"Don't Cheat Others"

73/08/21 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.15


Pradyumna:

yam hi na vyathayanty ete
purusam purusarsabha
sama-duhkha-sukham dhiram
so 'mrtatvaya kalpate
[Bg. 2.15]

"O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation."

Prabhupada: There is a mistake. "Is best," it should be "the best," not "is best" "The best." It is address. Not nominative. Go on.

Pradyumna: Finished.

Prabhupada: Finished?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupada: So Krsna is addressing Arjuna, purusarsabha, the best of the men. "O the best of the men." Certainly, Arjuna is the best of the mankind. Because he is directly friend of Krsna, who can be better man than him? The best of the men. So the best of the men, why he's distressed in executing his duty? Therefore, this very word is used, that "You are the best of the men."

Actually, the best of the men should not be disturbed by any material condition. He should discharge his duties. And what is the duty? Duty is to become immortal. This is the duty. The lowest of the men does not know how to become immortal, amrta. Mrta means death and amrta means no death. The modern rascal civilization cannot understand that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They have taken it, accepted it; "Well, who can stop?" They are simply scientifically calculating that "Some day will come, by science, we shall be immortal, there will be no death." The formula is given here by Krsna how to become immortal. That means you should be callous of this so-called happiness and distress of this material world. That is the first qualification. One who doesn't care what is the distress and happiness of this body, he must execute Krsna consciousness. That is the qualification. "Oh, I cannot execute Krsna consciousness because there are so many inconveniences," he's not fit for becoming immortal.

People do not know that there can, we can become immortal. Immortal we are, but we have been embodied in this material body. Therefore we have to accept mortality, birth and death. These things stated in the Bhagavad-gita, this is the beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. They come to ask me, "Sir, do you know some spiritual magic? Kundalini, yoga? This? That?" All for material benefit. Spiritualist means something magic so that you can get some material benefit. If by stretching your hand you can get some little quantity of gold, then you are spiritualist: "Oh, here is a man, wonderful spiritualist. He can create gold. He can cure disease by simply..." What is called? Fooing.(?) Like that. They want to see magic only for material benefit. What is called? Miracles. That is spiritualist. (aside:) Not in that way; let him sit backside this. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. Amrtatvaya. So 'mrtatvaya kalpate. Krsna has explained,

matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata
[Bg. 2.14]

Tams titiksasva. Don't be disturbed by the sensuous disturbance of the body. Become dhira. Dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13].

Become dhira.

So one who has practiced to become dhira, not to become disturbed by the sensuous or bodily sensations, he's supposed to be kalpate, he's supposed to be, to become immortal at the end. And the Bhagavata says also that you do not become a spiritual master, you do not become a father, you do not become a mother, you do not become a friend, a relative, in this way, if you cannot make your subordinate immortal. Pita na sa syat, gurur na sa syat, gurur na sa syat, janani na sa syat pita na sa syat. In this way, there is a list. You become father of hundreds of children. That's all right. No restriction. You beget children. But you must make your children immortal. That is the injunction. You have become guru. That's all right, Guruji Maharaja. That's all right. But make your disciples immortal. Otherwise, don't, don't cheat others. Cheaters. Illicit father, illicit mother. As we say, illicit sex. Similarly illicit father, illicit mother. Who is illicit father, illicit mother? Who cannot make his children immortal. That is the aim of human life. How to become immortal. How... Not to become, we are immortal. Just like a person, he's diseased, attacked by fever. Fever is not his natural condition, but somehow or other, he has got fever. Similarly, we are immortal. That will be explained. Na jayate na mriyate va. The living entity never takes birth, never dies. Therefore immortal. Immortal means no birth, no death. That is immortal. Whenever there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. That is immortality.

So the whole scheme is Vedic scheme, not otherwise: how to become immortal. You find in Bhagavad-gita, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. In many places, the sastra only aims at. In another place, in Bharati-kavya (Bhakti-kavya) (?), when Visvamitra Muni came to see Maharaja Dasaratha to ask his son, Ramacandra and Laksmana, to take them, they were boys at that time, and there was a demon disturbing in the forest. So Visvamitra... (aside:) Not back side ... Visvamitra Muni came to Maharaja Dasaratha for help. Visvamitra Muni could kill that demon immediately, but that is not the business of the brahmana. Killing business is for the ksatriya. Just see how... He was quite powerful. He could kill that demon simply by saying that "You die." He was so powerful, Visvamitra Muni. But still, he came to the king for help.

