The whole Vedic knowledge is infallible. There are different examples how we take Vedic knowledge as infallible. Take for example, so far the Hindus are concerned, and how they accept the Vedic knowledge as complete, here is an insignificant example. Just like the cow dung. The cow dung is the stool of an animal. According to smṛti or Vedic wisdom, if one touches the stool of an animal he has to take his bath to purify himself. But in the Vedic scriptures the cow dung is as stated as pure. Rather, impure place or impure things are purified by touch of the cow dung. Now if one argues how it is that in one place it is said that the stool of the animal is impure and another place it is said that the cow dung which is also the stool of an animal, it is pure, so it is contradictory. But actually, it may appear to be contradictory, but because it is Vedic injunction, therefore for our practical purposes we accept it. And by that acceptance we are not committing mistake. It has been found by modern chemists, modern science, one Dr. Lal Mohan Gosal, he has very minutely analyzed the cow dung and he has found that cow dung is a composition of all antiseptic properties. So similarly, he has also analyzed the water of the Ganges out of curiosity. So my idea is that Vedic knowledge is complete because it is above all doubts and all mistakes. So, and Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is therefore infallible. It comes down through the perfect disciplic succession.
Cow Dung (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like several times I have told you that cow dung. Cow dung is, according to Vedic injunction, is pure. In India it is actually used as antiseptic. In villages especially, there is large quantity of cow dung, and they're, all over the house they have smeared to make the house antiseptic. And actually after smearing cow dung in your room, when it is dried, you'll find refreshed, everything antiseptic. It is practical experience. And one Dr. Ghosh, a great chemist, he examined cow dung, that why cow dung is so much important in the Vedic literature? He found that cow dung contains all the antiseptic properties. In Āyur-veda, cow dung dried and burned into ashes is used as toothpowder. It is very antiseptic toothpowder.
According to Vedic system, even after passing my own stool, evacuating, I have to take bath. And what to speak of others' stool. That is the system. So stool is impure. One, after touching stool, he must take bath. This is Vedic injunction. But in another place it is said that the stool of the cow is pure, and if cow dung is applied in some impure place, it will be pure. Now, by your argument, you can say that "The stool of an animal is impure. Why it is said in one place pure and in another place impure? This is contradiction." But this is not contradiction. You practically make experiment. You take cow dung and apply anywhere, you'll find it is pure. Immediately purified. So this is Vedic injunction. They are perfect knowledge.
In one place it is said that the stool of the cow is pure. Now if you argue that one place you say that the stool of an animal is impure, even your own stool if you touch you have to take bath, how is that another animal's stool is pure? This is superficially contradiction. But those who are following strictly the Vedic principles, they will accept that the stool of cow or cow dung is pure. Now, if you argue, "Why it is pure?" then you come to a modern chemical analysis, and you will find the cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. It has been examined in Calcutta by one doctor, Rajmohan(?) Bose. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is so perfect.
Just like I gave you the example: Vedic knowledge says sometimes contradictory. Just like cow dung, stool of an animal, is pure. And if you analyze, you will find it is pure. So our process of acquiring knowledge is from the Vedas. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). And what is the purpose of the Vedas? Why Vedic knowledge is perfect? Because it is spoken by God. God is perfect, and whatever He speaks, that is perfect. Therefore God is called "God is good." All-good. Whatever He does, whatever He speaks, everything is good, perfect.
People sometimes say: "Is it Vedic instruction, that I have to accept it without argument?" Actually, that is Vedic instruction. Just like, for example, the Vedas says cow dung is pure. Now actually we are accepting, those who are following the Vedic principles, they accept cow dung as pure. Actually, it is pure. But if we argue: "How is that, that animal stool is impure, even human stool is impure. How cow dung, which is stool of another animal, is pure?" It is contrary. But actually, we accept.
The Vedas says the stool of an animal is impure, but in another place it says that the stool of the cow animal is pure. So apparently we find contradiction. But still, because we accept the authority of the Vedas, therefore we accept the statement also. We accept the bone of the conchshell, and we accept the stool of cow as pure. That is acceptance of authority. You cannot argue. Even though it appears it is contradictory, you cannot argue.
