It is the duty of a disciple to inquire about his constitutional position when approaching a spiritual master. In conformity to that spiritual process, Sanātana has already asked, "What am I, and why am I suffering from the threefold miseries?" The threefold miseries are called ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika and ādhidaivika. The word ādhyātmika refers to those miseries caused by the body and mind. Sometimes the living entity suffers physically, and sometimes he is distressed mentally. Both are ādhyātmika miseries. We experience these miseries even in the womb of our mother. In general, there are many types of miseries that take advantage of the delicate human body and give us pain. Miseries inflicted by other living entities are called ādhibhautika. For example, bedbugs can make us miserable while we are sleeping. Cockroaches can also sometimes give us pain, and there are other living entities born on different planets who can cause us misery. As far as the ādhidaivika miseries are concerned, these originate with the demigods of the higher planets. For instance, we sometimes suffer from severe cold weather, from thunderbolts, or from earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts or other natural disasters. In any case, we are always suffering from one or more of these three kinds of miseries.
Earthquakes
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
There were earthquakes along the mountains on the earth, and it appeared that there was fire everywhere. Many inauspicious planets like Saturn appeared, along with comets, meteors and thunderbolts.
When natural disturbances occur on a planet, one should understand that a demon must have taken birth there. In the present age the number of demoniac people is increasing; therefore natural disturbances are also increasing. There is no doubt about this, as we can understand from the statements of the Bhāgavatam.
SB Canto 4
Just today we have seen in the newspapers of Bombay that the government is going to repeal its prohibition laws. Ever since Gandhi's noncooperation movement, Bombay has been kept dry and has not allowed its citizens to drink. But unfortunately the citizens are so clever that they have increased illicit distillation of liquor, and although not being sold publicly in shops, liquor is being sold in public lavatories and similar abnormal places. Unable to check such illicit smuggling, the government has decided to manufacture the liquor at cheaper prices so that people can have their supply of intoxication directly from the government instead of purchasing it in public lavatories. The government failed to change the hearts of the citizens from indulging in sinful life, so instead of losing the taxes they collect to inflate the treasury, they have decided to manufacture liquor to supply to the citizens who hanker after it.
This kind of government cannot check the resultant actions of sinful life, namely war, pestilence, famine, earthquakes and similar other disturbances. Nature's law is that as soon as there are discrepancies in regard to the law of God (which are described in Bhagavad-gītā as dharmasya glāniḥ, or disobedience to the laws of nature or God), at once there will be heavy punishment in the form of sudden outbreaks of war.
A gṛhamedhī is one who wants to remain within this material existence. This means that he wants to remain within this body or society and enjoy friendship, love and community. His only enjoyment is in increasing the number of sex enjoyers. He enjoys sex and produces children, who in their turn marry and produce grandchildren. The grandchildren also marry and in their turn produce great-grandchildren. In this way the entire earth becomes overpopulated, and then suddenly there are reactions provoked by material nature in the form of war, famine, pestilence and earthquakes, etc. Thus the entire population is again extinguished simply to be re-created. This process is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 8.19) as repeated creation and annihilation: bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. Due to a lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all this creation and annihilation is going on under the name of human civilization. This cycle continues due to man's lack of knowledge of the soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In Bhagavad-gītā (BG 2.14) the Lord also says, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ: because of the material body, the living entity is subjected to many tribulations brought about by air, water, fire, extreme heat, extreme cold, sunshine, excessive eating, unhealthy food, maladjustments of the three elements of the body (kapha, pitta and vāyu), and so on. The intestines, the throat, the brain and the other parts of the body are affected by all kinds of diseases that are so powerful that they become sources of extreme suffering for the living entity. The living entity, however, is different from all these material elements. The two types of fever described in this verse can be explained in contemporary language as pneumonia and typhoid. When there is an extreme fever in the body, there is typhoid and pneumonia, and they are described as Prajvāra. There are also other miseries created by other living entities. The state exacts taxes, and there are also many thieves, rogues and cheaters. Miseries brought about by other living entities are called adhibhautika. There are also miseries in the form of famine, pestilence, scarcity, war, earthquakes and so on. These are caused by the demigods or other sources beyond our control. Actually there are many enemies of the living entities, and these are all described to point out how miserable this material existence is.
SB Canto 6
Authorities who are learned scholars and sages have carefully ascertained that one should atone for the heaviest sins by undergoing a heavy process of atonement and one should atone for lighter sins by undergoing lighter atonement. Chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, however, vanquishes all the effects of sinful activities, regardless of whether heavy or light.
In this regard, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes an incident that took place when Sāmba was rescued from the punishment of the Kauravas. Sāmba fell in love with the daughter of Duryodhana, and since according to kṣatriya custom one is not offered a kṣatriya's daughter unless he displays his chivalrous valor, Sāmba abducted her. Consequently Sāmba was arrested by the Kauravas. Later, when Lord Balarāma came to rescue him, there was an argument about Sāmba's release. Since the argument was not settled, Balarāma showed His power in such a way that all of Hastināpura trembled and would have been vanquished as if by a great earthquake. Then the matter was settled, and Sāmba married Duryodhana's daughter. The purport is that one should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose protective power is so great that it cannot be equaled in the material world. However powerful the reactions of one's sins, they will immediately be vanquished if one chants the name of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma or Nārāyaṇa.
Like arrows released in the four directions, the demon's body grew, day after day. Tall and blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright array of clouds in the evening. The hair on the demon's body and his beard and moustache were the color of melted copper, and his eyes were piercing like the midday sun. He appeared unconquerable, as if holding the three worlds on the points of his blazing trident. Dancing and shouting with a loud voice, he made the entire surface of the earth tremble as if from an earthquake. As he yawned again and again, he seemed to be trying to swallow the whole sky with his mouth, which was as deep as a cave. He seemed to be licking up all the stars in the sky with his tongue and eating the entire universe with his long, sharp teeth. Seeing this gigantic demon, everyone, in great fear, ran here and there in all directions.