So when Visvamitra Muni came to Maharaja Dasaratha, as we ask, "How are you?" so Dasaratha, Maharaja Dasaratha inquired from Visvamitra Muni, aihistam yad punar janmajaya: (?)"My dear sir, if there is anything disturbance in your occupation? Because you are trying to conquer over death." All the great rsis and saintly persons, all spiritual realization means to conquer over death. So this was the question. ihistam yad tam punar janmajaya.(?) Punar janma, you are trying to own over repetition of birth. The modern civilization, they do not know that it is possible. It is possible to become immortal, to have eternal blissful life of knowledge. That is called immortality. Sac-cid-ananda. Sat means eternity and cit means knowledge and ananda means pleasure, bliss. We are part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna is sac-cid-ananda vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. His transcendental body is eternal, blissful and complete knowledge, His body. Therefore He's speaking Bhagavad-gita. If He's an ordinary man, what is the use of hearing Him? Ordinary man will commit mistake, will cheat, will be illusioned. His senses are imperfect; how he can give complete knowledge? That is not possible. Therefore we are not concerned to hear any rascal. We want to hear Krsna. We are not prepared to hear any rascal, so-called scientists and so-called philosopher, so-called God. No. We are not prepared. Because everyone is rascal. Everyone is full of mistakes, everyone is trying to cheat others, everyone is illusioned, and everyone's senses are imperfect. How he can give knowledge perfect? That is not possible.

Therefore, we have to select guru. Guru means Krsna. As Arjuna has selected guru, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I am, I become Your sisya, disciple, and I surrender unto You." So to get perfect knowledge, we have to find out Krsna or Krsna's bona fide representative. Then there is perfect knowledge. Then we can become immortal. Unless we get perfect knowledge. So Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], immortal. Krsna is full of bliss, full of knowledge, and we are also part and parcel of Krsna. So we have also the same quality, sac-cid-ananda, the spiritual body. But because we have contacted this material nature, our blissfulness, our eternity, our knowledge, everything is now disturbed. Everything is now disturbed. We cannot be completely blissful. Anything you take, any pleasurable thing you take, it cannot give you always pleasure. It is not possible. This is not possible in this material world. However you may try scientifically to prolong your duration of life, live forever, it is not possible. And however you may pose yourself, cheat others, that you are the best man in knowledge, philosopher, scientist, you are a fool. That is not possible. Sac-cid-ananda vigrahah is Krsna only [Bs. 5.1]. So we can also become like Krsna along with Krsna. Not outside. We can be living force along with Krsna. So Krsna is also very much anxious to take us back to Him.

Therefore He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. When these rascals forget that unless he goes back to home, goes back to Krsna he'll never be happy, that is the discrepancy of occupational duty. They have come here, krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare (Prema-vivarta), he has come here to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature, and has become entangled. So Krsna comes, descends, to save us, to give us shelter at His lotus feet so that we may also become immortal like Krsna, full of bliss and full of knowledge. That is called amrtatva.

So unless we have got our aim, target of life, then what is the value of life? This is amrtatvaya. Is there any institution, is there educational institution or university or college where this teaching is given, that how you can become immortal? Is there any institution in the world? Throughout the whole world? No. They are simply teaching that you live like animal and die like animal. That's all. You live like cats and dog and you die like cats and dogs and again become cats and dogs. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah.

matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram
punah punas carvita-carvananam

[SB 7.5.30]

naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-'bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat

This is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction, that the... He was instructing his father, materialist, first-class materialist. So, when he inquired that "What is your purpose that you have become Krsna conscious? How you have become Krsna conscious?" So he answered. He did not ask him, addressed him, as "My father." He addressed him, asura-varya, the first-class demon. He never addressed him, "My dear father." "My dear first-class demon." This little boy, five years old, because he's Krsna conscious, and the father is threatening always to kill, still he's not afraid. When he says that "Wherefrom you have got this courage, Prahlada?" "My dear father," or "My dear demon, I have got this courage wherefrom you have got this courage. But you are forgetting. That is the difference. You have got so much power that you can defeat anyone, even the demigods. You should know that you have got this power from the powerful. But you are not obedient to the powerful." That is demon. Demons, when they get power, they think that "I have got it, I have earned it. It is my thing. Who can challenge me?" But he forgets that everything can be withdrawn within a second by the powerful. That is demoniac. And Vaisnava, devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful." This is the difference.

So Prahlada Maharaja said "People do not know the aim of life." The aim of life is here, amrtatva, as good as Krsna, as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Blissful, full of knowledge and eternal. That is the aim of life. But people do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Visnu means the Supreme Lord who is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. So our aim should be how to approach Visnu. Then we get the same power, same eternity, same blissfulness. Just like a motorcar is running at the speed of sixty miles, and if a cyclist someway or other catches the motorcar, he can also go at the speed of sixty miles. Sometimes boys do that. Similarly, you approach Krsna. You approach Visnu. You get all the powers because you become under protection. Protection of the... That... Tulasi dasa has said that in the ocean, the waves of the ocean, if you put one elephant very powerful, very strong, the elephant will be washed away by the waves. But a small fish, a teeny fish, it is swimming against the waves. They take pleasure. The fish, when the waves are coming this way, the fish go in that way. Now see. You put against the waves an elephant. It will be washed away. Why elephant? Any strong thing you give. Even big, big ships, oh, it will be washed away. But a small fish, it doesn't care the waves; it goes against the waves. Why? It has taken the shelter. It has taken the shelter of the ocean. Similarly, all power belongs to Krsna. Yatra yogesvarah harih. But if anyone takes shelter of Krsna, he becomes as powerful as Krsna. This is the process.

So, but we do not know. We want to become powerful here by so-called science, so-called yoga, kundalini and what other nonsense they are think... They are trying to be immortal, powerful. No, sir, that is not possible. It is not possible. Therefore, people do not know. Na te viduh. They do not know. Svartha-gatim hi visnum. Our aim should be how to approach Visnu. How to go back to home, back to Godhead. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. They're hoping, very durasaya, means very badly, wrongly, that they want to be happy by adjustment of this material world. The yogic process is also another material gymnastic. We have not heard any yogi has become successful to get immortality. No, that is not possible. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Those who are trying to adjust this material world by science or yoga, without caring for Visnu, what they are? Andha. They are blind. Andha. And their leaders? They are also blind. Andha yatha upaniyamanah andhena. One blind man is trying to lead another blind man. So what is the wrong there? Te 'pisa-tantryam baddhah: They are bound up by the laws of nature, hand and legs tight. How they can become free and happy by such endeavor? That is not possible. So, so simply by taking Krsna consciousness it will be nice? Yes.

So how to take Krsna consciousness? That is also answered by Prahlada Maharaja. Matir na krsne paratah svato va mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam. Krsna consciousness cannot be awakened for a person who wants to stay in this material world and become happy. He cannot become Krsna conscious. Grha-vratanam. Grha means home, and vratanam means one who has taken the house or home or this body as everything. Vrata. Vrata means... Just like you are observing this today, a Janmastami-vrata, under vow. We shall fast, an austerity. The aim is different from the grha-vrata. Grha-vrata's aim is how to decorate the home, how to become happy in this home, in this world, in this material world. That is their... So they cannot become Krsna conscious. One who has become callous of this material happiness, he can become Krsna conscious. Therefore it is said here, yam hi na vyathayanty ete. These material things, seasonal changes, so-called happiness, so-called distress, if one is not disturbed... There is no cause of disturbance. This is another foolishness. Why one should be disturbed? Because the so-called happiness or happiness or distress, whatever you are destined to receive, you must get it. You try or do not try, it doesn't matter. Whatever portion of happiness you are destined to get, you'll get it. And whatever portion of... Because this material life is mixture. You cannot get unadulterated happiness or unadulterated distress. No. That is not. You'll get distress and happiness both.

