In English there is a proverb: "Self-preservation is the first law of nature"? What is that? So self means soul. Your soul may not fall down. That is your first business. Ātmā, ātmā means soul, mind, and the body. So we have taken body. Everyone is prepared... Now people are not even anxious how to protect this body. They violate so many laws of eating, sleeping, mating, and become diseased. Even they do not know how to protect this body, what to speak of the mind and the soul. They're so rascal. Ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet tato dharmaṁ tato dhanam.(?) That is the version in the Vedic literature, that "Try to protect yourself first, then dharma, then your religious principle, then dhana, then money." But at the present moment they don't care for the self; they don't care for religion. They want simply money.
Religious principles (Lectures, SB)
Expressions researched:
"principle of religion"
|"principle of religious"
|"principles of religion"
|"principles of religious"
|"religious principle"
|"religious principles"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
In the human society, either they execute religious principles rightly or not, at least there is a symbol, in the civilized society. There are Hindus, there are Muslims, there are Christians, there are Buddhists and so many others also. Because it is in human society, there must be some idea or some principle of understanding God. That is called religion. But in the name of religion, there are..., so many things are going on. That is called kaitava, cheating. We don't want to discuss, but more or less, at the present moment in whichever category of religion one may belong to, nobody is following strictly the religious principles. That's a fact. That is called kaitava.
Another kaitava is that one who does not know the purpose of religion. Religion means, as we have several times explained, religion means the rules or the laws given by God. That is religion. Not the formulas. Formulas must be there, but the real basic principle of religion means the laws given by God.
So dharma, religion, actually means to understand that origin, Absolute Truth. That is dharma. So that dharma, principles of religion, is there in every human society, either in Europe or America or Africa or... There is some. That is the significance of human being. If it is a human being society, there must be some principles of religion. Without religion... It doesn't matter what type of religion it is, there must be some religion. If there is no religion, then it is animal society. Try to understand. And what is the purpose of religion? The purpose of religion is, if religion is the code given by God, then we must know. Just like a child.
Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ. Not that anyone who is not following strictly the religious principles. Even if he is following strictly the religious principle... Svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām. But the result should be that he should be a lover of God. Viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. Unless one becomes lover of God, he is not interested to hear about God. Here you are sitting, a few boys and girls. There are millions of people. Because you have little love for Kṛṣṇa, therefore you are sitting. Therefore you are sitting. So without development of love for God, nobody is interested to hear about God.
So by following any system of religion, if we do not develop our dormant love for God, then following such religious principle means simply waste of time. That's all. Because it has no effect. Effect should be by following religious principle you must develop love of Godhead. That is our bhāgavata-dharma.
So there are two classes of men. One class of men who are pious... Pious means those who are regularly following the religious principles. It does not matter what religion you follow. If you follow the religious principles in whichever religion you accept, then you are pious. If you do not follow the religious principles, then you are impious, duṣkṛtina. So at the present moment, practically all over the world they are no longer interested with God and religion. Just like in your city, London, there are so many churches for sale. Why? Because people have become duṣkṛtina. They are no more interested in religion and God. Just see. Otherwise, why the churches should be sold? People are not interested. In India also, the temples, many temples, they are uncared for.
So human being has misunderstood the mode of life. They are simply busy for maintaining this body whole day and night. So we should conclude like this, that "If God can supply eight million types of different lower animals, then why shall not God give the necessities of life to the human society?" So don't execute your religious principle for some material benefit, but try to revive your relationship with God and try to love Him. That type of religious system is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that there is no motive but how to love God. That is stated. "This type of religion means to love God" is stated here, śivadaṁ tāpa-traya unmūlanam. Śivadam means all auspicity, and the three-fold miserable condition of life is completely uprooted.
So the question raised by the sages and saintly persons in Naimiṣāraṇya was, "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, unto whom the charge of religious principle depended?" So Sūta Gosvāmī, who is a disciple of Śukadeva Gosvāmī... Śukadeva Gosvāmī is his spiritual master. Therefore it is the etiquette, before speaking anything, the disciple should first of all offer respect to the spiritual master.
Nitāi: "I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bhāratas."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This sex life, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra... This is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, just to beget first-class children. That kind of sex life, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life." This is saṁskāra. So formerly, at least those who were on the higher status of the society, namely the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they had to observe this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. It is not a secret thing. Because one is going to beget child, so the child must be worth, a human being, Therefore there is saṁ... First of all, the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Then, when the wife is pregnant, there are other saṁskāras. Then upanayana-saṁskāra, vivāha-saṁskāra, up to the point of death. From before birth and up to the point of death, there are saṁskāras.
So this Sūta Gosvāmī, the speaker, is congratulating the assembly on account of their inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ. Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ: "You have inquired on a very nice subject matter, about Kṛṣṇa and about dharma." Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ, bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam. This kind of question is very auspicious for everyone. When we inquire about Kṛṣṇa and we speak about Kṛṣṇa, we are both benefited. So he was very glad when he was questioned about Kṛṣṇa and about dharma, because those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they know that Kṛṣṇa appeared for two purposes. One purpose is dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, for reestablishing religious principles. And paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8), to give protection to the sādhus. Sādhu means those who are devotees of God. They are called sādhu. And the nondevotees, they are called duṣkṛtām. Duṣkṛtām means those who are always engaged in sinful activities. They are called duṣkṛtām. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām.
"Kṛṣṇa appeared for reestablishing the religious principles, but after His disappearance, who has taken charge for this department?" That was their question. So Sūta Gosvāmī is congratulating them, that "This question is very auspicious," loka-maṅgalam. Loka means this world, and maṅgalam means auspicious. So first of all he is explaining what is dharma. Dharma is translated in English as "religion," but actually, it does not convey the real import of dharma. As I have many times explained in these meetings, that dharma means some particular characteristic which you cannot change. That is called dharma. Dharma does not mean a particular type of faith. Faith is different thing. Faith is followed blindly or by social custom or something else. Faith is different. But dharma, either you change social custom, country, time, space, it cannot be changed. That is dharma.
So when one learns how to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, direct service, then that is the ultimate goal of religious principles. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all types of religious principles." Sarva-dharmān. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Simply just surrender unto Me," because this is religion. Anything which does not teach how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa of God, that is not religion.
It is a very nice, sacred place. If you go there, you will feel immediately Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, in that meeting, the great sages and saintly persons assembled there inquired from Sūta Gosvāmī that "After departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, wherein the principles of religions are kept?" Kṛṣṇa appeared for re-establishing the religious principle, dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya. When Kṛṣṇa, or any incarnation of the Lord descends, there are two kinds of missions. One mission is paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). The sādhus, or the devotees, they are very much anxious to meet God, Kṛṣṇa, so He fulfills the desires of the sādhu, and by the way He also vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam. Duṣkṛtaḥ means sinful, impious, to kill them.
Now this body we are changing from multiforms of bodies, jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkyakāḥ, in this way 8,400,000 species of body we are changing. And this human form is the greatest benediction for the soul to understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says if in this body we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9), if we simply to understand Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa comes, what is His business, paritrāṇāya sādhunaṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtaṁ dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya (BG 4.8), what kind of religious principles He re-establishes, sambhavāmi yuge yuge...
So these things are explained very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā. Everyone in India knows Bhagavad-gītā, and not only in India, throughout the whole world Bhagavad-gītā is very well known and widely read book of knowledge.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said that children should be taught about religious principle, especially Bhāgavata dharma. What is dharma and Bhāgavata dharma? Bhāgavata dharma means the dharma of the soul, and ordinary dharma means the dharma of this body. Generally we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā śṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras, brahmacārī, gṛhasta, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa.
So this verse I am just now quoting is the verse given by Sūta Gosvāmī, the president of the meeting. In that meeting many learned scholars, brāhmaṇas, they assembled to discuss about Kṛṣṇa. The question was that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa from this planet, dharma and jñāna"—dharma means religious principles, and jñāna means knowledge—"these two things, who has taken care of them?" Dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha. Actually, human society should be concerned with two things: dharma and jñāna. Dharma means the characteristic. The meaning of dharma translated in English is not adequate. Dharma means which cannot be given up.
This is the inquiry. The answer is given there, that "Your inquiry..." Kṛṣṇa comes for reestablishing the principles of religion. Religion means the order set by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is religion: "You do like this." Just like king's..., king orders, or the government orders, "Do like this." Do's and does not. Do not's. Do's and do not's. So that is dharma. If you follow the do's and do not's given by Kṛṣṇa, that is religion. You cannot manufacture religion. That is bogus.
Kṛṣṇa therefore comes, so many activities. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14). Kṛṣṇa says that He has nothing to do. What He has to do? But still, He's killing so many demons, He's giving protection (to) so many devotees. Because He has come to reestablish what is religious principles. So by His personal activities He establishes. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do. He's ātmārāma, Kṛṣṇa. He is self-satisfied; He has nothing to do. But to teach us He comes. In this way we should live. From the very beginning of His childhood. Read the purport.
So the supreme yogic power is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe. Yogeśvara. Īśvara means controller. There are many yogic power and yogis, but he is the supreme controller of everyone. Therefore He is mentioned here, brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe: "The master of the mystic power, Kṛṣṇa, having gone from this planet..." Brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi. Dharma-varmaṇi means whose weapon is religious principle. Dharma means God, or Kṛṣṇa. Dharma, the Sanskrit word, it is translated into English as "religion," but this is not perfect translation. Dharma is different from religion. Religion is mentioned in the dictionary as "a kind of faith." So dharma is not like that. Faith can be changed. You can change your faith. Today you are Hindu; tomorrow you can become Muslim. Today you are Muslim; you can become Christian. So this kind of faith can be changed. So this is not actually dharma. Dharma means which you cannot change. That is called dharma.
So this question is answered first by Sūta Gosvāmī, munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo 'ham: (SB 1.2.5) "My dear sages, you have questioned about Kṛṣṇa. Oh, it is very nice." Munayaḥ sādhu. Sādhu means very nice, perfect. So munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo 'haṁ bhavadbhiḥ, "by you," and loka-maṅgalam: "This is for the auspicity of whole world, this kind of praśna, this kind of question, as you have put forward, that 'After departure of Kṛṣṇa, under whom actual real religious principles are there?' So this question is very nice." So he clearly says, the next line, yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ: "Because you have put questions about Kṛṣṇa." Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati. And if we discuss about Kṛṣṇa, if we question about Kṛṣṇa, if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life becomes perfect. Simply by trying to understand Kṛṣṇa, your will be perfect.
So this is a great science. Therefore the great sages said that yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ: "You have made inquiries about Kṛṣṇa." Because they inquired that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, the principle of religion is... Under whom it is existing?" Kṛṣṇa... That is... Everything will be explained. So Sūta Gosvāmī confirms this, that "Your question about Kṛṣṇa is so nice that it is auspicity for the whole world." So we have started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not any personal affair. It is auspicity for the whole world. So you try to inquire about Kṛṣṇa, try to understand about Kṛṣṇa, and yenātmā suprasīdati, then your ātmā... You will feel full satisfaction. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). You will come to that stage.
So the sages in the Naimiṣāraṇya, their inquiry was that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, the principles of religion, under whom they are now protected?" Religious principles should be protected. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Dharmasetu: He protects. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Just like it is the duty of the state, of the government, to give protection to the department of law and order, similarly Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He gives protection to religious principles. But the world is so deteriorated that Kṛṣṇa comes, He gives protection, makes things in order, leaves His instruction... Just like when Kṛṣṇa came, He personally supervised the religious principles, and practically, He killed so many demons who were against religious principles. Demons means those who are against religious principles. And He left His instruction, Bhagavad-gītā, how to follow religious principles.
The sum and substance of religious principle is to surrender to God. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Religion means the order given by God. That's all.
By the sages in Naimiṣāraṇya, the question was put before Sūta Gosvāmī that "After Kṛṣṇa's departure from this world to His own abode, where the responsibility was given for religious propaganda?" So it was kṛṣṇa-sampraśno, question about Kṛṣṇa. And the question was that religious principle, where did it rest? Because religion means the law of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). As you cannot manufacture law at home The law is enunciated in the legislative assembly of the government. Not that you can manufacture law in your home or in your office or in a big conference by the public. No. Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, "a sect of faith." And people have interpreted in a different way, that "I can manufacture my own way of religion." It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat. As many ways there are, they are all perfect.
Muhammadan religion is very good," and others may say, "Buddhist religion is very good." But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says very nicely... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam does not advocate that "Hindu religion is good" or "Christian religion is good" or "Muhammadan religion is good" or "Buddhist religion is good." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives a general description. What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ: "That is the best form of religion for a person." What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. "That is the best form of religious principle," yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, "by performing which you become a devotee of the adhokṣaja." Adhokṣaja means the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
He can attract the most wise man; therefore He's all-attractive. So adhokṣaja means you cannot perceive. You cannot have any actual idea of God by your mental speculation. He is called adhokṣaja.
So here the definition is adhokṣaja means God, the Supreme Lord. The definition is: that principle of religion is the best by which you can develop your devotion or love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How nice this definition is, just try to understand. You may follow Christianism or Hinduism or Buddhism or Muhammadanism—it doesn't matter. The test is how far you have developed love of God. That is the test. If you have developed the sense of love for God, then it is to be understood that you have actually followed the religious principle.
Just like in the same way a man is supposed to be great. How? He is considered a great man if he has got riches or he has got knowledge or he has got influence or he has got beauty, so many things. So similarly, how a man can be tested that he is a man of religious principles? The test is that whether he has developed love of God. Then he is religious. Just see how nice definition. Is there any nicer definition of religion than it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Can you say? The one word, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, that is the best kind of religious principle to be followed, by which one can develop love of God, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje.
