Behave Ideally or Don't Preach

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.4
Vrndavana, September 8, 1975

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Prabhupada:

yad yad acarati sreyan
itaras tat tad ihate
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
 [SB 6.2.4]

Very important verse. Ideal class of men therefore needed in the society. Therefore Vedic society is divided -- ideal men: the brahmanas. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. The brahmana, the saintly person, the sannyasi, the rajarsi. This is required. Imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Bhagavad-gita was taught to the rajarsi, not to the third-class men. Rajarsi, raja and rsi at the same time. Although king, but they were saintly king, just like Maharaja Yudhisthira, the ideal king. Bhagavan, Ramacandra, the ideal king, ideal king, so ideal that because some citizen criticized that "Lord Ramacandara, King Ramacandra, has accepted His wife who was kidnapped by Ravana," and he was a low-class man, washerman, and still, the king, Lord Ramacandra, thought that "My citizens are criticizing Me." Immediately He separated Laksmi-devi, Sita. This is ideal king, no criticism from the citizen, even Lord Ramacandra. This is called rajarsi.

Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit... Pariksit Maharaja was going on a tour. These Pandavas, they were the emperor of the whole world. So he saw that a black man was trying to kill a cow. So immediately he took action: "Who is this man trying to kill cow?" So he chastised him, punished him. He was going to kill him, but he saved himself, that "This is my time. I am Kali-yuga. I am the representative. So this is my business, to kill cow. So what can I do?" Then he said that "You better get out. Otherwise I shall kill you." "So where shall I go?" "Now, out of my kingdom." "Then where is not your kingdom? The whole world is your kingdom. Where shall I go? I am also your subject. You must give me a place." Then he gave him the places -- striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah: "You can remain in four places. Where illicit sex is indulged, prostitution, you can remain there; and suna," means unnecessary killing animals, slaughterhouse, "you can remain there. And brothel and liquorhouse, striyah suna pana, where intoxication is indulged, you can remain there. And gambling." Pana dyuta [SB 1.17.38]. Dyuta means gambling. "You can remain in these places." So it was very difficult for Kali to find out such place because Maharaja Pariksit's time the kingdom was so nice that there was no brothel, no slaughterhouse, no liquor shop and no gambling club. This is rajarsi. So you could not find. Therefore Kali made a conspiracy how to get out Maharaja Pariksit so that he could spread his influence. So long Maharaja Pariksit was there, there was no influence of Kali-yuga. So after all, the age has come. It is ordained. So Pariksit Maharaja was cursed by a brahmana to die within seven days, and after his death the Kali-yuga spreaded its influence. And now, by the advancement of ages, you will find these four places in every home. This is Illicit sex, and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating -- this is Kali-yuga.

So the king was very strict not to allow these things. The people were following. Yad yad acarati sreyan. The king was strict; the government was strict. Therefore people were following. So these sinful activities of the whole world can be stopped immediately if the government is strong. But the government members, they are themself, they are victims of Kali-yuga, so how they can stop it? Some big, big politician, when they enjoy, they bring naked girls and drinking, and this is their standard of enjoyment. So how you can expect good government? It is not possible. Why they should be bothering about people's happiness? They want to occupy big, big ministerial post to enjoy their life. Therefore the position of the whole world is so deteriorated because there is no ideal man. All rogues, thieves,  I mean to say, in very fallen condition. Therefore people are deteriorating. Dampatye ratim eva hi. These will be the signs of Kali-yuga. Dampata means husband and wife. Their relation will stand so long they satisfy one another by sex, rati. Rati means sex. Dampate ratim eva hi. And as soon as there is sex disturbance: divorce -- "I don't want you." Vipratve sutram eva hi: "A brahmana means one, two paisa thread." That's all. "A sannyasi means a rod." These are the explanations. And a very expert man means kutumba, daksyam kutumba-bharanam. If anyone can maintain a family -- family means one wife and one or two children -- then he is to be considered very expert, successful because... Therefore you will find in these days -- no wife, no children, no family. In Western countries they take dog as the best friend, and television. That's all. Because this is Kali-yuga, no family. But he must have some companion, but he doesn't want family, the botheration of family. Then dog is the best friend. What can be done? This is going on, and it will increase more and more, more and more.

Therefore, at the present moment it is a great necessity to have some ideal men. Yad yad acarati sreyan. Therefore we are endeavoring to create some ideal men, Krsna conscious men, their character, their behavior, their ideal aim of life. So those who have taken to Krsna consciousness seriously, they should be ideal men. The society will be benefited at least by seeing their behavior. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, apani acari prabhu jiveri siksaya. If you don't behave yourself as an ideal man, you cannot preach. Your preaching will not be successful. Apani acari prabhu jiveri siksaya. Because the nature's law is that ordinary men, they follow the ideal. If there is rajarsi, ksatriya, ruler, king, just like saintly person, like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Pariksit, Lord Ramacandra -- there are many -- Maharaja Ambarisa, then people will be happy. Just like it is described, during the reign of Maharaja Pariksit there was no trouble at all of the citizens. They were free from even ordinary minor diseases. It is said there, in the Srimad Bhagavatam. And so far production is concerned, it is said that the land was producing all the necessities. Sarva-dugham mahi. Sarva-kama-dugham mahi. Actually we get everything from the earth, all supplies. We are getting these flowers from earth. We are getting these fruits from earth. We are getting foodstuff from the earth. We are getting minerals from the earth -- everything. Sarva-dugham mahi. So nature will supply you sufficiently, provided you follow ideal life. Otherwise nature will punish you. There will be no supply.

These are all described in Srimad Bhagavatam. The nature was not supplying sufficiently, and then Maharaja Prthu, the personified Prithivi, he was going to kill her, punish her. King's business is, if somebody is doing wrong, then the king must punish. So he was prepared to punish Prthvi. She submitted that "King, why you are trying to punish me? It is my business when people become demons, I restrict my supply." So this is nature's law. As soon as you become demons, godless, nature will restrict supply. There will be no rain, no production. There will be scarcity, everything. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is being carried by prakrti. And prakrti is working under the direction of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Without prakrti's cooperation you cannot get anything. You may have big, big mills and factories -- useless. You cannot manufacture, I mean to say, rice, grains. Even if you eat meat, the cows and the animals, they must eat vegetables. There will be no vegetables. How you will be able to eat meat even? So nature has got the restricting power. As you become more and more demons and sinful, nature will restrict supply and you'll suffer. This is the law.

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti
 [Bg. 7.14]

Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is just to teach people how to become Krsna conscious, surrender unto Him. Then they will be happy. This is the way of Krsna consciousness movement. We want to create some ideal men. People will see them, and at least they will understand that "Here are the ideal men." They will be ashamed. So those who are in Krsna consciousness movement, they should be sreyan-yad yad acarati sreyan -- the best men in the society. Otherwise useless. If you waste your time to make a free hotel and sleep -- useless. That will not make our mission successful, if you take advantage of free hotel and no work. That will not be successful. We must be sreyan, first-class men. That is wanted because there is no first-class men. All fourth-class, fifth-class sudra. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. Sudra means fourth-class men, and candala means fifth-class men. So nowadays they are mainly candalas. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah [SB 2.4.18]. Yavana and candalas. By the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this movement is able to pick up even candalas and yavanas to become brahmanas.

mam ca (yo) 'vyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

"One who is engaged in devotional service, he becomes immediately transcendental to this infection of the three qualities of material nature." Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. That is actually happening. This powerful Krsna consciousness movement is so strong that we can pick up from the lowest stage of life and bring him to the highest stage of life if we follow the rules and regulation. It is possible. Practically we are seeing. So that is required, yad yad acarati sreyan, a class of men. Maybe minority; it doesn't matter. But their ideal behavior, character, will lead other people to appreciate: "Yes. We should be like this." Now, who was telling this night? I think Pranava was telling that some friend has told that in the Western countries they are appreciating this movement because I have stopped amongst my members this intoxication. There are. Are you not telling?

