Each year thereafter, in due course of time, Devakī gave birth to a child. Thus she gave birth to eight male children, as well as one daughter. When the first son was born, Vasudeva kept his word of honor and immediately brought the child before Kaṁsa. It is said that Vasudeva was very much elevated and famous for his word of honor, and he wanted to maintain this fame. Although it was very painful for Vasudeva to hand over the newly born child, Kaṁsa was very glad to receive him. But he became a little compassionate with the behavior of Vasudeva. This event is very exemplary. For a great soul like Vasudeva, there is nothing considered to be painful in the course of discharging one's duty. A learned person like Vasudeva carries out his duties without hesitation. On the other hand, a demon like Kaṁsa never hesitates in committing any abominable action. It is said, therefore, that a saintly person can tolerate all kinds of miserable conditions of life, a learned man can discharge his duties without awaiting favorable circumstances, a heinous person like Kaṁsa can act in any sinful way, and a devotee can sacrifice everything to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Kinds of miserable conditions
Expressions researched:
"conditions, threefold kinds of miserable"
|"kind of miserable condition"
|"kinds of material miserable condition"
|"kinds of miserable condition"
|"kinds of miserable conditions"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
This abode of the Lord, although described in revealed scriptures like the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, remains only a myth for the less intelligent class of men with a poor fund of knowledge. Herein the word sva-dṛṣṭavadbhiḥ is very significant. One who has actually realized his self realizes the transcendental form of one's self. Impersonal realization of self and the Supreme is not complete, because it is just an opposite conception of material personalities. The Personality of Godhead and the personalities of devotees of the Lord are all transcendental; they do not have material bodies. The material body is overcast with five kinds of miserable conditions, namely ignorance, material conception, attachment, hatred and absorption. As long as one is overwhelmed by those five kinds of material miseries, there is no question of entering into the Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The impersonal conception of one's self is just the negation of material personality and is far from the positive existence of personal form. The personal forms of the transcendental abode will be explained in the following verses. Brahmājī also described the highest planet of the Vaikuṇṭhaloka as Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the Lord resides as a cowherd boy keeping transcendental surabhi cows and surrounded by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune.
SB Canto 3
Men and women whose lives were built upon indulgence in illicit sex life are put into many kinds of miserable conditions in the hells known as Tāmisra, Andha-tāmisra and Raurava.
Materialistic life is based on sex life. The existence of all the materialistic people, who are undergoing severe tribulation in the struggle for existence, is based on sex. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization sex life is allowed only in a restricted way; it is for the married couple and only for begetting children. But when sex life is indulged in for sense gratification illegally and illicitly, both the man and the woman await severe punishment in this world or after death. In this world also they are punished by virulent diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea, and in the next life, as we see in this passage of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are put into different kinds of hellish conditions to suffer. In Bhagavad-gītā, First Chapter, illicit sex life is also very much condemned, and it is said that one who produces children by illicit sex life is sent to hell. It is confirmed here in the Bhāgavatam that such offenders are put into hellish conditions of life in Tāmisra, Andha-tāmisra and Raurava.
SB Canto 4
Thus whoever takes birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa attains all the facilities of life. He may take advantage of all these facilities for both material and spiritual advancement and thus make his life successful. After attaining the goal of life, one may distribute his knowledge and experience all over the world for humanitarian purposes. In other words, one who takes birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa by virtue of his past pious activities gets full facility to develop the human form of life. In India, the climatic condition is such that one can live very peacefully without being disturbed by material conditions. Indeed, during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Lord Rāmacandra, people were free from all anxieties. There was not even extreme cold or extreme heat. The three kinds of miserable conditions-adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)—were all absent during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra or Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. But at present, compared to other countries on earth, India is artificially disturbed. Despite these material disturbances, however, the country's culture is such that one can easily attain the goal of life—namely salvation, or liberation from material bondage. Thus in order to take birth in India one must have performed many pious activities in a past life.
The five-hooded serpent, the superintendent and protector of the city of King Purañjana, fought with the Gandharvas for one hundred years. He fought alone, with all of them, although they numbered 720.
The 360 days and 360 nights combine to become the 720 soldiers of Caṇḍavega (time). One has to fight these soldiers throughout one's lifespan, beginning with birth and ending with death. This fight is called the struggle for existence. Despite this struggle, however, the living entity does not die. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.20), the living entity is eternal:
- na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
- nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
- ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo
- na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
"For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." Actually the living entity does not take birth nor does he die, but he has to fight with the stringent laws of material nature throughout the entire span of his lifetime. He must also face different kinds of miserable conditions. Despite all this, the living entity, due to illusion, thinks that he is well situated in sense gratification.
The living entities are trying to counteract different miserable conditions pertaining to providence, other living entities or the body and mind. Still, they must remain conditioned by the laws of nature, despite all attempts to counter these laws.
Just as a dog wanders here and there for a piece of bread or punishment, the living entity perpetually wanders about trying to be happy and planning in so many ways to counteract material misery. This is called the struggle for existence. We can actually see in our daily lives how we are forced to make plans to drive away miserable conditions. To get rid of one miserable condition, we have to put ourselves in another kind of miserable condition. A poor man suffers for want of money, but if he wants to become rich, he has to struggle in so many ways. Actually that is not a valid counteracting process but a snare of the illusory energy. If one does not endeavor to counteract his situation but is satisfied with his position, knowing that he has obtained his position through past activities, he can instead engage his energy to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is recommended in all Vedic literature.
When the Lord appears in His original form, He acts to deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants (BG 4.8). Although He annihilates the demons, He nonetheless benefits them. It is said that all the living entities who died on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original constitutional position (svarūpa) because they had the chance to see Kṛṣṇa face to face riding in the chariot of Arjuna. On the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, superficially two things were going on—the demons were being killed, and the devotee, Arjuna, was being protected. However, the results were the same for everyone. Thus it is said that the appearance of the Lord diminishes all kinds of miserable conditions caused by material existence.
