The Material World Means Politics, Jealousy, Diplomacy, Envy

73/07/07 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.1

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

dhrtarastra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya
 [Bg. 1.1]

Prabhupada: (during chanting of sloka) Now, in your leisure hour you will try to repeat and get by heart some of the slokas. That will be very nice. Go on.

Pradyumna: (after synonyms) "Translation: Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, being desirous to fight?"

Prabhupada: So the history is that same family, there was dispute who would occupy the throne. Dhrtarastra and, actually he was the eldest son of the king, and next was Pandu. So every country the law of primogeniture, what is called? The eldest child... In your country even the eldest child is a girl, she also occupies the throne. Just like present Queen Elizabeth. Formerly there was Queen Victoria; before that, another Elizabeth. But in India woman has no such right. Woman is never given any responsible post. That is the opinion of the greatest politician in the history of the world, Canakya Pandita. According to his opinion, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca. He has given his explicit opinion that "You cannot trust with any responsible post or any responsibility with a woman and politician." Those who are diplomat, politician, you cannot trust them.

So the general regulation is that woman should remain under the protection of husband, er, father, husband and children. Just like these Pandus, their mother, Kunti, she was very, very qualified lady. But still, after the death of her husband, she always remained with the sons. The sons are going to the forest; the mother is also going. Also the wife is also going, Draupadi. This was the... So two parties... Dhrtarastra was the eldest son, but he was blind, bodily defect. Therefore he was not awarded the throne. His next brother, Pandu, he was offered the throne, but he died very early age, a young man. When these Pandus, the five sons, Yudhisthira Maharaja, at at that time not Maharaja, Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, they were very small children, so they were taken care of by Dhrtarastra and other elderly family... Bhismadeva. He was the grandfather of the Pandavas. He was the elder uncle of Dhrtarastra. Bhisma was elder brother of Dhrtarastra's father. He was so old. But he was... Actually, the kingdom belonged to Bhisma, but he remained a brahmacari, he did not marry. There was no issue of Bhismadeva. Therefore his nephews, Dhrtarastra and Pandu, they were inheritor.

Now, after the death of Pandu, there was conspiracy. Dhrtarastra wanted that "Actually, this is my kingdom. Now, somehow or other, I could not get it. Now my brother is dead. So if I do not inherit, why not my sons.?" This was the politics. Politics are always there, and enviousness, jealousy. This is the nature of this material world. You cannot avoid it. Spiritual world means just the opposite. There is no politics. There is no jealousy. There is no enviousness. That is spiritual world. And material world means politics, jealousy, diplomacy, enviousness, so many things. This is material world. So even in the heavenly planets, these things are there, politics. Even in animal kingdom, these politics are there. This is the nature. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness. One man is envious of another man. It doesn't matter, even they are brothers or family members. Here the family members, Dhrtarastra and Pandu, two brothers, their sons, they were family members, but the enviousness...

So the Krsna consciousness movement is not for the persons who are envious. Envious. It is a movement to train people how to become not envious. It is very first-class scientific movement, yes. Not to become envious. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam in the beginning introduces, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra [SB 1.1.2]. In this Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharma, religious principles, cheating type of religious principle is completely eradicated, thrown away, projjhita. They are kicked out, projjhita. Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweeping and then kick out, don't keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system -- kicked out. It is not such religion, "this religion," "that religion." Any religion system, if there is jealousy, that is not religion. Jealousy means... We should understand jealousy, what is jealousy. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won't allow you to take it. This is jealousy. This is jealousy. Jealousy, try to understand. Suppose you are rightful owner of something, and I am trying that "You don't own it. I shall own it. Or somebody own it. I shall not allow it." This is jealousy.

So what is the rightful ownership of the living entity? That is to be understood. Birthright, what is called birthright. Just like everyone has got right to live under the protection of the government, everyone. That is good government. Government should give security of life and property. That is government. Not only for the human being, but even for the ant. This is government. Not that I give protection to my brother, and not to others. That is not... Just like Pariksit Maharaja, he was giving protection to the animals also. When he was on his tour, as soon as he saw that a black man was trying to kill one cow, oh, immediately he took his sword, "Who are you? You are trying to kill?"

So this is good government. Unless the government is equal to everyone... Just like God is equal to everyone. The king or the government must be representative of God. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, king is offered as good respect as to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. King is called nara-deva, nara-deva. That means "God in human form." King is given... Why? Because he acts as the representative of God. He cannot be jealous to any living entity, at least, born in his kingdom. That is called praja. Praja means one who has taken birth, or, in other words, national, national. So that was the duty.

So formerly, when there was fight between two kings, it is on the principle that who is giving good protection to the citizens, not for personal profit. Who is able to give good protection, life, security for life and property, he should become king. So these persons, this Dhrtarastra and his sons, they were jealous. How they could give protection to the citizens? They are themselves jealous. Just like nowadays, all these politicians, they are jealous. They cannot give any protection to the citizens. They are simply interested with their party politics. They have no time even to think how to give nice protection to the citizens so that they may feel happy always that "We have got good government. There is no cause of anxiety. We have got sufficient food, sufficient protection, sufficient opulence, everything sufficient." That is good government.

So here, Dhrtarastra, he is jealous. He cannot give any good government. Krsna knew it. Krsna sent a messenger, Akrura. You have read in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Before this Battle of Kuruksetra from Dvaraka, He sent his uncle Akrura: "Just go to Hastinapura, New Delhi, and see what is the situation." So Akrura understood that Dhrtarastra was planning something. So he talked with him that "Why you are implicated in such planning? Krsna does not want it." Although Dhrtarastra knew that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead... So Dhrtarastra said that "I know that what I am planning, that is not good. I know Krsna -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He has requested me. But I tell you frankly, I cannot do without it. So when Krsna will be pleased upon me, I may be."