SB Canto 7
According to the materialistic way of life, if a poor man, after laboring very, very hard, gets some material profit at the end of his life, he is considered a success, even though he again dies while suffering the threefold miseries—adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika. No one can escape the threefold miseries of materialistic life, namely miseries pertaining to the body and mind, miseries pertaining to the difficulties imposed by society, community, nation and other living entities, and miseries inflicted upon us by natural disturbances from earthquakes, famines, droughts, floods, epidemics, and so on. If one works very hard, suffering the threefold miseries, and then is successful in getting some small benefit, what is the value of this benefit? Besides that, even if a karmī is successful in accumulating some material wealth, he still cannot enjoy it, for he must die in bereavement. I have even seen a dying man begging a medical attendant to increase his life by four years so that he could complete his material plans. Of course, the medical man was unsuccessful in expanding the life of the man, who therefore died in great bereavement. Everyone must die in this way, and after one's mental condition is taken into account by the laws of material nature, he is given another chance to fulfill his desires in a different body. Material plans for material happiness have no value, but under the spell of the illusory energy we consider them extremely valuable. There were many politicians, social reformers and philosophers who died very miserably, without deriving any practical value from their material plans. Therefore, a sane and sensible man never desires to work hard under the conditions of threefold miseries, only to die in disappointment.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Nectar of Instruction
Indeed, all living entities within this material world are under the control of mahāmāyā, whose business is to subject them to the influence of threefold miseries: adhidaivika-kleśa (sufferings caused by the demigods, such as droughts, earthquakes and storms), adhibhautika-kleśa (sufferings caused by other living entities like insects or enemies), and adhyātmika-kleśa (sufferings caused by one's own body and mind, such as mental and physical infirmities). Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavaḥ: the conditioned souls, subjected to these three miseries by the control of the external energy, suffer various difficulties.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
When Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa were thus petitioned by Their intimate friends, They were inclined to please them, and with smiling faces They proceeded toward the forest, surrounded by all Their friends. Immediately upon entering the Tālavana, Balarāma began to yank the trees with His arms, exhibiting the strength of an elephant. Because of this jerking, all the ripe fruits fell down on the ground. Upon hearing the sound of the falling fruits, the demon Dhenukāsura, who was living there in the form of an ass, approached with great force, shaking the whole field so that all the trees moved as if there were an earthquake. The demon appeared before Balarāma and kicked His chest with his hind legs. At first Balarāma did not say anything, but with great anger the demon kicked Him again more vehemently. This time Balarāma immediately caught hold of the legs of the ass with one hand and, wheeling him around, threw him into the treetops. While he was being wheeled around by Balarāma, the demon lost his life. Balarāma threw the demon into the biggest palm tree about, and the demon's body was so heavy that the palm tree fell upon other trees, and several fell down. It appeared as if a great hurricane was passing through the forest, and all the trees were falling down, one after another. This exhibition of extraordinary strength is not astonishing because Balarāma is the Personality of Godhead known as Ananta Śeṣa Nāga, who is holding all the planets on the hoods of His millions of heads. He maintains the whole cosmic manifestation exactly as horizontal and vertical threads hold the weaving of a cloth.
Once a demon named Ariṣṭāsura entered the village in the form of a great bull with a gigantic body and huge horns, digging up the earth with his hooves. When the demon entered Vṛndāvana, the whole land appeared to tremble, as if there were an earthquake. He roared fiercely, and after digging up the earth on the riverside, he entered the village proper. The fearful roaring of the bull was so piercing that some of the pregnant cows and women had miscarriages. Its body was so big, stout and strong that a cloud hovered over its body just as clouds hover over mountains. Ariṣṭāsura entered Vṛndāvana with such a fearful appearance that just on seeing this great demon all the men and women were afflicted with great fear, and the cows and other animals fled the village.
While talking like this, Lord Balarāma seemed so furious that He looked as if He could burn the whole cosmic creation to ashes. He stood up steadily and, taking His plow in His hand, began striking the earth with it, separating the whole city of Hastināpura from the earth, and then He began to drag the city toward the flowing water of the river Ganges. This caused a great tremor throughout Hastināpura, as if there had been an earthquake, and it seemed that the whole city would be dismantled.
When all the members of the Kuru dynasty saw that their city was about to fall into the water of the Ganges, and when they heard their citizens howling in great anxiety, they immediately came to their senses and understood what was happening.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
We have read the other day in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are three kinds of miserable conditions of life, bhūtātma-hetav aḥ. The cause... They are caused by three principles: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavaḥ. These are all described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Daiva means controlled by the higher demigods. Just like famine or earthquake. This is not under your control. At any time the earthquake, there may be. There may be famine. There may be pestilence. There may be natural disturbance, flood. This is called daiva, controlled by higher demigods. Just like Indra wanted to overflood Vṛndāvana being angry upon the residents of the... Kṛṣṇa saved, Giridhārī. He became Giridhārī. So these disturbances are there. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika. But the king or the dictator should be so perfect and he will guide the citizens in such a way that they will not feel all these disturbances.
This is the position. Otherwise, there is no question of overpopulation. The supply is restricted. That is the problem. Eko yo bahūnām. Because He supplies all the necessities, the supply will be restricted. As we become more and more sinful and without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be put into difficulties, they will be dying within the womb, they will be killed, within the womb, there will be war, there will be pestilence, there will be famine, there will be earthquake. In so many ways, we have to die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Again, take birth, this business will go on. And ultimately, when the whole universe is annihilated, then again we take shelter in the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu and live for, in that way, without any body, for many millions of years. Again, there is creation, and then again given chance. "All right, take another chance. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious."
