This Nice Car Is Rotten

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6
September 5, 1972, New Vrndavana



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "The supreme occupation or dharma for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupada: So

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Everyone is seeking satisfaction, atyantiksu. Everyone is struggling for existence for the ultimate happiness. But in this material world, although they are thinking by possessing material wealth they will be satisfied, but that is not the fact. For example in your country, you have got sufficient material opulence than other countries but still there is no satisfaction. So in spite of all good arrangement for material enjoyment, enough food, enough..., nice apartment, motor cars, roads, and very good arrangement for freedom in sex, and good arrangement for defence also -- everything is complete -- but still, people are dissatisfied, confused, and younger generation, they are turning to hippies, protest, or dissatisfied because they are not happy. I have several times cited the example that in Los Angeles, when I was taking my morning walk in Beverly Hills, many hippies were coming out from a very respectable house. It appeared that his father, he was (indistinct), a very nice car also, but the dress was hippie. So there is a protest against the so-called material arrangement, they do not like.

Actually we cannot be happy by material prosperity, that is a fact. That is also stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Prahlada Maharaja says to his atheistic father... His father was Hiranyakasipu. Hiranya means gold and kasipu means soft bed, cushion. That is material civilization. They want very soft bed, and the bed companion, and sufficient bank balance, money. That is another meaning of Hiranyakasipu. So he was not happy also. Hiranyakasipu was not happy -- at least he was not happy that his son Prahlada was becoming a devotee of the Lord, which he did not like. So he inquired from his son that "How you are feeling? You are a small boy, child, how you are feeling so much comfortable despite all my threatening. So what is your actual asset?" So he replied, "My dear father, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Foolish persons, they do not know that their ultimate goal of happiness is Visnu, God, the Supreme Lord." Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. Durasaya, dur, hope against hope, they're hoping something which is never to be fulfilled. What is that? Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. Bahir-artha, bahir means external, artha means interest.

So those who do not know that the ultimate goal of happiness is Visnu, they think that by adjustment of this external world... Because we have got external and internal. Externally we are this body. Internally we are soul. Everyone can understand that I am not this body, I am soul. I am covered by this body and as soon as I go away from this body, the body has no meaning. It may be a very important soul's body, a great scientist's body, but the body is not the scientist, the soul is the scientist. The body is instrumental. Just like I want to catch something, so the hand is my instrument. Therefore in Sanskrit word, these different parts of the body, limbs, they are called karana. Karana means, karana means action, acting, by which we act, karana. So na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31], we are now illusioned under the concept of this body. That is also described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13], atma-buddhih kunape, kunape means bag. This is a bag of bones, and muscles, and skin, and blood. Actually when we dissect this body, what do we find? A lump of bone, skin, and blood, intestines, and blood, pus, nothing else.

So kunape tri-dhatuke, these things are manufactured by three dhatus, elements, kapha, pitta, vayu. Kapha mucus, pitta bile, and air. These things manufacturing. These things are going on. After eating, these three things are being manufactured, and if they are in adjustment, parallel, then body is healthy, and if there is more or less, then there is disease. Well, according to the Ayur-vedic -- that is also Veda -- ayur means span of life, and Veda means knowledge. That is called Ayur-veda. So this Vedic knowledge of the span of life is very simple. They don't require pathological laboratory, clinic, no. They require simply to study these three elements, kapha, pitta, vayu. And they, their science is to feel the pulse. You know, every one of you, that the pulse is moving tick, tick, tick, tick, like this. So they know the science: by feeling the beating of the pulse, they can understand what is the position of these three elements, kapha, pitta, vayu. And by that position, constellation, they... In the Ayur-veda, sastra veda, there are, the symptoms, with the... These veins are moving like this, heart is moving like this, beating like this, then the position is this. As soon as they understand the position is this, they verify the symptoms. They enquire from the patient, "Do you feel like this? Do you feel like this?" If he says, "Yes," then it is confirmed. The inner things, how the pulse is beating, and the symptoms are confirmed, then the medicine is ready. Immediately take the medicine. Where is (indistinct).

Formerly every brahmana used to learn these two sciences, Ayur-veda and Jyotir-veda. Jyotir-veda means astronomy..., astrology not astronomy. Because any other, the less intelligent than brahmanas, the ksatriyas, the vaisyas, the sudras, they would need the brahmanas for health and future. Everyone is very inquisitive to learn what is future, what is going to happen next, and everyone is concerned with the health. So brahmanas, they would simply advise about health and the future, so that is their profession and people give them eatables, cloth, so they have nothing to do for working outside. Anyway this is a long story. So this body is a bag of the three elements, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. (baby cries) That baby. So Bhagavata says yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke, I am not this body. This is a vehicle. Just like we ride on a car, drive car, so I am not this car. Similarly, this is a yantra, car, mechanical car. Krsna or God has given me this car, I wanted it. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. "My dear Arjuna, the Lord as Paramatma is sitting in everyone's heart," bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya [Bg. 18.61], "and He is giving chance to the living entity to travel, to wander," sarva-bhutani, "all over the universe." Yantrarudhani mayaya, riding on a car, driving a car given by the material nature. So actual our position is that I am soul, I have been given a nice car -- it is not a nice car but as soon as we get a car, however rotten it may be, we think that it is very nice, (laughter) and identify with that car. "I have got this car, I have got that car." One forgets if one drives a very costly car, he forgets himself that he is a poor man. He thinks that "I am this car." This is identification.

So yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. One who thinks this body as himself, as self, and bodily relations, sva-dhih, "They are my own, my brother, my family, my nation, my community, my society," so many things, my, I and mine Misconception of "I" as this body and misconception of "my" in relationship with body. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. Bhauma ijya-dhih, bhumi, bhumi means land. Ijya-dhih, ijya means worshipable. So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that "I am this body," and "I am American," and "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brahmana," "I am ksatriya," "I am sudra," "I am this, those...," so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya-dhih, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13], yat-tirtha-buddhih salile, and tirtha, place of pilgrimage.

We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vrndavana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No. Actually the job is to go to such pilgrimages, holy places, to find out experience spiritual advancement. Because many spiritually advanced men, they live there. Therefore one should go such places and find out the experienced transcendentalist, and take lessons from him. That is really going to pilgrimage. Not that simply going and take bath and business finished. No. So

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu...
[SB 10.84.13]

Abhijne, one who knows. (indistinct) we should approach person who knows things very well, abhijnah. Krsna is abhijnah, svarat. So similarly Krsna's representative is also abhijnah, naturally. If one associates with Krsna, if one talks with Krsna, he must be very abhijnah, very learned, because he takes lessons from Krsna. Therefore Krsna's knowledge is perfect, therefore, because he takes knowledge from Krsna, his knowledge is also perfect. Abhijnah. And Krsna talks. It is not that it is fictitious, no. Krsna -- I have already said -- that Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart and He talks with the bona fide person. Just like a big man, he talks with some bona fide person, he doesn't waste his time talking with nonsense. He talks, that's a fact, but he does not talk with nonsense, he talks with the bona fide representative.

How it is known? It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, tesam satata-yuktanam [Bg. 10.10]. Who is bona fide representative? Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam, buddhi-yogam dadami tam. Krsna says that "I give him intelligence." To whom? Satata-yuktanam, those who are engaged twenty-four hours. In which way he is engaged? Bhajatam, bhajana, those who are engaged in devotional service. What kind of devotional service? Priti-purvakam, with love and affection. One who is engaged in devotional service of the Lord in love and devotion. What is the symptom of love? The symptom, the prime symptom, most important symptom of love is that the devotee wants to see that his Lord's name, fame, etc. become widespread. He wants to see that "My Lord's name be known everywhere." This is love. If I love somebody, I want to see that his glories are spread all over the world. And Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, na ca tasmat manusyesu kascit me priya-krttamah, anyone who preaches His glory, nobody is dearer to Him than that person.

Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita, how you can love, what are the symptoms of love, how you can please God, how He can talk with you, everything is there. But you have to take advantage. We read Bhagavad-gita, but by reading Bhagavad-gita I become a politician. So what kind of reading Bhagavad-gita? Politician is there, of course, but the real purpose of reading Bhagavad-gita is to know Krsna. If one is Krsna, if one knows Krsna, he knows everything. He knows politics, he knows economics, he knows science, he knows philosophy, he knows religion, he knows sociology, everything. Tasmin vijnate sarvam etam vijnatam bhavanti, that is the Vedic injunction. If you simply understand God, Krsna, then everything will be revealed to you because Krsna says, buddhi-yogam dadami tam. If Krsna gives you intelligence from within, who can excel Him? Nobody can excel Him. But Krsna can give you intelligence provided you become a devotee, or lover of Krsna. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam, buddhi-yogam dadami tam [Bg. 10.10]. And what is that buddhi-yoga, what is the value of buddhi-yoga? That buddhi-yoga or bhakti-yoga, the value is yena mam upayanti te. Such buddhi-yoga, such intelligence will get him back to home, back to Godhead. Not that by such intelligence he will go down to hell. That is material intelligence.

Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Everything is discussed in Bhagavatam. For the materialist person, adanta-gobhi. Adanta means unbridled, uncontrolled. Go means indriya or senses. Materialistic persons, they cannot control their senses. They are servant of the senses, godasa. Go means indriya, and dasa means servant. So when you come to the position of controlling the senses, then you'll be gosvami. That is gosvami. Gosvami means controlling the senses, who has completely controlled the senses. Svami or gosvami. Svami also means that and gosvami also means the same thing. Generally adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Uncontrolled senses, they are going. It is not that Krsna is sending them. He is making his own path clear, either back to home, back to Godhead, or glide down to the darkest region of hell. Two things are there, and that opportunity is in the human form of life. You can select. Krsna, as He inquired from Arjuna, whether "Your illusion has been dissipated now, after hearing Bhagavad-gita, now you can do whatever you like." So that "You can do whatever you like," that facility is always given to living entity by God. You can do whatever you like. It is not that we are, we are given no facilities to select, to make choice. We are given facilities and choice, everything to do.

So to select the path of hell and to select the path of back to home, back to Godhead, depends upon us. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh, yositam sangi-sangam, tamo-dvaram, tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam [SB 5.5.2]. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes, vimuktes. People, the modern educated society, they do not know what is vimukti. They do not know. They know, but they do not know what is the ultimate vimukti. Just like scientists, they are trying to give us so many facilities by machine, by different processes. That is means, that is also vimukti. We are in some inconvenience, just like we are in inconvenience for transport, oh, scientist gives us some horseless carriage. That is also vimukti. We feel inconvenienced for working so the scientist has given us the car. So every attempt is being made for vimukti, for getting out of some inconvenient position. But they do not know ultimate vimukti. What is the ultimate vimukti? Ultimate vimukti is to get freedom from birth, death, old age, and disease. That is ultimate goal. The modern scientists, they are giving us so many facilities to get out of some material difficulties but that is temporary. That is not actually vimukti. Actual vimukti is to get freedom from birth, death, old age, and disease. That vimukti can be achieved from Krsna, harim vina na mrtim taranti.

You cannot get out of it, out of these four kinds of material tribulation, without being favored by the Supreme Lord. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. Mama maya duratyaya, it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement of created by My maya, illusory energy. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14], but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he can get out of this entanglement. So here it is stated that sa vai pumsam paro dharmah yato bhaktir adhoksaje, the whole human civilization is trying to get freedom from some inconvenience. The state, politics, sociology, humanity, religions, so many things. So ultimately it is taken religion is the path of vimukti, religion. Because other things are being tried by the animals. The animals also have their ways of getting out of inconvenience. They know how to do it. Just like a bird, he knows that on the land I am in danger. As soon as there is some danger, immediately flies up to the tree. He knows. So everyone knows. You will find in animal kingdom, in birds' kingdom, everyone knows how to protect. It is said, we learn from Bhagavata that also that fish within the water, they have got so sensitive power that miles away if some enemy is coming, they can understand and they take shelter. Just like a dog can smell from distant place that somebody unknown is coming. So every animal has got special qualifications. Don't think that human being is only intelligent. No. The intelligence for these four things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex intercourse, and how to defend, these intelligence are there in every animal. Don't think simply human being has got this intelligence.

So vimukti, therefore they do not know what is the ultimate goal of vimukti, for getting out of the inconveniences of life. Na te viduh, they do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31], they are trying to adjust things by material adjustment. That is not possible. They do not know that. Adanta-gobhir. Andha yathandair upaniyamanah, But they are being misled by blind leaders. They are themselves blind and some blind leaders. Therefore we should not accept blind leaders, we should accept a leader who is not blind. We therefore accept Krsna, the Supreme Person, Who knows everything, past, present, and future. We take His leadership or we take the leadership of His representative. That is our process. So here some of our leaders, Suta Gosvami says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah, because ultimate goal is how to get out of the entanglement of material convention.

So he says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Dharma means, I have already explained, dharma means occupational duty. So everyone has got occupation and he is trying to get out of the inconveniences of material existence. So here it is suggested, because the question was dharma, dharmah kam saranam gatah, under whose protection is dharma now existing? So he is coming to that point. First of all he's explaining what is dharma, what is occupational duty. Actually dharma means occupational duty. Religion, I have already said, it is a kind of faith. Faith can be changed, but our constitutional position, occupational duty, that cannot be changed. We are eternal servant of Krsna, but without serving Krsna we are serving maya. We have accepted a false occupational duty, therefore it is called maya. Maya means false. Just like if I have got a body of America, American body, then my occupational duty is different from the body of an Indian, or from the body of a dog or a cat. So according to the body, our occupational duties change. But real occupational duty is of the soul. When you come to that platform -- the occupational duty of the soul -- that is the highest class of religion. That is explained here, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah.

Dharma, occupational duty, there are two kinds of occupational duties according to Vedic system, pravrtti and nivrtti. Pravrtti means propensities, material propensities. We have come here within this material world to enjoy material resources. That is called pravrtti. And when we come to the platform of understanding that I am not this body, I am soul, then my occupational duty changes. At the present moment we are all working on the platform of bodily concept of life but when you come to the platform of understanding that aham brahmasmi, I am not this matter, I am spirit soul, then my occupational duty changes. Not... That is my real occupational duty, because I am really spirit soul. Therefore,

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

When we come to the platform of brahma-bhutah... At the present moment we are jiva-bhutah. We are thinking that I am this body, but when you come to the platform that I am Brahman, I am part and parcel of Krsna, or God, then my duty changes. That is called bhakti. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. When, after being brahma-bhutah, after being liberated from material concept of life, that is called brahma-bhutah, aham brahmasmi.

So sometimes people say that bhakti, devotional service is for less intelligent class of men. No. It is the one who has become highly intelligent, he can take to Krsna consciousness. Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante [Bg. 7.19], after many, many births of cultivation of knowledge... Everyone is cultivating knowledge but when his ultimate goal of knowledge is achieved, that is to understand Krsna, vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19], one who understands. That is the ultimate goal of knowledge. So here is also the same thing explained, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Dharma, every human...

First of all, dharma is meant for the human society. The animal society, they have no, nothing to do about religion, neither they know what is religion, what is this body, what is soul. It is not their business. Dharma is the business of the human society. Therefore in any human society, there is a kind of dharma, religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion, or Hindu religion, or Buddha religion, or Muhammadam religion, some sort of religious propensities are there. Because without this propensity, dharma, religious, he is not a man, he is animal, because animal has no sense of religion. Dharmena hina pasubhih samana, anyone who has no religion, it doesn't matter what kind of religion he has got, but he must have some religion. Without religion he is animal. Dharmena hina pasubhih samanah.

So now, at the present moment, they are rejecting religion. Everywhere, all over the world. We have to... Travelling all over the world, the only scarcity is sense of God, Krsna consciousness, God consciousness. They have practically rejected God consciousness. So that will not make him happy because he cannot become happy imitating the animals. Now they are imitating animals, becoming naked. That is they, that is their advancement of civilization, to become naked, nudist. So actually decline, from human life they are decline to animal life. Because two kinds of life, animal life and human life but if they do not take to the proper position of human life, cultivation of knowledge and religion, then they are animals so gradually they will decline to animal life. So we should not decline, we should make progress, that is human life.

So progress means to make progress in religious concept of life. That is progress. Not, that is not progress, material comforts, that is not progress. Material comforts according to the body, that is already settled up, deha-yogena dehinam. As we have got body, a particular type of body given by nature, the machine... Just like your comfort of driving car is estimated according to the car you have got. If you have got a very nice costly car, then it drives very comfortably, but if you have got a less costly, cheap car, then you are not so comfortable. Similarly our comforts and discomforts are already settled as soon as you have got a particular type of body. 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 halava, that is not possible. Therefore sastra says, deha-yogena dehinam. 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 all the sastras, all the Vedic literatures, all the great saintly persons, they come. They simply come to give you hint how you can make spiritual advancement of life. They do not come here to say how you can make very comfortable material life. They never say. Either you say Jesus Christ or Krsna or Lord Buddha or Hazrat Muhammad or anyone, all of them have come to give you information for spiritual advancement of life, not for any material advancement of life. That is intelligence. Material advancement of life, you should be satisfied. Whatever God has given you, you be satisfied with that. Don't waste your time, that is not possible. Therefore your occupational duty should be... The highest occupational duty is suggested here, yato bhaktir adhoksaje. If you engage yourself in such occupational duties by which you can increase your devotional service for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described here in this chapter as Vasudeva Adhoksaja. Vasudeva, Krsna's name, another name is Vasudeva, and His another name is Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja means not to be understood by direct perception of our senses. Aksaja, we try to understand everything with our senses, we want to see something, we want to touch something, we want to smell something, we want to hear about something, we want to taste something, these are our direct test. So Krsna, God, cannot be understood by these direct tests. Therefore He is called Adhoksaja. You cannot understand Krsna. Krsna is here, but because we have no training, we see that it is a stone statue. But He is Krsna. We do not know that Krsna is so kind but because I cannot see Krsna at the present stage of life therefore Krsna has appeared in a form which I can see. That is Krsna. Krsna, the same Krsna, but Krsna can appear because everything is Krsna, everything is Krsna's energy, so He can appear in His energy. So He has appeared in this material energy, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. So He has appeared just like stone, because we cannot see except stone. Therefore He has appeared like stone, but He is not stone, He is Krsna. Therefore Krsna's name is Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja means we cannot perceive Krsna by direct sense perception but He is so kind, so merciful that He appears before us as we can perceive Him directly.