It is clearly stated in this verse that this form (aśeṣa-kleśa-saṅkṣayam) is meant to diminish all the miserable conditions experienced in life not only by the devotees but by all others. Āviṣkṛtaṁ naḥ kliṣṭānām. The Pracetās identified themselves as common men. Kim anyad anukampitam. The devotees are always favorably accepted by the Lord. The Lord shows all mercy not only to conditioned souls but also to the devotees, who are already liberated due to their devotional service.
The form of the Lord as worshiped in the temples is called arca-vigraha or arcāvatāra, the worshipable form, the Deity incarnation. This facility is offered to neophyte devotees so that they can see the real form of the Lord face to face and offer their respectful obeisances and sacrifices in the form of arcā. Through such facilities the neophytes gradually invoke their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Deity worship in the form of temple worship is the most valuable benediction given by the Lord to beginners. All neophytes must therefore engage in the worship of the Lord by keeping the arcā-vigraha (arcāvatāra) at home or in the temple.
SB Canto 7
Materialistic activities are always mixed with three kinds of miserable conditions—adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibautika. Therefore, even if one achieves some success by performing such activities, what is the benefit of this success? One is still subjected to birth, death, old age, disease and the reactions of his fruitive activities.
According to the materialistic way of life, if a poor man, after laboring very, very hard, gets some material profit at the end of his life, he is considered a success, even though he again dies while suffering the threefold miseries—adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika. No one can escape the threefold miseries of materialistic life, namely miseries pertaining to the body and mind, miseries pertaining to the difficulties imposed by society, community, nation and other living entities, and miseries inflicted upon us by natural disturbances from earthquakes, famines, droughts, floods, epidemics, and so on. If one works very hard, suffering the threefold miseries, and then is successful in getting some small benefit, what is the value of this benefit? Besides that, even if a karmī is successful in accumulating some material wealth, he still cannot enjoy it, for he must die in bereavement. I have even seen a dying man begging a medical attendant to increase his life by four years so that he could complete his material plans.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
“My dear Lord, everyone within this material world is conditioned by Your illusory energy. Under the impression of false identification and false possession, everyone is transmigrating from one body to another on the path of fruitive activities and their reactions. My dear Lord, I am no exception among these conditioned souls. I am falsely thinking myself happy in possessing my home, wife, children, estate, property and friends. In this way I am acting as if in a dreamland, because none of these are permanent. I am a fool to be always absorbed in thoughts of such things, accepting them as permanent truths. My dear Lord, due to my false identification, I have accepted as permanent everything which is nonpermanent, such as this material body, which is not spiritual and is the source of all kinds of miserable conditions. Being bewildered by such concepts of life, I am always absorbed in thoughts of duality, and I have forgotten You, who are the reservoir of all transcendental pleasure. I am bereft of Your transcendental association, being just like a foolish creature who leaves a water spot covered by water-nourished vegetation and goes in search of water in the desert. The conditioned souls want to quench their thirst, but they do not know where to find water."
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family. So his business was killing. Not that kind of dictatorship wanted. Dictatorship wanted that by his direction the citizens will be so happy that even they will not have any anxiety. Adhayo vyadhayaḥ (?).
We have read the other day in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are three kinds of miserable conditions of life, bhūtātma-hetav aḥ. The cause... They are caused by three principles: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavaḥ. These are all described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Daiva means controlled by the higher demigods. Just like famine or earthquake. This is not under your control. At any time the earthquake, there may be. There may be famine. There may be pestilence. There may be natural disturbance, flood. This is called daiva, controlled by higher demigods. Just like Indra wanted to overflood Vṛndāvana being angry upon the residents of the... Kṛṣṇa saved, Giridhārī. He became Giridhārī. So these disturbances are there. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika. But the king or the dictator should be so perfect and he will guide the citizens in such a way that they will not feel all these disturbances. That kind of dictatorship wanted.
The next point is that Arjuna wanted to see with whom he had to fight. He had no desire to fight. That will be explained. He was fighting unwillingly. Unwillingly. Because he is a Vaiṣṇava, unnecessarily he does not want to kill, although he is kṣatriya. It is his duty. Whenever there is discrepancy, killing, as representative of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa has got two business. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He has got two businesses. One business is to give protection to the devotees, sādhu, sādhu. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhu does not mean simply by changing dress, saffron color, and smoking beedies. That is not sādhu. Sādhu means devotee.
One who is devotee... That is explained in many śāstras. Sadhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇām. Sādhu-bhūṣaṇām.
- titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
- suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām
- ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
- sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
- (SB 3.25.21)
This is the qualification of sādhu. Sādhu is titikṣava, tolerates all kinds of miserable conditions. He is sādhu. Because this is a place of miserable condition. A sādhu learns how to tolerate. Sādhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). A sādhu, who has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison.
The human form of life is distinct from the cats and dogs because if you instruct to the cats and dogs what is sat and what is asat, it is impossible for them to understand. It is not possible. Therefore Vedic instruction is asato mā: "Don't remain cats and dogs in the human form only. You come to the platform of eternity." Asato mā sad gama. So we must try what is eternal. So far in the present condition, as this material condition, we do not know what is actually eternal because our body is not eternal. Therefore the first instruction is that "You are lamenting on the body which is not eternal, but you are eternal. Your business is to understand the eternal." That is called sat. And cit. Cit means knowledge. At the present moment we are all in ignorance. We do not know what is the next step, "Whether I am going to live or to die." Everything in ignorance. Therefore this body is also not cit. It is full of ignorance. Then sat, cit and ānanda, that we have got experience... Where is ānanda? Ānanda means blissfulness, joyfulness. There cannot be any joyfulness in this body. There are three kinds of miserable condition of material life: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. So either these three or one or two is always there. Adhyātmika means miserable condition on account of the body and mind. So wherever we go, the body is there.
