So this is the actual human life, not that simply imitating the animals: how to eat, how to sleep, how to sex. No. Śāstra says that is already established. Don't worry. Just like the swans and the ducks in St. James. They don't worry, "Oh, what to eat?" But they're getting their eatables. They don't go to office, to factory. Even the swans and ducks, and what to speak of human being? This is nature's study, that the swans and ducks, they are getting at home, they are getting their sex life. Immediately, everything is there. According to their standard, everything is there. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya, these are the four things required for this body. But even a small duck and swan, he has got everything ready there in St. James Park. He does not go to the Downing Street. So why don't you study?
Standards (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)
Expressions researched:
"standard"
|"standardization"
|"standardized"
|"standards"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Again Veda says that the stool of cow is pure. Now, you will say, "Oh, this is contradictory. Sometimes it is said pure, and sometimes... This cow is also animal. First of all, you said that the stool of any animal is impure, and again you say the cow dung, the stool of another animal, is pure." It is fact. It is pure. So if we accept the standard perfect knowledge from the Vedas, or one who knows the Vedas, then our knowledge is perfect.
The jñānīs, they are discriminating, "No, this is not God." The scientists, they will say, "This is the fact." And then, one year after, "No, this is not fact. Now we have improved, another." And again, three years after, they will say another. There is no standard knowledge. What is the final knowledge, they do not know. Therefore these kind of speculative habits or scientific research is simply waste of time. They cannot understand what is the ultimate truth.
Then Vedic injunction is: jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. "Give up this nonsense habit, speculation." Namanta eva: "Be submissive. Admit that you do not know anything. You have to learn from the person who knows." Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām: "Then what shall I...?
Nobody is meant for serving a dog, but because I am servant, if I haven't got sufficient engagement as servant of God, then I keep a dog to serve him.
So the conclusion is that constitutionally I am servant, servant of God, but instead of giving service to God, I am now engaged in the service of the dog. So on the standard of this so-called service the Bhāgavata-dharma is not discussed, means the false service. Now, how it is concluded?
Therefore the next verse says, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam: (SB 1.1.3) "This real service is enunciated here as the essence of all Vedic knowledge." Nigama means the Vedas, and it is called kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can receive from the Vedas all different types of knowledge.
Therefore greater India, history in Mahābhārata is there. So Mahābhārata especially was written for three classes of men. What are those? Strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu. Strī means woman, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but they're degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture. Just like at the present moment. They are introducing themself as brāhmaṇa, but degraded. Actually, they are not brāhmaṇa-degraded. Dvija-bandhu, friends of brāhmaṇa. Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become a high-court judge I cannot say myself, "I am high-court judge." No. Simply by becoming the son of high-court judge, one does not become a high-court judge. He must have the qualification. So when one is simply proud of his high parentage, he is called dvija-bandhu.
" Śukadeva Gosvāmī was the spiritual master of Sūta Gosvāmī. Therefore before speaking anything... This is the etiquette, that one should offer his obeisances to the spiritual master. (reading:) "The institution of varṇa and āśrama describes many regulative duties to be observed by the father." There are, daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra, reformatory. How it is scientific, just to bring the born child to the standard of civilization. The cats and dogs, they also beget children on the street. A human being also does like that, like cats and dogs. Then how they can expect very intelligent children, advanced children? Therefore there is method, how to beget children. So before begetting children, there is ceremony, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, how to impregnate the wife. Garbhādhāna. It is not sex enjoyment. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find this word dharma aviruddha-kāmaḥ aham asmi. Where is that Bhagavad-gītā? Find out dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi.
Even one goes to God with a motive, but if he actually becomes a devotee, he becomes motiveless, no more motive. Simply by association, simply by serving God, he is so satisfied that he has no more demand, "Sir, I want this." That is recommended here. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharma yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If we can promote ourself, elevate ourself, to the standard of loving God without any motive, without any return... Sometimes we go to God for some return. That is motive. So no. God should be loved, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us, āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt (CC Antya 20.47).
Sometimes... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja went into the forest to see God. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt: "If You break my heart perpetually by not being present before me." He doesn't say that "We want to see God." Doesn't matter. "Why I shall see God? He is busy.
Similarly, I, you, every one of us, we are spirit soul. We are given a type of body and shirt and coat by the arrangement of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). That particular body is given to us for our particular type of standard of living. Just like you European, American, Australians, you have got a particular type, and you are given the opportunity, a particular standard of living. Just if some Indian comes to your European, American, Australian cities, just like your Melbourne city... I was just speaking to my students, "If any Indian comes, so they will be surprised with this standard of living." They will think that "Oh, it is heaven." Because the material prosperity is far different from Indian cities to these American, or European, Australian. There is much difference.
So you have got a particular type of body. You have been given the chance of particular standard of living. Similarly, in India or in Africa or in other country, the living entity has got a particular type of body and his particular type of standard of living is also there. A tiger has got a particular type of body, it has got his own standard of living. Elephant has got a particular type of body, and it has got its standard of living. Similarly, there are higher beings also, in the higher planetary system. They are called Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. In the Brahmaloka the duration of life is so long that you cannot imagine even calculating twelve hours' time there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
And as soon you come to the point of knowledge, then there will be vairāgya. Vairāgya means renunciation. Just like these boys, these girls. They are Americans. They lived under their parents in high standard of live. Now they can sit anywhere. They can sit on the street because they have forgotten this bodily concept of life. They are simply thinking in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa."
