Monkey's business

Expressions researched:
"monkey's business" |"business is to simply destroy" |"business of jumping like monkey" |"business is useless" |"business of monkeys to disturb"

Notes from the compiler: Search: "monke* business"@15

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 5

Unfortunately, being overly attached to sense gratification, materialists are not serious in helping this movement. Instead, some of them try to suppress it. Thus it is the business of monkeys to disturb the activities of the brāhmaṇas.

SB 5.14.31, Translation and Purport: In this way the descendants of the monkeys intermingle with each other, and they are generally known as śūdras. Without hesitating, they live and move freely, not knowing the goal of life. They are captivated simply by seeing the faces of one another, which remind them of sense gratification. They are always engaged in material activities, known as grāmya-karma, and they work hard for material benefit. Thus they forget completely that one day their small life spans will be finished and they will be degraded in the evolutionary cycle.

Materialistic people are sometimes called śūdras, or descendants of monkeys, due to their monkeylike intelligence. They do not care to know how the evolutionary process is taking place, nor are they eager to know what will happen after they finish their small human life span. This is the attitude of śūdras. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is trying to elevate śūdras to the brāhmaṇa platform so that they will know the real goal of life. Unfortunately, being overly attached to sense gratification, materialists are not serious in helping this movement. Instead, some of them try to suppress it. Thus it is the business of monkeys to disturb the activities of the brāhmaṇas. The descendants of monkeys completely forget that they have to die, and they are very proud of scientific knowledge and the progress of material civilization. The word grāmya-karmaṇā indicates activities meant only for the improvement of bodily comforts, presently all human society is engaged in improving economic conditions and bodily comforts, people are not interested in knowing what is going to happen after death, nor do they believe in the transmigration of the soul. When one scientifically studies the evolutionary theory, one can understand that human life is a junction where one may take the path of promotion or degradation. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25):

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me."

In this life we have to prepare ourselves for promotion to the next life. Those who are in the mode of rajo-guṇa are generally interested in being promoted to the heavenly planets. Some, unknowingly, are degraded to lower animal forms. Those in the mode of goodness can engage in devotional service, and after that they can return home, back to Godhead (yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām). That is the real purpose of human life. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring intelligent human beings to the platform of devotional service. Instead of wasting time trying to attain a better position in material life, one should simply endeavor to return home, back to Godhead. Then all problems will be solved. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17):

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti su-hṛt-satām

"Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."

One simply has to follow the regulative principles, act like a brāhmaṇa, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and read Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way one purifies himself of the baser material modes (tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa) and, becoming freed from the greed of these modes, can attain complete peace of mind. In this way one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one's relationship with Him and thus be promoted to the highest perfection (siddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ).

Each monkey keeps at least two dozen wives, and he jumps from one tree to another to capture the female monkeys. Thus he immediately engages in sexual intercourse. In this way the monkey's business is to jump from one tree to another and enjoy sex with his wives.

SB 5.14.32, Translation and Purport: Just as a monkey jumps from one tree to another, the conditioned soul jumps from one body to another. As the monkey is ultimately captured by the hunter and is unable to get out of captivity, the conditioned soul, being captivated by momentary sex pleasure, becomes attached to different types of bodies and is encaged in family life. Family life affords the conditioned soul a festival of momentary sex pleasure, and thus he is completely unable to get out of the material clutches.

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.9.29): viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Bodily necessities-eating, sleeping, mating and defending-are all very easily available in any form of life. It is stated here that the vānara (monkey) is very much attracted to sex. Each monkey keeps at least two dozen wives, and he jumps from one tree to another to capture the female monkeys. Thus he immediately engages in sexual intercourse. In this way the monkey's business is to jump from one tree to another and enjoy sex with his wives. The conditioned soul is doing the same thing, transmigrating from one body to another and engaging in sex. He thus completely forgets how to become free from the clutches of material encagement. Sometimes the monkey is captured by a hunter, who sells its body to doctors so that its glands can be removed for the benefit of another monkey. All this is going on in the name of economic development and improved sex life.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Without guru you cannot have mercy of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa like monkey. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept. If you think that "Without guru I shall jump over Kṛṣṇa, and He'll be merciful upon me", that monkey's business will not be accepted.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972: Without guru you cannot have mercy of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa like monkey. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept. If you think that "Without guru I shall jump over Kṛṣṇa, and He'll be merciful upon me", that monkey's business will not be accepted. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says that gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. You have to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. If you jump over Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I have come to You..." Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. Therefore guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya. If you are sincere, if you're sincere, that Kṛṣṇa will be merciful, first of all. Then Kṛṣṇa will guide you. If you're sincere, Kṛṣṇa will direct you that "Approach such and such guru", and if guru is pleased, then you'll get Kṛṣṇa, that guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya, both, parallel line.

