Fully Extended Self Interest
Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.7
Vrndavana, October 29, 1976
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Prabhupada: "Even though one may be
very learned and wise, he is mad if he does not understand that the endeavor for
sense gratification is a useless waste of time. Being forgetful of his own
interest, he tries to be happy in the material world, centering his interests
around his home, which is based on sexual intercourse and which brings him all
kinds of material miseries. In this way one is no better than a foolish
animal."
Prabhupada:
yada na pasyaty ayatha guneham
svarthe pramattah sahasa vipascit
gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan
asadya maithunyam agaram ajnah
[SB 5.5.7]
So, one has to be vipascit, learned, to understand the interest of life, self-interest. Everyone is working, especially the karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, and mixed devotees, they are working for self-interest. The devotees also, so long there is self, there is self-interest also. So there is little difference, that the devotees, they work for Super-self-interest. There is self, but it is Super-self-interest. And the karmis, jnanis, yogis they work for individual self-interest. Self-interest there must be. That is the difference between lust and prema, or love. It has been defined in the Caitanya-caritamrta, what is the difference between lust and love. It appears almost the same but Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has given a definition very clear, atmendriya-priti-vancha-tare bali 'kama' [Cc. Adi 4.165]. When one is interested for his personal sense gratification, that is called kama or lust, and krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare 'prema' nama, and when one is interested for satisfying the senses of Krsna, that is prema. And the concrete example is there in the Bhagavad-gita, that in the beginning Arjuna was thinking of interest of the family. How can I kill my brother, my nephews, my master, teacher, my grandfather, in terms of his family interest.
There are, for the materialistic person, there are two varieties of self-interest. One is concentrated interest and other is expanded interest. Just like a child, if you give him some foodstuff, a cake, he will immediately eat himself, and if he is little liberal, then his other friends also, he will give. First of all, first is, he wants to eat, and then the other friend, "Oh you are eating, give me something." Alright you also take. So, this is called extended interest and the beginning is self-interest, anna brahma(?), I shall... Self-preservation is the first law of nature. So in our ordinary activities we find the same thing. Suppose a big political leader, in the beginning he is interested with his family, with his family members, but sometimes he takes to national interest, for all members of the country, or the society, community. And then there is fight between one community to another community, one family to another family, one nation to another nation, because that extended self-interest does not make the thing perfect. That extended self-interest must be up to Visnu. Then it will be perfect. But that they do not know, because they have no idea that there is Visnu, the Supreme Lord, or Krsna. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know. They think that I have extended my self-interest to my country, to my family, I have become a big man. And people also give him honor. This we have practical experience but that is extended self-interest. That is not actually philanthropy.
Philanthropy is when one becomes interested in Krsna's interest, that is real philanthropy. Otherwise it is all kama. There is no question of prema. It is going on as prema, desa-bhakti (?), love for humanity. Hm? The whole world is going on, but these are all imperfect things. The so-called philanthropism, altruism, humanitarianism, they are all, means imperfect, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. That is not self-interest. Self-interest... Just like this finger, pick up some nice cake, rasagulla, but if the fingers think that, "We have got it, we shall use it," all the fingers together, it will be spoiled. But if the fingers think that, "Give it to the stomach," then it will be everyone's interest. As soon as the rasagulla goes to the stomach the energy is distributed not only to these fingers of right hand, but left hand fingers also. This law they do not know. This law they do not know. Therefore it is yada na pasyanti, pasyaty ayatha guneham. Everyone is trying communally, nationally, individually, for his or their interest, so that is not good svarthe pramattah. They do not know what is real self-interest.
