Duty...Or A Waste Of Time

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8
April 22, 1974, Hyderabad



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


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

Translation: "Duties, or dharma, executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord."

Prabhupada:

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

Dharma (is) generally translated into English as "religion." I have already explained several times. The dictionary meaning of religion is "a kind of faith." But actually, dharma means occupational duty, or the characteristic. Just like a snake. The snake, its religion is to bite, and fatal bite. That is his dharma, occupational duty. Everything has got... Just like this microphone, it must work, it must expand the sound. That is its dharma. If it does not expand the sound, it is useless. So everything you take, there are characteristics. That is the meaning of dharma. Dharma is not an artificial faith. Faith you can change, but your occupational duty, you cannot change.

So what is the occupational duty of the living entity? The living entity is now encaged in two kinds of gross and subtle body. Therefore, when he is situated in the bodily concept of life, his dharma is fruitive activities or sense gratification. When he is situated on the mental platform, then his occupational duties become speculation, imagination. And when he is situated in his original, spiritual platform, then his occupational duty is to serve Krsna. These are the three positions: karma, jnana, yoga, bhakti -- gradual evolution. Because spiritual knowledge also gradually evolves. Nirvisesa-brahman, antaryami paramatma, and sad-aisvarya-purna-bhagavan -- these are the different stages of self-realization or spiritual advancement. Karma, jnana, yoga and bhakti. Yoga means bhakti-yoga, or the preliminary, primary stage of bhakti-yoga. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

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

There are different types of yogis, but the first-class yogi is he who, now, mad-gatenantar-atmana, Krsna says, "who is thinking of Me always," mad-gata, sraddhavan, with veneration, love and faith. Bhajate.

So to think of Krsna is also bhajana. There are different process of bhajana. To hear of Krsna, that is also bhajana. Just like you are hearing. And to speak about Krsna. I am speaking; you are hearing. Similarly, when the speaking and hearing is finished, then you think of Krsna, or by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, you think of Krsna. Krsna being absolute, all these different processes are also the same, one and the same. There is no difference between chanting and hearing or remembering or worshiping in the temple. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam [SB 7.5.23]. The temple worship is called arcanam. Vandanam, offering prayers. The Christians, the Muhammadans, they offer prayer. Of course, not to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but impersonal feature or some idea. But that prayer is also one of the processes of bhakti. Anyone who accepts the supremacy of God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his process of worship has to be considered in the category of bhakti-yoga. The more and more you become purified by executing the bhakti-yoga process, then you come to the real platform.

That is stated here, that dharmah svanusthitah pumsam [SB 1.2.8]. It doesn't matter what kind of dharma. Actually dharma is one, the occupational duty, the characteristic. The characteristic means that God is great and we are subordinate. That is the injunction of the Vedas. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. We have to understand that singular number. God is singular, nitya, eternal, cetana, living. He is also nitya and living entity, but the chief, nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. And we are plural number, nityanam, cetananam. So the... We are plural number, living entities. But He is singular number. Why? What is the difference between these two nityas and two cetanas? God is not dead stone. God is like you and me. He is a living entity, but the chief living entity, singular number. Just like we have got leader. There are many hundreds and thousands of followers, but there must be one leader. You follow any cult, you have to accept one leader. Either you follow this philosophy, that philosophy, it doesn't matter. But you have to follow a leader. But Krsna is the supreme leader, leader of the leaders.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjayah [Bg. 7.7]. Leaders there are, gods are, there are. God means controller. There is controller always. So there are many gods. Anyone is god, because he is, somehow or other, he is a controller; a leader also. But we are meaning the supreme leader, the supreme controller. That is Krsna. Leader you have to accept. But... Controller you have to accept. But nobody is supreme leader or supreme controller. That is Krsna. Every leader is also controlled by some other leader. But Krsna is such a leader that He is not controlled by any other leader. That is Krsna. Therefore Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat... [Bg. 7.7]. "There is no one superiorly..."

