So Bali Mahārāja is one of the authorities. Out of the twelve authorities, first is Lord Brahmā; the next, Nārada; the next, Lord Śiva; then next, the Kumāras; then Kapiladeva; then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu; then Prahlāda Mahārāja; then Janaka Mahārāja; then Bhīṣmadeva; then Bali Mahārāja; then Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and then Yamarāja. It is stated in the śāstra that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You cannot understand transcendental subject matter simply by dry speculation and argument. You cannot understand. Neither by reading Vedic literature. The conclusion is that you have to follow those who are authorities. Mahājano yena. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Guhā. Guhā means the cave, mountain cave, and guhā means the heart. So suppose something is very valuable is there in the cave of the mountain, and you do not know how to search it out. But if you know somebody who knows it, if you follow him, that "He is going there so I may also follow..."
Yamaraja (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 5)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So that small particle, atomic spiritual energy, takes shelter by superior control. When a man dies... I am speaking of man. Every living entity is dying. So the spirit soul is taken to the court of judgment of Yamarāja. And according to his work, he is given a body, next life. How? By superior arrangement. That is stated in the Śrīmad... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Just like your... Ordinarily, suppose you are working somewhere. So your service record is there. Now, at the end of the year, or at the end of some period, the service record is checked, and you are given promotion or increase, increment. So many things are judged. Similarly, all our activities what we are doing now, that is being recorded. There is record. And after death, you are taken to the court of Yamarāja, the days of judgment, and the decision is made by the higher authority what kind of body I or you shall get. This is the way.
Ah! So in this way māyā is always entrapping him. We are always suffering three kinds of suffering—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—and we think, "Now we are very happy. Now we have got this electric fan, or air-conditioned room. So Yamarāja will not be able to enter, and I am secure. I have got good bank balance and good wife, good children..." No, no, no. This is illusion. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). So long you will possess this material body, so you'll have to suffer. That is described here, tāpa-traya. Tāpa means miseries, and traya means three. So cikitsitam. A sane man, when he's suffering, he goes to the doctor, physician: "Sir, I am suffering from disease. Give me some medicine." So he takes medicine. That is sane man. And insane man, he does not go to the physician for treatment. He thinks, "This is natural. What is that?" This is the difference between foolish man and sane man.
That small particle is being carried by the subtle body—mind, intelligence, and ego. And it is pushed through the semina of the father into the womb of the mother, and another body is manufactured in due course of time, and it comes out and works. This is called transmigration of the soul—from one body to another. That body is given by superior examination, Yamarāja. Yamarāja fixes up what kind of body this soul will get. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1) (SB 3.31.1). Just like in the court, there is case, and the magistrate decides what kind of punishment this criminal should be awarded. So similarly, here in this material world, we are simply engaged in sinful activities. Here the so-called pious and impious, that is simply imagination. Really, if I am actually pious, I should not get this material body. Just like to remain in the prison house means criminal. You may be a first-class prisoner, it doesn't matter, but you are a prisoner. You are a criminal. Sometimes the big, big politicians, they are put into the jail and they're given all comforts.
That is common. But that is not security. "Because I have got very good means of living, very good means of sleeping, nice house, and very good wife and very good bank balance and good government, therefore I am secure." That is nonsense. Pramatta. That is called pramatta. Means he does not know that at any moment Yamarāja can come and kick him out from this position. At any moment. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Yamarāja is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, a servant of Kṛṣṇa. He is Vaiṣṇava. Yamarāja, we are very much afraid of Yamarāja, but he Vaiṣṇava. Not only Vaiṣṇava, but he's one of the mahājanas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). He's mahājana in this sense: All the sinful living entities are brought before him, and according to the gravity of criminality, sinful action, he punishes. Just like magistrate. Magistrate, before the magistrate all criminals are brought in, and he considers the gravity of the case, and according to the case, somebody is hanged, somebody is put into the jail for three years, somebody for six years, somebody for six months.
Magistrate, before the magistrate all criminals are brought in, and he considers the gravity of the case, and according to the case, somebody is hanged, somebody is put into the jail for three years, somebody for six years, somebody for six months. That is Yamarāja's duty. So that is... He's also dharma-vit. His name is Dharmarāja. Not that because he is punishing... Simply his only business is to punish. But still he's Dharmarāja, dharma-vit. He knows how to punish a person on religious principles.
So we are, in this material world, we are pramatta. We are thinking "These material conditions will save me." That is pramatta, half-mad, crazy. Pramatta. We are thinking, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). I am thinking "I am very strong body..." (break) ...cannot achieve self-realization. Now some of our big sannyāsīs, he took it that unless you become very strong and stout by eating meat and exercise, gymnastics, you cannot understand spiritual life. This is their interpretation. But that is not the fact.
Now some of our big sannyāsīs, he took it that unless you become very strong and stout by eating meat and exercise, gymnastics, you cannot understand spiritual life. This is their interpretation. But that is not the fact. Bala, bala means Balarāma. Do you think that because you are very strong and stout, a big wrestler with muscles, you'll live? No. For Yamarāja there is no consideration that "Here is a weak person, lean and thin, and here is a very strong person; therefore the strong person should be left over and the lean and thin will be taken to Yamarāja." No. When the time will come, the lean and thin may be spared, but the strong man may be immediately taken. So this rascaldom, that by exercise... People are very much attached to the body. We have seen everywhere, especially in European, they are very much attached to make the body stout and strong. And in the morning you'll find... Here also you'll find. They're running to make the body... As if the strong body will save him from death. This is rascaldom. Therefore pramatta. Crazy.
These are some of the examples of pramatta. He does not know. Pramatta. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). Deha, body. One is feeling secure, "I have got very strong body. I shall live forever." Rascal. Pramatta. That is not possible. Deha and apatya. Apatya means sons. "Oh, I have got so many nice sons, very earning, very obedient; therefore Yamarāja will not touch me." No, no. That is not possible. There is a very joking story in Bengal, gaye gum akale jam care na(?). Gu means stool. So one intelligent person, he thought, "I shall be free from the touch of Yamarāja by one tactics." What is that? "Stool is very obnoxious. Nobody comes to stool. So let me smear my body, whole body with stool so that Yamarāja will not come and touch me." Gaya muk gum akale jam care na(?). This is another pramatta. That crazy fellow, that he is thinking "By keeping myself dirty and obnoxious, Yamarāja is gentleman, he'll not come and touch me." This is another pramatta.