That yato bhaktir adhoksaje, and that bhakti, that devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should be ahaituki. This is first-class, this is their system. Because the enquiry was where is now dharma. So he is describing what is the nature of dharma. The nature of dharma is that bhagavata is the topmost knowledge. He is giving directly the topmost religious system. The topmost religious system is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is not perceived by direct senses. And that devotional service should be ahaituki. No hetu. Hetu means cause. I am going to the temple with some cause. For mitigation of some difficulties, I shall pray to... That is also nice, but that is haituki, there is some hetu, or cause. We should serve Krsna without any cause, not that by serving Krsna I shall improve my material position and so many causes maybe. But real service, real devotional service must be without cause. That is pure devotional service.

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[BRS 1.1.11]

There are different stages of bhakti. The first-class bhakti is anyabhilasita-sunyam, without any material desires, ahaituki. Apratihata and cannot be checked by any material condition. Bhakti, or devotional service is not such a thing which can be checked. "Sir, I was feeling very sick, therefore I could not chant." No, that is not bhakti. We are subjected to all these tribulations utterly, but bhakti... Just like Haridasa Thakura, he was going to die, or he's change his body, he's going to Vaikuntha. Caitanya... He was chanting daily 300,000s. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised him, "Now you are sick-willed, you can reduce your chanting." Haridasa Thakura said, "No, sir. That I cannot do." That is Haridasa Thakura. We cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. Even at the point of death he was chanting 300,000s of Hare Krsna mantra. Apratihata, this is called apratihata, without being checked by any material condition. So if you want to become a devotee, no material condition can check you. It is so nice, so easy, ahaituki apratihata yayatma suprasidati. The real thing is that we want satisfaction of our self, so if we want actually satisfaction of self then we shall take to this devotional service without being checked by any material condition or for without any material reason, then you shall be happy. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972

Our Superior Engagement

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6
October 5, 1975, Mauritius



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

This is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Chapter Two, text number six. There was a big meeting of great sages, saintly persons, about 2,500 years ago at Naimisaranya. Naimisaranya still... Those who have gone to India, they know. Near Lucknow there is a place. It is called now, railway station, Nimsar. So there is Naimisaranya. So there in the meeting the questions were put by the sages, that, to summarize the whole range of revealed scriptures, because in India the Vedic literatures are many-folded. First of all there are the four Vedas -- Sama, Yajur, Rk, Atharva. Then they are explained or supplemented by the Puranas, eighteen Puranas. Then they are further explained by hundred eight Upanisads. Then they are summarized in Vedanta-sutra, Brahma-sutra. And then again, the Brahma-sutra is explained by Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyayam brahma-sutranam. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is the direct commentary by the author himself. Therefore you will find at the end of each chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, srimad-bhagavate maha-purane brahma-sutra bhasye. Bhasya means commentary. Commentary means to explain. Just like in the Brahma-sutra the first aphorism is athato brahma jijnasa: "This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." Brahman means Absolute Truth, the supreme truth.

So it is said that the human life should not be spoiled or expended like animals. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. What is the distinction between the human form of life and the life of the hogs and dogs? What is the difference? The difference is that the hogs and dogs (children shouting) (aside:) It is not possible to stop them? We'll find the hogs and dogs, whole day they are searching after eatables: "Where there is some food? Where there is some food?" That is hogs' and dogs' life, the condemned life. They cannot have any peaceful life. They cannot do any intelligent work. They cannot produce food from the earth. They have no intelligence. The same earth is there, the dogs and hogs are there, the human being is also there, but human being has developed a civilization, comfortable life; the hogs and dogs, they cannot do that. Although they have got the same opportunity, but they cannot do it. So human life is meant for living very comfortably, brain clear to understand what is Absolute Truth, what is our life, what is the goal of life, because the hogs and dogs, they will also die and we will also die, but we can understand what is the goal of life; the dogs and hogs, they do not know what is the goal of life.

Therefore in the Vedanta-sutra the first aphorism is advised that human form of life... It doesn't matter where that human form of life has happened. It doesn't matter. Either in America or in India or in Pakistan or anywhere, human life is human life. So their business is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is the injunction of the sastra. Therefore we find a form of religion in the human society. It doesn't matter whether Christian society or Hindu society or Muslim society or any other society. Because they are human being, there must be a type of religion. And what is that religion? Religion means to understand God. This is the sum and substance. Religion means to understand God. In the sastra it is said, religion means... Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God. That is religion. This is the summary, short definition of religion. If somebody asks you, "What do you mean by religion?" the immediate reply is there in the sastra, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo napi devah: [SB 6.3.19] "The principles of religion is given by God. It is unknown to the human being or the demigods." That means except God, nobody can give you religion. Just like the law, state law. Law means the principles given by the state. You cannot manufacture law at your home. That is not law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. Therefore we must know who is God and what kind of law He is giving to us. This is religion.

So from Bhagavad-gita we understand, Krsna or God, says, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham: [Bg. 4.7] "When there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religion, then I incarnate, I descend." Why?

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
[Bg. 4.8]

So religion is disturbed by duskrtina, demons, and those who are saintly person, they execute religion. So paritranaya sadhunam. Sadhu means saintly person, devotee of God. They are sadhu. And asadhu, or demon, means persons who deny the authority of God. They are called demons. So two business -- paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam: "To curtail the activities of the demons and to give protection to the saintly person, I descend." Dharma-samstha...: "And to establish dharma, the principles of religion." These are the three business for which Krsna, or God, or God's representative -- or, you say, God's son -- they come. This is going on. So what is religion, then? The religion is obedience to God. Just like law means obedience to the state, and one who obeys the laws of the state, he is good citizen, similarly, the laws given by God, one who obeys the law, he is religious or saintly person. So it doesn't matter what religion you are following. It doesn't matter. If you are actually obedient to the laws of God, then you are religious. It doesn't matter.

So that is explained here: sa vai pumsam paro dharma yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Adhoksaje. Beyond the sense perception. We have got different stages of knowledge: direct perception... Pratyaksa, paroksa, aparoksa, adhoksaja, aprakrta -- these are five stages of knowledge. Direction perception, knowledge received from others, then realization, then anubhuti, understanding what is the position of God and His situation. That is called aprakrta. Aprakrta means not within this material world but above that. Sankaracarya, he has described, narayanah parah avyaktat. Avyaktat. This material world is manifested. And above this, there is the total stock of material energy. That is called avyakta. And beyond that, there is spiritual world. Narayanah parah avyaktat. So we have to understand God, where He is situated. He is situated everyone, everywhere, but still, we cannot see. In Kunti's prayer she said that "Krsna, You are without and within also, but still, You cannot be recognized." Nato natyadharo yatha. Just like one person's father or relative is playing on the stage, still, he cannot recognize him -- "Who is playing?" -- so similarly, Krsna or God's position is adhoksaja. Adhoksaja. Aksaja. Aksaja means direct perception. Aksa means eyes. Sometimes we say, "Can you show me God?" This is called aksaja. But He cannot be seen by these eyes; therefore His name is Adhoksaja. Adhah-krtah aksajam jnanam. You cannot see God by direct perception. You have to create your eyes, you have to create your senses, so that you can see God, you can touch God, you can talk with God, you can feel God's presence. Therefore His name is Adhoksaja. When sometimes God is described as impersonal, that does not mean that He has no personality. He has His personality, but He is not a person like us. He is not a person like us. That is called impersonal. Impersonal does not mean that He has no personality, but the experience of our personality, God is not like that. In the Vedas they are very nicely explained, pasyaty acaksuh: "God sees, but He has no eyes." Srnoty akarnah: "He has no ears, but He can hear." If He cannot hear, then what is the use of our offering prayer? He hears, but He does not hear like us. We cannot hear in a distant place, a few yards. But God, He is in His kingom. Still, if you offer prayer He can hear. That is God. Srnoty akarnah pasyaty acaksuh. He is seeing everything, every action of your activities, but that kind of eyes, seeing everything -- not only of my activities; your activities, his activities, everyone's activities -- we haven't got such eyes. Therefore, when He is spoken of, that "He has no eyes," that means He has no eyes like us. It is to be under Acaksuh. He hasn't got eyes like this -- I cannot see more than hundred feet. But He can see everywhere. Sarvatah pani-padas tat: "He has got His hands and legs everywhere." He has got His eyes everywhere. So therefore He is described here, adhoksaja. Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja means beyond sense perception. And still, you have to become obedient.