This distress or that distress, this disease or that disease. This uncomfortable, this anxiety. There are three kinds of distresses: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means distresses pertaining to this body and the mind. And adhidaivika means distresses offered by material nature. Nature. All of a sudden there is earthquake. All of a sudden there is famine, there is scarcity of food, there is over rain, no rain, extreme heat, extreme winter, extreme cold. We have to go under these distresses, threefold. At least one, two, must be there. Still, we do not realize that "This place is full of distress because I have got this material body."
That is the problem. Not that these general people, they are thinking, "If war, there is no war, then we shall be very happy." How you'll stop your war with māyā? Māyā has declared war with you, or you have declared war with māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The māyā, the material nature is enforcing, "Why you are closing this door?" "Oh, because it is very cold outside." Who is forcing? Immediately there will be cold, immediately there will be fog, immediately there will be excessive heat, immediately there may be earthquake. How you can stop it? So they simply think... Just like innocent child, they are concerned with the immediate problem. But sane man is concerned with the ultimate problem. So our ultimate problem is not this war. The ultimate problem is repetition of birth and death. That is ultimate problem, how to stop this. That is the problem. So Kṛṣṇa says that "This is useless lamentation, that you do not wish to fight. It is the concluded fact that even your grandfather or relatives die, they will continue as soul. You have to execute your duty. You cannot deviate from your duty." Go on.
And what are these miseries? They are called adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means miseries pertaining to this body and mind. Just like today we are feeling too hot. Why? Due to this body. And next moment I shall feel not very happy. My mind is disturbed. So there are miseries due to this body and due to the mind. This is called adhyātmika. And then again, adhibhautika. Adhibhautika. Some other living entity. Just like here, you are hearing the barking of the dog, "Gow! Gow!" always. So it is sometimes disturbing. So such kind of miseries offered by other living being is called adhibhautika. We have got so many miseries. And then adhidaivika. Daivika means miseries offered by the supernatural power. Just like there is earthquake, famine, pestilence, war. So we are always... There are three headings of miseries, and we are, either we are suffering either from the three all, or at least one. There must be. This is the nature of our life in this material existence. But we are trying to make a solution of it. That is our struggle for existence. But that solution cannot be made by our teeny brain. That solution can be made only when we take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord.
And another side, another side is paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Those sādhus... Actually Kṛṣṇa appears for the sādhus. Not for the duṣkṛtas. To kill the duṣkṛtas, there are many agent. One little earthquake can kill millions of duṣkṛtas in a second. So Kṛṣṇa does not require to come to kill the duṣkṛtas. But He comes to favor sādhu. Sādhus, they are very much persecuted.
Just like we tried to stop the child disturbing. So the child is another living entity, I am another living entity, but she is causing some disturbance. Not the child, there are other living entities. In your country, of course, it is very less. In our India it is very prominent—mosquitoes, flies, bugs. They give trouble. Or some enemy or some other animal attacks you. This is called adhibhautika.
Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, then adhidaivika. Adhidaivika means all of a sudden there is earthquake or famine or too much rain or no rain. Daivika means it is... We have no control over it. So there are so many. These are the big heading of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And there are many, many other categories.
They do not know that they have a mission of life. Siddhi. Siddhi-lābha. They do not know. Like cats and dogs, dying. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge, mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And if one is interested for spiritual life, they are also captured by so many pseudo spiritual things. Pseudo. Manda. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ, mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. They have got a different views. They do not like to take knowledge from the Vedic, perfect knowledge from the Vedic literature or from Bhagavad-gītā. They manufacture their own way of life, this mandaḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And manda-bhāgyāḥ. And unfortunate, mostly they are unfortunate. And hy upadrutāḥ. And distributed by so many things. Sometimes earthquake, sometimes famine, sometimes scarcity of water, sometimes war, or sometimes fight. So many things, problems, simply problems. This is the position of this age.
This is our condition. We are under threefold miseries here in this material world. Always we are suffering by these threefold miseries: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika, threefold miseries. Some miseries are pertaining to this body and mind. Just like one of our students—all of a sudden, he has got some aches and he has to undergo surgical operation. So this is going on. Something misery are due to the body, something miserable due to the mind, something miserable due to the nature. All of a sudden, it becomes very cold. All of a sudden, it becomes very hot, warm. Nature. All of a sudden, there is great snowfall. All of sudden, there is earthquake. So many miseries, due to nature, due to body, due to mind, and due to other living entities. Oh, somebody attacks me with dagger. A tiger attacks me with his jaws. So many difficulties, miseries in every step. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). So we should remember this. But due to the illusion, being covered by the illusion, we don't take account of these miseries. But we must remember that we are always in miseries. An intelligent person who is developed in consciousness, he inquires, "Why I am in miseries? I do not want miseries. Why I am in miseries?" When this question arises, then there is chance of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Suppose you are on the sea and it is going to sink in the water. Will you be happy? No. That time we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Sukhe... Duḥkhe saba hari bhaje, sukhe bhaje kaya.(?) When we are in danger... In Japan you have got many times the experience of earthquake, earthquake. What do you do at that time? Huh? You all Japanese boys and girls, what do you do? Have you experienced earthquake? You have? What do you do at that time? (pauses waiting for an answer) When there is earthquake, what do you do? Hmm? But I have seen in America. They all, everyone, they scream. (laughter) And perhaps they remember about God. Naturally they will remember, "God save us. God save us." What is your...? That means that we do not wish to die. That's a fact. You cannot say that death is very good thing. Nobody will say. Death... But we have to die. There is no excuse, that "I shall not die." Death is "as sure as death," they say. But you don't want death. This is suffering.
