"Survival Of The...What Fittest?"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.5-6
Johannesburg, October 15, 1975

---

Prabhupada:

yaya sammohito jiva
atmanam tri-gunatmakam
paro 'pi manute 'nartham
tat-krtam cabhipadyate

So our present position is like this, that sammohita, bewildered, puzzled by maya. We are eternal part and parcel of God, but on account of being enchanted by this material energy, or external energy of God, we have forgotten ourself, and we are now entangled. We have forgotten our goal of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. The conditioned soul... Conditioned soul means the living being, the spirit soul who is conditioned by these laws of material nature. The laws of material nature is that you have to accept a certain type of body according to your propensity. We create propensity. And Krsna is so kind that He gives you the facility: "All right." Just like the tiger. He wants to suck blood. Or any man, if he wants to suck blood, then he will be given the facility of a tiger's body. If a person has no discrimination in eating -- whatever available, he can eat -- then he will be given facility of become a pig. Up to stool, he can eat.

So this is stated very clearly in the Bhagavad-gita.

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
[Bg. 18.61]

This is very significant. Yantrarudhani mayaya. We are riding on a machine. This body is a machine, but we are accepting machine as myself. This is called sammohita, bewildered. If you are running on a car, if you think, "I am the car," as it is foolishness, similarly, I have got this yantra, machine, body, and it is running on on account of my presence, or I am driving, or Krsna is giving me intelligence how to drive, but if I identify myself with this body, exactly like a foolish man -- he is driving the car, and if he identifies himself with the car, he is a foolish man -- so this is called sammohita. Yaya sammohito jiva. Therefore the example, as I was citing last night, that we do not see the driver, and when the driver goes away, then we see that the car is not moving, and then I can understand, "Oh, the driver, my father, or my son, has gone away." We sometimes cry, "My father has gone away," or "My son has gone away," but because we are sammohita, we actually never saw the father or the son. We accepted this coat-pant body as father and son. This is called sammoha, bewildered.

Yaya sammohito jiva atmanam: the spirit soul, atmanam tri-gunatmakam... This body is tri-gunatmakam. The body is made according to the modes of material nature: karanam guna-sango 'sya. Everything is very clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gita. This is further development. Bhagavad-gita... If you understand Bhagavad-gita, and if you actually surrender to Krsna... The last word of Krsna is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If you actually understand Bhagavad-gita, this will be the result. And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. Sva-dharma. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. So that means every one of us... Dharma means occupational duty. That is dh arma, characteristic. So Krsna orders, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If we accept it, even by sentiment... That is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Narada Muni says that "If somebody, even by sentiment -- ‘All right, Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Let us stop any other business, become Krsna conscious' -- even one accepts by sentiment, not thoroughly understanding, he is also fortunate." He also fortunate because he accepts the real thing. Therefore Narada Muni said that "Even one accepting by sentiment, and later on," bhajann apakvo 'tha, "his execution of devotional service (is) not mature and he falls down, then," Narada Muni says, yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim, "where is the loss for that person? On the other hand, the other person who has not accepted this -- he is very regularly executing his respons..., material responsibility -- what does he gain by that?" This is the opinion. "If Krsna consciousness is accepted even by sentiment, and after that, even he falls down, there is no loss. And if we are very faithful to our material duties, then," Narada Muni says, "what do we gain by that?"

So this is very important thing. We do not gain anything. We gain only another body -- again begin chapter, the same struggle for existence. And that also, there is no guarantee. According to our karma, we shall have to accept a body. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. As we associate... Just like we develop a certain type of disease as we contaminate the germ. If you contaminate the virus of smallpox, then you have to suffer from smallpox. Nature's law is so strict; you cannot avoid it. If you have been attacked by the mosquito carrying malaria germ, then you have to suffer from malaria. So karanam guna-sango 'sya. As you take precaution that "I may not be attacked with malaria or smallpox or this or that" -- so many, we take precaution -- similarly we have to be very precautious for our next body. If we become precautious, then there is chance of being promoted. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you keep yourself in the sattva-guna, the brahminical qualification, samo damas titiksa arjavam, satyam saucam jnanam vijnanam, astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam... Similarly, there are ksatriya qualities, there are vaisya qualities, there are sudra qualities, and there are sudradhama quality, less-than-the-sudra quality. So in any quality, in any position, even by sentiment, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh, if we take to Krsna consciousness, that is the greatest profit from any position. It doesn't matter in which position he is, either he is on the brahmana position or ksatriya position or vaisya position or sudra position or candala position.

That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. Papa-yoni, lower class, very, very lower class... Papa-yoni, their description in the sastra, kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. So these papa-yoni, these black, they are also considered papa-yoni, but for everyone Krsna consciousness is open. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda. Huna, kirata, andhra, pulinda, pulkasa, abhira, sumbha, yavana, khasadaya... Mongolia, those who do not develop mustaches, khasadaya, ye 'nye ca papa, and lower than that, yad-apasrayasrayah -- if he takes sincerely the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna or His devotee, yad-apasrayasrayah sudhyanti, he becomes very purified. There is no, I mean to say, bar for anyone. In the Bhagavad-gita the same thing is confirmed:

mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te 'pi yanti param gatim
[Bg. 9.32]

So Krsna consciousness is so nice. If we take to it as our goal of life, then our life is successful. Otherwise -- yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam -- we shall continue the life of changing this body. That we have to do. We cannot be independent. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah, ahankara-vimudhatma [Bg. 3.27]. If we think that we are independent, that is due to our ignorance. We are not independent. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah, ahankara-vimudhatma. He is simply sammohita, by false prestige. He is not independent at all. We should always remember this. We are dependent on the laws of nature. We cannot say, "Now I invented some scientific discovery. We shall not going to die." That is not possible. You must die. That is the law of nature. You must die, you must take birth also, and you must be diseased, and you must suffer from old age. These are the four disadvantages of material existence. So if we want to get out... This is anartha. That will be explained in the next verse. Read it.

anarthopasamam saksad
bhakti-yogam adhoksaje
lokasyajanato vidvams
cakre satvata-samhitam

This Srimad-Bhagavatam is satvata-samhitam, spiritual knowledge. It has nothing to do with anything material. Simply spiritual knowledge. So vidvan. Vidvan means the most learned, Vyasadeva, not ordinary. Srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte. He is maha-muni. Muni means thoughtful philosopher, and he is maha-muni. He is greater than any thoughtful philosopher, Vyasadeva, Veda-vyasa. His name is Veda-vyasa. Veda-vyasa means he compiled all this Vedic literature. And, at last, he summarized the whole Vedic knowledge into Vedanta-sutra, Vedanta-sutra, a small aphorism: janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], athato brahma jijnasa, anandamayo 'bhyasat... In short aphorism. And it has got very deep meaning. That is Vedanta-sutra. And this Srimad-Bhagavatam is commentary on the Vedanta-sutra by the author himself under the instruction of his guru, Narada Muni. Therefore we began this that according to the advice of Narada Muni, that "You write about the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So he began... We began this.

bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam purnam
mayam ca tad-apasrayam

By bhakti-yoga... The bhakti-yoga is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is bhakti-yoga, but about jnana-yoga, karma-yoga, hatha-yoga and other yogas there are description, but at last Krsna advises that "The most confidential part of knowledge I am speaking to you, Arjuna, is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]." This is real gain.

So this is bhakti-yoga. To surrender unto the Supreme Lord, that is bhakti-yoga. So here Vyasadeva began his realization, bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite amale. By bhakti-yoga you can cleanse your mind without any contamination, immediately. If you want to be liberated from the contamination of material existence, or material modes of nature, then immediately you take to bhakti-yoga. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita:

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

You want to realize yourself as Brahman. We are Brahman -- there is no doubt about it -- but we have no realization because sammohita, yaya sammohitah: the maya has captured us. So immediately if you want to be liberated... Mukti means, mukti... Muktir hitvanyatha rupam. Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. This is mukti, svarupa. Our svarupa is our spiritual life. When we give up other activities, anyatha, which is not spiritual... Material activities, that is not our actual business. Actual business is spiritual activity. Material activity means this body, to keep this body in comfortable position. And the body is changing. Now, today, I am Indian -- I am very great Indian leader or very good philanthropist. Now, tomorrow, or the next life, I may not be Indian; I may be Chinese or I may be European. Then my whole business program changed. Again another nationality, another feeling. So in this way... And if I become cats and dogs, then another mentality. This is going on.

