"Those who have taken birth as human being as Indian, on the land of Bhāratavarṣa, they should learn their spiritual asset and distribute it throughout the world for real welfare activity." This was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's indication. That was my Guru Mahārāja's indication. With that indication I tried, and somehow or other, it is coming to be successful. Now it is in your hand, you European and American young boys and girls. You take it seriously. From India they are coming, but I am very sorry to inform, they are not giving the real, not delivering the real culture. So we do not want to discuss that point. But now you are intelligent boys and girls. You have taken this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand more philosophically and distribute all over the world. That is my request. Otherwise the world is doomed. Without this spiritual knowledge, without God consciousness, the whole world is doomed. Go on.
Somehow or other (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So sometimes we may become a śūdra, sometimes we may become brāhmaṇa—that is change. But when you come to the platform of the soul, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), that dharma, when it begins, the dharma of the soul, that is called bhāgavata-dharma, because when one is, uh... I mean, in the platform, on the platform of understanding soul, that is called brahma-jñāna, ātmā-jñāna. So when one comes to the platform of brahma understanding, that is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) when you come to that platform, understanding of the soul, then you become joyful, free from material anxiety. Just like you are on a ship and it is in danger on the ocean, tottering. At any moment you can drown. But somehow or other, if you come to the land, you feel safety, "Now I am safe." Similarly, this bodily consciousness—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—that is just on the tottering sea. But if you come immediately on the spiritual platform, then prasannātmā, "Now I am safe." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). To Brahman realized soul, he has no more any hankering, nor any lamentation. So long we are on the bodily platform, we are hankering and lamenting. We are hankering for things which we do not possess, and we lament for things we lose. There are two business: to gain some material profit or lose it. This is bodily platform. But when you come to the spiritual platform, there is no more question of loss and profit. Equilibrium. So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). Because he has no more hankering and lamenting, there is no more enemy. Because, if there is enemy, then there is lamenting, but if there is no enemy, then samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). That is the beginning of transcendental activities, bhakti.
Alpayu: they're living for a short time, and mandaḥ, mandaḥ means very slow or inferior quality of human being. Not superior. Inferior quality means in this age there is practically no brāhmaṇa; all śūdras. Kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ, actually also it is so, because people in this age, if he gets one nice service, master, he is satisfied. One wife, one service, then his life is dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba bharaṇam. In this age if one can maintain his wife and few children, ah, he is very expert. He is to be considered dākṣa, very expert. You have no more to make any sacrifice. Simply if he is somehow or other able to maintain a wife, that is... That has also become impossible. The social system is coming to such degraded position. In Europe and America I have seen, very few men are family men, you see, because it is botheration. They think it is botheration or it is very heavy task. Actually, in their country it is very heavy task by so many laws and so many conventions. So they avoid marriage. So therefore, in the symptoms of Kali-yuga it has been stated, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharanam. Kuṭumba means family. If one can maintain his family, he is to be considered as very successful. No, he hasn't got to make dākṣa-yajña, or naradeva-yajña, or so many yajña. No. That he has no means. This is the position. Mandaḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). And if anyone wants to accept something for spiritual, that is sumanda-matayo, something bogus. He will accept something bogus which has no spiritual, I mean to say, reference. He will accept, "I have... I have got this religion." Mandaḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā. Because they're all unfortunate, and upadrutāḥ, and always disturbed and anxious by so many external affairs.
Prabhupāda:
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje...
- (SB 1.2.6)
(Hindi) Somehow or other we have to turn to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the aim of life. This human form of life is meant for this purpose. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje and... (break) ...religion you may profess, it does not matter. It must teach you how to render loving service to the Lord. That is required. (break) ...pravṛtti and nivṛtti, so there are two kinds of dharma. Dharma means occupational duties. (Hindi) (break)
Devotee: It doesn't work.
Prabhupāda: In this material world, we come here to enjoy. Not enjoy, but to satisfy our senses. This is material life. But that is not the right process, to develop the sense enjoyment process. The modern civilization, they are increasing the sense enjoyment process, making life more and more complicated, because the real motive of human life is to develop devotional service to the Lord. Or in other words, instead of gratifying our senses we should gratify the senses of the Lord. That is required. We cannot independently gratify our senses. The Īśopaniṣad therefore says, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1). Directly you cannot. The best example is you give me nice a foodstuff, rasagullā. The fingers catches it, but it cannot enjoy directly. That is not possible. It must give to the stomach, and when it is given to the stomach, the energy produced by eating that foodstuff is distributed not only in this finger but in other fingers and other parts of the body.
Just like in your western countries, Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for God's. Can... He was charged that He was preaching something blasphemous. But He was a devotee of God. He, He preached to the people that there is kingdom of God, you love God, and go to the kingdom of God. Simple truth. That is the actual business of human life. This human life is meant for understanding God because we are part and parcel of God and we have forgotten. Just like the same thing, I have given several times example, a person, he belongs to a rich father, but somehow or other he has left home and he is loitering. In your country this example is very applicable. So many boys, they have left their rich father, rich family, and lying down on the street. I have seen. Why? Maybe some reason, but he is not expected to lie down on the street because he has got rich father, at least rich nation, your American nation. Similarly when we become puzzled and confused and want to live independently of God, the richest father—who can be richer than God? God means the richest. No one can be richer than Him. That is another definition of God.
Bhāga, bhāga means fortune. One who is opulent with six kinds of fortunes. We can understand it very well. Just like in our, in this material world, if one man is very rich, he's attractive. Everybody speaks about him. Even he is a nonsense number one, if he has got money, everyone will speak about him. At least in this age it is going on. Nobody considers of anything but if somehow or other one becomes very rich, he becomes a popular figure. So God must be richest. Here, within this material world we can claim, "I am richer than that," but somebody is richer than me. I cannot claim that "Nobody is richer than me." That is not possible. We shall find out less rich than me and we can find out more rich than ourselves. Two things we can. But when you come to God, you will find nobody is richer than Him.
Therefore God is called great, God is great. Similarly, not only in riches, aiśvarya, sa samagrasya, vīryasya, in power also. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, in reputation also, in fame. Just like everyone, it may be you belong to some religion, I belong to, but everyone knows that God is great. That is reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, and śrī, śrī means beauty. God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Kṛṣṇa here, you have got Kṛṣṇa's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always. An old man cannot become beautiful. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That is the description of Ādyaṁ Purāṇa, He is the original person, the oldest of all but he is nava-yauvanam, just like a beautiful boy, say sixteen or twenty years old. So that is beautiful, the most beautiful. And the most wise, jñāna. Nobody can be wiser than God.
Just like a boy who has left his home from childhood. Somehow or other, he is separated from his rich father, loitering in the street. But he is reminded. He can remember. Similarly, we are all sons of the most opulent father. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Unfortunately, we have forgotten. We are thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that," and toiling and laboring hard, struggle for existence. Therefore the most beneficial welfare activity is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are reminding people that "You are son of such great personality, or Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you go back to your home? Why you are rotting in this material world, suffering?" This is the mission.
So required, this education. When one understands that "I am rotting here in this nasty place..." This is a nasty place. Not only this material planet, anywhere within this material world... Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, where the duration of life you cannot calculate and the standard of life is very, very good, but still, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartinaḥ, wherever you go, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9) is there. You cannot avoid it. So this information, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is even up above Brahmaloka. Therefore it is the most beneficial welfare activities in the world, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this awakening is possible when one is engaged in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa.
The animals, they have no jñānam. They are pulling on their life with the bodily concept of life. The dog is thinking, "I am dog. I am this body." He does not know whether he is "dog" or "cat". These names we have given him. But he knows it well that "I am this body." So this is not jñānam. This chance is available when we are no longer cats and dogs but human being. Then we can understand that "I am not this body." This is the difference between cats and dogs and human beings. The cats and dogs, they do not know that they are not the body. They are spirit soul. That they do not know. They know simply that "I am this body, and the necessities of body must be fulfilled somehow or other." That is their business. Whole day and night, they are working just to fulfill the necessities of his body, because there is no jñānam.
But in the human form of life, that is not the business. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "This life, human form of life, which is achieved after evolution of 8,400,000's of forms of life..." It is called labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). Idaṁ śarīram. This human form of body is achieved, bahu-sambhavānte, after achieving many, many other lower forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. So many different forms of life we had to pass through to come to the standard of human life. Therefore this life is not meant for spoiling like cats and dogs. This is jñānam. The spoiling the life like cats and dogs means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna... eating, sleeping, defending and sexual intercourse. These are the bodily demands. Sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. These are common formulas for the cats and dogs and the human being. But what is the meaning of human being? The human being is eligible to understand what is the value of life, what is the problem of life, how to make the solution. That is human life. Not that simply passing our days like cats and dogs working very hard.
Similarly, pha means phena, and bha means bhaya (?), ma means mṛtyu. So this material world is pavarga, means here we have to labor very hard. Sometimes by laboring, as you have seen in animals, bulls and horses, they produce foam in the mouth, that is pha. And then we are always full of anxieties, and at last there is death. This is material life. We work very hard, struggle for..., struggle hard for existence, and that also, at the end, we die.
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. To stop, that is the purpose of dharma. But generally people execute dharma to get some artha. Dharma artha. Artha means some material profit. So Sūta Gosvāmī said that dharmasya hy āpavargasya na artaḥ arthāya upakalpate. Arthaya, for some material profit, does not mean. Of course, if you take the meaning of artha as paramārtha, that is required. But material profit, as it is stated here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Sūta Gosvāmī, that to go to the church or to the temple or to become a religious person, does not mean that it is meant for improving your material condition. Generally, people come to us or the temple for asibha (?). What is that asibha? "Now I have got five hundred rupees income. Please give me asibha it may become five thousand." So this is not the purpose of dharma. Here it is stated, dharmasya hy āpavargasya na artaḥ arthāya upakalpate.
In this way, it is a sporting of the swan. So Samraj Kulaśekhara says, mānasa. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam adyaiva viśatu me mānasa-rāja-hāmsaḥ. "At the present moment my mind is just like the swan. It is playing with Your lotus stem. So, let me die immediately. Otherwise, if I die ordinarily," prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ, "the three elements kapha, pitha, bile, they will overwhelm me, and I may not remember You at that time. I may forget You. So Kṛṣṇa, give me immediately death so that I, remembering, I may die." This is process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means somehow or other try to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Then your life is successful. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, he was a great sinner—we shall one day describe about Ajāmila's life—but at the time of death, out of his affection for his youngest son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa, he thrice called "Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa!" But the original Nārāyaṇa took notice of it: "Oh, this man is calling Nārāyaṇa." Immediately sent His personal assistant to take him back to home, back to Godhead. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Somehow or other. He was not remembering the original Nārāyaṇa, but Nārāyaṇa was the name of his son. Therefore according to our Vedic system we keep God's name our children or family member, so that somehow or other, there are thousands of names of Kṛṣṇa, if we remember one of them, our life is successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
God is like you and me. He is a living entity, but the chief living entity, singular number. Just like we have got leader. There are many hundreds and thousands of followers, but there must be one leader. You follow any cult, you have to accept one leader. Either you follow this philosophy, that philosophy, it doesn't matter. But you have to follow a leader. But Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader, leader of the leaders.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjayaḥ (BG 7.7). Leaders there are, gods are, there are. God means controller. There is controller always. So there are many gods. Anyone is god, because he is, somehow or other, he is a controller; a leader also. But we are meaning the supreme leader, the supreme controller. That is Kṛṣṇa. Leader you have to accept. But... Controller you have to accept. But nobody is supreme leader or supreme controller. That is Kṛṣṇa. Every leader is also controlled by some other leader. But Kṛṣṇa is such a leader that He is not controlled by any other leader. That is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat... (BG 7.7). "There is no one superiorly..."