Yada na pasyaty ayatha guneham svarthe. Everyone should be interested, but svarthe. This is svarthe, that if you get a nice food stuff, if you put to the stomach, then real svarthe. Not only the fingers which have picked up the foodstuff, not only his interested, tasmin tuste jagat tustah. Yatha taror mula, pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam. If you put the foodstuff through this one way, not foolish way, that we have to put the foodstuff within the body. So there are nine holes in the body, this mouth, the eyes, the ears, the genital, the rectum the navel. There are nine holes. If some rascal says that any hole will do, you put the foodstuff through any hole. Sometimes it is done. When one cannot eat, the foodstuff is forced through the body, through the rectum, through the nose. That is very troublesome. But the real process is, one process, you put the foodstuff through the mouth. It must go to the stomach and then the energy will be distributed, everyone will be happy. Similarly, if we serve Krsna, if we abide by the orders of Krsna, and satisfy Him, as He says, Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], that is the perfection of life. If we work otherwise, forgetting Krsna... Here it is said, gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan. If we forget Krsna, if we make our own plan to satisfy myself, community, society, nation, this is forgetfulness and the result will be, gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan. You get simply trouble. That is being done, actually. The whole world is forgetfulness of Krsna, or God. Krsna, forgetfulness, and they are making so many plans to become happy but the result is vindati tapan, simply suffering, simply suffering. It will never be successful.
The same example, yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah [SB 4.31.14], the process is that you have to pour water at the root of the tree, then the tree will luxuriantly grow. But if you do not know the process, if you begin watering leaf to leaf, branch to branch, twig to twig, it will be simply waste of time. You can say, "I am pouring water on this leaf, on that leaf, on that..." It will take... You cannot. There are so many leaves in the tree, it is not possible individually, you can do it. But if you put the water, pour the water on the root, it is very easy, and all the leaves, and twigs, and flowers, and fruits, they get nourishment. That is wanted. Yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah, pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam [SB 4.31.14], and by offering food to the stomach, all the indriyas, senses, they become vigorous or strong. Similarly, sarvarhanam acyutejya, if you satisfy Krsna, acyuta ijya, then the whole society, whole community, whole living beings, everyone will be satisfied. If you simply push on this Krsna consciousness movement, then all different activities of the human society will be very, very, nicely performed. Or if you do this nationalism, communism, it will never be perfect.
So we have got example in our country, many countries, not only our country, your country also, that President Kennedy, he was killed. Many other presidents also -- in our country Gandhi was killed -- because in that way, you cannot satisfy everyone. It is not possible. The so called socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism, will never be able to satisfy everyone. That is not possible. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesas tesam jata mayi na karuna na trapa nopasantih. These different types of isms, that is simply satisfying different desires. It is not the program.
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]
So, that is simply waste of time. The same thing is repeated, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Durasaya, people are trying to be happy by so many bahir-artha, external desires. Artha, artha means actual interests. And anartha, anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje [SB 1.7.6]. Artha means how to satisfy Krsna, this is artha. It is said, arthadam, arthadam, you can get real interest in this life,
kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
[SB 7.6.1]
This human form of life, although adhruvam... Everybody, we cannot continue this body for all the time. It will be ended, dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13], another body. So this is the general rule for all living entities, either dog's body, or hog's body, or man's body. It will not stay, it will not endure. You have to change. Therefore it is called adhruvam. But, the special advantage of this human form of life -- Prahlada Maharaja says -- although it is adhruvam, it will not stay, but arthadam, you can have your real interest fulfilled.
kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
[SB 7.6.1]
This we must understand, that although we have got also a body, and the dog has also a body, the same composition ksitir ap marud vyoma, mind, intelligence, and ego. There is no difference. The dog has also mind, and I have got mind, you have got mind. The dog has also intelligence, we have got also intelligence. The dog also can eat, you can also eat. The dog can sleep, you can also sleep. So there is no difference so far the bodily constitution. And superficially, if you cut my body there will be blood, if you cut the body of an animal there will be blood. So, in every respect, so far the material body is concerned, it is the same, either of the human being, or of a small insect. The same construction, physiological and atomical, everything is the same. But the difference is, in other body there is no arthadam, but with the human body there will be arthadam. You can realize your position, you can act accordingly, you can make your life successful. That is the special advantage of this human form of life.