So I am forgetting that my identification is spiritual -- aham brahmasmi -- and I am accepting all these unnecessary things, anartha. So anartha... If you want to stop this anartha, if you want to keep yourself in your original position of spiritual identity, then you have to take to bhakti-yoga. This is the conclusion of the sastra. Anarthopasamam saksat. Directly, not indirectly. Anartha. These anartha... I am not this body, but I have to change this body after hundred years or ten years or fifty years, according to the size. The dogs and cats, they change, ten years. The cows, twenty years. And human being, utmost, hundred years. And the demigods, many millions of years. But death is there. You have to change that body. When Hiranyakasipu executed very severe austerity, so Lord Brahma came to him: "So what do you want? You are executing so severe austerities. What is your desire?" "I want to become immortal." So Brahma said, "That is not possible. Nobody is immortal within this material world. I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of immortality? That is not possible." So nobody... Everyone is under the laws of nature. It may be... The duration of time may be little more or less, but everyone must die. This is... And if we want to stop this business of material existence, then here is the recommendation, anarthopasamam... Anartha. "Why we shall die?" This question does not arise. If I am immortal, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita...

na jayate mriyate va kadacin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire
[Bg. 2.20]

So this question does not strike us, that "If I am immortal -- I have no birth, I have no death..." na jayate mriyate va kadacit "...at any time. Not that sometimes I was dying. No, never." Nityah sasvato yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the position. "Then why I am accepting this birth and death and old age, disease? This is my problem." So we do not think that, neither we are educated how to stop it. But there is process. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita. If you simply try to understand Krsna... Janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. Not Krsna ordinarily -- factually, krsna-tattvatah. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, actually, in fact, in truth. Then what is the result? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: "His, the cycle of birth and death, old age, and dis..., stopped." Tyaktva deham. We have to give up this body; that is certain. But after giving up this body, no more material body. Then what happens? He is finished? No, he is not finished. Mam eti: "He comes to Me, back to home." And when you go there, then you must possess the same body as Krsna has got. Krsna has sac-cid-ananda-vig... Just like if you want to enter into the sun planet. The sun planet is made of fiery elements. Everyone there, their body is made of fire. So if you want to enter into the sun planet, then you must also make your body made of fire. Just like this body is made of earth, so similarly, there are different types of bodies made of air, made of water, made of fire, these five elements, material. Ksitir apas tejo marud vyoma. So in different planets... So if you go back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to gain your original, spiritual body.

There is spiritual body. That we do not know. There is no education. We have got spiritual body. That spiritual body is covered by this material layer. Just like your body is covered by shirt and coat, vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya [Bg. 2.22]. Everything explained. We are simply giving up. One dress is now old and rotten; we throw it away and accept another dress. Similarly, this body, when it is not workable -- it is old enough; the physiological function is not going on nicely -- then there is change of body. Arjuna was advised that "Why you are lamenting for your old grandfather? Better kill him. He will get a new body. He will get a new body." Of course, it was spoken jokingly because grandfather... So, but the fact is that. Fact is that, that the, after the old body... Just like we have got several types of body: babyhood to childhood, child to boyhood, youth-hood, old body. Then after this, he is... Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya [Bg. 2.22]. When we give up this body as dress, old and rotten, we get another. This is going on. But this is anartha. Anartha means unnecessarily we are undergoing this change of body. Anartha. If you want to stop it anarthopasamam saksat, directly, immediately, what is that? Bhakti-yogam. Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. And Krsna also confirms. This is statement of Vyasadeva, and Krsna also says,

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

So, bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. This is real purpose of life. This is real purpose of religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. The same thing. That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter what kind of religion you are following, but if the religious system teaches you how to become a devotee to Adhoksaja -- adhoksaja means beyond our sense perception, the Supreme Lord -- then your life is perfect. Then you will be happy.

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

You want satisfaction. If you want real life, then you accept this, yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Here the same thing, anarthopasa... This business, struggle for existence, "Survival of the fittest," they say. But nobody is fit to survive. Everyone has to die. Nobody, even big, big scientists or big, big philosophers and... They cannot survive. They talk of millions of years, but personally they live only fifty or sixty years. This is their position. They simply cheat people: "Maybe." "Perhaps." "Millions of years." And you are going to live for fifty years. Why talking of millions of years? So this is anartha.

So anarthopasamam saksat. If we want to stop this unwanted business... If you don't want, go on with your business: bhutva bhutva praliyate. Now take this life, this body, of human being or Indian and then American, then cat, then dog, then hog, then tree -- so many, eight million -- you go on if you like. But if you are actually intelligent, if you are disgusted, that "This is not very good business. This is anartha, unwanted business. I have been forced, yaya sammohitah... Being bewildered, being illusioned, misdirected by this material energy, I am trying to be happy here in this material..., and it is not my business." If one comes to this sense... That is stated in the Bhagavad..., bahunam janmanam ante: [Bg. 7.19] "After many, many births. After many, many births, jnanavan, one who is actually in knowledge, wise..." Then what does he do? Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: He surrenders to Krsna. The same thing, as Krsna says, "Surrender to Me." If we do not do it... We have to do that, but if you want to wait bahunam janma, after many, many births, you have to do the same business, why not do it now? This is intelligence. If after bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], when I actually become wise, why not become wise immediately? Krsna says; Krsna is canvassing. Why not take it up? And if you take it up, you are successful. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. Even by sentiment you take it, you will be successful, it is so nice.

So Vyasadeva recommends that anartha, this unwanted business of repetition of birth, death, old age, disease... And there is no certainty what kind of body I shall get. So this is our position. If you want to stop it, anarthopasamam. If you stop this business, bhakti-yogam adhoksaje... So how to execute bhakti-yogam? So lokasyajanata: "The people in general, they do not know it." There must be... For everything there must be education. Lokasyajanato vidvan. He compiled this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. For your eternal life, here is the samhita, Vedic literature. You take it and study it and follow it and be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975

"Seeing Krishna 24 Hours A Day"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.2-4
Durban, October 14, 1975

---

Prabhupada: So I shall try to speak some of the preliminary important slokas from Srimad-Bhagavatam, how Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled by Vyasadeva under the instruction of Sri Narada Muni.

So the description was given by Suta Gosvami in a very big meeting at Naimisaranya, thousands of years ago, and the Suta Gosvami is describing how Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled.

Sri suta uvaca

brahma-nadyam sarasvatyam
asramah pascime tate
samyaprasa iti prokta
rsinam satra-vardhanah

There is a place, Samyaprasa, above Haridvara, there Vyasadeva's asrama was situated on the river Brahmanadi, Sarasvati, on the western side, pascime tate. Rsinam satra-vardhanah, there all the great sages and saintly persons used to perform sacrifice. Tasmin asrame, tasmin sva asrame vyaso badari-sanda-mandite, the asrama was surrounded by berry trees, badari-sanda. Sanda means trees. Asino 'pa upasprsya pranidadhyau manah svayam. So in that asrama... Formerly, big, big saintly persons, they used to live in forest asrama. Now they have to come far away from asrama to South Africa because people have forgotten. Formerly, big, big persons, they used to visit the asrama, but nowadays people are not interested. Anartha. They are captivated by the material, external energy. It is said that... Not only now, formerly also, but formerly the number of people who were not interested were very, very small. At the present moment, the number of interested people are very, very small. That is the difference. Kali-yuga. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He inaugurated this Krsna consciousness movement, that people in this age are no more interested in their value of life. They are in darkness. Therefore Vaisnava, under the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, should go door to door, country to country, town to town, and preach Krsna consciousness for their benefit.

He said:

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired that on the surface of the globe, as many towns and villages are there, the Krsna consciousness movement should be spread. And everyone, Indians especially, was advised to take up this mission and preach. He said:

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

Para-upakara means to do well to others. This is India's mission. India's mission is to elevate outside Indians. Because outside India, people are interested only how to make money and live materially comfortably. They do not know anything more than that. This is anartha. This is anartha. People have become interested only in bodily comforts. They do not know that we are not this body, we are spirit soul, and we have got different interest of the spirit soul than the bodily interest. The bodily interest is there, even in cats and dogs. They also take care of the body, as much as possible by them. Similarly, if we simply take care of the body and do not take care of my self -- what I am, what is my necessity -- then it is suicidal. That is going on all over the world. People are interested only in bodily comforts. They do not know that within this body there is spirit soul, and he has got a different type of business or mission. That we have forgotten.

