Religion means to become well-behaved, to abide... Just like good citizen means well-behaved, to abide by the state laws. So first thing is religion, to learn how to become God conscious. This is the first business of human society. But they have rejected religion. They have become secular. Secular..., what does it mean secular? It means don't care for any kind of religion; Just work very hard for economic development day and night. This is the modern civilization. No. That is misleading. From the very beginning of life. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja advised, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). The boys... He was five-years-old boy. He said, "My dear..." He was preaching amongst his class friend. This is Vaiṣṇavism. Even a five... Just like our Sarasvatī, Śyāmasundara's daughter. She also preaches. She goes sometimes, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" If somebody says, "No, I do not know"—"The Supreme Personality of Godhead." You see? This is natural. Simply one has to be given the chance. Because this, I mean to say, small girl has got the chance to live amongst Kṛṣṇa conscious people from the very birth, she's developing that "Oh, I shall also preach. I shall also preach." Developing. Similarly, advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you will be, I mean to say, pushed how to preach, how to preach. That is one of the signs. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. If you have heard nicely about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then you must... Next stage is kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means preaching, chanting. Kīrtanam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23).
Daughter (Lectures, SB)
Expressions researched:
"daughter"
|"daughter's"
|"daughters"
- VedaBase query: daughter* not "son* and daughter*" not "daughter* in law*" not "daughter* of"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Prabhupāda: Vaiṣṇavī?
Devotee: Yes. You gave my daughter the name Vaiṣṇavī.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Pradyumna: It is...
Prabhupāda: "Associated with Vaiṣṇava."
Devotee: I saw in Kṛṣṇa book two you explained that Vaiṣṇavī is another name of Yogamāyā.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You do not like? (laughter) Yes. So let your daughter become a Durgā. Why you are afraid of? So now no more talking. (end)
"My dear wife, now I have served so much. Let me take sannyāsa now," the wife will never give permission. She will say, "What you have done? I have got to do so many things. Your, this son is not yet settled up; this daughter is not yet married. How you can take sannyāsa? So you cannot do." So actually, he is the servant of the wife, but he is thinking, "I am master of the family." This is called māyā. And any religious system on the platform of this false understanding is also cheating.
Therefore it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. Kaitavaḥ means cheating, which is not dharma, which is not the characteristic. The characteristic is that I am eternally servant of God. So instead of serving God, if I serve the dog, that is called cheating religion. Nobody is meant for serving a dog, but because I am servant, if I haven't got sufficient engagement as servant of God, then I keep a dog to serve him.
Mātrā means mother, with mother. Svasrā, with sister. Duhitrā, with daughter. Nāviviktāsano bhavet, "Never sit down in a lonely place even with your mother, even with your sister, or even with your daughter." Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ, the indriya-grāmaḥ, all the senses, especially the sex, is so strong that vidvāṁsam api karṣati, even one is very learned, very well educated, still he is attracted. Therefore our... This is the basic principle of our conditioned life, the sex. We are in this material world... Material world means to get this material body, and material body means subjected to the tribulations of material nature. This is called conditioned life. As soon as you get a material body, you have to undergo the pains of pleasures of this. No pleasures, all pains. You have to undergo, this is subjected. Mātrā-sparśa.
Nārada Muni was teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. Because she was pregnant and she was being taken away by Indra and others, Nārada Muni rescued her, and because her husband was defeated and he fled away... He underwent severe austerities, "How to defeat these demigods?" So Nārada Muni took compassion upon this lady, and he told, "My dear daughter, you come with me. You live in my hermitage until your husband comes back."
So he was instructing daily. It is the business of saintly person, whoever comes to him, he would give him instruction about spiritual knowledge. So he was instructing Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. But the mother, less intelligent woman... But Prahlāda Mahārāja took all the instruction and became a perfect devotee. He has admitted. When his friends inquired from him, "My dear Prahlāda, you are the son of a king and you do not go outside your palace, and we are sent here in this school, teaching. Our teacher is the same. How you have learned all these nice things?"
So that girl has grown up now nineteen years. At that time she was on the lap of her mother. So I said, "Oh, your daughter has grown up so much." She has changed so many bodies. But that body which I saw in 1955, that does not exist. Where is the illogical? That body is not existing, but the girl is there, and mother, father, "Yes, yes, she is my daughter, that daughter which you saw so little." The body has changed so many times.
So similarly, when I shall give up this body, I must have another body. And Kṛṣṇa says tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is called saṁsāra. The saṁsāra means repetition of different bodies. That is called saṁsāra.
Sarva-yoniṣu means 8,400,000 species of forms. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). There are as many forms. Tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. He says aham, "I am. I am the seed-giving father." Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). "Every living entity, they are My part and parcel, as the sons, daughters, they are part and parcel of the father." Therefore in some religion God is addressed as the supreme father. Actually, He is supreme father.
So as it is our duty to enjoy the property of the father, similarly, it is our duty to love the supreme father. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it cannot be checked. Ahaituky apratihatā. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati. Everyone is wanting peace of mind. Ātmā. Ātmā means body, ātmā means mind, ātmā means the soul. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati. Prasīdati means "becomes satisfied," and su means "very much." So unless you learn this art, how to love God, you cannot be happy.
The dog is engaged always for eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. The hog is also engaged always searching after where is food. Although the food is stool, he is busy. And as soon as his body is little strong by eating stool, immediately sex life, without any distinction whether it is mother or sister or daughter. It doesn't matter. This is hog's life, by nature's example.
That, these rascal people, they do not know. They are trying to enjoy this body. The body, there are senses... So they are satisfied... The same thing. Just like hog. He has forgotten that he has got a body of hog so that he is bound to eat stool and live in a filthy place, but because he has got the facility of sense gratification with other female hogs—never mind whether sister, mother or daughter—he is happy. This hog's life. The hog is satisfied. It doesn't matter. We are seeing that what is the abominable condition, in a filthy place, he is eating stool. We are conscious that what is the condition of his life, but he is very happy. "Oh," you see, "what a very nice, happy, very life. I am eating very nicely the first-class food and having sex without any restriction. This is life."
He was present in the house of 16,000 wives by 16,000 forms. Every, each and every wife had palatial building, establishment. Each wife had ten sons. Not that because He has married 16,000, He cannot meet all of them. No. So that is Kṛṣṇa; He is God. But even common man... Just like Kṛṣṇa's father, he had also sixteen wives. Kṛṣṇa is one wife's son. Vasudeva... Subhadrā is another wife's daughter. Balarāma is another wife's son. So in order to stop this rascaldom, that a human, I mean to say, man, he's allowed: "Marry them. Keep them nicely. Give them apartment. Give them nice food, nice dress, nice ornament. You enjoy." But rascaldom means "No, without responsibility I shall make phish, phish, phish" that's all.
So this rascaldom, so long the rascaldom is not gone, illicit sex, intoxication... These are called anartha. Anartha. Unnecessarily they have created this atmosphere, illicit sex, intoxication. What is the use of intoxication? There is no need. Just like in our society there is no intoxication. We don't take tea, we don't smoke.
Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanyā-dāna. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulīna brāhmaṇa.
So anartha. We should not create in the society anarthas, unwanted disturbances. The unwanted disturbance is illicit sex. And meat-eating. Meat-eating... Why one should eat meat? No animal foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa has given so many nice things. Produce. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Kṛṣṇa never says, māṁsād bhavanti bhūtāni, matsyād bhavanti bhūtāni. Never says. Annād. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested.
Then the hog would have been the first-class devotee. (laughter) Because he has enjoyed sense gratification without any restriction, without caring for mother, sister, or daughter. Then the hog would have gotten the first-class certificate to become a devotee. That is not... Of course, they think like that, rascaldom, that "Let us finish our sense gratificatory process. Then we shall think of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is rascaldom. You have to give up. Not that... What is that? Haviṣa kṛtam(?)... Or what is that verse? That if you pour ghee on the fire it will increase; it will not decrease. You have to stop. So they put this argument. Especially in India, they are thinking that "Now, first of all, we have to become Americans. And then we shall think of Kṛṣṇa." This is rascaldom. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
What is that difficulty? We don't eat meat, and instead we get nice other food. So what is the difficulty? If we don't become hogs and enjoy senses like hogs without discrimination of mother, sister and daughter, if we become attached to one wife and enjoy life, what is the difficulty? No, although I have got my wife, I am implicated with others' wives; I have got husband, I am implicated with others' husbands. No tapasya. They are not prepared for any kind of tapasya. They want cats' and dogs' lives. Therefore their next life is waiting, cats and dogs.
So this is the position. Nara-nārāyaṇa, They underwent severe penances just like Dhruva Mahārāja. But in this age it is not possible. But at least observe these short penances, little penances, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and make your life successful. What is the difficulty? But we are not still prepared.
Sense enjoyment is there amongst the hogs—better facility. No restriction. No restriction. In human society at least there is official some restriction. Mātrā svasrā duhitrā. All śāstra says, "There is no..." But there are societies—we do not want to discuss—who have sex relationship even with mother, sister, and daughter. Still. But it was formerly also. Not like that, very common. But śāstra says, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhavet (SB 9.19.17). "You do not sit down in a secluded place even with your mother, with your sister, with your daughter." So people may say, "One becomes agitated by association of mother, sister, and daughter, many fools or most degraded." No. Śāstra says balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. "The senses are so strong that even one is very learned, he becomes agitated." He becomes agitated, even in the presence of mother, sister, and daughter.
The son could understand that "The father is sorry because he was refused the hand of the girl Satyavatī." So he approached father. Not father. He approached the father of Satyavatī, that "Why you are refusing my father?" "No. You are present. How can I offer my daughter?" "No. Even if I am present..." Because the law is the eldest son will be enthroned after the death of the father. So he was eldest son. So Satyavatī's father was hesitating. So Bhīṣmadeva promised that "I will not accept the throne. The child born of Satyavatī, he will accept, he will be given the throne. You give your daughter to my father." He still refused. He still, "Well, our son may be king, but then again, your son will become the king." In this way, he was hesitating. So Bhīṣmadeva immediately promised that "I shall never marry. Don't hesitate." So in this way he induced the fisherman to give his daughter to his father.
Why he has become a mahājana, authority? You can say, "Oh, he's a most sinful. He has seen in his presence, his father is being killed, and he did not protest." You can say so. But because it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, Prahlāda Mahārāja is the most exalted devotee. He's not sinful. The gopīs. The gopīs, they were wives, householder's wife, sister, daughter. So they went at dead of night to dance with Kṛṣṇa. This is sinful according to Vedic injunction. No young girl can go to any young boy without being married. That is Vedic injunction. So practically it was sinful. And... But because it was with Kṛṣṇa, in connection with Kṛṣṇa, they went to dance with Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs are worshiped more than any devotee in the world. Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Gopīs, exalted. Ramyā kacid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. So actually, they did sinful acts, action, by leaving their father, brother or husband and went to Kṛṣṇa at dead of night. They were all young girls. That is, according to Vedic injunction that is sinful. But they are worshiped.
Economic development. What is this nonsense? You are losing yourself. You do not know what life you are going to get next life. You don't care for this. "Never mind whatever life I get. This life I have got. Let me work hard and accumulate money." And where the money will be? "Oh, in the bank. My sons and my daughters will enjoy." This is conception. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Bodily, all bodily conception. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is illusion. This is illusion. Simply working like ass without knowing what is the end of life, what is the destination of life—all asses, all these karmīs. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice. You can understand what is what. Yes. That is knowledge.