Suppose you are not thinking very well. Today my mind is very disturbed. That is called adhyātmika. I have got some pain in my body. That is also adhyātmika. Some friend or some animal has done some mischief to me. That is also suffering, adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. The earthquake. Nobody wants earthquake, but there is earthquake. This is adhidaivika. There is famine. There is pestilence. There is so many thing. So even if we are assured that we are not going to die, still, there are other sufferings. And, of course, there is no question of not dying. Everyone will have to die. Even you accept this place of suffering and if you are assured that you will live here permanently, still, you become happy, "All right, I will not die." But that is also not possible. Therefore aśāśvatam. Even if you make your arrangement very nicely that you will not suffer, but you will not be allowed to stay. Now just like in Tokyo city we are making very big, big buildings, everywhere, all over the world, to live very comfortably. But that comfortable life is also not assured because you will have to die. You will have to die. Therefore it is called aśāśvatam, not permanent. Even if you are under the impression that "I am very happy," that happiness also will not be allowed you for eternal time, it will be finished.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
On account of this material body, we have got three-fold miseries within this material world. One is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means miserable condition due to this material body and the mind. The... another miserable condition is adhibhautika: miserable condition offered by other living entities. And the third miserable condition is which is offered by the nature, just like earthquake, famine, pestilence and so many other things on which we have no control. We have no control in any kind of miserable condition, especially the miserable condition offered by nature. We cannot avoid it. So therefore here it is said that if you take up this religious system—means how to love God—then you will be transcendental to all this miserable condition of material existence. And these information, these practices, are given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which is compiled by, not by any ordinary person, but śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte, the greatest sage, Vyāsadeva. He has given us. In ordinary literatures they are full of mistakes and cheating and illusion and imperfectness.
That is practically nil. But the formulas and dogmas and this and that they're full of. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). And almost everyone is unfortunate. They haven't got even means to accommodate the bare necessities of life—eating, sleeping, mating. They're also deficient. mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. And above all these there is always disturbance. Sometimes war, sometimes famine, sometimes earthquake, sometimes this, overflood. Just like recently in New York there was overflood, you know? So in this way we are so much complicated, this is the position. Now in this condition of life how you can take up very serious type of self-realization, that is not possible. Alright, thank you very much.
They do not know what is threefold... Miseries are there, but they do not know, so dull-headed people. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, three kinds of miseries, there must be. Either three or two or at least one must be. No, three are always there. Adhyātmika means pertaining to the body or mind. "Today I am very weak." "Today I have got jaundice." "Today I have got this some stomach trouble, dysentery." These are called adhyātmika. Or mind is not very nice. And adhidaivika. Just like severe cold, severe heat, earthquake. These are... Famine, pestilence. There are so many things, adhidaivika. And adhibhautika, miseries offered by another living entity. In this way we are always implicated. Adhyātmika.
Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired that "I do not want this. I do not want this. But why they are imposed upon me?" This is very intelligent question. "If there is any solution?" That is intelligence, not temporary mitigation of... Temporary... Weather... Just like it is summer or winter. Anyway. Summer, in the summer we are suffering, scorching heat. At that time we are hankering after some cool place. And during winter we are suffering from chilly cold, rain. So these thing will go on. So long you are in the material world, you cannot avoid it. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired, "Why these things give me trouble, although I do not want them?" This is very intelligent. "If there is any solution?"
So we have to become dhīra. Then we shall not be afraid of death. Unless we are dhīra... There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means one who is not disturbed even though there is cause of disturbances. One may not be disturbed when there is no cause of disturbances. Just like we are not, now at the present moment, we are not afraid of death. But as soon as we find there is earthquake, and we are afraid of this building may fall down, the cause of disturbances, then we become very much disturbed—sometimes screaming. So one who is not disturbed, even there is cause of disturbance, he is called dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. This is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. We have to become dhīra from adhīra. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that adhīra can be dhīra. This is the profit of this movement. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is pleasing to both the classes of men, namely the dhīra and the adhīra. It is so nice.
This durgā power is there. You have seen the picture of Durgā. She has got ten hands and different types of weapons. Now the Durgā-pūjā will be performed. You can see the Durgā deity. So ten hands, the material nature. Ten hands means ten directions: north, south, east, west, and then the four corners, eight, and up and down. So ten directions. So this material nature, Durgā, is controlling the whole universe, ten directions. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). Ekā. Chāyeva. But how she is working? Not independently. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva. She is working just like shadow. The original body and the shadow body, they are two different. But the shadow body moves if the original moves. So therefore this word is used, chāyeva. This vast power, material nature... It is a very powerful... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti. It can create; it can destroy. At any moment, if there is some earthquake, the whole sea water may come and cover the land portion, and within the sea you can see one island has come out. Everyone has got this experience. So sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. One side, pralaya; one side, creation. So this can be done by the material nature. But how she is working? She is working under the direction of somebody else. That is Govinda. And Govinda also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "She is working under My direction."
So, "Are you suffering some pains on account of your body or mind?" This is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means the body. The body and the mind. That's called adhyātmika. Adhibhautika, sufferings offered by other living entities. And adhidaivika. Adhidaivika means sufferings offered by the demigods. Just like famine, pestilence, earthquake. You have no hand. You may be a very big, big scientist, but when this trembling of the earth, "Oh, God save us, God save us, God save us." (laughter) Yes. Even that sputnik... Our scientist... Where is scientist? What is that, sputnik? They were asking, "God shall...?"