Pranava: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. They are gradually appreciating that "Oh." Yes, Professor Judah also, he says that. They are appreciating now, that "How is this, nice movement, that our students, they were habituated to all these and they have now become God conscious? They are mad after God?" And one priest in Boston, he also agreed. One priest came to see me. He said, "Swamiji, how is that? Your disciples look so bright." They are appreciating. This is wanted, everyone sreyan. So this movement is very important movement because it is creating first-class men so that others will see and follow. So this is required. Yad yad acarati sreyan tad tad itarah ihate. It is natural. A father may be drunkard, but he doesn't like to see his son has become drunkard. This is natural. Everyone appreciates good quality. So similarly, if we can create an ideal class of men, then others who are fallen will try to become like us.

So don't take this movement very insignificantly. Very serious. And those who are members, they should become ideal. We have got very easy, easy method to become ideal. Avoid these four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna sixteen times -- you become ideal.

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
 [Cc. Antya 20.12]

So in the very beginning the first thing is ceto-darpana-marjanam. We are all suffering on account of ignorance. There are so many nasty, dirty things within our heart. It will be cleansed. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

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

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
 [SB 1.2.18]

These are the formulas. If we hear Bhagavatam from Bhagavatam, not from the professional men who have made business for reciting Bhagavata... No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

There are two bhagavatas: grantha-bhagavata and the man bhagavata. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's secretary, Svarupa Damodara, he recommended a brahmana. He came to see him, writing something that was full of mistakes. Then he chastised him that "You do not know what is what. You have tried to explain Bhagavata." But when the brahmana was submissively hearing and tolerated the chastisement, then he gave the advice, bhagavata pora giya bhagavata-sthane: "Go. Hear Bhagavata from a person whose life is Bhagavata." Bhagavata para giya bhagavata-sthane. Not the professional bhagavata. They are aiming Therefore they immediately open the rasa-lila chapter and explain it very nicely. People will like: "Oh, Krsna and myself, the same. He is also embracing the young girl. I shall now try to find out young girl." This is going on. They are going to hell by hearing Bhagavatam from these rascal professionals. Bhagavata is meant, from the very beginning First of all try to understand what is God. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itarah [SB 1.1.1]. Nine cantos to explain what is God. Then Tenth Canto, God, Vasudeva, Krsna, is there, not Tenth Canto immediately. So everything is misused only for "Money, money, money. Bring money." This is Kali-yuga. Everything will be judged by money. And as soon as there is money there will be himsa. Therefore this bhagavata-dharma is not for this class of men. Dharma-projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam [SB 1.1.2]. Those who are above enviousness, those who are above after hankering after money, for them, this bhagavata-dharma is not for them. Paramo nirmatsaranam. Paramhamsaya.

So we have taken this Bhagavatam. We should be very, very careful to become first-class men so that others will follow. Sa yat pramanam kurute. If you become a first-class man, sa yat pramanam, whatever you will do, lokas tad anuvartate, people will follow, naturally. Lokas tad anuvartate. Unfortunately nowadays first-class man means kill Krsna. This is first-class man. All these so-called rascal scholars of Bhagavad-gita, their only business is how to kill Krsna, pounce Him, (Kamsa?), as Kamsa was planning how to kill Krsna. That was his plan, demon. He was also thinking of Krsna, but he was thinking Krsna, how to kill Him. So that is not bhakti. Krsna consciousness... He was also Krsna conscious. He was thinking always, twenty-four hours, Krsna, how to kill Krsna. So that is not bhakti. Bhakti means how to serve Krsna. That is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam, na tu pratikulyena [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Pratikula means adverse. Yes. If you think of Krsna adversely, how to kill this Krsna consciousness movement... Of course, Krsna is so nice that even if you think of Krsna adversely, because you'll chant "Krsna, Krsna," you will get benefit. Krsna is so nice. Because you are chanting unconsciously... Just like there were so many propaganda in Germany, "The Hare Krsna people are so bad." But every paper chanted Hare Krsna. "Hare Krsna movement is bad," but in the beginning, "Hare Krsna." So therefore, in spite of their propaganda, we are existing there. We are existing. We have come out triumphant. They could not do anything.

So the Hare Krsna movement is so strong, and indirectly, directly, or some way or other, if you chant Hare Krsna, you become benefited. It is so. So if you neglectfully chant Hare Krsna you become so benefited, then how much you will be benefited if you carefully chant Hare Krsna. That should be the ideal. Therefore, sa yat pramanam kurute lokas tad anuvartate. Unfortunately, those decrying this Krsna movement or Krsna... They directly making propaganda. When Krsna says, man-mana mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, the so-called scholars, they say, "It is not to Krsna." They're misleading. Lokas tad anuvartate. The people are becoming against Krsna: "Why Krsna should be God? I have got another God, manufactured. Here is God." Krsna was so beautiful, and I am God, so ugly God? No. There are so many ugly Gods nowadays that ferocious face and he is God. We worship God, so nice face, people come and become enchanted, and they bring a God, a ferocious head, and he becomes God. This is going on. The whole propaganda is like that. Even big, big political leaders, they'll say, "We don't believe in Krsna, there was a person as Krsna living ever." So people are being misled. Lokas tad anuvartate. He has taken the position of sreyan, big leader, big scholar, and he is decrying Krsna. So what people will do? They are helpless. They will give, "Oh, Mr. such and such said it is fiction. Krsna is imagination." This is going on. In Vrndavana you'll find so many big, big Mayavadis. They're explaining that this Krsna concept is an imagination, and people are thronged together to hear him, in Vrndavana, and what to speak of other places. So this is the position of the world, and they are suffering and they will continue to suffer. Nature will punish them. Yamaraja will take them. That is their next life. So you try to save them. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975

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Save Your Dependent

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.3
Vrndavana, September 7, 1975

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Prabhupada:

...am pitaro ye ca
sastarah sadhavah samah
yadi syat tesu vaisamyam
kam yanti saranam prajah
 [SB 6.2.3]

So yesterday we discussed that aho kastam dharma-drsam adharmah sprsate sabham. Just like in the court, court of justice, if there is adharma, then it is very painful situation. That is happening now in this Kali-yuga generally. Big, big court justice, magistrate, they are giving favorable judgment, being bribed. This is Kali-yuga. But sastra says, "No. Justice must be given very honestly." That is the rule.

So about this Ajamila, these Yamadutas, they came to take him away to Yamaraja, but the Visnudutas said, "No. He is not to be taken away. He is now cleansed of all sinful activities. You do not know that; therefore you are not giving him justice." So yatradandyesv apapesu dando yair dhriyate vrtha: "One who is not punishable, if he is punished, that is injustice. So you should not take him away. He is not punishable." Yamaraja is there for punishing the sinful men. So all of them are not sinful. There are many pious men. Sinful men, they are of small number. So one must be very cognizant of justice. Just like in the prison house the number of prisoners are not greater than the number of free persons. That is natural. Although this material world is mixed -- sinful men and pious men -- still, at least formerly, there were sinful men, less. It is said in the sastra that in Satya-yuga there was no sinful men at all. All pious men. Then, in Treta-yuga, one-fourth sinful and three-fourth's pious. And then, Dvapara-yuga, half and half. And now, in the Kali-yuga, one-fourth pious and three-fourth's sinful. And that will also gradually diminish. And when everyone will be sinful, then there is no more preaching. There is Kalki avatara, simply cutting the head. That's all. What is that verse? That Kalki avatara... Kesava dhrta-kalki-sarira jaya jagadisa hare.

So at the end of the Kali-yuga people will be so sinful that... It is already becoming. Only five thousand years we have passed, and the number of sinful men is already greater -- three-fourth's sinful men, one-fourth pious men -- and it will increase, and gradually it will become zero. Everyone shall be, at that time, end of Kali-yuga. That will take four lakhs and 27,000's of years. We have passed only five thousand years. Since the Battle of Kuruksetra, or since the demise of Maharaja Pariksit, the Kali-yuga has begun, and that is five thousand years. And the total duration of life of Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. That means there is a balance of 427,000's of years to finish this Kali-yuga. And gradually, with the advancement of Kali-yuga, people's duration of life, memory, mercifulness, religious propensities, in this way eight items -- they are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam -- will reduce. We can see practically at the present moment. People are not very strong in body. They are lean and thin. And not only in India -- we are poverty-stricken -- but in Europe, America, also I see. The Europeans and Americans are no more as tall men or very stout men, very... So reducing their bodily strength and memory. That is also fact. We cannot memorize very sharply. People are becoming more and more dull. No more very brilliant scholars are coming out, philosophers, mathematicians. And duration of life, everyone knows it is reducing. In India the average duration of life is thirty years. So this will reduce. And dharma, sense of religiosity, that will also reduce and become more and more punishable by the Yamaraja. Yamaraja is there.

