Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.28
Vrndavana, August 9, 1974
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Pradyumna: Translation: "Thus during two seasons, the rainy season and autumn, I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished."
Prabhupada:
ittham sarat-pravrsikav rtu harer
visrnvato me 'nusavam yaso 'malam
sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhir
bhaktih pravrttatma-rajas-tamopaha
Atma-rajas-tamopaha. This is the perfection of life. We are now covered by the modes of material nature, tri-gunamayi, three gunas: sattva, rajas, tamas. So mukti means to get out of this entanglement of three gunas. That is called mukti. We are suffering different modes of material nature. We have several times explained, karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. There are different types of bodies. From specie point of view, there are 8,400,000 forms. And they are due to these material modes of nature. I have several times explained. There are three modes of material nature, and if you mix, three into three, it becomes nine, and nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So little more or less, there are 8,400,000 species of life. So in order to get out of this repetition of birth and death, we require to be freed from the influence of the modes of material nature. That is the perfection of life.
So here Narada Muni says that "During the four months..." In India there are six seasons. There is summer season, and there is spring. There is autumn. Then there is winter, there is fall. In this way, there are six seasons. So the saintly persons, in the, during the autumn and rainy season, they keep together; they do not move. Because saintly persons, sannyasis, their business is to move... Grhinam dina-cetasam, mahad-vicalanam. Mahad-vicalanam. Mahat means mahatma, great souls. Great soul means not crippled souls, those who are anxious to meet the great, or the Supreme Brahman, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are crippled souls, they are entangled with the limited circle of material enjoyment. But mahatma... Mahatma is described in the Bhagavad-gita, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatmas are not interested within this material world. They are not under the influence of the external energy. Of course, nowadays it is... Sometimes politicians are called "mahatma." But that is not the purpose of mahatma. Mahatma is not interested with politics or sociology or... They are all material things. Or philanthropy. They are interested with the Supreme: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. They're interested. Especially mahatma is he who is interested with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
Every krsna-bhakta, Krsna conscious person, is mahatma, real mahatma. How it is? Krsna says, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. Mahatma does not mean that if you dress yourself with a certain colored cloth and have some big hairs and beards, then you become mahatma, no. The mahatma is he... Who? Daivim prakrtim asritah: "He is not under the influence of this external energy." Daivi-prakrti means... There are two prakrtis, two natures: internal and external. Internal energy is spiritual energy, and external energy is material energy. So mahatmas, they are not under material energy.
One who is under the material energy, they are entangled with these three gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. The lowest is the tamo-guna, and via media is the rajo-guna, and the topmost, goodness, is sattva-guna. So even in sattva-guna, that is also entanglement. Rajo-guna, tamo-guna is certainly entanglement, but even rajo-guna, even one is situated in the sattva-guna... Sattva-guna means perfect brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Even if you become a perfect brahmana, brahmana, with qualities, still, it is bondage. In bondage because, in this way, that even if you become a brahmana you'll think yourself, "Now I have got so much knowledge, Vedic knowledge. I speak truth, satya. I can control my senses. Satyam samo damah. I can control my mind. I have got knowledge. I can tolerate." So all these qualities, one becomes bound up. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches, naham vipro na ca nara-patih, that "Even... I am not even a brahmana. I am not a ksatriya. I am not a vaisya. I am not a sudra." He says. This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Even if you become a brahmana, still, that is upadhi, designation.
So although there is bondage in the sattva-guna,... Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. You can be promoted to the higher planetary systems, but that is also bondage. Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. If you remain within this material world, even if you are promoted to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, still, you have to accept the material bondage, means janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Brahma, he also dies. Although he has got very, very long duration of life, he also dies. So Krsna therefore recommends, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] "If you come to My place, then you are no more under the laws of birth, death, old age, and disease." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. That should be the aim of life. Those... There are others who are aspiring to go to the heavenly planet or Satyaloka or Brahmaloka, but Krsna says, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is that "Why we should go to the heavenly planet or Brahmaloka or any other material planet? We shall go directly to the abode of Krsna, Goloka Vrndavana." That is the aim of the devotees.
So that aim you can fulfill by practicing bhakti-yoga. That is mentioned here, bhaktih pravrtta atma-rajas-tamopaha. So rajas-tamas. So long one is situated in the modes of passion and ignorance, there is no hope. There is no hope. But when one comes to the platform of sattva-guna, there is little hope of transcending. So bhakti-yoga is above sattva-guna. In the sattva-guna, in the modes of goodness, you can become a nice brahmana, but simply by becoming a nice brahmana you, your, you are not free from the material bondage. When you become a pure Vaisnava, then you are free from the bondage of the material world. And to become Vaisnava, you require this devotion, bhakti. Bhakti. Immediately, beginning of bhakti means rajas-tamopaha, upaha. One who is situated even beginning, he is above the rajas-tamo-guna. He's situated... Tada kama-lobha...
There is a... There is a verse. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Here the same thing is described, that sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhih. Sankirtyamanam. We have to hear the sankirtana not from professional men. That will not be... If you hear sankirtana from the professional men... Professional men: who makes sankirtana as the means of livelihood. Just like people do some business or work to get some money to maintain the life, similarly, if somebody takes the sankirtana as the means of livelihood, that will not help you. You can go on hearing sankirtana from such professional men for millions of years; still, you will remain where you are, not rajas-tamopaha. You cannot get out of the bondage of... Therefore you have to hear from the sankirtyamanam munibhir mahatmabhih. Mahatma. Mahatma means mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatma means those who have finished this material business. Simply they're interested with Krsna and... Just like Haridasa Thakura or followers, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's followers. If you hear... Just like Narada Muni. In his previous birth he heard from these mahatmas, great devotees, only for four months. It is stated here. The time is... sarat pravrsa, pravrsa, pravrsikav rtu. Sarat and autumn, two rtus, he heard. The association was there. And the result was: visrnvato me 'nusavam yaso 'malam. Krsna's glorification, amalam, without any spot, without any... Krsna's glories, that is real nirguna. Nirguna does not mean to become impersonal. Nirguna means without any material attributes. So when Krsna's glories are chanted, that is not anything of this material world.
