BG 01.43 utsanna-kula-dharmanam... cited

Expressions researched:
"bhavatity anususruma" |"manusyanam janardana" |"narake niyatam vaso" |"utsanna-kula-dharmanam"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 1.43, Translation and Purport:

O Kṛṣṇa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those whose family traditions are destroyed dwell always in hell.

Arjuna bases his argument not on his own personal experience, but on what he has heard from the authorities. That is the way of receiving real knowledge. One cannot reach the real point of factual knowledge without being helped by the right person who is already established in that knowledge. There is a system in the varṇāśrama institution by which before death one has to undergo the process of atonement for his sinful activities. One who is always engaged in sinful activities must utilize the process of atonement called the prāyaścitta. Without doing so, one surely will be transferred to hellish planets to undergo miserable lives as the result of sinful activities.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ

manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana

narake niyataṁ vāso

bhavatīty anuśuśruma

(BG 1.43)

Translation: "O Kṛṣṇa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell."

Prabhupāda: So family tradition, whose family tradition? Manuṣyāṇāṁ. Family... Manuṣyāṇāṁ, those who are human being, they have got family and family rituals, kula-dharma, jāti-dharma. Just like cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This is meant for the human being, manuṣyāṇāṁ, not for the animals. So unless the human society accepts this principle of varṇāśrama-dharma ordained by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, he is not considered amongst the human being. They are as good as animals because there is no regular, systematic principles of how to live, a human being. Therefore in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa... When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was talking with Rāmānanda Raya, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "What is the actual aim of life?" Sādhya-sādhana (CC Madhya 8.118). Sādhya and sādhana. "What is the aim?" Sādhya means what for this human form of life we have got. That is called sādhya, the goal, the goal of life. And sādhana. Sādhana means the activity by which we can attain, we can achieve that goal of life. This is called sādhya-sādhana. The Darwin theory, although they are giving some idea of progressive evolution, but he does not know what is the goal of life, why this progress is there. That these rascals they do not know. Simply just imagining, taking some whims from the Padma Purāṇa, Brahmā Vaivarta Purāṇa. Aṣitiṁś catvarāṁś caiva, jīva-jātiṣu, lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu. There are 8,400,000 types of jīva-jātis. Aṣitiṁś catvarāṁś caiva lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu. So this is already there. Brahmādbhiḥ. In this way the living entity is wandering in the cycle of transmigration of the soul. So from this, Mr. Darwin might have taken some hints, but he could not explain properly. He could not catch up that brahmādbhiḥ, who is wandering. So it is a chaos.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So here Arjuna also says that narake niyataṁ vāso bhavati iti anuśuśruma: (BG 1.43) "Kṛṣṇa, I have heard it from authorative sources." He never says, "Kṛṣṇa, in my opinion, if it is done like that, then people will go to hell." He does not give his own opinion. He says iti, "Thus," anuśuśruma, "I have heard." This is called paramparā system. Nobody should give his own opinion. He must quote the authoritative statement to support his proposition. So similarly, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked that "What is the aim of life and how to achieve it?" so Rāmānanda Rāya, he did not give his own opinion, that "In my opinion, like this." Here also Arjuna says, ity anuśuśruma, "I have heard it." He heard it means... Śuśruma means "heard from authority." So Rāmānanda Rāya said that "Real purpose of life, goal of life, is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like as we are citizens, what is our duty? We want to satisfy the authority, the government. When one serves the government nicely, in this country he is recognized as knight. He is recognized as earl, as lord, as... So many, they have got titles. Every country, when a person is very exalted citizen, then he is recognized by the government. So if this is the system in our ordinary life, then the aim of life should be to satisfy the supreme governor, or supreme government. It is very common sense. But they have no supreme government. They think, "Whatever government we make, that is final." No. There are so many kingdoms, so many planets. In each planet there is government, there is authority, and above all of them, there is the supreme authority, Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). This is the śāstric injunction.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So this is Vaiṣṇavism. One who wants to satisfy Viṣṇu, he is called Vaiṣṇava. That is Vaiṣṇavism. Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord. So everything is arranged to satisfy the Lord Viṣṇu. So where from it begins? The cats and dogs, they can be trained up for satisfying Viṣṇu? No, there is no possibility. They are dogs, animals. They are simply busy with four principles of life: eating, sleeping, sex-life and defending. That's all. They cannot be trained up that "You become very obedient to Lord Viṣṇu. Become a devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "You become the devotee of Kṛṣṇa." No, that is not possible. Therefore it is said that manuṣyāṇāṁ. Manuṣyāṇāṁ. It is the duty of the manusya, not of the dog. Manuṣyāṇāṁ. Utsanna-kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana (BG 1.43).

So human life has got a great responsibility. If you become like cats and dog, the hippies, then utsanna, everything is destroyed. Utsanna-kula-dharma. They have no family. They don't care for any rules and regulation. Utsanna, everything destroyed. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthaḥ (BG 14.18). No family life, no taking bath, no worship, nothing of... All irresponsible. I have seen it in Amsterdam. What is that park?