But this Ajamila was cleansed of all sinful activity because at the time of his death he chanted the holy name of Narayana. That's a fact. When we chant the holy name of Narayana, Krsna, Rama, the holy name of God, we immediately become free from all sinful reaction. That's a fact. It is said, eka hari-nama yata papa hare, papi haya tata para kari bare nare(?). This is statement of sastra: "By once chanting the holy name of the Lord, you become free from all sinful reaction of life." That's a fact. But the difficulty is that we become free; again we commit sinful life. That is the... Otherwise one chanting in life is sufficient. But that we do not do. We chant and again do the sinful activities. Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. This is the greatest offense, that "I am chanting Hare Krsna; therefore I can continue to commit sinful activities. It will be adjusted. Balance will be zero." No. This is the greatest offense. Greatest offense. Namnad balad. Out of ten offenses, this is the greatest offense. Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. So this should not be done.

So Ajamila did not do that. He was sinful, but he never utilized Krsna to counteract his sinful life. Aparadha-sunya, without any offense -- that was his qualification. He did not know what is the value of chanting the holy name. He... Fallen down, he became a rogue, rascal. That's all right. But he never utilized the chanting of name for counteracting his sinful activities. No, he never did. He was affectionate to his youngest son, whose name was Narayana. So, very much affectionate, youngest son -- "Narayana, please come here. Take your food. Please drink this milk. Come here. Sit down" -- so he was addressing Narayana, his son, but it was taken into account by Narayana. Therefore it is the system in Hindu families to keep children's name as Narayana dasa, Krsna dasa, Govardhana dasa, so that one may be able to chant the holy name of the Lord somehow or other. This is the way. So that is the example of Ajamila. Simply by loving his son of the name Narayana, his account was credited in so many times.

So these Yamaduta, they did not know. So they came to arrest him. But Visnuduta came to save him: "No, no. He is no more sinful. He is free from all sinful life. Don't do injustice." So for They are regretting that aho kastam dharma-drsam adharmah sprsate sabham. "Justice must be done very nicely." Prajanam pitaro ye ca sastarah sadhavah samah. Prajanam, children, or the citizens, praja Praja means who has taken birth, national. Prajanam pitaro. Pitaro means father or anyone who takes the care of the children or the citizen like father. The government or the king -- formerly there was king, now government -- their position is just like father. As the father's duty is to see that the children, the son, is raised very nicely so that in future he may be very happy. This is the duty of the father, to see, not that simply to feed him and make him fatty. No. In the sastra it is said, pita na sa syat. One should not become a father. This is contraceptive. Pita na sa syat janani na sa syat: "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a guru, one should not become a relative, one should not become a caretaker, one should not become the king..." Who? Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum: "One who cannot protect the dependent from the clutches of death." This is sastric injunction. So how much the father and the government or the guru should be strong so that he can save his dependents from the clutches of death.

So how it is possible? Harim vina na mrtim taranti. Without becoming Krsna conscious, nobody can be saved from death. This is the law. Harim vina na mrtim taranti. You can have other benefits from the demigods. There are sastric... There is injunction that "If you want a beautiful wife, you can worship Uma. If you want to be free from disease, you worship the sun-god. If you want to be very learned, you worship Brahma, Sarasvati." There are... That is the injunction, that "If you want this benefit, particular benefit, then you worship this particular." Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. There is injunction. The demigod worship, there is injunction that "You do this." But for whom? For the less intelligent person. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajanti anya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] "Except God, the Supreme Lord, when the other demigod worship is allowed, that is for the person, hrta-jnanah, one who does not know his ultimate goal of life, for them." But one who is interested to stop the cycle of birth and death, they must come to Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible. Harim vina na mrtim taranti. Krsna, Hari, also says, Krsna also says, mam ca yo What is that? What is that verse? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Janma karma me divyam. Krsna says that "I appear." Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. "I take birth as the son of Devaki, or I am raised as the son of Mother Yasoda. So one should understand that ajo 'pi sann avyayatma: I am aja, I never take birth, but why I come and take birth as a child of Devaki or Yasoda?" If we simply understand this fact, janma karma me divyam, janati yo tattvatah, if anyone understands, then he becomes free from the cycle of birth and death. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9].

So this is possible. Therefore the government, the father, the guru and the guardian -- the everyone should try to make his dependent how he becomes Krsna conscious. This is the duty. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is so important, because the human life is meant for stopping the cycle of birth and death. Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. This is the only process. You cannot stop... But they do not know that this birth and death can be stopped. They are so rascal, they are so foolish, that they do not believe, neither they believe in the next birth, neither they have any idea how to stop death or stop next birth. No education. Throughout the whole world there is no education, there is no science. They are callous. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, mudha.

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuri-bhavam asritah
 [Bg. 7.15]

This asuri-bhava: "What is God? I don't believe in God. There is no God. Every one of us we are God. Why you are finding God anywhere, in the temple? You do not know that in the street there are so many gods, loitering, daridra narayana?" This is going on. This is going on, all full of ignorance. Therefore we have to push on this Krsna consciousness movement at very difficult position.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascid vetti mam
 [Bg. 7.3]

Simply by knowing Krsna, one can become free from the clutches of cycle of birth and death. That's a fact. But manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. It is very, very difficult.

So we have taken a very difficult task, to convince people to take to Krsna consciousness. But that is the only benefit, or the supreme goal of life. Krsna personally comes to teach this science. Why Krsna left Bhagavad-gita? Out of His compassion, that "After My disappearance people would take advantage of this Bhagavad-gita. As I instructed My dear friend Arjuna, they will also take advantage and become free from the clutches of death." This is the purpose of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavata-dharma. Unfortunately, people have become so rascal that they do not care for this Bhagavad-gita instruction. And if anyone poses himself to be a very good scholar of Bhagavad-gita, he interprets in his own way, he misleads himself and misleads others also. This is the position. Therefore my request to you all who are in Krsna consciousness movement -- do not be a bluffer. Behave in your life how to become Krsna conscious and teach others. Then the whole world will be benefited, and the Yamaduta will not come to them.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.3 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1975

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The Absolute Science

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.2
Vrndavana, September 6, 1975

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Prabhupada:

sri-visnuduta ucuh
aho kastam dharma-drsam
adharmah sprsate sabham
yatradandyesv apapesu
dando yair dhriyate vrtha
 [SB 6.2.2]

So the conversation between the Yamaduta and Visnuduta... So this material world is for Yamaduta, and the spiritual world is for Visnuduta. We have discussed all these points. So in the material world, more or less, we are susceptible for being punished by the Yamadutas or Yamaraja, not all. Who are punishable? They are nondevotees, those who are sinful. So anyone who is not following the principles of religion, they are to be punished, because the human form of life is meant for executing religion. Not the animals.

So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Krsna, Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Visnu, and we have to satisfy Visnu. Therefore there is varnasrama-dharma: four varnas and four asramas. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varnasrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varnasrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varnasrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Visnu.

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pumsam
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
 [Cc. Madhya 8.58]

The aim of human life is to satisfy Visnu. That is Vedic civilization.

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

Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. You are brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... Varnasrama-vibhagasah.

But what is the aim of life? Aim of life is to satisfy the Visnu, Lord Visnu. But they do not know it. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. At least at the present moment, nobody knows that he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is the aim of life. He does not know. He does not know even what is God. Just like animal. The animal does not know what is God. They are making research what is God, the theosophists, the theologists, making research. God is canvassing, "Here I am." Krsna, He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7]. When these rascals forget what is God, He comes. And still, they are making research. He is acting as God; He is instructing as God; He is accepted by the acaryas as God; still, these rascals are searching out God. This is their position. Why you are searching out? Here is God. God says, aham sarvasya prabhavah mattam sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8], aham adir hi devanam maharsinam sa saptasah [Bg 10.2]. And still you are searching God? That is the folly. Even God comes before you, and if you are demon, then you cannot understand what is God.

