As far as fruitive activities are concerned, they are mainly based on the platform of sense gratification. Therefore an advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not take to them. The result of fruitive activities can elevate one to the higher planetary system, but as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, foolish persons, after exhausting the results of their pious activities in the heavenly kingdom, come back again to this lower planetary system and then again try to go to the higher planetary system. Their only profit is to take the trouble of going and coming back, just as at present many material scientists are spoiling their time by trying to go to the moon planet and again coming back. Those who are engaged in fruitive activities are described by the Vedas personified as andha-paramparā, or blind followers of the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Although such ceremonies are certainly mentioned in the Vedas, they are not meant for the intelligent class of men. Men who are too much attached to material enjoyment are captivated by the prospect of being elevated to the higher planetary system, and so they take to such ritualistic activities. But persons who are intelligent, who have taken shelter of a bona fide spiritual master to see things as they are, do not take to fruitive activities but engage themselves in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
For the intelligent
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
For the intelligent person, it is essential to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, in order to achieve a permanent, blissful abode for eternal happiness. The process of achieving such a marvelous result is very easy and can be attempted even by the poorest of the poor, without any kind of qualification. The only qualification required in this connection is to be a pure devotee of the Lord. It does not matter what one is or where one is situated. The process is so easy that even a leaf or a little water or fruit can be offered to the Supreme Lord in genuine love and the Lord will be pleased to accept it. No one, therefore, can be barred from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because it is so easy and universal. Who is such a fool that he does not want to be Kṛṣṇa conscious by this simple method and thus attain the highest perfectional life of eternity, bliss and knowledge? Kṛṣṇa wants only loving service and nothing more. Kṛṣṇa accepts even a little flower from His pure devotee. He does not want any kind of offering from a nondevotee. He is not in need of anything from anyone, because He is self-sufficient, and yet He accepts the offering of His devotee in an exchange of love and affection. To develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfection of life. Bhakti is mentioned twice in this verse in order to declare more emphatically that bhakti, or devotional service, is the only means to approach Kṛṣṇa. No other condition, such as becoming a brāhmaṇa, a learned scholar, a very rich man or a great philosopher, can induce Kṛṣṇa to accept some offering. Without the basic principle of bhakti, nothing can induce the Lord to agree to accept anything from anyone. Bhakti is never causal. The process is eternal. It is direct action in service to the absolute whole.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
For the intelligent men, controlling the senses is the most essential qualification. It is the basis of morality. Sex indulgence even with a legitimate wife must also be controlled, and thereby family control will automatically follow. An intelligent man abuses his great qualifications if he does not follow the Vedic way of life. This means he must seriously make a study of the Vedic literatures, especially of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā. For learning Vedic knowledge, one must approach a person who is cent percent engaged in devotional service. He must not do things which are forbidden in the śāstras. A person cannot be a teacher if he drinks or smokes. In the modern system of education the teacher's academic qualification is taken into consideration without evaluation of his moral life. Therefore, the result of education is misuse of high intelligence in so many ways.
SB Canto 4
Kindly let me know the whereabouts of that beautiful woman who always saves me when I am drowning in the ocean of danger. By giving me good intelligence at every step, she always saves me.
There is no difference between a good wife and good intelligence. One who possesses good intelligence can deliberate properly and save himself from many dangerous conditions. In material existence there is danger at every step. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58) it is said: padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. This material world is not actually a place of residence for an intelligent person or a devotee because here there is danger at every step. Vaikuṇṭha is the real home for the devotee, for there is no anxiety and no danger. Good intelligence means becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said: kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. Unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot be called an intelligent person.
Foolish people engage in material activities as if they will live forever and enjoy material advancement, but actually there is no material advancement. Under illusion people think that material opulence will save them, but although there has been much advancement in material science, the problems of human society—birth, death, old age and disease—are still unsolved. Nonetheless foolish scientists are thinking that they have advanced materially. When Kālakanyā, the invalidity of old age, attacks them, they become fearful of death, if they are sane. Those who are insane simply do not care for death, nor do they know what is going to happen after death. They are under the wrong impression that after death there is no life, and consequently they act very irresponsibly in this life and enjoy unrestricted sense gratification. For an intelligent person, the appearance of old age is an impetus to spiritual life. People naturally fear impending death.