Therefore it is said, sa vai pumsam paro dharma. Paro dharma and apara dharma. There are two natures: para and apara. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita. This material energy, five elements, eight elements, even we can see... We cannot see five elements properly. Five elements: bhumir apo analo vayuh kham mano buddhir ahankara. We can see earth, we can see water, bhumir apo. We can see fire, analo. But we cannot see the air, but we can feel that air is blowing. That is also sense perception. We can see... We can perceive. We cannot see what is that sky, but we know, "Here is sky -- vacancy." Then we cannot see even mind. We cannot... I know that you have got mind, you know I have got my mind, but you cannot see where is my mind, I cannot see where is your mind. Bhumir apo analo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna prakrti me astadha. These are different energies of God, and the whole material world is composed of these five gross elements and three subtle elements. This is called material world. And Krsna says further, apareyam: "These material energies, they are inferior energy, apara." Beyond that, there is a superior energy. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param: "My dear Arjuna, these gross and subtle material elements, they are inferior energy. Beyond that, there is another, superior energy." What is that superior energy? Jiva-bhutah maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat: "That is that living being." We are all living being. So we are superior energy. We are exploiting the material resources; therefore we are superior. We are molding the material energy to our satisfaction, so we belong to the superior energy.

So at the present moment we are engaged in the activities of material energy. Just like we are economists, nationalists, scientists, and so on, so on. That means all our engagements are within this material energy, even psychologists, mental speculators, philosophers -- all material energy. But that is not our superior engagement. The superior engagement is explained here, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo [SB 1.2.6]. Superior engage means to remain engaged in devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Bhakti. Bhakti means devotional service. When we understand the Adhoksaja, the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, then we understand our position. Our position is eternal servant of God. This is our position. But at the present moment, because we are not in the superior energy, in the activities of the superior energy, we are struggling hard with this material energy.

mamaivamso jiva-bhutah
jiva-loke sanatanah
manah-sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
[Bg. 15.7]

The Lord says that "These living entities, they are part and parcel of Me." Mamaiva amsa. Amsa means part and parcel. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so the finger's business is to carry out or to see the comforts of the body. I want to itch my nostril; immediately the finger is engaged. And if the fingers cannot help me, then it is diseased. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God. If we cannot help God, if we cannot assist God, if we cannot serve God, that is our diseased condition. That is our diseased condition.

So we are, at the present moment, we are not helping God, we are not assisting God, we are not serving God, so this is our diseased condition. So we have to get out of this diseased condition. That is called mukti. The mukti is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, muktir hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthiti. Mukti means when we give up our false engagements and we are engaged properly in our original constitutional position. That is called mukti. So this bhakti means mukti. Because bhakti means to be engaged in devotional service of the Supreme, therefore that is mukti. And bhakti begins after mukti. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

Brahma-bhutah. We are all Brahman. The Mayavadi philosophers, they are very busy to realize his Brahman position. So we are Brahmans. That is a... Because we are part and parcel of God. God is Parabrahman. So we are part and parcel of God. We are not parabrahman, the Supreme Brahman, but we are Brahman. Aham brahmasmi, this realization, "I am not this body," that is called brahma-bhutah. So brahma-bhutah, when you realize this, this is called knowledge, brahma-jnana, that "I am not this body but I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. My duty is to assist God, to serve God." That is called brahma-bhutah. Otherwise, being jiva-bhutah, we are engaged in this material world, struggling with the material energy. That is called jiva-bhutah. And brahma-bhutah means to realize that "Why I am unnecessarily struggling with this material world? I do not belong to this material world. I am spirit soul. My business is spiritual." That is brahma-bhutah. And as soon as one understands this position, then prasannatma, he becomes immediately happy, joyful. Just like if you are doing something for which you have no necessity, and when you come to realize that "I am unnecessarily wasting my time in this way," naturally, if you become joyful that "Why I am wasting my time in this way?" that is brahma-bhutah stage. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. Prasannatma means joyful stage, no more anxiety. We are full of anxiety on account of our material conception of life, unnecessarily. So many leaders came and gone. So long they were living, they were always concerned. In our country... Just like Mahatma Gandhi, he came, big leader. Or in other countries, Churchill came or Hitler came. So long they were living, they were always anxiety, full of anxiety, fighting with one another. Now they are not existing. What is the loss there? But unnecessarily they were busy, that "Without me, my country will be finished, and this will be vanquished." Unnecessarily.

So therefore we require to be brahma-bhutah, then prasannatma. Then, because our only business is to see that "I am happy. I have no anxiety," that we are searching after, every one of us. So that anxietylessness is possible when we come to this stage:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

If you want actually peace, then you must be engaged in the service of the Lord. And before being engaged in the service of the Lord you should be qualified, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. Brahma-bhutah. As soon as you become brahma-bhutah, you are jolly. What is the symptom of jolliness? Na socati na kanksati. Na socati means "does not lament." We are always lamenting for the things which we have lost, and we are always hankering for things which we haven't got. This is our business. So long we do not get, we hanker. And when we get, then "How to keep it?" That is anxiety. And when it is lost, that is also anxiety. This is the material position. And when you come to the spiritual position there is no such thing -- no more lamentation, no lamenting, no hankering. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati, samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. At that time it is possible to see that everyone is equal because he can see. He does not see "Here is American." He does not see "Here is Indian." He does not see "Here is a brahmana." He does not see "Here is a dog." He sees all living being part and parcel of God. That is called samah sarvesu bhutesu. That equality is possible when you are brahma-bhutah. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Artificially you have opened this United Nation, but your conception is, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." So how it can be, there can be unity? It is not possible. That is not brahma-bhutah stage. That is prakrta stage, identifying with this body. So long you identify with this body when you are in the material conception of life, there is no question of spiritual understanding, there is no question of joyfulness, there is no question of freedom from lamentation and hankering and there is no question of equality. It is all false show.

So therefore here is the explanation, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Paro dharmah. Here it does not say that "Hindu religion is the best" or "Christian religion is the best" or "Muhammadan religion is the best." No. That religion is best which teaches the follower how to love God. Sa vai pumsam paro dharma yato bhaktir adhoksaje. If one is lover of God, then he is lover of everyone because he knows everyone is part and parcel of God. If you love your father, then you love your brother. But if you do not know who is your father, then how you can say "universal brotherhood"? This is all hypocrisy. You first of all know. You must first of all know what you are, what is God, what is your relationship with God. And when it is perfectly understood, then there is the possibility of samah sarvesu bhutesu, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18].

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
[Bg. 5.18]

Panditah, one who is actually learned, he sees everyone on the equal level. Who are they? Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane. A brahmana who is very learned and very gentle, vidya-vinaya. Education means one is very gentle and learned. Vidya-vinaya sampanne brahmane gavi, a cow; hastini, an elephant; sunice, a dog; sva-pake, a dog-eater, candala. He sees that this... [break]

Indian man (1): He is everywhere. He is omnipresent.

Prabhupada: Yes. He is present within your heart, but still, He has got His own place.

Indian man (1): This is why he says he has been trained(?).

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian man (1): But it can also mean that He is not everywhere because...

Prabhupada: Why not? That is God. That is God. You are thinking in your terms. Because when you are at your home you are not everywhere, you think God is like that. That is your deficiency. Why do you compare yourself with God? That is your deficiency.

Indian man (1): This is a philosophical point of view.

Prabhupada: Not philosophical point, view. You are thinking God in your own terms. Because you are imperfect -- when you sit in your home you cannot be present in my home -- therefore you are thinking God is like that.

Indian man (1): When you say "He descends," does it mean "got down"?

Prabhupada: Yes. "He descends," it does not mean that He is absent in His abode. That is God. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33]. You understand this? Ananta-rupam. He can expand Himself in unlimited forms. Otherwise how it is possible -- isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]? God is situated in everyone's heart. "Everyone" means within your heart, within my heart, within cat's heart, within dog's heart -- everyone's heart. So there are innumerable living entities. How He is situated everywhere? Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: "He is within this universe and He is within the atom." That is God.

Indian man (2): Swamiji?

Prabhupada: Yes?

Indian man (2): You are accepting to you questions put by a young man. Will you still kindly answer all questions put by an old? (laughter)

Prabhupada: Hm? What is that?

Brahmananda: He says that -- excuse me -- that you have already accepted one question from a young man, so now would you kindly accept a question from an old man?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. You are neither old; he is neither young. (laughter) Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Yes. Yes?

Indian man (2): In your lecture, Swamiji, if I don't mistake, you have mentioned many authorities, beginning with the Veda, Brahma-sutra, Bhagavad-gita or wisdom of the Mahabharata. Do you accept all truth?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Indian man (2): Or are they stories? (?)

Prabhupada: Yes. Because it is given by Vyasadeva, therefore it is also authority.

Indian man (2): We have all listened to you very attentively.

Prabhupada: Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, that is also authority.

Indian man (2): We have listened to you very attentively and I have no doubt that the audience have learned much which is, could be practiced to help us in some way to realize what we are and to realize God. Now, if God Himself comes to teach to someone in this world, and if he has learned from God directly and he is satisfied that he has learned, that he has understood, can he, a few minutes afterwards, forget that he has received instruction from God and can he depart in a very ridiculous way from God, from what God has taught him in person?

Prabhupada: Ridiculous way? What is that "ridiculous"?

Indian man (2): If I have read...

Prabhupada: No, no. First of all correct yourself. What is that "ridiculous way"?

Indian man (2): If after receiving good education you act contrary to that education.

Prabhupada: What is that?

Indian man (2): At least, is ridiculous.

Brahmananda: If you receive a good education and then you act contrary to that education.

Prabhupada: If one has received good education, he cannot act contradictory.