"Oh, yes, I have love of God. I love God." That's all right.
This is our prayer. Either in church or in temple, the same thing. In a temple also, generally people go, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am in difficulty. Please get me out of it," or "I am in need of some money. Kindly give me a million dollars." Like that. So this is not love of God. This is also very good, that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, er, Bhagavad-gītā: catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. If anyone goes to God for asking some benefit, he's also pious man. But he's not a devotee. He may be counted in the list of pious men because he recognizes God, the Supreme; therefore he is pious. But he has not developed the highest principle of religion, love of God.
One should give the lover eatables and accept eatables from him or her. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca... You should not keep anything secret within your mind, and the lover should not keep anything secret within the mind. If these six kinds of exchanges are there, then there is love. And that love should be without any reason and without being stopped by any material cause.
So how nicely it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6), that is the highest principle of religion. You can accept any kind of religion, it doesn't matter. You be Hindu or Mussulman or Christian, it doesn't matter. The test is whether you have developed that causeless, causeless love for God. And whether that execution or loving affair is going on without being stopped by any material reason.
So this is the best kind of religious principle, to understand how to become a lover of God and distribute this knowledge, how to love God. That is the best religion. So this description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, definition of religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6), without any cause, apratihatā, without being checked up, without being infected by any materialism. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so beautiful thing that it does not require any material acquisition, neither it can be checked by any material (indistinct). Anywhere, any part of the world, at home or out of home, anywhere you can, with your ecstasy, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you attain love of God very quickly.
So these occupational duties, this is faith. He thinks that "This is my duty." "Oh, as Hindu, I have to do it." "As Christian, I must believe it." "As Muslim, I must do it." But here it is stated, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti. This is real dharma. Except bhakti, they are all pseudo. Therefore in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ. All so-called cheating, pseudo-religious system is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating... Just like Śrīdhara Svāmī says, dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), these are gradually progressive life. First of all, dharma. Unless one takes to some religious principle, he's not a human being. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. He's not a human; he's animal. Some sort of religious system the human being must follow. Therefore civilized man, either he's born in Western or Eastern country, he has got some religion. It may be Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion, Buddha religion. Any civilized man has some religion. That's a fact.
Therefore, distinction between animal and human being, that he must have some dharma. Dharma. And on religious principles, artha, economic development. Actually, if people become religious, then the economic development... Economic... You require some money to maintain yourself. So they will never be dishonest. Dishonest. In India still there are merchants, they would not take profit more than twenty-five percent, highest. There is no question of black market. "Now, I purchased this for one dollar. Oh, I am getting demand. I must charge five hundred times." No. That is irreligious. There are... Everything there is prescribed, that you cannot take more than this profit. So there was no black market, because people were religious.
So there was meeting. So in the meeting... That meeting was held after the departure of Kṛṣṇa. So the question was that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, who has taken charge of this world for proper discharge of religious principles?" So the reply was that "Kṛṣṇa has left this world, but here is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That will give you direction." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound representation of Kṛṣṇa. As Bhagavad-gītā is the sound produced, vibrated by Kṛṣṇa personally, similarly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is written by Vyāsadeva under the direction of his spiritual master, Nārada, about Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised to preach the message of Kṛṣṇa. That is His cult.
So there is no need of remaining poor. You can make your economic development. This is required. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇām. Human life means four things he must develop. First thing is dharma. He must know what is religion. Every human being—not Indians or Europeans or Americans. That is the prime duty of every human being. Without following the religious principles, then he is not human even. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If the human society... It doesn't matter what kind of religion you follow. It doesn't matter. But you must follow. (aside:) Sit down properly. Don't go out now and come. They, that is the duty, dharma. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ. Human civilization begins when there is religious conception of life. Therefore all over the world—it doesn't matter whether Europe, America or India or China, Japan—there is some kind of religion. There is some kind of religion—either Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, Buddhist religion. These are the prime religions of the world.
Similarly, those who have come to this material world, they are all supposed to be criminals, disobedient to the laws of God. Therefore there is dharma, to teach people that "You take to religious principle, gradually become purified, and come back again to the spiritual world. That is your real abode." Here it is foreign. Here it is foreign, and you are under so many tribulations. Just like if you are in the prison house, there you cannot expect any comfort of life. That is not possible. It is meant for inflicting miseries upon you so that you can understand that you are criminal, you should not do like this and come here again. That is the process going on.
So one has to come to the religious principle on the spiritual platform. That is real dharma. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). It doesn't matter what religious system you are following. Because actually religion means to abide by the orders of God. That is religion. Simply definition of religion. Just like good citizen means who abides by the state laws. He does not break the state laws. Similarly, any person, it doesn't matter whether he is Hindu, Muslim, Christian or this or that. It doesn't matter. If he is a devotee of the Supreme Lord, then his religion system is first class. Otherwise, śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That will be stated.
Dharma, religious principle... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Glāniḥ means polluted. "Wherever there is pollution in the matter of discharging religious principles, I come down." Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. "Then I come down to settle up things." So Kṛṣṇa came for this purpose, to settle up or to purify dharmasya glāniḥ, pollution in the matter of discharging religious principles. Therefore, as soon as there is pollution, means there is a class of men who have polluted. They are called duṣkṛta, sinful. When there is increase of the number of sinful persons, there must be pollution in the system of religious life. This is the way. If everyone is following religious principle, everyone does not commit any sinful activity, so at that time, there is no chance of pollution in religiousness.
At the present moment, they do not know what is pollution and they do not know what is religious principle.
Whether you are interested to satisfy God? That is first-class religion. Otherwise, it is third-class, fourth-class or whatever... Whether your interest is to satisfy God. Then it is first-class. It doesn't matter. By the name it doesn't go away. Therefore we find, actually those who are advanced in religious principle, they are all devotee. (break) ...faithful. Just like Lord Jesus Christ-devotee. Similarly, Muhammad also, they were devotee. They never declared that "I am God." Did Muhammad say like that? No. Servant of God. Similarly, Jesus Christ said, "Son of God." So it is very good. It doesn't matter. If we remain son of God or servant of God faithfully, then it is first-class religious system.
Religion means to understand God. This is the sum and substance. Religion means to understand God. In the śāstra it is said, religion means... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God. That is religion. This is the summary, short definition of religion. If somebody asks you, "What do you mean by religion?" the immediate reply is there in the śāstra, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ: (SB 6.3.19) "The principles of religion is given by God. It is unknown to the human being or the demigods." That means except God, nobody can give you religion. Just like the law, state law. Law means the principles given by the state. You cannot manufacture law at your home. That is not law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. Therefore we must know who is God and what kind of law He is giving to us. This is religion.
So religion is disturbed by duṣkṛtina, demons, and those who are saintly person, they execute religion. So paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhu means saintly person, devotee of God. They are sādhu. And asādhu, or demon, means persons who deny the authority of God. They are called demons. So two business—paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duskrtam: "To curtail the activities of the demons and to give protection to the saintly person, I descend." Dharma-saṁsthā...: "And to establish dharma, the principles of religion." These are the three business for which Kṛṣṇa, or God, or God's representative—or, you say, God's son—they come. This is going on. So what is religion, then? The religion is obedience to God. Just like law means obedience to the state, and one who obeys the laws of the state, he is good citizen, similarly, the laws given by God, one who obeys the law, he is religious or saintly person. So it doesn't matter what religion you are following. It doesn't matter. If you are actually obedient to the laws of God, then you are religious. It doesn't matter.
He was speaking that "It has become a fashion of the modern age that to become irreligious is religious." Yes. That is fact. Therefore in any human civilization, any human society, it doesn't matter whether they're following the Vedic principles or other principles, there is a system of dharma in every human society. That is the beginning of human society. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If there is no dharma, religious principles... Religious principles includes all moral principles also, social principles, social laws, economic laws. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Dharma is the beginning. Then artha, economic development; then sense gratification; then mokṣa, one after another.
To execute religious principles means gradually elevated to the highest principle of knowledge. The highest principle of knowledge is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, it has been described what kind of dharma is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are different types of dharma. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the introduction, Vyāsadeva is giving you introduction: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. "All kinds of cheating religious systems are swept away, thrown away, kicked out." Kicked out. Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like we sweep over some room to get out the dust, similarly, dusty, hazy system of religion is completely thrown away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu, vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2).
Therefore we are trying to render our humble service to the human society, to give this information, that "You are trying for so many things for becoming happy, but instead of being happy, you are becoming hippie. So please take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and actually you will be happy." That is our mission. That is our mission. Therefore the Bhāgavata says to this hu..., civilized human being, those who have got some religious principle, church, religious institution, that "You are executing your religious principles very nicely, that's all right. But if you do not develop the propensity for hearing about God..."
So unless you hear about these things, then how you can be intensified to go to God. Just like when I hear about some country. That this country is like this, and there is such and such happiness and such and such enjoyment, then we think of making a tourist list to go there. Therefore to go back to home, back to Godhead, unless we hear about Him, how we can be inclined. Therefore God comes, Kṛṣṇa comes. He manifests His pastimes in Vṛndāvana. How He's dealing with friends, how dealing with servant, mother, father, lover, so that we may be inclined to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is God's mercy. Therefore executing religious principle means the result must be to develop our propensity to hear about God. Notpādayed yadi ratim. This rati, tati means just like rati is called sexual appetite.
Warning. But still they're eating that poison, they're drinking. So these are anarthas, unwanted things. By bad association we are habituated to this nonsense practice, but if you become a devotee and render service to Kṛṣṇa under the direction of your spiritual master, these things will automatically vanquish. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā, then your faith becomes firm. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruci athāsaktis. Asakti, it is spontaneous attraction. So religious principle means you have to execute the preliminary formulas, but the ultimate end will be you'll have spontaneous attraction for hearing about God or Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. If that thing is not done, then you are simply wasting time by going to church or temple or mosque or any nonsense. Notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply waste of time. So don't become a showbottle of religious life. Actually try to understand what is religion, what is God, and make your life successful.
So dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām (SB 1.2.8). Dharma generally means occupational duty. We have several times explained. (In) the English dictionary, dharma is explained as faith. So faith may be changed. But actually, what is meant by dharma, that is constitutional position, activities in one's constitutional position. This has been explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Real dharma, constitutional position of the living entity, is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is real dharma. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, simply unto Kṛṣṇa, surrender, that is real dharma. Otherwise it is pseudo-religious principles, pretension, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ.
So hearing is very important thing. Notpādayed yadi ratim, viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. Kathā. Hari-kathā. This is accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya on various subject matters, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya began from the varṇāśrama-dharma, sādhya-sādhana. "What is the aim of human life? How a human being executes his religious principles?" Sādhya-sādhana. So Rāmānanda Rāya began from the varṇāśrama-dharma. Actually, unless the human society comes to the category of varṇāśrama-dharma, he is not a human being; he is animal. Still, in India, because they are still inclined to the system of varṇa and āśrama, there are so many benefit for the Indians.
So people have become so much foolish that they do not see the defects of the material..., materialistic way of life. They think only that the time, the small duration of life, if you can somehow or other gratify your senses, that is perfection of life. This is called ignorance, mūḍhaḥ. That is described in the śāstras: sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go-kharaḥ means animal, like cows and asses. This is not life. So religious life, dharmasya hy āpavargasya. One should become religious or accept religious principle to stop this pavarga, the different kinds of hard struggle for existence.
So pious and impious activities, this is going on. Generally, people understand dharma by these. But here Bhāgavata says, "No. Dharma, religious principles, should be executed to nullify..." Hy āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthāya upakalpate. "Not for material benefit." Material benefit... Either you become poor or rich, you have to undergo the tribulations of this material existence. Because you are rich man, you cannot avoid death. Because you are rich man, you cannot avoid hard working.
If you want peace of mind, if you want full satisfaction, then your dharmic life, your religious life, should be how to advance yourself in devotional service of the Lord. Then yayātmā suprasīdati. Then you will feel satisfaction. Then it is said that dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ (SB 1.2.8), "By executing your religious principles, if you do not develop your consciousness about God, then it is simply waste of time and labor."
So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. This is meant for getting out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is real... The first step is religiosity. Unless you are pious, religious, there is no possibility of getting liberation. Therefore there are different types of dharma prescribed, twenty types of dharma. The beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma. The people have lost even varṇāśrama-dharma, what to speak of other dharmas. The first beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma, to become brāhmaṇa, to become kṣatriya, to become vaiśya. So in the Kali-yuga the time is so bad that even there is no fixity of this varṇāśrama-dharma. Nobody knows who is brāhmaṇa, who is śūdra. Because the quality is the same now, eating, sleeping, mating—animal quality. You can become a brāhmaṇa by sacred thread. That is a different thing. But there are brāhmaṇa and brahminical qualifications. That is real brāhmaṇa.
You cannot execute any severe type of religious principles. Simply take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. You'll come out triumphant. But actually, on principle, dharma means gradually, step forward for liberation. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthāya (SB 1.2.9). We should not execute dharma for some material gain, arthāya. Just like people are very busy to give in charity, because he'll get some exalted post. Yajña dāna tapa kriyā. These are karma-kāṇḍīyas, yajña, performing sacrifices, giving in charity, dāna, tapa, austerity. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu underwent severe austerities, Rāvaṇa underwent severe austerity. What for? For material gain. That's all.
So actually dharma does not mean that. Dharma means to come to the point to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), this is dharma, real dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Sākṣād Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is ordering like that. That is dharma. Na arthāya. Not for material gain. People generally execute religious principles for some material gain.
