So that is our main business from the very beginning of life. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This human form of life is so rare, after many, many millions of birth, many many millions of years rotating through different species of life, by the evolutionary process, we have come to this human form of life. In this life also, if you are simply engaged in the matter of eating sleeping, sense gratification, and defending, then where is the advancement? No advancement. So that inquiry should be there, that "What I am? What I am put into these tribulations of conditional life under the laws of nature?" Unless this question arises in one's mind, he's not a human being. He's animal. Just Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu and although he was minister, very learned scholar, he said, "My dear Lord, people eulogize me as very big man, learned man, minister. But I know that I do not know what I am. This is my position." Grāmya-vyavahāre kaha ei paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. "The people, the ordinary people, common people, they say that 'You are so great scholar, so rich man, minister.' They say like that. But I know that I am fool number one. I do not know what I am." This is the position.
Very learned (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Mātrā means mother, with mother. Svasrā, with sister. Duhitrā, with daughter. Nāviviktāsano bhavet, "Never sit down in a lonely place even with your mother, even with your sister, or even with your daughter." Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ, the indriya-grāmaḥ, all the senses, especially the sex, is so strong that vidvāṁsam api karṣati, even one is very learned, very well educated, still he is attracted. Therefore our... This is the basic principle of our conditioned life, the sex. We are in this material world... Material world means to get this material body, and material body means subjected to the tribulations of material nature. This is called conditioned life. As soon as you get a material body, you have to undergo the pains of pleasures of this. No pleasures, all pains. You have to undergo, this is subjected. Mātrā-sparśa. As soon as you get a material body, immediately according to the seasonal changes... Just like in London city sometimes you are feeling cold, sometimes you are feeling very warm as the season changes. So the material nature will go on changing and because your material body is susceptible to all the influence of such changes, you will feel pains and pleasures. No pleasure, always pain. The same warm is pleasure at some time and the same warm is pain at the same time. In summer season warm is not very pleasing but in the winter season the same warmth is pleasing. So warmth is pleasing or painful according to the seasonal changes. Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna that, "Don't be subjected to the seasonal changes, āgamāpāyino 'nityā, they come and go. Don't be very serious about that. Whenever there is some reverse condition of life, don't be disturbed because they will come and go." So our real business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Abhijñe, one who knows. (indistinct) we should approach person who knows things very well, abhijñaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is abhijñaḥ, svarat. So similarly Kṛṣṇa's representative is also abhijñaḥ, naturally. If one associates with Kṛṣṇa, if one talks with Kṛṣṇa, he must be very abhijñaḥ, very learned, because he takes lessons from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect, therefore, because he takes knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge is also perfect. Abhijñaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa talks. It is not that it is fictitious, no. Kṛṣṇa—I have already said—that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart and He talks with the bona fide person. Just like a big man, he talks with some bona fide person, he doesn't waste his time talking with nonsense. He talks, that's a fact, but he does not talk with nonsense, he talks with the bona fide representative.
How it is known? It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). Who is bona fide representative? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I give him intelligence." To whom? Satata-yuktānām, those who are engaged twenty-four hours. In which way he is engaged? Bhajatam, bhajana, those who are engaged in devotional service. What kind of devotional service? Prīti-pūrvakam, with love and affection. One who is engaged in devotional service of the Lord in love and devotion. What is the symptom of love? The symptom, the prime symptom, most important symptom of love is that the devotee wants to see that his Lord's name, fame, etc. become widespread. He wants to see that "My Lord's name be known everywhere." This is love. If I love somebody, I want to see that his glories are spread all over the world. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmāt manuṣyeṣu kaścit me priya-kṛttamaḥ, anyone who preaches His glory, nobody is dearer to Him than that person.
Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is first class. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If you have got unflinching faith in the Supreme, Adhokṣaja... Adhokṣaja means beyond the perception of the senses. Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta akṣajaṁ jñānaṁ yatra. Our knowledge, our activities they are sensual. I can jump, but jumping requires two legs, sense organs. So adhokṣaja means you cannot realize the Supreme by sensual activities. That is not possible. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta akṣajaṁ jñānaṁ yatra tattvataḥ.
So one has to become... If one becomes a devotee, ahaituky apratihatā, such devotional service can never be checked. It is not conditional. "If I am very learned, then I can read Vedānta philosophy, then I can understand what is the Absolute Truth." So that is checked. "If I am not very nice Sanskrit scholar, then I, I cannot become a Vedantist." That is conditional. But bhakti is not conditional. Not that because you are not a Vedantist, not that because you are a very not rich man... Not that. Bhakti is unconditional. Ahaituky apratihatā. They're... Just like class of men, they say, "First of all, let us enjoy this world. Then we shall think of bhakti, God, later on." That is the general public; they say like that. But no. Bhakti is not that conditional, that you finish your business of sense gratification, then you become bhakta. No. Become bhakta immediately. Immediately. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). If one is intelligent, he should begin devotional service immediately. As soon as he gets the information that devotional service is the perfect type of religion, he should take immediately, without waiting. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is not that "I am conditioned by so many things. I cannot take to bhakti just now." No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā. Without any check. Without any hindrance, you can adopt bhakti.
In another place... Of course, we shall come to that.
So how you can prove nonviolence? So it is a difficult job. So that is not the process of understanding Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood, as our Swamiji immediately talked, that it has to be received from the paramparā system.
So Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that at the present moment the paramparā system is now lost. Yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. "It is the paramparā system has been lost because there have been so many interpretation, wrong interpretation. Therefore I am selecting you to make again paramparā." Bhakto 'si sakhā ceti. "Why You are entrusting me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not very learned scholar. I am military man. So why You are trying to give the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā unto me?" This question may be raised. Because Arjuna was a family man. He was not a sannyāsī, neither he was a Vedantist. A military man is not expected to become a Vedantist. Kṣatriya, he knows how to fight. And Kṛṣṇa says that "I will speak to you." Why? Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "You are My dear friend. Therefore I shall tell you." So this is the process of understanding: you have to become dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. Then you will understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, for thousands of years you may go on reading Bhagavad-gītā; you will not learn even a word of it. That is the secret. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
Religion means you cannot change it at any circumstance. That is religion. That is the meaning of dharma. If you change, that is your diseased condition. That is not normal condition. So that is the meaning of religion. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). When human being changes his normal condition of life, that is pollution of...
So the normal condition of life is described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Why I am suffering?"... He inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was minister, very big post, and very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Arabic. Because at that time there was Pathan rule. So as government was Muhammadan, so responsible officers, ministers, they had to learn the Arabic language or Persian language. The Moguls were Persians?
Prabhupāda: Paṇḍitāḥ, one who is actually learned, he sees everyone on the equal level. Who are they? Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe. A brāhmaṇa who is very learned and very gentle, vidyā-vinaya. Education means one is very gentle and learned. Vidyā-vinaya sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi, a cow; hastini, an elephant; śunice, a dog; śva-pāke, a dog-eater, caṇḍāla. He sees that this... (break)
Indian man (1): He is everywhere. He is omnipresent.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He is present within your heart, but still, He has got His own place.
Indian man (1): This is why he says he has been trained(?).
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian man (1): But it can also mean that He is not everywhere because...
Prabhupāda: Why not? That is God. That is God. You are thinking in your terms. Because when you are at your home you are not everywhere, you think God is like that. That is your deficiency. Why do you compare yourself with God? That is your deficiency.
Indian man (1): This is a philosophical point of view.
Prabhupāda: Not philosophical point, view. You are thinking God in your own terms. Because you are imperfect—when you sit in your home you cannot be present in my home—therefore you are thinking God is like that.
Indian man (1): When you say "He descends," does it mean "got down"?
Brahma-bhūyāya. At the present moment, in our conditional state, we are jīva-bhūta. And when we become actually situated in our spiritual platform, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). So everything, there is link. So bhakti-yoga means detachment and knowledge. Somebody thinks like that, foolishly, that "Bhaktas are generally fools and rascals, and therefore they take to bhakti-yoga." But actually that is not bhakti-yoga. One who has taken to bhakti-yoga, he cannot be fools and rascals. He must be very learned. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ.