Therefore Vyasadeva has given us this literature. The history of this literature is being described,

tasmin sva asrame vyaso
badari-sanda-mandite
asino 'pa upasprsya
pranidadhyau manah svayam

Now Narada Muni instructed him... Narada Muni is Vyasadeva's guru. So Vyasadeva presented before Narada Muni that "I have written so many books, Mahabharata, Puranas, Vedanta-sutra, and Upanisads, and so many things, but I am not feeling very much happy." So Narada Muni instructed him that "You have done so many things -- that is all right -- but you have not described very elaborately about the activities of the Supreme Lord. Therefore you are unhappy. So I advise you that you take up this business in writing. Then you will feel happy." So under his instruction he sat for meditation. He says -- it is there -- asinah apah upasprsya. Before meditation, this is the process, you take water, acamana,

om apavitrah pavitro va
sarvavastham gato 'pi va
yah smaret pundarikaksam
sa bahyabhyantara-sucih
sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu

Three times you have to take water and taste it. That is called upasprsya. So he did it. Asinah apah upasprsya pranidadhyau manah: then he began to concentrate his mind, meditation.

So that is called yoga. This meditation means bhakti-yoga. Meditation, that is the real meaning. Nowadays meditation has become a fashion, but meditation is described in the Vedic literature, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. The yogis, they meditate, dhyanavasthita. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, the mind becomes fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, tad-gatena. Tat means transcendental Absolute Truth, om tat sat. So tad-gatena manasa, mind being... Our mind is very restless, so it is very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Krsna instructed Arjuna to concentrate his mind, meditate, or meditate upon Supersoul, so Arjuna frankly admitted that it was not possible for him. He said to Krsna, "My dear Krsna, You are advising. That is nice. But it is not possible for me." Cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham. "Mind is so restless, just like wind blowing. So to capture the mind, to make him pacified, it is very difficult job. I don't think I shall be able to do it." Arjuna refused. But Arjuna was a great devotee; therefore Krsna encouraged him. Arjuna did not know anything except Krsna, always thinking of Krsna. Then He encouraged him, that "My dear Arjuna, for you, you are the best yogi." Why? He described:

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

He is first-class yogi. Who? Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gata, simply thinking of Krsna, mad-gata. Antar-atmana, within the core of heart, always thinking of Krsna. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mam.

So we are teaching this. Krsna consciousness movement means we are teaching our disciples how to think of Krsna twenty-four hours. This is Krsna consciousness. And the simple method is to chant,

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

So our, this is the process, we have got this bead bag, and within this bag there is bead, and we chant each... We capture each bead and chant,

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

One bead equals sixteen times, so the whole bead chain there is hundred and eight. So one round means about seventeen hundred. In this way, our disciples are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds. This is our daily duty. It takes about two hours, and after that we are engaging so many other businesses. Somebody is typing or printing books, somebody is going to sell books, somebody is collecting subscription, somebody is cooking for the temple Deity, Radha-Krsna. So in this way, our inmates or our members are always engaged. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31], this is recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Somehow or other, be engaged twenty-four hours in Krsna consciousness. Then your life will be successful.

So Krsna advised, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. So here Vyasadeva sat in his asrama, and began to meditate means he was thinking of Krsna. Here it is said, bhakti-yogena.

bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam purnam
mayam ca tad-apasrayam

So if we meditate in bhakti-yoga, that is bhakti-yoga, as Krsna advises that yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana, sraddhavan... Sraddhavan, with faith and love, if one thinks of Krsna, bhakti-yogena, then everything is revealed to him, revealed to him. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita,

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]

Krsna says, "Anyone who is engaged satatam." Satatam means twenty-four hours. He has no other thinking except Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh. This is spoken about Maharaja Ambarisa. He was the emperor of the whole world, he was doing his duty as a responsible king, but still sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh: he fixed his mind at the lotus feet of Krsna. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane: and when he used to speak, he used to speak about Krsna. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. When he was to walk, he used to go to the temple. When he was to hear something, he was hearing Hare Krsna maha-mantra. When he was to smell something, he was smelling the flowers offered at the lotus feet of Krsna. When he was eating, he was tasting the krsna-prasadam, the foodstuff first offered to Krsna. So we can engage our senses in that way, set by such example by Ambarisa Maharaja, how to utilize our senses for Krsna consciousness. That is bhakti-yoga. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Bhakti means when you engage your senses for the service of the Lord. Just like example set by Maharaja Ambarisa. His example is there, because who can be more busy than a responsible king? He has to do so many political affairs, and still, his mind was fixed up, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh, in Krsna perfectly. This is the perfect.

So here also, Vyasadeva, he applied meditation in bhakti-yoga. Yoga means bhakti-yoga. There are different yogas -- hatha-yoga, jnana-yoga, tapa-yoga, many -- but the ultimate goal of these yo... Yoga means connect, connection, connection with the Lord. So ultimately you have to come to the stage of bhakti-yoga. So here Vyasadeva, bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite 'male. The mind became completely purified, amale. Mala means dirty things, and amala means no dirty things. A means "not." So mind became completely purified by bhakti-yoga. By bhakti-yoga meditation, the mind became cleansed. That is required. Our mission of human life is to, how to cleanse the mind. Mind is not clean. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani [SB 1.2.17]. Abhadrani, inauspicious things. Abhadrani. Bhadra means very good, auspicious, and abhadra means inauspicious. So in our conditioned state of life, our mind is full with inauspicious things. This is due to rajo-guna and tamo-guna. So if we think of Krsna, meditation, then this rajas-tamo-guna becomes cleansed. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu [SB 1.2.18]. Abhadra, this rajas-tamo-guna. So if we think of Krsna, then gradually, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], the mirror of our heart becomes cleansed. The rajas..., rajas means dust, and tamas means darkness. Due to dark dust... Suppose you have to see one mirror. If it is covered with dust, you cannot see. So rajas means the dust, and cannot see, it is darkness, that is tamas. So bhakti-yoga, you can see within the mind clearly everything.

So here, bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite amale. Amale means we can completely clean. So our... What did he see? When if the mind becomes cleansed, apasyat, he could see. Apasyat purusam purnam. Purusam purnam, purusam person, and purnam, complete. We are also person, every individual being, but we are not purnam. We are apurnam. The purnam is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, complete. Complete with everything, that is purnam. We are trying to be purnam, but it is not possible. We can be purified, but because we are very small particle, mamaivamsa... Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, that we living entities, we are small particles. Just like the fire and the spark. The spark is also fire, but very small particle. Similarly, we are, although fire, when as good as God in quality, just like the spark and the big fire, but the spark is very small. It can burn a small portion. Suppose a spark falls on your floor, a spot can burn. But big fire can burn. That is the distinction between God and ourselves. We are also God, but we are not purnam God. That is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam.

So Vyasadeva, he is also living entity, although he is empowered, so apasyat purusam purnam, he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And mayam ca tad-apasrayam, and the back side is maya. Maya means the external energy. Just like if you stand facing the sun, the back side of your, there is a big shadow, that is maya. So both things are there, the purusam, the Krsna, and the maya also. Both things he saw. But He is not affected by maya. This is the special significance of Krsna. Although maya is there, he says, mayam ca tad-apasrayam. Maya is there, but Krsna is not influenced by maya, but He is controller of maya. Therefore He is described, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Isvara means controller. We are controlled by maya, but Krsna is the controller of maya. That is the difference. We are not controller; we are controlled. In the next verse, it is described, therefore, yaya sammohito jiva. This maya is illusion, is illusion to the jiva, to the living entities, not to Krsna. One who thinks Krsna as like us, they are mistaken. Mudha. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gita, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam: [Bg. 9.11] "Because I am come just like a human being, these rascals, mudhas, asses..." Mudha means asses. The example of mudha, just like in our vernacular language, we condemn some person who is useless, gadha. So gadha, that is mudha. Gadha, why he is condemned? Because he does not know his interest. He works under one washerman and loads tons of cloth on the back, and the washerman gives a morsel of grass. And he stands the whole day, again carrying back the big tons of cloth. But why he is gadha? This grass can be had anywhere, but he is thinking, "The washerman is supplying me grass; therefore I must carry his burden." Therefore he is gadha, ass. (laughs) He can get grasses anywhere, but he is thinking that "This Mr. Washerman is so kind that he is giving me grass, so I have to bear his cloth." So the karmis, they are like that. They are thinking that "Unless we work, we cannot get our grass." Therefore they have been described in the sastra as asses, mudha. Mudha. Mudho 'yam nabhijanati [Bg. 7.25].