So it is the warning: arthasya dharmaikāntasya kāma... Don't try to gratify sense in the name of dharma, religion, or bhakti. Then we have to become hogs and dogs. Even in Vṛndāvana. It doesn't matter. Yes. Then nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. Then we have got kāma. We, because we have got this body, then we must satisfy the senses. That is required. So there is sanction. Kāmasya. Kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. Just like sex. Sex life is allowed by the śāstra. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā: dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi. "Sex life which is not against the religious principles, that is I," Kṛṣṇa says. That means sex life should be utilized only for begetting nice children. There are certain rules and regulations. One can have sex life once in a month. As soon as the wife is pregnant, he cannot have sex life. There are rules and regulations. Not for kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ. Not because "I want to enjoy sex life, I can use it at any time." No. That is not. Kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ. Kāma, there is, required. But na indriya-prītiḥ. Lābho jīveta yāvatā. You can utilize kāma as much as it is required for living condition. Not for sense gratification.
So this is beginning of life. To try to understand, to approach God, that is the beginning of human civilized life. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, there are four principles: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. Dharma means religious principle, to understand. And economic development, because we require money, after all, to keep this body fit, that is also required. Dharma, artha, kāma. Kāma means sense gratification. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. To eat, to make arrangement for eating, to make arrangement for sleeping, to make arrangement for sense gratification, and to make arrangment for defense—these are necessities of the body. These are called kāma.
So here it is stated, kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ. So long we have this body, we have to eat, we have to sleep, we have to enjoy senses, and we have to defend. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. These are bodily necessities of life. And they are called kāma. So kāma is allowed. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, dharma-aviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Which is not against religious principles, that sort of kāma is allowed." But not for sense gratification. You can marry. You can beget children. That's all right. But you cannot enjoy sex for enjoyment, for simply enjoyment. No. That is not allowed. You eat, you sleep, you have sex life, you defend. Nothing is forbidden in the śāstra, but you must know the aim of your life. The aim of your life is tattva-jijñāsā. You should not forget that.
Just like sex life. Sex life, there is demand, but that should be utilized for begetting nice children, not for sense gratification. Dharma viruddha kāmaś ca aham asmi. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Sense gratification which is not against the religious principle, that is I am." Sense gratification is there, is also. Just like the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is cin-māyā. Cini means home(?); mithuna means dual, couple, the spiritual couple. Similarly here also, the same spiritual our duties are there, but because it is covered by this material body, it is perverted. So, just like when you are diseased, we cannot enjoy life; that is forbidden. If one is suffering from tuberculosis, and if he wants to enjoy sex life, that means he is bringing death. Similarly, in this material condition of life if we want to aggravate our sense gratification process, then we invite very from..., very quickly death. Death means, spiritual death, to become more and more entangled in material things.
Therefore the Vedic civilization is to educate from the very beginning a child to become a brahmacārī. That is the basic principle of education. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Not that "In old age, when I shall retire, I shall see what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That will be very difficult. From the very beginning of life, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... Especially... There are many kinds of religious principles, but dharmān bhāgavatān. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Real dharma is Bhāgavatam," means our understanding our relationship with God, Bhagavān. That is real dharma. Dharmān bhāgavatān. So here the same thing is explained, that yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. Simply by chanting or hearing or meditating upon Kṛṣṇa, yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ karma-granthi-nibandhanam.
One has to be engaged always thinking. This is the sword. You have to take this sword of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become free. The knot is cut by this sword. So... Now how we can get this sword? That process is described here that you simply, with faith, you try to hear. You'll get the sword. That's all. Actually, our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading. We are getting the sword one after another, simply by hearing. I started this movement in New York. You all know. I had no actually any sword. Just like in some religious principles, they take the religious scriptures in one hand and another hand, sword: "You accept this scripture; otherwise, I'll cut your head." This is also another preaching. But I had also sword, but not that kind of sword. This sword—to give chance people to hear. That's all.
So we should be very much careful about this. Married life sex is allowed. Nothing else. That is sinful. Kṛṣṇa says, dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmaḥ. Lust, lust which is sanctioned by religious principles... Sanctioned means... This is sanction: you can have sex life in married life, not otherwise. If you want, more wife. But not more husband. No, that is not allowed. More wife is allowed. A man can have more wives, but woman cannot have more husband. Of course, in special cases, that is another... But generally, this is the rule. This is Vedic civilization. So as far as possible, we shall try to avoid this illicit sex, because that is very detrimental for advancing in the path of spiritual life.
He must understand whether by executing his... It doesn't matter whether Hindu or Muslim or this or that. Your duty is, by executing your religious principles, whether you are satisfying Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Tasmin tuṣṭe jagat tuṣṭam.
You can execute your religious principles, you can execute dharma-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ. Charity. Dharma, dāna. You can execute severe austerities, penances. But if you do not approach Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then the śāstra says, śrama eva hi kevalam. In another place it is said, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra). If you can approach Vāsudeva, Hari... Vāsudeva, Hari, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—the same. Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Vāsudeva has got ananta-rūpam. Ananta-rūpam means... This is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just like if you sit down by the side of a river and the, the waves are flowing, you cannot count how many waves are going on in your front, similarly, how many forms are there of Vāsudeva, that is very difficult to count.
Here it is said, vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Unless we come to that point, dharma, religious principle... Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is paro dharmaḥ. What? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. By executing religion one should be satisfied, but unless he comes to the point of Vāsudeva, he'll never be satisfied. That is not... Yayātmā suprasīdati. If we learn to love Vāsudeva, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, then we'll be satisfied by executing religion. Otherwise it is superficial. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi ratim (SB 1.2.8). If one is not interested to hear the kathā, vāsudeva-kathā, śrama eva hi kevalam. Similarly, only formalities will not help. We must enlighten ourself. We must enhance our propensity to hear about Vāsudeva. Śravaṇam. That is wanted.
So Vedic laws are not like that. You cannot change. Five thousand years ago Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other religious principles. Simply surrender unto Me." We are preaching the same thing. No change. No change. There is no possibility of change. Then how Kṛṣṇa is authority? So change means imperfect knowledge. This very change. And perfect knowledge... You will find that one who is very experienced medical practitioner, he gives you a prescription, and you visit him again and again, he gives you the same prescription unless you are cured. His prescription is so nice that he doesn't change.
So Bali Mahārāja, he was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja. They were in the demon's family. But in the demon's family also, there is sometimes Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja. Prahlāda and Bali, they are our ācāryas. There are twelve bona fide ācāryas. Balir vaiyāsakir vayam. The ācāryas are mentioned. Dvādaśa-mahājanāḥ. Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. (aside:) Don't make sound. Svayambhū, Nārada. Nārada is also one of the authorities. They have been accepted at (as) authority for understanding religious principles. Religious principle is not to be understood by from a rascal. No, that anyone comes and says religious topics. No. We have to receive it from the authority.
So religious principles cannot be manufactured, neither it can be made by speculation. So actually, there cannot be many religions. The rascal theory that "There are as many religious system as I can believe... You believe something, that's all right. I believe something, that's all right. He believes something, that's all right." No. It is not like that. Then everyone will believe like any nonsense thing, that becomes religion? No. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the codes, the laws, given by God. That is religion.
Dharma-saṁsthā... Real religious principle. Real religious principle means to abide by the laws of the Supreme Lord, God. But they do not believe in God. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion." This is going on. So God is not so cheap that you become God, I become God, he becomes God. The śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). God is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, the original God.
So indrāri-vyākulam... Indra. Indra is demigod. He's the king of the demigods. So indrāri-vyākulam. When people become very much disturbed by this demonic government and demons... So dharmasya glāniḥ. Dharmasya glāniḥ means discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles. In Kaṁsa's time... Just like in Russia, you cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. What to speak of chanting in the street, you cannot chant even in private. That is their law. So that law is coming gradually everywhere, godless. In China, I've heard, anyone teaching about God, next life, he'll be shot. Is it not? Somebody said me. Anyone teaching "Next life and God," he'll be shot down. So your country is still very nice because you are not shooting Kṛṣṇa conscious people, but there is possibility. Demons are increasing. Demons are increasing. But don't be afraid. Kṛṣṇa is there. Just like Kṛṣṇa's mother and father were so much, I mean to say, harassed by Kaṁsa. But at the end, Kaṁsa was killed by Kṛṣṇa.
The defect in Vyāsadeva was being pointed out by his spiritual master, Nārada, that "If... You have labored very hard in presenting dharmādayaḥ." Dharmādayaḥ means religiosity, economic development. Dharma-ādayaḥ. Ādayaḥ means beginning. That means human civilization should begin from religious principle. Otherwise, it is not human civilization. Dharmādayaḥ. Therefore in civilized nation there is religion. Maybe in different forms, but religion must be there. The same thing is explained by Nārada Muni, that dharmādayaḥ. First religion, then economic development. Not economic development first. And then sense gratification. And then liberation.
So here Nārada Muni said that "You have compiled so many books, that's all right. What is the idea? The idea is dharmādayaḥ. You are teaching religious principle." There are twenty viṁśati dharma-śāstrāḥ. This Manu-saṁhitā, Parāśara Muni's law, and social custom, this, that. So many there are. These are originally by different sages, but Vyāsadeva made it, compiled it just for proper use. People can understand them. So he has explained all these books for use of the human society undoubtedly. How to become religious, how to develop economic position, how to understand what is liberation, how to satisfy restrictedly sense gratification. Just like in books, in Vyāsadeva's books, you will find these different kinds of... Just like those who are eating flesh. That is also given direction by Vyāsadeva, in the tāmasika-purāṇa, Purāṇa for the persons who are in ignorance.
So these books, these literatures, I mean to say, Vedic literatures, are meant for restricting our life and elevating ourself. So Nārada says that "You have explained all these religious principles, or sense gratification, economic development, very nicely. But as much labor you have taken for describing..." (break) ...na tathā vāsudevasya mahimā hy anuvarṇitaḥ. So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply for glorifying the Lord. That is the only business. Not... Other things are secondary. That is being taught. So if you want to write books, you write books by glorifying the Lord. Na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśaḥ (SB 1.5.10).
Vyavāya means sex life, and āmiṣa means meat-eating. Āmiṣa, meat-eating. Sex life, meat-eating, and madya-sevā. Madhya-sevā means intoxication, drinking liquor. It is not unnatural. To drink wine or liquor or to eat meat and to have free sex life, that is the desire of all conditioned souls. Therefore, sva-bhāva-raktasya, "by nature." Nobody is taught in the educational institution how to drink, or how to eat meat or how to enjoy sex life. Natural. That is natural. Sva-bhāva-raktasya. "And if these things you describe as dharma, as religious principles, then they are doomed."
So it is jugupsitam. It is abominable." Jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte 'nuśāsataḥ sva-bhāva-raktasya mahān vyatikramaḥ: "It's a great mistake you have done." Yad-vākyato dharma itītaraḥ sthitaḥ: "They'll accept you authority, and they'll be steady in that assertion, in that conviction." And na manyate tasya nivāraṇam: "And if you say..." Just like in other religious principles, if we say that "Don't eat meat..." I had some conversation with some Christian priests. They put forward this argument, "Why should we not eat? Our Christ took flesh. And why should we not? We must do it." They say like that. But Christ said that "You should... You shall not kill." So they cannot give any proper explanation why they kill.
So māyā is always strong. As soon as we little slack in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will capture us in the same process. So here it is said, bhajann apakvo 'tha. If one is not very strong, not very much advanced, not mature, and falls down under the clutches of māyā again, so, Nārada Muni says, yatra kva vābhadram abhūt: "There is no," I mean to say, "loss." Abhadra means great loss, or inauspicity. There is no... "It is still good, even if he falls down." Why? Yatra kva vā abhadram amuṣya kiṁ ko vārtha āpto 'bha...: "In comparison to the person who is simply sticking to the formalities of religious principles without any development of love of Godhead, simply following the routine work, in comparison to that person, this person who came to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, either by sentiment or some way or other but falls down, this man is better. This man is better. There is no," I mean to say, "any great loss. Rather it is a great gain."
Pradyumna: "A person who knows the principles of religion does not kill an enemy who is careless, intoxicated, insane, asleep, afraid, or devoid of his chariot. Nor does he kill a boy, a woman, a foolish creature or a surrendered soul. A cruel and wretched person who maintains his existence at the cost of others' lives deserve to be killed for his own well-being; otherwise he will go down by his own actions."
Prabhupāda:
- mattaṁ pramattam unmattaṁ
- suptaṁ bālaṁ striyaṁ jaḍam
- prapannaṁ virathaṁ bhītaṁ
- na ripuṁ hanti dharma-vit
- (SB 1.7.36)
- sva-prāṇān yaḥ para-prāṇaiḥ
- prapuṣṇāty aghṛṇaḥ khalaḥ
- tad-vadhas tasya hi śreyo
- yad-doṣād yāty adhaḥ pumān
- (SB 1.7.37)
So kṣatriya's fight, it is not ordinary fight like cats and dogs. The cats and dogs also fight and the kṣatriyas in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are not the same. Sometimes in the foreign countries, they do not know. They simply know fight means cats' and dogs' fight. No. Therefore they question that why Kṛṣṇa induced Arjuna to fight? Certainly they do not know there is fight on the principle of religion. That is real fight. Otherwise fight whimsically, that is animals' fight, cats' and dogs' fight.
So when there is fight on religious principle, there are different rules and regulations. One has to observe these rules and regulations. Just like striking the enemy, it should not come down the waist. You can strike the enemy from head to the waist, not below that. That is illegal. Similarly, when the enemy is like this, mattaṁ pramattam unmattam, one after another... Matta means careless, inattentive. So if by chance, by inattentiveness, one does something wrong, he should not be considered as enemy. He's careless. He should be chastised, but not... Even if he's enemy, he's not subjected to being killed. No. Similarly, pramatta. Pramatta means constitutionally he's not mad, but by some external influence one has become madlike. He's called pramatta.