You mix acid and soda, alkaline and acid. There will be some reaction, effervescence, movement. Similarly, the Buddhist philosophy mostly, they do not believe in the existence of the soul. The Buddhist philosopher thinks that the combination of matter makes a living symptom. Their ultimate goal is nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means stop this combination. Due to this combination, we feel pains and pleasure. Therefore, if we disintegrate the combination, there will be no more pains and pleasure. Materialistic. Their solution, pains and pleasure, any philosophy or any religious system, ultimately aims at ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. Duḥkha means pain, and nivṛtti, nivṛtti means stop. Why people go to the church? Because they feel some pain, they go to church or temple to appeal, "If there is somebody as God..." They think like that. "Let me appeal to the Supreme Person so that my distress may be mitigated." So aim is ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. We are also cultivating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our aim is also the same. Duḥkha-nivṛtti. Kṛṣṇa says janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). We keep always in view that in this material existence there are four kinds of miserable condition, primarily. To stop this. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Everyone's aim is duḥkha-nivṛtti. It may be presented in a different way. So the Buddha philosophy is also duḥkha-nivṛtti, stop pains.
Lord Caitanya immediately enunciates the constitutional position of the living entity. Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Him that, "Who am I? Why I am always in miserable condition, three kinds of miserable condition?" So in answer to this question, "Who am I?" or "Who are all these living entities?" Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately answered that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The real identity of the living entity is that he is eternally servant of God. We should not understand this word servant in the meaning of materialistic servant. To become servant of God is a great position. That is not ordinary position. Just like people try to get some government servitorship. Government service. That is also servant, to become servant. Why? Or people try to get some service in some established firm, well-reputed business firm. Why? That service is comfortable, there is great profit in such kind of service. So if people are satisfied by getting a government service or service in some good establishment, then just think over if you become servant of God then what is your position? Because God is the government of all government. So to become servant of God... We are servant of God constitutionally. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).
So Bhagavad-gītā is the perfect knowledge. We are now materially contaminated. So you can say, "What is the wrong? If you are materially contaminated, what is the wrong?" That is our lack of knowledge. We cannot understand what is the wrong. The wrong thing we take as pleasing. This is the disease. First of all we must know whether we are happy in this material world. But we have no intelligence. Mūḍha. We have been described as mūḍha.
Just like there are three kinds of miserable condition always. This boy is fanning me. Why? There is little miserable condition here. We are feeling too hot. So again, if you go outside, you may feel too cold. So either inside or outside, you are in miserable condition. This is called adhyātmika.
Then adhibhautika. Just like we tried to stop the child disturbing. So the child is another living entity, I am another living entity, but she is causing some disturbance. Not the child, there are other living entities. In your country, of course, it is very less. In our India it is very prominent—mosquitoes, flies, bugs. They give trouble. Or some enemy or some other animal attacks you. This is called adhibhautika.
Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, then adhidaivika. Adhidaivika means all of a sudden there is earthquake or famine or too much rain or no rain. Daivika means it is... We have no control over it. So there are so many. These are the big heading of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And there are many, many other categories.
Just like when you are diseased, your siddhi, perfection means how to cure the disease, how to become healthy. That is your problem. Not that simply curing the disease, simply eating the medicine. No. The object is how to become in healthy condition. So our healthy condition is no more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. That is healthy condition. So who is trying for that? Nobody is seriously educated on this point, and because one is not educated, he does not know that there is possibility, such possibility, that no more death, no more birth, no more disease. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many, many millions of persons." Just like our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to teach this perfection of life—how to become free from these four kinds of miserable conditions: birth, death, old age and disease. But how many are joining with us? Some of them are thinking these are fictitious. No, it is fact. It is scientific. It is scientific. But people have no interest in these things. They are simply interested in sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
You have accepted this material body voluntarily for enjoying this material world. You enjoy it to the fullest extent under the condition of stringent laws of material nature. Now, in the human form of life, civilized human form of life, your consciousness is now developed. There is a chance to understand why you are conditioned. You don't want condition; you want liberation. This question arises in the human form of life, not in the cat's life, dog's life. No. So we should remember this is the difference between other bodies and this body. Here, we become awakened that "Why I am conditioned?" Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He was minister, great man, very opulent. So the first question was put before Lord Caitanya, 'ke āmi,' 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.' "My dear master, I have come to You to ask the first question, that 'What I am? Why I am conditioned to suffer three kinds of miserable condition of life always?' " Why you are using this fan? Because I am conditioned. I cannot bear too much heat or too much cold. As soon as I go out in the park, I was covering. So these questions should arise, that "Why I am conditioned? Sometimes I am covering, sometimes I want fan."
It is said, vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam. There is vastu. Vastu means summum bonum, original, and the vāstava. Just like Kṛṣṇa and His different energies. The different energies are called vāstava, "in relationship with vastu," and Kṛṣṇa is vastu. So here it is said that vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu. Vāstava, you can understand Kṛṣṇa in all His features. And if you understand, then śivadam, it is auspicious. Tāpa-trayonmūlanam. As soon as you understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because it is auspicious, then all the tāpa-traya, three kinds of miserable condition of material existence pertaining to the body, mind, pertaining to the infliction offered by others, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, or adhyātmika... So these are, three kinds of tribulations are always going on. So when we understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the vastu, the substance, and the categories, then immediately it becomes auspicious and we become free from these threefold miseries of material life.
On account of this material body, we have got three-fold miseries within this material world. One is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means miserable condition due to this material body and the mind. The... another miserable condition is adhibhautika: miserable condition offered by other living entities. And the third miserable condition is which is offered by the nature, just like earthquake, famine, pestilence and so many other things on which we have no control. We have no control in any kind of miserable condition, especially the miserable condition offered by nature. We cannot avoid it. So therefore here it is said that if you take up this religious system—means how to love God—then you will be transcendental to all this miserable condition of material existence. And these information, these practices, are given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which is compiled by, not by any ordinary person, but śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte, the greatest sage, Vyāsadeva. He has given us. In ordinary literatures they are full of mistakes and cheating and illusion and imperfectness.
That is called tri division. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Or there is no cough, or there is no trouble, but you receive on very unsatisfactory letter from a friend; you become very sorry. This is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the mind, pertaining to the body. Adhyātmika. Adhibhautika: troubles offered by other living entities; and adhidaivika, trouble offered by the higher authorities. Just like excessive heat. You cannot control. Excessive cold.