Dhīra, those who are intelligent and sober, they are called dhīra, not disturbed mind, not rascals. Rascals cannot understand. Therefore the very word is used, dhīra. What is the meaning, dhīra? Dhīra, "the sober," those who have got brain substance, not cow dung. You see? They can understand. Therefore one has to become intelligent, dhīra. For spiritual understanding we have to create the favorable circumstances.
Just like when I was walking near the cowshed, heaps of, piles of cow dung was there. So I was explaining to my followers that if such heaps of animal, I mean to say, man stool was heaped up here, nobody would come here. Nobody would come here. But the cow dung, there are so much heaps of cow dung, still, we find it pleasure to go through it. And in the Vedas it is said, "Cow dung is pure." This is called śāstra. If you argue, "How it can, it has become pure? It is an animal stool." But the Vedas, they... Because the knowledge is perfect, that even in argument we cannot prove how animal stool becomes pure, but it is pure. Therefore Vedic knowledge is perfect.
So the Vedic knowledge is called śruti. You have to learn things beyond your perception simply by hearing from the authorities. So Vedic knowledge is the authority. Why we accept Vedas as authority? Because there is the perfect knowledge. I have discussed so many times the authority of the Vedas, accepting cow dung as pure although animal stool is impure. But Vedas accept that cow dung is pure; we accept it. Cow dung is pure. This is called śruti-pramāṇa. Śruti-pramāṇa means the real knowledge, perfect knowledge, is coming from the supreme perfect, Kṛṣṇa.
So such temporary benediction is meant for the alpa-medhasām, one whose brain substance is very small, or the brain substance, instead of brain substance, it's cow dung. They attempt, they accept in this way; otherwise every śāstra says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). One..., all the Vedic literatures, they aim at understanding Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up all these things. Simply surrender unto Me." It is so easy.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Again Veda says that the stool of cow is pure. Now, you will say, "Oh, this is contradictory. Sometimes it is said pure, and sometimes... This cow is also animal. First of all, you said that the stool of any animal is impure, and again you say the cow dung, the stool of another animal, is pure." It is fact. It is pure. So if we accept the standard perfect knowledge from the Vedas, or one who knows the Vedas, then our knowledge is perfect.
"This form of the Personality of Godhead is worshiped by the intelligent class of men." Su-medhasaḥ. Su means very good, and medhasaḥ means brain, brain substance. One who has got very good brain substance, they will understand this saṅkīrtana movement nicely. Just like in our India, especially in Bengal, sometimes they say a dull-brained man, "Oh, you have got cow dung within your brain. You have no brain substance." Actually a man becomes intelligent by the greater amount of brain substance. It is a psychological fact.
Just like in the Vedas it is stated that the stool of animal is impure. And if one touches stool, he must take bathing. But in the Vedas it is also stated that the cow dung, which is also the stool of an animal, that is pure. And still, at least those who are Vedic followers, they take cow dung as pure. Anywhere impure, they smear with cow dung. And that is fact also. Cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. It has been analyzed. So the Vedas gives us injunction both ways that stool is impure but this stool is pure. And those who are followers of Vedas, they accept both.
Just like the cow dung is the stool of an animal, but the Vedic literature confirms that cow dung is pure. Now, you cannot argue, "It is stool of an animal. In one place you have condemned that if you touch the stool of an animal, you have to take bath thrice, and now you say cow dung, which is also stool of an animal, it is pure. Where is your argument?" You have to accept. That is called theism. Because the Vedas says, without any argument, you accept it.
Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons-sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is intelligence.
The atheist and, and theist. The theist believes in the Vedic injunction. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is theist. Not that "I believe in God." They must believe in the injunction of the Vedas; what is said in the Vedas, one must believe. That is called theist. As we have given several times the example: the Vedas says that cow dung is pure. One who believes in that, he is theist. And one who does not believe in the words of the Vedas, they want to change, they want to misinterpret, interpolate, they are atheists. Bhagavad-gītā, anyone misinterpreting, giving wrong interpretation, or according to his concocted inter..., they are atheists.
Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Su-medhasaḥ means good brain, and alpa-medhas means rascal, less brain substance. Sometimes we say, chastise, that "Your brain, your, this skull, filled up with cow dung. There is no brain substance." So those whose brains are filled up with cow dung, they want to exploit this material world. It is impossible. It is not possible. Under certain pleas only, that "This political party will give you better chance for exploiting." But you cannot do that. It is not possible. This is called māyā.
So ass politician, ass family man, ass community leader. So... All asses, mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ. All asses. They'll not surrender to Kṛṣṇa to get relief. They'll work like ass. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They have no brain, alpa-medhasaḥ. No brain substance. Filled up with cow dung. And those who have got real brain, then, for them it is recommended: saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ.
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
- yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
Oh, one who has got brain, he catches Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. And simply worship by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is brain substance. All cow dung.
So Vedic knowledge should be accepted as it is. Don't try to comment. If you go on commenting with your teeny brain, then you will never be able to achieve the success. That is the process. Vedavān. I have given you several times this example, that in the Vedas it is said that cow dung is pure, although it is the stool of an animal. We accept: "Yes, it is pure." And actually you find, yes, it is pure. If you analyze, you'll find all antiseptic properties.
Those who are, brain substance is not very much in good quantity... Brain substance, instead of brain substance, there is cow-dung. Such people go to worship the other demigods. There is no necessity. There is no necessity. Of course, we do not show any disrespect to any demigods. We offer all respect. But we do not accept that Kṛṣṇa and all other demigods are on the same level, as the Māyāvādī says, that "Either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or chant 'Durgā Durgā,' 'Kālī Kālī,' it is the same." This is rascaldom.
Those who have got brain substance, not cow dung, they will take this process, yajñaiḥ. Let everyone chant Hare Kṛṣṇa home to home. Whatever they have got, all right. Just begin chanting. Just see what happens. We are trying to introduce this chanting. But the rascals will not take it. What can be done? There is no loss if they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa worldwide. Where is the loss? But still, they will not. And everything can be had. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Mahī.
Everything you'll understand, provided you have got the brain. If you have got a dull brain, filled up with cow dung, that is another thing. If there is brain substance, then you'll be able. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Alpa-medhasām and su-medhasām, they are two words in the Vedic language. Medhā means brain substance. So one who has got su-medhā, nice brain substance, they will understand something. And one who has got no brain substance but cow dung, they will understand something else. So we are selecting, or even if he is filled up with cow dung, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness education, we can make him su-medhā, fine brain. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Even one is filled up with cow dung, su-medhā.
So this is for everyone. Don't think that "Only the culprit is President Nixon, and we are, I am very safe." There is a Bengali proverb: ghuṇṭe pore gobar hase.(?) Gobar means cow dung, and ghuṇṭe means... What is called in English? The dried cow dung. So dried cow dung is used for fuel. So when the dry cow dung is being burned into the oven, the safe oven is laughing, "Oh, you are being burned. I am in safe side." (laughter) He does not know that when he'll be dry, he'll be put into the fire also. So we are laughing that "President Nixon is in trouble. I am very safe. I have got so much bank balance." No, nobody's safe. They... As like the same, cow dung soft. When it will be dried up, it will be put into the fire. And that dryness will come to everyone. That is a fact.
This is the most wonderful thing. That is, that was questioned by Dharmarāja to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" He said, ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam: "Every moment so many people are dying." Śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param: "But those who are living, he thinks that 'My friend has died, but I will live forever.' " No. The same thing. The soft cow dung will be dried up, and the same condition.
That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tad bhavati alpa-medhasaḥ. Alpa-medhasaḥ means there is no brain substance—filled up with cow dung. So one should be su-medhasaḥ. Su-medhasaḥ, nice brain substance. So those who are su-medhasaḥ means with good brain substance, they perform yajñair saṅkīrtanair by saṅkīrtana yajña, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just see the effect of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This yajña being performed all over the world. How quickly they are capturing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like this cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. So the stool of an animal is most impure thing. As soon as you touch. Even your own stool. You may be very learned scholar or devotee, but that does not meant you can touch your own stool and remain purified. No. Immediately you have to take bath. Even his own, what to speak of others'. But in the Vedic instruction we see that the cow dung, it is the stool of an animal also, lower animal than the man, and it is pure, it is said. So you have to accept pure. No argument that "Such stool is impure, even my spiritual master's stool is also impure. How is that that animal cow dung is pure?" But because it is in the Vedas it is said pure, you have to accept.
