So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that these laws, these material laws of nature, they are very strong. They are enacted by the Supreme Lord, as we understand from the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Mayādhyakṣeṇa, "Under My superintendence." The laws... Just like laws are there; at the same time, the government has got a department which is called law and order department. The laws are going on nicely, the law and order department examines. So that examiner, departmental, may be, but the original examiner is the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayā adhyakṣeṇa: "Under My superintendence." Just like in our institution, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, although I am the head, still, I have got so many assistants, the GBC members. They are assisting me, departmental. Somebody is here, somebody is there. Similarly, God has departmental management, and because it is such a huge affair, there are... What is a koṭi? Koṭi means ten million? Huh? Ten millions multiplied by thirty-three. How many it comes?
Very strong (Lectures, SB)
Expressions researched:
"very strong"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So simply by vibration the atmosphere will be cleansed and purified. Just like when there is thundering sound in the sky, it does not require to understand by any particular language. That very vibration And the origin of creation is sound. The grosser elements are visible, but the creation takes place from finer elements. The sound is the symptom of the sky. By sound we can understand that there is sky, ether. Then, by sound vibration, there is circulation of air. And you have got practical experience. When there is very loud sound vibration, sometimes there is very strong wind also. So by sound vibration, the wind is started, and by strong wind electricity is produced. From electricity, water is produced, perspiration. And from water, earth is produced.
Guest: That within each cell is like a living entity. The soul is just the controlling...
Devotee: ...or that each cell is a living entity.
Prabhupāda: Yes, all right. What is the wrong there?
Guest: Why, why is māyā so very, very strong if our purpose in life is to be with God?
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Devotee: Why is māyā so strong if our purpose is to be with God?
Prabhupāda: Your purpose is not strong. (laughter).
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (end)
By the sages in Naimiṣāraṇya, the question was put before Sūta Gosvāmī that "After Kṛṣṇa's departure from this world to His own abode, where the responsibility was given for religious propaganda?" So it was kṛṣṇa-sampraśno, question about Kṛṣṇa. And the question was that religious principle, where did it rest? Because religion means the law of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). As you cannot manufacture law at home The law is enunciated in the legislative assembly of the government. Not that you can manufacture law in your home or in your office or in a big conference by the public. No. Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, "a sect of faith." And people have interpreted in a different way, that "I can manufacture my own way of religion." It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat. As many ways there are, they are all perfect. That somebody said that to cut throat is my religion. That is also accepted. But that is not religion. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). What is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead or what is ordained by the supreme authority, that is dharma.
So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). One who thinks this body as himself, as self, and bodily relations, sva-dhīḥ, "They are my own, my brother, my family, my nation, my community, my society," so many things, my, I and mine Misconception of "I" as this body and misconception of "my" in relationship with body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, bhūmi, bhūmi means land. Ijya-dhīḥ, ijya means worshipable. So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that "I am this body," and "I am American," and "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am this, those...," so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, and tīrtha, place of pilgrimage.
So dharma, we generally understand that I am Hindu, I am Muslim, I am Christian, I am Arya-samaji, I am this, I am that. That is generally taken as dharma. But according to Vedic principle dharma means characteristic. Just like chili—to become hot—the characteristic of chili. We test in the market when we go to purchase chili, we test how strong it is hot. If it is not very strong in its hottiness, then we reject. "No, no, it is not good chili." Chili must be very hot. That is characteristic, that is dharma. Sugar must be very sweet. That is characteristic, that is dharma. Sa vai puṁsām paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6). So at the present moment, being entrapped by the material nature, we have accepted different types of dharmas. That is artificial. That is artificial. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist," "I am this," "I am that." These are all in relationship with this body. Accidentally if I am born in a Hindu family, or Muslim family, or Christian family, I identify myself, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." But real identification is, as I have already explained to you, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman. I am the spirit soul. So when you come to that platform of spiritual understanding then our characteristic should be manifested.
This whole world is going on on the basis of sense gratification. A man and a woman, or a male or female, they develop this idea of sense gratification. Therefore as soon as a girl is grown up or a boy is grown up, the father, mother get them married, because the sense of sense gratification is very strong. Therefore the system is, Vedic system is, or any..., this human civilization system is, to get them married. So puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). So as soon as they are married, so tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, that sense of sense gratification becomes too much tied up. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim. We have got already attraction. A man has got attraction for woman; woman has got attraction for man. Now, as soon as they are united, that attraction becomes more and more strong. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Then ataḥ gṛha, as soon as they are married and united, they require one apartment, gṛha; ataḥ gṛha, kṣetra, then land for cultivating for producing foodstuff. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children; āpta, friends. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, and money. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8).
So when you come to the system of varṇāśrama, this is by nature. It is creation of God, just like in your body there are four divisions—the brain, arms, belly and legs divisions. So how can you avoid? This is natural. Unless you have got brain, if your head is cut off from the body, then what is the value? It is dead body. Similarly, at the present moment there is no brahminical culture. There may be very strong arm department, there may be very well-equipped economic department or labor department, but because the head is not there, it is a dead body. Therefore the whole society is suffering; there is no brāhmaṇa, or the head. We are creating brāhmaṇas so that the society may be saved. We are not creating rascals; we are creating brāhmaṇas. So if you all are responsible, if you know your duty, try to save the society, especially in your country, America. By God's grace you have enough of everything. And you have got intelligence also, otherwise how you are coming? Unless you are born of intelligent father and mother, how you are taking this?
So knot. We have experience... (microphone adjusted) Do it nicely. Karma-granthi. Granthi means knot. So... Just like a man, if it is tied very strongly with ropes, hand and legs, he cannot move independently, similarly, we are tied up by the laws of material nature. Material nature. Just like we, when we become criminal, we become... We are always bound up by the laws of the state; either criminal or civil, it doesn't matter. But criminal is more strong. When we are under criminal laws, then it becomes very painful. We cannot violate the state laws, either criminal or civil; it doesn't matter. But if we violate the civil law, there is no such strong punishment, but if we violate the criminal laws, then it is very strong.
So, so long one is not conscious that "What is the position of my life? What I am doing?" that is called knot, tied up very tightly. So here is the medicine. What is that? Yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. Just like if there is very hard knot, you take a sharp knife and you can cut it, then the knot will open, immediately. Similarly, this knot, this materialistic way of life, is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And this knot is, the beginning of the knot is sex life. Beginning of this knot. We are tied up by this sex life. The lowest is the hog. There is also the sex life.
So karma-jaṁ buddhi-yuktā hi phalaṁ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ. Manīṣiṇaḥ means thoughtful, those who are thoughtful, those who have understood that "I am the part and parcel of the supreme consciousness and let me act in that way"... Then what will be the result? Just see the fine result: janma-bandha-vinirmuktāḥ padaṁ gacchanty anāmayam: "Then he becomes free from the bondage of birth and death, no more birth and death." Janma-bandhana. This is a, this is a very strong shackle. You see? Janma. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). The modern scientists, modern philosophers, they do not think about these four things, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, birth, death, disease and old age. They set it, set them aside. "Oh, let them be happy. Let us enjoy this life, hogs and dogs." This is human life. Human life is meant to make a solution of this bondage: life, I mean, birth, death, disease and old age. If the human civilization has not made a solution of these four things, oh, that is not human civilization. Human civilization is meant for making a complete solution of these things.
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.
Golden means it is made of gold or it is covered with gold glittering. Similarly, this māyā, this material nature, is made of these three modes of nature, sattva, rajas, tamas. Therefore it is called guṇamayī.
Guṇamayī... Another meaning of guṇa is rope. Just like you have seen rope. There are three layers, they are twisted very strong, and such rope becomes strong. So similarly, these three guṇas, these three modes of nature, are twisted like rope, and we are bound up. You cannot get out. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If your hands and legs are tied with such rope, then it is very difficult. Similarly, we are all bound up. We are declaring freedom, and so many things, nonsense, we are speaking, but we have forgotten that we are under the grip of this māyā. Immediately, you can be overcome by māyā. Māyā is so strong.
So bhidyate means cut into pieces. What is that? Knot. Hṛdaya-granthi. Hṛdaya means heart, and granthi means knot. So our everyone's heart is knot. What is that knot? The knot is sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). This is knot. The material enjoyment begins There is, everyone's heart, man, woman... Man wants to have woman; woman wants to have man. This is searching after. And some way or other, if they unite, the knot becomes tied up, very strong. That is called knot. Then as soon as the knot is there, then house, then land, then gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children. Then friends, then money. In this way, one after another, one after another, we become knotted in so many things. This is called knot. Hṛdaya-granthi, one after the other. Just like, to make it tight, you give one knot, again a knot, another knot, another knot, another knot, to make it secure. So this is our position. This material world, we are knotted in so many ways, and we are creating more knot.
Uru-dāmni-baddhāḥ. Uru means very strong. Dāmni means rope. Just like if your hands and legs are tied very strongly, it is very difficult for you to move. Similarly, by the laws of nature, every living entity is bound up very strongly, īśa-tantryām, by the laws of the Supreme Lord. We are bound up. We cannot deviate. We cannot violate the laws of nature. Everyone can experience. A little violation, little deviation from the laws of nature, we accept some suffering. That is our daily experience. Suppose we are eating, but if we eat little more than we digest... The laws of nature is that you can eat as much as you can digest. But if you eat more than you can digest, immediately, by the laws of nature, you suffer from indigestion. You cannot violate. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Nobody can violate the laws of nature.
Generally, people come to this temple, they are very devoted to the Deity. They offer their respects, flowers and other things, make the regulative process, circumambulate. This is nice beginning, but one has to go above this. One has to know who is actually bhakta, who is ac... Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu. One has to do good for others. That is madhyama-adhikārī. If I become satisfied only with these regulative principles for worshiping the Deity in the temple and following the regulative principle daily, but if I have no other idea, then sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Prākṛta means on the material platform. Such devotee can fall down at any moment, because he's on the prākṛta stage. And prākṛta means this guṇamayī, prakṛti. It is very strong.
So the brāhmaṇas, the saintly persons, sages, they used to recommend that "Yes, this person is fit for becoming king." Then the coronation was celebrated. Or... This means that the kṣatriyas were under the order of the brāhmaṇas. So when Veṇa become king, of course, the rogues and thieves, they were immediately subdued. Because rogues and thieves, and here the king is also greater rogue. So the smaller rogues were subdued immediately. That was one of the benefit, because he was very strong and cruel. Immediately, caught a rogue, he will immediately cut off his head. So they were subdued. But he himself is a rogue. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. This is our experience. "Might is right." If you are stronger, then you can subdue less strong. But he became very much disturbing. He was atheist, and he ordered that "There is no God. I am God. So what I say, you have to abide." The brāhmaṇas were also... "You cannot perform yajñas. This is not required." In this way, he became too much disturbing.
So father could understand that "My son is so great that he wanted to satisfy. I wanted this girl, and he has managed." So he gave him a benediction to Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear son, you are so benevolent, so magnanimous. So I give you one benediction that you'll not die unless you desire to die. Unless you fix up your mind, 'Now I shall die,' you'll never die. You remain a very strong brahmacārī." So Bhīṣma remained very strong brahmacārī. There is another incidence of Bhīṣmadeva's life, that Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa. So one girl was attracted. So she was conquered. So the girl thought that "I will be able to marry Bhīṣmadeva," but when she came at home, Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, you have been conquered to be married with my brother. I am brahmacārī. I cannot marry you." So the girl said that "You have kidnapped me, conquered me. You must marry." So "No, I shall not marry." Then the girl approached to his spiritual master, this Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, that "This boy he has conquered me. Still, he is not marrying me." So Jamadagni said, "Bhīṣma, you must marry this girl." Bhīṣmadeva said, "No. I have promised to my father never to marry. I cannot marry." Then Jamadagni said, "If you don't marry, then I will force you to marry." So there was fight between Bhīṣmadeva, spiritual master and... (laughter) So the spiritual master became defeated. (laughter) Then he gave his blessings. "All right, you remain brahmacārī." (laughter)
So different animals in different species of life, they have got one type of consciousness very strong. Just like you can see the vultures. It is a low-graded animal. But it goes four miles above the earth and it can see where is a dead body. You cannot do that. You cannot see even twenty yards after. But the animal, another animal, the vulture, he can see... From four miles away he can find out where there is a dead body. So this consciousness of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is common. In one animal or, it is very strong. In another man, animal, it is not so strong. But this consciousness is there. But this God consciousness is not there except in human being.
But Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he says, (chuckling) "Oh, you are trying to go to other higher planets by your karma, by his work? Oh, this is just like horse egg. Huh? Why should you bother yourself?" Horse egg means it has no substance. As, like there is no existence of horse egg, similarly, even if you attain that higher planetary system, what do you gain by that? You don't gain anything, because the four principles of material existence will continue there also. Birth, death, old age, and disease, you cannot stop. You may live for a greater period—that is possible in higher planets. But if you are simply satisfied only by living a bigger span of life, is that very success? Just stop death. That is success. To become very strong in body, that is not success. But either you become strong and weak, you have to die. There is no, I mean to say, excuse, because you are a strong man you will not die. Or because you are rich man you will not die. Because you are... No. Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says, it is just like ākāśa-puṣpa, phantasmagoria.
