Mother earth (Lectures)

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"mother earth"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The mother earth said that "Because the people have become demon and they are simply eating, but they are not doing their duty. Therefore I have minimized producing grain."

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

Pṛthu Mahārāja is the ideal king. He produced, he made arrangement. The earth was not producing sufficient foodgrains, so he attacked the earth that "Why you are not producing?" The mother earth said that "Because the people have become demon and they are simply eating, but they are not doing their duty. Therefore I have minimized producing grain." This is to be very important, that the earth can produce any amount of foodgrains. There is no question of overpopulation. There is no question of overpopulation, because everyone is being fed by the mercy of God. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. God is giving everyone the foodstuff.

As the mother earth said to King Pṛthu that "I am restricting," so the more you become sinful, the food supply will be stopped. This is the law of nature.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So the idea is that there is no food problem. As the mother earth said to King Pṛthu that "I am restricting," so the more you become sinful, the food supply will be stopped. This is the law of nature. At the end there will be no foodgrains, at the end of Kali-yuga. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There will be no foodgrain, no fruits, no milk, no sugar. You have to live on flesh and blood. At that time, being hungry, you will kill your own children and eat flesh and blood. That day is waiting. So this is the civilization. Most heinous civilization. It can only be saved by spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Otherwise there is no way.

Mother earth said, "My dear King, why you are angry upon me? It is my duty. When the people become rākṣasas, I'll restrict my supply. Let them starve and die. I shall do that. This is my duty."

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

When Pṛthu Mahārāja was the king, there was no production food production Because his father was a great sinful king, so on account of that there was no production. And Pṛthu Mahārāja wanted... He was a very good king. He is incarnation also. He asked the earth, "Why you are not producing? If you do not produce, I shall kill you." This is mentioned in the Fourth Canto. And mother earth said, "My dear King, why you are angry upon me? It is my duty. When the people become rākṣasas, I'll restrict my supply. Let them starve and die. I shall do that. This is my duty. Why you are angry with me?" The more people will be godless, there will be starvation, no supply. You cannot make by machine. Just like last time when I was in Europe, everything is now drying. It is yellow. What scientific method you have got? Bring water. Now they are thinking bringing, importing water. Is it possible to import water? That's not possible. So this will be punishment. In the Kali-yuga, the more people will be godless, and this punishment will be there: no water, no food supply. And over and above that, government taxation. You'll be harassed. Three things will go on.

When the world becomes overloaded with the demons, nondevotees, it becomes disturbed. The mother earth feels load, very much load. So at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

So the conclusion is when the world becomes overloaded with the demons, nondevotees, it becomes disturbed, becomes... The mother earth feels load, very much load. So at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore it is said: bhāra-avatāraṇāya, just to unload. And bhārāvatāraṇāyānye. Somebody says: bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if a ship or boat is overloaded, it is very dangerous. It can be drowned at any moment. So sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa.

Mother earth was overloaded and she approached Brahmā on account of overloading of these demons.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

So mother earth was overloaded and she approached Brahmā on account of overloading of these demons. She was feeling too much uncomfortable. And Brahmā is the chief living being within this universe. So when there is need, others approaches Brahmā, and Brahmā approaches Viṣṇu to reduce the overburden. Then He takes His incarnation, and that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). Abhyutthānam adharmasya. "When the principles of religiosity becomes increased, at that time, I appear," Kṛṣṇa says.

Just like take for example, when there are too much criminals in the state, unlawful, lawlessness, the state becomes overburdened, disturbed, overburdened. At that time the administrators are puzzled what to do. Similarly when the world is overburdened by atheists, demons, nonbelievers, the world becomes overburdened. Otherwise things will go on nicely.

Brahmā was approached by the earth, mother earth. She felt overburdened by the sinful activities of the demons.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

So Brahmā was approached by the earth, mother earth. She felt overburdened by the sinful activities of the demons. So Brahmā approaches Nārāyaṇa, er, Viṣṇu—not directly he can see, but he can stand on the bank of the ocean of milk, and from there he can submit his petition. And Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu gives His order. So once upon a time, when the whole world was overburdened—this is the history of Kṛṣṇa's birth—so the earthly planet approached Brahmā to appeal to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to have His incarnation to diminish the burden of the world.

Mother earth went to appeal, "Please come and save me. I am very much overburdened."