So this is very scientific movement, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the heart: "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with God? What is this material world? Why I have come here? Why I am suffering? Why I have to accept birth? Why I have to accept death? Why I have to accept disease?
There is no necessity to improve it. We cannot improve it. For example, just like a hog, he has got a particular type of body, he can eat stool. You cannot improve his eating process by giving him halavā, that is not possible. Therefore śāstra says, deha-yogena dehinām. Our material comforts, standard of material comforts, are already settled up by the body which you have got. Therefore our business is: if you are not in the bodily concept of life, then our business is how to make spiritually advanced. Bodily comforts of life, we cannot improve. That is not possible. We can improve our spiritual advancement of life. That is given to us.
Therefore they are bhukti-kāmīs. Bhoga, material enjoyment. This is called kāmīs. They perform big, big sacrifices, but the goal is "How I shall be elevated to the heavenly planets, Svargaloka. And I shall enjoy there the urvaśīs, nice women, and the nandana-kānana, nice gardens." Actually, in higher planetary systems, the standard of living is very, very high-hundreds and thousands of times better than this planet. Living duration, duration of life, is very great.
So the bhuktīs, they are bhukti-kāmīs. That is kāma. And when they are unable to satisfy the senses by this material enjoyment, they are mukti-kāmīs. That is also kāma. Void. The Buddha philosophy. Mukti, vacant. Mukti, of course, not void. The same thing, in a different name, "Merge into the effulgence of Brahman, and stop my individuality." That is also voidness, zero. I make myself zero.
Unless the human society comes to the standard of executing varṇāśrama-dharma, it is not human society; it is animal society, no regulative principles. The animals, they have no regulative principles, but human society must follow regulative principles. That is called varṇāśrama-dharma.
So varṇāśrama-dharma is also material. That is not spiritual. Varṇāśrama-dharma is the beginning of spiritual life. How one can come to the standard of spiritual life? It is a regulated life, when executing... The spiritual life is viṣṇur ārādhyate panthāḥ. When one comes to the platform of worshiping Viṣṇu, that is spiritual life. But the people, they do not know what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life. They do not know.
It is called labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). Idaṁ śarīram. This human form of body is achieved, bahu-sambhavānte, after achieving many, many other lower forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. So many different forms of life we had to pass through to come to the standard of human life. Therefore this life is not meant for spoiling like cats and dogs. This is jñānam. The spoiling the life like cats and dogs means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna... eating, sleeping, defending and sexual intercourse. These are the bodily demands. Sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. These are common formulas for the cats and dogs and the human being. But what is the meaning of human being? The human being is eligible to understand what is the value of life, what is the problem of life, how to make the solution. That is human life. Not that simply passing our days like cats and dogs working very hard.
Still, in India, because they are still inclined to the system of varṇa and āśrama, there are so many benefit for the Indians. I have traveled all over the world so many times. Because there is no varṇāśrama-dharma, how loose they are. That has been experimented. I have seen. So actually, unless one comes to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma, he is not considered to be a human being. Therefore the Vedic civilization begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma. And in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said, varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). Because the ultimate goal is to approach Lord Viṣṇu, viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam.
When we think in terms of Vedic civilization—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—this is very scientific. Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn. Because ultimately, human life is meant for elevating to the standard of spiritual consciousness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So unless in the society there is an ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, how people will learn it? That is necessary. You cannot say, "Let us all become technologists, śūdras, that you can get money for purchasing wine and meat." But the ideal life is lost. Ideal life is lost. There must be... Just like if you want to keep your body fit for everything, there must be brain. If you say that "There is no need of brain. We simply want legs," so how what is this body?
What is the material miserable condition of life? There are many. But the essence is, as presented by Kṛṣṇa, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Everyone is trying, struggling for existence, to get out of the miserable condition of life. Everyone is trying. The standard of miserable condition may be different. One has got a million dollar. He thinks, "This is miserable condition. I must have ten times of this money. Then I will be happy." And one has got one hundred million dollars, or one hundred dollars. He thinks that "If thousand dollars I get..." In this way, everyone is trying to approach a position where he will be happy.
The example you can see. These European and American boys and girls, how they have become vairāgī? They have got immense opportunity for material enjoyment. Material enjoyment means money and woman. That is the standard of material enjoyment. So these boys, these girls, they have got enough. The money is thrown on the street. And woman is loitering on the street. You can pick up as many as you like. You see. That is the Western countries. But they have left everything. That is vairāgya Why? Jñānam. They have obtained the real knowledge. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). As Bhavānanda Mahārāja said. They are firmly fixed up. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, "Let us sacrifice our life for Kṛṣṇa." That is real jñāna and vairāgya. Bhaktyā. This is to be understood, bhaktyā. Because without bhakti, there is no admission in the kingdom of God. That is not possible.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a manufactured way. It is simply the standard. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. We are preaching this philosophy. It is not difficult. Anyone can do it. Anyone can do it. It is not that I am playing something wonderful. What Wonderful? They talk about this, that I have done something wonderful. I do not know any wonderful thing. I only know to present Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. This is the secret. So anyone can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is from Bhagavad-gītā or from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why do they search out? Why they should invent some means? This is useless waste of time.