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.
So whatever "ism"—"ism" is nowadays there—they were all experimental in Indian philosophy. Just like Cārvāka Muni. He was atheist. Amongst the sages there are atheist philosophers also, as in the modern days there are atheist philosopher also. So this Cārvāka Muni, he said, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. Ghṛtam. Ghṛtam means butter, clarified butter. If you want to have very palatable dishes, then you require ghee. Without ghee, you cannot make. Either sweetball or kacuris, srngara,(?) so many nice things. So we require sweetball. So... And in India, of course, they wanted palatable dishes, but not otherwise it is made of ghee. But too much eating of these palatable dishes is not good. That makes our senses very strong. So we should not take much of it, but we can take something of kṛṣṇa-prasādam and satisfy ourself. So he says that, Cārvāka Muni, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet: "Beg, borrow or steal. Get some money and eat, as much as possible, ghee." You see? This is modern civilization. "Any way, bring money and satisfy your senses. That's all. Finish business."
So māyā is always strong. As soon as we little slack in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will capture us in the same process. So here it is said, bhajann apakvo 'tha. If one is not very strong, not very much advanced, not mature, and falls down under the clutches of māyā again, so, Nārada Muni says, yatra kva vābhadram abhūt: "There is no," I mean to say, "loss." Abhadra means great loss, or inauspicity. There is no... "It is still good, even if he falls down." Why? Yatra kva vā abhadram amuṣya kiṁ ko vārtha āpto 'bha...: "In comparison to the person who is simply sticking to the formalities of religious principles without any development of love of Godhead, simply following the routine work, in comparison to that person, this person who came to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, either by sentiment or some way or other but falls down, this man is better. This man is better. There is no," I mean to say, "any great loss. Rather it is a great gain."
Hīna means without. And bala means strength. So śāstra says, nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ: "One who is less strong, or one who has no support of the strength, then he cannot make any progress in spiritual self-realization." This is the Vedic injunction. So they interpret that unless you become physically strong, you cannot make any spiritual advancement. So...? But in the Western countries we have seen, so many people physically very strong, stout and strong. Practically everyone. But what is their self..., advancement in self-realization? So these things are going on. So bala means spiritual strength, not material strength. Nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ. That means one must be spiritually strong. And that spiritually strong means to have good faith in Kṛṣṇa and guru. That is spiritual strength. Therefore Baladeva means guru, spiritual strength. Balarāma haila nitāi. Nitāiyer karuṇā habe... What is that song? Nitāiyer karuṇā habe vraje rādha-kṛṣṇa pābe. He is... "If there is mercy of Nitāi, then..." That Visansena(?), call him. (calls out to someone who is apparently leaving) Serji, aiye na? (Hindi)
But on being illusioned, moha... It is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). "I am this. I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya. I am American." Aham. False identification. "I am very strong, beautiful." "I am very ugly." "I am poor." "I am rich." Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). But you are none of these. You are simply servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is happiness. Otherwise, in whichever way you identify... When they fail to identify with all this nonsense, then "I am God. I am Nārāyaṇa." This will not help. When one will understand that "I am servant, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa..." This question was put by Sanātana Gosvāmī: ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.
So we should be very careful. That requires, I mean to say, training, very strong training in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is strongly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that long habit of enjoying spirit cannot be given up. This is, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. Jantu, animals. Anyone who is addicted to vyavāya, sex life, āmiṣa, meat-eating, madya-sevā, intoxication... That is the natural tendency of anyone in this material world. Vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityāḥ. So spiritual advancement means to give up this āmiṣa-madya-sevā. That is spiritual life. Spiritual life does not mean you have to grow four hands and four legs. No. Simply you have to give up these tendencies of vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. Therefore śāstra gives you training how to... Therefore here it is said, harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ. (aside:) Don't do that. Don't divert attention. If you cannot understand, you can go play there. Harer guṇākṣipta. So you cannot be mad after harer guṇa unless you give up your madness of material enjoyment. So long we are mad after material happiness, then we do anything wrong, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma means activities which are forbidden. Just like vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā—these are forbidden. But they indulge in these things nowadays all over the world, vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. This is vikarma, forbidden activities. But they indulge in. Why? Because pramatta. They have become mad.
They are meant for the śūdras. Brāhmaṇas, they are to be trained up how to become truthful, how to become controller of the senses, how to become simple, how to become tolerant. In this way. Kṣatriya—how to become strong, stout, brave, no going away when there is challenge, not to go away from fighting, to possess land, to rule over, īśvara-bhāvaś ca, and charity. These are the kṣatriya qualifications. The charity was given by the kṣatriyas. Even there are instances that Muhammadan rulers in this country, they also gave in charity land and temple in Vṛndāvana. There are many instances. Aurangzeb gave some land, Jahangir gave some land. There is still one temple, it was constructed by Jahangir, and the other side of the Yamunā there is a village called Jahangir-pura. That village was given to the brāhmaṇas for maintaining the temple. So charity, that is kṣatriya's business, and perform yajñas, give in charity, to rule, not to go away from fighting, challenge, very strong, stout—these are kṣatriya qualification.
So if you do not keep the bhāva... Bhāva means... That is on the liberation side. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). First of all, you come to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Some of you, not all. Śraddhā: "Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is very good. Let us see how it is," or "Let us join." So first of all śraddhā. Many people come out of śraddhā. Śraddhā means little faith. But according to our Gosvāmī literature, that faith is not little faith. That faith is also very strong. Then the beginning is there. Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā has described about this faith. He describes... Faith means śraddhā. English word "faith," and Sanskrit word is śraddhā, "respectful." Śraddadhānā. So this śraddhā, ādau śraddhā... The beginning is śraddhā, faith.
So we are, in this material world, we are pramatta. We are thinking "These material conditions will save me." That is pramatta, half-mad, crazy. Pramatta. We are thinking, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). I am thinking "I am very strong body..." (break) ...cannot achieve self-realization. Now some of our big sannyāsīs, he took it that unless you become very strong and stout by eating meat and exercise, gymnastics, you cannot understand spiritual life. This is their interpretation. But that is not the fact. Bala, bala means Balarāma. Do you think that because you are very strong and stout, a big wrestler with muscles, you'll live? No. For Yamarāja there is no consideration that "Here is a weak person, lean and thin, and here is a very strong person; therefore the strong person should be left over and the lean and thin will be taken to Yamarāja." No. When the time will come, the lean and thin may be spared, but the strong man may be immediately taken. So this rascaldom, that by exercise... People are very much attached to the body.
We do not say that you remain very weak and lean and thin. No. You should maintain this body properly, but not that that is my only business, how to maintain this body. That is pramatta. These are some of the examples of pramatta. He does not know. Pramatta. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). Deha, body. One is feeling secure, "I have got very strong body. I shall live forever." Rascal. Pramatta. That is not possible. Deha and apatya. Apatya means sons. "Oh, I have got so many nice sons, very earning, very obedient; therefore Yamarāja will not touch me." No, no. That is not possible. There is a very joking story in Bengal, gaye gum akale jam care na(?). Gu means stool. So one intelligent person, he thought, "I shall be free from the touch of Yamarāja by one tactics." What is that? "Stool is very obnoxious. Nobody comes to stool. So let me smear my body, whole body with stool so that Yamarāja will not come and touch me." Gaya muk gum akale jam care na(?). This is another pramatta. That crazy fellow, that he is thinking "By keeping myself dirty and obnoxious, Yamarāja is gentleman, he'll not come and touch me." This is another pramatta.
So this is already explained in the purport that woman's nature is very mild, and man's nature very strong. That is the difference. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman must be protected because they are very simple. They can be led to goodness also very easily, and they can be polluted also very easily. By nature, they are very simple. Therefore śāstra says that... Just like child. If you mold the character of a child from the very beginning, then he can become a great man. Similarly, if you train woman from the very beginning how to become chaste and faithful to the husband, they can become a very good mother, very good asset in the family.
So these two classes of men... Mostly people are infected with these two kinds of modes of material nature. Rajas-tamas. The whole world. At the present moment, especially, mostly ignorance, and some of them are passionate. That passionate tendency is engaging them for so many industries and very, very strong work, ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means very strong...? What is, should be the English word? Ugra... Ugra, just like chili, pungent. There are many things. They are very strong in taste. So ugra-karma, these... Just like they are building hundred-and-fifty-story building. People can live comfortably in a small cottage or one-storied house or little more. But no, they're increasing. Their passionate activities are increasing. Just like in your country, in New York, now there is hundred-and-four-storied building, or more than that. Some building?
Here it is said: apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). The real danger is... She is speaking of apunaḥ. Apunaḥ means... A means not, and punar bhava means repetition of birth and death. The real danger is repetition of birth and death. That has to be stopped. And not this so-called danger. This is all... The material world is full of dangers. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Just like if you are on the ocean. If you are on the ocean, you might have very strong ship, very safe ship, but that is not safety. Because you are on the sea, at any time there can be dangers. Perhaps you remember from your country, there was, what is that, Titanic?
Pastimes. It is Kṛṣṇa's pastime that He comes. He... When He comes, of course, He works something. The The work is to give protection to the sādhu and to kill the asādhu. But both the activities are His pastimes. He's not envious. He cannot be envious. The killing of the demons, that is also His affection. Just like sometimes we punish our children, we give him a very strong slap. That is not out of love. There is love. So when Kṛṣṇa kills a demon, the, the business is not on the platform of material jealousy or enviousness. No.
So therefore this affection is the very hard knot for being bound up in this material world, this affection. 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. And then, when he is practiced to remain aloof from the..., then wife is also sent back to the family, to the care of elderly children, and the man takes sannyāsa, compulsory. It is called "civil suicide." My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Commit civil suicide." Mean... If you commit suicide it is criminal. It is also suicide, no more connection with family. This is also suicide, but it is civil. There is no criminal action against... But it is also voluntarily committing suicide—no more connection with anyone.
So the whole process is how to get out of the affection of this family, community, nationalism. This is the process. This is illusion. But at the present moment, this illusion is being increased. They criticize the..., that "What is this nonsense? So many people, they have been entrapped by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and they are nothing, they are doing nothing for the society, nothing for the nation, nothing for the family. So they are useless parasite." They are thinking like that. Even Subhash Chandra Bose, he was a politician. He came to my Guru Mahārāja that "So many people, you have captured them. They are doing nothing for nationalism." So Guru Mahārāja said, "Well, for your national propaganda you require very strong men, but these people are very weak. You can see. They are very skinny. So don't put your glance upon them. Let them eat something and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." He avoided like that.
Just like we are not living in Los Angeles; we are living in Vaikuṇṭha. Yes. That's a fact. It is consciousness. The consciousness... I can give you another example. Just like in this seat there is a bug. But the bug and myself sitting on the same place, but because the bug has no consciousness, therefore he is bug, and I have got consciousness, I am your spiritual master. But we are sitting in the same place. Sitting in the same place. Because the bug has not developed his consciousness, he remains a bug, and one who has developed the consciousness, therefore he becomes spiritual master. But the position is the... Similarly either you remain in the material world or, spiritual, there is no question, if your Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very strong, then you are not in the material world. You are not in the material world.
So many children are here. Why? What is the aim? The aim is that we want to see that everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. That automatically comes, to take care of the children, to give them education, to give them food, to give them shelter. That is real protection. And simply to give them... Just like in Western countries they feed the children with powdered flesh, mixed with water, boiled, and push with the spoon, and... They become fatty, of course. But that is not really maintaining the children, that is not really. Śāstra says that unless you save him from the imminent danger of death, then there is no protection. What is this protection? Suppose if you make your child very fatty. Does it mean because he's fat, he is very strong, therefore he'll not die? He'll die. Where is your protection from the death? Therefore śāstra says, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. One should not become father or mother... That is real contraceptive method. If one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he knows that "What is the use of producing some children like cats and dogs? What is the use? If I produce any children, then they must be Kṛṣṇa conscious so that this will be their last birth." Because if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious then there is no more birth. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). You send to Kṛṣṇa, back to home—that is required. Father, mother, guardian's duty is to educate the wards, subordinates, in such a way that he becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and so that he can be saved from this repetition of birth and death.
Everything is perfectly being done by nature. Nature is appointed by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My control." So prakṛti will work very nicely provided you are also nice, Kṛṣṇa conscious. If you are not nice, then daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). "My māyā, My prakṛti, My energy, is very strong, duratyayā." These rascals, they are trying to control this flood, government. So much money they have wasted, but still in this quarter there are havoc. Therefore daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot control the nature's way. That is not possible.