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

So as a father becomes perplexed when there are rascal sons, similarly, when there are increase of rascal population the world becomes overburdened. Therefore it is called... It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara. Now the whole world is practically full of varṇa-saṅkara. First of all, there is no division of varṇas. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality, it can be done. But people are not interested. They want hodge-podge. Therefore they are suffering. They cannot systematically do anything. So when the system of varṇa and āśrama is destroyed... Just like in Western countries there is no such thing as varṇa and āśrama. Therefore the varṇa-saṅkara, the hippies... That is varṇa-saṅkara. So varṇa-saṅkara... In the Bhagavad-gītā... If the varṇa-saṅkara increases, strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaro jāyate. When women become polluted, no fixed-up husband—that is pollution for woman, no chaste, no chastity—then this varṇa-saṅkara will come out. And when the world is overpopulated by varṇa-saṅkara, it will become a burden. Therefore it so became, atheist, varṇa-saṅkara, demons. So it was unbearable by the earthly planet. And it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Therefore mother earth went to appeal, "Please come and save me. I am very much overburdened." Therefore it is said, bhārāvatāraṇāya: "diminish."

There was an appeal by the earth, mother earth, that she is overburdened with demons, and it was unbearable for her what to do.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

The beginning of Kṛṣṇa's appearance... You know that in the Kṛṣṇa book, how Kṛṣṇa appeared. There was an appeal by the earth, mother earth, that she is overburdened with demons, and it was unbearable for her what to do. So this petition was submitted to Viṣṇu by Brahmā, and Viṣṇu replied that "Kṛṣṇa is coming and He will do the needful." This was the beginning. So as soon as there is yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ (BG 4.7), the planet becomes overburdened by the sinful demons, so they require to be moved and the burden lessened. That was the function of Kṛṣṇa's coming.

Dharmarāja is asking, "Mother Earth, whether you are concerned because you are not at the present moment very much strong or very much able to give protection to the women and the children?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So Dharmarāja is asking, "Mother Earth, whether you are concerned because you are not at the present moment very much strong or very much able to give protection to the women and the children?" This is Vedic civilization. You give protection to the women, to the children, to the brāhmaṇa, to the cow, and to the old man. First duty. First duty is to give protection to the old men, women, children, cow, and brāhmaṇa. That is questioned in the next part, brahma-kule kukarma, kukarmaṇy abrahmaṇye rāja-kule. Brahma-kule. The brāhmaṇas should be protected, but if there are, even in the brāhmaṇa family, who are addicted to these sinful activities, that is also becomes a concern. Similarly, if the royal family, or the ruling class of men, they do not respect the brahminical culture, that is also a subject matter of concern.

So in the Vedic civilization there was no such problem as petrol problem and food problem or... No. The problem was whether the civilization was going nicely, whether the human civilization is making progress toward the ultimate goal of life, not to bother with the temporary problems.

Dharmarāja is suggesting so many things why mother earth in the shape of a cow was morose.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

Prabhupāda: So Dharmarāja is suggesting so many things why mother earth in the shape of a cow was morose. He was suggesting so many. So one of the suggestion is that "Kṛṣṇa was present. Now He's not present. Therefore you are so morose." So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

Kṛṣṇa incarnates when there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religious principles. Just like, when there is discrepancy in the discharge of law and order, the government takes special measure, what is called, that? A special law?

Devotees: Martial law.

Prabhupāda: Not martial. There is another word. Martial law is also one of the emergency law. So anyway, the nature's arrangement is like that. Just like children, they're allowed to play, but under certain condition. So we all, we are all children of God, Kṛṣṇa. So we have come hear to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. That is the tendency. So Kṛṣṇa has given us the facility. Just like in the beach, there are many young men who are playing in the sea with surf, but still, the government has watch over it. Government's duty is that they may not be drowned.

So here it is risky. We have come here to enjoy. Actually, we are not meant for enjoying. We are meant for serving. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya-nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa: (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109) "Our real identity is to serve, to remain under the protection..." We are always under the protection, this way or that way, but we are thinking falsely that we are free. We are not free. Kṛṣṇa is taking care of us. He has allowed us, "All right, you have come here. Try to satisfy yourself, but there are certain rules and regulations." If you break those rules and regulations, for your interest Kṛṣṇa takes measures.

Here mother earth, Dharitrī, "O Earth." Earth is being addressed. The whole world is perturbed because the Kali-yuga has begun.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

Here mother earth, Dharitrī, "O Earth." Earth is being addressed. The whole world is perturbed because the Kali-yuga has begun. Five thousand years ago, when the Kali-yuga began, so all persons were alarmed: "Now the Kali-yuga is begun. So many catastrophes will come in." (SB 1.16.23)

So one instruction is that the earth is addressed, "amba." Amba means mother. So the earth is also our mother.

The mother earth was lamenting, "Now Kṛṣṇa has gone. Who will give us protection?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

So the mother earth was lamenting, "Now Kṛṣṇa has gone. Who will give us protection?" But Kṛṣṇa gives protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca... (BG 4.8). Two, two different duties. To give protection to the sādhus, to the devotees, and to kill the demons.

