In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit was born, his father was dead; his grandfather . . . you know, his father was only sixteen years old when the boy was in the womb of his mother. In the battlefield he died. So when the child was born, the grandfather, Arjuna, and his elder brother, they are very much anxious to know how this child will become in future. Because a responsible king, they wanted to know, "Whether the child is worth to our family?"
So everything was spoken that is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that, "This child will be like this, like this," and it was foretold that the at the last stage of his life, he will be cursed by a brāhmiṇ and he will die out of snake bite. "This child will die by snake bite." That was also foretold. And because the brāhmiṇ cursed, a brāhmiṇ boy cursed him, that "within seven days the king will die by snake bite . . ." That's a long story.
Therefore, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he was not very old, but he understood that, "I will have to die by snake bite, so let me get free from this royal responsibilities." He at once handed over his kingdom to his son and went to the bank of the Ganges and sat down there tight, without taking any food and drink, for seven days, and he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the authoritative source of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and he died at the end of seven days; a snake came and bit him.
So this astrological calculation were then; still there are. Just see. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written, it was five thousand years before. It is stated there that in the beginning of Kali-yuga, there will be buddha-avatāra, incarnation. Bhavishyak. Bhavishyak means "there will appear." These are śāstra, these are astrological calculation, everything perfect. The other day, when I was discussed about Sanātana Goswami, how even an ordinary hotel keeper, he kept an astrologer who told the hotel keeper that "This man has got eight golden dollars." Just see. This is astrology. Even a thief could be conducted, guided by astrologer, and what to speak of others.
So that was their system in India. So that example is being placed here by Lord Caitanya that the Veda, Veda, that is astrology for your guidance. For your guidance, the scripture is your astrologer. He knows your future, he knows your past. So therefore you should consult. You should consult, for our guidance. Now, the astrologer is supposed to give some instruction to the poor man.
- 'ei sthāne āche dhana'-yadi dakṣiṇe khudibe
- 'bhīmarula-barulī' uṭhibe, dhana nā pāibe
- (CC Madhya 20.132)
Now, the astrologer says, is giving him—it is figurative—that "If you want to search out the Absolute Truth by ritualistic method . . ." mostly people are attached to the particular faith and its ritualistic method. They consider this is, oh, everything. Veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ (BG 2.42). They think that performing these rituals of a particular religion and faith, that is all; no more.
So Lord Caitanya says . . . Lord Caitanya in the shape of that astrologer says that if you follow—the figurative; it is given figurative—that he is searching after the wealth left by his father. Similarly, we have got our father, the Supreme, and He is the supreme proprietor of everything. Now if we try to find out our father and father's property by the ritualistic process—there are ritualistic process in every religion and in every scripture—but if we stick to that, then the result will be they will be entrapped by such fanaticism, and it will be not possible to make progress.
This is called dakṣiṇa system. Dakṣiṇa, dakṣiṇa means if you . . . he is giving him instruction that, "Your house is bounded by east side, west side, north side and south side. So if you go to the south . . ." south is translated into Sanskrit, dakṣiṇa. And dakṣiṇa also means giving something to the priest in respect of his service for performing rituals.
So this is figuratively being used, dakṣiṇa. Dakṣiṇa means priesthood. If you follow the priesthood, then the result will be that 'bhīmarula-barulī' uṭhibe, dhana nā pāibe: "There are some poisonous insects which will bite you, and you will not be able to dig out the wealth left by your father."
So this poisonous effect is that the priesthood, they are for business. They will never give you the right thing, not it is in their power. Not it is in their power. That is going on. But if you find out . . . if you want to find out the Absolute Truth through this rituals and priesthood, then the result will be that you will be bitten by some poisonous, I mean to say, insect, and your attempt will be unsuccessful. Paścime. Paścime khudibe.
- 'paścime' khudibe, tāhā 'yakṣa' eka haya
- se vighna (karibe)—dhane hāta nā paḍaya
- (CC Madhya 20.133)
Then again, the system of ahaṅgama-pāsanā, pantheism, philosophical speculation, pantheism, monism, atheism, agnosticism, so many "isms" there are. So if you follow these "isms," there is a jata, there is another danger which you will not get any information of the Absolute Truth.
- uttare' khudile āche kṛṣṇa 'ajagare
- dhana nāhi pābe, khudite gilibe sabāre
- (CC Madhya 20.134)
So uttara, uttara means uttara-mīmāṁsā. There is a philosophy which is called karma-mīmāṁsā. Karma-mīmāṁsā means there is no need of making your relationship with God. God is Supreme, accepted, but He is bound to give you the result of your honest work. This is another philosophy. So you work honestly, this is more or less moral principles. If you stick to the moral principle, ethics and moral, then you will be entrapped by this, I mean to say, prideness that, "Oh, I am very moral. I do not speak lies. I do not steal. I treat with my neighbors very nicely. So I have no necessity to search out father. I am quite all right."
That means, this mundane moralist, if you become mundane moralist, or if you become mundane philosopher or if you stick to the ritualistic process of your particular faith, then there is no hope of reaching to the Absolute Truth. Mundane scriptural, ritualistic way and dry speculative philosophy and mundane moralist.