There is a story that one beautiful woman was hunted by another man. So he was wooing, canvassing, but she was chaste lady. But... She did not agree. But that man was after her. So one day she said, "All right, you come to me three days after. I will accept you." So on the third day he (she) took purgative, a very strong purgative, and passed stools whole day and night, and he (she) kept those all those stools, stools and vomit and everything, kept in a very good preserver. Then third day, when the man came, she was sitting, and he was asking, "Where is that woman?" "No, I am the same woman. You don't recognize me?" "No, no, you are... She... She was so beautiful, and you, you are ugly." (laughter) "No, no, I am the same. You do not know." "Then how you look so ugly?" "Because I have separated my beauty." "You have separated your beauty?" "Yes, I will show you. Come here. Come here. The stool and the vomit are all stocked for you to show you." But actually, it is very knowledge, very good knowledge. Śaṅkarācārya says, etāṁ raktaṁ māṁsa-vikāram. (?) He is teaching renouncement, that "Why you are attracted with this beautiful? What is this beauty? It is a combination of stool, urine and flesh and bone. That's all." So he saw, "Here is my beauty. Now you add it with me. Then again I shall be beautiful."
So again if you drink, then how much intoxicated you become, just try to understand. Vāruṇīṁ madirāṁ pītvā madonmathita-cetasām. Everyone who is in this material world, forgotten God or Kṛṣṇa, he is already intoxicated. Just like intoxicated man, he cannot recognize even his father, mother, or even his sister or mother. It has been practical. One father intoxicated—there are so many instances—raped the daughter. Daughter is crying, "My dear father, I am, I am..." Who cares for that? Intoxicated. This is going on. So intoxication is so sinful. Intoxication is so sinful that... Just like the hog is intoxicated by this material world, eating stool. Is stool a food? But he is tasting very nice. And he's deriving benefit, sexually very strong, never cares whether mother, sister or daughter. Every example is there in front.
If we discuss Bhagavad-gītā amongst the societies of the devotee... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mad-bhakteṣu abhidhāsyati. Bhagavad-gītā should be discussed amongst the devotees. Sometimes we discuss Bhagavad-gītā amongst the non-devotees. That is due to higher order, higher order-Guru Mahārāja asked that "You go and speak." So we are doing that. Actually, Bhagavad-gītā is to be discussed amongst the devotees. So our hard task is that first of all we have to make one devotee and then let him understand Bhagavad-gītā, our double task. Because nobody wants to become devotee. So we are canvassing door to door, country to country, village to village, "Sir, please come in our temple. We shall give you nice prasādam. You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear something about Kṛṣṇa." So still, people will not come. Still, they will not come. We have to canvass. We have to do so many things. That is the influence of māyā. Māyā is so strong that unless one is very much determined, māyā will be very strong for him.
Therefore we say, "Stop these four pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling." These are the four pillars of sinful life. If you accept these four pillars, then your route, sinful life is very strong. Break this, from the very beginning. There will be no more sinful life. If you simply stop, where is the difficulty? If you do not smoke or do not drink, will you die? We have got so many devotees, they do not smoke, they do not drink. Are they dying? They do not play any gambling. Are they dying? They do not take meat. Are they dying? They do not illicit sex. Are they dying? It is artificial. Māyā's... Artificial. Just like so many cigarette package are advertised, although there is written on the, what is that? It is dangerous...
That we were discussing in our walking, that the basic principle of this modern civilization is wrong. Everyone, the so-called advanced scientists, so-called advanced philosopher or politician, everyone is thinking that "I am this body." So on the basic principle they're wrong. Therefore the so-called advancement of civilization is wrong. It's... At one point mathematical calculation, if you have done mistake in one point... Two plus two equal two. Why if you have made up three, the mistake, then the whole calculation will be mistaken. The balance, it will never tally. Similarly, our present civilization... Not present; it is always there. Now it is very strong bodily conception of life, so the basic principle is wrong. Therefore what..., whatever we are advancing, that is wrong. Parābhava That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Parābhavas Basic principle is wrong, abodha, in ignorance. In ignorance. Abodha means without any perfect knowledge.
Therefore this Yadu dynasty was placed amongst themselves. Because there was no other person to kill the Yadu..., and any one of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore this fratricidal war was manufactured and they died. Yayāharad bhuvo bhāraṁ tāṁ tanuṁ vijahāv ajaḥ, kaṇṭakaṁ kaṇṭakena. Kaṇṭakaṁ kaṇṭakena. Just like if you have got some thorn pricked in your leg, you take another thorn and get it out. This is the law of nature. One demon is killed by another demon. That is the keeping balance. There is war. We have experience. One demonic nation has grown up very strong, so immediately another demonic nation declares war, or he declares war—both of them are finished. This is going on.
Sometimes when the business is simply troublesome, he liquidates. Similarly, we should come into the understanding that our material business is always troublesome. Is it not troublesome? Practical, material business. Suppose in this life you have got all good facilities. You have got a skyscraper building, nice... Suppose you are Mr. Ford. He was a very rich man in your country. So where is Mr. Ford now? That they do not see. That they have no eyes. In Paris I saw some statue of Napoleon. There is written, "Napoleon is France; France is Napoleon." But I inquired that "Where is Mr. Napoleon? The France is there, but where is Napoleon?" Just see. This is called ignorance, māyā. When Napoleon was very victorious, he might think that "I am making my France very strong, very powerful," but that's all right. But you are not powerful. You have to go away. By one kick of nature, go away. That they do not see. This is called ignorance. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).
Suppose you are being harassed by the police. You are put into the prisonhouse. And in so many ways you are being harassed by the criminal department. How you can get out? You simply file a petition, "Sir I am now experienced. I will never commit this criminal act. Kindly excuse me and get me released." That is the only way. Similarly, you can be very proud that "I don't care for God. There is no God. I am God. You are God." You can go on talking nonsense like that, but the māyā will give you so much trouble. But if you are sane man, then you will admit that "This was a wrong thing. Please excuse me." And then it will be possible. But that is not possible. Especially in this age, in Kali-yuga, the age is very strong and deteriorated that in spite of our daily class, daily instruction, the Kali is so strong that capturing, "Please come under my control and be killed. Please come under my... Be killed." "Yes, I will go." This is going on.
So when they were living incognito... Nobody could know where the Pāṇḍavas were at, they attempted to gain Draupadī in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Draupadī's father made a bet, that "This is the condition of my daughter being given to a boy." The condition was that on a ceiling a fish was hanging, and the boy who will be victorious in piercing the eyes of the fish by arrow... Not directly looking, but there was a waterpot, the reflection. He has to fix up his point by seeing the reflection down, and then he has to pierce the eye. Then Draupadī will accept. All the noted princes in those times, they kept such bet. Even Kṛṣṇa had to marry Satyabhāmā... Satyabhāmā's father also made a bet the, he kept five very strong bulls. So condition was that "Any boy who will be able to control these bulls, then I will offer my daughter to him." So all the princes who came to control the bulls, they got their hands and legs fractured by the pushing of the bull. Nobody could... Then Kṛṣṇa came. And Kṛṣṇa controlled the five bulls, expanding Himself into five strong boy, and He was offered Satyabhāmā.
So Arjuna kept upon him Vajrāṅgajī, Hanumān, because he considered Hanumān his guru. Hanumān was servant of Lord Rāmacandra. He fought the battlefield of Laṅkā between Rāma and Rāvaṇa. He could not use any weapon, but he was very strong. He knew how to throw stones. In this way, he fought in the battle and won over the Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was killed by Lord Rāmacandra. So Vaiṣṇava does not mean he cannot do anything else except chanting. That is, of course, the supreme objective, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), to hear about Viṣṇu and chant about Kṛṣṇa. That is very experienced life, experienced Vaiṣṇava. He can concentrate chanting. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, Nityānanda Prabhu, they were preaching.
So this you have been cursed; it cannot be withdrawn. You have to go. But after going in the material world, if you treat Me as your enemy, then in three births you will be liberated and you will come back. But if you treat Me as my friend, then it will take seven, seven births." So decided, "We shall become Your enemy, Sir." So therefore this Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they are Jaya-Vijaya, and they appeared to be very strong enemy. To become enemy of Kṛṣṇa, that is not also joke. He has to fight with Kṛṣṇa. It is not ordinary thing. No ordinary man can fight. So Vaiṣṇava commentation is that when Kṛṣṇa wants to fight, the fighting is not possible in the spiritual world. And whom with fight? Everyone is engaged in His service. So therefore, to fight, He has to come here to execute His mission. Vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, to kill the duṣkṛtām, miscreants.
So here it is mentioned that "Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward..." Henceforward means from that time the Kali-yuga has begun. Since these four principles of unlawful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication—is freely allowed, that is Kali-yuga. So in this age, in this Kali-yuga, it is very, very difficult for persons who are interested in self-realization to remain free from sinful activities. It is very, very difficult. Māyā, or the influence of nature, in this age especially, it is very, very strong, and majority of people are therefore addicted to this sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. But those who are interested in the matter of self-realization, they should voluntarily give up these sinful activities. Then, "Their sacrifices will be stopped. Demigods, they will not get their share."
They can give up eating, they can give up sleeping, they can give up everything, but cannot give up sex life. And the Vedic civilization is to avoid sex life. Just like these hippies. Hippy means they have given up bathing, given up eating, given up sleeping, but they cannot give up sex life. And everyone, not only the hippies... Vyavāyonmukha. Ultimately, so many yogis, incarnation and others, others, are coming in your country, but they cannot give up the sex life. You have seen advertisement, so many yogis, they are having sex life. So many incarnation of God. (laughter) Having sex life. You see? Big, big sannyāsīs, swamis. Long, long ago some swami came here. He returned with three woman, and we do not wish to discuss. Many more. You see. The sex life is very strong in this material, in this age. But sex life should be regulated. Not that anywhere and everywhere, or any time. Therefore the population is unwanted population. One irregular sex life produced the Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu's mother became very sexually agitated, and she wanted to sex, with her husband (have) intercourse. And just in the evening. Kaśyapa Muni, he said, "No, no, this is not the time, proper time." But she was insistent. So the result was two demons were born.
So kāla, to control... You cannot control time. Just like if you have got one hundred dollars, if you deposit in a bank, you will get some interest, but you cannot make without any endeavor two hundred dollars. No, that is not possible. But if you don't spend it, then the hundred dollars remains. Similarly, your duration of life is there, and it is being wasted by breathing. If you can control the breathing process, then your life can be increased. This is yogic... But after all, we are under the full control of time. Kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. That is explained here. Kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā. Very, very strong—there is no power. Your so-called scientific power... You cannot struggle against the influence of time. So save time. Save time.
Another process is, save time, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then the time is not lost. Time is not lost. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, read book, Kṛṣṇa book. Any moment, any time you spend for thinking of Kṛṣṇa, working for Kṛṣṇa, chanting for Kṛṣṇa, eating for Kṛṣṇa, dancing for Kṛṣṇa, that time is saved. That time is saved. Therefore it is recommended, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21). Otherwise, by yoga process, it is not... How many men can actually practice yoga? It is all farce. This is possible. Even a child can take part, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
Everything is there. But due to material contamination, especially in this age, Kali-yuga... The Kali-yuga is very strong. Time is very strong, that even in contact, coming in contact with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are falling. They are falling. That is due to Kali-yuga. Therefore Mother Dharitrī is... Śocāmi rahitaṁ lokaṁ pāpmanā kalinekṣitam: "Now the Kali-yuga has come. I'm thinking that... I'm very much disturbed that people are losing their original qualities." These qualities are not to be acquired. These qualities are there, but it is covered. Just like a sharpened knife. The cutting power is there, but when it is covered by dirt, it does not cut.
So suffering must be there. Suffering must be there as soon as you get this material body. "Why suffering? We are enjoying." What you are enjoying? Is there any guarantee that you'll enjoy? You have got nice building, nice road, nice car. That's all right. You are enjoying. You are thinking enjoying. But is there any guarantee that you will enjoy? Any moment, you'll be finished. Any moment. So there is no guarantee. That is not enjoyment. Real enjoyment is permanent enjoyment. Just like we construct some house, making the, what is called, foundation very strong. In your country, they make very strong foundation. But what is your foundation, sir? Is it very strong? You can be taken away at any moment. So before making the foundation strong, why don't you make your foundation strong that you shall be able to live here permanently? But that intelligence they haven't got. They'll waste time, making the house foundation very strong, not for himself. His foundation tiltering at any moment, any second. This is called yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu..., sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
That is answered in the next line, that apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). General people, people in general, they are gṛheṣu, in the..., at home. But they are gṛhamedhi. There are two words, gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha in Vedic language. Gṛhastha means those who are householder, living for convenience, wife, children. Because everyone cannot... Especially in this age. Especially in your country, to take sannyāsa is very difficult job. It should not be given; neither it should be taken. Actually, in this age, sannyāsa is forbidden. But if one is very strong, he can accept sannyāsa. So better to remain a gṛhastha and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is better. Don't accept whimsically sannyāsa and then do all nonsense. No. So it is better to remain gṛhastha. But not gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means that he does not know anything else than to support the wife and children and live very comfortably, well-dressed, and... That is called gṛhamedhi. His center is only that apartment. He does not know anything more than that apartment. That is called gṛhamedhi. And gṛhastha means that he knows many things, Kṛṣṇa, beyond this apartment. He's called... (break) ...in this way and that way. They have got thousands, thousands of questions and answers. But one who is gṛhastha, his question and answer is one: Kṛṣṇa. That is the only subject matter.