So in this material world we have to work very hard under these three kinds of miserable conditions of life, and we are actually doing that. Still, we are thinking that we are happy. And after all, after doing this, we have to change this body. That means death. We cannot avoid it. But still, we are thinking that we are happy, and we have no sense to try to understand actually what is the standard of happiness, where that happiness can be had, if it is possible. These things are understood and answered by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All-round. It is not one-sided, that we are thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa means thinking of everything, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. Without Kṛṣṇa, there is no other thing.
In this material nature, or material world, we have got three kinds of sufferings, tri-tāpa-yantana. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired, "Why these three kinds of miseries inflict pains upon me?" Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya. Tāpa means painful condition, tāpa. Just like if you touch fire, it creates a painful condition by burning the part, similarly, this world is also a blazing fire, saṁsāra-dāvānala. The rascals, they do not know. They are always out of the three kinds of miserable condition. Everyone is in some way or other under these conditions. These conditions means it is... These kleśāḥ, painful conditions, they are created by three causes. What are those causes? Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavaḥ. Daiva means created by the demigods. Daiva. Devatā. Just like this rain department, water department, is under the control of Indra. So Indra can supply water just to your requirement, or sometimes he does not supply, or sometimes he supplies over, over requirement. Ativṛṣṭi, anāvṛṣṭi. Anāvṛṣṭi means no rain, and ativṛṣṭi means excessive. So we don't want excessive or less. We want just proper. So this is under the control of the devatā. You cannot say... You may be very great scientist. You cannot say that "It is under my control." When there is no rainfall, you cannot say, "All right, we are scientists. We are creating rain." You can theoretically say, "Now we are making progress. In future."
So this case was. Then the doctor was condemned to death. So Mr. Armstrong was appointed his lawyer. So he was solacing, "Don't worry, I shall get you released by appeal." So our so-called scientists, they also say like that: "In future we shall do this. In future. Now you go to hell. That's all." But in future they cannot do anything. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Nature's law is so strong. The so-called childish scientists, they cannot give any relief. That is not possible. That is not possible. It is simply false promise. And those who are fools and rascals, they believe that in future... Future, but what they have done in the past? They cannot do anything.
Therefore it is said, there are three kinds of miserable conditions: daiva, bhūta, ātmā. Daiva means adhidaivika, and bhūta means adhibhautika, and ātmā means adhyātmika. Three kinds of miseries. Adhyātmika, pertaining to your body and mind. Body, we have got, we have got experience, so many bodily troubles, anxieties. If not body, mental. These are called adhyātmika. Then adhibhautika. I am peaceful, but another neighbor, or another animal, will give me some trouble. I am peacefully sitting here, but these flies are giving me trouble unnecessarily. I have to take precaution. So there are flies, mosquitoes, at night so many other animals, they come. Besides that, my brother, my friend, they are also prepared to give me trouble. Some way or other, other living entities causing some painful condition. This is called adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. Daivika, painful condition created by the demigods. Just like there is hurricane all of a sudden. So many trees falls down, sometimes cottages devastated, overflood, excessive rain, overflood, famine, pestilence. You have no control. You cannot control. You can simply say, "In future." That's all. But there is no control.
As Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, similarly, Bhagavad-gītā can be appreciated in every country, every season, every circumstances. That is deśa-kālārtha-yuktāni. Then hṛt-tāpa upaśamāni ca. Hṛt-tāpa. There is a hṛt-tāpa. Hṛt means heart, and tāpa means... Real meaning is temperature, or temperature rooted. Just like agni-tāpa. Agni. Agni means fire, and tāpa, it has got temperature. So to a certain degree you can tolerate. But when the degree... Just like in India we have got temperature in summer season 120 degrees. Here, just like in your country, the temperature is less. In other country... The temperature in, I mean, the Middle East, the temperature is 135 degrees, Arabian countries.
So there are three tāpas, three kinds of miserable condition, this material world. That also can be taken, tāpa. Tāpa means suffering, excessive heat and cold. That is called tāpa. So hṛt-tāpopaśamāni ca. The teachings of Bhagavad-gītā... We are suffering always within the heart. As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, that viṣaya viṣānale, divā-niśi hiyā jvale. Viṣaya. Viṣaya means this material enjoyment. So it is just like poison. The more we are entangled in material enjoyment... There is no enjoyment. It is suffering. But we are taking suffering as enjoyment. Just like in this winter season, we cover ourself very nicely with gloves, with overcoat. It is simply counteracting the suffering.
Prabhupāda: These five kinds of... Is it explained there? Five kinds of?
Śyāmasundara: Five kinds of material miseries?
Pradyumna: "The material body is overcast with five kinds of miserable conditions, namely ignorance, material conception, attachment, hatred, and absorption. As long as one is overwhelmed with these five kinds of material miseries, there is no question of entering into the Vaikuṇṭhalokas."
Prabhupāda: Another five kinds of misery is pavarga. Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma.
Pradyumna: Oh, yes. Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma.
Prabhupāda: Pavarga. And to counteract is called apavarga. Apavarga-vartmani. Pavarga, pa means hard labor. If you want to exist here you have to work very, very hard. Just like this man. With hard labor collected some money, constructed this house. Now there is no tenant. Another hard labor to find out tenant. Is it not hard labor?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: In such a modern city, this apartments are lying vacant. That means he is... He has invited us to stay here to get some blessing so that tenants may come. (laughter) Āśīrvāda. He was āśīrvāda. If by the āśīrvāda he can get some tenants... All these men, they simply want āśīrvāda. They don't want Kṛṣṇa. They want āśīrvāda so that their nefarious activities may continue peacefully.
This knowledge begins, inquisitiveness, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was minister, very big minister of Bengal, Nawab Hussein Shah's government. He left everything. He resigned from the post and became follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So when he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī, at that time, he placed this question that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. This is the inquisitiveness, knowledge. Tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. We are suffering always. Ātmā means body and mind—even soul. But soul is aloof from body and mind, but he is absorbed. On account of material contamination, the soul feels the pains and pleasure of mind and body on account of contact. So this is called adhyātmika. And adhibhautika, pains given by other living entities. Even if you sit down silently, without any, mean, cares, still, the mosquito will come and bite you. Or the bugs will come and bite you at night. And there are other, dogs and cats and envious persons, serpents. So many enemies.