SB Canto 7
When one is completely in knowledge of ahaṁ brahmāsmi, he thinks, "I am part of the Supreme Lord, my body is made of His material energy, and therefore I have no separate existence. Yet although the Supreme Lord is spread everywhere, He is different from me." This is the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. An example given in this regard is that of the aroma within the earth. In the earth there are aromas and colors, but one cannot see them. Actually we find that when flowers grow from the earth, they appear with different colors and aromas, which they have certainly gathered from the earth, although in the earth we cannot see them. Similarly, the Supreme Lord, by His different energies, spreads throughout one's body and soul, although we cannot see Him. An intelligent man, however, can see the Supreme Lord existing everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham: (Bs. 5.35) the Lord is within the universe and within the atom by His different energies. This is the real vision of the Supreme Lord for the intelligent man. Brahmā, the first created being, became the most intelligent person by his tapasya, austerity, and thus he came to this realization. We must therefore take all knowledge from Brahmā, who became perfect by his tapasya.
SB Canto 8
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Give up all other varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." The common man does not appreciate such a statement by the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he thinks that during his lifetime his family, society, country, body and relatives are everything. Why should one give up any one of them and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? But from the behavior of great personalities like Prahlāda Mahārāja and Bali Mahārāja we understand that surrendering to the Lord is the right action for an intelligent person.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Now, what was to be done? How could both the killing of this demon and the saving of the devotees be performed simultaneously? Kṛṣṇa, being unlimitedly potent, decided to wait for an intelligent means by which He could simultaneously save the boys and kill the demon. Then He entered the mouth of Aghāsura.
Kṛṣṇa is known as ananta-vīrya-sarvajña because everything is known to Him. Because He knows everything perfectly well, it was not difficult for Him to find a means by which He could save the boys and at the same time kill the demon. Thus He also decided to enter the demon's mouth.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So yoga, yoga, this bodily practice, that if I am not body, then what shall I get by bodily exercise? Bodily exercises can help me little, but that is not spiritual platform. The (indistinct), kuṇḍalinī, these are to the bodily concept of life. Actually, to tell the truth, those who are too much bodily absorbed, that "I am this body," for them this yoga practice is recommended. Not for the intelligent man. Because one who identifies himself with this body, he is not very intelligent. But because such persons are not very intelligent, for them this bodily exercise of yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, is recommended. Not for the intelligent person. Intelligent person, they take immediately to the devotional service, immediate. Just like Kṛṣṇa..., Lord Caitanya begins immediately spiritual life, and He instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is spiritual life. You... From the very beginning, you take it for granted that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am not this body. Neither I have anything to do in relationship with this body." Because as soon as I identify with my body, then the family relation, the society relation, the national relation, the country relation, so many things in relationship with the body we accept as truth. But that is not truth. As soon as the body finishes, everything finishes. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, yoga is also not helpful for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So in the nine cantos of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, all these different nine manifestation of His energies are described. If we can understand... Just like if we can study the sunshine, the energy of the sun, then we can estimate the value of sun: "Oh, what sort of temperature is there." So if you want to study God, if you want to know God, then you must first of all study His energies. God is all-pervading by His energy. You study. Just the scientists, what they are studying? They are studying a portion of the energy of God, only a portion of the energy of God. That is also not perfectly. So the energy is so vast and immense that one cannot study even the energy. Therefore those who are studying about God, after finishing the study of the energies, they are at a loss to understand how so much energy can be emanated from the person. Therefore they cannot conceive any personal idea of God. The energy is so vast and immense that they are bewildered in the energy. And how such great amount of energy can emanate from a person they cannot conceive, because they compare with their own energy. Because I am limited... I have got this body, I have got my personality, but my energies are limited. But we cannot understand that the Unlimited has got unlimited energy. So this impersonal idea of God is for the less intelligent person, not for the intelligent persons. Those who are, I mean to say, favored with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot conceive about the Personality of Godhead. Therefore we have to approach authorities just like Lord Caitanya. He is putting something before us. Even in Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa also says that "I am person. I am person."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Whenever we speak something, immediately quote from Vedas. This is our process. If it is accepted by the Vedic process, then it is perfect. Just like in the law court. You are lawyer. You are arguing. When you quote from a judgement, previous judgement, it is accepted. Similarly, when you give authoritative statement support of your talking, then it is perfect. That is the way. Otherwise, what for these books are there? If it is mental speculation what is the use of these books? But as soon as we speak something, we immediately support by quoting from Vedic literature. And that is perfect. And now you have to possess little knowledge. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, how Kṛṣṇa is perfect. Kṛṣṇa is giving example side, by side. Yathā, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, as there is the soul, there is the soul, asmin dehe, and he's having different types of bodies, kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. He's changing body from childhood, boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to another state. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Where is the illogical presentation? This is scientific. For an intelligent man, this is scientific. And if he's still dull-headed, then what can be done? Kṛṣṇa gives example. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. As the soul is changing body, from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, like that. Similarly, after finishing this body, it may be invisible to you, but the subtle body is there. We have got two kinds of bodies. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). This material, eight kinds of materials—earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, ego. So when your body of earth, water, fire, air... Now in the... Now here is a medical man. He knows about this body made of earth, water, fire, air. But he does not know, perhaps, the body made of mind, intelligence and ego.