He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. The reason is that the king was in the forest, engaged in hunting, and when he became tired he went to the cottage of a sage and asked him for water. But the sage was absorbed in meditation, could not hear him, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja, being thirsty, became angry, and there was a dead snake. So he, out of negligence, he took the dead snake and wrapped over the neck of the meditating sage. This news was spread and his son, twelve years old only, he heard that his father was insulted. So immediately he cursed that this snake would bit him within seven days. So this news was brought, although the father, after his meditation was over, he was very..., he was sorry that such a great king has been cursed. So he was very, very sorry, but what can be done? The brāhmaṇa boy's curse must be effective. That because in those days brāhmaṇas, even by caste, was very, very strong in spiritual strength. So when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was informed that he was to die within seven days, he accepted the curse: "Yes, I was wrong to insult the sage." Otherwise, he could counteract. He was also very powerful. But he did not. So this is the history.
So long the lady bird is not pregnant, there is no question of nest. This is natural. You'll find everywhere. Even the ants and the birds, beasts, everywhere. So this kuṭumba-bharaṇam is a duty of living entity. It doesn't matter whether he's a human being or a dog or a bird or a cat. That is natural. That is not very great credit. But the present yuga, Kali-yuga, if one can maintain his family and maintain an apartment, he's to be understood as a very great, successful man. He does not see that this success is there even in the ants and the birds and the beasts. What is this success? And he's happy. And he's happy.
How he's happy? Now deha. Deha means this body. He thinks, "I have got this strong body, very stout and strong body; by exercising, by yogic practice, I have become very strong." So what is that strength? Will you not die? "Yes, I'll die, but after few years." So he is very much fond of his deha, śarīra, deha. And apatya... (aside:) Why don't you...? It is working or not? Why this big humbug? (laughter)
But civilized or uncivilized, as soon as there is sex life, then the attraction for material world immediately increase hundred times. When one remains single, the attraction is not so strong, but when they unite, the attraction becomes very strong, because to maintain a wife, you require room, apartment, gṛha, which is called gṛha. So therefore they are called gṛhastha, "one who lives in a gṛha, in a house." Everyone lives in a house. We are also living in a house, this temple. But gṛhastha means to living with wife in the house. Na gṛhaṁ gṛham ity āhur gṛhiṇī gṛham ucyate. Simply gṛhastha does not mean to live in a room or in a house, but to live with a wife. Gṛhiṇī. So then we require apartment or room or house, according to our position. Then we require some land for producing food. Now they don't require land for producing. They require something else—some slavery or some work in the factory. But formerly, everyone used to have a, possess a piece of land for producing food. Kṣetra. Gṛha-kṣetra. Then, when there is marriage, there will be children, suta. Then there will be friends also, relatives, suta āpta. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta. Then vitta, the central point money. So as soon as they are united, immediately these things will be required. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vitta. In this way the attachment for this material world increases.
Abhayam. This world is bhayam, always fearfulness... Everyone. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. These four things are bodily requisition: we need to eat, we need to sleep, therefore we require house or apartment or room, and we require food, and there are senses, of which the sex sense is very strong. Āhāra-nidrā, and bhaya, and we are always afraid. Therefore police is there, the government is here. These things are bodily adjustment. And if we depend on this so-called nation, community, friends, husband, wife, children, that will not give you, us, protection. The protection is here. Because Parīkṣit Mahārāja at the point of his death, his question was, "What is my duty? What is my duty? Now I am going to die." People do not know that "What is my duty. Now I was prime minister. I was this and that. That's all right. Now death is coming. It will take away all my possession immediately, whatever I have required." That the rascals, they do not know.
And they're fighting just like cats and dogs, they fight, "I am cat, you are dog. You are dog, I am cat." That's all. So this challenge, that "You are all rascals," it is a very strong word, but actually that is the fact. That is the fact. It is a revolutionary movement. We are challenging everyone that "You are all set of asses and cows and animals, because you have no knowledge beyond this body." Therefore it is said... In this purport, I have especially mentioned. "Because they have little knowledge of spirit soul, all of them are not intelligent." I have spoken with big, big professors. In Moscow, that gentleman, Professor Kotovsky, he said, "Swamiji, after death, there is nothing. Everything is finished." And he's one of the big professors in the country. So this is the defect of modern civilization, that the whole society is being governed by cats and dogs, actually. So how there can be any peace and prosperity? It is not possible. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.
So hṛta-jñānāḥ is explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī: naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ. Naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, no intelligence. No intelligence. So why no intelligence? Now, that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). The benediction they get from the demigods... Just like it is recommended, we have read it, that if you want beautiful wife, you worship Umā. If you want very strong sexual powers, then you worship Indra. So the prescription is there. But they are foolish. Why foolish? Suppose you get very beautiful wife and very strong sex power, then how long you will enjoy it? Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām. It will end. Five years, ten years. Even in living condition, if you have become old, seventy years, eighty years old, then what you will do with beautiful wife? There will be no more sex power. Vṛddhasya taruṇī-bhāryā. Vṛddhasya ... These are useless. When one has become old, to have a young wife is troublesome for him. So therefore we should not desire anything material.
So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was also discussed first in that Naimiṣā... Not first, for the second time. First it was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within a week. Formerly, even a small child... This boy, this brāhmaṇa boy, was playing with his playmates. That means he was a child, not more than ten to twelve years old. And he was informed that "Mahārāja Parīkṣit has insulted your father by garlanding him with a dead snake." The fact was that Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in hunting. One after another, so many things comes, but let me explain to you. This hunting business was allowed only for the kings, kṣatriyas, not for ordinary man. Killing in sports. Because the king had to administer so strongly that sometimes he had to kill an evil person immediately with sword. The kingdom was very strong. Not many days before, say, about hundred years ago in Kashmir, if a thief was caught, burglar was caught, and he was proved that he has committed theft, the king would personally cut off, chop off his hand. The punishment was so severe. And the result was that even you miss something on your way, nobody will touch it. Everyone was afraid: "Let the things remain there. One who has lost his thing, he will come and take away. We don't require to take it." So the kings were very severe to punish unwanted social elements. So the kings were therefore allowed sometimes to hunt in the jungle to practice killing. Just like doctors are allowed to practice surgical operation on dead body; otherwise, how they'll practice, how they'll become surgeon, if they do not practice? Similarly, only the kings were allowed to kill some animal in the jungle sometimes.
Tusk, yes. That is more dangerous. They live in the jungle. And viḍ-varāha means they live in the forest, finding out "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" Śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra. Uṣṭra means camel, and khara means ass. So here it is a very terse remark, that "Anyone who has never heard the glories of Gadāgraja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead—in other words, one who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, does not know anything about Kṛṣṇa, or God—they are no better than these animals, especially: dog, hog, ass, camel." Why these four kinds of animals have been selected to compare? That is explained. Śva means dog. A dog, however powerful it may be, very strong, stout, but it, unless it has got a master, its life is very precarious. Dog. Just see our education at the present moment. Very advanced education. Many Indian students come here also to take advanced education. But actually, we consider this education creating dogs. Why? Now, because however technologist you may be, if you don't get a suitable service, all your education is finished.
So this is an actual fact, that Mahārāja Pratāparudra ... He was the King of Orissa, and in the fifteenth century, India was conquered by the Muhammadans, Pathans, but they could not conquer that portion of the country, Orissa. Because Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very strong king. But his strength was on the basis of his devotion to Lord Jagannātha. So even if we want to enjoy material world ... The devotee does not want to enjoy, but Kṛṣṇa keeps his devotee in all comfortable situation. There is no question about it. So we should not desire separately for material comfort. We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa and be satisfied; in whatever condition He keeps, be satisfied. Then He will look after whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable. If you try, yourself, independently, to become comfortable, that is māyā. You cannot become so. Otherwise, you see everyone is trying to be comfortable in this material world. Do you think that everyone is comfortable?
Australia. Yes. There are so many societies, vegetarian societies, nondrinking societies. That is nice, but they cannot stay. By forming ordinary society or imposing some law by the state, you cannot stop. You have many laws to stop stealing, still there are thieves. That is not possible. You have so many laws not to do something. But because everyone is under the grip of prakṛti, material nature, how he can change? It is not possible. So that is the mistake of the modern civilization. They do not know that by passing laws or giving some moral instruction, we cannot change the habits. Prakṛti is very strong, material nature. The only solution is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one comes to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform, he cannot give up his habits. It is not possible. So if you want to Therefore it is purificatory process. The more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become purified from all this influence of māyā, because it is acting by māyayā bahu-rūpayā. And as soon as you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if you have got a different form, a different bodily form, because you are aloof from that, your, you are not affected by the influence of māyā.
So the māyā is acting very nicely to keep us under her control. Māyayā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Māyā wants to keep you under her control, every one of us. Why? Because we are offender to Kṛṣṇa, she wants to punish us, kick us very nicely. That is her business. And therefore she wants to keep under her control everyone. And therefore she has three qualities, tri-guṇa. Just like tri-guṇa. Guṇa means rope also. You have seen? In the rope there are three fibers. And three fibers, if it is twisted nicely and again twisted together, it is very strong rope. Tri-guṇa. So guṇa means rope. So we are bound up. The verse, that? Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ..., te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Īśa tantra. By the stringent laws of superior authority, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. You are bound up, uru-dāmni. Uru means strong, dāmni means rope. Uru-dāmni, very strong rope. Just like big ship. Immediately bound up on the pier by some rope. You have seen it?
So I was very much fond of hearing. That gentleman, he was a retired doctor. So he wanted to speak something. He should not have done so, but... Just like... So naturally I also... And Prabhupāda saw it, and he became so angry. So he knew that my attention was drawn by him. He chastised him like anything. He was old man. Actually almost like his age. So he was paying sixty rupees in those days per month. So he became so angry, that "Do you think that because you pay sixty rupees, you have purchased us? You can do anything and anything?" He said like that. Very strong word he used. "Do you think that I am speaking for others? You have learned everything? You are diverting your attention." So many ways, he was very, very angry. You see? So this is nice, to chastise. Therefore, as soon as Kṛṣṇa was accepted as guru... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I become Your disciple." Because in the beginning there was friendly talks... So friendly talks cannot make any good advance. Talks must be between the spiritual master or teacher and the disciple.
In the Kali-yuga this memory is declining, and they are proud, "We are advanced." There is no question of advancement. It is simply degraded. But this is māyā. Falsely they are thinking, "We are advanced." In this age, memory will be reduced, duration of life will be reduced, people's merciful tendency will be reduced, strength of the body will be reduced. In this way everything will be reduced. Now we do not find very strong men, very strong memory, living for a long time, bodily strength. No. These are reducing. Now people are not merciful. One man is being killed before you in the street; nobody takes care. This is the sign of Kali-yuga. Everything will be reduced. Memory also being reduced. There are eight kinds of things reducing. One of them, these four, five, I have already mentioned. Important things. The duration of life is reducing, no sympathy, no sympathy. One is suffering from some disease; nobody is taking care. This is the sign of Kali-yuga. "Oh, let him die. Let me live." These are the signs of Kali-yuga: no memory, no sympathy, no long duration of life, no bodily strength, no education. This is the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Therefore the only means is harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). They cannot in the ordinary way it is impossible to make advancement.
Śruti-pramāṇam. That is evidence, śruti-pramāṇam. Śruti means Veda. In the Vedas it is stated... Just like Brahmā. He is receiving Vedic knowledge from, directly from God, Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇe darśayan rūpam. This is the process of understanding. Brahmā, how Brahmā is receiving knowledge? Directly he sees there is nobody there, but he is receiving knowledge. Directly he could not see. Upāśṛṇot, upāśṛṇot. Upāśṛṇot: "He simply heard." Upāśṛṇot. Ear, not the eyes. So therefore knowledge has to be gathered by aural reception, not by the eyes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that, "Do not try to see a saintly person. You try to hear a saintly person." If you see a long beard and very strong man, he is a great sādhu. Oh. That's it." No. You have to hear. What does he speak? Then you understand. Upāśṛṇot. Divyaṁ sahasrābdam. Then? Go on.