So deha apatya kalatra. Kalatra means wife. "Oh, I have got such a nice wife, and she'll pray to Yamarāja, 'Please excuse my husband.' " Just like Nala-Damayantī. Not... What is that? Sāvitrī-Satyavān. The Sāvitrī saved her husband from the hands of Yamarāja. That's a long story. It will take much time. So therefore "I have got such a nice chaste wife, she will save me from the Yamarāja hands." Then I can speak shortly that Sāvitrī-Satyavān... Satyavān was to die on the marriage day. But Sāvitrī was attached to Satyavān, so her father, mother said that "You don't marry this boy. He'll die on the very day of his marriage." So love is blind. She said, "Still I shall marry him." So she married, and the husband died. So Yamarāja came. So she pleased the Yamarāja, and Yamarāja, being pleased, said, "My dear girl, you'll have a very good son"—because every girl expects some son. So Yamarāja gave her the benediction that "You will have very nice son." Then the husband was dead... No, she prayed for a good son, yes. And Yamarāja gave her benediction, "Yes, you'll have good son." First of all she pleased Yamarāja by prayers, and then Yamarāja asked, "What do you want?" "A very good son." "All right, you'll have a good son." So then the Yamarāja was taking her husband, and she was going behind. Then Yamarāja said, "Your husband cannot be returned. He is dead. And it is my duty, I am taking.
Why you are coming, following me?" "Now, you said that I will have a son. So if you are taking my husband, how he will have son?" So Yamarāja came to his senses that "I have done a mistake." Then "All right, take your husband."
So these are rare instances. But don't think that because you are very clever and..., you'll be untouched by Yamarāja. No, no, no. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu asatsu (SB 2.1.4). Asat. Nobody will stay. Asat. This material world is like that. Asat means temporary, everything. This body is temporary. Your body is temporary, this life is temporary. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), Kṛṣṇa says you'll have to change this body. It may be for fifty years, sixty years, utmost hundred years. But still, you have to change this body. Therefore asat. Asato mā sad gama. This is Vedic instruction. Don't be attached to this asat, temporary things. That is called vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). If one wants to learn how to become vairāgī, no attachment for this material world, then he must take to devotional service.
So, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is dharma-suta. He is not ordinary person. He is the son of Dharmarāja, Yamarāja. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's mother, Kuntī, had the power to call any demigod. She got this benediction from Durvāsā Muni. So he (she) had his (her) three sons, means Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and Arjuna. She got Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira from Dharmarāja, Arjuna from Indra, and Bhīma from Varuṇa..., Vāyu, yes. Similarly, still she is one of the chaste women. These things are there. But still, they are not polluted. But in the Kali-yuga these things are prohibited. Devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164).
In the Kali-yuga people are very much polluted. They cannot transgress. This is not transgression, this is powerful. Just like you are prohibited to go to the filthy place, prohibited. But the sunshine goes. Sunshine goes. Sunshine is not prohibited, that "Here is a filthy place, lavatory. Sunshine, you do not come here." No, sunshine doesn't require your permission. It can go anywhere. But it is not polluted.
Vasudeva's sister, Kuntī. So when Kṛṣṇa was going back to Dvārakā, after finishing the Battle of Kurukṣetra and establishing Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira on the throne, His mission... His mission was that Duryodhana should be thrown out, and Yudhiṣṭhira must sit down on the throne. Dharma, Dharmarāja.
That is the desire of Kṛṣṇa, or God, that the state executive head should be as pious as Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is the scheme. Unfortunately, people do not want that. They have now discovered this democracy. Democracy... "Demon-cracy." Shortcut of "demon-cracy" is "democracy." All the demons and rogues, they gather together, somehow or other votes, and occupy the seat, and the business is plundering. The business is plundering. If we talk very much upon this, it will not be very favorable, but according to śāstra... We, we talk according to śāstra, that the democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers.
Kṛṣṇa is always there.
Therefore Bhīṣmadeva, while he was dying... He was grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas. So when the Pāṇḍavas came to see him on his deathbed, so he cried that: "These boys, my grandsons, they're all very pious. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the topmost pious person. His name is Dharmarāja, the king of religiosity. He is the eldest brother. And Bhīma and Arjuna, they are devotees and so great hero. They can kill thousands of men. They're so powerful. So Yudhiṣṭhira, Yudhiṣṭhira is there, and Bhīma is there. Arjuna is there, and Draupadī is directly the Goddess of Fortune. There was this injunction that wherever Draupadī will be there, there will be no scarcity of food. In this way, the combination was so nice and over and above them, Kṛṣṇa is always with them, and still they are suffering." So he began to cry that: "I do not know what is the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa that such pious men, such devotees, they are also suffering."
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like Kṛṣṇa advised Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja that "You go to Droṇācārya and speak him, to tell him that 'Your son is dead.' " Because Droṇācārya will not die unless he hears, he gets a shock of his son's death. So his son was living. So unless he gets this shock... So he would not believe anybody. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was the truthful Dharmarāja, Yudhiṣṭhira. So Kṛṣṇa asked him that "You go on and tell this lie, that 'He is, your son is dead.' " But Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja hesitated: "Oh, I never spoken lies. How can I say it?" You see?
So this was a mistake by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, because the so-called truthfulness or untruthfulness of this relative world is not applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got a plan. If we execute the plan of Kṛṣṇa, that is the highest truth. But we should not imitate unless we are actually ordered to do such thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa was personally asking. So unless we are ordered by Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, we cannot violate the morality of this world. That is not possible. It is a great philosophy.
After the Battle of Kurukṣetra, when everything was settled, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who is well known as Dharmarāja, very pious king, he was very much aggrieved. It is said that sixty-four crores of men were dead within eighteen days in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is very much pious, he did not like the idea of so many persons being killed simply for the sake of enthroning him on the throne of the kingdom. He was very much aggrieved that "For me so many men have died. How much sinful I have become, although I am going to be the king."
Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.
So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was not that type of king. Therefore he is known as Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, most pious king. So he was now sorry, and prabodhito 'pi, prabodhito 'pi. He was trying to pacify Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, "Don't be sorry. It is done for the sake of good cause for establishing dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, so don't be sorry," but still, he could not be pacified. Śucārpitaḥ. Śucā means distress. He was so much distressed within his mind that he could not be satisfied.
Just like in pushing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, so many dangers we have to meet. But we don't care for it. If I am, I mean to say, real servant of Kṛṣṇa, then this movement will go on, in spite of so many obstacles. So that is called soberness. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.