Prabhupāda: Mars. You see? But the rascal government does not... You could not become successful about the moon expedition. Why you are asking money again?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say they are successful.
Prabhupāda: What is that successful?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they have gone to the moon. So that was a direct...
Prabhupāda: That you are not successful. You live there. What is the use of going there?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They wanted to know what is going on there.
Prabhupāda: Oh. That is another rascaldom. What is going on... There are so many things going on. So you have to spend money for going all to the planets, what they are doing, or... Only for that?
Karandhara: They haven't taken care of business here.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Just see...
Karandhara: They haven't taken care of things here.
Prabhupāda: Just see how rascaldom is going on. What is the use of our going there? "Things are going on..." Suppose in another state, something is going on. So are you interested? Going... Let them go. What is the benefit out of it? You spend so much money, public. Simply to see. "There is a crack." Last conclusion: "There was a crack." Just see how they are spoiling hard-earned public money. Because there is no good leader, all these rascals are benefitting, taking their money, and enjoying, and giving bluff information to the public. This should be stopped. Immediately this should be stopped. What is their contribution? The same thing: a dog is already barking, and because they're imitating barking, they're being awarded Nobel Prize, "Oh, how you can bark nicely!" This is going on. There is life already. It is practical. Everyone sees that a man and woman combines and there is child, life, another life. And now, foolishly they want to prove that life comes from matter. And as soon as we offer that "You take this matter. Produce," "That we shall see later on." Just see. In this way, they're spoiling money. So because there is no good leader, these rascals are not stopped.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They call this "A new frontier of knowledge."
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: "New frontier of knowledge."
Prabhupāda: Yes, because the new frontier of knowledge for the rascals not for the intelligent men.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: But that is not being done. Therefore I said... I go to their country. "Why in your country there is inequality? Why in your country?" That was my point. "Why you have made a class of men as manager and a class of men as worker?" Nobody wants to be worker.
Satsvarūpa: Everyone knows that Russia is just like the U.S. almost.
Prabhupāda: What is that? (loud siren)
Dhanañjaya: That's ambulance.
Nitāi: So when they talk with the peasants, they are convincing. Because the peasants don't know anything.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Nitāi: They cannot face anybody who knows something.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They make this propaganda. They take bread to the peasants, and the peasants go to the church, and ask, "O God, give us our daily bread." Then they ask, "Has God given you bread?" So they say, "No sir." "You ask us." "Oh, Mr. Communist, give me bread." "Ah, take as much..." "Who is better?" "You are better." They'll say like that. But they have no sense that wherefrom this rascal has brought this bread. If God had, would not have given the wheat, wherefrom he would make the bread? But that, they have no sense. This is going on. If they had sense, they would immediately reply, "You are not giving the bread. God has given this bread." Because he prepared bread from the wheat. And wheat has been given by God. "You cannot prepare food. Therefore God has given."
Haihaya: Actually, they ask to God and they get it.
