Haṁsadūta: The lecture was recorded the morning of 24th March, 1971, at Akasha Ganga, Bombay. Prabhupāda:
- ...na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava
- na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo
- yathā bhaktir mamorjitā
We have explained this verse yesterday, that in order to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhakti, devotional service is required. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: BG 18.55 "Simply through devotional service one can understand Me." Not through knowledge, not through fruitive activities. There are various types of men. The lowest stage is the karmīs. Karmīs means those who are working very hard for sense gratification. They are called karmīs. And the next stage is the jñānī. Wiser than the karmīs, they try to realize the value of life, what is the value of life. Not that blindly, simply working hard day and night. Actually, human form of life is not meant for that purpose, to work so hard. Because the animals... Our tendency is also... Therefore the capitalists and the laborer class are there. Actually, we do not want to work hard. That is our tendency. But we want more profit for sense gratification. Therefore we utilize other's service, who will work for me, and I shall take the profit. This is the defect of modern civilization. Actually, my tendency is... Just like when a man gets some money, he does not work very much. He takes some profit, either keeping in the bank some balance, and lives in a comfortable place. That is the tendency. Because we are spiritual entities, our natural tendency is to enjoy life. Spiritual entities means by nature, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt ( Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) ; by nature, they want to enjoy life. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. That is the spiritual nature. As Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is by nature joyful, similarly, we being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also by nature joyful. But unfortunately, we have been put into such condition, material condition, that we are trying to enjoy life in this material condition. That is not possible. So karmīs, they are trying their best to make material adjustments and enjoy life. They are called karmīs. But when they are wiser, that "We have worked so hard, but actually we could not enjoy life. Then what is the problem of life?" that is the platform of the jñānīs and the yogis.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that these karmīs, the jñānīs... In another place, in His instruction to Rūpa Gosvāmī, He has said that in the human society there are different kinds of people. Out of that, those who are followers of the Vedic civilization, they are supposed to be first-class human being. So out of the followers of Vedic civilization, mostly they say that "We are followers of Vedic civilization," but actually they do not do. Actually, they, I mean to say, indulge in anything which is not sanctioned by the Vedic knowledge or Vedic scriptures. Take, for example, that in our Vedic civilization, these four things are prohibited: illicit sex life, animal-killing, intoxication, and gambling. This is the preliminary understanding. Especially those who are higher caste— brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya— they are strictly forbidden. That is the Vedic injunction. But although we pose ourself followers of Vedic injunction, we indulge in these things. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "Most people, they call themselves as followers of Vedic civilization, but actually they do not obey all the rules and regulations." Then again He says that "Persons who are actually trying to follow the Vedic rules and regulations, mostly they are karmīs. " Karmīs means they are attracted by the ritualistic ceremonies just like performing great sacrifices, yajña, for elevating oneself to the higher planetary system. They are called karmīs. "And above them," He says, "out of many thousands of karmīs, one person is jñānī or yogi. So out of many such jñānīs, one person may be a mukta, or liberated soul. And out of many thousands of liberated souls, there may be one devotee of Kṛṣṇa."