So this is the position of the materialistic person. A materialistic person knows that he is sinful. A materialistic person knows that whatever he is doing is wrong, but he cannot check. Just like the thief. A thief knows that if he commits stealing, he will be arrested, he will be punished. He knows. Because he heard from lawbooks, from other sources, and he has also seen that a thief is arrested and he is taken by the police for being punished. So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekha-suna. In India it is called. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing. So one who is intelligent, he gets his experience simply by hearing from the right source. That is nice.

So our process is that we are getting experience about the perfect knowledge, the destination of life, simply by hearing from Krsna. So we are the most intelligent person. It is not possible to experience directly, but if one has got intelligence, then simply by hearing and considering and thinking over it, he gets the experience. So those who are very sinful, they get experience by hearing and by direct, directly seeing also; still, they cannot check from sinful activities. So Dhrtarastra, Dhrtarastra, by his sinful activities he became so much fallen that he did not hear anybody's advice, Vidura's advice, Bhisma's advice, that "Don't plan like this. They are rightful owners. The Pandavas, they are rightful owners. They are minor, but don't try to cheat them." But Dhrtarastra was...

So when the planning was complete and the warfield was set up at dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre [Bg. 1.1]. Dharma-ksetre means, kuru-ksetre, that place is a pilgrimage. People still go to observe religious ritualistic performances. And in the Vedas there is injunction, kuru-ksetre dharmam acaret: "If you want to perform some ritualistic ceremonies, religious, then go to Kuruksetra." So Kuruksetra is a dharma-ksetra. It is a not fictitious thing, just like rascal commentators, so-called, they say, "Kuruksetra means this body." It is not that. As it is. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Kuruksetra, dharma-ksetra. It is a place of religion. And especially when Krsna was present there, it is already. Why this house? Before our occupation, why this house was an ordinary house? Now it is temple. It is dharma-ksetra, it is a religious place. Why? Because Krsna is there. Krsna is there. So either you take Kuruksetra, ordinary place. But because in the battlefield Krsna was there directing Arjuna. So it is already dharma-ksetra.

So formerly people were religiously trained up. So they could not speak lies in a dharma-ksetra. That is still the practice. Just like in the western world, the Christians go to the church, they admit, confession, "Yes, I have done it." But that has become a formality. But actually, one should admit in religious place that "Yes, I have done this." But that does not mean you admit and again do it. No. You admit once, then you are excused. But don't do it again.

So here Dhrtarastra says, samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. "All these people, my sons, mamakah..." Mamakah. That means "my sons," and pandava, "my brother Pandu's sons." Samaveta, "they assembled." What is the purpose? The purpose is yuyutsavah. This word yuyutsu is still used in Japan. Perhaps you know, yuyutsa, fighting. So yuyutsu, those who are desirous of fighting. Now, both the parties were desiring to fight, and they assembled. Why he is asking question, kim akurvata: "What did they do"? Because he was little doubtful that "These boys, after being assembled in dharma-ksetra kuru-kse..., they might have changed their ideas. They might have settled up." Actually, the sons of Dhrtarastra might have admitted, "Yes, Pandavas, you are actually the owner. What is the use of unnecessarily fighting?" So he was very much anxious whether they had changed their decision. Therefore he is asking. Otherwise there was no question of asking, kim akurvata. He... Just like if you are given food, if I ask somebody that "Such and such gentleman was served with nice dishes. Then what did he do?" This is foolish question. He would eat. That's all. (laughter) What is the question of "What did he do?" Similarly, when it is already settled up that they were to fight, there was no such question as kim akurvata, "What did they do?" But he asked this question because he was doubtful whether they had changed their opinion.

Kim akurvata sanjaya [Bg. 1.1]. He was asking his secretary. He was blind man. He was always conducted by his secretary Sanjaya, a very faithful secretary. And he is explaining the Bhagavad-gita by experiencing, by television within the heart. That art is not yet developed. You have got television through machine, but there is another television -- you can see within your heart everything, what is going on outside. So that television was known to... That will be explained by Sanjaya, that by the grace of Vyasadeva, he learned this televisioning, and he was sitting with his master within the room and he was actually seeing how the fighting is going on. And he was explaining. This is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gita, I mean, the basic platform. So let us discuss gradually, one after an... Thank you very much.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973

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Nobody Is Fit - Nobody Survives