Therefore we have to follow the acaryas. We are ignorant. To become ignorant is not any fault. But when the ignorant thinks that he knows everything, then he's fault. Therefore the ignorant people are advised in the Vedas, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. "So I am ignorant, I am fool, I am rascals. I shall remain like that"? No, that is not human life; that is animal life. Animal is also ignorant. A dog, he cannot go to a guru. That is not possible. But a human being, he must. Abhigacchet. It must. It is not optional, that "I may go, or I may not." No, you must. That is the injunction. That is the Vedic injunction. Acarya-parampara. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsayah. Formerly the king was responsible, responsible king. Responsible government means responsible king. So what is the responsibility of the king? The responsibility that all the citizens, all the inhabitants of the state, they should live very comfortably and develop Krsna consciousness. This is the responsibility of the king. He has to see that everyone is free from anxiety, everyone is feeling secure, everyone has no disease, no mental anxiety, and in peaceful condition they are executing bhagavata-dharma. That is real dharma, bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means to understand the science of God. That is Bhagavata. And it is advised, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. Kaumara, from the very boyhood, childhood, one should be instructed and educated about bhagavata-dharma.

Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Krsna said sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]? Because that is bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavan is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavan is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavan. Therefore it is called bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavan. Bhagavata-sabda and then Bhagavata. That is dharma. So bhagavata-dharma. Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmah projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita. Prakrsta-rupena ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for... Religion means the relationship between Bhagavan and me, or everything. Bhagavata-dharma. So the Bhagavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavan Himself, Bhagavad-gita. So He says that catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. He says. That is bhagavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is sudra, no brahmana. That brahmana means guna-karma-vibhagasah-guna, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, "by birth." Anyone who is qualified... Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title "doctor," "medical practice," not that a doctor's son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhagavata-dharma. Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. And in another place it is stated, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam varnabhivyanjakam. It it said by Narada Muni to Maharaja Yudhisthira, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam. There are symptoms that he has... Here are the symptoms of a brahmana: satva sama dama titiksa arjavam, jnana-vijnana astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So then Narada Muni said that yasya hi yad laksanam proktam: "In the sastra, as the symptoms are described, if such symptom," yadi anyatra vidrsyeta, "if such symptoms are visible in other place," tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35], "if the symptoms of a brahmana is found in a place, other place than, either in the sudra family or vaisya family or ksatriya family, then he should be accepted as a brahmana. Similarly if somebody in a brahmana family, his symptoms are like ksatriya or vaisya or sudra, then he should be designated like that." So this is bhagavata-dharma, strictly following the words and the injunction of God. That is bhagavata-dharma. And that is real dharma.

So this man deviated from bhagavata-dharma. Therefore he was to be arrested by the Yamadutas for purification. That was his external affair. But by chance, by the grace of the Lord, at the time of his death he chanted "Narayana," not exactly meaning the Supreme Lord Narayana, but his son's name was Narayana. He was thinking that "I am being dragged by the Yamaduta. So my son will save me." Therefore he exclaimed, "Narayana, please save me." So he meant his son, but Narayana, actual Narayana, heard it -- "O Narayana, please save me." This is the... Narayana is so kind that although the name of Narayana was called by Ajamila, meaning his son, still, because he has chanted the name, holy name of Narayana, it was immediately taken seriously by Lord Narayana, and His order-carriers, the Visnudutas, were sent to save this man. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat.

So this process of Krsna consciousness is so nice that svalpam apy asya dharmasya, even slightly executed in due time... Because the process is we are educating people to chant Hare Krsna to practice, so in due time, Hare Krsna at the time of death especially, if we can chant this holy name of God, Hare Krsna, then our life is successful. So unless we practice, how it will be possible to chant at the time of death? Because at the time of death the whole system, anatomical-physiological system, becomes disturbed, in bewilderedness, in coma, in unconsciousness. But still, if one has practiced, there is possibility of chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Narayana. Then that is success of life. In a Bengali there is a proverb, bhajana kara sadhana kara murti janle haya(?), that "Whatever you are executing as a bhajana, sadhana, that's all right, but it will be tested at the time of your death." It will be test. Just like a parrot is chanting, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna," but when some cat comes in, "Kaw, kaw, kaw." No. Then missing. So parrot life will not help you. You must be really chanting without any offense. Then it is possibility that at the time of death... Death will be there. You may be very proud of your body, that "I am permanent." No. "As sure as death." And after death you have to change your body. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. That we do not know, what kind of body I will enjoy. Now I have got Serji's(?) body. That's all right. But your karma will decide the next body.

So intelligent person, they should be Krsna conscious, krsna-karma, always engaged in Krsna's service. Then it is mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. Krsna says, "One who is always engaged in My service, activities," Krsna says, "he comes back to Me." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So practice that. This is Krsna consciousness movement. This life will be finished, and you do not know what kind of body you are going to get next. The best guarantee is that you execute Krsna consciousness, chant Hare Krsna mantra constantly, remain pure by following the regulative principles, and satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. Then everything is assured, and your life is successful. At the time of death you go back to home. Just see how Krsna, Narayana, is so kind that because he feelingly chanted at the time of his death, "O Narayana, please come and save me..." But he was meaning his son. But Krsna did not take that. Just like Putana. Putana wanted to kill Krsna. That was his (her) plan. But Krsna, because He sucked the breast of Putana, He took him (her) as His mother. This is Krsna. Krsna never takes the bad side. Krsna takes always the bright side. Putana, although she came to cheat Krsna, but how Krsna will cheat? Krsna thought that "I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother. She should go to the same place where Yasodamayi is going." This is Krsna.

So we should always remember that Krsna is very, very kind, and a slight devotional service to Him will please Him, and therefore He is begging, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. What you will give to Krsna? He is self-sufficient. But if you give something to Krsna, your life becomes successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975

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ABC's of Degradation & Elevation

ABC's of Degradation & Elevation

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.1
Vrndavana, September 5, 1975

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Prabhupada:

sri-badarayanir uvaca
evam te bhagavad-duta
yamadutabhibhasitam
upadharyatha tan rajan
pratyahur naya-kovidah
 [SB 6.2.1]

So two parties, Yamaduta and the Bhagavad-duta. So this human life is the junction, which way to go, to the Yamadutas or to the Bhagavad-dutas. There is no three. Two alternative. In the Bible also it is said, "Either you go to hell or go to heaven." Is it not? This is right. Yamaduta means go to hell, and Bhagavad-duta means go to Vaikuntha. This is the junction.

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

Now make your selection. So long we are in the lower animal life, nature is giving chance. Prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27]. Then nature brings you in the platform of human life, developed consciousness, and you can take advantage of the sastra. Anadi bahirmukha krsna bhuli gela, ataeva krsna veda purana karila. Veda-Purana, why they have been made? It is made for the human being. This is the chance. Veda-Purana is not made for the cats and dogs. They are not supposed to read Veda and Puranas. Similarly, if the human being does not take care of the Veda Puranas, then he is no better than the cats and dogs. Ataeva krsna veda purana karila. To revive our Krsna consciousness. Uttisthata jagrata prapta-varan nibodhata. This is the Vedic injunction. So long you were in the lower grade of life it was not possible for you to take the path of Vedas and Puranas. That was not possible. But now, even if getting the human form of life, if you live for sense gratification like cats and dogs, then the Yamaduta... Yamaduta. Krsna nama kara bhai ara saba miche, palaye bara katha naya yo mache piche.(?) These are very easily understandable. You cannot avoid Krsna consciousness. That is not possible. If you avoid, then yo mache piche -- the Yamadutas will carry you. You can say, "I can do whatever I like. Why you are forcing me to become Krsna conscious? I can do whatever I like. There is no need of your preaching Krsna consciousness. I am independent. I don't believe in the next life." That is the general statement of the rascals and fools. But the fact is different. If you don't take to Krsna consciousness, then Yamadutas Then you'll be punished. You cannot avoid. You are completely dependent on Krsna. Krsna is the Supreme, and you are the servant. You have declined to serve Krsna; therefore you must be punished. This is the nature's way. Daivi hy esa gunamayi [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot escape. You can not escape the mundane, man-made laws, but you cannot the God-made laws. That is not possible.