So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was that kind of dhīra. He is the son of Dharmarāja, dharma-putra, highly elevated. So everyone was astonished that "How he is aggrieved for the death of his relatives!" Because the other side, Duryodhana was his cousin-brother. All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, they played together, they ate together, they were family members, friends, and... But there was misunderstanding. (break) ...life is coming out of matter. Now, you, daily you are slaughtering animals. Now, what do you see? The bones and the blood and the flesh and urine and the stool, after cutting this body. So these are the ingredients out of which this man has come or this animal has come. Take these ingredients and create another living entity.
So here the most important word is yudhiṣṭhiro dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was known as Dharmarāja, very strictly following religious principles. So he killed... For his sake, sixty-four crores of men were killed in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So he was not happy although the battle, the fight, was religious fight. It is not whimsical. Just like in the modern days the politicians, they fight unnecessarily to fulfill their desire... Just like in our country, unnecessarily they divided Pakistan, and to fulfill the whims of the leaders, they are fighting with nobody's gain, neither there is any religious principles.
So he was Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was ruling dharmeṇa. Dharmeṇa means just according to the desire of the Supreme Lord. This is dharma. Dharmam. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmeṇa means, religious principle means to act according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is religious principle. It is not that you manufacture some dharma: "We are Hindus," "We are Muslims," "We are Christians." These are not dharmas. Nobody cares for God. Nobody carries out the order of God. Nobody knows what is God. Nobody knows what is relationship with God. So where is dharma? The, all bogus. Therefore Bhāgavata says: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This so-called cheating type of religious system is kicked out in Bhāgavatam. Real dharma.
So when one becomes budha... Budha means well aware of everything. Then he understands Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything. He's the Supreme. So... And dharma, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in reference with the Ajāmila-mokṣaṇa, that Yamarāja said: dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Nobody can manufacture dharma.
So here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja ruled over this planet, Bhāratavarṣa, dharmeṇa. Here it is said, cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa. Exactly... And here also it is confirmed, that bhīṣmoktam acyutoktam. Niśamya bhīṣmoktam atha acyutoktam. So if such kind of king is there, then everything is all right. Everything. And establishing such pious king... Here it is stated, yudhiṣṭhiraṁ prīta-manā babhūva, īśvara, īśvara, niveśayitvā nija-rājya īśvaro yudhiṣṭhiraṁ prīta-manā babhūva.
Sāvitrī. In India, to the woman, in order to become very chaste and devoted to husband, they observe the ritualistic ceremony to worship Sāvitrī Satyavān. So Sāvitrī was in love with a boy who was destined to die on the marriage date, but still, she married. She knew that "As soon as I will be married, on the same day, my husband will die." So she pleased the Yamarāja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamarāja so much so that Yamarāja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamarāja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son."
Nitāi: "As long as Vidura played the part of a śūdra, being cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni, Aryamā officiated at the post of Yamarāja to punish those who committed sinful acts."
Prabhupāda:
- abibhrad aryamā daṇḍaṁ
- yathāvad agha-kāriṣu
- yāvad dadhāra śūdratvaṁ
- śāpād varṣa-śataṁ yamaḥ
- (SB 1.13.15)
So Vidura is Yamarāja, the superintendent of death. After our death, we are brought before the justice Yamarāja, what kind of next birth I may have. So Yamarāja is not śūdra. He is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, although he has the duty to punish the criminals. Just like a magistrate is always punishing the criminals. That is his business, but he is not criminal. He is giving judgment to the criminals. Similarly, Yamarāja is the appointed magistrate, superintendent. After death, one has to go before him and take the judgment of his next life. This is the process.
Śūla punishment. So when he was condemned to the śūla punishment, then the king heard that "Maṇḍūka Muni, the great sage, he is punished like that?" Immediately he stopped. "What is this nonsense that Maṇḍūka Muni has been punished? He is a great sage." So the king stopped the punishment and immediately came to see what has happened. Then he was immediately released. But he was very sorry, that "Why the judge Yamarāja punished him like that?" So he asked Yamarāja, "Why you have punished me like this?" "Now, in your childhood you pierced the rectum of an ant with a...," what is called?
This is nature's law. We are in such a dangerous position. In every movement there is punishment. Now, if you believe the śāstras, that is different thing. If you don't believe, then do anything you like. But from śāstra we can understand the laws of nature, or God, is very, very strict, very, very strict. So Maṇḍūka Muni also chastised Yamarāja, that "In my childhood, without any knowledge I did something and for which you have given me so great punishment. So you are not fit for becoming a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. You become śūdra." So he was cursed to become śūdra. Therefore Yamarāja took his birth as Vidura and was born in the womb of a śūdra mother. This is the history of Vidura's birth.
So in his absence, Aryamā, one of the demigods, he officiated Yamarāja. Therefore it is said, abibhrad aryamā daṇḍam. The office must go on, the magistrate post cannot be vacant. Somebody must come and act. So Aryamā was acting.
So Aryamā was acting. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāri means... Agha means sinful activities, and kāriṣu. Kāriṣu means those who commit sinful acts. And yathāvat. Yathāvat means exactly to the point, how he should be punished. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Yāvad dadhāra śūdratvam. So long Yamarāja continued as a śūdra, Aryamā was officiating in his place as Yamarāja. This is the purport. (reads purport:) "Vidura, born in the womb of a śūdra mother, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage along with his brothers Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu. Then how could he occupy the post of a preacher to instruct such learned...? Answer is that even though it is accepted that he was a śūdra by birth, because he renounced the world for spiritual enlightenment by the authority of Ṛṣi Maitreya and was thoroughly educated by him in transcendental knowledge, he was quite competent to occupy the post of an ācārya or spiritual preceptor." Vidura was a śūdra, born śūdra. Then how he became a preacher?
Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). This is bhakti, bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says to everyone, "If you cannot give up your karma, then that's all right. But the result of your karma, give to Me. Then it will be bhakti."
So Vidura was Yamarāja. Not only he was Yamarāja, ordinary, but he is one of the great authorities. There are twelve authorities mentioned in the śāstra. One of them is Yamarāja. Balir vaiyāsakir vayam. This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yamarāja is one of the GBC of Kṛṣṇa. Yes. As we have got twelve GBC's, similarly Kṛṣṇa has got GBC's.
