Now, it is, it is here stated, dharma. Dharma is translated in English as religion, but religion is meant just like a kind of faith. Just like "I am Hindu." "I am Hindu" means I have got faith in the Hindu system of religious functions. You are Christian. That means you have faith in the Christian system of religious functions. So religion, so far English dictionary is concerned, it is described as a matter of faith. But the word dharma, it is not exactly the same meaning, faith. Faith you may change. Suppose I am Hindu today. Now I can invest tomorrow in Christian religion. Or you are Christian. You can become a Hindu. There are so many changes. People are free to accept one faith and give up another faith. That is going on. But dharma does not mean that faith which can be changed. Dharma is a thing which cannot be changed. That means there is something in you, in me and everyone... That is called dharma. That is called... That cannot be changed. And what is that? This is a very fine analysis of human nature.
Now, if you analyze the human nature, you'll find that one thing there is which is called "rendering of service to others." Suppose I am a Hindu. Now I am doing something. I am rendering my service to my family, to my country, to my boss, or to others. Without rendering service, nobody can exist. We are all exchanging simply service. I am rendering service to somebody. Somebody's rendering service to me. So whole world is existing under this system, rendering service. Your President Johnson, he's supposed to be the chief man of your state, but still, he's rendering service. What he is doing? He's rendering service to the people. So he has the same business, as you are rendering service to your boss, and taking some money, then again with the money you are serving your family. So this is, this service... Suppose I am now Hindu. I become a Christian or Muhammadan. That, my real business of rendering service, does not change. So dharma means which you cannot change.
Just like... There are many examples in natural objects. Just like water. Water is liquid. It is not a faith. It is a fact. Water is liquid. You cannot say that water is liquid. If he changes his faith, then he can, it can become solid. No. Liquidity of water cannot be changed. Whenever there is conception, water, if I am blind, so... Suppose somebody gives me, "Take here a glass of water," I know it is liquid. So as the liquidity of water cannot be changed. Now, as soon as you speak of fire, so we understand fire is hot. Now, if you, if you... Can you change that fire becomes cold and still it is fire? No. As... So long it is fire, it is hot. So long it is water, it is liquid. Similarly, everything you analyze. Take for example chili. Chili, red pepper. Oh, it is very hot. Now, when you take chili from the market you see how much, what is the degree of its hotness. If it is very hot, oh, it is very good chili. If you find a chili sweet like sugar, oh, you'll reject it. "Oh, this is not good." Because that is the religion of the chili, to become very hot. Similarly, sugar. If you take sugar, if it is very hot, "It is nonsense. I want sweet."
So in everything, if you analyze, you'll find some particular quality. That is his religion. That is his religion. So we are living entities. Forget yourself. Forget yourself that you are Christian, "I am Hindu," or Muslim, or Mussalman, or Buddhist. Forget yourself! "I am living entity." When we come to this point, that is called liberation. That is called liberation. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). When we become free from all these designations, that is called liberation. Liberation means nothing more, the conception of getting free from these designations which we have acquired from the association of material nature.
That is called designation. Because I have got a particular body, therefore I have got so many designations. I call myself a man, or animal, or I have got some name, given by my parents. Or because I am born in some particular country I designate myself to belong to that country, and because I accept some particular faith, so I designate myself to that faith. In so many ways we are now designated. This designation should be given up. When designations are given up, then we are free, pure soul. In that pure soul the religion is to serve the Supreme.
Just like the, in a machine, you'll find, a big machine, there are thousands of parts in the machine, but these small parts, they are all giving service to the whole machine. Just like your body. Your body is a machine. So you have got your finger. Now, what is the, what is the function of the finger? What is the religion of the finger? The religion of the finger is to give service to the body. Just like I am giving service this way, this way, and serve this way. So this part of this body is meant for giving service to the whole body. Similarly, we are part and parcel of the Supreme.
So our business is to give service. That's all. That service is now being rendered, actually. We are also serving now, but serving in designation. That's all. I am serving... I am serving. I am not a master here. That is foolishness. Just like I told you. Even the President Johnson, he's not a master. He's also a servant. Every one of us is a servant. But what kind of servant?
"Oh, I am servant of my wife. I am servant of my family. I am servant of my country. I am servant of my society." And if there is nothing, then "I am servant of my cat and servant of my dog and servant of my..." So many things. If anybody... I see in, in, in your country, there are so many gentlemen, they are very fond of becoming servant of cats and dogs. They have no children, but they voluntarily become servant of cats and dogs. Because that attitude is there, you cannot avoid it. If you have nothing to serve, your wife, your children, then you have to catch some cat and dog and give service. That is your nature. You cannot avoid it. So that is your religion, to serve.
Now, our whole thing is to serve the Supreme. Then that's... Now, our designated service... We are now in designated service. That means we, because due to these material bodies, we have manufactured so many service. Service, we cannot... Just like the water cannot be more than a liquid thing, similarly, we cannot be more than a servant, but because we have got so many designation, our service is being rendered in designation. That is the difference. Now, when we become free from the designation and we come to our senses and render service to the Lord, that is our position of freedom, real position. Real position.
So here Lord says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati means that whenever there is some discrepancy in the modes of rendering service of the living entity... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. Dharmasya means... I have explained to you. Dharmasya means my real nature. Dharma means my real nature. Dharma is not a faith. Dharma is not a designated faith. Dharma is my real nature. So when the real nature of the living entities are jeopardized, then, at that time, to make the adjustment, the Lord comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. And abhyutthānam, whenever there is discrepancy in the natural sequence and natural life of the human being, and there is artificial increase of sense gratification, at that time, when there is too much sense gratification...
Just like Lord Buddha. When did he appear? He appeared... He appeared in India. The condition of his appearance, perhaps you know. I shall still explain. When India was too much busy in animal slaughter. Of course, the Hindus, they, there are Vedic principles, animal slaughtering. They are... Just like in Muhammadans also, they have got some principle for animal slaughtering. You know, those who have read Koran, the Muhammadan religion allows animal slaughtering once in a year. It is called koravāni. And they can slaughter animals in the mosque. Similarly, in the Vedic religion also, the animals are allowed to be slaughtered in some sacrifice. But no religion, either Muhammadan or Hindu... I do not (know) in detail of your Christian religion, but they do not allow animal slaughter in the slaughter house. There are some particular rules and regulations. Anyway, that is a religious details.