So religious principles cannot be manufactured, neither it can be made by speculation. So actually, there cannot be many religion. The rascal theory that, "There are as many religious system as I can believe. You believe something, that's all right. I believe something, that's all right. He believes something, that's all right," no. It is not like that. Then everyone will believe like any nonsense thing, that becomes religion? No. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the codes, the laws, given by God. That is religion.
Man cannot manufacture. I have several times explained. Just like law, state law. The state law can be given by the government. You cannot manufacture law. Nobody will care for your law. The state law is that "You must keep right your car. As soon as there is red light, you must stop." If you violate, you will be punished, although it is very simple thing. Similarly, religion means the law of God. You cannot violate it. If you violate, then you will be punished. If you think that "This religious system is very stiff. Let me manufacture my own religion," so that kind of religion is not accepted by the Vedic culture.
And when actually the real religion is violated . . . yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati . . . (BG 4.7). Glāniḥ means violation. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. At that time the Supreme Lord or His representative comes to establish real religion. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8). Dharma-saṁsthā . . . real religious principle. Real religious principle means to abide by the laws of the Supreme Lord, God. But they do not believe in God. Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion. This is going on.
So God is not so cheap that you become God, I become God, he becomes God. The śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. God is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, the original God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1). God, Kṛṣṇa, also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): "There is no superior authority than Me."
The Vedānta-sūtra also says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1): the original source of everything. Who is that original source? God. Who is that God? Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything." Iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. "Those who are budha . . ." Budha means one who knows, one who is in the knowledge. Bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Bhāva-samanvitāḥ, knowing everything in ecstasy, "Oh, here is God." Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ.
- ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
- mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
- iti matvā bhajante māṁ
- budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
- (BG 10.8)
So everything is there. God is there. His name is there. His address is there. His law is there. Everything is there. But the rascals will not accept it. That is the position. Therefore we have to follow the mahājana. So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājana. How he became mahājana? Because he's surrendering fully unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this Vāmanadeva, incarnation of . . . keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa.
So the incident is that Bali Mahārāja was very powerful, and he conquered the whole universe, even the demigods, all. So Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods because demigods, they are also devotees. The difference between sura and asura . . . asura means envious of the demigods. That is called asura. Sura-dviṣa. The another name of the asura, "Those who are envious of devotees." That is only business.
There are two classes of men are always there. Sometimes one class is more in number, and other class is more in number. That is . . . but two classes. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke (BG 16.6). There are two classes of men, living entities. Daiva āsura eva ca. One is called daiva, demigods, and the other is called āsura." So who is daiva? Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva: "Those who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, they are called demigods, or Vaiṣṇava." All Vaiṣṇavas are demigods. And those who are not . . . Āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. "Anyone opposite number, against Viṣṇu, they are all called asuras."