Indian man (2): That is... I agree with you. But this is what, if I have understood...

Prabhupada: So a person who has got real education, he cannot be ridiculous. No, why you are saying that?

Indian man (2): It can be explained by ridiculous.

Prabhupada: No, no. Don't say anything which is contradictory. Education does not mean ridiculous. That means he is not educated.

Indian man (2): I have not said that education is ridiculous. I said that one who has got good education from a teacher...

Prabhupada: So he cannot act ridiculously. If he acts ridiculously, then he has not good education.

Indian man (2): So if I have well understood...

Prabhupada: You have not well understood. You say a person who has got education, still, he acts ridiculously. That means you have no knowledge what is education.

Indian man (2): I shall explain myself well, but if you wish to be...

Prabhupada: So if you cannot explain yourself, how can I continue to hear you?

Indian man (2): If you have got one minute more patience I will explain how.

Prabhupada: No, no, no. If you speak ridiculously, how can I hear you? You say that one man has got education and he acts ridiculously. This is... Your statement is ridiculous.

Indian man (2): I said if a man who has good education...

Prabhupada: No, no. He has no good education. You cannot say that. If he acts ridiculously, that, he has no good education.

Indian man (2): Well, let me put it another way. In the Bhagavad-gita is there a passage, is there a chapter where Arjuna says, "I have heard all Your teachings. Now I have understood the truth," or not?

Prabhupada: So you have to hear and you have to understand; then you can speak. Otherwise you will speak ridiculously.

Indian man (2): No. Arjuna has said that he has heard God Himself speak to him and that he has understood the truth and that we are all, as you have said, a little bit of a finger in a body and the finger must serve the body.

Prabhupada: So you have to approach such person who has heard God, just like Arjuna.

Indian man (2): The next day he goes on the battlefield and he hears that his son has been killed. He loses all his self-control and he said, "I am going to throw myself in the fire. I have lost my son." Is that the action of a man who has heard God Himself speak to him? This is what I want to ask.

Prabhupada: You mean to say Arjuna? What is your statement? You mean to say Arjuna?

Indian man (2): Yes.

Prabhupada: So Arjuna, he... Of course, sentiment... Just like theoretically we understand, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Still, when my son dies I become affected. That is temporary. That is temporary. But Arjuna, after hearing Bhagavad-gita, Krsna gave him the liberty that "Now I have spoken to you everything. Now whatever you..." [break] ...under certain circumstances. But if your conviction is that "I shall act according to the order of God," that is final. That is final. He did not act against the will of the Lord. That is his victory. Temporarily he might have been disturbed when his son was killed. That is a different thing. Everyone becomes. But that does not mean he stopped work. That is wanted. What was the final conclusion? He did not leave the warfield because his son Abhimanyu was killed; therefore he left -- "No, I don't want to fight"? No, he did not do that. He was affected for the time being. That is natural. But finally he concluded and he said, "Yes," karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. Nasto mohah smrtir labdha: "My illusion is now over. I shall fight." That is right conclusion.

Indian man (2): Thank you.

Indian man (3): Swamiji, may I ask, just to... As my friend has just said about the teaching of... In the battlefield, Sri Krsna, about the verse about... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7]. It is an oft repeated phrase or sloka which has gone deep into the subconscious mind of the Ind..., especially the Hindu people have taken it, probably because of all of the wrong interpretations. That why should we go and tire ourself or make effort? If we are in trouble, oh, just wait for the God to come down to the earth and He will help us and do what we need or defend us?

Prabhupada: That is your instruction. That is not God's instruction.

Indian man (3): But it has been.

Prabhupada: No.

Indian man (3): According to my...

Prabhupada: The God says that "Here is injustice, so you should fight." God says that. God never says that "I am God, Krsna. I am your friend. You sit down idly and I shall do everything." He never said that. He said that "You must fight." That is our duty, not that God has given us hands and legs and you sit down idly and let God do it. This is not devotion.

Indian man (3): Then you agree with me that this oft-repeated sloka has created a state of fatalism among the Hindu community?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Indian man (3): That yada yada hi...

Pusta Krsna: Fatalism. This verse created fatalism, fatalism, a sense of hopelessness.

Prabhupada: Hopelessness?

Pusta Krsna: Pessimism. Fatalism.

Brahmananda: It has been interpreted that this verse means that God will come and therefore we don't have to do anything.

Prabhupada: God is always present. You carry out the order of God. God is always present. You carry out the order of the God.

Indian man (3): The verse is clear, yada yada hi dharmasya [Bg. 4.7].

Prabhupada: Yes. So that is being done every moment. Every moment we are forgetting our dharma and God is giving us instruction.

Indian man (3): This state of fatalism which is prevalent in India...

Prabhupada: It is not spoken to India. It is spoken to everyone. "India," why do you bring India? God is not made for India.

Indian man (3): But I have nothing in India, but I know India, so...

Prabhupada: Then why you say India.

Indian man (3): I have seen India. I know India.

Prabhupada: No, why you bring India at all? God is not meant for India.

Indian man (3): But Hinduism...

Prabhupada: No, God is not meant for Hindu.

Indian man (3): No, I am not talking about... I was talking about... (laughter) ...that this sloka, I mean, probably...

Prabhupada: That God said, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir... [Bg. 4.7]. He doesn't say, yada yada hindu dharmasya glanir. (laughter) So why do you speak nonsense? He never says. Why do you speak like that?

Indian man (3): It has written. I mean it was read like that.

Prabhupada: No, no. That is your creation. That is your creation, mental speculation. He never said yada yada hi hindu dharmasya glanir bhavati. He never said. Why do you speak all these things?

Indian man (3): Anyway, it has created a state of fatalism.

Indian man (2): Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7].

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian man (2): "When there is unrighteousness, I come in this world to reinstate dharma."

Prabhupada: Yes. That is the...

Indian man (2): And He has not come now. There is no unrighteousness in this world?

Prabhupada: He has come, but you have no eyes to see. You require the eyes to see.

English man: Sir, I have listened to your talk with very great interest. You're very clear and very lucid. But you're also very dogmatic, I feel. Is there any area of doubt in your own philosophy, or are you quite certain in every field?

Prabhupada: What is that dogmatic?

English man: Dogmatic? You are very... When you have a question put to you, you are very clear what the answer shall be. (devotees chuckle) Have you any doubts yourself that have not appeared to us?

Prabhupada: So you answer. You are American?

English man: I am Scottish.

Prabhupada: Scottish, England. In Scotland we have got also. Edinburgh, we have got our temple.

English man: But you are very... You seem very... Your philosophy seems very clear cut.

Prabhupada: Thank you very much. (laughter)

English man: Are you well satisfied with that, that there is no area of doubt?

Prabhupada: Therefore it is appealing more to the Western countries, yes. Mostly it is very acceptable in the Western countries.

English man: Thank you.

Prabhupada: So chant Hare Krsna again. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975

Krsna Takes Only Bright Side

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6
February 26, 1974, Calcutta



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

(Prabhupada chanting Jaya Radha-Madhava) [break]

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Prabhupada: Yes, go on, you have no book? (another devotee leads chanting)

Pradyumna: (devotees chant word meanings responsively:) sah -- that; vai -- certainly; pumsam -- for mankind; parah -- sublime; dharmah -- occupation; yatah -- by which; bhaktih -- devotional service; adhoksaje -- unto the Transcendence; ahaituki -- causeless; apratihata -- unbroken; yaya -- by which; atma -- the self; suprasidati -- completely satisfied.

Translation: "The supreme occupation, or dharma, for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupada:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Atma, atma means this body, atma means the mind also, and atma means the soul, and, above that, the Paramatma, Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. So yaya atma suprasidati. Su means very much. Not only prasidati but suprasidati, very much. Everyone. The body becomes satisfied, the mind becomes satisfied, the soul becomes satisfied, and the Supreme Paramatma, He also becomes satisfied. So that is called paro dharmah. Paro dharmah means... Parah means superior, and dharmah means occupational duty. Everyone has got occupational duty. It doesn't matter, either you are a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. Everyone has got occupational duty. That is human society. Human society means when the society is divided into these eight divisions: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. Varnasrama-dharma. That is Vedic civilization.

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

Unless the human society comes to the standard of executing varnasrama-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 varnasrama-dharma.

So varnasrama-dharma is also material. That is not spiritual. Varnasrama-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 visnur aradhyate panthah. When one comes to the platform of worshiping Visnu, 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. Not only nowadays, the material world is meant like that. They have forgotten, forgotten. They are thinking, those who are too much materialistic, they are thinking that "I am this body, and satisfaction of the bodily senses is the ultimate goal of my life." But that is not the goal of life. The goal of life is to find out the ways and means how to satisfy the Supreme Lord.