So Yamadutas, they came to take him. Now the Visnuduta... Evam te bhagavad-duta. So Bhagavad-duta... Bhagavan is not alone, without any followers. In the Vaikunthaloka Bhagavan is there in His innumerable forms. There are innumerable Vaikunthalokas, and in each and every planet there is innumerable devotees. He is not alone. Advaitam acyutam anantam ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. So Yamadutas As the Yamaraja has got his adherent order-carriers, similarly, in the Vaikunthaloka there are so many order-carriers. In the Vaikunthaloka there is no a single person who is not a devotee. That is Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha means... Kuntha means anxiety, and vigata-kuntha iti vaikuntha. There is no anxiety. And the material world means anxiety: "What will happen? What will happen." Even the sparrow, you will see. You give them some grain, they are eating, but they are looking this way, that way: "If somebody is not coming to kill me?" Everyone -- full of anxiety. That we are forgetting, that we are trying to remain in this material world very happy, but that is not possible. Anxiety, full of anxiety.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said, hitvatma-ghatam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asyrayeta. He was asked by his father what was the best thing he had learned. So he said, "I have learned this best thing." What is that? Hitvatma-ghatam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta: [SB 7.5.5] "This is the first-class thing." What is that? "Now, giving up this grha andha-kupam, grhastha life." They are thinking very happy, husband, wife, living together, enjoying. But that is grha andha-kupam. Andha-kupam means if you are thrown into the dark well, it is like that. Of course, those who are Krsna conscious, that is different thing. But ordinarily, the so-called household life means to be in the darkness, in the dark well. Grhanda-ku..., hitva: "One should give up." Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, when one is fifty years old, above that, he must give up family life. No more. Then sannyasa. Not that up to the point of death one should remain a grhastha. No. If he wants to become free from anxiety, that is... Otherwise anxiety. Tat sadhu maye asura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Dehinam, one who has accepted this material body, he must be always restless with anxiety. This is the... Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. You cannot avoid it.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, you can take it as a religious movement, bhagavata-dharma. This is the only dharma, bhagavata-dharma. Except bhagavata-dharma, any other dharma, so-called dharma, is cheating. That is not dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Bhagavat-pranitam, therefore called Bhagavatam. The word Bhagavatam comes from the word bhagavat. Bhavarthe sipan.(?) Bhagavad-bhava iti bhagavata. So religion means what is given by God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. You cannot manufacture religion, nonsense, give this dharma, that dharma, that dharma. No. Dharma is only one. That is bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma. They are all cheating. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. The fight between different religious principles, religious followers -- "I am Hindu," "You are Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist," "My religion is better," "Your religion is bad" -- these are all not religion. Real religion is bhagavata-dharma. In any other religion there is para-himsa. Para-himsa. In the history you will find many instances. In our country I have seen fight between Hindus and Muslims. And in the history you will find Europe, the Prostestants, and the Roman Catholics, and the Crusades. So this kind of religion has no value. Religion means when one understands Krsna, or God, he understands automatically that all living entities are Krsna's part and parcels. Some way or other, they have been put into this maya. Anadi bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela. They have forgotten. Therefore a devotee tries to bring them back to Krsna consciousness, back to home, back to Godhead. This is vision. He has no discrimination that "Here is a Hindu. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Christian. Here is an African. Here is a white. Here is a black." No. "Everyone is Krsna's part and parcel. Let them revive their Krsna consciousness and be happy." That is religion. All others cheating.

So this Krsna consciousness movement we are pushing on. We have no such distinction. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Not that "They are Europeans. They cannot take to this religion." This is in the andha-kupa, andha. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantrya uru-damni baddhah [SB 7.5.31]. Such class of men are subjected to the punishment by the Yamaduta. Otherwise, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Pandita, they should be equal. Krsna says,

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

Everyone has got the right to go back to home, back to Godhead. Krsna says, ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah: "Never mind he is born in the sinful family. That's all right, but he has got the right to go back to home, back to Godhead." And who will take up the work? If everyone has got the right to go back to home, back to Godhead, and by taking to Krsna consciousness, mam hi partha vyapasritya. Krsna says, "Everyone has got the right." Then who will teach them how to go back to home, back to Godhead? Who is the man? If you say, "No, no, they are untouchable, papa-yoni. They are untouchable. They cannot," so that is not the duty.

The duty is, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

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

Anyone who has taken birth in India, if he's a man... If he's a dog, if he's a cat, that is another. If he's a man... Manusya janma haila jara. So what is his duty? Janma sarthaka kari. First of all awaken your own Krsna consciousness, you understand Krsna, and then go out, kara para upakara. Because people are in darkness. People are in darkness. They have forgotten Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness meant, not that "I have understood Krsna. Now pack it up in the box and see sometimes: 'Oh, I have become Krsna conscious.' " My Guru Maharaja condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaisnava: "My dear mind, you are thinking that you have become a very good Vaisnava and chanting Hare Krsna, imitating Haridasa Thakura, and smoking bidi." This imitation has no value. My Guru Maharaja condemned it. He said, mana tumi kisera vaisnava: "What a rascal you are. You are thinking that you are Vaisnava." Nirjanera ghare... What is that? I forget now. Tava hari-nama kevala kaitava. Pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nama kevala kaitava: "My dear mind, you are very much proud of becoming Vaisnava. In a solitary place you are imitating Haridasa Thakura." Nirjanera ghare, pratisthara tare: "Your this solitary chanting of Hare Krsna means that you want cheap popularity -- 'Oh, he is chanting Hare Krsna.' " That is not possible. You cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. So by imitating Haridasa Thakura, keeping connection with woman and doing all nonsense, you cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. You must work. You must go out for chanting, for preaching. This is the real chanting. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna' upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. This is wanted, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has never said that "You may imitate Haridasa Thakura, and in a solitary place, 'Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna... Bidi, bidi, bidi.' " Not like that. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Go out."

yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru haya tara' ei desa
 [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

So our request is, you all foreigners, so you have learned something about Krsna consciousness. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order. Although He expected that every Indian should go out for parupakara, but anyway, some of the Indians, at least one... But you take this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you. You are already doing that, in Europe and America, (people are) deep asleep. Because people are sleeping under misguidance, and they are becoming candidate for being carried away by the Yamaduta. This is the position of the whole world, Yamaduta. Palaye bara katha naya yo mache piche.(?) Yamaduta will not excuse you, however you may be very proud of becoming independent. This is not possible. To save the human civilization, the rascal civilization, that "There is no life after death, and you go on enjoying as much as you like," this wrong civilization is killing civilization. So you save them. You save them. Otherwise the Yamaduta is there.

Evam te bhagavad-duta yamadutabhibhasitam, upadharya. They listened to the words of Yamaduta very carefully, upadharya, not that haphazardously they heard, no. Their reason, their everything, that "This man was like this, and he must be carried to Yamaraja for punishment..." Why punishment? No, to make him purified, it is said. Punishment required. This is nature's law. Just like if you have infected some disease, the punishment is you must suffer for it. The punishment is good. If you have infected some disease, and when you suffer, that means you become purified from the disease. Suffering is not bad, to become purified. Therefore when a devotee suffers, he does not take it illy. He thinks that "I am being purified. I am being purified."

tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
 [SB 10.14.8]

A devotee, when he is in troubled condition, he thinks, "My Lord is so kind that He is purifying me. I am suffering from my past misdeeds. So Krsna is so kind that He is purifying me, giving me little suffering. That's all right. Therefore I must be obliged to Him." And he offers more respectful obeisances to the Lord: "My Lord, You are purifying me." If one lives like this, mukti-pade sa daya-bhak, his liberation is guaranteed.

Daya-bhak. Daya-bhak means just like the son inherits the father's property without any check. Nobody can check. Law is there -- "The father's property must be inherited by the son." Similarly, those who are strictly in Krsna consciousness despite all kinds of hindrances, his liberation is guaranteed. His liberation is guaranteed. And if he becomes little, immediately disturbed with little inconvenience, and "What is this nonsense, Krsna con...? Give it up. Let me enjoy," then he is again in the clutches of maya. But if one sticks to Krsna consciousness in spite of all difficulties, then his liberation, going back to home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. This is the statement of the sastra. Daya-bhak means nobody can check him.