That twelve men are authorized to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Therefore we have created these GBC. So they should be very responsible men. Otherwise, they will be punished. They will be punished to become a śūdra. Although Yamarāja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake. He was punished to become a śūdra. So those who are GBC's, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty. You can see from this example, Vidura. He was immediately punished. He did little mistake at Maṇḍūka... Because the ṛṣis, the munis, they will curse. Dealing is very... Even Yamarāja is not taking.
"He was to play the part of so-called śūdra for years, being cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni. He was the incarnation of Yamarāja, one of the twelve mahājanas, on the level with such exalted personalities as Bhīṣma, Nārada, Brahmā, Nārada, Śiva, Kapila, Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, etc. Being a mahājana, it is the duty of Yamarāja to preach the cult of devotion to the people of the world as Nārada, Brahmā and other mahājanas do. But Yamarāja is always busy in his plutonic kingdom, punishing the doers of sinful acts. Yamarāja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet some hundreds of thousands of miles away from this planet." That is mentioned. He has got a different planet, where the criminals are taken away after death, and he gives the judgment, what kind of body he will have. And not like the theosophists' thinking, "Now I have got human body. It is permanent settlement." No, that is not permanent settlement. According to one's work... Work means all sinful acts. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9).
This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajña, for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Kṛṣṇa? Nobody is serving Kṛṣṇa. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.
(reads:) "Yamarāja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet, some hundreds of thousands of miles away from the planet of earth, to take away the corrupt souls after death and convict them in accordance with their respective sinful activities. Thus, Yamarāja has very little time to take leave from his responsible office of punishing the wrongdoers. There are more wrongdoers than righteous men. Therefore Yamarāja has to do (more) work than other demigods who are also authorized agents of the Supreme Lord. But he wanted to preach the glories of the Lord, and therefore, by the will of the Lord, he was cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni to come into the world in the incarnation of Vidura and work very hard as a great devotee."
Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Tejīyasām, those who are very, very powerful, anything abominable done by them, it does not contaminate. This is to be understood. But you cannot do that. You cannot imitate.
(reads:) "When Yamarāja thus incarnated himself as Vidura, his post was officiated by Aryamā, one of the many sons of Kaśyapa and Aditi, the Ādityas, or sons of Aditi, and there are twelve Ādityas. Aryamā is one of the twelve Ādityas, and therefore it was quite possible for him to take charge of the office of Yamarāja during his one hundred years' absence in the form of Vidura. The conclusion is that Vidura was never a śūdra, but was greater than the purest type of brāhmaṇa."
So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja's another name was Dharmarāja. Dharmarāja. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya... So to enthrone Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira... Because king is representative of God. That is Vedic conception. King or president, the chief of the executive... He should be exactly the representative of God. As guru is representative of God, similarly, the king or president is also representative of God. In every planet... Because every planet... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the supreme owner of every planet." So every planet is the property of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore to govern that planet, there must be a king who is actually representative of Kṛṣṇa. The king's business or the president's business is to see that the citizens, they mistakenly have come to this material world to enjoy sense gratification. They should be trained up in such a way that they can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is king's responsibility. Similarly, that is father's responsibility.
This Vidura was Yamarāja. So he was cursed by one muni to go down and take birth in śūdra family. Yamarāja was very exalted post, but still... Yamarāja means the superintendent of death. There is Pitṛloka, Yamaloka, different planets. And where each planet is situated, how many miles, yojana... The Sanskrit is called yojana. Yojana means eight miles. So how many yojana is one planet situated from another planet, that is all described in the Bhāgavata, Fifth Canto.
He... I was talking about Vidura. Vidura was Yamarāja. So a saintly person was brought before Yamarāja for punishment. So when the saintly person inquired from Yamarāja, that "I am... I don't remember that I have committed in my life any sin. Why I have been brought here for judgment?" So Yamarāja said that "You do not remember. In your childhood you pricked one ant with a needle through the rectum, and she died. Therefore you have to be punished." Just see. In childhood, in ignorance, because he committed some sin, he has to be punished. And we are willingly, against the principle of religion that "Thou shalt not kill," we have opened so many thousands of slaughterhouse, giving a nonsense theory the the animal has no soul. Just see the fun. And this is going on. And we want to be in peace. Therefore your Senate house has issued some injunction order, that on the 30th of April, 1974, there will be a mass prayer. Who will explain it? Just explain. What is that?
God is not so foolish that you go on doing all nonsense, and simply by prayer you become out of it, punishment. No. That is not possible. Therefore I am speaking of the Viduras.
So that saintly person accepted to be punished by Yamarāja, but he also cursed him, that "Because in my innocence I committed some sin, you are punishing me in this way, so I also curse you that next life you will have to become a śūdra. Because you have no intelligence of a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya." So Vidura became a śūdra. Śūdra means he was born by a king, he was begotten by king, but his mother was śūdra, maidservant. That was the system, that when a king is married, the father of the princess also gives so many girls to go with the princess, as maidservant. And sometimes the maidservants also gave birth. So they are called dāsī-putra. Such son could not claim to the throne, but were provided, dāsī-putra.
So they are called dāsī-putra. Such son could not claim to the throne, but were provided, dāsī-putra. So Vidura's history was like that. He was a dāsī-putra, brother, a step-brother, not exactly step-brother, but brother, of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra. But he was a very saintly person, because formerly, in the previous life, he was Yamarāja. So he was not ordinary man. So he cultivated spiritual consciousness. Now, after leaving this body, he returned again, pitṛbhiḥ sva-kṣayaṁ yayau. He again returned to his original post. Temporary, he got the life of a śūdra; again he returned back by his pious activities. Similarly, there are many narrations in the Purāṇas. Sometimes Indra, the king of heaven, he was also cursed by Bṛhaspati to become a hog in this planet.
That is possible. So we should take the opportunity. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This life is gotten after many, many births. We do not know. We have forgotten. This is the opportunity. And here is the proof, śāstra, that kṛṣṇāveśena tac-cittaḥ.
How Yamarāja, Vidura, returned to his place? Now, kṛṣṇāveśena tac-cittaḥ. He was fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought. Not only Kṛṣṇa, you can go to Kṛṣṇaloka or any loka you desire. The yogis, they also can do that. Yoga practice. But that is not possible in this age. The so-called yoga practice going on are simply bluff. Real yoga practice means one becomes so perfect that he will not die natural death. He will die when he likes. He will not be forced to die. When he thinks, "Now I am fully prepared. Now I shall leave this planet. I shall go to such and such planet, such and such loka," he will be immediately transferred. That is yoga practice. So that practice is not possible.