As soon as some time goes away, so many rascals come and they interpret Bhagavad-gītā in their own rascaldom way. That is lost. Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Therefore I am advising you again. You take it. So if we take Bhagavad-gītā in that way—or any śāstra—through the paramparā channel, then it is all right. Just like this example. This is Vedic instruction, Vedic order: "Yes, cow dung is pure." We have to take it. This is paramparā. "Yes, conchshell is pure. Although it is bone, never mind. It is pure." The order.
We are not brainwashing; we are clearing the brain. The rascal brain is full with cow dung. We are clearing. You see? That is our movement. But these rascals are understanding that we are enforcing some idea. What to speak of others, even in our country they do not believe that there is God. Nowadays, not formerly. We have become so rascal: "There is no God," "There is no...," "These are all," what is called, "mythology." "These are mythology ideas—there is God and there is sin, there is pious activities." Big, big sannyāsīs, they are asking that "Don't care for all this, 'There is God, there is sinful, there is pious.' You can do whatever you like because you are yourself God. This is... There is no pāpa-puṇya. You are immune from pāpa-puṇya because you are God."
We want practical test." So śāstra-cakṣuṣaḥ. This is the injunction, śāstra. Here is śāstra, that the incarnation of God, even He passes stool, it is fragrant. He can do it. That is God. That practically you can see, that the cow dung... Cow dung, you can make a stack of cow dung here. It will never disturb you. You'll, rather, feel pleasure, passing through that portion of field where cow dung is stacked. You'll never feel any disturbance because it is pure. Cow dung... We have discussed this point many times. Where it is impure, that it makes pure. In Indian villages, still they use cow dung for smearing over the floor, and it becomes very nice, fresh, and purified. That is injunction of the śāstra, that cow dung is pure. So if by the will of Kṛṣṇa, by the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa, even an animal's stool can become so purified, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa's stool?
Just like Vedas says that if you touch stool, immediately you have to take your bath. You have become impure. This is Vedic injunction. If you touch bone, then you have become impure. You have to take your bath immediately, full. Then Vedas say, "Now, the stool of cow is pure, cow dung." Now, with your reason you can say, "First of all you said that stool is impure, and as soon as you touch you must take your bathing. Otherwise you remain impure. So another stool, cow stool, you say pure? This is contradiction. You say that the bone is impure, and you are keeping the bone in the Deity's room?" The conchshell is bone. You know this conchshell is a bone of an animal. So it is being used in the Deity room, and the cow dung is also used in the Deity room. Even Kṛṣṇa is smearing His whole body with cow dung. You know Kṛṣṇa's līlā. So if you say, argue, with your poor knowledge, then it becomes contradiction.
Now, stool, in one place it is said that "It is impure. If you touch, then you have to take your bath." In another place it is said, "This stool, particular, the cow dung, is pure. Cow dung is pure. If there is any impure place, if you smear over it cow dung, then it is pure." That is also injunction of the Vedas. Now, you cannot argue that "One place you say that this stool is impure, and another place you say this is pure. This is contradiction." Sometimes people find this contradiction. But you have to accept because it is injunction of the Vedas. That you are doing practically every day.
This is acceptance of Vedas, without any argument. And if you want to know why one is accepted pure and one is accepted impure, if you make, I mean to say, research, you will find that the Vedic injunction is right. Take for..., this cow dung. Perhaps, you doctor, know, that one Dr. Lalman Ghosh in Calcutta, he analyzed this cow dung and he was a professor in the medical college. He has declared that cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. So Vedic injunction is... That is right. But sometimes it appears to be contradictory. But we cannot judge how it is so contradictory. We have to accept like that. That is the following of Vedic rules.