Without knowing Kṛṣṇa, they want to make trade with Kṛṣṇa. That is not very good. You cannot make trade commodity, Kṛṣṇa as trade commodity. You cannot handle Kṛṣṇa by your whims. Let you be handled by the Kṛṣṇa's whims. Then you'll be successful. Then... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa; do something so that Kṛṣṇa may see you." That is wanted. If Kṛṣṇa, if you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatām, katākṣa-vaibhavavatām... Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says... If you somehow or other you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. Immediately. And how you can draw? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply by serving Kṛṣṇa. Take service, take to service of Kṛṣṇa, as it is ordered by the spiritual master. Because spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If you have bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, it is also not very difficult. Everyone can become representative of Kṛṣṇa. How? If you simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa without any adulteration. That's all.
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128), "You become a spiritual master under My order." So if you carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa, then you become guru. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. Unfortunately, we do not wish to carry out order of the ācāryas. We manufacture our own ways. We have got practical experience how a great institution was lost by whimsical ways. Without carrying out the order of the spiritual master, they manufactured something and the whole thing was lost. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura stresses very much on the words of the spiritual master. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (BG 2.41). If you stick to the order of spiritual master, then, without caring for your own convenience or inconvenience, then you become perfect.
This is very important verse for understanding the aim of life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Not that simply economic development for sense gratification. Tattva-jijñāsā. What is the value of life? That is the aim business. (aside:) Yes, you can translate. (break) ...to give you one example of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah. Somehow or other, he came in contact with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and he decide to retire from government service and join the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago. About them it is said by one learned scholar, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Because they were ministers, their association was with aristocratic family, big, big men. But he decided, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders, social leaders, political leaders. So they gave up the company of the so-called aristocratic circle—tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat—as most insignificant. Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Just to give real service to the mass of people, they became mendicants, kaupīna-kanthāśritau, or accepted the sannyāsa order. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa order, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, they accepted for the greater benefit of the human society.
The idea is that if you once see Kṛṣṇa, then you will forget all this nonsense material enjoyment. That is seeing Kṛṣṇa. No more. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "My dear Lord I don't want anything." Dhruva Mahārāja... Dhruva Mahārāja went to see Kṛṣṇa to get the kingdom of his father, but when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu... Viṣṇu offered, "Now, whatever benediction you want, you take." He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce, "My dear Lord, I have no more any desire." That is Kṛṣṇa seeing. That if you want to see Kṛṣṇa for some business, that "I shall see Kṛṣṇa..." Just like... Of course, if you are eager to see Kṛṣṇa, the motive may be different, but somehow or other, due to your eagerness, you'll see Kṛṣṇa. That is the only qualification.
In another poetry Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ kriyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. The, our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I have taken this from this word kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ. This is actual translation in Sanskrit or... Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ. So Rūpa Gosvāmī advises that "Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if it is possible, please purchase. Don't delay." Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ kriyatām. "Purchase immediately!" Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ kriyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi. "Where it is available? It is very nice thing." "Yes, it is available. You can purchase. The movement is going on." "And what is the price?"
Then, in one pot, they saw a little śāk, a vegetable, was stuck up. So they brought it and Kṛṣṇa took it, immediately. So as soon as Kṛṣṇa took, all the Durvāsā Muni and company, they, they felt that their belly is filled up. Tasmin tuṣṭo jagat tuṣṭaḥ. So they were feeling ashamed that "How we shall go? We cannot take any food?" So they fled away from the Ganges.
So the process is this, actually. If you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa, if Kṛṣṇa says, "All right," then every, everything is all right. Bas. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Somehow or other, you satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Then you have all perfection. Very simple method. You try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and your everything satisfied. Every, everything is perfect. Kṛṣṇa also says that. It is not very difficult to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says, "You want to feed Me. That's all right. You collect little flower, patram, a little leaf... Whatever you... Not that all. Any one of them." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, a little water, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Real thing is bhakti, love, devotion. Not that Kṛṣṇa is asking you, "Bring volumes of luci, puri, kacuri, halavā." No. Kṛṣṇa wants your love. Real thing. Bhaktyā. Yo me bhaktyā prayac... Kṛṣṇa is not beggar, neither Kṛṣṇa is hungry, that He has come to your place to eat something. That's not the position, Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa wants only your love. Just like father takes the responsibility of the whole family. He works hard day and night to maintain the family. He expects only love from his wife and children. That is the impetus of economic development. Otherwise he's earning daily thousands and lakhs of rupees. It is not that he will eat. He will eat that four cāpāṭis. That's all. Worth six annas. But he works so hard just to be satisfied that his wife, his children love. When he comes at home, he sees them very satisfied.
Everyone is searching after some service, service, service. So this service attitude means śūdra. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). In the śāstras, therefore, it is said that the brāhmaṇas, even there is some difficult time... Just like nowadays, at the present moment, we are creating brāhmaṇas, but people do not much like us. They do not care for us: "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" Their street... They are thinking they are beggars. But they are the most intelligent class, brāhmaṇas. They do not honor. So this Kali-yuga, actual intelligent class of men has no honor. A third-class man, fourth-class man, fifth-class man has got honor if he gets some money. That is the system of Kali-yuga. Somehow or other, you gather money and you are fifth-class, tenth-class man—you will be honored. This is Kali-yuga. Not for your qualification, but because you have got money, you are honored. This is going on.
So kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. At the present moment, 99.9%, they are śūdras. Therefore the society is chaotic condition. Therefore in your country, you are the richest country in the world, you are producing hippies, frustration, confusion. Chaotic condition. And if you continue this, then you'll lose all your opportunities. Artificially, you cannot remain opulent for many days. There were so many empires-Roman Empire, British Empire, Moghul Empire. These were artificial. If you systematically follow the Vedic principles as it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You must divide the society according to quality and work, four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And less than śūdra, they are neglected. Not neglected, they are incorrigible. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, even those who are incorrigible, they can be devotee. That is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
This is an example. Durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti. But the safest way... Here it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we attentively hear about Kṛṣṇa, puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, if we hear about Kṛṣṇa, it doesn't matter what I am, but simply by hearing Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa, I shall acquire some resultant action of pious activities. Just like there is the Bhāgavata-saptāha. You, within a week, nobody can understand what is Bhāgavata. And the speaker also does not know what he's speaking. But because somehow or other, they're hearing about Kṛṣṇa, there is some pious resultant action. That's a fact.
So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we engage ourselves... Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted this process, simply hearing... That is the accepted process, śravaṇam, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also accepted this process. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. He refused so many other processes of self-realization, beginning from varṇāśrama-dharma, jñāna-miśra-bhakti, karma-miśra-bhakti, karma-tyāga. He, not rejected; he said, "It is external. If you know something more, speak," when He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya. So when Rāmānanda Rāya quoted a passage from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which was spoken by Lord Brahmā:
If actually we follow these regulative principles, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18), then gradually our heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. The process is to cleanse the dirty heart. Actually, we are clean. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. We have no business to be contaminated with the material qualities. We do not contaminate. Just like we know... In Bengali we say, tele jale mesera(?). You put oil in the water, it will never mix. Similarly, we are spirit souls, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. We have nothing to do with this material world. But somehow or other, I am in contact. So simply I have to be contactless. That Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). As soon as your heart is cleansed with all dirty things, then bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam, immediately you become out of this contamination, bhava-mahā-dāvāgni.
So the bhakti-yoga process is like that. Bhakti-yoga process means if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by step by step, one step, two step. Although both the process leading to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the other is very quick, immediate. Just like another example: if there is fog. You have got experience in your country, sometimes there is fog. You cannot see even a person one yard off from you. So there are so many processes to take precaution in the fog. But somehow or other, if the sun is little strong, immediately, the fog is over. So similarly, to purify ourself... This is the purification process, austerity, penance, controlling sex life, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, giving in charity whatever you possess, everything regulated. This is one process. And the other process is this bhakti-yoga.
So nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Abhadra. Abhadra means the quality of ignorance and passion. They are abominable. Ignorance is most abominable, abominable, and passion is abominable. These two things must be given up. But simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, simply by hearing about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the person bhāgavatam, one can get rid of these dirty things, namely mode of ignorance and mode of passion. Then the balance is the mode of goodness. There are three guṇa, modes, ignorance, passion and goodness. So if we can, somehow or other, can avoid the lower-grade modes, namely ignorance and passion, then naturally we come to the platform of goodness. That is also not sufficient. Therefore it is said here, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, almost finished all dirty things. "No, I am now situated in goodness, in brahminical qualifications."
So the śāstra says it is all right. But still it is dirty. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is described that that is also a cause of bondage. "I am very learned. I am now become brāhmaṇa." So he does not know that is also this false ego, that "I am brāhmaṇa. I am very learned. I am very advanced." This is also cause of bondage. He does not know that. Simply to become free from the modes of ignorance and passion is not sufficient. One must be free from the modes of goodness also, the so-called goodness. Then you come to the transcendental platform. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). These are upādhis. "I am a good man. I am a bad man." Both of them are designations.
Without being followed by the ācārya, without being followed by the śāstras, they become guru, they become swami, they become yogi. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process, process is given: tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma... (SB 1.2.19). Tadā means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infections. These are infections. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other. Not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kūṭastha, phalonmukha, prārabdha, pāpa-bīja. Pāpa-bīja, remains as seed, kūṭastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prārabdha. This is called prārabdha-karma, infection.
You are under the complete subjugation of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). These guṇaiḥ. The prakṛti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guṇa. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). Kāraṇam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bīja means father. Yathā yoni yathā bījaḥ. So the every living entity is born—bīja and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entities? No. Sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. There are 8,400,000 of species. One has to take. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. These guṇa. These guṇa, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa.
In human form of life one should try to achieve that perfection which was not obtained in previous lives after wandering heaven and hell and all species of life. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ means upwards and downwards. And we are wandering: sometimes downwards, sometimes outwards, sometimes poor, sometimes rich, sometimes man, sometimes dog, sometimes tree, sometimes demigod. In this way, we are wandering. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are wandering in this way in different species of life, in different planets, but somehow or other, if one is fortunate, he comes in contact with a devotee by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).
Here it is, also, it is said, śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. If we want our ultimate goal, ultimate success, then we should accept the sattva-guṇa form of the Lord. The rajo-guṇa form and tamo-guṇa form are there, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. But śreyāṁsi, if we want our real benefit of life, then it is better to take shelter of the form of sattva-guṇa. That will be explained in the next verse: pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ. Just like earth, from the earth the tree grows. So tree grows means wood. Now, if you ignite the wood, first of all there is smoke, then there is fire. So my necessity is fire, neither the wood, nor the earth, nor the smoke. Similarly, for getting out of these material clutches one has to take shelter of Viṣṇu—not of Lord Brahmā nor Lord Śiva. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya-devatāḥ means Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā and others.
They do not know what is the aim of civilization. The aim of civilization is to understand Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they're missing the point. They're thinking motor tire civilization, very nice road and running motorcar in seventy, eighty miles speed, that is civilization. Not to understand Viṣṇu. That is the difference between materialism and spiritualism.