Active means especially in killing the demons. But such demons could be killed without the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If there is little earthquake, millions of demons can be killed. It is not very difficult job. If the Pacific Ocean overfloods this city, millions of people can be killed. If there is a war, millions of people can be killed. If there is epidemic, millions of men can be killed. So killing the demons, for that purpose He does not come, Kṛṣṇa. Rather, Kṛṣṇa's many agents, they can kill such demons without any difficulty. But He comes, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. (BG 4.8) Just like Lord Nṛsiṁha appeared not to kill the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. He could be killed otherwise. But He appeared for Prahlāda. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was being so much teased and so much tortured. He could not tolerate it. So he wanted to show His devotee that "I shall kill your torturer before you." That is the purpose. So He did not appear for killing Hiraṇyakaśipu. He appeared to give encouragement to Prahlāda Mahārāja.
This is called adhibhautika, suffering imposed by other living entities—the mosquitos, the bugs. Then enemies. Suffering. Just like some of our enemies, they are hindering sanctioning this temple. So this is called adhibhautika. And besides that, big, big sufferings there are. Then adhidaivika, accident, which you have no control over. No sufferings you have control. That is not possible. There is famine; there is pestilence; there is no rain; there is excessive heat, excessive cold. They are called adhidaivika. Earthquake..., so many. So this is the reminder, that "You rascal, you are thinking you are very happy in this material world. What you have done about these sufferings?" Mūḍha. They think, "Oh, this is all right. It doesn't matter." Besides that, there is very grave sufferings. That is birth, death, old age, and disease. So where is your happiness? But because we are under the spell of māyā, we are thinking, "This position is very nice. Let us enjoy life." This is their enjoyment.
The ultimate, mṛtyuś carati mad-bhayāt . So bhaya, bhaya means fearfulness. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. In the previous verse the Lord Kapiladeva said that "If anyone wants to get out of this fearful situation..." Bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate. Ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate. We are always fearful. Material life is not very happy life because we are always fearful. That's a fact. Nobody can say, "No, I am not afraid of anything." That is false. Everyone is afraid of something, everyone—bird, beast, human being, everyone, bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt—because we have got absorption in the second category of life. Second category means this bodily conception of life, dvitīya abhiniveśa. I am thinking at the present moment that "I am this body." Everyone is thinking. Therefore, when there is fear of destruction of this body, we become very much afraid, perplexed. We have seen in Los Angeles. There was earthquake, and all the neighborhood, women especially, began to scream, fearful, "Now death is coming."
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that vimūḍhān, māyā-sukhāya. They are trying to be happy within this material existence-māyā-sukhāya bharam. Bharam means gorgeous arrangement, very gorgeous arrangement, very big, big road, big, big skyscraper building, and big machine, big industry, and so many big, big things, big, big words, big, big politician, and big, big political activities. But so mūḍha that he does not think for a moment, "How long these big, big things will be enjoyed by me? I have... Certainly there is credit for creating all these big, big things, but māyā will not allow me to enjoy these things. At any moment I shall be kicked out. And what insurance and guarantee I have made, just I can enjoy this?" Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya: wasting time making gorgeous arrangement. Not only the sukha, but this whole thing can be finished within a second. If there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience many times—anything will be finished. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).
So there is no solution for them made. The so-called scientists and philosophers, they do not..., "Oh, death is natural. What is this? I'll have to, I'll die." But when there is warning, "Now death," there is... I have, everyone has seen that as soon as there is earthquake, they began to scream, "Oh, now I'm going to die." As soon as there is any shaking in the airplane, they begin to scream. (laughter) He's afraid of death, but he says, "Oh, that is not a problem." He has got his experience that at the time of death it is very severe punishment. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam: "You may be satisfied with your foolish idea that you are very happy, but if you are intelligent then you must always keep yourself..." The Cānakya Paṇḍita also said that those who advancing in spiritual life, they should place before him that "Here is death," just before him. And those who are karmīs, like ass, they'll always think that "I'll never die." The spiritualist always thinks that "I am dying, dying, dying, going to die next moment." And the karmīs, he should think that "I'll live forever." Otherwise he cannot work. He cannot. Unless he is put into this ignorance that he'll never die, he cannot work.
So, otherwise, śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya pramattasya. Gṛheṣu saktasya, those who are too much attached... Everyone is attached in material way of...Gṛheṣu means not only family. Somebody is very much attached to the body. That is natural for every living being, body, bodily attachment is there. Even an animal like hog is living in filthy place and eating stool, still, he has got affection for the body. When the hog is taken from the flock for being killed, he screams very loudly, "Don't want. I don't want to be killed." Although the life is very abominable, still he's attached to the body. The old man is attached to the body. So this is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Atheists... In our Los Angeles temple we have seen, there are so many karmīs, and when there was earthquake they screamed like anything. So no one wants to die. They say, "No, I can die." No. At the time of death they scream, they do not like. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. So gṛheṣu saktasya. Generally, people become too much attached to family life. I sometimes say that in the Western countries the young boys, they come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their only one great asset is they are not family-wise attached. That is very good qualification. Someway or other, they have become. Therefore their attachment to Kṛṣṇa becoming staunch. In India they have got organized family attachment. They are not interested. They are after money now. That I have experienced. Yes.
This is one class of misery. The other class of misery is due to this body and mind. Sometimes the body is sick; we don't feel very nice. Sometimes the mind is disturbed. That is also..., it may be due to other friend or other relative; so mind is not in order. This is called adhyātmika. So adhibhautika, adhyātmika. And other disturbance created by adhidaivaika. Daiva means on which we have no control. Just like earthquake, flood, or similar nature's disturbance on which we have no control.
So here it is said, tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā. Duḥkhi. That is our ignorance. We are always unhappy due to these three kinds of miseries inflicted by the laws of nature, but still, we think that we are very nice. But actually we are duḥkhitātmā, we are always sorry. Nirvidyate na kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. But there is no satiation because the only solace is that he is within the so-called friendship, love and society. That's all.