How he becomes learned? Now, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Everything becomes revealed. Kṛṣṇa reveals. Nāśayāmy ātmā, ātma-bhāvastho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā. If one is pure devotee, then Kṛṣṇa, from within, He will give knowledge. The Kṛṣṇa... Just like Kṛṣṇa is giving knowledge to Arjuna. He's a gṛhastha. He's a soldier. He's not even a brāhmaṇa. But who can be greater man of knowledge than Arjuna? Because he's directly receiving from Kṛṣṇa. And who can be greater teacher than Kṛṣṇa? So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you are engaged twenty-four hours in devotional service," then, Kṛṣṇa says, "from within," He will give all knowledge. Therefore vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If you actually engage in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, then jñāna and vairāgya automatically becomes revealed unto you. There is no endeavor.
Thank you very much. (break)
So we require jñāna. Jñāna means to understand his own self. Our... Unless one understands that "I am not this body," there is no jñāna, anyone, however a scholar he may be. Therefore it is called māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. If we say that a so-called educated person is in ajñāna because he does not know what he is, then... That was admitted by Sanātana Gosvāmī. He was prime minister of Nawab Hussein Shah Khan, and he joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So he submitted himself, surrendered himself to Caitanya Mahāprabhu by saying that grāmya-vyavahāre loke kaha ei paṇḍita. Grāmya-vyavahāre: "By this usual way, my neighborhood persons they say, 'paṇḍita'." He was actually very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Arabic and Persian language. He was minister in Nawab Hussein Shah's government. So actually people used to address him, "Paṇḍitajī." But he admits that "These people call me paṇḍita, but I am such a paṇḍita that I do not know what I am. This is my paṇḍita." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "I am such a rascal that I do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, and these rascals address me as 'paṇḍita'."
That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). "If you do not work for Yajña, Viṣṇu, then whatever you are doing, you are being bound up by the reaction of such work." Suppose you have done pious work. Now you are elevated to the higher planetary system or you become rich man's sons. Because by pious activities we get four things: janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Janma, to get birth in nice family, rich family, aiśvarya, janma aiśvarya. Nice family means opulent, rich, riches, aiśvarya. Janma aiśvarya śruta, and learning, education also. This is also... Not that everyone is becoming very learned. But one who was pious in his past life or in this life, they can be benefited, nice education also. And śrī, and beauty. These are the results of pious activities. And just the opposite is due to impious activities: no riches, no beauty, no knowledge, no good family.
The aim of life is tattva-jijñāsā. That Sanātana Gosvāmī did when he approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He inquired from Him, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "My dear Lord, kindly let me know who am I and why I am put into the threefold miserable condition of life." Then one can say, "You are minister. You know what you are." Then he says, "No, actually I do not know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni: "Some neighborhood men, they call me I am very big man, I am very learned man, and when I study myself," āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni, "I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, where I have to go after leaving this body, why I am put into the tribulation of threefold miseries. I do not want to die. Why death is enforced upon me? I do not want to take birth. Why that is also enforced upon me? I do not want old age. Why it is enforced upon me? I do not want disease. Why it is enforced upon me? And what is the purpose of my coming in this material world, and where I shall go after my death? Or this is the finish?" There are so many things to inquire. That is called tattva-jijñāsā. This is called tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.
These are the results. Janma. Or janma aiśvarya. Janma means high birth. A very rich man, born in a rich family or high family, that means automatically he becomes a rich man. Janmaiśvarya-śruta (SB 1.8.26), or somebody becomes very highly or great learned man, śruta. And śrī; śrī means beauty. Or one becomes very beautiful. So these things are obtained by righteous activities. And similarly by acting impious activities we become very ugly, we become fool, we are born in a very low family or animal family and we become very poor. These are the results of different activities.
Now why... One may say, "If I get next life in a very rich family and becomes very rich man and becomes very learned man, very beautiful man, why shall I not take this opportunity?" But intelligent man says that "Even if I get such opportunities, the material miseries are there." It is not that because a child is born of a very rich family, he hasn't got to go into the womb of his mother and suffer the consequence. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). The distress of birth, death, disease and old age equally there, either you become born in a very high family or either you born in a very low family, either you're born in India or you are born in America. This suffering, the four kinds of sufferings are everywhere. Not only India and America, they are in this planet, but even if you go to the moon planet or if you go to the sun planet. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. Even the highest planet. The modern scientist says that if we want to go to the highest planet it will take forty thousands of years. No. Four hundred thousands of years. Something like that they say.
He said that each and every one of you, whoever met Lord Caitanya, or whoever is in the chain of disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya, he's advised by the Lord that "You become a spiritual master." How? "Under My order. I give you order that you become a spiritual master." And, then... "I am a fool." "No. You are not fool. You have simply to say kṛṣṇa-kathā."
These two kṛṣṇa-kathā—you have nothing to manufacture. You haven't got to tax your brain by meditation, by speculation. Everything is there. You have simply to place, submit, "Here is kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here is Bhagavad-gītā and here is Bhāgavata. Just please hear." That is your business. You need not become a very learned speculator. Just like there are so many books simply full of speculation. You haven't got to do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving very simple formula. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa means instruction of Kṛṣṇa-instruction given by Kṛṣṇa or instructions spoken about Lord Kṛṣṇa. If you do this then you become a spiritual master.
So it is there. Simply we have to hear. Suppose if you are illiterate, you cannot read Bhagavad-gītā. Or... Of course, many of you, you do not know Sanskrit language, so you cannot read, but there are English translation. But you can hear. Bhagavān, the Lord, has given you the chance of hearing. You have got God-gifted ear. If you can attentively hear, you'll learn everything. Formerly, of course, people were very intelligent. Simply by hearing. They need not take any note or need not read any book, but simply by hearing. So śrotavyaḥ. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is recommended first thing that you have to hear. Simply by hear. And if you think, you become a spiritual master and you distribute this knowledge.
So when actually one becomes intelligent, then the enquiry is: "Why? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life? I do not want this, and it is forced upon me. I do not want to die; death is there. I do not want disease; the disease is there. I do not want this; it is forced upon me. I don't want war, but they, the draft board drags me to the war. Why these are?" This "why" question must be there. That is intelligence. That is Kenopaniṣad, Kena. There is Upaniṣad, Kena. And Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also inquired this "Why?" Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "Who am I? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life?" That is intelligence. He was minister. He could understand that "I am minister. People adore me as very learned man." He said that to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. "My dear Lord, these common people, my neighbors, because I am minister, and I'm supposed to be educated, I know little Sanskrit, I know little Arabian language, they call me paṇḍita, learned man, very scholar and versed. I, to tell You frankly, I do not know what I am. So what is the value of my education? I do not know." Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "What I am."
"Now I shall again begin that yoga through you. Because you are My devotee." Bhakto 'si. Kṛṣṇa did not go to find out a Vedantist to teach, a so-called Vedantist. "A Vedantist" means he's devotee. Veda. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So what is the ultimate knowledge? Ultimate knowledge is described: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That is ultimate knowledge. After speculating knowledge life after life, when one comes to the point to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, that is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Unless you come to the point of surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, your knowledge is defective. You may advertise yourself as very learned scholar, but we have got simple formula. Our position is very strong and simple. We... We take the words of Kṛṣṇa and corroborate with Kṛṣṇa's words.
Now, when I see, when we see that one man is not a devotee or Kṛṣṇa, or he does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately we take him belonging to the four classes: duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ, māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Immediately we take. It doesn't require much time to test him, what he is, because he has no surrender to Kṛṣṇa and talks all nonsense. There are so many Gītā explainers in our country—simply talking nonsense, minus Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Bhagavad-gītā means minus Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Such rascals have spoiled the whole country, you see. Everyone is so... Politicians, and this, that, all, they are... "Oh, we are student of Bhagavad-gītā." And what do you know about Kṛṣṇa? "Kṛṣṇa is zero." That's all. This is going on. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So we have to hear. If we actually want to diminish our anarthas, then we must hear Kṛṣṇa as He's speaking, without any interpretation.
