Monday, December 31, 2012

True Guru

"True Guru"
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.21
Honolulu, May 21, 1976

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 
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Prabhupada: (leads chanting, etc.)

kanyakubje dvijah kascid
dasi-patir ajamilah
namna nasta-sadacaro
dasyah samsarga-dusitah
 [SB 6.1.21]

So yesterday Sukadeva Gosvami said, "In this connection I shall cite the example, historical example, of Ajamila." So historical reference. It is not fiction because Kanyakubja is still there. The city of Kanyakubja is still existing there, and the Bhagavata was written five thousand years ago. So that means the city existed before five thousand... Kanyakubje. Kanyakubje dvijah. Dvija means twice-born. First-born by the father and mother, and the next birth is dvijah, means by the father, spiritual master, and the mother, Vedic knowledge. This is called second birth. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. Samkara means purificatory process. So that is human life, not that to beget a child. That begetting is going on by the cats and dogs. That is not... That is first birth. Janmana jayate sudrah. So that kind of birth is accepted as sudra. Then he can be trained up.

A sudra, actually those who are by qualification sudra... Sudra means lamentation, simply changing. They accept something, and then they find it useless, and they lament. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they're all sudras because they say, "We have discovered something," and after few years, "Oh, it is now useless." Another theory. Sudra. So sudra cannot give you any education. That is not possible. Education has to be taken from brahmana. That is the Vedic system. Brahmana is the teacher because they are trained up -- satya sama damo titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma-svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. Therefore in India still, not in the city but in the village, the brahmana is accepted as teacher, natural teacher. And there was... (aside:) You sit down properly. Yes. Brahmana, they are teachers, natural teachers, and there is no fees. No fees. Just like we started this Krsna consciousness movement, teaching, but there was no fees. This is the teaching, real teaching. So brahmana should not charge anything, but they can take charity. So the students, they would bring charities naturally. This was brahmana's profession. They would not charge anything, but his disciples, students, would beg from door to door and bring. That is gurukula. Gurukula. Gurukula means every student should go to gurukula and learn to become very simple and obedient and self-controlled and learn how to address every woman as mother. This is guru..., from the very beginning. They would go every home. Small children or big children, they will address, "Mother, give us some alms." So every woman will give, and they would bring it to guru. And that is guru's property, not because he has begged this thing from somebody, it has become his property. No. It is guru's property. This is called brahmacari gurukula, to gives one the training.

So when he's trained up nicely, humble, self-controlled, educated, then his second birth, second birth by Vedic knowledge. Janmana jayate sudrah samskarad bhaved dvijah. Samskara, reformatory. He has become humble, meek, well-versed in sastra. When these all qualifications are there, then guru says, "Now I recognize you." Upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. So gradually the spiritual master brings him nearer. Then, when he's actually trained up, then it is called... The sacred ceremony, upanayana, means he has now come nearer to understand Vedic knowledge. Then he studies Vedas, dvija. When he is initiated, then his studying of the Vedas... Veda-pathad bhaved viprah. So after this dvija, second birth, he studies Vedas. And when he's well versed in Vedas he is called vipra. Then, by studying Vedas, when he understands Krsna... Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said what is Vedic study. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. Vedic study means to understand Krsna. That is Vedic study. If he does not understand what is Krsna, then he's useless. Srama eva hi kevalam.

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena kathasu yah
notpadayed ratim yadi
srama eva hi kevalam
 [SB 1.2.8]

Svanusthitasya dharmasya. Everyone is executing his occupational duty. I give this meaning, "Dharma means occupational duty." It is not a sentiment, faith. Occupational duty. That is called dharma. Brahmacari's dharma, grhastha's dharma, vanaprastha's dharma, occupational duty. So by discharging one's occupational duties very nicely -- not as a machine regulation, no -- the result will be dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena kathasu yah: [SB 1.2.8] he will gradually be interested to understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. That is Vedic study. Not that after studying Vedas he becomes nirvisesavadi, impersonalist, or sunyavadi. Then useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. Vedas means knowledge, and Vedanta... Anta means last status or the end, end of. Everything has got some end, that "This is final, end." End means final. So Vedas means knowledge, and anta means end. So what is that end? That Vedanta is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore you'll find in every, at the end of every chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, brahma-sutra-bhasye. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta.