Prabhupāda: Actually, God is giving us bread, not this "Communist Party." That's a fact. But they have no intelligence to reply these rascals. That's all. Therefore these isms, so-called isms, is good for the rascals, not for the intelligent man. Intelligent man will immediately ask, "Where is your equality?" And they cannot reply. (break)
Prabhupāda: So they have no common sense. And they are leading the sinful life; still, they are very much proud of their civilization. And they are suffering periodical wars, war number one, war number two, war number three. This number will increase. Not only... Without war, thousands of children are being killed within the womb. This is going on. If you kill, then you be killed. This is nature's reaction. You will be killed within the womb. You will never see the sunlight. Again you die, again enter another womb, and again be killed. This has increased in modern society. Even the father, mother does not want to see the child living: "Kill him." And a few days, few years after, we shall kill each other. So they are not afraid of any sinful life. You see? The nature will not tolerate. Kṛṣṇa will not tolerate. God will not tolerate, because God claims, "I am the father of everyone." So suppose if a very intelligent son kills another son of the father, he is not intelligent, will the father be very happy? A father is father for the intelligent son and the fool son. But if the intelligent son thinks that "The fool son is useless. Let me kill him," the father will not be satisfied. So God is the supreme father, and He will never tolerate that "Because you are intelligent, you are allowed to kill another unintelligent living being." No. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: (ISO 1) "Whatever foodstuff I have given to you, you eat then, live and be God conscious." The animals, they are not coming to eat your foodstuff, your fruits. They are, rather, producing milk not for drinking themselves. They are giving you, and you have no obligation? The milk produced by the cows, it is taken by the human being. They do not drink it. So they are giving milk. And after death, you are taking their skin. So every way they are serving. The stool, cowdung, we have stacked here. I have seen. There also fertilizer. In so many ways they are giving you service, and you are killing the poor animal. What is the human civilization?
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: ...be done by Darwin, that he will live for fifty years; he is giving account millions of years. "Some millions of years after, this evolution takes place like this." Huh? Will he live for millions of years? Why he's talking of millions of years? This is a waste of time. He will live for fifty years or, say, utmost, hundred years, and he's talking of millions of years.
Śrutakīrti: Just like that man who wrote the letter yesterday. He's prepared to spend the rest of his life understanding the transfer, the transmigration of the soul instead of just accepting it in the Gītā. He's going to spend his whole life.
Prabhupāda: No, no. His non-acceptance means he's a rascal. He's a rascal. He may waste his time in that way. What can be done? His non-acceptance means he's a rascal. It's evident. Anyone knows that "After this, I will get another body." You are all young men. You know that you will get after some years a body like me. So what is the difficulty to understand that we are changing body?
Paramahaṁsa: So actually it's useless to try to give any more proof other than that.
Prabhupāda: That is sufficient for an intelligent man. That is sufficient.
Harikeśa: But there is happiness of the senses. When you have sex life...
Prabhupāda: When... Happiness there is, not for the rascals, but for the intelligent. Happiness there is. Unless there is happiness, how we are seeking for happiness? Unless there is immortality, how we are seeking for immortality? There is. But the way in which you are seeking for these things, that is wrong. That is the whole education. Māyā muni sthitaḥ. Just like a foolish animal, he is seeking water from the desert because it appears there is water. But that is his foolishness. A human being he knows that there is no water, it is all sand. That is the difference between animal and human being. Therefore if the dog sees another, what is called? He makes a dog in the water, and he thinks another dog carrying a bread and he wants to take it away, so his bread goes away
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Monday. Sunday, Monday?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Days are in this order. So naturally one has to conclude that sun first, moon second. Naturally.
Rādhāvallabha: They will say, "Who has set up the order?"
Prabhupāda: Anyway, you accept it. All over the world, nobody says that Monday first. Then?
Candanācārya: Is this also in Sanskrit language? Sunday, Monday.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes. Ask all scientists this simple question. Why, all over the world, Sunday, sun first and moon second? Why? And Saturday last. All of you could not answer this question. (devotees laugh)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have stumped us.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali verse) Baḍo baḍo bānare, baḍo baḍo peṭa, laṅkā dingahe manamarā heṅṭa(?). "Big, big monkey, big, big belly. Ceylon jumping, melancholy."
Hṛdayānanda: We are all big monkeys.
Candanācārya: How are they able to perpetuate such an enormous hoax?
Prabhupāda: Enormous hoax for the fools, not for the intelligent persons.
Prabhupāda: There are many men who do not go to the university and live peacefully. But that does not mean university is useless. Similarly, many men may not come to us, that does not mean this institution is useless. It has its importance for the serious men, not for the asses.
Richard: Right, but do you think...
Prabhupāda: Just like this university, they are serious for education, and they are ordering our books. Others may not order; they are not reading. That means they are not serious.
Richard: Only the people who are...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Knowledge is for the intelligent class of men.
Kern: I saw a film of a leader of ours, Jean Vanye(?) from Canada and France. He took five thousand retarded.... In Spanish, we say (indistinct), to Rome just for the experience. And they were all in wheelchairs, old and young and small ones—not understanding very much, but a wonderful experience for them, the weak and the wounded.