ei rūpe bhramāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

Monkeys, they are very busy. Do you know? But their business is to simply destroy.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966, Purport: Just like there is a very nice story. A monkey... Monkeys, they are very busy. Do you know? But their business is to simply destroy. You will find monkey always busy, very active. So in the village there was a carpenter who was bifurcating one big beam by saw. So at the end of his work, half of the beam was cut into two, so he put one block between the two pieces and he went away. And then one monkey came, and he pulled out the block, and his tail was captured in that, between the two, and it was cut. So he went to his society, and he said that "This is the fashion. This is the fashion." Langulim segar(?). He advertised, "To cut one's tail, this is the latest fashion." Similarly, I saw one cinema in my childhood, a similar story. One Mr. Maxlin or something like that, he played that. He was sitting in park, and some naughty boy nailed his tail, that tail coat, when ball dancing. So when he got up that half part of that tail was taken away. So when he was dancing in the ball, everyone is looking to his back side: "What is this? His tail is cut." So he saw in the mirror that "My tail is cut." So he began to dance more nicely, and everyone asked him, "What is...?" "Oh, this is the latest fashion. This is the latest fashion." So everyone began to cut his tail. You see? (chuckles) So this is...

Life is going on. "I have become befooled, so I don't want that my son will be intelligent. Let him become befooled. Let him become befooled." This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30], repeatedly chewing the chewed. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā [SB 7.5.31]. But from the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that our ultimate goal of life is to reach Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, gatiḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Not that seeking after sex in Vṛndāvana. That is... That means such person will have to take birth as monkey next life. Monkey. Because they have taken shelter of Vṛndāvana, and still they're indulging, monkey's business.

Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976: So madness there is. So one madness you have to give up—this material madness—and you have to become mad after Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. That madness is exhibited by Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa

cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam

śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ

govinda-viraheṇa me

That madness wanted. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: one moment appears to be one yuga. One yuga means twelve years. So yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. Crying. There is tears in the eyes like the torrents of rain. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā... Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam. "I feel the whole world is vacant." Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me. This madness is wanted. Without Govinda, that madness. So that madness (was) fully exhibited in Vṛndāvana by the gopīs. They were mad after Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana, went to Mathurā, they became so mad that they had no other business than cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam, simply crying torrents of rain. That is wanted. That is Vṛndāvana life. Not that seeking after sex in Vṛndāvana. That is... That means such person will have to take birth as monkey next life. Monkey. Because they have taken shelter of Vṛndāvana, and still they're indulging, monkey's business, so they have to... It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ [SB 10.14.8]. In Vṛndāvana the land, transcendental land, that will not go in vain. But these persons who are indulging unnecessary sex life in Vṛndāvana, they'll have to take birth as monkeys in Vṛndāvana, and then next life they'll be liberated. So otherwise, why in Vṛndāvana the monkeys? They are also devotees, but they could not proceed nicely. So animal life means stopping sinful activities, and whatever sinful reaction is there in one life finished. We should be very, very careful. Dhāma, dhāma-aparādha. In the dhāma... In other places if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, the result of such chanting will be increased thousand times if you chant in Vṛndāvana. Similarly, in other place, the sinful activities, if you commit that sinful activity in Vṛndāvana, then it will be thousand times increased. So we have to be very careful.

Monkey's business is simply waste of time. He's very busy. You'll find always busy. So the busy fool is dangerous.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974: That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Parābhava. Parābhava means defeat. Tāvat, "so long." All activities of the materialistic person are simply defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha. Abodha means fools, rascals, ignorant, born foolish rascals, ignorant. We are all born foolish. So if we are not properly educated, then we remain fools and rascals, and the activities of fools and rascals, this is simply waste of time. Because... What is called? Busy rascals, busy rascal. If a rascal is busy, that means he's simply spoiling the energy. Just like monkey. Monkey is very busy. Of course, according to Mr. Darwin, they are coming from monkey. So monkey's business is simply waste of time. He's very busy. You'll find always busy. So the busy fool is dangerous. There are four classes of men: lazy intelligent, busy intelligent, lazy fool and busy fool. (laughter) So first-class man is lazy intelligent. Just like you'll see the high-court judges. They're very lazy and most intelligent. That is first-class man. They are doing everything very soberly. And the next class: busy intelligent. Intelligence should be used very soberly. And the third class: lazy fool-lazy, at the same time, fool. And the fourth class: busy fool. Busy fool is very dangerous.

