Total Dependence-Independence

Total Dependence-Independence

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.41
Los Angeles, June 7, 1976

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Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "The supreme cause of all causes, Narayana, is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but nevertheless He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the three modes of material nature -- sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names such as brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya, different duties according to the varnasrama institution, and different forms. Thus Narayana is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation."

Prabhupada:

yena sva-dhamny ami bhava
rajah-sattva-tamomayah
guna-nama-kriya-rupair
vibhavyante yatha-tatham
 [SB 6.1.41]

So supreme controller is Narayana, or Krsna. Krsna also explains... Here in the sastra, we understand that Narayana is the supreme controller. In many other places the same thing is explained.

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

So Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. So Narayana... In the Vedic mantra also, the same thing: eko narayana asit. In the beginning, Narayana was there. So Narayana is not alone. When you say the king is coming, it does not mean that king is coming alone. King is coming with his ministers, with his secretaries, with his military forces, bodyguards, many thousands. Similarly, when we speak eko narayana asit, narayana parah avyaktat, it does not mean that Narayana is alone. Narayana is always... If a king can be surrounded by so many officers and ministers, and Narayana is the supreme king, so how He is surrounded by paraphernalia we can just think over.

So Narayana-dhama, the Vaikuntha-dhama ... There are millions and millions of Vaikuntha-dhamas in the spiritual world. As we see in this material world. And in each planet Narayana is there in different forms. That is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Different forms means Narayana has the same form, four hands with four symbolic weapons, simply changing -- sankha, cakra, gada, padma; gada, cakra, sankha, padma -- like that. These things are explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. So in the Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, Narayana is there. And above these Vaikuntha planets there is the Goloka Vrndavana planet. That is described in the Brahma-samhita:

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
 govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.29]

There is the Goloka Vrndavana, the description is there. There are also trees, there are also animals. And Krsna is there. And He is being served by laksmis, the gopis. Sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. With great respect they are serving. These descriptions are there. There, trees are desire trees. Whatever you want from that tree, you'll get. The cows are surabhi cows, means you can draw milk as many times as you like and as much as you like. Surabhir abhipalayantam.

So when we speak of Vrndavana, it is not imagination. In the sastra, there is description, how Krsna is there, what He is doing. Especially it is mentioned: surabhir abhipalayantam. Krsna has got this hobby. Just like our hobby-dog-abhipalayantam. We keep, every one of us, especially in the Western countries, a dog. So why not Krsna keeping so many cows? What is the difficulty for Him? So He, intentionally, He becomes a cowherd boy. That is His pleasure. Just like here, we, a minute particle of God, we have got so many hobbies. So He has ... Because nothing can be present here without being in Krsna. Therefore Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo [Bg. 10.8]. Whatever is there in this material world, bad or good, similar things are there in the spiritual world. The difference is here everything, bad, and there everything, good. That is the difference. Here we have made bad and good; it has no meaning. Caitanya-caritamrta kaja, Kaviraja Gosvami, he has explained the conception of bad and good in this material world. He says, 'dvaite bhadrabhadra-(jnana,) sakale sama 'ei bhala, ei manda', sab mano-dharma. In the world of duality... This is the world of duality. So the absolute... There is absolute world. That is spiritual world. But here there is duality, bad and good. You cannot understand bad without having some conception of good, and you cannot understand good without having some conception of bad. You require the opposite. So in the spiritual world, this duality conception is absent. Everything is absolute. We have to understand this theoretically at the present moment. But there, everything is cintamani. Everything is alive, spiritual.

So Narayana's place is there, sa dhamani. That is His own abode. This is also Narayana's abode, this material world. Just like king. King's kingdom is very widespread, but still, he has got a palace. That is sa dhamani. Everywhere his property, government property, but still there is a government house, particular. Similarly, everything belongs to God, isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1], everything. Everything, God's property. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. He is the proprietor. But still He has got His own abode. That is Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto [Bs. 5.37]. That is God. He's always there. He hasn't got to go out for some business. No. He hasn't got to work for maintaining His establishment. No. He is complete, and He's staying there. Just like Krsna... It is said in the sastra: vrndavanam parityaja na padam ekam gacchati. Krsna never leaves Vrndavana. He doesn't go anywhere. He's always existing there. But still, He's everywhere. That is His inconceivable potency. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto. We are limited. I am sitting here; I'm not in my apartment. But Krsna is not like that. Krsna is in His abode, Goloka Vrndavana -- He doesn't leave that place any moment -- but you'll find Krsna everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto [Bs. 5.37]. Don't think that "Krsna is not here." Krsna is here also. You see, personally, Krsna is present here. Don't think that it is not Krsna, it is some stone statue. No. He's Krsna. But because you cannot see Krsna, He's appearing just that you may see. Because you cannot see without stone and wood. Therefore it is called arca-vigraha, arca-avatara. Arca-avatara.

Therefore: arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih naraki. Forbidden, that never think the vigrahah, the form of the Lord, as stone or wood. Arcye visnau sila-dhir. One who thinks like that..., gurusu nara-matir, and the spiritual master as ordinary human being. Arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih: Vaisnava, who has become a devotee, to accept him belonging to some caste or nation or some... No. He doesn't belong to anything... Never to think that's he's American Vaisnava, he's Indian Vaisnava, he's brahmana Vaisnava, he's ksatriya... No. This is jati-buddhih, classification. Vaisnava does not belong to any jati. He belongs to Krsna, krsna dasa. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Therefore practically you can see the members of Krsna consciousness, some of them are Indians, some of them are Europeans, some of them are Englishmen, some of them are black, some of them are white, some of them are brahmanas, some of them are Hindus, but they do not think anymore that "I belong to this category." No. No. Or otherwise they could not work. Every one of them completely aware that "We are all Krsna's servants." Similarly, guru is not ordinary human being. Gurusu nara-matir. Guru is not ordinary human being. Ordinary human being cannot preach Krsna consciousness. That is not possible. Krsna-sakti vina nahe krsna nama pracara. So anyone who is preaching, he cannot be considered as ordinary human being. Even though Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained this, that why not ordinary being? His son is calling him "father," or his relatives, they're taking him as ordinary. So Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says still he is not ordinary human being. Why? Because he is preaching Krsna consciousness. So vaisnave jati-buddhih, gurusu nara-matir, and sri visnu-padatirthau. The... Just like Ganges water, Yamuna water, to think of ordinary water, these are forbidden.

So Krsna, guna nama-rupair vibhayvante yatha-tatham. He has innumerable means and innumerable forms, according to the necessity. Unlimited forms: Narayana, Govinda, Krsna, thousands and thousands of names. But He's situated in His own place, and He's governing the whole creation. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. That is the Vedic mantra. Everything is being controlled by Him. How He is controlling, how He is witness, that will be explained in the next verse.

suryo 'gnih kham marud devah
somah sandhya ahani disah
kam kuh svayam dharma iti
hy ete daihyasya saksinah

This will be explained, next verse, how He is controlling, how things are managed. We can see practically that universal affairs, how things are being managed. Exactly in the right time, the sun is rising, the moon is rising, and they're working exactly to the time. In this season, the sun will stay during daytime so many hours. Exactly we find. Not that this year he's staying from six to six, and next year he's not appearing. No. There is no question of accidents. The same date, same month, and the same appearance of the sun and the moon. Everything. And still we say "There is no God," "God is dead," "There is no controller." This is foolishness. Mudha. The mudhas, the asses... Mudha means asses, one who has no knowledge. It is commonsense affair. That if everything is going on so nicely, how I can think there is no controller? In your house, in your office, if everything goes very nicely, systematically, there is the director, there is the manager, superintendent, and everything is going nice, how, without these things, how the whole universal affair can go so nicely? That is not accidental, that there was a chunk and immediately it became a this and that. No. There was no accident. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. There is no question of accidents. Krsna says, "Under My supervision, everything is going on."

So Narayana, or Krsna, He's controlling everything. And this material world is made of three modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. The Bhagavad-gita also says the same thing. Prakrteh, this material nature, is working under three modes of material nature -- sattva-guna, tamo-guna, rajo-guna. In the rajo-guna, the material world is created. In sattva-guna, the material world is maintained. And in tamo-guna, this material world is dissolved, or annihilated. This is the way, going on. So sattva-guna, maintenance, in charge is Visnu Himself. Without Visnu, nobody can maintain. Just like one contractor, he can manufacture a very big skyscraper building, but to maintain it, it requires another management, how to manage and maintain. And dissolution, anyone can break this big skyscraper. These three things are going on. So the maintenance in charge is Narayana, His expansion, Visnu. Visnu, Visnu is supplying all the needs of our... We are so many living entities, innumerable, but Visnu, Lord Visnu, He is supplying all our needs. Just like father, he supplies the needs of the family, children. Similarly, Visnu is maintaining. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. So many different varieties of living entities and they have got different demands, different necessities, everything is supplied by Visnu. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. That is God.