Just like magistrate. Magistrate, before the magistrate all criminals are brought in, and he considers the gravity of the case, and according to the case, somebody is hanged, somebody is put into the jail for three years, somebody for six years, somebody for six months. That is Yamarāja's duty. So that is... He's also dharma-vit. His name is Dharmarāja. Not that because he is punishing... Simply his only business is to punish. But still he's Dharmarāja, dharma-vit. He knows how to punish a person on religious principles.
So Duryodhana did not like. Duryodhana, whatever he may be, he was a kṣatriya and he fought bravely. So he did not like the Kuru dynasty should be finished. He did not like it. But when he understood that the five sons of Pāṇḍavas were also killed, he became very much disappointed because the Kuru dynasty is finished. So he could not satisfy his master. Bhartuś ca vipriyam. So whatever he had done, all abominable. Not to the rules and regulations-neither as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya. Nor even a brave soldier. "He has done things like a śūdra, or less than a śūdra, without any religious principle. So he should be killed. There is no excuse. And it is for his good."
Pradyumna: "He (Droṇācārya) is certainly still existing, being represented by his son. His wife Kṛpī did not undergo a satī with him because she had a son. O most fortunate one who knows the principles of religion, it is not good for you to cause grief to glorious family members who are always respectable and worshipful."
Prabhupāda:
- sa eṣa bhagavān droṇaḥ
- prajā-rūpeṇa vartate
- tasyātmano 'rdhaṁ patny āste
- nānvagād vīrasūḥ kṛpī
- (SB 1.7.45)
- tad dharmajña mahā-bhāga
- bhavadbhir gauravaṁ kulam
- vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ
- pūjyaṁ vandyam abhīkṣṇaśaḥ
- (SB 1.7.46)
So, in continuation of the Pāṇḍavas' position in relationship with Droṇācārya, the guru, so many things are being explained by Draupadī. So she is not ordinary woman. She knows everything of the religious principles, and therefore she is teaching the assembly of respectable, learned persons how the spiritual master should be respected. Droṇa is also, I mean to say, qualified as bhagavān. Bhagavān Droṇa. Anyone who is extraordinarily powerful, he is addressed sometimes as bhagavān. Nārada Muni is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. Lord Śiva is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. We have explained the different features of bhagavān many times. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). So the Supreme Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Nānyat paratara... Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). There may be so many bhagavāns, but the absolute bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Not samagra, but the Supreme Personality, 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.
Pradyumna: "Sūta Gosvāmī said: O brāhmaṇas, King Yudhiṣṭhira fully supported the statements of the Queen, which were in accordance with the principles of religion and were justified, glorious, full of mercy and equity, and without duplicity. Nakula and Sahadeva (the younger brothers of the King) and also Sātyaki and Arjuna, the Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, and the ladies and others all unanimously agreed with the King."
Prabhupāda:
- dharmyaṁ nyāyyaṁ sakaruṇaṁ
- nirvyalīkaṁ samaṁ mahat
- rājā dharma-suto rājñyāḥ
- pratyanandad vaco dvijāḥ
- (SB 1.7.49)
- nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca
- yuyudhāno dhanañjayaḥ
- bhagavān devakī-putro
- ye cānye yāś ca yoṣitaḥ
- (SB 1.7.50)
So bhagavān devakī-suta. Bhagavān. People may inquire, "What kind of Bhagavān He is? He has taken birth as the Devakī-suta. Any ordinary man, he takes birth as the son of such and such gentleman or such and such mother. So what kind of Bhagavān He is?" Therefore we have to understand how Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He appears as the son of Devakī or Vasudeva. We have to know this. And if you can know then you become immediately liberated. Our business is liberation. This is our main business.
This is a prayer offered by Kuntī to Kṛṣṇa. After finishing the battle of Kurukṣetra, when Kṛṣṇa was leaving for His own kingdom, Dvārakā, at that time He went to take blessings from Kuntī. Kuntī happened to be Kṛṣṇa's aunt, father's sister. So He went to take leave from aunt. At that time Kuntī offered this prayer. Kuntī, although she knew that Kṛṣṇa is her nephew, brother's son, but still she knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa comes here as ordinary human being, but the purpose is to reestablish the principles of religion as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām,
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- (abhyutthānam adharmasya)
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
The, any, anything, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam, anything, whatever you will see, that is God's property, Kṛṣṇa's property. So as the owner sometimes goes to visit his property or to see things, that management is going on nicely, so everything belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-loka-maheśvaram.
So samaṁ carantam... This God is equally kind, equally merciful, but we fight. We, I mean to say, disagree in religious principle. That is due to Kali. Not this Kali. Kali means due to our fighting spirit. It is not God. God is equal to everyone. We fight because we have got misconception. So we think that this religion is better than that religion, or that religion is better than... Every religion must be good, provided one is God conscious. We say that. So many people question in the Western countries, "Whether one can attain perfection by following Christian religion?" Why not? You can also attain. But who is following? First of all, let me see who is following Christian religion.
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.
So this is to be understood, what is Kṛṣṇa, because He descends out of His causeless mercy as human being for reestablishing the principles of religious system.
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
(aside:) That's all right. So this is to be understood. Superficially understanding Kṛṣṇa... Of course, even not understanding. Simply by uttering the word "Kṛṣṇa" in love and affection, one becomes delivered.
Although there was fighting, but the fighting arena was not ordinary land. It is dharma-kṣetra because the fighting was being performed under the superintendence of Kṛṣṇa, Dharma-setu, the leader of all religiosity. Under His superintendence, under His care, the fighting was going on. Therefore this fighting was not ordinary fighting. People cannot understand that how fighting can be religious principle. Yes, the fighting can be also religious principle—but not the present fighting. Present fighting, the politicians, out of their whims, they declare war, that is not religious fighting; that is abominable. That is to serve their political ends. When the politicians cannot control the mass of people being dissatisfied, they make a clique to declare some war so that all their attention may be diverted. This is politics.
Therefore it is said, dharmeṇa, cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa. Dharmeṇa means "by religious principles." What is that religious principle? Religious principle means to guide everyone to become God conscious. This is religious principle. Dharmeṇa. Therefore varṇāśrama-dharma. In the Vedic culture the varṇas and āśrama, they are accepted as dharma. Dharma means duty which you must execute. That is called dharma. Compulsory. If you don't do it, then you will suffer. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And wherefrom this dharma comes? It comes from Bhagavān, God. He gives these dharmas. And the king, the spiritual master, being representative of God, it is their duty how to guide people to develop that God consciousness.
So here the most important word is yudhiṣṭhiro dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was known as Dharmarāja, very strictly following religious principles. So he killed... For his sake, sixty-four crores of men were killed in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So he was not happy although the battle, the fight, was religious fight. It is not whimsical. Just like in the modern days the politicians, they fight unnecessarily to fulfill their desire... Just like in our country, unnecessarily they divided Pakistan, and to fulfill the whims of the leaders, they are fighting with nobody's gain, neither there is any religious principles.
So fighting whimsically by the politicians, that is not sanctioned. There must be dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha means religious fight, fight on religious principles. So what was the religious principle? (aside:) Hm, where is that mat? (Bengali) Saccidānanda. Here it is said, hatvā ātatāyinaḥ. Ātatāyī means aggressor.
So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, he was so strictly followers of religious principles that when even Kṛṣṇa advised him that "You go and say some lies to Droṇācārya. Because Droṇācārya will not believe anyone, you say and go there that 'Your son Aśvatthāmā is dead.' " And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja hesitated, that "How can I say this lie?" Of course, this is too much following religious principles. This is also another instruction. When Kṛṣṇa said that "You go and speak the lies," he should have done immediately. That is dharma. Because dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture dharma. Just like nowadays so many dharmas have been manufactured. They are not dharma. Dharma means the order which is given by the Lord. That is dharma.
So here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, of all the followers of religious principle, he is the foremost, variṣṭhaḥ. So he was very sorry that "For my sake, for enthroning me, oh, so many people have given their lives." Not only his cousin-brothers, the soldiers... And, because at that time, five thousand years ago, these kings or the emperors of Hastināpura were ruling all over the world... This planet was called Bhārata-varṣa, the whole planet. Not this now, a small tract of land. The whole world was called Bhārata-varṣa. Formerly it was called Ilāvṛta-varṣa. Since the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. So the Pāṇḍavas or the Kurus, they were the rulers of the world. As such, when there was fight between the two section of cousin-brothers, from all parts of the world, somebody joined this side, somebody joined that side. So I think in the Mahābhārata it is stated that sixty-four crores of men were killed, and many disappeared. Nobody knows about their whereabouts. So actually, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, he was so great, stalwart, foremost followers of religious principle. He was very, very sorry that "For my sake so many people let down their life." So he was not happy.
So he was Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was ruling dharmeṇa. Dharmeṇa means just according to the desire of the Supreme Lord. This is dharma. Dharmam. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmeṇa means, religious principle means to act according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is religious principle. It is not that you manufacture some dharma: "We are Hindus," "We are Muslims," "We are Christians." These are not dharmas. Nobody cares for God. Nobody carries out the order of God. Nobody knows what is God. Nobody knows what is relationship with God.
So seeing us, the sādhus, one young man came to me. So he introduced himself, "Sir, I am Christian. I faithfully discharge my religious principles." So I, I told him, "No, no. You do not faithfully discharge your religion." So he was surprised that without talking with him, immediately I charged that "You don't follow your Christian religion." "No, why do you say like that?" "Do you eat meat?" "Yes, sir." "Then you are not a Christian. You are not a Christian. Because in the Christian religion the first commandment is 'Thou shalt not kill.' So you are encouraging killing. How you are a Christian? You are not a Christian." The actually everyone is very proud of becoming Christian, Hindu, Muslim, but nobody is following. Nobody's following. All bogus.
So if the government or the chief of the executive power, the king, is just to the point, dharmeṇa, as it was said, "Abiding by the religious principles, ruling over the country," then everything, even natural elements, they become cooperative. They must become cooperative. What is nature? Nature is also another energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the nature is also working under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Because you have created so many rascaldom as religion, therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, you give up all these religion. Real religion is surrender to Me." This is religion. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, "Give up all religion"? Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), He says in the beginning. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. "I come, I descend just to reestablish the principle of religion." Does it mean that He came to support Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion? No. He came to reestablish religion. People do not know what is that religion. They have created their own religion.
How it can be perfected? Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Prāṇa means life. Artha means riches. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā. Dhiyā means intelligence. And vācā, vācā means words. So we have got four things. We have got our life, and everybody has got some riches, either one pound or one million pounds. Everybody has got something. That is called artha. Prāṇa, artha, and everyone has got intelligence, and everyone has got the power to speak. So we have to engage all these four things. Either four or three or two, at least one, we must engage. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā, śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā. This is the principle of religion or perfection of life. Etāvaj janma. Then our life will be... There are many other ślokas in Bhāgavatam.
So in Satya-yuga, the religious principles are followed strictly, cent percent. That is called Satya-yuga. And Tretā-yuga, twenty-five percent reduced. That means seventy-five percent religious principles and twenty-five percent irreligious. And the Dvāpara-yuga, fifty-fifty: fifty percent religious and fifty percent irreligious. And the Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent irreligious and twenty-five percent religious, gradually reducing to nil—no more religion. Then finished. Then there will be devastation. Again Satya-yuga will begin.
Pradyumna:
- te sādhu-kṛta-sarvārthā
- jñātvātyantikam ātmanaḥ
- manasā dhārayām āsur
- vaikuṇṭha-caraṇāmbujam
- (SB 1.15.46)
Translation: "They all had performed all the principles of religion and as a result rightly decided that the lotus feet of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the supreme goal of all. Therefore they meditated upon His feet without interruption."
Prabhupāda: Te sādhu-kṛta-sarvārthā. Artha means interest. Everyone has some interest. The animals have got also interest. The man has got some interest. The big politician, he has also interest. Everyone has got interest. But nobody knows what is real interest. That is missing. Everyone has created his interest and he is working in that way. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Real interest is, for the human being, to know what is God, what is my relationship with Him, and how I shall achieve the highest perfection of life. That is real interest.
So about the Kali-yuga, discussing, the Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing the chief symptoms of this age. The first symptom he says, tataś ca anu-dinam. With the process of this age, Kali-yuga, dharma, religious principles; satyam, truthfulness; śaucam, cleanliness; kṣamā, forgiveness; dayā, mercifulness; āyuḥ, duration of life; balam, bodily strength; smṛtiḥ, memory... Just count how many. Dharmaḥ, satyam, śaucam, kṣamā, dayā, āyuḥ, balam, smṛti-eight. These things will gradually reduce to nil, almost nil. Now as I told you, the Kali-yuga... In other yugas... Just like Satya-yuga, the duration of Satya-yuga was eighteen hundred thousands of years.
So when the saintly person inquired from Yamarāja, that "I am... I don't remember that I have committed in my life any sin. Why I have been brought here for judgment?" So Yamarāja said that "You do not remember. In your childhood you pricked one ant with a needle through the rectum, and she died. Therefore you have to be punished." Just see. In childhood, in ignorance, because he committed some sin, he has to be punished. And we are willingly, against the principle of religion that "Thou shalt not kill," we have opened so many thousands of slaughterhouse, giving a nonsense theory the the animal has no soul. Just see the fun. And this is going on. And we want to be in peace. Therefore your Senate house has issued some injunction order, that on the 30th of April, 1974, there will be a mass prayer.
So Vedic process, Vedic principles of accepting. It is not possible in this Kali-yuga. Because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not there. In nobody's family there the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is taken. Sex life is also regulated by garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi. Aviruddha, "Sex life which is not against the religious principles, that I am. That sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am that sex life." That is godly. But sex life for sense gratification or for prostitution, that is not Kṛṣṇa. That is Kali. So this is the process.