So śāstra says... It is the statement of Ṛṣabhadeva. He says, na sādhu manye: "No, no. It is not good." Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam. Ātmanaḥ, the soul. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). The ātmā is covered by this material body, although it is temporary. Sometimes it is for ten years or sometimes twenty years, sometimes hundred years, sometimes millions of years, but it is limited. Either you get the body of Lord Brahmā or the body of the poor ant, they are all temporary. It will be finished. So although it is finishable...
- nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
- yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
- na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
- asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
- (SB 5.5.4)
Asann api. Asann means "will not"; it is temporary. But so long you have got this body, kleśada, it is painful always, miserable. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—some kinds of miserable condition must be going on.
So this is our position. Therefore ātma-darśana, one must know what he is. He is spiritual being. Spiritual being, he has nothing to do with this material world, but somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. It is just like ocean. So just like if you fall down from the boat or the ship, then it is struggle for existence. You may be very nice swimmer, but that does not mean in the water you will be comfortable. That is not possible. Similarly, we living entities, part and parcel of God, we are as pure as God. Kṛṣṇa, God, is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. So similarly... Pavitra means without material contamination. That is pavitra.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is reminding the whole human society that "Don't lose this chance of getting a human body." You must properly utilize it. And how it is to be utilized? That is stated here by Ṛṣabhadeva: tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvam śuddhyet (SB 5.5.1). Sattvam, our existence, is now polluted. Therefore we are getting this material body and changing this material body. And as soon as we get a material body, then our miserable condition begins. In this material body nobody can say that there is no miserable condition. It is full of miserable condition. There are three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means pertaining to the body and pertaining to the mind. There are so many miseries. Otherwise... The other day Swami Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa was telling that in this country there is maximum number of suicide. Is it not? So, why one commits suicide unless he feels bodily position very uncomfortable, mental condition very disturbing? So this is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the body and mind. There are many troubles. Every one of us, we have got that experience, that there are troubles.
So simply material opulence, material wealth will not satisfy us. We require bodily comforts. And if I have got millions of dollars and if I am diseased man, I cannot enjoy; I cannot be in happiness. So these are one type of miserable condition. Similarly, there are other types of miserable condition as adhibhautika. I do not wish to create any misunderstanding with a friend, but automatically there is some misunderstanding between friends, neighbors, nation, man to man, business friend. There are troubles. So this is called... And not only... If not human being, human being, but other, lower animals. Just like there are insects, there are cockroaches, there are so many other living bodies—they are giving us trouble. That is called adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. Adhidaivika is nature's disturbance.
So there are three kinds of miserable condition in this material world, and either of them or all of them, they are always troubling us. This is our position. We have to understand that. We are suffering. That everyone knows. But by illusion we think that "This is not suffering. This is natural." No. It is not natural. Just like if you have got fever, it is disease. Don't think that it is natural. Why you should be suffering from all these troubles? That is not natural; that is unnatural.
Therefore it is said, sarvatra jantor vyasanāvagatyā. Sarvatra, everywhere, there are living entities and there are sufferings. Not only living entities. As there are sufferings here, three kinds of miserable conditions, even that will continue. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). That is statement of Kṛṣṇa. Even you go to the Brahmaloka. Not that Brahmaloka is better. Why there are so many, ananta-koṭi, planets? Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi: (Bs. 5.40) not only one universe but many millions and trillions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Koṭiṣu. In each and every brahmāṇḍa, ananta-vasudhā. Vasudhā means the living places. Vibhinna, ananta yad... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Bhinnam, the climatic, atmospheric position is different. Not that it is vacant. Bhinnam. Vasudhādi-bhinnam. Just as moon planet, that atmosphere is different. Otherwise how it is possible that the moon planet, it is so nice, soothing rays is coming? And why not from the sun? The sun is differently constructed, different rays. It is God's arrangement.
If you want to go to the higher planetary system where the demigods live, you can go there. Therefore the karmīs, by performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, they want elevation to the higher planetary system where the life, prolongation of life is very, very big. As we have got day and night, in the higher planetary system the waxing and waning moon, then when the moon is present there and the sky is in light, that is the day of the higher planetary system. And when the moon is dark, that is the night. That means our fifteen days, in the higher planetary system—twelve hours. Just imagine their year. And such ten thousands of years you can live if you can go to the moon planet. The day and night, fifteen days, your fifteen days, is equal to their one day. No, twelve hours. That means your one month is their one day. Now calculate one day, then thirty days, one month. Then twelve months equal to one year. Such ten thousands of years. Just imagine. You can go there and live like that, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), if you like. But that is not eternal life. After that long period, you have to die. So Kṛṣṇa says janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You are trying to avoid all kinds of miserable condition, but your real miserable condition is your birth, death, old age, and disease. Try to avoid it. That is perfection. That is spiritual life.
So there are many things. If you kindly take advantage of our offering... We are presenting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very genuinely and authorizedly. The center is open now. Now it is up to you to take advantage of it and be benefited.
So last night in our meeting, we were... Not last night; day before last night. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, King Parīkṣit, is very much, I mean to say, compassionate by hearing different kinds of miserable conditions in different hellish situation. He is asking Śukadeva Gosvāmī whether there is any possibility of delivering them. Vaiṣṇava, a devotee of the Lord, is always anxious to reclaim the fallen souls, who, out of ignorance, they are suffering. We must know always that by ignorance only we suffer. Just like we have got practical experience: by ignorance if I take something which is not suitable for my constitution, I become ill, sick. So that sickness is due to my ignorance. I have seen in Calcutta one neighbor, he died out of ignorance. He took too much pakori one day, and they were fried in oil, and the next day he was attacked by cholera and died. So similarly, whatever suffering we are undergoing, that is due to our ignorance.
Actually, we are not meant for suffering. If we are sons of God, who is full with all opulence, why should we suffer? Does a rich man's son suffer anytime? If he suffers, it is due to his ignorance. Similarly, we are suffering, but our ignorance is so strong that we are suffering, but at the same time we are thinking that we are happy. This is the influence of ignorance.