So these mudhas, these asses, they consider Krsna as one of us. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam, param bhavam ajanantah [Bg. 9.11]. Param bhavam ajanantah, they do not know what is the value of Krsna. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is there to teach people to understand properly Krsna. And what will be the result? The result will be, janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. If anyone simply understands Krsna, why He comes here, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. So this is divyam, this is not ordinary birth. Ordinary birth, then why, not only in India and other parts of the world, the Krsna's birthday is celebrated very pompously? If He would have been an ordinary man, then why people are interested? No. Therefore janma, His janma is divyam. That is transcendental, that is not ordinary birth. Therefore you worship the birthday of Krsna, everyone, every Hindu, every Indian. Even Muhammadans, they also observe. In India, there are many Muhammadans, they also observe Krsna's birthday.

So apasyat purusam purnam, Krsna is purna-purusa. There is no lack of everything. Sad-aisvaryam purnam, six kinds of opulences: riches, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. He is full. That is called purnam, apasyat purusam purnam. And mayam ca tad-apasrayam. This maya also there, but Krsna is not affected by maya. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. It is duratyaya for the living entities, not for Krsna, because Krsna is the controller and we are controlled. Therefore in the next verse it is said, yaya sammohito jiva. Jiva, we living entities, we are being controlled by this maya, sammohita. Sammohita means illusion. Mohita means captivated, and sammohita, sam means sam, fully, fully. We are... You see all these conditioned souls, they are captivated by this material energy. Just like you all Indian, you have come here so far. Many people go, I have also come. But the some of us we have come, being allured by maya, and some may have come for other purposes. So generally, these jivas, the living entities, they are allured by this maya. The Vyasadeva saw two things: Krsna, the purusam purnam; and His illusory energy. So this illusory energy is not controller of Krsna. Just like darkness. Darkness, you have got experience. Here at night we are experiencing darkness, but there is no darkness in the sun. The sun is there in the sky. Because the sun is not here, therefore it is darkness. But as soon the sun will appear in the morning, there will be no more darkness.

krsna -- surya-sama; maya haya andhakara
yahan krsna tahan nahi mayara adhikara

You haven't got to drive away darkness by some separate endeavor. You simply get the Krsna sun (to) rise up, then your darkness will go out. This maya will go. If you remain without Krsna consciousness, then it is said, yaya sammohito jiva. You will be revealed that illusion. Yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam. Atmanam. We ourself, the spirit soul, we are covered by this body, tri-gunatmakam. This body means it is created by the material nature. In somebody the quality of goodness is prominent, somebody the quality of passion is prominent, and in somebody the quality of ignorance is prominent. So according to this prominence of the particular modes of nature, quality, there is division: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Where there is prominence of the quality of goodness, that is brahmana. When there is prominence of the quality of passion, that is ksatriya. When there is prominence of the quality of mixture -- there is mixture also -- that is vaisya. And when there is quality of the prominence of ignorance, that is sudra.

So everything is described in the Bhagavad-gita. If you read carefully then you'll understand things as they are. That is our mission. We have published all these authentic books, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and you can read them. The human life is meant for that, that here maya is deluding us, yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam. Atmanam, I am self. I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. I am eternal. I am ever illuminated. But I am thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am man," "I am woman," "I am this and that," so on -- designations. So bhakti means we have to become free from all these designations. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], this is called upadhi. Upadhi means designation. So the Krsna consciousness movement means how to become free from these designations. That is Krsna consciousness. The whole trouble in the world is due to these designations. We are part and parcel of God. We're very much intimately related with God. But, on account of this designation, we are each other's enemies. Even in faraway countries the Europeans are there, the Indians are there, the Africans are there. But, on account of this bodily designation, separated -- European quarter, Indian quarter, this quarter, that quarter, this designation.

So this is here, yaya sammohito jiva, by these designations. All these living entities, they are captivated by these designations. Yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam. He is thinking that the spirit soul has become Indian, American, African, or bird, beast. No, tri-guna. Paro 'pi, although he is transcendental to all these designations, manute anartham. Unnecessarily we are creating separative confusion. Manute anartham, tat-krtam cabhipadyate. And by that designation, he is thinking, "I am Indian, I must act as Indian," "I am European, I must act as European." Tat-krtam ca abhipadyate. This is called anartha: unnecessarily. The spirit soul is originally part and parcel of Krsna. He should develop his Krsna consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is his real business. But on account of this anartha, created designation, he is suffering. And he is trying to adjust things materially. That will never be possible. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. You go on trying to adjust things on the material platform, it will never be done. Durasaya. This has been described, durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. This is durasaya. This hope will never be fulfilled. One must know it certain. If you want to be happy, if you want to be peaceful, if you want to be elevated again to your original, constitutional position, then you take to Krsna consciousness and be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (applause)

Devotee: Anyone have any questions?

Guest (1): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Karma is the result of your associating with the gunas. Just like disease, a particular type of disease is a result of your contaminating the germ of the disease. The disease is secondary; the first -- your contamination. There are three gunas. That is material nature. You can contaminate the tamo-guna, then you'll get the body of tamo-guna. If you contaminate rajo-guna, then you'll get the body of rajo-guna. And if you contaminate or associate with sattva-guna, then you'll get the body like that. And if you become transcendental above the all these gunas, then you'll become situated in your original, spiritual position. This is the way. Therefore our duty is how to avoid the base contamination. Just like you try to avoid disease -- you take vaccine. Similarly, if you try to associate with the best quality modes of material nature -- goodness -- that is safe for your liberation. And if you contaminate the other two qualities, rajo-guna and tamo-guna, then you'll be more and more entangled. Now I may have this nice human body, but if I contaminate tamo-guna, the next body may be dog's body. Tamo-guna, the animal body, then trees body... There are so many, 8,400,000's of body. Tatha dehantara-praptih. So in the human form of life we should be conscious of what kind of association we shall accept. Therefore we are trying to give association of Krsna consciousness. If you take this association, then you remain uncontaminated by the material qualities -- Krsna consciousness. Then your original, spiritual constitutional position is revived and you'll go back to home, back to Godhead.

Guest (2): With due respect to His Holiness A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, may I know why it is the living entity (indistinct) the separation from the supreme power, Lord Krsna? Thank you.

Prabhupada: That is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your Johannesburg there are so many people. Why not all of them come here? Some of them might have gone to the liquor shop; some of them might have gone to the hotels. So it is your option. The three qualities are there. Now it is up to you where to go. But if you know that by associating with the Krsna conscious people you'll be benefited, get knowledge -- then come here. And if you do not know -- in ignorance -- then go liquor shop, hotel, restaurant. So after all, we are part and parcel of God. God is fully independent, and we are minute part. The same example, that the spark is minute portion of the fire. It has got the burning capacity -- not exactly like God, but it has got the godly power. There are so many examples. This morning I was discussing that you are living entity, part and parcel of God. You have created one aeroplane, 747, with five hundred passengers and many tons of loads of things, it is flying. So that is your creation. And God's creation is this planet. This is also running one thousand miles per hour, and so many big, big ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and so many big, big mountains, it is also carrying. It is also floating in the air, and the 747 is also floating. That is your creation and this is God's creation. That is the difference. [break] ...quality but not full, not purna. Therefore purusam purnam. God has got the full qual..., not only this one planet -- there are millions of planets floating in the air. You can see the sun planet. It is 1,400,000 bigger than this planet. That is also lying in the one corner. So that is God's creation. You can create a teeny 747, that's all. Therefore your power is there, the similarly, but very, very small quantity. So we have to take care of our teeny power. Just like the spark. The spark, put, put... But if it somehow or other falls down from the fire it is extinguished. It is extinguished. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, the spark. If we remain with the fire, it is beautiful. And if, by chance, we fall down, then you are extinguished. Your brilliancy, the fiery quality, becomes extinguished. So our present position is like that. We have forgotten or fallen from God, so our that little burning power, that is also extinguished. Now we have to revive it, back to home, back to Godhead. Then you'll become happy.

Devotee: Any more questions?

Guest (3): What I would like to ask the Swami a question on... Western world (indistinct) utopia (indistinct) economics or politics. What I would like to understand (indistinct) especially India is the best (indistinct) utopia...

Prabhupada: Why you are bringing in India? Krsna is speaking not for India -- for everyone. What is his question?

Devotee: What is the Eastern or Indian understanding of utopia?

Prabhupada: Utopia?

Devotee: Perfect society.

Prabhupada: Yes. Perfect society is Krsna consciousness. If you accept Krsna as the center... Just like in a family if you accept the head of the family, your father, as the guiding principle, the family's happy. And if you disrupt with the opinion of the father, somebody goes away, somebody's not happy, the family is disturbed. Similarly, if you agree with the instruction of Krsna and God, the whole human society will be peace and prosperity. If you don't agree, disagree, don't agree, disagree, then it is disruption. The instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gita. You take it, you agree to it, and you become happy in this world and next world. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975

"Eat Like Human Being"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35
Vrndavana, August 16, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction for the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service of the Lord. And what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor."