But we should not be misled by such conception of civilization. Our aim is different. That is right different. I am spirit soul; you are spirit soul. Somehow or other, I have been entangled with this material body, one after another. So I must get out of this entanglement and go back to home, back to Godhead, to Viṣṇu, and live there eternally, blissful life of knowledge. That is our aim. The materialistic persons, they think these are all utopian thinking conception. Because they have no brain they are no better than animals, polished animals. That's all. They cannot understand. In the tamo-guṇa. Tamasaḥ. Tamasaḥ. Two: tamas and rajas. Two, these two qualities material qualities are there. What is...? That in the Bhagavad-gītā there is verse: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Kāraṇam. Why one is born in low-grade body? Why one is born in high-grade body? The... What is the reason? The reason is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇam. Kāraṇam means reason. Kāraṇ am asya saṅgaḥ. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. Because he is associating with some one of the three modes of material nature. Someone is associating with sattva-guṇa, one is associating with tamo-guṇa, one is associating with rajo-guṇa. So this is the reason. This is the reason that one is getting low-grade form of body or high-grade form of body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu.
According to guṇa and according to karma, there are four classes of men. The first class men, the brāhmaṇas, because they are on the platform of goodness. Goodness means they can see. One who is qualified brāhmaṇa, he can see what is what, what is this world, what is God, what the human being... Everything is clearly prakāśa. It is called prakāśa, illumination. If one is situated in the modes of goodness, platform of goodness, he can see things as they are. Prakāśa. And the next stage is passion, productive. Productive, ruling, administrating, like that. Creation. Just like the king's royal orders, they want to conquer expansive kingdom. And next stage is mixed-up—ignorance and passion. That is the stage of vaiśyas. They want simply money, somehow or other. They do not care for anything, the vaiśya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Śūdra, they are completely ignorant. They cannot produce anything, neither they have got any enthusiasm for ruling or administration. So their business is to submit to the higher classes and live peacefully. These are the divisions of the society. But all of them are required for upkeep of the society.
It is exemplified in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
So Kṛṣṇa gave them chance, "Yes, come on." The gopīs wanted Kṛṣṇa as husband. They made tapasya, austerity, to have Kṛṣṇa as husband. But at that time Kṛṣṇa was... The gopīs and Kṛṣṇa were of the same age. Just like boys and girls play together. But girls become at the age of twelve, thirteen years, their sex desires become strong. But boys, they do not become sex desire so strong, unless they are badly associated. So neither it was possible that Kṛṣṇa would marry so many girlfriends. But they wanted Kṛṣṇa as husband, all of them. Therefore Kṛṣṇa fulfilled their desire in the vastra-haraṇa. Because a woman can become naked only before husband. That is Vedic. So Kṛṣṇa somehow or other made them naked so that... He declared that "You wanted Me as husband. So much, that's all." So people misunderstand Kṛṣṇa. Unless understood through authoritative sources, Kṛṣṇa is misunderstood. But He is the dhīra. He is not adhīra. He is not like ordinary man. Dhīra.
So here it is said that urukramaḥ. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described here as urukrama. Urukrama means one who acts very wonderful things which is not possible for ordinary human being. So He wanted to show the real path of life. Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva, He was king, emperor of the world. So His instruction are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (tapping sound) He instructed... (aside:) What is this sound? He instructed His sons, "My dear boys, this human form of life is not meant for sense enjoyment, which is available in the life of dogs and hogs." It was His instruction. He instructed that human society should be dhīra, self-controlled. That is ideal human society. That is Vedic civilization.
A father... Instead of enjoying father's property, he has to pay the father's debts. So therefore that father is called enemy. Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatrur mātā śatrur vyabhicāriṇī. "And mother, if she marries for the second time, she is enemy." Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatrur mātā śatrur vyabhicāriṇī, rūpavatī bhāryāḥ śatruḥ. "And very beautiful wife, she is enemy." And putraḥ śatrur apaṇḍitaḥ. "And if the son is a fool, rascal, he is enemy." Four kinds of enemy in the family.
So I think I have spoken about my own life. You know that I was a married man. So after being married, I did not like my wife. (laughter) Somehow or other, I did not like. I must say she is very faithful, very everything... Everyone praised. But I did not like, somehow or other. So I was preparing for next marriage. Next marriage. Because in India, at that time it was allowed, a man can marry more than one wife. Now the law is there. So my father, he was a saintly person. So he called me one day and said, "My dear boy, you are trying to marry again. I request you don't do that. You do not like your wife. That is a great fortune for you." (laughter) So I gave up that idea of marrying. Yes. So now I am realizing my father's blessing, yes, that if I would have been too much attached to my wife, then I could not have come to this position. That's a fact. So by ethical point of view, from spiritual point of view, to become too much attached to wife is an impediment for spiritual advancement.
What is that? Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Now we have invented so many instruments for flying in the space. Upary adhaḥ means very upward, fifty thousand miles up, and again down, you can travel. But the real goal of your life is not to be achieved in that way. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Suppose if you reach the moon planet or sun planet... There are so many planets higher and higher, bigger and bigger. That is not your goal of life. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Your goal of life is that which you cannot achieve even by traveling the whole space. What is that? That goal of life is to search out God and your relationship with God. Because you are part and parcel of God, and somehow or other, you have been entrapped by this material atmosphere, and you are not happy. Nobody is happy. If one says that "I am happy," he must be a crazy man or he must be speaking lie. Nobody is happy. How you can be happy? Because we are always full of anxiety. That is our condition. Even if you are sitting here in the classroom of Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, still, I am thinking, "What will happen tomorrow? This business I have got to do." Some anxiety.
"How is that, we are in the same place? We have not proceeded even a few yards. How is that?" The boatman said that "We were plying the whole night. We do not know how it happened." Then one boatman found out that the anchor was not taken out. The anchor was fixed up, and the whole night they were plying meant the boat was round about the anchor only, moving, and it was... It did not go a step forward.
Similarly, if our anchor, that we want this material happiness, for which we can worship God, we may go to the temple, go to the church, offer our respect... Ārto arthārthī. That is accepted as good. But one has to go far above that position. That means if one, being distressed, approaches Kṛṣṇa, that "My Lord, I am in distress. Please help me," the qualification is good in this sense, that he, somehow or other, he has approached God. But his motive is not pure. His motive is material enjoyment. So Vyāsadeva says, "This kind of instruction in your book will not help people to come to the standard of pure devotional service, which can save him from all material bondage." That is the whole purport. Then what is to be done? The same thing, as Kṛṣṇa advises, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You haven't got to do anything. Simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
There is no comparison in the world. But still, he is not satisfied, and Nārada Muni is instructing him that "You should write exclusively on the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, hearing which, there will be actual peace and prosperity all over the world." This is the secret. Without God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there cannot be any peace in the world.
So we were discussing in our last meeting that if a person, by sentiment or by persuasion or by some material gain or somehow or other, decides to accept the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Ekam: "Only unto Me." He even does not say that there are many incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, but He says, mām ekam. So this ekam can be understood in this way, that when we speak "Kṛṣṇa," this term includes everything Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive. But we can capture everything in Kṛṣṇa simply by... Just like the same example, as we have repeatedly..., that by supplying food in the stomach, you supply food to all the limbs of the body. You don't require... This is practical. Or pouring water on the root of the tree, you supply water to all the branches, leaves, everywhere. We see every day... This is practical example. Simply... Similarly, there must be something, central point of all this manifestation. That is Kṛṣṇa. If we simply capture Kṛṣṇa, then we capture everything. And the Vedas also says, yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. We are searching after departmental knowledge, but if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, the central point, then you understand everything. You understand everything. Just like we sometimes speak which great scientists cannot speak. Why? Because we have captured the central point, Kṛṣṇa.
It will revive even in that lower status of life."
Just like, according to Hindu civilization... Now, in this country, so the boys and girls who are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, previous to this, they were meat-eater. They were so many things which, according to brahminical religion, these are abominable condition. But see the practical. Even they were fallen this abominable condition some way or other, but because in the their last life they had some advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately they are taking up. So those who are joining in this movement, in this country, they were supposed to be previously Kṛṣṇa conscious. Somehow or other, they could not execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full. So although they are born in a country where there is no trace of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no, I mean to, even purity of life, still, they are taking up. So where is the loss? There is no loss. Nārada Muni wants to point out that anywhere... Bhagavad-gītā also confirms it, that one who has once taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anywhere he is in the next birth, he will again take it up. This is natural.
So Nārada Muni stresses this point, that yatra kva vā abhadram abhūd amuṣya kim. There is no loss. The... Because the seed, once sown, it will grow. It will grow. This example is given in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Lord Caitanya to Rūpa Gosvāmī, bhakti-latā, the plant of bhakti, growing. Simply we have to water it. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be satisfied that whatever they have done, it is nice—"Even I fall down, there is no..." No, you have to execute as far as possible. But this is spoken. If by chance there is falldown, there is no loss. But we should not take that... We should not be careless. Śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana (CC Madhya 19.152). Just like our program in this New Vrindaban, very nice program. From four-thirty in the morning till ten o'clock, there is nice program. So this program should be continued. Then there is no question of falling down. Simply executing this program.
Therefore His another name is Mukunda. So mukunda-sevī. Sevī means one, he's engaged in the service of Mukunda, or Kṛṣṇa, Śrīdhara Svāmī says that mukunda-sevī vā jana kadācit kathañcana kujanim gato 'pi saṁsiddhin na vrajet.(?) Even a Mukunda-sevī, by chance... There is chance. Every... Just like Bharata Mahārāja. He began Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but by chance he, at the time of death, he was too much affectionate with a deer cub and he become a deer in the next life. So although it is degraded life, still, he did not forget that "For this reason I have become now deer." So he was very cautious. He was keeping company... Just like here. We have got dogs. They are keeping company with devotees. That is very nice. His dog life also be coming perfect. It may be some pious man. Somehow or other, it has become dog. Now he has... Kṛṣṇa has given them the association of the devotees. He's eating prasādam. He's chan... He's hearing, chanting. He's giving some service to the devotees. So they are not in vain. They are not in vain. No. They, they're acquiring.
So mukunda-sevī. Similarly, anyone who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if he falls down... Generally, he does not, but even, taking for accepted that he, somehow or other, he fallen, still, he'll not have to suffer like others. Just like here, the animals, under the protection of the devotees, at least he has no fear of his life. No devotee will kill. Here the cows, the horse, the dog, they're assured of their life. Therefore they're not like ordinary dogs. They're not ordinary cows. Therefore it is said, Śrīdhara Svāmī says, mukunda-sevī, even if he's degraded, he's not degraded as ordinary man. He's not degraded as... Mukunda-sevī na vrajet aṅga, anyavat kevala karma niṣṭhavat iti vaidharma niṣṭha.(?) Just like other karmīs. They are, according to their karma, they're given birth in a specific species of life. So their case, a devotee's case, is different.
So kuto ityataha mukundāṅghry-upagūhanam aliṅganam punaḥ smaran vihātum necchet yathān jana asad graha rasena na gṛhyate.(?) Just like we see sometimes... The other day, the boy, Jayarāma, he went away. Again he came. We have got experience that many boys, they go away. But they cannot find out... Just like I received many letters from Jayagovinda when he was India, in India, that he's missing the company of devotee-Godbrothers. He's missing. So there is a feeling. Anyone who has associated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I mean to say, association, he cannot forget. Rasa-graho janaḥ. Here it is stated that smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punar vihātum icchen na. Vihātum means "to give up." He may fall down by māyā's influence for time being, but he cannot give it up. This is the sign. He cannot give... Just like...