So we cannot declare independence. That is not possible. There is no independence. We are completely dependent on Visnu. There is no doubt about it. You cannot manufacture your necessities, all the necessities. You can manufacture some motorcar or some needle or this or that, but you cannot manufacture the primary necessities of life. That is not possible. When there is scarcity of food, you cannot manufacture in your factory. That is not possible. That you have to receive from Visnu, from God. That, that is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, that annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah [Bg. 3.14]. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Anna means food grains. Or even you take that "My anna, my food, is animal." That's all right, either you eat animal or vegetable or food grains, it is supplied by God. You cannot manufacture it. Suppose I am eating vegetables, you are eating meat. But meat you cannot manufacture, a vegetable also I may not manufacture. That is supplied by God. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. Whatever our necessities are there, it is supplied by God, Krsna. So He advises... This world, although Krsna supplies everything, but still, you have to work. You have to work. This material world means karma-samjnah. Without working, you cannot live. You have to work. There is a verse in the Bhagavad-gita: sarira-yatrapi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmanah. Do not stop working. Some foolish people say that we are not working. We are working for Krsna. It is not that we are not working. Working is necessary here. But the difference is a bhakta is working under the direction of Krsna, and nondevotees are working under the direction of maya. That is the difference. Therefore bhakti and ordinary work, karmis, it looks similar, similar, that these men, they are also working, they're also cooking, they're also going to the Press, they're also typing. They're this... So what is the difference between bhakti and karma? The difference is that we are working for Krsna and others are working for maya. That is difference.

So nirbandha-krsna-sambhandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate. Working is not stopped. Our Gosvamis, Rupa Gosvami, they retired from their ministerial service, they went to Vrndavana, but the work increased. When they were ministers they were sleeping thirteen hours, but when they went to Vrndavana, they had not time to sleep even for two hours. That is Vrndavana life. That is Vrndavana life. They had no time. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. These are the description about the Gosvamis that, by the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they retired from ministerial job. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. Mandala-pati means very, very big men in society. Minister, his business was with big, big man. Who can see the minister? The zamindar, the big businessmen. So he gave up that association. Then what he became? Bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. He took up a small loincloth. You have seen the picture of Gosvamis. Why? Just to show compassion and mercy to the whole world who are suffering. So how much business he increased? He was minister of a state. Now he has to do good to the whole world. How much responsibility it is. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. They had to establish the real purpose of religion-sad-dharma-samsthapakau. So presented so many books so that they may understand what is the meaning of religion. Nana-sastra. Nana means varieties of sastra. Vicaranaika -- after deliberation... You'll find, therefore, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu or any book written by the Gosvamis, all giving reference from the sastras. Nana-sastra vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma, lokanam hita-karinau.

So Vaisnava, the servant of Narayana, narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati -- they are not afraid to go anywhere for the service of Narayana. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati. Because Narayana has got so many widespread government, and Narayana's servants, narayana-parah, they have to go everywhere. Narayana parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati. They are not afraid, "No, I'll have to go to such distant place, no friend, no money. How shall I go?" No. Narayana is there. Narayana-parah, na bibhyati -- he's not afraid of. "Whether I'm going to die or live, it doesn't matter. I must go there. It is the order of Narayana." This is devotee.

narayana-parah sarve
na kutascana bibhyati
svargapavarga-narakesv
api tulyartha-darsinah
 [SB 6.17.28]

Narayana may order, "Go to hell and preach." "Yes." Tulyartha. "Then if You send me in heaven or hell, I don't mind."
Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976

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God Is Krishna-Satan Is Maya

God Is Krishna-Satan Is Maya

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.40
San Francisco, July 21, 1975

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Nitai: "...replied: What is established by the Vedas as duty, that is called religious principles, and irreligion is the opposite of that. The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, and are self-born. Thus we have heard from Yamaraja."

Prabhupada:

yamaduta ucuh
veda-pranihito dharmo
hy adharmas tad-viparyayah
vedo narayanah saksat
svayambhur iti susruma
 [SB 6.1.40]

This word susruma is very important. "We have heard it." They never say that "We have manufactured it." Susruma means "We have heard it." Susruma, susruma: "We have heard it with service." That is the way of Vedic instruction.

The Bhagavad-gita says,

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

To receive Vedic knowledge... Vedic knowledge means spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge also, the same process, any knowledge, especially spiritual knowledge. Because material things sometimes we can perceive directly because our body is material. But spiritual knowledge, unless you hear from the authority, there is no source of knowledge. You cannot understand. Because we do not see what is spirit. I am spirit, you are spirit, but I do not see your spirit soul, you do not see my spirit soul, because we have got material eyes. When somebody dies, one cries, "Oh, my father is gone. My father is gone." Where is your father gone? Your father is lying on the bed. Why do you say father gone? That means with these material eyes we cannot see spirit.

So these material eyes has to be purified. Then spiritual eyes begins. Therefore it is said,

ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah

All of our eyes are covered with darkness; we cannot see. Then how we can see in the darkness? Ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya. Salakaya means torch. So the torch, what is that torch? Jnananjana, smearing with the ointment of knowledge, that is the torch. So knowledge means not to see but to hear. Therefore it is called sruti, susruma. Knowledge has to be received through the ear, not by the eyes. Not by the eyes. This is not recommended. Nobody says, "I want to see knowledge," no: "I want to hear knowledge." Therefore it is called sruti, and knowledge is received through the ear, aural reception. Why not with eyes and other senses? That is also very important to know. Suppose you are sleeping. Then all your senses are also sleeping. But the ear does not sleep. You have got practical experience. When a man is sleeping and somebody is coming to kill him, so what do you say? You cry, "Mr. such and such, wake up! Wake up! There is danger. There is..." Then he can... Otherwise, all the senses are there, but only the ear will help you. The eyes are there, hands are there, legs are there, everything is there -- nothing of this limbs of your, part of your body, will help you. Simply your ear will help you when you are in danger. Therefore here it is said, susruma: "We have received knowledge through the ears, not with the eyes." Those rascals says, "I want to see practically." He cannot see. That is not possible. The modern defect is that they do not hear. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they do not hear. They simply want to see, want to touch, want to smell, want to lick up. That is not knowledge. So they are all failure. They do not hear. But the process is here, as it is said, susruma: "We have received knowledge by hearing from the authority." That is perfect knowledge. That is perfect knowledge.

 

So what they heard? They heard from Yamaraja, their master, that the dharma is that which is enunciated in the Vedas. That is dharma. Dharma, that does not mean that a faith. Faith, of course, we have to. Dharma, religion, is explained in English dictionary as "a kind of faith." That is the beginning. But really dharma means the constitutional position. That is dharma. Constitutional position. Just like chemicals. Chemicals, to find its purity, the books of pharmacology or other books this chemical, the water, it contains so many percentage of hydrogen, so many percentage of oxygen, and so on, so on. So there is taste. The potassium cyanide, there is no taste. But other chemicals there are taste, touching. Because nobody has tasted potassium cyanide up to date, because as soon as you touch on the tongue, you will die. So similarly, there are taste. So what is the taste? Taste is that jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa: [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109] we are eternal servant of God. This is our dharma, or constitutional position. Just like sugar is sweet. That is the taste. If sugar is salty, although both of them looks the same, white powder, but if I give you sugar and if it is actually salt, then immediately you will say, "Oh, this is not sugar. This is not sugar." How? By taste. Similarly, everything has got his constitutional position. The sugar is sweet, and the chili is pungent. If sugar is pungent and chili is sweet, then you throw it away. It is not real. It is not real. Similarly, what is the constitutional position of human being, dharma? To serve. This is the constitutional position. Every one of us, we are serving. Without service we have no other business. So this is our constitutional position. But we are serving wrongly; therefore we are not satisfied. This is the position. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore begins His philosophy from this point, that jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa: [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109] "The real constitutional position of all living entities is to serve Krsna." This is constitutional position.

But unfortunately, being misguided, instead of serving Krsna, we are serving so many other things. Somebody is serving his family. Somebody is serving his country. Somebody is serving his dog. In this way, service is there -- but the service is misplaced. Therefore we are not satisfied. Why in the material world people are not satisfied? Because his position is to serve Krsna. He is serving maya; therefore he is not happy. Plain thing. Krsna says, mamaivamso jiva-bhutah: [Bg. 15.7] "Jiva, the living entity, they are My part and parcel." So each one of us, we are part and parcel of God. So we have got some duty. Just like the part and parcel of my body has got some duty. The eyes, his duty is to see. The ear, his duty is to hear. So every part of duty, even within, without. So we, being servant, eternal servant of Krsna, our only duty is to serve Krsna. And because we are not doing that, therefore we are unhappy.