Prabhupada:

yad atra kriyate karma
bhagavat-paritosanam
jnanam yat tad adhinam hi
bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

A similar passage is there, samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Similar. Bhagavat-paritosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam or hari-tosanam, the same thing.

So first of all we must know what is bhagavat, or Hari, then we may try to satisfy Him. Unfortunately, we do not know what is God. Where is the question of satisfying Him? This is the... At the present moment, vague idea, what is God; practically no idea. What is their God? "God is good." They... Sometimes they say, "God is great," but what is that God, how great He is, how He is good, nobody knows. So where is the question of hari-tosanam? If I do not know... Somebody says that "You go and satisfy Mr. such and such, Mr. John." So I do not know who is Mr. John, where does he live, what does he do, then how can I satisfy him? This is the position.

So hari-tosanam or bhagavat-paritosanam can be possible when we actually know what is God. Otherwise there is no question. So, so far we are concerned, Krsna conscious devotees, we know who is God. Therefore this business is possible by us, not by others. We know what is God. We have no vague idea. We know who is God, where does He live, what does He do, His name, address, His father's name -- everything we know. Therefore we can satisfy. We are competent to satisfy because we know exactly who is God. That is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. How do you know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Yes, by history, by authority, by His action, everything complete. We know historical, from historical point of view, Krsna is there in the Mahabharata. Mahabharata means "The history of great India." Maha means great. So greater India. Greater India, this is history. Itihasa. Itihasa means history. So there is Krsna, in the itihasa, in the history. In the Vedas also, there is name of Krsna. In the Yajur Veda, there is name of Krsna and His father's name, Vasudeva. Everything is there. And besides that, Krsna appeared as He is five thousand years ago and He acted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So where is the difficulty to understand Krsna?

Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah -- everything complied. Krsna, the richest personality, the most beautiful personality, the most wise. He has given the Bhagavad-gita. Apart from other instructions, the Bhagavad-gita is there. Who has given such wise instruction throughout the whole world, throughout the whole universe? Nobody has given. God means the wisest, the richest, the most powerful, the most beautiful. So He was so beautiful that 16,108 very, very beautiful women... And this is married. And unmarried, many millions, they were attracted by Krsna, the most beautiful. Syamasundara. His name is sundara, very beautiful. Although syama, blackish, still He's so attractive. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa-koti, He's so beautiful that He can surpass in His beauty the Cupids, millions and millions of Cupids. His name is Madana-mohana. Madana-mohana, Madana is Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone, but he is enchanted by Krsna. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana.

So bhagavat-tosanam, we must know first of all who is God, who is Bhagavan. So sastra says, authority says, and history says. What more proof you want? Huh? What more proof? Is there anyone to challenge Krsna? Everything is there. Still, why you are searching after God? This is foolishness. This is foolishness. Owls', owls' philosophy. Owls' philosophy... The owl will not open the eyes to see the sun. Just open your eyes, you see, here is sun. "No, there is no sun." This is owls' philosophy. Close the eyes, meditate. And the God is here, "No, I'll not open my eyes."

So we do not follow this philosophy, owls' philosophy. We follow real philosophy. What is that real philosophy? Sruti-pramanam, evidence from the Vedas, history, aitihya-pramana, history. And anumana-pramana. There are many, pratyaksa, anumana, aitihya... So out of that, there are so many evidential processes, but according to followers of the Vedic principle, their process is sruti-pramanam. Sruti-pramanam means if it is mentioned in the Vedas, Upanisad, then it is pramanam. Sruti-pramanam. So Vedas, there are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, and then eighteen Puranas, then this Mahabharata. So all these are Vedic literatures. Srimad Madhvacarya describes them, these are Vedic literatures. Not only the four Vedas -- Sama, Yajur, Rg, Atharva -- but expansion of Vedas. Puranas, they are also Vedas. So in the Purana, in the history, in the Vedas, by the authorities.

Just like Brahma, the best authority because he is the first living being created within the universe. Adi-purusa. Not adi-purusa; adi-kavi. Adi-purusa is Krsna. Brahma is adi-kavi, the original learned scholar. So our theory of creation means first of all Brahma is created. So Brahma is called adi-kavi. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye means Brahma. So Brahma's knowledge, what does he say? Brahma says govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Brahma says Govinda, Krsna. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. He's giving description about Krsna in the Brahma-samhita. And the description of Krsna's abode. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Everything is there. This is authority, sruti. Krsna is very much fond of tending cows. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. He has got His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, where the residential houses are made of cintamani, touchstone. Touchstone, we have heard the description. Touchstone means the stone which you touch to the iron and the iron becomes gold. So such touchstone, they're used as brick. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu [Bs. 5.29].

And kalpa-vrksa. This is Krsna's abode. They are not like this. They are all spiritual. Here it is, everything is material, but there is spiritual touch. That spiritual touch we are describing in the Bhagavad-gita, bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. Without spiritual touch, there is no question of material manifestation. That is not possible. This body, your body, my body, this is material -- everyone knows. It is made of earth, air, water, fire, like that. But how it is manifested? How the beautiful body is manifested? Because there is spiritual touch. The spirit soul is there. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha... [Bg. 2.13]. This external body is changing, but it is forming on account of that spiritual touch. That spiritual touch means Krsna. Bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. So therefore the origin of everything is Krsna. Just like the origin of a big tree is the root. Similarly, Krsna is the adi-purusam. Govindam adi-purusam, sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. Just like in the tree there are trunk, branches, twigs, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, so many things. But the cause is the root.

So here it is said that hari-tosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam. The root must be satisfied. If you want to maintain the tree, then the root or the original cause of the tree should be satisfied. Then everything is satisfied. So here in this material world they are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to become happy. They are put into the ocean of nescience. May be very expert swimmer, but simply swimming will not save you. You must know how to save. So here it is said, yad atra kriyate karma. Everyone is doing something. Vaidiki laukiki va. There are two kinds of karmas. Vaidiki means according to the Vedic rituals. Performance of big, big sacrifices and so many other, that is called vaidiki. And laukiki... Just like we have got good experience nowadays. There are so many activities, factories, mills, and scientific research work, so many. This is laukiki. So Krsna does not say... Yes. The Suta Gosvami does not say that simply by vaidiki activities, big, big ritualistic ceremonies, you can be happy. You can be happy even by laukiki. Laukiki mean these material activities. Generally, people understand, big, big factories nowadays, or agriculture or anything, there are laukiki. Laukiki means for maintenance of the body. So Narada Muni recommends that yad atra, anything you are doing, kriyate. Atra means in this material world, atra. Yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritosanam. It doesn't matter that you do not understand these Vedic rituals, but you want to develop the economic position of your country by industrial enterprises. Yes, that is also good. That is also good. How? Bhagavat-paritosanam. If it is conducted for the satisfaction of Krsna, then it is good.

So our Krsna consciousness movement does not say you stop anything. No. Whatever you have got liking, you can do, but bhagavat-paritosanam. By your work you try to satisfy Krsna. This is our proposal. We do not say the negative, stop. No. And it is confirmed in the sastras, atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah... Generally, according to Vedic principle, there are four division of karma. Not four; eight division. According to varna and asrama. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. The division of work must be there; otherwise the society cannot go on very nicely. If everyone is brahmana, not interested in anything material or simply... Because it is, after all, material world, if everyone becomes brahmana, now it will not go. There must be others. Ksatriyas means the statesman, protector, politician, diplomat, ksatriyas. And there must be vaisyas also, productive class of men. They must produce. Economic development, that is also required. Otherwise, how human society will go on? Not only intelligent class of men -- the protector class of men, the productive class of men, and the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing this temple. If we devotees remain Hare Krsna, then who will construct this temple? Everything is required. We do not say that "Stop this" or "Stop that." No.

So that division, different division, is scientifically made in the Vedic conception of life, varnasrama. Four varnas and four asramas. Asrama for spiritual advancement and varnas for material advancement. So we want both of them because our life is combination of spirit and matter. So it is not that... To make the best use of a bad bargain. Suppose you have got a car. It is not very good car. It's not American car, but Ambassador. (laughter) Thrice breaks. But you have to utilize it. Bad bargain. Similarly, some way or other, we have got this material body, we cannot neglect it. We don't say that "Neglect it. Don't care for the body." No. Why?