He must become a devotee. Because Kṛṣṇa is understood by simply devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa does not say that to "By becoming brāhmaṇa, one can understand Me." No. Brāhmaṇa stage is impersonal realization of Brahman. There is no personal realization. When the personal realization is there, he's called Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. The brāhmaṇa has got two titles: brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Still, in India, a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita, however rascal he may be. Because it is expected, when one is born in the brāhmaṇa family, he must be well-learned. These are the six occupational duties of brāhmaṇa: paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa must be very learned scholar, studying. All Vedic knowledge is meant for the brāhmaṇas. Satyam, tapasya, satyam, śaucam, tapas, ārjavam, titikṣā, jñānam, vijñānam, āstikyam, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These qualifications must be there to become a brāhmaṇa.
So in spite of becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified, śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he is expert in his occupational duties. Ṣaṭ-karma means paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana.
There are three guṇa, modes, ignorance, passion and goodness. So if we can, somehow or other, can avoid the lower-grade modes, namely ignorance and passion, then naturally we come to the platform of goodness. That is also not sufficient. Therefore it is said here, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, almost finished all dirty things. "No, I am now situated in goodness, in brahminical qualifications."
So the śāstra says it is all right. But still it is dirty. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is described that that is also a cause of bondage. "I am very learned. I am now become brāhmaṇa." So he does not know that is also this false ego, that "I am brāhmaṇa. I am very learned. I am very advanced." This is also cause of bondage. He does not know that. Simply to become free from the modes of ignorance and passion is not sufficient. One must be free from the modes of goodness also, the so-called goodness. Then you come to the transcendental platform. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). These are upādhis. "I am a good man. I am a bad man." Both of them are designations. From spiritual point of view, there is no difference between good man and bad man. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. So long you are in the material platform, the so-called goodness and badness, they are all the same—because you are in the material platform.
"Now I become..." Because in the beginning he was talking like friends. So friends' argument, there is no end. Because every one thinks that "I am your friend. Why shall I be defeated by you?" So that talk, sort of talks will not solve your problem how to see God. That is not possible. Therefore, you must follow the principles done by Arjuna. He surrendered to Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, I know You are my friend, but unless I surrender unto You, I accept You my spiritual master, it is not possible to know." Therefore he surrendered: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam. Kṛṣṇa also immediately took him as disciple and immediately chastised him, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "You're talking like a very learned scholar, but you're fool number one. You do not know what is knowledge."
So we must go to certain person, such a person who can actually give us knowledge. Ādau gurvāśrayam. So in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Tattva-darśī, one who has seen the Absolute Truth, he can give you real... So guru and Kṛṣṇa... Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya (CC Madhya 19.151). Both-Kṛṣṇa's mercy and spiritual master's mercy. Kṛṣṇa's mercy is there, Bhagavad-gītā. He has already given you. And try to understand this Bhagavad-gītā through the bona fide spiritual master, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, then you'll learn. Then you'll learn what is adhokṣaja, beyond your sense perception. Then you will understand gradually. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ:
No restriction. No restriction. In human society at least there is official some restriction. Mātrā svasrā duhitrā. All śāstra says, "There is no..." But there are societies—we do not want to discuss—who have sex relationship even with mother, sister, and daughter. Still. But it was formerly also. Not like that, very common. But śāstra says, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhavet (SB 9.19.17). "You do not sit down in a secluded place even with your mother, with your sister, with your daughter." So people may say, "One becomes agitated by association of mother, sister, and daughter, many fools or most degraded." No. Śāstra says balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. "The senses are so strong that even one is very learned, he becomes agitated." He becomes agitated, even in the presence of mother, sister, and daughter.
So senses are so strong. Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ. It is prohibited. What to speak of others. Therefore, the common moral teachings and the Vedic civilization is to accept any woman except his own wife as mother. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Para-dāreṣu. Everyone is supposed to be married. Dāra means wife. Para-dāreṣu, other's wife. It doesn't matter if she is younger or older, but she should be treated as mother. Therefore it is the system in Vedic culture, as soon as one sees another woman, she (he) addresses her, "mother," Mātājī. Immediately, "mother." That makes the relationship. The woman treats the unknown man as son, and the unknown man treats the unknown woman as mother. This is Vedic civilization. So we should be very careful. In our society, you are all Godbrothers, Godsisters. Or those who are married, they are like mothers. So you should be very careful. Then you will remain dhīra, sober. That is brahminical qualification, brahminical culture. Not that "Because I have got facilities to intermingle with nice girls, so I shall take advantage and exploit them." Or the girls should take... No. Therefore our restriction: no illicit sex.
He knows everyone. So therefore, in order to return back the kingdoms taken from the demigods, He made a trick. He went there. Bali Mahārāja was performing a great sacrifice, Bali-dhare.(?) So He went there and asked Bali Mahārāja, "Bali Mahārāja, you are performing such a great sacrifice. I am at your door. I am brāhmaṇa. Will you kindly give Me some donation?" "Yes, why not? That is my... I will give you. Whatever You want, I will give You."
So immediately his spiritual master, the demon's spiritual master Śukrācārya... Śukrācārya means... Śukra means semina. Seminal ācārya. Means... You do not know. In India, there is a class of men, they are called gurus. The professional guru, rather. So Śukrācārya. Śukrācārya, he was very learned scholar. He knew everything, that "Here Vāmanadeva, He is incarnation of Viṣṇu. He has come to cheat Bali. He will ask something and then He will take everything from Bali." He knew it. So sometimes cheating also done by the Supreme Lord for the sake of the devotee. So this is not cheating. Just like father sometimes cheats a son. Suppose something is there, and two brothers, small children, they are fighting. One has taken, another is crying. So the one will not deliver to the other. So father says, "My dear child, will you kindly give me this." So he gives to the father and he delivers to the other child. (laughter) You see? So sometimes God has to do such cheating of affection. That is not cheating actually. But the cheating propensity is there in God. Otherwise where we get it? (laughter) But we use cheating for our personal sense gratification. But if you use that cheating propensity for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, then it is all right. Manimiti kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇyāyaiva kalpate.(?)
"Don't promise to this Vāmana anything. He is Lord Viṣṇu. He has come to cheat you." Bali Mahārāja became more enlightened. "Oh, He is Lord Viṣṇu? But you have taught me that everything should be given to Viṣṇu. So if Viṣṇu has come at my door, why you are asking not to make any promise?" So that means Śukrācārya were playing duplicity. He taught something, and now he's saying another thing. Therefore Bali Mahārāja said that "I cannot accept. I give up your company from this day, that you are checking me to offer everything to Viṣṇu. Oh, I do not want such spiritual master"
So that means... That is the shastric injunction, that anyone who is not a Viṣṇu devotee, or Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the śāstra. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, very learned, he knows his duties, brahminical duties very well... Just like Śukrācārya. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇaḥ. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa have got six kinds of occupation: paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa should be very learned, he should teach others also Vedic knowledge, paṭhana-pāṭhana. Yajana-yājana. He must be devotee or great worshiper, and he should teach others also how to worship. Yajana-yājana. Dāna-pratigraha. He will accept charity from others, and he will give in charity again to others. These are the six occupation of a brāhmaṇa. So śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ, "A brāhmaṇa, well conversed with these duties of brahminical duties," and mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, "and expert in studying the mantras, Vedic mantras, and tantra, other Vedic literature," avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt, "but if he is avaiṣṇava," means he does not worship Lord Viṣṇu but other demigods, "then he cannot become guru." That is not allowed. You cannot become guru. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra...
"Only through devotional service one can understand Me as I am." Otherwise he will commit mistake. There are different processes undoubtedly: jñāna, yoga, karma, bhakti. But if you want to see God, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga, no other yoga. Neither jñāna-yoga, nor karma-yoga, nor haṭha-yoga. You cannot see. You can see. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are impersonalists... All of them are impersonalists. For them, it is very difficult, troublesome, to see God. They may try their process, but it will take long, long time to see God. But if one takes to bhakti-yoga, immediately... Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).