So that duty is called dharma. It is not a kind of faith. It is the constitutional position. You must have to serve. If you don't serve Krsna, then you will have to serve maya. There are two things: God or Satan. So similarly, God is Krsna, and Satan is maya. So if you refuse to serve God, then you have to serve Satan. That's all. You cannot become master. This is called dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. And, as it is said here, vedo narayanah saksat. Vedo narayanah saksat. Veda, the knowledge, the law or the order, that order is from God. Therefore there is no difference between the Vedas and Narayana. Because Narayana or God is absolute, He personally and His word, it is the same thing. And in the material experience also we see that the government and the government law is the same thing. You cannot say that the government law is different from government. This is material example. And spiritual is still more perfect. Vedo narayanah saksat. In other words, that you cannot make any law. The government can make law. Similarly, you cannot manufacture any religion. Narayana saksat. Narayana, God, He can make. You cannot make at your home, "I have manufactured a type of religion." No. That you cannot do. Nowadays this is going on. Yata mata tata patha: "You can manufacture your own religion." This is going on. "You are okay, I am okay." "I manufacture my religion. You manufacture your religion. Don't fight. Let us become brother." This is going on. So how you can be brother? The dog remains a dog. How they can become brother? It is not possible. Therefore so many religious systems, they are all rascaldom. One religion: that is the order of God. That is religion. If you want one religion, then you must know who is God and you must abide by the order of God. That is religion, very simple thing. You cannot manufacture, concoction. That is not religion. Therefore Bhagavata, it is said, dharmah projjhita-kaitavah: "All these cheating type of religion is rejected, kicked out from Srimad-Bhagavatam." What is that religion there? Param satyam dhimahi: "The Supreme Truth, the Absolute Truth, we are accepting." This is religion.

So the Absolute Truth is Krsna. So Krsna is God, accepted in the Vedas. That is... Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, aham sarvasya prabhavah [Bg. 10.8]. From Vedic knowledge, you get all knowledge. So if you don't accept Krsna as God, that is also your mistake. You do not know God, but here Krsna presents Himself as God, and He is accepted by authorities. So you have to accept. If you say that "I don't accept Krsna," then you have to present somebody else if you know God. And if you say that "I do not know what is God," then you have to accept Krsna. Because you do not know. Here the authority says, "Krsna is God." So you have to accept that. You cannot deny it. So Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Krsna means Narayana. Therefore it is said, vedo narayanah saksat. Therefore knowledge or religion means what is ordained, what is described by the words of Krsna, Narayana.

Then the next question will be: "Then how Narayana learned the Vedas or knowledge?" Because we have got experience. We receive knowledge from others. So this question may be raised. Therefore it is said, saksat svayambhuh. He does not require. That is God. All of us, we require knowledge by somebody, guru. But Krsna does not require any guru, although when He comes, He accepts guru just to teach us. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had guru, Krsna has also guru, because when They incarnate, They play just like ordinary man. But the knowledge is self-sufficient. The example is given like this: Just like the cloud. Cloud takes water from the sea, and he pours it down, and again the water goes down to the sea. So all knowledge comes from Krsna, but when Krsna appears, He takes the same knowledge from through the guru. Just try to understand. The knowledge is just like the sea, full knowledge, but it distributes the water on the land. Again the water goes down. Similarly, anyone who becomes Krsna's guru or Caitanya Mahaprabhu's guru, they take knowledge from him, but superficially Krsna accepts guru. He has no guru. Svayambhu. Therefore it is called svayambhu. Svayambhu. Svayambhur iti susruma. Krsna has no cause. Sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. Anadir adir govindah. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Isvara [Bs. 5.1], the Supreme Lord, is Krsna, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, anadi. He has no source of knowledge. That is called svayambhu.

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the beginning also, it is described, janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1], abhijnah. Now, God created this world. Everyone knows, those who are religious, either Hindu, Muslim, Christian, that God has created. Now, creation means He must be very expert. You do not see that this cosmic manifestation, the earth, water, air, fire, so nicely arranged, and they are being mixed up and so many other things are happening. Everything is perfectly, perfectly being done. So this perfect knowledge, how Krsna or God received? Wherefrom He got this perfect knowledge? That is the difference between our knowledge and Krsna's knowledge, God's knowledge. That is called abhijna: He knows everything perfectly, without going to anyone else. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. This is the Vedic statement, that "The Absolute Truth is so perfect, He has got so many potencies, that everything is being done so perfectly." Just like one artist. If he wants to paint one picture, one flower, he has to give his attention is so many ways. He has to move the brush in such a way and take this color, different colors. It requires so many artistic sense and so much good sense, so many things. It does not come. One who is not artist, not painter, he cannot paint. So do you think this flower which is coming out daily in your garden in different colors and different smell and flavor, they are being done without any artistic sense? This is nonsense. There is sense. There is God's potency. But parasya saktih, His senses, His knowledge, is so perfect that it is coming automatically, and we foolish people, we think that nature is producing. No, nature is the instrument, just like the brush, but the brain is God. That is Krsna consciousness. These rascal scientists, they do not know that. They deny God.

So therefore veda-pranihito dharmah. So how God is working, how His brush is moving, how the things are coming out so nicely, how much great brain He has got... Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat. Krsna says, "There is no more good brain than Me." He says. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. The prakrti, nature, is instrument. Nature is not brain. Just like nowadays you have got very complicated machine, computer. The computer machine is not brain; the man who is pushing the buttons, he has got the brain. So we have to learn like that. Therefore we have to take knowledge from Krsna, and Krsna is giving knowledge directly in the Bhagavad-gita. So if you read and accept it as it is without any foolishness, then you become perfectly in knowledge.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Graduates of Transcendental Tech

Graduates of Transcendental Tech

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.40
Los Angeles, June 6, 1976

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Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "The Yamadutas replied: That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma, the religious principles, and the opposite of that is irreligion. The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, and are self-born. This we have heard from Yamaraja."

Prabhupada:

yamaduta ucuh
veda-pranihito dharmo
hy adharmas tad-viparayah
vedo narayanah saksat
svayambhur iti susruma
 [SB 6.1.40]

So here is explanation by the Yamadutas. The Yamadutas were not very advanced so far their position was there. They were very odd-looking and not to be supposed very civilized -- uneducated -- but how they are explaining about dharma? Because the challenge was that "If you are the servants of Dharmaraja, then explain what is dharma." It doesn't matter whether a man is civilized or uncivilized or good-looking or bad-looking, but if he has got proper guide, then he can speak the right thing. This is the ... Yamaraja ucuh. They're not manufacturing anything. They're saying iti susruma. Iti susruma, "We have heard it from our master." This is knowledge. They are not expected to manufacture something speculative. They are neither educated nor civilized nor... Nothing of the sort. But they are talking of the source of religion, how they have heard it from the authority, Yamaraja. Yamaraja is authority. In the sastra it is said that,

tarko apratisthah srutayor vibhinna
nasau munir yasya matam na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah
 [Cc. Madhya 17.186]

So dharma, the path of religiosity, is very confidential. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. Then how I shall accept what is dharma, what is religion? Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. You just follow the footsteps of authorized persons. Then you understand what is dharma. You cannot manufacture. So, here is the same system, the Vedic system is the same. Either you hear from the direct Vedas or scriptures following the Vedas.

So here the Yamadutas says that dharma means what is spoken or directed in the Vedas. And what is Veda? Veda narayanah saksat. Veda means God Himself. Just like... We can understand very easily. Just like the king and the king's law. What king has said, that this should be done like this, keep to the right, king or government, whatever it may be, authority... So that is Veda. What is... Just like the law means what the government says. You cannot manufacture law. Similarly, veda narayanah saksat. What Narayana says, that is Veda. There is no other authority. And one who follows the Narayana, he is also authority. Sankaracarya says, narayanah parah avyaktat. Narayana is transcendental. He's not anybody of this material world. Narayanah parah avyaktat. Avyaktat anasambhavah. Avyakta. The cosmic manifestation, this is called vyakta, and when it is not manifested, it is called avyakta. Just like a house is manifestation of the five elements: earth, water, air, fire. So earth, water is there already, but that is not manifested as the house. But the same combination, it becomes a house, big skyscraper building. This is difference between vyakta and avyakta. Avyakta means the whole material energy, when it is not manifested, that is called avyakta; and when it is manifested it is called vyakta. Narayana paro 'vyaktat. That means Narayana is not of this material world. God is nothing of this material world. He's transcendental. Para, narayana paro 'vyaktat. Para means superior, transcendental.

So Veda, here it is said that vedo narayanah saksat. But Narayana is nothing of this material world. Similarly, Veda is nothing of this material world. Vedo narayanah saksat. So you cannot... Therefore Vedic authority is so evidential... Because it is not manufactured by any material person. It is... Narayana, or God God created this world. So God was existing before this creation, and Veda means before the creation, the laws and the words which were existing, that is Veda. Somebody may argue that "This is written by some scholar or some learned person." No, Veda is not like that. Veda is coming directly from Narayana, and Narayana means God. God was existing before the creation. Because (God) created, therefore God existed before the creation, so whatever we get out of this created world, that is not Veda. If some person, great philosopher of this material world, he thinks, he says "I believe," and he writes something, that is nonsense. That is not Veda. Because he is a created being, and as created being he has got four defects. The most important defect is that his senses are imperfect. Therefore by sense perception, by so-called mental speculation, whatever he creates, that is defective. That is not perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge is there, Veda, because Vedas existed before the creation. And whatever there is within the creation, they're imperfect. Therefore it is clearly said that vedo narayana saksat. As Narayana is beyond this created, manifested cosmic manifestation, similarly Vedas also are like that. Don't think it is written by... It is called therefore apauruseya. Apauruseya means it is not written by any mundane creature. Brahma, he is the supreme creature within... No. It is said that he is not created. Tene brahma hrda ya, hrda ya adi kavaye. He was instructed the Vedic lessons by Narayana, or Krsna. He did not manufacture it. So Vedas means coming from directly Narayana, not that Brahma has created. Brahma has Vedas in his hand, but he has received it from Narayana. That is the information we get. And... So Brahma instructed his sons. Then they got the knowledge. The sons instructed to the grandsons. In this way, Vedic knowledge is coming. Therefore it is called parampara, disciplic succession. We don't manufacture. We receive the knowledge, the perfect knowledge by disciplic succession, beginning from Narayana.