So tato dharmaṁ tato dhanam ātmany vikṛte sati kuto dharmaḥ kuto dhanam.(?) But if you do not understand yourself, what you are, then what is the meaning of your religion and your economic development? You do not know what you are.
Don't make that sound. Just like in marriage ceremony. Marriage ceremony... Of course, in your country, the marriage ceremony is different. In India still, the people spend as much as possible in the marriage ceremony, millions of dollars. If one man is rich, he'll spend for his son's marriage or daughter's marriage. That is a great credit. "Oh, this man is very rich man. He's spending so much money." So there are so many religious performances, ritualistic performances. You have to spend money. So you must find out so many performances. So they have all these in the śāstras.
So he purchased some rotten betel nuts with two annas, and washed it and sold it at four annas, or five annas. In this way, again, again, again, that man became so rich man. One of their family members was our Godbrother. Nandi family. That Nandi family still, they have got four hundred, five hundred men to eat daily. A big, aristocratic family. And their family's regulation is as soon as one son or daughter is born, five thousand rupees deposited in the bank, and at the time of his marriage, that five thousand rupees with interest, he can take it. Otherwise there is no more share in the capital. And everyone who lives in the family, he gets eating and shelter. This is their... But the original, I mean to say, establisher of this family, Nandi, he started his business with a red, a dead rat, or mouse.
So here is one reference that Lord Brahmā was pursued by Lord Śiva when Brahmā was running after his beautiful daughter. So similarly, here, Aśvatthāmā, he knew that Arjuna is coming to kill him, so he was running very swiftly. Āpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt. From distant place, when he saw that Arjuna was coming... So dehātma-buddhi. This is the distinction between person in bodily concept of life and person who is liberated from the bodily concept of life. So when Durvāsā Muni cursed or wanted to kill... What is the king? Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. So Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a devotee. Unnecessarily he was harassed by Durvāsā Muni, but because Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a pure devotee, advanced, he was not afraid of being killed. He was not afraid.
This morning I was reading in the Bhāgavatam, one Saubhari Muni, he was a great yogi, and within the water he was executing the yoga, mystic, and he saw that the two fishes are enjoying sex. So he became sexually inclined-old man, yogi. So he went to Māndhātā king, that "You give me one daughter, your daughter." So he was within the water, old man, and old man's bodily feature is not very good. The king knew that "This is a useless person, but he is a yogi. He has come to ask me for a daughter." So he said, "Yes, you are welcome. I have got my fifty daughters. So any one will like you. You can accept. I have no objection." So Saubhari Muni understood that "The king has tactfully avoided to give his daughter." So he was a yogi. So he made himself very beautiful young man. That yogi can do that. They can change. Because we are not this body, so body is old, it can be younger; younger body can be older.
That yogi can do that. They can change. Because we are not this body, so body is old, it can be younger; younger body can be older. Nowadays in medical science, they are also doing. A man is woman, woman is man. So body can be changed. There is no difficulty if you know the process. So he changed to be a very nice, beautiful young man. So all the fifty daughters, they became attracted. They began to fight: "Oh, he is for me. He is not for you." So anyway, he accepted all the fifty daughters. In this way he became very elevated householder. But at some time he began to think, "What is my, this enjoyment? Simply by seeing the sex affairs of the fish... I was a yogi, I was a tapasvī, I've lost everything. Now I am a householder and pet husband of these women." So he came to his senses. Again he went to the forest for tapasya.
And He did it. For one woman He killed the whole Rāvaṇa's dynasty. This is husband's duty. So protection, not slave. It is protection. The husband should give to the wife the topmost protection, and the wife should be so faithful to the husband that... Sītā-devī, she was king's daughter, Videha-rāja. She was the daughter... She was not a poor man's daughter. And Daśaratha Mahārāja did not ask her to go to the forest with her husband. She could easily say, "My dear husband, You are going to the forest. I am king's daughter. I cannot take so much trouble. Better You go. Let me go to my father's house." No. "I shall take all the troubles with my husband." This is faithfulness.
Similarly, Draupadī. Draupadī also went with the Pāṇḍavas in the forest when they were banished, and Kuntī-devī also went with her sons in the forest.
He is samagra. The others, they have got to certain extent the qualities of bhagavān. In that sense they can be addressed as bhagavān. But they are not samagra. Samagra is, samagra means the complete. That is only attributed to Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else.
Sa eṣa bhagavān droṇaḥ prajā-rūpeṇa vartate. Prajā means offspring, son, daughter also. Prajāyate. One who is born of the father. Without father, there is no possibility, son or daughter. Therefore prajāyate. One who gives birth. And the prajā... Prajā is the product of the body of the father. A son or daughter, they may be different persons, but they belong to the body of the father. Yathā yoni yathā bījam. Father is the bījam. Just like bījam, the seed. The seed is the tree later on. Similarly, the bījam, the seed, is put by the father in the womb of the mother, and as the seed implanted in the earth and taken care of with watering, sprinkling, it grows to a big tree, similarly, the seed is sown in the womb of the mother, and the mother takes care of the seed, and it comes to a big body later on and comes out.
They do not know... They have accepted Kṛṣṇa without any hodgepodge understanding, that "This is also good, this is also good, this is also good." They are strictly following the instruction of their spiritual master. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Even a small child in our association, Śyāmasundara's daughter, she would go to somebody, she was only five years old. She would ask, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So somebody said, "No, I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead." She would preach like that. So they are convinced, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This conviction is the foremost quality. Then other things will follow. Sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ. So if one is simply convinced on this point, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and he does like that, follows the principle, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. Varṇāśrama-dharma. Kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. That is wanted. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So do that. Stick to this principle, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
"So my dear brother-in-law, why you are envious to your sister? After all, your sister will not kill you. Her son will kill you. That is the problem. So I shall deliver all the sons to you, then you can do whatever you like. Why you are killing this innocent girl, newly married? She is your younger sister, just like your daughter. You should give her protection. What you are doing this?"
So Kaṁsa became pacified. He believed in the words of Vasudeva, that he'll deliver all the sons, "And if you like, can kill." He thought, "Let me save the present situation. After all, later on, mean, Kaṁsa gets a nephew; he may forget this enviousness." But he's never, never to forget. Yes. He killed all the sons and kept them in prison. śucārpitā ruddhā aticiram. Aticiram means for long time. So he was saved. Devakī was saved after all. Similarly if we take the position of Devakī and Kuntī... Kuntī, just like with her sons, Pañca-Pāṇḍava, five Pāṇḍavas... After she became widow, the whole plan was, Dhṛtarāṣṭra's, "How to kill these children of my younger brother?
Means "From, since a very, very long time, he has forgotten Kṛṣṇa." Just like anyone you can ask, in this country even, and what to speak of others, that "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So you'll find so many, I mean to say, major portion, people, will say, "No, we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa." Just like our Śyāmasundara's daughter, Sarasvatī. She preaches, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" Even one knows, because he (she) is child: "No, no. I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead," she will say. She is so intelligent. She will say. So similarly, we can do. We can do Kṛṣṇa's service like this. Even a child can do. You go. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That becomes... You becomes spiritual master. If you take this vow, that "I'll preach only Kṛṣṇa," then you are spiritual master.
So Kuntī had the power of calling. He got the benediction from Durvāsā. Durvāsā gave her the benediction that "You can call any demigod, and at once he will come by this mantra." So when Kuntī was young, not married, so Durvāsā became the guest of her father, and she served Durvāsā Muni very nicely, attending as maidservant. Although she was king's daughter, but because Durvāsā was guest, he was taken care of very nicely. So Durvāsā became very pleased and gave her this blessing, that "You can call any demigod, as you like." So out of curiosity she chanted the mantra and called the sun-god, Vivasvān. So he came. So he wanted to give her a child, benediction. She said that "I am unmarried. I cannot have child." "No, this child will be born from your ear." Akṣata-yoni. Akṣata-yoni means a girl who has no union with any other man. That is called akṣata-yoni. So in this way Karṇa was born, but he was raised by a carpenter.
Then the question was... Parīkṣit Mahārāja questioned this: "Kṛṣṇa, He came to establish religious principles." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhū..., vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. So why Kṛṣṇa did this act, because it is forbidden to mix with others' wife or daughter? Without being married, according to Vedic culture, no man or woman can mix very intimately. That is even in the ordinary dealings. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said that "Except your wife, all women are your mother." This is paṇḍita. Who is a paṇḍita, learned?
A big city, with lakes, with gardens, with big, big houses, street. And the whole city was flying all over the universe. And Kardama Muni showed to his wife all the planets, all the planets. He was a big yogi, and his wife, Devahūti, was Vaivasvata Manu's daughter, very big king's daughter. So Kardama Muni wanted to marry, desired. So immediately Vaivasvata Manu... His daughter, Devahūti, she also said: "My dear father, I want to marry that sage." So he brought the daughter: "Sir, here is my daughter. You accept her as your wife." So she was king's daughter, very opulent, but coming to her husband, she had to serve so much that she became lean and thin, not sufficient food and working day and night.
So Kardama Muni became little compassionate that: "This woman has come to me. She is king's daughter, and in my protection she is not getting any comfort. So I shall give her some comfort." He asked wife: "How you'll be comfortable?" So woman's nature is a good house, good food, good dress and good children and good husband. This is woman's ambition. So he proved himself that the best husband she has got. So he first of all gave her all opulences, big, big house, maidservants, opulence. And then this airplane was manufactured by him, yogic process. Kardama Muni, he was a human being. If he could perform such wonderful thing by yogic process...
Anyone who is within this material world must work. This is material world. Just like in the prison house, it is not possible that he will sit down and he will be honored just like son-in-law. No. In the, in our country son-in-law is very much worshiped. Worshiped means flattered. Never divorce the daughter. Therefore, nobody should expect that we may speak something humorous about son-in-law in India. Formerly... It is still the system that the daughter must get married. That is the responsibility of the father. It is called kanyā-dāna. A father may not get his son married. That is not very great responsibility. But if there is a daughter, the father must see that she is married. Formerly it was ten years, twelve years, thirteen years. Not more than that. That is the system. That was the Vedic system. Kanyā. Kanyā means before attaining puberty. Kanyā. So kanyā-dāna. She must be given in charity to somebody. So, in the pulina brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa, very respectable community, so it was very difficult to find out a suitable son-in-law.
"My daughter will be troubled by the stepson,—daughter. No." Still they are practiced. To marry for the second time becomes a problem. But nowadays these things are gone.
So the grown-up son, Bhīṣmadeva, he understood that "My father is inclined to marry that girl." So he went to plead, canvass: "So why don't you give your daughter to my father?" "No, no, I cannot give my daughter to your father. You are his son. You will inherit the kingdom, and my daughter's son will not inherit. So how can I give my daughter?" So he said that "I'll not accept the kingdom. I promise that your daughter's son will inherit the kingdom." "No, no, no. Still I cannot." "Why?" "You'll marry. Then your son will be inheritor. My grandson will not be inheritor." He was calculating in that way, pākā businessman. (laughter) So he promised that "You give your daughter to my father, and I promise that I shall not marry. So there will be no son. So naturally my stepmother's son will inherit the kingdom." Then he agreed.