So we should be very careful to stick to Krsna consciousness without being agitated or deviated in any circumstances of life. Then we will not be liable to the punishment of Yamadata. That is the incident happening here. Slightly he became Krsna conscious at the end of life and chanted "Narayana" -- immediately the Visnu, Bhagavad-duta came: "Oh, he has chanted Hare Krsna mantra. That's all right. Let him take back home, back to Godhead."

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975

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Don't Infect Yourself with the Material Qualities

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.68
Vrndavana, September 4, 1975

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Prabhupada:

tata enam danda-paneh
sakasam krta-kilbisam
nesyamo 'krta-nirvesam
yatra dandena suddhyati
 [SB 6.1.68]

So without obeying the instruction of the sastra, he has fallen down. Although he was born in the brahmana family and educated nicely, but on account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life. Therefore he is punishable. Not only he, every one of us. The human fom of life is specially meant for going back to home, back to Godhead. The animal life... By progressive evolution, they come to the human form of life, and when one is, the living entity is on the platform of human form of life, he has got his responsibility. Therefore sastra says,

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet
sattvam yasmad brahma-saukhyam anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

This is the responsibility of human life. This human life is not meant for working day and night like the dogs and hogs for sense gratification. At the present moment it is going on all over the world. Simply for sense gratification, they are working so hard. From hundred miles they are going to the working place, hanging on the Delhi passenger train. Sometimes there is accident. These things are going on, very hard labor like the asses. So this is also another punishment. The more punishment is awaiting, Yama-danda, at the court of Yamaraja. Not only they are suffering here, but they will be taken to the Yamaraja. And there, according to his work, abominable work, he will be punished. Therefore the Yamadutas said, tata enam danda-paneh sakasam krta-kilbisam nesyamah. "Now it is our duty." Just like police force, they are engaged to arrest the criminals and take him to the court or to the police officer for necessary action, so these Yamadutas, they have given sufficient reason that "This man has committed sinful life; therefore he is punishable."

So, the fact is, this is nature's law. Nature's law is that if the human being does not follow the injunction of the sastra and he acts whimsically, independently, then he becomes punishable, exactly in the state laws, if you violate the laws... You are not independent. If you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Similarly, dharma means the laws of God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. So if you violate the laws of God, the principles of dharma, then you will be punished. What is that principle of dharma? This Krsna consciousness. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. We have manufactured so many different types of religious faith, but they are man-manufactured. They are not laws. And now it is being supported by many so-called swamis, that "You can manufacture your own religion. It doesn't matter. Whatever nonsense type of religion you follow, you get the same result." This is going on. But that is not the fact. Dharma is that, only one. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. To surrender unto Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is real dharma. And what of others? They are cheating. That is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is rejected.

So we cannot violate the laws of God, or dharma. Then we'll be punished. The punishment is there, awaiting, by the laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. The laws of nature is to punish you. So long you are not Krsna conscious, the laws of nature will go on punishing you -- three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is the law. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. You are thinking independent, but that is not the fact. We are dependent, completely dependent on the laws of nature. And laws of nature means laws of God. What is prakrti? Prakrti is acting under the direction of Krsna. Just like a police constable is working under the direction of magistrate or superior office, similarly, prakrti is giving us various types of miserable condition of life directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Krsna says, "Under My superintendence the laws of nature is working." And what is the laws of nature? That in the human form of life, if you do not endeavor to understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, what is your duty -- these things, if you do not learn, then you are punishable immediately.

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vavcha kare
pasate mayara tare japatiya dhare

As soon as you forget Krsna and you want to act independently, then immediately you are captured by maya and you are punished.

So when you come to this senses, that "I am punished by maya on account of my forgetting Krsna consciousness; therefore my duty is to come back again to Krsna consciousness and be saved from the punishment of the material nature," that is human duty. You cannot say that "I don't want Krsna consciousness." If you don't want, then you must suffer. If you want to save yourself from suffering, then you must take to Krsna. It is a question of "must." It is not your option. Your option is there. Because you are part and parcel of Krsna, you have got little independence. But if you misuse that independence, then you are punishable. You cannot. Just like everyone has got little independence to violate the laws of the state. You can do that, but that is punishable. So if we take the risk of being punished, then we can violate the laws of nature or laws of God. The laws of God is very simple thing. It is not very difficult. God personally says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "Just always think of Me." So it is not at all difficult. Krsna is here. You see the Deity of Krsna. Have impression in your heart how Krsna and Balarama is standing, how Radha-Krsna is standing, how Gaura-Nitai is standing. So you can think always. Man-mana. Or you can think of Him by chanting Hare Krsna. Where is the difficulty? Man-mana. You become devotee, come here in the temple, offer your respect. So to become Krsna conscious is not at all difficult. But people will not take to it; therefore they must suffer. This is the law.

So here the same thing is stated, tata enam danda-paneh sakasam krta-kilbisam: "He has acted sinfully; therefore he is punishable, and he must be taken to the Yamaraja." Nesyamo akrta-nirvesam. Nirvesam means... Suppose I have committed some sins. I must be arrested. Sometimes a great criminal voluntarily goes to the police and surrenders because he knows, "I will be arrested, and if I surrender immediately, my punishment may be lesser." So you cannot escape the punishment. So punishment... Suppose you have stolen something. You must be punished for six months' imprisonment. That is the law. If you have killed somebody, then you must be killed. You must be hanged. This is the law. So that is called nirvisesam, to counteract. If I have stolen some property, then I must suffer imprisonment. This is counteracting, prayascitta. If you have infected some disease, then you must suffer for some time from that disease. So akrta-nirvesam: "So he has not neutralized his sinful activities." Yatra dandena suddhyati: "Because he has not nullified his sinful activities by atonement or other measures, then he must be punsihed. Then he will be purified."

So punishment is also purification. Purification. Same law: If you infect some disease, then you must get that disease and you must suffer from that disease. That is your punishment. Therefore you should be very much careful not to infect any disease. Similarly, don't infect the material qualities, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Remain in sattva-guna and try to elevate yourself from sattva-guna to transcendental stage, brahma-bhutah. Then life is successful. Otherwise we shall be repeatedly punished so long we have got the tendency to enjoy material happiness and get another body, one after another. We shall be punishable by the Ya mache piche. It is the Bengali poetry. It is said, krsna nama koro bhai (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975

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Life Is Very Risky

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.67
Vrndavana, September 3, 1975

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Prabhupada:

yad asau sastram ullanghya
svaira-cary-ati-garhitah
avartata ciram kalam
aghayur asucir malat
 [SB 6.1.67]

Degradation. The first degradation is undesirable association, the first degradation; then no more respect for scriptural injunction, second degradation; and then the third step, aghayur asucih, you become infected with the low-grade quality. Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. The first grade qualification is sattva-guna, second rajo-guna, and the third, tamo-guna. So they believe in the evolution. Now, in this human form of life, what is further evolution? The further evolution is that if you are keeping in sattva-guna, in goodness, then you can be promoted, elevated, to the higher planetary system. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah [Bg. 14.18]. And if you keep yourself in the rajo-guna, then you will keep within this Bhurloka. And if you are infected with the tamo-guna, then you again go to lower grade life, again animal life, plant life. This is the nature's process. You cannot avoid it. You may be very much proud falsely, but after death, after giving up this body, you are completely... You are already completely under the regulative principle of nature. You cannot violate even. But if you foolishly violate, then you are preparing your next life according to your karma. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1].

So this man, Ajamila, by his association with the prostitute, he degraded. Therefore it is the duty of the guardians, of the government, of the father, to protect the civilization from degradation. But nobody cares for that. Therefore, at the present moment, everything is chaotic. They are degraded. Prostitution is allowed freely, bad association, and they are encouraging by opening liquor shop, brothel, restaurant, meat-eating. So how you can expect a very nice civilization? That is not possible. We are suffering the consequence of our own degraded life. So how we can protect ourself from degradation? The sastra is there. Sastra, the scriptures, are there. Never mind whatever scriptures you have got -- Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha, or any. Every religion has got scripture. Just like the Christians have got Bible, the Muslims have got Koran, and Hindus, they have got Vedas. They should abide by the injunction of the sastra. Lord Krsna also recommends that you must follow the sastric injunction.