So whatever knowledge we are getting from the sastras in Krsna consciousness movement, it is not manufactured by man. It is not man-made knowledge. The knowledge was received by, through, knowledge was imparted or instructed by Narayana or Krsna. Brahma received it, and from Brahma, Narada received it. From Narada, Vyasadeva received it, and Vyasadeva is writing this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lokasyajanato vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje [SB 1.7.6]. Great learned sages, saintly persons, they're always thinking how the people will be happy Vaisvana. Para duhkha-duhkhi: he is always unhappy for unhappiness of the people in general, public. That is Vaisnava. Para duhkha-duhkhi. Just like in the Western country Lord Jesus Christ, he was unhappy for others. So that is the business of devotee, God's son or God's devotee. That is the duty, that people are suffering on account of proper knowledge, and the most grievous ignorance is without any knowledge of God. That is the most dangerous ignorance. Because human life is meant for understanding God. Athato brahma jijnasa. But they do not care to understand God. Then animal life: "Where is food, where is sex, where is apartment, and where is defense force?" this is going on.

Therefore the challenge was that "Now explain what is dharma." So they're explaining. Mind that. They are not educated themselves, but their education is by hearing from the authority. Iti susruma. This is real education. Therefore Vedas' another name is sruti. Sruti means the knowledge which you receive by hearing, not by your so-called eyes or tongue. No. The tongue, you can chant what you hear. Therefore our beginning of knowledge is sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. Not that go to some technical college and learn it. This is also technical, transcendental technical, but the technique is first of all hear. This is technique. Not hammer and understood. This is hearing. This technology begins by hearing. Just like you have come here kindly and hearing. This is the technology, beginning of transcendental knowledge or spiritual knowledge. So here also these Yamadutas said, "We have heard it from the authority." That is perfection. Go to the authority and hear from him the real knowledge. Then you become perfect in knowledge. Actually, we imitate, we also go to a school, college, hear from the professor, teachers. That is the process anywhere, either transcendental or material knowledge. The hearing is most important thing. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended this hearing very important in transcendental knowledge especially. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir: if you know to know God, that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's recommendation, he's recommending from the sastra. He doesn't recommend anything, "I think," "I believe," "Perhaps." No, not this nonsense. You may... You are rascal. What is the value of your belief? No. It is the... Here is the knowledge. Iti susruma, "We have heard it from authority." This is knowledge.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was talking with Ramananda Raya, how to cultivate spiritual knowledge, how to know the ultimate goal of life, sadhya sadhana, what is the aim of life and what is the process to approach the aim of life... This was the talk between Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So Ramananda Raya began with varnasrama dharma, the institution of four orders of social and four orders of spiritual life. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya, "It is not very important nowadays." Yes, eho bahya, age kahe ara, "If you know something more, better than this..." Then he... Karma-tyaga, sannyasa, so many, step by step, he said, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu denied, "Yes, it is right, but it is not very important." Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu said..., uh, Ramananda Raya said, quoting from the Vedas, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam (sthane sthitah) sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir (ye) prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam. "If you want to know who is God, what is God, then give up your, this speculative endeavor." Jnane prayasam. Prayasa means endeavor: "May be like this," "Perhaps like this." No. You give up this habit. Jnane prayasam udapasya, give up this bad habit. Then? How? Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: "Just become humble and meek. Don't declare yourself a great philosopher or great learned scholar and..." No. That is not the process. "Now I am a learned scholar, I can discover God, I can manufacture God." No. Give up this bad habit. Jnane prayasam udapasya -- be humble. If you know to know God, then be humble. In the Bible also it is said, "God is for the meek and the humble," not for the impudent.

So jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Then what will I be I become humble? Yes? Then what is my next duty? San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. You just try to hear from the saintly person, devotee. San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. Then what will be the result? Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. This hearing, becoming humble and meek... And if we hear from the devotee who is actually self-realized, one who has seen God through the sastra, if you hear from him... And never mind what you are. You may be a brahmana, you may be ksatriya, you may be sudra, you may be sannyasi, you may be so on, so on, you may be American, you may be Indian, whatever you may be, that doesn't matter. Remain in your place. Sthane sthitah. Simply hear. Sruti-gatam tanu-van. Then one day, what will be the result? Now God is unconquerable, nobody can conquer, you'll be conquered. Simply by hearing, He'll be... This is the process. Therefore he says susruma, humble and meek and hear. Then you'll understand God. Then you'll understand what is religion, then you'll understand everything. Not only religion and God, but everything. Yasmin vijnate sarvam eva vijnatam bhavati. If you simply know God or Krsna, then everything you know. Just like we are sometimes challenging big, big philosophers, big, big scientists, big, big psychologists, and so on, so on. What is the strength? Because we have learned something about Krsna. That's all. This is Vedic injunction. Yasmin vijnate sarvam eva vijnatam bhavati. If you have learned what is God, what is Krsna, then you learn everything. This is knowledge.

Therefore they say. They are, according to their description, third class, fourth class, not even human beings, these Yamadutas. And they are explaining about dharma. Why? Susruma: "From the right source we have heard it." And whatever they're speaking, correct. Veda-pranihito dharma. What is ordered in the Vedas, that is dharma, that is religion. And what is Vedas? Vedo narayana saksat. Absolute. Narayana, spiritual world, absolute. Nonduality. Narayana, Narayana's words are the same. There is no difference. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gita. Why we're interested? Because Bhagavad-gita and the speaker of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna, they are identical. So you cannot change the words of Bhagavad-gita. That is foolishness. Anyone who changes the orders and the words of Bhagavad-gita, they are rascal, they'll not get any benefit. Because you cannot correct Krsna, what Krsna says or God says. That is not in your power. So these rascals, they want to interpret, "This is like this, this is this, I think it is this." No. Krsna did not leave for you, for your thinking rascally. No. Krsna is completely learned. Whatever He has said, it is perfectly in order. You cannot change.
So in this way, we have to hear the right thing from the right person. Then the question will be, "Who is the right person?" So if we cannot select the right person... Right person is parampara, one who is following the parampara, he is the right person. Even though you cannot understand actually who is... The sastra says these are right persons. Who?

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
 [SB 6.3.20]

This is the statement of Yamaraja, that "I am also considered as one of the authorities," vayam. So here the Yamadutas say, "We have heard it from our master, Yamaraja; therefore whatever he said is authoritative."

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Who Is Punishable?

Who Is Punishable?

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.39
San Francisco, July 20, 1975

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Nitai: What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual candidates for punishment? Are all karmis engaged in fruitive activities punishable, or only some of them?

Prabhupada:

katham svid dhriyate dandah
kim vasya sthanam ipsitam
dandyah kim karinah sarve
aho svit katicin nrnam
 [SB 6.1.39]

So first question was, bruta dharmasya nas tattvam yac ca adharmasya laksanam. When there is some vicara, judgment, it must be done very nicely. A criminal is judged before the magistrate. He is taken just to make proper judgment, "Whether this man is punishable? He committed some criminal activities." The circumstances, the condition of the mind -- everything should be judged. This is called judgment. So who is punishable? Desa-kala-patra. There is consideration, desa-kala-patra. Desa means situation, and kala, time, and patra, and the subject. Just like a child, he takes one fruit here. So he is not punishable. According to Vedic system, a child, a woman, a brahmana, a cow and a saintly person, they are not punishable. Cow, woman, saintly person, brahmana and child -- they are beyond all laws. Even they commit some... They do not do. They have no criminal purpose. Formerly the women were trained up in such a way, very chaste and obedient. So they had no chance to commit any offense. And brahmanas, they are also trained up. Samo damah satyam saucam... (children making noise)

Sudama: Take the children out.

Bahulasva: All the children should go out.

Prabhupada: No, that's all right. (some devotees say "Jaya!" and applaud) So, children are not punishable. (laughter, more applause) Neither the women. (more applause, laughter) Hm. But don't take advantage. (laughter) And here we have got these brahmanas, saintly persons, women and children. So who is to be punished? (laughter) Yes. Katham svid dhriyate dandah. So the judge must know who is to be punished. That is judgment. Katham svid dhriyate dandah sthanam. Desa-kala-patra: according to time, according to circumstances, according to the subject, everything scrutinizingly judged, not whimsically. Nowadays it is the time for emergency. Anyone can be punished without any judgment. But this is not good position.