Just like Narottama dasa Thakura says, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana. This hari-nama-sankirtana, that is not any vibration of this material world. That is spiritual. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. Samsara-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale, visaya-visanale. Visanale and davanale, these things are described about this material world. Just like in... You sung, immediately, samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam **. So the samsara, this material world, is just like blazing fire, davanala, and forest fire. Forest fire means nobody goes to set fire in the forest. It takes automatically. Similarly, we want to live very peacefully in this material world, but that is not possible. There will be fire. And visaya-visanale. Visaya means things which is required for sense enjoyment, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam. So either you say visaya-visanale or samsara-davanale, the matter is the same. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, therefore, visaya-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale, juraite na koinu upay. If you want to get out of this visanala, the blazing fire of poison or forest fire, then we have to take shelter of this hari-sankirtana. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay, samsara-davanale visaya-visanale diba-nisi hiya jvale juraite na koinu upay.
So in order to get out of this blazing fire of material existence, which is a combination of rajas-tamah-sattva-guna, one has to take to this devotional service, and that can be achieved only by hearing from munibhir mahatmabhih, those who are munis. Munis means they are silent about material affairs. They are simply interested with spiritual advancement of life. To give up something and to accept something... To give up something is negative, but if you do not accept something positive, this give up something will not stay. Simply to become renounced of the material world will not help. Big, big sannyasis, they gave up this material world -- brahma satyam jagan mithya -- but they, because they did not engage themselves in devotional service, they again come back to this material world for philanthropic work, for altruistic work, for charity, for opening schools... So simply negative will not help us. We have to accept positive.
So if we accept the positive, the negative will automatically result. Just like here it is said, bhakti-pravrtta. As soon as bhakti is accepted, then atma-rajas-tamopaha. You immediately become free. Your soul becomes free from the influence of rajas-tamas. Rajas-tamas means lust and desire. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. If you are entangled in rajas-tamas, then you'll be influenced by lusty desires, kama and lobha. The lusty desires will never be satisfied. You'll want more, more, more. That is called greedy, lobha, lusty desires and greediness. You'll never be free if you remain in the kama, in the rajas-tamas.
tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]
Here the two modes of nature is explained, kama and lobha, er, rajas tamas. So if we are entangled with rajas-tamas, then our perpetual desire for lusty sense enjoyment and greediness will not stop. It will drag me more and more, more and more, and entangle me. But sthitam sattve prasidati. But if we give up these two qualities, the remainder quality means goodness, that sattve, you will get, you will give, you will get, at least, peace of mind. Sthitam sattve prasidati. Evam prasanna-manasah. When you are in, in the platform of satisfaction, sattva-guna... Just like the brahminical qualification. They are satisfied with anything. A brahmana is not supposed to improve his economic condition. He's not interested. He's simply satisfied: "By the grace of God, whatever I have got, that is sufficient." God is supplying everyone, even birds and beasts and cats and dogs. Eko yo bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is giving food to everyone. So sattva-guna means to remain satisfied whatever is obtained by, from God, by His free will. That's all. They are not after economic development.
So Vaisnava, being inherently a brahmana, he should be satisfied: "Whatever Krsna has given, that's all right. My business is how to make advance in Krsna consciousness." Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. That is the Vaisnava's business, that simply how to make perfection of life in Krsna consciousness. That is Vaisnava's demand, not for any other improvement, economic development or this improvement. No. Because economic... It is... It is a false idea that one will be satisfied or be happy simply by economic development. No, that is not possible, practically. In your country, America, there is immense economic development, but you could not get any happiness. That is not possible. Happiness will be possible when, first of all, you are situated in the brahminical position, sattva-guna, and to come to that brahminical position, you have to give up the activities of rajas-tamo-guna. The rajas-tamo-guna is that illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. That's all. So if you voluntarily give up, and be situated in the sattva-guna, then you'll be happy. Evam prasanna-manasah.
And that happiness can be obtained, as it is stated here, bhakti, by devotional service. Bhakti-pravrtta. As soon as you begin devotional service... Yayatma suprasidati. There are many references.
sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]
So by bhakti-yoga, you'll be happy, and as soon as you become happy, then your Krsna consciousness is very easily advanced. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavat, mukta-sangasya jayate. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate. In this way we shall understand bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam, and that is the perfection of life.
So Narada Muni admits that "Simply by hearing from the realized souls, munibhir mahatmabhih, for four months during their stay in the caturmasya period, gradually I developed my Krsna consciousness, and then I began devotional service." This is the process.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.28 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974
Showing posts with label August 9. Show all posts
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
"Varieties Of Sacrifice"
66/08/09 New York, Bhagavad-gita 4.20-24
Prabhupada: One two three, (tap, tap, tap) one two three, one two three. Testing, one two three. [break]
yasya sarve samarambhah
kama-sankalpa-varjitah
jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam
tam ahuh panditam budhah
We have been discussing this sloka since the last two days in our meetings. The next verse is
tyaktva karma-phalasangam
nitya-trpto nirasrayah
karmany abhipravrtto 'pi
naiva kincit karoti sah
In order to be free from the reaction of our work, this formula is described by Sri Krsna.
yadrccha-labha-santusto
dvandvatito vimatsarah
samah siddhav asiddhau ca
krtvapi na nibadhyate
gata-sangasya muktasya
jnanavasthita-cetasah
yajnayacaratah karma
samagram praviliyate
The formula is that we have to become detached from the result of the work and must be situated in full knowledge, in full knowledge. Unless we are situated in full knowledge, it is not possible to be detached from the work which you are doing. And that detachment and that knowledge, to be situated in full knowledge, is possible when we perform yajna or sacrifice.
Now, today's subject matter is varieties of sacrifices, how we can perform different kinds of sacrifices. And what is the sacrifice? Sacrifice means yajnarthe karma. Just at the present moment our conception is that I am the proprietor of everything. Actually, I am not the proprietor. The Isopanisad says that isavasyam idam sarvam: "The Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, or Krsna, He is the proprietor." But deluded by the illusory energy of the material existence, we are thinking that "I am the proprietor." Therefore in the scriptures, in Vedic scriptures, sacrifice is recommended. Sacrifice means you give voluntarily. You give voluntarily. Because we have been so much attached to this material proprietorship, that... And without that attachment, there is no possibility of our becoming free from this material entanglement. But that attachment is very difficult to give up. Therefore sacrifice has been recommended, that "You sacrifice."
Supposing that it is your proprietorship, you are the proprietor of everything, but you sacrifice, yajnarthe. Yajnarthe means "for the Supreme Lord." So so many sacrifices are recommended in various scriptures. So we shall try to discuss some of the sacrifices. Yajnayacaratah karma samagram praviliyate. If we perform our duties, yajna, for the matter of satisfaction of Visnu, the Supreme Lord, then we shall not be bound up by the reaction of any work.