Pradyumna: Translation: "O Sūta Gosvāmī, there are those amongst men who desire freedom from death and get eternal life. They escape the slaughtering process by calling the controller of death, Yamarāja." (SB 1.16.7)
Prabhupāda: Kṣudrāyuṣāṁ nṛṇām. Kṣudra, means very small, āyuṣām, duration of life. As we can compare that an ant's life or a germ's life... They are also living entities. Their duration of life is very small. There are many flies, they take their birth at night, in the evening, and the whole night they are busy, the same way: eating, sleeping, begetting children and being afraid of. All the qualities are there. In India we have got experience. They are called diwali germs or insects. In the evening before the light—one, two, three—in this way, by midnight, it increases to thousands and millions. And in the morning, at the end of the night, you will find heaps of insects or dead body. Heaps. Millions.
So it is calculated that in the moon planet you can live for ten thousands of years, and that calculation is compared: our six months equal to one day in that planet. So just imagine how many years of our calculation they can live.
But Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa informs us that wherever you may go, the Yamarāja is ready, the representative of Kṛṣṇa as Yamarāja. Just like the magistrate is also the representative of the government. So he is ready to come exactly as you finish your terms of duration of life. That is the way. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). So at the end of life, everyone becomes disgusted. Therefore there is some release interval. At the end of life, mostly, people, those who are..., especially ordinary human being, they do not wish to live anymore. Even from the point of view, this bodily, old body, always diseased, rheumatic pains, so... And there is no life.
As soon as there is a big trembling, everyone becomes afraid, "Now we are going to die. We have to die." So everyone is afraid of death, but nobody thinks how to make a solution of this problem. But there is solution. Therefore here it is said, martyānām. Martyānām means those who are destined to die. Ṛtam icchatām. If they are willing to live, if they want to stop calling the Yamarāja... Yamarāja means he will take you or take me, every one of us, after this body is finished, according to our karma. Yamarāja is there when we are sinful. Yamarāja is not for the devotees.
That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Ajāmila upākhyāna, Ajāmila. Ajāmila was a great sinful man. So at the time of death, somehow or other, he remembered Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So he was very fond of his youngest child, and the Yamarāja, not directly, by sending his men, Yamadūta... So they are very fierceful. So at the time of death this Ajāmila saw fierceful creatures, very odd-looking.
So these Yamadūta were surprised, that "You are looking so gentle, so nice. Why you are stopping in our duty? This man is sinful. It is our duty to take to Yamarāja, Mṛtyu."
So there was argument, and their attempt was foiled by these Nārāyaṇa-dūta. So when they came to their master Yamarāja, that "This is our first experience, that somebody else took away from our hand the person who was to be brought here. So is there any greater personality like you, er, more than you?" So he explained, "Yes, I am servant of Nārāyaṇa." So in that time Yamarāja advised that "To a devotee, you shall never go. It is not your jurisdiction." Just like the police jurisdiction is for the criminals, not for the gentlemen, similarly, Yamarāja's duty and his servant's duty, to take away to the Yamarāja only these sinful men. And those who are devotees, they are supposed to be not sinful. Naturally, they should be sinless. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Without becoming sinless, one cannot completely devote himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So they should try to avoid sinful activities if they actually want relief from this cycle of birth and death. This is the program.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is in support of this desire. One must be serious and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Follow the rules and regulation, very simple, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and they will be saved from Mṛtyu, Yamarāja.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- na kaścin mriyate tāvad
- yāvad āsta ihāntakaḥ
- etad-arthaṁ hi bhagavān
- āhūtaḥ paramarṣibhiḥ
- aho nṛ-loke pīyeta
- hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ
- (SB 1.16.8)
"As long as Yamarāja, who causes everyone's death, is present here, no one shall meet with death. The great sages have invited the controller of death, Yamarāja, who is the representative of the Lord. Living beings who are under his grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord."
Prabhupāda: So Yamarāja, Yamarāja is the representative of the Lord. Just like the police chief. The... What is called, the police chief? The superintendent or what? Commissioner. Commissioner of police. He is representative of government. So the police department is fearful department for the criminals, not for the law-abiding persons. Similarly, Yamarāja, who is the superintendent of death... Death is certainly cruel. At any moment death can stop all our activities.
So Mahārāja, the Yamarāja... Yamarāja is representative. There are twelve recognized representative of God. We have many times cited this verse. Svayambhū, Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is representative. And Nārada, great sage Nārada, he is representative. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, he is representative. Kapila, Kapiladeva, he is also representative. Kumāra, the four Kumāras, Sanaka, Sanat-kumāra. And Manu, Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. Manu received the transcendental knowledge from his father, Vivasvān, the sun-god. So... And Prahlāda. Prahlāda Mahārāja is also representative of God. Prahlāda, Janaka. King Janaka, father of Sītādevī or father-in-law of Lord Rāmacandra. He is also representative.
This Janaka-rāja is gṛhastha, householder, and Nārada is brahmacārī. Lord Brahmā is also gṛhastha. Lord Śiva is also gṛhastha; Kumāra, brahmacārī; Kapila, brahmacārī. So there are many. Yamarāja is also gṛhastha. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is brahmacārī. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacārī or householder or a sannyāsī. He must try to become confidential servant of the Lord. Then he becomes the representative, representative of God, Kṛṣṇa.
So Yamarāja is a great devotee Vaiṣṇava. We should not be afraid of Yamarāja. Those who are devotees, they are... Yamarāja says that "I offer them respect, my obeisances." He advised his messengers that "Don't go to my devotees. They are to be offered respect by me. You go to persons who are reluctant to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You go there and bring them here for judgment." The Christian also believe, "the day of judgment." The judgment is given by Yamarāja. But who goes to his court for judgment? The criminals, those who are not devotees, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they go to the court of Yamarāja.
So in other words, it is the duty of the Yamarāja to see that everyone is becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is his duty, just as the police department's duty is to see that everyone is law-abiding, acting according to the law of the state. Police is not anyone's enemy. He is enemy to the criminals, not to the law-abiding citizens. I have seen it, personal experience. In one of my friend's house there was burglary. The police inquiry was there. So we were going in another's house, the policemen and we also. So we saw in distant place a few men were fleeing. They were going away, hastily running away. So I inquired the police, "Why these people are running away?" So he answered, "You do not know Bābājī, that they are criminals. Because we are passing, they are thinking, 'Now the police is coming to arrest us,' although there is no purpose. How one can arrest? But they are..." What is called, this? Culprit mind is always suspicious. Because they are culprit, criminals, as soon as they saw, "The policeman is coming," they began to go away, run away.