That is there, fifty percent or forty percent, thirty percent, whatever one executed in the last birth. Now next, this birth, unwillingly or by force, by Kṛṣṇa's force, he'll have to accept again Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. I think I have several times spoken about Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he raised himself in his previous life to the bhāva-bhakti. Bhāva-bhakti means always feeling for Kṛṣṇa. That is the prior stage of loving Kṛṣṇa, bhāva-bhakti. So he, in his previous life he was raised, but somehow or other, he fell down. But it is assured, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate: (BG 6.41) "Even such Kṛṣṇa consciousness person falls down, he is given chance to take birth in nice brāhmaṇa family or śuci, pure family, and rich family." So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was very rich man. He was born in a very rich brāhmaṇa family. And he was addicted to prostitute. By some way or other, he had some inclination like that. So he could not finish Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He fallen down. But at a opportune moment he got again the Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
How is that? The incidence is that he was performing the śrāddha ceremony of his father, but he had a girlfriend, prostitute. So he wanted to go there very quickly. So somehow or other he finished. And he wanted to go there. But on the road he found that it was very heavily raining and he had to cross the river. So he did everything. And he... The prostitute was... She thought that "Bilvamaṅgala is not coming today. It is very..., so much raining." So when she saw that Bilvamaṅgala is at the door, she was astonished. She said, "Bilvamaṅgala, how did you come here in this rainy, torrents of rainy...?" So he disclosed everything that how he catched one dead body in the river, then he crossed the river, then he jumped over the wall. So she was astonished, and she simply said, "Oh, this much affection if you would have with Kṛṣṇa, how you would have been... Your life would have been nice." Immediately it was... "Oh, Kṛṣṇa...?" Immediately, he left everything. Immediately he left everything and went to Vṛndāvana. He is... So Kṛṣṇa is so nice. Just at the right point He will remind. Yatate ca tataḥ. Here, in the Bhagavad-gītā, yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana, pūrvābhyāsena. He was accustomed, so immediately reminded, immediately.
The father's money is sufficient. Similarly, a devotee, a sincere devotee, he is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. And under the protection of Kṛṣṇa means under the protection of all six kinds of opulences: riches, then strength, then reputation, wisdom, renunciation, beauty—the six kinds of opulence. Kṛṣṇa, under... Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. This is stated here.
Because if you get somehow or other Kṛṣṇa's favor, then there is no question of any more profit. Sufficient profit. You have got everything. Simply be sincere to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then you have got everything. There is no need of trying for this or that. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). If one is situated under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, then guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. If there is dangerous type of inconvenience, then he's not disturbed. He knows... Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja... There are many instances. His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was giving him trouble, chastising. He was patient, not disturbed. So be sure that if you are, if you have actually taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of danger. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). And Kṛṣṇa confirms it: "Kaunteya, My dear Arjuna, you declare to the world that My devotee will be never vanquished by any enemy." That is Kṛṣṇa's assurance. So why should we try to...
So many. There are different terms. So this is the process. We are eternally related with Kṛṣṇa, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, and we're eternally very affectionate and obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. Somehow or other, it is covered. So that garbage that's covering has to be moved. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This is the process of cleansing the mirror of the heart. Mirror, when it is covered by dust you cannot see your face nicely. But as soon as it is nicely brushed and cleansed, you see exactly what you are. Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means cleansing the heart of all the dirty things that is accumulated life after life. It is not an artificial thing, we are learning to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. We are already devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but we have forgotten, or the consciousness is covered. Now, by this process, devotional process, especially by kīrtana, by chanting, glorifying the holy name of the Lord, the cleansing process is accelerated. Very soon it takes place.
Now, what is the use of taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet? Because these misgivings, this garbage of different types of desires, will be finished. So how it is possible? Niṣkiñcanānāṁ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. So long one does not take the dust of the lotus feet of a devotee who is niṣkiñcana, who has nothing to do with this material world... But he's exalted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless you do that, there is no possibility. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam.
So here Nārada Muni is doing that. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. Therefore by eating the remnants of foodstuff left by them, by washing their dishes, by washing their feet... Everyone can do. Therefore this association is required. If one associates with devotee, pure devotee, and somehow or other gives service, one another, to the spiritual master, to the Vaiṣṇava, automatically he becomes purified. Automatically. Without any study of Vedānta, without any... Simply by sincere service to the devotee. Evaṁ pravṛttasya. If one is engaged in this way, viśuddha-cetasaḥ, he becomes gradually cleansed of the dirty things accumulated in the heart. And tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ. And the saintly person and devotees, what is their business? The business is ātma-ruciḥ, taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prajāyate. Automatically he will develop.
Therefore every one of us, the members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should remain purified always by the regulative principles given and chanting so that everyone is Vaiṣṇava and everyone is serving everyone. In this way the association will purify the whole stock of their (indistinct). This is the process.
So at the present moment, people are becoming more and more poor, and they are simply educated to gratify senses. So the whole world becoming chaotic, diseased condition. Even in the topmost level, the President of United States, he was also caught dealing very unfavorably, and he was forced to resign. And what to speak of others? He is not a poor man, he is not uneducated, the topmost man, elected President of USA, but there is cheating even there, just see. And what to speak of others? Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is, tat tad eva itaraḥ janaḥ, sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate. If a person, president, cheats his countrymen somehow or other, and why not others? They will also do that. "Oh, president does it. What I am? What can I know?" In this way, the more we are inclined to sense gratification, the more we are becoming sinful. And more we are becoming sinful, the more we must suffer. That is the law of nature. Āmayo yaś ca bhūtānāṁ jāyate yena suvrata.
One bead equals sixteen times, so the whole bead chain there is hundred and eight. So one round means about seventeen hundred. In this way, our disciples are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds. This is our daily duty. It takes about two hours, and after that we are engaging so many other businesses. Somebody is typing or printing books, somebody is going to sell books, somebody is collecting subscription, somebody is cooking for the temple Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, our inmates or our members are always engaged. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31), this is recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Somehow or other, be engaged twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then your life will be successful.
So Kṛṣṇa advised, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). So here Vyāsadeva sat in his āśrama, and began to meditate means he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Here it is said, bhakti-yogena.
It is also floating in the air, and the 747 is also floating. That is your creation and this is God's creation. That is the difference. (break) ...quality but not full, not pūrṇa. Therefore puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. God has got the full qual..., not only this one planet—there are millions of planets floating in the air. You can see the sun planet. It is 1,400,000 bigger than this planet. That is also lying in the one corner. So that is God's creation. You can create a teeny 747, that's all. Therefore your power is there, the similarly, but very, very small quantity. So we have to take care of our teeny power. Just like the spark. The spark, put, put... But if it somehow or other falls down from the fire it is extinguished. It is extinguished. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, the spark. If we remain with the fire, it is beautiful. And if, by chance, we fall down, then you are extinguished. Your brilliancy, the fiery quality, becomes extinguished. So our present position is like that. We have forgotten or fallen from God, so our that little burning power, that is also extinguished. Now we have to revive it, back to home, back to Godhead. Then you'll become happy.
One can be strictly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness when he's free from all sinful activity. Otherwise not possible. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is very kind. If you are engaged in kṛṣṇa-bhakti sincerely, if by mistake you commit some sin, that can be excused. But if you purposefully commit sinful activities, you'll never get Kṛṣṇa's approach. That is a great... Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. That is very great offense, that I am a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and... Just like the Christian people go to church, that "I am a devotee of Christ. I can do any nonsense, and on Sunday I shall go, I shall admit, 'Yes, my Lord, I have done this.' " "All right. Excused." Then? Then I'll do again tomorrow." This is not wanted. That is pāpa-buddhiḥ, that "Somehow or other let me be atoned today, and from tomorrow I shall begin my business. And again I shall come Sunday." This is pāpa-buddhiḥ. Such persons are never excused, but they do not know. But by mistake or by chance, unknowingly if we commit some mistake, that is excused. Sapada-mūlaṁ bhajatāṁ priyasya. Because he is engaged in the service of the Lord. Not only that, one who is engaged, if you simply admit, "Sir, from today I shall be Your servant," immediately, immediately you become free from all... Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender to Me." And you do it, and immediately ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Immediately. But don't commit again. He can excuse immediately. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30).
So who will be interested in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? That is mentioned here: harer guṇākṣipta-matiḥ. Kṣipta means madness. Here is a man, kṣipta, means he's mad. So there are two kinds of madness. One madness is for material enjoyment. They are also mad, pramatta. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). The material madness entangles people more and more in the process of birth and death. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. Anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world, the ocean of nescience, bhavārṇava. Arṇava means ocean, and bhava means repetition of birth. In this ocean we have fallen. Therefore our prayer should be not for any material opulence, as we generally do. Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi: "Give me money or mitigate my distress." This is very lower stage of devotion, to ask something from the Supreme Lord. Ārto jijñāsur arthārthī . In the beginning, provided one is, background is pious... Because without piety nobody can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Those who are simply acting piously, such person can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not impious person can... Therefore we shall be very, very careful about impious activities. Impious activities, we know the four legs of impious activities: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. So therefore we should be very, very careful about these impious activities. You cannot make any spiritual progress by simultaneously acting impiously and at the same time... It may... Not it may—it is sure it will go. But it will go very slow. Just like if you have got dry wood, then the fire ignites very easily. And if you bring wet fuel, it takes time. Of course, as soon as there is fire, the wetness of the fuel will dry. But it will require extra energy. And if you put dry fuel, then it ignites very easily. So in order to keep us dry without being wetted by the impious activities, then spiritual progress will be very quick. We should remember that.
This verse is very important. He says that if one takes sentimentally this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, tyaktvā sva-dharmam... Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you young men, young boys and girls, are coming. You had some engagement previously, undoubtedly. You may be you were a student, you may be businessman or so on, so on. Everyone has got... At least you had some business for LSD. So you have given up all this. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Somehow or other you were all engaged in some business. That is called sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means one has selected some business. That is his sva-dharma. Generally, if it is systematic, then sva-dharma means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is systematic, sva-dharma. Otherwise, everyone must have some engagement. Suppose a thief, he has taken the occupation or profession of stealing. That is also sva-dharma. But that is not systematic; that is whimsical. So anyone must have some engagement. That engagement is called sva-dharma, his own business occupation. Sva-karma or sva-dharma.
It is not that I am imagining. Face to face, sākṣāt. Sa-akṣa. Akṣa means eyes or senses. With senses. Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen with these material senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). It is not possible to experience Kṛṣṇa by our, these material blunt senses. It is not possible. We have to make purified. How it is purified? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, sevonmukha—"Kṛṣṇa, I want to serve You"—this much wanted, qualification. No educational qualification, no Ph.D. degree, or to take birth in very high family or to become rich. Nothing. Simply a true feeling, desire: "Kṛṣṇa, so long I remained forgetting You. Now, somehow or other, I've come to the sense that You are everything. By hearing from my guru or the spiritual master or from the śāstra..." Sādhu-śāstra. Sat-saṅga-sādhu-śāstra. Lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54).