So one may argue that "These bhaktas are not always very learned scholars. Mostly, they are mediocre. And there are so many big, big scholars. They cannot see God easily and only the bhaktas can do?" Yes. That is the process. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. In bhakti, one can immediately... Because real process is to surrender to God. That is the real process. But these jñānīs, yogis, and karmīs, they are not prepared to surrender to God. The karmīs will say, "Let us act nicely," I mean to say, "virtuously. We are karmīs. So God must give us the result." This is called karma-mimāṁsā. They say that... Just like the so-called scientists say that "God has created this universe.
Less intelligent, who are less-intelligent class of men? The woman class, or the laborer class, and those who are born in high family, but their qualities are not so improved. Suppose a boy is born in a brāhmaṇa family, but his quality just like śūdra or laborer class. The people will not accept. Just like if I am born of a brāhmaṇa family, so they will ask my qualification, how I am qualified. So those who are born in high family but not qualified according to the family tradition, they are called dvija-bandhu. Dvija. Dvija means twice-born. Dvi means two, and ja means birth. The śūdras have one birth, one birth by the father and mother. But those who are higher caste... Just like a man may be born in a low family or poor family, but by his intelligence he gets another birth. He becomes very rich man or very learned man, very intelligent man, very philosophic... That life is from the university. Similarly, dvija means first birth is from the father-mother, and the next birth is accepting a spiritual master. The next birth is... Father is the spiritual master, and the Vedas are the mother. So those who accept the spiritual master as father and the Vedic knowledge as mother, they are called dvija, twice-born. Twice-born. That means cultured. Cultured family. So those who are born in cultured family, but... A son is born in a cultured family, but his cultural knowledge is very poor, he is called dvija-bandhu. So woman class, laborer class, and those who are born in higher family, but intelligence is very poor, they are called dvija-bandhu. And for these classes of men the Mahābhārata was compiled. That means Vedic knowledge explained in simple historical facts.
And we are also imploring you to take this preaching work. So this preaching work, however, I mean to say, I mean to say, poorly we do... Poorly—it is not poor, but suppose I am not very much educated. Just like this boy. If I send him for preaching work, he is not very educated now. He's not a philosopher. He's not a scholar. But he can also preach. He can also preach. Because our preaching is not very difficult thing. If we go from door to door and simply request people, "My dear sir, you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And if he's little advanced, "Please try to read Teachings of Lord Caitanya. It is very nice. You'll be benefited." These three four words will make you a preacher. Is it very difficult task? (chuckles) You may not be very learned, very good scholar, very good philosopher. You simply say... Go and door to door: "My dear sir, you are very learned man. For the time being, you stop your learning. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Just like Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī did. He said, dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya. The preaching method he is teaching. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. He wrote one book, Caitanya-candrāmṛta, "The Moonlight of Lord Caitanya," in Sanskrit. He belonged to southern India. And his nephew became one of the Gosvāmīs. When Lord Caitanya was staying at his home, he was at that time householder. Later on he took sannyāsa and became Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. At that time Gopāla Bhaṭṭa... Actually, their family title was Bhaṭṭa, Bhaṭṭācārya. Bhaṭṭācārya is given title to the very learned brāhmaṇa. Cakravartī, Bhaṭṭācārya—these are brāhmaṇa's title who are very learned, very influential. So Bhaṭṭācārya. So at that time Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was little boy. So Lord Caitanya stayed with this Veṅkaṭa, Veṅkaṭanātha. His name was Veṅkaṭa. Later on he became Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī.
So the people, a man who is worshiped by so many people we call rascal? On what strength? The strength is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We can prove that he is rascal. I am not speaking; Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍha means rascal. So I am repeating Kṛṣṇa's word. Anyone who does not surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, he is rascal. So we can quote from Bhagavad-gītā. If somebody brings case against us, so we can freely say that "I am not speaking. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. You just bring libel case against Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are troubling me?" (laughter) Bhagavad-gītā says anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ mām... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He's not only rascal, he's the lowest of the mankind. And if you say, "Oh, he is very learned scholar." Oh, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). His knowledge has been taken away by māyā. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Simply he's defying God. Kṛṣṇa means God. "I am God," that is asuric.
So for a devotee, there is no need of controlling senses. It automatically becomes controlled. Just like we have taken the vow we are not going to eat anything except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Oh, the sense is already controlled. There is no question of asking a devotee, "You don't drink, don't this, don't this, don't this." So many don'ts. Simply by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, all don'ts there, already there. And it becomes very easier. Others, if one is requested that "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult job for him. For a devotee, he can give up at any moment. He has no problem. Therefore the same example, that these senses are very strong undoubtedly, as strong as the snake. But if you break the poison teeth, the poison teeth, then it is no more fierceful. Similarly, if you engage your senses in Kṛṣṇa, no more controlling. It is already controlled. Protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate.
You cannot say. Daiva-netreṇa. You are preparing your life. The higher authorities will give you chance. If you prepare yourself nicely, you get good chance; you get birth in higher planet. Or if you prepare himself, yourself nicely, then you go to Kṛṣṇa even. Now it is your choice. It is your choice. But we must know that "What is my condition." If I am in darkness, I do not understand what is, in what condition I am living, this is conditional life. That's... Everyone can understand. That Sanātana Gosvāmī understood. And we should follow the footprints of Sanātana Gosvāmī.
So he understood that "Although I am minister, although I am very educated..." Educated, what do you mean by educated? He said, grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita: "Some, my neighbors, they call me very learned man, my neighbors." Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita. Because he was minister, and he was Sanskrit scholar, Urdu scholar, actually, from scholastic point of view, very educated... So he was born in brāhmaṇa family. So people used to... A brāhmaṇa family. A brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means learned, because brāhmaṇa's business is to become learned. So he was called "Panditji." But he was thinking that "People call me very learned man, but what sort of learned man I am?" So he submitted his defects to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "These people, my neighbors, they address me 'Panditji,' a learned man, and I am also such a fool that I accept that I am very much learned." "Why you disagree that you are not learned? You are learned." Now, he said that tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "I am so learned that I do not know what is my destination, what is good for me."
This is the position of conditional life. Everyone is thinking that "I am very learned," "I am very rich," "I am very opulent," but if you ask him that "Why you are suffering? Wherefrom you have come? Where you are going next life? What is God? What is your relationship with...," he is silent. He's silent. You ask anybody, any learned professor in the, in the university, these questions, and let him... He will simply answer, "Perhaps," "Maybe," "Like this," "Like that...," no definite answer, because he does not know. This is our conditional life. This is our conditional life, that we do not know our position.
Therefore the same principle, as Nārada is asking Vyāsadeva, that "You try to meditate upon the activities of the Supreme Lord." Tad-viceṣṭitam, samādhinā anusmara tad-viceṣṭitam. "And you are already..." This, this meditation cannot be done by ordinary person. And that qualification he has got. He has already said that "You have got so many qualifications. So you can do that. And why you are, you shall meditate?" Now, the reason is, urukramasya akhila-bandha-muktaye: "You shall yourself be liberated from all conditional stage of life, and you shall be able to make others also." Unless you become liberated from the conditional life, you cannot make others liberated. You cannot imitate.
"Oh, so what is Your order?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, simply you say what Kṛṣṇa has spoken or what about Kṛṣṇa has been spoken." The Kṛṣṇa has spoken the Bhagavad-gītā. You simply speak about Bhagavad-gītā. And this Bhāgavata is also spoken about Kṛṣṇa. This is also kṛṣṇa-kathā; that is also kṛṣṇa-kathā. One is spoken directly by Kṛṣṇa, and the other is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So they're practically the same thing. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You simply deliver the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and you become a spiritual master."