Those who are engaged in hearing with faith, śraddadhāna... Ādau śraddhā. Without faith, you cannot make any progress. This is the beginning of spiritual life. Ādau śraddhā. "Oh, here is..., Kṛṣṇa consciousness is going on. It is very nice. They are preaching nice." People still, they are praising our activities. If we keep our standard, then they will appreciate. So this is called śraddhā. This appreciation is called śraddhā, śraddadhānasya. Even he does not join, if one says, "Oh, it is very nice, it is very... These people are good." Sometimes they, in papers they say that "These Hare Kṛṣṇa people are nice. We want more of them." They say. So this appreciation is also an, also a lift for such person. If he doesn't hear, doesn't come, simply one says "It is very nice. Yes." Just like small children, a baby, he's also appreciating, trying to stand up with his cymbal. Appreciating.
Not that a man, a high-caste brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or even vaiśya... Especially brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Especially brāhmaṇa. He's not meant for giving birth to a child like cats and dogs. He has to observe the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. In the śāstra it is said in a brāhmaṇa family, if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, he immediately falls down to the śūdra class.
Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Because this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, therefore it is to be taken, accepted, everyone is a śūdra. But the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to again elevate the śūdra to the standard of brāhmaṇa. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because without brāhmaṇa... Just like without head, what is the value of your body? Brāhmaṇa means the head.
So everyone, even in this age, the advanced materialistic persons, they seek after peace, peacefulness of ātmā, or self. Take for example that in Western countries the younger generation, coming from very rich family, rich nation, but they have given up the standard of living as it is observed by their fathers or grandfathers. They do not like it. Because they do not like it. Because they are not satisfied. Yayātmā suprasīdati. There is no satisfaction of ātmā. Therefore they have given up.
Bhoga and tyāga. Bhoga means enjoyment, and tyāga means renunciation. So actually, in this world, some people are very much busy in the matter of bhoga, enjoying, the karmīs. And some people are very much engaged in the business of tyāga, renouncement. These two kinds of activities are going on.
"I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years duration of life, still, you have to die."
So that is the standard of highest perfection. If you do not die, if you do not take birth... If you know what are the miserable conditions of birth, to remain within the womb of the mother... Not only to remain. Nowadays, modern advanced civilization, they are being killed by the mother. Not only abortion, but they are being killed. Now the Western world is very familiar with these things. So just imagine. First of all, you have to remain within the mother's womb, head down, packed-up condition. You cannot move, ten months. And that is also not secure. Even within the...
Yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra—they were the first creation, and the sages Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya... There are seven great sages, first-born. All of them worship the Personality of Godhead. Bhejire munayo 'thāgre. Agra means in the beginning of creation. Later on they have deviated, or as the ages are going on, people are becoming degraded in their standard of spiritual understanding. In the Satya-yuga, cent percent people were aware of their spiritual necessity of life. Next yuga, seventy-five percent. Next yuga, fifty percent, fifty percent; and this yuga, Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent are rascals, and twenty-five percent, they are little wise. And out of that twenty-five percent, mostly they are fruitive actors. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).
He was prime minister of Mahārāja Emperor Candragupta, under whose name the Cāṇakya Purī is going on. He was living in a cottage, not accepting any salary. And as soon as Mahārāja Candragupta wanted some explanation, (he) immediately resigned. This is the standard of persons who are born in India. Vyāsadeva—who can be greater scholar than Vyāsadeva? He has written... His last contribution is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and each word, if you study for hundreds of years, still, you have to understand. Each word. Such a scholar. He was living in a cottage.
So Kṛṣṇa has given me the chance, prakṛte, by..., through the agency of prakṛti. prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). That is also explained. Similarly, I wanted a body like this to enjoy a certain standard of sense enjoyment, so I enter into this body, I enter into that body. Also Kṛṣṇa enters as Supersoul. Sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭaḥ. Then bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. Then what I enjoy? I enjoy the action and reaction of the three modes of material nature, that's all.
Pradyumna: "The kṣatriyas, or the administrative class of men, are expected to rule the planet by the direction of the intelligent class of men, who give direction to the rulers in terms of the standard śāstras, or the books of revealed knowledge. The rulers carry on the administration according to that direction. Whenever there is disobedience on the part of the kṣatriyas, or the administrative class, against the orders of the learned and intelligent brāhmaṇas, the administrators are removed by force from the posts, and arrangement is made for better administration."
Prabhupāda: Yes. That was the custom. Not that by removing the king from the throne or killing the king, the brāhmaṇas and the sages would come there to sit down on the throne. No. His son will be given chance to become king.
"Why you are undergoing so much severe austerities to go to heaven? I shall make a staircase, and you go directly, without having performed any austerities." So to go to the moon planet, according to the Vedic description, it requires a qualification. The moon planet, that is one of the heavenly planets, and if anyone can go there, he gets ten thousands of years span of life. And the standard of living is very higher than this planet. These are the description in the Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If you want to be promoted to a heavenly planets, then you just perform the duties to please the particular demigod, you'll be... So these materialist scientists, they are thinking that they can go anywhere by the force of their so-called scientific advancement. But it has not proved successful till now. But still, they will say, "Yes, in future we shall go." All right, in future. "Trust no future, however pleasant." That's all. Go on.