That is the instruction of the Gosvamis. Anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah. Don't be attached to the bodily demands. Bodily demands means eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending. These are bodily demands. So if we say that "I am not this body, so I don't care for this eating, sleeping..." No. That is not. It is not vairagya. This kind of renunciation is not recommended by our Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna consciousness movement, the Gosvamis recommend anasaktasya visayan. You do not be attached to the demands of the body, but you utilize it for advancing in Krsna consciousness. Eating is required. If you don't eat nicely, then body cannot be maintained. But anasaktasya visayan yatharham. Eating is required, but not eating too much. Not eating to the taste of the tongue, unnecessarily eating meat, fish, eggs. Why? You are human being. For you Krsna has given so much varieties of food stuff. Fruits, vegetables, nice rice, dal, milk, ghee. Why should you go to the meat-eating? This is required. You eat like human being, not like cats and dogs. But eating is not prohibited. That is not our philosophy. Don't eat like cats and dogs, but eat like human being.

Similarly, sleeping also. Sleep, you require some rest, but don't sleep twenty-six hours. Not like that. Utmost six hours to eight hours, sufficient for any healthy man. Even the doctor says, if anyone sleeps more than eight hours, he is diseased. He must be weak. Healthy man sleeps at a stretch six hours. That is sufficient. That's all. And those who are tapasvis, they should reduce sleeping also. Just like the Gosvamis did. Only one and a half hour or utmost two hours. That also sometimes not. Actually, we should reduce this. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. This is gosvami. Gosvamis does not mean go-dasa. Go means senses and dasa means servant. If we keep the title gosvami and become servant of the senses, it is cheating. You must be gosvami, means you must be master of the senses. Self-control. So what the Gosvamis did? Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau. Very humble and... Nidra means sleeping, ahara means eating, and vihara means sense enjoyment, vijitau, they conquered over.

So our process is to follow the Gosvamis. Ei chay gosai yanr tanr mui das. So we should try to follow the Gosvamis. We should keep in view what they did. They used to, I mean to say, pass their time in krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau. Krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi dhiradhira-jana-priyau. Dhiradhira. There are two classes of men in the world, dhira and adhira. Dhira means saintly persons, sober, those who have controlled their senses, gosvamis. And adhira: just the opposite. So these Gosvamis, six Gosvamis, they were popular to the both classes of men, dhira and adhira. Their character was so sublime, nice, that even in this Vrndavana when Sanatana Gosvami was there, the village men, they would accept Sanatana Gosvami as the leader of the village. Actually, they were leader. But to pose himself as leader, but cannot control others, (Bengali) gaya mane mora apni moro(?). Not like that. He must able be to lead them. So although Sanatana Gosvami was interested krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau, he was not disinterested with others who were not devotees. They were also interested. Not interested, but sympathetic. They were not interested with the materialists, but the ordinary householders, they would fight, husband and wife, and come to Sanatana Gosvami for settlement. And whatever Sanatana Gosvami would give judgment, they will accept. They will accept. He was, they were very popular, (the) Gosvamis. And they were staying sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes Radha-kunda, sometimes... They were not staying in one place.

So our, this Krsna consciousness movement, it's only aim is how to satisfy Krsna. Method, that is intelligence: What method we should accept so that our, this process of, or the propaganda of Krsna consciousness may go on very nicely. The process should be only to satisfy Krsna, hari-tosanam. That is the recommended Vedic process.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Samsiddhi means perfection. So perfection, if we want perfection of our activities, then we shall try to satisfy by our activities the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You may say that "I do not see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. How I shall be able to know that I am satisfying or dissatisfying Him?" That you can know through your spiritual master. It is not very difficult. If your spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Krsna is satisfied. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. There is no difficulty. Yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi. You cannot satisfy Krsna by dissatisfying your spiritual master. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must satisfy. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. You do not take the excuse that "I do not know God, I do not meet Him. How I shall know that I have satisfied Him or dissatisfied Him?" No, sastra says, "Yes..." It doesn't matter. Therefore it is called parampara. Parampara. As you receive the knowledge from Krsna, from Arjuna, and from Narada, from Brahma, like that, come down to your spiritual master, similarly, as you receive the knowledge step by step, one after another, similarly, you satisfy also the Supreme Personality of Godhead from this step, this step, this step, this step. This is the process. Just like you come down step by step by step by step, similarly you go up step by step by step by step.

So this is the process, bhagavat-tosanam or hari-tosanam. Also this way. And to receive the knowledge from Bhagavan, that is also parampara system. The parampara system must be maintained, and if it is done nicely, then as it is stated here, yad atra kriyate, whatever you do, that is for your perfection. If you keep this parampara system and if you try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then whatever you do, that is perfection. It doesn't matter. The test is whether Krsna is satisfied, whether your spiritual master is satisfied. Then you are perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974

"Lower Planets Or Liberation"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.33
Vrndavana, August 14, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada:

amayo yas ca bhutanam
jayate yena suvrata
tad eva hy amayam dravyam
na punati cikitsitam

Is very important verse. Actually, this is the essence of Krsna consciousness movement. What is that? People become diseased by sense gratification. Everyone knows. Too much sense gratification means creating disease. For example, some nice eatable. But if you, because it is very nice rasagulla, therefore I shall devour one dozen, that's not very good. That will create indigestion immediately. So in this material world, people are so much enthusiastic in the matter of sense gratification. Whole world. Not only now, this is the place for competition of sense gratification. Advancement of civilization means, the so-called civilization, material civ..., means how much you are able to gratify your senses. That is civilization. How much you are given facilities to gratify your senses. This is the modern idea, hedonism. More eat, more drink -- eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy. Sense gratification.

This is not only new. Formerly the Carvaka Muni, he also advocated, rnam krtva ghrtam pibet. In India, they want to eat very nice foodstuff prepared from ghee. So he advised that rnam krtva ghrtam pibet: if you have no money, then beg, borrow, or steal, get ghee and eat very nice. Rnam krtva, the word is... Suppose one has no money, then how to get money? Either cheat somebody, beg, or beg. But begging for grhastha is not very good thing, but sometimes they do so. Beg, borrow, or promising, "Give me now money, I shall pay you." And when credit is lost, then steal, pickpocket. This is as theory. Similarly, Carvaka Muni, rnam krtva ghrtam pibet, never mind. "No, I will have to pay." "No, that we shall see later on, never mind." "No, I will be sinful, I will have to pay next life." This is within the blood of every Indian that if I cheat you or if I take some money from you without your benefit, without repayment, then I will have to suffer. Still in India they believe this. There are some incidences that a man, father took some loan from some gentleman and his father died, and his son came to pay the money to the creditor: "Sir, my father took so much money from you. Now my father died without payment. So I have got money, you kindly take it." He says, "Let me see my book whether your father took it." So he said, "All right, consult." So after consulting the books, he said, "I don't find any item that I gave loan to your father." "No, sir, I know, my father said at the time of death that 'I owe so much money to that gentleman, I could not pay; you pay it.'" So the trouble was the man says "I don't find any debit to your father's name. How can I take your money?" And he is insisting, "Yes, my father took money from you, kindly take." This was India. This was India. They knew that "I cannot cheat you." Karmi, in the karma-kanda, if I cheat you, then I will have to pay you four times this life or next life. That is the law of karma. Therefore, we are collecting money, we should not cheat. Every paisa should be spent for Krsna; otherwise we shall be liable to pay. If we use one farthing for our sense gratification, then we will have to pay for it. This is the law of karma. The charity is given, why? Why charity is given to the brahmana? Nowadays they have manufactured charity to the daridra-narayana, poor man, ganja smoker, bidi smoker. But in the sastra, it is not. Sastra says tasmin deha, those who are devotee, those who are brahmana, they should be given, he should be given, he should accept. Why? Because if a brahmana takes some money from you, if a Vaisnava takes money from you, he everything will employ in the service of the Lord. This is utilization.

So at the present moment, people are becoming more and more poor, and they are simply educated to gratify senses. So the whole world becoming chaotic, diseased condition. Even in the topmost level, the President of United States, he was also caught dealing very unfavorably, and he was forced to resign. And what to speak of others? He is not a poor man, he is not uneducated, the topmost man, elected President of USA, but there is cheating even there, just see. And what to speak of others? Yad yad acarati sresthah, in the Bhagavad-gita it is, tat tad eva itarah janah, sa yat pramanam kurute lokas tad anuvartate. If a person, president, cheats his countrymen somehow or other, and why not others? They will also do that. "Oh, president does it. What I am? What can I know?" In this way, the more we are inclined to sense gratification, the more we are becoming sinful. And more we are becoming sinful, the more we must suffer. That is the law of nature. Amayo yas ca bhutanam jayate yena suvrata.