We have to become purified. Nirmalam means completely purified. That is the mission of human life. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), purify. Why purification required? Because we are after happiness. That is our nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Everyone, we want happiness. But we are so blind that happiness in the material world is faced with so many other troubles. Just like I want to be happy, I am sitting peacefully, the mosquito will come and disturb me. The bugs will come, disturb me. The dogs will come, disturb me. And so many other... There will be some earthquake will disturb me, there will be some storm will disturb me. There will be some fever, disturb me. Some calamity will disturb me. So because all these disturbances are, this is nature's daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That māyā is always ready to disturb us. Because to remind us that "You want to be happy in this material world, that is not possible. I shall disturb you always, in this way or that way." That we haven't got eyes to see, that we are being disturbed. But if we want undisturbed happiness then we have to purify our existence.
This is līlā-kathā of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. This is līlā, exchange of dealings between devotee and the Lord. The whole Bhāgavata, it is called Bhāgavata, why? The only subject matter is Bhagavān and bhakta. That's all. Bhagavān is the Lord, and bhakta is devotee. It has no other. You won't find any newspaper item, that "There was earthquake in London," and this and that. You don't find all these things. It is not like that, tad vāyasa-tīrtham, not for the enjoyment of the crowslike men. It must be swan, haṁsa. Haṁsa.
So Kṛṣṇa also says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā, similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja also says duratyayā, it is very difficult to supplant the laws of nature. If you don't act according to the direction... Veda means knowledge. So in the Vedas, they are giving direction how to live. Even if you want to be materially prosperous, you have to follow these rules and regulations. And if you want to get out of this material world, these are the rules and regulations. Otherwise, we have to meet always... Already there are calamities. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), the calamities of birth, the calamities of death, the calamities of old age, the calamities of disease, they are already there. And above that, the calamities of war, pestilence, famine, earthquake, and so many other things.
This is called adhyātmika. And there are other miseries inflicted by other living entities, my enemies, some animal, some mosquito or some bug. There are so many living entities, they are also try to give me some trouble. This is called adhibhautika. And there is another type of misery, which is called adhidaivika. That is natural disturbance—severe cold, severe heat, some famine, some earthquake, some disaster, some hurricanes. There are so many things, natural disturbance. So in either of these three types of miserable condition we are. But those who are foolish, they do not see to it. Under illusion of māyā they think, "Oh, we are very happy." This is called māyā. One is not happy, but he's thinking, "I am happy." And they are trying to become happy in so many other ways.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Even nobody gives me any distress, my body will give me distress. If I cannot sit comfortably, if there is some pinching, I am feeling pain. So these things are going on, ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. And other miseries inflicted by providence. Just like there is no rain, excessive heat, excessive cold, famine, pestilence, earthquake. We have no control over. These are ādhidaivika. So we are suffering. Although we may foolishly say If somebody asks his friend, "How are you?" he says, "Oh, yes, everything is all right." Where is "Everything is all right"? You are suffering and This is called māyā. He's suffering, but he will say, "Everything is all right." A man is dying on the deathbed, and his friend comes, "How you are feeling?" "Yes, I am all right." (laughter) Now he's going to die, and he says, "I am all right." So this is called māyā. They're suffering, but they are accepting, "I am all right." Full of anxieties always: "What will happen next?"
Then adhibhautika. Adhibhautika means miseries offered by other living entities. Just like at night, bedbugs. (laughter) (laughs) So, very nice situation, whole night there is no sleep. Why? Now there is adhibhautika. Adhibhautika. Or some enemy. This is... There are... These are all miseries, but we forget. And adhidaivika. Adhidaivika. Just like heavy snowfall, severe cold, severe heat, earthquake, famine, war. These are adhidaivika, forced by you by superior power. Nobody wants war, but it is forced. These are called adhidaivika miseries. So three kinds. Here it is stated, ādhyātmikādi tapa-traya tāre. So we are under the control of this material nature, and that trident is pierced on my chest. How can I understand? Now this trident I am experiencing every moment. These three kinds of miseries are there. Either this or that or three or two or one—must be there. Must be there. So those who are, I mean to say, enlightened, they can understand that we are miserable. We are in a miserable condition. And those who are not enlightened, in ignorance, they think, "Oh, this is all right. Don't care for it."
General Lectures
Sometimes we are feeling headaches, sometimes we are feeling some other pains. Any things which are pertaining to the body and mind, there is some pain. These are called ādhyātmika. Similarly, there are other pains, inflicted by other living entities. They are called ādhibhautika. Similarly, other pains also, which is offered by the nature, by the laws of nature. All of a sudden there is earthquake, all of a sudden there is famine, or similar other which we have no control over. So these three kinds of miseries are always there. But under the spell of illusion we are thinking that we are happy. And the illusion means that the material energy is so illusory that however a living entity may be in abominable condition, he thinks that he is happy. You take any animal, just like take the hog—that life is most filthy life. Of course, you have no experience to see in your city, hogs. In India there are many hogs in the city, and they are living in filthy place—they are eating stool, and most abominable life. But even you ask a hog that "You are living in such abominable condition. Let me do you something good," he'll refuse to accept. If you give him something, nice preparation, as we have got in India, halavā, he'll not accept it. He will accept stool, because his body is meant for that purpose and he will not like any palatable foodstuff. He will like that stool. This is the spell of māyā.
The threefold miseries means first, pertaining to the body and mind, and second, miseries inflicted by other living entities, and miseries by nature or higher authorities. Just like severe cold or severe heat or famine or earthquake. They are also miseries. This is beyond our control. So miseries which are beyond our control. So far bodily disease, mental disturbance, we can get some remedy in our own way. We can go to a psychiatrist or we can go to a doctor and get some medicine and get relief. And so far miseries from other living entities, we can take protection, we can defend ourself. But so far miseries offered by the demigods, daiva, there is no remedy. If there is all of a sudden here earthquake, oh, there is no remedy. You have to suffer.