This is the purpose, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, to establish religious principles. If people become irreligious, then the whole world becomes a hell. Just like at the present moment, anywhere you go, it is hellish condition. Nobody is peaceful, nobody is happy, although materially very much advanced. Political entanglement, social entanglement, religious entanglement, economic entanglement. Simply entanglement. No peaceful living, anywhere. Just like at the present moment, the whole world there is... What is that crisis? Power crisis? Energy crisis. So crisis must be there. Otherwise, if you live peacefully, even within so many crisis, war, and fighting, we are thinking this world is very nice. In spite of all these difficulties. Especially in the Western countries, every ten years there is a war. First World War, Second World War. Before that, Hundred Years War, Seven Years War, Trafalgar's war, Waterloo war. War, war, war. There cannot be any peaceful life, because everyone is rogue and rascal, so there must be war.
So in order to save the human society from this dangerous condition, without any knowledge of God, without any knowledge of religious principle, there must be some strong king, strong government, to save the people. Because this human life is a chance. Other inferior type of life, animals, birds, beasts, trees, it is not possible. They are also living entities, but human life is developed consciousness. So this is nature's gift, that "Now you try to understand what is God. Now you try to understand what is your relationship with God. Now you practice yourself, how to go back home, back to home, back to..." This is the business of the human society. So unless the king or government looks after it, how people will be advanced? The government is advocating that "You drink, you eat meat, you have prostitution and gambling, and give me tax. Finished. My business is finished." So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was not like that. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is conquered all these places to serve Kṛṣṇa, to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he conquered. Otherwise... That is the business of all devotees.
Pradyumna: "With the progress of the age of Kali, four things particularly, namely the duration of life, mercy, the power of recollection, and moral or religious principles will gradually diminish. Since dharma, or the principles of religion, would be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three-fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali, godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of men will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on.
Pradyumna: "The first-class faithful men are the Vaiṣṇavas and the brāhmaṇas, then the kṣatriyas, then the vaiśyas, then the śūdras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas, and at last the caṇḍālas. The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas..."
Prabhupāda: Caṇḍālas means the dog-eaters. In the human society, the division of higher class and lower class is determined by the standard of eating. So first-class men, just like brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, they eat very purified prasādam. Their responsibility practically does not depend on them. Because Vaiṣṇava... Brāhmaṇa also. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become Vaiṣṇava. So when you speak of Vaiṣṇava, it is to be supposed that he's already brāhmaṇa. Therefore, to bring the neophyte devotees to the perfectional stage, we offer the brāhmaṇa's sacred thread. But if people, after promising everything, and break their promise, that is very abominable. When they're initiated before the Deity, before the Lord, before the fire, they should not break it. That is most sinful if you break your promise. Otherwise, you should not be coming forward for initiation if you cannot keep your promise.
Nitāi: "With the progress of the age of Kali, four things particularly, namely, the duration of life, mercy, the power of recollection, and moral or religious principles will gradually diminish."
Prabhupāda: This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. We have got our practical experience. When I first came in New York, one boy, Nelson, he told me that "Here, even in your front, somebody is being killed. Nobody will take care." I was surprised, how is that? Is that a fact? You say yes?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Ah, just see. So that is predicted, that the moral or religious principle will gradually diminish. With the progress of this age Kali, four things particularly, namely duration of life, duration of life. Everyone knows. The actually standard of duration of life in this age is hundred years. But no. Who is living hundred years? Gradually decreasing. And it will decrease so much, as I have several times said, that when at the end of Kali-yuga or in the middle of Kali-yuga, the duration of life will be twenty to thirty years. Now it is sixty, seventy or fifty or... It is going on. But gradually, it will diminish. That is stated here.
Nitāi: "Since dharma, or the principles of religion, will be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three-fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of man will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of the proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class faithful men are the Vaiṣṇavas and the brāhmaṇas, then the kṣatriyas, then the vaiśyas, then the śūdras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas and at last the caṇḍālas. The gradation of human instincts begins from the mlecchas, and the caṇḍāla state of life is the last word in the human degradation. All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth. They are different qualifications of human beings in general. There is no question of birthright or community. One can acquire the respective qualifications by one's own efforts, and thus the son of a Vaiṣṇava can become a mleccha or the son of a caṇḍāla can become more than a brāhmaṇa, all in terms of their association and intimate relation with the Supreme Lord."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So if we qualify ourself as Vaiṣṇava and devotee, then all other good qualities will automatically manifest in the body. That is the purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you accept this movement... For example... There are many examples. This is also one practical example. In your state the government has spent millions and millions of dollars to stop the intoxication habit, but it was failure. But as soon as the same person comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness camp, he immediately gives up. This is practical. And there cannot be any comparison of the qualities of our students with any religious institution or any school, college. You cannot have. Because they are devotee. As soon as you become devotee, all good qualities... Therefore if the government takes this movement seriously, they make everyone a devotee, then everything will be solved. There will be no need of criminal court or jail or... Everything will be finished. Or, what is called, liquor house and slaughterhouse and manufacturing cigarette and advertising them two sides of the road. Although (chuckles) it is written there it is dangerous, still it is highly advertised and people smoke. These contradiction things are going on on account of godlessness.
Pradyumna: Translation: "Are you feeling compunction for the unhappy women and children who are left forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or are you unhappy because the goddess of learning is being handled by brāhmaṇas addicted to acts against the principles of religion? Or are you sorry to see that the brāhmaṇas have taken shelter of administrative families that do not respect brahminical culture?"
Prabhupāda: In the last verse, the another question was vṛṣalaiḥ. Vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. All these questions are being asked by Dharmarāja to the unprotected cows. Cow is the representative of earth, so if there was one question, ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. The cow is being questioned, "Whether you are afraid of the meat-eaters who want to eat you?" Vṛṣalaiḥ. What is the meaning of vṛṣalaiḥ? Unlawful meat-eaters. Unlawful meat-eaters. Just like at the modern age everyone is unlawful meat-eaters. There is a certain class of men always who are meat-eaters; not the higher class.
Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.)
- arakṣyamāṇāḥ striya urvi bālān
- śocasy atho puruṣādair ivārtān
- vācaṁ devīṁ brahma-kule kukarmaṇy
- abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān
- (SB 1.16.21)
"Are you feeling compunction for the unhappy women and children who are left forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or are you unhappy because the goddess of learning is being handled by brāhmaṇas addicted to acts against the principles of religion? Or are you sorry to see that the brāhmaṇas have taken shelter of administrative families that do not respect brahminical culture?"
Prabhupāda: Arakṣyamāṇāḥ striya urvi bālān. According to Vedic culture, first protection—to the cows, to the women, to the brāhmaṇas, to the children, and to the old man. This is the first business of the government, to give protection. Practically, there is no criminal charge against them—against a brāhmaṇa, against a woman, a child. Suppose a child steals something. Who is going to prosecute him? It is not taken very seriously. So they require protection. They should not be given freedom. Like a child, he is not given freedom, similarly freedom... Of course, there is. Protection means to some extent no freedom. If I want to protect the child, then I sometimes say, "Don't do this." That is one of the items of the protection.
Prabhupāda: So Dharmarāja is suggesting so many things why mother earth in the shape of a cow was morose. He was suggesting so many. So one of the suggestion is that "Kṛṣṇa was present. Now He's not present. Therefore you are so morose." So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- abhyutthānam adharmasya
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- (BG 4.7)
Kṛṣṇa incarnates when there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religious principles. Just like, when there is discrepancy in the discharge of law and order, the government takes special measure, what is called, that? A special law?
Devotees: Martial law.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- bhavān hi veda tat sarvaṁ
- yan māṁ dharmānupṛcchasi
- caturbhir vartase yena
- pādair loka-sukhāvahaiḥ
- (SB 1.16.25)
Translation: "The earthly deity in the form of a cow thus replied to the personality of religious principles in the form of a bull: O Dharma, whatever you have inquired from me shall be known to you. I shall try to reply to all those questions. Once you too were maintained by your four legs and increased happiness all over the universe by the mercy of the Lord."
Prabhupāda: Bhavān hi veda tat sarvaṁ yan māṁ dharmānupṛcchasi. So, Dharmarāja, or Yamarāja, he is one of the twelve authorized persons for maintaining properly the human civilization. The principle is dharma. Dharma means not a religious sentiment. Dharma means occupational duty. Everyone has got some occupational duty. So dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That occupational duty is assigned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (ISO 1). Actually, the dharma principle, as we learn from Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't create, manufacture, your principle of religion, concocted. That is the difficulty. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). We have several times explained this, that dharma means-dharma, as it is translated in English, "religion"—religion means to obey the laws of God. That is religion, not a sentimental system of religious system we manufacture. That kind of dharma will not help us. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "Cheating type of religious system is kicked out." That is Bhāgavata-dharma. No cheating. In the name of cheating and dharma, religious principle, that will not help the human civilization.
So generally, a human being accepts four principles, namely dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Dharma means religious principle; artha means economic principle, how to develop economic principle; dharma, kāma, how to satisfy our senses; and mokṣa, and ultimately, salvation. But this is material principles. We have to surpass this material principle, then come to the spiritual platform.
So as somebody, anything, they require four legs... Just like this platform, it has got four legs. Animal stands on four legs. Anything, it requires four pillars. So to remain steadily on the platform of dharma, these four legs required: dharma, artha, kāma... If I simply remain engaged in religious principles and nobody is engaged where to get food... Because food also is required. So therefore not only religious principle, there must be economic development attempt also. But not one-man show. We should divide our society in such a way that somebody, some group of men is engaged in studying the dharma principle and spreading it. Just like we have taken the principle, generally, to spread what is meant by real dharma.
People do not understand what is mokṣa, what is economic development, what is religious principle. There is no education. So unless there is sufficient education on these principles—dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)—you cannot have peaceful life in human society. That is not... That is animal society. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If there is no principles of life, that is animal society. Unfortunately, at the present moment, the education is simply for sense gratification. That is animalistic education. Therefore, in spite of advancement of so many things, people are not happy. People are not happy.
Whether it is accepted by the Vedic culture? Then it is true. Otherwise you cannot manufacture. Therefore all over the world there are so many religious principles because they have been manufactured by some men. Actually, religion cannot be manufactured. Religion is, according to Vedic culture, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, it should be given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like law is given by the state, government. You cannot manufacture law. That is not possible. If you manufacture some law that "I have manufactured this law," that "I will follow this law, my law," that will not help you. You must follow the law given by the government. Similarly, religion means the religion which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the ātmavit, those who are actually self-realized, they accept that religion, not any manufactured religion.
The purpose was to establish real religious principles. If actually Gosvāmī principles were followed strictly and real gosvāmīs would preach, then there would not have continued the so-called religious systems, or increase the so-called... Because any religious system which... That is the verdict of Bhāgavata. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Religion means by following the system one will become a great lover of God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is religion. Then why this system of religion is going on, maintaining slaughterhouse? That means the..., there was no attempt to preach sad-dharma, real dharma. Therefore, in the name of religion, they are maintaining thousands of slaughterhouse. You see? It is asad-dharma. Asad-dharma. But the..., they studied. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu... They wrote so many books just to establish what is real religion. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. They were simply doing welfare activities for the people in general, lokānām. For everything. They...
Without following the principles, religious principles... The human life is given a chance by the nature, that "In this life you make a solution of this birth and death," janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So these rascals do not know that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi is actually problem.
They do not know the real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Therefore, following the real religious principle means sad-dharma. That is lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, the greatest benefit to the human society—to stop their repetition of birth and death. That is the greatest... That is the business of the Gosvāmīs. Not this, this party or that party, capitalism and communism, this "ism," that... What they will derive? You may follow capitalism or communism or this "ism," that "ism"; after death, you'll be immediately under the grip of material nature, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). "Now all your so-called rascal nationalism go to hell. You become a dog. Finish." That is nature's course. You have treated your life like cats and dogs. You did not take advantage of your human life. Now nature will give you, "All right, again you become cats and dogs." Punar mūṣiko bhava. They do not know.
Don't eat more than it is required for maintaining your body. Similarly, don't sleep more; as much as you require for maintaining your... Don't have sex life more than it is required. They are allowed. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." Sex life against religion, what is that? Avaidha-strī-saṅga. Avaidha, illicit sex life, that is against religious principles. Otherwise, to get married and to beget nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children, according to śāstra, that sex life is not forbidden. Kṛṣṇa says. So dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi, "Which is not against religious principle, that kāma, that kind of lust, I am." But not for other purposes.
Akṣayānanda: We do not condemn the householders, though. All of Lord Caitanya's, many of His followers were householders, and He encouraged them to progress in devotional life. Kṛṣṇa says, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu, "I am householder life within the religious principles." In that way, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is for everyone. It is not restricted to sannyāsīs or brahmacārīs or persons who are celibate, but to all persons who follow the principles that are set down in Bhagavad-gītā and the śāstras.
Prabhupāda: My point is that śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Householder is not bad. That is not condemned. Real thing condemned: apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). That is condemned. Because they do not know what is the aim of life. That is missing. All these people... Ask anybody, that "What is the aim of your life?" Nobody... Nobody will be able to say. Any householder, any businessman, ask. They will simply say that "It is my duty to earn money. It is my duty to maintain my children, to give them education, to give them good opportunity for prospective life.
Vedic civilization is based on this, that you must know what is your relationship with God. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist. A civilized man must have some religious process. That is all over the world. Now we are giving up. We are giving up. Everyone is giving up. Therefore dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ... When we give up the religious principle... Religious principle means to abide by the law of God. That is religion. But we do not know what is God and what is His order. We forget it. So at the present moment, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ, it is a civilization of cats and dogs, not human beings, because they have given up dharma.