So aggressor should be killed immediately. It is not that somebody has become an aggressor, and if I say, "Now I have become a Vaiṣṇava, I'll not be violent. I shall tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us to be tolerant like the tree or the grass. So I shall become tolerant. Let him do." Just like Gandhi used to say. Somebody questioned him that "If somebody comes and violates the chastity of your daughter in your presence, what will you do?" He said, "I shall remain nonviolent." But that is not śāstric injunction. This is foolishness.
So woman is protected in childhood by the father, and when she is grown-up girl, youth, although the father is ready to give her protection in every respect, but she has developed by that time sex desires. Under the circumstances, it is the duty of the father to hand over the girl to a nice young boy to take her protection. This is marriage. Kanyā-dāna. According to Vedic system, kanyā, means daughter, is given in charity. To find out a suitable... Practically, I'll say, in our childhood age, my sisters were married between nine to twelve years. My eldest sister was married when she was nine years old, before my birth. She is the eldest. And my second sister was married at the age of twelve, twelve years. And my third sister was married at the age of 11 years. So by the (indistinct) 12 years, the marriage must be finished.
And my second sister was married at the age of twelve, twelve years. And my third sister was married at the age of 11 years. So by the (indistinct) 12 years, the marriage must be finished. That was the duty of the father. I remember, because my second sister was going twelve years, my mother said to my father that "I shall go to the river and commit suicide. The daughter is not married." (laughter) You see. The father was very sorry, "Yes, I am trying. What can I do?" (laughter) And then next generation, when my... I was also married man, you know. I was married when my wife was only eleven years old. And at the age of fourteen years she gave birth to first child. And next generation, when my eldest daughter was married at the age of sixteen years—it is little increased—but I was also very much upset that the daughter is sixteen years old.
And next generation, when my eldest daughter was married at the age of sixteen years—it is little increased—but I was also very much upset that the daughter is sixteen years old.
But now things have changed. Nobody cares whether the daughter is married or not. But that is not good. Another difficulty is that everywhere, all over the world, the female population is greater than, on the average, than male population. So if each and every woman has to be married, then there is no sufficient number of male population. Therefore, according to Vedic rituals, those who are higher caste, just like the kṣatriyas or the brāhmaṇas, especially, others also, polygamy is allowed. Polygamy is allowed. Just like our most exalted personality, Kṛṣṇa, He has married sixteen thousand wives. He is God. (laughter) Unless you have got so many wives, how you can be God?
"Sir, I have no money. Whatever you like, you can do." But dāya means a great burden. It must be get relieved of. Dāya means a great responsibility. Dāya. Dāya-bhāk. Just like a son inherits the property of the father... It is called dāya-bhāk, law. Similarly, this is the, I mean to say, most obligatory duty of the father, to get the daughter married. And then it is the duty of the husband next. Just like we get... When we perform marriage ceremony in our society, we get the husband promise that he takes charge of the girl for life. And the girl agrees to serve the boy for life. There is no question of divorce.
I have sometimes told you that we have got one Godbrother, German. He said that in the last war, in the first war, which started in 1914, so all the men were killed everywhere. And the women, they went to the church, either as wife or as sister or as daughter or as mother. Naturally, they prayed for their relatives to come back. But who is coming back? They were all dead. So they became atheist, that "There is no God." Because they prayed for their relatives to come back... So that is our position. We want to worship God if He becomes my order-supplier. "I will order and He will supply. Otherwise there is no God. I don't care for this nonsense God. He must satisfy my senses. I want this, and You must satisfy." Just like the Communists, they ask people in general to go to the church, and they say, "Now pray." So the Christian prayer, "O God, give us our daily bread." So when they come out, the Communist leaders, they ask, "Have you got bread?" "No, sir." "You ask us."
That is opulent. That is opulence. Formerly a person was considered rich by two things: dhānyena dhanavān. How much grain stock he has got at his home. A big, big barn, filled with grains. Still in India, if I am going to give my daughter to some family, to see the family's opulence, I go to see the house, and if I see there are many, many barns' stock of grains and many cows, then it is very good. It is opulent. Dhānyena dhanavān, gavyaṁ dhanavān. A man is considered to be rich when he has got enough quantity of grains, enough quantity of, I mean to say, number, enough number of cows. Just like Mahārāja, Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Kṛṣṇa. He was keeping 900,000 cows. And He was rich man. He was mahārāja, king. But see the behavior. His beloved son, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, he has entrusted to take care of the calves or cows: "Go in the forest." He is well dressed with ornament, and nice dress, everything. All the cowherds boys, they are very rich.
He is real brahmacārī." So therefore His another name is Acyuta, "never falls down," "infallible."
Every living entity is fallible. Only Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Brahmā is fallible, what to speak of others, demigods. Brahmā was attracted by seeing the beauty of his daughter. Lord Śiva was fallible when he saw the beauty of Mohinī-mūrti. So what to speak of others. And Indra, Candra, they are all fallible. Only Kṛṣṇa is infallible. All others fallible. Therefore pravṛtta-vijñāna, bhīṣmoktam atha acyutoktam. Acyuta. Kṛṣṇa was addressed by Arjuna in the battlefield, "Acyuta." Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Acyuta. Acyuta means... He was addressing Kṛṣṇa as Acyuta because he was feeling rather little hesitation that "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has voluntarily accepted the position of my driver, and I have to ask Him, 'Mr. driver, please take me there.' I have to order Him, and He has to carry."
The rascals, they say that "Kṛṣṇa enjoyed the company of the gopīs; so let us create some gopīs and enjoy. Then we become Kṛṣṇa." There are many rascals, do that. They imitate rāsa-līlā. In Karachi, there was a rascal. He declared himself that "I am Viṣṇu. I am Lord Viṣṇu. So I'll play rāsa-līlā. Send your wives and daughters." So rascals, they sent their wives and daughters to dance with him. You see? And there was another rascal during Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's time. Perhaps you know the story. So he was also imitating this rāsa-līlā. Māyāvādī rascals, they do that, imitate Kṛṣṇa. How you can imitate Kṛṣṇa? You are not Kṛṣṇa. But by imitating His rāsa-līlā they become Kṛṣṇa. No. If you imitate Kṛṣṇa of His rāsa-līlā, then you have to imitate to lifting the mountain. You have to kill demons like Kaṁsa. But you'll find the so-called artists, they will paint pictures of Kṛṣṇa only with gopīs dancing and the... Not other things, how He's killing Kaṁsa, how He's killing Aghāsura, Bakāsura. That they'll not paint.
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.
Not by force; he will relish it. Māyā... This is called āvaraṇātmika-śakti, covering influence. The pig is eating stool, but he is very much satisfied: "Such a nice food." He is having intercourse with his daughter or sister or mother, he is enjoying.
So the hellish condition. So we create our hellish condition. Wherefrom the hog comes? The hog comes also... He is also living entity. By process of transmigration of the soul, one is accepting sometimes as a hog, sometimes a dog, sometimes a demigod, sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes tree. That they do not know. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are spoiling our time in this way, transmigrating from one type of body to another, and there are 8,400,000 types of body.
It doesn't matter whether you have finished your duty or not. It doesn't matter. You must retire. And then, after being trained for sometimes, being retired from the family life, living secluded life—not exactly secluded, but detached from family life—let the elderly sons, daughters, they can take care of the family, and the husband, wife, they travel in different places of pilgrimage. Again they come for some time, but without any attachment, as guest in the house of his son. In this way, when he is trained up, then he says to the wife, "Now you live with your sons. They will take care of you. I am taking sannyāsa."
Bhīṣmadeva's father was captivated by the young girl, Satyavatī, and he wanted to marry her. A kṣatriya could do that. But Satyavatī's father disagreed. Although he was king, he could marry anyone he likes. But his (her) father... Still, with the permission of the parents. So the father denied, "No, no, I cannot give you my daughter to you." "Why?" "Because you have got grown-up son, and he will be the king. Why my daughter shall be married with you just like a maid-servant? No." So Bhīṣmadeva could understand that "My father desires to marry this young girl, Satyavatī, and there is some hindrances." So he approached, that "Why don't you give my father your daughter?" So he said, "Because you are his eldest son. You will become king." So he immediately promised that "No, your daughter's son will become king.
I don't want that." So in this way Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, then I shall not marry. Is that all right? Still..." Then he gave his daughter, "Yes." Satyavatī.
So his father, Śantanu Mahārāja, saw that Bhīṣma is so affectionate to his father that for the father's sense gratification he has sacrificed his own. So he gave him this benediction, "My dear son, you are so stern in keeping your promise. So I give you this benediction, that you will never die unless you desire." Therefore Bhīṣmadeva was lying on the bed of arrows, and he left this material world when he desired. So the yogis can do that. The yogis they control the soul. The soul is floating in different airs. So they can control. That is called ṣaṭ-cakraḥ. From the rectum to the abdomen, abdomen to the heart, heart to the collarbone, then collarbone to the palate, and then here. So one who can bring the soul here, they can get out from this hole, it is called brahma-randhra.
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."
Why we should depend on others? Kṛṣṇa saves. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is completely dependent upon Me," yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), "I personally bring whatever his necessity is." That is the promise of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. So renounced order means no more dependence on father, mother, husband, daughter. No. Completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Ekānta. That is perfection. One who is fully convinced that "Kṛṣṇa is with me..." Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61)—"I will not have to search out Kṛṣṇa anywhere. He is within me, within my heart." There are so many instances.
That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious... The soul is hankering after uniting with the supreme soul. That is natural. You study your body. Why do you love your body? Or why do you love your son's body? So long the spirit soul is there. As soon as the spirit soul is off, you do not care for the son's body or daughter's body or your wife's body. Then who is the lovable object? The soul. It is very natural to understand. Why don't you love a dead body? Because the soul is not there. The soul is the object of your love, not this body. And why you take care of the soul? Because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate object of love. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they do not know.
Sa uttarasya tanayām. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, his mother's name was Uttarā, Uttarā. Means King Virāṭa, he had two issues, one son, one daughter. The son's name was Uttara and the daughter's name was Uttarā. This Uttarā was taught dancing by Arjuna. When Arjuna was staying at Mahārāja Virāṭa's house as an ordinary dancing master, they did not know that he is Arjuna. Because the promise was for one year, they should remain incognito. If they are detected, then again for twelve years they will be banished.
So Arjuna, Bhīma and others, they took different types of services in the house, palace, of Mahārāja Virāṭa. So he was appointed as a dancing master, teacher, to the daughter Uttarā. Just see. Arjuna was a great warrior, and he was expert dancing master also. So when it was disclosed that "These servants, they are the Pāṇḍavas. They remained here as ordinary servant," so Mahārāja Virāṭa was very much pleased, that "Such exalted persons are living in my house incognito." So he offered Uttarā to Arjuna, that "You marry my daughter. You have taught her dancing." So Arjuna said, "How can I marry her? I am teacher, and she is my disciple. She is my daughter. How can I marry her?" Then Arjuna said that "If you want to keep this daughter in our family, I have got a grown-up son, sixteen years old." That means Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadrā, this Subhadrā, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Subhadrā.
"No, he has got the desire, but he cannot use it. His instruments become dull or useless. Therefore... But the desire is there." And, "I don't believe. I cannot...I am not satisfied with this answer." "All right, sir, I will satisfy you."