They cannot express, but this is called ādhibhautic, sufferings offered by other living entities. Similarly, we have to suffer also sufferings offered by other living entities. God's law you cannot, I mean to say, supersede. So material laws, state laws, you can hide yourself, but God's law you cannot hide yourself. There are so many witnesses. The sun is your witness, the moon is your witness, the day is your witness, the night is your witness, the sky is your witness. So how you can supersede the laws of the Lord? So... But this material nature is so constituted that we have to suffer ādhyātmic, pertaining to the body, pertaining to the mind, and sufferings offered by other living entities, and another suffering ādhidaivic. Ādhidaivic, just like somebody is ghost-haunted, a ghost has attacked him. Ghost cannot be seen, but he's suffering delirium, speaking something nonsense. Or there is famine, there is earthquake, there is war, there is pestilence, so many things.
By the laws of God, by the laws of nature, he is tightly packed up. You see? If your hands are tightly knotted, if your legs are tightly, then how you can work? So these leaders, they do not know that they are under the control of the stringent laws of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Suppose if there is a heavy earthquake. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean... And there is some suggestion like that, some years they will mix together, by the scientists. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean mix together. Then how you can check? Your hands and legs are tightly packed up. You cannot check the laws of nature. Therefore blind leaders who are so tightly packed up by the laws of nature, how they can lead? They cannot lead. They cannot lead to the goal of life. The goal of life is God or Kṛṣṇa, but they are enamored by the glimmering of, the glittering of this material nature. So they cannot lead. Then how, what is the solution? If Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not possible to cultivate by speculation, by assembly meeting, or by knowledge derived from higher authoritative sources, the leaders are misleading, then how it is to be attained? How the goal of life can be attained?
That is a fact. Everyone. But some, by some cause or by some way, there is a fire just like forest fire. Nobody's interested to go in the forest and set fire there, but there is fire, automatically. Similarly, this world... Nobody wants war, nobody wants famine, nobody wants earthquake, nobody wants disease, nobody wants death, but these things happening. It will happen. Even if you do not want, you cannot, I mean to say, combat all these, I mean to say, attacks of the material nature. That is the way of material nature. Therefore self-realization is the opportunity of this human form of life. This human form of life... According to... Most of you, many of you may be students of anthropology, of Darwin's theory, that the life is evolving. This anthropology long, long years was stated in the Padma Purāṇa. There it is, it is stated, aśītiṁ caturaś caiva bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jātiṣu. Bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jā... These very words are there. These are Sanskrit words. What is that? Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs... That means 8,400,000 species of life, and you have got this human form of life, civilized form of life. This life has to be properly utilized.
The mosquito bite, the bug bite, or the tiger attacks you. So many living entities there are, they're always busy to inflict misery. This is called adhibhautika. And there is another misery, which is called adhidaivika, nature's disturbance. All of a sudden there is earthquake, there is famine, there is pestilence. So many, in which you have to control. In every misery, there is no control. Ultimately, all the miseries are summarized in four things: the misery of birth... We do not... We have forgotten how much miserable condition we passed during our stay in the womb of mother, in a suffocated condition. You just imagine. Some of you might have seen the picture how the child remains within the womb of the mother. It is air-tight packed. And there are many germs who are biting the delicate skin of the child.
There was a famine in India in 1942, big famine. I particularly inquired among the disciples of my Guru Mahārāja, and even the remote village, they said that "We have no difficulty." No. And another, there was a havoc, earthquake, in Bihar sometime in 1933 or that... And one of our Godbrother, Mr. Munshi Chatterjee, when he heard that quarter is completely demolished, so he was in the office. He was thinking, "What shall I do by going home? There is no more home. Everything is..." Then he said, "Let me go and see." And when he came there, only his house was left. Only his house. All house dismantled. The only. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). That we have seen in many instances. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is never vanquished.
Just like your enemy or an animal—or there are ants, mosquitos, flies, they are all causing suffering. You are killing them, and they are trying to give you suffering. This is called struggle. This is called ādhibautic, suffering given by other living entities. Suffering caused by myself, this is called ādhyātmic. And suffering caused by other living... And there are other sufferings, caused by the nature, superior power, ādhidaivic. All of a sudden, there is no rain, no rainfall, and now for want of rainfall, there is no food grain. Excessive heat, excessive chilly cold; earthquake, famine... So many, by natures, imposed by the natures. Flood. So there are three kinds of sufferings in the material world, and everyone is suffering either by one, two or three or..., but nobody can say that "I am completely free from suffering." That is not possible. And why this suffering? Due to ignorance.
As soon as we come to the knowledge that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God," then our knowledge is perfect. This is called brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. This is called Brahman realization.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
So prayer is needed because we are in danger. And actually we pray when we are in great danger. Suppose if immediately there is some earthquake or there is some danger, naturally, spontaneously, we pray. We pray. But we forget it. But the prayer, the tendency of offering prayer to the Lord at the time of danger, is automatic. So we should know that we are in danger. We are in this material condition of life means we are in danger. Therefore we should pray. We must pray to pick him up, to pick us up. That is necessity of prayer.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: So this is also mathematical truth. Because even the aborigines, they also offer obeisances to thunderbolt. As soon as there is some sound of thunderbolt, or as soon as there is earthquake, they offer obeisances—any big natural phenomena. That means the devotion is there, but that devotional service is misplaces so long as one does not reach God.