If you simply engage your senses to execute the order of the Lord, then it is controlled. Otherwise, you cannot control. It is impossible because we have got our senses—they are very strong. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). The mind is the master of the senses. The central sense, the chief sense, the prime minister sense is the mind. Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa first of all engaged his mind in Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. If you engage your mind always to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then the sense deviation, sense going other, otherwise—immediately controlled. Immediately controlled. The senses are very strong. They are compared with serpents. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. Kāla-sarpa. Just like cobra. Someway or other, it touches—immediately death. So our senses are so strong that it is simply dragging us towards hell. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram (SB 7.5.30). Mind is dragging somewhere, eye is dragging somewhere, ear is dragging somewhere, and touch sensation is dragging somewhere. In this way we are perplexed.
"My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja..." Patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ mām: "I am Your eternal servant, kiṅkara." Kiṅkara means servant. "Now, somehow or other, I am fallen in this ocean of nescience, saṁsāra." Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. Unless one has got the knowledge what is this position, where we are staying, we cannot understand. That is called moha. We have discussed this. Illusion. We are under illusion. So Devahūti says, sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. In the Bhagavad-gītā the tree is described, aśvattha tree. So aśvattha, as we have got experience, the banyan tree, the root is very strong, very strong. So it is also compared, this material world is compared with the aśvattha tree, banyan tree. Very strong root. So... But any tree can be cut with an ax, kuṭhāram. So that kuṭhāram, if we take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is the real kuṭhāram, or ax, to cut the strong root of material existence. Sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. Taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. Gato mukundaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam.
Because to come to this stage, ananya-bhāvena bhakti-yogena, you have to tolerate so many things. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Ananya-bhāvena yogena. He was simply thinking of Nārāyaṇa. How much trouble he had to undergo, even by, offered by his father. So we should be very much... Titikṣavaḥ. The matter... This material nature will not give you freedom so easily. It will not give so much freedom... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama... mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). If you become strong enough to capture the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... Then māyā will give you, "No, he's very strong. I cannot any more keep him under my clutches." So that is ananya-bhāvena. That is described. Ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām, mat-kṛte. For the sake of Kṛṣṇa, one can give up everything. That is ananya-bhāva. The first-class example is the gopīs. They gave up everything. Their family, their relatives, their husband, their sons, their father, their prestige, their honor—everything sacrificed, simply for Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection.
So if you think of Kṛṣṇa when you become satisfied by drinking water, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, you will become one step advanced, immediately. Is that very difficult? Nothing difficult, but we are obstinate, we will not do that. We will not try to understand Kṛṣṇa, we will not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Why it is so? Māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), that is very strong. As soon as I try to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, māyā will whisper in my ear, "No, no, no. There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" Immediately, "There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" But śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That we will not hear. I will not take lesson from the śāstra, from the ācāryas. At least in India we have got big, big ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, even Śaṅkarācārya, even Guru Nanak, they have accepted, all, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why should we not? Why you? I shall be another competitor to Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. Therefore Bhagavān said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Because we are sinful, because we are rascals, we do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after Kṛṣṇa, making speculation, philosophical. Don't do that. Accept Kṛṣṇa and be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy. Thank you very much. (end)
If you want to understand God, then try to understand from God Himself. He knows. Just like if you speculate of a big man, a neighbor, a friend, that "What is his wealth? Oh, he appears to be very rich man and very strong man, very influential man." And these are the opulences: very beautiful, very wise. So you can calculate. But if you make friendship with that gentleman and if he speaks about himself, then you can understand what he is. Then how you can understand God, Kṛṣṇa, by speculation? This is foolishness. Therefore, śāstra advises you that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: "If you think that you are very learned scholar, you are very advanced in knowledge, and you can manufacture what is God, give up this foolishness first of all. Don't make this foolishness." Jñāne prayāsam. Oh, what is your knowledge? Limited. Kūpa-maṇḍūka, the frog in the well. How you can imagine? Simply by imagination? Is imagination God? Can you create? The Māyāvādīs say that "We can imagine God. God, it is so great that it is not possible to understand the Brahman, but we can imagine some form." This is Māyāvādī philosophy.
So bhayaṁ tīvram. We have become so much dull or foolish that we do not know what is bhayaṁ tīvram. Tīvram means very fierce, and bhayam, fierce fearfulness, very strong. And we are entangled in this very strong fearfulness, but we have become so dull by the spell of māyā that we don't care for it. Just imagine. At the time of death there are so many troubles, very fierceful. Sometimes a person is dying, he is attacked with coma, and he is lying unconscious. Big, big politicians, "Mr. such and such," prime minister, and this and that, but he is lying unconscious in coma for seven days. And we do not know, but he is going very fierceful test. He is dreaming so many things that sometimes he is crying. He cannot express. Especially those who are very sinful, they die in that way. So this is not finished. Then, after death, you have to enter in the womb of the mother. That is another fierceful stage. You become packed up in a bag, and the bag is filled up or surrounded by stool, urine, worms. And you have to remain there, airtight packed, for ten months.
So mad-bhayād vāti vāto 'yam. These are the very strong sources of fearfulness. If there is cyclone, it is very fearful. It is going on very nicely, but if it is a big cyclone, then it is fearful. So there is necessity of cyclone also. There is necessity of scorching heat. There is necessity of rainfall. So there are different directors and officers, and they are all servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The only master, supreme master, is Kṛṣṇa, and all others, they are bhṛtya, servant. The demigods, the demigods, they are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Demigods there are: Sūrya, Candra, Vāyu, Varuṇa, and Bṛhaspati, so many, thirty-three crores of demigods. They have got different planets. But all of them are servants of Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). The modern so-called scientists, they say, "There is no demigod. There is no God. This is all natural function." That's all right. Nature is working. But nature is matter. Matter cannot work without the direction of the living being. You cannot say matter works independently. That is not possible.
So there is no guarantee. Any moment, we can die. And it is therefore called mṛtyu-loka, "The place where death is," I mean to say, "sure." "As sure as death." People give surety example: "As sure as death." As nobody can avoid death, it is sure. You may be very strong and stout in your health and go on exercising on the beach daily, but you can die any moment. There is no guarantee. But everyone wants akuto-bhayam: "There may not be... I must be very safe and sound in every respect, in my social position, so far my health is concerned, anything." Everyone wants that security. But there is no security. That is called struggle for existence. There is no security, and the rascals are struggling to get security. How it is possible? If this place is meant for that purpose, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām, then how you can get security? This is foolishness, mūḍha. There is no possibility of security; still, they are making security in this way, that way, this way, that way, that way.
So in this way, this is called evolution, one after another. So the insects, the reptiles, they are better than the standing herbs and plants, and these insects, the worms, they grow wings at the end of their life. In this way they are elevated to the bird's life. In this life they could not attain the bird's life, but on account of very strong willingness they grow the wings, and next life they become small birds, they fly. So they are better, the small birds, they are better than these insects. Then there are birds, big, big birds, the eagle birds, they can fly very high. In this way, beast life, that is better. In this way, beast life, then human life, uncivilized life, that is better. And then civilized life, that is better. Then civilized life, those who are organized, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are better. And amongst the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, the brāhmaṇa is the best, because they are on the platform of spiritual realization. This is the evolution. Evolution, we are coming in that evolution. Bahu-sambhavānte. Bahu-sambhavam, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), bahu-sambhavānte.
We may, however, defy the existence of God. Atheist class of men, demons, they always defy, "Who is God? I am God." But everyone is under the control of time factor. The time factor, in due course, will bring him death. So at that time, how one can deny the existence of God? Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death, and My business is to take away everything." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. So time factor will take away everything, what we create with these twenty-four elements. So time is very strong, kāla. However we may defy the existence of God, the time factor is there. We have to accept it. And it is said, kālam eke yato bhayam. And because we are under the control of the time at the present moment in material existence, therefore there is bhayam. Bhayam means ultimately death. Bhayam. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ.
So rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, it is going on, very strong. Therefore human life is not meant for this purpose. It is very difficult to convince the present society. Still, we are trying our bit, that "This is not the right type of civilization, godless civilization, no sattva-guṇa, only rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, mostly tamo-guṇa. This thing will not improve your situation, neither solve your problem. The problem... Human life is meant for solving the problem." Therefore creation is made. The living entities within this material world, daivāt kṣubhita-dharmiṇyām, this material energy, they are given chance, again creation. Daivāt. Daivāt kṣubhita-dharmiṇyāṁ svasyāṁ yonau. This material energy is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. That I was trying to explain last night.
"My dear Kṛṣṇa, I think the mind is very, very restless." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa. Pramāthi: "as madman." As madman is always restless... "And very strong. I want to control the mind, but it does not come under control. So this is the position. Therefore, You are asking me to control the mind..." Tasya ahaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram: "I think it is more difficult than controlling the wind." Suppose there is very strong wind, and if you want to stop it, you see, it is not possible. There is cyclone. Similarly, Arjuna has compared the mind with the speed of cyclone. How it is to be controlled? So completely denied. But Kṛṣṇa said, just to encourage Arjuna, that he should not be disappointed because he could not control the mind. But still, because his mind was always engaged in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he is the best of all the yogis.
One who commits suicide, he becomes a ghost. Ghost means he does not get this material body. He remains in the subtle body, mind, intelligence. Therefore ghost can go because he is in the mind. Mind speed is very strong. If you have got this material body, you cannot go immediately hundred miles off. But if you are in the mental body, you can go immediately, thousand miles immediately, within a second. So the ghost, they can play something wonderful because... But they are not happy because they have no gross body. They want to enjoy. He's materialist. He has committed suicide for some material want. So he is want of material..., fulfilling material desire. He could not fulfill in this body; therefore commits suicide, but the desire is there. The desire is there, and he cannot fulfill it. He becomes perplexed. Therefore the ghost create disturbance sometimes.
That the modern civilization, they do not know that. Modern man, society, they do not know. They simply think that, "Yes, dog is sleeping on the street. We must have very nice building, very nice apartment, very nice bedstead. That is advancement of civilization. Otherwise it is primitive, if we remain in the same standard, sleeping anywhere, without any furniture, with..." But after all the subject matter is sleeping, nothing more than that. Similarly, you take eating also, or mating also. Then, the question will be, then what do you say the human life is meant for? The answer is tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed (SB 5.5.1). Human life is meant for tapasya, tapasya. Tapasya means austerity. Denying this, denying. The cats and dogs are satisfied—as they eat more, they think they're enjoying. Nowadays the human being also. They're using so many appetizer, drinking. We study this in the aeroplane. Before eating, they supply wine, make the appetite very strong, then eat so much, huge quantity. You have marked it?
They have sacrificed everything practically. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is required. That is human life. Otherwise, if we simply work very hard just like the stool-eater hogs, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is sex? Where is..." This is... Therefore this particular name has been mentioned here, viḍ-bhujām. It is very peculiar. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. Śāstra sometimes uses very strong language. That is required. Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit. That is the... Therefore this very word is used, viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. These kind of engagements are there among the hogs and dogs. Are you hogs and dogs or human being? Your engagement is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Inquire about Brahman. Learn about Brahman. Learn about yourself, that you are not this material body. If you are still thinking that you are this material body—you are Indian, you are American, you are brāhmaṇa, you are śūdra, you are white, you are black—then you are in the dog's consciousness, not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is to be learned.
That is stated here. mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). And the other way. One path to mukti, another path is bondage. Two things are there: bondage and mukti. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānās te'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Baddhā means bound up. We are, in our material condition of life, we are bound up tight, hands and legs are bound up. We cannot do anything independently. It is not possible. That we must know. People are declaring independence. That is not possible. That is our foolishness. Baddhāḥ, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ, just like uru means this waste. If you are bound up by rope just like thieves are carried, handcuffed and bound up on the waist, what you can do? So we are uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Uru means very strong, and dāmni means rope, baddhāḥ. Just like the bulls are bound up in the nostril and the driver is moving like this, immediately he has to move this way, immediately. Although he's very strong bull, but uru-dāmni baddhāḥ.
So therefore māyā's name is guṇamayī. Guṇa, guṇa means also rope, guṇa. Guṇamayī, tri-guṇa-mayī, three ropes you bound together become very strong. Similarly, this māyā, the stringent laws of material nature, prakṛti, is very, very strong. You cannot declare independence. That is not possible. If you really want independence, then you mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. Then you have to take shelter of mahājana, mahat-sevā. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). First thing is that this... Mukti means you have to become surrendered either to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. Otherwise there is no question of mukti. And if you do not do this, if you think that eat, drink, be merry and enjoy life, that is called yoṣi saṅga, yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. What is that? Tamo-dvāram. That means you are making progress towards darkness, tamo-dvāram, hellish condition of life.
Similarly, the deers, they are also captured by the hunter. He plays nice flute, and the deers stand up. They are very much fond of music. So as soon as they stand up, entrapped. So one animal or lower than human being, they have got one sense very strong. Someone's the ear, someone's the nose, someone's the tongue, someone's the genital, in this way. But they have got one sense strong. And we, so-called civilized man, our six senses are all strong. So what is the position?