If glorification is there, even they are presented in broken language, then śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, sādhu, a saintly person, immediately passes: "Yes. It is all right." It is all right. Because there is glorification of the Lord. Of course, general public will not understand... But this is the standard, standard version, spoken by Nārada. You write something; the aim should be simply to glorify the Supreme. Then your literature is pavitra, purified. And however nicely, either literally or metaphorically or poetically, you write some literature which has nothing to do with God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is vāyasaṁ tīrtham. That is pleasure spot for the crows.
You haven't got to ask anybody. Similarly, if anybody increases his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the test will be that he will be disinterested with all material pleasures. That is test.
Just like Yāmunācārya. He was emperor. He was emperor. And his standard of living is very, was very high. Standard of living, materialistic standard of living, means, high standard of living means, unrestricted enjoyment of wine and woman. That's all. That is the standard. So he was addicted to all these habits. He was king. At his command everything was there. If, if a man is rich, three things, four things will be at his command: wine, woman, gold and gambling. It is called. Yes. So therefore these are the places, I mean to say, allotted to Kali by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Therefore a persons who is desirous of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should take care.
Kleśa... Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are attached, those who are attached to that impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, they undergo greater trouble. We transcendentalists, we personalists, we also, from the materialistic point of view, we are... Our standard of living is not very opulent. We lie down anywhere. We are... Our dresses are not so clean. Our rooms are not clean. From the materialistic point of view, somebody comes. He says, "Oh. How wretched these people are living!" That is also another kind of austerity. They have adopted. But that is pleasing. Even they are in so-called wretched condition, they are happy. They are happy. So they're in both ways. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Please help me," the qualification is good in this sense, that he, somehow or other, he has approached God. But his motive is not pure. His motive is material enjoyment. So Vyāsadeva says, "This kind of instruction in your book will not help people to come to the standard of pure devotional service, which can save him from all material bondage." That is the whole purport. Then what is to be done? The same thing, as Kṛṣṇa advises, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You haven't got to do anything. Simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
He gives that "Just like by chemical process one can turn gun metal into gold, similarly, by the process of initiation, one can become dvija." Dvija means twice-born, or brāhmaṇa.
So the chance is given. If one falls down immaturely from the standard of bhakti-yoga, devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he gets next birth either in a very nice brāhmaṇa family, or very rich family. So is not...? So what is the loss there, even if I fall? But that does not mean I shall wait for falling down. No. Just like in India, formerly, in medical college there were two designations—one as M.D., and another was L.M.S. So what is the distinction? Now, after passing, after regularly attending the class, say, five or six years, if one passes the examination, he takes the title M.D., Doctor of Medicine, or something like that. And if he fails, then he is given the title L.M.S., Licensed in Medical, Medicine and Surgery.
And if he fails, then he is given the title L.M.S., Licensed in Medical, Medicine and Surgery. So after studying in medical college for the regular years, five or six years, so even if he fails, he is recognized, but not to the standard of that passed medical man, but he is given license: "All right, if you don't wish to study more, you get the license to practice." License. Similarly, a devotee, a person in devotional service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if he falls down by some reason or other, without being mature, then he has, he's not in loss.
He says, Nārada Muni says, that evaṁ tāvat tat karma-karmādi anartha-hetutva taṁ vihāya harer līlāiva bandhaniya tam.(?)
Suppose a man is very rich and he has got ten thousands of years' living condition. Then he thinks, "Oh, how happy I am. For ten thousands of years I shall be able to gratify my senses." So the karmīs are like that. They want actually sense gratification, but they want higher standard of sense gratification. Yes. That is their... We are... Economic development, in this planet. What is this economic development? That means if we get go more money, then we shall be able to gratify our senses more perfectly and more satisfactorily. That is the idea. Actually, either you become karmī or vikarmī, they are all on the platform of sense gratification.
So the statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. You don't try for so-called economic development. You cannot have more than what you are destined to get. It is already settled up. This, this living entity... You see different grades of standard of living condition. So they're according to the past karma, daivena, daiva-netreṇa, karmaṇā. So you cannot change that. That nature's law, you cannot change. Why you have got varieties of life, varieties of position, varieties of de...? It is destined. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Viṣaya, these material enjoyment—means eating, sleeping, mating and defending—these... Only standard is different. I am eating something, you are eating something. Maybe, in my calculation, you are eating not very good. In your calculation I am not eating very good. But the eating is same. You are eating. I am eating.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: You said that researches are all right, but there has to be a standard.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: It has to be standardized.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Research.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is the business of the research scholar, how to make it standardized. Everything is standardized. Just like you have found the molecules, protons, and... They are working in a standardized way.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is the business of the research scholar, how to make it standardized. Everything is standardized. Just like you have found the molecules, protons, and... They are working in a standardized way. They are not working whimsically there. There is standard process.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And what is that standard? What is that standard of research?
Prabhupāda: The standard is already there. Is not that?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, but...
Prabhupāda: Standard is already there. Kṛṣṇa has already made the standard. Our intelligence is to know how the standard has come.
Prabhupāda: Standard is already there. Kṛṣṇa has already made the standard. Our intelligence is to know how the standard has come.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we say that brahma-jijñāsā is a standard. Is that, is that...? Is that okay?