So vikarma. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Now, why they are doing? Because they are mad, pramattaḥ. What for mad? Yad indriya-prītaya: "Simply for sense gratification." There is no other profit. A temporary sense gratification. They are acting so sinfully. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye: "This is not good." Why? Yata ātmano 'yam: "Because you have got already this material body, this temporary body." So "That's all right. I have got this temporary body. It will be finished." No. Asann api kleśada: "Although it is temporary, so long you will possess this material body, you will have to suffer so many suffering, threefold miseries." So they don't care for it because illiterate. Not illiterate—ignorant. Literary knowledge is not sufficient. There must be real knowledge. The real knowledge you will get from the Vedas. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Real knowledge you will get from guru, from Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). That is real knowledge. Otherwise, anything has got some knowledge, that knowledge is not sufficient.
So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of knowledge. It is specially compiled by Vyāsadeva to help the foolish human society and save him from all kinds of miserable condition of life.
So this wrong thing is going on. So here the example is given that if you live in regulative principle, then you will not suffer from this disease. This disease means this material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We take one kind of..., we accept one kind of body and struggle for existence, suffer so much, again we get another body, and new chapter of suffering begins. This knowledge is lacking in modern education. And they are very much proud of becoming advanced in knowledge. What is the advancement of knowledge? You have to cure your disease. The whole Vedic civilization is how to cure this disease of repetition of birth and death. That they do not know. All tapasya, all austerities, penances... This will be explained next verse. Why needed? Now, just to cure this disease, repetition of birth and death. They have no knowledge.
So it is recommended that adhayo vyādhayaḥ. There are three kinds of miserable condition—everyone, not for a particular person—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And as soon as you get this material body, you will have to suffer. So if you want to stop this suffering, then you must live regulative life.
Therefore this association is required, how to understand Kṛṣṇa, although it is very difficult. But the difficulty is removed by the association of devotees, by the association of Kṛṣṇa. So this opening of different centers in different parts of the world means we are trying to give association of Kṛṣṇa to everyone. There is no discrimination. Just like in the Western countries we are trying to give Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the last four or five years, and people are taking it. We have got now sixty centers, and they're accepting the principles, they're becoming devotees of Kṛṣṇa sincerely. So it is not very difficult task, provided one is sincere and serious. Then as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then what happens to you? Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Anyone who simply understands Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that after quitting this body you won't have to come back again in this material world and accept a body for different kinds of miserable conditions. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) "He doesn't take birth again here." Then where does he go? Mām eti, "He comes to Me."
So we cannot violate the laws of God, or dharma. Then we'll be punished. The punishment is there, awaiting, by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The laws of nature is to punish you. So long you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, the laws of nature will go on punishing you—three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is the law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). You are thinking independent, but that is not the fact. We are dependent, completely dependent on the laws of nature. And laws of nature means laws of God. What is prakṛti? Prakṛti is acting under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like a police constable is working under the direction of magistrate or superior office, similarly, prakṛti is giving us various types of miserable condition of life directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ suyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Kṛṣṇa says, "Under My superintendence the laws of nature is working." And what is the laws of nature? That in the human form of life, if you do not endeavor to understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, what is your duty—these things, if you do not learn, then you are punishable immediately.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says that na sādhu manye. He was instructing His sons, "My dear boys, this kind of life, irresponsible life, to do anything and everything for sense gratification, is not very good." Why? "Now, because you are creating another body." You have already got experience of this body. It is full of miseries, adhyātmikā, adhi (?), adhibhautika, three kinds of miserable condition of life. Beyond that, there is ultimate miseries. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). But they are so rascals, they do not know how death taking place, what is after death, what is mṛtyu, what is death, what is birth, what is disease, whether they can be cured, when one can be free from all these troubles. They do not bother. Therefore in this age it is said that,
- prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ (sabhya)
- kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
- mandāḥ sumanda-matayo
- manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ
- (SB 1.1.10)
Especially in this age the people are manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. We have got so much assets to know from the Vedic literature, but they are so unfortunate, they do not take advantage. They do not take advantage. Manda, manda. Manda, slow, and manda-bhāgyā. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. They'll read so many bogus literature to waste their time, but they'll not take to the Vedic literature, even the simple book, Bhagavad-gītā, wherein everything is very nicely described, how we should lead our life, how we should utilize the benefit of human life. Everything is described there, but they are manda. They will take interpretation of a rascal of Bhagavad-gītā.
So this is the proposition to the spiritual master, that one must submit that "Actually, I do not know what I am. Am I this body or something else?" I am not this body, that I can understand, because I say, when somebody asks... Even a child, you ask, "My dear child, what is this?" he will say, "It is my finger." He'll never say, "I finger," what to speak of others. If every one of us, we say, "This is my hair, this is my nose," then where is "I"? He doesn't inquire "Where is I?" Then there will be analysis of the body, where is that "I"? Everyone knows "my," but who knows "I"? That is education. That is being submitted by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. So tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. Ādhyātmika means pertaining to the body and mind. Sometimes we are feeling some ailments in the body-mind is not in good order. This is called ādhyātmika. And ādhibhautika. Ādhibhautika means miseries inflicted by other living entities. Just like there are mosquitos, there are flies, there are birds, there are other animals, or other enemies in the human society: my friend has become enemy, so he's trying to give me some displeasure.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu answered that Sanātana Gosvāmī... But he is actually very learned. If he is not learned, then how he can give up his post as the minister, finance minister? He is actually learned because he was inquisitive that "I must know the goal of my life, I must make my life successful, and therefore I must go to Caitanya Mahāprabhu." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appreciated his approach, that "You have come to Me for better enlightenment. That means you are not ordinary person. You are not ordinary conditioned soul. Who can sacrifice such big post and the honor and come to a sannyāsī and submit to Me?" Therefore He says, prabhu kahe—kṛṣṇa-kṛpā pūrṇa haya: "God's mercy is fully there in You." Saba tattva jāna: "You have understood all the truths of life." Saba tattva jāna tomāra nāhi tāpa-traya. And he was inquiring that "Why I am forced to accept all kinds of miserable condition of life?" But, "For You there is no such thing."