Then dandyah kim karinah sarve. Karinah means fruitive actors, those who are working for getting some profit. So sometimes with getting profit we make some undesirable activities which is called black market. So that is punishable. There are system... Of course, I cannot quote from where, but it is the system that a merchant, highest profit he can take for exchanging -- not more than twenty-five percent. That is the highest. If one merchant takes more than twenty-five percent profit, then he is punishable. This was the system. So the karinah... So we are all workers. So somebody is working for his personal profit, and somebody is working for the profit of Krsna. It appears almost similar. A ordinary man is selling some newspaper, and our man selling the magazine. It looks the similar thing, but it is not similar; it is different. Therefore, if a newspaper seller creates some disturbance on the street, the police can punish, but when one is selling Back to Godhead, he is not punishable. (laughter) This is the difference. But nowadays these rascals, they do not know whom to punish, whom not to punish. They take, "All right, you are selling Back to Godhead. You must come police custody." So our are not punishable although doing the same thing. This is judgment.

Then the animals, they are also working hard day and night for their necessities of life. But if an animal steals something from your house or takes some eatables, he is not punishable. India you will find in the bazaars. There is crowd, and the cows enter there, and they eat the vegetables to their heart's content. But he is not punishable. Still the cow is not punishable. But if a man takes one potato without the permission, he is punishable. So the animals are not punishable. All the lawbooks are meant for the men, for the human being, not for the animals. Just like in your country the police law is: "Keep to the right your car." But if a animal goes, keep to the left, it is not punishable. So everyone not punishable. Then again, human being, all of them, not punishable. Those who are criminals, those who have violated laws, they are punishable. So therefore this question is "Whether and how they are punishable? What is dharma, and what is adharma? So if you are representative of Yamaraja, then you explain to us first of all whether you are actually representative."

So the Yamaduta, they are also servant of very exalted personality, one of the authority. So they are not lacking in knowledge by the grace of their master. So the first thing they said, veda-pranihito dharmo hy adharmas tad-viparyayah. Dharma and adharma, religious principle and not religious principle, nonreligious principle -- how to discern. The book is there, Veda. We have to consult the Vedas. There are so many Vedic literatures: four Vedas, then Upanisad, 108 Upanisad, then philosophy, Vedanta-sutra, all summarized. Then explanation of Vedanta-sutra, or Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam **. Then there is Ramayana, there is Mahabharata, immense literature, full of Vedic literature. So one should try to understand this literature. They are meant for the human being. Veda-pranihito dharmah. If one wants to be religious... Religious means that is the beginning of human life. If one is not religious, then he is animal. Dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah. So in order to make a person perfectly religious, there are so many Vedic literatures. So who is taking care of it? Nobody is taking care of. Therefore, at the present moment, kalau sudra-sambhavah. Sudra means equal to the animal. Tulasi dasa has classified, dhol gunar sudra pasu nari, ihe sab sasan ke adhikari.(?) So women will be sorry, but he has classified in that way. Anyway... So nobody is taking care of the Vedic literature. Therefore they do not know what is right, what is wrong. Dharma, dharma means right and wrong.

But Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic literature. Sarva-gavopanisadam.(?) It is the essence of all Vedic literature. Therefore Krsna says... What is the purpose of Vedas? You may be very learned scholar in Vedas, then what you have learned, Vedanta? Vedanta means the last knowledge of Vedas. So Vedanta is, Krsna is explaining in the Bhagavad-gita, vedanta-krd vedanta-vid eva caham.

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
 [Bg. 15.15]

So the summary is there. Krsna is sitting, sarvasya ca aham, hrdi, within the heart, sannivistah, "I am seated there." Isvarah sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 18.61]. And He is giving intelligence and forgetfulness. Why one is forgetful of Krsna, and why one is conscious of Krsna? That is also due to Krsna. One who has tried to forget Krsna -- then Krsna is giving him opportunity to forget Krsna. One who is trying to know Krsna, then Krsna is giving intelligence to know Krsna. This is the process. Krsna is there. If you want to know Krsna, then Krsna will give you intelligence how to know Him. If you want to forget Krsna, then He will give you, mislead you in such a way that you will forever forget Krsna. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah [Bg. 15.15].

That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu [Bg. 16.19]. Those who are asuras, demons, trying to defy the existence of God, Krsna, Krsna is putting him in such circumstances, in such family, in such society, in such community, in such country, that he will have no opportunity to know Krsna. Tan aham dvisa... Because he is envious of Krsna, wants to forget Krsna, so Krsna is putting him in such circumstances. And one who is little eager to know Krsna, then Krsna is giving the intelligence.

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

Everything is said there. Tesam satata-yuktanam. Anyone who is twenty-four hours engaged in... How he is engaged? Bhajatam, simply for bhajana. Bhajana means worshiping, "How to worship Krsna?" Satata-yuktanam, and twenty-four hours anxious, "How to serve Krsna? How to serve Krsna?" To become mad after Krsna, such person... Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me: "I see everything vacant being separated from Govinda." This is called love. So, of course, it is not possible to come to that position like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is maha-bhava, maha-bhava. It is not for any human being to come to that stage. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu has shown how to become mad after Krsna by His life when He was in Jagannatha Puri, Caitanya. At night He would go out and fall down on the sea or somewhere. Nobody knows. The door was closed, and still, He would get out and go, and, "Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna?" Then His assistants, secretaries, would go out and find out Him. So for eighteen years He was in that way in Jagannatha Puri. That is called maha-bhava.

So it is not possible for human being. But at least, not maha-bhava but bhava, that we can... Bhava. Tato bhavah. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktis tato bhavah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. One can increase gradually to the stage of bhava. This bhava stage, that separation... Just like the Gosvamis, when they were in Vrndavana, they were feeling this bhava. He radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah. And they were simply searching after in the Vrndavana forest. He radhe, "Radharani," vraja-devike, "all the gopis," he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno: "O the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna." Kutah, "Where you are all?" This is bhava. "Where you are all?" Sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah: "Where you are? Are you near the Govardhana Hill or some forest on the bank of the Yamuna? Please let me know." Ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau. In this way they were searching after Krsna, "Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna?" and crying, ghosantav iti maha-vihvalau, just like madmen. This is Krsna consciousness. This is the highest perfection of Krsna consciousness, when one will be mad after Krsna, "Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna? Where is Krsna?" That is... Caitanya Mahaprabhu also showed us that way. The Gosvamis also showed us that way.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that we must follow the Gosvamis and their servant. Ei chay gosai janr -- tanr mui das: "I am not going to be a servant of anyone. But a person who has taken the six Gosvamis as his master, I become his servant." Ei chay gosai janr -- tanr mui das. "Why I shall become anyone's dasa? But if somebody is the servant of the Gosvamis, then I become his servant." Ei chay gosai janr -- tanr mui das, tan-sabara pada-renu mora panca-gras: "Their dust of lotus feet, that is my food." This is... Narottama dasa Thakura says. Ei chay gosai jabe braje koila bas, radha-krsna-nitya-lila korila prakas. What is the business of Gosvamis? From Vrndavana they tried to broadcast the pastimes of Lord Krsna, Krsna and Radha. Ei chay gosai jabe braje koila bas. So we should follow that principle, that we should not be packed up. Sometimes we find in Vrndavana they say, "No, no, I have taken vow. I am not going out of Vrndavana." Of course, the Gosvamis did not get out of Vrndavana, but they preached. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. They were always engaged in writing books, nana-sastra, various sastra, scripture always studying, and taking essence of the sastra and presenting to the world people. Why? Sad-dharma-samsthapakau: just to establish real religious principle, nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau, with scrutinizing thinking over and giving to the people. This is Gosvamis' business. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Why? Lokanam hita-karinau: for the benefit of the whole human society. Lokanam hita-karinau manyau saranyakarau. Therefore one should take shelter of the Gosvamis. That is Gosvami.

So here, veda-pranihita, the Veda. The Vedic literature, that is dharma, no manufacturing. Nowadays it has become a fashion. So Vedas, that is beginning. Millions, nobody can give any description, since when the Vedas are coming down by the parampara system. But after this Vedic period, so many religious system has come out. Up to five thousand years before, the Vedas were accepted all over the world, Vedic civilization. Then later on, gradually, they, the Christianity has come, the Muhammadanism, Islamism has come, Buddhism come, and now there are so many other, this samaja, that samaja, this religion, this religion, this religion. Because that means people are getting out of the touch of the Vedic civilization. So this Krsna consciousness movement means we are trying again to bring them to this Vedic civilization. Here it is stated, veda-pranihito dharmah. If you take to the Vedic principles of life, then you become religious. And what is that Vedic principle? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. Krsna says, "Vedic principle means to know Me, Krsna." Vedais ca sarvaih. Veda-pranihito dharmah. And what is Veda? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah. So... "But there is Vedanta?" Yes. Vedanta-krd vedanta-vid aham: "I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I know what is Vedanta." So whatever Krsna says, that is Vedanta. And other so-called Vedantists, they are nonsense. They do not know what is Vedanta. Here is. Krsna says, vedanta-vit: "I know what is Vedanta." "Why You know?" Vedanta-krt: "I have compiled Vedanta." In the incarnation of Vyasadeva, Vyasadeva incarnation, Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa... Maha-muni-krte. Maha-muni, the great sage, Vyasadeva, is incarnation of Krsna. So he has compiled Vedanta-sutra. Therefore he knows what is Vedanta. And because Vedanta is being misinterpreted by the rascals, therefore Vyasadeva personally has commented on Vedanta-sutra by writing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore he begins Srimad-Bhagavatam with the first aphorism of Vedanta, janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah sva-rat [SB 1.1.1].