Prabhupāda: Brahma-jijñāsā means... Anything you take, it is working in a standard way. Just like the sun is rising. So the brahma-jijñāsā means how the sun is rising exactly in time? Who has made this rule? And in astronomy there is very fine calculation, one ten-thousandth part of a minute or something like that? I have heard from you scientists. They, they make calculation of the movement of the sun, that. In astrology also, the moment is calculated like that. If the exact moment is there, by mathematical calculation, he can give you the exact history of your whole life.
Anything you take, it is working in a standard way. Just like the sun is rising. So the brahma-jijñāsā means how the sun is rising exactly in time? Who has made this rule? And in astronomy there is very fine calculation, one ten-thousandth part of a minute or something like that? I have heard from you scientists. They, they make calculation of the movement of the sun, that. In astrology also, the moment is calculated like that. If the exact moment is there, by mathematical calculation, he can give you the exact history of your whole life. This is standard, all standard. Niyamitaḥ. Yasyājñayā bhramati kāla-cakraḥ.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But the difference between the transcendentalists and the scientists is that they do not know the standard of research.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we say they are fools. Why do we say mūḍhāḥ? Because they do not know. And our business is easy. We take Vedic version, Kṛṣṇa's version, Brahmā's version, Vyāsadeva's version, and accept. That's all. Which one is easiest? Our business is very simple. You ask your father... A child asks his father, "Father, what is this?" The father says, "This is microphone, my dear child." And he will, "Mother, this is microphone." So when he says this "Mother, this is microphone," is he correct or not?
The Vedas, therefore, instruct that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One who is actually human being... Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, even up to the position of his ministership, he was not on the standard of human being. When he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu and submitted, "Sir, I have come to You to know what I am, why I am suffering in this threefold miserable condition of life," that is human life. That is the beginning. Before that, it is animal life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. When one is inquisitive about himself, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "Why I am suffering?"... Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.
In another place we find Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that both Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa was present when the Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to sun-god millions of years ago. Kṛṣṇa said that "You have forgotten. I did not." So this is Acyuta. He never falls down from any standard. He is always perfect, complete.
So one who is not complete, he's jīva. Aṇu and vibhu. Vibhu, there are many examples. Just like fire, blazing fire, you have got experience. And there are sparks. The sparks fall down sometimes and become extinguished, without any illumination, without any burning power. When..., so long the spark is within the fire, it has got the same quality, illumination and burning quality. But as soon as falls down-extinguished, no more illumination, no more burning power. So our position is like that.
Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra.
A Vaiṣṇava, when he's asked about his identification, he gives acyuta-gotra. "Now I belong to the Acyuta, not to my original family." Therefore for a sannyāsī, when he's asked "What is your identification?" it is said, pūrvāśrama. Pūrvāśrama means "Formerly I belonged to such and such family. Now I belong to the family of Kṛṣṇa, acyuta-gotra." This is the etiquette. One should not... Sannyāsī should not be inquired about his identification because he has given up the family relationship.
The first thing is that the duration of life will decrease, alpa-āyuṣa. And manda, all bad men. Hardly we'll find any good men. Manda. Manda means bad and slow. Both the meanings can be manda. Manda-gati. They're not interested in progressive life. That is also manda. Manda matayaḥ. And they have got their own opinions. They do not follow the standard path, and it is confirmed by the so-called leaders, yata mata tata patha, you can manufacture your own way of life. These are the situation of upadrava. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And this Kali-yuga, everyone is unfortunate, manda-bhāgyāḥ. Even in family... There is no family life. It is now increasing. They cannot live even peacefully in family. Family means husband, wife, children, father, mother. Generally, this is family. So in the family also there are enemies.
Kindly give me Your favor." "Give me." There is "give me." And jijñāsuḥ, jñānī, they do not want anything "Give me," but jijñāsuḥ: "Actually, what is God? What is the Absolute Truth?" That is the difference. One is going to God for asking something, and jijñāsuḥ, jñānī, is eulogized because they do not ask anything. To ask anything from God is not higher standard of bhakti. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is pure devotion. People generally go to Kṛṣṇa, God, "O God, give us our daily bread." This is not bhakti, but it is piety because he goes to God. Therefore sukṛtina. He's not the sinful man. He's pious man. At least, he has approached God. And those who are sinful, they do not approach even.
There is meter. Every śloka, there is meter. So even it is not written to the standard meter, and sometimes there are broken, so still, because there is glorification of the Supreme Lord... Nāmāny anantasya. Ananta is the Supreme, Unlimited. His names are there. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja accepted. If anantasya, of the ananta, the Supreme, the name is there—"Kṛṣṇa," "Nārāyaṇa," "Caitanya," like that—so śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means those who are saintly persons. Such kind of literature, although it is written in broken language, they hear it. Hear it. Because there is glorification of the Lord.