That is also stated in this chapter, atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah... This meeting was presided by Suta Gosvami, and there were many learned brahmanas, learned scholars, sages. Therefore he was addressing the audience, dvija-sresthah. Dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother, and the second birth by samskara, or by culture. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, they have got samskara. Sudras have no samskara. Samskara-varjita means sudra. In this age nobody observes the samskaras. Therefore in the sastra it is said, kalau sudra-sambhavah. In the Kali-yuga almost every person is a sudra. Therefore there is so much chaos. The government is managed by the sudras or less than sudras, mleccha. Mleccha-rajendra-rupinah. Mlecchas have taken the post of government. It is meant for the ksatriyas, means qualified ksatriya, very brave, very powerful, very charitable, not going away when there is fight. That is ksatriya's position. Brahmana means satyam samo damas titiksa. So people should be trained up as brahmana, as ksatriya, as vaisya. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. The vaisya's duty is to produce food grains, agriculture, and give protection to the cows, and if you have got surplus foodstuff, you can make trade where there is shortage.

So actually this statement of the sastras, that kalau sudra-sambhavah, hardly there is brahmana or ksatriya or vaisya because nobody is doing their duty. Instead of producing food grains, vaisyas are engaged in running on big, big factories. So factory cannot produce food grains. Therefore there is food shortage or people are not getting ample foodstuff, they are starving, and there must be agitation. There is no brahmana's guidance, there is no ksatriya kings, and sudras are also not executing their duty. Then what will be the result? This is the result. This is the result. Therefore this is material dharma. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. That vibhaga, or division must be there. Otherwise there must be chaos. Just like in your body there is division, the brain division, here, the brain division, the arms division, and the belly division, and the leg division. So these divisions are required. If you have no brain, then how you can control your other senses? If you have no strength in your arms, how can you protect yourself? If you have no digestive power, there is no food, how you live? And if there is no leg, or the laborer class, how you will walk? This is natural division. Therefore varnasrama-vibhagasah, the varnasrama division must be there. That is human society.

Everything is described very nicely in the Bhagavad-gita. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah, and yajnad bhavati parjanyo yajnah karma... [Bg. 3.14]. [break] And the animals, as soon as they are fatty and grown up, they are sent to the slaughterhouse. This business is going on. So why there should not be crisis in food grain and crisis in human...? There must be. Because we are not abiding by the orders of the Supreme Lord, and dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme Lord... Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. You cannot manufacture dharma: "This is this religion; this is that religion." These are all bogus. Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is dharma. All bogus type of dharma -- Hindu religion, Muslim religion, this religion, that religion -- they are not dharma.

Therefore it is said here, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Parah means Supreme. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhoksaje, "Wherein this is taught, ‘Just surrender to the Supreme Lord, Krsna, that is first-class religion." All other religions, they are bogus. That is not religion. Just like good citizenship means to abide by the laws of the state, of the government. That is good citizenship. Similarly, a real religious person means who is abiding by the orders of the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately, they have no information of the Supreme Lord. Although the Lord, the Supreme Lord Krsna, is present, still, they are thinking that Supreme Lord is nirakara. Nirakara means to avoid. How Supreme God can be nirakara? If the Supreme Lord is the supreme father... We have got experience: I am a person, my father is person, his father is person, his father is person... In this way, if you go to the topmost platform to find out the Supreme Person or Supreme God, why He should be imperson? Imperson is a feature of the Supreme Person, but ultimately brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, ultimately the Absolute Truth is a Supreme Person. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. This is the Vedic information, that as we are all nityas, eternal, we are also living being, but there is another supreme nitya, eternal, and supreme cetana, or living being, and that is God. That is Krsna. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior living being than Me." That is Krsna.

So here it is said sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Dharma... You have to execute your occupational duty, but, as Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is real dharma. "I am this. I am following this dharma, that dharma" -- that is not dharma. Dharma means the natural instinct. The natural instinct is to obey the superior person. Every one of us, we are meant for obeying the Supreme. Is anyone... Who can say that "I haven't got to obey any superior person"? Is there anyone? That cannot be. You have to obey. That was the subject matter of my topics in Moscow, with Professor Kotovsky. I challenged him that "What is the difference between your philosophy and our philosophy? You have to obey some person, and I have to obey some person. So you are obeying Lenin, and I am obeying Krsna. So where is the difference between you and me in philosophy? Now, the things remain to be judged, whether by following Krsna I shall be happy or by following Lenin you shall be happy. That is to be judged, not that you, Communist party, you can do without following a superior person. That you cannot do. That is not possible." That is natural. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Our real formation, constitutional position, is to obey the orders of Krsna. But we have selected disobeying Krsna. We are obeying Lenin. That is the difficulty. We have to obey somebody. But you have selected not to obey Krsna but to obey Lenin. In India disobedience is very prominent now. But in that way you shall not be happy. Therefore Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaja [SB 1.2.6]. If you learn how to obey the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, then you will be happy. Yayatma suprasidati. This is fact.

So unless people take to this Krsna consciousness and understand and learn how to obey Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot, there cannot be any peace. There cannot be any happiness. And there is no condition... Here it is said, ahaituky apratihata. That obedience should be without any motive. Just like see here the Europeans and American boys, they are obeying Krsna or Krsna's representative without any condition. They have not come here to obey my order for earning livelihood or for some material purpose. They have not come for that. They have got enough money. They have got enough money. They can purchase hundred times India. But why? This is real paro dharmah. This is the supreme religion, to obey the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative. Because we have to learn through the representative of Krsna. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyasuyeta [SB 11.17.27]. So this is the injunction of the sastra. Acarya, the spiritual master, the representative of Krsna... Acaryam mam vijaniyat, Krsna says. "The acarya is Myself." Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah: ** "By pleasing the acarya, one can please the Supreme Lord." This is the... Acaryavan puruso veda: "One who has got acarya to guide him, he knows things." These are the Vedic injunctions.

tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
[MU 1.2.12]

So therefore it is said here that ahaituky apratihata. Do not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead for some material benefit. That is not pure devotion. Pure devotion means it should be without any motive and it cannot be checked. It cannot be checked. There may be so many hindrances. But one who is pure devotee, his business cannot be stopped. Therefore it is called ahaituky apratihata. And when one comes to that stage, then atma suprasidati. The example is vivid. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. Dhruva Maharaja was insulted by his stepmother, and therefore he wanted, according to the instruction of his mother, to pray to God to retaliate the insult of stepmother. And he went to the forest and meditated and practiced how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Within six months he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But when he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was fully satisfied. He said that kacam vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "Sir, I came to search out some particles of glass. Now I have got divya-ratna, a valuable jewel or gem." Kacam vicinvann api divya-ratnam svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace.

This is the satisfaction. We are searching after so many things to become satisfied, but if we try to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- that we do not know -- and without any motive -- it cannot be checked -- then yayatma suprasidati. If you want really peace of mind, then you search out Krsna and surrender unto Him. Where is the difficulty? Krsna personally canvassing you, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. Still, you are not... You are so fool. Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. He is giving assurance that "I shall give you protection from all sinful reaction." We are suffering in this material world because we are continually making our life in sinful activities. Sinful activities means gratifying the senses. That is also warned by Maharaja Rsabhadeva to His sons Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti: [SB 5.5.4] "These rascals, they, simply for sense gratification, committing all types of sinful activities." Just like Krsna has given us so many things to eat, but still, we shall kill animals. Still for this satisfaction of the tongue, we shall kill so many..., slaughterhouse, regular slaughterhouse. And you want to be happy. Your whole life is full of sinful activities, and you want to be happy? That is not possible.

Therefore it is said that if you develop love for Krsna... That development cannot be possible if you are sinful.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
[Bg. 7.28]

Krsna-bhajana is not so easy thing. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam: one who has surpassed all the sinful activities. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam. How we can avoid sinful activity? Sinful activities you can avoid, punya-karmanam, by discharging punya-karma, pious activities. And what is the pious activities? Simple pious activities. Simple pious activities is srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. If you simply hear about Krsna, that is pious activities. You are sitting here patiently; you are not going out. This is acquiring pious activities, result of pious activities. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-sthah... Pious activities means to cleanse the heart. Because our heart is overloaded with so many sinful activities, therefore we are suffering. So by hearing, satam prasangat, by hearing from the realized soul, by hearing the Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata, as it is, your heart will be cleansed.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani...
[SB 1.2.17]

Abhadrani means rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Even sattva-guna is also mixed with rajo-guna, tamo-guna. But if you hear about Krsna... We are opening all over the world hundreds of centers. Why? We are giving chance to the people to hear about Krsna. It is not a business center, not a business branch out, but... Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. Here the school of teaching people how to hear about Krsna, how to chant about Krsna, how to worship Krsna, the Deity... Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam. This is arcanam. Vandanam, to offer prayers; dasyam, to work for Krsna. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam. Sakhyam, to make Krsna as friend. Krsna can be served in so many ways. Krsna is so kind friend, even practically. We had a very big struggle in Bombay for our land. So they wanted to break our temple to drive away. It was a great commotion. All Bombay people know it. But I prayed simply Krsna, "My dear Krsna, anyway, You have come here. You have sat down here. It will be great insult if You are removed from this place." So Krsna heard it, and we won the battle. Now the land is ours. The land is ours. It was a great battle.

So Krsna is so kind. So the devotees see like that, that a Putana raksasi wanted to kill Krsna, but she got the promotion just like His mother Yasoda. Krsna is so kind. Because Krsna took it that "Although this raksasi came to kill Me with poison in her breast, but I have sucked her breast. She has become My mother." So Krsna takes only the bright side of your devotional service. He never takes the dark side because anyone in this material world, he has got only dark life. So try to serve Krsna. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: "Even little service rendered to Krsna can save you from the greatest dangerous life." These are the instructions.

