- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo śūdrā tathā vaiśyās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
"It doesn't matter whether one is woman or a mercantile class of man or a śūdra. It doesn't matter." Because these classes are understood less intelligent. But Kṛṣṇa is opening the path for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya. If one accepts Kṛṣṇa very seriously, vyapāśritya . . . vi-pūrvaka . . . vi means . . . vi means "specifically," vi, viśeṣaṇam, viśeṣaṇam, "particularly."
Āśritya, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa specifically, then either he may be woman or he may be śūdra, or laborer class, or may be mercantile class—it doesn't matter—he or she can go to the highest perfection. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ bhaktyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Puṇya. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyāḥ. And what to speak of the intelligent class? Even this class also elevated to the highest position.
So there is no such question. But here the word used, su-medhasaḥ, in the particular sense that for worship of God there are different methods, different religious system, different methods, different churches, different mosque, different temple. Even accepting that this is Hindu philosophy, so Hindus, they have got many different processes. I think the Hindus have got so many different processes that it can outnumber all the different processes of the world. They have got so many processes.
So su-medhasaḥ means for executing religious life, for achieving the highest perfection of life, one must be very intelligent. A fool cannot achieve the highest perfection of life. Just like a fool cannot be very prosperous even in this material world, similarly, a fool also cannot make any progress in the spiritual world. So su-medhasaḥ means one should be little intelligent. What is that intelligence? If I have got the easiest path to achieve the highest perfection of life, why shall I take a path which is not very sure? This intelligence required.
Now, Lord Caitanya, as He is described, if you accept . . . we are explaining that paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, sambhavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8). So Lord appears in this age also. And according to śāstra, authentic scripture, He has appeared as Lord Caitanya. So if we accept this principle on the method of authentic scripture, that is our intelligence. That is our intelligence. Not that you have to become a great psychologist or a great scientist or mathematician. No. You have to take the orders of the authority.
Just like you are driving car. It is written there, "Keep to the right." It does not require a very nice intelligence. You keep your car to the right, you are all right. But if you go to the left, you are fool number one. Why? It is di . . . written there, "Keep to the right." Why you go to the left? That means you are fool number one. So this much intelligence we must have that, "Here is police direction, 'Keep to the right.' Why shall I go to the left?" This much intelligence can be had by any common man.
So similarly, if the śāstra says that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32), that "Those who are intelligent, they will perform worship of the Lord by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa," this yajña . . . yajña means anything sacrificed for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That is called yajña. Yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. That is yajña. Now, in this age the Supreme Lord is satisfied simply by saṅkīrtana, or congregational chanting: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is mentioned in the śāstra.
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
In this age of disagreement there is no possibility of executing different process of self-realization. No. They say that there are as many paths as one can manufacture. It may be true. But in this age, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā, "There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative in this age."
Therefore an intelligent man will take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the test of one's intelligence. And it is very easy. And by simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you gradually develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the highest platform. So one who has accepted the simple method recommended for this age, he is called the intelligent. That is required. That much intelligence we must have.