If the brāhmaṇas would not agree, then they won't do. The brāhmaṇa's community, all saintly persons and learned scholars, brāhmaṇas... There was a committee, and the king would take their advice how to manipulate the political affairs or administration, and they would consult standard books. Just like nowadays the rascals, every day they are changing some law. Somebody told me, where? In Africa, every week there is change of the cabinet, every week. Means so full of rascals. So one rascal will fight with another rascal. So there is no stability of government. All these rascals, politicians, they are trying to occupy the post: "I shall become president, I shall become secretary, and then I shall exploit the state like anything." This is the motive. Their manifestation, that "I am going to give you heaven. If you select me president, then I shall give you heaven within three minutes." (laughter)
That is tapasya. And that tapasya, what for? Tapasya divyam, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Otherwise, there are many men, they're also undergoing austerities for some material purpose. There are many men who wants to accumulate some money, begins business from low standard, works very hard day and night. In your country, there are many examples. Just like Mr. Henry Ford. So that is also tapasya. They underwent severe conditions of life to accumulate some money. After death or at the end of life, they'll be called: "Oh, here is a millionaire. He started his business with a farthing. Now he's millionaire." He wants that credit. No. Not that kind of tapasya. Because that accumulation of wealth, millions of dollars, will be finished after this body is finished. After death, he cannot take away the millions of dollars with him next life.
They do not know. So Kṛṣṇa advised: tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. "These, such things come and go. Don't bother much. Try to become tolerant and execute your own business." Similarly we live together. There may be some inconvenience. You are brought up in a different standard in Europe and America, and in India it may be difficult because you haven't got all the facilities. But you learn tolerance. Execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should be our business. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.
Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. They transcend. They do not belong to these guṇas. No. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena se... (BG 14.26). Anyone who is engaged in devotional service, avyabhicāreṇa, without any deviation, just to the rules and regulations, just to the standard, then immediately, sa guṇān samatītya etān, the plural number... All these guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... He is above brāhmaṇa. Vaiṣṇava is above brāhmaṇa.
So this world is creation of Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). So we may think that Brahmā created this universe, but not..., that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa said, aham ādir hi devānām: "I am prior to all the demigods." He is the origin of the demigods. Aham ādir hi devānām. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate.
You keep them mudā, happy, and you get so much milk that it will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is civilization.
That was being maintained during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is being described. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand. Mahī. Because mahī will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land.
Pāṇḍavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pāṇḍavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.
Yogis see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditation. Meditation, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, mind is absorbed in the Supreme Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and meditation—to see the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, this is the recommended process, standard recommended process.
So here, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa recommends also that, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nothing, just to train people how to think of Kṛṣṇa and how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So you may become devotee... But you will become devotee.
So how this śraddhā, this faith can be increased? Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). If you keep yourself associated with the devotees, then this śraddhā can be increased. If you simply believe, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality," but you do not live with the sādhus or devotee, then it will drop. It will finish. So just to keep the standard, the temperature right, you must keep always yourself warm. If you go away, then your (indistinct) is gone. Again you become cold. You see. This is the process. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Everything is perfect. The first thing is that you must believe that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yes. And to keep this faith strong and going on, you must keep association with devotees.
That is initiation. Even though one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, why does he required initiation and sacred thread ceremony? Because simply by taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family one does not become a brāhmaṇa. He has to be raised to the brāhmaṇa standard. Otherwise, there was no initiation, there was no necessity of initiation or offering the sacred thread. That is called saṁskāra. Otherwise, by birth everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. So it is very good that one has taken his birth in a brāhmaṇa family, but provided he has learned the brāhmaṇa's activities nicely from the parent, he is brāhmaṇa. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇaḥ puṇyaḥ(?).
Because according to your karma, you will get next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Therefore the process is at least don't act sinfully. Then you will get higher-class birth. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). You will get chance of taking your birth in higher planetary system where the standard of living is many, many thousands better than this planet. Just like Svargaloka, Janaloka. From our śāstra we understand that the inhabitants of Candraloka, moon planet, they live for ten thousands of years, but these rascals are going there. They do not find any living entity. So that is the contradiction. But we believe that in the moon planet... And why we shall not believe? If the living entities are found everywhere, so why, what moon planet has done that there should be no living entity? From our experience we can see living entity is there on the land, in the air, in the water, even in the fire.
So Indra is materially very opulent, although they are after material enjoyment. You cannot compare their material enjoyment with this material enjoyment on this earthly planet. There are thousand, thousand times better standard, the duration of life, paraphernalia for enjoyment, facilities, so many things. They are higher and higher. As you go to the higher planets, they are higher and higher, thousand times. Just like in this planet also we see that some nation's standard of living is higher than other nation. Take for example you Americans. Your standard of living, from material point of view, you have got greater facilities, or you have created your own good facilities. Similarly the more the intelligent persons are, they create their own facilities by the grace of God. Just like in this America, the Red Indians were there, but they could not develop the country.
Just like in this America, the Red Indians were there, but they could not develop the country. But when the Europeans came and settled in this country, now this country has become the first-class country in comparison to other countries. So it is the intelligence.
So the standard of living, intelligence, increases, as you go higher, higher, higher, higher. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvam means higher. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. There are three qualities. The whole material world is being operated under the influence of three qualities. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. So according to the quality, there are different grades of people, and that is called cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. (BG 4.13) So everyone is not on the same platform.