Therefore it is said, yada na pasyaty ayatha guneham. We are struggling, gune, in this material world. Gunamayi. Maya, maya is called gunamayi. Gune means in the maya. Iha, iha means aspiration. So everyone is trying according to different modes of material nature. Everyone is working, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. That is, everything is gune iha. So when one does not become conscious that I am working under the influence of material nature in different status of life, they're all useless. As soon as you see that it is all useless, sahasa vipascit, that is actually enlightenment. So as soon as we find, by the guidance of spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, by the guidance of Krsna personally, as soon as we come to this understanding, that we are simply wasting our time. Simply wasting our time, srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. When, in the beginning, when I understood the one song of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, maya-jale baddha ho'ye acho miche kaj lo'ye, Bhaktivinoda says, many times he has said,
mayar bose jaccho bhese'
Khaccho habudubu bhai
jiv krsna-das, ei visvas,
korle to' ar duhkho nai
Very instructive, Bhaktivinoda Thakura's songs, very instructive simple, and Narottama dasa Thakura's. So,
hari hari biphale janama gonainu
manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya,
janiya suniya bisa khainu
Regretting, lamenting, my Lord I got this human form of life. Unfortunately I have simply wasted. Why? Radha-krsna na bhajiya manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya. It is exactly like drinking poison knowingly. Sometimes we become poisonous unknowingly. Sometimes food poison or something poison. But if one takes poison knowingly, that means he's killing himself. He knows it. Similarly, in this human form of life, if we do not come to this understanding sahasa vipascit, that without Krsna consciousness, I am simply taking poison, then his life is spoiled, gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan. He will simply be put into miserable condition. That is the nature's way, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya dur... [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot escape the stringent laws of material nature. You will go on suffering, suffering. Mrtyu-samsara vartmani [Bg. 9.3]. You will suffer again and again this body and next body, next body. That is nature's way. But ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. These rascals, on account of false prestige, false knowledge, false education, he is thinking that I am independent, I can do what ever I like. Ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham [Bg. 3.27], we have to give up this, then vipascit, sahasa vipascit. Otherwise we have to continue the miserable condition of life. Gata-smrtih, because we have forgotten our real position.
What is our position? Our position is as described by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Our real position is that I am eternal servant of Krsna. So gata-smrtih, I have forgotten that. And therefore, bhuliya tomare samsare asiya peye nana-vidha byatha. Bhaktivinoda Thakura's song, "My Lord, forgetting You I came in this material world. I am simply suffering." Peye nana-vidha byatha. These... The same thing is there in the Vedic literature, the same thing is instructed by the advanced, enlightened, liberated devotee. The same thing. This forgetfulness. We have forgotten what is our position. Temporarily, because I have got this body in India, I am thinking, "I am Indian, so my interest is Indian." And somebody is thinking, "My interest is American," "My interest is brahmana," "My interest is sudra," "My interest is this, that." We have created so many interests. That has to be rectified.
vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam
[Bg. 2.41]
Be business-like. People say talk business-like. Why you are talking nonsense? So Krsna says, "Yes." For business man there is one interest, real businessman. Vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who is actually interested in business-like way to make some profit arthadam, then there is only interest is how to become Krsna conscious. Otherwise you will manufacture so many interests. Bahu-sakha hy anantas ca buddhayo 'vyavasayinam. One who is not actually businessman, he is a rascal, he creates so many branches of different interests. The only one interest is how to satisfy Krsna. This is our only business. But forgetting this business, gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan. Whatever business we are doing, we are simply suffering. Tapan asadya, he is actually tasting miserable condition. Then how they are working? This is the conclusion of this verse, how they are being baffled in every stage, and how they are working so hard.
We see people are working so hard, day and night. They go to business, or go to office, from morning 5:00 up to ten o'clock at night, they work. You will see in big, big cities, how they are going by the daily, passengers how they are hanging in the buses, going. Why? Why they are working so hard? It is not very simple thing. Why they are working so hard? The answer is maithuna, sex indulgence, that's all. They have no other happiness except that sex intercourse at night, he will enjoy. Therefore he is working so hard. Otherwise there is no other happiness. Everything is zero. The only positive happiness, he's thinking like that. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham [SB 7.9.45]. That is the only happiness, there is no secrecy. The people are working so hard, simply maithunyam agaram. It is a prison house, agaram. Agaram means packed up, shackled with iron chains, and the only happiness is maithunyam agaram. And this is only abominable, tuccham. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. So how he has accepted this lowest class of happiness as the aim of life? Ajnah, rascal. The conclusion is ajnah. So don't become ajnah, be intelligent. And krsna yei bhaje, sei bada catura. Don't be rascal, don't remain as... Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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