Nobody Is Fit - Nobody Survives Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.102 Baltimore, July 7, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pradyumna: (reads word-for-word) "Translation: Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? If I do not know this, how can I be benefited?" Prabhupada: 'ke ami', 'kene amaya jare tapa-traya' iha nahi jani-'kemane hita haya' Ke ami: "Who am I?" Now, suppose I am sitting here, you are all sitting here. Some fly comes and disturbs. We have got daily experience. And he'll disturb. I want to get him out, and he comes again, stops on his mouth and creates some disturbance. A fly, a small fly, not a very big man. So, but after all, this is disturbance. I don't like it, but the fly will come and disturb me. So there is no question that "Why this fly is coming and giving me disturbance? I do not want it." This is sane man's inquiry. But there is no inquiry. I do not want... There are three kinds, jare tapa-traya, three kinds of miserable condition. One is called adhyatmika, another is called adhidaivika, another is called adhibhautika. Adhyatmika means pertaining to the body and mind. All of a sudden my mind is not in order. Suppose a friend has come to talk with me, so I refuse to talk, I am not in mood. We have got this experience. "I cannot talk with you, mind is not in order." This is happening daily, every moment. This is called adhyatmika. I did not want it, but it has come. All of a sudden I am feeling some headache. I did not want it, but it came. This is our practical experience. So this kind of troubles I don't want. There are always, either adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, that is you are suffering. In this material world means the suffering is going on. We are thinking we are very safe, running in the car. At any moment there may be accident. At any moment. I do not want it, my life may go. So this is sane man's life, that "So many things, I do not want them, but they are enforced upon me, and I do not know how to get out of it." The fly is coming, disturbing. I can simply make some spray to kill it, as you do generally, but that killing is another risk. But those who do not know, they kill it. Because you have no right to kill. Suppose a man is disturbing you. So if you kill, you become a murderer and you'll be taken into the court and you'll be punished, and if you say, "This man was disturbing me; therefore I have killed him," that is no excuse. You have killed this man; you must suffer. This is ordinarily we find in our general living condition. So in the state of the Supreme Lord, you cannot kill even a mosquito or even a fly. You'll be punished. Because God says that "Everyone is My child." Just the same example. Suppose I have got so many brothers. One brother is a fool, so he creates me some disturbances. I kill him. So will the father be happy? If you say, "Father, your this child was disturbing me. I have killed him," the father will be sorry, "Why you have killed him?" This is natural. Because one child of the father is a fool, the other intelligent child cannot kill him. Then the father will be angry or sorry. So we do not know. We are doing irresponsibly. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami has gone to his spiritual master, he's asking this... This is also common, also very grave questions, that "In this material world, I do not want so many things, but they are enforced upon me. Why?" This is human life, to inquire why. Not to... The modern theory is struggle for existence. There are troubles, and you try to save yourself, and survival of the fittest. But nobody is fit, nobody survives. Nobody wants death, but we are talking of survival. Who can escape death? There is no possibility. So there are so many slogans, but actually there is no remedy. There is remedy, but we do not know. That is the defect of modern civilization. There is remedy. Otherwise why we are talking this sastra? Why Sanatana Gosvami is putting this question? Just to get the solution from the spiritual master. Otherwise there was no need of putting these questions, that "What is my position? Why these threefold miseries always give me trouble? Why I die? Why I become old? Why I become diseased? Why I have to take birth?" They are simply struggle for existence, that here is a child, and the child-bearing is very troublesome, and if I give birth to a child... The mother is killing. This is going on. But that means she is implicating herself again in another way of life. This is going on. So this question, at the present moment, nobody asks this question. But this is very intelligent question. We are completely under the laws of nature. prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate  [Bg. 3.27] We are not independent. Just like in the state, in your country, although you have observed the independence ceremony, but you are not independent. If you go... "Keep to the right," you go to the left, immediately your independence finished. You'll be punished. So this so-called independence is conditional. It is not absolute independence. If you want absolute independence then you have to go back home, back to Godhead. This is Krsna consciousness. We are hankering after independence, but so long we remain in this material world, there is no question of independence. So intelligent man, when he inquires about, when he thinks over, that "I want independence from so many things, but I am not independent. I am forced to accept, then where is my independence?" When this question arises, then he is human being. Otherwise he's as good as the cats and dogs. Because the cats and dogs, they cannot inquire. Just like an animal is being sent to the slaughterhouse, he cannot say "Why I am... What I have done? Why you are sending me to the slaughterhouse?" He cannot protest. Even he protests, nobody hears him. Nobody hears. He protests by crying, by screaming, but we have made our own theories: "This crying is nothing. It has no soul. We can kill." So in this way the whole world is going on under a gross atmosphere of ignorance. There are so many things to be discussed. Just like we do not know what is the problems of life, how life comes into existence. We see a child is born, but we do not know wherefrom the life came. The lump of matter of the child is not the child. If the child takes birth dead, without life, it has no value; it is a lump of matter. You throw it immediately. But if it has a life, then we take care of it, we raise it, give him food, give him breast milk, and so much care. The life is so important. But nobody cares to know what is this life, where it begins, wherefrom it comes, what is the destiny. No question. Similarly, if we... We are seeing every night so many planets. We are making tiny attempt to go to moon planet or some other planet, but there are, we see there are so many millions and trillions of planet. What about their situation? We have made our calculation from here that they are simply decoration; there is no life. No, there is life. There is life, but we do not know it. So yesterday our scientist, Svarupa Damodara, Dr. Svarupa Damodara, was speaking that in the history of human society, actually these two things are ignorance: what is the beginning of life and what are these planetary systems. So we are after knowledge, but so many things are unknown to us. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami is teaching us by his practical behavior to approach the spiritual master, and putting his case that "I am suffering in this way." He was minister, there was no question of suffering. He was very well situated. That he has already explained, that gramya-vyavahare pandita, tai satya kari mani. "There are so many questions I cannot answer. There is no solution. Still, people say that I am very learned man -- I accept it foolishly." Nobody is learned man unless he goes to the guru. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Therefore Vedic injunction is that if you want to be learned, then go to guru, bona fide guru, not the so-called guru. tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah  [Bg. 4.34] Guru means one who has seen the Absolute Truth. That is guru. Tattva-darsinah, tattva means the Absolute Truth, and darsinah, one who has seen. So this movement, our Krsna consciousness movement, is for this purpose, to see the Absolute Truth, to understand the Absolute Truth, to know the problems of life and how to make a solution. These things are our subject matter. Our subject matter is not material things, that somehow or other you get a car and a good apartment and a good wife, then all your problems solved. No. That is not solution of problems. The real problem is how to stop your death. That is the real problem. But because it is very difficult subject matter, nobody touches it. "Oh, death -- we shall peacefully die." But nobody peacefully dies. If I take a dagger and I say, "Now die peacefully," (laughter) the whole peaceful condition finished immediately. He will cry. So these are nonsense, if somebody says, "I will die peacefully." Nobody dies peacefully, that is not possible. Therefore death is a problem. Birth is also a problem. Nobody is peaceful while within the womb of the mother. It is packed-up, airtight condition, and nowadays there is risk of being killed also. So there is no question of peacefulness, birth and death. And then old age. Just like I am old man, so many troubles I have got. So old age. And disease, everyone has got experience, even headache is sufficient to give you trouble. The real problem is this: birth, death, old age and disease. That is the statement given by Krsna, that janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. If you are intelligent, you should take up these four problems of life as very dangerous. So they have no knowledge; therefore they avoid these questions. But we take up these questions very seriously. That is the difference between other movement and Krsna consciousness movement. Our movement is how to solve these problems. The sastra says that if you cannot solve these problems for your children... That is real contraceptive method. Pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. If you cannot protect your child from the imminent death and repetition of birth, then don't become a father, don't become a mother. This is sastra's injunction. If you are actually father and mother, you should give him such educational knowledge that this is the last birth. Next he'll not have any such body subjected to birth and death. That is possible. That the Bhagavad-gita says: tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. If you take to Krsna consciousness, if you simply try to understand Krsna, then the whole problem solved. What is the problem solved? Tyaktva deham, this body we have to give up. Because it is material body, you must have to give up. But those who are Krsna consciousness, in the..., after giving up this body, no more material body. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Punar janma means next birth. If you accept a material body, then there is question of next birth. But if you remain in your spiritual body, there is no question of next birth. That is spiritual salvation or liberation. If you remain in your spiritual body, then you go back to home, back to Godhead. Krsna is complete spiritual body. The kingdom of God is also spiritual, and you go there, and you live there eternally. Tyaktva deham. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhamam paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. Where going you do not come back again to this material world. That is the supreme abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this benediction is offered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who has very kindly come here, Nitai-Gaura. So you take advantage of His mercy. You are very fortunate that Nitai-Gaura is here. If you simply chant Nitai-Gaura and dance, then you'll become happy. There is no difficulty. There is no difficulty. You are chanting "Jaya Sacinandana." This simple chanting, "Jaya Sacinandana," "Hare Krsna," this chanting and dancing, yajnaih sankirtanair prayaih yajanti hi sumedhasah. This is not I am manufacturing. It is the injunction of the sastra. In this age, simply by chanting and dancing, yajnaih sankirtanair prayaih, you get complete spiritual service. So I am very glad you are taking care of Nitai-Gaura so nicely, They are so nicely dressed. So continue these activities, and even if you cannot do anything, simply chant Hare Krsna and dance and "Jaya Sacinandana." That will make your life perfect. Thank you very much. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976 HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Time and Tide Wait for No Man