So our this Krsna consciousness movement is simply to teach people how to love Krsna, how to become beloved of Krsna. Sa vai pumsam, the greatest type of religious life. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Because we are teaching how to love Krsna. And if you can, if we, you or we, if we some way or other, if we love Krsna, then our life is successful. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6], ahaituki... But there must not be any motive. And it cannot be checked in any circumstances. It is not that because one is very poor man, he cannot love Krsna, or because one is very rich man, he cannot love Krsna. Of course, sometimes to become very rich, janmaisvarya, they become very proud. They do not come to Krsna. So sometimes Krsna shows the mercy to turn His devotee into poverty-stricken position. Yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. That... Therefore somebody is afraid of coming to Krsna. But Krsna is also very kind. When you become actually a devotee, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22], there will be no scarcity. Whatever you want, it will come. It will come. So this is the position. So our Krsna consciousness movement is teaching, educating, all over the world. There is no distinction. There is no distinction. Don't think that "These Europeans, Americans, they are mlecchas and yavanas. They cannot take to Krsna consciousness. It is only meant for the brahmanas or ksatriyas." They are brahmana. Candalo 'pi dvija-srestho hari-bhakti-parayanah. Anyone who becomes a devotee, he is better than a brahmana. Krsna says, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. It doesn't matter wherever he is born. Papa-yonayah. Striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te 'pi yanti param gatim.

So Krsna is open for everyone. And He is father of all forms of life. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. He is neither Indian nor Hindu nor Muslim. He is Krsna. He is Supreme Person. So our only request is that you try to love Krsna. Then your religious life will be perfect. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Adhoksaje, He is beyond the sense perception, aksaja. Aksaja-jnana means sensual perception. He is beyond that, transcendental. But you have to love. So this loving process is the devotional service. First of all... [break] ...try to hear about Krsna from Bhagavad-gita as it is. Don't mal-interpret by your whimsical way. Then you will lose the opportunity. Don't follow these rascals who interpret Bhagavad-gita. There is no question of interpretation. Take Bhagavad-gita as it is. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Accept that. And the Caitanya-caritamrta karaca says, krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya: "Simply by serving Krsna you do all of your other duties." So such a nice thing, Krsna consciousness movement. Take it very seriously and do the needful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974

The Ultimate Gain In Life

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5-6
November 11, 1973, New Delhi


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Yayatma suprasidati. Everyone is seeking after happiness. Atyantika-duhkha-nivrttih. The struggle for existence is to minimize miserable condition of life and increase enjoyment. We the living entities, we are part and parcel of God. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. Jiva-bhuta, jivas, all jivas, living entities, they are part and parcel of Krsna, or God. When we speak of "Krsna," means God. God has got many thousands of names, but this one name is chief. Krsna means "the all-attractive." Krsna attracts everyone. Or one who attracts everyone, He is God. God cannot be attractive for some men or some living entities, and not for others. By His opulence, by His richness, by His power, by His beauty, by His knowledge, by His renunciation, by His reputation, God is all-attractive.

So all these opulences you will find in Krsna.

aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah
jnana-vairagyayos caiva
sannam bhaga itingana

Bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. Just like we sometimes speak bhagavan. That comes from this word bhaga. Similarly, bhagavan. Bhagavan means the owner of all opulences. That is called bhagavan. There are now nowadays so many bhagavans, but they are not owner of all opulences. Maybe partly. But God means, bhagavan means samagrasya. Samagra means complete. One rich man can claim that "I am owner of so many crores." Another can claim, "No I have got one or two more crores more than you." Others may say... So on, so on, so on, go on. But nobody can claim that "I am the owner of all opulences." But in the Bhagavad-gita, you will find, Krsna claims, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram, "The supreme proprietor of all the lokas." That is admitted by the sastra.

In the Brahma-samhita it is said, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Isvara means controller or the powerful man who controls. Take for example the president or the king. So there are many isvaras, or controllers. You are also isvara; I am also isvara. Because you also control at least your family members or some animals. So this controlling capacity is there in everyone because we are part and parcel of Krsna. But we are not supreme controller. We are controller of some entities, but we are controlled also by something superior. Therefore we are not absolute controller. We are relative controller. But about Krsna, it is said, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Paramah means supreme. He controls everyone or everything, but He is not controlled by anyone. That is isvarah paramah. We are isvara, we control in our jurisdiction, but we are also controlled by somebody. Just try to understand. But in Krsna's life you'll find that He controls everyone, but He is not controlled by anyone. Therefore He is called isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1].

He has got His form. God has got His form. The Mayavadi philosophers, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. Sunyavadi. No. Absolute cannot be zero or impersonal because controller, controller must have brain. Without brain, how he can control? And as soon as you have got brain, you have got other limbs of the body to carry out the order of the brain. So as soon as you have got senses, as soon as you have got sense organs, as soon as you have got brain, as soon as you have got activities, you are a person. This is the conclusion of the sastra. Therefore the absolute controller cannot be impersonal. By our practical life we see, government. "Government" is an impersonal word, but at the end of the government, there is a governor or president, a person. A person is required, who will apply his brain. So how is that that without brain the whole cosmic manifestation it is controlled? That is not very reasonable. And that is not according to sastra.

According to sastra, the Absolute Truth is explained in the Bhagavad-gita as tattva. Tattva means truth. So Srimad-Bhagavatam says that tattva-vit, "One who knows the tattva, truth..."

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
[SB 1.2.11]

"Those who are actually knower of the Absolute Truth, they know that the Absolute Truth is manifested in three features: impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma, antaryami or the Supersoul..." As Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that in each body there is a soul, ksetra-jna. Idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. The body... I am not this body, but I know it is my body. Therefore I am ksetra-jna and the body is ksetra. And Krsna says that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. That sarva-ksetresu bharata, in every body, that manifestation of God, or Krsna, is called Paramatma, or Supersoul. So the Supersoul and the soul, both of them are sitting on this body. It is compared with a tree. Just like on the tree two birds sitting, friendly birds. One is eating the fruit and another is simply witnessing. Upadrasta-anumanta.

So this is the science. So human life is meant for understanding this science. This is the ultimate science. Athato brahma jijnasa. Human life is not meant for wasting like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating. That is not human life. At the present moment they are simply engaged in these four principles of bodily demands of life -- how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sense gratification and how to defend. Unfortunately, we have become less than the animals because the animals, they have no problem. Even the birds... Out of all living entities, 8,400,000 of forms, the human forms are only 400,000. The majority of the living entities, they are in different forms.

jalaja nava-laksani
sthavara laksa-vimsati
krmayo rudra-sankhyakah
paksinam dasa-laksanam

There are aquatics, there are insects, there are birds, beasts, trees, plants, then human being, by evolution process. So they have no problem. You can see, in the early morning, these parrots, they are dancing, chirping, and they have no problem. Immediately they will go to some tree and they will find out some little fruit. They will eat. Their eating problem... There is no eating problem. There is no sleeping problem, and there is no sex life problem also. Along with them, there is opposite sex. And they defend in their own way. So these are not actually problems. These are already settled up according to your body. That is the verdict of the sastra. Tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa. According to your body, your eating problem, your sleeping problem, your sense gratification problem and defending problem are already settled. That is the verdict of the sastra. Your real problem is, as our Panca-dravida Maharaja explained, how to solve the problem of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is your problem.

Therefore in the human society, there is some system of religion, how to solve these problems. But people in this age, they have become so misled, misguided, that they are not taking care of the real problem, but they are very much engaged in the temporary problems which are already solved. We are simply mismanaging them. So how to make solution of the problems of life, that means is called dharma. Dharma means the regulative principle which is given to the human society by God. I have already explained many times. Just as the law is given by the state for regulative principles of life, similarly dharma is also regulative principle to the human society. And just to make his life successful. What is that successful life? Successful life means a human being has come to this human form of life through the evolutionary process. Now he should make such arrangement that next life he may be free from this repetition of birth and death, at least, or he may go to other planets, higher standard of life. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita,

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
[Bg. 9.25]/DIV>

That is the human life. You prepare yourself for higher standard of life or to make a permanent solution of your miserable condition of life, namely birth, death, old age and disease. This is required. This is human business, or dharma.

So how you can attain that dharma? Dharma means the occupational duty. Dharma is not a sentiment. Practically, nowadays people have taken dharma, religious means..., "religion" means a kind of faith. But that is not the description of the Vedic sastra. Faith we can change. Today you are Hindu. Tomorrow you can become Muslim. Or today you are Muslim. Tomorrow you can become Christian. You can change your faith. But that is not religion. Change of faith or accepting some faith, that is not religion. Religion means which you cannot change. Even if you become from Hindu to Muslim or from Muslim to Christian, that your occupational duty, you cannot change. Take, for example, suppose you are a government servant. You are serving in the secretariat. But tomorrow you become Hindu or Muslim or Christian. But do you mean to say that your service in the government will be changed also? No. That will continue.