Caṇḍālas means the dog-eaters. In the human society, the division of higher class and lower class is determined by the standard of eating. So first-class men, just like brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, they eat very purified prasādam. Their responsibility practically does not depend on them. Because Vaiṣṇava... Brāhmaṇa also. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become Vaiṣṇava. So when you speak of Vaiṣṇava, it is to be supposed that he's already brāhmaṇa. Therefore, to bring the neophyte devotees to the perfectional stage, we offer the brāhmaṇa's sacred thread. But if people, after promising everything, and break their promise, that is very abominable. When they're initiated before the Deity, before the Lord, before the fire, they should not break it. That is most sinful if you break your promise. Otherwise, you should not be coming forward for initiation if you cannot keep your promise.
It is not that because one has taken birth in the lowest class family—suppose caṇḍāla, dog-eaters—it does not mean that he'll have to remain in that position. Just like uneducated persons. It is not that he'll have to remain in that uneducated standard, but he can become educated. He can become educated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that there is no check on any particular person, community, to become God conscious. Became God Himself says, Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni, to take birth in lower class of human society, is called pāpa-yoni. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind, pāpa-yoni.
Ah, just see. So that is predicted, that the moral or religious principle will gradually diminish. With the progress of this age Kali, four things particularly, namely duration of life, duration of life. Everyone knows. The actually standard of duration of life in this age is hundred years. But no. Who is living hundred years? Gradually decreasing. And it will decrease so much, as I have several times said, that when at the end of Kali-yuga or in the middle of Kali-yuga, the duration of life will be twenty to thirty years. Now it is sixty, seventy or fifty or... It is going on. But gradually, it will diminish. That is stated here.
Therefore, at the present moment, the population is so much degraded. There is no restriction. That is the difference between animal life and human life. Human life is meant for restriction. The more you restrict your material sense gratification, the more you are advanced. This is the standard. Not that "Because I have got the tendency to act like this, let me do it unrestrictedly." That is not human civilization; that is cats' and dogs' civilization. Human civilization means tapasya, austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Sattva. We have to purify our existence. That is the aim of human life. We have to purify our existence.
So how this principle should be observed? Just like government, still they regulate. In your country there are so many regulative principles. Just in the shop, foodstuff or fruits, they should not be too old, or rotten. The inspector is there. If there is not to the standard, they are thrown away. Similarly, not only, only these stores and shopkeepers, but even in household affairs, there should be government inspection. That is stated in the śāstra. Whether a man who is professing to become a brāhmaṇa, whether he is following strictly the brahminical rules and regulations. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, kṣatriyas, whether he is powerful, he is brave, he has got forwardness to fight. When there is fight he does not go back, and whether he is making charity. The kṣatriya qualifications also there. And similarly, the vaiśya qualification.
We are worshiping, offering our respect to Kṛṣṇa, as brahmaṇya-deva. Brahmaṇya-deva means "the Lord who is worshiped by the brāhmaṇas." So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for the śūdras. Kṛṣṇa conscious... One who is elevated to the standard of becoming brāhmaṇa, they can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. But by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, every one comes to the stage of brahminical standard. Only to observe these four principles and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you are at once more than brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava position is more than brāhmaṇa. So in this age the pāñcarātriki-vidhi is introduced because it is very difficult to find out whether a person is actually son of brāhmaṇa or higher caste. It is to be accepted that everyone is śūdra. It doesn't matter whether and what he is. But he should be given chance to become the Vaiṣṇava, whose position is more than a brāhmaṇa.
In those planets the duration of life is very long, the possibilities of sense enjoyment is very nice. Everything thousands, thousands times better than this. This is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your country... Although within this planet the standard of living is far, far nice, better than some other countries, similarly there are hundreds and millions of planets, other planets, where the standard of living is far, far better. So we are, according to our work, we are sometimes promoted to those planets and sometimes to the lower-grade planets, adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ.
There is a nice poet, he says that if you tell the truth, people will come with their logs to hurt you. And chuta jagat bolai(?): and if you bluff them, they will be very nicely follower. This is the position. Actually, this is the solution. It is not that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement or Bhaktivedanta Swami who has started, he has concocted this idea." No. It is standard. You come to argument, to reason. This formula that your interest is to love God. You have no other interest in this human form of life. Then your problems of life will be solved. Otherwise there is no possibility. If any other person is giving you any other idea, he's simply misleading you.
That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Just like a blind man is leading other blind men.
So, everyone has got full liberty how, what kind of body he's going to get next. So if you keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that consciousness, subtle body, then you are sure to get next life, if not in Vaikuṇṭha, at least you get a high standard life. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Bhraṣṭaḥ means fallen, fallen. Suppose we are executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and some of our students are going away. So that is called bhraṣṭa, fallen. They could not continue. So one who could not continue by his ill luck, he is also not loser because he is... That slight Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help him to get another human form of body. That is guaranteed. Ordinary men, they do not know what kind of body they are going to get. They're in darkness.
"Whatever you want, you take." He has given you full liberty. Because we have come to this material world to enjoy. Enjoy means sense gratification. And sense gratification standard is according to the body. A king's body, his sense gratification, and a hog's body, his sense gratification, they are different. Because the bodies are different. A king cannot take anything which is not very nicely prepared, and a hog is satisfied with stool. Why? A different body. Deha-yogena dehinām. There are... The whole thing is sense gratification. Here, anyone who has come... Indriyārtha artha-vādinaḥ. Their only aim is sense gratification. That's all. Anyone. Beginning from Brahmā down to the ant. Material life means a desire for sense gratification.