Of course, the Vṛndāvana-vāsī, they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. They are villagers. They do not know. But they do not love anyone more than Kṛṣṇa. That is their qualification. They do not know even Viṣṇu. When the gopīs saw viṣṇu-mūrti... Kṛṣṇa assumed the viṣṇu-mūrti. They were passing. They said, "Oh here is Viṣṇu. All right. Namaskāra." They were not interested even with Viṣṇu. They were interested with Kṛṣṇa, although they do not know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, without knowing what is Kṛṣṇa, if you simply become attached to Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Simply, somehow or other, you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ... (break) ...yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. Simply you have to... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Somehow or other, you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's instruction. Somehow or other, you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to induce people how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Then? Vidhi-niṣedhāḥ. There are so many rules and regulations for bhakti-yoga. Yes, there are. And Rūpa Gosvāmī says, sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ. Some way or other, if you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, then all the vidhis and regulative principles and rules and regulations, they will act as your servant. They'll, automatically there will be... Because as soon as you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa said, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā.
That is the desire of Kṛṣṇa, or God, that the state executive head should be as pious as Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is the scheme. Unfortunately, people do not want that. They have now discovered this democracy. Democracy... "Demon-cracy." Shortcut of "demon-cracy" is "democracy." All the demons and rogues, they gather together, somehow or other votes, and occupy the seat, and the business is plundering. The business is plundering. If we talk very much upon this, it will not be very favorable, but according to śāstra... We, we talk according to śāstra, that the democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers. That is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. The government men will be all dasyu. Dasyu means plunderer. Not pickpocket. Pickpocket, somehow or other, if you do not understand, takes something from your pocket, and the plunderer, or the dasyu, he catches you and by force, "If you don't spare your money, I shall kill you." They are called dasyu.
To accept this material world means to accept different types of material body, and so long you have got this material body, either you have got the body of a human being or an animal or of demigod, that always there must be fearfulness, anxiety, because we have accepted something foreign. This material world is foreign to the living entities. The living entity is spiritual, so his actual residency is in the spiritual world. But somehow or other he has come in contact with this material world; therefore he is suffering threefold miseries-adhyatmic, adhibautic, adhidaivic. He must suffer. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to get the living entity relieved from this material miserable condition of life, and take him back to home, back to Godhead. That is also Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa also came to impress that "This is not your place." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You are creating so many plans to live here very peacefully, but that is not possible. Therefore you give up all this nonsense plan, just come to Me, surrender to Me, and I shall give you protection." Because He is the father, father wants that the nonsense sons, they want to live independently, but he has no such means, therefore father comes to invite, "Come back." Sarva-dharmān..., vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ. These things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
The others, they will simply say, "Where is God? God is dead. Can you show me God?" Such persons will never be able to understand what is God because they want to see God by challenging. That is not possible. God is not visible by challenging. Simply by love and surrender. Then God can be seen. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahir avasthitam (SB 1.8.18).
Therefore śāstra says that alakṣya... Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: (Nārada Pañcarātra) "If one has come to the point of worshiping the Supreme Lord, there is no more necessity of undergoing severe austerities and penances." Because others, karmīs and yogis, for their sense gratification, karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis, they have to undergo severe austerities. But the bhakta, somehow or other, he can, if he simply learns how to love Kṛṣṇa, then he hasn't got to undergo severe austerities and penance. Immediately he is released. Because that is the perfectional stage. If you live in Kṛṣṇa, always loving... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs, they learned how to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They never underwent any severe austerities like the great saintly persons going to Himalaya and pressing their nose and something like that. No, never did. Their only business was how to love Kṛṣṇa. Automatically. Without any... Of course, that stage is not easily obtained, but the śāstra says if you come to that stage, simply to love Kṛṣṇa, then you are on the highest platform of blissful life. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38). Santaḥ, those who are devotees, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. That is to be... That is the highest stage of perfection. And by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, one can be brought to the platform, how to love Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours without any cessation.
So here Kṛṣṇa comes to teach bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is bhakti-yoga. When we do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ. Kuntī appeared to be as woman. So woman generally, they are not interested in spiritual matter. That is the fact. Therefore, if they are somehow or other interested... That is also accepted. Kṛṣṇa says, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Striyo vaiśyās..., these three names, why He has taken specifically? So women, they are not very much interested. Generally. Maybe a special woman. But they are... Otherwise, they sometimes become devotee. Devotee... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. As soon as they become devotees, they also promoted. But generally, they are not interested. The vaiśyas, the mercantile men, they are interested after money. The woman is interested after sense gratification. And śūdra means they are ignorant rascals. Therefore He has mentioned these three names: striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ (BG 9.32). But even they, although they are not interested, even they become interested, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Not that even though they become interested, they keep behind. No. On the... With the equal force with men, they also promoted.
These Kṛṣṇa consciousness persons, they have no problem, economic problem. Everything is sufficiently supplied by Kṛṣṇa. In Los Angeles, the neighbors, they are very envious, that "You do not work. You have no anxiety. You have got four cars. You are eating so nicely. How is that?" They inquire from our devotees. That is the actually the fact. We are spending so much money, we have got so many centers. The calculation is about $70,000 we are spending. Who is supplying? Somehow or other, we are getting. So there is no problem. You simply become sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. Everything is there. This is the test. They are envious of us that we do not work. Still, we have got so much. "So why don't you come and join us?" That they will not do. "You come with us, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." "No, no, no. That I cannot do." All right, then work with your trucks: whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. They have made their own position dangerous and others' position also. They say... At any moment, there may be accident. This is the civilization. Nonsense. This is not civilization. Civilization means calmness, peace, prosperity, śānti. In peace and prosperity one should be Kṛṣṇa conscious always. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). In the animal life, or other than human life, we had worked so much only for morsel of food, day and night, working. But still the food is there. Simply avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Avidyā. This material world is full of ignorance. So therefore our endeavor should be how to come out of this ignorance. Tasyaiva hetoḥ. For that reason, we should work only. How to come out of this ignorance, that "I am this material body. I have to work day and night, and then I shall get my food, and I shall live." This is ignorance. Tasyaiva hetoḥ pra...
These are politics. So although they knew that "This is the plan of my uncle to send into that house and set fire," but they agreed, "Yes," not disobedient to the order of the superior. In this way the house was set into fire, but they digged a subway within that house, and they escaped.
So that is one incidence. Another incidence is giving them poison cakes when they were at home. That also they escaped. Then puruṣāda-darśanāt. They met one Hiḍimba Rākṣasa, man-eater demon. So Bhīma fought with him and killed him. Similarly, asat-sabhāyāḥ, in the assembly of asat... Asat means those who are not gentle, not gentlemen. In the sabhā, in the assembly, there was Dhṛtarāṣṭra, there was Bhīṣmadeva, Droṇācārya, all elderly persons, and there was trick of playing chess. So somehow or other, Draupadī was taken as bet: "If we lose, then Draupadī is no longer our wife. It is up to you." So lost the game. So immediately Karṇa and Duḥśāsana captured her: "Now you are not your husbands'. You are our property. We can deal with you as we like."
"I have nothing. I don't possess anything." Here in this material world, everyone is trying to possess more—more wealth, more education, more beauty, more family prestige, aristocracy. This is materialism. And spiritualism means just the opposite. Therefore people are not attracted to spiritualism. I have told you that I was thinking when I was dreaming that "Guru Mahārāja is asking me to come out, and I was going..." Did I say this story? Yes. So I was afraid: "Oh, I have to give up my family. And I become... I have to become sannyāsī? And I have to go behind my Guru Mahārāja? No, no, it is horrible." I was thinking. But he forced me to it. He is so kind that he forced me, somehow or other. That is mercy. I can understand now that how much merciful was my Guru Mahārāja that he forced me to take this life.
So therefore it was enquired by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja... There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that... This question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So "Your Honor, we see just the opposite thing, that one who is devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, the wife, the husband of the goddess of fortune, they become gradually poorer." Because a Vaiṣṇava, generally, they remain humble and poor, brāhmaṇa also. "Whereas the worshiper of Lord Śiva..." Lord Śiva means..., at least, he voluntarily accepts all poverty. His wife is Durgā devī, so powerful. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). She can make a new universe, she is so powerful. But this couple, Lord Śiva and Pārvatī, they have no house even to live.
Therefore it is mentioned in the śāstras that even the demons, who were killed by Lord, they also get immediate salvation. The result is the same. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā was killed. Pūtanā wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa, but who can kill Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. She was killed. But she was killed, but what was the result? The result was that she got the position of Kṛṣṇa's mother. Kṛṣṇa accepted her as His mother. She came with poison-coated nipple, that: "Kṛṣṇa will suck my nipple, and the child will die immediately." But that is not possible. She was killed. Kṛṣṇa sucked the nipple and the life altogether. But Kṛṣṇa took the bright side, that: "This woman, demon, she came to kill Me, but somehow or other I have sucked her breast milk. So she is My mother. She is My mother." So she got the position of mother.
These are explained in the Bhāgavatam, Uddhava explained to Vidura that Kṛṣṇa is so kind, God is so kind, even the person who wanted to kill Him with poison, she was accepted as mother. Such a kind God, Kṛṣṇa, that "Whom shall I worship others, except Kṛṣṇa?" This example is given. So actually Kṛṣṇa has no enemy. Here it is said: na yasya kaścid dayitaḥ. Dayitaḥ means favor. Nobody is favored. Na yasya kaścid dayito 'sti karhicid dveṣyaś ca. And nobody is His enemy. But who can be His enemy, who can be His friend?
One old lady and her husband, sitting, face to face. The lady is requesting the husband: "Chant, chant, chant." And the husband is answering: "Can't, can't, can't." So this is going on. We are requesting everyone: "Please chant, chant, chant." And they are replying: "Can't, can't." This is their misfortune. This is their misfortune.
So still it is our duty to make all these misfortunate, unfortunate creatures fortunate. That is our mission. We therefore go in the street and chant. Although they say: "Can't," we go on chanting. That is our business. And, somehow or other, we push on some literature in his hand. He is becoming fortunate. He would have squandered his hard-earned money in so many nasty, sinful ways, and if he purchases one book, never mind what is the price, his money is properly utilized. The beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there. Because he is giving some money, hard-earned money, for this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is getting some spiritual profit. He's not losing. He's getting some spiritual profit. Therefore our business is, somehow or other, bring everyone in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. He will be profited.
You'll not die," then you'll stop working immediately, because "I'll not die." So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. "That is all right. Now I am spirit soul. I understand I will never die." That is prasannātmā. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no need of lamentation. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. But mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. If you do not take to devotional service, simply by realizing that you are Brahman will not help. And by devotional service, you can become dear.
Just like Arjuna is addressed by Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My devotee and very dear friend." So our business is, somehow or other, to become very dear to Kṛṣṇa, as a servant, as a friend, or as father, mother, or as lover. Some way or other, you become... Make Kṛṣṇa your dear as master or as son or as father or... Father, they are taki..., doing, everyone. Even ordinary person, if he is God conscious, he takes Kṛṣṇa as supreme father. Just like the Christians, they take that "O Father, give us our daily..." Father means to ask Him, "Give me, give me, give me, give me." Nobody wants to give father, but wants to take from father. Sometimes our students, when they spend extravagantly and I point out, he says, "My father has sent money." Sometimes. "My father has sent money." Yes. "Why did you stay at Ashoka Hotel?" "My father sent money." "Why not ask your father to send money? Why you are collecting by making life member?" So means idea of father... Father means that "Whenever I want to stay in Ashoka Hotel, he'll send money," not that "I will send money to father. He may stay at Ashoka Hotel." Nobody thinks like that. "Father may send money, and I shall stay in Ashoka Hotel." This is the idea of father. Father means to exploit him, to exploit.
So yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati... Dharmasya glānir bhavati means development of irreligiosity. That means if your wealth is diminished, then your poverty is increased, balanced. If you increase this side, the other side will go up and if you increase that side, the other side... But you have to keep balance. That is required.