Now, the first thing is in the sacrifice according to the Vedic rites, there are five principle factors. What are those? There is sacrificial fire, altar, and the person who is offering the... Generally, in the sacrifice grains and butter, clarified butter, is offered. So the sacrificial altar, fire, and the offering ingredients, grains and clarified butter, and the person who is offering sacrifice, three, and the result and the performer. These five things are there in the matter of sacrifice.
Now, Krsna says that if the five things are transformed into Krsna consciousness or Brahman realization, then the result will be that the man who is performing that sacrifice is sure to attain his spiritual salvation and go back to Godhead. This prescription is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, that
brahmarpanam brahma havir
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina
Now, brahmarpanam. Sacrifice for whom? For the Brahman. And Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. Therefore sacrifice for Krsna is brahmarpanam, means, sacrificing for the Brahman, Supreme Brahman. Because Krsna is described in the Tenth Chapter as the Parambrahman, the Supreme Brahman. Brahman means, we are also all Brahman. Because we are all fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Being, Krsna, therefore we are also Brahman. Just like particles of gold is also gold, similarly, we are fragmental portions of Krsna. Do not understand that as material fragments... We are not material fragment. But just because we have no other conception at the present moment except material understanding, therefore I am just trying... This is translated into English as "fragment," but not like that material fragment.
Just like we have got a paper in our hand. If I tear into pieces, they become fragments. Then the original paper, the shape of the paper -- no longer existing. It is not like that. The Upanisad says that
purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavasisyate
[Isopanisad, Invocation]
The spiritual conception is that, that any number of fragments of the whole can be taken from the whole spirit, but still, the spirit whole is as it is. That is the description in the Vedic literature. We have got material idea: "One minus one equal to zero." But in the spiritual realm, one minus one equal to one. So these fragments, the fragments of the Supreme Brahman, Krsna, we are. So with that consciousness, we have to sacrifice.
Brahmarpanam brahma havir. And the thing which we are sacrificing, we have to understand that the things belong to the Supreme Brahman. Brahmarpanam brahma havir brahmagnau. And the fire which is on the altar, that is to be understood as the energy of the Supreme Brahman. And brahmana hutam. And the person who is offering the sacrifice, he is also part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. In this way, if we offer sacrifice, then brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The person who is offering such sacrifice is sure to attain spiritual salvation. This is brahma-karma-samadhina. And the performance is just according to the Vedic injunction. So in this way, if we, I mean to say, execute the duties of our living condition, then the result will be that at the end we shall be attaining Brahman. And the whole process is called Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness.
In the higher conception of life, just it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that everything is visualized as Brahman. Brahman means spiritual. So in the higher conception of life, one who has attained in the higher stage of spiritual realization, for him, there is nothing material. There is nothing material. The distinction of matter and spirit is this. Now, from the Bhagavad-gita we understand that two energies are working. One energy is called inferior energy, and the other energy is called superior energy. Now, take for example the inferior energy. The energy emanating from the source, is there any possibility of dividing the energy and the energetic? No. That is not possible just like you cannot divide heat from the fire or the illumination from this light. This is not possible. If there is no illumination, then the light has no meaning. If there is no heat, then fire has no meaning. Similarly, if the energy is separated from the energetic, the energetic has no meaning.
So Krsna says that there are two kinds of nature: superior nature, or higher nature, and inferior nature. Now, even the inferior nature... We take it for granted that there is something like inferior nature. Of course, this material energy, the material nature, is called inferior nature -- inferior in the sense that matter has got no incentive. Without touch of spirit, matter cannot work. Therefore it is understood that it is inferior. But in the higher sense it is not inferior. How it is not inferior? Because it is emanation from the Supreme and you cannot separate this energy from the Supreme, and there is no difference between the Supreme and His energy.
Sakti-saktimator abheda. This is the Vedic injunction. Sakti, sakti means energy, and saktimat, saktimat means the person who has got the energy. So abheda, they are nondifferential. You cannot differentiate between the energy and the energetic. Just like electric powerhouse. The energy is electricity. Now, from the electricity energy we are working so many things. So far our household affairs are concerned, by the same electric energy we are getting heat and we are getting also cold. In the refrigerator we see everything is cold. In the heater we find everything is hot, warm. But the same energy is working. So one who knows that this is the electrical energy that is working in a different way, for him, there is no superior or inferior. That is called jnana. If we are on the platform of knowledge, then there is no distinction between matter and spirit.
And that knowledge we have to acquire. How we have to acquire? We must know it definitely that everything that is manifested... In the Visnu-Purana there is a nice verse which describes this energy and the energetic very nicely:
eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat
Akhilam jagat. Whatever we are seeing in this, in our presence, whatever we are seeing, they are nothing but different energies of the Supreme Lord.
And how they are acting? Just like the electric powerhouse is situated far away from your residential apartment, but from there the energy is being distributed and you are finding heat, cold, and so many things, electrically, you are working, so although the Supreme Lord is far, far away... Of course, He is not far, far away, but in our conception, in the material conception, because we cannot see... We are on a different planet. So by His energy He is not far away. Just like the sunlight, the sunshine, in the morning you find the sunshine is within your room, the sun is just within your room. It is actually. But still, the sun is 93,000,000 miles away from you. Similarly, in all circumstances we must understand that Krsna is, although far away from us, still, He is with us, within us. This is called knowledge. This is called knowledge.
And He says also in the Bhagavad-gita that sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am situated in everyone's heart." So just think how much nearest He is if He is sitting on my heart, and He is actually there, which is called Paramatma, or the Supersoul. So sarvasya, sarvasya means everyone's, not only in human body, but in animal body, in the atoms also. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. Paramanu means atom. He is situated. So practically, He is not far away. He is the nearest friend. He also claims in the Bhagavad-gita, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam: "I am the friend of everyone." So this knowledge, we have to acquire, that "We have got the greatest powerful friend in Krsna, and He is with me." This is knowledge.
Just like when you chant Krsna, Hare Krsna, actually the fact is Krsna is dancing on your tongue by sound vibration. Krsna is not away. It is stated in the scriptures, naham tisthami vaikunthe. He is addressing Narada, Narada, a great devotee of Krsna. He is explaining to Narada, naham tisthami vaikunthe yoginam hrdayesu ca. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they try to find out the Supersoul within themself. That is the yoga system. Yoga, actual yoga system, is to concentrate the mind, to focus the mind on the Supersoul. That is yoga system. So Krsna says that naham tisthami vaikunthe. In the scriptures we find that kingdom of God, that is called Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha means vigata-kuntha yatra. Kuntha means anxieties. The place where there is no anxieties, that is called Vaikuntha. So Krsna says that naham tisthami vaikunthe yoginam hrdayesu ca: "My dear Narada, do not think that I am staying in the Vaikuntha, in the kingdom of God only, or in the heart of the yogis only. No." Tat tat tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah: "Wherever My devotees sing or chant the glories of Me, I stand there. I go there."