So Yamarāja is not to be afraid by the devotees. This is the purpose. And it is the Yamarāja's duty to see that these rascals who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, or God, and come here to enjoy material sense gratification, they must be punished. Because material sense gratification is always sinful. We may create so many artificial laws, "This is good, and this is bad." Just like in your country, drinking is good. And in some other country, drinking is bad. In your country, meat-eating is no offense. But in the Vedic civilization, meat-eating is one of the foremost sinful activities. So here the so-called "good" and "bad," they are all mental creation. Otherwise, everything is bad, nothing good. Here, only goodness is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, everything is bad. So-called ethics, morality and law, good and bad, they are all rascaldom. It has no meaning. Because they are punishable. They can avoid the punishment of the law of the state. Just like in the government in every state, there is some punishment if one kills another living entity. Another man, not living entity. There is punishment.
So therefore it is the duty of the elderly son, those who are advanced, not to kill the insufficient son, but to give them education of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the duty. It is not that "Because this living entity is useless, then kill him." So you can kill, but you will be implicated. Therefore Yamarāja is there. Yamarāja's business is to see how much sinful this living entity is, and he is offered a similar body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You will be judged after your death, every one of us. Of course, if he takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then the path is automatic. Automatically you go back to home, back to Godhead. There is no question of judgment. Judgment is for the criminals, the rascals who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. But if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, even if you cannot finish the job in this life, even if you fall, still, you will be given another chance of human body, to begin where you ended, to begin from the point where you fell down.
We are experiencing that. Then you must fall down. Kṛṣṇa will not tolerate a defaulter, a pseudo devotee. Māyā is very strong. Immediately capture him: "Come on. Why you are here? Why you are in this society? Get out." That is Yamarāja's duty. But if you remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Yamarāja will not touch you. Your death is stopped from the point where you begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Your death is stopped. Nobody is prepared to die. That is a fact. You may say, I may say, "No, I am not afraid of death." That is another rascaldom. Everyone is afraid of death, and nobody wants to die. That is a fact. But if you are serious about that thing, that "I shall stop my process of death, dying process," then it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So once one becomes situated in hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ, that means he has stopped his process of death. So this dying again of this body... Of course, this body is material. It must make a show that this material body... But he is a spiritual body. He is going back to home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it. Therefore Yamarāja's duty... Yamarāja is Vaiṣṇava. He wants to see that you do not die again. He wants to see that you continue your deathlessness. Now you are engaged in kṛṣṇa-kathāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ. So that is the point of... Just like a diseased man. A diseased man, as soon as goes to the physician and he gives the right medicine, and he takes it, that means his diseaselessness condition has already begun. It will take little time. So in the meantime, in that treatment time, diseaselessness condition, if you make another infection, that is your fault. Otherwise, deathlessness begins from the day of initiation. Ādau gurvāśrayam. As soon as you take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, your point of deathlessness begins immediately. Immediately.
Otherwise, deathlessness begins from the day of initiation. Ādau gurvāśrayam. As soon as you take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, your point of deathlessness begins immediately. Immediately. And if you continue the advice and instruction of the spiritual master, or the śāstra, then you become deathless. No more death. And Yamarāja wants to see that actually you are continuing your deathlessness process. This is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Therefore it is advised.
Now if somebody argues that "Here is... A devotee is also dying." A devotee is also dying. How can I say that it is deathlessness? No, he does not know. Devotee is not dying. There is very good example. Just like a cat. He catches the rat and he catches his cub also. But these two kinds of catching is different. When the cat catches a rat, that rat means his, "Chi chi chi," means dying, actually dying. And the cab (cub), he is feeling very comfortable: "Meow, meow, meow."
That is a show of running. Actually, the running is stopped. Similarly, as soon as you surrender to God, through His representative, your death is stopped unless you make it nullified by accepting anything which is against the bhakti principle. Otherwise your deathlessness is guaranteed. That is stated here. Na kaścin mriyate tāvad yāvad āsta ihāntakaḥ. If you simply know that "Yamarāja is there; he is supervising that I may not fall down," then you will not die. You will not die. It is not impractical. It is practical. Try to perceive the truth that since you have begun Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, your death has been stopped. But don't fall down and again capture death. That is the instruction.
He is not praiseworthy at all. He is a fool. He is a rascal. That is our conclusion. No, it is real conclusion. Because Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha. Mūḍha means rascal. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).
So our simple test is whether a man is devotee or not. If we find that He is a devotee, then we respect, "Yes, here is nice Vaiṣṇava." Even Yamarāja says, "Offer my respect to the Vaiṣṇava." But if we see that he is not a devotee, he is claiming himself as God, as the supreme, then immediately, according to the formula of Bhagavad-gītā, we accept-mūḍha. Because a mūḍha does not surrender. Mūḍha. That is the test. Anyone who has not surrendered to the principle of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). That is the test. If he has not surrendered to God, or Kṛṣṇa, then he is mūḍha. That is also explained in the Bhāgavata that ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Why they are so mūḍhas?
Why they have selected the cows? There are so many animals. Why cow protection is so important in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Why Kṛṣṇa personally Himself became a cowherd boy and was taking the care of the cows and the calves? Oh, that is very essential.
And here also, we see that the Dharmarāja is inquiring about the comforts of the cow. Amba, kaccid bhadre, what is, anāmayam ātmanas te. Āmayam means disease. So "Whether you are quite comfortable by your health?" This is very essential to keep cows very comfortably. If they feel comfortable, then you get the most nourishing food, milk. We are practically seeing in our New Vrindaban center, because the cow are feeling secure in our custody, they're delivering milk up to the eighty pounds daily. You'll be surprised. So if you get milk products, milk, then you can prepare so many preparations full of vitamins, which will nourish your brain.
Everything is there. The butchers, the cow slaughterers, or their supporters, they say wrongly that the animal has no soul. This is a rascal philosophy. Why animal has no soul? The question should be...
Here Yamarāja is addressing the cow as amba, mother. "Why you are so unhappy? From your face it appears." So Yamarāja was foolish man, that he is addressing a cow as mother? This is civilization. It doesn't matter one is appearing as a cow or a man or a dog or a demigod or a civilized man, uncivilized man. One who knows that the soul is there... Unless there is soul, how Yamarāja is asking the cow, "It appears that you are very much bereaved, so what is the cause, mother, of your bereavement?"