So by this karma... vikarma rather. Karma means when you act according to the sastra, that is called karma. Lawful activities. The lawful activities is very good. But unlawful activities, you are punishable. So the business of sense gratification is unlawful activities. You cannot gratify your senses more than necessity. Everywhere that is the stringent laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot surpass it. Duratyaya. If you surpass, then you will be punished. There is simultaneous law of nature. The example is that you can eat, say, four ounce or eight ounce foodstuff. If you eat ten ounce, then there will be suffering, indigestion, you cannot eat, there will be dysentery, so many things. That is nature's law. So people are becoming entangled in karma. Yajna sa karma, one should work for Yajna, for Krsna. But they are not doing that. They are doing for sense gratification. Ye pacanty atma-karana. Bhunjate te tv agham papam ye pacanty atma-karanat. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. If you live only for sense gratification, then you become entangled in the law of karma.

So here it is suggested that amayo yas ca bhutanam. In the previous verse Narada said, karma brahmani bhavitam. Karma, your activities, should be dovetailed in the matter of satisfying the Supreme Lord. That is the way of devotional service. But how karma can be engaged, that is prescribed in this verse, that amayo yas ca bhutanam jayate yena suvrata. You get disease. Suppose you have taken too much milk and you become diseased, dysentery, could not digest; have taken too much sweet rice or rabri, so there is dysentery. That must be there. Too much eating will cause. So amayah, amayah means mucus or disease. So there is mucus, yas ca bhutanam, due to eating too much milk preparation. Tad eva hy amayam dravyam na punati cikitsitam. So cannot be cure it even by that milk preparation. The same milk preparation which has caused your mucus, disease, it can be cured by the same milk preparation, cikitsitam, but it should be medically treated. The same milk. The milk is the cause of your dysentery, but the same milk, when it is medically treated, can cure it. This is the secret. How? One milk preparation. Milk is the origin. Rabri, you take too much and there is dysentery. And cikitsitam, the same milk converted into yogurt, add little black pepper, little salt and lime, it will cure. The origin is the milk. So one way you become diseased and the other way you become cured, but the preparation is the same -- milk. Similarly, our activities in this material world with these material elements, when we violate the laws, we become entangled. But the same material activities, when it is turned into Krsna prasadam, dovetailed with Krsna for hearing and chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra, what we are doing? We are also doing the same thing. Here is the temple. What is this temple? The same ingredients, the same cement, same brick, same stone, same worker, same plan as the skyscraper. But what is the difference? Because it is cikitsitam, it is for Krsna. You spoil your energy by the same purchase of cement, bricks, and other things for sense gratification -- a theater hall, a dancing hall. The same energy spent for dancing for Krsna, the same hall, you become liberated. By one dancing hall you go to hell, and by another dancing hall you become liberated. This is the secret.

So people have got the tendency for sense gratification. That is the material disease. So instead of satisfying your senses, try to satisfy the senses of Krsna. Then you become liberated. This is called cikitsitam. There is sense gratification. Here when you chant and dance, this is not your sense gratification; this is Krsna's sense gratification: "Oh, these devotees, they are glorifying Me, they are dancing. Blessed they are." Immediately you draw attention of Krsna, because it is bhakti.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam...
[SB 7.5.23]

Bhagavaty tan manye adhitam, this is the best thing. The Mayavadi, they do not know this. They simply stop dancing. They do not know that this ball dancing may lead one to hell, but the chanting Hare Krsna mantra is not like that. They do not know it. They simply take the negative side: stop dancing. We say "No. No stop it. We shall dance for Krsna, we shall eat for Krsna, we shall print books for Krsna, not newspaper. We shall secure money for printing for Krsna." The same thing, the same printing, same working, same dancing, same eating, but for Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. Simply you have to change the, what is called, interest. Everyone is acting for self interest, but bhakti-marga, devotional service of Krsna's interest, that is real interest. Same example. If somebody is working hard securing foodstuff, for whose interest? He is walking, the leg is walking, the hand is collecting, the eyes are seeing, and so many things they are done. Now what is to be done now? Do everything, cook everything nicely, and put it into the stomach. Not that the leg will say, "I have worked so hard," the hand will say, "I shall eat." No. You cannot eat. The stomach will eat; you simply work. But if the stomach is allowed to eat, then automatically the hands and legs will be happy.

So this is cikitsitam. Don't work for sense gratification or personal interest. Real interest is how to satisfy Krsna. That is real interest. But they do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Everyone is, "I have got my interest." But you do not know what is your interest. Your interest is to satisfy Krsna. But the rascals, they do not know. They say, "Why Krsna? Myself, I shall enjoy everything." This is karma and bhakti. When karma... Karmi means they are working for their so-called interest, and bhakti means they are working for Krsna's interest. They..., superficially, the activities are the same. Same means superficially, not in essence. So our senses are so trained up that we want to satisfy the senses. Now these devotional activities means instead of satisfying my personal senses, if we want to satisfy Krsna's senses, this method is called bhakti. So the activities of the senses should not be stopped, it should be repaired or reformed. That is cikitsitam, "properly treated." Cikitsitam, this is the word. Cikitsitam means properly treated, under the direction of physician. The physician is guru, and guru's business is to instruct the disciple, "My dear son, you do not work for your so-called sense gratification, you try to satisfy Krsna's senses, then your life is perfect. This is the physician's duty, and this is the patient's duty. Cikitsitam. Cikitsitam is purification. You have got disease, purify yourself.

So this process, this changing of, transformation... To work for Krsna's sense gratification and to work for one's own sense gratification, this transformation change, this changing process, is called bhakti. Process is the same, simply account should be changed. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Everyone is working, daridra-narayana seva or this community seva, the country seva, nationally seva, this seva, that seva ... Nobody is for Krsna seva. Nobody will be happy, sir. Go on with your so-called seva. It will never be successful. You will be more and more entangled in diseased condition. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. Simply by your so-called activities you will be entangled in the law of karma. And according to your karma, you will get a different type of body and you will live for some time, again you will die, again you will get body, again you will... And you do not know what kind of body you are going to get. This is the entanglement. Yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. So if we want to be free from the entanglement of this karma, then we must work for Krsna. Krsna's another name is Yajna, Yajnabhuja, Visnu. Yajnarthat karmanah. This is the cikitsitam. The material activities you are becoming entangled, and you are becoming more and more diseased. So you should be treated. How? The same thing. Milk is... Rabri is also milk preparation and dahi is also milk preparation. So you are becoming diseased by this process. Now you take this process, you will be cured. Then you will be happy. Therefore it is said, tad eva hy amayam dravyam na punati cikitsitam. Cikitsitam. We should handle everything material properly treated, properly treated. Not to work for anyone. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us lesson that you are jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Every living entity is eternally the servant of Krsna. So instead of becoming servant of your senses, just try to become the servant of Krsna, then your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974

"Secret Of Supreme Satisfaction"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.28
Vrndavana, August 9, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "Thus during two seasons, the rainy season and autumn, I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished."

Prabhupada:

ittham sarat-pravrsikav rtu harer
visrnvato me 'nusavam yaso 'malam
sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhir
bhaktih pravrttatma-rajas-tamopaha

Atma-rajas-tamopaha. This is the perfection of life. We are now covered by the modes of material nature, tri-gunamayi, three gunas: sattva, rajas, tamas. So mukti means to get out of this entanglement of three gunas. That is called mukti. We are suffering different modes of material nature. We have several times explained, karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. There are different types of bodies. From specie point of view, there are 8,400,000 forms. And they are due to these material modes of nature. I have several times explained. There are three modes of material nature, and if you mix, three into three, it becomes nine, and nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So little more or less, there are 8,400,000 species of life. So in order to get out of this repetition of birth and death, we require to be freed from the influence of the modes of material nature. That is the perfection of life.

So here Narada Muni says that "During the four months..." In India there are six seasons. There is summer season, and there is spring. There is autumn. Then there is winter, there is fall. In this way, there are six seasons. So the saintly persons, in the, during the autumn and rainy season, they keep together; they do not move. Because saintly persons, sannyasis, their business is to move... Grhinam dina-cetasam, mahad-vicalanam. Mahad-vicalanam. Mahat means mahatma, great souls. Great soul means not crippled souls, those who are anxious to meet the great, or the Supreme Brahman, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are crippled souls, they are entangled with the limited circle of material enjoyment. But mahatma... Mahatma is described in the Bhagavad-gita, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatmas are not interested within this material world. They are not under the influence of the external energy. Of course, nowadays it is... Sometimes politicians are called "mahatma." But that is not the purpose of mahatma. Mahatma is not interested with politics or sociology or... They are all material things. Or philanthropy. They are interested with the Supreme: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. They're interested. Especially mahatma is he who is interested with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

Every krsna-bhakta, Krsna conscious person, is mahatma, real mahatma. How it is? Krsna says, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. Mahatma does not mean that if you dress yourself with a certain colored cloth and have some big hairs and beards, then you become mahatma, no. The mahatma is he... Who? Daivim prakrtim asritah: "He is not under the influence of this external energy." Daivi-prakrti means... There are two prakrtis, two natures: internal and external. Internal energy is spiritual energy, and external energy is material energy. So mahatmas, they are not under material energy.