You give up this business of jumping like monkey from this branch to that branch, but come to Kṛṣṇa and surrender to Him.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974: This is the formula. "I am the bhoktā." The all best foodstuff should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is arcana-vidhi. First-class foodstuff, all sandeśa, rasagullā, kacuri and... Best, best foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, of course... If you haven't got very nice foodstuff, Kṛṣṇa can be also offered also whatever you have got. "Whatever" means not anything beyond the jurisdiction: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. You can give Him little fruit, little flower, little leaf, little water. That you can collect without any price; anywhere it is available. Anyone's garden you can go, and if you say, "My dear sir, I'll take a little flower and leaf for Kṛṣṇa," nobody will ask you, "No, don't take." "Take it." Still, at least in India. In also, USA also. So that you can collect. If you haven't got to offer... But offer something to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Bhaktyā.

That is bhakti. That offering is not required... But Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, that He's asking from you little fruit, little flower, little... He is feeding... Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. He is supplying all the necessities of everyone. So why He's begging from you? Because He wants that you love Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's want. You are suffering in this material world, you are entangled in this tree from one branch to another, rotating and suffering. So Kṛṣṇa wants that you do not suffer. You give up this business of jumping like monkey from this branch to that branch, but come to Him and surrender to Him. Śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. When this knowledge comes, that is perfect knowledge.

Just like you will see the monkey. Monkey is always very busy, but what is the meaning of his business? He is in ignorance.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973: Everyone is trying to improve himself under the influence of certain modes of material nature. So when one becomes vipaścit, viveki... Vipaścit means enlightened. These, my activities under the influence of different modes of material nature, this is waste of time. Even if I become a brāhmaṇa, that is also waste of time, and what to speak of if I become a kṣatriya, passionate. Passionate... This vaiśya, this mercantile class of men, they are passionate and ignorance mixture. They are very active: "I am very running, I am very busy," but running here and there in ignorance. Just like you will see the monkey. Monkey is always very busy, but what is the meaning of his business? He is in ignorance. As soon as a monkey comes... You have so such disturbance. In India, as soon as a monkey comes, everyone wants to drive him away. Because he has come to become business and to make some loss. That's all. That is his business. Wherever he sits, he will move like this. (makes sounds moving arms back and forth) He is not at all silent. He is always active. But because he is monkey, monkey is a symbol of... Ass, they are symbol of ignorance. Therefore such kind of business is useless. It is simply harmful.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

A sawman was cutting wood by the saw. So at the end of business it was half cut so he pulled down a, I mean to say, a plug so that next day he will come and he'll again begin sawing. So went away. So one monkey came. So monkey sat down there and began to pull on the plug because monkey's business is simply mischievous.

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: There is a very nice story in Sanskrit. A monkey. A monkey... You might have some experience, that sawmen, who cut wood? Sawmen. So a sawman was cutting wood by the saw. So at the end of business it was half cut so he pulled down a, I mean to say, a plug so that next day he will come and he'll again begin sawing. So went away. So one monkey came. So monkey sat down there and began to pull on the plug because monkey's business is simply mischievous. So he did not know that his plough (?) and some portion of his thigh was within the hole and when he took out this plug it was, (claps) I mean to say, clipped, and he could not get out and died. So the instruction is that... 'Khila pārthiva vānaraḥ, vyāpare suvyaparam. Avyāpara means a occupation, an occupation which is not fit for you. That is avyāpara. Avyāpara-suvyaparam. And one occupation which is not exactly fitting you, you do not know how to do it, so avyāpare suvyaparam yo kartu... If one wants to act in a business in which he is unable to do, then he is killed just like this fool monkey. Avyāpare suvyaparam yo naraḥ kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate. That foolish person is killed just like this monkey. The monkey's business was not to imitate the sawman, but he wanted to imitate. The result was that he was killed. So that is not expertness. Expertness is you just try to do which is easily performed by you. You don't accept anything heavy task because Kṛṣṇa does not want that you have to do this heavy task. Whatever you know, you just apply it. You dovetail it in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

If the head is not there and leg is utilized for jumping, that is monkey's business. The leg must work according to the dictation of the head.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: You told Professor Kotovsky that this caste system is existing everywhere, in every society in the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. In the body there is caste system. The head is the brāhmaṇa, the hand is the kṣatriya, the belly is the vaiśya and the leg is the śūdra. Everything head, that will not help. There must be leg also. But it must be conducted under the guidance of the head. Then it is all right. If the head is not there and leg is utilized for jumping, that is monkey's business. The leg must work according to the dictation of the head. The hand must work according to the dictation of the head. "The caste system should be abolished." What is the caste system? There is no caste system. Everyone is śūdra. Who is a brāhmaṇa now, qualified, except one or two in our camp?