So unless one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is doomed. So many senses. Tongue is taking him to the hotel, ear is taking to the musical, and eyes is taking, the beautiful things to see. In this way we are embarrassed in so many ways. That is called maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ. He has forgotten his real business, but he is entrapped in a pot or in a place where sense gratification is going on. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). So this mithunī-bhāvam, the sense enjoyment is very strong. So there are two sexes, male and female. And each one of them are attracted by sense gratification, and when they are united, that... (break) In this way, ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, then they become attached to gṛha. Because they must live in an apartment, they must have some land, gṛha-kṣetra. Everywhere that is going on. In this way they become entrapped. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... But those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, for them, it is not... They are vigilant that "My real business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but it is a license given to me for sense gratification, for gṛhastha, but we should not forget our real business and entrapped in this material nature." That should be our business.
Classless means fools, rascals, śūdra. If you classify... Classify means "Here is intelligent class, here is next class, here is next." If you don't classify, that means śūdras. So śūdras, they have got votes. Similarly, what they will elect? They will elect another rascal, that's all. Big rascal. A small rascal and big rascal, that's all. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Here is our president. Here is our prime minister. But what is he? He is elected by the śūdras, so he is a big śūdra, that's all. How you can expect nice things? If you say, "Now he is elected President, he is so much honored and he's exalted post, His Excellency," so Bhāgavata says, "Yes. This is all good, but by whom he is praised?" Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Just like lion. Lion is very strong animal. He is considered to be the king of the forest. So all other small animals, they are very much afraid of, very respectful. But does it mean because he is lion he is not an animal? He is animal. He may be lion, very powerful, very strong, he can subdue others. But that does not mean he is any advanced intelligent person like brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. This is going on. The Bhāgavata therefore says, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. The next line I just forget.
When you forget God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is called māyā. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is very nicely explained in the Seventh Chapter that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā: (BG 7.14) "The influence of māyā is so strong that it is very difficult to surmount." Yes. Māyā is energy of God also. So as your energy can produce so much wonderful thing, why not Kṛṣṇa's energy, or God's energy, is very strong? Yes. It is very strong. Just like you are also energy, but why you are not strong? Just like when you are criminal, when you are in the custody of police energy of the government, you are weaker. You are all the, one of the energies of this government. The whole population is the energy of the government, producing. This is an example. But one energy is civil population, another energy is criminal population, and another energy, the government. So the criminal population means against the principles of government. And civil population means law-abiding principle of government. And the law order energy means to punish the criminals.
A Vaiṣṇava is liberated, and he can keep himself liberated always, anywhere, any place, without any hindrance, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... So... But still they are very much anxious for the conditioned souls. (break) Similarly, here also, Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that "Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have described about the different types of hellish condition of life. Now, how they can be delivered? Kindly explain." Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Nara means human beings. "Those who are fallen, how they can be delivered?" Narakān naraḥ nānā ugra-yātanān neyāt. Ugra yātanān, very, I mean to say, fierceful miseries, yātanān. Yātanān, pains, horrible pains. Ugra. Ugra means horrible, very strong pain, painful life. "How they can be delivered?" Nānā ugra-yātanān, tan me vyākhyātum arhasi: "If you kindly explain how they can be delivered?" That is Vaiṣṇava heart. "Never mind. Some way or other, they have fallen down to this condition, this hellish condition of life, but that does not mean that they should remain in that condition of life. There must be some ways and means by which they can be delivered. So if you kindly explain that."
So many formulas are given, the tapa-ādibhiḥ. Because the other side, the tapasya, therefore tapa-ādibhiḥ, "beginning with tapasya, austerity." So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "My dear King," na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ, "if one is practicing the other side, namely tapasya, brahmācārya, celibacy, austerities, yogic principle, controlling the mind, the senses, charity, so many things, so they are also purifying, but they are not so strong. They are not so strong as this devotional service is strong." That is tapa-ādibhiḥ. Na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ, yathās kṛṣṇa-arpita-prāṇaḥ. One who has dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa, he is very strong. Kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ. Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa niṣevayā. Or dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. He is very strong than the other man who is undergoing austerities, penances, and He is also making progress, certainly. But better process is this: one who has surrendered completely to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or his representative. Kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā.
But there should not be any motive. That you should be very careful. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), no motive. Bhakti, bhaj-dhātu, simply pure desire, "How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa?" Then he is mukta. Immediately he is liberated. One who has this fixed-up mind, that "How I shall render service to Kṛṣṇa?" and if he tries his best, then he becomes immediately mukta unless he changes his decision. That is... Every time is possible. Even one is mukta, liberated, he can be also fallen down unless he is very strong in his determination. Māyā is always there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). But if one is determined that "I shall stick to the service of Kṛṣṇa," māyā will not touch. That is kevalā bhakti. If sometimes it appears that he has deviated out of past habit, that is excused. Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). But not intentional. We should not fall down and deviate from our path of devotional service intentionally. That will not... That is very great criminality. We must try our best, kevalayā bhaktyā.
So this science is unknown to the rascal civilization, how to utilize things for the best purpose. So in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśyas... First-class men, brāhmaṇa; second-class men, the kṣatriya; third-class men, the vaiśyas; and fourth-class men, all others, the worker class, śūdras. So the first-class men, the brāhmaṇa, they should give instruction, nice instruction, so that the whole human society will profit. By seeing the character of the brāhmaṇa, the behavior of the brāhmaṇa... Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā kṣāntir eva ca, jñānaṁ vijñānam. A brāhmaṇa is not, never recommended, a brāhmaṇa will make some trade or become a engineer. No. Śamo damas titikṣā, these are the qualification, characteristics, of brāhmaṇa. And śāstra says yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). When there is characteristics of a brāhmaṇa, then you should accept him as a brāhmaṇa. Not whimsically. Similarly, kṣatriya, he must be very strong and chivalrous and never be go, I mean, fly away from battle. They should come forward when there is some battle, riot. They should give protection. They are kṣatriyas. And vaiśya means... Now, the brāhmaṇas, they are not going to produce food or other things. They are simply for knowledge, giving the best knowledge to the human society. There is a need of brāhmaṇa. Everyone śūdra, simply working hard and because they are accusing, "Oh, you people are escaping..." What is escaping? We are giving the best knowledge to the human society.
By performing religious ceremonies or following the religious principle, the test is how one has become advanced in the loving service of the Lord. This is required. And his example is very strong, that surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ. Surā-kumbha, the pot which contained liquor, it cannot be purified. Therefore it is so strictly prohibited about liquor.
So,
- sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
- niveśitaṁ tad-guṇa-rāgi yair iha
- na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān
- svapne 'pi paśyanti hi cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ
Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has recommended that "Somehow or other, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. That is the recommendation of Rūpa Gosvāmī: "Somehow or other, you engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa." Then your life will be successful. Somehow or other. Do anything, but you remember Kṛṣṇa. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Yudhyasva mām anusmara: (BG 8.7) "You fight; at the same time, you remember Me."
So we should be very serious. We should not fall down from the standard of Vedic culture. If you are actually serious about stopping this, manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. This is struggle for existence. In this material world everyone is struggling to survive. But who is surviving? That way, materialistic way of life will not help you to survive. That is prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Nature is so strong that you must die. "I am very strong." You may be very strong, that's all right. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought how to avoid death—Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he thought that the Yamarāja is the superintendent of death, he comes to take. So I shall make such policy that he may not come to me. What is that policy? "Bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell he will not come." So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they will survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So so long you'll prolong this material way of life, that is called struggle for existence. The "struggle for existence" and "survival of the fittest," this word is very common but nobody knows what is that struggle for existence and what is the platform of becoming fittest. Nobody knows. It is we are preaching that "If you remain in this material world, then struggle for existence will continue." And fittest means one who has come to the spiritual platform, he is fittest to survive. What is survival? Who is going to survive? Do you mean to say by cultivating health culture, very strong, you'll survive? Nobody will survive. So who will survive? Only Kṛṣṇa conscious. If he is strictly Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he will survive. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). The Kṛṣṇa conscious person who has studied Kṛṣṇa only, nothing more, perfectly, that is fit. This body also, this body is not permanent. That's a fact. But tyaktvā deham, after giving up this body no more material body; spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).
So we should be very serious. We should not fall down from the standard of Vedic culture. If you are actually serious about stopping this... Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). This is struggle for existence. In this material world everyone is struggling to survive. But who is surviving? That way, materialistic way of life, will not help you to survive. That is... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Nature is so strong that you must die. "I am very strong." You may be very strong, that's all right, but you must. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought, "How to avoid death?" Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he thought that "Yamarāja is the superintendent of death. He comes to take, so I shall make such policy that he may not come to me." What is that policy? "So bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell, he'll not come." So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they'll survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
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. Ato gṛha. Gṛha means apartment. So long he remains brahmacārī there is no need of apartment. He can dine right out on the street. (laughter) But as soon as they're joined together, immediately apartment, gṛha. Then how to maintain the apartment? Then he must have land. Because formerly there was no industry. Everyone must produce his own food by tilling the field. So to produce food he must have some land.
So this mental condition naturally is there what I practice throughout my whole life. So if we practice this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa name, then there is chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. That is the examination. In Bengali there is a proverb, bhajan kara sādhana kara murte jānle hoy. That is, "How you are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, that you'll be tested at your time of death." That is wanted. If we practice throughout whole life "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," then there is good chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, because at the time of death everything becomes disordered. The tongue becomes disordered, the mind becomes disordered. There is a verse by Kulaśekhara. He was praying to Lord, adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ, prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ smaraṇaṁ kutas te (MM 33). He was praying to the Lord, "My Lord, Mukunda, now I am healthy, very strong. Everything is all right. My mind is in order. My health is in order. So I am praying to You, let death come immediately so that I can soundly remember Your name.
So immediately things are recorded and, at the time of death, just as in the previous verse, we studied, vikarṣato 'ntar hṛdayād. Antar hṛdayād, in the core of the heart the individual soul and the Supersoul is there, and Yamarāja will take, his order carriers will take the, not the heart, but the soul. The heart of the body, that is made of this material element, that will lie down here. But the soul may be taken by arrangement. This is very, very subtle arrangement, and these rascals, they do not know how things are going on. They are imagining, "I think it is like this and that." There is no value of this "I believe," "I think," "I conjecture." You can do that, but things are going on. The government is very, very strong. Little deviation from the law, you'll be punished. Little deviation. Nature's law, they are so systematically set up that automatically... Just like the same example I've given: you'll infect some disease, automatically you'll have to suffer from the disease. Not that somebody's come to ask you that "You have infected this disease.
"I have appeared before you just to give you relief." Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. "You are trying to understand Me, so here I am. I am present. Why you are thinking God is formless? Here I am, Kṛṣṇa, form. You see, I have got My flute in the hand. I am very much fond of the cows. I love the cows and the sage and Brahmā, everyone equally, because they are all My sons in different bodies." Kṛṣṇa is playing. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Still, these rascals will not understand Kṛṣṇa. So what is Kṛṣṇa's fault? It is our fault. Andha. Just like the owl. Owl will never open the eyes to see that there is sunlight. You know this, owl? So they will not open. However you may say, "Mr. Owl, please open your eyes and see the sun," "No, there is no sun. I don't see." (laughter) This owl civilization. So you have to fight with these owls. You must be very strong, especially the sannyāsīs. We have to fight with the owls. We have to open their eyes by force from this, with machine. (laughter) So this is going on. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a fight against all the owls.
Yes. You are now curing physical disease, but when you take up curing material, I mean to say, spiritual disease... Yes. Try to bring all people to the normal spiritual life. All their suffering is due to abnormal spiritual life, all suffering. Because, I was discussing with my disciples just now, nature's law is so subtle and so acute, that a little violation will be punished immediately. You know. You are medical man. Little violation will immediately subjected to the punishment. This is God's law. There is a word in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Uru. Uru means very strong and dāmni means rope. Just like if you are tied up with a strong rope, hands and feet, as you are helpless, our position is like that. This very word is used, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Na te viduḥ... And such baddha, conditioned souls, they are declaring freedom: "I don't care for anyone. I don't care for God." How much foolishness. Just like sometimes naughty children, they are also bound up. Yaśodāmayī also bound up Kṛṣṇa. That is an Indian system, or everywhere, that tied up. And that small child, when it is bound up, if that child declares freedom, how it is possible? Similarly, by the laws of mother nature we are bound up. How you can declare freedom? Every part of our body is being controlled by some controller. That is stated in the Bhāgavatam. Even your, this eyelid moving, that is also under some controller.
So the people do not understand it, and they are declaring, "I am God. I don't care for God. God is dead." How God is dead? You are under so much control, and how God is dead? You can say that there is no government, provided there is nobody to check you. But if you are in every step checked, how you can say that there is no government. That is another foolishness. All men, they have been declared in the Bhāgavata, abodha-jāta, born fools and rascals. But these are very strong words. But if we state the strong, that is another foolishness. It is so, and if we deny, that "We cannot accept such strong things," then another foolishness. Begin.