So it is the natural comment by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is the writer of Vedanta philosophy, and he has written a comment personally so that in future, rascals may not misrepresent Vedanta. There are so many bhasyas, but that is not commentary. Real commentary... The author knows what he wants to speak. So Vedanta is the compilation by Vyasadeva. So he knows what he wants to speak. What others have got the right? Just like Bhagavad-gita. The purpose of Bhagavad-gita is known by Krsna. Why the rascals comment in different way? They may write their rascal philosophy other... Why they touch Bhagavad-gita and give different interpretation? They have no right. I have written a book; I have got my purpose. Why you should poke your nose and make it a different purpose? This is very mischievous rascaldom. So we want to stop this. We present Bhagavad-gita as it is, as Krsna says. We don't allow any rascal to comment upon Bhagavad-gita in a different way. That is our Krsna consciousness movement. This is very natural. If you have got a different type of philosophy, you can write. Why you should touch Bhagavad-gita and misrepresent it? So because they are sudras -- their business is to cheat -- they do that. But a brahmana will not do that. Yathanugitanam. Yathanugitanam. Brahmana means as it is, they will describe. That is brahmana. And if one has got some motive, that "Bhagavad-gita is popular book. Let me utilize it and make my rascal philosophy popular..." This is going on. Big, big politician, big, big mental speculator... No. That is wrong. That is... A brahmana should present as it is. Yathanugitanam. This word is used.

So this dvijah, brahmana. Brahmana means one who has acquired these qualifications. Satya sama damo titiksa. The first qualification of brahmana is to become truthful. He'll never speak lies. That is the first qualification. Satya sama, then controlling the senses; dama, controlling the mind. Sama means controlling the mind, and dama is controlling the senses. Sama dama titiksa [Bg. 18.42]. Titiksa means tolerance. Titiksa arjava, simplicity; and full knowledge, jnanam; vijnanam, practical. Simply theoretical knowledge, no practical application -- he is not brahmana. Therefore Krsna said, guna-karma. Only guna is not good. Guna and karma. Karma means some act. Suppose you are initiated as a brahmana. That is not finish, that "Now I am initiated. I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No. You must act as a brahmana. Then you are brahmana. You always remember that. They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brahmana's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism. If there are so many foreign brahmanas in India and I am making brahmana in the Western countries, if they are still fallen, then what is this attempt? My attempt is futile. So kindly be responsible, those who are second initiated. If you fall down, then the whole movement becomes false. That is happening. So kindly rectify if that is happening, that guna-karma. You must acquire the qualities and must act accordingly. That is practical. Suppose one man is educated as medical man, but after taking his degrees he is playing football. So will anybody call him a medical man? He might have the qualification, medical qualification, but because he is not practicing as medical man he is useless. That is the sastra injunction. Yady anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. If one has acquired some quality but he practices differently, then he should be called by the name of that practice. A medical man, after passing medical examination -- I am giving you crude example -- if he is, he becomes a football player, then he will be called a football player, not a medical man. These are the sastric injunction.

But there is no culture. There is no attention. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. But if we accept the Vedic civilization which is in nutshell -- everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita -- then the whole world will be Vaikuntha. You haven't got to go in the Vaikuntha. Here you'll have Vaikuntha. And next life will be Vaikuntha. Janma karma ca divyam me yo janati tattvatah. Krsna is giving the civilization, Vedic civilization. And if we thoroughly understand it, then we are fit for going back to home. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. So this Vedic civilization is so nice, and it is given in nutshell in simple words by the Supreme Lord Himself. If we take it, then immediately the face of the world will change, immediately. They have got this United Nation organization. If they take up Bhagavad-gita and introduce the teachings all over the world, then it is successful, United Nation. Otherwise where is unity? All false.

So these are the duties of the brahmana. To give proper education, he himself should be properly educated. That is called brahminical culture. And we offer our respect to Krsna because He gives the brahminical culture. Namo brahmanya-devaya. Because He is giving the brahminical culture. Without brahminical culture, useless. That is not civilization. Therefore Krsna is offered obeisance, namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. He is first concerned for the cows and the brahmana. Go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Then jagad-hitaya. Then He's concerned for the whole, other things. The first concern means cows and brahmana. Many times He has repeated, go-raksya. Why He did not say "pig-raksya"? No. He said, go-raksya, because without cows' milk there is no civilization. You will not have nice brain to understand things, simply speculate. We are discussing the philosophy of so many speculators, simply talking nonsense. Simply... Why? This speculator to another, he says, "I think, I..." What you are? You can think? First of all you become brahmana; then you can think properly. Where is your education as brahmana? Where is that brain? Eating all nasty things and you become a brahmana? Therefore Krsna's is go-brahmana-hitaya ca.