"Time and Tide Wait for No Man"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.23
Chicago, July 7, 1975

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Nitai: "My dear King, Ajamila, while maintaining his large family of many sons by abominable activities, passed eighty-eight years of his life."

Prabhupada:

evam nivasatas tasya
lalayanasya tat-sutan
kalo 'tyagan mahan rajann
astasityayusah samah
 [SB 6.1.23]

So his living condition was cheating and stealing and forcing others to snatch away some money. This was his living condition. So he was thinking, "I am very happy. I am begetting children..." Lalayanasya tat-sutan. Every year, one children, and getting money by cheating others, and living very peacefully. But the time factor was waiting, according to one's duration of life. So when astasiti, eighty-eight years reached, his death was imminent. Kala. Kala means death. So he did not know that time and tide waits for no man. When time will come, death, then all this my paraphernalia will be taken away. I am very proud of my wealth, prestigious position, family, society. Everything is all right. But what about your death? Do you think that any day death will come and it will take everything, what you possess?

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. We are accumulating so many things, big, big buildings, big, big estate, big, big bank balance, big, big family. That's all right, but what is the guarantee that we will be able to enjoy this? That they are not thinking. And it is a fact that death may come at any moment. Especially nowadays. So you... There is no guarantee. Even in your ordinary life you are going by the car, there may be accident. "Maybe" not. They are taking place. So many people are dying. He does not expect that "I am going to office. I shall be killed." In aeroplane crash... So there is no guarantee. Any moment we can die. But we are not thinking..., because they have made this theory, "There is no life after death. So enjoy. Enjoy life as far as possible." But that is not the fact. After death, we will have to accept another body. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. But they try to forget it. And the argument they put forward, that "Even I get one body next life, I shall forget this life. So what is the wrong? Let us enjoy." This is called life of ignorance, passion. But this is not the proper life.