So this is brahmarpanam. This yajna, this is the highest yajna.
Now, we are discussing of the varieties of yajna. Now, so far sacrifice in the altar of fire, clarified butter and grains, it is not possible. At the present moment... Of course, formerly, we understand from the scriptures that they used to pour tons of tons clarified butter in the fire because at that time they were available. But at the present moment... Of course, we are seeing some butter sticks here in America, but from India practically butter has disappeared. So it is not possible.
The present day, Kali-yuga, is not favorable for such sacrifice which was being performed in the Satya-yuga or Treta... Not Treta-yuga. Sacrifice was being performed in the Treta-yuga, second millennium. The duration of a period. Just like in a year we have got different seasons, similarly, in the existence there are different periods. According to Vedic literature, they are called Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, Kali-yuga. Now we are passing through the Kali-yuga. The Kali-yuga, duration of Kali-yuga is four hundred thousands, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of year. Out of that, we have passed only five thousands of years. That is the Vedic calculation.
So Lord Caitanya has recommended this yajna. It is not Lord Caitanya's imagination. It is recommended in the Bhagavata that
krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
Now, these four yugas are divided. Krte, krte means in Satya-yuga, when people were all virtuous. That is called Satya-yuga. So krte yad dhyayato visnum: "In the Satya-yuga what was attained by meditation on Visnu..."
We shall always remember that whenever we call for meditation, that meditation is not on void. Void meditation is very much troublesome. Kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam [Bg. 12.5]. You will find in the Bhagavad-gita. Those who are trying to meditate upon the void, they are in very troublesome condition. And it is very difficult to achieve success. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. So meditation always means meditation on Visnu.
So in the Satya-yuga, in the millennium when all people were virtuous, cent percent virtuous, at that time this meditation was recommended. Because their minds were not disturbed and they could sit down peacefully and concentrate his mind on Visnu. That was the process recommended.
Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih. Tretayam means the next millennium. That is... It was recommended that people should perform sacrifice.
Tretayam yajato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam. Dvapare means the next millennium. That is recommended for temple worship, temple worship. The temple worship... So many temples, thousands and thousands of temples, you will find. Not only in India, in other parts of the world also. The churches are also temples, the mosques are also temples, the synagogues are also temples. So this temple worship was introduced in the third millennium.
Now this is the fourth millennium. In the fourth millennium, the Bhagavata says that kalau tad dhari-kirtanat: "At the present moment we have to perform sacrifices by chanting the hari-kirtana, the glorification of Krsna." This is yajna. Other yajnas, although they are prescribed... Because when Krsna was speaking, He was speaking generally, but there are specific considerations. This yajna recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, brahmarpanam brahma, brahma havir brahmagnau brahmana hutam... Now, where is the fire and where is the clarified butter and where is the expert performer of yajna? The performer of yajna must be so much educated. There was a talk between Lord Caitanya and a Muhammadan magistrate. Because when Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, India was being governed by the Muhammadans, Pathans, in the fifteenth century, five hundred years before. Lord Caitanya appeared about 480 years before. So there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and the Muhammadan magistrate.
So just like... You will also learn that we are performing this kirtana. Some tenant in this house, he has taken objection. And just to avoid misunderstanding, so I am closing this door. But it is becoming very too much discomfiture. That I can feel. People are not feeling comfortable.
Anyway, apart from that, this misunderstanding of kirtana, five hundred years before also, there was. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was performing kirtana, the, not the Muhammadans, but the Hindus, they took objection that "This is not according to our scripture. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has introduced something new." So he complained to the magistrate although the magistrate was Muhammadan, he was government representative. So he took action. What action was taken? Now, the first of all he warned Lord Caitanya's party that "You cannot perform sankirtana." Then Lord Caitanya's party neglected. Then the magistrate sent some constables and they broke the mrdanga. You have seen the mrdanga. So there was some disturbance and Lord Caitanya formed a party of one hundred thousand people from Navadvipa and He began to make a civil disobedience. He performed sankirtana all over the city, and there was some trouble between the Muhammadan magistrate. And at last, they came to compromise. And when the compromise was done, then there was some discussion. The discussion was the distinction between Muhammadan religion and Hindu religion.
Now, Caitanya Mahaprabhu first of all inquired that the Muhammadan magistrate... They established their relation as the uncle and nephew. Caitanya Mahaprabhu became the nephew, and the Kazi, the magistrate, he became the uncle. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu addressed the uncle, "My dear uncle, why you are killing your father and mother?" So the uncle replied, "What is that? I am killing our father and mother?" "Yes. Because the cow is your mother. She gives milk. And the bull, he helps you in the agricultural fields. He produces grain. So just like father and mother -- mother supplies milk and father brings grain -- so they are your father and mother. How you are killing your father and mother?"
So the uncle replied that... He was also very educated, learned. He said that "In Your Vedic scripture there is cow sacrifice. So You are also killing cow." Just I am going to explain the sacrifice. Now, Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained there that that was not killing. When there was some animal sacrifice, an old animal would be sacrificed in the altar, but it would be given a new life. It was practically testing of the Vedic mantra by the qualified brahmanas. So He said, "Because at the present moment there are no qualified brahmanas, therefore such kind of sacrifice is stopped. Stopped." That was His explanation.
So these sacrifices means unless they are performed very nicely, according to the rules and regulations as they are mentioned in scripture, they will not produce the desired result. That is the way of sacrifice. Now, here it is said, brahmarpanam brahma havih. Now, where is the butter, where is the grain, and where is the qualified brahmana who can chant the mantras, hymns, very nicely, so that we can get the result? So any kind of sacrifice at the present age is impossible. It is not possible. The only sacrifice -- that kirtana, sankirtana-yajna. That is possible, which you have just now tried. This was introduced, and this is recommended in Bhagavata. This is authoritative. And when Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the incarnation of Krsna. That is confirmed in Mahabharata, Bhagavata, Purana, Upanisad.