So real business means we have to serve somebody. That is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Our real business, our real occupation, is to serve Krsna, God. That is our... That service spirit, because we have forgotten God, or Krsna, we are serving somebody else. That is called maya. We have to serve. Nobody can say... In this meeting there are so many ladies and gentlemen. Nobody can say that "I do not serve anyone. I am free." That is not possible. You must have to serve. And that service is called dharma. Just like salt is salty taste, sugar is sweet taste. The sweet taste is the dharma of sugar. The pungent taste of chili, that is the dharma. It cannot change. If sugar is salty, you do not accept. "Oh, this is not sugar." Similarly, living entity has got a permanent occupational duty. That is service. That service is being carried on in different names: "service of the family," "service of the country," "service of the community," "service of the nation," "service of the humanity," so many names. But there is service. But this service cannot be complete unless the service goes up to the transcendental loving service of Krsna. That is perfection of service. And that is called dharma. Try to understand what is dharma.

So here Suta Gosvami was answering the question of Saunakadi Muni in Naimisaranya. They inquired that after the departure of Krsna... Krsna came -- paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam, dharma-samsthapanarthaya [Bg. 4.8]. So their inquiry was that "After departure of Krsna, the protection of dharma, how it is being maintained, or under whom, where it has gone?" So... "And what is actually dharma?" So here it is explained, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Para means superior. Not this religion, Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, or there are so many other religions. That is also dharma. That is temporary. But paro dharma means permanent dharma, eternal dharma, or sanatana-dharma. That is called para. Para means superior. So sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja means God. Adhah. Adhah means cut (curbed?) down. Aksaja means direct perception. Adhoksaja. You cannot understand God by direct perception. You have got your eyes, but if you want to see, "Where is God? Show me," that is not immediately possible. You have to prepare your eyes to see God. So therefore God's another name is Adhoksaja. Adhah-krta-aksajan jnanam yatra(?). Not by direct perception you can understand God.

So here it is mentioned... Adhoksaja means you cannot perceive the Supreme Absolute Truth by your sense perception. You have to learn it by sruti, by hearing. Hearing is also experience, by hearing.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

This is the process, hearing. If you simply hear about God, then you will see God by hearing. That is... Because there is a cloud of dirtiness within our heart. Unless that dirtiness is cleansed, we cannot perceive God. Therefore this process of chanting Hare Krsna mantra is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ceto-darpana-marjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] "cleansing the mirror of heart." Just like unless you cleanse the mirror which is full of dust, you cannot see your face very nicely; similarly, unless you cleanse your heart very nicely, or in other words, unless your heart is cleansed of all sinful reaction, you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
[Bg. 7.28]

They can see God, one who is fully washed of all sinful reaction of life. That can be done very easily. That can be done very easily. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[Bg. 18.66]

Everyone in this material world, we are suffering the sinful reaction of our past life or this life. That is a fact. But Krsna says that "I can give you protection from all reaction of sinful life if you surrender unto Me."

So to become free from sinful life, there is only simple method: if you surrender to Krsna. That is the beginning of bhakti. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Bhakti life begins when you fully surrender unto the lotus feet of God. That is the bhakti life. So here it is said that it does not matter whether you are a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddhist. It doesn't matter. Your system of religion is first class if you can develop your general love for Krsna or God, Adhoksaja. That is the test. You may advertise yourself or I may advertise myself, "I am a great religious person," but the test is how much you have learned to love God, how much you have advanced in that process.

So here in this verse it is said that sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Then what will be my profit? Suppose I simply love God. I love. The loving propensity is there in me. I love some boy. I love some girl. I love my country. I love my family. I love my society. I love my country. The loving propensity is there. There is no doubt. Everyone, even cats and dogs, because he is living entity, he has got that loving propensity. A tiger also loves its cubs. But this love, when it will be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. What kind of love? Ahaituki. To love God not for any other reason, that "God will give me some wealth, God will give me this, God will... I shall take from God this." No. Ahaituki, no cause, that "Because I am in want of some money, therefore I shall go to church or temple or love God." No. Ahaituki. Just like people generally go there like that, "O God, give us our daily bread." Well, why you are asking God for daily bread? Daily bread is already given to everyone, even birds and bees. Your bread is also there. But people do not know that "My bread is already there. Why I shall bother God for daily bread? Let me learn how to love God." God is giving us so many things without asking. God is giving us light, God is giving us water, God... Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhih... Everything He is giving you, without which cannot live. And He will not give us our bread?

So Bhagavad-gita says they are also pious, even one goes to God for asking something for some material profit. Catur-vidha bhajante mam janah sukrtino 'rjuna. Sukrtina. Sukrtina means they are pious. Just the opposite number, duskrtina, they'll never go to God. Just like the Communists. They will say, "What is this nonsense God? We shall produce our food. We shall produce our happiness." They are called duskrtina. Duskrtina means sinful. Actually, they do not know that without sanction of God, you cannot get anything. So at least, one who accepts this power of God and goes to God for asking bread or something, money or something else, they are pious. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Sukrtino 'rjuna. But those who do not go at all, do not care for God, they are called duskrtina. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15].

So to love God is the ultimate... Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said prema pum-artho mahan: "The supreme gain of life is how to be situated in the platform of loving service to the Supreme Person, God." That is actual perfection. That is described here. Ahaituky apratihata. Apratihata means this love cannot be checked. If you love somebody here in this material world, then if you have no money, the exchange of love will be hampered. But this love of God cannot be hampered. If you want to love God, there is no material impediments. Ahaituky apratihata. It cannot be checked. You may be the poor of the poorest of the poor; still you can love God. That Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Patram, a little leaf or a little water or little flower or little fruit. Patram puspam phalam toyam. If you offer to Krsna, "My Lord, My Krsna, I am very poor man. I cannot give You anything. But I have collected a little fruit, little flower, little water. So I have come to offer You," Krsna says, "Yes," tad aham asnami, tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami prayatatmanah. He is not hungry, but He wants your love. He wants your love. That is... Therefore He comes, personally He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanih [Bg. 4.7].

What is that dharmasya glanih. When people forget how to love God, that is dharmasya glanih? Not that other. So He comes to teach, and ultimately He teaches... In the middle He also teaches, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is God's teaching, that "You simply think of God." Man-manah. Mad-bhaktah, "Become devotee of God, worship God." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. You are coming here. Here is God. You are offering obeisances. It will go to your credit. Yes. This is called ajnata-sukrti. Those who are coming here, taking part in this aratrika ceremony, dancing or offering some respect, everything goes to your credit. Everything will go to your credit. In this way... Just like if you make bank balance, one rupee, one rupee, one rupee, sometimes you will see, "It is now 100,000 rupees." Similarly, we are giving chance all over the world, opening this Radha-Krsna temple, giving them chance to chant the glories of the Lord. That means it is going to their credit. If they take it immediately, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], that is very nice. But if he cannot, this chance will never go in vain. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, ahaituki [SB 1.2.6]. And anyone can join. There is no question. Krsna is not meant for the Hindus or Indians. This is a mistake. Now, the Westerners, the Europeans, Americans, they understand. They do not know that "Why should we accept Krsna? He is Indian. He was Hindu." No. Krsna is for everyone. Just like the sun. The same sun, it rises, first of all rises in India, then gradually goes to Europe. Does it mean the European sun and the Indian sun, they are different? No, the one sun. Similarly, God is one for everyone. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, sarva-yonisu kaunteya. Sarva-yonisu means 8,400,000 species of forms. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [Bg. 14.4]. There are as many forms. Tasam mahad yonir brahma aham bija-pradah pita. He says aham, "I am. I am the seed-giving father." Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. "Every living entity, they are My part and parcel, as the sons, daughters, they are part and parcel of the father." Therefore in some religion God is addressed as the supreme father. Actually, He is supreme father.

So as it is our duty to enjoy the property of the father, similarly, it is our duty to love the supreme father. That is Krsna consciousness movement. And it cannot be checked. Ahaituky apratihata. Yayatma suprasidati. Suprasidati. Everyone is wanting peace of mind. Atma. Atma means body, atma means mind, atma means the soul. Yayatma suprasidati. Suprasidati. Prasidati means "becomes satisfied," and su means "very much." So unless you learn this art, how to love God, you cannot be happy. This is the fact. The sooner you make business, finish this business... How to learn? Now this chance is in this human form of life. You can learn. And the method is very plain, especially in this age. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
mukta-sangah param vrajet

Simply by chanting Krsna's name, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, mukta-sangah, he becomes free from all the contamination of this age, mukta. Param vrajet. He goes to the supreme abode, back to home, back to Godhead. You can see. It is not story. These European and American boys and girls, how they are feeling, how they are dancing. Yayatma suprasidati. Unless they are feeling satisfaction, how they can dance with me? They cannot. They are not dogs and cats, that I have taught them that "You dance like this to make some money." No. They are dancing in ecstasy of love. Yayatma suprasidati. Otherwise what money I have got to bribe them? I am poor Indian. No. They have developed this ecstatic love of Godhead. Even Christian priests admit that "These boys, these girls, were our boys. Now... When they were Christians, they did not come into the church. They did not care. Now these boys are mad after God."

So this Krsna consciousness is there in everybody. It is not an artificial thing. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is stated, nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya... (end)