Haṁsadūta: Vondal Park.

Prabhupāda: Horrible. Actually this, this, what was spoken by Arjuna five thousand years ago, it is now happening. Utsanna, all destroyed, finished. Kula-dharmānām. No family life.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So viṣṇur ārādhaṇam means viṣṇur ār..., that should be the aim of human life. Viṣṇur āradhana means one must become a Vaiṣṇava, and Vaiṣṇava means regulated life, not destroyed everything, finished, to become hogs. That is not Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means regulated, end—to, how to satisfy Viṣṇu. So whole Vedic scheme is there, how to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore it is said that utsanna kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ (BG 1.43). In the human life, if they do not follow the regulative principles of family life, family tradition and systematic arrangement of four divisions of the society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... In this way we can satisfy the Supreme Lord. Our aim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and this can be done perfectly if we follow the regulative principles of jāti-dharma, kula-dharma. Jāti-dharma means if you are born in the family of a brāhmaṇa you have got particular duties. Simply if you think yourself that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family; my duty is all finished. Now I can do whatever nonsense..." They think like that. I have spoken. They are very much proud of taking birth in brāhmaṇa family. So when others are engaged in devotional service, they say, "Oh, you are born in lower family. You have got to do this. We are born in brāhmaṇa... We have nothing to do." You see? But they do not know that jāti-dharma kula-ghnānām, utsanna-kula-dharmānam. If you are actually brāhmaṇa, you must keep your family tradition. That is brāhmaṇa. Otherwise if you sacrifice everything of your family tradition... Just like in your country, the Lord family. The Lord family is maintained. The government, the Lord family has got money deposited with the government, and government gives the interest so that the family tradition may be maintained, the aristocratic style. Or if they spoil, they no more cares for them. Then their house will be sold and they will be street-beggar. That's all. No more Lord family.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So everywhere, you take politically or socially or spiritually, for human beings, if you want to make your life successful, then you must keep the tradition of brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. So our, we are Vaiṣṇava. Our only tradition is how to satisfy Viṣṇu. That is the tradition of everyone, but, especially Vaiṣṇavas. They must be very alert, very careful, how to keep Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa satisfied. That is our only business. So you should not neglect it. Then utsanna-kula-dharmānām,... then you will spoil everything. When you have invited Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to accept your service, you must be very, very careful how to render service. How cleansely, how nicely you have to serve. Otherwise everything will be spoiled. Utsanna-kula-dharmānām. A Vaiṣṇava's kula-dharma is simply to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So in the... Manuṣyāṇāṁ. Actually, human life begins when he is ready to serve the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. That is human life; otherwise it is animal life. Therefore the whole world is in chaos. They are not eager to serve Viṣṇu. They are simply eager to serve their senses. Go-dāsa. Servant of the senses. So instead of becoming servant of the senses, you have to become master of the senses. That is called gosvāmī. If you remain servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Kāmādināṁ katidhā kati na.... That is animal life. But when you become master of the senses... How it is possible, master of the senses? Now, if you employ your senses always in the service of Kṛṣṇa, your senses are already controlled. Just like your tongue. Your tongue asks you, "Go to the restaurant and eat some nice thing." But if you are a Vaiṣṇava, if you have this vow that "I shall not allow my tongue to eat anything except prasādam," it is already controlled. That means, to control the senses means to engage the senses in the service of the Lord. This is control.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So... (break) ...utsanna kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ. Manuṣya, janārdana. Jana means general public, and "one who controls." Kṛṣṇa controls every... (break) ...Janāradana. So "My dear Janārdana, Kṛṣṇa, in the human society, if we spoil this traditional process, then what...? It becomes..." Narake niyataṁ vāso (BG 1.43) If you do not... (break) ...if we live like cats and dog, then next life we get cats and dog... (break) But these rascals, they do not know. They do not believe in the next life. So it is horrible condition. Purposefully you put yourself if you do not follow... (break) ...process. The varṇāśrama-dharma... (break)... society. Utsanna-kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyānāṁ janārdana, narake niyatam. Niyatam means always. (break) Just like the hog, hellish life... (break) ...eating stool, living in filthy place. māyā is dictating, "You are... (break) ...more than a king." Yes. Sometimes Indra became a hog, and... By the curse of Bṛhaspati. So when Brahmā again came to recall him,... (break) ...he was Indra. He denied. (break) ...responsibility. Family... (break)... The hog... (break) ...āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. (break) ...lowest standard of living. He will think that "I am very happy." This is called āvaraṇa... (break) So if the hog thinks that "I am living..." (break) ...Then he will die. in the human mind,... (break) ...hellish condition of life, then he can make progress in spiritual life. And for so long he thinks that "I am living very peacefully, very happily..." (break) ... then athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless one comes to that... That sense will come when one follows the tradition of family life.