Now, in the Bhagavata in the Eleventh Canto you'll find the symptoms of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in which it is stated that yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah: [SB 11.5.32] "Those who are intelligent persons in this age, in Kali-yuga, they will perform sankirtana-yajna and satisfy Lord Sri Krsna, Lord Caitanya." So this sankirtana-yajna, that which you are performing,
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
So if we think, if we are Krsna conscious, that "I am eternal fragment of Krsna, therefore my duty is..."
Now, everyone can understand what is the duty of the fragment to the whole, fragment to the whole, that the Krsna is the whole, whole machine. Suppose... In this mechanical world we can understand that the whole machine is there, but there is a small screw which is fragment of that machine. So that screw should be properly adjusted in the machine and it will help machine working nicely. Similarly, we are all different fragments of the Supreme, Krsna, and if we dovetail ourself in the work of Krsna that is the highest yajna. That is the performance of yajna.
We haven't got to search out for large quantities of butter, clarified butter or grains. That is impossible factor now. It is very difficult to secure butter for eating purposes, and who is going to sacrifice? That is not possible. Although that is mentioned in the different scriptures, that sacrifice should be performed in that way, but it is impractical. It is not possible. So such sacrifices as recommended in the scriptures by offering clarified butter and grains, or sacrificing some animal... There are so many.
Now, this sacrifice of animals was protested by Lord Buddha. He deviated from the Hindu religion. Lord Buddha was born in Hindu family. He was ksatriya. He was a king's son. But he wanted to preach nonviolence. He wanted to preach completely, to stop completely animal killing. But because in the Vedic... Of course, I have already explained that sacrifice of animals, as stated in the Vedas, they are not for killing. They are meant for giving a new life to the animal. By Vedic mantra... The Vedic mantra are so powerful that that was a test how a dead animal can get, regain new body. An old animal is sacrificed and it gets a new youthful life. That was the test. It was not meant for killing. Don't misunderstand that sacrifice. But that is mentioned in the Vedas. So people misused that sacrifice means... That sacrifice... They wanted to give evidence from Vedas, "So here is... Animal sacrifice is mentioned in the Vedas. Why we shall stop?" So Lord Buddha started his movement, completely stopping this animal sacrifice. But he knew that "These foolish men will come and give me evidence that ‘Here in the Vedas animal sacrifice is recommended. Why you are preaching? Why you are preaching stoppage of animal killing?' " Therefore he completely rejected Vedas. He said that "I don't accept Vedas."
That is stated in a very nice verse about Lord Buddha by a Vaisnava poet.
nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam
sadaya-hrdaya darsita-pasu-ghatam
kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare
It is very nicely composed. The idea is that the poet is praying Lord Buddha. And Lord Buddha is also mentioned in Bhagavatam as incarnation of Krsna. So he is praying Lord Buddha, "My dear Lord, you have assumed now the buddha-sarira, body, just to, by taking compassion on the poor animals, and therefore you are also deprecating the animal sacrifices recommended in the Vedas."
So because Lord Buddha did not accept... He had to do that because his mission was to stop animal sacrifice and animal killing. "Now if these foolish persons, without knowing the Vedic purpose, if they present, ‘Oh, here it is recommended in the Vedas,' then there will be disturbance." So he had to discard, he had to go out of the Vedic rules and regulation, and he preached his own philosophy.
So therefore sacrifice, any kind of sacrifice, that sacrifice is now consolidated in this sacrifice of, I mean to, sacrificing your time and sitting down here and chanting
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
This is the best kind of sacrifice recommended by Lord Caitanya for this age. He said that kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21]. Just like if we want to give stress on a particular subject matter we say that "Do this! Do this! Do this!" similarly, Lord Caitanya also stressed on this performance of sankirtana thrice. He said, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: "In this age of Kali there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way." Thrice He said. And what is that? Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. Now here also thrice: "Simply just chant Krsna's name, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare." So this is the best kind of sacrifice.
But because... Other sacrifices, they are also recognized. Just like yoga. Yoga is also recognized, but that was meant for in the Satya-yuga when all people were very much all virtuous, cent percent virtuous. There was no, I mean to say, sinful men at all. Now, as the age advanced, in the Treta-yuga there was seventy-five percent virtuous and twenty-five percent sinful. In the Dvapara-yuga, fifty percent virtuous and fifty percent sinful. And in this age, Kali-yuga, almost cent percent sinful, although it is calculated in the sastra that seventy-five percent are sinful and twenty-five percent are...
That you can see how many percentage are going to join our sankirtana movement. We can see from the audience. You see? So it is difficult, but it is the fact. If we perform this sacrifice nicely, according to the rules recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are sure to get salvation. Niscitam. Niscitam means sure. So let us perform this sacrifice with patience and perseverance, with steadiness, and then surely we shall achieve the desired result, spiritual salvation, which is that... It is stated, brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The whole thing is meant for go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is the whole thing. This is not our home; neither it is our place. We come here as a foreigner.
Just like I have come to your place as a foreigner. Suppose I am here for last one year. I may remain here for three months more or one year more, or then I may go back. Similarly, we are all foreigners in this material world. We come here for certain... That is changing bodies, changing bodies, changing place. So this is not our place. Our real place is... [break]
...the human society. This sacrifice of sankirtana-yajna. It is nothing manufactured, it is recommended in Vedic literature. It was actually performed by Lord Caitanya. So there is nothing unauthorized. It is completely authorized. So I shall request all friends and audience here to take up the matter very seriously and just try to execute it, although there are some impediments. So any good thing you do, there will be so many impediments. But we have to execute our mission.
Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can ask. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966
Prabhupada: One two three, (tap, tap, tap) one two three, one two three. Testing, one two three. [break]
yasya sarve samarambhah
kama-sankalpa-varjitah
jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam
tam ahuh panditam budhah
We have been discussing this sloka since the last two days in our meetings. The next verse is
tyaktva karma-phalasangam
nitya-trpto nirasrayah
karmany abhipravrtto 'pi
naiva kincit karoti sah
In order to be free from the reaction of our work, this formula is described by Sri Krsna.
yadrccha-labha-santusto
dvandvatito vimatsarah
samah siddhav asiddhau ca
krtvapi na nibadhyate
gata-sangasya muktasya
jnanavasthita-cetasah
yajnayacaratah karma
samagram praviliyate
The formula is that we have to become detached from the result of the work and must be situated in full knowledge, in full knowledge. Unless we are situated in full knowledge, it is not possible to be detached from the work which you are doing. And that detachment and that knowledge, to be situated in full knowledge, is possible when we perform yajna or sacrifice.