Nitāi: "The subtle body endowed with the five knowledge-acquiring senses, the five working senses, the five objects of sense gratification, and the mind, altogether sixteen parts, which is the effect of the three modes of material nature and is composed of very strong, insurmountable desires, causes the living entity to transmigrate from one body to another within the kingdom of human life, animal life, or higher demigod life. When he gets the body of a demigod he is certainly very jubilant. When he gets the body of a human being he is always in lamentation. When he gets the body of an animal he is always afraid. In this way, in all conditions he is miserable. This miserable condition is called saṁsṛti, or transmigration in material life."
Prabhupāda:
- tad etat ṣoḍaśa-kalaṁ
- liṅgaṁ śakti-trayaṁ mahat
- dhatte 'nusaṁsṛtiṁ puṁsi
- harṣa-śoka-bhayārtidām
- (SB 6.1.51)
This is called sāṅkhya-yoga, to understand the analytical process of this body. In the Bhagavad-gītā you have learned that,
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptir
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
So with this combination of sixteen elements, within that there is the soul. He is enwrapped in so many wrappers, mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra and... Altogether twenty-four wrappers, and within that wrappers there is the living soul. The modern science, they cannot understand this. They are searching after the active principle or living force within this body, but they have no information. But here, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, you get the full analysis.
This is the position of all of us living entities. Because we cannot control the mind and the senses, especially karmendriya, the eyes, the ear, the tongue, the touch, the udara upastha... Pāṇi, pāda, pāyu, udara, upastha, these five karmendriya Pāṇi means hand, pāyu means rectum, and pāda means leg. Udara means belly, and upastha means genital. And these are karmendriya, and mind So mind dictates, "Oh, let me see this beautiful thing"—immediately eyes act. "Let me hear this sweet song"—immediately ear is engaged. So of all, the jihvā, the tongue, is very strong. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. Amongst all the senses, the tongue, taste, it is very strong. In your country especially, for the tongue so many advertisement: this wine, that wine, varieties of cigarettes, restaurants, roasted beef, so many things, just attracting the tongue, "Please come here. Please come here and be entangled." This advertisement. So one has to control the tongue. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. This is very secret science that you have to clear out your path of liberation by controlling the tongue. Then other things will be controlled, the straight line: tongue, then belly, then genital. Therefore in our society we have restricted the tongue: "Don't eat meat. Don't take intoxication." And then, the straight line: "No free use of the genital, illicit sex." These things are required if you want to be free from this material entanglement. This is called tapasya.
Just like a male and female. That movement is very strong now in America. The female wants to become male, or equal rights. This is māyā. How woman can become in equal with man? Of course, we are not going to study the social welfare activities or something like that, but puruṣa and prakṛti, they are different. Purusa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. So here the prakṛti, this material nature—earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego, egotism—these are eight material things. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā prakṛtiṁ me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). These are eight kinds of material energy. Material energy is one, mahat-tattva, but they have been divided. Mahat-tattva, when it is separated... Just like some philosopher says, "There was a chunk, and it became broken, and the creation took place." This can be applicable... The mahat-tattva, the total material energy, by, when the three guṇas break them, they become twenty-four elements, five material, and three material, subtle, and the ten senses, and the ten object of senses. In this way twenty-four elements is become.
So his mind became very much agitated, young man, and he is seeing in his front that another young man and woman embracing and kissing. It is very difficult to restrain. Unless one is very advanced, it is not possible. That I was reciting, the verse by Yamunācārya, yadāvadhi mama cettaḥ padāravinde, kṛṣṇa-padāravinde nava-nava-dhāman rantum āsīt, tadāvadhi bata nārī-aṅgame bhavati suṣṭu niṣṭhi... Unless one is very strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is very difficult to restrain the mind and the senses. It is very difficult. Here it is said, mana madana-vepitum. Madana means Cupid, or the lusty desires. So he was agitated. His mind was agitated by lusty desires. Therefore we have to be very careful for the association. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. We develop different consciousness by particular association. Therefore, for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we must associate with the devotees. You cannot advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without being in the association of devotees.
So these living entities means everyone has got a material body. Material body means it will end. Antavanta ime dehā (BG 2.18). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. However strong you may be for one, antavanta ime dehā, it will end. You cannot You may run in the morning three miles and then take very stimulative foodstuff, and Everyone is trying to become very strong. That is good, but however strong we may be, even Hiraṇyakaśipu, it is not possible to stay here. Hiraṇyakaśipu became very, very strong. He insured that he would not die in daytime, at nighttime, and in the water, in the land, on the sky, not by any human being, not by any demigods, not by any animal, not by any weapon. Everything he insured there. That's all right. But God's policy is so nice that, all his insurance keeping aside, He killed him not by weapon—by the nails. He forgot this, that "I may be killed by the nails." Then he thought, "I shall not be killed by any animal or man." So Nṛsiṁha-deva—you cannot say it is lion or man-mixed. And he thought that he would not die in daytime or nighttime, but he was killed in the evening. It is neither day nor night. So he would not be killed in the sky, in the water or in the land, so he was killed on the threshold. Therefore we should always remember that we cannot cheat God. He is always at least little more intelligent.
He knew that "I am being agitated by these sex desires. It is not good. It is not good." Yathā-śrutam. Śruta. Śruta means Vedic knowledge. He had sufficient education in Vedic knowledge. Yathā-śrutam and yāvat sattvam, as far he could control... Stambhayann ātmanā ātmānam. He tried to control the mind as far as intelligence concerned, but na śaśāka—he could not control. Na śaśāka samādhātum. Why? The mind was too much agitated. This is the point. This is the point, that his mind was too much agitated, madana-vepitam, by lusty desire. Lusty desire is very strong. Therefore it is in the injunction of the śāstra,
- mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā
- nāviviktāsane vaset
- balavān indriya-grāmo
- vidvāṁsam api karṣati
- (SB 9.19.17)
That is vidvāṁsam api karṣati. This Ajāmila is a learned brāhmaṇa. He is vidvān. He is not a fool. But vidvāṁsam api karṣati. Therefore it is forbidden, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā: "Don't keep yourself in a lonely place and talk 'pish pish' with woman, even she is mother, daughter, or sister." Strictly forbidden. That "pish pish" will kill you. Therefore it is forbidden that "Don't talk in solitary place with woman even she happens to be your daughter, your mother, and your sister." Generally one is not agitated in sex with mother, with sister, with daughter. But it is forbidden up to death.
We have passed only five thousand years. Since the Battle of Kurukṣetra, or since the demise of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the Kali-yuga has begun, and that is five thousand years. And the total duration of life of Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. That means there is a balance of 427,000's of years to finish this Kali-yuga. And gradually, with the advancement of Kali-yuga, people's duration of life, memory, mercifulness, religious propensities, in this way eight items—they are described in the Śrīmad Bhagavatam—will reduce. We can see practically at the present moment. People are not very strong in body. They are lean and thin. And not only in India—we are poverty-stricken—but in Europe, America, also I see. The Europeans and Americans are no more as tall men or very stout men, very... So reducing their bodily strength and memory. That is also fact. We cannot memorize very sharply. People are becoming more and more dull. No more very brilliant scholars are coming out, philosophers, mathematicians. And duration of life, everyone knows it is reducing. In India the average duration of life is thirty years. So this will reduce. And dharma, sense of religiosity, that will also reduce and become more and more punishable by the Yamarāja. Yamarāja is there.
So that is the behavior of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes He becomes very strong. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andha-yoniṣu: (BG 16.19) "Those who are envious, I keep them constantly in the darkest region of hellish life." So Kṛṣṇa is very kind, but if He is angry, He is very hard also. Now, one may say, "Why God should be angry?" No, God is angry also; otherwise wherefrom this anger comes if God is not angry? Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) everything is coming from the Absolute Truth. If God is not angry, then wherefrom this anger comes? Because He is the original source of everything. So everything is there, but His activity and our activity is different. If Kṛṣṇa is angry... Just like He becomes angry and He kills so many demons. But all of them got liberation.
Sometimes you have to chain a madman for doing mischievous activities. Sometimes you have to send to some hospital for special care. So Arjuna said, cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi, balavat. And not only balavat, "is very strong," and dṛḍham, "and very strong and determined" Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye: "If you ask me to control my mind, it is very difficult for me." Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor api suduṣkaram: "If there is some wind, strong wind, and if one thinks that 'I shall control this wind, stop this strong blowing of wind,' as it is impossible, similarly, the movement of my mind is so strong that I cannot promise that I can control this mind." And after the statement of Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said... Kṛṣṇa saw that His friend was becoming disappointed. Because he cannot prosecute the yoga system, so he's becoming disappointed. But He knew that Arjuna was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That was certain. Although his mind was very agitated because he was politician, he was warrior, still, his mind was fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. That He knew. Therefore He said that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47).
So sinful activities, it is punishable. You cannot violate the laws of nature. Prakṛti is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like the government has police department, military department, law courts. Why? Because not all the citizens were good citizens. There are many outlaws. So more or less, whoever is in this material world, they are outlaws. Outlaw means they do not abide by the laws of nature, and therefore they are punishable.
So both the viddhis, both the systems have been introduced. One will help the other. That is the way. Simply Bhāgavata-mārga... Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, is simply śravaṇam-paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi; janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1)—smaraṇam, simply remembering, memorizing the Supreme Truth. But, of course, the pañcarātrika-vidhi is recommended in the Second Canto. That, another pañcarātrika-vidhi, is worshiping the gigantic form of the Lord. These things are there. But both, combined together, it is very much helpful. Bhāgavata-mārga. Bhāgavata-mārga will help the pañcarātrika-mārga, or process, and the pañcarātrika process will help Bhāgavata process. Both together is helpful. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja introduced... You have seen the, what is called? That signia? One side, pañcarātriki-vidhi, one side bhāgavata-viddhi. That is... I have seen that Gauḍīya Math emblem. Yes. And, so actually, Bhāgavata-mārga is very strong. That is sufficient. But without pañcarātrika-vidhi this polluted body, polluted mind of the devotee, cannot be purified. Therefore both the process should be adopted in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I think it is now... So any questions?
So devotees, they are so exalted that as Kṛṣṇa's activities, pastimes, are transcendentally relishable, similarly, devotees dealings with the Personality of Godhead is also relishable. Sometimes we find the gopīs, they accuse Kṛṣṇa, "Ungrateful cheater," and so many things. Very strong words sometimes gopīs use. When Uddhava came, they immediately accused Uddhava, "Oh, you are coming from Kṛṣṇa? We know your Kṛṣṇa, how cheater He is. So you must be another cheater." You see? But these strong words used by the gopīs in connection with Kṛṣṇa, that is, it is stated here, te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā. When these words are discussed even in the society of the demigods and the siddhas...
If one is eighty years old he is supposed to be very old man. But time will come when one is twenty years old he will be considered a very old man. That time is coming gradually. If one lives from twenty to thirty years, he'll be considered a very old man. So alpa-āyuṣaḥ. This is the effect of Kali-yuga. Duration of life, mercifulness, bodily strength, memory, these things will be reduced gradually. You won't find nowadays very fertile brain. It will reduce. Not very strong man, bodily very strong, and mercy, there is no question. On the street, in your front, if somebody's being killed, nobody will take care; he'll go on. There is no mercifulness. Even the mother has no mercifulness, killing the child. This is Kali-yuga. So just imagine what is the duration of this Kali-yuga. That is all described. Mandāḥ. Everyone is bad. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). And if one poses himself that he is intelligent, then that is a, also a bad way of life. Sumanda-matayo. Manda-bhāgyā. Everyone is unfortunate.
Everything is discussed. Everyone is thinking that "I have got a very strong body. I run five miles a day. So I have made a so strong body, I'll never die." "That is not possible sir. You have to die." So dehāpatya. "My sons are very well educated. They are holding big, big post, minister. They will." Deha-apatya. "No, sir. They'll not be able to." Dehāpatya kalatra. "My wife is so sincere, so faithful. She will give me protection." "No, sir." Dehāpatya kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). We are thinking ātma-sainya: "They are my soldiers. I am struggling for existence and these soldiers will give me protection." So the Bhāgavata says, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He's so mad that he knows that "These things will be finished. Nobody will be able to give me protection," still he... Pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means mad. So these attempts will not give me protection. And as soon as this body's finished, another body's waiting. That you do not know what kind of body you are going to get.
We are acting, working for some good achievement. So our achievement, means the human form of achievement is mukunda-caraṇāmbujam. Mukunda means Kṛṣṇa. How to get shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is the supreme achievement. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises, tato yateta kuśalaḥ kṣemāya bhavam āśritaḥ. Those who are fallen in this material world, somehow or other... It is not our place. This is a rotten place, but somehow or other we have fallen. Bhavam āśritaḥ, we have, instead of taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, we have taken shelter of this material world. Therefore it is called bhavam āśritaḥ. For them it is imperative that śarīraṁ pauruṣaṁ yāvan na vipadyeta puṣkalam. So long we are young, very strong body, senses are working nicely, this opportunity should be utilized for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore a calculation is there. One may think, "Yes, that's all right, but I'll live at least one hundred years. So let me enjoy now sense, and later on we shall see the business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness." No. Prahlāda Mahārāja is warning: Yes, you have maximum. But nobody now is living hundred years. Everyone knows.