Tāpa-traya. This is very important thing. One who is advanced in spiritual consciousness, for him there is no material trouble. There is no material trouble. Ahaituky apratihatā. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are so many troubles and miserable condition of life.
Ke āmi: "Who am I?" Now, suppose I am sitting here, you are all sitting here. Some fly comes and disturbs. We have got daily experience. And he'll disturb. I want to get him out, and he comes again, stops on his mouth and creates some disturbance. A fly, a small fly, not a very big man. So, but after all, this is disturbance. I don't like it, but the fly will come and disturb me. So there is no question that "Why this fly is coming and giving me disturbance? I do not want it." This is sane man's inquiry. But there is no inquiry. I do not want... There are three kinds, jāre tāpa-traya, three kinds of miserable condition. One is called ādhyātmika, another is called ādhidaivika, another is called ādhibhautika. Ādhyātmika means pertaining to the body and mind. All of a sudden my mind is not in order. Suppose a friend has come to talk with me, so I refuse to talk, I am not in mood. We have got this experience. "I cannot talk with you, mind is not in order." This is happening daily, every moment. This is called ādhyātmika. I did not want it, but it has come. All of a sudden I am feeling some headache. I did not want it, but it came. This is our practical experience.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī's first question was, ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya āpani kaha prabhu kisera hita haya. Tāpa-traya, we have explained several times that there are three kinds of miserable conditions: pertaining to the body; pertaining to the mind; on account of harassment by other living entities and by natural disturbances. There are three kinds of miserable conditions within this material world. But when one takes shelter of spiritual master and seriously engages himself in devotional service, he has no more any miserable condition. The miserable condition means... It is a question of understanding. The beginning of spiritual life is to understand that "I am not this body." That is the beginning. So if I am properly trained up to understand that "I am not this body," then where is my tāpa-traya, miserable condition? Because miserable condition is due to this body. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). We feel sometimes cold, sometimes warm. What is the reason? The reason is on account of the body. Mātrā-sparśās. The water is the same, but according to the seasonal changes the water is sometimes very pleasing and sometimes it is not pleasing.
Festival Lectures
This human form of life is a chance for God realization. Without God realization, our life is frustrated. We being part and parcel of God, it is our duty to understand our relationship with God and act accordingly, and then our ultimate goal of life is achieved. The ultimate goal of life is to attain eternal life, full of knowledge and bliss, sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Sat means eternal, ānanda means bliss and cit means knowledge. This body is just the opposite. It is not sat. This body is temporary. It is not eternal. This body is full of ignorance. There is practically no knowledge. We do not know, after closing our eyes, we do not know what is happening before our eyes. So our knowledge is always imperfect. And this life is also miserable. It is not at all blissful. Every step, there are three kinds of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, adhibautika, adhidaivika. Ādhyātmika means miseries pertaining to the body and the mind. Adhibautika means miserable condition offered by other living entities. And adhidaivika, natural disturbances. So either of these three, or at least one or two, there must be always present. This is the material condition of life. But as spirit soul, we are sac-cid-ānanda vigraha, part and parcel of sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge and bliss, and ānanda means blissfulness.
General Lectures
So if you keep yourself clean, there will be no more disturbances. The incense will keep off all insects. You make fresh food, there will be no germs. You take warm, immediately prepared, that is germicide foodstuff. But if you keep for months together in the refrigerator, that will contaminate with germ, disease. Therefore the brahminical culture means cleanliness is next to godliness. You have to keep your body clean, you have to keep your apartment clean, everything clean, and there will be no more disturbance. Bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ. The Vedic literature says that you should keep yourself externally and internally cleansed. Externally, you can keep yourself clean by soap, water, and change of dress, washed dress, externally. And internally, by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then there will be no more disturbance.
- apavitraḥ pavitro vā
- sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā
- yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
- sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ
Śuciḥ means cleansed. Therefore we prescribe so many things just to keep you cleansed—cleansed within, cleansed outside. Then there is no affection of māyā. Otherwise, you will be harassed by three kinds of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika... I have seen many persons in India, within two or three days, by perspiration, within their coat, they germinate so many germs. Do not take bath, unclean. You see? So cleanliness is the protection from infection. And water is very disinfectant, natural disinfectant. This is the medical opinion, water. Therefore God has supplied unlimited quantity of water. You can spend it as much as you like.
So one who is above the activities of the mind, manaso parā buddhi, one who has learned how to use his intelligence, that art is called buddhi-yogam. Yoga on the platform of intelligence. First of all in the beginning, our platform is sensuous. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur (BG 3.42). Material life means sensuous life. But those who are little above, they are on the mental platform—poetry, philosophy, mental speculation. Above this there is intelligence. That intellectual life required. That means we have to transcend the position of the sensuous life, we have to transcend the position of concocted mental speculation, we have to come to the intellectual platform. That intellectual platform is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Lord Caitanya, he very intellectually asked Lord Caitanya, 'ke āmi' kene more jāpe tāpa-traya: "Who am I? Why I am suffering these three kinds of material miserable condition of life?" This is intellectual platform. This is intellectual path. And when we exercise this intellectual path of our life, that is called buddhi-yogam. Buddhi-yogam. Therefore, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. The most intellectual person can become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not ordinary man.
The first question was, "What I am? Why I am placed in this miserable condition of life in the material world, suffering three kinds of miserable conditions?" Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita. He was prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, he was great learned scholar, and in Sanskrit, in Arabic language, a very respectful personality. But he is placing his difficulty to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Ordinarily these people, they speak of me that I am very learned man. But actually I do not know what I am." That is our position. We are advancing in material civilization, in science, philosophy, and so many so-called religious principles. But actually we do not know what we are, what I am. Any scientist, ask him, "What is after death? What happens after death?" I think hardly any scientist will give you clear idea. That is not possible, because their basic principle of understanding education is wrong, dehātma-buddhiḥ, I am this body. Everyone is fighting. The Pakistani is fighting with Hindustani. Twenty years ago, there was no Pakistani. But due to this false identification of body, a section has become Pakistani. Similarly, long, long ago there was only Vedic culture. Five thousand years ago there was no other culture except this Vedic culture, Aryan culture.