Now, today's subject matter is varieties of sacrifices, how we can perform different kinds of sacrifices. And what is the sacrifice? Sacrifice means yajnarthe karma. Just at the present moment our conception is that I am the proprietor of everything. Actually, I am not the proprietor. The Isopanisad says that isavasyam idam sarvam: "The Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, or Krsna, He is the proprietor." But deluded by the illusory energy of the material existence, we are thinking that "I am the proprietor." Therefore in the scriptures, in Vedic scriptures, sacrifice is recommended. Sacrifice means you give voluntarily. You give voluntarily. Because we have been so much attached to this material proprietorship, that... And without that attachment, there is no possibility of our becoming free from this material entanglement. But that attachment is very difficult to give up. Therefore sacrifice has been recommended, that "You sacrifice."
Supposing that it is your proprietorship, you are the proprietor of everything, but you sacrifice, yajnarthe. Yajnarthe means "for the Supreme Lord." So so many sacrifices are recommended in various scriptures. So we shall try to discuss some of the sacrifices. Yajnayacaratah karma samagram praviliyate. If we perform our duties, yajna, for the matter of satisfaction of Visnu, the Supreme Lord, then we shall not be bound up by the reaction of any work.
Now, the first thing is in the sacrifice according to the Vedic rites, there are five principle factors. What are those? There is sacrificial fire, altar, and the person who is offering the... Generally, in the sacrifice grains and butter, clarified butter, is offered. So the sacrificial altar, fire, and the offering ingredients, grains and clarified butter, and the person who is offering sacrifice, three, and the result and the performer. These five things are there in the matter of sacrifice.
Now, Krsna says that if the five things are transformed into Krsna consciousness or Brahman realization, then the result will be that the man who is performing that sacrifice is sure to attain his spiritual salvation and go back to Godhead. This prescription is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, that
brahmarpanam brahma havir
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina
Now, brahmarpanam. Sacrifice for whom? For the Brahman. And Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. Therefore sacrifice for Krsna is brahmarpanam, means, sacrificing for the Brahman, Supreme Brahman. Because Krsna is described in the Tenth Chapter as the Parambrahman, the Supreme Brahman. Brahman means, we are also all Brahman. Because we are all fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Being, Krsna, therefore we are also Brahman. Just like particles of gold is also gold, similarly, we are fragmental portions of Krsna. Do not understand that as material fragments... We are not material fragment. But just because we have no other conception at the present moment except material understanding, therefore I am just trying... This is translated into English as "fragment," but not like that material fragment.
Just like we have got a paper in our hand. If I tear into pieces, they become fragments. Then the original paper, the shape of the paper -- no longer existing. It is not like that. The Upanisad says that
purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavasisyate
[Isopanisad, Invocation]
The spiritual conception is that, that any number of fragments of the whole can be taken from the whole spirit, but still, the spirit whole is as it is. That is the description in the Vedic literature. We have got material idea: "One minus one equal to zero." But in the spiritual realm, one minus one equal to one. So these fragments, the fragments of the Supreme Brahman, Krsna, we are. So with that consciousness, we have to sacrifice.
Brahmarpanam brahma havir. And the thing which we are sacrificing, we have to understand that the things belong to the Supreme Brahman. Brahmarpanam brahma havir brahmagnau. And the fire which is on the altar, that is to be understood as the energy of the Supreme Brahman. And brahmana hutam. And the person who is offering the sacrifice, he is also part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. In this way, if we offer sacrifice, then brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The person who is offering such sacrifice is sure to attain spiritual salvation. This is brahma-karma-samadhina. And the performance is just according to the Vedic injunction. So in this way, if we, I mean to say, execute the duties of our living condition, then the result will be that at the end we shall be attaining Brahman. And the whole process is called Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness.
In the higher conception of life, just it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that everything is visualized as Brahman. Brahman means spiritual. So in the higher conception of life, one who has attained in the higher stage of spiritual realization, for him, there is nothing material. There is nothing material. The distinction of matter and spirit is this. Now, from the Bhagavad-gita we understand that two energies are working. One energy is called inferior energy, and the other energy is called superior energy. Now, take for example the inferior energy. The energy emanating from the source, is there any possibility of dividing the energy and the energetic? No. That is not possible just like you cannot divide heat from the fire or the illumination from this light. This is not possible. If there is no illumination, then the light has no meaning. If there is no heat, then fire has no meaning. Similarly, if the energy is separated from the energetic, the energetic has no meaning.
So Krsna says that there are two kinds of nature: superior nature, or higher nature, and inferior nature. Now, even the inferior nature... We take it for granted that there is something like inferior nature. Of course, this material energy, the material nature, is called inferior nature -- inferior in the sense that matter has got no incentive. Without touch of spirit, matter cannot work. Therefore it is understood that it is inferior. But in the higher sense it is not inferior. How it is not inferior? Because it is emanation from the Supreme and you cannot separate this energy from the Supreme, and there is no difference between the Supreme and His energy.
Sakti-saktimator abheda. This is the Vedic injunction. Sakti, sakti means energy, and saktimat, saktimat means the person who has got the energy. So abheda, they are nondifferential. You cannot differentiate between the energy and the energetic. Just like electric powerhouse. The energy is electricity. Now, from the electricity energy we are working so many things. So far our household affairs are concerned, by the same electric energy we are getting heat and we are getting also cold. In the refrigerator we see everything is cold. In the heater we find everything is hot, warm. But the same energy is working. So one who knows that this is the electrical energy that is working in a different way, for him, there is no superior or inferior. That is called jnana. If we are on the platform of knowledge, then there is no distinction between matter and spirit.
And that knowledge we have to acquire. How we have to acquire? We must know it definitely that everything that is manifested... In the Visnu-Purana there is a nice verse which describes this energy and the energetic very nicely:
eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat
Akhilam jagat. Whatever we are seeing in this, in our presence, whatever we are seeing, they are nothing but different energies of the Supreme Lord.
And how they are acting? Just like the electric powerhouse is situated far away from your residential apartment, but from there the energy is being distributed and you are finding heat, cold, and so many things, electrically, you are working, so although the Supreme Lord is far, far away... Of course, He is not far, far away, but in our conception, in the material conception, because we cannot see... We are on a different planet. So by His energy He is not far away. Just like the sunlight, the sunshine, in the morning you find the sunshine is within your room, the sun is just within your room. It is actually. But still, the sun is 93,000,000 miles away from you. Similarly, in all circumstances we must understand that Krsna is, although far away from us, still, He is with us, within us. This is called knowledge. This is called knowledge.