So the service mood is going on everywhere. But the highest perfection of service is when we learn to serve the Supreme Absolute Lord. That is called bhakti. And that bhakti execution of service to the Lord is ahaitukī. Just like we have got some little examples. This mother is serving the child not with any expectation. She loves to serve the child. She wants to see the child is in comfort, the child does not feel any discomfiture. That is her pleasure. There is no reason why she is loving. That is natural. Similarly, when we invoke our natural love for God, that is the highest perfection of religious principle.
So there is no problem for executing devotional service to the Lord. And that is the highest perfection of all religious principles. But we have to practice. And that is not possible in this age. This age is called Kali. It is very difficult age. People are not very much interested to the most important problem of life. They are alpāyuṣa. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. People are short-living and manda. Manda means very slow for ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to search out or is to reestablish your lost relationship with God. That is the mission of human life.
Therefore in the human society, in the civilized human society, there is acceptance of religious principle. Maybe it is Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion or Buddha religion, but there is some religion. A civilized society is not without religion. Without religion means animal society. The animals, they have no religion. Cats and dogs they have no church, no temple, that they have to go. It is for the human beings. Therefore śāstra says that dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If in the human society there is no culture of religion, then it is animal society. It is not human society.
Material thought means these fruitive activities. "I shall work very hard, and I shall get so much wealth, and for this purpose I can go to church and temple. If God gives me millions of dollars, then I am ready to go there." So real purpose is sense gratification. "If I take to religious principles, then I'll get more money without any hard work, and if I get more money, then I'll be able to satisfy my senses." This is called dharmārtha-kāma. And there is another stage, which is called mokṣa, liberation. So people are not interested for liberation.
Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate. Nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. Yes. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate. One should not execute religious principles for getting better financial or material facility. That is not the purpose. But they have taken it purpose. "We have supported this religious community—we must become victorious of our whimsical declaration of war." That Kṛṣṇa supported the Battle of Kurukṣetra, it was not whimsical declaration of war. Before declaring war, Pāṇḍavas, even Kṛṣṇa tried to stop it in so many ways. When Duryodhana clearly said that "Not even that portion of land which can hold the tip of a needle can be given to you without war..." They were, Kṛṣṇa personally requested that "They are kṣatriyas.
"You Write books on this principle, that they are sticking to their so-called religious principle, so if anyone giving up his own religious system or occupational duty..." Religion means this sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means that the whole human society is divided into four classes—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in different names maybe: intelligent class, administrative class, mercantile class, and laborer class. It may be in different names, but these four classes, division, is there all over the world in different names. So sva-dharma means, intelligent class means they are interested in philosophy, in religion, in uplifting the human society to the proper position. That is intelligent class.
So what is your gain? And this man who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, rejecting all so-called occupational duties and religious principles, he gains. There is no inauspicity because he had fallen. Why? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). At least it is guaranteed that you get next life a human form of life and in a very well-to-do condition, either in rich family or in the family of a very high class brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava. So therefore he is not losing anything. And the other man who is sticking to his own occupational duty and does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is losing everything because after this body nobody knows where he is going. Either going to be a cat or dog or tree or where, he does not know.
The qualification is: unless one is sinless, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He cannot understand what is kṛṣṇa-bhajana. But if one is eager—he's actually very eager—he can do it immediately. What is that? Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) Give up all these nonsense so-called religious principle. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten about You. Now I surrender unto You fully. If You like, You can kill me; if You like, You can give me protection." This is surrender, not business. "Kṛṣṇa, if You give me this nice thing, then I will surrender." That is not surrender. That is business.
Dharma means the laws of God. This is the simple definition of dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). So when we defy the religious principles... Religious principle means that dharma, not your created dharma. You cannot create law at home. It is given already. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). This is dharma. All other dharmas, so-called dharmas, they are all cheating. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "All cheating type of religious system is kicked out, rejected." Actually, it is not required. It is simply bogus.
Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection. Just surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). For this purpose He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-glāni, discrepancies in the matter of religious principle, glāni... What is that glāni? The glāni is forgetfulness of God: "No God. I am God. You are God." This is glāni. But this is going on as dharma. This is Kali-yuga. What is not dharma, that is going on as dharma. Dharma means to understand God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). What is dharma? Dharma means the laws and instruction given by God. But at the present moment, what is God? "There is no God." Then where is dharma? Where is dharma?
So there is no dharma in the Kali-yuga. They are simply cheating.
There is a verse, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: (Nārada Pañcarātra) "If you take the shelter of the lotus feet of Hari, Kṛṣṇa," ārādhitaḥ, "and worship it," ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, "then there is no more necessity of austerities, penances, and so many other things. Simply this is required." Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim... Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: "And after undergoing your religious principles and ritualistic ceremonies and austerities, penances, fully executing the occupational duty, everything done," but nārādhito hariḥ, "but you could not understand how to worship Hari," so tapasā tataḥ kim, "then what is the use of your this tapasya?" There is no use. It is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. This is confirmed everywhere.
So dharma... generally, people think that "Becoming religious, we shall be economically developed." Dharma artha. "We shall get artha. We shall be..." That is... Automatically it comes. If you are actually following the religious principle, artha will come. There is no doubt. And... But we do not know what is dharma. That is the difficulty. That you have to learn from Kṛṣṇa, athāto brahma jijñāsā, from the guru. And what guru says, Kṛṣṇa says? sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Anything else, that is all cheating.
So we are not aware what is the aim of life. So Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He therefore comes. He came just before the beginning of this Kali-yuga, the most fallen age, and left for us the Bhagavad-gītā. And then, after Him, after His departure... It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "After departure of Kṛṣṇa from this planet to His own abode, the principle of religion and knowledge, where it is kept?" So the answer is: "It is kept in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." Adhunā udita. So Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Bhagavad-gītā as it is spoken by Him personally, and He is also represented by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sound representation.
Generally, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, people go to the temple and the churches or any religious..., synagogue, with a material motive. Ārto arthārthī. Generally they are in need of money or they are unhappy somehow or other, and they go to God, Kṛṣṇa, or according to their religious principle, and pray for material benefit. But that is also accepted as good, because they are approaching Kṛṣṇa, or God. But that is not pure devotion. If such material motive continues, then he will fall down from that devotional service. Because as soon as his distress is mitigated, he will think that there is no more need of worshiping. Naturally he forgets. Just like rich man. A rich man becomes rich not very easily, with great austerity either in this life or in the past. But when he gets money, he becomes extravagant and again falls down. Similarly, we may go to Kṛṣṇa in times of distress, but as soon as the distress is gone, we forget Kṛṣṇa.
That means indirectly it is discouraging, "Don't do it. But if you do it, you do in this way." But people even do not do that. The meat-eaters, without undergoing the process of meat-eating as it is described in the dharma-śāstra, they directly purchase from the slaughterhouse and, therefore, so many slaughterhouses are maintained in this world. So everything is becoming against the religious principle. Therefore, the world is unhappy. The munaya, the great sages, therefore, advising the king, dharma ācaritaḥ puṁsāṁ vāṅ-manaḥ-kāya-buddhibhiḥ.
So we should not do that. We must be sober, and we must... And it is not very difficult. The knowledge is there in the Vedic literature. And it is... Everyone can accept it. It is not a sectarian, so-called religious principle. It is scientific. Every human being should understand his position. Every human being should not waste his valuable time. So therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and a great Vaiṣṇava ācārya, he has sung a nice song, that hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, I got this chance of human form of body. Unfortunately I have wasted my time without any self-realization." Hari hari biphale, janama goṅāinu. Manuṣya janama pāiyā, rādhā kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā: "I got this very valuable form of life, human form of life, but instead of understanding what is God, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu, "knowingly I have drunk poison." This is the opportunity to understand God and make solution of all different types of births and deaths and transmigration from one body to another.
God is never opposed to sex. Who said? God said, dharmaviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex which is not against the regulative principle of religious life, that I am." God never says that "Stop sex." Otherwise, why there is gṛhastha āśrama? Āśrama means that there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we say, "Here is an āśrama," we understand that there is consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. So brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama, make it āśrama and follow the rules and regulations of āśrama. Then it is all right. Otherwise you are bound up by the laws of nature.
Kṛṣṇa says personally... He comes, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7), for the benefit of the human society. Because dharmasya glānir. Dharma is meant for the human society. Dharma is not meant for the cats and dogs. They have no dharma. You cannot have any religious principle or institution in the cat society or dog society. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānam. Therefore when human society becomes devoid of dharma, then it is animal society. It is no longer human society.
So this is the age. So everyone is trying to be happy. That happiness is not possible. That peace is not possible unless you have got a leader or king like Bharata Mahārāja, after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, this Bharata Mahārāja. So we have to find out such leader. Then everything will be adjusted. It is the... Now we are speaking of secular state. Secular state does not mean people will become godless. No. Secular state means that no religious preference. "Because you are Hindu, therefore we shall give you more preference than the Muhammadan"—no. Secular state means that the state should see that everyone is strictly following his religious principle. That is secular state. If you are Hindu or varṇāśrami, then you must follow the principles of how one is a brāhmaṇa, how one is a kṣatriya. Hinduism, this is a foreign word. Real principle is varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur arādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the aim of life, how to worship Viṣṇu. That is explained, and that is the training of this varṇāśrama-dharma.
Now he is giving very nice example. Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like in the dry season there are so many dry grasses from the field, and if you have to clear the field, you simply set fire on the field and everything automatically becomes cleansed. Similarly, deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ. Those who are intelligent enough, dharmajñāḥ, one who knows what is real religious principle, and śraddhayānvitāḥ, and who is faithful, he can get out of all kinds of sinful activities by an intelligent method.
Another thing, this is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also, that the Lord says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all kinds of bodily religious principles of life." What is that? Kṛṣṇa is asking sarva-dharmān. Dharma means religious principles. Now in one place He says that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, "I have come to reestablish the religious principle," and at the end He says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān. This sarva-dharmān, all kinds of religious principles pertaining to the bodily concept of life.
So on the whole, the Manu-saṁhitā, life for life is sanctioned. And that is practically observed all over the world. But similarly, there are other laws, that you cannot kill even an ant. Then you are responsible. You have no right to kill. And in the Bible also, we see, Lord Jesus Christ says, "Thou shalt not kill." So killing is not allowed in any religious principle. Anyone who is killing, he's not considered in the human society. You cannot kill. The... Lord Buddha's also principle is ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, no killing. Lord Jesus Christ also says, "Thou shalt not kill." In our Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Ahiṁsā means not to become violent, not to kill.
Because I have renounced this world, it does not mean I shall give up the process of performing yajña, dāna, and tapasya. It is further stressed, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriya pāvanāni manīṣiṇāḥ. Even if you think that you are very advanced, still, you should not give up these three processes, means performing yajña, giving in charity, and performing tapasya. "One must then control the mind and senses, give charity, be truthful, clean, and nonviolent, follow the regulative principle, and regularly chant the holy name of the Lord. Thus a sober and faithful person who knows the religious principle is temporarily purified of all sins performed with his body, words, and mind."
To summarize this brahmacarya life in this age, we have given a simple formula, that "No illicit sex." Sex is there. Sex is not bad. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex life which is not against the religious principles of life, that is I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So dharmāviruddha, according to Vedic civilization, one should have sex indulgence only once in a month. That is the prescription. And when the wife is pregnant there is no sex life. That is dharmāviruddha. That is not against the religious principles. Even in your life, married life, if you indulge sex life more than once in a month, or in pregnancy, that is against religious principles. So Kṛṣṇa dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Lust, sex indulgence, which is not against the rules of religious principles, that is I am."
So here it is said, deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ. One who has control, deha, the body, vāk, the words, buddhi, intelligence—they are dhīra. So this tridaṇḍī. This tridaṇḍī-sannyāsa means to become dhīra, controlling śarīra; deha, the body; vāk, words; and intelligence. These things should be utilized. How? By dhīra, those who are dhīra. Dharmajña. One who knows actually the principle of religion. Dharmajña. Deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ, kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api. So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous life or in this life. How? By this process. Kṣipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Veṇu-gulmam, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like if you set fire to unwanted grass and creepers in the field.
Yes. Dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "Sexual intercourse which is not against religious principles, that is I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So sex intercourse should be not against the religious principle. Therefore illicit sex life is forbidden in our society. Sex should be utilized only for begetting nice children, not for any other purpose.
That is the test, how to become, how to advance in loving service of the Lord. That is the... Then you are religious, you are philosopher, you are great man, you are everything. Otherwise, if you do not awaken your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, then all such labor is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi (SB 1.2.8). By performing religious ceremonies or following the religious principle, the test is how one has become advanced in the loving service of the Lord. This is required. And his example is very strong, that surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ. Surā-kumbha, the pot which contained liquor, it cannot be purified. Therefore it is so strictly prohibited about liquor.
Nitāi: "Being forbidden in this way, the order carriers of the son of the sun-god, Yamarāja, immediately replied: Who are all of you who have the audacity to oppose the ruling jurisdiction of Yamarāja, the king of religious principles?"
Prabhupāda:
- ūcur niṣedhitās tāṁs te
- vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ
- ke yūyaṁ pratiṣeddhāro
- dharma-rājasya śāsanam
- (SB 6.1.32)
Dharma-rājasya śāsanam. There is a ruling all over the universe under the jurisdiction of Dharmarāja, or the supreme judge, for considering sinful and pious activities. There is a big government within this universe. But those who are thinking very poorly, without any advanced knowledge, atheist, they think that everything is coming automatically. Anīśva, anīśvara rahuḥ.(?) They say there is no īśvara, supreme ruler, and everything is happening by nature. But they cannot explain what is nature.