Vedas, as I gave you the example, that in the Vedas you will find that stools are considered as impure, stool of some animal, but Vedas says that "This stool, the cow stool, is pure." So there is no argument that "Once you said that stool of animal is impure, and another time you say that this stool is pure. Once you said that all bones of animals are impure; again you say that śaṅkha, conchshell... This is also a bone of an animal. You say it is pure." So there cannot be any argument. Veda says, "This is this; this is that." We have to accept it. That is the following of religion.
So in the gurukula they should live just to be trained up how to control the senses. Brahmacārī. Brahmacārī mean life of celibacy, no sex. That is brahmacārī, strictly. Brahmacārati iti brahmacārī. So ordinary brain or brain with cow dung, they cannot understand the spiritual science. Therefore the brahmacārī should be trained up how to control the senses. Then they will be able to understand. The brain will be sharp.
In India the cow dung is accepted as pure, although the Vedic injunction is that if you touch stool of an animal, you have to take bath to purify yourself, cleanse yourself. Of course, we see in New York City that the stool of dog is thrown all over the street, and we are touching, but we have no opportunity to take bath. But it is according to Vedic injunction, if you touch stool of an animal, then you have to take bath immediately. Therefore this is a system.
But the Veda says the stool of cow is purified. The stool of cow is purified. Now, practically, in India they accept it, and it has been found by chemical examination that the cow dung contains all antiseptic properties. That is a fact. One Dr. Goshal, he analyzed in his laboratory, "Why this Vedic injunction is the stool of cow or cow dung is pure?" So he analyzed, and he found it that the stool of cow, cow dung, is full of antiseptic properties. So this is called faith or theistic, to take the injunction of the scripture as it is, without any information. That is called āstikyam.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
You cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā. Any Vedic knowledge, you cannot interpret. Then there is no authority of the Vedic knowledge. For example... We give it very constantly. Just like cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. But Vedas says, "It is pure." The Vedas, in one place, says that "Stool of an animal is impure." We accept it. As soon as we touch stool, even my own stool. I have to take bath immediately to purify myself. But the Vedas says that the stool of cow is pure. We take it to the Deity room and smear it. This is Vedic followers. No interpretation. When it is stated in the Vedas, it is true, fact, perfect, without any defect. That is called Vedic knowledge.
Now, if you read the Vedas, you'll find some contradiction. Not contradiction. But to the neophyte, it appears to be contradiction. Just like we have cited the example that animal stool is impure, but cow dung is pure. So by logic you can say that "Cow dung is also the stool of an animal. How it becomes pure?" But in Vedas you'll find such things. Therefore by simple studying, without surrendering yourself to the spiritual master, you'll find all these contradictions and you'll be bewildered. Śrutayo vibhinnā. They are not vibhinnā. But to our limited knowledge, sometimes they appear as vibhinnam, different.
Just like we have several times explained, the Vedas accept the cow dung pure, whereas the stool of other animal is impure. So we have to accept like that. So Veda-vāṇī. Veda-vāṇī means you cannot deny it. You cannot argue on it. You have to accept as it is. Therefore learned scholar, when he speaks something, he gives evidence from the Vedas, śruti, śruti-pramāṇa. That is the best evidence.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Just we have given the example of cow dung. The cow dung is stated as purest. In one place it is stated that "Stool of animal is impure. If anyone touches, he will have to take his bath and then purify himself." But for cow dung it is stated, "If there is any impure place, just smear over it cow dung and it will be all nice." Now, argument is, "How is that, that one place you say that stool of animal is impure, and again one place you say cow dung is pure?" That is not contradiction. That is actually the fact. And modern scientists have analyzed cow dung, and he has found it is full of antiseptic properties. It is God's wish. Now, take for example cow. What cow eating? Grass, dry grass. And what it is producing? It is producing the nicest thing, milk, full of vitamins. Now, if you think, "Oh, then a dry grass and straw contains all vitamins. Let me eat," you will die. You will die. It is God's arrangement.