So yesterday we discussed the different grades of life: first class, second class, third class, fourth class, fifth class, sixth class. So this kind of life, without any responsibility and carried away by the waves of time, is the tenth-class life. This is tenth-class life, ignorance. So Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he sings one song, miche mayar bose, jaccho bhese', Khaccho habudubu bhai: "By the waves of maya you are being carried away, and habudubu, sometimes being drowned within the, under the water, and sometimes rising, floating on the water." This is our life, material life. We are being carried away by the waves of nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. And sometimes... Just like in the waves of water you will find many straws and vegetables and leaves, they gather together. You will find. And again, by another toss, they are separated. One straw goes this way, another straw, leaf, goes this way, no combination. Similarly, we are, gathering together: society, friendship, love, community, society, and so on, so on, nationality, family, sons, daughters, wife. The same thing: the waves of water gathering together the straws, leaves, and other, and another wave, finished. All society, friendship, love, children, wife, everything, national -- finished. This is going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19].

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhutva. Bhutva means taking shape in some particular type of body. The living soul is there within this body, but the outward dress... Just like we are sitting, so many persons -- we have got different dresses -- similarly, all these 8,400,000's different forms of life, they are coming into existence and again changing. This is called material world. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. But we are hearing from authorities like Lord Krsna. He says, na jayate na mriyate va kadacit: "My dear Arjuna, a living entity does not take birth. There is no birth, death, old age, disease of the spirit soul." Na jayate na mriyate va kadacin nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. That is understanding, that we, aham brahmasmi, we, all of us, we are particle of Brahman. Therefore we are eternal. There is no birth, death, old age, and disease. So actually, we do not like to die. Why? Because I am eternal, you are eternal, so I want to live forever. But we are put under certain condition of this material world, that we have to die.

Die means in this body we are creating some situation for the next life, and in order to accept... Just like one person -- especially this Ajamila upakhyana -- his ways of life was not ordinary; most abominable. So abominable, good, or bad, in this life we are creating some situation so that we will get next life another body. Therefore there is death. That is material world. And as soon as there is death, there is birth. Death means we enter into the womb of a mother for, say, ten months. That ten months is considered as death. Not ten months, because the child within the womb of the mother returns his consciousness when the child is seven months old. This is human body. At that time he feels inconvenience within the womb of mother. Before that, he is unconscious, sleeping. Now, when the body grows within the mother womb and it is seven months, then he returns consciousness. He feels inconvenient. And he is very eager to come out. Those who are advanced, they pray to God, "My Lord, somehow or other get me release from this condition. This life I shall devote for rendering You service so that I may be free from this condition." So similarly, at ten months, ten days, he comes out and..., but forgets. Svajanera kole. Many relatives, mother, father, takes care, and he forgets that "I promised I shall become Krsna conscious this time." But on account of illusory energy, he thought that "I am very comfortably situated. My father is taking care. My mother is taking care. My relatives are taking care. So very happy life." This is called forgetfulness.

So Sukadeva Gosvami, therefore, he remained within the womb of his mother for sixteen years. And as soon as he got out from the mother's womb, immediately he left home. You will read in Bhagavatam. So father was going after. After all, father, that "This boy, going out. My dear son, come back. Where you are going? Where you are going?" He didn't care. He didn't care. He went away. There are persons like that. They don't want to be attached to this material affection. Mayara vaibhava. These are expansion of the illusory energy. That is sense. That is first-class understanding. Actually, there is no need of this material world. Just like somebody says that "If all the prisoners become free, how the prisonhouse will go on?" And is it a very good proposal? The prisonhouse, as soon as it is stopped, as soon as it is closed, that is good for the society. Why there should be prisonhouse at all? But they want to maintain the prisonhouse and very anxious, "If people all are set free, then who will fill up this prisonhouse?" They question that, that "If all people go to back to home, back to Godhead, then how this world will go on?" (laughter) That is their anxiety. But we say the sooner you close this business and all of you go back to home, back to Godhead, then everything is very nice.

Devotees: Jaya! Jaya, Prabhupada!

Prabhupada: So kala, as it is said. Kalah atyagat mahan. Mahan means very powerful, great. You may be a very big scientist and very powerful politician, you don't care for anything, but you cannot conquer over the mahan, the great powerful time. Oh, that is not possible. You are independent. You don't care for God. But God will come. You will see. Kalo 'smi. When Krsna showed the gigantic form, virad-murti, Arjuna enquired, "Who are You, Sir?" Because he was dealing with Krsna as friend, but after seeing the virad-rupa, the gigantic universal form, so he enquired, "Who are You, Sir?" He replied, kalo 'smi: "I am kala, kala. I have appeared to take away all these sinful demons." So Krsna appears still in form of war, big gigantic war, and takes away so many millions of people by one stroke. This is going on. So we should have sense that "We hear from the sastras that we are eternal. Why we are subjugated to these laws of nature, kala? I do not wish to die, I do not wish to suffer, I do not wish to be old man, I do not wish to be diseased, and these things are forced upon me. I have to accept, and still, I am so fool, I am thinking I am independent." This is called foolishness, rascaldom.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is trying to remove this rascaldom, foolishness. That is the purpose of this movement, that "Sir, you are not independent. You are completely under the grip of material nature, and after death, your all independence finished. You are under the control of material nature, and you have to accept. A type of body will be forced upon you." Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. So how the next body is formed? Karmana, by your activities. You are forming your next body. You are responsible for your next body. Therefore you should not become a tenth-class man like Ajamila. Of course, Ajamila is better than anyone. That will come. But we are creating this tenth class... No. Everyone has the chance to become first-class man and come to the understanding, the value of life, and mold our life so that we can, next life we can get better chance. The so-called Darwin's evolutionary theory... Some way or other, he brings to the human body, but he has not discussed what is after human body. He has avoided. But after this, that depends on your work. Because your consciousness is developed than the animal, than the cats and dogs. And the sastra is giving you information, how you can get the other body, next body.