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... Ṣoḍaśe means sixteenth year. Prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varṣe putraṁ mitravad ācaret: the son, the boy should be treated as friend. No more punishment. Then there will be reply. So there must be restraint. So from sixteenth year to twenty-fifth year, higher education. And after higher education, if the boy is still after sense gratification, he should be allowed to get himself married and enter into family life. That family life is allowed for another twenty-five years. When youthhood is very strong, let him beget some children and... Of course, there is regulation of children. One has to take care of the children and he has to educate children, not that irresponsibly begetting children. No. So family life.
Harikeśa: Translation: "Persons with uncontrolled mind and senses become more and more attached in family life on account of never satiable lusty desires, which are very strong. The balance ten years of life of such madmen is also wasted because they cannot engage themselves in devotional service."
Prabhupāda:
- durāpūreṇa kāmena
- mohena ca balīyasā
- śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya
- pramattasyāpayāti hi
- (SB 7.6.8)
So our lusty desires, sense gratification, cannot be satisfied even throughout the whole life. The account is being given of the whole life, hundred years. So out of hundred years, fifty years wasted by sleeping, twenty years wasted by playing like boy and young man, and twenty years as old man, diseased, invalidated, and balance ten years... Because ninety years he has been so much attached to materialistic way of life, naturally the balance ten years, śeṣam, he cannot utilize in any other way. He can simply engage himself in that lusty desire for material existence. Adurātmanena kāmena. In this connection there is a very instructive story—it is fact—that the Emperor Akbar, he enquired from his minister... He had one very big minister; I forget just his name.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "One whose mind and senses are uncontrolled becomes increasingly attached to family life because of insatiable lusty desires and very strong illusion. In such a madman's life, the remaining years are also wasted because even during those years he cannot engage himself in devotional service."
Prabhupāda:
- durāpūreṇa kāmena
- mohena ca balīyasā
- śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya
- pramattasyāpayāti hi
- (SB 7.6.8)
The calculation of life is already given account. Maximum years, hundred years. Fifty years by sleeping, minus. Then fifty years remains. Then twenty years childhood and playing. Then, remaining thirty years, and twenty years in old age, invalidity, not fulfillment of desires, what to do. In this way twenty years, and balance ten years, because all along one is directed by lusty desires, what he'll do? Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to establish his submission. It is not theory, but submission that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very childhood this bhāgavata-dharma should be taught and learned.
Aupasthya-jaihvaṁ bahu-manyamānaḥ, kathaṁ virajyeta duranta-mohaḥ. Duranta means formidable. It is very difficult. So according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy or Vaiṣṇava activities, because this tongue is very strong to be conquered, to be win over, the tongue is given Kṛṣṇa prasādam. First thing is tongue is controlled, that "You should not eat such and such things, you should not drink such and such things, you should simply take Kṛṣṇa prasādam." That means that is the process of controlling the tongue. And if you can control the tongue and draw a straight line, then you control your belly and control your sex also. That is the formula. Because these three things are making us too much attracted to the society, friendship and love. Kuṭumba-poṣāya viyan nijāyur na budhyate 'rthaṁ vihataṁ pramattaḥ. In this way, for maintaining the family members—kuṭumba, kuṭumba means family members—he is in madness. Pramattaḥ. The very word is used here, pramattaḥ. In madness, he is forgetting his real business and he's simply wasting time in this way for maintaining family or society and friendship.
So when they are united, then the attraction for man or attraction for woman becomes very, very strong. Then it requires gṛha, apartment, home. Then it requires field, land, because land is the means of livelihood. Ato gṛha-kṣetra. Then children, then friends. In this way he becomes implicated. Moho 'yam. These things are not required, but out of illusion he is thinking that "These things will give me protection, life and pleasure." That is explained in the previous verse: sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. He becomes too much entangled and captivated by this family affection. So therefore in the Vedic civilization, from the very beginning of life the brahmacārī is educated not to be attracted by family life, very strictly. Even though he is educated so, if he is found unable, then he is allowed to marry. That also not for many years. To remain in the household life for twenty-five years, then compulsory, I mean to say, separation, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Then when the mind is settled up, he is awarded sannyāsa. This is the system.
So the sense power or living power... Suppose if somebody thinks that "I am living for a hundred years," you are living for hundred years, but you go in the forest. You will find one tree is living for seven thousand years. So these powers, by sense power, by your strength of money or by education... Everything is described. Or aristocratic birth, and tejaḥ. Tejaḥ means luster of the body, kānti. Tejaḥ and prabhāva, pratāpa, influence. Balam means bodily strength. Suppose you are Sandoz. You have got very good... Just like in your country there are some box fighters, very strong and stout. That is called balam. Pauruṣam, udyama. Udyama means industrious. Just like a very poor man, he becomes by his energy very, very rich man. There are many instances in the world. That is called pauruṣam. Buddhi. Buddhi means intelligence, prajñā. And yoga. Yoga means aṣṭāṅga-yoga, the eightfold practice of yoga system.
So Rāvaṇa was very powerful. He was defeated, Jaṭāyu, but he fought. That is his service. Never mind defeated. Similarly, we have to fight. Those who are opposing Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have to fight with them to our best capacity. Never mind if we are defeated. That is also service. Kṛṣṇa sees the service. Defeated or victorious, depend on Kṛṣṇa. But fighting must be there. Karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. That is the meaning. You have to work for Kṛṣṇa sincerely, intelligently, and victory or defeat, it doesn't matter. Just like Jaṭāyu was defeated fighting with Rāvaṇa. His wings were cut off. Rāvaṇa was very strong. And Lord Rāmacandra, He did his last funeral ceremonies because he was a devotee. This is the process, not that we have to learn something extra. Whatever capacity we have got, let us decide to render service to the Lord. It doesn't require that you must be very rich or very beautiful, very bodily strong. Nothing of the sort. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). In any condition, your devotional service should not be stopped. That should be the principle, that we are not going to stop, any circumstance. And Kṛṣṇa is prepared even to accept a little flower, little water. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). He doesn't say, "Give me very luxurious and palatable dishes. Then I'll..." He'll be satisfied. No. The real necessity is bhakti. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is real necessity—bhaktyā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś ca... (BG 18.55).
This place is meant for suffering, and you cannot stay here for permanently. This is the constitution of this place. And the whole world, this foolish world, they are struggling to stop suffering and to remain here, permanent. Just see their foolishness. Everyone is trying to remain permanently. Just like we are constructing temples very sound, very strong, but they are constructing skyscraper building, strong, permanent. But he does not know, "Whether I shall be able to live here permanently?" So they can put the argument to us also, that "This is the case with you also." But our case is different. We are constructing this temple not for our living but for Kṛṣṇa's. That is the difference. That is the difference. We do not make any temple or house for ourself. We try to give chance to the devotees, and Kṛṣṇa shall live here. Kṛṣṇa's devotees will learn how to worship Him. That is our purpose. Here it is not a free hotel for learning how to gratify senses. No. This is not our aim and object. That is the difference.
At the present moment, you'll find, the whole world is filled up with these rascals. They are in the deepest region of māyā and concocting that he is God, he is God. This is māyā. Therefore it is said, māyā manaḥ. The māyā manaḥ is so strong that māyā manaḥ sṛjati karmamayaṁ balīyaḥ. Very strong. His material existence began from this point, that "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? I shall remain independent." But the rascal does not know that he cannot become independent. That is not possible. But this is the beginning of material life. "Why shall I accept God? I am God." So the same thing is continuing in different phases.
So māyā manaḥ is very strong. It is very, very difficult. Therefore we have to voluntarily surrender. It takes very, very long time, balīyaḥ, but if one is intelligent, if one is fortunate, he takes immediately. That is the difference. Otherwise it will take many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Even if he is jñānavān, full knowledge of everything, scientific knowledge, physical, chemical, metaphysical, mathematical, all this knowledge, but denying God, "I am God. There is no need of God. Now we shall do everything.
So those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness preaching work, they should always know that things are not going to happen so easily. Māyā is very, very strong. Very, very strong. But still, we have to struggle against māyā. It is a declaration of war with the māyā. Māyā is keeping the living entities under her control, and we are trying to save the living entity from her un... That is the difference. Kālo vaśī-kṛta-visṛjya-visarga-śaktiḥ. This śakti, visarga-śaktiḥ, is very, very strong, but it is under the control. Although it is very, she is very, very strong, but she is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Although prakṛti is acting so wonderfully... Very, very, I mean to say, great task she is performing, that immediately the cloud comes. Now it is so bright. Within a second a very big, dark cloud may come and cause devastation immediately. That is possible. These are the wonderful activities of Māyā. But still, she is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We see this sun so big, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth, and you see morning, how quickly it gets up, like this, immediately. The speed is sixteen thousand miles per second.
We are making our plan that "I shall be happy in this way. I have got this body, so let me make this body very strong, go in the beach and run on the beach to make the body very strong." There are so many other methods to keep the body very strong. Deha, apatya. Maintain the children very nicely. Dehāpatya-kalatra, wife. Decorate the wife very nicely. "In this way I shall be happy. Let me keep my body fit, let my children grow very nicely, wife be decorated with ornaments, with sari, and I will see and will be happy." No. You cannot remain. Even if you arrange like that, you cannot remain. Kṛṣṇa says, "One day I shall come as death, and not only I shall take you out of the scene, but I shall take away all your possessions." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34).
With mind you cannot reach spiritual platform, because it is material. With material instrument you cannot go to the spiritual platform. It is not possible. God can be understood. God is all-spirit, and He can be understood by spiritual method, not material method. Material method means up to the standard of mental speculation and mental concoction. That is not the way. Mano-rathena āsato dhāvato bahiḥ. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is also said,
- panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo
- vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām
- so 'py asti yat-prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.34)
By mental speculation, mental speed, you cannot reach the spiritual world. Mental speed is very strong. Everyone, we have got experience—you are sitting here. Immediately, within a second, you can go to our London temple by the mental speed. So even by the mental speed for many, many years, if we run over the space, still, we cannot reach the spiritual world. That is not possible.
Yes. Is it not the word? Trinken is "drinking," yes. Every shop... I have seen. One gentleman... What is gentleman? (laughter) He is sitting with glass of wine, and a young girl is also sitting. This is their very pleasing... And I have heard that in the working days or in the holidays, they do not remain at home, they go to the trinken shop. So jihvā is very, very strong. And another thing I have seen, that they pass urine on the street. Because they are habituated to drink too much, they pass urine without any shame. So this is the first important sense, jihvā. Ekata is... First the jihvā is attracting me.
As soon as he's caught up, that... Similarly, other animal... Just like the deer is very fond of hearing nice music. The hunters play very nice music, and they come to hear, and he kills. So one is losing the life for strong tongue dictation, one is losing life for ear, and the elephant is captured by sex. You cannot capture elephant; it is very strong animal. But there is trained she-elephant. She allures the male elephant, and for sex the male elephant follows, and tactfully the elephant is put into a hole. He falls down. Then he is captured. Then for life he becomes a slave. Such a big animal, so strong, but by the trick of human being he becomes slave. So similarly, there is analysis. The one particular animal is strongly under the influence of a particular sense, but so far we human being, we are such a big animal that we are servant of all the senses. All the senses. An animal is servant of one sense, but the rational animal, because they are rational, rascal, rational... What is rationality? They cannot see even that "The animal is servant of one sense, and because I am rational animal, I have become servant of all the senses. I am utilizing my rationality in that way."
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is describing the same thing, tvaṁ vāyur agnir avaniḥ. The same thing, kṣitir āp tej marud vyoma. Vāyu. Kṛṣṇa is air. Kṛṣṇa is fire. Kṛṣṇa is earth. Kṛṣṇa is water. Kṛṣṇa is sky. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Even the small, very, very minute particle, atom, that is also Kṛṣṇa. So if we always remember like that, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be very, very strong and established. That is wanted. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhi nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). Why people come here? You have seen while you are walking, a devotee. He was taking the dust, Rāmaṇ Reti, and putting on his head. This is Vṛndāvana—the dust. Vṛndāvana dust is also Kṛṣṇa. Vṛndāvana dust is also Kṛṣṇa. So ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeṣa-tanaya tad dhāmaṁ vṛndāvanam. This is the verdict of the ācāryas. Vrajendra-nandana, Hari, Kṛṣṇa, He is worshipable, everyone knows. But His dhāma, Vṛndāvana, is also as good as Kṛṣṇa. It is also worshipable.
| Page Title: | Very strong (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 15 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=134, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 134 |