This is another question by Dharmarāja to mother earth, "Whether you are now in tribulation by the influence of time?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

So this is another question by Dharmarāja to mother earth, "Whether you are now in tribulation by the influence of time?" Surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam. So we should remember saubhagam, opulence, can be taken away, in due course of time. You cannot check it. Suppose in America you are all fortunate. You have got very nice roads, very nice cars, very nice skyscraper building, government, food, everything very nice. But in due course of time everything can be taken away. You cannot check it.

We are discussing the conversation between mother earth and Dharmarāja. The subject matter was that the earthly planet was very much morose on account of arrival of Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ

pṛthivī-dharmayos tadā

parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ

prāptaḥ prācīṁ sarasvatīm

(SB 1.16.36)

Translation: "While the earth and the personality of religion were thus engaged in conversation, the saintly king Mahārāja Parīkṣit reached the shore of the Sarasvatī River, which flowed towards the east."

Prabhupāda: So we are discussing the conversation between mother earth and Dharmarāja. The subject matter was that the earthly planet was very much morose on account of arrival of Kali-yuga.

Amongst the living entities, human being is considered to be the highest. So the mother earth was lamenting that people have lost their good qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

So this influence of Kali-yuga has been discussed in so many pages in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Last it was discussed that the good qualification of Kali, of human being... Human being, I am speaking, because amongst the living entities, human being is considered to be the highest. So the mother earth was lamenting that people have lost their good qualification. They cannot be lost, but it is, by the influence of Kali-yuga, it is now covered. Satyam, śaucam, dayā, that twenty-six nice qualifications. We have discussed all these things. Here (reads):

satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis

tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam

śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ

titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam

jñānaṁ viraktir aiśvaryaṁ

śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ

svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntir

dhairyaṁ mārdavam eva ca

So, on account of this Kali-yuga, the good qualification of human society will be lost. Thinking this future of the present age, Mother Earth was lamenting and talking with Dharmarāja. At that time Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, er, Mahārāja Parīkṣit arrived on that spot. This is the verse.

Festival Lectures

As the mother gives life or maintains the child by the milk of her breast, similarly, the earth mother is maintaining all different types of living entities.

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

God is father, supreme father of everyone. If we simply study this verse from the Bhagavad-gītā, that the mother nature is the mother of all living entities and God is the supreme father of everyone... We can study these two lines very carefully. On the earth we can see so many living entities are coming out, beginning from the grass, then so many insects, reptiles, big trees, then animals, birds, beasts, then human beings. They are all coming from the earth, and they are living at the expense of earth. The earth is supplying food to everyone. As the mother gives life or maintains the child by the milk of her breast, similarly, the earth mother is maintaining all different types of living entities. There are 8,400,000 different forms of life, and the earth, mother earth is supplying food. There are thousands of elephants in the African jungle, they are also being supplied with food. And within your room in a hole there are thousands of ants, they are also being supplied food by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the philosophy is that we should not be disturbed by the so-called theory of over-population. If God can feed elephants, why he cannot feed you? You do not eat like the elephant. So this theory, that there is a shortage of food or overpopulation, we do not accept it. God is so powerful that He can feed everyone without any difficulty. Simply we are mismanaging. Otherwise there is no difficulty.

We see the mother, mother earth, and we see the children in different forms. Then we must accept that there is father.

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

So under the circumstances we propose that every one of you become God conscious. The paragraph which I was mentioning, that we see the mother, mother earth, and we see the children in different forms... Then we must accept that there is father. Because without father there is no possibility of mother begetting children. If you simply understand this philosophy of father, mother and children, then you can very easily understand that there is God, the supreme father. There is no difficulty. But if you do not become reasonable as human being, if you remain as animal like cats and dogs... The dogs cannot understand that there is the supreme father, God, but a human being can understand. He has got intelligence. So with this advanced intelligence, if we do not understand about the existence of God, our relationship with Him and what is our duty in that relationship, then our, this human form of life will be spoiled.

General Lectures

You believe or not believe, you see or not see, there must be father. This is the conclusion. This is theory, that this world is going on, everything is coming out of the mother earth, then there must be father.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So in this way Kṛṣṇa, or God... If you simply study this line, that so many living entities are coming out of the earth, either water or land or air or anything. They are coming out. So they are offspring and material nature is the mother, Kṛṣṇa says that. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ, tāsāṁ mahad yonir-mahat-tattva (BG 14.4). Yoni, mother. So where is the father? The children are there, the mother is there, the next inquiry should be, "Where is the father?" That is natural. Without father, the mother is sitting with the child, nobody can say the child has no father. If somebody says that "I do not see the father. How I can believe?" that is foolishness. You believe or not believe, you see or not see, there must be father. This is the conclusion. This is theory, that this world is going on, everything is coming out of the mother earth, then there must be father. And that father is present, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am the father."