In the Bhagavad-gita you will find,

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
 [Bg. 9.25]

Now make your choice. There are different planets. These rascals say that only living entities are in this planet, and all planets are vacant. Just see their scientific knowledge. What the other planets have done? It is made of the same ingredient, five elements, earth, water, air, fire, and we find innumerable living entities within this planet, and why other planets made of the same ingredient and there is vacant? Why? This is not scientific knowledge. The other planets are also filled up with living entities. Even in the sun planet. We cannot think... The sun planet is made of fire. How living entities can live there? Yes. Why not? You have to little consider about your rascal senses. What is the fault in the sun planet that there shall be no life? The five elements means earth, water, fire, air, ether. So fire is as good as the earth, one of the elements. Earth, water, fire, air, ether or sky. So we are experiencing that on earth, on the land, there are so many lives. And in the water there are so many lives. In the air there are so many lives. And why not in the fire? What is the reason? You have got some concocted ideas that in fire, nobody can live there. But Bhagavad-gita says, "No, you can live there." There is a verse -- I now forget -- that "Fire cannot burn it." Can anyone recite that verse?

Nitai: Adahyo 'yam?

Prabhupada: Adahyo 'yam. Adahyo 'yam. This is the nature of the soul, adahya. Asosyo 'yam, asosyo 'yam. The, that is the distinction between the soul and the matter. Matter, any matter you take, earth, earthly matter, even the hardest matter, namely the iron, it can be melted, it can be burned. But the soul is distinct from this matter. Therefore it is described, adahyo 'yam. Any material thing can be dried up by the air. But soul, asosyo 'yam: "It is not dried up." Any material thing can be moistened. So the soul cannot be. In this way every particular there is. So in the fire the soul cannot be adahyo 'yam, it cannot be burned. And we get information, as there are worms in everything, earth, water, fire... In the fire there are worms. They are called agni-po(?). Where is the scientist? But we get this information from the sastra. Agni-po(?), worms within the fire. And Krsna says, above all -- this is also Krsna's statement -- imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. There is kingdom. There is city. There is population. Otherwise, how Krsna went there long, long ago, forty millions of years, and He instructed this Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god? Vivasvan, his name, is also there. Not fictitious. This is the parampara system. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1].

So we have got picture in our Bhagavad-gita. The sun-god is listening. The sun-god, there is sun-god. Just like here we have got a god, Ford or Nixon, similarly, in every planet there is a god. Therefore it is described, yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. All these gods, they are demigods. They are not God. God is one. So deva. That... If you try to go to the sun planet, moon planet, or any other planet, millions and trillions of planet, you can go. Higher planetary system, lower planetary system, that you can go. That is... The description is there in the sastras. They are going to the moon. Of course, I have several times... They have never gone, but anyway... You can go to the moon planet. How you can go, the description is there. So moon planet is not vacant. That is counted amongst the heavenly planets. If anyone can go there, he can live there for ten thousands of years. Ten thousand of years means according to the demigods' years. Their duration and our duration is: our one day, our six months, their one day. That is admitted by scientists that you go higher, the relative time is different. Just like when the Russians first of all sent that sputnik, in one hour, twenty-five minutes, they surrounded all over the world. Now it is relative. You have got a speedy vehicle. So generally, the 25,000 miles, this earth, it takes long, long time, even you go by aeroplane But when you have got a better machine, it is finished within one hour, twenty-five minutes. So as you go higher, higher, the time duration becomes different. This is called relativity. We hear from the Bhagavad-gita the duration of life of Brahma, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. Our some millions of years is equal to twelve hours of Brahma.

So in this way, if you like to go to the other, higher planetary system, there is system, how to go there. As we have got system here in this world... If anyone wants to come to America, he has to arrange for visa and passport and so many things. Without going through the system, you cannot enter by force. So these foolish people are thinking that "There is no living entity. It is lying vacant, and by force, we can go there." And after spending millions of dollars, we come back with some dust, that's all. (laughter) And become proud that we have gone to moon planet. So the Vedic sastra does not say so. But you can go there. You can live there, a higher standard of comfortable life, higher duration of life. Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. You can go there. But anywhere you go within this material world, either the moon planet or sun planet or Brahmaloka, Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, that is also not permanent settlement. After many, many years, you have to come... Ksine punye punah martya-lokam visanti. When your resultant action of pious life will be finished, you will come back again.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is that why we shall accept this material body, which is limited? Maybe one hundred years or one thousand years or one hundred second or millions of... The our advice is that take, revive your original, permanent life, eternal life, and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our program. Don't die like Ajamila and others. This is our program. Those who are intelligent, they will take advantage of this movement, and... Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So take advantage of this movement intelligently, and there is no difficulty. You can see practically. We are not in any kind of difficulty. Very easily... Susukham kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. Those who are devotees executing Krsna consciousness, susukham, they are happy. Susukham kartum... To execute this Krsna conscious atmosphere, susukham, what is that? Chant Hare Krsna and dance and take prasadam. That's all. Where is the difficulty? So our request is take advantage of this movement and push it on. Those who are in ignorance, they do not know what is the value of life, what is next life. Just enlighten them. That is a good business. Krsna will recognize. Anyone who is pushing on this movement, he is immediately recognized. Because Krsna wants... We are all sons of Krsna. He wants us back to home, live with Him comfortably, without any disadvantage of conditional life, freedom. Krsna wants. Therefore he comes: yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. That dharmasya glanih means... Dharma means religious. Glani means pollution. What is that? We are manufacturing so many rascal type of religion. This is dharmasya glanih. But real religion is as Krsna says. What is that? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is religion. Religion means the order of Krsna. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. You cannot manufacture religion. Religion means you carry out the order of God. That is religion. That is religion. So you do not know what is God, what is the order of God, or even if you know, you do not carry out -- then what is the meaning of your religion? It has no meaning. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam directly takes it, dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra paramah nirmatsaranam vastavam vastu vedyam atra.