Just like we go to evacuate in the bathroom and, after evacuating, you have to take bath. This is the system to become cleansed. This is Vedic system. But again the Vedas says that if you touch the cow dung, the stool of cow or another animal, oh, it is pure. Rather, if you are impure, by touching cow dung, you'll be purified. Now here is contradiction, that you... The Vedas says that if you touch the stool of any animal, then you become infected—you have to take bath, cleanse yourself. And again you say that cow dung, which is also stool of another animal, if you touch it, then you'll be purified. Now, if you put your argument, "Oh, this is contradictory. So Veda is full of contradiction," no, it is not contradiction. It is fact. One doctor, Mr., Dr. Goshal, he is a medical college chemist. He analyzed this cow dung and found all antiseptic properties in cow dung. So this is Vedic injunction. Whatever is there, it is already tested, it is already experimented. You have simply to accept. Don't try to argue. This is acceptance of Vedānta-sūtra.
The two words are used in the śāstra, alpa-medhasaḥ and sumedhasaḥ. Medha means brain substance. So those who have got brain substance, they are called sumedhasaḥ, and those who have no brain substance, filled up with cow dung, they are called alpa-medhasaḥ. So this distinction I made in Chicago. It made a very great agitation because I discriminated that men are found to have more brain substance than the woman.
The axiomatic truth, as I have given you several times example that cow dung is pure... Now, your reason is, "Oh, you say the Vedic injunction that if you touch stool of any animal you have to take your bath, purify yourself. And the Vedic injunction says cow dung is pure. Oh, this is contradictory." No. Not contradictory. This is injunction. People are actually accepting this, no argument, and they are benefited by it.
Festival Lectures
Our system, if you do not accept the Vedic knowledge through guru-paramparā system, it is useless. You cannot manufacture an interpretation of the Vedic language. Just like cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. Vedic injunction is that if you touch cow dung..., any stool of an animal, you have to take immediately bath and purify yourself. But the Vedic injunction is also that cow dung can purify any impure place. Especially we Hindus, we accept it. Now by reason it is contradictory. The stool of an animal is impure, and the Vedic injunction is cow dung is pure. Actually we accept cow dung as pure to purify any place. Out of panca-gavya the cow dung is there, cow urine is there.
Those who have got brain substance, not dull, filled up with cow dung, they cannot understand what is the saṅkīrtana-yajña. But śāstra says, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: "Those who have got nice brain substance, they can perform this yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña." Then it fulfills the injunction of the Bhagavad-gītā, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma.
General Lectures
Spiritual knowledge is also a science. It is not sentiment; it is science. Now, if you like, you can make research work whether this is fact. Just like this cow dung. You may think that "This is contradiction. In one place it is said that stool of an animal is impure; now here it is again said that cow dung is pure. It is contradiction." So if you like, you can make analysis. But you accept the Vedic injunction as it is—you save so much time, that's all, and immediately become advanced.
Just like for practical life I will say some examples, that cow dung. In India cow dung is accepted as very pure. So in one place of the Vedic injunction you will find that "Any stool of animal is impure." That's a fact. Everyone knows. Even your own stool, what to speak of other animals'—impure. But in another place says, "Exception is given to the cow's stool, cow dung. That is pure." It is so pure that if you apply on some impure place, it becomes pure. That's a fact. In India still, especially in villages, they mop the floor with cow dung, and it is so nice and so fresh. You can try. Here also there are cows. You take cow dung and you can see how it is antiseptic. We are actually doing in America in our New Vrindaban. We are maintaining cows there, protecting cows, because cow protection is one of the items for Kṛṣṇa consciousness people. Especially Kṛṣṇa is worshiped,
- namo brahmaṇya-devāya
- go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca
- jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya
- govindāya namo namaḥ
He is immediately referred that "You are brahmaṇya-deva go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, the benedictor of the cows and the brāhmaṇas." Why? Jagad... "Next You are benedictor to the general people in the world. First the go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca." Why? Why Kṛṣṇa should be especially interested with go and brāhmaṇa? These are things. Now, when Kṛṣṇa was child, He was crawling. This is His pastime. By crawling He used to go to the cowshed and catch one calf's tail, and the calf will drag Him and smear His body in cow dung. He enjoyed it. So cow dung is actually so pure. You can test it. One chemical analyzer in Calcutta, Dr. Lal Madhavi(?) Ghosh, he tested. He found all antiseptic properties, although it is stool. So that is the nature of Vedic injunction. You accept it. You are benefited. You save the time. Whatever is stated in the Vedas, if you accept, then you don't require to make research how to find out God or how to find out yourself. Everything is there simply if you accept it. Not blindly. If you want to test it, you can test. Just like this cow dung. In the Vedas it is said it is pure, but if you want to test chemically, you will find it pure. That is Vedic injunction.