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

That is the statement of the Vedic literature: the supreme controller, the supreme leader, is Krsna. Sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Krsna is not formless. When Krsna was present on this planet, He is not formless. He has His form. And what is that form? Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. Anandamaya-rasa-vigraha. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa. That is not this vigraha. That we have to understand. Our vigraha, our form, at the present moment, material form, that is not sac-cid-ananda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ananda means full of blissfulness.

So as soon as we think of one body, we think comparing with our body. So similarly, by our foolishness, if we think of Krsna's body like one of us, then we become mudha. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. Because Krsna comes in the human form like a human being, therefore we should not take Krsna as one of us. Then we become mudha, rascal, fools. Or in other words, one who thinks of Krsna having a body like us -- that is the Mayavada philosophy -- he is a mudha. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. These are the statements of Bhagavad-gita. How you can misinterpret? This is plain thing, that symptom. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. These are the words used in the Bhagavad-gita. It is not our manufactured word. People may be very unhappy or angry, but we have to quote from these scriptures. These are the... Anyone who does not surrender to Krsna, he is within these categories.

What are they? First of all duskrtina. Duskrtina means simply engaged in sinful activities. Krti. Krti means meritorious. But duskrti, badly meritorious. They are using their brain for something atrocious, simply planning how to do harm to others. That is called duskrtina. For his own sense satisfaction he is plan... That is called asura. Asuram bhavam asritah. Asuras, they are simply planning for his own sense gratification. And devotees, they are simply planning how to satisfy Krsna's senses. That is the difference. How Krsna will be satisfied. Both of them are planning, but one is planning for his own sense satisfaction and the other is planning how to satisfy the senses of Krsna. This is the difference between asura and deva. There are two classes of men: deva and asura. Dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin daiva asura eva ca. Asuras tad-viparyayah. Visnu-bhaktah smrto daiva asuras tad-viparyayah. Those who are devotees of the Lord, servants of the Lord, they are called deva, or demigods. Asuras tad-viparyayah. And the asuras are just opposite. Just like Hiranyakasipu, Prahlada, the father and son. Prahlada is deva because he is devotee of Krsna. And Hiranyakasipu, because Prahlada is devotee of Krsna, he's trying to always tease him. Although he is a five-years-old-boy, his son, his beloved son, but since he became Krsna conscious, he became the enemy of the asura, Hiranyakasipu. This process is existing from very, very time immemorial, two classes.

Therefore to become devotee is sometimes very troublesome, because even the father become enemy. This is the position of the devotee. But still, you have to become devotee. That is your success of life. But the warning is there, that as soon as you become a devotee, you become enemies of so many, especially nowadays. You know that recently I was refused entrance in Africa. The government did not allow me to enter. What is my fault? Because I am a devotee. This is my fault. So we are meeting so many dangerous position. In Bombay our temple construction has been refused by the commissioner of police. Why? Because we chant Hare Krsna. They have openly written that "The bhajana nuisance." You see? This is our position. Bhajana... Krsna says, Bhagavan says, that catur-vidha bhajante mam. This bhajana word is there. "Four kinds of people can be engaged in bhajana." Who are they? Sukrtino 'rjuna: "Whose background is very, very pious activities." Now, at present, bhajana is nuisance. Bhajana is stated in the Vedic scripture that it is performed by the pious man, and now, at the present circumstances, bhajana is nuisance. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. These are the statements of Vedic scripture. Who is mahatma? Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. These are mahatmas. Nitya-yukta upasate. But at the present moment... Not at the present moment. From time immemorial this is going on. As soon as you become devotee, as soon as you are inclined to take part in bhajana, you will have so many enemies. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that you tolerate. Still, you cannot give up your bhajana and Krsna consciousness. That is not possible. Tolerate. Trnad api. What is the process of toleration? Yes.