So this culture, that Yamarāja, is asking an animal, mother... Without any soul? No. Everyone has soul. The rascals, they do not know it. One has to become paṇḍita. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said.
You have seen the President or not seen, it doesn't matter. The law will act. Similarly, you believe in God or do not believe in God. It doesn't matter. The God's order, the God's law, will work on. And for this purpose the material energy is there.
So here it is said... Yamarāja is inquiring the cow because she is very much threatened by the butcher. The butcher was ready to kill, and she was trembling. So Yamarāja is asking, kaccid bhadre anāmayam ātmanas te. Just like we would ask some friend or relative that "I think you are all right?" The same thing is being inquired. "Why you are appearing so much bereaved? What is the cause?" Ālakṣaye. "It appears that you are within very sorry." Ālakṣaye bhavatīm antar-ādhim. "Some distress within yourself." Dūre bandhuṁ śocasi. Because in this material world we are always distressed. It is not that we are happy. That is an illusion. That is not fact.
In the last verse, the another question was vṛṣalaiḥ. Vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. All these questions are being asked by Dharmarāja to the unprotected cows. Cow is the representative of earth, so if there was one question, ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. The cow is being questioned, "Whether you are afraid of the meat-eaters who want to eat you?" Vṛṣalaiḥ. What is the meaning of vṛṣalaiḥ? Unlawful meat-eaters. Unlawful meat-eaters. Just like at the modern age everyone is unlawful meat-eaters. There is a certain class of men always who are meat-eaters; not the higher class. The society is divided into four classes: the first class, namely the brahminical class; second class, the kṣatriya, less important; the third class, the mercantile, less important; and the fourth class, less important. And below the fourth class, they are not counted amongst human beings. This is the Vedic division. So, the first class means the brāhmaṇas; kṣatriyas second class; and third class, vaiśyas. They did not eat meat. Among the fourth class, fifth class men, they used to eat meat.
So in other words, it is our first duty to give protection to the women, the weaker section, the woman and children.
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 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?
"My dear Arjuna, even if you are promoted to the Brahmaloka, the highest planetary system, still, it is not safe, because the death is there. And if you come to My place, no, there is no more..." That is called nirvāṇa. Our business is to finish this material existence and go back to home, back to... That is real business.
So here the Dharmarāja is lamenting, "On account of absence of Kṛṣṇa, our real business, nirvāṇa, is being delayed. Therefore, are you lamenting, mother?" So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that although He's not present at the present moment, still, in the form of His holy name, He's present. You can take still advantage of Kṛṣṇa's name by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You can take. Don't think that when you chant "Kṛṣṇa," this name Kṛṣṇa is different from the Kṛṣṇa person. No. They are the same. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ, pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto 'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). This is the shastric injunction.
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. Śāstra says therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Everything will be taken away, or ultimately, destruction. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can find out, somebody, the verse. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. In due course of time, death will come, and it will take everything, what you possess. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. That death is Kṛṣṇa.
Bhavān hi veda tat sarvaṁ yan māṁ dharmānupṛcchasi. So, Dharmarāja, or Yamarāja, he is one of the twelve authorized persons for maintaining properly the human civilization. The principle is dharma. Dharma means not a religious sentiment. Dharma means occupational duty. Everyone has got some occupational duty. So dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That occupational duty is assigned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (ISO 1). Actually, the dharma principle, as we learn from Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't create, manufacture, your principle of religion, concocted. That is the difficulty. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). We have several times explained this, that dharma means-dharma, as it is translated in English, "religion"—religion means to obey the laws of God. That is religion, not a sentimental system of religious system we manufacture. That kind of dharma will not help us. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2)
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. (baby fussing) (aside:) It will be disturbing.
Devotee (4): Disturbance? (mother and baby leave)
Prabhupāda: So we have discussed the symptoms of Kali-yuga, this age called Kali-yuga. As there are seasonal changes, similarly, in the duration of this material existence, there are seasonal changes. That everyone has got experience. There is summer, there is winter, there is fall, there is spring. So generally the seasonal changes are accepted as Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. Just like in each year we have got different seasons, changes, similarly, each millennium there are so many changes of Kali-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Satya-yuga.
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.
Tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ: while the Dharmarāja and the earthly planet was talking between themselves, pṛthivī... Pṛthivī. Tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ, pṛthivī, the earthly planet and dharmayos tadā. Tadā: "that time," parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ. Parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ. There were many rājarṣis. Rājarṣi means although they're occupying the royal position... Rāja. Rāja and prajā. Rāja means king or the ruler. Here is also regulative principle. Why a king is accepted? Why a governor is accepted? Why a president is...? Even in this day of democracy—we have abolished the system of monarchy—but still, they select somebody to become a monarch, a king, or to occupy the post of the king. That is called president. Why? Because unless there is one head, or on the head of the government, who can actually control... Control means whether citizens are following, executing the rules and regulation, the law of the state.
One is complete number, pūrṇam. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya. And if you take away complete one, still it is one. This is absolute understanding. It is not that one has been taken away from one; therefore it has become zero. No. That is material. That is relative.
So parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ prāptaḥ prācīṁ sarasvatīm. In India, all the rivers, they're coming from the Himalaya, western side, and flowing toward the eastern side, going to the Bay of Bengal. So prācīm, flowing to the eastern side, Sarasvatī... This is also one of the famous rivers. There are many rivers in India. Especially there is sacred rivers-Ganges, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Godāvarī, Kāverī, Kṛṣṇā, Narmadā, like that. Each river is considered very sacred. So it is understood that Parīkṣit Mahārāja met the Dharmarāja and the earthly planet, talking together on the bank of the river Sarasvatī.
Devotee (1): Is Dharmarāja King Yudhiṣṭhira?
Prabhupāda: That King Yudhiṣṭhira is the son of Dharmarāja. He is the son. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was begotten by Dharmarāja.
Devotee (1): Vidura was also the...
Prabhupāda: No, Vidura was begotten by Vyāsadeva.
Devotee (1): He was also Dharmarāja?
Prabhupāda: No, he was not Dharmarāja. Oh, yes, yes, you are right. He was Dharmarāja.
Devotee (1): Yamarāja.
Prabhupāda: Yamarāja, yes. By the cursing of some great ṛṣi, he became a śūdra. Yes. I thought that you were asking whether Vidura was begotten by Dharmarāja. No. He's Dharmarāja. Any question? What is the name of that boy?