So one day, all of a sudden the minister came to Akbar Vasar, "Sir, you will have to come with me immediately, and take your young daughter with you." So Akbar Vasar could understand there is some meaning, so immediately he prepared and took his young daughter with him. So he asked, "Where you are going?" "You will come to know." So he entered a house where an old man was on the death bed, a very old man. So the minister requested the emperor that "While entering the room, you kindly try to see the face of the lying man who is going to die." So Akbar was very intelligent. So he was seeing the face. So he marked it that the man was looking towards the young girl, not to the emperor. So he said, "Yes, I have got your answer."
He is my mother." So this was the practice. That is not only religiously, but morally, it is so good, to look upon all woman as mother. That is the system still in India, any unknown woman who has no introduction with you, (s)he is addressed "Mātājī." Address her. She may be just like daughter or granddaughter, but one would address, as a respect to the woman, as "Mother, Mātājī." This is Indian system. Now some rascals have introduced "Bhaginījī, sister." But that is not shastric. In the śāstra, all the woman, except one's wife, should be addressed as "Mother."
That is the instruction by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, a great politician moralist. He said that "Who is learned scholar?" He was himself very learned scholar, but he is giving definition of learned scholar. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "Anyone who sees all woman..." Para-dāreṣu. Para-dāra means other's wife. Para-dāreṣu. Mātṛvat. Not his own wife, but other's wife. So except one has got one wife, and all others, other's wife.
Now these things are very prominent in the Western countries especially. In India they are still dragging the Vedic culture. So woman are given protection. The father gives protection to the woman, child, and up to sixteen years, utmost. Then she must be married. The father's duty will be finished when the daughter is given to a suitable boy to take charge. That is marriage system. Marriage system is that it is necessary, necessary for social equilibrium. And it is the duty of the father to get the daughter married to a suitable boy. And when she is married, then the father's duty is finished. Unless she is married, the father's duty is not finished. This is Vedic culture. It is called kanyā-dāya. Kanyā means daughter, and dāya means obligation. Kanyā-dāya.
This is called insolvency. So court decides that he has got thousand dollars' debt, but he has got only hundred dollars, so that hundred dollars is divided: "You take this and be satisfied." He is not... That is called insolvency. That is in terms of debts.
But so far the debts of the daughter, it is not debt, it is called dāya, kanyā-dāya. Debt you can take insolvency, but dāya means it is so obligatory, there is no such question that you can get relief from it. It must be... Therefore the word is used, kanyā-dāya. Still in India, the process is as soon as the girl is grown up the father is very anxious to find out a suitable boy and hand her over. Then... So that protection will be finished. It is already finished, at least in the western countries. There is no obligation of the father how to get the daughter married. Therefore the question is, "Whether you are lamenting that in this age of Kali these things will happen: cow slaughter, no obligation for the daughter..." And bālān, children.
He is a man of very good position, ICS, the old ICS, British ICS, Indian Civil Service. They are the topmost service. So he sent me one translation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So perhaps you know. Gargamuni knows. So I rejected it, that "No, this cannot be published. There are so many anomalies." And so his daughter is here in Los Angeles. So she came with her husband and took back. So we do not publish anything which is not approved by the ācāryas. We are not like ordinary press, that anything and anything will come and we shall publish. No. That is not our business. It must be approved, as we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, no mental concoction. We don't allow any mental concoction. It must be approved by the ācārya, disciplic succession. Then it is nice.
Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whole world, whomever you meet, you speak of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. That is gosvāmī. Not that gosvāmī profession means that I make a means of my livelihood, and I bring money from outside and engage in my son's marriage and daughter's marriage. That is not gosvāmī. One who is engaged in loka-hitam, spreading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world, that is gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means... Go means indriya. Svāmī means... Indriya means senses, and svāmī means the master. One has to control. If one is busy only family matters... What is this family? It is simply sense gratification, sexual intercourse. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). So if one is engaged in these family affairs only, sexual affairs, he's not a gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means who has, one who has... Wherefrom this gosvāmī comes?
That's all. Never mind what he is." Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So this Parīkṣit Mahārāja, in his childhood he was bāla-krīḍanakaiḥ krīḍan. He was playing with Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is the advantage of getting birth in a Vaiṣṇava family. Just like some of our children, they are playing with Jagannātha, they are playing with Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In India that Sarasvatī, Śyāmasundara's daughter, she offers ārati and brings the ārati for me. I take. Yes. So learning. Just as child, mother is offering obeisances, and the child is doing. We used to do that. We got this opportunity of good father and mother. We were trained up. Similarly, you can also train up your children. Then your becoming father and mother is perfect. Otherwise, the dogs and cats and hogs, they also beget children. They're more expert. A hog can beget children twice in a year, and each time, more than one dozen.
There are so many injunctions about that. And the responsibility is of the father, or, in the absence of father, the elderly members or brothers. It is called kanyā-dāya. Kanyā-dāya means it is the obligation. You cannot avoid it. You can avoid the marriage of your son, but you cannot avoid the marriage of your daughter. That is Vedic injunction. Of course, when the marriage of daughter is there, there must be one boy. That is understood. But special care is taken for daughter's marriage, some way or other. If he has no money, he begs from friends and gets his daughter married. This is system. Because there is time.
It will be hankering. There will be hankering for sex. So if there is ready husband, then the girl is sent. That is the psychology. So our point is that as this hankering after sex or the opposite sex is natural, it doesn't require to be educated, similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is also natural. It is not that because we have established this temple and people are here... Of course, there is practice, but that practice is also very simple.
He could not understand. Similarly, Dr. Radhakrishnan, Tilak, so many big, big scholars, they have written comment on Bhagavad-gītā, but they, still they have proved that they're rascal number one. Because they did not follow the process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, therefore they could not understand. And here even a child, our Śyāmasundara's daughter, (s)he used to go to somebody and ask him, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" He says, "No, I do not know." "He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just see. And all these boys and children, they are learning so easily Kṛṣṇa, and a person like Mahatma Gandhi, he said that, something different. You see? Just see. This is the position.
Prabhupāda: Read the purport.
Pradyumna: Purport: "Kardama Muni expressed his desire for a very beautiful wife to Emperor Svāyambhuva, and he accepted his daughter for marriage. He was in the hermitage practicing complete celibacy as a brahmacārī, and although he had the desire to marry, he did not want to be a householder for the whole span of his life because he was conversant with the Vedic principles of human life. According to Vedic principles, the first part of life should be utilized in brahmācārya for the development of character and spiritual qualities. In the next part of life, one may accept a wife and beget children, but one should not beget children like cats and dogs.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- so 'nu jñātvā vyavasitaṁ
- mahiṣyā duhituḥ sphuṭam
- tasmai guṇa-gaṇāḍhyāya
- dadau tulyāṁ praharṣitaḥ
- (SB 3.22.22)
Translation: "After having unmistakenly known the decision of the Queen, as well as that of Devahūti, the Emperor most gladly gave his daughter to the sage, whose host of virtues was equaled to hers."
Prabhupāda: (repeats verse in Sanskrit) So here is the Emperor Manu, so he decided to give his daughter to Kardama Muni. And the sanction of the Queen, that was also expected. That means the father's sanction, the mother's sanction, and the girl who is going to be married, her sanction. These things are required before marriage takes place. Nowadays, dāmpatye ratim eva hi svīkāram eva udvāhe: marriage takes place simply by agreement between the parties, the boy and the girl. They can go to any magistrate and get it registered. But according to Vedic system, that is not the system. The system is the father, mother also must agree. The agreement must be, the parents' sanction must be there.
So the system was very nice. Everything was there. There was no question of simply brahmacārīs. No. There are married couples. This Kardama Muni was a great yogi. Still, he married. There was no disturbance. Although he promised one son only to Devahūti, but I think he got another nine daughters. So very nice system, everything was there—but for the purpose of realization of the highest truth. That is the civilization. Nothing has to be stopped; everything can go on. For bodily comforts we are very much busy, that's nice. But if you increase the bodily comforts, there is no limit. That should not be the purpose of life.
Prabhupāda: Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni left home. So Kardama Muni was a great yogi. So he was not interested family life, but once he desired that "Let me marry." So Vaivasvata Manu, he brought his daughter Devahūti, and she was married with Kapila, er yes...
Devotee: Kardama.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Nitāi: Kardama.
Prabhupāda: Kardama Muni. So Kardama Muni, the wife, a king's daughter, but she was serving the husband, and... The yogi, in a cottage he was living, and she was king's daughter, princess. So working, working, she became very skinny.
He can become smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. Whatever he likes he can get immediately in hand. Wherever he likes, he can go. That is yoga-siddhi.
So this Kardama Muni was a siddhi-yogī, and his wife, Devahūti... So he had nine daughters, and they were all distributed to the Prajāpatis. Just like Dakṣa Mahārāja, Prajāpati, and there were many others. And the only son was this Kapiladeva. He is incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa. And He is one of the mahājanas. Mahājana means authority. There are twelve authorities according to Vedic śāstra. One of them is this Kapila.
So here is explained that how spiritual life is eternal and without any destruction. Here in the material world, whatever we have, it is destructible. It will be destroyed. Today one is my son, so tomorrow the son may be destroyed. But if you accept Kṛṣṇa as your son, He will never be destroyed. That is the difference. Here whatever opulence we have got... We may have family, friend, sons, daughters, and so many things we possess. We enjoy life in the varieties of representation. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Here we aspire after having good apartment, good house, gṛha, kṣetra, possession, property. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children; āpta, friend; vitta, riches. We possess here. But this possession is illusion, janasya moho 'yam, because it will not stay. This gṛha... Either the gṛha will be destroyed or—I am the inhabitant—I will be destroyed. There will be separation. Here nothing is permanent. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ. Therefore it is illusion. We do not understand it.
The wife you love so much, but the wife may be someday so great enemy that she can kill you for her own interest. There are so many instances. So if you want to have real... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are afraid of having such relationship again. Because they have got bitter experience of this material world, they want to make it zero—no more relationship, no more son, no more daughter, no more lover, no more master. "Because we have got very bitter experience of these things, I am disgusted with these things. I will make it zero." But that is not the fact. The fact is that if you make the same relationship with Kṛṣṇa, it will never become zero; it will be enthusiastic more and more. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam, it is said. Ambudhi, ambudhi means sea. This morning we were walking. The sea cannot come, overflood, under certain extent, limitation. That is called... We have no experience the sea is increasing. No. But in the spiritual world, ānandāmbudhi, the ocean of spiritual bliss, is increasing.
You will find all these things in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And each queen had ten sons. And the sons were also married. They had sons. In this way, very, very opulent. But still, they were placing themself in the position of maidservant. They were also king's daughter, not ordinary being. So that is the Vedic conception. Of course, I do not know what is the practice here. But in Bengal this is the practice. When the son goes to marry to the bride's house, it is a custom. The mother asks the son, "My dear son, where you are going?" So the bridegroom answers, "I am going to bring one maidservant for you." This is the system.
Just like Kuntī. Kuntī was not ordinary woman. Still, she kept herself under the protection of the five sons. The sons were going to forest. Kuntī was not asked to go to the forest, but because she took it, to be protected by the sons, she also went to the forest. Just like Sītā-devī. Sītā, she was also king's daughter. When Rāmacandra was going to the forest, Rāmacandra did not ask also; neither Sītā was asked by her father-in-law to go to the forest. But she preferred to go with Rāmacandra just to be protected by Him. This is the system.