So this Krsna consciousness movement is Vedic movement, authorized. Veda-pranihito dharmah. If one becomes Krsna conscious, then he knows what is dharma and what is adharma. He knows who is punishable, who is not punishable. In this way, if you follow the principles of Krsna consciousness... It is in a different way. Not different way; Krsna name is there. When I registered this association, many friends requested me that "Why you are, nomenclature, this 'Krsna'? Make it 'God consciousness.' " And "No." As soon as I give "God consciousness," all the rascals will bring so many false God. Therefore it must be definitely stated, "Krsna consciousness." So try to follow Krsna consciousness movement. Then you will be situated in the Vedic civilization, and you will know everything properly. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. If you understand Krsna, then you understand everything. This is Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Does Your Heart Cry Out for God

Does Your Heart Cry Out for God

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.39
Los Angeles, June 5, 1976

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Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual candidates for punishment? Are all karmis engaged in fruitive activities punishable, or only some of them?"

Prabhupada:

katham svid dhriyate dandah
kim vasya sthanam ipsitam
dandyah kim karinah sarve
aho svit katicin nrnam
 [SB 6.1.39]

So challenge was replied that "You are representing Dharmaraja. So you have come here to take away this person, and we are prohibiting. So you have challenged us. So first of all explain your position, whether you know what is dharma and what is adharma, who is punishable, under what circumstance one is punished, and one who is punished, where does he go?" Actually, all these descriptions are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, different types of hellish life, what kind of sinful activities are punished by what kind of hellish condition. Everything is there. In the Fifth Canto, everything is there. There are different planets where Yamaraja is there, how a dead man or the soul is taken there, the path -- everything is in detail there. If you say it is mythology... Why you should say mythology? You have not seen the whole universe, how it is situated. You are simply imagining from this place. So your imagination, imaginology, and we have our mythology. So we have got some evidence, but you have no evidence. At least we have got some support of the books. But what you have got? You are simply imagining, "I think," "I believe." What is this nonsense? What is your proof? Everyone is saying "I believe." Hundreds and thousands... And what is correct? Everyone... At least, we have got something correct. We don't say "I believe." This is not our process of knowledge. We, Krsna conscious person, we never say "I believe." No, we immediately quote from the sastra.

Here is the statement, sruti-pramanam. According to Vedic civilization, evidence, is sruti, Vedas. If you say something and if you give evidence, proof from the Vedic literature, then it is perfect. No such nonsense things: "I believe," "We believe," "Perhaps," "Maybe." No. Such foolish things are not accepted. Then everyone will say something. There are thousands and millions of people, everyone will imagine something and say something. Then where is the correct thing? This is not good. Veda-pramanam. That will be described in the next verse. Veda-pranihito dharmo. Veda-pranihito. What is explained in the Veda, that is dharma. You cannot manufacture dharma. If it is mentioned in the Vedas, what is dharma, what is adharma, then it is acceptable. I have several times explained that you cannot make law in your comfortable home. No. Law is made by the government. And you have to accept it. You cannot say that "I believe this will be law." Who will care for your law? You may believe. You believe at your home. That will not be accepted. The law given by the government, "Keep to the right," that you must have. You cannot say, "I believe left thing" or... No. That is not. Similarly, dharmas ca, it will be explained further.

So what is dharma, religion? In the dictionary, English dictionary it is explained: "a kind of faith." But we do not take in that way. Faith, you have got different faith, I have got different faith, how it will be dharma? The same example: if you have different faith that you do not accept this government law, that will not do. You may have faith or no faith, but you have to accept. That is dharma. That is dharma. So they very particularly analyzed dharma. Dharma means... I have given translation in many places: "occupational duty." Everyone is fit for a certain occupation. And the duty ascertained for such occupation, that is dharma. Natural. Or, in one word, it can be explained as characteristic. So, just like a chemical, it has got some characteristic in the chemical analytical book, that... Take soda bicarb. The characteristic -- it tastes like this, the color is like this, the, like this, so many things. Hmm. (aside:) That child is coughing. So dharma means characteristic. So what is the dharma of the living entity? We are all living entities. What is the dharma? What is the characteristic? Common. Not that because I am Hindu, my characteristic is different from your characteristic. As living being, our characteristic is the same. Either you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or white or black, never mind. What is that characteristic? That characteristic -- to serve. The inferior must serve to the superior. That's all. This is characteristic. Find out all over the universe, the service.

That is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. That is his real charactertistic. He is eternal servant of God, or Krsna. This is characteristic. So if you don't serve God, then you have to serve dog. But you have to serve. You see practically. So many godless persons, they have no family, no affection, no position, no home, nothing. But still he keeps a dog to serve. This is the characteristic. Because he has nothing to serve, he has no wife, no children, no (indistinct), nothing, so he must have somebody, keep a dog. Just see practically. He cannot avoid service. That is your characteristic. If you don't serve God, then you have to serve dog. Now make your choice, whether you shall spoil your life by serving dog and become next life a dog, or by serving God, you, next life you become a god. Make your choice. This is Krsna consciousness movement. If you want to become a dog next life, that is must. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. At the time of death, if you are affectionate to the dog, naturally you'll think of dog, and your soul will be transferred in the womb of a dog. This is nature's way. And, similarly, if you practice to love God in this life, at the time of death, naturally you'll think of God. Then next life, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. It is explained in the... Tyaktva deham, everyone has to give up this body, but if, at the time of quitting this body, you think of Krsna, immediately you go back to home, back to Godhead, Krsna. This is opportunity. If you ask, of course, anyone who is desirous of going back to home, back to Godhead, he knows everything about Krsna. Otherwise, why he should be eager?

So, Krsna is always joyful. Krsna is always joyful. Just like see before you. Krsna is joyfully accepting to be bound up by His mother. He is Supreme Lord; nobody can chastise Him, but He is taking pleasure: "How My mother chastises Me." This is also another pleasure. Just like a very rich man, he always eats very nice foodstuff. So sometimes he wants, "Can you give me little puffed rice?" Puffed rice is not very valuable food, but he likes. This is change of variety of enjoyment. So everyone worships God: "My Lord, my Lord, my Lord." So therefore God sometimes wants that "Who will chastise Me?" He selects one of His devotees, first-class devotees: "You become My father, you become My mother, and you chastise Me." This is God's pleasure. Ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. Then that is God. Ananda, that is ananda. Here, mother Yasoda is going to bind Krsna. It is not His displeasure; He is not unhappy. He is feeling happy. That is Krsna. So in this way we have to understand Krsna thoroughly. And if you simply understand thoroughly Krsna, you are liberated. You are liberated. Janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. One may question that... They may neglect that "If Krsna is God, why mother Yasoda is binding Him?" But he does not know that is a pleasure. That is a pleasure. There are many instances. I'll cite one instance that there was a big prime minister in England, Gladstone. Perhaps you have heard the name. Queen Victoria's prime minister. So somebody came to see him, and the servant informed him that "The prime minister is little busy. You wait." So he was waiting. One hour passed, and still no message. Then he opened the door. He wanted to see what the prime minister is doing. He saw that the prime minister has become a horse, and his grandchildren driving him. That is enjoyment. He is the prime minister but he has become a horse of his grandchild. (laughter).

So this is the position. There are different types of position. When there is battlefield, Krsna said that "I'll not fight. Arjuna, although I shall be on your side, but don't expect that I shall fight. Because it is between your brothers, both of you are My relatives, I will not fight." So Arjuna accepted, "Yes, You don't fight. So You, any way You like, You can help me." So He said, "All right, I shall become your chariot, I shall drive your chariot." So "That's all right; whatever You like." This was the agreement. So Duryodhana complained to Bhismadeva that "Arjuna is your pet grandchild. You are not fighting wholeheartedly." So he began to criticize him. He was also grandchild. So when Bhismadeva saw that "Duryodhana is thinking that I am inclined to Arjuna, I am not fighting properly," so he said: "All right, tomorrow I shall finish Arjuna. Tomorrow I shall fight in such a way, either Arjuna has to die, or his friend who has promised not to fight, He has to fight. Otherwise there is no escape of Arjuna." So Duryodhana became very satisfied. And Bhisma was a great hero. He was not ordinary hero. He fought in such a way that Arjuna's chariot became broken and he became fainted and so on, so on. Then Krsna saw that "My friend is going to die." So He became very angry. And He was coming with the chariot wheel to kill Bhismadeva, and Bhismadeva was piercing His body with arrows like anything. So Krsna was feeling very satisfaction, because Bhisma is also great devotee. So when Krsna came before Bhismadeva, that "Now I shall kill you, you are doing too much," so he immediately left, means "That was my promise, that either You have to fight or Your friend will be killed."