You cannot make any permanent settlement. That is not possible. And That is also your fault. Because... Suppose you are posted now in a high post, Mr. Nixon, but you cannot keep the standard. You'll commit some sins. Next life, you'll have to become something else. This is going on. Kabhu svarge kabhu naya. Therefore the karmīs, they are all non-intelligence. Their intelligence is not... The only intelligent person is he who has completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and engaged in his service. He's the only intelligent. And all are rascals. That's all. This is our conclusion. Anyone, let come. We shall prove it. Let anyone come, either the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, anyone. We shall prove that "You are rascal #1." This is our challenge.
Word meaning? (synonyms read) Jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram. Knowledge, progressive knowledge, so, when it comes to the real standard, yadā, jñānaṁ yadā, when the knowledge or speculative empiric knowledge, pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram, no more affected by the waves of these modes of nature ... Our present conditioned stage is due to our being carried away by the waves of material nature. We are being carried away. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has translated in his song, keno māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. "Why you are being carried away by the waves of māyā, and sometimes drowned and sometimes on the surface? Why you are taking so much trouble?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. As soon as you take it... It is a fact, but you are misled.
Oh, don't you see how long the trees also live, for seven thousand years, many thousands of years. So what is there in living for long duration of life? So there is no actual wonderful achievement by the so-called material advancement of life unless you have got developed consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is false. False means maybe, temporary. You are American. You are feeling that you belong to the rich country, very beautiful body, no scarcity of food. That's all right, but it is also temporary. It is not permanent. And next life you do not know. Even if you have no information what is life after death, but there is. There is life after death. The body is changing. This is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The body is changing, but the soul is eternal. We are busy with the bodily affairs of life, but we do not take care of the soul. That is the mistake of the present civilization.
We are busy with the bodily affairs of life, but we do not take care of the soul. That is the mistake of the present civilization. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is teaching to the people in general, the philosophers, the religionists, the leaders, that this is not the way of civilization. You try to develop your consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa. Then your life will be successful.
Thank you very much. Any question? (break)
Because the Bhāgavata, the topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata was due to Parīkṣit Mahārāja being cursed by the brāhmaṇa boy. So at the time of his death he wanted to know from the great sages what was his duty at the time of death, and it was decided that he should hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. That was the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata teaching. Therefore I was talking of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, little introduction. That is stated in our First Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
"Here is an Englishman," "Here is a German," "Here is a Christian," "Here is a Hindu," "Here is a Muslim." Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Because India's realization of knowledge is brahmānubhūti, brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then, when one comes to the standard of brahma-bhūtaḥ knowledge, he'll be happy.
It is not possible, of course, to realize Brahman by everyone. That is not possible. But there must be an ideal institution. Unfortunately, at the present moment it is very difficult to find out where is that ideal brāhmaṇa, but there must be. Kṛṣṇa says. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement includes this, that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be division.
We have discussed this point. Take, for example, you American boys and girls, you have got a body, by your previous activities. So your standard of living is better than other country. So actually I see that even if you go outside your country, your standard of living is maintained. Because you have got already the body. Deha-yogena dehinām.
Just like a hog. A hog, if he changes his country or position, if he's taken to heavenly planet, then what he will be? He will try to find out, "Where is stool?" Because the body is hog's body. Similarly, an Indian, because he has got Indian body, even if he goes to America, he'll try for spiritual upliftment. That is the nature. A tiger, if you take in a civilized human society, he'll try to hunt.
According to the association with the modes of material nature, we are getting different types of body. And according to different types of body, we are developing different types of consciousness. Is it very difficult to understand? But when we transcend this bodily concept of life, then we come to the one standard consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to understand. If there is any difficulty, ask. It is very important. Why there are different consciousness? Everyone could take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot take it because they have got bodily concept of life. And body means association with the modes of material nature in a different way. Try to understand. Is there any question on this point? Say it clearly. If you have understood, explain. It is very important point.
Yes. Param. Param. You can say "It is a very nice apartment. Why shall I (go) after Vaikuṇṭha?" But he has no idea. He thinks that "If I go to Europe I get a better standard of living, better woman and better salary." But he has no idea what is param. Therefore, paraṁ na yat-param. There is no more superior. All superior finished. This is Bhāgavata. Paraṁ na yat-param. Final. Final beauty, Kṛṣṇa. Final opulence, final strength, final wisdom. Everything final in Kṛṣṇa, ultimate. No more. Na yat-param. Therefore He is called Parameśvara. Īśvara means commander. There are many commander, controller, but Kṛṣṇa is called Parameśvara. "No more." And Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Para means superior. "There is no more superior than Me." Paraṁ na yat-param. This is meaning of. So have saṅkīrtana.
We should give another chance. We should give another chance because he has taken the right thing, but to past behavior he appears to be again going to the māyā's clutches. So we should not reject, but we should give chance. One may take little more time to come to the standard, but we should give him chance. If he sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very soon all these defects will be disappearing. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. He will be completely a dharmātmā, a mahātmā. Why? Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Anyone who has taken seriously My lotus feet, seriously surrendered to Me, he will never be anxious. He will never be anxious, although sometimes it appears that he is coming down." So this should be our principle. We stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then everything will be all right in due course of time. So the varieties of life there is. That variety is actual variety.
| Page Title: | Standards (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 13 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=78, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 78 |