And He says also in the Bhagavad-gita that sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am situated in everyone's heart." So just think how much nearest He is if He is sitting on my heart, and He is actually there, which is called Paramatma, or the Supersoul. So sarvasya, sarvasya means everyone's, not only in human body, but in animal body, in the atoms also. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. Paramanu means atom. He is situated. So practically, He is not far away. He is the nearest friend. He also claims in the Bhagavad-gita, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam: "I am the friend of everyone." So this knowledge, we have to acquire, that "We have got the greatest powerful friend in Krsna, and He is with me." This is knowledge.
Just like when you chant Krsna, Hare Krsna, actually the fact is Krsna is dancing on your tongue by sound vibration. Krsna is not away. It is stated in the scriptures, naham tisthami vaikunthe. He is addressing Narada, Narada, a great devotee of Krsna. He is explaining to Narada, naham tisthami vaikunthe yoginam hrdayesu ca. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they try to find out the Supersoul within themself. That is the yoga system. Yoga, actual yoga system, is to concentrate the mind, to focus the mind on the Supersoul. That is yoga system. So Krsna says that naham tisthami vaikunthe. In the scriptures we find that kingdom of God, that is called Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha means vigata-kuntha yatra. Kuntha means anxieties. The place where there is no anxieties, that is called Vaikuntha. So Krsna says that naham tisthami vaikunthe yoginam hrdayesu ca: "My dear Narada, do not think that I am staying in the Vaikuntha, in the kingdom of God only, or in the heart of the yogis only. No." Tat tat tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah: "Wherever My devotees sing or chant the glories of Me, I stand there. I go there."
So this is brahmarpanam. This yajna, this is the highest yajna.
Now, we are discussing of the varieties of yajna. Now, so far sacrifice in the altar of fire, clarified butter and grains, it is not possible. At the present moment... Of course, formerly, we understand from the scriptures that they used to pour tons of tons clarified butter in the fire because at that time they were available. But at the present moment... Of course, we are seeing some butter sticks here in America, but from India practically butter has disappeared. So it is not possible.
The present day, Kali-yuga, is not favorable for such sacrifice which was being performed in the Satya-yuga or Treta... Not Treta-yuga. Sacrifice was being performed in the Treta-yuga, second millennium. The duration of a period. Just like in a year we have got different seasons, similarly, in the existence there are different periods. According to Vedic literature, they are called Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, Kali-yuga. Now we are passing through the Kali-yuga. The Kali-yuga, duration of Kali-yuga is four hundred thousands, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of year. Out of that, we have passed only five thousands of years. That is the Vedic calculation.
So Lord Caitanya has recommended this yajna. It is not Lord Caitanya's imagination. It is recommended in the Bhagavata that
krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
Now, these four yugas are divided. Krte, krte means in Satya-yuga, when people were all virtuous. That is called Satya-yuga. So krte yad dhyayato visnum: "In the Satya-yuga what was attained by meditation on Visnu..."
We shall always remember that whenever we call for meditation, that meditation is not on void. Void meditation is very much troublesome. Kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam [Bg. 12.5]. You will find in the Bhagavad-gita. Those who are trying to meditate upon the void, they are in very troublesome condition. And it is very difficult to achieve success. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. So meditation always means meditation on Visnu.
So in the Satya-yuga, in the millennium when all people were virtuous, cent percent virtuous, at that time this meditation was recommended. Because their minds were not disturbed and they could sit down peacefully and concentrate his mind on Visnu. That was the process recommended.
Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih. Tretayam means the next millennium. That is... It was recommended that people should perform sacrifice.
Tretayam yajato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam. Dvapare means the next millennium. That is recommended for temple worship, temple worship. The temple worship... So many temples, thousands and thousands of temples, you will find. Not only in India, in other parts of the world also. The churches are also temples, the mosques are also temples, the synagogues are also temples. So this temple worship was introduced in the third millennium.
Now this is the fourth millennium. In the fourth millennium, the Bhagavata says that kalau tad dhari-kirtanat: "At the present moment we have to perform sacrifices by chanting the hari-kirtana, the glorification of Krsna." This is yajna. Other yajnas, although they are prescribed... Because when Krsna was speaking, He was speaking generally, but there are specific considerations. This yajna recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, brahmarpanam brahma, brahma havir brahmagnau brahmana hutam... Now, where is the fire and where is the clarified butter and where is the expert performer of yajna? The performer of yajna must be so much educated. There was a talk between Lord Caitanya and a Muhammadan magistrate. Because when Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, India was being governed by the Muhammadans, Pathans, in the fifteenth century, five hundred years before. Lord Caitanya appeared about 480 years before. So there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and the Muhammadan magistrate.
So just like... You will also learn that we are performing this kirtana. Some tenant in this house, he has taken objection. And just to avoid misunderstanding, so I am closing this door. But it is becoming very too much discomfiture. That I can feel. People are not feeling comfortable.
Anyway, apart from that, this misunderstanding of kirtana, five hundred years before also, there was. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was performing kirtana, the, not the Muhammadans, but the Hindus, they took objection that "This is not according to our scripture. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has introduced something new." So he complained to the magistrate although the magistrate was Muhammadan, he was government representative. So he took action. What action was taken? Now, the first of all he warned Lord Caitanya's party that "You cannot perform sankirtana." Then Lord Caitanya's party neglected. Then the magistrate sent some constables and they broke the mrdanga. You have seen the mrdanga. So there was some disturbance and Lord Caitanya formed a party of one hundred thousand people from Navadvipa and He began to make a civil disobedience. He performed sankirtana all over the city, and there was some trouble between the Muhammadan magistrate. And at last, they came to compromise. And when the compromise was done, then there was some discussion. The discussion was the distinction between Muhammadan religion and Hindu religion.
Now, Caitanya Mahaprabhu first of all inquired that the Muhammadan magistrate... They established their relation as the uncle and nephew. Caitanya Mahaprabhu became the nephew, and the Kazi, the magistrate, he became the uncle. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu addressed the uncle, "My dear uncle, why you are killing your father and mother?" So the uncle replied, "What is that? I am killing our father and mother?" "Yes. Because the cow is your mother. She gives milk. And the bull, he helps you in the agricultural fields. He produces grain. So just like father and mother -- mother supplies milk and father brings grain -- so they are your father and mother. How you are killing your father and mother?"
So the uncle replied that... He was also very educated, learned. He said that "In Your Vedic scripture there is cow sacrifice. So You are also killing cow." Just I am going to explain the sacrifice. Now, Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained there that that was not killing. When there was some animal sacrifice, an old animal would be sacrificed in the altar, but it would be given a new life. It was practically testing of the Vedic mantra by the qualified brahmanas. So He said, "Because at the present moment there are no qualified brahmanas, therefore such kind of sacrifice is stopped. Stopped." That was His explanation.