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. adi 17.31]

So this Krsna consciousness movement we are teaching to become sukrtina, to make his life successful by understanding Krsna.

Then this verse explains... Dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yat [SB 1.2.8]. (Aside:) Please take the child. So this formula is that you may execute your occupational duties first class, svanusthitah, as it is prescribed, very nicely, regularly, faithfully. You are discharging your occupational duties. But if it does not awaken your dormant Krsna consciousness, then it is useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. Because the human life is meant for awakening Krsna Krsna consciousness. Our consciousness is now polluted. Just like the rain water. As soon as it falls down on the ground, it becomes muddy. Otherwise, the rain water is distilled water, very nice, clear, crystal water. But as soon as it touches the ground, it becomes dirty immediately. Similarly, originally, we are all Krsna conscious because we are part and parcel of Krsna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. Krsna says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." Just like the son is the part and parcel of the father, for crude understanding, so we are also similarly part and parcel of Krsna.

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
[Bg. 15.7]

As soon as it comes in touch with this material world, it is contaminated.

The same example: Just like rain water falling from the sky is crystal clear distilled water, but as soon as it comes in touch with the ground, it becomes muddy, dirty. So at the present moment our consciousness is dirty. Abhadra. It is stated in Bhagavata in one place, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani [SB 1.2.17]. Abhadrani, the dirty things within the heart, hrdy antah-sthah, within the heart. We have got so many dirty things within the heart. Now, how it has grown? Due to our contact with the material nature. This is our disease. Another place in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Sad-asat means nice body or very abominable body. You may get a very nice body -- learned, scholar, beautiful, very aristocratic -- or you may body of the worm of the stool. You have to change your body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body.

So why one has taken the body of the worm of stool and why one has taken the body of Lord Brahma or Indra, Candra, Varuna or rich man, very nice man, beautiful man? Why? Why these differences of body? Because the karanam guna-sango 'sya. As you are associating with the modes of material nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna... There are three gunas. Sattva-guna, if you associate with sattva-guna, then urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you remain in sattva-guna... Sattva-guna means brahminical qualification. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. If you remain on the platform of brahminical qualification, that is called sattva-guna. And less than that sauryam tejo balam yuddhe capalayanam, ksatriya qualification -- that is modes of passion. And others, remaining, they are in the modes of ignorance, do not know what is the value of life, what is next life, what is spiritual realization, why we are suffering. Nothing, no knowledge. That is tamo-guna.

So,

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
[Bg. 14.18]

This is our position. Therefore there is dharma. In the civilized human society, there is dharma. Either you take it as characteristic or a faith, but a civilized nation has a kind of dharma, either Christian dharma or Hindu dharma or Muhammadan dharma. Anyone. Dharma means some relationship with God. That is dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam... [SB 6.3.19]. That is another definition of dharma: "Dharma means to abide by the laws of God." So everyone is trying to abide by the laws. Mama vartmanuvartante manusyah sarvasah partha. Sarvasah partha. That is also stated in the Bhagavad... Everyone is trying to approach. Here the ultimate injunction is that dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena kathasu yah [SB 1.2.8]. Visvaksena is another name of Krsna.

So by executing the process of dharma, if one does not come to the point of understanding Visvaksena, or Krsna, then what is that? Now, notpadayed ratim yadi. Rati means attachment. If one is not inclined to hear about Krsna after executing his dharma, occupational duties, whatever he may be... Actually, occupational duty is meant, according to Vedic civilization: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Brahmana has got his occupational duty, ksatriya has got his occupational duty, vaisya has got his occupational duty, and sudra also, occupational duty. So when it is described, dharmah svanusthitah, sva means "own." So one must be either a brahmana or a ksatriya or a vaisya or a sudra. Or nowadays one may be a medical man, engineer, or a businessman, or this or that. Everyone has got some occupation. Either you take this way or that way. But it is very systematic.