Therefore Krsna has explained in the previous verse, here also: yam hi na vyathayanty ete. Matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha [Bg. 2.14]. Here in this material world there is winter and the counterpart summer also. In the winter we aspire, "If it would have been warmer." That means you want summer. And again summer you'll require, you aspire had it been, I mean to say, cooler. You apply cooling machine. So this is our struggle. In the summer, we apply cooling machine, and in the winter, we apply heating machine. So undisturbed happiness, either in coolness or warmth, you cannot have. This is not possible. Therefore we have to become callous. But the materialist persons, they are disturbed. A little winter, little chilliness, immediately, "Bring electric heater, immediately." Or if there is too much hot, "Bring fan, bring cooler." So they are busy how to adjust these material disturbances. But they do not think that "Why these material disturbances are disturbing me? I do not want them." That question do not come... They simply struggle how to counteract it. Struggling like fool. But here is the solution. Here is the solution. The solution is that don't be disturbed with this cooling and heating machine. Be pleased in whatever condition Krsna has placed you. Of course, there is no harm if you can put yourself in a comfortable... But simply for putting yourself in comfortable situation, don't forget Krsna. That is our aim. Simply for making adjustment of this material condition of life, if you forget Krsna, then you'll lose everything. That in the Bible also, what is, there is a... (devotee speaks) Yes. Repeat it.

Hamsaduta: "What profiteth a man who gains the whole world but he loses his eternal soul?"

Prabhupada: That's it. That should be the aim. That we are eternal soul. We must be again replaced in our eternal life. But if you forget this mission of life and simply become engaged how to become happy in this material world, how to avoid distress and how to get happiness... People are engaged in that way. Simply trying to get happiness and avoid distress, and forgetting that he has got a mission of life, to realize his self and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the defect of the modern civilization.
So... bahir-artha-maninah. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi... matir na krsne paratah svato va mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam. So their conferences, their United Nation, their scientific advancement, their educational system, philosophy, and so on, so on, everything is meant for how to become happy in this material world. Grha-vratanam. The aim is how to become happy here. And that is not possible. These rascals they cannot understand. If you want to become happy, then you must come to Krsna. Mam upetya tu kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam napnuvanti [Bg. 8.15]. Krsna says, "If somebody comes to Me, then he does not again get this place which is full of miseries," duhkhalayam. This material world is explained by Krsna as duhkhalayam. Alayam means place, and duhkha means distress. Everything is distressful here, but fools being illusioned, covered by the illusory maya, that distress he accepts as happiness. That is maya. It is not at all happiness. A man is working whole day and night, and because he's getting some paper where it is written, "We trust in God. Take this paper, hundred dollars. I cheat you." Is it not? "We trust in God. I promise to pay you. Take this paper now. Not even one cent worth. It is written there hundred dollars." So I am thinking I am very happy: "Now I have got this paper." That's all. Cheaters and cheated. This is going on.

So we should not be disturbed by the happiness and distress of this material world. That should be our aim. Our aim should be how to execute Krsna consciousness. How to execute. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given very simple formula:

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]

In this age, Kali, you cannot execute any severe austerity or penances. Simply chant Hare Krsna. That also we are not able to do. Just see. How unfortunate we are. So this is the position of the Kali-yuga. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. They are very rascals, manda. Manda means very bad, manda. And sumanda-matayah. And if they want to improve something, they will accept some rascal Guruji Maharaja. Mandah sumanda-matayah. And some party which has no bona fide contribution, they will accept that: "Oh it is very nice." So first of all they're all bad, and if they accept something, that will also be very bad. Why? Unfortunate. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagyah [SB 1.1.10]. Manda-bhagyah means unfortunate. And above that, upadrutah. Always disturbed by taxes, no rains, no sufficient food. So many things. This is the position of Kali-yuga. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said... Caitanya Mahaprabhu not. It is in the Vedic literature, that you cannot do the yoga practice, meditation or offering big, big sacrifices or construct big, big temples for worshiping the Deity. It is very, very difficult nowadays. Simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and gradually you'll realize how to become immortal.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973