So you haven't got to make yourself very learned scholar or... Just like a postal peon. He's not necessarily very learned scholar or even a very literary man. His only business is to take the envelope and put it in the right place. That's all. Similarly, to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you haven't got to become a very learned scholar or literary man. You have simply to understand... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). You hear and spread this. People will be happy. Akhila-bandha-muktaye. They will be liberated from all problems. It is so nice thing.
So He called for many thousands of people. He was very popular. This incidence shows that even He was at that time sixteen-years-old boy, He was so learned, Nimāi Paṇḍita, that He defeated a great scholar, and at the same time, He was very popular because by His simple calling, many hundred thousands of people gathered with mṛdaṅgas, and they began kīrtana in the street and went to the house of that Kazi.
So at that time Kazi thought that "This is a mass movement. So my order will not be... There will be some disturbance." So he came to his senses. Then he wanted to make some compromise with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And first of all there was some discussion, because he was also very learned scholar, Chand Kazi, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also very learned scholar. So first of all he compromised, Chand Kazi, "Nimāi, You are a boy, and in our village relationship You are just my nephew because Your grandfather, Your mother's father, I call him 'Cācā.' " Cācā means uncle. "So, in that sense, Your mother is my sister. So You are my nephew. Why You are so angry upon Your uncle?" So He said, "Yes, My dear uncle, I have come My uncle's house to be received very nicely, but you went upstairs. Why? I am very glad that you have come down." In this way, the things were... Then He first of all asked Chand Kazi, "Yes, My dear uncle..." He was maternal uncle, māmu... Māmu or māmā. Māmā means maternal uncle. "My dear māmā, Uncle, what is your religion, that you eat your father and mother?" That was His challenge, first. "What sort of religion you have got?" He said, "What You say? We eat our father...?" "Yes, because you eat cow. So cow gives you milk. She's your mother. You drink milk and kill your mother. And the bull, she (he) helps you in agricultural..., producing grains just like father gives you grains to eat. So you are killing your father and mother. How is that?"
So Chand Kazi was also very learned scholar. He said, "Well, this cow-killing is also recommended in Your Vedas, because there is cow sacrifice." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied... Now, we should know it that the animal sacrifice, according to the Vedic scripture, that is not killing. That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "In the previous time, this cow sacrifice was actually being done. That's all right. But that was not for killing. That—to give the cow, the old cow or bull, a new life. By the power of mantra, just to give evidence of the Vedic mantras, the brāhmaṇas would sacrifice a cow, old cow or old bull, in the fire and give, give him, again, new life. That was... Now, in this age, there is no such powerful brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras rightly and give again rejuvenation, another new life. It is not possible. Therefore in the śāstras, these sort of sacrifices are forbidden."
Therefore we living entities, we are described, taṭastha. Taṭastha means marginal. Actually, we are spirit soul, our position in the spiritual world, but we are sometimes fallen down in this material world on account of our desire to enjoy. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, not His manufactured philosophy... This is the actual position. He, when He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī put before Him the question that "I was a minister and I am a brāhmaṇa, I'm very learned. They say, of course, that I am paṇḍitajī. But actually I do not know what is my position. Actually I am fool number one. I do not know what is my position. These innocent people, they call me I am paṇḍitajī, I am minister, I am this, I am that, and I accept that I am that. But actually I do not know what I am." That is the position everywhere. You ask any prime minister that "You are prime minister, but actually what you are? Will you remain prime minister forever?" He or she cannot answer this question. Or they evade this question. But this is really the question, athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should try to understand "What I am?" but they do not rea... They do not inquire, neither they are interested. So foolish persons, they may be prime minister in this life, next life a dog. They don't care. But this is not life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should inquire and purify himself.
So everyone should be prepared, everyone should understand Bhagavad-gītā. Of course, it is not possible for everyone to go. Still, if one understands... That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He says everyone of you become a guru. How can I become guru? I am not very learned scholar, I have no education. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says no. Even though you are not very much educated or not born of a very high family, you simply, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That's all. You become a guru. Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Don't adulterate it, but as Kṛṣṇa says, you say. You become guru. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... So I have tried that. I have tried to follow the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, and I am presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. There is no magic, there is no jugglery and people are taking. If you do that everyone will be happy, the world will be happy and India's glory will be spread all over the world.
No. Kṛṣṇa's pleasure wanted. If Kṛṣṇa sees that by washing the floor you are doing very nicely, Kṛṣṇa is pleased: "Oh, you are nice." Similarly, one man is decorating Kṛṣṇa with garland and... If Kṛṣṇa is pleased, that is the main point. Not that because you are on the Deity room you are very elevated, and the other man who is cleansing the door, he is not elevated. No. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. They are all equal. In whichever position you are, simply your endeavor should be how to please Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46).
Also it is said, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Because generally we take divisions, varṇa and āśrama. So Sūta Gosvāmī says in the meeting of Naimiṣāraṇya, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. They are all big, big, very learned scholars and brāhmaṇas, so they were addressing, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. One who has got the right to take the sacred thread, they are called dvijas. But out of the three, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, the brāhmaṇa is called dvija-śreṣṭha. Therefore he addressed,
- ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
- varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
- svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
- saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
- (SB 1.2.13)
Saṁsiddhi. Never mind what you are. Either you may be sannyāsī or may be gṛhastha or may be brahmacārī or a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya, or vaiśya, śūdra. Never mind. Try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Try to please Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Otherwise, you are pramatta, mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). So long you shall remain a pramatta, you shall act just opposite function, and you'll be entangled. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. If you do not work for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, then that work will entangle you in the cycle of birth and death.
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.
So this is false. Even if you become very much proud that you are a very learned brāhmaṇa or very advanced sannyāsī, that is not your freedom. You are not yet liberated. You are still in conditional life. Then? When you become liberated? That is stated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is liberation. Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, Gopījana-vallabha. Kṛṣṇa's business is how to please the gopīs, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana. As the vṛndāvana-vāsīs, they have no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Kṛṣṇa has no other business than to please the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana.
It is not mythology, it is fact. Vyāsadeva, such a learned person, vidvān. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). He is vidvān. He has written this sātvata-saṁhitā with some mythology, some fiction, some imagination? It is rascaldom to consider it like that. It is not mythology; it is fact. That is Bhagavān. He has wasted his time to describe some mythology? But they have no common sense. And not only that, Vyāsadeva has written. Later on all big, big commentators like Śrīdhara Svāmī, Vijayadhvaja, Vīrarāghavācārya, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Sanātana Gosvāmī, many. They have never said that this is mythology. Never said. Never said. You'll not find in any of the comments of these big, big stalwart ācārya. Vīrarāghavācārya, he is very learned scholar belonging to the Rāmānujācārya Sampradāya. They have never said it is mythology. Where do you get this idea of mythology? That is possible. God is all-powerful. He can do anything. He can appear. Why should you restrict Him not to become the son of Devakī? Why should you restrict? Is He under your control or you are under His control? He can become the Devakī-suta. He can become a small child to be chastised by Mother Yaśodā. He likes it. Everyone offers Him with reverence all respect. Nobody dares to restrict Him and chastise Him. Nobody goes to God, that "You cannot do this. You are fool, You are rascal." Nobody says. But still He wants to hear all this. That is a pastime.
He's within your heart. He's within the atom even. So it is not difficult to find Him out, but you must know the process, how to find Him out. And this process is very simple. And the process we are distributing by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to everyone, without any charge. The process is chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately you understand Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you see the lotus flower, if you hear this verse... This Sanskrit verse is meant for understanding ourself. It is not for simply selling our books. Every one of you... We are repeating this verse again and again so that you are expected to chant these mantras. Not that the book is kept... "I'm very learned scholar." What kind of learned scholar? "If I find the book, then I can speak." That is not scholarship. You must chant.