So we have to follow these authorities. Otherwise there is no possibility of understanding what is religion, what is God. This... Our, this sampradāya, Madhva-Gauḍīya sampradāya, they are following the authorities of Lord Brahmā and Nārada. Similarly, there is another sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya. Rudra-sampradāya. And there is another sampradāya coming from Lakṣmījī, Śrī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja. So we have to accept religious principles from the leaders of the sampradāyas. Otherwise it is useless. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ: "If you do not accept mantra initiation from the disciplic succession of the sampradāya, then it will be useless." Sampradāya-vihīnā ye. So people are manufacturing religion without any reference to these authorities.
Pradyumna: Translation: "The blessed messengers of Lord Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, said: If you are actually servants of Yamarāja, you must explain to us the meaning of religious principles and the symptoms of irreligion."
Prabhupāda:
- śrī viṣṇudūtā ūcuḥ
- yūyaṁ vai dharma-rājasya
- yadi nirdeśa-kāriṇaḥ
- brūta dharmasya nas tattvaṁ
- yac cādharmasya lakṣaṇam
- (SB 6.1.38)
They challenged, the Yamadūtas challenged: "Who are you, interfering in our business? We have come to arrest him." So, before talking, the, the counterchallenge was that "You spoke that 'We are servants of Dharmarāja. So it is his jurisdiction... This person is impious. So this is the jurisdiction of Dharmarāja. He has to try the case and give him punishment, criminal department, law and order. So, you cannot interfere with us.' " Therefore the challenge is replied by Viṣṇudūtas that "If you are actually representative of Dharmarāja, who tries the case of dharma and adharma, first of all explain what is dharma and what is adharma."
So Kṛṣṇa says two things that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. When there are discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles... So there is religion. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir (BG 4.7). Glānir means discrepancies. When there is discrepancies of religious principles and abhyutthānam adharmasya, and the society is prominent in doing sinful activities, abhyutthānam... If you are not religious, then you must be irreligious. Two things are there. If there is no light, it is darkness. If it is not darkness, it is light. Similarly, two things cannot go. Either you are a demon or you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, godly. This is the conclusion.
So the Yamadūta, they are also servant of very exalted personality, one of the authority. So they are not lacking in knowledge by the grace of their master. So the first thing they said, veda-praṇihito dharmo hy adharmas tad-viparyayaḥ. Dharma and adharma, religious principle and not religious principle, nonreligious principle—how to discern. The book is there, Veda. We have to consult the Vedas. There are so many Vedic literatures: four Vedas, then Upaniṣad, 108 Upaniṣad, then philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra, all summarized. Then explanation of Vedānta-sūtra, or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. Then there is Rāmāyaṇa, there is Mahābhārata, immense literature, full of Vedic literature. So one should try to understand this literature.
They were always engaged in writing books, nānā-śāstra, various śāstra, scripture always studying, and taking essence of the śāstra and presenting to the world people. Why? Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau: just to establish real religious principle, nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau, with scrutinizing thinking over and giving to the people. This is Gosvāmīs' business. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau: for the benefit of the whole human society. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau mānyau śaraṇyākarau. Therefore one should take shelter of the Gosvāmīs. That is Gosvāmī.
So from historical point of view, suppose one religion is current for the last three thousand years. Then what was their condition before three thousand years? So the natural conclusion is: as there was no such religion three thousand years and the Vedic religion has no history—it is coming from time immemorial—that was the religion. Take for example in India. Twenty years before there was no Pakistan, but now there is Pakistan. Under certain circumstances, the religious principle has changed, but originally every human being on this planet were following the Vedic religion. And another sense, everyone is following the Vedic religion if it is religion.
Christian religion, they are also searching after God—Lord Jesus Christ advising, "Be lover of God." He presents himself as son of God. The Muhammadan, Muhammad, he also presented himself as servant of God. In this way, everyone is accepting. Or if anyone is accepting God as the ultimate goal of religious process, that is also Vedic. Because Kṛṣṇa says that vedaiś ca sarvair aham. And a godless scripture, that is not accepted as religion. Therefore in India, although Lord Buddha appeared in India—he was a kṣatriya, and he started some religious principle—it is not accepted because it is not, in the Buddha religion, there is no acceptance of God or soul.
Yes. Lord Buddha was patronized by the then emperor, Ashoka. And anything patronized by the state, it becomes very popular. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). So Lord Buddha converted Ashoka, Emperor Ashoka, to this religion. Therefore whole India became Buddhist. And later on, when Buddhism was driven out of India, the Jainism and similar other religious principles became visible. Ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. Lord Buddha... Ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ is also Vedic religion, but they stressed especially on ahiṁsā. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find: amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). These are the different steps of progressing in knowledge and religion. The first thing is amānitvam. Amānitvam means very humble. Very humble. And therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that tṛṇād api sunīcena, "Just become humbler than the straw in the street or grass." To become religious means... Lord Jesus Christ also, he taught like that—"The humble and meek will attain the kingdom of God."
So any highest principle of religion in any religion of the world you take, this is the summarization of all religions, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is accepted by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion which teaches how to love God, how to learn to love God." That is first class, not the rituals, not the formulas. That is another thing. Just like when a man is diseased, the physicians prescribes so many, that "You don't do this. You do this. You take this medicine. You just..." That is according to the particular disease. But the real aim is to be cured from the disease. So any religion which teaches to be cured from the material disease of sense gratification and teaches love of Godhead, that is perfect religion.
Nitāi: "...replied: What is established by the Vedas as duty, that is called religious principles, and irreligion is the opposite of that. The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, and are self-born. Thus we have heard from Yamarāja."
Prabhupāda:
- yamadūtā ūcuḥ
- veda-praṇihito dharmo
- hy adharmas tad-viparyayaḥ
- vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt
- svayambhūr iti śuśruma
- (SB 6.1.40)
This word śuśruma is very important. "We have heard it." They never say that "We have manufactured it." Śuśruma means "We have heard it." Śuśruma, śuśruma: "We have heard it with service." That is the way of Vedic instruction.
Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "The Yamadūtas replied: That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma, the religious principles, and the opposite of that is irreligion. The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, and are self-born. This we have heard from Yamarāja."
Prabhupāda:
- yamadūtā ūcuḥ
- veda-praṇihito dharmo
- hy adharmas tad-viparayaḥ
- vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt
- svayambhūr iti śuśruma
- (SB 6.1.40)
So here is explanation by the Yamadūtas. The Yamadūtas were not very advanced so far their position was there. They were very odd-looking and not to be supposed very civilized—uneducated—but how they are explaining about dharma? Because the challenge was that "If you are the servants of Dharmarāja, then explain what is dharma." It doesn't matter whether a man is civilized or uncivilized or good-looking or bad-looking, but if he has got proper guide, then he can speak the right thing.
So we have to follow the principle of religion; otherwise we are misguided. Just like a child has to be sent to school to understand, to become learned scholar. It is compulsory, not that I may send my child to school or if I like, I don't send. No. It is compulsory. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic injunction. If you want to be learned fully, especially if you want to learn the transcendental science, gurum eva abhigacchet: "One must go to a guru." Guru—the spiritual master as well as the teacher also, guru. So he must att..., he must go to a guru. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). And going to guru, what you have to do? Praṇipātena. You have to fully surrender. Paripraśnena. After surrendering, then you can enquire, you can put question.
So Yamadūtas complained that "This man was very sinful. We must take him to Yamarāja." But the Nārāyaṇa-dūtas said, "No, you cannot take because he has uttered the holy name of Nārāyaṇa." So the discussion was going on, "Now who will take him." In the meantime the Nārāyaṇa-dutas challenged the Yamadūtas that "Do you know the principles of religion?" And so they were explaining.
Now, these Yamadūtas explained about the past life of Ajāmila. His past life is described in this way, ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ: "This man, Ajāmila, was formerly, was a very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa." Śruta. Śruta means Vedic knowledge, and sampannaḥ means accomplished.
So real yoga system means to control the senses, not to increase or indulge. They are clearly advertising in the Western countries, "Transcendental meditation. There is no restriction. There is no question of faith," and so many things, means as people want it. They want money, and they advertise like that. People do not want to follow the religious principles. People do not want any restriction. They advertise, "Yes. You haven't got to follow any restriction. You haven't got to believe in some religion. You simply pay me $127, and I give you mantra, and you become happy." This is going on.
You cannot manufacture religion, nonsense, give this dharma, that dharma, that dharma. No. Dharma is only one. That is bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma. They are all cheating. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). The fight between different religious principles, religious followers—"I am Hindu," "You are Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist," "My religion is better," "Your religion is bad"—these are all not religion. Real religion is bhāgavata-dharma. In any other religion there is para-hiṁsa. Para-hiṁsa. In the history you will find many instances. In our country I have seen fight between Hindus and Muslims. And in the history you will find Europe, the Prostestants, and the Roman Catholics, and the Crusades. So this kind of religion has no value. Religion means when one understands Kṛṣṇa, or God, he understands automatically that all living entities are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcels.
So the conversation between the Yamadūta and Viṣṇudūta... So this material world is for Yamaduta, and the spiritual world is for Viṣṇudūta. We have discussed all these points. So in the material world, more or less, we are susceptible for being punished by the Yamadūtas or Yamarāja, not all. Who are punishable? They are nondevotees, those who are sinful. So anyone who is not following the principles of religion, they are to be punished, because the human form of life is meant for executing religion. Not the animals.
So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).
"There is no need of executing all this obligation. Simply surrender to Me." Kṛṣṇa says. So if somebody, out of sentiment, if one thinks that "Simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, I will be perfect? Why not take it? Let me give up my so-called religious principle." So that is confirmed in the Bhāgavata. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ. He is giving up. Just like these European, American boys, they belong to Jewish religion, they belong to Christian religion, but out of their pious activity or even by sentiment, they have given up. Now they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they are perfect. You may say that some of them are fallen.
Really, originally, the, I mean to say regulator of religious principle is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is sometimes addressed as dharma-setu. Setu means bridge. We have to cross over. The whole plan is that we have to cross over the ocean of nescience in which we are now fallen. The material existence means it is ocean of ignorance and nescience, and one has to cross over it. Then he gets the real life. This is not real life. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). People are so foolish. They do not take it very seriously because they do not know that they are eternal. That is another ignorance.
Therefore it is said, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If one is not following the principles of religious scriptures... It doesn't matter whether it is Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muslim religion. It doesn't matter. But human civilization, a civilized human being must follow some religious principles. That is the aim of human life. And anyone who does not follow any religious scripture, he is simply animal. That is the position of the present world. We may claim to be Hindu or Muslim or Christian, but nobody cares for religion. They are simply karmīs. Therefore they are all sinful.
Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Now here the Viṣṇudūta says that "The direction given in the religious principles, to get out of reaction of the sinful activities, they are not sufficient." Just like in Christian religion there is the direction that if anyone is sinful he should go to a priest and confess that "I have committed these things."
There are so many persons following their own principles of religious, ritualistic performances, but... (break) ...by remaining in the same standard. They are not improving. The spiritual life or religious life means that one should make advance towards back to home, back to Godhead, not that religious life should be followed to make some material improvement. That is not religious life. Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). These are the principles for elevating a living entity to the highest platform. But they have taken it, generally... They perform religious ritualistic performances for getting some more money, artha. Of course, we require some money for our maintenance. That is necessary.
A living entity is eternal, God is eternal, and there is an eternal abode also. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So the religious principles which promote a follower to the highest platform of serving the eternal, supreme God, that is called sanātana-dharma. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is first-class religion.
Therefore here it is said, naikāntikam. Naikāntikaṁ tad dhi kṛte 'pi niṣkṛte (SB 6.2.12). Even one becomes free from all contamination of sinful life by prosecuting the particular type of religious principles, that is not sufficient, because ultimately it cannot give any good result.
The strength, bodily strength, is diminishing. The memory is diminishing. The duration of life is diminishing. Man's propensity to be merciful is diminishing. At the present moment, even in the civilized world, so-called civilized, if one man is being killed on the open street, nobody will go and help him because the tendency for showing mercy to others, that is diminishing. And bodily strength is diminishing. Memory is diminishing. Dharma, the principle of religion, that is diminishing. This is calculated. Therefore brahma-jijñāsā.
So this is applicable in all ages, but especially in this age because nobody can perform the ritualistic ceremonies of any religious principle. The people are so fallen that they cannot. So this hari-nāmānukīrtanam, it is not that it is manufactured for this age. No. This is potent in all other ages also, but especially it is potent because people in this age, they are unable to execute any religious principles very nicely. Bhagavato guṇānāṁ karmāṇāṁ nāmnāṁ ca samyak kīrtanaṁ iti yat etāvatā puṁsām agha-nirṇayāya pāpa-kṣaya-mātrāya alam upayogo nāsti alam-śabdena atra varaṇe. So Śrīdhāra Swami especially stresses on the point, alam, means "It is forbidden. There is no necessity. Simply..." That is the version of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra. He also stresses that "Simply by chanting, you will get all perfection." Yata amara-śṛṅgāḥ, alaṁ bhūṣaṇa-paryāpi śakti-varaṇa-vaśakam ity upayoga-bhavam eva ajāmilo mahā-pāpa-kṛd api nārāyaṇeti vikṛśya na tu samyak kīrtayitaḥ. You can hear now.
Now, the Yamadūtas may be in doubt, that "You are Dharmarāja. You are the protector of all religious principles. You are entrusted. So how your business can be interfered by the Viṣṇudūtas?" So Yamarāja is explaining what is real dharma. This is very important. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. (aside:) You can take sleep over here(?). Don't be inattentive. Better sleep. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means... This is authority.