So in the human society, they are meant for keeping balance. What is that balance? They do not know that... It is just like balance. One side spirit, another side matter. We are now, actually, we are spirit soul. Somehow or other we have been encaged within this body, material body. For that purpose, so long we have got this body, we have got necessities of the body, eating, sleeping, mating, defending. These are the necessities of the body. Soul does not require all these things. Soul has nothing to eat. That we do not know. Whatever we are eating, that is, that is for keeping of this body. So the bodily necessities are there, but if you simply look after the bodily necessities and do not care to look after the necessity of the soul, that is foolish civilization. No balance. They do not know.
That we can understand very easily. Apart from our knowledge within the womb of the mother, how the body develops, we can see if a child is born, he grows, his body develops. But if the child is born dead, no spirit soul, it will not develop. Everyone knows that. Therefore the spirit is the basis of development of matter. Not that by development of matter spirit grows. No. That's not a fact. This is... Everyone knows. Why a dead child does not grow? Because the spirit is not there. A tree grows so long there is life in it. A small seed of banyan tree, you sow in the soil and pour water favorably, then it grows. Because the spirit soul is there. But if somehow or other... Take for example you take one grain and fry it in the fire. If you sow it, it will not grow. Because the spirit soul is not there. Therefore they are searching after what is the original cause of creation. The original cause of creation is the spirit soul as everything is growing. Matter is growing, developing on account of the spirit soul. Similarly the whole universe is growing on account of presence of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Creation. Go on.
So similarly this everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. What is this body? This body, material elements, earth, water, fire, air, and then within the body, subtle psychological, mind, intelligence, ego. So Kṛṣṇa claims, "All these eight elements are My separated energy." Then where is your body, your mind? You cannot, you do not know even how this body is working. Although I am claiming, "This is my body..." Take, for example, just you are a tenant in an apartment. You are getting all supplies. But you do not know that how these, I mean to say, tap water is working, fire is working. You do not know. But you pay rent, or somehow or other, you have occupied the apartment. You are utilizing. Similarly, we are utilizing this body. But this body does not belong to me; it belongs to Kṛṣṇa. This is real fact. So this body means senses. Therefore senses also belong to Kṛṣṇa, mind also belong to Kṛṣṇa. Everything I have got. I am a spirit soul. I have given the opportunity to utilize a certain type of body because I wanted it. Kṛṣṇa has given me. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). If you want a body of a king, Kṛṣṇa will give you. You do the prescribed method; you, you get a body of a king. And if you want the body of a hog, to eat stool, Kṛṣṇa will give you.
So Kṛṣṇa is giving you the body. So now in the human form of life, one should understand that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So why I am hankering after satisfying my so-called bod?. Rather, I have got now the senses and the body. Let me serve Kṛṣṇa." That is intelligence. That is bhakti.
Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is māyā, absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you forget Kṛṣṇa, this is māyā. When we remember Kṛṣṇa, know Kṛṣṇa, there is no māyā. Just like you have experience that you go through the cloud and then come to the sunshine, there is no more cloud. So below the cloud there is darkness, there is... We cannot see the sun. So the sunshine is profuse sunshine. Not that cloud can cover the sunshine. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Kṛṣṇa is within the universe, within the atoms, everywhere. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Every heart, there is Kṛṣṇa. But we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Simply, somehow or other, we have been covered by the illusion of māyā. That's it. So as soon as we come to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness atmosphere, shining atmosphere, then there is no māyā. Māyā is illusion.
So here Kuntīdevī says, Sūta Gosvāmī says, that pṛthayā itthaṁ kala-padaiḥ. Pṛthayā, Kuntī's another name is Pṛthā. His, her father's name is Mahārāja Pṛthu; therefore she is called Pṛthā, daughter of Pṛthu. So when Kuntī offered prayers to Kṛṣṇa in very chosen nice words, all the words... Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known, His another name is Uttama-śloka. Uttama-śloka. Because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, He should be offered prayer with supreme words and feelings. Supreme words and feelings. The language should not be cheap, or the idea should not be cheap. Just like when we offer prayer to Kṛṣṇa, we follow the path by Lord Brahmā. Brahmā offered this prayer in the Brahma-saṁhitā:
So this monarchy is different. People now, they have taken to democracy. Democracy is also mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no more monarchy or the kingdom ruled by the kṣatriyas, but amongst the people who will be tricky, some way or other get the votes of the people, he will be seated on the throne. That is stated. Some way or other. So therefore, people are in trouble because so many rascals, they somehow or other manage to get some vote and become the president and minister and... So what they know? They do not know how to govern, how to bring peace in the country. But this monarchy, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, just see. Because for the sake of his personal interest so many have been killed, he was sorry. Just see. Not that some way or other, you divide India: "Let me become Prime Minister, that's all." We have got political information that in India when it was..., the proposal was for partition, Gandhi was completely against this partition. He said, "Better I will have no independence; still, I shall not allow the country to be divided." He was stubborn on this point. But he was absent, and in the meantime our, the big Prime Minister signed it, agreed, partition because he wanted to be prime minister anyway, some way or other. "Let the country go to hell." This is politician, going on. Not...
Yudhiṣṭhira is not like that: "Let... Somehow or other, let me become King. Let so many people were killed. Never mind." No. He was so sorry, so sorry that he could not be solaced even by the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and saintly person like Vyāsadeva. He was so sorry. Of course, he accepted, but personally he was so very, very sorry, that "So many people have been killed for me." But what could be done? It was Kṛṣṇa's desire. Kṛṣṇa comes—paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8), His two business. So He wanted to establish the kingdom of His representative. He wanted that "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is right representative. He should be enthroned on the kingdom of whole world." Formerly Bhāratavarṣa meant this whole planet, not this small tract of land. Now it is called India. But the Bhāratavarṣa means the whole planet, this planet. There was one flag. Up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit there was one flag, not like at present there are hundreds and thousands of flags. You Americans, you know. In New York, when we pass through that United Nation building, we see so many flags are there. They are united, but everywhere the flag is increasing, disunited. Not like that. Actually, by monarchy, the pious king, there was unity all over the world. All over the world. And in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra it was a family fight, so all the kings of different parts of the world, they joined this side or that side. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. So... But still, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira did not like that so many people would be killed for the sake of enthroning him, but Kṛṣṇa desired. Kṛṣṇa desired.
So in another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: "You are all brāhmaṇa, the topmost of the human society." There are divisions of the human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men, fourth-class men, that, in the Vedic civilization. Not that all, all one class. No. Why? There must be a division. That I have already explained. So the qualified brāhmaṇas, they are first-class men. The topmost class. And the second-class men, the kṣatriyas. And the third-class men, vaiśyas, mercantile, simply "Where to get money?" And they are, according to Vedic civilization, third-class men. But at the present moment those who are acquiring money somehow or other, they are first-class men. It doesn't matter what is his qualification. If he has acquired some money some way or other, then he is a first-class man. This is Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga there is no honor for qualification. There is honor for money only. That's all.
People generally go to church (or) temple when they are suffering from some ailments or need of money, these two classes. Another two classes, jijñāsuḥ jñānī. Jñānī means who is after pure knowledge and jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive—what is the nature of God. These are, they are higher section but they are not bhaktas. Just like there are many philosophers, they also talk of God, but they are not bhaktas. But because they are talking of God, they are getting some benefit. Just like if you handle with fire, you perceive some warmth automatically. So these four classes of man they are not bhaktas, devotees, ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jñānī, and jijñāsuḥ. But because they come to Kṛṣṇa for some benefit, somehow or other they offer their service, because praying is also another service. There are nine kinds of services: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam (SB 7.5.23). Vandanam, this is also service. But because this service is rendered for some motive to mitigate the sufferings, ārtaḥ arthārthi, or to satisfy some inquires, they are not pure devotion.
I am his representative. You cannot do it." So forefathers.
So the monarchy, as soon as it becomes a personal property... The kings thought that "This kingdom is mine. I can do whatever I like, and still, the kingdom is mine." Then the monarchy was failure. Then from the whole world, the monarchy is now wiped out. But the so-called democracy is no good. Because democracy means by votes. So the votes are given by the rascal śūdras. So what is the meaning of electing somebody if the vote givers are also rascal and fool, and the vote-taker is a big food, big rascal, that's all? He manages something, somehow or other to take the votes. Therefore, you see, dacoit is going on. The government is there, and at night you are not secure. You have to take care of yourself, whether dacoits are coming or not. And they are coming. So what is the meaning of this government? If the dacoits are there, rogues are there, thieves are there, miscreants are there, so what is the meaning of government? No. At the present moment the government means that the same rogues and rascals come to become minister and take fat salary and sleep, and you take care of yourself. That is going on.
Then service with friendship. Service, master and servant giving service, but when the servant becomes very intimate there is friendship. I've seen it practically in Calcutta. The Dr. Bose, his driver was his best friend. When he would sit on the car, he would talk all his mind with the driver. So this driver, he became his intimate friend. All confidential talks with driver. It happens so. If the servant becomes very confidential, the master discloses his mind. He talks with him what to do. So this is called platform of friendship. And again farther advancement... Just like relationship with father and son, mother and son. This is called vātsalya, and at last conjugal love. So in this way we are related with Kṛṣṇa somehow or other. In veneration, in servitude, as friend, as paternal affection, or as conjugal lover You see. So we have to revive that. And as soon as you revive any one of them, intimacy, then we become happy, because that is eternal. The same example... The finger, so long is separated, it is not happy. As soon as it is joined it is happy. Similarly, we have got our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Now we are separated, but as soon as we join with him again we become yenātmā suprasīdati.
"My dear father, the best of the asuras, I think that anyone who has accepted this material body is full of anxieties." Asad-grahāt. Asad-grahāt means..., asat means temporary. Because he has accepted a body which is temporary, he is full of anxieties. That is the real problem. We, if we want to be anxiety-less, no anxiety, then we have to refuse to accept this material body. Otherwise there is no possibility. All anxieties are due to this material body. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5).
This is the problem. Now somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material body. We, "I am not this material body, you are not this material... We are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this material body. Therefore I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I am pure soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the real business of human society. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The swine is enquiring, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose, "Where is stool?" or "Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also, whole day and night with motorcar going this or, "Where is food? Where is food?" Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). The whole day is spent, so many motorcars going this way and that way.
So the leaders must be perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, at least three persons in the society... The first: the priest or the spiritual master, who are engaged in teaching people about religiosity, he must be perfect, above suspicion. Similarly, public leader, he must be also above suspicion. A brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means priest also. He must be above suspicion. And the king must be above suspicion. Then things will go on. But there is no such restriction. Nowadays it is the days of vote. Any rascal, if he gets vote somehow or other, then he acquires the exalted post. That is also written in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no consideration who is fit to occupy the exalted post of presidentship or royal throne. Simply somehow or other, by hook and crook, he'll occupy the seat. Therefore people are suffering. It is not... Nowadays, in democratic days, the government by the people, government for the people. So if the government is by the people, yes, you select your representative. If you are a fool, then you will select another fool. So Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Anyone who is not a devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee of God, then he may be in a exalted post, but he is praised by some people who are exactly like śva. Śva means dog, and viḍ-varāha means pigs who eat stool. Śva-viḍ-varāha. Viḍ-varāha. And uṣṭra, uṣṭra means camel. And uṣṭra-kharaiḥ. Khara means ass. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ (SB 2.3.19). If a person who is not a devotee, he is praised or he is exalted, then the praisers, the persons who is praising him, he must be among these animals: dog, camel, pig and ass.