So these sacrifices means unless they are performed very nicely, according to the rules and regulations as they are mentioned in scripture, they will not produce the desired result. That is the way of sacrifice. Now, here it is said, brahmarpanam brahma havih. Now, where is the butter, where is the grain, and where is the qualified brahmana who can chant the mantras, hymns, very nicely, so that we can get the result? So any kind of sacrifice at the present age is impossible. It is not possible. The only sacrifice -- that kirtana, sankirtana-yajna. That is possible, which you have just now tried. This was introduced, and this is recommended in Bhagavata. This is authoritative. And when Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the incarnation of Krsna. That is confirmed in Mahabharata, Bhagavata, Purana, Upanisad.
Now, in the Bhagavata in the Eleventh Canto you'll find the symptoms of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in which it is stated that yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah: [SB 11.5.32] "Those who are intelligent persons in this age, in Kali-yuga, they will perform sankirtana-yajna and satisfy Lord Sri Krsna, Lord Caitanya." So this sankirtana-yajna, that which you are performing,
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
So if we think, if we are Krsna conscious, that "I am eternal fragment of Krsna, therefore my duty is..."
Now, everyone can understand what is the duty of the fragment to the whole, fragment to the whole, that the Krsna is the whole, whole machine. Suppose... In this mechanical world we can understand that the whole machine is there, but there is a small screw which is fragment of that machine. So that screw should be properly adjusted in the machine and it will help machine working nicely. Similarly, we are all different fragments of the Supreme, Krsna, and if we dovetail ourself in the work of Krsna that is the highest yajna. That is the performance of yajna.
We haven't got to search out for large quantities of butter, clarified butter or grains. That is impossible factor now. It is very difficult to secure butter for eating purposes, and who is going to sacrifice? That is not possible. Although that is mentioned in the different scriptures, that sacrifice should be performed in that way, but it is impractical. It is not possible. So such sacrifices as recommended in the scriptures by offering clarified butter and grains, or sacrificing some animal... There are so many.
Now, this sacrifice of animals was protested by Lord Buddha. He deviated from the Hindu religion. Lord Buddha was born in Hindu family. He was ksatriya. He was a king's son. But he wanted to preach nonviolence. He wanted to preach completely, to stop completely animal killing. But because in the Vedic... Of course, I have already explained that sacrifice of animals, as stated in the Vedas, they are not for killing. They are meant for giving a new life to the animal. By Vedic mantra... The Vedic mantra are so powerful that that was a test how a dead animal can get, regain new body. An old animal is sacrificed and it gets a new youthful life. That was the test. It was not meant for killing. Don't misunderstand that sacrifice. But that is mentioned in the Vedas. So people misused that sacrifice means... That sacrifice... They wanted to give evidence from Vedas, "So here is... Animal sacrifice is mentioned in the Vedas. Why we shall stop?" So Lord Buddha started his movement, completely stopping this animal sacrifice. But he knew that "These foolish men will come and give me evidence that ‘Here in the Vedas animal sacrifice is recommended. Why you are preaching? Why you are preaching stoppage of animal killing?' " Therefore he completely rejected Vedas. He said that "I don't accept Vedas."
That is stated in a very nice verse about Lord Buddha by a Vaisnava poet.
nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam
sadaya-hrdaya darsita-pasu-ghatam
kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare
It is very nicely composed. The idea is that the poet is praying Lord Buddha. And Lord Buddha is also mentioned in Bhagavatam as incarnation of Krsna. So he is praying Lord Buddha, "My dear Lord, you have assumed now the buddha-sarira, body, just to, by taking compassion on the poor animals, and therefore you are also deprecating the animal sacrifices recommended in the Vedas."
So because Lord Buddha did not accept... He had to do that because his mission was to stop animal sacrifice and animal killing. "Now if these foolish persons, without knowing the Vedic purpose, if they present, ‘Oh, here it is recommended in the Vedas,' then there will be disturbance." So he had to discard, he had to go out of the Vedic rules and regulation, and he preached his own philosophy.
So therefore sacrifice, any kind of sacrifice, that sacrifice is now consolidated in this sacrifice of, I mean to, sacrificing your time and sitting down here and chanting
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
This is the best kind of sacrifice recommended by Lord Caitanya for this age. He said that kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21]. Just like if we want to give stress on a particular subject matter we say that "Do this! Do this! Do this!" similarly, Lord Caitanya also stressed on this performance of sankirtana thrice. He said, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: "In this age of Kali there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way." Thrice He said. And what is that? Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. Now here also thrice: "Simply just chant Krsna's name, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare." So this is the best kind of sacrifice.
But because... Other sacrifices, they are also recognized. Just like yoga. Yoga is also recognized, but that was meant for in the Satya-yuga when all people were very much all virtuous, cent percent virtuous. There was no, I mean to say, sinful men at all. Now, as the age advanced, in the Treta-yuga there was seventy-five percent virtuous and twenty-five percent sinful. In the Dvapara-yuga, fifty percent virtuous and fifty percent sinful. And in this age, Kali-yuga, almost cent percent sinful, although it is calculated in the sastra that seventy-five percent are sinful and twenty-five percent are...
That you can see how many percentage are going to join our sankirtana movement. We can see from the audience. You see? So it is difficult, but it is the fact. If we perform this sacrifice nicely, according to the rules recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are sure to get salvation. Niscitam. Niscitam means sure. So let us perform this sacrifice with patience and perseverance, with steadiness, and then surely we shall achieve the desired result, spiritual salvation, which is that... It is stated, brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The whole thing is meant for go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is the whole thing. This is not our home; neither it is our place. We come here as a foreigner.
Just like I have come to your place as a foreigner. Suppose I am here for last one year. I may remain here for three months more or one year more, or then I may go back. Similarly, we are all foreigners in this material world. We come here for certain... That is changing bodies, changing bodies, changing place. So this is not our place. Our real place is... [break]
...the human society. This sacrifice of sankirtana-yajna. It is nothing manufactured, it is recommended in Vedic literature. It was actually performed by Lord Caitanya. So there is nothing unauthorized. It is completely authorized. So I shall request all friends and audience here to take up the matter very seriously and just try to execute it, although there are some impediments. So any good thing you do, there will be so many impediments. But we have to execute our mission.
Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can ask. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966
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