So these are the transactions between devotee and God. Generally, people cannot understand. But if one understands, he becomes liberated. If some way or other... It is not very difficult; simply we have to associate with devotees and discuss this literature. Then we'll understand Krsna very easily. And Krsna is explaining in the Bhagavad-gita about Himself. In the Seventh Chapter Krsna says,

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
 [Bg. 7.1]

Krsna is offering that samagram, sama, "In fullness, completely, as you can understand Me, I am speaking to you." Asamsayam -- without any doubt. Doubt there may be. Because God is great, we are very small; how we can understand God? There is always some doubt, whether He's personal, impersonal, all-pervading. There are so many different conception of God. But therefore God Himself says asamsayam, "without any doubt." And samagram, "completely." Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. Just like to study a subject matter, it takes some time, takes little endeavor to associate with person who knows the thing rightly. In this way we can understand God also. Just like we understand so many science, so many arts, by patience. Then that is Rupa Gosvami's advice: niscayad dhairyat. Dhairyat means patience. We have to learn patiently. Niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat sato vrtteh sanga-tyagat sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati.

So, if we follow the instruction, tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, as it is prescribed in the sastras, as it instructed by the spiritual master... We have to learn everything through the spiritual master. You cannot understand directly. That is not possible. Just like if you purchase one medical book and read at home you cannot become doctor, medical man. You have to go through the medical college and professor. Similarly, the sastra says, tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. If you want to learn that transcendental science, you must go through the bona fide guru. And Krsna also says in the... This is Vedic injunction. Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita,

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

One has to approach a person who has seen God. Tattva-darsinah. How God can be seen? Tattva-darsinah. Tattva-darsinah means one who knows the truth. Truth means how to see. Pasyanti jnana-caksusa: by the eyes of knowledge. Pasyanti jnana-caksusa. Sastra-caksusat. Not that if somebody challenges that "Have you seen God?" "Yes, I have seen." "How?" "Through sastra, through sastra." God reveals. You cannot see, even God comes before you... Just like Krsna was present... Here is God before you. But you cannot understand. Unless we are advanced in Krsna consciousness, we'll think, "What is this, a statue of stone? He is God?" Yes, He is God. Otherwise, why we are spending so much money, wasting time? No, here is God. But how you can see God? Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. You have to make the eyes to see God. Otherwise, God is everywhere. So they may ask that "If God is everywhere, why you are worshiping an idol?" He's not idol, He is God, but he is seeing idol. Unless he has developed love for God, he cannot see. But it is, God is there. But because our eyes cannot see the spirit, at the present moment, our dull material eyes... Just like you are spirit soul, I am spirit soul, your father is spirit soul, your mother is spirit soul -- but are you seeing the spirit soul? When the spirit soul goes away, you're crying, "My father is gone, my father is gone." Why father is gone? He's lying on the bed. You have seen the coat, pants, hands, legs, that is there. Why you say gone? "No, he's gone." So we cannot see the spirit soul even of our father and mother; how can you see God, the Supreme Spirit? Therefore God comes before you just like stone, which you can see. It is to favor you. God is everything. So, in this way, we have to understand God, Krsna. And if anyone understands, then he becomes immediately fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya. Janma karma ca me divyam yo tattvatah [Bg. 4.9].

So therefore we require good association. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha tatah rucis tato bhavas sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave... [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. You cannot develop love of Godhead in one second. You can, provided you are so sincere and God is very much pleased upon you. He can give you. He can give you immediately. That is possible. But that may be some rare cases. Ordinarily, this is the process. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango. Just like we have come here in this temple. You have got some faith, all of us. That is called sraddha, adau sraddha. There are many hundred thousand in this quarter. Why they are not coming? This is the beginning. You have got some faith, sraddha. You have come. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango. And if you continue... What we are doing? We are making the association to take lessons from these Vedic literatures. This is called sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. In the drinking shop we make one kind of association, in the restaurant we make one association, in the club we make some association, different places. So here is a place, here is also association. It is called sadhu-sanga, association with devotees. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. And if one is mature, then he wants to execute devotional service, bhajana-kriya. And as soon as there is bhajana-kriya, the unnecessary nonsense things will disappear. No more illicit sex, no more intoxication, no more drinking, no more gambling. Finished. When anartha-nivrttih syat, all these rascal habits are gone, then nistha, then firm faith, not to be agitated. Tato nistha tatah rucis. Then taste. You cannot live outside this camp. Taste has changed. Tato nistha tatah rucis, tathasaktis, then attraction. Then bhava. Bhava means ecstasy: "Oh, Krsna." Then there is love. There are different stage.

So this... Real religion is love, how to love God. That is real religion Dharma, what is that? Yato bhaktir... Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo [SB 1.2.6]. There are different kinds of dharma, or religious system. But real religious system means how we have learned to love God. That's all. Nothing more. No ritualistic ceremony, no formula, nothing. If your heart is always crying for God, that is perfect religion. That is perfect religion. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, sunyayitam jagat sarvam: "Oh, without Krsna, I am feeling the whole world is vacant." Vacant, yes. So we have to come to that stage. Of course, it is not possible for all of us, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed us how to become highest religious person. That is to feel always, "Oh, without Krsna, everything is vacant." Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda virahena me. That is dharma, that is dharma. So the Visnuduta is testing these Yamadutas, whether he understands what is the meaning of dharma. Dharma, we cannot create. Dharma is neither Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, this dharma, that dharma. They may be some sectarian understanding, but real dharma means how we have learned to love God.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Irreligious Religion

Irreligious Religion

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.37
San Francisco, July 19, 1975

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Nitai: "Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak: After the messengers of Yamaraja thus addressed the Visnudutas, those perfected beings who are personal associates of Vasudeva smiled and, with voices resounding as the sound of the cloud, gravely spoke the following words."

Prabhupada:

ity ukte yamadutais te
vasudevokta-karinah
tan pratyucuh prahasyedam
megha-nirhradaya gira
 [SB 6.1.37]

So the Yamadutas, they very politely submitted. They could understand immediately that these persons so nicely decorated, four hands, looking very youthful, all the good qualities... So with due submission, they said that "You look so nice, gentle. Why you are interfering with our duties?" Kim artham dharma-palasya kinkaran no nisedhatha. So they accepted the submission. Very humbly they submitted, with great respect. Therefore they were smiling. And the word is used here, tan pratyucuh prahasya idam. When there is argument, dealing, if the words are exchanged very politely, so things go on nicely. So prahasya. Prahasya, now they are challenging, the Visnuduta, that "You are claiming to become the servants of Yamaraja, and he is Dharmaraja, he is authority, and how is that you do not know whom to arrest and whom not to arrest? This man is now free from all sinful reaction. How is that you are claiming to be servant of Yamaraja, Dharmaraja, and do not know?" Therefore they were smiling.

So their challenge was that "You are claiming to be servants of Yamaraja, but we are doubting whether you are bona fide servants of Yamaraja. Otherwise why you are committing this mistake?" So this indicates the servant should be as good as the master. That is servant. Because sometimes servants may be challenged. So that is the qualification of Krsna's servant. Krsna's servant must be always equipped, because they have to meet so many opposing elements, Krsna's the... Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. There are so many... Practically the whole material world is full of duskrtam. They want to create God. They don't want to become servant of God. That is their challenge. Therefore, anyone who is claiming to become servant of God, Krsna, he must be well equipped to meet the challenging spirit of others. Prahasya idam megha-nirhradaya gira. Very gravely enquired from them. What is that enquiry? They said, sri-visnuduta ucuh. The Visnuduta replied. Their submission was, "Sir, you are so nice gentlemen. You appear to be coming from the very elevated planets, and why you are interfering?"

So they, with very grave voice and smiling, challenging them. What is that?

yuyam vai dharma-rajasya
yadi nirdesa-karinah
bruta dharmasya nas tattvam
yac cadharmasya laksanam

"So if you are actually servant of Dharmaraja, then you must know what is dharma and what is adharma." Yuyam vai dharma-rajasya yadi nirdesa-karinah. "That will be your bona fide representation. You cannot do any mistake if you are servant of Dharmaraja." Dharmaraja means... Here there are so many living entities, of course, in the human society. I have explained many times. Dharma, religious system, is in the human society, not in the animal society. The animals does not... They have no knowledge; neither they have capacity to distinguish what is dharma, what is adharma. Their business is simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. It is the human society, another extra, not only simply eating, sleeping, mating. That is required because we have got this body. But we have got extra intelligence. Why this extra intelligence? That is for understanding dharma, religion.

But unfortunately, the modern rascal society, they utilizing that extra intelligence than the cats and dog for the same purpose: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is the defect of the modern civilization. In spite of advancement of education, scientific knowledge, technical knowledge, this knowledge, that knowledge, they remain the same cats and dogs. This is the defect. Therefore people are dissatisfied, disappointed. God has given him extra intelligence for understanding God, but they are being misled: "There is no God. You utilize it for your sense gratification." This is education. Extra... Therefore they are thinking, "The dog is eating on the street. We are eating in a very good hotel on nice table, nice dishes. This is advancement of life." But they do not think that after all, the dog is eating, you are also eating. You may be a better dog, that's all. So what is your extra business? So a dog is eating only flesh or meat, because God has ordained. But you are ordained to eat fruits, flowers, nice grain, milk preparation, but you, because you are dog, you are eating meat. The extra intelligence that... Because you have got extra intelligence, you should utilize the food for you. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam [Iso mantra 1]. The Upanisad, Vedas, says, "What you are ordained to take or accept... Everything belongs to God, but He has given allotment: 'You use like this. You use like this.' " So if you imitate dog instead of human being... You are advanced human being. Why should you eat like dog or the uncivilized man? The uncivilized man in the jungle, he does not know how to produce grain, how to prepare many nice preparation. He does not know. But you are civilized man. Why you should eat like dogs and tigers? This is misuse of intelligence.

