Athāto brahma jijñāsā. But if we do not take care of this questioning . . . Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya (CC Madhya 20.102). Sanātana Gosvāmī placed this inquiry before Caitanya Mahāprabhu. To approach guru means to inquire about himself, "What I am?" That is intelligence.
Sanātana Gosvāmī was the minister. He was very opulent. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat (Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 4). But when he came to his senses after meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he wanted to know, "What I am?" This is real inquiry. He could be very satisfied to get answer himself that "I am minister and I have got so big salary. I am so respect . . ." No, he was not satisfied. He went to guru, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Vedic injunction is, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Everyone is conscious of the struggle for existence, but they are not serious enough that "Why this struggle for existence?" That "Why?" required. That is human life. The dog is suffering. He is hungry, he's going to a place for some food, and instead of food, he's getting a stroke by the stick. He barks very . . . He's disappointed, that "I wanted food, but I got the stick." (laughter) "I wanted bread; I got stone." (laughter) This is going on. This is going on.
And therefore, in the human society also, they are also struggling and making plans for economic development so that instead of stone, they can get bread. But the struggle is going on. There is no settlement. That is not possible. That is not possible. Either you go to this country or that country, you accept this "ism" or that "ism," unless you come to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of peace. That is stated, very simple words, in the Bhagavad-gītā, that how to stop this struggle for existence.
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
So this is going on. As soon as there is creation . . . Brahmā was created, and he was given the Vedic knowledge. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1), we get it. Brahmā was born. He was to establish the kingdom of God or . . . As Brahmā was born, the other living entities also were in the body of Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu. They were also to take birth later on. And before their birth, Brahmā was instructed Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge means these bewildered living entities struggling for existence may get Vedic knowledge so that they can revive their old, original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the purpose of Vedic knowledge.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The Vedic . . . What is Vedic knowledge? Vedic knowledge means to revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Vedic knowledge. If you revive your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the perfection of Vedic knowledge. But if you read only Vedas and perform formalities, ritualistic ceremonies, but you do not awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is useless waste of time. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
- dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
- viśvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
- notpādayed ratiṁ yadi
- śrama eva hi kevalam
- (SB 1.2.8)
You may be a very religious person—never mind you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or anyone—or according to your religious principles, ritualistic ceremonies, you execute very nicely, svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām. But after doing all these things, if you do not become God consciousness, God conscious, or you do not understand what is God, then the Bhāgavata says that it is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
So human life is meant for understanding the Supreme, our connection with the Supreme Being. That is real human life. Therefore the Vedas are there. So as soon as Brahmā was born . . . Because he is in charge of this universe. There are innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmās also. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa koṭi (BS 5.40). Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (BS 5.48). So Brahmā is jagad-aṇḍa-nātha. He's the chief person within this material world, in this universe. So he is in charge; therefore he was given the Vedic knowledge.
And he got the Vedic knowledge, but at the same time, two demons known as Madhu-Kaiṭabha, they wanted to snatch away, take away the Vedic mantras from Brahmā. This is the attempt from the very beginning. The devotees following the disciplic succession of Brahmā . . . Just like we are. We belong to the Brahma-sampradāya; several times I have explained. So our original guru is Brahmā, Svayambhū. Therefore he is one of the great personality, svayambhūr nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kapilaḥ kaumāro manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). These are twelve mahājanas, men of authority. So Brahmā is man of authority, the demigod, the supreme demigod, the best of the demigods. So these Madhu-Kaiṭabha, Madhu-Kaiṭabha, they took away. Rajas-tamaḥ. Why? They were full of rajas-tama, and Brahmā is sattva-guṇa.
So sattva-guṇa and rajas-tamaḥ. This material world, there is three qualities, so there is always struggle. If you want to remain in the sattva-guṇa, then the rajas-tamo guṇa, they will give you trouble. Rajas-tamo-bhāvaḥ. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). So we are trying to introduce this sattva-guṇa, and above sattva-guṇa, śuddha-sattva. This sattva-guṇa . . . Just like sometimes we experience that one person is elevated to the brahminical principle, sannyāsī principle, but all of a sudden he falls down, he becomes a demon. We have got experience. He becomes demon. Very high . . .
So this material world is so contaminated that even you are on the sattva-guṇa, there is chance of being contaminated by the rajas-tamo guṇa. The struggle is there. Therefore we have to become very, very careful. Or Kṛṣṇa will help. If you want to remain in sattva-guṇa, in purity, then Kṛṣṇa will help. Just like here, as soon as Brahmā was disturbed by the demons full of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, immediately the Lord came in Hayagrīva-mūrti incarnation. That is . . . Kṛṣṇa is also very much anxious to give us . . . Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati (BG 9.31).
If you remain a pure devotee, always surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, you should know it very well that Kṛṣṇa will give you protection in any calamity. Don't be worried. Simply we must have the faith. That is surrender. Surrender means avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa, viśvāsa pālana (Śaraṇāgati). You must be faithful that "I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. I may go to hell or heaven, it doesn't matter. I am going to serve Him. It is sure that Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." So there should be no hesitation. If somebody is ordered, "Go to hell and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness," he should remain faithful to Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will give him all protection.