Jayādvaita: (explaining to Prabhupāda) One priest took many handicapped people, who...
Prabhupāda: No, why you are speaking of handicapped? Who has taken the handicapped? Handicapped is handicapped.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Our program for them is also like this, to give them spiritual...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Apart from that, we shall deal with the handicapped later on.
Kern: That's my, that's my...
Prabhupāda: First of all, we take the general people.
Kern: No, but you were saying that you speak, you are looking for the intelligent, the...
Prabhupāda: Not looking for. I am talking that anyone can be, I mean to say, elevated to the intellectual platform by training. Not the handicapped. Handicapped, there are special cases. That is another thing.
Kern: But...
Prabhupāda: Generally, everyone is born fourth class. Is to be understood. But by training such people you can make them division, first class, second class, third class.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Regarding your questions, "how the simpler faith of a real Christian, that is not so advanced in knowledge of the Supreme Person, differs in ecstasy or the end result of God-consciousness," (1) and persons "a devotee who has experienced some ecstasy in the company of Christians suggests that if there be no quantitative or qualitative difference between the two forms of Kirtana, then the simpler philosophy of Christianity has the advantage, and that our philosophy is for the intelligent class of men, true, but of what advantage is such intelligence if the end is the same?" (2) There is no ecstasy in such simple faith; there cannot be any ecstasy. The Christian faith as it is now exhibited, they have simply a faint idea of God as order-supplier. Certainly God is the Origin, Source of all supplies, and either God-conscious persons or demons, everybody is enjoying the general supplies made by God. It is just like a rich father maintains all kinds of children; some of them may be a highly qualified, some of them are rascals. The father does not mind whether a child is rascal or qualified, but out of his love for all of them he supplies the essentials for the children. Out of such many children, if someone of them feels grateful to the father, and thus develops love for the father, as it is expected, his position is better than the other children. And the father is also endeared to such a devoted child. Similarly, God is equal to everyone, but one who developed love of Godhead, and has practically employed oneself in the service of the Lord, he is in real touch and favor of the Lord. That is the difference.
1970 Correspondence
Anyone can understand that behind the beauty of nature, behind the succulent fruits and vegetables, and behind the wonderful heat and light of the sun, there is a Friend. So we should contact that Dearmost Friend, Krsna. Any reasonable man will accept this argument. That is rational thinking. In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna says that "One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon Me is known as a man of steady intelligence." Otherwise there can be no conviction. How can a man be convinced who will not accept? Krsna says hear from me, "tatsrnu."
We are going to popularize our Sankirtana Movement by following strictly the footsteps of Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and distribute Krsna consciousness literature throughout India as well as the rest of the world. All of our resources are used for this purpose. Our Society is intended for the intelligent class of men, so you are invited to join this Sankirtana Movement.
1971 Correspondence
I am very glad to learn that you are trying to distribute our books. Please continue with this program as it is so very important. Especially try to place our books in the schools and libraries. Our literatures are for the intelligent class also.
1976 Correspondence
Regarding the examination, I never meant that the examination would be held this year. It will be held first next year. The examination is meant for the intelligent class, not all. Neither it is compulsory. So to pass the examination means one must have knowledge. There are higher intelligent class of disciples, otherwise it is not compulsory. So how to organize it, how to do it, you GBC can decide. I have given the idea, now how to do it is up to the GBC.
Concerning your questions about tantric sastras; the Vaisnava tantras are bona fide literatures, just like Narada-pancaratra, but not the atheistic tantra which have nothing to do with the Vedic literatures.
- sat-karma-nipuno vipro, mantra-tantra visaradah,
- avaisnava guru na syad, vaisnavah sva paco guruh
- (Padma Purāṇa)
"Even if a brahmana is very learned in Vedic literatures and knows the six occupational duties of a brahmana, he cannot become a guru or spiritual master unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, if one is born in a family of dog-eaters but is a pure devotee of the Lord, he can become a spiritual master."
The point is that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is always purusa (male) not female (prakrti). "purusam sasvatam divyam, adi devam ajam vibhum." Worship of the mother aspect is prakrti, not recommended by Krishna for the intelligent class of men.
| Page Title: | For the intelligent |
| Compiler: | Serene, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 04 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=6, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=2, Con=9, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 24 |