way, when Rāmānanda quoted one verse from Brahmā's prayer in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Jñāne prayāsam. Brahmā recommended that one should not endeavor by his individual effort to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Then he says, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Viprād, brāhmaṇa, dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa, a brāhmaṇa not by birth but with quality. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. That is śāstra. Śāstra means, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). A brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra or a brahmacārī or a gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī, they are divided according to the quality. According to the quality. Never says janma. Quality. So here also it is said viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Dvi means double, twice, and ṣaḍ means six, then means twelve. Twelve kinds of qualities a brāhmaṇa meets. The twelve kinds of qualities are also mentioned here. (reads from Śrīdhara Swami commentary:) Evaṁ bhaktyeva kevalaya hari (indistinct) sambhavati tukta idaniṁ bhaktiṁ vinā na kiñcit toṣa (indistinct) dviṣaṭ (indistinct) guṇa (indistinct) variṣṭhaṁ manye.
Now, if somebody sees that "It is a very cheap process of earning money, so let me dress in this saffron color and beg from door to door. What is the use of laboring so hard...?" So that will go on. Misuse of dress. Misuse of dress. Liṅgam eva āśrama-khyātāu. Āśrama, a gṛhastha. Āśrama means... There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. They have got different dresses. But they have got different duties also. But in the Kali-yuga, simply by dress one should be known that either he is a sannyāsī or a brahmacārī or gṛhastha.
Avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyam... I shall explain another one line: avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ. If you have no money, then you cannot get justice. Formerly, if somebody has done injustice to you, you could go in the open court.
| Page Title: | Vanaprastha (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 22 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=118, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 118 |