Prabhupāda: If I say that frogs or many others animals lay eggs, millions... Just like the snake. They give birth to so many hundreds and thousands of snakes at a time. So, if so many snakes are allowed to exist, then there will be disturbance. Therefore the nature's law is that the big snake eats up the small, small snakes. That is nature's law. But behind this nature's law there is brain. That is our proposition: that nature's law is not blind. There is brain, and that brain is God. We get it from Bhagavad-gītā: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). So whatever things are happening in the material nature, it is being done by the indication of the Supreme Lord in order to maintain everything in order. Just like the snake is laying eggs, thousands. If they are not killed, then the whole world will be full of snakes only. So there is a plan that the snakes will eat. Just like tiger. Tiger, they also have their cubs, but the male tiger kills them and the female tiger hides them. So many tigers are coming out. So that is another economic Malthus theory that whenever there is large number of population there must be some war, some epidemic, some earthquake, like that. They should die. So these natural activities are planned; they are not chance. As he is saying, "chance," that means he has no sufficient knowledge.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: And so... Real intelligence is that to know "what I am." "I do not want to suffer. Why suffering in this world is imposed upon me?" This is intelligence. Take, for example, nobody wants to die. Why death is forced upon him? Nobody wants to die. If there is now news immediately, "Now this house will collapse," immediately we shall fly away. Because we don't want to die. If we understand that this house is going to be bombed immediately, we'll immediately leave. If there is earthquake... So many things. So nobody wants to die. But death is sure. So what solution they have made? I do not want to die, and death is forced upon me. So what solution we have made. What is, what is the scientists have done in this connection? Psychologically, if I do not want to die, then I must find out some way that death will not bother me. That is intelligence. You are talking of intelligence. Therefore I am explaining what is intelligence. Intelligence means "I do not want something, but it is being forced upon me. How to check it?" That is intelligence.
Prabhupāda: Some of your friends, he turns to become your enemy. He puts you in difficulty. Or there are so many animals, so many insects. They give us trouble. This is one kind of suffering. Another kind of suffering: by nature's... All of sudden, there is drought. Now, just like, all, in India there is drought. They are suffering. No rain. All of a sudden there is earthquake. That is also suffering. There is some epidemic, pestilence. You cannot check it. So in this way, either of these three, sufferings going on. But those who are sleeping, they cannot understand that this is suffering. Just like animals. They cannot understand. That is sleeping stage. And when one is awakened, he will think "I don't want all these sufferings. Why they are imposed upon me? How I can avoid?" That is intelligence. So human being, unless he comes to this platform of intelligence, he is animal.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: What is that dominate? One kick will finish everything. That is illusion. They are thinking, "We are going to dominate," but they are dominated always. Therefore, because they have no intelligence, they cannot understand. One earthquake can finish all this. All go down immediately. So what is that dominate? Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ kar... (BG 3.27). The prakṛti, nature, is giving chance just like father and mother give chance that the children pile up stone and sand. "Let them play." Similarly prakṛti, mother prakṛti, nature, giving all this, "Let this rascal play like that. What can be done?" He does not know that "After this piling of stones and bricks, I will have to leave this place. And I do not know where I am going." So less intelligence. And they do not know what he is. He is thinking, "I am this body," but this body will be finished. That's all. "I was zero. I assumed some body. Now again I shall become zero." That's all. Śūnyavādī. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādī. It is covered? (break) ...viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Durāśayā, some utopian hope of becoming happy. This is called durāśayā.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, every life is pure. The body is pure and impure. So anyway, after destruction, the life is not destroyed. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The destruction of body does not mean that the soul is destroyed. No. He gets another body. The body is... one body is destroyed, and he transmigrates to another body. And so far your question about the earthquake, so suppose if there is plane crash, there are many good men, bad men, so everyone is crashed. But the good man gets a good body again; the bad man gets a bad body again.
Prabhupāda: You are not controlling. There are so many happenings, that big waves come, and overflood, and there is earthquake, and everything is finished. So you are not controlling accident, even if we accept accident. Accident is not under your control. That Madhudviṣa was telling: in Darwin there was so big, powerful wind, the motor buses were flying.
Prabhupāda: Then how they will come to know? (break) ...Kṛṣṇa wants, immediately this land, by earthquake, can go down, immediately, within a second. So in the Vedic literature nature is accepted. But the creation, maintenance, destruction, that is in the hand of God, not nature. (break)
Prabhupāda: We. (break) There was an artificial famine in India and I particularly inquired from all devotees whether they have got any problem in this famine. They said, "No, we haven't got." I have taken the statistics. In 1942 the artificial famine created by government... So there were big earthquake in Bihar. At that time one of my godbrother, he was government auditor. So I inquired. In that earthquake only his house was saved. I have seen it many times. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). That is the only....
- samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
- mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
- bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
- padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
- (SB 10.14.58)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Then there is human life. And if he remains like animal, and simply try to make some remedial measures... He's suffering undoubtedly, but because he does not take it seriously, therefore he's animal. Animal does not take seriously why he's suffering. That is the distinction between human life and animal life. Suffering is there, but the animal does not take it seriously. But human life must take it seriously otherwise he's an animal. There are so many sufferings. This is adhibhau... adhidaivika. Adhidaivika: by—you say accident—by nature, by superior power. Some miserable condition is enforced upon us. Suppose if there is an earthquake, that is not in your hand, but it may cause some havoc. This is adhidaivika. Similar, adhibhautika: Suffering caused by other living entities. And adhyātmika, suffering caused by this body and mind. So suffering is always there, but we are suffering, we have been accustomed to suffer. But when the question is that why I am suffering, whether there is any remedy? That is human life. Otherwise, the animal life.
Devotee: Like when they have earthquakes and hurricanes in countries, the Peace Corps will go there and they will do all the nursing and doctoring and helping people get homes...
Prabhupāda: So unless there is earthquake, they will not work.
| Page Title: | Earthquakes |
| Compiler: | Sahadeva, Mayapur, Rishab |
| Created: | 13 of Mar, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=7, CC=0, OB=5, Lec=41, Con=9, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 62 |