So this Bhagavata religion is not a cheating religion. This is real religion. Don't be carried away by cheating type of religion; you do not understand what is the value of life, what is the goal of life, how we can revive our eternal life. These things are to be known, and then your life, human life, is successful. And that chance is present before you in this form of Krsna consciousness movement. Take advantage of it and be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"The Material World Means Politics, Jealousy, Diplomacy, Envy"

73/07/07 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.1



Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

dhrtarastra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya
[Bg. 1.1]

Prabhupada: (during chanting of sloka) Now, in your leisure hour you will try to repeat and get by heart some of the slokas. That will be very nice. Go on.

Pradyumna: (after synonyms) "Translation: Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, being desirous to fight?"

Prabhupada: So the history is that same family, there was dispute who would occupy the throne. Dhrtarastra and, actually he was the eldest son of the king, and next was Pandu. So every country the law of primogeniture, what is called? The eldest child... In your country even the eldest child is a girl, she also occupies the throne. Just like present Queen Elizabeth. Formerly there was Queen Victoria; before that, another Elizabeth. But in India woman has no such right. Woman is never given any responsible post. That is the opinion of the greatest politician in the history of the world, Canakya Pandita. According to his opinion, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca. He has given his explicit opinion that "You cannot trust with any responsible post or any responsibility with a woman and politician." Those who are diplomat, politician, you cannot trust them.

So the general regulation is that woman should remain under the protection of husband, er, father, husband and children. Just like these Pandus, their mother, Kunti, she was very, very qualified lady. But still, after the death of her husband, she always remained with the sons. The sons are going to the forest; the mother is also going. Also the wife is also going, Draupadi. This was the... So two parties... Dhrtarastra was the eldest son, but he was blind, bodily defect. Therefore he was not awarded the throne. His next brother, Pandu, he was offered the throne, but he died very early age, a young man. When these Pandus, the five sons, Yudhisthira Maharaja, at at that time not Maharaja, Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, they were very small children, so they were taken care of by Dhrtarastra and other elderly family... Bhismadeva. He was the grandfather of the Pandavas. He was the elder uncle of Dhrtarastra. Bhisma was elder brother of Dhrtarastra's father. He was so old. But he was... Actually, the kingdom belonged to Bhisma, but he remained a brahmacari, he did not marry. There was no issue of Bhismadeva. Therefore his nephews, Dhrtarastra and Pandu, they were inheritor.

Now, after the death of Pandu, there was conspiracy. Dhrtarastra wanted that "Actually, this is my kingdom. Now, somehow or other, I could not get it. Now my brother is dead. So if I do not inherit, why not my sons.?" This was the politics. Politics are always there, and enviousness, jealousy. This is the nature of this material world. You cannot avoid it. Spiritual world means just the opposite. There is no politics. There is no jealousy. There is no enviousness. That is spiritual world. And material world means politics, jealousy, diplomacy, enviousness, so many things. This is material world. So even in the heavenly planets, these things are there, politics. Even in animal kingdom, these politics are there. This is the nature. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness. One man is envious of another man. It doesn't matter, even they are brothers or family members. Here the family members, Dhrtarastra and Pandu, two brothers, their sons, they were family members, but the enviousness...

So the Krsna consciousness movement is not for the persons who are envious. Envious. It is a movement to train people how to become not envious. It is very first-class scientific movement, yes. Not to become envious. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam in the beginning introduces, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra [SB 1.1.2]. In this Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharma, religious principles, cheating type of religious principle is completely eradicated, thrown away, projjhita. They are kicked out, projjhita. Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweeping and then kick out, don't keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system -- kicked out. It is not such religion, "this religion," "that religion." Any religion system, if there is jealousy, that is not religion. Jealousy means... We should understand jealousy, what is jealousy. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won't allow you to take it. This is jealousy. This is jealousy. Jealousy, try to understand. Suppose you are rightful owner of something, and I am trying that "You don't own it. I shall own it. Or somebody own it. I shall not allow it." This is jealousy.

So what is the rightful ownership of the living entity? That is to be understood. Birthright, what is called birthright. Just like everyone has got right to live under the protection of the government, everyone. That is good government. Government should give security of life and property. That is government. Not only for the human being, but even for the ant. This is government. Not that I give protection to my brother, and not to others. That is not... Just like Pariksit Maharaja, he was giving protection to the animals also. When he was on his tour, as soon as he saw that a black man was trying to kill one cow, oh, immediately he took his sword, "Who are you? You are trying to kill?"

So this is good government. Unless the government is equal to everyone... Just like God is equal to everyone. The king or the government must be representative of God. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, king is offered as good respect as to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. King is called nara-deva, nara-deva. That means "God in human form." King is given... Why? Because he acts as the representative of God. He cannot be jealous to any living entity, at least, born in his kingdom. That is called praja. Praja means one who has taken birth, or, in other words, national, national. So that was the duty.