The Vedic civilization, the brahmanas, they used to live in the forest, and the king would offer them some cows. So they will draw some milk. And in the forest there are fruits, so they will eat fruits and milk. And if the disciples go to the village, beg some food grain, then sometimes they cook some food grains. Otherwise the brahmanas used to live in the forest, drink milk and take fruit. That is sufficient. There was no need of jumping here and there. Anywhere you keep cows. And what cows to maintain? No expenditure. The fruits? The skin thrown away, and the cow will eat. And in exchange it will give you nice foodstuff, milk. Or it will eat in the grazing ground, some grass. So there is no expenditure of keeping cows, but you get the best food in the world. The proof is that the child born simply can live on milk. That is the proof. So anyone can live only on milk. If you have got the opportunity to drink one pound milk maximum, not very much -- half-pound is sufficient; suppose one pound -- then you don't require any other foodstuff. Only this cow's milk will help you. It is so nice. And it gives very nice brain, not pig's brain. So it is so important thing. Other..., why Krsna says go-raksya? He did not say that "pig-raksya." No. "Dog-raksya." No. Now they are interested in dog-raksya instead of cow-raksya. This is the civilization. They'll spend millions of dollars for dog, not for cow.

So this kind of civilization will not bring any peace and prosperity. You have to take Krsna's civilization if you want actually... That is human civilization. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
 [Bg. 5.29]

If you actually want santi, peace, then you try to understand only three things. What is that? Sarva-loka-mahesvaram: Krsna is the proprietor of everything. Just like we ask every day, "Who is the proprietor of the sea?" They do not know. Theories. But Krsna said, "I am the proprietor," sarva-loka-mahesvaram, "not only of this sea." This Pacific Ocean is only one, insignificant. There are millions of Pacific Ocean flying in the sky. So who is the proprietor? Sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Krsna says, "I am." You are not proprietor. There must be some proprietor. So who is that proprietor? Krsna says, "I am the proprietor." You have to know it, whether Krsna is not proprietor. He says, "I am proprietor," but if you are doubtful, prove that He is not proprietor. But that you cannot do. Or bring another person who can claim like that, that "I am the proprietor." Therefore you have to accept Krsna as the proprietor. And it is accepted by all great personalities. Vyasadeva, Narada, Asita, Devala, all the acaryas, Nimbarka, then Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, and our worshipable Deity, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone has accepted. So unless we are grand fool, we can't deny this. It is not possible. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. We have to take knowledge by the disciplic succession.

So let us get admission by Caitanya Mahaprabhu: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, this Krsna consciousness movement propagana, what is this propaganda? He says that "Every one of you become guru." He wants not rascal imitation guru but real guru. That He wants. Because people are in darkness, we require many millions of gurus to enlighten them. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is, He said, that "Every one of you become guru." Amara ajnaya guru haya tara ei desa. You haven't got to go foreign countries. Wherever you are, you teach; become guru. It doesn't matter. Ei desa. He says, ei desa. If you have got power, you can go other country, but it doesn't require. In whichever village, whichever country or town you are, you become a guru. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Amara ajnaya guru haya tara ei desa. "This country, this place." So, "But I have no qualification. How can I become guru?" There is no need of qualification. "Still I can become guru?" Yes. "How?" Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Whomever you meet, you simply instruct what Krsna has said. That's all. You become guru." Everyone is very anxious to become guru, but rascal does not know how to become guru, a simple thing. So many gurus come from India in this country, all rascal, but they will not speak what Krsna has instructed. Maybe for the first time this has begun in Krsna consciousness. Otherwise all rascals, they instructed something else, some meditation, this, that, all cheating.

Real guru is he who instructs what Krsna has said. It is not that you maufacture your teaching. No. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is no need of manufacturing. The instruction is already there. You have simply to say, "This is this." That's all. Is it very difficult task? Father said, "This is microphone." A child can say that "Father said this is microphone." He becomes guru. Where is the difficulty? The authority, father, has said, "This is microphone." A child only can say, "This is microphone." So similarly, Krsna says that "I am the Supreme." So if I say, "Krsna is the Supreme," where is my difficulty, unless I cheat others to become the Krsna or the Supreme? That is cheating. But if I say the simple truth, that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the proprietor of everything. He is to be worshiped," then where is my difficulty?

So that is our mission. All of you who have come to Krsna consciousness movement, that is our request, that you, all of you, become guru but don't speak nonsense. That is request. Simply speak what Krsna has said. Then you become brahmana. You'll be guru, and everything.

Thank you very much. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.21 -- Honolulu, May 21, 1976
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

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