Anyway, the living entities, they are described as prakṛti in the Bhagavad-gītā, strī, not puruṣa. But here it is said, puruṣam, puruṣam, because in the material world we have given up the idea that constitutionally we are prakṛti, subordinate. We want to declare independence, not under the protection of Kṛṣṇa, or God.
And at last, making plan, making plan, making plan—one day the time comes and immediately orders, "Please vacate your presidency, your prime ministership." Although I am trying to make plan, successful plans, up to the point of death... Pralayānta, pralayānta, asuric plan, up to the end of life... And then he entrusts. He says, "My dear son, my dear daughter, I could not fulfill this plan, so you do it. Now I hand it over to you." And the son also going on, making plan, plan, plan. It will never be fulfilled.
That is the verdict of the śāstra. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Durāśayā. It is impossible. Therefore this saṅkalpa-vikalpa, accepting some plan and rejecting again, this is going on perpetually. It is never fulfilled; neither it will be fulfilled at any time. And for making this plan, saṅkalpa-vikalpa, perpetually I am giving up one kind of body; I am accepting another body. I am giving up the residence of one planet. I am going to the heavenly planet:
I was thinking. When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Mahārāja that I should give up family life and become a sannyāsī and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In several way there was hints from my spiritual master, but still, I was not willing. I was thinking, "If I go away, then my family, my sons, my daughters, they will suffer." But actually, I have left my family connection in 1950. Actually '54, but introductory in '50. For the last twenty years. But they are living; I am living. They are not dying in my absence, and I am not suffering without being in my family. On the other hand, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, I have got better family members. I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children.
And their sense power is so strong that daily, at least one dozen times, they are having sexual intercourse. And there is no discrimination whether it is mother or sister or any daughter. It doesn't matter. You'll find in hog's life, they have no discrimination.
So Ṛṣabhadeva is warning, "My dear boys, this life, this human form of life, is not meant for gratifying the senses like the hogs." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Then what it is mean? What for? Tapo divyaṁ putrakā. This life is meant for tapasya, austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā. Why? Why we should accept austerity, penance? So He says that tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet (SB 5.5.1). Sattvam. Your existence. You are existing. Now your existence is not pure because we, all living entities, we are eternal soul, spirit soul.
And as soon as he eats stool, the hog very easily become fatty and strong. Therefore a class of men, they like to eat the flesh of hog because it becomes easily fatty. And the hog's business is, as soon as he gets little strength, then next business is sex, without any discrimination. The hog has no discrimination who is sister, who is mother, who is daughter. So therefore this particular animal has been named, and Ṛṣabhadeva warns His sons that "Don't live the life of hogs. Live like human being."
That is wanted. And for that purpose you require to execute tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena va (SB 6.1.13). These are the injunction of the śāstras. Human life is meant for tapasya, not to imitate the hogs and dogs. This is not human life. This is Vedic culture. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give this Vedic culture all over the world, but they are after hogs and dogs.
So (the) young man said, "Sir, why you are thinking like that? It is my duty. You are just like my father; whatever service possible, I have given you. There is no question of rewarding me." Actually, that is not service. If we serve somebody and with expectation of some reward, that is not service, that is business.
So the old man said, "No, I feel myself." So he said that "My youngest daughter I'll give you." So he said, "Sir, don't say like that, because you are rich man. I am poor man." Because in India, still, the father, parents, they arrange for marriage. So they want equal status. If the father of the girl is rich man, then he must find out a son-in-law who is coming also from rich family. If he's educated, he wants a son-in-law who must be educated. So this young man was neither very much educated, nor at all rich. But this old man was aristocrat, rich man, and educated, complete different. The young man said that "Why you are promising like this? You do not know you are talking before the Deity. You should not talk like that. Because it will not be possible.
You do not know you are talking before the Deity. You should not talk like that. Because it will not be possible. Even though you agree, your sons, your wife will not agree. So it will be failure and you are talking before the Deity, you should be careful." So the old insisted, "No, maybe they protest, but it is my daughter, I shall give you. Who can protest? I promise." So the young man said, "Now, it is up to you, but you are promising before the Deity. Mind that."
So in this way, when they returned home, one day the old man, before his wife and son, said, "My dear son, my dear wife, this girl should be offered to that young man." He was same village. "What is this? How this daughter can be offered to such poor man? He's not very educated." The old man said: "No, it doesn't matter. I have promised." The boy, his eldest son, said, "No, no, it cannot be." And the wife said that "If you give my daughter to that boy, then I shall commit suicide." He was perplexed. Now what to do? So he was thinking and praying to Kṛṣṇa, "Sir, I have promised before You. You kindly help me so that they may not commit suicide and I may also offer my daughter to that boy. You have to arrange for that." And Kṛṣṇa has got such contradictory duties. He has to protect the thief, as well as the man where theft is being done. You see. Because everyone is praying, "Sir, my things may not be stolen."
And now he's talking that my father has promised to give my sister to him. Do you think it is possible?" So all the neighborhood men said, "Yes, he's very rich man, How this poor man can be...? Maybe he has taken his money." So the young man said, "No, sir! He has promised before... I am not very much anxious to marry his daughter. But I'm simply anxious that he promised before the Deity. So how is that he can withdraw the promise? It is a great offense." He's thinking in that way. So in the meantime his son came out, "All right, if the Deity has become witness, if you can bring the Deity here and He gives witness: 'Yes, my father promised,' then I also promise that my sister will be married with you." Because he's atheist, he's thinking that "Deity is not going to come here. How He can come and from such a long distant place? This is impossible. This crazy man may say that Deity has become witness, but it is not possible." So he said, "All right, I'm going to Vṛndāvana to bring the witness."
Therefore girls are advised to get a husband. Or the parents take the responsibility, according to Vedic rites and according... Still, in India, the father, not the, I mean to say, modernized, educated Indians. In villages they are not very much educated. Oh, they must get their girl, I mean to say, daughter, married before fifteen years. Otherwise, it will be a social scandal. The father is responsible for that. So, of course, we cannot introduce that system in your country. It is not possible. But it is up to you, that if you want to utilize your, this very favorable situation of life, get yourself married, live peacefully and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what is the difficulty there? There is no difficulty. There are so many boys and girls who are married and living very peacefully and executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (pause)
Then we can make process for going back to home, back to Godhead. First of all we should understand that we are part and parcel of God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, and actually it is fact. What is God? God means what we are doing, He is also doing, because we are part and parcel. Just like your son, your daughter. They are your part and parcel of your body. So what is the difference? They are also acting, you are also acting. Similarly, God, Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme father. So so far the activities are concerned, the same. But the difference is that God is great; we are small. That is the difference. God can create the so many planets. Just like the sun globe, it is... There are other globes also. They are bigger than sun. Anyway, the sun is very big. So God has created this big globe, means fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth—or even this earth—floating in the air. You can float a big 747 airplane also floating in the air, but you cannot make a globe like sun and floating in the air. That is the difference between you and God. The creative power is there.
Now, by nature, according to Vedic civilization, that... Vedic civilization is natural life. It is not something artificial or irresponsible life. That is Vedic civilization. Vedic means full of knowledge, life with full of knowledge. That is called Vedic civilization. It is not a particular type of... With full of knowledge. So in the Vedic civilization a woman, if she has no child or son or daughter, she can marry for the second time. Otherwise, she will be enemy of the child. This is practical. If a woman has got child and again she marries, that means voluntarily she becomes enemy of his child. Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, mātā śatru dvi cārinī.
So after... Bahu sambhavānte. After many, many years I have got this opportunity. In other lower animal life I have enjoyed the senses in so many ways. So sense enjoyment is not very difficult. Even there... Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. The hogs and pigs, they have got facility for sense enjoyment. They do not care even who is who. Even she is mother or she is sister or she is daughter, they will enjoy sex. That is hog life. You have seen. There is no discrimination. And the monkeys, they are enjoying sex life. So everyone enjoys sense life. So "Why? I have got this valuable life, human form of life. Why I shall become a living entity like hogs and dogs?" This is called tapasya. "Why I shall become hogs and dogs and again I shall put myself in the cycle of birth and death? I have got this life after so many evolutionary process. Why not practice little tapasya in this life?" This is knowledge. "If by practicing little tapasya, restraint, I can get relief from this repetition of birth and death, why shall I not do it?" This is knowledge.
He was meditating, closing eyes, and Indra sent this woman, Menakā. And simply by hearing the sound of the bangles, ching, ching, ching, "Oh, there is woman. Yes, very nice," (laughter) all mystic yoga finished. Then he begot one daughter. That..., her name is Śakuntalā, the famous beautiful daughter. So that history is there.
So the root of our material enjoyment cannot be taken away, cannot be uprooted by... The first process is called karma, and the second process is called jñāna, and the next, it is suggested, bhakti. So he is suggesting that kecit. People are more inclined to take to the... Those who are absolutely in the rotten condition of life, not for them, but those who are little above the rotten condition... Animals. Rotten condition of, means like animals, cats and dogs. Above them, human life, they take to pious activities or meditation or mystic yoga process, just to purify.
Formerly, if one is prostitute-hunter, then the maidservant... Still in India the lower class, the servant class, they become prostitute. First of all no gentleman is prostitute-hunter, but if he is... He cannot make in the society a innocent girl a prostitute. That is a... There is no possibility in India still, because no respectable man's daughter will mix with any unknown young man, still. So how he (she) can become prostitute? There is no possibility. So if anyone wanted prostitute, there is this professional. The prostitute... Even in Kṛṣṇa's time there were prostitute. We have seen. When Kṛṣṇa came from, came back from Hastinapura, many prostitute devotee went to receive Him. So that means in the Vedic society prostitutes are allowed. Those who are not satisfied with one wife or legitimate wife, they can go to the prostitute. But they cannot intermingle in the society and spoil the society. So this rascal became a prostitute-hunter, dāsī-pati. Therefore it is called dāsī-pati. Dāsī means śūdra, śūdra, fourth class.
You will find. And again, by another toss, they are separated. One straw goes this way, another straw, leaf, goes this way, no combination. Similarly, we are, gathering together: society, friendship, love, community, society, and so on, so on, nationality, family, sons, daughters, wife. The same thing: the waves of water gathering together the straws, leaves, and other, and another wave, finished. All society, friendship, love, children, wife, everything, national—finished. This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).
One test is sufficient. If one is not devotee, if one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a demon, has finished our conclusion. We simply ask whether you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, whether you know Kṛṣṇa. If he says, "No, I don't know..." I think our Śyāmasundara's daughter is... She used to preach. She used to go to any elderly person when she was four years old. "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" she said. So he says, "No, I don't know." "Oh, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is preaching. Finish, preaching. A child can preach. A child can understand, "Do you know God?" "No." "You are a demon." (laughter) Finished. Where is the difficulty? As soon as you say "I do not know God," you are a demon. Bās. First-class demon. "I am scientist." "You are rascal." "No, I have studied, I have got my degrees." "Māyayāpahṛta-jñāna.
There are two words in Sanskrit, anukāraṇa, anusaraṇa. Anukāraṇa means imitation, and anusaraṇa means follow. We have to execute anusaraṇa, follow. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29).
The Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired that "Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa, He came to establish dharma, but it appears that He danced with other's wife or other's daughter." According to Vedic civilization you cannot mix with any other woman except your wife. That is not allowed. So, according to the Vedic conception of life, it was not right thing that Kṛṣṇa danced with other's wife or other's daughter. This question was put. Parīkṣit Mahārāja said that Kṛṣṇa, because He is God, He cannot do anything wrong. Just like in England, the constitution says, "The king can do no wrong." King cannot be subject to any law. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa danced with the gopīs, it has got a deep meaning.
Everyone knows that a husband, wife, have sex intercourse. But not like cats and dogs. That is human civilization. Not that on the road the boy or the girl is embracing, kissing, and having sex life. This is animal life. This is animal life. Simple they are educated to prostitution. Now, at the present moment, father, mother, sends the daughter for prostitution: "Find out a suitable man. Attract a suitable man. Don't marry abruptly. Just test this man, this man, this man, this man, this man. Then marry." So father-mother, they are teaching daughters prostitution. This is the condition of the society. How there can be peace? And they are after peace. They are making conference—"peace." By conference and passing resolution there can be peace? And the result is Naxalites, Communists. Huh?
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. Even Brahmā became agitated by seeing his daughter. There is instances. Even Brahma, and what to speak of others?
All incarnation, they have congested together and spoiling the brain of the poor people. Every day incarnation. And there are many rascals. He says that "I am Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, and rasa-līlā." You know? Yes. This rascaldom is going on, rasa-līlā. And people are so fool that they send their wife and their daughter for performing rasa-līlā. Things are going on like that.
You know the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's life? A similar rasa-līlā was going on. You know that story? Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was magistrate, and one person in Orissa, he declared himself that "I am Viṣṇu," and in the village he was enticing young women and girls to dance at night. And some of them protested, and they lodged complaint to the government that "This person is doing like that." And the government commissioner, he knew that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Kedāranātha Datta was a very elevated, religious man, and he was magistrate. So the commissioner entrusted the inquiry to Kedāranātha Datta at that time.
"Oh, what I am seeing? All the children in the street I see they're all engaged in playing," taruṇas tāvat taruṇī-raktaḥ. "And the young boys and girls, they are after sex." So tarunas tavat taruṇī-raktaḥ, vṛddhas tāvat cinta-magnaḥ. And the old men, they are very thoughtful how to adjust the so big family. "This son is not yet posted in a nice post, the daughter is not married." So many things. So old man is thoughtful, thinking, and the young men, they are after boys and girls, and the children, they are playing. So Śaṅkarācārya is lamenting, bālasya tāvad kriyāsaktas taruṇas tāvat taruṇī-raktaḥ, vṛddhas tāvat cinta-magnaḥ parame brahmaṇi ko 'pi na lagnaḥ. "I do not see anybody searching after God consciousness." Every one is engaged in a different way.
"How long one remains in lusty desires?" This was Emperor Abar's question, and the minister replied, "Up to the last point of death." So Akbar did not believe it. Akbar said, "No, no. How it can be?" So the minister said, "All right, I shall reply, time." So one day, all of a sudden, he approached the emperor and said, "Sir, you immediately be ready to come with me with your young daughter." So Akbar, he knew that this minister is very intelligent; there must be some purpose. She went with him, and he took him to a person who was going to die. And the minister asked the emperor that "You kindly study the man who is going to die, on his face." So in the Akbar (indistinct), and his young daughter was entering, the dying man was seeing to the face of the young girl. So Akbar—after all, he was emperor; he could study-he, that "Yes, Birbal, what he said, that up to the last point of death this desire is there to see the face of a young girl."
Similarly, you should know anything material, they are under these six changes, and when vanishes, it will never come back again. It finishes forever. Your this nice body, when it will vanish, nobody can get it back. Suppose one man's very beautiful son or daughter has died. There is no power in this world which can bring back that body again. That is not possible. Therefore any sane man, any intelligent man, they should understand that "This is false. Behind this body, what is there?" That is being analyzed. This is self-analysis.
So they agreed. Nārada Muni... This is devatā. Although did some mistake, as soon as Nārada Muni ordered them that "Don't try to harm. He is mahā-bhāgavata," immediately gave up. So Nārada Muni said, "My dear daughter, you come with me until your husband comes back." Hiraṇyakaśipu went to perform very severe austerities to defeat the demigods. This is demon's austerities. Hiraṇyakaśipu was engaged in very severe type of austerity. What is the purpose? Some material purpose. But that type of austerity, tapasya, is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). The materialists, they take austerities. Unless they do that, they cannot improve either in the business field or in economic field or in political field. They have to work very, very hard.
These sixteen thousand wives, how they became wives? You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king's daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumāsura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa came to rescue them, and the Bhaumāsura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Kṛṣṇa asked them, "Now you can go home to your father." They said that "We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married." In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He's (She's) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system.
Woman should be looked as mother. Still in India, a unknown woman should be addressed, "Mother." They have introduced now in the northern India, bahinjī (?). No, this was not the etiquette. "Mātājī." This is Indian culture, not bahinjī (?). This has been introduced now. No. Mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā (SB 9.19.17). Woman's connection with man is as mother, as sister or as daughter. No other relationship. This is Indian culture.
- mātṛvat para-dāreṣu
- para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
- ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu
- yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
- This is culture. This is called śrauta.
And tejaḥ, ojasā. Ojasā means strength. Just like kṣatriya, they are tejaḥ. A kṣatriya cannot tolerate that a man is being tortured before him. No, he'll take immediately. Why man? Even animal. Even animal.
Kṛṣṇa is making loving affairs with other's wife. So therefore sometimes, without understanding Kṛṣṇa, if one tries to understand the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa with gopīs, they misunderstand. They think that "Kṛṣṇa is woman-hunter, and Kṛṣṇa is making love with other's wife and daughter." They do not know.
So here the fierceful attitude, very, very fierceful, that is very pleasing to Prahlāda Mahārāja. He said, nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te 'tibhayānakāsya: "Your face is very fearful to the enemies, but it is very beautiful to me." Everything. Nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te 'tibhayānakāsya jihvā. Everything fierceful... In the next verse Prahlāda Mahārāja will say that "This fierceful attitude of Your Lordship is not at all fearful to me, as it is fearful to me, this material existence." That he will explain, next verse. Trasto 'smy ahaṁ kṛpaṇa-vatsala duḥsahogra-saṁsāra-cakra-kadanād grasatāṁ praṇītaḥ.
He wanted to get me married with Śiśupala. So I did not like this idea. I wrote Kṛṣṇa a private letter, that 'I have dedicated my life to You, but this is the situation. Please come and kidnap me.' So in this way Kṛṣṇa kidnapped me and made me His maidservant." The queen's daughter, king's daughter... Everyone of them were king's daughter. They were not ordinary person daughter. But they wanted to become maidservant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization. The every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Indian civilization, not that "Husband and wife, we are equal rights." That, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, "Equal rights." That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.
Actually it is the position, but because we are under the spell of māyā, we are captivated, bewildered, that after sex life, not only human being, but anyone who is living within this material world, beginning from Brahmā down to the smallest insect, everyone is after sex life. We have heard that even Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, they became sexually excited. It is said that Lord Brahmā was enchanted by daughter, what to speak of others. This material world is so, I mean to say, bewildering, that sometimes the first-class person also becomes bewildered by sex life. Therefore it is strictly prohibited that one should not remain in a solitary place with woman even though the woman is mother, sister or daughter. This is the injunction of the śāstra. Mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā na viviktāsane vāset, balavān indriya-grāmo vidvaṁsam api karṣati (SB 9.19.17). This is the order, that mātrā... Mātrā means "along with mother," svasrā mean "along with sister," and duhitrā means "along with daughter." "One should not sit down in a solitary place even with mother, sister or daughter."
This is the order, that mātrā... Mātrā means "along with mother," svasrā mean "along with sister," and duhitrā means "along with daughter." "One should not sit down in a solitary place even with mother, sister or daughter."
So one may be surprised, that "Nobody becomes agitated, sitting before mother, sister or daughter." But śāstra says, "No, no. They are agitated." Then you can say, "Maybe agitates some fool rascal." "No." Vidvaṁsam api karṣati: "Even though one is very advanced, learned, they also become agitated." Therefore you should be very, very careful. Very, very careful. And another place is, another... Just like in our society, compulsorily we have to mix with women—not only women, very beautiful young girls. But if one is not agitated even in this association of beautiful women and girls, then he is to be considered paramahaṁsa. He is very advanced. Those who are not... Paramahaṁsa means he's above all these material qualities.
This is required. Not only that, you cannot talk even with woman unnecessarily, even with your wife. This is restriction. Therefore it is said, yāvad-arthaṁ vyavaharet: "as much as it is required." Don't talk unnecessarily, "Phish, phish, phish." That is very dangerous. Dangerous means in spiritual life. Yāvad-artham. Even with your mother, with your daughter, with your sister, you cannot sit in a solitary place and talk. This is restricted. What to speak of others, even with your mother.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
"How long a man is sexually inclined?" So the minister replied that "Up to the point of death." He replied. The Akbar did not believe it. But the minister sometimes took him to a man who was goi..., just going to die, and the minister requested Akbar Shah to get with him his young daughter. So when the Akbar Shah and his daughter was entering, the man on the death bed, he was looking to the young girl, not to the Akbar. So he pointed out, "Just see." And he was convinced, "Yes." So the sex life is so strong that you cannot be satisfied. If you re..., remain in material existence, then this sex desire will never be satisfied. But it can be satisfied only when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
And they sent application to Kṛṣṇa, "Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa is always responsive to His devotee, so He went to save the girls. He killed that Narakāsura and rescued those all sixteen thousand girls.
Now those sixteen thousand girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are kidnapped." They were all king's daughters. They were also all princesses. "But because we are kidnapped, so nobody will marry us." That is the system. Once a girl goes out of the home, it is very difficult for her to be married in the society. Still that system is going on in India. Unmarried girls, young girls, they cannot go out unless she is married. If she goes out and if she passes some night with other boys, then no more place in the society. So those girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "Because we are kidnapped by this Narakāsura from our father's custody, now nobody will marry. So You become our husband. Otherwise there is no other way." So they appealed, they cried, and Kṛṣṇa accepted: "Yes. I will accept you all, My wives." Therefore He brought those sixteen thousand girls.
Some way or other, he was agitated by sex desire, by seeing the fish have sex intercourse. Just see. The sex power is so strong that even such a yogi who could meditate within the water, he was also agitated by sex desire. So he came out of the water and went to the king and asked him that "You give me your daughter as my wife." Oh, he was a great ṛṣi, and because he was in the water, his feature was very ugly. So the king became perplexed: "Oh, how my daughter will select such a nasty body as my son-in-law?" So he was yogi; he could understand: "Then all right..." (snaps fingers) He became very nice. Because yogis, they can do anything, very nice bodily feature. Then the king tried to avoid him, and the king told him, "Well, sir, my determination is I have got eight daughters. So I can offer my daughters to one who can become eight at least." He wanted to see how much he was yogi. And he bifurcated himself at once into eight forms.