Therefore we are teaching in our Dallas children simply to learn Sanskrit. We have nothing to do anything else. They are not going to be technologists, or servant of everyone. No. We want some generation who can preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if they learn simply English and Sanskrit, they will be able to read this book, and that is sufficient. We don't want anything. All informations are there. Throughout the whole world, whatever knowledge is there, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, everything is there. There is literature, there is poetry, there is philosophy, there is religion, there is love of Godhead, there is astronomy. Everything is there. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhiḥ. If one simply reads this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, his education is the topmost. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhiḥ. There is something topmost, ultimate. So for education, vidyā, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If one studies Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he is well versed in every subject matter.
So we want to create a new generation in your country so that in the future there'll be fluent speaker in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and preach all over the country, and your country will be saved. This is our program.
So because you are preacher, you are being trained up to become preacher, especially in the Western countries, so it is your duty. I have several times requested you that "You American people, you are fortunate. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ (SB 1.8.26). You have got the four things. Now, because these people are misusing these four material gains simply for sense gratification, māyā-sukhāya..." Māyā-sukhāya means sense gratification. Māyā... "They should be delivered from these clutches of māyā, and they should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is preaching. Preaching is required. That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, certainly He took His birth here, but He did not remain here. He did not remain here. He could have remained here very easily. His influence was very great. He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita, very learned scholar. Everyone knew. And He was very respectful. Otherwise, how He could gather 100,000 people in one day to go to the Kazi's house? That means He was very influential. But still, He... There was good wife, young wife, most affectionate mother. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu could stay at His birthplace very nicely without any difficulty. And what will be difficulty? He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, Nārāyaṇa Himself. And there was Lakṣmī. But still, to show the example personally, āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya, He left home, He took sannyāsa, and He preached.
Prabhupāda: It goes on. I have seen for generation. One generation passed another generation; the fighting is going on in the court. But if people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, it could be settled within few minutes. Still among the villagers the system is current in India: when there is some fighting, they go to a saintly person or in a temple to settle up. Just like when Sanātana Gosvāmī was there in Vṛndāvana, so in that area, whenever there was some fighting between two parties, they would come to Sanātana Gosvāmī: bābā, ap isko phars lakharji.(?) Bābā means saintly person. So they would come to Sanātana Gosvāmī, and they would ask him to become mediator, arbitrator, to settle up. And whatever verdict or judgment he will give, they will accept that "Bābā has said. That's all right." Therefore Śrīnivāsa Ācārya has prayed the Gosvāmīs, dhīrādhīra. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau, dhīradhīra-priyau.
Dhīrādhīra-priyau. There are two kinds of men. One is dhīra—very learned, sober, everything in knowledge, wise. They are called dhīra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says dhīras tatra na muhyati.
So Sūta Gosvāmī, he is explaining in the assembly of learned brāhmaṇas. The Naimiṣāraṇya meeting took place some five thousand or more than that, at least five thousand years ago. But the, all the members who assembled there, they were all very learned scholar and brāhmaṇas. Therefore they are addressed as viprarṣe. Not only brāhmaṇa, but they were ṛṣi. Ṛṣi means saintly person. They were rājarṣi, rājarṣi. Saintly person can become, anyone, provided he lives like a saintly person. It doesn't matter whether he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. Generally, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, the first and second status of the human society, they can live as good as the saintly persons within the forest or Himalaya. At home they can live. So another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed as dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "best of the brāhmaṇas." A brāhmaṇa is already the best man, but if he becomes a saintly person, then it becomes still more magnified.
So in another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: "You are all brāhmaṇa, the topmost of the human society." There are divisions of the human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men, fourth-class men, that, in the Vedic civilization. Not that all, all one class. No. Why? There must be a division. That I have already explained. So the qualified brāhmaṇas, they are first-class men. The topmost class. And the second-class men, the kṣatriyas. And the third-class men, vaiśyas, mercantile, simply "Where to get money?" And they are, according to Vedic civilization, third-class men. But at the present moment those who are acquiring money somehow or other, they are first-class men. It doesn't matter what is his qualification.
That's all. The modern civilization has got everything, but without God consciousness, any moment it will be finished. And there are symptoms... Any moment. At the present moment, this godless civilization, as soon as there is declaration of war, the America is prepared to drop atom bomb, Russia is... The first nation who will drop the atom bomb, he will be victorious. Nobody will be victorious, because both of them are ready to drop. The America will be finished and Russia will be finished. That is the position. So you may make advancement of civilization, scientific improvement, economic development, but if it is godless, at any moment it will be finished. At any moment.
Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they were demons, godless demons. Rāvaṇa was very learned scholar in Vedic knowledge and very powerful materially. He converted his capital with gold, all the buildings and everything. It is supposed that Rāvaṇa's brother was a king of..., on the other side of the globe. So it is my suggestion... I do not say it is very scientific proof. So other side of the globe... Rāvaṇa was in Ceylon, and the other side of the globe, if you go by subway, it comes to Brazil. And Brazil is supposed to have gold mines. And it is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Rāvaṇa's brother was living on the other side of the globe, and Rāmacandra was taken through the subway. So taking this into consideration, we can suppose that Rāvaṇa imported large quantity of gold from Brazil, and he converted them into big, big houses. So Rāvaṇa was so powerful that he made his capital Svarṇa-laṅkā, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very wonderful.
So similarly, this body is dead. That's a fact. It is dead from the very beginning. Because it is matter. Matter is always dead. So this body made of matter, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4)—earth, water, fire, air. This external body is dead, but it is living on account of that small spark of spirit. That is the real meant. That we understand from Bhagavad..., dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ, the small spark, spiritual spark, he is within this body. This is the first understanding of spiritual knowledge. You must know. This is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. When Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, Arjuna was lamenting for this body. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was accepted Arjuna's spiritual master, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7), then He advised him that "You are talking like a very learned scholar." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "You are talking just like you know..." Just like our so-called scientists, they speak as if they know everything, but real thing they do not know. That is zero. What is spirit, they do not know. They are thinking this body. And according to Vedic knowledge, if one is misguided on the bodily identification of ourself, he is animal. He is animal. He may be Ph.D., D.H.C. or something, but he is animal. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Because he does not know how the body is moving. And neither they can discover anything. When the body is dead... It is dead from the very beginning, but it was moving. Just like so long petrol is there, the motorcar moves. But as soon as there is... Now there is crisis. So how their motorcars will move? They are concerned. So why their crisis? Because the petrol is the life of the movement of the motorcar. Similarly, that spiritual spark, or spirit soul, is the petrol of this body.
These are all useless, nonsense things. You cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa clearly said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhaktyā. Simply by devotional service one can understand. Bhakti means serving, service. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). When you become in service attitude, just to serve Kṛṣṇa with humble attitude, with devotion, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Otherwise you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. If you think that "I am very rich man, I can offer Kṛṣṇa so many things, nice dress, nice foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa now is within my grip." No. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap. There also it is said that vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa because you are very learned scholar in Vedic knowledge. No. Vedeṣu durlabham, it is very difficult. But adurlabham, He is very cheap unto His devotees. He is very cheap. Like Vidura. Vidura invited Him, and Kṛṣṇa did not to go Arjuna's house..., I mean to say, Duryodhana's house, very palatial building. Vidura, a cottage, so He went there. And Vidura being in ecstasy was offering Him some banana. So he was so overpowered by ecstasy that instead of giving the fruit banana, he was giving the skin, and Kṛṣṇa was eating. So when he came to his senses he saw that "I have given only the skin, and Kṛṣṇa is eating." So this is bhakti. This is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Kṛṣṇa can eat anything, either you give the pulp or skin, He can eat anything because He is all powerful and everything is equal to Him.
"This is such and such." "Oh, you have become so grown up." So things are taken imperceptibly. That is going on by the subtle laws of nature. It is a great science, but there is no discussion of this science in any university of the whole world. And they are advancement of knowledge. They are claiming advancement of knowledge. What knowledge you have got? You do not know what you are, and you are advancement in knowledge.
Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was prime minister of Nawab Hussein Shah, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his first proposition was that, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "My dear Sir, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, some neighboring people, they call me, I am a very learned scholar." Grāmya-vyavahāre. "In ordinary behavior, they call me, I am very learned scholar. But I do not know what I am, I am such a scholar." This is the submission. This is called submission. Everyone is puffed up, that "I know. I know everything. So there is no need of going to a guru." This is the method to approach a guru, spiritual master: surrender, that "I know so many rubbish things which are useless. Now kindly teach me." This is called submission. Just like Arjuna said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). When there was argument between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, and when the matter was not solved, then Arjuna submitted to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now we are talking as friends. No more friendly talking. I accept You as my spiritual master. Kindly teach me what is my duty." That is Bhagavad-gītā.
So this was the practice. That is not only religiously, but morally, it is so good, to look upon all woman as mother. That is the system still in India, any unknown woman who has no introduction with you, (s)he is addressed "Mātājī." Address her. She may be just like daughter or granddaughter, but one would address, as a respect to the woman, as "Mother, Mātājī." This is Indian system. Now some rascals have introduced "Bhaginījī, sister." But that is not shastric. In the śāstra, all the woman, except one's wife, should be addressed as "Mother."
That is the instruction by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, a great politician moralist. He said that "Who is learned scholar?" He was himself very learned scholar, but he is giving definition of learned scholar. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "Anyone who sees all woman..." Para-dāreṣu. Para-dāra means other's wife. Para-dāreṣu. Mātṛvat. Not his own wife, but other's wife. So except one has got one wife, and all others, other's wife. So mātṛvat para-dāreṣu, to treat and see other's wife as mother. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat: "And other's property as garbage in the street." As nobody is interested in the garbage on the street, similarly, if one is not interested in anyone's property... It may be insignificant thing, but one cannot touch it. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam (ISO 1). This is the Upaniṣad. Īśopaniṣad, Vedic injunction. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam: "Don't touch any other property." Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ: "Whatever is given by Kṛṣṇa, God, as His prasādam, you accept it. That you can enjoy. Don't touch anything." So similarly, a person should be so nicely trained up that the one wife with religious, by performing religious ceremony, is given to him, he should be satisfied with her, not to see other women, adulteration. This is Kali-yuga. This is Kali-yuga. Now this adulteration, prostitution, is common affair, common affair. Nobody sees other's wife as his mother, nobody. And neither the woman sees other's husband as father. No.
At that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu was only sixteen years old. So the learned scholars there first of all decided that "Let now Nimāi Paṇḍita..." Caitanya Mahāprabhu's student life was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. His mother gave a very beloved name, Nimāi, because He took His birth underneath a tree, nim tree. So His name was Nimāi Paṇḍita. As a student He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. So the scholars there first of all decided that "Let this Keśava Kāśmīrī talk with Nimāi Paṇḍita. So if Nimāi Paṇḍita fails to conquer over him, then we should challenge that 'He is a boy. Now let us talk. You come to us.' " But even the boy, Nimāi Paṇḍita, He defeated that Keśava Kāśmīrī. That is mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, how He was digvijaya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This Keśava Kāśmīrī was a very learned scholar, and he was requested by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You are sitting on the bank of the Ganges. You can compose some prayers for the mother Ganges." So he was learned scholar. Immediately he composed one hundred ślokas. So out of that one hundred ślokas, He found some fault in the sixty-fourth verse. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "You are such a learned scholar, but We are simply student, grammarian. We cannot understand your poetic and literary magnitude of knowledge. So will you kindly explain the sixty-fourth verse which We cannot understand very nicely."
"One who is actually learned, he does not take very much care of these things." That means "You are a fool." That means "You are a fool." It is called parenthesis, or... That "A paṇḍita, a learned man, does not do like this." It is called... What is the English? I do not remember now. That if I speak that "Sometimes, from my home, this thing was stolen, and the man who stole, he looked like you." But not directly, "You are the man who had stolen my property," but you can say in a gentlemanly way, "He looked like you." You see?
So similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who is not surrendering unto Me, who is not a surrendered soul, and thinking that he has become God, he is very learned scholar, Vedantist... These things are vimukta-māninaḥ." "Now I have no business to go to temple." In our country, there is a class. They have developed a system not to go to the temple. That is their propaganda, not to go to the temple. "Why you should go to the temple for finding out God? God is everywhere." If God is everywhere, now why not in the temple? What the temple has done? If God is everywhere, then in the temple there is God. You may call Deity worship as idol worship, but this situation created by Deity worship, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practical... This was a church. This was a church. How many years ago? Since when we have occupied? Four years ago. And because nobody was coming, so this church was sold, and we purchased. Now why people are coming? The church or temple, if there is no God, so why people are coming? The same church. Because you could not convince them about the science of God. Therefore it was vacant. You cannot bluff all people for all the time. That is not possible. You must give them substantial. Then they will agree, "Yes, there is God."
Not only that, they are taken care of, but now child or baby is being killed. This is Kali-yuga. This is conclusion(?)
And how one can be happy? So many sinful activities are going on. How they expect to become happy? It is not possible. Therefore it is being asked that "Whether you are thinking of all these things and therefore you are unhappy?" Sober man becomes unhappy. Para-duḥkha... Especially Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava has no problem for himself, but he has many problems for others. Because a Vaiṣṇava... That is Vaiṣṇava, unhappy by seeing others unhappy. That is Vaiṣṇava. That is a first-class Vaiṣṇava, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. By His practical example... He was a very learned scholar, many students, very respectable. He was so respectable in Navadvīpa that in one night He collected a hundred thousand of people to challenge against the Kazi's judgment, civil disobedience. Kazi acted against saṅkīrtana, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu challenged, "Now, tonight, we shall perform saṅkīrtana with 100,000 of people." And 100,000 of people gathered together and chanting and went to the house of Kazi.
Here, you have no such thing here because there is no question of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Everyone is the same. So, but India still, there are four classes of men—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Here it is in Kali-yuga. Therefore kukarmaṇy abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān. Brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya... Brāhmaṇa means the persons learned, very intelligent, the Vedic culture, knowledge in Vedas. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam. These are the brahminical qualification. Control the senses, control the mind, very clean. Śamo damas titikṣā, tolerant, ārjava, simplicity. These are the brahminical qual... Then jñānam, full knowledge. Not that I am talking of becoming a brāhmaṇa, but I have no knowledge. That is not brāhmaṇa, allowed. A brāhmaṇa must be very much learned. Brāhmaṇa's another title is paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means very learned, paṇḍitajī. Where is our paṇḍita? He is not here?
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.
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was like that. So to get the chance of having good father, śucīnāṁ... Śucīnām means brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, especially brāhmaṇa. And śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very rich. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given his comment: śucīnām means highly cultured brāhmaṇa, and śrīmatām means highly rich vaiśya. So to take birth in this family, cultured family, rich family, is not ordinary thing. It is not ordinary thing. It is the result of pious activities, pious activities. The pious activities means you get your birth in a very good, aristocratic family, rich family or brāhmaṇa family. That is the result of pious activities. You become very beautiful. You become very learned. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Four things. Janma means birth. Aiśvarya means riches, wealth. Aiśvarya. Janma aiśvarya and śruta. Śruta means education. To become learned man, to become very educated, that is also a result of pious activities. To take birth in rich family, that is also result of pious activities. To become very beautiful, that is also result of pious activities. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān. Unfortunately... When we get these opportunities, very nice family or nice nation, beautiful body, education, we should consider that it is due to our past pious activities. Therefore they should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. Because pious activities means to approach Kṛṣṇa. Those who are impious, sinful, they cannot approach Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, always engaged in sinful activities, and rascals, may be very educated-māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ, their educational value has been taken away by māyā... As, just like nowadays it has become. The more one is educated, the more one is atheist. We have received one report just now, Bombay. They are... That singing, Hare Kṛṣṇa singing, nuisance, they say. You see. How degraded human being has become: "Hare Kṛṣṇa singing is nuisance. And cinema singing is very good." Just see. They have become simply rascals, dogs and hogs. Simply.