Instead of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa we prefer to surrender to some rascal or fool. That is māyā. We have to surrender. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real identification is eternal servant of God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is our real identification. But unfortunately, artificially we are trying to lord it over Kṛṣṇa or over the material nature. This is struggle. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This struggle you cannot overcome. Kṛṣṇa says duratyayā. It is very difficult to surmount the influence of material nature. Mama māyā duratyayā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "If anyone surrenders unto Me, then he can get rid of this influence of the material nature." This is the law. You cannot artificially change it. If you do not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, God, then the māyā, or the material energy, will always give you trouble. The triṣu, three kinds of miserable conditions. The trident you have seen. The trident in the hand of Goddess Durgā, and she is punishing the demons with the trident on the chest. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, viṣaya-viṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. Our heart is always burning on account of this material condition, threefold miseries of material life: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. Viṣaya-viṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jvale juṛāite nā koinu upāya. "I did not make any attempt how to get out of it."
These things are very nicely explained in the book known as Bhagavad-gītā. We are presenting this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and we hold our class also in this hall daily in the morning. So we invite all ladies and gentlemen to come here and try to understand Bhagavad-gītā. We have got this opportunity of human form of life. We can understand what I am, what you are. We are not this body; we are spirit soul. As spirit soul we are all eternal, blissful, and cognizant. But on account of this material covering we are suffering the material conditions, threefold kinds of miserable life. It is very difficult, little, but this is the problem. We have to understand this; otherwise, we are missing the opportunity of this human life. If we neglect, then we are just like animals. The animals have no concern to understand this philosophy of life, that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am encaged. Somehow or other I have to get out of this entanglement and be again reinstalled in my original consciousness and be happy, having eternal life, blissful life and full of knowledge." This is the problem. But people have become so dull and rascal that they do not even care to understand this philosophy of life, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Actually, even one's daily life, one can understand that he is different from this body. Just like every one of us, we had a child's body, a boy's body, a youth's body. Now I am old man, but I can remember that I had a body, a small body, baby's body.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: That we have already discussed, that because just like that the sex impulse you are giving him some facility that "You have sex life with your married wife." This is real (indistinct). Not (indistinct) because I have sex impulse, I can (indistinct) anyone, never mind mother or sister, and have sexual intercourse. That is not very nice.
Śyāmasundara: No. He doesn't enjoin that. He is a scientist. He doesn't make any recommendations one way or the other. He is merely trying to analyze what is cause...
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) our solution is this: Your materialistic life is painful. That's a fact. This materialistic life is painful. (indistinct). As soon as you have this material body, then you must suffer these three kinds of miserable condition of life. So our whole program is to stop. Everyone is looking after happiness. We say that unless you stop your materialistic way of life, repeated birth and death, there is no question of happiness. So the whole Vedic civilization is based on this, how one can get out of this disease. This is a disease, the repetition of birth and death. We are trying to cure this disease. Then all other symptoms will automatically vanquish. If you are a diseased fellow, you are getting sometimes a headache, sometimes leg ache, sometimes some pain in the stomach. But if your disease is cured, then that there are no more symptoms. That is our position.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That is our problem. Either you become rich man or poor man, but you have to undergo. (aside:) Make the light. There is switch. (pause) So our position is that we are in this material world. George has sung that "I am in the material world." Yes, very sensible song. (laughs) He's good boy, realizing, he also... So this material life is not good. Material life is not good in this sense, because you have to change your body. Sometimes good birth, sometimes not good birth. Sometimes Englishman, sometimes cats, dogs. Because after death you'll get a body that will be chosen not by you but by the material nature. You'll create your body by your present activities, and nature will simply award you that body. So, so long we have got this material body, the four kinds of miserable conditions, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, you have to suffer. Therefore, this human life should be utilized in such a way that we do not become subject to these four tribulations, birth, death, old age and disease. That is perfection. But people are not given that chance, the modern education, modern civilization. They've no knowledge; they do not know that there is life after death, although it is a simple fact. Just like in our present existence we have got past, present and future. Just like you are young man, you have your past. You are a child, or a boy, now that is past. Present, you are young man, and in future you are expecting to become old man.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Relatively everyone... The ant also thinking, "I am also some important..." That is Kṛṣṇa's proposal, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānu... (BG 13.9). You are trying to get out of all kinds of miserable conditions, but here is your real misery, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: birth, death, old age... First of all conquer them. Then talk of advance. You cannot conquer even on disease. There are so many persons suffering from disease. You cannot stop it, and you're making progress? What is that progress? It is all rascaldom.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But we see that even your devotees, they are also subject to birth, death, disease and old age.
Prabhupāda: No, we do not say that we are making progress like you. We are trying to make spiritual progress. We are servant of God. We never say that we are very big men, Vaiṣṇava. Tṛṇād api sunīcena. We think most insignificant creature.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The varṇāśrama-dharma, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, this is plan just to teach the whole society how to perform yajña. Varṇāśramācāra-vatā. Therefore this is the beginning of human civilization. Varṇāśrama. How to return back. Just like Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja achieved, obtained, throughout the universe all the property, and he again returned to Vāmana. That was his success of life. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an educational movement to teach people how one should voluntarily return the property of the Lord to the Lord. That is called yajña. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So people actually suffering. Not only... This material life means suffering. We may say that we are very happy, but that is not the fact. Tri-tāpa, three kinds of miserable condition of life are there always, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. But we are accustomed to suffering, and we say suffering is happiness. That is called māyā. Actually, material life is... This body, as soon as we get this body, it means suffering.
- nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
- yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
- na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
- asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
- (SB 5.5.4)
Kleśa. Material body means kleśa, suffering. Why you are using this fan? Because without fan the body will be in pain, painful condition. So we are adjusting, trying to counteract. But the position is miserable. Therefore whole plan of Vedic civilization—how to avoid this material body. That is called mokṣa. That is the plan. So Ṛṣabhadeva is advising that nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). People have become mad, and they're doing everything which is not sanctioned by the śāstra.
| Page Title: | Kinds of miserable conditions |
| Compiler: | Matea |
| Created: | 14 of Aug, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=7, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=38, Con=4, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 51 |