One who is under the material energy, they are entangled with these three gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. The lowest is the tamo-guna, and via media is the rajo-guna, and the topmost, goodness, is sattva-guna. So even in sattva-guna, that is also entanglement. Rajo-guna, tamo-guna is certainly entanglement, but even rajo-guna, even one is situated in the sattva-guna... Sattva-guna means perfect brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Even if you become a perfect brahmana, brahmana, with qualities, still, it is bondage. In bondage because, in this way, that even if you become a brahmana you'll think yourself, "Now I have got so much knowledge, Vedic knowledge. I speak truth, satya. I can control my senses. Satyam samo damah. I can control my mind. I have got knowledge. I can tolerate." So all these qualities, one becomes bound up. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches, naham vipro na ca nara-patih, that "Even... I am not even a brahmana. I am not a ksatriya. I am not a vaisya. I am not a sudra." He says. This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Even if you become a brahmana, still, that is upadhi, designation.

So although there is bondage in the sattva-guna,... Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. You can be promoted to the higher planetary systems, but that is also bondage. Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. If you remain within this material world, even if you are promoted to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, still, you have to accept the material bondage, means janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Brahma, he also dies. Although he has got very, very long duration of life, he also dies. So Krsna therefore recommends, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] "If you come to My place, then you are no more under the laws of birth, death, old age, and disease." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. That should be the aim of life. Those... There are others who are aspiring to go to the heavenly planet or Satyaloka or Brahmaloka, but Krsna says, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is that "Why we should go to the heavenly planet or Brahmaloka or any other material planet? We shall go directly to the abode of Krsna, Goloka Vrndavana." That is the aim of the devotees.

So that aim you can fulfill by practicing bhakti-yoga. That is mentioned here, bhaktih pravrtta atma-rajas-tamopaha. So rajas-tamas. So long one is situated in the modes of passion and ignorance, there is no hope. There is no hope. But when one comes to the platform of sattva-guna, there is little hope of transcending. So bhakti-yoga is above sattva-guna. In the sattva-guna, in the modes of goodness, you can become a nice brahmana, but simply by becoming a nice brahmana you, your, you are not free from the material bondage. When you become a pure Vaisnava, then you are free from the bondage of the material world. And to become Vaisnava, you require this devotion, bhakti. Bhakti. Immediately, beginning of bhakti means rajas-tamopaha, upaha. One who is situated even beginning, he is above the rajas-tamo-guna. He's situated... Tada kama-lobha...

There is a... There is a verse. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Here the same thing is described, that sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhih. Sankirtyamanam. We have to hear the sankirtana not from professional men. That will not be... If you hear sankirtana from the professional men... Professional men: who makes sankirtana as the means of livelihood. Just like people do some business or work to get some money to maintain the life, similarly, if somebody takes the sankirtana as the means of livelihood, that will not help you. You can go on hearing sankirtana from such professional men for millions of years; still, you will remain where you are, not rajas-tamopaha. You cannot get out of the bondage of... Therefore you have to hear from the sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhih. Mahatma. Mahatma means mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatma means those who have finished this material business. Simply they're interested with Krsna and... Just like Haridasa Thakura or followers, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's followers. If you hear... Just like Narada Muni. In his previous birth he heard from these mahatmas, great devotees, only for four months. It is stated here. The time is... sarat pravrsa, pravrsa, pravrsikav rtu. Sarat and autumn, two rtus, he heard. The association was there. And the result was: visrnvato me 'nusavam yaso 'malam. Krsna's glorification, amalam, without any spot, without any... Krsna's glories, that is real nirguna. Nirguna does not mean to become impersonal. Nirguna means without any material attributes. So when Krsna's glories are chanted, that is not anything of this material world.

Just like Narottama dasa Thakura says, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana. This hari-nama-sankirtana, that is not any vibration of this material world. That is spiritual. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. Samsara-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale, visaya-visanale. Visanale and davanale, these things are described about this material world. Just like in... You sung, immediately, samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam **. So the samsara, this material world, is just like blazing fire, davanala, and forest fire. Forest fire means nobody goes to set fire in the forest. It takes automatically. Similarly, we want to live very peacefully in this material world, but that is not possible. There will be fire. And visaya-visanale. Visaya means things which is required for sense enjoyment, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam. So either you say visaya-visanale or samsara-davanale, the matter is the same. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, therefore, visaya-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale, juraite na koinu upay. If you want to get out of this visanala, the blazing fire of poison or forest fire, then we have to take shelter of this hari-sankirtana. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay, samsara-davanale visaya-visanale diba-nisi hiya jvale juraite na koinu upay.

So in order to get out of this blazing fire of material existence, which is a combination of rajas-tamah-sattva-guna, one has to take to this devotional service, and that can be achieved only by hearing from munibhir mahatmabhih, those who are munis. Munis means they are silent about material affairs. They are simply interested with spiritual advancement of life. To give up something and to accept something... To give up something is negative, but if you do not accept something positive, this give up something will not stay. Simply to become renounced of the material world will not help. Big, big sannyasis, they gave up this material world -- brahma satyam jagan mithya -- but they, because they did not engage themselves in devotional service, they again come back to this material world for philanthropic work, for altruistic work, for charity, for opening schools... So simply negative will not help us. We have to accept positive.

So if we accept the positive, the negative will automatically result. Just like here it is said, bhakti-pravrtta. As soon as bhakti is accepted, then atma-rajas-tamopaha. You immediately become free. Your soul becomes free from the influence of rajas-tamas. Rajas-tamas means lust and desire. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. If you are entangled in rajas-tamas, then you'll be influenced by lusty desires, kama and lobha. The lusty desires will never be satisfied. You'll want more, more, more. That is called greedy, lobha, lusty desires and greediness. You'll never be free if you remain in the kama, in the rajas-tamas.

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Here the two modes of nature is explained, kama and lobha, er, rajas tamas. So if we are entangled with rajas-tamas, then our perpetual desire for lusty sense enjoyment and greediness will not stop. It will drag me more and more, more and more, and entangle me. But sthitam sattve prasidati. But if we give up these two qualities, the remainder quality means goodness, that sattve, you will get, you will give, you will get, at least, peace of mind. Sthitam sattve prasidati. Evam prasanna-manasah. When you are in, in the platform of satisfaction, sattva-guna... Just like the brahminical qualification. They are satisfied with anything. A brahmana is not supposed to improve his economic condition. He's not interested. He's simply satisfied: "By the grace of God, whatever I have got, that is sufficient." God is supplying everyone, even birds and beasts and cats and dogs. Eko yo bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is giving food to everyone. So sattva-guna means to remain satisfied whatever is obtained by, from God, by His free will. That's all. They are not after economic development.

So Vaisnava, being inherently a brahmana, he should be satisfied: "Whatever Krsna has given, that's all right. My business is how to make advance in Krsna consciousness." Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. That is the Vaisnava's business, that simply how to make perfection of life in Krsna consciousness. That is Vaisnava's demand, not for any other improvement, economic development or this improvement. No. Because economic... It is... It is a false idea that one will be satisfied or be happy simply by economic development. No, that is not possible, practically. In your country, America, there is immense economic development, but you could not get any happiness. That is not possible. Happiness will be possible when, first of all, you are situated in the brahminical position, sattva-guna, and to come to that brahminical position, you have to give up the activities of rajas-tamo-guna. The rajas-tamo-guna is that illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. That's all. So if you voluntarily give up, and be situated in the sattva-guna, then you'll be happy. Evam prasanna-manasah.

And that happiness can be obtained, as it is stated here, bhakti, by devotional service. Bhakti-pravrtta. As soon as you begin devotional service... Yayatma suprasidati. There are many references.

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

So by bhakti-yoga, you'll be happy, and as soon as you become happy, then your Krsna consciousness is very easily advanced. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavat, mukta-sangasya jayate. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate. In this way we shall understand bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam, and that is the perfection of life.

So Narada Muni admits that "Simply by hearing from the realized souls, munibhir mahatmabhih, for four months during their stay in the caturmasya period, gradually I developed my Krsna consciousness, and then I began devotional service." This is the process.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.28 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974