Haṁsadūta: The following lecture was recorded in the evening, 24th March, 1971, at Akash Ganga, Bombay.
Prabhupāda:
- . . .na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava
- na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo
- yathā bhaktir mamorjitā
- (C Adi 17.76)
We have explained this verse yesterday, that in order to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhakti, devotional service, is required. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55): "Simply through devotional service one can understand Me." Not through knowledge, not through fruitive activities.
There are various types of men. The lowest stage is the karmī. Karmīs means those who are working very hard for sense gratification. They are called karmīs. And the next stage is the jñānī. Wiser than the karmīs, they try to realize the value of life, what is the value of life. Not that blindly, simply working hard day and night.
Actually, human form of life is not meant for that purpose, to work so hard. Because the animals . . . our tendency is also . . . therefore the capitalists and the laborer class are there. Actually, we do not want to work hard. That is our tendency. But we want more profit for sense gratification. Therefore we utilize others' service, who will work for me, and I shall take the profit. This is the defect of modern civilization.
Actually, my tendency is . . . just like when a man gets some money, he does not work very much. He takes some profit, either keeping in the bank some balance, and lives in a comfortable place. That is the tendency. Because we are spiritual entities, our natural tendency is to enjoy life. Spiritual entities means by nature, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12); by nature, they want to enjoy life.