"I am not this body," the distinction between a dead man and living man. When a man is dead, the relatives cry, lament, "Oh, my son is gone," "My father is gone," "My wife is gone." But if we think, "Your wife is there lying. Your son is lying there. Why do you say he is gone?" Actually he is gone, but so long he does not go, we think this body as my son, as my daughter. This is ignorance. At the end we can understand, "Oh, this body is not my son," "This body is not my daughter," "This body is not my father," when the end is done. But still, even after that experience, we think that "This body is myself." This is called ignorance. Ahany ahani lokāni gacchanti yama-mandiram. In every moment, every second, we are seeing that body is this matter; the soul, when gone from the body, it has no value. Still, I am thinking that "I shall live in this world eternally, and I shall... Let me enjoy this bodily sense gratification." This is ignorance.
So father, instead of getting the son married, he was himself very much anxious to get him married. So he selected a very beautiful girl, but she..., he belonged to a, that girl belonged to a low-caste family. Kṣatriyas could find, marry from anywhere. That is the injunction. They are not within the boundary of caste system. So the girl was a fisherman's daughter. So Mahārāja Śāntanu wanted to marry that girl, and the father was very cunning. He said, "No, no. I cannot offer my daughter to you. You are old man. You have got your son. So I cannot offer." He was bargaining. "No? Why? I shall give your daughter a palace. We shall enjoy so many years." "No. I can offer you my daughter provided if my daughter's son becomes the king after your death. Then I can offer." "Oh, that I cannot agree, because my eldest son is living. That I cannot agree." "Then I..."
"My father wants to marry that girl, but the only impediment is that the father of the girl is making a condition that her son should be king, and my father is declining because I am present. I should be king." Oh, he at once approached the father of the girl: "What is your condition, sir?" "This is my condition." "All right, I shall not accept kingdom of my father. Your daughter's son will be king. I agree to this." "Oh, no. You may agree, but your son will again claim, because you are the proprietor, you are the prince." "Oh, you think so? Then I shall not marry. I shall not marry. Is that all right?" So then, he was so... He promised that "I shall never marry in my life. That's all right? Then marry your daughter to my father." He was so pious and so strict. This Bhīṣma was brahmacārī from the very beginning. And Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira performed Rājasūya-yajña. Rājasūya-yajña means one who performs that sacrifice in that assembly, all the princes of the world are invited, and they select him as the emperor of the world. That is called Rājasūya-yajña.
Festival Lectures
Just like you'll find nowadays also, there are so many rascals declaring that "I am incarnation of God." And they know some mystic power, play some jugglery, and foolish people take them: "Oh, he's God." So there appeared one like such pseudo God, Viṣṇu, in a village of Orissa. And he was dancing rāsa dance, and foolish people were sending their daughters and wife to dance with him. You see? There were so many. Not only that. People are so foolish, they do not know... They want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that "I am God. I am Viṣṇu." So there were sane men also. They took objection, "What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls." So they filed a complaint. At that time it was British rule. They complained to the governor or the commissioner, very high officer. The commissioner knew that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura... His name was Kedāranātha Datta. Datta. Kedāranātha Datta, his household name.
So this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were also belonged to very rich family, but because they accepted ministership in the government of a Muhammadan, they were rejected. They were exterminated from the society. What is the extermination of society? He will never be invited. Nobody will offer his daughter to their family, because according to Vedic system, daughters and sons are not loitering in the street. The father and mother must engage. So if one is exterminated, oh, it is very difficult to get his daughter married. Nobody will accept. That was their condition. Actually, they also became hopelessness. They became almost Muhammadan. They changed their name, Dabira Khāsa. This is Muhammadan name. And Sākara Mallika. Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them Gosvāmī, this Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he belonged to the Muhammadan community. He was made nāmācārya, the principal ācārya of this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is the revolutionary method of Caitanya.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Prabhupāda: They are managing. My sons are grown up; they are earning. My wife is also rich man's daughter. She has got some property. So they have no problem.
Reporter: Do you ever see them at all?
Prabhupāda: No. I cannot see. I cannot see at least my wife. But if my sons and daughters come to see me, they can see. But my wife cannot see me. That is stopped. That is the system of sannyāsa. A sannyāsī cannot meet his wife again. That is renouncement. Renouncement means renouncing connection with woman, or renouncing sex life. That is renouncement.
Reporter: Coming this way, sir?
Everyone should try to be intelligent enough what is the goal of life, what is to be done in this human form of life. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the supreme welfare activities in the world, because we are trying to stop the life of hogs and dogs. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām, the stool-eaters, hogs. What is their business? We have seen in Vṛndāvana also there are many hogs. Day and nights searching after stool, and eating, and getting some strength and fat, then sense enjoyment, never mind whether it is mother, sister or daughter. This hogs' and dogs' life should be stopped.
Initiation Lectures
Prabhupāda: Sit down there. You sit down. Satsvarūpa, you sit down, this...
Satsvarūpa: Sit down here.
Prabhupāda: No. Yes. Sit down. Sit down there. Now your daughter is being married with this brahmacārī. Now you can offer this brahmacārī—his name is Satsvarūpa—that "This girl was in my charge so long. I give this daughter to you in charity to take charge." You tell like that.
Jadurāṇī's mother: I've had this daughter with me for so long. I now give her in your charge.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And you say, "Yes, I take charge."
Pradyumna: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Could there be a name for their child? That little girl, Angie.
Prabhupāda: Oh, where is your daughter? She is not here?
Pradyumna: No, she is not feeling well.
Prabhupāda: All right. She may be named as Anaṅga, Anaṅga-mañjarī. That's a name of one of the assistant gopīs. Yes. So your daughter is fortunate. She is getting association of these devotees from childhood. So give her protection and raise her nicely. She is becoming attracted to the Vaiṣṇavas, to Kṛṣṇa. This is the opportunity, to get nice father and mother and become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Yes. So that is the duty of the father and mother, parents, to raise the children to complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then she will no more have to come back in the womb of any other mother. This is the... This finishes. That is the duty of father and mother. Father and mother should think that "This child will no more come in any other womb. I shall train him or her in such a way." That is the duty. That is the duty of spiritual master, that is the duty of parents, that is the duty of state. But it is Kali-yuga; everything is different.
Wedding Ceremonies
Prabhupāda: Now, you are father?
Satyabhāmā's father: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So you can say to your son-in-law that "So long my daughter such and such was under my custody. From today I am giving this daughter under your custody." Say it.
Satyabhāmā's father: Kate has been under me until now, and I give her unto your custody.
Prabhupāda: You say, "Yes, I accept."
Paramānanda: Yes, I accept.
Prabhupāda: And you say, "Yes, I agree."
Prabhupāda: Yes. You apply it. That's all right. Now you come, You, sit down here. Sit down here. First of all, sit down. Your father is present?
Rukmiṇī: Yes.
Prabhupāda: You may come sit here. You can say that "My daughter was in charge of me so long, now I give in charge to this boy."
Rukmiṇī's father: My daughter was in charge of me so long. I now give her to...
Prabhupāda: His name is Baradrāja.
Rukmiṇī's father: Baradrāja.
Prabhupāda: So you say, "I accept (Baradrāja repeating) Rukmiṇī as my wife. I shall maintain her throughout my life, supply all necessities of life, and we shall work together for prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
General Lectures
These are materially very good qualifications. But they are not qualification for realizing God. Then what is the qualification of realizing God? Yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ: "God can be realized only to whom He reveals-labhyaḥ Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23." You cannot oblige God to become manifest before you because you are very good scholar or you are a very rich man or you are very good looking or you have got very good memorizing power. No. Yam evaiṣa vṛṇute. When He is pleased, then He reveals unto the devotee. Therefore our business should be, for God realization, to please Him. And that pleasing process is this devotional service. Let us engage in His service, and when He becomes pleased, "Yes. He's very sincerely..." Just like the gopīs. They were village girls, not even born of very high family. Cowherds, ordinary agriculturists, cowherds men. So their daughters. So how much education you can...? There was no education practically. In the village even men... In India still, they are ninety-percent illiterate.
Just like in Germany it happened. The mark was selling like anything. You see? So these are not money. Actually money means... Either you say livestock or grain stock, that is money. So in Sanskrit literature we find dhānyena dhanavān. One who has got large quantity of paddy, rich, he is rich man. Still in India, in villages, when a daughter is to be offered to a particular house, it is inquired, "How much stock of grains that family has got?" They do not inquire, "How much stock exchange he has got in the bank?" No. But factually, if you have got grains at your home, then there is no question of economic problem. If you have simply got grains and cow, then you won't have to go other place. You are... That was the basic principle of civilization, that you possess some cows and some land so that you can produce foodstuff. That's all. Your whole economic problem is solved. You see?
So how my wife is being maintained? Oh, she has got grown-up children. So there is no anxiety. So dependence is not bad if there is dependence on the proper place. No father neglects to look after the comforts of an unmarried girl, of his unmarried girls and boys. According to Hindu system, a father, mother responsibility ceases after he gets the children married, either daughter or son. So much obligation. Then they are free. So dependence, I am speaking on the dependence. So dependence is not bad; surrender is not bad. I have seen practically that woman surrendering to the husband... Still there are so many women in India, they are so happy and their life is so glorious. So we have to learn how things are to be done. Independence, artificial independence is no good always. Practically, we have no independence. I may think of independence, but practically I have no independence. I am servant of my senses. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśa. We are all serving the senses. So where is my independence?
Devotee's also His energy. So He has no father. He is father of everyone. But He accepts some devotee. A devotee wants Kṛṣṇa as his son; therefore Kṛṣṇa accepts a devotee as His father. So nobody can become His father but a devotee... Just like this girl, Nandarāṇī, is raising her daughter, always giving service. The child is accepting service from the parents. Her business is only to accept. Torture and accept service. So devotees accept Kṛṣṇa as son so that Kṛṣṇa may simply torture them and accept service. That is the policy. Because the devotee want to render service, so this is the best way of service rendering. The child will draw always service. So this conception, fatherhood of the Absolute Truth, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is undoubtedly very good, but there is no service. Father is meant for exacting: "Father, give me this. Father, give me this." And here, the Vaiṣṇava conception, to accept the Supreme as child to render service. Not to accept.
Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā means that Kṛṣṇa was adopted or foster child. Is that foster child? Yes. So, of Nanda Mahārāja. His father exchanged. His father Vasudeva wanted to save Kṛṣṇa, and he brought from Mathurā to Vṛndāvana, Gokula. And Nanda Mahārāja had a daughter. So he placed Kṛṣṇa on the lap of Yaśodā and took away the daughter, and this daughter was given to Kaṁsa for killing. Just see, there is selfishness. He wanted to save his own son and wanted to kill Yaśodā's daughter. (chuckling) You see? So this is not selfishness; therefore we shall misunderstand. That daughter was not ordinary child, she was the material energy herself, Durgā. So when Kaṁsa took that child by the leg and wanted to, what is called? Slash? Smash, yes. Smash on the stone, the daughter slipped from his hand and appeared as Durgā, that "You fool, you want to kill me. The boy, the child who will kill you, is already born. Don't try for killing me. He's already born."
We are angry when one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, when he's against God.
(reading:) "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had a plan to start teaching the people at sixteen..." Well now, we can teach even a child, without waiting for sixteen. We can teach even... Today this boy's wife has not come. We have got a little child, his daughter. Only one and a half years... She's also learning how to bow down, how to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam, how to clap during kīrtana. There is no question of waiting for sixteen years. That is artificial. That is artificial. Why one should...? Who knows? Who will live up to sixteen years? Begin immediately. Begin immediately. You have got this chance of human form of life. That is the duty of the father and mother. All right, here is a child. Let him take a little prasādam. All right. Little beginning. And it is simple. Why one should wait for sixteen years or sixteen or thirty-two years? No, there is no waiting. Immediately. (reading:) "Will ISKCON accept people this young?"