What is stated in the Vedas, they are true. We can save our time. For example, just like the cow dung. The cow dung is said in the Vedas as pure. So if we accept cow dung as pure, we don't require to make research. But actually it is pure. The other day I was passing through a cow shed in Hyderabad. So, so much cow dung stocked there. So I was asking my students, "Suppose so much human stool was stocked here. Could we pass through it?" No, it is not possible. But it was pleasant to pass through. So this is a fact. If we argue that animal stool... (aside:) Stop. Stop him. Don't make noise. ...the animal stool is impure, but when the Vedas says the animal stool of the cow is pure, so this is, this true.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: That's using an example that five hundred years ago, when we had no microscopes, we had no idea...
Prabhupāda: But the knowledge was there. That is Vedic knowledge. Knowledge was there. Just like five millions of years ago there was no scientist (indistinct), analytical laboratory. But the Vedic knowledge is that cow dung is pure. Now you analyze at the present moment scientifically you'll find yes, it is pure. So wherefrom this knowledge came? There is no need of scientist if this knowledge was there. That is Vedic knowledge.
Śyāmasundara: So does that mean they have no knowledge about leaves?
Prabhupāda: No. They may have partial knowledge, I mean to say, perfect knowledge. Just like the same example: cow dung is the stool of an animal, but it is stated in the Vedic language, Vedic literature, that it is pure. Now if you analyze it, as modern scientifically in the laboratory, you will find it is pure. Therefore all perfect knowledge was there in the Vedas. So whatever is stated there in the Vedas, that is perfect knowledge. There may be botanists or no botanists; the knowledge is there.
Prabhupāda: That we see... He's going... He's going... Veda is accept by everyone. All learned scholar. Who can decry Vedas? Only the rascals will decry Vedas. Otherwise... Just like in our country, India, all the big ācāryas, they accept Vedas as the basic principle. So who can decry? Veda says that the stool of cow is pure, and it is accepted. Everyone. All Hindus, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and the ācāryas, they accept that cow dung is pure. Why? Veda says. In another place, Veda says that "Stool of any animal is impure," but this stool is pure. So we haven't got discrimination. We accept that. Other animal stool is impure. But the cow dung, the stool of cow, we immediately accept as pure, and we apply it in our Deity room and make is purified. That is Veda. You cannot contradict . You cannot argue Vedas.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the world, he calls it the stuff of duty, the world is made up of the stuff of duty.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Stuff of duty, because duty means you are abiding by the superior order, that is duty. So we accept Vedas, the superior order. When it is stated, order in the Vedas, then we accept. That example we have given several times, if the Veda says that cow dung is pure. Once it is said that any stool of animal is impure. Then Veda says, "No, cowdung is pure." So you cannot argue that once you said that stool of animal is impure, how you say that cowdung is pure? You cannot contradict. You will have to accept it because it is order of the Vedas.
Prabhupāda: We see God in everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). That is intelligence. And Rūpa Goswami said that prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ, that there is everything is related with God. If we think, "This is matter, this is spirit," that is my speculation. That we have to see how God is there and how everything... Material means when you forget God. That is material.
Hayagrīva: Yet we concentrate on the personality of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: But that is..., that requires little brain. Those who are less intelligent or those practically no brain, simply cow dung, for them it is little difficult. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to cleanse this cow dung and make the brain pure. Then he will understand. Otherwise he is thinking God, "A person like me." But God is not like that. God is goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto (Bs. 5.37). He is person. He is in Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is dancing with gopīs, playing with the cowherd boys—still He is everywhere.
| Page Title: | Cow Dung (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, Rishab, Serene |
| Created: | 24 of Dec, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=54, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 54 |