Pramatta means crazy, mad. Pramatto nidhanam, distraction. Nidhanam paśyan. Paśyan means although he is seeing every day, every moment. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was quested by Yamarāja, "What is the most wonderful thing in this world? Can you say?" Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira immediately replied. What is that? Ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam: "Every moment, every second, every day, every night, there are so many hundreds and thousands of living entities, they are going to the temple of death, or dying." Ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayaṁ śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti. "But one who is living, he is thinking that 'I will not die. I will live for good.' That is the most wonderful thing in this world." Nobody is taking experience that "I will have to meet death. And what is next after death?
Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was asked by Dharmarāja, "What is the most wonderful thing within this world?" He answered this, ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam, "Everyone, every moment, is going to the Yamarāja's place, the superintendent of death, where a man's life is scrutinizingly studied, what he has done, and..." I say man, not animal. Animal, they have no such thing wrong or right, because it is animal. But a human being must have this conscience, right or wrong. Pravṛtti, nivṛtti.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ janā na vidur āsurāḥ. Asura-jana, those who are demons, they do not know these two things— pravṛtti and nivṛtti—what is our duty and what is our not duty. Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca... (BG 16.7).
Similarly, we have got tongue, and we are lecturing all nonsense things, mental speculation, or singing in the dancing club, ho ho, ho ho, like that. So the result is that we are diminishing our duration of life in that way. The opportunity, the human form of life opportunity, is being uselessly diminished. In the previous verse we have learned, āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau.. Because the sun's business is to take away your span of life gradually. So same. As the frog is calling (to) his death, the snake, "Please come here, I am here," similarly, these persons who are talking all nonsense without kṛṣṇa-kathā, they are inviting the Yamarāja, "Please come soon. I am here. I am here." This is the position. So explain.
"However great I may be, these four principles of miserable condition of life, there are." It is existing in the Brahmaloka, in the Pātālaloka, everywhere, sarvatra. Gabhīra-raṁhasā. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. In the due course of time. This is the most wonderful thing. That is, that was questioned by Dharmarāja to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" He said, ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam: "Every moment so many people are dying." Śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param: "But those who are living, he thinks that 'My friend has died, but I will live forever.' " No. The same thing. The soft cow dung will be dried up, and the same condition.
This is a statement of Yamarāja. Yamarāja is also one of the authorities. So Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Brahmā. And svayambhūr nāradaḥ. Nārada Muni, he's also authority. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva, he's authority. Similarly, Kapiladeva, He's also authority. These authorities should be followed. If we want to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if we want to understand what is the purpose of religious life, then we have to follow these mahājanas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Dharmasya tattvam.
Just like Yamarāja. Karmaṇā, according to my karma, he offers me some body. Daiva-netreṇa. Jantur deha upapatti. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Karma... Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa and karma... Just like here, in the practical world, you can work as an engineer, karma, if you have got the qualification. If you have got the qualification of a shopkeeper, you cannot act as engineer. That is not possible. If you have got the qualification of a teacher, educationist, then you can become a teacher.
That is next life. Because his life is sinful he'll get his next life, he'll be punished. He'll be put into abominable condition of life. He does not like to think like that, but that does not mean that he escapes. There is a Bengali proverb that (Bengali). One body, one person, he thought that "I've done so much sinful activity that Yamarāja will come and capture me and punish me. So what is the way to avoid?" So he thought that "Let me smear over my body stool so he'll not touch me." (laughing)
So that is not possible, sir. You are under the control of māyā, material nature. You try to avoid it somehow or other, but it is not possible. It is not possible. According to the infection... Just like if you have infected some disease, artificial means will not save you. You must develop that disease and must suffer.
No, sir, your problem is not solved. (chuckling) Real problem is not solved. This temporary, you may have some facilities. This is called māyā. Māyayāpahṛta-jñāna. The real business of human life is to, as we have several times discussed, is to discuss about the problems of life and inquire about the Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is real business of life. But we are not interested. Mūḍha. We are thinking that "We are very happy. Now things will go on like this. I will never die." Śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was asked by Dharmarāja, "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" He replied, "This is the most wonderful thing."
"Every minute, every second, they are going to Yamarāja, means dying. But those who are living, they are thinking, 'This death will not happen to me. He is simply dying. My friend is dying. My father is dying. That's all right. But I am eternal. I will not die.' " He thinks like that. Otherwise you should have been prepared, "Oh, I will have to die. Then what is the after death?"
So the atheist class, they try to forget, that "After death, there is no life." This is atheism. There is life, sir. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). How you can say there is no life? There is life, but you do not know. Kṛṣṇa says that after this human life... He does not say that you get such and such life. He simply says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: "You will get another body." Now, He does not say what kind of body. The question should be, "All right, then what kind of body I am going to get?"
It was spoken by Yamarāja to the servants who went to take Ajāmila to hellish condition of life and he was saved by the Viṣṇudūta. Because at the end of his life he chanted "Nārāyaṇa." Actually, Nārāyaṇa was his youngest son, and he was very much attached to the little boy. So when Yamadūta in ferocious feature came to take him, he became too much afraid, and because he was accustomed to his son, Nārāyaṇa, so out of fear he chanted very loudly, "Nārāyaṇa, please come. Who are these men?" So simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa," immediately from Vaikuṇṭha the servants of Nārāyaṇa came, and they saved him from the hands of Yamadūta. That will be explained in the Sixth Canto how simply by chanting the name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the end of life, ante nārāyaṇa smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6), that is the perfection of life. If at the end of life you can remember Nārāyaṇa, then life is successful. You go back to home, back to Godhead.
He does not know how the laws of nature is working, life for life. You have no right to kill any life. Even an ant you cannot kill even. You cannot kill even. If you kill, then you have to suffer.
These are not stories. These are not stories. There are many incidences in the śāstra. Just like Vidura. He was Yamarāja, incarnation of Yamarāja, but he was cursed by a muni to become a śūdra. Why? Now, one muni was brought in the court of Yamarāja, and he was to be punished by like punishment, sula, piercing the lancet through the rectum and it will come out. So the muni asked Yamarāja that "Why you have put me into this tribulation, this punishment? What is my fault?" The Yamarāja explained that "In your childhood you pierced with a nail through the rectum of an ant. Therefore you must be punished like this." Just see. In childhood playing he pierced. Sometimes we have seen, the children do that. That is also counted. You cannot do any harm to any animal, any living being. You cannot do.
| Page Title: | Yamaraja (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 5) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 11 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=76, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 76 |