When we think in terms of Vedic civilization -- the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- this is very scientific. Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brahmana, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn. Because ultimately, human life is meant for elevating to the standard of spiritual consciousness. Athato brahma jijnasa. So unless in the society there is an ideal class of men, brahmana, how people will learn it? That is necessary. You cannot say, "Let us all become technologists, sudras, that you can get money for purchasing wine and meat." But the ideal life is lost. Ideal life is lost. There must be... Just like if you want to keep your body fit for everything, there must be brain. If you say that "There is no need of brain. We simply want legs," so how what is this body? A dead body. There must be the head, there must be the hands, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. So brahmana is the head of the society, brain of the society. And the ksatriyas are the arms of the body. And the vaisyas, the belly of the body. The stomach and the belly must be kept in order. If you do not eat, if you do not digest your food, the brain will not also work, hand will not also work.

So for proper upkeep of the human society, there must be a brahminical class, brahmana class, the ksatriya class. They are all equal because my hand is as much important as my brain. But although comparatively my brain is more important than my hand, that is comparative. But you require the brain. So at the present moment, why the society is chaotic condition? Because there is no brahmana. That is the defect. So society must be divided in the material stage of this brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brahmana. Athato brahma jijnasa. Brahma-bhutah. Then he will understand what is bhakti.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

And when you attain to the stage of bhakti, then your life is successful. This is the process.

Therefore it is said that you may go on with your so-called occupational duties, but if you do not come to the platform of spiritual understanding, then it is srama eve hi kevalam -- it is simply waste of time. Simply waste of time. Because you do not catch up the ideal of your mission. Simply work like the animals and die. The bodily concept of li... Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Simply thinking that "I am this body, and my only business is to satisfy the senses of the body. Not only my body, but my son's body, my grandson's body, my relative's body." This is going on under different names, Socialism, this "ism," that "ism" -- expanded bodily concept of life. This is animal civilization. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Because the animal is also doing that. A cat is thinking that "I am this body. I must secure my food anyway. A mouse, anywhere." A dog is also thinking like that. If human being also thinks like that, then what is the difference between cats and dogs? He may be very much proud that "I am discharging my duties very faithfully," but here Bhagavata says, dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena kathasu yah, notpadayet: "If you do not develop your Krsna consciousness, you are simply wasting your time." This is the verdict.

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

So our Krsna consciousness movement is simply trying to educate people that "Don't waste your time. Just try to awaken your dormant Krsna consciousness." The Krsna consciousness is there within you; simply you have to awaken. And what is the process? That awakening will take place simply by chanting and hearing. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. There is a verse in the Caitanya-caritamrta: nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. Krsna-bhakti, your devotion for Krsna, your attachment for Krsna, is there because you are part and parcel of Krsna. Just like a small child. He is... [break]... His problems will be solved this way... No, that will not be solved. Srama eva hi. Simply wasting time by laboring for nothing. You take to Krsna consciousness, take to the instruction of Krsna as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. The, your economic problems, social problems, political problems -- all human society will be solved. It is practical.

So if we take it seriously... That is our propaganda. We are requesting not only the Hindus or Indians, but we are requesting everyone all over the world, "Take to this Krsna consciousness movement and try to understand." We are therefore publishing so many books. We are very fortunate. I am very glad to inform you that we are selling our books, not less than forty to fifty thousand rupees daily. So our books are being well received, because in the Western world outside India, they never heard of this idea that God can be approached personally, we can talk with Him, we can live with Him, we can play with Him. These new ideas, of course, novel to the Western world. Therefore they are taking very careful attention. So why not India? Do not waste your time this way, that way. And the process is very simple. The process is very simple. We are recommending the followers of Krsna consciousness... Just now I received one letter from Jaipur. They wanted my guidance. The guidance is not very difficult. It is very simple thing. First of all try to become sinless: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. Observe these four regulative principles and chant Hare Krsna mantra as far as possible, at least sixteen rounds. Then see how your life changes.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974