Birthright was there, but according to the behavior. If a man is born in a brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vai..., he must behave like that. That was the king's duty, to see that "This man is not falsely representing himself." Just like in England there is lord family. So to maintain their aristocracy, the family had to deposit some money with the government so that they may not deteriorate in their aristocratic behavior. Still, it is going on. But now things are finished.
So aristocracy and respectability, these things were according to culture, according to education. But nowadays, what is that? Vittam eva kalau nṟṇām. If you get money somehow or other, then everything is there. You may be a third-class, fourth-class, tenth-class man, but if you get money some way or other, then you are very respectable. There is no question of your culture or aristocracy or education or knowledge. There is no, nothing. This is Kali-yuga. And then, dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāṁ kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi. And if you have got some influence, strength, then in your favor everything will be decided. You are the most irreligious person, but if you can bribe the priestly order, he will certify, "Yes, you are religious." So money, not actual qualification.
So any boy and girl like, simply go to him. Maybe there is some fee: "Yes, we agree to marry," and certifies, "They are married." No. Not like that. Formerly as the father and mother used to select and see the future. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. Svīkāra. Svīkāra means agreement.
Snānam eva prasādhanam. Snānam eva prasādhanam. Cosmetic. Simply if one can take little shower bath, then everything is finished. Actually, snāna means sandhyā. You have to take bath nicely. Then you have to put tilaka and candana. Then perform your gāyatrī-mantra. This is called snāna. Tri-sandhyā-snāna. Now they are simply taking somehow or other bath, and finished. No more. But Kali-yuga, this will be snānam eva. And then dūre vāry-ayanaṁ tīrthaṁ lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. Just see how future tell. At the present moment, Kali-yuga, a man will think himself, he has become very beautiful by keeping long hair. You have got very good experience in your country, long hairs. Just see how future. Who knew that people would be interested for keeping long hair? But that is stated in the Bhāgavata. Keśa-dhāraṇam. Keśa means hair, and dhāraṇam means keeping. Dūre vāry-ayanaṁ tīrtham. And pilgrimage, it must be far away. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges. So nobody cares for Calcutta Ganges. But they go to Hardwar. The same Ganges. The Ganges is coming from Hardwar down to the Bay of Bengal, but people will like to go to Hardwar, taking so much hardship, to take bath there, because that becomes tīrtha. In every religion they have got tīrtha. The Muslims, they have got mosque. What is that? Mecca, Medina. The Christians, they have got, where? Jerusalem. Similarly, the Hindus. Then they must travel very long. That will be tīrtha. But actually tīrtha means tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. Where there is saintly person, that is tīrtha. Not to go ten thousand miles and simply take a dip in the water and come back.
As soon as there is a big trembling, everyone becomes afraid, "Now we are going to die. We have to die." So everyone is afraid of death, but nobody thinks how to make a solution of this problem. But there is solution. Therefore here it is said, martyānām. Martyānām means those who are destined to die. Ṛtam icchatām. If they are willing to live, if they want to stop calling the Yamarāja... Yamarāja means he will take you or take me, every one of us, after this body is finished, according to our karma. Yamarāja is there when we are sinful. Yamarāja is not for the devotees.
That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Ajāmila upākhyāna, Ajāmila. Ajāmila was a great sinful man. So at the time of death, somehow or other, he remembered Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So he was very fond of his youngest child, and the Yamarāja, not directly, by sending his men, Yamadūta... So they are very fierceful. So at the time of death this Ajāmila saw fierceful creatures, very odd-looking. So he was very much afraid, "Who are they?" So he thought, because he was very much affectionate to his youngest child... So his name was Nārāyaṇa. He called him, "Nārāyaṇa, please come here. I am very much afraid." But just see the power of chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa. He immediately become eligible to go to Vaikuṇṭha.
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even you do very little of this process of bhakti-yoga, it can save you from the greatest danger of life. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.
The example is this Ajāmila. This Ajāmila, in the beginning of his life, he executed some service to the Lord under the instruction of his father. That was in his credit. So when he became first-class sinful man and was dying, so somehow or other, he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, and he became saved. He became saved. Even though it is taken as a chance, but the chance also gives him the benefit. So as soon as he uttered the name of Nārāyaṇa, he became eligible to be transported to Vaikuṇṭha, and immediately Nārāyaṇa sent his men, Nārāyaṇa-dūta, "Just go and save this man. He is being harassed by the Yamadūta." So Yamadūta, they were taking away him. In the meantime the messenger from Vaikuṇṭha, Nārāyaṇa-dūta came, stopped, "No, you cannot take this." So they were surprised. "Oh, who are these, so good-looking?" Because they were very odd-looking, and they did not see any good-looking men, especially from Vaikuṇṭha. They were coming with four hands, very nice. In the Vaikuṇṭha, the people are also exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. Just like in this planet, the president is there. So far bodily features are concerned, there is no difference.
Therefore it is advised, aho nṛ-loke pīyeta hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ. "O the human society, you have got this body. Just go on drinking the nectarine of kṛṣṇa-kathā." It is advised here. Aho nṛ-loke. Especially it has been advised in the nṛ-loke, the human society. It is not addressed to the dog-loke or cat-loke. They cannot. They have no capacity. Therefore it has been: nṛ-loke. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke. Another verse in the Fifth Canto: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). These are the Bhāgavata. There is no comparison. There is no literature throughout the universe like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of the human society. Every word, each and every word. Therefore we stress so much in the book distribution. Somehow or other, if the book goes in one hand, he will be benefited. At least he will see, "Oh, they have taken so much price. Let me see what is there." If he reads one śloka, his life will be successful. If one śloka, one word. This is such nice things. Therefore we are stressing so much, "Please distribute book, distribute book, distribute book." A greater mṛdaṅga. We are chanting, playing our mṛdaṅga. It is heard within this room or little more. But this mṛdaṅga will go home to home, country to country, community to community, this mṛdaṅga.
Constantly, twenty-four hours, we are engaged in hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ. That's all. And so long you are engaged in hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ, there is no question of death. There is no question of death. Then if you say, "We are seeing that devotees are dying," "Yes, but death has been stopped. "Then still, why he is dying?" "He is not dying. He is going back to home, back to Godhead." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā deham. He has given up this body, but he is not going to accept anymore a body like this. Then? Mām eva: "He is coming to Me." What is that mām eva? Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If you go somehow or other to Kṛṣṇa, you will never come back.
So mṛtyu, death, is stopped as soon as you take Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously, immediately, from that moment, as soon as you are initiated. You promise before the spiritual master, "Yes, I am initiated, I shall act like this," and if you follow, then your death is stopped from that point. No more death. No more death. Simply an official business, just like you sleep and again you awake, similarly, a devotee's death is like that. It is like sleeping, and next moment in the spiritual kingdom, immediately. Immediately. When he will rise, he will see that "I am with Kṛṣṇa."
So this is going on. This is called illusion. He has no connection with all these things. When one realizes that "I have no connection with this body, this country, this wife, these children, this soc... They're all illusory," that is called liberation. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). People are suffering, identifying himself with these false things, which is not. Ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. Tri-guṇa, these, all these materials, they are manufactured by the three modes of material nature, and he's, he has no connection with the material nature. But somehow or other, he is now fallen in the ocean of the... Just like you have no connection with ocean. Your place of living is land. But some way or other, if you are thrown in the Pacific Ocean, that is a very troublesome business. You have to swim always. You have to protect... But still, you are unsafe. It doesn't matter you are a very great swimmer, doesn't matter. When you are in the Pacific Ocean, you are in danger. So similarly, when that very man is taken away from the Pacific Ocean and put into the land, then he becomes prasannātmā, "Oh, I am saved." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. "Now I am on the saved..." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54), that when one is in full knowledge that "I have nothing to do with this material world, that everything made by the material nature, that is illusion, I have nothing to do with anything of them, I am spirit, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am spirit soul. Now I have my business with the spiritual world," that is liberation. That is liberation. And the means which help you to come to that position, that is called spiritual life, sanātana-dharma.
We used to do so. Every children, every child does so. So if the mother is a devotee, the child automatically becomes a devotee, without any effort. If the father, mother is devotee... Therefore śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Kṛṣṇa says that those who are yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ, could not fulfill the whole program of devotional service, some way or other fallen down, so they are given chance, another chance. What is that chance? The chance is he is given a human form of life and born in a devotee's house, so that from the very beginning of life he will again be in connection with devotional service. So these children, they are not ordinary children. Formerly, they were also devotees. Somehow or other, could not fulfill the whole program. Now Kṛṣṇa has given the chance to take birth in the womb of a devotee mother so that from the very beginning of life they're learning devotional service. So the mother, father also should be careful, that "They are Vaiṣṇavas, they have come under my care. So that he may not be spoiled. Let him become a perfect Vaiṣṇava, and his life become perfect." This is... This is very nice program.
If you very strictly adhere to the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā will not be able to touch you. That is the only remedy. Otherwise māyā is always looking after the opportunity, loophole, how she can capture you again. But if you remain strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will not be able to do anything. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Daivī hy eṣa guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of māyā. It is very difficult. But Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) if one is strictly adhering to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, always... Therefore our, this program is twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satatam. Satataṁ cintayo kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). These are the recommended. So if we simply think of Kṛṣṇa... If you cannot do anything, simply think of Him. That is the highest meditational perfection. So always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, be in touch with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways, then you are secure. Māyā will not be able to touch you. And if we can somehow or other pass our days and at the time of death we remember Kṛṣṇa, then the whole life is successful.
The brahmacārī means no sex life. No sex life. Even the guru... Sometimes guru... Mostly in a school, the teachers, they were householders. It is restricted, "If the guru has a young wife, you should not go to carry out her order." It is restricted. This is brahmacārī life, voluntarily accepting hardship for making life successful. That is brahmacārī life. And then married life. Married life. When the... Brahmacārī is meant for the boys, not for the girls. Girls, they are to be married. A brahmacārī may remain unmarried for life, but according to Vedic civilization, a girl must be married. As soon as... Before the age of attaining puberty, it is the duty of the father, or if she has no father, it is the duty of the elder brother to get her married somehow or other. (laughter) Give her in responsibility to another young man. This is the duty. Yes. This is the duty. So therefore... Female population is always bigger than the male population. Then you can ask, "Where so many husbands?" Therefore polygamy was allowed. And the kings, the kṣatriyas who had money and who had very nice strength also, they used to marry more than one wife. You'll find all the kṣatriyas... Even Kṛṣṇa, the best kṣatriya, He married 16,108 wives. Wholesale. (laughter) Yes.
So that is sva-dharma. Similarly a businessman, an engineer, a medical man. So these are particular type of occupation of a particular type of man. So here it is recommended, sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā. One who is faithfully engaged in his own business, particular type of business, janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ pumān, his human birth, his human life is successful, janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ pumān, if he's successful man, then by successfully, properly executing his particular type of business, if he can, at the end of his life, remember Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Lord, that is the success of life. It doesn't matter that you have got to chant or dance, but here it is recommended somehow or other, if you can manage to remember or memorize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, at the end of your life, that is your success. Etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā. Otherwise, your life is failure. If after Suppose you have earned millions of dollars and you have become a very successful businessman or lawyer or politician Just like in your country President Kennedy. He was killed, but we do not know, after his death, what he has become. That information there is no. But if you somehow or other you can remember about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, about His activities, about His form, about His name, anything, form, name, quality, paraphernalia, anything, if you can remember, then that is success of your life.