This is very important verse, that any manufactured religion, that is not religion. That is not... The principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion. This is bhāgavata-dharma, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Personality. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is specially teaching this, I mean to say, fact, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Na siddha-mukhyā asurāḥ, asurā manuṣyāḥ. Asurāḥ means they are also very powerful, but almost atheists. Just like in the modern world there are many powerful men and materially advanced, many powerful men. But because they are godless—they have no sense of God—they are called asuras. The example is Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. And manuṣyāḥ, manuṣyāḥ, ordinary men. So everyone is described here, that nobody can. You cannot say, "If the asuras cannot, then the demigods can, or the human society can, or the siddhas can." No. Everybody is denied, that "Nobody can manufacture the principles of religion." Kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ. There is a planet which is inhabited by the Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas. They are very expert in singing. Vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ.
Just like there are entrusted bodies in every department, in every state, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has got also several very faithful or confidential, confidential authorities who can speak about religion. Therefore paramparā system is so necessary, disciplic succession. Kṛṣṇa has got direct confidential servants. They know what is religion. Therefore it is said, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If we are puzzled about the principles of religion, then we must follow the mahājanas. Mahājana. These mahājanas are described here. Who is mahājana? Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Brahmā. Svayambhū. He is called Svayambhū. Svayambhū means "one who is born by himself."
We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult." They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā..." Jñātvā means "If one understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion." Amṛtam aśnute. Etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion? So he says, etāvān eva loke 'smin: "Especially in this material world," puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ, "this is the first-class religious principle." What is that? Bhakti-yogo bhagavati: "Of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That is first-class religion. Bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. Tan-nāma. And how it begins? "Simply by chanting His holy name." These are the authoritative statements of Yamarāja. Tam eva dharmam etāvān iti. This is dharma.
So our movement, the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, that is authorized. Here it is stated, tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. And you have seen that our..., in Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva has also quoted many passages from Bible, the chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. So this chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, or God, is authorized. And actually the effect is being felt, because we are advised to execute this kind of religious principles according to the law, offenseless, and avoiding these four regulative principles. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and observing these rules and regulations, one is sure to go to home, go to back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it.
So for a devotee only, the door of God is open. For others, there is no possibility. Therefore, He's called durbodham. Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā. But somehow or other, if he can understand the principles of religion and God, then immediately he becomes immortal. Immortal means he's no more going to accept any material body.
So dharma, this religion, so although it is very difficult to understand, still, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it has been made very simple and easy. Unfortunately, people have no faith. They do not believe. They think something cumberous, something speculative, something very difficult is the process of executing religion. No. Yamarāja says that etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ: "The highest principle of religion is this." What is that? Bhakti-yogaḥ bhagavati. Bhakti-yoga. One may... Just like some people, some foolish say, "Bhakti-yoga... I have got very much devotion to Goddess Kālī, to Goddess Durgā, or so many demigods. This is also bhakti."
This verse Nārada Muni's instruction, we were discussing the last meeting. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi (SB 1.5.17). One has taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cult and is chanting as far as possible, but there is possibility, because one is not mature, there are so many attraction of māyā, he may fall down. But Nārada Muni says, "Still, he is not in loss." It is so powerful. "Still he is in gain. And one who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he is following the religious principles... Everyone has got some religion. Still, what does he gain? He does not gain anything." That is the verdict of Nārada Muni. A person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, giving up his all religious principles and occupations, even he falls down on account of his immature position, he is much gainer than the person who is sticking to his religious principle, so-called religious principle, but does not know what Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He does not gain anything. That is the verdict of Nārada Muni.
So Śrīdhara Svāmī says... Just like one, a person, is suffering from fever, so according to Ayurvedic medicine, tri-kaṭu... Tri means three, and kaṭu means bitter. Tri-kaṭu, just like nim, nim fruits, kālamegha and ciratā. They are prescribed, very bitter to eat. So Śrīdhara Svāmī gives this example: "Without knowing that there is a very nice medicine, mṛta-sañjīvanī, they takes so many troublesome medicines. Similarly, the great stalwart leaders of religious principles, without knowing this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, they take to so many troublesome, multiritualistic ceremonies."
So the Bhagavad-gītā is giving us directly information about our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally giving instruction that is His position and what is our position, what is our relationship with Him and what is the ultimate goal of life. These are called in Sanskrit language, sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Sambandha means we must know what is our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is called sambandha. Everyone is speaking about God. That is human nature. Any civilized form of human society has some sort of religious principles, to understand God. That is a fact. So in the human form of life, this is the main question. This is called brahma-jijñāsā. "What is my relationship with God? What I am? Why I am suffering in this material world? Is there a solution?" This is the business of human form of life, not to imitate the animals, how to eat nicely, how to live nicely, how to have sexual intercourse nicely and how to defend. These are animal propensities. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narānām. The animals are also doing the same business, whole day and night.
Of course, in this material world, so many things are going on in the name of love. But actually there is no love. They are all lust. But going on in trade in the name of love. Love is possible only with Kṛṣṇa, or God. Premā pum-artho mahān. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Not any other thing.
Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Generally, people understand eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. That is the lowest grade of life. A little higher grade of life, they try to understand about some religious principle, and they are generally become religious for some gain, some material gain. Just like in the churches or in the temples they go. They ask some benefit from God, "O God, give us our daily bread." Or somebody goes to temple, asks some benefit. So dharma, artha, kāma. Why they ask some benefit? Now, just to satisfy their senses, that's all.
So bhāgavata-dharma means relationship with God, Bhagavān. Therefore you will see in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is Bhagavad-gītā means the dharma or the religious principle preached by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is bhāgavata-dharma. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is bhāgavata-dharma. So dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Any other dharma which does not teach anything about God, that is cheating, kaitava.
Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). Dharmārtha. Dharma, the religious principles, artha means economic development, kāma means sense gratification, and mokṣa means liberation. So above mokṣa there is bhāgavata-dharma. When one has attained actually mokṣa. Mokṣa means mukti, liberation.
These rascals, they are thinking, "I am free. I can do anything and whatever I like." No. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. You have to... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). As you are infecting the different types of modes of nature, you are making your next life like that. So we should be very careful. Therefore the others accept... Because without this varṇāśrama system of religious principles, we can declare, there is no scientific understanding of the modes of material nature, how we are contacting, how we are becoming infected and where is our next life. But if we... Śāstra-caksusat. If you see through the śāstra, then you can understand.
And what is bhagavat-praṇītaṁ dharma? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, we know, everyone. He came, Kṛṣṇa came. His mission was dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, for establishing the religious principles, or reestablishing. Dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). So sometimes there is glāni, discrepancies in the matter of discharging the principles of dharma. At that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Yuge yuge sambhavāmi. So this dharma, Kṛṣṇa did not come to reorganize the so-called dharmas: Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, Buddha's dharma.
So God says that "Instead of worshiping so many others, you worship Me." So, and man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And "You offer my respect to Me." So these things... You may accept any type of religion; that doesn't matter. But think of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances God, that cannot be changed. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, it does not matter. These four things cannot be changed. Therefore, the principles of religion: thinking of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances to Him, and to become devotee of God, that cannot be changed. That is real religion.
These are the Vedic injunction. Bhāryā, wife is accepted, putrāyate, only for having good children. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi: "Lusty sex life is, when it is not against the religious principle, that sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. Dharmāviruddho. So dharmāviruddho, or which is not against religious principles. In this way you will find, according to Vedic system, the sex life is practically denied. But because we are now in the conditioned state, it is very difficult to completely deny sex life, there is regulative principle. First of all, training, no sex life. If you can remain without sex life, brahmacārī, it is very good. But if you cannot, then get yourself married, live with wife, but have sex only for progeny, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore even one is married, if he's sticking to one wife and the wife is sticking to one man, that is real married life, then the husband is also called brahmacārī. Even though he's a gṛhastha. And the wife is called chaste.
This incarnation of... In the Bhagavad-gītā, you have learned that the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa says that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Whenever there is discrepancy in the discharge of religious principles, then there is incarnation of God. Whenever there is... Because this is... Everything, God is the supreme proprietor. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Now, the kingdom of God is everywhere, but this material world is also kingdom of God, but here the people are 99.9 %, they are forgetful. They have forgotten God. Therefore in this material world, there are religious principles. In every civilized society, there is some form of religion, without any exception. Either you be Christian or be Muhammadan or Buddhist or Hindu, that doesn't matter, because the whole idea is this is the process.
You, you are very religious, performing the ritualistic ceremony very nicely, going to the Ganges and taking your bath, and dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ. Very rightly you are executing your religious principle and coming at home, you are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but you have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. That is useless time, useless waste of time. The Bhāgavata, (says) śrama eva hi kevalam. So this, why this happens? Because these people do not approach the right person, guru. Ādau gurv-āśrayam.
It is generally said that whenever there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religious principles and whenever there is too much prominence of irreligiosity, at that time the Lord appears. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya (BG 4.7). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So because it is... Just like as soon as there is some riotous condition in any quarter or any part of the city, there is police action immediately. So this is God's kingdom, either this material or spiritual. So everyone has to obey the God's law. That is religion. Religion means... What do you mean by religion? Religion means... Just like good citizen. What do you mean by good citizen? Who obeys the laws of the state. So what is religion? Religion means to obey the laws of God. That's all. Religion. Religion you cannot manufacture, just like you cannot manufacture law. Law is made by the state. You cannot manufacture law.
We want to test your religion capacity—how much you have developed your love of God. That's all. We do not want to see how, what kind of rituals and performances you are doing. Phalena paricīyate. We want to see the result, how much you have tried or how much you have developed your love of Godhead. That's all. That is the Bhāgavata recommendation. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is the first-class type of religious principles by which one can develop his dormant love of God." That's all. If you are not developing your love of Godhead, simply following the rituals, the Bhāgavata says, śrama eva hi kevalam: (SB 1.2.8) simply laboring, simply wasting your valuable time. That's all. Don't waste your time. You have got very precious life in this human form of existence. Don't waste your time. Just try to increase your love of Godhead. That is the perfection of your life.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that this, this process of devotional service to the Lord, is pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyaṁ. There are many types of religious principles or religiousness, but here is the religion which you can directly perceive. Which you can directly perceive. Pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyaṁ. And su-sukhaṁ. Su-sukhaṁ means very easy to perform, very easy. Anyone, even a child, can perform. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam. Avyayam means imperishable. If you chant for a minute, it will never go in vain. Avyayam. It will never go in vain. A great opportunity. So we should take this opportunity. Pratya Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyam. This is called rāja-vidyā, the knowledge, the king of all knowledge. Rāja-guhyam, the king of all confidential things. Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitraṁ paramam idam, and very pure, and sublime. Pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyaṁ, and it is directly perceived, su-sukham, and very easy to perform, avyayam, never to be destroyed.
But śāstra does not say that without... Even if you are born in a high family, brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, and if you do not act or if (you) have not the qualification of brāhmaṇa, dvi-ṣaṭ, twelve qualifications... What is that? Dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda... That is explained, what are the twelve qualifications. Dharmaḥ: "He must be strictly religious principles." Dharmaḥ. Dharmaḥ begins strictly when one is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. There begins dharmaḥ, because Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He says that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. He comes to establish the principles of dharma. And why He is speaking, sarva-dharmān parityajya? Why? If He has come to reestablish the principles of dharma-dharma-saṁsthāpanārtha—then why He says sarva-dharm...? Sarva so-called dharmas, they are not dharma. Dharma means... Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order that is given by God. That is dharma. And anything, so-called dharma, that is not dharma.
"If I become religious person, then my economic condition will be very nice." In the Vedic way of thinking, in the material world, there are four stages of development. They are called dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), namely following the religious principles, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. Just like in the Christian church, people go there to ask, "God, give us our daily bread." So dharma. People generally think that "If I become religious, then my economic condition must be very nice." And when one's economic condition becomes very nice, he wants to make economic condition very nice, he wants some monetary, financial adjustment. This financial improvement people generally want for sense gratification. Dharma-artha-kāma. Dharma means religion, artha means financial facilities, and kāma means sense gratification. And then, when one is baffled in sense gratification, he wants liberation. These four principles are generally followed by the materialistic men. Liberation... When one is baffled in adjusting things to his satisfaction, he wants to become one with the Supreme or with the void.
Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, although He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead, brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaṁ. Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra—He's giving reference. So don't talk anything which is not authorized in the statement of śāstra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, has given us, not whimsically, although He can give any law. He is the Supreme Lord. Dharmaṁ tu sakṣad bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Whatever the Lord says, that is the principle of religion. So we do not know whether Caitanya Mahāprabhu is God or not, but śāstra says He is, so whatever He says, that is dharma.
You may be a very religious person—never mind you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or anyone—or according to your religious principles, ritualistic ceremonies, you execute very nicely. Svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām. But after doing all these things, if you do not become God consciousness, God conscious, or you do not understand what is God, then the Bhāgavata says that it is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
This is the symptom of this age. And dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāṁ kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi. Dharma. Dharma means suppose you have acted something irreligious. In every religion, in every scripture, there are many things, you do it, and do not do it. So that is called following the religious principle. In every religion, either Hindu or Christian or Muhammadan, there are some rules and regulations. Just like in Muhammadan religion, drinking is greatest sin. And Hindu religion, flesh eating, especially cow's meat, is greatest sin. So these are religious principles. So dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyām. So there are some rules and regulation according to different types of religion. So how they will be settled? Kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi: by might. If one has... "Might is right." That "Might is right." There is no reason. "Why you are doing against religious principle?" If I ask, if you are powerful, stronger than me, you'll say, "Yes! I can do that.
| Page Title: | Religious principles (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 11 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=192, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 192 |