So formerly, when there was fight between two kings, it is on the principle that who is giving good protection to the citizens, not for personal profit. Who is able to give good protection, life, security for life and property, he should become king. So these persons, this Dhrtarastra and his sons, they were jealous. How they could give protection to the citizens? They are themselves jealous. Just like nowadays, all these politicians, they are jealous. They cannot give any protection to the citizens. They are simply interested with their party politics. They have no time even to think how to give nice protection to the citizens so that they may feel happy always that "We have got good government. There is no cause of anxiety. We have got sufficient food, sufficient protection, sufficient opulence, everything sufficient." That is good government.

So here, Dhrtarastra, he is jealous. He cannot give any good government. Krsna knew it. Krsna sent a messenger, Akrura. You have read in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Before this Battle of Kuruksetra from Dvaraka, He sent his uncle Akrura: "Just go to Hastinapura, New Delhi, and see what is the situation." So Akrura understood that Dhrtarastra was planning something. So he talked with him that "Why you are implicated in such planning? Krsna does not want it." Although Dhrtarastra knew that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead... So Dhrtarastra said that "I know that what I am planning, that is not good. I know Krsna -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He has requested me. But I tell you frankly, I cannot do without it. So when Krsna will be pleased upon me, I may be."

So this is the position of the materialistic person. A materialistic person knows that he is sinful. A materialistic person knows that whatever he is doing is wrong, but he cannot check. Just like the thief. A thief knows that if he commits stealing, he will be arrested, he will be punished. He knows. Because he heard from lawbooks, from other sources, and he has also seen that a thief is arrested and he is taken by the police for being punished. So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekha-suna. In India it is called. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing. So one who is intelligent, he gets his experience simply by hearing from the right source. That is nice.

So our process is that we are getting experience about the perfect knowledge, the destination of life, simply by hearing from Krsna. So we are the most intelligent person. It is not possible to experience directly, but if one has got intelligence, then simply by hearing and considering and thinking over it, he gets the experience. So those who are very sinful, they get experience by hearing and by direct, directly seeing also; still, they cannot check from sinful activities. So Dhrtarastra, Dhrtarastra, by his sinful activities he became so much fallen that he did not hear anybody's advice, Vidura's advice, Bhisma's advice, that "Don't plan like this. They are rightful owners. The Pandavas, they are rightful owners. They are minor, but don't try to cheat them." But Dhrtarastra was...

So when the planning was complete and the warfield was set up at dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre [Bg. 1.1]. Dharma-ksetre means, kuru-ksetre, that place is a pilgrimage. People still go to observe religious ritualistic performances. And in the Vedas there is injunction, kuru-ksetre dharmam acaret: "If you want to perform some ritualistic ceremonies, religious, then go to Kuruksetra." So Kuruksetra is a dharma-ksetra. It is a not fictitious thing, just like rascal commentators, so-called, they say, "Kuruksetra means this body." It is not that. As it is. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Kuruksetra, dharma-ksetra. It is a place of religion. And especially when Krsna was present there, it is already. Why this house? Before our occupation, why this house was an ordinary house? Now it is temple. It is dharma-ksetra, it is a religious place. Why? Because Krsna is there. Krsna is there. So either you take Kuruksetra, ordinary place. But because in the battlefield Krsna was there directing Arjuna. So it is already dharma-ksetra.

So formerly people were religiously trained up. So they could not speak lies in a dharma-ksetra. That is still the practice. Just like in the western world, the Christians go to the church, they admit, confession, "Yes, I have done it." But that has become a formality. But actually, one should admit in religious place that "Yes, I have done this." But that does not mean you admit and again do it. No. You admit once, then you are excused. But don't do it again.

So here Dhrtarastra says, samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. "All these people, my sons, mamakah..." Mamakah. That means "my sons," and pandava, "my brother Pandu's sons." Samaveta, "they assembled." What is the purpose? The purpose is yuyutsavah. This word yuyutsu is still used in Japan. Perhaps you know, yuyutsa, fighting. So yuyutsu, those who are desirous of fighting. Now, both the parties were desiring to fight, and they assembled. Why he is asking question, kim akurvata: "What did they do"? Because he was little doubtful that "These boys, after being assembled in dharma-ksetra kuru-kse..., they might have changed their ideas. They might have settled up." Actually, the sons of Dhrtarastra might have admitted, "Yes, Pandavas, you are actually the owner. What is the use of unnecessarily fighting?" So he was very much anxious whether they had changed their decision. Therefore he is asking. Otherwise there was no question of asking, kim akurvata. He... Just like if you are given food, if I ask somebody that "Such and such gentleman was served with nice dishes. Then what did he do?" This is foolish question. He would eat. That's all. (laughter) What is the question of "What did he do?" Similarly, when it is already settled up that they were to fight, there was no such question as kim akurvata, "What did they do?" But he asked this question because he was doubtful whether they had changed their opinion.

Kim akurvata sanjaya [Bg. 1.1]. He was asking his secretary. He was blind man. He was always conducted by his secretary Sanjaya, a very faithful secretary. And he is explaining the Bhagavad-gita by experiencing, by television within the heart. That art is not yet developed. You have got television through machine, but there is another television -- you can see within your heart everything, what is going on outside. So that television was known to... That will be explained by Sanjaya, that by the grace of Vyasadeva, he learned this televisioning, and he was sitting with his master within the room and he was actually seeing how the fighting is going on. And he was explaining. This is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gita, I mean, the basic platform. So let us discuss gradually, one after an... Thank you very much.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973