So therefore, as they are challenging, that first of all, "You are claiming to be servant of Dharmaraja, so let us know what do you know about dharma?" so similarly, we should also challenge, "If you are human being, you must know how to live like human being. Otherwise you are animal. If you eat like animal, sleep like animal and have sex like animal and defend like animal, then you are animal." They say that "It is very good to become dog because there is no restriction of sex life. We can have it on the street." They think like that. "This is advancement." The animals wander naked, so man is also trying to become naked, nudism. This is life. So their extra intelligence is being used like that -- very, very abominable condition of the human society. You are the only hope to save them. Otherwise it is doomed.

So the question is, they are challenged, "What is dharma and what is adharma? If you are servant of Dharmaraja, you must distinguish what is dharma." So even though the Yamadutas, they are not very good-looking as the Visnudutas, still, this question was put to them to explain. They are not very much civilized, you may say. Still, they are expected to know this distinction. Just see. Even the Yamadutas were how much advanced, and how we are advanced? We do not know what is dharma, what is adharma. We don't make any distinction. Dharma is... We have repeatedly said: dharma means to surrender to Krsna, simple. And adharma means everything except this. If you don't surrender to Krsna, then whatever you are doing, that is adharma, means nonreligious. Therefore in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra. Kaitava means cheating, false, pretentious. So all kinds of cheating religion is kicked out. Cheating religions, they are teaching that "We can create God. As we can create television, similarly, we can create God." They are teaching, "This is dharma." Just see how degraded they have... And these things are going on as dharma. Bruta dharmasya nas tattvam. Tattvam. Tattvam means truth. "Don't talk nonsense. Don't waste time." Tattvam: "In truth, what is dharma?" Bruta dharmasya nas tattvam yac ca adharmasya laksanam: "And how you distinguish from adharma, nonreligious thing?" Knowledge means you should know both things, not one side. You must know what is religious system and what is not religious system. Simply one side is not full knowledge. Upayam ca cintayet prajna, apayam ca cintayet(?). Just like if you want to do some business, you have calculated that "I shall invest so much money, and I shall get so much profit. So let us do this business. It is very nice." But sastra says, "No, you have simply calculated the profit, and you also calculate no profit, not one-sided." Similarly, to know dharma, you must know adharma also, the opposite side. If you know white, you should know what is black. Otherwise the knowledge is not... Relative. This world is... If you know the father, then you must know the son. Or if you know the son, then you must know the father. So in the religious system, if one knows the son, the further improvement is to know the father. That is required. Otherwise incomplete. If you simply know the son of God, then it is incomplete. If you know the father of the son of God, then it is complete.

So here, in our Krsna consciousness movement, there are... In all other religious system, they say that "Our this leader is son of God." Somebody says, "He is... Our leader is a servant of God." So now, because you did not know who is the master, who is the father, therefore gradually it has dwindled. Now we must know. The Krsna consciousness movement is awarding, "Here is the father of the son of God -- Krsna. Here is the master of the servant." This is Krsna consciousness. So there is no quarrel with other religious system. They know simply the son of God, but they do not know who is the father of the son. That is Krsna. Aham bija-pradah pita. Krsna says, "I am the seed-giving father." Whose father? Sarva-yonisu. "In all forms of living entity." Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti [Bg. 14.4]. Beginning from the microscopic living entities up to the Brahma, the biggest, so Krsna claims that "I am the father of Brahma as well as the microscopic germ." Sarva-yonisu. So you should know. And if anyone understands Krsna, how He is father of Brahma and father of this microscopic germ, then he becomes perfect, immediately. Therefore Krsna recommends, janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. The tattva, truth, if you simply try to understand Krsna in truth, how He is father of Lord Brahma and how He is father of the microscopic germ, and if you in truth understand what is this microscopic germ and what is this Brahma, what is this human being, what is this tiger, what is this tree, so to know Krsna means to know everything.

Therefore in the Vedas it is said, kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati: "If you simply understand Krsna, then you become full knowledge." That is complete knowledge. Etaj jnanam. This is... Bhagavad-gita says, "This is knowledge." If you simply study Krsna, so what is the difficulty? Krsna is explaining Himself. Suppose if you want to study somebody, you may guess that this body, this man, may be like this, like that. That is going on all over the world, what is God. Some theosophist, some theosophist and theologist, all are speculating, "Maybe," "Perhaps," "This, that." And the God is explaining Himself, "I am this, like this," that they will not take. Just see. God is canvassing that "Here I am. I have come." Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. "I have appeared before you just to give you relief." Paritranaya sadhunam. "You are trying to understand Me, so here I am. I am present. Why you are thinking God is formless? Here I am, Krsna, form. You see, I have got My flute in the hand. I am very much fond of the cows. I love the cows and the sage and Brahma, everyone equally, because they are all My sons in different bodies." Krsna is playing. Krsna is speaking. Still, these rascals will not understand Krsna. So what is Krsna's fault? It is our fault. Andha. Just like the owl. Owl will never open the eyes to see that there is sunlight. You know this, owl? So they will not open. However you may say, "Mr. Owl, please open your eyes and see the sun," "No, there is no sun. I don't see." (laughter) This owl civilization. So you have to fight with these owls. You must be very strong, especially the sannyasis. We have to fight with the owls. We have to open their eyes by force from this, with machine. (laughter) So this is going on. So this Krsna consciousness movement is a fight against all the owls.

So here is a challenge: yuyam vai dharma-rajasya yadi nirdesa-karinah. Nirdesa-karinah. Servant means they have no second choice than to carry out the orders of the master. Therefore nirdesa-karinah. They cannot argue. No. Whatever is ordered, that is served. So if anyone claims to become... He is expecting the... I think... Here the Visnudutas are also mentioned here, vasudevokta-karinah. They are also servant. So ukta means whatever order is given by Vasudeva, they carry out. Similarly, the Yamadutas, they are servant of Yamaraja. They are also addressed nirdesa-karinah: "If you are actually servant of Yamaraja, you act according to his direction, then you must know what is dharma and what is adharma." So they are actually bona fide servant of Yamaraja, there is no doubt about it. Now they are giving their identification in this way, yamaduta ucuh veda-pranihito dharmah, immediately answered. "What is dharma?" That was the question. Immediately answered. They know what is dharma. Veda-pranihito dharmah: "Dharma means what is explained in the Vedas." You cannot create dharma. Veda, the original knowledge, Veda means knowledge. Veda-sastra. So from the time of creation, the Veda was given to Brahma. Veda... Therefore it is called apauruseya; it is not manufactured. That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Brahma, brahma means Veda. Vedas another name is brahma, spiritual knowledge, or all knowledge, brahma. So tene brahma adi-kavaye hrda. So Veda has to be studied from the spiritual master.

So it is said that the Brahma is the first living being who understood Vedas. So how he understood? Where is The teacher? There is no other creature. How he understood Vedas? Now, that teacher was Krsna, and He is situated in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So He is teaching from the heart. So Krsna teaches -- He is so kind -- as caitya-guru, from the heart, and He sends His representative from outside. Caitya-guru and guru, both ways, Krsna is trying. Krsna is so kind. So therefore Vedas, they are not man-made books. Veda, apauruseya. Apauruseya means not made by... We should not take Vedas as ordinary mental speculation book. No. It is perfect knowledge. It is perfect knowledge. And one has to take as it is, without any adulteration, interpretation. So it is spoken by God. Therefore Bhagavad-gita is also Veda. It is spoken by Krsna. So you cannot make any addition, alteration. You must take it as it is. Then you get the right knowledge. Vedas, how... The example is given. Perhaps you know several times that the Vedas, how it should be accepted as it is without interpretation. Just like Vedas says that if you touch stool, immediately you have to take your bath. You have become impure. This is Vedic injunction. If you touch bone, then you have become impure. You have to take your bath immediately, full. Then Vedas say, "Now, the stool of cow is pure, cow dung." Now, with your reason you can say, "First of all you said that stool is impure, and as soon as you touch you must take your bathing. Otherwise you remain impure. So another stool, cow stool, you say pure? This is contradiction. You say that the bone is impure, and you are keeping the bone in the Deity's room?" The conchshell is bone. You know this conchshell is a bone of an animal. So it is being used in the Deity room, and the cow dung is also used in the Deity room. Even Krsna is smearing His whole body with cow dung. You know Krsna's lila. So if you say, argue, with your poor knowledge, then it becomes contradiction. One stool is good; another stool is bad. But because it is said by the Vedas, you have to accept it. This is Vedic knowledge. You cannot argue. There is no scope of argument. Whatever is said, you have to accept. Otherwise how Vedas become authority? You can change in your own way.

So therefore we say that if you want to take benefit by reading Bhagavad-gita, then you should accept it as it is said. Don't try to interpret foolishly. Then you will never get the benefit. That is our propaganda. And people are very against us: "No, I am a scholar. I am a philosopher. I can interpret in a way." We say, "No, sir, you cannot do that." This is our propaganda. Veda-pranihito dharmah.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975

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