And we accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His activities, by the definition of possessing all the six opulences. We don't accept anybody, an ordinary man... Just like now it is a fashion. Everybody comes and says, "I am God." No. We don't accept in that way. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa. He knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but, in order to convince us that in future there may not be any misunderstanding about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he requested Kṛṣṇa to show His universal form. So He showed him. So there is no doubt about, about Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So here it is recommended, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Somehow or other, if you can remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead in any way, by His name, by His form, by His quality, by His activities, by His paraphernalia, anything, then your life is successful. Now Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking about his own self. Śukadeva Gosvāmī's supposed to be liberated from his birth. So he says,
- prāyeṇa munayo rājan
- nivṛttā vidhi-ṣedhataḥ
- nairguṇya-sthā ramante sma
- guṇānukathane hareḥ
Even those who are liberated persons, they are also attracted by the pastimes of the Lord. Not that only the conditioned souls should execute this order, but even one who is liberated. He's giving his personal experience.
"This is Hindu dress, Muslim dress, Christian dress, white dress, black dress." No, no, we have nothing to do with the dress. We have to do with the soul within the dress. He is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He has forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is suffering.
Therefore our movement is to revive this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). So it is very important movement. Those who are very intelligent, they can take to it. Or you become intelligent or not intelligent, but know, at least, unless one is pious, he cannot take to this movement. But somehow or other, if you take this movement, then your this valuable life is successful. Janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām. It is not cats' and dogs' life. It is human form of... Utilize it properly. Properly means to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not dog conscious, cat conscious or this conscious or... No. These will not help you. Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then you will be able to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death and your this valuable life is properly utilized. Janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām. You have got very nice valuable body, but it will be properly utilized if you learn how to remember Nārāyaṇa at the time of death.
The purification process is stated in Nārada Pañcarātra. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to free yourself from the designation. Designation. The same example can be given. Just like Arjuna. He was designating himself with the Kuru family; therefore he was impure. When he gave up this designation, he identified his interest with Kṛṣṇa, he became devotee. So we have to give up this designation, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's. I am servant of God." And if you act in that way, then whole thing becomes purified. And if you keep your designation accidentally... Just like you are American. This is accidental. By somehow or other, you have come to accept a body from the American family. Now this will be changed. You do not know what is your next body. So this is changing. This is not my permanent settlement. But your permanent settlement is to identify yourself that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is your permanent settlement. So if you put yourself in that position, being freed from all designation, then your process of everything, all qualities, become purified.
That is also sense gratification. To become one with God, it is also sense gratification. When he fails to become the greatest personality, he then desires, "Now let me become one with God." One with God means he thinks that he will be equally expert as the supreme enjoyer. Because God is supreme enjoyer. Bhoktā. So he could not enjoy life separately; now he wants to mix with the body of God. Therefore... That enjoyment is there. The propensity for enjoying is there. He failed to enjoy keeping himself separate, so he wants to mix with God. Just like the politicians. Whenever there is some political movement, they take some part. Their idea is that "If I become somehow or other a little prominent, important, I'll have a minister's post." That's all. It is a fact. They do not care for country's welfare. No. There is no such question. Their only ambition is, "Let me mix with this political party. It's growing... Just like in our country, there are so many parties.
Recently, Indira Gandhi's party became powerful. So all other men, giving resignation from other party, they took into the party of Indira Gandhi. So it is like that, merging into the existence of the powerful. So the frustrated karmīs, frustrated karmīs, when they do not find any happiness even by becoming the greatest or the topmost person, he wants to become one with God. Therefore it is said, brahma-varcasa-kāmas tu. Brahma-varcasa means effulgence. But it is kāma. That is not akāma. But a devotee is akāma, there is no kāma. He has no personal desires. His desire is only to remain eternal servant of God. That's all. That is his position. That is not desire. That is his actual position. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Kāmaye, this kāma. I no more desire for riches. Karmīs—they want money. Na dhanaṁ na janam, or they want many men to follow. Followers, they create party by political agitation.
So we should know, whenever there is sanction in the śāstra for meat-eating, for sex intercourse, or for drinking, it is not for encouraging; it is for prohibiting, restricting. So the next question should (be), "Why it is restricted?" Restricted means so long you'll be addicted to this habit, you'll have to accept a body. So one who cannot stop it immediately, he's restricted. "All right, you want to do it. All right. Go to this demigod." That is the list. If you want this, all right, go to this demigod." Means somehow or other, this lusty person is being brought before a demigod to understand that this is not good. This is implicating. Therefore it is said akāma. If you become completely free from all material desires, or if you want that position, then come to Kṛṣṇa. No other demigod. If you actually want freedom from this material bondage, then Kṛṣṇa...
Kṛṣṇa also assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. These are all pāpa, sinful. Either you take the body of a Brahmā or an ant or cat or dog. All sinful. Only the person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, he's pious. Akāma. The next verse will be akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances.) Kīrtana. (end)
And sādhana-siddha means one has forgotten Kṛṣṇa. That is the position of all materialistic men. Every one of us forgotten. But even though forgotten, the thing is there. It has to be awakened only. And the awakening process is hearing. Just like you are out of your family touch for many years. Practically, you have forgotten. Now, if somebody comes to you, some friend, "Do you remember your child, when he came out, he was such little, and now he is grown-up? Now he's this, that, so on." If for some days this topics of the family is... then again he becomes attracted: "Let me go and see." It is natural. Similarly, anyone who has forgotten Kṛṣṇa somehow or other—the cause may be so many—but if he is given chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ.
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
As soon as somehow or other one begins to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Either by his natural inclination or by chance or any way, he comes to hear about Kṛṣṇa, attempts hearing about Kṛṣṇa, then... Kṛṣṇa is within everyone's heart, Paramātmā. So Kṛṣṇa helps him immediately. Kṛṣṇa helps both ways. If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help you with that, so that you will be able to forget Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, if you want to revive your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa again, Kṛṣṇa will help you.
That is perfect government. That is the duty of the government. To see the citizens happy in this life. They have no grievance for their living condition. They are happy. At the same time, they are preparing for going back to home, back to Godhead. That is good government. And the government who simply levies taxes somehow or other... Every year, the budget is increasing tax. "You give us tax, and you go to hell. It doesn't matter. You give us tax." And the tax is divided amongst themselves. That is government. Whatever... We know in India, the tax collected, eighty percent is spent among the government servants. That's all.
So this is the position of Kali-yuga. Mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇo bhakṣayiṣyanti prajās te. That is predicted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in Kali-yuga the mlecchas, means the rejected from human society, such persons, rogues and fools and rascals, they will take the post of king. Rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ. They are unworthy to be kicked, but they will take the post of government.
This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. Simply if you move to the temple and see with your eyes; very simple process. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness program is so simple, at the same time sublime, that you become liberated at the end. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you simply think of Kṛṣṇa in that way.
If you cannot read, then sit down and simply see the Deity's form. That will also give you. Anything, anything done. Little dancing, little, a little ringing the cymbals or singing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Anything you do. These children... Just like they are dancing. They are also being spiritual profited. It will never go in vain. Somehow or other he has shown some jubilation in front of the Lord, it is noted immediately. Therefore this verse is there, pādau nṛṇāṁ tau druma-janma-bhājau. If you do not move to the temples, then what is the difference between your legs and the trees which are standing without legs? They have legs, but they cannot move. Tree's another name is pādapa. They drink water with their legs. Just like we drink water in our mouth... So it is not that all animals act in the same way. No. Just like there is a bird (which) is called bat. They pass stool through the mouth. You know? Yes. So there are different processes. The fishes in the water, they touch with the wings.
Therefore according to Vedic system, the meat-eater is given chance by sacrificing an animal before some demigod. Not free slaughterhouse. No. That you cannot do. Undergoing that process, someday he will come to his senses that "Meat-eating and killing of animal is not good." Because there are so many mantras. If you understand mantras, the mantra, when a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice." Otherwise you have to undergo the process. That is gradual evolutionary process. But because you are forced somehow or other in the presence of mother material energy, she will give you the facility to promote immediately to the human form of life. And as human being, you will have every right to kill this man who is killing you. That is meaning of māṁsa. Mām means me, sa means he. "He will also eat me." So I will have to take the form of a goat next life. And he will take the form of a human being and he will get the chance of killing me. He can excuse, but he will get the chance. This is the bandhana. Karma-bandhana.
So when there is facility, you can go to this kingdom of God. Why don't you...? Just like a student studies very faithfully, taking so much pains. Why? He expects that "Somehow or other, if I can pass this examination, I will get a very nice job, good salary, and live very happily." Everyone hopes like that. A businessman works so hard day and night with the hope that "At the end of my life, if I get a good balance, bank balance, then I shall live peacefully without any botheration." So everyone hopes like that for future. But what is this civilization? They have no future hope. The rascal professors, they say..., he is saying that "After death everything is finished." After death everything finished—why? Why there are so many varieties of life? After death there is life. But you do not know what is that life. That is your ignorance. Here is a chance, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you get next life very good life. If you complete, you go to Vaikuṇṭha and get life like this. If you don't complete, if you are so unfortunate that you cannot complete one life, that is unfortunate. Why you... So then you get chance to get your birth as a human being in very rich family, in very pious family. That chance is again given so that you can revive your, again, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is a chance. You had previously some advantage of executing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Somehow or other, you could not... Not you or you—all of us, we could not. So Kṛṣṇa has given another chance. So don't miss this chance. Make it complete. Make it complete and go to Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka. Such a nice proposal. Where it is? Who can give this? Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "Oh, You are the greatest of the munificent." Namo mahā... Vadānya means the greatest munificent, who gives charity in the greatest... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving that. What is that? Kṛṣṇa-prema. Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted. This is the greatest gift. The human society is so rascal, they cannot understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The greatest gift to the human society given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So those who are intelligent, those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should be very serious to execute the, I mean to say, program. Very nice. We should always pray to Kṛṣṇa that "Kṛṣṇa, You have given this chance. Please have Your grace upon me—I may not miss it. By māyā's influence I may not miss it. You have given me so great chance." This should be our business. If you have got to pray anything...
"Oh, you have given sufficient service. Now we don't require. Stop." No. "Go on. Go on. Go on. Go on." Na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. Therefore a sane man should conclude, "Why shall I be engaged in this nonsense service? Why not to give service to Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion. "Why I shall be engaged in this nonsense service when, without giving any service," bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavam, "the Lord is always prepared to bless His servant." He doesn't take any service. There is no need of service. Still, pleased—prasanna-hāsa. Prasanna, pleased. He doesn't require any service. But He... Why not accept this master? Why you are...? (break) Bhṛtya-prasāda. (break) Prasanna-hāsa. He is always pleased. Prasanna-hāsāruṇa, aruṇa-locanānanam. This is God. He doesn't require any service. Still, if you, somehow or other, if you approach there with this service attitude only... Because you cannot approach God in challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender first of all." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is bhakti. If you surrender, then, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. We suffer on account of our sinful activities. So here everything is sinful. Anything you do in this material world, that is sin. Even your so-called service to the society, country, they are also sinful. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. This material world is so polluted, everything is polluted here. So here we have divided that "This is nice, and this is bad." This is simply mental concoction. There is nothing good here; everything is bad. That should be the conclusion. But we have divided: "This is very good, and this is very bad." Everything is very bad. There is no question of good because there is no connection of God.
| Page Title: | Somehow or other (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 17 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=90, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 90 |