So Krsna says,

yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
 [Bg. 16.23]

If you do not follow the injunction of the sastra, then your human life is unsuccessful. Na siddhim. Human life means that you stop the process of transmigration from one body to another. That is human life mission. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. One should endeavor in such a way that you do not take again birth in this material world. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Because as soon as you accept any material body, either the material body of Lord Brahma or the material body of an ant, most inignificant, the trouble is there. You will have to suffer. You cannot escape it. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4]. Irresponsibly, we, if we act, pramattah, like madman, without following the sastric injunction... That is a madman. Just like a madman does not care for any instruction. He acts according to his own whim. That is described here: svaira-cari. Svaira-cari. Svaira-cari means "I will act according to my whims. I don't care for any authority." That is called svaira-cari. No. The laws are meant for human beings. Even on the street, as soon as you go out on the street, immediately the law is there: "Keep to the right. Keep to the left." And if you violate, immediately you'll be punished, immediately become criminal. Similarly... This is government law. Similarly, law given by the Supreme Lord.

So we must follow the rules and regulations as given by God. That is religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Religion means the law which is given by God, and if you follow, then your life is successful. This is religion. Religion is not that concocted, you manufacture some religion. That is not religion. Just like you cannot manufacture law. The law is given by the state, by the government. That is law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gita the real religion means sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Don't manufacture concocted religion, this samaj, this religion, that, all nonsense. The only religion is how to surrender to Krsna, or God. That is religion. But nobody will surrender to God, and they will manufacture religion. So what is the meaning? Therefore Bhagavata has rejected all this cheating type of religion. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmataranam [SB 1.1.2]. Religion means for the paramhamsa. Paramo nirmataranam. Nirmatsara. Matsarata means envious. Everyone is envious of his friend, of his neighbor, even of his father or son. This is material nature. So this bhagavata-dharma is meant for the first-class nonenvious person, because everyone is envious, and the enviousness begins by envying Krsna or God. Then other enviousness begins. And he becomes svaira-cari, living whimsically. This kind of living is condemned herewith. Aghayuh. Aghayuh means sinful life. Ayuh means life; agha means sinful life. Aghayur asucih, impure. Malat. Malat means material infection, especially rajo-guna, tamo-guna, dirty things. So one is expected to go above these dirty things. Dirty things means greediness and lusty desires. These are dirty. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. Rajas-tamah, these are the dirty qualities, and sattva-guna is pure quality, and you have to go above sattva-guna. Then your life is perfect. Even if you rise, elevate yourself to sattva-guna, means a pure brahminical stage -- sama dama satam saucam titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42] -- still, you have to go further, suddha-sattva. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam. Then you can understand what is Krsna.

So this devotional service means to go above sattva-guna. Sa gunn samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. You have to transcend all the material qualities, even sattva-guna. Therefore a Vaisnava is above sattva-guna. So his brahminical qualities is supposed to be included. A Vaisnava is already a brahmana. We give a Vaisnava the sacred thread, the mark of becoming a brahmana, because without becoming a brahmana, nobody can come to the platform of Vaisnava. That is the idea. Nobody should come to the platform of suddha-sattva without being elevated to the sattva-guna platform. So this man... Sattva-guna... He was already sattva-guna. He was son of a brahmana. He was being trained up very nicely. But because it was not suddha-sattvata, therefore he fell down, even on the sattva-guna platform. But when one is on the suddha-sattva... Just like Haridasa Thakura. This man was brahminically qualified, but as soon as he saw that a sudrani and sudra were engaged in lusty affairs, he fell down. But see the behavior of Haridasa Thakura. Because he was situated on the suddha-sattva-guna and... Although he was young man, one, another young prostitute came to deviate him, and he remained in his position. Rather, he converted the prostitute to become a devotee. This is the difference between sattva-guna and suddha-sattva-guna. If you keep yourself on the suddha-sattva-guna, then you will be able to convert others to become devotees. Therefore it is not difficult. It is very easy also.

Krsna says,

mam cavyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

This brahma-bhuyaya means suddha-sattva. Suddha-sattva. That is also, in suddha-sattva-guna, that is liberated stage. If you do not stick to devotional service, then there is chance of fall down also. So without taking to the devotional service, life is very, very risky. Risky means now we can dance and laugh because we have got this human form of life. But after death we do not know. We do not know unless we are very much cautious. That is... Here it is said aghayuh. Aghayuh. This Ajamila lived for more than eighty-eight years, but what is the use of prolonged life? Aghayuh. Just like trees, they are standing for thousands of years. Taravah kim na jivanti [SB 2.3.18] . You are trying to prolong your life by scientific method, but what is the use of such life? This material life, there is suffering. Just like the tree. It does not do any harm to anyone. Rather, it is very hospitable. It gives shelter to the people. They are taking fruits, they are taking branches, leaves, sometimes cutting. They are very harmless, but still, there is harm, suffering. Must stand there for five thousand years and scorching heat and pinching winter, storm, and sometimes fall down. The suffering is there. Even we become a nonviolent... Even Gandhi. He was nonviolent, very moralist. Still he was killed. Just see. This is material world. He was killed by bullet. So the material world means suffering. So what is the use of making a prolonged life? Prolonged suffering. Therefore it is said, aghayuh. If you live for a moment as a devotee, your life is successful. And if you live for many thousands of years without any Krsna consciousness -- aghayuh, useless life, useless. Aghayur asucir malat, because the desire is there, kama and lobha, greediness and lusty desire.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is very important, scientific movement. Take to it. Stick to the principles. Don't live uselessly like a tree or cats and dogs. They have also sense pleasure. It is not that because in human life we have got full opportunity for sense pleasures... Well, sense pleasure is offered to the monkeys and pigs and dogs more leniently. So that is means that is life? No. That is not life. This has been discussed in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhastrah kim na svasanty uta, taravo kim na jivanti. They have been analyzed. No, the real life is Krsna conscious life. That is success of life. So some way or other, you have come to this platform of Krsna conscious life. Stick to the principle carefully. Don't fall down. Then try to understand Krsna. Then life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975

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How to Degrade Yourself

How to Degrade Yourself

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.66
Vrndavana, September 2, 1975

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Prabhupada:

yatas tatas copaninye
nyayato 'nyayato dhanam
babharasyah kutumbinyah
kutumbam manda-dhir ayam
 [SB 6.1.66]

So this is the beginning of samsara. So there is attraction between man and woman, and as soon as the attraction becomes little intimate, they unite. Then they have children. Then they require money, apartment, so many things. This man became sinful. He gave up his real wife, married wife, coming from very good family, but he became attracted with that sudrani, fourth class. Sudra means fourth class, worker class. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. So sudra women, they are not chaste. Some of them are practically professional prostitute. But that is not in higher caste family -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya. But at the present moment it is very difficult to distinguish who is brahmana and who is sudra. But formerly this is the system of Vedic civilization -- ideal character, ideal behavior of the brahmana; less, little less, ksatriya; little less, vaisya; and less than the vaisya, the sudra; and less than the sudras are called candalas. First class, second class, third class, fourth class, and then fifth class.

So this man, being attracted with the sudrani, naturally there was children. So he began to maintain them. This is natural affection. Even cats and dogs, they maintain their children. The birds also, they maintain their kiddies. So although children were born of sudrani, natural, there was affection. So he required money. But he became sinful; he could not earn money honestly. A sinful man cannot earn money honestly. Just like a thief: because he has adopted the means of earning money by sinful activities, he cannot take to honest work. He can work, but he is accustomed to steal. He knows that "This work is not good." If he is arrested, he will be punished. He has seen that one thief arrested and punished, and he has heard also that if one steals, he will be punished. And he has heard also from the sastra, either law book or Vedic literature, that "Stealing is not good. It is punishable." But still, he does it. That means a sinful man cannot restrain himself from sinful activity. He has to do it. Karanam guna-sango asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Unless you give up the particular situation with the modes of nature, it is not possible for him to restrain himself from committing sinful activities.