And if we accept a material body, then all the miserable conditions that we are undergoing with this body, we have to accept it. This is not pessimistic view of life, but this is a fact. Only responsible persons, they can understand. Sanātana Gosvāmī was minister of government. His society was very aristocratic. Very rich men they were. So rich society, aristocratic society, could not satisfy him. He... They resigned the post and joined Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for ultimate solution of life. These examples are many. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciples, direct disciples, they were all very important men, just like Six Gosvāmīs. Even Svarūpa Dāmodara, His private secretary, he was very learned man, Vedantist. And next to his secretary, the six Gosvāmīs, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, they were very, very important rich men of that time. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī happened to be the son of a very big landlord, zamindar. That father's income was twelve hundred thousands of rupees in those days, five hundred years ago. And he was the only son of his father and uncle. So he did not like to enjoy the father's property, but he joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is known as Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Similarly, Rūpa-Sanātana Gosvāmī also joined. They were also very rich men, important men. And Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī... Jīva Gosvāmī, very learned scholar and philosopher. He was the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī. So they were all very important men of the society. They joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu to make life successful. So these examples we should take and make our life successful.
Therefore when one inquires about Kṛṣṇa, he is very glorified. Therefore he says, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitam (SB 2.1.1). Because answer to this question will include everything, and people will profit, loka-hitam. The saintly person's duty is to do welfare to the people in general. That is saintly person. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau. About the Gosvāmīs, ṣaḍ-gosvāmī, it is stated that nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau. The six Gosvāmīs, they were very, very learned scholars, nānā-śāstra, various different scriptures, vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau, very expert in studying all the scriptures scrutinizingly, nipuṇau, expert. This is the, I mean to say, calculation of the Gosvāmīs. So why they are concerned about studying so many scriptures? Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Sad-dharma. Dharma means... The exact meaning of dharma is "occupational duty." People are... In English they translate dharma as "faith." Faith can be changed. I like this faith today. Tomorrow I may like another faith. So actually the translation of dharma is not "faith." It is "occupational duty."
He's friend not only of human being, even the hogs, dogs, cats—everyone. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. This is the science, one has to know. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. So everyone is trying to become leader of the society, suhṛdam welfare actor, but that is impossible. Because he's a rascal, how he can become the friend? The, one's business is that he should make friendship with Kṛṣṇa and advise others also to make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. That is real leadership. That is real leadership. And the rascals, what the, he does not know what is his own benefit, and he has become a leader.
Sanātana Gosvāmī says, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "Sir, I was minister, and people used to say that I am very learned scholar, and this and that, but... I was also accepting, 'Oh...' But actually, since I am come in Your contact, I thought that 'What kind of leader I am? I do not know what is beneficial for me. I am such a leader. I am such a fool. I do not know my own benefit, and I want to become leader to lead others for benefit of life.' " Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). A blind man, he does not think that he's blind. How he can lead others, other blind men? But this is cheating. All these leaders, so-called rascal leaders, they are blind themselves. They do not know what is the aim of life, and they're becoming leader. And the leader, blind leader, and the blind follower, they're all going to hell. This is the position of the world.
So therefore we should be careful that don't imitate that "I am now become paramahaṁsa. I do not require to follow the rules and regulations. Let me do whatever I like." Don't do that. The test is there. Test is there, here. It is said, guṇānukathane hareḥ. When you are paramahaṁsa, then you have no other business than simply to hear about Kṛṣṇa, and chant about Kṛṣṇa.
Why you are taking so much trouble?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. As soon as you take it... It is a fact, but you are misled. It is a fact that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, but artificially you are thinking that you are master. You are master, you are God, you are enjoyer, you are this, you are that.
That is artificial. So real knowledge means when one is not any more disturbed by the influence of the modes of material nature. The modes of material nature is working. Somebody is influenced by passion, somebody is influenced by ignorance, and somebody is influenced by goodness also. That is also one nature. If, on the platform of goodness, if one stops, then he's also bound, he's also conditioned. "I am very learned man; I know what is Brahman," or "I am living very nice peaceful life." These are the products of jñāna. But if we remain compact within the boundary of such knowledge and do not make further progress, then that is also bondage. That is also bondage. Therefore one must come to the sense where these waves of material nature cannot act. That is real knowledge. Therefore it is said, jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi. Urmi means waves. Cakram, in the whirlpool of the waves of the ocean of nescience... Just like they are taking pleasure in swimming with the waves.
Sixteen years old. But fortunately, his wife Uttarā was pregnant. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was within the womb of Uttarā, so he was saved. All others died. Pāṇḍaveyaḥ, coming in the dynasty of the Pāṇḍavas.
Therefore bhāgavataḥ. Mahā-rathaḥ. At the same time, he could fight thousands of warriors, mahā-ratha. A kṣatriya who alone can fight with another thousand kṣatriyas, he's called mahā-ratha. So it does not mean to become bhāgavata means, to become devotee, one has to stop all other activities. No. Here it is called, mahā-ratha. Mahā-ratha means a great commander. So a great commander can also become bhāgavata, a great merchant can also become bhāgavata, and a great brāhmaṇa, learned scholar, he can also become bhāgavata. There is no restriction. Not that simply one who is Vedantist, who is a very learned scholar, he can become bhāgavata. No. The social system was so nice that everyone could become bhāgavata. The brāhmaṇa could become bhāgavata, a kṣatriya could become bhāgavata, a vaiśya could become bhāgavata, or a śūdra could also become bhāgavata. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says personally, "Never mind whether he's woman or a śūdra or a vaiśya, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, "all of them can go back to home, back to Godhead."
He will never accept anyone's service. That is brāhmaṇa. Uñcha-vṛtti. If he has no income, he will go on the field ... And when the grains are taken away, some grains fall down. They will pick up all those grains and live on that. Still, they will not go to anyone that "I am hungry. Give me something." No. Uñcha-vṛtti. So our education ... And why we were so independent? Because the education was very high, Vedic education. Satisfied with Brahman realization. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Not very long ago, say about 300 years ago, there was a brāhmaṇa, a very rigid brāhmaṇa, in Kṛṣṇa-nagara, near our Māyāpur. And brāhmaṇa's business, he was teaching. So the king of that place, means a big zamindar, Rājā Kṛṣṇa-candra ... By his name, that place is Kṛṣṇa-nagara. So he heard about the brāhmaṇa, very learned brāhmaṇa, but very poor. So he one day came to him and asked him, "Brāhmaṇa, can I help you any way?" So he said, "No, I don't require any help from you."
"No, I see you are so poverty-stricken. You have no sufficient means." "No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students, they get some alms of rice. So my wife boils the rice, and here is a tamarind tree. So I take some leaves and boil it, and that's sufficient. Why I am poverty-stricken?" He's satisfied, whatever is coming automatically, that's all. He doesn't require any higher standard of life, any botheration. He is satisfied, little rice and tamarind juice. That's all. So in each and every home, formerly, this independence was very much valued. So at the modern education this independence is being killed. People are becoming unemployed, machine. Machine ... High technologist means he must find out a job where technological machines are there. Otherwise he will starve, and he will have to go round, factory to factory: "Will you give me some service?" "No vacancy." Yes. So we shall discuss further next, tomorrow. (end)
So that is called ātma-tattva. Light. At night, darkness, dense darkness, you cannot see anything. I am walking in the dark, but I cannot see my hands and legs, where I am going. I am afraid: "Whether I shall fall into some ditch?" This is my position. Therefore it has to be purified. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-arthaṁ yad āha bhagavān ṛtam: "Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality, as He says..." So therefore we have to cleanse ourself, viśuddhy-artha. In order to cleanse, we have to hear from Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is coming. Out His causeless mercy He is coming to reveal Himself, Kṛṣṇa: "It is like this. I am like this. You are like this." Both things. First, beginning, Kṛṣṇa said, "You are not this body." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca... (BG 2.11). "Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned man, but you do not know what you are—not this body. You are not this body. Why you are lamenting for this body, your body and your brother's body, your grandfather's body, your children's body? But you are not body."
| Page Title: | Very learned (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 21 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=57, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 57 |