That is not our recommendation. But if you can (be) fully devoted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is very nice. But don't do it whimsically. There will be a mature platform when you can do that. Just like I was a family man, I was living with my family. I have got my wife, sons, daughters, grandchildren. So in this old age I left them. So I'm not in difficulty although I am alone. I came in your country alone. That's a long history. So that dependence on God, when you actually develop, then you can give up everything, depend only on God. But don't do it by whimsically. No. That will not do. You stay in your position, realize yourself, then time will come when God will dictate you, "You can do..., become free from all obligation." So please join with us in the kīrtana. (kīrtana) (end)
So naturally he gets the chance. Just like our children. These boys and girls who are married, they have got children. They are getting chance from the very beginning. The Śyāmasundara's daughter, Sarasvatī, she is wonderful girl. She is a child, but she never goes outside the spiritual consciousness. She makes her ārati. There are many boys. There is one boy, "D.D.D.," I call him. He is always engaged in making ārati, in worshiping Jagannātha. His father sent him some toys. He did not take it. So I asked him, "Why you are not taking the toys?" And he said, "It is māyā." (laughs) So you can train your children from the very beginning and make his life... That is the duty of father and mother. The Vedic injunction is: one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, unless they can help the child from the imminent danger of death. So who can save?
Mathematic means nothing but one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. That's all. Now you can exchange in different ways—it becomes different number. But actually it is one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. So simply to know one, two, three, four, five, six, just like your daughter chants one, two, three, four, five, six, nineteen, eighteen, so that is not sufficient. You must know higher mathematics, how to adjust this one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. That is higher mathematics. Higher mathematics does not mean that some other figures are brought in. The same one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. But you must know how to adjust these nine figures—one, two, three—and that is science of God. Simply to know, that is very good. Those who are atheists, they are declining to accept the existence of God. They are less than animals. Less than animals. The animals also, they are afraid of some higher authority. But these atheists, they are not afraid of higher authorities.
I am identifying my... Mamāham iti. There are thousands of women, but the one woman who has got bodily relationship with me, (s)he is my wife. There are thousands of children, but the one children or two children who has got bodily relation with me, they are my sons, my daughters. Mamāham iti manyate. Then our... First of all, this whole world is based on sex life, either in human society or animal society or bird society or tree society or aquatic society, any society, go. The central point is sex life. Sex life. And as soon as we unite with sex life, our, this bodily concept of life becomes more and more entangled. Then we want... Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8).
The father and mother has to take full responsibility for education of the children, grow up nicely, and the father, mother is under obligation to get the boys and the girls married. Unless the children are married, the father's or the mother's responsibility continues. That is our social system, at least in India, those who are following Vedic principles of life. Especially for getting married the daughter, it is called kanyā dāya. Pitṛ-ṛṇa putra-ṛṇa matṛ-ṛṇa. We have got so many debts to clear. This is responsibility. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are indebted to the demigods. Just like sun is one of the demigods. We are getting, enjoying the sunshine. We are indebted to him. This is responsibility. Suppose if you take electricity, light, you are responsible for paying the bill. Similarly, you are taking so much advantage of the sunlight. You are also obliged to pay the debts, repay the debts. Deva ṛṣi. Ṛṣi means those who have given us the Vedic literature. Just like Nārada Muni, Vyāsadeva, they have given us... Vyāsadeva given us immense literature.
So they offered respect to the woman, that "Here is, within the womb of this woman, a great devotee." So they circumambulated and offered respect to the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu and they went away. So Nārada Muni took the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu to his āśrama: "My dear girl, my dear daughter, you please come with me, remain with me till your husband comes back." So she agreed, and woman's natural propensity is to serve, so she was very nicely serving Nārada Muni, and Nārada Muni became very much pleased and he instructed about transcendental knowledge. Although to the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu, but still the Hiraṇyakaśipu's son Prahlāda Mahārāja was within the womb, he also heard the instruction and he learnt everything. Later on he will explain that "My mother, on account of being woman, she has forgotten the instruction of Nārada, but I heard it even from within the womb; I remember it."
Departure Talks
Prabhupāda: No. It is not that. There was some young woman sitting there, and he glanced over her with lusty desire, not that old woman.
Rāmeśvara: That was her sister? Or daughter.
Prabhupāda: No. Daughter, granddaughter maybe. She was a very old lady.
Rāmeśvara: In that same volume of Antya-līlā there is a very elaborate description of Rūpa Gosvāmī being inspired to write his different plays, and I was thinking that in that book we could print the pictures of the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple which he founded. He established that temple. And also the bhajan-kutir of Rūpa Gosvāmī.
Prabhupāda: You have got the photo.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Therefore we say, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). I may be rascal, it doesn't matter, but because I am carrying the message which is not rascal, therefore I am fit. This is our... We don't say anything rascaldom because we don't say anything which is not spoken by Kṛṣṇa or by authorities like Vyāsadeva. That is our position. Don't teach anyone else, except what Kṛṣṇa teaches. Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender unto Me." We say, "Surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." Just like Śyāmasundara's daughter, she says, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" (indistinct) "No, I don't know." "Supreme Personality of Godhead." She may be child, but the message she is delivering is perfect. The message she is delivering, that is perfect. Is it not? She says, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Now the child may (not) be perfect, that's all right, but the message she is giving, it is perfect. So there is no suspicion about the message. That message is above suspicion.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is also the same thing, not willing. They have no knowledge of good willing; therefore they simply want to kill bad willing. Because they are insufficient in knowledge that in this way willing cannot be reformed. Just like a child is accustomed to play. If you stop playing, then he will be dull, he'll be diseased. But you must give him good engagement. Just like DDD, he stopped playing. He was worshiping Jagannātha, and he said, "It is māyā." He stopped. Just like your daughter, when she is engaged in worshiping Deity, she is engladdened. So give good engagement, good willing, and he will automatically give up all this nonsense bad willing. But if you want to stop artificially willing, that will be not possible. That you can stop for the time, but it will again act.
Prabhupāda: That means Freud is a most imperfect person. He is taking sex as very important thing, which the dog enjoys. As a dog's life and a hog's life, the hog has got very good facility. The monkey has got very good facility for sex life, and he is thinking this is ultimate goal, and then sleep. So that is going on. So if sex life is so big thing, the hogs, they have got good facility. The pigeons, they have got very good facility. I think every hour they have four times sex life, these pigeons. So if that is, then you become a pigeon. You pray to God that "Make me a pigeon, make me a hog." Why you are becoming philosopher? Now our philosophy is different—not to become a pig. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The life simply for sense gratification, and for that purpose working so hard, but that is the business of the pig. That is not the business of the human being. Human being is tapasya. Tapasya means stop sex life. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). So our philosophy is different from his philosophy. And actually we are suffering. The pig has got good facilities for sex. Does it mean that is ideal life, eating stool and having sex without discrimination? They have no discrimination, whether mother or sister or daughter. That is hog life. So if sex life is final pleasure, then hog is in the greatest pleasure. He has no social obligation. He has no discrimination. But our philosophy says "Don't become a hog, become a sane man." There, there, there is a difference between his philosophy and our philosophy.
Prabhupāda: That we are teaching. That we have shown. But he remains unconscious state. That is (indistinct). That we are teaching. We are simply, loudly stating, "Please wake up. Please wake up. We are not this body. We are not this body." So these are the (indistinct) dream. You cannot raise him to the consciousness. He is fully packed up in matter. That is not possible. But he is also conscious. That is proved by (indistinct). He applied machine: in the remote part he is feeling the pain when you cut. But it is not very manifest. Just like children, they are not so conscious, you operate. I have got a (indistinct), my eldest daughter, she (indistinct). So she was about less than one year... No, no. About six months. The doctor was operating, (indistinct). She was not frightened. (indistinct) Minor operation. So the human form of life is the developed consciousness of the living entity. In other forms of life they're more or less in dreaming state or unconscious state. But as living entity, the consciousness is there, in different stages.
Prabhupāda: Generally, women are interested in comfortable home life. That is woman's nature. They are not spiritually very much advanced or interested. But the..., if man is interested, and the woman helps the man, either as mother or wife or daughter, then both of them, if the woman remains subordinate and the man is making spiritual progress and the woman is helping the man, then both of them will make spiritual progress. Or the woman, without working for spiritual elevation, because (s)he is helping the man (s)he will share the profit, spiritual benefit.
Hayagrīva: The role of woman he envisioned as that of man's companion. He says, "The first aspect, then, under which positivism considers women is simply as the companion of man, irrespective of her maternal duties," and that this friendship or companionship has as its basis sex. He says, "Conjugal union becomes a perfect ideal of friendship, yet still more beautiful than friendship, because each possesses and is possessed by the other. For perfect friendship, difference of sex is essential as excluding the possibility of rivalry."
Prabhupāda: Hmm. So woman, sex, there is sex, sexual necessity and the bodily demand. So woman not only give the sex pleasure to the man, but woman should prepare good foodstuff also for the man. The man is working very hard. When he comes home, if the wife supplies him good foodstuff and nice comfort and sex, then the home becomes very happy. That is practical experience. So after hard working, when man comes home, if he finds out good foodstuff and nicely satisfied by eating, and then the woman gives satisfaction by sex, then both of them remain fully satisfied, and then they can improve their real business, spiritual understanding, because human life is meant for making progress in spiritual understanding. Spiritual, first of all they must know that the spirit soul is the basis of material life even, and the body is built up on the soul, and within the body there is soul. This understanding is required both for the man and the woman. Although woman is less intelligent, still, by the help of the husband, he..., she can become intelligent. This we think, we see in the instruction of Kapiladeva. Kapiladeva is the son of Devahūti, and He is engaged in teaching the mother. So a woman, either as daughter, as wife or mother, remains subordinate and gets knowledge from the man, either from the father or the husband or son. Then that life is elevated.
Prabhupāda: They are, difficulty, that is missing, that what is their ideal life, what is the aim of life. So he is prescribing so many things. That will not help the human society. And women, about women, this idea that (s)he should be married at sixteen years old, that is good, but it is not that women stops child breeding by the twenty-two years age. No. There are many women and they can beget children in, in advanced age. I, so far personally I know, my mother was the youngest daughter, and she was born when my grandmother was fifty years old. So it is not that the woman stops child begetting at the age of twenty-two years age. Nowadays up to thirty years, twenty-five years, woman, woman is married, so how he, she can stop?
Purports to Songs
And meat-eater also. So... But they became later on delivered by Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. Great devotees.
So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's explanation says that in this age although people are drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater, and all..., gambler, all kinds of sinful actor, still, if they take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they'll be delivered, undoubtedly. This is the blessings of Lord Caitanya. Then Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura prays, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are son of King Nanda, and Your consort Rādhārāṇī is the daughter King Vṛṣabhānu. So You are together here standing." Narottama dāsa kahe, nā ṭheliho rāṅgā pāy, "Now I am surrendering unto You, please do not kick me away or push me away with Your lotus feet because I have no other shelter. I am just taking shelter unto Your lotus feet without having any other means. So please accept me and deliver me." This is the sum and substance of this song. (end)
| Page Title: | Daughter (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 03 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=137, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 137 |