So he became sinful because he left his married wife and he became attracted with a sudrani immediately. That has been described in the previous verse. Visasarjacirat papah. Papah means sinful man. He became sinful immediately. Therefore we stress on marriage. They cannot understand why this association stresses so much for marriage, not to live... They live as friend. That is sudra. There is no legal marrige. Sudra and sudrani. Just like he was living with the sudrani -- he was not married -- as friend. So even sudra's marriage there is. For the sudra there is one asrama -- that is grhastha asrama. And for the brahmanas, four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. This is for the brahmanas. For the ksatriya: brahmacari, grhastha, and vanaprastha. For the vaisyas: brahmacari and grhastha. And for the sudras: no brahmacari, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a sudra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the sastra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikaram eva hy udvahe, it is stated. Simply agree: "Yes, you become my bedfellow; I become your bedfellow." That's all. Finished. Svikaram eva hy udvahe. That is marriage. No more that ceremonial marriage. That is being forgotten. This is Kali-yuga now. Dampatyam eva hi... Ratim eva hi dampatye: "And their so-called unity, man and woman, means sex." There is no other meaning. Dampatye, union of man and woman, means sex. There is no other religious system, that husband, wife, live together; they should cooperate for advancing in Krsna consciousness. These things are being forgotten.

So Kali-yuga, these things are very common, but in the previous yuga, Satya-yuga, they were not very common, but rare. This combination of the brahmana and the sudrani, this is accidental. It is not common. So anyway, accidental or organized, it doesn't matter. One who violates the rules and regulation, immediately he comes to the category of such classification. So he became a sudra. Although he was born in a brahmana family, he was being trained up, but on account of the association of a sudrani, prostitute, he fell down and he became a papah, most sinful man. So as a papah, he did not know how to earn money honestly. He is neither brahmana, nor ksatriya, nor vaisya. He is now not even sudra, less than that. Therefore it is said, yatas tatas ca upaninye: "Somehow or other..." According to classification, a brahmana has got specific function for earning his livelihood, a ksatriya has got a specific action for livelihood, a vaisya has got specific action for livelihood, and a sudra has got a specific action for livelihood. But he became less than sudra. Therefore yatas tatas ca -- "Somehow or other, bring money, bring money." This is called yatas tatas ca, no fixed up.

A brahmana... Everyone has to earn livelihood. That is a fact. Without working, you cannot live. So there are specific... Just like brahmana-yajan yajan pathan pathan danah pratigrahah. He must be very good worshiper of the Lord, and he must induce his yajamana, his dependent. Brahmana is the head, and the ksatriya, vaisya, they are yajamana. So they should induce, just like we are inducing all over the world, "Open temple. Worship Krsna." This is brahmana's business.

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana
srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

This is the duty of the guru. He worships himself. Unless he knows how to worship, how he will teach them? So he acts himself as brahmana, and he teaches the disciple how to work as a brahmana. Sri-vigraha. This is called yajana yajana. Pathana pathana. He must be a learned brahmana, and he must teach others how to become learned brahmana, pandita. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. He can accept charity from others, and he will distribute it by temple worship, distribute. All that you have collected, worship the Deity and distribute prasadam. Distribute this. Distribute. Danah pratigrahah. This is brahmana's business. Pathana pathana yajana yajana. And ksatriya, they will be governor of certain villages or little extended, and they will give protection. Ksatriya means giving protection. If somebody is coming outside to attack you, the ksatriya kings will immediately come out and with sword they will give you protection. And because the ksatriya gives you protection, therefore you give him some tax. Unless the governor or the government does not give you protection, they have no place to tax. That is not. That is illegal. Therefore ksatriya can levy tax because he gives protection. And a brahmana, he elevates the society to spiritual standard. Then simply protection and advancing in spiritual life will not do. We must have food also. So that is vaisya's business. Krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg 18.44]. The vaisyas should produce food. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. Unless people eat, how they will live? Simply becoming king for levying tax and simply becoming brahmana to teach how to worship, but if you have no food, then what you will do? There must be arrangement for food. That is entrusted to the vaisyas. In this way this is classification. Not by birth one becomes brahmana, and working less than a sudra, and he is still brahmana. This is nonsense. One must be Guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The society is divided. According to the quality, he is working accordingly.

So this is the Vedic society. Now it is all lost. But if you revive it, people will be happy, if you can revive it. There is no difficulty. But unfortunately, in this age everyone has become sudra, so it is little difficult to raise them again. But if everyone is engaged in chanting Hare Krsna mantra, then everything is possible. Without chanting Hare Krsna mantra they are all fallen. Artificially you cannot raise them to the standard of living. That is not possible. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. They must be cleansed of the dirty things within the heart, and then it will. That is the instruction we are going... This man is falling down, and how he will be elevated by chanting the holy name of Narayana. That is the narration we are going to have. Now, how he is fallen down, now, that is now being described. And how he'll be raised, that will be also described.

So now it is falling down. His business... He has got family, wife, children, and he requires money because the economic development, economic impetus, begins from this family affection. It is fact. Nobody would earn money. Therefore, if one is not married, he does not like to earn money. This is natural. And if he has got family, wife and children, then he will try to earn money. So this man is a rogue, he is sinful, but because still he has got children and wife, therefore he has to earn money. But because he is sinful, he cannot earn money honestly. Yatas tatas ca upaninye. Yena tena prakarena: "Bring money. Somehow or other, bring money." Yatas tatas ca upaninye nyayatah anyayatah. Nyayatah means legally, lawfully. Nyaya means law. Anyayatah, "without legal..." Just like we can earn money by stealing, but that is anyayatah. You cannot touch others' property. Tena tyaktena bhunjithah ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam [Iso mantra 1]. This is Vedic instruction. Whatever you are allotted you can "A brahmana, you can earn like this. A ksatriya, you can earn like this. A vaisya, you can earn like this." But don't encroach upon others' property. But he became sinful, yena tena prakarena. Nyayatah anyayatah. Nyayatah is finished because he was a brahmana. No more he is brahmana. So anyayatah, simply unlawfully. Anyaya. Why? Babhara, maintaining, asyah kutumbinyah, the family members, wife and children. Kutumbam manda-dhir ayam. Manda-dhih. Manda means very bad, very bad intelligence. In this way he began to earn his money and gradually he degraded and that will be described, how he became degraded.

So beginning, his degradation, is the association. He was a brahmana, but by chance he became associated with a prostitute. So this association is very, very important. By association... Sangat sanjayate kamah. If you associate with good association, then you become good. And if you associate with bad association, then you become bad. Therefore we are establishing Krsna conscious society. A Krsna conscious man cannot be bad. Therefore, if people are given chance to associate with this society, automatically he'll become good. Otherwise there is no need of opening so many centers all over the world. But the idea is that to give the chance of good association. Therefore, those who are members of this society, they should be ideal. Simply by their association people will become good, very good responsibility. And if they become bad themselves, there is no possibility because we are giving instruction. We are behaving like that. Still, one becomes bad -- oh, that is very great misfortune. Therefore all our members, the members of the Krsna consciousness society, should be ideal. At least people may see that "Here is a class of men -- ideal character, ideal behavior, spiritual advanced, and very frugal and very nice." That is... Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah [SB 5.18.12]. That is natural. If one becomes a devotee... That is the certificate, that how one has achieved good qualities. That is the test of becoming a devotee. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. A devotee means he has, what is called, awakened all the good qualities. The good qualities are there. Because we are part and parcel of God, there is no bad quality in our constitutional position. We are godly. We may be small, but the same quality. So there cannot be originally. Asango 'yam purusah. This is Vedic instruction. A living entity means spiritually part and parcel of God. There cannot be any bad quality. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Arjuna said to Krsna that pavitram paramam bhavan: "You are the most pure." So how His part and parcel can be impure? Gold may be a small particle, gold, but it is gold. It cannot be otherwise. Similarly, we, being Mamaivamsah. Krsna says that "They are My living beings. They are My part and parcel." So there cannot be any bad thing. The bad thing is because we have accepted this material body.

So in order to come back to our original position -- completely good, no bad thing -- we must come to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise we are gone; we are condemned. This is the purpose of Krsna consciousness movement, to bring him again to the platform of complete goodness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975

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